How Come? Why doesn’t Hopkins Twp. meet at hall?

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor

When I was a child, one of my favorite Sunday comics was “They’ll Do It Every Time,” by Jimmy Hatlo, the same guy who drew the “Little Iodine” strip.

The strip often brought to light some of the questionable beliefs and actions so many of us were guilty of a half century ago. It was commentary in social settings, with many of the ideas supplied by readers and fans. The author would post, “Thanks, and a tip of the Hatlo Hat to… (the fan).”

I remember all too well that Hatlo often prefaced some of his material with the question “How Come?” He was referring to things done and believed that just didn’t seem to make sense.

With that in mind, I propose a “How Come?” for the location of Hopkins Township Board meetings. I have asked around the village and township and received no answer of substance. I confess to bypassing Township Supervisor Mark Evans, who likely would turn a conversation that should be about 15 minutes long into a marathon discussion of more than an hour.

Perhaps the supervisor can answer in writing.

I am troubled that the Township Board continues to have its regular meetings at 7:30 p.m. on the second Monday of every month at the Township Library. When the meetings start, the library is still open and serving patrons. The very small meeting room is adjacent to the library director’s lair, as well as the space allotted for the greeter.

Interestingly, the Hopkins Village Council meets at 7 p.m. that same evening, the second Monday of the month, at the Township Hall, just a stone’s throw to the east of the library. Indeed, they start a half hour apart.

My question is: Why can’t one of the entities meet at the Township Hall on another evening? How difficult would it be to change the location?

I would think the Township Board could change its monthly meeting date very easily and gather at the Township Hall, which affords more space and avoids the awkward shared time with library operations.

The Village Council, by the same token, could change its monthly meeting dates to accommodate the Township Board on the second Monday of the month.

Is there something horribly wrong physically with the Hopkins Village/Township Hall that the township cannot meet there, but the village can? Is it an effort to make it easier for county commission representatives to show up at both? It can’t be a physical issue because the Hopkins Township Planning Commission also meets at the hall.

Good heavens. No county commissioner shows up at Leighton and Dorr Townships and Wayland City Council meetings, and I don’t see how that’s been a problem.

I understand the Hopkins Township Supervisor’s office is located in a small room in the southeast corner of the library. It should remain there, no problem.

But the meetings for both municipalities might better serve the public in the Village/Township Hall, which has more room for constituents, and no possible interruptions because of routine library business.

I hereby suggest Township Board meetings move a stone’s throw to the east, for better government, and to let the library not have to accommodate such meetings.