Goodland Twp. issues permit for gravel pit, trustee resigns
GOODLAND TWP. — A packed Goodland Township Board meeting on Oct. 13 brought major local developments, including the approval of a controversial gravel pit permit, a coffee hour with State Rep. Jamie Greene, and the unexpected resignation of Trustee Michael Puzzoli.
Greene said she was pleased to have an opportunity to meet newly selected Supervisor Patrick Patterson.
“Patrick invited me to a coffee hour, and it was a pleasure meeting with him,” said Greene, R-Richmond. “I’m eager to work with him to best serve the people of Goodland Township. His career experience has been defined by his service to the community, and I wish him much success as he steps into this role.”
Patterson said he feels it is important for township residents to have the opportunity to meet with leaders from the county and state levels.
“It’s all about relationships,” he said. “I encourage our residents to be involved with sharing their concerns and then, together, we can come up with solutions that will benefit the township and our taxpayers. I intend to continue doing these meetings. I think it is good for our township and good for our elected officials to come and hear what’s on the mind of our residents.”
Early in the meeting, Puzzoli told the board and audience he was submitting his notice of resignation.
“We’ve made an offer on a house outside of the township and it all happened faster than we thought it would. But, due to family health and personal matters, I need to step down from the board,” Puzzoli said. “I am really sorry to have to do this because I have enjoyed my time on the board and working together to try to make Goodland Township a great place to live. But I don’t really have any choice. We will be living outside of the township.”
Puzzoli spent considerable time researching and applying for grants for the township and often assisted at the township office when needed. His announcement was accepted with regret as board members and audience members all conveyed their appreciation for the work Puzzoli has done during his time on the board.
In other board news, the board took action on the issuance of a permit for a gravel pit in the 1200 block of North Summers Road owned by Jim Novak, despite numerous complaints from neighbors who live adjacent to the gravel pit property.
“I don’t personally know either party. I listened to both sides and sought an opinion from our township attorney and we are doing what he recommended,” Patterson said.
Prior to action taken by the board, George and Colleen Jackson spoke to the board, citing concerns over local and county ordinances and laws being broken and questioned the legality of gravel being brought into the Summers Road location to be processed.
“They are not mining the pit,” George Jackson told the board. “They are bringing in gravel from another location, processing it and hauling it back out. It’s a clear violation of your own ordinance.”
However, legal counsel offered a different interpretation of the rules governing the property.
“We agreed that the mining operation pre-dated the Zoning Ordinance and that the operation included both mining and the washing of materials from other sites owned by Mr. Novak,” township attorney Robert Seibert said in a letter to Patterson.
Patterson wrote a letter to the Jacksons, responding to their Oct. 1 complaint that was filed with the township.
In part, the letter stated: “Your complaint raises two specific issues. The first involves the operation’s compliance with the terms and conditions of the Zoning Ordinance; the second involves Mr. Novak’s compliance with the Earth Material Removal Ordinance. The operation on Summers Road has a lengthy history and township records indicate that the mining operation pre-dated the Goodland Township Zoning Ordinance.
Patterson noted that he reviewed the residents’ concerns with both the township’s legal counsel and its consulting engineer.
He explained that the site holds long-standing legal standing under local regulations. “There is no question that the mining operation pre-dates the zoning ordinance and is a legal nonconforming use,” Patterson stated, adding that the Goodland Township Planning Commission had previously approved the site as a special land use.
According to Patterson, recent evaluations show the site remains in compliance. Following an inspection on April 16, 2026, the consulting engineer reported that the operation generally meets the standards of the Earth Material Removal Ordinance. Patterson added that Novak has covered all inspection fees and plans to seek board approval for a permit covering the remainder of 2026 through 2027.
Addressing the dispute over processing materials from off-site locations, Patterson noted that historical records back Novak’s current practices. He pointed out that Novak has traditionally used the Summers Road property to both extract materials and wash gravel brought in from other locations, concluding that those activities “pre-dated the township Zoning Ordinance and fall within the scope of the legal nonconforming use.”
He said the township will continue to monitor the operation and require that Novak complies with “all applicable ordinances.”
Later in the meeting, voted to issue a permit allowing Novak to continue his use of the Summers Road property. The motion passed 4-1, with Clerk Amy Nolin casting the lone no vote.
Other business
The township also heard a financial report following its audit last month.
Wes Messing of King & King commended the township staff for their preparation during the recent audit, noting that the auditors had no issues or concerns.
He reported that the township’s general fund balance stood at $330,000 at the end of September.
“There has been a lot of work done on roads over the past year and just recently, you’ve been able to pay off the loan for the township hall early,” Messing said. He added that the target fund balance is typically between $300,000 and $350,000, putting the township “right on target.”
Messing said the fire department fund balance of $215,000 “is the highest that fund has been in some time, so that’s a good thing.”
The township’s library fund also has a healthy balance of $325,000 as of the end of September.
