Banks Township Board Special Meeting

Thursday March 20, 2008

 

 

1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Supervisor Thomas Mann.  Present were Supervisor Mann, Clerk Donna Heeres, Deputy Treasurer James Postmus, Trustee Marvin Rubingh and Trustee Mark DeKorne. Absent: Treasurer Katy Postmus.  Also present: Tom Spearing, Carol Drenth, SueAnne Wallace.

 

2.  The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Trustee Rubingh offered prayer.  

 

3. Public Comment:  SueAnne Wallace spoke on behalf of the public present asking for the Board’s support of a plan to expand the High School Library into a Community Library with the acquisition of more books and periodicals that will interest the wider age groups.  Discussion was held on various areas of concern.  The School Board has approved the concept.  SueAnne will report back to the Township Board as the project progresses.

 

4.  Shop Local Program: Fairly good response with 22 businesses sending in information for the website and newsletter.  77 letters were sent.  Discussion was held to invite Ebay sellers to join the program to aide them with local sales and therefore hold down their shipping costs.  The invitation will be placed in the newsletter.

 

5.  Community Garage Sale: Discussion was held to promote a township wide garage sale the week prior to the Clean Up Day.  Goal is to aide residents in the sale of items they no longer need prior to adding them to the Clean Up Day dumpsters.  The Township will advertise the event in 2-3 local newspapers and residents may contact the Township Office if they would like to have their sale & location included on the website listing and a printed sheet that will be available for customers.

 

6.  Breezeway meeting: will be held Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 PM in the Township Office.  Next Township Board meeting will be the rescheduled regular meeting on Monday, March 24 at 7:30 PM.  A Public Hearing on the proposed budgets will be a part of that meeting.

 

7.  MOTION by Rubingh, DeKorne, CARRIED to transfer $500 from the Liquor Fund to the General Fund for administrative costs.

 

8.  Supervisor Mann presented his proposed general fund, liquor fund and roads fund budgets for 2008-09.  Questions were answered and comments heard. 

 

9.  The Board of Review meetings went well with 51 parcels’ valuations reviewed.

 

10.  Roads:  Surface ratings (prepared by Burt Thompson of the Antrim County Road Commission) of County local roads within the Township were reviewed.  All paved roads scored 4 or higher.  It was decided that concentration on preservation of gravel roads is of highest priority this year.  Supervisor Mann will contact the Roads Committee to ask them to review the gravel roads and prioritize for addition of gravel.  Hopefully, the information will be available to the Township Board for a decision at our April 21 meeting.

 

11. The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Donna L. Heeres

Banks Township Clerk