Gilmore Township

Gilmore Township Meeting 

February 11th 2025-6pm

Community Building, 401 First Street

Elberta, Michigan 49628

FYI: You can find Gilmore Township’s website at: https://www.gilmoretownship.org

 

Regularly scheduled Township Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Special meeting times may vary. Public comment takes place at the beginning of the meeting.  Gilmore Township does not have full-time staff and does not maintain office hours. For information related to the township, contact Shannon Spencley, Gilmore Township Treasurer, at [email protected] or (231) 510-1676.

 

Note these important dates:

The 2025 Board of Review dates for Gilmore Township are as follows:

Organizational Meeting: Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 11:00 a.m.

Board of Review Meetings:

Monday, March 10, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Please mail petitions to:

Jessie Geiger, 10605 Calumet Trail, Gaylord, MI 49735.

For more information, please contact Assessor Jessie Geiger at [email protected] or (231) 384-2019.

 

Township planning commission meetings are held quarterly, the third Tuesday of January, April, July, October.

 

Call to Order:

Dave Bissell (interim clerk), Ben MacRae, Dan Carter, Shannon Spencley, Dave Beaton, Amanda Rommell (New Clerk)

Guests:

Gary Sauer, (Benzie County Commissioner), Annebelle MacRae, Mike Cederholm (Fire Chief)  and Arlene Sweeting.

 

Public Comment:

Gary Sauer, County Commissioner:

Road Commission asked about bringing back a bond referendum for the building (approx. $18 million).  The Road Commission is willing to pay the cost of the election – might be on the ballot this Fall.

 

State requiring upgrade & replacement of First Responders radios-($160,000).

Betsie Valley Trail chosen to be a Pure Michigan Trail for 2025.

Bringing Tax Advisory Committee back

 

Fire Chief Mike Cedarholm:

Fire Advisory Board meeting coming up on Feb. 27th – budget will be on the agenda

Ice Water Training on Loon Lake this weekend

Community Risk Reduction pamphlets sent out

 

Correspondence:

Resignation letter was received from Jessie Geiger, Current Assessor. She will resign after this year’s Board of Review meetings and finalizing reports in April. Job notice has been posted.

 

January Minutes and Special Meeting Minutes Approved.

 

Treasurer Shannon Spencley:

Shannon took her Treasurer’s Training.

Finished w2s and 1099s.

Gathering information for the audit.  Will get engagement letter from the Auditor.

Working on end-of-year tax settlement with County.

 

Clerk’s Report:

Dave Bissell getting things ready for transition over to new clerk, Amanda Rommell.

 

Old Business:

Baver Road Streetlight:

$100 to place pole; then will be added to monthly bill. White Road and Ellis Road will take a little more money.  Need to do some forestry work first.

Motion to have Consumers Energy proceed with placement of streetlight at Baver Road and Grace Road.  Motion passed 5-0.

 

New Business:

Board of Review Appointments

The 2-year term of Board of Review (BOR) members Rick MacRae, Bob Delanoy and Ken Holmes expired December 31, 2024.

All BOR members are required to take training every two years. Mr. MacRae completed his training in December. Bob Delanoy and Ken Holmes will be taking training later this month as well as a new individual, Kristen Landau.

 

Motion made to reappoint Rick MacRae, Ken Holmes and Robert Delanoy to the Gilmore Township Board of Review for a 2-year term expiring December 31, 2026 and appoint Kristen Landau as an alternate.

 

Fiscal Year 2025/26 Budget Discussion:

16% raise for clerk included in budget

3% cost of living adjustment for trustees and other positions (look into what other similar sized townships are paying for next year)

Gilmore charges $1000 per cemetery spot for non-residents; $75 for residents.  Estimate 25-30 spots remain available in cemetery.

Full audit needed this year – estimate $8000

Add line item for Sextent for $1000

Net revenue will be approximately $10,000 after changes.

 

Cemetery Discussion:

Sextent vs non-Sextent – what would it cost?

Need to update cemetery map

Township has never collected any money for PUD digging holes; not covered by insurance

There is an MTA online webinar on cemetery maintenance.

Table discussion until April after budget is finalized.

 

Motion to adjourn at 6:50PM.

 

Respectfully submitted by Arlene Sweeting.

We are always looking for SUBS when we are away that can go to the Township meeting and do a write up. If interested, drop us a line at: [email protected]

May 9th, 2023- Gilmore Township Meeting CORRECTIONS

Township Monthly Meetings are held on the
2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm at the
Community Building in Elberta; 401 1st. Street

Dear Gilmore friends,

We inadvertently made a few misstatements in our report on the most recent meeting of the Gilmore Township Board of Trustees.

While it is true that some township residents oppose the proposed, new affordable housing development, it is not correct to say that “the township opposes the development.” Township officials have not voted on the project, which is still under discussion.

Officials said the township website could, not would be completed within the next few weeks.

Larry Nix has been hired to review Gilmore’s existing master plan and ordinances, not to write new ones.

Gilmore did not file a claim with its insurance company, nor receive a report from the Sheriff’s Department.

We apologize for the misunderstandings and will do better next time.

Respectfully submitted by Jim Dulzo and DeAnne Loll

Township Monthly Meetings are held on the

2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm

Public Input

A proposal was made to hire Carolyn Thayer, (Designs in Bloom) to design an anti-erosion plant scape for the Grace Rd. Beach stairs.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) for a zoning ordinance was presented, to be awarded to Larry Nix of Rockford, at a cost not to exceed $6,200.00. Mr. Nix has previously worked with Antrim county, and has come recommended by them to Gilmore Township. Ms. Spencley stated that the township still has approximately $20,000.00 in ARPA funds that could be directed toward this purpose.

**The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to provide guidelines for the submission of proposals. Proposals must reflect the ability to provide a full range of expertise in all areas required to develop a complete and comprehensive planning & zoning code update.

Approval of April minutes was passed by the committee.

The Clerk/Treasurer’s:

Reported that an audit of the Township’s books is ready.

Shannon Spensley stated that the Township’s new website would be up and running in two week’s time. The Township would like to offer their residents a system to pay property taxes online, and that is being explored.

Old Business

The committee discussed the repair of damaged headstones at the Township’s cemetery. Inventory of what stonework needs to be repaired has been completed, but a report from the insurance agent was never received. In 2014, an inventory of all headstones in the cemetery was completed.

New Business

The committee approved a motion to hire Larry Nix to draft a zoning ordinance, at a cost not to exceed $6,500.00. (Although it was not stated in the meeting, the motivation for the new zoning ordinance arose because the township hopes to block the proposal by Graceland Fruit/Habitat for Humanity to build workforce housing units at the corner of Grace Rd. and Forrester).

Gilmore Township’s tax assessor’s contract was approved to commence 5/1/2023 and terminate 3/31/2024, at a rate of $1,250.00 per month.

Respectfully submitted by Becky Bagnall

ALL TOWNSHIP POSITIONS WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION NEXT YEAR!!!! We need Dem-friendly folks to run for office. Interested????? Email us at: [email protected]

We are always looking for SUBS when we are away that can go to the Township meeting and do a write up. If interested, drop us a line at: [email protected]