The Sun and News, Saturday, August 28, 2021/ Page 9GLASWA earns statewide utility award
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
The Gun Lake Area
Sewer and Water Authority
has been named the 2021
Wastewater Utility of the
Year by the Michigan Rural
Water Association.
The award was presented
earlier this month during
MRWA’s annual convention
at Soaring Eagle Casino in
Mount Pleasant.
“We think this is a real
big deal here,” GLASWA
Director Larry Knowles said
Thursday. “The team should
be really proud. When I say
‘the team,’ I mean everybody,
from the top down,
[including] our board, has
been fantastically supportive.
“We’ve had a very
aggressive replace-repair
equipment plan. Our rate
structure has been supported,
which was crucial to our
success.”
The association serves
about 600 rural water and
sewer systems across the
state, consisting of
communities with population
of less than 10,000, MRWA
wastewater technician Matt
Lumbert said.
GLASWA was honored
for its $1.9 million headworks
replacement project, which
began in 2018 and was
completed the following
year. The job of the
headworks is to screen and
capture debris that has
entered the wastewater
system.
“It removes any solid
waste – plastics, paper. Wet
wipes are a real issue,” plant
operator Dave Underwood
said.
Knowles said the utility
received a directive from the
Michigan Department of
Environment, Great Lakes
and Energy to improve its
system of removing debris
from the wastewater system.
Two years after project
completion, he is happy with
the final outcome.
“We have a brand-new
filtration and grit-removal
system. I would say that our
end product that ends up on
the farmers’ fields is a lot
better because of it,”
Knowles said.
The headworks project is
just one of several projectsGLASWA has undertaken in
recent years to upgrade its
system. The utility also has
had to replace screw pumps
which are used to lift large
amounts of wastewater – one
in 2016 and a second one
earlier this year. Replacing
each of the pumps cost more
than $170,000, Knowles
said.
“Screw pumps can take
almost anything,” he said.
“You put a five-gallon bucket
down there, it’s coming out.
It’s pretty hard to clog them.
One of them is running 24/7.
“Everything about this
sewer plant has redundancy.
So, if this screw pump fails,the other one comes on.
That’s why you see two of
everything [at the plant].”
One of the goals of
MRWA is to encourage local
water and wastewater
systems to be self-sufficient.
Lumbert said GLASWA has
done an outstanding job of
operating its system.
“They’re forward-
thinking,” he said. “They’re
looking 10 years ahead. We
look at a lot of communities
that say they can’t afford [to
make needed upgrades].”
The GLASWA plant,
located off of Marsh Road,
can process up to 1.2 million
gallons of raw sewage a day,but the typical daily load is
closer to 500,000 gallons,
Underwood said.
GLASWA’s membership
consists of four townships,
two in Barry County and two
in Allegan County. Yankee
Springs and Orangeville
townships are the Barry
County members whileAllegan County’s members
are Wayland and Martin
townships. The authority
board consists of the
supervisors of each township- Rob Heethuis of Yankee
Springs, Tom Rook of
Orangeville, Roger
VanVolkinburg of Wayland
and Glenn Leep of Martin.
284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333
269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-166559NOTICE
Yankee Springs Township – Barry County
Now accepting SNOW PLOWING BIDS 2021-2022 YEAR
Snow Accumulation of 2” minimum
Township Hall Facilities: 284 N. Briggs Road – Middleville, MI
Parking Lot - Plowing
Township Hall Entrance & Office entrance sidewalks - Shoveling
Salting as needed
Fire Station located at: 1425 Payne Lake Rd.
(Corner of Payne Lake Road & M-179 Hwy.), Wayland, MI
Parking Lot (plowing) and Small Walk Way (shoveling)
Fire Station to have #1 priority
Salting as needed
Yankee Springs Township Park: 1825 Parker Drive, Wayland, MI
PARKING LOT and Walking Path - plowing
Salting as needed
Certificate of Liability Insurance in the amount
of $1,000,000 must be submitted with Bid.
Sealed Bids must be received no later than September 8th, 2021
addressed to:
Mike Cunningham
Yankee Springs Township Clerk
284 N. Briggs Road
Middleville, MI 49333
Please call 269-795-9091 with questions.
Bids may also be e-mailed to [email protected] and must
be received no later than September 8th 2021. E-mailed bids will be
printed and placed in a sealed envelope, and treated confidentially.
Bids will be opened by the clerk on September 9th for review and
comparison before being presented to the Township Board for possible
awarding at the September 9th, 2021 Township Board Meeting 6:00 PM.
