Spotlight 03-17-15, Vol. 77, No. 11

Posted by Richard Perlberg 
on Mar 23, 2015
 
PROGRAM
Bob Murray introduced Carol Griffith who is chairperson of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners and recently finished a term as president of the Michigan Association of Realtors.
 
Brighton Rotary Spotlight
Peggi Mintz, President
March 17, 2018, Vol. 77, No. 11
 
GUESTS: Reggie Osborne wk1; Heather Clary; Cristina Van Patten.
 
MEET & GREET, LUNCH & LEARN: Tom Zizka and Mary Beth Regnier shared what they learned about each other. Tom is a Howell native, one of six children (3 boys, 3 girls) whose father owned a hardware store where he worked. A deer hunter, Tom can repair any kind of small engine. Fascinated with a lab he saw, Tom became an optician and was one of fewer than 400 optician masters in USA. He opened store in Brighton in 1974 and retired five years ago. Married to Beth for 39 years until her passing. Married fellow Rotarian Sharon Kartes. He’s master chef and has a lab puppy. Mary Beth was recruited to participate in a beauty contest and won the Miss Grand Rapids title, which resulted in her riding in a parade with future President Gerald Ford. It also started a modeling career; she was featured in the first-ever Meijer color advertising. She worked for the ABC affiliate in Grand Rapids and continued her career in script-writing and production. She met husband Joe in 1975, moved to Brighton and had two sons (i.e., the Regnier brothers). In 1999 she was diagnosed with MS. She also specializes in doll shows.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
  • Lots of Dash or Crash activity. Full page donated ad in SELCRA publication. Friday morning presentation to Sunrise Rotary. There are 5,300 news feeds on Facebook (don’t forget to like or share). Dash or Crash has paid back the $2,000 start-up loan from the general fund.
  • Beth Walker has tickets for April 18 U-M Men’s Glee Club concert.
  • Frank Mancuso reminds us about May 2 walk at Ford Field to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research.
 
PROGRAM
                Bob Murray  introduced Carol Griffith who is chairperson of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners and recently finished a term as president of the Michigan Association of Realtors.
 
                Carol had good news of economic development in Livingston County, such as in the housing industry where both home prices and the rate of pricing growth are outpacing state averages. Foreclosures are down 45 percent and 80 percent lower than 2010 levels, which was the worst year of the recession. Delinquent tax parcels are also on the decline. Average sale price of a Livingston County home is $219,000. Building permits in 2014 topped 2006 levels, which was the highest in county history.
 
                County remains strong with a best-possible AAA bond rating and the lowest property tax rate in the state. She is one of 9 county commissioners, each elected for 2 years to represent a geographic portion of the county. The county has 40 departments and 623 employees.
 
                County has maintained services during challenging economic times and has successfully curtained legacy costs that plague some governments. The county is expanding its jail without raising taxes. Big challenge: 25 percent of county staff will reach retirement age in next three years.
 
50-50
Dennis Whitney, Peggi and Kathy all failed to find the elusive Ace of Spades.