Public Notices

The Open Meetings Act (OMA) of Michigan requires notice to be given before a meeting is held and requires minutes to be prepared as a record of actions taken at the meeting.  Perhaps most importantly, the OMA is the source of requirement that all votes of a public body must be made public.

Lawrence Township complies with the OMA by posting notices of meetings at three locations:  Lawrence Community Services Building (Fire Station), Lawrence Post Office, Lawrence Township Hall (near the Business Office door).  In addition, public notices are posted to this website.

Special Meeting Notices appear on the Home page of this site.

NOTICE OF THE LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Board Meeting

Lawrence Township Hall

411 N. PAW PAW STREET

LAWRENCE, MICHIGAN

To:       The residents and property owners of Lawrence Township, Van Buren County, Michigan, and any other interested parties.

Please take notice that a Regular Board Meeting of the LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES will be held on December 12, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.  It will be held in-person at the Lawrence Township Hall 411 N. Paw Paw St. Lawrence, MI 49064.

Starting with the April 2023 meeting we will no longer be offering internet connection for the public. If you have questions or want a copy of the Agenda the week of the meeting please feel free to contact Clerk Janssen at 269-674-4255 or at clerk@lawrence-township.org.

 The public may participate in the meeting via computer or smart phone, through freeconferencecall.com, using the following link.  For best performance, please download the desktop or mobile app for Free Conference Call (FCC). https://join.freeconferencecall.com/clerk060. Online meeting ID: clerk060

The public may also participate by calling into the phone numbers below: Non-Toll-Free number (760) 548-9303 or Toll Free (844) 854-2222 and providing access code 475629#

  All meeting will be held in-person at 411 N. Paw Paw St. Lawrence, MI 49064.

Zoning Board of Appeals notices appear

on the main page of this website.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Van Buren County Early Voting Receiving Board for the November 5, 2024, General Election has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. at the Hartford Township Hall, 61310 CR 687, Hartford, MI 49057 for the purpose of canvassing early votes for all precincts in the municipalities listed below:

Almena Township

Antwerp Township
Arlington Township

Bangor Township

Bloomingdale Township

Columbia Township

Covert Township

Decatur Township

Geneva Township

Hamilton Township

Hartford Township

Keeler Township

Lawrence Township

Paw Paw Township

Pine Grove Township

Porter Township

South Haven Charter Township

Waverly Township

Bangor City

Gobles City

Hartford City

South Haven City

Suzie Roehm

Van Buren County Clerk

Van Buren County Early Voting Site

Human Services West Building

57418 C.R. 681

Hartford, MI  49057

Early Voting begins the second Saturday before each State and Federal election and ends the Sunday before the election.

GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING

DATES & HOURS:

Saturday, October 26, 2024         9 am to 5 pm

Sunday, October 27, 2024           9 am to 5 pm

Monday, October 28, 2024           9 am to 5 pm

Tuesday, October 29, 2024           9 am to 5 pm

Wednesday, October 30, 2024      12 pm to 8 pm

Thursday, October 31, 2024         9 am to 5 pm

Friday, November 1, 2024            9 am to 5 pm

Saturday, November 2, 2024       9 am to 5 pm

Sunday, November 3, 2024         9 am to 5 pm

Lawrence Village Council Meetings

Starting time has changed to 6pm unstead of 7pm.

They meet the Second Tuesday of every month.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2023

State Tax Commission's

New Poverty Exemption Procedure

The STC has created a new application. Click below for related documents that need to be used when one applies.  

We are often asked about local food pantries.  Here is a great website that is helpful for local listings.

Feedwm.org/findfood/

 If you want Programs you have to qualify for that do distributions locally.  

SMCAA Commodity supplemental Food Program:  http://www.smcaa.com/programs/commodity-supplemental-food-program

Cannabis Agency Notice

 Paid for with a grant from the State of Michigan, Lawrence Township has secure lock boxes available for residents. These boxes help prevent unwanted consumption of legal drugs and provide a safe means of legal transportation. Please visit the Township Hall at 411 N. Paw Paw St. to request a free lock box.

Van Buren County Brush and Invasive Species Spray Program

Road Commission Launches New

Service Request App

Recently the Van Buren County launched SeeClickFix, a new app allowing citizens to report non-emergency road issues.  Residents and the motoring public can take a photo of a road issue, such as a pothole, give the location, add a description, and click “submit” to send requests directly to the Van Buren County Road Commission through SeeClickFix.  

