Staying in the Know with Severe Weather

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Recent severe rain events prompt me to provide this update. It’s important to be in the know, even when we might not always want to be.

Nixle Alerts

Clinton Township has an emergency notification system that provides residents Emergency Notifications via text message or email.  The system is called Nixle and is specifically designed to provide Township residents important updates on things like severe weather, unplanned road closures, real-time public safety notifications and important community alerts.  

Signing up is quick and easy. Just text your ZIP code to 888777 from your mobile phone. Once sent, you’ll receive a confirmation text and can customize your alert settings by creating a free user profile at www.nixle.com. All alerts are targeted geographically, meaning you’ll only get messages relevant to your area within the Township.  This free service will keep you informed by delivering alerts and other urgent township advisories straight to your phone or email.

Nixle is trusted by over 7,200 government agencies across the country and has exclusive partnerships with NLETS, Google, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the National Blue Alert Network. This ensures both unmatched data security and an expansive reach for emergency and community information.

Whether it’s a safety advisory, missing person alert, or important township notice, Nixle is designed to keep you connected when it matters most.  

Here is a recent video with Trustee Bruce Wade on Nixle.  As a former Police Chief, Trustee Wade was helpful to our team when we revised our policies on when and what types of alerts should be sent, which is sometimes, a delectate balance.  We don’t want to bombard people with texts or emails regarding useless information, but do want to provide our residents with helpful alerts and emergency notifications.  While this policy has helped guide us on many of these judgment calls, Nixle is also partnered with the National Weather Service and those alerts happen automatically and sometimes come more frequently than most people prefer, but that is only in the case of severe weather.  

 

Perspective on Flooding

When it comes to severe weather, I want to dispel the myth that the Township has emergency pumps that will somehow alleviate flooding and redirect stormwater.  The township has the responsibility of maintaining a sanitary sewer system that takes wastewater from our sinks, toilets and shower drains away and directs it to a county and regional system for treatment by the Great Lakes Water Authority.  While stormwater does have an impact on that system, the township has made great strides at considerable expense, in building additional retention capacity and tightening up our system to reduce rain and ground water from infiltrating the sanitary system.  

Stormwater drainage is an entirely different system.  When your home was built has a significant role in determining stormwater flow.  Older neighborhoods are mostly gravity fed to direct run-off to the catch basins in the neighborhood along the street, which then flows to a series of drains or flood plain areas that then flow to the Clinton River and then directly to the lake.  Since all public roads in the township are under the jurisdiction of the County Department of Roads, those systems also fall under their jurisdiction.  

Newer homes, mostly built in the ’80s or after, usually have rear yard drains that were built to be maintained and fall under the jurisdiction of the homeowners or neighborhood associations, if they exist.  

In both cases, the storm water system required in older versions of the building code, were built to accommodate 10 year rain events, which were considered to be more normal at the time.  People also change the grade at their home, or they plant trees in the backyard that can damage those rear-yard drain pipes.  However, even with that, accumulations of standing water mostly dissipate within 72 hours.   In areas where they don’t, the Township may be able to help.  While the Department of Public Services may not be able to solve the problem for you, we may be able to help you identify what might be causing standing water, and provide you advice on what you can, should or must do about it.  Calling DPW at 586-286-9300, or emailing me at p.gieleghem@clintontownship.com, is a good place to start.  

In all of this, it is important to recognize that whether you believe in climate change or not, objective science concludes that it is real and increases in severe weather is the result.  This summer, so far, our community has faced two severe weather rains that exceeded the 100 year event threshold.  If this is the new normal, the infrastructure costs exceed any local governments capacity to resolve.  Whether we like it or not, two things are certain: 1) water seeks its own level and 2) solutions will require both public and private resources.      

Please let me know if I can be of service on this or other Township related matters! 

Respectfully,

Paul Gieleghem
Supervisor

Help us make a difference for local students by supporting the Tutas Kidz Kloset Backpack Giveaway!

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

We’re looking for your help in making a difference for local children with the Tutas Kidz Kloset Backpack Giveaway, a free event supporting elementary students in Clintondale Community Schools.

