Dear Marshall Township Board,

I am here today to express my concern regarding the proposed electric vehicle battery plant. While it may sound like a great opportunity for our community, there are significant economic concerns that must be taken into account.

The production of lithium and cobalt, two crucial materials in electric vehicle batteries, is heavily reliant on unstable foreign markets. These markets are often plagued by political instability, labor violations, and supply chain issues. As a result, prices for these materials can be volatile, leading to unpredictable production costs for manufacturers.

Furthermore, the demand for electric vehicles is currently concentrated in a few countries, and it is uncertain whether this demand will continue to grow at a sustainable rate. A sudden drop in demand could leave the proposed plant vulnerable to a boom-and-bust cycle, which would have negative consequences for our local economy.

In addition, the lithium and cobalt industry has been linked to numerous environmental and social issues, including water pollution, deforestation, and human rights abuses. These concerns could damage the reputation of our city and negatively impact our local economy.

Finally, while the proposed plant may create jobs in the short term, we must consider the long-term economic sustainability of the industry. If demand for electric vehicles decreases, the plant may be forced to downsize or shut down, leaving our community with few options for economic recovery.

I heard that the majority of the jobs at the proposed EV plant site are $18-20 per hour.  Construction costs being what they are, an average plant worker supporting a family will not be able to afford new construction home or an existing rental.

Lastly, the average demographics of the Marshall Township Board, Marshall City Council, and MAEDA board concern me as a millennial.  It’s feels like you are only thinking of your limited lifetimes, making a decision on behalf of all of us, leaving the trailing generations to deal with the consequences. 

In conclusion, I urge the City Council to reconsider the proposed electric vehicle battery plant. The potential economic risks and negative externalities are significant, and we must prioritize sustainable development that is beneficial for our community in the long run. 

Thank you.

Jason Blanchard, Marshall

AGREEMENT, made and entered into on this day of February, 2022, amending an 
agreement first made March 14, 2006, and renewed for a ten year period by and between the City of Marshall, a Michigan municipal corporation, having offices at 323 West Michigan Avenue, Marshall, Michigan 49068 (the "City"), and the Township of Marshall, a township duly organized pursuant to the laws of the State of Michigan, and existing in Calhoun County, Michigan, having offices at 13551 Myron Avery Drive, Marshall, Michigan 49068 (the “Township”). 

WHEREAS, extensive property suitable for industrial, commercial and residential development within the jurisdiction of the Township lies to the north, west and south of the City, and 
WHEREAS, the amount of comparable development property lying within the City is limited, and 
WHEREAS, the City has excess sewage treatment and water supply capacity capable of serving the development areas in the Township, which may require additional infrastructure considerations depending on the nature of the development; and 
WHEREAS, the Township does not have sewage treatment or water purification plants or distribution systems, and 
WHEREAS, the City and the Township have in the past entered into agreements pursuant Act 425 of the Public Acts of 1984 (“425 Agreements") to bring sewer and water to available developmental lands in the Township, and 
WHEREAS, the terms of each individual 425 Agreement have either been individually negotiated over considerable periods of time prior to the 2006 Master Agreement or were entered into pursuant to the agreement which became effective in March of 2016, and 
WHEREAS, it would be in the economic best interest of the residents of the City and Township if the City utilities systems served the development lands in the Township, and 
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City and the Township to update the renewed Master 425 
Agreement which would affect all development lands in the Township thereby assuring prospective 
1 developers of Township land of the availability of utilities without the previous delays incurred in the negotiation of individual 425 Agreements, and 
WHEREAS, the Township and City, through negotiations, have reached an agreement to be utilized in all 425 Agreements to be executed between the Township and the City. NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the Township's agreement not to develop its own sewer and water system, either individually or in conjunction with an adjoining township or municipality, for the period of this agreement and the City's agreement to supply sewer and water, if capacity is available, to Township lands, BE IT AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 
1. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall extend through December 31, 2029, and will automatically renew every ten (10) years unless a ninety (90) day notice in writing is given by either of the parties. Automatic renewal periods shall not extend this agreement beyond 2079. 
2. Joint Municipal Planning Commission. A Joint Municipal Planning Commission (“JPC”) shall be has been formed pursuant to Public Act 226 of 2003 (MCL 125.131 et seq.) and will be maintained as long as there is a 425 Agreement between the City and Township. The JPC shall have an equal number of members from both the Township and the City and shall control all land usages for lands subject to a 425 Agreement between the City and Township regardless of whether the 425 
Agreement is dated prior to or subsequent to the date of this Agreement. The details of the organization and conduct of the JPC are on Schedule A attached hereto. 
3. Definitions. The definition of residentially zoned lands lying South of I-94 and East of I-69 and commercial and industrial lands regardless of location shall be the definition given those land usages in the Marshall City Zoning Ordinance as currently defined. The definition of residentially zoned lands lying North of I-94 or West of I-69 shall be the definition given those land usages in the Marshall Township Zoning Ordinance as currently defined. 

