Fall / Winter 2010 The Erie News Erie Township Michigan, 2065 Erie Road, PO Box 187, Erie, MI 48133 (734) 848-5915

Township News and Updates

AN ECONOMIC UPDATE

Erie Township seems to be following in the same direction as the rest of the country in the slow recovery process of the economy. The Township Your Township Officials Board approved and passed the 2010/2011 budget with a modest increase in revenues in both the State Revenue Sharing and the Supervisor franchise fees we receive from the Republic Services (BFI) landfill. Our William Frey monthly fees from Republic Services have been slightly better than Clerk projected through the first 4 months of our fiscal year and Revenue Sharing seems to be right on target. Our audit report for the 2009/2010 Jolene Upchurch fiscal year shows every department coming in under budget. Treasurer Cindy Baum In a joint effort to continue controlling spending, the Township Board along with the department heads came together and submitted a Trustee- David Cousino reduced budget in each department. The Township Board approved a budget with a reduction in expenditures from the previous fiscal year of Trustee- Michael Grodi Jr. $43,000.00 and once again froze wages for the 2010 /2011 fiscal year.

Your Township Office The Township is committed to 4 long term bond payments. There are 3 Sue Smith outstanding bonds for water line extensions. The last water bond for Diane LaPlante will be satisfied in November, 2021. There is 1 road improvement bond outstanding for Suder Ave. that will be paid off in Stephine Renius, Chris Renius and July, 2017. In order to insure these bond payments can be met the Brian Renius, Assessors township remains in no position to fund any major projects.

Michael Demski- Building / Zoning Official

Anthony Konopka- CREDIT CARD ACCEPTED FOR TAX PAYMENTS Chief of Police Erie Township has entered into an agreement with Newsletter Coordinators Point and Pay LLC which provides E-Payment Diane LaPlante Services. Beginning the first of the year we will be Michael Demski accepting credit or debit card payments for property taxes only. You will have the options Inside… of paying online through a link on our website, Treasurer News 2 calling an 800 number to pay by phone, or at the Mason Schools counter at the township hall. The cost for this service is as follows: Permit info • With a credit card: Clerk News Cemetery info 3 from $.01 up to $100.00 $3.00 A d d r e s s Info from $100.01-$99,999.00 3% of transaction amount Police News 4 • With an eCheck $3.00 flat fee Building News • With a Debit Card 3.95 flat fee Erie Fire News

Assessor News 5 Many residents have been asking for this service for some time and we Morin Pt. Fire News hope you find this to be a convenient alternative. We are sorry that at Library News 6 this time we cannot offer this method of payment for other services. Mason Swim

Fall / Winter 2010 Page | 2 The Erie News

FROM THE TREASURER Mason Consolidated School CINDY BAUM: District It’s winter tax time again and your 2010 bill will be mailed on Tuesday November 30th. Winter taxes are due and payable from December 1, 2010 – February 14, 2011 without penalty or interest. Winter deferments are Hall of Fame Information available for qualifying agricultural properties, senior The Erie-Mason Hall of Fame Committee citizens, eligible veterans and servicepersons and persons held their most recent meeting on with disabilities. Deferment applications are available at October 20, 2010. The inductees for the the township hall. If you have any questions regarding Class of 2011 were announced. eligibility please call (734) 848-5915 ext. 3. Inductees include: Mr. Larry Meeker, Taxes can be paid at the township hall, any branch of Mason High School principal for 30 years, Monroe Bank & Trust, Citizens Bank (7548 Lewis Ave. Mr. Donald Thurber, Mason Elementary just North of Sterns Rd), by mail (postmarks accepted), teacher from 1953-1959 invented or in the drop box in front of the township hall. D’nealian handwriting which is used nationally and internationally, Mr. The township winter hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Charles Matlock, Mason High School Monday through Friday. The following is the list of holiday teacher from 1972-1995, started the closures for this tax season: Science Olympiad program and reopened • December 24 & 27, 2010 - Observance of the planetarium, Ms. Yvonne Laderach Christmas Lynch, Class of 1985 – Junior Olympic • December 31, 2010 & January 3, 2011 - National Shot Put Champion 1984, Mr. New Years Observance. James Woodward, Class of 1983 – • January 17, 2011 – Martin Luther King Former Executive Director Ohio State • February 21, 2011 – President’s Day Chiropractic Association, 1987 State Champion Football team, which Please look over your bill carefully for any errors or recorded a 13-0 record. The induction discrepancies regarding your Principal Residence ceremony will be February 18, 2011 at Exemption, the description of your property or any other half-time of the basketball game. The clerical errors. Any errors can be resolved at the banquet will be February 19, 2011. For December Board of Review which will be held December ticket information contact Frank Connolly th 14 2010. at (734) 848-4299. For those of you with an escrow account your tax bill will be sent directly to your mortgage company. If you would like a duplicate copy of your tax bill mailed to you for your records please call the office. When do you need a For any of our senior residents or those who are having permit? financial difficulties there are a number of programs and The best way to find out is to call agencies available to assist you. the building department before starting MCOP - various senior programs (734) 241-2775 your project. Permits are usually required Monroe County Senior Legal Serve (734) 241-7644 for projects including building, home Commission on Aging (734) 240-7358 improvements, roofing, windows, siding, Area Agency on Aging 1-B (800) 852-7795 electrical, plumbing, and heating/AC work. Installations need to be safe and in o Reverse Equity Mortgages Michigan Veteran’s Trust (734) 240-7359 compliance with code and therefore a Department of Human Services (734) 243-7200 permit and inspections are required. Some projects such as sheds and fences o State Emergency Relief Form do not require a building permit, but in o Help with Property Forfeiture Salvation Army (734) 241-0440 most cases will still be necessary to obtain a permit for zoning compliance. o Food Programs Please contact the Building Department o Prescription Drug Assistance before beginning your project. Fall / Winter 2010 Page | 3 The Erie News

