Millington Township board raises zoning administrator pay, adopts enforcement resolution and standard procedures

Millington Township’s board on Sept. 16 approved a raise and new stipends for its zoning administrator, adopted a resolution on zoning and blight enforcement prepared through outside counsel, and adopted procedural guides for special land use permits and ordinance amendments.

The board voted 4-1 to raise the zoning administrator’s monthly stipend to $600, add $100 for each zoning violation the administrator pursues, and pay a $100 stipend for each special land use permit the administrator presents to the Planning Commission; the special-land-use stipend will be paid from the related SLU escrow account. The motion was made by S. Keinath and supported by J. Sabgash; Supervisor R. Loomis cast the lone dissenting vote.

The vote followed a presentation by the township’s zoning administrator, who described repeated confrontations while performing duties and asked the board for clearer direction about the scope of her role and responsibilities. Supervisor Loomis read from the zoning administrator’s duties language stating the administrator may “suggest changes in the zoning ordinances and general ordinances to either Planning Commission or Township Board,” underscoring that the Planning Commission retains authority to draft ordinance amendments.

The board adopted, without recorded opposition, a resolution regarding zoning and blight enforcement that the meeting noted had been prepared with assistance from the law firm of Bauckham, Thall, Seeber, Kaufman and Koches; the board appended the condition that adoption stands only if implementing the resolution imposes no cost to the township. Board members said the resolution grew from conversations with other Michigan Township Association members and local zoning administrators about difficulties enforcing ordinances at the county courthouse level.

Separately, the board unanimously adopted two written procedural guides the zoning administrator prepared: a step‑by‑step procedure for processing special land use permits and a procedure for amending township ordinances. The documents compile statutory and ordinance steps, MTA guidance and materials from an MSU planning course and were adopted as guidelines for township boards and commissions to use when handling land use matters.

During discussion the treasurer urged the board to direct the Planning Commission to work with the zoning administrator on proposed amendments so commissioners can review the background material the administrator compiles. Board members also discussed whether enforcement duties should be assigned to the zoning administrator or delegated to another individual, a question left for future consideration.

The board also voted to allow township board and appointed members to attend a Sept. 24 Michigan Township Association workshop on solar and wind energy (Frankenmuth, $175 per person) and to publish available Planning Commission seats in the local newspaper, noting two commission terms are currently expired and appointments are needed.

The zoning administrator pay change and procedural adoptions take effect immediately; the board did not set a timeline in the meeting record for any additional changes to enforcement assignments or for follow-up with the Planning Commission.