MONTAGUE — Montague Township Supervisor Jeff King reported to the board during its regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, that the township's maintenance supervisor John Ramthun said that the blower assembly on the township's lawn mower is in need of repair or replacement. While an attempt to repair the equipment will be made, it was Ramthun’s opinion that the township should have an alternative working blower for emergencies such as this. This has been the case in the past before the prior alternate blower was misplaced. The replacement blower is priced at $1,900 from Weingartz, the lawn equipment provider.
While the board expressed support for the purchase of the replacement, Township Clerk Drew Roesler questioned whether the blower was repurposed from an older mower or was newly purchased within the last few years, voicing concerns about whether the blower in question has degraded in a short period of time and if the item was reparable. While King did not know the answer, he shared his agreement with Ramthun that a new blower was needed. After the discussion, the board unanimously approved the replacement.
Throughout the summer, the township has been discussing which project to dedicate senior millage funds, resulting in King approaching the White Lake Senior Center to ask what shortfalls in funding the township could alleviate. In past years, the township has donated between $2,000 and $2,600 annually, but as of yet, no funds have been allocated for 2026. Senior Center director Christi Marsh proposed that the township fund programming, such as field trips to Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.
The board approved $5,000 to fund programming at the senior center, with Roesler requesting that Montague Township seniors be reminded through the township’s newsletter of the senior center's activities and resources.
Said Roesler, “if we’re paying for services, then we should encourage our people to take part.”
The shuffleboard court at the Montague Township Park has been recently repainted by the White Lake Shuffleboard Club, the primary users of the court, who are requesting the township to reimburse the club $449 for the renovation. The renovations were initially the responsibility of the township, but not taken care of in a timely manner, resulting in the club’s intervention. The township board resolved to donate over $500 extra alongside the reimbursement, donating an even $1,000 for the club.
While Treasurer Tracy Korthase acknowledges that the White Lake Shuffleboard Club does “a very, very nice job keeping the place clean… [and] encourage people to come and join,” the club is protective of their court and equipment, especially considering past vandalism of the property. As such, Korthase proposed ideas to keep the court accessible as a township resource for casual users, such as a handful of lanes outside of the gated section. Kara Roesler, in attendance to take meeting minutes, also pointed out a greater concern voiced in the parks and recreation master plan survey that many Montague Township citizens are unaware of the amenities available to them, especially at the parks, shuffleboard included.
King discussed concerns planning commission members have shared about one member who has not been in attendance to meetings since spring, nor has made contact providing an excuse for the absence. Upon learning of this issue, King has been researching the township’s rules for removing a commission member, only to realize that such an occasion has never occurred and the current rules regard removal due to more severe infractions.
Roesler suggested King send a certified letter to the absentee member asking to either provide reasoning for absence or a resignation. King also proposed adding more members to the board to make up for the deficit, noting that he already had two interested potential members, and asked planning commission chair Bob Muzio - also in attendance - to consider whether he would prefer to have a board of five or seven members.
During Korthase’s treasurer report, she reported funds of $501,707.42 overall accrued from the township’s revenue sharing and, once again, posed the question to the board of where in the township to spend the funds. Some proposed ideas in the past have been road work and playground equipment, but Korthase stressed the topic, saying, “I don’t like sitting on that much money and not giving it back to the residents.”