In the event a zoning ordinance is amended and a definition changed, the definition shall not be changed for the purpose of this Agreement without the mutual consent of the City and Township. 
2 The definition of utility system or utilities system shall be the infrastructure required to provide, operate and maintain a City provided utility. 
The definition of utility or utilities shall be the City's municipally provided sewer, water, electricity and/or broadband FiberNet systems as may be specifically referred to in an individual Public Act 425 agreement. 
4. Ceresco Exception. The Township area known as the unincorporated village of Ceresco and defined as the area extending approximately one quarter mile in diameter from the intersection of 12 Mile Road and C Drive North may, contrary to the terms of this Agreement, seek sewer and water services from a source other than the City of Marshall in the event such services are made available at a more economical cost than comparable services in the City of Marshall. 
5. Economic Development. 
The Township Board of Trustees shall designate an economic 
development officer, with whom the City shall share all development inquiries and who shall receive notice of and be entitled to participate in all meetings with prospective developers. This representative shall be subject to the same confidentiality rules and regulations as are the City's 
paid economic developers. In the event the Township has a representative serving on the Board of Directors of the Marshall Area Economic Development Authority, that person shall be the Township's designee under this provision. 
6. Property Owner Request. In the event an owner of property located in the Township requests sewer and water services from the City and the City has adequate capacity to service the property owner's development, the City and Township shall enter into a 425 Agreement based upon the terms and 
conditions herein contained provided the cost of extending the sewer and water to the property 
owner is not paid by either the City or Township. 
7. City Restrictions. During the term of this Agreement, the City shall not: 
a. Enter into a 425 Agreement with any other city, township or other governmental 
subdivision ("foreign 425 Agreement") except upon the same terms and conditions as those 
detailed in this Agreement for Township lands lying west of 1-69 and north of I-94 unless 3 * the City agrees to amend the existing 425 Agreements with the Township permitting the 
township to incorporate into all its existing 425 Agreements one or more of the provisions 
of the Foreign 425 Agreement. 
b. Utilize this Master 425 Development Agreement or an individual 425 agreement as a basis 
to provide City electric power service to a customer already receiving electric power 
service from another utility without the written consent of the other utility. For purposes of 
this agreement, the term "customer" shall mean the building or facilities served rather than 
the individual, association, partnership, corporation, governmental body, or other person 
or entity taking service. 
8. Township Restrictions. During the term of this Agreement, the Township shall not: 
a. Enter into a 425 Agreement with any other township, city or other governmental 
subdivision other than the City of Marshall pursuant to this Agreement without the express 
written consent of the City. 
b. Construct or develop a sewage treatment plant, water purification plant or sewer and/or 
water distribution systems or enter into any agreement for the development, construction 
and/or supplying of these facilities to service Township properties unless the City refuses to increase capacity after a capacity analysis study of the system indicates the inadequacy of the system to handle the Township's request or the City refuses to proceed with a capacity analysis study of the system within one hundred twenty (120) days after the Township's request that capacity be increased. 
9. Terms and Conditions of Individual 425 Agreements. The individual 425 Agreements to be entered into pursuant to this Agreement shall, depending upon the location and usage of the lands, provide as follows: 
a. For commercial and industrial properties east of I-69 and south of I-94: 
1) 
Agreements shall be for a term of fifty (50) years after which the property shall 
remain in the City. 
4 
2) 
3) 
4) 
The Township shall receive from the City's tax millage four (4) mills on industrial 
property and four (4) mills on commercial property for the term of the 425 
Agreement. 
The cost for the extension of sewer and water lines shall be paid by the land owner 
and/or additional new users. 
An existing building which is zoned commercial or industrial or is a 
nonconforming commercial or industrial use, if utilized for any purpose or if 
connected to a septic tank or drain field, that is within three hundred feet (300') of 
the sewage lines once installed must tie into the sewer and water system upon 
failure of its existing sewage system under a separate 425 Agreement complying 
with the terms of this Master Agreement. 
5) 
The burden of all tax abatements shall be shared by the City and the Township in 
the same percentages as the millage is shared. 
6) 
Utility rates shall not be greater than the rates charged in the City for similar City 
7) 
users. 
Users, pursuant to this Agreement, shall contribute to repairs and capital 
improvements to the sewage treatment facilities, water purification plant, well 
facilities, and distribution systems in the same manner as similar users within the 
City of Marshall. 
b. For commercial and industrial properties west of I-69 or north of 1-94: 
1) 
Agreements shall be for a term of fifty (50) years after which the property shall be 
transferred back to the Township and the City shall own the utility infrastructure 
which will encourage the City and the Township to negotiate extensions of the 
Agreement upon expiration of the fifty (50) year term. 
5 
2) 
3) 
4) 
The Township shall receive from the City's tax millage four (4) mills on industrial 
property and four (4) mills on commercial property for the term of the 425 
Agreement. 
The costs for the extension of sewer and water distribution systems shall be paid 
by the land owner and/or additional new users. 
An existing business (commercial or industrial) which is zoned commercial or 
industrial or is a nonconforming commercial or industrial use, if utilized for any 
purpose or if connected to a septic tank or drain field, that is within three hundred 
feet (300') of the sewage lines once installed must tie into the sewer and water 
system upon failure of its existing sewage system under a separate 425 Agreement 
complying with the terms of this Master Agreement. 
5) 
The burden of all tax abatements shall be shared by the City and the Township in 
the same percentages as the millage is shared. 
6) 
Utility rates shall not be greater than the rates charged in the City for similar City 
users. 
C. 
7) 
Users, pursuant to this Agreement, shall contribute to repairs and capital 
improvements to the sewage treatment facilities, water purification plant, well 
facilities, and distribution systems in the same manner as similar users within the 
City of Marshall. 
For new residential developments that are east of I-69 and south of I-94: 
(1) 
(2) 
For the purpose of this paragraph residential development shall be defined as a 
single-family residence on a lot less than five (5) acres in size or multi-family 
residences on a lot which averages less than five (5) acres per residence but does 
not qualify as commercial pursuant to paragraph c(8). 
Agreements shall be for a term of fifty (50) year after which the property shall 
remain in the City. 
6 
(3) 
The Township shall receive from the City's tax millage two (2) mills on residential 
property for the term of the 425 Agreement. 
(4) 
The cost for the extension of sewer and water distribution systems shall be paid by 
the land owner and/or additional new users. 
