By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Village Council unanimously approved a contract renewal agreement between the County of Kalamazoo and the Village of Climax for the Household Hazardous Waste program for 2026.
The approved agreement is for $600.
Clerk Linda Coburn said the last several years the village has budgeted $600 for the service. A portion of the $600 ($270), which is based on the number of households in the
village, goes towards operation costs.
That will leave $330 for village residents to dispose items for free at the Household Hazardous Waste collection site on Lamont Street in Kalamazoo.
Once the cost to dispose items reaches $330, there will be a cost to the citizen, however Coburn said the $330 figure has never been exceeded the last five years.
High Water Bill Addressed
Village President Bill Lewis said he responded to a social media post from a resident about a water bill that had doubled. He said he along with the DPW is working with the citizen to try and figure out why the water bill increased significantly and help solve the issue. He said the DPW is monitoring the location’s water usage weekly.
A resident also inquired about the new Readiness To Serve Charge. Lewis said a presentation will be made at a future meeting, explaining the Readiness To Serve Charge.
DPW Report
Department of Public Works employee Lucas Piper said an invoice was received in the amount of $4,400 from Peerless for emergency service when there was an issue with the water system in December. The DPW is still waiting for an invoice from Motorshop for service that was also provided to temporarily correct the issue. That invoice will be turned over to the insurance provider. A cost for a long term repair will also be provided to the insurance carrier.
DPW Manager T.J. Gibson noted at the December 16 Village Council meeting, the estimate to fix the issue long term could be $30,000-$70,000.
Gibson said the damage occurred from a power outage December 10.
He said after power was lost near a pump house, Consumers Energy responded and hooked up a transformer for the village after it was discovered a Consumers Energy transformer in the area was also impacted from the power outage. Gibson said multiple breakers were destroyed in the pump house.
Gibson said three breaks in a power line under the railroad tracks that goes into a pump house, was damaged. The power line was temporarily fixed, giving the village power at well house number 2.
Piper said DPW Manager T.J. Gibson is working on the Water Quality Report and Consumers Confidence Report.
He adds water samples and pumpage reports have been completed for January.
In other items covered at the January 6 meeting:
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig provided the monthly Kalamazoo County Sheriff report. The report notes there were 20 citizen initiated calls for service and eight officer initiated calls in Climax Township for the month of December. There were 11 citizen initiated calls for service and 42 officer initiated calls in the Village of Climax in December. There were 37 directed patrols in the Village which are part of the contract the Village has with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department when officers sign up for overtime to patrol in the village. ARPA funding has been used for the direct patrols.
• Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly reminded the public a board approved ordinance form to file a complaint is on the village website and at
the Village Hall during open office hours.
Once a form is filed, the committee reviews the complaint to determine if a complaint is valid.
Kelly said she is currently working on six ordinance violations she personally has observed. She is working with the committee, sending letters to the property owners. She said almost all six are blight and nuisance.
• The Council unanimously approved the meeting dates for 2026.
The Climax Village Council unanimously approved a contract renewal agreement between the County of Kalamazoo and the Village of Climax for the Household Hazardous Waste program for 2026.
The approved agreement is for $600.
Clerk Linda Coburn said the last several years the village has budgeted $600 for the service. A portion of the $600 ($270), which is based on the number of households in the
village, goes towards operation costs.
That will leave $330 for village residents to dispose items for free at the Household Hazardous Waste collection site on Lamont Street in Kalamazoo.
Once the cost to dispose items reaches $330, there will be a cost to the citizen, however Coburn said the $330 figure has never been exceeded the last five years.
High Water Bill Addressed
Village President Bill Lewis said he responded to a social media post from a resident about a water bill that had doubled. He said he along with the DPW is working with the citizen to try and figure out why the water bill increased significantly and help solve the issue. He said the DPW is monitoring the location’s water usage weekly.
A resident also inquired about the new Readiness To Serve Charge. Lewis said a presentation will be made at a future meeting, explaining the Readiness To Serve Charge.
DPW Report
Department of Public Works employee Lucas Piper said an invoice was received in the amount of $4,400 from Peerless for emergency service when there was an issue with the water system in December. The DPW is still waiting for an invoice from Motorshop for service that was also provided to temporarily correct the issue. That invoice will be turned over to the insurance provider. A cost for a long term repair will also be provided to the insurance carrier.
DPW Manager T.J. Gibson noted at the December 16 Village Council meeting, the estimate to fix the issue long term could be $30,000-$70,000.
Gibson said the damage occurred from a power outage December 10.
He said after power was lost near a pump house, Consumers Energy responded and hooked up a transformer for the village after it was discovered a Consumers Energy transformer in the area was also impacted from the power outage. Gibson said multiple breakers were destroyed in the pump house.
Gibson said three breaks in a power line under the railroad tracks that goes into a pump house, was damaged. The power line was temporarily fixed, giving the village power at well house number 2.
Piper said DPW Manager T.J. Gibson is working on the Water Quality Report and Consumers Confidence Report.
He adds water samples and pumpage reports have been completed for January.
In other items covered at the January 6 meeting:
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig provided the monthly Kalamazoo County Sheriff report. The report notes there were 20 citizen initiated calls for service and eight officer initiated calls in Climax Township for the month of December. There were 11 citizen initiated calls for service and 42 officer initiated calls in the Village of Climax in December. There were 37 directed patrols in the Village which are part of the contract the Village has with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department when officers sign up for overtime to patrol in the village. ARPA funding has been used for the direct patrols.
• Ordinance/Zoning/Planning & Development Chairperson Carolyn Kelly reminded the public a board approved ordinance form to file a complaint is on the village website and at
the Village Hall during open office hours.
Once a form is filed, the committee reviews the complaint to determine if a complaint is valid.
Kelly said she is currently working on six ordinance violations she personally has observed. She is working with the committee, sending letters to the property owners. She said almost all six are blight and nuisance.
• The Council unanimously approved the meeting dates for 2026.
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