Mar 16, 2021 Township Board

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OK, GREAT.

AND I'M WONDERING IF I SHOULD PRESENT SHARING MY SCREEN OR IF YOU ALL HAVE A PRESENTATION, IT'S JUST FOR FOUR SLIDES.

I'M EXPECTING IT TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

WHICH, WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? WE'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO HAVE YOU SHARE THE SCREEN AS LONG AS YOU GET PERMISSION.

MCCREADY? LOOKS LIKE I CAN DO IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO HERE WE HAVE IT.

SO THANKS AGAIN FOR INVITING ME.

MY NAME IS M.C.

I'M A COMMISSIONER AT THE MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.

OR MICRC AND.

LET ME GET MY NOTES HERE.

THANKS FOR PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TAKE ESSENTIALLY SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT DURING YOUR MEETING.

AND THE SLIDES ADVANCE, I HAVE ONLY TWO SCREENS, NO, IT DID NOT ADVANCE.

[00:05:04]

SORRY.

SO THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE MICRC OR THE MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION IN 2018 THE MICHIGAN VOTERS PASSED A PROPOSAL 2, A BALLOT INITIATIVE FOR VOTERS AND NOT LEGISLATORS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NONPARTISAN REDISTRICTING AND CREATED THE MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.

THERE ARE 13 OF US.

WE ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED.

WE ALL PUT OUR NAMES IN THE BALLOT, BUT WE DO NOT REPRESENT.

I'M COMING TO YOU FROM LANSING, MICHIGAN, BUT I DO NOT.

I'M CLOSE TO YOU ALL, BUT I DON'T REPRESENT, NECESSARILY REPRESENT OUR REGION.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE VIRTUAL.

SO I GUESS ANYONE COULD DO IT.

BUT THE POINT IS THAT WE ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED AND THAT INCLUDES FOUR DEMOCRATS, FIVE INDEPENDENTS AND FOUR REPUBLICANS TO MAKE THE THIRTEEN.

THE MICRC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REDISTRICTING.

THE US CONGRESSIONAL, MICHIGAN HOUSE, AND MICHIGAN SENATE DISTRICTS WILL ESSENTIALLY DRAW THREE MAPS, ULTIMATELY WITH A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT.

SO THAT PUBLIC INPUT IS IN PUBLIC HEARINGS, SO BEFORE COMMISSIONERS, BEFORE WE DRAFT ANY REDISTRICTING PLAN, THE COMMISSION SHALL HOLD AT LEAST 10 PUBLIC HEARINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE INTENTIONS TO START IN MAY AND FINISH IN JUNE.

SO OVER ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS, WE INTEND TO DO APPROXIMATELY 16 OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, WE HAVE A WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT'S GOING TO UNFOLD.

SO TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, PLEASE.

THE PURPOSE FOR THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, THAT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT.

WE WANT TO SHARE THE PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION AND WE WANT TO SOLICIT INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT POTENTIAL REDISTRICTING PLANS.

SO THIS IS THE CRITERIA THAT THE COMMISSION HAS IN ORDER TO CREATE THESE MAPS, THESE THREE DIFFERENT MAPS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND THIS CRITERIA COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

IT IS THE FIRST AND IT IS IN ORDER, MEANING WE HAVE TO TAKE THE FIRST CRITERIA HERE.

BEFORE WE CAN, IT IS WEIGHTED GREATER THAN THE SECOND.

SO YOU ALL CAN SEE IT, THE EQUAL POPULATION, I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT THIS IS FEDERALLY MANDATED BY THE US CONSTITUTION AND IN ADDITION TO EQUAL POPULATION UNDER NUMBER ONE, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS A SECOND REQUIREMENT THAT IS A TOP PRIORITY.

SO WE COMPLY WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AS WELL AS WITH THE EQUAL POPULATION THAT EACH DISTRICT SHALL INCLUDE AN EQUAL POPULATION, THAT THEY WILL COMPLY WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

BUT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE A GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS CRITERIA THAT THESE DISTRICTS THAT WE DRAW WILL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS.

WE HAVE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AS THE THIRD AND RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANT PRIORITY AFTER THE FIRST TWO.

THE COMMITTEES OF INTEREST IS WHERE WE INTEND TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND I, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY DEFINED EXACTLY AND IT IS DEFINED IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO WAIT, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ON MEANINGS OF INTEREST AND THEN YOU CAN SEE NUMBER FOUR OR FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN.

I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO JUST JUMP AHEAD BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.

BUT I DO WANT YOU TO SEE THAT THIS IS FROM THE CONSTITUTION.

AND I WANT YOU TO SEE THESE ARE THE CRITERIA THAT ALL 13 OF US WILL BE BASING OUR DECISIONS ON, AND AS WE DIRECT OUR MAPPING COMPANY, THE FIRM THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO HELP DRAW THESE, THEY WILL BE DOING SO DURING THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I'M REFERRING TO.

SO IN TERMS OF COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, THE THIRD CRITERIA.

THEY MAY INCLUDE BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO POPULATIONS THAT SHARE CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTERISTICS OR ECONOMIC INTERESTS, BUT THEY SHALL NOT INCLUDE RELATIONSHIPS WITH POLITICAL PARTIES, INCUMBENTS, OR POLITICAL CANDIDATES.

SO THAT'S THE, MORE OR LESS, THAT'S THE DEFINITION WE'RE WORKING WITH.

AND THERE ARE ACADEMIC.

I GUESS THEIR INSTITUTIONS EXCUSE ME, THEIR ACADEMICS WERE ENGAGED AS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND THAT THE STUDENT MSU UNIVERSITY, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ARE HELPING US UNDERSTAND AS A COMMISSIONER I'M LEARNING ABOUT THIS.

WE, THE OTHER 12 OF US, ARE LEARNING ABOUT THIS.

AS WE LEARN, WE ALL LEARN, RIGHT? EVERY CITIZEN.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING THIS.

AND SO THEY HAVE SOME IDEA AND THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW BROAD A LIMITED HOW YET.

BUT IT'S THE POINT IS IT'S NOT TOTALLY DEFINED.

AND SO FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER YOURSELVES.

HOW DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST? OR ARE THERE PARTS OF THE TOWNSHIP THAT ARE, THAT SHOULD BE HELD TOGETHER BECAUSE OF AN ECONOMIC INTEREST? FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE TONIGHT.

AND IN CONCLUSION, TO THE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT IS AT

[00:10:04]

MICHIGAN .

GOV/MICRC AND THERE'S.

YEAH, THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO AT THAT REDISTRICTING WEBSITE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS REDISTRICTING@MICHIGAN.GOV.

THAT IS IT.

SHORT AND SWEET.

AND I'LL STOP SHARING.

AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.

WELL, BEFORE I GAVE IT TO OTHERS, I'LL ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION, I REALIZED THAT THERE'S A DELAY IN THE CENSUS NUMBERS AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT YOUR WORK? EXCELLENT QUESTION.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT OURSELVES.

WHAT WE'VE DONE TO TRY TO.

I'LL ANSWER IT WITH THE LIGHT ON THAT TOWNSHIP HAVING TO DRAW AND TURN THESE MAPS INTO BALLOTS.

SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR A, I THINK IT'S CALLED A RELIEF? WE'VE ASKED FOR RELIEF FROM THE SENATE EXCUSE ME, FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF MICHIGAN.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE ASKED YET, BUT WE ARE PREPARING TO ASK IN ADDITION TO THE, WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WHO I SUPPOSE WILL HELP TOWNSHIPS AND OTHER POLITICAL ENTITIES, OR I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU TURN THESE REDISTRICTING MAPS INTO BALLOTS.

BUT WE HAVE SOUGHT, WE ARE SEEKING RELIEF FROM THE DEADLINE.

AND WE INTEND TO DO THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND AGAIN, NO ONE HAS A CRYSTAL BALL.

SO WE ARE AWARE THAT THE CENSUS DATA IS CURRENTLY SLATED TO COME OUT SEPTEMBER 30TH AND WE'RE PREPARING IN EVENTUALITY IF IT COMES OUT EARLIER, BUT ALSO IN THE EVENT THAT IT COMES OUT LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 30TH.

SO WE ARE SEEKING RELIEF FROM THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE.

I BELIEVE WE'RE LOOKING AT DECEMBER.

AND AGAIN, WE WILL TRY TO HELP EVERY CLERK AND MUNICIPALITY THAT NEEDS TO TURN THESE MAPS INTO VOTING DISTRICTS.

HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK.

BUT THAT'S REALLY THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S JOB.

THAT'S NOT THE COMMISSION'S JOB.

BUT WE ARE SEEKING RELIEF FROM THAT DEADLINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE SO THAT THAT CAN OCCUR AND COORDINATED.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS FOR MR. RATHORN? OH, DON'T BE SHY NOW.

WE'RE.

MR. OPSOMMER? YES, MR. RATHORN? FIRST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMISSION.

MY QUESTION, HOW IS THE COMMISSION, AT LEAST THUS FAR IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS? HOW ARE YOU WAITING? SOME OF THESE FACTORS WHICH COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, FOR INSTANCE, RECOGNIZING MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES.

ALSO IT RUNS COUNTER TO HAVING FAIR LINES THAT DO NOT FAVOR ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER.

FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DETROIT AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE DETROIT VOTE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIKE NINETY TWO PERCENT TO EIGHT PERCENT DIFFERENTIAL IN THE VOTE THERE ON THE TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY LINES.

AND THERE'S NO PART OF THE STATE THAT OFFSETS THAT.

SO I GUESS AND TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, HOW ARE YOU WAITING? YOU KNOW, HAVE THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ON WAITING, THOSE FACTORS IN WHICH MIGHT TAKE MORE PRECEDENT? SO I SUPPOSE THE MOST CONCISE ANSWER REALLY IS WE ARE.

WE ARE GUIDED AND I WOULD EVEN SAY CONSTRAINED BY THOSE EIGHT CRITERIA THAT I GAVE YOU, AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY MAPS, RIGHT? SO WE HAVEN'T DELIBERATED YET AND WE FRANKLY HAVEN'T EVEN, WE'VE JUST ENGAGED OUR MAPPING CONSULTANTS, RIGHT? THE FIRM THAT WILL HELP LEAD A PROCESS THAT WE WILL DIRECT AS THE COMMISSIONERS.

BUT THEY WILL ESSENTIALLY BE THEY WILL HELP US WITH A PROCESS.

AND WE WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION ACTUALLY MOMENT BY MOMENT.

BUT WE WILL WE DO INTEND TO USE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AS A KEY PIECE OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT DILEMMA.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT PUBLIC INPUT.

WE WANT TO KNOW, LIKE IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO BELONG, IF YOU IDENTIFY WITH THE IF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IDENTIFIES WITH THE YOU KNOW, THE NINETY WAS A NINETY SIX RIGHT ALONG THAT, THAT AREA.

AND IF YOU WANT TO BE MORE WITH HOWELL OR IF YOU IDENTIFY MORE ALONG THE 127 ROUTE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU FEEL CLOSER TO THE JACKSON AREA OR THE LANSING AREA.

THAT COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, HOWEVER IT'S DEFINED.

AND IN MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

IS THAT A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST THAT'S SEPARATE? WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.

WE, THE COMMISSION, DO NOT HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.

AND IN ORDER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, FRANKLY, WE NEED MORE DATA IN ORDER TO DELIBERATE.

WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

BUT FRANKLY, IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY.

AND THESE ARE THE HARD CALLS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE.

BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A COST TO EVERY MAP LINE THAT WE MAKE, THAT WE DRAW THAT'S OUTSIDE OF A, YEAH, A COUNTY OR A VOTING DISTRICT.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ACTUAL WORD IS YET, I'M STILL A LAYPERSON.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, I SUPPOSE AS SUFFICIENTLY AS IT CAN AT THIS JUNCTURE.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS TO GIVE MY FEEDBACK AND MY PUBLIC INPUT BASED ON WHAT

[00:15:11]

I'VE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY.

WHAT I HAVE HEARD PREDOMINANTLY IS PEOPLE WANT FAIR AND BALANCED LINES IN TERMS OF THE PROPORTIONATE VOTE ACROSS THE STATE.

AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT WEIGHED AGAINST HONORING SOME TRADITIONAL COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES.

SO THAT IS WHAT I AM PREDOMINANTLY HEARING, IS THEY WANT FAIR AND JUST LINES.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THE POPULAR VOTE IS FIFTY TWO PERCENT IN FAVOR OF ONE PARTY, THAT PARTY HAS PROPORTIONATE OR AS CLOSE TO PROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION AS POSSIBLE.

THAT IS THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE INPUT THAT I HAVE RECEIVED.

COMMISSIONER RATHORN THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.

PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW COMMISSION.

THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GET INVOLVED IN THE BALLOT INITIATIVE IN 2018.

AND AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER WOULD POINT OUT, PEOPLE DO WANT FAIR DISTRICTS THAT ARE MUCH MORE REPRESENTATIVE RATHER THAN A GERRYMANDERED DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE NOW.

THIS NOTION OF COMMUNITIES INTEREST IS INTERESTING TO ME, BUT TO ME IT SHOULD COME IN SECOND TO THE FAIR PROPORTIONMENT OF THE VOTE RATHER THAN HAVING THESE VERY LOPSIDED DISTRICTS WE HAVE NOW.

IS ONE OF YOUR ASSUMPTIONS THAT MICHIGAN WILL HAVE ONE LESS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT THAT IS GOING DOWN FROM, I BELIEVE, 15 TO 14 AFTER THE CENSUS IS RELEASED? SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE AS FEW ASSUMPTIONS AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S AN IT'S OVERWHELMING, RIGHT? SORT OF THE TALK.

SO I'VE HEARD IT, BUT FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY I DON'T SPEND MUCH TIME OTHER THAN NOW AS A COMMISSIONER, I HAVEN'T SPENT MUCH TIME DEBATING IT, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT ASSUMPTION.

BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE WE TEND TO BE LOSING.

MICHIGAN TENDS TO BE LOSING POPULATION.

AND THAT'S AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ASSUMPTION, BUT IT'S.

THE POPULAR YEAH.

WE AREN'T SO MUCH LOSING AS WE'RE NOT GAINING AS OTHERS, PARTS OF THE COUNTRY HAVE.

YES, AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.

SO I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION OR IF THERE YEAH.

YOU HAVE.

AND TO BE SUPER CLEAR, LIKE FAIRNESS IS THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS COMMISSION.

WHAT WE ARE AWARE OF AS A COMMISSION.

I THINK EVEN THE FOLKS THAT SET THIS TRANSLATED THE 2018 BALLOT INITIATIVE INTO THIS COMMISSION.

WHAT THOSE FOLKS WERE AWARE OF IS THAT IT IS NOT EASY TO CALL FAIR.

WHAT IS FAIR? SO IT'S THAT'S THE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS AND WE WILL NOT HAVE A GERRYMANDERED STATE, BUT WE WILL NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.

WE KNOW THAT.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO THAT'S WHY THERE'S 13 OF US.

THAT'S WHY IT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE RANDOMLY SELECTED.

WE DON'T REPRESENT AND WE KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE A GERRYMANDERED SITUATION BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT GERRYMANDERING IS REALLY WHEN THE POLITICIANS CHOOSE THE PEOPLE.

