By David Gordon

On September 16, 2015, a new Township Planner inroduced herself to Northfield Township.  Beckett and Raedar's Leah DuMouchel presented her analysis of the 1996 and 2010 Township community surveys.  These were her conclusions:

• 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.

She said attitudes toward preservation and development changed little during the fifteen years that separated the two surveys.  And that no dramatic population shifts have occurred since 2010.  She recommended we stop the Cobalt survey, which was stalled in discussions between the Board and the Planning Commission.

Immediately following her presentation, she was assailed by members of the Planning Commission (as seen in the video).  In subsequent meetings, her recommendations were repeatedly dismissed as “merely your opinion”.

DuMouchel's character was publicly besmirched by Township Manager Fink at the Dec. 8 Board meeting. (Link to video: End of meeting where “Chick asked Fink about items billed)  Link to video:  Fink charging Planner DuMouchel with “unethical” behavior because she billed the township for talking to residents.   No Board member challenged Fink’s assertion or defended DuMouchel, who was not at the meeting to defend herself.

We reached out to former township planner Doug Lewan, who said “billing for citizen interaction is a standard industry practice.  I did it for all the years we served your community.”

When informed of Lewan’s comment, no member of the Board, which included current members Janet Chick, Jacki Otto and Wayne Dockett, came to DuMouchel's defense or chastised Fink for his unprofessional behavior.   

Dumouchel quit later that month.  It was the second time in six months that our planners had quit the Township.  Consultants are seldom replaced or fired, and rarely quit.  A common industry maxim is "fire your worst client," and apparently that was us....twice.

The current Board is now considering whether to give Cobalt another $7,000 to complete the survey.  They have already paid Cobalt $9,000.

1

 DuMouchel's Analysis of the 1996 and 2010 Surveys (hi definition)

• If the youtube window doesn't work, click here.  The slideshow pdf can be viewed or downloaded here.

More reading, relevant reports:

• July 1, 2015 Planning Commission Meeting: Discussion of Cobalt Survey Questions; Carlisle Wortman Dumps Township; 2 Acre AG Zoning Raised Again
• 2010 Community Survey: 101 Page Version of the Report Uncovered
• The 1996 Township Survey

by David Gordon

Northfield Township residents on Nov. 8 elected an all-Republican Board of Trustees that will take control of local government on Nov. 20, including a completely new administration comprised of Supervisor Marlene Chockley, Clerk Kathy Manley and Treasurer Lenore Zelenock .

They will take on the task of running the township along with re-elected Trustees Jacki Otto, Janet Chick and Wayne Dockett and newcomer Tawn Beliger.

Vote Tally

The new Board will face some major decisions immediately upon taking office.

Three openings will occur on the Planning Commission by Dec. 31, as Ms. Chockley cannot continue to serve on the PC and also as Supervisor.  The terms of PC Chair Ken Dignan and member Mark Stanalajczo expire as well.    

In addition, the Board must weigh whether to renew the township manager’s contract.  The cost is substantial - about $150,000/year.

The Nov. 8 winners all ran on a platform of respecting residents, transparency and fiscal responsibility, three things that were in short supply these last four years.

In addition, candidates Chockley, Manley, Chick and Otto outlined their goals as:

• Fostering residential development in accordance with the Master Plan.
• Revitalizing downtown Whitmore Lake.
• Helping Whitmore Lake schools attract new families.
• Aggressively recruiting new businesses to expand the tax base and
• Protecting natural areas and farmland.

Although their goals were listed in that order, both Otto and Chockley said all the items were equally important, and that farmland preservation would be a priority.

“I am passionate about farmland preservation,” said Chockley.

Let’s hope the new Board will be more open to differing viewpoints, more transparent in their behavior, more inclusive with all residents, and more prudent with our tax dollars.

Northfield Neighbors will continue to watchdog the Board’s behavior, report their actions on this website, and alert you to anything we feel doesn’t live up to the promises our elected officials made.

