Storm Drains

I hear the Township's looking at finally taking care of the storm drains here in Kincheloe....this is great!!! Now how are we going to pay for it.

Will we use change the ordinance to make it the DPWs responsiblity?
Will we add it on to our Water / Sewer billing like the Garbage?
or
We we need a millage?

David Kauer wrote:

I hear the Township's looking at finally taking care of the storm drains here in Kincheloe....this is great!!! Now how are we going to pay for it.
Will we use change the ordinance to make it the DPWs responsiblity?
Will we add it on to our Water / Sewer billing like the Garbage?
or
We we need a millage?

This will happen if we elect Dan Mitchell for Township Supervisor. He has a plan!

Mr. Mitchell should disclose his plan. I for one would like to know the particulars ahead of deciding whether or not to support his candidacy. I would also ask if he has presented his idea before as a township board member. Unfortunately, my job precludes me from attending board meetings as much as I would like and I do not recall ever hearing a discussion on this topic. I certainly favor having the storm sewers upgraded. Too often we see way too much water in our roads during snow melts and heavy rains.

I feel there is still time before the election to fix the storm drain problem.....if not now... we will have to wait until next summer!

On the agenda for the Apr 21 Township Board meeting is the Storm Drains. I will be recommending that the Township declare ownership of the storm sewers in the Kincheloe water district. That the maintenance responsibility be placed under the Kinross DPW. Create a line item in the Kinross DPW budget for storm sewer capitol improvements or maintenance and finally start discussions on how to pay for the needed work. Obviously that would include any available grants.

Good to hear, there is no reason to wait until the next board!!!

Dan Mitchell wrote:

On the agenda for the Apr 21 Township Board meeting is the Storm Drains. I will be recommending that the Township declare ownership of the storm sewers in the Kincheloe water district. That the maintenance responsibility be placed under the Kinross DPW. Create a line item in the Kinross DPW budget for storm sewer capitol improvements or maintenance and finally start discussions on how to pay for the needed work. Obviously that would include any available grants.

Thank you for explaining your plan. Who is responsible or the water sewers now? The county? Also, will we need to pay anything to acquire responsibility or will we receive any money for taking it off of someone else's hands?

The problem for years has been, who's responsibility is the storm drains? Citizens would come to the Board complaining about flooded streets, the Board would point at the County and the County would turn around and say it was the Township's responsibility. The County only claims responsibility for a storm drain in Rudyard. To the best of my knowledge there is no money involved with the ownership of the storm sewers.

Looks more likely that the new board will be working on the storm drain....nice try dan

My impression is that the other board members would like their concerns addressed first, such as getting a legal opinion on billing. I did not hear anybody flatly reject the idea. The motion appeared to be defeated because it allowed no time for further study. Perhaps, those who voted against the motion can speak to the topic here and present their concerns.

I personally support the motion's good intentions, but I only have a surface understanding of it. If others have legitimate concerns, they should be addressed. I suspect that with better understanding others will agree to the motion if re-presented at a later time.

I understand Paul, but isn't 15 plus years enough time? What I was trying to do first was to get the Township to declare control over the storm drains. If we don"t have physical control over the sewers we would not have fiscal responsibility.There were four separate motions I was going to present and the last concerned working on ways to pay for the work. We could have passed the motion to take control and then still pass a motion to seek legal counsil for billing. As it stands now it is business as usual, leaving the citizens to tread water.

I understand your frustration. I regret that I do not know enough about the topic to be of any help. I would like to hear what the other board members have to say. Like you, I'm at a loss to understand the resistance to your idea. I share your goal of getting something done about the storm drains. I would like to learn why others seem reluctant. I'm sure they have their reasons and perhaps their concerns can be addressed to everyone's satisfaction.

This is a very important issue that in my opinion is something that could be started by this board. i know of several locations are serious hazards anytime we get a hard rain or spring thaw,(which this year seems to happen several times).