By Bruce Rolfe
After discussing the idea of having some type of ordinance complaint form available for village residents at the December 3 meeting, the Climax Village Council unanimously approved a template for a form that will be available to the public after spelling and formatting adjustments have been corrected at its regular meeting December 17.
Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly offered two forms she and committee member Ben Moore put together to consider.
Kelly said some adjustments could be made, but the form the Council approved will ask the resident making the complaint to provide at least the alleged property owner’s address, but also asks for a name and phone number. The form approved asks for the complainant(s) name, address and phone number, the address location of the alleged violation, which side of the road the alleged violation is at and what roads are near the alleged violation. There are also boxes to check asking what type of alleged ordinances have been violated, a space to provide other information and a space to provide the section in the village ordinance book that identifies the alleged ordinance violation. The form also asks for a parcel identification number if known, a photo of the alleged violation, description of the alleged violation and the date.
The Village will not share names of people filling out a complaint form, however the form states because complaints are public record when they are submitted, the complaint form will be accessible through the Freedom Of Information Act.
The complaint form also notes the person filing a written complaint may be called to testify in the event of legal action resulting from the complaint.
Kelly said once the ordinance complaint form is turned in, a committee will review the complaint and determine if there is a violation. At that point a complaint number will be assigned. Kelly adds the complaint will be logged into a database to document the date the complaint was received and an investigation will follow.
Kelly contacted the City of Galesburg and Moore contacted Kalamazoo County and discovered the complaint form those entities use requires a name and eliminates anonymous complaints. Kelly said the recommended process is similar to what Climax Township uses as well.
Fire Runs Down
Climax Township Assistant Fire Chief Sean Perrin informed the council and visitors the fire department responded to nine calls for service in the month of November. The number of calls for service is significantly down from the 35 calls the local fire department responded to the previous month. Perrin said the total calls for service for the year stands at 246 entering December, which he said is an all time high and mirrors similar elevated calls for service with other fire departments.
Perrin updated the Council the old grass rig has been taken out of service and turned back over to the DNR, which had loaned the rig to the local fire department.
A new F-550 chassis has been delivered and will soon be outfitted to become the department’s rescue rig. The current rescue truck will become the local fire department’s grass fire truck once the new truck is put into service.
Council Denies Request by School Board Representative to Remove 12 Trees
Village President Bill Lewis said C-S School Board member Trent Piper approached the Village on behalf of the C-S Board of Education asking the Village of Climax to consider paying to have 12 trees removed on South Main Street near the baseball field that is being renovated as part of the school district’s current bond improvement project. Lewis said he was told by DPW Manager T.J. Gibson all 12 trees are within the 33-foot right of way and are in good health.
Lewis said because the Council was unable to remove some trees in the village that would be candidates to be removed due to funding not being available in the budget, he recommended sending the request to the Streets, Sidewalks and Census Committee to consider. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure that it’s fair to the citizens of this community to stand back and say we’re going to take live trees out when we haven’t done other things,” said Lewis, who said he was not told the reasoning to have the 12 trees removed.
After a brief discussion, the council unanimously declined the request to pay for the cost to have the 12 trees removed.
In other council related items:
• The Council unanimously approved the 2025 calendar year meeting dates of the first and third Tuesdays of each month, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• With the snow removal season here, the Council will reach out to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department to ticket vehicles that are parked on the streets during the posted hours vehicles are not allowed to be parked on village streets of 3-6 a.m.
• After a short discussion, the Village Council unanimously approved a motion to allow Verizon to approach Climax Township to continue the process of obtaining an address at the location where a tower exists the company hopes to install equipment on.
Village Council President Bill Lewis said the Village has received a request from Verizon to install equipment on a tower in the Village, however there is no current address at the location where the tower sits. Lewis said there is a lease agreement with the property owner at 118 Telecom Drive, however the tower location will need its own address.
• Village President Bill Lewis said he is working on establishing office hours and they will be posted once the hours have been established. The Village Clerk and Treasurer have also been asked to open the office when they are working in the office.
• Ordinance/Zoning/p lanning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly requested the Council consider approving the expense for two council members to attend a Michigan Municipal League ordinance training session when those session dates and locations become available. Kelly felt it was important to have a back up person attend the training session.
Lewis said the cost of the training session should be brought to the Council before a decision is made to determine if money is available in the budget.
