County passes resolution opposing Sportsman Show move
by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor
Another governing board has expressed its disappointment in the Presque Isle County Tourism Council?s decision to move the Northeast Michigan Sportsman?s Show from Gaylord to Onaway. Members of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution citing the decision as ?misguided and a significant error in judgement.? Using the City of Rogers City?s strongly worded resolution from a few weeks ago as a template, the county board followed Rogers City?s lead and demanded the resignation of all Tourism Council board members who voted for the move, but had an addition to their resolution.
AT THE INSISTENCE of vice chairman Stephen Lang, the board reaffirmed their position that they would continue to withhold their support of the Tourism Council as long as the current executive director remains in place. While never mentioning her name in the public meeting, the person Lang was referring to was Kammie Dennis. ?We can debate it, because I?m an executive director of an organization, and I move that board to do things,? said Lang. ?Some of those (Tourism Council) board members, they just go along.?
?So, until you change the direction of the person that is leading, nothing is going to change. You just change the board members and nothing will change, so you?re going to have to do them both, or not do anything, in my opinion.? Only a few weeks before the show, Onaway school officials heard from people in the community that the Tourism Council wouldn?t hold the event at the Onaway school building for the first time since its inception in 1996. A call to a Tourism Council board member confirmed it. The county?s resolution stated the Tourism?s decision ?will provide harm to the local economy and the loss of local tourism, and the potential harm to long term economic well being and tourism of Presq
?AND BE it resolved further that until such time as a new Presque Isle County Tourism Council board and executive director is in place,? said Lang, ?Presque Isle County will continue to withdraw all support to the Presque Isle County Tourism Council, and to declare the Presque Isle County Tourism Council has lost a proper vision of their mission.? The resolution noted the support the Tourism Council has received over the years from the county, ?believing the mission of the Tourism Council is important to the economic future of our county.?
The cities of Rogers City and Onaway have passed similar resolutions, while the Onaway Area Community Schools Board of Education decided to send a letter to the Tourism Council to express their dissatisfaction. The show was conducted last weekend at a Gaylord furniture store.