Guest Columns

GUEST COLUMN Lou Glazer A knowledge-based economic development strategy

Ayear ago, Rivian, which often is described as the Tesla of trucks, announced it was moving its headquarters from suburban Detroit to Irvine, California. The announcement received hardly any Michigan press coverage. And, even more concerning, it garnered no reaction from Michigan’s political and business elites.

Two years earlier, Amazon announced that despite big subsidy o ers from Detroit and Grand Rapids, no community in Michigan made the fi nal 20 for its Amazon HQ2 and resulting 50,000 high-paid jobs. That received lots of Michigan press attention for a week or so. And statements of concern by Michigan’s political and business elites. But that, too, lasted for a short while and then everyone went back to business as usual.

Contrast that to the reaction to Ford’s announcement that it was locating three battery plants and an electric vehicle assembly plant in Tennessee and Kentucky. That announcement generated wall-towall statewide news coverage. And there were alarm bells sounding from Michigan political and business elites.

The fact that losing Rivian HQ and Amazon HQ2 generated little or no attention and losing the Ford battery plants generated calls from across the political spectrum for the state to spend oodles more in subsidies for auto companies should not be a surprise. For decades, the Michigan economic development playbook has been fi rst and foremost about being competitive with southern states for auto-related factories.

There’s one big problem: That factory-based playbook is decades out of date. Michigan’s factory-based economic development strategy leads to Michigan permanently being a low-prosperity state.

The reality is that production jobs (blue-collar factory workers) are a declining proportion of the labor market, and those jobs now have median wages below the median for all workers. That is true not just in metro Grand Rapids and all of Michigan, but also in states like Tennessee, which we are told is the model Michigan needs to pattern itself after.

The high-growth, high-wage segment of today’s American economy is represented by the Rivian headquarters and Amazon HQ2. The American middle class is now dominated by professionals and managers, not by factory workers. Michigan can only return to being a high-prosperity state, a status it enjoyed for most of the 20th century, if it adopts a knowledge-based economic development strategy.

The factory-based economic development playbook is dominated by low taxes, particularly low business taxes, and big subsidies to companies for each factory located or expanded in your state. The knowledge-based economic development playbook is anchored by public investments in education from birth through college and creating places where mobile talent wants to live and work.

Minnesota, the Great Lakes region’s most prosperous state, for decades has been at the leading edge of developing and deploying a knowledge-based economic development playbook. When you look at the economic well-being of workers in Tennessee and Minnesota, you see clearly that the path to prosperity is in retaining and attracting enterprises like Amazon HQ2 and Rivian HQ.

Minnesota has a much higher median hourly wage than Tennessee: $22.41 vs. $18. That goes with a substantially higher employment-to-population ratio: 65% of Minnesotans 16 and older worked in 2020 compared to 56% of Tennesseans. So, Minnesotans work more and earn more than Tennesseans. That results in employment earnings per capita of $38,133 in Minnesota compared to $31,751 in Tennessee. That di erential is the major contributor to Minnesota being 12th in per capita income while Tennessee is 38th.

Production jobs in both Minnesota and Tennessee have median wages below the statewide median: In Minnesota, it’s $19.30 compared to $22.41; in Tennessee, it’s $17.17 compared to $18. Production jobs in both states are a declining share of the workforce. It’s down from 13% in 2001 to 8.6% in 2020 in Tennessee, and down from 9.6% in 2001 to 7.6% in 2020 in Minnesota.

The exact opposite is true for the core occupations at enterprises like Amazon HQ2 and Rivian HQ: management, computers and math, architects and engineers, and scientists all are valued. Median hourly wages in those occupations in Minnesota range from $53.61 in management to $34.77 for scientists, and from $42.79 in management to $29.89 for scientists in Tennessee. And the share of jobs in those occupation groups combined have been growing in

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

MI VIEW WEST Garth Kriewall Michigan journalist, kriewall@hotmail.com

West Michigan’s push for more affordable housing should soon allow all of our serving staff to live within three ZIP codes of our restaurants!

GUEST COLUMN Rosalynn Bliss and Scott McLennan Proposed short-term rental law fuels housing crisis

Michigan is in the middle of a housing crisis. Too many middle-income earners are facing rents or home prices that take up far too much of their budgets. Businesses are having a hard time attracting new employees because there is not enough reasonably priced housing in their area, or the homes their employees can a ord are long distances from their work.

