Updated, user friendly township website to debut this fall

by Chris Studor

Aug. 23 township trustees meeting/Aug. 24 work session

An updated and easy-to-use township website will make its debut this fall.  Though Hinckley Township has maintained a website for many years now, a more updated and easy-to-use version will make its debut this fall.

For the past several months, Trustee Monique Ascherl has been working with Proximity Marketing to make the website more user friendly and provide residents with a wealth of information on the township.

“I’m really excited about the updated website,” said Ascherl. “After working many, many hours, we were able to share with trustees and department heads the first draft of the new website and demonstrate how much easier it is to navigate.”

Residents will feel at home viewing the top portion of the home page which features photos of familiar township locations, including the Hinckley Historical Society building. At the top, users can choose from drop-down menus that include Government, Departments, Community, Zoning and How-to.

The How-to menu will provide answers to frequently asked questions, such as how to file for a zoning permit. There will even be a picture of what a zoning permit looks like. Scrolling down just a bit on the home page, a row of buttons will allow users to choose from Zoom, policy/forms/permits, agendas, meeting minutes, YouTube and Kimble-related questions.

During the Aug. 24 trustee work session, Mark Priebe and Renaye Pagura of Proximity Marketing presented a slide show showing the home pages and outlining their features. They took questions and comments from trustees and indicated they will be making further additions and revisions before the new website goes live. Department heads, service, police and fire and zoning will have the opportunity to review their page’s contents prior to the release.

Options for federal funding discussed

For the past several months, trustees have been discussing possible uses for approximately $900,000 in American Rescue Plan funds from the federal government. Township Fiscal Officer Martha Catherwood said the township must indicate how it will use the funds by Dec. 31, 2024. Catherwood advised trustees to use the same legal counsel as they did for guidance on the CARES act funding to make sure the projects fall under approved federal guidelines for use. Trustees have considered using the funds to bring water to the center of Hinckley and other areas of the township and Trustee Melissa Augustine described several ways water could be brought to the township, depending on how broad the area is to be serviced. She said one possibility is to bring a water line down Ridge Road to the fire station and town hall. Augustine said currently the water quality is so poor at the fire station that when rescue workers return from working a fire or messy accident, firemen are taking showers in brown–tinged water.

“I have heard complaints from residents near the center of the township saying they can’t run their dishwashers and washing machines at the same time due to low water pressure,” said Augustine. “Another resident told me she takes her laundry to her mother-in-laws because her well water leaves her clothes dirty looking. Merchants along Ridge Road in the center of the township said the poor quality well water ruins their plumbing.”

Ascherl recommended seeking legal counsel to guide trustees as to the proper use of the funds and to make certain they are being used “in a way that benefits the entire township.” Catherwood pointed out that the funds don’t have to be spent for a single use and could be used for several projects.

Comprehensive plan audit disagreement lingers

Trustees remain in disagreement as to what should be done with the audit of the township’s comprehensive plan and accompanying community survey. Augustine would like to see them made an addendum to the 2015 (current) comprehensive plan. Both trustees Ascherl and Jack Swedyk have indicated that they would like them to remain as standalone documents. Ascherl cited that some of the survey results are in conflict with what is in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan.

“We don’t want there to be confusion and developers picking and choosing what suits them best which may not be in the best interest of the township,” said Ascherl. “I’ve given the matter a lot of thought and I think they should just be separate documents.”

Trustee Jack Swedyk said OHM provided a report to the township stating the 2015 plan is still valid and does not require an update at this time and included a short list of recommendations.

“I think the audit does contain some valuable information, mostly related to zoning, and should therefore be retained as a stand-alone document for reference and consideration where and when applicable,” said Swedyk. ∞

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After months of work, trustee Monique Ascherl, working with Proximity Marketing, presented fellow trustees with a draft of the updated township website. Pictured a slide of the proposed new website home page which features pull down menus, easy to use “buttons” and even a frequently asked questions section. Photo by Chris Studor

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Presenting the first draft of the new township website is Mark Priebe of Proximity Marketing. Priebe presented a slide show of the new website at the August 23 work session. With a few more additions and revisions, the updated website will debut this fall. Photo by Chris Studor