Topping tonight's Agenda, Tetra-Tech's Sewer analysis shows that $2.9Million in Sewer system infrastructure repairs are needed before the $3Million dollar expansion tank will work.

[Editorial] Pay Up, Suckers!

Also, according to Supervisor Chockley's analysis, the previous Township Board lost $2,000 of taxpayer money by paying for a fixed gas delivery contract price instead of simply buying natural gas directly from Consumers Energy.   This was in effect gambling on the gas futures market.  It was another brilliant financial play the Board was led into by Manager Howard Fink.  Fink is gone.  Fled.   He didn't pay any price for this or for his larger folly, that of panicking a credulous, acquiescent Board into selling its bond investments at huge losses, which have accrued to around $500,000 at this point when you include lost interest.

These were failures of the Township Board.  Fink may have led them down the garden path but it was our Trustees who gave him free rein.  Trustees Otto and Chick were front and center in protecting Fink from criticism.  Dockett was pretty much the lone opposition at that point.  Now they're all in bed together, betting the Township's Treasury on another Manager.  None of that crew accept responsbility in any but a smarmy, insincere, 'let's move on, the past is the past' way.

Character tells.  The Boardmembers' disinclination and inability to supervise the manager then is evidence that they'll do no more now.

 

Watch the regular meeting live on VideoNorthfield.  Later we'll put together the LiveAgenda so you can watch indivicual Agenda items.

 

Meeting Documents:

Updated March 28, 2019

The Northfield Township  Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1963-1964.  It was expanded to handle Whitmore and Horseshoe Lakes as a result of a series of lawsuits brought by the Lakeland Homeowner's Association, which represents people living downstream and downlake from the Treatment Plant's discharge.  The history is written in the documentation of the lawsuits.

We have collected the following documents from various sources and meeting packets.  Many are photocopies and almost impossible to search for as such.  We have extracted everything we could find.

 Sewer ManholeCover 240w175h

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collected Northfield Township Sewer and Wastewater Treatment System Documents (1969 through 2019)

 

Sewer System Studies and Reports, MostlyTetra-Tech, most recent at top

(I'm still gathering and collecting)

 

Tetra-Tech-2016-03-21-Equalization-Tank-Study-Reappears-in-on-2016-08-23-Board-Packet

Tetra-Tech-2017-08-04-Cost-of-Service-SmartRate-Study-Proposal-Additional-Details

Tetra-Tech-2017-07-13-Update-of-Wastewater-Cost-of-Service-SmartRate-Study-Proposal

Tetra-Tech-2017-07-12-Flow-Monitoring-Results-and-Revised-Capacity-Analysis

Tetra-Tech-2017-03-22-Flow-Monitoring-Study-proposal

Tetra-Tech-2017-02-01-Sewage-Capacity-Report-to-BOT

Tetra-Tech-2016-05-05-Equalization-Basin-Soil-Borings-Bids-Northfield-Township-WWTP

Tetra-Tech-2016-03-21-WWTP-TetraTech-Drawings

Tetra-Tech-2016-03-21-WWTP-Northfield-Township-Wet-Weather-Storage-Tank-Preliminary-design-Final

Tetra-Tech-2016-03-21-Sewer-Policy

Tetra-Tech-2015-12-30-Northfield-Township-WWTP-Storage-Tank-Cost-Opinion

Tetra-Tech-2015-03-18-Northfield-Township-WWTP-Capacity-Evaluation-Report

Tetra-Tech-2014-10-27-Wastewater-Capacity-Summary

Tetra-Tech-2005-11-15-WWTP-Improvement-Cost

Tetra-Tech-2003-11-01-Sanitary-Sewer-System-Report

McNamee-Porter-and-Seeley-1998-05-01-Sewer-System-Report

 

Sewer System Legal History, oldest first

The Northfield Township  Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1963-1964.  It was expanded to handle Whitmore and Horseshoe Lakes as a result of a series of lawsuits brought by the Lakeland Homeowner's Association, which represents people living downstream and downlake from the Treatment Plant's discharge.  The history is written in the documentation of the lawsuits.

