News
Watersmeet Township Has a New Website Address
Please update your bookmarks to www.watersmeetmi.gov
Watersmeet Township has moved to a new official website address:
The change to a .gov domain makes it easier for residents and visitors to identify the Township’s website as an official government website. The .gov designation is reserved for verified government organizations and provides additional trust and security for the public.
The previous website address, watersmeet.us, will continue to automatically redirect visitors to the new website, so there is no interruption in access.
Township email addresses will also be changing to the new @watersmeetmi.gov domain. The change is not yet complete. A notice will be posted when the new email addresses are ready to use.
Residents are encouraged to update their bookmarks and use www.watersmeetmi.gov when accessing Township information, public notices, meeting documents, forms, news, and announcements.
Watersmeet Township
Official website: www.watersmeetmi.gov
Notice of Public Hearing: Zoning Board of Appeals
The Watersmeet Township Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a hearing on Tuesday September 8, 2026 at 6PM in the Watersmeet Township Community Center, N4689 1st Street, Watersmeet, MI. The purpose of the hearing is to consider an appeal submitted by Julie Mathiesen of the Town Zoning Administrator’s decisions regarding zoning requirements for trailers on the property of John and Joy Schuster at N4765 Cisco Lake, Parcel No. 06-37-301-020, in Watersmeet Township.
Mrs. Mathiesen is also requesting interpretation of the Watersmeet Zoning Ordinance for Sections 6.02A.11, 7.06, and 10.02.
The public may express its views at this hearing or send written comments to: Chairperson, Watersmeet Township Zoning Board of Appeals, PO Box 306, Watersmeet, MI 49969 by Friday September 4, 2026. Documents associated with the variance request may be examined during normal business hours at the Watersmeet Township offices, also located at N4689 1st Street. You may contact the Town office at 906-358-4501 for hours.
THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE
Gogebic County Hazard Mitigation Plan Survey
Gogebic County is updating its five-year Hazard Mitigation Plan, as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to remain eligible for federal hazard mitigation funding. Gogebic County staff and a local planning committee are working with the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) to complete the update.
Hazard mitigation includes actions taken before, during, or after a disaster to reduce risks to people, property, infrastructure, and the environment from natural, technological, or human-related hazards. Public input is an important part of this planning process. The information you provide will help us better understand local hazard concerns, prioritize mitigation activities, and guide future projects that can lessen the impact of hazards in Gogebic County.
Participation is voluntary but strongly encouraged. All responses will remain confidential. Responses are due by Monday, September 21, 2026.
If you have questions regarding this survey or would like to learn about more ways that you can participate in the planning process, please contact:
Rachael Pressley, Project Lead
rpressley@wuppdr.org
Click the link below!
Watersmeet in Bloom: A Summer of Community Pride
What began this spring as a new idea to bring residents together to beautify Watersmeet has blossomed into a summer filled with flowers, volunteers, community partnerships, and pride.
The Watersmeet Beautification Committee was formed with a simple goal: to enhance the natural beauty of our community through small projects that make a visible difference. Residents—both full-time and seasonal—were invited to lend their time and talents to planting flowers, caring for garden beds, and improving public spaces throughout the community.
One of the summer’s highlights has been the creation of pollinator gardens at Watersmeet Pavilion Park, made possible through a generous grant from the Gogebic Conservation District.
After weeks of preparing the garden beds, volunteers came together to plant all of the pollinator plants provided through the grant. The gardens will provide valuable habitat for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators while adding beauty to the park for everyone to enjoy.
The project has truly been a community effort. Volunteers have contributed their time, energy, gardening skills, and enthusiasm to help bring the gardens to life.
And the work doesn’t stop with the planting. Volunteers are now in the summer-long watering and weeding phase, helping ensure that the gardens become established and thrive. The committee is especially grateful to the Watersmeet Fire Department for the use of its UTV and 100-gallon water tank, which has made keeping the new gardens watered much easier.
