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ISLAND CURRENTS
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Beaver Island Association Newsletter - Summer 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE
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President’s Corner - Dark Sky News - Housing Taskforce Update - Broadband Scoop - Blight Remediation Progress - Trails Update - BICS Update - Smart Energy -
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President's Corner
by Greg Larson, BIA President
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The BIA is pleased to offer this summer newsletter to update members and the greater Beaver Island community on our current initiatives. We continue to represent the combined interests of our membership on issues that affect the fundamental character and beauty of Beaver Island.
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There are two initiatives central to providing economic opportunity for Island residents and to sustaining a vibrant Island population:
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The BIA has worked over the past several years to facilitate high-speed internet service for the Island and is on the cusp of developing a plan to replace the Island’s antiquated telecommunications infrastructure with a municipality-owned fiber-optic network. The BIA Housing Taskforce was formed a couple of years ago to address the shortage of workforce housing on the Island. A 12-residence workforce housing project will become available for Islanders this coming Fall and studies are being completed to develop other housing projects on the Island, including on a 15-acre parcel donated by the Craig Adolph family for that purpose. With access to high-speed internet and affordable places for the Island workforce to live, Island businesses can better serve our community—and both permanent and seasonal residents will have the opportunity to develop online enterprises/work remotely. Our newsletter includes updates on both of these critical initiatives.
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Another BIA initiative established Beaver Island as a Dark Sky Sanctuary this past year, which will help bring promote eco-tourism and nurture the preservation of one very special Island resource: the night sky. The BIA has also been supporting recent studies on how to make the Island more resilient through sustainable energy development. Our efforts to protect and preserve the beauty of the Island continue as well with our Blight Management Initiative and supporting work on trails management. There's more on this work below. We'll cover additional topics, including Invasives management, at our upcoming annual meeting.
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As you can see, we have a lot on our collective plate. It’s important to recognize that none of these initiatives would be possible without the leadership and collaboration of local government, the tribes, environmental organizations, the school, and the many Islanders who volunteer their time and expertise—and of course your generous financial support.
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The BIA Board thanks you!
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That's it from my corner for this issue of Island Currents. Please read on for details on our work. As you do, please consider how you might add to our efforts. If you'd like to get involved in any of our projects or would like to suggest something else that needs BIA attention, please reach out to me or any Board member by email. (You'll find handy links to do that at the end of this newsletter). You can learn more about our work at our annual meeting on August 12th.
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We look forward to your ideas, support, and contribution to the BIA.
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Dark Sky News
by William Markey, BIA Board member
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For the summer of 2025 Dark Sky Beaver Island is hoping to have many clear nights for telescope viewing and camera opportunities, and planning for Dark Sky presentations are ongoing. As I write this, we are enjoying the Perseid Meteor Shower and looking forward to a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus. (You can find more information about these events and many other viewing opportunities by checking out our dark sky events calendar at darkskybeaverisland.org. Just head to the site and scroll down to find it.)
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The Island's Dark Sky Week is coming up late this month starting on the 23rd and extending through Labor Day. There will be dark sky viewing opportunities (watch the Project and BIA Facebook feeds as well as the BIA website for announcements on when and where). Our guest expert for the week will be Robert Parrish who assisted with our Sanctuary Application and helped create the Dr. T.K. Lawless Dark Sky Park in Cass County. He plans a presentation on dark skies at the BIC Center (date and time to be announced) and will be part of dark sky viewing opportunities during Dark Sky week.
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The Project is working on plans for a Fall Solstice event to celebrate the end of the summer season on the Island. Look for details on that to be announced on the BIA websites and the Facebook feeds. With support from members, this can become an annual event to both have some fun and help preserve the Island's Dark Skies. The Project worked on that preservation goal at the start of the season by participating in the annual Beaver Island Sustainability Fair with a presentation at CMU and an information table at BIC Center. The Project hosted members of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, a group formed to help those interested in viewing the Northern Lights and enjoying that state's dark skies.
