Rover really likes all the things that are starting to come into season.

If you haven’t enjoyed some fresh produce yet, Rover suggests people check out their local farmer’s markets to get a taste of summer. Sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, green beans, and more are all getting ripe and ready for consumption.

There also are a lot of things that people can do to enjoy the day or night. The Northern District Fair in Cadillac is finishing its week-long run at the Wexford County Fairgrounds and the Buckley Old Engine Show is chugging along this weekend, too.

For those who love music, the Hoxeyville Music Festival is taking place this weekend and is a good option. The weekend also looks like it should be a good one no matter what someone would like to do.

As for this week’s questions, Rover looked at three. One has to do with blight on a Cadillac street while the second had to do with a donation received by the Wexford County Animal Shelter a few years ago. The third and final question had to do with a parking lot and ruts.

Remember, if you have a question and you would like the newshound to sniff out an answer, email it to news@cadillacnews.com, submit it via the Cadillac News website or call (231) 775-6564. There also is an Ask Rover Facebook page that is getting rolled out where previous Ask Rover questions and answers are posted. You can submit questions there as well.

Q: When does the City of Cadillac plan on addressing the blight problem along North Lake Street?

A: Cadillac Department of Public Works Operations Manager Ken Payne was the person that Rover reached out to see if he could help with this question. He told Rover crews are constantly looking for areas of blight throughout the city, but don’t have specific areas that they target. He also said the city gets a lot of calls about blight.

Besides checking on the complaints received, Payne said crews will physically drive around the city looking for blight. Now that he has been alerted to this potential blight, Payne said someone from his department will drive the length of North Lake Street to see if anything needs to be addressed.

Q: How was the money spent that someone donated to Wexford Animal Control? Can some of that be used at the dog park?

A: The most recent purchase was in March for a Jackson Creek Manufacturing box that will be placed on the back of a Wexford County Animal Control truck. The total cost for the box, which includes installation and delivery, is $23,405. The new box includes six individual compartments for animals and equipment. It is stainless steel and has ramping, emergency lighting and heating for colder months and cooling for warmer months.

The cost of the new box was paid for with funds that came from a 2018 donation.

Other uses of the funds included a new surveillance system and a new security system at the shelter, a new washer and dryer were purchased and various repairs to the building including its garage door.

Other smaller projects included the installation of a new handrail outside the main entrance to the shelter as well as some landscaping work. There also was a remodeling project of a bathroom at the shelter and a project to install shelving, a wall unit for rakes and other tools and miscellaneous hooks to hang tools on the wall of the garage.

At a February 2018 Wexford County Finance Committee meeting, the committee was told about a donation of $153,708.78 from an estate to the animal shelter. It was the second large donation made to the shelter, which also received a $10,000 donation.

At the time the donations were originally discussed, the money was placed in a restricted fund so they could only be used by animal control. Those funds are not to be used for everyday-type maintenance or employee wages but could be used for things like adding on to the facility or if there was a need for some service or item.

Whatever is ultimately decided, the board of commissioners has to approve it. If the request is approved, the commissioners will then have to approve a budget amendment that utilizes the donated money.

If the reader who asked this question was so inclined, they could attend a Wexford County Board of Commissioners meeting and address the board during the second public comment. The board is scheduled to meet next at 4 p.m. on Sept. 6 on the third floor of the Wexford County Courthouse.

Q: The road into the dog park off 6th Avenue in Cadillac is nothing but ruts. When will that be fixed?

A: Cadillac Department of Public Works Operations Manager Ken Payne told Rover his department grates the dog park parking lot and has done that multiple times this year. With this information, Payne said he will check it out and see if anything needs to be addressed.

rcharmoli@cadillacnews.com

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