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NLEA director Andy Hayes presented a request to the countyÕs finance committee meeting seeking approval of Cheboygan County to join the economic development group.

"Actually the pros outweighed the cons,Ó said Vice Chair Laura Stanek in making the motion to add the county. Her motion was adopted in a unanimous 9-0 vote.

Locally, NLEA officials have conducted 13 manufacturing visits in Antrim County, Hayes said, where state and local officials are brought in to discuss manufacturing concerns with the local members.

"We are also working with officials from the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments on a rapid response program,Ó Hayes said, "and we are working with the five county governments on a variety of projects.Ó

Talks with Cheboygan County officials started last year, Hayes said, following their decision that they were not happy with their present economic development format and wanted to try something new.

"They internally looked around and also looked if they wanted to go out on their own or they could work regionally with the other governments,Ó Hayes said.

Currently Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties are already members of the NLEA, so adding another member would not be a problem. "We have been a cohesive county area for 22 years and most of the challenges we felt we could overcome with just additional staff expertise. A lot of it was just logistics,Ó he said.

Hayes also alluded to the fact commissioners should mark March 2 on their calendars, as that is the date of the NLEAÕs annual meeting at Boyne Mountain. Customary with the affair is the organizationÕs presentation of the "Product of the YearÓ award which this year will be going to an Antrim County business.

"We appreciate the report and we think you should come up at least once a year to bring us up-to-speed on what is going on,Ó board chairman Jack White said.

In other business, commissioners heard Custer Township trustee Roxanne Flake seek assistance on dealing with zoning issues in the township. Members directed her to work closely with county Prosecutor Charles Koop and building department director Bob Massey in combating these problems.

Commissioners also agreed to sponsor an application for the two-percent revenues awarded by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The funds, if awarded, would allow for the purchase of a laser shot hunter simulator to be used at any time and any place for a hunterÕs education course, coordinated by the Northern Michigan HunterÕs Education organization in Mancelona.