The summer has also brought another lasting addition to Pavilion Park—the Watersmeet Beautification Committee community mural, created by local artist Sarah Zelinski. Inspired by the committee’s logo, the mural celebrates community pride and volunteerism. As people participate in beautification projects, they can add their handprint to the mural, helping the community tree grow and come to life—one volunteer at a time.
From the first call for volunteers to the planting of hundreds of pollinator plants, the creation of new garden spaces, and the addition of a community mural, this first summer has demonstrated what can happen when people come together with a shared vision.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated, provided equipment, offered encouragement, or simply stopped to admire the work. And thank you to the Gogebic Conservation District, the Watersmeet Fire Department, our local volunteers, and everyone who has helped make these projects possible.
This is just the beginning. Together, we are making Watersmeet a more beautiful place to live, work, visit, and enjoy—one project, one flower, and one volunteer at a time.
If you are interested in volunteering for future projects please contact Denise Fauntleroy at 630-881-7252.
Summer Property Tax Collection Deadline ~ 9/14/26
Watersmeet Township
Summer Tax Collection
Monday, Sept. 14, 2026
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This is the last day to pay taxes in person without interest being applied.
I won’t be in the office, but the Township secretary will collect payments, and they will be processed as having been received on 9/14/26 and receipts will be mailed.
Paul D. Kemppainen, Township Treasurer
Hospice Volunteers Needed
Aspirus Hospice is seeking caring volunteers to offer companionship and support to patients and families in our community. Volunteers provide a gentle presence, conversation, and comfort during an important time in a patient’s life. No medical experience is required – just kindness, respect, and a willingness to serve. Training is provided, and scheduling is as flexible as you need it to be.
To learn more, contact Aspirus Hospice or Brenda Trapp, Volunteer Coordinator Lead at (715) 847-2000 ext. 52436 or Brenda.Trapp@aspirus.org
Notice of Public Hearing ~ Zoning Ordinance Revisions
Notice of Public Hearing ~ Short Term Rental
Watersmeet Beautification Committee Update
The Watersmeet Beautification Committee is pleased to announce that it has received a generous grant from the Gogebic Conservation District to install pollinator gardens at the Watersmeet Pavilion Park. Work on the garden beds has been underway for the past six weeks, and the project is beginning to take shape.
The Gogebic Conservation District, one of Michigan’s 78 Conservation Districts, was established during the Dust Bowl era to help conserve and protect our natural resources. Today, the District continues to provide natural resource management services and educational information that help local landowners protect and preserve our environment. We are grateful for their support and are honored to receive this grant.
This project has also been made possible through the generosity of many community members who have stepped forward to donate their time, talents, and resources. Their support has been invaluable in bringing this vision to life.
Throughout the summer, volunteers will be needed to help water and weed the pollinator gardens. If you’d like to lend a hand, we’d love to hear from you!
Join Us for Our Next Work Day
Sunday, July 26
12:00 p.m. (Noon)
Watersmeet Pavilion Park
We’ll be planting the final flats of pollinator plants and putting the finishing touches on the gardens. Whether you can stay for an hour or the afternoon, your help is appreciated. No gardening experience is necessary—just bring your enthusiasm and a pair of gardening gloves if you have them!
Together, we’re creating a beautiful space that will benefit butterflies, bees, other pollinators, and our entire community for years to come.
Watersmeet Beautification Committee Dedicates Community Mural
On July 2, the Watersmeet Beautification Committee proudly dedicated its new community mural at Pavilion Park in downtown Watersmeet. Created by local artist Sarah Zelinski, the mural was inspired by the committee’s logo and celebrates the spirit of community pride, volunteerism, and the shared commitment to making Watersmeet a beautiful place to live and visit.
As volunteers participate in beautification projects throughout the downtown area, they will leave a lasting mark by adding their handprint to the mural. Over time, these handprints will help the community tree grow and come to life—one volunteer at a time.
The Beautification Committee invites everyone to help bring the tree to life by volunteering throughout the year. Whether you have an hour or a day to give, your efforts can make a lasting difference in our community.
To learn more or get involved, contact Denise Fauntleroy at 630-881-7252.