(5) 
Utility rates shall not be greater than the rates charged in the City for similar City 
(6) 
(7) 
users. 
Users, pursuant to this Agreement, shall contribute to repairs and capital 
improvements to the sewage treatment facilities, water purification plant, well 
facilities, and distribution systems in the same manner as similar users within the 
City of Marshall. 
A Multi-family development shall be deemed commercial for purposes of this 
Agreement if it contains more than four (4) residences on one (1) tax parcel and 
shall be developed in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement dealing 
with commercial property lying east of I-69 and south of I-94. 
(8) 
The burden of all tax abatements shall be shared by the City and the Township in 
the same percentages as the millage is shared. 
10. The following developments shall not require a 425 Agreement but shall be entitled to receive City 
sewer and water services upon the terms and conditions set forth: 
a. 
For new single-family residential developments west of I-69 or north of 1-94: 
1) 
If requested by the developer, the Township shall form a sewer district comparable 
to the Lyon Lake Sanitary Sewer District which shall be accepted by the City. 
2) 
The property shall remain in the Township. 
3) 
The cost for extension of sewer shall be paid by the developer or users. 
4) 
A Multi-family development shall for purposes of this agreement be deemed 
commercial if it contains more than four (4) residences on one (1) tax parcel and 
7 
5) 
shall be developed in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement dealing 
with commercial property lying north of I-94 and west of I-69. 
Single-family residential users shall contribute to repairs and capital improvements 
to the sewage treatment facilities, water purification plant, well facilities, and 
distribution systems in the same manner as similar users within the City. 
b. For developed residential property within the Township regardless of location: 
1) 
2) 
3) 
4) 
5) 
The City shall extend sewer and water lines to developed residential areas in the 
Township pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 129 of 1943 (MCLA 123.231 
et seq.) upon the request of the Township or upon a petition being filed with the 
Township and the City and signed by two-thirds (2/3) of the property owners 
within 200 feet of the proposed sewer main. 
All property owners signing the Petition shall be required to tie into the sewer and 
water system. A non-signing property owner with a residence within 200 feet of 
a sewage line once installed must tie into the sewer and water system upon failure 
of the residence's existing sewer system. 
The total cost for extending the distribution lines to developed residential areas 
including but not limited to bonding, engineering and construction shall be the 
responsibility of the users to be served by the extended distribution lines. 
The water and/or sewer system shall be installed according to City specifications 
and ownership of the water and/or sewer systems shall be conveyed to the City 
upon the City approving of the installation. The City, upon becoming the owner 
of the water and/or sewer lines, shall thereafter be responsible for the maintenance 
of the lines. Users on the new water and/or sewer lines shall pay water and/or sewer utility rates as stated in the City's rate ordinance in effect at that time 
00 
8 
11. Additional 425 Agreement's Provisions. The 425 Agreements executed pursuant to this Agreement shall be in the form of Schedule B or Schedule C (whichever is applicable) attached hereto with the additional applicable provisions of this Agreement incorporated therein depending upon the property's location and use. All existing 425 Agreements will be adjusted to increase all Commercial and Industrial to four (4) mills beginning with the 2019 tax year. 
12. Entity Exempt from Paying Property Taxes. In the event that a property owner, that is exempt from paying property taxes, requests that the property it owns be part of a 425 agreement; and enters into a municipal services agreement or a payment in lieu of taxes with the City, the City will pass thru to the Township twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual services agreement payment and/or twenty-five (25%) of the payment in lieu of taxes. 
13. Existing 425 Agreements. All existing 425 Agreements executed between the City and the Township shall remain in full force and effect as modified by applying the changes required by the original 2006 Master Agreement and the 2019 revisions thereto and all payments provided therein shall continue to the Township with the exception of the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Property (Agreement dated June 21, 1992 on property located in the Southwest quadrant 
of the I-94/Old US 27 interchange lying North of F Drive North and East of 16 1⁄2 Mile Road). 
("State Farm") 
The State Farm Agreement shall be amended when the land is developed to provide that all provisions thereof shall be in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Master 425 Development Agreement with an effective date on the date the property is developed and extending for a period of fifty (50) years thereafter. For the purposes of this paragraph, "developed" shall mean the date on which improvements to the land are incorporated into the taxable value and equal more than five percent (5%) of the real estate value incorporated into the taxable value. Until amended, the City shall continue to make millage payments in accordance with the existing 
Agreement. This Agreement amends the June 21, 1992, former State Farm property agreement by deleting Section 3.B. that terminates the State Farm Agreement on December 30, 2021. 
9 
14. City Sewer and Water Capacity. In the event there is a question as to whether or not the capacity of the City sewage treatment plant, wells, water purification plant or distribution systems is adequate to handle the requested Township services, the issue of capacity shall be determined by an independent consultant agreeable to both the Township and the City. The cost of the consultant shall be paid one-half (2) by the Township and one-half (2) by the City. In the event the City and 
the Township cannot agree upon a consultant, a consultant shall be selected by the Calhoun County Administrator/Controller. 
15. Legality of Provision. In the event any provision of this Agreement shall be contrary to public policy, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or laws of the State of Michigan, such provisions, except items 7 and 8, shall be stricken from Agreement and all remaining paragraphs and parts thereof shall be fully enforceable. In the event paragraph 7 or 8 or any portion of either 
is declared contrary to public policy or the laws of the State of Michigan, this Agreement shall be void. 
Chusty a Ramey 
Executed in the presence of: 
Muth. But 
a 
Chusty A Ramey 
CITY OF MARSHALL 
By: 
The Dal 
Thomas Tarkiewicze 
Its: Manager 
CITY OF MARSHALL 
By: 
Lusha Nelson 
Trisha Nelson 
Its: Clerk 
STATE OF MICHIGAN 
COUNTY OF CALHOUN 
) ss. ) 
On this 9th day of February, 2022, before me, a Notary Public, in and for said County, personally appeared Tom Tarkiewicz, Trisha Nelson, who each being first duly sworn, stated that they are respectively the City Manager and the Clerk of the City of Marshall, are authorized to execute the foregoing agreement on behalf of the City of Marshall and that each has done so as the free act and deed of said City of Marshall. 
TRACY L. HALL 
Notary Public - State of Michigan County of Calhoun 
My Commission Expires 10/19/2025 Acting in the County of Calhoun 
Tracy A Hall 
Tracy Hall Notary Public 
Calhoun County, Michigan 
My Commission Expires: 10-19-2025 Acting in the County of Calhoun
Executed in the presence of: J Pal Qua 
MARSHALL TOWNSHIP 
By: ул Julef 
Its: Supervisor 
Executed in the presence of: 
உ lad Ove 
MARSHALL TOWNSHIP 
By: 

