From the Economic Development Desk of the
August 18, 2021
You are receiving this email because your organization is at one of the economic development tiers with the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce. As always, we encourage your comments and questions.
There are no shortage of items filling my head for this newsletter, but some of them will need to wait until next month. I am going to focus on the CRTC this month. You might be wondering why the CRTC is the topic of the Economic Development update this month. It’s a valid question. It is easy for me to take the CRTC for granted and not recognize the impact it has on the community in terms of economic impact since I do not spend much time out there to see all that is happening. No doubt it is not easy to calculate the value of our military installation but if you spend any time near the base, you get a sense for how fortunate we are to have the active-duty personnel and civilian contractors here support the military mission in whatever for it may be. This really came into focus for me in the last month. I offer the following:

  • I worked with Colonel Rossi, the base commander, and his great staff on putting a federal funding request together in concert with the City of Alpena. The request is through a new Department of Defense program to improve infrastructure of communities with a military installation nearby. The City of Alpena has a water project that needs upgrade. The cost to replace a vital component of the municipal water system is approximately $7.6 million. The City staff worked with the Base personnel to request $5.3 million under this program. The CRTC gets 100% of their water from the City’s municipal water system so this request looks to be a solid one. This was the intent of this program. We are hopeful our project will be chosen for support.

  • It was recently announced that the CRTC is being considered for the funding for a new hangar and maintenance facilities for the express purpose of supporting the 5th generation of military aircraft. The latest generation of aircraft cannot fly into the base or train here since the tools and equipment necessary to maintain and repair those aircraft are not available here. Having the new hangar here (at a cost of approximately $23 million or more) would enhance the military value of the base by allowing for more training exercises. More exercises mean more visitors and specialized operators in and around the area. This would be a huge win for our region. US Senator Peters has been very vocal in his support for funding of this hangar. If this should come to pass, this regional investment would be akin to the hospital expansion at MidMichigan Health. It would elevate the importance and economic vitality of the area.  

  • Lastly I had the privilege of participating (viewing) the military exercise of landing A10’s and C-146’s on M-32 earlier this month. It was amazing. That exercise had never been attempted in the US. The press from all over the state was there to cover this historic event. We even made it onto the national news that evening. That event not only brought so many people to the community to observe it, but it also shined a national spotlight on area. The undertaking and planning were immense for this exercise and the spirit of cooperation was on full display. It was remarkable. The last plane departed and moments later the power company crews were already starting to restring power lines across the road. The number of people on hand necessary for such an exercise was tremendous. No doubt our region and town saw a large bump in visitors and local GDP leading up and soon after that event.  

As I sat on the bus waiting to be transferred back to the CRTC following that exercise, I pondered how fortunate we are to have the CRTC here. They have such a large economic impact on our area, it helps buffer us from some of the more routine ebbs and flows of routine economic activity. Equally important, we have a community that embraces the military and a military leadership that embraces the community. For that we should all be grateful.  

Be well and stay well,
Mike
We here at the chamber and economic development are still focused on our missions and continue to work for you.
Chairman Level ($3,201+)
Alpena Agency, Inc.
Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union
Alpena Community College
Alpena County
Alpena Power Company
Bannan Funeral Home
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Charter Township of Alpena
City of Alpena
Edward Jones – Andrew Kowalski
Edward Jones – Bryan Strong
Edward Jones – Charles R. Ingle
Edward Jones – Eric M. Ferguson
Edward Jones – Marc K. Ferguson
Edward Jones – Pamela Kirchoff
H.P.C. Credit Union
Huron Monuments and Memorials  
Lafarge
Lappan Agency
mBank
MidMichigan Health
Presque Isle County
Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-Op
Wolverine State Credit Union

Partner Level ($1,500) 
Alpena Community Credit Union
Alpena Public Schools
Bedrock Contracting and Excavating
Besser Company
Builders First Source
Clearview Car Wash
Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan
Downtown Development Authority
Decorative Panels International (DPI)
DTE Energy
Employment Services Inc. (ESI)
ITC Holdings, Corp.
Keystone Rental Equipment
LeFave Pharmacy and Compounding
MI Stop Citgo Station
Northland Area Federal Credit Union
Pennzoil Ten Minute Oil Change Center of Alpena
PNC Bank
Propane Plus Inc.
State Street Auto Wash
TCF Bank
Tier4 Technical Support
Timm Construction Company, LLC
Vintage Auto Wash
Walmart
  
Sponsor Level ($475)
Alcona Health Center - Alpena
Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Alpena Beverage Company
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
Alpena Events Complex
Alpena Glass Company, Inc.
Alpena News Publishing Company
Alpena Supply Company
Austin Brothers' Beer Company
Banner Realty
Besser Foundation
Boldrey, Senchuk, Rouleau & Williams, CPA's, PC
Bolenz Jewelry
Building Express Inc.
Century 21 Northland
Clark Construction Company
Cliff Anschuetz Chevrolet Inc.
Cocoa Capital Corp
Compassus Hospice
Consumers Energy
Control Solutions Inc.
Dean Arbour Ford Lincoln
Devere Industrial, LLC
Downtown Union 76 LLC
Everett Goodrich, Inc.
Fiber Char
H&R Block
Harbor North Dental Associates
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Huntington National Bank
Huron Engineering & Surveying
Industrial Image, Inc.
KFC
Lewis & Lewis Professional Surveying, Inc.
McDonald's Restaurants
Meridian Contracting Services, LLC
Michigan Works Center
Midwest Diesel Service
Midwestern Broadcasting (WATZ)
NEMCSA, Inc.
NEMROC, Inc.
Northern Abstract & Title Agency
Northern Eye
Omega Electric & Sign Company Inc.
Ossineke Industries
Plowman's Collision Service
Pompeyos Mexican Grill
Presque Isle Township
R.A. Townsend Company
R.S. Scott Associates, Inc.
RE/MAX New Horizons
Ramada Alpena/Sneakers Bar, Grill & Arcade
Real Estate One of Alpena
ServiceMaster Home & Office
Sherwin Williams
Skiba Insurance Service
SkyWest Airlines
Specification Stone Products
Star Staffing Alpena
Straley Lamp & Kraenzlein P.C.
Stratford Group Ltd.
Suez
Switzer Veterinary Clinic
Tarkington Family Dentistry
Team Elmer's
The Drug Store/Northern Exposure Framing & Matting
The Home Depot
Thunder Bay Accounting
Thunder Bay Electric, Inc.
Thunder Bay Eye Care
Thunder Bay Family Dentistry
Thunder Bay Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Thunder Bay Tree Services, LLC
True North Radio Network
W.G. Benjey Inc./S&A Company
Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Werth Development, LLC
West Design Center, LLC
White, Wojda and Curtis
Wolgast Corporation
Young Appliance, Electronics, Furniture & Mattresses
Zen 24 Hour Fitness Center