By Bruce Rolfe
The Charleston Township Board unanimously authorized the township’s building inspector to communicate with the township attorney to determine if the Galesburg Speedway is in contempt of court at its regular meeting July 22.
In a letter dated March 17, 2025 to Speedway owners Thomas A. McGhee and Tammy McGhee, Bert Gale, of Associated Government Services, the company the township uses for building inspection and permit services, said the entire floor in the Speedway press box, has been replaced. Gale said because a Commercial Building Permit was not issued for the work done to the press box, a Certificate of Use and Occupancy could not be issued. He said the Commercial Building Permit Application must be accompanied by signed and sealed plans from a Registered Design Professional is required.
Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest told the audience and board at the July 22 meeting he received two calls and had a conversation with another person, about activity in the press box, also known as the tower at the Galesburg Speedway.
Vander Roest said under the Michigan Building Code, the tower is not to be occupied until a Commercial Building Permit has been issued.
Gale said if anyone has been in the tower since it was posted and declared not habitable, the Speedway has violated the Michigan Building Code.
Vander Roest said a court order required a response by January 2, 2025 at 10 a.m. and the Commercial Building permit had still not been issued.
New township attorney Rob Thall said since a judge ordered the items to be corrected before a building permit could be issued, the township board could seek a show cause order which he said is a contempt between the judge and defendant.
Tammy McGhee said she paid for the building permit for work performed on the tower, but Gale has not issued the permit.
She said she has hired two engineers, Bosch Architecture and Cody Neuman of Driven Designs. She said both felt the repairs the Speedway has performed in the tower are adequate and feel the press box can be used. She also read a statement from her attorney who felt the Speedway has performed the repairs adequately.
Gale said he is still seeking the dead load and live load calculations to determine if what was replaced meets code requirements.
McGhee claims her attorney and the two engineers argue the live load and dead load calculations aren’t necessary.
“And that’s where everybody stops. They won’t supply that. If they would supply that and it meets code requirement, then I would recommend that the board, the building permits, they issue them all. But they will not provide that. That’s all that it’s going to take. Is to provide that engineering calculation for that floor assembly,” said Gale.
Vander Roest said there were three other outstanding building permits for the Speedway.
Tammy McGhee said she will not be performing fencing work for two of the required building permits. She adds she paid for a third fencing permit, but the Speedway has chosen not to have that work performed as well.
The Charleston Township Board unanimously authorized the township’s building inspector to communicate with the township attorney to determine if the Galesburg Speedway is in contempt of court at its regular meeting July 22.
In a letter dated March 17, 2025 to Speedway owners Thomas A. McGhee and Tammy McGhee, Bert Gale, of Associated Government Services, the company the township uses for building inspection and permit services, said the entire floor in the Speedway press box, has been replaced. Gale said because a Commercial Building Permit was not issued for the work done to the press box, a Certificate of Use and Occupancy could not be issued. He said the Commercial Building Permit Application must be accompanied by signed and sealed plans from a Registered Design Professional is required.
Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest told the audience and board at the July 22 meeting he received two calls and had a conversation with another person, about activity in the press box, also known as the tower at the Galesburg Speedway.
Vander Roest said under the Michigan Building Code, the tower is not to be occupied until a Commercial Building Permit has been issued.
Gale said if anyone has been in the tower since it was posted and declared not habitable, the Speedway has violated the Michigan Building Code.
Vander Roest said a court order required a response by January 2, 2025 at 10 a.m. and the Commercial Building permit had still not been issued.
New township attorney Rob Thall said since a judge ordered the items to be corrected before a building permit could be issued, the township board could seek a show cause order which he said is a contempt between the judge and defendant.
Tammy McGhee said she paid for the building permit for work performed on the tower, but Gale has not issued the permit.
She said she has hired two engineers, Bosch Architecture and Cody Neuman of Driven Designs. She said both felt the repairs the Speedway has performed in the tower are adequate and feel the press box can be used. She also read a statement from her attorney who felt the Speedway has performed the repairs adequately.
Gale said he is still seeking the dead load and live load calculations to determine if what was replaced meets code requirements.
McGhee claims her attorney and the two engineers argue the live load and dead load calculations aren’t necessary.
“And that’s where everybody stops. They won’t supply that. If they would supply that and it meets code requirement, then I would recommend that the board, the building permits, they issue them all. But they will not provide that. That’s all that it’s going to take. Is to provide that engineering calculation for that floor assembly,” said Gale.
Vander Roest said there were three other outstanding building permits for the Speedway.
Tammy McGhee said she will not be performing fencing work for two of the required building permits. She adds she paid for a third fencing permit, but the Speedway has chosen not to have that work performed as well.
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