The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners shot down a proposal Wednesday to push the county road commission to address resident concerns regarding planned tree removals.
The resolution asked the road commission to pause its plan to cut down an estimated 4,000 trees as part of a road safety project, in order to address concerns from residents.
Most commissioners voted against it, including Vice Chair John Taylor.
He said it created a path to electing road commissioners rather than appointing them, which would give city residents too much say in decisions that mostly affect the townships.
“People would run under partisan basis and they would be representing the city of Portage and the city of Kalamazoo. That's what would happen,” Taylor said.
"The spirit of the motion, I am in agreement with. I think we need to have more collaboration. We need to have— one gentleman spoke that— just I think it was a brilliant thing to say: what you do when people are in opposition is you bring them in. I think that was a wonderful comment and I think that needs to be done."
This sentiment was echoed by Commissioner John Gisler, who also voted against the resolution.
"I am all for improved communication and collaboration with the citizenry. This if nothing else, we learned that you got to talk to the people who actually, through their gas taxes, pay for your money to do the job you do," Gisler said.
“This resolution includes an option that may lead to the election of road commissioners and I am dead set against that. It would turn it into a political — who gets the most signs out and that sort of stuff, a popularity contest.”
After the vote, resident Iris Potter said while she understood this concern, residents still needed their concerns addressed.
“If the election piece bothers everyone, take that out because at this point, what are the next steps for everybody? Going back and beg to the road commission? That doesn't seem right," Potter said.
"So, I support bringing it up again, getting something going. You've heard all the reasons, and we do expect transparency and accountability."
Road commission chair David Pawloski said the road commission was listening to feedback, but had to factor in the threat posed by trees during collisions.
"It hurts me to say this but after someone dies in a car accident, we cannot get their input anymore. And I just want to point out the two teenagers just about a month ago in Texas Township that we cannot get that input from," Pawloski said.
Pawloski appeared to be referring to a crash last month involving five Mattawan High School students who hit a tree on a county road. The crash killed two of the students.
"I, as a road commissioner, cannot put the value of a renewable resource over a human life," Pawloski said.
