Getting To Know You: Trustee Mark Keyser

We’re back with our next installment of Getting To Know You, a series where we introduce a new Village Council member each week in hopes that residents can find some common ground with these folks and hopefully spark some interest in participation in the local government process and/or volunteering and getting more involved with the Lawrence community.

This week’s focus is on Mr. Mark Keyser.  Mark is in his fourth year of service to the Lawrence Village Council, has served one term on the Village of Lawrence Planning Commission and one term as a member of the Hartford City Council.  What a wealth of experience!

Mark attended Bangor John Glenn High School in Bay City, Michigan and is a graduate of the University of Michigan.  Outside of his participating in Village Government, Mark is the General Manager at Quality Assured Plastics, located in the Lawrence-Crandall Business Center.

Mark is the proud father of a son and two daughters who live and work nearby, and an even prouder grandfather of two lovely grandchildren. In his spare time, Mark enjoys boating, motorcycles, computers, and according to Mark himself “fixing things”.  He is also passionate about  software development.

In his lengthy public service career with the Village, Mark’s most rewarding moments has been having residents come to and participate in some of the Village meetings.  In his own words, “Understanding the workings of local government is not common knowledge.  Small town politics can have a real stigma associated with it.  Being involved and informed with the future of where you live is important.  It quells the rumors and helps get good things accomplished.”  We couldn’t agree more, Mark!

When asked to describe one change he would like to see happen in the Village in the next two years, Mark answered “Albeit the downtown area for new businesses is a topical issue, parking will have to be addressed.  The tax base needs to be shifted from the residents to businesses and quickest route to that is the Business Centre.  There are some tremendous opportunities out there and when the economic situation improves, I hope to see more development.”

Finally, we leave you with one of Mark’s favorite quotes by Albert Einstein: “Doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results is truly the definition of insanity.”

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Mark Keyser a bit better, be sure to stay tuned for our next installment when spotlight Village Clerk and Trustee Lucinda Nower!

Lawrence Village Council Trustee, Mark Keyser

A Sign of the Times

If you’ve entered Lawrence from the north lately on N. Paw Paw, chances are, you didn’t notice the old, dilapidated waste water treatment lagoons sign on the east side of the road.  The sign indicates the entrance to the lagoons that contain the waste water collection from the Village’s sewer system.

During the spring of 2011, the Lawrence Community Development Committee sponsored a contest for Lawrence Public Schools students to design a new sign. Design elements from Krystal Healy, Lupita Robles, Parker Hansen, Daine Keys and Deb Parsell drawings will be melded into the final design for the sign. Project organizers Jeff Heaton and Anne Arthur of the Lawrence Community Development Design Team will install the sign once it is painted.

The Lawrence Community Development Design Team would like to thank all the students who participated in the Waste Water Treatment Facility Sign Contest:

Krystal Healy
Lupita Robles
Parker Hansen
Daine Keys
Deb Parsell
Lizz Curtis
Ted Petersen
Trisha Gendren
Searra Deloach
Cecilia Nunez
Andrew Craig II

All participants received certificated lauding their efforts. Special thanks to art teacher Pam Myatt for encouraging students to join in the fun.

Here’s a sneak peek at the final product in the works…Check back for pictures of the final product!

Ox Roast is Finally Here!

That’s right, it’s Labor Day weekend and you know what that means…Four days of family fun for all in downtown Lawrence.  Join us as we celebrate another Ox Roast Festival & Homecoming Weekend.  Click here for a schedule of the weekend’s events.  We can’t wait to see YOU there!

 

Getting To Know You: Linda Wayman, Village Trustee

Well folks, it’s finally here! As we mentioned in our previous post, we will be shining the spot light on each individual Village Council member in the next few weeks in hopes that Lawrence residents will discover  common ground with these folks and take interest in participating in the local government process or volunteering for community events.

First up, Village Trustee, Linda Wayman.  Linda is currently serving her third year on the Village Council, and has a background of service to the public as a retired school bus driver.  Linda is one of the Lawrence High School’s very own former graduates whose passion for the Village led her to stick around, raise a family, and retire here.  Linda is a proud mom to three and even prouder grandma to eight grand kids.  In her spare time, Linda loves gardening and flowers, and has a beautiful garden to prove it.  She also loves to quilt and read.

When asked what one thing she would like to see happen in Lawrence in the next few years, she answered that she would love to see more businesses open in the Village, particularly downtown.

In her owns words, “I’ve enjoyed working with the Council and learning how the Village government process works.  I have lived here all my life and I look forward to helping the Village continue to grow.”

Linda Wayman, Lawrence Village Trustee

So there you have it!  Linda can be reached at vofl@i2k.com if you’d like to chat or have questions.  Be sure to tune in next month for our next Getting To Know You installment!

Ox Roast 2011…On Its Way!

The last few weeks of August in Lawrence can be bittersweet for some. As the highest leaves on the earliest-turning trees begin to take on a golden yellow shade, thoughts of the fast approaching school year and fall season are on everyone’s mind.

Although leaving summer behind means saying goodbye to long, warm afternoons in the park and lazy days in the shade, they also mean ushering in the excitement of Lawrence’s annual Ox Roast and Homecoming Festival.  The Village long-running event is held each year in the Village park beginning the Friday of Labor Day weekend and continuing throughout the holiday weekend, capping off Monday, Labor Day, with a parade through downtown Lawrence.

As the festival draws nearer, we will try our best to bring you updates to the schedule as they occur.  You can find an up-to-date version here.

The festival offers entertainment for all ages; highlights include a carnival and games for kids, a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, craft and food vendors in the park, live music, a teen dance, Farmers’ Market all weekend in the park, a 5k and 15k Run/Walk, free “Ox” sandwiches on Monday and of course the parade on Monday.  Ox Roast 2011…See you there!

Lots of Live Music Scheduled for Ox Roast 2011!

Getting To Know You…The Lawrence Village Council

One of the great advantages to living in a small, hometown community like Lawrence is the “knowing your neighbor” aspect.  Many of us were raised here, attended school here and have now chosen to raise our families here.  If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting them, we would love to introduce you to your Village Council.

It’s our hope that you’ll want to get to know not only your neighbors, but your local elected officials; particularly those that currently sit on the Village Council.  Village Council members make important decisions each month that will in turn our impact daily lives here as residents.  We want to foster a positive, healthy, and open line of communication between our residents and our Council.

In the next few months, we will put each individual Council member in the “spotlight” by sharing a bit of their background and current interests, as well as a photo.  We hope to leave residents feeling more connected and interested in their local government.  If there’s anything specific you’d like to know about each Council member, give us a shout here in the comments or at vofl@i2k.com.  Get a quick preview of our current Council members at http://lawrencemi.org/members.htm.

Village Council meetings are held each second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Village Hall (157 N. Paw Paw Street).  All are welcome and encouraged to attend.  A public comment period is held at each meeting, giving residents a chance to speak directly to the Council.

Council members are also always available by appointment.  Contact the Village Hall if you’d like to speak to a Council member, or just learn more about Village Government and how it affects you.  We are happy to serve you and look forward to meeting you!

Revised Summer Hours!

The Village Council voted Tuesday, July, 12 to adopt revised summer hours through September 2nd. The Village Hall will operate on the following schedule:

Monday – Thursday
9am-12pm and 1pm-6pm

Friday
9am-12pm

We look forward to being able to serve residents after 5:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday.

If you are experiencing a water or sewer emergency outside of normal Village business hours, please contact the Department of Public Works at 269-312-4040.