Hayes Plate Full of Election, Millage Hope

HARRISON – Starting off the Department Reports portion of the Hayes Township Board’s Oct. 18 agenda was Deb Hoyt, township clerk. Apropos to the fact that the only November election in Clare County will be a millage vote in Hayes Township, Hoyt began by saying the Election Commission had met and that testing of the election equipment was held Oct. 11.

“So, election inspectors were appointed for the Nov. 2 election,” she said, adding that public testing of the election equipment would be at noon Nov. 26. That would be an opportunity for the public to see how the equipment runs as well as all the testing which must be done prior to the election.

Hoyt also touched on the redistricting being undertaken by groups statewide.

“Redistricting is going to be an extra cost to the township, to every township,” she said. “Because we will have to mail out all new voter ID cards – to everyone.”

Hoyt said that, at a clerk’s retreat attended the week prior, it had been made clear that there will be no reimbursement for upcoming elections or for the extra voter ID cards. She said the only time a reimbursement would be issued is for a Presidential Primary.

It was discussed that new voter ID cards would not necessarily have to be presented in order to vote, as one could simply present their driver’s license. However, it was noted that with changing state house/senate districts, the voter ID cards would contain he proper designation to help ensure the voters are not confused as to their district/polling place.

When it was posited by an audience member the change should be state funded, Hoyt reiterated that it is not, adding that Hayes had just the day prior received its expense reimbursement for the November 2020 election.

She then reported the 2022 election dates will be May 3, Aug. 2 and Nov. 8.

Again referencing the clerk’s retreat, Hoyt noted that during the past year there had been 140 election bills introduced.

“It’s those things you have to stay on top of, and see where things are going,” she said.

During Public Comment, property owner Pat Adams spoke about the need for tree trimming in some areas of the township, as well as what he called the atrocious condition of the roads in his own subdivision, and the lack of response from the road commission.

He also spoke of the upcoming Nov. 2 special election, and his fervent wish that the ordinance enforcement millage will pass.

“The township has a huge blight issue,” Adams said. “I’m telling you, I’ve been to the county and everybody else about a blight issue in our area – unless this passes, we don’t have the funding to enforce blight.”

Although with his primary residence elsewhere, he is unable to vote in Hayes, Adams urged all neighbors and friends to vote in the Hayes election.

“I’ve got four parcels,” he said. “And I’m willing to pay on every one of those parcels and it won’t bother me a bit, if we can get this blight under control. Not only will it make it look a lot better, it’ll increase the value of everybody’s homes too.”

Hoyt then noted having been asked to better explain what the ballot issue is for ordinance enforcement, and she read out the definition of a code enforcement/ordinance enforcement officer.

“To provide proactive enforcement and response to complaints of code/ordinance violations including blight, property maintenance, garbage, refuse, weeds, grass, signage, zoning, and other applicable ordinances; and conducts onsite inspections of properties to determine conformity with applicable codes and ordinances.”

Trustee Robert Buckley made the following comment before his traditional motion to close the meeting.

“I just want to make it clear that what’s going on in our township right now has got to be taken care of as soon as possible,” Buckley said. “We cannot continue to keep this going – now it’s escalating into violent behavior. And I think our board needs to get it together and come up with some solution. We’ve had plenty of time to get this stuff straightened out – and I want to see it happen.

“And I don’t care if anybody gets mad at me on this board or not. That’s the way I believe, and I believe this thing should happen. It doesn’t make any sense to have people coming in here, complaining about stuff that should be corrected, and let it keep festering, on and on and on.”

Trustee Tom Willett then added his two cents for change.

“It’s my understanding that his has been an issue for years,” Willett said. “It’s also my understanding we’re getting very close to actually making a move on this – for the first time in years. So, I’m kind of optimistic and happy that I’m looking at something that could possibly start the remedy. And I hope we succeed…beyond hope. We need to get the right people and the right solution put in place.”