On Saturday, September 10, 2005, 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., our township will hold it's annual community picnic for our Township residents and employees at the East China Park, Pavilion 2. It is free to all participants. Please join us for good food, great family fun and a yummy recipe contest! This year we are planning lunch at 12:00 noon, caricature drawings, choo-choo train rides for youngsters, pony rides, airbrush tattoos, balloon maniacs and a Spiderman obstacle course.

Labor Day September 5, 2005

Columbus Day October 10, 2005

Veterans' Day November 11, 2005

Thanksgiving November 24 & 25, 2005

Christmas December 23 & 26, 2005

New Years December 30, 2005 & January 2, 2006

Presidents' Day February 20, 2006

Good Friday March 24, 2006

 

To Waste Management for donating a dumpster for the annual Southeastern Michigan Conservation Club Volunteer Township Cleanup.

To the Southeastern Michigan Conservation Club for their "Township Cleanup" on May 1, 2005.

To employee David Whittaker, Water/Wastewater Superintendent, retiring with 28 years of service.

Septic System Maintenance

Flooding Safety Measures

Severe Weather/Tornado Safety

Emerald Ash Borer

AYSO Soccer Hotline 1-877-297-6673

New St. Clair County discount prescription drug program

 

To contact the Sheriff Department for non-emergencies call 1-800462-7111

Since our last newsletter changes have been happening in our township. Some streets within the township have gotten a new coat of asphalt, including the roads in Rosehill Cemetery.

In addition to the roads in the cemetery we are attempting to restore some of the old tombstones that have fallen into disrepair. Rosehill Cemetery is and will remain one of the best in St. Clair County. Our deceased loved ones are our history and pride.

Thanks to a lot of neighborhood volunteers, Manor Park at the north end has been cleaned up and some of the equipment has been given a coat of paint. I would also like to thank the Park Commission, our D.P.W. staff and our Beautification Committee. The parks in our township outshine any others.

Traveling along King Road, keep an eye on the water tower at the south end. Soon you'll see a new look. The tower is scheduled for a facelift.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and all the township employees, I want to ensure you we will do our best to make East China Township a place where you and your family are proud to live, work and play.

REGARDING WATER METERS: The majority of our residential homes have the old style Badger water meters installed in them with read-o-matic devices on the outside of their homes. This allows Township personnel to get a reading from that inside meter. Occasionally, this outside read-o-matic slows down due to outside influences such as dust, dirt, spider webs, etc. To prevent receiving a large water bill, we are requesting residents that have this kind of meter to get both a reading off the inside and outside meters and call them into the Township Office. This would help us in determining if any meters need to be replaced and it would help in keeping our records updated.

Leaky faucets and running toilets are expensive. At 40 pounds of pressure in a 24-hour period, a 1/32" leak totals 170 gallons, a 1/16" leak totals 970 gallons and a 1/8" leak totals 3,600 gallons. Your water/sewer bill is based on thousands of gallons of usage every 90-days and are due quarterly. The smallest leak of 1/32" extended over a 90-day billing period translates into 15,000 gallons adding $113.55 to your water/sewer bill. The 1/16" leak totals 87,000 gallons for an additional $658.59 and the 1/8" leak totals 324,000 gallons for an additional $2,452.68 to your bill.

The cost to purchase a grave at the cemetery is $250 for residents and $600 for non-residents. A Columbarium niche is $300 for residents and $500 for non-residents. Each niche holds two cremains and a memorial plaque for the niche costs $200, ordered at the Township Office.

Under the Michigan Residential Building Code, building permits for sheds under 200 square feet are not required. Residents are allowed one garage, either attached or detached and one accessory structure per residential lot. Please call the office for more details.

Permits are required for most building projects, including heating, plumbing and electrical.

CALL THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT 24-HOURS IN ADVANCE AT 765-8879X115 TO SCHEDULE ALL INSPECTIONS.

