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Charlevoix County continues review of Six Mile Lake special assessment district; resident survey open through Dec. 23
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Summary
The Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners heard public comment and staff updates Dec. 10 about a proposed Six Mile Lake Special Assessment District (SAD); officials said costs aren’t yet known, a resident survey remains open through Dec. 23, and the item will return to the January agenda for further consideration.
The Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 10 heard public comment and staff briefings on a proposed Special Assessment District (SAD) for Six Mile Lake, a tool county officials say would fund waterway and infrastructure improvements.
At the meeting, Tim Faas of South Arm Township asked the board to support moving forward with the SAD tied to Chain of Lakes improvements. Antrim County Drain Commissioner Leslie Myers introduced herself and offered to answer questions from the board and residents.
County Administrator Kevin Shepard and County Clerk Julia A. Drost told commissioners that a resident survey about the proposal is still being collected and that responses will be accepted through Dec. 23. Shepard said additional information will be provided after the survey period closes.
Leslie Myers cautioned that projected costs are not yet known and stressed procedural next steps: partners must be identified and the special assessment district established before funding can be secured and improvements completed. "A special assessment district is not a tax and may be imposed in perpetuity," Myers said, describing a legal characteristic of the mechanism.
Commissioners discussed the status of prior investments in local infrastructure, including work on the Bellaire Dam and the Ellsworth culvert, but noted more work remains. The board agreed to place the item on the Jan. 2026 agenda for further discussion and potential next steps.
The record shows the county has not yet set a dollar figure for the project and that formal decisions are pending further resident feedback and partner identification. Commissioners did not take a formal vote on establishing the SAD at the Dec. 10 meeting.