June Newsletter

Welcome to the electronic newsletter from

Grand Haven Charter Township!

Stay informed on what is happening in the township. This newsletter will deliver up-to-date information including upcoming meetings, development news, township services and more!

You can always find more information on our website or Facebook .

Nora Millage Video

The North Ottawa Recreation Authority has a 0.25 mill request on this August’s election ballot. To learn more about this millage request, please click on the attached hyperlink:

NORA_Millage.mp4

Fire/Rescue Chief Retires

Nearly 27 years ago, Tom Gerencer accepted a position as a full-time firefighter at Grand Haven Charter Township Fire/Rescue. In 1995, two years after joining the ranks, Tom was promoted to Lieutenant. Having demonstrated his loyalty to this community and department, Tom accepted the role of Captain in 2001 and finally the honor of serving the citizens of GHT as the Fire Chief in 2007.

During the Chief’s tenure, the call volume has increased from about 250 emergency calls per year to nearly 1,400 calls per year.

Understanding the increase in call volume and need for high quality medical rescue, Chief Gerencer championed the move from Basic Life Support to Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical response. This means that the residents of Grand Haven Township receive the highest level of pre-hospital care available and are the only fire rescue department in West Michigan to be ALS certified. Because of Chief Gerencer’s vision, the Township currently has one of the highest cardiac arrest survival rates in the country.

Chief Gerencer’s visionary spirit did not stop there. His “Active Assailant Response Initiative” is responsible for bringing multiple agencies together in a collaborative effort to plan and prepare for the possibility of mass shootings. Not only has this program been embraced by local agencies, but it has also been widely accepted and utilized by emergency response agencies throughout the State of Michigan.

It is also important to recognize Chief Gerencer for his compassion for others and enthusiasm for education. For example, the Camp 9-1-1 Academy, started by Chief Gerencer, offers an in-depth look at fire, EMS, and police work for area teens. Whether it was providing CPR training at Grand Haven High School, or sending members of the fire rescue team to various trainings, the Chief understood the value of education.

When it comes to safety, Chief Gerencer stood firm in his commitment to his crew and the community. He spearheaded the purchase of a new ladder truck in 2012. That truck was a key piece of apparatus in saving millions of dollars of property within its first 6 months of arriving at the Township. Most recently, the department replaced its 26-year-old rescue pumper, again, providing up-to-date firefighting equipment for the safety of the crew and the community.

We would like to congratulate Chief Gerencer on a very successful career and wish him the very best in his retirement.

Chief Gerencer, we say thank you!

Road Improvements

The Ottawa County Road Commission released their five-year Strategic Plan this week. The road projects within Grand Haven Township that will be completed in FY2021 include the following:

Mercury Drive – Comstock Street to City Limits (1.7 miles) = $725,000
Lakeshore Drive – Fillmore Street to Buchanan Street (3.1 miles) = $1,150,000

In addition, 160th Avenue between Ferris Street and Lincoln Street is scheduled to be paved with both pathway and water main installed.

On a sidebar – the FY2020 subdivision paving in the Township is scheduled to begin on July 20th.

Sheriff's Annual Report

Sheriff Kempker released his annual report. To see some of the key statistics for the Township, the following graphs are provided:

Gypsy Moths Are Back

As you may recall, the gypsy moth is an invasive species that caused widespread defoliation in the state starting in the mid-1980s.

In past years, the Township paid about 1/3rd of the cost for aerial spraying of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) – a contagion that kills the very young gypsy moth caterpillars. However, the State and County discontinued this program in 2012.

This year, the Township is receiving some calls regarding localized outbreaks of gypsy moth caterpillars. For these localized areas, some defoliation is likely to become visible within the next few weeks and will persist through mid-July.

That said, gypsy moths are a nuisance but rarely kill trees. Homeowners are advised to keep defoliated trees healthy by making sure they get water. Trees should begin to develop new leaves in July to replace those that were eaten.

Remote Service Options

Do you know the other options Grand Haven Township offers for conducting business other than face to face visits? Due to the Pandemic and concerns for safety, we thought we would highlight some of the remote serviced options for you.

Drop Box

To drop off forms or paperwork for someone at the Township offices, you may use either of the drop boxes located in the front entrance of the Township lobby or the curbside box in the administrative parking lot. Please make sure to include the name of the person or department you want the information delivered to.

Permit Application

All permit applications are available on our website at www.ght.org/forms/. Once completed you can e-mail it directly to choisington@ght.org or drop it off in one of the secure drop boxes; located in the front entrance of the Township lobby or the curbside box in the administrative parking lot.

Property Taxes

For the 2020 Tax Season remote payment is encouraged. Payments can be sent by mail, dropped in one of the secure deposit boxes located in the front entrance of the Township lobby or the curbside box in the administrative parking lot, or made by credit card (a 3% fee applies) through the Township’s website at www.ght.org/payments.

Customers can also enroll in the auto-debit program at no-charge. Forms can be found at www.ght.org/forms/ or can be requested by e-mailing kholcom@ght.org. Please fill out the form completely, sign and date and return to our offices with a voided check. Requests received 2 weeks prior to the tax due date will be honored.

Copies of Property Taxes/Receipts

Tax history and receipt information can be obtained by e-mailing alarrison@ght.org or calling 616-842-5988.

Utility Bills

Payments can be sent by mail, dropped in one of the secure deposit boxes located in the front entrance of the Township lobby or the curbside box in the administrative parking lot, or made by credit card (a small fee applies) through the Township’s website at www.ght.org/payments.

Boat Launch Passes

Daily passes are only available at the boat launch.

Annual pass applications are available online at www.ght.org/forms/ or can be requested by e-mailing kholcom@ght.org.

Applications, along with payment, can be mailed back to the Township Offices at 13300 168th Ave. Grand Haven, MI 49417 or dropped in one of the secure deposit boxes located in the front entrance of the Township lobby or the curbside box in the administrative parking lot.

Once the application and payment are processed, staff will mail the annual pass along with a receipt to the address on the application.

Park Reservations

Reservations can be made through the Township’s website at http://www.ght.org/community/parks-recreation/ and payment made online.

Dog Licenses

Dog licenses can be applies for online at

https://www.miottawa.org/DogLicense/

Township Questions?

If you have specific questions about Township operations, please send an email to bcargo@ght.org .

(616) 842-5988 | info@ght.org | www.ght.org