About Us

The TNN service area encompasses four Townships in Antrim County, Michigan stretches between the shoreline of East Grand Traverse Bay, and the Chain of Lakes, from Elk Rapids to Norwood - Elk Rapids, Milton, Torch Lake, and Banks Townships. The area is sometimes referred to as "Antrim Island".

Our Mission

The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is organized are:

Educate residents – full-time and seasonal - on issues affecting the quality of life and property rights and responsibilities.
Educate residents and Township officials on the laws and regulations that promote accountability in Township governance.
Encourage citizens who are interested, knowledgeable, and experts to become involved and participate in matters affecting public health, safety, and welfare.

Develop and promote public policy initiatives.
Contract scientific investigation, testing, and studies related to natural resources and the protection of public safety.
Develop educational materials that explore and promote the lessening of the burdens of government and lessening of neighborhood tensions

Officers of the TNN Board

President

Keith Termaat

Vice PresidentScott Finch

SecretaryLTC(Ret)Ross Snare, PhD

Non-Board Positions

TreasuryIndetech Services LLC(pro bono)Accounting, Web support, Fundraising Support

CounselKrystin J. Houle, PLC(ad hoc)Legal Counsel

Board of Directors

Steve Carl	Regional and Global Product Development, Vehicle Program Management, Corporate Strategy and Manufacturing Engineering (Ret. Ford Motor Company). Bachelor of Science (BSE) in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Business Administration (MBA) University of Michigan. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan.
Scott Finch	Treasury Executive, Juris Doctor, Finance and Corporate Strategy executive on Wall Street, Detroit industry, Houston energy industry, and Traverse City, where he was born and raised. Contributor to a major re-write of the Milton Township Master Plan.
Deborah Leich	Managing Director Cap Visor Associates, LLC. Michigan Municipal League Foundation Board. Detroit Economic Club, 100+ Women of Motown. Investment advisor.
Herbert J. Roth MD	Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon (Ret). Lifelong resident along Grand Traverse Bay – Old Mission and Torch Lake Village. After sailing the down east circle route to the Caribbean and back, the Roth’s are resident in Bay Harbor Club. Active in environment, conservation, invasive species, dark sky, and with EGLE fixing a deep benzene plume in the groundwater and managing his association’s well system.
LTC(Ret) Ross W. Snare	As Lieutenant Colonel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. After retirement, is Security & Defense consultant securing the homeland from external threats. Continues proud family tradition in the military. Ph.D. Operations Research.
Keith Termaat	Non-profit leader for GT Bay coastal waters, watersheds, and Great Lakes. Boards: Restore Our Water International. Retired: American National Standards Institute (ISO) Executive & Finance Committees, and Society of Automotive Engineers. Executive Engineer (Ret.) Ford Motor Company. Product Development, Global Standards, Environment and Safety.
Nels Veliquette	CFO of Cherry Ke Inc. in Kewadin Michigan. He is also Treasurer of Cherry Bee Inc, a Board Member of Shoreline Fruit LLC and a former Contributing Writer at Edible Grande Traverse. He grew up in Elk Rapids and currently lives in Traverse City.

2024 Summary TNN Annual Report

Eighteenth Report since inception

RESPECTED VOICE FOR GT BAY & EASTB STREAMS

TNN calls it as it sees it to advance the interests of the Antrim County coastal community between Grand Traverse Bay and the Elk River Chain of Lakes (ERCOL)-Elk Rapids to Norwood.

Antrim’s 22 mile Bayshore is 50% Preserves & Parks–walkable on “sandy sidewalk’ at water’s edge. Grand Traverse County Bayshore-5% public.
Reported Statewide data that just 3% of Great Lakes waterfront properties placed rock structures alongshore in high water times.
Promoted near shore breakwaters, a design which uses the timeless harmony of natural forces to stabilize beaches and bluffs.
Traverse Bay Bottomlands Preserve is nearly barren. Fish swarms gone! Excessive Phosphorus limits 1975 to 1980’s impaired algae, mussels finished it: Zebra in shallows; Quagga in depths.
Analyzed collapse of the GT Bay aquatic food web - 61 scientific studies, media reports, government & NGO reports over 20 years. Each recorded collapse of Diporeia, once abundant ½ inch shrimp, which fed fish - none proposed solutions.

RESTORE THE FOOD WEB A STREAM AT A TIME!

Kewadin’s Mitchell Creek dried up summer 2023. TNN volunteer team from farm, East Bay, rural, midstream, Mud Lake, advised by the Watershed Center, confirmed by aerials, kayak and walking, that a 12 foot beaver dam blocked the flow. Water was released to allow a slow drawdown of Mud Lake. Antrim County cleared 1% of Creek bed at Cairn Hwy. Dam removal is planned.

REMOVE BEAVER DAMS - FOR LARGE TROUT.

Removal of 200 beaver dams by US Dept of Agriculture and Michigan DNR gave rise to Brookies measured in feet. Normally in the mid-west, Brook trout are a petite stream dwelling native species. Beavers/dams are a major cause of degraded streams that drain into L. Superior, L. Huron, and L. Michigan. Dams block migrating fish, disrupt gravel beds for spawn, cut stream flow, reduce oxygen, warm the waters.

BEAVERS GOOD OR BAD FOR TROUT? DEPENDS! Low gradient Midwest streams – e.g., Kewadin’s Mitchell Creek - are turned into a shallow, swampy, troutless mess. Summer warmth and less oxygen make such a stream unsuitable for trout survival. Research shows removing nuisance beaver dams; cools the water; increases populations, triples fish size. High gradient streams in the mountain west may benefit from deep beaver dams’ pools.

WATER LEVELS FORECAST AUG. 2024 - US ACE. August precipitation was near average for the Great Lakes basin - Lake Ontario precipitation was 156% of average while Lake Michigan-Huron experienced lower precipitation at 90% of average. Outflows through connecting channels were above average for all lakes except L. Superior. Monthly mean water levels for all Lakes dropped about 2 inches from July. All Lakes began their seasonal decline. The 6-month forecast predicts declines will continue at least through November. Precipitation plus runoff minus evaporation - aka Net Basin Supply.

“RIPARIAN BUFFER ZONE” - WHY IMPORTANT? Where land adjacent to a lake, stream, river, or wetland is healthy, it features riparian vegetation, integral to protect water quality, ecological integrity, and biodiversity. Natural & restored buffers are critical for nature and people: improved wildlife habitat, fishing, and the joy of shore birds. For watersheds, improved water quality, easier clearing of sediments, and increased wildlife diversity.

NEIGHBORLY BEACH WALKING. Beaches along East Bay are private to the Ordinary High Water Mark (“OHWM”). The Supreme Court, in Glass v. Goeckel decision, established a right for the public to walk alongshore on a “sandy sidewalk” - part of the beach where sand remains wet. Avoid walking inland or engaging in activities other than walking. Dogs should be leashed to not disturb wildlife habitat. Dog waste should be picked up, bagged, and taken along.

US-CANADA BIG PICTURE CONNECTION . . . Concluded with bi-national partner ROWI that 157 years of mankind’s diversions, re-channeling and control structures amplified extreme water levels of Great Lakes since 1865. TNN Supports restoring natural 4 foot range (NOT 6’ feet) and bi-national field study of St. Clair River bottom erosion over time. Adapted ‘make room for the water’ policy from the Netherlands vetted after centuries of higher dikes to harmony with water.

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No activities, including political activities, which are not permitted by a corporation organized under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, shall be carried out to fulfill any of the Corporation's purposes.