Receiving extensive updates about the county’s 4-H activities, the Sanilac County Board of Commissioners held their first meeting of March yesterday, approving the Lexington Park resolution and amended workplace policies as planned.
Jerry Johnson, MSU Extension Director for District 10, updated the commissioners with the assistance and support of local supervising educator Betty Jo Krosnicki, beef educator Jerad Jaborek, and 4-H program coordinator Mary Heiden.
In addition to updates on soybean trials being held in Sanilac County as Michigan’s top soybean producer, commissioners also learned that Farm Bureau has partnered with MSU Extension to bring Project RED (Rural Education Day) to more Sanilac and St. Clair children.
Heiden also introduced the commissioners to current 4-H senior ambassador Savanha Hudzinski and her brother Chance, both of whom credited their skills such as public speaking to the 4-H program. The siblings from Minden City were praised extensively by District 3 Commissioner Gary Heberling, who had met the pair before through his own work with 4-H.
Despite the early high note, public comment turned slightly tense as citizens from Fremont and Speaker Townships spoke to the board about their concerns with the ongoing Riverbend Wind Project.
Board chairman and District 1 commissioner Jon Block sympathized with the concerns, but further emphasized along with District 6 Commissioner Evan Ehardt that, while there is no government entity directly supervising township boards, citizens are the checks and balances of the township by attending meetings and making their concerns known.
When finishing her public comment, a citizen from Speaker Township invited the board to attend the township’s Tuesday night board meeting. The meeting, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. last night, was unfortunately canceled around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon due to a furnace leak in the building.
Township Treasurer Tracy Sheldon confirmed by phone that the township hall was being evacuated due to fumes, with the office to be closed until the issue is resolved. The meeting has yet to be rescheduled.
Recall petitions filed against four Speaker Township officials, including Sheldon, had their wording approved this past Friday, March 3.
