Fairhaven Township got a wake-up call from state officials during last May’s election audit. Turns out their township hall isn’t ADA compliant and they need to fix it fast or risk losing their polling location status.
The problem isn’t that they don’t have handicap parking – they do. It’s marked and designated on the west side of the building. The issue is that parking lot is gravel, and the Americans with Disabilities Act requires handicap spaces to be on paved surfaces. Gravel doesn’t cut it for wheelchair accessibility or mobility device users.
State officials didn’t mince words when they pointed out the violation during the audit. Fix it or face consequences. Township boards don’t get much wiggle room when federal accessibility laws are involved. You either comply or you lose the ability to host elections and other public functions.
Board member Ellen McGathy explained the complication – the township doesn’t actually own the entire west parking lot. Part of it belongs to the railroad, which makes paving that area legally messy and potentially expensive. You can’t just pave property you don’t control without getting permission and probably paying for easements.
After discussing the ownership headache, the board decided to pivot. Instead of fighting with railroad property issues, they’ll get quotes on paving the east side parking lot. That area is fully owned by the township, which eliminates legal complications and gives them total control over the project.
Bonus benefit of paving the east lot – it’ll fix drainage problems that have plagued that side of the building. Gravel lots don’t handle water runoff well. You get puddles, erosion, muddy messes whenever it rains. Paved surfaces with proper grading drain water away from buildings and create usable parking in all weather conditions.
The ADA has been law since 1990, but small townships sometimes lag behind on compliance because renovations are expensive and budgets are tight. When state auditors show up and point out violations, though, there’s no more delaying. Township governing bodies across Michigan face similar accessibility challenges when older facilities don’t meet current federal standards.
Paving costs aren’t cheap. Depending on the size of the lot, Fairhaven could be looking at tens of thousands of dollars for asphalt, grading, striping, and proper handicap signage. That’s a significant hit to a small township budget that probably operates on less than $100,000 annually.
The board will collect quotes from paving contractors to see what they’re facing financially. Multiple bids help ensure they’re getting fair pricing and can compare different approaches to the project. Smart boards don’t just accept the first quote they receive.
School districts like USA Schools deal with similar accessibility requirements when maintaining their facilities. Public buildings serving voters, students, or community members must provide equal access regardless of physical abilities. It’s not optional – it’s federal law with real penalties for non-compliance.
Once paving quotes come back, the board will need to figure out funding. Could come from general fund reserves. Could require a special assessment on township property owners. Could involve applying for grants that help rural municipalities meet ADA requirements. The money has to come from somewhere because this project can’t be avoided.
Township business didn’t stop with parking lot discussions. The board also approved snow removal contracts and hired a cemetery sexton during the same meeting. Winter in Michigan means somebody’s got to plow parking lots and clear walkways.
Rievert Farms landed the snow removal contract at $90 per hour for blade work and $37.50 per hour for shoveling where equipment can’t reach. Those rates are pretty standard for rural Michigan. Heavy equipment operators charge premium rates because fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs add up fast.
The hourly structure makes sense for townships because snowfall varies wildly year to year. Some winters you need constant plowing. Other winters barely require the blade leaving the barn. Paying hourly means the township only pays for actual work performed rather than flat seasonal rates that might not reflect usage.
Eric Thick got hired as sexton for Fairhaven Township-Bay Port Cemetery. Sexton is an old-fashioned title for the person who maintains cemetery grounds, coordinates burials, and handles administrative duties. Small townships often hire part-time sextons who juggle cemetery work with other jobs.
Cemetery maintenance never stops. Grass needs mowing spring through fall. Headstones need straightening. Burial plots need preparation. Record keeping requires attention. It’s steady work even if it’s not full-time employment. Communities rely on dedicated sextons to keep cemeteries respectful and well-maintained.
The U.S. Access Board provides detailed ADA compliance guidelines for public facilities including parking requirements, surface materials, and accessibility standards that jurisdictions must follow. Townships planning compliance projects should review these standards carefully before starting construction.
Township boards managing multiple issues simultaneously shows how local government actually operates. One meeting covers ADA compliance, snow removal, cemetery staffing, and probably budget reports or road commission updates too. Small municipality governance requires handling diverse responsibilities with limited staff and resources.
City councils like Bad Axe face similar challenges balancing infrastructure needs, regulatory compliance, and service contracts within tight budget constraints. Every township and city in Michigan juggles these competing demands constantly.
The paving project timeline depends on quotes, funding approval, and contractor availability. If Fairhaven moves quickly, they could have this done by spring when weather permits asphalt work. More likely it drags into summer as quotes get reviewed, budgets get adjusted, and contractors fit the job into their schedules.
State officials will probably follow up to verify compliance after giving Fairhaven time to complete the project. Auditors don’t just point out violations and forget about them. They track whether jurisdictions actually fix problems or continue operating in non-compliance.
Fairhaven residents probably don’t care much about parking lot paving until they show up to vote and realize the accessible parking actually works now. That’s when ADA compliance stops being abstract regulation and becomes practical improvement making the township hall usable for everyone.
One gravel parking lot, one compliance violation, one upcoming paving project. Fairhaven Township Hall joining the modern era of accessibility one asphalt square foot at a time.
