Orion Township Board of Trustees Meeting of May 17, 2021

by Becky Andrus | May 20, 2021 | Meetings, Township/Village

DNR surplus lands available at online auction

by Becky Andrus | May 20, 2021 | Recreation

– DNR News –

May 20, 2021
Contact: Michael Michalek, 517-331-8387 or Scott Goeman, 517-284-5972

Great Lakes frontage, acres of forest, prime residential lots – these and more DNR surplus lands available at online auction

view from the shore of a 2-plus-acre land parcel on Torch Lake with 200 feet of lake frontage, blue sky and clouds

Keeping your eyes open for the right piece of Michigan property? Don’t miss the current auctions of surplus public land from the Department of Natural Resources.

After careful consideration of properties it manages on behalf of Michigan residents, the DNR has selected 10 that are much better suited for private ownership. The department is preparing these surplus properties – in Antrim, Baraga, Benzie, Berrien, Delta, Gogebic, Midland and Oakland counties – for sale via online auctions open now through June 15 and 16.

Scott Goeman, DNR Real Estate Services manager, said that while these properties no longer fit the department’s goals of efficient management and broad access to public outdoor recreation opportunities, they could fit nicely into potential bidders’ future plans.

“We are responsible for more than 4.6 million acres of public lands, and we regularly review those lands to evaluate how well they fit with our overall management strategy,” said Goeman. “Sometimes, it becomes clear that, due to a number of factors – for example, if a parcel is landlocked by private property, isolated from other DNR-managed land or doesn’t support optimum outdoor recreation opportunities – it makes more sense to remove that parcel from our management.

“Just because some properties are no longer right for the DNR, though, doesn’t mean they won’t be perfect for private ownership,” Goeman said. “These 10 properties available at auction right now offer a variety of landscape and natural features – lake frontage, river access and mature forests, for example – that should appeal to many different buyers.”

The parcels fall into three main categories: waterfront properties, larger-acreage properties and a few under an acre in size.

Waterfront properties

Antrim County: 2-plus acres with 200 feet of frontage on the western shore of Torch Lake.
Baraga County: An abandoned church parcel (just under an acre), near L’Anse, with 225 feet of frontage on Lake Superior.
Delta County: South of Escanaba, a forested 2-acre property offers frontage along the western bank of the Ford River, about a half-mile upstream from Lake Michigan.

Room to roam

Anyone with dreams of a personal forest sanctuary in either the western Upper Peninsula or the heart of mid-Michigan might consider two of the auction’s biggest parcels:

Gogebic County: A full 40 acres near Watersmeet.
Midland County: A 60-acre Sanford property surrounded by private landowners.

Those looking for a bit less acreage that still offers a lot of space to explore outdoors can check out these options:

Benzie County: Two separate, forested properties – 20 acres in Benzonia Township and 13 acres in Lake Township.
Berrien County: In the southwestern Lower Peninsula along Red Arrow Highway, a forested 12.5-acre property in Lake Township, surrounded by private land.

Smaller gems

The saying “good things come in small packages” could easily apply to the auction’s final two properties – prime residential parcels each under an acre:

Delta County: A 0.6-acre property along Lake Shore Drive, in Escanaba, with views of Lake Michigan south of town.
Oakland County: A vacant, buildable lot – almost a half-acre in size – abutting a local county park in Groveland Township.

How the auctions work

The DNR is partnering with Sheridan Realty & Auction Co. to offer the properties through individual public auctions. Bidding on all properties is underway now, and people can continue to place bids until the end of each property’s assigned time listing on either June 15 (for Lower Peninsula properties) or June 16 (for Upper Peninsula properties).

Bidding for each property will close at the following dates/times:

June 15
11 a.m. – Torch Lake property, Antrim County
Noon – Lake Township and Benzonia Township properties, Benzie County
1 p.m. – Groveland Township property, Oakland County
2 p.m. – Sanford property, Midland County
3 p.m. – Lake Township property, Berrien County

June 16
11 a.m. – L’Anse property, Baraga County
Noon – Watersmeet property, Gogebic County
1 p.m. – Ford River property, Delta County
2 p.m. – Lakes Shore Drive property, Delta County

Throughout the auction, everyone will be able to see the current high bid for each property.

