State of the Harrison Township tells of new projects, continuing issues

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Harrison Township hosted its State of the Township address on Sept. 26 before a crowd of local officials and guests who heard about new projects and items that need more attention.

Harrison Township Supervisor Kenneth Verkest started off by welcoming guests to the event and thanked Lake St. Clair Metropark for hosting it. He also thanked sponsors and the Macomb County Chamber for their promotions.

Several township trustees, elected officials and staff were present as well.

Verkest said he tries to incorporate a theme into his address each year. Past themes have included a top ten 10 best things about Harrison Township and a reflection about how little things make a community great.

“In 2019, I told the audience that my first theme that year was prestige worldwide and two guys in the back under 40 laughed,” Verkest said. “Sometimes you just can’t pick the right joke.”

The theme this year was that Harrison Township is better because of things outside its control, Verkest said.

“I’m talking about things that are outside our border or inside our border but outside our control,’ Verkest said.

That includes places such as Jimmy John’s Field in Utica or entire cities like Detroit, which, Verkest said, is a city on the rebound. He pointed out things in Detroit including sports facilities, celebrity visits, restaurants and more.

“Detroit’s resurgence is having a positive impact on Harrison Township,” Verkest said.

He also mentioned things outside of the city’s control that didn’t go as well. He said the shift from GFL to Priority Waste was outside of its control and that the city experienced six months of service issues and complaints. When the contract ended, the city sought bids and though the cost was a bit higher, Harrison Township officials chose Tringali Sanitation as the township’s new waste management contractor.

“The cost difference amounts to less than 62 cents per week, per household, but the difference in service is unbelievable,” Verkest said.

Verkest said the South River Road bridge is open for traffic while a pedestrian bridge over the Jefferson Avenue spillway is still in planning.

“This is a three-and-a-half-million-dollar investment that will connect 15 residential streets, 10 condo developments and four complexes to four township and state parks, Lake St. Clair Metropark, Macomb County’s regional path system and the state’s Iron Belle Trail,” Verkest said.

North River Road from Bridgeview to Interstate 94 as well as Jefferson Avenue from South River Road to Metro Parkway will see construction next year.

“These roads might not be Schoenherr, but they are still important to us in Harrison Township,” Verkest said.

Later in the address, Verkest said U.S. Sen. John James, R-Shelby Township, secured funding for a 1.5-mile path that connects multiple residential streets and condo developments to Lake St. Clair Metropark and other amenities.

“We expect to award the design engineering contract for this project next month,” Verkest said.

He said all the mentioned projects, including the updates to Miller Park, were funded with grants.

“When I first ran for trustee, I pledged to pursue as many grants as possible,” Verkest said. “After serving on the board for 17 years, I now realize that grants can be an unfair way to distribute public funds. Regardless, the public and the politicians love grants.”

Since Harrison Township is the only municipality in Macomb County to not levy a general fund millage, it sometimes has limited funds to come up with matches for grants.

Verkest said he plans to propose a half-mil grant funding millage for the ballot in 2026.

“This millage would generate funds that can only be spent to match grant funds from other government agencies at the state, federal, county level, or private foundations,” Verkest said.

Verkest said two missions with a combination of 33 new planes will help ensure the viability of the Selfridge National Guard Base for years to come.

“This good news is the result of the efforts of many,” Verkest said.

He said the two missions will have a huge impact on their region. He mentioned help from the Macomb County Chamber as well as efforts from Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and his team.

Huron-Clinton Metroparks CEO Amy McMillan informed guests about updates on Lake St. Clair Metropark. She said they have a lot of projects for the region’s parks in the works and nearing completion over the course of the year. She mentioned anyone who has owned or ridden a boat probably has been disappointed about the North Marina closure starting in 2019.

“We were successful in securing $5 million from the state of Michigan thanks to our local representatives to restore the North Marina and we are super excited that this project is well in the works,” McMillan said.

Updated and fixed amenities include the floating docks, upgraded lighting and utilities. The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2026.

McMillan said they also plan to renovate the oldest bathhouse in the Metroparks system, develop the Daysail trail, renovate the west boardwalk, upgrade a decades-old electrical grid system and continue the “greening” of parking lot C.

All of these projects cost $9,714,000 with various funding methods including grants from the Department of Natural Resources and others.

Verkest also mentioned in his closing statements that the algae in the lake destroying the shoreline is making life in Harrison Township worse.

“We need help to control it,” Verkest said.

He said hopefully, funding in the state budget will help control it and he thanked state Rep. Alicia St. Germaine, R-Harrison Township, for fighting in Lansing to control the algae growth.

Roads also make life in Harrison Township more difficult. Verkest said politicians in Lansing have talked about eliminating waste and fraud in their state budget.

“Taking over $50,000 away from Harrison Township and state revenue sharing and over $2.4 million from Macomb County annually is not eliminating waste and fraud,” Verkest said. “It’s taking away our funding in order to fix a problem that is the state’s responsibility.”

He said he’s asking legislators to fix the roads without taking money from the township.

 

Other statistics
Verkest credited Treasurer Lawrence Tomenello and his deputy for over $1,000,000 of interest income in 2024.

The Fire Department has gone on 2,177 runs in the first eight months of the year as well as 421 inspections. Fire Chief David Bostater and the union have also worked together to create paramedic and firefighter internships.

A hit-and-run incident totaled a fire truck earlier this year and Verkest said Bostater worked every avenue to generate enough revenue to purchase and equip a replacement vehicle. Verkest also said they are in the process of rebuilding or replacing Fire Station No. 1 with updated technology and construction.

The township currently has 15 full-time police staff as well as shared costs for a school resource officer at L’Anse Creuse Schools.

The township’s Building Department recently allowed permit applications, inspection scheduling and payments online. In the first eight months of the year, the township issued 760 building permits. They have also purchased portable tablets for inspectors.

Assessor reports show property values are up 6.04% and that the taxable value is up 5.06% for 2025. In the last seven years, taxable value has increased by 43%.

The water and sewer department installed a new meter reading system, preventing large water bills by identifying water leaks in people’s homes.