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2010 GLA Events Photos
- Paddle Boat Regatta
- Boat Parade
A hail storm ripped through our lake community on Monday, April 5th, 2010.
The Lakes Area Sewer Authority System Update including contruction map and road closings.
Gravel Lake Sewer installation on Lewis Beach
2009 Gravel Lake Walleye Stocking
Gravel Lake Association Google Group
GLA Video Archive
Wrightman Staking Letter - 7/28/09
The Latest Gravel Lake Association News including Sewer Update, Weed Treatment and Fish Stocking
The Gravel Laker Newsletter - Summer 2010
THANKS to all of the GLA members. See a list of paid members.
Links and Reference
  Info concerning
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safety, sewers,
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History Committee Update

LAKES AREA SEWER AUTHORITY(LASA) UPDATE - July 28, 2010

Construction of the wastewater collection system around the lakes is scheduled to begin the week of April 12, 2010 and will continue to completion. Prior to the scheduled start date there will be some movement of equipment and supplies. De-watering crews will begin to reactivate wells that were drilled last fall and a road grinding crew will be pulverizing the blacktop roads were sewer pipe still needs to be buried in the ground. A representative from Wightman and Associates, our engineers, will be around in the next few of weeks to distribute and mark stakes for location of individual sewer leads. It is anticipated that the first construction work will be to complete the collection system around Gravel Lake. As more crews become available work will extend to Saddle Bag Lake then Big Fish Lake.

Completion of work on the lift and grinder stations should also begin at this time along with the installation of forced main from the Lakes Area to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Start up of the Treatment Plant is anticipated to be around July 15, 2010. Upon completion of construction and testing at the wastewater processing facility, property owners in the sewer assessment district will receive a notice to hook up.

Please watch the Big Fish Lake and Gravel Lake web sites along with the Wightman and Associates site for latest construction information and road closings.

Gerald Melko
Chairman, Lakes Area Sewer Authority


Lakes Area Sewer Authority Meeting Schedule

April 26, 2010 7 p.m. Porter Township Hall
88040 M-40 Highway
Lawton, Michigan
May 24, 2010 7 p.m. Porter Township Hall
88040 M-40 Highway
Lawton, Michigan
June 28, 2010 7 p.m. Porter Township Hall
88040 M-40 Highway
Lawton, Michigan
July 26, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
( *** NEW LOCATION *** ) 53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
August 23, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
September 27, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
October 25, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
November 22, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
December 20, 2010 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan
January 24, 2011 7 p.m. LASA Wastewater Treatment Plant
53550 Hemlock Lake Road
Marcellus, Michigan

SPECIAL MEETINGS SCHEDULED AS NECESSARY AND ARE POSTED AT LEAST 18 HOURS PRIOR TO MEETING TIME.

IMPORTANT LINKS:


The following links are for two programs aimed at helping low income households with the special assessments.

  • USDA-Rural Development offers low interest loans and/or grants to qualifying applicants.

    Program Description
    For more information, 269-657-7055, ext 4 (Paw Paw Branch)


  • The Michigan Legislature provides a mechanism to defer the special assessment in the form of a lean against the subject property. Then the lean will be paid off either when the house is sold or the estate is settled after a death.

    Program Description

    Program Application


Report from Chairman, Gerald Melko

  • Plans for the sewage collection system were completed in February and the engineering firm of Wightman & Associates continued to work on the plan for the waste water treatment plant. Bond anticipation notes for $660,000 were sold with an interest cost of only 1.9% to cover expenses until the final bond sale and closing which would be later in the summer.

  • In March a meeting was held with the Township Treasurers from Marcellus, Volinia and Porter Townships along with the LASA Treasurer and the Township Assessors to discuss collection and tracking of special assessments for the sewer district. The first draft of the Sewer Ordinance was completed and reviewed.

  • The completed Sewer Ordinance, a thirty seven page document, was adopted by the LASA Board in April and passed on to the townships for their approval and adoption. A review of the waste water treatment plant main building with control rooms, filtering area, laboratory and office space was approved.

  • May saw the finalization of wording on the agreement with the Village of Marcellus for the purchase of land at their Sewage Lagoon Area for the LASA waste water treatment plant. On May 30, 2009 a pre–construction meeting was held at the Marcellus Elementary school for property owners and residents in the Special Assessment District. Information was presented on project status and timeline. Construction coordination issues were address such as road access, sewer main and lift station locations, sewer lead locations, sewer connection and area restoration after project completion. A status presentation was also made to the Big Fish Lake Property Owners association at their May meeting.

  • Freedom of Information Act policies and procedures were presented to the LASA Board in June and adopted by the Authority. Request for construction bids were posted in the Kalamazoo newspaper and on the Wightman & Associates web site along with direct mail to prospective bidders. Design plans were completed and made available for contractor’s examination. Presentations were made to the Finch and Gravel Lake Associations.