AND THIS IS IN EVERY WAY THIS INDEPENDENT CITIZEN'S REDISTRICTING COMMISSION IS THE PEOPLE CHOOSING THE POLITICAL DISTRICTS.

AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING IT.

IT'S NOT GERRYMANDERING.

IT IS MAP MAKING.

SO IT'S IT'S EXCITING.

LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK WE'RE ALL EXCITED AND I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERY COMMISSIONER.

I KNOW THAT WE EACH HAVE THAT INTENTION TO BE FAIR AND FRANKLY, UNDERSTAND AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE A WELL INFORMED CHOICES.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU KNOW, FAIRNESS IS A REALLY TOUGH NUT TO CRACK.

SPENT MANY YEARS ON A SCHOOL BOARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED THERE WAS THAT FAIRNESS DOES NOT MEAN GIVING THE SAME TO EACH OR RATHER, TO GIVING EACH WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT MAKES THEM AS EQUAL AS POSSIBLE.

SO IT'S A REALLY TOUGH ONE.

WELL, SAID.

ALL RIGHTY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR WORK AND ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME IN WITH THIS AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND OTHER THINGS.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING HERE.

AND I'M THE CLOSEST ONE, SO FEEL FREE TO INVITE ME BACK OR REACH OUT.

AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN HERE.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

OK, I HAD ASKED OR INVITED SANDRA DRAKE, OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CADL, THE LIBRARY BOARD, TO APPEAR IF SHE COULD, AND I DON'T SEE HER ON THE PICTURES.

MR. GEBES, IS SHE LISTED ANYWHERE? IS SHE HERE? I AM NOT SEEING A SANDRA DRAKE.

WE DO HAVE THE RAISED HAND FEATURE ENABLED.

RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO LOWER EVERYONE'S HAND IF SHE'S CONNECTED VIA A DIFFERENT CONNECTION, LIKE MAYBE THAT GALAXY S10 PLUS, IF YOU USE THE RAISED HAND FEATURE

[00:20:03]

RIGHT NOW, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET YOU PROMOTED SO YOU CAN SPEAK.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY GET A FOLLOW UP FROM HER TO KNOW FOR SURE THAT SHE COULD DO IT, SO IF SHE'S NOT HERE, SHE'S NOT HERE.

I'VE SEEN NO ANSWER.

WHEN NOW GO ON TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS.

[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS]

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

EACH PERSON GETS THREE MINUTES.

IT'LL BE TIMED.

AND WE ASK YOU TO BE FAIR AND APPROPRIATE IN YOUR COMMENTS, NOT TO DEMEAN ANYONE, NOT TO NAME ANYBODY BY NAME, NOT TO USE ANY LANGUAGE THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE, BUT TO GIVE YOUR OPINION OR YOUR POINT OF VIEW OR YOUR ITEM AS BEST YOU CAN IN CLEAR, CONCISE LANGUAGE.

AND WITH THAT, MR. GEBES, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COMMENT WITH REGARD TO THEIR POSITIONS? WE ARE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE WITH OUR AUDIO ON HOMTV TONIGHT, BUT WE CAN, OF COURSE, TAKE COMMENT VIA (517) 349-1232.

FOR ANYBODY WATCHING THAT WAY AND SEEING THE COMMENTS IN THE CLOSED CAPTION AND OR THE FACEBOOK LIVE.

AND I BELIEVE THE OTHER MEDIA STREAMS WE HAVE ON THE INTERNET, ARE, DO HAVE PROPER AUDIO.

INSIDE THE ATTENDEE AREA, WE HAVE NO HANDS RAISED RIGHT NOW, BUT OF COURSE, ANYONE IN THAT AREA IS WELCOME TO USE THE RAISED HAND FEATURE.

AND WE CAN GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE CALLING IN, IT'S 349-1232.

SO, RIGHT? AFFIRMATIVE, SIR.

I'M SEEING NO HANDS AND I'M HEARING NO PHONE CALLS, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, THEN THANK YOU.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGERS REPORT.

MR. ROSS, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR US TODAY? OH, THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO YIELD TO, FOR A MOMENT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE JUST TO UPDATE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTING THE POLICE AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO WERE IN NEED.

SOME MAYBE, CHIEF, COULD YOU GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE OF THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE TOWNSHIP? WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH THE INGHAM, CLINTON AND EATON COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND WE HAVE DEPLOYED A TABLET DEVICE.

SO IF SOMEBODY IS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, MAYBE EMOTIONAL CRISIS OR THEY JUST THEY DON'T THEY NEED OTHER RESOURCES.

IT GIVES US A CONNECTION WHERE WE CAN PUT THEM IN A ONE ON ONE CONVERSATION WITH A CLINICIAN, SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE TOOLKIT TO HANDLE THAT EMOTIONAL CRISIS.

TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY WE KICKED OFF AN ALREADY DEPLOYED ON ONE CALL FOR SERVICE TODAY.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT IN.

THE OFFICERS GET IT IN THE HANDS OF THE FOLKS WHO CAN HOPEFULLY GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED TO GET THROUGH THEIR DAY OR GET OVER THE HUMP THEY'RE AT IN THE, YOU KNOW, DURING THE CRISIS.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT SERVICE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND MS. GUTHRIE, THE RECORD CAN STATE THAT TRUSTEE SUNDLAND IS NOW WITH US.

FOR YOUR MINUTES.

A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, MR. SUPERVISOR, THE BOARD MAY WANT TO BE AWARE OF IS.

I'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, THE SIX ACRE REZONING ON JOLLY ROAD THAT WENT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON MARCH 8TH.

IT'LL BE BACK BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR ACTION ON MONDAY NIGHT THE 22ND.

AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO BE BROUGHT TO YOU THEN IN EARLY APRIL FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.

I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE IS OUT.

BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE'RE ABLE TO PUT ONE TOGETHER AND GET IT OUT.

THE ACCOLADES KEEP ROLLING IN FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

JUST CAME OUT TODAY THAT MITCH IS RANKING US THE SIX [INAUDIBLE] MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THE SIXTH BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE NATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GETS ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

I GUESS IT COULD.

WE COULD BE FIFTH.

BUT THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE WHO SERVES THIS COMMUNITY, EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE WHO SERVED THIS COMMUNITY PRIOR TO ALL OF US.

THE LARGE DOG PARK IS CLOSED MOMENTARILY FOR ISSUES WITH MUD.

I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MR. PERRY TONIGHT.

SIX YEARS AGO TODAY, HE JOINED OUR TEAM HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIS SERVICES.

AND AS ALWAYS, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE ON SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY POSITIVE.

AND I GUESS I'LL SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE, IT'S NOT SO POSITIVE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO CERTAINLY ADDRESS MARK KIESELBACH'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE IS RETIRING.

[00:25:02]

MR. PERRY HAS BEEN WITH US FOR SIX YEARS.

I THINK THAT 72 MONTHS.

WHILE MR. KIESELBACH HAS SERVED US FOR 496 MONTHS.

SO HE IS JUST GOING TO BE FOUR SHORT.

WE'RE THINKING ABOUT KEEPING HIM ON SOMEHOW TO GET TO THAT 500 MARK.

I HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT YET, BUT AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, AND THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO PASS ON OUR ACCOLADES TO MARK AND HIS, WHAT HE'S DONE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU LOOK AT HOW THIS COMMUNITY'S DEVELOPED, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW YOU DRIVE DOWN GRAND RIVER AND NOTICE YOU PROBABLY DON'T NOTICE AS MANY SIGNS AND THEY CERTAINLY DON'T JUMP OUT AT YOU.

ALL THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO MARK'S WORK, THE AMBIANCE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND HIS COMMITMENT AND LOYALTY.

YOU JUST DON'T SEE PEOPLE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAYING FORTY ONE YEARS IN ONE PLACE ANYMORE.

AND I JUST, THERE WILL BE AS I SAID, THERE WILL BE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT THIS EVENING.

SO THANK YOU, MARK, FOR EVERYTHING.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I'LL CLOSE WITH MORE GOOD NEWS.

THE DEER CULL PROGRAM, THE AMPLIFIED PROGRAM IS COMPLETE.

WE REACHED OUR GOALS BY WORKING WITH THE DNR.

AND I WANT TO THANK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S MY REPORT, MR. SUPERVISOR, BOARD, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SUPERVISOR, I MEAN FOR THE MANAGER? I DON'T SEE ANY I THINK YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK, MR. WALSH.

WE'LL NOW GO TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MEMBERS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ANNOUNCE OR ANY ACTIVITIES YOU WANT TO RELATE TO? MR. DESHAINE? YOU'RE MUTE, SIR.

EXCUSE ME.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

HAD ME ON MUTE.

JUST HAVE THREE QUICK THINGS TO UPDATE ON ON THURSDAY, THE FOURTH OF MARCH, I ATTENDED OUR EDC MEETING HERE IN TOWN HALL.

TOMORROW, I WILL BE ATTENDING THE BOARD MEETING OF THE CAPITOL AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY, WHICH I SERVE AS THE TOWNSHIP REPRESENTATIVE ON.

THURSDAY MORNING AT 8:00 A.M., THE BROWNFIELD'S REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS MEETING AND THE BRA IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL.

WE HAVE MADE OUR FIRST MAJOR PAYOUT FOR BRA ELIGIBLE REIMBURSEMENTS AND EXPECT MORE OF THOSE REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS TO COME BEFORE THE BRA.

NOW THAT THE BRA IS RECEIVING.

INCOME IN THE FORM OF TAXES BEING PAID THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PAYOUT.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MEETINGS I WANTED TO BRING THE BOARD UP TO DATE ON.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ANY REPORTS? YES, TRUSTEE WISINSKI? NO SUPERVISOR, THANK YOU.

JUST A COUPLE OF REPORTS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED FIVE GRANTS FOR THE THE GREEN GRANT APPLICATIONS.

WE HAVE JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY.

TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS SET ASIDE BY THE BOARD, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT ANOTHER THOUSAND DOLLARS DONATED BY GRANGER.

WE'LL REVIEW THOSE APPLICATIONS BY MARCH TWENTY FIRST AND THEN HOPEFULLY COME TO A CONSENSUS THEREAFTER.

I ALSO ATTENDED A GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD TRAINING TODAY AS A NEW MEMBER OF THAT BOARD AND WAS A GREAT TRAINING PUT ON BY THE THE SUSTAINABLE PLANNER AND JUST GAVE SOME OVERVIEW ON PURPOSE THAT THE PURPOSE IS TO REGIONALLY PROTECT OUR GROUNDWATER, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY OUR DRINKING WATER.

SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST AS WELL AS SOME MAY BE COMING UP AND HOW MERIDIEN CAN BENEFIT AND/OR PROVIDE INPUT THERE.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

AND THE BOARD MEMBERS? TRUSTEE JACKSON? THANK YOU.

I WOULD JUST REPORT THAT TODAY, MUCH OF TODAY AND SOME OF TOMORROW, I HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE CONTINUING TO ATTEND THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CAPITOL CONFERENCE.

IN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE IS DISCUSSING ON , OR SEVERAL OF THEM, MANY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN MICHIGAN, BOTH THE RECENTLY PASSED AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT, THE FUNDS THAT AND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE WILL CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE FROM THAT HOW THEY SHOULD USE THOSE FUNDS.

AND IN ADDITION, OTHER WORKSHOPS TALKED ABOUT HOW TOWNSHIPS SHOULD MANAGE

[00:30:05]

THE REMAINING TIME WITH COVID-19, INCLUDING ISSUES WITH REMOTE MEETINGS AND VACCINATIONS AND EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC AND SO ON.

HOPEFULLY TOMORROW WE WILL WRAP THAT UP AND WE CAN, I'LL BRING MORE INFORMATION BACK TO YOU NEXT TIME ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID AND ADVISED.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ONE OTHER THING.

ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT I ATTENDED THIS MORNING WAS ACTUALLY HOSTED BY OUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE, JULIE BRIXIE.

AND SO SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN TALKING ABOUT HOW TOWNSHIP ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD RELATE TO THE LEGISLATURE AND HOW THEY CAN BEST HAVE THE LEGISLATURE HELP THEM MOVE.

THEIR, OUR ACTIONS AND ISSUES.

YOU'RE A GOOD SOLDIER TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VIRTUAL, I GUESS AT THIS POINT IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING, BUT ALSO VERY EDUCATIONAL.

THANKS FOR ATTENDING.

AND YOU'RE SHARING THAT WITH US IS VERY HELPFUL.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? GOING TO MENTION, WELL, BEFORE I CALL MR. OPSOMMER, I WANT TO MENTION THAT I GUESS WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE XFINITY AND THE TELEVISION BROADCAST.

AND RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WANT TO HEAR US, WHICH MEANS WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR ME TO SAY THIS THING IS YOU HAVE TO STREAM THROUGH FACEBOOK OR YOUTUBE.

MR. OPSOMMER, YOUR NEXT.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

I JUST WANTED TO NOTE FOR THE BOARD THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSION WILL MEET ON THURSDAY IN A PUBLIC HEARING ON PHASE III OF THE LAKE LANSING MSU PATHWAY AND TRAIL SYSTEM.

AND THEN THE OTHER BIG ITEM ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AGENDA IS LOOKING AT THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.

THE [INAUDIBLE] A LITTLE BIT IN FRONT [INAUDIBLE] AT OUR LAST MEETING TWO MONTHS AGO.

WE.

GOT SOME UPDATES FROM DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY ON VARIOUS TRAILS PROJECTS, AND THE CONVERSATION INEVITABLY KIND OF WENT INTO GAPS AND OTHER SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PATHWAY SYSTEM.

SO WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR SUBJECT GROUP LED BY DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND AND DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY.

BUT THE COMMISSION TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WILL START TALKING ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND THOSE GAPS AND JUST TAKING INVENTORY OF THEM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THAT.

CLERK GUTHRIE? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

FIRST, NEXT TIME, ALL OF YOU FABULOUS PEOPLE WEAR YOUR INCREDIBLE AND RADIANT TOWNSHIP SHIRTS.

I WOULD LIKE THE MEMO THAT I NEED TO WEAR MINE BECAUSE I SEE THREE OF YOU WITH AWESOME TOWNSHIP LOGO JACKETS ON AND I JUST HAVE THIS PLAIN OLD BLUE THING HERE.

SO YOU'RE ROCKING THE PRIME MERIDIAN RIGHT THERE.

SECOND, I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC.

I SENT OUT AN INQUIRY TO SEVERAL PAST ELECTION INSPECTORS FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND THEN RECEIVED OVER ONE HUNDRED REPLIES FROM PEOPLE WANTING TO HELP PREP THE ABSENTEE BALLOT ENVELOPES AND PUT THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN THE ENVELOPES.

WHEN THOSE BALLOTS ARRIVE, WHICH WE SHOULD BE GETTING THEM TOMORROW, AND RECEIVED SEVERAL INQUIRIES FROM PEOPLE EXCITED TO HELP OUT IN THE MAY ELECTIONS.

SO IN ADDITION, SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP CORRECT THIS MAILER THAT WENT OUT.

AND I DID PUT EMAIL IN THE COMMUNICATIONS SECTION.

SO THERE REALLY ARE NOT TWO CLERKS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THERE IS ONLY ONE.

AND IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, MAJOR ACCIDENT BY THE PRINTING COMPANY.

AND SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REACHED OUT TO ME AND VOLUNTEERED TO.

