Election Day, on May 2nd, includes a $12.36 million bond proposal for the construction of a Fire/Rescue Station.

Because the Township’s population has increased by over 43% since 2000 to about 19,000 and because the number of Fire/Rescue emergencies increased by about 88% to over 1,500 annually, the current Fire/Rescue facility needs to be expanded to accommodate the increased number of staff, emergency runs, and training needs.

Further, recent studies have proven that firefighters and medical responders are at increased↑ cancer risks and require personal decontamination facilities and isolated rooms for their personal protective equipment to be thoroughly cleaned and maintained after responding to an emergency. The current facility lacks facilities for our firefighters and paramedics to properly decontaminate after an emergency incident.

For more information on the proposed Fire/Rescue Station bond, the Township produced an educational whiteboard video and written FAQ that is posted on the Township’s website.

Please share the link with your friends and family. And, if you have any further questions, please contact Fire/Rescue Chief Shawn Schrader at sschrader@ght.org.

See the vacancies listed below and check out the Township’s webpage for more detailed information on the jobs and how to apply.

If you want to spend your summer days outside, learn new skills, and work with a great group of people, this job MAY be for you. WARNING! You must also take pride in the work you do, be willing to sweat and get your hands dirty.

Assists with planning and directing the operations and activities of the Township Public Services Department, which includes Township's parks, athletic fields, recreational facilities, cemeteries, building and grounds. Supervises work as well as various administrative tasks.

Approves policies, budgets, and works collaboratively with Harbor Transit’s Transportation Director to carry-out organizational plans. The Harbor Transit Board meets once every other month, on a Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. Sub-committee meetings are scheduled, as necessary. Must be a Township Resident.

The Township Board approved an agreement with Cellco Partnership (dba Verizon Wireless) granting permission to install, maintain and operate the radio communications equipment/antennas for the purpose of increased coverage of Verizon Wireless cell phone services at the Water Tower located at the intersection of 152nd Avenue and Lincoln Street.

This will be the second set of cell tower antennas on this water tower and will be “co-located antennas” with Sprint owning the original antennas.

This has been an area within the Township that has extremely poor cell phone coverage for customers with Verizon, and these additional antennas should significantly increase the quality of cell service in that area.

The Township will receive an annual rental payment of $27,200 with an annual increase↑ of three percent (3%).

A pre-construction meeting with the firm that will install the Verizon antennas is scheduled for for March 15th.

The Township Planning Commission gave conditional approval to the Blueberry Woods PUD (i.e., Redstone Homes) – a proposed 100-acre residential development near the US-31 and M-45 intersection. The development will include a total of 444 residential housing units in two phases.

The initial phase will include 12 multi-unit apartment buildings with 224 units, 21 duplexes with 42 units and 10 single-family units – for a total of 276 units.

The Township Board will hold a public hearing on the development proposal after the applicant′s wetlands application receives approval from the State of Michigan.

Gracious Grounds proposed creating a small community of 20 to 25 townhome units, supporting independent living for Disabled Persons. The property they have identified is planned for High Density Residential housing at the end of the Ability Way cul-de-sac.

The development proposed is modeled after the “Haven Townhomes” constructed in Holland Township by Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity and Haven Christian Reformed Church.

The Fire/Rescue Department′s 911 Academy will be June 19th through the 23rd from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

If you know any teens, ages 15 to 18, who wants to explore a career in public safety, please pass along this terrific opportunity. Please use the link below for further information and to sign-up.

The Spring Leaf Drop-off will begin on Monday, April 3rd and continue through Sunday, April 23rd at the Township Administrative facility at 13300 168th Avenue.

Leaf and grass clippings ONLY – No wood, tree limbs or brush.

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