Contact for More Information: Tim Ervin
231-723-4325
Issued by the Alliance for Economic Success as a Service to the Onekama Community

For Immediate Release

Onekama’s Community Plan:
A Meeting to Talk About It

Thursday, July 17, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Farr Center, Onekama

Manistee, Michigan – A world class lake fed by pure, cold artesian wells and connected to Lake Michigan. Rolling hills, sand dunes, beaches, wetlands. A K-12 school, intensely supported by its community. Prime agricultural lands. Over two-dozen businesses, including a marina, distinctive dining, inns, motels and a boutique for women. A public library, a satellite health care center, the county fairgrounds, parks and historic buildings. A population of 1,514, growing at a rate that is more than three times the State average. A wealth of seasonal residents, some with families that have been made this their destination for five and six generations.

Sound like a slice of heaven? For many, it is.

It’s the “Onekama Community,” including Onekama Township and the Village of Onekama.

And the people who live, work and play there are taking bold steps to craft a plan to ensure that this community remains as a very special place.

On Thursday, July 17, 2008, everyone with an interest in crafting a plan of action for the greater Onekama Community is invited to join in the second open discussion to help establish goals for a Joint Master Plan for the Onekama Community. The meeting will be hosted by the Village of Onekama, Onekama Township and a Leadership Team for the effort.

The meeting will be facilitated by the firm Beckett & Raeder that was jointly selected by the Township and Village to facilitate and manage development of the joint plan. The project is funded under a grant from the Manistee County Community Foundation and Oleson Foundation.

“This meeting will help us understand the aspirations, priorities and opportunities for the whole community,” said John Iacoangelli of Beckett & Raeder. “Our first meeting on May 27 was lively, well attended and meaningful and we trust the July 17 meeting will be the same. This needs to be a plan that is by and for the Onekama community and we hope that everyone with a stake will attend to share their ideas, hopes and concerns.”

The Onekama Community Master Plan is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008. A Community Leadership Team consisting of diverse interests was recently formed by the Village and Township to support the planning process and plan implementation. When completed, the plan will establish a blueprint for action and implementation by the Township and Village. Efforts have begun to pursue funding to help implement the plan from such sources as the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Michigan Coastal Management Program and others. 

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