VBT gets $4,059 from County Land Bank to tear down dog kennel

“It’s not sanitary or safe,” Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara said of the old dog kennel at 39700 Tyler Rd. at the March 21 regular township board meeting in explaining why it is being torn down.
He said it is a blighted building and can’t be used for anything.
Supervisor McNamara said there was a new opportunity in 2023 to seek funding through the county and the state Land Bank Authorities and so they were able to receive $4,059 through the county.
The next step was for the board to approve a memorandum of understanding to pay for part of the demolition of the former dog kennel. The board voted unanimously to approve. Absent from the meeting were Clerk Leon Wright and Trustee Donald Boynton.
The memo points out funding has been made available by the state and county Land Bank Authorities to support demolition of blighted structures on publicly owned properties in Van Buren Township. The grant is through the Wayne County Land Bank.
It also stated with the necessary demolition around the structure the project will have an estimated total cost between $8,000 and $9,600.
In other business at the 37-minute meeting the board:
• Approved participation in the new national opioid settlements reached with Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart and to approve the supervisor to enter into future opioid litigation settlement agreements in coordination with the recommendation from national and local counsel. The memo of understanding approved will address how the $17.3 billion in funds are to be distributed through the municipalities and counties who agreed to file together nationally;
• Learned about the mParks (Michigan Recreation and Park Association) “Innovative Programming” award to the VBT Recreation Department for The REAL program, with special thanks to Human Resources Director Nicole Sumpter who created The REAL program from the ground up;
• Approved the budget amendment to increase the 2023 amended budget to $1,078,000 and adjust the reimbursement account to $987,000 for the Iron Belle Trail project;
• Approved a budget amendment to increase by $925,000 the funding for the French Landing fishing dock reconstruction project. Supervisor McNamara said last year the township had a problem getting permits for the work, so they will finish this year. Elizabeth Renaud, director of community services, said they have been working on the park since 2019;
• Approved the final Planned Residential Development (PRD) Plan and PRD Agreement for a revised Cobblestone Creek Condominium Project for Infinity Acquisitions LLC, which is finishing up the Cobblestone Creek Villas, that were first approved in 2005. The revision includes a reduction in the number of units and the exchange of two-story units for single and 1.5-story units. The revisions were recommended by the planning commission;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara say residents who want to complain about bad roads and potholes should call 888-ROAD-CREW. He said the township owns no roads, so that number is what they have to call to report a bad road to the county. He said Wayne County is bringing in a lot of rock starting that week to fix the roads and not just grade them;
• Was informed Wayne County will have a Household Hazardous Waste Day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 1, at Wayne County Community College’s Ted Scott Campus on Haggerty Road. For information, call (734) 326-3936 or see www.waynecounty.com . This is a way to dispose of computers, printers, televisions and other electronic equipment; and
• Watched time-lapse photography of the construction of the new community center as demonstrated by Deputy Supervisor Dan Selman. He said the township is live-streaming the construction work during the day and it’s fun to watch. He said it is available on the township website and will go to YouTube. He said the time-lapse is 12 frames per second.