[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INTRODUCTIONS]
[3. ROLL CALL]
[4A. 2021 Action Plan Work Groups]
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS*]
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
[12A. Rezoning #20050 (DTN 2013 LLC) rezone 31.63 acres east of Central Park Drive and north of Grand River Avenue from RA (Single Family-Medium Density) to RD (Multiple Family-maximum eight units per acre)]
[12B. Powell Road Paving Public Road Improvement SAD-Resolution 1 & 2]
[12C. Non-Discrimination and Fair Employment Practices Policy]
[12D. Meridian Township Small Business Grant Relief Program]
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
[11:52:54]
EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 19, VIRTUAL REGULAR
[11:52:59]
MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE MERIDIAN CHARTER TOWNSHIP.[11:53:04]
AND WITH THAT WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND START WITH[11:53:06]
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF[11:53:11]
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT[11:53:15]
STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND[11:53:21]
JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU[11:53:24]
VERY MUCH.[11:53:25]
WE WILL NOW HAVE A ROLL CALL FROM OUR CLERK. TREASURER[11:53:30]
DESCHAINE. HERE.[11:53:33]
TRUSTEE JACKSON. HERE. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. HERE. TRUSTEE[11:53:39]
SUNDLAND. HERE.[11:53:41]
TRUSTEE WISINSKI.[11:53:43]
HERE. SUPERVISOR STYKA[11:53:46]
I'M HERE.[11:53:48]
AND CLERK GUTHRIE'S HERE. THEY'RE ALL PRESENT.[11:53:52]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY[11:53:56]
FROM OUR MANAGER, I BELIEVE.[11:54:00]
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, AND GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD AND TO[11:54:04]
THE STAFF AND TO THE COMMUNITY. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, MANAGER[11:54:09]
PERRY AND I WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GOALS[11:54:12]
THIS YEAR THAT THE BOARD SET IN OUR ACTION PLAN. AND IT CAME TO[11:54:17]
LOOKING AT THE GOALS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS SAY BROADBAND OR[11:54:20]
PICK SUSTAINABILITY, SOLAR SIGNAGE, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT[11:54:26]
THESE GOALS, IT DAWNED ON US FIRST, WHERE'S THE[11:54:29]
ACCOUNTABILITY? HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE[11:54:32]
GOALS THIS YEAR? BECAUSE THEY'RE QUITE BROAD, AND SOME WOULD SAY[11:54:37]
AUDACIOUS? AND HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE BOARD'S EXPECTATION IS[11:54:42]
LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO SOLAR? WHEN IT COMES TO BROADBAND? WHAT[11:54:47]
DO WE DO WE JUST TAKE OFF AND GO IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. AND BOTH[11:54:50]
OF US SAT THERE AND SAID, THIS ISN'T THE WAY WE WANT TO DO[11:54:52]
THIS. SO WE DISCUSSED HOW WE COULD HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY[11:54:57]
AND FREQUENT ACCOUNTABILITY RATHER THAN HEY, HERE'S WE ARE[11:55:00]
AT SIX MONTHS AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.[11:55:03]
HOW CAN WE LEARN THE BOARD'S EXPECTATIONS? HOW CAN WE GET[11:55:07]
MORE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM?[11:55:13]
AND HOW CAN WE GET THE BOARD MORE INVOLVED? THE GOALS YOU SET[11:55:18]
HOW CAN WE GET YOU MORE ABOUT THIS DOESN'T ABDICATE THE ROLE[11:55:21]
OF MANAGEMENT OR OUR RESPONSIBILITIES OR, OR BEING[11:55:25]
DILIGENT, IT'S JUST TRYING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE. AND SO WITH[11:55:28]
THAT, WE SET UP WHAT WE'RE TERMING WORK PLANS. AND WE WE[11:55:33]
SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS WE TRIED TO DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS[11:55:37]
AND LISTENING TO AND GOING BACK OVER THE GOAL SETTING AND ALL[11:55:41]
THAT WHAT GOALS ARE WE MOST INTERESTED IN. FOR INSTANCE,[11:55:45]
TRUSTEE JACKSON, IF I RECALL, BROUGHT UP THE BROADBAND AND[11:55:48]
THEN A FEW DAYS LATER, SUPERVISOR STYKA SUGGESTED HERE[11:55:52]
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'D WANTED TO DO AND HAD MENTIONED IT A FEW[11:55:54]
TIMES. THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE WHAT WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION[11:55:59]
WHEN IT COMES TO THE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY INCLUSION. THE THREE[11:56:04]
TRUSTEES WISINSKI AND OPSOMMER AND JACKSON HAVE ALREADY BEEN[11:56:08]
WORKING ON THAT AND GOT THAT. SO WE TRIED TO PUT IT TOGETHER BEST[11:56:12]
WE COULD, OBVIOUSLY, OTHER BOARD, WHATEVER HOW THE BOARD[11:56:16]
WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED OR WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON AND[11:56:18]
WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. AND OF COURSE, WE LEFT THE LOCAL[11:56:21]
ROADS SEPARATE. AND WE DID THAT, AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER TO[11:56:25]
KEEP THAT IN THE HANDS OF THE ENGINEERS AND THE PROFESSIONALS[11:56:28]
WHO DETERMINE WHAT ROADS WE DO. AND THERE COULD BE NO POLITICS[11:56:34]
INVOLVED IN THAT DECISION WHATSOEVER. I THINK WE'RE BETTER[11:56:37]
THAT WAY. SO ACCOUNTABILITY, MORE COMMUNICATION, CONNECTING[11:56:42]
THE DOTS, FINDING OUT WHERE THE BOARD WANTS TO GO, WE THINK[11:56:45]
PUTTING TOGETHER THESE WORK PLANS IS THE WAY TO GO. AND SO[11:56:49]
WITH THAT, YOU HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF YOU, I'M NOT GOING TO[11:56:52]
READ IT TO ANYONE, YOU'VE HAD IT FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS NOW. BUT[11:56:56]
YOU CAN REALLY BOIL DOWN OUR GOALS IN JUST A FEW WORDS[11:56:59]
COVID-19, SUSTAINABILITY, DEI, DOWNTOWN OKEMOS AND HASLETT,[11:57:04]
LOCAL ROADS, BROADBAND MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY, SIGNAGE,[11:57:09]
WEBSITE PROMISES THAT'S A SUMMARY OF OUR ACTION PLAN,[11:57:14]
WITHOUT GOING INTO A LOT OF DETAIL. BUT AT THIS TIME, I'D[11:57:17]
WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE BOARD THINKS OF THIS PLAN. AND THEN I[11:57:22]
KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.[11:57:26]
SINCE THIS WENT OUT.[11:57:27]
TRUSTEE JACKSON WOULD BE ALSO SERVING ON D, THE REDEVELOPMENT[11:57:35]
AND OF COURSE WE CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN THREE BOARD MEMBERS IN ANY[11:57:39]
AREA, BECAUSE THEN WE GET INTO A POTENTIAL VIOLATION, OF THE OPEN[11:57:42]
MEETINGS ACT, AND THEN SUPERVISOR STYKA HAVE BEEN ADDED[11:57:46]
TO BE UNDER SUSTAINABILITY TO JOIN TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. AND[11:57:49]
TRUSTEE WISINSKI THERE. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO CHANGES THAT I HAVE[11:57:52]
THAT I'VE HEARD THAT THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED ALREADY. SO AT THIS[11:57:56]
TIME MR. SUPERVISOR. THAT'S THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND WHY. AND[11:57:59]
WHEN WE PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER, AGAIN, TRANSPARENCY OR[11:58:03]
COMMUNICATION, DETERMINING WHERE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GO AND[11:58:06]
ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT[11:58:09]
WE'VE SET UP EVERY TWO MONTHS THAT THESE COMMITTEES WOULD BE[11:58:14]
GIVEN THREE TO FIVE MINUTES AT A BOARD MEETING UNDER[11:58:17]
PRESENTATIONS TO UPDATE WHERE WE ARE. HOW DOES THE BOARD FOR[11:58:22]
INSTANCE, THE TRUSTEES WORK ON DEI,? HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY[11:58:27]
COMMUNICATE THAT? WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT, THE PROGRESS BEING[11:58:31]
MADE AND THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE?[11:58:34]
HOW DO WE GET THERE. AND I THINK UPDATING THE BOARD EVERY COUPLE[11:58:38]
OF MONTHS FROM THE COMMITTEE IS THE WAY TO GO. SO THE WORK GROUP[11:58:41]
PLANS ARE BEFORE YOU. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THEM AND WHERE WE PLAN[11:58:45]
TO GO. AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, TO[11:58:48]
PROVIDE DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.[11:58:57]
BEFORE WE GET INTO A FURTHER DISCUSSION, WHAT WAS YOUR VISION[11:59:02]
FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS IN TERMS OF THEIR ROLE WITH REGARD TO[11:59:07]
BEING INVOLVED WITH THESE WORK PLANS?[11:59:11]
WELL, FOR INSTANCE, LET'S JUST PICK ONE OUT, B WE START TALKING[11:59:16]
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH SOLAR AND THE[11:59:19]
LOCATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE WANT TO DO IT, INSTEAD OF US[11:59:22]
JUST RUNNING WITH IT. THIS GROUP WOULD MEET THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT[11:59:25]
IT, THEY WOULD GIVE DIRECTION ALL OF NOT JUST THE ELECTED[11:59:28]
OFFICIAL BUT EVERYONE TOGETHER. AND MANAGER PERRY WOULD LEAD[11:59:31]
THAT GROUP HE WOULD CALL A MEETING. AND WE WOULD GET[11:59:34]
TOGETHER WE TALK ABOUT IT. WE WORK THROUGH WHO'S GOING TO SO[11:59:38]
THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND WHY OF EACH ONE WILL BE THE INVOLVEMENT[11:59:42]
OF EACH COMMITTEE.[11:59:44]
THAT'S WHY I'M [INAUDIBLE][11:59:45]
KEEPING THE BOARD AT THE POLICY LEVEL RATHER THAN THE NUTS AND[11:59:49]
BOLTS DAILY LEVEL OF WHICH IS INAPPROPRIATE IF [INAUDIBLE] THE[11:59:52]
POLICY LEVEL.[11:59:55]
EXACTLY, EXACTLY. BUT LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN IT COMES TO AN[11:59:59]
ISSUE LIKE BROADBAND, AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? HOW ARE WE GOING[12:00:03]
TO DO IT?[12:00:04]
HOW FAR ARE WE GOING WITH THIS? AND WHAT'S THE GOAL? AND ALL OF[12:00:07]
THAT REALLY DOES NEED TO COME TO THE BOARD. SO IT'D BE GREAT TO[12:00:10]
HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS AT THE TABLE, SHARING THE VISION OF[12:00:14]
WHERE WE WANT TO GO TO CARRY THIS OUT. SO THAT'S KIND OF[12:00:16]
WHERE WE'RE AT.[12:00:18]
HEY, I LOOK TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS NOW FOR YOUR COMMENTS,[12:00:21]
YOUR THOUGHTS DO YOU LIKE TO PLAN FIRST, IN GENERAL, AND THEN[12:00:26]
SECONDLY, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A SHIFT AS TO WHERE YOU'RE[12:00:30]
ASSIGNED, SO TO SPEAK? TREASURER YOUR FIRST. I DO LIKE TO PLAN IT[12:00:36]
REMINDS ME OF OUR ASSIGNMENTS[12:00:36]
TO VARIOUS BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS. WE REPORT BACK TO[12:00:41]
THE BOARD AND THE PROGRESS OF THOSE. BY AND LARGE WE ARE HANDS[12:00:45]
OFF IN THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE THERE AS BOARD[12:00:48]
MEMBERS OBSERVING IT PROVIDING A BOARD PERSPECTIVE WE ARE NOT[12:00:51]
REALLY THERE TO DO THE WORK OF THE BOARD AND COMMISSION BUT[12:00:53]
MORE AS A BOARD REPRESENTATIVE I SENSE WHAT THE MANAGER HAS IN[12:00:56]
MIND IS A SIMILAR ROLE NOT TO BE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATING AND[12:00:59]
BROADBAND AGREEMENT WITH COMPETITOR TO COMCAST, BUT[12:01:04]
RATHER THERE'S AN OBSERVER AND ALSO TO PROVIDE FOR INPUT. SO I[12:01:08]
COMMEND THE MANAGER FOR BRINGING THIS TO US. I THINK IT'S AN[12:01:10]
EXCELLENT IDEA.[12:01:12]
I WOULD AGREE, I THINK IT, IT'S A REALLY GREAT IDEA. I THINK[12:01:24]
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, LIKE MANAGER WALSH HAD MENTIONED[12:01:26]
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT THESE BROAD IDEAS DOWN ON PAPER, BUT[12:01:30]
IF WE DON'T HAVE SOME DIRECTION BEHIND IT, OR AT LEAST SOME[12:01:34]
CONTEXT, AND I THINK THAT PUTS THE MANAGER AND OUR STAFF, AND[12:01:38]
OUR DIRECTORS IN A POSITION TO BE MAKING DECISIONS THAT, YOU[12:01:42]
KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT, WE WERE[12:01:47]
THINKING. I ALSO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW,[12:01:52]
BEGIN WITH A VISION THAT WE HAVE THIS VISION TOGETHER OF[12:01:56]
WHAT WE WHAT WE WANT TO DO. AND THEN LIKE MANAGER WHILE SHE[12:01:59]
SAID, YOU KNOW, AN EVALUATION, SO A REPORT BACK AND SOME SORT OF AN EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING VERY BASIC THAT WE REPORT ON EVERY TIME AND THEN ANY ADDITIONAL, WHICH WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER FOR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE BOARD MEMBERS TO BE CONSISTENT, BUT ALSO TO BE AWARE. SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF ANY AND OR ALL OF THE GOALS.AS TO IN OR PARTICIPATING IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IN AND ALL OF THE GOALS. I REMEMBER THAT MR. WALSH HAS AT TIMES SUGGESTED WORK SESSIONS FOR THE WHOLE BOARD IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING BROAD OUTLINES AND END GOALS OR OBJECTIVES UNDER OUR GOALS. AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS STRUCTURE IS A SUBSTITUTION FOR THAT WHOLE BOARD KIND OF WORK SESSION, OR A DIFFERENT APPROACH? YEAH, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP TRUSTEE JACKSON, AND THE SUPERVISOR, AND I'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS AND WORK. I THINK THAT THE WORK SESSIONS AND STUDY SESSIONS HAVE NOT WORKED FOR OUR GROUP IN THE PAST. I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A GREAT ABILITY TO MAKE THEM WORK.
