As a Ross Township Volunteer under Supervisor Rob Baker, Donna Tellam worked thousands of hours to recruit other volunteers, such as Gull Lake Rotary, Eagle Scouts, Ross Township Board and Commission Members, to apply for grants to give Ross Township Park the beautiful family focused space we enjoy today. On August 13th, there was a Weeping Cherry Tree dedication in Donna’s honor for all of her Volunteer work on behalf of Ross Township. Volunteers make our Community a better place to be for all of us. Thank You Donna Tellam for your love for Ross Township and for all the love you gave Ross Township Park. Pictures to be coming soon!
Notice of Intent Materials Management Plan for Kalamazoo County Government August 7, 2024
NEW FEMA floodplain maps are effective August 1, 2024. These new maps incorporate any individual map changes (letter of map amendment, change or LOMC) that were made between 2010 and 2023. A “letter of map change” is a document issued by FEMA for a particular parcel, based on a proposed particular use and an engineered drawing, after application is made. For example, flood maps show high probability of flood prone areas. If you know your property has an existing LOMC, you can check the map on the FEMA website at www.floodmaps.fema.fhm after August 1. Please notify the Township Building Department , AGS at 269-629-0600 if you find a missing known LOMC. “Sent to AGS 7/29/24”
HAS YOUR MAILBOX BEEN INJURED BY A SNOW PLOW TRUCK?
**2024 Inclement Weather Update: If Kalamazoo County Government is CLOSED — Ross Township Business Offices will also be CLOSED.**
September 26. 2023 — **Stay current on all PFAS meetings scheduled! Public Engagement (michigan.gov)
March 2023: EPA proposes new limits on PFAS – Fact Sheet
MPART is hosting a Public Meeting October 30, 2023 at Kellogg Bio Station 6-8 PM
EGLE POWER POINT PRESENTATION from October 30, 2023 at KBS
& the MPART POWER POINT PRESENTATION from October 30, 2023 at KBS
September 26, 2023: Ross Township is hosting a PFAS Town Hall on October 3rd, promptly followed by a Special Board Meeting to take potential action relating to residents in the Gull Vista Plat areas. Watch your mailbox for a BRIGHT PINK FLYER…. if you receive one, it is imperative you attend this meeting! All Town Halls are open to Ross Township residents. Hope to see you here at the Ross Augusta Fire Barn at 6:00pm. Powerpoint Presentation is HERE. Investigation Summary from EGLE is HERE Questions on Water Filters? Go HERE and HERE for the EPAs Information on Water Filters
September 2, 2023: It is with mutual regret that Alex Harris has resigned his position as Township Clerk as of September 1st 2023. Both parties are mutually pleased to end his term with a separation agreement. The Ross Township Board thanks Alex for his service and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.
June 7, 2023: New Multiple Family Dwelling ~ Ordinance Updates
Election Notice from the Ross Township Clerk
Want to know more about what EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) and Kalamazoo Health and Community Services Department are doing to respond to the threat of PFAS? You can sign up for updates on a variety of environmental topics HERE
North 34th Street, Richland Township, Kalamazoo County – A History on the “PPP Site”.
Know up to date PFAS Sites and Areas of Interest by going here.
Use the interactive map by ELGE/MPART (Michigan PFAS Action Response Team) for PFAS locations here.
How does PFAS Cycle into our every day lives?
January, 2023: PFAS in fish — MDHHS releases “Eat Safe Fish” guides annually in the Spring and emergency advisories as needed. Michigan’s Areas of Concern has identified 43 places in our Great Lakes Region that had severe, long-term environmental problems. Get to know more here.
Have questions about the recent advisory and the ongoing investigation by EGLE? Please contact Erica Bays, EGLE Site Lead, Environmental Quality Analyst — [email protected]
Water Testing Update: January, 2023
April 4, 2023 Update–MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health & Human Services) and EGLE were going door to door contacting residents regarding free well testing for PFAS/PFOA. On Tuesday, 4/4/23, I was contacted by Lisa Fischer, MDHHS Toxicologist, who shared that 40 homes permitted testing. Only one home exceeded the MDHHS Comparison Value (CV) for PFOA. This single home uses an approved filter and regularly uses replacement cartridges. All other homes were either non-detect or the PFAS detections were below the CVs.
In keeping with our commitment to Ross Township residents, I will be working on a date when EGLE, DHHS PFOA/PFAS specialists will come to our township hall to answer any resident questions in a one hour town hall Q&A. More to come on that in the near future!
Ross Township neighbors in the Delmar/Littlefield/Merrimac/Sherbrook area will soon be receiving letters from the State of Michigan (MDHHS) to request access to sample their residential wells. The letters were mailed out January 13, 2023. This is not due to any new threat; it is the next step required from the last update on PFAS groundwater monitoring in November 2022 by EGLE, regarding the North 34th Street Production Plated Plastics site. The Ross Township Board is following this matter closely and I am routinely meeting with our EGLE and DHHS contacts assigned to this PPP site sampling project.
