Attorney Fees we all pay for.

Lake Township has spent more than $110,000 in taxpayer funds on legal fees- and that total continues to grow. What tangible benefit has the community received from this spending?

Supervisor Hibbard has suggested as heard in the video that attorney fees are largely the responsibility of others, pointing to only one bill from January 15, 2025 as his own. However, his frequent monthly communications with the attorney call that narrative into question (Telephone conference with Supervisor).

Another try at explaining out of control legal spending.

At the July 14, 2026 board meeting Supervisor Hibbard presented a chart categorizing legal expenses incurred between August 2025 and June 2026, totaling $69,883.04. Regardless of how the costs are grouped or who is identified as the cause, the larger issue remains that Lake Township has spent $110,000 in legal fees since John Hibbard took office in November of 2024.

Categories and blame assignments do not change the bottom line. Don't take anyone's word for it - including ours. REVIEW THE RECORDS. Were these expenditures necessary? For a township serving roughly 1200 registered voters that level of legal spending is significant.

See Hibbards Breakdown of Legal Fees

List of Attorney Fees paid by the Township - You.

Attorney Bills by Month*

Total to date: 110,528.54

*Copied from the Lake Township Check Register that is published monthly at the Lake Township Board Meetings

Source and Disclaimer: The following information was obtained through public records requests made pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. This data does not represent a complete accounting of all legal services provided to Lake Township. The data has been reformatted and summarized for informational purposes. The figures shown are a partial compilation of billing entries that reference the township supervisor directly or relate to matters initiated by or involving the supervisor. Supervisor Hibbard’s term took effect November 20, 2024, at noon. This presentation does not reproduce the original invoices in their entirety and should not be construed as an official or complete billing statement from the township or its legal counsel.