4-13-2020 3:44pm

April 13th Letter from Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal

This week marks a milestone: it has been a month since the Governor first called a State of Emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And what a month it has been!! While our experiences of the past month may vary, the one thing each of us can attest to is that none of us imagined having to live through what we are currently experiencing.

In my 15 years of public service, I know I never imagined serving you in such a virtual and physically distant manner. However, in those years, the bonds and sense of community that we have developed are paying dividends in ways we never imagined. In particular, it is our hope that you know you have a leadership team working tirelessly for you, every day, that you can trust and that will deliver the Gold Standard of Public Service to you, the residents and businesses of Pittsfield Township.

To that end, at our second virtual meeting last Wednesday, the Pittsfield Township Board approved allocation of $50,000 to support small, local, businesses in Pittsfield and another $50,000 allocation to enhance access to emergency and affordable housing in Pittsfield Township and Washtenaw County. More details can be found under ‘Business Resources’ and ‘Vulnerable Community Resources’ on the /covid19 webpage: http://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/covid19

This page also has a memo to the Board that outlines the process of how we’ve transitioned from functioning traditionally to virtually while ensuring uninterrupted services. There was, however, one major disruption due to the pandemic: waste management. Working tirelessly over the past week, we have rectified this disruption by providing for a full resumption of your recycling services, and yard waste is now being collected at Lille Park. I want to thank you for your patience and cooperation through the confusion of the past week regarding these services.

I also want to thank those of you that followed up on our request from last week’s letter to take the census; about 60% have taken the census. If you are not part of that 60%, please take 10 minutes to be counted so Pittsfield receives the state and federal resources that will be required to get us back on track once the pandemic is behind us (https://2020census.gov/) Another reminder is for you to consider signing up for the ‘MIGreen Challenge’ that allows you to obtain some or all your energy through DTE’s renewal rather than fossil fuel sources (http://pittsfield-mi.gov/sustainability).

Thank you, also, for your cooperation in maintaining the 6’ physical distance while enjoying our community’s many parks and recreational amenities, which we are working to ensure continue to be available to you as the weather warms up. The Farmers Market will begin online sales soon and we are planning on providing for your safety and well-being when the Open Market season begins in June. After serving Pittsfield Township for 15 years to provide for such resources, amenities, and sense of community, it is my humble privilege to continue working with and for you!

Please remember to be patient and kind with yourselves and each other. Let’s take this time to improve on our ourselves and the way we conduct ourselves so we may provide for better equity and quality of life for all in our community. Mandy Grewal, Ph.D