Township Meeting Calendar

Meetings are held at the Township Hall, 4545 Nestrom Road, Whitehall, Michigan

Planning Commission:

Meets the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m.

Board of Trustees:

Special meeting (work session): second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m.

Regular meeting: third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

Mileage-gate: The final chapter

You may recall that, on Monday, July 16, 2007, the Fruitland Township board sanctioned Clerk Janell Beard for submitting false mileage reimbursement claims in the amount of $241.08 over a six month period. The Clerk refused to repay her ill-gotten gains. At its November 12, 2008 work session, a board majority decided to set aside the sanctions and close this chapter of township history.

In winning this battle, Janell Beard lost the war. Last August, the voters of Fruitland Township denied her the privilege of public service, electing for a fresh start with Karolyn Rillema. Democracy is patient -- sometimes a little lethargic. But it has a way of holding its representatives accountable, especially those who would exploit the trust of its faithful.

<For old time's sake: July 16, 2007 meeting archive>

Updated August 6, 2008

Title: "They said it couldn't be done "

Trustee Eley shares her thoughts on the election results.

Thank you  Fruitland Township

On Monday, November 17, I sat for the last time as your representative on the township board. The meeting was bittersweet. While I am optimistic about my future and the lure of new beginnings, I will miss our monthly gatherings and the camaraderie of my board colleagues. I will miss the opportunity to work with you to identify problems and implement solutions. I will miss our discourse, our disagreements, our town hall meetings, and our breakthroughs.

There are few things in life more satisfying than a job well done. We've had many of those to celebrate over the past two-and-one-half years. From our new master plan, which codifies your desire to preserve Fruitland's rural character, to a budget that reflects your spending priorities, we have opened the doors of government and reinvigorated our democracy.

Thank you for your patience with me as I learned this process. The privilege of serving as your trustee and planning commission chair was both humbling and exhilarating. Many of you have written, called or approached me after a meeting to express your appreciation. Thank you for your kindness. You have given me more than I could ever have wished for: your trust and your confidence. I will never forget that we changed our little part of the world for good. Change is possible. Believe.