Volume 1, Issue 16 SEPTEMBER 15, 2023
Veterans honor Jerry Welcome Jerry Welcome was honored by the Oceana County Department of Veterans Affairs Friday, Sept. 8 with a certificate of appreciation for all that he does for area veterans. Welcome can be seen at left with Derik Van Baale.
• Brendan Samuels/ Echo
Cedar Point stairway named after tireless volunteer, Pete LundBorg At the September meeting of the Oceana County Parks & Recreation Board, a surprise was in store for Pete LundBorg, a longtime supporter of Oceana County parks. LundBorg was recognized by Joel Mikkelson and the board for his unselfish gift of time to Cedar Point County Park. The park has undergone a major transformation with a new stairway to the beach that is now attached to a very large deck. All of this was built with materials gifted to the county by the Wm. Lathers’ Trust. LundBorg’s accumulated time surpassed the 3,000-hour mark, and it was only fitting to name this new stairway in his honor. Pete’s wife, Joan, and son, Andy, were present to be a part of the board’s thanks. • Paul Erickson/Echo
Five changemakers join the Community Foundation for Oceana County’s Regional Leadership Learning Lab
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Pentwater – The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) is proud to introduce the six community leaders participating in its regional Leadership Learning Lab (LLL): Rubi Berumen, Aubrey Boerema, Curtis Burdette, Mark Olmstead, and Griffin Vogler. As the fifth cohort (session) of LLL, participants will join Oceana County’s 26 LLL alumni in expanding their leadership skills and networks. LLL began in 2018 after several northern community foundations, including CFOC, brainstormed how they could empower leaders and acting changemakers in their communities. Oceana & Manistee counties make up one of five LLL sites across the state, which now includes leaders from Mason County in this cohort. The program is a collective effort among the Frey Foundation, Rotary Charities, and ten community foundations in northern Michigan. Statewide, 225 individuals have taken part in LLL with 167 alumni continuing to meet and utilize LLL’s learning resourc-
es. After its 2023-24 cohort, CFOC will select another new cohort and invite those interested to keep an eye on the foundation’s communications, as it will announce when the 2024 application opens. For CFOC, supporting LLL is an investment in Oceana County’s future as its alumni continue to sustain and innovate their work across West Michigan. A full list of alumni is available at the foundation’s website under the RESOURCES tab at oceanafoundation. org. LLL provides a space for budding leaders and seasoned changemakers to learn from one another. “Each leader brings their own experiences and passion for their work into each LLL session, providing their unique perspective to each conversation. Growing your leadership capacity not only includes developing technical skills, but also listening to and learning from views different than your own. The foundation
continually works to create opportunities for these conversations and learning moments to help our nonprofit, government, and business leaders to better serve our community,” foundation CEO Tammy Carey explained. By connecting leaders from Oceana, Manistee, and Mason counties, LLL works to strengthen the relationships between nonprofit professionals across the region. Participants meet monthly to learn about different aspects of management, including storytelling, fundraising, and adaptive leadership. The 2023 cohort participants are each committed to growing their skills to better serve their organizations. As a Departmental Supervisor for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Rubicelia (Rubi) Berumen coaches Michigan Works! agencies and their staff to better serve Mich-
igan’s growing economy. She previously worked as a Migrant Service Worker for LEO and as a Foster Care Specialist. Rubi noted, “What I learn in the LLL will help me enhance my skills and be well informed, resourceful and supportive in the learning process and educational needs of others in my community.” As the founder and executive director of Stony Lake Therapeutic Riding Center in 2014, Aubrey Boerema has been a community leader since her early twenties. “As a visionary, I have big dreams for our program,” Aubrey said. “I love the West Michigan community. I love the support we have here. However, our community needs more... I’d love to continue learning how to be a leader who is engaging, intuitive, and working towards the best we can so that we can continue to operate right here in Oceana County.” Along with becoming the Executive Director for
Oceana County Economic Alliance, Curtis Burdette fostered his interest in leadership by serving on the United Way of the Lakeshore Oceana County’s board, participating in the County’s Broadband Task Force, and leading the County’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. He has completed several leadership training programs at Rapid Roots and the International Economic Development Council. “The connections and training I gain will go directly into practice for myself and benefit Oceana County Economic Alliance in our mission to create a diverse economic environment,” Burdette stated. As a career teacher and later educational administrator, Mark Olmstead is deeply passionate about developing vibrant educational environments for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. He is the superintendent of Shelby Public Schools. For Mark,
leadership is a skill best developed through networking. He explained, “I strongly believe that qualities of leadership are continually developed and grown through engaging with other leaders.” Griffin Vogler, the Director of Camp Miniwanca, has dedicated a significant portion of her 15-year career in operations leadership to the next generations. In establishing youth leadership programs in healthcare and her current role in facilitating an empowering youth camp experience for the American Youth Foundation. “I am hopeful that I will gain new skills, create stronger connections that will better equip Miniwanca to meet the needs of local youth,” Griffin explained. The Community Foundation for Oceana County envisions an Oceana where everyone has access to resources to thrive. For more information on the Leadership Learning Lab, call Carey at 231-869-3377.
Shelby Village Council provides community updates By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor SHELBY - The Shelby Village Council convened as the Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday. After hearing from Kitsia Lumbreras, of 113 White Street, and asking related questions, the board voted unanimously to grant her dimensional variance request. Lumbreras and her husband, Marcos Llanas, plan to construct a 342 +/- square-foot attached garage and breezeway in the same area as one previously removed. She was requesting relief from the current setback requirements to be able to rebuild the same-sized structure. Village Administrator Brady Selner noted that several lots in this part of the village are quite narrow, at only 50 feet wide. After determining that all six standards of village zoning ordinance 17.07(B) were met, the village voted in favor of the request. Once the new garage is built, the structure will sit one and one-half feet from the east property line, 30 feet from the south property line, and between 11 and 14 and one-half feet from the
west property line. In other business, the village was provided information from Shelby Schools Superintendent Mark Olmstead regarding a wage increase for school crossing guards. According to the Michigan Vehicle Code, it is the responsibility of the village to provide the school with a crossing guard at certain intersections. Currently, the village and school district’s agreement has the village paying the crossing guard’s wages while the school district manages the hiring and scheduling of the position. “There are additional conversations to be had,” Selner said. “I just wanted to get this information in front of the council now, as it will be addressed in a future meeting.” During the summer construction season, the village and its residents have, for the most part, remained flexible and patient as certain projects are completed. Considering the amount of work being done, there have been relatively few complaints. Nearly an hour was spent during public participation time getting to the bottom of a plumbing issue at 575 Harvey Street. With the help of Councilor Damien Omness’ as translator, the council and resi-
dents were able to establish a timeline, admit there were some assumptions made by both parties, and come to an understanding of what had transpired and what should happen going forward. In response to another resident’s questions and concerns, Councilor Mike Termer told council members of a conversation he’d had with a fellow resident: “He wants the village to look right; we all do. It may seem like we’re not doing anything, but we’re taking our time to make sure it does.” Due to a lack of applicants on Sept. 7, 2023, the village moved the Getty Park construction bid deadline to Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. There were two prospective bidders; however, they had expressed that they were unable to meet the deadline. Selner is hopeful these two prospects, and possibly others, will bid on the project; however, he said he has no idea how close they will come to the estimated project costs. He sympathizes with the entire community and acknowledges the three long years it has taken to get to this point. He did indicate that if the village can hire a contractor this fall, the park could technically open sometime next July.