Leighton Township voters will be asked in the August primary election to support millage renewal requests for public safety and roads and one more mill for roads and an added half mill for public safety.
The Township Board Thursday evening voted unanimously to have the four questions added to the primary ballot.
The current levy for both roads and public safety is rolled back to 0.984 mill because of provisions of the Headlee Amendment of 1978. Both renewal requests will be for that same amount.
But Supervisor Steve Deer said slightly less than a mill generates a little more than $200,000 and “It takes a half a million dollars to pave a mile of road.”
He noted that for the next fiscal year Leighton will handle repairs and resurfacing for 144th Avenue east of Kalamazoo Avenue almost to Second Street for an eventual cost of about $700,000. But that will be all, despite a desire to fog coat a stretch of 137th Avenue from Kalamazoo to Division.
Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis said of doing anything with 137th, “I don’t think our budget can handle that.”
Deer commented, “If our citizens want better roads, they’ll have to be paid for.”
The board also adopted the proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-19, which begins on April 1. Revenues are anticipated at $2,243,034, expenditures are pegged at $2,234,848 and the fund balance is projected at $577,331.
In a minor attempt to gain more revenue, the board adopted a modified fee schedule for applications for site plans, rezonings and variances, which now will cost $500 each.
In other business at Thursday’s meeting the Township Board:
• Fielded complains from two couples who live on Second Street and insist a nearby gravel mining firm is ruining the gravel road with frequent use of double-train gravel trucks.
One woman said her neighbor stayed home one day and counted 24 such trucks, which she said, “with the freeze and thaw cycles, the potholes have made our road impassible.”
It was pointed out there are 31 residences along Second Street affected by the poor condition of the road, but the Allegan County Road Commission thus far has been attentive in repairing problems.
Deer said he would continue to work with professional Code Inspections to make certain conditions of the gravel mining permit are being met.
• Approved bids from Green Lake Landscaping for mowing at township hall and the library and from Heyboer Landscaping for mowing at local cemeteries.
