August 7, 2021
Michigan

‘Out in the wind’

Pine Township planner resigns, leading meeting to adjourn without making any progress on wind ordinance | By Elisabeth Waldon | Daily News | August 06, 2021 | www.thedailynews.cc

The Pine Township Planning Commission was once again unable to make progress on updating its wind ordinance during a second special meeting Monday evening.

The Planning Commission meeting ended just five minutes after it had been called to order after Chairman Steve Millard announced that Planning Commissioner Steve Fisk had submitted his resignation shortly before the meeting. Fisk stayed just along enough for a quick sawmill request on the agenda, then he stood up, said goodbye and walked out.

As only Millard, Bob Behrenwald and Gary Christensen were present, the Planning Commission no longer had a quorum (Chris Bell, Tyler Nadeau and Rosemary Witt were all absent).

“Unfortunately our hands are tied on this one,” Millard said. “He’s done. He resigned.

After the meeting, Millard told the Daily News that Fisk submitted his resignation because people were giving him “a hard time on the Internet.”

Pine Township Supervisor Bill Drews was in attendance Monday and said he is in charge of appointing a new planner. He said he is not accepting applications for the position, but he will accept suggestions. He said the new planner needs to have an agricultural background, but doesn’t necessarily need to live in the township.

The short meeting had a large audience in attendance and several audience members asked Millard whether planners had reviewed any wind ordinances or other information leading up to Monday’s meeting.

“I met with Sidney Township and I met with Douglass Township,” Millard responded. “It’s interesting because when you talk to Sidney, they say their stuff is good, but when you talk to Douglass, their lawyers say Sidney’s stuff won’t hold up.”

The Planning Commission is scheduled for a third special meeting to work on updating its wind ordinance at 5 p.m. on Aug. 16.

The next regular Pine Township Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 9.