Year in Review: Elections top story of 2024

Laketown Township saw changes in the township board and has been searching for a replacement for its long-time manager in 2024. Here are the Top 10 most read topics from the Laketown Township website for the year.

The website is laketowntwp.org. It offers details on permits, meetings, agendas, minutes, ordinances, resolutions and parks. The home page is regularly updated with features and breaking news.

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The Top Stories

No. 1: Elections: The primary election, general election and early voting stories were the most frequently hit topics on the website. The overall single most popular story was the candidate profiles that asked each primary election candidate a series of questions.

No. 2: Beach Property: The addition of 3.17 acres of public land to Laketown Township Beach was the next most popular story on the website for 2024. The land, which adjoins the southeast end of the current property, does not touch Lake Michigan but has a view of the water.

No. 3: Manager Search: Residents have been kept informed about the ongoing search to replace long-time Manager Al Meshkin, from the announcement in July of his retirement, the choice of a search firm and the candidate interviews.

No. 4: Felt Mansion Concerts: The announcement of the summer concert lineup at the Felt Mansion reflects the popularity of these outdoor shows. Every Thursday in July, the field outside the Carriage House filled with music, food, dancing and fun.

No. 5: Disc Golf Tournament: The community came out to show their support for the family of Jason Butch with the Shorfari disc gold tournament at Shore Acres Park. The Laketown resident and disc golf fan passed away Sept. 6.

No. 6: Felt Mansion Eloquence Day: Douglas Elementary School students stepped through the wardrobe and entered the snow-covered pine-lined path for the 13th-annual Eloquence Day meal at the Felt Mansion, 6597 138^th Ave. Eloquence Day is a way to teach students manners and etiquette. The Saugatuck Public Schools students wear semi-formal attire such as jackets, ties and dresses.

No. 7: Huyser House Demolition: After more than 20 years of debate, the Huyser House was demolished on Monday, June 3, 2024. Within an hour, most of the home was leveled. The 1,559-square-foot, two-story home was built in 1939 by Manuel and Lilah Huyser. Lilah, 85, died in 1996. Manuel, 90, died in 1999. The house, along with several other structures that have since been removed, came with the donation of the 102-acre Huyser Farm Park at the corner of 142^nd Avenue and 64^th Street. Since the township acquired the land in 2001, the house had been empty, and the parks commission was not able to settle on a use for the home.

No. 8: Pancake breakfast brings community together: The community came together for the annual Graafschap Fire Department Pancake Breakfast on July 4, 2024. The breakfast is a way to thank community members for the trust they have placed in the department and their support of the fire millages that fund the department. The event was attended by 1,325 people, more than the 1,265 people the year before.

No. 9: Open Play rules a smash for pickleball players: Laketown Township’s first year of Open Play pickleball rules was a huge success with players having fun without waiting for a court.

No. 10: New electrical inspector brings experience: Jeff Nyboer started as Laketown Township’s electrical inspector, replacing the role held for 25 years by Gordon Bosch who retired. Nyboer can be reached at (616) 610-2897 and through email at jnyboerbti@gmail.com.