THE EAGLE EYE

Text Box: CONCERNED CITIZENS COMMITTEE THE EAGLE EYE

eagle-eyed adj. Having keen eyesight.

Text Box: CURRENT ISSUE VOLUME III, ISSUE 3 MARCH 1, 2010 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE!

Text Box: JUSTICE Peace is not the absence of war; it is a virtue; a state of mind; a disposition for benevolence; confidence; and justice. Spinoza

Text Box: Laws should be like clothes. They should be made to fit the people they serve. Clarence Darrow

Text Box: Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. Albert Einstein

Text Box: An appeal is when you ask one court to show it's contempt for another court. Peter Dunne

Text Box: The CCC performs Random Acts of Kindness. Do you know someone who could benefit from A Random Act of Kindness? Contact us to donate, volunteer or for more information.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

John Quincy Adams

Text Box: There are 15 townships and 2 cities in Gladwin County. The total County Class Parcel Count is 27,688. Of that total, 419 parcels were placed on public tax foreclosure notice for unpaid property taxes. The County tax foreclosure rate is 1.5%. The total parcel count for Billings Twp. is 3,314. This is an increase of 86 parcels from last year’s count. Billings Twp. had 62 parcels placed on public tax foreclosure notice. The tax foreclosure rate in Billings Twp. is 1.9%. 65% of the tax foreclosure parcels (40 of 62) are within

Text Box: the boundary limits of the Sewer Assessment District (SAD). The tax foreclosure rate in the SAD is about 6%. That is more than 3 times the Billings Twp. rate. And it is the same rate as last year. The SAD comprises approximately 21% of the total parcel count in Billings Twp. Delinquent taxes, interest, penalties and fees must be paid on or before March 31, 2010 or the County Treasurer acquires title.

Text Box: Two years have passed since the CCC began publishing THE EAGLE EYE (TEE). The number of positive responses and requests for TEE has increased. Our goal was to be available to everyone in Billings Township. We have exceeded our goal. Nearly 100 subscribers are outside the township. Email, the Internet and the support of Local Businesses have made this

Text Box: possible. And TEE is free! It is free because You support our fundraising efforts. Thank you readers! The CCC does not accept funding from government agencies. We remain independent. But that means we depend on your generosity for resources. TEE was created to provide citizens with information that affects

Text Box: their daily lives and pocketbooks— information that is vital to making quality of life decisions. The guiding principle of our research is to follow the truth wherever it may lead. It is a difficult yet fulfilling endeavor and responsibility. We look forward to another rewarding year of providing you information and inspiration with a dash of humor. Warm regards, Patricia G. Gnotek / Editor

Courage is when you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. Maya Angelou

We mutually pledge to each other and our honor.

ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

VOLUME III, ISSUE 3

On guard...

Text Box: March 8th - 7pm Billings Township Board meeting March 14th - Daylight Savings Time Begins March 17th ~ Happy St. Patrick’s Day! March 20th - 1st Day of Spring March 31st - 7:00pm CCC Workshop

Special points of interest:

Text Box: Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nellie Keipinger and Daniel Richardson families. May your memories comfort you.

Text Box: Random Acts of Kindness( 53 to date) Do you know someone who could benefit from A Random Act of Kindness? Contact us to donate, volunteer or for more information. Thank you for your support!

Wishing you luck . . .

The CCC thanks Denise Hall, Gladwin County Equalization Director, for her assistance with Class Parcel Counts.

Text Box: We stand by our article in last month’s TEE. Supporting documentation can be found in Exhibit 3 on page 4 of the Audited Financial Statements for Billings Township dated March 31, 2009. In addition an auditor stated the amount when presenting the audit to the board at the 9/28/2009 Special Meeting.

If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.

Alex Noble

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. Will Durant

I have just received my degree in Calcium Anthropology... the study of milkmen. Steven Wright

Look out for each other.

Text Box: The 2010 Fiscal Year for Billings Township began April 1st, 2009 with $179,094 in the Garbage Fund. We rounded the amount down to $179,000 in the Failed Grade For Fiscal Stewardship article in last month’s February issue of TEE. Terry Whittington asked the Board about the amount in the Garbage Fund at last month’s February 8th Billings Township Board meeting. The Clerk responded by denying the $179,000 amount and impugned the validity of the information in THE EAGLE EYE.

Text Box: CONCERNED CITIZENS COMMITTEE Of Billings Township 495 Kent Road Beaverton, MI 48612

Become a Member or be our Guest.

Phone: Sheryl Eisler 989-435-2191
or E-mail Patricia G. Gnotek/ Editor at:

concerned@centurytel.net

VISIT US ON THE WEB!

www.cccbillings.com

Text Box: May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck, brightened by a song in your heart, and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.

Text Box: We are all here for a spell; get all the good laughs you can. ~ Will Rogers

Text Box: Yankee frugality….Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without. Anon

THE 2010 CENSUS

The census helps determine future needs of communities.

The initial mailing of the 2010 Census packets will be in mid March.

There are 10 questions.

Per the US Census Bureau, “Title 13 includes the law that requires people to respond to the census, and to answer all questions.”

The packet includes a postage-paid envelope to mail your completed form back.

The CCC has more information from:

http://2010.census.gov

The citizen can bring our political and governmental institutions back to life, make them responsive and accountable, and keep them honest. No one else can. John Gardner