ST. MARTINS POINTERS ASSOCIATION, INC

    WINTER 2010 NEWSLETTER

                      PO Box 266

Hessel, MI 49745

www.stmartpt.org

2009/2010 BOARD MEMBERS

      President:                                     Rev. Duane G Thon

      Vice-President:                             Rev. Dorothy J Thon

      Secretary:                                     Rich Gray

      Treasurer:                                    Sue Deaner

      Marina/Park Team Leader:        Jay Hills

      Social Team Leader:                   Jo Kurlonko

      Environmental team Leader:      Phil Milan

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

Rev Duane Thon                   djthon@hotmail.com

            It’s Winter Solace and our snow birds have flown south again.  So here we are once again in Winter Wonderland called Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  I pray all of you and your families are well.

            I have been pleased once again with the support of your find Board and the quality work they are doing this year.  We are receiving many positive feedback comments, especially concerning the Newsletter, Website, and activities, as well as, the overall appearance of our part of “The Point.”  So, please keep your comments, responses, and suggestions coming. 

            For those of you who do not stay the winter months, “we miss you!”  And for those of you who stay, “thanks” for the seasonal decorations starting right at our entrance gate area.

            It’s so nice to have the road between our gate and M-134 now that it has been chipped and tarred. I noticed the curves are being sanded.  It really makes a safe driving difference.  Even our road is in good shape. 

            It is so nice to see the school bus traveling our road.  I do not know the driver, but it is a good ride to come and pick up our Point children each day and bring them back safely.

            I would like to share a personal note with you.  Since I have retired my wife and I have changed roles.  I’m the cook, housekeeper, driver, and odd job person.  I have not poisoned her yet.  She is really getting spoiled, but our relationship has never been better.  Life is good and we are so blessed to be a part of this community.  Wave, honk, or stop in for a visit when you can.

            I trust you had a wonderful Christmas and other Holiday celebrations. Happy New Year and may God abundantly bless you all!

Rev. Duane G Thon                                                                                          

A WORD FROM THE Vice-President

Rev. Dorothy J Thon             djthon@hotmail.com

            First I want to apologize for this Winter Newsletter being sent late. This past December was a very busy one for me at the church.  I apologize to those who receive the newsletter through the USPS that you did not receive the information regarding the Point Winter Gathering in a timely manner due to this newsletter being late in getting out.  I do encourage you to check our Web Site frequently as we do post all Point happenings on the web. You can find us at www.stmartpt.org. 

            I am looking for someone to write “history” stories about the Point.  These should be stories/articles of interest about the life and times of the people who have lived here current and in times past.  We want the newsletter to be more than just a reporting instrument for the Board.  We want the newsletter to become an avenue of sharing the life and times of the people of the Point, along with the necessary Board information.

            As you will note in Sue Deaner’s Treasurer’s report we now have 70 paid members out of approximately 120 property owners.  As we approach the 2010/2011 year for the Association I earnestly encourage those who have not paid dues to the Association to consider becoming a member.  The dues are low at $40 a year of which $5 goes into the marina fund.   As you can see, we have been using those funds to accomplish many projects at Mead’s Landing (marina) and as you will note in Jay Hills message we have others in the works.    The rest of the dues payment goes to the general fund which helps us cover administrative cost – such as mailing out newsletters, and other correspondence, as well as providing food and beverage items for our gatherings, property taxes and insurance on Association owned property, electricity at Mead’s Landing, annual incorporation fee to the state, rent on the mail box, porta john at Mead’s Landing, and memorial donations, plus other needs as they arise.

            As a dues paid member of the Association you have full use of Mead’s Landing, the marina boat launch, access to the road to Miami Beach, use of all Association owned easements, and voice and vote at our annual meeting.   Non-paid property owners are not entitled to the use of the above mentioned areas.   In the next newsletter you will find an Association Dues slip, it is my hope that we exceed 70 paid members for 2010/2011. 

Now, for all you deer hunters, last Saturday Duane and I saw a buck near our house. This buck still had his horns – he was a two pointer – they were both very long thin horns.   

Rev Dorothy J Thon       

SECRETARY’S REPORT

Rich Gray           rhgray@comcast.net     248-652-8109

            I want to thank Rev Duane Thon ,the former Secretary, and Rev Dorothy Thon for their continued lead on the Newsletter. I really appreciate their leadership and effort in publishing the Newsletter.

            As I mentioned in the last Newsletter , I will be consolidating ideas and suggestions for the Pavilion at the Marina Park in conjunction with Jay Hills. I have received input from several people and I am still looking for additional input before the proposal for the project is finalized. Please send me an email or call if you are interested in providing input or working as part of the team to complete this project.

            To help maintain communication and reduce cost please send me an email if your mailing address or email changes and if you can help us reduce mailing and printing expense by receiving future communications only by email.

Rich Gray

TREASURE REPORT                                 

Sue Deaner                            

Mid Winter Report    January 3, 2010

            We now have 70 paid memberships, but that does include 3 members who voluntarily pay dues for two separate properties.  I will soon send a donation check to Clark Township Volunteer Ambulance in memory of two St Martin Pointers, Alice Sinclair and Robert Cataline.  The Association Board set this tradition some time ago as a way of acknowledging the people who are a part of our community, plus to support a vital service.  We currently send $25 for each person we wish to honor. 

