Not so fast!
After the amazing weather I discussed in my previous post, winter reminded us that it will be finished with us when it is good and ready! Of course this meant we were in store for yet another blast of what would hopefully be winter’s last gasp. We got out for a hike at McLain State Park last Sunday in what had turned into decidedly colder and windy conditions as a snow producing front was rolling into the Keweenaw.
We hiked approximately 4.6 miles by taking the trail from M-203 to hike along Bear Lake before looping back across M-203 to hike along Lake Superior down to the breakwater at the North Entry and back.
Birds have been migrating back into and through the region and I am sure after the weather we had this past week that they may have wished to have delayed those plans.
We could hear Lake Superior thundering from M-203 as we started our hike. The strong wind out of the north, north-east had kicked up some serious surf!
Having had a prediction for 99% chance of rain the previous day, we felt very fortunate to encounter only a bit of mist during our trek.
Back at the trailhead, we enjoyed coffee brought by Michael and cookies brought by Kim. It was awesome to have made the most of the less than hospitable weather!
We must have picked up a good eight inches of snow here in Chassell to start the week. I had preparations to make for Monday evening’s township board meeting where I would be providing the planning commission’s report and I needed to turn out minutes for Tuesday’s Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club board meeting. In other words, great weather for indoor activities.
At the township board meeting, the board approved the commission’s recommendation to set up a capital improvements committee within the planning commission as well as the purchase order to acquire the canoe/kayak launch floating dock, ADA transfer, and gangway from Feighner in Charlotte, Michigan. We also discussed the recreation committee’s upcoming work to develop the next MDNR 5-Year Recreation Plan which will be preceded by a community survey of recreation interests. I also received the board’s okay to move forward with a press release regarding the upcoming vote on May 2nd on whether to renew the .5 mil recreation millage. The millage has been an important source of hard match for the grant proposals I have written for the township over the last five years. These matching funds have leveraged significant additional funding from a number of entities including the Portage Health Foundation, the Chassell Lions Club, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Keweenaw Community Foundation, Visit Keweenaw, Purdue University Northwest, and the Regional Prosperity Initiative (WUPPDR). Key projects we have turned out include the Chassell Bark Park (the first fenced off-leash dog park in the U.P.); a ten-station fitness trail (with Chassell.net video and signs at stations about how to use the equipment) and new south bridge on the Chassell Classic Ski Trail; new playground equipment at Centennial Park; a canoe/kayak launch at the US 41 bridge over the Sturgeon River; canoe/kayak launch signage; Chassell Trails mapping/signage; community signage (Bark Park, Centennial Park, Strawberry Festival, and US 41 banners), and a 9-hole disc golf course behind the Chassell Township Schools. The Chassell Township Planning Commission has made significant pro bono investments of time in grant writing, project and volunteer coordination, equipment support/operation, graphic design work, and grant administration to further amplify the return on the taxpayer support. Many Chassell residents (including adults and Chassell Township Schools students), MTU students and faculty, and North Country Trail volunteer sawyers have also volunteered significant amounts of time and the Chassell DPW staff have provided additional in-kind hours to make these projects possible. We are hopeful that township voters will see the benefit of this small millage which costs the average property tax payer $24.63/year on their winter tax bill.
The board also approved adding the MDNR to the township’s liability insurance coverage for the portion of the rail-trail that will be part of the historic interpretive trail. We are in the process of developing an agreement with the MDNR on the use of the trail between 4th and 5th Streets for this purpose as this is one their requirements.
I also briefed the board on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw initiative, noting that we have documented over 20 remote workers in Chassell with most in information technology and engineering. I gave them a heads up about the remote worker vignette that would appear in social media on Thursday about Kady Godfrey. She and her family came to Chassell a little over a year ago from Iowa.
Kady is a product owner at Q2 software where she works with small community banks and fintechs to help individuals who are traditionally under-served by traditional banking models. You can learn more about Kady’s remote work story by checking out her vignette on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Facebook page at this link.
I knocked out a couple more 2,000 yard swims this week as part of my leg’s rehab and feel ready to bring running back into the picture this coming week. The forecast is for drier and more seasonal temperatures this coming week which will provide for better running conditions and will arrive just in time for the start of our Airbnb season on Friday.
Do you embrace winter and have the ability to work remotely? Consider locating in the Keweenaw where you will find ubiquitous natural beauty, no congestion, and lower crime! Learn more by visiting Remote Workforce Keweenaw at https://remoteworkforcekeweenaw.com.