Keeler Township Supervisor Don Blackmond called the May 5, 2026, board meeting to order at 7 p.m. All members were in attendance.

The board was presented with road work projects for 2026 as follows:

Project 459-3800 for bike route includes the signs, straight arrows, posts and twelve hours of labor; the Van Buren County Road Commission (VBCRC) quoted $2,127.36. The board adopted the resolution and the project was approved.

Project 497-3875 for the township has a bid for three thousand pounds of contract gravel to be delivered and spread for $42,720. The project was approved.

The final project is Project 497-3888. Keeler Township officials previously approved trap rock and chip seal along with fog seal on 80th Avenue, 84th Avenue and 1st and 2nd streets. The VBCRC recommended that the roads be de-bermed prior to roadwork to improve water removal from the roads and help to extend the life of those roads. The quote for de-berming is $4,500 a mile bringing the total for the project Ro $20,385. The board gave approval for this project, as well.

Keeler receives funds for road work from road and county millage and was allotted $255,952 from those funds to go towards road work for the year.

Hallway cameras were a topic for safety reasons; a budget of no more than $1,000 for placement and set up for an additional camera to cover the supervisor and assessor’s hallway was approved.

Rick Boze from the Van Buren Road Commission reported that tree work on CR352 has been completed and the removal of the trees that have been cut down will be done. Crews are fixing potholes and also doing ditch work.

Rodney Pletz from the Corridor Improvement Authority went over the 2025 fiscal yearend report. The authority is looking into securing a DNR Passport grant to install a playground at the park.

Treasurer Sharon Clupper reported a beginning balance of $179,538.90; there were deposits of $121,907.64 and $49.40 in interest, for the reporting period. Bills paid amounted to $41,100.91, leaving an ending balance of $260,395.03. Michigan Class Investments’ balance remains at $315,904.83 due to the new statement not being available prior to the board meeting.

Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department provided their statistics for the month of April. There were forty-five traffic stops, five domestic, four theft, three alarms, three juvenile problems, three property damage, three welfare checks, two EMS calls, two flee, two fraud, two general assists, two probation violations, one public peace, one threat, one trespassing, one 911 hang up, one animal problem, one civil dispute, one malicious destruction of property, one property damage accident, one runaway juvenile, and one theft of an automobile.

Sister Lakes Fire Department reported eleven calls for the month of April; one call was in Keeler Township.

Keeler Township Fire and Rescue had a total of eleven calls for the month of April; nine EMS and two fire related. They did EMS training over traction, splints, tourniquets and draw up EPI initial training. Their fire training was a refresher course over hazmat.

In old business, the board discussed the Short Term Rental Ordinance. Supervisor Blackmond met with counsel and the ordinance is under review; another workshop will be held when the reviewed ordinance is received from counsel.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m. The next Keeler Township meeting will be held Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m.