            Many members sent extra money along with their dues checks, in support of the different association projects, particularly for the marina/park.

SOCIAL DIRECTOR REPORT                                  

Jo Kurlonko,                906-484-3288                                      

                                                                                                                        This year’s Winter Point Gathering is Saturday, January 9, 2010, beginning at 7:30pm. It is being held at my house,. N3980 St Martin Point Rd.   This is a  B.Y.O. beverage gathering. We ask that you bring a dessert or hors-d'oeuvre to share. The Association will take care of the rest.  We also ask that your RSVP as soon as possible so we will know how many people to plan for.

            See you on the 9^th!

Jo Kurlonko

Environmental and Conservation Report      

Phil Milan                            &n=995232171">madphil@lighthouse.net

It has been brought to our attention that some litter collects on the Point Road throughout the year, especially, of course in the summer and fall months. It should be easy to have a volunteer crew police the areas a couple of times a year to clear and dispose of any trash or rubbish. We can take this up at a board or general Association meeting. 

The Watershed Council has been monitoring the Les Cheneaux areas, including St. Martin Point, which is in the Watershed, for invasive plant species. The latest to be discovered is phragmites (frag-MY-teez), technically phragmites australis, also known as common reed. It is a perennial, wetland grass that   

can grow to a height of 16 feet. This is a native Michigan plant but an invasive cultural variant is becoming widespread and is threatening the ecological health of wetlands and coastal shorelines of the Great Lakes. The native, invasive, and hybrid forms have been sighted in our area in the past two seasons.

            I will find a sample and have it available for viewing and identification so we can be alert for its possible presence on the Point. I will also try to have samples of other invasive species such as milfoil at next summer's meeting.                          

Phil Milan

ROAD REPORT                                    

Sue Deaner

Our road funds will soon be replenished with taxes collected.  We have adequate funds for snow removal and spring road repair.  The road work this past fall prepared the road for the winter, but there were a couple areas that went into winter with some problem potholes.

  Earlier this fall we posted several no trespassing signs at the north and south boundaries and also at the Miami Beach gate, hoping to cut down on the amount of people who enter the Point property.  For most of last summer and this summer people camping at Search Bay and others, have been walking/driving/dirt biking/motorcycling into our Association property. When asked if they knew they were on private property most replied that they didn’t see any signs.  One day this past summer I was in my front yard when a small dirt bike with two young teens came around the curve from the north, traveling too fast, lost control and went up the bank into the trees, rolled over and fell back into the roadway.  Thankfully their injuries were minor, but they said they didn’t know they were on a private road.  I have also talked with grownups, which have driven down the road from the gate and told me they didn’t see any private property signs.  Most of these people look me right in the eye and tell me they didn’t know they were on private property, in spite of the fact there is a sign stating private property!

This past summer at the annual association membership meeting, stronger language was discussed for posting the association property.  Hopefully, by the time the snow melts we will have come up with a plan to curb the trespassing problem.

Again, a reminder to all Pointers about the piles of road gravel positioned along the road for road maintenance.  This gravel is for use on the road way only, not for personal driveways, lawns, or landscape problems.  Also, please do not drive 4 wheelers, motorcycles or snowmobiles on the gravel piles.  When the road sides have accumulated large snow banks, we ask that you not drive snowmobiles on the banks, as that compacts them and makes it harder to push the snow from the roadway. 

Ken Reid and Sons are again contracted to keep our road way open.  John and Julie Crawford have graciously agreed to be our snowplow contact people this winter.  John and Julie both travel almost the full length of the road daily, and are very familiar with the winter conditions. 

Sue Deaner

MARINA REPORT

Jay Hills                        jhills5272@aol.com                   

Well  Meads Landing is  closed up for the winter now, it sure seemed like a short summer!!. Thanks again to all the marina team for our summer clean ups and to Phil for keeping the grass cut. Thanks to Fred Hillary and Stan for the work on our dock (after first ice it looks like we will need your help again in the spring).

Nothing much going on at the marina during the winter. Good reason to start planning for next season. So I have contacted the DEQ and requested a dredge permit extension through next year. Rich Grey and I are also gathering design info and permits for possibly our biggest project yet, a Pavilion. Sounds like we will need all winter to, DEQ, township, Health Dept, Zoning exc. you know one of the joys of being close to the great lakes, but I love it. The pavilion could be a real focal point and asset for our association. I have all ready seen a good amount of interest and ideas. We want it to look nice and be functional, so please fill free to contact us with any concerns. Wouldn’t it be great to see this take shape next summer!

            Dunn Hill Iron works is also putting some proposals together for a MEADS LANDING sign or possible marker. I will be meeting with them between the holidays to go over some rough ideas. Again any ideas please contact us.

            Our marina continues to improve a little every year and we couldn’t do it without all of your help and donations, so thank you, stay warm and happy BOATen

Jay Hills

GATE  REPORT

Sue Deaner

Thanks to Carol Kownacki, we had a decorated Halloween tree, complete with a NASCAR crash scene. I recall several years when the “Half Asters” would make a scarecrow for the Point, sometimes a caricature of some well known Pointer!  

For Christmas, Carol and her helpers have decorated the tree and gate with ornaments and wreaths.  

We always need helpers at the gate and welcome new ideas and plants for the area.

Sue Deaner