Former Marcellus DDA members, Erica Watts, at podium, and Seth Carlson, left, welcome a packed house at Patch & Remington to a nonpolitical Community-led Listening Session, Thursday, June 12. – News Photo
As I See It
Kay Schten McAdam, Editor
Taxpayer, Village of Marcellus
Like the mythical golden bird, a quasi-Downtown Development Authority has risen to lead the community of Marcellus.
And, boy, did that phoenix sink a massive, game winning three-pointer over 177 E. Main, Thursday, June 12.
For those not following the ongoing saga of the trials, tribulations, frustrations and chronic bouts of malaise that seem to hinder Marcellus’s rise from myriad levels of miasma to a place where a hungry, thirsty soul could just get a burger and a beer, let’s clarify the basketball metaphor.
In the December 12, 2024, edition of The News, the headline read “As I See It: DDA checkmates Village Council.” The article was written in response to the mass resignation of five key members, Seth Carlson, Brad Smith, Erica Watts, Nicki Hostetler, and Nicki Hackenberg, who continue to be some of Marcellus’ best and brightest professionals. In that article, your editor stated, “I truly understand the DDA members wanting to feel supported, valued and included. All each of us had hoped to do was assist in the economic development, revitalization and growth of our community. At least we tried. . . and, believe me, we are not giving up.”
One would think a Chess-like checkmate of five resignations from an eight-person board would prompt some discussion, maybe a mea culpa or at least some personal and professional introspection by the Village’s governing body, but it appears it was a collective Alfred E. Neuman response of What, me worry? And as of this writing and according to the Village’s website, there are still two vacant seats on the that eight-person board.
So, if a checkmate didn’t turn the proverbial tide, how about a massive three-pointer coming in from the stratosphere to hit nothing but net?
Swish.
Former DDA Chair Seth Carlson and former DDA member Erica Watts helped lead an inaugural, nonpolitical Community Listening Session at Patch & Remington, 115 E. Main, Thursday, June 12. More than forty people showed up to listen, to share, to collaborate.
“Tonight is not about politics – not about blame – it’s not about diagnosing things and why they are the way that they are” Seth Carlson said in his opening remarks.” This is a listening session and we’ll start with Rural Realities. What is real and what we’re experiencing, what we’re seeing, what’s happening right here in our community of Marcellus.
“We don’t need to explain why something is happening, that’s not what tonight’s about. We just need to see it, hear it and hold some space for it. We build stronger communities by building stronger networks. The foundation of those strong networks is first, awareness. Awareness of who’s in the community, what they bring to the community, and that also involves some tough conversations about those realities and maybe some opportunities that we have.”
Carlson, Strategic Engagement Analyst, Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity, laid out the ground rules for the session by saying there is “no need to fix tonight, no need to debate. We want you to speak from your experience. We want conversations. Listen with openness, respect, and civility. And one voice at a time.”
The three areas of thought the participants were given to explore were 1) Rural Realities, 2) Asset Mapping and 3) What does a thriving Marcellus look like?
After jotting down thoughts on post-it notes and affixing them to a communal board, participants were invited to speak from the podium about their thoughts, insights, and vision.
Activity #1: Rural Realities – What is the community’s reality in 2025?
Richard Olsen was one of the most eloquent speakers of the evening. He mused that being past the age of 90, he was “probably one of the senior members of this community” and has “held about every elected office in the Village and one in the township. I’ve been everything except Chief of Police, the assessor, and the Village Clerk. Otherwise, I’ve had every office they’ve ever had.”
Olsen mentioned a common theme throughout the evening “that people very rarely volunteer.”
“I belonged to the Marcellus Fire Department for 26 years. I’ve served on the Village Council for 26 years. I was a volunteer police officer for ten years and these were non-paying positions at that time.”
Olsen addressed divisiveness, which was another recurring topic.
