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HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Steps have been taken to improve a large wetland as the Harrison Township Board of Trustees approved pursuing a Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program grant at its Nov. 13 meeting.
Administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the township is targeting a 155-acre wetland bisected by the Vanter De Beuff Drain and bordered by Jefferson Avenue, Metropolitan Parkway, Vandy Street and Prentiss Street for nature-based recreational development.
“This, first and foremost, has nothing to do with development in the traditional sense, like building homes and that sort of thing,” Harrison Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “For someone who is anti-development, this would be development in a way that they’re supportive of.”
Potential developments the grant could fund include stormwater capacity enhancements, improvements to the drain and pump stations, recreational programming and nonmotorized trails.
In order to pursue the fiscal year 2025 Coastal Zone Management Program grant, trustees approved consulting firm Wade Trim to complete and submit the grant application at a cost of $3,000.
Water meter bonding resolution
As a way to offset the cost of replacing water meter readers in the township, trustees passed a resolution of intent to issue up to $1.6 million in capital improvement bonds and to fulfill any reimbursement obligations of the bonds.
“Really, this allows us to pre-spend money and pay ourselves back in the event we don’t sell bonds in time when the bill comes due from the contractor,” Harrison Township Clerk Adam Wit said.
The township plans to use the bonds to cover half of the costs while covering the rest with township funds. While Verkest says the township could cover it all with the fund balance, using bonds saves fund balance money for any emergencies that occur during the meter reader replacement process.
Facilities development concept
Trustees also approved the creation of a concept plan for changes to the township’s headquarters between Townhall and Lanse Creuse streets.
Based on the findings of a study made by engineering firm Wakely Associates, which the board commissioned last July, the plan calls for demolishing the current township hall administration building and expanding the engineering building by 11,000 square feet to house the township government and administration.
Wakely Associates will make preliminary designs for the project for $7,200.
ARPA fund transfer
On Nov. 13, trustees approved moving $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds into the township’s general fund. Verkest said the funds would replenish revenues lost during the COVID-19 pandemic while allowing the township to use the funds without needing to report every use to the federal government.
Revenue replacement is one of four intended uses of ARPA funds, with the other uses being COVID-19 recovery funding for businesses and residents, paying workers, and improving infrastructure.
