Posted By - Chris Haynor @ 11:18 am EDT
GET READY FOR THE 11th ANNUAL
BROOKS TOWNSHIP CLEAN-UP DAY!

BROOKS TOWNSHIP PROPERTY OWNERS ONLY!

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

WHAT: Brooks Township Clean-up Day
WHEN: Saturday, June 5, from 8am – 2pm
WHERE: Brooks Township Hall parking lot
COST: Car load $5.00, pickup load: $10.00, single axle trailer: $15.00 Double axle trailer: $20.00, dual wheel truck: $20.00

NO TIRES WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS YEAR!!!!

WHAT WE WILL ACCEPT:
All old appliances**
Refrigerators
Roofing Materials
Auto parts & engines(with oil removed)
Lawn mowers
Lawn chairs
Electronics
Sheet metal**
Old bicycles**
Bed springs **& mattresses
Fencing or wood
Plastic & vinyl siding
Furniture

WHAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT:
NO TIRES!!!!
No car bodies or frames
No yard waste
No gas tanks
No propane tanks
No sealed containers
No paint*
No hazardous materials*
No batteries*
No concrete
No compost
No household garbage

*Newaygo County will accept these items. More information will follow.

**We will have dumpsters available to recycle scrap metal. To make unloading easier, put scrap metal at the bottom of your junk pile.
PROOF OF PROPERTY OWNERSHIP IN BROOKS TOWNSHIP IS REQUIRED (ex: drivers license, copy of tax bill)
Please be prepared to unload your own items!
We are in need of volunteers. Lunch will be provided. If you would like to help please contact
Chris Haynor at 231-652-6763, ext. 130.

Posted By - Chris Haynor @ 10:24 am EDT
The Brooks Township board along with the boards of Garfield Township and Croton Township have agreed to collect the Newaygo Public Schools property taxes in the summer tax bill. This would include the 7 mills of Newaygo School Debt and the 18 mills of Newaygo School Operating (non-homestead). This was done to allow Newaygo Schools to receive the majority of their taxes before the school year starts. This will minimize the need for the school to borrow money to begin the school year. Taxpayers could save approximately $60,000 in interest payments. You may qualify for a deferment of payment of the summer tax bill until the winter tax bill is due if your income is less than $35,000 and if you qualify for one of the following: 62 years of age or older, paraplegic or quadriplegic, eligible service person , eligible veteran or eligible widow or widower, blind or totally and permanently disabled. The property must also be your primary residence. If you have any questions regarding this information please contact Christina Haynor, Brooks Township Treasurer at 231-652-6763.

Posted By - Chris Haynor @ 11:31 am EDT
NEWAYGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TAXES
TO BE COLLECTED IN SUMMER BEGINNING IN 2009
The Newaygo Board of Education has requested that Brooks Township collect their school taxes on the summer tax bill. This would include the 7 mills for the debt retirement and the 18 mills for non-homestead property. As many of you remember, the collection of school taxes in the summer from 1983-93 was well received by the community as it lightened the burden of the tax bill received in December. This all changed with the passage of Proposal A. The Brooks Township Board approved the schools request at their September board meeting.
Why did the School Board do this? The first State Aid payment is not until mid-October and school begins the first of September. This creates a cash flow problem (not enough cash on hand to pay for supplies or make payroll) therefore, the Board was forced to borrow money. This money is borrowed on the anticipation of State Aid payments and this loan is usually for about nine months.
The cost of borrowing is a considerable amount of money and most of it would be a savings to the district and most importantly create a positive cash flow. Looking at the borrowing cost for 2007-08, had there been a summer tax collection, the savings to the Board would have been approximately $25,360. Since the Board would not be borrowing money it would be receiving interest from the summer tax collection through investments. Being conservative on estimate, the Board could possibly earn $35,000 to $40,000 in interest annually. This would mean a net savings to the Board of approximately $60,000 to $65,000. This is basically a shift of taxes from the winter bill to the summer bill. There is no extra cost to the Township to do this. This collection will begin with the summer billing in 2009.
If you have any questions regarding this change please contact Christina Haynor, Brooks Township Treasurer, at 231-652-6763, ext. 130

Posted By - Chris Haynor @ 11:39 am EDT
NEW INFORMATION FOR TOWNSHIP VOTERS

This is just a reminder that it is now required by the State of Michigan that a Photo ID be presented at the time of voting. The following are acceptable forms of identification.

