Mills Township, or specifically the Skidway Lake community, has long been the butt of many jokes – not because of its people, not because of the businesses – but because of its appearance.

Dilapidated buildings, high weeds or grass and yards full of trash are definitely unattractive. And when businesses are looking for a place to do business, their checklist of what they want in surroundings, hopefully, never includes blight and eyesores.

The same can be said for people looking for a new home, which effects those trying to sell homes in the township.

And there’s no doubt about it, the Skidway Lake community has been in need of a makeover for years on end.

The Mills Township Board, along with its part-time blight ordinance enforcement officer Steve Pennington, is making that makeover happen. The leadership is setting an example of how a local unit of government can be an effective part of the solution when it gets serious about an issue plaguing its constituents.

Now, the board is getting a pleasant surprise – there’s help out there, much of it voluntary. The “scrappers,” as Pennington called them, as well as Sheriff Howie Hanft, who allowed jail inmates to assist in removing blight, deserve some of the credit for the ongoing cleanup of the township.

While a lot of work remains to be done, the Mills Township Board, under the leadership of Supervisor Lloyd Saunders, is up to the task. By finding a way to spend taxpayer dollars tackling an issue that is close to the taxpayers’ hearts, property values and the aesthetics of their community, the board has cleverly implemented a program and position that is making a difference.

Keep up the good work.

Ogemaw County Herald Editorial 1-20-10