Feb 09, 2021 Park Commission Meeting

[00:00:21]

ON THIS COLD FEBRUARY DAY, HOPE EVERYBODY IS STAYING AS WARM AS POSSIBLE.

I HAVE MY FUZZY JACKET AND A BLANKET.

I'VE GOT A FIRE GOING, SO IT'S GOING TO BE I'M GOING TO BE SWEATING HERE SOON.

THAT LOOKS REALLY NICE.

I'M LIKING THE AMBIANCE THAT YOU'VE CREATED THERE MARK.

THE ONLY PLACE IN THE HOUSE THAT'S MINE.

YOUR CAVE. OTHER THAN THE KITCHEN.

VERY NICE. WE HAVE MIKE I SEE.

IS MARY JOINING US TODAY LUANN? OK.

SAMANTHA, EMMA.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I THINK IT WAS LIKELY OUR [INAUDIBLE] TEAM IS THAT.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP IF YOU NEED US.

WONDERFUL, THANK YOU, I SEE JANE ONE AND WHO'S CAPTIONER? THEY DO THE CLOSED CAPTION FOR THE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

OK, PERFECT. NICE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE.

I DON'T RECALL, BUT GOOD TO HAVE THEM ON.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GIVE IT JUST ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO FOR MARY TO JOIN AND THEN WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

EMMA I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD, BUT IN OUR JOINT MEETING THAT WE HAD, I DID MAKE A CALL TO ACTION TO EVERY BOARD MEMBER, COMMISSIONER.

PERSON TO ACTUALLY BECOME A PART OF THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, SO.

YEAH, LUANN POINTED THAT OUT TO ME AND I FORGOT TO SEND YOU A THANK YOU NOTE, BUT YEAH, I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.

AND I REALLY LIKED MENTIONING HOW REWARDING IT IS TO PULL INVASIVES AND BE OUT THERE DOING THAT. I WAS REALLY BUMMED WE HAD TO CANCEL THIS PAST WEEKEND BECAUSE WE HAD TWENTY ONE PEOPLE READY TO GO OUT IN THAT CRAZY WEATHER.

BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE A IN DANGER, SO THANK YOU FOR PLUGGING THIS. I MEAN, I THINK THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS JUST HOW QUITE PLEASING PULLING AN INVASIVE SPECIES CAN BE.

AND WITH THE ADDED STRESS OF A PANDEMIC, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO RELIEVE THAT STRESS. AND I'VE FOUND IT VERY NICE TO DO SO.

SO, YEAH, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT MAYBE ADD A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR.

YEAH, IT'S A GOOD POINT.

IT'S I KNOW A LOT OF A COUPLE OF MY VOLUNTEERS HAVE SAID THAT THE WORKDAYS WERE THE ONLY THING THAT THEY WERE LEAVING THEIR HOUSE FOR FOR THIS YEAR.

AND SO IT REALLY HELPED THEM THROUGH THIS FALL.

AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.

HEY, MARK, AMY CAN'T FIND HER PACKET.

COULD YOU FORWARD IT TO HER? ARE YOU LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW? ANY CHANCE? I AM NOT.

SO I HAVE THE AGENDA, BUT I DIDN'T RECEIVE I DON'T RECALL RECEIVING A FULL PACKET, LUANN.

AND YEAH, MINE WAS ALL ATTACHED TOGETHER.

OK. IT WAS PDFED ALTOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT? YEAH I HAVE THIS. NO, IT'S JUST THE AGENDA.

THERE'S NO PACKET.

THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED.

WELL, THERE'S NOT MUCH TO THE PACKET AND I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN FOR THE THE PART WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. SO I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO MOVE FORWARD.

OK, SOUNDS GREAT.

WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THEN AT 12:03.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

LET ME SEE. AND MARK, [INAUDIBLE] MIKE MCDONALD.

I DON'T COMING. OH, THERE HE IS.

OK, YES. OK, OK.

AND THEN MARY'S ON NOW AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE'S HERE.

GREAT. YEAH. I ONLY HAVE I ONLY HAVE THE PAT, THE AGENDA FROM ROBIN.

OK, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MINUTES THEN.

I THOUGHT.

NO. SO THEN. WE MAY HAVE TO FOREGO THOSE.

WE'LL JUST MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY TWENTY SIX MINUTES TO OUR NEXT MEETING, LUANN. YEAH.

OK, SO CAN I GET AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA TODAY?

[2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

[00:05:03]

AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS PRESENTATIONS.

THERE'S MARY. HI MARY.

SORRY GUYS, I'M A LITTLE SLOW TODAY.

THAT'S OK. THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.

OK. SOMETIMES TUESDAYS ARE LIKE MONDAYS, YOU KNOW.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? SINCE WE'RE BEING TELEVISED, WE CAN, OF COURSE, ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT AT (517)349-1232.

AGAIN, THE TELEPHONE NUMBER'S (517)349-1232.

ALTERNATIVELY, IF THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, WE WOULD ALLOW THEM TO RAISE THEIR HAND TO PARTICIPATE VIA THE ZOOM INTERFACE.

BUT YOU HAVE NO ONE IN THAT AREA RIGHT NOW.

I WILL. I'M HEARING NO TELEPHONES RINGING DOWN THE HALLWAY RIGHT NOW WHERE THAT RINGS IN.

SO I WILL RETURN THE MEETING TO YOU AND I WILL INTERRUPT YOU IN THE EVENT THAT WE RECEIVE ANY CALLERS IN THE NEXT 30 SECONDS OR SO.

OK, WONDERFUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT THAT YOUR TEAM PROVIDES US FOR THESE MEETINGS.

THANK YOU. AND AS WE STATED, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM JANUARY TWENTY SIX.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE, REMOVE THAT FROM TODAY'S AGENDA AND PUT THAT ON OUR AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER SIX, IS COMMUNICATIONS, LUANN, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS? THERE WERE NONE, THERE WERE NONE.

SO THERE WERE NO COMMUNICATIONS TO PLACE ON FILE.

UP NEXT THEN, IS WE'RE JUST FLYING THROUGH THIS AGENDA, NUMBER SEVEN LUANN.

[7.A. Labyrinth Donation]

[INAUDIBLE] PROFESSOR AT MSU, AND HE HAS AN INTEREST IN, WE CHATTED OVER A YEAR AGO, PROBABLY, AND HE HAD AN INTEREST IN HAVING SOME NAMING RIGHTS ON SOMETHING IN MEMORY OF HIS DAUGHTER. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING OFF AND ON FOR OVER A YEAR.

AND I THINK WE'VE LANDED ON A LABYRINTH AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE UNIQUE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.

IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WOULD BE A NICE HONOR FOR HIS DAUGHTER.

AND SO WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

FOR SURE WE WANT SOMETHING TO BE LOW MAINTENANCE, THE LOOK IN THE LOCATION HE WANTED SOMEWHERE THAT WAS FAIRLY VISIBLE AND VISITED, BUT, OF COURSE, MEETS THE SOLEMNNESS OR WHATEVER FOR LABYRINTH LOCATION.

SO AT FIRST I WAS THINKING IN CENTRAL PARK SOUTH AT THE END OF THE DRIVE COMING IN.

AND JUST BEYOND IT, THERE'S AN OPEN SPACE KIND OF BACK IN SOME TREES WHERE WE WERE LIGHTING OFF FIREWORKS.

THE LARGE SHELLS WOULD BE LAUNCHED FROM THERE, THE 10 AND 12 INCH SHELLS, BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO DIG A TRENCH.

SO THERE WAS AN OPEN SPACE THERE.

BUT ONCE JANE GREENWAY AND I TOOK A LOOK AT THE MAP, IT IS IN A WETLAND AREA.

AND SO THAT SPACE PROBABLY IS NOT GOING TO BE THE MOST PREFERRED FOR THIS, AND THEN WE WERE THINKING OF THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, LIKE IN MAYBE THE NORTH END OF THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE. I KNOW WE HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] CLUB FROM OKEMOS AND HASLETT HAS PUT IN HORSE SHOES BACK IN THERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE YOU REALLY ACCESS THE TRAIL BACK IN THERE AS WELL.

AND SO IT WOULD BE A PLACE AND IT'S WIDE OPEN AND I'M THINKING FROM A MOSQUITO STANDPOINT VERSUS BEING IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE.

SO I GUESS MAYBE I'M KIND OF LEANING ON THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE LOCATION, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH MORE TO SHARE WITH YOU OTHER THAN I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THIS GENEROUS DONATION.

DR. [INAUDIBLE] WILL PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION.

WE'LL WORK WITH HIM ON A DESIGN, AND THEN WE'LL NEED TO LOOK AT AN AGREEMENT FOR ANY ANNUAL UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE MAYBE IN THE FUTURE.

BUT I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION TO SEE IF ANY OF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS OR IDEAS FOR OTHER LOCATIONS AND IF YOU'VE HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH LABYRINTHS.

WELL, LUANN, THANK YOU FOR ADDING THIS TO THE AGENDA TODAY.

I'M REALLY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE LOSS OF HIS DAUGHTER AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR LOCATIONS.

I WAS THINKING MAYBE THE PARK WHERE THE PUMP TRACK IS, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT CENTRALLY LOCATED. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF SPACE OVER THERE THAT COULD MAYBE BE UTILIZED AND IT COULD BE ANOTHER FEATURE BROUGHT TO THAT PARK.

THE ONLY OTHER THING, AND I'LL SAY ONE MORE COMMENT AND THEN OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION,

[00:10:02]

THERE'S NO REAL NO RUSH ON IT.

WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A WHILE, BUT AND I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION MONTHS AGO. BUT NOW WE'VE BEEN GETTING INTO MORE FREQUENT CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY TRYING TO GET THIS THING DONE IN THIS YEAR.

SURE. SO WE DO HAVE SOME TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO RUN IT PAST YOU ALL.

AND BECAUSE I THINK THE MORE MINDS WE GET WRAPPED AROUND THIS AND INPUT RECEIVED, THE BETTER THE OVERALL PROJECT WILL BE IN THE END.

SO THE TIMELINE IS JUST THE END OF THIS YEAR? I THINK. OK.

