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Residents split as Harrison Township holds second public hearing on canal sediment and aquatic-weeds special assessment
Summary
Trustees opened and closed a second public hearing on the Archer, Lakeshore and Pardee canals special assessment; residents and property owners expressed mixed support and opposition and several submitted letters; no final assessment vote was recorded.
Trustees for Harrison Township held a second public hearing on April 13 on a proposed special assessment district to fund sediment removal and aquatic-weed control in the Archer, Lakeshore and Pardee canals.
The Clerk noted that Resolution No. 4, adopted March 9, 2026, set the date for the hearing and that notices were mailed to titled property owners. The board opened the hearing at 7:09 p.m. and took public comment before closing the hearing at 7:40 p.m.
Why it matters: the proposed special assessment would allocate costs for canal dredging and weed control to the properties that benefit, and property owners could face a per-parcel charge depending on final engineering and assessment decisions.
Residents and property owners were sharply divided. Speakers recorded by name included Greg Kitchen (38762 Pardee), Al Provost (32048 Pardee), Denise Chauvin (38871 East Archer), Robert Prevost (38051 Lakeshore), Nick Maluchnik (38024 Powers), Pete Skirpan (38862 Pardee), Chris Swift (39260 East Archer), Barry Boudreau (39415 East Archer), David Rumohr (39116 East Archer), Jeff Kovacik (38886 Pardee), Julia Maluchnik (38024 Powers), Terrence Steyaert (39125 Lakeshore) and William Casey (39084 Archer).
Several speakers argued against the assessment or raised concerns about cost and long-term maintenance; others supported the project as necessary for navigation, water quality and safety. The record shows at least three written opposition submissions (Jeff Kovacik, Terrence Steyaert and William Casey) were filed with the Board.
The transcript and minutes record only the opening and closing of the hearing and the public comments; the Board did not take a final vote on adopting the special assessment at this meeting. Next steps would typically include engineering estimates, a draft assessment roll and a future board action to adopt or reject the district and assessment, but no adoption motion appears in the April 13 minutes.
The Board closed the hearing at 7:40 p.m.; any formal assessment decision will be noted in future meeting documents.
