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Three Oaks Village Council recognizes long- serving and departing councilmembers
Members of the Three Oaks Village Council said goodbye to two members at their Wednesday, Nov. 9, meeting.
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Long-serving councilmember Steve Graziano did not seek a new term during this election. Councilmembers thanked him for his years of service to the community. Village president Richard Smith presented Graziano with a plaque and gift as a show of thanks on behalf of the village.
Graziano said he was proud to leave the village in better shape than when he first joined the council. He noted in the beginning of his tenure, the village struggled financially and was forced to sell a park to Berrien County in order to meet payroll.
Councilmember Colleen Newquist was not elected for a new term. Her fellow councilmembers thanked her for her time. Planning Commission chair Gene Svebakken expressed his appreciation for Newquist’s years serving on the council and other committees.
“You’ll be missed,” he told her.
Smith congratulated re-elected councilmember Becky Thomas and welcomed newly-elected members Lois Jones and Jason Niemzyk. Jones and Niemzyk will take the oath of office before joining the December council meeting
The council revisited a request for a marijuana microbusiness license for Green Oaks Cultivation LLC at 300 E Ash Street. The council had a public meeting at its October meeting but tabled a decision because the documents presented at the meeting indicated the property would be owned by a third party while initial application paperwork indicated it would be owned by Green Oaks.
At the November meeting, applicant Michael Morse presented a letter of intent for purchase and documents from Hollywood Crown to address concerns expressed. Graziano expressed concerns about the council receiving documents to make an immediate decision but it was clarified Morse’s documents simply supplemented material the council already had access to.
Current property owner John Balich was also at the meeting and, when asked by councilmember Tyler Ream, said he was confident in Morse’s plan.
Morse said that while Hollywood Crown will own the land, he is purchasing all necessary equipment and will be doing buildout work.
Graziano said he still has reservations, but noted
BY THERESE DONNELLY
the application had been properly submitted and it was the council’s job to approve it. The council voted unanimously to approve the application.
The council previously voted to accept an offer from Berrien County to purchase the building at 21 N. Elm, where the village office is housed, for a “nominal fee.” At the November meeting, Village Manager Dan Faulkner said he and village attorney Charles Hilmer had ordered a survey and title work and he hoped to be able to present results to the council at the December meeting.
Smith reported the short-term rental committee had its first meeting Oct. 31. Regular meetings are planned to address different rental issues, and Smith said the committee will give public notification on meeting topics.
At the proposal of councilmember Joe Hyman, who is council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Board, the council discussed wording to a proposed amendment to Ordinance 93.01 to state the board chair must be a village resident, and the board will hold an annual election to determine a board chair and secretary. Hilmer explained the council could approve wording, but could not create or enact an amendment at the current meeting.
At the request of the DDA, the council approved moving the farmers’ market from Thursday evenings to Friday evenings in 2023. Hyman said vendors had expressed a preference for Fridays and hours would remain the same. Ream asked if it would be possible to ask downtown businesses owners for comments. Business owner Tom Pauly, who was in the audience at the meeting, said he did not feel the scheduling would affect businesses, but he felt it was good for the community.
The DDA is currently seeking a market manager for the 2023 season.
Hyman announced the annual Snowflake Stroll is scheduled for Nov. 26, with a parade, tree lighting, free buggy rides, a visit from Santa, a book giveaway from the Rotary Club and donkeys and Clydesdales from Paws for Humanity.
Faulkner told the council organizers from the Apple Cider Century have requested permission for street closures for the 2023 bike ride, which will be the 50th year of the event. Faulkner suggested putting the request on the December meeting agenda so the council can discuss all 2023 events at once.
Tree removal quotes came in higher than planned, Faulkner told the council, so the list of trees to be cut down will be addressed across two years in order to fit into the budget. Newquist asked why trees had been chosen for removal, and Smith said they had been identified as diseased or dead. Faulkner added one tree had already fallen.
The council accepted Tree Core Complete Tree Service’s bid of $9575 for the tree removal.
The village police department’s computer systems need updates, according to Police Chief Carl Krause. He said the department needs a new office computer, a required software update and new laptops for two of the squad cars. Faulkner said an anonymous donor had contributed $1000 for the purchase and the council approved the remaining $9000.
The council approved a resolution for a Sparks Grant application, which would help purchase amenities for the Watkins Park improvement project.
