Local government gives students options to discuss issues based on location

Where do students need go with problems if they live in Deerfield Village? Jamestown Apartments? Union Square? Polo Village?

The majority of CMU students live in the city of Mount Pleasant and the Charter Township of Union. Aside from contacting their landlords, students can take problems and issues to their respective governments.

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant’s municipal government is a city commission in which registered voters within the city elect the seven members, said Julie Swidwinski, community information coordinator for the City of Mount Pleasant.

“With the best interests of the residents in mind, the commission acts as a legislative body that oversees the operation of the 7.9 square miles of the city, including taxation, appropriations, ordinances and more,” she said.

Westpoint Village, Polo Village, West Campus Village, Union Square, Southpoint Village, Park Place and the Forum, among other complexes, fall under this jurisdiction, along with street housing.

The city provides services that make the community livable, Swidwinski said, including police and fire protection, parks and recreation facilities and programs, public utilities such as water and sewer and maintenance of streets and sidewalks.

City Commission meetings are at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday on each month at the Borden Building, 320 West Broadway St.

Union Township

“Townships provide administrative services that support county process, such as tax collection,” said Woody Woodruff, zoning administrator for Union Township. “Townships also have the ability to provide many services a county might provide within its six-mile square, such as zoning, policing, fire protection and utilities.”

The township provides many of the same services as Mount Pleasant, including water and sewer, localized improvements in roads, street lighting and sidewalks.

“Union Township employs an assessor to value property and set taxes. The elected treasurer is responsible for collection of taxes,” Woodruff said. “We also provide zoning
authority which strives to preserve harmony and provide structure as the township develops.”

Union Township includes Timber Creek, Union Square, University Meadows, Deerfield Village, Jamestown, United on Deerfield, Lexington Ridge, The Village at Bluegrass and
Copper Beach Townhouses.

The Union Township Board of Trustees meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the township building, 2010 S. Lincoln Road.

Issues to address

People can take issues to their landlord, a zoning administrator or the building official.

“Issues relating to quality of life are typical issues for students and also number of residents in a rental,” Woodruff said. “Loud parties are addressed by the Isabella County Sheriff’s department under a Union Township ordinance.”

If there are problems with a student’s housing that cannot be worked out with their landlord, they can go to the local government to have them inspect the problem.

“Students who encounter issues with their rental, such as significant repair work needed, utility issues or inadequate parking, should contact their landlord first so that they
may be given an opportunity to correct the problem,” Swidwinski said. “If a student feels that the issue poses health and safety risks, the tenant can contact the fire department
at (989) 779-5105 or the Department of Building Safety at (989) 779-5302 to determine if the problem requires immediate attention.”

Both offices deal with issues that are not meant for the city or township to take care of.

“Issues that typically are raised that we have no control over are landlord-tenant issues, such as security deposits, subletting and leasing,” Woodruff said.

Fore more information, visit mt-pleasant.org or uniontownshipmi.com.

metro@cm-life.com