The value of editorials as presented in the 02/11/2025 WLHS Substack blast is diminished by the author's choice to remain anonymous. Having read many of the anonymous presentations by WLHS, it is my opinion that the letters are written by paid professional consultants representing only the patrons that pay their consulting fees. Show me I'm wrong (hurt me sometimes, Eric Burdon), sign the many anonymous WLHS presentations. Who are you? Where do you live? Wht propertiy do you own in or near Harbor Springs. I don't believe that you are true members of the Harbor Springs community. Regards, Alan Dika, al.wpind@gmail.com
First off, thank you, Al, for reading our WLHS newsletters and taking the time to reach out with your comments. It’s what we hope for when we send them out.
The Harbor Springs community reaches far beyond the 1.3 square mile borders. There are many people who are city professional staffers, or own businesses, work in town, eat at the restaurants, and shop or work in the stores that don’t live inside the city limits. They would no doubt disagree with you that they are not “true members of the Harbor Springs community.”
You and I have talked before about our motivation. We have both given our time and energy to this town for years. I myself have attended almost every meeting of the City Council, Planning Commission, DDA, RRC and others for over a year because I care deeply about the future of the town, not because I didn’t have other things I could have been doing. And I assure you it’s not because I am financially profiting. Nor is anyone else at WLHS profiting and as we are far from paid professional consultants, although it’s nice to be called professional, there are no consulting fees to be found. It’s all home grown work shared by many.
Our motivation right now is to bring to light the expectations and repercussions of being part of a bureaucratic program (RRC) that is not a good fit for Harbor Springs. We love this town. So do the many people who are involved, including yourself. I think we are better served by bringing people together who actually want to talk, and resolve authentic problems.
We use unsigned editorials, as do most publications, for a few reasons. Sometimes, we prefer the message over the messenger, we’re sharing a collective rather than an individual opinion. In a time where tone and tenor of a message is so important, it’s also a way we can lower the heat, so to speak, in our writing and topics. And sometimes, people for their own reasons, just like to remain anonymous.
I haven’t thought of that Animals lyric in a long time! Songwriter Roger Atkins said that the lyrics he wrote contained the line, "Sure I'll do wrong, hurt you some time...," but that Burdon recorded the wrong words: "Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime...". Atkins said that Burdon's words "never made any sense to me. Everyone who's recorded it sings the wrong chorus, and sometimes even the wrong lyrics in the verses, too."
Honestly, Al, I don’t have the time or energy or will to work to prove people wrong. I think we’re singing the wrong lyrics. I’m more willing to work to prove we can all be right and, as The Animals contemporaries wrote, “We can work it out.”
Hi Karin, thanks for the reply. It is great that you and others have become involved and more interested in the goings on in the community for more than a year, though I think you are a bit late to the party. You have been active for a year, I was an elected representative for more than 20 years and on boards and other city sponsored organizations since I moved to HS in 1976. Most of the folks on the various HS boards, commissions, etc., have been involved for many years.
Who are those who would disagree with me about their being part of the Harbor Springs community? I'm asking for transparency. That transparency might help me understand WLHS motivations and where WLHS gets its money. The money trail matters. I believe that transparency is important for the HS Community.
WLHS has wrongly suggested that our Planning Commission Chairman is a developer involved in the revised zoning code process for personal gains. When recently challenged about the implications, WLHS responded with something to the effect that "that is behind us, we work well together now." WLHS has posted inaccurate and misleading images of what the revised zoning code could allow on Main Street. When I pointed out their mistakes, WLHS was silent. I believe WLHS should make as much noise about their misleading actions as they are about how the "community" has been shut out of planning processes in HS.
I understand that in our divisive political climate, which has unfortunately trickled down to HS local politics, it is practice to throw out a bunch of BUNK, rile up division and distract the populous while doing stuff that in a cohesive environment would never be considered acceptable. It is clearly an effective political tool. That practice has never (since 1976, my arrival) been appropriate in our little, special, much loved town. It is not appropriate now.
Thank you for responding. I disagree that the political climate in Harbor Springs is unhealthy. I personally believe solving the real problems of a city is instrumental to great outcomes.
One of my great go-to firms is Pew Research. They say, “ In a fractious political environment often dominated by the loudest voices, some people are saying: Count us out. Last year, we talked to a group of people who, while they may vote, are not strongly attached to either political party. They don’t closely follow news about politics or government, though some feel guilty when they don’t. By and large, they look at the nation’s politics as a topic better avoided than embraced.”
What we are seeing now, are property owners and voters becoming involved. This is a good trend, and we hope to make it a prevailing tendency – Harbor Springs inclination to be involved.
We have been told repeatedly by Harbor residents over the past twenty years that many residents felt they didn’t need to be watchdogs pouring over endless details of agendas and meeting minutes. This in many ways is credit to your style of leadership, others and our former City Manager Tom Richards.
