Hayes Hears of Library Use, Waste Pickup Complaints

HARRISON – Community Reports at the April 20 meeting of the Hayes Township Board began with a report from recently elected District 6 Clare County Commissioner Bronwyn Asplund, who represents a portion of Hayes as well as Frost, Greenwood, Summerfield and Winterfield townships. This was the first Hayes meeting attended by Asplund, and she explained that she also must attend Frost meetings in the same time slot each month.

“I thought, since you have two other commissioners, that they’d come and fill you in, but I guess that hasn’t happened,” she said. Asplund’s time juggle follows that of former commissioner David Hoefling, who frequently arrived near the end of the Hayes Township meetings.

“And, I’ll tell you, I hate to leave early and try always to stay for the whole meeting – but they want me out at Frost and they said they’d stay open until I got there.”

Asplund said she would explore a meeting time change, or joint meetings which would enable her to attend full meetings for both townships. It was explained by Maye Tessner-Rood, township treasurer, that the two townships share a lake improvement board and that public hearings and joint meetings on lake improvement had been held, but contrary to what Asplund had understood, the two township boards had never held joint meetings.

The commissioner started her report by saying she thought Hayes Township was on a financially even keel, but wanted to be sure the township knew the county had received a letter notifying of grant monies available for townships suffering hardship.

Asplund went on to talk about the Clare County Sheriff Department losing personnel, which she attributed to low wages – wages she said are the lowest in the state. The commissioner went on to speak of the county’s finances and that it’s trying to get itself “on an even keel” – yet the county needs to keep good people.

“Hopefully, in the future we can look at that,” she said. “Not now, because we’re still in the negative. But as soon as we get our budget situated, it’s one thing I really want to look at – because I don’t like losing these good people to other counties.”

Asplund also addressed the state’s receipt of $1.95 billion in pandemic recovery funding, of which Clare County will receive about $6 million. A portion of that will be going directly to the townships.

One thing Asplund said she is hearing from her other townships is the need to prioritize internet availability. She noted having learned of Great Lakes Energy’s interest in expanding broadband into Clare County, and suggested the need to get some costs and figures information that would give a clearer picture of what it would take to bring that access to the townships.

Tessner-Rood agreed, adding that townships working together could result in better pricing.

“I think we need to look at this,” Asplund said. “I think the county needs to schedule a meeting, and work with the townships. This is something I think is important – people I’ve talked to have horrible internet service.”

Noting the blight update listed for later on the meeting agenda, Asplund again spoke of the county’s financial constraints and that unless there are nearly guaranteed funds, she wasn’t sure how willing other commissioners would be to look at blight right now. She noted the success and effectiveness of the blight officer in Frost Township, and Deb Hoyt, township clerk, explained that she had learned of the officer’s basic job description and that it was working out well for Frost. She said there was hope for another workshop where more information could be gathered and shared.

Moving on to Hoyt’s library report, it was noted that the library has moved into another level of reopening, and that internet hot spots are available for check-out. That, she said is especially good for students whose internet at home may not be good. Hoyt also noted that over eight months, some 4,200 Hayes Township residents had utilized Harrison District Library services, indicating rising activity. She added that the summer Surrey front porch concerts are expected to return.

Hoyt also reported having attended two sessions of the Michigan Library Association, one attended by Sen. Rick Outman, and the other by a representative of Rep. Jason Wentworth’s office. Those meetings addressed library funding and the especially important role played now with students learning from home. She noted that students use the Hayes Township Hall parking lot to connect to do their homework.

“It was interesting because we had different areas represented at the meeting,” Hoyt said. “But it all was, basically: Libraries are needed. Broadband is needed.”

When asked what Hayes’ tax expenditure was for library access, Tessner-Rood said only the City of Harrison and Hayes and Greenwood township collect a library millage, and that Hayes’ amount was $109,580. Hoyt added that for 2018, the library had received $8,069 in state aid, with total local township contribution of $150,000. She said a major source of revenue for libraries is penal fines, but that with courts running at bare minimum during the pandemic, that funding was diminished.

Public comment came from a resident who, apparently in company with many other Hayes residents, had received erratic to poor removal service from Waste Management in the past year, and sought to head-off such difficulty this year, particularly with yard waste. Supervisor Rick Jones said he also had problems with lack of pickup and urged the resident to call Hayes Township Hall if a promised pickup doesn’t materialize.

“If people call here, we submit a ticket and they send out a recovery truck,” Jones said. “If we don’t get a report, they’re not going to send a recovery truck if they don’t know. They do make every effort to get the garbage and leaves they know the driver has missed.”

He said if it is a continuing pattern, the business has a talk with the driver.

Under New Business, the board moved to:

-Adopt Ordinance 20-06 Zoning Map Amendment (12 Arnold Lake Road properties from Residential to C-2) and adopt Ordinance 20-07 Zoning Ordinance Amendment (7 amendments) as per the planning commission’s recommendations

-Approve the purchase of two laptops from I.T. Right in the amount of $2,155.20, including Microsoft 365 apps for business software

-Approve the Elm Creek service proposal: Hayes Township Municipal Complex at $500 (a $50 increase) and sports complex at $1,750 (no increase)

-Approve a request for a lot split as recommended by the township assessor

-Adopt Resolution 20-13 third quarter budget amendment

-Approve Clare County Road Commission contracts: Chip/Fog and crack seal at estimated cost of $80,422 ($120,422 minus $40,000 CCRC match); and paving contract at estimated cost of $88,000

-Approve an agreement with Harrison Youth Soccer in the amount of $1,500 for use of the soccer field June 1-Oct 31, 2021

-Approve rubbish special assessment district public hearing and board meeting dates of 7 p.m. July 13 and July 27