Controlled burn to take place despite opposition

As part of the agenda of the virtual West Bloomfield Township Board meeting on September 11, 2021, the matter of the controlled burn in the Jacobs Drain area was discussed again. (The controlled burn was already approved by the Board at their meeting in April. After that meeting, a number of West Bloomfield residents expressed concerns and opposition to the Board, the Township Supervisor, various West Bloomfield departments, and at county and state levels. In response to this opposition, Township Supervisor Steve Kaplan asked for an agenda topic to discuss the matter again and to reconsider alternatives to the burn. He made a motion at the September meeting to vote on his motion to cancel the burn portion of the contract with the vendor previously chosen to conduct the burn.

Township Board members, residents of West Bloomfield, the Fire Marshall, environmental, a representative from DTE, the Parks department director, and others discussed the pros, cons, and alternatives. When the motion came to a vote it was a tie. In accordance with Township meeting rules a tied vote means that the motion failed and plans for the controlled burn will proceed.

However, there was general agreement on one thing — the need for more and better public communication and education around this topic.

See also:

• Civic Center TV website has video of the Board meeting. As the last item on the meeting agenda, the discussion of this topic is near the very end of the video.
• The 9/11/21 Township Board agenda (PDF) – Item 25, DISCUSSION and PRESENTATION related to the Jacobs Drain Maintenance and the 2021 Professional Services Contract with Cardno Inc., which includes prescribed burn services for invasive species as part of the 2021 maintenance program, and discussion as to whether the 2021 Professional Services Contract with Cardno, Inc should be amended.
• Township Board meeting minutes