Property (Wheelway)

Northern Mich~Mash Preserve

~ PROPERTY ~
Wheelway information is included about a quarter way down on this web page.
~ PUBLICLY SPEAKING ~

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ECBOC = Emmet County Board of Commissioners (Minutes~Legal Documents)
Finance Committee Meeting Minutes ~ Dissolved in January 2017 (Minutes~Legal Documents)

13 December 2016 ~ B&G Public Meeting Comment (These minutes were not approved due to committee disbandment.)

13 December 2016 ~ B&G Public Meeting

Public Comment Below: ECBOC were considering trading away the back portion of property owned by Emmet County in the Mackinaw City location of the Emmet County Ambulance facility. A location for Public Transportation needed to be considered for the future. Trading away the property is exactly what that "Lame Duck" ECBOC did during one of their last meetings while still in office in 2016, rather than allow the newly elected ECBOC to decide.

13 December 2016 ~ ECBOC Ad-Min Meeting Public Comment

10 April 2017 ~ ECBOC COTW Publlic Comment

~ Purchasing and Selling Land in Emmet County ~
1881, 1882, AND 1891

The remainder of the old homestead of Ignatius Petoskey was sold in September 1881
(including the "council grounds".

20 September 1881 ~ Emmet County Independent

22 September 1881 ~ Petoskey City Record

1882

18 July 1956 ~ Petoskey News Review

18 July 1956 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below...

18 July 1956 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above...

1891

14 January 1891

~ Emmet County Homesteaders Gain Quieted Title to Their Land ~
1909

19 April 1909 ~ Petoskey Evening News

~ County Court House Controversy ~
1954

28 January 1954 ~ Emmet County Graphic article continued below...

28 January 1954 ~ Emmet County Graphic article continued from above...

~ Bear Creek GIVES Petoskey 195 Acres for Industry Park ~
1959
How much new industry was attracted???

3 March 1959 ~ Petoskey News Review

~ Emmet County Survey Markers ~
1960

15 February 1960 ~ Petoskey News Review

~ 99 Year Lease by County on Prime Property next to the Harbor Airport ~
1965

3-9 November 1965 ~ Harbor-Lite

     "The 14 October 2020 Petoskey News Review reported: "The Jervis B. Webb Company has announced plans to consolidate all of its Northern Michigan manufacturing facilities at a new 210,000 square foot factory in Boyne City." The plan is to consolidate the two current operations in Boyne City and Harbor Springs into one new facility.
     When in Harbor Springs the company actually was leasing property (see article at left) from the county, located right next to the Harbor Springs Airport. In Boyne City, the new plant will be located on a 22 acre triangular piece of property due east of the Boyne City Air Industrial Park; property owned by the City of Boyne City, but located in Boyne Valley Township.
     Presently, the Harbor Springs company employs 86 people, some who live in the northern Emmet County and Cheboygan areas who will not want to move for realistic commuting to work in Boyne City.

~ Emmet County Buys 159 Acres as Future Fairgrounds Site ~
1970

28 August 1970 ~ Petoskey News Review

~ Horace Property ~
Owned by Emmet County (2006 until 2018) - Located 2684 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, Michigan

Imagine the "Forever Unobstructed View" of this property with the cedars and the fireplace removed.

2018 or before... Emmet County Property Search Photo for 2684 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, Michigan

Five Photos Below: These buildings are not wonderful, but they had no future purpose when the county originally purchased the property for $600,000,00 in 2006 for giving a lease to the Wheelway Trail for bikes on the beach below the bluff.

2018 or before... Emmet County Property Search Photo for 2684 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, Michigan

Two mappings below from Emmet County Equalization/GIS Department: The red arrows are pointing out the 2684 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, Michigan, property also referenced as "The Horace Property." This property (parcel numbers shown as 300-024) is located behind Joseph's World Art & Antiques which is directly on 2680 Charlevoix Avenue, AND overlooking Little Traverse Bay with the viewable bike trail easement over the bluff at water level.

Emmet County Equalization/GIS Department

13 April 2009 ~ Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

13 April 2017 ~ ECBOC Minutes

Douglas Horace sold the Lake Michigan waterfront view "Horace Property" to County of Emmet 23 May 2006 for $600,000.00. Even before 2013, the county had created an easement for the bike trail between Petoskey and Charlevoix; the county's original reason for buying the property. Also, by 17 June 2013 the Petoskey News Review reported the county was selling HALF that lake front property above the easement area for $310,000.00. That sale, however, eventually fell through.

In 2018 the Emmet County Commissioners (not all, but a majority) had committed the county's taxpayers to paying for a NON-mandated and NON-funded Public Transit. The county's budget was overextended. When the commissioners accepted the 2018 county budget, the budget was balanced on the assumption of selling the choice Horace property for $300,000.00. Commissioners had been told that the property price possibly could be higher, if the county undertook the razing of the buildings on the property to make selling more appealing to a buyer. Commissioners settled for the lower price of $300,000.00 to not have the "unknown" expense of razing. No one seemed to share any "comparables" land sites publicly at the time. The following "screenshot photos," however, captured on-line 26 May 2018 of properties for sale through Pat O'Brien's & Associates (offices in both Boyne City and Charlevoix and no association with the Horace Property sale) might have been possible "comparables."

The next step in this misguided sale of county property was perpetrated when a new Sale/Disposal of County Owned Property document was accepted/approved by May or June 2018. In the document (not sure it is a policy or a procedure) the procedural process of the sale was delegated to the "Administrator and the Facilities and Assets Director," with little oversight during the actual selling process from the Board of Commissioners (the people's voices) until it reached the point of #13. 'If there is a potential sale following the sealed bid process or the licensed realtor brings an Offer to Purchase to the County, the Administrator will make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners regarding the potential sale.'" By that time, all of the process of using a realtor as opposed to closed bid, having an appraisal (remains confidential, unless FOIAd), major advertising, a title search (or not) being performed; all that was needed was a rubber stamp from the commissioners... not that they had received any advisory information throughout the process.

On 31 May 2018, I wrote to the, then, county administrator about the Horace Property:
"This is the 2013 PNR article telling of ½ the property being sold for $310,000.00. So, even the previous board was smart enough to not be selling the entire property for less than the $600,000.00 that the county paid in 2006 from the general fund. I cannot believe that the Horace Property… Emmet County’s most valuable piece of secluded water view property that could possibly be sold, should even be contemplated for less than the $600,000.00 that was paid.

I told you that I remember something about the property having been surveyed to have ½ the property sold (only ½ is mentioned in the article below), but it seems that the survey was never formalized, so it probably remains one piece of property. That is fine, but I strongly urge that if the county advertises and lists the property for sale, it should START at $600,000.00. The price can always come down, but cannot easily go higher, unless a bidding war ensues.

I am, as a taxpayer, begging you to not allow the county to be TAKEN by selling this property for less than we taxpayers had invested in it in 2006!!! Even with a portion being an easement for the bike trail, the property has not devalued. Waterview property, especially with no chance that anything can ever hamper the view is not largely available for sale in Emmet County, or anywhere along the Great Lakes for that matter."

The county even jumped through the hoops of having the zoning changed on the parcel with this explanation provided: "Trying to put the Horace Property into a PUD because it is now zoned B-1 Local Tourist and Business. The Team feels if it is zoned residential it will have a better chance at sale. However, it is not adjacent to residential so needs to be zoned into a PUD. R-2 in the PUD." Also, but not mentioned, the eventual final bidder was hoping to use the property as residential.

Below Advertisement: This is one of two (8/24/18 and 8/31/18) county advertisements to promote the sale of the most PRIME pieces of, not only county property, but any vacant Lake Michigan waterfront property left in the county to be sold even by a private seller. The advertisement was not in color, no picture of the "forever unobstructed view of the bay"; nothing to even visually indicate what a precious piece of PUBLIC property was being offered. That, however, was not the behind-the-scenes purpose of the advertisement. This ad merely was to fulfill the basic requirement of the new May/June 2018 "Sale/Disposal of County Owned Property" policy.

The Parcel # listed in the advertisement below are incorrect, but that is how the advertisement was placed. The actual Parcel # has (ZERO) -024 as the last three digits, not just -24. The address was posted correctly.

Below: Members of the Emmet County Board of Commissioners were notified
THREE days before the "bid opening" to take place on 13 September 2018 at 2PM.

A personal journal entry written on 12 May 2019 regarding the bid opening on 13 September 2018 reads: "The bid was to be a sealed bid. It would seem that NO ONE, except mandatory staff, should know ahead of time whether any other bids had transpired, or not. And, NO ONE should be telling anyone even just a few minutes before the opening of sealed bidding! I was at the bid opening, and it was made known [before the meeting began] that ONE bidder had been told “out in the hall” that no one else was bidding. So, could the bidder have two envelopes (a high and a low bid) from which to choose to hand in for his bid… knowing no one else was bidding? Possibly. This process was flawed!" Then, that one bidder did not enter the room until the bid opening was in process. I was the only public in the room, until the commissioners' chairman arrived shortly before the opening began.

On 23 May 2006 Emmet County had purchased the Horace property for $600,000.00. Sealed bids were opened 13 September 2018. On 11 October 2018 the Emmet County sale of the Horace property for $367,000.00 was final. This was the county's most prime piece of saleable property with a view of Little Traverse Bay. This sale price is UNEXPLAINABLE to any questioning county taxpayer.

15 May 2006 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below left...

15 May 2006 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above...

    The article above and at the left stated: "Emmet County controller Lyn Johnson recommended the purchase to the board, saying he believed that if the county held on to property for a brief period of time, it could give itself the easement for the bike path and sell the remaining interest, and recoup all or most of its money.
     He said he had already spoken to one person who was interested in paying $500,000 for part of the property that would not include the lakeshore or the bike path area.
     'I believe that as an exposure to us it would be minimal, it will complete the bike path, and I believe if we hold to it for a bit we can through inflation sell it for what it's going to cost us,' Johnson said."

By 2020, Johnson was deceased, but his paying a high price with taxpayers' dollars, was not justified OR maybe it was... The new county Controller, however, made a mockery out of Johnson's price prediction when the Horace Property was sold way under value!

By about 24 January 2020 discovery, and realization, of a county employee, involved with the county regarding the sale of the Horace property, allows for a probable explanation for the otherwise seemingly UNEXPLAINABLE, single and low ball bid, as mentioned above. A possible conflict of interest accounts for 1) the allowance for a low bid on the Horace property; why the minimum bid price was only $300,000,00 (not even close to the $600,000.00 the taxpayers had paid in 2006), 2) no real promotion/advertising of the sale of the property happened, either locally or statewide to entice other interested bidders, 3) no legal appraisal was presented, 4) the county completed new zoning on the property, 5) not to mention the bidder having been told ahead of time that no one else had submitted a sealed bid... thus the very real possibility of the bidder having prepared more than one bid envelope for possible presentation.
In my opinion this Horace Property sale was a loss of $233,000.00 for the county, and its taxpayers. This prime piece of property can never be sold by the county again... just poof, be gone.

20 February 2020
Repercussions From County Waterfront Rail to Trails Easements
(Little Traverse Wheelway)
Area Between Fairgrounds and Arrowhead Shores

Wheelway Section of Concern as described on February 2020 Trailscouncil.org web page

BELOW: MAP and LEGEND for Arrow Colors Identifying Property Ownership:
Black = Resort Township (East Park)
Red = Emmet County
Blue = City of Petoskey

Parcel 300-024 had been the Horace Property… so no longer county property per above noted SALE; Two properties to the left of the farthest left red arrow on the map is the Horace Property to give orientation.
This map extends from Resort Township's East Park to the City of Petoskey's Magnus Park and a bit farther toward the city.

