Posts by Kirsten

Aspirus Hospice is seeking caring volunteers to offer companionship and support to patients and families in our community. Volunteers provide a gentle presence, conversation, and comfort during an important time in a patient’s life. No medical experience is required – just kindness, respect, and a willingness to serve. Training is provided, and scheduling is as flexible as you need it to be.

To learn more, contact Aspirus Hospice or Brenda Trapp, Volunteer Coordinator Lead at (715) 847-2000 ext. 52436 or Brenda.Trapp@aspirus.org

Click Here for More Information>

The Watersmeet Beautification Committee is pleased to announce that it has received a generous grant from the Gogebic Conservation District to install pollinator gardens at the Watersmeet Pavilion Park. Work on the garden beds has been underway for the past six weeks, and the project is beginning to take shape.

The Gogebic Conservation District, one of Michigan’s 78 Conservation Districts, was established during the Dust Bowl era to help conserve and protect our natural resources. Today, the District continues to provide natural resource management services and educational information that help local landowners protect and preserve our environment. We are grateful for their support and are honored to receive this grant.

This project has also been made possible through the generosity of many community members who have stepped forward to donate their time, talents, and resources. Their support has been invaluable in bringing this vision to life.

Throughout the summer, volunteers will be needed to help water and weed the pollinator gardens. If you’d like to lend a hand, we’d love to hear from you!

Join Us for Our Next Work Day

Sunday, July 26
12:00 p.m. (Noon)
Watersmeet Pavilion Park

We’ll be planting the final flats of pollinator plants and putting the finishing touches on the gardens. Whether you can stay for an hour or the afternoon, your help is appreciated. No gardening experience is necessary—just bring your enthusiasm and a pair of gardening gloves if you have them!

Together, we’re creating a beautiful space that will benefit butterflies, bees, other pollinators, and our entire community for years to come.

On July 2, the Watersmeet Beautification Committee proudly dedicated its new community mural at Pavilion Park in downtown Watersmeet. Created by local artist Sarah Zelinski, the mural was inspired by the committee’s logo and celebrates the spirit of community pride, volunteerism, and the shared commitment to making Watersmeet a beautiful place to live and visit.

As volunteers participate in beautification projects throughout the downtown area, they will leave a lasting mark by adding their handprint to the mural. Over time, these handprints will help the community tree grow and come to life—one volunteer at a time.

The Beautification Committee invites everyone to help bring the tree to life by volunteering throughout the year. Whether you have an hour or a day to give, your efforts can make a lasting difference in our community.

To learn more or get involved, contact Denise Fauntleroy at 630-881-7252.

Michigan Broadband has provided the following update regarding the ongoing fiber internet installation project in portions of Watersmeet Township.

Construction Is Still Underway

While residents may see fiber lines and service drops being installed, the overall network is not yet complete. Michigan Broadband is still:

• Installing and activating the electronics needed to serve Sunset Cove, East Duck Lake, West Duck Lake, and Moon Lake.
• Continuing fiber placement in other areas of the project.

A completed service drop to a home does not necessarily mean the network infrastructure needed to provide service is ready to be activated.

Scheduling and Service Activation

Michigan Broadband understands that many residents are eager to have service installed and activated. However, they are unable to prioritize installations based on the number of calls received or individual circumstances.

The company reports that its customer service center is currently receiving a high volume of calls requesting installation dates. While tentative timelines have occasionally been shared, those dates should not be considered confirmed. As information spreads from neighbor to neighbor, misunderstandings can occur regarding who is being scheduled and when.

Michigan Broadband asks customers for patience as construction and network activation continue.

Current Timeline

Michigan Broadband is hoping to complete the required electronics work by the end of this week and tentatively begin scheduling installations for Sunset Cove, East Duck Lake, West Duck Lake, and Moon Lake during the week of July 20.

Please note that this timeline is subject to change based on construction progress and network readiness.

Customers who have already submitted an order do not need to continue calling for updates. Michigan Broadband will contact customers directly as soon as scheduling becomes available.

Residents who have not yet placed an order and wish to receive service should contact Michigan Broadband to begin the process.

Outbuildings and Boathouses

The waived installation fee applies only to the primary residence.

Michigan Broadband can provide a complimentary service drop to the main home, but not to outbuildings, garages, sheds, or boathouses. In many cases, these structures can be served using mesh Wi-Fi extenders. The installer will evaluate the property during installation and recommend the best solution, which may sometimes require a follow-up visit.

Thank you for your patience as this important infrastructure project continues to move forward. Michigan Broadband has indicated that they will contact customers directly as soon as service can be scheduled.

Road improvement work on Fish Hawk Lake Road is scheduled to begin the week of July 13.

During construction, one lane of the roadway will be closed, and traffic will be controlled by flagging operations. Motorists should expect delays and be prepared to wait for their turn to travel through the work zone.

The contractor plans to:

• Place gravel
• Pulverize the existing roadway
• Perform fine grading of the roadway

Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) paving will follow these initial construction activities.

As with any road construction project, weather and site conditions may affect the schedule. While exact dates for each phase cannot be guaranteed, the current expectation is that the project will begin and be completed by the end of the month.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to use caution when traveling through the area and to allow extra travel time during construction.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as these improvements are completed.

Voters will be asked to consider a renewal of the Watersmeet Township operating millage at the upcoming election. The township’s operating millage is renewed periodically and provides funding for essential township services and day-to-day operations.

The proposal seeks renewal of the existing 3.5-mill operating levy that has been approved by Watersmeet Township voters since 2001. This proposal is a renewal of the current millage and does not represent an increase in the millage rate being requested.

Under Michigan law, townships are authorized to levy up to 1.77 mills for general operations. Additional operating millages require voter approval. The renewal of the 3.5-mill operating levy, combined with the state-authorized millage, provides the revenue necessary to support township operations and services.

Township expenditures include services such as:

• Police protection
• Fire and EMS services
• Road maintenance and improvements
• Transfer station operations
• Insurance, payroll taxes, and pension obligations
• General township administration

Like households and businesses throughout our community, the township continues to experience rising costs for fuel, utilities, equipment, maintenance, insurance, and other operational expenses. The Township Board remains committed to managing taxpayer funds responsibly and controlling costs whenever possible.

If approved, the renewal will allow the township to continue providing the services residents rely upon. If the renewal is not approved, the township would continue receiving revenue from the state-authorized millage; however, that funding alone would not be sufficient to maintain current service levels. Significant budget reductions and service adjustments would likely be necessary.

Residents are encouraged to review the ballot proposal carefully and participate in the election. Additional information, including township financial reports and budget information, is available from the township office or on the township website.

If you have questions regarding the millage renewal proposal, please contact any member of the Township Board. We will be happy to provide additional information.