SO I LOOK PERSONALLY FORWARD TO THREE OR FOUR DISCUSSIONS DURING THE YEAR AND IN WORK SESSIONS, WHERE WE COME TOGETHER, DISCUSS SOME ITEMS, AND MAKE PROGRESS. AND THEN THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO CARRY THAT PROGRESS FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING, TO REGULAR MEETING. THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE HAD, AND I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THAT WAY IS THAT WE'VE MADE SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS AT THE STUDY SESSIONS. BUT THEN WHEN IT CAME BACK TO THE REGULAR MEETING, WE STEPPED BACK QUITE A WAYS. AND SO IT REALLY DILUTED THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY SESSIONS, BUT I'M HOPING WE CAN USE THEM TO AUGMENT THE LIST THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TO MAKE GREAT PROGRESS THIS YEAR. THANK YOU.
OTHER TRUSTEES, OR MEMBERS? TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, I WOULD CONCUR WITH THE MANAGERS APPROACH HERE. I THINK THE WORKGROUPS ARE A GOOD WAY TO WORK THROUGH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE YEAR AND ESPECIALLY THE FINER POINTS IN THE LOGISTICS, BECAUSE IT'S MORE OPEN DIALOGUE, I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE WORKGROUPS EVEN PERHAPS PROPOSED WHEN WE NEED A WORK SESSION OF THE FULL BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S CONTENT AND THOSE SUBGROUPS HAVE DONE THE WORK TO BRING FORWARD INFORMATION AND PRESENT IT AND GET FEEDBACK. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FRAMEWORK TO WORK THROUGH THE
[12:05:02]
GOALS AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE VARIABLES AND LOGISTICS THAT COME INTO PLAY. I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF YOU YET.ANY COMMENTS, TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YEAH, IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK THIS HELPS US BREAK US BREAK IT DOWN. AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. THANKS. AND OUR CLERK.
I KIND OF WANT TO ECHO THE CONCERNS THAT SUPERVISOR STYKA HAD IN REGARDS TO POLICY GOVERNANCE AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT OVERSTEPPING WHAT THAT IS, BUT I THINK THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE SUMMED UP THAT OUT VERY WELL WITH WHAT THE ROLL IS IN REGARDS TO BEING MORE OF AN OBSERVER TYPE OF ROLE. AND I TOO WISH I COULD BE ON ALL OF THESE OF COURSE. ESPECIALLY ANYTHING WITH DOWNTOWN OKEMOS, OR HASLETT, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND ALSO MANAGER WALSH HAD MENTIONED THESE STUDY SESSIONS.
AND I DO RECALL WHEN I LED THE STUDY SESSION ON THE DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS, I FELT AS IF I WAS PROVIDING A WAY TOO MUCH PLETHORA OF INFORMATION, AND NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO NARROW IT DOWN. AND I THINK HAVING THIS SORT OF WORK GROUP WOULD HELP WITH THAT WOULD HELP KIND OF NARROW DOWN WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE WORK WOULD BE. AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP STAFF TREMENDOUSLY. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED IT, BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF NOT REALLY KNOWING HOW MUCH AND WHERE I NEEDED TO GO. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HELP STAFF. VERY GOOD. SECOND COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY? WELL, WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY WE GOT A GOOD FRAMEWORK. THREE OF THE GROUPS OR THREE I GUESS, GOALS THAT ONLY HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS LISTED BY THE STAFF OR BY THE PROPOSAL. ONE IS THE PATHWAYS.
ANOTHER ONE IS THE WEBSITE. AND THE LAST ONE IS THE PENSIONS. IS ANYBODY WHO'S [INAUDIBLE] OVERLY EXCITED ALREADY INTERESTED IN JOINING ONE OF THOSE THREE. IT'S NOT NECESSARY JUST A THOUGHT.
I WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN JOINING ON GOAL G. HAVING SUGGESTED THE UPDATE TO THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN. THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY AND WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I BROUGHT IT UP.
OKAY, THAT LEAVES ONLY TWO PEOPLE WORKING ON THE WEBSITE [INAUDIBLE] WE CAN LEAVE IT THAT WAY. JUST A THOUGHT.
I GUESS WE'LL LEAVE IT THAT WAY FOR NOW.
THANK YOU, MR. WALSH, FOR THIS IDEA IT HAS BEEN WARMLY RECEIVED, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND TO MANAGER PERRY AS WELL. THANK YOU. MANAGER PERRY. YES. RIGHT. YOU MENTIONED THAT HE WAS PART OF THE BRAINSTORM ON THIS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. AND I'M WONDERING IF MR. GEBES HAS ANY CITIZENS WAITING FOR US TO [INAUDIBLE].
YES, SIR. MR. PEARSON'S ALREADY RAISED HIS HAND. AND WE'LL ASK HIM TO STATE HIS NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD HERE IN A MOMENT. I WILL ALSO GIVE OUT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER, IF ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO CALL IN WHO'S WATCHING ON COMCAST BY 517-349-1232 AND I'LL LET YOU GIVE YOUR FULL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PEOPLE WHO WISH TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WELL, I WILL GIVE SOMEWHAT OF AN INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AFTER YOU NAME, YOUR ADDRESS AND WHO YOU ARE. AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL STICK TO THE TOPIC THAT YOU WILL BE POLITE, ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE OR THE SUPERVISOR NOT NOT EVERYBODY INDIVIDUALLY, AND NOT OTHERS WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY ON THE BOARD. ANYTHING GOING ON YET MR. GEBES, OTHER THAN MR. PEARSON.
MR. PEARSON IS THE ONLY TELEPHONE CALL WE HAVE AT THIS TIME AND OR PERSON IN THE ATTENDEE AREA WHO'S RAISED THEIR HAND. HE CAN GO AHEAD.
IF OTHERS CALL IN THE MEAN TIME WE'LL GO WITH THOSE. GO AHEAD MR. PEARSON.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE BRIEF. DAVID PEARSON 1142, SOUTH
[12:10:04]
WASHINGTON IN LANSING FOR DPN ON THE REZONING THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS AN ACTION ITEM. YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET, A LETTER IN MORE DETAIL WHICH FOLLOWS UP ON THE ISSUES WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU OVER THE LAST TWO MEETINGS. SO I WON'T GO OVER THAT AGAIN. ALTHOUGH I WILL REVISIT BECAUSE WE PUT IT IN WRITING TWO ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR THE REZONING.WHAT WILL NOW BE NUMBER FIVE WILL BE THAT THE REZONING SHALL BE CONDITIONED ON THE APPROVAL WITHIN TWO YEARS OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A WETLAND USE PERMIT FOR THE CURRENT OWNER OR THE ZONING SHALL REVERT TO ITS CURRENT ZONING OF RA. AND WHAT WILL BE CONDITION NUMBER SIX THE EASTERN 11 ACRES OF THE 31.63 ACRE PARCEL SHALL BE DEVELOPED AS SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOUSES OR DETACHED HOMES. I THINK WE SAID. YOU HAVE A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN, WHICH IS THE CURRENT PLAN WHICH SHOWS THE LINE WHICH DELINEATES THAT 11 ACRES. AND ALSO INFORMATION ON PROPOSED WETLAND MITIGATION AND THE POWELL ROAD LANDSCAPE BUFFER AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL. RAJI UPPAL, AND CHUCK HOLMAN ARE HERE TONIGHT AS WELL. SO WHEN YOU REACH THIS IN YOUR AGENDA, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR RESPOND TO ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE MR. GEBES.
MR. STRAUB HAS RAISED HIS HAND AS WELL.
DO PROCEED PLEASE WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? OH, GEEZ, I WAS MUTED. THIS IS DAVID STRAUB. I'M REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER FOR ITEM 12 B.
MY ADDRESS IS 1650 KENDALE. BOULEVARD, EAST LANSING, 48823.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER FOR POWELL ROAD, PAVING PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT, SAD RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO.