I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO LINGER TOO MUCH LONGER.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN KIND OF BACK AND FORTH AND THEN COVID HIT.

SO WE HAD A VERY LONG STRETCH WITH NO CONVERSATION.

OK, THE NEXT THING IS A PINWHEEL GARDEN.

ONE SECOND I'D LIKE TO GIVE OTHERS A CHANCE TO COMMENT.

SORRY, COMMISSIONER MARY.

THANKS. SORRY LUANN, I JUST HAD A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE FAMILY HAD ANY PREFERENCES AS FAR AS SPACE, SOMETHING MORE MEDITATIVE, SOMETHING MORE ACTIVE OUT IN THE OPEN? DID THEY EXPRESS ANY PREFERENCES? NO, NOT YET. I THINK HE WERE KIND OF LOOKING TO HEAR BACK FROM ME, I SHOULD SAY, WITH MAYBE SOME AREA LOCATIONS FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

FOR ALL OF US TO WALK AND TAKE A LOOK AT.

SO I THINK THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING FOR US TO TAKE THE LEAD ON AREAS THAT WE THINK WOULD BE GOOD. AND THEN FROM THAT LIST, THEN WE COULD NARROW IT DOWN AND THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR INPUT INTO THAT. OK, THANK YOU.

IT WAS JUST IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

I THINK THE ATMOSPHERE AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, SOMETHING MORE CONTEMPLATIVE SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE TO ME.

AND I WOULD AGREE IF WE CAN GET OUT AND WALK SOME OF THE AREAS OR.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT IN THE WINTER PRETTY WELL.

YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TAKE THE SNOW TO BE GONE, BUT THERE ARE VERY MUCH DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERES TO DIFFERENT SPOTS IN THE PARK, SO.

YEAH, MAYBE WE [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE SNOW IS GONE, BUT JUST BEFORE OR JUST LONG ENOUGH THAT IT'S NOT SO FRIGID COLD.

COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP. YEAH I HAVE.

I HAD SIMILAR THOUGHTS TO MARY EVEN.

I MEAN, I DO THINK THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE LOCATION WOULD KIND OF SOMEWHAT MAKE OR BREAK THE SUCCESS OF IT.

SHOULD WE MAYBE REACH OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT I MEAN, I THINK SPARROW HAS ONE MAYBE OR JUST MAYBE GET SOME BEST PRACTICES OR WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED FROM THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT THEIR LABYRINTH OFTEN JUST SO WE KIND OF GET IT RIGHT.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY NEAT OPPORTUNITY, GIVEN THAT ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND, YOU KNOW, ARE SET FOR THE BEST SITUATION POSSIBLE.

THERE IS A WORLDWIDE LABYRINTH LOCATOR AND A SOCIETY FOR LABYRINTH, TOO, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE'S A STANDARD SIZE OF AREA THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR OR, YOU KNOW, AN ACRE, A QUARTER ACRE OF, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO I'D LIKE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE DIGGING MYSELF.

SO, YEAH, ACTUALLY, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF EVERYONE COULD KIND OF DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING BECAUSE THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME.

I'VE NEVER BUILT ONE, BEEN INVOLVED WITH ONE.

AND SO BUT I LOVE THE IDEA.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.

AND AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THE CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE EMPHASIS ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE AND HEALTH, I THINK I THINK IT'S A PERFECT FIT FOR US.

WE JUST NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT PLACE FOR IT SO IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.

ALL RIGHT, WE READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITEM? COMMISSIONER MCDONALD. HAS HIS HAND RAISED.

HI CAN YOU HEAR ME, EVERYBODY? YEAH. WAS THIS THE GENTLEMAN THAT AND I DON'T THINK IT IS, BUT THERE'S A SIMILAR BACKGROUND. A FAMILY DONATED AT LEAST ONE NICE TREE OUT AT HARRIS, AND WE HAD A DEDICATION, THE ACCEPTANCE.

A GATHERING OUT THERE AT HARRIS A COUPLE SUMMERS AGO.

YEAH, THIS IS NOT THE SAME FAMILY.

BUT HAVING THAT IN MIND, AMANDA AND LU, THAT ONCE WE WORK SOMETHING OUT, MAYBE WHETHER IT'S BEFORE OR AFTER THE LABYRINTH IS PUT IN, I THOUGHT THAT GATHERING WAS VERY MEANINGFUL. HOW ABOUT YOU, LUANN, DID YOU REMEMBER THAT IT WAS, AND I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE A DEDICATION, RIBBON CUTTING FOR WHENEVER IT IS [INAUDIBLE]. BECAUSE IT WAS VERY SPECIAL, FAMILY ALL SPOKE AND IT WAS IT WAS VERY NICE.

[00:15:04]

OK. OK, NEXT ITEM, THE PINWHEEL GARDEN REQUEST, SO SMALL TALK CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER

[7.B. Pinwheels Garden Request]

AND APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH AND THEY ARE REQUESTING PERMISSION TO PLANT BLUE PINWHEELS IN GARDENS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY REACHED OUT TO EMMA AND SHE'S BEEN THE ONE HAVING DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THEM. I DON'T THINK THEY'VE HAD A SIT DOWN MEETING, BUT THEY HAVE DISCUSSED LIKE.

APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS, THEY WANT IT TO BE VISIBLE, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO DO NOT WANT TO INTERFERE WITH PARK MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.

SO EMMA I DON'T KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS? THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO WE DO HAVE A SIT DOWN MEETING OR ZOOM MEETING SCHEDULED FOR APRIL OR NOT APRIL, FEBRUARY 19TH.

AND BUT I WANTED TO YOU KNOW WHEN SHE CALLED ME, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I PASSED IT ON TO ALL THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS EVEN SOMETHING WE COULD DO, I THINK IT'S I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS JUST A VERY SMALL SAMPLE PICTURE OF THE PINWHEELS. BUT, YOU KNOW, HER AND I HAD A REALLY I MEAN, I HAVE TWO SOCIAL WORKER SIBLINGS, SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

BUT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN VERY HARD ON KIDS IN GENERAL.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IN THE PAST THEY'VE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE PROPER EXPOSURE.

AND SO MY IDEAS, WHEN SHE INITIALLY TALKED TO ME WERE THE SOLAR PANEL GARDEN, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL MULCH. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S PLACES WHERE WE CAN THEY CAN PUT THE PINWHEELS IN, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MOWING OR ANYTHING AND REALLY ANYWHERE IN THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE. AND THEN THE OTHER BIG IDEA I HAD WAS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET IN THOSE GARDENS BECAUSE I THOUGHT PERHAPS THEY COULD EVEN SET UP A BOOTH AT ONE OF THE MARKET DAYS JUST TO GET SOME EDUCATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR ORGANIZATION AND GET THEIR MISSION OUT.

I KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT ISSUE, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD USE EXPOSURE.

AND I THINK THE PINWHEELS ARE REALLY DELICATE WAY TO BRING AWARENESS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR.

THANK YOU, LUANN, AND EMMA FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS.

I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

THIS IS AN ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY, ANY DAY OF ANY MONTH OF ANY YEAR.

BUT IN PARTICULARLY IN A YEAR WHERE CHILDREN ARE ISOLATED.

AND IT'S I THINK WE ALL NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO OPPORTUNITIES TO PROTECT CHILDREN.

AND SO ANY OPPORTUNITY TO BRING AWARENESS TO THAT, I THINK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD OPEN IT UP TO A DISCUSSION WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

AND I LIKE THE IDEA.

I WAS THINKING EVEN SOMETHING MAYBE ALONG THE ENTIRE CENTRAL PARK DRIVE SO THAT IT'S AS CARS ARE DRIVING ALONG THAT ENTIRE THAT ENTIRE ROAD, INSTEAD OF JUST ISOLATING IT TO ONE SECTION, IT MIGHT BE ABLE MIGHT CALL ATTENTION TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE OR EVEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD DO IT IN THE.

AREA OF DOWNTOWN OKEMOS LIKE WHERE IT'S LEVELED RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO START BUILDING IN THAT AREA, BUT JUST OR IN THE CIRCLE OF THE FOUR CORNERS, JUST SOMEWHERE THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF TRAFFIC, I THINK COULD RAISE AWARENESS AND BRING SOME CURIOSITY. THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE IDEAS THAT I WAS THINKING OF.

BUT THIS IS I MEAN, THIS IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE [INAUDIBLE] IN SCHOOL IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY WERE BEFORE THAT.

I THINK IDENTIFYING HELPING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW TO IDENTIFY CHILD ABUSE DURING A TIME LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO.

JUST TO ADD TO THAT.

I WAS THINKING WE COULD DO MORE THAN ONE LOCATION, BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S A BIG OPPOSITION TO HAVING THE PINWHEELS ALONG THE GRASS WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE MOWING.

SO IF WE COULD AT LEAST DO TWO GARDEN LOCATIONS OR THREE OR DOWN CENTRAL PARK, MAYBE THAT IS WHERE WE CAN MEET IN THE MIDDLE THERE.

YEAH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEIR LEVEL OF COMMITMENT IS WITH THE PINWHEELS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE THE ROUNDABOUT, BUT THERE'S [INAUDIBLE] FERGUSON.

I'M JUST THINKING OF MAJOR THOROUGHFARES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND UP IN THE HASLETT AREA AS WELL. AND MAYBE IN MARSHALL PARK, AS PEOPLE ARE COMING IN OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND COMING DOWN MARSH ROAD, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.

[00:20:03]

SO I DON'T THINK WE WOULD WANT TO LIMIT IT TO JUST ONE LOCATION IS MY INITIAL THOUGHT.

YEAH THE SAILBOAT GARDEN.

THERE IS A NICE SPOT AND IT'S NOT A HUGE AREA TO MOW AND YOU KNOW THAT WOULD GIVE GOOD RECOGNITION, IT'S RIGHT ON THAT TRI CORNER.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND SOMETHING VISIBLE AND ALSO BOTH AT THE MARKET AND I WAS THINKING THERE ON IN ADDITION TO THE [INAUDIBLE] GARDEN.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD ONE.