Residents trusted their city officials to act openly and communicate, which they (including you) did for decades. That transparency ended when a new zoning code was pushed through the four-person sub-committees (with no elected members of the public and a paid city consultant) and then City Council approved. Then the people in town noticed, recognized a communication problem and got involved, stood up and said, “No, we’re watching now. This stops here,” and repealed it.
WLHS is a local grass-roots organization of various groups of people who live here full-time, or are property owners in the area, some who don’t like winter or go elsewhere in the summer. Every person that contributed to our non-profit is from that group of people from Harbor Springs. We used out of state help in setting up our non-profit because it was easier to do so. Everyone hired was licensed in Michigan.
I’m surprised you as a former mayor would not understand how everyone who spends any time here – short or long – is considered a contributer to Harbor Springs. With contributed money we captured everyone’s attention. The public relation firm did this with splashy cards, texts and eventually signs and door knockers.
As far as motivation, we publish newsletters explaining just that. If you missed January 5, 2025, Be The Heart in A Town,” it is a great overview of why we do what we do.
WLHS did not say the Chair of our Planning Commission was serving for personal gains. We said that anyone who holds positions on city boards and commissions is expected to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, especially with external housing development groups. And yes, when the chairman was re-elected chairman of the Planning Commission, of course we said we would work with him. That is the way change for good works.
The image you say is misleading is a picture of what it would look like from the Bluff if the downtown buildings were all three stories. The vote NO campaign published the photo, photoshopped a white overlay showing what would be blocked out by the added buildings, leaving a sliver of water visible in the background, as if to say, “See, no problem here, you can still see water.” We simply drew a red line showing the rooftops, and how obvious it was that the view of the marina parked boats in the harbor would be blocked. Social media repeated, “see you can still see the lake if three story buildings are allowed.” That was BUNK.
I’m asking for all of us to take a look in the mirror, take things down a notch, and keep up the listening many of us have been doing with each other over the past year. The 2025 sessions have been productive, not without some differing opinions to be sure, yet respectful. It’s working and we’d like to think it’s because of the work we are all doing together. That did not happen last spring. The City Planners expected the 2024 Zoning Code #439 to be approved in December 2024. That did not happen because of the "rush". There has been a change. We are slowly moving forward.
I’m at every meeting. I’ll talk with anyone. Let’s work it out.
You wrote "I’m surprised you as a former mayor would not understand how everyone who spends any time here – short or long – is considered a contributer to Harbor Springs".
Really, you believe that I don't understand the importance of ALL who spend time here?
You wrote "We said that anyone who holds positions on city boards and commissions is expected to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest"
I explained to you before that in a town the size of HS, it is impossible to always avoid the "appearance" of conflict of interest. The city has known this for a very long time. It has had in place for decades processes to address an "appearance" of COI, to determine if that "appearance" is likely actual COI and if it is determined to be actual COI, how to react. I thought you accepted my explanation.
You wrote "We simply drew a red line showing the rooftops, and how obvious it was that the view of the marina parked boats in the harbor would be blocked"
The article's implication was that the new zoning was the reason for the potential unacceptable 3-story wall of rooftops. In fact the "old zoning" is much less restrictive than the rejected zoning with respect to Main Street (CBD) building heights, to definitions of setbacks and allowed structures on 3rd floors and to creating absolute height and setback restrictions, not the nebulous definitions of the old code. Old zoning might allow the red line theory of view disruption, the rejected zoning would have prohibited it.
My issues with WLHS have never been with its stated goal of improving communication, openness and transparency in our city government. My issues are with the divisive practices of WLHS. Its use of alternate facts and partial truths, its practice of defamation of those city servants, employees and volunteers with whom they disagree, is not the "Harbor Way" of getting good things done.
Those are Big City, State, National and International political practices. We know how effective they can be. However, they don't belong in HS.
Thank you for your comments. We appreciate your interest and involvement. From the earliest stewards of this community in the 1880s, to the latest of us fortunate enough to call it home, it’s together we protect the future of Harbor Springs.
The value of editorials as presented in the 02/11/2025 WLHS Substack blast is diminished by the author's choice to remain anonymous. Having read many of the anonymous presentations by WLHS, it is my opinion that the letters are written by paid professional consultants representing only the patrons that pay their consulting fees. Show me I'm wrong (hurt me sometimes, Eric Burdon), sign the many anonymous WLHS presentations. Who are you? Where do you live? Wht propertiy do you own in or near Harbor Springs. I don't believe that you are true members of the Harbor Springs community. Regards, Alan Dika, al.wpind@gmail.com
Response to Al Dika Comment
2.12.25
The value of editorials as presented in the 02/11/2025 WLHS Substack blast is diminished by the author's choice to remain anonymous. Having read many of the anonymous presentations by WLHS, it is my opinion that the letters are written by paid professional consultants representing only the patrons that pay their consulting fees. Show me I'm wrong (hurt me sometimes, Eric Burdon), sign the many anonymous WLHS presentations. Who are you? Where do you live? Wht propertiy do you own in or near Harbor Springs. I don't believe that you are true members of the Harbor Springs community. Regards, Alan Dika, al.wpind@gmail.com
First off, thank you, Al, for reading our WLHS newsletters and taking the time to reach out with your comments. It’s what we hope for when we send them out.
