SPOKES VOL. LXIII NO. 40                                                                                April 18, 2017
 
 
We were greeted by Dorothy Lockwood and Bill Roberts.
 
We opened the meeting with the “God Bless America” and Art Ayers’ invocation.
 
Guests:
We welcomed Officer Patrick Carlotto, member-to-be Bob Herrera and speaker Mike Henry.
 
Music:
Bob Boerma continues to be absent while he visits schools and works with youngsters interested in band, providing them instruments so they can partake in this enriching activity.  He will return in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, song leading duties are being well handled by Jim Davis.  Jim drew “Five Foot Two”, the California Ramblers 1925 hit song.  We followed that up with the 1928 hit “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby”.  We struggled a bit on the tempo changes, but recovered nicely with a strong finish on R-O-T-A-R-Y, based on the Mickey Mouse Club theme song.
 
Highlight:
Officer Patrick Carlotto spoke for a few minutes about the Bike Rodeo that the police department puts on each year and thanked us for our support.
Announcements:
 
  • We need to know!  If you have not sent in your RSVP for the “South Haven Future” education fundraiser yet, please email Rhonda (rwendzel@sturgisbank.com) and let her know if you will be attending or not.  We have to get numbers to Lakeshore Caio.
  • It is time to nominate folks for our Community Service Award and Rotarian of the Year.  Nomination forms can be found on our website.
  • Don’t forget the District Conference on May 12th and May 13th.  Our Club Hero, Tom Renner, will be honored on the 12th and Marty Graber will receive his national award on the 13th and we are hoping for a nice turnout of local Rotarians..  Both events are in Battle Creek.
  • We continue taking up a collection to help pay for Marty’s trip from Kenya to accept his award.  If you are writing a check, please make it out to: Grand Rapids Lions-District 11-C1 and, on the memo line, write c/o Kenya Project.  It may be possible to donate frequent flyer miles to Marty.  Check with your air carrier.
  • Don’t forget the Club Runner App for your phones, it’s a great resource!
  • Don Hixson announced that the hospital foundation golf outing will be on June 9th.  He also told us that our hospital’s administrator, JoAnn Schroeder will be leaving to accept a position in northern Michigan.
  • Bob Straits explained the first quarter bills that members received recently.
  • We received a nice thank you note from the Kiwanians for our participation in their Parent Expo program.
50/50
No winner again this week as Steve Larsen had the correct ticket before his luck ran out and he drew the Ace.  Steve did help Tom Renner win $2 by drawing his ticket for that prize.
 
Fines:
  • Bob Copping began our fine session with a raging story.
  • Tom Fleming celebrated his grandson Conner’s birthday.
    • Larry Lewis updated us on the condition of his grandson who recently underwent a bone marrow transplant.  At this point all is good and he is making excellent progress.
  • Larry Wittkop was happy about returning Bridges at MSU.
  • Jim Davis is pleased with the Tigers so far this season!
 
Kathleen Brickley introduced our speaker, Mike Henry
 
Mike is a former county administrator for Berrien County and former commissioner in Van Buren County.He is currently the spokesman for the jail and courthouse expansion and remodeling millage on the ballot May 2nd.
 
Mike noted the ages of the current court buildings and jail and pointed out some serious security problems in both buildings.Of particular concern were prisoner transfers from the jail to the courtrooms in public space and the not very secure prisoner reception areas and lack of a separate juvenile reception area.
 
Mike continued by pointing out how prisoner transfers, reception and even jailing have changed in the more than 115 years since the courthouse was built and the 57 years since the jail was built.
 
The millage proposal is for .7 mills over 20 years and would raise 32 million dollars.This would enable the construction of a new courthouse building and remodeling of the current jail plus some work on other county buildings and construction of more parking.
 
Mike finished his presentation asking if we, in Van Buren County, can’t do better.
 
Remember to vote on May 2nd.
 
President Ayers thanked Mike for his presentation and presented him with one of our Rotary pens.
 
We closed the meeting with the Four Way Test.
 
Next week’s program: Jim France will present a program dealing with the proposed library millage, “Assuring the Future of a Community Asset”.
 
Next week’s Greeters:  Jim France and Jim Davis
 
Editarian:  Dene Hadden