FIX THAT AND PUT AN ADDRESS LABEL OVER THE INCORRECT PORTION OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION.

SO THAT IS ALL.

THE IMPORTANT PART ON THE INSIDE HAD THE RIGHT NAME ANYWAY, IT WAS JUST THE LITTLE RETURN ADDRESS THING, WHICH WAS.

IT'S JUST.

YEAH, I MEAN, EVERYTHING ELSE IS RIGHT.

YOU SEND IT AND YOU DROP IT OFF, YOU KNOW.

[00:35:04]

I MEAN, ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS WE HAVE IS AM ON A PERMANENT ABSENTEE BALLOT LIST.

WHY AM I GETTING THIS APPLICATION? SO YOU'RE REALLY ON A PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER APPLICATION LIST.

SO WHEN YOU'RE ON THAT, YOU AUTOMATICALLY GET AN ABSENTEE VOTER APPLICATION, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO FILL IT OUT TO SAY THAT YOU WANT YOUR BALLOT AND THEN WE SEND IT TO YOU.

SO THAT'S THE BASIC PROCESS.

THAT WAS WORTH MENTIONING, BELIEVE ME.

OK, ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE A LITTLE REPORT.

EARLIER TODAY, THE OFFICE OF OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SLOTKIN WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE WITH HER, BUT SHE GOT PULLED AWAY TO SOMETHING IN CONGRESS.

MET WITH LEADERS FROM THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HER DISTRICT, WHICH IS BETTER PART OF INGHAM, LIVINGSTON AND OKEMA COUNTIES.

AND THEY GAVE US A THOROUGH REPORT ON THE.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, WHICH RECENTLY WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SENDING MONEY TO THE STATES AND THEN EVENTUALLY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING MERIDIAN, IT WAS THE ONE THING THAT THEY EMPHASIZED OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS NONE OF THE NUMBERS ARE CERTAIN AT THIS POINT.

THEY'RE ALL KIND OF UP IN THE AIR.

THEY'RE CLOSE.

THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE FAIRLY CLOSE ON THE NUMBERS.

BUT UNTIL TREASURY GETS ITS HANDS ON THIS, THEY CAN'T REALLY SWEAR THAT ANY OF THE NUMBERS THAT ARE OR ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT ANYONE HAS SEEN OR ANY OF THE PRESS INFORMATION ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

SO WE COULD SEE SOME CHANGES, BUT THEY HOPEFULLY WILL NOT BE VERY MAJOR.

THE MONEY THAT WILL COME TO US AS THE FIRST GO TO THE STATE AND THEN IT'LL COME TO US.

CAN BE SPENT ON FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS, PANDEMIC IMPACTS ON PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, ET CETERA, IN OUR COMMUNITY, PREMIUM PAID FOR WITH THIS LOST REVENUE THAT CAN BE TIED TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE NECESSARY INVESTMENTS IN WATER, SEWER, BROADBAND, INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THAT'S A KEY SINCE ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS THIS YEAR IS BROADBAND.

AND WE MAY BE HAVING TO LOOK AT HOW WE FUND INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND I KNOW WATER AND SEWER HAS GOT SOME THINGS GOING ON AND PART OF THE MONEY CAN BE SPENT THERE AS WELL.

THOSE ARE THE FOUR AREAS THAT OUR TOWNSHIP COULD SPEND MONEY.

IT CAN'T BE USED FOR PENSION FUNDS, SO OUR MANAGER WILL NOT BE HAPPY AND IT CANNOT BE USED TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THE EFFECTS OF ANY TAX CUTS, WHICH I GUESS WE DID LOWER ONE OF OUR [INAUDIBLE].

BUT IT CAN'T BE USED FOR THAT.

THERE'S NO LIMIT ON HOW THE BROADBAND MONEY CAN BE SPENT THAT THEY KNOW OF SO FAR.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.

THE BONUS PAY, THAT IS POSSIBLE UNDER ONE PROVISION IS RETROACTIVE, THEORETICALLY BACK TO MARCH.

IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, THERE COULD BE NO STATE ADDED REQUIREMENTS TO THE MONEY GOING TO THE LOCALS.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE WHATEVER IS IN THE THE CONGRESSIONAL PROVISIONS AND THE TREASURY, U.S.

TREASURY, AND YOU'LL HAVE TILL DECEMBER 31, 2024 TO SPEND THE MONEY.

SO THERE'S GOOD TIME FOR SPENDING THE MONEY.

UNFORTUNATELY, SEVERAL COMMUNITIES ASKED ABOUT PARKS, AND IT MAY STILL BE SAD TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NOT NO AUTHORITY TO SPEND ANYTHING ON PARKS IN THERE.

BUT ANYWAY, UNLESS YOU CAN SOMEHOW TIE IT TO A PANDEMIC EFFECT, I GUESS.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT I KNOW MR. OPSOMMER HAS DONE IN TERMS OF KEEPING US UP TO SPEED ON THIS THROUGHOUT.

AND HE'S GIVING US THE BEST NUMBERS POSSIBLE AS SOON AS HE'S LEARNED THEM AND LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO GET SOME, WHAT ROUGHLY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, I BELIEVE.

IS THAT RIGHT, MR. OPSOMMER? FOUR POINT TWO SIX SEVEN.

AS OF THE LAST COUNT.

IT'S DUE TO UNCLEAR PICTURE [INAUDIBLE] FOR VILLAGES.

RIGHT, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A VILLAGE, WHICH WE DO NOT AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, ON A MAP WILL SAY VILLAGE OF OKEMAS, WHATEVER.

WE DON'T HAVE A VILLAGE IN THE SENSE OF A SEPARATELY GOVERNED ENTITY.

BUT THOSE TOWNSHIPS THAT DO.

THERE'S A DEDUCT AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE ENTIRE POOL OF MONEY OR JUST FROM THAT TOWNSHIP.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF ISSUES THAT THE US TREASURY WILL BE WORKING OUT.

ALL RIGHTY.

WITH THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

AND FOLKS WE DID HAVE A NEW AGENDA THAT CAME OUT.

IT ADDED A COUPLE OF RESOLUTIONS.

HOPEFULLY YOU ALL SAW THAT.

I KNOW MISS JACKSON WAS TIED UP TODAY.

[00:40:01]

MAYBE SHE DIDN'T SEE THAT.

SHE SAID SHE DID.

OK, GOOD.

SO COULD WE HAVE MOTION MS. JACKSON? YOU'RE MUTED.

I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE REVISED AGENDA.

SECONDED BY TREASURER.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THEN WE NEED A VOTE.

MS. GUTHRIE? ALL RIGHT.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

AND TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

AND TRUSTEE JACKSON.

WE'LL NOW GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH HAS ADDED COMMUNICATIONS OUR MINUTES

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

FROM FEBRUARY.

23RD VIRTUAL SPECIAL BOARD MEETING.

AND OUR MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 2ND, VIRTUAL REGULAR BOARD MEETING THE BILLS THAT NEED TO BE FINALLY PAID.

THE GRANT SUBMISSION FOR THE TOWN OF [INAUDIBLE] PARK PLAYGROUND.

AND LASTLY, THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING DATE CHANGE.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THE ELECTION WEEK MEETING FROM A TUESDAY TO A THURSDAY, WHICH IS GOING TO CHANGE IT TO MAY.

I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

IF SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

TREASURER? I MOVE SUPPORT, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE JACKSON.

WE NEED TO VOTE.

AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

SEVEN TO ZERO, THANK YOU ALL.

QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE] THAT HERE AT THIS TIME.

IT WILL BE LATER IN THE MEETING.

NO HEARINGS.

WE NOW COME TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST ACTION ITEM IS A 6503 PARK LAKE ROAD OPEN SPACE EASEMENT.

[12A. 6503 Park Lake Road Open Space Easement]

WE DISCUSSED THIS IN OUR LAST [INAUDIBLE] AND WITH MR. MENSER, MR. ? WHO'S HERE TODAY? MR. MENSER WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO AHEAD? I CAN GO.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

OH, MARK.

THANK YOU, MARK.

THIS IS OPEN SPACE EASEMENT UNDER THE FARM AND OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

THE TOWNSHIP HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS FIRST TO ACCEPT THE PROPERTY AND THEN FROM THERE WOULD GO ON TO THE STATE.

BASED ON YOUR LAST DISCUSSION, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT TERMINATION, AND I PUT THAT IN THE MOST RECENT MEMO THAT EITHER OF THE TOWNSHIP CAN INITIATE A TERMINATION OF THIS EASEMENT DURING ITS LIFE TERM.

AND ALSO THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN REQUEST THAT TO BE TERMINATED IF THE EASEMENT IS SOLD DURING THIS TIME AND NOT TO SOMEBODY WHO IS ALREADY NAMED ON THE EASEMENT.

THEN THERE'S A PROCESS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD MAINTAIN THE EASEMENT AS IT'S GOING TO BE ADOPTED.

AND THERE IS A RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE EASEMENT IN YOUR PACKAGE.

IS THERE A MOTION? YES, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? JUST ONE MOMENT HERE.

I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING LOCAL OPEN SPACE EASEMENT BETWEEN DAVID AND JOAN JOHNSON.

HOW MUCH SOD NURSERIES INC AND THE MERIDIAN, THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN OR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6503 PARK LAKE ROAD.

IN THE TOWNSHIP PREPARE AN EASEMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS AUTHORIZED BY PART 361 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT PUBLIC ACT 451 OF THE PUBLIC ACTS OF 1994 SECTIONS 324.36101 TO 324.36116 OF MICHIGAN'S COMPILED LAWS AND [INAUDIBLE].

IS THERE SUPPORT THAT MOTION? SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

MR. OPSOMMER, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

[00:45:03]

I WOULD JUST SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE CITY OF EAST LANSING PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALSO INTERVIEWED AND SIGNED OFF.

AND WE HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION IN OUR PACKET AS WELL AS THE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT.

AND AS I NOTED AT THE LAST MEETING, FROM THE LAND PRESERVATION STANDPOINT, WHILE THIS IS NOT BEING PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY, THIS IS ADJACENT TO ONE OF OUR EXISTING PRESERVES AND IT'S ADJACENT ON ITS WESTERN BORDER TO LAND THAT MAY AT SOME POINT ENTER INTO OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

WE'RE HAVING AN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE HAD ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH THE LANDOWNER.

SO I DO THINK THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP AND WE WILL SEE HOW THIS RELATIONSHIP EVOLVES.

BUT MUCH OF OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM IS PREDICATED UPON THE GOOD FAITH AND THE CHARITY OF PEOPLE AND DOWN THE ROAD.

I SUPPORT THIS, THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS? YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST TIME.

BECAUSE WE'RE PRETTY MUCH READY TO VOTE THEN.

MS. GUTHRIE? CALL THE ROLL.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

THE NEXT ITEM IS, WAS BROUGHT TO US BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND IT'S A VERY

[12B. Resolution Recognizing Autism Awareness Month]

IMPORTANT AREA THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE, AND THAT IS A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE APRIL 2021 AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE'RE ONLY MID MARCH.

BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A BUSINESS MEETING BEFORE APRIL.

WE, MR. OPSOMMER AND I THOUGHT, BE A GOOD TIME TO ADOPT THIS NOW TO MAKE THE PUBLIC IS WHERE POSSIBLE OF AUTISM AND THE ISSUES IT PRESENTS AND THE TACTICS THAT ARE TRYING TO BE USED, ET CETERA, TO HELP PEOPLE AND HELP FAMILIES WHO HAVE AUTISM.

AND WITH THAT, LOOKING FOR A MOTION, MR. OPSOMMER.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 2021 AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

[INAUDIBLE].

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT IT OR YOU WANT TO READ IT OR WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? DO YOU? YEAH, I COULD READ THROUGH IT REAL QUICK, I'LL START WITH THE WHEREASES.

THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL OF 2021 AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WHEREAS AUTISM REFERS TO A RANGE OF CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZED BY CHALLENGES WITH SOCIAL SKILLS, REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR, SPEECH, NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION, AS WELL AS UNIQUE STRENGTHS AND DIFFERENCES.

IN 2013, THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION EMERGED OR PREVIOUSLY DISTINCT DIAGNOSES INTO ONE UMBRELLA DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ASD.

THESE INCLUDE AUTISTIC DISORDER, CHILDHOOD.

A DISINTEGRATIVE DISORDER, PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER, NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, AND ASPERGER'S SYNDROME.

IT IS THE RESULT OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER THAT AFFECTS THE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE BRAIN THAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS.

AND WHEREAS FAMILIES LIVING WITH AUTISM FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COST.

AFTER SPECIALIZED EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES, THE UNIQUENESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL WITH AUTISM MAKES THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING WITH AUTISM DIFFERENT FOR EACH FAMILY.

AND WHEREAS AUTISM AS A LIFELONG CONDITION AND THE NECESSARY SUPPORT AND TREATMENT CHANGES AS PEOPLE ON A SPECTRUM MOVE THROUGH MAJOR LIFE PHASES.

THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE DEPENDS NOT ONLY UPON THE FOUNDATION THAT IS PROVIDED IN CHILDHOOD, BUT ALSO AN ONGOING SUPPORTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL, SOCIAL, RECREATIONAL, FAMILY AND EMPLOYMENT NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND WHEREAS AUTISM KNOWS NO RACIAL, ETHNIC, SOCIAL BOUNDARIES, FAMILY INCOME, LIFESTYLE, EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND CAN AFFECT ANY FAMILY AND ANY CHILD.

AND WHEREAS AUTISM IS THE FASTEST GROWING DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY, AND WHEREAS IN 2020 THE CDC REPORTED APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FIFTY FOUR CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ASD.

[00:50:04]

ACCORDING TO 2016 DATA.

RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT BOYS ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM THAN GIRLS.

IN APRIL 2021 IS NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DECLARE APRIL 2021 AS AUTISM MONTH IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND ANY OTHER MEMBERS WHO WANT TO COMMENT? MS. WISINSKI? WAS THAT YOUR HAND.

I COULD COMMENT.

WELL.

AND FEEDBACK, SORRY.

WELL WRITTEN AND JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND WANT AWARENESS TO BE BROUGHT TO ALSO THOSE CAREGIVERS THAT I KNOW WOULD FACE A LOT OF STRUGGLE.

SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S FAST GROWING AND AS A COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY WELCOMING.

AND I CAN MAKE THE MOTION.

NO, I'M SORRY.

DO WE NEED A MOTION? I BELIEVE WE NEED A SECOND.

OK? I SECONDED IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS SECONDED AND YOU WERE SPEAKING ON IT FIRSTHAND AND COURTNEY WAS SPEAKING, SECONDING.

I HAVE A NEPHEW I WATCHED GROW FROM INFANCY TO EARLY ADULTHOOD WITH AUTISM, AND IT IS A CHALLENGE.

AND I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IT AND IT CAN HAVE GREAT OUTCOMES, TOO, IF YOU IF YOU WORK REALLY HARD AND HAVE THE RIGHT SUPPORT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE CALL EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO IT.

I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE IN OUR TOWNSHIP DO VERY WELL IN TERMS OF RECOGNIZING AUTISM AND ALL THE VARIOUS TYPES HAVE ALL BEEN MERGED UNDER ONE CATEGORY NOW AND TO WORK WITH THOSE FAMILIES AND THOSE STUDENTS.

SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.

