Candidates have until the end of business on Friday, October 24, giving them approximately two weeks to complete and return their questionnaires. Watershed Voice will publish the questionnaires in the order received the week before November's election.
If adopted, the ordinance would convert curbside recycling into a city utility, and the service would no longer be optional. Residents could pay an estimated $96 per year, up from the current $25 annual charge. City Manger Andrew Kuk noted the $96 figure is tentative, depending on whether the city were to enter into a one-year or three-year contract with Borden Waste Management Services.
When the item last appeared before the commission in September, Commissioner Chris Abel raised concerns about language in the ordinance that restricted residents of veterans group homes from participating in recreational activities anywhere other than the backyard. The amendment returned Tuesday for its public hearing and possible adoption.
Commissioners will hold a public hearing and likely vote on a zoning ordinance amendment allowing group housing for veterans in residential and business districts. The ordinance defines “Veterans Family Homes” and “Veterans Group Housing” by size (2-20 residents) and sets location and permit requirements. The measure, developed with input from the St. Joseph County Veterans Affairs Department, aims to expand housing options for local veterans.
As of Monday night the City of Kalamazoo had received 56 applications for its city manager position. The commission agreed by consensus to condense that list to four finalists.
The Sturgis City Commission will discuss a draft ordinance for continuing recycling services. Under the proposal, participation would be mandatory for all single-family homes, with the city or a contracted provider handling curbside collection. The fee amount would be set annually by the commission based on program costs and reviewed each year by city staff.
Zoning Administrator Douglas Kuhlman said Lockport Township is ultimately limited in whether it can allow or block Battery Energy Storage Systems projects. Kuhlman added that the township needs its own ordinance to simply retain any say in future development, and urged residents to contact their state lawmakers about the issue.
Despite the scope and impact of local offices and proposals, off-cycle elections typically draw limited participation. Cass County’s May and August contests, for instance, saw turnout of just 12 percent and 11 percent. Yet as Cass County Clerk Monica McMichael told Watershed Voice, these decisions matter. “I don’t think people realize how much power township boards and local entities have. They enforce zoning, they approve building permits, they can levy taxes. It has a huge effect on individuals,” she said.
Lawmakers already missed the July 1 deadline when the legislature is required to pass school aid funding, typically alongside a full budget.
This month’s meeting is drawing heightened attention as commissioners consider a proposed Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) text amendment. Some residents have raised safety and land use concerns about allowing large battery storage units alongside solar facilities, pointing to risks such as fire hazards and changes to rural character. Township officials, however, are urging residents to “slow down and know the facts,” according to a statement on the township’s website.
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