3/20/24 Journal

at site of massive fire

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The on-site investigation into the March 4 fire at a Clinton Township business has begun, according to township officials.

While the rubble at the site of what was Select Distributors and the Goo Smoke Shop will not be cleared until early April, experts are being brought in to assess the scene on behalf

that exploded. Investigators said 19-year-old Turner Salter, of Clinton Township, died after he was hit by debris.

ABOVE LEFT: Debris litters the area near 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway in Clinton Township on March 5, the morning after an explosive fire at Select Distributors. ABOVE RIGHT: The debris field included whole metal canisters and chunks of shrapnel from those

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

BOTTOM LEFT: A map of the Environmental Protection Agency’s cleanup area and buffer zone surrounding the site of the March 4 fire.

Images

New bridge will span spillway

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — A new way to cross the Clinton River Spillway will soon arrive.

Harrison Township is building a new pedestrian bridge to connect the spillway along Jefferson Avenue, budgeting $3.45 million for the bridge and associated walkways. The pedestrian bridge will supplement the existing bridge at the mouth of the spillway, which is designed for automobiles and challenging for nonmotorized traffic to safely cross. Vehicles travel along at a posted speed of 40 mph while pedestrians, lacking any existing

path, have to brave thin, eroding curbs or a tight, unprotected and drain-pocked edge to cross the spillway.

“The need is there,” said Ken Verkest, Harrison Township supervisor. “The existing road bridge is not scheduled to be replaced for 10 years, maybe more, and so waiting for that just didn’t seem like it was an option.”

The new bridge will be located upstream from the current one. It will consist of a single unsupported span with plans for fishing piers on the ends. The bridge will align with the existing sidewalks along Jefferson with renderings showing connections at Waterway Drive to the south and Ballard Street to the north.

Canceled contract marks new future for Cairns Center

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MOUNT CLEMENS

— Much can change in the span of a year.

About half a year into the Cairns Community Center’s reopening and acquisition by the city of Mount Clemens, city officials agreed to extend the operating partnership with TCB Youth Mentoring and Advancing Macomb’s “Breaking Barriers to Play” program. Officials also began seeking out grant funding to improve its facilities, including entering the running for a $900,000 state grant to build outdoor playing fields and a retention pond. As the end of the year approached, the future seemed stable for the community center.

But not everything goes as planned. By February 2024, the city lost an operating partner in TCB Youth Mentoring and discovered the $900,000 grant was not awarded. Questions about the city’s plans for the center were raised at the March 4 City Commission meeting with nearly a dozen residents asking about the center.

In short, the Cairns Center is the home of indoor youth sports under Mount Clemens Parks and Recreation, contrasting with the Groesbeck Center’s focus on senior activities.

The change came after the city and TCB Youth Mentoring mutually ended their operating contract at the end of 2023, making the city the building’s operator.

“TCB actually approached Laura Kropp and myself in November and stated that they were having trouble acquiring funding to keep programming going and maintain the lease on

See CAIRNS CENTER on page 12A

LEFT: The Clinton River Spillway pedestrian bridge is shown in a rendering. BELOW: A rendering shows the planned Jefferson Avenue pedestrian bridge and pathway connections around the Clinton River Spillway. Construction of the paths is expected for 2024 while bridge construction is expected in 2025.

Local clerks reflect on first early voting primary

MACOMB COUNTY — It was an election two years in the making.

After Michigan voters passed Proposition 2 in 2022 with a 60% majority, the first statewide election with nine days of early voting arrived in February.

With the election now weeks behind them, several Macomb County clerks took time to reflect on their experiences with new laws and how things could be different going forward.

The buildup

Going into the election, clerks had differing expectations as to what implementing early voting would be like. For Harrison Township Clerk Adam Wit, there were no expectations for the new system.

“I really didn’t have a lot of expectations because with so much change for us, it was all a learning experience,” Wit said. “I’ve done a lot of elections at this point and this one was different from anything else we’ve ever run before.”

Delayed software and word from the state were a common gripe from the clerks, as Mount Clemens Clerk Cathleen Martin attests to.

“It was a lot of ‘fear of the unknown’ with the nine days of early voting, and given the fact the state was very late on developing software and providing information to us so that we could train our workers,” Martin said. “We were trained pretty late in the game, so that was kind of a stress; not knowing what it would look like, not knowing what the software would look like, but we managed, and our workers really came through for us.”

