The Watson Township Board last month in a special meeting voted to purchase a dilapidated residence adjacent to the new Seven Generations Park on M-222.
The house, which still stands, but was damaged severely by fire, is located to the immediate east of the proposed township park. The board agreed to pay $85,000 for the building and property on once acre and plans to have it demolished.
Watson also will be on the hook for $10,000 to have it removed and then open the property to expansion by the park, which also is supported by the Gun Lake Tribe of Potowatomis.
The Township Board voted 4-1, with Clerk Mary Ann Baker dissenting, to use funds that have remained in the Oppenheimer Fund, which most recently have held $119,487.
The minutes of the May 29 special meeting indicated one township resident was opposed to the sale, saying he wanted to know “why the township wanted to buy real estate when the (local) roads are a mess. He said our dirt roads have not been graded since since the snow melted. He would like to see our tax dollars spent on road infrastructure…”
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Township Board:
- Agreed to renew its insurance policy with Burnham & Flowers for $23,657, even though that figure is $1,657 more than the $22,000 township budgeted.
- Agreed to explore the option of raising the financial limits prescribed in the cost recovery ordinance.
- Hired a new auditor, Siegfried & Crandall, to succeed Rehman at just over $9,000 to the year 2025.
