Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette The Calumet Village Council discussed the importance of its public survey on the 2023 Village Master Plan Update survey. The meetings have been held in the Village Hall Council Chambers since the hall was built in 1886.

CALUMET — A public survey regarding the village’s 2023 Master Plan update was again a topic of discussion at the regular October Village Council meeting on Tuesday.

Because of the importance of the master plan, Village Manager Megan Haselden, and some council trustees, have been working to raise community awareness of the survey and encourage as many as possible to take it. The survey can be found on the Village website’s homepage.

Pam Que, village president pro tempore, said she has spoken with many people and directed them to copy the QR code that is posted on the door of the Village Hall.

“I’ve been out promoting this,” said Que, “We are trying to find as many people as possible to come on board, not necessarily just village residents, but people from surrounding communities as well.”

Since the development of the Calumet and Hecla mines, and those surrounding Calumet, the village has been the commercial hub of the north end of Houghton County, which is why village officials feel input from surrounding community members is crucial to the update of the Master Plan.

The 2018 Master Plan’s introduction states that the village of Calumet consists of a 26-block, urbanized area that is part of the greater community known as Calumet (Calumet Township and the Village of Laurium and the Village of Calumet). From 1875 until 1929, the village of Calumet was Red Jacket.

The “greater community” was defined by historian and author, Arthur Thurner, in the Village of Calumet, Michigan, 1875,1975: souvenir centennial book, in which he wrote:

“Red Jacket was ‘town’ for the many people who lived in the surrounding mining areas — Calumet, Hecla, Blue Jacket, Yellow Jacket, Tamarack, Albion, Raymbaultown, and Red Jacket Shaft.”

The Master Plan is crucial because it is a long-range planning document that guides development patterns, regulations, and land use policies and is updated every five years. When critical issues are presented to village decision makers they consult the Master Plan to inform their decisions. Therefore, this survey has a profound impact on the future of the Village. Because of the importance of the Village to Calumet Township in general, village officials want to hear from area residents, as well as those in the Village.

By involving residents of the village and the surrounding communities in the planning process, community members offer their vision for the future of the village and therefore the community as a whole.

Given the importance of the Master Plan to village officials, and the importance of the village to the greater Calumet community, it is essential, Haselden said, to get input from the community on the direction of the plan to ensure that when the Master Plan is completed it is a reflection of the values and wishes of the community.

Trustee Que concurred, saying: “I think the survey is really well put together and I think that we could really benefit from that as we can get a lot of people’s feedback.”

The survey can be found on the village website at http://www.villageofcalumet.com/

The URL for the survey is: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J96KZR9 and takes about 20 minutes.

In the event of difficulty with the online survey, please contact Village Hall at (906) 337-1713 to request a hard copy.