MAYBE BETTER THAN MARSHALL PARK EVEN AND RIGHT THERE AT MOUNT HOPE AND OKEMOS ROAD, AS YOU ENTER INTO THE VILLAGE, I WAS TRYING BECAUSE THAT WOULD START TO HIT THE FOUR CORNERS AND THEN MAYBE SOMETHING BY THE SOLAR.

AGAIN LIKE LUANN SAID, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS, I GUESS, ON WHAT THEIR COMMITMENT IS.

AND I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW LONG WERE THEY SUPPOSED TO STAY OUT? THE MONTH, WHOLE MONTH OF APRIL, OK.

RIGHT. AND I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE COMPLETE CLARIFICATION ON THAT.

BUT AFTER THE MEETING, I'LL COME UP WITH A LIST OF EVERYTHING WE DISCUSSED.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IT'S A,, I WAS THINKING AT THE MARKET, DIFFERENT PLACES, THEY MAY NOT STAY LONG.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE MAYBE TO PICK UP.

BUT IF IT'S JUST A MONTH AND THAT SHOULD BE JUST FINE, MAYBE THEY'LL TAKE THE MESSAGE WITH THEM. RIGHT, AND THEN I WAS THINKING WE COULD CONTACT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE THEY COULD DO A STORY ON WHY WE HAVE THEM THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND SEND THAT MESSAGE OUT AS WELL.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY KEY LUANN, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, BUT ALSO ABOUT SIGNS OF CHILD ABUSE AND WAYS TO IDENTIFY IT AS JUST SOMEONE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

I THINK THAT'S WE HAVE TO RELY ON THOSE AVENUES FOR REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND MAKING THAT AWARE DURING A TIME LIKE THIS, WHEN FAMILIES ARE, WHEN KIDDOS ARE ISOLATED.

SO, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

NICE TO MAYBE COMMISSION AN ARTIST IN TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S PERMANENT.

LIKE ON A METAL OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND THEN LIKE FOCUS LIKE THAT.

I WAS THINKING OF THAT METAL STRUCTURE THAT'S THERE AT OKEMOS AND MOUNT HOPE ROAD.

SOMETHING TO GO ALONG WITH THAT OR IT'S A LARGER VERSION OF A PINWHEEL WITH SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND HAVE AN ARTIST AND DO SOMETHING WITH THAT OUT OF COPPER OR BRASS OR, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST KIND OF PEOPLE IN THE LANSING AREA THAT DO THOSE KIND OF WELDING TYPE PROJECTS AND.

KIND OF FUN BECAUSE THEN IT'D BE PERMANENT.

IT'S NOT JUST APRIL AND THEN APRIL WOULD BRING ATTENTION TO THAT AGAIN.

SOMETHING INTERESTING. YEAH.

I LIKE THAT IDEA. YEAH, AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO THROW ALL THESE IDEAS OUT TO CHELSEA, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST OR I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF SEEING WHAT WE'RE OPEN TO AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

SOUNDS GREAT, COMMISSIONER MCDONALD, IS YOUR HAND UP FROM EARLIER? YEAH, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO UNRAISE MY HAND, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

I JUST SAW I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST FINE.

OK, GREAT. I THINK IF YOU JUST CLICK ON IT AGAIN, MIKE IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD TAKE IT DOWN.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A HIGH FIVE THE WHOLE TIME.

THERE YOU GO. IT'S GONE. YOU MAY HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE].

LET ME SEE HERE. IT'S GONE.

IT'S GONE NOW. YOU'RE GOOD.

OH, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I DID, SO.

OK, AMANDA. AMANDA, CAN I OFFER SOMETHING REALLY QUICK BACK TO THE PINWHEELS.

AS I KNOW, HOLT HAD DONE SOMETHING WHERE THEY ACTUALLY PUT OUT AN INVITATION FOR ARTISTS OR PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN, LIKE HAD A COMPETITION FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS A STRUCTURE THERE.

HAPPENED TO BE A COWORKER OF MINE, A FRIEND THAT HAD BEEN THERE THAT ACTUALLY WAS AWARDED THAT THEN HE HAD, I THINK, WORKED WITH A FABRICATOR ON HIS OWN TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THAT.

IT'S ACTUALLY A NICE STRUCTURE, BUT IT WOULDN'T LOCK US INTO ANYTHING WE COULD ALSO GO WITH I KNOW THERE'S SOME TALENTED PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, TOO.

BUT THAT'S JUST AN OPTION THAT I KNOW HAS WORKED OUT IN HOLT.

OK, GREAT.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT KIND OF LEADS RIGHT INTO MY NEXT ITEM THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS IS THAT LEAP, WHICH IS THE LANCING.

OH, I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN.

LANSING ECONOMIC.

SOMETHING PARTNERSHIP. A PARTNERSHIP.

ANYWAY. EACH YEAR THEY OFFER AN ART GRANT AND WE HAVE APPLIED, JANE, PUT THE APPLICANTS TOGETHER AND SO WE HAVE APPLIED.

[00:25:01]

AND THEN IF YOU ARE AWARDED THAT GRANT, THEN YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT COMMISSIONER FARRIS WAS TALKING ABOUT. YOU SEND OUT INVITATION ARTISTS AND THEN LANSING ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU, JANE.

AND AND SO YOU SEND OUT AN INVITATION TO ARTISTS AND THEN THEY PROVIDE DRAFT VERSIONS OF SOMETHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO BUILD.

AND THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THAT AND THEN MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT WE WOULD WANT.

AND WE HAVE SELECTED MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN AS THE LOCATION FOR THIS PIECE OF ART, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

SO WE MAY HAVE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS COMING OUR WAY.

AND THAT COULD BE MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT.

THAT'S NICE WORK, JANE. THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING THAT.

THAT'LL BE. THE GRANT WAY.

IT MAKES IT HAPPEN. I HATE TO JUMP IN RIGHT NOW, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO TO A DENTIST APPOINTMENT IF I'M ABLE TO LEAVE? YOU'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, EVERYONE. NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.

OK, NEXT UP, ANOTHER GROUP THAT HAS BEEN CONTACTING US IS THE CAPITAL AREA YOUTH CYCLING

[7.C. Mid-Michigan Mountain Bike Association Volunteerism – Eastgate Park]

AND LAST YEAR THEY HAD AN ADVENTURE BIKE CLUB ON TUESDAY NIGHTS.

AND THEY WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR, WHERE THEY ENCOURAGE KIDS AND YOUTH BIKING AND CYCLING AND AND USE OF THE PUMP TRACK.

AND IT'S JUST BEEN NICE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IT'S UTILIZING OUR FACILITIES.

THEY ARE PLANNING A WORK WEEKEND ON APRIL TWENTY FOURTH AND TWENTY FIFTH OUT THERE AS WELL. SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THESE GROUPS WANTING TO PARTNER WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND WITH THE PARK COMMISSION AND PROMOTING HEALTH WELLNESS IN OUR FACILITIES.

AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH JANE ON THAT.

JANE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD WITH THAT.

NO, JUST THAT THEY HAD IT GAVE US A REPORT, THEY HAD A SUPER SUCCESSFUL YEAR, SUMMER, AND IT'S BROUGHT SO MUCH COVID HAS BROUGHT SO MUCH TRAFFIC TO EASTGATE TO THE PUMP TRACK.

SO IT'S JUST BEEN EVEN DESPITE COVID, THEY SEEM TO BE JUST DOING A BANG UP JOB OF MANAGING THAT, GETTING SOME KIDS OUT THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THERE'S ALSO SOME KIND OF OTHER GRANT THAT I KNOW KINAWA IS GOING FOR SOME OTHER KIND OF OUTDOOR CYCLING GROUP.

AND SO THIS IS REALLY CATCHING ON AND IT'S COOL TO SEE.

YEAH, I THINK DAVID PRUDENCE PUTTING IN FOR THAT SPECIALIZED GRANT, THAT'S A HUGE GRANT AND IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE GRANT IF HE GETS THAT [INAUDIBLE] THREE OF MY PROJECT [INAUDIBLE] VOLUNTEER TEACHERS WHO ARE INCORPORATING THAT INTO THEIR INTO THEIR PE CURRICULUMS. AND IF HE GETS THAT, THAT'LL PUT A LOT OF KIDS RIGHT THERE NEAR THAT PUMP TRACK AND EXCITED ABOUT IT.

HOPEFULLY HE GETS IT. GREAT.

ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO, I RECEIVED THIS MOST LATEST REQUEST, AND IT IS FROM THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP NUMBER 30293 FROM OKEMOS AND KELLY BIANCHI IS THE LEADER OF THIS GROUP.

AND THEY HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST FOR MICRO PANTRY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAVE OUR SPORTS BOXES OR THERE'S THE MY LITTLE LIBRARY.

WELL, IT'S THAT SAME CONCEPT, BUT WITH FOOD ITEMS INSIDE.

SO FOLKS WHO NEED FOOD.

SO THE GIRL SCOUTS WILL KEEP THE BOXES FILLED AND THEN SO THERE'S FIVE LOCATIONS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.

LET'S SEE, IT IS THE FIRE STATION.

SOUTH FIRE STATION, CENTRAL FIRE STATION.

HARTRICK PARK. MERIDIAN SENIOR CENTER AND THEN OTTAWA HILLS PARK, AND THE NICE THING ABOUT OTTAWA HILLS IS WE ALREADY HAVE A BOX THERE THAT WE HAD A BOY SCOUT, AN EAGLE SCOUT BUILT FOR SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND VARIOUS BALLS OR WHATEVER TO BE USED AT THE PARK.

AND SO WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS THEY WOULD BE BUILDING THESE PANTRY BOXES.

THEY'RE 24 BY 14 BY 14 ON A FIVE FOOT POST.

AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOK TO INSTALL THOSE.

BUT THE ONLY TWO PARK LOCATIONS WOULD BE HARTRICK AND OTTAWA HILLS PARK.

I THINK WHEN THAT WHEN OUR DIRECTOR OF.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SHARED IT WITH ME JUST MOMENTS AGO, SHE SAID, WATCH PARK.

BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE APPLICATION, THE ADDRESS REFERRED MORE TO OTTAWA HILLS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON FOR ACTION, FOR APPROVAL FROM THE PARK COMMISSION

[00:30:01]

I'M SEEING SOME NODDING FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.

AND COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? WELL, I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT MY OF COURSE, MY HEAD STARTS SPINNING, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW.

JUST BECAUSE FOOD COULD GO BAD OR WHAT IF WE HAVE KIDS JUST GRABBING FOOD OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY DOES THE TOWNSHIP HAVE.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MAINTAINED.

AND I SUPPOSE IF IT COULDN'T BE MAINTAINED AND SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT WE CAN [INAUDIBLE] TO TAKE IT DOWN. I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME.

THE LIABILITY FOR THE TOWNSHIP OR AN EYESORE OR SOMETHING THAT'S BEING YOU KNOW NOT USED IN THE PROPER WAY, AND I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS I HAVEN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

YEAH, WE COULD TALK TO SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES AND SEE WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES.

YEAH. COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.

YEAH, THEY DO HAVE ONE OF THESE.

IT'S LIKE MY LITTLE LIBRARY OUT IN FRONT OF AN AREA IN IN HASLETT AND PEOPLE PUT IN THINGS LIKE CANNED GOODS AND RAMEN NOODLES AND MAC AND CHEESE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD STORIES FROM OTHER PLACES ABOUT THESE WHERE KIDS ARE TAKING CANS AND THAT GIVES THEM LIKE WEAPONS TO THROW AT EACH OTHER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT.

PLUS, WHEN THESE KIDS GROW UP, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY LEAVE THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP IS SOMETHING THAT THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP IS GOING TO TAKE ON AS A TROOP, BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE KIND OF FLUID, THE PARENTS INVOLVED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO JUST SOME THOUGHTS THAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM.

AND YEAH, I THINK A PRESENTATION IS WARRANTED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

LUANN AND MAYBE THE THOUGHT OF LET'S AFTER THEY DO THE PRESENTATION, MAYBE WE COULD CONSIDER HAVING ONE FIRST AND SEEING HOW ONE GOES BEFORE WE MOVE TOWARDS FIVE LOCATIONS.

AND THEN MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD THINK ABOUT IS I'M NOT SURE IF WE.

PRACTICE IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT WHERE? DO WE HAVE ANY POPULATIONS THAT ARE NOT LIVING IN HOMES AND IS A BETTER PLACE NEAR AN AREA WHERE FOLKS COULD ACCESS IT IF THEY NEEDED TO GO AND JUST THINKING THROUGH.

I WAS JUST LISTENING TO THE LANSING CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKING FOOD AVAILABLE AND JUST NEEDING MORE HIGH PROTEIN ON THE GO MEALS RIGHT NOW VERSUS A CANNED GOOD.

YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE THE THE PACKAGING OR THE MATERIALS TO OPEN THE CAN.

RIGHT. AND SO IF IT'S IF WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY OFFER FOOD TO FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED DURING THIS TIME, THEN IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STOCKED WITH THINGS LIKE PROTEIN BARS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE.

A BETTER NUTRITIONAL VALUE, AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A TOOL TO OPEN, SO JUST A COUPLE OF FACTS THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT AS THEY PREPARE FOR A PRESENTATION TO THE PARK COMMISSION. NO THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH ANYONE YET.

IT'S JUST BEEN IN THE FORM OF IT CAME THROUGH OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND I BELIEVE THEY FILLED OUT FORMS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO INSTALL THESE IN CERTAIN AREAS. BUT THEY STILL WOULD REQUIRE TO BE IN A PARK.

THEY WOULD THEY WOULD NEED YOUR APPROVAL.

I HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH ANYONE YET ON THIS.

SO THESE ARE ALL VERY GOOD QUESTIONS THAT I CAN POSE TO THEM AND THEN HAVE THEM COME TO THE NEXT MEETING. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS LIKE A SHORT TERM PROJECT FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR OR AS AS COMMISSIONER STEPHEN SAID, IS IT SOMETHING THAT THEY WILL JUST CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT GROUPS COMING THROUGH? AND I KNOW JANE HAD POSTED ON THAT FACEBOOK [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S MY CHURCH.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE ONE AT OUR CHURCH, BUT IT'S THOUGHT THE CHURCH TAKES CARE OF FILLING IT REGULARLY.

BUT PEOPLE CAN JUST WALK BY AND GRAB SOME THINGS WHEN THEY NEED IT.

OUR CHURCH JUST REPLENISHES IT.

SO I WILL HAVE THEM COME ATTEND OUR NEXT MEETING AND MAKE A PRESENTATION, BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH, THEY STILL HAVE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT THEY CAN GET THIS THING STARTED. AND IF THEY GO TO THE SENIOR CENTER AND THE TWO FIRE STATIONS.

YEAH. AND WHEN WE HAVE EAGLE SCOUTS DO PRESENT, WHEN THEY PROPOSE IDEAS, THEY HAVE THEY COME TO THE COMMISSION AND DO A PRESENTATION.

RIGHT. SO I THINK IT'S JUST A GOOD PRECEDENCE TO SET.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF IT THAT IT'S COMING UP.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.

[00:35:01]

COMMISSIONER MCDONALD. I THINK I SAW YOUR HAND UP.

SURE. AND I FULLY AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DONE TODAY.

AND AT A FUTURE OR NEXT MEETING, I HAVE HAD A PERSONAL CONVERSATION THAT WAS FAIRLY LENGTHY, INITIATED BY SOMEONE WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE OKEMOS FOOD BANK GROUP.

AND IRONICALLY OR COINCIDENTALLY, WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHAT OKEMOS FOOD BANK WISH TO DO MORE OF WAS TO HAVE PANTRIES OPEN TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY.

I THINK THEY DO NOW HAVE ONE AND THAT IT'S STOCKED WITH WHAT A FAMILY OR A PERSON WOULD NEED FOR A MEAL FOR A DAY OR FOOD FOR A DAY.

AND YES, THEY'VE HAD CONCERNS WHETHER THEY'VE HAD CASES OF SOMEONE COMING BY, ACCESSING THE THE FOOD AND PUTTING IT IN THEIR CAR TO.

SELL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'S A REAL PROCESS THAT I THINK ALL OF YOU SEEM TO HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN I DO OF WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TO HAVE THE RIGHT IMPACTS.

AND, WHILE OBVIOUSLY, THE GIRL SCOUTS ARE A WONDERFUL MOTIVES AND GREAT ORGANIZATION.

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, AMANDA AND LU, IS TO I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WORD THAN CHALLENGE, BUT THAT'S IT'S NOT IN ANY WAY, YOU KNOW, A PUNITIVE THING THAT THE GIRL SCOUTS PRESENTERS DO SOME COORDINATION OF THEIR IDEA WITH OTHER LOCAL IDEAS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND COMPARE THAT BOTH FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR US WHEN THEY COME.

DOES THAT MAKES SENSE? I WASN'T IN TUNE WITH HARDLY ANY OF THE THOUGHTS, SUCH AS MARK'S TALKING ABOUT CANNED GOODS. THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THIS POINT, BUT WHAT IS IT? THAT'S THE BEST COORDINATED WAY TO HAVE THEY HAVE FOOD AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS WHO WANT IT, NEED IT, AND WITH ZERO STIGMA ABOUT IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS MY FRIEND, WHO IS A FORMER GIRL SCOUT MEMBER AND LEADER BROUGHT UP, AND SHE DOES LIVE NEAR TOM'S THERE IN OKEMOS, IS THAT TOM'S FOOD STORE SELLS FOOD.

AND TO HAVE A PANTRY OUT IN THERE, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] ROOM OR FRONT AREA, WHICH IS FULLY LIT 24 HOURS A DAY.

SHE HAD NOT TALKED TO THEM YET, BUT SHE WAS GOING OVER IN HER OWN MIND SOME CONCERNS.

THEY MIGHT HAVE OF FREE FOOD BEING AVAILABLE IN THE PARKING LOT OF A FOOD STORE.

SO THAT'S IT, JUST A POINT OR TWO TO PONDER THERE.

YEAH. BECAUSE IF I HAD THIS SORRY IF I HAD TO SUGGEST THE MOST.

DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOOD I'VE SEEN I LEARNED A LOT WHEN I WAS OUT CENSUSING AND I WOULD PUT THAT TRAILER PARK THAT BEHIND [INAUDIBLE] UP THERE WITH ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND YET HOW WOULD YOU MAKE IT SOME FREE FOOD AVAILABLE FOOD AVAILABLE TO FOLKS IN THAT TRAILER PARK, SOME OF WHOM HAVE NO ACCESS TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN POSSIBLY A BICYCLE? OK, ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, I JUST I THINK WE HAVE TO YOU KNOW WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE GIRL SCOUTS ARE DOING THEIR RESEARCH AND AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT THAT WE'RE PLACING THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S NEEDED IN THE TOWNSHIP AND NOT MAKING ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHICH COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP NEED THOSE THAT THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.

SO. YEP.

OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE TREE CITY USA RESIGNATION UPDATE.

[7.D. Tree City USA Designation Update]

A VERY WORTHY DESIGNATION, ESPECIALLY BASED ON THE CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS IS AN ORDINANCE REGARDING TREES.

AND SO SOMEONE HAD LOOKED UP A TREE ORDINANCE AND THEN.

THREW IN SOME.

ITEMS IN IT, AND THEN LEROY JUST KIND OF FORWARDED OF IT.

AND SO AS WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND I HAVE HAD A MEETING WITH LEROY AND I HAVE HAD NOW HAD A MEETING WITH THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I THINK EVERYTHING IS GOING TO

[00:40:03]

AND IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS FORWARDED TO US, I THINK IT SAID HE WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THE TREES AND THEN CODE VIOLATIONS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND WHEN I SPOKE WITH LEROY AND THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I JUST SHARED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP HAS SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS ALREADY ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. AND THEN IF THOSE NEED, WE'RE GOING TO ADD SOME MORE THAT NEED TO BE MANAGED AND ENFORCED.

WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL.

I KNOW EVERYONE HAS THEIR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE MANPOWER AND IN ALL ACTUALITY AND ENFORCEMENT OF SOME OF THESE RULES, PLUS BEING A TOWNSHIP, WE'VE GOT THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ROADS AND OUR ROAD RIGHT A WAY, NOT THE TOWNSHIP.

WE HAVE THE PARK COMMISSION WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND HAS AUTHORITY BY LAW OVER THE PARKS.

SO YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY OVER THE TREES AND EVERYTHING IN THE PARKS IS ALREADY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND THEN THERE'S OBVIOUSLY TOWNSHIP GROUNDS OR WHATEVER AND TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY OVER.

AND THEN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHEN THERE'S NEW DEVELOPMENTS, THERE'S RULES AND REGULATIONS ALREADY CONNECTED WITH TREES AND A DEVELOPMENT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES.

AND SO JUST TO PUT A BLANKET STATEMENT ON SOMETHING FOR ALL THE TREES IN THE TOWNSHIP, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK BEFORE ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE MOVED FORWARD AT THIS POINT.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S A WORTHY DESIGNATION.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE OPPOSED TO IT, BUT IT'S JUST THE PROCESS OF GETTING THERE.

WE NEED TO TAKE A VERY STRONG LOOK AT AND THERE'S SOME DELICATE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. SO THERE WAS NO INTENT, BAD INTENT ON ANYTHING THAT WAS SENT OUT PRIOR THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET STUFF DONE AND GET ROLLING AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

BUT DIDN'T REALLY, WE NEED TO BACK IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND START FROM SCRATCH.

SO.

LUANN I APPRECIATE THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.

I THINK ONE THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEHIND THE SCENES WORK BE DONE, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? CAN YOU REMIND US OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS? THERE REALLY IS. NO TIMELINE.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT.

AND I EVEN SUGGESTED THAT ONCE WE CAN KIND OF GET A FOUNDATION SET, THEN I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE GROUPS INVOLVED SO EVERYBODY CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.

AND EVERYONE'S CONCERNS ARE BEING ADDRESSED.

I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT RECOMMENDATION.

SO THANK YOU. YES. COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.

YES, LUANN, HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DAN OPSOMMER AT ALL? DAN, WITH THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

WE WERE DISCUSSING.

OH YEAH. LAND PRESERVATION IS ANOTHER GROUP THAT [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, YEAH. WE WERE DISCUSSING A TREE, NOT AN ORDINANCE.

WELL, THE ORDINANCE CAME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A REPLACEMENT TREE KIND OF VALUE AND STUFF LIKE THAT FOR PROPERTIES THAT WE MIGHT PURCHASE OR PROPERTIES AROUND THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE LARGE TREES AND IF THEY TAKE THEM DOWN, THIS KIND OF THING AS HAS TO HAPPEN.

AND SO DAN WAS WORKING ON SOMETHING.

RIGHT. BELIEVE THAT JIM [INAUDIBLE] HAD PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER ALREADY OR AN ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

JIM'S ON THAT.

AND YOU MIGHT HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DAN ABOUT WHERE THAT SITS.

AND I CAN ASK HIM ABOUT IT TOMORROW AS WELL.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE FINE. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MOVING FORWARD AT ALL, BUT.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. AND LUANN WILL YOU COME BACK TO US THEN TO DETERMINE WHO FROM THE PARK COMMISSION AND THAT WILL SIT ON THAT WORK GROUP? YEAH, THEY'RE NOT EVEN THAT FAR YET.

BUT, YEAH, WHEN WE GET THERE, THERE'LL BE MORE INFORMATION TO COME.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALMOST QUARTER TO ONE ALREADY.

I KNOW. I STILL HAVE TWO MORE THINGS HERE.

IF I CAN JUST GO OVER REAL QUICK.

ONE IS THE DNR FREE FISHING WEEKEND IS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.

MARK STEPHENS IS WORKING WITH MIKE DEVLIN BECAUSE OF THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES.

IT IS NOT HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS HAVE FUN AND HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE. AND SO THAT WILL BE POSTPONED AND MOVE FORWARD TO A DATE YET TO BE DETERMINED. BUT MARK HAS PUT TOGETHER THESE FISHING ICE FISHING KITS SO PEOPLE KIDS WILL PREREGISTER, THEY'LL GET A KIT WITH A FISHING POLE.

AND MARK, DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT JUST BRIEFLY? YEAH, BRIEFLY HERE.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE KIDS THAT THE KIDS CAN PUT TOGETHER AND MAKE IT

[00:45:01]

THEY GOT LIKE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE L BRACKET AND ALL THIS IS A DOWEL INSIDE OF A DOWEL. AND THEN IT'S GOT A LITTLE STRIKE INDICATOR AT THE END.

THAT'S A LITTLE CREATIVE THING THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THEM SO THAT WHEN A FISH BITES, THEY'RE JUST MADE OUT OF ZIP TIES.

SEE HOW THAT THAT WORKS THERE? SO, YEAH, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN THE KIDS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THEM AND THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TRY THEM AT HOME.

MARK THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY COOL.

I LOVE OH MY GOSH, WHAT AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WHEN ARE THOSE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.

HAVE YOU DECIDED THAT YET? WELL, WE HAVEN'T YET. I GOT TO TALK TO MIKE ABOUT IT.

HE WAS GOING TO DO SOME PLANNING AND MAYBE COME UP WITH A COST TO MAKE ABOUT 20 OF THEM THAT COST AROUND 80 DOLLARS.

AND MAYBE WE CAN GET A STORE TO DONATE SOMETHING OR MAYBE THE CREATIVE WORKERS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE CAN DO SOME DRILLING OF THEM AND EVERYTHING.

YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE A DRILL PRESS THERE AND ALL THAT STUFF.

SO IT WILL BE A FUN PROJECT AND WILL BE A NICE PARTNERSHIP.

YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WONDERFUL. AND THEN THE CROSS,[INAUDIBLE] ON THAT TOO.

SORRY GO HEAD LUANN. THE CROSSWALK INDICATORS FROM THE LARGE DOG PARK TO THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN. THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OPEN THE BIDS LAST WEEK AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE INSTALLED BY APRIL 16 BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SOME PHONE CALLS FROM SOME OF OUR DOG PARK FOLKS WANTING TO KNOW IF THERE'S EVER GOING TO BE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIGHTED [INAUDIBLE] VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S AT THE INNER URBAN PATHWAY ON OKEMOS ROAD AND ALSO IN FRONT OF CHIPEWYAN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND THEN CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL.

YES, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, BUT GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.

WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT BECAUSE I LIVE RIGHT NEAR THE ONE ON OKEMOS ROAD AND PEOPLE DO NOT STOP.

SO I WONDER IF WE MIGHT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF.

NOT TICKETS, BUT ENFORCEMENT OR.

IT'S A REAL PROBLEM, I MEAN WE'LL HIT THE LIGHT AND SOMETIMES IT'S 30, 20, 30 CARS WHEN YOU'RE COUNTING BOTH DIRECTIONS BEFORE ANYONE STOPS, SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO KIND OF WALK OUT TO MAKE THEM STOP.

AND WITH THAT CORNER, IT MAY BE ANOTHER ISSUE.

[INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE SOME REAL EDUCATION OR SOMETHING DONE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THEM AND WHAT THE LAW IS, YOU KNOW, THAT WHEN THEY SEE WHEN YOU SEE THEM FLASHING.

DOWN IN FLORIDA, THEY HAVE THEM A LOT.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, PEOPLE STOP IN FLORIDA.

BUT, YOU KNOW. ALTHOUGH PEOPLE CAN'T RUN FROM CARS MORE EASILY DOWN THERE, THEY'RE ALL OLD. LUANN BEFORE THEY INSTALL THOSE, IS THERE HAS THERE BEEN ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION AROUND MOVING THE ACTUAL CROSSWALK FROM DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE DOG PARK, AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING DOWN THE STREET A LITTLE BIT? WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION.

I JUST KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE THE ELECTRIC IS ALREADY SET AT THAT POINT FOR THE CONNECTION TO BE MADE. SO WE HAVE TO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE EXTENDED AS WELL.

I THINK ONCE HONESTLY, ONCE THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR IS COMPLETED AND THERE WILL BE AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME DOWN.

SO IT'LL KIND OF ALL GO INTO THAT ONE SPACE.

I REALLY THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S ONLY THE DOG PARK PEOPLE USING THAT.

BUT I THINK ONCE THE OTHER TRAIL COMES IN AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO LIKE RE-CONVERGE THE BOTH WALKWAYS INTO WHERE THAT IS LOCATED AT THE CROSSWALK.

SO WE CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.

BUT I THINK ONCE WE CAN CONVERGE THOSE TWO ONCE THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR'S IN, I REALLY THINK IT'S PROBABLY STILL GOING TO BE A FINE SPOT.

OK. YEAH, I THINK IF WE CAN JUST KEEP IT ON OUR RADAR, YOU KNOW NOT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW.

BUT I JUST EVERY TIME I'M DRIVING DOWN CENTRAL PARK AND I SEE SOMEONE GOING TO THE DOG PARK, THEY ARE CROSSING NOT WHERE THE CROSSWALK IS.

AND I JUST IF THAT IS THE NATURAL PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT, I MEAN, EVEN WITH THE CROSSWALK, THE LIGHTS PUT IN, THAT MIGHT DIRECT PEOPLE A DIFFERENT ROUTE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT FEEL SAFER GOING THAT WAY.

BUT I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP ON OUR RADAR IS THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO IF WE DON'T SEE FOLKS USE THAT IN THE WAY THAT IT'S INTENDED. WELL, AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT AS WELL IS THAT THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT DID A WHOLE ROAD STUDY AND SIGHT LINES AND DETERMINED THAT WAS A GOOD SPOT.

SO THERE'S ANOTHER ENTITY WE WOULD GET INVOLVED TO RELOCATE THAT IF WE NEED TO.

YEAH, WE'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND.

[00:50:01]

THEY HAVE JUST A FEW MORE FEET OF HANDRAIL TO GO.

