NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e Sp
FEBRUARY 28, 2024 candgnews.com
Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers
Amanda Klein, of United Way, speaks at a town hall in Mount Clemens on Feb. 8 about how a proposed water affordability program would affect Michigan residents. Photo by Dean Vaglia
Nature photographer Dennis LaVergne recently took this photo of two American bald eagles nesting in Shelby Township’s Holland Ponds Park. Photo provided by Elizabeth Schultz
MACOMB OFFICIALS, RESIDENTS SPEAK ON WATER PROGRAM BILLS BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — As a series of bills that could make water more affordable for Michiganders works its ways though the halls of Lansing, supporters and detractors are taking their cases to the people. In Mount Clemens on the evening of Feb. 8, a town hall was convened at the Mount Clemens Public Library to discuss the bills that would create a statewide water affordability fund and program, as well as the effects the bills could have on the city’s people. While the Mount Clemens City Commission unanimously passed a resolution against the bills on Jan. 3 at the urging of Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller, it was City Commissioner Spencer Calhoun who arranged the meeting. “At the time (of the vote), I thought we had all of the information,” Calhoun said to open the town hall. “As I talked
Bald eagles seen at Holland Ponds Park nesting area EXPERTS UNSURE IF THEY ARE THE SAME PAIR SEEN LAST YEAR
to other folks, I learned there’s a lot to this legislation. It’s a much bigger picture, something that affects many people … and so I thought it would be appropriate to get people in the room who know a lot more about this to talk about it, share with the community, hear some feedback and ask any questions that we have.” Calhoun went on to moderate the meeting, introducing five supporters of the bills who walked through them and how they would affect residents. The bills (SB 25, 549-554 and HB 5088-5093) would establish a statewide affordability program through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services so low-income Michiganders would only pay up to 3% of household income on water bills. The program would be open to residents earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level, divided into two tiers split at 135% of the federal poverty level. The program would be funded by a $2 monthly charge on all real water customers
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Local nature photographers have recently spotted two American bald eagles nesting in Shelby Township’s Holland Ponds Park with possible eggs in the nest again. Last year, the bald eagle nest was reported to the township by a local photographer on March 9, but township officials have seen photos from other photographers taken as early as March 5. This year, they have already been spotted. Elizabeth Schultz, a nature center coordinator at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, said a few pictures from photographer Dennis LaVergne
See WATER on page 9A
See EAGLES on page 11A
BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com