White Paper for publication 01.27.26 Corrections noted and paper updated 05.05.26
This paper has been reviewed by Road Commission staff but only for factual accuracy and not necessarily in support of the positions presented here.
(A white paper of fact , calculation and advocacy)
The Ontonagon County Road Commission is pondering whether or not to continue snow plowing of private drives county wide. This practice has been in effect since 1965 or 1968 (foggy records currently) and Ontonagon County is the only remaining county in the state to still have this service and supports Michigan Law MCL 247.361 of 1980. In 1980 the Road Commission adopted a policy to do the plowing service using a set of parameters that met Michigan Law. The primary parameter for continuing the service was and is that the County voters provide millage to pay for the service. That request has never been revoked and “County Roads” millage at about 5 mills remains today on winter tax bills. The Road Commission has continued the service without interruption and in 2023 made some revisions to the policy to provide clearer regulations and requirements for private drive plowing.
Now the Road Commission is debating amongst their board with encouragement from the County Roads Engineer/Manager to terminate the plowing service.
The verifiable facts that I have found or personally gathered are:
• The Road Commission has a file of agreements signed by property owner/taxpayers to plow their drives. Through FOIA research the listed total number of property agreements is 1118. I personally know there are more drives than this because some of my neighbors in Bohemia Township are not on the list of addresses. I am not either, but I hold a signed copy of our agreement dated in 2015.
• The Road Commission Engineer/Manager Mr. Ryan DeHut told me that 10% of the annual millage for private plowing gets paid to the Village of Ontonagon to support their plowing efforts.
• Mr. DeHut stated to me (excerpted) during face-to-face discussion “it is not about the money” and “we may have to give some money back” (meaning lower millage somewhat). Further in discussion, he expressed that the service is mostly “just a pain in their neck”. (paraphrased).
• The county granted Road Commission millage (about 5 mills less the Headlee adjustment) is due to expire in 2028.
• To my knowledge there is no decision yet on how many mills the Road Commission may ask for or seek to renew at election time.
• There are about 5,876 county residents, and roughly 4,000 registered voters. Of those voters between 950 & 1050 are Ontonagon Village residents.
• For 2024-25 the Budget posted on the Road Commission website states income from county wide millage as $1,600,000. The total budget was $17,884,175. County millage then equals about 9% of the annual budget for that period.
Presumptions of voter impact by vote equations:
• Doing a math calculation if 1000 estimated voters in Ontonagon Village are subtracted from 4000 total county voters that leaves about 3000 rural voters.
• The Road Commission holds about 1118 agreements. Let’s estimate 1.75 voters per property because not all properties have two voters as some may be single and others may live in spaces where snow removal is done privately like apartment complexes, and care facilities. Therefore, 1118 properties time 1.75 votes per property could equate to 1956 voters.
• Assume then that all voters in Ontonagon Village will be impacted if snow plowing money is reduced in the village. That 1000 voters and the estimated 1956 rural voters combined total 2956 voters being impacted. That calculates to 74% of the voters are going to lose some level of service if the Road Commission chooses not to continue private plowing agreements WHICH THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DO WITHOUT A VOTE.
Presumptions of voter impact by financial equations:
• Since 1980 voters have dedicated 2mills to plowing private drives.
• Two mills of the nearly 5 mil ‘24-‘25 county wide budget equates to $1,600,000 times 2/5 or 40% and in dollars $640000 .
• Assume then that all voters in Ontonagon Village will be impacted if snow plowing money is reduced by the 10% Road Commission donation. That calculates by multiplying the $640,000 budget times 10% is $64,000 reduction in service.
• Likewise, an estimate of funds lost for rural voters using the above basis of assumptions is $640,000 minus $64000 equals a $576,000 funding source for 1118 properties or possibly 1956 voters.
• The outcome of those calculations points to an added cost to rural resident properties of about $515.00 per year for drive plowing.
Advocacy
In view of a larger picture it is certainly true that costs in general and taxes specifically continually rise. It is also clearly true that mechanization has increased efficiency and usually lowers cost or increases service in most sectors of economies and I submit in road construction and maintenance specifically.
It seems that consumers are expecting more from service providers and there seems to be a trend toward frustration being voiced by incivility toward Road Commission personnel. The Road Commission has made a verbal acknowledgement about the lack of civility about service issues residents expected or that were provided. A later blog post may try to address the spread between expectation and delivery.
