Lowell Charter Township held its regular board meeting last night and spent about an hour discussing everything from election workers to the governance of the Lowell Area Fire and Emergency Services Authority. They also looked at plans for a pool proposed for the North Grand River Riverfront Park.
All board members were present for the meeting which was also attended by two residents in the audience.
Plans for a New Pool Underway
Supervisor Jerry Hale reviewed with board members a conceptual plan for a pool to be located at the North Grand River Riverfront Park. This park is located near the corner of Bowes Road and Main Street and currently has trails, a concession stand and pickleball courts. A splash pad will also be constructed at the park and is expected to be open next year.
To accommodate the pool, the township plans to fill in the park’s retention pond and divert water to a retention pond at Impact Church. The church will also deed over a portion of its property that can be used for the pool.
The pool itself would be built and maintained by the YMCA – “If the Y comes up with the money,” according to Hale. It would be located between the current park and Impact Church property. If the pool were ever to close, the land would revert back to Impact Church.
Hale added that people wouldn’t have to be Y members to use the pool, but they would have to purchase a day pass to swim. There was no word on when fundraising and/or construction might begin.
Riverfront Park Updates: Pickleball and Disc Golf
Later in the meeting, Hale gave an update on other improvements at Riverfront Park.
Repairs to the pickleball courts are underway, and cracks in the concrete have been filled. Trustee Mark Anderson noted that it was a long process that involved widening and cleaning out the cracked areas, filling them with a more pliable material and hand scraping the surface of the court.
Now that the cracks are repaired, the courts will be painted before the fences and nets are reinstalled. The work is weather-dependent, but Hale was hopeful that everything might be completed within a month or earlier.
The disc golf course at the park is almost complete as well. Most tee boxes are in, the fairways have been mowed and poison ivy has been sprayed. All that remains is to add signs and work out a lease with Impact Church for the final two disc golf targets which will be located on church property near the river.
Election Worker Pay and Laptops
The Lowell Township Board unanimously approved two items related to elections. The first was an increase in election worker pay by $3 an hour. That would make worker pay $15 an hour and the chair’s pay $17 an hour.
Before voting on the increase, board members reviewed what other townships pay their election workers. Based on that information, the median pay for election workers is $15 an hour while the median pay for election chairs is $18 an hour.
“Right now, we’re at the very bottom of the wage scale, and I think we should be at least to the mid-range,” Hale said.
“It isn’t really about the pay,” said Trustee Steve Vander Ziel, noting that people may not take these jobs for the money. “It’s about helping your community.”
Clerk Monica Burtt noted that there was significantly more training involved in being an election worker nowadays. She added that she would need at least four workers per day for the nine days of early voting that is required by law, beginning in 2024.
In addition to approving the increased pay for election workers, board members unanimously approved spending $2,452 for three new laptops to be used for elections.
Response to Letter from City about Water System
Lowell Charter Township and the City of Lowell have been discussing for years how to address increased demand for water and sewer services in the township. The city recently sent a letter to the township asking them to state how they would like to resolve the matter.
“Basically, they’ve asked us to make a decision,” Hale said, but he added that the township hadn’t been provided with necessary information, such as the cost of possible solutions, to make that decision.
“Nor do we have urgency to do so,” Vander Ziel said.
Hale noted that the matter did need to get resolved or water residents would again have outdoor sprinkling restrictions next year.
“But it’s contractually their responsibility,” Vander Ziel noted, adding that ethically, it could be seen differently.
Currently, the township has a contract with the city to be a wholesale customer of the city water system. If an agreement cannot be reached about how to handle the current capacity issues, the city has said it would be willing to release the township from the contract.
No action was taken on the matter during last night’s meeting since Hale said the township was waiting on additional information from the city.
Fire Authority Governance
Board members also had a short discussion about information that was apparently provided by Fire Chief Shannon Witherell. It reviewed the various acts under which the Lowell Area Fire and Emergency Services Authority could be organized.
By changing the act governing the authority, it would be possible to allow the authority to act as its own entity. Rather than being funded by Lowell Charter Township, the City of Lowell and Vergennes Township, it could be funded by a millage paid equally by all property owners living in the service area. Changing the act governing the authority could also result in it being given the power of eminent domain.
Hale said Witherell wasn’t recommending a change but providing information to be considered as part of long-range planning for the Lowell Area Fire Department. The matter will apparently be discussed further at a later date.
The meeting adjourned at 7:52pm, and the next regular meeting of the Lowell Charter Township Board will be on Monday, September 18, at 7pm at the township hall.
Leave a Reply