PENINSULA TOWNSHIP — At a meeting Tuesday night, the Peninsula Township board discussed ways to they can pay after losing a $50 million judgement in a lawsuit brought by the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP).
The wineries sued in 2020 over a series of ordinances passed in 2017 that restricted the wineries’ abilities to host events with more than 75 people, to produce their own merchandise and to use grapes from outside of the peninsula.
Even though the township will appeal the judgement at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, they are looking at how they will come up with the money, if the wineries come for it. So far, the wineries have not done so. The board also says the wineries have expressed no interest in settling on a smaller number.
The ideas on the table may be cutting services like park maintenance and the sheriff’s patrol, putting projects on hold, raising property taxes, among other things. Some on the board said the first step is to assess the value of the township’s assets.
Some board members were defiant and challenged the wineries to come and collect on the judgement, saying the current board was not at fault for what happened.
No decisions were made.
Northern Michigan’s News Leader will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as they become available.