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CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Michigan roads will never stop breaking down, but the Clinton Township Board of Trustees took steps to improve some of the community’s roads at its Nov. 13 meeting.
The first road project brought up was a special assessment district for the Miles North subdivision street, covering 1,750 feet of the 22-foot-wide street at an approximate cost of $939,250, or about $275 per assessable front foot. The Macomb County Department of Roads will assist with 50% of the project cost and bring down the assessable front foot cost to approximately $140.
Special assessment districts are resident-created areas where infrastructure improvements like road repairs are paid for by the residents. If people from the proposed district can gather majority support (over 50%) from landowners in the district, the township begins the process of establishing the district.
“We are at the point now where, after verifying the signatures, that … requires the board to accept the petitions, adopt this resolution and direct the preparation of the improvement plans,” Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer said.
With the township completing the resolution to establish the district, a process is underway to clarify the list of affected properties is correct, to bid out the project in order to determine the cost, and to hold two public hearings in order for affected residents to voice their concerns and opinions on the process. The first public hearing will be held at the Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, Dec. 4.
Trustees also handled cost-sharing agreements with several bodies for road projects. To improve 18 Mile Road between Hayes Road and the dead end at the Tomlinson Arboretum, the township will cover 60% of the costs at $2.15 million while the county will cover 40%.
The Moravian Road improvement project between Hayes Road and Garfield Road, which was approved at the last meeting, underwent a cost decrease of $248,000. The new cost of Clinton Township’s 20% share is $1.152 million compared to the original cost of $1.4 million. Sterling Heights is covering 30% of the project costs while the county is covering 50%.
Webster Park playground
Trustees awarded the contract to replace the playground equipment at Webster Park with new equipment to GameTime of Holland, Michigan for just under $100,000. Community Development Block Grant Funds will pay for the new equipment.
Clinton Township Trustee Mike Keys supported the project, though he said he wanted to see more from it than a conventional playground and swing set. Public Services Director Mary Bednar said that was not feasible with the allocated funds.
“This is a small, pocket park that is really a neighborhood park,” Bednar said. “The people that we see in the park are 5-to-12-year-olds, so this meets those needs for the pocket park. Not too far (away) is Normandy (Park), which has a bigger layout.”
A concrete cornhole setup is being installed on the other side of Webster Street as part of the Webster Park complex.
Veterans month
With Veterans Day falling on Nov. 11, the Clinton Township Board of Trustees took the step of designating the month of November as Veterans and Military Families Month.
Submitted by Township Trustee Tammy Patton, a U.S. Army veteran, the goal of the resolution is raising awareness of issues facing veterans and their families including homelessness, mental health, military sexual trauma, substance abuse and suicide.
“Many veterans feel invisible,” Patton said. “They don’t have a voice; they don’t have a platform and they have gone ignored. It is important to recognize and support veterans as they transition back into civilian life and provide them with all available resources and assistance they may need.”
Patton was joined by several local veterans in displaying a flag with the seals of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force, which will remain in the meeting room for the rest of November. The flag was purchased by Patton.