ANYONE ELSE.

MS. SUNDLAND? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY SON HAS RECENTLY BECOME ENGAGED TO A YOUNG LADY WHOSE BROTHER IS SEVERELY AUTISTIC.

SHE WORKS FOR AUTISM SERVICES IN THE ROYAL OAK AREA OR DETROIT AREA.

SO SHE ACTUALLY HELPS PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH SERVICES WHEN THEY'RE SEARCHING TO, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR NEEDS MET.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY SON HAS COMMITTED TO MARRYING INTO A FAMILY THAT WITH SOMEONE SEVERELY AUTISTIC.

AND I JUST REALLY ADMIRE HIM BECAUSE THAT WAS A LIFE DECISION ON HIS PART.

IN ADDITION TO GETTING MARRIED, IT WAS A LIFE DECISION.

SO I JUST SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF HIM.

DO I SEE ANY OTHER HANDS? YES, CLERK? I WANT TO THANK TRUSTEE OF SUMMER FOR RAISING AWARENESS AND BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD.

MY NEPHEW HAS ASPERGER'S SYNDROME AND SO IT WAS OBVIOUSLY HE RECEIVED A TON OF SUPPORT FROM HIS PARENTS AND FROM OUR FAMILY.

AND WE ALL LIVE IN OKEMOS TOGETHER.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO BE THERE FOR MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER IN LAW.

AND THE OKEMAS SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS FANTASTIC.

THEY WERE GREAT SUPPORTING HIM AND HIS NEEDS.

AND HE IS FUNCTIONING REALLY WELL TODAY AS AN ADULT.

AND SO I HAVE SEEN, IT'S DEAR TO MY HEART, CLOSE TO MY HEART WHAT SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS, THE SYMPTOMS ARE.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD AND HAVING US PASS THIS RESOLUTION.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? JUST A FEW CLOSING REMARKS.

I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS AND SENTIMENT.

OBVIOUSLY, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY CLOSE ISSUE FOR ME.

I HAVE AN ADULT BROTHER WITH AUTISM WHO I GREW UP WITH AND THEN AN 11 YEAR OLD SON, JACK , WHO WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE FOUR WITH AUTISM.

I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES LIKE ASD, WE SHOULD ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OUT THERE AND SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES ARE NOT AS WELL OFF TODAY IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES RENDERED, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS PREVALENT AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET PARITY LEGISLATION REQUIRING INSURANCE COVERAGE.

THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR THAT'S CHANGED WITH POOR FAMILIES WITH AUTISTIC CHILDREN OR ADULTS.

[00:55:02]

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES EITHER IN THE TOWNSHIP TODAY OR ADJACENT TO THE TOWNSHIP.

THAT OFFER ABA'S THERAPY SERVICES THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL LEGISLATIVE REFORMS IN 2016.

SO GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE AS IT RELATES TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITH AUTISM.

BUT WE ALSO NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OUT THERE AND THOSE FAMILIES CAN OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED AS WE LOOK AT THESE ISSUES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? HERE, MR. DESCHAINE.

WE NEED A VOTE.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

AND SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.

MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

[12C. Capital Area District Library Appointment]

OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE CAPITOL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY APPOINTMENT.

SANDRA DRAKE HAS BEEN SERVING NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CADL BOARD, AND I'M PROPOSING THAT WE RENEW HER FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.

MS. JACKSON, YOU'RE MUTED.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF SANDRA DRAKE TO THE CAPITOL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY FOR THE TERM ENDING 4/15/2023.

SUPPORT.

TREASURER? ALL RIGHT.

OR ANY COMMENTS, MS. JACKSON? I WOULD ONLY REITERATE THAT MISS DRAKE HAS BEEN SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY FOR THE TOWNSHIP, I BELIEVE, THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THREE YEAR? IT'S BEEN A TWO OR THREE.

OK, AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PROMOTE HER REAPPOINTMENT.

MR. DESCHAINE? I WAS HOPING WE COULD GET MS. DRAKE TO SPEAK AT A FUTURE MEETING AND ALSO FOR [INAUDIBLE] THERE ARE TWO LIBRARIANS, TOM MOORE FROM HASLETT AND BETSY HALL FROM THE OKEMAS BRANCH.

LIBRARIES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND WE SUPPORT THE CADL SYSTEM VERY MUCH IN THIS TOWNSHIP, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND OTHERWISE.

AND TO GET AN UPDATE FROM THEM ABOUT THEIR REOPENING PLANS, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING DURING THE LOCKDOWN, ET CETERA.

SO WE'VE GOT TWO GREAT LIBRARIANS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT'S HAD THEM COME BACK WITH OUR [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTATIVE.

THEY'RE PUTTING FORTH THE MS. DRAKE, I DID SPEAK WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LIBRARIES AS WELL AS THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARIANS, AND I GOT THEIR INPUT.

AND I GUESS IN MORE RECENT TIMES, MS. DRAKE HAS BEEN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO FRIENDS AND TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY.

SO I'M HOPING I CAN GET HER TO DO THAT OCCASIONALLY FOR US AS WELL.

I'D HOPED FOR TODAY, BUT APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE NEED A VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

THEN TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

OUR NEXT ONE IS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.

[12D. Environmental Commission Appointments]

DUE TO SOME RESIGNATIONS AND WE'VE HAD TWO OPENINGS APPEARED ON OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMMISSION AND IT GIVES A LOT OF INPUT TO THIS BOARD, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

ALL KINDS OF ISSUES, INCLUDING WETLANDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE LARGER SENSE AND THEIR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, ET CETERA.

AND I PUT FORTH A MEMORANDUM THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE APPOINT ANNA COLBY TO A TERM ENDING IN 12/31 OF '22 AND KENDRA GRASSESCHI, I'LL PASS ON IT, FOR 12/31/21.

AND I WOULD ASK MS. WISINSKI, WHO'S OUR LIAISON.

IF SHE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION AND TALK ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

SURE.

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF ANNA COLBY TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR A TERM ENDING 12/31/2022 AND MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF KENDRA GRASSESCHI TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR A TERM ENDING 12/31/2021.

I WOULD ALSO MENTION, BY THE WAY, THAT THE COMMISSION ITSELF AS A HISTORIAN SAYS

[01:00:04]

IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT BY CUSTOM HAS HAPPENED WHERE THEY USUALLY INTERVIEW CANDIDATES FOR REPLACING THEIR MEMBERS THAT LEAVE.

AND THEY DID INTERVIEW WITH THREE PEOPLE AND FOUND ALL THREE OF THEM WERE [INAUDIBLE].

SO IT'S BECAME A LITTLE TOUGHER BECAUSE I HAD TO FLIP THE COINS AND FIGURE OUT WHICH OF THE TWO WHICH TWO OUT OF THE THREE TO GO FORWARD WITH.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL FIND A GOOD SPOT FOR THE THIRD PERSON IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IF NOT ON THIS COMMISSION SOMEWHERE ELSE.

MS. WISINSKI, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? SURE, I WOULD AGREE.

I UNFORTUNATELY MISSED THE LAST ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING DUE TO FAMILY CONCERNS, BUT THE THREE APPLICATIONS WERE ALL FANTASTIC.

ALL HAVE EXCELLENT CREDENTIALS AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EACH OF THEM FOR ASPIRING TO SERVE ON A COMMISSION HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

EACH HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND OF COURSE, WISH WE COULD HAVE THEM ALL ON THE COMMISSION.

BUT I WILL SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO MS. GRASSESCHI, AS SHE HAS SERVED ALREADY IN AN UNOFFICIAL CAPACITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE GREEN TEAM.

AND SHE WORKED WITH SOME OF OUR STAFF AND SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBERS TO DEVELOP A WETLAND BROCHURE TO EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS ON THE WETLAND ORDINANCES AND HOW YOU CAN PROTECT THEM.

AND ALSO, SHE'S A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK.

SO SHE'S ALREADY PROVIDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SERVICE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HER PROVIDING MORE IN THE FUTURE.

NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH MS. COLBY, BUT AGAIN, HER CREDENTIALS LOOKED FANTASTIC AND JUST WANT TO COMMEND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND WANTING TO SERVE.

ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS? MS. JACKSON? WANTED TO SECOND THE MOTION, I BELIEVE THAT WAS OFFERED BY MS. WISINSKI.

I DON'T THINK WE HAD A SECOND.

OH, YOU THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME ON THE BALL.

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ME BACK ON THE BALL, I SHOULD SAY.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ON THIS OR IS THAT IT.

NO, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, THEN WE WILL DO A VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES.

AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

NEXT ITEM, I REALLY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, HE DID ALL

[12E. Resolution on COVID-19 Relief Funding for School Districts]

THE WORK ON THIS AND ALLOWED ME TO PUT MY NAME ON.

HIS MEMO ALONG WITH THIS, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE ALL FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING WITHOUT UNDUE BURDEN ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT HAPPENING IF YOU'VE PAID ANY ATTENTION BOTH THE OKEMAS AND HASLETT BOARDS THAT THEY HAVE UNEXPECTED MEETINGS IN ORDER TO CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULES, TO ADAPT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURES ARE REQUIRING THINGS THAT WERE UNEXPECTED IN TERMS OF HOW A PROGRAM BE PROVIDED IN ORDER TO GET THE MONEY.

AND SO MR. OPSOMMER PUT THIS TOGETHER.

I CALL ON MR. OPSOMMER.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, I WILL START WITH THE MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND CALL ON THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE ALL FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING WITHOUT UNDUE BURDEN ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

IS THERE A SECOND? TRYING TO STAY ON THE BALL WITH THIS THING.

MS. JACKSON? I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION AS WELL.

AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT CAN YOU KIND OF SUMMARIZE FOR US, MR. OPSOMMER? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SUMMARIZE ON THIS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET INTO THE MECHANICS OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, BUT I THINK I FELT LIKE IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO HIGHLIGHT AND ALSO STAND WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARDS IN SOLIDARITY THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME HERE.

ESPECIALLY OKEMAS SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, WHICH HAD KIND OF A HYBRID PLAN THAT WAS UNLIKE MOST OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

THEY HAD PLANNED FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING IN THE MORNING WITH IN-PERSON IN THE AFTERNOON BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MANY PARENTS WISHING TO OPT OUT, BUT ALSO QUITE A FEW PARENTS WISHING TO ATTEND IN PERSON.

SO IT WAS A DIFFICULT AND THEY'VE REALLY WHAT THE LEGISLATURE REQUIRED OF THEM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR FUNDING WAS ONE POINT FOUR WAS 20 HOURS.

[01:05:02]

TWENTY HOURS OF IN-PERSON LEARNING PER WEEK, FOUR HOURS PER DAY OR SOME OTHER FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE ON A DIFFERENT, IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFERS LESS THAN FIVE DAYS PER WEEK.

SO THE ISSUE WITH OKEMAS IS THEY CAN'T SIMPLY EXPAND THEIR SCHOOL HOURS PER DAY, IF THEY WENT AND THEY EXPANDED THEIR SCHOOL HOURS TO MEET THE FOUR HOURS, THEY WOULD END UP WITH CHILDREN ON THE BUS AT SIX THIRTY PM BECAUSE OF THE TWO DIFFERENT BLOCKS.

AND THERE'S NOT OVERLAP BETWEEN THOSE BLOCKS, SO.

THE FUNDING THAT'S BEING WITHHELD FROM THEM, IF THEY DID NOT ADAPT, IS STATE RESTRICTED FUNDING AND IT'S A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE LANSING THAT ARE NOT IMPACTED.

LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FUNDING IS EXCLUSIVELY FEDERAL FUNDING.

IT'S TITLE I FUNDING THAT GOES TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE NUMBER OF PUPILS THAT THEY HAVE THAT ARE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

BECAUSE OF OKEMAS IN EAST LANSING.

HASLETT, WILLIAMSTON HAVE VERY FEW PUPILS THAT ARE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

THEY RELY ON THE STATE FUNDING, WHICH IS WHAT WAS RESTRICTED REQUIRING THIS MARCH 22ND DATE OF REOPENING 20 HOURS PER WEEK.

WHEN CREATING THESE ISSUES FOR EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS.

BUT OKEMAS ESPECIALLY SO I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO STAND WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARDS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME OF ADAPTING WITHIN ABOUT A WEEK'S TIME TO DO THIS.

AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

WE HAVE EXCELLENT SCHOOLS HERE IN OUR TOWNSHIP, AND IT'S A SHAME THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY STUMBLING BLOCKS AT ALL.

I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PARENTS WERE ABOUT 60-40 AND WANTING IN SCHOOL OR STAY AT HOME, AND THAT'S VIRTUALLY HALF EACH WAY, WHICH IS WHY OKEMAS ENDED UP WITH A REAL PROBLEM, BECAUSE ONCE THEY PLANNED FOR THAT, IT BECAME HARD TO UNPLAN FOR THAT, SO TO SPEAK, AND CHANGE WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? DESCHAINE? .

APPRECIATE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER BRINGING THIS BEFORE THE BOARD FOR OUR SUPPORT.

SCHOOLS ARE UNDER INCREDIBLE STRESS RIGHT NOW.

TEACHERS ARE, ADMINISTRATORS ARE, AND OF COURSE, PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE AS WELL.

THEY HAD THE LEGISLATURE PLAYING THESE GAMES ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE.

TO COMPLICATE THE SITUATION IS REALLY CRIMINAL.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS RESOLUTION WILL HELP FREE UP THE MONEY AND TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF OUR EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HERE IN MERIDIAN.

THANK YOU, COURTNEY WISINSKI, PLEASE.

YES, I WANT TO THINK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND SUPERVISOR FOR SUPPORTING THIS.

AS A OKEMAS SCHOOL PARENT.

IT WAS YOU KNOW, WE'VE WATCHED THE SCHOOL BOARD OVER THE LAST YEAR CAREFULLY AND ARTICULATELY LOOK AT WHAT IS THE SAFE RETURN POLICY FOR OKEMAS AND WE'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL.

WE HAVEN'T HAD IN PERSON SCHOOL UNTIL THIS MONDAY WAS WHEN WE STARTED.

AND THEN THIS PUT A BIG KINK IN ALL OF THOSE PLANS.

SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, TREASURER DESCHAINE, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE TEACHERS, PARENTS FINDING RIDES FOR TRANSPORTATION, EVERYBODY IS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BY THIS, AS WE HAVE BEEN EVERYBODY IN THE PAST YEAR.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, AGAIN, BRINGING ATTENTION AND THE SUPPORT FOR THIS ORDINANCE.

ANYTHING ELSE? IF WE PUSH, OH.

MS. JACKSON, YES? COULD I JUST ASK MR. OPSOMMER TO REPEAT THE GIST OF THE RESOLUTION? WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING SPECIFICALLY? SO THE LEGISLATURE IS STILL WITHHELD EXTENSIVE AMOUNTS OF COVID RELIEF FUNDING.

THERE WAS FIVE POINT SIX BILLION APPROVED.

ROUGHLY TWO THIRDS OF THAT IS STILL WITHHELD DUE TO VARIOUS PROVISIONS OR JUST WAS NOT APPROPRIATED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO IN THIS CASE, WITH THE SCHOOL FUNDING, 840 MILLION WAS NOT APPROPRIATED DUE TO THE GOVERNOR VETOING ONE OF THE BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ABILITY TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND OTHER PANDEMICS AND THIS FUNDING IN QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, IF OKEMAS WERE NOT TO OPEN OR TO ADHERE TO THESE REQUIREMENTS BY MARCH 22ND.

