ALERT: Keep Your Vehicles Locked At Night…..We have noticed that there a a few “safe” things that people do not do in terms of home security. During a rash of car larcenies recently, we have learned that 1) some people don’t lock their cars at night; 2) some people leave keys, money, credit cards, ipods, laptops and a combination of these in their car “in full view” from the windows; 3) some people like to park their car at night at the end of the driveway closest to the road; 4)some people don’t like to leave night lights on; and 5)many folks do not have motion sensor floodlights. If a drive by inspection by our District Resource Officers can spot this, ANYONE ON THE PROWL CAN SPOT THIS, TOO!
A recent apprehension of a car larcenist revealed that there are more than one (maybe three) separate groups of kids out looking to break into cars. Why? It has become a sort of competition. Which group can “harvest” the most in one night. Our police know there are groups because they would catch members from two different groups going through the same neighborhood. Our Police Chief, Don Pussehl asked that I mention this alert on the blog.
Reminder: MDOT is planning to mill and pave a portion of Gratiot Road in Saginaw Township, beginning about a thousand feet east of Midland Road and continuing westward to the Gratiot/Graham Road intersection in Thomas Township. This will begin on July 12th and also last a few weeks.
ALLENDALE DRAIN DISTRICT RECONSTRUCTION STILL UNDER WAY……..work has been limited due to heat.
BROCKWAY ROAD WIDENING IN PROGRESS… work has been limited due to the heat.
Saginaw Township encountered a few problems recently from projects being done by outside agencies. Even so, it is the Township which generally gets the first call from a resident. While not our primary role, we do get complaints even when it is not within our scope of responsibility. Read on:
By now, you have probably seen construction cones and reduced lane traffic on State Street. It seems that MDOT (Michigan Dept. of Transportation) waited until three days prior to doing “their thing” to inform us that they would be resurfacing State Street, from the City line to Midland Road beginning Monday, June 21st. None of our staff knew of this project, nor was it on the SMATS (Saginaw Metropolitan Area Transportation Study) schedule for area improvements. We had to quickly notify our people of this work in order that our Township operations (public safety, etc…) could be adjusted. The project will take approximately 2 weeks to complete. MDOT will mill the surface during the day and pave at night. MDOT is also planning to mill and pave a portion of Gratiot Road in Saginaw Township, beginning about a thousand feet east of Midland Road and continuing westward to the Gratiot/Graham Road intersection in Thomas Township. This will begin on July 12th and also last a few weeks. Apparently, these were internal projects on MDOT’s schedule and they neglected to mention it to SMATS.
The Brockway Road Widening by the Road Commission has caused some inconveniences in traffic. While working on the northerly side of the road, the Road Commission closed the west bound lane and effectively created a one way street. This has forced west bound traffic to seek other routes. The Road Commission says it is a safety issue to allow two-way traffic during construction.
Also with the widening of Brockway, this has created trash pick up problems for Brockway Road residents. As of this week, it is my understanding that the Road Commission has “directed” Waste Management NOT to pick up trash along Brockway because of safety issues again. Each trash truck (recyclables, trash and yard waste) has about 32 stops to make along Brockway. This has caused the one-way, east bound traffic to back up to Weineke Rd. Waste Management also agrees that it is not safe for construction workers and their (WM) drivers to operate along this road while construction continues. An accident with injuries during this project could cause M.I.O.S.H.A. to assess penalties on both Waste Management and the Road Commission contractors. The Mid Michigan Waste Authority is sending out letters to affected residents explaining the situation. They are making alternative pick up plans which call for people to take their trash to a nearby side road. It will be impossible to provide curb side pick up along Brockway this summer.
The following is a compilation of activities you can expect to see from some of our departments over the next few months. Spring is here and this is a transition time for many of us from winter mode to summer mode.
Police Department:
May 11th – Police Awards Ceremony & Police Memorial Service, Knights of Columbus Hall, 6 pm, followed by a prayer, gun salute and taps at the flagpole in front of the Township Hall.
Continued update to the police department’s web page to make it more user friendly for our citizens.
Continued work on Nixle (public notification software) to get information out to the public. We used Nixle recently to notify citizens of the increase in car larcenies due to the nice weather.
Sent out a Nixle message for the fire department to remind citizens not to open burn during dry periods.
Fire Department:
Spring is the time when the Fire Department receives the most nuisance complaints about open burning, grass fires, and recreational fires. The Departments notes an increase every year in the number of runs for these types of fires. (Either more people are burning, or more people are complaining.) While the Township has a well written burning policy, people still enjoy backyard bonfires. Others do this to discard the scrub brush and debris left behind by the winter.
Our Public Fire Educator, is finishing the Risk Watch and Learn Not to Burn programs in our elementary schools for this school year.
The Saginaw County Fire Academy will concludes its training on May 1st. We have five fire fighters (Two from station two and three from station one) in the Academy. Upon completion of the written and practical testing these five will have their Fire Fighter II State Certification.
The new Rosenbauer 1500 gpm fire engine has arrived. Training on the new engine is now taking place.