THE INITIAL PAVING WAS DONE, BUT THEY'LL NEED TO COME BACK IN THE SPRING TO DO THE TOP LEVEL. AND THEN ALSO THEY'RE WORKING ON THE FISHING DOCK IN CENTRAL PARK SOUTH POND.

SO THEY'VE GOT FOUR WEEK, ABOUT FOUR WEEKS TO GO IN THAT.

AND THEN WHEN SPRING HITS, DOING THE TOP COAT OF THE PAVEMENT AND THEN THAT PROJECT WILL BE DONE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

AND THEN ALSO ONE MORE LAST THING.

COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.

YEAH, I JUST YOU KNOW, YOU SAID FISHING, SO I HAD TO SAY SOMETHING.

IS THERE ANY IDEA OR THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE COULD PUT A CRIB KIND OF STRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THAT DOCK LIKE WE ARE AT LAKE LANSING? THE NEW PIERS? I TALKED TO MIKE ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.

AND ALL IT IS, IS A FAÇADE, YOU KNOW, WITH TWO INCHES APART.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COST.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THAT IS OR? LET'S DO IT. BUT IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE PUTTING BOARDS DOWN STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE WATER ALL THE WAY AROUND THE DOCK LIKE A CRIB STRUCTURE.

WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE.

RIGHT.

HISTORICAL VILLAGE POND, BUT IT WOULD JUST HOLD THE FISH THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR KIDS TO CATCH FISH WHEN THEY'RE THERE LITTLE FISH AND THEN THAT WOULDN'T BREAK DOWN. SO IT'S NOT REALLY THERE FOR STRUCTURE.

IT'S JUST THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR JUST A FISHING HABITAT, BASICALLY.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK TO THE TO THE BUILDER ABOUT THAT OR IT WOULD BE AN EXPENSE. THAT'S THE ONLY PROBLEM.

HOW OFTEN DO WE BUILD THEM? NOT OFTEN. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT FIRST TIME.

SO LET'S HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, MARK, AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND THEN ONE LAST ITEM IS.

RECEIVED IN THE MAIL.

WE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL OUR AWARD FOR DESIGN AWARDS FOR FACILITIES FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] ORGANIZATION, THEY JUST HAD THEIR CONFERENCE LAST WEEK AND I JUST RECEIVED THIS IN THE MAIL. WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL INVITE THEM TO MAKE A FORMAL PRESENTATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING SO IT CAN BE PRESENTED TO YOU.

AND I OWE COMMISSIONER FARRIS AN APOLOGY.

SHE CONTACTED ME REGARDING GOING TO THE CONFERENCE.

AND NORMALLY WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT REGISTRATION, WITH COVID THIS YEAR AND EVERYTHING GOING ON. THERE WAS I KNOW FOR US THERE WAS NO CONFERENCE MONEY, IT WAS ALL TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND ANYTHING.

SO I DID NOT I KIND OF I TAKE FULL BLAME.

I PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOU GUYS THERE, BUT IT WAS REALLY ALL SITTING IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER AND THEN LOOKING AT SOME WEBINARS.

AND THEN ALSO MIKE DEVLIN DID END UP GETTING A SCHOLARSHIP AND HE WENT AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER MANY OF THOSE SESSIONS ON REPLAY SO I CAN SEND THOSE TO YOU.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST, I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY STILL LOG IN AND WATCH.

SO IF I GET THAT INFORMATION SOON, I'LL SHOOT IT OUT TO YOU GUYS.

AND THEN THERE COULD BE JUST A SESSION OR TWO THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO HOP ON WITH.

SO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE'RE BACK AT IT AND WE CAN ALL GO.

THAT'S KIND OF A FUN THING.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S IT FOR ME.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

WONDERFUL WORK.

SO MUCH GOING ON.

SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF AND THANKFUL FOR.

SO MOVING ON TO ACTION ITEMS NUMBER EIGHT A THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE DNR GRANTS THE MISSION

[8.A. 2021 DNR Grant submission –Towner Road Playground]

LUANN SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE.

PACKET. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO FOR THESE TWO ACTION ITEMS? OK, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SO MUCH GOING ON, THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER BATHROOM AND PAVILION AND THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR, THE GATEWAY FOOT BRIDGE AND RESTROOM IN THE VILLAGE, MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, THE LARGE DOG PARK.

WE HAVE LIKE BEEN SO BUSY.

AND WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT TAKING A PAUSE JUST TO KIND OF REGROUP AND GET SOME MONEY IN OUR FUND BALANCE AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO PUT THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THINGS.

BUT THEN IT COMES GRANT TIME AND THEN JANE AND I GET TALKING AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED THE APPLICATION ONCE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS TO THE MICHIGAN [INAUDIBLE] RESOURCES TRUST FUND FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT TOWNER, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T GET PUT IN AT TOWNER THAT'S REALLY LACKING.

AND SO WE THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT JUST REAPPLYING AGAIN.

WE TOOK A LOOK AT COMMISSIONER MCDONALD HAD SUGGESTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS TO SEE MAYBE THERE'S ONE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A LITTLE MORE SUCCESS AT AND BASED ON ALL THE FACES WE HAVE ON THE SCREEN, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE HERE WITH THE DNR IN THE GRANTS DIVISION.

I THINK WE TOOK A LOOK AND THOUGHT MAYBE THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND MIGHT BE

[00:55:03]

SO AFTER I ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP FOR THE DNR GRANTS AND.

THERE'S A LOT HIGHER SUCCESS RATE WITH LAND AND WATER THAN WITH TRUST FUNDS.

SO TRUST FUND HAS A LOT MORE MONEY, LIKE IN 2020 TRUST FUND AWARDED THIRTY SEVEN POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS AND LAND AND WATER AWARDED FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION.

SO IN TWENTY TWENTY, THOUGH, THERE WERE 20 APPLICATIONS, ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS AND THEY AWARDED 14.

SO THE SUCCESS RATE IS JUST A LOT HIGHER FOR LAND AND WATER.

AND WITH LAND AND WATER YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A 50 PERCENT MATCH, WHEREAS WITH TRUST FUND IT'S TWENTY FIVE.

SO WE'RE FEELING OR WE ALWAYS FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THESE GRANTS.

I THINK THAT OF COURSE WE SHOULD GET THEM BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST APPLICATION, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TRY IT SINCE WE ALREADY DID A LOT OF THE LEGWORK FOR TOWNER.

AND A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY ENHANCE THE UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE THINGS AND THE NATURE OF THE ACCESS TO NATURE TO GET THOSE POINTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID. IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, WE APPLIED FOR A TOWNER ROAD PARK AND WE CALLED IT THE TOWNER ROAD PARK INCLUSIVE PLAY AND NATURE OBSERVATION AREA.

SO WE WERE REALLY FOCUSING ON NATURE OBSERVATION AND INCLUSIVITY AND KIND OF HAVING LITTLE PLAY AREAS THAT WERE SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER FOR KIDS WITH SENSORY ISSUES OR THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT WE CAN BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE WANT IS REALLY A PLAY AREA AND IT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE.

SO LUANN AND I HAVE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT KIND OF THESE NINJA COURSES FOR A LONG TIME.

AND I THINK THAT EVEN WITH A NINJA COURSE, IT COULD STILL HAVE A LOT OF ACCESSIBILITY.

AND WE WOULD WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO [INAUDIBLE] SERVICING.

THERE'S AN ACCESSIBLE THING TOO AND IT'S EXPENSIVE.

AND SO WE'D BE GOING FOR THAT.

AND SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ASK.

I, LUANN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, THE COMMISSION'S NOT TALKING ABOUT MONEY OR ANYTHING TODAY.

THEY'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT US MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

SO WE'LL BRING YOU A LOT MORE DETAILS LATER.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD GO BIG AND ASK FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY, MAYBE IN THE RANGE OF TWO FIFTY TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND, KNOWING THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] IS EXPENSIVE AND ASK FOR WHAT WE WANT AND PROVIDE A REALLY COOL PLAY AREA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT JANE.

DO YOU AND LUANN HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WOULD WE BE ABLE IN OUR BUDGET TO MATCH THAT? IF WE GO BIG, DO WE HAVE THAT WITH IT BEING SUCH A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR? AND REALLY THE OUTLOOK IS THAT BUDGETS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED NOT ONLY THIS YEAR BUT IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO AND TWENTY TWENTY THREE.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING NOT ONLY THIS YEAR BUT NEXT YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR. ON THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING TO MATCH THAT FIFTY PERCENT IS THAT WE HAVE THE ROOM TO DO THAT? YES, BECAUSE IF WE IF WE PUT THE APPLICATION IN THIS YEAR, WE DON'T FIND OUT UNTIL DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, THE MONEY WON'T BE SPENT UNTIL TWENTY TWENTY TWO OR POSSIBLY EVEN TWENTY TWENTY THREE. AND SO WE'LL BE FINE.

WE BRING IN. OH ABOUT WHAT WE NORMALLY HAVE ABOUT THREE HUNDRED TO FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR TO SPEND ON PROJECTS, SO WE'LL BE FINE AND THIS YEAR WE'LL BE MANAGING THE ACQUISITION PIECE OF THE PROPERTY ON OKEMOS ROAD.

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME FINISHING TOUCHES TO PUT ON THE GATEWAY ENTRANCE TO THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND SOME FINAL THINGS AT THE NATURE CENTER AND MAYBE TABLES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS OVER AT MARKETPLACE.

SO WE HAVE SOME EXPENSES THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK WE COULD APPLY THIS YEAR, BELIEVE WE GET, WHAT, THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE.

SO EVEN IF WE HAD TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL YEAR, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'LL NEED TO, WE'LL BE ABSOLUTELY FINE. OK, WE'RE NOT YEAH, WE'RE NOT DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT.

AND WE HAVE THE ICE RINK, TOO.

AND RIGHT. WE'RE BUYING THE ARTIFICIAL ICE, RP'S GOING OUT, WE'VE ALREADY CONTACTED FOLKS. OK. COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.

