Jaci Bultsma has been appointed new Leighton Township Treasurer, succeeding veteran Char Troost, who announced her resignation last month.
Bultsma, who will begin duties in the first week of April, has lived in Leighton Township for the past 30 years. A graduate of South Christian High School she earned her degree in accounting from Davenport University.
Bultsma has served as an accountant for Buist Electric and D & D Building, as well as the Caledonia Christian Reformed Church.
She has indicated she will seek election to the four-year post in August 2020. She also will succeed Troost on the Green lake Sewer Authority.
She will take a job that will pay a little more than $27,000 a year after passage Thursday night of the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget.
The board adopted a budget that anticipates $1,621442 in revenue and $2,363,932 in expenses with a fund balance of $563,779. The current fund balance, or savings account, of $1,306,269, is expected to cover the shortfall.
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Township Board:
• Adopted a solar energy conversion ordinance that restrict the sizes of solar panels for businesses and residences.
• Approved Phase IV of the Paris Ridge residential development.
• Approved the mowing bids from Green Lake Landscaping for the two fire stations, the park at Green Lake and the township hall and library sites. Heyboer Landscaping’s bids for the cemetery also was chosen.
“I would rather award a bid to a business that pays taxes in this township,” said Trustee John Hooker, noting there were four bidders.
• Also approved the proposed budgets for roads, public safety and streets.
• Decided against any idea of selling a six-acre parcel to the immediate east of the township hall/library.
Supervisor Steve Deer said, “I don’t think it would be advantageous to sell part or all of that land,” noting there is some notion someday of using it for a fire station.
• Held a discussion about the possibility of establishing a Facebook page to communicate to residents, though Troost said more than just Facebook is used for social media.
Fire Chief Matt Weston said, “You can link the two, Facebook and Instagram.”
• Was told by Weston that if the fire department is as busy as it has been in the first two months of 2019, it will set a new record for call responses.