After the traditional opening of the meeting by President John Racine in his usual sunny form, Christopher Cox’s invocation evoked enjoying the definitely non Spring-like weather through a spirit of giving. And invoking relatively kind thoughts toward those of our friends soaking up the sun elsewhere, Marsha Minervini warmly led us through Buffett’s Margaritaville.

 

Don Breadon introduced visiting Rotarians Lindsay Dickerson and Jennifer Kristen. Guests included transferring member Jim Patrick from most likely warmer North Carolina as well as potential new member Lindsey Scholard, and most of the Weaver family.

 

Autumn (complimenting the seasonal weather theme of the day) introduced the students of the week from St. Francis: Senior Tyler Rivett, Captain of the football team this year with a 47-1 during his years of play, an officer of the National Honor Society, focus on math and science, taker of a mission trip to build a trailer, and plans for Notre Dame (Go Irish!). And Theodore Prichard, Basketball team Captain as well as football teammate, has also done mission work, has applied to the Naval and Army academies and plans to focus on government.

 

Youth Exchange Officer Steve Alexander superbly generated excitement utilizing an Oscar style “and the winner is” envelope means to announce the destinations of the two “outbounds” Amelia and Adrian as respectively Brazil and Thailand. And Amelia and Adrian regaled all with a detailing of the application and interview process in being an exchange participant.

 

Chris Thomas from the Benzie Food Coalition gave thanks for the recent Rotary grant, which will assist their “Farm to Neighbor” program involving 60 pantries in the region helping “food insecure” people have access to healthy produce. John Racine reminded all that this is yet one more reason to donate to the Rotary Foundation providing local as well as international benefit. Just $25 in each season by each member meets our goal!

 

Wintery Day shoutouts: Ben Marintette needs volunteers to help with Munson Manor Dinners. John Racine reiterated the warm and fuzzy feelings one gets helping others during a difficult hospital stay experience, and I personally concur. Al Bonney reminded all of the Rotary Foundation Raffle tickets being available with purchased chances counting toward our club’s above-mentioned goal. Sakura Raftery reminded that Career Day is February 15^th from 12:45 – 2:45 pm at Traverse City HS. Still need some Rotarians with interesting careers about which they can share information with the students.

 

With Groundhog Day just around the corner, reminiscing of Bill Murray’s repeating the same day over and over in the movie, the $50 in the 50/50 required a second drawing as the first number called was unclaimed with Al Zielinski springing from his seat to claim the money.

City Manager Marty Colburn introduced the day’s speaker, Tony Minghine from the Michigan Municipal League. Even as a Political Science major in college I have to admit I’m guessing our student of the week Theodore took home a deeper understanding of the machinations of municipalities issues that I was able. So with hopefully no dis-respect to our speaker, I will do my best to encapsulate the chilly facts.

Priorities of the governing system toward balancing the state budget has divested focus on communities. Growth in available revenue to municipalities has been decreasing to the point that Michigan is 50^th in the country, and in the same position in regard to government jobs provided at a local level.  The drop in the taxable value of 2005 cannot rebound quickly enough to recover, with 8 billion dollars lost in revenue sharing for municipalities.

 

What needs to be done is a multi-tiered approach involving greater legal authority with more investment tools to be able to approach problem-solving in a completely different way, thus getting away from the “cut only strategy”.  The Hedley Act requires reformation, fixing property tax to fluctuate up and down with the economy. The State needs to be compelled to address unfunded mandates, changing the math itself behind the system. Don’t build and abandon infrastructure. We need people coming back to the State, and to invest in our communities again.