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CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Clinton Township Board of Trustees have updated the terms of the George George Park construction project, approving the changes at its May 30 meeting.
During construction of the auxiliary parking lot improvements and universally accessible kayak launch expansion, poor soil conditions and the location of the gas main forced engineers to reconfigure the lot plans. Only one space was lost in the process.
“We found the soils a lot better on the south side, and there’s access fairly close to the main walkway there, so it worked out, actually, pretty well,” said Scott Chabot, project manager.
The reconfiguration added $113,970 to the construction contract price and required increasing the total project budget from $1.26 million to $1.32 million. Trustees voted unanimously to grant the increase.
“When you get into a project this size, many times there’s a lot of unforeseen situations and this is one of those,” Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer said. “Nobody wants to pay more for anything, obviously, and we don’t normally advocate, but this is definitely a project that needs to be done.”
Sewer work and equipment purchase
The board approved two sewer related items, starting with awarding D.V.M. Utilities, Inc., of Sterling Heights, a $1.16 million contract to install cured in place pipe lining along township sewers.
Part of the lining process involves inspecting the pipes and Department of Public Services Director Mary Bednar said this will be one of the last lining projects of the current cleaning and inspection cycle.
“As soon as you’re done with the 10 years (of the cleaning and inspection cycle), you can breathe for about 30 seconds and then you’ve got to start again,” Bednar said. “That is part of asset management, knowing the conditions of your pipes, and in the past we haven’t, so it’s important that we keep eyes on it.”
Trustees approved the purchase of a Vacall combination sewer cleaning truck for about $382,000. Originally priced at about $547,000, the trade-in value of the township’s old truck reduced the price by $165,000.
Pride month resolution
Trustees unanimously passed a resolution honoring LGBTQ+ Pride Month in Clinton Township.
The resolution, brought forth by Trustee Tammy Patton and written with the help of Chippewa Valley High School Teacher and Gay-Straight Alliance club advisor Nick Marinello, is intended to help encourage LGBTQ+ youths in Clinton Township to know they are accepted as they are.
“There are children that are scared to speak up about being LGBTQ+ because they are scared of their families disowning them or retribution against them or a whole lot of other things,” Patton said. “Most of them will turn to drugs, they’ll turn to alcohol and a lot of them even turn to suicide because they’re not accepted. This is something that we need to let them know (that) we are a very evolving township and that we do accept diversity and they are part of that diversity.”
A second motion to display a pride flag in the Civic Center throughout June passed 6-1. Township Supervisor Robert Cannon cited concerns about other organizations requesting that their flags be displayed and the limited space of the board chambers.
A flag supplied by Patton will temporarily join an American flag, a Ukrainian flag, a Michigan flag and a Clinton Township flag.
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