HARRISON TOWNSHIP — It was a quiet and quick meeting of the Harrison Township Board of Trustees on April 8, with last-minute agenda changes and a few procedural votes.
Taxes took up much of the final agenda as trustees approved contracts to collect summer taxes on behalf of L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, the Macomb Intermediate School District and Macomb Community College. A $4 collection fee will be paid to the treasurer’s office for each parcel taxes are collected from, with the township expected to bring in $48,000 of payment from the schools.
The $4 collection fee was established last year, alongside the creation of an interest-bearing bank account set up for the schools by the township.
“All the interest from that account over the year, less all of the fees, will be going back to the schools,” Harrison Township Treasurer Larry Tomenello said.
Trustees then awarded the contract to print the summer and winter tax bills to Kent Communications, Inc. of Grand Rapids at an amount not to exceed $10,500.
Windjammer liquor licenses
Trustees gave the township board’s approval for the transfer of The Windjammer’s Class C and specially designated merchant liquor licenses from Edward J. Delekta II to new owners Terra and Michael Ettel. The transfer of the liquor licenses is a step in the ownership transfer process for the bar located at 39693 Jefferson Ave.
No action on SAD
Early drafts of the meeting agenda included items that would have advanced the creation of the Archer & Lakeshore and Riverdale & Powers canals sediment and aquatic weeds removal special assessment district, but the lack of action from district supporters led to the items being removed.
Discussion about the district took up much of the time at the March 25 meeting as residents from Riverdale and Powers streets opposed the cost and usefulness of the district. Township trustees agreed with those residents in opposition and denied to move the district’s approval further at the late March meeting, sending it back to supporters for revision.
“It was discussed that items D1 and D2 were added, as I understand it, just in case they were able to modify that in time so that it would be noticed,” Harrison Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “But that didn’t happen, so we discussed removing items D1 and D2.”
The motion to remove the items and to add an item to the closed session was unanimously approved. Trustee Paula Rose was excused from the meeting.