By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Township Board unanimously approved the Intergovernmental Fire Protection Hazardous Materials Incident Response Agreement at its regular meeting August 12.
The purpose of the Kalamazoo County Hazardous Materials Response Team is to assist local fire departments by providing a trained, equipped team of on-scene support to the incident commander of the requesting department for the provision of response activity to a hazardous materials incident.
Some of the highlights of the agreement include:
• Each municipality, including the County of Kalamazoo, is required to sign the agreement if opting in.
• The number of departments invoiced remains the same, based on the fire agency (FDID numbers).
• Each municipal fire department serving a participating municipality or municipalities will be required to pay annual dues in the amount of $1,400 for fiscal year
2025. The annual dues will increase to $1,600 for fiscal year 2026 and the annual dues amount will increase to $1,800 for fiscal year 2027 and 2028.
• There was language added to keep the intent of the agreement live should the agreement expire, until a new agreement can be signed.
• Due to existing language in the agreement related to state statute on hazardous materials cost recovery, a copy of local hazmat recovery ordinances to be on file will not be requested.
The township already has an ordinance that addresses hazardous materials, however the board wanted the ordinance to have up to date language.
Supervisor Trent Piper reached out to township attorney Rob Thall requesting the attorney update the township’s emergency response ordinance that relates to the Intergovernmental Fire Protection Hazardous Materials Incident Response Agreement the board approved.
The board wants to make sure the ordinance addresses fees that could be recovered if the Climax Township Fire Department responded to a location where a potential cleanup was needed, such as a spill along the railroad tracks, and was created by somebody else that is not a tax paying citizen or resident of Climax Township.
Fire Department Report
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith reports the local fire department responded to 19 calls for service in the month of July. The break down includes 10 EMS calls, three motor vehicle accidents with injuries, two vehicle accidents with no injuries, three dispatches that were cancelled enroute, one building fire, three mutual aid calls given, and three mutual aid calls received.
Township Board Approves New Banking Product At Sturgis Bank
Township Treasurer Steve Walman informed the board Sturgis Bank, the depository for township funds, now has a product that can make all township accounts FDIC insured. The board gave Walman authorization to work with the local bank, utilizing the new Sturgis Bank product.
He said the accounts can be layered inside the bank’s system so accounts are split up, up to $250,000. The township was in the process of opening another bank account at another location to keep all accounts FDIC insured but the new product offered by Sturgis Bank will allow the township to keep all of its funds at the local bank.
The Township does have one account with Advia it could now consider transferring to Sturgis Bank.
Township Board Approves Millage Rates
The Township Board unanimously approved the operating millage at 0.8314, the extra voted road millage at 0.9790, and the extra fire millage at 1.5000 mills for the year 2025.
It was noted of the approximately 50 mills the township collects in summer and winter taxes, the township only keeps approximately 3.2 mills.
In other items covered at the August 12 meeting:
• The Township Board discussed the annual insurance policy that was approved in the bill package for $26,318, which reflects a 12.4% increase over the 2024 premium ($23,412).
It was noted there were two grants totaling $2000 each the board was awarded for fire department equipment through a program offered by the Decker Insurance Agency. Additionally, there were MTPP dividents from 2019-2023 totaling $1,868 through another insurance program for a total of $5,868 the township has gotten back from the Decker Insurance Agency, that more then offsets the premium increase.
• The Township Board briefly discussed opening an Amazon account that would be linked to the township authorized credit card that would give the township an opportunity to realize occasional savings on purchased items. This would allow authorized township personnel an opportunity to set up a township account and make purchases through Amazon with the township credit card instead of making purchases with their own credit card and then getting reimbursed.
Township Clerk Sarah DeBoer was given authorization to move ahead in opening an Amazon account that will have the township credit card linked to it.
The Climax Township Board unanimously approved the Intergovernmental Fire Protection Hazardous Materials Incident Response Agreement at its regular meeting August 12.
The purpose of the Kalamazoo County Hazardous Materials Response Team is to assist local fire departments by providing a trained, equipped team of on-scene support to the incident commander of the requesting department for the provision of response activity to a hazardous materials incident.
Some of the highlights of the agreement include:
• Each municipality, including the County of Kalamazoo, is required to sign the agreement if opting in.
• The number of departments invoiced remains the same, based on the fire agency (FDID numbers).
• Each municipal fire department serving a participating municipality or municipalities will be required to pay annual dues in the amount of $1,400 for fiscal year
2025. The annual dues will increase to $1,600 for fiscal year 2026 and the annual dues amount will increase to $1,800 for fiscal year 2027 and 2028.
• There was language added to keep the intent of the agreement live should the agreement expire, until a new agreement can be signed.
• Due to existing language in the agreement related to state statute on hazardous materials cost recovery, a copy of local hazmat recovery ordinances to be on file will not be requested.
The township already has an ordinance that addresses hazardous materials, however the board wanted the ordinance to have up to date language.
Supervisor Trent Piper reached out to township attorney Rob Thall requesting the attorney update the township’s emergency response ordinance that relates to the Intergovernmental Fire Protection Hazardous Materials Incident Response Agreement the board approved.
The board wants to make sure the ordinance addresses fees that could be recovered if the Climax Township Fire Department responded to a location where a potential cleanup was needed, such as a spill along the railroad tracks, and was created by somebody else that is not a tax paying citizen or resident of Climax Township.
Fire Department Report
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith reports the local fire department responded to 19 calls for service in the month of July. The break down includes 10 EMS calls, three motor vehicle accidents with injuries, two vehicle accidents with no injuries, three dispatches that were cancelled enroute, one building fire, three mutual aid calls given, and three mutual aid calls received.
Township Board Approves New Banking Product At Sturgis Bank
Township Treasurer Steve Walman informed the board Sturgis Bank, the depository for township funds, now has a product that can make all township accounts FDIC insured. The board gave Walman authorization to work with the local bank, utilizing the new Sturgis Bank product.
He said the accounts can be layered inside the bank’s system so accounts are split up, up to $250,000. The township was in the process of opening another bank account at another location to keep all accounts FDIC insured but the new product offered by Sturgis Bank will allow the township to keep all of its funds at the local bank.
The Township does have one account with Advia it could now consider transferring to Sturgis Bank.
Township Board Approves Millage Rates
The Township Board unanimously approved the operating millage at 0.8314, the extra voted road millage at 0.9790, and the extra fire millage at 1.5000 mills for the year 2025.
It was noted of the approximately 50 mills the township collects in summer and winter taxes, the township only keeps approximately 3.2 mills.
In other items covered at the August 12 meeting:
• The Township Board discussed the annual insurance policy that was approved in the bill package for $26,318, which reflects a 12.4% increase over the 2024 premium ($23,412).
It was noted there were two grants totaling $2000 each the board was awarded for fire department equipment through a program offered by the Decker Insurance Agency. Additionally, there were MTPP dividents from 2019-2023 totaling $1,868 through another insurance program for a total of $5,868 the township has gotten back from the Decker Insurance Agency, that more then offsets the premium increase.
• The Township Board briefly discussed opening an Amazon account that would be linked to the township authorized credit card that would give the township an opportunity to realize occasional savings on purchased items. This would allow authorized township personnel an opportunity to set up a township account and make purchases through Amazon with the township credit card instead of making purchases with their own credit card and then getting reimbursed.
Township Clerk Sarah DeBoer was given authorization to move ahead in opening an Amazon account that will have the township credit card linked to it.
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