It looks like those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer are coming to an end, so there was no better way to kick off the meeting than by singing the famous Nat King Cole melody.

 

 

Thanks to Chris Peregrine for helping us wish a fond farewell to the summer season!

IM Rotary
Lou Anne Ford presented Karen Renny and Tom Sheren with certificates for completing IM Rotary. Congratulations, Karen and Tom!
The next IM Rotary meeting will be held next week.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotary’s Impact in Haiti
Sharron Zimmerman introduced us to Carolyn Crowley, Executive Director of Pure Water for the World, who thanked us for the work we’re doing to provide safe drinking water in Haiti.
 
Interested in becoming the next District Governor? Check out this video to hear Al Bonney describe the many benefits of becoming a Rotary District Governor: Click Here
 
Want to be on a grant investigation team? Training will be held in the next few weeks.
 
Mike Meindertsma proudly let the club know that Team Rotary beat the Kiwanis Club in the annual Rotary/Kiwanis golf match. As the winning team, we get to give $1000 ($500 from us, $500 from them) to a local charity. If you have suggestions on where the $1000 should go, call or email Mike.
 
Happy 29th birthday, Marsha Minervini!! ;)
Save the Date: The Rotary Evening Christmas Party at the TC Yacht Club on Tuesday, December 8 (no noon meeting that day)
Homer Nye gave the invocation.
Cecil McNally introduced our guests and visitors.
Sharon Zimmerman won the 50/50 drawing! 

135 members attended the meeting with a 63.38% of attendance. 

September's resignations include: David Gabel, James Elkins, Mary Gillett and Doug Wolf.

September's new Club members include: Christopher Cox, Meagan Belden and Ben Collins

 

 

 

Most of us Traverse City Rotarians care deeply about how our great town will grow over the next few decades. So when people propose big projects, they’re sure to be met with many questions.

 

Of course, there’s no better place to have an open and civil discussion about big issues than at a Rotary meeting!

 

That’s why fellow Rotarian, Laura Oblinger, turned our normal program into a panel discussion about the proposal to construct a building at Pine St. and Front St. downtown, also known as the River West Project.

The panel included the project partners: Erik Falconer, Craig Patterson, and Joe Quandt.

 

Erik reminded Rotarians of their commitment to downtown over the decades, including the purchase and renovation of the Park Place Hotel in 1989. Erik also gave Rotarians an overview of the proposal: Multiple buildings, up to nine stories tall, that would include retail, restaurant, and commercial space on the bottom floor and a diverse mix of workforce apartments and luxury condos—incorporating a broad range of incomes--on the remaining floors. It would also include 183 parking spaces. The partners described the project as an “integrated, healthy neighborhood.”

 

Laura took questions from the audience. They included questions about water quality, the approval process, best practices from other communities, the types of housing, property maintenance, infrastructure, and proximity to groceries.

 

Several Rotarians shared feedback about the project. Some shared concerns about height, and others shared comments about how the site was formerly a dump and how the lack of in-town housing is a critical barrier to doing business downtown.

 

The partners said this discussion was part of their effort to keep an open and honest dialog with the community on this project. You’ll have more opportunities to provide feedback and hear more information in the coming months.

 

As always in Rotary, the conversation remained very civil and respectful.