Hosted by your Clinton Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem and Township Trustees Shannon King and Julie Matuzak, local students and their families will be able to come and get a free backpack stuffed with school supplies and enjoy a family day together at the Prince Drewry Park with food and games on August 24th from 1:00 to 5:00 PM (while supplies last).

But to make this event a success, we need your help. Sponsorship opportunities are available to help us purchase backpacks and supplies for the kids. Your generosity will help ensure that students start the school year with the tools they need to succeed.

Supplies are welcome to be dropped off at the Clinton Township Civic Center, and donations may be mailed to Supervisor Paul Gieleghem, 40700 Romeo Plank Rd., Clinton Township, MI, 48038. Checks should be written to Tutas Kidz Kloset. You can also donate using the QR Code on the flier below to pay via Zelle.

We hope you will help us help these students start the school year strong!

Sponsorship Levels

$100 – 20 Backpacks
$250 – 50 Backpacks
$500 – 100 Backpacks

Tomorrow, I’m asking for Your Support for our Township’s Public Safety

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

 

Keeping our community safe and protecting residents and their property is the single largest responsibility of Township government. As your Township Supervisor, I’m reaching out to ask for your support tomorrow to maintain police services in our community: The millage renewal question—despite the legal wording—does not raise your taxes. In fact, it actually results in a slight decrease in the millage rate we currently pay. This proposal ensures that our Police Department has the officers, technology, and training needed to keep Clinton Township safe now and into the future.

Recent social media posts appear to have the goal of misguiding voters by implying a ‘Yes’ vote will result in an increase in property taxes. What this proposal really does is combine two millages that were previously approved by Clinton Township voters and extends them into one millage for a period of 10 years.

While this confusion is being fueled by political extremism, and state law requires it to mention the word ‘increase’, the language also clearly states ‘as a renewal of a portion of the 1.5 mills previously authorized by the [voters] in 2006, and .9875 mills previously authorized by the [voters] in 2018, …for police operations…’. This renewal simply restores the 2.4 mills of funding you previously approved, but at a smaller rate of 2.3766 mills, due to automatic rollbacks under the Headlee Amendment.

The above chart, pulled from an insert I created and that has been carried on by the new Treasurer to include with your Summer tax bill, shows that while schools, the county, and other millages are approved in the Summer tax bill and then distributed to those entities, the Township millages are collected on the Winter bill. The Blue on the winter collection is specifically for Police Services. The Red is specific to the Fire Department. The  Yellow sliver is for general operations of the Township. What that means is that everything the township does that is not related to Police, Fire, and Water & Sewer is funded by less than 1 mill of your tax bill.

Voting against this proposal will reduce our Police Department budget by nearly a third, or $9.6 million. These are dollars that cannot be made up from other funding sources because they simply do not exist. It would cripple police services and likely result in severe cuts in the number of officers, and dramatically erode the ability of the Police Department to adequately serve our community.

The bottom line is that by voting Yes, residents will not see a tax increase and they will maintain police services in our community. Voting No will result in a drop in taxes, but that reduction will come at the expense of public safety.

Thank you for taking the time to stay informed, and for standing with us to keep Clinton Township a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.

Respectfully,

Paul Gieleghem

Come Cruise Gratiot with Paul this Sunday, August 3rd!

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Start your engines! This year, Paul will be the Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise’s Grand Marshal! Join him this Sunday, August 3rd, to celebrate Gratiot Avenue’s biggest event of the Summer!

Now in its 22nd year, this classic car event will run from 14 Mile to Harrington! The Opening Ceremonies will kick things into drive at 11:10 AM at the Cruise Headquarters (the Southeast Corner of 16 Mile & Gratiot, by the McLaren Glass House Building), accompanied by a performance of the National Anthem. The cruise will held until 6:00 PM. We hope you will join us for one of the best family cruises in Michigan!

Speaking of family, the Township and the Cruise has partnered together to create a Family Fun Zone, a place for the whole family to enjoy! Bring your family and friends to the Regional Shopping Center at 15 Mile & Gratiot from 12:00 to 4:00 PM to make some memories!

For more information on the Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise, you can visit their website here and you can view their program of events here!

