New Buffalo DDA Board hears of member Roch’s resignation

Step taken to fill job openings in LaPorte

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Members of the New Buffalo Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board of Directors heard of longtime member Doug Roch’s resignation from the board at their L“do their homework” and make sure they have formal presentation they can present to the DDA or another commission.

“I think that’s the best way to handle that is work through a committee and work through it in a way numerous openings employers are struggling to fill. As a result, a new position has been created to try and help manufacturers plug gaps in their shifts. Erik Nelson is the new workforce development coordinator for the LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership. “Eric is going to be focused on bringing workforce options Thursday, Sept. 9, meeting. Chair Robert Kemper thanked Roch for all his work with the DDA, which included being instrumental in the parking lot changes at the public beach. “He’s been a huge help to the DDA over the last seven to eight years,” he said.

Board members approved a Kemper said that board seeks members that fit the following qualifications: they must own, rent, or manage a business in the community or DDA district and “bring something to our board from the community,” such as by being engaged in New Buffalo Area Schools. He added they also look for representation for each corner of the DDA boundary. Kemper said the DDA’s initial mission was economic development and the preservation of historical assets in the City of New Buffalo. Members of the DDA working together with the city to find ways to help promote this mission will “attract people to want to be on the DDA Board and to want to be engaged,” Kemper said. With regards to economic development, Mayor John Humphrey brought up the vacant commercial properties in town. “I hope this body will work together with (city manager) Darwin Watson and myself to incentivize people who own commercial properties to be more reasonable about what they’re trying to sell them sexton/facilities maintenance for as well as incentivize people to come here with position was approved. Bunte businesses that provide something for the entire community that are not just seasonal businesses,” he company, Advanced Property said. With regards to the vacant commercial properties, Kemper said the city has “more capacity but we don’t have the staff to take care of that.” “What’s driving that is finding those people who are interested in those jobs - how do we compensate them on a year-round basis, where they can make $40,000 a year, $50,000 a year, working in the service industry in New Buffalo?” he said, and added that the answer is simple: making New Buffalo a year-round economy. Last month, the New Buffalo City Council voted to extend the moratorium on the issuance of new shortterm rental licenses to Nov. 1, 2021. Kemper said he’s said to those who are for and those who are against the short-term rental issue to that everyone can feel good about their position,” Kemper added. Humphrey said the city initially wanted to take a “friendlier approach” to managing the short-term rental issue, which was “separating the problems from the non-problems;” however, this has been “sidetracked” by the federal lawsuits against the city. “Because of these lawsuits, we have to address the real facts on the table which is that short-term rentals have never been defined as a legal use by the city,” he said. “There’s no mention of them in our town charter, there’s no use in our zoning anywhere, so they have to be addressed from a zoning perspective as a legal use - we have to define them and then we have to decide where we want them for our zoning,” Humphrey added.

Member JV Peacock, who’s owned Outpost Sports in New Buffalo for 38 years, said New Buffalo has only one industry: tourism.

“If we put a motion out there However, Cook said there hasn’t been anyone at the top to really lead the effort and the people involved can only dedicate so much time because of their full-time job commitments. He said the same agencies will continue to help under to the public that we’re not in favor of short-term rentals at all, they’re going to bypass New Buffalo… Whatever you end up doing with this resolution, you cannot offend the potential of our tourism industry,” he said. Humphrey said short-term rentals are different than the “traditional vacation rental status New Buffalo has enjoyed for the last 50 years” and are “really only a 10-year-old problem.” Watson said that AT & T has gotten right of way applications for cell boosters and that three are being proposed at the following locations: 303 N. Whittaker Street, 428 North Dr., and 100 Marquette Dr. He said that the one on Whittaker Street that AT & T is proposing is really close to a 15-inch water main and they’re working on putting it at the same location without hitting the water main. Watson said a Request for Proposal (RFP) will be put out in October for the beach concession. Dan Leung had bought the business from former owner Dustin Harvey with the understanding that he was finishing up a contract agreement that’s sunsetting this year. LaPorte appears to be the place to go for a factory job, with to our local employers,” said Bert Cook, executive director of LEAP. The new position is partially funded with a $175,000 grant from the Howmet Aerospace Foundation. Cook said the three-year grant will also pay for high school seniors throughout LaPorte County obtaining the skills necessary for local job openings in manufacturing. About a dozen of the scholarships for Ivy Tech Community College will target positions in maintenance requiring electrical and other skills to keep things like assembly lines running. “Almost every manufacturer is looking for maintenance people as we speak. You can almost write your own pay check because it’s such a position of need,” he said. A number of groups from the public and private sectors have been working together to meet local workforce needs for several years. the umbrella of Nelson, whose focus is strictly on meeting demand for qualified workers. Cook said there are hundreds, if not more than a thousand, job openings at factories in the city and surrounding area. Keeping local residents from going to jobs elsewhere is part of the strategy for reducing the number. “If we find 400 graduating seniors and keep those individuals here and put them to work in all of our local companies we would have made a tremendous difference in year one and we’ll just continue to grow the program from there,” he said. Nelson graduated from LaPorte High School in 2013. He received a bachelor’s degree in sports management from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. He’s worked in marketing and event management for professional and college athletic teams like the Chicago Bears and University of Notre Dame. Nelson also comes with experience in sales and new home construction. “I’m excited for the opportunity to make a positive impact in the community I was born and raised in,” he said. At some point, Cook said the workforce program will expand beyond manufacturing. — STAN MADDUX