I'LL STAY MUTED, BUT BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE AGENDA. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SIR. WE HAVE NO OTHER HANDS AND NO OTHER TELEPHONE CALLS AT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT. I WILL REMIND EVERYBODY THAT AT THE END OF THE MEETING, JUST BEFORE WE ADJOURN, THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE OR SOMETHING COMES TO MIND AS WE GO THROUGH YOU WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SUPERVISOR. THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO CONGRATULATE CHRIS LOFTON. CHRIS LOFTON IS A SERGEANT IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND HE JUST GRADUATED FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS STAFF AND COMMAND SCHOOL. AND CHRIS IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE ASSET TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. NOW YOU'LL NOTICE CHIEF PLAGA IS NOT IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING. HE IS OVERSEEING THE FIRST NIGHT OF OUR ENHANCED DEER CALL. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE APPROVAL FROM THE DNR 150 TAGS TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 150 DEER FROM THE COMMUNITY APPROVED AGAIN BY THE DNR. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE OVERSEEING THAT CALL STARTING TONIGHT. AND THAT'S SUPPLEMENTING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TAKING 176TH YEAR, WHICH IS A RECORD FOR OUR PROGRAM. OUR GOAL, ALTHOUGH PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY AUDACIOUS WHEN WE CAME OUT WITHIN A 300.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HIT THAT NUMBER.
REMINDER, YOUR BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING THAT YOU HAVE EVERY YEAR IS JANUARY 26. IT'S COMING UP. AND AS WE IN THE PAST, WE WILL BE MEETING AT SIX O'CLOCK. THAT'S A WEEK FROM TONIGHT. AND WE'LL BE UPDATING ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN ADDITION TO HEARING FROM ALL OF THEM ABOUT 2020. AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH IN 2021. THE ANNUAL REPORT, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT'S GOING TO BE OUT IN JANUARY AND YOU CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE THAT FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD ON JANUARY 29. THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE GREAT PROGRESS IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY THE SITE LATELY. I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS OF THE BOARD OUR STAFF, WE'RE FINALLY WHAT'S BEEN BLIGHTED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE IN 2013. IN MAY, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THAT THERE WAS A BROWNFIELD GRANT TO TAKE DOWN THE TUBA MUSEUM. THAT WAS FEBRUARY OF 2013. SO THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO. AND HERE WE ARE
[12:15:01]
TODAY, GREAT PROGRESS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. AND WHEN I SAY THAT I SEE DIRECTOR CLARK IN THIS MEETING, AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT SHE'S A PART OF OUR TEAM.THE WINTER MARKET AND WE HAD THE WINTER MARKET THIS PAST SATURDAY, THE THIRD SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH 11 TO ONE. IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY WELL RECEIVED. WE'RE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT EXPANDING OUR WINTER OUTDOOR MARKET FROM THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD. THE MILD WEATHER HAS HELPED. BUT THE GREAT COMMUNITY MAKES IT EVEN BETTER. SO FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TRIVIA FOR YOU TONIGHT. GAS WAS $1 .19 A GALLON. THE FORD F 150.
YOU COULD BUY FOR 13,900. A LOAF OF BREAD WAS 49 CENTS. AND IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF JIMMY CARTER'S FINAL YEAR IN OFFICE.
ANYONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY JIMMY CARTER'S FIRST DAY OF HIS LAST YEAR IN OFFICE. WELL, WE HIRED MARK KIESELBACH, OF COURSE. [LAUGHTER] YEAH. SO I WANT TO CLOSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO CLOSE ON APPRECIATION. I ALMOST WHEN I DID MY NOTES, AND I SAW THAT IT WAS JANUARY 21, OF 1980. AND MY LITTLE ELEMENTARY LINE SAID, OH, THAT WAS RONALD REAGAN'S FIRST DAY IN OFFICE 1980. BUT AGAIN, THE ELECTIONS AT THE END OF 80. AND THEY START IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. SO YEAH, MARK KIESELBACH JOINED US ON JANUARY 21, 1980. SO HE MARKS ON WEDNESDAY, HE MARKS 41 YEARS OF SERVICE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. AND THAT JUST REALLY DESERVES A LOT OF PRAISE, CREDIT, LOYALTY, DEDICATION FROM MARK. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. I ALWAYS LIKE TO END MY REPORT WITH APPRECIATION AND THANKS. AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARK THIS EVENING FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND YOU AND JIMMY CARTER WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY. HE'S A FINE MAN TOO. SO YOU JUST NEED TO GO OUT WHEN YOU RETIRE, YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND BUILD A FEW HOMES. SO YOU'LL BE ALL SET. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. AND CONGRATULATIONS, MARK.
THEY SAY THAT PRESIDENT CARTER WHO HAS HAD THE BEST EXAMPLE OF RETIREMENTS OF ALL THE EX PRESIDENTS. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO RETIRE MARK BUT WHEN YOU DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TO EMULATE THERE TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO. THE OTHER THING. I WAS GOING TO ANSWER YOUR TRIVIA BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DAY THAT RONALD REAGAN WAS SWORN IN I WAS ALSO WHEN THE HOSTAGES WERE RELEASED FROM IRAN. AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE DAY WE TOOK MARK HOSTAGE AND HAVE HELD HIM NOW FOR ALL THESE YEARS. ENOUGH OF THAT. WE'VE NOW GONE TO A BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS? YES, I BELIEVE THAT THE TREASURER MAY EVEN HAVE A REPORT FOR US.
I DO HAVE A REPORT. I'LL START OFF WITH MY GENERAL BOARD REPORT. FIRST, ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE EDC MEETING WITH TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. ON THE EIGHTH ATTENDED THE [INAUDIBLE] MEETING. AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT THE GRUB HUB PROMOTION THAT THE EDC CONTRIBUTED, TO SOLD OUT RIGHT AWAY. AND THAT MEANT A REMINDER THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD RETREAT IS SET FOR FEBRUARY 20TH SATURDAY FROM 10AM TO 3PM. IT WILL DO TO COVID-19 BE VIRTUAL, THAT IT WILL STILL BE AN EXCELLENT EVENT AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED. LARRY MERRILL, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION, WILL BE LEADING AGAIN FOR US. AND I'VE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS WITH LARRY TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED LAST YEAR AND WHAT WE HOPE TO DO THIS YEAR. AND I'M CONFIDENT WE'LL BE AS PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS FROM OUR RETREAT THIS YEAR AS WE WERE LAST YEAR. IF YOU TURN TO ITEM 9F IN THE PACKET, IT'S THE QUARTERLY TREASURER'S REPORT FAIRLY SELF EXPLANATORY. A COUPLE OF THINGS I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, AS YOU THUMB THROUGH IT, TAX REVENUES ARE EQUIVALENT TO PAST YEARS, AND I SAY EQUIVALENT I MEAN LIKE 99% OF PAST YEARS, WHICH IS VERY GOOD NEWS. WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WITH HIGHER DOUBLING OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE. COMMUNITIES BEEN WORRIED ABOUT TAX REVENUES. BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX HERE WE'RE LESS IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THAT DO. NOT ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE IT, WE CAN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A CITY. BUT OUR PROPERTY TAX VALUES HAVE REMAINED HIGH AS DAVE LEE, OUR ASSESSOR WILL TELL YOU. AND THAT IS GOOD FOR TOWNSHIP REVENUES.
NONETHELESS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN UNTIL FEBRUARY 16TH, WHICH IS THE DAY TAXES ARE DUE. AND WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER PICTURE IN A MONTH AN SHOULD IT CHANGE FROM WHERE IT IS NOW I'LL REPORT BACK TO THIS BOARD. BUT RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS
[12:20:01]
VERY GOOD. AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE.IF YOU LOOK TO OUR RETURNS ON OUR INVESTMENTS, OUR FIXED INVESTMENTS THEY HAVE FALLEN REALLY SHARPLY IN THE PAST YEAR. A YEAR AGO, WE COULD GET 2% OR 2.1%. WELL RIGHT NOW WE WERE LUCKY TO GET ONE 10TH OF A PERCENT OR POINT 15 OR 15% OF A PERCENT. SO WE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE WHEN WE HAVE TO REINVEST OUR RESERVE, YOU'LL SEE WE'VE GOT TWO CDS, OVER $2 MILLION IN CDS THAT ARE MATURING THIS YEAR. WE'LL HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO PUT THOSE. RIGHT NOW EACH OF THEM RETURNS ABOUT $20,000 A YEAR TO THE TOWNSHIP COFFERS AT CURRENT RATES THEY WOULD RETURN ABOUT 1500 APIECE SO A SEVERE DROP IN INTEREST INCOME. OVERALL WE REMAIN IN VERY GOOD SHAPE OUR RESERVES ARE VERY HIGH, OUR ROAD BOND FUNDS ARE ALL INVESTED AND DUE TO MATURE THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR TO PAY OUT FOR THE YEAR TWO AND YEAR THREE OF OUR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PLAN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 2019. SO THAT'S MY TREASURER'S REPORT. AND SOME THINGS LOOK VERY GOOD. WE ARE GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION, OUR REVENUES REMAIN SOLID. WARNINGS AHEAD ABOUT INTEREST INCOME, BECAUSE IT'S DROPPED. I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. ANY BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE. BEFORE WE GO ONTO OUR OTHER REPORTS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE TREASURER ON HIS REPORT? GUESS YOU'RE HOME FREE ON THAT DO ANYTHING ELSE MR. DESCHAINE.
THAT'S IT FOR MY REPORT. THANK YOU.
DO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REPORTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WANT TO MAKE? MS. SUNDLAND. YES. SO I ALSO ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE. AND THE ITEMS IN THE MEETING WERE ANNUAL GOALS FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. A BIG PART OF THE MEETING WAS TALKING ABOUT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RELIEF PROGRAM THAT WE CAME OUT WITH AGAIN. AND WE WERE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] BOARDS. SO IT WAS A VERY BUSY MEETING AND FRUITFUL MEETING. AND SO WE'RE POUDING AWAY AT THE NEW YEAR. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? CLERK GUTHRIE.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA. THIS THURSDAY, WE WILL BE CONDUCTING A RISK LIMITING AUDIT. THIS IS THE STATE BUREAU OF ELECTIONS, RANDOMLY SELECTED CLERK'S OFFICES FROM AROUND THE STATE TO CONDUCT THESE AS PART OF THEIR POST ELECTION AUDIT PROCESS. AND SO WE WILL BE CONDUCTING THAT LIVE THROUGH WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WITH HOMTV. SO BASICALLY, THE PROCESS SAYS THE STATE BUREAU OF ELECTIONS, THEY HAVE PRE SELECTED WHICH BALLOTS THAT WE NEED TO GO FIND. AND SO WE WILL, YOU KNOW, LIVE FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE, WITH TRANSPARENCY, WE'LL BE FINDING THOSE PARTICULAR BALLOTS THROUGH EACH OF THE BALLOT BOXES. AND THEN THOSE WILL BE COMPARED WITH THE RESULTS FROM THE ELECTION FROM THE GENERAL ELECTION. SO THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS. AND SO I INVITE EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO WATCH IT ON HOMTV, COMCAST, FACEBOOK YOUTUBE CHANNEL. AND THE OTHER THING IS I ATTENDED THE OKEMOS LIBRARY BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT HALF OF THE RESIDENTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAVE LIBRARY CARDS. CADL SAID THAT THIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. AND THAT OKEMOS LIBRARY HAS THE HIGHEST CIRCULATION OUT OF ALL THE CADL LIBRARIES. AND OF COURSE, THEY ARE HURTING FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE BOOK SALES. SO THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS. BUT THEY DO HAVE CURBSIDE PICKUP, AND THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTACT THE LIBRARY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT A BOOK, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STILL DO THAT AND CONTACT THEM TO DO ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GET ANY BOOKS THAT YOU WANT. SO THAT'S MY REPORT. I ALSO ATTENDED THE CRC MEETING LAST WEEK.
