The Laketown Township board set up the process on Wednesday, May 10, to replace an open position on the Parks and Recreation Commission.
The board on Wednesday unanimously accepted the resignation of Tom Shuff from the parks commission. Shuff is no longer a township resident.
The board has 45 days to fill the position.
Supervisor Linda Howell appointed Trustee Jim Johnson and Treasurer Gary Dewey to serve on the committee to do the first round of interviews. One member of the parks commission to be determined at the May 17 parks commission meeting will work with Johnson and Dewey on that process.
The committee will recommend final candidates to the board who will then choose the new parks member. That new member will serve until the 2024 election.
The township has received at least seven inquiries to serve on the parks commission. The deadline for applications was 5 p.m. Friday, May 12.
At the May 17 meeting, the remaining four parks commissioners will elect a new chairperson. Until then, Vice Chairperson Karen Simmons is leading the commission.
Howell also noted that several positions on boards and commissions at the Allegan County level are open as well. She encouraged Laketown residents to apply.
The county needs people for the Solid Waste Planning Committee, Brownfield Redevelopment Board, Tourist Council, Local Emergency Planning Committee and Soldiers/Sailors Relief Commission.
For more information or to fill out an application, visit here.
Minutes policy
The board approved a new policy for keeping township minutes.
The new resolution says in public comment sections, the minutes will contain the start time of the comments, the number of people making the comments, the topics commented on and the end time for public comments.
This policy does not apply to public hearings for which the minutes should reflect comments and arguments promoting or opposing the subject of the hearing.
Before passage of the policy, the minutes regarding citizen comments included the person’s name and address if given, if they were on Zoom and a synopsis of their comments.
The vote passed 4-1. Trustee Jim Delaney opposed the new policy saying it does not help with transparency or accountability.
Developer Contracts
The board unanimously approved three contracts regarding a development proposed by Robert Schaftenaar. The 11-unit planned unit development is planned for about 38 acres at 4108 Beeline Road.
The board passed a planned unit development contract that says if the developer fails to comply with the PUD conditions, the township can withdraw permits; water and sewer special assessment contract that says the developer agrees to special assessments if water and sewer services are offered in the future; and private road maintenance special assessment contract that allows the township to levy special assessments on property owners in the development to pay for maintenance of the private road if necessary.