By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Pokagon Township's board prioritized 2004 road work at April's meeting Wednesday night.
Board members decided Champlain ranks as the most immediate need for attention. Trustee Gary Mihills said Beeson Street is also in need of improvements, but gave the edge to Champlain.
Pokagon budgeted almost $48,000 for road work and is eligible for $19,000 in matching funds through the Cass County Road Commission.
The Road Commission prepared estimates of $15,000 to gravel Allen Road, $5,780 to resurface Forest Beach Road at Indian Lake, $38,658 for Beeson and $55,768 for the full 1 1/2-mile length of Champlain.
Trustees asked for a contract for Forest Beach and want to confer with the Road Commission's Steve Northrup about how to also accomplish Champlain within Pokagon's tight budget.
Dust control will cost $816 a mile through Great Lakes Chloride. The Road Commission bears half the cost, Pokagon Township a quarter and the resident benefiting the other fourth.
In other business, Roger W. Callahan is the new attendant for the solid waste transfer station on Pokagon Highway.
The transfer station is open the first and third Saturdays each month until November from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The township plans to contact a forester to estimate the value of timber on the transfer station property.