There, you said it, or did you?
Do you as a resident or taxpayer in Mullett Township support the TDA?
This was Resolution of Support that the previous Mullett Board signed empowering the TDA to represent their views as your views, their interests as your interests, and their "vision" for Topinabe as your vision for Topinabee.
You must all agree with that "vision" that Tom O'Hare and the TDA have for Topinabee.
Virtually no one spoke out as the Topinabee Beach Park became the TDA Beach Park. Like complaining about the weather, lots of people did grumble and complain amongst themselves bemoaning the loss of so many mature trees and the ill-conceived design and landscaping. Too little. Too late.
Everyone in Mullett Township must agree with the "vision" that Tom O'Hare and the TDA have for the "streetscape". If not, why has the TDA monopolized all township business over the last 6 years, submitting by Tom O'Hare's own admission, more than a dozen grant applications for "green corridors" and "streetscapes". All meant to "enhance the image and aesthetics*" of Topinabee.
*a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.
Tom O'Hare and the TDA have a different definition of "aesthetics" than the rest of the world. There is nothing "natural" in the TDA Beach Park.
Again this year, the same very small group of TDA insiders, Tom O'Hare, Mary O'Hare, Kim Wilkins, and even David "do you want a candy bar" Ogg are again working behind closed doors "in committee" deciding how your Topinabee will look. Again, the proposed two block M-27 "streetscape" and parking lots will cost more than $1 million dollars. There will be nothing "natural" in the TDA "Streetscape"; faux antique lights, faux brick pavers, faux stone ledges and real asphalt parking lots.
How many tens of thousands of dollars of Mullett Taxpayer money has been expended over the past 6 years designing and redesigning, submitting and resubmitting, and always failing to capture the needed grant to create a Topinabee that meets Tom O'Hare's vision.
Tom O'Hare chose to ignore the old real estate adage: Don't buy, or build, the most expensive house in the neighborhood. 1760 Lake Shore Drive is the only property in Topinabee with an "assessed value" over $500,000. Actually a $585,900 assessed valuation for 2014. In layman's terms, that translates to a market value well over $1 million dollars. Compare apples to apples. The average assessed value of all of Tom O'Hare's neighbors, all Lake Shore Drive properties, is less than half the value of 1760 Lake Shore Drive. Come on people. You and all of Topinabee are just not keeping up with the O'Hares.
Don't begrudge anyone for how they choose to spend their money.
We should begrudge how Tom O'Hare chooses to spend Mullet taxpayer's money. Topinabee will need much more than a pretty "streetscape" to meet his needs. Businesses will need new facades; some were already done but there is always room for improvement. All of those run-down, as Tom O'Hare describes them, "blighted" properties need to be either architecturally redone or perhaps best, like the Park, just torn down and something built that supposedly helps to enhance the "neighborhood" value.
Tom "Scrat" O'Hare has one agenda; he needs to "gentrify*" Topinabee to protect his ill-conceived Lake Shore Drive real estate investment.
*to change (a place, such as an old neighborhood) by improving it and making it more appealing to people who have money
If you don't support Tom O'Hare and the TDA, become vocal. Call or better yet, let the Mullett Board know by word or voice in public that the nonsense must stop. Get off your apathetic butt and stand-up to a bully. Lose your complacency and take control of Topinabee from a self-appointed Mayor who serves his own needs with public money.
