Van Buren Township approved Salem Township sewer line

The Van Buren board met on Sept. 2 and approved Salem Township to construct and maintain a sewer line within the public right of way through Van Buen Township to connect to the treatment plant of the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YUCA) in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
“We are close to capacity,” said supervisor Kevin McNamara about the current sewer lines. “Sooner or later we need more capacity.”
The running of the Salem Township line helps with Van Buren capacity problem. Van Buren can run a parallel line along the Salem line, or it can tap into Salem’s line and make the line larger at Van Buren’s expense. Van Buren is looking into both solutions and will see which one is more cost effective.
“(Salem) is willing to work with us. And they’re very thankful that we’re doing this.” Said McNamara.
In other business at the 47-minute meeting on Sept. 2, the board:
• Approved adoption of an illicit discharge prohibition policy on township properties. Anybody who builds in the township has to have a discharge system. This adoption is just to sign-off on the discharge system the township properties have;
• Heard Jason Locke, director of Van Buren Parks, inform the board about the second annual Paddle in the Park. This event will take place at French Landing, 11a.m.-2. p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. Free fun for all ages. There will be kayak test drives (for those 18 and older), yard games, giveaways, and Kona Ice;
• Heard Matt Gilbert from Simplyfuel Solutions present a new system for tracking fuel use on township vehicles. He said the system currently in place was “ancient” and not accounting for all the fuel the township uses.