Harrison trustees back DIA project

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The Harrison Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution to support a Detroit Institute of Arts “Partners in Public Art” project in the township at its Oct. 11 meeting.

Brought to the board by the Beautification Commission, the proposed project would be a mural painted on the outside wall of the restroom structure at Tucker Park. Trustees voted unanimously to sign up for the program, and if selected, the DIA would commission an artist to paint the mural. The township would have to keep and maintain the mural for at least 10 years.

“This is just an application,” Susan Keehn, Beautification Commission chairperson, said. “They would have to approve us … They are excited to do this for everyone, but in the event we don’t get called next year, our name goes back in the hat with the applications and it would likely be the following year.”

Keehn said the DIA was happy about the proposed site being owned by the township since it keeps responsibilities clear if any maintenance or repairs are needed.

Other Macomb County communities that have taken part in the “Partners in Public Art” program include Romeo, Sterling Heights, Warren and Eastpointe.

The Beautification Commission was also able to secure a new three-year contract with Lucia Landscaping to maintain its gardens around the township. The contract is for about $14,000 per season.

 

Maintenance workers hired
Trustees approved the hiring of two new water and sewer workers on a trial basis. The hirings bring the department up to eight people — one more than the usual maximum of seven.

“I asked for permission to increase (the department’s) headcount to eight for two reasons,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “One was because we recognize sometimes we bring folks on and they don’t work out, but also we know that there is a retirement coming. We do believe there is some additional work that we have given to this group of workers, so we want to see how staffing at eight would work.”

Three candidates were considered because the list could not be narrowed down before the meeting. The trustees authorized the clerk, treasurer and supervisor to make the hiring decision from those three.

 

Easement agreement
The board unanimously approved an easement with the owners of a recently built home on South River Road. The owners agreed that the township would have a maintenance easement over a 6-inch gravity main, the location of which needs to be documented. Four pieces of township property — two benches and two fire hydrants — are located on the owners’ property. The township will require an easement agreement with the owners to access that.

As such, the agreement between the township and owners includes the following:

• The owners provide the three permanent easements for the hydrants and gravity main to the township.

• The owners provide two temporary easements to the township for the benches, lasting until the benches are in disrepair.

• The township will survey and establish the boundaries for the easements.

• The township will refund the owners the $1,350 temporary occupancy certificate fee; pay the owners $5,000 for the hydrant and bench easements; and issue a final certificate of occupancy for the house.