The Harbor Springs community reaches far beyond the 1.3 square mile borders. There are many people who are city professional staffers, or own businesses, work in town, eat at the restaurants, and shop or work in the stores that don’t live inside the city limits. They would no doubt disagree with you that they are not “true members of the Harbor Springs community.”
You and I have talked before about our motivation. We have both given our time and energy to this town for years. I myself have attended almost every meeting of the City Council, Planning Commission, DDA, RRC and others for over a year because I care deeply about the future of the town, not because I didn’t have other things I could have been doing. And I assure you it’s not because I am financially profiting. Nor is anyone else at WLHS profiting and as we are far from paid professional consultants, although it’s nice to be called professional, there are no consulting fees to be found. It’s all home grown work shared by many.
Our motivation right now is to bring to light the expectations and repercussions of being part of a bureaucratic program (RRC) that is not a good fit for Harbor Springs. We love this town. So do the many people who are involved, including yourself. I think we are better served by bringing people together who actually want to talk, and resolve authentic problems.
We use unsigned editorials, as do most publications, for a few reasons. Sometimes, we prefer the message over the messenger, we’re sharing a collective rather than an individual opinion. In a time where tone and tenor of a message is so important, it’s also a way we can lower the heat, so to speak, in our writing and topics. And sometimes, people for their own reasons, just like to remain anonymous.
I haven’t thought of that Animals lyric in a long time! Songwriter Roger Atkins said that the lyrics he wrote contained the line, "Sure I'll do wrong, hurt you some time...," but that Burdon recorded the wrong words: "Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime...". Atkins said that Burdon's words "never made any sense to me. Everyone who's recorded it sings the wrong chorus, and sometimes even the wrong lyrics in the verses, too."
Honestly, Al, I don’t have the time or energy or will to work to prove people wrong. I think we’re singing the wrong lyrics. I’m more willing to work to prove we can all be right and, as The Animals contemporaries wrote, “We can work it out.”
Thank you,
KO
Hi Karin, thanks for the reply. It is great that you and others have become involved and more interested in the goings on in the community for more than a year, though I think you are a bit late to the party. You have been active for a year, I was an elected representative for more than 20 years and on boards and other city sponsored organizations since I moved to HS in 1976. Most of the folks on the various HS boards, commissions, etc., have been involved for many years.
Who are those who would disagree with me about their being part of the Harbor Springs community? I'm asking for transparency. That transparency might help me understand WLHS motivations and where WLHS gets its money. The money trail matters. I believe that transparency is important for the HS Community.
WLHS has wrongly suggested that our Planning Commission Chairman is a developer involved in the revised zoning code process for personal gains. When recently challenged about the implications, WLHS responded with something to the effect that "that is behind us, we work well together now." WLHS has posted inaccurate and misleading images of what the revised zoning code could allow on Main Street. When I pointed out their mistakes, WLHS was silent. I believe WLHS should make as much noise about their misleading actions as they are about how the "community" has been shut out of planning processes in HS.
I understand that in our divisive political climate, which has unfortunately trickled down to HS local politics, it is practice to throw out a bunch of BUNK, rile up division and distract the populous while doing stuff that in a cohesive environment would never be considered acceptable. It is clearly an effective political tool. That practice has never (since 1976, my arrival) been appropriate in our little, special, much loved town. It is not appropriate now.
Regards, Al Dika, al@alandika.com
2.15.25
Dear Al,
Thank you for responding. I disagree that the political climate in Harbor Springs is unhealthy. I personally believe solving the real problems of a city is instrumental to great outcomes.
One of my great go-to firms is Pew Research. They say, “ In a fractious political environment often dominated by the loudest voices, some people are saying: Count us out. Last year, we talked to a group of people who, while they may vote, are not strongly attached to either political party. They don’t closely follow news about politics or government, though some feel guilty when they don’t. By and large, they look at the nation’s politics as a topic better avoided than embraced.”
What we are seeing now, are property owners and voters becoming involved. This is a good trend, and we hope to make it a prevailing tendency – Harbor Springs inclination to be involved.
We have been told repeatedly by Harbor residents over the past twenty years that many residents felt they didn’t need to be watchdogs pouring over endless details of agendas and meeting minutes. This in many ways is credit to your style of leadership, others and our former City Manager Tom Richards.
