September 18, 2020

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Alert from the MDHHS

With the confirmation of six additional horse cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) – a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus affecting both people and animals – aerial treatment is slated to continue tonight and additional treatment blocks have been added to the overall plan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced today.

The new cases of EEE in horses added Livingston County to the list bringing the total to 28 cases in 11 counties. Impacted counties are now Barry, Clare, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Livingston, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Oakland. In addition, there is one suspect case of EEE in a Barry County resident.

“These additional cases of EEE in horses underscores the importance of providing aerial treatment in the affected counties,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “There is an ongoing threat to the health and safety of Michiganders as we know mosquitoes are carrying this potentially deadly disease in these areas. Last year, 10 families were devastated by this disease and we are trying to protect others from being infected.”

EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, with a 33 percent fatality rate in people who become ill and a 90 percent fatality rate in horses that become ill. People can be infected with EEE and other mosquito-borne diseases from the bite of a mosquito carrying the viruses.

Signs of EEE infection include the sudden onset of fever, chills, body and joint aches which can progress to a severe encephalitis, resulting in headache, disorientation, tremors, seizures and paralysis. Anyone who thinks they may be experiencing these symptoms should contact a medical provider. Permanent brain damage, coma and death may also occur in some cases.

To reduce the potential for people to be bitten by mosquitoes, MDHHS is continuing to encourage local officials in the affected counties to consider postponing, rescheduling or cancelling outdoor activities occurring at or after dusk, particularly activities involving children. To protect the public health, the recommendation is being made out of an abundance of caution, and applies until the first hard frost of the year.

Residents can stay healthy by following steps to avoid mosquito bites:
• Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, or other U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved product to exposed skin or clothing, and always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
• Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.
• Empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes may lay eggs.
• Use nets and/or fans over outdoor eating areas.

For more information about EEE, visit Michigan.gov/EEE.

September 17, 2020

Master Plan Survey for Genoa Township Residents

Genoa Township is conducting a resident survey as part of the Master Plan Update process. The Plan will explore long-range planning issues related to the future growth and prosperity of the township.

Please take about 10-15 minutes to participate in the online survey that will explore how and where residents spend their shopping and dining dollars so we can assess what future opportunities should be explored during the planning process.

The Survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GenoaRes2020

September 16, 2020

Public Accuracy Test - September 30, 2020 - Genoa Township Hall

NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCURACY TEST

A Public Accuracy Test will be held at 4 p.m. Sept. 30, 2020 for the tabulating equipment and programs used to tabulate voted ballots in the Nov. 3 General Election. The test will be at the Township Hall, 2911 Dorr Road, Brighton.

The public is welcome to attend and observe.

September 15, 2020

2020 Summer Tax Payments

Monday, September 14, 2020 was the last day to pay 2020 Summer Property Taxes without penalty. 

All 2020 Summer Tax payments made after September 14, 2020 are now assessed a 1% fee per month.

Please contact the Genoa Township Treasurer’s office for a current amount due, 810-227-5225, or you can check the amount due at the Township website at www.genoa.org

August 11, 2020

2020 Census Information

The 2020 Census Is More Than A Head Count!

• Your response to the census helps shape many different aspects of Livingston County.
• From hospitals, schools, even roads and highways, your response helps shape our future.  Your response is critical!

When & How Can You Respond?

• Respond to the Census online at http://my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 to respond by phone.
• It only takes 10 minutes, has only 9 questions and your answers are completely safe
• The Census has been extended past the April 1 deadline, so help out our community and fill yours out today!

The 2020 Census directly impacts how much federal funding the State of Michigan will receive over the next decade. Failure to obtain a complete and accurate census count may lead to Michigan losing millions of dollars in federal funding that supports programs that benefit Livingston County residents.

• Every year, the federal government allocates more than $675 Billion in funding based on census data.
• Every Michigander not counted costs the state approximately $18,250 over 10 years (based on historical U.S. Census undercount).
• Census data is used to plan new homes and businesses and improve neighborhoods.
• Census data is used to determine federal funding for programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (SNAP/WIC), Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and highway and transportation projects.

For more information, you can visit the Livingston County 2020 census page or the US Government's Census 2020 website.

August 7, 2020

Livingston County Recycling Events

LIVINGSTON COUNTY RECYCLING EVENTS:

Sept. 19 Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off Event:

Residents can signup for the September 19 HHW Event here: https://www.livgov.com/dpw/

Location will be sent with confirmations.

Please note that if the Sept. 19 is full, you should try signing up again every few days. People sign up and cancel regularly. Generally, the last week before the event there are also a good amount of cancellations.

Scrap Tire Collection Event:

The Scrap Tire Collection Event link is: 2020 Scrap Tire Collection Sign Up full link is https://bit.ly/2PuLnoA

This event is being held on Oct. 3. Drop off location will be sent with confirmations.

