Fife Lake Township

Please read this notice from Deputy Roelofs:

Do you own a home in Fife Lake Township or in Fife Lake Village?  Are you a seasonal resident?  If you answered yes to both questions and would like me to keep an eye on your place while you are basking in the sunshine for winter, then stop by the township office at 134 Morgan Street, Fife Lake.  Fill our a property check request and I can keep an eye on your place while you are gone.  Please keep in mind, I do not have a snowmobile or even snowshoes, so if you live on a seasonal road or you have a driveway that is extremely long, I will keep an eye on your place from a distance.  Fill out the sheet in it's entirety and I will stop by every couple of weeks.  Any questions about this service, feel free to give me a call at 879-5302.  

Deputy Jason Roelofs

Grand Travere County Sheriff's Office

851 Woodmere Avenue

Travere City, MI  49686

231-995-5000

______________________________________________________________________________________________

March 23, 2017

FIFE LAKE TOWNSHIP:

  At the March 23, 2017 meeting, the Fife Lake Township Board unanimously made a decision to leave Grand Traverse Rural Fire at the end of 2017.  This decision hinged on our ability to remain as a GTRF member and receive adequate fire safety; or if we would be able to do this on our own with better results. 

  This is a decision that our board took very seriously on behalf of our citizens.  Our fire millage is “for the purpose of providing funds for fire protection.”  Most of the fire safety funds collected each year have paid Fife Lake Township’s share of the Grand Traverse Rural Fire budget, which in 2017 is $55,046 , while our millage collects $58,000 a year.

  This decision allows us to start the legal process to leave GTRF.  This will begin with a letter of intent to withdraw, which will be given to GTRF at their next meeting.  The process will include adopting a resolution and presenting it to GTRF before June 30, 2017.  This resolution will notify GTRF that we will officially leave GTRF on December 31, 2017.

  Let it be known that it is our intention to continue working with our adjacent neighbors in a professional, cooperative manner for Fire Safety today and into the future. This will be done through mutual aid agreements signed by both parties. 

  Our township historically has had strong fire protection backup from Garfield and Boardman townships in Kalkaska County.  We have been assured by their fire chiefs that this relationship will continue.  At the same time, once we officially leave GTRF, we hope to work with the remaining units of GTRF, as they are also our neighbors.

  Let it further be known that our Emergency Medical Services (ambulance) will continue to cooperate with our neighbors in a professional manner.  We are fortunate to have a full time staff here in our EMS building which enables them to respond in a timely fashion when an emergency call comes in.

  Fife Lake Township Supervisor, Linda Forwerck

  Fire Advisory Committee Chairman, Roger Gibson

  EMS Director, Robert Melancon

_______________________________________________________

Fife Lake Township and Fife Lake Village were awarded a Grand Traverse Band 2% grant in the amount of $22,681 for a joint sidewalk project.  This will provide a safe walkway to three major businesses on the north end of the community, and parallel the ideals of the designated "Trails Town."  This grant, with local matches from the village and township, will build a sidewalk on Boyd Street from the Methodist Church to Van's Lane.

Fife Lake Emergency Management Services was awarded a 2% grant in the amount of $19,058.23 for a combination tool that will be used to extricate patients from vehicles involved in traffic collisions where access to the patient needs to be made by forcing open a door.

Miigwetch to the Grand Traverse Band for their generosity with these much needed safety improvements for our citizens.

 

             

Public Access project was put on hold until the elections were over simply because the election took up a great deal of time for Clerk Terry Street.  As you may recollect, Terry was very instrumental in writing and implementing this grant.  In December follow up on this project will take place.  Our hope is to continue working with the DNR which will save us approximately $20,000.  We will continue to work with Denny Meyer and the committee to move this project forward.

Fife Lake Township Hall 231-879-3963, 134 Morgan Street, Fife Lake, MI 49633

Office Hours Monday,Tuesday,Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,Wednesday Noon to 5:00 p.m.