All Day Activities at the Family Fun Zone (From 12:00 to 4:00)

  • Touch-A-Truck
  • Bounce Houses
  • Food Trucks
  • Paint-A-Car
  • Library Activities
  • Gaming Truck
  • Games & Crafts
  • Vendors

Family Fun Zone Cruise Day Schedule

  • 12:00 PM Family Fun Zone Opens!
  • 1:00 PM Motor City Wranglers Perform!
  • 4:00 Fun Zone Closes

Help Us Improve Trash Service: Report Missed Pick-up

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Help Us Improve Trash Service: Report Missed Pick-Up

You may have seen Clinton Township in the news lately.

Over the past several weeks, Clinton Township, along with many of our surrounding communities, have experienced delays in trash, recycling, and compost pick-up service by Priority Waste. These delayed and missed pick-ups are unacceptable. In addition to being an inconvenience for residents and the Township, they can also lead to a health and safety issue in our neighborhoods. In response, we’ve created an online form to make it easier for residents to file a complaint with our Department of Public Services, so we can advocate for you to receive the service you should be able to count on. I’ve also spent a considerable amount of time:

  • Meeting with other community leaders and waste industry experts to assess all of our options,
  • Talking with Priority Waste management to assess their ability to improve service and meet the terms of the contract,
  • Working with our staff, and the Board to hold Priority Waste accountable.

Substantial penalties have been assessed against Priority Waste for these service failures, and we’ve received assurances that delivery of new trucks will lead to better service for the current week and beyond. With your help, we will continue to monitor performance and take appropriate action. In the meantime, I apologize to you on behalf of the Board, and thank you for your help in communicating your concerns.

Respectfully, 

Paul Gieleghem

 

Click Here to Report a Missed Pick-Up

 

Join Paul this Wednesday for a round of Golf and an Indoor-Fun Fundraiser!

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Join Paul for a fundraiser that breaks the mold!

 

In the spirit of doing things differently to build a better Clinton Township, we’re hosting an exciting event at Canteen Golf and Billiards on Wednesday, July 23rd, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. This isn’t your typical campaign event–it’s an opportunity to have fun, connect friends, and support a positive vision for a community. 

 

Take a swing on the same indoor golf simulators used by the pros during our 9 Hole, 2 Person scramble. Prizes will be award for longest drive and closest to the pin—bring a golf partner or come solo and get paired up on site. Prefer pool over putting? Try your hand at Canteen’s real billiards tables enhanced with augmented reality projection systems that are perfect for casual players and geometry pros alike.

Golf clubs are available, or you’re welcome to bring your own! Cash bar and arcade games are also available.

Not into games? No problem, we still would love to have you join us for relaxed evening of socializing and a bite to eat. Everyone is welcome!

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Join us Wednesday, July 23rd from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Canteen Golf & Billiards at 41701 Garfield, Clinton Township, MI 48038. Feel free to use the QR below or donate here.
Suggested donations are $60 per person.

Participation Levels

Level 1: Par

  • $60 per person
  • Drive, Putt, & Billiards Play Included
  • Play, or just hang out!
  • Summer menu

Level 2: Birdie

  • $100 per person or $180 per 2-some for 2-person scramble, or 9 holes
  • Plus Level 1
  • Longest Drive & Closest to the Pin Prizes
  • Time Slots 5:00-7:00 PM, or 7:00-9:00 PM

Level 3: Eagle Sponsor

  • $250 Hole Sponsorship
  • Name or Logo Displayed on Screen
  • Plus Level 1 or 2

Level 4: Hole in One!

  • $500 Event Sponsorship
  • Includes Premier Signage, Name, or Logo on Tables
  • Plus Levels 1, 2, & 3

For sponsorship levels 3, & 4, email name and logo to pg4supervisor24@gmail.com.

Lowering Costs for Seniors

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Making Water Bills Fairer

I once had a boss that hung a sign on his door that said: ‘When entering this office, never utter the phrase, “Well, we’ve never done it that way before!”’ 

When first elected to serve on the Clinton Township Board of Trustees, I learned that when Clinton Township issued water bills, the minimum bill was five units of water.  Use five or more units, you pay for what you used. If you used two or three units of water, you paid for five.  

