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Editor’s Note: OMP resident Glen MacPherson writes that the Township’s Agricultural Advisory Committee is working to meet the needs of farmers and residents by revising and improving the agricultural portion of the Township ordinance. But groups like the Old Mission Citizens Coalition only serve to provide distractions and setbacks to the process. Read his thoughts below.
Also, I’ve had some time to think about how to handle op-eds during this particularly contentious time on the Peninsula, especially when it comes to the winery lawsuit. You all shared some thoughtful ideas in the comments section on that post — everything from charging a fee for lawsuit-related op-eds, to directing repeat writers to the Record-Eagle, to even calling a full moratorium. For now, I’m going to keep things as they are, but I’m also reserving the right not to publish op-eds that rehash territory we’ve already covered. I do like the idea of a fee, but it gets tricky when a piece — like Glen’s below — isn’t directly about the lawsuit but still feels “lawsuit adjacent.” My hope is that op-ed writers recognize the value of having their work published in the Gazette and choose to support the publication with a donation. And if I end up spending a lot of time editing their submission, I may gently suggest it. Finally, I really hope folks will think twice before harassing, threatening, or suing me as I continue to run this community newspaper. Thank you all for your support. -jb
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More than a year ago, our new Township Board initiated a process to revise and improve the agricultural portion of our Township ordinance. They sought applications from active farmers to serve on the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the purpose of revising the ordinance in a way that meets the needs of farmers and residents.
One year into the process, this subcommittee of volunteer farmer citizens has followed the legally mandated requirements of creating ordinance amendments, providing regular public updates, and soliciting citizen input. They have brought forward a new agricultural sign ordinance, an amendment to section 201 (defining agri-tourism), and they continue to work on rules related to processing on smaller-acreage farms.
Each of the subcommittee’s proposals undergoes refinement by McKenna Associates (a widely respected, professional planning consulting firm) before proceeding to the Planning Commission, where the normal legal process continues.
In November, a new self-appointed group, the “Old Mission Citizens Coalition,” proposed to step in, claiming that they, and they alone, can develop a better farming ordinance. Their interference could disrupt, slow, or even stop the essential, effective effort initiated by the Township and carried out by our active multi-generational farmers. The group’s claim that the Planning Commission and Agricultural Advisory Committee lack professional input ignores McKenna Associates’ involvement from the effort’s inception.
The Township has been doing it right from the beginning: recruiting, engaging, empowering stakeholders, crossing i’s and dotting t’s as it follows the slow, deliberate process of legal rule-making, and involving professional consultants to ensure nothing is missed. Let’s see this process through and avoid the distraction and setback posed by the small self-appointed interest group, the Old Mission Citizens Coalition.
– Glen MacPherson, OMP Resident
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Two thoughts regarding this published opinion and information from the editor.
1. Charging to print opinion pieces is clearly a slippery slope that will potentially bring questions of favoritism/bias to your publication. I understand that your publication is a lot of work and that you are caught in the middle of a “neighbor” dispute; however, I recommend that you not charge a fee as protecting the integrity of your work is paramount. I enjoy your publication and find it a useful resources. Of course which opinion pieces you publish and why is completely up to the editor and their editorial policy (assuming their is no bias).
2. With regard to this specific opinion piece I believe the author unfairly misrepresents the intentions of the Old Mission Citizens Coalition (OMCC). I have read and heard members of the coalition speak. It is important to note that several members have been involved in helping and solving past disputes/conflicts throughout the region. I do not speak for the coalition, I am not a member and do not personal know anyone affiliated with their group. However, after listening to an extensive interview with two board members on a local radio station it seems clear that the OMCC’s goal is to help find a remedy to this continued conflict. The parties on both sides of this issue are firmly entrenched – perhaps a fresh perspective can help move towards a resolution.