IN OTHER DISTRICTS, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER ONE POINT FOUR BILLION IN FUNDING.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOVING PIECES WITHIN IT IN TERMS OF HOW THE FUNDING IS BEING WITHHELD, BUT.

[01:10:01]

WE ARE CALLING ON THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE ALL FIVE POINT SIX BILLION THAT WAS APPROVED BACK IN DECEMBER AND IS STILL YET TO BE FULLY APPROPRIATED.

AND DEPENDING ON THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE STILL UNCLEAR WHAT THE TOWNSHIPS FUNDING, THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS US DIRECTLY WITH OUR PAYMENT.

OK I JUST WANT TO MENTION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER BUT WITH REGARD TO ALL THESE RESOLUTIONS, I KNOW CLERK GUTHRIE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ON YOUR RADAR, BUT YOU SHOULD BE SENDING THESE COPIES OF THESE RESOLUTIONS TO THE APPROPRIATE PLACES IN THIS CASE WOULD BE THE LEADERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF BOTH HOUSES.

OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT HELPS ME.

AND WITH REGARD TO OTHER ONES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE AUTISM ONE PERHAPS YOU COULD WORK WITH OUR OUR PRESS PEOPLE TO GET OUT SOMETHING TO THE PUBLIC TO REMIND THEM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CARE FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

BUT JUST A FUTURE NOTE.

OK, WE NEED A VOTE.

MS. GUTHRIE.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

AND THE CLERK VOTES YES.

AND I'M GOING TO THANK DAN AGAIN.

THANK YOU AGAIN, DAN.

DAN HAS BEEN BUSY.

[12F. Resolution Honoring the Honorable Frank J. Kelley]

HE GOT THIS STARTED AND I KIND OF FINISHED IT, MY OLD BOSS, FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS.

SO WHILE HE WAS 30 SOME YEARS, BECAUSE THE LAST FEW YEARS OF MY TERM WAS UNDER, THE AG'S OFFICE WAS UNDER A DIFFERENT AG'S.

BUT MR. FRANK KELLEY, WHO HIRED ME AND TRAINED ME AND MENTORED ME AND HE SAID A LOT OF WAYS, LIKE A LIKE A SECOND PARENT TO ME, PROFESSIONALLY AT LEAST.

PASSED AWAY AT 96.

AND THERE'S LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF US THAT ARE EXTREMELY SAD OVER THIS.

HE'S A GREAT MAN.

IN FACT, UNTIL HE WAS MOVED TO FLORIDA JUST ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO, I WOULD SEE HIM WEEKLY SO AND STILL TRYING TO TALK TO HIM ONCE HE WAS DOWN THERE.

HE'LL BE MISSED.

HE HAS BEEN MISSED IN THE SENSE THAT HE HASN'T BEEN AG FOR A LONG TIME SINCE 1990.

BUT HE WAS A GREAT MAN.

AND THIS IS A MOTION.

I MEAN, IT'S A RESOLUTION TO HONOR FRANK J.

KELLY, WHO IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE ETERNAL GENERAL.

ETERNAL BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY SERVED LONGER THAN ANY MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, HE SERVED LONGER THAN ANY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES OR THE UNITED STATES ITSELF, OF COURSE.

AND DUE TO TERM LIMITS WAS HIS HE WILL NEVER BE EQUALED.

HE WAS, HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE.

HIS HIS THING WAS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, THAT WHAT THE AGENCY OR THE LEGISLATURE OR THE GOVERNOR OR ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO WITH THE LAW REQUIRED AND DO IT RIGHT.

AND DO IT SO THAT IT HELPED PEOPLE THAT WAS ALWAYS HIS THIS THING.

HE GOT TO BE KNOWN AS THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER BECAUSE OF THAT.

HEY THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO WANT TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION.

AND I WOULD ASK IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE THAT MOTION.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

THANK YOU, CLERK.

SECOND.

COURTNEY WISINSKI SECONDED.

AND I'VE TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MOTION, IT GOT LONG BECAUSE I KEPT ADDING MORE THINGS AS I THOUGHT ABOUT MR. KELLY.

HIS LIFE WAS VERY, VERY FULL, HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE.

YOU KNOW, HE STARTED OUT IN DETROIT.

HIS FATHER WAS A POLITICIAN, IN A SENSE, IN WAYNE COUNTY.

HE ACTUALLY RAN THE STATE MENTAL INSTITUTION DOWN THERE FOR MANY YEARS.

HIS FATHER DID.

HE HIMSELF, MR. KELLY, WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT UNDERGRAD AND LAW.

HE ENDED UP IN ALPENA, WHERE HE ENDED UP IN ADDITION TO HAVE HIS OWN PRACTICE, CITY ATTORNEY.

AND HE SPENT 30 YEARS, I THINK WAS THIRTY SEVEN YEARS AS ATTORNEY GENERALOF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, WAS DEDICATED TO PEOPLE AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT.

ETHICS WERE ALWAYS TRYING ON HIS RADAR.

AND AFTER HE RETIRED FROM THE AG RELUCTANTLY IN HIS 70S, HE STARTED A LAW FIRM WITH A FORMER LEGISLATOR AND MR. CAWTHORN.

SO IT WAS A BIPARTISAN FIRM.

AND IT WAS NOT ONLY THAT THEY PRACTICED LAW AND REPRESENT CLIENTS, THEY ALSO DID SOME LOBBYING, WHICH IS IRONIC BECAUSE MR. KELLY, WHILE HE WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL, I HEARD HIM SAY THIS A HUNDRED TIMES, DIDN'T

[01:15:02]

GIVE A DAMN FOR LOBBYISTS AND WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING THEY HAD TO SAY.

HE KIND OF BECAME ONE AT THE END.

SO BUT HE AND THEN HE RETIRED FROM THAT LAW, THAT FIRM, AND UNFORTUNATELY NOW IS LEFT OUT.

SO THERE'S A GOOD BOOK OUT THAT WAS PUT OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHICH THERE WAS A GROUP OF US THAT WOULD MEET FOR BREAKFAST ON SATURDAYS THAT SORT OF GHOSTWRITERS OR PARTS OF IT.

I MEAN, WE DON'T GET CREDIT, BUT IT'S CALLED THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF FRANK J.

KELLEY, THE NATION'S LONGEST SERVING ATTORNEY GENERAL AND COMMENDED TO ALL OF YOU GET IT THROUGH AMAZON.

WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE THIS MOTION? OR DID WE DO THAT ALREADY? YEAH, WE DID.

YEAH, OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE WAS TO SAY ABOUT MR. KELLEY? MS. JACKSON? YES, MR. STYKA, I BELIEVE I ONLY MET MR. KELLEY ONCE, BUT I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WAS A RESIDENT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

HE MOVED TO FLORIDA ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

HE LIVED RIGHT ON LAKE LANSING, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

MR. DESCHAINE? THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.

FRANK KELLY REALLY WAS AN INSTITUTION IN MICHIGAN.

I WAS FOUR WHEN HE BECAME ATTORNEY GENERAL ON WELL OVER 40 WHEN HE RETIRED.

HE REALLY WAS A CONSUMER ADVOCATE AS WELL.

AND HE TOOK ON THE BIG COMPANIES.

HE TOOK ON THE UTILITIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, NUCLEAR POWER WAS AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME IN MICHIGAN.

HOW MANY NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS WE SHOULD HAVE.

AND HE KEPT THE UTILITIES IN CHECK AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE BUILDING THE RIGHT SIZE PLANTS AND THEY WEREN'T OVERCHARGING THE CONSUMERS.

OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH WE ALL ACT ON, WE ALL WORK UNDER, WAS MUCH HIS GOOD WORK.

AND HE BECAME A STRONG CONSUMER ADVOCATE.

AND I THINK WE'RE ALL BETTER OFF IN MICHIGAN BECAUSE OF THE GROUNDWORK HE LAID FOR CONSUMERS HAVING RIGHTS IN THE STATE AND NOT BEING THE VICTIM OF CORPORATE MALFEASANCE.

SO HE'S MISSED SINCE HE LEFT AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OF COURSE, HE WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF A GREAT ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERALS LIKE YOURSELF, MR. STYKA.

SO HE LEAVES A BIG LEGACY IN THIS STATE AND HE'LL BE MISSED.

AND IN FACT, HE FOUNDED THE FIRST CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION OF ANY OF THIS, ANY STATE, THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF ANY STATE, AND ALSO THE FIRST ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION OF ANY STATE.

SO THAT WAS BOTH SIDES OF THAT COIN IN THE SENSE ONE WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE OTHER WAS OTHERS WERE PEOPLE PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION.

AND IT WAS A VERY FORWARD THINKING IN THAT WAY.

AND THEN BACK IN THE 60S, HE WAS VERY, VERY STRONG IN TERMS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND BREAKING DOWN THE REDLINING, ET CETERA, THAT WAS OCCURRING LIKE IN THE GROSSE POINTES AREA OF DETROIT, ET CETERA.

HE WAS A BIG CHAMPION OF CIVIL RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

HE WAS A GOOD MAN, IS A GOOD MAN.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SHARE MY FAVORITE FRANK KELLEY STORY, WHICH IS WHEN HE WORKED AS A SEAMAN ON THE FERRIES ACROSS THE STRAITS OF MACKINAW, AND THAT WAS PRE MACKINAW BRIDGE.

SO THOSE FERRIES WOULD TRANSPORT THE TRUCKS AND CARS AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO AND FROM THE UPPER PENINSULA ON THE LOWER PENINSULA.

AND HE ACTUALLY WHEN HE LEFT THE CITY OF DETROIT AND WENT UP THERE AND WORKED I BELIEVE A SUMMER OR TWO ON THE FERRIES, HE ACTUALLY LIED ABOUT HIS AGE TO ACQUIRE THE JOB, WHICH IS A LITTLE KNOWN FACT.

THAT DOESN'T GET A LOT OF ATTENTION.

BUT I HAVE READ THE BOOK AND I VERY MUCH ADMIRE MR. KELLEY'S LEGACY.

THE OTHER THOUGHT THAT I WANTED TO SHARE, THAT'S A LITTLE KNOWN FACT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE OFFICE, IT WAS A TWO YEAR TERM AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, IT WASN'T UNTIL THAT TIME HE WAS ELECTED.

IT WAS ELECTED.

YOU GOT APPOINTED BECAUSE HIS PREDECESSOR MOVED TO THE SUPREME COURT.

THE CHANGE WAS TO MOVE IT TO A FOUR YEAR TERM.

BUT EVEN IN THAT PRE KELLY ERA, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE TERM, YOU KNOW, MOST ATTORNEY GENERALS ONLY SERVED A YEAR OR TWO AND THEY WERE OFTEN LOOKING TO GREENER PASTURES AND THEY WERE OFTEN APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOT ANY LINEAGE IN TERMS OF THAT OFFICE.

AND HE REALLY MADE IT INTO THE INSTITUTION THAT IT HAS BECOME.

IT WAS KIND OF A.

OR PEOPLE JUST OVERLOOK THE OFFICE PRIOR TO HIS SERVICE AND WHEN HE BUILT IT INTO AND IT WAS QUITE THE REVOLUTIONARY TIME WHEN IT CAME IN, KENNEDY WAS

[01:20:02]

APPOINTED AS THE U.S.

ATTORNEY GENERAL AND FRANK KELLEY, BEING THE YOUNGEST STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, HIRED A TON OF YOUNG LAWYERS, INCLUDING RON AND MARK MEADOWS AND MIKE MOQUIN, WHO'S ANOTHER TOWNSHIP RESIDENT AND REALLY JUST FILLED THE ENTIRE OFFICE AND BUILT IT OUT WITH YOUNG, FRESH IDEAS STRAIGHT OUT OF LAW SCHOOL.

THERE'S PROBABLY 20 ASSISTANT AGS RESIDING IN THE TOP, FORMER AND CURRENT, AND MARK BLUMER, WHO'S ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, WAS AN AG AS WELL, JUST FOR EVERYONE.

SO, MR. PETER TRUSIZE.

SO WE'RE EVERYWHERE.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T YOU CAN'T ESCAPE US IN THE GREATER LANSING AREA AND YOU CAN'T ESCAPE US IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

ONE OF THE LESSER KNOWN THINGS ABOUT MR. KELLEY HE USED TO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HE HE WAS A BIG FAN OF THE THEATER AND OF COMICS, ET CETERA, AND HE ACTUALLY MOVED IN COLLEGE FOR A YEAR WITH STEVE ALLEN.

NOW, YOU'VE GOT TO BE AN OLD TIMER TO KNOW WHO STEVE ALLEN WAS.

STEVE ALLEN WAS A VERY, VERY PROMINENT ENTERTAINER BACK IN THE 50S AND 60S.

AND HE'S ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TONIGHT SHOW HOSTS, ACTUALLY, BEFORE THERE WAS A JOHNNY CARSON, ET CETERA, AND KIND OF CREATED THAT WHOLE THAT WHOLE MODALITY.

MR. WALSH? WELL, I HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND THAT LONG, BUT I DO HAVE A MR. KELLEY STORY.

HE USED TO LIKE TO GO INTO DUSTY'S AND HAVE LUNCH.

AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM IN DUSTY'S.

AND I WOULD GO UP TO HIM EVERY TIME AND INTRODUCE AND SAY HELLO TO HIM.

AND YOU WORK WITH RON? YES, I DO.

AND HE WOULD TELL ME A STORY ABOUT WORKING WITH YOU.

AND EVERY TIME I SAW HIM, HE HAD A HE WENT BACK TO 1974 WHEN YOU HELPED HIM WITH A CAMPAIGN OR HE TELL ME A STORY ABOUT GOING AROUND THE STATE WITH HIM.

AND THE NEXT TIME I WOULD SEE HIM HE WOULD TELL ME A DIFFERENT STORY.

IT'S AS IF HE REMEMBERED TELLING ME THE STORY BEFORE.

HE WAS ALWAYS A DIFFERENT STORY.

WHAT A REMARKABLE MAN AND WHAT A REMARKABLE MEMORY AT HIS AGE.

WELL, I GUESS WE SPENT ENOUGH OF OUR PUBLIC TIME HERE REMINISCING ABOUT MY BELOVED BOSS, THEIR FORMER BOSS.

WE DO NEED TO VOTE.

THEN TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

I'LL HAVE TO SEND A COPY THIS DOWN TO FRANK E.

THANK YOU ALL.

KELLEY, AS AGAINST FRANK J., THE FATHER, THAT'S HIS SON, WHO'S NOW IN FLORIDA.

HE WAS ALREADY A MERIDIAN RESIDENT AS WELL, BY THE WAY, UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

OK, WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, THE 2021 CITIZEN SURVEY IS OUR

[13A. 2021 Citizen Survey]

FIRST TOPIC.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN INTRODUCTION FROM MS. CLERK? YES, YOU WILL BE.

GOOD, GOOD.

OH, HI, GOOD EVENING.

TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THIS, WE ARE PLANNING THE ACTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY IS A SURVEY THAT WE COMPLETE EVERY THREE YEARS.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE'VE USED THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER OUT OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

BUT THE LAST SURVEY WAS JUST UNDER FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, WAS A TRADITIONAL THREE PART MAILING TO SIXTEEN HUNDRED RESIDENTS.