A crowd of 180 people packed into the Marshall Township Hall on January 26, 2023 to express their opposition to the PA 425 land transfer and to the State proposed #marshallmegasite.   Not a single person from Marshall Township spoke in favor of the plan which will consume 1,800 acres of township farmland and natural area along 2.5 miles of the Kalamazoo River.  The only people speaking in favor of the proposed plan included letters from several Marshall businesses (City residents) and paid staff of the MEDC, MAEDA, and regional economic development corporations who stand to receive state dollars if the plan moves forward.   The Township board of trustees voted 4 to 1 to approve the land transfer with Township Supervisor, David Bosserd being the only dissenting vote. 

​​Dear Governor Whitmer:
I am writing to urge you to stop the proposal to turn 1900 acres of beautiful,  lush Michigan agricultural land covered with historic farmsteads into an industrial megasite in Marshall, MI. Please do your utmost to protect Michigan’s natural resources, which provide food, water and clean air to our residents. This land should instead be used to build a state park recreational area for everyone to enjoy.

Industry should be located in the many vacant industrial areas within Michigan. There is no good reason to destroy small family farms and a whole way of life.  Please use the power granted you by your constituents to protect our valuable farmland and keep it in the hands of local residents.
Michigan has the water and rich fertile farmland needed to grow food not only for our state, but for the whole country. Our state is poised to take over as a leading agricultural power in the U.S. because agricultural states such as California no longer have the water needed for agriculture. 

It’s easy to turn beautiful farmland into an industrial megasite, but it is very difficult to turn an industrial site into rich farmland. For example, the huge industrial lot right across the street from Lansing Sexton High School, Where I taught for 18 years, remains vacant since 2005. This former Fisher Body Plant site is heavily contaminated with PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, a flammable liquid that is likely carcinogenic to humans. Contaminants will remain for many years to come, so the area water must be routinely monitored.

