Meanwhile, back in Mullett Township, and specifically in Topinabee, the only township owned recreational facility open on Friday was a restroom. Go play, have fun kids, don't break anything, and don't pick up the floating log.
Ignoring attempts by the Mullett Board to close the Topinabee Beach Park, a few sportsmen have of necessity become scofflaws to find ways around the snow-fence.
Others, as evidenced by these photos, trespass on an adjacent private property owners land.
While this goes on, braggadocios declare a victory, and say they won the battle. They CLOSED the park.
The only analogy that I see is the person who steps between a sugar cube and a string of ants. The ants, like these ice fishermen, will go around, over, or possibly attack to reach their catch.
On Saturday morning at the Indian River Post Office, still a bastion of free expression, a discussion ranged from the apparent need to vilify those who oppose something to our "local" shadow governments that pull the strings on the puppets in office.
Here is an introduction to your Mullett Township "shadow" government. The Topinabee Development Association.
Stated purpose, the very reason for the existence of the TDA? To "preserve and enhance the historic character of the village of Topinabee". Activities:"Receive contributions used to pay engineering fees to develop a conceptual community design for the village".
How could the stated "purpose" and the "activities" of the TDA be more contrary? This contrariness has now been amply demonstrated with the "preservation and enhancement the historic character" of the Topinabee Beach Park.
The TDA now argues they had "nothing" to do with the park design. That is BS, plain and simple, and BS is not an acronym for Bachelor of Science.
Here is the 2011 version of the TDA, with only one board member changed.
Over 50% of the board is still the O'Hare and Ogg families. Is it a fluke or a happy coincidence for the TDA that Tom O'Hare and C.David Ogg are the only 2 members of the public on the Mullett Township Park Committee?
The purpose is unchanged: "preserve and enhance the historic character of the village of Topinabee". The activities have now become: "fundraising and contributions to support community projects including community design studies (architectural/engineering) & park renovation."
Park renovation? The TDA definition of renovation seems far removed from the Merriam-Webster definition or any other source. There is virtually no evidence left of the former park. I guess it is the same way Tom O'Hare and C. David Ogg "renovated" their lakeside cottages. Tear a historic building down, and build a pretentious McMansion.
How does a small group, and the TDA is a very small group, gain this influence over the Mullett Township Board? With one single piece of paper.
Ta-da, here is the TDA Resolution:
Did you, as the resolution states, desire to enhance the image and aesthetics of "the village center of the township known as Topinabee"?
Did you, as the resolution states, form the TDA?
Did you, as the resolution states, "pledged funds and collected substantial monies" to "develop a streetscape plan"?
Do you, as the resolution states, "desire to utilize the conceptual plan"?
Does the TDA and this resolution represent you or the majority of the residents' "vision" of what Topinabee should be?
If not, why has the Mullett Board continued to serve at the beck and call of Tom O'Hare and his cronies?
Will you continue to sit on your ass, looking at a snow-fence, while a few individuals now proceed to spend hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars to build "their" vision of Topinabee?
Ignoring other township needs, the Mullett Board has already spent more than $150,000 chasing the TDA's "vision" for Topinabee.
The Board has approved another $33,600 for "preliminary" engineering and design cost for the TDA Streetscape. The 2014/2015 budget has another $100,000 earmarked for the Streetscape and a savings account already has $70,000 earmarked for "parking lots". All of these expenditures with little or no evidence that any "grants" will be available.
Those figures already add up to over $200,000!
The simplest, previous TDA Streetscape plan had a budget of $1,200,000. That is one million two hundred thousand dollars.
How deep are your pockets?
Are you going to let Tom O'Hare and the TDA reach way down in there? Make sure he only grabs your dollars while his hand is in your pocket.