16 February 2020 ~ Mapping created from Emmet County GIS Map

The map below from the Wetlands Web Page shows the wetlands and riverines. For orientation purposes… the pink arrow points at the Eppler Road EMS building which was built directly over a riverine… so, it should be no surprise that the county's EMS property is experiencing water issues in 2019/2020.

16 February 2020 ~ Map was created from the Wetlands Web Page showing Wetlands and Riverines

The 20 February 2020 Emmet County Board of Commissioners’ meeting agenda included under New Business: “Emergency Shoreline Erosion STUDY” for the cost of $81,620.00 for a "slope failure" STUDY, not including remediation which would be added later at additional costs to the taxpayers [City Manager Straebel quipped remediation could lead to millions]. This asking for money from the county was added to this agenda very quickly AFTER the recent 10 February 2020 Commissioners’ Committee of the Whole with no mention then of this “already existing emergency.” The City of Petoskey had already approached Resort Township to share half of the STUDY cost. Resort Township passed a resolution to share the cost, IF the county would bare 1/3 of the burden with the township and the city... an interlocal agreement with governmental entities, not private property owners who also should have "skin in the game" as stated by a commissioner during the 20 February 2020 meeting. With this “emergency” the commissioners would have about one week to research and prepare for a vote on this proposed resolution.

ASIDE: In the 20 January 2020 Petoskey City Council meeting minutes the City Manager Robert Straebel reported: "correspondence from Senators Peters and Stabenow had been received concerning erosion funding issues, that a packet of information and photos will be sent to State officials later this week and a letter from the Mayor was also sent to Jason Allen, State Director of the USDA, regarding potential grants and loans for shoreline repairs." So, for one month, and previous, the city was discussing the need for shoreline repairs, but did not present anything about the topic to the ECBOC until one week before a county decision was expected to be made; an emergency!!!

Also in the same 20 January 2020 minutes as above:
"Discuss Slope Failure Study Concerning Erosion Issues
The City Manager reviewed that increasing high water and wave energy has caused substantial slope failures along the Little Traverse Wheelway, particularly between Magnus Park and Arrowhead Shores; that staff decided to close the trail between the Wastewater Treatment Plant and East Park due to potential instability of the slope and trail; that all damaged shoreline areas are within Resort Township; that staff met with Resort Township Supervisor concerning issues and proposed the concept of cost sharing for the engineering study with Resort Township and will be making an official funding request to the Resort Township Board of Trustees at their next meeting on February 11; that the City is currently working with W.F. Baird and Associates on other shoreline and marina projects and is confident they have the resources to assist providing the City with solutions; that OHM, Petoskey engineering firm, will also jointly work with Baird as part of this project; reviewed the proposal and costs; that costs weren’t included in the 2020 Budget but could be funded through the General Fund Unrestricted Reserves; and that City Council could approve the slope failure study at this meeting or wait for a decision by Resort Township.
Rory Agnew from W.F. Baird Associates gave a brief presentation on the issues of the slope failure, provided drone footage of shoreline and reviewed proposed project scope. Council agreed to make a decision on the study following the Resort Township meeting."

It is important to note that on the county’s web page is posted an RFP (Request for Proposal) for SOIL EROSION & SEDIMENTATION CONTROL CONSULTING SERVICES (OFFICE OF PLANNING & ZONING) [this has since been removed]. This follows discussions regarding erosion at the county’s property at The Headlands which was described from Emmet County documents… in the 14 January 2020 Petoskey News Review as follows: “Over the last few years, because of the rising Lake Michigan water elevation levels, ice movement, wave action and erosion has caused undermining of the large stone shoreline riprap at the Lodge (another name for the guest house)… In addition, it appears that a geotextile fabric was not originally placed below the large stone riprap and filler stone to minimize undermining of the shoreline protection.” Erosion was also identified closer to The Headlands event center. The county park director indicated to the newspaper that “the Headlands is the only water erosion problem identified so far on a county-owned piece of property, but past News-Review reports indicated that similar issues have occurred along the Little Traverse Wheelway between Charlevoix and Bay Shore, at Fisherman’s Island State Park, at Petoskey Bayfront Park and also a section of Beach Drive in Emmet County’s Little Traverse Township among other locations.”

Below are questions which need to be addressed by the ECBOC before consenting to become involved in spending taxpayer dollars on a STUDY of erosion in the area of Arrowhead Shores:

1. I question this wheelway erosion study (asking for tax dollars for a STUDY… not for a remedy) item being placed on the agenda so quickly… especially pressuring the “probably ill-informed” commissioners into making a QUICK decision to commit tax dollars to a site STUDY which will undoubtedly lead to MORE and MORE commitment of money. This STUDY item deserves more time for commissioners’ thorough research on this topic, before committing tax dollars into a bottomless water hole. [Look at the historical recorded facts about this known fragile area. Money does not have to be spent to reveal this underlying problem.]

2. Were three bids or requests for proposals taken for this Baird Company out of WI?

3. WHO, or WHAT entity, presently is contractually required to take care of this entire wheelway? Or what is the legal arrangement for addressing this erosion situation?

4. Why are the “private property” owners NOT included in the monetary commitment in the proposed resolution to contract with this Baird company to do the study?

5. Hearsay has it that any engineer who actually tries to remediate the erosion problem may be reticent to place his/her name on such a project… rather, just do whatever to make money off the taxpayers; which may, or may not fully fix the erosion problem. No engineering guarantees. [This has been Emmet County's problem in the past with engineered projects... no guarantees.]

6. I find it hard to believe that if a great deal of the erosion is created from wetlands/riverines, and not just high bay waters, that placing any type of barrier between the wheelway and the bay water could remediate the erosion. It might just trap the water from the bluff and create even more erosion as that water backs up into the bluff; rather than protecting the wheelway.

7. Check with the CHARLEVOIX County commissioners as to how they have chosen to address the wheelway erosion in their county. Hearsay has it that they have posted signs at each end of the closed section stating “Trail Ends.” [Charlevoix County's trail area has a different relationship with the MDOT.]

From the posting on this same web page farther below: The 24 March 1913 Petoskey Evening News wrote regarding the photo below: “The cut is fully a thousand feet long, and about the width of a city street.... seventy feet deep."
At that time people could not understand how the washout could have happened and called it "a mystery" because no visible river or stream was in the area. TODAY, however, wetlands and riverines are in the realm of public knowledge, so people (even engineers) should be smarter than to try to remediate a natural flow of water, whether above, or below the ground… Hydrology runs/plays by its own laws of nature.

See also, another photo farther below: Another washout in the same area occurred in 1957; by then the name was changed from Washout to Eppler Road. At that time trees blocked the C&O railroad tracks (rather than a wheelway).

Resort Township Remembers on page 156 stated about "The Washout": "For many years the road was known as Washout Road. In the 1930's when large trucks from southern states came to transport potatoes from the Ray Eppler farm, drivers were hesitant to drive their trucks on a road named Washout Road. Upon learning of the problem Mrs. (Louise) Eppler hurriedly called on all the residents of the road seeking their approval to change the name to Eppler Road. This ended the truckers' uneasy fears and the name Eppler Road has remained."

1912

Article Below: Even before the major 1913 Washout, in 1912 "rain descended in floods, the wind howled and lightning darted through the sky... The most serious damages resulting from the floods was on Charlevoix Avenue, a short distance beyond the fair grounds, where the bank gave way and a large hole capable of holding several houses was made, the sand and dirt falling to the Pere Marquette railroad track which it buried to a depth of from one to five feet over an area of 150 feet in length."

2 September 1912 ~ Petoskey Evening News

1913

Description of the washout from the 27 March 1913 Petoskey Evening News: "...the washout near the fair grounds, southwest of the city. As the trench dug there by the water is fully seventy feet deep and one thousand feet in length, is seems a stupendous task to fill in the cut and raise it to the road level."

23 March 1913 ~ Washout West of Fairgrounds from one of the albums of Allan McCune located in the Little Traverse Historical Museum

27 March 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record

Article Above: Pere Marquette was not waiting for government to grind along; Pere Marquette was already, only four days after the washout, planning to construct a culvert to harness the destructive forces of Mother Nature... [see 1927 article below]

28 March 1913 ~ Petoskey Evening News.

14 August 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record

25 March 1913 ~ Petoskey Evening News AND 17 April 1913 ~ Pellston Journal

Article Left: Just days after the 1913 Washout, the "final shove" of the washout water lessened the 11 or 12 feet of fill needed under the free swinging railroad track by placing a large amount of sediment under the the track. Only 5 feet more of dirt was necessary to level the rails and ties.

24 April 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record

22 August 1913 ~ Petoskey Evening News

2 September 1913 ~ The Daily Record

Refer to article above: Jacob Grauel died 8 December 1919 on his farm south of Petoskey, just six years after filling the washout. He was a mason and contractor, and an employee of the Cement Plant on concrete construction work, and was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery; ALL very near the washout.

1916
Washed Out AGAIN!

29 March 1916 ~ Petoskey Evening News

10 May 1916 ~ Petoskey Evening News

11 June 1916 ~ Petoskey Evening News

2 April 1921 ~ Petoskey Evening News

Article Below: Is this the same culvert that had been written about in the 1913 article farther above?
The taxpayer can just pay again and AGAIN!

24 February 1927 ~ Petoskey Evening News

1957
Washed Out AGAIN!

1957

2 July 1957 ~ Petoskey News Review

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey Newspaper (July 1957)

1959 Clipping Below: The Petoskey News Review also showed a similar instance in 1957 which may be accessed on the Flora and Fauna web page on this same web site by "clicking" HERE. Plain and simple, the slopes along this stretch of waterfront property are UNSTABLE when even a Bunch of Bank Swallow Birds can compromise the bank. Imagine placing a structure above this unstable slope, OR, placing a wheel way below the unstable slope.

"Washout Park" > Resort Bluff Park
(Considered for Carlos A. Weber Park)

14 January 1960 ~ Petoskey News Review

1985/86
Washed Out AGAIN!

The map below from the Wetlands Web Page shows the wetlands and riverines. For orientation purposes… the red arrow points to the location of Petoskey Plastics Inc. which was built very near a riverine. The plant was built there for easy accessibility from the nearby railway to deliver product for the company. So, having built in a riverine location, is it a surprise that a 1985 storm washed out a section of rail line serving Petoskey Plastics? "The washout area was located below US 31 in an area that was inaccessible by road. Approximately 10 feet of track was suspended across the washout. Estimated cost of repair was $1 million, with no guarantees the repair work would not wash out." as reported in the 17 January 1986 Petoskey News Review. Thus, MDOT declined to repair the railroad washout.

22 February 2020 ~ Map was created from the Wetlands Web Page showing Wetlands and Riverines

17 January 1986 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below...

Petoskey Plastics received their plastic resin pellets by bulk tank rail car, but with the railroad track washout with no guarantee of track repair, their only solution was to immediately purchase a transfer tanker for $70,000.00. To this day in 2020, Petoskey Plastics receives their pellets from the still working railroad tracks with the Great Lakes Central train in the City of Petoskey, near the old high school stadium... away from any washout area.

Petoskey Plastics did not wait for public assistance to buy a truck to be able to move forward as a company in 1986 after the washout. During the dreaded and feared Corona Virus, Petoskey Plastics set an example AGAIN, by not waiting for government "assistance," nor government "insistence" before moving forward to help the cause for the fight against the virus. The 1987 news article below shows that only a couple of years later, Petoskey Plastics was florishing due to their own ingenuity, and non-dependence on the government.
An Aside: The 24 March 2020 Petoskey News Review reported, "Over the past several days Petoskey Plastics, a manufacturing company based in Northern Michigan, has worked with McLaren Health Care to develop and approve a prototype for a hospital isolation gown.
Petoskey Plastics received design approval on Friday and will begin manufacturing 10,000 gowns per day at its Petoskey plant to supply McLaren Health Care hospitals across the state of Michigan."

