By Joel Thurtell
They call themselves “Friends of the Rouge.”
Try to find out what they do, and they’re not so cordial.
For instance, I’m curious about how the Rouge Report Card was compiled in 1999 and again in 2005. Friends of the Rouge coordinated the discussion groups that led to publication of the 2005 Rouge Report Card. There were a number of down arrows, indicating progress in a negative direction, despite the infusion of $1.6 billion in taxpayer money through varoius governments and the Friends group to make the river usable by humans and fit for animal life.
“Fishable and swimmable” being the objectives, which were to have been achieved by 2005, a goal set by the now-defunct Michigan Water Resources Commission.
Didn’t happen. In 2005, the water in the Rouge watershed was found, after extensive E. coli sampling and analysis, to be fit for human contact at best — AT BEST!! — 5 percent of the time. Ninety-five percent of the time, better not fall in.
In 2005, the Report Card showed several down arrows, meaning retrograde progress: Wildlife habitat, riparian corridor, wetlands, woodlands and meadows, stream flow and adjacent habitat, benthos — all got down arrows, while fish, stormwater management and water quality for aquatic life got sideways — no progress — arrows.
I’ve heard from people involved in the Report Card progress that there would have been more down arrows but for political meddling. They didn’t want to make it look TOO bad.
I’d like to know more about the interference, and just how the judgment calls were made.
Seems like Friends of the Rouge should want to help me understand that process. They are a friendly group, are they not? If they’re true friends of the river, seems like they’d want to put all their cards on the table.
Anyway, I sent them a request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act asking for help understanding what exactly they coordinated with that Report Card back in 2005.
Here is my September 24, 2009 FOIA request:
Re: Rouge River Report Cards 1999 & 2005
Dear FOIA Coordinator:
This is a request pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.321 et seq., for copies of any and all documents and background materials originating from or received by the Friends of the Rouge, including but not limited to data, records, reports, logs, minutes, memoranda, notes of telephone conversations, journal entries, e-mails, faxes, or any other documentation of any kind, pertaining to the following publications of the Rouge Remedial Action Plan Advisory Council:
Rouge River Report Card December 1999
Rouge River Report Card December 2005
Now, I know that the Friends group is a private, nonprofit organization. But I figured since they are dependent on taxpayer infusions of money to stay afloat, from Wayne County and the Alliance of Rouge Communities, they ought to be willing to let a taxpayer see their records.
Guess I was naive.
Here’s the response I received from Friends of the Rouge dated September 29 and received on October 10, 2009:
The Friends of the Rouge (FOTR) is a private, non-profit corporation and as such does not meet the definition of a “public body” as defined in Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 15.232, section 2 (d) and is not subject to the provision of the FOIA (P.A. 442 of 1976, as amended).
We therefore respectfully decline your request for the production and copying of the cited records.
The letter is signed by Heidi McKenzie, FOTR board president and Michael Darga, FOTR board vice-president.
Guess I’m out of luck.
For the time being.
Have YOU tried to get information from this “friends” group?
Do YOU have information about Friends of the Rouge?
And please tell me — just who is this group friends with, really?
Drop me a line at joelthurtell@gmail.com
