SL Township to hear about audit, land purchase

Sat, Nov 7, 2009    to del.icio.us

SPRING LAKE TOWNSHIP — The Township Board will hear its 2008-2009 auditors report on Monday night.

The regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Township Hall, 106 S. Buchanan St.

Auditor Dan Veldhuizen of Kalamazoo-based Siegfried-Crandall will present the final numbers.

Township Manager Gordon Gallagher said he has met with Veldhuizen and thinks the board will be pleased with the report.

"I think, generally speaking, our audit is what would be referred to as a clean audit," Gallagher said. "Our financial position has improved from last year to this year. These are challenging times, no question, but we budgeted accordingly — for lower state shared revenue and some reduction in our millage. Things we had anticipated are things that have been happening."

The board also will discuss the potential purchase of 7.5 acres of industrial land at the end of 150th Avenue, south of M-104. The board previously approved a purchase agreement for $240,000, with $140,000 down and two payments of $50,000 over two years with no interest.

Gallagher said if the board follows through on the purchase, the plan would be to bring water and sewer to the property tand divide it into multiple smaller industrial parcels for resale.

"The idea would be to provide for small industry," said Gallagher. "We could potentially sell the land at a discount because it really is about job creation and tax base growth. It's something that would happen over time. The board will decide if they're ready to move ahead with the final purchase."

Also on Monday, the board will discuss online bill paying fees and the purchse of a hand-held water meter reading device.