STOP Dollar General's plan to open a storefront in Gerrish Township, Higgins Lake, Michigan!

Allowing Dollar General to open in Gerrish Township undermines the community's objective of creating a rural, recreational environment in Higgins Lake. It will hurt longstanding, local businesses. It will deteriorate property values. It will diminish the unique, "up-north" appeal of the area. The opening of a non-locally owned, chain dollar store goes against the culture of the Higgins Lake area and must be stopped.

People who come to Higgins lake - whether as tourists or as residents - come because Higgins Lake offers something special: a rural recreation environment with a strong community, and a commercial landscape that is largely unspoiled by box stores. Bringing in a Dollar General decimates this culture, and runs completely counter to what makes Higgins Lake so special. It diminishes the appeal of this area for tourists as well as current and future residents.

The new Dollar General is poised to operate on the North Cut Road/County Road 100 commercial thoroughfare, just north of Town & Country (gas and grocery), The Bird and the Bear (specialty market and restaurant), Cross Country Ski Headquarters, and other prospering businesses. It poses a major threat to local businesses, which serve a population of people who enjoy the look and feel of a rural recreation environment. More importantly, it threatens to the soul of the community: research shows time and time again the damaging effects of chain dollar stores on small, rural towns, in all areas from economics to public health (see resources links at bottom).

Tell Gerrish Township officials to STOP Dollar General from setting up shop in Gerrish Township. Sign this petition, and take the following action steps to make your voice heard!

ACTION STEPS:
-Sign this petition!
-Share this petition on Facebook and via email!
-Call Gerrish Township Supervisor Dave Udy at 989-821-9313 and let him know you support an ordinance that prevents dollar store chains from opening in Gerrish Township, AND that you support a moratorium on all new commercial building until this amendment is adopted.
-If you're a Gerrish Township resident, put up a "STOP DOLLAR STORES IN GERRISH TOWNSHIP" yard sign.* Call 989-821-6661 to get one, or stop by Cross Country Ski Headquarters on 9435 North Cut Road, Roscommon.

Resources:
-https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/as-dollar-stores-move-into-cities-residents-see-a-steep-downside/2019/02/15/b3676cbe-2f09-11e9-8ad3-9a5b113ecd3c_story.html
-https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/13/dollar-general-walmart-buhler-haven-kansas
-https://progressive.org/magazine/dollar-stores-prey-on-the-poor-sainato-191001/