Plainfield Township officials say a special meeting — with state and county officials available to answer questions — is the best way to address residents’ concerns about drinking water contaminated by Wolverine World Wide’s dumping of chemicals.
Township Board members on Monday, Jan. 8, pledged to schedule such a meeting within 45 days to address specific questions from residents on the safety of their individual wells and the township’s municipal water system.
The decision on a special meeting came after residents once again lined up for more than an hour at the Jan. 8 board meeting to question how the township is responding to the water crisis.
Trustee Sue Morrow chaired the meeting because Township Supervisor Bob Homan was reportedly out-of-state.
Morrow told the audience the board understands "the water issue is the most important issue the township is facing at this time" but said a board meeting is probably not the best forum to address the issue.
The public comment time, Morrow said, is not designed for a "back and forth" between the audience and board.
Morrow said the township is recording all of the residents’ questions and concerns and will get answers to the questions out to the public as soon as possible via the township’s website, e-newsletter, and even email and phone calls.
You owe us more."
Township Attorney Doug Van Essen told residents the township is moving as fast as possible to find answers to the water crisis.
He noted the township will have a new activated carbon filter on the township’s public water system within the next 30 to 60 days, which should eliminate almost all PFAS from the public system.