Boyne Chamber hires Kim Akin as new executive director

Kim Akin

Kimberly Akin will start her new position as the Boyne Area Chamber's Executive Director on Monday, December 17th. Kim has served as the Executive Director of the Houghton Lake Area Chamber of Commerce for the past four years.
John Cool, the Boyne Chamber's incoming Board President for 2019, commented:  "We had many qualified applicants for this position, and after two rounds of interviews, Kim was our consensus choice. We're confident that she will do a great job and we're excited to welcome her to the Boyne community," Cool said.
Boyne Chamber members can meet Kim at the chamber's Business After Hours next Thursday, December 13th. That event will be held at North Harbor Christie's International Real Estate, 104 S. Lake Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Kim Akin was highly involved in her community in the Houghton Lake area. She served as the Chair of the Roscommon Township and Denton Township Planning Commissions, while consulting in both townships' zoning departments. Prior to entering the Chamber world she was the Zoning Administrator at Denton Township and an elected Roscommon County Road Commissioner. Over the years, Kim has been an active Rotarian and Lions Club member as well as serving on various committees and volunteering whenever possible.
Kim enjoys spending her free time with her two children and family, boating, camping, reading, volunteering in her community and shopping. Her daughter Taylar Akin is the executive director of the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce.
Kim is an advocate for business and Northern Michigan communities and is thrilled to begin her new venture in Boyne. "I am very excited to start this new chapter in my life. I am looking forward to learning about the Boyne area, meeting community members, and working to help in any way I can."
Akin will be replacing Ashley Cousens, who has accepted a position as Communications Specialist for the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. Kim and Ashley will work together during the week of December 17th, and Ashley's final day will be Friday, December 21st.

Long Road Distillers celebrates opening of Boyne City location

Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers opened their new distillery tasting room in Boyne City on November 23rd. The celebration coincided with the community's Santa Parade and holiday open house. The Northern Michigan outlet, located at 118 Water Street, is the company's first offsite tasting room apart from their Grand Rapids distillery, cocktail bar and restaurant. Visitors to the new Boyne City location can sample Long Road's line-up of handcrafted spirits, participate in special tasting events, and purchase merchandise to-go, including bottles of Long Road spirits, house-made ginger beer and simple syrups, and a selection of apparel and glassware.

Kyle VanStrien, co-owner and co-founder of Long Road Distillers, commented: "Our team has been hard at work to get everything ready over the past few months, and we're excited to finally share not only what we've been able to build together in this new space, but also the world-class spirits we're proud to craft right here in Michigan."

> To learn more about Long Road - Boyne City and to stay up to date on future special events, visit their Facebook page.

Boyne City honored as one of top 10 Main Streets in nation

Boyne City Main Street has been named a 2019 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) Semifinalist by the National Main Street Center. Winners will be announced at the opening plenary of the Main Street Now Conference in Seattle, Washington, on March 25, 2019.
Boyne City Main Street began 15 years ago and has served as a catalyst for many downtown Boyne City, and Boyne community projects. This includes Boyne Thunder, Stroll the Streets, Walkabout Sculpture Show, Boyne City Farmers Market, and much, much more. Most importantly, the program has involved hundreds of community members and volunteers and many important partnerships. 
"Boyne City Main Street is honored to be named a semifinalist for the Great American Main Street Award, said Kelsie King-Duff, Boyne City Main Street Executive Director. "Being named to the top 10 not only honors and validates everything our community, and most importantly our volunteers, have worked towards over the last 15 years, but sets the stage for the goals yet to be reached." 

Congratulations to Leadership Charlevoix County Class of 2018

A commencement ceremony was held in May at Boyne Mountain Resort for the Leadership Charlevoix County Class of 2018. Sixteen graduates received certificates and padfolios to mark their completion of the 10-month program. This is the seventh class to graduate from the program and there are now 108 LCC alumni.
The Class of 2018 partnered with Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council for their Community Service Project, called "Beetle Mania," which is helping to control the invasive species, Purple Loosestrife.
> Members of the Class of 2018 include:

• Brenda Bingham - The Insurance Shop
• Gretchen Bush - The Spa at Boyne Mountain
• Stephanie Butterboldt - EJ
• Robert Crick - City of East Jordan
• Syrina Dawson - Boyne City Police Department
• Alice Drogt - Landscape Logic
• David Florenski - East Jordan Public Schools
• Kelsie King-Duff - Boyne City Main Street
• Darrell Lawson
• Ryan Novotny - Charlevoix County Transit
• Jessica Puroll - Chemical Bank
• Andrea Seese - Grandvue Medical Care Facility
• Lori Taylor-Blitz - Beaver Island Historical Society
• Carly Thompson - Charlevoix Area Chamber of Commerce
• Josh Todd - Charlevoix Screen Masters
• Benjamin Way - EJ

> APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE for the Leadership Class of 2019 at www.leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com. The application deadline is July 3rd. If you know a future leader who would benefit from this program, please invite them to apply. For further information, visit the website or call Boyne Area Chamber Executive Director Ashley Cousens at 231-582-6222. Ashley graduated from the program in 2017.

