REPUBLIC TOWNSHIP NEWS
December 2006 issue, by Supervisor Gary Johnson.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
From Gary, Vickie, Faye, Glenn and Chuck
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A FACELIFT COMING
The Township Board has been in negotiations with Cleveland Cliffs to purchase the remainder of the empty block across from the Methodist Church, and multiple other lots to the north and east of that Church. The deal has been agreed to by both sides, and the papers will be signed in the near future. The Board is soliciting bids for design work for a town square to be constructed on the property, and the bids for that design work were opened on December 18th. The Board’s desire is to have a welcome kiosk, pavilion and open commons on the property. The successful bidder will be working with a sub-committee delegated by the Planning Commission to draft the design, and will assist in the application for the grants. This will be phase one of a proposed development that includes all of the Festival area, including School Lake.
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NEW INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER IN THE AREA
Marquette County Project
Marquette County and Pasty.NET have entered into an agreement for bringing wireless broadband Internet access, targeting remote locations in five townships within the County.These townships are:
Ewing, Michigamme, Republic, Wells & West Branch
In each of these townships, coverage areas will be initiated, and then expanded to an estimated 80% of residents by the end of 2008.All residents within the coverage area will qualify for broadband service according to the following schedule:
Receiver cost:$0
Installation fee:$50 (one-time) Scalable monthly cost:
128k - $15
256k - $25
384k - $35
512k - $45
There is a discount of one month’s service for annual payment in advance. The terms of the County agreement assures level prices for at least 36 months.
Pasty.NET's approach to expanding service is one of neighborhood-based hot spots, housed by organizations, businesses or residents willing to provide the minimal power required, plus access to a favorable elevated location for mounting the access point-relay.These hosting members are compensated with additional bandwidth at reduced prices.
Residents and business within the five townships above are qualified to immediately switch to Pasty.NET dial-up at a reduced rate of $9.95/mo. This will automatically place you on the wireless waiting list for your township, and give you access to the nationwide pool of local dial-in numbers.
For more info about the Marquette County project, e-mail join@pasty.net, or call our toll-free helpline at 1-800-327-0966.
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SUPERVISOR’S CORNER
Quite a few community residents have taken it on themselves to make this a better looking place. A group has kept seasonally current decorations on the Kloman bridge for the entire year. Another group put up Christmas swags on the sign posts. The school kids decorated the Christmas tree in the pocket park by the town hall. The community committee that has been meeting to plan improvements to the community has settled on four areas: upgrading the appearances of North Republic,( which resulted in the new town square plans which are on the front page); a portion of the committee dedicated to the Heritage Trail has become a subcommittee of the Planning Commission and are pushing the development of that area; another part of the committee is working with the organizer of the fall festival that was held in North Republic, to plan additional activities including a possible spring festival, and potentially monthly summer markets to be held in the new pavilion to be erected on the new town square, plus other activities to be announced; and another group that has taken on responsibility to upgrade the appearances to the villages from the highway including signs, gardens and more. The community committee will meet again on January 31st at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall. If you have any community spirit you want to share, or just to find out what is really going on, you are welcome to attend.
This is just a partial list, representative of the activities that have happened, and I would run out of space if I tried to list every possible thing that has happened. Thank you to all of you who have shown that the spark of community spirit is alive and well. We’re on our way back.
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ASSESSING DEPARTMENT
An issue that needs to be addressed is splitting and combining property. Example, John Smith owns his house lot in South Republic, and owns the lot next door. It’s very easy for the assessing department to combine those two lots into one, which creates just one tax bill for the individual. Costs nothing, are registered on December 31st of the current year, and become effective the next tax year (combinations made this summer 2006 will be effective for the 2007 tax bills). However, property in one section, such as section 29 of 46-30 cannot be combined with any other parcels other than those in section 29. State law prohibits combining properties in two separate sections. A single tax bill CAN be created with contiguous properties, however, by asking the assessing department to assess them together. Again, costs nothing, and we are happy to provide the service.
