Vernon attorney's statement untrue

The article in The Advertiser – News North, dated Sept. 17-23, 2015, regarding the VFW petition states that the Vernon Township Council has no authority to waive fees is, in my opinion, incorrect and not truthful.

According to the Vernon Township MUA website, Chapter 6: Sewer Miscellaneous, Section 6.1 Relaxation: Waiver of Requirements, states that: “The VTMUA shall have the authority to relax or waive in whole, or in part, any provision of this chapter to address any emergency situation regarding the municipal sewer system or when the governing body deems it to be in the best interest of the VTMUA to so relax or waive any such provision of this chapter.”

According to the above polices of the VTMUA, the Township Council has the authority to waive any provision of the chapter.

Also, according to information I found on the Vernon Township website, which referred me to the Coded Systems LLC website, which gives the legal definition of the term Governing Body, which is: “The Municipal Council of the Township of Vernon, duly elected as provided by law, or such other duly authorized body as shall be charged by law with governing the Township.”

The Vernon Township Council is the “governing body” and has the authority to relax or waive any such provision of this chapter.

The Township Attorney openly made a statement to the citizens of Vernon Township that is not true and The Advertiser–News North published it.

Two council members supported our petition, however, the politicians in Vernon Township that voted against our petition and do not support the Veteran of Foreign Wars — Post 8441. The citizens of the township are very much in support of a waiver to the sewer connections fees for the VFW that is expressed in our petition to Vernon Township. However the Township will not allow it to be put on the ballot during the next election.

I think the citizens of Vernon should be allowed to make that decision. I thought our country’s governments were for the people and by the people. Let the citizens of Vernon Township vote on the petition from the VFW.

Without the connection waiver the Veterans of Foreign Wars — Post 8441 will have to close.

Do you care about the veterans who have served this country?

Thomas F. Gundlach
U.S. Army Korea Veteran

Vernon Township