Shelby Township unanimously OKs $1.8 million bond for road work.

Shelby Township unanimously OKs $1.8 million bond for road work.

SHELBY — The Shelby Township Board unanimously approved a $1.8 million bond for road work earlier this month.

“Our tax-paying residents deserve to see where their hard-earned money is going, and this very large project is a true example of that,” said Shelby Township Supervisor Richard Raffaelli. “I realize the road work has been an inconvenience, but in the long run will be worth the short-term pain.”

The bond’s payback schedule is based on 60 percent of the current road millage. The remaining 40 percent will be used for additional road work and repairs over the years to come.

“Shelby Township partnered with Shelby State Bank to finance the bond, which allowed all the money to be kept local,” states a press release from the township. “The interest rate is lower than the cost of road work annual increases, which will result in a fiscally prudent move.

“With the passing of this bond, Shelby Township will be scheduled to complete eight years of planned road work in just two years.”

The road work scheduled includes local roads, primary roads and cemetery roads.

Coinciding with the road work is the installation of the new ‘Welcome to Shelby’ signs.

“The Shelby Township Board has worked very closely with the Oceana County Road Commission, and we have appreciated the partnership,” said Raffaelli. “This process has already been presented to Hart Township, and our hope is other townships in Oceana County will follow suit to improve roads. We all live in a beautiful part of Michigan, and it’s time the infrastructure supported that.”

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