Cunningham Lake Residents Ask for a 'No' Vote on Upcoming Road Millage

Residents along Cunningham Lake Road in Brighton are banning together to help spread their message to "Vote No" on the Genoa Township Road Millage on Nov. 5.

With its large trees and winding curves, the scenic country road has been home to wildlife and Brighton residents for more than 100 years and has become a popular destination spot for pedestrians and the people who live on it.

"It's beautiful," said Cunningham Lake resident Gail Golembiewski. "And so many people use it for that reason."

As word began to spread that their street was on the list for possible improvements, Cunningham Lake neighbors took the initiative and began posting signs in an effort to inform the public and bring awareness of potential problems paving the road would bring.

With faster and more dangerous rates of speed topping the list of concerns, Gail and her husband Bob Golembiewski, say they are also concerned about having the stretch widened, which would affect the natural landscape of the area.

"All of these trees would have to go," Gail Golembiewski said. "Up and down both sides."

While the Golembiewski's say they support improving certain roads in Brighton, they are curious as to how the road they have lived on for more than 37 years was chosen.

"The township board mentioned they had sent out a survey of people wanting to have roads improved, but it was generic," Bob Golembiewski said. "They didn't specify which roads."

"These were their choices, we were never asked," his wife said. "We weren't asked at all."

Roads with higher traffic volumes such as Brighton or Challis Roads that are in "dire need of repair" should be the priority, according to Bob Golembiewski, rather than the less traveled roads that residents are happy with.

"People don't want this," he said. "Yet the Township Board, for whatever reasons, sees this as what they want to do."

Supporting Bob Golembiewski's statement, two Brighton residents who walk the Cunningham Lake Road on a regular basis say they would be sad to see any changes made to one of their favorite paths.

"We hope we wouldn't see it paved because we really enjoy it," Nina McMahon said. "It's a great road, it doesn't have holes in it, it's very natural and very beautiful just like this and it also forces people to go a little slower so people can walk and jog."

According to the Golembiewski's, none of the 20 or so neighbors of Cunnigham Lake Road are happy and the general hope is that by raising awareness and voting against the millage, their "no vote" will help save their street. 

"The language for paving all these roads is not on the ballot itself and they say that if the millage passes it would be difficult to get one road off the plan," Gail Golembiewski said. "So, hopefully the millage won't pass and they can somehow get this road off and start all over again."