The explosion in the popularity of short-term rental websites like VRBO and Airbnb are making the issue worse by taking single-family rental units and owner-occupied homes o the housing market. Many homes listed on these sites are not just family cottages listed a few weekends out of the year. Investors are buying up dozens of homes at a time and operating them like miniature hotels that are rented out every weekend. It’s a matter of simple economics: Fewer quality homes are available for full-time residents, which means higher prices for everyone.

Rather than help address our housing crisis, lawmakers in the State House approved legislation that threatens to take even more homes o the market and increase housing prices even higher for Michigan families. Driven by misplaced fear that communities across the state will try to outlaw short-term rentals, lawmakers approved House Bill 4277 in the darkness of night that would allow one in every three homes in a community to be turned into a vacation rental.

Their 3 a.m. vote completely overturns the careful work communities like Grand Rapids have done to ensure neighborhoods remain intact and there is a balance of housing available for permanent residents as well as visitors. Such policies include utilizing local zoning laws to limit short-term rentals to certain areas and capping the total number of short-term rentals in a community.

To be clear, not every community has the same concerns about losing single-family homes to vacation rentals. Some would welcome more. Others — especially in popular vacation destinations — do not have housing that their teachers, police o cers and downtown restaurant workers can a ord.

This is not to say that vacation rentals are bad. They have been a great way for homeowners to earn extra income, and they have provided new options for tourists wishing to enjoy our great state. But no two communities in this state are alike. University towns have di erent housing needs than rural or suburban communities. Lakefront communities have di erent needs than farming communities. Each one needs to be able to determine how to best fi t vacation rentals into their mix of housing options in a way that is right for their own unique needs.

We urge our lawmakers to reject the one-size-fi ts-all approach passed in the State House in favor of legislation that allows for local decisions to stay local when it comes to short-term rentals.

Rosalyn Bliss is mayor of Grand Rapids and Scott McLennan is mayor of Rogers City.

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GUEST COLUMN Dave Kahle Create specific expectations to transform your company’s salesforce

Ijust finished a phone call with a potential client to discuss a problem. His 18-person salesforce was paid on straight commission. All had been with the company for 8-15 years and were earning healthy incomes. His problem was that he couldn’t get them to do what he wanted them to do.

He wanted the salespeople to call on new prospects to expand the company’s base. Instead of just seeing established customers, he asked them to call on prospects and report back to him on the progress they were making.

There were almost no results. Instead, he got comments like: “I’m not going to do this, I’m not a new salesperson.” or “That’s just more paperwork.”

The list could go on and on. The salespeople resented being asked to do something they saw as outside of their responsibilities, and the manager was extremely frustrated.

I call this a lack of “directability.” The problem is that management has not cleared up this murky difference of opinion.

It may be that the salespeople choose to ignore management’s direction. That’s a di erent, but an associated, problem. It really doesn’t come into play until the expectations are made clear.

For example, one of my clients moved his company to a CRM system. He gave the salespeople six months to learn to type, o ered to pay for a typing class for them, and mandated that on a date approximately six months from now, the company would totally implement the CRM system. That meant that every salesperson would be expected to use it to record sales calls, customer information, etc.

The expectations were perfectly clear. At the end of the six months, three of the salespeople had not improved their typing skills. When asked about the use of the system, they responded, “We’re salespeople, not clerks. We’re paid to sell, not enter information.”

In this case, the expectations were clear, but the salespeople held on to an outmoded definition for their jobs. The company’s course of action was clear, and those three salespeople were replaced.

The di erence in these basic expectations generates conflict, resentment and frustration almost daily. This negative condition leads to dismal productivity. The sales manager continually squanders his time trying to shape the behavior of the salespeople. The salespeople focus on doing exactly the opposite of what management asks so that they can build their case and prove their point.

A company caught in this kind of malaise has virtually no ability to implement any strategic initiatives.

For example, let’s say the company has decided to take on a new product line. Management sees the new line as holding the potential to grow into a category that is a minor piece of business for the moment. As management looks ahead, they see this category growing, and want to use this line to position the company in this promising segment.

So, management makes a commitment to the new line, buys the beginning inventory, loads the SKUs into the computer, works out the pricing columns, posts the products on its website and educates the customer service department. One piece remains — harness the power of the salesforce to generate business.

Management calls the salesforce together, brings in the manufacturer’s rep and introduces the new strategic initiative. The sales manager announces that every salesperson should introduce it in every one of his good accounts in the next 30 days.

