Capt. Matt Weston has been selected as new chief of the Leighton Township Fire Department.
Weston’s hire was approved unanimously Thursday night by the Leighton Township Board. He succeeds Tony Banas, who has accepted the captain’s full-time post at Texas Township near Kalamazoo.
Banas, who served on the Leighton department for the last 23 years, the last six as chief, recommended his successor.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Matt for the last 18 years,” Banas told the board. “I consider him my best friend. He’s helped me considerably in fulfilling my duties as fire chief.”
Sept. 1 is the target date for Weston to begin as chief.
Meanwhile, Banas is busy wrapping things up in Leighton and is moving with his family to Otsego Township after closing on his local home. His wife, Amanda, now has to step down from her seat on the Wayland Area Emergency Services Board.
There will be a good luck sendoff for Banas at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, at Fire Station No. 2 near Green Lake on Kalamazoo Avenue.
But before he leaves, Banas had to tell the board about his displeasure, along with Dorr Township Fire Chief Gary Fordham, with the new paging system offered by Allegan County.
“The paging system goes in and out of range,” he told board members. “It’s a problem with not getting calls. To me, this is unacceptable”
Leighton Township Supervisor Steve Deer promised to pass along the opinion to county officials.
In other business at the meeting Thursday evening, the Township Board:
• Discussed, but took no action on reported problems with the 140the Street Bridge, which has been bruised and battered so badly over many years that the Allegan County Road Commission may threaten to shut it down.
The bridge, which holds up to two tons of weight, needs to be strengthened and widened, but Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis pointed out, “We don’t have the kind of money in the budget this year (for repairs or renovations).”
Deer added, “It’s a lot of money for relatively few users.”
• Gave its blessing to the Leighton Township Library’s plans to install an activities sign and bell in front of the facility.
“I think it’s a nice idea, but I don’t like the placement,” maintaining the historic bell and sign would obscure the view from the front window.
• Gave final preliminary plat approval for Phases 4 and 5 of the Paris Ridge development.
• Learned from the Green Lake Association that residents in that area have been sent e-mails asking them to observe speed limit rules when driving golf carts in the residential subdivision.
• Agreed to begin the process of updating the township master plan, which is mandated every five years. A survey will be placed on the web site and there may be a workshop sometime next year.