From the Cemetery Information Clerk’s Desk Just a reminder, all cemetery plots at Union Erie Township has made Cemetery and Brigham Cemetery must be several improvements to the cleaned of all Holiday arrangements. The Election process. We have Township Board passed new cemetery rules that received a grant to purchase went into effect February 19, 2008 that two new laptop computers (one for each precinct) through the State of Michigan Help addresses many issues. I would suggest if America Vote Act (HAVA). Erie Township will be anyone owns a plot at either cemetery, PLEASE committed to use the laptops for every election in inquire at the Township Hall for a copy of the new all precincts for four (4) years. Each laptop takes rules. the place of a paper Poll Book that each voter’s name has been manually written by the election Address Identification inspectors for years. With the Electronic Poll Book the inspectors use the registered voter’s Please Identify Your Homes driver license or state I.D. card and run it In an Emergency, locating the caller’s through the magnetic card reader and that address as soon as possible is the first resident’s name, address is checked and verified step in saving lives and property. Time that this is a registered voter and then the wasted searching for the proper address election inspector will issue your ballot is something many callers to 911 don’t have to electronically. We have used this system for the spare. Our Enhanced 911 system allows August and November elections and found it to dispatchers to determine the address of an be a great advancement to the election process. emergency call; however; this does little good I would also like to thank the Election Workers because many people have failed to present for all the time and effort they put into mastering identifiable markings at their residence. There’s the Electronic Poll Book and making this change a big difference between knowing the possible for Erie Township. address and finding the address. Improper Many residents have complained about the addressing frustrates emergency responders, but ads in the pink plastic wrapping that have been it could be deadly to the resident because of the piling up by mailboxes in our township. I have delays that result. Improper address markings spoken to Monroe Evening News and this pack is also cause problems for deliveries, utilities, a non subscriber piece called the Cover Story. If visitors, etc. you do not want this ad pack to be delivered to It is everyone’s responsibility under county and your house you can call the Monroe Evening township ordinances to insure that your residence News - David Zewicky, Circulation Manager @ or property is properly identified. The following 734-240-5025 and request that this pack be requirements should be followed: stopped. This will help to keep our township • All buildings shall have approved address numbers streets and ditches and your neighbor’s yards placed in a position to be plainly legible and visible clean from this added trash. Thank you for your from the street or road fronting the property. help in this matter. . Address numbers shall contrast with their The Clerks office is always looking for new background. . Numerals shall be not less than four (4) inches in election workers. If anyone is interested please height. contact my office, 734-848-5915 ext. 2. . Address numbers shall be Arabic numerals or I am always open to any comments or alphabet letters. suggestions you might have for the Clerk’s office A great solution is available from the Erie Fire and I hope everyone had a great summer and Department who sells green reflective address markers stay warm and safe this winter and remember life as a fundraiser. There are many of them around town is too short not to enjoy it. and I am sure you will agree how much more visible addresses are where these markers are used. If you Jolene Upchurch, Erie Township Clerk are interested’` order forms may be obtained from the fire department or at the township hall.