Recently, the Fire Department was showcased by TV 5 in its Fire Station Friday series. STFD was the first fire company to be showcased. For a replay of the video clips, go to http://www.wnem.com/video/23033548/index.html
The Department will soon start the process of inspecting and documenting all home daycares in Saginaw Township. This will likely start when the school year is ended.
Moving into the summer months, the Department is planning to inspect all apartment buildings. All apartment buildings are inspected every three years.
Every April each station gets together and does a spring clean-up which involves removing every piece of equipment from the apparatus and cleaning the compartments, thoroughly cleaning the apparatus bays, cleaning windows, etc.
Department of Public Services. April & May are the busiest months of the year for DPS.
Township Parks and Property: General clean up process including the installation of playground equipment, tennis nets, and water fountains.
Lawn Repairs: We make repairs to resident’s homes and Township property. (these are damages from water and sewer repairs, snow plowing, etc…) Generally, we cannot do these earlier due to County Road Commission’s vehicle weight restrictions.
Ball field Preparation: Grading of ball fields, fence line and dug out repairs. (11 hardball and softball fields)
Hydrant Flushing Program: Approximately 2,550 fire hydrants are being flushed to assure proper operation and removal of sediment that accumulates over the winter months.
Sewer Jet / Vacuum Unit: Spring cleaning of priority sanitary sewers.
Turf Management: Maintenance of approximately 300+ acres of grass. De-winterization of all irrigations systems.
Restrictor Program: Inspection, cleaning, and replacement as needed of approximately 1,900 restrictor plates. (Combined sewer districts)
Motor Vehicle Equipment Pool: Equipment change over- winter to summer operations.
Sidewalk Inspection/Replacement Program: Inspection of 47+ miles of Township sidewalks.
Our spring schedule also includes the safety inspection of all playground equipment. Equipment is checked monthly to assure the safety of the general public
The Brockway & Allendale area will see three projects this spring and summer that will almost look like one big project but they are different.
Beginning May, the County Road Commission will widen Brockway Rd. from Center Rd., west to Weineke Rd. In order for this to occur on schedule, the Township will need to replace and relocate its old water mains out away from the roadway. This started on April 1 with a completion date of May 1 in order for the County Road Commission to begin their work.
Meanwhile, the Saginaw County Drain Commission (a.k.a. County Public Works Dept.) will be doing a major drainage improvement to the Allendale area. This is for storm water management purposes and affects the entire drainage district (watershed). This will start in May and hopes to be done in early August.
People who use Brockway Rd. as a main commuter route should seek alternative ways to avoid this area.
Recently, there have been several emotional pleas not to eliminate the STARS Lift service to the handicapped. Unfortunately, we had to terminate this 30 year old service because of the cost. It was not an easy decision and we literally agonized over it for quite a while…..actually the last few years. (Once a program becomes long established, it is almost like an institution and becomes emotionally tough to end, just like it was for us when we ended our 35 year involvement in the CanAmera Games with Cambridge, Ontario.)
During good times, contracting with STARS was not an issue. However, in hard fiscal times with state revenue sharing and real property tax revenues declining, it was finally inevitable that we revisited our STARS subsidy.
Where other townships have been dealing with budget shortfalls and cutbacks the last few years, we faired better than most and were able to manage the economic tide until now. We did this through prudent careful management & oversight to withstand those same pressures to cut back until now.
We could no longer justify to the public, STARS demand that we pay $40,000 annually to serve only 44 people. By the numbers, the cost/benefit did not seem fair to the rest of the residents living here. Still, it was a tough decision because we realized we could be cutting service to a handicapped person who might be someone we knew, a relative, friend or someone we might see every day. It was tough. (I still wonder how handicapped folks in next door Thomas, Kochville, Carrollton and Tittabawassee Townships have managed all these years without this service.) No one knows the history of how Lift service started in Saginaw Twp. We were unique in that sense because usually Townships do not provide human or social service programs.
During our talk with the news media, we laid out all the facts that we were looking at. Yet, all that was reported was the human and emotional aspects because “that is news.” STARS was not targeted, nor did we single out any of the users of the service. For the coming budget year, we instituted 36 budget cutting measures totaling $950,400. In the General Fund alone, which handled the STARS contract, there were 29 budget cuts which totaled nearly $700,000. All personnel will take be taking a wage freeze on pay and cost of living for the 2010 fiscal year, and we will be instituting more employee charges to keep overhead down (health insurance premium sharing). In fact, our upper management staff, and the Township Board are voluntarily doing health insurance premium sharing one year ahead of the employees to set the example.
We are not finished either. Depending how revenues and expenses track throughout the year, it may be necessary to look at additional reduction measures. We have compiled a list of additional reduction options (not for public distribution) and are currently trying to assign these options to different levels of retrenchment.
Again, we never like to end a program that people have come to rely on. If at some time, we can restore service with STARS, we will certainly try.
Representatives from the US Census will be at Township Hall, 4980 Shattuck Road, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. daily to answer questions or provide assistance. Census officials will be here until April 15.
