To the editor:
We have all heard of government excess. The $600 hammers of NASA and other similar goofy or stupid excesses of government. Yet some of these happen very close to home, even in Allegan County, even in Hopkins Township.
Hopkins Township Supervisor Mark Evans has for many years maintained an office in the Hopkins library with office hours one day a week, to the best of my knowledge. That library serves citizens in three townships.
No other township official has a regular office or maintains regular office hours.
A couple years ago, township officials decided to build a new township building attached to the existing library, but with a second story on it. Many local citizens refer to the new building as “Mark’s Palace.”
The new building is nearing completion. The supervisor was asked at a recent Township Board meeting if the normal January 2024 meeting would be held in the new building.
“Yes”, he replied.
“When will you be vacating the library building?” he was asked.
“I am keeping my office in this building,” he replied.
“You just spent over a million dollars on an new building with a second story. Why are you staying here”?
“We don’t have enough office space in the new building,” was his reply.
The building has one office for a clerk who has never had an office or had regular office hours. One office is for a treasurer who has never had an office or regular office hours. One office is for an assessor who has never had a separate office or regular office hours.
These officials will likely have office hours one day a week or less. No office for the supervisor. In Hopkins Township the supervisor is also the assessor. Perhaps he can’t stand himself, so why he can’t share an office with the assessor? He would rather take up space in the library that serves citizens from three townships and really needs the space.
We now have a million dollar building, complete with an elevator shaft, but no elevator, with a second story limited to use as a storage area.
Mark’s Palace is a perfect example of government overreach and stupidity.
Robert Beck,
2162 132nd Ave., Hopkins
