Auditors from the firm Plante and Moran gave the city of Brighton an âunmodifiedâ report, indicating that all was in order and in conformance with standard financial record-keeping and procedures. Auditors told council the city was under budget in every category and recorded an 18% undesignated fund balance, up from 16% last year and, âright on target with where (the city) wants to be," said auditor and CPA Timothy St. Andrew. He said further that the amount collected in property taxes continues to recover from the recession, standing at $5.5 million for the year ended June 30, up from $5.2 million in 2014-15. He said that when Finance Director Gretchen Gomolka took over the cityâs finance dept. earlier this year, âthe city didnât skip a beat.â Gomolka assumed her duties when former finance director Kelly Hanna retired in March after 25 years with the city. The city received the lionâs share - 68% - of its general fund revenue from property taxes in the 15-16 year. General fund revenues totaled $8.2 million versus last yearâs $7.8 million. The city keeps 42% of each tax dollar city property owners pay, which go for city services and employee payroll. However the same percentage â 42% - is doled out for educational funding, going to the state of Michigan, the Brighton Area School District and the LESA intermediate school district. A small percentage of city taxpayersâ dollars goes to the Brighton Area Fire Dept., the Brighton District Library and Livingston County. (TT)
Brighton Gets "Excellent" Audit Report from AuditorsBrighton Gets "Excellent" Audit Report from Auditors
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All 8 School Board Candidates Confirm For Forum Next WeekAll 8 School Board Candidates Confirm For Forum Next Week
All of the candidates running for school board in Brighton plan to take part in a voterâs forum next week. The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with Voterâs Voice, WHMI and the Livingston Daily Press & Argus, has scheduled a candidate forum for Tuesday, October 25th at 6pm. It will be held at the Brighton Community Center on Brighton Street and moderated by WHMI News Director Jon King. All eight candidates seeking the four open seats on the Brighton Board of Education in the November 8th election have confirmed that they will participate in the forum. Chamber director Pam McConeghy says they are hosting the forum as a means of supporting the local community and Brighton school district. Voters Voice describes itself as a âmulti-party political committee whose mission is to provide accurate information to encourage the political enthusiasm of the moderate citizens of Livingston County.â The Livingston County chapter is co-chaired by former Republican State Representative Judie Scranton and lifelong Democratic activist Jim Swonk. Each candidate will be given a one-minute opening statement, followed by one-minute responses to a series of eight questions selected in advance and then a one-minute closing statement. Members of the public who wish to suggest a question can do so by emailing them in advance to jking@whmi.com (JK)
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Brighton Imagination Station Playground Clean-Up SaturdayBrighton Imagination Station Playground Clean-Up Saturday
A cleanup day will be held Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at the Imagination Station playground in downtown Brighton. Brighton City Council Member and playground volunteer coordinator Renee Pettengill says it will be the last cleanup day of the year. Volunteers are asked to come out and dress warmly, since the temperature is expected to be in the 40âs in the morning. Volunteers donât need to bring any equipment and everything will be provided. Pettengill says even though itâs the last cleanup of the year, the playground will be kept open all winter, without interruption. Pettengill says the fact that volunteers keep the playground clean, rather than the city, saves local taxpayers an estimated $20,000 per year, since it frees up city crews to do other work. (TT)
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Boil Water Advisory Issued In Brighton TownshipBoil Water Advisory Issued In Brighton Township
The Livingston Community Water Authority (LCWA) has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for a group of between 32 and 34 homes within the Country Club subdivision located north of Grand River Avenue and west of Old US 23 in Brighton Township. This morning a resident reported water coming out of the ground at the intersection of Leland Drive and Weber Drive. LCWA started repairs at about 11am which resulted in a shutdown of the water main in that section of the subdivision. The water was returned to service by 12:45pm. However, the advisory remains in effect and will only be lifted after two consecutive bacteria tests are taken indicating counts within acceptable limits. A precautionary boil water advisory only includes water that will be used for human consumption or for cooking. (JK)
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A Local Woman is Recognized for Her Dedication to Outdoor EducationA Local Woman is Recognized for Her Dedication to Outdoor Education
A statewide organization dedicated to advancing environmental and outdoor education recently recognized a local woman for her years of volunteer service. The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education honored Milford resident Ellen Koehler during its annual conference in mid-October. Koehler is a 4-H volunteer who with her late husband, Paul, founded the Outdoor Adventure Challenge Club. Koehler has been a 4-H volunteer for many years over the past 20 years has exposed hundreds of children to activities like climbing, caving, canoeing and backpacking.
