Robert Scott Correctional Facility sale bill update

State Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth) told the Northville Township board of trustees Thursday night that his sponsored House Bill 4689 – which will allow for the state to sell the Robert Scott Correctional Facility – has moved through a Senate committee. It is due for a vote in the Senate, possibly as soon as next week.

New township pathways subcommittee to form

A new subcommittee will form in Northville Township to evaluate non-motorized pathways.

At the township's meeting Thursday night, there was some discussion about whether the subcommittee's goal should be to first repair existing pathways or to plan for new ones. Trustees also said that the group should revisit a pathways plan that was devised years ago but could not be implemented because of budget setbacks.

Trustees Mindy Herrmann, Richard Henningsen and Marv Gans will serve on the subcommittee with Marjorie Banner as an alternate.

According to township documents, the group will also plan pathways into the Seven Mile property, for which park development plans were recently announced.

"One of the opportunities the subcommittee will evaluate is potential methods to connect into Maybury State Park," according to township documents. "Maybury is in the process of doing some internal path/trail planning and contacted the recreation department regarding this work."

New potential projects would be budgeted for over the next five years, according to township documents.

Abbo announces he will not seek re-election

Township Supervisor Mark Abbo formally announced his retirement from the position at the board of trustees meeting Thursday. The township made the announcement earlier this week that Abbo would not be seeking re-election in November. At the meeting Abbo thanked his peers, the people of Northville Township, its staff and others.

"It's time to open a new chapter in life," he said. "I believe we've had a lot of success, some failures."

His colleagues thanked him throughout the meeting and he received praise from some in the audience.

Township clerk Sue Hillebrand, who has served with Abbo for 20 years, said most people don't know that when they first started the township was "$100,000 away from not being able to make payroll."

She added, "I do give him almost all the credit for getting (the township) in the fiscal shape it is in today."

Trustee Christopher Roosen and planning commission member Robert Nix have announced their campaign for the seat.

Voter turnout low in primary

Hillebrand, township clerk, said that the township saw 27 percent voter turnout in the Feb. 28 primary. That is lower than the 29 percent the township saw in the 2008 primary.

In total, the election cost $30,000, $26,000 of which qualifies for reimbursement from the state Bureau of Elections.

U-M clinic proposal likely this summer

Supervisor Abbo told the board that he was in contact with Bloomfield-based REIS, which owns a portion of the Seven Mile property, and that they intended to bring forth a site plan sometime this summer for the University of Michigan ambulatory care facility.

Plans for the 100,000 square foot facility were announced earlier this year.

REIS has indicated it would start clearing and draining the property this summer in preparation for the development, he said.