Hagar Township is formally seeking relief from Berrien County on costs associated with drain projects that township leaders believe were unnecessarily expensive, leading to large assessments for residents and the township itself.
We reported this week that Township Supervisor Izzy DiMaggio became concerned after learning details about drain commission projects in the Perry & Beach Drain and the Koranda Drain. He says the former drain commissioner borrowed more than was needed for the projects and at unnecessarily high interest rates. The Hagar Township Board has now sent a letter to county commissioners seeking three things.
“We want an immediate pause on any new charges, any interest charges on the two drains in question,” DiMaggio said. “Again, a 7% interest charge to one of our drains.”
DiMaggio says the township also wants those loans refinanced at 0% interest based off the county revolving fund. Thirdly, they want someone to take at look at the drain commissioner’s office itself.
“We ask for a forensic audit of the Bering County Drain Commissioner’s Office from January 1, 2016 to the present. We think that’s important. We ask for that before the drain commissioner left. As soon as the drain commissioner left, before the new drain commissioner’s office, we asked for that to no avail.”
Finally, the township is seeking a formal accounting of all drain-related expenses it’s faced.
DiMaggio stresses none of his complaints are about current Drain Commissioner George McManus, who he says has been extremely helpful since taking office. He added there ought to be something the county can do to help the township in this situation.
“The previous training commissioner ran up all these charges against us. However, there should have been oversight, and we mentioned this to the county board of commissioners several times, especially when we couldn’t get any information, even with the FOIA request. We couldn’t get information for the county board of commissioners. So they’ve got some liability in this.”
The township board’s letter to the county commission seeks a response by February 27.
“I’m hoping we don’t have to go further, but let’s just make sure everybody understands we’re willing to go to the mat. The township will do whatever it takes to protect our citizens in regard to these charges, which are certainly very questionable at the least.”
The full letter is below:
