By Bruce Rolfe
The Charleston Township Board learned at its regular meeting December 16 a mediator has been selected by the City of Galesburg to review a months long disagreement between the City of Galesburg and the Charleston Township board.
The two sides have been in a disagreement over a monthly fee increase the City of Galesburg is asking the Charleston Township board to pay for its portion to rent the Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Station,
Vander Roest said a letter from the Galesburg City Council indicates the City’s attorney provided the names of Lee Silver with Butzel Long and Michael Brogan with Plunkett Cooney as mediator possibilities. The City was informed Silver is booked for months in advance, so the City would like to contact Brogan.
Vander Roest requested in an earlier letter the Charleston Township board be involved with the mediator selection.
Vander Roest said now that a suggested mediator has been named, he will request how the process moves forward. He wants to know if both boards will be attending the mediation sessions or will there be just representatives from each board participating with the mediator. The board also wondered if each board will have the opportunity to meet with the mediator before the mediation process starts.
The City of Galesburg requested in writing the Charleston Township Board pay for half the expense to hire a mediator, which the Charleston Township board unanimously approved.
The agreement states the participating municipalities involved in any dispute shall jointly select a single mediator who is empowered to take testimony and evidence the mediator deems appropriate.
The Charleston Township Board has struggled with the City of Galesburg’s request for a 38.2% increase in rent, which would take the monthly rent to approximately $1,900 a month. Two years ago the two sides arrived at a figure of $1,375 a month. The increase in rent would be an additional $6,300 over what the township previously paid the City.
The Charleston Township Board learned at the September 23 meeting the Fire Board already started paying the adjusted rate of $1,900 a month the City has asked Charleston Township to pay.
The township unanimously approved to direct the Fire Authority to only pay the $1,375 monthly expense since the new agreement for any increase in monthly rent has not been agreed on by both municipalities.
AGS Contacted Over Property On L Avenue
Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said he contacted AGS, the company the township uses for ordinance enforcement, to move forward with the process for an ordinance violation in the 14300 block of L Avenue Vander Roest said has not been corrected after the township sent a letter.
Vander Roest said a letter from the township dated October 14, informed the property owner the township would be visiting the site again in 30-60 days to determine if the property owner remediated the ordinance violations.
The letter alerted the property owner the violations need to be corrected within a time frame determined by AGS or AGS will issue a violation notice and the township board will move to the next phase of the process, which would be in court.
He said township ordinances require a living area be in a house. However he said it appears someone is living in a small trailer in the front of the house and there may be someone living in the back of the house as well.
The board was also concerned there is no electricity at the site.
The Supervisor said he’s concerned about the safety and welfare of the people residing on the property and the overall condition of the property he felt needed to be cleaned up.
Township Board Rescinds Speedway Vote To Hire Independent Engineer
After authorizing AGS, the company the township board uses for ordinance enforcement, to obtain a quote from a structural engineer to provide live and dead load calculations on the tower (press box) at the Galesburg Speedway at the November 25 meeting, the township board unanimously approved rescinding the November vote.
The board discussed paying for the structural engineer at the November meeting
The estimate of $2800 came in higher then expected and the board decided paying for part of a process that is normally paid for by an applicant sets a bad precedent.
Vander Roest said he will ask the township attorney to move forward with the contempt order, however the township will not be paying for the engineer costs.
Vander Roest said the township attorney can ask for recovery costs the township will absorb during the contempt process.
Bert Gale, of Associated Government Services said the entire floor in the Speedway press box, has been replaced.
Gale said the plans he received from an engineer hired by Speedway owners Thomas A. McGhee and Tammy McGhee. lacks calculations for live and dead load for the floor, preventing him from issuing a building permit on the press box.
Gale said because a Commercial Building Permit was not issued for the work done to the press box, a Certificate of Use and Occupancy was not issued for the press box during the recently completed racing season at the speedway.
Water And Sewer Rates Adopted
The Charleston Township Board unanimously approved new water and sewer rates.
The water rate will remain the same at $9.25 per 1000 gallons and the Readiness To Serve water charge increase will be $100 a month, moving from $400 to $500 a month.
The sewer rates will be increased from $120 to $126 a quarter (5% increase).
Vander Roest said the City of Kalamazoo is increasing the township’s cost for sewer treatment by 15%.
The Readiness To Serve increase will generate an additional $1200 from each water customer.
Revenue from the Readiness To Serve fee is used to offset costly maintenance projects performed in the water department like water tower painting estimated over $105,000 and an estimated $5000 for a corrosion replacement.
