Freedom Township reverses decision to expand planning commission, does appoint lake resident to commission
Freedom Township Hall
Upon leaving the monthly Freedom Township Board meeting held on December 13th, residents who attended believed that in addition to reappointing current planning commission members who were up for reappointment, the township had voted unanimously that night to expand the 5-person commission to a 7-person commission. In addition, the board had appointed two additional residents to the commission, Karen Flahie and Jan Pangolin. Flahie and Pangolin were notable additions to the board, as they strongly identify as “lake residents,” representing an active group of property owners who live on Pleasant Lake and who have voiced their feelings of under-representation in township government on multiple occasions over the past two years. But, shortly after the meeting, the board realized the vote and subsequent appointments were invalid.
It turned out that Freedom Township has a planning commission ordinance on the books that sets the planning commission board at five members. At the time of the vote, the township board was unaware that the ordinance would need to be amended first when the motion was made to increase the size of the planning commission to seven members.
Township board member Valisa Bristle explained, “The board acted in haste and we found out afterward that the township had a planning commission ordinance in place that needed to be amended first before any motion could be made.” With the invalidation of the December vote, the issue was revisited at the January 10 meeting and the board reversed their decision, voting 5-0 not to amend the ordinance and to keep the planning commission at five members.
Karen Flahie, who believed, as did everyone, after the December Freedom Township Board meeting that she had been appointed to the newly-expanded planning commission, explained what happened between the December meeting vote and the new vote at the January Township Board meeting.
“My understanding is that there was a procedural error made in the Board’s December vote for Planning Commission expansion and appointments and that additional research during the next 30 days led them to vote on Tuesday night for keeping the Planning Commission at 5 members, which they felt reflected other Planning Commissions in small townships,” she said
Bristle confirmed that was the case.“The board took the past month to gather information on correct procedure and evaluate what is best for the township.” She continued, “After much discussion from the board they felt based on the size of the township a board of five members would be sufficient to represent the diversity of the township and that it was not necessary to increase the cost of adding two additional planning commission members.” The decision not to expand the planning commission after all was made over strong objections by audience members. Bristle also stated that during her vote, she made it clear that while she felt that the number of members should not be increased, she agreed that the lake district needed representation on the commission.
After that vote was held, appointments to the commission were re-visited. Bristle praised the then-current members. “All members on the planning commission are valuable and the board feels they are doing an exceptional job,” she said. “It is not easy getting people to step forward and serve their community.” However, residents brought up that there was not equal representation on the board for all segments of the community. Bristle stated, “Heated words were expressed from the public that they want a lake representative on the planning commission. The lake residents present wanted Karen Flahie appointed.”
Carol Ann Huehl, who had served on the planning commission for almost 20 years, and as the secretary of the planning commission for the last 12, was one of the members whose term was up. She was present at the meeting and stated she would step aside. Although she decided to step aside, she defends the planning commission’s treatment of lake residents, “We have a designated Lake District and other ordinances in place because we have listened to them and know the importance of the lake to everyone.”
Huehl explained her motivation to step aside, “I felt the only way to stop the pressure and nasty comments to the Board and Planning Commission was to step down and let them have their representation on the Planning Commission. I am irritated that whenever the certain few people do not get their way they write to the paper and make us look like fools. It is sad that my term had to end this way. I have learned a lot and really enjoyed my time served on the Planning Commission.”
Bristle said that after the supervisor confirmed Huehl was serious, he made the motion to appoint Karen Flahie to the planning commission for a 3-year term. The board voted 3-2 in support of the Flahie’s appointment. In explanation of the votes against Flahie, Bristle stated, “Several board members have received comments from township residents that those that show up and speak the loudest at meetings don't always represent the group they are claiming to and a board member went as far to say he was told by a resident not to vote for a person like that.”
In the end, although the planning commission was not expanded to seven members, a lake resident was appointed and will now serve on the planning commission. Flahie stated, “I am really excited to have been appointed to a 3-year appointment on the Planning Commission at Tuesday night’s Board meeting. I have lived on Pleasant Lake for 36 years and have regularly attended the Freedom Board and Planning Commission meetings for well over 10 years. I am passionate about Pleasant Lake and Freedom Township, so I am very honored to have an opportunity to serve my community in this capacity.”
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