The Dorr Township Board will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, to discuss in depth what needs to be done with the new township hall.
The board earlier this year decided to purchase the building that formerly was home to the CrossWinds Church on 142nd Avenue in an effort to do business in much larger and less crowded facility.
Since then, the board has discussed, but not done much in making the move from the current township hall and the new one.
Trustee John Tuinstra said at Thursday night’s meeting that “We need to make a list of things that need to be done.”
Supervisor Jeff Miling responded that he hopes this second special meeting gets a lot more done than the first one.
Tuinstra called it “a strategy meeting to prioritize needs” and tasks and items, a sort of “long-term planning session.”
Easily the first order of business will be the purchase and installation of entry doors that will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Another priority will be purchase and installation of Internet services.
The board approved the purchase of the doors from Superior for $12,500 and approved up to $4,500 for installation.
The board also authorized Tuinstra to sell or donated all the leftover items yet inside the church for which the township has no use.
Miling reported that Internet and computers accommodations already are being handled. The township will use Charter Spectrum.
He also told board colleagues that the township thus far in the 2024-25 fiscal year has budgeted $112,000 for moving into the new digs and $98,000 still remains.
However, much work remains ahead.
In other business Thursday evening, the Township Board:
- Learned from Deputy Supervisor Jim Martin that the Road Committee expects to have $1.7 million available next year for road projects through its annual three-mill levy. Work already has begun on 138th Avenue.
- Was told by Library Director Jeff Babbitt that Andrea Strong has agreed to serve on the Library Board, so there will be six names on the election ballot for the six seats.
- Fielded a complaint from Trustee Chandler Stanton about the purchase of three windows in the new township hall for $5,000 with board approval. Miling confirmed that township policy permits purchases by personnel and department heads of up to $5,000 without board approval.
- Learned from Miling that the township has received a check for $18.834 from the Gun Lake Casino according to the revenue sharing agreement.
- Watched Fire Chief Gary Fordham hand out longtime service awards to Former Chief Harold Schumacher, Deb and Ron Henderson, Norman Fifelski and Ron Miller.
- Agreed to participate in the Allegan County Pictometry Aerial Imagery project.