Supervisor Linda Forwerck     231-631-1750         Deputy Mike Hornacek                 231-879-5302

Deputy Supervisor Fred Joles                               Zon Admin  Kevin McElyea           231-645-1113

Clerk Terry Street                 231-263-0056         Assessor Dawn Kuhns                  231-409-1827

Deputy Clerk Leigh Gifford                                   Sexton John Kelley                     231-384-2820

Treasurer Cathy Sorrow         231-879-4656         EMS Director Rob Melacon           231-879-4009

Deputy Treasurer Char LaFeve                             Fire Captain Kyle Bonter              231-879-4009

Deputy Treasurer Sandra Wilton                           Sewer/FLAUA                              231-879-3565

Trustee Elizabeth Pearson                                    Library                                        231-879-4101

Trustee Dawn Zimmerman                                   Fife Lake Village                           231-879-4291

Fife Lake Township Board will be appointing committee members to our various boards.  If you are interested in serving your township, please fill out an application at the township office. 

Wishng All of You Happy Holidays and a Good Year in 2017

 

Local Election Results 11-8-2016  *winners

Fife Lake Village:

                President                                            *Dave McGough                 115

                                                                           Lisa Leedy                         89

                Treasurer                                            *Valerie L. Housour            141

                Trustees/4 year                                   *Marilyn Hayes                  123

                                                                          *Mary Kelley                       88

                                                                            Cora Wilson                      80

                Trustee/2 year                                     *Michael Tornow               120

Trustee/Partial Term                                *Marjorie Menzies             117

*Note clerk is an appointed position

 

Fife Lake Township:

                Supervisor                                         *Linda Forwerck                 602

                Clerk                                                 *Terry Street                     623

                Treasurer                                           *Cathy L. Sorrow               644

                Trustees                                             *Dawn Zimmerman           535

                                                                          *Elizabeth Pearson            472

                                                                           Joe Jones                        253        

 

Library Board

                Director                                              *Noreen Broering              403

                Director                                              *Joyce G. Frewald              323

                Director                                              *Jo Ellen Simpson              303

                Director                                               *Patricia S. Warner           317

 

Forest Area Community Schools

                Board Member                                     *Joanna Durfee                  260

                Board Member                                     *Ricky Hulwick                   282

                Board Member                                     *Steve Kniss                      269

*Note these are votes for Fife Lake Township only, not entire school district

 

Grand Traverse County Proposals:

PASSED - Local Streets, Roads, Highways, and Bridges Repair and Improvement Millage Renewal Proposal – 1 mill for four years (2016-2019)

PASSED – Veterans Affairs Millage - .12 increase for six years (2016-2021)

 

Please drive carefully on all our roads, but especially on Van's Lane.  We have many pedestrians who walk on these roads and some have encountered careless drivers who are going way too fast.  Please respect our pedestrians!!

 

Supervisor’s Review
November 3, 2016

 

Our 2015/2016 audit has just been completed. Fife Lake Township came in under budget by $37,992. A portion of this was allocated for election equipment and road funds that were not completely used. We are pleased that this increase will allow the board to utilize some of these funds as needed for possible debt load reduction, or other expenses.

 

A few explanations that go with the past four years this township board was in office include some clarification regarding:

Cemeteries: When the former board was in office (2008 to 2012), a cemetery sexton was hired. This was based on a recommendation from the cemetery committee who felt contracting out for cemetery maintenance had simply not worked. The cemetery committee asked for a yearly budget of $25,000 which included monies for equipment, supplies such as fuel, sexton wages and wages for a part time helper as needed. In the past four budget years, there has always been a healthy surplus in the cemetery budgets. Those remaining surpluses were transferred to other budgets to cover additional expenses.

Projects Completed during current board terms (2013-2016)
1. Refurbished office equipment was purchased for our meeting hall and offices.
2. The emergency services training room was finished with a bathroom, central heating and cooling systems, plus tile and carpet was installed on the floors.
3. Our ambulance and fire bays were cleaned and epoxy was put on the floors. The steel that matches the building additions was placed on the original fire barn, and the parking lot was repaired and top coated. Overhead door repairs were made.
4. Town Line Road project was completed in cooperation with Paradise Township and the GTC Road Commission.
5. Fife Lake Road was upgraded as part of the GTC Road Commission millage.
6. The Evergreen Street drainage issue was engineered and repaired.
7. Walton and Fife Lake cemeteries have had many improvements.
8. $52,000 extra was paid on the principal of the $200,000 USDA loan that was taken out in 2008 to pay for the ambulance/training room addition and the remodeling to our buildings. This reduced twelve years from our amortization schedule. Our current balance is $114,000.
Fortunately we were able to complete these projects without incurring any new debt.

 

Clerk Houts retired in December 2014 after serving our township for many years. The board appointed Terry Street as her replacement.