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The Dark Sky Viewing Site Map and Guide is available at the BIC Center. The Project is working on signage for the Island's most popular viewing sites to assist dark sky viewers. We are also working on a project with bIrobot, the Island's robotics team, to develop an AI assisted camera system to detect and notify about Aurora events as they occur.
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In addition to checking out the dark sky events listed in our online calendar at darkskybeaverisland.org, you can keep up to date on dark sky news and events by tuning in to WVBI to hear the Story Teller's Night Sky with Mary Stewart Adams (Wednesdays at 3:30, 7:30 in the morning and at 5:30 in the evenings). She relates current astronomical events with lore and legends from the past in a show produced just for the Island. With support from the BIA, WVBI also carries Stardate from the McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin. Listen for that every day at at 3:30, 7:30 and 11:30 in the morning, 3:30 in the afternoon and 7:30 in the evenings.
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You can help support our efforts and the Island's dark skies by purchasing Dark Sky Logo Gear. We expect to have stickers and magnets available at the BIC Center and Whiskey Point Brewing Company as well as on the BIC Center's online Island Store soon with additional products to follow. Visit store.biccenter.org.
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We wish you clear, dark skies for stargazing and Aurora chasing on the Island and beyond.
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Housing Taskforce Update
by Greg Larson, BIA President
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The BIA Housing Taskforce was formed a couple of years ago to address the shortage of workforce housing on the Island. Initially, the Housing Taskforce engaged several island housing stakeholders: Township, County & State officials, Tribal leaders, and Regional Housing Non-Profit Developers for input on island housing needs and opportunities to meet those needs.
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The Housing Taskforce contracted the Island’s first ever Housing Market Analysis—completed in September of 2023. And then followed up with its own Housing Survey completed early this year. The results of both clearly indicated Island community need for affordable housing: for seasonal and permanent workforce families, Island Seniors, Veterans, and Tribal members.
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Beaver Island is the most remote inhabited island on the Great Lakes, presenting many challenges to develop housing that is affordable to residents with limited economic opportunities. One private developer is meeting those challenges.
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The Ebersoldt family is developing a 12-residence workforce housing project on a property off Karnes Drive that will become available for Islanders this fall. In mid-summer a website will be provided for the community and potential renters given the opportunity to learn more about the project, its rental requirements, and timing for completion.
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This project strives to provide a reasonably affordable housing option for permanent residents while prioritizing housing for full-time members of the Island workforce.
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The BIA Housing Taskforce has been completing studies and preliminary planning to develop blended housing (types) for a 15-acre parcel generously donated by the Craig Adolph family. The occupancy of the Ebersoldt residences this fall will inform the scope of the first phase of development of the Adolph property. The Taskforce is exploring options with local builders, regional developers, non-profits; analyzing the economics of both modular and panelized construction methods; and is looking for funding sources to help subsidize the project—again striving to provide housing affordable to Islanders.
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The Housing Taskforce plans to share planning progress and solicit more input from the Island Community at town hall meetings in the near future.
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Broadband Scoop
by Dick Mulvihill, BIA Board member & Kevin Boyle, BIA Board member & JTAC Chair
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Your BIA Broadband Committee has worked to improve broadband service on the Island for more than ten years and, for the past several years we’ve been saying WTF? Where’s the fiber!? Well, finally, it’s here. The conduit for it is going in the ground as we write with the fiber to be installed next. That work combined with microwave links to the LP and UP is expected provide 100 Mbps up and down service to key Island locations by the end of the summer or early fall. With the commissioning of PFN’s under lake fiber links to the UP and LP (expected in 2027), those speeds will jump by ten-fold or more. And, with voter support next year, that level of service will become available at all current island DSL service locations…and at an all-in monthly cost for typical users expected to be similar or less than that for current TDS or Starlink service.
