The Vergennes Township Board of Trustees had its regular meeting on Monday, June 17, 2024. Among other items, topics for the evening included Grand Valley State University students conducting a deer study, a $2 an hour pay increase for the position of election inspector, the purchase of a new tabulator bin, and approval of new computer equipment from KHC Technologies.
Deer Study
Deer/car accidents are a common occurrence, and Grand Valley State University students are conducting a study of the deer population in Kent County as part of a workgroup established by the Kent County Road Commission.
“They are asking for everyone to have some buy-in…and show support. We are talking five hundred bucks,” noted Supervisor Tim Wittenbach.
Eighty percent of the incidents around Lincoln Lake are car/deer accidents. Nearly 50% of the total accidents in the county are deer-related. The board unanimously agreed to contribute $500 to the study.
Election Inspector Pay Raise
Vergennes Township pays their election inspectors $15 an hour. It was noted that these individuals work many hours and have been yelled at by unhappy voters on multiple occasions.
With this being an election year, early voting has caused inspectors to start their work earlier. The $15 per hour paid by Vergennes Township is on the lower part of the scale compared to other townships.
A motion was made to increase pay to $17 per hour. This allows their wages to be competitive with other nearby townships. This was unanimously approved by the board.
Tabulator Bin Purchase
The state gives the township a tabulator for early voting. However, the tabulator was quite cheaply made.
“The bin is bad, but we can buy a regular bin for it,” one board member noted. The new bin would be lockable and more secure. After the last election “…the state wants everything to be above board and look great…” The current tabulator would not look (or operate) as good as a newer bin.
A motion to spend $1,500 on a new tabulator bin was unanimously approved.
New Computer Equipment Quote from KHC Technologies
A new computer was included in the township budget, and the board approved a motion to upgrade Wittenbach’s technology. The supervisor has been using his phone as a computer, and his township-provided computer is long past due for an upgrade. With better technology, he could conduct township business more effectively, it was noted.
A motion was unanimously approved, and Wittenbach thanked the board.
Other Updates
Election – Training for the upcoming election begins very soon. There is a focus on tracking ballots, and special attention will be placed on early voting. In November 2022, people were sitting in the left turn lane for 10-15 minutes because there were no parking spots. Depending on early voting, they may have up to 2,200 people looking to cast their ballot. The Lowell Riverside Fellowship Seventh-Day Adventist Church located on Vergennes near Parnell is willing to have voting at their location, and they would charge the township only one dollar to use their area.
Fire Authority – On Sept. 23rd, there will be a tentative joint meeting with the City of Lowell and Lowell Charter Township to assess the needs of the fire authority. They have decided to sell the “red Dodge” (chief’s vehicle), and the department will switch back to mileage reimbursement for the chief rather than using the Dodge as an attempt to be more fiscally responsible. They are also selling the rubber, inflatable boat. “It’s just not practical.”
The next regular meeting of the Vergennes Township Board will be Monday, July 15, at 7pm at the Vergennes Township Hall.
Leave a Reply