Tensions came to a head at a Leland Township meeting on Monday evening as members of the public continued to voice their concerns regarding ongoing township matters and governance.
Dozens of people filled into the Munnecke room for the township’s regular monthly meeting, many of which were present to speak on township projects and pressing issues such as Hancock Field plans in the works and the continuing Youth for Christ (YFC) special land use permit application dispute.
During the first period of public comment, at least half a dozen community members spoke about their concerns for Hancock and its significance for much of the youth in Leland and the county as a whole.
Leelanau County resident Benjamin Crow was the first to make public comment, and questioned what the township “was doing as a board.”
“Why are you not listening to the people of our community?” Crow said during public comment. “The two major issues over the past eight months have been Youth for Christ and Hancock Park. One is continuing to operate and the other you decided to not even have a discussion with the local schools and community on what is needed in our parks… Please start listening to our community voices.”
Leland resident Ellen Keen followed after Crow’s comment, expressing concern for the condition and upkeep of Hancock Field and other township parks. She said the current state of Hancock Park has placed an unreasonable burden on families and volunteers that care deeply about providing opportunities for their children that utilize these parks.
“I have looked at the lease with the school and the township is responsible for the mowing at the (Hancock) park. Just last week, a father had to bring his own lawnmower to Hancock to mow the youth soccer field so that his eight-year-old daughter’s team would have a playable field for their games before the Colts’ first baseball game… My children and their teammates filled bags with garbage removed from the dugouts just to make the area usable. Parents hauled lawnmowers to the field to mow the outfield,” Keen said. “I respectfully ask the board to ensure the current maintenance needs of our parks are being met, review the plan the school has put forward for the upgraded park, and work together with them to meet the needs of our community.”
Trustee Greg Kuntz said during the parks and rec report that he has offered to lead a “mending the fence” opportunity with Leland Public School as they work through Hancock plans. Kuntz said he had a meeting scheduled with a Leland School BOE member for Wednesday morning to continue talks about the park, and is making it his mission to bring everyone together.
These comments come after Leland Public School held a special meeting in May to discuss Hancock Field designs and improvements with the public. At the school’s May special meeting, the township chose to opt out from participating, however, two trustees did attend, and many Leland residents were able to voice their frustrations regarding the township’s handling of Hancock Field plans and cooperation with the school thus far.
Planning Commission Chairperson Lee Cory also spoke during the township’s public comment periods, voicing concerns of the township’s handling of the Youth for Christ permit application process, specifically in regards to the unpaid $12,000-plus bill for services from attorney Thomas Grier, who provided additional findings/ analysis reports to the planning commission to make its final decision in April.
Grier submitted work preparing two sets of alternate proposed findings and conclusions for approval and denial of the YFC permit after the township board voted to approve the motion to authorize the planning commission chairperson to engage services of a planning expert not to exceed $2,000 at a special meeting on Feb. 27.
Cory said throughout the planning commission’s engagement with Grier, the township board was copied “on every legal communication,” and said they were aware his work exceeded $2,000 in billable time.
“Yet no one contacted me or Mr. Grier or anyone to raise a concern, object, or suggest that he might not be compensated… Instead you waited for a public meeting to disparage him and disparage me and announce that you would not pay his bill,” Cory said. “What has become clear is that your refusal to fairly compensate Mr. Grier has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility or administrative process, its retaliation against planning commission members, except for Mr. Scales, who rejected flawed legal advice and voted to deny the Apollos application because you wanted a different outcome.”
During the second period of public comment, several township board members responded to Cory’s comments about the township’s lack of transparency and denied all allegations that were made against them and their motives.
Leland Township Supervisor Clint Mitchell commented briefly on Hancock Field plans during his supervisor report, clarifying what they aim to do going forward. In terms of the frequency of mowing at Hancock, Mitchell said it has been mowed weekly and that mowing of the little league baseball field would occur twice a week during the baseball season.
“What the township board would like to do is keep the baseball field, and next year, tear down all the unsafe, dilapidated structures, restore the infield of the full-size baseball field, and at this point, table indefinitely any amenities to the park,” Mitchell said. “That’s not just pickleball, but that included potentially basketball, playground, pavillion, so there are no immediate plans to do any of those things.”
In regards to the YFC matter, Mitchell said the issue is being handled by the township’s zoning administrator, Sara Kopriva, the attorney, Lauren Teichner, of the Teichner law firm, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. In the supervisor’s written report, Mitchell stated that ZBA member Brooks Bunbury also submitted his resignation, effective immediately, citing the lack of flexibility in scheduling of upcoming meetings. Brooks is the third ZBA member to resign since January and leaves the ZBA with only three voting members as they work through matters like the YFC permit appeal. The township is looking for someone who will serve as an alternate or to fill the remainder of Brooks’ term in the meantime.
