2/11/2025 - Leelanau Township Board | Meeting Minutes from February Sessions

Summary

The Leelanau Township Board of Trustees convened on January 14, 2025, addressing various issues including public comments regarding property taxes, housing initiatives, and facility management. Key decisions made included approvals related to the Winter Carnival, the assessor position, and budgetary matters. The board emphasized ongoing collaboration with the Village of Northport to address housing needs and explored future infrastructure improvements.

Public Comments

Several public comments were made: - Dan Toole requested a $100,000 allocation for the restoration of Woosley Airport. - Jeff Tropf raised concerns about property taxation and threatened a federal complaint if necessary. - Will Harper commented on the potential facilities manager's salary affecting the current manager's position. - Paris Morse addressed budget concerns related to proposed cell tower ordinances. - Phyllis Rebori provided feedback on the assessing contract and timeline. - Paul Rebori urged the board to consider alternative assessing companies. - Elizabeth Mallek emphasized the importance of putting the assessor position out to bid.

Affordable Housing Initiatives

The board discussed a resolution to explore a Joint Housing Commission with the Village of Northport. Conley presented potential property swaps for enhancing housing utility, mentioning interest in more information on these options. Gans advocated for continued collaboration with the Village, and Wilson suggested forming a group knowledgeable about housing matters.

Parks and Recreation Matters

A motion was passed to approve the use of Braman Hill recreational park for a Winter Carnival on February 22, 2025, with liability insurance costs to be reimbursed to the township.

Infrastructure Projects

The board reviewed the Road Commission report indicating that roads Cherry Homes and Omena Point require significant maintenance, with estimates exceeding $1 million for Cherry Homes. However, there is insufficient funding for these repairs, leading to discussions about the financial implications for local households.

Other Business

The meeting included approvals for previous minutes, bills totaling $64,278.86, and ongoing reports from county services. The timeline for budget presentations and policy manual reviews was also established, with discussions around the need for a full-time facilities manager and upcoming board of review dates.

Financial Summary

The financial matters discussed included: - ARPA expenditures covering various projects totaling $82,048.00. - Approval of expenditures for school property tax collections and various contractor invoices, including a $940.07 annual invoice for Miss Dig and $23,145.93 for the Popp Excavating sewer project.

Action Items

Several tasks were assigned: - The advertising of the assessor position is to occur within 30 days at a cost not to exceed $650. - Approval to reimburse the insurance cost for the Winter Carnival. - The reevaluation of policies and budget timelines. - Follow-up required for further discussions on housing collaboration with the Village of Northport and the assessment of township roads. - Plans for the upcoming February meeting included drafting the budget and considering salary changes for township staff.