Visit sheridanauctionservice.com to get more information about the online auctions. Anyone wishing to bid on a property must create a bidding account through the Sheridan site.

Full property details, including each parcel’s legal description, acreage and location information, is available through the Michigan.gov/LandForSale webpage. Interested bidders are encouraged to review the DNR’s terms and conditions for land sales and auctions.

For more information about the sale of surplus, state-managed public land, contact Michael Michalek, resource specialist in the DNR’s Real Estate Section, at 517-331-8387. Auction proceeds will help provide future outdoor recreation opportunities in keeping with the DNR’s mission to conserve, protect and manage the state’s natural and cultural resources for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations.

DNR public land management

Much of the land offered in these auctions is isolated from other DNR-managed properties, which can create some challenges to efficient management. Other parcels are included because they offer limited public recreation benefits.

Public auctions are one way the DNR achieves the results of its routine review of public land ownership. The department is now conducting a comprehensive statewide review of DNR-managed public lands as part of the implementation of the 2013 Managed Public Land Strategy. Staff will evaluate 240,000 acres, county by county, on how well they support the DNR’s mission, and then recommend classification into one of four categories: retain in DNR ownership, offer to unit of government or conservation organization, offer for land exchange, or dispose (via auction).

Recommendations for the first 10 counties (Alpena, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Charlevoix, Chippewa, Dickinson, Gogebic, Leelanau and St. Joseph) under review are available at Michigan.gov/PublicLands under State Land Review. Public comments on the recommendations will be accepted until July 14, with final decision by the DNR director expected at the July 15 Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting.

Note to editors: Accompanying photos of some of the surplus properties offered in the DNR’s public online auctions, open now through mid-June, are available below. Caption information follows.

Baraga County – An abandoned church parcel, with 225 feet of frontage on Lake Superior.
Antrim County – A 2-plus-acre parcel on Torch Lake with 200 feet of lake frontage.
Midland County – 60 acres of vacant forested land with road frontage.
Oakland County – A vacant, buildable lot in Groveland Township, adjacent to a county park.
Delta County – A parcel with frontage on the Ford River near Lake Michigan.
Benzie County – 20 forested acres near Platte Lake.

DNR COVID-19 RESPONSE: For details on affected DNR facilities and services, visit this webpage. Follow state actions and guidelines at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

Whitmer on Michigan’s Positive Job Growth

by Becky Andrus | May 20, 2021 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 19, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer on Michigan’s Positive Job Growth, Decreased Unemployment

New data shows Michigan’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average.

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor and the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget announced an updated unemployment rate for the state. Michigan added 6,000 jobs in April, following three straight months of consecutive employment gains. As a result, Michigan’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.9%, beating the national average of 6.1%. And while unemployment continues to go down, Michigan is delivering billions of dollars in federal stimulus to our state with a total of nearly $20 billion available through President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

“As Michigan gets back to work, our number one goal has been delivering the critical economic relief that Michigan families and small businesses need to emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever before. Throughout the pandemic, we saw Michiganders all over the state step up and come together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. It’s clear that these actions have enabled us to grow our economy and get back to normal quicker than many other states. Now is the time to keep our foot on the gas. My administration will stay laser-focused on growing the economy and getting Michiganders back to work. Thanks to the billions of dollars we have received under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to continue providing relief and support to Michigan families, help small businesses expand and hire, and make our state more competitive for good-paying jobs.”

Electric vehicle charging: Can Michigan meet the demand?

by Becky Andrus | May 20, 2021 | Transportation

Electric vehicle charging: Can Michigan meet the demand?

In the wake of a presidential visit to the Dearborn Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center and a subsequent announcement about production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning truck, this week’s podcast examines charging infrastructure in Michigan.

Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/8556010-electric-vehicle-charging-can-michigan-meet-the-demand

In the first segment, Aarne Frobom, a senior policy analyst at the Michigan Department of Transportation who has been studying a package of bills related to electric vehicle charging stations, offers some historical perspective on efforts to provide commercial services at state-owned rest areas.