YOU'RE ON MUTE, MARK. IS THERE A POSITIVE THANK YOU, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF A LABYRINTH INCORPORATED INTO THAT OR SOMETHING LIKE PINWHEEL, SOMETHING INCORPORATED INTO

[01:00:01]

AND SO WE JUST NEED TO BE REALLY MINDFUL OF THAT.

YEAH, SO I GUESS FOR THAT OH, I'M SORRY.

COMMISSIONER MARY NARDO FARRIS.

THANK YOU. I REALLY LIKE MARK'S IDEA, WHAT I WAS GOING TO GO BACK TO THE PLAYGROUND AS I KNOW WHEN I WAS WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, WE HAD DONE A LOT OF STUDIES AS FAR AS PLAYGROUNDS AND SURFACING AND HAD COME UP WITH THE BOARD IN PLACE WAS THE WAY TO GO FOR A LOT OF REASONS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE.

THERE ARE ALSO STAFF WITH THE GRANTS GROUP RIGHT NOW THAT WERE PART OF THOSE STUDIES AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH THROUGH THE KELLOGG GRANTS THAT WE HAD WORKED WITH THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THAT WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THAT.

AND I WOULD THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY ON BOARD, WE WERE VERY MUCH LOOKING TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS WHERE THEY'RE NOW, AND THEN ALSO WORK TOWARDS UNIVERSAL DESIGN ASPECT. SO SOME OF THAT STAFF, I WOULD BELIEVE, WOULD BE ON BOARD WITH A LOT OF THAT.

LUANN AND JANE, DO YOU NEED A MOTION FROM US TODAY? WHAT I HAD FOR ACTION TODAY WAS ONE IS JUST TO RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM YOU FOLKS FOR US TO START WORKING ON A GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS.

AND SO IT COULD BE I JUST MOVED TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A GRANT APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION, FOR SUBMISSION TO THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE FEDERAL LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND PROGRAM FOR PLAYGROUND AREA AND ACCESS SIDEWALKS AT TOWNER ROAD PARK FOR SUBMISSION BY APRIL 1ST OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

WE HAVE NOT TALKING MONEY.

WE'RE NOT TALKING DESIGN IS JUST ARE WE INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD? IF SO, THEN JANE CAN GO TO WORK AND GET STARTED ON THAT.

AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT WOULD BE TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SUBMISSION, FOR OUR MEETING, OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE MARCH NINE AT NOON OVER ZOOM.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND. SO IF THERE'S INTEREST IN US MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S THE FIRST MOTION. THE SECOND MOTION IS USED TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

I MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD.

I'VE GOT TO SOME WILL TOSS IT IN THE DISCUSSION PART CHAIR.

RIGHT, AND IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE'RE IN DISCUSSION OF AN ACTIVE MOTION.

I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC INSIGHT THAT COMMISSIONER MARY OFFERED TO US.

AND I THINK, JANE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INCORPORATE THE BACK STORY OF WHAT MARY'S SAYING THERE. AND AMY, WHO'S CURRENT MEMBER OF PARKS AND REC, THE LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, NOW WILL BE HERE FOREVER.

I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME OF THE ACT, BUT THERE WERE SOME HIGHLIGHTS THIS SUMMER OF PRESIDENT TRUMP USING THE WORD YOSEMITE.

AS FUNNY AS THAT WAS, THE LAND WATER ACT IS ENSHRINED NOW FOREVER IN APPROPRIATING MONEY.

AND I THINK THERE'LL BE A STEADY AMOUNT, LET ALONE THERE'LL NEVER BE A YEAR EVER AGAIN WHERE THEY THE CONGRESS KICKS THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND KEEPS DOING NOTHING TO INCREASE LAND AND WATER. IT'S ALREADY INCREASING DUE TO THE LEASE REVENUES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

SO THIS IS A VERY SPORT STATE, COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN, OR THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT'S TIED TO IT.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP OUR APPS TO ONE.

AND I THINK IT'S GOT A GREAT CHANCE OF BEING A WINNER UNDER THE LAND AND WATER PROGRAM.

I'M TRYING TO SPEAK REAL QUICK HERE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCDONALD.

OK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD, SAY AYE.

AY. ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY.

NO, OK THE MOTION PASSES AND I UNDERSTAND WE PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SPENDING DOLLARS, BUT NOW WE NEED TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE.

[8.B. Set Public Hearing Date – Grant Application]

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

OK, GREAT. ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS, THE AND I WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF TIME, SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN MOVE THROUGH THESE LAST COUPLE ITEMS HERE PRETTY QUICKLY.

[01:05:04]

[9.A. Red Cedar River Improvements]

OH, YES. YES.

I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. SO WITH A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND IMPROVEMENTS, THE RED CEDAR RIVER, THE DOWNTOWN OKEMOS AREA, THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE ROAD, THE REMOVING OF THE LOGJAMS, I WAS IT LED ME TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BRIAN [INAUDIBLE], WHO USES THE RIVER QUITE FREQUENTLY AND IS VERY INTO WHITEWATER KAYAKING AND HAS HIS CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN RETAIN LIKE TALENT AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEIR FAMILY IS VERY INVOLVED IN WATER SPORTS LIKE THAT, WITH ALL THESE CHANGES GOING ON WITH RED CEDAR RIVER, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE WATER PLAY AND TO BRING THAT AS AN ASSET TO THIS COMMUNITY AND BUILD SOMETHING THAT COULD ALLOW FAMILIES TO ENTER THE RIVER THERE? I THINK IT'S REALLY UNIQUE BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE THAT ACCESS POINT UNDERNEATH THE ROAD NOW GOING FROM ONE PART TO THE OTHER.

SO HOW FUN WOULD IT BE TO BE ABLE TO TEACH YOUR CHILD HOW TO CANOE OR KAYAK WHERE YOU COULD GET IN ON ONE SIDE AND GET OUT ON THE OTHER? AND SO ANYWAYS, WE HAD THIS REALLY WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.

HE SENT ME ALL THESE IDEAS VIA TEXT AND TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT PLAY PARKS, WATER PLAY PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS WELL AS I THINK IT WAS TRAVERSE CITY OR PETOSKEY AREA.

AND SO THEN THAT LED TO A CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER STEPHENS AND LUANN ABOUT COULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT WE EXPLORE? AND SO WE THOUGHT THE NEXT BEST THING IS TO BRING IT HERE TO THE PARK COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT. I JUST YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE AMAZING.

I THINK IT COULD BE REALLY, REALLY FUN.

WE KNOW THAT THIS WAS DONE IN WILLIAMSTON.

WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT MAYBE BUILDING UPON THAT IDEA THAT THEY DID IN WILLIAMSTON AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UNIQUE AND BETTER FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS BE SUCCESSFUL NOT ONLY FOR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE FISH AND THE WILDLIFE.

AND THE BEAUTY OF THAT AREA, IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH FROM WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, MAYBE SOME UNIQUE BOULDER PLACEMENTS, SOME SCAFFOLDING WITH CONCRETE.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS OUT THERE, BUT IT REALLY GOT BRIAN EXCITED AND IT WAS FUN TO SEE HIM EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S SO CLOSE TO HIS HEART AND HIS HOME.

AND SO I FIGURE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ALL TALK ABOUT AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.

BUT THAT'S REALLY THE BACKGROUND OF THAT DISCUSSION ITEM.

AND JUST CURIOUS IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OR WANT TO SHARE ANY IDEAS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TOO.

YES, COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT KIND OF TAPS INTO A DIFFERENT KIND OF OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY ALREADY AND THEN TIES IN TO WILLIAMSTON.

I KNOW GRAND RAPIDS PUT SOMETHING IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE A HUGE RIVER, SO IT'S PROBABLY BY NO MEANS THE SAME SCALE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

IT KIND OF TO ME TIES BACK TO THE PUMP TRACK WHERE, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT.

AN EYEWITNESS I WANTED TO SAY EARLIER, MY FAMILY WENT TO THE PUMP TRACK A TON THIS SUMMER AS WELL, AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS KIND OF WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THERE UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. BUT IT'S SUCH A GREAT THING.

KIDS DISCOVER THEIR LOVE FOR BIKING OR MOUNTAIN BIKING AND THEN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. AND I THINK THAT COULD BE, I MEAN, I KNOW BRIAN AS WELL.

SO I KNOW HIS PASSION AND HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HE DOES SOME REALLY COOL STUFF AND SO DO HIS KIDS. BUT IT ALSO COULD JUST BE I MEAN, FOR ME, WHO WOULD JUST.

SLOWLY PADDLE DOWN THE RIVER, TOO, I THINK THAT PEOPLE DON'T EVEN NECESSARILY THINK OF OUR RIVER OR THE RIVER AS A RESOURCE, AND IT REALLY IS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S HIGHLIGHTED ENOUGH, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY MOVING TOWARDS THAT.

I MEAN, IN MY SHORT TIME ON THE PARKS COMMISSION, I'VE SEEN A LOT AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE RED CEDAR RIVER AND STABILIZING THE BANKS AND FISH HABITAT AND ALL OF THAT. SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND TO ME, IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT FUNDING SOMEWHERE, I'D LOVE TO PUT FUNDING TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE.

YES, COMMISSIONER MARY NARDO FARRIS.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THE PROJECT IN WILLIAMSTON, THE RAPIDS PROJECT THERE, THAT WAS A FARMER [INAUDIBLE], AND AS WE IF WE GET DOWN THAT PATH, HE MIGHT BE A GOOD RESOURCE

[01:10:05]

I KNOW THEY'RE STILL LIVING IN WILLIAMSTON.

YEAH EARL IS PART OF A RETIRED NATURAL RESOURCES GROUP THAT GETS TOGETHER EVERY MONTH AND TALKS ABOUT THINGS, AND I SEE EARL THERE OFTEN AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.

I THINK THE IDEA IS GREAT.

AND I DID TALK WITH DR.

JIM BEDFORD, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LANSING AREA TROUT UNLIMITED, AND THEY'RE BEHIND AT THIS POINT. WE HAVEN'T SHOWN ANY PLANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT OF IMPROVING THE WATER QUALITY AND OXYGENATION OF THAT AREA THROUGH RAPID WATERS.

