Leighton Twp., Library Boards still working on contract

The Leighton Township Board and District Library Board still have not come to complete agreement on how utility and maintenance expenses will be handled for the two adjacent buildings.

Disagreements about which bills and how much have abounded since the Township Board had the hall built last fall, connected to the library.

The biggest stumbling block right now is paying for roof replacement. The township maintains the library should pay for all the expenses of the work to be done, perhaps as early as next year. The roof has existed for nearly 20 years before the township added on and township officials since this time, and only this time, the library should absorb the cost.

It was suggested the township collect an annual $1,000 and use it toward the project.

Supervisor Steve Deer said, “Everything else (in contract negotiations) I can live with.But they should pay for roof replacement.”

Deer and Trustee John Hooker have been serving on a subcommittee charged with ironing out disagreements between the two boards.

The township pays for 75% of the cost for fire suppression and the audio-visual equipment is a 50-50 split. The two buildings have separate heating and cooling systems they pay for themselves.

Other than the roof replacement, still needed to be decided are signs in the parking lot and water and sewer costs. The latter is delayed because it isn’t known yet what the expenses are.

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

• Agreed to allow the One Stop convenience store at Green Lake to sell beer and wine all day and liquor after noon Sundays, in accordance with what is permitted under state law. The vote was 4-1 with Troost dissenting.

• Agreed to move forward on plans for a special assessment district for paving the road at Horse Shoe Estates. Members were told that 25 of the 30 homeowners have agreed to share the expenses already estimated at $105,000 by A-1 Asphalt. The homeowners’ association already has set aside $15,000 and plans call for the 30 homes to pay $600 in added taxes per year for five years to fund the project.

Supervisor Steve Deer said he could not give final confirmation because final costs have not yet been determined.

“I don’t mean to discourage you,” he told a representative, “but I don’t want you to think it’ll be just ^00 each for five years and then you’re done.”

Deer said added costs would include attorneys and legal notices, and could amount to as much as another $5,000.

• Voted 3-2 to file an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the long-standing legal action invlving the Gun Lake Casino. Leighton Township receives about $30,000 a year in revenue sharing from the casino. Deer and Treasurer Char Troost cast the new negative votes.

• Noted the Leighton District Library declined the township’s request to have its annual millage reduced to the same level as that levied for roads and public safety. The library has a one-mill levy, but it is not subject to the Headlee Amendment rollbacks.

• Agreed to set aside a fund for feeding fireghters if they are asked to come in for an operation of more than four hours. However, they also asked if the Red Cross could be contacted for the service, or it area restaurants would offer special deals under the circumstances.

• Approved a proposal to increase the annual township-wide levy for lighting from $27,500 to $28,500.

• Noted five new building permits were issued in August for value of $1.8 million. For the year to date, 35 permits have been issued for a total of $9.8 million.

• Approved a request to rezone a narrow 13-and-a-half-acre parcel on 10th Street just north of 142nd Avenue from industrial to medium-density residential, to allow it to be more marketable. The Planning Commission had recommended approval Wednesday night.