Letters about the proposed sewer and water rate adjustments to 83 sewer customers and two water customers that supply water for approximately 1000 people were sent to the customers. No communication was received back about the proposed water and sewer rate adjustments.
The township provides water to the Target Distribution Center and Eaton Corp.
2026 Road Projects Considered
Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest reviewed a list of potential road projects the board can consider for 2026.
He said the township will have to pay for the remaining work that will be performed on North 38th Street, he said would be approximately $99,000. A Portion of the township’s PAR money will help pay for the project.
Vander Roest said the shoulders between Climax Drive and East Michigan Avenue need to be graded, which will be paid for by the County Road Commission.
He said L Avenue needs crack fill maintenance and Climax Drive may need crack fill maintenance.
Also on L Avenue near 40th Street a man hole cover is caving in.
Vander Roest noted there are three roads the township will consider turning into gravel - the east and west side of 46th Street off Mercury Drive, and the remaining paved portion of East MN Avenue west of 46th Street to the intersection of MN and Mercury Drive.
Committee Appointments Approved
The Township board unanimously approved several committee appointment renewals.
They include:
• A three-year appointment for Tim Vosburg as Planning Commission Chair.
• Miranda Bishop for a three-year term on the Planning Commission.
• Don Kramer for a 3-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
There is one position still open for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• Josh Balkema to a 3-year term on the Fire Board when his term as a township board member expires.
• Kimberly Shafer as a member of the Galesburg-Charleston Township Library board.
The library board still needs two members from the City of Galesburg.
• Brian Moravek to a three-year term when his term expires in 2028 as the Fence Viewer.
In other business approved at the December 16 meeting:
• The township board approved Ordinance #138 for recycling by a 4-1 margin (Kim Balkema voted no). The ordinance requires a resident who has garbage service in the township include recycling. The cost to the township is $187 a year.
• The township board unanimously approved the contract with Prein & Newhof for a land survey for $2,225 at the Target Distribution Center.
Vander Roest said for some reason a small piece of land measuring approximately 65’ x 71’ the township has water system equipment on, wasn’t separated out in 2000 when Target purchased the property near the lift station.
The Township Supervisor met with Target officials about obtaining the small amount of land. The agreement would be a quit claim deed.
There would be no cost for the land however the township agreed to pay for land survey costs.
The Charleston Township Board learned at its regular meeting December 16 a mediator has been selected by the City of Galesburg to review a months long disagreement between the City of Galesburg and the Charleston Township board.
The two sides have been in a disagreement over a monthly fee increase the City of Galesburg is asking the Charleston Township board to pay for its portion to rent the Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Station,
Vander Roest said a letter from the Galesburg City Council indicates the City’s attorney provided the names of Lee Silver with Butzel Long and Michael Brogan with Plunkett Cooney as mediator possibilities. The City was informed Silver is booked for months in advance, so the City would like to contact Brogan.
Vander Roest requested in an earlier letter the Charleston Township board be involved with the mediator selection.
Vander Roest said now that a suggested mediator has been named, he will request how the process moves forward. He wants to know if both boards will be attending the mediation sessions or will there be just representatives from each board participating with the mediator. The board also wondered if each board will have the opportunity to meet with the mediator before the mediation process starts.
The City of Galesburg requested in writing the Charleston Township Board pay for half the expense to hire a mediator, which the Charleston Township board unanimously approved.
The agreement states the participating municipalities involved in any dispute shall jointly select a single mediator who is empowered to take testimony and evidence the mediator deems appropriate.
The Charleston Township Board has struggled with the City of Galesburg’s request for a 38.2% increase in rent, which would take the monthly rent to approximately $1,900 a month. Two years ago the two sides arrived at a figure of $1,375 a month. The increase in rent would be an additional $6,300 over what the township previously paid the City.
The Charleston Township Board learned at the September 23 meeting the Fire Board already started paying the adjusted rate of $1,900 a month the City has asked Charleston Township to pay.
The township unanimously approved to direct the Fire Authority to only pay the $1,375 monthly expense since the new agreement for any increase in monthly rent has not been agreed on by both municipalities.
AGS Contacted Over Property On L Avenue
Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said he contacted AGS, the company the township uses for ordinance enforcement, to move forward with the process for an ordinance violation in the 14300 block of L Avenue Vander Roest said has not been corrected after the township sent a letter.
Vander Roest said a letter from the township dated October 14, informed the property owner the township would be visiting the site again in 30-60 days to determine if the property owner remediated the ordinance violations.
