Truth in Advertising-Tom O'Hare Tells The Truth

Tom O'Hare's Streetscape Parking Lot For Topinabee"

Is it not amazing how little difference there is between this Tom O'Hare Streetscape parking lot above, and the planned Topinabee Beach Park parking lot shown below? 
Months of effort by a "Committee", more  than $36,000 spent on design and grant writing, and the design remains essentially the same.

Tom O'Hare's Topinabee Beach parking lot

Topinabee Beach Park Improvements Project
Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant Application 2015
February 20, 2015
Scope Item Quantity
Total Estimated
Cost Notes:
A Paved Parking Lot (9 Spaces) 7,024 sq. ft. $143,900 Includes stormwater
B Paved Parking Lot (6 spaces) 3,029 sq. ft. $21,179
C Rain garden 1,150 sq. ft. $10,000 Plantings, soil mix, retaining wall, storm sewer
D Sidewalk connecting from parking lot to pavilion and trail 335 sq. ft. $3,350
E Kayak/canoe storage rack 1 $1,500 Custom built, wooden
F Signage 2 $2,000 Interpretive/informational signage, recycled plastic
G Landscaping 1 $5,000 Utilize native plantings
Permit Fees: $650 DEQ Permit; County Soil Erosion & SC
MNRTF Sign: $100
Subtotal: $187,679
Engineering (These fees may not exceed 15% of subtotal): $28,152
Total Estimated Cost: $215,831



Add to this projected cost: 

August 5, 2013-Motion to accept the proposal offered by Wade Trim for the Topinabee "Village Center" Street Scape Plan for the Conceptual Plan and design elements, preliminary Engineering and Landscape Architecture, Storm Sewer Design, Itemized Cost Estimating, Project meeting, MDOT TAP Grant Application for a total cost of $33,600. offered by Dennis Dombroski and seconded by Kathy Flory, motion passed.

September 2, 2014-On a motion by Dennis Dombroski to have a grant writer for Wade Trim to pursue a grant from Michigan Department of Recreation Trust Fund at a cost of $2500.00 for the parking lot which serves the library and the beach area.  Seconded by Rachel Osborn, motion passed with two opposing votes:  Kathy Flory and John Brown. 



When consumers see or hear an advertisement, whether it’s on the internet, radio, television, or anywhere else; Federal law says that ad must be truthful and not misleading. The Federal Trade Commission enforces truth-in-advertising laws, and it applies the same standards no matter where an ad appears. The FTC looks especially closely at advertising claims that can affect consumers’ health or their pocketbooks.  

Unfortunately, our local governments do not answer to truth in advertising laws when posting Public Notices. Mullet Township has posted notice of a Public Meeting on Tuesday, “March 3, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., at the Mullett Township Hall located at 1491 North. Straits Highway, Topinabee, to take comments regarding the submittal of a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant Application. “The project will consist of various recreational improvements at Topinabee Beach Park including parking and signage”.

These “various recreational improvements at Topinabee Beach Park including parking and signage” are actually a proposed two blocks long; off street; paved parking lot. The proposed parking lot has always been an integral part of the TDA “streetscape”. Federal TIGER Grants have dried up and a parking lot cannot be funded via an MDOT-TAP Grant. It has now become “various recreational improvements” in an attempt to mislead both Mullett residents and the MNRTF Grant Board.

Tom O’Hare of the Topinabee Development Association in his “Streetscape facts of note!!” says that if a comparison is made between the present undefined parking spaces in Topinabee and his finished “streetscape” there is a “net gain” “of only about 6-7 new spaces”. A project that has been rehashed and re-hatched year after year, at costs ranging from $1.2 to as much as $2.4 million dollars adds space for only 6 or 7 more vehicles? All of the asphalt pavement, concrete surfaces, decorative elements, railings, retaining walls and the inevitable environmental impact of increased run-off directly into Mullett Lake from these impermeable surfaces to only gain “about 6-7 new spaces”?

Again quoting that written statement from Tom O’Hare; “There is an assertion in some recent letters and comments in the community that many trees will be cut down when the streetscape plan is done. The truth is that, based on Plan A (which does not relate to Block 5) there will be one tree (which is half dead) across from the Market that will have to come down and one or two others across from the foot of Portage Street that might also be impacted. In reviewing the plan however, those two trees can probably be “worked around” if they are worth saving and might not even be in the way.” O’Hare adds “13 new trees are included in the plan” and “The “net” outcome is an addition of trees in the community!”  

In truth, before all the Topinabee Beach Park “improvements” began, a Detroit based engineering firm, Wade-Trim, did a topographical survey and tree inventory of that two block area including the beach park.  Since that tree inventory was done, three 18” maples, three 24” oak, two 27” oak, three 36” oak, two 42” oak, one 24” red pine, one 40” willow, and one 33” oak have been removed in the name of progress. The one majestic 60” oak tree, that allegedly “half dead tree”, has already been cut down in anticipation of the parking lot. Seventeen mature trees cut down in the name of “improvements” that has impacted forever the environment and character of Topinabee and the TDA wants to slash more. Those two “work around” trees are the only remaining publicly owned trees south of the Topinabee Library. Adding “13 new trees”, spindly little four or five inch saplings, is not a viable trade-off for this destruction of the environment.

Where is the Federal Trade Commission when we really need protection of our health and pocketbooks?

Your comments can be made at the March 3, 2015 Public Hearing, 7 PM at the Mullett Township Hall.