AND HE'S BEEN WORKING QUITE A BIT WITH GRAND RAPIDS.

I CONTACTED HIM JUST JUST AFTER OUR DISCUSSION, AMANDA, HE'S GOING THROUGH OPEN HEART SURGERY AND RECOVERING FROM THAT.

BUT HE WANTS TO GET INVOLVED.

HE WANTS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO. SO WHAT IF I DO THIS, WHAT IF I TAKE THE EMAIL THAT BRIAN SENT AND HE HAD LIKE VARIOUS LINKS OF OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I ALSO HAVE THE PLAN THAT WAS DONE FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS BY A CONTRACTOR.

THE GENTLEMAN WHO'S DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN OKEMOS ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN A PROJECT ON JOLLY ROAD AND THERE HAD TO BE SOME REMEDIATION DONE.

AND SO THEY PUT A PROGRAM TOGETHER.

THAT'S RIGHT WHERE WE'RE AT.

AND SO WE HAVE A COPY OF THAT MASTER PLAN.

WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

MAYBE WE HAVE A WORK SESSION, MAYBE JUST LIKE AN HOUR LONG WORK SESSION OR SOMETHING.

AND THAT'S JUST ALL WE FOCUS ON AND SEE HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO IT IN CONJUNCTION OR WE WAIT TILL THAT'S DONE AND THEN GO IN AND DO OUR WORK. BUT I THINK HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE ROAD DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, SO MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THEY CAN DO THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO US IN COMPLETING OURS, THAT KIND OF COORDINATION, I THINK IS GOING TO BE REAL IMPORTANT.

SO IF THERE'S INTEREST, THEN WHY DON'T I SEND SOMETHING OUT WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I KNOW? AND THEN WE CAN SET A TIME, MAYBE JUST SOME EVENING TOO THAT WE SPENT AN HOUR OR WHATEVER AND JUST KIND OF HASH IT OUT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA LUANN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND GETTING THIS GOING, THIS CONVERSATION GOING.

AND MAYBE WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK SESSION WHEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT WARMER.

WE COULD GO TO THE GO TO THE PARK AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AND KIND OF WALK THAT SPACE.

BUT THAT'S GREAT.

NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO IT IN THE SNOW, MARY.

WE COULD DO IT IN THE SNOW.

IT'S JUST SO COLD.

I KNOW. I CAN SEE NOT EVERYBODY IS AS MUCH A FAN OF WINTER AS I AM, BUT THAT'S OK.

WELL, I'M A HUGE, HUGE FAN, SO I ACTUALLY LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE COULD DO IT IN THE SNOW.

BUT YEAH, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, THOUGH, AND MOVE FORWARD AND THEN START THINKING ABOUT GETTING OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY TOO.

SO, BRIAN, I KNOW HAD SOME CONTACTS.

MARK HAS SOME CONTACTS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE MARY DOES AS WELL.

SO, OK, GREAT.

MOVING ON TO THE B NEW TOWNSHIP SIGNAGE.

[9.B. New Township Signage]

WELL, PART OF THAT IS WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING FOR CONTINUITY.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR SIGN REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

I KNOW TOWNER ROAD DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A SIGN ON IT RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M KIND OF BEEN WAITING FOR THIS PROCESS TO BEGIN.

AND SO THE TOWNSHIP ENGAGED IN A DESIGN COMPANY.

AND SO I DID FORWARD YOU THE TWO DESIGNS THAT IT GOT NARROWED DOWN TO.

WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO DECISIONS BEING MADE TODAY AT ALL. BUT I THINK THEY HAVE A CONCEPT THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.

BUT WE CAN STILL TAKE THAT CONCEPT AND CREATE WHAT WE WANT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING A WELCOME TO MERIDIAN SIGN AS WELL AS THE SIGN THAT WOULD BE AT THE TOWN HALL, PROBABLY ONE ON MARSH ROAD AND ONE ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE THAT IDENTIFIES THE BUILDINGS. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE STILL HAVE WHATEVER WE WANT.

THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DESIGN LATER.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION MORE OF THIS TODAY.

I CAN BRING IT UP ON MY SHARE SCREEN IF YOU WANT, OR WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON.

I KNOW IT'S IT'S ALMOST ONE FIFTEEN, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WANTING TO GET TOGETHER AT THE LUNCH TIME. I THINK THIS IS GREAT.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, SOMETIMES IT DOES CREATE A LITTLE CRUNCH ON TIME.

BUT ANYWAY, IT'S NOTHING WE REALLY NEED TO DECIDE NOW.

WE CAN TAKE ELEMENTS OF WHATEVER IS DECIDED ON FOR THOSE OTHER SIGNS AND CREATE OUR OWN,

[01:15:03]

BUT THAT'S STILL UP TO YOU WHENEVER WE GET TO THAT POINT.

YEAH, I WANT TO GIVE COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING.

I THINK THE CONSENSUS AMONG OUR GROUP WAS, THOUGH, THAT OPTION TWO WAS NOT AS FAVORABLE.

AND IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE MAKING THE DECISION OR EVEN RECOMMEND THAT THEY DO SOME TYPE OF POLLING ON FACEBOOK OR SOMETHING AMONG THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

BUT I WOULD ALWAYS SUPPORT NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH OPTION TWO.

BUT AMY, SORRY.

GO AHEAD. I JUST CAN'T HELP IT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A SUGGESTION.

IF WE DO, AND I THINK HAVING COMPLEMENTARY SIGNAGE AT OUR PARTS IS CRITICAL, BUT I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD MAKE ROOM FOR THE PARKS THAT HAVE A SPECIAL FEATURE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AT NANCY MOORE, THERE'S A LITTLE SIGN THAT SAYS SMALL DOG PARK AT THE OTHER ONE [INAUDIBLE], LIKE, I KNOW YOU CAN'T LIFT EVERYTHING IN THE PARK, BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY COOL FEATURES THAT I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT COULD BE A WONDERFUL WAY TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT SOME OF THESE, LIKE, REALLY INTERESTING, UNIQUE FEATURES WE HAVE HERE IN OUR PARKS.

COMPLETELY AGREE.

YEAH. YES, COMMISSIONER.

I HAD A QUICK QUESTION AND TRIES TO SIGNAGE SOMEWHAT, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE LUANN AND WHEN WE HAVE THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION TRUST FUND, WE'RE REQUIRED OF A PART OF A PLAQUE ON THERE. HOW DO WE NORMALLY ACCOMMODATE THAT ON OUR SIGNAGE OR DO WE PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE? NOT WELL, OUR SIGNS ARE ALL WOODEN RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S A PIECE OF CAKE AND ONLY GOES ON A SUPPORT POST OR SOMETIMES RIGHT ON THE SIGN ITSELF.

NOT TO SAY THAT THEY COULDN'T BE SCREWED INTO BRICK.

OR WHAT WE ALWAYS MAKE IT WORK OR WE JUST ADD A NEW SIGN THAT WE COULD ATTACH IT TO, BUT WE'VE TYPICALLY JUST PUT IT ON OUR SIGNS.

BUT WE CAN WE CAN ATTACH IT TO BRICK AS WELL.

OK, IT'S NOT A CONCERN, NO, IT'S JUST A QUESTION WHEN WE DID OUR ENTRANCE, I HAD REDONE ALL OF THOSE.

SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT THERE'S A BACK SIDE TO THAT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN SEE.

IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON PLACEMENT.

AND THAT'S OFTEN A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PUT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR COMING OR THAT MIGHT NOT APPLY TO MERIDIAN AS MUCH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ANOTHER SPACE THAT COULD BE USED POTENTIALLY ON SOME OF THE SIGNAGE.

OK, WE'VE GOT TO BE ANOTHER LIKE A WORK SESSION, TIME FOR US TOO WE CAN JUST KIND OF BRING IT ALL OUT AND LAY OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND PIECES AND SAY, WE WANT THIS, WHAT WE WANT TO USE. I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S OPTIONS FOR US TO CONSIDER.

BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THE GENERAL CONSENSUS HAS BEEN OPTION ONE.

SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO WORK TO ME OPTION TWO WE WERE TRYING.

THEY WERE TRYING TOO HARD.

WE'RE TRYING TOO HARD WITH IT TO TRY TO GET TOO MUCH.

LET'S JUST. OPTION ONE I THOUGHT WAS NICE AND THEN IT HAD SOME NICE VARIATIONS TO PUT FOR INTERNAL SIGNAGE SUCH.

OK WELL KEEP US POSTED ON THE TIMELINE THAT YOU US TO PULL THAT TOGETHER AND IF THEY NEED ANY MORE OPINIONS OR THOUGHTS ON IT FROM OUR [INAUDIBLE] BE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO NUMBER NINE, PUBLIC COMMENTS.

DO WE HAVE ANY FOLKS ON THE LINE? WE'LL OFFER THAT TELEPHONE NUMBER ONE MORE TIME, (517)349-1232.

AND YOU DO HAVE A PERSON THAT'S ENTERED INTO THE ATTENDEE AREA IN THE LAST HOUR.

AND WE, OF COURSE, CAN ALLOW THEM TO COMMENT IF THEY WANT TO USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE TO INDICATE THEIR INTEREST TO DO SO.

WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AT ANY POINT.

I'M NOT SEEING THE HAND RAISED AND I'M NOT HEARING ANY TELEPHONE CALLS COMING IN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE ON FOR ANOTHER FEW MORE SECONDS, SO IF YOU DO HAVE SOMEONE CALL IN, LET US KNOW.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE?

[10.B.1. Farmers’ Market:]

SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.

OK. WE HAVE HEATERS, WE'VE GOT SPACE HEATERS, ARE THOSE TALL ONES LIKE AT RESTAURANTS, SO. OK.

WELL, GREAT. OK.

AND WE DON'T HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TODAY, SO I WILL MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 1:19.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, MARCH 19, OR NOT MARCH 19TH, MARCH 9TH OF THIS YEAR AT 12

[01:20:03]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

GREAT DISCUSSION, EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT TODAY.

IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU.

BYE, GUYS. BYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.