Newsletter -
Spring 2008
 Spring
Leaf Drop Off
Disposal of leaves
brought to a collection site will again be provided in cooperation with Holland
Township.
Those wishing to use
this service may bring leaves to any of the sites listed on April 12.
Fairgrounds
Ottawa Beach Road
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dunton Park
Howard Avenue
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Maatman Center
Harrington Avenue
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LEAF Drop Off Only. No
Branches or brush will be accepted.
If leaves are brought to
the drop off site in plastic bags, you will be asked to empty the leaves out of
the bags into the disposal bins. No plastic bags are accepted. However, paper
bags may be used.
 Clean-Up Days
In cooperation with Holland Township, The 2008 Clean-Up Days will be held at the
following location and dates:
Black River Recycling & Supply
11558 Lakewood Blvd.
(Between 112th Ave. & 120th Ave.)
April 19 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
May 17 7 a.m.-noon
June 21 7 a.m.-noon
July 19 7 a.m.-noon
Aug. 16 7 a.m.-noon
Sept. 20 7 a.m.-noon
Oct. 18 7 a.m.-noon
No
paints, drain oils, solvents, and other
petroleum products, fuel
tanks, and
sealed containers. Batteries and lawn waste will be accepted (no tree stumps).
There is a limit of 2 appliances per household, and 4 automobile
tires per household. All roofing must be contained, not loose. It must be
boxed or bagged.
2008 Road Resurfacing
The 2008 road resurfacing plans include the following Park Township roads:
Meadowcreek Ln.—James
St. north to Cul-De-Sac
Prairie Ave.—James
St. to Vanessa
Jamesway Ave.—Memorial
to Riley St.
Memorial Dr.—Joshua
Ave. to Riley St.
Lillian St.—144th
Ave. west to Cul-De-Sac
Bay Ridge Dr.—Bay
Meadows Dr. to Meadow Ridge Dr.
Meadow Ridge Dr.—Bay
Meadows Dr. to Bay Circle Dr.
Bay Meadows Dr.—Lakewood
Blvd. to Bay Circle Dr.
Bay Circle Dr.—Bay
Meadows Dr. to Bay Meadows Dr.
Bay Circle Ct.—Bay
Circle Dr. north to Cul-De-Sac
Goodwood Ct.—Silverstone
Rd. west to Cul-De-Sac
Silverstone Rd.—Oakwood
Ave. north to Cul-De-Sac
Warwick Ct.—Oakwood
Ave. west to Cul-De-Sac
Norwood Ave.—Maple
Walk to Post Ave.
Steketee Ave.—South
Shore Dr. to Summit St.
Summit St.—Whitman
to Harrington Ave.
Virginia Pl.—Harrington
Ave. to 160th Ave.
Wolverine St. (East)—160th
Ave. west to end
Wolverine St. (West)—Saunders
Ave. to Coolidge Ave.
Vans Blvd.—Saunders
Ave. to 160th Ave.
Coolidge Ave.—32nd
St. north to Cul-De-Sac
Holland Ave.—32nd
St. to Vans Blvd.
Harrington Ave.—Vans
Blvd. to Virginia Pl.
Parks and Recreation
 A
huge “thank you” to Barbara Clark, our retired Dog Obedience teacher for many
years of superior instruction. Barbara and her staff would continuously fill
her classes on Thursday nights with 30 dogs and their owners at the Park
Township Community Center gym. I will miss her kind and gentle spirit.
Park Township has three facilities to rent for your next party, meeting or other
special occasion. The fees are as follows:
· Community
Center gymnasium/$20 per hour,
· Old
Fire Station meeting room/$10 per hour,
· Maatman
Center meeting room & kitchen/$15 per hour.
Please call Julie at 399-4520 for reservations or further information.
Our Summer/Fall 2008 recreation guide should be on-line starting the 1st week
in April at
www.parktownship.org
and registrations will start Saturday, April 19th
at Macatawa Bay Middle school from 9 am-12 noon. A few of the NEW programs
that we are offering this year are: Oil Painting for Adults in a one day
workshop, Book Illustration for Kids & Adults with published illustrator
Carolyn Stich, Beach Volleyball leagues at the Holland State Park, and Fall
“Little Kickers” soccer for 3 ˝ -4 year olds.
If you have any ideas for recreation classes or would like to be a volunteer,
please call me at 738-4233 or email:
bburmeister@parktownship.org
TKS.
Barb Burmeister
Parks and Recreation Director
Registered Voters:
The Clerk’s Office is currently in the process of reviewing our
voter files. In the past we have automatically mailed an Application for Absent
Voter Ballot to every registered voter over the age of 60. Due to a recent
court ruling, applications may
only
be sent to those who request to receive one and fulfill one of the requirements
on a permanent basis (which includes 60 and over).
If you want to continue to receive an Application for Absent Voter Ballot for
every election and fulfill at least one of the requirements – please call the
Park Township Office at 399-4520, write us a note that you wish to be placed on
the Permanent Absent Voter List, or stop by the Park Township office and sign
the list at the front desk. Thank you.
