Summary
The Leelanau Township Board of Trustees held a regular meeting on March 11, 2025, where significant discussions were held regarding budget amendments, job positions, and ongoing projects. A crucial decision was made to offer the assessor position to Barry Wauldron after thorough interviews. Key correspondence reflected strong community interest in housing and the need for better facilities and infrastructure.Public Comments
Several community members raised concerns during public comments: - **Dan Toole** advocated for a $100,000 allocation for repairing Woosley Airport. - **Jeff Tropf** expressed grievances about property taxes and indicated plans to file a federal complaint if his issues are not resolved. - **Will Harper** emphasized that the managerial salary adjustments should not disadvantage current managers. - **Elizabeth Mallek** urged the board to include multiple bids for the upcoming assessor position.Housing Collaboration with the Village of Northport
The trustees discussed a resolution exploring a Joint Housing Commission with the Village. The aim is to utilize the Buster Dame property for housing-related initiatives instead of limiting it to recreational use. More research and dialogue are needed on this topic and potentially exchanging restrictions with the 7th Street property.Infrastructure Projects
The township discussed the need for a comprehensive assessment of its roads. Trustee Gans noted that Cherry Homes and Omena Point roads require maintenance costing over $1 million each and stressed the insufficiency of current funding to support these projects.A separate discussion on the proposed communication tower and other infrastructures focused on obtaining public input to better align with community needs.
Other Business
The board approved the following: - The January 14 and February 11 meeting minutes. - Bills totaling $51,470.26 for fiscal approval. - A group of candidates to interview for the assessing position. - The agreement for summer school tax collections from multiple public schools, ensuring smooth operations for the upcoming fiscal year.Financial Summary
The board reviewed the FY 24-25 budget amendments which need adjustments to balance expenditures based on the funds used over the past two months. Additionally, upcoming fiscal responsibilities were addressed, with an estimated $3 million in revenue projected for the next year. Salary adjustments for key positions were proposed, including an increase for the Treasurer and Clerk.Action Items
The following tasks were assigned: 1. **Assessment of Roads**: Trustee Gans to pursue contact with the road commission to keep Cherry Homes' project on track. 2. **Housing Initiative Group**: Conley to organize a group to further investigate housing options in collaboration with the Village of Northport. 3. **Assessor Role**: Notify Barry Wauldron of his appointment. 4. **Winter Carnival**: Rutila to initiate preparations for the event scheduled at Braman Hill Recreational Park. 5. **Outgoing Communication**: All correspondence regarding assessor applications and community outreach to be collected and better organized.The next regular meeting of the township board is scheduled for April 8, 2025.