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www.newbuffalotimes.com
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021
Local Government Meetings New Buffalo Times
Democracy Requires Transparency
CITY OF NEW BUFFALO JOHN HUMPHREY, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL LOU O’DONNELL, IV. MARK ROBERTSON, JOHN HUMPHREY, ROGER LIJESKI, BRIAN FLANAGAN City Council meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30PM CITY OF NEW BUFFALO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS to be determined NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP BOARD PETE RAHM, MICHELLE HEIT, JUDY H. ZABICKI, PATTY IAZZETTO, JACK ROGERS Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7PM NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM NEW BUFFALO AREA SCHOOLS BOARD CHUCK HEIT, PRESIDENT HEATHER BLACK, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HASKINS, TREASURER LISA WERNER, SECRETARY JOYCE LANTZ, TRUSTEE FRANK MARGRO, TRUSTEE PATRICIA NEWSTON, TRUSTEE CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP BOARD DAVID BUNTE, PAULA DUDIAK, LIZ RETTIG, RICHARD SULLIVAN, BILL MARSKE Chikaming Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30PM
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Three Oaks Village Council moving forward on plans for wastewater treatment BY THERESE DONNELLY
he Three Oaks Village Council moved forward company would be able to resolve issues with its landlord with wastewater treatment plans at their last soon. meeting of 2021, which took place Wednesday, The council appointed former village treasurer Lois Jones Dec. 8. as interim village treasurer, making her an authorized As part of the village’s ongoing improvements signer on village bank accounts. to the municipal sewage treatment system, the council Following a brief discussion, the council selected heard from engineering firm Wightman and Associates Matthew Derby as litigation attorney for the village. regarding state requirements. The village was asked to Faulkner said the village’s marijuana attorney, Jessica make a determination on a series of Fette, does not handle litigation. statements provided by the Michigan The council approved Department of Environment, Great fterwards the council a statement to EGLE Lakes and Energy (EGLE) regarding went into closed session acknowledging non-domestic the village lagoons. Based on the to discuss strategy for contributions, and stating biological oxygen demand (BOD) pending litigation against the village has no plans to levels measured in the lagoons, the village. disconnect current customers. Wightman recommended a statement In previous years, the council has Instead, there will be action to that the village currently accepts nongiven gift cards to village employees work with existing customers domestic or industrial waste into the and committee members. However, to identify pre-treatments to system. Strictly domestic waste would Faulkner informed the council that the reduce the BOD. have a BOD level of 300 or lower. practice conflicts with laws regarding The council approved a statement the use of public funds. Instead, the to EGLE acknowledging non-domestic contributions, council voted to approve end of year bonuses for village and stating the village has no plans to disconnect current employees. Councilmember Colleen Newquist said she customers. Instead, there will be action to work with did not think any of the committee members would mind, existing customers to identify pre-treatments to reduce the noting that “no one signs up for a committee to get a gift BOD. card.” Recently awarded marijuana business licenses in the In a separate motion, the council approved pay increases village came up at the meeting. Addressing the council, for some village employees. Faulkner told the council audience members questioned the village’s decision. John municipalities everywhere are facing a need to offer salaries Balich and Nick Sayers spoke to the council, and village that meet the cost of living. manager Dan Faulkner read an email from Dan Menitoff. Under the approved increases, Clay Ackerman will In prepared statements, the three claimed Exclusive receive $51,460 per year, Nate Smith $23.22 per hour, Alex Keen $19.83 per hour, and Lars Whittenburg $16 per hour. Healing had not provided all the information required for Council meetings in 2022 will again be held on the the license application. They also stated Exclusive Healing second Wednesday of each month starting at 7p.m. has pending litigation from its landlord, which they said Prior to adjourning the meeting, village president was not disclosed in the application. After the meeting, Rich Smith thanked village employees and emergency Exclusive Healing Vice President Dan Milsk said he did not wish to comment on pending legal matters but he hoped his responders for the work.
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THREE OAKS THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP BOARD Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS BOARD Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7PM GRAND BEACH VILLAGE OF GRAND BEACH COUNCIL Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM MICHIANA VILLAGE OF MICHIANA COUNCIL Meets on the 2nd Friday of each month at 1PM
The art of pleasing is the art of deception. — Luc de Clapiers
