Under the gun

On Monday, I covered the Van Buren Township Work Study meeting. The agenda was packed with interesting stuff, and it ran for almost three hours. The exchanges among township officials and over 20 people in the audience were civil and constructive. It was, as they say, a good meeting, despite its length.

But I noticed a recurring theme, one to which we're all subject, including our elected representatives: dealing with important issues when you're running out of time.

Included were the following:

• A contract with Romulus Animal Shelter - at a $200 savings per month, this was a good deal, and it was said that we'd better act quickly, lest another community replace us as their customer. But, at other points during the meeting, I heard that the shelter would easily be able to expand.
• A couple of outdoor projects, including completing a bike path in Van Buren Park, and an expansion of Bethany Bible Church; gotta launch these this year, it was said, before the weather turns.
• Avoid losing $49,000 of a federal government grant that expires at the end of the year. Purpose is to upgrade Beck Road ballfields, but officials decided to wait until after a lease agreement between the township and EQ, which owns the ballfields, was agreed.
• Two incomplete subdivisions, including Country Walk Phases Three and Four at Martinsville and savage Roads, and the Victoria Park subdivision at Ecorse and Morton Taylor Roads. Representatives of SR Jacobson had proposed acquiring the land to build out the subs, but township officials weren't satisfied with all the terms of the deal. They decided to do further research, negotiate further with the potential buyer, and to return to subsequent board meetings this year to reach a decision.