By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Ed Darr wants Dowagiac designated "Dogwood Tree City USA."
Such a designation would provide the Grand Old City with "another environmentally pleasing marketing tool and distinguish Dowagiac from other Tree City USA communities by focusing on our now famous Dogwoods" which inspired the name of the spring fine arts festival.
"This designation would allow partnerships in marketing with the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, the City of Dowagiac and the Chamber of Commerce," Darr told City Council Monday night. "The community would be recognized for being environmentally responsible and it is very cost-effective to achieve this designation. There would be some minor ordinance language to change and a minimal commitment on the part of the city. Most of the requirements our excellent public works staff already have implemented as part of their regular duties."
Trees increase home values, Darr says. In summer, shade trees can save up to 50 percent on air conditioning costs. In winter, windbreak trees can cut heating bills as much as 30 percent.
Trees mean more livable cities because they produce life-giving oxygen and remove air pollution. Darr said towns and cities that plant trees are also more likely to attract new businesses and be more appealing to tourists.
Such designations are through the National Arbor Day Foundation, of which Darr is a member.
"I've been dreaming and thinking about this for about a year already," he said. "This would tie right in with the Dogwood Festival and the sculptures for which the city is recognized."
Darr also said, "As a representative of the citizens of Dowagiac, I would like to acknowledge and give thanks for the God-given talents and service that we have been blessed with these past 10 years by having Bill Nelson as our city manager. We just don't realize how much that man has done for us – at least most citizens don't. This will be one of the final legacies he will leave Dowagiac."
Darr asked Mayor Don Lyons to consider appointing a Dogwood Tree USA Committee.
"This is something we as a community and as a council and elected officials have been working on for some time now," Lyons acknowledged.
Nelson said there are several requirements of a general Tree City designation, such as a tree department.
"Certainly the Grounds Department qualifies," Nelson said, but Dowagiac intends to further identify its Cemetery Board as the tree board.
"The Cemetery Board has consistently expressed interest in trees and arbor-type issues. You need to spend $2 per capita for tree maintenance and planting. We already do that," Nelson said. "With an electric utility, a lot of dollars are spent by the community on tree trimming, tree removals and tree plantings. We also have to have a tree ordinance, and that's the issue Mr. Darr and I have been talking about for many months now. We've worked through probably our fourth iteration of tree ordinances to try to get one that strikes a middle ground and is reasonable. We're very close to finalizing that to bring forward for council's consideration and two readings."
"Finally," Nelson said, the designation entails an annual Arbor Day observance in Dowagiac. "That's very doable and a very good thing to have. So, we are very close on the matter. The one issue that we will need to essentially apply for special designation, as Mr. Darr has indicated, is the dogwood. He's had discussion with the Arbor Day Foundation and they've given him an indication that there's nobody with that designation now. That would have to be what I would call an auxiliary application. Hopefully, as early as the next council meeting and certainly no later than early February, you will have the ordinance … We should be ready to roll before Arbor Day, which is the last part of April."
"Believe it or not," Howard Hall said to Nelson, "I hate to see you go. I've had some nice conversations with you and I wish you all the luck in your new position" in Miamisburg, Ohio. "Not to be taken the wrong way, maybe when you get settled in your new job, your new town has a great rec program for kids. Maybe you can share some of that information with the new city manager and we can maybe work together."
The council named Ed Booth as the Planning Commission representative to the Zoning Board of Appeals to a term ending October 2010.
Nelson said a new state law requires that a ZBA contain a planner.
Hall asked whether the city is going to allow Greg Ferrier to continue to be a member of the ZBA and the Electric Facilities Board with criminal charges pending. "It doesn't look good in the eyes of Dowagiac and neighboring communities," Hall said.
Trucks and trains
Ron Leatz of Main Street also said to Nelson, "We're going to miss you, Bill. You know you've done a good job. I think I told you in your office about someone who thinks you're the best in southwest Michigan. Good luck in Ohio."
Leatz addressed two topics, rail service and truck traffic.
"I received a flier in the mail for an organization that supports passenger railroad service. Congress and the President last year tried to cut Amtrak funding. Last year Amtrak had 24 million riders and made $132 million more than in 2005. I look at Dowagiac, and we have no commercial airport and no bus line. We have nothing but Amtrak. I hope the city gets behind it and supports that train, because when it's gone it will never come back."
"We have been very actively supportive of Amtrak over the nine years that I have been in this position," Mayor Lyons responded.
"We have actually participated in several rallies on behalf of Amtrak," Nelson continued. "I know the mayor has met specifically with the president of Amtrak on at least one or two occasions. We've worked closely with (U.S. Rep.) Fred Upton and his office, as well as our state representatives. And, frankly, the state has been very supportive of Amtrak. We have issues at the federal level and those, I suspect, in the near term, will continue. I think it's in the city's interest to continue to support Amtrak."
Leatz said redirecting truck traffic off Main Street succeeded "really well for about 30 days, but around Christmas time it kind of came back. I'd like to see Depot Drive used for Harding's. We've even got a Brink's truck that comes to one of the local banks. The speed limit is supposed to be 25.
" I don't want to discourage business in town, but we've got 18-wheelers going up and down Main Street. The speed and noise are unbelievable and, indirectly, they're tearing up the roads, which I don't think you have the money to repair continually," Leatz said.