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Winning Photographs Selected In 2016 Master Plan Photo ContestWinning Photographs Selected In 2016 Master Plan Photo Contest
Winning photographs have been announced that will be incorporated into an updated master plan. 103 entries were received in the Livingston County Master Plan Photo Contest that ran from July 1st through September 30th and a panel of judges selected six photographs from each category. The photographers will receive a gift card and their winning photos will appear in the new Livingston County Master Plan in a chapter of similar content. Winners were chosen in six categories: natural resources, agriculture & rural environment, parks & recreation, development, placemaking and transportation. Some of the winning photos feature snowy Old Plank Road, dawn on Brophy Road (pictured), a Faussett Road cornfield, the historic Livingston County courthouse after a storm and skiing at Huron Meadows Metropark. Those interested can view the winning photos through the attachment and keep up to date on the progress of the master plan on the Livingston County Planning website. (JM)
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Portion Of Rushton Road Closed In Green Oak Township Portion Of Rushton Road Closed In Green Oak Township
Part of Rushton Road in Green Oak Township will be closed to traffic for roughly the next month. Rushton Road will be completely closed from south of Bowers Land to north of Wild Oaks Circle for approximately 30 days. The project got underway Friday. Work involves installation of a box culvert and paving operations. Since that section of road will be completely closed, officials say a significant impact on traffic can be expected. The Livingston County Road Commission further advises that emergency response routing will be affected. The closure is between 8849 Rushton Road and 9181 Rushton Road, so emergency vehicles will have to access certain addresses from different directions. (JM)
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Medical Marijuana Moratorium Rescinded In City Of Howell Medical Marijuana Moratorium Rescinded In City Of Howell
Although a moratorium on medical marijuana establishments will be rescinded at the end of the year in the City of Howell, would-be businesses need not get their hopes up just yet. The City immediately started fielding calls from citizens looking to open up shop after news that the state had adopted legislation to clarify the 2008 citizen initiated law. The City is in a transitional period while the state law takes effect and officials said they feel strongly Howell should not be the first municipality in Livingston County to allow the uses. The Howell City Council met earlier this month and approved a motion to rescind the moratorium effective December 31st but also affirm that the City is not opting into allowing any medical marijuana related businesses under the new state enabling legislation. Without municipal approval, no marijuana related business can open in a community. Staff and council felt it was prudent to be as firm as possible with the language, since the package of bills is described as complex and still being digested by many. There is a one year time period in which the state will be putting together the application process, which is when municipalities throughout Michigan will decide to opt in. Municipalities must explicitly âopt-inâ to allow any or all of five different types of marijuana related businesses defined in the bills. There are also several areas of the law staff has âmajorâ questions about, which they expect to be litigated. Community Development Director Tim Schmitt tells WHMI the City is sort of in a holding pattern until more analysis is done, commenting the four bill package is enormous and he has a lot of notes, questions and annotations. Schmitt says theyâll see what comes of everything but inevitably, he expects there will be more litigation and a full legalization push, which nullifies parts of the law. Heâs guessing a lot will change in the next 15 months and says itâs too early to tell where theyâll end up. A staff memo states the City will not have a great deal of leniency in the regulation of business operations but municipalities retain full control on location, number, type and other land-use related items. It was also noted that perhaps most importantly, existing operations are not grandfathered in as non-conforming land uses. Marijuana related establishments can begin applying to the state in January 2018 but officials commented during the meeting that the City began receiving inquiries from citizens the day the new laws passed. It was further noted that there is little, if any, financial incentive for the City. (JM)
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State Representative Candidates Challenge Each Other At ForumState Representative Candidates Challenge Each Other At Forum
In a repeat of the 2014 general election, Lana Theis and Tim Johnson will once again be running for the position of 42nd District State Representative. Brighton Township Republican Lana Theis came out victorious two years ago against her challenger Tim Johnson, a Democrat from Genoa Township. Now the two will once again go head-to-head in the race for 42nd District State Representative in next monthâs election. At a candidate forum in Hartland, each shared why they believe they deserve residentsâ vote. Theis expressed pride in local and state accomplishments. She says under conservative leadership, Michigan has brought its budget in on time for the last six years and created private-sector jobs. Theis also highlighted that last year, for the first time in over a decade and a half, the state experienced a lower unemployment rate than the national average. She says the state is ânot there yet, but moving in the right directionâ and says she is âvery excited to be a part of the solution.