Boyne City Main Street receives national accreditation

Boyne City Main Street has been designated as an accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.

   "We are thrilled to honor this year's 829 nationally accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to preservation-based economic development and the revitalization of their commercial districts," says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. "The power of Main Street shines across the country through these vibrant communities, who have all worked to generate impressive economic returns, preserve community character, and celebrate local history."

   Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. In 2017 alone, Main Street America programs generated $4.48 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,211 net new businesses, generated 30,294 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,737 historic buildings, and clocked 2.7 million volunteer hours.

   Boyne City Main Street's performance is annually evaluated by Michigan Main Street, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet ten national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings. 

> For more information about Boyne City Main Street, visit www.boynecitymainstreet.com or contact Executive Director Kelsie King-Duff at 231-582-9009 or mainstreet@boynecity.com. 

Save the dates for two regional business events

> May 22 - Regional Business After Hours at Antrim Dells

Three Antrim County chambers of commerce are joining the three Charlevoix County chambers for this year's Regional Business After Hours from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. The "Swing Into Summer" themed event will be held at Antrim Dells Golf Club and Sunset Grill in Ellsworth. For the past 20 years, the Boyne, East Jordan and Charlevoix Area Chambers of Commerce have teamed up to host this joint Business After Hours to provide networking opportunities for the entire county. This year, to start a new decade of regional cooperation and collaboration, the Charlevoix County Chambers team up with three Chambers from Antrim County - Elk Rapids, Bellaire, and Central Lake. Admission is $10 including hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, DJ, drawings and networking. 
MAKE IT A DAY AND GOLF before the Regional Business After Hours. Bring a friend, colleague or your staff and "swing into summer" at Antrim Dells Golf Club on May 22, starting at 8 a.m. Play 9 holes for $20 or 18 holes for $29, including cart. For more information call 231.599.2679 or visit a-ga-ming.com.

> May 11 - NLEA Annual Luncheon at Boyne Mountain

Join over 700 guests involved in the economic vitality of our area for an exciting afternoon luncheon on Friday May 11, from 11:30am to 1:30pm at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls, hosted by Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA). This celebration of regional economic development will feature a keynote speaker, live entertainment, prestigious awards and recognition, and plated lunch.  Individual tickets are $25, and $250 for a table of 10. Receive special Early Bird Rates if you purchase tickets now through April 11: $20 for individual tickets and $200 for a table of 10. This celebration of regional economic development will feature a keynote speaker, live entertainment, prestigious awards and recognition, and plated lunch. Call 231-582-6482 with questions. Reserve your ticket or table here .

Boyne Coop True Value celebrating 100th anniversary with major remodel

  2018 is going to be a big year for Boyne Coop True Value. They are celebrating their 100th anniversary with a major remodel of their store, and they are going into the tool and equipment rental business. They are nearly done with the remodeling, which started in December at the store located at 113 S. Park St. 

  Owner Jennifer Hughes said they decided to start offering rentals because customers kept asking about it. They will have a wide variety of rentals, including mowers, tillers, dethatchers, jackhammers, floor sanders, power washers, generators, ground augers and carpet cleaners. A big emphasis will also be renting tents (20x30 ft. and 20x40 ft.), tables and chairs. In fact, they are offering package deals for graduation parties starting at $250, including free delivery. 

  A major anniversary celebration will culminate on June 23rd; details will be announced. For information about the store or the new rentals, call (231) 582-9971.

> Baby Chick Days are coming up May 4th-6th with pre-orders due by Monday, April 9th. 

Library celebrates 100 years with history talk, reading challenge, author visit

The original Boyne District Library before 2001 expansion.

  On April 20, 2018 the Boyne District Library will be celebrating 100 years in their historic Carnegie Library building. A variety of special programs are planned to commemorate this historic anniversary.

  In 1912 the Monday Study Club, which is still an active organization in Boyne City, purchased the private library of a Petoskey lawyer who was moving west. In 1913, the club donated this collection to the public school library, and Myrtle White was hired as the librarian. Because of rapid population growth in Boyne City, in 1916 a new home was sought for the library. The Carnegie Corporation agreed to give $15,000 for the construction and furnishing of a new library building to be located at the corner of Main and Park streets. Construction on this new building began in 1917, and a grand opening was celebrated on April 20, 1918. In 2001, the library completed an extensive renovation project funded by the Mark K. Peabody Foundation.

READING CHALLENGE - The library has issued a reading challenge to patrons of all ages to read 100 books between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Patrons may meet this challenge as individuals, or they can form a team. Team members can keep track of their reading online by going to www.boynelibrary.org/registrations, click on "Online Reading Log for Centennial Reading Challenge" and complete the survey for every 10 books you read. Participants will keep track of the books read throughout the year and once they, or their team, has reached 100 they will all receive a commemorative T-shirt and be entered for a chance to win $100 in Chamber Checks from the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce.