Public hearings on marijuana business applications in Three Oaks to commence next month

BY THERESE DONNELLY

The Three Oaks Village Council used its Wednesday, Sept. 8, meeting to plan a series of upcoming special meetings.

Councilmembers set two Additionally, the Council approved $4850 to replace the variable frequency drive on well five at the lagoons. Faulkner said the equipment was recently damaged by severe weather public hearings to discuss applications for marijuana businesses in the village. The village is considering 14 applications overall, so the council agreed to split the review into two consecutive nights, Oct. 19 and 20. Each applicant will have an opportunity to present their application to the council. A third meeting will take place Oct. 27 to make decisions on the applications. All three meetings will take place at 6:30 p.m. in Froehlich’s events space, 19 North Elm St.

The Council will also have a public hearing and special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 28, at village hall to approve amendments to the 2020-2021 budget, and approve the 20212022 budget.

Village Treasurer Lois Jones resigned in July. After a search, the Council approved Melodie Culverhouse as the new treasurer, with bank signing privileges. Village President Rich Smith thanked interim treasurer Darlene Heemstra for helping the village during the search process, and Jones for her years of service to the village.

The Council also appointed replacements to the Planning Commission. During its August meeting, the Council accepted Commissioner Dustin Blaszczyk’s resignation and at the September meeting Smith said commissioner Ayla Batton also submitted her own resignation. The council appointed Steve Diller and Tina Olsen to replace the two, with both terms ending in November 2021.

Zoning Board of Appeals member Kim Webers has also resigned. The Council appointed Mike Kennedy to complete her term.

The Council approved up to $14,850 to Wightman and Associates for additional services required to address requests by the State of Michigan for the sewage lagoons. Village Manager Dan Faulkner said the services included monthly state reports, and improvements to the lagoons. Faulkner informed the Council that the village received two grants from the Rural Task Force to improve local streets. The grants offer an 80/20 split with the village. The village will receive $208,783 for work on North Elm Street and $116,625 on South Elm Street. A separate grant from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program will provide $125,053 for a path along U.S. Highway 12. Work on Michigan Street continues. The Council approved a first payment request from L.E. Barber for their work.

The Council approved temporarily closing streets for two upcoming events.

Generations Drive will be closed Oct. 16 from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for Journeyman Distillery’s BarrellAged Brew Fest. Speaking to the Council, Ed Cuniff of Journeyman said the distillery will take precautions, including providing hand sanitizer and masks. At Faulkner’s request, Cunniff said a full list of Covid precautions will be provided to the village.

Cunniff added that the distillery is “excited” to bring back their yearly fundraising event, which benefits local charities.

A portion of Oak Street near Three Oaks Elementary School will be closed during the Apple Cider Century bike ride. In addition, the Council approved the use of Carver Park and Watkins Park for ride participants Sept. 25 and 26.

Large-item pickup in the village will be Saturday, Oct. 9. Village residents may leave approved items that would not fit in the ordinary rubbish collection. The village will post a list of accepted materials.

Trick or treat in the village will be Saturday, Oct., 30 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Never forget

Memorials

at Sunset Shore Shultz Memorial Park in New Buffalo and at the 9/11 Memorial Garden at New Buffalo Township Hall were displayed Saturday, Sept. 11. The country spent the day commemorating the 20th anniversary of the series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Wahhabi Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, when two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York, one plane hit the Pentagon and another one crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

— SUNSET SHORES PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LINDA HANKUS AND NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.