After discussing the idea of having some type of ordinance complaint form available for village residents at the December 3 meeting, the Climax Village Council unanimously approved a template for a form that will be available to the public after spelling and formatting adjustments have been corrected at its regular meeting December 17.
Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly offered two forms she and committee member Ben Moore put together to consider.
Kelly said some adjustments could be made, but the form the Council approved will ask the resident making the complaint to provide at least the alleged property owner’s address, but also asks for a name and phone number. The form approved asks for the complainant(s) name, address and phone number, the address location of the alleged violation, which side of the road the alleged violation is at and what roads are near the alleged violation. There are also boxes to check asking what type of alleged ordinances have been violated, a space to provide other information and a space to provide the section in the village ordinance book that identifies the alleged ordinance violation. The form also asks for a parcel identification number if known, a photo of the alleged violation, description of the alleged violation and the date.
The Village will not share names of people filling out a complaint form, however the form states because complaints are public record when they are submitted, the complaint form will be accessible through the Freedom Of Information Act.
The complaint form also notes the person filing a written complaint may be called to testify in the event of legal action resulting from the complaint.
Kelly said once the ordinance complaint form is turned in, a committee will review the complaint and determine if there is a violation. At that point a complaint number will be assigned. Kelly adds the complaint will be logged into a database to document the date the complaint was received and an investigation will follow.
Kelly contacted the City of Galesburg and Moore contacted Kalamazoo County and discovered the complaint form those entities use requires a name and eliminates anonymous complaints. Kelly said the recommended process is similar to what Climax Township uses as well.
Fire Runs Down
Climax Township Assistant Fire Chief Sean Perrin informed the council and visitors the fire department responded to nine calls for service in the month of November. The number of calls for service is significantly down from the 35 calls the local fire department responded to the previous month. Perrin said the total calls for service for the year stands at 246 entering December, which he said is an all time high and mirrors similar elevated calls for service with other fire departments.
Perrin updated the Council the old grass rig has been taken out of service and turned back over to the DNR, which had loaned the rig to the local fire department.
A new F-550 chassis has been delivered and will soon be outfitted to become the department’s rescue rig. The current rescue truck will become the local fire department’s grass fire truck once the new truck is put into service.
Council Denies Request by School Board Representative to Remove 12 Trees
Village President Bill Lewis said C-S School Board member Trent Piper approached the Village on behalf of the C-S Board of Education asking the Village of Climax to consider paying to have 12 trees removed on South Main Street near the baseball field that is being renovated as part of the school district’s current bond improvement project. Lewis said he was told by DPW Manager T.J. Gibson all 12 trees are within the 33-foot right of way and are in good health.
Lewis said because the Council was unable to remove some trees in the village that would be candidates to be removed due to funding not being available in the budget, he recommended sending the request to the Streets, Sidewalks and Census Committee to consider. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure that it’s fair to the citizens of this community to stand back and say we’re going to take live trees out when we haven’t done other things,” said Lewis, who said he was not told the reasoning to have the 12 trees removed.
After a brief discussion, the council unanimously declined the request to pay for the cost to have the 12 trees removed.
In other council related items:
• The Council unanimously approved the 2025 calendar year meeting dates of the first and third Tuesdays of each month, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• With the snow removal season here, the Council will reach out to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department to ticket vehicles that are parked on the streets during the posted hours vehicles are not allowed to be parked on village streets of 3-6 a.m.
• After a short discussion, the Village Council unanimously approved a motion to allow Verizon to approach Climax Township to continue the process of obtaining an address at the location where a tower exists the company hopes to install equipment on.
Village Council President Bill Lewis said the Village has received a request from Verizon to install equipment on a tower in the Village, however there is no current address at the location where the tower sits. Lewis said there is a lease agreement with the property owner at 118 Telecom Drive, however the tower location will need its own address.
• Village President Bill Lewis said he is working on establishing office hours and they will be posted once the hours have been established. The Village Clerk and Treasurer have also been asked to open the office when they are working in the office.
• Ordinance/Zoning/p lanning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly requested the Council consider approving the expense for two council members to attend a Michigan Municipal League ordinance training session when those session dates and locations become available. Kelly felt it was important to have a back up person attend the training session.
Lewis said the cost of the training session should be brought to the Council before a decision is made to determine if money is available in the budget.
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