Following more than three hours of conversation Thursday, the Park Township Planning Commission still had questions to ask about a rezoning application for a possible propane distributor on Highway M-60 Thursday. Commission members heard comments from the township zoning official, three attorneys, the property’s applicants, and 14 members of the public. Commissioners reviewed, adjusted, and approved a comprehensive list of statements called a “Finding of Facts.” With more of the review process still ahead of them, the commissioners voted to put the meeting into recess until 7 p.m. on December 3.

A special meeting of the Park Township Planning Commission scheduled for this evening will now take place entirely online. On the township’s website, an announcement states that due to a pandemic-related health order issued last Sunday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the meeting will take place using the Zoom online meeting platform. The announcement includes information on how to participate.

At a regular meeting of the Park Township board Wednesday, citizens and board members discussed an in-process application to have a property rezoned for commercial use in an area that is currently mostly residential. The applicant is the Nottawa Gas Company, which would like to purchase a new property along M-60 near North Fisher Lake Road and relocate there. A group of residents opposes approval of the rezoning application.

One by one, representatives of the St. Joseph County Road Commission (SJCRC) have been meeting with townships around the county to discuss next year’s road work priorities. Each year, SJCRC accomplishes a variety of paving, pavement sealing, reconstruction, and bridge work projects around the county. Some of those projects are funded entirely by SJCRC’s own funds, some are partially covered by outside grants, and some are shared in equal parts by the SJCRC and the townships. At a Wednesday meeting of the Park Township board, Township Supervisor Ed English provided an overview of potential projects for 2021.

As of 10:59 p.m. Tuesday night, with just under 72 percent of St. Joseph County precincts reporting, Republican Steve Carra led Democrat Amy East for the seat of 59th District Representative in the Michigan Legislature by a margin of approximately two to one. At that time, Carra carried 12,200 votes in the county to East’s 6,775. He also held a significant lead in Cass County. Speaking from St. Joseph County Republican Party Headquarters in Three Rivers around 11 p.m., Carra said his campaign was declaring victory. Results are also in for several other contested, local races.