17 January 1986 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above.

24 February 1987 ~ Petoskey News Review

1 July 1986 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below...

1 July 1986 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above...

With Petoskey Plastics no longer able to use the washed out railroad track in 1986, the state was considering allowing the railroad rights of way to return to the property owners. Rail buff Bob Carr, however, had a dream and a steam locomotive, and just needed a track. The Michigan Department of Transportation held a public hearing to consider alternate uses for the rail lines and right of way. The 22 July 1986 Petoskey News Review reported, "His [Carr's] holdup at this point is two washouts on the rail line between Petoskey and Charlevoix and refinancing of the right-of-way between Petoskey and Mackinaw City by the Michigan Northern Railway." The 31 October 1986 Petoskey News Review quoted Sue Brook, head of MDOT's rail freight division. "In light of the fact our engineers have advised that one portion of the right of way should not be repaired because of danger of attempting to do so, if and when a private industry would want to, the state could have no tie to the property."

Editorial Below: The Petoskey News Review editorial gave a synopsis of what had transpired to reach the point of decision time. The editorial makes special note that: "At this point rail service is nonexistent. One of the last shippers, Petoskey Plastic, which employs 85 workers, no longer can use its rail spur to the plant on U.S. 31 because the track leading to it has washed out in two places. MDOT doesn't think it would be worth the cost to repair the track for just one customer and is proposing to abandon the line or consider other uses for it."

1986 and 1988

22 July 1986 ~ Petoskey News Review Editorial

The 16>22 July 1986 Harbor Light reported: "No service has been provided on the line since October of 1985, when high winds and storm waves on Little Traverse Bay eroded the shore line and caused the ground under a portion of the track to collapse.
'For safety reasons, rail service on the property was suspended immediately and has not been resumed,' said Ms. Norris [Michigan Department of Transportation's deputy director for Urban and Public Transportation]. 'After investigating the damage, MDOT's soils and slopes experts have determined there is no cost-effective way to stabilize the ground and restore the track.'"

Article Below: The state was still giving consideration to the tourist train option before pulling up the tracks between Petoskey and Charlevoix; The state listed the property disposal alternatives.

26 April 1988 ~ Petoskey News Review (Part of the article)

Photo Below: This is where the railroad track ran past the cement company... fairly close to the bay. No wonder any developer in the area would not want a bike path running through the center of prime property; so present the trail council with land up closer to US-31, and just pull this track.

Little Traverse Historical Museum Photo Archive (Undated)

21 May 1990 ~ Petoskey News Review

The tracks between Charlevoix and Petoskey
were pulled up in July 1990.

11 October 1990 ~ The Graphic

23 October 1990 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued in column right...

23 October 1990 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from column left...

25 November 2015 ~ Petoskey News Review (Looking Back 25 Years)

Article Below: The Emmet-Charlevoix Trail Committee entices landowners by telling them "if they donate land or grant an easement [for a wheelway] they will be eligible for federal income tax deductions and perhaps property tax breaks." Three Fires Pointe development (later developed as Bay Harbor by David Johnson and CMS energy) would have found the pulling of the railroad tracks on their property and the connection of a wheelway very acceptable, especially with any monetary incentive.

24 October 1991 ~ Petoskey News Review

13 July 1992 ~ Petoskey News Review continued right column...

13 July 1992 ~ Petoskey News Review continued from left column...

26 April 1995 ~ Petoskey News Review

Read the 1995 article below to learn that MDOT funds (taxpayer dollars) were used to construct the rail to trail. So, who was the engineer who designed this segment over a riverine/wetland area? It was NDG... Northwest Design Group, now owned by OHM in 2020... still garnering tax dollars for valueless studies.

The BIG QUESTION IS: Why does Emmet County continue to pay for the results of incompetent and unsatisfactory engineering, design and workmanship in the county properties? Over and Over!
OR
Could it be that some of the chosen site does not lend itself to the construction of a bike trail?

Article Above: It evidently PAID to be a 1995 "verbal holdout" about NOT allowing an easement across personal property for a Wheelway as Tom Dwan expressed. Eventually, even after Mr. Dwan had passed away in 1998, the county, on 17 March 2004, paid Tom Dwan's wife Mary Lou almost two million dollars [$1,899.000.00] for some of their bluff-side property. The article stated: "The money used to get the property will be paid from the tax revolving fund from the county account, which is funded when people pay back their delinquent taxes on property in the county." The entire issue of delinquent tax funds being used for purposes other than paying the proper entities like the schools, and townships, has continued to be an issue in the county... when finally a forensics auditor had to be hired to help the more recent commissioners try to rectify the improper use of delinquent tax funds. Ultimately, it is the taxpayer who PAYS no matter which pot of money is raided.

12 November 1999 ~ Petoskey News Review

Article Above: In the meantime, on 7 January 2000 Emmet County acquired on the north side of US 31, across from the Emmet County Fairgrounds, 440 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline where a portion of the Little Traverse Wheelway Bike trail goes through the parcel. This bluff-side parcel, along with the fairgrounds acreage for a total of about 29 acres of land was purchased from Hodgkiss Trust for $800,000.00 through state grants and a manipulation of county funds, partially using "tax revolving funds." See additional information about this Hodgkiss Trust property purchase on the "Fairgrounds" web page on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site by clicking HERE.

Below: Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search" show that on 7 January 2000 Emmet County acquired property [Parcel Number 52-18-01-400-035] 440 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, a split off the fair property with the total land price being $800,000.00. Notice the Soil Type: "This is a gently sloping well drained soil type" with no mention of erosion.

Directly next to the above described "gently sloping well drained soil type" the Pine Bluff Townhouses were built. The two 2 July 1979 photos below give a description of the townhouse locations related to the water below as "135 feet above the water" AND "The townhouses sit high above the Lake Michigan waters, with a steep incline for a backyard, but a pair of stairways totaling 127 steps lead to the beach."

2 July 1979 ~ Petoskey News Review

7 March 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review

31 May 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review

Article Below: Interesting how this H&D Inc. property is presented as the addition of 6.5 acres allowing the entrance to the fairgrounds to be moved from US 31 to Eppler Road... which was definitely a good move; paid through a recreational grand PLUS $345,000.00 county (taxpayer) dollars. The H&D Inc. property purchase was definitely in the plans to be a a portion of the wheelway acquisitions.

16 August 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review

24 October 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review

In the November 2002 news article below even before the unfinished section of wheelway was possible, due to lack of land ownership in the Resort Bluff area, Emmet County's controller Lyn Johnson was pondering how the county should pay for a maintenance crew for the M-119 section of wheelway which was already finished. He did state that the county was responsible for the section on M-119, but the article did not say where that decree was documented or recorded, other than Johnson saying it. Then County Planner Max Putters stated interesting comments: "There is a gray area here [regarding repair/reconstruct responsibility]. We were always told we would not have to rebuild an area. If it has deteriorated, I would question whether it was properly put down in the first place" ..." The trail is too new for this. It was built to last 15-20 years. But I think MDOT's position is, 'We gave you the money for it and now you take care of it.'" Now, in 2020, only 12 to 14 years from construction of the Resort Bluff wheelway area, the wheelway is eroding/deteriorating; the city and Resort Township are expecting the county to pay toward a STUDY for the area of Resort Bluff, which on the Wheelway map is designated to the city. Not only does the map show that, but the specific grant easements for the parcels of Resort Bluff parcels of land states that it will be up to the Grantee (the City of Petoskey) to pay for repair of the trail!

21 November 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below maps...

Posted as a public record in the packet for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners' 20 February 2020 Committee of the Whole meeting... and appears to be the same map as printed below in the 2002 news article shown above and below...

21 November 2002 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above...

23 January 2003 ~ Petoskey News Review

28 March 2003 ~ Petoskey News Review

10 December 2003 ~ Petoskey News Review

In the 10 December 2003 Petoskey News Review it was reported that "A proposal to help fund land acquisition for a recreation trail between Petoskey and Bay Harbor ended in a deadlock among Resort Township board members Tuesday." ... "the board discussed the possibility of turning the $50,000 grant [Emmet County Local Revenue Sharing Board money] and an equal portion of township funds over to county officials to help with the land purchase. As Resort trustee Bob Nicol owns some of the land targeted for purchase, he abstained from the discussion and voting on the matter to avoid a conflict of interest."

18 March 2004 Article Below: "Dwan and the Nicols were first approached about selling the land along U.S. 31 between Eppler and Resort Pike roads for public trails use FOUR years ago." That statement is not true. Look at the 27 January 1995 article above where Tom Dwan was, to the Dwan Family's advantage, a holdout for selling his property, not FOUR years, but rather for NINE years.

18 March 2004 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued below...

The continued 2004 article below notes: "Engineering work for the trail, which is being handled by Northwest Design Group and funded by the Top of Michigan Trails Council, is currently in progress. Trail proponents also are exploring possible sources of funding to construct the trail. The terrain which the trail would cross presents some challenges–like drainage and slope stability issues–that could make construction of it costlier than some earlier Wheelway segments, Putters said."

So, one has to wonder WHY recently on 20 February 2020 that City of Petoskey governmental officials stated the erosion situation was "urgent" so possibly MILLIONS of more dollars will be needed in the future to restore the eroding Wheelway. How did the erosion suddenly become urgent when as Max Putters stated in the 2004 article below that the slope stability was being questioned. No mention was made of "high water levels" in the bay creating the unstable bluff, like the reason of "high water levels" being brought forth in 2020. BUT, in 2020, no mention is being made of the KNOWN historical instability of the bluff.

18 March 2004 ~ Petoskey News Review article continued from above...

14 May 2004 ~ Petoskey News Review

Article Left: Putters again was stating "With steep slopes to stabilize, terrain that will likely prove challenging for construction and drainage issues to resolve, the 'Resort Bluffs' segment between Petoskey and Bay Harbor will likely be one of the more expensive stretches of Wheelway to complete."
So it was not as if Putters, or anyone connected with the proposed wheelway, was unaware of the EXISTING possible slope failures in that particular area. Northwest Design Group was doing the engineering for up to $190,000.00 to be paid by the City. What did the engineers plan for addressing the existing possible slope failure issue?
Obviously, NOTHING. By 2020, that very location was a total washout!

Resort Bluff is on Emmet County Property located along Charlevoix Avenue, US 31. The land was purchased through grants, along with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund ($869,400.00), from the property owners at the time (Dwan & Nicol).

Below: Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search" show that on 9 March 2004 Robert & Mary Ellen Nicol sold their property [Parcel Number 13-18-01-300-039] to Emmet County for $506,000.00. Notice the Soil Type: "It is well drained to moderately well drained and is susceptible to erosion."

Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search"

Below: Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search" show that Mary Lou Dwan sold her property [Parcel Number 13-18-01-300-003] to Emmet County on 17 March 2004 for $1,899,000.000. Notice the Soil Type: "It is well drained to moderately well drained and is susceptible to erosion."

Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search"

Below: On the same 17 March 2004 date as the county purchase above, Emmet County acquired a long roadside piece of property [Parcel Number 13-18-01-300-002] which does not access the water's edge, for an undisclosed sum also from Mary Lou Dwan. This piece has no extra descriptions listed on property summary as shown below. On the legal description for this property it is called Resort Bluffs Park. The comment states that on L1048 P636 is a Declaration of Use.

