A Regular Meeting of the Dundee Township Board was held Tuesday October 14, 2025. Supervisor Lewis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All present recited The Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Present were Trustees: Alana Horkey, Ken Jaworski, Tim Miles, Gary Lazette, Supervisor Lewis, Clerk Ziesmer, Treasurer Hunt. Clerk Ziesmer did roll call.

• Trustee Miles moved to amend the agenda by eliminating the restriction on public comments to non-agenda items, allowing residents to speak on any topic for four minutes. He explained that given the large crowd present, he anticipated residents would like to speak about the data center, which was on the agenda. Trustee Lazette seconded. Motion carried
• Trustee Lazette moved to approve the regular meeting minutes held on September 23, 2025, and waive the reading of such.  Treasurer Ost seconded. Clerk Ziesmer abstained. Motion carried.
• Treasurer Ost presented the August 2025 treasurer's and motioned to approve the August 2025 treasurer's report as presented. Trustee Horkey seconded. Motion carried.
• Supervisor Lewis noted that the correspondence was lengthy and suggested not reading it aloud but making it available on the website the following day for anyone interested. Treasurer Ost moved to approve the correspondence without reading it aloud. Trustee Lazette seconded. Motion carried

CORRESPONDENCE: Planning Commission Meeting Minutes for September 17, 2025

PUBLIC COMMENT: Supervisor Lewis announced the public comment period, limited to four minutes per speaker. The meeting was briefly paused to allow for additional sign-ups.

• Sarah Smith expressed concerns that allowing the data center would support the "Agenda 2030 plan" including mandatory digital ID, digital currency, reduced farmland, food scarcity, and population reduction. She encouraged everyone to research what's happening in Europe and Asia and "vote wisely."
• Mary Glover stated her opposition to the data center project, indicating it does not align with the master plan or the mission statements of the village and township. She expressed concern about disturbing the rural integrity of Dundee's ecosystem and stated that the detriments outweigh the benefits both short and long-term.
• Andrew Anderson, a 25-year Raisinville Township resident, voiced strong opposition to the data center. He emphasized that while construction jobs would be temporary, the negative effects would be permanent. He questioned how many of the supposed 250 permanent jobs would actually go to locals and stated that the majority of residents oppose the project regardless of potential mitigations for water, electricity usage, or light pollution.
• Michaela Bogie addressed two issues. First, she discussed a logjam removal project she had been coordinating, explaining that Holcim had agreed to donate $5,000 but the funds had not been received due to administrative delays. Second, she expressed frustration about transparency issues regarding both the data center and a previous DTE carbon capture storage project. She urged the board to be more transparent by putting such matters on agendas when first learning about them, and expressed concerns about ordinances for these types of projects.
• Mary Hannah raised environmental justice concerns regarding the data center project, noting issues with the closed cooling loop system including potential noise from cooling fans, water vapor affecting road conditions, and chemical runoff into local waterways. She also expressed concern about wetlands on the property that would be destroyed.
• Tara McKenzie spoke in favor of a moratorium on the data center. She reported that the petition against the data center had grown to 1,621 signatures and that a Facebook community group called "Citizens Against the Dundee Data Center" had formed with 278 members. She mentioned that 100-yard signs opposing the data center had been ordered, with more on a waiting list. She criticized the board's handling of the informational meeting, where Cloverleaf did not take questions from the public as promised.
• Linda Fram echoed concerns about transparency and announced the formation of the Citizens Against the Dundee Data Center group. She called for technological improvements to township meetings, including microphones and online streaming/recording capabilities to increase accessibility and transparency.
• Rhonda Canis, a lifelong resident who grew up in the township and now lives there again, expressed disappointment that board members didn't ask questions at the Old Mill meeting. She challenged Trustee Miles' statement about visiting the Jerome data center, claiming that construction there had ceased and the facility wasn't operating. She reported that decibel levels at that site reached 84-96 decibels, well above the 70-decibel threshold that OSHA considers damaging.
• Rachel Ewing described the three years she and her husband have spent renovating their home in Dundee, investing thousands of hours and dollars to make it their "forever home" in a peaceful family town. She stated the data center would "steal that dream" from residents, and implored the board not to let corporations "sink their claws into the people and resources of Dundee."
• Kojo Quarterly, President of Monroe County Community College, spoke about the college's millage renewal on the November ballot. He emphasized it was not a new tax but a renewal to maintain the college, which ranks in the top 9% of community colleges nationwide and has an economic impact of $363 million annually on the region. He highlighted the college's nursing and respiratory therapy programs, which rank first in the state.
• Adrian Smallwood, a 16-year resident, expressed concern that the data center represents a "permanent and fundamental change to the fabric of our small community." She criticized Cloverleaf's presentation as "corporate salesmanship" that highlighted benefits while downplaying impacts. She questioned claims about water usage, citing the need for "millions upon millions of gallons" for the initial fill and ongoing use for humidification and environmental controls. She also raised concerns about energy promises, noise impacts, and tax abatements that would reduce potential revenue for the township.
• Derek Box argued that unlike Cabela's and the Dundee engine plant, which produce consumer products, a data center's purpose is to collect and sell data without providing an end product for local residents. He warned board members that approving the data center could cost them their seats in the next election.
• Karen Cook, a Summerfield Township resident who lives within five miles of the proposed site, opposed the project due to lack of information about environmental impacts, job numbers, noise levels, and other concerns. She suggested the township could generate more revenue by supporting institutions like Monroe County Community College than from Cloverleaf's promises.
• A resident from Dundee Boulevard expressed emotional concerns about living adjacent to the proposed data center site, stating that she and her neighbors would be unable to remain in their homes and would likely be bought out.

 

 

OFFICIAL REPORTS

 

LIBRARY:  No report at this time.

 

ASSESSING: No report at this time

 

BUILDING DEPARTMENT: A list of building permits from July 1 through the meeting date was available but not read aloud.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT: Treasurer Ost reported that in September, the fire department had 100 calls: 79 in the village, 19 in the township, and 2 mutual aid. She noted that the department would be conducting new truck inspections in the coming month.

 

TREASURER LISA HUNT: Treasurer Ost reported on the September 17 Planning Commission meeting, where members voted to recommend approval of the Salenbien site plan with conditions from the building inspector. She also reported that the Planning Commission had unanimously voted to adopt the proposed 2025 Dundee Township Master Plan after receiving no responses from local municipalities during the review period.

 

TRUSTEE GARY LAZETTE: Trustee Lazette stated he had not yet decided whether he was for or against the data center. He discussed potential benefits of increased revenue, including hiring full-time firefighters to address the fire department's staffing challenges, expanding the fire station, contracting with the sheriff's department for a full-time deputy, building a new township hall to replace the aging current building, constructing a new library and senior center, creating a township park, extending water service to new districts, and paving dirt roads in the township. He also addressed concerns about tax abatements, noting they were not guaranteed and would be limited to a maximum of 50% for 12 years.

 

CLERK KARLA ZIESMER: Clerk Ziesmer reported receiving many absentee ballots for the November 4 election.

 

SUPERVISOR LEWIS: Supervisor Lewis responded to several points raised during public comments. He explained that the data center proposal came to the township through the Monroe Business Alliance, and that the board was under nondisclosure agreements that prevented them from discussing it earlier. He stated they had consulted with their lawyer about the agreements and were advised to honor them to maintain good relationships, even though they hadn't signed anything formal. He also addressed the question about the River Raisin cleanup project, deferring to Trustee Miles.

Trustee Miles explained that the delay in receiving the $5,000 for the logjam project was due to missing minutes from a Raisinville meeting in August, which were needed to confirm their commitment. He stated he was working to obtain those minutes, which had not yet been posted beyond July 2025.

 

TRUSTEE TIM MILES: Trustee Miles thanked residents for attending and encouraged them to continue participating in township meetings after the data center issue is resolved. He promised to research and respond to claims about the Jerome data center on his Facebook group page.

 

TRUSTEE KEN JAWORSKI: Trustee Jaworski reported that the cemeteries were in good shape with fewer complaints than in previous years. He clarified that no board members owned property in the area of the proposed data center. He explained that the moratorium would give the township time to strengthen its legal position, noting that companies like Cloverleaf have significant resources for legal challenges. He cited examples of Saline and Howell facing lawsuits over similar issues. He urged younger citizens interested in local government to run for office in future elections.

 

TRUSTEE ALANA HORKEY: Trustee Horkey emphasized that the board was doing its due diligence and working to ensure all legal requirements were properly addressed. She mentioned that she had stayed after the previous meeting to speak with residents and had upcoming meetings scheduled with citizens to gather more information. She acknowledged the need for website improvements and assured residents that their concerns were being heard and taken seriously.

 

OLD BUSINESS: Supervisor Lewis explained that the township had entered into an agreement with the road commission for drainage work on Kent and Ray Road. The project was completed under budget, leaving approximately $11,000 remaining. The road commission proposed using these funds to complete additional drainage work. Trustee Jaworski moved to authorize using the remaining funds to finish the drainage work on Kent Road. Trustee Horkey seconded. Motion carried.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

• Supervisor Lewis presented the site plan for Salenbien to construct a new barn on Covalt Road. The Planning Commission had recommended approval, though there were pending approvals needed from the drain commission and other entities. Trustee Jaworski moved to approve the Salenbien site plan, subject to receiving approvals from the drain commission and other required entities. Clerk Ziesmer seconded. Motion carried.
• Trustee Miles read aloud the entire four-page draft resolution establishing a 90-day moratorium on data center projects. The resolution cited concerns about impacts on the township's master plan, land use compatibility, environmental effects, utility infrastructure, and property values. It directed the Planning Commission to develop appropriate zoning provisions and standards for data centers, including location criteria, mitigation of environmental impacts, setbacks, buffers, and facility decommissioning requirements. Treasurer Ost moved to approve Resolution 2025-4, establishing a moratorium on data centers. Trustee Lazette seconded. Roll call vote: Trustee Horkey (yes), Trustee Jaworski (yes), Trustee Miles (yes), Trustee Lazette (yes), Supervisor Lewis (yes), Treasurer Ost (yes), Clerk Ziesmer (yes). Motion carried unanimously.
  • Trustee Horkey moved to approve trick-or-treat hours from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Halloween night. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried. Trustee Lazette mentioned he would be sending a Code Red message about the trick-or-treat hours and Halloween bash. He encouraged residents to sign up for Code Red alerts on the township website and noted that the township was working on developing a new website with streaming capabilities and acquiring a microphone for meetings.
  • Trustee Horkey moved to approve the purchase of memory upgrades for the server at a cost of $555. Treasurer Ost seconded. Motion carried.
  • Supervisor Lewis noted that Data Center Land Use & Zoning Consideration was for information only. The township planner had provided information about procedures for changes to zoning and/or special land use. This information would be posted on the township website.

Additional board comments: Trustee Jaworski emphasized that the moratorium was intended to protect both taxpayers and the board from potential litigation by large companies with substantial resources for legal challenges. He cited examples of Saline and Howell facing lawsuits related to similar issues.

 

 

Treasurer Ost moved to pay bills in the amount of $68,166.63. Trustee Horkey seconded. Motion carried.

 

Trustee Jaworski motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:33 p.m. Treasurer Ost seconded. Motion carried.

 

The next meeting will be October 28, 2025, at 7:00PM. 

 

 

Attested:                                                                       Respectfully Submitted,

Roger Lewis                                                                  Karla Ziesmer

Dundee Township Supervisor                                       Dundee Township Clerk

 

___________________________                                                 __________________________