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During a regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13, senior project manager Chris Griffin of Global Environmental Engineering updated the board on the company's findings at township property that had housed the Elk Rapids Sportsman's Club.

Griffin said the investigation of the park is complete and 147 analysis points confirm what was suspected.

"What we know is true -- there is lead contamination at that property," he said.

Two types of contamination exist: gross contamination, which is visible bullet fragments and chunks, and fine contamination, which isn't visible and is the small shavings of lead in the soil, he said. A clean-up plan for the land must address both types of contamination.

The groundwater was deemed "clean" at the board's January meeting, but Griffin said he suggests sampling the water for an additional possible contaminant called antimony. Three of four samples of the soil showed antimony presence, and the water "could be affected."

Griffin said the next step is to put together a park plan because the Department of Environmental Quality won't say outright what an allowable clean-up plan is. Once the park plan is determined, the DEQ will say whether the intended cleanup processes are acceptable.

"Until we know the plan," he said, the cost of clean-up can't be estimated.

Township Supervisor Bill White said he, Griffin, Global staff geologist David Lawrence and park planner Doug Strang need to sit down to see what Strang can do with the park plan.

Also at the meeting, the board agreed to commit $56,845 to fund improvements of Townline Road from US-31 to Monroe Road. White said he would ask Whitewater and Acme townships to pay for improving their shares of the road, and that would cut the cost by about half.

The board also approved salary resolutions that will be voted on by the public during its annual meeting, which is set for 7:30 p.m. March 20.

If the resolutions are passed, the supervisor's pay would be raised about 3 percent to $17,400 and the assessor's pay would become $21,700. White performs both duties, so his total pay would become $39,100, if approved.

The clerk's and treasurer's salaries were also raised about 3 percent; if the resolutions are passed, the clerk would receive $17,000 and the treasurer would make $18,350.