You are Awesome!

Good morning! It feels like every week I am pointing to the great work the Harbor Light is doing to write up the City Council meeting. If you haven't grabbed a copy, it is two-bucks well spent.

The entire back page, this week, features a full-page ad thanking Victor, our City Manager, for the last 6.5 years for his incredible service to our community.

The page is full of names (including Sara and me) wishing Victor and his family well as they head west.

The ad, and the heartfelt wishes it carries, represents a Harbor Springs we can be proud of and cheer for. A community that celebrates the best in each other rather than embracing our worst instincts.

A huge thanks to all involved in helping to send Victor off, as the ad says, "With the deepest respect and best wishes."

As we get to the weekend, I want to take a second to thank you all. A few months ago, I celebrated that this little Facebook effort had accumulated more followers than people who voted to repeal the zoning ordinance. We have now passed 615 followers. It is pretty awesome. There are still plenty of things to be worried about, but concern can co-exist with optimism.

Despite our growing numbers, nearly all the comments and questions are respectful. You can sense that there has been a growing disappointment in how some advocate for change in our community. But more importantly, there is a real desire to reduce the tension and engender civility in our municipal affairs.

The growing audience here is one of the reasons why I remain optimistic.

More people are joining the cause of passing the zoning code and rejecting name calling and angry actions unbecoming of our kind and generous town. That is progress.

I hope readers here have noticed a few things. In this space, I do not call people out by name unless they are elected public officials or acting in a public capacity. The only exception has been to thank people or congratulate them.

I have not advocated for any specific policy changes over the last year-and-a-half. My only request has been to support the judgement of our resident volunteers who are doing their best. My position is their position.

Despite some real cause to do so, I have also tried my best to not make things personal and to back up what I write with documents. If it is going to be controversial, I show my work.

The point in saying all this is not to pat myself on the back, but to demonstrate contrast. There are competing ideas of how to build community and consensus in Harbor Springs. My idea is poorly funded (I haven’t taken a dime from anyone else). It doesn’t involve a single paid consultant, attorney or accountant. And yet, a year and half into this effort, it continues to grow and have a genuinely positive influence.

That has little to do with me and everything to do with you. Thank you.

Last week, I quoted Maya Angelou who said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them…” As we come to the end of 2025, I think we are showing that we are a thoughtful, supportive and caring town full of people trying to take smart steps forward toward a better future.

It would be remiss if I didn’t end this ridiculously positive little post with a message from Mr. Rodgers. Here is one of my favorites: “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It is easy to say, ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”

Thank you all for being heroes. For serving Harbor Springs in all the ways you do. For cheering at our kids’ games. For clapping at performances. For serving on Boards, Commissions and committees. For donating to and volunteering at the pantry. For shoveling your neighbor’s drive. And for embracing this call for kindness and civility.

I hope you all get to enjoy the hills this weekend-looks like some great skiing to be had! As always, take care of each other and thank you.