Watson told to put ARPA funds in separate account

The Watson Township Board was told Thursday night that funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) have been approved and the auditing firm of Walker, Fluke & Sheldon is recommending keeping the money in a separate account.

Supervisor Kevin Travis read the letter from the auditors.

There had been discussion among Watson officials to use some the money for broadband Internet, for perhaps installing a tower at the township hall. The township right now doesn’t have an acceptable Internet service.

But Trustee Michelle Harris indicated she may vote against accepting the funds because of strings attached.

“I may vote against it because we also my comply with federal mandates,” she told her colleagues. “I knew this was going to get ugly.”

However, Treasurer Stephanie Caulder cautioned, “We have to at least look into this (the money and conditions). We have to at least try.”

In an unrelated matter, township officials were asked by a citizen whether it’s legal for him to hunt on the property Watson purchased 25 years ago with intentions of creating a park at 20^th Street and M-222.

Travis said the church at the site was sold for fire sale prices and the land essentially has remained idle. He noted there were plans made about a dozen years ago, but the recession set them back.

The supervisor said a parks plan is sorely needed to establish an ordinance with regulations on what can or cannot be done on the public property. Right now there are no regulations, so hunting is permitted.

He said a lot of input would be needed and eventually a public hearing, but a park plan would be essential.

“A park plan is needed in order to regulate activities on township property,” Travis said. “Certainly from a liability standpoint.”

In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Watson board members:

• Learned from Travis that Matt Double wants buy the Adrianson gravel pit at 122^nd Avenue and 20^th Street and restart operations. The supervisor said the previous excavating had been “wasted” and he’d like to see the site turned into a residential development.
• Heaped praise on new Zoning Enforcement Administrator Marnie Mills, a former Kent County deputy who was hired this past summer.
• Continued to examine the possibility of putting a proposal on the ballot next year to take part in the Allegan County recycling program. Watson, the last holdout, has recycling facilities at the township hall parking lot, but they are plagued by people dumping couches, chairs, humidifiers, mattresses, car seats, chairs, etc.

Travis said he has been in communication with Allegan County Recycling Coordinator Rosemary Graham.

• Awarded the snowplowing bid to Scott Langlois and ATS Enterprises for a seasonal cost of $2,600 and $140 for each application of salt for ice.