A Regular Meeting of the Dundee Township Board was held Tuesday October 28, 2025. Supervisor Lewis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All present recited The Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Present were Trustees: Ken Jaworski, Tim Miles, Gary Lazette, Supervisor Roger Lewis, Clerk Karla Ziesmer, and Treasurer Lisa Ost. Clerk Ziesmer did roll call. Trustee Alana Horkey was excused.

 

• Trustee Lazette moved to revise the agenda to place public comment after new business, followed by additional board comments, followed by the motion to pay the bills and motion to adjourn. Trustee Miles seconded. After clarification that this would move the "public comment on agenda items" section to follow the data center discussion/ordinance item, the motion carried.
• Clerk Ziesmer noted a correction to the agenda, stating that the October 17th special meeting minutes should actually read "September 17th" special meeting minutes.
• Trustee Jaworski moved to approve the special meeting minutes held on October 8, 2025, and waive the reading of such. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried.
• Clerk Ziesmer moved to approve the special meeting minutes held on September 17, 2025, and waive the reading of such. Trustee Lazette seconded. Motion carried.
• Trustee Jaworski moved to approve the regular meeting minutes held on October 14, 2025, and waive the reading of such. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried.
• Trustee Jaworski moved to approve the September 2025 Treasurer's report. Trustee Lazette seconded. Motion carried.

CORRESPONDENCE: Supervisor Lewis presented correspondence from the Zoning Board meeting minutes for October 20, 2025. Treasurer Ost provided an overview of the minutes, explaining that they pertained to a variance request for someone to erect an accessory building (barn) on their property to store a water truck and various personal items for a water business. The ordinance allows accessory buildings to be a maximum of 1.5 times the house square footage, and a variance was required for the new structure. The Zoning Board approved the request.

Trustee Jaworski moved to approve the Zoning Board meeting minutes. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried.

                                   

PUBLIC COMMENT:

• Nancy VanDevelde proposed prohibiting nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) for the Township. She defined NDAs as verbal, written, or implied contracts where parties agree not to disclose shared information. She argued that township citizens believe residents have the right to know what their government is doing, and NDAs related to public business can hide information that should belong to the people. She presented draft documents for both a resolution and an ordinance that would ban NDAs of any kind related to township business, prevent secret deals with developers or corporations, and protect public rights under Michigan Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act. She suggested limited exceptions for legally confidential matters would be allowed if approved by majority vote at a public meeting and reviewed by the Township Attorney.

 

• Patty O'Brien emphasized the importance of transparency, noting that some board members haven't been fully informed of everything happening. She reminded the board that they asked for their positions and convinced people they could be trusted to act with integrity and transparency. She called on the board to be open about what's happening and to consider residents' opinions, especially regarding the data center.

 

• Rhonda Cannis addressed comments made by Trustee Miles on social media regarding her previous public comment about Jerome Township, Ohio data centers. She clarified she did not call him ignorant or dishonest and explained she was nervous as a first-time public speaker. She noted that when she contacted Jerome Township officials, communication abruptly stopped before she could confirm Trustee Miles' claims about data centers being fully operational there. She reiterated her challenge for board members to research and contact other governing bodies, prioritizing community welfare over financial benefits.

 

• Richard Siegel stated that Trustee Miles had told him at a previous meeting that his family didn't raise him right, that he doesn't have manners, and that the town doesn't need people like him in it. He claimed this was defamation of character and said he wanted to speak to the township's lawyers.

 

• Micaela Bogi raised concerns about the Township Master Plan, noting that while the Planning Commission approved it on September 17 and the board approved those minutes on October 14, the public could not access the new plan. She stated that at 11:23 AM that day, only the 2012 master plan was available on the website, but by 6:02 PM, it had been replaced with the new plan dated October 28. She expressed concern that residents couldn't review the plan before it was approved.

 

• Linda Graham also addressed the master plan issue, noting that two weeks earlier the board had indicated it would be posted the next day. She questioned the transparency of the process, noting missing meeting minutes and limited public involvement. She called for a Freedom of Information Act request regarding planning committee and zoning board communications and expressed disappointment that planning commission members weren't attending township board meetings to hear public concerns.

OFFICIAL REPORTS

 

LIBRARY:  No report at this time.

 

ASSESSING: Supervisor Lewis reported that the Assessing Department was working with the village DDA to resolve issues with DDA properties.

 

BUILDING DEPARTMENT: No report at this time

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT: The Fire Chief had inspected one of the new trucks in development, and it looked great.

TREASURER LISA OST: Work is progressing on winter tax preparation, with a deadline of November 12 to get them to the printer for distribution in early December. Treasurer Ost also addressed the master plan concerns, explaining that Planning Commission discussions and public hearings for the master plan had been ongoing for over a year. On September 17, the Planning Commission approved the plan after it had been sent to all surrounding municipalities three months prior. She offered to provide a timeline of the process.