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That’s the short version. Here are the details:
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Going live in 2025
The current project grew out of an application for E-rate funding to improve service at the school by replacing two on-island microwave links with fiber while adding the library as another E-rate service location. Because the under lake connection will need fiber along the same path, Merit Networks (Merit) decided it made sense to put additional conduit in to connect the Peninsula Fiber Network (PFN) landing points on the Island (that will be on the north shore next to the St. James Campground and on the east side by the CMU Biological Station) while the equipment was on the Island. Because the CMU campus was on the route, it also made sense to extend the conduit out to the CMU Boathouse at Whiskey Point via the Back Highway. After the conduit is installed, fiber will be pulled through it to provide service to BICS, the library, the Health Center, the St. James Governmental Center, Peaine Township Hall, CMU and the CMU boathouse. The boathouse tower will then be used to provide service by microwave link to the BIC Center, the marinas and the museums.
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Internet service for all of these locations will be “backhauled” to the mainland using the expanded microwave link CMU has to the LP and, if things go to plan, another microwave link to the UP that is being funded by the BIC Center, BICS, library, townships and Historical Society. The UP end of that link was installed in June. The Island side will be installed by the end of summer. Together they are designed to provide more than a gigabit of bandwidth each way for the system. They’ll be the primary backhaul until the under-lake fiber goes live in 2027. After that, they can serve as backup.
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This current work (for what we have called the Pools of Service project) is not designed by itself to provide service to other Island locations. As you might gather from the name, it is intended to provide “pools” of better service at key Island locations where everyone in the community can benefit from it. There is not enough backhaul to the mainland or funding from those involved to support service to other locations. But, the conduit being installed this summer can become part of an Island-wide network (more on that below).
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Under the lake
PFN’s federally funded Middle Mile Grant will bring redundancy to Michigan’s fiber network by constructing underwater and underground fiber cable from Gulliver in the UP to Charlevoix. Preliminary work on the route began last summer and will continue this summer. Construction is expected to begin next summer with a completion date in 2027. The fiber for this will traverse the Island in its own conduit. It will not provide on-Island service. It is a backbone network—not a last-mile solution—so it won’t directly connect island homes and businesses. But it can be used to provide service to the Pools of Service participants and, IF the Island community decides to build one, an Island-wide system providing fiber service to homes and businesses.
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Island-wide fiber service
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As we have previously reported, while we had hoped to secure at least some federal grant funding through the BEAD program to help fund an Island-wide project, the participation of TDS in another federal grant program precludes access to those funds. While TDS has told state and federal officials that it plans to build a fiber network on the Island, no local, state or federal government entity can require that result. Unfortunately, TDS’s participation in the program also precludes Island access to other federally funded grant and loan programs for broadband infrastructure. We have previously reached out to GLE and other providers about bringing fiber service to the Island. Unfortunately, none have been willing to pursue a project where they would own and manage the system.
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So, if the Island community wants to assure itself that it will have the benefit of broadband service that is competitive with that available to our near-shore mainland neighbors (where fiber to the home is now available at many locations), the only sure solution is a community-built system. That’s the bad news.
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But here is the good news: Our work to this point shows that the community can fund construction of an Island fiber network and operate it all at a cost that is project to cost a property owner with a tax valuation of $250,000 less for service than the fees now charged by TDS or Starlink. That’s possible because a community owned system does not need to provide a return on investment in excess of that needed to pay down the revenue bonds issued by the community to finance its construction. Additional good news is that the BIA has a $43,000 Rural Readiness Grant from the state not to build a system, but to develop detailed plans for and do market research for an Island fiber system.
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A detailed presentation on the economics of an Island-owned system is available on the BIA website, but here is a condensed version. The project cost of a system that would run underground fiber top all locations now connected to terrestrial DSL service is $9.3 million. This cost is based on a boots on the ground preliminary plan developed by Advanced Communications & Data, Inc. (ACD), an experienced communications provider that has built and now operates numerous fiber systems in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. (A map showing ACD’s current operations is here.) An ACD team will be on the Island later this summer to confirm that projection as they develop a detailed construction plan.
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The $9.3 million estimated construction cost would be covered by a millage proposal to raise about $3.3 million with the balance raised through community issued revenue bonds that would be paid back using proceeds from operating the system. A joint townships committee would manage the operation of the system and be responsible to hire a provider, such as ACD to construct the system and a provide, again such as ACD, to operate the system. As the owner of the system, the community would be in a position to hire an alternate operator if the current operator did not provide adequate service.
