By David Fleet

Editor

The Goodrich Village Council voted 4-1 in a special meeting on Monday night to spray the mill pond for weeds this summer—the first application since 2013.

Councilman Jake Vick voted no.

Aquatic Weed Control of Swartz Creek will make a single application at a cost of $3,975. The application is under a Michigan Department of Natural Resources permit to spray the mill pond with chemicals for excessive weed growth. The cost of the permit is $400.

Due to repairs on the village dam and other infrastructure issues during the past two summers which required the water level in the mill pond to be lowered, weeds did not grow to the extent they would have in other years.

“The lower water level killed the weeds in the pond,” said Pete Morey, village councilman. “Now with water levels back to normal it’s time to control the growth.”

Vick voted against the spraying.

“Voters should decide if the spraying should be done,” he said. “Not everyone has access to the pond and it’s still taxpayer dollars we are spending to spray the mill pond.”

Councilmember Richard Horton supported the weed control.

“It’s a beautification issue for the whole community,” said Horton. “It’s a big part of Goodrich.”

Mark Baldwin, council president said the weed spraying cost will be discussed at a future meeting.