â Johnson agreed that the state is moving in the right direction, but says Livingston County is lacking people to fill the jobs available here. He says families arenât moving to the area or raising their children here and questioned if thatâs because of a lack of employment opportunities, the status of local schools and public transportation. Johnson says the county is âmoving towards the geriatric side of thingsâ but says younger people must move here and better jobs must be created to âkeep the community aliveâ. Both agreed that there needs to be more transparency between citizens and the government, but otherwise didnât see eye-to-eye on many of the other issues discussed. Theis says it is typical procedure for the state to cover Governor Rick Snyderâs legal fees in litigation over the Flint water crisis. Johnson says thatâs news to him and believes that Snyder should be responsible unless it is proven that he did not act in a criminal matter. Regarding openly carrying a handgun in schools, Theis cited the Second Amendment and says those that openly carry in schools do so to protect students. Johnson on the other hand, says there is no need for open carry unless you are a trained law enforcement officer. On the topic of funding for schools, Johnson feels private and religious-based schools should not receive state aid. Theis disagreed, saying that if the state mandates something in regards to education, they should be required to pay for it. Both say their reasons for running for office this time around are the same as they were two years ago. (DK)
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Fatal Crash Closes Latson Road For Several HoursFatal Crash Closes Latson Road For Several Hours
A Howell woman was killed in an Oceola Township crash that also sent three children to the hospital. Livingston County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched just after 10am to the area of Latson Road south of Highland Road for a single motor vehicle crash. The preliminary investigation reveals that a 2016 Jeep Renegade driven by a 69 year old Howell resident was northbound on Latson Road when her vehicle went off the roadway to the right onto the grass before hitting a tree. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene while the three children in the back seat were transported to the University of Michigan Hospital with unknown injuries. All occupants were wearing seatbelts. Alcohol does not appear to be factor. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Howell Area Fire Department Livingston County Ambulance and the Michigan State Police. Latson Road was closed for approximately three hours while deputies investigated. The crash appears to be medically related however it remains under investigation by the Livingston County Traffic Safety Bureau. (JK)
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Fall Leaf Vacuuming Starts In City Of BrightonFall Leaf Vacuuming Starts In City Of Brighton
The City of Brighton will begin the process of vacuuming leaves at the curbside by residents on Monday, Nov. 24. The city has been divided into three sections, and each section will be worked on for one week. If the leaf vacuuming in any one section takes place fast enough, the crew will go on to the next section without waiting until the following week. After all three sections in the city have been done, the crew will start over again with section #1. Each section will be re-done on a weekly basis until Nov. 30th. A reminder from Department of Public Works Director Dave Blackmar that the leaves must be spread out along the curb line, and not in the street. No sticks or twigs are allowed in the leaf pile because the machine canât process them. Residents are asked to keep their vehicles parked away from the leaves, and if a vehicle is parked over or next to a leaf pile, they will not be picked up. Blackmar says all of the free leaf bags made available to city residents are now gone and no more will be available. In addition, after this year the city will not be providing leaf bags for residents because of their increasing cost. Residents are asked to go to the cityâs website (www.brighton.org), click on âLeaf Collection 2016â, and scroll to the bottom to find out where their street falls on the schedule in order to learn when leaf vacuuming will occur in their neighborhood. (TT/JM)
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Local Man Pleads In Second Case Connected To Crime Ring Of Car Break-InsLocal Man Pleads In Second Case Connected To Crime Ring Of Car Break-Ins
A plea has been entered by a New Hudson man who is charged in two separate cases regarding hundreds of car break-ins that span across three counties. Last month, 24-year-old John Garcia-Stowe pleaded guilty as charged to breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property $200 or more, which is a one-year misdemeanor. In a separate case, he recently pleaded guilty to one count of breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property over $1,000, which is a five year felony. In exchange, two counts of larceny from a motor vehicle were dismissed. Garcia-Stowe agreed to pay restitution on all counts. He faces sentencing November 10th and 15th. Garcia-Stowe and 20-year-old Deionte Glass of New Hudson were arrested in Brighton in August after police suspected the two were connected to a rash of car break-ins. Police had noticed several vehicles with their dome lights on and personal items strewn throughout the cars in a Brighton neighborhood the morning of August 10th. Officers then came across a woman sleeping in the backseat of a car, which they felt was suspicious. She was asked to call her friend and several suspects were apprehended for Larceny from Auto. Brighton police passed on a license plate number to Hamburg Township police, which turned out to be registered to a vehicle that police had been looking for in relation to car thefts in the Hamburg area. Hamburg Police reportedly searched the residence of one of the suspects, where they recovered hundreds of items believed to have been stolen by the suspects. Glass, who is charged with one count of breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property $200 or more, is due back in court November 14th for a pre-trial hearing. (DK)