Later, Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Trevor Pawl, who was on hand for President Biden’s visit Tuesday, talks about Ford’s plans for the F-150 Lightning and what the state is doing to support what we know will be increasing demand for charging stations.

While discussions of installing electric vehicle charging stations at rest areas is relatively new, the debate about the use of those rest areas is as old as the roads themselves.

As E&E News put it in a 2019 story: “When Congress passed the law that enabled the interstate highway network in 1956, it banned almost all economic activity at rest stops, including anything that aided motorists. That was the result of lobbying from businessmen near the highway who worried that the rest stop would be an irresistible draw.”

Frobom talks about the discussion over the years at the state and federal levels and recounts MDOT’s long-ago efforts to work with private entities to offer services on a state-owned site.

He also discusses the differences between electric vehicle charging stations (electricity comes from government-regulated public utilities) and traditional gas stations, sharing some insight from the book The Gas Station in America. He explains how as the automobile grew into a national phenomenon in the early 20th century, competition between gasoline companies prompted them to engage in “place-product-packaging,” which involved incorporating the entire gas station design into a brand name.

In Pawl’s segment, recorded Wednesday afternoon, the focus is on President Biden’s visit to the Ford Rouge plant Tuesday and anticipation of the official reveal of the F-150 Lightning, which happened Wednesday evening.

The president talked about the history of the Rouge Complex and how the facility is making history again. Pawl explains why Detroit is at the epicenter of transformational change again, and why it is vital for the state to support development of more electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

He pointed to policy issues that he said need to be addressed and the importance of working with other states.

Whitmer Accelerates ‘MI Vacc to Normal’ Plan

by Becky Andrus | May 20, 2021 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 20, 2021 Contact: press@michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer Accelerates ‘MI Vacc to Normal’ Plan to Move Michigan Forward Towards Normalcy

The ‘MI Vacc to Normal’ Plan now features two steps to get the state back to normal by July 1st

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an updated ‘Vacc to Normal’ plan, which outlines steps Michiganders can take to emerge from this pandemic. As of June 1, capacity limits will lift for outdoor events. Additionally, indoor capacity limits will increase to 50%, allowing indoor social gatherings such as weddings and funerals to move closer to normalcy. As of July 1, the state will no longer limit capacity at indoor or outdoor gatherings.

“As Michiganders have stepped up to get vaccinated and the CDC has released new guidance on masks, we are adapting the MI Vacc to Normal challenge to keep up,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Starting June 1st, we will be moving forward, faster than excepted, towards a return to normalcy. Soon, Michiganders will be able to celebrate together, have summer weddings and even enjoy a 4th of July barbeque with family and friends. This is what we have all been working so hard towards, and I am so grateful to every Michigander who continues to go above and beyond to keep themselves, their family, and our communities safe. Thanks to them, we can take these final steps towards a return to the normalcy and build our economy back stronger than ever.”

“This pandemic has been so difficult for so many Michiganders. We’ve made incredible sacrifices for the good of public health and the safety of our friends, family, and communities,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist. “This vaccine is helping our small businesses reopen their doors. It’s allowing our economy to come back stronger than ever and allows for a sense of normalcy to return for families across our state. I hope that this news is an added incentive for those on the fence about getting a vaccine. I will remain focused on encouraging every Michigander to make a vaccine appointment if they haven’t already. This is how we move forward, together.”

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the most important tool we have to reduce the spread of the virus. The vaccines are safe and effective and vaccinated people can do so many more things safely,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “We have made great progress with our vaccination efforts, but the pandemic is not over. We are working to make sure vaccines are accessible to everyone at their doctor’s office, in their neighborhoods, or even in their homes. By getting vaccinated as soon as possible Michiganders can protect themselves, their families and their communities and help end this pandemic as quickly as possible.”

To reflect these changes, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), will release an updated epidemic order on Monday. Throughout the month of June, people who are not yet fully vaccinated will still be required to mask up while indoors.