You have been a great protector of our environment and I urge you to continue to do so. I am not against industry per se, and in fact grew up in Flint, MI amid numerous factories. Let’s keep the factories on industrial sites, and keep the farms on the farmlands. Thank you for taking the time to read my plea.
Sincerely,
A Michigan Farm Owner

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has claimed since 2019, that the land which makes up the Marshall Megasite is vacant agricultural land, void of any structures. This is a falsehood  The 1,800 acre site is comprised of hundreds of individual property which range from small ranch houses to historic 120 year old farmsteads.  One of these, Riverside Farm, dates back to the late 1800's.  The farm is a showpiece, with principle hay barn, attached horse stalls, milking barn, cattle barn, hog barn, corn crib, machine shed, garage and two granaries. 

The farm, which was farmed through October 2022, is located at 13024 C Drive North. The following Reconnaissance Survey of History was made By Ina Hanel-Gerdenich dated February 5, 2023

The scope of this survey is to review the readily available literature online to determine the ownership and other history of the indicated property. The results from this brief survey are included below.

The property lies in Section 29 of Marshall Township (T2S R6W) and is currently described as the SW ¼ of the section except the “E 91 feet of N 338 feet, totaling 159.29 acres.”1 The farm buildings are grouped together near the northwest corner of the property. They include a nineteenth century house and late nineteenth- and early to mid-twentieth-century barns and outbuildings.

For clarity, the descriptions below refer to three parcels: A, B, and C. Parcel A consists of the W ½ of the SW ¼ (80 acres) of Section 29 and includes all the extant buildings standing in its northwestern corner. Parcel B refers to the E ½ of the SE ¼ (76 acres) in the neighboring Section 30 to the west. Parcel C refers to the 80-acre parcel to the east of Parcel A, described as the E½ of the SW ¼, Section 29. All three parcels are currently owned by Phillip Glotfelty III.
The farm was established on the north shore of the Kalamazoo River, a few miles west of the city of Marshall and a few miles south of Michigan Ave and I-94 (the former Territorial Road corridor). The location was central to transportation—not only was it nearby to the major roads, it also was situated between the railroad stops in the towns of Marshall and Ceresco. The crossroads concept can be applied to other aspects of local history. The area around Battle Creek and Marshall was associated with the Underground Railroad during the mid-nineteenth century. Prior to that, the early surveyors recorded an “old Indian Village” on the banks of the Kalamazoo river, about one mile east of the farm.2
By the second half of the nineteenth century, most of the local area that was originally forested (and included oak openings) had been cleared and developed into farmland, and the local

1 Marshall Township, Calhoun County, Tax Assessor page, 2/3/2023.
2 Plat Image of Original Survey of Marshall Township by Lucius Lyons, October 1825. General Land Office Records, https://glorecords.blm.gov/, accessed 2/3/2023.
towns and cities were firmly established with businesses providing the necessary goods and services. Nearby Marshall was well established, serving as the county seat since 1838.
The following provides a snapshot of property ownership during specific years. The years selected are those in which a historic plat map of the area is available.3

1858:  The property now owned by Thomas Knight included the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of Section 29 (northern half of Parcel A, 40 acres) and the neighboring 76 acres in Section 30 (Parcel B).

Thomas Knight (1805-1892) was an early settler of Marshall Township, arriving in 1831 or 1832 from England and buying parcels of land as early as 1833. 4 The 1840 census indicates that he was in the agriculture business. He lived in Section 18 with his wife and ten children, but owned land in Sections 19 and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ in Section 29 in addition to the northern half of parcel A and parcel B. By 1870, Knight owned 400 acres in the area. He had served as one of two Township coroners in 1865- 1866. He also was a highway commissioner and township assessor at various times. In 1872 he moved to Section 13 in neighboring Emmet Township and his son occupied the father’s former property in Section 18. Thomas owned up to 500 acres in both townships in his later life.
It is not clear if the Riverside Farm property (or any of the other scattered parcels owned by Thomas Knight) was farmed during this time or simply kept vacant. There are no buildings indicated on Parcels A, B or C on the 1858 plat map. The railroad tracks had been installed (Michigan Central RR arrived in Marshall in 1844), cutting across Parcel B and clipping the southwestern corner of Parcel A. The town of Ceresco a few miles to the west was established in 1838 and had grown to include a church, two schools, hotel, merchants, several mills, shoe shop and shoemaker.5

1873: By this time, the farm was owned by John and Frances Carnes Shea. It consisted of Parcels A and B (the W ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 29 and the E ½ of the SE ¼ of Section 30). A house is indicated near the northwest corner of Parcel A. Parcel B includes two adjacent houses placed along the west side of the current U-shaped driveway and due west of the house in Parcel A. Neighbor George Avery owned the E ½ of the SW ¼ in Section 29 (Parcel C, 80 acres), and his house was located near the northeast corner of his parcel.

