Plans for a public restroom/garden area in Glen Arbor are nearing completion, but the issue continues to be contentious in the community.

Two failed motions - one to hold a referendum on the issue and a second to survey the community on opinions concerning the project - were acted upon Tuesday by the Glen Arbor Township Board.

The vote to hold a referendum on the estimated $183,000 project proposed for the site of the former fire hall on Lake Street failed on a 2-2 vote, with trustee Bill Thompson absent.

Glen Arbor Township officials have been working toward construction of a public lavatory for the past year. The Glen Lake Garden Club has developed plans to landscape the area, which will also serve as a “passive park” of sorts — a meeting place for locals and visitors alike. Project costs would come from township coffers ($143,000) with an additional $30,000 coming from the community. An estimated $20,000 in pledges have already come to the township
Trustee Kent Kelly and Clerk Bonnie L. Quick have consistently questioned the project and whether the township should take on a project that they feel would benefit the Glen Arbor’s business community, yet not be totally funded by businesses. Kelly and Quick continued to vote together Tuesday, supporting a referendum on the issue and —when that failed — putting a questionnaire on the issue before the community. Township Supervisor John Soderholm and Treasurer Terry Gretzema have supported the project and voted “no” on both measures.

“A referendum only deals with voters and would not include opinions of all seasonal non-voting residents who pay the majority of township taxes,” Supervisor John Soderholm said.

The supervisor said that public input will be solicited at an open meeting next month. To that end, landscape architect Russ Clark was “engaged” to complete the landscape plan that was approved by an ad hoc committee to be presented next month.

Gretzema is heading a committee focused on raising funds from the community. He told fellow board members Tuesday night that the committee has concluded that a goal of $50,000 appears feasible since $20,000 has already been pledged. However, in order for the fundraising campaign to be effective, a number of details need to be finalized, including project plans, cost projections and a timeline.

It is hoped the information would be available no later than the third week in June, the peak of the seasonal tourist season.

In other business during the monthly meeting, the board:

• Visited with Tom Ulrich, assistant Superintendent of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, who informed them that a “prescribed burn” planned for Port Oneida this spring has been postponed until late summer or early fall based on weather conditions. The board endorsed the “preferred alternative” identified in the Lakeshore’s management plan.

• Authorized Soderholm to sign a contract to provide fire services to Empire Township at an annual cost of $690,000 beginning July 1.