TRUSTEE GARY LAZETTE: Reported that the librarian had detected natural gas at the library's east side entrance. He contacted Michigan Gas, which initially had the wrong address for the library. A technician verified a gas leak on the street side of the meter, made repairs, and confirmed everything was safe. He noted the gas company had been sending bills to the wrong address for some time, though the township had been receiving and paying them.

CLERK KARLA ZIESMER: Reminded everyone that the election for Monroe County Community College would be held the following Tuesday November 4, 2025 at the Dundee Fire Department. The township had mailed 1,400 absentee ballots and received 640 back so far.

SUPERVISOR ROGER LEWIS: Supervisor Lewis read a letter dated March 7, 2025, that he had received from TC Clemons requesting him to sign a letter confirming that a parcel in the township was zoned light industrial and would be appropriate for a potential data center. Lewis acknowledged signing the letter without board approval because he was told it was confidential. He apologized for the mistake and stated he was trying to be transparent.

TRUSTEE TIM MILES: Trustee Miles reported that after being sworn in, he had started a Facebook group for Dundee residents to facilitate communication. He had temporarily paused the group to ensure compliance with the township's social media ordinance and would resume it after a full review.

TRUSTEE KEN JAWORSKI: Trustee Jaworski addressed an article in "The Dundee Watchdog" by "Grace O'Malley" (a pseudonym), denying claims that he had made fun of a speaker at a previous meeting or violated open meeting act rules.

TRUSTEE ALANA HORKEY: Excused absence

 

OLD BUSINESS: None at this time.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

• Trustee Jaworski expressed concerns about audit issues on pages 56-61 that needed to be addressed, noting similar problems had persisted for 4-5 years. Treasurer Ost responded with detailed explanations of the audit findings:

1. Financial statement preparation - This is common for small municipalities where auditors prepare financial statements and footnotes.
2. Audit adjustments - Also common when auditors prepare end-of-year journal entries, particularly with recent turnover in the clerk's office.
3. Bank account reconciliation - While bank accounts are reconciled monthly, balancing with the general ledger has been challenging due to the system not being used to its full capacity previously.
4. Budgeting statutes - Issues pertained to millage and water debt funds, particularly the 2012 fire millage that no longer receives tax revenue.

She also reported positive financial results, including increases in fund balances: General Fund (+$391,568), 2022 Fire Millage (+$407,092), and Roads (+$488,797), with only the expired 2012 Fire Millage showing a decrease (-$247,005). Trustee Jaworski moved to accept the 2025 audit. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried.

• Treasurer Ost proposed creating an informational-only Township Facebook page similar to Milan Township's, where the township could post upcoming meetings, cancellations, and videos to improve information accessibility. Comments would be disabled to ensure questions come directly to board meetings. The page would be maintained by the Treasurer's and Clerk's offices. Treasurer Ost moved to create a Dundee Township informational Facebook page. Trustee Jaworski seconded. Motion passed with Trustee Miles voting against.
• Supervisor Lewis explained that a contract had been presented for murals on the library, but the board was not satisfied with its terms. He noted it was a lengthy contract that made the township responsible for the murals and payment, with various other requirements. Supervisor Lewis moved to table the library mural discussion until a new contract is presented. Trustee Jaworski seconded. Motion carried.
• Treasurer Ost explained that typically ordinances originate with the Planning Commission before coming to the board for review. To expedite the process regarding data centers, she proposed having board members compile their requirements for a data center ordinance at the next meeting to provide direction to the Planning Commission. Treasurer Ost moved to place the ordinance discussion under old business at the next meeting and request board members bring their information to begin working on requirements. Trustee Jaworski seconded. Motion carried.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT:

• Donna Adams presented research about data centers being a potential public health threat, citing a Daily Mail article and studies from Harvard University and Caltech. She noted that data centers consume city-scale power levels and release harmful pollutants from diesel generators, with researchers estimating 1,300 premature deaths annually linked to toxic fumes. She mentioned Michigan currently has 57 data centers, with plans for many more nationwide.

 

• Chris Bird questioned what advantages data centers would bring to Dundee, arguing that a new senior center or library might be nice but not necessary, and would take years to materialize. She advocated for extending the moratorium beyond 90 days and putting the issue on the ballot. She cited a Columbus Dispatch article reporting that Jerome Township, Ohio had paused data center construction due to noise concerns, excessive emergency calls, and disputes over emergency access. She also referenced a Bloomberg study showing electricity costs increased up to 267% near data centers.

 

• Emily Begle supported the Township's Facebook page initiative and drew parallels between Trustee Miles pausing his personal Facebook group and the need to gather complete information before making decisions about the data center. She expressed concern about residents losing sleep over the issue and emphasized that community members consistently oppose the project. She noted that data centers cause noise and air pollution, and that Amazon had recently been caught concealing water usage information.

