Saturday, December 27, 2008
News
Agreements, controversy in Caledonia Twp. in 2008
By NATHAN BRUTTELL Argus-Press Staff Writer
CALEDONIA TWP. - The year began with agreements and ended in controversy in the township.
n In January, a millage to support the Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency passed easily with 472 voters supporting the two-year, .047 millage and 272 voted against.
“I'm satisfied. I'm pleased,” Township Supervisor Joe DeCaire said in January. “We weren't asking for much. It shouldn't be too much of a burden.”
In early spring, a 16-inch main that brings Owosso city water to township residents was installed.
n After years of discussion between the municipalities to reach a water agreement, the $1.6-million project was started in summer 2007.
The main starts near Oliver and Gould streets, running along Hintz Street to M-21 and stretching to Sylvia Drive, just east of State Road.
Contractor Ron Bretz of Lapeer-based Ron Bretz Excavating had to face a jungle of utilities underground and the pace of work was slow so as to not interrupt service.
“In all the years I've been doing this, this is one of the tougher water mains just because there's so much stuff in the ground,” Bretz said in February. “Every day there's a new surprise.”
Residents and businesses now have the option to connect to the water supply. The majority of the township's businesses and residents use well water.
Township residents who choose to connect will be charged double the regular city water rate, a standard city practice for outside customers. In return, the township will receive 25 percent of the service fees.
During the township's December meeting, the board said businesses such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot have hooked into the system as well as several members of the community.
n October brought a controversy that will have to wait until 2009.
DeCaire and enforcement officer Kirk Newman came under scrutiny when a township resident complained about ordinance enforcement practices.
“He doesn't know what he's enforcing and he doesn't have any feeling for the farmers,” resident Hank Kuchar said in October.
Kuchar, who compared DeCaire to a dictator several times, said DeCaire was harassing him about unused farm equipment on his property.
“I'm not harassing - I'm not picking on one person only,” DeCaire said in October. “It's something that needs to be done.”
DeCaire said he visited the Kuchars about an unused combine more than a year ago and asked it be moved or used in accordance with a local ordinance.
Newman, who also works part-time as a deputy for the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department and as a patrolman for the New Lothrop Police Department, said Kuchar was not the only one being targeted but the property was in violation.
“Motor vehicles that don't operate, under the ordinance, need to be stored,” he said in October. “They have to be inside a building.”
Newman said he also works as an enforcement officer for other townships with similar ordinances.
“I work in four other townships, and in none of those places do board members tell me how and how not to enforce the code,” he said in November. “Why have ordinances on the books if we're not going to enforce them?”
When Newman issues a citation, he said it is usually after months of communication between the township and residents.
“Citations, in my opinion, are a last resort,” he said in October. “If they're showing progress, we will work with them. Some people just don't do it.”
According to the Michigan Township Association Handbook, “the supervisor may engage in the following activities and duties if they have not been delegated by the superintendent: To see that all laws and township ordinances are enforced.”
Kuchar said in October he has a problem with the law and DeCaire's enforcement.
“The ordinances shouldn't be enforced on agriculture,” he said. “It's like, ‘do it or else you're going to get fined.'”
During the October meeting, the board addressed Kuchar's situation. A few of the trustees on the board disagreed with DeCaire.
“I think that he seems to think he can run the whole show,” said Trustee Joe Janca in October. “I don't think much of the way he's handling it.”
At the Nov. 17 board meeting, Newman resigned from his position.
In a letter, Newman cited “changes in his personal life and a lack of commitment by the township board for enforcement of the township code of ordinances” as reasons for resignation.
DeCaire and the board began a search with a replacement announcement expected before the new year.
“I'd certainly like to reach an agreement and get (Kuchar's) stuff back out of sight,” Trustee Ed Bruckman said in November. “Whether Joe (DeCaire) will abide that or not, I don't know. But (Kuchar) does need to get it out of the way soon.”
DeCaire said doubts like that from the board make enforcement in the township difficult.
“Well, it's just like Kirk wrote about in his letter, when he referred to the ‘good old boy system,'” DeCaire said in November, referring to perceived favoritism the board showed Kuchar. “It still lives and still flourishes in our township.”
Newman stood by DeCaire's work and resigned in part because of the pressure he felt from the board.
“(Joe DeCaire) has gone to people's houses and taken them trash bags and helped them clean up their property,” Newman said. “One time, there was a house he went to that needed a paint job. So he went out and bought some paint and helped the residents with that.”
