Dorr Twp. purchase of former church closing near

The Dorr Township Board moved closer to the final steps of purchasing the former Crosswinds Church building at 1683 142nd Ave.

Board members Thursday evening agreed to having attorney Roger Swets draw up an installment purchase agreement. Word on the street is that closing on the transaction may be as soon as next month.

However, members of the church will be permitted to continue to use a portion the building from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays for the next six months. And the township may need to deal with physical problems such as a new water heater and water softener and removal of mold.

The Township Board last month decided to purchase the building and lot, which was listed for $600,000, because the current township hall cannot adequately handle the township’s business, which continues to grow.

At one time the board seemed to be interested in simply expanding at the current site, but the deal with Crosswinds appeared to be the better option. The township hall, which was built in 1990 at the corner of 142nd Avenue and 18th Street, will continue to be used by the fire department, ambulance service and other public entities.

The Township has decided to use at least $300,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for part of the transaction, with an additional $200,000 in limbo because it was to be used as a contribution to the Sustainable Business Park project.

Supervisor Jeff Miling reported that Darwin Baas of the Kent County Department of Public Works sent a message that plans to use the recycling center are preferable to continuing use as a landfill in the northeast corner of the township. Kent County owns the more than 250-acre site and its current landfill just to the north is running out of room.

In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the board:

• Agreed to plans for three road projects for 2024, including adding gravel for a three-mile stretch from 21st Street to 108th Avenue; reconstruction of three miles on 24th Street, with half of the cost absorbed by Salem Township, and chip and crack seal on 144th Avenue east to Pleasantview Lane.

• Noted the Gun Lake Casino’s latest payment to the township as part of its compact was $17,939 for half a year.
• Was told the next meeting of the Planning Commission has been moved from the customary third Tuesday to the third Thursday next month.
• Scheduled a budget workshop for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the township hall.
• Learned there is one vacancy on both the Parks Committee and Library Board.
• Was told the Planning Commission approved a site plan for a new storage facility on 142nd Avenue.