Fred Ouellette- Electrical Inspector

Garrett Smith - Plumbing/Mechanical Inspector

Jeff Kern - Building Inspector

Residents may reserve use of the township hall for meetings, bridal showers, baby showers, etc., twice per year. A fee of $25 is required to reserve the hall, along with a $50 deposit for the key and cleaning.

Residents may reserve a park pavilion beginning Tuesday, January 3, 2006. A $25 fee along with a refundable cleaning deposit of $100 is required at the time of reservation.

Senior Flu Shot Clinic at River District Hospital, October 2005. Watch Channel 6 and the Website for details coming soon.

The 2005 Winter Property Tax Bills will be mailed to you around the first week of December and will be due February 14, 2006. After that date, a 3% penalty is added on the unpaid balance. The Township can only collect real property taxes at the Township Office until the last day of February each year. On March 1^st taxes become the responsibility of the St. Clair County Treasurer's Office in Port Huron and that is where you remit delinquent payments. They add an administration fee as well as monthly interest, so you should call their office at 810-989-6915 to obtain the current balance. As per State Law, the Treasurer's Office will remain open until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 to collect taxes.

If your taxes are paid by a banking institution, due to an escrow account, the amount of your taxes will be faxed to them and a yellow copy will be mailed to you, for your information.

Tax payments can be mailed, paid in person at the Township Office or put in the Drop Box located at the front of the Township Hall. NO CASH IN THE DROP BOX PLEASE!

A separate check should be remitted for tax payments and should not be included with any other payments to the Township, such as water and sewer bills, dog license fees, permit fees, etc.

PLEASE NOTE: Late 2005 Summer Property Tax Bills are still payable here at the Township with a 1% per month interest charge until March 1^st, when they become the responsibility of the St. Clair County Treasurer.

If you own land located within 500-feet of any body of water, a permit may be required from the St. Clair County Department of Public Works.

Permits are required for any earth change, which disturbs one or more acres or is within 500-feet of a lake or stream. Permit information can be obtained by calling Ed Boddy at 810-364-5720.

To determine if a permit is required for construction projects located near water or in the floodplain, call the MDEQ at 586-753-3700.

Guaranteed below wholesale discounts on brand name and generic prescriptions. The card costs $15.00 per person, for people without prescription drug coverage. Ages 19-59. Ages 60 and over, whose monthly income is at or below $1,107 is county funded.

Applications are available at the Township Hall.

We have enjoyed a long and warm summer and the plantings around the township have loved every minute of it. Our lecture series this year was a big success. We had record turnouts for several. We are always looking for interesting new topics. If you have any topic suggestions, or would like to be a speaker, please call Dee at 326-3713 or Cynthia at 765-7227. Our main project this year has been Manor Park on the north-end of town. With the help of neighbors, community service workers and DPW, the park had a major cleanup. Play equipment was painted and repaired, mulch was added under the equipment and three new benches were added. We have picnic tables coming, along with a grill and heavy-duty trash can to help keep the park clean. We are planning another cleanup on September 24^th and 25^th with the addition of a possible ice rink for this winter and a soccer field. Please be sure to check it out.

We will be having a recipe contest at the annual township picnic on September 10^th. If you have a favorite and would like to participate, please bring your entry along with the printed recipe. Entries can be for anything you choose, the winning entry will be printed in the next township newsletter. If you have any suggestions for projects please call Dee or Cynthia at the above numbers. And as always we are looking for volunteers!

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30345-5281.

Or order by phone at: 877-322-8228

DNR fisheries managers have noticed aquatic invasive species, which have great negative impacts on Michigan's ecosystem and quality of life in our waters, which include the zebra mussel, round goby, sea lamprey, Eurasian ruffe, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly leaf pondweed, rusty crayfish and spiny water flea. The DNR urges anglers, boaters and other water recreationists to follow these guidelines to protect Michigan's aquatic environment.

Inspect your boat, trailers and boating equipment (anchors, center boards, rollers, axles) and remove any plants and animals that are visible before leaving any water body.

