What are the Board's Duties?

Township Board
The elected officers of Spring Arbor Township are the Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, and four Trustees. To qualify for these offices, a person must be a township elector. A township elector is defined as someone who is 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, and has lived at least 30 days in the township for which they will serve. The members of the township board are charged with the responsibility of managing the township’s affairs in the best interest of the public. The current elected officials are Supervisor Marston Fortress, Clerk Randi Holthouse, Treasurer Gloria Melchiori, and Trustees Scott Rodgers, Troy Ganton, Patricia Short and Brent Williams. The Spring Arbor Township Board of Trustees holds its’ meetings on the second Monday of each month. The township trustees are elected by the township residents every four years.

Planning Commission
Townships have statutory authority to regulate and control the development and use of property within their jurisdictions to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of the public by ensuring that the uses of land are situated in appropriate locations and relationships, are not producing congestion and overcrowding and are meeting the needs of the public. These goals are accomplished through establishing a planning commission by the township board. Primary responsibilities of a planning commission are adopting a zoning ordinance and a land use plan. The Planning Commission reviews site plans, and makes recommendations on rezoning requests and conditional use permit applications. The Spring Arbor Township Planning Commission consists of nine members. Marston Fortress, a member of the Spring Arbor Township board, acts as the board’s representative to the Planning Commission and currently serves as the Chairman.  Carl Jacobson is the Vice-Chair and Dave Herlein is the Secretary. Other members include Roy Holton, Richard Roth, Troy Ganton, Earl Poleski, John Williams and David Evans. These committee members are appointed by the Township Board. The Spring Arbor Township Planning Commission holds its’ meetings on the first Tuesday of each month.

Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals must hear and decide appeals from township residents related to the townships Zoning Ordinance. It may grant variances from the strict letter of the ordinance if practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship would result in conforming with the ordinance, provided the spirit of the ordinance is observed, public safety secured and substantial justice done. The hardship should not be self-created and some unique circumstances involving the property in question should be evident to support the variance. The Spring Arbor Township Zoning Board of Appeals consists of five members. Al Short serves as the Chairman, William Jaquays as the Secretary, and other members are David Herlein, Robert Roedema and Beth Kuntzleman. The Zoning Board of appeals meets the third Thursday of the month, unless there are no variances applied for. The Zoning Board of Appeals members are appointed by the Township Board.

Park Committee
The Township Park Committee is responsible for reviewing the needs of the township residents, related to parks and recreation, and then works toward developing a plan to meet the needs of the township. The Park Committee is an advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Township Board of Trustees for their approval. Committee members include Randi DeVries as the Chairperson, Warren Dexter as Secretary, and other members are Tom Phillips, Craig Withrow, Todd Zeller, Gordie Holton and Mark Dowley. The Park Committee generally meets on the third Monday of each month. The Park Committee members are appointed by the Township Board.

Sewer & Water Committee
The Township Sewer & Water Committee is responsible for overseeing the sewer and water systems in the township, and evaluating future expansion. The Sewer & Water Committee is an advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Township Board of Trustees for their approval. Committee members include Will DeGraaf as the Chairman, Brent Williams as the Secretary, and other members are Marston Fortress, Stan Lyon and Jim Buck. The Sewer & Water Committee meets on a monthly basis. The committee members are appointed by the Township Board.

Policy & Communications Committee
The Township Policy & Communications Committee is charged with improving communications to the constituents in the township, and establishing policy for the township. The Policy & Communications Committee is an advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Township Board of Trustees for their approval. Committee members include Patricia Short as the Chairperson, Randi DeVries as the Secretary, and Marston Fortress. The Policy & Communications Committee meets as needed. The committee members are appointed by the Township Board.