Meeting Minutes: Georgetown residents still irked over water bills, 2026 budget approved

GEORGETOWN TWP. — Water rates continued to be a major concern for Georgetown Township residents this week.

The board of trustees met at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church on Monday, Sept. 22, and discussed several issues. The meeting venue was changed in anticipation of a larger-than-usual crowd.

Board Chairman Jim Wierenga started the meeting with an acknowledgement of the Sept. 10 killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

"He shared his positions in a way that was respectful and kind and loving and yet, also very truthful and not apologetic for those views," Wierenga said. "We appreciated Charlie's example of the way in which he tackled difficult subjects and did so with conviction and courage and with a deep, abiding faith."

Ongoing water bills appeared to be a lingering concern with the board.

How we got here

Georgetown Township purchases most of its water from Ottawa County Public Utilities, which in turn purchases from the city of Wyoming. Wyoming runs a treatment plant that pulls water from Lake Michigan and feeds 10 municipalities that stretch across Ottawa and Kent counties. 

Wyoming's system supplies water to each community in bulk, and they, in turn, supply the water to residents with local infrastructure. Each community then charges their residents, and the money tracks in reverse. The municipalities in Ottawa County pay Ottawa County, which in turn pays Wyoming.

This arrangement was put together decades ago and has benefited everyone through cost-sharing.

In 2023, the township board commissioned a Water and Sewer Fund Rate Study from Bakertilly Municipal Advisors. It recommended a roughly 37% increase to water rates, based largely on inflation and impending improvements to township-owned infrastructure, projected to cost around $25 million. 

Wyoming's impending infrastructure improvements were discussed, but not included in the study.

The board ultimately voted to increase rates as recommended.

What's happening now

Steve Barra, a representative of Neptune Technology Group, was invited to speak to the board and about 50 attending residents and guests.

He sought to address concerns about the accuracy and quality control of the meters that the township has been installing, and that Neptune manufactures.

"Before each and every meter gets sent out of the factory, every one is tested within AWWA [American Water Works Association]'s standards," Barra said.

He explained that while the readouts are digital, the meters themselves are still mechanical, with a rotating chamber inside. He said that in 15 years in the business, he's never seen a faulty meter register more water than was actually being used. The way the meters wear, they tend to under-register.

Barra suggested that it wasn't residents' meters over-registering water usage, but the old meters being replaced that were under-registering, which made it look like a spike in measured usage after the replacement.

"So some of those meters that are 30 years old, when they get replaced, some residents will have a difference in usage," Barra said.

During public comment, however, several community members still voiced concerns over their water and sewer expenses.

"I think the seniors and the residents of Georgetown Township need some sort of relief," one man said. "It's just getting out of hand, the way everything is just going up and up and up and up."

Several others asked for better communication from the township about meeting times and water bills.

Other business

The issue

The 2026 budget was before the board of trustees for the third and final time on Monday, which requires a public hearing before final approval.

The total general fund budget for 2026 is $18.2 million, with the largest line items being Highways and Streets at $3.1 million, Parks and Recreation at $3 million, and the Sheriff Department and E-Unit at $2.7 million. The budget for the Water and Sewer Fund is $18.3 million.

What we know

A handful of residents stood during the public hearing to voice concerns over how the budget was put together.

"You're not tightening your belts like the rest of us," said Pete Plowman, an at-large 2024 primary candidate for township trustee.

Plowman expressed concern that the Georgetown Fire Department's proposal to expand its full-time staff would be significantly more expensive than is being anticipated.

Other commenters expressed support for the fire department's expansion. Another criticized the $443,780 budgeted for GT Connections, the Georgetown Senior Center.

Rachel Atwood also spoke to the board during the public hearing. The Georgetown resident was a 2024 candidate for Ottawa County commissioner who aligned herself with far-right political group Ottawa Impact; she lost in the Republican primary to now-board Chair John Teeples.

"What I'm seeing from the community is that they feel that you are tone deaf to their needs because you're spending money on pet projects," Atwood said.
The board passed the budget unanimously.

What's next

The budget sets the limits for what township employees can spend in certain categories for fiscal year 2026. If those limits need to be changed, the board can vote to amend the budget.

"We can always make amendments down the road to the budget," Trustee Amy Grasman said. "So nothing is necessarily set in stone."

Veldink highlighted the relatively small amount, 8% of winter property taxes, that goes to the township.

"The county gets 14% and the public school gets 78%," he said. "And you vote on that millage."

Board Treasurer Gene DeWitt said he would support cancelling some of the planned park improvements, particularly pickleball courts, to support a good full-time fire department proposal.

Board Clerk Kelly Kuiper highlighted that any contracts over $20,000 must also be approved separately by the board.

The issue

After the killing of Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds until the evening Sept. 14.

"Our policy didn't permit it the way that the policy reads currently," Wierenga said.
The township staff received broad feedback from the public who wanted the flag lowered under the order, which Wierenga said they eventually did, despite the policy.

What we know

The board was presented with an amended flag policy, which would require it be flown at half-staff at the declaration of the governor, president, in mourning of a Georgetown Township resident who died in the line of active military duty, and on Peace Officers' Memorial Day, Memorial Day, Patriot Day and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The board passed the amended policy unanimously.

What's next

Township Superintendent Justin Stadt is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the policy. Wierenga warned that there will undoubtedly be a time when the governor or president orders the flags at half-staff for someone who individuals or the public don't appreciate.

"But again, it will be our policy," Wierenga said.

The issue

A resolution supporting the Ottawa County Farmland Preservation Program and authorizing applications to the program by landowners in the township.

What we know

The farmland preservation program aims to preserve agricultural land in Ottawa County by allowing property owners to voluntarily donate or sell the development rights to their land to the county. They maintain all other land-use rights, but the property must be used for agricultural purposes or left in a natural state perpetually. Even if the land is sold, the easement is permanent.

The board approved the resolution unanimously.

What's next

Landowners in Georgetown Township can now apply to the competitive program to have their land development rights purchased by the county with grant funds, or donate the rights if they want to preserve the land as farmland.

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The issue

Power outages during early voting make it impossible for the township to meet its obligations to hold elections under Michigan law. A bid was put out for an emergency generator capable of powering the township office in an emergency, so it can be used during elections or emergency shelter.

What we know

The township received three quotes, from Elders Electric, Parkway, and Buist Electric. They voted unanimously to approve the low bid, from Elders Electric for $99,400.

What's next

Elders Electric will replace the current 13kW emergency generator with a new 150kW standby generator. No schedule for the work was included with the quote.

— Joshua Vissers covers communities in eastern Ottawa County. Contact him at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.