Residents of Clark and Marquette townships value natural resources and rural living most of all, but worry that area conditions are not conducive to a healthy economy or jobs creation.

Most of the nine residents at the second of three meetings to gather opinion for the new Mackinac County Master Plan cited natural resources at the top of the their list of county assets and strengths worth protecting. Poor work ethic and poor business practices were the top two threats or weaknesses, and were mentioned along with state and national laws that are making it harder to do business in northern Michigan, some business owners said.

Participants were asked by coordinators Fran Brink and Michelle Walk to list what they think are the area's greatest assets and weaknesses (or threats) for two lists that will be used to generate a county-wide master plan to guide future development. Ms. Brink is a planner from Wade Trim of Gaylord and Michelle Walk is chairs the Mackinac County Planning Commission and is director for the Mackinac County MSU Extension office.

Residents cited the number of local business closures, young people migrating away, and a poor work ethic as an indication that the area is not supporting the kinds of businesses or jobs that attract people to communities. The reasons for the area's economic conditions ranged from the kinds of courses taught in school to poor worker attitudes. Employment laws are designed to protect workers more than business owners, a few participants said, and unemployment insurance is too easy to collect.

Former Cedarville business owner Tony Autore said some employees come to work without a sense of responsibility to their jobs. John Kronemeyer, Marquette Township dairy farmer and township supervisor, said people think "we work in the summer and not in the winter, or we only work four days a week," but explained that many local business owners learned the ropes of management on their own, and often accept poor behavior, particularly in an area with a limited workforce.

"Some of us started in the business without the knowledge of how to manage employees, and so we let a lot of stuff go," he added.

Everyone agreed that the area has a lot to offer, with abundant natural resources, caring communities, clean roadsides, beautiful scenery, and good schools. A few cited the wish to keep young people here so they can enjoy the things the older population likes about the area. Business owner Mike McMaken of Cedarville blamed a culture that encourages making a lot of money, and the emphasis on technologybased jobs, for youth's migration out of the area.

"People want to leave. They don't want to stay. They think you're not going to make much money here, and that you have to work hard to make a living," Mr. McMaken said.

Mackinac County Planning Commissioner Julia Kronemeyer of Marquette Township echoed the concern, suggesting the state's new high school curriculum requirements, which put a greater emphasis on mathematics, computers, and science, are pushing the future workforce further away from the area to find the kinds of computer-related jobs that aren't yet available in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Other concerns included getting human and social services to the people who need them. Mr. Autore said there are many great programs available to people in Mackinac County, but few people know they are available.

Clark Township Supervisor Linda Hudson said daytime volunteer emergency service staffing is becoming a problem in Clark Township because so many people are working full-time outside of the area. Others said state and federal licensing requirements are another deterrent to volunteer service.

Participants recognized that many of the things residents like about small town life can sometimes be a detriment. Small population, for instance, made it on both lists because residents like living in small towns, but realize that a small population cannot support many businesses.

Some participants said they see blight and cluttered highways, others see "people doing the best they can," and well-kept lawns and gardens. A few participants suggested architectural design policies, preservation of historic structures, and better zoning enforcement as ways to make communities look better.

Some see the area's growing population of retired people as a threat, while others see it as a benefit. As more people retire to the area, they generate construction, landscaping, and other jobs, while fueling the economy during the months they are here. Several leave in the winter months, however, causing a decline in the population that affects local business.

Clark Township Planning Commission Chair Dave Dunning questioned how the county's master plan will be a benefit to the community, and how it will be used or implemented.

"The main thing the county will use this for is as a guide to make recommendations for planning and zoning," Ms. Brink said. "They (the County Planning Commission) may struggle with how to use it for awhile."

She added that it will be an important tool for the County Planning Commission to use when reviewing township master plans and zoning ordinances, as required by law. Mrs. Kronemeyer said she has participated in at least three reviews, and that a county master plan should help guide decisions to reflect what the county wants.