Jeff Norris of the Snowbusters Snowmobile Club asked the council for input on snowmobilers accessing village businesses including restaurants and gas stations without causing safety issues. Norris said electronic trail maps are available on the Michigan DNR’s website, and paper maps are being revised. Krause said there have been complaints of snowmobilers racing down Linden Street towards the fields by the Legion Hall. Norris said the club could provide signage but he acknowledged it was hard to control all users. Krause said he did not want to outright ban snowmobilers but also had concerns about riders crossing the train tracks outside of designated crossings. He said Michigan law is unclear on if snowmobiles are allowed on sidewalks.
In committee updates, Ream said the joint park plan with Three Oaks Township is proceeding and he hopes to present it to the council next month.
Updating the council on efforts to find new officers, Krause said he and Faulkner had interviewed four candidates- two were not a good fit, one was a no-show and the other did not return follow-up phone calls. He said he had unsuccessfully reached out to Lake Michigan College and Southwest Michigan College looking for candidates. He is also looking into funding to send a candidate through the police academy but would still need to find a suitable candidate.
Donald Ryman recognized for historic preservation by DAR Rebecca Dewey Chapter
Members of the Rebecca Dewey Chapter, Daughters
of the American Revolution presented the “Excellence in Historic Preservation” award to one of the Buchanan Preservation Society’s members, Donald F. Ryman, at the society’s annual meeting Sunday, Oct. 30.
Previously, the society had received a DAR Preservation Award for its historic preservation accomplishments in Buchanan.
Ryman is well known in Berrien County, having served for many years as a county commissioner and on the board of the Berrien County Historical Association. Worried that Buchanan was losing its historic buildings, Ryman and his wife, Martha, organized the Buchanan Preservation Society. This led to the saving of the Pears Mill and the Mill Race from destruction. As a result, the public can take a step back in time and observe and 1800 working mill.
Living in an historic house, the Rymans became interested in other homes in Buchanan. Ryman wrote a series of articles for Buchanan’s weekly newspaper about the history of Buchanan and its many historic homes. This led to several books, a walking tour guide and finally the creation of Buchanan’s two National Register Historic Districts.
Ryman remains an active member of the Buchanan Preservation Society.
Since 1890, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, an all-women’s lineage service organization, has done work in historic preservation. The NSDAR has encouraged recognition of significant volunteer efforts in historic preservation at the community, state and national levels and catalogs historic sites and properties.
Contact Rebecca.deweyto@gmail.com for more information about the NSDAR or visit www.dar.org. — STAFF REPORTS
Thank you card from granddaughter lifts spirits of war veteran
BY STAN MADDUX
Aformer New Buffalo man is beaming with pride over a homemade thank you card from his 6-year-old granddaughter for his there to see tears coming down my cheeks,” he said. Benson has lived in Rolling Prairie for about the past 30 years. He was drafted into the military after military service.
John Benson, 75, said the only nicer gift for him would be living long enough to watch his granddaughter, Emma, grow up.
Benson said he cried tears of joy after Emma during her birthday party gave him a hug while handing him the card for Veterans Day.
His six years in the U.S. Army included one year of combat duty in the Vietnam War.
“I was proud. I was happy and I was very honored that little girl gave that to me,” he said.
The front of the card is titled “Veterans are the heart of America.”
Emma, a kindergarten student at Westville Elementary School, drew the outline of a heart and filled the inside with pieces of green and brown paper resembling camouflage that she glued to the surface.
The inside of the card features a smaller camouflage colored heart and Emma saying in writing “I’m thankful for veterans who protect us.”
Benson said he was taken aback enough by his granddaughter’s unexpected expression of gratitude that he had to step away.
“I didn’t want everybody who was graduating from high school and escaped injury during his active duty in the war. He later moved to New Buffalo and resided in other communities like Three Oaks before settling down in Rolling Prairie.
Benson said he’s glad to have served time in battle and wouldn’t think twice about returning to active duty, even now, if
called upon.
“I’d go tomorrow. I feel that strong about our country,” he said.
Adding to his emotions from receiving the card was the feeling of gratitude he felt considering the reaction to soldiers returning home from the war the nation lost was often the exact opposite.
“That’s more respect than I got when I came home,” he said.
Benson said he plans to place the card into a frame and hang it on his living room wall.
He said the only nicer gift for him would be living long enough to watch his granddaughter grow up in a country that’s still free.
“You can’t put a price on that,” Benson said.
