You Are Not In Kansas-Careful What You Wish For Toto

I have always been an advocate of transparent and fiscally responsible government. Essential government services should be the sole beneficiary of our tax dollars. I moved back to northern Michigan, as many of us have been fortunate to do, after decades in other locales. I have seen good, bad, and just plain corrupt local government and all of these behaviors can sometimes co-exist within one town or county. I lived in Pinal County Arizona while the population increased by over 54% from 117,000 in 1990 to 179,000 residents in 2000. That was just the beginning and Pinal County’s population doubled again to more than 375,000 people by 2010.

Pinal County, AZ 1891 Courthouse

Pinal County’s three part-time County Supervisors, not nine County Commissioners, worked with other elected office holders and the county bureaucracy to chase the population increase with growing pains and a little corruption along the way. As recently as 2010, Pinal County, much like Cheboygan County, was still small town, small “g” governance. Delores “Dodie” Doolittle served as elected Treasurer after working in the building for years. Her husband Terry served in half a dozen positions eventually becoming County Manager. 

The state had indicted Terry Doolittle’s predecessor Stan Griffis for stealing more than $400,000 in county transportation funds resulting in a 3 1/2 year prison term. Stan was a good no-nonsense county manager who I knew personally. The courts proved Stan was more than a little crooked as he offered bigger fish than me a smooth road to large subdivision and development approvals. The funds went into special accounts that Stan personally tapped. The Doolittle’s and other elected officials and employees in Pinal have since been embroiled in other conflicts and controversies. People watching their local government asked questions or made allegations. Some concerns proved real and some were not.

Headquarters Bar-Maricopa, AZ

My small town Arizona was Maricopa. It was just a wide spot in the road in the early 1990’s with a single blinking caution light, a school, Post Office, two bars, and a few other locally owned businesses. We all participated in the boom as developers moved in. Open desert, cotton fields, and pecan orchards became new subdivisions, gated golf-course  communities, shopping, and health care services.  Maricopa incorporated as a city in 2003. Between 2000 and 2010, Maricopa’s population grew from 1,040 residents to 43,482, an increase of 4080%. 

Maricopa, AZ-Fastest Growing City in USA

The City of Cheboygan experienced an 8.1% population loss in the same decade. Local governments have little influence on economic booms or busts. The leaders, and it does take leaders, have to respond as populations wax or wane. They can let the belt out as the population and need grows; but must be able to suck their gut in and tighten the belt as tax resources and needs diminish.

We live far-far away from tornado alley, but occasionally, for a moment, I will regain consciousness at some too-long government meeting and think, did I just hear Dorothy say; “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore”. Cheboygan County is not Kansas but every year it does seem to move closer to the imaginary Land of Oz. I seldom see a county meeting where our elected officials do not reach their hand over a shoulder and pat themselves on the back while saying “good job”. They have often done nothing more than what the State of Michigan mandates. They are their own best fans. They are also the best fans of their employees. The county has some great employees and I will argue the employees’ case anytime, but “Good job“is a phrase perhaps used too freely. The malaise currently affecting Cheboygan County occurs when any elected board escapes to some fantasy world. Who is hiding behind the curtain in this River City Oz and can we face the reality of our failures and inadequacies?  

Almost 10 years after the 2008 recession, Cheboygan County, the City of Cheboygan, and many of our Township Boards have been living in Oz. They have labored on bike trails, Trail Towns, Trailheads, failed Streetscapes, failed business parks, a failed Master Plan, and more than 140 amendments to a failed zoning ordinance. 

When real world problems, a bankrupt non-profit community based hospital; or real world opportunities appear, a 250-employee multi-million dollar Meijers store, a Griswold Mountain, a Heritage Cove Farm, or a single proprietor dog grooming business; Cheboygan County was found unprepared to embrace any growth. There is no yellow brick road. We need to identify and prioritize our real world needs and move forward.