Putting the election together also involved a lot of work on the part of clerks and their staff.

“We expected that it would be both mentally and physically exhausting, and that was in fact the case,” Macomb Township Clerk Kristi Pozzi said. “Our office worked 27 of the 29 days in February, so it is taxing for any individual to put on that type of manpower.”

The execution

When the polls opened on the first day of early voting, election workers and voters got their first taste of what this new procedure would look like. One of the main dif-

ferences between regular voting and early voting is the consolidated precincts, leading to the deployment of a ballot-on-demand system.

“We have this new piece of equipment where it prints the ballot out right then and there,” Martin said. “The workers really seem to like it. That way I don’t have to have all these ballots from all six precincts and there was less of a chance of a mistake or confusion. It was easy to just hit ‘Republican ballot for Precinct One” and it would print out the ballot.”

Once voters received their ballots and cast them, the unique software came into play.

“The biggest change for early voting is that we’re using a secured connection directly to our qualified voter file,” Wit said. “We have live data that we will record for voters so that would prevent anyone from, even if they went and early voted and ran as fast as they could across the parking lot and tried to request an absentee ballot from my office, they couldn’t do it. The computer would already say, ‘Nope, you’ve actually voted already in early voting.’”

Wit said the security procedures operated without issue, which he attributed to feedback from pilot early voting held in November 2023.

Every night, the polls would be put into a suspension mode and locked up. While tampering was not a concern expressed by the clerks, Martin was weary about muscle memory causing an issue.

“I was deathly afraid that they would accidentally hit ‘close polls’ and then the result would tabulate,” Martin said. “They’re used to hitting at the end of the day the ‘close polls’ button and that generates the

Photo by Dean Vaglia

A ballot drop-off box stationed outside of Mount Clemens City Hall was among those used for early voting.

MOUNT CLEMENS — On March 4, the Mount Clemens City Commission approved an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation to pave Hubbard Street between Groesbeck Highway and Eldredge Street.

The cost of the work is $1.3 million with about 82% of the cost being covered with federal funds. The city is providing $229,243 to the project.

Bath City Bistro was also approved to join the city’s “Oasis” social district. With the approval of the restaurant’s local social district permit, the final step required for it to take part in the COVID-era open drink program will come with approval from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

Schools set funding election for May

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Clintondale Community Schools and L’Anse Creuse Public Schools are holding funding elections on May 7.

Clintondale is seeking a sinking fund millage proposal “to levy not to exceed 3 mills ($3.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2024 to 2033, inclusive” for capital purchases.

L’Anse Creuse is seeking to issue $330 million in bonds to cover capital purchases.

Full text of the bond proposals can be found under the “May 7 Elections” tab on the Macomb County Clerk’s page at macombgov.org.

Editor: Brian Louwers | (586) 498-1089 | brianlouwers@candgnews.com

Reporter: Dean Vaglia | (586) 498-1043 | dvaglia@candgnews.com

Nick Powers | (586) 498-1059 | npowers@candgnews.com

Sports: Jonathan Szczepaniak | (586) 498-1090 | sports@candgnews.com

Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com

For retail ad rates:

Dave Rubello | (586) 489-8117 | drubello@candgnews.com

Karen Bozimowski | (586) 498-1032 | kboz@candgnews.com

Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100

Legals and Obits: (586) 498-1099

Automotive Advertising:

Louise Millar | (586) 498-1054 | lmillar@candgnews.com

Real Estate Advertising:

Paula Kaspor | (586) 498-1055 | pkaspor@candgnews.com

MOTHER-SON DANCE IN CHESTERFIELD

CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP — The L’Anse Creuse Foundation is hosting the Denim and Diamonds Mother-Son Dance on Sunday, April 21, at Zuccaro’s Banquets and Catering in Chesterfield Township.

Running from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the event will feature a dinner, a DJ, desserts and more. Tickets are $35 at lanse-creuse-foundation.ticketleap.com.

Board of Commissioners seeking volunteer nominations

MACOMB COUNTY — In honor of “National Volunteer Recognition Month” in April, the Macomb County Board of Commissioners is accepting nominations of volunteers that make valuable contributions to the community. Volunteer nominations can be submitted online macombgov.az1.qualtrics.com. Two volunteers will be chosen per district, as well as a “Senior Volunteer of the Year.” Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 5.