"I guess we all know what happens when there's no plan, and at least this is a plan," Mrs. Kronemeyer said.

It may also help them consider the impacts of each township's actions on surrounding communities, Michelle Walk said, and may possibly give the county some influence over state or federal policies.

"It will help us as we look at projects that cross borders and it will help bring people together more," Ms. Walk said. "On a county level, this may give us more leverage if we all decide we do or don't want something."

Public meetings were also held in Engadine and St. Ignace.

The lists generated by eastern Mackinac County residents are provided here:

Assets, Strengths Identified by Clark and Marquette Townships' Residents: Lake Huron, protected waters, boating heritage, woods and open space, wild flowers and trails, logging industry and woods, agriculture ($10-$15 million industry in county), small population, very good schools, historic sites and buildings, large number of artisans, cottage industry (home business), engaged and caring communities, good quality of life, roads and infrastructure, seasonal residents (multigenerational), relatively low crime rates, Community Action's Head Start program, excellent volunteer emergency medical services in Clark and Marquette (Pickford) townships, cleanliness along the roadsides, adequate housing options, assisted living and senior citizen apartments, wildlife and rare species, heritage industries like fishing, logging, agriculture, boat build- ing, secondary wood products and carpentry, logging, and fishing, Great Lakes School of Wooden Boat Building, Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts, people care about care and maintenance of their properties; work hard to keep them up, three local foundations to provide grants: Les Cheneaux Education Foundation, Les Cheneaux Community Foundation, and Pickford Wellspring Foundation, many human and social services available, well kept yards and flowers, churches, home health care, two large Christian camps: Cedar Campus in Cedarville and Northwoods in Pickford, service and volunteer organizations.

Threats, Weaknesses Identified by Clark and Marquette Townships' Residents: Work attitude, poor work ethic, poor business practices, weeds in Cedarville, invasive species, including plants, animals, and aquatic nuisance species, small business closure (threat of closure), and any business closure, no public transportation, lack of skilled tradesmen (such as tile setters, small mechanics, roofing specialists), state school curriculum requirements reduce the time and opportunity for technical skills training, vocational trades, Skill Center, information not circulated well - need for better communication between county and townships about the programs each offers, needs, need for path between Hessel and Cedarville, signage (too many, cluttered, uncoordinated, many real estate signs due to people selling and moving), blight, lack of economic development plan and the staff to coordinate it, geography of the county segments the county - outlying areas feel separate from the county; Marquette Township residents need to travel to Sault Ste. Marie for farm services, need more access to medical services, ambulance corps (volunteer in Clark and Marquette) have difficulty getting enough volunteers, Regional 9-1-1 (dispatch from Negaunee is an impediment - Chippewa County dispatches its own 9-1-1 service), lack of aesthetics, drive along M-134 (and other roads) not visually pleasing, not enough affordable housing, youth won't stay in the area, want to leave, and too much educational emphasis on computers and technology rather than local trades, lack of participation by public and businesses (same people always involved and at every meeting), short business season (heavy in summer and light in winter), small population doesn't support a lot of businesses, becoming a retirement community, need to increase the number of fourseason homes to encourage summer residents to stay longer (convert one-season to year-around homes), diversify the economy, school funding, lack of good industrial park, young people don't want to stay, lack of affordable child care (adequate child care), need for yeararound economy and jobs, need for high-speed Internet access, better wages, salaries to create living income ($25,000), lack of business and accounting classes at local schools, work laws for employees, not employers, unemployment is too easy to get, rising cost of health insurance making it too high to afford insuring employees, lack of good, enforceable ordinances, building inspector, zoning officer should be full-time to keep up with building permit and zoning ordinance enforcement, penalties for breaking zoning laws should be stiffer, enforcement should be consistent, money could be saved by sharing some services among small units of government, distance from residents to services (health, county, state, federal, etc.), impoverished population.