The salesforce nods gravely, and then goes out and does whatever they have been doing for the last few years. At the end of the 30 days, virtually nothing has been done.

Sound familiar? I have sketched this scenario to thousands of principals and CSOs at annual meetings and national conventions. I then ask the question, “If you were in this situation, what would be the likelihood that every one of your salespeople would do what you asked them to do?” The response is dismal.

Now, consider the implications. If you cannot implement a strategic initiative like this, what is the future for your business?

You can see why I am so adamant about the importance of a “directable” sales force. It is one of the most valuable assets you can have.

There are several items causing this: 100% commission compensation plans; salespeople who have been around a long time; highly paid salespeople; a corporate culture that promotes the idea that a salesperson “has his own business.” All these contribute to the situation.

Instead, create and communicate a precise set of expectations to the salesforce that describes their jobs and what you expect them to do.

Once you have done that, you will have laid the groundwork for the changes that should follow.

It is di cult to create change in the behavior of a salesperson in the absence of a clear set of expectations. That document is not a guarantee that the salespeople will change, but it is necessary to direct the process. It’s the first step.

How to …

First, let’s start from the end. What are you going to end up? There is room for lots of variation on the format and formula. I like to see this: One side of one piece of paper, on which you spell out the following things: •An overview of the job •The most important seven activities for success in the job •The definition of how success is measured •To whom salespeople report •Expected attitudes

The question then becomes, how do you get to that point?

Should you involve the salesforce? I’m ambivalent about that. On one side, I’m a little hesitant to advocate that you ask the salesforce or that you add a salesperson to the task force. Unless the person you involve is especially mature, the likelihood is that the salespeople will input in ways that are in their own personal self-interest, not necessarily the good of the company. This is especially true if they are 100% commissioned.

On the other hand, I’ve seen clients who have involved a mature salesperson with good results.

So, the answer depends on the specifics of your personnel, as well as the corporate climate in your organization.

Regardless, at some point, you will have a document.

Now you need to communicate that document. That calls for a sales meeting with all the key players in attendance. It’s important that the CEO be involved, to lend credibility and authority to the proceedings. The salespeople must understand that there is no opportunity for an appeal to a higher source, that there is no negotiation on your expectations.

It is always a good idea to give the “whys” of the expectations, particularly if the expectations represent a major shift from current practice.

It’s also a good idea to encourage dialogue and discussion. Use the meeting as an opportunity to encourage people to mentally process the information. There is a line, however, between discussion and negotiation. I take a hard-line view on this issue. I really don’t think it is up to the salespeople to tell you what they should do. I think that is management’s job.

There is plenty of room for salespeople to define the “hows” of their job. But the “whats” are the province of management.

What’s next?

The written set of expectations, clearly communicated, won’t by itself make transformational changes in many salespeople. It will take more than just this to power the change you want. The expectations are necessary, however, to set up the changes to come.

It’s like outfitting a sailboat. You need to put the mast in place. A mast by itself, without a sail, a rudder and a keel will do absolutely nothing to move the sailboat. But you can’t hoist the sail until you fix the mast.

Dave Kahle is an author, consultant and speaker who has presented in 47 states and 11 countries, improved the performance of thousands of B2B salespeople and authored 13 books. Receive his insights on a regular basis here: https://www.davekahle.com/ subscribe-daves-e-zines/.

Due to the rising cost of health care, it is important you know the ways you and your employees can save on these expenses.

Many employers today are committed to providing health benefits for their employees. More than half of insurance coverage is employer provided, so finding ways to save you and your employees money on health is crucial. Check out these four tips to save on health care expenses. both states: from 9.5% in 2001 to 10.7% in 2020 in Tennessee, and up from 9.8% in 2001 to 11.9% in 2020 in Minnesota. Take advantage of cost transpar- The path to prosperity for Michency tools igan is to become more like MinHealth care costs shouldn’t be a nesota, not Tennessee. To do that mystery to employees. That’s why requires preparing, retaining and health plans like Priority Health attracting talent as the foremost provide members the tools and re- economic development priority. sources they need to research the The path to a high prosperity is ancost of services before receiving chored by Michigan shifting from the care. Cost Estimator, for ex- an emphasis on being a low-cost/ ample, allows members to search high business subsidy state to a what in-network facilities and state that develops, retains and pharmacies charge for services attracts human capital as its core and prescriptions based on each strategy for economic success. member’s specific plan, rather than a generic estimate, allowing members to “know before they go” and Lou Glazer is president of Michigan Future Inc.

plan ahead most e ectively.