Eligible students must be seniors approaching graduation, have a 2.0 GPA and plan to pursue a certification or an education from a college or trade school.

Photo by Dean Vaglia Hubbard Street looking toward Eldridge Street.

Bridge

from page 3A

The $3.45 million project’s funding comes from several sources. Harrison Township’s contribution to the project is $650,000 while the federal Transportation Alternatives Program is providing about $1.6 million. The Macomb County Department of Roads is providing $300,000 and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation is providing just over $1 million.

The township worked with community leaders and organizations, particularly the county government, to secure funding for the project. Legal requirements stipulating that a percentage of county road funding be used on non-automobile projects made the contribution from the Department of Roads possible. The Ralph C. Wilson Foundation’s contribution came after past attempts to get funds for a bridge as part of the Great Lakes Way Trail. The trail, which is a project led by the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan, aims to connect Lake Huron with Lake Erie.

“They were aware of it, so when the request came it wasn’t as if it was foreign to them,” Verkest said. “They were the providers of $33,000 of a total of $41,000 to do the preliminary engineering.”

The foundation’s $1 million contribution, however, came to the township via an indirect path.

“Macomb County Planning and Economic Development had approached us about helping to receive funding from the Wilson Foundation specifically for this project,” said Phil Gilchrist, the execu-

tive director of Advancing Macomb. “The county government themselves don’t have a mechanism for accepting funding from a foundation, and additionally I believe the Wilson Foundation does not grant to governments. Advancing Macomb was able to step up and be able to ensure that there was a way for these funds to help benefit this particular project.”

With preliminary designs and a budget set by the Harrison Township Board of Trustees back in February, the timeline for the bridge is coming into place.

“We just reviewed the draft of the bid spec,” Verkest said. “We anticipate that within the month we’ll be soliciting bids, and I believe we are looking at sometime in April for a bid selection. Engineering should begin late spring and some of the path work that’s a part of the project may be completed in 2024. The bridge construction is expected for 2025.”

The spillway bridge is only one of the road projects planned for Harrison Township over the coming years. Congressman John James, R-Shelby Township, submitted a federal funding request for a path along South River Road between Bridgeview Street and Lanse Creuse Street, while bridge construction on projects on North and South River roads are expected to begin in the next two years. North River Road will also be reconstructed with federal funding between Interstate 94 and Bridgeview Street, as will Jefferson Avenue between South River Road and Metro Parkway. Both are scheduled to take place in the next two to three years.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

Peek Inside Your Health: Full Body MRI Screenings Unveil Silent Issues Before Symptoms Arise

SOUTHFIELD- Full body MRI clinics have gained national attention lately, as TV personalities publicly share their personal full body scan experiences. One actress credits the scan for saving her life after doctors dismissed her unexplained pain for months. After various tests, including a CT scan, had “unremarkable” results, the pregnant actress became her own advocate, searched out a full body MRI clinic and discovered she had pancreatic cancer. Tanks to early detection the tumor was removed successfully.

As a general rule, when symptoms occur related to cancer, it usually has progressed to stage three or four. Even with annual physicals, there are limitations. Most screenings only

cover about 29% of cancers with 71% occurring outside of where doctors are able to screen. However, full body MRI scans can detect cancer in every organ from the top of the head through the genitals and can detect it very early.

For a long time, full body MRI scans were available only in select areas outside of Michigan, requiring expensive fights like in Vancouver or California. However, this changed when a clinic opened in Southfeld, making these scans available to Metro Detroit residents.

“Our advanced MRI screening can detect cancers very early when they are as small as a pencil eraser and are more easily treatable. If cancer goes undetected, however, it can grow into stage three or stage four with difcult

treatments. We can also identify conditions such as brain, abdominal, chest, and groin aneurysms,” stated the founder of the Southfeld clinic called Bionicc Body Screening.

Te primary focus of Bionicc Body Screening is to deliver peace of mind, ofering a comprehensive and detailed imaging of the body’s internal structures. Te ultimate hope is for excellent health. However, in the event that something is detected, the advanced screening aims to catch any potential issues at their earliest stages. Tis approach ofers the best opportunity for successful treatment outcomes, should the need arise.