ALL RIGHT VERY GOOD REPORT. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A REPORT? YES, TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
[12:25:03]
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. COUPLE REPORTS. FIRST ONE ATTENDED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING ON JANUARY 6, AND WENT OVER SOME GOALS FOR 2021. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE THE MEMO THAT WENT OUT ABOUT THE GREEN GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS. SO WORKING TO IDENTIFY SOME PARTNERS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO USE THE GREEN GRANTS WITHIN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN EITHER HASLETT AND/OR OKEMOS. THEY'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE TREE CITY USA DESIGNATION AND IT'S PRETTY STRENUOUS BUT THANK YOU TO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S EFFORTS IN OUR TREE PLANTING PROJECT LAST YEAR, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. SO THAT'LL BE FANTASTIC. AND THE OTHER THING THEY'RE WORKING ON IS IMPLEMENTING THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND MOST SPECIFICALLY HELPING TO CLARIFY SOME GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TRI COUNTY, REGIONAL. AND SO THEY'VE GOT A PRETTY BIG, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO WORK ON. ANOTHER FOCUS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. SO LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY ANY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, EITHER CONCERNS AND/OR ISSUES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND LOOKING TO SEE HOW CAN WE HELP. SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A RECYCLING CENTER TOUR ON THE 11TH. TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING RECYCLING CENTER, AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE WHERE WE'RE AT? I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, WE'VE LOOKED FOR ADDITIONAL SITES. BUT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, DECIDED TO STAY WHERE WE'RE AT, WE MET WITH RECLAIMED BY DESIGN, WHO MANAGES THAT SITE. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF AND SEVERAL, RESIDENTS CAME OUT THAT ARE REALLY ACTIVE IN, THE RECYCLING CENTER AND IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, TO GIVE SOME IDEAS ON HOW CAN WE IMPROVE, AND THEY HAD SOME GREAT IDEAS FROM NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES OR CITIES. SO WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITHIN THEIR SITES, TOO. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR PERRY, BECAUSE HE'S GOT A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DONE ON THAT SITE, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME, RESTRICTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL SOIL CONDITIONS AND IN THE LOCATION ITSELF. SO THAT IS MY UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING. VERY GOOD. ANYONE ELSE? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.YES, UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND THE ZBA CANCELLED THEIR MEETINGS THIS MONTH. BUT I DID JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK BILL RANDALL AND PAT SMITH AND THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS FOR THE CLEANUP THAT HAS OCCURRED. AND YOU KNOW, I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF OUTREACH, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD AND STAFF HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF OUTREACH. AND THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A DECADE COMING. AND IT'S BEEN MORE STRENUOUS, THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AS WE'VE WATCHED ALL OF THOSE VACANT PROPERTIES SIT THERE, BUT IT LOOKS PHENOMENAL. AND OF COURSE, THE DDA AND THE BOARD, ALSO HAVE A HAND IN THAT WITH THE PUBLIC FUNDING THAT WE PUT BEHIND THIS. BUT I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER, REALLY INTENSIVELY SINCE JUNE OR MAY, WHEN WE FIRST KIND OF BEGIN THESE CONVERSATIONS OF GETTING THIS FIRST STEP UNDERWAY. SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE SITE CLEANED UP. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. GREAT TO SEE THAT SITE THING UP. AND IT'S A STEP TOWARDS HAVING BUILDINGS THERE WITH NEW PURPOSES. GREAT.
ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A QUICK REPORT. NOBODY MENTIONED IT, BUT SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED ON JANUARY 7, THE FORUM CONCERNING THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, WHERE THE PUBLIC CAME OUT, SO TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY. AND I THINK IT WAS WELL RECEIVED. MANY PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS AND THE DEVELOPER IT IS ASSOCIATES DID A GOOD JOB OF ANSWERING THOSE. AND I HAVE HAD NO NEGATIVE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE HEARD, OTHER THAN JUST POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT THEY'RE GLAD TO SEE PROGRESS IS HAPPENING AND PLANS ARE THERE AND MOVING FORWARD. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, REALLY TO CONGRATULATE SERGEANT CHRIS LOFTON, YOU KNOW, THE MSU SCHOOL OF STAFF AND COMMAND IS A VERY RIGOROUS TYPE OF STUDY AND IS TRULY TO BE CONGRATULATED ON DOING THAT. AND GETTING THROUGH THAT AND IT ADDS TO THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR ALREADY HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL POLICE FORCE. AND WE TRULY
[12:30:03]
APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE BENEFIT OF ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE HE'S ACQUIRED. RIGHT. OKAY. ANY OTHER REPORTS AT THIS POINT? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. MS. SUNDLAND.I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
SUPPORTED BY MS. WISINSKI. ANY MOTIONS TO AMEND OR ANYTHING. IF NOT [INAUDIBLE] THAT ON THE AGENDA. APPROVAL OF IT THAT IS.
CLERK. OH, YES, MR. OPSOMMER, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH. HAS IT BEEN NOTED? I BELIEVE THE DISCUSSION MIC]? WELL AT LEAST I'M LOSING YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS ARE. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP WAS THE FACT THAT 13A IS NO LONGER ON THE AGENDA. YOU'RE RIGHT.
MAKING SURE THAT WAS CLARIFIED. THANK YOU.
YEAH, WE COULD JUST DO THAT. WHAT WOULD BE APPROVING IS THE AGENDA WITHOUT 13A. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MS. GUTHRIE YOU WANT TO CALL ON EVERYBODY.
ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI. YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA. YES.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES. AND TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. ALL RIGHT 7 0.
OKAY, THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW COME TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, AS USUAL HAS THE COMMUNICATIONS WHICH ARE QUITE A BIG PILE THIS TIME, AS WELL AS THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY FIVE VIRITUAL REGULAR MEETING ARE [INAUDIBLE]. WE WANT TO SET THE VIRTUAL BOARD STUDY SESSION DATE FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IS FEBRUARY 16. AND AS A RESULT, SET THE REGULAR MEETING WHICH HAD BEEN ON A 16TH TO A VIRTUAL MEETING AT FEBRUARY 23. THOSE ARE WHAT CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? MS. JACKSON.
I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI. ANY STATEMENTS NEEDED ANY ARGUMENTS THAT'S NEEDED ANYBODY TO TAKE ANY MINUTES OFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? MR. DESCHAINE. JUST A QUICK COMMENT TO THANK CLERK GUTHRIE FOR THE MINUTES. THE BOARD WORKED A LONG TIME TO GET THAT KIND OF PRECISE, OBJECTIVE MINUTES THAT WE SEE IN THIS SPEAKS PACKET. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH THAT. AND ALLOWING THOSE MINUTES TO BE REVIEWED INTERNALLY AND WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF TO PROVIDE US WITH MINUTES THAT DON'T REQUIRE US TO PULL IT OFF THE AGENDA AND REWORK IT LATER IN THE MEETING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. KEEP IT UP. PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT. NEED A VOTE. MS. GUTHRIE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. AND CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.
WE HAVE NO ATTORNEY HERE TODAY AND NO HEARINGS. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS REZONING NUMBER 20050 WHICH IS DTN 2013 LLC. REZONE 31.63 ACRES EAST OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE NORTH OF GRAND RIVER FROM RA SINGLE FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY TO RD MULTIPLE FAMILY MAXIMUM EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE.
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING OR INTRODUCTION REZONING NUMBER 20050 TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 31.63 ACRES LOCATED EAST OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE NORTH OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE FROM RA SINGLE FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY TO RD MULTIPLE, FAMILY MAXIMUM EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE WITH CONDITIONS. VERY GOOD. SUPPORT.
SUPPORTED BY THE TREASURER. DISCUSSION MR. OPSOMMER.
YEAH, SO I WOULD FIRST JUST NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS OFFERED TWO MORE CONDITIONS. OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD THIS ON FOR DISCUSSION FOR TWO MEETINGS TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE SITE. THE CONDITIONS INCLUDE PUTTING A TWO YEAR TIME WINDOW IN WHICH THE REZONING WOULD REVERT AND IT ALSO TIES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE TO THE CURRENT OWNER. SO DURING THAT TWO YEAR, TIMESPAN, NO TRANSITION IN THE OWNERSHIP
[12:35:01]
COULD OCCUR UNDER THE REZONING SO IT'S EXCEEDINGLY NARROW, WHICH GIVES ME GREATER CONFIDENCE TO EXPLORE THIS. AND THEN SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE REZONING BACK IN I BELIEVE, 04 THAT APPLIED TO THE NEWTON POINTS SITE AT NEWTON AND SAGINAW HIGHWAY THE EASTERN MOST ACRES, 11 ACRES OF THE 31 ACRE SITE WOULD BE SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES. SO THERE'S A CONDITION THAT CREATES A ZONE IN WHICH ONLY SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES WOULD BE ON THE SITE. SO THOSE TWO CONDITIONS BRING ME IN SUPPORT OF THE REZONING AND I JUST WANT TO SPEAK REAL QUICKLY ON [INAUDIBLE] AT WITH THIS.OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE THE MASTER PLAN, WE'VE HAD AN EMPHASIS AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING TYPE. AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET SMALLER DENSITY PROJECTS LIKE THIS. THIS ISN'T THE MOST IDEAL LOCATION. BUT IT IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHERE IT'S FEASIBLE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, A BIG BOX RETAILER OR THE MALL OR ANOTHER PROPERTY OWNER PARTNERING ON THE PROJECT, WHICH IT DOESN'T SEEM THEY'VE BEEN WILLING TO DO. I DO THINK THERE ARE STILL SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH. IF THIS WERE TO GO THROUGH, AND WE GET TO THE SITE PLAN AND THE WETLAND USE PERMIT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE ROOM PROVIDED FOR A DETENTION POND TO FILTRATE THE WATER BEFORE IT'S PUT INTO THE WETLAND. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE IF WE DO PROCEED WITH THIS REZONING AND MITIGATION ABOVE THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR WETLAND E BASED ON THE IMPACT THAT THIS PROJECT MAY HAVE ON IT. BUT AND THE OTHER THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD NOTE FOR THE BOARD, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS PROJECT IS BEING IN THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE WALTER COOPER TOWNHOMES BEHIND WHOLE FOODS BEING IN THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THEN THE PUD THAT WE DID FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFF OF BENNETT ROAD. BETWEEN THE THREE OF THEM, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE UNDER 450 UNITS OR HOMES BUILT IN THE TOWNSHIP. AND WITH WARDCLIFF ELEMENTARY STILL BEING CLOSED. LAST TIME I TALKED TO FOLKS ON THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD, IT WAS THE YEAR PROCEEDING OR THE YEAR THAT COVID OCCURRED. SO IT WAS THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR. AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAD AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT THAT WASN'T DUE TO SCHOOLS OF CHOICE ENROLLMENT INCREASING IN QUITE SOME TIME. SO THEY ACTUALLY HAD STUDENTS, THEY FINALLY KIND OF REVERSED THAT TREND. SO IF WE SEE THAT CONTINUE TO PROGRESS. AND IF THESE THREE DEVELOPMENTS WERE TO OCCUR, AND WE GET ENOUGH PUPILS IN I THINK WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT WHERE WE COULD HAVE ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OPEN. I THINK THAT'S ONE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION HERE. SO I STILL THINK THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES THAT NEED TO BE WORKED THROUGH. BUT THE CONDITION IN THE NARROW TIMEFRAME, AND CONDITIONING THE REZONING TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER GIVES ME CONFIDENCE THAT THIS BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO EITHER RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES OR PERHAPS NOT WHEN SITE PLAN AND THE WETLAND USE PERMIT COME BEFORE US. AND I'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MARK AND PETER AND OUR WETLAND CONSULTANT. AND YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET TO IF WE APPROVE THE REZONING AND WE MOVE ON TO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE WETLAND USE PERMIT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. IF THE BOARD IS THEN IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN CONDITION WE CAN ADD CONDITIONS TO THE WETLAND USE PERMIT OR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. WHEREAS HERE ON THE REZONING THE APPLICANT HAS TO BRING THOSE FORWARD. SO THAT WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR ME AND WORKING WITH STAFF. THANK YOU, I'LL TURN IT OVER.
