Letter to the Editor: In May 2019, having lived in Harbor Springs for less than one month, the newly appointed city manager, Victor Sinadinoski, for some reason, felt he had a thorough understanding of Harbor Springs and that our quaint town needed to become an RRC.
On May 20, 2019, incredulously following his advice, Mayor Matt Bugera, owner of The New York Restaurant, voted in favor of a resolution that granted the city’s participation in the RRC Program. Remarkably, since its passage, the records show that Bugera has barely spoken about this initiative nor demonstrated an understanding of the issues, which is dumbfounding considering its significance to Harbor Springs’ future.
As the city’s leader as a second-term Mayor, and given his previous endorsement for the RRC, why hasn’t the Mayor provided a convincing understanding and rationale for his conviction that RRC is what Harbor Springs needs?
My concern, backed by previous experience with the Zorn Park playground, is that the Mayor has not thoroughly acquainted himself with details and the likely negative impacts and prefers overly relying on city staff rather than doing the work himself. For example, reviewed via a FOIA request, he wrote in an August 24th, 2022, email to city council members, “I went for my afternoon swim today at the city beach and saw that there was a space marked off next to the canon. After talking to Victor, I learned this was the area where the old playground equipment was to be placed. I am not sure that this is the best use of our waterfront and I think this goes against the idea of creating and maintaining open spaces for the public to use.” While aligned with the citizens, Matt lacked the strength and leadership to champion the cause and initiate a solution, which would have prevented months of community outrage.

History is repeating itself. The Mayor’s disengagement and lack of awareness about the city’s affairs suggest a troubling pattern of uninformed governance and detachment from his civic responsibilities. This is particularly worrisome, considering the significant implications of the RRC and extensive zoning changes, which will undoubtedly impact the uniqueness of Harbor Springs for years to come.

At last Monday’s City Council meeting, Matt had the opportunity to explain his thinking but,  surprisingly, he failed to do so. His silence speaks volumes.
Patrick Kenney
Harbor Springs