By Travis Smola
The Schoolcraft village council unanimously approved a long-term comprehensive land use and recreation plan under consideration for the last six months.
The plan’s goals are to develop accessible trails to Three Rivers and Portage, make additions or improvements to existing ones and possibly develop an all-new park.
The plan was developed in cooperation with Wightman & Associates, a Benton Harbor-based engineering firm. Jorden Parker from the firm was in attendance. Village President Keith Gunnett said many villages make similar plans that sit on a shelf and never get done. But he’s confident that won’t happen in this case.
“Your company has really made this so much easier,” Gunnett told Parker. He further credited Wightman for getting the community involved in the process. “It really did get responses out of folks and that’s hard to do,” Gunnett said.
The council also recognized the village’s two Citizens of the Year and presented them with plaques. The two winners were Debra Reynolds and Marilyn Jones. Reynolds was recognized for her contributions to the village’s annual 4th of July parade and Jones for her support of the library and spreading a love of reading and writing in the community.
The trustees thanked the two for their contributions to the community. Trustee Michael Rochholz said they would be a tough act to follow. “Unfortunately, you probably set the bar a little too high for the rest of us,” he joked.