 

1969-09-30  Green Oak and Northfield Township Sewer agreement

1972-02-25  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Judgement

1972-05-04  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Judgement

1978-09-11  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Supplemental Order

1991-03-14  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Supplemental Order

1991-03-14  Northfield and Hamburg Township Sewer service area

1991-03-14  Northfield and Hamburg Township Intergovernmental Sewer Agreement

1998-05-01  McNamee, Porter and Seeley Northfield Township Sewer System Report

2002-05-03  Lakeland Amended Consent Judgement

 

2014-11-06-Sewer-System-Legal-Agreements-&-Lawsuits-text - [BoT-packet-2014-11-06]   [25MB download]

2014-11-06-Sewer-System-Legal-Agreements-&-Lawsuits - [BoT-packet-2014-11-06] [unprocessed scanned images: 7MB download]

 

2018-12-05: Township Attorney Burns' Summary of WWTP Legal Obligations with supporting documents  - [BoT-packet-2019-01-08] 

2018-12-05: Township Attorney Burns' opinion only on WWTP Legal Obligations - [BoT-packet-2019-01-08]

 

 

Sewer System Policy History, most recent at top

 

2019-03-26 Aynes: BOT Late packet addendum cover letter   [2019-03-26 Addendum p01-p01]

2019-03-25 Aynes Otto: email Lyon Township Comparable Sewer Costs    [2019-03-26 Addendum p43-p43]

2019-03-23 Rubel-Aynes: email Tetra Tech memo re violation section 9 MDEQ expectations to treat p2     [2019-03-26 Addendum p02-p02]

2019-03-20 Mann-Aynes: email bond questions answered     [2019-03-26 Addendum p11-p11]

2019-03-20-Aynes-memo-recommending-conventional-lying-about-tank-cost     [2019-03-26 Addendum p30-p31]

2019-03-19-Aynes-Rubel-email-cost-comparison-low-interest-loans     [2019-03-26 Addendum p22-p23]

2019-03-18-Aynes-Otto-Burns-Willis-Rubel-gabfest     [2019-03-26 Addendum p24-p28]

2019-03-18 Mann-Aynes: email re sewers financing     [2019-03-26 Addendum p12-p12]

2019-03-18 Miller-Canfield: Memo Steps to Finance     [2019-03-26 Addendum p13-p15]

2019-03-18 Miller-Canfield: Sample Resolution Declaring Intent to Issue Bonds     [2019-03-26 Addendum p16-p19]

2019-03-11-Bendzinski-Memo-Debt-Service-Calculations-and-Table     [2019-03-26 Addendum p32-p35]

2019-03-05 MDEQ MiWaters permit violations     [2019-03-26 Addendum p05-p07]

2019-02-25-Aynes-Garden-City-Water-Bill     [2019-03-26 Addendum p29-p29]

2019-02-24 Chick-Rubel: email exchange     [2019-03-26 Addendum p09-p10]

2019-02-13 Rubel-Aynes: email Tetra Tech Memo 2018 AMP Progress     [2019-03-26 Addendum p08-p08]

2018-12-05-Burns-Township-Atty-Summary-Township-Legal-Obligations-re-WWTP     [2019-03-26 Addendum p36-p42]

 

2016-04-21 Fink Memo: Sewer Equalization Basin      [2016-04-26-BOT packet p106] 

2016-04-21 Finks EZ Credit Equalization Basin Spreadsheet     [2016-04-26-BOT packet, p107, 1200w380h] 

2016-04-21 Finks EZ Credit Equalization Basin Spreadsheet     [2016-04-26-BOT packet, p107, 800w257h] 

2016-03-31 Bendzinski Equalization Bond Schedule

2016-03-22 Northfield Township SAD sewer service area maps upright 

2016-03-22 Northfield Township SAD sewer service area maps 

2015-02-01 SEMCOG Map of Sewer Funding Eligibility

2014-08-14 Township Permit No MI0023710 with section 9 MDEQ expectations to treat 3     [2019-03-26 Addendum p03-p04]

2009-03-01 SEMCOG Map of WWTPs and Sewers

2008-04-08 Northfield Township Notice for Public Indebtedness Ordinance Division 5 Sec 2 272     [2019-03-26 Addendum p20-p21]

 

 

Wastewater Treatment Plant Monthly Reports

(I'm still gathering and collecting)

WWTP-2017-December-Report

WWTP-2017-October-Report

WWTP-2017-July-report

WWTP-2017-June-report

WWTP-2017-May-report

WWTP-2017-April-Report

WWTP-2017-January-Report

WWTP-2016-July-Report

 

Wastewater Treatment Plant contracts, bids, hiring, maintenance costs, etc

(I'm still gathering and collecting)

WWTP-2017-07-20-Grit-Conveyer-purchase

WWTP-2017-07-06-Air-Conditioning-Service-Bids

WWTP-2017-06-27-Synagro-Waste-Hauling-Contract

 

Manhole Cover: Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan:

Manhole Kurashiki Okayama905w906h

 

 

 

-------------- Below is the original list and organization ---------------

1969-09-30  Green Oak and Northfield Township Sewer agreement

1972-02-25  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Judgement

1972-05-04  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Judgement

1978-09-11  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Supplemental Order

