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(Editor’s Note: This week, Peninsula Township Supervisor Maura Sanders reports on recent and upcoming township meetings and events, including a home invasion, Lighthouse news and more. Read on for this week’s note. -jb)
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-Friday, December 20, 2024
Whew, that was a marathon of a week. The Township played host for the DNR to provide an informational session and Q&A regarding the planned upgrade to the DNR’s East Arm boat launch at East Shore Road and Center Road. The Township will continue to provide the space for additional sessions. View the plan at the bottom of this story.
We also held the kick-off meeting for the Agricultural Advisory Committee. The new members were sworn in at the Township Hall prior to the meeting. The Committee selected John Kroupa as Chair, Jed Hemming as Vice-Chair, and Erin Hafeli as Secretary. The committee decided to hold monthly meetings and will provide their schedule soon while posting their meeting agendas to the Township website here.
On Monday, the Town Board held interviews for a Planning Commission vacancy. Congratulations to Armen Shanafelt on his appointment to the Planning Commission.
Home Invasion Suspect Arrested
In October, Michigan State Police troopers were called to a home in Peninsula Township to investigate a residential alarm going off. According to a story posted at UpNorthLive, Troopers found evidence of forced entry, and the master bedroom had been ransacked. The surveillance video given to investigators from a neighbor’s house showed a man walking toward the victim’s home, then running away a short time later.
The same man, identified as 23-year-old Jordan Schocko from Traverse City, was also caught on surveillance video trying to pawn stolen jewelry at a local pawn shop. Schocko was arrested at his home on Monday, Dec. 16, and arraigned on Tuesday on one count of felony home invasion and one count of receiving and concealing stolen property.
The investigation is still ongoing, but the arrest was in part due to the FLOCK camera system. Our Community Police Officers (CPOs) have reported that the FLOCK cameras have been working well and contributing to the overall safety within the Township. Thank you to our CPOs Virnell France and Tony Martinez for helping to keep our community safe.
Budget Discussions and Parks Committee News
I am preparing to start budget discussions with each department. I, along with Trustee JP Milliken and members of his ad hoc Budget and Finance Committee, will be collecting preliminary 2025/2026 budget requests along with reviewing the current FY Q3 spending.
I was able to attend the Parks Committee meeting this week on Tuesday, Dec. 17. They will have their meeting minutes posted soon here. There were some good updates regarding the Kelley Park Boat Launch and the re-naming of the Bowers Harbor Park Expansion, which will likely now be called Bowers Harbor Natural Area.
Updates from Down the Hall
Clerk’s Office: We are looking forward to publication of the next installment of the Peninsula Township Newsletter, which is being drafted right now! For those that don’t know, the Clerk’s Office is responsible for our Township cemeteries, and they have been working to update all of the cemetery historical records.
Treasurer’s Office: The winter tax bills are out. You have the option of paying online (there is a direct link on the home page of the Township website), mailing your payment in, or dropping it off in the secure drop-box in front of the building. If you would like a receipt, just let the Treasurer’s office know. Apologies for not making this more exciting, but you know what they say about taxes…
Assessor’s Office: The assessor finished up new construction permit work “in the field,” and is working on the 2025 valuations.
Planning and Zoning Office: Two land use applications were received, and two land use permits were issued.
Mission Point Lighthouse: Ginger Schultz, our amazing Lighthouse manager, has been sorting through all of the upcoming Mission Point Lighthouse Keeper Program applications. She has more applications than availability!! This is a great problem to have. Thank you, Ginger, for all of your hard work to manage the Lighthouse — a gem not only in our community, but in the state of Michigan.
As always, check the Peninsula Township website for updates, agendas, meeting minutes and info from all Township departments and services.
Maura Sanders
Peninsula Township Supervisor
Phone: (231) 223-7323
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesdays – Thursdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Friday – Sunday and Holidays. If TCAPS is closed due to weather, Peninsula Township offices are closed at least until 10 a.m. Please check the website homepage for any updates.
DNR Boat Launch Plan (Click on Image to Enlarge)
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