VBT board approves up to $458,294 to fix Haggerty Rd.

Repaving and widening to three lanes of Haggerty Road between Ecorse and Van Born may be placed on Wayne County’s list of projects for next year, following a 5-1 vote of the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its April 5 meeting.
The board approved committing funds of up to $458,294, which is 8% of the total estimate of the $5,728,673.63 county project. Trustee Kevin Martin voted no, stating the township should not pay anything for the road project which is the county’s responsibility.
At its March 15 meeting, three trustees voted against the proposal, which at that time would have cost 10% of the project, some $572,867. The vote was 3-3 and so failed. Trustee Sherry Frazier was absent.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara came back with a new, lower proposal for the April 5 meeting. This time, Trustee Frazier was present, but Clerk Leon Wright was absent.
The board discussed the proposal for about 20 minutes during the work/study session before the regular meeting.
Besides widening Haggerty to three lanes between Ecorse and Van Born, a traffic light will be installed at the half-mile point between the two roads, and the intersections at the north and south ends will be widened to five lanes.
Estimated costs based on the plans are:
• Construction cost – $4,774,639.32;
• Design engineering – $237,838.41;
• Construction engineering (15%) – $716,195.90; and
• Total project cost – $5,728,673.63.
Wayne County was scheduled pay $4.3 million and Ashley Capital, which has huge developments in that area, is adding $1.4 million to hit the $5.7 million total
Dan Power, director of building and planning, said the project will synchronize with the water department’s construction to change the 12” cement sewer to a 16” ductile iron main to service the businesses in the area. Doing the projects simultaneously will save the township money because that project will be bid out with the road project.
Director Power presented information on Canton Township’s longtime sharing of costs with the county for roadwork. He also presented information from Lyon Township and White Lake Township in Oakland County.
Supervisor McNamara got a list of 100 roads set for Wayne County work over the next two years and Haggerty isn’t on the list. Actually, only the worst ten will get the money from that list. He said someone found Haggerty on a county list and it was number 82.
Supervisor McNamara said the reason Canton had to put money into its roads was because it had so many people.
Trustee Reggie Miller, who had voted against the project on March 15, asked where the money would come from for this and what improvement are a part of this new agreement.
Treasurer Sharry Budd responded: “Two percent. That’s a lot.”
Supervisor McNamara said a lot will be saved by bidding the roadwork and sewer work together and ductile iron is expensive.
He said the money will come from wherever the board tells him to get it, but he is recommending the landfill fund. He said the landfill is having another record year and money is coming in over estimated numbers.
“We’re not giving the people’s taxes away,” McNamara said.
Trustee Martin said the income from the tipping fees is not extra money. He said it’s wrong to use the township’s money on what isn’t Van Buren Township’s responsibility.
McNamara said there are only two entries to the township from the north.
Trustee Miller asked McNamara if he had talked to any of the businesses along Haggerty who would benefit from the road upgrade. At the last meeting, board members suggested they might like to help with the cost, if asked.
“Yes,” McNamara said in reply. “I won’t tell you what they said.”
He said after the vote to approve, the township would be locked into the deal. He said they have to have paperwork in to the county by noon the next day. He said the deal is not completely vetted by Wayne County. They didn’t want to spend time on it if the township wasn’t committed.
“Haggerty Road needs to be paved and I don’t think the township should pay for it,” Trustee Miller said.
“I’m not yelling ‘yea’ over this,” McNamara said. “It’s something that needs to be done.”
Director Power reported a comment from Steven Darke on the Zoom link that said he supports the township supporting Haggerty Road and he added that they could help with the paving of Morton Taylor Road, as well.
When the Haggerty Road item came up at the end of the regular meeting, Director Power referred to Haggerty as an “almost hazardous, two-lane road that is the gateway to the township.”
McNamara said there are two entryways from the north and if it isn’t widened now it will probably have to wait until 2028 when it’s on the program for reconstruction.
He said people are coming to Van Buren Township because Canton is getting too many people.