Splitting parcels, which is simply selling a piece of your land and retaining the rest of it, is done through the Planning Commission. Check with the Zoning Administrator, Bill Payne, for submission papers. This action is simple and works well, but a word to the wise—make sure that the person who does the final tax calculations on the closing papers prorates the taxes properly. Why? Because splits are not registered until December 31st, which means that the tax bills will continue to come in the sellers name until that time. Several people ran into that problem this past summer, and had to go back to the people that bought the property from them to ask for the money to pay the taxes. Very awkward. Also, if someone tries to sell part of their land and retain the remainder, without doing a legal split, they will probably have an angry buyer when that buyer finds out we will not issue them a zoning permit to build. Also, very awkward. And, potentially costly.
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REPUBLIC SPORTSMAN’S CLUB
FIRST ANNUAL PREDATOR HUNT
January 21st thru January 27th.
Advanced registration forms can be picked up at these locations:
Wilderness Sports, Ishpeming
Gander Mountain, Marquette
Dunham Sports, Marquette
Maki’s Mini Mart, Republic
Mandatory check-in prior to hunt at 10:00 a.m. EST at the Republic VFW Post located on M95 in Republic.
Spaghetti dinner served from noon until?????
Entry fee: $25 for advanced entry
$35 per entry after 1/14/07
1st Place Prize, $500.00
Prizes for other places.
Door prizes
Sponsored by:
Tasson Distributing, Ishpeming
Wilderness sports, Ishpeming
Old Style Brewing
Organized by:
Moose Country Snowmobile Club
Republic Sportsman’s Club
Rabbits Incorporated Plus+, Inc.
For more information, call:
475-5748 or 376-2025.
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We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the community
for helping with the work bee at Park Hotel benefiting the R-M School Playground.
It is great to see everyone work together to benefit our students. We were impressed with all the helping hands that came together - "big and small" - to carry out this project.
Tammy Kaminen and Karen Richards
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Thank you to the Republic-Michigamme students who decorated the tree in the Township Hall pocket park. The students also trimmed a tree in the Hall auditorium.
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ALL ARE WELCOME
COMMUNITY EPIPHANY BONFIRE
Saturday Jan 6th at the sledding hill, 4:00 p.m.
Lions Club will bring the community’s
discarded Christmas trees, and will provide hot chocolate.
Bethany will provide cookies.
Community Service to provide hot dogs
4:00 p.m., sledding.
5:00 p.m. Blessing, and bonfire.
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LIONS CLUB CHRISTMAS TREE PICKUP
This year, as in the past, the Republic Lions Club will pick up all discarded Christmas trees that are placed between the sidewalk and curb on Saturday January 6, 2007 before 9:30 a.m. The collection area includes North Republic, South Republic, and the roads in between the two villages, Wahlstrom’s Road, and the sideroads off M-95 down to Capps Creek Road. Collection will start at 9:30 a.m. The trees will be used for the community Epiphany bonfire at the ski hill that afternoon.
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THANK YOU
FROM THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
As we look back over the past year, our committee was involved in many activities, most of them fundraisers. We as a committee want to “THANK” everyone who helped us and supported our efforts. Without the community behind us we would not be successful.
Many of you gave donations, baked for the bake sale, helped us sell tickets and candy bars, and also gave of your time and talent working with us. We, again, “THANK YOU”. We would welcome anyone who would like to join us in continuing to keep things going. We meet every 4th Monday at Riverview Heights at 7 p.m.
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FESTIVAL COMMITTEE FUNDRAISERS
Feb. 18th, Noon luncheon at the Rep.-Mich. School. — Chili, Potato Soup, Homemade Bread and desert.
May 2nd, Bake and Rummage Sale, Township Hall
JUNE 30TH, FESTIVAL AT MUNSON PARK
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PASTY SALE JAN 6
St. Augustine’s, first pasty sale for the year, Jan 6th. Orders to be in by Wed. Jan. 3rd.
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THE REPUBLIC SPORTSMAN’S CLUB
WILL HOLD THEIR YOUTH FISHING DERBY FEBRUARY 3RD,
SCHOOL LAKE.
Feb. 10th, alternate foul weather date.
