Board makes budget top priority, manager second

The Laketown Township Board of Trustees is focusing on its upcoming budget and putting the search for a new manager on hold for more than a month.

“The first priority should be to get the budget figured out,” said Treasurer Jim Johnson at the Wednesday, February 5, 2025, workshop. A budget must be approved by the start of the township’s fiscal year on April 1.

Supervisor Steven Ringelberg, who is also interim township manager, has been working on the draft budget for Fiscal Year April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026.  Ringelberg has sought advice from Saugatuck Township and Park Township, including Managers Daniel DeFranco of Saugatuck and Howard Fink of Park.

Ringelberg has committed to providing a transparent and easily understandable budget as compared to previous township budgets. Ringelberg noted that residents have asked for more detailed information and clearer presentation in the Laketown budget for years.

Questionnaire

On January 15, Ringelberg had asked all of the board members to complete a four-item questionnaire, including identifying each member’s top three priorities for the township in general, identifying each member’s top three goals for the budget, and asking each member to specify what areas of the budget they need more detailed information on based on the presentation of prior years’ budgets. It also asks if each board member supports accruing funds equal to the depreciation value of depreciable assets each year to repair and replace the assets in the future, or to simply pay 100 percent of the cost when a replacement is needed. 

Since no member of the township board responded to the questionnaire prior to the February 5 workshop, Ringelberg re-iterated his request that each member provide their responses prior to the board’s regular meeting on February 12.

That meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the township hall, 4338 Beeline Road. 

Parks and fire department

The Parks and Recreation Commission submitted its budget request to the board at the February 5 workshop. The commission is asking for $249,900, up from this year’s budget of about $154,800.

The board will receive a budget request from the Graafschap Fire Department at the February 12 meeting.

After the presentation by Graafschap Fire Department, there will be a presentation of the full consolidated budget as proposed by Ringelberg.

Manager search

The board unanimously agreed on February 5 to keep Ringelberg on as interim manager until at least the end of June and relaunch the search process for finding a new manager not later than April 1 after the budget will have been completed.

In addition to allowing the board to focus on the budget, the pause also gives the board time to show candidates that the board members can work together after the board got off to a sometimes-contentious start in November.

The board began taking applications in October to replace long-time Manager Al Meshkin. The final job candidate declined the position on January 28.

Ringelberg has been acting as interim manager since December.

If the board wanted to hire a full-time interim manager, the cost would be around $200,000, though it would be less for a part-time interim manager. The township offered the last candidate $110,000 a year.

The board is paying Ringelberg $1,788 a week, which means about $92,976 a year.

“You guys are getting a sweetheart deal,” he joked after the board approved his interim role through June.