Elmwood Township Marina’s new harbormaster, Dan Jenuwine, introduced himself to the township board at their May regular meeting. He is replacing previous Harbormaster Pete Moon, who stepped down in March to pursue work in the private sector.
Jenuwine was hired by the township personnel committee in late April per instruction from the township board. Jenuwine will be working seasonally, despite the board changing the role to a year-round position in April, as he reportedly preferred temporary but recurring employment.
Jenuwine told the township trustees that he applied because he felt his background as an entrepreneur from Detroit qualified him for the position. Jenuwine said his resume has involved customer service-oriented positions and he sees the harbormaster role as being no different. To mark his arrival, Jenuwine said he plans to send out a “welcome packet” to slip holders.
“In that welcome packet we’ll put a love letter from myself — an introduction — and an update on the construction that is going to begin sometime late summer in the preliminary phases,” Jenuwine said. “We’re going to put in a list of the marina services, a local business directory, marina rules, and I also went out and put together a letter soliciting coupons from the local merchants who are adjacent to the marina.”
The new harbormaster said that he also hopes to crack down on marina users who aren’t paying their launch fees. According to Jenuwine, the township marina has failed to collect revenue through these fees, and that his objective is “to not miss one this year.”
Township Supervisor Jeff Shaw was absent from the meeting, but according to his report to the township board, the personnel committee has also hired Ian Ferguson as its new groundcrew/ facilities manager.
The township board also accepted the introduction of three different text amendments to the zoning ordinance to be published for consideration at next month’s meeting at 6 p.m. on June 10.
The first amendment would add a special use for special event facilities in agricultural-rural zoning districts back into the ordinance, which had previously been removed on advice from township legal counsel. According to the township board’s e-packet, John Gallagher, owner of Bay View Weddings at Gallagher Farms, applied for this amendment.
Gallagher’s wedding venue has already been approved as a special event facility, but since that use is no longer allowed in the ordinance, he cannot add a building to the operation. The amendment would bring him into compliance and introduce an option for development for any other properties meeting the ordinance requirements.
A second amendment regards multi-dwelling development regulations, adding a definition for “dwelling, multi,” modifying some existing definitions, reintroduce development requirements for multi-dwelling developments, and require site plan review applicants to submit the gross lot area and net lot area.
The third amendment “regard(s) aligning and reforming alcohol regulations” within the township by adding, revising, and eliminating definitions, changing the types of permitted uses, and changing several requirements.
The township board also approved:
• A resolution adjusting the annual special assessment roll for East Timberwoods Drive, South Fox Valley Lane, and South Cottonwood Drive Road maintenance special assessment district. This resolution approved an agreement with private contractors for maintenance and snow removal in the district in the amount of $9,000.
• An auditing contract with the firm Tobin & Co. P.C. for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2023, and two subsequent years. The contract says the fee for these services will be their standard hourly rates but will not exceed $33,000 across three years and $200 in out-of-pocket costs.