There is also a rising awareness that all government is trying to limit services and liabilities (in the name generally of inefficiency, waste, and expense) so consumers/voters/ thus the population ends up less well represented.
It now comes down to voter’s choice. The Michigan Law is clear MCL 247.361 that road commissions will if asked and funded plow private drives. The Road Commission is debating and the voters must make the choice.
Is it even practical to think that a property owner can get driveway snow plowing done under commercial contract or buying a plow (probably a grader with a wing in some cases) to clear snow for about $515.00 a year? The Road Commission has the most efficient tools and qualified manpower at an economy of scale sufficient to do the work and has done so for 45 years. Because they are a public service provider however does not make the organization a whipping post for incivility or preferential treatment requests. Their rules are clear and published on their website for every citizen to view and understand.
How to help your cause:
I have attended 2 recent Road Commission meetings and met person to person with Mr. DeHut twice regarding the board’s decision process. It is my understanding that the most efficient way to advocate your and my position is to do as many of the following activities as you can.
1. Attend a Road Commission meeting or write a civil letter to the Road Commission encouraging snow plowing private drive continuance and ask the request be identified in the meeting minutes
2. Attend Township Boards meetings and state your interests. (Advocate your position)
3. Attend County Board meeting to state your interest or write a civil letter of your position seeking continuance of private drive plowing and ask that the request be identified in meeting minutes. (A very good idea is to have a written out statement to present for the record so there is no misunderstanding of desired results).
4. Advocate on social media for awareness of the issue and seek support.
5. Advocate plowing continuance by writing support statements to the newspapers that serve your area.
6. Sign an advocacy petition as a registered voter supporting private drive plowing (address below).
7. Send me an email being clear that you wish private drive snow plowing by the Ontonagon County Road Commission to continue.
Where from here?:
Currently it is almost assured that the County Road Commission will be seeking some form of a millage (either renewal or new) from county voters on one of the 2028 county ballots. There is no identifiable value being espoused at present for how much millage may be sought. The critical issue is for voters to demand that the FIRST 2% of any county wide “roads” millage proposal be earmarked for plowing private drives and village support as has been in existence since 1980.
End of White Paper submittal Revised. 02.07.26 by Charle Burger, Bohemia Township
E mail advocacy@ontodrivesvote.com
www.ontodrivesvote.com
POST SCRIPT I have names and addresses for 1118 properties owned by Ontonagon County residents whom I assume are registered voters. It will be my intent to find a way to reach out to all 1118 property owners to advise them of the information above.
The email address and website is in place to help communicate what progress there is and answer voter questions as time permits. I am certainly looking for voter/property owner email addresses and volunteers for several tasks to lighten the load. Please respond as you see fit. Nickles now could save taxpayers hundreds along the way.
(Website) Plow the Dang Drives ontodrivesvote.com
This website is exclusively for advocacy and dialog for a single issue coming before Ontonagon County voters. Since 1980 the Ontonagon Road Commission in compliance with Michigan Compiled Law MCL 247.361 has been snow plowing private driveways in the county using one or more agreement forms. The Road Commission’s three-person board is debating if they want to continue the policy. I possess a list of over 1118 properties in the county who have signed agreements with the Road Commission for winter plowing. The intention of this blog style website is to inform voters of the full depth and breadth of the issue and its ultimate impact.
It is my intention to post a white paper of fact and advocacy very soon for voter consideration on this webpage and in local publications and to use this platform to inform as many impacted voters as possible of the ultimate impact of the upcoming vote outcome.
I have personally paid out of pocket over $340 to acquire FOIA information from the Road Commission for this advocacy endeavor and nearly $200 for the dedicated website listed here. I wish to solicit voluntary support to get information out and to request voluntary miscellaneous funds to help defer communication activities using this website. Currently a direct mailing postage cost will be in the range of $.80 per property or nearly $900 for a single mailing plus the cost of printing and paper. I am not prepared to spend this much more money but if I cannot get confirmation that I have reached all or most of the voters affected I may try a crowd funding account.
Below is listed an email contact address and the website. As necessary I will try to respond to every email that is clearly identified by the real name of the sender and a statement confirming the sender is a registered voter in Ontonagon County. Any email response not meeting this criteria will be ignored and discarded as nonresponsive.
Charle Burger, Bohemia Township, Ontonagon County
www.ontodrivesvote.com
email advocacy@ontodrivesvote.com