Sidewalk plans and temporary board member approved

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — At a meeting packed with business, the Harrison Township Board of Trustees got a number of things done on Oct. 21. Among those items was the approval work to finish up remaining sidewalk repairs.

In 2023, the board authorized Luigi Ferdinandi and Son to perform $95,000 worth of sidewalk repairs; around $81,260 worth of work was performed, and the township approved a contract to complete the remaining work and perform extra sidewalk work at the 2023 rate.

The $115,000 contract includes completing a section of 15-foot sidewalk near Hazel Street along South River Road to fit into a $1.2 million federally funded plan to extend sidewalks between Bridgeview and Lanse Creuse Streets along South River Road.

“That is a part of the county’s master plan,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “They have a loop to take a path all around the county. We know that we can’t get through Selfridge (and) we can’t run along the borders of Selfridge because of issues relative to clear zones. It would, in essence, connect our path eventually to Mount Clemens — which in the short term is convenient and it is an opportunity for folks to bike or walk into town and take in some of the things that happen there, whether its fireworks or not.”

Verkest says the full plan will include going through Mount Clemens and then heading eastward toward Chesterfield.

 

Senior activity coordinator
Trustees also approved hiring a new senior center activity coordinator — they just don’t know who it will be. While the hiring committee was able to whittle down nearly 20 candidates to four, Verkest sought and received the approval to hold a public question-and-answer session between the candidates and hiring committee at the senior center.

Verkest prompted the item by stating the timelines of November meetings would mean the eventual candidate would have to wait until after Thanksgiving to be approved if normal procedure was followed, justifying the departure from procedure due to the board nearly always approving the recommended candidate in hiring decisions.

“I have been supervisor for almost 14 years,” Verkest said. “I have never had any board reject the recommendation of the three full-time officials when it comes to hiring.”

Trustees took the supervisor’s words into consideration and gave the go-ahead for the expedited hiring process and the public interview. The decision to hire the candidate will come down to the unanimous approval of Verkest, Township Clerk Adam Wit and Township Treasurer Lawrence Tomenello.

“I think it is a good idea to bring the seniors in and to get their input for sure,” Trustee Dean Olgiati said. “I have no problem (believing) it will be handled properly in that regard.”

 

Temporary planning commissioner
Trustees accepted the resignation of Ken Mulder from the Planning Commission and the appointment of Mike Viazanko, a township resident and Rochester Hills building official, to serve as his replacement.

Mulder will have commitments for the next six months and the Planning Commission does not allow for alternate members. It is expected Mulder will resume his appointment on the board once the commitments end.