Any residents living in this area please be sure to take advantage of free filters offered. Residents should be changing their filter cartridges every 6 months. If you would like to get a new filter, contact:
Health & Community Services Department
311 East Alcott Street | Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Phone: 269-373-5336 | Fax: 269-373-5333
Website: www.kalcounty.com/eh
It is important that when residents receive their letter asking for access to test their private well, please quickly take advantage of this free testing service. It is our goal to hold informational meetings after EGLE’s quarterly results are in PLUS after the test results are known from private well testing. Once we hear back on all test results, we will host a meeting with EGLE and DHHS at the Ross Township offices for the water project experts to answer questions and concerns of residents.
*****Once we hear from EGLE on all personal and groundwater monitoring test results, Ross Township residents will be notified of informational meeting dates to be held at the township office. ***********
WATER TESTING IN ROSS TOWNSHIP (11/11/2022)
The Ross Township Board has been aware of PFAS monitoring in Richland Township for years.
We remain in close contact with EGLE and the Health Department about their own groundwater monitoring wells in the Delmar/Littlefield area. I’ve had very thorough telephone conversations with EGLE and the Health Department occurring over several days since I was first contacted by EGLE on October 24th. It is imperative to have the facts directly from the source. While the whole township board is concerned, we have been reassured by the water and environmental specialists that there is no residential well data confirming risk, only that there is the potential for risk based on the shallow data EGLE has from their groundwater monitoring wells in that area. EGLE’s plan now is to collect samples from all residential wells in the area. Again, I have been assured by EGLE, “This does not equal municipal water at this point.” EGLE is in the data collection phase and will share results with well owners and local/state agencies as EGLE receives them. I requested copies of the letters EGLE will be mailing to affected residents and I do not have any letters yet. Once I have copies of the letters, a meeting at the township will be organized to put water and environmental experts before residents to answer questions directly.
This information, while concerning to residents and to the Ross Township Board, is in the very early stages of action. The Ross Township Board remains committed to the demands of residents that municipal water is not desired. As residents are contacted and asked to have their wells tested, it is inevitable that misinformation will spread. Please know that I have had several telephone calls with both agencies directly leading this process, I have involved the township attorney, and the entire Board of Directors is also aware of this activity and the new approach to testing 59 residential wells. Please bring questions to Ross Township for direct answers. Please stay tuned for open meeting dates with EGLE and the Health Department as well as the Township Board and legal counsel. We all plan to be accessible, supportive, and aggressively pursuing accurate information directly from the experts on behalf of affected residents.
The Ross Township Board is concerned that some public officials have jumped to conclusions ahead of sampling. Leaping to conclusions that residential wells are contaminated with PFAS without proof of tests is damaging and frightening. Please know that there is NO pursuit of public water in Ross Township by your Board of Directors. Please remember, that the ONLY way public water can be permitted in Ross Township is through your Board of Directors. We will obtain fact based results, we will openly support residents, and we will communicate full details when we have them, and only then will we determine the direction forward. Christina Hutchings, Ross Township Supervisor
New! Sherman Lake Sewer Connection Project Update October 18, 2022
Sherman Lake Sewer SAD payment timeline
SUMMER 2022 Newsletter
NEW! Community Updates:
Sign up to get updates on road projects from the Road Commission!
Why are they chip sealing my new road? Read about Road Commission Preventative Maintenance
Buoy Control
Ross Township does not have any ordinances relating to buoys. Many residents have contacted the Township saying they have been told that Ross Township is requiring removal of buoys on Gull Lake. This is not accurate. Buoys are regulated by the DNR. Questions should be routed to the District 7 DNR branch in Plainwell, by contacting:
DISTRICT 7 LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
Plainwell Customer Service Center
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
621 N. 10th Street
Plainwell, MI 49080
269-685-6851
Public Water? Public Sewer?
Please know that the Ross Township Board is the only authority that can approve public water and public sewer ordinances. Gull Lake Sewer & Water Authority does not have control over the Ross Township Board. Currently, Ross Township DOES have an Ordinance to connect to available public sewer, Ordinance No. 179, which is on the Ross Township website: http://www.rosstownshipmi.gov <https://ross-township.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f6192cca7671e38b1bca16147&id=e4bc703224&e=9c3cf4e2a7> . This is specific to sewer that is already available, not new or proposed sewer expansion. There are NO ordinances regarding public water, which means there is no requirement for Ross Township residents to connect to public water. Please know that only the Township Board can enact ordinances in Ross Township. Where it concerns public water, Ross Township does not have a water tower to support this type of public water infrastructure. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Township to have your questions answered directly. Thank you to many informed citizens who are calling to share that a note should go out to correct this misinformation being spread in our community!
Upcoming Township Meetings
Ross Township Board 6:00 PM February 21, 2023 — Budget Workshop March 1 at 5:30 PM
Ross Augusta Fire Board Agenda & Meeting February 16, 2023 5:00 PM
ZBA Public Hearing & Meeting February 23, 2023 @ 5:30PM
Planning Commission Hearing & Meeting February 27, 2023 6:00 PM