Supervisor Larkin Penny-Wise and Dollar Foolish?

Rising to the level of documenting in the Fish Lake Township January meeting minutes, Supervisor Diane Larkin made the “stellar” motion to “purchase ten rolls of stamps before the [price] increase.” On January 27, 2013, the U.S. Postal Service raised its First Class Mail rates by one cent, from $0.45 to $0.46 to mail a one ounce letter. With 100 stamps per roll, and a cost savings of $1.00 per roll, Supervisor Larkin’s timely motion saved Fish Lake Township a whopping $10.00!!

So what was thrifty Supervisor Larkin thinking when the township finally completed paying off the 2001 140H Caterpillar road grader and could begin to save $20,000 per year in equipment payment costs? She voted to get rid of the paid off equipment and purchase a brand new Caterpillar 140M road grader to the tune of $246,025!

Why doesn’t Supervisor Diane Larkin care more about the taxpayers than to be penny-wise and dollar foolish with their money?

Fish Lake Township A Day Late and a Dollar Short?

On Monday night, March 4th, Fish Lake Township experienced the second largest snowfall of the winter with 10-12 inches blanketing the countryside. On Tuesday morning, the deep snowfall all but obliterated rural country roads, but no township plow truck or road grader was in sight. Never-the-less, some had to brave the dangerous, unplowed roads for critical business. One such unfortunate vehicle was a large passenger van for transporting disabled adults to and from local residential treatment facilities. Around 8:30 a.m. the van attempted to travel down North Pine Lake Road, but quickly became stuck in the deep, unplowed snow. With no township plow truck or road grader in sight, the passenger van was helplessly stranded for more than 3 hours, a sorrowful sight to behold. Finally, around 11:30 a.m., a large private tow truck arrived to winch out the van, twice, before both vehicles could proceed back through the deep ruts they had previously left in the snow. Still no township plow truck or road grader in sight.

Supervisor Diane Larkin once declared that North Pine Lake Road was the “most highly traveled road in the township,” but no one showed up to plow the road until around 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. At that time, the old, war-torn township plow truck arrived to battle the deep drifts alone. What an incredible sight to witness an old faded relic from the past conquer the monstrous piles of snow!

So what happened to Fish Lake Township’s new $246,025 must-have Caterpillar 140M road grader and “Grader Gary?” What will it take for Fish Lake Township to provide timely public service? Why don’t Supervisors Carter, Larkin and Johnson care more about public safety than to publish and communicate Fish Lake Township’s “Snow Plowing Policy” in their spring newsletter!