Paine-Gillam-Scott House welcomes Steel descendants
The Clinton County Historical Museum, Paine-Gillam-Scott House and the Clinton County Historical Society were thrilled to welcome the descendants of RM Steel and EP Waldron to the Museum recently. They enjoyed an afternoon full of sharing photos, documents and stories.
That day the family laid to rest their mother, Betsy Steel Baldwin Johnson, the great-granddaughter of RM Steel in the Steel Mausoleum at Mt. Rest Cemetery. RM Steel was a railroad magnate, early settler to St Johns and perhaps, most notably to some, the owner of The Steel Hotel in St Johns.
Steel’s first house, built in 1859, is located at 109 Lewis Street.
Later Steel built a larger home that is located on the southeast corner of Walker and Swegels Streets.
In 1887 he built the Steel Hotel in St. Johns at a cost of $65,000, one of the finest hotel buildings in the state in its day. The Steel Hotel was destroyed by fire on March 28, 1975. It was located on the northwest corner of Higham Street and Clinton Avenue.
City celebrates Leadership of Police Chief David Kirk
When Chief David Kirk was hired to lead the St. Johns Police Department in 2016, he was tasked with addressing four major components of SJPD: operations, processes, policies and facilities. Over the past six years, Kirk has made significant strides in achieving the vision he shares with the City Commission.
“It is my personal pledge to use all my resources and capabilities to fashion the SJPD into a flagship organization,” says Kirk. “We have high professional standards and a commitment to the safety of our community. It is my honor to lead the fine men and women who embrace these priorities.”
Kirk’s accomplishments include the addition of new technology that is improving departmental efficiency and helping officers perform their duties more smoothly. Under his leadership, the SJPD has fully implemented a centralized records management system, launched new reporting to assure the department meets implicit bias tracking requirements, received a $22,000 grant for body-worn cameras, and completed an upgrade and expansion of the CCTV camera system in downtown St. Johns.
Kirk has also focused on employee recruitment, retention and satisfaction as he works to build an agency in which officers and administrative staff take pride. He successfully added a Deputy Chief of Police who assists with strategic planning and the development and execution of daily operations. Locating, improving and transitioning to a new police headquarters that meets all statutory operational requirements was another major project for Kirk.
“The SJPD enjoys an incredibly positive relationship with our residents,” says City of St. Johns Mayor Scott Dzurka. “Chief Kirk’s focus on the community policing model and the way he and his officers interact with residents and businesses is an important part of making St. Johns a safe place to live, work and visit.”
On April 14, 2022 Kirk was placed on administrative leave so the City could investigate and address staff concerns expressed in a workplace satisfaction survey. An independent consultant conducted more than 20 interviews to effectively understand the work environment at SJPD, and based on the results, the City found no wrongdoing on the part of Chief Kirk. Kirk resumed his duties as Chief of Police on June 6, 2022, with a commitment to address areas of improvement identified in the investigation, including communication, policy
and procedure implementation, workplace incentives, community visibility and officer engagement.
“It is important for residents to know that all City staff are required to follow personnel rules, and no one is ever above questions or investigations,” explains St. Johns City Manager Chad Gamble. “Equally important is to assure that when these investigations are completed and allegations are not substantiated, we clearly communicate those conclusions to our constituents and in this case, preserve the personal and professional reputation that our Chief has forged over the course of his illustrious career. We are very proud of Chief Kirk and the officers that serve and protect our City.”
Learn more at cityofstjohnsmi.com.
Sparrow Clinton announces new board member
Sparrow Clinton Hospital is pleased to welcome Timothy Hanna, a retired insurance executive, to the Board of Directors for a three-year term.
Board members help oversee Sparrow Clinton, work closely with senior leadership, and bring broad experiences from various fields.
Hanna is also a member of the Sparrow Clinton Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council (P-FAC) and a board member of the Community Mental Health Authority for Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties. As a Sparrow Clinton P-FAC member, he’s able to share insights from the eye of a patient that ultimately help enhance the patient experience.
He and his wife, Debby, live in DeWitt and have three adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys boating on Lake Michigan, golf and reading about history.
In addition to Hanna, the 2023 Sparrow Clinton Board of Directors includes Amy Palus, Board Chair; Kimberly Brzozowski, Board Vice-Chair; Craig Bishop; Mark Brisboe, Interim President, Sparrow Carson and Clinton Hospitals; Dan Cross; Tom French; Gregory Holzhei, D.O.; Helen Johnson, Regional Chief Operating Officer; Curtis Keck, Board Secretary; Matthew Nobis, Sparrow Health System Finance Department; Mark Weismiller, M.D.; and Matthew Wilcox, D.O.
For more information on Sparrow Clinton, go to Sparrow.org/Clinton.
Remember when? – City agrees to move into new courthouse in 1998
St. Johns City Commissioners voted 5-0 last week to enter into an equity ownership arrangement with Clinton County on the new courthouse building.
The decision helps pave the way for the city to relocate its offices from the Municipal Building into the new county facility, pending final contract negotiations between the two parties.
Tentative design plans call for the city to occupy about 6,730 square-feet of dedicated space on the main floor in the east wing of the new courthouse. The city would also have the use of approximately 3,800 square-feet of shared space, including conference rooms and the commission room.
The preliminary cost estimate for overall construction is $15 million, with the city’s share estimated at $1.2 million.
The county and city will bond separately for the project. Bonds would be payable over a 20-year period.
County and officials are continuing to work on a formula for shared operating expenses, and are also devising provisions for either party to “cash out” of the arrangement if necessary after the bonds are paid back.
