To the editor:
Twelve years ago, I was asked to sign a petition requesting that the Leland Township Board support a proposed community drain field sewer system. Initially, the project seemed environmentally and communally beneficial, with estimated costs of $363,500 ($10,691 per property, plus ~$11,000 for hookup). However, over the years, updates were inconsistent, information was lacking, and many properties were sold without clear disclosure of the project.
In June 2023, the Township revealed the project had ballooned to ~$1,000,000, with connection costs rising to $20,000. Despite property owners’ repeated requests to halt the now exorbitant $1,280,000 project, the Township Board has created a Special Assessment District (S.A.D.) This requires affected owners to pay a 20-year tax to fund this mismanaged endeavor. Each property owner will have to pay at least $60,000 which is 300% more than what was attached to the original petition. We have also discovered that this project will not have a direct positive impact on the quality of the lake. Responsible homeowners will.
Be careful what you sign, it might be a blank check for the Township disguised as a petition. Jeff Dietel Lake Leelanau