BOYNE READS - Throughout this Spring, the library is sponsoring "Boyne Reads" with patrons and community members along with students and staff from the Boyne middle and high schools, reading the book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. On Monday, April 16th, the author will present school assemblies during the day, along with an evening program hosted at the Boyne City High School Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. Dinner with the author will precede the evening program, also at BCHS.

HISTORY PROGRAM - On February 3 at 3 p.m. Library Director Monica Kroondyk will present a program about the history of the Boyne District Library, from its simple beginnings to the beautiful, renovated district library that exists today.

ICE CREAM SOCIAL - An ice cream social and birthday party on Saturday, July 28 will conclude the celebration of 100 years of Boyne District Library's service to the Boyne City community and surrounding townships.  

> If you have any questions, or further information about the history of the Boyne District Library, call Monica Kroondyk at 231-582-7861 or send an email to kroondykm@boynelibrary.org.

Boyne City named winner in MEDC’s Michigan Main Street Photo Contest

Great news! Boyne City has been named a winner of the Michigan Main Street Photo Contest sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Boyne City was the winner of the Promotion category, which focused on photos that display Main Street community events and local downtown image-building campaigns. The city will receive $1,000 for its winning submission. The photo was taken by local photographer Kim Mettler during the Boyne City Harvest Festival.

“These photos visually represented the heart and soul of our Michigan Main Streets and gave communities an opportunity to showcase their downtown revitalization efforts and accomplishments as Main Street communities. MEDC received many strong submissions and the judges had a hard time deciding on winning images,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Katharine Czarnecki. “Boyne City’s submission, which shows a unique community event that demonstrates Michigan Main Street communities’ aim to ensure and promote downtown as the heart of the community, best represented the Promotion category.”

In order to submit photos, a community had to be either a Select or Master Level Main Street Community in the Michigan Main Street Program. Administered by MEDC, the program provides technical assistance for communities desiring to develop their own local Main Street program by utilizing the Main Street Approach™ – a common-sense approach to tackling the complex issues of revitalization by capitalizing on downtown’s history and identifying the unique assets of the community itself. For more information on the Michigan Main Street Program, visit https://www.miplace.org/communities/mms/.

The Michigan Main Street Photo Contest was created to allow communities to showcase their downtown revitalization efforts and highlight their accomplishments as Main Street communities. The contest was an opportunity for Main Street communities to highlight the work they are doing and get local people interested in what their community has to offer. The contest ran from September 11 and December 22, 2017, and had five separate segments, each running for three weeks. Boyne City joins four other communities – Howell, Portland, Blissfield and Wayland – to be announced as winners in MEDC’s photo contest.

For more information, please contact Kelsie King-Duff, Boyne City Main Street Executive Director, 231.582.9009 or via email at mainstreet@boynecity.com.

Chamber honors community leaders, installs board

CONGRATULATIONS to the award winners from the Chamber Annual Awards Gala! From left are Michelle Cortright, Sally Roselli Business Leadership Award; her son Michael Cortright, Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Denise Holmes of Boyne Eta Nu Charities, Community Pride Award; Bob Mathers, Heritage Award; Becky Harris, Volunteer of the Year; Mike Castiglione, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Michael Doumanian, Outgoing Chamber Board President. (Photo by Kim Mettler of Michigan Barefoot Memories Photography.)

A crowd of more than 300 people attended the Boyne Area Chamber Annual Awards Gala at Boyne Mountain Thursday night, enjoying great food and drink, entertainment and the presentation of awards to community leaders and organizations. The Chamber Board of Directors was installed by Mayor Tom Neidhamer, with Chris Bandy of Local Flavor Bookstore serving as president for the year ahead. Michael Doumanian of Boyne Mountain was honored for serving as president for the past year and a half. Full board. Here are the award winners, as determined in online voting by 425 people:

> Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Mike Castiglione of Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen conducted a beautiful renovation of the historic railroad building and turned it into a great bar and restaurant, which opened in January 2017. Not only does Mike brew great beers, but he has innovative ideas like "Brew School" and "Brewing Up Business," as well as event ideas for the community. Already, he is working with other organizations and groups to promote downtown and give back to the community with things like a pub crawl to benefit the Cancer Crusaders and cosponsoring the 'Fat & Flurrious" fat tire bike race on January 20th. He was also awarded historic tax credits, which is a testament to his hard work in historic preservation, as these credits are rarely awarded to projects smaller than $5 million.

> Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Michael Cortrighttook over North Country Cycle Sport last year, the business where he purchased his first bike at age 9, worked as an employee, and finally took the risk to become the owner - right out of college. With the increasing popularity of Boyne area bike trails, NCCS is meeting a need for repairs and rentals and Michael broke revenue records in his first year as owner. He promotes Boyne as a trail town and has personally taken on grooming trails at the Boyne City School Forest and Avalanche Preserve. He has organized the "Fat & Flurrious" fat tire bike race that will debut on January 20th and he is also working with local volunteers to start a bike share program, which should debut this spring.