Public property records on Emmet County's "Property Search"

Plaques have been installed on boulders sitting on the property
which has a severe cliff on the bay side of the property with warning signs.
Interestingly, names on the plaques are those closely associated with the sale/purchase of the land...
Putters and Dwan

29 November 2017

Two Photos Below: Max Putters "worked tirelessly" to complete the Little Traverse Wheelway which runs below the bluff; often mentioning the challenges with the drainage and instability of the bluff issues... never heeding his own "danger signs." The plaque states: "This Maple tree was planted by family members to honor Max Putters for his 33 years of public service to Emmet County residents as Planning Director from 1972-2005. Like this tree looking quietly out to Little Traverse Bay, Max Putters has been rooted in the community with a vision to preserve and create public access to our great natural resources. Walk in his footsteps on the trails and beaches throughout Emmet County knowing that he worked tirelessly to enhance and protect these natural resources for everyone to enjoy."

29 November 2017

29 November 2017 ( white "WARNING sign")

Two Photos Below: "Thomas Arthur Dwan FI US Navy World War II Jun 28 1926 ~ Aug 25 1998" AND "Sara E. Dwan February 3, 1960 ~ November 10, 2001 Gone But Not Forgotten"

29 November 2017

2004 Editorial Below: "Engineering work for the trail, which is being handled by Northwest Design Group and funded by the Top of Michigan Trails Council, is in progress. But it won't come cheap. The terrain which the trail crosses is difficult in places and includes cliffs and washout problems which must be surmounted." Even the Petoskey News Review Editorial staff was acknowledging the "washout" setting of the recently purchased land, but promoters just pushed forward, with no guarantee from the Design Group... was any actual engineering done? Various factions just seemed to do "whatever" to garner an amount from the taxpayers to make the wheelway happen, and to heck with what was destined to happen "down the way".... factions not caring how many times the taxpayers are expected to pay for the same results of incompetent and unsatisfactory studies, engineering, design and workmanship in the county properties? Over and Over!

25 March 2004 ~ Petoskey News Review Editorial continued column right...

25 March 2004 ~ Petoskey News Review Editorial continued from column left...

Editorial Above: Did the county's purchase of the Dwan's property actually include a house?

On 23 May 2006 Emmet County, to eliminate the last hold-out for the possible easement of land for the Wheelway, purchased property at 2684 Charlevoix Road, Petoskey, Michigan, for $600,000.00 from Douglas A. Horace (thus still referred to as the Horace Property with its own history. The highly unusual 11 October 2018 sale of this Horace property is chronicled closer to the top of this page. Thus, the county no longer owns this property, nor has any responsibility whatsoever, regarding this property.

Regarding properties the county does still own in 2020 in the same area as the Horace Property, the records of all four documents granted the easements (to be executed on 8 February 2008) that exist for county properties ending in 002,003,035, and 039 between the County of Emmet (Grantor), to the City of Petoskey (Grantee), noting the same responsibility of the city in each recorded "Easement for Non-Motorized Trail: as follows:

Photo/Text Below: Already in 2008 a wheelway area between Petoskey and Bay Harbor was labeled as
"a washout-prone section."

8-10 August 2008 ~ Petoskey News Review

Photos Below: Putting through the Pere Marquette Railroad tracks on a bed of sand

Photo Below: Fairground steps lead to the Pere Marquette Railway track in the nearby area shown in the text/photos above and below...
(the steep slopes appear to be from sand dunes, not lime stone in this area... prone to erosion)

Allan McCune a successful Petoskey businessman and local historian donated several of his albums to Petoskey's Little Traverse Historical Museum. One of his albums included this copied photo labeled as "Fairground Steps on Pere Marquette Railway"

8 October 2008 ~ Petoskey News Review

7 November 2008 ~ Petoskey News Review

The 2008 Petoskey News Review article left lists the MANY support groups for the Wheelway Link Work.
The 2008 Petoskey News Review article right below talks not only about the beauty of the trail, but read the next to the last paragraph. It tells that "A multi-jurisdictional body must be created to oversee maintenance and safety issues for the Wheelway. Without this type of organization, responsibility for a path we are all allowed to enjoy will fall disproportionately on some taxpayers or, worse, result in more deterioration of this asset. This deterioration is already evident in some locations."

5 June 2008 ~ Petoskey News Review

18 November 2008 ~ Petoskey News Review

The Petoskey Breakwall, during a 2006 storm which knocked out a 50 foot gap from the barrier, was finally being repaired in 2009, using the services of Roen Slavage Co. of Wisconsin. Click HERE for additional information about this event and the Petoskey waterfront. One would have thought that the forceful 2006 storm damaging waterfront property would have been heeded when designing/engineering the Little Traverse Wheelway. At that same time, a weather bouy was to be installed... has that gathered information ever been accessed, or was it of value, or ignored, in further decision making for the wheelway.

7 July 2009 ~ Petoskey News Review

I appreciate how many wonderful organizations, and even private individuals, have promoted the Little Traverse Wheelway. The Wheelway also can be appreciated by the number of businesses who have profited from the influx of tourists who enjoy the wheelway. The local economy has benefited from the wheelway. Not just money-wise gains, but pure enjoyment of the experience of using the wheelway is immense to many.

Since the 1980s, the county taxpayers have certainly paid their share with making public property deeds with easements possible and available. Remember grants are not FREE money. The county, through grants and various other means, purchased the Horace Property for $600,000; Purchased the Nicol and Dwan properties for about $2.5 million; Purchased the Hodgkiss Trust bluff-side property across from the fairgrounds. All of these investments occurred during times when the county properties, as well as other properties near the wheelway between Petoskey and East Park in Resort Township, espoused the known “instability of the bluff” as noted in various articles/records. Wetland maps show wetland areas and riverines running right toward, and through, the wheelway. Those areas witnessed highly destructive land masses and railroad track wash outs in 1912, 1913, 1916, 1957, and 1985-86. The 1986 washout of the RR tracks then located beside US 31 and Lake Grove Road caused Petoskey Plastics to buy a then $70,000 loading truck for their pellets so they could use the other train tracks that still, in 2020, exist behind the old high school stadium on Standish Avenue.

If groups, individuals, businesses, feel that it is to their advantage to continue the wheelway in the erosion prone areas, then let them figure out how to fund it AGAIN, AND to make it safe… perhaps not near an erosion prone cliff which has never been a secret. County taxpayers must ask, how many times do the commissioners representing taxpayers have to be "hit in their heads, and hit in the county coffers," with payments for the results of incompetent design, and engineering. If necessary, find a qualified engineer who is willing to sign for a guarantee on the design. That likelihood of engineers guaranteeing their work for that slope instability setting is probably not possible.

Look at the historical facts as posted on this web page declaring this part of the wheelway is a fragile area with questionable slope stability. Money ($81,000.00 +) does not have to be spent on a STUDY to figure that out... but that $81,000.00 was paid for nothing more than a STUDY.
~ Karla Buckmaster (February 2020)

On 9 March 2020 at the Emmet County Board of Commissioners' meeting, an interlocal resolution for Emmet County joining Resort Township and the City of Petoskey was presented for paying $81,000.00 to be divided three ways... for a study of the slope failure of the Wheelway between East Park and Magnus Park (calling that the Project Limit). The top map below was presented in W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd.'s proposal to study the slope failure. The GIS map directly below with the marking arrows between the two, shows that so far, NONE of the slope failures are identified on county owned property.

The ECBOC, however, resolved to enter into the joint STUDY (change all of the words "project" to "study"), up to only one-third of the cost, and no more. The ECBOC Chairman also required that the STUDY include, not only the high bay water in front of the wheelway be studied, but also the waters (could be wetlands and riverines) behind the the wheelway be included in the study. The city manager agreed to all of the county's requests. The board room was FILLED with wheelway supporters with most of them quickly leaving after their agenda item... not being interested in anything else happening in the entire county (see below public comment at the beginning of the 9 March 2020 ECBOC meeting regarding "taxpayer handout syndrome"). UPDATE: MOST of the wheelway supporters did leave before the meeting was over. FURTHER UPDATE: The study report did not include any wetlands or riverine information.

Click HERE to view a video of an "E Skater" enjoying the wheelway in 1919 BEFORE the major 2020 washout.

Public Comment during the 9 March 2020 Emmet County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting.

Photo Below: Flash forward from the 1913 scene below 107 years to 2020 in the same area due to water from ABOVE... This same Rail Way to Trail Way area which includes the base of a sand dune. So, in the intervening years, the state reverted the railway property to deeded land owners. Land owners transferred this particular piece off the end of Washout Road, now renamed to Eppler Road, across from the county fairground area, to Emmet County as present property owner. Nothing in all of those years has been done to remediate, or to prevent, this known "slope failure" erosion either from water from ABOVE, or BELOW the railway. At the other end of the Proposed STUDY area, closer to Petoskey Plastics, the State of Michigan in the late 1980s stated it would not be financially prudent to spend over a million dollars to mend that washed out Petoskey Plastics railway because the area could just be washed out AGAIN.

This LESSON has not been taken to heart over the years. The Wheelway proponents, without being mindful of historical facts of this sand dune slope erosion, proceeded with the likes of County Planner Max Putters (as noted in news articles above) pushing forward to build a Wheelway in the exact spot, for instance, as shown in the photo below, as well as in other areas along the way of known slope failures over the years. During the 9 March 2020 Emmet County Board of Commissioners' Committee of the Whole meeting, the ENTIRE board of commissioners committed tax dollars to STUDY known washout areas that have existed for over 100 years. How many times must taxpayers be expected to pay for elusive wishes, and dreams, that will be washed away, time and again?

Photo from Page 156 in Resort Township Remembers...

DRAFT minutes below for the 16 March 2020 Petoskey City Council meeting the council voted unanimously to move forward with the $81,620.00 Slope Failure STUDY.

2020
Washed Out AGAIN!

Two Photos Below: Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging took these extraordinary photos of the Wheelway... near the overlook on 11 April 2020, only two days before the Washout in the very area that the Washout occurred either in the morning or the afternoon on 13 April 2020. Click on the photos to enlarge for easier viewing. Photo Left: This area with the overlook (for orientation), is just to the right of the area of the washout which is shown in the below right photo. The red arrow points to the area of the Slope Failure which began farther up the cliff on the upper side of the Wheelway.

11 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reaves 13 April 2020 report to the commissioners regarding the Wheelway Erosion STUDY.

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reaves 13 April 2020 report to the commissioners regarding the Wheel Way Erosion STUDY.

Unknown to the ECBOC at the time of the meeting above,
BUT, NOT unexpectedly to others, knowing the historical data about the area,
on 13 April 2020, the Little Traverse Wheel Way was the scene of
a massive WASHOUT in the area of known "slope failure"
(on the location of Wheelway property belonging to The City of Petoskey).

Photos Below: On 14 April 2020, just one day after the Washout, Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging again took some more extraordinary photos of the Wheelway. Photo Right AFTER: This area with the overlook (for orientation), is just to the right of the area of the slope failure. It is worth noting that the red arrow points to a drain within the wall which can release pent up waters which very likely seep into the area from the recorded wetlands and riverines from above. The area above the drain does not show slope failure at this time. Below Left Photo BEFORE: The drawing on this photo shows the area and route of streamed water that drained from the outlet (a relief valve of sorts); Thus this nearby area did not endure the horrendous slope failure of 13 April 2020.

DRAIN area still standing strong... SO FAR...

BEFORE (Just three days later) AFTER

11 April 2020 ~ ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

14 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photos Below: With pent up water behind the elevated Wheelway, built so closely to the bay, Mother Nature created Her own "Relief Valve" by creating a massive slope failure. Even with the small drain in the man-made wall above, massive amounts of ground water could be collecting above, just waiting for another pressure relief with more slope failure in the future; especially if the drain were to become plugged. Compare the size of this drain with the size of the open drains, also on the Wheelway, in the photos three and four below.