Electronics Recycling:

October 24, 2020

New Location:
3535 Grand Oaks Drive- Road Commission Parking Lot
No appointment needed

If you have questions, call 517-545-9609.

Recycling Guide:

The updated Recycling Guide has been printed. We will either drop off or mail within the next couple of weeks.

Recycling Guide Link is:https://bit.ly/2C6GfE2

August 5, 2020

Election Results

Results for the August 4, 2020 Election can be found on the Livingston County Clerk's Election Results section.

April 13, 2020

Township Clerk releases statement regarding Honey Bees

Save the Bees

Township resident Jim DelCamp recently addressed the Genoa Township Board asking the board to develop policies to conserve the natural habitat of bees in the township.  He provided the following information for our residents:  There are 460 wild species of bees in the Michigan and 16,000 species worldwide.  Honey Bees have been declining at a rate of 40% each year according to Michigan State University and the loss will have devastating effects on life in general since bees pollinate our crops and flowers. 

Pesticides are a big problem since they damage bees and harm their ability to forage.  In recent tests 100% of ground-nesting bees were killed as a result of pesticides. Please limit the use of pesticides where bees are present even though they are a nuisance.  Bees help more than they hurt.

Planting wildflowers will support bees. Many wild bees are solitary as well as ground nesting and they need suitable habitat. Leaving small plots of ground in their natural state such as deadwood, brush piles or fungi will help where ground nesting bees can flourish.  Others could use bee hotels to safeguard them during the winter. Bees are important for pollination since 1/3 of all plants and flowers depend on them for life.

A bee feeder, using sugar water with a drop of mycelial extract, will enhance their health and allow them to live longer.  Mycelium has been called natures ‘world wide web’ under our feet.  Of an estimated 10 million multi-cell life forms, half are fungi and they have been evolving to combat viruses.  Bees don’t just pollinate they spread mycelium as they forage. They dig into the soil where mushrooms grow getting mycelium all over their fuzzy bodies and spread it every other place they touch.

Livingston County can become a refuge where bees, mycelium, birds, butterflies, helping all of nature to thrive. So save that natural site, feed those bees, plant wildflowers and minimize your use of pesticides. With proper understanding and education we can improve our health and enhance the ecosystems of this earth.

Polly Skolarus, Clerk
Genoa Charter Township

March 2, 2020

2019 Brighton Area Fire Authority Report

The Brighton Area Fire Authority has released its 2019 Annual Report.

The BAFD is responsible for responding to emergency incidents here in Genoa Township as well as the City of Brighton and Brighton Township.

The report is attached below.

February 18, 2020

Budget and Audit Information for Fiscal Year 2020/21

The Township Budgets for the next fiscal year beginning April 1, 2020 and ending March 31, 2021 are available for review.  If you should have any comment or suggestion with regard to Township revenue or appropriations, please contact the clerk at polly@genoa.org

January 2, 2020

Township Holiday Schedule 2020

Click here for a list of days the Genoa Charter Township offices will be closed.

June 13, 2018

Step Forward Michigan Mortgage Assistance Program

Michigan homeowners struggling with unemployment or another hardship may once again be eligible for assistance through the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Nonprofit Housing Corporation, acting through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

Thanks to $18.6 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury under its Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) program, the state’s most successful program for reducing foreclosure, Step Forward Michigan reopened its online application portal on Sunday, May 1 2018.

MSHDA Homeownership Director Mary Townley said if she had one piece of advice for homeowners it would be that they contact Step Forward Michigan sooner rather than later.  “Don’t wait until you receive a notice of foreclosure,” she advised. “Contact our office at the first sign of delinquency. This gives the homeowner the best opportunity for success.”

Since the program’s inception, more than 31,102 households have been helped with over $278 million in mortgage, property tax, and condominium assistance.

Michigan has until December 31, 2020 to use all funds.

Learn more at www.stepforwardmichigan.org or call 866-946-7432.

October 23, 2017

2017 Video Tour of Livingston County

Livingston County government is pleased to present the 2017 Video Tour of Livingston County that showcases the advantages of living, working and playing in our County Community!

The 2017 video tour includes comments by community leaders as well as a well-rounded visual depiction of our County, presented in nine (9) chapters:

• Welcome
• Education
• Parks and Recreation
• Healthcare – NEW
• Real Estate and Relocation
• Downtown, Business & Industry
• Quality of Life
• Economic Development – NEW
• Community Organizations - NEW

Select any chapter of this product to view the Livingston County video on that subject. You can also view the
videos of various local businesses that participated in this promotional program by clicking on their logo in the
frame surrounding each chapter of the Video Tour.

Please visit the Livingston County home page at: https://www.livgov.com/ to view the new Video Tour of Livingston County

November 22, 2016

Genoa Township Board adopts Principles of Governance

At the November 21, 2016 Township Board meeting, the Board approved the adoption of the following Principles of Governance:

To maintain the high standards and traditions of Michigan Townships, we embrace these principles of governance to guide our stewardship, deliberations, constituent services and commitment to safeguard our community’s health, safety and general welfare.

