Oshtemo Township Board

The Oshtemo Township Board came together to discuss the budgets for 2023 and the transportation plans for 2023, as continued from the previous meeting, on August 23, 2022.

The Transportation Network discussion was continued from the previous meeting, presented by Planning Director Iris Lubbert and Public Works Director, Anna Horner.

“I’m just doing a really quick recap of chapter five. The specific section we’ll talk about will be transportation planning,” said Iris Lubbe= rt.

The recap will cover the importance of connectivity, networking, and access management. The SWOT analysis would also be covered for Development pays for Development versus Proactive Implementation. For more specifics, you would need to go to the meeting on August 9, 2022.

Chapter five of the 2011 master plan covers transportation and community services. For that section, Planning Director Lubbert and Public Works Director Horner presented the breakdown of the SWOT’s analysis: Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. One of the mentioned strengths would be road mileage.

SWOT’s analysis can be applied to all projects, the Westport Connection project would also be one and one specified in the master plan.

The Westport Connection project is the project to increase the connectivity of certain portions of the Westport neighborhood. To raise the connectivity index, the sewers would also have to be changed, along with the roads. The ideas of non-motorized connectivity are also something they have stated to be important to develop early on.

“The first project is in Westport and if you look at Westport on the map it is ranked very low on the Connectivity Index… [T]hose neighborhoods when we think about access management and connectivity, it’s a safety issue… It’s a response time issue[,] … making services … more expensive and timely,” said Public Works Director Horner.

The project has developers that want to join to develop the surrounding area. Previously these developers had stepped away, due to the size and cost of reconstruction being outside of their budgets.

The board was asked how much work they were willing to delegate to the project. Also, ask them to think about what else they could do with the space if they got it.

Trustee Cheri L. Bell had much to say about the project, saying it matches well with both the master plan and the go green plan.

“I’m not opposed to seeing the opportunities,” said Trustee Bell.

The second project presented was Secco Dr. Extension - West Main Street Sub Area Plan. The plan involves an existing parcel being split, so the road may be extended to lesser developed areas. Those areas' reason for being underdeveloped is due to lack of access.

The Board Clerk, Dusty Farmer asked about the price, after the project's planned events were explained. 

Public Works Director Horner states the cost as 680 thousand dollars and that their annual income is about 1 million dollars.

The final project presented was Atlantic Avenue Extension. A smaller street off of 9th Street and Stadium Drive. The plan is to improve road circulation and safe crossing issues by doing that.

The Public Works Director explained that if they do not start the construction within a timely manner, a building could be built in that spot, losing the ability to build the road.

“This item, in particular, was submitted so they’re going to the Planning Committee, in their late September meeting for concept plan review,” said Planning Director Lubbert.

The 2023 Proposed Budget for the Oshtemo Township Fire Department, as they don’t have a Chief that would normally write the budget, Interim Chief Ron Farr and Deputy Chief Greg McComb wrote it.

Board Member, Libby Heiny-Cogswell, presented the Budget to the board. The key points of conversation were the money budgeted and lines for the Medical items. There was a line for insurance for the full-time firefighters and a line setting aside money for Firefighters to take a medical exam.

“Why? Is this a special exam? Specific to firefighters, why can’t they use their health insurance?” said Board Clerk, Farmer.

The question was met with a lack of clarity, along with several other questioned items. The Board couldn’t get a clear answer, so they hope to ask the Fire department for clarification afterward.

With that, the meeting was adjourned.

SCRIPT

The Oshtemo Township Board came together to continue discussing the 2023 budget and Transportation Network discussion.

The Board presented the following projects during the Transportation Network discussion continuation. Planning Director, Iris Lubbert, and Public Works Director, Anna Horner presented the slides.

Project for extending Atlantic Avenue, a small street off of 9th Street and Stadium Drive. This was to help the issue of safe crossing

Quote 2:20:00-2:28:00

Project for Westport, to increase the neighborhoods connectivity index.

Quote 1:42:00-2:02:00

Project for extending Secco Drive - West Main Street  Sub Area Plan. This would give more room and access for development.

Quote 2:03:00-2:16:00

The Board also discussed the Fire Department’s 2023 budget. Without a Fire Chief, Interim Chief Ron Farr and Deputy Chief Greg McComb wrote it. The Board had several questions about the budget.

The Board had questions over the request for one canine and 20 vests for the firefighters on duty.

Quote 3-30 1 and/or 2 quotes

The section for medical budgeting was questioned because both an insurance line and a line for money were set aside to do medical exams.

Quote 50:00-1:01:00

With that, the meeting was adjourned.