It’s a new ballgame. Things are different. Times have changed.
But while Orion Township Supervisor Matt Gibb isn’t willing to sit back and wait for things to just happen, he also knows a leopard can’t change his spots.
‘I have a real simple vision for Orion,? he told members of several township boards gathered at a recent meeting. ‘Let’s be what we are.?
It was a declaration of sorts, and his enthusiasm appears to be contagious.
Unsolicited, cohorts say they believe in him, and they’re standing behind his efforts to bring Orion front and center.
‘Matt’s a great leader,? said Clerk Penny Shults, although no one inquired about the supervisor’s performance.
‘Matt’s doing a really great job,? said Treasurer Alice Young. Again, unsolicited.
In a dreary, lingering economic climate, Gibb sees good things on the horizon and he’s positive about Orion’s future.
So, at a recent meeting between the Township Board of Trustees, the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, Gibb recounted an experience he had talking to Lake Orion High School students last summer.
‘I said ‘Being a leader means having a vision,? he told the group. ??(After college), you’re going to be sitting in some coffee shop not thinking about Lake Orion. You’ll be drinking your latte and you’ll open that magazine and read ‘Orion Township, one of the coolest places on earth to live, to work, to do business.??
And then he reminded the group about a November 2007 announcement: Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion was selected by the United States Golf Association to host the 2012 U.S. Senior Open.
People are coming. Lots and lots of people. Lots and lots of media.
‘My goal is for us to be ready when that day comes,? he said.
And it’s not just talk. After he was elected supervisor last November, Gibb got people together and started asking for input.
He shared his vision and asked others to do the same. Then the various boards got to work.
The result? A significant overhaul of the township’s Master Plan, which officials hope will make the township more ‘business friendly.?
‘For too long it’s been very difficult for businesses to deal with the red tape in Orion Township,? said Treasurer Alice Young. ‘The boards weren’t very cooperative, and developers wouldn’t come any more. They wouldn’t even look at us.?
But it’s all starting to change. No big announcements are pending, Gibb said, but businesses are starting to look around Orion, starting to ask questions.