Newman also elaborated on what he meant in his letter of resignation by recommending a strategy to the township.
“(The new officer) needs to continue a proactive enforcement policy,” Newman said. “The way some of the board members are talking, they want a reactive policy. We usually go out and see the violations, but certain board members want people to have to file a written complaint (for us to enforce anything).”
Bruckman agreed finding a replacement would be difficult amid the disagreements.
“It's definitely not an easy task to take over,” Bruckman said in November. “If the board isn't giving (the enforcement officers) enough time to completely do their jobs, they need to tell us.”
The board discussed enforcing ordinances for a third time during its December meeting, but after heated discussions, made no decisions.
The board considered only enforcing ordinance violations based on written complaints.
DeCaire said he would fill out complaints as an enforcement officer and citizen of the township.
“I don't think that's a good idea,” Janca said during the meeting, adding he wanted all complaints to come from citizens and leave other violations alone.
DeCaire said that decision would restrict him from enforcing violations and prevent him from doing his job.
“Don't tie my hands,” he said in December. “Why can't I write up complaints? I'm a citizen here, too. I pay my taxes like everyone else.”
DeCaire later said he would continue to do the job for which he was elected.
“That's my job (to enforce ordinances),” he said. “If anyone wanted it, they could've had it.”
Before the board approved the township agenda Monday night, Trustee Geraldine Hagadon wanted to add one more item under continuing business: Township blight.
Hagadon said she was attempting to show DeCaire and those present there were hundreds of ordinance violations being ignored.
“If you're really looking for junk in people's yards, you can find it in any township in the country,” she said. “Instead of picking on some farmer...take care of the main things first.”
Hagadon referred to farmer Hank Kuchar, the citizen who complained to the board about DeCaire's enforcement practices.
Kuchar said he was angry but declined to comment further on the issue.
“We have a township board there to protect us,” he said. “I'm glad I have the support of some of the members.”
DeCaire said he was working on other violations within the township.
“We're working on places and we've cleaned them up,” he said. “I'm glad Ms. Hagadon exposed herself to the blight we're working on. And we've got notices out to those places she mentioned.”
The issue remained unresolved in 2008 but the board planned to reach a conclusion in early 2009.
n The board saw no personnel changes in the November election as every candidate ran unopposed.
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com. Post comments about this story online at www.argus-press.com.
n In January, a millage to support the Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency passed easily with 472 voters supporting the two-year, .047 millage and 272 voted against.
“I'm satisfied. I'm pleased,” Township Supervisor Joe DeCaire said in January. “We weren't asking for much. It shouldn't be too much of a burden.”
In early spring, a 16-inch main that brings Owosso city water to township residents was installed.
n After years of discussion between the municipalities to reach a water agreement, the $1.6-million project was started in summer 2007.
The main starts near Oliver and Gould streets, running along Hintz Street to M-21 and stretching to Sylvia Drive, just east of State Road.
Contractor Ron Bretz of Lapeer-based Ron Bretz Excavating had to face a jungle of utilities underground and the pace of work was slow so as to not interrupt service.
“In all the years I've been doing this, this is one of the tougher water mains just because there's so much stuff in the ground,” Bretz said in February. “Every day there's a new surprise.”
Residents and businesses now have the option to connect to the water supply. The majority of the township's businesses and residents use well water.
Township residents who choose to connect will be charged double the regular city water rate, a standard city practice for outside customers. In return, the township will receive 25 percent of the service fees.
During the township's December meeting, the board said businesses such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot have hooked into the system as well as several members of the community.
n October brought a controversy that will have to wait until 2009.
DeCaire and enforcement officer Kirk Newman came under scrutiny when a township resident complained about ordinance enforcement practices.
“He doesn't know what he's enforcing and he doesn't have any feeling for the farmers,” resident Hank Kuchar said in October.
Kuchar, who compared DeCaire to a dictator several times, said DeCaire was harassing him about unused farm equipment on his property.
“I'm not harassing - I'm not picking on one person only,” DeCaire said in October. “It's something that needs to be done.”
DeCaire said he visited the Kuchars about an unused combine more than a year ago and asked it be moved or used in accordance with a local ordinance.
Newman, who also works part-time as a deputy for the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department and as a patrolman for the New Lothrop Police Department, said Kuchar was not the only one being targeted but the property was in violation.
“Motor vehicles that don't operate, under the ordinance, need to be stored,” he said in October. “They have to be inside a building.”
