WHITEHALL — The Monday, May 19 Fruitland Township board meeting began with honoring a retired civil servant for her years of service to the community.
Sue Bowen was given a plaque commemorating her career as an assessor for Muskegon County, Fruitland Township being one of her assignments. This was presented to her by Greg Boughton, another veteran of township services. Boughton and Bowen reminisced about times when adding machines predated computers and assessments were written out by hand. The township board and Boughton all wished Bowen a happy retirement.
A new road-end sign is coming to MacMillan Rd. The board voiced concern that the previous iteration read as a laundry list of “Do Not’s,” and this draft for the new road sign, conversely, expresses what activities visitors are allowed. The draft was adjusted, on advice from the rest of the board, to remain strict on prohibitions such as hunting and camping, inviting interested parties to consult the township office for a list of huntable properties and recommending the nearby state parks for camping.
One line gave board members a bit of pause: “Hiking to the observation deck and stairs is cool.” The intention for this wording was to be “hip,” and the rest of the board eventually warmed to the unorthodox verbiage. After a few wording adjustments, the sign was unanimously accepted by the board.
The township boad approved 4-1, with Sondra Cross dissenting, the purchase of 76 chairs and new tables to replace the current ones. The new furniture will be more durable and easily cleaned; cleaning was a primary concern for the current chairs, as they’d purportedly cost more to clean than replace.
For the replacement of the board tables, the primary concern is space in the town hall. The chosen replacement tables are foldable and mobile to allow the meeting room better adaptability for community events.
The board unanimously approved the purchase of a new podium; the hall currently does not have one, only a standing microphone.
Four new resolutions were discussed, including Muskegon County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. In the event of a disaster or other emergency, Fruitland Township would defer to Muskegon County for its response to disaster relief. Supervisor Jeff Marcinkowski would still have some authority in an emergency, but would be low on the hierarchy. The measure was unanimously passed, giving Fruitland the ability to apply for grants to cover damages and residents access to FEMA funding.
The board unanimously approved two traffic requests. First, it is asking the Muskegon County Road Commission to not raise the speed limit from 45 to 55 miles per hour on a section of Nestrom Road, citing safety concerns. The MCRC is considering the move.
A second request would have a new traffic signal installed at the intersection of Riley-Thompson and Whitehall roads, near Michigan's Adventure. Many township residents have expressed concern following near-misses at the busy intersection, particularly in the summer months when the park is open. The requested traffic light would have two modes, a typical three-color light stop for busy season usage, which would transition to a single flashing stop/ caution light in winter.
The last resolution of the day, also unanimously approved, allows for township administrators to be reimbursed for mileage accrued on township business within Muskegon County. Previously, such reimbursement only occurred for out-of-county business.
The meeting finished with clerk Alexa Steffes presenting a draft of a brochure for the township’s cemeteries. This brochure would provide answers to frequently asked questions and further information regarding burials and cemetery regulations. Steffes wanted a short and easy reference which people could take and keep to ensure they learned and retained the information. These would be distributed to local funeral homes and available at the township hall. The board enjoyed the innovation and approved the design. Steffes will look into the cost of having the brochures professionally printed to ascertain whether the production can be outsourced or completed in-house.