I DO WANT TO MAKE AN EDIT THAT MY LAST MEMO HAD TALKED ABOUT AN ONLINE SURVEY.

THE TRADITIONAL THREE PART IS THE FIRST PART MAILING TO THE SAMPLE POPULATION, REQUESTING WHAT TYPE OF SURVEY THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, WHETHER A PRINT OR A COUPON CODE TO TAKE IT ONLINE.

THERE'S A SECOND REMINDER THAT THE SURVEY WILL COME, THE THIRD MAILING BEING THE ACTUAL SURVEY, THE COUPON CODE TO TAKE.

SO THAT WAS AN EDIT.

THAT I NEEDED TO CHANGE.

IN ORDER TO MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS AND EFFICIENTLY EXECUTE OUR SURVEY.

IS OUR RECOMMENDATION TO SUBMIT A REQUEST OR PROPOSAL TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL QUOTATIONS FROM EXPERT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ASSIST US WITH THE SURVEY.

THIS BOARD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED QUOTATIONS FROM MICHIGAN STATE IPPASR AND COBALT COMMUNITY RESEARCH THAT MET THE INITIAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONFORMED TO NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER'S PREVIOUS SURVEYS WITH A MARGIN AREA OF, OR MARGIN OF ERROR OF ABOUT PLUS OR MINUS FIVE PERCENT.

EACH ENTITY HAS A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION FOR SAMPLE SIZE, WHICH IS WHY OUR SUGGESTION FOR AN RFP TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM REPUTABLE ORGANIZATIONS IS

[01:25:04]

OUR SUGGESTION.

WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT EITHER MSU, IPPSR OR COBALT COMMUNITY RESEARCH CAN PROVIDE A QUALITY, SCIENTIFICALLY VALID SURVEY FOR OUR NEEDS.

AND IF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS INTERESTED IN OTHER SURVEY ELEMENTS OR MODIFYING OUR SURVEYS, WE WOULD RECOMMEND PROCEEDING WITH THE FULL RFP TO COLLECT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION FROM ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS AND TO PICK THE BEST OF THOSE.

INCLUDED WITH THE PACKET IS MY POTENTIAL DRAFT FOR THE RFP.

WITH APPROVAL, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BEGIN AS EARLY AS THIS FRIDAY WITH CLOSED BIDS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT INCLUDES INFORMATION OF WHERE THE BIDS SHOULD GO AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT IN THE POTENTIAL SURVEY.

WE DID ALSO RECEIVE SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE AND COMMENTS FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF FERNDALE IN REGARD TO USING COBALT AS JUST A REFERENCE FROM FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES IN COBALT.

AND THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF ANN ARBOR GAVE US A REFERENCE FOR UTILIZING MSU.

THEY USE MSU FOR THEIR DEER CULL COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT THEY SUBMIT.

QUESTIONS? INTERESTING THAT ANN ARBOR WOULD USE AN MSU SURVEYOR.

INTERESTING.

MS. GUTHRIE? AND I KNOW HER AND SHE'S PRETTY SMART.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR CLARK.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE A TWO WEEK TURNAROUND FOR THIS RFP? AND THEN WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE SURVEY TO GO OUT? I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT THE TIMELINE IS HERE.

CORRECT.

WELL, WITHOUT SUBMITTING THE RFP, WE'RE REQUESTING IN THE RFP THAT THEY GIVE US THEIR TIMELINES, I EXPECT THE ORGANIZATIONS TO EACH HAVE DIFFERENT TIMELINES BECAUSE MY MY WORK REACHING OUT TO COBALT AND TO MSU, THEY'VE BOTH GIVEN DIFFERENT PROJECTED TIMELINES.

SO I CAN'T SPECIFICALLY ANSWER TO THAT.

I WOULD EXPECT THE RFP TO GIVE ME THAT.

AS FAR AS THE TWO WEEK I WOULD BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AND AGAIN, THE RFP PROCESS BY SUBMITTING IT FOR OPENING IT THIS FRIDAY AND AND HAVING IT TO BE BACK.

WHEN DO WE WHEN DID WE TYPICALLY MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION UNLESS DIRECTOR CLARK KNOW THIS FROM DEPUTY DIRECTOR PERRY OR MANAGER WALSH, WHEN DID WE RECEIVE THOSE NATIONAL CITIZENS SURVEYS BEFORE? WHEN WERE THOSE FIRST? WHEN DID THOSE RESULTS COME IN? JUST TRYING TO GET KIND OF A ROUGH ESTIMATE.

THE PREVIOUS SURVEY, ACTUALLY, WE I THINK WE STARTED ACTUALLY IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RESULTS UNTIL LIKE JANUARY OF '19.

I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST.

WHAT WE DID IN 2018? SO IT WAS ABOUT FOUR MONTHS THEN? YEAH.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU BOTH.

MS. JACKSON? YES, MS. DIRECTOR CLARK IN YOUR TABLE WHERE YOU LIST SAMPLE SIZES AND MARGIN OF ERROR, IS THAT THAT YOU WOULD THAT YOU'RE KIND OF STANDARDIZING FOR OUR STUDY.

THE EIGHT THOUSAND PERSON SAMPLE SIZE FROM MSU WOULD COST.

SOMEWHERE LESS THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, LIKE THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER SURVEY AND THE COBALT COMMUNITY RESEARCH SURVEY.

THE 8000 WOULD COST LESS THAT MICHIGAN STATE DID QUOTE US WITH AN EIGHT THOUSAND SAMPLE SIZE AT ABOUT THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

COBALT COMMUNITY RESEARCH QUOTED US AT A FIFTEEN HUNDRED SAMPLE SIZE AT SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I DID REACH OUT TO THE NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER AND THEIR PROJECTED QUOTATIONS FOR A SURVEY START AT TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I COULDN'T HEAR YOU ON THAT ONE, DIRECTOR.

I DID REACH OUT TO THE NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER FOR A POTENTIAL QUOTE AND THEIR SURVEY WOULD START AT TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

GO AHEAD, MS. JACKSON, YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.

I WAS JUST I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN MORE PEOPLE

[01:30:07]

PARTICIPATING IN THE SURVEY, AND SO I HAVE A PREFERENCE, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, FOR THE MSU PROCESS.

I'M WONDERING IF THE THE CHOICES BEFORE US AT THIS POINT ARE EITHER TO CHOOSE BETWEEN COBALT AND MSU OR TO PUT OUT AN RFP TO BRING IN MORE.

APPLICANTS, IS THAT THE CHOICE BEFORE US AT THIS POINT? THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

THOSE ARE TWO SOLID COBALT AND MSU GAVE US TWO VERY SOLID QUOTATIONS FOR THEIR SERVICES.

AND I DID GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM IS LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN RECENTLY BOUGHT OUT BY ANOTHER COMPANY OUT OF WISCONSIN.

SO SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED HAVE CHANGED AND THEIR PROGRAM PLATFORM HAS CHANGED.

AND SO WHAT USED TO BE THINGS THAT WERE ADD ONS THAT THIS COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY DID ON THEIR SURVEY DON'T ARE NOT ADD ONS AND VICE VERSA.

AND OF COURSE, THE COST HAS GONE UP.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CLARK, FOR PREPARING THIS PACKET FOR US, AND WE HIRED YOU TO DEVELOP OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE TASKED YOU WITH RUNNING OUR SERVICE INSTEAD.

AND SO, ANYWAY, YOU'VE ADAPTED VERY WELL TO THIS NEW ASSIGNMENT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

DOES MSU SAY WHY THEY'RE SURE, THEIR SAMPLE SIZE IS SO MUCH LARGER THAN THE OTHER TWO? DO WE HAVE A REASON WHY? LIKE TRUSTEE JACKSON, I LIKE THE FACT IT'S FOUR TIMES OR ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS BIG AS THE OTHER SAMPLE SIZES.

DOES MSU SAY WHY THEY'D TAKE A BIGGER SAMPLE? THEIR BIGGER SAMPLE IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS AND THEY'RE JUST TO HAVE A PROJECTION OF 10 PERCENT.

SO THEIR EXPECTATION IS TO GET ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED RESPONSES FROM THAT MAILING AND THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AN OUT OF IT, SAYS PLUS OR FIVE.

BUT THEY COULD FALL INTO MAYBE A FOUR PERCENT MARGIN OF ERROR IF THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE ALL REMEMBER JUST A FEW MEETINGS BACK.

WE TOOK APART THE LAST NATIONAL SURVEY RESULTS THAT THEY GAVE TO US, AND THE SAMPLE SIZE SEEMED SO SMALL.

THAT PROBABLY EXPLAINS SOME OF THE IRREGULARITIES AND THE RESULTS THAT WE GOT THAT SHOWED THINGS LIKE PARK USAGE GOING DOWN.

AND IN FACT, WE HAD DATA SHOWING THAT GOING UP SO.

REGARDING THE BIGGER THE FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS, DO WE WANT TO PUT THIS UP FOR RFP OR GOES TO THREE OPTIONS WE HAVE NOW? WE NEED TO GET THESE RESULTS BACK.

I THINK WE NEED A GOOD SAMPLE OF OUR CITIZENS, PARTICULARLY ON THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SURVEY.

AND I THINK IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THREE GOOD CHOICES, WE WOULD NEED TO GO WITH AN RFP.

BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN WE DO NEED TO GO WITH ONE.

WE'VE GOT THREE GOOD CHOICES.

THE ONE WE'VE ALREADY USED, THE NATIONAL SURVEY CENTER, WHICH APPARENTLY NOW IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP.

SO MAYBE USING THEM WOULD BE LIKE PICKING A NEW COMPANY AS WELL.

COBALT AND THE MSU, APSR.

AND MY PREFERENCE ACTUALLY IS FOR MSU.

A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE AT MSU EMPLOYEES.

MSU IS LIKE ALL UNIVERSITIES, STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW WITH FIVE PERCENT DROP IN STUDENTS.

IT'S GOOD TO GET THEM IN EVEN THE SMALL WAY, THIS ADDITIONAL BUSINESS TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY.

AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US A BIG SAMPLE SIZE THAT WE DIDN'T GET WITH THE NATIONAL SURVEY CENTER.

AND I THINK IT WOULD MAKE ALL OF US FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE RESULTS, KNOWING THAT THEY GOT 800 RESPONSES BACK TO THESE QUESTIONS RATHER THAN THREE HUNDRED.

FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK WE CAN PICK FROM THE THREE WE HAVE.

AND AMONG THOSE THREE, I'M LEANING TOWARDS MSU.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? THIS IS JUST A POLICY OR PROCEDURE QUESTION, MAYBE MANAGER WALSH, BUT.

WHEN YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE A PROCUREMENT SITUATION, DO YOU WE HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS IT HAS TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE BID, OR IS THAT NOT THE CASE? YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT IF IT'S OVER AND MR. PERRY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR MS. MADISON ON THIS CALL, TOO.

I THINK OF IT OVER, IS IT FIFTY THOUSAND OR WHAT'S THE NUMBER WE HAVE TO GET SEALED BIDS AND IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN NUMBER.

IF IT'S OVER.

ANOTHER NUMBER, WE JUST TAKE BIDS.

BUT I BELIEVE THE THREE BIDS BEFORE YOU THAT YOU HAVE FROM DENVER, MSU AND COBALT, I

[01:35:01]

THINK THAT MEETS OUR PURCHASING POLICY.

YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG EITHER WAY.

NO, THE MANAGER IS CORRECT.

IF IT'S UNDER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE JUST NEED ACTUALLY TWO QUOTATIONS AND WE'VE EXCEEDED THAT.

IF IT'S OVER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO DO A SEALED COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS.

SO WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

WE JUST UPDATED THOSE NUMBERS NOT TOO LONG AGO, DID WE NOT? CORRECT.

I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WOULD MAKE WOULD BE THAT I AM ALSO MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE LARGER SAMPLE SIZE I'VE READ THROUGH ALL OF DIRECTOR CLARK'S INFORMATION.

AND I THINK HE DID GREAT DUE DILIGENCE AND WORKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES TO SEE ITS WORK WITH THEM AS WELL.

I ALSO MY HEART LIES WITH GREEN AND WHITE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE, SO I WOULD ALSO LEAN TOWARDS YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE FULL PROPOSAL, BUT I'D LEAN TOWARDS A LARGER SAMPLE, SAY.

ARE YOU SAYING JUST SO I COULD, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A CONSENSUS.

YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE WILLING TO GO WITH THE INITIATIVE THE WAY WE HAVE NOW, OR DO YOU WANT TO OR YOU PREFER THE BID PROCESS? WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE THAT DIRECTOR CLARK HAS LAID OUT, AND I WOULD MYSELF PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE RESPONSES TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY AN RFP PROCESS OR IF THEY CAN JUST SUBMIT IT.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, I THINK MR. OPSOMMER HAD HIS HAND UP NEXT.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

I WASN'T NECESSARILY WEDDED TO DOING AN RFP FOR THIS, BUT WE HAD A PREPARED, DIRECTOR, CLARK HAS PUT IN THE TIME AND PREPARING IT.

AND IF I'M READING DIRECTOR CLARK'S RECOMMENDATION CORRECTLY, IT'S IF WE WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING AND DIFFERENT SAMPLE SIZES AND WHATNOT, WE SHOULD JUST PROCEED WITH AN RFP.

AM I CORRECT DIRECTOR CLARK.

IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER AND EFFICIENT TO HAVE THIS ONE RESOURCE TO REQUEST ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION ALL IN THE SAME WAY.

THAT'S MY INTENT.

THAT WAY THEY CAN PRESENT THEMSELVES IN THE BEST MANNER.

AND THE TABLE REPRESENTED THERE ON THE COVER MEMORANDUM IS THE SAME DATA WE HAD AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE DISCUSSED.

SO I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THE RFP AS IT'S DEVELOPED AND SENDING IT OUT.

MY ONLY NOTE WOULD BE.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT IS A GOOD MARGIN OF ERROR, WHAT'S A GOOD SAMPLE SIZE? TO GET LISTS, A ONE PERCENT MARGIN OF ERROR AND A FIVE PERCENT.

THE COST IS GOING TO BE STAGGERING TO GET A ONE PERCENT MARGIN OF ERROR.

I'M JUST GOING TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT WE SEE WHAT THE FIVE PERCENT MARGIN OF ERROR IS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SENDING OUT ANYWHERE FROM FIFTEEN HUNDRED TO EIGHT THOUSAND SURVEYS AND WE GET THREE HUNDRED TO EIGHT HUNDRED BACK DEPENDING ON THE APPROACH THAT THE FIRM TAKES IN DEVELOPING THAT.

I MEAN, FIRST YOU HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO OPEN THE ENVELOPE AND NOT SCRAP IT.

THAT'S WHY RESPONSE RATES CAN VARY.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE FIRM'S APPROACH AND WHAT THEY TYPICALLY FIND.

I THINK REFERRING TO THE LAST PACKET, COBALT HAVE LIKE A 22 OR 23 PERCENT RESPONSE RATE ON THE ROYAL OAKS SURVEY THAT THEY GAVE US ALL THE DATA FOR.

SO MY ONLY SUGGESTION ON THE RFP IS WE SHOULD EITHER ADD LIKE A THREE PERCENT MARGIN OF ERROR.