The cooperative venture will be cost-effective and beneficial for both governmental units and their residents, officials say.
“The arrangement will allow both of us to serve people better,” said St. Johns City Manager Randy Humphrey, noting the concept of shared space is one of the main purposes of the collaborative idea.
The city had conducted its own facility study several years ago on renovating the current Municipal Building. The estimated renovation cost at that time was $750,000.
City officials believe that renovation costs today would be close to the new construction estimate of the buy-in at the county building.
The move to the courthouse and upcoming opening of Briggs Library raises the question of a future use for the Municipal Building site. That decision has not been made, Humphrey said.
“The construction process timeline for the courthouse will allow the commissioners to have ample opportunity to study what the best use of the building and site will be,” the city manager said.
“We’re certain they will be asking for the public’s input.”
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How To Introduce a New Kitten to Your Home
courtesy of Jeannine Berger, DVM, DACVB, DACAW, CAWA
Bringing a new kitty into your home is exciting—but it’s also a big commitment and must be planned out carefully. Pet parents must keep their kitten safe, comfortable, and happy in their new environment, and it can take a few days for a kitten to adjust.
Here’s how to introduce your kitten to your home and set them up for success.
1. Set up a Safe Space
The first step of kitten adoption happens before you bring home your new furry family member. Set up a safe, confined, and kitten-proofed area where they can stay when unsupervised. This will allow them to make a gradual transition into their new home and provides them their own safe space where they can relax. If you have other pets, this also lets your kitten and resident pets adjust to each other’s presence and prevents exposure to potential diseases.
The kitten-proofed area should be free of potentially hazardous, toxic, or valuable items, and you should also check for any nooks or crannies where a kitten might hide and become stuck. The space must also be easy to clean and easy to close off with a door. Preferred locations for a kitten are a spare bedroom, office, laundry room, or bathroom.
The room should have natural light, good airflow, be somewhat quiet, and prepared with everything a new kitten needs: a resting area, water and food bowls, several toys, and at least one or two litter boxes.
2. Let the Kitten Explore
Immediately take the kitten to their designated room and let them explore the area at their own pace. It may take several days for a kitten to adjust to a new home—even a healthy and social kitten.
After your new kitten has had some quiet time in a restricted location, slowly allow access to other areas of the home under your supervision. Kittens are natural explorers, and during the first few weeks this gradual access to your home will meet their need for exploration.
If you have other pets, keep them in a separate area of the home while the kitten explores. This will allow your kitten to smell your resident pets (and for them to smell the kitten when they return) without the possibility for negative interactions. This process is called “scent swapping.”
3. Teach Your Kitten Proper Play
Multiple short, positive interactions during the day (about 10 minutes long each), as well as scheduled playtime, will strengthen the human-animal bond with your new family member. Play also provides your kitten with physical exercise and mental stimulation.
During these play sessions, it’s important to teach your kitten how to play properly and to work on eliminating play-related aggression, since a kitten’s idea of play may involve unsolicited scratching and biting. Lack of stimulation or a lack of appropriate play and exploratory behavior options can worsen this behavior.
Never punish a kitten for playing inappropriately. Instead, redirect any unwanted behavior toward one of three more appropriate activities:
Interactive play: The kitten plays on their own with treat-dispensing toys, interactive toys, boxes, iPad videos, etc.
Active play: The kitten plays with you, with help from wand toys, laser pointers, or feathered toys. Always use toys and never teach your kitten to play with your hands or feet.
Reward relaxation behaviors: Relaxing, petting, and grooming. Reward the kitten for calm and relaxed behavior.
4. Introduce the Kitten To Other Pets
Although some kittens may show fear and defensive postures toward other pets in the home, most young kittens are playful and inquisitive around other animals. It’s typically the existing pets that may pose more of a problem during introductions, so it’s important that intros are done slowly and properly.
Introducing the New Kitten to Your Cat
Keep the kitten and resident cat in separate rooms for the first seven to 14 days your new kitten is home. When introducing cats, let them briefly meet through a barrier, such as a baby gate. As long as both kitten and cat remain calm and relaxed, gradually increase these sessions and remove the barrier.
Remember that there is no set timeline for introductions—you should always progress at the rate your pets feel comfortable with.
Introducing the New Kitten to Your Dog
Keep the new kitten and your dog in separate rooms for the first seven to 14 days. Once both pets are comfortable sniffing each other through scent-swapping and hearing each other on opposite sides of the door, let them see each other.
For safety, use a barrier, such as a tall pet gate, when introducing a cat to your dog. If both pets remain calm and relaxed, make leashed introductions. Again: Go slow and at a pace both animals feel comfortable with.
5. Keep the Kitten Safe at Night
It’s preferred to keep kittens confined at night, even if they have access to other parts of the home during the day. Their initial “safe space” area can serve this need.
Because cats are crepuscular animals (meaning they’re active at dusk and dawn) and natural hunters, this practice can help prevent play-related behavior problems in the early morning or evening hours—and let you sleep undisturbed. It also helps keep your kitten safe, since they will be in a kitten-proofed area during these high-activity times.
Free video consult – ask our vet team anything about your new pet.
6. Consider Adopting Two Kittens
Simply put, it’s best to adopt two kittens instead of one. Adopting a pair of kittens gives them a built-in playmate as well as an outlet for mental stimulation and social development, according to the SPCA of Northern Virginia. It’s also more difficult to introduce two adult cats if you decide you want your resident cat to have a companion later.