Board of Adjustment tables Share Alliance resolution after debate over who may be served

The Springfield Township Board of Adjustment tabled a memorializing resolution for application 2025-18 after a lengthy debate about eligibility language that members said was broader than what the board had approved on the record.

Board attorney input and member discussion focused on paragraph 3 of the proposed resolution, which the applicant had marked up to read that participation "shall be limited to Springfield residents, and those people who may work, worship, receive services, attend school, or regularly conduct business in Springfield, and members of the various organizations associated with the Share Alliance." Several members said the added phrases — especially "regularly conduct business" and "receive services" — would open the program to people beyond the community the board intended to serve.

"I think the way it was written with respect to who constitutes the Share Alliance is the accurate way to state it," a board member said, arguing that the language should reflect the specific organizations the board had previously accepted. Another member recommended ending the sentence at "Springfield." Board attorney counsel offered to redraft the resolution and told the board he would add the list of member organizations from the transcript and provide the draft to the applicant's counsel for review.

Russell Hovland, who identified himself as treasurer of ShareAlliances and spoke during public comment, said the program's original intent was to serve people who "either live, work, worship, or receive services in Springfield," and that the organization collects documentation from applicants to verify eligibility. "The intent of the program as originally planned was to provide services to those that are either either live, work, or worship, or receive services in Springfield," Hovland said.

Board members asked the applicant or applicant counsel to confirm the member list that was given on the record; counsel agreed to incorporate that list into a revised resolution. Given lingering disagreement about whether the transcript fully reflects what the board approved, a motion to table the resolution for rehearing or further revision passed on a roll-call vote.

The board instructed counsel to prepare a redraft that adds the member list from the record and to share that draft with the applicant's attorney; if the applicant objects, the board said the matter may return for a hearing. No final action on the memorializing resolution was taken tonight.