Mason community keeps Rayner Park clean

Posted on May 9, 2013 by andrearaby1

By Andrea Raby
Mason Times staff writer

In 2010, Rayner Park should have closed. Despite its history, Ingham County no longer had the budget to keep the park going. But thanks to the City of Mason and its citizens, Rayner Park is still a place to play.

Since Ingham County’s announcement in 2010, Mason has worked closely with the Rayner Park Rally Club many other community groups and businesses to save a park that means a lot to the community.

A marker from when Rayner Park was built

“It’s historic in the fact that it’s the very first Ingham County park,” said City Administrator Marty Colburn. “Initially they wanted a fairly sizable sum for us to purchase it from them.”

Colburn said the city negotiated the sum down so that every year for six years, Mason pays one dollar to Ingham County. At the end that period Ingham will turn the park over to Mason for one dollar. Colburn said Ingham County was spending $44,000 a year on the park’s upkeep. Continue reading →

Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue opens farm to public

Posted on May 7, 2013 by daniellewoodward

Volunteers from Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue prepare to cut the ribbon that will signify opening tours of their farm to the public

By Danielle Woodward
Mason Times staff writer

Donkeys brayed and onlookers cheered as the Mason Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting April 20 for Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue, celebrating the start of the facility’s seasonal public tours.

The nonprofit Michigan based organization gave its first public tour that Saturday as part of its mission to inform the public of the need for donkey rescue.

“Businesses and organizations in the Mason area (Mason and Dansville) are invited to be members of the chamber. The farm joined recently to boost its community awareness and networking opportunities,” said Mason Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Doug Klein.

Turning Pointe, which operates out of Dansville, is dedicated to, “the health and welfare of miniature, standard and mammoth donkeys,” according the its website.

“Our goal is to re-home donkeys and to educate potential donkey owners so they have a good idea of what they are getting into,” said Turning Pointe tour director JoAnne Sprayberry.

Continue reading →

Prescription Drug Task Force working to keep Mason safe

Posted on May 7, 2013 by henrikblix

Prescription drugs confiscated by the Mason P.D. Photo credit, Mason P.D.

by Henrik Blix
Mason Times staff writer

MASON—Prevention and education. Those are the methods Mason leaders are using to address prescription drug abuse.

Police Chief John Stressman said the police department’s job is more about prevention than enforcement.

“We’re trying to get ahead of the game,” Stressman said. “We’re proactive and aggressive about preventing problems before they get started.”

According to the police department’s annual report, drug offenses accounted for 16 of 221, just over 7 percent, of total arrests in 2012.

Some of the drugs obtained by the Mason P.D. through the take back program. Photo credit, Mason P.D.

Mason’s police department is one of the first to participate in Ingham County’s year-round pharmaceutical take-back program, said Sandy Stacy, the department’s evidence manager. She said the program helps collect unused and expired prescriptions, which keeps them out of medicine cabinets and off the streets. Mason residents can deposit their unused prescription drugs in a marked container inside city hall.

Stressman said there was some proliferation of possession and use of those drugs by school-age youth, which led to the foundation of the Capital Area Prescription Drug Task Force in 2011.

Stressman said the task force involves the police department, the Mason Public Schools, the 55th District Court, Families Against Narcotics and several others.

The police department’s annual report said the task force recently became involved with Families Against Narcotics, a group in southeast Michigan that helps addicts and their families. Continue reading →

Mason Kiwanis Club holds rummage and bake sale

Posted on May 5, 2013 by katvellalingl

By Katarina Vella Lingl
Mason Times staff writer

On Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13, the Kiwanis Club of Mason held a rummage and bake sale.

Kiwanis is an international non-profit organization with more than 7,000 clubs worldwide, and works to help families.

Club member Elaine Ferris said, “This is specifically to raise money for the scholarship at Mason High School. We encouraged people to clean out their stuff early and bring it out and we just have everything in the world.”

The rummage and bake sale was held at 219 Kiwanis Dr. in Mason, MI.

Surface water being monitored for E. Coli

Posted on April 24, 2013 by nubiastorm

By Nubia Buckingham
Mason Times staff writer

The County Health Department and the United States Geological Survey are seeking money to test Sycamore Creek for E. coli contamination.

City Administrator Martin Colburn presented the surface water monitoring information at the April 1 City Council meeting.

According to the administrator report Sycamore Creek is considered impaired body of water and is contaminated.

Sycamore Creek is in south central Ingham County, which includes Holt, Mason, and
part of Lansing.

The drainage area is 67,740 acres.

