VCAC paints with Hot Wheels at the Old Car Festival.
By Syd Bastos
It began as a project in 2015 under the Vicksburg Downtown Development Authority. After throwing lots of spaghetti on the walls to see what sticks and after three locations, Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center has found its way.
In 2023 alone, over 8,000 people participated in programs and events, from hands-on arts activities at 13 community festivals to the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market, camp programs for kids and teens, arts classes for seniors, cultural presentations and art exhibits.
As the organization begins its 10th year this fall, we are celebrating our history and sharing our vision for the future at a Gala Fundraiser. The event will be loaded with entertainment, from a jazzy trio of musicians, emcee Jake Munson, and live auction by Alisha Siebers; what more could you want? How about a great dinner, raffle and last chance bidding on a full catalog of silent auction items. Need more? Drums will be rolling as we unveil our plans for 2025 and beyond! To close out the night, we will have a lively piano player to send you off!
The silent auction is open now and will close at 7 p.m. on November 1. Browse the catalog of unique items and experiences at https://fundraiser.support/Gala2024.
We hope you will consider joining us at the Gala event. It is November 1 at Wind & James Event Center in Schoolcraft. Cocktails are at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 and the program begins at 7:15. Tickets are on sale now for $75 per person with cash bar. You can learn more and reserve your tickets at vicksburgarts.com.
Book Club for Adults – Thursdays, October 3, November 7, 9:30-10:30 a.m. October discussion: “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel. November: “Conclave” by Robert Harris.
Classic Films for Adults – Wednesday, October 30, 6-8:15 p.m. Watch a classic 1960 horror film.
Writers’ Motivational Group – Thursday, October 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Report progress, set goals, share resources, and troubleshoot or brainstorm your projects with other writers.
Genre Gathering: Mystery/Thriller – Monday, October 14, 3-4 p.m. Discuss mystery/thriller novels with fellow readers. The second in a series of genre gatherings.
Cookbooks & Company – Wednesday, October 23, 6-7 p.m. Cook a dish from selected cookbook. Share results and discuss.
Bridge Club – Join the weekly friendly game. Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m.-noon.
Tai Chi Class – Weekly class. The community is welcome. Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. and Thursdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
All-Ages Events
Halloween Trick or Treat at the Vicksburg District Library – Thursday, October 31, 5-8:30 p.m. Stop by and pick up a treat or two and show off your wonderful costumes.
Geek Fest – Saturday, October 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Join the Vicksburg District Library and several local libraries for a free, all-ages celebration of geek culture in all its forms! Comics, games, technology, cosplay, and much, much more! For more information, visit us at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SWMGeekFest.
Youth Events
Family Storytime – Mondays, October, 7, 14, 21, 28; 10-10:45 a.m. Books, songs, and more!
Mugs & Hugs – Wednesday, October 2 and 16, 10-11 a.m. Stories, activities, and interaction.
Movies at the Vicksburg Library (Elementary) – Thursday, October 3, 4-6 p.m. Check the Library schedule online for movie titles. We make the popcorn, you bring a drink and blanket if you wish!
Teen Break and Bulldog Break – Thursdays, October 10 and 24, 2:45-5:45 p.m. A safe space for teens and tweens to get together and have fun. Crafts, games, social activities, and tasty treats are for people under 18!
STEAM – Thursday, October 17, 6-7 p.m., and Monday, October 21, 11 a.m.-noon. Engage in hands-on activities and use problem-solving skills.
LEGO and DUPLO Club – Tuesday, October 15, 1-2 p.m. and Evening Lego 5:30-6:30 p.m. Individual creativity is the goal.
On the floor, from left: Lee Noel, Ken Appell, Don Deal, Mike Osterling, Todd Overbeek, Bryan Huey, Charlie Kendall, Mike Drahos, Mike Roberts. Seated, from left: Jacki Johnson, Joy Herson, Vickie Klein, Jolyn Lewis, Sandy Morris, Deb Baldwin, Joan Mattimore, Jody Maher. Front row, standing, from left: Melanie Thomas, Becky Charles, Nancy Alder, Anna Decker, Cindy Glidden, Betsy Hill, Kathy McGahan, Garry Hartley, Scott Harrison, Joan Hart, Kate McCallum, Dorotha Brown, Lorrie Berry, Deb Northam, Bob Wagner, Lauri Yarger, Ted Dent. Back row, standing, from left: Deb Barringer, Sally Hamman, Cheryl Decker, Sue Shick, Joan Caswell, Lisa Semenczuk, Pat Boehm, Phil Kline, Miles Breece, Bill Mack, Dan Thomas, Rod Ackerman, Rod Grosser, Bob Fenwick, Viola Mackey, Rick Lowe, Jim Sheppard, Rod Borton.
On July 26 and 27, the Vicksburg High School class of 1974 held its 50-year class reunion. Because it was scheduled to coincide with the Lions Club B&B Festival, the class was able to make it a two-day event. Friday’s events included a golf scramble at Indian Run Golf Club, a Mill tour, and an evening reunion at Indian Run Golf Club. On Saturday, the events included pickle ball at Kline’s Resort, the Lions Club Alumni luncheon, a Vicksburg downtown crawl, and music and dancing at the B&B Festival.
Vicksburg Village Council at its September meeting voted against approval of the annual audit of the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority.
Two nights later, the authority’s board deadlocked on the approval issue, 3-3, rejecting it.
Vicksburg Village Council member Carl Keller – the village’s representative on the six-member authority board – said the impasse is unfortunate.