“Really?” I asked.  “That doesn’t seem fair.”  

It was explained that the Township had to cover three different costs: 

  1. the amount of water that our community purchases from the Great Lakes Water Authority, 
  2. the amount of sewage we sent to their wastewater treatment plant, 
  3. the cost of maintaining a reliable network of underground water and sewer lines.  

This five unit upcharge on those that used less, was then used to cover the fixed costs of maintaining the system.  That meant that one or two-person homes were subsidizing me and my family that used more, by covering our share of the fixed costs.  

I live in a four-person household.  My short-and-rapidly-thinning hair is low maintenance, so I have the luxury of steering clear of the bathroom used by my wife and daughters, where shelf-space is lined with multiple variants of shampoo, conditioner, lotions and potions!  Family dinner means running the dishwasher almost daily…and for whatever reason, if an article of clothing hit the floor, it required a return trip to the laundry room.  

We have a lot of one and two person families in this community.  That means less showers, less dishes, and less clothes to be washed. Residents, who use less, should pay less.

When I questioned this, I essentially received a response that sounded a lot like ‘this is the way we’ve always done it!’

Finally, in 2019, we hired an accounting firm, to study the five-unit minimum bill and explore other models that allocate costs more fairly.     

This led to reducing the per unit amount of water and sewer used.  Regardless of all other factors the per unit charge is the same for everyone and you pay for the number of units used.  Use less this month than last month, expect a lower bill. 

To cover the maintenance costs, a ‘ready to serve’ fee was created, with the fee based on the size of the water line coming into your home.  Older homes that tend to be smaller, generally have a ⅝” line coming into the house.  Newer and larger homes generally have a 1” line. 

Under this new system, almost all households that use less than five units of water in a month, saw a significant drop in their water bill.  Most people with a ⅝” water line coming into the home also saw their water bill drop significantly.  Those with a 1” line coming into the house saw a plus or minus bill, depending on usage.  

Paul & resident, Nancy Ventimiglia
“I only use two or three units of water at most, but the Township was charging me for five units a month. I know Paul Worked to change that. I was grateful when I saw my water bill go down.” – Nancy Ventimiglia, Woodward St.

The reality of serving in government is that if you raise a bill, expect the phone calls to come in.  Lower one….crickets!   

When my friend Nancy Ventimiglia, from Woodward Street called, I was very pleased to let her know that the five-unit minimum bill was gone and the new system would lead to some very real savings for her and many other seniors.  

As Clinton Township Supervisor, I will re-examine all township charges to make sure they are fair for all of our residents.

Spectacular Update on the Spectacles for the Next Solar Spectacle Program!

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Paul Gieleghem with box to donate Solar Eclipse Glasses On April 8, 2024, many residents of North America witnessed a total solar eclipse.  Some traveled to better spots around the country for viewing, but for those who stayed in our area, we had a pretty good view too.  With the benefit of co-workers who planned ahead and had their eclipse glasses in hand, I was able to appreciate the natural spectacle from the Clinton Township parking lot.

Soon after, a friend shared a link to a solar eclipse glasses collection program that would clean and sanitize the glasses, then ship them off to South America so that students in the South of that continent would have the opportunity to witness a Ring of Fire eclipse that will occur this October.

Rather than simply tossing them away or hanging on to them for roughly the next forty-years when the next eclipse happens in our country, donating them, I thought, would be a great way to connect with young people around the globe and help them develop a first view, and make the science of astronomy a little more real and fulfilling.  So we sent out a press release announcing that the Clinton Township Treasurer’s office would serve as a collection site. I was also pleased when newspapers picked up the story and when Clinton Township residents stepped up.  It was amazing to see that people came by our counter just to drop off their eclipse glasses, and then thanked my staff for doing this!

Last week we mailed 1,304 pairs of Solar Eclipse Glasses to the Physics Dept at Albion College, who will send them toAstronomers Without Borders.  In addition to residents, members of the Clinton Township Senior Adult Life Center and Fraser Schools chipped in to make this drive successful.

