Dog Ban at Beaches Leads to Recall of Officials

In August of 2010 a local Township Board voted to ban dogs from two popular beaches in northern Berrien County bordering Lake Michigan. On February 22, 2011, the three officials voting for the ban were recalled from office for not representing their constituents.

Roadside and Hagar Parks in Hagar Township in Coloma, Michigan, both located off M-63 were the two parks affected by the ban. According to Mlive.com, the two parks, both featured on the Pure Michigan website, gained popularity over the summer and were previously known for being dog friendly beaches. They were two of just a handful of beaches in Michigan where dogs were still allowed.

The decision by the Hagar Township Board was controversial, to say the least. Those opposing the ban insisted it would hurt local tourism because people used to travel from as far away as Kalamazoo and Chicago to bring their dogs to the parks. And many local residents started barking over the ban because they felt that their rights were being stepped on.

What happens when local citizens object to the decisions their locally elected officials make? The same thing that always should happen... democracy. People began speaking out for their right to bring dogs to the beaches. Most were willing to compromise and make some concessions in terms of 'dog free' hours or leash requirements. But the Township officials wouldn't budge. The people began organizing. They formed a Yahoo Group and eventually the public outcry became so loud that officials needed to publicly defend their choice to ban the dogs in the first place. Local citizenry organized a recall petition and acquired the required number of signatures to hold a recall election for the three board members who voted for the ban. Supporters of the recall emphasized that while the initial reason for recall was the dog ban vote, there was much more to the story than that. They felt that their opinions and ideas were ignored by their elected officials, and that they weren't represented by their local government. They set up Abouttheprocess.com, a website about the controversy to inform the public about their purpose.

Sure as dogs love bones, the three trustees were recalled, effectively ousting them to the Township doghouse for their anti-canine bigotries and undemocratic principles on February 22, 2011. Tim Sewcyck, Eugene Jarvis, and Kandyce Hays were all recalled by slim margins. According to the Herald Palladium, the only two members of the township left both voted against the dog ban, Clerk Deborah Kelley and Treasurer Marlene Davis. There will be another election in May to fill the vacant seats.

In the meantime, while dogs are still currently banned from the two Hagar Shore parks, it appears that the dogs may still have their day. And that day is coming soon.