Goodrich – ‘What happens if Goodrich dissolves and merges with Atlas Township?? is the bottom-line question for many local residents.
For the most thorough answers yet, plan to attend this Tuesday’s forum, ‘The Effects of Village Consolidation? from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Goodrich United Methodist Church, located at 8071 S. State Road in Goodrich.
A panel of experts will research and answer questions on village dissolution issues.
Panelists include representatives from the Genesee County Drain Commission Division of Water & Waste Services, Genesee County Road Commission, Michigan Municipal League, and the Village of Goodrich.
The forum will be moderated by Michael Thorp, known locally as news anchor for ABC-12 and president of the Goodrich Board of Education.
If you have a question regarding what happens if the village dissolves, send it to citnews@charterinternet.com.
Question deadline: Feb. 5.
Recap: Village dissolution
Goodrich – Since Goodrich incorporated as a village in 1957, three attempts to dissolve its government have been made.
The third attempt was organized last September by a committee known as Vacate the Village.
Goodrich village residents pay 7.6 mills in village taxes. Since they also reside in Atlas Township, village residents also pay the 2.75 mills that township residents pay.
‘We are taxed by the village so much over and above what we pay to Atlas Township,? said VTV vice-chair Patti Wartella in a September interview with The Citizen. ‘Basically our taxes are providing salaries. I don’t feel as if we get any benefits whatsoever.?
Wartella, who was a part of the 1996 village dissolution effort, approached disgruntled Hawthorne Ridge Condominium residents last year to try to dissolve the village again, she said.
Instead of pursuing allegations of faulty Hawthorne Ridge construction and inspections, condominium residents opted to join forces with Wartella, and collected nearly 400 dissolution petition signatures, which were presented to the Goodrich Village Council in October.
Although the signatures prompted the council to act on the matter, it wasn’t put up for a vote, as there’s no provision to include non-village residents of Atlas Township in the decision.
According to records of the Michigan Townships Association, both township and village residents should have a vote, as consolidation would affect both.
‘That’s why you have a vote of the people in the township,? said MTA Member Information Liaison Catherine Mullhaupt. ‘Otherwise it’s like the in-laws coming to stay for the rest of your life.?
‘If indeed, God forbid, the village was dissolved there would be certain things the village has contracted for that would be paid for by the village people, like the new DPW garage and offices on M-15,? said planning commissioner and former Goodrich president Marsha Rockafellow in a September interview with The Citizen.
‘If dissolved, the village debt doesn’t become township debt’it becomes assessed to the people who live in the village. That’s how I understand it from before.?
While some village residents are concerned with services and the quality of village life, the bottom line for many is whether consolidating the village and township will cost residents more or less.
Multiple variables figure into the equation, including village assets and liabilities, the ability to get grants, repair and maintenance of the mill pond, dam, roads, buildings, and library, as well as police services, street lights, sewers, parks, and snow removal.
So many factors make it important to get answers in writing before voting, feel village council members.
The council is working on changing the village charter; changes which would be voted on by village residents.
The amended charter would include a provision for village residents to vote on dissolving village government after setting up a joint Atlas Township-Goodrich commission that would ink a consolidation plan to handle assets, liabilities, services, and other obligations (see ‘Council to Amend Charter?, The Citizen, Oct. 18, 2004.
Contact information:
Contact ‘Vacate the Village’at (810) 636-2552 or (810) 636-6116.
Contact ‘Citizens for a Responsible Goodrich Government? at no_recall@mail.com.
Recap: Village recall
Goodrich – With the Goodrich Village Council recall election just around the corner, village residents are still confused about the issues.
The Feb. 22 recall was initiated by the Vacate the Village committee’the group organized last September to attempt dissolving Village of Goodrich government’after signatures presented to the council didn’t prompt an immediate dissolution vote.
‘We were all feeling empowered, that we were going to legally change the methods by which Goodrich is run,? said Dennis and Diane Fredericks in a letter to The Citizen following the village council’s decision to change the charter instead.
The council’s decision not to put the issue of dissolution immediately to a vote was reached at the advice of Tom McKenney, attorney for Village of Goodrich residents and council members.
According to the attorney’s written opinion the home rule village’which operates under its own charter’should not set up a vote for village residents only. Instead, McKenney advised changing the charter to provide for non-village residents living in Atlas Township to vote as well.
The ballot language will be identical to recall petition language, says Rob Coffman, Genesee County elections director, ‘Failure to schedule an election for the disincorporation of the village charter of the Village of Goodrich when requested to do so?’plus a 200-word statement of justification written by each councilperson.
While the accuracy of petition statements is never investigated by the court, the elections commission is required to make sure statements are clearly worded, says Coffman.
Goodrich residents will vote this month whether to recall village council president Keith Walworth, president pro tem Adam Kline, and councilpersons Angela Adamec, Mike Glynn, and Jayme Simmonds.
Council members, all residents of the Village of Goodrich, are compensated approximately $800 per year for serving on the council.
If councilpersons are recalled, another election will be held May 3, 2005 to fill any council vacancies.
If a minimum of three councilpersons remain after the recall election, the remaining council will appoint new members to serve until the May election, Coffman said.
If as few as two councilpersons remain, the Genesee County elections office will appoint interim council members not ‘active on either side of the recall,? based on applications submitted, and interviews.
If no applications are received, the elections office will call community members requesting them to ‘fill in to sign checks? until an election is held, Coffman said.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Goodrich United Methodist Church, located at 8071 S. State Road in Goodrich.