Removal of lighthouse park trees scrutinized

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Some citizens of Presque Isle Township voiced their concerns about the clearing of trees at the lighthouse parks and township cemetery and had several questions at Monday?s meeting, especially for supervisor Patrick Pokorski. According to a one-page letter, which arrived in the mailboxes of many township residents Monday, it is estimated that four to five acres of trees have been cleared at New Presque Isle Lighthouse from the 1905 keeper?s house to the lake, while ?the swath of trees cut at the Old Lighthouse Park is about 1 1/2acres.?

The access roads to the Old Lighthouse has been widen after complaints have been received that buses and motor homes have been scraping against branches and the parking area at Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is too far for elderly visitors. The cemetery clearing was to improve access as well, as some people were driving over graves.

The letter, sent out by ?concerned citizens,? alleged Pokorski arranged with R & R Tree Company of Posen to remove the trees without board approval, with compensation to the contractor coming from the harvesting of the resources. ?We believe, all residents should be concerned about the deliberate circumventing of the legislative process,? stated the letter.

Additionally, the project appears to have violated the township?s greenbelt ordinance with the amount of trees cleared to the lake, said zoning administrator Linda Taylor. TRUSTEE LYNN Morrison said there was no protocol followed on this project. ?Those are valuable assets to the township. I understand we talked about it, but there was no motion. I never ok?d that to happen. I had no vote, no say in the cutting of these trees.? Pokorski said there had been discussion at the parks and recreation commission (P & RC) about clearing the trees at New Presque Isle Park.

?In my mind, I thought we had full go ahead,? said Pokorski after the meeting. He said P & RC member Clayton Peters was under the same impression. Pokorki was disappointed a letter was sent out instead of people coming to him to get the facts. ?When we started cutting some of that, we found a lot of dead trees, so we took out the dead trees,? said Pokorski. ?Come to me and talk to me. I?ll explain to you how we got to where we?re at. When we?ve got dead trees that are going to fall down and we have to get volunteers to get them up. This guy is here, let him take out these trees.? P & RC CHAIRMAN Peter Pettalia said, ?the New Lighthouse most certainly would have been approved, but no motion was made,? for a recommendation. ?There was never any discussion about the Old Lighthouse,? added Pettalia.

Pokorski, who was elected to the supervisor?s job a year ago, has been involved in township government for nearly two decades, serving on the planning commission and zoning board of appeals, before winning election in 2008. Clerk Karen Fournier referred to township attorney Jim Florip when asking for a clarification if protocol was indeed followed when Pokorski made the decision without the board?s approval. Florip said, ?whatever the township does, the board authorizes it and acts on it. And that?s the way it has been for 150 years?the business of the township is conducted by the board.?

?I am 100 percent behind coming to the board to make a decision,? said Pokorski. ?I had talked to board members and had brought it up at a previous meeting.? EARLIER IN the meeting, during the citizen comment period, Judy Kimball said she was ?devastated? and almost brought to tears when she saw how much had been cleared. Mary Ellen Park

er said, ?One of the things that is attractive about this area is that it is still in its natural state. Man hasn?t tried to improve it, and thereby made it worse, until I saw what I saw today. I don?t think our natural beauty has been protected. If someone wants to see the lake from the New Lighthouse, let them walk.?

Pokorski said the clearing at the cemetery was more than it should have been. ?If people are upset, man I apologize for them being upset. Do I think I think it?s the right thing for safety and for the betterment of the lighthouses? Yes.? Morrison said the mess now needs to be cleaned up.

During further discussion about what the next step should be, and possibly scheduling a site visit, Taylor said the board has violated their greenbelt ordinance. ?When there is clearing adjacent to any waterfront in the township, we do require that 60 percent of the indigenous vegetation remain, and we need to take that under consideration,? said Taylor. Fournier said more information would need to be gathered before moving forward, ?Because now what has been done there is against our own ordinances.?