John Shea was born in County Cork, Ireland in 1837. He emigrated to New York in about 1851 when he was fourteen years old. While working in New York City, he met his wife Frances. They were married in 1866 and their first child, Agnes, was born in New York in 1868. Sometime between 1868 and 1871 (when the next child was born in Michigan), the young family moved to Marshall, and by 1873 settled on the farm. Given these dates

and the appearance of a house symbol on the 1873 plat map, it is possible that the Sheas were the ones to build the east wing of the house, which appears to be older than the west wing.6

The 1880 Agricultural census records indicate that the Sheas had a typical farm of the area—one that was smaller in size and profit than many others, but by no means the smallest or poorest. There are two unusual features of the Shea farm in 1880: the family did not raise sheep, but instead raised a slightly larger number of swine and chickens.
They also planted sixteen acres of potatoes during the census year. This contrasts with the surrounding farms which typically planted one-half to one acre of potatoes.
John Shea’s father (also John Shea) and younger brother Jeremiah immigrated later with additional family members and settled in Marshall township as well.
In about 1883 (possibly by 1882 or as late as 1884), the Shea Family sold the farm and moved to Kingston County, Kansas. John had traveled there to help settle an estate for a Michigan neighbor and liked it so much that he decided to stay. He purchased a farm there as well, although a son later remarked that he “was no farmer.” From 1899-1903 John was elected as a judge. He died in 1921.
​
1884: The farm as indicated on the plat map from this year is owned by Charles D. Brewer.
Charles was the son of Chauncey M. Brewer, an early settler of Marshall from New York. Chauncey established a dry goods store in the town in 1836 which was passed to his sons, Charles D. and Edgar M. in 1875. Chauncey would become one of the wealthiest and respected men in the county.7

Charles Brewer was born in Marshall in 1850. He married Anna M. DeWolfe in 1878 and had three children born between 1881 and 1886. In 1900, Charles sold his share of the store to his brother, and focused his energies on managing his multiple farms, which had grown to a combined total of 1000 acres at the time. 8 The Riverside Farm was a part of this larger operation. Charles and his family had moved to Ward 2 in the City of Marshall, and he is listed as working as a “capitalist” in that year’s census. Charles died there in 1922. His occupation at the time was described as “merchant.”

It is not known who was working on the Riverside farm property during this time. Charles leased his farms on a share basis. However, he may have been the one to build (or commission) the hip-roofed portion of the house on the west side as well as some of

6 Interpretation of relative construction dates are made from online photographs only (no site visit). Note that the west wing is capped by a hipped roof rather than a gable roof. What is unusual is that the hipped roof has very low eaves, leaving no room for a frieze, suggesting a later construction date.

the farm’s outbuildings during the 1880s and later. The west wing may have been built as late as the 1920s.9

An undated plat map probably from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century continues to show three houses (two on Parcel B and one on Parcel A) clustered around the driveway that runs along the boundary between the two parcels.
1916: According to the plat map of this year, the farm was still owned by Charles D Brewer. It included all 160 acres in Section 29 (Parcels A and C) and approximately 78 acres in Section 30 (Parcel B). The house in Section 29 (Parcel A) is indicated, but the two houses in Section 30 (Parcel B) appear to have been removed. Charles is not included on the list of Farmers published in the Farm Journal’s Rural Directory of Calhoun County (1916).
1920s-1960s. It is not known who owned the Riverside Farm during these decades,10 but the buildings depicted in the photographs indicate that a dairy operation was conducted. The ceramic tile silo probably dates to the 1920s. The drive-through corn crib may date to the post World War II period. Other outbuildings and the addition to the main barn may have been built during this time as well.
​
1974: The farm purchased by Philip III and Marlene Glotfelty in 1974 (Parcels A, B, and C) The farm was continually leased to local farmers through October of 2022.  The Glotfelty family operated a hobby farm with goats, chickens, horses, pigeons, pheasants.  The family planted 10,000 white pine along the Kalamazoo River circa 1974 and 1975. The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance is set to close on the property in February 2023.   The family will be made to torn down the property for the Marshall Megasite.  

Additional research can be conducted to determine more of the twentieth-century history of Riverside Farm. Twentieth-century census records, directories, Rockford Plat maps, and deed records (is there an Abstract in the possession of the family?) have not been examined. In addition, descendants of the Shea and Brewer families may have information, and a survey of the buildings on the property may reveal clues.

References
Atlas of Calhoun County, Michigan. New York: F.W. Beers and Company, 1873.
Farm Journal Illustrated Rural Directory of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: Wilmer Atkinson Company, Publishers, 1916.
Gardner, Washington. A History of Calhoun County, Michigan. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1913.

9 The farm as depicted in an undated older framed photograph in the possession of the Glotfelty family shows the house without the west wing.
10 A review of the 1920 United States Population census for Marshall Township revealed no obvious clues. Charles Brower is listed as living on Prospect Street in the city of Marshall.
History of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1877.
Lyons, Lucius. Marshall Township Surveyor Notes, October 1825. General Land Office Records, https://glorecords.blm.gov/, accessed 2/3/2023.
Map of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: Geil, Harby and Siverd, 1858.
Plat Map of Calhoun County, nd. (familysearch.org/library/books/).
Standard Atlas of Calhoun County. Chicago: George A. Ogle and Co., 1916.
United States Census Bureau. Federal Census Records, Calhoun County, Michigan. Schedule 1:
Population Schedule, Marshall Township, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900.
United States Census Bureau. Federal Census Records, Calhoun County, Michigan. Schedule 2:
Agriculture Schedule, Marshall Township, 1880.

