General

Board of Review

BOARD OF REVIEW INFORMATION

The Hayes Township Board of Review has 3 members who are all resident taxpayers of the township. In March, an organizational meeting is held to inform the board members the changes that are proposed for the coming assessment year. Every March property owners will have the opportunity to make inquiries about their proposed assessments and to protest the values if they feel they are unfair.
Notices are sent to the owners in February with the value information and with the times of the board of review meetings. Each township is now required to hold a night session.

Non-residents are allowed to appeal their assessments by mail. Mail needs to be sent to the assessor: Mary Sanders, 7200 Hayes Tower Road, Gaylord, MI 49735.
There is no mail delivered to the township hall. Letters must be received prior to
the last day of the board meetings. Residents are expected to attend in person.

When the board members have finished their work, the assessment roll is turned over to county equalization for the county process in preparation for state equalization in May.

Because the Gaylord Community Schools collect a summer tax, Hayes Township does hold a July session. There is also a December board of review. These sessions are for the purpose of correcting homestead status and for correction of errors of mutual fact and clerical error. These boards of review cannot deal with value disputes.

All board of review meetings are governed by the provisions of the open meetings act. Proper notices are given as to the dates of each session.


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	Building and Zoning Regulations

Hayes Township subscribes to Otsego County Planning and Zoning regulations. Our township does not have a separate office for planning and zoning. The county office includes the building permits and the building code requirements. Hayes Township does have representation on the county planning board and also representation for the appeals board. Land division issues begin with the county and then come to the township for final implementation.

Contact Land Use Services Department Director, Vern Schlaud at 989 731 7420.


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	Dog License Information


	DOG LICENSES Otsego County Dog licenses must be purchased at the Animal Control Building at 256 Fairview, Gaylord, MI 49735 or by mailing a check and proof of rabies vaccination to that same address. The fee for $10.00 is required for altered dogs and $20.00 for unaltered dogs prior to March 1. After that date, additional monies are required.


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	Hall Rental

The hall key goes to the kitchen door—the north door nearest to M 32

The board chairs are to be placed in the front office –north of the kitchen

There is a phone on the desk in the front office which can be used when necessary.

Please do not use the office or let guests there.

We ask that you vacuum the hall when finished and take your trash with you.

The chairs should all be around the corner near the bathrooms. If not, there could possibly be some in the front office. All the chairs can be stacked by the coat area
by the bathrooms.

The “key” to the front room door is located in the first drawer when facing the big room.
Do not lose this wrench as it is the only one we have………………Open the door and return key to the drawer immediately……….

You may turn the hot water switch on at the fuse box which is located behind the kitchen door leading into the big room…………..and then be sure to shut it off when you are finished.

If you need heat, you can turn the thermostat up but please remember to turn it down when you leave the hall.

We ask that you set the hall back to the way you found it. Put the padded chairs and the three tables in position for the next meeting.

There are 2 bathrooms and they should have soap, toilet paper, and paper towels.

There are kitchen towels in the drawer and hand soap and should be dish soap as well.

You can leave the key in the same drawer as the door wrench—just be sure you turned the lock on the kitchen door to “lock.

Hope all goes well and have a good time

TRUSTEES: BRAD KILBOURN 989 858 0855
LISA DALY 989 614 1370

Download the Hall Rental Rates, Rules and Agreement form


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	Public Safety

	Hayes Township is a double township in size. Our borders extend from M 32 W on the north, Crawford County on the south and Antrim County on the west. Our east boundary is South Townline Road that is adjacent to Bagley Township and then following south through the shared border of Otsego Lake Township. All properties in Hayes Township are given fire protection from the Otsego County Fire Department. For the current fiscal year, the township is paying nearly $47,000 for fire protection for our citizens and taxpayers. With the cooperation of the board of directors of Lake Arrowhead, a dry hydrant has been re-built to serve the residents of the township. With the cooperation of the Wilderness Valley board of directors, there is a dry hydrant located at Wilderness Valley. There is also a dry hydrant located within the Horicon Corporation properties. There is a fire board with representatives from the City of Gaylord and Bagley, Chester, Dover, Hayes, Livingston townships. Each year the budget is prepared and each unit of government is billed for the proportional share of population and equalized value. The Otsego County Ambulance Corporation (EMS) covers the entire county. With the continued growth of this region, their board of directors has approved the addition of additional equipment including rescue items to better serve the needs of the public. Run volumes continue to increase while the reimbursement rates decrease. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police personnel provide services in our township. Their responsibilities are varied in nature but they are available to assist when needed. The Otsego County Road Commission has the responsibility of maintaining the roads within our county. This includes our portion of I 75 as well as state highways, and local roads. Each year the township and the road commission decide the construction schedule for the summer months. Hayes Township has contracted with the Otsego County Road Commission for improvements to Mt. Frederick Road, Kolke Creek Trail, construction of Hayes Tower Road and also Van Tyle Roads. For all these projects, your tax dollars have enhanced the township to pursue the improvements for the better travel and safety of the citizens and tourists alike. Other road projects in recent years include Springgay Road, Old Stump Road, South Estelle and South Thumm Roads, Geronimo Trail, Pinecrest Drive, and Pencil Lake Road. Road projects are the most important and most costly of our use of taxpayers dollars. Hayes Township is fortunate to have a good working relationship with all the units of government and agencies. Choices always have to be made with available funds but progress does continue!

