Rutland Charter Township is changing even in these times of economic distress. Not all changes are good, however, there needs to be change good and bad for there to be positive progressive advancement. One change for the coming year is the 2010 budget that was cut across the board approximately 20% with very little interruption to the service that our residents have come to expect.
A long overdue codification of all the township ordinances is near completion. This means that ordinances that have been adopted by the township from the beginning that are on file and still viable, have been scrutinized for consistency and errors. By doing this, the township lessens its legal liability caused by outdated poorly coordinated ordinances that may conflict in such a way as to create an opportunity for frivolous and expensive lawsuits. It also has the added benefit of making all the ordinances less confusing for the lay person to understand and work with.
The Joint Planning initiative involves Rutland Charter Township, Hastings Charter Township, Carlton Township, City of Hastings, and Barry County. This multi-jurisdictional coalition will have a very positive effect on the future growth of the approximately 36 sq. miles of joint planning area. The Joint Planning Committee works together to coordinate growth in the area as well as stewardship of all of our natural resources the very things that most of our residents have came into the area or stayed in the area for. It is also the responsible party that oversees applications for Brownfield Development Grants in the area. It has at its disposal Federal Funds that may be granted to applicants for testing and evaluation of sites that have been identified as possibly being contaminated in the past.
I am grateful for the hard working, dedicated Township staff. Again, I want to thank the members of the various Township committees and boards. If you are interested in becoming involved, contact the Township Clerk and ask to be considered for boards or committees as the need arises.
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