If the health department is awarded the grant, then testing will happen in 2014. “They’re working together to do a series of testing,” said Colburn. Continue reading →

Nancy Kelly awarded Quality Service Certified Platinum status

Posted on April 24, 2013 by daniellewoodward

Nancy Kelly, real estate agent for Tomie Raines Inc, can now say she is the only Realtor in Mason to be awarded Quality Service Certified Platinum status in recognition of “exceptional service satisfaction.”

Kelly is one of 36 at her company to earn a QSC award and according to Matt Wimpress, customer service Manager for QSC, this puts her in the top two percent of real estate agents in North America.

Continue reading →

Kosovo citizens explore American business ventures

Posted on April 22, 2013 by codyharrel

Vitina’s Jakup Jahiri (second from left), Mayor Nexhmedin Arifi (third from left), Dëfrim Perja (center), and City Administrator Marty Colburn (far right) enjoy a get together at a local Mason home. -photo by Ingrid Nova

By Cody Harrell
Mason Times staff writer

MASON—An April visit by Kosovo citizens developed new links with businesses around Michigan.

During the weeklong visit, Mason Mayor Leon Clark took the citizens to numerous cities in Michigan to demonstrate the role of business, government, agriculture and education in community life. These included the Ingham County and Lansing courthouses, the Michigan Capitol, farms, Michigan State University and several businesses in the greater Lansing area.

The trip’s purpose, according to Clark, was to provide Kosovans with contacts and business opportunities while giving tours of Mason and surrounding areas. Clark facilitated business by introducing the Kosovoans to Thielenhaus Microfinish, a Novi-based company that does business in numerous European countries.
Continue reading →

Mason officials unveil memorial tree program

Posted on April 20, 2013 by henrikblix

Rayner Park, one of the potential sites for legacy trees to be planted

By Henrik Blix
Mason Times staff writer

MASON—City officials are planning a program that will allow residents to donate legacy trees to the city as part of the 150th anniversary celebration.

City administrator Martin Colburn said the idea is a joint venture between the tree commission and the sesquicentennial anniversary committee.

Elaine Ferris, a member of the city council and the tree commission said the idea will allow residents to tie family history into the streets as well as beautifying Mason.

Colburn said the city plans to register every tree by donor, the type of tree and whom it honors. The trees will also be logged by GPS so future generations will be able to look up their locations.

“Essentially, the idea is that it’s a family tree in the truest sense of the word.” —Elaine Ferris

City council member and chairperson of the sesquicentennial anniversary committee Marlon Brown said Mason is proud of being a tree city. He said memorial trees give people a way to commemorate the sesquicentennial while also displaying the city’s pride in its tree population.

“One of the things people really like about Mason is the natural beauty and the character,” Brown said. “It just seemed like a natural fit.” Continue reading →

Bad Brewing expands beyond craft beer

Posted on April 17, 2013 by andrearaby1

Bad Brewing owner Brian Rasdale poses with his current brewing system

By Andrea Raby
Mason Times staff writer

They have been open for only seven months, but now Bad Brewing Company is expanding beyond craft beers into ciders and live entertainment.

At the city council meeting on March 18, Brian Rasdale from Bad Brewing was approved for a new small wine maker license and entertainment permit. These permits would give him leave to make and sell alcoholic cider and have small concerts at the microbrewery.

“The big thing is, we don’t serve liquor or wine,” Rasdale said. “We feel that if we can have a cider on tap or available we might bring in a clientele that we are not currently bringing in.”

Rasdale said he does not have any interest in making wine, but to make a cider legally, Bad Brewing must have a winemaker’s license. Rasdale said he decided on cider because it is a mid-ground between beer, hard alcohol and wine. Continue reading →

Institute publishes school superintendents’ salaries

Posted on April 10, 2013 by codyharrel

By Cody Harrell
Mason Times staff writer

MASON—A report on school superintendent compensation in Michigan shows a range of $300,000.

The collection was published in late February 2013 by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Media Relations Manager Ted O’Neil said that the purpose of the database was to provide transparency for taxpayers who were concerned with the distribution of funds by school boards and superintendents.

Michigan, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Budget and Salary/Compensation Transparency Reporting

This graphic can be found on all high school websites and links to all public official salaries.

O’Neil said that superintendent compensation is determined can be affected by a number of factors that are worked out between the superintendent and school board members. Although compensation is not required outside of salary and pension, many districts offer annuity, health benefits, insurance, travel and other expenses.

The database breaks up the package into seven categories: salary, pension, travel, insurance, annuity, other and total. According to O’Neil and Mason Superintendent Mark Dillingham, “other” covers compensation not accounted in the first five categories. This could include costs for moving the family, vehicle allowances, expense accounts, bills, etc.
Continue reading →