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    Traverse City Tomorrow
January 26, 2010

TC Tomorrow looks to 'move forward'

By Sheri McWhirter

TRAVERSE CITY -- Panelists looking at Traverse City's future urged local leaders to quickly take on technology improvements, housing choices and other challenges facing northern Michigan at a packed public forum.

Nearly 400 area residents descended on the City Opera House in downtown Traverse City Monday night to talk about issues that matter most to them.

Middle-income jobs, technology infrastructure, educational opportunities, renewable energy and both farmland and natural resource protection were some of topics that surfaced at the "Traverse City Tomorrow" forum. The event was billed as a way to start a community conversation about what future projects or services area government should consider priorities.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, co-founder of the Traverse City Film Festival and a forum panelist, said the region's primary priority should be to improve technology infrastructure to upgrade Internet access for both the public and private sectors. The comment drew cheers from the large crowd.

"You have to wire this area for the 21st century," Moore said.

There's no good reason free wireless Internet access isn't available in Traverse City, he said.

Tim Nelson, president at Northwestern Michigan College and another panelist, agreed with Moore that there are technology assets that are "underutilized." Further, there is a sense of urgency to upgrade, he said.

"We are in a different time. We don't have five years or 10 years to do some of these things," Nelson said.

Agriculture and affordable housing also generated discussion.

Panelist Don Coe, managing partner at Black Star Farms, spoke at length about agriculture and the challenges of connecting local growers with consumers. Coe said an important goal is to double the consumption of locally grown food in the area within five years.

"We'll never replace the worldwide food distribution system," Coe said.

But local farmers can connect with consumers at farmers markets, community-supported agriculture operations and by making inroads with larger food retailers in the area, Coe said.

Marsha Smith, Rotary Charities' executive director and another panelist, spoke about the need for affordable housing options in Traverse City. People want to live here and need more options to do so, she said.

"They want housing choices. They want it mixed into all types of neighborhoods," Smith said.

Moore agreed and said the area can't wait for private enterprise to provide affordable housing options. He also said the area should work to prevent the "Aspen-ization" of Traverse City, a comparison to the mountaintop Colorado resort town where the wealthy live in the city and service workers face long commutes.

The panel also included Derek Bailey, chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and Ed Ness, president and CEO of Munson Medical Center.

Traverse City resident Stephen Morris attended the forum with no expectations.

"I thought I'd be here to learn what's happening and what we could do to help it along," Morris said. "The details of what we do are less important than the fact that we're moving forward."

Monday night's forum was aired on local public access channels and will be run again. Visit www.upnorthmedia.org for more information.

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