Save Jean Klock Park                      
     

    On Easter weekend of 2006, Governor Granholm visited the
    Benton Harbor area. At one of her stops she was approached by
    a member of the Friends of Jean Klock Park who gave her a
    flier that detailed the seriousness of the threat to Jean Klock
    Park. This FJKP member requested an opportunity to speak
    with her on the matter. From that day there could be no
    mistaking that the information she received alerted her to the
    opposition to the proposed development in JKP. We followed
    up with an e-mail request but received no reply.
            
    On September 13, 2006 a letter, signed by Benton Harbor City
    residents and members of the Friends of Jean Klock Park, was
    sent to Governor Granholm asking her to play a role in
    preserving Jean Klock Park. Members of the community were
    completely ignored. The letter may be read below. We removed
    the signatures in order to protect the privacy of residents who
    signed it.

    [Click here to read letter]

    On September 19, 2006, Dave Dempsey, a former
    environmental advisor to Governor James Blanchard and
    environmental writer sent the following letter to Governor
    Granholm requesting that she would; "immediately withdraw
    your support of the part of the Harbor Shores plan that uses
    Jean Klock Park."

    [Click here to read letter]

    In November of 2006 a citizen of Benton Harbor wrote to
    Governor Granholm urging her to talk to the residents of the
    city, not the elected officials, about how many of them were in
    favor of giving away their parkland. Governor Granholm's office
    replied in December stating that it was a local issue, to contact
    local officials.

    [Letter to Granholm and her reply]

    Early in 2007 we discovered evidence of Governor Granholm's
    direct involvement in the development in the form of a memo
    dated May of 2006, written to the CEO of Whirlpool, and
    signed by the Governor and the heads of state regulatory
    agencies. The letter commends the Whirlpool Corporation for its
    acquisition of Maytag. In turn the Governor and agency heads
    pledged to assist Harbor Shores with permit approvals,
    committed to state funding, and promised to solicit support from
    federal agencies for both financial and technical support.

    [Read the memo]

    In March of this year we learned that Governor Granholm had
    declared March 20th “No Student Left Inside Day". In the
    article we obtained, the Governor is quoted as saying:

    "One of the great gifts we can give our children is to make
    sure they connect with the amazing natural resources we have
    in Michigan," Granholm said. "Whether we take them fishing,
    hunting, hiking, mountain biking or simply let them discover
    the beauty of nature in our state, helping our children connect
    with the outdoors is essential to making sure our natural
    resources are protected and respected in the future."

    But in the case of Jean Klock Park Governor Granholm believes
    it's acceptable to take from children natural resources that were
    deeded and dedicated to them to build a golf course for an elite
    few? How does this teach children to respect and protect their
    natural resources?

    In addition, the Governor is proposing to cut school funding if
    there is no tax increase. The schools are strapped as it is and
    those with no surplus cannot finance bus trips for “No Student
    Left Inside Day." In the meantime she has poured millions of
    state dollars into the Harbor Shores project.


    September, 30 2007 Detroit Free Press

    Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of
    Conservation Voters, submitted the following opinion to the
    Detroit Free Press. We feel her extremely on point opinion
    deserves serious notice not only by Governor Granholm, but the
    people of this great State of Michigan as well.

    In this opinion, Lisa refers to a 2000 quote by Gaylord Nelson,
    former Governor of Wisconsin:

    "We have finally come to understand that the real wealth of a
    nation is its air, water, soil, forest, rivers, lakes, oceans,
    scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity. Take this
    resource away, and all that is left is a wasteland. That's the
    whole economy."

    "Granholm should consider her conservation legacy"

    For the PDF version click below:


    Also linked to the article is this report and press release below: