Canton Township trustees approve HydroCorp contract extension, park facility upgrades and multiple equipment purchases

The Canton Township Board of Trustees on Jan. 28 approved a package of contracts and purchase orders that township officials said are intended to maintain water‑system safety, support operations and expand sustainability programs.

The board voted to extend a professional services contract with HydroCorp Incorporated for the township’s residential cross‑connection control inspections, awarded a $1,313,928.29 purchase order for improvements to the Heritage Park maintenance facility, approved multiple vehicle purchases for public safety and public works, and authorized spending to expand a food‑waste compost pilot and to accept a state out‑of‑school learning grant.

The approvals were taken by voice vote during the board’s general calendar. All motions listed below received a majority voice vote and were announced as passing.

The most consequential technical action was approval of a three‑year contract extension with HydroCorp to continue the residential cross‑connection control program, presented to the board as required by state regulators. "The program is inspection irrigation systems," Director Norwood explained when trustees asked about the program’s purpose. "So your irrigation system on your residential property has a backflow preventer on the outside of your home…these inspections will ensure that that's actually functioning," Norwood said, adding the inspections protect the municipal water supply from potential backflow.

Why it matters: township staff said the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) requires municipalities to operate effective cross‑connection control programs and to submit annual reports. Township officials told trustees only two companies statewide perform the residential inspection work and that HydroCorp already performs Canton’s commercial and industrial inspections.

Other significant approvals

- Heritage Park maintenance facility: Trustees authorized a purchase order to Phan Son Company Incorporated for $1,313,928.29. The board motion reprogrammed previously budgeted funds (the motion cited amounts of $421,083 and $192,846 from two line items) and included a 5% construction contingency. Staff said the work covers paving, grading, stormwater and security improvements tied to the township’s Capital Improvement Program and to fix a stormwater pond serving the facility.

- Equipment and vehicles: The board approved multiple fleet purchases, including a 2025 Caterpillar 303 SA excavator from Michigan Cat for $64,160.12; four 2025 Ford Explorer patrol vehicles for police at a total cost of $201,204; and one 2024 Ford F‑250 plus one 2025 Ford Transit for public works at a combined $123,168. Staff noted older equipment will be redeployed to other departments where feasible or sold at auction.

- Water main engineering: Trustees authorized a $56,100 purchase order to The Mannik & Smith Group for design work on a 2025 water main installation along Ridge Road, a project staff described as intended to “loop” the system and improve pressure and reliability.

- Food‑waste compost pilot (Phase 3): The board approved a purchase order not to exceed $105,000 to Michigan Consulting & Environmental (MCE) for project management, staffing and training to expand the township’s food‑waste compost pilot. Director Norwood said: "We're excited to once again do this this year. The expansion, we're looking at other drop off sites..." Staff reported the pilot has diverted more than 300,000 pounds of food waste from landfill to date and said the goal is to broaden participation.

- Out‑of‑school learning grant: Trustees accepted a $91,680 Out‑of‑School Time Learning grant from the Michigan Department of Education to expand recreation programming in 2025. Staff said funds will be used for scholarships, teen and outdoor programs, work‑skills training and related program supplies; the funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2025.

- Technology and operations contracts: The board approved a new three‑year enterprise agreement with Esri (GIS software) for a total not to exceed roughly $216,000 over three years, and approved purchase orders of plant protectants and fertilizers for parks and the Pheasant Run Golf Club totaling $108,960.

- Emergency mutual aid compact: The trustees approved a resolution joining the Michigan Emergency Management Assistance Compact (MIMAC), enabling the township to request or offer mutual aid across jurisdictions for major disasters. The motion named the township supervisor as the authorized representative to sign the compact.

Votes at a glance (selected agenda items)

- G1: HydroCorp contract extension — motion to approve three‑year extension, amount not to exceed $476,201; mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Treasurer Slavens; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G2: 2025 Caterpillar 303 SA excavator to Michigan Cat — $64,160.12; mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Treasurer Slavens; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G3: Heritage Park maintenance facility purchase order to Phan Son Company Inc. — $1,313,928.29 (bid $1,251,360.28 + 5% contingency $62,568.01); mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Treasurer Slavens; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G4: Four 2025 Ford Explorers for Police Services — $201,204 total; mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Treasurer Slavens; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G5: One 2024 F‑250 and one 2025 Ford Transit for Public Works — $123,168 total; mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Trustee Berninski; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G6: Mannik & Smith Group engineering services for 2025 water main CIP — $56,100; mover: Clerk Siegrist; second: Trustee Borninski; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G7: Phase 3 food compost pilot to Michigan Consulting & Environmental — not to exceed $105,000; mover: Clerk Seeger; second: Trustee Ganguly; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G8: Esri three‑year agreement — not to exceed $71,750 per year (approx. $216,000 total); mover: Clerk Seeger; second: Trustee Ganguly; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G9: Plant protectants and fertilizers — total $108,960 across four vendors; mover: Clerk Seeger; second: Trustee Berninski; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G10: Accept Out‑of‑School Time Learning grant — $91,680 and required budget amendment; mover: Clerk Seeger; second: Trustee Foster; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- G11: Adopt Michigan Emergency Management Assistance Compact (MIMAC) resolution — mover: Clerk Seeger; second: Trustee Brainski; outcome: approved (voice vote).

Discussion and next steps

Trustees asked staff to prioritize timely resident notifications tied to the HydroCorp inspections, noting some past letters were distributed with short response windows. Director Norwood acknowledged the concern and said staff will ensure mailings are timely. For the water main project, trustees asked staff to explain the benefit of “looping” the system; staff said the work provides redundancy and helps manage pressure across the network.

No formal dissent to the major motions was recorded on the public minutes. Several items were approved using existing contract vehicles or state and county purchasing cooperatives, and staff said some purchases were sole‑source or driven by fleet compatibility with existing equipment.

The board moved to adjourn after additional public comment and brief administrative updates.