Cleveland Township supervisor Tim Stein reported that an unusually large number of people showed up at the rescheduled monthly meeting of the Cleveland Township Board last week.

The meeting was rescheduled from Tuesday, May 8 to Wednesday, May 9, to accommodate Tuesday election activity at the township hall.

Stein said most of the approximately 40 people in the audience were there to express concern about a continuing issue involving junk and a long-unfinished house in the Scenic Mountain View Estates subdivision.

The owner of the property, Robert S. Saffell has been cited for violations repeatedly since 1998.

In May 2006, the county prosecutor’s office sent Saffell a warning letter threatening prosecution if he did not obtain an occupancy permit by September 2006. Neighbors now allege that Saffell is occupying the home without a permit, but their efforts to spur action from the prosecutor’s office and county Building Inspections department have been unsuccessful.

Stein reportedly told township residents that he would address the issue with county officials and would personally invite chief assistant prosecuting attorney Doug Donaldson and county Building Inspections department head Robert VanDyke to attend the next meeting of the township board.

The supervisor said that a number of people in the audience were also interested in ongoing efforts relative to Sugar Loaf Resort. Stein said the township had received correspondence from Sugar Loaf area homeowners calling on the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department to take measures that might spur action from the owner of the derelict ski resort.

Although the Cleveland Township Planning Commission spent nearly a year amending the township’s zoning ordinance to accommodate Sugar Loaf Resort owner Kate Wickstrom’s plans to revive the resort, Wickstrom has yet to submit a site plan for consideration by township officials.

Meanwhile, neighbors say there is no evidence that any work has been done recently to improve the resort.

In other business, the Cleveland Township Board decided to retain the maintenance services of Robert Fox, whose hourly rate will increase from $10 to $15 per hour. Fox’s rate for keeping lawns mowed at the township hall, cemetery and park will increase from $2,100 to $2,500 annually.