It was an evening of water main discussion for the Macomb Township Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, including a nearly $4 million project related to the Broughton Road Water Main.

The Broughton Road Water Main project would see design and construction of a water main between 23 ½ Mile Road and 24 ½ Mile Road.

The project is estimated to cost $3.83 million, though the south half of the water main, south of 24 Mile Road, will be funded by the developer of the parcel located at the southwest corner of the intersection of 24 Mile Road and Broughton Road. At the time of construction of that development, the township will request reimbursement from the developer for approximately half of the $3.8 million project. The township’s half of the cost will be covered by its Capital Improvement Plan.

The water main in question will be built alongside the project to extend Broughton Road, discussed and approved at the board’s last meeting. With approval during Wednesday’s meeting, the project will be completed simultaneously to the road extension project.

A township-owned sewer and water main will be relocated to facilitate the construction of the bridge replacement and widening project being performed by the Macomb County Department of Roads (MCDR) across the Salt Slang Gloede Drain. The bridge to be replaced is on 21 Mile Road, west of Garfield Road.

Officials approved an authorization requested by the township’s engineering department to begin engineering design for the project at a cost of $72,700. That price point is lower than standard, as some of the survey work needed for the utility relocation would be completed during the bridge reconstruction prep work.

Engineering firm Fishbeck, contracted with the Macomb County Department of Roads, will be performing the bridge reconstruction project. The new bridge will be designed to support five lanes of traffic and include provisions for pedestrian pathways on the north and south sides of the structure, and construction is slated to begin in Spring 2026.

James Van Tiflin, township land development director, shared details of the project.

“The length of the bridge along the drain puts us in conflict with several utilities, including two township utilities; sewer on the south side and a water main on the north side,” he said. “This needs to be done in order to do the bridge.”

The drain in question is colloquially referred to simply as the Gloede Drain, with the “Salt Slang” affix considered the “official” name.

The board awarded a two-year contract to Brightview Landscapes, LLC for lawn maintenance services. The township, said Kevin Johnson, DPW Director, received eight proposals overall for the contract, with Brightview scoring highest. The contract will also allow for two two-year contract extensions, “if the township feels Brightview Landscapes, LLC is performing admirably.” The total value of the contract is $454,148.

Johnson also brought before the board a request to approve the Drain Maintenance Program match with the Macomb County Public Works for $10,000.

“Macomb Township annually participates with Macomb County on drain maintenance in our township,” he said, adding the township typically contributes a $30,000 match, though the county is requesting an “immediate” $10,000 advance on that payment due to blockages discovered in the middle branch of the Clinton River between Hall Road and 21 Mile Road.

The remaining $20,000 will then be awarded to the County in Fiscal Year 2026.

The board passed a resolution to adopt the Earned Sick Time Policy (ESTA) to be in compliance with pending state law, should the ESTA go into effect via an agreement in the Michigan State Legislature. The ESTA is intended to replace the Michigan Paid Medical Leave Act of 2018 and is slated to go into effect on Feb. 21 of this year. ESTA provides one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked by any employee. According to the township’s Human Resources Director Jeff Tabaka, Macomb Township, as a large employer with 10 or more employees, will see ESTA allow employees to use up to 72 hours of paid sick leave per year. As of the time of Wednesday’s meeting, the ESTA was still being negotiated at the state level and a decision could be postponed until the summer.

The board issued Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funds to be allocated. Care House ($2,300), Wigs for Kids ($500), Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers ($500), Samaritan House ($250), and Macomb Township’s Marvin Blank Senior Center ($28,650) are the 2025 CBDG awardees.

That motion passed 6-1, with Treasurer Leon Drolet dissenting.