Fall / Winter 2010 Page | 4 The Erie News

Erie Township Police Building Department Dear fellow residents, Property Maintenance School is upon us and I want to remind Property maintenance remains a big everyone to be extra cautious in school zones and around concern to area residents. Prior to the bus routes. Our Department will strictly enforce the laws in adoption of the International Property these areas as our childrens’ safety comes first. On October Maintenance Code (IPMC), the Building 6, 2010, Erie Mason Middle Schools held a mock drill, Department would receive complaints preparing police, fire and school personnel on how to react from tenants and adjacent property to an armed perpetrator inside the school. I believe all that owners regarding unsafe conditions; participated were able to learn and take something positive however, the township did not have from this experience. I want to personally thank the school the enforcement power to take any administration, the Erie Fire Department, the Monroe action. There was a gap between new County Sheriff Department and the Luna Pier Police construction code requirements and Department for assisting the Erie Police Department, and what could be defined and enforced as making this a successful drill. I also want to thank the blight. The township has adopted the students who participated in this drill. They did a wonderful International Property Maintenance job and also contributed to our success as emergency Code and we have been enforcing it on responders. a complaint basis.

I want to remind everyone as we approach Thanksgiving When structures are not and Christmas to keep a watchful eye on your neighbors’ properly maintained it home and property. Home Invasions seem to always rise affects the public health, around these holidays. Many people are out of town and safety and general their homes are filled with gifts for Christmas. If you are welfare, as well as the going to be out of town please fill out a property check aesthetic value of the community at sheet at the Erie Township Hall or Police Department. This large and can have a direct effect on way we are aware your home is vulnerable to criminal property values. It is our duty to activity and we can check on it daily throughout our shifts. ensure that all residents, including our I want to thank the community for their support and we tenants, are living in safe wish each and every one of you a safe and happy holidays! conditions. Further, many furnaces, water heaters, changes to electric Anthony Konopka, Chief of Police service, etc. are being installed improperly, without permits, creating unsafe and hazardous conditions. The Erie Fire Department IPMC was adopted to correct Winter is coming up fast. It’s time to make a unsuitable conditions and to establish safety check of your home. Smoke detectors mechanisms for continued should be tested and batteries replaced. maintenance of structures thereby Furnaces should be checked, chimneys should be cleaned. promoting the health, safety, and Areas around these heat sources should be cleared of debris welfare of the community and the residents. Fire prevention week was in October. Luna Pier, Morin Point, and Erie Fire Departments put on demonstrations for If you wish to file a complaint please the students at Mason Elementary School. fill out a complaint form which may be obtained at the Township Hall or We had a pancake breakfast in September with a great printed from our web site on the turnout. Thank You for your support. The next breakfast will building inspector page. For questions, be in March. or more information on the Erie has 3 new Firemen going through Fire school and are International Property Maintenance just finishing their First Responder class. We are always Code you may visit the Building looking for new members. You can pick up an application at Department page of the web site or the Township Hall. contact the Building Official. Web: erietownship.com On behalf of the Erie Fire Department make your holidays happy and safe. email: [email protected] Phone: 734-848-4557 x 5 Chief Dave Duvall Fall / Winter 2010 Page | 5 The Erie News