14 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photo 3 Below: From Petoskey, this area on the Wheelway is located BEFORE reaching the slope failure area... with a very similar land topography, but "no apparent damage" from above, or below, from the 13 April 2020 BIG STORM. Notice the drain built into the side of the cliff, allowing pent up water to run below the Wheelway out to the bay. This drain is located almost across from Eppler Road on the top of the cliff. Probable that this drain existed prior to the design of the wheelway???

14 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photo 4 Below: From Petoskey, this area on the Wheelway also is located BEFORE reaching the slope failure area... with a very similar land topography, but "no apparent damage" from above, or below, from the 13 April 2020 BIG STORM. Notice the drain built into the slope below the Wheelway, allowing pent up water to run below the Wheelway out to the bay. This drain is located next to the Pine Bluffs Condominums (at the left at the top of the photo), 135 feet above the water, on the highway corner near the fairgrounds heading toward Eppler Road on the top of the cliff.

14 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

It is interesting that in the areas above with types of drainage for relief of any pent up waters,
the erosion SO FAR is not apparent.

Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging took these extraordinary photos below of the Wheelway...
near the overlook on 15 April 2020.

Photo Below: The Wheelway is located right on the waterfront, so that is US 31 on the flat level above the slope failure. Eppler Road is at the corner heading right up the hill. Eppler Road was at one time called Washout Road until after the 1913 Washout when Mrs. Eppler petitioned to have the name changed so her produce truckers were not afraid to drive up WASHOUT ROAD (see that story farther above). That vacant land in the background is Greenwood Cemetery which has a riverine ravine running right through it, leading toward the bay.

15 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Map Below: This wetland map shows the particular location of the riverines that begin on top of the area including Eppler Road and Sheridan Road with one branch beginning near Vantage View Subdivision and the other branch beginning near the new EMS station which continues to experience water problems. The riverines extend across Sheridan Street, joining in the ravine of Greenwood Cemetery to flow toward Tor Lane community, across US 31, and on toward the bay (shown underneath the US 31 sign on the map)... pretty much in the area of the 13 April 2020 Wheelway and Slope Failure.

A 2 September 2019 Petoskey News Review article titled
"Emmet County EMS Station to Undergo Repairs"
describes the extent of water damage, and the expensive bid options for repair.

Wetlands Map Viewer from Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy captured 15 April 2020 (Click to Enlarge)

Photo Below: Compare this photo to the wetland/riverine map above showing the Greenwood Cemetery location including a large ravine running toward the Wheelway Slope Failure. Also, notice in the photo below, the farmland pond which is higher on the riverine path. This fragile land area is not just a figment of someone's imagination because it cannot be totally seen with the naked eye. It does exist! Read from the State of Michigan Introduction to Wetland Management to learn about wetlands by clicking HERE. "Wetlands are often transitional zones between dry upland sites such as old fields and forests and open-water areas such as lakes and rivers."

Photo taken 7 April 2020 by Charles Dawley and posted only Here with his permission.

15 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photos Below: ... just for historical perspective of when the TRAIL was RAIL...
and the slope failed then in the same general area as in 2020.

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey Newspaper

~ 1913 Washout ~
(Affected the roadway ABOVE
AND the railway BELOW)

14 August 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record

~ 1957 Another Washout ~

2 July 1957 ~ Petoskey News Review

Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging took these extraordinary photos below of the Wheelway...
near the overlook on 15 April 2020, two days after the massive eroded slope.
Click on the photos to enlarge them for better viewing.

15 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photo Below: The perspective includes the location of the wheelway slope failure (bottom right corner) to the
Emmet County Fairgrounds, the Greenwood Cemetery, and on toward Downtown Petoskey.
The slope failure short distance from US 31 is very concerning.

15 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging

Photo Below: This area of land is owned by the City of Petoskey on the lower level where the failed Wheelway runs. The upper portion of land is owned by Emmet County, purchased in 2004 along with other Dwan property. The measurement from the top starting area of the slope failure, to US 31 highway, is approximately 75 feet... dangerously close to the roadway. A 1948 article farther below this photo explains the mentality of the road designers and engineers during the timeframe US 31 was built, and very likely the same mentality for the designers and engineers for the Wheelway... a SCENIC THRILL! Yep... that is what the 1948 article below says, and what a 2020 description below of the Wheelway alludes.

~ Wheelway and US 31 ~

15 April 2020 ~ Posted Here with permission of Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging (The car in the photo is headed into Petoskey on US 31)

Yep, SCENIC THRILLS...
that is what the article below says about US 31 between Petoskey and Charlevoix,
and a description below of the Wheelway alludes to the same SCENIC THRILLS.
Pay no mind to public safety or public expense, for maintaining, or repairing,
such original faulty engineering.
This particular area of slope failure is but one, of many areas,
that shows up presently between Magnus Park and East Park.
This slope failure near the overlook just happens to be the major SCENIC THRILL to occur right now.

Clippings Below: NEW Highway, US 31 from Petoskey to Charlevoix is Closer to Little Traverse Bay...
Previous to the new US 31 Highway, the main road from Petoskey to Charlevoix was
Old State Road... which includes NOW, Sheridan Street.
Scenic THRILLS!

The 13 April 2020 Wheelway SLOPE FAILURE falling so closely to US 31 brings to mind...
Not quite two years ago on 5 June 2018 the News Review article titled
"Road Revamp $14.8 million in US-31 Renovations still Slated for 2019"
offered an explanation of the total plan for the project.
Click HERE to access the article.
The situation was the SAME as this 13 April 2020 Wheelway Slope Failure...
US 31 near Sunset Park just north of Petoskey required moving away from the deteriorating cliff.
The sidewalk along this section of roadway had been closed for several years
because the underneath was "giving way" as noted in the photo below looking south bound.
The roadway was moved to the east for better support of this major roadway
leading through Petoskey, Michigan.

Photo Below: Posted on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site only by permission from
remarkable photographer and videographer Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging.

12 April 2017 ~ Charles Dawley (permission to post only on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site)

Photo Below: Posted on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site only by permission from
remarkable photographer and videographer Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging.
The MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) on 21 April 2020, on US 31,
was in the process of taking soil borings [NOT TRUE] near the location where on 13 April 2020;
located only about 75 feet from the highway the slope failed, and slid down over the wheelway.
LATER UPDATE on 21 October 2020:
MDOT did NOT take soil borings.
MDOT only installed inclinometers and monitoring wells near the top of the slope;
one on the north of US-31 (Ground water elevation at 610.13)
and one on the south side of US-31 (ground water elevation 606.03)
and then groundwater was seen discharged at elevation 597.85 about 7 feet from the north side of the pathway.
MDOT also posted "visual delineators" for someone to "almost daily" observe for movement.
[Visual Delineators are no longer being monitored]
MDOT feels the US-31 is stabilzed; otherwise further action would be taken,
if MDOT felt it was unstabilized

Petoskey City Manager Straebel's Update in the 20 April 2020 City Council DRAFT minutes stated: "The Little Traverse Wheelway coastal bluff collapsed last week; that MDOT is sending a team of geotechnicians from Lansing to install ground instrumentation to monitor any further movement on the bluff."

21 April 2020 ~ Submitted by Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging to be posted only HERE on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site...

The 22 April 2020 Petoskey News Review article titled "City official Recreation Director Kendall Klingelsmith warned: 'The problem with that is the ground is still unstable, and the affected area is likely to continue to expand.'"

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reave's Administrator's Report Below for 23 April 2020 ECBOC meeting: Interesting comment is... "MDOT has been notified and now has become involved in this process. I believe that this is strongly needed, as there appears to be several other factors possibly involved in the recent slope failure, other than a bottom up approach (lake level up to wheel way trail)." Good thing the taxpayers are paying for an $81,000.00+ STUDY to lead the way to the inevitable end.... (written facetiously).

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reave's Administrator's Report for 23 April 2020 ECBOC meeting...

Two Photos Below: Posted on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site only by permission from
remarkable photographer and videographer Charles Dawley of Up North Imaging.
As the Wheelway approaches the City of Petoskey Wastewater Treatment Plant,
"Trail Closed" signs are posted on the closed off Wheelway.
The wheelway is close to the shore in this space, but appears to have weathered the high waters, lending more credence to the reason for the major slope failure farther around the path corner;
that being erosion from ABOVE... not from the high waters of the bay.

23 April 2020 ~ Charles Dawley (permission to post only on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site).

MDOT will do well to learn from the PAST, and act accordingly.
Whether effects of high bay water or riverines above bay level...
Whether a "Dream Home" or a "Trail Way"
1980...

24 June 1980 ~ Petoskey News Review

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reave's Administrator's Report below for 11 May 2020 ECBOC meeting: Perhaps Baird Engineering and OHM Engineering is doing its own research, and putting together its own documentation for a report toward the work contracted for their $81,000.00 report?

Emmet County Administrator Mike Reave's Administrator's Report for 11 May 2020 ECBOC meeting...

The 12 May 2020 Petoskey News Review published an article titled "Officials Await Long-Term Erosion Fix." The governmental entities that have involved themselves through paying for a STUDY, are still waiting for any report of any information which that company has researched itself. City Park Director Klingelsmith's comments indicated that "flooding or erosion problems are likely to continue before the $81,600.00 STUDY is finalized at the end of the summer. But the danger in taking any immediate, interim action is that the entities would be going in somewhat blind, and could risk throwing money at a fix that would just wash away." Emmet County Administrator Mike Reaves said at a meeting last week, "Baird made a proposal that we would immediately intercede and... for us to guarantee funding for an immediate fix. We had that discussion and I told them we wouldn't be interested in that because we don't believe it may be done faulting at this point. If a temporary fix failed 'any money that would be put into that would immediately be lost, and we didn't sign on for any type of fix at this point.'" Additional article text may be accessed by clicking HERE.

Minutes Below from the Emmet County Road Commission 13 May 2020 meeting: One has to wonder what the Baird Company has been doing to earn the $81,000+ for the contracted study they were to perform. Their first report had NO research of their own; just information, and drone photos, not of their own and gathered from the internet. So, will their next report just be a presentation of the state's "probe" results?

13 May 2020 ~ Emmet County Road Commission meeting minutes...

Clipping Below: The Petoskey City Council in the midst of the COVID–19 discussed in their recent meeting just how the virus was affecting their entire budget, and in particular the Little Traverse Wheelway resurfacing...

28 May 2020 ~ Petoskey News Review

The City of Petoskey had hired, and had been working with Baird and Associates, for another project,
before recommending to Resort Township and the county, hiring Baird to do the Wheelway Baird Report.

6 July 2020 ~ Part of the City Manager Strabel's report included in the packet for the city meeting of this date.

Regarding the City Manager's Report Above: On 9 March 2020 the Emmet County Board of Commissioners approved joining the city and Resort Township in an over $81,000.00 Slope Failure Study; a Study said to be an emergency necessity. The Baird Study so far has merely gathered, and presented, historical information that is available on the internet on sites such as this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve. The photos in that same Baird report were ones taken by a private individual; not of Baird's own doing. So, it will be interesting to see what THEIR "next shoreline findings" for the city will be at the 6 July 2020 city meeting... those findings said to NOT be associated with the Arrowhead Shores Slope Failure Study; not to be completed until in early August. It will probably include a report of findings of the Michigan Department of Transportation team of geotechnicians' findings from their ground instrumentation to monitor any further movement on the bluff. Hmmmm... it would seem that that MDOT public information would be accessible without having to pay Baird to just copy, and present, that information. Anyway, this little blurp is all that the township, city, and county have received for their thousands of dollar so far.

25 August 2020 Petoskey News Review reported: The Baird Report will determine the future of the washed-out Wheelway. City Manager Robb Straebel said at a previous meeting, "I think by and large the slope failure study is going to dictate what location the trail's going to be at. Is it going to be on the highway or is there an engineering solution that's not cost prohibitive that would allow us to repair the current Little Traverse Wheelway?" The study still is not ready to be presented as a "draft" so presentation will be postponed for a need for thoroughness. So, $81,000.00 later? Still no results!