Until recently, these types of resources didn’t exist, so many people are unaware of these tools. Encourage your employees to check out the cost tools o ered through your health insurance provider — the cost savings can be significant.

Investigate wellness programs

Wellness programs are designed to motivate your employees to improve their health by o ering rewards when they achieve predefined goals. Look for wellness programs that meet your company’s needs and can contribute to overall workforce health and productivity, by helping employees get and stay healthy. Some aspects of a wellness program may include online health assessments, healthy habit tracking, nutrition and sleep resources, health coaching, tobacco cessation and biometric screenings. Wellness programs can help your employees achieve better health and potentially have fewer doctor visits.

Visit the doctor virtually

If, and when, employees do need to visit a doctor, encourage them to explore their options for receiving care. Virtual visits are a more convenient option when it comes to a non-emergent need to see a doctor. Used for minor issues such as fevers, cold and flu, sinus infections, allergies and more, a virtual visit is often the most cost-e ective option. This service can help employees avoid numerous sick days, get back to work quickly and prevent an illness from getting worse while getting the care they need anytime, anywhere.

GUEST COLUMN Megan Schmidt 4 ways employers, employees can save on health care costs Knowledge is key to Get preventive care Preventive care often is an includ- economic ed benefit in your health plan. This means the plan pays the cost in full, so it’s free to your employees. development Proactive preventive care is integral to staying healthy and ultimately avoiding visits to the doctor. strategy Preventive care includes immunizations like your annual flu shot, “Look for wellness programs that meet your company’s needs and physical exams, some lab tests and certain prescriptions. Download the Preventive Health Care Guidelines to see what is considered preCONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 can contribute to overall workforce health and productivity, by helping ventive care or ask your health plan provider. As an employer, it’s important to make sure that your employees employees get and stay know the tools out there to help healthy.” them save on health care expenses. Cutting down on things like unnecMegan Schmidt essary procedures, emergency room visits and illness in general, through tools like Cost Estimator, virtual care and wellness programs, help lower health costs for everyone. Megan Schmidt is senior vice president of employer solutions at Priority Health and has more than 20 years of health insurance industry experience.

Entrepreneur continues family tradition

Inspired by her late aunt, Liz Pigorsh launches Button Up Your Plants.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

The idea for beautiful and functional plant wraps came to Liz Pigorsh in a dream involving her late aunt’s garden, and she took it as a sign to invent a product and start a business.

Pigorsh’s Aunt Ellamae Braun was a master gardener and longtime volunteer at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park until her death in 2010. Pigorsh (née Braun) had a dream about her in 2019 that was the jumping-o point for her invention and subsequent business, Button Up Your Plants.

“I had a dream about her bright orange poppies and perfect pink peonies falling over into her driveway, as they did every season,” Pigorsh said. “That dream inspired Button Up Your Plants, an invention to showcase and protect delicate blooms.”

Button Up Your Plants sells small, medium and large decorative wraps for outdoor existing plants in the ground, to provide support and give the illusion that they are potted, as well as wraps that fasten around the base of outdoor potted plants, hanging plants and indoor plants. The wraps, which can be custom designed or come from an existing stock, typically range from $7.99$30, depending on size and design intricacy.

Pigorsh has been many things: a resident of Cedar Springs and now Rockford, a stay-at-home soccer mom of four, a health coach and a caterer with Applause Catering.

But one thing that’s always been true is entrepreneurship — and gardening — are embedded deeply in her family history. Her grandfather, Fred Braun Sr., founded Braun Machinery in Kentwood, and three generations of Brauns have since owned and operated the business. Her aunt, Fred Braun’s daughter and the aforementioned master gardener, taught her the concept of generational gardening and passed along a love of flowers and plants.

The youngest of three boys and three girls, Pigorsh frequently visited her Aunt Ellie’s home in East Grand Rapids growing up and has many wonderful memories from those days.

“It was just gorgeous in her backyard. She did the landscaping in the front, and she had a small aisleway that her poppies and peonies would be on. (It was) her driveway, the poppies and peonies, then her door. And I just remember (the flowers) always flopping over. She had a detached garage and a really cool wooden gate that attached the two, and then you walked into this gorgeous garden in the back — it was just beautiful,” Pigorsh said.

Ellie Braun put her nephews and nieces to work gardening and deadheading flowers so new blossoms could grow in their place, and she also shared plants with family members, who transplanted them each time they moved to keep the heirlooms going.