Wash boats & trailers with a power washer whenever possible, and dry all equipment thoroughly.

Drain water from the motor, livewell, bilge and transom wells while on land before leaving any water body.

Empty your bait bucket on land before leaving the water body or release aquatic animals from one water body before going to another.

Learn to identify these organisms.

Destroy any aquatic nuisance species when caught and dispose of it in the trash.

If you suspect a new infestation of a foreign plant or animal, report it to the DNR.

Ice skating on our outdoor rink, bike paths for cycling, walking and running, wooded nature trail for snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding.

Downriver Recreation Commission will be sponsoring the 4th annual Slide-N-Glide at our sled hill. The event will be held in February, watch Channel 6 & the Website for details.

Slide-N-Glide participants build a sled out of cardboard, tape and glue, and creativity is a plus! They compete for the fanciest and the fastest downhill. The event is open to the public and there will be age group division as necessary. Dress warm for this one! For more information call Cindy Babisz at 794-8896.

Beginning December 1^st, dog licenses are available at the Township Office. If your dog is older than 4-months, a license is required. You must present a recent rabies vaccination certificate before a license can be issued.

Male & Female Dogs $15.00

Unsexed Dogs $7.50

After March 1st $30.00

Township Ordinance #256 - States that dogs must be kept within their own yard, unless on a leash, attended by the owner. No person owning or having charge of a dog shall permit such dog at any time, by loud or frequent or habitual barking to cause annoyance to people in the neighborhood, public walks or streets.

Open burning can cause airborne particles that aggravate the symptoms of respiratory disease patients. Prior to any open burning call the Marine City or St. Clair Fire Department. Fires must be 50-feet away from any building and attended by an adult. You must have a proper method to extinguish the fire.

Brush cannot exceed 3 inches in diameter.

Pile brush neatly with heavy ends at right angle, facing street.

Shrubs cannot exceed 36 inches in width with no dirt, roots, rocks or metal material attached.

All of the above should be in place by the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005.

 

Yard waste collection begins the first Friday of April and ends the last Friday of November. Receptacles must be marked with an "X" (yard waste only) or paper bags can be used.

The Red Brick School is a combination classroom and museum operated by the East China Township Historical Commission. Consider this building for small gatherings or for private tours. Initial contact can be made through the Township Office,

Historical Rosehill Cemetery Walk on September 25^th at 2:00 p.m., free tickets available at the Township Office starting September 9^th.

The Zoning Board of Appeals welcomes two new members: Sam Carey and Mark Morse.

Waste Management provides our refuse & recycling disposal. Their telephone number is 1-800-796-9696. Please call them prior to Friday to schedule pickup of one large item per week. You can also call them to lease or purchase a WM heavy-duty garbage bin, which can be easily rolled out for garbage day.

Have refuse & recyclables at the road by 6:30 a.m. on Fridays. Maximum of 10 garbage bags or cans and 10 compost receptacles per pickup. Receptacles cannot weigh more than 50 pounds. Carpets and rugs must be cut into 3-foot lengths and bundled.

When the following holidays fall on Monday through Friday, refuse and recyclables will be picked up on Saturday: Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Refrigerators, freezers & air conditioners must have the freon properly removed by a plumber prior to pickup. The item must show the plumber's green sticker to be picked up.

Please do not dispose yard waste into the river. Yard waste dumped into the water will decompose over time. The decomposition process uses up oxygen in the water – the same oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life. Improper disposal of yard waste is construed as littering according to state law.

Improvements have been made to the Sledding Hill for you to enjoy safe sledding! Sledding hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Supervision is not provided and all users assume full responsibility. The Park Manager may determine if sledding devices are unsafe. No ramp building or hole digging allowed!

NO DUMPING OF PRIVATE GARBAGE IN THE PARKS'

Charter Township of East China

5111 River Road

East China, Michigan 48054

(810)765-8879