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.

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.  

NOTICE OF THE LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Board Meeting

TO BE HELD ELECTRONICALLY TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE

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 August 12, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.  We will also offer electronic remote access and participation of the meeting, it will be held in-person at 411 N. Paw Paw St. Lawrence, MI 49064.

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#

Members of the public will only be able to speak at the meeting during the public comment portion of the meeting and such comment will be limited to two minutes per person. To provide for orderly public comment, a person wishing to speak during public comment must state their name and request to be recognized by the Moderator. The Moderator will recognize all persons wishing to speak during public comment.  If, prior to the meeting, members of the public have certain questions or wish to provide input on any business that will be addressed at the meeting then such persons may contact the Township Clerk at the email address below or by mailing to PO BOX 445, Lawrence, MI 49064. A copy of the meeting  agenda may be picked up at the Township Hall the day before the meeting or emailed to you upon request.

This notice is posted in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Public Act 267 of 1976, as amended, (MCL 41.72a(2)(3)) and the Americans With Disabilities Act.  The Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon reasonable advance notice by contacting the Township Clerk, by email, phone, or mail at the below.

Judy Janssen

Clerk

clerk@lawrence-township.org

411 N. Paw Paw St.

Lawrence, MI 49064

(269) 674-4255

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021

TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS of LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP COUNTY OF VAN BUREN, STATE OF MICHIGAN

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Special Election will be held in LAWRENCE Township  on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. 

 For the purpose of voting on the following local and school millage proposals: 

Lawrence Township Road Millage Increase Proposal

Shall the Township of Lawrence impose an increase of up to 1.50 mills ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the township tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for one (1) year, 2021, inclusive, for the purpose of public road construction, improvements, rehabilitation and maintenance, which 1.50 mills increase will raise an estimated $175,286.00 in the first year the millage is levied? A portion of this millage may be disbursed to the Van Buren County Road Commission, such other or fewer local units of government as the Township Board determines appropriate.

Lawrence Public Schools Bonding Proposal

Shall Lawrence Public Schools, Van Buren County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed One Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,700,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor for the purpose of:

remodeling school buildings; and purchasing school buses?

The following is for informational purposes only:

The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2021, under current law, is 0.35 mill ($0.35 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a -0- mill net increase over the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is nine (9) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 1.41 mills ($1.41 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).

The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $5,325,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $0. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.

(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)

Paw Paw Public Schools Bonding Proposal

Shall Paw Paw Public Schools, Van Buren County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Fifty-Three Million Six Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($53,640,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, in one or more series, for the purpose of:

erecting, furnishing and equipping additions to existing school buildings; remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing and equipping and re-equipping existing school buildings; erecting, furnishing and equipping a new early childhood education center; acquiring and installing instructional technology and instruction technology equipment for school buildings; purchasing school buses; erecting, developing and improving athletic fields and facilities; and developing, equipping and improving playgrounds, driveways, parking areas and sites?

The following is for informational purposes only:

The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2021, under current law, is 1.00 mill ($1.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is thirty (30) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 5.20 mills ($5.20 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).

The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $28,580,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is approximately $16,641,590. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.

(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)

A sample ballot may be viewed at mi.gov/vote.

Persons with disabilities needing accommodations as defined by the American with Disabilities Act should contact the local clerk’s office.

NOTICE

Full text of the ballot proposal(s) may be obtained at the listed Township Clerk’s Office. A sample ballot may be viewed at mi.gov/vote. Also posted at Public Library, Fire Station, and Post Office.

 Absentee ballots are available for all elections; registered voters may contact the local clerk to obtain an application for an absent voter ballot.

To comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), voting instructions will be available in audio format and in Braille.  Arrangements for obtaining the instructions in these alternative formats can be made by contacting the township/city clerk in advance of the election.  All polling locations are accessible for voters with disabilities. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations as defined by the American with Disabilities Act should contact the local clerk’s office.

The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP         

Lawrence Township Hall           

411 N. Paw Paw St.                  

Lawrence                                 

Judy Janssen, Twp Clerk  

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.”