Pigorsh describes her sister as a better gardener than she, but when the Pigorsh family moved to their current home in Rockford, lo and behold, there were seven, nearly 30-year-old peony plants standing at about fourand-a-half feet tall each.

It was no wonder, then, that Pigorsh had the dream in 2019 about her aunt’s peonies.

“She said, ‘Wrap my poppies and my peonies,’ and I was crazy enough to follow the dream,” Pigorsh said, laughing.

After inviting a friend, Becky, over to help create a prototype of the wraps one day, Pigorsh was struggling to think of a way to fasten the wraps when her friend

The wraps for outdoor existing plants in the ground provide support and give the illusion that they are potted. Photo by Korbin Perry

suggested using buttons. Pigorsh turned toward the fridge and saw on it a magnet made by her Aunt Ellie that was festooned in buttons and said, “If friends were flowers, I’d pick you.” Pigorsh took this as another sign, and the name for her invention and business was born.

GKW Business Solutions in Rockford and S.C.O.R.E. Grand Rapids provided business consulting services to Pigorsh, Sightline Display in Walker helped develop the wraps, and now its in-house partner, Design Manufacturing, designs and manufactures the products.

Button Up Your Plants, just over two years in operation, recently became a member of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, and Pigorsh said she is excited to see what growth the future holds for her business.

“I never imagined a love of plants would create so many friendships and strengthen my support from family,” Pigorsh said. “I love being around flowers, plants and people. I am relationship-oriented (and) love meeting people, so thankfully I enjoy knocking on business doors and sharing the wraps. People have been incredibly receptive and seem to love the idea.”

The wraps are available to purchase at buttonupyourplants. com/shop.

Students see advanced manufacturing firsthand

Discover Manufacturing Week connects 4,000 learners with makers in the region.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

More than 40 West Michigan manufacturers opened their doors to over 4,000 high school and middle school students as part of Discover Manufacturing Week earlier this month.

A mix of in-person and virtual tours held Nov. 1-12 showcased company facilities and introduced students to an array of career opportunities.

Discover Manufacturing Week is an annual event that’s part of the nationwide Manufacturing Day movement, created to dispel outdated images of the industry and to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.

Discover Manufacturing is a regional network of hundreds of manufacturers who are committed to addressing the short- and long-term talent needs of West Michigan’s manufacturing industry. Together with partners in education and training, workforce development and economic development, the group is training the current workforce, promoting the industry to the future workforce, and communicating opportunities and best practices.

According to The Right Place, the manufacturing industry accounts for 15% of the workforce in West Michigan.

“Manufacturing has a critical role in the West Michigan economy,” said Jerry Hill, industry council lead for Discover Manufacturing Week. “Our region includes more than 2,500 companies representing industries ranging from biopharmaceuticals and medical devices to food processing and automotive. These employers are looking to hire smart, hands-on learners.”

The West Michigan Works! 2021 Hot Jobs List features 55 job titles in the high-demand manufacturing industry. The median wage for mid-career workers in these positions ranges from $15 to $58 per hour.

“I encourage all students to participate in Discover Manufacturing Week. It’s a great opportunity to get to know businesses in your neighborhood and identify careers you may not have ever heard of,” said Shayna Carlson, OAISD-CTE work-based learning supervisor, Careerline Tech Center in Holland. “Manufacturing has career opportunities for students in every single pathway, so no matter what you are interested in, there are opportunities to get involved.

“Being able to see all the innovative projects that are happening right outside their back door is a huge eye-opener for students to all the possibilities right here in West Michigan.”

More than 3,000 students participated in 10, 30-minute virtual sessions, each featuring two manufacturers highlighting various job opportunities, followed by question-and-answer sessions.

“I learned that manufacturing isn’t as boring as I once thought. There is a whole community of people that work with one another every day. It is something special to be a part of,” said Amarra Kuiper, a freshman at Ostego High School. “I enjoyed learning about real-world jobs. I don’t usually hear a lot about jobs in general, and it’s hard to just listen about them. It was great that I got to see videos and pictures, so I had a better mental image.”

Nearly 1,000 students toured manufacturers in person. ArtiFlex Manufacturing again was one of the host sites this year.

Jocelyn Hodack, who works in human resources training and development at ArtiFlex, took groups of students from Forest Hills Northern High School and Innovation Central High School on tours at one of the company’s tooling plants, at 2066 Bristol Ave. NW in Walker.