 

A thank you to Trustees Lori Ann Rognlie and Joanne Ogur for their terms of office on our board. They made personal decisions not to run again.

 

Tax statements will soon be sent out. Those of you who are in the Special Assessment District (SAD) will not be assessed for Milfoil treatment on this December tax statement.

 

On the projected list of 2017-2022 millage funded road projects are Lakeshore Drive from U.S.131 to Grand Kal Road plus Walton Road from M-113 to Town Line Road.  These two road projects may need a local match and depend on the millage request outcome.

 

Linda Forwerck

 

Fife Lake Township extends our profound sympathy to the Fisher and Stevens families who lost their seventeen year old daughters, Haley and Aubrey, in a tragic accident at the intersection of U.S.131 and M-186.

 

We had a successful meeting at the American Legion on the U.S.131 and M-186 intersection.  MDOT presented their plans for fall of 2018 to make major lane improvements and the installation of a full traffice light.  We thank MDOT, the American Legion and our guests and citizens who made this a positive event for our community.

 

Fife Lake Township Board did hire a ZONING ADMINISTRATOR on October 4, 2016 at a special board meeting.  We had fourteen applicants for this position, six of the fourteen were interviewed.  While we had many good applicants, Kevin McElyea was picked for this position. He brings a wealth of knowledge on Grand Traverse County, the land division act along with a variety of skills needed for this position.  Kevin begins his new duties Monday, October 10th. Fife Lake Townhsip thanks everyone who applied for this position.  His office hours are Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Fife Lake Township Supervisor’s Report – September 20, 2016 – Linda Forwerck

Pugsley Correctional Facility: 

I attended  the tour of Pugsley Friday, 9-23-16.  State and local agencies plus our state representatives were in attendance.   This is a facility with it’s own water and sewer systems, natural gas, administration & office areas, kitchen, library & education area, gymnasium, chapel, warehouse, shooting range, building trades area, etc. and could sleeping areas in three buildings which did house 1300 prisoners.  The State is putting this property on the market and might consider a lease.  This is close to State highways and easily accessible to Traverse City, Cadillac and Kalkaska plus about 50 miles to I-75.

Cass Street Bridge:

I did attend the ribbon cutting ceremony on 9-21-16.  The old bridge is still in place over the dam, but the portion west of that has been replaced.  The river will be diverted to flow under this portion of the project which has been determined to be the original Boardman River flow channel.  Once the water has been diverted, the rest of the bridge will be completed.  Traffic can now cross here.

US 131 & M 186 petition – town hall meeting

We are in the process of scheduling an October town hall meeting with various state and county agencies including Senator Schmidt and Representative Inman, MDOT, safety agencies, and attorney Tim Smith.  Of course, our first responders from Fire Station 6 and EMS will be a part of this.  We do thank them for all they do in difficult situations.  We are exploring the American Legion Hall for this meeting with a possible meeting date of October 15, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.  We will confirm this date ASAP.   Many petitions have been signed and collected., if you have signed petitions, they can be dropped off at the township hall.  Note: Meeting to be held October 14th at 5:00 p.m.

Townline Road - thank you to GTCRC and Paradise Township

This project has been completed and it is beautiful.  The GTC Road Commission Chairman Carl Brown, stated he is lobbying to have the remaining southern two miles also brought into a better condition, so then the  entire road is complete.  This was a cooperative project between the GTCRC, Paradise Township and Fife Lake Township.  The GTCRC paid for the culvert work ($65,000), therefore the remaining cost  became a three split in the round figure of $80,000 each.  Fife Lake paid our first installment in June from the 2015/2016 budget and we have the next installment in our current budget.

Evergreen Street

This project has been completed and is working very well.  Gourdie Fraser Engineer Brian Boals was our engineer on this project.  We met on site with Brian recently to evaluate how the project looked according to his engineering and how effective it is.  He was very satisfied with the project outcome and will be contacting GTC Soil Erosion.  This was a requirement of GTC Soil Erosion before they issue their stamp of approval on our permit.  We thank John Kelley for his hard work and perseverance on this project .

Lakeshore Drive

We know many lakeshore residents and all of we citizens who travel this road are wondering when we will be able to upgrade the road.  I have contacted the GTCRC engineer and staff to find cost sharing percentages for different types of upgrades/repairs to this and Grand Kal Road by the lake.  I will share that information as soon as I have gathered it.