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	Township Cemetery

	HAYES TOWNSHIP, OTSEGO COUNTY CEMETERY & MEMORIAL GARDEN RULES & REGULATIONS REVISED JULY 2013 HAYES TOWNSHIP HAS ESTABLISHED THESE RULES & REGULATIONS FOR THE HAYES TOWNSHIP CEMETERY & THE SANDERS MEMORIAL GARDEN LOCATED AS PART OF THE NW ¼ OF SEC 2, T30N R4W AT HIGHWAY M 32 W. THE FIRST ACRE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1883, SURVEY 1891 THE SECOND ACRE WAS ESTABLISHED IN MAY 1974, SURVEY 1975. THE SANDERS MEMORIAL GARDEN WAS DEDICATED IN OCTOBER 2001. JURISDICTION The Hayes Township Board has exclusive jurisdiction of the current two acre cemetery and the Sanders Memorial Garden. The Hayes Township Board reserves future jurisdiction with any expansion that occurs to the south of the existing cemetery. RECORDS All records are the responsibility of the Hayes Township Board. The board appoints one township board member to maintain the records and is the official contact person with the designated funeral directors. Upon purchase of a lot, a certificate will be completed and issued to the family. A copy will remain with the township. Official receipts for payment giving the permission of use shall be given to the person who purchases the grave site. The holder of the gravesite must present the certificate of purchase when requesting space of burial. Hayes Township is not responsible for ownership of cemetery lots when documentation is not available. In the event an individual has purchased multiple lots, the lots must be used for family members as space provides with written permission from the lot holder or designated heirs to the lot owner of record. MAINTENANCE The Hayes Township Board of Trustees shall provide perpetual care, the yearly normal care of the grounds, and maintains the right to enhance and improve the cemetery as determined by the township board. The board shall have exclusive right for the future expansion of the cemetery burial space and the expansion of the Sanders Memorial Garden as future needs dictate. The Hayes Township Board reserves the right to appoint or hire caretakers for the cemetery. The township has provided for ingress and egress to the cemetery lots for maintenance and for burials. The access road traverses the edges of the cemetery. All vehicles are required to stay on the driveway and are prohibited from driving to individual lots. Please respect all the gravesites in the cemetery. PRICES AS ESTABLISHED in 2013 The Hayes Township Cemetery is intended primarily for the residents/ taxpayers of Hayes Township and include previously purchased lots by family members who reside in Hayes Township. RESIDENT $200 NON RESIDENT TAXPAYER $600 NON RESIDENT AND NON TAXPAYER $1000 Prices for infant burial in the designated infant section of the cemetery are: Resident $100 Non Resident Taxpayer $400 Non Resident non taxpayer $600 BURIAL REGULATIONS All burials shall have the burial right certificate issued by the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency. A copy of this certificate shall remain with the Hayes Township offices. One burial lot may be used for two (2) cremated persons with a single headstone. One burial lot may be used for the first burial of the vault and the second burial of cremated remains placed above the burial vault. The buried cremated remains shall be placed in nondecomposed urns with a metal tag. A vault or urn may be used at the family’s discretion. A maximum of two (2) cremated remains may be buried in one grave site. Hayes Township must be notified prior to the burial or placement of cremated remains. The township reserves the right to remove the remains if done without the prior knowledge and the required proper permits and certificates. The family shall reimburse all costs incurred to Hayes Township. Grave opening and closing shall be with the proper prior notification of the township cemetery sexton by the designated licensed funeral director. The removal and/or reinterment of bodies must be arranged with the proper notification of the licensed funeral director and Hayes Township. The required health and burial permits shall be in accordance with the regulations. The licensed funeral director shall by responsible for the legal arrangements. Fees will be equal to the grave opening & closing as established by the licensed funeral home. A family member shall have the opportunity to be present when selecting the gravesite. The Hayes Township Board assumes no responsibility for errors if a family member is not present. Hayes Township reserves the right to have delayed interment. Burials will take place between the months of April 15 to November 15, weather permitting. The Hayes Township cemetery sexton and the designated funeral director will make the arrangements and decision for the spring burials. The licensed funeral home has established rates for the opening and the closing of the gravesite with an independent contractor. These charges are included in the cost of the funeral package. The licensed funeral directors shall obey all state laws & health regulations. Cement containers or burial vaults are required. The Hayes Township Cemetery is for human remains only. No animal or pet or other possessions are allowed to be buried in the cemetery. MONUMENTS The headstone shall be placed on the proper foundation requirements. The footings shall be 4 inches larger than the memorial marker. There shall be a depth of 4 inches of cement for all markers. All plans for the placement of the memorial marker base shall be approved by the licensed designated funeral director. Cost for the marker base will be determined by the contracted funeral home. Only one monument, marker, memorial shall be permitted for one burial spot. The Hayes Township cemetery sexton shall approve the installation of all foundation markers and will be marked by the Hayes Township Cemetery Sexton to ensure accuracy of the location of the marker. In the event these rules are not followed, then