Sylvan Township to offer hot spot in township hall parking lot

By Lisa Carolin

Sylvan Township will soon be able to offer more simultaneous users access to a hot spot in its township hall parking lot.

At the Sylvan Township Board meeting via Zoom Jan. 5, board members unanimously approved a free hot spot offered by Washtenaw County that will be able to handle 60 users at a time and cover wireless access for between 400-600 feet, a larger area and ability to handle users than its current hot spot.

The township will cover the cost of installation and first year of service for the new hot spot, costs the county will reimburse at the time of its completion. Although the county will pay for the equipment, it will be up to Sylvan Township to pay a monthly service fee. For now, the township will connect it to its own internet until officials determine how well that performs.

Sylvan Township Citizen of the Year for 2020 was announced at the meeting. Dave Reinhardt, who works for the Sylvan Township Water and Sewer Authority, received the honor, which he gratefully accepted.

The construction of a pole barn on township property near the lift station was approved for the Sylvan Township Water and Sewer Authority by the township board to be paid for with STWSA funds. The pole barn will house a 10,000 gallon tank to accommodate the new corrosion and odor control system.

Appointments were approved that include board member Sandie Schulze filling a vacancy on the Sylvan Township Planning Commission; Steve Kiss reappointed to his position on the Zoning Board of Appeals; David Brooks as representative to the Chelsea Area Planning Team/Dexter Area Regional Team (CAPT/DART) and Rod Branham as the alternate.

Also approved were 2021 schedule for the Sylvan Planning Commission and the Sylvan Township Zoning Board of Appeals.