Robert B., age 50, opted for a full body scan from Bionicc Body Screening and a very small tumor

was detected. He said, “It saved my life. Teir MRI found a kidney tumor that had been missed by a recent CT scan. I cannot recommend this service more.”

Take the first step to learn more about full body scans by visiting www.BioniccBodyScreening.com and request a free, no obligation Information Kit. Request it today and you’re also guaranteed a copy of their FREE eBook, Catching Cancer Before It’s Too Late! (Tis is a limited time ofer.) Schedule today at 1-833-BIONICC. 0390-2412

JUST KEEP SWIMMING: A SPORT FOR ALL AGES

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Jumping into a pool or lake for a swim isn’t only fun, it offers many health benefits and is great for people of all ages.

With so many opportunities for water recreation in Michigan, the most important step is learning how to swim.

“Swim and water safety are really important topics because we all live in Michigan, so we all live really close to water recreation opportunities — whether that be pools or lakes or rivers. There’s lots of opportunities for residents to get in the water and recreate, but for a lot of people, if they don’t know how to swim, that can be a dangerous situation,” said Danielle Mauter, the chief of marketing and communications for the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.

Although formal swim lessons may reduce the likelihood of drowning by 88%, studies show one of the biggest barriers to more people in the region learning to swim is the fees.

The Huron-Clinton Metroparks is working with partners to save lives by increasing access to free swim lessons and life-

saving water skills in underserved communities through the expansion of its Everyone in the Pool swim initiative. Through this fiveyear plan, the metroparks have committed to providing 6,000 free swim lessons each year for adults and children with support from existing and future partners and expand opportunities for lifeguard certification and staffing infrastructure. A fundraising goal of $1.5 million has been set to make this expansion possible.

Over the past three years, the metroparks have partnered with public and nonprofit organizations in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Livingston counties to collaborate on free water safety and swim lessons for more than 4,600 students at various recreation centers and facilities. Most lessons start in early June, and registration is already open for some, with additional registration opportunities continuing to open over the next few weeks on the metroparks website, www.metroparks.com.

After learning how to swim, it’s important to keep practicing your skills in the water as you grow.

Michigan is known for its Great Lakes, but our state is also home to over 11,000

See SWIMMING on page 11A

Huron-Clinton Metroparks is working with multiple partners throughout the year to offer free swim lessons at locations throughout southeast Michigan.

Photo provided by the Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Swimming

from page 10A

small inland lakes — and a host of private and public pools.

The Troy Community Center provides many opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy the water year round — with both indoor and seasonal outdoor pools — including parent and tot classes, kiddie swim, swim lessons, open swim for all ages, water slides, lap swimming, water aerobics, a therapy pool and more.

From boosted heart health to muscle toning, experts say swimming and other water workouts offer many health benefits for children and adults.

“Research shows that swimming is good for your lungs,” said Troy Community Center Recreation Supervisor Morgan Thrasher. “You can swim, you can walk, you can move — there’s a bunch of different things that the water provides that you wouldn’t necessarily get on land.”

Swimming requires you to control your breathing, so it can strengthen your respiratory muscles, improve lung capacity and help build breath endurance. In fact, it’s often recommended that people with asthma pursue swimming to build their lung strength.

Swimming can also alleviate stress, boost your mood, improve flexibility, and even improve coordination, balance and posture.

The low-impact exercise offers resistance, providing muscle strengthening and toning to keep you strong and fit as you age.

The OPC Social and Activity Center in Rochester allows its members, ages 50 and older, to use a therapy pool for water exercise classes, relaxing and massaging achy muscles and joints, and a lap pool for water exercise and lap swimming.

The real estate market is always changing but it’s still a good time to be a seller, especially if you’re looking for a cash offer.

“We cater to people in any situation. It can be a property with tenants, probate issues, title issues, hoarder situations, or people who are behind on their payments. We are a unique real estate office, providing cash offers to people who need to sell their homes,” said Giovan, a Real Estate Broker with GSA Elite Realty.

With offices in Shelby Township and Warren, GSA is a full-service brokerage with more than 25 years of experience, born and raised in Macomb County.

