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Harrison Township ratifies nearly $49,000 in legal bills, authorizes more spending for tax classification appeals
Summary
The Board ratified $48,894.82 in invoices to Hallahan and Associates, approved payment of a $5,167.50 current invoice and authorized up to $10,000 more for ongoing tax classification appeals; officials said the total exceeded an earlier $5,000 estimate and internal approval processes have been revised.
The Harrison Township Board of Trustees on Jan. 13 ratified $48,894.82 in legal fees for representation in multiple tax classification appeals and authorized payment of a current invoice for $5,167.50, with up to $10,000 more approved for continued representation.
Supervisor Kenneth Verkest said the Township had initially approved using Hallahan and Associates in July 2023 with an expected budget of $5,000, but additional invoices were submitted as cases progressed. "The total cost to date for our representation in these appeals over the last 18 months is $48,894.82," Verkest said, adding that portions of the costs have been shared with two to four other municipalities facing similar appeals.
Verkest told the Board that one year of tax revenue on the personal property at stake — limited to police and fire taxing authorities — is $105,024, and he said that financial context supports pursuing appeals. The Board ratified the past payments, approved the current invoice and authorized up to $10,000 in additional expenses on a motion by Clerk Adam Wit, seconded by Trustee David Bratto; "MOTION CARRIED."
Verkest also acknowledged a misunderstanding about what the Board originally approved in July 2023 and said the Township has revised its internal approval process to prevent similar overruns. No specifics about the exact cases or court docket numbers were provided at the meeting; Verkest said the initial Circuit Court decision has been appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The Board’s action was procedural: it ratified incurred costs and authorized further spending for continued legal representation. The motion passed unanimously as recorded in the minutes; no members voted against the action during the meeting.
