Supervisor JoAnne O'Rourke

08/23/2026

Meetings this week - JOIN US!

📣 What’s Happening This Week?
Check out the schedule of this week’s township meetings.
🔗 View the township calendar: https://www.texastownship.org/calendar
Agendas available: https://www.texastownship.org/AgendaCenter

08/05/2026

🚒❤️ THANK YOU, TEXAS TOWNSHIP!

The fire millage passed in every precinct with a decisive 60% overall voter approval, securing the first-ever independent funding dedicated to fire and emergency services in Texas Township!

Thank you to our residents and voters for engaging in thoughtful community conversations, attending informational meetings, asking questions, and showing up!

A special thank you to:

👨‍🚒 Chief Ken Chapman, Admin Assistant Kait Hyde, our command staff, and our firefighters for hosting events, opening station doors, and tirelessly sharing facts with the community. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a committed team serving the township.

🏛️ The Township Board for working through complex details to structure a millage that serves the long-term best interests of our community.

🗳️ Our dedicated election workers for putting in long hours yesterday to ensure a smooth and secure election process!

What this outcome means for Texas Township Fire-Rescue:

👨‍🚒 Enhanced 24/7 Staffing: Funding for an additional full-time firefighter per shift to ensure rapid response times and coverage for overlapping emergency calls.

🛡️ Community Safety Leadership: Adding a full-time Fire Marshal/Community Risk Reduction role to protect our homes, businesses, and schools.

🚒 Long-Term Equipment Planning: Standardized lifecycle replacement for aging apparatus and firefighter safety gear—built on a foundation of financial stewardship.

This critical investment sets up the township for success for generations to come -- thank you again, voters!

08/04/2026

The sign says it all, Texas Township -- VOTE today if you haven't already. Remember to FLIP YOUR BALLOT to vote on the fire millage; polls are open 7 am - 8 pm.

08/02/2026

Walking the walk today and voting early! I just cast my ballot and hope you’ve voted or have a plan to. One correction to my earlier post - in Texas Township, the fire millage question is on the back of the ballot, the other 2 ballot issues are on the front - make sure and FLIP YOUR BALLOT to vote on the fire millage.

Grateful to have so many accessible options! 🇺🇸 🗳️

07/30/2026

🗳️ 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄! Every vote shapes our future, make sure yours is counted! Early, in-person voting is open 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌 – 𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐 for all Kalamazoo County voters!

📍𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒:
• Portage Parks & Rec: 320 Library Ln, Portage
• WMU Fetzer Center: 2251 Business Court, Kalamazoo
• Kalamazoo County Expo Center: 2900 Lake St, Kalamazoo
• Douglass Community Assoc: 1000 W Paterson St, Kalamazoo

🗳️ 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐘?
You can also vote on Tuesday, August 4 from 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM at your usual precinct polling location!

🔄 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑:
Don't forget to 𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑! Party primary races are on Page 1, but local millage proposals are on the back (Page 2). Make sure to vote both sides!

📬 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐓? Return your completed ballot anytime until 𝟖 𝐩𝐦 on Election Day in the 𝟐𝟒/𝟕 secure drop box at Texas Township Hall (7227 W Q Ave).

07/29/2026

Please read the important information below about recreational and non-motorized vehicles on our roads. Thank you KCSO for providing the facts about increasing road safety for all!

07/25/2026

🗳️ Early voting is officially open!
The closest site to Texas Township is Portage Parks & Rec (Portage City Government complex off Westnedge & Centre).
📍 Address: 320 Library Lane
🕒 Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM daily (July 25-August 2, all sites)
See the link in the comments for all Kalamazoo County early voting locations. Please "like" and share!

07/24/2026

📢 🚸 Important Safety Reminder for Families 🚲🚗
Hey Texas Township!

Please take a moment to review the important safety update below from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office (KCSO).
We routinely receive reports of near-misses between vehicles, bicycles, and e-bikes. As we become more urbanized, our roads are seeing far more mixed traffic than they were originally set up to handle.

3 Ways We Can Keep Everyone Safe:

🛑 Know the Rules: Review the KCSO safety materials linked below.

🛴 Talk to Your Kids: Have periodic chats at home about bike, e-bike, and scooter safety.

🚗 Model Good Behavior: Drive alert, yield appropriately, and set a great example whether you're on 4 wheels or 2!

📲 Help keep our neighborhoods and township safe: Please forward or share this post with your Texas Township neighbors and local family groups!

🗳️ P.S. Civic Reminder: Election season is here! Don't forget to make your voice heard—remember to vote!

07/16/2026

Notice all the road work getting done in the township this year? 🚧🚗 That’s your tax dollars hard at work!

The township has moved from a 1-year to a 5-year Road Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). This shift makes it easier for the road commission, our township team, and our residents to plan ahead.

Click below to check out the planned road projects scheduled now through 2030.

🔗https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SmVgDGVuWGNV4sKdGCYLN0GC_JCaKBNy/view

⚠️ Please note: While this is our current road plan, it can change! If projects get completed faster or come in under budget, we may bump future projects up and get started on the next year's list early.

Thank you for your patience with road crews working to improve our roads in these extreme temperatures🛠️💛

07/16/2026

See below for more about the air quality alert in effect through tomorrow (Friday) evening. Hazardous levels of pollution from Canadian wildfires are being detected. N95 masks can help reduce risk for vulnerable groups. It is recommended to stay indoors if possible.

The Air Quality Alert has been officially extended until Friday evening. Pollutant levels from the smoke particles have reached Very Unhealthy and Hazardous levels in Kalamazoo. Please take posted precautions and continue to monitor Kalamazoo City Emergency Management page for updates.