MONTAGUE — White Lake Ambulance Authority director Jon Degen made a brief presentation during Tuesday’s meeting of the White River Township board, sharing information about WLAA’s 2025 call volume as the authority prepares to potentially welcome Fruitland Township back pending an August vote.
All five current WLAA municipalities - White River, Montague, Blue Lake and Whitehall townships, as well as the City of Montague - have passed resolutions permitting Fruitland to join the authority if its voters pass a millage Aug. 4.
Degen’s presentation underscored his opinion that the WLAA would not need to make staffing or vehicle additions if Fruitland does join the authority, a process that would likely be implemented in December if the vote passes. If such additions were needed, he said, the WLAA has money in contingency funds that would help implement those changes.
Asked by a member of the public about the mid-2010s dispute with Fruitland that resulted in Fruitland (as well as the City of Whitehall) leaving the authority, Degen said the WLAA is in far better financial shape now than it was at the time. However, the authority will take a snapshot of its assets prior to Fruitland’s potential rejoining, and if it later dissolves at any point, the five current municipalities will receive their shares of those assets prior to Fruitland or any other potential joining municipality receiving shares.
Later in the meeting, Township Supervisor Ron Bailey, the township’s representative on the Montague Fire Authority board, shared that Degen has also been selected as the new Montague fire chief starting July 1 as Ron Anderson has stepped down. Degen and Anderson are working together to smooth the transition prior to that date, and Bailey said Degen has expressed confidence he will be able to balance both the WLAA and Montague Fire positions.
The township board unanimously approved an expense not to exceed $400, paying Ace 1 to install a port-a-potty at the end of Ferry Street adjacent to Lloyd’s Landing. Township residents had expressed the desire to have such a facility available, as had been the case in past years. The company charges $125 per month, said trustee Deb Harris, with no installation fees.
The board also unanimously approved Chris Elzinga as the township’s new electrical inspector, replacing the retiring Jeff Johnson. Elzinga has substituted for Johnson at times in the past and came recommended by Troy DeBrot, who is a building inspector for Dalton and Blue Lake townships.
