DELTA TOWNSHIP IS A GREAT REGIONAL PARTNER

I read with great dismay the mix of fallacy and falsehoods in Meridian Township resident,Mark Ritzenhein’s January 16, 2012, letter to the editor titled “Lansing, sell Waverly toWoldumar.” I was admittedly vexed by Mr. Ritzenhein’s simplistic disparagement of DeltaTownship, its residents and political leaders.

In his letter, Mr. Ritzenhein criticizes Delta Township for what he describes as“perpetually voting ‘no’ to any political cooperation with its immediate neighbors . . .” andalleges an “ever-present lack of will” towards cooperation. As a resident of the Township fornearly my entire life, and current Delta Township Trustee, I take great exception to this baselesscriticism. Fortunately for the residents of Delta Township and the surrounding communities, Mr.Ritzenhein’s criticism is both misplaced and stands in stark contrast to the actual facts.

Mr. Ritzenhein’s notion that Delta Township is not fully committed to regionalcooperation overlooks a number of examples of Delta’s continued commitment to regionalism. One need not search long to find the following examples:

- Shared services agreement with the Looking Glass Regional Fire Authority;

- 425 agreements with the City of Lansing for the Lansing Delta Township GMfacility and for the benefit of three suppliers

- Pollina Study participant with twelve other regional partners to serve as ablueprint for regional economic growth;

Delta Township and Grand Ledge shared services agreement for consolidating-

assessing services;

- Metro Fire Council (East Lansing, Lansing, Meridian Township, Delhi Townshipand Delta Township);

- Shared public safety contract with Eaton County;

- Regional shared public services feasibility study (East Lansing, Lansing, DelhiTownship, Delta Township, Lansing Township, and Meridian Township);

- Multiple mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities;

- Multi-jurisdictional purchasing

- Lansing Board of Water and Light water purchase agreement

These are simply a few examples of how Delta Township and its leaders take advantageof opportunities to partner with others to offer better, more cost-effective and efficient services toDelta residents. Simply put, Delta Township is pleased to be at the forefront of embracingregional common denominators in order to leverage economies of scale.

I extend an open invitation to Mr. Ritzenhein to visit Delta Township or to join us for oneof our board meetings in order to better understand and observe first hand how much of acommitted regional participant Delta Township is.