Contact any Sportsman’s Club member for further details.
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THE GARDENING CLUB
The Club is trying to organize a mentoring program. Young members of the community would be paired with experienced members of the club, who want to pass on their knowledge to the upcoming generations.
Also, the Club is looking for members from the South Republic area. They would like to expand their sharing of the natural beauty to that area, but don’t have enough members.
Call Olga Williams at 376-2139.
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RABBIT CLUB
Youth hunt, Dec. 27th.
1st Club hunt Jan. 7th.
Call 376-8233 for time & locations.
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REPUBLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES
would like to thank all who donated to our annual fund drive. Without these donations we would not be able to help those in need, nor support other local functions.
Big thanks to those, also, who helped with our children’s Christmas party, and the food baskets for the elderly.
Carol Nicholas, President.
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Late addition from the Ispeming Senior Center.
They will be having a bus run from West end villages to Ishpeming, every second Tuesday of the month, starting in January 2007.
Cost will be $1.00 for Seniors.
It will take riders to the grocery stores, pharmacy, and other places. The bus will also deliver riders to the Teal Lake Medical Center for appointments on that day. The rider will simply tell the driver where he or she wants to go.
The pickup time will be 10:00 AM, and will return at 4:30 PM at the latest.
Call Dorothy at River View Heights, 906-376-8133 for more information.
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SPECIAL CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS and OTHER IMPORTANT DATES.
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ST. AUGUSTINE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
5:30 P.M.
ALL ARE WELCOME.
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BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH
CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP
7 P.M. & 9 P.M.
A candlelight service of Lessons and Carols
With Holy Communion.
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REPUBLIC UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
CHRISTMAS EVE
CANDLELIGHT SERVICES
4 P.M.
ALL ARE WELCOME
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The
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Will hold a special Christmas program on
Sunday December 24th
At 10:30 A.M.
ALL ARE WELCOME
Church is located 7 miles south of South
Republic on M-95.
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Dec. 24, 10:30 A.M., First Baptist Church, Witch Lake, Christmas program
Dec. 24, Bethany Lutheran Church, Christmas services, 7 p.m. & 9 p.m.
Dec. 24th, St. Augustine’s Church, Christmas services, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 24th, United Methodist Church, Christmas services, 4 p.m.
Dec. 27th, Rabbit Club, Youth Hunt, Call 376-8233
Jan 6th, St. Augustine’s pasty sale, 10-1 p.m.
Jan. 6th, Lions Club Christmas tree pickup
Jan 6th, Community Epiphany bonfire, Sledding Hill at 4 p.m.
Jan. 7th, Rabbit Club, 1st Club hunt, Call 376-8233 for time and locations
Jan 11th, Bethany Lutheran, Senior Friendly services, meal & fellowship
Jan 15th Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast, St. Augustine’s Church is host.
Jan. 21 thru Jan 27, Republic Sportsman’s Club, first annual predator hunt. Call 376-2025
Jan 22, Festival Committee, Riverview Heights, 7 P.M.
Jan 31st, Community planning meeting at the Township Hall, 7 p.m. Positive ideas are welcome.
Feb. 3rd, St Augustine’s pasty sale, 10-1 p.m.
Feb. 3rd, Republic Sportsman’s Club, Fishing Derby, School Lake (see page 4)
Feb 5th, Republic Sportsman’s Club, 7 pm meeting, VFW Hall
Feb. 8th, Bethany Lutheran, Senior Friendly services, meal and fellowship
Feb. 10th alternate foul weather date for Sportsman’s Club Fishing Derby (see page 4)
Feb. 18th, Festival Committee, noon luncheon at R-M School.
Feb. 18th, Bethany Lutheran Church, Night of Music.
Feb. 26th, Festival Committee, Riverview Heights, 7 P.M.
March 3rd, St Augustine’s Pasty Sale 10-1 p.m.
March 5th, Republic Sportsman’s, 7 pm meeting, VFW Hall
March 26th, Festival Committee, Riverview Heights, 7 p.m.
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Additions and corrections should be directed to the Township Office, 906-376-8827.
