Township News Bulletins

September 22, 2023

CHILSON ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALERT

The Livingston County Road Commission will begin a Chilson Road rehabilitation project on Monday, Sept. 25 running through Sunday, Oct. 1. This project affects Chilson Road from the Township line north to Brighton Road.

Two-way traffic will be maintained through flag control. Expect long delays.

Alternate routes are strongly advised. Please see the attached construction advisory.

September 21, 2023

S. Latson PUD Development - Clarifications and Timeline

On May 31, 2023, the Township received an application for rezoning to amend and expand the existing Latson Road "Innovation Interchange" Planned Unit Development (PUD).  In response to this request, a citizen coalition was formed to oppose the development.  The Township welcomes opposition to the project but is concerned that the information being disseminated is not entirely accurate.  Without opinion for or against the application, Township staff have prepared clarifying information and a historical timeline for the development area.  This information is provided in the pdf documents attached below.

In addition to the information prepared by staff, the relevant section from the Township Master Plan and the approved existing PUD design guidelines are also linked below in hopes that it will be helpful to those trying to learn more about the history of the project.  

The applicant is currently in the process of revising materials related to the pending request.  Revised application materials will be uploaded to this website once received by staff.  In addition, information regarding the Planning Commission meeting location, date and time will be posted as soon as it is confirmed.  

As always, Township staff are available and happy to help answer questions or share information about this project or any others pending review.  You can reach the Township Manager, Kelly VanMarter via email at kelly@genoa.org and the Planning Director, Amy Ruthig at amy@genoa.org.  You can also call the Township Hall at 810-227-5225.  

September 15, 2023

2023 Summer Tax Payment Information

Thursday, September 14, 2023 was the last day to pay 2023 Summer Property Taxes without penalty.

Property tax payments made after September 14th will be charged a 1% penalty per month.

All 2023 Property Tax payments put in either of the Township Hall drop boxes between 5:00 pm Thursday, September 14th and 9:00 am Friday, September 15th will be posted paid, 9-14-23, and mailed a stamped paid receipt. 

Thank you, Genoa Township Treasurer’s Office

September 11, 2023

2023 Fall Yard Waste Drop off

Our Fall Yard Waste Collection program has been scheduled for the following dates at the Genoa Charter Township Hall from 8 am to 11 am:

Saturday October 21st
Saturday November 18th

Residents may bring their yard waste to the Township Hall Parking lot on this date. Branches and similar materials must be in 3 foot long bundles.

Please no plastic bags.

More information can be found on our Refuse & Recycling page.

August 28, 2023

Cromaine District Library Launches Strategic Planning Process

The Cromaine District Library (CDL) of Hartland announces the launch of its new strategic planning process. This  process is intended to produce CDL’s next strategic plan, an outward-facing document laying out the Library’s vision,  mission, goals, key initiatives and priorities for the next 3-5 years.

To inform the strategic plan, the Library is creating several opportunities to hear from community residents and stakeholders about what's important to them. The Library is working with ReThinking Libraries, a strategic planning firm that specializes in assisting libraries to become vibrant, 21st century institutions. Harnessing the facilitation strengths and experience of the ReThinking Libraries team, CDL will be conducting interviews, focus groups, surveys and meetings to ensure its new plan reflects the valuable perspectives and insights of those the Library serves, as well as community  partners and collaborators.

Cromaine District Library encourages those who live, work, and study in the library’s district (which includes all of Hartland Consolidated School District, including Hartland Township and portions of Brighton, Deerfield, Genoa, Oceola  and Tyrone Townships) to lend their voices to the planning process by taking a short survey and/or attending one of the  planned focus group sessions. You do not need to be a library regular to share your feedback!

Cromaine District Library’s Survey is accessible by clicking the link below. Paper copies are also available in
the library.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CDLPR-Media

Register to attend an upcoming focus group:

• Teen Focus Group, Wednesday, September 20, 3:00 pm at Cromaine District Library.
• Adult Focus Group, Wednesday, September 20, 7:00 pm at Cromaine District Library.
• Business and Community Stakeholder Focus Group, Thursday, September 21, 8:00 am at
• Hartland Chamber of Commerce.
• Parent/Caregiver of Children Focus Group, Thursday, September 21, 11:15 am at Cromaine
• District Library.
• Virtual Adult Focus Group, Wednesday, September 27, 7:00 pm virtual via Zoom.
   

