The End of an Era
In case you haven’t heard, Kris Olsson, our Watershed Ecologist, retired in May after 31 years with HRWC. Fear not, her impact and influence will be felt for years to come. While we’ve known for months that she was retiring, HRWC staff has had countless meetings with her to “download” the volume of information she has to continue her work. Kris will continue to support HRWC’s work as a volunteer and has agreed to participate in scheduled public events even though she retired.
If you see Kris, thank her for her years of service to the watershed!
What happens next?
With Kris’s retirement, we have shifted her responsibilities for her programs to other HRWC staff:
Natural Area Assessments: Kate Laramie, Program Coordinator, will be taking over the Natural Areas Assessments Program. Kate has been working with Kris on this program since 2020 coordinating field assessments and managing the program database. Kate has already led several field assessments this spring and summer, and in coming months will be working on developing the future direction of the Natural Areas Program with input from partners and other HRWC staff.
Land Protection: Andrea Paine, Program Coordinator, will be taking over the state grant on land protection in the Mill and Portage creeksheds. This state-funded grant was developed by Kris to assist local governments with land protection through a variety of ordinance development approaches.
Forest to MI Faucet: Dan Brown, Watershed Planner, is now leading this project, which is funded by the USDA Forest Service. The project educates landowners and the public about the vital connections between forests and drinking water. Through the project, HRWC is hosting three tree plantings and tree distribution events in the watershed as a means of increasing the tree canopy.
Change Makers: David Lossing, that’s me, Director of Government Relations, will be the lead on the Change Makers program moving forward. I am a former local elected official, having served in the City of Linden for eighteen years.
Local Government contact: I will be HRWCs point person for local governments, building on my experience of serving as an elected official and planning commissioner. I’ll coordinate HRWC’s interactions with local officials.
HRWC Legislative update
Since joining HRWC in September 2023 as our Director of Government Relations, I have been involved in several pieces of state legislation that will have a positive impact on the watershed. Here are HRWC’s policy goals:
Polluter Pay: There are 14 legislative bills between the State House and State Senate that would improve Michigan’s polluter pay statutes. They are House Bills 5241-47 and Senate Bills 605-611. HRWC participated in a press conference at the State Capitol last fall along with numerous State Representatives and Senators to push for the bills. Here’s a link to the blog I wrote on the press conference.
Septic Fields: Did you know that Michigan is the only state in the nation that lacks a statewide septic code? We are one of the only states without oversight over the permitting, construction, and repair of septic systems. When septic systems fail, they leach into our streams, rivers and lakes and, create hazardous conditions for recreation and aquatic life. HRWC is part of a legislative work group on a set of bills (House Bill 4479 and Senate Bills 299 and 300) to improve the time interval of inspections, create a statewide database between county health departments and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and assist local public wastewater treatment plants with the funding needed to expand their capacity.
Inland Lake Levels: Senate Bill 662, sponsored by State Senator Rosemary Bayer, is a result of a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that called for lake levels to be held “static” which is impossible to achieve due to changes in weather and precipitation. The legislation has already been approved by the Michigan State Senate and a hearing in the State House occurred in May. We are waiting for a vote on the House floor before the Legislature takes their summer break and then onto the Governor for her signature. Rebecca Esselman, HRWC’s Executive Director, testified in February 2024 to the Michigan State Senate Committee on Local Government about the importance of SB 662. You read her blog about river flows here.
Stormwater Utilities: HRWC provided testimony in June to the Senate Committee on Local Government in support of Senate Bill 660, sponsored by State Sen. Rosemary Bayer that would create an optional enterprise fund for local units of government to fund storm water repair and replacements. Our municipal storm water systems are not designed to deal with the increasingly intense rain events and, as a result, communities suffer from flooding. This bill would establish clear guidance for Michigan municipalities to secure sustainable funding for aging storm water infrastructure. You can read our blog about funding stormwater infrastructure here.
Yes, Change Makers, you *CAN* make a difference!
Earlier this year, HRWC held a Change Makers bootcamp in Chelsea with eleven residents participating for the first time. Kris and Jason Frenzel led the bootcamp and did a fantastic job showcasing how residents can get involved and participate in meaningful change in their community. As mentioned above, I will be the lead on the Change Makers program in concert with my HRWC colleagues Jason Frenzel and Andrea Paine. We plan on scheduling additional Change Makers bootcamps later this year and hope to expand our bootcamps into new subject matter soon. If you have an idea for a bootcamp, please email me here.
New! Toolkit for Landowners
Introducing a one-stop info portal for property owners of large parcels. A team of local organizations, including HRWC, created a toolkit for Washtenaw County landowners to find the right resources and connect them to local organizations that can help assess, manage, and preserve land. Special thanks to the Washtenaw County Conservation District for creating and hosting this toolkit. Find the Land Toolkit here.
Represent your community on HRWC’s board
Calling all Change Makers from Wayne County, Barton Hills, Belleville, Brighton, Rockwood, Walled Lake, Wixom, Wolverine Lake, or Genoa, Van Buren, or White Lake townships. You can represent your community on HRWC’s Board of Directors and help advance our mission!
The “Council” part of HRWC is made up of local governments that have land within the watershed and are members of HRWC. Each local government gets a representative who is appointed by their local government. These representatives attend quarterly board meetings, annual meetings, and otherwise act as a liaison between their municipality and HRWC.
HRWC provides water resource information and research services to member governments. We can help with water quality issues, land use, groundwater, hydrology, lake management, wetland protection, stormwater management and other related topics. HRWC staff also review and comment on activities likely to affect water resources and advise member governments on lake and river management.
Contact our Executive Director, Rebecca Esselman, at (734) 769-5123 or email her to inquire about how to become a board member.
Upcoming Events
| Monday, July 15, 2024 | City of Brighton Planning Commission, 7pm 200 N. 1st Street, Brighton, MI 48116 Topic: Top Ten ordinances a Planning Commission can adopt for land preservation |
| Thursday, July 18, 2024 | Lodi Township, 6pm 3755 Pleasant Lake Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Topic: Green Infrastructure (GI) community workshop |
| Thursday, July 25, 2024 | Lyndon Township Planning Commission, 7pm 17751 N. Territorial Road, Chelsea, MI 48118 Topic: Conservation Millage Toolkit |
| Ongoing | Livingston County Master Plan update Get involved and fill out their community survey |
Thank you!
David Lossing
Change Makers provide a voice for the Huron River and its watershed by becoming involved in their local governments to encourage water protection.