Great Lakes Article:

Lake Superior Alliance recognizes Ashland mayor
The Daily Press (WI)
Published December 29th, 2004

Lake Superior Waterkeeper Bob Olsgard and Lake Superior Alliance President Mike Gardner presented Ashland Mayor Fred Schnook the Alliance's award of merit at the Lake Superior Alliance meeting recently held in Ashland. In addition to receiving the Alliance award, Schnook spoke to members and guests in attendance.

Schnook told meeting-goers about opportunities and challenges faced by the city as it looks to realize the potential offered by a premier location on Chequamegon Bay.

While Shnook was frank about the financial and environmental problems posed by multiple cleanups, he was up-beat about the region's tremendous wealth of educational and technical resources.
These are among the region's top assets for growing a new and vital economic future, one firmly grounded in the city's place on Lake Superior, he said.

"We have tremendous potential here not only to bring visitors and community members to a beautiful, cleaned up and revitalized lakefront, but also to foster the development the city as a regional environmental hub," said Snook of Ashland's economic and environmental future.
"If we can judge by the recent past, there are great things on the horizon," said Lake Superior Waterkeeper Bob Olsgard. "Fred's leadership as mayor has changed fostered a new way of looking at the Lake and the land and the economy, one that places the the beauty and health of Chequamegon Bay and Lake Superior as top priorities," added Olsgard.
The Alliance award recognizes the Mayor's "outstanding contribution to the protection and restoration of Lake Superior."

LSA President Mike Gardner works closely with the city on a number of projects. Gardner said under Schnook there is a new, heightened priority for environmental protection and restoration.

"From urban forestry to stormwater treatment to the city's comprehensive plan, we're seeing a new and welcome collaboration between environmental and municipal interests," Gardner said.

The Lake Superior Alliance is an international organization based in Ashland devoted to restoring and protecting Lake Superior.

More information on LSA and the Lake Superior Waterkeeper is available at: www.superioralliance.org. Previous Alliance awards have gone to the Washburn's St. Louis Coastkeepers and Ashland's Bay Area Paint Exchange.