ATPC is watchdog of the community

The Atlas Township Planning Commission (ATPC) is my watch dog of choice. The ATPC is one of the most respected planning commissions in the state of Michigan. The individuals that serve our community could not have higher standards or be more respected in our community; some, serving not only as planning commission members but also as school volunteers and church leaders.

“The View from here” 5/29/08 supported a letter from a reader that is running for Atlas Township office. The letter attacking the ATPC was full of unsubstantiated uncollaborated accusations that the commission is violating the Open Meetings Act (OMA), not one date or time of an improper meeting was given. Just because someone “feels” that there is a violation does not mean that there is!

Your reader, if elected would have to work with the people she has just unjustly accused of a crime; this certainly is not conducive to the type of harmonious efficient government we currently enjoy in our community.

To find the truth I contacted planning commission members, the Township Clerk, and the Supervisor. Each person contacted assured me that they are well informed as to the rules of the Open Meeting Act and are required to follow strict rules, which they do.

Mr. Statson, township trustee and planning commission member, stated it appeared your reader was expecting to be informed every time two planning commission members get together, he said he would not do that. He went on to explain how board members, and then the township attorney, tried to make your reader understand the law, but all were unsuccessful. He assured me that all planning committee meetings are, and always will be, posted in the proper manner. When enough members of the ATPC get together to form a quorum and conduct township business is when the public must be notified. The ATPC bends over backwards to be fair, impartial, and professional.

Next time you decide to support a viewpoint, please contact both sides involved in the issue. You contacted the Township Clerk (who was not at the planning commission meeting), she tried to educate you about the rules the township follows, she was very frustrated that you did not understand her explanation and supported the unjust, self-serving claims of your reader. You would have received all the information you needed to make an informed decision had you contacted any of the ATPC members, how many of these good people that were attacked did you contact... zero.

These hard working members put in many hours with the only reward being the knowledge that they have helped to improve our community. Take the time to attend their meetings and you will see how lucky Atlas Township is to have these fine people keeping watch over our community. — Patrick Major, Atlas Township

Looking for good news

Many people express a desire to see more good news reported in the press and on TV and I believe that the media has done a fine job of covering the local graduating classes. Yet, as one has to do many times in life, one may have to put some personal effort into it in order to find what he or she is looking for even though it may be standing there right in front of us.

I attended the Goodrich High School Awards Ceremony last week and found an awful lot of very good news. In a class of roughly 155 students over one third of the graduates had a 3.5 or better, 99 graduated with honors and 85 earned $340,000 dollars from the State of Michigan College Scholarship fund. I learned why some of the girls got into power-lifting they needed to be strong enough to carry all the awards they earned. The guys didn’t slack off either and carried away a ton of awards and scholarship money too. Total scholarships equaled $1.7 million.

Many young men and women are attending outstanding universities across the state and nation studying a myriad of subjects. It’s hard to imagine a finer story. I wish we could make every businessman or woman attend to see that their tax dollars are not being wasted, I wish we could make every community member attend to revel in student and parental excellence, I wish every parent and child see what a difference good grades can make, and next year if you’re looking for something upbeat I suggest going to your local High School Awards Ceremony, I don’t think you will come away empty handed. — Mark Griffiths, Goodrich

More Tips