The subject or roads has been a difficult one over the years in Leighton Township. Despite being one of the fasting growing townships in Michigan, the condition of the travel arteries just hasn’t kept pace.
Rick Nagel, a resident of a home on 9th Street, appeared before the Township Board Thursday night to ask if something can be done about the sloppy mess that has evolved on the road near his house. He even dared to ask if it could be paved.
Supervisor Steve Wolbrink acknowledged that the problems have persisted for too long, but said the $225,000 currently generated by one mill just isn’t enough.
“We’d like to see it done, too, but we don’t have a lot of money for roads,” Wolbrink said.
He noted that a paving job a couple of years ago for a mile on 144th Avenue eventually cost more than $1.5 million.
Later in the evening, the board approved what projects could be done through the Allegan County Road Commission:
• Road resurfacing for 6th Street ($135,000) and Warbler, Paris Ridge and Miller Drive ($150,000).
• Paving shoulders for Kalamazoo Avenue, 145th Avenue and 7th Street, $80,000.
• Resurfacing 12th Street from 144th Avenue to a dirt road, with cost shared with Dorr Township. Leighton’s cost will be $17,000 of the $35,000 total.
The 2022-23 fiscal year budget adopted later in the evening includes $600,000, which about enough to pave a half-mile road. The township twice as asked the public for extra millage, but has been turned down twice in the last several years.
In other business Thursday, the board:
• Learned that the Planning Commission Wednesday was given a presentation on plans for Internet broadband service using funds estimated at between $15 million and $18 million for Allegan County as a result of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds.
Township residents can help compile valuable data by completing a simple and quick online ‘Statewide Broadband Initiative’ survey conducted by Merit Network, a non-profit research and education network, in partnership with the Quello Center at Michigan State University.
The online survey can be found at:https://mich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8I0DPfyg0olNDaS?Q_Language=EN
• Adopted a general fund budget of $2,286,176 in expenditures, more than what is expected in revenue. The shortfall will be absorbed by a fund balance of $1,631,706.
• Approved a request for $23,062 in annual subsidy for Wayland Area Emergency Medical Services, an increase of about 16 percent.
• Was told the Leighton Township Library will have an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, so the public can see the changes from the recent addition.
• Approved bids from Green Lake Landscaping, JJJ Turf Care and Potts Landscaping for lawn care at the township hall and library, Hooker Cemetery and the park and two fire stations, respectively.
• Adopted three resolutions that replace the existing local ordinances for junk and inoperable vehicles, dangerous and dilapidated buildings and junk control, mostly cleaning up the wording.
• Held a discussion about increasing cemetery fees. Clerk Rachel Fennema said Leighton has the lowest price of $50 per plot for residents in this area.
“There’s not a township near here that charges less than $200,” she said. “We can increase fees by resolution.”
• Was told by Fire Chief Matt Weston the department continues to be very busy, but now has 32 volunteers on the force, the most it’s ever had.
COVER PHOTO: Fire Chief Matt Weston brought the department’s new vehicle to the Township Board meeting and showed off its features.
