Summary
The Empire Township Board met August 11, 2026, with Supervisor Wiejaczka presiding; Trustee Noonan was excused and Treasurer Price arrived at 7:20 pm. The Board approved the agenda and July 14 minutes, approved bills to be paid and post-audit checks, and adopted revised Rules of Procedure (minus a separate Code of Conduct document). Planning Commission discussions on affordable/workforce housing continued without final decisions, and a special zoning meeting was set for August 26.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
Trustee Wolterink reported on the Planning Commission's July 28 Special Meeting on Zoning Ordinance Review, which focused heavily on encouraging workforce/affordable housing. Topics included allowing multi-unit housing, minimum lot size requirements across districts, clustered housing, balancing the Master Plan's green space goals with development of the Gateway Mixed Use district, and a proposal to allow eight-family dwellings without requiring site plan review. No final decisions were made. A follow-up Special Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 at 7:00 pm to address general ordinance changes such as definitions and clarifications.
Parks and Recreation Matters
Supervisor Wiejaczka reported that resurfacing of the pickleball courts at Johnson (Lions Club) Park is complete.
Infrastructure Projects
The Board received a Notice of Day of Review of Drainage District Boundaries and Review of Apportionments for the Little Glen Lake Drainage District; questions may be directed to Chet Janik, Leelanau County Drain Commission. No board action was taken on this item.
Other Business
Wiejaczka reported that the Michigan Department of Treasury confirmed "all substantial items have been corrected" in the Tax Assessment Roll Audit. Assistant Fire Chief Chad Dykgraaf reported 105 calls in July (346 year-to-date) and 372 training hours; the ladder truck was out of service most of the month. Garage doors for the Empire Station have been ordered, and the Glen Arbor station remodel, including Decon Room layout changes, is on track. The Board congratulated Dykgraaf on his official pinning as Assistant Fire Chief. The Board also discussed revisions to the Purchasing Policy, including requiring prior Board approval with at least three written quotes for items $2,500 and above, unless a single-source vendor applies, and encouraging staff to check existing Township technology before new purchases. A brief discussion on general budgeting noted the difference between line-by-line budget preparation and overall activity review, with further budget discussions planned in coming months.
Financial Summary
Treasurer Price presented totals for all funds (detailed in the meeting packet). The Clerk noted Bills to be Paid and Post-Audit items were delayed due to Election timing; highlighted expenses included telephone services, election supplies, and County Master Qualified Voter File cards. A $3,000 expense was noted for tree removal at the Campground, and Consumer's Energy billing for the Campground was discussed (historically $400–$500 in July). The P&L statement showed expenses in line with budget. Motion by Wolterink, support by Bacon, to approve Bills to be Paid and Post Audit Checks passed unanimously.
Action Items
- Wolterink to consolidate and remove redundancies from the Rules of Procedure documents for Board review.
- Planning Commission Special Meeting on Zoning Ordinance Review (including affordable housing provisions) scheduled for August 26, 2026, 7:00 pm.