1991-03-14  Lakeland Northfield and Green Oak Township Supplemental Order

1991-03-14  Northfield and Hamburg Township Sewer service area

1991-03-14  Northfield and Hamburg Township Intergovernmental Sewer Agreement

1998-05-01  McNamee, Porter and Seeley Northfield Township Sewer System Report

2002-05-03  Lakeland Amended Consent Judgement

2003-11-01  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer System & WWTP  Report

2005-11-15  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Improvement Cost

2009-03-01  SEMCOG Map of Southeast Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) and Sewers

2014-10-27  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer System & WWTP Report

2014-11-06  Fink's Letter to Board re Northfield Township Sewer WWTP System issues

2015-02-01  SEMCOG Map of Southeast Michigan Sewer Funding Eligibility

2015-03-18  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Capacity Evaluation Report

2015-12-30  TetraTech  Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Storage Tank Cost Opinion

2016-01-05  TTL Environmental Soil Boring Proposal Northfield Township Sewer WWTP

2016-03-21  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Policy

2016-03-22  Northfield Township SAD Sewer & WWTP service area maps

2016-03-22  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Wet Weather Storage Tank Preliminary design/Final

2016-03-22  TetraTech Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Drawings

2016-03-31  Bendzinski Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Equalization Basin Bond Schedule

2016-04-21  Fink re Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Equalization-Basin

2016-04-21  Fink's EZ-Finance Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Equalization-Basin spreadsheet 800w257h

2016-04-21  Fink's EZFinance Northfield Township Sewer & WWTP Equalization Basin spreadsheet 1200w380h

 

 

Brighton Township Hall Sign 320w240h

- reported by WHMI (93.5 FM, Livingston County)

March 2, 2016

Brighton Township officials will hold a special meeting this week to hopefully answer any questions residents may have about the sanitary sewer system.

 

$27.8 million dollars were issued by the township back in 2000 to construct the sewer system- a project some residents claim was “forced” upon them. Many local property owners have since approached the Board of Trustees with questions and concerns about sewer taxes and the system and Township Manager Brian Vick wants to address them. Vick will host a meeting and question and answer session on Thursday March 3 at 7 pm at Cornerstone Church on Hilton Road (at the intersection with Hunter). Vick says he has reviewed years’ worth of documents about the system and the meeting is really for anyone interested in the issue.

 

Jim Sarna, President of the Woodland Shore Homeowners Lake Association, says the original users on the system have been overcharged on the special assessment and that township officials have remained “indifferent” towards them. Sarna tells WHMI he wants answers but if he doesn't get them, he suggests litigation could be an option. Sarna alleges that the township will not provide a current assessment role for the system and that users have paid well past what they owe.

 

Sarna says he has “done the numbers” and if the assessment goes until the bonds mature in 2019, users will have paid $29,812.33- a “far cry” from the original assessment of $12,400. Sarna also claims that the township has made exceptions for other property owners by not enforcing laws that require them to hook up to the system if they are within 200ft. of it. In Sarna’s opinion, township officials “are not representing the citizens of Brighton.” (DK)

This is the entire WHMI News article - they disappear after 2 weeks

 

 

Yesterday by an 8:1 margin voters in the small Northern Oakland County town of Ortonville rejected plans to pave the way for more Oakland County sprawl.

By some accounts, residents would have been forced to pay an estimated $57,000 over the life of the sewer bonds.  The kicker: because of the increased property values touted as a benefit of having a sewer system, residents would also have paid decades worth of higher property taxes.

Below in reverse chronological order is some of the news coverage.

WHMI Radio: October 7, 2015

"Before expanding the water treatment facility the Brighton Township Board wants to look at other options. Of the three townships in the Livingston Community Water Authority, Brighton Township is the only one using over its capacity. Green Oak and Hamburg have yet to reach their limits, so the LCWA is looking to have Brighton Township take on adding two new filters to the existing plant. Consultant Vicki Putala told the board two new filters will put the current plant at eight filters, and any more will require a new plant. The township still owes nearly $67,500 for the construction of the water treatment plant in 2007. Township Supervisor Tom Murphy says there are too many unanswered questions. The board of trustees needs more complete financial numbers though before committing to a decision. Murphy says he doesn’t think two new filters will be enough. He says the LCWA wants to know if Brighton Township will pick up the extra capacity, but the he wants to know if there is a plan in place for future growth. He wants to get the questions answered now before making a commitment. Murphy says major development in either Brighton Township or Green Oak would mean having to build a new plant. They are also exploring purchasing unused REUs from Hamburg Township."

Related documents:

About the Green Oak Township Water Reliability Study - OHM  (begins on page 14)

The Minutes of the Joint Brighton/Green Oak/Hamburg Township meeting where the Livingston Community Water Authority Treatment Plant ceme into being.  December 5, 2006

The LWCA website.