Representatives from the US Census will be at Township Hall, 4980 Shattuck Road, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. daily to answer questions or provide assistance. Census officials will be here until April 15.
Have You Noticed or Heard Complaints About Cloudy Tap Water Lately? The City of Saginaw recently made repairs to one of their primary control valves at their Aqua Place Pumping Station. The City previously released a public notice on this a few weeks ago. The work they performed introduced air into various areas of our distribution system. According to CPS, this is not harmful but it will take some time for the cloudiness to get out of the system. We have had several calls in different areas and are advising residents to run more water in their home. This will help clear the lines faster.
New Developments in Street Lighting: Last week, we learned that the Michigan Public Service Commission has ordered Consumers Energy to come up with a billable rate for LED lighting within the next 30-60 days. According to local Consumers Energy spokesperson, Consumers is taking this as a directive to offer LED lighting, as well. They are currently looking into what LED lights Consumers can offer.
We are not sure if this is on a trial basis; however, some officials suspect LED street lighting may be here to stay by popular demand. If this succeeds, you might see future requests for new special assessment lighting districts for LED; or possible requests by existing lighting districts to convert to LED.
NOT TO BE OUTDONE, we also learned that utility companies are lobbying for some kind of safety valve that would enable them to charge more than actual LED consumption as a “preventative measure from ‘loss of income’.”
I recall a time when I first graduated college in 1971. I was educated, full of vigor and ready to take on the world. However, the economy and job market were not very kind to me. There was a war on the other side of the world, inflationary pressures here, and gas prices were on the rise. (Sound familiar?) It took me nearly two years before I found my first professional job. From that time forward, things got better for me. It was the mid-1970’s.
I recall another time when my son graduated college in 2003. He also was educated and ready to charge out into the world. Again, the job market was stagnated, we were entering a war halfway around the world, and gas prices were at a 20 year high. (The nation’s Class of 2003 grads the last group to enter college while the stock market was still rising, but graduate during the worst hiring slump in 20 years.) It did not comfort my son when I told him how long it took me to find my first professional job. However, he did find a job within eight months of graduation. From that time forward, his future continues to grow.
We live in a world of continuing cycles. Just like when I was entering the job world and my son was beginning his career, we all live through various cycles of the economy. It may seem rough at the moment but it has always been the “American will to persevere and to always look towards tomorrow with hope” that has carried this country. If I were to describe the contemporary American, I would use the words, “Adaptive, Moves Onward, and Strong Hope.”
The year 2009 was indeed a rough and tumble time for all of us. Just as a sled slides down a hill, the sled does not stop when we want it to stop. When it does come to rest, we pick ourselves up and walk back up the hill. That is sort of what life is. Economists say that this country’s economy has bottomed out and recovery is beginning. In Michigan, we would probably say that it is not beginning fast enough. For 2010, recovery will be on the minds of many locally, regionally and across the State. Call it a gut feeling, if you will, but we are sensing better times are coming from area builders and developers in general conversation. Could it be because of the efforts of various groups such as the S.T.B.A., or Saginaw County’s Saginaw Futures, Inc., or the collaborative efforts of the Great Lakes Bay Region to attract and grow new employment? Perhaps, it is a combination of all these. Our regional assets are changing in the form of jobs, technology and location. This will affect consumerism and will likely become a focus of S.T.B.A. for 2010 and beyond.
As we close out the 2009 Year, I am reminded by an old saying used by Chicago Cub fans, and the old Brooklyn Dodgers before them. They would say, “Wait ‘Til Next Year!”
The question was asked, “Do we encourage Saginaw Township businesses to recycle? There has been a major focus on reuse and recycling and I believe that our community is embracing the change. However, when I visit businesses throughout our community, I notice that paper, boxes and plastic is being thrown in the garbage with other non-recyclable materials.”
Our answer: The Mid Michigan Waste Authority (we are a member) has offered workshops to commercial businesses to give them guidance on how to implement a program within their organization. Unfortunately, very few businesses have shown an interest to recycle. The last workshop was approximately two years ago. Recycling for businesses (including multi-family apartments) is different from our residential recycling. Trash companies who offer commercial recycling require businesses to separate the paper, cardboard, bottles, plastic, etc in separate bins. Trash companies also require a separate contract to pick up recyclables.
In 2004, several businesses along the State Street corridor were contacted to participate in a pilot program. Once they knew the guidelines and the cost associated with establishing a recycling program, they elected not to participate. This is unfortunate but a reality, especially now when a business must consider what overhead expenses are essential and not.
We believe that commercial recycling has to start with the employees within an organization and their ability to convince management or the owners of the company to initiate some type of recycling program at their expense. The MMWA continues to offer assistance and guidance in promoting and establishing commercial recycling programs. Workshops are offered or set up after receiving a specific number of special interest calls or contacts.
Yes, we encourage everyone to recycle. It is easier in residential recycling when all homeowners pay an annual assessment and funds are pooled into a collective program that applies to all residences. It is much harder when one business has to decide individually if recycling is affordable and feasible.