Grand Kal Road south of Lakeshore Drive

This has not been taken off the burner.   We had cost sharing figures a few years ago, but it was the action of the township board not to move ahead with the project.  Also, there has been discussion of paving a portion of Grand Kal in front of Cedar Ridge development on Pickeral Lake.  Thi would probably be done by special assessment.

A committee of citizens who live on various roads will be formed to study road repairs, costs, etc. This will take place after the November 8^th election so new trustees can participate in any decisions that are made.  I have already talked to some of these citizens and I am aware they are anxious to get started!

Road Signs  are planned for our private roads, especially in the Walton area.  This will not only guide citizens, but more importantly our emergency crews.

Address signs/First Aid Kits:

If you do not have an address sign at you place of residence, it is very difficult for our emergency responders to answer calls.  Please contact EMS at 879-4009 to order a sign at the cost of $20. They also have first aid kits at two prices of $10 and $20.

Milfoil:

Fife Lake and Springfield Townships just went through the five year assessment renewal process.  During this process, we were informed we could not have a Milfoil fund balance, therefore this year on your December 2016 tax bill the milfoil special assessment will not be collected.  Once again we thank Fred, Archie and John for their due diligence monitoring the lake and overseeing the annual  Savin Services treatment of our lake.

Public Access: 

This has been put on hold until we receive further information from the DNR. 

Lot 82 – Lakeshore Drive:

A title search is currently being done on this property

Fife Lake and Walton Cemeteries:

Improvements continue at our cemeteries.  The myrtle has been transplanted on the west front area (hilly) of Fife Lake cemetery.  Compost is being spread on the east side which has improved the grass.  This is a continuing process.  Markers have been staked by volunteers Lisa Plamondon and Cecil.  Lisa has taken pictures of all grave stones and research many of our cemetery records  Thank you to Lisa and Cecil for their volunteer work.  Within this year’s budget we will be imaging both cemeteries which will tell us where actual burials have taken place.  Many of these are not in marked gravesites.  The flag poles will be put in place this year.  We thank FAFCU and the American Legion Post 219 for their grant/donation to make this happen. We always want to signify our great country & honor our veterans.

Zoning Administrator:

We have advertised for a new zoning administrator, but interviews have not taken place at this time.  In the interim, please contact our office for zoning information. 

FLAUA (sewer authority):

The project continues and hopefully will be completed in early 2017.  Please contact Ray Ravery, Compliance Officer, at 231-879-3565 for questions on this project.  Weekly postings are on our front window at the township.  Current Fife Lake Township representatives are Linda Forwerck, Leigh Ann Gifford, Jim Gifford.  A proposal has been made to have the FLAUA employees become village employees under the management of the village, this is in discussion only at this time..

Grand Traverse Rural Fire:

The GT Rural Fire consultants will be meeting with our individual board members to learn their views of Rural Fire.  This will take place on October 11, 2016.

November 8, 2016 Election:

This is a big election year, from Presidential, Congressman, State representatives, Township and Village, plus millages for GTC.  Be sure to get out and vote if you are able.  For more election information and absentee ballots, contact Clerk Street at 231-879-3963. 

Fife Lake Township Trustees Joanne Ogur and Lori Ann Rognlie have not petitioned to run again.  We have three candidates for two trustee positions – they are Dawn Zimmerman, Joe Jones and Elizabeth Pearson.  Dawn currently serves on the Board of Review, Joe currently chairs the Planning Commission, and Elizabeth works at FAFCU.  Officers Forwerck, Street and Sorrow are running again and are currently unopposed.

Fife Lake Township budget was adopted in June and we strive to stretch our dollars to continue doing business, but also to make improvements where financially feasible.

 

*********************************

 

A great big thank you to Hayes Manufacturing:

Hayes Manufacturing volunteered three of their employees plus two of the owners to plant myrtle in the Fife Lake Cemetery.  They did an amazing job working with Sexton Kelley.  Luckily we were able to transplant the myrtle from the west bank of the cemetery, this saved a great deal of money The myrtle has been placed in the west end of the cemetery on a bank where we could not grow grass.  This will stabilize and beautify the bank.  Pictures are to follow soon.

Go to our cemetery page for pictures and more information on cemetery volunteers and projects.