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What fiber means for Island resilience
First and foremost, a community owned system puts our digital future in the hands of our community, not in the hands of a profit driven corporation in a distant state. Fiber systems cost less to maintain than other broadband options. They are also less expensive to upgrade to higher speeds. And, when the community decides that increased speeds are necessary, the community can make and implement that decision rather than wait for a decision by far off executives who will act only if they can make a profit.
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In addition, an underground fiber system, which is the plan, is much less likely to experience outages caused by storms, trees falling, atmospheric interference or other problems that can impair aerial and satellite services. It may also be possible to put more of the Island’s electrical service lines in the ground in connection with construction of an Island-wide fiber system. That’s because the cost of getting construction equipment in place as well as certain other expenses could be split among the projects and because of funding that may become available to avoid outages (and recovery expenses) like those experienced after this spring’s ice storm. We’ve been in touch with GLE about this possibility and are working to see if it may be an added benefit.
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What can you do?
It bears repeating that the fiber you see going into the ground will not, by itself, provide improved broadband service to most of the Island. That improvement will require broad-based support from the community. You can help build that support by talking about the benefits the Island can enjoy from improved broadband services. Among these are the ability to compete with mainland communities for residents and visitors who require good broadband service, access to advanced tele-medicine systems to reduce the need to travel to the mainland, improved education opportunities at our school and library as well as for students and adults taking classes and completing course work at home, and the ability to attract or create internet dependent businesses that could take advantage of the island’s labor pool or isolated location.
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We expect to ask community members to complete surveys about your interest in improved broadband service, your willingness to subscribe to service and whether you would support a millage proposal. Please take the time to respond to these surveys to indicate your support.
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The community will need Island-based (or interested) volunteers to help with the nitty-gritty details of designing a system and working with a provider to build and operate it. Financial planning, engineering, project management, legal and related skills will all be needed. You can help now by bringing those skills to the BIA Broadband Committee that Dick heads and participating in meetings of the Townships’ Joint Telecommunications Advisory Committee that Kevin leads.
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Finally, we invite you to have some fun by displaying a Where’s The Fiber sticker on your phone, tablet and/or laptop. They are available at the BIC Center and Brewery and, we hope soon, online through the BIC Center store. Stick one on your device and then be ready to explain what it’s is all about when some sees it and asks “WTF”?
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Editor’s Note: “WTF” is (i) a marginal notation used to indicate that the reviewer of a document needs additional information or (ii) short for "where's the fiber." Resemblance to other phrases is coincidental.
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Photos of installation work and supplies in a Field of Fiber Dreams
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Driving Toward a Greener Future:
The Sustainability Power of Responsible Vehicle Recycling
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by Craig Peirano, BIA Board member
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In a small but mighty community like Beaver Island, sustainability isn’t just an ideal—it’s a responsibility. That’s why the Beaver Island Association, in collaboration with Craig Peirano and Vic VanDeventer, is proud to spotlight the environmental and economic benefits of recycling motorized vehicles through Michigan-licensed, state-approved scrapyards and is proud to sponsor the BIA Blight Remediation Program.
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Every retired or abandoned vehicle—whether rusting in a field, parked behind a shed, rotting next to your well head, or long shoved in the woods—contain a complex blend of reusable metals, oils, plastics, and glass. When left to decay, these materials can leak pollutants into the soil and water, posing risks to our fragile island ecosystem and drinking water source. But when sent off island to a certified scrapyard in good standing, those same materials become part of the circular economy—fueling new manufacturing and keeping waste out of landfills.
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Recycling vs. Crushing: Why the Method Matters
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Recycling cars through an approved scrapyard is far better for the environment than simply crushing them. Here’s why:
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- Material Recovery – Scrapyards strip valuable materials like steel, aluminum, copper, and rubber before shredding the remaining parts. This reduces the need for new raw material extraction, helping conserve natural resources and lowering pollution.
- Hazardous Waste Management – Vehicles contain fluids like oil, coolant, and transmission fluid that can contaminate soil and water if not properly handled. Licensed scrapyards follow procedures to safely remove and recycle these substances, preventing environmental harm and are regulated by the State of Michigan.