15 September 2020 Petoskey News Review reported: "Report on trail erosion will be presented to the public next week"... adding "Officials have a rough draft of that report in their possession right now, despite a minor delay from Baird last month. But none of those involved are saying much about the contents of the report until representatives from Baird have a chance to present the document formally." Baird responded to the secrecy: "'We need these reports to stand on their own because they are very, very technical and interpreting them in any other matter than as written can sometimes be problematic,' Ed Liegel a Baird engineer said." The city's Klinglesmith said the involved entities met in a private meeting and presented questions for Baird to answer. He thinks it is best to roll this out at a public meeting for questions to be answered by the firm that completed the study. So much for any advance transparency.

21 September 2020
The BIG Reveal!
"Petoskey Slope Failure Study"
(Dated 26 August 2020, so actually presented to the public almost ONE MONTH after it is dated)
Baird Innovation Engineered

An inter-local (City of Petoskey, Resort Township, and Emmet County) Zoom meeting was held on 21 September 2020 at 7PM (at the beginning of the regular City Council meeting) for the purpose to “Hear Presentation from Baird and Associates concerning Slope Failure Study.”

The inter-local entities’ taxpayers paid $81,000.00+ for the presented study, so one might think that the taxpayers had paid for a public document, but NO. The study is copyrighted in whole and every part of the document. So, no copies, but if anyone is interested in viewing the document it can be found on-line through the City of Petoskey 21 September 2020 Agenda packet: Click HERE.

When the Emmet County Board of Commissioners [ECBOC] agreed to become a party in paying for 1/3 of the Baird study, the county's Board Chairman “required that the STUDY include, not only the high bay water in front of the wheelway be studied, but also the waters (could be wetlands and riverines) behind the wheelway be included in the study. The city manager agreed to all of the county's requests.” The Baird Project Area Description, however, states: “The area of focus (battery limits) for this study area is concentrated on the bluff and trailway corridor, extending from the shoreline to U.S. Highway 31”, so nothing south of US 31. On page 52 Baird suggests: “a hydrogeologic study may be of benefit as long term solutions to stabilizing the slope are explored.” Why was this already not done, as the county chairman had requested, and why was it not included in the $81,000.00+ study; if a current existing governmental Wetlands Map could not be trusted to reveal the very results of a hydrogeologic study?

It is obvious just by looking at the Table of Contents of the Baird Study, that only issues/topics located between the road, and into the water a short distance, were studied; no mention of a wetland, nor a riverine, on the above property south of US 31 affecting the massive erosion or any sloughing was discussed in the study. The study acknowledged data from other various entities like MDOT, and the previous engineering group Northern Design Group (NDG now OHM) that engineered (NDG studies of 2005 were included in the Baird Study) and designed the present failed wheelway, NOAA, USACE, LiDar, and Baird’s actual testing, itself; although admitting only to wading to a depth of 3 feet for the profiles. Otherwise, it seems Baird walked the site, and used data from others, whether up to date, or not.

Baird representatives made no secret of the use of the data from multiple various sources, but Baird made no mention of attempting to access an Emmet County Wetlands Map which shows that two sizable riverines meet on top of Eppler Road (previously called Washout Road) and flow closely toward the massive wheelway erosion area. Local newspaper articles documented this same 2020 verifiable spot having been affected in 1911 (Reverend Weaver's horses dropped down in the washout and one was killed), 1912 (September), 1913 (March), 1916 (May), and 1957 (July); now again on 13 April 2020. In fact, in 1985 (November), it was reported that just a bit farther down the wheelway toward Charlevoix, at another riverine escape-way (showing on the Wetlands map) that a washout ravaged the railroad track near Petoskey Plastics, Inc. Then, the State of Michigan voiced they did not wish to spend a million dollars for that repair because they could not promise it would last (see article farther above on this same web page stating this fact).

It is unclear/unavailable exactly what any hiring contract with Baird may have entailed, but the Baird Study states on page 1 that the “Owner (the inter-local entities) retained W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd. (Baird) and OHM Advisors (OHM) to perform a preliminary investigation and analysis of the shoreline/bluff, and develop conceptual design alternatives to potentially mitigation the ongoing issues(s).” So, is OHM the Associates part of the Ltd. name? The retaining of Baird was clearly known from the beginning, but the OHM retainment is a bit surprising. Presently, OHM is the owner/purchaser of the same NDG engineering firm which designed and engineered the now failing eroding wheelway. Did NDG sign a guarantee in 2008 for their engineering of their proposed, and constructed, 2008 wheel-way; for a wheelway design that is eroding away in less than 12 years? This should make taxpayers a bit reluctant for their officials to make decisions based on Baird's use of the same old NDG soil borings of June of 2005 information (pages 13-14-15 of the present Baird Study), and to spend MILLIONS and MILLIONS of taxpayer-dollars for mitigation based on data which obviously already has proven useless! The study's proposed Mitigation Measures are projected to cost millions of taxpayers' dollars.

The below old 20 February 2007 Petoskey News Review article is revealing in a couple of ways. First, this was the confirmation of the Petoskey City Council voting to authorize the contract with NDG [HMO in 2020 Baird Study] for the engineering services as part of the planning efforts for the Wheelway segment between Petoskey's Magnus Park and Resort Township's East Park, the very segment being studied for possible design and engineering AGAIN in 2020. Petoskey would pay NDG for services not to exceed $190,000.00. The article went on to explain the various millions of dollars to be invested by various governmental entities. Second, this indicates that NDG was being hired for this wheelway segment in 2007, so how does the Baird Study report on its page 13 state, "Northwest Design Group (NDG) originally completed five (5) soil borings throughout this area in June of 2005. The location of these historic soil borings is shown in Figure 2.8. What was that all about for NDG to have performed soil borings in that area in 2005 even before NDG openly was hired in 2007? Just how reliable is the information presented in the Baird Study?

20 February 2007 ~ Petoskey News Review

On page 41 of the Baird Study Profile 3 Summary stated while admitting that the upper part of the slope failure was likely due to the geometry and steepness of the ground in that area, that “interestingly, for this particular slope geometry, the toe erosion played a greater role than the groundwater elevation, although both features led to measurable differences in the stability of the slope.” The photos below taken two days after the 13 April 2020 massive slope failure certainly shows still that the eroded sand had saturated farther up the slope from the upper south side of the wheelway. It is doubtful that the wave action from the bay would have saturated the sand so far up slope, almost reaching US 31.

Photo Below shows the disappearance of the wheelway:
The soil that has come down from the above slope is visibly saturated, and had flowed in a mud-like state.
This soil was not saturated from high water in the bay.

15 April 2020 ~ Charles Dawley (permission to post only on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site).

Photo Below just to the left of the photo above showing the other end of the disappearance of the wheelway:
The visible standing sand at the left is not even wet due to any high bay water...
although, the soil that has slid and flowed from above is saturated.

15 April 2020 ~ Charles Dawley (permission to post only on this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site).

Vegetation Root Systems

It stated on page 44 of the Baird Study that vegetation root systems helping to hold the soil in place must be considered: “The infinite slope analysis used was modified to help take into account the effects of root systems within the ground.” In that sentence, then, is Baird acknowledging that the lack of vegetation, and thus the lack of roots in the exact route of the 13 April 2020 massive slope failure erosion was ignored by NDG/OHM even before the wheelway was constructed in 2008? Why should the taxpayers be accepting of such analysis for the projection of "root systems tending to add strength to the ground," especially when a trail lacking vegetation is obvious from US 31 right down to the water near to where the slope failure has recently occurred? Did NDG/OHM even inspect the vegetation on the slopes above their designed and engineered 2008 wheelway? Three Photos Below: Observing the 2008 GIS map of the slope failure area, even before the overlook was installed, and also the 2012 GIS map of the same slope failure area, the lack of trees and other vegetation is quite visible near to the very route of eroded slope from US 131 right down to the water!

Photo Below: This 2008 Emmet County GIS Map shows that even during the year 2008, but before the wheelway was constructed in 2008, the slope in the area of the massive slope failure of 13 April 2020 was lacking much vegetation in a trail from US 31 right down to the water's edge (pointed out by the red arrows). That particular area of the wheelway, however, was designed with a drain, and did stay strong through the recent slope failure. The 13 April 2020 slope failure developed nearby, although, a little farther to the east of the red arrows, where vegetation is especially lacking north of US 31 and south of the wheelway.

2008 ~ Emmet County GIS Map

Photo Below: This 2012 Emmet County GIS Map shows the path of the future (2020) slope failure of the wheelway, lacking much vegetation especially south of the wheelway in that area and just north of US 31 (pointed out by the red arrows).

2012~ Emmet County GIS Map

Photo Below: This 2017 Emmet County GIS Map shows that even 2 1/2 or 3 years before the wheelway slope failure in 2020, the slope in the area of the massive slope failure of 13 April 2020 was lacking much vegetation especially south of the wheelway and just north of US 31 (pointed out by the red arrows). This area of the wheelway, however, was not designed with a drain, and obviously could have a super saturated soil on that upper slope, getting ready to erode. The yellow arrow points out a large long-time existing drain that allows water flowing down a similarly non-vegetated slope to flow UNDER the wheelway on to the lower water's area. No washout occurred here recently.

2017~ Emmet County GIS Map

Prior to the construction of the present 2008 wheelway,
numerous community leaders had one goal… construct a wheelway.
Cost be damned. Come what may… hell and high water!

Now, officials need to assess the hell and high water,
and make a decision of whether MORE MILLIONS need to be damned.

Baird Study presentation of 21 September 2020 included the following Two Options:

Option 1 – Repair using Stone Revetment model at an approximate cost of $6.6 million.
Option 2 – Repair using Cobble Beach model with an approximate cost of $7 million.
In addition there will be a need for additional studies, and ground monitoring. There are many grant funding opportunities available when considering funding for the project through agencies such as MDOT, MDNR, etc. Regulatory approvals will also need to be obtained and a detailed engineering plan produced.

So, after Rory Agnew, head of the project and Baird Study, completed his Baird Study presentation to the interlocal entities (City of Petoskey, Resort Township, and Emmet County) on 21 September 2020, questions were asked.
No attending official from Resort Township had any question for Baird officials, or any comment. This might be better understood, considering that Resort Township and the City of Petoskey had already decided what their next step would be... hire Beckett and Raeder to do another study. This seems perfectly plausible considering that Resort, nor the city manager asked any questions. They had already received the 9 September 2020 letter of proposed contract from Beckett and Raeder to do their next $10,000.00 study. This zoom meeting was nothing more than a PUBLIC SHAM in which the county commissioners were the party being SHAMMED! See below for Straebel's last comments introducing the Beckett and Raeder contract idea, even before the county commissioners were to have a meeting to decide anything about the $81,000.00 Baird Report.