Hayes Township reserves the right to deny the placement of the marker and to enforce payment for the adjacent cemetery lots encroached upon. The cost would be the rate in effect at the time of purchase as determined in the cemetery rules. MEMORIALS Memory days are designated on May 25 and September 30 of each year and are to be used for the purpose of improving and beautifying the cemetery and the individual graves. Hayes Township reserves the right to oversee the placement of decorative items of any and all nature at the grave sites. This is to ensure there is no encroachment to adjoining grave sites. A request will be made to the grave owner to remove or move the items that are in violation. If the correction has not been made in a two week period, the Hayes Township Sexton will correct the situation. Items will be kept for the owner to collect for a period of one month from the date of their removal. Maintenance of flowers, shrubbery is the responsibility of the holder of the cemetery lot purchase. All vases, urns, decorations shall be removed by the owner by November 15 of each year. Water is provided for the watering of real plants at the west side fence line. Artificial flowers or decorations are permitted for the current 3 season. Curbing and fencing around the lots are prohibited. Decorations shall not infringe upon adjoining grave sites. Benches are not allowed as the placement would extend to other sites. Winter grave blankets are permitted. Veterans shall be remembered with the placing of the United States Flag at the gravesites. The flags shall fly proudly from Memorial Day to Veterans Day each year. SANDERS MEMORIAL GARDEN The Sanders Memorial Garden is to be used for the shallow burial of cremated remains of humans. No pet, animal, or other possession shall be buried. The price for the placement or scattering of ashes is as follows: RESIDENT $50 NON RESIDENT TAXPAYER $100 NON RESIDENT NON TAXPAYER $150 The cremated remains require a copy of the final disposition certificate. This will be given to the Hayes Township cemetery sexton. The township must be notified to set the date and time and location of the shallow trench or the scattering of the ashes. The appropriate licensed funeral director will be contacted for their services. Ashes will be scattered at the rear natural portion of the memorial gardens. A shallow trench will be used for the burial of the ashes. The licensed funeral director and the township board representative will determine the location. The location shall not interfere with the installed irrigation system. If family members do any damage, all costs of repair will be reimbursed to Hayes Township by the family of the deceased. The name and dates of birth and death ONLY shall be placed upon the memorial stone in accordance with the designated licensed funeral home and its contracted engraver. The price is established by the funeral home and is payable to the funeral home directly. All engraving is to be ¾ inch in Vermarco style only. Names will be entered on the front side of the memorial marker from left to right, horizontally, and then the back side of the stone will be completed in a like manner. Any permanent or long lasting symbol of memorial is prohibited. Live flowers may be placed at the base of the memorial stone. A veterans flag shall be placed at the base of the memorial stone each year to honor the veterans whose names are entered on the stone. Official receipts for payment giving permission of use shall be given to the person who has paid for the space in the memorial gardens. CEMETERY & MEMORIAL GARDEN HOURS The cemetery and memorial garden hours are during the hours of daylight during the months of April 15th through November 15th of each year. These dates are dependent upon weather conditions. All behavior within the Hayes Township Cemetery grounds shall be mindful of the respect and honor that is to be shown to the memory of the loved ones buried or scattered within the boundaries. Geocaching is not allowed within the cemetery boundaries. Children must be supervised within the cemetery boundaries. VACANT LOTS When a resident leaves the township, the Hayes Township Board will purchase the grave lot at the same price as was paid by that resident. After 40 years of non-use, the Hayes Township Board has the right to reclaim the vacant lots. The township will contact the last known heir at the last known family address by registered mail. After 60 days, the lot will revert to the township. These rules and regulations were adopted at a regular Hayes Township meeting on April 9, 2002, amended April 10, 2007 and amended July 9, 2013 at the regular meeting of the Hayes Township Board. Mary M. Sanders, Supervisor Richard E. Ross, Clerk

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	Roads

	OTSEGO COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Hayes Township maintains a good relationship with the county road commission. We work together for road projects for the benefit of our citizens. Jason Melancon is the Manager of the Commission and the 3 elected commissioners are Bill Holewinski, Dave Matelski and a new member to be determinded at the November election. They meet twice a month. The township pays 75% of initial road improvement and the road commission pays 25%. If the township and the road commission agree, the cost for the blacktop is on a 50/50% cost share basis. If the township decides that the stone/chip is proper for the top coat, then the cost is the 75% to the township. Many factors are considered before the mutual decision is made to black top a road. The county road commission is responsible for the maintenance of the county roads and also has a contract with the State of Michigan for snowplowing I 75. Each year the township trustees and the road commissioners meet in the spring to plan what projects will be planned for Hayes Township. The road commission phone number is 989 732 5202.

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