The Rotary of Macomb meets Tuesdays at noon at the First Presbyterian Church.
March 3, 2026 President Seth Minter started the 36th Rotary Club meeting by ringing the Rotary Bell at the First Presbyterian Church in Macomb. The invocation was delivered by Todd Rodeffer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Wayne Laramie.
Wayne Laramie presented the attendance data: 22 members attended in person and 2 participated via Zoom, representing 43% of the club’s membership. With the addition of 7 guests, the total attendance reached 31. The guests included Alice Orthmann (our speaker), John Maguire visiting Rotarian from the Macomb Centennial Morning club, Prospective members: Tom Casey and Blake Severs, March Junior Rotarians: Addison Lawson and Z. Conley and Rotary Exchange Student Thea Granheim from Norway.
Five Rotarians contributed “Happy Money” in recognition of recent noteworthy events. Next was the 50/50 drawing and Steve Hopper, who had the winning ticket the week before, chose a new card to start the drawing. The new card was the 9 of Hearts. Steve Hopper luckily had the winning ticket and the chance to win $4 if he drew the 9 of Hearts. Steve promptly drew the 9 of Spades and did not win.
President Seth proceeded to announce the March birthdays and membership anniversaries of club Rotarians. Members celebrating birthdays in March include Todd Rodeffer (March 8), Jordan Pounders (March 13), Seth Minter (March 15), Ray Krey (March 25), and John Bannon (March 29). Membership anniversaries recognized were John Nelson for 25 years of service and Jerry Brookhart for 18 years. The group then joined in singing “Happy Birthday.”
Seth announced that Tom Casey has been elected as a new member and will be officially inducted next week. He then introduced Jimmie Koller of Brown’s Shoe Fit to provide an update on the Shoes for Kids initiative. Jimmie reported recently receiving an additional donation of $500, bringing total contributions to $3,800, which will supply 76 pairs of shoes to students. Tentative dates had been established for shoe distribution: March 12, 2026, at Lincoln School and March 13, 2026, at Edison School. Rotarians were encouraged to attend these events. Additionally, Jimmie shared plans for a forthcoming Golf Tournament aimed at raising further funds. Emily Gillett subsequently announced that tickets are now available for Rotary Day at the Ballpark, scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026, offering an opportunity both to enjoy a game and support Literacy. Additional information is available on the District 6460 website or directly from Emily.
Todd Lester introduced the speaker, Alice Ohrthmann, Public Works Director for the City of Macomb and a former member of our club. Ms. Ohrtmann has held her current position since 2019. She was invited to present information on the new Water Treatment Plant to be constructed on Macomb’s west side.
Ms. Ohrtmann began by reviewing the history of the city’s water plant, noting that a project of any new construction had not occurred since the original facility was built in 1910.
Initially, water was sourced from the Lamoine River.
The original building used filters and had a marble control panel installed in the building. In 1927, Spring Lake was built and became the primary water source.
Over the subsequent six decades, upgrades were implemented to ensure the safety and quality of the water supply. While the original plant served the community well for many years, it has now reached the point where further updates are no longer feasible.
By 2003, it became evident that Spring Lake could not continue as the sole water source, prompting the initiation of plans for a new Water Treatment Plant in 2017. Several options were considered, including remaining at the current site, constructing a new facility, or implementing a combination of both approaches. Ultimately, the decision was made to build an entirely new plant, designed to serve the community for the next 50 to 75
years.
Bids for the project were solicited in February 2026 and are scheduled to be opened at the end of March 2026. Construction is anticipated to begin by late summer, with the new facility expected to become operational by late 2028 or early 2029.
Alice provided detailed information regarding the new wells that will supply the facility, ensuring a reliable water source for the city. The plant will incorporate solar power, with panels installed around the site, representing a major advancement in delivering clean and sustainable water to the residents of Macomb. The meeting concluded with the recitation of the “Four Way Test” and the sounding of the Rotary bell, encouraging all members to make Rotary Part Of Their Life – and to “Unite For Good”.
Interested in speaking at Rotary or becoming a member, contact Tom Stites at [email protected].