“We know the market and work to deploy the innovative and often creative solutions necessary to get cash deals to the closing table on an expedited schedule,” Giovan said. “I believe there is no deal that can’t be done. The typical turnaround time for a cash sale is less than 10 days. We’ve done this in as little as three days before.”

Children learn the beginner steps on how to dive by starting on their knees during a swim lesson provided free of charge by the HuronClinton Metroparks’ Everyone in the Pool initiative, a five-year action plan to support free water safety and swim lessons for thousands of students and adults annually.

Olympics and U.S. Masters swim meets.

“Some have been swimming all their lives and have continued on with all their competitions, and some of them are just getting into it now as seniors — they found swimming and found a group of people who were athletes in some capacity before, and this has been a way for them to compete that’s not as hard on their bodies,” said Mullins.

“For the competitive swimmers, it’s kind of like having a club,” added Delaney Zaloga, a fitness and aquatics supervisor. “They all like swimming, and they all like pushing each other at their swim practice and getting better and better at all the meets.”

But not everybody has to swim to get the benefits of the water, Mullins explained.

Mandy Mullins, the fitness and aquatics manager at the OPC Social and Activity Center, said a wide range of seniors use the aquatic facility, including the center’s oldest active swimmer, age 92.

“Some are just coming out of a therapy or a surgery and they are using the therapy pool to continue their rehab, all the way up to our folks who are still practicing for swim competitions,” she said.

Competitive senior swimmers — including one who is 79 year old — use the OPC’s lap pool to train for Michigan Senior

“There are some doctors that will recommend the therapy and warm water pool type of class to just get started, especially if there are any balance issues involved. It’s a lot harder to fall over in the pool, so it’s a really great starting point,” she said. “We also have Aqua Zumba or other types of cardio classes that are in the pool where they aren’t necessarily swimming, but they are using that water resistance and the buoyancy and really getting their heart rate going in there without really having to do traditional swimming.”

GSA has brokered thousands of transactions and has purchased thousands of properties. They’re licensed agents who offer sellers peace of mind and take the stress out of the process.

They start with a fair cash offer. If this offer is not acceptable, they can work with

Photo provided by the Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Cairns Center

from page 3A

the building,” Mount Clemens City Manager Gregg Shipman said.

After discussing plans about how to go forward, both parties agreed to see the agreement through the end of the year and have Mount Clemens Parks and Recreation take over operations in January 2024.

Youth recreation programs at the center continue to be offered through the “Breaking Barriers to Play” program, and the city is open to having other organizations host activities at Cairns.

“If an organization or a person wants to come in and teach a class, they simply contact our recreation director,” Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp said. “She discusses the parameters they have to operate under, and then they can hold a class and it can be at Cairns.”

While the grant from the state never came to Mount Clemens, the city has used Community Development Block Grant fund grants to upgrade the center’s air conditioning and install a new $150,000 outdoor playground this summer. City officials will continue to pursue grants to support the center.

The new era of city recreation marks another chapter in the Cairns Center’s history. It was intended to be run originally by the Mount Clemens Community School District. In 2022, the city took the center over from the school district, putting more than $400,000 into repairs and capital projects and investing $45,000 in programing.

“We’ve applied for four grants and received three of them, totaling approximately $500,000,” Shipman said. “I can tell you that we haven’t done that for any other facility we own.

“So if anybody is trying to say that we’re not investing in it, that not only is wrong, but I can show that we’ve invested more in that building than any building that we own,” Shipman said.

People and organizations looking to host programs at Cairns and other recreation facilities can call (586) 469-6800 ext. 520 or email lsbeeler@mountclemens.gov. Residents interested in programs at the center can visit 30 N. Groesbeck between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, call (586) 469-6800 ext. 520 or go online to mountclemensrecreation.org and search under the “Sports” tab.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

Voting

from page 4A

results for the early voting. They did great. They really helped alleviate any fears I had.”

Votes were not tallied until Feb. 27.

Turnout varied from community to community, but each saw members of their community show up to the polls. Meltzer saw Clinton Township residents make great use of early voting over the weekends, while Pozzi saw nearly 1,000 Macomb Township residents take part in the election.