The letter alerted the property owner the violations need to be corrected within a time frame determined by AGS or AGS will issue a violation notice and the township board will move to the next phase of the process, which would be in court.
He said township ordinances require a living area be in a house. However he said it appears someone is living in a small trailer in the front of the house and there may be someone living in the back of the house as well.
The board was also concerned there is no electricity at the site.
The Supervisor said he’s concerned about the safety and welfare of the people residing on the property and the overall condition of the property he felt needed to be cleaned up.
Township Board Rescinds Speedway Vote To Hire Independent Engineer
After authorizing AGS, the company the township board uses for ordinance enforcement, to obtain a quote from a structural engineer to provide live and dead load calculations on the tower (press box) at the Galesburg Speedway at the November 25 meeting, the township board unanimously approved rescinding the November vote.
The board discussed paying for the structural engineer at the November meeting
The estimate of $2800 came in higher then expected and the board decided paying for part of a process that is normally paid for by an applicant sets a bad precedent.
Vander Roest said he will ask the township attorney to move forward with the contempt order, however the township will not be paying for the engineer costs.
Vander Roest said the township attorney can ask for recovery costs the township will absorb during the contempt process.
Bert Gale, of Associated Government Services said the entire floor in the Speedway press box, has been replaced.
Gale said the plans he received from an engineer hired by Speedway owners Thomas A. McGhee and Tammy McGhee. lacks calculations for live and dead load for the floor, preventing him from issuing a building permit on the press box.
Gale said because a Commercial Building Permit was not issued for the work done to the press box, a Certificate of Use and Occupancy was not issued for the press box during the recently completed racing season at the speedway.
Water And Sewer Rates Adopted
The Charleston Township Board unanimously approved new water and sewer rates.
The water rate will remain the same at $9.25 per 1000 gallons and the Readiness To Serve water charge increase will be $100 a month, moving from $400 to $500 a month.
The sewer rates will be increased from $120 to $126 a quarter (5% increase).
Vander Roest said the City of Kalamazoo is increasing the township’s cost for sewer treatment by 15%.
The Readiness To Serve increase will generate an additional $1200 from each water customer.
Revenue from the Readiness To Serve fee is used to offset costly maintenance projects performed in the water department like water tower painting estimated over $105,000 and an estimated $5000 for a corrosion replacement.
Letters about the proposed sewer and water rate adjustments to 83 sewer customers and two water customers that supply water for approximately 1000 people were sent to the customers. No communication was received back about the proposed water and sewer rate adjustments.
The township provides water to the Target Distribution Center and Eaton Corp.
2026 Road Projects Considered
Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest reviewed a list of potential road projects the board can consider for 2026.
He said the township will have to pay for the remaining work that will be performed on North 38th Street, he said would be approximately $99,000. A Portion of the township’s PAR money will help pay for the project.
Vander Roest said the shoulders between Climax Drive and East Michigan Avenue need to be graded, which will be paid for by the County Road Commission.
He said L Avenue needs crack fill maintenance and Climax Drive may need crack fill maintenance.
Also on L Avenue near 40th Street a man hole cover is caving in.
Vander Roest noted there are three roads the township will consider turning into gravel - the east and west side of 46th Street off Mercury Drive, and the remaining paved portion of East MN Avenue west of 46th Street to the intersection of MN and Mercury Drive.
Committee Appointments Approved
The Township board unanimously approved several committee appointment renewals.
They include:
• A three-year appointment for Tim Vosburg as Planning Commission Chair.
• Miranda Bishop for a three-year term on the Planning Commission.
• Don Kramer for a 3-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
There is one position still open for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• Josh Balkema to a 3-year term on the Fire Board when his term as a township board member expires.
• Kimberly Shafer as a member of the Galesburg-Charleston Township Library board.
The library board still needs two members from the City of Galesburg.
• Brian Moravek to a three-year term when his term expires in 2028 as the Fence Viewer.
In other business approved at the December 16 meeting:
• The township board approved Ordinance #138 for recycling by a 4-1 margin (Kim Balkema voted no). The ordinance requires a resident who has garbage service in the township include recycling. The cost to the township is $187 a year.
• The township board unanimously approved the contract with Prein & Newhof for a land survey for $2,225 at the Target Distribution Center.
Vander Roest said for some reason a small piece of land measuring approximately 65’ x 71’ the township has water system equipment on, wasn’t separated out in 2000 when Target purchased the property near the lift station.
The Township Supervisor met with Target officials about obtaining the small amount of land. The agreement would be a quit claim deed.
There would be no cost for the land however the township agreed to pay for land survey costs.
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