Three images: Paul with donated glasses, Paul with package of donated glasses at Post Office, and Paul weighing the box to send out at the Post Office.

It is a pleasant thought to think back about the excitement over the North American Eclipse last April.  We never know how simple and small gestures of friendship and educational opportunity and connectedness can create a positive impact on others. It’s great to see that excitement carry-over to students on a distant continent.   So big shout out to everyone who donated to support this program!

Note:  No tax dollars were spent, and I personally covered the cost of shipping.  

Help Us Break Ground on the Inclusive Playground!

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

 

 

Rendering of the Inclusive Playground

A $1.4 million dollar multi-use, multi-generational playground, designed to serve people regardless of their ability, will soon be a reality on the grounds of the Clinton Township Civic Center.  It all began because a Mom wrote a letter and sent it to the elected officials in her community.  

On Thursday, July 18th, at 11 am, you’re invited to join me and so many others here at the Clinton Township Civic Center to help us break ground on the Clinton Township Inclusive Playground!!!!

Many years ago, I was a young legislator on the House Education Committee, working with the Macomb and Intermediate School Districts throughout the state to mobilize and defeat a plan created by the Engler Administration to significantly reduce special education requirements in Michigan.  

AnnMarie Ottoy’s letter, received in 2019, struck a chord with me.  In addition to a quality education, every child, regardless of their ability deserves a place to play, grow, and make friends with other children, rather than be separated from them.  Local communities that maintain recreation programs need to think about how they are serving all families, regardless of their ability.

My promise, and my challenge to AnnMarie, was that I would take up the cause and propose the development of a Township Committee to build an Inclusive Playground, if she would agree to serve as the Chairperson of that Committee. This initiative needed champions like AnnMarie that could convey the love, passion and struggle of a Mom fighting for their child.  

Small dollar fundraisers were held throughout Clinton Township.  We then worked with State Representative Denise Mentzer and State Senator Veronica Klinefelt to secure a $1 million grant from the state of Michigan.  A few more individual donors emerged and then the Township was able to allocate federal infrastructure funds to the project.  

Actual design and scheduling work began soon after.  The video below was developed from the renderings.  Seeing is believing, and my hope is that when you watch this, you’ll be as impressed as I am.    

 

From the beginning of this campaign for Supervisor of the Township, we’ve talked about how Clinton Township is transitioning from being an outer-ring to an inner-ring suburb, and when that happens, your cost structure goes up higher than your revenue stream.  However, no community has ever cut its way to prosperity.  Companies and communities that not only survive, but thrive, create a vision and commit to making investments in their residents, their families, their neighborhoods, their parks and their public spaces and build the type of community that provides residents with a sense of place and a sense of pride that spawns more investment.  

I hope you’ll turn out to join us as we break ground towards building a true point of pride in Clinton Township, designed to serve all of our residents.

Happy Fourth of July! What’s Your ‘Up North’?…And how are the roads there?

Posted on by Carolyn Demates

Going door to door around the 4th of July, I see a lot of families preparing for their trip North to enjoy the splendor of Michigan.

I like to ask, “Where’s ‘Up-North’ for You?’  We’re connected to these places away from home, through time spent and memories made.  Both sets of my grandparents retired and moved North, making Sage Lake and Long Lake my ‘happy places’ from my childhood.  My wife’s family scoffs a little, because West Branch is more of a midpoint to their ‘Up North’ in the Upper Peninsula.  Neebish Island is the place that our family has now come to love and appreciate.  

Turning off the interstate, I know many families Clinton Township will be asking another question:  “How come the roads up here are so nice and the roads at home are so bad?”

Open roadway

Workers patching potholes.

The answer to this question can be found in a state law called Public Act 51 of 1951.  When we pay gas taxes and our annual car registration, PA 51 serves as the distribution formula for these road dollars.  The main problem is, PA 51 distributes funding based on the length of roads, not the width.  As a result, rural counties receive the same amount of money per mile for their two-lane roads, as we receive for our five-lane roads.  

In addition to sending the money derived in Macomb County to the far reaches of our state, this 73-year old law has even more provisions that disadvantage communities like ours.  

