March 1, 2006 meeting minutes

 

Meeting Minutes

March 1, 2006

 

The meeting was held at the Mattawan Village Hall Council Chambers.

 

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Lori Anthony of Lori’s Web Design, Tom Brown of Mattawan Hardware, Barry Cook of Pre-paid Legal Services, Jean Gregory of Gregory-Newell Insurance, John Jeannot of John Jeannot Financial Services, Kristine Kounelis of Access First Federal Credit Union, and Mike Miner of Java Joint, Dr. Kayla Ranger-Dean of Mattawan Chiropractic

 

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Dawn Kobreek of Rhino Refrigeration (excused)

 

MEMBERS/GUESTS: Tom Anthony, Supervisor of Department of Public Works of Mattawan Village; Jennifer Scholtz of Family Relocation; Gretchen Smith of ReMax Realtors - Paw Paw; and Amanda Anthony

 

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 12:05 PM by MBA President Lori Anthony.

 

AGENDA

MSC to approve the Agenda.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MSC to approve the February 1, 2006, MBA Minutes, with revisions as such: Barry Cook’s absence as (unexcused) and to correct Tom Brown’s comments.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Mike Miner stated that the Treasurer’s Report would be forthcoming next month due to the change of financial institutions to Access First Federal Credit Union.

 

NEW BUSINESS

President Anthony welcomed two new members to the MBA: Chinn-Chinn and Hammacher & Associates (Steve Hammacher). Anthony stated that she has not verified our membership, but believes we are at 15+ members now. Also, membership dues will remain ½ off through the end of March for any new, first-time MBA member businesses. President Anthony and Treasurer Mike Miner also stated that a few more businesses may join. One of the best benefits for MBA membership mentioned by Gretchen Smith of Re-Max is the Web site listing!

 

President Anthony asked if the MBA could cover the annual Web site domain and hosting fees for the MBA site. MSC to cover the annual domain and hosting fees for the MBA Web site.

 

DPW Supervisor Tom Anthony demonstrated a new 3-D model representing the water table and how contaminants can seep through the ground layers and into our water table polluting our drinking water. The model will be used at schools and public events to help educate the public about our Well-head Protection program and to also help educate people to not dump certain materials into the ground. A grant was obtained to fund the model and the program. To make it kid-friendly, a cartoon character name Professor Faucet is utilized on coloring books for kids and other materials. Rain gauges listing Mattawan Well-head Protection are also available to help get the word out. Mr. Anthony also stated that the program is a group effort and if anyone is interested in being part of the Well-head Protection Committee then he/she should contact him to get involved. All the water on earth is a CONSTANT, meaning that all that we have now is all that we ever will have, so all of us everywhere need to protect it! A brochure and Web site are also available for information about contaminants with a list of what NOT to pour down drains, in toilet, and onto the ground. We all should help inform others to not pollute our drinking water, and the Health Department out of Hartford may also be utilized for assistance. The Village has two different wells and is on alert whenever any large contamination may result, such as a tanker overturned on the highway near our Village exit, so that our well-heads can be purged. The Village with its Well-head Protection program in place MUST be contacted whenever there is a contamination within a specific area of our well-heads. The traces of arsenic that have been found in the Village water supply must be FILTERED out as boiling will not get it out. Filters on all drinking water taps are encouraged. The good thing is that there is enough iron here in our soil naturally to hopefully take some arsenic out. However, once the Village of Mattawan has a WATER TREATMENT PLANT, then more iron and chlorine and such can be used to filter our drinking water!    The plant project is estimated at $2-2 ½ million. Mr. Anthony is trained to run the facility and other DPW employees will be trained as well.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

President Anthony discussed the Red Arrow Country group. It incorporates six communities around the Red Arrow Highway corridor for advertising these communities to visit for their events and activities and uniqueness. At least one representative from each community is involved on the Red Arrow Country Committee. The last meeting which Anthony attended was also attended by John Jeannot. Anthony asks the MBA members what their thoughts are in allowing South Haven and Bloomingdale to be let into the group at this time. After discussion, it was decided that the group felt that at this time it is most important to get this group going as is and then perhaps to add them later. Jeannot stated that this group was formed as an alliance of these communities to benefit and promote their communities and businesses to the public to come visit! It is a way to try to bring business into these communities! Anthony will represent the GROUP’s OPINION at the next Red Arrow Country Committee Meeting. The group will also utilize others such as the Blue Star group advertising, such as “After you have toured the Blue Star, tour Red Arrow Country!” Tom Brown of Mattawan Hardware also asked if advertising would also be done on the S.W. Michigan Tourism brochure which he recently received a copy of and it lists numerous activities and events throughout Southwest Michigan. Anthony responded “Yes” and that this is the hope to draw more advertising by also utilizing other organizations’ publications and advertising and Web sites for gaining more visibility and even driving the hits on the Red Arrow Country site. In addition, the West Michigan Tourism Association is also interested. Both groups are involved with the Red Arrow Country meetings as well, Anthony stated. The site if anyone would like to visit and review it is www.redarrowcountry.org and Mattawan information is linked to it to play off each other’s site for further visibility and hopefully increased traffic to our community and its businesses! Many MBA members and guests commented about some possible items to list for the area such as the number of inland lakes with public access, the wineries, festivals, other activities, etc. It is also hoped that more visibility to these sites will also draw an eye for businesses looking to open around the area … maybe even some larger chains such as IHOP for example.

 

A Spring Extravaganza is still being reviewed by the MBA. Possible dates mentioned by MBA members are April 21 or April 28. Further discussion at perhaps a special planning meeting may have to occur if this event will happen. More research by MBA members will be done to see what other activities and events are planned around these dates.

 

The next meeting is April 5, 2006.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None brought forward as all under OLD BUSINESS.

 

COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS/GUESTS

None as comments and discussion flowed freely throughout meeting from members and guests.

 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 1:10 PM.