It may be somewhat of a shock to Dorr Township voters, but the Aug. 6 primary election ballot will include no candidates for five open seats on the Parks and Rec Commission.
Not one person filed for a post, even though the Township Board only recently accepted a potential candidate, Tim Coles.
Commissioner Amanda Winters, who has been leading the group for the past several years, told board members she heard some people believe falsely that she is attempting to replace Jeff Miling as supervisor.
Milling responded with the quip, “You can have the job.”
Winters said she deliberately refrained from being a candidate in order to open up opportunities for others. If no one steps up. She will wage a write-in candidacy for the election in November.
The Parks Commission for some time now has had trouble finding and keeping members. Townbroadcast in 2021 reported, “There’s a good chance that four of the five members of the Dorr Township Parks Commission will have to be appointed after the Nov. 3 general election.
“Under current rules, the five commission members are elected on a non-partisan basis, but not one single candidate filed for a seat in the Aug. 4 primary. Amanda Winters was appointed earlier this year, but the other four seats remain empty.”
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Township Board:
• Approved the appointments of Dan Beute and Larry Dolegowski to seats on the Planning Commission. Trustee John Tuinstra voted against the appointment of Dolegowski, who has been on the commission for more than 20 years and Tuinstra is a known advocate of term limits, though he recently filed to run for his fourth four-year term.
- Approved the Planning Commission’s recommendation that a $750 fee be applied for applicants who ask for a special meeting.
- Approved a request from 4400 144th Ave. LLC for rezoning of 14th Street north to 146th Avenue from agricultural to mixed use. The vote was 5-2 with Trustee Chandler Stanton and Trasurer Lauries Perry dissenting.
- Was told by Fire Chief Gary Fordham that the local department has received 194 calls, compared to 77 a year ago over the first five months.
- Agreed to lease Internet equipment and service from Spectrum for $895.19 for both the township hall and the new township hall.
