IF YOU'RE ROOTING for the city of Marquette to get the new Marquette General Hospital, you can't like this: a Duke LifePoint helicopter was observed last week conducting an aerial survey of the Township's proposed site for the new hospital.
And then consider this: Duke LifePoint CEO Ed Banos recently provided an update on the hospital relocation to the Marquette County Board and the Marquette Township Board.....but not to the Marquette City Commission.
What the hell.
It couldn't have been a simple oversight, could it? Was Banos sending a message? Is he peeved at the city? Is it a bargaining ploy? Or is the selection process all but over?
We're closing in on mid-July. A decision, already overdue, should be coming soon. Three sites--the Township site behind the Westwood Mall, and the City's two sites at the golf course and on the Roundhouse property--are all still technically in the running.
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THE CITY IS struggling with another huge, financial problem.
Its two biggest taxpayers--the Presque Isle Power Plant and Marquette General Hospital--are challenging their tax bills before the Michigan Tax Tribunal.
That's their right, of course, but this type of challenge, with the amount of money at stake, may be unprecedented in Marquette's history.
What it does is handcuff the city. It can't spend the money in question which might please some residents who prefer lower taxes and a smaller government, but it will seriously jeopardize city services. The Tax Tribunal cases can take up to two years to be resolved.
Interpretation of tax law and the overall tax climate are changing, for better or worse.
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NOTHING LIKE AN ice-cold brew after a long, exhausting day on the slopes of Marquette Mountain. Or how about a hot toddy?
Well, you might want to think twice about that.
Marquette Mountain has lost its liquor license. The license belonged to Vern Barber, the former general manager who departed for Mount Bohemia a couple of months ago. A transfer couldn't be worked out.
So that means for now, banquets, weddings and any other events will have to bring in their own liquor to Marquette Mountain. Not an impossible situation but it certainly makes the venue less attractive for adults.
As for this skiing season, well, we'll see. Management is working on it. Liquor licenses can be expensive and difficult to find.
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ANYBODY WANNA RUN for the Marquette School Board?
As of Tuesday, nobody had filed yet for what will be four open seats.
No reason for alarm, though, because several potential candidates had taken out applications, and the deadline for filing is July 22nd, and you need only a handful of signatures to file.
Still, given the stalemated and contentious teacher contract talks, you'd have thought there'd be more public interest in the races.
Stu Skauge, the teachers' union negotiator, says he's not getting involved in the elections although he'd welcome candidates who'd be pro-teacher and willing to challenge the four incumbents, including chairman Rich Rossway, whose terms end this year. It's uncertain how many of the incumbents are running for re-election.
Superintendent Bill Saunders says he's convinced that whoever wins the elections will soon see that the district's finances are in dire straits and unable to accommodate the financial demands of the teachers.
Bargaining talks between the teachers and the district continue almost weekly with little or no progress. Skauge wants the entire board to be involved in the talks; the board says no, its team of three negotiators is sufficient.
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The teachers have been working without a contract for more than a year.
What kind of leverage do the teachers have? Almost none. A strike? They'd lose pay for every day they were out and they'd never get it back, and the district would lose state money. Lose-lose.
Sympathetic yard signs--and there are hundreds around town--are good for morale, but not much else.
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JACKSON'S PIT, THE new bar and grill in Negaunee, had some good news and bad news last weekend.
The good news was that it was jam-packed.
The bad news was that it was jam-packed.
It opened unannounced and unpublicized late Friday, on the 4th, and things went fine. But then on Saturday, following stories on Fox UP, TV 6 and the WLUC website about the new restaurant, it was overwhelmed with customers.
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Waits extended up to two hours because the kitchen and wait staff, which hadn't had time to practice, couldn't keep up. No surprise, there were plenty of complaints.
Now the best news. Customer flow has moderated, the staff is up to speed, and Negaunee has a new and attractive alternative for lunch and dinner downtown.
Moral of the story: TV newscasts and TV websites can certainly pack a powerful punch.
You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com
Hope the city wasn't trying to play hard ball.
ReplyDeleteFYI- You dont go on strike with the idea that you would get back pay for the days that you walking the picket line. You go on strike to show management that you are strong and united and that you have had enough of their crappy offers. Unions are only as strong as their weakest members. From what I see, the teachers have a strong membership and a strong backing in the city and surrounding areas. Stay Strong!
ReplyDeleteIn Michigan, it is against the law for teachers to strike. They can be fined and fired for it. The administration is saving thousands of dollars by not settling. There is no reason for the administration to offer a fair contract, because the teachers have lost all power. Right to work has made it impossible to negotiate fairly.
ReplyDeleteHope the Hospital doesn't ruin Forrestville more than it's been ruined already.
ReplyDeleteThe Marquette school district is very healthy financially. They would like you to believe other wise. It can all be views on www.munetrix.com This website lets you look at the financial situation school districts and municipalities are in. You will see that the teachers are not asking for much.
ReplyDeleteHow much of an impact will the power plant closing and the hospital moving have on the school budget?...I honestly have not been following the school situation too closely.
DeleteI think the headly amendment takes care of that...is your local school is not so dependent on local taxes. It is more of a state budget based on enrollment I think. Correct me if I'm wrong please
DeleteThat's pretty much right. Each year, the state guarantees a certain amount of funding per student enrolled. They then tell individual districts to collect as much of that as possible from local taxes. The state then makes up the difference.
DeleteSo if there is a large drop in property taxes (like if the hospital and power plant both fall off the rolls), that hit will be borne by the state, who will make up the difference 0 at least for the public schools.
DLP is so culturally deaf to the local community that I can't wait to see what kind of fiasco they create if they ever announce a build site. LP at Bell is no better, the doctors and board vote to fire the CEO and the people in Nashville don't care, they can't let those doctors tell them how to lead after all. The UP has to have the Presque Isle plant to maintain stability in the grid so that is not going anywhere, anytime soon. ATC needs to build a new line from WI to maintain the current load before they do and that is not set. There are a number of liquor licenses that can be purchased and are listed on the state website of the ones in escrow, they just aren't cheap. The teachers are crybabies, and their support is eroding after they got caught putting their signs in for sale homes without permission and by going to senior citizens asking them to put the signs in their yards without telling them it's because they want more money, not just as a sign of general support. Finally, Jackson's Pit is a great addition to Negaunee but they should have followed the rules for permitting when they did their build-out so they could have opened a few weeks (at least) before Pioneer Days. The busiest week of the year is not a time to be training staff and cooks! Heard they limited the menu for the week after a couple of humbling days so hopefully things will get better going forward.
ReplyDelete