> Heritage Award - Bob Mathers is general manager of Bob Mathers Ford, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. The auto dealership was originally started on September 22,1917, and has been Bob Mathers Ford since 1973. The dealership is now owned by the four Mathers siblings - Bob, Cheri, Trish and Wendy. Bob has been with the dealership since 1979. The dealership has gone through several changes through the years, but the focus on customer satisfaction has always stayed the same. Bob, like his father, has been a classic car enthusiast and has long been a member of the Boyne Thunder Committee, which has been a major fund-raiser for Camp Quality, Challenge Mountain and Boyne City Main Street.

> Community Pride Award - Boyne Eta Nu Charities is being honored for the impactful fundraising projects that they organize each year. Dress for Chill, now in its 10th year, provides outerwear for preschool through 4th graders. This year, they provided 167 children with warm winter gear. Lights of Love, now in its 30th year, is Eta Nu's holiday event that raises money to benefit Hospice of Northwest Michigan. And Eta Nu volunteers participate as clowns in the 4th of July parade to raise money for fireworks, including a total of $5,000 in 2017. 

> Volunteer of the Year Award - Becky Harris. Her work on the Boyne City Farmers Market, Veterans Park Pavilion Committee, Challenge Mountain board, and Main Street board only scratches the surface of Becky's volunteer hours for our community. She has donated more hours than can be counted this year, stepping in as the interim Farmers Market Manager. She has not taken a paycheck, and has kept the market going as strong as ever, including the start of the renovation of the Veterans Park Pavilion and moving the indoor winter market to City Hall.

> The Sally Roselli Business Leadership Award - Michelle Cortright of Harbor House Publishers is one of Boyne's most successful business women. She is generous with her time on several community boards, including Boyne City Main Street, the Charlevoix County Community Foundation, Leadership Charlevoix County, Evangeline Township, the Economic Development Corporation, and the Boyne Area Chamber board. Michelle recently started a local initiative that promotes positivity and civility in our community, particularly in organizations dealing with the public. She is an extremely positive driving force in the Boyne Area. 

> List of all award nominees.

3 new businesses are thriving in Boyne City

The owners of three Boyne City businesses that opened in 2017 all say they are thriving. 
> Stiggs Brewery and Kitchen will be celebrating its first anniversary Saturday, January 20th as they cosponsor the inaugural Fat & Flurrious fat bike race along with North Country Cycle Sport. Owner Mike Castiglione said his first year revenues exceeded projections and he is very happy, although he chuckled, saying “I wouldn’t recommend having a baby at the same time you open a new business.” His wife Jessica gave birth to their first child Henry on March 5th, just over a month after the business opened.

Celebrating the approval of federal historic tax credits
 at Stiggs Brewery last year were from left, City Manager
Mike Cain,  Stiggs owner Mike Castiglione, Main Street
Exec Director Kelsie King-Duff, and Chamber Executive 
Director Ashley Cousens. Castiglione says the support of
the city and community has been "awesome."

Opening in late January worked out well, since that is not a busy time of year. “Being that we were the new kids on the block it was better that we started in the slow season. That gave us time to regroup and establish good routines before the busy summer season,” Castiglione said. 
Stiggs is the only brewery in Boyne City, and Castiglione thinks that his business plus the opening of Boyne City Taproom and 7 Monks Taproom in mid-2016 has established Boyne City as a beer lovers destination. “I think we will all do well, playing off each other to bring the beer geeks into town.”
A number of promotions have helped bring customers into Stiggs. They have a Mug Club loyalty program, monthly beer dinners, monthly fly-tying events with Brian Kozminski, as well as an upcoming cigar/beer pairing event on Feb. 3rd. They have teamed up with local businesses to brew branded beers for Coldwell Banker and Boyne Country Provisions, and a North Harbor Real Estate brew is coming soon. Special events in addition to Fat & Flurrious include a Summer Kickoff Party planned for June 16th, and a repeat of Stiggtoberfest on October 13th.
Castiglione said the City of Boyne City has been “awesome and easy to work with” in getting his business started, approving sidewalk dining and helping him get approved for federal historic tax credits for the building at 112 S. Park St.

