Mackinac County approves special assessment for Big Manistique Lake dam over residents' objections

The Mackinac County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 on Sept. 25 to approve a resolution creating a Special Assessment Roll to fund work related to the Big Manistique Lake dam, despite objections from lake homeowners who said the levy would increase their taxes and lacked transparency.

Kevin Orlowski, chair of the county Dam Authority, updated the board on the dam and said the lake is currently "up 2 ft" and that, after the special-assessment revenues are collected, ongoing costs should be limited to inspection fees every three years. "The costs after the Special Assessment taxes are paid will be minimal with inspection fees every 3 years," Orlowski told the board.

Several Big Manistique Lake residents spoke during public comment and told commissioners they were "not happy with this assessment and the increase in taxes," and that some attendees believed the levy would recur rather than being a one-time assessment. Residents also said limiting the assessment to lake homeowners felt like an overreach of government authority and called the process insufficiently transparent.

Commissioner Daryl Schroeder moved to approve the resolution approving the Big Manistique Lake Dam Special Assessment Roll; Commissioner Austin Kimberling seconded. The board recorded a unanimous roll-call vote of the four members present: Kimberling, Kling, Patrick, and Schroeder. Commissioner Judy St. Louis-Scott was absent.

The resolution text was noted as attached to the meeting record. The board did not specify a timetable for work completion in the public proceedings recorded in the meeting minutes; the decision approved the assessment roll to finance dam-related work and inspection costs going forward.

The board will revisit related budget items and oversight as needed in future meetings; the regular October meetings were set for Oct. 7 and Oct. 21.