Deadline near for consolidation comments

State Boundary Commission Chairman Dennis Schornack, center, listens to testimony at the commission’s public hearing Wednesday, June 20, at Saugatuck High School. At right is Kevin O’Brien of the Office of Land Survey and Remonumentation.

Time is running out for people who want to comment on the proposed consolidation of Saugatuck and Douglas cities with Saugatuck Township.

A public hearing attended by about 200 people was June 20, but written comments are due by 5 p.m. Friday, July 20.

All correspondence must be identified by Docket #11-C-1.

Comments submitted by mail must be received or postmarked no later than July 20. Address letters to Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, State Boundary Commission, P.O. Box 30254, Lansing MI 48909

Comments sent by facsimile or email must be received no later than 5 p.m., July 20.

Send faxes to (517) 241-6301.

Send emails to obrienk@michigan.gov.

Here’s what the State Boundary Commission is considering:

Population; population density; land area and land uses; assessed valuation; topography, natural boundaries and drainage basins; the past and probable future urban growth, including population increase and business, commercial and industrial development in the area, need for organized community services; the present cost and adequacy of governmental services; the probable future needs for services; the practicability of supplying such services; the probable effect of alternative courses of action on the cost and adequacy of services, the probable increase in taxes in relation to the benefits expected to accrue; and the financial ability of the municipality to maintain urban type services.

The original petition submitted to the state in November by the Consolidated Government Committee asked to merge the two cities and the township. In April, the consolidation group decided to shrink the proposed consolidation area to the two cities only.

The boundary commission will hold an adjudicative hearing and make its recommendations to the director of the state Licensing and Regulatory Affairs office. The director then makes a decision on whether to unite all three, unite parts of the three areas or deny the entire consolidation.

If the director approves any form of consolidation, residents in the affected area have 45 days to gather signatures to hold a referendum on the ruling. Residents could accept it or reject it.

Information Pro Consolidation

• Consolidated Government Committee:  we-are-better-together.com

Information Anti Consolidation

• Citizens for Independent and Cooperative Communities:  cicc2012.com