Dana Betchek of Bliss Salon

> Bliss Salon & Spa opened April 11th at 210 S. Lake St., Suite B. Owner Dana Betchek said, “Since opening this past April, we were able to kick off our year during a quieter season, which was nice while we were still getting used to our space and developing our team. When we opened, we started with one part-time team member and one full time. We currently have four full-time team members and one part-time, so we've more than doubled our team since opening. Boyne City is definitely more hopping in the summer time so we are anxious to go into 2018 fully staffed and ready to rock. The seasonality of the town some people may see as a downfall, but we are working hard to build our local clientele and are servicing clients from not only Boyne City but East Jordan, Charlevoix, Walloon and Petoskey. We feel that with time, we will be able to keep our store very busy year round.”
“We have not had a hard time finding staff. We've worked really hard and continue to work hard to build a reputable salon and spa where professionals would want to continue their career. Plus, being a team-based salon enables us to work a lot more efficiently as our guests are encouraged to have a "team" of stylists or "glam squad" instead of just one stylist. We use social media as a tool to attract new talent, which has worked well for us.”
“We pride ourselves on educating our guests for exactly what they need for take home care. We guarantee all of our products and also offer products that are not easily found online and stay more exclusive to the salon. Our guests also love that we offer loyalty points that they can use towards services or take-home care.”
“We love Boyne City and are happy to be here and look forward to many years to come!”

Forgotten Treasures on S. Lake Street.

> Forgotten Treasures opened May 3rd at 209 S. Lake Street. This new Consignment/Resale Store features a full line of women's and children's clothing as well as furniture, antiques and collectibles. Before starting her own store, owner Anna Burkhart worked weekends for similar stores owned by her mother for the past 14 years.
“My first year in Boyne has been wonderful,” Burkhart said. “The summer months were a good start for the business and sales since then have stayed steady. As expected, there is a slowdown in the winter months but with the nature of my business I have found some great return customers - local and weekend regulars - and even new customers with the change of seasons.”
“There's been a lot of support from everyone. The chamber has done a great job keeping me informed of events and checking in to see how things have been as well as Kelsie from Main Street. It truly has been a great town to open a business in. Boyne really does understand the importance of being involved with its businesses and keeping them supported.”
“I have been asked if I need any help multiple times and honestly I believe Boyne does what it is supposed to do. They have created a diverse area that people from all over enjoy coming to. They hold multiple events all year long to keep the community involved and bring customers out. This is not a town that just sits back and hopes that things happen. They have done an awesome job of growing the area into a year-round destination.”

"Boyne Thunder is the world's best poker run"

By Matt Trulio, columnist for offshoreonly.com. Trulio is the founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of speedonthewater.com, a daily news site that covers the high-performance powerboat realm.
That the New Year is less than a week away has me in a reflective state of mind. It’s either that or the 15-year-old single-malt scotch I’ve been enjoying of late—I can’t quite tell and I reckon it doesn’t much matter. Reflection, nostalgia and, OK, sometimes purely meandering thoughts come with the territory of being a twice-weekly columnist. Your job, as said columnist, is subtraction. Find one clean thought, hone it down and go with it.
   So here’s what I woke up with this morning: Boyne Thunder is the world’s best poker run. And as hard as I tried to shake that dangerous notion from my head—for I know that expanding on it in this column will only bring trouble—I couldn’t. In fact, the more I turn it over in my head, the more I believe it to be true. So here goes.
In the past 20-plus years, I’ve covered every major poker run in North America, including a few that no longer exist, firsthand. (The exception to this is the Texas Outlaw Challenge, though I have reported on it, and I hope to remedy that in 2018.) I found something to love about all of them. Each event has its own character.
   But for years, I’d been rallied (more like brow-beaten and harassed) by friends in Michigan and elsewhere to come cover the Boyne Thunder Poker Run in the northern part of the state. So this summer, I embedded myself in Boyne City for the July 4 week that finished with the annual event.
   What did I love about Boyne Thunder? A better question would be: What didn’t I love about it?
   Boyne City is quaint and charming, but cool and vibrant (hence the proliferation of good brew pubs in town). Lake Charlevoix, Round Lake and Lake Michigan are breathtaking and the Northern Michigan countryside—from coastal dunes to inland pastures and farmland—is gorgeous. The 125 catamarans and V-bottom and center consoles in the Boyne Thunder fleet are as high-end as you’ll find any event around the country, and the people involved are as cordial as they come.
   Despite the big hardware show in town for the weekend, Boyne Thunder never feels like a big show. On the water and off, the event retains a decidedly relaxed small-town vibe.
In short, during Boyne Thunder Poker Run the performance-boating community actually feels like a real community. Of course, friends hang with friends and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there is atmosphere of inclusion at the Boyne Thunder that I’ve not experienced at any event of its kind. Combine that atmosphere with all of the above and you have my pick for the world’s best poker run.
   I know this column will get me in trouble. The upside? I likely won’t have to deal with the repercussions of it until next year. Plus, I still have some of that 15-year-old single-malt scotch left.
> Online version of this column.