 

  

 * Grand Traverse County needs your help keeping our roadsides clean! Groups enroll for a two-year membership and perform three trash pickups per year along a two-mile section of county road.  An annual safety meeting among volunteers is required.  The Road Commission provides two recognition signs, trash bags, vests and trash pickup when your route is complete.  Best of all…there is no charge for groups to participate in this program! Visit the Grand Traverse County Road Commission website for more information or to view routes open in your township.  http://www.gtcrc.org/General/Adopt-A-Road.htm.

 

We also have a picture of the Forest Area Federal Credit Union presenting their $800 grant to Fife Lake Township here.

 

Public Notice:

• Please take future notice that Fife Lake will provide auxiliary aids or services to individual(s) with disabilities.  Persons needing such services should contact the offices of the township clerk by writing or calling the clerk, not less than five (5) days prior to the hearing.
• Fife Lake Township Hall
  124 Morgan Street
  Fife Lake, Michigan 49633
  231.879.3963

Fife Lake Township shall update news and events as needed to help keep the public informed of the activities within the township during each month. Check here for the latest news and events. If you care to place information about a public activity in this space on our web site, feel free to contact Supervisor Forwerck at 231 631-1750 or Clerk Street at 231 879-3963 to have your activity date/dates announced.

 

Please stop in the Township Hall and see the mural of historic Fife Lake. Click the picture below to get a glimpse of what our town looked like in the past. Or, click here to download a higher resolution version (File size appr. 40MB. Those on slower or metered connections may wish to view the smaller version). 

We continue to get compliments on our Historic Collage in the meeting room.  If you have not seen this, please stop by to look at it.  Many businesses and pioneers of Fife Lake are depicted in this collage.

The township incorporates the waters of Fife Lake, on the south and west side of the village of Fife Lake. The township lies in the southeast corner of Grand Traverse County with Grand Traverse County being in the Northwest corner of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The waters of Fife Lake run over the county line with only a small portion of it on the east end of the lake being in Kalkaska County. In fact, the SE corner of Fife Lake Township is the SE corner of Grand Traverse County and lies adjacent to the adjoining counties of Kalkaska to the east, Missaukee to the southeast and Wexford to the south.

The area of Fife Lake Township encompasses 36 square miles of which 34.4 sq. miles is land and 1.6 sq. miles is water. The body of water known as Fife Lake is approximately one and a half miles in diameter. It is a beautiful body of water containing two islands, one with a home and the other a private campsite. Pickerel, bass, walleye and other fish are found in great numbers within the lake.

Within the township are found the Village of Fife Lake which was incorporated in 1889 near the intersection of Highway 131 and M-186; an unincorporated community known as Walton Junction so named after the junction of two railroad lines in that area near the intersection of M-113 and Highway 131. Camp Pugsley, a state correctional facility lies in the southwest corner of the township along Walton Road. Also within the township are several large tracts of state forest land providing the area with many recreational opportunities in all four seasons from skiing & ice fishing to swimming and hiking. The local economy is dependent mostly on recreational activities. The area would be considered rural Michigan with a 2000 census population of 1,547 residents within the township.

There are limited manufacturing facilities in the industrial park area just northwest of the Village of Fife Lake. Within the industrial park area is Hayes Manufacturing, Inc. and Cintas Corp. providing additional employment opportunities.

The township owns and operates two cemeteries. Fife Lake cemetery is located within the boundaries of the Village of Fife Lake, but is owned and operated by the township. The second cemetery is near Walton on Elliott Road. You may find specific information on the cemeteries by clicking on the cemetery link.

Emergency services within the township are fire, ambulance and police. All three services respond via 911 emergency phone contacts. See their respective links for further information.

Forest Area Community School District, a consolidated district encompassing 120 sq. miles of land area within six different townships across two counties has an upper elementary school building with grades 3-4-5 located within the township of Fife Lake.

As part of the township and village you can find a variety of stores, shops, restaurants, churches, banking facilities and a local grocery store meeting the needs of local residents and visitors.

Fife Lake Township has paid and unpaid committee assignments that residents and interested citizens can make application for service as a member by notifying the Supervisor and/or the Clerk indicating your interest to serve as a committee member. An explanation of the type of work and schedule of meetings will be explained upon receipt of your call.

If you would like to download the application form, click here

Paid Service Work	Volunteer
Elections worker	Civic Center South
Planning Commission Member	Cemetery Planning
Zoning Board of Appeals
Board of Review Member