THANK YOU, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. I WILL MAKE THE COMMENT THAT THE LATEST CONDITION, WHICH IS THE EASTERN 11 ACRES, BEING SINGLE FAMILY IN NATURE, THIS TO DISSUADE ME GREATLY, THAT'S SOMETHING I WAS PUSHING FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY LIES BETWEEN A COMMERCIAL ZONE AND A VERY RESIDENTIAL STREET. AND BY DOING THAT, IT BECOMES KIND OF A PHASED PROJECT WITH SOME MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AT THE WESTERN END, AND THEN DOWN TO THE SINGLE FAMILY AND EASTERN END AND I LIKE LIKE THAT APPROACH IN TERMS OF WHAT THE SURROUNDING USES ARE. SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE PROJECT ITSELF,
[12:40:03]
WE'RE DEALING WITH THE ZONING, BUT SINCE IT'S A CONDITIONAL ZONING, AND THIS IS A CONDITION OF IT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE HAPPEN, AND I'M GLAD IT IS. ANYONE ELSE.MS. WISINSKI.. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
I'VE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO THIS PROJECT. AND I'M GONNA START WITH ONE OF THE POINTS YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED, WHERE WE'RE AT THIS VERY UNIQUE SPOT IN THE LOCATION OF THIS PROJECT, PROPOSED PROJECTS IN A VERY UNIQUE SPOT WHERE WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF OUR CENTRAL COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, AS WELL AS OUR VERY NATURAL RURAL YOU KNOW, EASTERN, ONE THIRD OF THE OF THE TOWNSHIP. SO , YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, THE LOCATION IS NOT NECESSARILY SUPER IDEAL. HOWEVER, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OTHER AREAS LEFT WITHIN OUR, YOU KNOW, OPEN SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS. PAY FOR HOUSING. AND I REALLY DO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF VARIED RENTAL HOUSING. AND I PERSONALLY HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN ASPEN LAKES, WHICH IS IN HOLT. AND THAT IS A VERY SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT TO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE. AND THERE'S REALLY I'VE WITNESSED A VERY SENSE OF COMMUNITY. AND THERE'S IT'S A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS LIKE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. AND I THINK IT REALLY ADDS TO THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW WALKABILITY HAS BEEN MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS WILL BE AN EXTERIOR WALKABLE COMMUNITY. BUT I KNOW INTERIOR OF THE COMMUNITY, IT'S, LAID OUT, SO THAT THAT IS VERY PRESENT. AND SO RIGHT, I AM NOT OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN NOT THE PROJECT, THE REZONING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED. BUT I ALSO WATCHED THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND, AND THERE WAS SOME, CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THERE THAT I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGREE WITH ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION. AND THERE'S, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SOME TRAFFIC INCREASE ON POWELL ROAD, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MORE NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL ROADS.
AND I THINK THE DEVELOPERS HAVE COME BACK IN HAVE PRESENTED AN INCREASED NATURAL BORDER ON THAT POWELL ROAD, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE FOR ME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THAT NATURAL SENSE OVER THERE. ALSO, AS AS SUPERVISOR, YOU MENTIONED, KIND OF PHASING IT FROM THAT SINGLE FAMILY TOWARDS MORE MULTIFAMILY TOWARDS CENTRAL PARK, I THINK, IS A GOOD PLAN. ONE OF MY MOST AND MOST OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, MY BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT THE LOCATION IS THE WETLANDS ON SITE. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, WETLANDS PROVIDES SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROTECTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. AND NOT JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, GROUNDWATER ALSO PROVIDES IT STORES CO2, SO IT REDUCES GREENHOUSE GASES WITH ALL THAT DIVERSE VEGETATION WITHIN THOSE WETLANDS. SO FOR ME THAT PARTICULAR PART, I KNOW THIS IS REZONING. BUT THAT WAS MY BIGGEST STRIFE WITH APPROVING THE REZONING WAS MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY. AND AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID, EVEN IMPROVING THROUGH MITIGATION BEYOND THE MINIMUM OF THOSE WETLANDS ON THAT SITE. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR WETLAND CONSULTANT AND A KNOW THAT THE DEVELOPERS ALSO HAD THEIR WETLANDS CONSULTANT LOOKING AT THAT SPECIFICALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW WETLAND BASED ON PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT. SO FROM WHAT, AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THE DETAILS, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE INTEGRITY AND THE THE NATURAL FEATURE COMPONENT OF THAT, WETLAND AND WHAT THEY'RE THERE TO DO. ONE THING I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS USING THAT WETLAND THAT MAIN WETLAND THE LARGEST WETLAND ON THE SITE WELL, AND E, AS A DETENTION OR RETENTION POND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CONTAMINATION THAT COMES OFF OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES THAT CAN CONTAMINATE THAT. AND REALLY, IT JUST TAKES AWAY EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO MITIGATE.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS, YOU GOT HEAVY METALS, GAL KINDS OF STUFF THAT'S REALLY GOING TO IMPEDE THE INTEGRITY OF THAT WETLAND. SO ONE THING THAT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT, AND I THINK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER TOUCHED ON IT, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THAT RETENTION AREA AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THE WETLANDS BEING THAT RETENTION AREA, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY PROTECT THE QUALITY AND THE INTEGRITY.
OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPERS COME BACK
[12:45:04]
AND, REALLY HAS WORKED WITH US , TO LOOK AT THOSE SPECIFIC CONCERNS, MOSTLY WITH THE WHERE, THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL WILL BE WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IMPROVED NATURAL CORRIDOR OR INDOOR TREE BUFFER, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH THE WETLANDS. STILL NEEDS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND STILL NEEDS A WETLAND USE PERMIT. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LONG WAYS TO GO AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT. BUT AS IS A PROPOSED REZONING WITH THE CONDITIONS, I'M IN SUPPORT OF. ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE ON THIS REZONING? THESE WETLAND ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THEY WILL HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH BY THE DEVELOPER WHEN THEY MOV`E TOWARDS THE ACTUAL PLANS, GOING TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, ETC. AND THEY'VE BEEN PUT ON GREAT NOTICE NOW BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, AND OTHERS.TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU.
I TOO WILL SUPPORT THIS REZONING. I THINK THE SUPERVISOR DESCRIBED IT WELL, THIS REPRESENTS THE TRANSITION BETWEEN A COMMERCIAL URGE TO THE SOUTH AND SINGLE FAMILY HOME AREA TO THE NORTH. IF YOU DID A NORTH SOUTH BAND IN THE TOWNSHIP TO WHERE THIS SITS IT, IS FAIRLY CENTRAL TO THE SOUTH, AND YOU'VE GOT NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE NORTH, YOU'VE GOT NEIGHBORHOODS BEING RIGHT OFF OF CENTRAL PARK. IT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED. I HOPE IT'S WALKABLE. I THINK TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S RIGHT? IT CERTAINLY WILL BE WALKABLE INTERNALLY, IT'S A LOT OF RETAIL CLOSE BY TO THIS AND ADD SOME RESTAURANTS TO THAT AS WELL. AND WE COULD MAKE IT MORE WALKABLE AND CERTAINLY WOULD BE BIKABLE FOR PEOPLE IN THIS AREA. SO IT'S A MOVE TOWARDS THE MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR. I AM ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE WETLAND MITIGATION PLAN THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED HERE. AND THEY'RE DOING A 1.5 TO ONE REPLACEMENT. SO THEY'RE LOSING ABOUT I THINK POINT THREE ACRES AND BRINGING BACK ABOUT POINT FOUR OR FIVE ACRES OF WETLANDS MITIGATION. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, TRUSTEE WISINSKI THIS SHOULDN'T BE A RETENTION POND, IT SHOULD BE NATURAL WETLANDS. I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD PARTNER HERE IN DTN.
THEY'VE SHOWN GOOD FAITH ALL ALONG. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, PROJECT. IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROJECT FOR THIS TOWNSHIP. BUT HONESTLY, WE'RE USED TO BUILDING APARTMENTS, CENTRAL HALL APARTMENTS. AND WE'RE USED TO BUILDING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AND THIS IS A DIFFERENT MARKET. IT'S A LUXURY RENTAL HOME FOR PEOPLE THAT COULD AFFORD TO BUY A HOUSE BUT AND CHOOSE INSTEAD TO LIVE IN A RENTAL HOME. AND IT'S HARD FOR A LOT OF US TO GET OUR HEADS AROUND THAT. BUT IT IS THE TREND. AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE ADULT CHILDREN AS I DO, AND YOU'LL SEE THE TREND THAT THEY'RE SHOWING US, WHICH IS WHY BY THEY'D MUCH RATHER HAVE THE IT'S A GENERATIONAL THING. IT'S A NEW ECONOMIC THING, BUT IT IS THE THING. PEOPLE DON'T BUY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES NOW THE WAY THEY DID 30 OR 50 YEARS AGO. AND SO DTN REPRESENTS A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPER THAT IS RESPONDING TO THE MARKET. AND WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE MODERN ECONOMICS AS WELL. AND THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT. AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I SUPPORT THE REZONING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE JACKSON. WELL, I STILL HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONCEPT PLAN, WHICH I RECOGNIZE IS NOT THE FOCUS OF THIS REZONING APPLICATION. BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DENSITY AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS BEING PUT ON THIS PROPERTY, THOUGH I'M I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONCEPT, THE CONCEPT OF MIXING HOUSING TYPES, I HAVE NO SENSE OF HOW QUALITY GREEN SPACE WILL BE INCORPORATED AND INCLUDED IN THIS PROJECT. AND AGAIN, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WILL BE GAUGED AS THE PROJECT COMES BACK AND PREPARE FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND AND A SITE PLAN. SO IN GENERAL, THE DENSITY HOW GREEN SPACE WILL BE INCORPORATED. I'M JUST A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE NUMBER OF UNITS BEING PUT ON THIS LAND WITH WITH THE KIND OF WATER FEATURES THAT IT HAS. BUT AT THIS POINT, WITH THE CONDITIONS PROVIDED, I CAN SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
ANY OTHER TRUSTEES CLERK GUTHRIE.
I TOO AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DENSITY AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS
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ON THE PROPERTY AND THE WETLANDS. AND I LOVE THIS PROJECT.I THINK THE LOCATION IS GREAT FOR THIS PROJECT. AND I UNDERSTAND PHASED HOUSING AND THE REASONS FOR IT. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS MISSING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT IT'S NEEDED. HOWEVER, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE WETLANDS. AND WE TALK A LOT IN THIS TOWNSHIP ABOUT BEING SUSTAINABLE AND BEING GREEN AND THINKING GREENER. AND HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING IN THESE WETLANDS. AND I'M NOT CONVINCED EVEN WITH CONDITIONS THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY THAT THE REZONING IS NEEDED IN ORDER FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT TO COME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN THIS AREA. AND YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] WETLANDS IN THERE, I WOULD FEEL A LOT DIFFERENTLY. BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ABOUT THE WETLANDS WITH THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? WE NEED A VOTE MS. GUTHRIE? DO WE HAVE A MOTION.