Yankee Springs Township reserves the right to reject any and all bids.Village of Middleville
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
The minutes of the August 10, 2021 Regular Council
Meeting, which was approved on August 24, 2021,
are posted at the Village Hall at 100 E Main Street
and on the website at http://www.villageofmiddleville.org.284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333
269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-067067_YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICETO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE
TOWNSHIP OF YANKEE SPRINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN,
AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on Sep-
tember 14, 2021 commencing at 6:00 p.m. at the Yankee Springs
Township Hall, 284 N. Briggs Rd., Middleville MI, within the Town-
ship, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning En-
abling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township.PLEASE TAKE NOTICE In addition to participation during a pub-
lic hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for
the Zoning Board of Appeals’ consideration by emailing or mailing
those comments to the Zoning Board of Appeals for receipt prior
to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric
Thompson ([email protected]) or by leaving a phone message
prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric
Thompson at 616-877-2000.PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be consid-
ered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following:- ZBA 21-09-06 PARCEL ID # 08-16-070-027-00. 3434 Elmwood
Beach Dr., Middleville, MI 49333.
A. A request by property owner, John Kuiper, for variance
relief from the setbacks established by section 12.4 “Re-
quired Setbacks” and the maximum floor space permitted
for guest houses established by section 12.7 “Accessory
Structures”.
i. The subject site is approximately .291 acres
in size. The property is currently zoned Gun
Lake Residential Lake Front (GLRLF) and the
applicant is requesting relief to allow for the con-
struction of a 2nd story addition to an accessory
structure that would fail to meet the required
setbacks and include a guest house floor space
that would exceed the maximum permitted by
the ordinance.' - Such other business as may properly come before the Zoning
Board of Appeals.
The Yankee Springs Township Zoning Board of Appeals
and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the
above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the pub-
lic hearing.
Anyone interested in reviewing the All interested persons are in-
vited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an elec-
tronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting.
Yankee Springs Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary
aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four
(4) days’ prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities
requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at
the address or telephone number listed below.
YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
By: Jacob Welch, Chairperson
Yankee Springs Township Hall
248 N. Briggs Rd.
Middleville, Michigan 49333
(269) 795-284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333
269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-167068YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP
PLANNING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICETO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE
TOWNSHIP OF YANKEE SPRINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN,
AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on Sep-
tember 16, 2021 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Yankee Springs
Township Hall, 284 N. Briggs Rd., Middleville MI, within the Town-
ship, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning En-
abling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township.PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, in addition to participation during
public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments
for the Planning Commission’s consideration by emailing or mail-
ing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior
to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric
Thompson ([email protected]) or by leaving a phone message
prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric
Thompson at 616-877-2000.PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be consid-
ered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following:- PC 21-08-06 PARCEL ID # 08-16-007-027-00. 12850 W.
M-179 Hwy. Wayland, MI 49328.
A. A request by Shorewood Builders Inc. agent for property
owner John & Cheryl Kuiper for a Special Exception Use/
Site Plan Review pursuant to section 12.7 Outbuildings
“Special Exception Uses”.
i. The subject site is a .291-acre parcel that is cur-
rently occupied by a single-family dwelling and
detached accessory structure. The property is
currently zoned Gun Lake Residential Lake Front
District (GLRLF) and the applicant is requesting a
Special Exception Use Permit/Site Plan Amend-
ment to allow for the construction of a 2nd story
addition to the accessory structure that will
contain guest quarters. - PC 21-08-07 PARCEL ID # 08-16-095-010-00. Un-ad-
dressed parcel on England Dr (Lot 21, Holiday Subdivi-
sion). Shelbyville, MI 49344.
A. A request by property owner Dennis and Kimberly Moore
Special Exception Use/Site Plan Review pursuant to section 12.7 Out-
buildings “Special Exception Uses”.
i. The subject site is .367-acre vacant parcel. The
property is currently zoned Residential Single
Family (RSF) and the applicant is requesting a
Special Exception Use/Site Plan Review to allow
for the construction of an accessory building on
an otherwise vacant lot. - PC 21-08-08 PARCEL ID # 08-16-011-008-00. 8416 W.
Bowens Mills Rd., Middleville, MI 49333.
A. A request by property owner Adam Sweeris for a re-zoning
of a portion of the property.
i. The subject site is an 11.0-acre parcel that is oc-
cupied by a single-family dwelling and accessory
structures. The property currently Agricultural
(AG) and the applicant is requesting to re-zone a
portion of the property to Rural Residential (RR)
in order to create a new 1 acre building site. - Such other business as may properly come before the
Planning Commission.
The Yankee Springs Township Planning Commission and Town-
ship Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-men-
tioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing.Anyone interested in reviewing the All interested persons are in-
vited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an elec-
tronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting.Yankee Springs Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary
aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four
(4) days’ prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities
requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at
the address or telephone number listed below.
YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSIONBy: Shana Bush, Chairperson
Yankee Springs Township Hall
248 N. Briggs Rd.
Middleville, Michigan 49333
(269) 795-