Funding options up for discussion

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MARQUETTE - A possible millage request and the future of Marquette Township's "Ryan's Alley" are scheduled to be discussed Tuesday night's township board meeting.

The possible millage request would be to fund construction of the fire department portion of new township facilities planned along Ryan's Alley, which is an unofficial road that runs from Werner Street to just north of Fair Avenue.

In addition to the fire department facilities being considered, the project woul include township offices and the public works department, which could be funded through the sale of township assets.

"They (board members) will have to talk about if they want to possibly have a millage or if they want to find other ways to fund this," Township Manager Randy Girard said.

Through the sale of assets - such as a parcel of land directly across from the current township hall - Girard said the township will be able to fund the public works and township offices portion of the project. The fire department, he said, is on a different budget and doesn't have the ability to fund the project, hence the possibility of a millage.

In addition to discussing possible millage language, the board is also expected to discuss a planning commission request to make Ryan's Alley an official street in the township. Currently, it's a right-of-way only on paper.

"We would have to make it an official public right-of-way," Girard said. "There has been a request to officially name the street as well. It could be Ryan's Alley or Ryan's Street or something completely different."

The naming of the street is also important because of a development by Curran and Co. that will feature a 70-plus-unit apartment building with underground parking. The development will be along that alley.

"We're going to need an address," Girard said. "We just have to figure out what that address is going to be."

In other business, the board is expected to review a plat extension request for Bishop Woods No. 3.

The board's agenda also calls for a closed session regarding collective bargaining negotiations.