The Shelby Village Council faced a lengthy agenda at its Monday, June 9 meeting. Besides the renewal of the village’s annual tax millage rate, grant approvals and village water-related resolutions were the main topics of discussion and consideration for the night. The following is a recap of their proceedings.
Mark Timmer of the Oceana County Road Commission (OCRC) presented the council with their shared “Impress Award” on behalf of the County Road Association (CRA) of Michigan. The award presented to Timmer for the OCRC at the CRA annual meeting was for their “...collaboration with Shelby Schools, the Village of Shelby and the Michigan DOT (Department of Transportation) to resolve a school zone issue and produce new signage and flashers for four schools in one zone.”
This collaboration became necessary with the addition of the new Shelby Elementary School on the north side of the village. The distance between school buildings created unique challenges as all entities worked together for acceptable and safe signage. “According to Timmer, the Village of Shelby has the longest, or one of the longest school zones in the state,” Village Administrator Phil Morse said. “We have three school buildings (formerly four) that are spread out over a 0.6 mile stretch.”
Prior to approval, council held a required public hearing to discuss the village’s estimated millage rate for the 2025 tax collection year. By holding the hearing and approving the resolution, the village is able to utilize the Headlee Rollback provision. “All local millage tax rates are rolled back, per the Headlee amendment, so the growth in property tax revenue, community-wide, is no more than the rate of inflation,” Village Clerk Crystal Budde’s memo to council stated.
Based on what the Oceana County Equalization Department has prepared, the proposed millage rate can be levied on property starting July 1, 2025, in accordance with the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act, PA 2 of 198, on the assessed value of all real and personal property within the village as follows: General Operations - 10.1900; Local Street - 4.0758 for a total of 14.2658. The current millage reduction fraction is 0.9930.
The council next considered and gave approval for exploring a possible 425 agreement with Steve Dykstra, of Dykstra Real Estate. Dykstra, formerly of Grand Rapids and now a resident at Little Sable Pointe, is in the early stages of planning a possible housing development north of the village and was gauging the council’s level of support.
Dykstra would like to develop a 100-acre parcel located east of 72nd Avenue and north of Buchanan Road, near the new Shelby Township Park. The property would be available for buyers who wish to build their own homes. Dykstra believes the property could accommodate approximately 80, 1200-2000 square-foot homes on one-half to one-acre lots. In his proposal he was inquiring about the possibility of the village providing water and potentially sewer services to a parcel he has purchased in Shelby Township. Because the land is not contiguous, it is not eligible for annexation with the village. However, a 425 Agreement with the township would be an alternative.
“A 425 functions similarly to annexation in terms of service provision (i.e. police protection, road maintenance, etc.),” Morse’s memo to council outlined. “Taxes would be shared; the township would continue to receive standard property taxes, while the village would receive tax revenue from any buildings or developments constructed on the property.
“The difference between annexation and a 425 agreement is both the township and the village would need to mutually consent to the agreement. Shelby Township has already voted in favor of supporting the concept of entering into a 425 agreement with the village,” Morse’s memo continued. When it came time to vote on finding out more, council member Dan Zaverl cast the lone no vote.
