March 8, 2022 at 7 p.m — Gilmore Township Board Meeting
Public Hearing: for the fiscal year 2022/23 budget was opened and proposed budget presented.
There was no public input.
Rebecca Hubers, director of Benzie County Office of Emergency Management, asked for public input regarding updating the county’s hazard mitigation plan. The plan must be updated every five years. Plan approval, by FEMA, makes the county eligible for federal funds in the event of a natural disaster.
Township Treasurer Robin Rommell reported the tax season had been closed out and she had balanced with the county. Due to the numerous December Board of Review changes, Frankfort Elberta Area Schools was overpaid. Rommell sent a bill to have excess funds returned. When funds are returned, Rommell will settle with the township coffers.
Township Clerk Shannon Spencley reported she had been working on the budget with Robin Rommell; gathering information for first ARPA deadline, which is due at the end of April; and working on verbiage for the road upgrades millage.
SALARY RESOLUTION
Motion by Rommell and seconded by Noffsinger to not increase salaries of board members, keeping them at the same rate as previous fiscal year. Motion passed unanimously.
MEETING DATES
Motion by Rommell and seconded by Spencley to schedule November 2022 meeting for November 9, 2022, and approve remaining meeting dates for 2022/2023 fiscal year as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
ROAD MILLAGE
Motion by Rommell and seconded by Holmes to allow township clerk to forward the road upgrades millage resolution to attorney Tim Figura for review. Motion passed unanimously.
BRINING
The Benzie County Road Commission is providing townships a different dust-suppression brine solution for the coming spring/summer season. The Road Commission thinks that the solution–which costs more–will be more effective and lessen the need of another application later on in the season. The first application is offered to the townships at a discount, based on the old brine cost. Motion by Spencley and seconded by Rommell to have the Benzie County Road Commission complete a first application of brine to the roads as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
ASSESSOR
Motion by Rommell and seconded by Spencley to advertise and take applications for the assessor position with the township. Motion passed unanimously.
BUDGET
Motion by Spencley and seconded by Rommell to adopt the Gilmore Township 2022-2023 budget as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
January 11, 2022 — Meeting cancelled due to lack of quorum with several board members reporting COVID-19 exposures/quarantines.
December 14, 2021 — Gilmore Township Board Meeting Highlights
Jessica Carland presented the annual report of Benzie Bus.
Township Board approved “Agreement for Summer Collection of School Property Taxes” on behalf Northwest Education Services – formerly Tbaisd.
The Gilmore Township Board, sitting as the Zoning Board of Appeals, approved a variance to Section 3.14 of a Zoning Code LOT FRONTAGE/DEPTH RATIO, requested by Arthur Hoogstrate of 715 Grace Road. Section 3.14 LOT FRONTAGE/DEPTH RATIO states: “In order to conserve land resources and limit inappropriate crowding of land, all lots created after the effective date of this Ordinance with a lot area of less than forty acres, shall have a lot width or frontage which is equal to or greater than 1/4 the depth of the longest side of said lot.”
Mr. Hoogstrate has a parcel of land that is +/- 22 acres. He is proposing to perform a land division that will create five parcels. Three of the five parcels will not comply with Section 3.14; thus, require a variance. In his petition for a variance, Mr. Hoogstrate stated that the new parcels would be combined with existing adjacent parcels and were not intended for additional development. The variance was granted by a unanimous vote of the board