She said during the one-hour tour, students got to see every step of the process — design/engineering simulations, machining, setting up/programming of the dies, assembly, testing and quality control.

Hodack said students asked great questions and seemed to be engaged, and some asked about summer job and apprenticeship opportunities. She said Discover Manufacturing Week isn’t primarily about seeing immediate talent attraction results but about changing perceptions to ensure the industry has a future.

On top of that, she said, employees get as much out of the experience as they give.

“It actually does something for us to internally. It’s rewarding to be able to talk about your passion and what you do at your company and what your contributions are, and to be able to share that with somebody else and leave a positive impression,” Hodack said. “Our employees are excited when students come to tour.”

Jay Dunwell, president of Wolverine Coil Spring, said he has not lost his enthusiasm for giving these tours to students, even though he has been doing it for years.

For Discover Manufacturing Week, his company hosted a group of students from Northview Next Career Center, providing them hands-on opportunities to learn about coils and springs and all the various applications they have in everyday consumer products, such as in vehicle door handles and dishwashers.

“We try and give them a good flavor of the diversity of career opportunities that manufacturing o ers,” he said.

The tour took students from the front o ce to assembly to production and concluded with an activity in the break room where students got to create mock torsion, compression and extension springs by winding pipe cleaners around wooden dowels. They also got to churn out real metal springs by taking CNC equipment through a coding sequence.

Dunwell said manufacturing had a tight labor market before COVID-19 and now it’s tighter, making him even more passionate about touting the importance of manufacturing in West Michigan.

“We think these career opportunities are a lot like rock climbing,” he said, noting people start in one role in the company and then they move up, and many of Wolverine’s employees have worked there for years and now their children also work there.

“It’s a healthy sign that the parents are promoting these career opportunities to their next generation,” he said.

Dunwell and Hodack both said their companies o er yearround opportunities for young people to tour their facilities and learn more about manufacturing careers.

“It’s a great way to expose students (to manufacturing) in a very hands-on learning environment, to help them have a better understanding in ways that they might not be able to appreciate inside a classroom,” Hodack said.

Students from Northview Next Career Center visited Wolverine Coil Spring for a plant tour. Photo by Discover Manufacturing

GVSU expert: West Michigan economy better but still flat Restoration of river rapids rolling along

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

and the industry’s first electric pickup, the Rivian R1T, on the horizon.”

On the subject of inflation, Long said the Federal Reserve still is sticking with its theory that the current inflation is “transitory.” fore we can expect to transition out of the high inflation we are currently experiencing,” he said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Nov. 10, consumer prices surged at the fastest pace in more than three decades in October as fuel costs picked up, supply chains remained under pressure and rents moved higher — worrying news for economic policymakers at the Federal Reserve. Overall prices rose 6.2% over the past 12 months, the fastest pace since 1990, and inflation began to accelerate again on a monthly basis.

Highlights of Long’s October report: •The Index of Employment remained positive at +24, down from +27. •New orders, or the Index of Business Improvement, rose to +15 from +8. •The Production Index, or out-

“What seems most worrisome to some of our survey participants is that there is still no end in sight for our supply chain problems.” Brian G. Long

put, rebounded sharply to +19, up from -1. •The Index of Purchases eased to +8 from +14.

The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations.

It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”

More information is available by contacting Brian Long at (269) 870-0428 or by downloading the full report at http://gvsu.edu/s/1Ru.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

igan State University Extension educator for Great Lakes Fisheries Education and Management, said that rapids-restoration projects actually can harm the ecosystem if not done carefully.

“Whitewater projects can also create a situation where native fish have trouble moving upriver,” O’Keefe said. “There’s also the potential environmental pros and cons of the impact on native non-jumping fish.”

According to O’Keefe, restoring the rapids in a way that is good for the environment will take time and careful planning.

“The current plan has been broken into two phases,” O’Keefe said. “The first phase would deal with the area downstream of Sixth Street dam.”

The plan is to remove the Sixth Street dam and change the river through downtown, including alteration or removal of co erdams, he said.

According to O’Keefe, “when you look at the pros and cons of what is proposed for the Sixth Street dam, you get into a lot more complications with potential environmental pros and cons.”

O’Keefe said that plan proposes altering the current structure of the Sixth Street dam and building another barrier upstream by Ann Street.

“This river has been altered for a very long time,” he said. “The idea is to make it more similar to what the rapids might have been like, but I don’t think anyone’s claiming that we’re going to actually have the same thing that we had before.”