Newman said he also works as an enforcement officer for other townships with similar ordinances.
“I work in four other townships, and in none of those places do board members tell me how and how not to enforce the code,” he said in November. “Why have ordinances on the books if we're not going to enforce them?”
When Newman issues a citation, he said it is usually after months of communication between the township and residents.
“Citations, in my opinion, are a last resort,” he said in October. “If they're showing progress, we will work with them. Some people just don't do it.”
According to the Michigan Township Association Handbook, “the supervisor may engage in the following activities and duties if they have not been delegated by the superintendent: To see that all laws and township ordinances are enforced.”
Kuchar said in October he has a problem with the law and DeCaire's enforcement.
“The ordinances shouldn't be enforced on agriculture,” he said. “It's like, ‘do it or else you're going to get fined.'”
During the October meeting, the board addressed Kuchar's situation. A few of the trustees on the board disagreed with DeCaire.
“I think that he seems to think he can run the whole show,” said Trustee Joe Janca in October. “I don't think much of the way he's handling it.”
At the Nov. 17 board meeting, Newman resigned from his position.
In a letter, Newman cited “changes in his personal life and a lack of commitment by the township board for enforcement of the township code of ordinances” as reasons for resignation.
DeCaire and the board began a search with a replacement announcement expected before the new year.
“I'd certainly like to reach an agreement and get (Kuchar's) stuff back out of sight,” Trustee Ed Bruckman said in November. “Whether Joe (DeCaire) will abide that or not, I don't know. But (Kuchar) does need to get it out of the way soon.”
DeCaire said doubts like that from the board make enforcement in the township difficult.
“Well, it's just like Kirk wrote about in his letter, when he referred to the ‘good old boy system,'” DeCaire said in November, referring to perceived favoritism the board showed Kuchar. “It still lives and still flourishes in our township.”
Newman stood by DeCaire's work and resigned in part because of the pressure he felt from the board.
“(Joe DeCaire) has gone to people's houses and taken them trash bags and helped them clean up their property,” Newman said. “One time, there was a house he went to that needed a paint job. So he went out and bought some paint and helped the residents with that.”
Newman also elaborated on what he meant in his letter of resignation by recommending a strategy to the township.
“(The new officer) needs to continue a proactive enforcement policy,” Newman said. “The way some of the board members are talking, they want a reactive policy. We usually go out and see the violations, but certain board members want people to have to file a written complaint (for us to enforce anything).”
Bruckman agreed finding a replacement would be difficult amid the disagreements.
“It's definitely not an easy task to take over,” Bruckman said in November. “If the board isn't giving (the enforcement officers) enough time to completely do their jobs, they need to tell us.”
The board discussed enforcing ordinances for a third time during its December meeting, but after heated discussions, made no decisions.
The board considered only enforcing ordinance violations based on written complaints.
DeCaire said he would fill out complaints as an enforcement officer and citizen of the township.
“I don't think that's a good idea,” Janca said during the meeting, adding he wanted all complaints to come from citizens and leave other violations alone.
DeCaire said that decision would restrict him from enforcing violations and prevent him from doing his job.
“Don't tie my hands,” he said in December. “Why can't I write up complaints? I'm a citizen here, too. I pay my taxes like everyone else.”
DeCaire later said he would continue to do the job for which he was elected.
“That's my job (to enforce ordinances),” he said. “If anyone wanted it, they could've had it.”
Before the board approved the township agenda Monday night, Trustee Geraldine Hagadon wanted to add one more item under continuing business: Township blight.
Hagadon said she was attempting to show DeCaire and those present there were hundreds of ordinance violations being ignored.
“If you're really looking for junk in people's yards, you can find it in any township in the country,” she said. “Instead of picking on some farmer...take care of the main things first.”
Hagadon referred to farmer Hank Kuchar, the citizen who complained to the board about DeCaire's enforcement practices.
Kuchar said he was angry but declined to comment further on the issue.
“We have a township board there to protect us,” he said. “I'm glad I have the support of some of the members.”
DeCaire said he was working on other violations within the township.
“We're working on places and we've cleaned them up,” he said. “I'm glad Ms. Hagadon exposed herself to the blight we're working on. And we've got notices out to those places she mentioned.”
The issue remained unresolved in 2008 but the board planned to reach a conclusion in early 2009.
n The board saw no personnel changes in the November election as every candidate ran unopposed.
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com. Post comments about this story online at www.argus-press.com.