Residents trusted their city officials to act openly and communicate, which they (including you) did for decades. That transparency ended when a new zoning code was pushed through the four-person sub-committees (with no elected members of the public and a paid city consultant) and then City Council approved. Then the people in town noticed, recognized a communication problem and got involved, stood up and said, “No, we’re watching now. This stops here,” and repealed it.
WLHS is a local grass-roots organization of various groups of people who live here full-time, or are property owners in the area, some who don’t like winter or go elsewhere in the summer. Every person that contributed to our non-profit is from that group of people from Harbor Springs. We used out of state help in setting up our non-profit because it was easier to do so. Everyone hired was licensed in Michigan.
I’m surprised you as a former mayor would not understand how everyone who spends any time here – short or long – is considered a contributer to Harbor Springs. With contributed money we captured everyone’s attention. The public relation firm did this with splashy cards, texts and eventually signs and door knockers.
As far as motivation, we publish newsletters explaining just that. If you missed January 5, 2025, Be The Heart in A Town,” it is a great overview of why we do what we do.
https://wlhs.substack.com/p/be-the-heart-in-a-town
WLHS did not say the Chair of our Planning Commission was serving for personal gains. We said that anyone who holds positions on city boards and commissions is expected to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, especially with external housing development groups. And yes, when the chairman was re-elected chairman of the Planning Commission, of course we said we would work with him. That is the way change for good works.
The image you say is misleading is a picture of what it would look like from the Bluff if the downtown buildings were all three stories. The vote NO campaign published the photo, photoshopped a white overlay showing what would be blocked out by the added buildings, leaving a sliver of water visible in the background, as if to say, “See, no problem here, you can still see water.” We simply drew a red line showing the rooftops, and how obvious it was that the view of the marina parked boats in the harbor would be blocked. Social media repeated, “see you can still see the lake if three story buildings are allowed.” That was BUNK.
I’m asking for all of us to take a look in the mirror, take things down a notch, and keep up the listening many of us have been doing with each other over the past year. The 2025 sessions have been productive, not without some differing opinions to be sure, yet respectful. It’s working and we’d like to think it’s because of the work we are all doing together. That did not happen last spring. The City Planners expected the 2024 Zoning Code #439 to be approved in December 2024. That did not happen because of the "rush". There has been a change. We are slowly moving forward.
I’m at every meeting. I’ll talk with anyone. Let’s work it out.
Sincerely,
ko
Hmm, interesting.
You wrote "I’m surprised you as a former mayor would not understand how everyone who spends any time here – short or long – is considered a contributer to Harbor Springs".
Really, you believe that I don't understand the importance of ALL who spend time here?
You wrote "We said that anyone who holds positions on city boards and commissions is expected to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest"
I explained to you before that in a town the size of HS, it is impossible to always avoid the "appearance" of conflict of interest. The city has known this for a very long time. It has had in place for decades processes to address an "appearance" of COI, to determine if that "appearance" is likely actual COI and if it is determined to be actual COI, how to react. I thought you accepted my explanation.
You wrote "We simply drew a red line showing the rooftops, and how obvious it was that the view of the marina parked boats in the harbor would be blocked"
The article's implication was that the new zoning was the reason for the potential unacceptable 3-story wall of rooftops. In fact the "old zoning" is much less restrictive than the rejected zoning with respect to Main Street (CBD) building heights, to definitions of setbacks and allowed structures on 3rd floors and to creating absolute height and setback restrictions, not the nebulous definitions of the old code. Old zoning might allow the red line theory of view disruption, the rejected zoning would have prohibited it.
My issues with WLHS have never been with its stated goal of improving communication, openness and transparency in our city government. My issues are with the divisive practices of WLHS. Its use of alternate facts and partial truths, its practice of defamation of those city servants, employees and volunteers with whom they disagree, is not the "Harbor Way" of getting good things done.
Those are Big City, State, National and International political practices. We know how effective they can be. However, they don't belong in HS.
I am bowing out of this conversation now.
I love Harbor Springs.
Al Dika
231-838-9580
al@alandika.com
Thank you for your comments. We appreciate your interest and involvement. From the earliest stewards of this community in the 1880s, to the latest of us fortunate enough to call it home, it’s together we protect the future of Harbor Springs.
The value of editorials as presented in the 02/11/2025 WLHS Substack blast is diminished by the author's choice to remain anonymous. Having read many of the anonymous presentations by WLHS, it is my opinion that the letters are written by paid professional consultants representing only the patrons that pay their consulting fees. Show me I'm wrong (hurt me sometimes, Eric Burdon), sign the many anonymous WLHS presentations. Who are you? Where do you live? Wht propertiy do you own in or near Harbor Springs. I don't believe that you are true members of the Harbor Springs community. Regards, Alan Dika, al.wpind@gmail.com