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Victim in Fatal Crash on Latson Road IdentifiedVictim in Fatal Crash on Latson Road Identified
Authorities have identified the victim in a fatal, one-vehicle accident Saturday on Latson Road south of Highland Road in Oceola Twp. The crash also resulted in injuries to three children, who were transported to the University of Michigan Hospital. Livingston County Undersheriff Mike Murphy today identified the victim as 69-year-old Ann Davidson of Howell. The children in the vehicle range in age from 3 to 10, with two of them admitted overnight for observation. Names of the children are being withheld because of their ages. According to Murphy, the preliminary investigation indicates a 2016 Jeep Renegade driven by Davidson was northbound on Latson Road when her vehicle went off the roadway onto the grass before hitting a tree. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Davidson and her three passengers were all wearing seatbelts. Undersheriff Murphy says witnesses reported the accident appeared to have been related to a medical emergency. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Howell Area Fire Department, Livingston County Ambulance and Michigan State Police. The accident remains under investigation by the Livingston County Traffic Safety Bureau. (TT)
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Hamburg Twp. Home Destroyed in BlazeHamburg Twp. Home Destroyed in Blaze
Hamburg Twp. firefighters arrived at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday to the scene of a house fire in the Ore Lake View subdivision. According to the Livingston County Press & Argus, neighbors heard a loud explosion just before seeing flames coming out of the home. The family, including two adults and two children, was home at the time but all reportedly got out safely. Firefighters from several area departments remained on the scene all night. WHMI placed calls with Fire Chief Mark Hogrebe, but he was unavailable for comment. (TT)
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Local Resident Takes Legislator To Work For National Disability Awareness MonthLocal Resident Takes Legislator To Work For National Disability Awareness Month
A month of special recognition for disabled employees had one resident taking her state representative to work. Governor Rick Snyder proclaimed October as Investing in Abilities Month as a way to increase the publicâs awareness of the skills and abilities of people with disabilities, and encourage employers to hire them. Milford resident Shelby Hall, who has a developmental disability, took State Representative Jim Runestad of White Lake to work with her at the Little Caesars of Milford. Take Your Legislator to Work is just one of the activities promoted by the Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council to celebrate the skills and talents of people with disabilities. The month long campaign ends on October 28th with a ceremony in Constitution Hall in Lansing at 10 am. (DS)
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Teen Driver Sentenced In 2015 Crash That Killed 16-Year-OldTeen Driver Sentenced In 2015 Crash That Killed 16-Year-Old
A local teen who was the driver in a dune-buggy crash that killed a 16-year-old has been sentenced. 17-year-old Cameron Smith has received a 10-day sentence for his role in the October 2015 crash. Smith, who was the driver, was charged with a moving violation causing death. He was sentenced in juvenile court Thursday. He will be required to complete over 300 hours of community service, the Midcourse Corrections Challenge Camp, in-home counseling, victim impact panels and court watch programs. The incident occurred on Davis Road in Marion Township almost exactly a year ago. Smith was driving a dune-buggy type of vehicle when he lost control and went off the roadway. The vehicle went airborne and crashed into a tree. The victim, 16-year-old Griffin Matley of Howell (pictured), was pronounced dead at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. Family members of the victim have claimed that Smith and his parents lied during their testimony about the condition of the vehicleâs brakes. The Smithâs allegedly stated that the brakes worked fine, while Matleyâs grandfather says three out of four of the brakes were not working. (DK)
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Tyrone Amends Ordinance To Cover Local Exotic Animal DisplayTyrone Amends Ordinance To Cover Local Exotic Animal Display
