The following is an opinion piece from Lowell’s First Look.
It’s been a month since the Help Yourself Garden was slapped with an ordinance violation. It’s been a month since we started digging into what exactly went wrong. In that time, we’ve reviewed dozens of emails, videos and social media posts.
What we’ve found has alarmed, disturbed and saddened us. Between information shared publicly online and material received through requests made via the Freedom of Information Act, a picture emerges of some people not liking a new, outspoken resident in town and others closing ranks behind them.
Most disappointing is the lack of initiative shown by most members of the Lowell City Council in responding to this matter. According to the FOIA documents we received, Councilmember Greg Canfield is the only member to be asking questions, requesting a meeting and appearing to seek a positive resolution to the situation. And in response, he is chastised by the mayor for “overstepping.” Canfield is told to leave the matter to the police chief, city attorney and city manager. “This is not a Council issue,” the mayor writes.
Really? If responding to resident concerns is not a council issue, what is? Being responsive to citizen concerns is, in our opinion, at the very core of the council’s responsibilities.
Our Opinion and Parting Words
It’s our understanding the city has reached some sort of agreement on the issue. The details won’t be available for at least a few more days but seeing as the Help Yourself Garden Facebook page has disappeared, it’s probably a moot point now.
We wrote a 2,000 word editorial about our views on the situation, but in the spirit of maintaining community harmony, we have decided not to publish that
However, before the issue fades away, we want to share some final editorial thoughts:
- The dispute between neighbors on Grove Street appears to run far deeper than disagreements about traffic.
- Posting mean and mocking memes online because you don’t like someone isn’t acceptable for kids, and it isn’t acceptable for adults either.
- Our city leaders should be more proactive in responding to constituents. We are a small town and if someone wants to meet with the mayor or city manager, it seems like that should be possible.
- Residents elect the City Council, and City Council appoints local boards. When there is a problem, the council and boards should direct the discussion. Right now, it feels as though the City Council has abdicated control to the city manager and the Planning Commission is run by an outside consulting firm.
- Community gardens are not defined or mentioned in the city ordinances. It shocks us that none of the seven city leaders involved in the original discussion about planting the garden apparently noticed this omission or felt it important to address.
- Maybe we don’t want community gardens in the right-of-way or in the R-2 District. In that case, our ordinances should clearly say so. What’s more, residents should be given an opportunity to provide input on that decision as well as any rules for growing and sharing produce.
- In the case Shoemaker v. City of Howell, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals says under Michigan law, the homeowner technically owns the curb strip, and the city only possesses a right of way for public use. We have been unable to find anything stating that the land between the sidewalk and street is city-owned property.
- Our community seems to have very effectively alienated new residents who, regardless of perceived motivations, were trying to be active and involved citizens.
Is this who we want to be, Lowell? We hope not.
I am commenting on the editorial entitled Final Thoughts on the Help Yourself Garden, dated September 25, 2018. In paragraph 3, the following was written:
“Most disappointing is the lack of initiative shown by most members of the Lowell City Council in responding to this matter. According to the FOIA documents we received, council member Greg Canfield is the only member to be asking questions, requesting a meeting and appearing to seek a positive resolution to the situation.”
My husband, Jim Salzwedel, is on Lowell City Council. He spoke with Laura Huth-Rhoades at City Hall, at the Coffee with Council Meeting she attended, and once at her home, all with the intent to gather first-hand information and seek a positive resolution to the situation.
It is possible that other council members also reached out in some way, as my husband DID respond and in person to Laura Huth-Rhoades, yet the writer was not aware of that.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynette Salzwedel
Thank you for this article. I have read posts on Facebook that I thought were quite ugly to these people who started the garden and was concerned as well as to how the city leaders handled this. Thank you Greg for your efforts! This reminds me of how the Robert E Lee decision was handled by the City as well-no outreach to the community but decisions made by one individual apparently the City Manager. Love our town and the positive things people bring to it!
Thank you for reporting this matter. You have done a great job. It is sad when things like this happen. There is always someone who loses. It seems like they were trying to share their garden to help others.
Thanks for posting this. I have tried to remain neutral on the issue as it has seemed that there was more to the underlying situation than what appears in the back and forth on facebook. Thanks for confirming that. Social media is a blessing and a curse. Anything that ultimately provides a cohesive community space should be applauded. Conversely, open dialog must be encouraged when concerns arise because each party to this has very strong feelings about the outcome. I also applaud Greg for attempting to facilitate dialog. Shut it down/lock ’em up/plow forward are not solutions. Communities are very much like families. Diplomacy is critical. Thanks for the great article.