Prepared by:
Ina Hanel-Gerdenich Mirka Productions, LLC Ann Arbor, Michigan 734-717-9079
February 5, 2023

Calhoun County residents continue to voice their opposition to the State of Michigan's proposed plan to create a heavy industrial Megasite on 1,800 acres of farmland located at the door step of Marshall, Michigan, a small historic community located in South Central Michigan at the intersection of I-69 and I-94.   The town has the distinction of being the largest National Landmark District in the United States in the small urban category with 750 structures in the district being listed as historically significant. 

The State is working to attract large scale manufactures to the site for the production of EV vehicles and batteries, CHIP manufacturers and the like.  Ford Motor Company, which is partnering with the Chinese firm CATL, is apparently considering the site after it was turned away by Virginia's Republican Governor as CATL is known to have ties with the Chinese Communist Party. 

Residents voiced concerns during "public comments."  The topic was not included on the agenda.  Concerns included the lack of transparency in the process, failure of MAEDA to notify area residents, the threat of the Marshall Megasite to  air, noise, water, and light pollution, 
Residents were given three minutes each. Public comments lasted about 40 minutes (in two parts). The video is available here. 

​I live in Marengo Township and own property in Eckford Township. I oppose the land transfers and the industrial development of the megasite due largely to environmental concerns. I want to address an environmental issue that will affect me at my home in Marengo, on my property in Eckford, and that will have a disastrous effect on the people of Marshall Township, and that's light pollution.

People who study the night sky use a 9-point scale to measure light pollution. 1 is the middle of the desert, with no towns for a hundred miles around: as dark as it gets. 9 is the Las Vegas Strip, or downtown Manhattan: you're lucky to see a bright star or the planet Jupiter. Here in Michigan, south of Saginaw, there is nothing better than a 4 (and remember, low numbers are good). You can see the Milky Way in a 4.  Downtown Detroit is an 8 or 9; downtown Lansing is an 8 or 9; downtown Coldwater is an 8 or 9, probably because of the prison.  Battle Creek is a 6; Marshall is a 5. The megasite, as you get away from Marshall, is a 4: as good as it gets south of Saginaw.

Industrial development there will invariably create light pollution, probably raising the number to a 5 or even a 6. The view of the night sky, as good as it gets in the area, will be ruined. People will no longer be able to see the Milky Way. Please vote "no" on the land transfers, and prevent the light pollution that will be created by industrial development of the area. 

--
W. Jeffrey Wilson
he, him, his
Professor Emeritus, Psychological Science
Albion College
Owner: Terra Nova Astrophotography
[email protected]
campus.albion.edu/wjwilson
jeffwilson.zenfolio.com/p534094800

Marshall Mega-site Part 2

*The Mega-site will be subject to Marshall City’s zoning laws and ordinances and local and state environmental laws. That is good initially, but over time industry and regulatory vigilance wanes, or new owners come, and ordinances and environmental regulations are ignored, or are not met, and spills occur.
The Mega-site would be subject to the City’s zoning laws and ordinances as well as local and state environmental laws. That is well and good, but we know that as time goes on, plant owners relax their vigilance on environmental matters, or new owners don’t care as much. The chances of a spill or air emissions increases. These environmental concerns are magnified by the Mega-site’s location close to the north bank of the Kalamazoo River and being southwest (SW) of the City of Marshall. The closeness to the river increases the chances of spills into the river directly or through groundwater. The location SW of the City of Marshall increases the chance of odors and released air emissions drifting over the City because of the prevailing winds. Examples of recent and past environmental problems from large industrial plants are:

• Graphic Packaging in Kalamazoo – odors, spills into the Kalamazoo River
• Wolverine Worldwide near Grand Rapids – multiple dump sites with PFAS’s into groundwater
• Gelman Scientific Ann Arbor – Spillage into groundwater under Ann Arbor
• Tribar Plating near Ann Arbor – spillage into Huron River
• Dow Chemical Midland – multiple dump sites with groundwater contamination
• Velosical Alma Area – groundwater and river spillage
• Lockhart Chemical Flint – spillage into Flint River

Some of these environmental problems have occurred in the last two years. Some started decades ago and are continuing pollution problems. Google any of these and educate yourself.
* There is no guarantee that a plant will be built at the Marshall Mega-site. What if that happens and the road and utility improvements don’t serve anything? There is a lot of competition for Mega-sites and Mega-plants in Michigan and other states.

If Michigan needs shovel ready Mega-sites, why not locate them in industrial parks like Fort Custer, or on brownfield sites in Battle Creek or Albion, close to interstates and rail lines? The ideal site would be one that cleans up a brownfield site and brings an industrial plant to a region that needs and wants that kind of growth.

For Marshall? Let’s Think Marshall! Be smart about the direction of economic growth we want for Marshall and the surrounding Area. Growth that can be controlled to minimize effects on the environment. Growth that preserves farmland and our rivers as much as possible. Growth that preserves the character and lifestyle of Marshall. There
will be more public hearings to approve site plans and engineering plans if a plant(s) does plan to locate at the Mega-site. We need to use these opportunities to express the kind of plant site we want to see. We need to make sure our community leaders take every possible action to mitigate the effects of a mega-plant on the surrounding neighbors
and the Marshall area. MAEDA should hold more public question and answer meetings to share more details on how the Mega-site will be developed and listen to citizen input.