Sources:

EWashtenaw: https://electionresults.ewashtenaw.org/electionreporting/nov2016/index.jsp

MLive: Live November 2016 election results for Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, Jessica Haynes, November 8, 2016

Washtenaw District 2 County Commissioner

State House - District 52 - General

	Name	Party	Votes	Vote %
	Lasinski, Donna	Dem	27,612	52%
	Clark, Randy	GOP	23,524	45%
	Borregard, Eric	Grn	1,517	3%

Whitmore Lake Public Schools (three seats)

Eliza Bivins-Fink: 1,261

Michelle Kritzman: 1,834

John Meadows Jr.: 1,593

Laura Schwennesen: 1,631

Precincts counted: 6 of 6

Countywide road, pedestrian/bicycle path millage

Yes - 118,564    No - 48,470    Precincts counted: 141 of 141

Veterans relief tax

Yes - 121,700    No - 44,548    Precincts counted: 141 of 141

Regional transit tax

Washtenaw County:    Yes - 93,994    No - 73,270   Precincts counted: 141 of 141

Macomb County:    Yes - 148,159   No - 222,806    Precincts counted: 337 of 337

Oakland County:    Yes - 292,401   No - 293,510   Precincts counted: 520 of 520

Wayne County:    Yes - 359,244    No - 322,447    Precincts counted: 1,170 of 1,171

Total:

Yes - 893,798    No - 912,033

Northfield Township Supervisor

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At a July 26, 2016 Board meeting Manager Fink presented a proposal from Soamar Jamil, the owner of Li'l Porkys restaurant and the hopeful redeveloper of the Driftwood Marina.  Jamil wants 40 parking spaces at the 75 Barker Road public parking lot dedicated to patrons and staff of the Bar and Grill into which he wants to convert the Marina.

I visited the existing 75 Barker Road parking lot.  There are eight parking spots marked on the east side, about eight on the south side, and about eight in the middle.  There were two handicapped and two regular spots by the door of the major structure at 75 Barker Road, the dome roofed former Township firehouse.  To the north of that are three more marked parking spots.  In the middle of the parking spaces by the door, projecting from deeply cracked and weed infested asphalt, is an unidentified bit of plumbing, perhaps a wellhead.

Accoring to Google Maps, the parking lot pavement is approximately 90' by 160'.  Allowing 18' one-way aisles, a crude analysis shows the possibility of 45 to 50 9'x18' parking spaces in that area.  That's if the entire asphalt area is re-marked.

The small white structure to the South of the dome-roofed former fire hall is leased to a Township Business, National In-Home Services.  Some of the parking spaces presumably go with that lease.

The Board recently voted to spend $800 on resealing and re-striping the parking lot surface, goaded into doing so by the DDA which agreed to split the cost. 

The parking lot resealing and restriping authorized at the same July 26th Board meeting has not even started.  Why?  Is that because the resealing companies are fantastically busy?  Or is it because if the Board were aware of how few parking spaces would remain available to other Downtown businesses after granting Jamil's 40 space request, the Board might object to Manager Fink's vigorously advanced proposal?

75 Barker Road, View of parking lot entrance ffrom the direction of the US-23 exit

Google Satellite view and measurements of paved area, approximately 90' x 160'

On the eastern side, there is a line of No Parking - Fire Lane signs which probably mark Polly's property, but you can't tell.

A not too attractive view from the parking lot's northwest corner

The same perspective, including the northeast corner of the former Township Fire Hall, which the Township still owns

Eight spaces are barely marked in the middle.  The condition of the asphalt speaks for itself.

East side Entrance of the old Township Fire Hall.  Did I mention that the Township owns this property?

This is probably a wellhead.  Trustee Dockett has repeatedly asked the Board to paint the building.

View from Northeast corner.   The small white structure to the left (South) of the dome-roofed former fire hall is leased to a Township Business, National In-Home Services.   Some of the parking spaces presumably go with that lease.