Leighton Township voters to be asked for road millage in ’20

Leighton Township voters will be asked to approve a one-mill tax levy roads next year, either in the August primary or in the November general election.

Township Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis told her colleagues Thursday evening, “We know we’ll have to ask for a millage sometime next year. We have to get to work on prioritizing plans. We’ll be lucky to get one mill passed.”

She told Steve Shoemaker, one of seven members of a citizens’ advisory road committee, that a proposal will need to be ready by April or early May in order to be ready for the August primary ballot.

Leighton officials for some time have talked about the condition of local roads being among the greatest challenges. Though they didn’t make a decision, they discussed at length paving the road and shoulders on 144^th Avenue.

Though no decision yet was made on doing the shoulders would increase the cost from $355,000 to $385,000, Shoemaker advised the board, “is probably well worth the consideration.”

In other business at their meeting Thursday evening, board members:

• Were told by Trustee John Hooker, liaison for the board on the Planning Commission, that site plan approval has been granted to Great Lakes Heavy Haul, which will go into the former Plasma Tech building, and a Classic Transportation warehouse on 147^th Avenue.

Supervisor Steve Deer, after noting the year to date figures of 43 building permits worth an estimated $7.7 million, said, “”Leighton Township continues to grow rapidly.”

• Learned from Allegan County Sheriff’s deputy Bernard Austhof that there have been a number of reports of car and truck break-ins at garages and driveways in Dorr and Leighton townships. He advised citizens to look the doors of their vehicles at night to nip that problem in the bud.
• Welcomed Larry Benton to the fire department as a volunteer firefighter, but bid good-bye to the retiring Rudy Banas. Fire Chief Matt Weston said the department now includes 24 firefighters, but authorized strength is 30.
• Agreed to work with an engineer to investigate the possibility of getting an easement to install a dry hydrant (underground) near the corner of 6^th Street and 147^th Avenue.

COVER PHOTO: Leighton Township Fire Department, just like many other units are using Fire Prevention Week to reach out to the public. Department members here are engaging with children from Moline Christian School.