Like a lot of folks, I’m sure, this festive season happens to be my favorite time of year.
As soon as I see the lights and decorations go up on homes, businesses and streets in the various communities I visit, I feel like I’m holding onto the robe of the Spirit of Christmas Past.
Although Chelsea is a little bit behind other places in displaying its electric holiday glitter this year, City Manager John Hanifan assured me after Tuesday’s City Council meeting that the situation would be remedied immediately.
“We were going to do it a while ago, but the weather wouldn’t let us,” he said.
I understand perfectly, John; I still had leaves to rake up and put in my garden, but they are now frozen solid under a cold, white blanket.
Bad weather or good, it sounds like Chelsea will be a great place to be this weekend for residents and visitors alike.
The Chamber of Commerce’s annual Chelsea Hometown Holidays takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and is jammed with activities to fill you with the Christmas spirit.
The main events are Friday’s tree-lighting ceremony in Pierce Park at 6 p.m., followed by the arrival of the head honcho himself; and the Holiday Light Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Things get toned down and tuned up Sunday, with skating with Santa, a holiday ice show, concerts and carols.
In between, there’s a ton of activities happening each day, literally all over town.
If all these things put you in the mood to finish up your Christmas shopping, great.
But if nothing else, they should cause you to slow down, unplug from your hectic everyday schedule and enjoy the sights and sounds of my favorite season.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
A Thanksgiving smorgasbord
A lot has been happening around here the last couple of weeks, and given the season, there are reasons to be thankful for all of them.
The Chelsea School Board gave the green light to important changes for kindergarteners and high schoolers.
Obviously the kindergarten issue is a Very Big Deal.
Even though I had a hard time believing it myself, I’ve studied the research that school officials used and it is irrefutable that our youngest citizens will be better off with the additional kindergarten class time.
Congrats to North Creek Principal Marcus Kaemming, School Board President Laurel McDevitt and all the other folks who made it happen.
As a bonus, North Creek will undergo a makeover as new classrooms are built to handle the increase in students. Stay tuned for developments on that.
MSU was on a trimester schedule when I attended in the early ’80s, and I found it to be advantageous.
For Chelsea High School students, the opportunity to have fewer classes per day but end up with more classes by the end of the year should be pretty appealing, especially considering the extra classes in math, science and social studies the state now requires.
I’m thankful the parents of this community care enough about their kids’ education to be involved in the community forums and meetings that led to those decisions.
And hats off to Ronald Weiser, Digger O’Dell and Fred Mills as Citizen of the Year and tandem Lifetime Achievement Award winners.
While Weiser’s pet project, the Clocktower complex, will be a focal point of the community for decades to come, the work done by the others (veterans affairs in O’Dell’s case and Chelsea Schools for Mills) is much more under the radar but has just as much impact on Chelsea’s future.
We all should be thankful that these men (and many more people we don’t know about) are quietly working among us.
That brings me to Thursday’s main event:
May we have the vision to see the wonderful people all around us, and have the grace to be truly thankful for each and every one of them.
The Chelsea School Board gave the green light to important changes for kindergarteners and high schoolers.
Obviously the kindergarten issue is a Very Big Deal.
Even though I had a hard time believing it myself, I’ve studied the research that school officials used and it is irrefutable that our youngest citizens will be better off with the additional kindergarten class time.
Congrats to North Creek Principal Marcus Kaemming, School Board President Laurel McDevitt and all the other folks who made it happen.
As a bonus, North Creek will undergo a makeover as new classrooms are built to handle the increase in students. Stay tuned for developments on that.
MSU was on a trimester schedule when I attended in the early ’80s, and I found it to be advantageous.
For Chelsea High School students, the opportunity to have fewer classes per day but end up with more classes by the end of the year should be pretty appealing, especially considering the extra classes in math, science and social studies the state now requires.
I’m thankful the parents of this community care enough about their kids’ education to be involved in the community forums and meetings that led to those decisions.
And hats off to Ronald Weiser, Digger O’Dell and Fred Mills as Citizen of the Year and tandem Lifetime Achievement Award winners.
While Weiser’s pet project, the Clocktower complex, will be a focal point of the community for decades to come, the work done by the others (veterans affairs in O’Dell’s case and Chelsea Schools for Mills) is much more under the radar but has just as much impact on Chelsea’s future.
We all should be thankful that these men (and many more people we don’t know about) are quietly working among us.
That brings me to Thursday’s main event:
May we have the vision to see the wonderful people all around us, and have the grace to be truly thankful for each and every one of them.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Be careful what you ask for – you might just get it
Voters in Chelsea – well, at least 30 percent of them, anyway – delivered a strong message to the City Council on Tuesday.
Newcomers Rod Anderson and Bill Holmberg will take their seats on the council this coming Tuesday; seats vacated by Joe Merkel and Jamie Bollinger.
People apparently were in the mood for a change.
While candidate Jim Myles had previous political experience as a former village council member, Anderson and Holmberg do not.
Both are members of Chelsea Citizens For Accountability, which was successful in raising questions about the actions of the council and the operations of city government.
Voters must have been paying attention.
Anderson and Holmberg were elected by a strong majority, while Merkel and Bollinger received only about half as many votes.
And it was only by the slimmest of margins – at last report, only four votes – that Jason Lindauer fought off a challenge by Myles, who is seeking a recount.
Still, a 30 percent turnout for a single-issue election cannot be ignored.
Here’s a bit of unsolicited yet friendly advice for the new council members (and those who elected them):
You are about to enter a world that will challenge you far more than you may have imagined.
It will take perseverance, patience and, most importantly, a thick skin.
You wanted to change things, so here is your opportunity.
You asked for the responsibility, now you’ve got it.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck.
Newcomers Rod Anderson and Bill Holmberg will take their seats on the council this coming Tuesday; seats vacated by Joe Merkel and Jamie Bollinger.
People apparently were in the mood for a change.
While candidate Jim Myles had previous political experience as a former village council member, Anderson and Holmberg do not.
Both are members of Chelsea Citizens For Accountability, which was successful in raising questions about the actions of the council and the operations of city government.
Voters must have been paying attention.
Anderson and Holmberg were elected by a strong majority, while Merkel and Bollinger received only about half as many votes.
And it was only by the slimmest of margins – at last report, only four votes – that Jason Lindauer fought off a challenge by Myles, who is seeking a recount.
Still, a 30 percent turnout for a single-issue election cannot be ignored.
Here’s a bit of unsolicited yet friendly advice for the new council members (and those who elected them):
You are about to enter a world that will challenge you far more than you may have imagined.
It will take perseverance, patience and, most importantly, a thick skin.
You wanted to change things, so here is your opportunity.
You asked for the responsibility, now you’ve got it.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck.
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