Community leaders to be honored at Annual Awards Gala

Find out who wins our awards for leadership, entrepreneurship, volunteerism and more - at the Boyne Chamber's "Toast to the Town" Annual Awards Gala on January 18th (Details and registration). Our members and newsletter are picking the winners. More than 300 people have responded to our survey and voted for the best of Boyne. As one survey respondent commented: "It was difficult to vote with so many dedicated nominees." Here  are the nominees in six categories:
> Sally Roselli Business Leadership Award
 Lynda Christensen of Lynda's Real Estate
 Michelle Cortright of Harbor House Publishers
 Jane MacKenzie of Northern Homes
 Jeff Wellman of North Harbor Real Estate
> Entrepreneur of the Year
 Gildas Berrou of Boyne City Bakery
 Mike Castiglione of Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen
 Jeff and John Thompson of Shaggy's Copper Country Skis
> Young Entrepreneur of the Year
 Erika Blackwell of Center of Attention Photography
 Anna Burkhart of Forgotten Treasures
 Michael Cortright of North Country Cycle Sport
 Emerson Meyer of the Waffle Cabin
> Heritage Award
 Michelle Cortright of Harbor House Publishers
 Ralph Gillett of Ralph Gillett CPA
 Bob Mathers of Bob Mathers Ford
> Community Pride Award
 Boyne City Rocks
 Boyne City Varsity Football
 Eta Nu
 Kiwanis Club of Boyne City
> Volunteer of the Year
 Bob Alger of Boyne Thunder Committee
 Kecia Freed of the Boyne Heritage Center
 Becky Harris of the Boyne City Farmers Market
 Patricia May of Challenge Mountain & Boyne City Food Pantry

'Fat and Flurrious' fat tire bike race planned for Jan. 20 at Avalanche

Plans are in the works for an Avalanche Fat Bike Race to be held in Boyne City on Saturday, January 20th. An online Facebook contest came up with "Fat and Flurrious" as the race name. The event is being organized by North Country Cycle Sport owner Mike Cortright and also involves Stiggs Brewery and Kitchen, which will be  celebrating its first anniversary that day. The start and finish is behind North Country Cycle Sport and in front of Stiggs Brewery on Park Street in downtown Boyne City. After the race, Stiggs will host a race awards party that will also celebrate the brewery's anniversary. 
The fat bike race course is 6 or 10 miles (Sport and Open Class) on the professionally-designed and built singletrack trails at Avalanche Mountain, which is a 300-acre city park at the south end of town. "This will be the most challenging Fat Tire Bike Race in the Lower Peninsula," Cortright says. 
Proceeds from the race will benefit the Top Of Michigan Mountain Bike Association, the group that spearheaded a major expansion of trails at Avalanche over the past couple of years. Watch a video of the race course through the snow - http://bit.ly/flurriousbike.
> REGISTRATION and more details are online at www.fatandflurrious.com. 

It's a spectacular view from the top of Avalanche Mountain.

Everyone agrees: Earlier Than The Bird was "best ever"

Pajama-clad shoppers jammed the Chamber office to get souvenir coffee mugs at 7 a.m.

The consensus from downtown business owners is that this year’s Earlier Than The Bird shopping event on November 18th was the best ever with record crowds and record sales at most of the 29 participating businesses. The event is sponsored by the Boyne Area Chamber and Boyne City Main Street. Anyone wearing pajamas for the event was eligible to stop at the Chamber office to pick up one of 216 souvenir coffee mugs, which were designed and purchased by Main Street. The mugs were gone in record time by 7:37 a.m. Chamber exec director Ashley Cousens said “It was insane. People just flooded in at 7 a.m. and didn’t stop until the mugs were gone.”

Karen Guzniczak of Country Now & Then/Up The Lazy River brought the idea for the event to Boyne City 10 years ago after attending a Main Street national conference in Chicago. She still helps organize the event as chairman of the Main Street Promotions Committee and she said this year’s event was the best ever. “Our sales were almost double from last year,” she said. “The customers were coming in as soon as we opened our doors, the weather was really nice and people were very excited and having fun. We heard from several of our customers that this was their first time participating in the event and they would definitely be back next year and would be bringing friends and or family members.”

	Shoppers lined up before 7 at inspired living.

> Lori Harrington, 52 Weekends: "Thanks to the weather and advertising, the sale was awesome. Everyone seemed to have a really good time and were wearing pajamas. They LOVE the mugs. Keep up the good work. I even had some of my old Petoskey customers that came to the sale. Your team does an excellent job!”

> Jessica White, Boyne City Hardware: “From 7-11am our sales were up over $1,000 compared to last year. And this is AFTER giving our storewide discounts. Up over $2,500 for the entire day compared to last year. GREAT DAY!

> Leslie Neilson, inspired living: “I think this was the best year so far! We had our usual line-up out in front of the store starting at 6:30 and by 7:15 we had a loooonnnnggg line of customers in the store until at least 8:00 with two people ringing people up. Pretty steady until at least 9:00. People seemed to be in good spirits even while they were waiting. I could tell people were really having fun with it. Two thumbs up!”

> Cindi Malin, Cindifranco’s Cool Stuff: "This is my favorite event. We served over 80 servings of oatmeal! Sales were insane but then we were selling at 30% below cost. We will have 60% off on in-stock items during this Friday's Open house."

