By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
After establishing the Brown Road Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA) with a 6-0 vote Monday night, trustees debated whether or not to immediately approve the corresponding CIA board.
The formation of the tax capture authority is legal under the state statute MCL 125.2876, and calls for township Supervisor Chris Barnett to appoint the CIA board, with a majority of members having a business or ownership interest in the district.
The district includes approximately 190 parcels along Brown Rd. and Baldwin Rd., and will capture any increases in the tax base from the current year, which was established as the base year with trustees? approval.
Barnett recommended the approval of a seven person board, including himself by law, and six other members. Members included Dan Dewey’whose family has owned property in the corridor since 1837; Terry Winter’who built the Orion Beaumont facility and who has an interest in the property behind the Checkers restaurant on Brown Rd.; Steve Pearson’who is a member of the nearby Sashabaw Rd. CIA and who also has an property interest on Brown Rd.; H. Scott Bicknell’who is a property owner in the district and expressed interest to serve on the board after the Brown Rd. CIA public hearing September 21; Donni Steele’who is a current Orion Township trustee with a real estate background; and Rob Zielinski’who is a local attorney, and member of the Rotary Club.
Treasurer Mark Thurber said he was not comfortable with the motion.
‘It hit us kind of quickly after putting all of this together. I would like to see the opportunity left open and perhaps even advertised for all other applicants or interested parties to come forward,? he said.
Clerk Penny Shults expressed her own interest in serving on the board, with 27 years of township experience under her belt, with a knack for numbers.
‘I cannot approve the motion as presented,? she said, explaining she was not aware of the opportunity.
Barnett said that he could not approve a board containing four members of the township board, or even three, because he believes the CIA board should be independent of the township.
‘I’m asking you to have confidence in me,? he said. ‘Time is of the essence. We have a major investor that’s looking at the corridor, and the quicker we can get started the better.? ??
Every recommendation honed under the Brown Rd. CIA board must be presented to the township board for approval. The CIA board will help plan the projects for the Brown Rd. and Baldwin Rd. corridors, utilizing the tax capture increases. Main goals for the corridors include widening Brown Rd. and beautifying the Baldwin corridor. ?
‘To delay this’we have already been delaying this for 20 to 30 years,? Trustee Mike Flood said. ‘I have complete faith.?
Trustee Neil Porter was absent.
The resolution to establish the CIA board passed 4-2, with Thurber and Shults casting the dissenting votes.