New Haven Township pays $108,295 to Road Commission; residents press on roads

New Haven Township wrote its biggest check of the summer to the county road agency last month. At the board's Aug. 10 regular meeting, the five members approved three invoices from the Shiawassee County Road Commission totaling $108,295 on a unanimous roll call vote, according to minutes posted by Clerk Colleen Horton.

The minutes do not say which roads or projects the three invoices cover. The motion came from Treasurer Eickholt and was supported by Trustee Richardson, and all five members — Supervisor DeLong, Treasurer Eickholt, Trustee Gray, Trustee Richardson and Clerk Horton — voted yes.

Roads were the recurring subject of the 20-minute meeting. Matt Wirwicki spoke during the first public participation period about a road project. Later in the meeting, Cindy Bitterman and Lee Horton each spoke about road conditions. Under board correspondence, Supervisor DeLong said he would share constituent concerns with the Shiawassee County Road Commission. The minutes do not record what any of the three residents said.

The township has been spending on its gravel network all year. The Current reported that the board voted unanimously at an eight-minute special meeting June 18 to approve a second brine application across 46.12 miles of gravel road. Trustee Gray told the board Aug. 10 that tree trimming at the Henderson and Seymour Road intersection has been completed.

The board also approved $21,423.20 in expenses from the Horizon Bank general fund on a unanimous roll call vote, and approved the sale of West Haven Cemetery Lot 23, also 5-0. At the July 13 meeting, as The Current reported, the board approved $4,500 in cemetery tree removal and $13,241.76 in bills.

Treasurer Eickholt reported balances as of July 31: $984,108.34 in the general fund across three accounts, $128,498.74 and $14,950.03 in the two-mill road accounts, $46,689.53 in perpetual care, $2,136.19 in the ambulance account, $576.11 in the fire account and $51,836.48 in tax checking — $1,228,795.42 across all township funds. The report was accepted on a unanimous roll call vote.

The board reappointed Norm LeCureux to the Planning Commission for a three-year term, on a motion by Treasurer Eickholt supported by Trustee Gray. All ayes.

Two other items surfaced without action. The minutes list a public hearing on the Corunna Area Ambulance assessment under "For Future Action," with no date given. And Treasurer Eickholt told the board that Twin Ambulance is requesting donations from residents; the minutes give no further detail.

What happens next

The minutes set the next regular meeting for Monday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at New Haven Township Hall, 2705 Easton Road — a date that has now passed; minutes from that meeting had not been posted as of Sept. 18. Still unanswered: what the $108,295 in road commission invoices paid for, and when the Corunna Area Ambulance assessment hearing will be held. The Current has asked the township for both.