- Lower Carbon Footprint – Recycling metals requires significantly less energy than producing them from raw ore, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Simply crushing a car wastes these materials rather than reusing them in new products.
- Parts Reuse – Before scrapping, many scrapyards allow usable parts to be salvaged for resale, extending the life cycle of components like engines, tires, and electronics.
In contrast, crushing vehicles without proper State licensing and oversight for recycling wastes recoverable materials and pose real environmental risks. For the greatest ecological benefit, always choose a certified recycling path with a properly licensed scrapyard in good standing within the State and has also acquired the appropriate licensing to operate a car crusher and comply with State toxic fluid disposal regulations.
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This initiative isn’t just about cleaning up our backyards. It’s about protecting the island’s groundwater, reducing emissions, and preserving the natural beauty that draws residents and visitors alike. Michigan-approved scrapyards operate under strict environmental standards to ensure dismantling is done responsibly and sustainably.
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By teaming up with trusted recyclers and familiar community voices like those of Craig and Vic, the Beaver Island Association is helping residents make informed choices that have a lasting impact. Recycling a single vehicle can recover up to 95% of its materials—proof that one good decision can ripple outward.
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Together, let’s steer Beaver Island toward a cleaner, greener future.
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To view our Blight Remediation Program in action join the Craig & Vic show on FaceBook today! To learn how to recycle your old vehicle responsibly, visit the Beaver Island Association’s sustainability page. Consider becoming a BIA Member and also supporting our car removal efforts with a BIA Tax Deductible donation directed to the Blight Remediation Program.
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Trails Update
by Shelby Harris, BIA Board member &
Beaver Island Archipelago Trails Association Secretary
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The Beaver Island Archipelago Trails Association, or BIATA, was officially founded in 2017 thanks to the gumption of several islanders who wanted to help care and push for more out of the wonderful trails found throughout Beaver Island. With their efforts a Master Work Plan was initiated, trail maps created, and a dedicated maintenance crew was established, all of which has now been passed on to several new Board Members to continue in the endeavors of this non-profit.
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Please help us thank Chairman Louis Post and President Gina Mangra, while welcoming BIATA’s new Vice President Corey Sanders, Treasurer Lisa Franz, Secretary Shelby Harris and Board Member Cheryl Kern. We thank the previous Board Members Dick Mulvihill, Mike Finn, Ken Zick and Mark Engelsman for all their dedicated work, with a special, sincere thank you to previous Board Member, map creator and dear friend, Jim Flanagan, who passed on this last year.
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Trail maps for the Island can be obtained at the BIC Center and at several trailheads themselves. Many are also presented on the Wojan-Cashman maps sold throughout the Island. Trail maps are also available in apps such as Discover Beaver Island (Apple) and AllTrails (Android/Apple) and on the LTC Website. Please note that downloading maps before you go is the best because mobile service is limited to non-existent within large areas of the Archipelago. Hikers have become lost on Island trails before – be prepared and think ahead.
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For those who enjoy the use of ORV’s/ATV’s, the Michigan DNR PA288 Map is available online that provides information of which State Land Roads are legally accessible for such recreational use. Almost all local and primary Charlevoix County Roads are accessible for ORV’s as well, but drivers must follow all safety regulations and local ordinances. State and local regulations prohibit operation of orv’s/atv’s on beaches, shorelines, dunes and wetlands. Violations can result in fines and potential loss of the vehicle. Please report any violations of these regulations to the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Dept. (911) or to the MDNR RAP Hotline (1-800-292-7800).
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Please note as well, no trails are legally accessible on any of the Outer Islands which are part of the Michigan DNR Wildlife Division State Research Area. It is the intention of this Board to continue in the efforts to fulfill an “all-encompassing Trail Map” for the Island that will include updated signage, markers and use designations, with more to come.
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Trail maintenance has been in full swing for BIATA and the community, with higher demand this year due to the Ice Storm Northern Michigan experienced this March. Clean-up and repairs began right away, including the final steps of installation of a new culvert on the Buffalo Camp Trail initiated by BIATA, completed by Simple Life Tree Care and supported by Peaine Township, the Michigan DNR and EGLE.
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A new/old trail has been re-opened by BIATA and volunteers. Located on DNR land between Hannigan’s Rd and Kings Hwy, this freshly designated hiking-only trail has been renamed “Jordan River Loop Trail”, previously known as “State Trail”. Once an access for logging, this trail takes you through a Mesic Northern Forest to a flood plain where the beginning of the Jordan River can be viewed and back to the road, providing an easy and relatively quick loop trail for those that find themselves at the southern end of Kings Highway.
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If you would like to lend a hand in the clean-up and/or further enjoy our Island’s trails, BIATA’s Volunteer Maintenance Days, Guided Hikes and other Events are posted on the Beaver Island Community Center Calendar and our respective BIATA Facebook page. There you can find events such as the annual Beaver Island Retreat Volunteer Week (which was June 6th-13th in 2025 ) & BIATA Scavenger Hunt (August 22nd-24th, 2025) and Guided Hunts with local experts on mushrooms, birding, native flora and more.
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Water Trail
The Beaver Island Water Trail is a 42-mile paddling trail that circumnavigates the entire Island developed with support from the BIA and is overseen by BIATA officially this year. Prior to any paddling trip on the Beaver Island Water Trail, paddlers, and hikers if interested, are strongly encouraged to check in and register at the Beaver Island Community Center to file a float plan and borrow an EPIRB emergency beacon. Important Note: State law requires that you clean off vegetation and dry all water from boats and gear before transferring between waterways on Beaver Island.
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BIATA is a non-profit organization that operates through volunteers, grants, donations and membership. Please use the buttons below if you are interested in donating or joining the group or making a donation. Either path will support our worthy efforts in facilitating the appropriate care, development and improvements to our public trails found within our Beaver Island Archipelago. We are currently updating our Membership benefits and details with more to come this 2025 season.
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Spotted blooming on Beaver Island's east side dunes, this tiny beauty, a Dwarf Lake Iris, is a federally threatened species found only near the northern Great Lakes. Just 4 to 6 inches tall, it thrives in sandy, partly shaded areas and typically blooms in late spring to early summer. Please admire, but don’t disturb—these rare wildflowers are protected.
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BICS Update
by Wil Cwikiel, BICS BIA Board member & BICS Superintendent-Principal
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As I wrap up my eighth school year here on Beaver Island, I’m filled with both gratitude and pride. As someone who has studied rural communities and schools, I’m proud of what our faculty, staff, and students are able to accomplish each year. As someone working day to day to help our teachers and students succeed, I am incredibly grateful for the support we receive from the Beaver Island community to make our work possible. Here are some “end of the school year” reflections about providing education on the most remote inhabited island in the Great Lakes.
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In a recent discussion with some of my mainland colleagues, one of them said, “Wow, Beaver Island Community School really punches above its weight.” For those not familiar with this boxing-inspired idiom, it simply means that we achieve and perform beyond what would reasonably be expected due to our location, size, resources, and opportunities.
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When one sizes up a school district, they look at the quality of its teachers, the accomplishments of their graduates, the district’s course offerings, and the opportunities for learning outside the classroom. I’m proud to say that our three graduates are awesome people who will continue their learning beyond high school. Ava Palmer-Bousquet will be heading the Northern Michigan University to pursue her bachelor’s degree. Jason Selby will be heading to Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City to enroll in their unmanned drone program. And valedictorian Alyssa Martin will be heading to the Honor’s College at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids to study hospitality and tourism. We have a cadre of committed teachers who are able to tailor the curriculum to meet every student’s needs. Our elementary teachers establish a solid foundation and our secondary teachers take it from there. In addition to the core courses, we offer five Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment college courses, and courses that prepare our students to go into careers in business and health occupations (two of our students completed their EMT certification coursework this spring). In addition to competitive extra-curricular activities such as athletics and robotics, our teachers use the Island as their extended classroom and take the time to create opportunities for our students to learn about the world with mainland trips to Petoskey, Lansing, and Detroit for our elementary students, and Chicago, Washington D.C., and New York City for our secondary students. Indeed, for a tiny school located on a remote Island, we definitely “punch above our weight.”
