The legal pathway has now been cleared for the establishment of the proposed oversight board for the Keweenaw Heartlands acreage.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed three bills that were introduced by State Representative Greg Markkanen, and also supported by State Senator Ed McBroom. The bills were designed specifically for Keweenaw County, where the low population presents challenges for existing local governments to manage outsized projects.
They also enable the authority to put a primary focus on recreation. Similar boards currently permitted by the state must prioritize forestry.
On a recent episode of Copper Country Today, Robin Meneguzzo of the Keweenaw Community Foundation said the proposed structure of the authority would put Keweenaw County in control…
It would be a five-member elected body at large of Keweenaw County residents, that could run for these elected seats.
Two additional task forces would report to the authority board…
One of them would be government relations, that would include township representation, sheriff’s office, the road commission, et cetera, so different municipalities. And then there would be a community advisory committee, different from the current planning one, that actually are appointed by the board, which would represent different stakeholders – economic development, recreation, et cetera. Those do not need to be Keweenaw County residents.
Most of the original 32,500 acres of working forest land covered in the project remains in the hands of The Nature Conservancy, which purchased it from a private owner to keep it open for recreation.
The Conservancy plans to sell its remaining lands to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. At that point, establishment of the oversight board could proceed.
The pending purchase is awaiting potential grant money.
In the meantime, the Keweenaw Community Foundation and The Nature Conservancy are trying to raise $600,000 locally to cover start-up costs for the authority…
Our goal is to hit that by the end of this year, and so something that we’re doing is that we are having a For the Heartlands event on Friday, June 5th. It’s going to be a dinner and concert and a celebration of all the work that we’ve done.
The event will be held at the Hidden Pines Barn in Calumet, and will feature a dinner. and a performance by Graham Parsons and the Go-Rounds. Tickets and sponsorships are available at the Keweenaw Community Foundation website.