AND THAT COULD REPLACE THE ONE PERCENT OR YOU COULD JUST PUT IT IN THERE, I GUESS THERE'S NO HARM IN GETTING SOLICITING MORE DATA, BUT YOU JUST REQUEST A ONE PERCENT AND A FIVE PERCENT.

ONE IS GOING TO BE AN AFFORDABLE AND THE OTHER ONE IS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PACKET.

SO, I MEAN, WE'RE WE'RE A LITTLE SCATTERED.

I THINK THE THREE PERCENT ARE THERE AND SEND IT OUT, GET THE RESPONSES BACK AND THEN WE CAN PICK A FIRM.

THAT'S MY TAKE ON THIS.

I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF ADDING THE THREE PERCENT.

I THINK THAT'S A MORE RATIONAL APPROACH.

I THOUGHT I SAW SOME HANDS EARLIER.

RIGHT, SO ASSUMING WE ADD THE THREE PERCENT INTO YOUR RFP, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE COULD GET THESE OUT BY YOU SAID WHAT? HOW LONG, AMBER? I WOULD OPEN THE BIDS FOR THIS FRIDAY AND THEN TWO WEEKS TO RECEIVE BIDS BACK.

I NEED TO OPEN MY CALENDAR.

THIS GROUP TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH? YES, TOWARDS HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT MEETING, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT'S JOINED, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAYBE TAKE SOME ACTION TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE BOARD AT THAT POINT.

YEAH.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

[01:40:04]

MS. WISINSKI? JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION, SO I'M INCLINED TO TAKE DIRECTOR CLARK'S OPINION AND GO WITH THE RFP.

SO IF WE OPEN AN RFP, THEN THAT WOULD OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO APPLY, NOT JUST NECESSARILY THESE THREE AGENCIES, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES AND ASKED IF, YOU KNOW, COBALT AND MSU WOULD STILL SUBMIT AN RFP IF THEY WERE INTERESTED.

AND THEY BOTH HAVE SAID, YES.

OK, THANK YOU.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK US DOWN THIS PATH MONTHS AGO WAS LOOKING AT THE EXCELLENT SURVEY DONE BY MANAGER JOE WALSH AND.

MR. PERRY, WHEN THEY WERE WITH ST.

JOE AND DIRECTOR CLARK, ARE WE GIVING THEM AN EXAMPLE OF THAT SURVEY THAT HAS ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS THAT I FELT WITH THE NATIONAL SURVEY? THEY HAD THEIR COOKIE CUTTER QUESTIONS AND THERE WASN'T MUCH, WHAT, FIVE QUESTIONS? YOU COULD VARY FROM THAT, BUT WE LIKE THE CUSTOMIZED, OBVIOUSLY I LIKE THE CUSTOMIZED VERSION OF THAT ST. JOE SURVEY WE LIKED.

DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THESE COMPANIES CAN PRODUCE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE CARE A LOT ABOUT? YES, AND MSU AND BOTH COBALT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO A CUSTOMIZABLE SURVEY AND THE NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER, THEY GIVE THEIR STANDARD SURVEY, BUT THEY ALSO DO HAVE A CUSTOMIZABLE PACKAGE.

AGAIN, THAT WOULD VARY IN COST.

THEN I DON'T KNOW.

YES, MS. GUTHRIE? SO IF YOU WERE TO RECEIVE QUO, IF WE DIDN'T DO AN RFP, HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, AND YOU WERE TO RECEIVE [INAUDIBLE] LIKE YOU HAVE CORRECT WITH THESE THREE COMPANIES AND WHERE TO GO WITH, LET'S SAY ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE YAY, MSU WE LIKE YOU TO DO THIS.

AND YOU WENT WITH MSU AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE AROUND FIFTEEN THOUSAND OR WHATEVER THEIR QUOTA IS, IT'S GOING TO BE UNDER THE NUMBER THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GET MORE THAN TWO QUOTES LIKE DEPUTY DIRECTOR PERRY STATED.

JUST WONDERING IF WE REALLY NEED TO DO AN RFP, ASKING THE QUESTION.

OR IF WE CAN JUST GO WITH.

I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE QUESTION OR THE BOARD HAS BEEN THAT THEY ALL LIKE THE MSU SURVEY, SO I'M KIND OF WONDERING WHY GO THROUGH THAT, THE PROCESS OF AN RFP, IF IN THE END IN TWO WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL THESE QUOTES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH MSU ANYWAYS BECAUSE WE LIKE WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY DIRECTOR CLARK.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE HER GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AND DO ADDITIONAL WORK OR DO WE SAY, YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE LIKE THEM MSU SAYING, YEAH, GO GO FOR IT? YOU ANTICIPATE WHERE I WAS GOING, BUT I'M GOING TO CALL ON MR. WALSH.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR CLARK FOR ALL THE WORK SHE'S PUT INTO THIS.

I KNOW ALL OF YOU APPRECIATE THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU COULD CONSIDER A SPIN OFF OF WHAT THE MADAM CLARK JUST SAID IS ONE THING YOU COULD DO IS SAY, OK, IF YOU LIKE MSU AND YOU TRUST THEM AND THAT'S WHO YOU WANT TO GO WITH, YOU THEN CAN GO BACK TO THEM AND AMEND WHAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED TO YOU.

OK, THEY'VE GIVEN YOU THIS, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO ADD ON AND WE WANT A THREE PERCENT AND WE WANT TO DO THIS MANY PEOPLE.

WHAT'S THE COST GOING TO BE? OK, WE AGREE TO THAT COST.

ALL YOU'RE DOING SOME AMENDING WHAT THEY GET, WHAT THEY PROVIDED YOU? SO IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO WORK WITH, WE CAN GO BACK AS A TEAM AND WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND WRAP THIS UP PRETTY SHORTLY.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.

I MEAN, IT'S A DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT SINCE IT FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE OF THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO WITHOUT A VOTE OF THIS BOARD, ET CETERA, IT'S BASICALLY TRYING TO FIND A CONSENSUS FOR DIRECTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT FOR MS. CLARK AND THE STAFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M HEARING I'M CERTAINLY HEARING WE HAVE ONE, BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.

WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE'RE LEANING TOWARDS GOING WITH THE MSU IPPSR INSTITUTE.

AND NO, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW FROM MS. WISINSKI.

OK, I'M GOING TO CALL ON MS. WISINSKI BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ELSE.

SORRY, SUPERVISOR'S STYKA.

I AM MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT PROCESS, BUT ALSO

[01:45:01]

BEING ABLE TO COMPARE ORANGES TO ORANGES.

SO I KNOW DIRECTOR CLARK HAS PUT IN A TON OF WORK AND I PROBABLY IN HER HEAD, SHE HAS ALL OF THAT INFORMATION ALREADY, BUT WE HAVE THINGS LIKE IT LISTED IN HERE.

REFERENCES OF FOUR COMPARABLE PROJECTS, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC TO SEE.

ESTIMATED TIMELINES, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS INCLUDE LIKE FEES OR SURCHARGES, THOSE MARGINS OF ERROR.

I'D REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES WITH THAT.

SO I MYSELF WOULD SUPPORT THE RFP PROCESS IF IT EVEN IF IT TAKES A COUPLE EXTRA WEEKS.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE HEARING AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS THAT WERE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF MSU, ANOTHER ONE THAT SAYING WE NEED AN RFP PROCESS.

LOOKING FOR OTHERS TO CHIME IN SO WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE.

MS. JACKSON DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? YES, I WOULD PREFER NOT DOING THE RFP AND GOING BACK TO MSU FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BASED ON THE KINDS OF THINGS WE SAID WE WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE.

I NOTED THAT AT THE END OF THE RFP YOU PROPOSED YOU LISTED THE CATEGORIES AND THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT.

I'M A LITTLE DUBIOUS.

I'M A LITTLE NOT IMPRESSED BY GOING FROM A PLUS OR MINUS POINT THREE AS OPPOSED TO PLUS OR MINUS POINT FIVE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN STILL ASK MSU ALONE FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, FOR THOSE ANSWERS AND STILL MAKE A AS IN A PROPOSAL AND STILL MAKE A DECISION THAT THAT'S ENOUGH FOR US OR, YOU KNOW, OPEN IT UP AGAIN IF IT'S NOT.

OK, JUST SORT OF A HYBRID IN BETWEEN HERE, I THINK, AND THAT IS TO GO AHEAD AND ASK MSU'S INSTITUTE TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE US ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GOING TO BE REQUESTED THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER.

HAVE THEM GIVE THAT TO DIRECTOR CLARKE AND TO THE STAFF AND THEN SEE WHAT ANSWERS THEY GET AND WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO SATISFY THE COMFORT LEVEL? NOW, THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.

THAT'S MAYBE NOT GOING TO SATISFY MS. WISINSKI.

MS. GUTHRIE? SO WHEN THE TOWNSHIP ASKS FOR QUOTES.

DO THOSE USUALLY COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE, OR ARE THOSE DIRECTORS JUST MAKE THE DECISION? BECAUSE AS TOWNSHIP CLERK, WHEN I ATTEND CLOSED BIDS, AND THEN THOSE CLOSED BIDS HAPPEN AND THEN STAFF MAKES THEIR DECISION AND THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BASED OFF OF WHAT THE BOARD HAD ALREADY DECIDED.

AND SO I'M KIND OF CONFUSED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BACKWARDS WHERE WE WOULD SAY, YES, GO GET THESE BIDS AND THEN STAFF GOES AND GETS THE BIDS AND THEN THEY MAKE THE DECISION BASED OFF THE BIDS OR THEY GO GET THE QUOTES BASED OFF THE QUOTES THAT FALL UNDERNEATH THE FINANCIAL POLICY THAT MS. MADISON BROUGHT BEFORE US THAT WE APPROVED AND SAID, YES, ANYTHING UNDER FIFTEEN THOUSAND YOU GET QUOTES, STAFF MAKES THE DECISION ANYTHING OVER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND CLOSED BIDS.

THOSE COME IN STAFF MAKES THE DECISIONS.

I'M JUST TRYING TO.

MAYBE I CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND OR I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

I THINK MANAGER WALSH CAN HOPEFULLY HELP US SORT THIS THROUGH.

HOPEFULLY IS THE KEY WORD, SO I'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO EIGHT YEARS AGO AND WE HAD A BID FOR A ROOF AND THE BID WAS NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND I WALKED UP TO MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND I SAID, WELL WE GOTTA TO TAKE THAT TO THE BOARD.

THAT'S HOW WE DID THINGS FOR 17 YEARS WITH MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYER, HE SAYS NO WE'RE NOT.

I SAID, OK, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HE SAYS, WELL, THE WAY THINGS WORK IN RADION IS IF SOMETHING IS BUDGETED, WE GO AND WE TAKE BIDS.

THEY'VE ALREADY APPROPRIATED THE MONEY AND WE GO AND TAKE BIDS AND WE TAKE CARE OF.

THAT'S WHY BIDS DON'T COME BACK TO YOU.

NOW, THIS IS A GRAY AREA, BUT THIS IS HOW I SEE THINGS WHEN THINGS AREN'T BUDGETED, SUCH AS THE SURVEY.

IT'S NOT A BUDGETED ITEM AND WE DO AN RFP.

I BELIEVE IT SHOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT THIS PLACE.

[01:50:02]

PLUS, THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES SURROUNDING THIS SURVEY THIS TIME, MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.

BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS IF SOMETHING'S BUDGETED LIKE WE CAN GO BUY A FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR TRUCK AND IF IT'S BUDGETED AND WE GO OUT AND TAKE PROPER BIDDING AND GO THROUGH ALL THE STEPS, IT DOESN'T COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THE DIFFERENCE WAS THE HVAC PROJECT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT AND IT WAS BUDGETED.

BUT WE DID BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD.

BUT I HOPE THAT CLEARS IT UP.

IF IT'S A BUDGETED ITEM, WE GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS, WE TAKE CARE OF IT.

IT WAS NOT BUDGETED AND IT'S SUBSTANTIAL.

THEN WE BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.

BUT MY APOLOGIES, I DID NOT REALIZE IT WASN'T BUDGETED, I THOUGHT IT WAS ON LABOR FORCE FOR THOSE FIVE QUESTIONS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SURVEY.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

MR. OPSOMMER? I GUESS I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING, THE BOARD HAD ASKED DIRECTOR CLARK TO PUT TOGETHER THE RFP AS A RESULT, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE RAISED ARE ANSWERED IN THE PACKET BECAUSE SHE WAS GOING TO USE THE RFP TO OBTAIN THOSE ANSWERS.

THOUGH WE HAVE IT IN OUR PACKET AND IT'S READY TO GO OUT.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY WE WOULDN'T JUST SEND IT OUT AT THIS POINT AND GET THOSE ANSWERS CLARIFIED.

GOOD POINT.

MS. JACKSON? NOPE? OK, MR. DESCHAINE? YEAH, I COMING AROUND ON THIS QUESTION.

WE'RE THIS CLOSE TO AN RFP, I THINK TRUSTEE WISINSKI BRINGS UP SOME GOOD QUESTIONS.

LET'S GET THESE ANSWERS FROM ALL OF THEM WE CAN HAVE IN TWO WEEKS IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ANSWERS BACK FROM MSU FOR TO, TIL THE NEXT MEETING ANYWAY.

PUT OUT A FORMAL BID, PUBLISH IT ON FRIDAY.

WE'LL HAVE OUR ANSWERS BACK IN TWO WEEKS.

WE CAN REVIEW THOSE IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AND MAKE A DEFINITIVE DECISION AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN APRIL.

SO WE'RE ALMOST THERE.

WHY NOT COMPLETE THE PROCESS? WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS SURVEY IS THAT ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK AND FEEL LIKE THAT WE LOOKED AT MORE THAN ONE VENDOR.

WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OF ALL THE VENDORS AND WE GET WE CHOSE THE BEST ONE BECAUSE WE KNEW THEY WOULD GIVE US THE HIGHEST QUALITY ANSWERS AND THE MOST ACCURATE ANSWERS.

SO LET'S CONTINUE.

THIS PROCESS OF TAKING A SHORTCUT HERE PROBABLY WON'T EVEN SAVE US ANY TIME.

AND SO THAT'S JUST FOLLOW THE FULL PROCESS, FROM ALL THE RFP THAT DIRECTOR CLARK HAS PRETTY MUCH ALREADY BUILT.

AND LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AT THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL, PICK A VENDOR AND BEGIN THAT PROCESS AT THAT POINT OF GETTING THAT SURVEY OUT SOMETIME, HOPEFULLY, AND BY THE END OF THE MONTH IN APRIL, IF POSSIBLE.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT QUESTION IF YOU HAVEN'T ASKED ALREADY, IS ONCE WE'VE PICKED THEM, HOW SOON CAN THEY HAVE THIS RESULT, THIS SURVEY OUT TO THE COMMUNITY? IS THAT A QUESTION YOU HAVE IN HERE DIRECTOR CLARK? YES, I DO ASK ABOUT.I THINK NOW WE FINALLY HAVE REACHED A CONSENSUS ON THIS.

WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PLAN DIRECTOR CLARK, AND PUT OUT THE RFP ADD THE THREE PERCENT QUESTION IN BETWEEN THE ONE AND THE FIVE OUT OF THE ONE IS PROBABLY NOT WORTH ASKING.

WHAT THE HECK? WE'LL FIND OUT.

THEN WE'RE DONE WITH THIS MATTER, WE CAN MOVE ON.

