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Twp committee listens to input regarding charter township status

ALPENA — The Alpena Township Charter Committee held a public input session on Monday where it heard township residents’ concerns and thoughts regarding the township changing to a charter township.

“The reasons why the board decided to do this are to avoid annexation from the city which is a possible threat to us and to change the way in which the complexities of the governance occur,” Trustee Matt Dunckel, who is charter committee chair said. “In other words, giving the supervisor more oversight of the day-to-day activities as a coordinator between the various departments.”

Dunckel said the township has become more complex and is doing more things and the coordination is becoming more important to running the township.

“It’s not an attempt to automatically increase millages. I live in the township and I’m not interested in being taxed any more than necessary,” Dunckel said. “I also understand that the world we live in is different than the past and those complexities require some satisfaction and governance that we haven’t had in the past.”

Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe said the resolution the board passed in December is transparent and nothing has changed for taxpayers. Skibbe said structure can change internally depending on a board vote.

“The reason we chose this resolution to move forward with is because it simply gives all the power to the voters,” Skibbe said. “Anything that we reflect in a millage, whether it be for road improvements or infrastructure go to the ballot and everybody votes on that.”

Township Attorney Tim Gulden said he has gone through a township changing to a charter township and understands why people are confused about the change.

“Right now, there’s just a preliminary resolution that the township intends to pursue the change and that automatically triggered the 60 day period for residents to petition the township to stop the resolution process and put it to a vote at the next resolution,” Gulden said. “If the petition hits the number of 475 signees isn’t received, then the resolution would adopt another resolution that would cause the township to become a charter township.”

Gulden said if the township board voted to present a millage increase, it would have to go to a future election.

“If there’s no petition with 475 signees represented then it would be another resolution with no millage increase, but it would be a charter township,” he said. “If there is a petition with the 475 signees, it will go to an election.”

Township residents asked the committee if responsibilities of trustees would change if the township does move to a charter township. Dunckel said that’s not the intent of the change.

“The intent is that the day-to-day operations run more smoothly,” he said. “We’re advocating for an oversight by the board to a person who can make the township run more smoothly.”

Other township residents asked if it is fair to not have township residents vote on the change to a charter township. Dunckel said as a board trustees are in contact with how the township operates.

“It fundamentally does not change the relationship between the voters and the board and it fundamentally does not change the power structure between the board and the rest of the township,” Dunckel said. “I don’t think the notion of fairness applies. I do think it’s a fair process by which we were entrusted to run these positions as we see most efficiently with the consultation of the community.”

Skibbe said it was a great initial meeting to listen to public concerns and questions.

“What it all comes back to is the charter committee as a whole and looking at the options that we have available and the services that a lot of our taxpayers require or want and we have to find the best solution and that was to be as transparent as possible,” Skibbe said. “This was a first opportunity for the public to really voice their concerns and I think a lot of the concern is that if we want increase of services and it takes an increase of a millage to pay for said services.”

Skibbe said the township has to be transparent, increase productivity and give the township greater ability to provide services to the taxpayers.

“We’re simply looking for any and all practices to move forward,” he said.

Skibbe said the township is tight with its budget and the township is trying to do everything the people who voted them want.

“I don’t know if it was a surprise, but unfortunately, there is a fair amount of misinformation,” he said. “That was the whole intent of this meeting was to hopefully inform people the right way and there was a couple questions that we never thought of so it was a benefit for us as a committee.”

The charter committee will schedule another meeting, Skibbe said. He said the opportunity for public referendum has to be counted by the end of next week and those have to be proofed and made sure everything is on the same level.

“If that happens, it squashes the board’s resolution,” Skibbe said. “People kept on bringing up the five millages and that was never our intent. That’s why we choose a resolution to pass because no matter what anything that would increase one item of tax will be voted upon. We’re just trying to be as transparent as possible.”

Julie Goldberg can be reached via email at jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.

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