THAT'S RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY. [LAUGHTER] MR. OPSOMMER. TREASURER DESCHAINE SECONDED THE MOTION.
OKAY, GEEZ. WE HAD SUCH A LONG DISCUSSION WE FORGOT. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER YEAH, JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT. SO THAT IT'S GERMANE TO THIS ACTION BEFORE US. BUT I GUESS A QUESTION FOR DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY, AS YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT HERE IN POWELL ROAD.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS YET ON THIS PERSPECTIVE PROJECT THAT MIGHT BE COMING? AND IF NOT, CAN YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PLANTING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND CLOSER TO THE ROAD, THAT THERE MIGHT BE THE PROSPECT OF GETTING THICKER TREE BUFFER ON THE ROAD AND RESTORING THAT SCENIC ROAD QUALITY.
I HAVEN'T HAD ANY SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS DEVELOPMENT OR THE REZONING THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, I WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE APPROVED FOR ACTION OR APPROVED TONIGHT.
BUT ALSO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE DRAIN OFFICE TO AND THE SOONER THESE TYPES OF CONCEPTS DEVELOPMENTS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE THEM, THEY CAN START THINKING ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THIS BOARD'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE WETLANDS AND HOW STORMWATER IS GOING TO BE TREATED ON THESE SITES. AGAIN, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF CRITERIA THAT YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAS TO ABIDE BY. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THIS STUFF BEFORE THEM SO THEY CAN WEIGH IN ON. EXCELLENT, THANK YOU. AND I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT I THINK THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR REFORESTING ALONG POWELL ROAD BECAUSE THIS SITE IS PRETTY BARREN AND HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT MAKING IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE NATURAL. I THINK IT'S STILL A LITTLE TOO SUBURBANY BUT I DO SEE YOU KNOW TALL GRASSES BEING PLANTED ON THE POWLL ROAD SIDE OF THE TREELINE AND I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY'S ABILITY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND IF WE CAN PLANT INTO THAT RIGHT OF WAY WE CAN MAKE IT LOOK A LOT MORE SCENIC. AND A LOT MORE NATURAL THAN SUBURBAN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
I THINK WE'RE READY TO VOTE AT THIS MS. GUTHRIE.
YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES NO. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES.
TRUSTEE JACKSON. YES. AND TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.
ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. 6 TO ONE. 6 TO ONE.
ALL RIGHT, WE NOW MOVE ON TO B WHICH IS THE POWELL ROAD PAVING PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT SAD RESOLUTION 1 & 2. I ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MR. PERRY FIRST.
GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR STYKA MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THE POWELL ROAD PAVING ROAD IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT IS
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THE SAME AS WAS PRESENTED AT THE LAST MEETING WITH THE ONE CHANGE. WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL PERSON SIGN THE PETITION, WHICH BROUGHT THE ORIGINAL PETITION FROM 54.34% UP TO 62.43. AGAIN, WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE THAT ANY APPLICANT WITH A PETITION HAS AT LEAST 50% BEFORE WE PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD.THE PROJECT ITSELF IS PAVING OF POWELL ROAD FROM GRAND RIVER NORTH TO THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT ABOUT 1600 FEET WAS A CONDITION OF THE SILVERSTONE ESTATES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. AND THIS IS A WAY FOR NOT ONLY THE DEVELOPER, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES TO SHARE IN THE LIVING EXPENSES OF THE POWELL ROAD PROJECT ITSELF. AGAIN, IT'S $460,000 FOR [INAUDIBLE] SOILS ON POWELL ROAD, AND THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT HAS OVERSEEN THE PROJECT DESIGN HAS APPROVED IT, AND WE WOULD BE THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR THE FUNDING OF THE PROJECT, THE DEVELOPER WOULD PAY FOR IT UPFRONT 100%. AND THEN HE'D BE ELIGIBLE FOR A PORTION OF THAT, ABOUT $200,000 TO BE PAID BACK TO HIM THROUGH A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT. SO THOSE PARCELS THAT ARE, WE WOULD BE COLLECTING FROM THOSE PROCEEDS WOULD GO TO THE DEVELOPER TO PAY HIM BACK.
ALL RIGHT, I NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S WILLING TO READ A LONG MOTION.
TREASURER DESCHAINE I'LL READ THE MOTION BUT THEN I HAVE. OH YOU'RE MUTED AGAIN.
NOTHINGS HAPPENED YOU'RE MUTED, SIR. THERE YOU GO.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE POWELL ROAD PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 43. RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE ACCEPTING THE PETITION IN ORDERING PLANS AND ESTIMATE OF COST TO BE PREPARED AND MOVE TO TENTATIVELY APPROVE POWELL ROAD PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 43. RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO, TENTATIVELY DECLARING THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S INTENTION TO MAKE THE PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, GRADE GRAVEL AND PAVE POWELL ROAD FROM THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF THE SILVERSTONE ON THE STATE'S PLAT SOUTHWARD TO GRAND RIVER AND SETS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2021 FOR THE PURPOSE OF HEARING OBJECTIONS TO THE PETITION, THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT OF POWELL ROAD PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 43.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SUPPORT. TRUSTEE WISINSKI. ALL RIGHT, YOU HAD SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER MR. DESCHAINE? WELL, WE MOVED OUR MEETING ON THE 16TH TO THE 23RD. SO SHOULD THAT BE STRUCK AND THE PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD NOW ON THE 23RD? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION. MR. PERRY.
WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR WHATEVER DATE WORKS BEST FOR THE BOARD. WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER WE JUST LOOKED AT THE CALENDAR AND WAS TRYING TO TIME THINGS OUT. SO THAT'S WELL WHATEVER THE BOARD DETERMINES. THE 16TH IS OUR SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
IF YOU'RE PROPOSING THAT COULD BE ON A 23RD WILLL THE [INAUDIBLE] BE WILLING TO GO ALONG WITH THAT. YES. DO WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT THE DATE WILL BE THE FEBRUARY 23RD.
SECOND, THERE WAS. TRUSTEE WISINSKI I BELIEVE. TRUSTEE WISINSKI I KNOW I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HER TO THERE SHE IS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SHE SAID YES. ALL RIGHT. DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION AS A WHOLE? MR. PERRY, IS THE PROFILE OF THIS ROAD SIMILAR TO CORNELL ROAD? OR DO WE HAVE A CURB AND GUTTER MORE OF A DEVELOPMENT TYPE ROAD PROFILE HERE? THIS IS A SIMILAR TO WELL, IT'S A RURAL ROAD PROFILE. HOWEVER, NEAR THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF, THERE IS SOME CURBING TO HELP TURN INTO MORE OF A, I GUESS, URBAN TYPE ROAD FOR THE SILVERSTONE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER STANDARD RURAL ROAD EDGE DITCH. OKAY. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? MR. OPSOMMER? THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. SO I HAD ASKED DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY A QUESTION. AND THEN IT OCCURRED TO ME BASED ON SOME CORRESPONDENCE THAT CAME IN FROM RESIDENTS ON THIS SAD AND SO I THOUGHT [INAUDIBLE] THAT THE BOARD IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT NOBODY HAD ASKED ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THE TREES ALONG THIS CORRIDOR THAT IS BEING PAVED, WHICH IS NOT THE ENTIRETY OF POWELL ROAD. TO WHICH I WAS TOLD THE DEPUTY MANAGER HAS HAD
[13:00:01]
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND THERE IS ONLY ONE TREE THAT IS PERHAPS IN JEOPARDY AT THIS POINT, DUE TO ITS PLACEMENT AND THE GRADE THERE. SO THAT HAS BEEN FACTORED IN. THE SENTIMENT, I THINK OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE RESIDENTS WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE RURAL CHARACTER OF A ROAD. MY FEELING IS THAT PAVING IT DOESN'T LOSE THAT CHARACTER.WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY NATURAL BEAUTY ROADS THAT WE HAVE IN INGHAM COUNTY ARE VAN ATTA FOR NOW, BOTH OF WHICH ARE PAVED OR HAVE SEGMENTS THAT ARE PAVED. SO THE PAVING ALONE DOESN'T CONCERN ME, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT CLEAR CUTTING WITHIN THE RIDE OF WAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SO YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAD THE ANSWER THAT MR. PERRY, YEAH I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. OKAY, NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE, MS. WISINSKI.
THANK YOU MR. SUPERVISOR, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO JUST ADD THAT I ALSO HAVE A STRONG FEELING ABOUT JUST CLEAR CUTTING. SO I KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE JUST ONE TREE, BUT IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TREE. SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST DROVE IT AGAIN TODAY JUST TO FIND THAT ONE SPECIAL TREE, BUT ANYWAY, WE CAN PRESERVE ANY OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY WE HAVE. AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, I GREW UP IN AN AREA THAT HAD A LOT OF GRAVEL AND OR DIRT ROADS. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I DON'T REALLY THINK IT PAVING A ROAD TAKES AWAY FROM THE INTEGRITY OF THE BEAUTY OF THE ROA., I LIVE OFF CORNELL. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROADS TO DRIVE DOWN. I THINK WE CAN DO THE SAME WITH POWELL, AS LONG AS WE'RE INTENTIONAL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EITHER INCREASING FOR DEVELOPMENT, THAT NATURAL BUFFER, AND OR JUST BEING, YOU KNOW, VERY COGNIZANT OF SOME OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? YES OUR CLERK.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DEREK. THE ASSESSMENT. WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE FALLS INTO HARD TIMES DOES THE TOWNSHIP WORK WITH THEM ON THESE PAYMENTS I MEAN WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE SITUATIONS WITH THE ASSESSMENT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN ANSWER, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK IT.
ACTUALLY, I'LL DEFER TO OUR TREASURER DESCHAINE, HIS OFFICE ACTUALLY HANDLES ALL THE COLLECTIONS OF THE ASSESSMENTS.
AND THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR HARDSHIPS AND THERE'S A PROCESS THEY WORK WITH THE COUNTY, BUT I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO IT. AND I'LL SAY THAT WE WILL WORK WITH HIM AND AS WELL, THE COUNTY, NONETHELESS, THERE ARE UNDERLYING STATE LAWS ABOUT BECOMING DELINQUENT. AND AT CERTAIN POINT, IT LEAVES OUR OFFICE AND GOES TO THE COUNTY TREASURER, IN WHICH THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE ARBITRATOR BEFORE IT GOES TO FORECLOSURE. BUT THERE'S LOTS OF SAFETY NETS IN PLACE BEFORE THEN TO HELP A RESIDENT TO WORK THROUGH THIS AND TO WORK AROUND THIS. AND THERE IS OF COURSE, THE POVERTY BOARD OF REVIEW EXEMPTION TO LOCAL TAXES AS WELL. SO PEOPLE DO HAVE CHOICES. IT'S NOT LIKE IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR TAXES, BOOM, YOU LOSE IT IN A YEAR OR THREE YEARS. THERE'S LOTS OF PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE IN TROUBLE CAN PREVENT THEM FROM LOSING THEIR PROPERTIES. BUT IF WE WORK WITH THEM, AND THEN IT GETS TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY, WHO CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THEM.
