HB 4.22.2021 DONE

The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 22, 2021 — Page 5

Hastings’ Building Trades program

worth replicating in other districts

To the editor:
It is important that I commend the work
Jason Hoeffler is doing with his building
trades class at Hastings High School. It is
common for sports teams and those involved
in music and theater to be recognized for
exemplary performances.
What I have had the privilege of witnessing
is some exemplary teaching and performance
done by the students in Mr. Hoeffler’s class.
This class is rebuilding our deck. They are
getting practical experience, using what they
have learned in class, right in the field.
What I have witnessed is a teacher teaching
and coaching students who are truly engaged
in what they are doing, listening respectfully
as instruction and advice are given. I have
heard talk of safety. Measurement and math is
naturally incorporated into this project.
Students are respectfully communicating with
one another to complete their job to the best
of their abilities. These students are working
hard, together, learning the value of time man-
agement.
Now, I don’t know if they realize all of
these things they are accomplishing, but it is
truly evident to me. These students are receiv-
ing all that education should strive to give.
They will walk away with valuable skills.
Classes like building trades should be
offered in all schools. Offering classes like
this does more than teach a trade or a single
skill. Students were not looking at their
phones, they were actually communicating
with one another. Students were not simply
reciting facts, they were engaged in demon-

strating their understandings. Students were

actually listening to some amazing instruction

from their teacher, and following through

with the assignment. This is a program that

should be emulated in other schools.

Mr. Hoeffler should be proud of this pro-

gram, as should Hastings Area Schools. The

community should be proud of this program

and ask for more like it. Students need and

deserve access to this type of program.

Deb Cooley,

Hastings

Local Government Accountability

Forum censures GOP chairman

To the editor:

The Barry County Local Government

Accountability Forum had its first meeting of

the year on April 8. The Barry County LGAF

is a grassroots movement of ordinary people

who want to stay out of partisan politics and

focus on holding elected representatives

accountable for their actions – both to the

constitutional and statutory duties and powers

they swore to uphold.

At the meeting, crucial information, such

as Article 1 Section 3 of the Michigan

Constitution, the Oath of Office and its impor-

tance, was disseminated and a resolution was

passed.

It was voted and unanimously passed at the

forum meeting to censure Ronald Weiser,

chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

We will be sending that action, with the

signatures collected, to the Michigan

Republican Party via certified mail.

If we want to hold the government and

persons of stature accountable, we need to do

so for all persons – no matter their political

affiliation.

Recent comments made by Weiser are not

becoming of the title he carries and we will

not let such statements go unnoticed or unan-

swered.

Below is the action that was approved:

WHEREAS, the LGAF values the First

Amendment of the Constitution and diverse

opinions, but expects persons of stature to

conduct themselves in a manner that is con-

sistent with what is considered acceptable

decorum in their respective positions.

WHEREAS, Ron Weiser has stated,

“Ma’am, other than assassination, I have no

other way other than voting you out.”

WHEREAS, GOP Chairman Ron Weiser

stated that the GOP’s “job now is to soften up

those three witches and make sure that when

we have good candidates to run against them,

that they are ready for the burning at the

stake.”

WHEREAS, Barry County LGAF finds

this language to not only not be helpful, but is

furthermore stochastically terroristic in

nature.

WHEREAS, Barry County LGAF does

cherish spirited political discourse; it does not

condone this type of behavior.

Therefore, be it resolved, that Ron Weiser

is hereby censured.

Joel Ibbotson,

Rutland Charter Township

from our readers

Editorial page 2

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Know Your Legislators:

What I saw at the border and why we all should care

U.S. Rep Peter Meijer

3rd District

At the southern tip of Texas, along the

Mexican border in the Rio Grande Valley, lies

a city called McAllen. Today, Border Patrol

facilities in McAllen are so overcrowded that

agents have been forced to temporarily hold

hundreds of migrants under a highway over-

pass. This was just one of many stark scenes

that greeted me and my colleagues from the

House Homeland Security Committee during

a recent inspection tour.

To say I’m shocked by what we saw is an

understatement of epic proportions. In

McAllen, and at other locations along our

southern border, a full-blown humanitarian

crisis of our own making is unfolding. Let me

be clear: I do not fault those who seek a better

life for their families, but the Biden

Administration’s reckless rhetoric has encour-

aged hundreds of thousands of migrants to put

themselves and, in many cases, their families

and young children in danger.

Thousands cross our border every day, and

the surge shows no signs of slowing down. It’s

April, and we’ve already surpassed the num-

ber of total border encounters from all of last

year. In March, Customs and Border Protection

(CBP) recorded the highest monthly total of

migrants in more than two decades, along

with 19,000 unaccompanied minors, includ-

ing infants – a 65-percent increase from the

previous record high.

You may wonder why we Michiganders,

thousands of miles removed from the southern

border, should care about what’s unfolding in

places like McAllen. While I believe all

Americans should be gravely concerned about

the humanitarian crisis, the cartels that smug-

gle humans (you don’t cross the border with-

out paying one cartel or another) also are

bringing lethal drugs like fentanyl that have

made our terrible opioid epidemic even worse.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control

(CDC) reported more than 87,000 Americans

died of opioid overdoses in the 12 months

ending September 2020, a 29-percent increase

from the previous year and a record-high fig-

ure since the epidemic started more than two

decades ago. Just this week I spoke on the

House floor in support of a measure to ensure

our law enforcement can continue to seize

fentanyl and chemically similar analogues, a

measure the Democrats blocked. This move

was a sad reminder that we are failing on mul-

tiple fronts, but the failure to better police our

border is one of the most glaring.

