Helena Township Board Meeting
October 8, 2026
Helena Township Community Center
8751 Helena Road, Alden, Michigan
Meeting Time: 7:00 PM
DRAFT MINUTES — Subject to Board Approval
Meeting Minutes
1. Call to Order
Supervisor C.C. Peeples called the meeting to order at approximately 7:00 PM.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
All present participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Roll Call
Present: C.C. Peeples, O. Leffew, C. Rice, B. Bartz, and J. Schilling.
Absent: None reported.
4. Approval of Agenda
Motion made by Schilling and seconded by Leffew to approve the agenda. All in favor. Motion carried.
5. Conflicts of Interest
None declared.
6. Public Comment
No comments were made during the initial public-comment period.
7. Approval of Minutes
Trustee Bartz clarified that Item 15.f. of the September 10, 2026 minutes, concerning the downtown curb-and-gutter project, is separate from sidewalks.
Motion made by Rice and seconded by Schilling to approve the September 10, 2026 meeting minutes as amended. All in favor. Motion carried.
8. Treasurer Report
The Treasurer presented the September 2026 financial report.
- Beginning Balance: $1,194,466.46
- Receipts: $12,784.08
- Total Disbursements: $68,475.56
- General Fund Disbursements: $53,167.89
- Building Disbursements: $14,146.84
- Roads Disbursements: $51.78
- Cemetery Disbursements: $1,109.05
- Bank Balance as of September 30, 2026: $1,138,774.98
Motion made by Bartz and seconded by Peeples to accept the Treasurer's Report.
9. Presentation of Bills
September expenses were reported at $48,317.36.
10. Fire Chief / Sheriff / County Commissioner / TAA Reports
a. South Torch Lake Fire & Rescue
Chief Jesse Lane reported 18 calls during September, including 12 medical calls, two vehicle accidents, one downed line, one fire alarm, and two additional fire-related calls.
Year-to-date calls totaled 230, compared with 200 during the same period in 2025.
Two personnel earned state emergency first responder licenses. Training, equipment, and smoke-detector programming were also reviewed.
b. Antrim County Sheriff's Office
The Sheriff's Office report was addressed.
c. Antrim County Commissioner
The County Commissioner report was addressed.
d. Township Ambulance Authority
The Township Ambulance Authority report was addressed.
11. Speaker — Maner Internal Controls
A representative from Maner presented recommendations for improving the Township's internal financial and administrative controls.
Topics included:
- Segregation of financial duties
- Accounts payable procedures
- Payroll controls
- Purchasing and payment authorization
- Financial reconciliation procedures
- Fraud prevention
- Technology and information security
- Priorities for implementing recommended improvements
Board members asked questions following the presentation. No formal adoption of the complete recommendations was established at this meeting.
12. Communications
a. Data Center Ordinance
A resident expressed concerns regarding continuity in Planning Commission deliberations on data-center regulations.
The resident requested consideration of a moratorium and emphasized the importance of public participation in the ordinance-development process.
b. Elections
The following election dates and information were presented:
- Public Accuracy Test: October 15, 2026 at 11:00 AM
- General Election: November 3, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Early Voting: Beginning October 24 and extending into November, with hours of 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The ending date was not specified in the draft minutes.
13. Committee Reports
a. Zoning — J. Petersen
J. Petersen reported on regional research concerning data-center regulations and requested support for establishing an intergovernmental ad hoc group.
The Township Supervisor, Planning Commission Chair, and Zoning Administrator were discussed as potential participants. The Board expressed support for the effort.
The Board also discussed establishing a Municipal Civil Infractions Violations Bureau, as recommended by legal counsel.
The proposed bureau would consist of the following members:
- Township Supervisor
- Township Clerk
- Township Zoning Administrator
Motion made by Peeples and seconded by Schilling to establish a Municipal Civil Infractions Violations Bureau consisting of the Township Supervisor, Township Clerk, and Township Zoning Administrator.
All in favor. Motion carried.
Permit fees and escrow policies were also discussed.
b. Planning Commission
Clerk Leffew requested that the Planning Commission rewrite its bylaws.
c. Roads
Trustee Bartz presented an estimate from Musall at the Road Commission. Further discussion was tabled until the November meeting.
14. Old Business
a. BS&A Cloud Implementation
The Township's General Ledger and Payroll systems went live in BS&A on October 8, 2026.
Discussion included user permissions, accounts payable procedures, check controls, and Automated Clearing House (ACH) and NACHA payment options.
Security concerns were raised regarding a nonemployee having approval-level access and the disclosure of a Township banking document to a resident.
The Board also discussed alternative credit-card processing providers. Discussions with the County regarding its credit-card processing procedures were underway.
b. Maner Internal Controls
The recommendations presented by Maner will be used to inform further development of the Township's accounting procedures and security controls.
c. Community Center Bathroom Remodel
The Board discussed winter bathroom cleaning frequency at the Community Center.
Clerk Leffew presented a quote reflecting an increase of approximately $200 per week to clean and sanitize the Community Center restrooms five days per week instead of three days per week.
Motion made by Leffew and seconded by Rice to increase the cleaning frequency.
d. Historical Society Window Project
Replacement windows for the Historical Society project were expected to arrive around mid-November.
e. Downtown Curb & Gutter
The downtown curb-and-gutter project was awaiting a bid or estimate.
f. Nuisance Ordinance
The Board discussed nuisance ordinance enforcement, including warnings, voluntary compliance, and potential municipal civil-infraction proceedings.
The discussion also addressed how enforcement would relate to the newly established Municipal Civil Infractions Violations Bureau.
A draft nuisance ordinance will be circulated to Board members for review at the November meeting.
g. Pickleball Program
The Board discussed administration of the winter pickleball program, including monthly invoicing, online payments, and higher rates for nonresidents.
Approximately $800 in October receipts was reported, along with approximately $32 to $33 in processing fees.
Invoices would be issued on the first day of each month, with payment due by the 20th.
The Board reached a consensus of approval regarding the program's billing and payment procedures.
15. New Business
a. Tennis Park Fencing
The Board considered a $3,377 proposal for improvements to the Tennis Park fencing, including an access gate and a larger opening to accommodate equipment.
Motion made by Leffew and seconded by Rice to approve the fencing proposal. All in favor. Motion carried.
b. Township Insurance Renewal
The Board discussed the Township's annual insurance renewal, including insured-property inventories, cybersecurity coverage, and detailed insurance quote options.
No final insurance renewal vote was established at this meeting.
c. Janitorial Services
Winter bathroom cleaning frequency and contractor pricing were discussed in connection with Community Center restroom maintenance.
16. Announcements
Upcoming community events included Harvest Fest and a community trunk-or-treat event.
The Board also discussed a shared streetlight near Comfort Road and Alden Highway.
The Township previously established a shared-cost agreement with Custer Township for the streetlight, with the monthly cost reported to be less than $10.
Motion made by Rice and seconded by Leffew for Helena Township to pay the full streetlight bill rather than seek monthly reimbursement from Custer Township.
All in favor. Motion carried.
17. Public Comment on Above Items
Residents commented on Township financial planning, information technology security, and the Maner internal-controls presentation.
Residents also requested additional public-safety information at future meetings.
No Board action was taken during this public-comment period.
18. Motion to Pay Bills
A motion to pay the bills was requested.
Motion made by Rice and seconded by Leffew to pay the bills.
19. Adjournment
Supervisor C.C. Peeples adjourned the meeting at 8:44 PM.
Respectfully recorded and submitted,
/s/ Oryana Leffew
Oryana Leffew
Helena Township Clerk
DRAFT — Subject to approval by the Helena Township Board of Trustees.