The Watson Township Board is likely to file a complaint with the Allegan County Health Department to get the ball rolling on monitoring a well at the former site of the Watson-Martin landfill that was closed more than 30 years ago.
Board members were given an update on the situation in a letter from attorneys Baucham-Sparks of Kalamazoo. They were told the formal complaint was the best route to get well testing done at the site in the wake of concerns the old dump was not adequately sealed after closure.
Watson Supervisor Kevin Travis said he had contacted three engineering firms, Enviro-Logic, Fleis & Vandenbrink and Prein-Newhof, for possible contracts to do the work and has been told the monitoring operation will cost about $6,000.
Official paper work indicates the landfill opened in 1971 and was shuttered some time in the 1980s.
Travis also said he had contacted Martin Township Supervisor Glenn Leep about sharing the costs of monitoring the well and the neighboring municipalities may do so.
There are 12 residences located within a half mile of the old dump on 115th Avenue and 12th Street, a 20-acre site not far from the U.S.-131 expressway. There is no evidence of any widespread contamination, but township officials want assurance there are no problems.
In other business at Thursday evening’s meeting, the Watson Township Board:
• Received a check for about $1,100 from Roger Smith & Sons after the company was found to have continued gravel mining operations last year despite not possessing the proper permits. The firm will be allowed to reapply to the Planning Comission by May 1, 2019, to begin operations again.
The $1,100 will be shared by Cyber & Associates, Watson Township and Professional Code Inspections.
• Agreed to spend $3,960 for tree trimming in Miner and Hick cemeteries.
• Appointed Shawn Caulder to an open seat on the Planning Commission to succeed Don Bailey. Reappointed to the commission were Bruce Bos and Joseph Albers. Jim Kelsey and Josh VanDyk were named again to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• Agreed to have PCI craft a local fireworks ordinance so the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department will have something to enforce when violations occur.