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Along with the pride I feel for our faculty, students, and staff, I feel an equal measure of gratitude. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with an amazing group individuals who are here because they love this island and want to serve her students and families. Clearly, the school’s staff and faculty couldn’t provide all that we do for our students without a very supportive community. Do to the nature of school funding in Michigan, the bulk of our funding is provided by non-homestead Island landowners. I am deeply grateful for the taxpayers who may never have a child or grandchild in our school, and yet still support us each year with the money to keep the lights on and pay the teachers. Beyond the tangible support of dollars, I so appreciate the parents, friends, family members and community members who show their support for our faculty and staff in a hundred different ways each year. Whether it’s coming out to cheer on the Islanders on a Friday night in February, volunteering to lead a learning station for the Beaver Island History Adventure, bringing in enough delicious food during Teacher Appreciation Week so that we all gained an extra 10 pounds, giving a student a chance at a first job, buying an extra set of raffle tickets before the 5-6th grade play, or lining the streets to honk and cheer as our seniors walk from the Post Office to the school before graduation, the students here on Beaver Island feel seen and loved by our community members. For that I am deeply grateful.
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So, to all BIA members, I hope you can share my pride in the quality of education we provide here on Beaver Island, and I hope that you feel my gratitude. We simply could not do it without you. Thank You!
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Editor’s Note: You can keep up to date on school news and activities with a visit to the BICS website. Most school activities also appear in the Community Calendar.
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Smart Energy
by Seamus Norgaard, BIA Board member
The Beaver Island Association and the Beaver Island Smart Energy Team (BISET) greatly appreciated the presence recently of the energy research team who travelled far to Beaver Island from Pacific NW National Laboratories, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and Slipstream. They made two fine presentations during Beaver Island's recent Sustainability Fair regarding Beaver Island's great potentials for meeting its own energy needs practically, reliably, and in a cost-effective manner.
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On Tuesday June 17 the Energy Research team presented at CMU Biological Station, and at the BIC Center to a host of interested and engaged Islanders (St James Township supervisor Bobbi Welke and Charlevoix County Community Foundation board member Pam Grassmick attended.) There were some good questions asked and answered regarding Beaver Island's great potentials to produce its own electric energy in a local, reliable, and cost effective manner -- a serious Island need highlighted again by the recent Ice Storm.
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The local action needed now on our Island is:
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- We need active citizen advocacy now to move the townships forward into action. We need citizen residents to push for the township trustees to get engaged and get help directly from the free, available and friendly EGLE programs "Solsmart" and "Solar for All," in order for Beaver Island to be solar friendly and solar ready.
- We need to continue to get the educational word out more widely now, and build on an active knowledgeable resident citizenry for choosing from the excellent model options PNNL has presented to us. This includes retrofits for our critical infrastructure (our school, our community center, and our health center) with the electrification and efficiency measures recommended by TJ Brown from KEEN technology solutions. It also includes local residents energy efficiency options as in the example that was modelled recently by Beth Crosswhite's home. And it also includes the very exciting, promising option presented for ground mount community solar to serve Beaver Island's energy independence, energy resiliency needs.
- Just 40 acres of ground mount solar could provide the whole of Beaver Island's electrical needs reliably and cost efficiently now, and for the immediate foreseeable future. A local private property owner with 40 acres close to our electrical transfer station (his property is off the roadside, and out of public view) is enthusiastic about offering his site for ground mount community solar to serve Beaver Island's needs.
Beaver island has invested 4 years of its time, energy, cash, and attention towards valuable research for the Island's Energy Future. The results are in, and they are looking good! We need citizen action now by encouraging our township trustees to follow up on this valuable research, to choose from these exciting model options, and to utilize the free help available from EGLE before the next ice storm and power outages strike.