OKAY, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TREASURER DESCHAINE THE QUESTION. THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT HOW THESE PAYMENTS WILL BE HANDLED DURING THIS TIME FOR ANYONE THAT HAD TO HAVE THEM.
NO, NO PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, NEWBIES ARE ENTITLED TO ASK ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE NEW. YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF TIMES THE REST OF US AREN'T ASKING, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT [INAUDIBLE] IF A NEW PERSON ASKS IT'S GREAT, WE GET THE ANSWER TOO. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? THEN WE NEED A VOTE? ALL RIGHT, TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. MOTION CARRIES 7 0. ALL RIGHT.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE NON DISCRIMINATION AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES POLICY. THIS IS SOMETHING CLOSE TO THE HEARTS OF MR. OPSOMMER AND MS. WISINSKI. AND WE NEED A MOTION.
[13:05:08]
MS. WISINSKI.I MOVE TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED NON DISCRIMINATION AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES POLICY.
IS THEIR SUPPORT. MR. OPSOMMER. OKAY. DISCUSSION MS. WISINSKI.
SURE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION OVER THIS. YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE A SLAM DUNK. WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH MANAGER WALSH AND DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND OUR FANTASTIC HR DIRECTOR TITHOF. SO YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO ENSURE THAT HIRING PRACTICES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP DON'T UNFAIRLY DENY PEOPLE WITH MAYBE PREVIOUS CONVICTION OR POSSIBLY VERY MINOR CONVICTION TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE TOWNSHIP AND IT ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY AND ENCOURAGES REHABILITATION. AND I TRULY BELIEVE IT STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A VERY SEEMS LIKE A MINOR STEP. BUT IT'S A BIG STEP TOWARDS OUR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
CAN'T FOLLOW. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. MR. OPSOMMER YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS.
YEAH, I WOULD SIMPLY JUST ADD, AGAIN, THE REAL WORLD SITUATION OF JUST GIVING THESE APPLICANTS THE ABILITY TO GET THROUGH THAT FIRST PHASE AND GET INTO THE STACK OF CANDIDATES THAT WILL BE INTERVIEWED SO THEY CAN SPEAK TO THEIR CREDENTIALS AND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAD, I GUESS, THE MEETING WITH DIRECTOR TITHOF AND DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND MANAGER WALSH, BOTH ABBY AND FRANK SHARED A LOT OF INSIGHTS ON YOU KNOW, VARIOUS THINGS THAT HAD COME UP IN HIRING PRACTICES OVER THE YEARS AND IT WAS INSIGHTFUL AND I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT, IT KIND OF REINFORCES THE WORKGROUPS AND SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WE FIRST DISCUSSED IN THIS MEETING, BECAUSE IT WAS INFORMATIVE TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON SPECIFIC REAL WORLD EXAMPLES WHEN THIS COMES INTO PLAY. AND WHERE THEY HAD ACTUALLY BASICALLY CONDUCTED HIRING, IN CONFORMANCE WITH THIS POLICY. AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, CONVICTIONS OR ISSUES CAME UP LATER IN THE PROCESS. BUT IT WAS INSIGHTFUL TO ACTUALLY GLEAN FROM THE REAL WORLD IMPLICATION OF IT. AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE IT ON FOR THE OPTIONS TONIGHT.THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ON THIS [INAUDIBLE] FOR OR AGAINSTS? WE NEED A VOTE.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES. YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
TRUSTEE JACKSON. YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI. YES. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO 12 D, WHICH IS THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RELIEF PROGRAM. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
I MOVED TO PROVE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RELIEF PROGRAM, AWARDEES AS ATTACHED. IST THEIR SUPPORT FOR THAT. TRUSTEE JACKSON. MS. SUNDLAND YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS? WELL, THIS WENT THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. THIS SPECIAL GRANT AND YOU KNOW THE I JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THESE AWARDEES.
MANAGER ROSS, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC OUT THERE. JUST TO HAVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND FROM DIRECTOR CLARK ON THE PROCESS WE USED. IT'S A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. AND I THINK IT'D BEHOOVE DIRECTOR CLARK TO HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO JUST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WE USED. NO PROBLEM.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR STYKA AND TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS. SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT SINCE WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SECOND ROUND OF THE GRANT. TO REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY, THE BOARD HELD A SPECIAL MEETING ON DECEMBER 18TH TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO COVID WHAT WE WERE DOING IN TOWNSHIP HALL, HOW WE WERE HELPING RESIDENTS WITH ASSISTANCE AND THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. WE WERE ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT ACTIONS WE WERE GOING TO DO TO ASSIST OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND WE DID A
[13:10:05]
SMALL BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] OR A BUSINESS COMMUNITY SURVEY OF ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE WE TOOK ACTION ON THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANT AND THE REQUEST FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WAS THAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. SO THIS BOARD APPROVED THE USE OF HALF A MILLION DOLLARS $500,000 TO ALLOW SMALL BUSINESSES UP TO $7,000 PER ESTABLISHMENT. AND THE BOARD ALSO REVISED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE APPLICATION TO ALLOW FOR A WIDER NET OF BUSINESSES AND SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE SMALLER CHAINS LIKE YOU KNOW, GRAND TRAVERSE IS ONE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD. WELL IT'S A LOCAL OPERATION. IT'S ALSO A MICHIGAN BASED BUSINESS. SO IT'S ANOTHER YOU KNOW, THE THINKING OF IT IN A DOUBLE WHAMMY OF HAVE A WAY TO SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO US AS A BUSINESS OWNER. SO THE GRANT WAS ACTIVATED THAT FRIDAY IT DIDN'T OPEN UNTIL MONDAY THE 21ST. BUT IT DID ALLOW FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO APPLY BEGINNING THROUGH THAT WEEKEND AND THROUGH THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE GRANT CLOSED ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 5TH AT NOON. AND WE BEGAN TALLYING, AS A GROUP THIS BOARD APPROVED A SIX MEMBER SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE TWO TRUSTEES FROM THIS BOARD. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHAIR, THE DDA CHAIR, MYSELF AND TOWNSHIP MANAGER, WE WERE GIVEN THAT TIME DURING THE GRANT WINDOW TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND DETERMINE HOW WE FELT INDIVIDUALLY. AND ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, THE SUBCOMMITTEE MET FOR A THREE AND A HALF HOUR SESSION, I BELIEVE, I THINK WE WERE DONE JUST BEFORE NOON, TO DETERMINE THE 105 AWARDEES OF THE 128 APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED, AND EACH WERE REVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY AND A VOTE WAS MADE AND THEN AN ALLOCATION OF FUNDS WERE GIVEN FOR EACH ESTABLISHMENT THAT WAS AWARDED. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE SOON AFTER. TONIGHT, WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS BOARD TO APPROVE THE 105 SMALL BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT RELIEF AS ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKET. OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ARGUMENTS? MR. DESCHAINE.I THANK DIRECTOR CLARK AND MANAGER WALSH, TRUSTEE JACKSON AND SUPERVISORS STYKA AS WELL AS OUR DDA CHAIR, SUE VOLK, [INAUDIBLE] AND JADE SIMS WHO ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THESE GRANTS. I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN TENTATIVELY APPROVED PENDING THIS BOARD'S ACTION, THANKING ME FOR PUTTING THE GRANT MONEY OUT THERE, AND APPRECIATE YOU TELLINGME HOW IMPORTANT THIS MONEY IS GOING TO BE FOR THEM. THIS IS A REALLY BIG STEP, THIS IS MORE THAN THREE TIMES WHAT WE DID SIX MONTHS AGO. THIS SHOWS THIS BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO HELPING OUR BUSINESSES SURVIVE, WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THERE. AND HAVING AS MANY BUSINESSES OPEN AS POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, AND WORK AND RAISE A FAMILY. AND THE WORK IS THE KEY PART. WE HAVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO RELY ON JOBS HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THESE GRANTS WILL HELP KEEP THOSE JOBS VIABLE. SO THIS IS A BIG MOVE.
IT'S EXCITING MOVE. YOU KNOW, WE DID SOME BELT TIGHTENING AT THE START OF THIS PANDEMIC, AND WE CHANGED OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, WE LAID OFF A FEW NEW STAFF AND THOSE WEREN'T EASY DECISIONS TO MAKE. BUT BY DOING THAT, IT PUTS US IN A POSITION TO TAKE SOME OF OUR REVENUE, INDIRECTLY THROUGH OUR MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND, AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HURTING TODAY HURTING BADLY, PARTICULARLY THE RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SERVICE AREAS. SO I'M REALLY PROUD TO VOTE FOR THIS. AND I AGAIN WANT TO THANK MANAGER WALSH AND THE STAFF THAT DID THE GOOD WORK TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR CLARK AND THE COMMITTEE, TRUSTEE JACKSON, SUPERVISOR STYKA EVERYONE ELSE WHO REVIEWED THE APPLICATIONS, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT TO GO THROUGH 120 SOME ODD APPLICATIONS AND TO DO SO IN A TIMELY FASHION. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, RESTAURANTS, SOME RESTAURANTS HAVE LOST, YOU KNOW, 50 TO 70,000 IN SAVINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC THUS FAR, JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA. AND SO FOR THOSE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE APPLIED SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH THE TWO ROUNDS THAT
[13:15:04]
WE'VE DONE, WE'VE AT LEAST HELPED FILL $11,000 OF THAT GAP.I THOUGHT THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THIS ROUND WAS VERY APPROPRIATE.
SO I THINK DIRECTOR CLARK AND MANAGER WALSH FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE AND THINKING THROUGH THE CAP, AND THE NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS. WHEN WE LOOK AT DURING THIS PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM OF THE STATE IS JUST OPENED UP TODAY ACTUALLY ON THE 19TH. THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ONLY BEEN CLOSED PARTIALLY LIKE THE RESTAURANTS, NOW THEY'RE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO $15,000. SO WE'RE, JUST UNDER 50% OF WHAT THE STATE'S PROGRAM IS FUNDING FOR THESE BUSINESSES, WHICH IS VERY REMARKABLE. AND I KNOW LANSING AND EAST LANSING HAVE LOOKED AT DOING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING RESOURCES TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S A CREDIT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND. NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT TO DO IT AT, ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, HALF THE SCALE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SO THANK YOU AND I, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PATRONIZE LOCAL BUSINESSES DURING THIS TIME TO TAKE DELIVERY? THANK YOU, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. YES.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WORK ON US AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS. AMBER MANAGER WALSH, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS. AS I LOOKED AT THE BUSINESSES ON HERE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THESE BUSINESSES THAT LIVED HERE FOR OVER 40 YEARS, I FREQUENTED I WORKED FOR THE TOWNSHIP FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. SO I INTERVIEWED MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND GOTTEN TO FORM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE BUSINESS OWNERS. AND SO FOR ME, IT'S MORE OF A PERSONAL LEVEL OF NOT ONLY FREQUENTING BUSINESSES, THAT ALL OF US CAN FREQUENT BUSINESSES AND SHOW SUPPORT IN THAT WAY. BUT WHATEVER THE TOWNSHIP CAN DO ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, AND BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE AVENUES IN WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES, BECAUSE THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE FAMILY, AND THEY OWN HOMES HERE. AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD FOR THE SUPPORT LAST YEAR PRIOR TO ME BEING ON THE BOARD, AND ECHO DAN'S STATEMENTS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO PATRONIZE BUSINESSES, AND I'VE GAINED A FEW POUNDS HERE, THERE, I NEED TO GO TO THIS YOGA PLACE AND MAYBE LOSE A FEW POUNDS. SO I'M JUST KIND OF A LITTLE LONG WINDED. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST SHOWING SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE HAVE 44,000 RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT SOUNDS LARGE, BUT WE REALLY KNOW EACH OTHER.
