Utilities Services

Electrical power and natural gas are provided by Consumers Energy.  Local cable television service is provided to Secord Township by Charter Communications, Direct TV, Dish Network and other smaller providers.  Republic Waste provides trash disposal services.  There are multiple Internet services providers within Gladwin County.  Telephone service (land line and cell phone) providers include CenturyTel, ATT and Verizon.

Transportation Systems 

Secord Township is directly served by one state highway, M-30, which runs north and south along the township’s western boundary.  M-30 links the community to the I-75 freeway about 20 miles north at West Branch and 20 miles east at Standish.  The US-10 freeway is about 25 miles south near Sanford and 25 miles to the west at Harrison is US-127.

M-61, a state trunk line, provides the main east-west traffic route in the area and intersects with M-30 just a few miles south of Secord Township.

The access to I-75 also provides residents and visitors with access to recreational and vacation opportunities throughout northern Michigan and elsewhere in the United States and Canada.  The road system provides farmers, commercial and industrial producers to market their products efficiently throughout the region.  The Gladwin County Road Commission is responsible for maintaining roads with funds provided by State and Federal Government.  The County also received funding from a local township matching program (50% township/50% road commission).

City County Transit 

The Gladwin City/County Transit Corporation provides inter-county bus services for the county residents.

Air Transportation 

The Midland-Bay City-Saginaw International Airport (MBS) in Freeland is an estimated 40 miles one way from Secord Township.  The MBS International Airport is the closest commercial airport capable of handling large jets while Alpena Regional offers daily flights to Detroit and is a Delta Airlines (formerly Northwest) airlink.  The nearest airports certified for carrier use near Secord Township include: Gladwin Zettel Airport, West Branch Community, St. Helen and Standish Industrial Airport.  Public Use-airports near Secord Township include: Gladwin Zettel, East Tawas, MI, MBS International Airport, and Mt. Pleasant Municipal.

Figure 3.1  Inventory of roads and highways in Secord Township

                Source:  Michigan Center for Geographic Information, Gladwin County Road                                                                                                                                                    Commission and Michigan Department of Transportation

Media 

Newspaper coverage is provided by the Gladwin County Record, Beaverton Clarion and Gladwin County News.  These papers provide local, regional and state news to residents of the county, as well as features of local interest.  Larger media outlets available to the township would include the Bay City Times, Saginaw News, Midland Daily News, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News.  On-line versions of multiple news outlets can be accessed on-line using M-Live or directly accessing individual websites.

Water and Sewage Disposal

There are no public water supply systems in the township and residents rely on wells for their drinking water and other water supply needs.  Sewage disposal is by septic systems, there is no sanitary sewer system in Secord Township.

Solid Waste

Rubbish & Garbage removal is by Republic Services of Northern Michigan.  There is limited county wide recycling (FORGE) in Gladwin County.

Postal Service

The Township is serviced by rural postal carrier.  The nearest Post Office is in Gladwin.

Schools 

Students are bused to Gladwin Community Schools by the Community Schools bus system 

Libraries & Museum 

There are no libraries and museums in Secord Township. There is a Library and Museum in the City of Gladwin.

Medical Facilities

The Mid-Michigan Medical Center in Gladwin is the closest medical facility and the West Branch Regional Medical Center is just to the north.

Cemeteries

There are no public cemeteries in Secord Township. 

Public Safety

Police services in the Township are provided through the County Sheriff Department and the Michigan State Police Post in Gladwin. The Gladwin Sheriff Marine Division patrols the Lakes.

Recreation 

Secord Township is an all-season recreational area with the major resource being Secord Lake, a tremendous recreational resource and focal point of new residential development.  The State of Michigan provides a public access site on the West Branch of the Tittabawassee River in the northern part of the township and private recreation facilities including two Marinas.  Hunting is also a significant recreational activity with a large part of township being covered with forest.

Public Lands

Forested land makes up the single largest land use category in Secord Township.  Large portions of this area are public, state owned lands which are part of the Au Sable State Forest.  These state lands comprise over 5,000 acres or roughly one-third of the township’s total land area.