No more Secrets.
Dear Editor:
It concerns me greatly that the current Grant Township Board is running as one person. They have the same signs, in the same locations and they all vote the same way. They have not listed anything they have completed in the past four years – all they want to do is stay on the board and keep us in the dark.
Their exclusive club is threatened – so they respond with rumors that the challengers…. wait for it….. are running as a group! Yes, the very thing that they are so proud of doing to hide their lack of achievements – is what they are trying to smear on the other candidates. Incredible! What is the big secret? Why is the Grant Board afraid to run on their own individual qualities?
I looked for myself and yes, the Grant Township Board spent over $60,000 in legal fees for a document called an “Urban Cooperation Agreement” with the City of Clare. It has never been used – and they still claim it as a proud accomplishment. They voted for zoning (Bell voted for it 3 times over the years) and the Grant voters have voted by a 2 to 1 margin that they don’t want it. The board GAVE AWAY our tornado siren! I guess we don’t get tornados here anymore? The current board is out of touch and needs to go.
It is time to bring in some new individuals who are not afraid to use common sense and vote with their own head.
Signed,
John Fleming
First and foremost I would like to thank everyone who voted for me. Change is never a welcome process. Mr. Fleming, I would like to thank you for speaking your mind promoting common sense. I have nothing negative to speak about on the current board members in Grant Township although I do question some decisions. Speaking as a civilian/tax payer of Grant Township, I ponder why our Township doesn’t have an interactive website like most other Townships do? A website is a cheap and easy way to communicate to the civilians of your townships. You could probably find someone that would be willing to host it and design it for free. I have volunteered over one thousand hours in Clare County over the past 10 years to many agencies because I believe it’s a responsibility of mine. I am sure if you were to ask the current Grant Township Board you might get a response like, “if you want to know what’s going on then come to the meetings”, similar to an earlier letter to the editor where it was mentioned that I have only been to 2 out of 60 meetings. Please don’t be fooled. I have only been to 1 meeting and one neighborhood watch meeting so again we have folks saying things they think they know the facts on but really have no idea. Over the past few years the one thing I have learned is there are many people making decisions about things they know nothing about but think they do. How can you quote figures when you really guess or heard it from some secret meeting or someone who has heard something someplace else? Here is the problem. Simply put, if you’re not 100% sure of something don’t quote it because it will normally come back to bite you. The biggest thing I have learned in my life so far is you have to communicate properly and be able to do it without allowing emotions to take over. It’s easy to set back and shout out things you have never fully looked into before you make a personal decision with choosing a side. Too many people take sides without even trying to understand the other side. A “common sense” approach is to listen to everyone and then make a well thought out decision based on facts from both sides. Nobody likes being wrong but it happens and we have to accept it. Many times I have had a view on a topic and after listening to all sides have changed my mind, WHY, because it made sense and I am not afraid to say I may have been wrong. The current Grant Township Board I’m sure have made some good decisions but I believe it’s time for change to folks that want to communicate to the civilians of Grant Township without having to be asked to, again.. It makes sense. We have a wonderful Township here and can’t help to wonder why a decision was made to sell an early warning siren to the City of Clare for 1 dollar because they didn’t want to narrowband the siren at the cost of approx. 900 dollars. WHAT IS THE COST OF SAVING ONE LIFE? This siren covered the Five Lakes area along with other subdivisions where there are many homes and people. The City of Clare I believe plans on putting the siren up on hamburger hill were it is needed. I don’t blame the City for purchasing the siren from Grant Township for a tiny fee.
I am not looking for anything other than an answer from the current Grant Township Board?
Thank you,
Keith Yats – Civilian
Grant Township Tax Payer