The special election

What set Clinton Township’s election apart from others was the presence of a special election on the ballot. A normal ballot features the special election alongside the partisan primary elections, but new deadlines for mailing and sending back ballot selection forms created situations where voters could have received separate local-only ballots. While the additional ballots would later be spoiled to prevent double voting, Kim Meltzer, Clinton Township clerk, said they presented an inconvenience for election workers and mail-in voters.

“What some thought is that when they got the second ballot that had only the local race on it, they would vote it, put it in the drop boxes and then think they had the ability to still go on election day and vote there for a presidential race,” Meltzer said. “There

was so much confusion. It was incredible, in my opinion.”

Meltzer says she spoke with someone from the Michigan Department of State regarding the issue, claiming the official agreed changes should be made regarding this aspect of post-Proposal 2 elections.

As for early in-person voting, Meltzer was pleased with how it went but hoped for a larger turnout.

The recap

Looking back, Pozzi believes the primary was a learning experience for clerks.

“Being on the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks, if you follow the Facebook page you would see that a lot of clerks were in distress getting to this Feb. 27 election, and that’s because we had so many nuances we were trying to figure out,” Pozzi said. “I think now that we have that one under our belt, we are better prepared and ready for the ability to administer these elections in August and November and going forward.”

Her sentiments were shared with Martin.

“I think this was a really good trial run,” Martin said. “It was a perfect election to practice on. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be after we finally got the information we needed from the state.”

Most clerks plan on maintaining one site for November, but Meltzer says Clinton Township plans to have three at-large

Charter Township of Harrison Property Owners Notice To Cut Noxious Weeds

Section 34-103 – Limit on height, distance from building; shrubs, brush.

It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any lots or lands, either public or private, within the township to allow or permit grass or weeds of any kind to grow upon such lots or lands to a height of more than 9 inches from the ground or within a distance of 80 feet from any existing building on the property of another or from the property line. It shall be unlawful to permit the growth of shrubs, wild bushes or brush on any property in the township to a height or density which might constitute a traffc or fre hazard. The obligation of the owner or occupant of any property in the township is to cut down, remove or destroy any grass, weeds, shrubs, bushes or brush that shall extend to the center of the road fronting on the property of such owner or occupant.

Section 34-105 – Removal by Township

Whenever it appears to the ordinance enforcement offce, the township supervisor or the weed commissioner(s) or complaint that grass, noxious weeds or weeds of any kind, or in any combination, has grown more than allowed in section 34-103, the township shall remove any such violation. The ordinance enforcement offcer or any person appointed by the township board shall possess the authority to enter the property to cut or otherwise remove any such grass or weeds after May 1 of that year.

Section 34-106 – Collection of expenses

The full amount of any charges assessed pursuant to section 34-105, with respect to each lot or parcel of land upon which grass or noxious weeds have been cut or removed pursuant to this article, shall be a special assessment to be spread against such land and property to be assessed, levied and collected at the same time and in the same manner for nonpayment.

Published: Journal 03/20/2024

0096-2412

early voting sites for the general election. She’s in talks with several locations for securing those sites but has found the process of finding the additional sites that are relevant to voters difficult. Meltzer expressed that for the ease of finding such sites, early voting could be moved to the county government’s responsibility.

“It seems like (Macomb Community College) would be a great opportunity, but not in Clinton Township or any other community that is run by local clerks, because if

I want to host it at the college, I can’t serve all those other people who are coming from Macomb County,” Meltzer said. “I can only serve those students that are Clinton Township residents. I can’t really use the college as a location for an early voting site, even though it would be a great one if it were a county-run election.”

Meltzer believes a ballot proposal to make early voting county-run is imminent.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE HARRISON TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2024 AT 7:00 P.M. IN ROSSO MEMORIAL HALL, 38255 L’ANSE CREUSE ROAD, IN SAID TOWNSHIP, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING AN APPEAL BY:

CASE #03-24-ZBA: Matthew & Nicole Drozd – 38062 Seaway

Property #17-12-21-353-012

Harrison Twp., MI 48045 (R1-C)

PURPOSE OF REQUEST: Requesting a 9.92 ft front yard variance for the addition of a 1 stall attached garage.

