It is troubling you are apparently blind to the actions of your appointees.

Continuing:

As the governor's special adviser for city placemaking, Stokes will work with cities on projects such as ensuring the availability of quality green space and enhancing recreational opportunities.

"I am excited to take a lead role in fostering more vibrant urban communities," Stokes said. "I firmly believe that great states have great cities, just as great states nurture and protect their natural resources. This appointment affords me one more opportunity to make Michigan a more dynamic, inviting place to be."

In fact, please sit in a chair for 8 hours a day, do NOT answer the phone, do NOT make any calls, emails, take action, whisper to your colleagues, or even wink yes or no until we have a new governor who understands how dangerous you are with the hammer of government at your disposal. Do nothing please, and the state will remain vibrant and "dynamic".

Folks, pay attention.

'Placemaking' is an evil enough term as it is without the Rodney Stokes brand of enforcement applied.  It is code for an anti tourism, anti property rights, anti freedom agenda that has nothing to do with the local communities which become afflicted by it.  It is an agenda 21 plank, that serves globalization efforts. OUR 'great cities' do not need it.

They certainly do NOT need Rodney Stokes applying his brand of it.

But wait! There is more!

The governor cited Stokes' leadership in two exciting Detroit projects as examples of his commitment to community development. The state's partnership with the city of Detroit to restore Belle Isle, as well as the DNR's plan to assist in the renovation of the historic Globe Building on the city's east riverfront highlight the opportunities that exist in cities across Michigan. In fact, Annex E of the consent agreement between the state and Detroit highlights some of the good land stewardship initiatives that are under way to assist in the city's revitalization.

Snyder emphasized the need for Michigan and its communities to adopt a "placemaking" mindset in his March 2011 Special Message to the Legislature on Local Government Reform. Placemaking recognizes that economic development and community development go hand in hand. It is a multifaceted approach that encourages a fresh look at the potential use of assets such as parks, downtowns, waterfronts, neighborhoods and buildings.

The United Nations agenda 21 documents address this:

3. The role of local authorities as facilitators in the development process is reinforced through municipal international cooperation (MIC). With globalisation, the governance challenges facing local authorities in different parts of the world have increased in their similarities, transcending the national political and economic systems upon which different communities rely. These shared challenges of governance have instigated thousands of local authorities to establish municipal international cooperation projects and to join international local government organisations (LGOs) to advocate for local self-governance and control over the development process.

4. Even prior to the UN Conference on Environment and Development, but particularly since the adoption of  Agenda 21, many local authorities and their LGOs have focused on the unique challenges of governance for sustainable development. At the local level, sustainable development is achieved by steering local development activities to simultaneously achieve three objectives:

   
• increased local social welfare;

   
• greater, and more equitably distributed, local economic wealth; and

   
• enhanced integrity of local ecosystems.

Why do we need to increase local social welfare? Could we not instead provide a barrier free environment that encourages self sufficiency?

Equitably distributed local economic wealth? Right.  Note that "stakeholders" are seldom those who 'have,' but rather those who have NOT, or have NO relationship to the owners of private property.

And for those who just fell off the turnip truck, enhanced integrity of local ecosystems means to keep people from developing property they own.  To keep them from living in rural environments.  To keep their muddy paws off Mother nature.

This isn't even the sickest part of what Mr Stokes will be entertaining in the Governor's newest "vision".  Read the rest HERE

Last notes from the Michigan Wire release:

Stokes was one of the governor's first cabinet appointees after his election in 2010. Stokes began his professional career with the DNR in 1977 and held several leadership positions within the agency, including service as chief of the Parks and Recreation Division, legislative liaison, chief of staff, acting chief of the Law Enforcement Division and chief of the Office of Science and Policy.

He also served as interim director and deputy director of the Detroit Recreation Department and as director of the Gainesville, Fla., Recreation and Parks Department.

Stokes and his wife Linda live in East Lansing.

His appointment is effective July 9. A new DNR director will be announced once appointed.