After battling a fire in Moran for six hours Saturday, July 31, the Brevort Township Volunteer Fire Department requested several equipment upgrades from the Brevort Township board Monday, August 9, that will help them fight blazes in the future. Among the upgrades are “pistol grip” fire nozzles, a fan to blow smoke out of burning houses, and a saw that can cut through metal roofs. The township board approved the plan and also agreed to meet with the Moran Township Road Committee to talk about maintenance on shared roads, and said the township is still waiting for funding for the community center.

The fire at the end of July put heavy strain on the volunteer fire department, and equipment upgrades could help reduce that in the future. Pistol grip nozzles will reduce the strain on firefighters' shoulders, especially over long periods of time. The fan would make firefighting easier by reducing smoke and the damage done to windows, Fire Chief Mark Peterson said. A normal chainsaw could be used on shingled roofs, but it would have difficulty with metal roofs. Other pieces of equipment sought include new nozzles and nozzle adapters.

The upgrades would cost roughly $4,300 total, Mr. Peterson said.

Township Awaits Community Center Funding

Development of the new township community center is temporarily on hold, as United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development has not given the green light to begin hiring contractors yet, Supervisor Ed Serwach said. While the township has been approved for a United States Department of Agriculture grant and bond combination of about $350,000, the money has not been received yet.

In the meantime, architect A. Richard Williams, who designed the St. Ignace Public Library, has drafted several conceptual drawings of the community center as a gift to the community, Mr. Serwach said. Unlike other concepts where the center would be a building with several rooms and halls, Mr. Williams' design looks similar to a pyramid with raised berms. The inside of the building would be a single room, Mr. Serwach said.

Voters approved the bond and grant application, along with splitting its community center millage to pay for the bond during the May 4 elections. The goal is to construct a community center with a library costing between $300,000 to $350,000.

Once the new center is built, the old one will eventually be demolished.

Brevort and Moran Townships To Meet and Discuss Shared Road Maintenance

Several roads straddle the border along Moran Township and Brevort Township, and both road committees will meet to discuss what roads may need maintenance and how they could cooperate to have the work done. Mr. Serwach said he will contract Moran Township and set a meeting time.

Shared roads include Castle Rock Road, Round Lake Road, Brevort Lake Road, Worth Road, Burma Road, Black Point Road, and 27 Mile Road.