Citizens’ group pleads final case for Dorr roads millage

The third and final program in a series of public forums explaining the Dorr Township roads millage request took place Thursday night with sparse attendance.

Four members of the volunteer citizens’ road committee were on hand, including Chairwoman Carolyn Sandel and Dorr Township Treasurer Jim Martin. They discussed the proposal for three mills on the Aug. 2 primary election ballot.

Sandel told the audience she’s been asked often why the township must pay for repairing, improving and graveling roads, and too many people misunderstand that the state does not fund such projects.

“There’s nothing out there (in funding) that comes down to the township level,” she said, noting that even two of the candidates for 72^nd District State Representative didn’t know about the lack of state support. “This is a community issue and we need to deal with it as a community.”

Sandel acknowledged that the Allegan County Road Commission is responsible for repairing and maintaining 142^nd Avenue, 18^th Street and 146th Avenue. But the township is responsible for all others and the Road Commission has its hands full trying to take care of 24 townships in the county.

Some townships, such as neighboring Salem, have been very proactive in taking care of local roads. Salem some years ago initiated a five-year, five-mill program and now essentially has all of its roads paved. It has proven to save money on dust control besides improving public safety.

Dorr Township’s road millage in August 2014 was defeated by just 22 votes. Two months later, Sandel and several other citizens formed a volunteer committee to spell out a plan for what three mills would buy.

The first project the citizens recommended was paving the detour routes around the Road Commission’s project of widening 18^th Street between 142^nd and 144^th Avenues. The thinking was that since the county was going to do the work, now scheduled for 2018, anyway, it would be helpful if motorists could use the detours on paved roads.

The committee also analyzed and rated all roads in the township, paved and gravel. It was reported that Dorr Township has 33.45 miles of paved roads and 52.4 miles of gravel.

Sandel said too many of the roads were regarded by the committee and the Road Commission as unacceptable. But only the township can pay for the fixes.

So it was decided to put a three-mill request on the ballot in a special election in May 2015. It was a disaster because the State Legislature at the same time was proposing a state-wide millage for roads and it went down in flames to the tune of about 80 percent negative. And Dorr’s went down with it.

But the volunteer committee went back to work and got the millage question back on the ballot for the primary Aug. 2.

Sandel said Dorr Township currently has $209,000 in the budget set aside for roads, but it barely covers routine maintenance. Any projects would have to be funded by a millage.

“Without a millage in place, there is no way to fund or designate projects,” she said.

Dorr Township does not have a dedicated millage for roads, though it did set aside one mill in bygone days.

“We all use these roads, but as they are now, they negatively affect fire and rescue efficiency,” Sandel asserted. “We want to give the township residents the best bang for the buck while improving our roads and making them safer.”

She added that she worries about school buses and the safety of children traveling on subpar roads.

Three mills would raise about $690,000 a year, so that after several years projects could be handled.

“We chose three mills because one mill only serves us well for maintenance and chip seal,” she said. “I think now we’re at a tipping point where we’re going to see paved roads turned back into gravel like they had to do for three roads in Lawrence Township (Van Buren County).”

Martin, who serves on the citizens’ committee as a liaison with the Township Board, said Dorr will only fall further behind on roads if something isn’t done now.

“We need to get our immediate needs met and then start on projects,” he said.

Sandel added, “If we’re not doing anything to fix our roads, then how can we attract new residents and businesses to come to Dorr Township?”

PHOTO: Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Sandel explains what three mills can do do for Dorr Township roads and the third and final forum in a series this summer.