City Council members and ECBOC asked questions as transcribed directly from the Zoom meeting followed by, in green font, the replies (IF included) as written in the minutes of the county clerk:

Mayor Murphy: Are we in trouble if the water level goes up 2 or 3 more feet, if we go though the process and find the money to do it, for the design? "Agnew informed that they used the 100 year water level which accounts for approximately 3 feet of additional rise in lake level." AND What happens if we do nothing? "Agnew advised that additional failures would likely occur." AND "Mark Muszynski from OHM who did the slope stability modeling agreed that if nothing is done it will result in more failures."
AND
I believe that that slope failure took out the railroad at least once or twice in my lifetime. I believe that was in the 76’s
AND
The 1913 picture that was in the newspaper was right where the slope failure is. The tracks were hanging 20 or 30 yards in the air where the tracks washed out completely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Council Member Suzanne Shumway: Can we expect more slope failures based on your research, and where? "Agnew said that is very likely in the areas where the study shows high risk." AND With regard to the proximity of the road to the slope is there any possibility that vibration in road traffic is also a factor in slope failure? "Agnew informed that MDOT is monitoring the roadway. It doesn't appear that there is any movement at the highway. High lake level and ground water level contribute to current movement. Unlikely that traffic has affected the movement."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ECBOC Bill Shorter: We still haven’t gotten to below the 1985-86 [lake] level have we? At this point? We’re still below that all-time high at this point? "Agnew believed they are close."
AND
It’s been three times in the late 1800s and the most recent one [washout] was in the 80s. I was just trying to look that up. I have that data on my other computer. If I find it I’ll give it to you.
AND
It actually washed out that entire road there in that particular storm… right where your slope failure is right now. In the 20s.
AND
Soil boring #7 on the east end close to the bluff failure, what is the soil boring levels? If a heavy clay then, imperious strata, then can the sand go through the clay and go laterally, or down the bluff, as to why we have had bluff failure? "Agnew referenced data showing there is no clay reported at the depth in question."
AND
So water will move laterally or down in the sand, light brown sand, or 4 inches of clay, and what was that depth? That boring #6 doesn’t extend to boring #7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Council Member Wagner: What level of risk is there that this will go back to the road and cause additional damage to the highway? And are the homes on Arrowhead Shore on a risk level and then what’s the hope we can fix things and get our wheelway back in that area along the water? "Agnew responded that MDOT is monitoring the problem. There is risk to homes on the bluff but timeframe and conditions are unknown."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ECBOC Jim Kargol; When you talked about the sand, clay and cobble, was that between the wheelway and the water for the slope? We all know that the toe is the most crucial part of that area. I wonder if anybody knows above the path. The soil saturation. We have high water level because of snows, rains, and does any of that water above the path get trapped in layer between that sand, or in that clay and work its way to the bottom, could it cause instability or all the way through there, or just break the bottom part? "Agnew agreed that the stability is much less on the bottom which is why there is a need to fix that portion."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ECBOC Toni Drier: Along the lines of the road traffic consideration, has anyone studied the building on the top of the bluff as destabilizing the bluff? "Muszynski answered that it depends on many factors such as, where the building is taking place, if soil was removed for a basement, and how water is managed around the building." Was that part of the study? "Muszynski replied that it was not." Can you say if the lake bottom moved? "Agnew responded that no, there are no significant changes in the lake bottom." With all erosion factors going on, what is the availability of getting Armorstone? "Agnew informed that it is available however, the rates have gone up and contractor availability is limited."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
City Manager Rob Strabel: Thanks everyone… cooperative effort. Rectifying current location will take millions of dollars, and lot’sa grants… it's a critical safety issue. Resort and City each will fund a third of cost for conceptual drawings at $9750.00. Hope county will join… talk at ECBOC meeting in October [12 October 2020].

~ One has to wonder IF the engineer for this 2020 conceptual drawing will be willing to sign a guarantee of its own drawing???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The meeting above continued with a communication from the public: City Public Person Emily Meyerson probably (Initials on the letter said E.M.): "Did the consultant or the city look into outside forces or reasons that might have been a large increase in ground water at the slope failure besides just high water? I ask because Greenwood Cemetery has removed trees and filled in a swale nearby that could change marsh flow and would continue to do so." (read by Mayor Murphy, maybe from Emily Meyerson)

ECBOC Administrator Mike Reaves answered E.M.’s question above, as no one else offered any input to her questions: "I'll offer information. Obviously the initial slope there was started far before any project started at the cemetery and far before any work was done for the removal of the trees. That work has been in conjunction with the City of Petoskey and has been consulted in that work and there has been absolutely no change in the a, or attempt to change in that the water that may run from that project. There are existing culverts and all that. I’ve been there on that roadway and there has been no change whatsoever. I didn’t want anyone to tie one project with this problem that’s a non-starter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr. Reaves' input above is not totally true, perhaps due to lack of historical or institutional knowledge of the particular area. It is true that the actual removal of county trees (vegetation) and the county contributing soil to the growing fill in the cemetery's ravine, in conjunction with Greenwood Cemetery, was to have begun only in the summer of 2020, thus AFTER the wheelway slope failure. It is disappointing that the county made any agreement to be involved with removal of trees/vegetation in an identified riverine area, or to be involved in the filling in of a natural ravine to mistakenly hope "to address any potential soil erosion" for the cemetery... especially, a ravine long known to lead to a site of massive wheelway erosion. [The county could have researched the county GIS maps with digital layers for 2008, 2012, and 2017 to review the history of this area with little effort, and no expense.]

Because the 13 April 2020 slope failure had already transpired, Mr. Reaves, the county Parks & Recreation committee, and the entire ECBOC should have been well aware of all aspects of what was being requested when they received, and hopefully, read, the request letter from Mr. Crawford, Greenwood Cemetery Superintendent, who explained in his 20 May 2020 letter posted farther below:

“Greenwood Cemetery is in the process of developing a new section of the Cemetery for burial plots. We purchased this 10-acre piece of property on Eppler Road that adjoins the Emmet County Fairgrounds in 2011. The parcel [#400-015] was purchased because it adjoined the Cemetery and because of the scenic views that would be available once the trees were cut and the terrain leveled.

There is a large ravine located on this property and over the years we have been filling that ravine with rough fill (no compostable material) at one level and with clean fill at the upper level to allow us to make burials on the entire parcel…” [This ravine is an extension of the riverine that runs under the county's Eppler Road EMS building which has experienced water issues which the commissioner's have had to deal.]

Mr. Crawford continued to ask the County “if we [the cemetery] could move soil from a raised area on the Fairgrounds (South of the Eppler Road entrance) into our ravine for fill. The purpose for this would be to fill the portion of our ravine running along Eppler Road and to address any potential soil erosion from our work on the entire site….”

The cemetery would move the “raised portion of land, beginning at the Fairgrounds Eppler Road entrance into the West end the Cemetery’s ravine…. cut necessary trees, remove the stumps, strip the topsoil, move the subsoil into the ravine and replace the topsoil on the Fairgrounds portion… but not re-seed the area… We continue to work with the City of Petoskey in regards to any erosion along Eppler Road… Cut the thin strip of trees on the hillside between the Cemetery and Fair Grounds… We would cut the trees, chip the brush, dig the stumps, strip the topsoil, grade the hillside... Cut existing scrub trees along our joint West line, and dispose of the brush.” [Removal of trees/vegetation seriously affects erosion... noted in Wetland/Riverine information and also in the recent Baird Study.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A riverine is a riverine is a riverine...
Strip the vegetation from a riverine; and make the riverine more pronounced, and less stable.
Fill in a riverine; but the riverine still exists... riverines run deep.
A riverine is a riverine is a riverine...
Signed ~ Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aerial View Below: This view was undated, but could be from 1938 or 1963... either way, the riverine running through the NOW cemetery property near the fairgrounds, directly across Charlevoix Avenue into the bay, is obvious. The riverine exists still... always will.

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey newspapers (Undated)

2008 Emmet County GIS Map Below: Square Parcel #400-015 PRE Cemetery Ownership
The riverine area is obvious, and the entire parcel has trees/vegetation.
Adjacent to the north-west line of the #400-015 Cemetery parcel is the County's Fairground Property.

2008 Emmet County GIS Map ~ Square Parcel # 400-015 PRE Cemetery Ownership

2017 Emmet County GIS Map Below: Square Parcel #400-015 Five years after Cemetery Ownership in 2011
The riverine area still is obvious, although filling the riverine has begun,
and the entire parcel already has had the removal of MANY trees/vegetation.

Photo Below: taken 7 April 2020 by Charles Dawley and posted only Here with his permission. Interestingly, this photo below of the Cemetery's same #400-015 Parcel was taken just six days before the massive slope failure at the wheelway.

Photo taken 7 April 2020 by Charles Dawley and posted only Here with his permission.

Photo Below: A close-up of the same photo above, making it clear how the trees had been logged off the parcel. Click on the photo to enlarge it for easier viewing.

Photo taken 7 April 2020 by Charles Dawley and posted only Here with his permission.

Mr. Reaves, County Administrator had stated at the Baird Study Presentation in response to E.M's public comment:
"I didn’t want anyone to tie one project with this problem that’s a non-starter."

The wheelway slope failure, however, has a direct connection to the County Fairground/Greenwood Cemetery project
(farther below)
if for no other reason than
"A Riverine Runs Through It".

Two Photos Below: The city and the county told that these recent additional wheelway washouts have transpired. No particular location was stated, however, in relationship to the original 13 April 2020.

Public Governmental Photo (About 20 September 2020)

Again, on 12 October 2020, City Manager Rob Straebel said "there was a 'critical urgent need' for safe trail amenities" as he presented the plan to the county commissioners. Straebel continues to draw the commissioners and their taxpaying constituents into this project... just a bit at a time. Straebel continued, "We're not going to build something with a longevity of 10 years... We're going to build it probably for the next 30,40,50 years or so."

At the Emmet County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole 12 October 2020 meeting, the board passed with a 4-3 vote this motion:

"I move that the Board approve the attached proposal of Beckett & Raeder for an additional study [contract] for an alternative route fo the Little Traverse Wheelway in an amount to cost Emmet County no more than $3,250.00." [That amount being 1/3 of the total with Resort and Petoskey paying the other 2/3 of the total $9,750.00.]

Ordinarily, the Board does not make decisions on money–required motions at COW meetings, but rather those motions are decided at the ECBOC regular meetings [This proposal had been presented to the city manager in the form of a letter dated 9 September 2020, even BEFORE the Baird Study was presented publicly to the three entities on 21 September 2020]. So, was all of this process just preordained??? and going-through-the-political motions? How else would Beckett & Raeder have already known that an alternate outcome was a strong possibility for them to propose, as below? That outcome, in reality, could have been determined BEFORE the $81,000.00+ had been spent on the Baird Report which required nothing more than gathering existing information from the internet, and just common sense!

The Beckett and Raeder contract would provide a conceptual design and engineering for investigating and proposing an alternate LTW route, with their tasks including:
1. Meet with the three entities to confirm scope and schedule of work.
2. a. Gather available background info (How many times does this need to be done?)
    b. Prepare base map from above info (GIS and Property Search has these.)
    c. Visit proposed site (Ya think?)
    d. Investigate options for easements from property owners
    e. Consult MDOT about project (Supposedly, MDOT was already a part of this)
    f. Investigate other recreational or opportunities to heighten funding sources (and to add to the cost)
3. a. Prepare conceptual trail route on digital base map, along with Probable Construction Cost
    b. Prepare alternative options as necessary
4. a. Meet with three entities to present concepts (Additional service and expense for Joint Presentation to City, Township and County stated in contract... huh?)
    b. Present concept to MDOT, and make needed revisions
    c. Put final conceptual plan on a 24" X 36" color rendered drawing of conceptual route (COST?)

TASK 4 to be completed week of November 30... decent wage [$81,000.00] for 1 1/2 month timeframe.

2009 Happenings Tell Story of 2020 Involvement!
Photo Below: Location of tracks in old cement plant was moved closer to US 31...

