Jack Wood
Watson Township Trustee Jack Wood made no attempt Thursday night to hide his disgust with the condition of local roads and his disappointment with the Allegan County Road Commission.
Wood asked representatives from the Hopkins and Martin fire departments if road conditions were slowing their response to emergency calls and suggested they complain to the Road Commission “to make it a priority to fix the roads.
Trevor Beilby, the Hopkins area Fire Department rep, acknowledged there are problems, but attributed them to the recent spate of rains over the last week and a half that caused numerous potholes and washouts.
County Commissioner Gale Dugan told Wood, “It’s been this way all over the county,” but promised to take his message to county officials.
Noting the Off-Road Vehicle ordinance was taking effect that very day, the Watson Township Board approved several roads to be added to the list of those prohibited for ORV use on the Road Commission’s web site.
In other business at the meeting Thursday, the board:
- Agreed to hire an assessor to perform an appraisal of property North Star Aggregates wants to use for a gravel mining operation. North Star already has had an appraisal done, but the Watson Planning Commission worries that the process wasn’t done objectively.
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Marnie Mills
Hired retired Kent County Deputy Marnie Mills as zoning enforcement administrator, succeeding Pete Duncan, who stepped down last month.
Supervisor Kevin Travis said Professional Code Inspections in the interim issued a citation to a person who established a double-wide mobile home on a property without a permit.
Wood, who championed hiring Mills, said she “has the exact temperament for this job.”
- Agreed to pay $2,380 to Brian Seiser Concrete for installing pad space for the fire department’s parking lot.
- Was told by Dugan that the County Board of Commissioners will have a public meeting Thursday, July 8, focusing on the American Rescue Plan funding from the federal government. Dugan said the county is getting about $11 million in the program.
- Agreed, after considerable discussion, to open a United Bank account for any Rescue Plan funding and apply for the funds.
