Supervisor’s deal with Wayne County shot down by trustees

Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara said Wayne County came to him with an offer to get Haggerty Road upgraded next year, but the township board has to accept the offer.
This was during the work/study session before the regular meeting on March 15.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said the work would be on Haggerty between Ecorse and Van Born with the road being made into three lanes for almost a mile with five lanes at Ecorse and five at Van Born. There would be a traffic signal half-way. He said water lines are also a part of the project.
Work on Haggerty was originally scheduled by the county for 2028, but it would be in 2023 if the township board agreed to the new deal.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $5,728,673.63 and VBT would have to commit to cover any overage up to 10% of the project cost, which amounts to $572,867.
Wayne County would be paying $4.3 million and Ashley Capital, which has huge developments in that area, is chipping in $1.4 million to hit the $5.7 million total.
“To get a third lane is valuable,” Supervisor McNamara told the reluctant trustees. “I don’t want to wait for this road … They possibly could reevaluate it and do it in 2025 … They won’t move forward for next year without a resolution of the board.”
“I don’t have a problem with the scope of the work – putting in a water main, a supply for the water department, three lanes, cement,” said Trustee Don Boynton. “I’m definitely against contributing any money for something that’s not ours. It’s the county’s road. Ashley Capital is contributing. I see other businesses will be affected by this. I see no reason to contribute at all. Ashley Capital owns the majority of lots on the west side of Haggerty Road … on the east side, businesses are also affected. I don’t like $580,000.”
McNamara said it’s not unusual for Van Buren Township to contribute to widening roads and Belleville Road and Ecorse Road were widened with contributions from the VBT Downtown Development Authority. He said the businesses along Haggerty would benefit, but they are huge corporations and it would take years to get the right guy at Coca-Cola to negotiate this.
Trustee Boynton said he knows the Coca-Cola vice president who goes to his church, “and he said I should tell him what I need.” Boynton said the board needs a little more time to look at this.
“$580,000 is a tough pill to swallow,” he said.
McNamara said they looked into a special assessment district but that would result in a $20,000 payment for seven residents.
“Could we exempt them?” he asked. “I don’t think so.”
Clerk Leon Wright said his subdivision’s homeowners’ association was waiting for the county to maintain its roads because residents believe they shouldn’t be paying for county roads. But if they don’t pay, they won’t get fixed, he said.
“We have the obligation to make decisions that sometimes are hard decisions,” Clerk Wright said. He said they are not even sure it would get done in 2028.
“Even if it’s a hard pill to swallow, our role is to take care of the residents … since we have the money to build it,” Wright said.
Trustee Kevin Martin said people come to the board to complain about roads and the board tells them they are county roads.
“Haggerty Road is a truck route,” Trustee Martin said. “I can’t believe they won’t pave before 2028… A couple of weeks ago I was there and couldn’t believe it …Ten percent of the entire project is ludicrous…”
“I believe what you said in concept, but this is an opportunity to get it done,” Wright said.
Trustee Miller said she came to the meeting with an open mind and no one disputes the road needs to be done. She said the homeowners’ association has to take care of county roads.
“To ask the township to pay $580,000?” she asked. “It’ll be more.”
After more discussion, McNamara said he sees a 3-3 split right now so he will take it off the agenda for the regular meeting that afternoon. Trustee Sherry Frazier was absent.
He said the county was going to start design work on the Haggerty project next week if the board approved it. He said a report on the horrible condition of the road was on Channel 7 and the county saw it.
“Wayne County does not want you to do this road,” McNamara said. “They want you to vote no because they’ll have to move the community they already agreed to do for next year.”
Treasurer Sharry Budd said Ashley Capital is willing to donate because they want to use the roadway, which is a major highway. “I don’t think we’ll get three lanes in the near future,” she said. “I think we need to look at this closer.
“I’m not going to give up,” McNamara said. “I’ve been working on it for two years.”
In other matters during the hour-long work-study session, the board discussed the amended sidewalk ordinance and multi-departmental budget amendments for the Amended 2022 Budget, which both were on the agenda of the regular meeting that immediately followed this session.