The Leighton Township Board Thursday night decided against adopting a solicitation ordinance.

Treasurer Char Troost explained, “If you have an ordinance, you have to have fees and you have to police it.”

She recommended the township instead simply provide guidelines, such as allowing the practice during weekday hours and forbidding solicitors to canvas on Sundays or holidays.

“We’ve always thought of ourselves as a small. rural community,” Troost added.

She acknowledged that some other area townships and municipalities have such ordinances, yet some do not.

In other business at Thursday’s meeting, the Township Board:

•  Officially witnessed the swearing in of new Fire Chief Matt Weston, who was selected last month to succeed Tony Banas.

• Was told the Planning Commission has begun work on the master plan, a process that occurs every five years.

• Was told by Weston that the fire department continues to struggle with the 800 pagers, noting a recent incident had a lack of personnel because they weren’t aware of an emergency.

• Examined a report that the Allegan County Road Commission would charge the township $250,000 to repair the dilapidated 140th Street bridge.

Local officials noted that motorists often are reluctant to cross the bridge and there has been talk about closing the road, which includes only six houses.

• Approved a request for land division between owners of two neighboring properties in the Green Lake area.

• Was told in a communication from Library Director Karen McKinnon that the Leighton Township Library had its busiest summer ever.

• Approved a request from Matt Jenca to have a fireworks display Saturday evening, Oct. 13, for his wedding. He will be billed $600 because teh fire department will need to be on standby for safety purposes.

• Agreed to accept a survey from the American Red Cross to consider the township hall and library comples as a shelter during emergency situations.

• Agreed to participate in teh Allegan County Pictometry project of aerial photographs at a cost of $2,600 spread out over three years.

• Appointed Steve Wolbrink to a seat on the Wayland Area Emergency Services Ambulance Board, succeeding Amanda Banas, who is moving to Otsego with husband and now former Leighton Fire Chief Tony Banas.

COVER PHOTO: Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis swears in new Leighton Township Fire Chief Matt Weston while former Leighton Chief Tony Banas and Dorr Chief Gary Fordham look on.