Please take these opportunities to inform our representatives on what growth we want. If you want the keep the Marshall Mega-site from becoming a reality and keep Marshall development under control, go to http://www.michiganmegasite.com Sign the petition and contact the Save Marshall group to help.

Summary​

*The Mega-site will be subject to Marshall City’s zoning laws and ordinances and local and state environmental laws. That is good initially, but over time industry and regulatory vigilance wanes, or new owners come, and ordinances and environmental regulations are ignored, or are not met, and spills occur.

* Mega-site is too large. Smaller sites at existing industrial parks or brownfield sites could be developed instead. There needs to be a change in how economic planning is done to include quality of life and minimizing resource use.

* There is no guarantee that a plant will be built at the Marshall Mega-site. What if that happens and the road and utility improvements don’t serve anything? There is a lot of competition for Mega-sites and Mega-plants in Michigan and other states.

Regis Klingler
Marshall Resident

An open letter to Governor Whitmer and other leaders in our community:

Dear Governor Whitmer,

I am writing to you today as a concerned citizen of Marshall township and previous citizen of the City of Marshall.

Earlier this month, I was informed of the proposed "megasite" to be developed near the Marshall Township Building. Since then, I have kept up to tabs on the firestorm of opposition from locals and have attended a heated Marshall Township hall meeting where they inevitably approved the motion transferring the properties involved in the proposed "megasite" from the township to the City of Marshall.

Through all of this, I have tried to keep a level head. I have tried to read between the lines of blame assigning, mud raking, and political rhetoric cast during this heated discussion and while the facts have yet to be seen, I still find myself on the side of those opposed to developing the 1800+ acres outside Marshall.

I am very opposed to this development for a couple reasons:

1.) I am VERY concerned for the environmental impacts development on current greenspace and undeveloped land may have. I like to think of myself as a "green" thinker, and paving over farmland and woods, not to mention developing what is expected to be a battery plant next to a critical water source seems like a VERY bad idea.

I recognize the need for Michigan as a whole to position itself for a "green" future and cementing its role as a provider of key infrastructure for an electric-vehicle economy, but such a site as the one here in Marshall I feel is a completely inappropriate choice. I grew up in Flint, and bore witness to the immense and numerous eyesores of unused factory buildings. I've seen them all over the state - Detroit, Jackson, Lansing, Battle Creek - they all have huge facilities that would be perfect opportunities to reuse and revitalize both their buildings as well as the local economies. Doing so would also prove so much more environmentally responsible than clearing over 1800 acres of plants, animals, and environment.

2.) I am also VERY concerned about changing the way of life so many of us love in Marshall already. I am a young man of only 29 years. I moved here for work at Eaton's proving grounds south of Marshall and have absolutely fallen in love with this small town. Its quaint charm is second to none in my humble opinion. I look forward to starting my family here and staying here to make a mark on this town and community.

I seem to hear this a lot as well. People truly love the small historic town of Marshall. While I recognize the demographic of this town isn't particularly diverse with a seeming majority of the population being older than the rest, I don't think this is a simple "the elders don't want their town changing." Us up and comers in this town also love the small town feel while still retaining a forward-thinking outlook on the area's future.

I would like to instead propose that the land signed over from the township be utilized for either one of three uses:

1.) Calhoun County's first state park. Such a development (I recognize this would be developing the site) would be a huge improvement for the City of Marshall, Calhoun County, and the state of Michigan as a whole. Having a state park in our backyard would be such an awesome opportunity to get out and enjoy the beautiful land that Calhoun County has to offer, while likely providing an economic boost to the local area through camping fees and other sources of revenue that can be generated through a state park.

2.) Double down on protecting our environment and list the land as a protected nature preserve. Provide for our environment by eliminating invasive species and encourage the growth of native plants and animals and put Marshall and Calhoun County on the map for another reason - a town that invests in the environment from the ground up.

3.) Combine the two above ideas into one and make a truly forward-thinking green space. Reserve some of the land for recreational purposes - Mountain biking paths, walking trails, and/or campsites. Reserve some of it for preserved nature preserves, recognizing the need to encourage natural biodiversity and conservation of an endangered ecosystem. And reserve some of it for a community garden. A place where locals from all over Calhoun county can come and contribute to a locally-sustainable food source for all of us to share in and enjoy. Give our kids and adults an opportunity to learn about and from nature by providing courses on wildlife and natural resource conservation.

In closing, I believe Marshall can be an innovator and leader in the state of Michigan in this changing climate and world. But I don't think the site as proposed is the appropriate place for a battery plant. I think Marshall can spearhead a movement in true green thinking from the ground up.

Thank you for your time and consideration - I truly hope that you listen to your constituents and oppose this "megasite” as it is currently scoped for Marshall, and instead choose a different site to host the proposed battery plant or other uses.

Robert Weiss