2009 Letter to the Editor Below and Advertisement for the REopening of Resort Township's East Park:
If any taxpayers wonder why they have been drawn into paying for another study regarding the wheelway, then consider the messaging below. Commissioner Charlie MacInnis had worked for Consumer's Energy [CMS] when they were heavy into developing a contaminated Bay Harbor. East Park in Resort Township was being REopened after toxic leakage had been discovered. Also, in this 2009 timeframe when the wheelway was to progress on a "rails to trails" route through Bay Harbor, the old railroad track had been laid very close to the bay where the loading docks for the cement plant were located (see photo above). It was to the benefit of the resort to allow the wheelway to be close by, but not right through the Bay Harbor Village; thus the wheelway was constructed close to US 31 going past Bay Harbor, but NOT THROUGH Bay Harbor. How did that movement of track (rails to trails) occur? Emmet County Commissioner MacInnis played a prominent role in the various aspects regarding the wheelway, especially when considering his "Thank you, CMS" letter below which recognizes Charlie as "president of the top of Michigan Trail Council", along with "Fred Fettis, chairman of the Little Traverse Wheelway Committee." Such connections make a 2020 "wheelway study no-vote" a hard call.

17 August 2009 ~ Petoskey News Review

Commissioner Charlie MacInnis has been in "on the groundwork" for the wheelway in this delicate area, even when it was openly known, as documented in several records above, that the trailway would be resting on a slippery slope. Taxpayer money/grants/funding needed to flow freely right from the beginning to create the wheelway; no matter that decisions for its location were faulty. Charlie has moved on as a commissioner to vote even more taxpayers' dollars to continue his legacy.

Still at the 12 October 2020 COW meeting several commissioners question why the MDOT was not contributing as well. The 14 October 2020 Petoskey News Review reported: "The proposal for the engineering study does call for continual consultation and coordination with the department [MDOT], and Straebel said the solutions proposed in this upcoming study will be based on those conversations... 'MDOT is not going to do anything at this point,' he said. They're saying it's incumbent upon Resort Township, Emmet County and the City of Petoskey to develop those plans for their review.'"

As of 21 October 2020 an MDOT representative has stated that MDOT already commented that users can use the existing US-31 shoulder. We cannot say it is part of the wheelway because the US-31 shoulder does not meet that standards of a non-motorized path as described in the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards. In other words, the US-31 shoulder does not meet the width, offsets, buffer zone, etc, for a non-motorized path.

More Damage Following the WINDS OF NOVEMBER 2020

Charles Dawley recorded on 18 November 2020 the new damage on the wheelway.
His revealing videotape may be viewed at Little Traverse Wheelway on You Tube by clicking HERE.

Photos below were taken 18 November 2020 by Charles Dawley
and presented on this web page as a slideshow only with his permission.
The pictures begin on the west end of the wheelway toward Charlevoix, and
follow to the east past the massive slope failure by the overlook washout area.
Click PLAY on the upper left corner, and click any THUMBNAIL photo for instant access.

Compare below, the April left photo to the November right photo... it is hard to believe that MDOT does not detect or recognize any upper slope movement that might affect the stability of US31 which runs only about 75 feet above the slope failure as it was in April 2020, at least. Compare the large pieces of "Revetment Stone" that have collapsed since April until November and how much closer the erosion is to the tree line. Perhaps "heads are being buried in the foundation of SAND" regarding the seriousness of a possible US 31 collapse, ignoring historical happenings. This wheelway need not be rebuilt at a waste of taxpayer dollars, but its rapid demise can certainly be used to judge the stability of the roadway above which does need to be attended BEFORE tragedy.

15 April 2020

18 November 2020

Article Below:
Various "key players" involved in restoring the Little Traverse Wheelway express their views at the end of 2020!

29 December 2020 ~ Petoskey News Review

City Council Meeting Minutes for 4 January 2021 the City Manager Updates included:
"City Councilmembers commented if staff had looked into a Natural Resource Trust Fund grant
to help with Little Traverse Wheelway detour expenses."

Greenwood Cemetery and the County Fairgrounds Properties
on the Riverine!!!

Photo Below:
Greenwood Cemetery is extending a new section toward Eppler Road in the riverine ravine;
by filling from contractors' waste, grading, and tree removal,
to be followed by reseeding and planting of trees again.
This is the same riverine that contributes to the Wheelway Washout.

Photo taken 7 April 2020 by Charles Dawley and posted only Here with his permission.

Below: 20 May 2020 Cemetery Proposal for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners to consider.
This is the letter that parts were quoted a bit farther above.

20 May 2020 Page 1 of Cemetery Proposal for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners to consider.

20 May 2020 Page 2 of Cemetery Proposal for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners to consider.

25 May 2020 Response to Cemetery Proposal from the Emmet County Administrator...

Below: The county administrator's summary for the 23 July 2020 ECBOC meeting explains how Greenwood Cemetery hopes to involve the county in cutting trees on county property, and re-landscaping an area near the fairground entrance that could be developed by the county in the future for a parking lot. The Cemetery, however, would gain a view with the trees gone, and the soil removed from the county property to be used as fill in the cemetery riverine ravine. No mention has been made by neither... the cemetery, nor the county, regarding the recent wheelway collaspe due to unstable ground associated with this known riverine area and this particular project. The cemetery does acknowledge they "continue to work with the City of Petoskey in regards to any erosion along Eppler Road.

23 July 2020 ~ Emmet County Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary

Below: Letter of Notice from Gibson Excavating LLC explaining the services
to be performed for the county with the blessing of the cemetery.

The entire cemetery and fairground proposal may be accessed
by clicking HERE on the county's web page.

23 July 2020 ~ Emmet County Board of Commissioners Minutes...

10 August 2020 ~ Emmet County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting administrator Reave's report...

The county commissioners agreed to the cemetery's proposal
to cut the trees in the riverine and to place fill-dirt in the riverine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig!
A riverine can have its vegetation cut, or can be covered with "whatever" but it is still a riverine!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The county/fairground "re-land sculpting project" will be completed Spring 2020.
Below Administrator Reaves' Report

22 October 2020 ~ Administrator Reaves' Report

Maple River Property for Sale?

11 June 2019 continued below...

11 June 2019 continued from above...

Eventually, the ECBOC were advised that this sale was not a possibility because of the restrictions noted above. This was an exercise in futility since the county's administrator is to present a list of possible sales of county land properties in March of each year which had not been done. Had that list been prepared and presented as directed, this entire possible Maple River property sale would not have reached this point, and taken up time.

~ More... Previously County Owned Maple River Property ~
1970

It is not clear IF this following Maple River property, proposed by the county and a member of the public to be traded, is the same piece of Maple River property contemplated being sold above in 2019. The amazing consideration is that public property is seemingly so easy to be sold, traded, deeded away, or in some way making the property no longer accessible by the public; because someone within the government determines that is in the best interest of the public????

27 November 1970 ~ Petoskey News Review

30 November 1970 ~ Petoskey News Review

1 December 1970 ~ Petoskey News Review

2 December 1970 ~ Petoskey News Review

20 August 1992 ~ Petoskey News Review

~ Emmet County Governmental Building ~
Owned by Emmet County - Located corner of Division and Lake streets, Petoskey, Michigan

30 September 1965 ~ Petoskey News Review

View the Slideshow Below by clicking on PLAY in the upper left corner
of the picture of the Emmet County building
which previously also housed the city offices.
Click PAUSE to view the photos longer.
The OLD county building was razed in 1965, with the clock and the bell in the tower being dismantled. Both the clock and the bell are hanging in the clock tower at the waterfront in 2019.
(The photos in the slideshow are from the
Greenwood Archive Collection from Petoskey Newspapers; some dated 1965)

11 September 1965 " Petoskey News Review

Emmet County AND City of Petoskey LOGOS
1965 >

3 July 1965 ~ Petoskey News Review

14 July 1965 ~ Petoskey News Review

13 August 1965 ~ Petoskey News Review

10 September 1965 ~ Petoskey News Review

Photos Below: The City Offices were Housed in the County Building when the building was first constructed on the corner of Lake and Division streets.

14 April 1966 ~ Petoskey News Review

20 July 1966 ~ Petoskey News Review

~ Eppler Road (Washout) Property ~
and
Wetland Riverines
and
SALE OF PARCELS of EMS PROPERTY
(Much of this information below also is relevant to the Wheelway Erosion above.)

Map Below: The red enclosed property is the Eppler Road, Petoskey, Michigan, property that Emmet County owns in Resort Township. The EMS building is that which is shown toward the left end. This 10 acre parcel was purchased for over $200,000.00 for the purpose of building the EMS station. In 2019 the building is having significant water issues. Notice that on this map from the wetlands web site, TWO riverine areas run right through the property, so water issues should not be a surprise. Beginning August 2019 Emmet County and the Emmet County Road Commission both publicly expressed desire to acquire (swap county owned land with Emmet County for services from the Emmet County Road Commission) a portion of the county's Eppler Road property to place a salt shed. Will recognized water issues create runoff involving salt storage leachate? Will the public be made aware of the value of the particular parcel, and also the value of the swapped service, and what service is included? Will the public even be made aware of this transaction taking place BEFORE it takes place? So far, on 4 October 2019, the only people who are aware attended and/or read the minutes from a recent Parks & Recreation Board meeting and recent Emmet County Road Commission meetings.

A 2 September 2019 Petoskey News Review article titled
"Emmet County EMS Station to Undergo Repairs"
describes the extent of water damage, and the expensive bid options for repair.

At the 13 April 2020 on-line ECBOC meeting the idea of selling/trading the property behind the EMS building was brought before the board by Administrator Mike Reaves. The meeting packet included various associated attachments: Eppler Road emails, tax description, real estate summary sheet, and GIS map. The commissioners decided since the road commission was not in a particular hurry to make this transaction with all of the Corona-19 Virus activity, that this property did not need to be discussed further at this time.

By November 2019 the Emmet County Administrator informed the Emmet County Board of Commissioners that not only was the road commission interested in a piece of the Eppler Road property, but also Lori Draves-Reynaert and Martin Reynaert who would use the property for the "intended purpose of placing an assisted-living facility" had expressed interest through a local realtor.

25 September 2019

The great Charlevoix Road Washout of March 1913 is better understood when viewing the wetlands map above with the two riverine areas leading right to the bay... crossing what is Eppler Road in 2019.
In 1913, however, people were "puzzled" over "the fact that there is no river or stream in the neighborhood of the washout" as described in the article below right.

Photos Above and Below: "The cut is fully a thousand feet long, and about the width of a city street.... seventy feet deep."
as reported in the 24 March 1913 Petoskey Evening News.

27 March 1913 ~ Petoskey Evening News continued next column...

27 March 1913 ~ Petoskey Evening News continued from left column...

Photo Below: Reverend George Weaver was the FIRST Sunday School Missionary in the area. Additional information about his many travels connected to multiple Sunday Schools and visit, as well as information about his 1911 Hupmobile may be accessed by visiting on this site: "Churches" and "Vehicles and Bicycles." It is explained below that "... when the Weavers were returning from the Crusher School; The team became frightened. After wrecking the sleigh, they freed themselves, dashed through the temporary barriers set up at the Charlevoix washout, just the other side of the Fair grounds, and one was killed. This was a very harrowing experience for both Mr. and Mrs. Weaver."

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey newspapers accompanying the following description...

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey newspapers accompanying the photo above...

13 November 1911 ~ Petoskey Evening News

The description above right is accurate, but the year is incorrect. The following identical accident was described in the 17 November 1911 newspaper as shown below. Obviously, a washout had occurred as reported in the 1911 article left that prior to the massive photographed washout in the same area in 1913.

17 November 1911 ~ Petoskey Evening News

If anyone is to doubt the power of wetland riverine areas,
consider the SAME "Washout/Eppler Road" area in 1957 as described in the photo/text below.

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey newspapers (July 1957)

2 July 1957 ~ Petoskey News Review

Greenwood Photo Archive Collection from Petoskey newspapers (July 1957)

~ PROPERTY ~Wheelway information is included about a quarter way down on this web page.~ PUBLICLY SPEAKING ~

TOP

~ PROPERTY ~
Wheelway information is included about a quarter way down on this web page.
~ PUBLICLY SPEAKING ~