Referendum's re-zoning has more ramifications than ski hill Mark Vichich, Ahmeek Village president By Mark Vichich for Keweenaw Today 10/24/00 AHMEEK ’Äì I would like to introduce myself to give the people of the Copper Country a little history of where I am coming from. My name is Mark Vichich, and I am currently the President of the Village of Ahmeek and a lifelong resident of the Copper Country. My grandparents on both sides came from the "old country," Yugoslavia, and arrived on Ellis Island where hawkers from the Eastern Mining Companies (C&H, Quincy, Copper Range) employed agents with carnival barker antics to lure cheap labor to the Copper Country with promises of riches to be made and mass copper so pure that it didn’Äôt even need to be smelted. Needless to say once my ancestors landed in the Copper Country they worked 12-hour days in deplorable conditions for 1-2 bucks a day. There are still 80- to 90-year-old retired miners in this area that are receiving pensions of approximately $35.00 per month, and they are the lucky ones. Most retirees receive no pension at all. Quite a bit of the money generated paid for the buildings we are now trying to save as part of our historical park, but the brunt of the profits went back East to make a few companies very rich and left us with the environmental cleanup we are dealing with now. This history of being taken advantage of by outsiders makes me as well as other residents wary of further development of the Keweenaw ’Äì which, by the way, starts in Allouez ’Äì not at the Houghton city limits. Originally my intention was to address just the residents of Ahmeek, but I feel I need to share what I have found out with all Keweenaw residents. This information comes from the dealings I have had with Crosswinds through their attorney Frank Ellias. First of all, I would like to allay any fears the residents of Ahmeek Village may have regarding the upcoming Nov. 7 referendum. As of Friday, October 6th, when I last spoke to our Village attorney, it was clarified to me that we are indeed NOT allowed to vote by virtue of incorporation as a Village and that also EXCLUDES us from any liability the county may incur as a result of either the approval or rejection of the referendum. It has been voiced to me by several Village residents that they did not want the possibility of having to pay any type of added millage or penalty resulting from this referendum without being able to vote on it. Last August, I received an unsolicited call from Frank Ellias, who started out in a jovial manner, stating he would like the Village’Äôs and my permission to file a lawsuit on our behalf against the county (and state) to obtain the right of Ahmeek to vote on the referendum. An informal poll of the Village Council told me that the Village of Ahmeek did not want Frank Ellias or Crosswinds to represent us in any legal action. First of all, I found Frank’Äôs call unethical; and second, I found it very offensive that he would suggest suing our fellow neighbors, friends and relatives of Keweenaw County. Needless to say, the ending of Frank’Äôs second phone call to me (I called him back, told him NO on voice mail; he returned my call) was not very nice -  especially when I was told by him that "every taxpayer in Keweenaw County is liable should litigation ensue and that a special assessment could be added to every taxpayer in the County, including Ahmeek Village." My reply to Crosswinds is, "What cause of action do you have?" To me, between the statement made by Frank Ellias and by Bob Grasseschi’Äôs article*, a lot of pressure is being brought to bear on little old Keweenaw County; and that’Äôs my point, Keweenaw County is little ’Äì it’Äôs a finite space. I would like the people of Keweenaw to vote NO on the referendum based on the last THREE words of the ballot wording, "and related uses." Those three words scare me because they open the floodgates to any type of development. The referendum word on the street is either pro or con ski hill. The point is county residents are voting on Resort Services rezoning with all of its ramifications ’Äì not just the ski hill. Please keep this in mind. We in Keweenaw County have to face the fact that development is going to happen (Look at Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet.) The question is, "Do you want a say in future planning and development or just let a chosen few decide for all?" With what little pristine beauty we have left in Keweenaw County, I would like to see tasteful development that blends into the landscape ’Äì not, for example, a Mine Street Station or M-26 West Houghton, or the like in downtown Lac La Belle or anywhere in the Keweenaw. I happen to agree with Frank Fiala, who has said the Mine Street Station is not in keeping with the historical flavor of the area. It could have been done better. The point is, it is done, and we’Äôre stuck with it. Last Sunday, October 15th, I took my personal invitation marked "RESIDENT" and had my one and only authorized, ("limited to one occasion" as the release and waiver stated), visit to Mt. Bohemia. From what I saw, quite a bit of work has been done and it seems a little more than low intensity. My question is, "Who gave permission for this and where are Crosswinds’Äô permits?" I heard issues of water, sewer and power (I was told generators would be used) vaguely addressed. I have been involved in Village government for over 22 years. This experience has taught me that you go nowhere as a community without infrastructure. We, in the Village of Ahmeek, have spent the better part of 20 years, after waiting nearly 26 years to start the project, in the planning and implementation of an entirely new lagoon sewer system and rebuilding the entire water distribution system, slated to be completed Fall 2001, including a new 66,000 gallon water tank several years ago. The point I’Äôm trying to make concerning Mt. Bohemia is Crosswinds has the snow boards purchased for rental, and the chairlift is being installed; but they basically, at this time, have no water, sewer or power and haven’Äôt addressed the transportation problems ’Äì meaning both the airport and roads. I personally called Airlink at the Houghton County Airport and several area travel agencies. Here’Äôs what I found out: The 34-passenger plane would hold "a few skiers with gear." I got the impression it would not hold 34 skiers and gear. I contacted three area travel agencies and was told Crosswinds has not contacted them regarding any type of coordination to draw people to the ski hill. Certainly, by now most other ski areas have been marketing and booking, as most people make ski plans months in advance. In the process of doing my homework, I’Äôve been in contact with Concerned Citizens of Keweenaw County, a truly grass roots group of people who have dug into their own pockets to fund a view of sensible development of Keweenaw County ’Äì which I agree with. To the contrary, I have found that the Committee For A Better Keweenaw County Economy is legally a Crosswinds entity ’Äì ID #57250 formed on September 13, 2000, with Lonie Glieberman as Treasurer, address 816 Quincy St., Hancock ’Äì not exactly the heart of Keweenaw County. That explains all the flashy colored inserts in the paper and ads on TV ’Äì a lot of money devoted to this campaign. This campaign is wrong. It’Äôs about rezoning ’Äì NOT the ski hill. I would like to see all this money and effort, on both sides, all pulling in the same direction ’Äì sensible, tasteful development of Keweenaw County including the ski hill. I know it can be done. I am not against the ski hill, but I would like to see it done correctly. It is not too late for all parties involved, (Crosswinds, Lake Superior Land Company, Nature Conservancy, loggers, county residents and the business community) to go back to the table, without lawyers or the courts involved, and come up with a common-sense comprehensive land use plan agreeable to all. Keep the Keweenaw pristine and blend the development into the landscape. With LSLC putting most of its Keweenaw land up for sale and the LSLC road crews pulled from the bush October 11, 2000, I would hate to see the many years and millions of dollars spent on developing the snowmobile trails circling the Keweenaw evolve into a hodge-podge of disjointed legs should portions of the trail lose their easements because of private land ownership. I am asking the people of Keweenaw County to please do their homework as I have. You will find that we need development to broaden our tax base but that development doesn’Äôt have to cost us the pristine beauty we have grown to love ’Äì the beauty that keeps us here. On November 7, 2000, remember it’Äôs about ZONING ’Äì not the ski hill. * Vichich refers here to Houghton resident Robert Grasseschi’Äôs recent comments in The Daily Mining Gazette concerning what he considers a potential for lawsuits against Keweenaw County. Editor’Äôs Note: Guest columnist Mark Vichich is the President of Ahmeek Village.