FIRE DANGER IS HIGH!

Due to the extremely dry weather, Cascade Township has discontinued issuing burn permits.  Until we have some significant rain, the safety of our residents dictates that no burning be done in the Township.  We are also asking that residents refrain from igniting recreational fires during this period of dry weather.  If you have any questions, give me a call at 949-1500 x 213.

DUSTY ROADS

Mt grandfather's nickname was "Dusty Rhoads".   Back to the regularly scheduled program............

The gravel roads in Cascade Township are scheduled to be treated to reduce the amount of dust on them starting on July 5th.  this years has been very tough on the gravel roads as there needs to be SOME moisture for the treatment to work.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and help adhere the traetment to the roads to cut down on the dust for the rest of the summer!

Experience the Thornapple River

I have attached a piece (below) from the Thornapple River Expedition that may be of interest to you!  One piece of the river tour goes through Cascade.............  Sounds like a fun river trip!!!

Expedition and Clean Up Planned for the Thornapple River

Contact:  Joanne Barnard (269) 948-8056 or joanne.barnard@mi.nacdnet.net

The Thornapple River Watershed Council is busy this year planning for the first ever Thornapple River Expedition, scheduled for August 6-11, 2012 and for the 17^th Annual Thornapple River Clean Up on September 15, 2012.  Both events are aimed at raising awareness and citizen involvement in water quality issues while promoting local, family-friendly recreation.  Both events offer opportunities for individuals, groups and businesses to get involved to help showcase the river and its surrounding communities.

The Expedition will be a six-day tour of the Thornapple.  Day one will kick off with an opening luncheon and a road tour of water quality improvement projects in the upper portion of the watershed in Eaton County.  Sites include a planned 650 acre wetland restoration, Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program practices at work on farms to protect water quality, and state- and federal-sponsored projects to improve the Thornapple River.  Days two through six will be a paddling trip on the Thornapple River from Vermontville to its confluence with the Grand River in Ada.  Participants may choose to complete the whole expedition or sign up for day, half-day or multi-day trips.  Each day will include educational events focused on history, wildlife and aquatic life, water quality and river restoration projects.  Meals and camp sites are provided for registered participants.  Lunch and evening stops are planned to highlight the Thornapple’s communities and their tourism and recreation attractions.  Over 100 paddlers are expected to complete the Expedition, with dozens of community members joining in for shorter trips.  The Watershed Council is seeking volunteers and sponsors who can help organize and support meals and activities for paddlers when they arrive in each town.  For a full itinerary, registration information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.thornappleriver.org, email TRWC@thornappleriver.org, or phone the Barry Conservation District at (269) 948-8056.  Also look for a link to our Expedition blog starting in late July at www.thornappleriver.org.

The 17^th Annual Thornapple River Clean Up, planned for Saturday, September 17, will stretch from Vermontville to Ada, including portions of the Coldwater River.  This annual event draws approximately 150 volunteers to collect trash from the river.  Each year, nearly 60 cubic yards of trash are removed from the river.  Local liveries, restaurants and businesses provide boats to carry out the clean up and lunch for volunteers after the work is completed, as well as support for waste hauling and recycling. A grant from the Great Lakes Commission to the Barry Conservation District will help defray costs for clean-up supplies and transportation.   This year, teams will start in Vermontville, Nashville, Hastings, Middleville, Alto, Alaska and Ada.  If you are interested in volunteering for the 17^th Annual Thornapple River Clean Up – either to help plan the event or to take part in it - or if you would like to support the event, contact the Watershed Council at TRWC@thornappleriver.org or phone the Barry Conservation District at (269)-948-8056.

The Thornapple River Watershed Council is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to protecting, preserving and enhancing the quality, aesthetic and recreational value of the Thornapple River Watershed through education, planning and management.

Cascade Township Road Work underway

You may have notied the dust on Thornapple River Drive in front of the Tassell Park - this is phase one of a repair process to the road there.  In July, The Road Commission will apply an overlay to the road, making it nice and smooth for us to drive on!  Can't wait!

The Road Commission has already completed a rework of Kraft Avenue (north of 52nd Street) to remove the potholes in the road.  Other road improvement projects for this summer include:

  Cherry Valley from 36th to Cascade Rd.)
  45th Street from Cascade road to Whitneyville Road
  Galbraith from Cascade Road south to the end.
  Briarcliff from Thornapple River to end
  Kenrob (& Kenrob Ct.) from Cascade Rd. East to end.
  Windcrest from Thornapple River Drive West to end.

What Does Cascade Township Do?

I thought it might be worthwhile to list some fo the things that the Township does.  Listed below are the things that the Township is required to do, and the additional things that the residents want the Township to do:

  

CASCADE TOWNSHIP FACTS

1.    What does Cascade Charter Township do?  The following items are required by law for a Township to provide for its residents:

·         Assess real and personal property.

·         Conduct elections (up to four per year).

·         Collect taxes for the township, schools (three districts in Cascade), county and state.  Distribute taxes to those entities as collected.

2.    What else do we do?

·         Provide fire protection service 24-7 with a fulltime staff..  Cascade cooperates with the City of Kentwood, City of Grand Rapids, Caledonia Township, Lowell Township and Ada Township for mutual aid on all calls.  Cascade operates two fire stations and a total of four fire trucks.  There are 17 fulltime firefighters and 18 paid-on-call firefighters on the department.

·         Provide emergency medical services to the Township (including two freeways).  Cascade has three emergency medical vehicles for such calls.

·         Provide police services in addition to the standard state & county patrols (the East Precinct, at a cost of over $1M is provided by in a cooperative effort by Ada, Grand Rapids and Cascade Townships through a contract with the Kent County Sheriff’s Department).

·         Partner with the City of Grand Rapids to provide water and sewer services to the industrial and commercial businesses in the Township in addition to about one-half of the residential properties I the Township. 

·         Provide and maintain five parks for baseball, soccer, lacrosse, walking, hiking, biking, picnics, disc golf and playing on playground equipment.

·         Provide construction plan review and inspection services for eight municipalities:  City of East Grand Rapids, Ada Township, Cascade Township, Lowell Township, Vergennes Township, Grand Rapids Township, Plainfield Township and the city of Lowell (starting July 1, 2012).

·         Provide planning    and zoning services for the Township.

·         Provide and maintain the building for the Kent district Library to operate from.  Many meetings rooms are also provided in the building built and paid for by the Township (with generous donations from residents).

·         Provide over 17 miles of pedestrian and bicycle pathways throughout the Township, all maintained by the Township.

3.    What does all this cost (millage rates)?

·         General Fund Millage -       0.9716

·         Fire Services -                      1.3152

·         Police Services -                  0.4591

·         Library -                                  0.3882

·         Pathways -                            0.3985

·         Open Space -                       0.2300

Total -                                     3.7626

4.    How long have we been in business?

·         Cascade Township was formally created at a meeting of the residents on April 3, 1843.  We have been successfully operating for 169 years!

  

Water Quality Good!

The City of Grand Rapids has issued their 2011 Water Quality Report.  The two-page document desecribes what is (and is not) in the water we drink in Cascade if connected to the municipal water system.  Our water is very safe!  I for one, am very glad that I connected to the system and eliminated the Nitrates in my old well.

You can view the report on the City's website at:

http://www.michigantownships.org/legrepcurrent.asp <http://www.michigantownships.org/legrepcurrent.asp>

It will laso be available onj the Cascade Township Site soon.

Bill