> Mary Faculak, Mary’s of Boyne: “Earlier Than The Bird was the BEST ever! We were busy right at 7 am and did not slow down until 11ish! So many new people, people who have participated every year, three generations of families shopping together, many people from out of town. Ladies who have made this event an annual outing for their group of friends. People were having so much fun and were so appreciative of the sales, treats and door prizes. Truly a Currier and Ives event and scene in our town."

Solomon, Grunch, Page elected to Boyne City Commission

Boyne City voters elected Dean Solomon, Ron Grunch and Sally Page to the City Commission, and the regional school enhancement millage passed in the November 7th election. Grunch, an 18-year commission veteran, was reelected, and Solomon and Page will begin serving their first terms next Tuesday, Nov. 14th, at 7 p.m. Incumbents Laura Sansom and Gene Towne decided not to run for reelection, opening the opportunity for Solomon and Page. Solomon is the recently retired head of the Boyne City MSU Extension office and has lived in the city since 2006. Page served as office administrator for the Emmet County Prosecutor's Office for 25 years before moving to Boyne City in 2004 to be closer to her children, including Liz Glass, co-owner of Lake Street Market.
The unofficial vote totals were: Dean Solomon - 368, Ron Grunch - 367, Sally Page - 315, Andy Smith - 206, Chad Culver - 178.  News-Review story.
> Voters also cast their approval for the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District's regional enhancement millage. Unofficial results show the proposal passing in Emmet, Charlevoix and northern Antrim counties, with a combined total of 5,648 yes votes (56.7%) and 4,324 no votes for all three areas.

Leaders give updates at State of the Community event

A record crowd of 190 attended the event.

From the Petoskey News-Review: Representatives from five different governmental and business groups offered a wealth of information on activities around the Boyne City area and Charlevoix County at the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Community event. Speakers included Boyne City Manager Mike Cain, County Commissioner Chris Christensen, School Superintendent Patrick Little, Main Street Executive Director Kelsie King-Duff, and Hotel Walloon Marketing Manager Allison Bond. Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ashley Cousens, who recently completed her first year in the chamber role, said the event drew its largest attendance ever with 190 people on hand, provided an update on chamber activities. Full news story. Photo album.
> Full text of City Manager Michael Cain's remarks.
> Full text of Allison Bond's remarks about Walloon Lake.
> Thanks to our sponsor, 4Front Credit Union.

Chamber Executive Director Ashley Cousens

Main Street Executive Director Kelsie King-Duff

City Manager Michael Cain

Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen receives Federal Historic Tax Credits

Boyne City’s Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen has been awarded Federal Historic Tax Credits through the National Park Service. The tax incentive is used to offset federal income tax equivalent to twenty percent of the total qualified renovation cost, and remains good for 20 years. 

Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen started the Historic Preservation Certification in 2015. The three-phase process is available for historically certified buildings, such as the Boyne City Railroad Office Building, which Stiggs operates out of. In order to receive certification, stipulations needed to be met. This included keeping the building feeling like a railroad office, but also functional as a brewery and kitchen. No exterior changes could be made, such as vents through the walls, elevated patios, or changes in design that would take away from its historical relevance. 

“This is a huge win for Stiggs and Boyne City, as it seems it is usually very difficult for project under $5 million to receive historic tax credit,” Kelsie King-Duff, Boyne City Main Street Executive Director, said. 

Harold Remlinger, AIA Principal Architect, along with the team of design professionals, at DesignTeam Plus LLC did an excellent job keeping the building historically relevant and transforming it into Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen. Boyne City’s Todd Wright, from Wright Building & Design, was the general contractor.

Walking through the main doors visitors immediately get a feel for the old Boyne City, Gaylord & Alpena Railroad Headquarters. A corridor leads down the center with glass partitioned dining rooms and a kitchen to the right, and a large open dining room to the left featuring original wood floors, wood walls with 15 foot windows and a wood ceiling. 

“Stiggs is fortunate to operate out of a building circa 1899, and excited to keep carry on the building’s legacy,” Mike Castiglione, Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen Owner, said.  

Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen is one of two building on the National Register of Historic Places in Boyne City’s Central Historic District. An array of other buildings contribute to the Central Historic District being named as a whole to the Register. The building was originally part of White Timber Logging Company camp and was on the north side of the river. Except for the building, the entire camp burnt in 1916. It was picked up and moved in 1917 to its current location at 112 South Park Street in downtown Boyne City. At the time of the move it became part of the Boyne City, Gaylord and Alpena Railroad. After the railroad, 112 South Park housed the local paper, real-estate office and a wellness center until renovations for the brewery started in the fall of 2015. 

PHOTO: Mike Castiglione holds up the Historic Preservation Certification from the National Park Service. Pictured from left to right: Mike Castiglione (Owner, Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen), Ashley Cousens (Executive Director, Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce), Kelsie King-Duff (Executive Director, Boyne City Main Street), Mike Cain (City Manager, City of Boyne City).

