Senator Lana Theis Speaks in Freedom Township

submitted by Carol Westfall, PLPOA

On Saturday April 27 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Freedom Township, a panel of experts, including State Senator Lana Theis (R-22), spoke to area residents, Freedom Township Supervisor Dale Weidmayer, and members of the Pleasant Lake Property Owners Association (PLPOA). Joining Senator Theis on the panel were Evan Pratt, Washtenaw County Water Commissioner, whose team is responsible for managing 700 miles of county drainage, dams, and water controls, plus several lake management programs including the Pleasant Lake special assessment program; David Halteman, Washtenaw County Director of Emergency Services and Homeland Security who manages the county’s safety planning and 911 command center; and, Consumer Energy’s John P. Broschak, Vice President of Generation and Compression Operations who oversees several Consumer Energy sites, including the Compressor Station at Freedom Township.

Senator Theis sits on seven different legislative committees, chairs the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee and Education Committee, and is Vice Chair of the Regulatory Reform Committee. She spent much of her time answering questions from the audience and spoke at length about potential changes to Michigan’s costly auto insurance laws and the need to find a viable financial solution to fixing Michigan’s roads. The panel also listened to attendee concerns about the lack of quality internet services in Freedom Township, located less than 15 miles from high tech Ann Arbor, and income inequality issues that are seriously impacting hard-working residents. Senator Theis was especially interested in the recent loss of Manchester’s grocery store and the problems a food desert creates for local residents. She noted that she wants to hear from constituents and will do her best to help solve problems in the district. Senator Theis can be reached at:  517-373-2420 or via Theresa Grace, her Constituent Relations Director, at TGrace@senate.michigan.gov.

Other discussions of interest to attendees included the status of Consumers Energy’s $200M modernization program at the Freedom Township Compressor Station, which is slated for completion by the end of 2021, as well as Consumers interest in partnering with local residents and the township on important issues like safety and the management of concerns arising during the construction phase. Requests were made of the panel to help establish a township-wide communications program (ie, texts, phone calls, other) that could quickly notify residents in case of an emergency. Attendees were reminded they should call 911 when in doubt about any safety concern; that there are security and safety systems in place to promptly evaluate any perceived safety issue.

Following discussions with the guest panel, Beth Heuser, President of the PLPOA, and the PLPOA Board held its annual business meeting.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.