We pledge to: 

•       Insist on the highest standards of ethical conduct by all who act on behalf of this township; 

•       Bring credit, honor and dignity to our public offices through collegial board deliberations and through diligent,    appropriate responses to constituent concerns; 

•       Actively pursue education and knowledge, and to embrace best practices;

•       Treat all persons with dignity, respect and impartiality; without prejudice or discrimination;

•       Practice openness and transparency in our decisions and actions;

•        Cooperate in all reasonable ways with other government entities and to consider the impact our decisions may have outside our Township’s borders;

•       Communicate to the public Township issues, challenges and successes, and welcome the active involvement of stakeholders to further the Township’s well-being;

•       Strive for compliance with state and federal statutory requirements;

•       Recuse a board member from participating in any decision where there was personal financial gain either expected or implied;

•       Further the understanding of the obligations and responsibilities of American citizenship, democratic government and freedom.

These principles we pledge to our citizens, our state, and to our country.

December 17, 2015

New video showing Genoa Township Hall and facilities

Recently a high definition video was taken by drone over the Township Hall and surrounding area.

You can find the video here: https://youtu.be/w1JaFnu5KvU

Thanks and credit go to Brian Jonckheere, the Livingston County Drain commissioner.

July 21, 2015

Oak Wilt Information

Michigan has lost millions of trees due to Dutch Elm disease and the Emerald Ash Borer. Now our oak trees are in jeopardy. Red oak wilt is identified by the rapid wilting of an infected tree that is dead in two to six weeks. White oaks die slowly one branch at a time over the course of several years. Oak wilt is caused by the fungus that is spread by improper tree trimming and removal practices. It is spread in two ways - from tree to tree through connected roots and/or from spores being moved by insects.

To prevent the spread of oak wilt diseases please consider the following:

• Oak trees should not be pruned or trimmed between April 1 and October 15.
• Oak trees that are inadvertently injured or pruned between April 1 and October 15 should be promptly sealed with a tree pruning sealer or latex paint. The repair should take place within hours of the injury.
• Any developer, contractor and/or owner(s) of property preparing a site for construction during April 1st through October 15th should adhere to the above oak wilt prevention practices.
• Members of the white oak family diseased with oak wilt may be saved with tree injections of the fungicide Alamo by a registered company.
• Dead oak trees should be removed along with the stump and properly disposed of by chipping to less than 3 inches or removed to a disposal site for debarking, burning or burial.
• Oak wood retained as firewood should be sealed with a tarp.

January 21, 2015

Reflective Address signs now available for purchase at the Township Hall

Reflective address signs courtesy of the Brighton Area Fire Department are now available for purchase from the Township Hall. The signs are dark green with white numbers. The signs are double-sided with your address number and there are holes to allow for either horizontal or vertical mounting. Each sign is $15.00.

All proceeds from signs sold go to help fund the Brighton Area Fire Fighters Association, a non profit organization.

You may also order these reflective address signs through the Brighton Area Fire Department using the form below.

August 7, 2013

Information on Invasive Plants: Purple loosestrife and Russian olive.

Invasive plants are posing a real threat to Michigan's natural habitats. Purple loosestrife and Russian olive are two of the more aggressive plants that are crowding out native species. According to information from Michigan State University's Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasive-species/factsheets.cfm), "Early detection and eradication of these species is critical in preventing further damage to Michigan's natural areas."

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a beautiful plant with purple, pink or white flowers blooming in July through October. It will spread quickly in moist soil conditions, crowding out native plants such as cattails, which are needed for nesting and food sources. Some experts (http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/ais/fs-97-501_purple_loosestrife.pdf) blame purple loosestrife for declining waterfowl populations. While deer forage on new purple loosestrife shoots in the spring, other animals avoid it. Experts on the MSU site recommend hand pulling seedlings; and removing all flowers seed heads.

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a thorny shrub or small tree that grows up to 30 feet high. The leaves are light green and covered with silvery hairs. It blooms in June and July with yellowish flowers, eventually bearing hard yellow-red olive-shaped fruits. Russian olive grows in such a way that it fills in open areas, crowding out native plants. Experts on the MSU site recommend hand pulling seedlings. They caution that "burning, mowing, cutting, and girding can stimulate resprouting in larger plants without herbicide treatment; treat cut stumps with an herbicide."

For more information about purple loosestrife, Russian olive and other invasive plants threatening the state's natural habitats, visit http://www.misin.msu.edu/.

August 2, 2009

Livingston County Pet Adoption

Livingston County Animal Control

Pets available for adoption at the County Animal control can be found here

Livingston County Humane Society

Pets available for adoption at the Humane Society can be found here

January 16, 2009

Ash Tree Information

Detroit Edison has released an important announcement regarding ash trees.