By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Plans are nearly complete for the Township Hall renovation and expansion, Superintendent Dan Dysinger said at the regular meeting February 14th.
“MacMillan and Associates should have their plans complete before the end of February,” he said. “I will have floor plan drawings in full size for the Board to review at the next meeting.
He said there are “a number of additional cracks in the parking lot this winter.” Because of the condition of our parking lot, I have added this to the scope of work we would like done. I have talked to Chris Penny about this and any additional time he spends on Parking Lot improvements will be billed separately, as it was not included in our original scope of work and ARPA funds won’t cover it.”
He added. “If there are any funds left over, we could use them for this, but I’m not optimistic.”
He said, with the cooperation of the Clare County Road Commission, boring samples have been taken to find out what soil conditions are under the asphalt. “I should know those results by our meeting.”
About the building project, he said, “We would like to have everything ready for bids prior to the end of March.”
He said there are two budgets for approval, the original budget developed February 1st, and the second one a revised budget with the additional expenditures for the project engineering by MacMillan Associates. The total for the original project is $350,187.62 funded through ARPA (American Rescue Plan) funds.
The board agreed to extend the agreement with CJP Architecture to include the plan for redesign and replacement of the entire parking Lot.
Dysinger also reported that he met with the CCRC on January 16 and discussed road projects for this summer. He said, “Of course the ‘super six’ project was on the agenda along with other topics.
There are six Township involved in this project: Winterfield, Hamilton, Hatton, Sheridan, Grant and Garfield. It involves paving and improvements to approximately 20 miles of primary roadways in the six townships.
Dysinger said Grant Township, has one mile in the program – Colonville Road between Eberhart Avenue and Cornwell Avenue – at a cost (Grant’s share) of $32,500. Agreeing to Grant’s portion of the ‘super six’ contract is scheduled for the March agenda.
He said, “Soil borings are required and we should know all the design criteria before our March meeting,” adding, “The CCRC is taking steps to propose this roadway can be changed to an all-season route, or a Class A standard.”
Dysinger said, I should have more exact costs on our local road projects for 2023 at our March meeting.”
He noted that with frost laws in effect, spring weight limits on all roads “not classed as all season or class A roadways shall have load limits on them, something trucking firms are familiar with.”
Dysinger reported that he and Tammy Teal “have talked at length about election procedures with regard to the nine days of early in-person voting. Voters in Michigan ‘foolishly’ passed Proposal 22-2 and now it is in the Michigan Constitution.”
He said, “This proposal has placed extensive additional costs for rural local governments (townships, cities and villages). This was detailed (explained) prior to the November election.”
The County Clerk is proposing to take over this responsibility by consolidating the nine days of additional voting into one location in the County.
“Based on what the State Election Commission has determined for each day of the nine-day period, five people will be required to administer it.” There are 18 voting districts in the County so each would have to have a staff of five for nine hours each day to administer it. By consolidating the nine days into one location, probably the county building, each voting district would see significant savings, but it would require the addition of one new county employee and staff adjustment in the County Clerk’s Office to handle it. Each City, Clare and Harrison and each township would fund the additional county cost – approximately $3,100 annually (a rough estimate) with adjustments for inflation each year.
For each Federal or State election year, additional costs per election would apply, so each even year elections would have two nine-day early voting periods and on the Presidential election year there would be three elections, each with nine days of early voting.
Dysinger said, “To solve the nine days of early voting’s administration and costs, this proposal is the most effective means to reduce costs. And voters can still vote absentee prior to any election.
The board passed a motion urging the Clare County Commission to pass the costs at the County Level equally among all 18 local units in Clare County.
The board also discussed the old landfill, more commonly called the “dump property in Section 18.”
Dysinger said he met with Guy Rousseau from Michigan Consulting and Environmental in January, providing him with maps and a copy to reports from 2013 testing. Rousseau provided a proposal to do the necessary testing to remain “due diligent.” He said, “I made attempts to reestablish connections with AMEC, the original environmental consultants, but they are no longer in business and have been absorbed into Wood Environmental.” He said he hasn’t received an answer to his attempts to reach them. He said the testing cost $5,971.40 in 2023. “Michigan Consulting provided a proposal for $5,975. I recommend we include their proposal in our 2023-2024 budget.”
Dates for the Board of Review were set:
The Organizational meeting will be at 4 pm March 7th with the first budget workshop to follow at 6 pm.
The BOR Appeals meeting will be from 9 am to noon and 6pm to 9pm on March 13.
The final BOR Appeals meeting will be March 14 from 9 am to noon and from 1 pm to 4pm. The regular Board Meeting will follow at 7 p m.
The second Budget Workshop will be held March 21st at 6 pm and the Budget Public Hearing at 6:30 pm.
In other business:
*Compensation for the Building Inspector Program will be determined and brought to the board for approval after Dysinger completes the Building Inspection program budget in March.
- The ARPA budget dated February 14 was approved
*Board of Review members were re-appointed.
*Bills from January 11 through February 14 totaling $84,921.15 were approved.