BY REASON OF: Charter Township of Harrison Code of Ordinances Article 14, Section 14.09, R1-C – Single family residential Article 16, Section 16.01 (H,1) – Additions, enlargements, moving Notice is further given that the Charter Township of Harrison Zoning Board of Appeals may modify or change the variance(s) as requested, including granting of variance(s) for said purpose, which may create another and different variance(s) from the requirements of the above cited Charter Township of Harrison ordinance, all within its discretion and as otherwise permitted by law. Any interested person(s) may appear or be represented at said meeting.

Additional information or comments, written or oral, will be received at the Harrison Township Offces, 38151 L’Anse Creuse Rd, Harrison Twp., MI, 48045 (586-466-1461) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Individuals with disabilities or impairments who plan to attend this meeting should contact the Planning / ZBA Department at (586) 466-1461 or email pc-zba@harrison-township.org if auxiliary aids or services are needed.

0258-2412

Published: Journal 03/20/2024

NOTICE OF HEARING ON SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BY CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO THE OWNERS OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY:

Parcels 12-15-377-001 through 12-15-377-010, 12-15-377-015 through 12-15-377-032, 12-15-377-034, 12-15-377-036 and 12-15-377-037, 12-15-378-001 through 12-15-378-016, 12-15-378-019 through 12-15-378-023, 12-15-378-026 through 12-15-378-037, 12-15-378-041 through 12-15-378-045, 12-22-102-035, 12-22-103-001 through 12-22-103-003, 12-22-103-006 through 12-22-103-016, 12-22-103-019 through 12-22-103-021, 12-22-103-024 through 12-22-103036, 12-22-126-001 through 12-22-126-003, 12-22-126-006 through 12-22-126-029, 12-22-126-031 and 12-22-126032, 12-22-152-002, 12-22-152-005 through 12-22-152-007, 12-22-153-002 through 12-22-153-004, 12-22-153-010 through 12-22-153-014, 12-22-176-005, 12-22-176-009 and 12-22-176-010 of the St. Clair Haven Subdivision, Harrison Township, Macomb County, Michigan, according to the Plat thereof as recorded in Plats, Macomb County Records.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board of the Charter Township of Harrison has tentatively declared its intention to make the following described improvement:

The proposed project consists of removing an average of 2 to 3-feet of organic sediment from lake canals that measures 4,860 linear feet long or 233,217 square feet which is 5.35 surface acres located at the above address. The removal of an average of 2 to 3-feet of soft organic biomass from this canal will result in the removal of approximately 2,020 cubic yards of fully de-watered organic biomass. Lots that host sediment bags will not be charged for the cost of the work.

Estimated total project cost to residents is $611,534.00 or the cost per lot $4,246.71 per lot (144) and annual estimated payment $961.68.

Final assessed cost is based on actual construction and miscellaneous costs. An estimation of assessed cost will be available at the frst public hearing.

and has tentatively designated the special assessment district against which the cost of said improvement is to be assessed, as consisting of all the lots and parcels of land set forth above.

Plans and estimates of cost have been prepared and are on fle with the Township Clerk for public examination.

TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Board shall meet on, Monday, March 25, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at Rosso Hall, 38255 L’Anse Creuse, Harrison Township, MI 48045 for the purpose of determining the necessity of the project, and for hearing of objections to the petition, to the proposed improvement and/or to the establishment of a special assessment district

TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that appearance and protest at this hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the State Tax Tribunal if an appeal should be desired. A property owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment or may fle his or her appearance by letter delivered to the Clerk by Monday, March 25, 2024, by the close of business at 4:30 p.m. and his or her personal appearance shall not be required. The property owner or any person having an interest in the property subject to the proposed special assessments may fle a written appeal of the special assessment with the State Tax Tribunal within thirty days after confrmation of the special assessment roll if that special assessment was protested at this hearing.

Adam Wit, MMC, MiPMC, Clerk Charter Township of Harrison

Published: Journal 03/20/2024

from page 1A

of government agencies, the building’s owners and surrounding businesses, according to Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan.

Investigators still do not have a clear understanding of what caused the fire.

At a press conference on March 8, township officials outlined their approach to investigating the blaze.

“There’s a process and a scientific procedure that we follow in fire investigation, and this team that’s being assembled will focus on getting that right,” said Fire Marshal Chuck Champagne of the Clinton Township Fire Department.

