VBT Board wants to know what police are doing about armed robberies

Van Buren Township Trustee Brenda McClanahan asked what police are doing about the recent armed robberies and a shooting incident that occurred in the township recently.
At the end of the township board meeting on March 15, Trustee McClanahan said people in her neighborhood have been asking about the serious crimes.
On the front page of the March 10 issue of the Independent, VBT police reported three armed robberies, one unarmed robbery, and an incident with multiple shots fired at a man on March 1-6.
Supervisor Linda Combs said she would talk to Public Safety Director Greg Laurain and report back at the next meeting.
Trustee Reggie Miller said in three areas the people were armed.
“We need all our eyes and ears open,” Trustee Miller said.
In other business at the 20-minute March 15 meeting, the board:
• Approved the second reading and final adoption of six ordinances as recommended by the public safety department, concerning controlled substances, telecommunications, burglar’s tools, Super Drunk status, and driving a boat while intoxicated. Supervisor Linda Combs said they failed to take a roll call vote on the first reading and so they were sure to make this vote by roll call;
• Approved the amended 2016 Planning Fee Schedule with an effective date of Jan. 1, reducing some of the fees retroactively. Trustee Jeff Jahr had voiced concerns about the high cost to go before the Board of Zoning Appeals for relief. He praised Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, for comparing VBT rates with nearby communities and finding VBT was too high;
• Adopted the 2015 Planning Commission Annual Report prepared by Akers as required by the Michigan Planning Enabling Act;
• Approved the appointment of Victor DeLibera and reappointment of Joe Baskin to the Downtown Development Authority with terms to expire March 9, 2020. This is Baskin’s second term on the DDA as a business owner. Ed Miller asked not to be reappointed and so DeLibera will take his place, serving as a resident representative. DeLibera had previously served on the DDA and then moved from the community. He has returned to VBT and will be returning to the DDA, as well;
• Held moments of silence to honor the memories of Jere Dolph, who served on the DDA since the beginning until his stroke a year ago, and Bill Budd, husband of Treasurer Sharry Budd, who didn’t serve on any boards or commissions, but was “a heck of a good resident,” in the words of Supervisor Combs;
• Heard Treasurer Budd thank everyone who said kind words after the passing of her husband and thanked the workers in her office for their work over two hard weeks;
• Learned Clerk Leon Wright has been selected as a candidate for the 2016 Michigan Clerk of the Year award and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks will be voting soon.; and
• Heard Clerk Wright say there will an election for those in the Lincoln Consolidated School District on May 2. Only precinct 10 will be voting.