Leighton to seek 2 millage requests on Aug. 6 ballot

The Leighton Township Board Thursday night decided to place two millage requests on the Aug. 6 primary election ballot.

Voters will be asked to approve a one-mill increase for roads, from one to two mills for four years, and a one-mill increase for police and fire services, from one and a half to two and a half mills.

Clerk Rachel Fennema said she had to overcome her reluctance to raise taxes, but because Leighton’s population is growing so fast, it is necessary.

Treasurer Jacki Bultsma pointed out that Leighton’s population grew by better than 40 percent from the 2010 census to 2020, which puts a lot of pressure on infrastructure.

It also was noted that it now costs about a million dollars per mile to pave a road.

Fennema also noted that if the two proposal are defeated in August they can be placed on the November general election ballot as well.

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

• Heard a proposal from Kerry DeWitt of Green Lake to transform the old, aging and abandoned Moline Elementary building into something profitable or for the benefit of the community. The board bought the building last year with $650,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but it still sits idle. The board has ambitious plans too turn the property into recreational land to go with the adjacent softball field. Trustee John Hooker told DeWitt, We’re looking at $2.5 m million to rehab the building back in shape.”
• Learned from Fire Chief Matt Weston that the local fire department continues to break in the number of incidents and calls it handles.
• Was tol the township issued four more building permits in March, bringing the total for 2024 to 22.