  • Bidding on the construction contracts continued throughout the month of July. All property easements were received and reviewed by the proper agencies. Rural Community Action Agency (RCAP) conducted an inspection of each Township town hall to be sure they comply with Federal standards (a requirement of USDA funding and grants). A house lead location letter was sent to each Lake Association for posting on web sites or general distribution. A project status report was made to the Big Fish Lake POA at their mid summer meeting. On July 30, 2009 a bid opening was held during a special meeting of the Cass County Board of Public Works.

  • Project status reports were presented to the Gravel and Big Fish Lake Associations at their August meetings. Contracts for the gravity collection system were awarded to Kamphuis Pipeline Co. of Grand Rapids, Michigan for $2,798,345.00. Balkema Excavating Inc. of Kalamazoo, Michigan received the contract for the lift stations and force main lines for a bid of $1,778,170.00. The waste water treatment plant will be built by Davis Construction of Grand Rapids, Michigan at a cost of $4,064,342.00. After all necessary resolutions were passed by the Townships of Marcellus, Porter and Volinia, The Village of Marcellus, the Lakes Area Sewer Authority, the Cass County Board of Public Works and the Cass County Board of Commissioners, USDA Rural Development released the loan and grants monies totaling $10,833,000 on August 25, 2009. Now construction can begin.

  • A pre-construction meeting was held September 2, 2009 for all involved contractors, suppliers, utilities, and drain and road commissions. Movement of supplies and equipment will begin immediately. Construction at the plant site and in the lakes area will start September 14, 2009. First areas of construction will be at lift station #12 at the east end of Finch Lake and lift station #1 in the south east corner of Gravel Lake. Please check the Wightman & Associates web site at www.wightman-assoc.com LASA project for latest construction updates.

  • Although some construction may already be under way, a ground breaking ceremony is planned for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 19, 2009 at the Porter Township Hall (Van Buren County) located at 88040 M-40, Lawton, Michigan

Gerald Melko - email

Chairman, Lakes Area Sewer Authority

September 3, 2009


The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)

Frequently Asked Questions - TOP

Q: A sanitary sewer line is going past my home. Can the local unit of government require me to hook up to the sanitary sewer?

A: Yes, a city, village, or township may require a home owner to connect to an available public sanitary sewer if the sewer passes not more than 200 feet from the home. Public sanitary sewer systems are essential to the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the state. Septic tank disposal systems are subject to failure due to soil conditions or other reasons. Failure and even potential failure of septic tank systems present a threat to public health and to the quality of waters of the state. Therefore, local units of government have the authority to require a homeowner to connect to the sanitary sewer at the earliest, reasonable date. The state law that enables to the local unit of government is Section 333.12753 of the Public Health Code, 1978 PA 368, as amended. Local units of government most commonly embody this requirement within their local ordinances. Homeowners that want to resolve concerns related to the connection should work with their local unit of government. General questions can also be directed to the State of Michigan’s Environmental Assistance Center at 1-800-662-9278.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability, or political beliefs.

Questions or concerns should be directed to the MDEQ Office of Human Resources, PO Box 30473, Lansing, MI 48909.

The authority is comprised of representatives from Marcellus, Porter, and Volinia Townships. From Gravel Lake, we have Harry Laski and Chris Oxley (Porter Township Trustee) involved. The rest of the authority includes, Gerry Melko - Chairman, John Grib - Secretary (Marcellus Township Supervisor), Paul Boshoven, Nate Bitely (Porter Township Supervisor), and Wendy Elsey (Volinia Township Supervisor). This authority is responsible for the progress and organization of our sewer project.

The authority has been meeting since July, 2007. The following is a list of their meeting minutes in PDF Format.

The Lakes Area Sewer Authority - Meeting Minutes - TOP

2010 June 28, 2010
  May 24, 2010
  April 26, 2010
  March 22, 2010
  February 22, 2010
January 21, 2010

2009 December 21, 2009
November 23, 2009
October 26, 2009
September 28, 2009
August 24, 2009
July 27, 2009
June 22, 2009
May 18, 2009
April 27, 2009
March 23, 2009
February 23, 2009
January 26, 2009

2008 December 1, 2008
November 27, 2008
September 22, 2008
August 25, 2008
July 28, 2008
June 23, 2008
May 19, 2008
Special Meeting—May 14, 2008
April 28, 2008
March 24, 2008
February 25, 2008
January 21, 2008

2007 November 26, 2007
October 22, 2007
September 17, 2007
2nd Organizational Meeting August 20, 2007
1st Organizational Meeting July 25, 2007

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