The City of St. Ignace has approved, in concept, a proposal for a dog park, although legal issues and other concerns need to be addressed as the plan moves forward. Meeting Monday, August 17, the St. Ignace City Council gave the go-ahead for continued planning to members of the newlyformed St. Ignace Dog Park Committee, which presented its proposal for a facility on city land adjacent to Little Bear East Conference Center and Ice Arena.

"We would like to see ourselves as a pet-friendly town and promote ourselves in that way for tourism," said Rachel Byma, a St. Ignace resident and one of the project managers on the committee.

The group requested three acres to build a fenced dog park at the end of Reagon Street. A Native American interpretive park has also been proposed on another two or three acres in the area, with a connection to the Marquette Mission Site and Museum of Ojibwa Culture, and a larger community park has been discussed to fill the remainder of the 22-acre, city- owned parcel.

The Dog Park Committee presented research on the liability aspect of running a city-owned dog park, in which they concluded that posted rules and policies should release the city from legal responsibility if an injury like a dog bite occurred at the park.

Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA), which provides insurance to the City of St. Ignace, insures other communities with dog parks, City Manager Eric Dodson said, but before plans move forward, they should be brought into discussion on the park, as should city attorney Prentiss Brown Jr.

Council member Paul Fullerton asked if the citizens promoting the park would consider putting $15,000 or so into an escrow account to be used to defend against lawsuits.

Mrs. Byma said the group would have to discuss it as a full committee.

Council members said they also would like to include other organizations in the planning, such as those who now use or have proposed uses for the property. They include the Straits Area Snowmobile Club, which has discussed putting warming shelters near the snowmobile trailhead there, the St. Ignace Recreation Department, and the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, which organizes summer mud runs there.

The Recreation Department had been assigned the planning for the property, and council members said they want to make sure the dog park won't block expansion of Little Bear East.

"There are a lot of stakeholders here," Mr. Dodson said. "I think it's important that each of those stakeholders sit at a table like this and discuss it."

The group of four who came representing the dog park were asked to present its proposal at the next Recreation Advisory Committee meeting September 9 at Little Bear East. That meeting begins at 9 p.m.

Between now and then, Mr. Dodson said, he would discuss the plan with the city attorney, the insurance company, and other parties involved. Mayor Paul Grondin and others on the council said the idea had merit and they would like to see it happen.

"Down the road I see a resolution in support of this project," Mr. Grondin said, "after we get all the kinks worked out.

Mayors Tribute Plaque

Presented Mr. Grondin presented the city with a plaque listing St. Ignace mayors and the one village president who have served the city. It is the final list in a series featuring St. Ignace attorneys, mayors, managers, and clerks that Mr. Grondin has researched.

Former mayors Ronald Walker, who served from 1970 to 1973, and Bruce Dodson, who served from 1983 to 2005, joined Mr. Grondin for a photograph before the plaque was hung on the wall in the council chambers.

The cost to make all the plaques was about $723, Mr. Grondin said, and he was able to raise $500 in donations. He said he would pay the remaining $223.

Allied EMS Requests Funding

for Cots, Ambulance

Mark Wilk, representing Allied EMS, the city's ambulance service, approached the city council with a request to purchase a new ambulance, powered cots, and other equipment. He said he will meet with the Allied EMS board and seek a recommendation from the St. Ignace Ambulance Committee before the request comes back to the council for approval.

St. Ignace shares the costs of providing ambulance services in the area with St. Ignace and Moran Townships, and would be responsible for 50% of costs incurred by such a purchase.

The proposed powered cots, made by Stryker of Kalamazoo, help emergency crews lift patients in and out of ambulances and cost about $10,000 each.

"Right now we use arm strength to get them in and out of the ambulance," Mr. Wilk said. "We've been trying one out on loan, and our backs love them."

He said back problems have caused employees to miss work, which costs the company money.

Allied EMS would like two such cots, which could be leased over a four-year period for $10,236.36 each.

The price of a non-motorized cot, similar to what is being used now by Allied EMS, is about $4,500, Mr. Wilk said.

Allied is also looking into purchasing a new ambulance to replace the current vehicle, which has about 174,000 miles on it. This would cost approximately $120,000, of which St. Ignace would be responsible for half.

These proposed purchases will be discussed at the city's next ambulance board meeting and is expected to be back to City Council for consideration in October.

The next St. Ignace City Council meeting will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 7. The meeting is changed from its normally-scheduled time Monday, September 7, because of the Labor Day holiday.