July 10, 2023

Brighton Area Fire seeking Paid On-Call Firefighters

The Brighton Area Fire Authority is seeking residents living in Genoa Township, Brighton Township and the City of Brighton who are willing to serve their community as a Paid-On-Call Firefighter.

• No experience necessary, just the motivation to learn and serve
• All required training is provided and compensated
• Academy classes are held on evening/weekends

To apply, interested applicants can go to www.brightonareafire.com or in person at 615 W. Grand River, Brighton, MI 48116

Any questions please call the Brighton Area Fire Authority at 810 229-6640.

March 27, 2023

The Howell Senior Survivor Playground Begins Construction at the Genoa Township Park

The Howell High School Senior Survivor playground has officially begun construction at the Genoa Township Park!  Senior Survivor is a charity fundraiser organized by the Howell High School Student Council. The fundraiser is a game similar to the show Survivor.  Rather than being sent to an island, 12th grade survivors are in the school for a whole week and each day a number of survivors will be eliminated until only one remains and is crowned the “Ultimate Survivor.”  The 2021 & 2022 Senior Survivor fundraisers brought in over $462,000 for the Survivor playground.

With additional contributions from Genoa Township and support from Michigan Recreational Construction, the playground is being built between the soccer field and the upper parking lot at Genoa Township Park. A map of the Survivor playground can be found below as well as images of some of the features of the playground.

The Survivor playground will be accessible as well as consist of elements that encourage engagement among all individuals. The goal of the Survivor playground is to provide a safe place where children of all abilities can play together. Different aspects of the playground will be designed to meet the needs of children who have mobility impairments, have autism, or are sight or hearing-impaired. Everything will be accessible, however the user’s unique abilities will determine what they can do. The Survivor playground will be developmentally appropriate for children with and without disabilities by offering a wide range of challenging play opportunities where all children can interact. The focus will be on abilities not disabilities.

In addition to being inclusive, the Survivor playground will also be nature-inspired and will look different than your average playground. Rather than having all elements made out of plastic or metal, the Survivor playground will consist of natural elements and textures such as logs, stumps, ropes, boulders, and plants. Natural playgrounds present opportunities for individual exploration and discovery as well as collaborative play. While playing at the Survivor playground, children will not only develop physical skills but also imagination and problem-solving skills

Construction of the playground began March 27, 2023 and is expected to be completed by mid Summer 2023.

We ask that visitors to the park exercise caution and maintain a safe distance from the fenced-in construction site.

For more information about the park and its sponsors as well as future projects, please visit the Howell Senior Survivor website.

January 30, 2023

Radon Test Kits available to residents - courtesy of the Livingston County Health Department

Genoa Township is giving out free radon testing kits this month, which is designated as National Radon Action Month.  The testing kit and instructions are available at Township Hall. 

The naturally-occurring, tasteless, odorless and colorless gas comes from the natural, radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air. It enters buildings through openings in  foundation floors or walls such as sump openings, crawlspaces, floor or wall joints and cracks. 

In Livingston County, approximately 40% of homes have elevated radon levels, according to information on the county's website from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 

For more information on this program and on radon in general, please visit the Livingston County Health Department Radon page.

December 14, 2022

2023 Township Meeting Dates and Holiday Schedule

Click the links below for the 2023 Meeting Schedule and Township Holidays.  

November 4, 2021

Genoa Township approves agreement for internet access for unserved/underserved residents

Genoa Township has made an agreement with MiSignal. 

MiSignal will be building out the infrastructure and service to deliver High-speed Internet (1 gigabit Fiber Optic) service for the unserved and underserved areas of Genoa Township.

The full press release can be found here.

April 27, 2021

Weekly Recycling Begins Monday May 3, 2021

Weekly recycling will begin for all Township residents starting the week of May 3.

Residents can place their recycling bins out every week on their normal trash/recycling day beginning that week. Residents can confirm their trash/recycling pickup days at the My Schedule search box located on the Township Refuse and Recyling page found here.

Please remember to break down cardboard boxes. Do not put anything on top of the cart or outside of the cart. For a list of items that can be recycled, please visit the Waste Wizard search box on the Township Refuse and Recycling page found here.

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

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.