Public show support for ‘The Fitz’ at KCRC meeting
The crowd at the meeting spilled into the next room. Photo by Lily Venable.
Over 30 people attended a regularly held public board meeting, held Tuesday by the Keweenaw County Road Commission. Most came in support of the Fitzgerald Restaurant, which is facing a potentially costly tear-down of an in-progress construction project due to a road setback issue. The crowd exceeded the capacity of the small meeting room and overflowed into standing-room-only in the back of the Mohawk building.
Several citizens offered their comments in support of Fitz, including Brad Barnett, Executive Director of Visit Keweenaw. Barnett noted that while the Keweenaw County Road Commission and their team do an incredible job of maintaining the area’s roads, the Fitzgerald’s Restaurant and Hotel has truly become a destination attraction enticing visitors to come to the Keweenaw. He encouraged both the road commission and “The Fitz” to come to a consensus solution that works to address the needs of both parties.
Board members of the Keweenaw County Road Commission also read aloud numerous e-mails that they received from the public, mostly in enthusiastic support of the Fitz, with one e-mail calling for no exceptions to be made.
KCRC’s attorney Andrew Speica emphasized that the Keweenaw County Road Commission is obligated to serve the law and the taxpaying residents of their community, for whom a right-of-way violation would affect.
Specia assured the public that each party is committed to finding a mutually beneficial resolution.
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