Oceana County Commissioner Paul Erickson continues to lead the charge in efforts to save both the Red Barn and Crystal Valley Dam, speaking as both chairman of the county’s Properties, Environment and Economic Development Committee and commissioner for Weare and Crystal Valley Townships. Discussions regarding both these properties are coming down to the wire, as evident at the May 28 board of commissioners meeting.
As for the Red Barn, only a few years remain until the DNR either removes or auctions off the historic building residing on their property. As Erickson explained, despite the Red Barn being one of the oldest still-standing structures in Oceana County, built by Charles Mears in the lumbering days, the DNR Wildlife Division has no interest in preserving the building, and as such, the structure has been subject to vandalism, trespassing and gradual deterioration. Speaking for a group of concerned Pentwater and Weare residents, Erickson asked the board to consider taking on the Red Barn in a stewardship capacity and to utilize about $13,000 in the Oceana Community Foundation Fund earmarked for shoring up the structure until a suitable entity comes forward to take on the project.
There are numerous possibilities that have been thrown around regarding the future of the barn, both in an educational and recreational capacity. Erickson provided commissioners with a presentation from Pentwater Township from last August, envisioning the barn as a venue and tourism pit stop along the planned Pentwater-Hart bike trail.
The concern remains for commissioners, however, of the cost and liability the county would take on in stewardship of the building. As pointed out by Commissioner Tim Beggs, there are unseen costs associated with the project, insurance is a major concern, and with no idea on what, if any, suitable party may come to save the Barn, it could be years until a resolution is reached.
As far as Commissioner Craig Hardy is concerned, he would like to see a more proactive approach from Weare and Pentwater organizations in securing funds before the county considers taking over the barn, “I would rather leave it over to the townships and to the Pentwater people to handle it and see where it goes. Because, to us, it's a big liability that we don’t know the outcome [to].”
Continued Beggs, “I think it’s a great idea. I just don’t think it’s a county project, but I don’t know what we could do in the meantime.”
Erickson acknowledged the challenges that county departments would face taking on the barn, but reiterated that the ask is to simply, “preserve the barn in hopes that we can keep it weathered in and it won’t fall down…buy it some time. I think it’s in the best interest of our history to do what we can to preserve it.”
The Crystal Valley Dam faces a similar crossroads, as the structure has been an area of concern for years, requiring either major renovation or - more likely - replacement. Removal of the dam is also a possibility, but that could prove just as costly. The most recent estimate for renovation of the dam came to about $1.7 million, and so far, no grant funding has been made available to the county. Also of concern is the opinion of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, which has recently raised standards for spillways to accommodate a 200-year rainfall and would pose a significant legal threat if the dam does not meet the requirements or suffers a failure.
Chairman Robert Walker asked commissioners for a unanimous agreement to formally ask Crystal Valley Township about what can be done for the dam. “I don’t think we can do it on our own,” said Walker. “I’m not advocating one way or the other [to replace or remove]. I don’t know where we can come up with $1.7 million without laying off or cutting services somewhere else.”
Hardy agreed, “This is something that the county is not going to be able to afford, especially with the new rules and [regulations] that EGLE has on it.”
As Beggs pointed out, money will be spent either way in regards to the dam -”Save the damn - we need funding. Remove the dam - we need funding. They’re both the same conversation, but with different outcomes.”
Erickson said he still believes that the dam can be repaired for less than the estimated cost. He also continued to express frustration with EGLE for continually raising standards and believes that the dam requires special dispensation. However, Erickson agreed with commissioners to contact Crystal Valley and set a decision deadline of Oct. 1.
Commissioners also heard the quarterly report from LIFE EMS’ Jeff Stockhill. There were 585 ambulance transports and on-scene assessments made by the company in Oceana County during the first quarter, which is a slight increase. Stockhill also recounted achievements, such as the celebration of the company’s 46th anniversary, positive feedback regarding the expansion into Grand Haven and being awarded as one of West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. On a local level, department responders were recognized with a Heart Saver award, honoring those who participated in a successful cardiac arrest save wherein the patient left the hospital cognitively intact, a “true life saved” as Stockhill put it.
Stockhill also presented a base rate increase for hospital transportation for commissioners to approve for the first time in several years, an item that commissioners added to the agenda and unanimously adopted.
Commissioners were also asked to vote on a resolution proposed by Community Mental Health for Oceana County to make May Mental Health Awareness Month, as the board has done so in past years. Beggs reiterated his opinion that while he recognizes that “mental health is a big issue…Community Mental Health I don’t believe has the answers for most of the mental health issues at hand. I’m not into grandstanding for resolutions that really don't actually have much impact.”
As such, Beggs dissented in the resolution, and while Commissioner Joel McCormick acknowledged his agreement with Beggs, he still voted in favor of the resolution.
The resolution passed with a count of 4 to 5, with Erickson saying that he "understands where the resolution came from and the meaning for it, and we’ve got good people working at our Community Mental Health that I do believe need some recognition.”
Also approved was a bid of $20,625 provided by Hurst Mechanical for preventative maintenance to county HVAC systems. Mary Lulich of Oceana’s GRACE group was present for public comment prior to the meeting’s adjournment, and noted that the group had sent a “significant” FOIA request to the Oceana County Council on Aging and that commissioners would be kept informed of any developments.