Driver’s license or personal identification card issued by another state
Federal or state government-issued photo identification
U.S. passport
Military identification with photo
Student identification with photo-from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education
Tribal identification card with photo

If you do not possess any of the above acceptable ID’s you will be asked to sign an affidavit
stating that you are not in possession of a photo ID and you will be able to vote.
If you have any questions regarding this new procedure you may call Jennifer Badgero, Clerk, at 231-652-6763, ext. 110.

Posted By - Chris Haynor @ 11:38 am EDT
PROPERTY TAXES NOW PAYABLE BY PHONE OR ONLINE

You may now pay your property taxes with a credit card or electronic check. There will be two ways to do this. You can call 1-800-272-9829 to pay over the phone or go to www.officialpayments.com or www.brookstwp.is.bsasoftware.com. Please have your tax bill in front of you and use the jurisdiction code #7057. There will be a fee charged by Official Payments if you pay over the phone or online. If you have any questions regarding this new service please call Chris Haynor, Treasurer, at
231-652-6763, ext. 130.

Posted By - Kara McCrimmon @ 10:42 am EDT
Can you believe it’s been over four years since the start of the Land Use Vision Project?

Many people have contributed to the successes of this project. Please join us on Monday August 12, 2002 to:

--Enjoy food

--Look back on the accomplishments of the Land Use Vision Project

--Recognize those who have contributed

--Look to the future of the Land Use Vision

--SAY GOODBYE to our project coordinator, Kara McCrimmon

The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m at Brooks Township Hall, located at 490 Quarterline Road in Newaygo.

RSVP requested by Monday, August 5, 2002. Call Chris Haynor at 231-652-6763 ext. 13 to reply.

Posted By - Kara McCrimmon @ 11:02 am EDT
Do you have an interest in a scientific volunteer activity on the Newaygo Prairies?

The Nature Conservancy is looking for a few volunteers to "monitor" the ecological restoration activities at the Coolbough Natural Areas and the Clawson property, both located at the corner of Barberry Avenue and 58th Street three miles north east of Newaygo.

This is an established monitoring program that takes approximately a half to a full day twice a year. The goal of the moniroting program is to track the response of invasive species and native wildflowers to prescribed burning. Don't worry - you don't need to be a botanist to be able to do this!

A training session is schedules for Monday, July 29 at the Clawson property beginning at 9 a.m. If you are interested in learning more about what this is and/or what is required, please feel free to attend this session. You are welcome to join the training before deciding whether you want to volunteer for this project next year.

If you have any questions, please contact Lara Kramarz at West MI office of The Nature Conservancy at 616-776-0230 ext. 10.

Posted By - Kara McCrimmon @ 11:26 am EDT
Get Your Natural Newaygo Identification Guide!

Our Land Use Vision Project Coordinator was hard at work last winter putting together a special identification guide for the Newaygo area. Natural Newaygo is a 32-page booklet that highlights the significant natural features and species of the Newaygo area. Sections on the Muskegon River watershed, forests, prairies, lakes and wetlands are all included. Plus, the guide has 70 color photos and directions to some of Newaygo’s natural areas.

We have funds in our land use vision project grant from the Fremont Area Foundation to print 1,000 of them, and we want to get them to you. Natural Newaygo is available on a first come, first serve basis. You can stop in to the township hall to pick one up, or we’ll mail one to you. We don’t have the funds to mail them, so if you want one mailed please send us $1.00 to cover shipping costs along with your name and address.

Address requests to:
“Natural Newaygo’
c/o Kara McCrimmon
Brooks Township
PO Box 625
Newaygo, MI 49337

You can also view and print Natural Newaygo from the publications section of this website. Click the “Publications” button on the left side of the screen and scroll down the page until you see "Natural Newaygo".