 

• Tara McKenzie, a 27-year resident, announced that "No Data Center" signs were available after the meeting. She reported that all 150 signs from three separate orders had sold out, and the Facebook group "Citizens Against a Dundee Data Center" had reached 458 members, with an online petition gathering 1,718 signatures. She questioned what actions the board had taken since the last meeting, asking if they had secured assurances from DTE regarding electricity costs or requested environmental studies on water usage and contamination risks.

 

• Richard Siegel reiterated his concerns about Trustee Miles alleged defamatory comments and announced his recent marriage to Hailey Elizabeth Eby, now Hailey Siegel.

 

• Joseph Ashley questioned why property near Dundee Boulevard was rezoned to industrial in 2020 without notification to nearby residents. He cited the township's master plan, which states residents desire to protect rural character and small-town atmosphere while recognizing that improved services may threaten that character. He noted that the master plan should have been updated every five years but hadn't been properly maintained. He pointed out that a 300-foot agricultural buffer zone was created around the industrial zone, which meant citizens didn't need to be notified of the zoning change. He emphasized that residents overwhelmingly oppose the data center.

 

• Ken, a village resident, spoke from a Native American perspective, imploring the board to consider the environment and people, and to be more honorable than governments his people had experienced in the past.

 

• Howard Cilly, a village council member, noted that the village had unanimously voted against the data center. He urged the township to listen to residents' concerns and not sacrifice their quality of life for temporary construction jobs. He emphasized that data centers would require significant water and electricity resources that would impact the community long-term.

 

• Kaylee Siegel criticized Cloverleaf for pressuring Supervisor Lewis to sign something without fully understanding it. She proposed creating a law requiring ongoing community investment from businesses rather than banning data centers outright, suggesting that any company locating in Dundee should provide continuous funding for schools, infrastructure, water lines, roads, and other community improvements.

 

• Michael Evans from Cloverleaf Infrastructure attempted to provide updates about publishing Q&A information from their town hall meeting and creating a project Facebook page, but was interrupted by multiple residents claiming he was violating the township's moratorium. Supervisor Lewis said he would consult with the township attorney about whether Evans' activities violated the moratorium.

 

• Michelle Budinski from Milan Township expressed concern about Cloverleaf's inconsistent statements regarding water usage. She worried about noise pollution affecting her bike rides on Day Road and the impact on local wildlife.

 

• Adrian Smallwood expressed shock at Supervisor Lewis's disclosure about signing the March 2025 letter supporting a data center site and called for his resignation. He felt the supervisor had put fellow board members in a bad position and asked Cloverleaf to respect the community's wishes.

 

• Linda Graham clarified that the 90-day moratorium only allows time to develop ordinances that would apply to data centers but doesn't reject them outright. She noted that most communities that successfully prevent data centers create barriers through strict requirements and suggested the township would need to extend the moratorium. She asked the board whether they would vote with citizens or for promised financial benefits.

 

• Martha Smith asked if the board could simply vote against the data center rather than implementing a moratorium.

 

• Micaela Bogi questioned why Dundee was being portrayed as a struggling town needing outside business investment. She noted that the land in question is already zoned industrial and owned by an investment firm that will develop it for some purpose regardless of the data center outcome. She urged residents to stay involved with planning and zoning processes, to be respectful in their advocacy, and to remember that Dundee is defined by its people.

 

• Nancy questioned why murals would be placed on the library, describing the brick building as beautiful, modern, and not in need of covering.

 

Additional board comments:

• Trustee Lazette announced the board was getting quotes on a sound system and streaming capability for meetings. He noted the moratorium was set at 90 days but anticipated extending it if necessary. He emphasized that board members were working to obtain information and research to address all concerns, reminding attendees that board members were residents too and not enemies of the community.
• Trustee Miles responded to the question about potential data center revenue, explaining it was too early to know exact figures as negotiations hadn't occurred. He mentioned that Saline, which had decided to proceed with a data center, was receiving $14 million in addition to tax benefits, though he couldn't speak to whether it was a good deal or not.
• Supervisor Lewis clarified that the letter he read earlier was from TC Clemons of Monroe County Business Development, not from Cloverleaf. He noted he didn't know who Cloverleaf was at the time. He acknowledged his mistake and apologized to the community.

 

 

 

Trustee Jaworski moved to pay bills in the amount of $80,390.00. Trustee Miles seconded. Motion carried.

 

Trustee Jaworski motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 p.m. Treasurer Ost seconded. Motion carried.

 

The next meeting will be November 11, 2025, at 7:00PM. 

 

 

Attested:                                                                       Respectfully Submitted,

Roger Lewis                                                                  Karla Ziesmer

Dundee Township Supervisor                                       Dundee Township Clerk

 

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