Road Commission Interim Managing Director/Operations Director, Greg Brucks, states, “SeeClickFix makes it easier for staff at the Van Buren County Road Commission to identify and address road-related issues in a timely fashion.  SeeClickFix is a mobile app that lets citizens report issues on-the-go, and receive real time notifications when the service request has been updated.  This will not only serve to increase civic engagement by involving citizens in community dialogue, but will also improve the efficiency in which service requests are addressed.”

SeeClickFix is available immediately for citizen use as follows:

•On Facebook at www.facebook.com/VBCRC

•On the Van Buren County Road Commission’s website at www.VBCRC.org

•Download on the App Store or on Google Play

•On line at www.SeeClickFix.com

For answers to any questions about SeeClickFix, please contact the Van Buren County Road Commission at 269-674-8011, Extension 0.  The Road Commission urges you to, “Get Connected.  Get Involved.  Get Results.”

VAN BUREN COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
NEWS RELEASE BETTER HIGHWAYS: SAVE LIVES, SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY 
Lawrence, Michigan 2024-02
DATE: March 13, 2024 CONTACT: Bret Witkowski, Managing Director
Van Buren County Road Commission
RELEASE: Immediately Post Office Box 156
Lawrence, Michigan 49064
PHONE: (269) 674-8011, Extension 222
FARMERS ARE ASKED TO KEEP RIGHT-OF-WAY CROP FREE
“We Mow - So Don’t Sow!”
THE ROAD COMMISSION WANTS YOU TO KNOW . . .
With spring quickly approaching, area farmers are anxiously awaiting another planting season. But before spring tillage and planting gets underway, the Van Buren County Road Commission wants to remind farmers that crops must be a minimum of 14' from the road’s edge, or behind the “back slope” of an existing ditch as set forth in the diagram below. Any crops planted in the right-of-way are there at the farmers’ risk and no compensation for loss of crops in the right-of-way will be considered pursuant to Road Commission Policy 2022-02.
Because the Road Commission maintains the right-of-way by performing mowing cycles to keep roadsides and intersections clear and suitable for travel, farmers should be aware that any crops planted within the right-of-way will be mowed. The Road Commission also performs roadside chemical vegetation management in the late summer to control brush and woody vegetation within the road right-of-way. The road right-of-way is specifically reserved for the placement of road signs, and public utilities.
The road right-of-way is typically a width of 66 feet (33 feet on either side of the centerline of the road). To review a copy of the Board of County Road Commission’s Policy 2022-02, Right-of-Way Mowing, Brush Control & Spraying Policy visit the Road Commission’s website at: www.vbcrc.org/vegetationmaintenance, or contact the Road Commission’s Managing Director, Bret Witkowski, at 269-674-8011, Extension 222, BretWitkowski@vbcrc.org. The Road Commission’s Policy complies with the standards created by law (MCL 247.665b).
VAN BUREN COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION

ROAD COMMISSION TO BEGIN SUMMER HOURS
The County Road Commission Wants You to Know . . .
Beginning on Monday, April 29, 2024, the Van Buren County Road Commission will be working
four 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday from 6:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Road Commission will be
closed on Fridays through Saturday, September 28, 2024.
If there is a road-related emergency outside these hours of operation, such as a stop sign down
or a tree across the road, residents should contact Van Buren County Central Dispatch at (269) 657-
3101 or dial 911. Central Dispatch will contact the Road Commission's Emergency Duty Superintendent.
This is standard procedure for all after-hour emergencies.
VAN BUREN COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
April 24, 2024
/jb

COUNTY ROAD MILLAGE RENEWAL

ROAD COMMISSION TO HOST PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS

The County Road Commission Wants You to Know . . .

      The Van Buren County Road Commission is hosting Public Information Meetings regarding the road millage renewal proposal on the August 6, 2024 Primary Ballot.  The meetings will be held at the Van Buren Conference Center, 490 South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI as follows:

Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 11 AM

Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 6 PM

      These meetings are being held in an effort to encourage a continued understanding of the county-wide road millage renewal proposal.

      Road Commission staff and officials will host discussions on the proposed millage renewal, current road conditions, current available road funding, the intent of the millage renewal, and public input and questions.

      For any specific information, or questions regarding this millage renewal request, please contact the Van Buren County Road Commission at 269-674-8011 or via email at vbcrc@vbcrc.org or visit our website at https://www.vbcrc.org/millage.

                                          VAN BUREN COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION