By: Dean Vaglia | Macomb Chronicle | Published November 10, 2022
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Infrastructure agreements and the purchase of fire trucks were among the items on the agenda for Macomb Township Board of Trustees Oct. 26 when they met for about a half hour during their second regular meeting of the month.
Trustees began the brief session approving two agreements with communications infrastructure company Crown Castle to use cell towers at the township’s Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 2, as part of the advanced metering infrastructure system. The AMI is used to track water usage throughout the township, and many AMI units require installing tall poles similar to those used for electrical transmission wires.
“These two sites have cell towers that we can use in lieu of installing an extra pole,” Kevin Johnson, department of public works director, said. “We can also get additional height on our (AMI) antenna, which will allow us to gain better access to the signals that the R800s (AMI units) are receiving.”
The agreement calls for installing and testing each unit for $5,500, coming out to a one-time total cost of $11,000. This increases the cost of the AMI project to $421,323.79. The project was originally approved at $410,323.79 in February 2022.
Crown Castle leases space for the poles from the township.
Fire truck purchases
Trustees unanimously approved the purchase of two KME fire trucks at a total cost of $1,700,800.
The new trucks will replace pumpers built in 2002 and 2003 and will be equipped for fires, accidents and medical calls. Chief Robert Phillips expects the trucks to remain in service for 20 years.
A preconstruction conference will be held with KME in Louisiana, and the trucks are expected to be completed and driven up to Macomb Township at least 650 days after the meeting. Funds are not due until the trucks are delivered to and accepted by the Fire Department. The cost of the trucks will be paid through a future budget.
One of the old trucks will remain in service while the other will be sold in accordance with the township’s purchasing policy.
School tax preparation
Trustees have begun preparing for summer 2023 taxes, authorizing the treasurer’s office to begin executing the legal agreements required to collect school taxes within the township at the rate of $3.57 per parcel.
The agreements will allow the township to collect the taxes on behalf of Chippewa Valley Schools, New Haven Community Schools, Utica Community Schools, L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, Macomb Intermediate School District and Macomb Community College.
“We kept (the rate) the same last year, so we went a year without an inflationary increase,” Macomb Township Treasurer Leon Drolet said. “But as we’re all aware, inflation has been a factor, so this cost represents an 8% increase on what we charged last year. Mind you (there was) no inflationary increase last year despite there being inflation, so … I think it is responsible for us to adjust it annually at what is the state inflation rate.”
While the districts are not required to contract the township to collect the taxes for them, Drolet does not believe there will be objections to the 8% increase.
Trustee Frank A. Cusumano Jr. abstained from voting due to his role on the Macomb Community College Board of Trustees.
Additional sewer data collection
Trustees also approved an extension of its agreement with engineering firm Fishbeck to monitor inflow and infiltration events in the township’s sewer system caused by stormwater for one more month.
Fishbeck was approved in February to watch the township’s sewer systems for dry and wet weather water flow, but there were not enough storms to compile adequate wet weather data. The extended monitoring will cost $9,970.