Lingering fires and the dangers presented by unexploded nitrous oxide tanks in the rubble delayed the physical investigation for over a week while interviews and other aspects of the investigation began on the night of the inferno. The investigative team will include the Clinton Township fire and police departments, the Michigan State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Private investigators are involved as well. Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said the Major Crimes Unit of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office is on standby for this case.

“It’s not time yet, it’s not time, but (Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido) stands ready,” Cannon said. “At the top of his list are three people who are going to help

Clinton Township PD.”

Even with the investigation far from finished, it is not hard to see charges and court proceedings looming. The fire that broke out after 9 p.m. on March 4 turned explosive, likely due to the butane and nitrous oxide tanks that were reportedly in a building ill-suited for hazardous storage. Previous inspections of the site showed no presence of hazardous materials.

“The zoning is irrelevant to the storage of items in a building,” said Barry Miller, Clinton Township building department superintendent. “There’s three levels of storage you can have in buildings. It’s S1, S2 and then hazard. … At the time of inspection, they only had things that would have qualified well under the S1 category. Once they started bringing in materials that we’re seeing laying around, they would have clearly went into the (hazard) category. The building would have had to be built completely differently.”

The explosive materials damaged surrounding businesses and emergency vehicles, injured one Clinton Township Firefighter and killed 19-year-old Clinton Township resident Turner Salter, who was witnessing the fire from about half a mile away.

Debris from the fire was sent all over the surrounding area. Teams from the Environmental Protection Agency have been sent in to clean up a target area covering a 2-mile radius around the building. The work of EPA personnel has since tightened to the immediate surroundings of the building, including the railways to the west. Initial con-

cerns of air and water contamination were ruled out by the Macomb County Emergency Management hazardous materials team.

“There was a determination made early on that there was no concern as far as anything toxic in the air, so that was eliminated as a problem for residents in the surrounding area,” Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said on March 5. “People were wondering if there was anything leaking into the water systems or anything; that (kind of contamination is) just not feasible, so that was not a concern, either.”

Township officials have stressed that debris and souvenirs around the site should not be picked up. Unexploded canisters could explode if heated and debris can be sharp. Any debris found can be reported to the Macomb County dispatch center at (586) 4695502.

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CLINTON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES

PARK MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL

Permanent part-time Park Maintenance Personnel position, $17.66 - $22.92 hourly (32 hours per week) includes benefit package. Successful completion of Civil Service Examination(s) is required, and applicants must meet all requirements set forth in the Employees Civil Service Ordinance, as well as possession of a valid Michigan driver’s license and a good driving record. Pre-employment background investigation and substance abuse testing is required. Interested, applicants must submit application to the Clinton Township Employees Civil Service Commission, 40700 Romeo Plank Rd., Clinton Twp., MI 48038 on or before the close of business, Monday, April 1, 2024. The Charter Township of Clinton is an Equal Opportunity Employer, applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or disability. For further information pertaining to this position or to download employment application please refer to www.clintontownship.com, click on employment.

Kitchens/

DOLL'S

SPRING’S IN THE

dine in and carryout, First United Methodist Church of Mount Clemens, 57 S. Gratiot Ave., mountclemensumc.org, (586) 468-6464

MARCH 24

Pancake breakfast and bake sale: Supports Kiwanis Club of Mount Clemens, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., appearance by Rosco the Clown until 11:30 a.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 38900 Harper Ave. in Clinton Township

MARCH 27

Circuit Masters: Ages 10-12 can learn about electricity and circuits with Leslie Science & Nature Center, 3 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, (586) 2265072, cmpl.org

MARCH 29

Stations of the Cross processional: Led by Fr. Michael Quaine from St. Michael Catholic Community in Sterling Heights, 4 p.m., Section 21 at Resurrection Cemetery, 18201 Clinton River Road in Clinton Township, (586) 286-9020

APRIL 6

Those Amazing Plants: Presentation about Michigan greenery, for grades 2-5, 3 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, registration required, (586) 2265073, cmpl.org

APRIL 9

Make fairy garden and gnome houses: For grades 2-5, 6 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - Main Branch, 40700 Romeo Plank Road in Clinton Township, (586) 226-5030, cmpl.org

APRIL 12

Euchre tournament: Card playing for ages 21 and older at 7 p.m. (dinner at 6 p.m. and sign-in at 6:30

APRIL 13

After-hours

ONGOING