Daniele Dykens
Deputy Clerk
P.S. The School Election is May 6.
 Ottawa
County Fair Celebrates 50th
Anniversary in 2008
The Ottawa County Fair Board is proud to offer West Michigan one of the finest
family summertime attractions. We would like to extend a special “Thank You” to
Mrs. Viv Johnson for her continuing service, 34 years so far, as the
fairground’s caretaker.
As we celebrate the Fair’s 50th
anniversary July 21-26, Wade Shows will be bringing you their top rides; there
will be hundreds of FREE exhibits; and some of the finest food booths to keep an
estimated 75,000 attendees well fed. There will also be over $5,000 in cash and
prize giveaways, and six outstanding nights of entertainment. Free
entertainment throughout the week will include the “Great Lakes Timber Show”, a
humorous twist to the very colorful and exciting events that have evolved form
the logging industry of the 1800’s. Also, cars and farm equipment over 50 years
old will be on display.
A special feature of the 50th Anniversary of the OCF is an appearance by
LaSondra Leffler, winner of the Lakeshore Idol contest and Tessa Bloemers, 1st
runner up. They will perform in the FREE grandstand before over 4,000
spectators.
The week will end with a spectacular Saturday night event. Check
out our
www.ottawacountyfair.com
web site for all the exciting 50th anniversary events at the Ottawa County Fair
2008.
 From The Fire Chief’s Desk
Year
2007 was tied with the number of calls in 2005, making both these years the
busiest ever. The Department responded to 257 calls and participated in 1,800
hours of training during 2007. We are a charter member of the Safety Symposium,
which includes four other departments in our area. The purpose of this
organization is to sponsor top notch instructors lecturing on operations and
safety in the fire service. Over the past year we were privileged to hear Bill
Wallace who spoke on “Lights and Sirens”, which revolved around safe driving in
fire apparatus and personal vehicles. Bill is a former Officer from Holland
Police Department and currently the Director of Criminal Justice Training at
Grand Valley State University. Our second symposium brought Michael J. Turley,
President of Leadership Spectrum Consulting, to speak about his experiences as
the lead military coordinator of evacuations from the Louis Armstrong
International Airport in New Orleans following Katrina. It was an amazing story
about the first 100 hours following this catastrophe – the challenges and
successes during that time period. We have learned a lot.
In response to requests for clarification on open burning please review the
following guidelines. If you have further questions call Station #2 at (616)
399-7388.
Burning Permits:
required by state law for any open burning done whenever the ground is not
snow-covered. Although permits are not required when the ground is snow-covered
we encourage our residents to obtain one. Permits are free and can be obtained
by calling the Park Township Office at (616) 399-4520, Monday through Friday,
from 8am – 5pm. You will be asked for your name, address, phone number and the
days you wish to burn (maximum of three days). This information is forwarded to
the Park Township Fire Department and 911. Upon requesting a permit you will be
informed of the following requirements, which are regulations of state law or
our local burning ordinance:
1. Do
not burn leaves or yard waste. Effective March of 1995 the Solid Waste
Management Act prohibits the open burning of grass clippings and leaves in
municipalities having a population of 7,500 or more.
2. Do
not burn trash or garbage.
3. No
burning is allowed on roads or bike paths.
4. Burn
small piles.
5. Do
not leave fire unattended.
6. Burn
only in calm weather.
7. Water
must be available at all times.
8. Fires
must be completely extinguished by 9:30 p.m.
ALL BURNING PERMITS WILL BE
REVOKED IF
THE DNR ISSUES A BURNING BAN FOR
OUR AREA.
Burning of Buildings:
structures may not be burned by residents for the purpose of demolition.
Burning Barrels:
the only things that can be burned in a burn barrel are brush or branches. You
are not allowed to burn household or commercial waste, tires, carpet, leaves,
grass, treated lumber, etc.
Air Quality:
Air quality regulations prohibit open burning that creates smoke or odor
nuisances. Even if you have a burning permit but other residents are bothered
by your fire’s smoke or odor you will be required to extinguish your fire.
Recreational or Food Preparation Fires:
you do not need a burning permit for a recreational fire, but only burning
untreated logs is permitted. Please contain your fire safely and have water
always available. Open fires may be used for recreational purposes provided no
nuisance is created.
We value every person living in our township and want to help you ensure a safe
living environment for your loved ones. We also love visitors at our fire
stations so please feel free to call for a tour. If you have safety questions
please contact us at (616)399-7388. Have a safe spring and summer – let’s not
meet by accident!
Chief
Scott Gamby
Markers for Veteran’s Graves
Park Township is furnishing flag holders and flags to mark the graves of
veterans buried in Lakewood, Lakeshore and Ventura Cemeteries. You may pick up
the markers at the Park Township Office beginning May 1st. They will be
retrieved by cemetery workers shortly after Memorial Day.
Life In A Township
Living in a township provides families with a number of services that match the
needs of the community. Township governments are efficient, low-cost units of
government accountable to the people.
The Local Touch
There are three
main services that state statute requires townships provide for residents and
businesses: assessing, collecting taxes, and running elections.
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Park Township
Ottawa County, Michigan
