More controversy begins in Rock River Township after the appointment of a new planning commission member.

Olivia Kingery, owner of Pileated Farms in Rock River Township, was appointed to the position vacated by Renee McLaughlin on July 4. Kingery was part of a group of five applicants that applied to the planning commission last winter, of which McLaughlin was selected. According to Township Supervisor Teri Grout, the position was not reposted and the municipality used previous applications to fill the spot. The board approved Kingery unanimously.

But when Grout said Kingery was already attending a training seminar alongside four other planning commission members, audible groans and complaints rose from the audience quickly.

After short-term rentals were removed from RP 10 — the township’s largest, but most rural zone — the already-divided community focused on the planning commission. Currently the board is split 2-2. Chair Don Johnson and Jon Rondeau are pushing for less regulation, resulting in an immediate increase in personal property rights. Township Board Liaison Rowan Bunce and Tammy Shega are pushing for more regulatory mechanisms that increases local permitting requirements, but also help qualify for more state and federal funding sources. Rock River is in the middle of revamping the zoning ordinance and will need to handle a recreation plan immediately after, so tipping the planning commission one way or the other will have major ramifications on how the township operates.

While no comments directly challenged Kingery as a qualified candidate, some advocated for former planning commission member Ron LeJeune to be renamed to the board. LeJeune was also in that group of candidates, but Grout stated that LeJeune missing four consecutive meetings of the 12 scheduled during his term was enough to put other candidates in front of him.

Grout was openly challenged about predetermining who would represent the township in various roles. She said that it was “the prerogative of the supervisor to appoint” planning commission members. According to Michigan Planning Enabling Act of 2008 (MCL 125.3815), “in a municipality, the chief elected official shall appoint members of the planning commission, subject to approval by a majority vote of the members of the legislative body elected and serving.”

Mark Maki was hired as the new zoning administrator for the township. Township Trustee Trevor Case served as the interim zoning administrator, alienating many in the community since he was the person leading the charge against short-term rentals in RP-10.

Members of the public also cited township policy preventing members of the township board or planning commission from serving in that role. When hired last fall after the resignation of the previous zoning administrator, the township declared Case the interim zoning administrator. According to the Michigan Township Association (MTA) Handbook for Municipal Officials, interim positions are considered consultants and would fall under different labor protocols, including how the consultant is hired, how the interim position ends and what rules and regulations apply when an “interim” designation is made in hiring.

Maki was the only applicant for the position.

A zoning complaint was made against Case alleging that the township trustee was operating an illegal short-term rental and it was clarified at the meeting that Maki will handle the investigation. Rock River Township resident Jim Rondeau, who brought the complaint forward, had to ask during the meeting to clarify that procedure. Rondeau handed out copies of the complaint to people at the June meeting of the Rock River Township Board and it was posted in various Facebook groups. The complaint provided no evidence that a short-term rental at Case’s property exists from common booking sites like VRBO or Airbnb. The only evidence provided was a Facebook post from Case offering a trailer for volunteer workers to assist at his farm after recovering from an emergency neck surgery.

A different complaint was brought forward by LeJuene regarding a potential conflict of interest and concern about the meeting minutes. LeJeune provided the board and The Munising Beacon with an audio timeline of the September township board meeting, in which all township employees received a raise. The part in question is whether or not Case recused himself for approving his partner Maria Strand to be hired as township clerk. LeJeune’s recording said that the vote was unanimous with Case approving it. The meeting minutes said that Strand was approved 4-0 with Case recusing himself.