The Torch Lake Township Board met for its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19. The meeting was held at the Hubbell Community Building. All board members were present.
Parks Questionaire Available for Download
Supervisor Brian Cadwell reported that the Parks Committee is working with WUPPDR to update the plan for park improvements and maintenance. The committee met at both of the township's parks and and reviewed the old plan. Now the committee is in the process of prioritizing needs to shape the new plan.
As part of this effort, Brian has put up the Township Parks Questionaire on the township web site. You can download the questionaire from here: Torch Lake Township Documents.
The board invites citizens to print and complete the form and send it to the township. The Parks Committee plans to use citizen input from the questionaire in establishing priorities for new the parks plan.
New Ordinances and Available for Download
Brian also mentioned that he put both the new outdoor burning ordinance and the new blight ordinance on the township website so citizens can download and review them at home. You can download both ordinances from here: Torch Lake Township Documents.
Universal Billing for Garbage Fees
Brian received the proposed ordinance from Mike Makinen shortly before the board meeting, so no action was taken at the meeting. Board members will review it and make any modifications needed before voting on it. The fee will be $120 per year. Parcels with residences not currently paying the garbage collection fee will be billed after the ordinance has passed.
Township Finances
Treasurer Diane Zurcher announced that a new Deputy Treasurer would be on duty in February, with two days of training scheduled in January.
Diane also reported that the tax bills would go out the first week in December. She asked the board to authorize 32 hours of paid work by former Deputy Treasurer Jim Zurcher in December to assist her during the period of heavy collections. The work would be paid from office funds budgeted for use by the Treasurer. The board voted 4-1 to authorize the payment, with Clerk Karen Rovano opposed.
In a discussion with Trustee Denise Lepisto, Diane explained that she backs up the computerized tax records every day and sends copies to the county every two weeks.
Reappraisal Status
Michigan's Deputy Treasurer visited Torch Lake Township to check on the reappraisal of random parcels. Brian reported that the review went well and that the reappraisal continues on schedule.
Election Turnout
Clerk Karen Rovano reported that 70% of registered voters in Torch Lake Township turned out to vote in the presidential election on November 4, a very high number. [I can attest that folks were lined up at the door of the Hubbell Community Center when the polls opened at 7:00 a.m.]
Other Items
- The board voted to advertise the Board of Review meeting scheduled for December 10 at 6:00 p.m.
- The Hubbell VFD will relinquish its decontamination chamber to the county. No one in the Hubbell VFD is qualified to operate it.
Next Board Meeting
The next Torch Lake Township board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2008. It will take place at the Bootjack Fire Hall.
Lynn Torkelson