Caughtcha being Good!

Rob Ford

The Friends of the Elk Rapids Library were setting up for their big jewelry fundraiser, Glitter, Glamor, Glitz, at the HERTH on July 26 when they noticed that three lightbulbs were out right above the auction table where the best items were to be shown. Not sure of who could help, calls were made to several different places around town, but it was late afternoon at the end of a work week, so things didn’t look hopeful. That is until Rob Ford came to the rescue! He came with his trusty 18-foot ladder ready to light the place up. With the help of a few Friends, tables were moved so Rob could quickly fix the problem and the event could get under way. The Friends of the Library truly appreciate our friend, Rob Ford.

Around Town
​with Rob Ford

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The 2024-2025 school year has just commenced. And inasmuch, participation vis a vis my capacity as a substitute teacher has also begun. This will be my sixth school year and as usual I find myself looking forward to it all. I most often sub in middle schools and high schools, which tend to be more utilitarian than cute, but I love the different ways that different teachers organize their classrooms. 
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You know what I mean. 

Band and Choral directors have musical themes; a selection of past awards, examples of various scales, reminders and encouragements to practice, a sign-up sheet for either a field trip, a fundraiser, or a fundraiser for a field trip, and a Gary Larson cartoon of the guy on the desert island musing about having rhythm and music (who could ask for anything more?).

Math teachers have that clock on the wall where instead of numbers, there’s equations that equal the number and probably the Pythagorean theorem displayed somewhere. Because it’s math, there’s usually some allusion to doing hard things, finding math in your daily lives, and not giving up. I was lousy at math as a kid but subbing for math has been beneficial to this old dog.

Science classrooms are packed with science stuff. Science, and the teaching of it, hasn’t changed much. The Periodic Table of Elements has grown a little and modern discoveries and advances are evident, but experiments are still hands-on and lab stations reflect it. 

English and the other humanities are my soft spot. Not surprisingly, most kids never read my columns. They have no idea that their substitute today understands their angst toward writing and might have a suggestion or two. That’s OK though because I’m sure their regular teacher probably finds my style, run on sentence habits, and frequent comma usage sketchy. That aside, English, Social Studies, and Spanish classrooms are the ones you’ll find chock full of the best posters, banners, slogans and decor.

To all of this I’ll add Gym. 

But Gym is … Gym. 

Aside from displays of past athletic glory, both team and individual, the average gymnasium is nothing if not utilitarian. Typically, they’re acoustical nightmares, they offer too many corners for kids to sneak off to, and they smell like … a gym. That said, if an opportunity to substitute for our Elk Rapids Physical Education teacher arises, I think I would enjoy the chance to check out our newly completed facility. (Otherwise, I don’t like subbing for Gym.)

No matter how richly or sparsely a classroom is adorned, it’s my task as the “guest teacher” to keep it looking that way in the absence of the real teacher. 

Last month one of our neighbors invited friends over for an evening celebration. Their landscape, like ours, features a fire pit. Over the years I have boasted about my fires and my fire tending skills. That night it was not my fire and it did not need my fire tending skills. Unlike my gig as a substitute, the homeowner was there and tending fine. There was, however, a moment when the fire became less than roaring. For whatever reason, a big log wasn’t burning and had become “fire-coals adjacent”; just smoldering. As the host wrestled it back into position, somebody suggested that I pitch in. 

‘No way,” I said. “I might sit here thinking about budging that log to a better place, but it’s not my fire.”

Much like that fire, a teacher’s classroom is set up and maintained to their specs, nobody else’s. Along with that, like a person’s bonfire, it comes with an amount of respect. No sooner would I have gone inside and rearranged the furniture or changed the channel on their TV than I would poke around in my neighbors firepit.

Workplace or fireplace, each has its own measure of sanctity. 

See what I’ve done now?

It’s been over forty years since my last “first day back to school” experience but here I am today writing an essay about what I did last summer.

VILLAGE OF ELK RAPIDS                  
Elk Rapids Planning Commission Update 

By Mark McAlpine, Contributing Writer

The Elk Rapids Planning Commission met for their regular meeting on Wednesday, August 28. All commissioners were present. Sara Kopriva, Zoning Administrator, participated in the meeting. The August agenda and minutes from the July meeting were approved as submitted. A larger-than-normal crowd joined the commission for a public hearing on changes to the hotel zoning ordinance and first draft ordinance discussion for short-term rentals in the B-2 district. 
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The general manager, several partners of The Dexter Hotel and local residents and business owners spoke during the public hearing to express their concern over a one space per room parking regulation being considered by the commission. There currently is no requirement for new businesses in the district to add parking. The Dexter Hotel planned during their design phase to add 20 dedicated spaces at ground level for their customers. Following comments from thirteen individuals, a motion was made and approved to close the public hearing. The commission reviewed prior discussions on language changes, the need for more parking study data, and took recommendations from each commission member before accepting and passing a motion to change the ordinance language to one-half space per room. The motion also included a recommendation to forward the revised ordinance to village council for review and adoption. 

The second item under consideration in unfinished business was a new ordinance covering short-term rentals in the Elk Rapids B-2 zoning district. Current ordinances do not allow short-term rentals in the B-2 district. There is a short-term rental ordinance for the residential district with a cap of 61 licenses. Commission discussion points involved restricting rentals to the second floor only, parking requirements, restrictions on the number of units per building and caps on the number of rentals for the B-2 district. 

Multiple local business owners provided comments and recommendations on the proposed language. The business owners noted a recent roundtable meeting that discussed the B-2 short-term rental issues. Their recommendation was to provide those rentals by ordinance, not provide any cap numbers, with limited restrictions on location. Several recommended that the village should encourage more short-term rentals in the business district and less in the residential area. The commission was asked about timing for an approved ordinance. The commission recommended that the process would take a minimum of four months to complete language, hold public hearings, and receive village council approval. 

A green infrastructure zoning amendment that was discussed at prior commission meetings was also discussed in unfinished business. Finished language was provided in the commission package for the amendment. A motion was made to approve the language and hold a public hearing at the September meeting. The motion was approved.
 
The next regular meeting of the planning commission is scheduled for Tuesday, September 24 at 7 p.m. A joint Elk Rapids DDA and Planning Commission meeting is scheduled at the Government Center for September 19 at 5:00 p.m. It was recommended to change that time to 6:00 p.m. to accommodate business schedules.

Elk Rapids District
​Library Happenings

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September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Discover the amazing resources and opportunities available with a library card. Sign up remotely at one of our pop-up locations this month (check social media and our website for details) to receive a coupon or prize. Sign up at the library for an exclusive ERDL sticker.

Destination Story Time: Join us at the Shorts Pull Barn on Friday, September 13, at 5:00 p.m. for a special evening Story Time. Kids, bring your family and sign up for your first library card to receive a special “Bluey” prize.

Library Closing Schedule: We’ll open late at noon on Wednesday, September 11, due to a staff meeting.

Library Board Meeting: The public is invited to our regular board meeting on Thursday, September 12, at 5 p.m. at the Government Center.

Upcoming Events:
Books On Tap Book Club: Tuesday, September 10, at 6 p.m. at The Foundry. Book: “Weyward” by Emilia Hart.
ER Knitters: Thursday, September 12, at 2 p.m.
Storytime: Friday, September 6 and 13 at 10:30 a.m.
Tech Time: Tuesday, September 10, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., and Thursday, September 12, 1-2:30 p.m.

New Library Building Updates: Stay informed about our new library building by visiting our website and clicking on the “New Building Updates” button. We’re here to answer your questions—call, stop by, or email us at [email protected].