Recycling Program Approved by Council
Mackinaw City
By Paul Gingras

Meeting Thursday, August 2, the Mackinaw City Village Council approved a long-awaited recycling program and a 1,000- gallon fuel tank for use by Mackinaw Parasailing. Council also discussed problems associated with the Mackinaw City Triathlon. Concern about the fuel storage near the Great Lakes prompted Village President Robert Heilman to direct the safety committee to study the possibility of tightening regulations in the village.

Council authorized Mr. Heilman to sign a contract with Emmet County, which is promoting a free recycling program for all area residents.

The contract allows Emmet County to run waste disposal services in the Emmet County portion of the village. It will license waste haulers, regulate trash collection, and determine disposal sites. Residents in Emmet's portion of the village will now pay per bag of trash picked up, encouraging use of the recycling drop site behind Mackinaw City Public Schools, said Village Manager Jeff Lawson, who does not expect the program to raise fees for residents.

No trash disposal changes are planned for residents in the Cheboygan County portion of the village, he noted, although residents could request trash haulers to switch to a pay-by-the-bag system.

Disposal fees are on the rise. Paying per bag enables residents near recycling facilities to control their costs, he said.

Problems associated with the Mackinaw City Triathlon, promoted by Colorado-based 3D Racing, have come to the attention of the Village Council for the second consecutive year.

The race, which took place Sunday morning, July 29, created parking problems in the village when racers ignored directions not to park in an employee parking area downtown. The event also caused too much customer parking to be filled at a busy time, Mr. Lawson said.

Council directed its safety committee to study the issue. Mr. Lawson said he expects the full council to discuss the topic further, prior to making any decision to alter or cancel the event in the future.

The village discussed problems associated with the triathlon last year, notably verbal abuse of area residents by racers.

"I am not in favor of seeing that [event] back here again," Trustee Jeff Hingston said.

Village President Robert Heilman noted that canceling the event would not be a loss for the village.

"We have plenty [of events] like that going on," he said.

The triathlon begins and ends at Wawatam Park. It includes running, biking, and swimming west of the village.

A council decision to allow Mackinaw Parasailing to install a 1,000-gallon fuel tank at its South Huron Avenue location has led the village to consider adding more stringent rules than those imposed by the state regarding the management of fuel storage containers near the Great Lakes.

The council's safety committee has been directed to study the matter.

Mr. Heilman expressed concern that an accident could damage a fuel tank close to the water and lead to a spill in the Straits of Mackinac.

It is theoretically possible for a boat to run aground and damage tanks like the one owned by the parasailing company, Mr. Lawson said, noting that the container is about 15 feet away from the water, and about eight feet above the ground.

The fuel tank was inspected and approved by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Mr. Hingston said he was surprised that the DEQ approved the storage tank.

Discussion is in order to determine exactly what the village seeks to do, Mr. Lawson said. Requiring barriers to prevent containers from being hit by boats would require different regulations than if the village seeks to contain spills.

Equipment to contain fuel spills could pose its own hazards, he said. Devices to collect spillage could fill with gases that settle while containers are filled, causing a fire hazard.

There are two ways the village can regulate fuel storage near the Straits, Mr. Lawson said. It could adjust its zoning ordinance to require containers to be set back farther from the water and to include barricades that protect them from being hit and punctured.

If the village goes this route, fuel containers like the one put in by Mackinaw Parasailing would be grandfathered in.

The village could also add to its environmental regulations. In this case, all businesses with fuel containers on the lake front would be required to comply with the new regulations, unless language were added to exempt pre-existing storage tanks.

Containers in use along the lake front include safety features to prevent spills, Mr. Lawson added. They are built with two layers.

If the container leaks, fuel is contained by the second lawyer, he explained.

The council granted a zoning variance allowing the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum (IMMM) to build a parking lot more than 300 feet away from the entry ramp to the floating museum. Council allowed the museum one year to build the lot.

The village allows delays in parking lot construction to help new businesses get started, Mr. Heilman said.

Council re-authorized its agreement to provide ambulance services for indigent people in the jurisdiction of the village ambulance service, who are eligible for care through the Northern Health Plan.

This year, Northern will pay the village $4,861.70, for the service.