Editorial: Ready or not, here comes 2018

There were lots of changes in 2017 — worldwide, nationwide, statewide, and locally. We’ll let the media with larger staffs take care of reporting outside the 48111 borders. We’ll take care of 48111.
We’ve reported to you what has happened, week by week, in the Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter areas. What are we looking forward to in 2018 in our area?
• Van Buren Township will decide whether to lower Belleville Lake in 2019, as proposed. How much shoreline will be revealed, so lakeside property owners can fix their docks and seawalls? How long will the water be down? Will anything collapse and fall into the lake? That’s to be determined.
• In the City of Belleville a decision may be made on what to do about the fire department. We’re sure whatever special committee is set up will give a recommendation to do what Mayor Kerreen Conley and VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara wanted to do from the beginning: Disband the city fire department and let the township fire department cover fire and first-responder medical service in the city. Talk is that the city police department is not far behind in being dismantled.
• In Sumpter, the looming question is whether to opt in or opt out of the new Michigan Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act. Belleville and VBT have opted out. Many medical marijuana growers are waiting with bated breath for Sumpter’s decision. Should come in 2018.