He provided context during Vicksburg Village Council’s Sept. 16 meeting.
“Nobody’s being accused on any improprieties, this has nothing to do with the firefighters … this is all about the administrative bookkeeping,” he said. “If we had this similar (accounting) process with the village, we would probably be looking for a new village manager because this would not be acceptable. Our citizens wouldn’t put up with it and we wouldn’t put up with it. Something’s got to change.”
Fully understanding the issue might require advanced knowledge of accounting methods. Nonetheless, Keller laid out the situation. He said a representative from Kalamazoo-based accounting firm Siegfried Crandall appeared at the SKCFA’s August meeting to give an audit report.
“He basically stated that when they do the audit, they have to go through and take all the information that they’re given from the authority and change it into the general-accounting principles that every accountant uses,” Keller said. “It requires a lot of time to do that. If it was being done up front, then it’s an easy thing.”
Council president Tim Frisbie said correcting the area of concern should be done before the council reconsiders its decision.
“There’s some weaknesses in (the audit) that I personally believe we can tighten up pretty easily and without a lot of financial burden on the taxpayers, and at the end of the year, it’s going to make the auditing procedure much easier,” Frisbie said, explaining what he considers a viable correction.
He proposed securing the services of a professional accounting firm to conduct a monthly or, at least, a quarterly audit.
During a Sept. 23 phone interview, Keller elaborated on the issue, including details of the authority’s Sept. 18 meeting. He said in addition to Vicksburg’s nay vote, the village of Schoolcraft’s council and Schoolcraft township’s board also declined to endorse the audit. Prairie Ronde, Brady and Wakeshma townships voted in favor.
“There’s an audit comment that comes up every year (that centers on) cash-based accounting instead of accrual,” he said. “The auditor was there last month and he said when they do the audit, they have to go through and transpose everything to general-accounting principles – how they’re generally accepted – and that takes some time to do.”
“This isn’t a ma-and-pa dime store, this is a multi-million-dollar governmental entity, and we need to start doing things that are more in line with general accounting principles and make things as transparent as possible,” he said. “I really think we need to have an outside source do the books (quarterly).”
He reiterated that nobody is pointing a finger or being accused of wrongdoing.
“We’re just looking to move forward. Period,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”
In other action, Vicksburg Village Manager Jim Mallery announced a public open house of the new village office will take place Oct. 21, prior to the council’s 7 p.m. meeting.
Seven candidates will appear on the Vicksburg School Board ballot in November for two four-year terms, those created by the decisions of incumbents Virgil Knowles and Carol Lohman not to seek re-election. Candidates who filed are Jaime Buikema, Rick Burmeister, Elizabeth Castleberry, Lisa Hostetler, Kathy Miller, Alex LaPorte, Lucas Hillard and Michele O’Neill. Miller has been prevented from running on a technicality. Although her name remains on the ballot, votes for her will not be counted. In a separate race on the Vicksburg board, Ron Centofanti is running unopposed to finish a term ending in 2028.
Statements from these candidates were published in the September South County News.
Vicksburg Village to elect 3 to council
Vicksburg Village voters in the November election will choose three council members from a ballot including incumbents Dennis Olson, Gail Reisterer and Ryan Wagner and challengers Jessica Cox and Joe Rounds. Their statements and photos were published in the September South County News. Village President Tim Frisbie is unopposed in the election. He submitted a statement and photo. All terms are for 4 years.
Tim Frisbie
Tim Frisbie.
As I reflect on our accomplishments over the past 8 years all I can say is “It’s good to be Vicksburg.” The last several years this village has taken center stage within local and state government as to how the village was turned around into such a success story. So much of the heavy work was done starting 10 years ago, creating policies and procedures with the ultimate goal of being “The best run municipal government of our size in the country.” In 2019, we adopted “The Model Government”, created “Strategic Plan 2023”, live streamed council meetings before 2020, replaced over 150 lead lines with several hundred planned. Built DPW building, paid cash. Built new municipal building and paid cash! Unheard-of in the state. Your village council with the administrative leadership of village manager Jim Mallery took care of the past, planned for the future, set aside the funds for the capital improvement plan, while paying cash for the needs of the day. Visit the village web page and review the plan; Resolution 06242024-03 – Capitol Improvement Plan Full Year 24/25 -29/30. See what and how we will spend our tax dollars. It is truly a great honor to represent our council, our best-in-class staff, and above all, our Vicksburg.
Schoolcraft Township board members, all Republicans, are unopposed in the November election. Candidate statements from Supervisor Don Ulsh and Clerk Eska Brown were published in the July issue of the South County News before they defeated opponents in the August primary. Appearing on the November ballot are Ulsh, Brown, Treasurer Teresa Scott and Trustees Jennifer Sportel and Tamra Stafford. All township offices are four-year terms. Compensation for the elected officials: supervisor, $52,500; clerk and treasurer, $55,335; trustees, $125 per meeting. Only Stafford offered a statement.
Tamra Stafford.
Tamra Stafford
I hope to educate the public on Township services, through Facebook, website, e-mails and phone calls, and listen to our taxpayers, be compassionate and understanding and have an open mind for comments and suggestions. I will be transparent and fair to all residents of Schoolcraft Township. I hope to listen with an open mind to everyone and offer constructive feedback to concerns. I continue to strive for a fair and honest Township Board. I will continue to offer ideas and solutions to area concerns within the Township. My focus has always been on providing quality services and saving taxpayers money.