“Haggerty Road is an atrocity,” Trustee Martin said, adding he doesn’t think the township should pay for it. He said in the past when people come to the township to complain about a road, they have been told the township couldn’t do anything about it because it was a country road and it’s the county’s responsibility.
He said the township will be using the tipping fees to cover the project. He said the landfill furnishes 25% of the township’s revenue. He said the Community Center project is $16 million and the township will have to bond for that.
“I’m not a steward of Canton’s money,” Martin said. “Canton can do whatever they want.” He noted on that evening’s agenda was an increase in engineering fees.
“I’m in favor,” said Trustee Frazier. “It’s a necessity. We have to get it done as soon as possible.”
The roll-call vote was taken with Martin’s no vote.
In other business at the 54-minute regular meeting the board:
• Approved adjusting the planning commission meeting time from 7:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, as requested by the commission;
• Approved a change to the Neumann/Smith Architecture contract fee for the Community Center design that was 7.8% and was renegotiated to 6.15% (and brings them an additional $190,747 because the project was enlarged). Also, the Plane Moran Cresa agreement term was extended from March 31,2023 to conclude on Nov. 30, 2023, and the fee of $10,000 per month was increased to $14,000 per month due to increased project scope from the original agreement. The Community Center has a project budget of $16 million and is expected to be complete in December 2023. The budget has a 17% contingency instead of the usual 10% because of the building supply climate;
• Approved the second reading and final adoption of the amendment to the sidewalk ordinance. Township engineers will be out to mark parts of sidewalks that need replacing in Haggerty subdivision and then there will be a meeting with homeowners to plan replacements. Homeowners will pay for the work and can take up to five years. A future policy change may reduce that to three years;
• Approved the 5% increase in hourly rates for the township’s engineering contractor, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, Inc. This is the third rate increase since the township began working with them in 2017;
• Unanimously approved the selection of Pioneer Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance for the 2022-24 lawnmowing maintenance services for $434,400. The low bidder was Brantley Development at $376,445 and Stanley Brantley, who lives in Van Buren Township, spoke at length at the end of the work/study session explaining why he felt he should have been granted the contract. The discussion showed the problem was on both his side and the township’s side with the way the on-line bidding was presented and handled. He was the only one of the six bids that was on-line and he did not attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting because he didn’t know about it. McNamara said they could rebid, but board members said it was too late in the season for that and changes would be made before other bidding. Brantley was a township planner for 15 years and started his own business 15 years ago. He had recommendations from MDOT, City of Dearborn, and City of Rochester Hills. Board members encouraged him to apply again in the future;
• Awarded the contract for paving repairs in the Walden Woods, Robinson River, Andover Farms, and Charter Club subdivision to GV Cement and approved construction engineering services at the recommendation of the township engineer. The total estimated cost for cement and engineering is $527,441.40. The township is participating in Wayne County’s Local Road initiative program and will reimburse up to $375,000 or 80% of the cost. The homeowners’ association have agreed to contribute $152,441.80 (28.9% of the total costs) and Wayne County will reimburse the township for the remaining $375,000. Trustee Martin abstained from the vote because he lives in Charter Club subdivision;
• Approved the special land use request of Applebee’s restaurant at 10526 Belleville Rd. for a 11’x14’ “To Go” booth for online and pickup orders, as recommended by the planning commission;
• Approved Other Employee Benefits to be added to the policies and procedures manual, as recommended by Human Resources Director Nicole Sumpter. The resolution now allows for service awards, retirement gifts or plaques, recognition and appreciation lunches onsite during normal township business hours, as well as authorizing departmental expenditures to purchase refreshments, meals, snacks, and/or supplies for staff/volunteer training activities. Also, the township will provide a $100 benefit toward the cost of flowers for an employee and immediate family members (spouse and children) funeral. The Michigan Township Association has changed its stance on what’s allowable under the law;
• Approved a personal services agreement for Donae’ Hubbard as the new Election Specialist. She was hired in July 2019 as a temp and then hired full time and served as Interim Election Specialist; and
• Heard McNamara announce that southbound Haggerty was closed between Tyler Road and the I-94 North Service Drive as of April 4 as Wayne County completes the roadwork it started last year.