“People need to get together so they can feel they can come together and work together to accomplish something. The animosity that from time to time has cropped up here has not been productive. In fact, it has the tendency to be divisive rather than constructive. The less of that we can have, the better chance we have. I’m not going to be here that much longer. It’s for somebody who’s got a little more time than me. But, if there’s anything I can do, I’d be more than happy to help. I’m past the age of 90 now and I thought I might be able to say something that would be constructive.”
Activity #2 – Asset Mapping – Who shows up? What/who are our strengths?
It came as no surprise that participants easily listed Marcellus’s assets both the two-legged kind and inanimate from Greg Grames, “tries to help and problem solve,” and Township Supervisor Ed Koshar, “Twp supervisor is a decent guy. Unfortunately, our Village officials have a long-standing gripe with him. He wants to help,” to churches, school, radio station, fire department, Terrill’s Market, and clean bathrooms and good service at Johnny’s.”
One asset, the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library, received effusive praise from many corners beginning with remarks from former DDA member Brad Smith.
“I’m a bit of a book nerd, so I’m going to call out the library. The quality of programming and what they do for the small community is incredible stuff. So, a huge shout out to the library.”
Current Village Council Trustee and former School Board Trustee Sarah Engstrom reminded the attendees that Marcellus still has an active chapter of Lions Club International.
“We have ten members, the oldest being Jimmy Shannon and he doesn’t want the ‘kitty cat’ club to go away. The reason we try to keep the club going is to do things. We’re small, we try to be mighty. We try to do things for the community, but it is hard. We have resources; we need people to find what their niche is. Even if it is the same five people, let’s get things done.”
I do want to draw Ms. Engstrom’s attention to another asset to the community, which could be helpful to the Lions Club. Engstrom mentioned that “people don’t know that the Lions Club still exists in Marcellus,” because their “Facebook page got reported for being an imposter.”
Never hurts to give the local newspaper a try. Even in these days of declining newspapers and news readership, The Marcellus News does what no other news outlet does or is willing to do. It is the only newspaper in the world that cares about Marcellus.
Mikki Spagnoli, Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District Director of CTE and Post Secondary Options, stated the obvious during her turn at the podium, “the youth in this town is your biggest asset.”
“Engaging them and finding ways to get them to those volunteer opportunities [such as at the Food Pantry] helps them develop professional skills, career skills and technical skills. But we might need to have a way to get them there to volunteer. Some kids don’t get driver’s licenses anymore. They’re so expensive – insurance is expensive. But creating an avenue to get them into town is a way to get them to volunteer. I believe that your youth in this town is your asset to look at and have conversations with. Reach out to [Marcellus CTE teachers] Abby (Asmus) and Paul (Lubieniecki) and NHS and band and get them, too. They want the kids to have those opportunities.”
Last and certainly not least is Activity #3 – What Does a Thriving Marcellus Look Like?
Village Council member, Planning Commission member, active volunteer, stained glass maker, and all-around good guy George Markle succinctly summed up the evening with the answer.
“What does a thriving Marcellus look like? Look around the room. This. People actually looking to get together, wanting to step up and work together and trying to get to the core of what needs to be done.”
Bravo. . .
As I See It, the above is a cursory report of what was a very detailed, data-collecting evening. According to Carlson, a compilation of the data will soon be published and made available to the public.
The event, the organization, the facilitation, the purpose, the planning, all exemplified one thing: this is what leadership looks like.
Without effective leadership, the Good Ship Marcellus is going to continue to struggle against the tide, over the rocks, and against the wind. Go to almost any Village Council meeting and you will observe frustration from local business owners and residents voicing their concerns about lack of transparency, lack of communication, lack of sympathy, lack of action, lack of effectiveness, lack of accountability, lack of professionalism, etc., etc., etc.
Did 177 E. Main get the message this time?
Leadership is the key. A level of leadership that apparently is not fully embraced, appreciated and nurtured by the local governing body.
Times – they need to be a changin’, if not after a nothing-but-net three-pointer of a community listening session, then perhaps, it’s time for the slam dunk.
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