By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Gladwin Public Schools Varsity Football Team coaches were honored at the City meeting Monday evening. The High School Varsity Team, the Flying G’s, recently won the Division 5 High School Football 2022 State Championship title.
Head Coach Marc Jarstfer, Assistant Coach Eric Morgan and Team Assistant Kody Emeott attended the Clare City meeting to receive a special resolution, which was approved unanimously by the Commissioners and were presented with the City’s Keys of Excellence.
The resolution read (in part) “The Mayor and City Commission of the City of Clare hereby awards the Gladwin High School Varsity Football Team this Certificate of Excellence for demonstrating phenomenal dedication, unmitigated resolve, tremendous determination, exceptional teamwork, extraordinary talent and exemplary sportsmanship in winning the 2022 State of Michigan Division 5 Football Championship.” The resolution continued, “This tremendous accomplishment is a direct reflection on the entire Varsity Football Team, its coaching staff and its training staff who collectively attained the absolute highest standard of excellence through their remarkable accomplishment.”
Gladwin’s Flying G’s, ranked 3rd, won their first ever state championship title when they played against 2nd ranked Frankenmuth at Detroit’s Ford Field November 26 in the Division 5 football final. The Flying G’s Treyton Siegert secured the win when he kicked a 21-yard field goal in the final seconds of the game to give the G’s a 10-7 win.
The Flying G’s had a season record of 14-0, besting 5th ranked Muskegon Oakridge and top ranked Grand Rapids Catholic Center in the postseason run.
In another matter at the regular meeting Monday, after a second reading, the Commission unanimously adopted an ordinance allowing a rezoning request from the Clare Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to change three parcels of property from Commercial-1 to Industrial.
The approval will enable the development of Clare’s third Industrial Park adjacent to the first park on the south side of the City which was recently purchased by Steve Letherer and deeded to the City.
In mid- August, City Manager Jeremy Howard told the board, “After several discussions among Clare Industrial Development Corporation members, and meetings with the Environmental Development Administration, Mid-Michigan Development Corporation and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, an option became available.” He said that “state and possibly federal dollars might be available to enable the IDC and the City to create an industrial park,” but that “those funds are not available for the purchase of land.”
When the City and the IDC found that the Russell property (80 acres which adjoins the 15 landlocked acres the City already owns) was for sale. The Clare IDC negotiated a price of $1,060,000 for the purchase, which would give the City 95 acres to develop a third Industrial Park. Unfortunately, the IDC did not have the funds for the purchase.
IDC member Steve Letherer came to the IDC board in August and proposed to “front” the funds for the purchase, buy the property and deed the 80 acres to the City at closing, with the stipulation that as the new park’s lots are sold “the funds would be used to pay Steve and the Letherer family back over the timeframe that it takes to sell all of the lots.”
With the change in zoning now approved, funding can be secured and development of that 95 acres can begin.
The Commission also heard reports by department heads including the treasurer and city manager and approved the payment of bills totaling $42,048.47.