Debt-Free Education Is Still Possible

How do you fill 9,000 open construction jobs in the state of Michigan in one year? Or 500,000 skilled professional trade jobs by 2024? According to the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development, those staggering numbers are reality. Why? The Great Recession exodus, birth rate decline, skilled professional tradespeople retiring, misperceptions about trades, lack of awareness, and the emphasis on a four-year college education as a way to guarantee job placement have created a shortage of skilled professionals.

Professional trades have long faced a stigma of being dirty, repetitive jobs, only performing manual labor. However, advancements in technology create a very different outlook.

Read more from our own Tonya Wildfong in the TC Business News May 2018 issue.

Balancing Urban Life and a Healthy Stream Habitat

Kids Creek is on the state impaired waters list. Too much storm water caused sediment to fill the creek, and narrow banks led to flooding whenever it rained. The water had nowhere to go but up and over.

The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay has spent 15 years improving these conditions. Team Elmer’s was hired to restore a section of Kids Creek to its natural, and functioning, state. One problem was no flood plain relief. Our job was to remove the excess sediment and expand the flood plain to create a natural storage area for excess storm water. 

So why does this matter? Restoration has aided in water quality for the entire watershed. The natural fish and insect habitat was being covered by sediment, hindering the ecosystem from working as it should. With this restoration, insects and fish could return to Kids Creek. The community can enjoy an oasis in the city and learn to create a balance between urban life and a healthy stream.

Watch the process and learn more about why this project matters!

Get a Load of This! Episode 23: Kids Creek

Enjoy Kids Creek Week June 9 - June 15, 2018. Celebrate this urban oasis! Visit the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay to find out more. 

Team Elmer's Projects Earn Awards of Excellence

Team Elmer’s was honored with two Awards of Excellence from the Builders Exchange of Northwest Michigan – one for our work on Lot D Boat Launch and Parking Lot in downtown Traverse City, and the other for our reconstruct of Lower Shore Drive in Harbor Springs. The Builders Exchange presents their Award of Excellence program to recognize and promote quality workmanship performed by contractors, subcontractors, and their employees.

The first project we were recognized for was the reconstruction of  the Lot D boat launch area and parking lot to install an accessible kayak and canoe launch, storm water filtration devices to reduce storm water run-off into the Boardman River, pedestrian bump outs, and overall aesthetic improvements to the parking lot.

The second project was Lower Shore Drive, which was constructed on the side of a hill over 50 years ago and the road was starting to slide down the hill, threatening the homes below. The engineer designed a soldier pile wood lagging wall - a retaining wall with a deep enough foundation and tie-backs to stabilize the slope and provide a barrier between the road and the homes below. Team Elmer’s installed this solution to save the road, protect the houses, and prevent future shifting. 

We thank the Builders Exchange for honoring our team and recognizing all of our hard work.