Fremont Twp. addresses flooding, road repairs, ordinance updates

By Sherrie Kleitch

The Yale Expositor

FREMONT TWP. — After recent heavy rains left portions of the township dealing with flooding, washed-out roads and drainage concerns, the Fremont Township Board of Trustees approved several road and ditch-related measures during its May 28 meeting.

Supervisor Mark Kenward said one of the most urgent situations was on Fargo Road between Galbraith Line and Fisher roads, where conditions changed quickly after the rain.

“You could see on the road where cars had been sideways,” Kenward said, adding that the road commission responded quickly. “That day, Fargo looked like a new road. They came out and completely redid it, graveled it, and it didn’t come out of our allocation either.”

The board also approved payment of $2,407.20 for the township’s share of an emergency culvert replacement on Comstock Road. Kenward said the damaged culvert contributed to flooding near a resident’s property, though he noted the home itself did not take on water.

Board members also approved two roadside ditch improvement agreements on Comstock Road, one involving property owned by Barbara Yeager and the other involving Miles Thorpe. The agreements include a three-way cost split between the property owner, township and county, with the property owner also covering trucking costs.

“She was pretty upset, and she was about to eat the whole cost,” Kenward said of Yeager. “I said, ‘Don’t do it. That’s why you’re living in a township, and we try to take care of each other.’”

During the planning commission liaison report, Trustee Karen Kovach said a recent workshop focused on possible amendments to the township’s blight ordinance and shooting range language. No action was taken, but the township expects further discussion and a possible public hearing.

The shooting range discussion centered on clarifying the difference between personal use on private property and commercial use. Kenward said township officials are not looking to restrict residents from safe target shooting on their own land.

“No one at the table disagrees that a person with an adequate size piece of land should be able to target shoot, hunt, archery, handguns, rifles, whatever, with a safe backstop,” Kenward said. “No one disagrees with that.”

However, he said the issue changes if a shooting range becomes a commercial enterprise, which may require a special land-use permit.

The board also approved the appointment of Scott Westbrook to the vacant planning commission seat. Westbrook had previously served on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Dennis Collins, who had been serving as an alternate on the ZBA, was approved to move into the regular vacancy left by Westbrook.

Other business

In other business, the board approved hiring King and Messing Audit Services to conduct the township’s required audit for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The audit is expected to cost $5,500, with additional accounting services billed at $275 per hour if needed.

The board also voted to renew two certificates of deposit at Thumb Bank & Trust for six months at 3.75 percent and approved renewal of the township’s Michigan Townships Association membership at $994.06.

Board members also discussed the ongoing court case involving Act 233 and Public Service Commission authority over renewable energy projects. The township previously approved spending up to $10,000 to participate in the case with other townships and counties. Current spending stands at $5,199.93.

The board voted to remain involved in the case up to the previously approved spending cap and revisit the matter if needed.

Kenward said he was disappointed more townships had not joined the effort.

“The thing that bothers me about this is there are 1,024 townships in the state of Michigan, plus the counties, and under 100 of us thought that having a boot put on our neck was wrong,” he said.

The board also approved the annual L-4029 tax rate request form, which authorizes the township to request its allocated operating millage and voter-approved road and bridge millage from the county.

During public comment, residents asked about township income reports, swimming pool permit requirements, ditch maintenance, possible grant funding for building improvements and the township’s meeting schedule.

The next regular board meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 25.