The Elmwood Township board approved their budget for next year, along with salaries for elected officials, at their regular meeting Dec. 9.
The 2025 budget was adopted based on a cost center basis. The general fund was set at $1,553,075; the fire fund was $1,867,800; the Metro Authority fund was $10,000; the sewer fund was $450,600; the Timberlee water fund was $943,455; the Greilickville water fund was $78,200; and the marina fund was $4,134,400.
All revenues listed under these funds are to be canceled out by the expenditures, except for the Metro Authority fund, which does not have any expenditures listed under that line item.
The sewer and water revenues were calculated using the new monthly rates, which were increased to help cover the costs of purchasing two new hydropneumatic tanks at the Timberlee station. The marina revenues were projected using the new, increased rates for transient and seasonal slips, and the costs of the phase III marina improvements were also included in the budget.
In establishing the budget, the township board further resolved that it would be supported by an allocated operational millage of 0.6188 mills.
The township also approved elected officials’ salaries, including setting Township Supervisor Jeff Shaw, Clerk Connie Preston, and Treasurer Chris Mikowski’s salaries each at $61,800 annually. This represents a pay increase for Shaw and Mikowski, as their salaries were brought up to match the clerk’s. The four township trustee salaries were set at $4,045 annually, plus $100 per special meeting.
The township board also approved 3% pay increases for all salaried and hourly staff not covered by the current hourly wage scale.
The board authorized adding a fourth full-time firefighter/ emergency medical technician to township fire department’s staff. Fire Chief Keith Tampa said that “paternity leave has put a grip on the department,” with two firefighters taking time off to spend time with their new kids.
Tampa said that this, combined with firefighters sustaining injuries and taking sick and vacation time, had left the department dangerously close to being short-staffed, even with their part-time personnel.
The board also approved a text amendment aligning and reforming alcohol regulations in the township, to the audible relief of at least one board member. The township Planning Commission had recommended the amendment to the board at their August regular meeting. But Traverse City Whiskey President Chris Frederickson asked the board to postpone action at that meeting.
Frederickson felt that language in the ordinance may impede his distillery’s development at 9440 S. Center Highway, a former Cherry Growers co-op facility. Planning/Zoning Administrator Sarah Clarren said the planning commission have since reviewed the amendment at length with TC Whiskey staff and they made minor changes prior to approval.
The township board also:
• Agreed on a final site plan for Cherry Bend Park. The plan includes additional angular parking spaces, pickleball courts, and a link to a proposed nonmotorized trail south of Cherry Bend Road. The board contracted the firm Beckett & Raeder in June for $13,000 to draft this plan. Clarren wanted to ask for the board’s approval before directing staff to seek grant funding for the project.
• Renewed Township Supervisor Jeff Shaw’s appointment as township representative on the Grand Traverse County board of public works. They also reappointed Bob Sokolnicki and Judy Platt to the board of review for two-year terms expiring Dec. 31, 2026.
• Approved the 2025 board meeting schedule. The township board will continue regularly meeting on the second Monday of the month, except for October, where they will meet on the second Tuesday due to Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