Candidates forum recording: 5 compete for 3 City Commission positions

Five candidates will be competing for three Boyne City Commission seats in the November 7th election. All participated in an October 18th Candidates Forum sponsored by the Boyne Area Chamber and the Boyne City Gazette. 
> Listen to audio recording from the Gazette.  Youtube video from Petoskey News-Review.
> UPDATE - Solomon, Grunch and Page win city election. 
The candidates are: Chad Culver, 1035 Lakeview Dr.; incumbent Ron Grunch, 400 Silver St.; Sally Page, 817 E. Main St.; Andy Smith, 6 W. Main St.; and Dean Solomon, 859 Deer Run Dr. Incumbents Laura Sansom and Gene Towne are not running for reelection, so there will be at least two new commissioners. We asked each candidate to provide us with some brief background information:
> CHAD CULVER - I am excited with the opportunity to serve the people of Boyne City. I have lived in Boyne City for 20 years with two children going through our school system and two more currently in high school and middle school. My main goal is to find a way to help our citizens by supporting your voice as our community continues to grow and evolve. After over 20 years in public education, I now own and operate a car wash in town as well as work for Bluegreen Resorts at Boyne Mountain. My family and I love Boyne City and want only the best for our beautiful small town and those visiting our city. I would be proud to serve as City Commissioner and am interested in hearing the concerns of residents.
> RON GRUNCH is the only incumbent running for reelection. He has served on the City Commission for 18 years, include a period as mayor. "My motivation is to 'keep the dream alive. We have a great team working for you - city staff and management, City Commission, Team Boyne, and the greatest group of volunteers in Northern Michigan. Boyne City has a great business model. And I would like to, God willing, continue as a member."
> SALLY PAGE - "My roots in northern Michigan go back to 1962 and after a career in the legal world, from court reporter in Washington DC, to office administrator for law firms in California and New Mexico, my husband and I moved to northern Michigan in 1987. I managed the Emmet County Prosecutor's Office for 25 years. To supplement my income I also played piano for the Presbyterian Church in Harbor Springs, the Northern Michigan Chorale and for several musicals at the Little Traverse Civic Theater and in area high schools.
"Being widowed in 1996, I eventually moved to Boyne City in 2004 to be closer to my children and grandchildren. At 62, I bought my first home, a little cottage up the hill on Main Street. My son Josh and his family live nearby in Charlevoix, and my daughter Liz is a co-owner of Lake Street Market.
"Since entering the race for a seat on the Board of Commissioners, I have met with many of my fellow citizens to learn their concerns – everything from preserving our town's history, to providing more affordable housing, to protecting the open space park on the waterfront for the enjoyment of everyone. We live in a vibrant, relatively young, and growing resort community with a strong and creative community spirit. My goal as a commissioner would be to continue in that spirit and to listen to and serve all the citizens, from the youngest to the oldest; from those who have lived here for generations and those who are new to Boyne City.
"It would be an honor to serve as a commissioner, and to I look forward to the chance of giving back to the community as we go forward."
> ANDY SMITH - " I have been living year-round in Northern Michigan for three years, but have been spending portions of my years in Boyne City since 1999. My career in Northern Michigan began with Boyne Resorts. I currently work in marketing for Boyne Resorts. I see serving as a commissioner as a great opportunity to get involved in the community and help share my ideas and opinions on how we can all work together to grow the community in sustainable and successful ways. I would like to work with the community to find ways to facilitate sustainable growth as one of the premier cities in Northern Michigan. Boyne City is not just a beautiful vacation destination, it is an incredible place to call home and offers a multitude of recreational pursuits of wellness. I will work with the community to further develop these healthy outlets for people, young and old alike."
> DEAN SOLOMON is the recently retired head of the Boyne City MSU Extension office. "Since moving to Boyne City in 2006, my family and I have grown to love the area - its beauty, friendly people, and can-do attitude. We truly live in a special place. Two of our three children graduated from Boyne City High School. I recently retired from Michigan State University Extension after a 35-year career.  Eleven of those were in the Boyne City office as the Charlevoix County Extension Director, then as a natural resources and local government educator. Over the years, I’ve really enjoyed serving on the Boyne City Farmers Market Committee, facilitating the Boyne City biennial community goal-setting meetings, organizing and guiding the Boyne City to US 31 trail steering committee, working with local organizations to protect Lake Charlevoix and helping the Boyne Area Chamber during their annual planning sessions. I was also a member of the Charlevoix County Planning Commission for four years. 
As city commissioner, I will work hard to expand housing choices for Boyne City residents, protect our wonderful natural resources, promote Boyne City as a great place to live and do business, create more ways for residents to have a voice in Boyne City’s direction, and seek funds to complete the Veteran’s Park Pavilion renovation and improvements to the new Open Space.
I'd be honored to serve on the City Commission and help Boyne City continue to grow and meet our future challenges. Learn more about me at facebook.com/DeanBCcommission.