WINDSOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP
EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY ELECTRIC
FRANCHISE ORDINANCE
Ordinance No. 53
At a meeting of the Township Board of
Windsor Charter Township, Eaton County, Michigan, held at the Windsor Charter
Township Hall on July 28, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., Barnhart-Smith moved to adopt
the following Ordinance for posting, publication, and subsequent final
adoption, which motion was seconded by Slucter:
AN ORDINANCE, granting to CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY,
its successors and assigns, the right and authority to construct, maintain and
commercially use electric lines and related facilities including but not
limited to towers, masts, poles, crossarms, guys, wires and transformers on,
under, along, and across public places including but not limited to highways,
streets, alleys, bridges, and waterways, and to conduct a local electric business
in the CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF WINDSOR, EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN, for a period of thirty
years.
THE
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF WINDSOR ORDAINS:
SECTION
1. GRANT and TERM. The CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF WINDSOR, EATON
COUNTY, MICHIGAN, hereby grants to Consumers Energy Company, its successors and
assigns, hereinafter called “Consumers" the right and authority to construct,
maintain and commercially use electric lines consisting of towers, masts,
poles, crossarms, guys, wires and transformers on, under, along, and across
public places including but not limited to highways, streets, alleys, bridges,
and waterways, and to conduct a local electric business in the CHARTER TOWNSHIP
OF WINDSOR, EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN, for a period of thirty years.
SECTION 2. CONDITIONS. No public place used by Consumers shall be
obstructed longer than necessary during construction or repair, and shall be
restored to the same order and condition as when work was commenced. All of Consumers’ electric lines and related
facilities shall be placed as not to unnecessarily interfere with the public’s
use of public places. Consumers shall
have the right to trim or remove trees, if necessary, in the conducting of such
business.
SECTION 3. HOLD
HARMLESS. Consumers shall save the Charter
Township free and harmless from all loss, costs and expense to which it may be
subject by reason of the negligent construction and maintenance of the lines
and related facilities hereby authorized.
In case any action is commenced against the Charter Township on account
of the permission herein given, Consumers shall, upon notice, defend the Charter
Township and its representatives and hold them harmless from all loss, costs
and damage arising out of such negligent construction and maintenance.
SECTION 4. EXTENSIONS. Consumers shall construct and extend its
electric distribution system within said Charter Township, and shall furnish
electric service to applicants residing therein in accordance with applicable
laws, rules and regulations.
SECTION 5. FRANCHISE
NOT EXCLUSIVE. The rights, power and
authority herein granted, are not exclusive.
SECTION 6. RATES
and CONDITIONS. Consumers shall be
entitled to provide electric service to the inhabitants of the Charter Township
at the rates and pursuant to the conditions as approved by the Michigan Public
Service Commission. Such rates and conditions
shall be subject to review and change upon petition to the Michigan Public
Service Commission.
SECTION 7. REVOCATION. The franchise granted by this ordinance is
subject to revocation upon sixty (60) days written notice by either party. Upon revocation this ordinance shall be
considered repealed and of no effect past, present or future.
SECTION 8. MICHIGAN
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION JURISDICTION.
Consumers remain subject to the reasonable rules and regulations of the
Michigan Public Service Commission applicable to electric service in the Charter
Township and those rules and regulations preempt any term of any ordinance of
the Charter Township to the contrary.
SECTION 9. REPEALER. This ordinance, when enacted, shall repeal
and supersede the provisions of any previous Consumers’ electric franchise ordinance
adopted by the Charter Township, including any amendments.
SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE
DATE. This ordinance shall take
effect on the 9th day of August.