Locally grown food, water, recycling top Mott Park’s agenda

Benefits from locally grown foods, recycling and moving to a local source of water were discussed at the Mott Park Neighborhood Association meeting Aug 1.

Dick Ramsdell, manager of the Flint Farmers' Market, talked about efforts to connect Flint consumers and local food producers.

"We annually spend $1 billion for food in Genesee County," Ramsdell said. "About $900 million of that money leaves the area."

Ramsdell expounded the benefits of buying food locally, including saving fuel costs.

"We don't have to buy from California, Chile or Peru," Ramsdell continued. "We can buy from local farmers. We've got vendors using hoop houses extending the growing seasons to 12 months," Ramsdell explained.

New faces at the market this year include a Hispanic vendor featuring ethnic spices and foods. New features include Artisans in Culinary, which gives people a chance to talk to a chef, see a live cooking demonstration or take a class every market day.

According to Ramsdell, the market draws over 5,000 customers on a given Saturday and the Tuesday and Thursday markets draws about 2,500.

Holly Lubowicki, Keep Genesee County Beautiful program assistant, talked about the benefits of recycling.

"If every family recycled their Sunday newspaper we would save a half-million trees every week," Lubowicki said. "Paper is the biggest component of trash — it make up 30 percent of our landfills." She encouraged members to refuse junk mail, drink from reusable water bottles and purchase products made from recyclables."

Lubowicki said Michigan has the lowest recycling rate of all the Great Lakes states.

"Recycling makes economic sense," Lubowicki said. "When we recycle we reduce land-fill space, promote more jobs and keep demand and cost down for virgin products.

Up to 70 percent of items in our landfills can be recycled. Glass never wears out. We can recycle it forever. Two-thirds of all the aluminum is still in use today — thanks to recycling."

Councilman Sheldon Neeley (6th Ward) presented the group with a "citizens' watch list" that included the proposed $628 million water pipeline by the Karegnondi Water Authority from Lake Huron to Flint. If the proposal moves ahead, water rates could go up another 10 to 12 percent Neeley said. "The pipeline will take five to six years to build with consumers paying construction costs."

"Another option would be to use the Flint River as our primary source of water," Neeley said. "The only drawback to that solution is that there is not enough water to service the out-counties. It's an option that hasn't been talked about — but I'm here to put these options before you."

Neeley also asked members to keep Genesee Towers on their watch list.

"You, the taxpayers, own the building. Tell government you want to know what they are planning to do with it," he said.

The Mott Park Golf Course was put out for bid by the city. According to Neeley the course will be turned over to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Mott Park Public Golf Course Association, although it will have a different use than as a public course.

"We can make this property work for us again," Neeley said.

Last on the Neeley's watch list was the new medical marijuana dispensaries that the city has yet to regulate.

"I'm proposing an ordinance that prohibits a person from smoking marijuana and carrying a concealed weapon," Neeley said.

Neely also announced a $365,000 grant to plant trees in the former Chevy in the Hole now owned by the city.

The group's next meeting, Oct. 3, will feature a mayoral candidate forum.

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