AND WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. AND SO I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
I WILL MENTION AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER THAT THIS COMMITTEE WORKED REALLY HARD AT THIS. THESE WERE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS. SO WE JUST DIDN'T GIVE A FLAT AMOUNT, SAME AMOUNT TO EVERYBODY, WE ADJUSTED THE AMOUNTS DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR APPLICATIONS SHOWED IN TERMS OF THEIR HISTORY, THEIR NEEDS, ETC.
AND IT WAS TOUGH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND IN EACH ONE. BUT WE SPENT A VERY EDUCATEDLY, WE KNEW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE HAD ALL DONE OUR HOMEWORK, AND WORKED HARD TO COME UP WITH THE LIST OF THE AMOUNTS. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THAT. BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BY SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS. I WANT TO THANK MANAGER WALSH, DIRECTOR MATTISON AND ALL THE OTHER DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE KIND OF SHARP PENCIL BUDGETING THAT WE DO IN THIS TOWNSHIP, THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT'S DONE BY STAFF IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT WELL AND SPENT, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND NOT SPENT UNNECESSARILY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE MANAGER, THE DEPUTY MANAGER AND ALL THE DIRECTORS AND ALL THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS WE DO AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT FACT.
AND AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID, THIS IS CLOSE TO HALF OF WHAT SOME OF THE STATE PROGRAMS ARE HANDING OUT JUST TO LOCAL BUSINESSES. AND WE'VE DONE 4000 THE NUMBER OF THESE EARLIER. AND YOU KNOW, WE WILL DO MORE IF WE HAD IT. BUT THANK HEAVEN WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE AND ARE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO.
JUST ONE OTHER POINT THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT ON HOW WELL
[13:20:03]
THE COMMITTEE DID IN REVIEWING THIS. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME BUSINESSES THAT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE. AND WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THE AWARD FIGURES AND THE SPECIFIC AMOUNTS IN THOSE BUSINESSES THAT DID NOT RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, I THOUGHT THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE WAS VERY PRUDENT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY BUSINESS IS STRUGGLING, RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, GROCERY STORES AND MARKETS LIKE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING QUITE WELL. AND CERTAIN INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE THEIR COMMODITIES IN THOSE STORES ARE DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. I THOUGHT THEY WERE VERY PRUDENT DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, AND IT WASN'T SIMPLY IF YOU APPLY EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, WAS ELIGIBLE, THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT THAT WAS PUT IN AND IT WAS EVIDENT IN LOOKING AT THE SPECIFICS OF THE AWARDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.I DO WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT IF A GRANT RECIPIENT IS DELINQUENT IN BACK TAXES, THEY WILL NOT GET THERE GRANT UNTIL THEY, ARE WHOLE ON THEIR TAXES. SO THIS IS NOT, WE'RE NOT IGNORING THAT WE KNOW THAT TIMES ARE HARD OR DIFFICULT. BUT THIS IS NOT CURRENT TAXES, BUT BACK TAXES. AND SO ANYONE HAS A DELINQUENT TAX AMOUNT, THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT BEFORE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE GRANT. ALSO, WHEN DIRECTOR CLARK SHARED THE LIST WITH ME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED IT. AND WE FOUND SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD APPLIED FOR IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A BUSINESS IN THE TOWNSHIP, OR WERE REGISTERED AS A BUSINESS IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS A BIT OF IRONY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MERIDIAN, AND HOW WE'VE WORKED TO TURN OURSELVES AROUND. WE'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING ANTI BUSINESS IN THE PAST AND WORKED REALLY HARD TO HAVE [INAUDIBLE] UNDER DIRECTOR WALSH TO TURN THAT AROUND, AND BY DIRECTOR KIESELBACK AND THE WORK OF PETER AND OTHERS. AND I THINK WE'VE WE'VE DONE THAT. SO NOW WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT WANT TO BE IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO THAT THAT'S A GREAT TURNAROUND. SO GOOD WORK TO STAFF ON THAT. THAT'S, REALLY SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE WE WERE 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO.
I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WHO WERE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES. THEY MIGHT JUST BE OVER THE BORDER AND BE IN OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, EITHER TO, THE WEST OR TO SOUTH. BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WAS WE COULDN'T AWARD IT TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS NOT A ACTUAL MERIDIAN BUSINESS? OKAY, WE NEED A VOTE THEN.
ALL RIGHT, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
TRUSTEE JACKSON. YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI. YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.
YES. AND CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES. 7 0 THE MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. 13A WAS LEFT OFF THE AGENDA SINCE IT WAS REQUESTED BY THE DEVELOPER TO TAKE IT OFF. SO WE NOW COME TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. MR. GEBES DO YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ANYBODY INTERESTED IN COMMENTING AT THIS POINT, WE CAN OF COURSE, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE THEIR HAND IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, PROMOTE THEM AND GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO SPEAK, OR TAKE TELEPHONE CALLS AT 517-349-1232. I'M SEEING NO HANDS RAISED IN THE ATTENDEE AREA. AND I'LL LET'S LEAVE IT TO YOUR DISCRETION AS TO HOW LONG YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR THE TELEPHONE CALLS. BUT I WILL INTERRUPT YOU IF THEY START COMING IN. WELL WE'LL WAIT A BRIEF SECOND, WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I'LL MENTION THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL THE PUBLIC TO TAKE NOTE OF THIS.
[INAUDIBLE] FIRST COVID VACCINE DOSAGE TODAY. IT DID NOT H RT. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT T E NEEDLE WENT IN. I HAD NO EACTIONS AFTERWARD THAT WERE NE ATIVE IN ANY WAY. [INAUDIBLE] ALSO RECEIVED HERS AND HAD THE SAME POSITIVE EFFECTS.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU QUALIFY, AS SO N AS YOU QUALIFY, SCHEDULE IT GO OUT THERE GET VACCINATED ECAUSE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE G ING TO DEFEAT THIS DARN THING IS TO HAVE EVERYONE OUT THERE P OKAY, ANYBODY CALL IN YET? NEGATIVE SIR, YOU CAN PROCEED.
MOVE ONTO OTHER MATTERS. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? MS. JACKSON.
YES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE COVID VACCINE. I HAD MINE TODAY, MY HUSBAND HAD HIS. AND WE ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED NO DISCOMFORT THUS FAR, AND WOULD JOIN YOU IN ENCOURAGING ANYONE WHO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIRS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. I ASSUME YOU GOT ONE OF THESE TOO THEN TODAY? NO, I DIDN'T. WELL THEY OFFERED THEM.
WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE DRIVEN TOGETHER YOU REALIZE THAT? [LAUGHTER] I DIDN'T GET A PRIZE.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? MR. DESCHAINE YOU'RE MUTED.
THANK YOU. SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE HAVE ANOTHER
[13:25:02]
NATIONAL AWARD THE TOWNSHIP HAS RECEIVED AND THAT IS NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE HAS NAMED OKEMOS MICHIGAN, THE BEST SMALL TOWN IN MICHIGAN. [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME I WANT TO SHARE THEIR POSTING ON THAT. BECAUSE IT'S REMARKABLE.AND HERE WE GO. IT'S THIS VIEW HERE, COMING OFF THE BRIDGE INTO UP NORTH ONTO OKEMOS ROAD TO THE FOUR CORNERS. AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE GOT THIS AWARD WITH THAT'S THE WAY DOWNTOWN LOOKS, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DID AND WE DID IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT GREAT SCHOOLS AND WE'VE GOT GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS AND GREAT FAMILIES AND PARKS AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS AND LOTS OF THINGS, INTANGIBLE THINGS BUT THE TANGIBLE LOOK OF OUR DOWNTOWN AS YOU CAN SEE HERE AS WE ALL KNOW, EVERY DAY REALLY LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. SO CARRY ON OUR VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PROJECT, IM GINE HOW WELL WE'RE GOING TO DO ONCE WE GET DOWNTOWN OKEMOS DON AND IN THE FOUR CORNERS AND HAS ETT DONE AND THE MALL RE EFINED. BUT TO GET THAT AWARD WI H THAT KIND OF A DOWNTOWN VI W, IT'S REMARKABLE. IT SHOWS YO HOW GREAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE, AN HOW STRONG OUR FAMILIES AND NE GHBORHOODS ARE. SO BRAVO TO TH RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TO NSHIP FOR BEING GREAT AGAIN.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AWARDED IN THE PAST, BOTH ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AND ON A STATE LEVEL BY [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH WAS LOOKED AT BY NEWSWEEK AS WELL. OKAY, OTHER FINAL COMMENTS.TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
YEAH, I WOULD BRIEFLY JUST ECHO SUPERVISOR STYKA AND TRUSTEE JACKSON'S COMMENTS ON GETTING THE VACCINE, MY WIFE IS ABOUT TO RECEIVE HER SECOND DOSE OF THE VACCINE AS A FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKER. I KNOW A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR REQUEST AND ARE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT SCHEDULE IS GOING TO COME, AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF INQUIRIES AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON ISSUES LIKE THAT. AND SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS, IF THEY HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR REQUESTS AND ARE WAITING ON THE EMAIL TO SCHEDULE TO GET THE VACCINE JUST TO BE PATIENT. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS. THERE'S THE GROUP ONE A, WHICH INCLUDES FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND OTHER FRONTLINE WORKERS. AND THEN THERE'S THE GROUP ONE B, WITH INDIVIDUALS 65 AND UP THE PRIORITY FOR THOSE 70 ENOUGH CURRENTLY, AND THEN OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKER CLASSIFICATIONS, AND THERE WE'RE BOTH GROUPS BEING PRIORITIZED RIGHT NOW. IT'S A, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE RECEIVING MORE ONE A REQUESTS EVERY DAY. AND SO IT'S MAKING A FLUID SITUATION IN ADDITION TO VACCINE LEVELS. SO PLEASE BE PATIENT AND DO YOUR BEST IN AND JUST KNOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH ONE B.
THANK YOU. I MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A VERY SMOOTH OPERATION THAT THE COUNTY RAN TODAY IT WAS AT THE MSU PAVILION. AND YOU ACTUALLY ENDED UP DRIVING INSIDE AND THEY HAD IT SET UP SO THAT THERE WERE LIKE FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT ROWS OF ABOUT 10-12 CARS EACH. AND THEY WOULD VACCINATE DOWN ONE ROW. ANOTHER ROW WAS WAITING FOR IT'S 15 MINUTES FOR FINAL CHECKS BEFORE LEAVING AND IT WORKED OUT VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY. IT WAS IT WAS A CONSTANT FLOW OF PEOPLE GETTING SHOTS AND TAKING THE NECESSARY TIME TO MAKE SURE THEY WEREN'T GETTING ANY NEGATIVE REACTIONS AND MOVING UP THEN IT WAS REALLY NO UNNECESSARY WAITING. IT WAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL.
ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS IF NOT WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI. I MOVE TO ADJOURN. SUPPORT. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HE SECONDS.
ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ADJOURNING PUT YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. [LAUGHTER] I DON'T SEE ANY NOT WITHOUT HANDS.
THANK YOU 7 0. GOOD NIGHT E
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.