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Treasurer's Report
by Alan Vickstein, BIA Treasurer
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Our cash inflow as of June 30, 20255 was $29,768. More than half of this amount (S17,263) came from grants we received for Housing, Blight Remediation and our Dark Sky Sanctuary project. Fifty members paid dues ($1780) and we also received donations totaling $7,557. We are expecting a payment of $1,464 for a match to our Blight Remediation Grant within 30 days.
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Warblers on the Water tickets sales of $2,539 exceeded expenses and the event was cashflow positive ( $144).
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Total Expenses as of this report were $19,972 and we had a positive cashflow of $9,760.
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We have a total of $22,787 In the bank as of June 30, 2025 . $10,212 of this balance is restricted for specific Programs.
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As of the writing of this Newsletter, only 50 of the over 200 members receiving this newsletter have paid 2025 dues which were due July 2024. If we are to continue to support the many programs you are reading about in this Newsletter, we need all our members to be current on their dues. The Dues for the fiscal year ending June 2026 are now due. Please pay your dues and ask your friends and neighbors to become members so that we can continue to advocate on your behalf.
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Some Safety Reminders
by Kevin Boyle, BIA Board member
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In some ways, being safe on the island doesn't require the same effort as it may on the mainland, but it does require awareness, especially considering the isolated nature of many Island locations. Our friends at Beaver Island EMS and the Health Center have several tips that are worth remembering.
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First, does your house have a green number sign out front where it can be spotted from the road? If not, BIEMS and the Fire Department urge you to get one. It helps them respond quickly in the event of a medical, fire or other emergency at your home. They are available for order online or at McDonough's. The cost is just $35.
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If you are a biker or have biker's visiting this summer, BIEMS cautions that the right place to ride on island roads is on the right side and single file. And, we'll add that riding with headphones on is a bad idea, too. Failing to follow these tips is an invitation for a ticket or, worse yet, a ride in the BIEMS truck after an injury.
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If you or guests are headed out on the water to enjoy the Beaver Island, remember to file a float plan with someone. One option is the BIC Center where you can also borrow an EPIRB. What's an EPIRB? A handy device that can call for help if you need it using satellite communications. So it will work anywhere outdoors including the many places that a phone will not (and places where a VHF marine radio won't work either). They are waterproof and free to borrow.
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If you are setting off for a hike, be sure to bring along a compass, bug spray, water, a flashlight and, perhaps, an EPIRB from the BIC Center.. The condition of Island trails can change overnight and the route is not always clear on some. Out in the woods, it is easy to get turned around and wind up out longer than expected.
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Do you have bats in your belfry? How about in your house? The Health Center and Health Department want you to be aware that you should check in with them if you discover bats in a room where there has been an unattended child or anyone who was asleep while the bats may have been there. Bats can carry rabies which can be transferred to humans with a bite that may not be noticed or felt, especially by someone who is asleep. Untreated, rabies can be fatal. A simple and fairly painless series of shots essentially eliminates the risk in the event of possible exposure. Check with the Health Center or Health Department for more information.
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Dick Mulvihill, Vice President
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Please pay your dues to support our efforts and to continue to receive the BIA newsletter. Our membership year runs from July 1 to the following June 30. Please join or rejoin us by sending the completed form below along with a check for $35 to Alan Vicstein, Treasurer, The Beaver Island Association, PO Box 390, Beaver Island, MI 49782. Or, renew online. You can also renew and register for the annual meeting here all in one easy step.
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Yes, please renew our Beaver Island Association membership for 2025-2026.
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Name:__________________________ Email:______________________________
Street: ______________________________________________________________
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City: _____________________________________ State:______ Zip:___________
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The Beaver Island Association's mission is to support both the economic and environmental sustainability of the island. We do that by following issues and, where appropriate, speaking out and acting on them. We are hands on. Our current efforts, many discussed in this newsletter, include dealing with invasives, the birding and water trails, broadband availability and balanced economic development. Our past successes include deployment of the island's fire danger warning signs, work with the Maine Islands Institute to help develop plans for the island and spark the creation of the Great Lakes Islands Alliance, a successful awareness campaign concerning the need for and economic sustainability of paramedic care on the island, the birding and water trails, effective management of invasives-and more. Our success as a group depends on your support of these efforts through membership in BIA.
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