Phone survey, postcards to voters set to help garner input on Kaliseum

KALKASKA – In the beginning, the idea to build the Kaliseum Recreation Complex near two decades ago was driven by the public.

Now, the Kalkaska County Board of Commissioners is hoping that public opinion will again be the driving force on a possible funding request to fix, maintain and operate the facility on West Mile Road in Kalkaska for the next 20 years.

The county board in December hired the Lansing-based public opinion and marketing research firm, Epic MRA, to conduct both phone and computer-based surveys to find out exactly what Kalkaska County voters want to see done with the Kaliseum.

According to District No. 3 Commissioner Kohn Fisher, chairman of the county board, the phone surveys started over the weekend and will continue until a minimum number are completed.

Meanwhile, postcards with individual access codes to an online questionnaire were mailed out to all registered voters in the county on Monday, Jan. 7.

Fisher said input gathered from the surveys will be key in molding upcoming decisions by the board regarding the future of the Kaliseum, include the potential for a bond or millage request that could be placed before voters in May.

“Absolutely, without a doubt,” Fisher said of the importance of the surveys in determining what the board will do next. “(The Kaliseum) was built on a public initiative in the beginning. It was publically driven, not something from this board.

“Now, the building needs more maintenance and yet there’s been no public input.”

Read the full story in our regular edition of The Review. To subscribe to the paper for just $34 a year, which includes access to our full online e-edition, please go to the subscription page on this website at: http://www.antrimreview.net/subscribe/