An amendment to one townshipâs existing pets ordinance will make it easier for one local resident to run a specialized zoo on his property. The Tyrone Township Board of Trustees recognized that they had no regulations for the keeping of exotic animals and made the changes at last weekâs regular meeting. The township became aware earlier in the year of resident Brent Barrick owning and displaying animals like lemurs, emus, and aquatic marine life on his property off of Hartland Road. The business, called Supe's Exotic Jungle, bills itself as a traveling zoo that also offers on-site parties and tours. Township Supervisor Mike Cunningham informed concerned neighbors at the meeting that there has been no approval to run a business there and if Barrick is charging for entry, he needs to get compliant or they will have to force him to stop. The supervisor said they are willing to work with Barrick though and that this ordinance is the first step in helping him reach compliance. Barrick already has the approvals needed from the federal and state governments, but not the township. Cunningham told WHMI that this is not the first time heâs encountered this problem with a new business. He said it is not entirely uncommon to encounter people that think they can just start a business, but that they need to come to the township and go through all the proper procedures first. The new ordinance, along with the special land use permit that will now have to be applied for, will help keep the township informed on details like where the animals are, how they are being maintained, and where visitors will park. The board also agreed that it was important to include the need for a constantly updated animal roster. That way they can keep the county and Animal Control aware of what is out there in case of an escape or emergency. (MK)
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High School Fire Academy Graduates Prove Program's SuccessHigh School Fire Academy Graduates Prove Program's Success
Graduates from a local high school fire academy program have gone on to work at area fire departments, proving the programâs success. The Howell Public Schools Fire Academy is the first successful program in the state, according to Lt. Tom Kiurski from the Brighton Area Fire Authority. Kiurski runs the academy and says it has achieved what it set out to do. The program is open to high school juniors and seniors and gives them the required classroom and practical training needed to earn their state firefighters certification, while also earning credits to graduate high school. The program has graduated three classes, turning out graduates who can immediately become a firefighter once they pass the state test. Brittany Tooman and Bobby Wilhelm are former cadets of the academy. Tooman now works for the South Lyon Fire Department and Wilhelm for the Lyon Township Fire Department. Tooman, Wilhelm and Kiurski were guests Sunday on WHMI's Viewpoint program. Tooman originally wanted to be a teacher and says she never expected this to become her passion or career path. Wilhelm seconded that notion. He says he was encouraged to try the academy out upon seeing a poster for it at school. Tooman and Wilhelm both say they hope to become a paramedic working at a full time department someday. They agree that while the academy was hard work, it was also fun and absolutely worth it. Lt. Kiurski says several other departments in the state have taken an interest in the program and are on the verge of starting their own. He encourages anyone who is interested in the academy to contact Howell High School. More details about the academy can be found at the link below. (DK)
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Challenger Elementary School Students Lead "Socktober" EffortsChallenger Elementary School Students Lead "Socktober" Efforts
Two local elementary school students are seeking the communityâs help in their efforts to collect socks for an area homeless shelter. Myla Limbers and Isabella Felix are fifth-graders at Challenger Elementary School in Howell. The two students are participating in a nationwide movement called Socktober. The goal is to collect two million pairs of socks during the month of October. The socks collected locally will be donated to the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency. Limbers and Felix learned about Socktober from a web series called âKid Presidentâ and were inspired. They gave a presentation to Challengerâs principal on how they would lead the project and how to promote it to their fellow classmates. Felix says having warm and dry feet is a ânecessityâ and that often people donât think of socks when collecting items for homeless shelters. Limbers feels itâs a great way to give back to the community. The two have made posters, collection boxes and a presentation explaining Socktober, as well as a âsock-o-meterâ to track the number of socks collected. Socks can be dropped off at Challenger Elementary through the end of the month.
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As Cold Weather Returns, Residents Reminded Of Carbon Monoxide DangersAs Cold Weather Returns, Residents Reminded Of Carbon Monoxide Dangers
Carbon Monoxide Safety and Awareness Week is underway and officials say knowing the symptoms could save someoneâs life. Consumers Energy and the State of Michigan are encouraging residents to protect themselves against carbon monoxide poisoning as we move into the cold weather months. The toxic gas is known as the silent killer because itâs odorless, tasteless and colorless. Itâs produced when appliances arenât working properly according to Consumers Energy Spokeswoman Debra Dodd, who says they recommend annual furnace inspections to make sure theyâre operating properly, changing air filters and visible inspections of chimneys to make sure theyâre not blocked by leaves or nests. They also warn people never to use a stove or charcoal grill to warm a building and never leave a supplemental heater or fireplace unattended. 2013 data from the Michigan Department of Community Health reveals 823 Michigan residents suffered unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting in 34 deaths. Dodd says residents and businesses need to protect themselves from the dangerous gas, noting symptoms can sometimes be difficult to diagnose because they mimic the flu. Dodd says the best defense is to install an audible carbon monoxide alarm that works like a smoke detector and will alarm if dangerous levels are created in a home or building. Additional tips and details are available through the link below. (JK)
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