Portage Township Board, meeting Tuesday, February 8, voted to settle a Michigan Tax Tribunal issue by paying Edison Sault Electric $6,302.89. The township’s responsibility is $1,018.18 and it will bill the difference of $5,284.71 to Mackinac County, Tahquamenon Schools, and Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District. Neighboring Garfield Township agreed to a similar settlement in January by paying Edison Sault $2,740.71. Both townships were in a five-year personal property tax multiplier rate appeal.

The Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a second public hearing for Friday, March 4, regarding snowmobilers skipping their sleds over open water, approximately two feet deep, where South Manistique Lake flows into Portage Creek. The DNR wants to ban the practice, which has become a local attraction, and keep snowmobiles 100 feet from open water.

Residents complain of snowmobilers who practice throughout the night on an area of the lake that fails to freeze because of the current.

The second hearing was originally scheduled for Friday, February 18.

The board directed Township Clerk Marcia McDonald to advertise an opening on the Portage Township Planning Commission, to replace Bob Baty, who moved from the area about a year ago. The planning commission also will elect a new chairman to replace Jeff Freeborn, who resigned as chairman but will remain on the board. The Planning Commission next meets Monday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Curtis Community Building.

Luce and Mackinac county boards will appoint two people to the South Manistique Lake Dam Committee, which manages the dam on the west end of Manistique Lake. The vacancies were created by the resignations of Rodney Richards and Bob Hoeft.

The board voted to hire four new ambulance corps employees: Eric Wiegand, Brad Kohvakka, Jobyann Pastell, and Richard Hopkins. Each has completed Medical First Responder class. Kristi Soder, who already is a member of the corps, also has received her First Responder certification.

The board voted to drop the issue of vendor licensing at community events after spending the last month reviewing legal documents. Board members agreed the amendment was too complicated for what the township would accomplish.

The next Portage Township Board meeting will be Tuesday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Curtis Community Building.