In the first quarter of this year, the seizure

of fentanyl at our southern border has

increased by a staggering 233 percent from

the first quarter of last year. This epidemic

impacts thousands of Michiganders, and the

crisis on our southern border is adding fuel to

the fire by making it easier for narcotics traf-

fickers to put our communities at risk.

Michigan’s Third District also is being

impacted by this crisis as more than 100 unac-

companied migrant children have recently

been relocated to Starr Commonwealth, an

Albion-based nonprofit, for care. These chil-

dren are here through no fault of their own,

and I cannot imagine how frightened they

must be.

By the time you read this, I will have been

to Starr Commonwealth to ensure these vul-

nerable children are receiving adequate care.

But, make no mistake, unaccompanied

migrant children have been flown thousands

of miles because our federal government has

failed to address this crisis. If the Biden

administration had a plan in place to respond

to migrant surges like we are seeing now, non-

profits like Starr Commonwealth and others

around the country wouldn’t need to step in as

safe havens for children in distress.

We must do better.

Since the Department of Homeland Security

(DHS) currently does not have a strategy to

deal with irregular migration surges, I joined

a bipartisan group of my colleagues to intro-

duce the Irregular Migration Surge Border

Response Resilience Act. This bill would

require DHS to develop a plan to respond to

irregular surges at the border so we can get the

current crisis under control while ensuring a

disaster of this magnitude doesn’t happen

again. The bill would make the necessary

funding immediately available so DHS can

implement the developed plan and address the

crisis now without waiting months for tradi-

tional appropriations.

Our federal government’s failure to prepare

for, and respond to, this humanitarian and

security crisis is maddening, but the truth is

we have struggled to implement meaningful

immigration reform year after year, adminis-

tration after administration. There is no per-

fect solution here, but doing nothing is not an

option.

Now that I’ve seen the border crisis first-

hand, I hope our bill advances swiftly through

Congress so we fix our present crisis and

prevent another in the future.

U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids is

a Republican representing the Third

Congressional District which serves Barry

County.

One huge mess

can ruin a

neighborhood

To the editor:

The homeowners on South Dibble street,

between Hubble and Barfield, have nice

homes.

So it surprises me that one house is allowed

to ruin the neighborhood. That one yard

makes the city dump look like a meadow of

wildflowers.

Where is the city? Aren’t there regulations?

I don’t live on Dibble Street, but I drive

through there all the time and this mess makes

me angry.

Helen Plaunt,

Hastings

U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer

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EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR WANTED

Middleville Housing Commission (Lincoln

Meadow Senior Apartments) is seeking

a highly motivated individual to serve as

the director of a 50 unit HUD housing

building.

HUD experience is preferred. Applicant should

have a minimum of an Associate in Business,

experience in accounting, & budgeting. Must

be able to get along with people & a problem

solver. Willing to work flexible hours, 25-30,

a Deputy Director, 15-20 hours & available to

be on call. Starting salary is dependent upon

qualifications. Position is open until filled.

Must be able to pass physical, drug screen &

background check.

Resumes may be sent to:

Middleville Housing Commission,

500 Lincoln St, Middleville, MI 49333

or emailed to:

[email protected]

City of Hastings

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING

ON THE PROPOSED

2021/2022 FISCAL YEAR

BUDGET

The City of Hastings will hold a Public

Hearing for the purpose of hearing written

and/or oral comments from the public con-

cerning the annual budget for the fiscal

year ending June 30, 2022. The public hear-

ing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, April

26, 2021 in City Council Chambers on the

second floor of City Hall, 201 East State

Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City

Council will consider the budget as proposed

by the City Manager and presented to City

Council on April 19, 2021.

The property tax millage rate proposed to

be levied to support the proposed budget

will be a subject of this hearing.

All interested citizens are encouraged to

attend and to submit comments.

A copy of this information, the entire proposed

budget, and additional background materials

are available for public inspection from 8:

AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday at the

Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street,

Hastings, Michigan 49058.

The City will provide necessary reasonable

aids and services upon five days notice to the

City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay

services 800.649.3777.

Jane M. Saurman

City Clerk

The 110-member

Lakewood Area Choral Society,

Lake Odessa, MI,

now in its 36th season, is actively seeking

to fill its

Accompanist Position

The choir is currently inactive due to the

pandemic; however, discussions to resume at

some point in 2021 are being considered.

Interested applicants should contact

Robert C. Oster, artistic director and conductor,

for more information regarding the job description,

responsibilities, and audtion requirements.

EMAIL: [email protected]

CELL PHONE and TEXT: 269.967.

MICHAEL KINNEY

PLUMBING

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Office (269) 948-

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Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station

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218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-

OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm;

Saturday 9 am-3 pm

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Sisters Fabrics

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Michigan Legislature
State Representative Julie Calley, Republican, 87th District (All of Barry County),
Michigan House of Representatives, N-1191 House Office Building, Lansing, MI 48933.
Phone (517) 373-0842. e-mail: [email protected]
State Senator Dr. John Bizon, Republican, 19th District State Senate, Phone 517-
373-2426 or toll-free, 855-347-8019. Email: [email protected]; U.S.
mail: Sen. Dr. John Bizon, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing MI 48909.

U.S. House of Representatives
Peter Meijer, Republican, 3rd District (All of Barry County), 1508 Longworth House
Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2203, phone (202) 225-3831, fax (202) 225-

5144. District office: 110 Michigan Street NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503,
      phone (616) 451-8383.