Greetings Erie Township residents! MORIN POINT FIREFIGHTERS Please allow us to introduce October 3rd through the 9th was Fire ourselves. We are Renius & Prevention week. Each year more Renius, the new Assessing Firm than 3,000 people nationally, that was hired by Erie Township to including more than 120 people in perform the assessing function of Michigan, die as a result of home fires. WORKING the Township. Stephanie Renius, smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a MCAO, is the Assessor of Record reported fire in half, yet in roughly two thirds of for the Township while Chris Renius, MAAO, will home fires that result in deaths, there was not a be assisting in all aspects of the Assessing working smoke alarm. Please practice fire drills at Department function. We are available to home. In case of a fire have a pre-designated assist you in your assessment questions every meeting place so we have accountability, and once Monday (excluding Holidays) during regular you are out of the structure STAY OUT. office hours. The heating season is upon us; make sure your Over the course of the next 15 months, we will furnace is in good working order. A faulty system have people out visiting each and every parcel not only can cause a fire but may produce carbon of land in the Township. The purpose of our monoxide. visit is to verify the assessment information that we have on record as well as take photographs The kid’s trailer was up to Erie Mason Elementary of primary improvements. The information School on October 18, 2010. This has been a very gathered will assist us in making uniform and educational tool to inform the children on what to equitable assessments throughout Erie expect in cases of an emergency. Thank you to Township. Any person that is a representative Morin Point firefighters Steve Sepulveda and of the Township that will be visiting your Jennifer Massingill who demonstrated and gave property for this purpose will have proper their time identification. Please do not hesitate to contact the Township to verify that the person who is Probationary Firefighters Joshua Mulinix, Derek claiming they are a representative of the Halka, Mark Guth and Nate Goshe have completed Township actually is a Township representative. their Medical First Responder class held at Monroe Township Fire Department. Thanks to instructor Our goal in the Assessing Department is to Mike Demski for his dedication to help train these provide the most accurate and uniform firefighters. The Morin Point Fire Department assessment data and roll. We will try to be the would also like to offer our thanks to all the men least disruptive to you when we are visiting your and women who serve in the military. Every property and would appreciate your cooperation Wednesday at 7pm we have training, feel free to which will give us the most accurate data. We drop in. If you would like to tour the Department thank you in advance for your cooperation. let us know and we will make arrangements. Please feel free to contact us at 734-848-5915 ext. 4 or by email at [email protected]. Burning permits will be issued on Wednesday evenings for the Morin Point Fire Department SOUTH COUNTY WATER BILLS District, not only does this help us to inspect what is to be burned, it gets the fire department out to For your convenience the Township meet the residents. accepts payments for South County Water bills. Many of you make your December’s safety theme will be Holiday Safety, checks out to South County Water. to include Christmas lights and candle safety. In the future, PLEASE make your checks Don’t forget about designated drivers, we want payable to ERIE TOWNSHIP. Because we everyone to have fun and be safe at the same deposit the water bill checks into our account time. May you have a joyous and blessed Holiday and write one check to South County at the end season from the members of the Morin Point Fire of the billing period, our bank prefers the checks Department. made out to Erie Township since they are being deposited into an Erie Township bank account. Sincerely, Morin Point Fire Chief, Pat Zaleski Thank you for your cooperation. Fall / Winter 2010 Page | 6 The Erie News

MASON FAMILY SWIM PROGRAM consideration. Mason High School Pool * 2400 Eagle Drive, Erie

Open to the public every Wednesday night that School is in session from 7 to 9 pm. Cost is $1.00 a person. * Certified life guards on duty at all times

FOR MORE INFO CALL GRACE AT 734-848-4257

We also have the Museum Adventure Pass Program…

Free passes to 25 Detroit metro area museums will be available for check-out at all branches of the Monroe County Library System. Patrons will be able to use their library cards to check-out a free admission pass, good for 7 days, and admitting either 2 or 4 people depending on the museum. Visit www.detroitadventurepass.org for more information. ERIE TOWNSHIP Announcing NEW Erie Township Internet Services 2065 ERIE ROAD PO BOX 187 Erie Township and BS&A Software have created a partnership to help ERIE, MI 48133 provide a fast and convenient way to view valuable property data

Phone online. Here are some reasons you should sign up for a new Account: 734-848-5915 • It's fast and convenien t...Search for important data from the convenience of your office or home without having the hassle of Fax stopping at the township hall. Sign up now and get the information 734-848-2548 you need FAST.

E-mail • Newly enhanced Comparable Search…Find comparable [email protected] property sale records using a variety of criteria and filters. CURRENT RESIDENT Searching options include property class, sale date range, price [email protected] range, floor area range, and multiple neighborhood filters. [email protected] ERIE, MICHIGAN 48133 • Ability to register your account with multiple units [email protected] • Small convenience fee... In order to view this data, you must [email protected] pay a small convenience fee of $2.00. A credit card may be used [email protected] or a business account may be setup if you wish to view a number [email protected] of parcels. * Note: a property owner may view their property information only for no charge.

• Simply go to erietownship.com…and click the link

The Erie News The Erie News Please look inside for Important Information

From Erie Township!

ERIE TOWNSHIP 2065 ERIE ROAD Presorted Standard PO BOX 187 US Postage PAID ERIE, MI 48133 Permit #8 Erie, Michigan

We’re on the web! Visit us at: www.erietownship.com

Erie Township –

At Your Service CURRENT RESIDENT

Winter Hours: ERIE, MICHIGAN 48133 Monday thru Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM –.

Surveillan ce