By Bruce Rolfe
Apparent homeless activity at a public location in Charleston Township that has since been taken care of, brought concern from the Charleston Township Board and residents at the October 28 regular board meeting.
The Township Board learned there was a camper filled with items, two trailers filled with items and three individuals that were allegedly living in a vehicle for multiple weeks at the MDOT owned Park & Ride parking lot off of Exit 88 along I-94 near South 40th Street.
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said he reached out to MDOT about the apparent homeless situation, along with excessive litter and weeds he said were over 70 inches tall near the Park and Ride.
The Charleston Township Supervisor adds he approached one individual October 29 and said all three people and the vehicles and trailer filled with items were gone as of October 30.
Vander Roest adds MDOT also mowed the grass area around the Park and Ride parking lot and along the exit ramps.
Vander Roest forwarded the license plate number of another disabled vehicle in the Park and Ride parking lot to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department.
Vander Roest, who said he has contact numbers for homeless assistance, said none of the individuals approached the township for help.
The Township received a complaint about an individual coming from the car pool parking lot to residential homes in the area panhandling.
Vander Roest was especially concerned with human waste.
It was noted Charleston Township furnishes two street lights and pays for the electricity at the location.
The Township provides trash receptacles and Vander Roest regularly picks up litter and properly disposes the trash at the township hall.
The Township Board learned from a township resident there were two disabled vehicles that had been in the parking lot for over two months.
Another township resident told the township board and audience October 28 one of the vehicles parked at the park and ride had sheets taped to the car windows.
The township resident said a couple of weeks ago a surveillance camera the resident has on property the resident owns near the location, revealed a man and a juvenile evaded a 10-
foot fence and was seen walking on the resident’s property. The township resident alleges the individual removed an SD memory card from the camera.
The township resident alleges chairs are missing and hunting blind windows have been opened.
Vander Roest said before the homeless left the area, he considered informing the Kalamazoo County Health and Human Services that there were individuals allegedly living in the parking lot with no running water or option to properly dispose human waste at the site. He noted there were two previous incidents in the township where the resident didn’t either have proper septic or water on the property that led to the township condemning the site.
One resident said if this type of behavior is allowed, “what’s next?”
Township Will Receive Compensation from
Drain Commissioner’s Office for Sewer Line Damage
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest informed the board and audience the Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner has agreed to reimburse the Township $108,023.60 for sewer line damage repair on McCullum Avenue following a 2016 project when the County installed a drain.
Vander Roest said the drain commissioner contacted him with an offer of $50,000, however the Charleston Township supervisor said that would not be enough to cover the costs.
Photographs and documentation have been secured that revealed the damage in the sewer lines.
A letter detailing a breakdown of costs to repair the sewer lines was also forwarded to the County Drain Commissioner’s office.
The township could have had the township attorney review the agreement, however the board authorized Vander Roest to sign the agreement and release.
Vander Roest said the township is waiting for a response from a letter sent by Prein & Newhof to Lumen Technology, a fiber telecommunications company, that provides a break down of costs to repair sewer line damage the township feels was caused by the telecommunications company.
The Township claims the telecommunications company damaged the sewer line in three spots on McCullum Avenue. Vander Roest said the township is seeking $36,130.03 for repairs.
Vander Roest has attempted to contact the fiber company but he said the company is not returning phone calls.
In other items covered at the October 28 meeting:
• The Township Board unanimously approved the township procedures and policies that was requested by the auditor.
• The Township Board unanimously approved a resolution that recognizes Nick Keck, of Associated Government Services, as a building official for the township. He will be responsible for
making sure permits are issued correctly, inspections are performed and violation letters are sent.
Apparent homeless activity at a public location in Charleston Township that has since been taken care of, brought concern from the Charleston Township Board and residents at the October 28 regular board meeting.
The Township Board learned there was a camper filled with items, two trailers filled with items and three individuals that were allegedly living in a vehicle for multiple weeks at the MDOT owned Park & Ride parking lot off of Exit 88 along I-94 near South 40th Street.
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said he reached out to MDOT about the apparent homeless situation, along with excessive litter and weeds he said were over 70 inches tall near the Park and Ride.
The Charleston Township Supervisor adds he approached one individual October 29 and said all three people and the vehicles and trailer filled with items were gone as of October 30.
Vander Roest adds MDOT also mowed the grass area around the Park and Ride parking lot and along the exit ramps.
Vander Roest forwarded the license plate number of another disabled vehicle in the Park and Ride parking lot to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department.
Vander Roest, who said he has contact numbers for homeless assistance, said none of the individuals approached the township for help.
The Township received a complaint about an individual coming from the car pool parking lot to residential homes in the area panhandling.
Vander Roest was especially concerned with human waste.
It was noted Charleston Township furnishes two street lights and pays for the electricity at the location.
The Township provides trash receptacles and Vander Roest regularly picks up litter and properly disposes the trash at the township hall.
The Township Board learned from a township resident there were two disabled vehicles that had been in the parking lot for over two months.
Another township resident told the township board and audience October 28 one of the vehicles parked at the park and ride had sheets taped to the car windows.
The township resident said a couple of weeks ago a surveillance camera the resident has on property the resident owns near the location, revealed a man and a juvenile evaded a 10-
foot fence and was seen walking on the resident’s property. The township resident alleges the individual removed an SD memory card from the camera.
The township resident alleges chairs are missing and hunting blind windows have been opened.
Vander Roest said before the homeless left the area, he considered informing the Kalamazoo County Health and Human Services that there were individuals allegedly living in the parking lot with no running water or option to properly dispose human waste at the site. He noted there were two previous incidents in the township where the resident didn’t either have proper septic or water on the property that led to the township condemning the site.
One resident said if this type of behavior is allowed, “what’s next?”
Township Will Receive Compensation from
Drain Commissioner’s Office for Sewer Line Damage
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest informed the board and audience the Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner has agreed to reimburse the Township $108,023.60 for sewer line damage repair on McCullum Avenue following a 2016 project when the County installed a drain.
Vander Roest said the drain commissioner contacted him with an offer of $50,000, however the Charleston Township supervisor said that would not be enough to cover the costs.
Photographs and documentation have been secured that revealed the damage in the sewer lines.
A letter detailing a breakdown of costs to repair the sewer lines was also forwarded to the County Drain Commissioner’s office.
The township could have had the township attorney review the agreement, however the board authorized Vander Roest to sign the agreement and release.
Vander Roest said the township is waiting for a response from a letter sent by Prein & Newhof to Lumen Technology, a fiber telecommunications company, that provides a break down of costs to repair sewer line damage the township feels was caused by the telecommunications company.
The Township claims the telecommunications company damaged the sewer line in three spots on McCullum Avenue. Vander Roest said the township is seeking $36,130.03 for repairs.
Vander Roest has attempted to contact the fiber company but he said the company is not returning phone calls.
In other items covered at the October 28 meeting:
• The Township Board unanimously approved the township procedures and policies that was requested by the auditor.
• The Township Board unanimously approved a resolution that recognizes Nick Keck, of Associated Government Services, as a building official for the township. He will be responsible for
making sure permits are issued correctly, inspections are performed and violation letters are sent.
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