[Updated 12-8-2015]

We have tentatively identified the property our Board has spent six closed door sessions talking themselves into buying.  The rumor is that it's the house and 350 feet of lakefront immediately adjacent to Sam Iaquinto's marina and ice cream stand.  $370,000 is the [tax dollar] asking price. 

Obviously the Rainy Day fund is burning a hole in the Board's pocket.

The Zillow listing. 

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In a whistle-blower bombshell moment, Trustee Wayne Dockett read this statement during Board Member Comments:

“October 13th. The Township Board held an executive session to consider the purchase of real property for the residents of Northfield Township. The Minutes indicate that Dockett was in the building but refused to come to the Meeting Room to provide a fifth vote needed to vote in closed session. This is true. Dockett thinks if the Township is going to spend big, big dollars, it should be done with the vote of the People, not in the Boardroom with five Board members.”

What "big, big dollars" decision matches Dockett's description?  Could it be Planning Commissioner Sam Iaquinto's notion that the Township buy the $3,300,000.00 Van Curler property in downtown Whitmore Lake?  What else could the recent rash of closed door "real estate" Board meetings be about?   It's a shame the Board didn't favor another of Sam Iaquinto's notions: meetings should be open unless there is no other way to discuss something.  What qualifies?  Discussions of legal options or personnel.

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Meeting Report:

At their 10-21-2015 meeting, the PC voted to send Biltmore a letter offering the full range of development options available in the current Master Plan.  There would be no revision of the Master Plan as a consequence of Biltmore's 2014 request. 

[Update 3-1-2016]  At the 2-17-2016 Planning Commission meeting we were told that this letter was meaningless and that the entire planning process would have to be revisited.

The Cobalt survey arose from the dead.

Two other issues were discussed during this meeting.  An exhaust system manufacturer is considering locating in the Research, Technology, and Manufacturing (RTM) district, according to Planner DuMouchel. The company's name, Arvin Sangyo, did not surface until February.  In a probably related issue, a zoning use change was requested to allow permit a larger manufacturing footprint in the RTM  district.

Watch using the October 21, 2015 Northfield Township Planning Commission LiveAgenda

More detail in the October 21, 2015 Northfield Township Planning Commission LiveMeetingMinutes

[Note: The LiveTranscript and several other links have been repaired.]

At First Call to the Public, Marketing Research Expert Jim Mulcrone restated something everyone else forgot. Strongly held opinions do not change or they change very slowly. The results of the 2010 survey, which showed that more housing and more traffic were pretty much last on the wish list of Township Taxpayers, remain valid.  Therefore, there is little point in throwing more money after a new survey.

For verification, the Asphalt Addicts should look at their own opinions.  Despite any evidence backing them up, they've sung the same tune for the past 15 years.  Their opinions meet the definition of strongly held.  Nothing changes their opinions.  Nothing even dents their opinions.

The rest of this meeting was an absolute meltdown.

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The back seat view of the Meeting:

Despite the new Planner's September 16 presentation - proving that there is no need for a new community survey five short years after the previous survey - the board has committed the township taxpayers to plunging ahead.

As a refresher, Planner Leah Dumouchel analyzed the 1996 & 2010 surveys and concluded:

  • The previous surveys were constructed well enough to offer actionable data.
  • Resident priorities have been broadly determined.
  • The top three priorities are natural features, downtown development, and recreation.
  • Residential development does not appear to be a strong enough priority to justify amending the master plan at this time.
  • Specific questions remain for which community input would be valuable.
  • Community engagement tools other than a survey may be more appropriate to gather that particular data.

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The meeting began in the usual way. 

Six Township residents spoke at the Call to the Public. 

Jackie Otto brought forward two motions.  The first was to approve renewing the Township Police Department's six year agreement with the DEA.  That passed, with Dockett dissenting.  The second was a motion to hire a salvage vehicle inspector.  Dockett objected to the structure of this agreement, which according to him gave the inspector 80% of the profits while Township taxpayers covered his overhead.  Supervisor Engstrom told Wayne he could decide whether to postpone voting on the issue for two weeks.  Otto refused to take the motion off the table.  Before the Motion could be voted on, Dockett walked out of the meeting.  With only three Board members remaining, insufficient for a quorum, the meeting was forced into adjournment.

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  1. August 25th Board: "We paid Cobalt $8,416 for what?"
  2. August 19th PC: Huron River Watershed Council Update
  3. August 11th Board Meeting Cancelled
  4. "Biltmore is just the name we're giving to 'Do we want growth in the township or do we not want growth?'"
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