New Ideas Develop for Brevort Twp. Fire Hall Project
By Paul Gingras

A new idea for housing the Brevort Township Fire Department's equipment, for creating a new building for township government activities, and to provide space for resident activities emerged unexpectedly during the regular meeting of the Brevort Township Board of Trustees Tuesday, February 6. Reminding trustees that voters have already rejected millage requests for a new community center, library, and fire hall, resident Otto Roggenbuck suggested the board focus on building a fire hall with a multi-purpose activity room, leaving out plans for a library. Township Supervisor Ed Serwach encouraged the board and the public to consider Mr. Roggenbuck's idea.

Members heard a report on the fire department's pursuit of designs and estimates for a new fire hall, and they heard a report from the Brevort Township Building Committee, which has been working on plans for a community center and library.

Between reports, Mr. Roggenbuck reminded trustees that voters will not pass a millage for a new community center, library, and fire hall to replace the current, dilapidated facility on Church Street. The prospect has been voted down three times, Mr. Serwach said, beginning in 2001, when the township asked Durm.

The board authorized Mr. Spencer to seek a formal proposal from Mr. Reid for the work. Mr. Spencer recommended him, saying he has worked with Mr. Reid on timber projects in the past. He added that Mr. Reid can survey timber, mark appropriate trees for cutting, set up a sale, advertise it, and monitor the progress of loggers.

Revenue would be reinvested in the ski hill, board members said.

Harvests could be conducted in a seven- or eight-year cycle, and managing the forest could eventually yield stands of high quality trees, Mr. Spencer said. Once the forest is in groomed condition, paths could be added to enhance recreation in the area, board members suggested.

In other business, the board voted to pay a third of a sign project to install three school zone signs, two on Portage Street and one on Old Portage Trail, pending approval by the City of St. Ignace and St. Ignace Area Schools. Each entity would pay one third of the cost, which will be from $6,000 to $9,000 in total.

The signs would include flashing lights directing traffic to slow to 20 miles per hour when school traffic is present.

"We have had a lot of complaints from residents about speeding there, and there is a concern, particularly when school lets out," Mr. Spencer said.

"I think there is enough traffic in the area to warrant" the project, Mr. Spencer said.