The Leighton Township Board Thursday night decided to buy a 4.6-acre parcel of land adjacent to the township hall for $335,000.

Board members unanimously agreed to the purchase of land at 4444 S. Division, next door to the township hall and library complex located on 12th Street in Moline.

The township would like to use the parcel perhaps for more parking after Clerk Rachel Fennema reported traffic and parking congestion at the hall and library Tuesday in the general election. Added property might enable the addition of a gravel lot to help with traffic flow.

The land, currently is zoned R-3 residential, could add the 4.6 acres to the six acres of land the township already owns and it would provide 98 feet of frontage along the west side of Division Avenue.

In other business at Thursday evening’s meeting, the board:

• Gave praise to Assistant Fire Chief Travis Masselink, who is filling in as acting chief while Matt Weston is on medical leave.

• Learned from Masselink that the $850,000 new fire truck is expected to arrive in December. He added that the department continues to get more medical calls than any other type for assistance.
• Accepted the bid of $73.780 from Windemuller Electric for purchase and installation of an 80K gas generator to be used at the hall and library in the event of power outages.
• Noted that some of them plan to attend the annual meeting of the Allegan County Road Commission Tuesday, Jan. 3, to determine what roads will be handled in 2023. A resident put in a request for 9th Street south of 146th Avenue, which he insisted, “seems to be disintegrating and is becoming a safety issue.” Planning Commission member Steve Shoemaker put in a request for 4th Street between 144th and 145th Avenue.
• Discussed the possibility of apply for a wellness grant offered in West Michigan by Priority Health.
• Accepted the resignation of Planning Commissioner Harry DeHaan, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
• Announced that township hall will be closed Thursday, and Friday Nov. 24 and 25, for Thanksgiving and the week of Dec. 26-30 for Christmas and New Year’s.