The economic impact of buying, making, and doing things locally is important to the vitality of any community. Many studies have shown financial gains for a local economy that can increase its local activities, even a little. The significant benefits of local production or processing are obvious, but often ignored in favor of getting the best cash price from a distant source with real but hidden costs. In a global economy, it is easy to be “penny wise, and pound foolish.” Alternatively, sturdy independence fits Rogers City's cultural heritage and already has significant support among residents. Doing things locally is a time-tested path to:
• Job creation
• A healthier community
• Increased profits to local business owners (not a bad thing!)
• Stimulating downtown development and renewal
• More local services such as shopping
• Easing transportation demands
While these reasons alone are sufficient to encourage local activity, the long term benefits of becoming more resilient and community focused are pure gold.
Below are examples of some low-cost action to increase local activity:
o Buy local campaign
o Improved farmers market
o Increased back-yard gardening, home beautification, and home energy efficiency
o Expansion of biking and walking activity/infrastructure
o Development of community gardens for children and senior citizens.
Other initiatives that may require significant cost and investigation include:
Comprehensive review of City regulatory policy to encourage business and entrepreneurship
A local public transit system (expansion of Council on Aging Bus Service)
Increased local "clean" energy production
Incentive program(s) for business (such as facade improvements)
Local production development (using recycled material or agriculture)
Local production development projects may take years to study and implement; however, sometimes grant funds are available for private/public partnerships to create, for example, a recycling process project or biodiesel production from local wood products.
Large and small scale local economic activity will benefit Rogers City. We are open for business.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
City Closes on Water and Sewer Loans
On August 11, 2010, Rogers City closed on two loans from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) to make improvements to City water and sewer systems. The water system loan is for $3,098,000. These funds will pay for the work to replace 12% of the water main system, build a new water tower, and drill a replacement well. The sewer system loan is for $3,771,000. It will pay to rebuild the Wastewater Treatment Facility, install a new sewer lift station, and replace 4% of the sewer main system. The loans are actually municipal revenue bonds. Due to USDA-RD's low interest rate and due to provisions of the Build America Bonds Legislation, the effective interest rate for Rogers City's bonds is 1.55% for 40 years. The bonds will be repaid from water and sewer fees to system customers. A grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in the amount of $750,000 will also be used to pay for sewer system work.
While no one wants to pay increased water and sewer rates, the rate increase was necessary to keep the water and sewer systems working safely. The new rate went into effect in April 2010. The work will begin over the next two weeks and will last for over a year.
Along with the rate increase, there was a change in the billing practice. Customers are now charged a base rate, regardless of the on/off status of their service or metered consumption. This base rate ($38.25 per month) reflects the cost to be able to turn on/off your water service and dispose of your wastewater. The largest part of the cost to operate the water and sewer systems is the infrastructure to deliver the water and sewer and safely process it. There is now no charge to turn on or turn off service.
The rate increase makes the average customer's bill (for water and sewer) approximately the same as the average customer in Cities throughout the State of Michigan.
If you have questions about infrastructure, water and sewer service, rates, or the Revenue Bonds, please contact me.
While no one wants to pay increased water and sewer rates, the rate increase was necessary to keep the water and sewer systems working safely. The new rate went into effect in April 2010. The work will begin over the next two weeks and will last for over a year.
Along with the rate increase, there was a change in the billing practice. Customers are now charged a base rate, regardless of the on/off status of their service or metered consumption. This base rate ($38.25 per month) reflects the cost to be able to turn on/off your water service and dispose of your wastewater. The largest part of the cost to operate the water and sewer systems is the infrastructure to deliver the water and sewer and safely process it. There is now no charge to turn on or turn off service.
The rate increase makes the average customer's bill (for water and sewer) approximately the same as the average customer in Cities throughout the State of Michigan.
If you have questions about infrastructure, water and sewer service, rates, or the Revenue Bonds, please contact me.
Return to Blog
Dear Visitors, Friends, and Fans of Rogers City: Due to my ignorance of modern technology, I have not been able to blog on behalf of Rogers City for sometime. It is a long and painful story and one that I know only in part, but perhaps someday, I will be able to tell you about it. This story is certainly a modern cautionary tale.
In the now, I have more important things to say. Specifically, to those who have been checking in on the Rogers City website and this blog--only to find an old entry from March, please accept my sincere apology.
Now that I have the technology--thanks to John Addis--to go at this blog regularly again, I hope that you will visit Rogers City's website and this blog, find something new and interesting, and visit often. This blog is open for business!
In the now, I have more important things to say. Specifically, to those who have been checking in on the Rogers City website and this blog--only to find an old entry from March, please accept my sincere apology.
Now that I have the technology--thanks to John Addis--to go at this blog regularly again, I hope that you will visit Rogers City's website and this blog, find something new and interesting, and visit often. This blog is open for business!
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