Alpine Twp Telephone Communications

The staff at the AlpineTownship Hall was excited to get new telephones installed this week. The old telephone system has served the Township well in the past but was so old that the only known service agent had retired and the system was no longer supported locally. The Township purchased a Toshiba telephone system from Central Interconnect.

Donna Vining (l), familiarizing Deputy Clerk Erin Randall with the new phone system

Scott Vogel. a technician for Central Interconnect connecting all the right wires (we hope)

Sandy Oostdyk, Telecom Design Engineer programming the phone system

Smaller Government is More Efficient, Less Expensive

For Immediate Release Contact:
February 1, 2010 David Bertram
MTA Office: 517.321.6467
C: 517.927.4314
Michigan Townships Association:
Smaller Government is More Efficient and Less Expensive
Lansing, Mich. — The Michigan Townships Association (MTA) today released a study showing that smaller government is more efficient and saves taxpayer dollars.
While a few interest groups are advocating for the consolidation of local governments as a way to reduce the cost of government, the MTA study shows the results of such consolidations would be the exact opposite. The MTA found that creating bigger governments would not save money or improve efficiencies.
“Making smaller governments into bigger governments will most certainly drive the cost of government up, not down,” said G. Lawrence Merrill, MTA Executive Director. “Simply combining local government or local government services does not result in cost savings unless the service consolidation allows for reducing staffing levels or eliminating major capital purchases – and these opportunities cannot be assumed.”
“Making bigger governments to reduce costs is an often repeated falsehood,” added Merrill.
“When you compare Michigan to other states with similar populations, density, climate and character, Michigan actually has far fewer local governments. Michigan ranks 33rd in the number of local governments per capita, and 29th in the average population per jurisdiction.”
Consolidation is extraordinarily complicated In addition to creating inefficient government, the consolidation process is time consuming, expensive, complicated and would take five or more years to even develop. A consolidation effort would include:
• Melding different tax rates
• Connecting separate infrastructure systems
• Resolving different levels of debt
• Rectifying two or more incompatible administrative systems
• Unifying compensation systems and personnel policies
• Standardizing ordinances
Most efficient form of government
Michigan’s 1,240 townships, which comprise more than 96 percent of Michigan’s land area and over half of the state’s population, already perform very efficiently compared to local governments in other states.
One of the advantages of operating with a smaller government is the ability to provide services more efficiently with less staff. The majority of Michigan townships are managed by part time staff. Based on a 2008 MTA survey, townships reported the following:
• 30% operate full time
• 70% operate part time (40% of which have no office staff)
• 22% of townships have unions
In addition, Michigan townships continue to look for cooperative arrangements to provide more efficient services. Cooperative fire protection is provided by nearly 48 percent of townships, according to the 2008 MTA survey. Many others buy and sell fire protection for a part of their geographic areas. Michigan ranks 37 out of fifty states in per capita expenditures for fire protection. This demonstrates that Michigan townships are providing emergency services
efficiently and affordably.
Of the townships that provide local law enforcement, three-quarters do so through contracts with other governmental entities.
“In these difficult times, township governments across the state continue to seize opportunities to provide and share services that provide taxpayers with smart savings,” said Merrill.
The MTA advocates reform efforts in Michigan at the local government level focused on
regional economic development strategies that leverage regional assets and utilize placemaking tactics to:
• Attract knowledge-based industries
• Develop regional infrastructure necessary to attract new Economy jobs
• Promote entrepreneurship and diversity
• Develop value-added agriculture using 21st-century technologies
“Michigan needs its state government to be the essential catalyst to foster more regional collaboration,” said Merrill. “The most important reform involving local governments that state government could undertake that would revitalize the Michigan economy is to create regional consortiums to make Michigan attractive to New Economy employers.”
To review the complete White Papers: Reforming Michigan’s Local Government, please visit the MTA website at http://www.michigantownships.org/. or download directly from here.

Applebee's and NKF of Michgan

On Wednesday, February 10, 2010, the Alpine Township Applebee's will donate 15% of your bill to the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan. If you are looking for a meal that will fill you and that is fulfilling at the same time, reserve Wednesday February 10 on your calendar. The mission of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan is to prevent kidney disease and improve the quality of life for those living with it.

Since 1955, the NKF of Michigan, Inc. (NKFM) has led the fight against these life-threatening diseases. They have enhanced the lives of many Michigan residents through their patient services, research and education programs. Their efforts have also changed legislation, ensured quality care for patients and advanced medical knowledge. They have informed the public about kidney and urological diseases and increased awareness of the critical need for organ and tissue donations.

Monday Monday

The Alpine Township Employees shut down the office for two hours today in order to celebrate a "Post Holiday Employee Appreciation Lunch". The event took place at the Alpine Township Fire Station #3. Everyone enjoyed the food and the fellowship. On hand to celebrate with the employees were Alpine Township Trustees Ron Cordes, Jim May, Bill Schweitzer and Ted Wallace, and Historical Commission Charirwoman Ruth Post.

Good food and great company


Jim Townsend demonstrating his kitchen skills

The Zoning Board of Appeals met this Monday. special guest was Alpine Township Attorney Jeff Sluggett (Law Weathers) who gave the Board Members a view of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and drew pictures of 30,000 feet up right to ground level. The training was very helpful,

Jeff Sluggett makes a point, and is observed by Nelda Johnson who represents the Planning Commission on the Alpine Zoning Board of Appeals.

Township Planner and Zoning Administrator Sue Thomas. (left) Township Clerk Jean Wahlfield, and Zoning Board of Appeals members Jason Rosenzweig and Doug Pointer.

Alpine Township Trustees Ted Wallace (l), Jim May, and Ron Cordes were in attendance as well as Bill Schweitzer (not shown)

Preserving Old Documents

Don Doyle, an officer of the Alpine Twp. Historical Commission, built a frame, as instructed by the producers of the television program Dirty Jobs, in order to stretch a very old graduation diploma that was printed on sheep skin. He placed a moist towel on it for 15 minutes and the skin relaxed, but stayed straight in the frame. Members were excited to see the improvement of the document. After it dries, they will have it framed for exhibit

Don Doyle, a very active member of the Alpine Township Historical Society

.

On Sunday, Jan. 17th, Alpine Township Historical Commission's open house started early with members left to right: Judy McNally, Patricia Cederholm and Don Doyle examining the diploma that had almost dried.