A few years ago, I was asked to assemble and Chair the Establishing Quality Roadways Committee, intended to identify how roads are funded, how the dollars flow, and who is making the decisions on which road projects receive funding.  We brought in road experts from any place we could find them.  By understanding the process better, we believed we could better compete for the limited road dollars that are available, and utimately fix more of the roads in our community.  

We graphically mapped road funding.  As you can see in the illustration below, it’s complicated.  So the best way to understand this is to break it down.  This led to the creation of a roads presentation and a series of video segments that can be found on the Township’s website here and here.

Producing Results on the Main Roads

Often, it’s the work behind the scenes that can produce the most results.  Through a combination of a better planning method (created by our Establishing Quality Roadways Committee) and using federal infrastructure dollars to meet the required local community match, we’ve been able to pull more of the State and Federal dollars administered by Macomb County into Clinton Township, dramatically accelerating the pace of getting our main roads fixed.

 

From 2008 to 2022, the Township spent $9 million to secure $27 million in road funding from other sources.  

Investments in Clinton Township Roads from 2008-2022

From 2023 to present, the Township has come up with more than $6 million to bring in an additional $22 million in funding from other sources. 

Estimate Future Investments in Clinton Township Roads from 2023+

Main Roads Completed

  • Gratiot
  • Groesbeck
  • Hall Road
  • Garfield
  • Hayes
  • Clinton River Rd
  • Quinn Rd
  • Harper Bridge, over Spillway
  • Cass Ave. Bridge and Road

Road Projects On-Tap

  • Kelly, 14 Mile  to 15 Mile (in partnership with Fraser)
  • Kelly, 15 Mile to S. Nunnely
  • 14 MIle Rd (in partnership with Roseville)
  • 18 Mile Rd
  • Moravian, Garfield to Hayes
  • 15 Mile Rd
  • Harper, 15 Mile to Crocker

No More Arbitrary Decision Making

Prior to the work of our Committee, calls for projects issued by the County Department of Roads were met with a few elected officials and township staff getting together and making decisions based on arbitrary factors, like how many calls we received about a particular road.  Our committee recognized that this process needed to change, so we developed a scoring process, based on data, to determine which main roads should be fixed first. When there is a call for projects now, we look at the data to develop a score, considering factors like road conditions, traffic counts, crash data, asset management (water and sewer lines get repaired at the same time), flood risks, community assets, and equity formulas.

New road scoring system

 

We Desperately Need Subdivision Dollars

While I am proud of the transformative progress we’ve made competing for existing dollars for main roads, it cannot obscure the fact that almost 50% of the subdivision streets in our community are ranked poor to failed.  Nor can we overlook the fact that residents are often subjected to large car repair bills from our deteriorating subdivision streets.  

Under our state funding formula, PA 51, all public roads, including subdivision streets in Townships are under the jurisdiction of the Macomb County Department of Roads, and require the creation of a Special Assessment Districts where residents have to pay, based on the feet of frontage of their property on a given street.  

This is a burdensome process and an incredibly expensive proposition for most families. While it is unlikely that a solution can be found to completely absolve residents from paying at least a portion of these costs, we desperately need to find a way to lower this amount for residents.  The most important step is fixing PA 51 in a way that returns a fairer allocation of road dollars to where they actually originate. Making sure legislators know that this is an issue is one that their residents are paying attention to and demanding action on.  

Here’s How You Can Help!

After checking out our presentation or videos, we’ve made it easy for you to communicate directly with your legislators, by going to:  https://www.clintontownship.com/482/What-Can-I-Do.  There you can look up your State Rep. and State Senator, customize the form letter and with a few more clicks, send your thoughts to lawmakers.

As Clinton Township Treasurer, I’ve driven this issue at the local level and legislators are beginning to take notice.  As Supervisor, I’ll be in a higher profile position to continue raising awareness and pushing for the legislative changes we need to fix our roads. Your support for my campaign amplifies my voice on your behalf.  

So, please take every opportunity you can to enjoy your family and friends during the Independence Day Holiday. After a recharge, help me build a better community by engaging in the fight– to fix our roads and electing people who will put in the work each day.    

Happy Independence Day,

 

Paul Gieleghem