St. Ignace Township Sewer Bypass Plan Is on Schedule
By Karen Gould

The 3,000-foot sewer bypass plan is on schedule, the St. Ignace Township board noted at their meeting Thursday, September 14. The township awaits permits from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, construction is scheduled to begin this month, and the project is scheduled to be completed by November 15.

Engineers say the bypass will eliminate sewer odors that have been bothering some Evergreen Shores residents for a year.

"It had better be done by November," said Township Supervisor Dale Nelson; "that's all I can say."

Township resident Fred Schlehuber said the odor has increased and filter canisters were being replaced every couple of days.

"It's been awful," he said.

In July, Les Therrian, director of the St. Ignace Department of Public Works, who did not attend the September meeting, reported changing the canisters every two to four weeks. The canisters are being used to help eliminate the sewer odor. At the July meeting, Mr. Therrian said canisters are replaced every six months in nearby Brevort Township.

The board also approved spending $12,650 for culvert replacement and drainage improvement on the north section of Mackinac Trail.

The project is estimated to cost $100,500, with the Mackinac County Road Commission and the township each contributing $12,650 and the remaining $75,200 coming from federal funding.

The project covers Mackinac Trail from the Chippewa County line south to M-134.

Affecting the timetable of the project is a Department of Environmental Quality permit, which expires in December.

The board also approved the 2007 allocated millage. The township has a taxable value of $27,866,469. Approximately $38,377 would be generated with 1.3772 mills for operations. The road millage, which will be 1.8782 mills, and expires in 2007, would contribute $52,338 to the fund, and the recreation millage of .4749 mills, which expires in 2008, would collect $13,233.

A requested land division, which did not meet state specifications, was denied by the board. Paul Myers wanted to divide his Simmons Road property into five lots. Each lot would be 166 feet wide by 2,642 feet long. The state ratio is four to one, width to length, said Mr. Nelson.

During the Liquor Board meeting held prior to the monthly township meeting, the board approved the sale of a liquor license from Sherry Gould, who owned the Bayside Restaurant in St. Ignace, to Iron Triangle Enterprises, which owns Little Bob's New Frontier Restaurant in St. Ignace Township.

The township board next meets Thursday, October 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Township Hall on Gorman Road.