MDOT Cuts Salt Usage This Winter

When winter reaches Mid-Michigan, you may typically see the eye-catching orange trucks of the Michigan Department of Transportation driving around sprinkling rock salt on the roads. This winter, however, the Department of Transportation has taken an alternative route and has sought to reduce the amount of road salt used by 35% in an effort to take a more ecological and cost-savings approach to safe winter driving. A recent study published by the University of Wisconsin has shown that over 1 million metric tons of salt flow into the Great Lakes annually, and salt pollution from roads is the largest contributor to this. This winter, MDOT has been piloting alternatives to road salt, such as utilizing a liquid brine, consisting of around 23.3% salt and testing agricultural byproducts derived from corn and beet juice.

In addition to the ecological considerations, there has been additional economic pressures to search for alternatives to ensuring safe winter driving. Each year, MDOT is reported to spend roughly $30 million on road salt and that number is expected to increase, just as other commodities have in recent times. MDOT also reports that there is the potential to save approximately 40% on this cost by using a more sustainable and ecological approach.

As DeWitt Township is home to several treasured waterways such as the Looking Glass River, it is encouraging to see the State take a proactive approach to ensure safe winter driving while also preserving the natural integrity of the Great Lakes and interior waterways. In the future, the same orange trucks seen in the winter may not be sprinkling the rock salt we are accustomed to seeing, but a new, affordable alternative made from plants.

Frozen Pipes

As temperatures fall outside, our homes can become susceptible to frozen pipes. Common places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation. Here are a few tips that can help you avoid this from happening:

How to thaw out frozen pipes

Keep your faucets open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, the ice will begin to melt and water will flow through the pipes.
Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (keep away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked with hot water. Never use a blow torch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or open flame device.
Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed contractor.
Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have other frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, chances are that others may freeze too.

How to avoid frozen pipes

Drain water from swimming pools and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturers directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed to do so.
Remove, drain and store hoses that are being used outside.
Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.
Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are in unheated areas. Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
Consider installing specific products made to insulate water lines like a pipe sleeve or heat tape, heat cable or similar materials on exposed water pipes.
Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.
Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
When the weather is very cold, let the cold water drip from a faucet served by the exposed pipes, even a trickle helps prevent pipes from freezing.

Your Service To The DeWitt Township Community

...starts with YOU! We need you to serve as an election inspector and/or on a DeWitt Township Committee & Commission. Election inspectors receive training, participate in the voting process first-hand, and are compensated. As an election inspector, you are assigned to a precinct, and given a specific task on the day of an election. For this training and work, you are compensated, and you earn the gratitude of local, county and state election officials.

Committee & Commission member seats are open on the DeWitt Township Board of Review, the Corridor Improvement Authority, and Salary Compensation Commission. Each of these committees play a specific and important role in DeWitt Township. The seats are for a specified term, and most all are compensated.

For more information on becoming an election inspector or member of a Committee &
Commission, contact the Clerk’s Office at 517-668-0270 or click on the links below.

Election Inspector Application

Committee / Commission Application

Recently Purchased, Sold, or Refinanced?

As a property owner, you are ultimately responsible for paying your property taxes even if you have an escrow account, which many property owners utilize and put on autopilot. That’s why it is very important after a property purchase, sale, or refinance, to double check that your escrow service provider does what it’s supposed to do.

Property owners can check payment status online at dewitttownship.org. If there is a balance, reach out to your bank or mortgage company to verify how remittance will be handled.

Sometimes in a sale transaction, the property taxes are inadvertently paid twice by a title company and mortgage company, or one of the parties to the transaction (buyer/seller). First payment received, is always the first processed. Duplicate payments are automatically returned to the party that paid last.

Winter Property Tax Due Date and Settlement

Winter real and personal property taxes are due on Monday, February 14, 2022. After February 14, a 3% penalty is assessed. Summer taxes for those residents who received a deferment, are also due February 14.

Tax payments must be received on the due date. DeWitt Charter Township does not consider postmarks as on time, so please plan accordingly. A drop box is available in front of the Township Hall for use outside of normal business hours. Payments made into the drop box after office hours on the due date, are considered on-time.

February 28, 2022 is the last day 2021 real and personal property taxes are accepted at the Township Hall. Outstanding real property tax balances after February 28 are turned over to the Clinton County Treasurer for collection. Michigan statute prohibits collecting real property taxes at the Township Hall after settlement with the County.

Available Payment Options

By mail, to 1401 W. Herbison Road, DeWitt, MI 48820-7900
On site, in the Treasurer’s Office during normal business hours
Drop box in front of the Township Hall
E-check or credit card online, at www.dewitttownship.org (*fees applies)

Important Upcoming Dates

2/14 - Real and personal property taxes due
2/28 - Last day to pay 2021 property taxes to Treasurer's Office
3/01 - Delinquent property taxes turned over to the Clinton County Treasurer