ALPENA TOWNSHIP — Many residents in Alpena Township want updates and have questions regarding the township’s ongoing water and sewer dispute with the City of Alpena.

Today at 5 p.m., the township Board of Trustees will hold a special public meeting to address concerns and any misinformation that could be circulating about the dispute.

Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe and the township’s attorney will give a presentation, which Skibbe said will cover many topics about the ongoing litigation. The public will also have an opportunity to ask questions.

“I will go over a plethora of issues that we think will answer a lot of the questions people have,” Skibbe said.

The litigation is about to enter its fifth year and stems from a rate hike the city issued to all of its customers, including the township. The township believes it is a wholesale customer, because of the high volume of water it purchases, and should be charged lower rates. Township officials continued to pay the lower rates and the city filed a lawsuit against the township. Some disputed funds had been held in an escrow account.

Earlier this year, 26th Circuit Court Judge Michael Mack issued an order that split the money in that escrow account between the two parties, but didn’t set rates. Mack left that up to the city and township.

Talks over rates never blossomed, and both parites applealed portions of Mack’s order to the Michigan Court of Appeals, where the case is waiting to be heard.

The idea of a special meeting was discussed briefly at Monday’s regular township board meeting, but the forum wasn’t announced until Tuesday afternoon.

State law requires municipalities to post notice of meetings 18 hours before a meeting at which there will be a quorum. The township met those requirements.

The meeting is slated to begin at 5 p.m. and end at about 7 p.m. It is open to the public and comment is welcome.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpeanews.com.