Clark Lake’s Mike Trout will be Columbia Township’s new Municipal Services Director. That puts Mike in charge of sewers, parks, cemeteries, facilities and equipment. Those responsibilities have been fulfilled by Rick Church up until now. Beyond those, Rick has also been responsible for zoning enforcement. The Township has signaled they will hire a second person for those duties. Rick Church will retire at the end of March.
Rick Church
Mike Trout was elected to the Columbia Township Board of Trustees in 2020, and will resign his board position as of March 1st. His new role as Municipal Services Director starts March 4th. Mike is also a member of the Columbia Township Planning Commission. He will also be leaving the planning the board.
After the vote naming him to the new position, Mike Trout made these comments.
Mike’s resignation as trustee leaves open a board position. The current board will recruit and vote a person into that position to fill the vacancy. Likewise, this creates a vacancy on the planning commission.
At the beginning of last night’s board meeting, County Commissioner Phil Duckham spoke about efforts to eliminate surveillance cameras on County roads. About 150 cameras can record movements including license plates. It’s seen as intrusive, and the commissioner said “we don’t need to be surveilled.” It’s expected the County Commission will vote on the issue tonight (Tues 2/20). As of this writing, the potential vote is 4 and 4, so the outcome is not assured. Upon hearing this, Columbia Township Treasurer John Calhoun asked if it would help if the Township passed a resolution banning them here. Phil Duckham replied, “yes.”
As county commissioner, Phil Duckham represents Clark Lake.
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, February 29, regarding two requests for zoning variances. Below is the notice.
About a half-hour before last night’s 7 o’clock meeting, Clark Lake put on one of its evocative displays.
If we ban county cameras, will we ban township cameras in the township park? If we didn’t have bad people doing bad things, we wouldn’t need the cameras.
Good point John D! The reason for the Park Cameras was a result of the false panacea of creating a recreational destination for township residents. Unfortunately it turned out to be a destination for the rest of Jackson (and not township residents) to partake in loud, lewd, substance and alcohol abuse causing a strain on township resources. It is also unfortunate that many of the present Board condoned and approved the improvements causing further drain on the township funds. To add to this boondoggle, I have seen further conceptional proposals to create additional headaches for residents.