SPOKES VOL. LXVI NO. 10 September 17, 2019
We were greeted by Scott Smith and Robert Stickland
President Odland opened the meeting with “America the Beautiful”and Art Ayers provided the invocation.
Guests:
Our Guests this morning included Jane Copping, prospective member and grandson of Jim Davis, Stephan Davis and Jeanie VanZoren from Friends of the blue Star Trail.
Spotlight
Jeanie VanZoren spoke to us about the Blue Star Trail, a bike path from Saugatuck to South Haven. The cost to build a mile of trail is now about $650,000, up from $250,000 just a few years ago. South Haven’s “Trail Town” designation will help attract more bicyclists to our town and help South Haven and the Friends of the Blue Star Trail get grants to expand the trails in and around our town. Last year the group completed .8 miles of trail near Saugatuck and this year is focusing on the trail along Blue Star Highway in South Haven and is working on connecting the Kal-Haven Trail with the Blue Star Trail on Blue Star Highway. Our club has contributed to this organization on a regular basis, including $350.00 this year.
Announcements:
- The Speakers Series continues this Thursday with former Governor Jennifer Granholm speaking at Listiak Auditorium. Arrive early as there is a athletic event at the high school the evening.
- Haven Harvest is scheduled for Saturday October 19. A sign-up sheet is being passed around.
- November 21st is our Chamber ABO at the Moose Lodge with the Moose. Volunteers needed.
- December 10th is our Holiday Party at the Yacht Club
- December 21st is the Open Door Dinner at the Methodist Church
- December 21st is our day to do the Salvation Army Bell Ringing
- Dan Thompson has Rotary District Raffle Tickets for sale. $25 each. Two tickets left!
Songs
Jim Davis was our song leader this morning.We began with one of our older selections, “The Band Played On” also known by its refrain, "Casey Would Waltz with a Strawberry Blonde".We followed that with "Hello! Ma Baby" a Tin Pan Alley song written in 1899 by the songwriting team of Joseph E. Howard and Ida Emerson, known as "Howard and Emerson". Its subject is a man who has a girlfriend he knows only through the telephone. At the time, telephones were relatively novel, present in fewer than 10% of U.S. households, and this was the first well-known song to refer to the device. Additionally, the word "Hello" itself was primarily associated with telephone use—"Hello Girl" was slang for a telephone operator even through the First World War—though it later became a general greeting for all situations. The song was first recorded by Arthur Collins on an Edison 5470 phonograph cylinder. We finished with a gold “Roll Rotary, Roll.
50/50
Don Kitchin had the lucky ticket this week and proceeded to draw the “4”, winning the pot of about $200!Don’s wife Elaine will be delighted!Stu Comiskey was almost as lucky, winning the $2 prize so he can buy more ticket next week to try and win that meager pot.
Fines:
- Jim Davis was pleased that his grandson Stephan was with us and is interested in joining our club.
- Dan Liehr noted the huge number of Monarch butterflies migrating now.
- Richard Swanson is glad to be back.
- Ton Fleming reminded us of all of the benefits of a Fuel Rewards card on this, a Big Ten Tuesday.
- Larry Wittkop was excited that the Lions won on Sunday and remain undefeated.
- Kaleigh Eddy let us know that this is Homecoming Week at South Haven High School.
- Dene Hadden had a buck for a big Bronco win Saturday night.
- Tom Renner is pleased that, with two weeks to go, the Cubs are still in the mix for the MLB playoffs.
- Bob Copping delighted us with the story of a death row inmate and his coice of a wine for his last request.
Ted Weber introduced Bill Hunter and Ross Stein from the South Haven Area Water and Sewer Authority.
Bill and Ross reviewed the establishment of the authority and the purposes for its establishments. It now has its own website and that includes much of the information in the presentation.
Bill noted that the state encourages authorities and funding public utilities through authorities.
Key factors include that all expenses must be paid for by the rates the authority charges. They can no longer get an infusion of cash from local governments. Also a key element is the requirement that all parties to the authority be treated fairly.
A key expense over the next 20 years is the replacement of galvanized service lines to all 2000 residences in the authority. This is expected to cost $24 million dollars.
In addition, the state has mandated other changes that require public utility providers to plan and prepare for replacement and upgrades of infrastructure in its system.
The system is not running at capacity currently but Bill expects other area communities to have a need for new water supplies in the fairly near future and they could add users to the system, lowering individual costs.
Currently the biggest expense facing the system is the replacement of the concrete standpipe near Blue Star Highway and Phoenix Street with a new water tower.
Bill indicated that we had an 8% rate increase this year and he will probably be asking for a 9% increase next year to help cover all of these needs.
President Odland passed out our speaker’s pens to Bill and Ross and thanked them for their interesting and informative presentation.
We closed the meeting with the Four Way Test.
Next week’s program: Chris Wellington will present Kirk Richardson of Bronson South Haven
Greeters: Pete Swanson and Bob Stickland
Editarian: Dene Hadden