The Leland Township Board last week unanimously approved a salary resolution seeking pay increases of 3.6 to 10 percent for members.

At its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12, the board approved salary increases:

• Supervisor Harry Larkin’s salary would jump 10 percent, from $20,000 to $22,000.

• Treasurer Mike Kirt’s salary would increase 3.9 percent, from $25,500 to $26,500.

• Clerk Jane Keen’s salary would increase 3.6 percent, from $27,500 to $28,500.

Trustees Nick Lederle and Steve Plamondon did not request a pay increase.

Larkin said he based proposed pay increases on how much board members in other townships around the county are paid.

State law requires a township board to adopt a salary resolution no later than 30 days prior to a township’s Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, township electors – property owners who live in the township – may take the following action concerning the salary resolution:

• Do nothing, and the resolution goes into effect as approved by the township board on April 1.

• Keep board members’ salaries as they are.

• Increase the salaries for each member as they see fit.

The salary resolution is the only binding vote for electorate at the Annual Meeting. At the 2007 Annual Meeting, the Leland Township electorate changed the salary resolution by approving pay increases for the trustee positions.

Leland Township’s Annual Meeting for 2008 is Saturday, March 15.

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Fluorescent light replacements approved 

The Leelanau Township Board breezed through a light agenda during a 45-minute meeting last week.

The largest item of business handled by the board at its Feb. 12 meeting was approving the purchase of six fluorescent light units to replace light fixtures in the township library. Clerk Deborah Van Pelt said library director Deb Stannard received a bid of $667.20 from Northern Lumber for six fluorescent light fixtures. The board approved the purchase on a 4-0 vote, with supervisor James Neve absent.

Before the vote, trustee Victor Goldschmidt said he would have liked to see more than one bid. Trustee Gary Fredrickson said the township’s bid policy doesn’t require seeking more than one bid for purchases under a certain amount. He was not sure what the amount was, but he said he believed it pertained to any purchase under $2,000.

In other business, the board:

• Postponed further consideration of the Northport/Leelanau Township Utilities Authority’s proposed 2008-09 budget until its next regularly scheduled meeting. The board had tabled the matter at in January meeting to get more information. Van Pelt said the board had not received any new information, it could not proceed.

• Discussed the ongoing process for updating the township Master Plan. Goldschmidt said he wants to make sure the township board reviews changes before the township planning commission presents the changes to the public. Treasurer Denise Dunn, the board’s representative on the township planning commission, said the subcommittee is working to update the plan.