I GUESS SO.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CLARK.

THANK YOU, MANAGER WALSH, MR. PERRY AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HELPED OUT.

[13B. Expansion of Redi-Ride Services]

THE NEXT ITEM IS THE EXPANSION OF REDI-RIDE SERVICES.

THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE IT WAS THERE WAS A CONCERN EXPRESSED A LEGITIMATE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR TRUSTEE WISINSKI WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA BECAUSE WE NONE OF THE PROVIDERS HAVE PROVIDED IT.

AND SO THE IDEA THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE CAME UP WITH IS WHY NOT EXPAND THE REDI-RIDE SERVICE TO THE LOCATION IN EAST LANSING THAT'S ACROSS FROM COSTCO SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN, IN FACT, GET THEIR MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE INTERIM, WHILE THESE WOULD BE LICENSEES ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS AND THAT EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT.

AND SINCE THEN, I HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING THAT KIND OF ASKED EVERYBODY IF THEY HAD ANY ANY IDEAS TO CHIME IN.

AND HE'S THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE ANSWERS TO THAT, WHERE HE HAS PROPOSED THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKET BY ADDING ABOUT FIVE OTHER LOCATIONS, AUTISM CENTER OF MICHIGAN.

[01:55:01]

THERE'S REALLY NO CHOICE OTHER THAN THAT IF YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH AUTISTIC FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU PROBABLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.

LANSING URGENT CARE AND HASLETT, WHICH IS WE DO HAVE URGENT CARE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT THIS ONE IS LITERALLY WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FEET OF OUR BORDER.

IT'S NEXT TO [INAUDIBLE] ROAD.

SO AT THAT POINT, WHY NOT INCLUDE [INAUDIBLE] ROADS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] WOODS IN OKEMOS AND A LOT OF OTHER DAYCARES.

BUT AT THIS POINT IT'S NEXT DOOR [INAUDIBLE] IS ACROSS THE STREET AND ALL OF THOSE ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE MEIJER THAT WE DID INCLUDE IN THE PAST.

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS HOPE NETWORK NEUROREHABILITATION.

I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHERE THAT IS.

AND MAYBE MR. OPSOMMER CAN HELP ME OUT WITH A PHYSICAL LOCATION.

I SEE THE ADDRESS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

EAST LANSING DRIVE IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO MERRITT ROAD, SO THAT IS LOCATED RIGHT NEAR RED CEDAR SPIRITS AND THE LOCATION THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE IS PROPOSING.

OK, SO IN ESSENCE, ALL OF THESE ARE EITHER CONNECTED RIGHT BY OR CONNECTED TO AREAS THAT WE ALREADY SERVE.

SO IT'S NOT ADDING A LOT OF DISTANCE OR ANYTHING JUST TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHO DON'T DRIVE OR DON'T WANT TO DRIVE FOR WHATEVER REASON AND THEY CAN USE REDI-RIDE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

AND THE DISCUSSION IS WHETHER OR NOT TO INCLUDE FIRST THE THE MARIJUANA STORE THAT'S ACROSS FROM ON MERRITT ROAD ACROSS FROM WHERE THE COSTCO IS.

AND AND SECONDLY, THESE OTHER TWO, FOUR, FIVE THAT MR. OPSOMMER HAS PROPOSED AND MAYBE OTHERS THAT YOU DIDN'T BOTHER TO SEND IN TO ME.

YES, MR. DESCHAINE.

YES, THE EXACT ADDRESS OF PLEASANTRY, THE NAME OF THE STORE IS PLEASANTREES, AND THE ADDRESS IS 1950 MERRITT ROAD IN EAST LANSING.

THE OTHER ADDRESS, THE OTHER LOCATION I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, AND I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER FOR BRINGING UP THESE ADDITIONAL VALUABLE DESTINATIONS TO REDI-RIDE WOULD BE BURCHAM HILLS RETIREMENT CENTER.

IT'S JUST OVER THE BORDER AS WELL.

MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE HAVE MOVED THERE IN RETIREMENT.

OTHERS HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THERE.

OTHERS WORK THERE.

SO IT MAKES SENSE TO INCLUDE BURCHAM HILLS IN THIS.

AND NOT TO MENTION MANY GO FOR REHAB THERE AS WELL.

SO BURCHAM HILLS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT HEALTH CARE CENTER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE BURCHAM HILLS.

AND THEIR ADDRESS IS.

A 2700 BURCHAM DRIVE IN EAST LANSING.

IT WASN'T THAT MANY YEARS AGO THAT WAS PART OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I BET THEY WERE PART OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AGAIN.

THAT EAST LANSING INCOME TAX, THAT BURDEN ON THEIR RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES, THAT THAT BRINGS TO SEVEN THESE LOCATIONS, ALL OF WHICH ARE AGAIN, BECAUSE BURCHAM HILLS IS AGAIN, IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM.

WELL, ACTUALLY, THE TOWNSHIP BORDER IS RIGHT THERE AS WELL AS BEING DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE OTHER PLACES.

ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR CONCERNS OR OTHER PLACES THAT THEY WANT TO BRING UP? AND IS THERE ANY THAT THEY THINK SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED? MS. WISINSKI.

[INAUDIBLE] SUPERVISOR AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TREASURER FOR TAKING NOTE ON EXPANDING REDI-RIDE SERVICES IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

AND I POSED THE QUESTION BEFORE, AND I'M NOT SURE I READ THE RESPONSE, BUT THE WAY REDI-RIDE WORKS IS THIS A HOP ON, HOP OFF OR HOW DOES, DO PEOPLE GET DROPPED OFF DIRECTLY AT THOSE FACILITIES IF, IN FACT, WE INCLUDE THOSE FACILITIES? I CAN LET OTHERS ANSWER, BUT YES, YOU GET DROPPED OFF DIRECTLY TO THE FACILITY.

YOU PAY YOU PAY A FEE.

I DON'T REMEMBER EXACT AMOUNT.

WE HAD TO UNDERWRITE SOME OF IT.

CATA UNDERWRITES SOME OF IT.

IT'S NOT VERY HIGH, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS FOR REDI-RIDE TO PICK YOU UP AND DROP YOU OFF.

SO IT'S NOT CHANGING BUSSES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

NO, NO, NO.

YOU GET ON THE REDI-RIDE.

YOU CALL UP AHEAD OF TIME, YOU SCHEDULE IT AND THEN THEY COME TO YOUR HOUSE, WHATEVER APARTMENT, PICK YOU UP, TAKE YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION.

AND THEN YOU HAVE AS PART OF THAT, YOU PREARRANGED WHEN YOU'LL BE PICKED UP AGAIN AND BE TAKEN HOME AT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.

EXCELLENT.

DID I MISS ANYTHING THERE MR. OPSOMMER, MR. DESCHAINE, YOU CATA GUYS.

YOU GOT IT CORRECT AND WE'LL TRUSTEE OPSOMMER A GREAT DEAL OF THANKS WITH HIS WORK WITH CATA BOARD.

WE EXPAND THE HOURS USED TO BE NINE TO FIVE.

IT'S NOW SEVEN TO 5:30.

WE'VE ADDED TWO AND A HALF, THREE HOUR, ALMOST THREE HOURS OF SERVICE TO IT.

CATA'S ALSO IMPROVING THE RESERVATION SYSTEM SO IT CAN BE DONE NOW SAME DAY,

[02:00:05]

RESERVATIONS AND EVEN CANCELATIONS, THE FAIR IS 2.50 FULL FARE, A DOLLAR AND A HALF FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

WE ALSO OFFER A 75 CENT FARE.

RESIDENTS CAN BUY A BOOK OF TWENTY RIDES FOR FIFTEEN DOLLARS OR SEVENTY FIVE CENTS A RIDE.

CATA ALSO AGREED FOR ANYONE THAT HAS ESSENTIALLY NO INCOME, THEY WILL GIVE THEM FREE CARDS AND DARLA IN OUR MERIDIAN CARES OFFICE DOES REQUEST A NUMBER OF THOSE EVERY EVERY MONTH FROM CATA.

SO WE PROVIDE IT FREE FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD EVEN THE 75 CENTS PER RIDE.

SO CATA HAS BEEN VERY FLEXIBLE ON IT.

WHILE CATA HAS SEEN ALMOST A 90 PERCENT FALL OFF AT THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF RIDERSHIP.

IT'S COME UP CONSIDERABLY SINCE THEN, BUT IT'S STILL WAY BELOW PRE PANDEMIC [INAUDIBLE].

REDI-RIDE NEVER FELL BELOW TWENTY FIVE FELL BELOW TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF ITS PRE PANDEMIC AND NOW IT'S INCHING UP TOWARDS FIFTY PERCENT.

SO IT'S AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR USAGE DEMONSTRATES THAT AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, THE FARE IS AT $2.50, DOLLAR AND A QUARTER OR FREE.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T REMEMBER RIGHT NOW, TREASURER DESCHAINE IS OUR CATA REP ON THEIR BOARD AND MR. OPSOMMER WAS FOR MANY YEARS OF WORKING EXTREMELY WELL WITH CATA ON OUR BEHALF.

MR. OPSOMMER YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.

MY ONLY OTHER NOTE TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S QUESTION IS THAT THE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SERVICE INTENTS OF REDI-RIDE, WHICH IS A PARATRANSIT PROGRAM, WAS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO A FIXED ROUTE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE UNDER SERVED AREAS WITH FIXED ROUTES.

AND THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF A LOT OF OUR LAND USE DECISIONS AND A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT CAN TAKE QUITE A WALK TO GET OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A MAIN THOROUGHFARE.

SO PART OF IT IS CONNECTING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOWHERE NEAR A FIXED ROUTE.

AND THEN YOU GET A FREE TRANSFER PASS.

THE PEOPLE WILL USE IT TO EVEN YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE THAT DOESN'T HAVE FIXED ROUTE SERVICE TO THE ONE ROUTE ON GRAND RIVER AND THEN TAKE IT DOWN TO THE CAPITAL AS AN EXAMPLE.

ANYTHING ELSE? IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A CONSENSUS THERE THEIS IS SEND FOR ACTION NEXT TIME WITH THESE SEVEN ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS.

ALL RIGHT, WE WILL DO THAT.

OUR NEXT ITEM ON HERE IS A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

[13C. Recreational Marihuana]

OK, EVERYBODY JUMP IN AT ONE TIME.

I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THIS BOARD PUT OFF FURTHER DISCUSSION OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA UNTIL WE'VE GOTTEN SURVEY RESULTS BACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS, THAT COULD BE AS SOON AS THREE MONTHS FROM NOW, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE THAT WOULD THAT WOULD MONITOR THAT WILL CONTROL IT.

I THINK WE COULD USE THESE NEXT THREE MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF SAFETY, THE IMPACT ON OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, GET FEEDBACK FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR PROSECUTOR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.

THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WE SHOULD BE GETTING INPUT FROM ON THIS ON THIS IDEA OF ADDING SIX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA STORES T MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

BUT ALL OF THAT SHOULD HAPPEN BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, BOTH THE ZONING AND THE NON ZONING ORDINANCE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US POSTPONE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE ORDINANCE UNTIL WE'VE GOTTEN THE SURVEY RESULTS BACK.

MR. OPSOMMER.

MR. SUPERVISOR IS OUR ATTORNEY JOINING US.

I DO SEE THAT THERE'S A MATT IN THE [INAUDIBLE].

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S OUR ATTORNEY.

COULD BE HE'S GOING TO BE JOINING US FOR A CLOSED SESSION, BUT DID YOU WANT HIM TO JOIN US NOW? I WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS JOINING US FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.

NO.

HE WAS.

IN FACT, I HAVE A NUMBER TO CALL HIM TO TELL HIM WHEN WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HIM OR NOT BECAUSE ORIGINALLY HE WAS WAITING FOR MY PHONE CALL.

YEAH.

SO ONE THING THAT WE DIDN'T TOUCH ON AT THE LAST MEETING THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON WAS WHAT WE CAN DO AROUND SOCIAL EQUITY IN OUR ATTORNEY'S MEMORANDUM THERE WAS A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY PROPOSED TO US.

[02:05:01]

AND SO ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO FOR SOCIAL EQUITY IS ACTUALLY PROVIDE REDUCED FEE SCHEDULES, SO UNDER UNDER OUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCES AND UNDER [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL UNITS CAN ASSESS A FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FEE.

ONE OF OUR ATTORNEYS OUTLINED FOR US IS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY STRUCTURE THAT SUCH THAT THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION BASED ON ANY NUMBER OF QUALIFIERS BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MICHIGAN MARIJUANA REGULATORY AGENCY WITH [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAD PROPOSED A FEE REDUCTION AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THE FEE THAT THE STATE ASSESSES OF TWENTY FIVE PERCENT FOR HAVING BEEN CONVICTED OF A MARIJUANA RELATED MISDEMEANOR.

WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, MR. DESCHAINE, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT, ARE WE ARE WE OFFLINE OR SOMETHING? I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED.

CAN YOU RESTART YOUR VIDEO SUPERVISOR STYKA.

RIGHT NOW I'M SHOWING EVERYBODY YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE THE MEETING AND COME BACK IN OR WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO.

DIRECTOR GEBES, IF WE TRY TO ENABLE OUR VIDEO, IT'S STATING YOU CANNOT START YOUR VIDEO BECAUSE THE HOST HAS STOPPED IT, I BELIEVE.

THERE YOU GO.

TRY AGAIN, PLEASE.

I THINK WE GOT BOUNCED OUT HERE.

CORRECT.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN EVERYONE ELSE STOPPED, BUT I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF [INAUDIBLE] TALKING.

I'LL JUST PICK UP WHERE I WAS GOING.

SO I WAS OUTLINING THE ACTUAL DEFINITION THAT THAT MRA KIND OF PROVIDES FOR BASED ON THE PRODUCTION SCHEDULES.

SO THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT THE MRA OUTLINES., THEY HAVE RESIDED IN A DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITY FOR AT LEAST FIVE CUMULATIVE YEARS WITHIN THE PAST 10 YEARS, THEY HAVE A CONVICTION FOR A MARIJUANA RELATED OFFENSE.

AND THE THIRD POSSIBLE CRITERIA IS THEY WERE REGISTERED AS A PRIMARY CAREGIVER.

SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE LOOK AT THIS FROM A SOCIAL EQUITY STANDPOINT AND THE FEES THAT WE ASSESS AS A TOWNSHIP AS IT RELATES TO OUR APPLICANTS.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE REST OF THE BOARD FOR INPUT.

ANYONE HAVE ANY ANY REPLIES OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS OR.

OR IS THIS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEXT DISCUSSION? SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE UP TO SPEED ON IT DAN.

IF NOBODY HAS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, THEN YEAH, EVERYONE COULD [INAUDIBLE].

THEN THE ATTORNEY MEMORANDUM FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING ON MARCH 2ND.

YEAH.

I KNOW, IT'S FROM THAT.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH PEOPLE HAVE STUDIED IT.

MS. WISINSKI.

YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY I APOLOGIZE, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT THOROUGHLY, BUT I WILL.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF IT, OBVIOUSLY, AND WE ALL SHOULD BE.

WE SHOULD GET OURSELVES UP TO SPEED ON IT.

AND OBVIOUSLY, DAN IS AND WE'RE NOT.

MR. DESCHAINE.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DRUG COMPANIES OFFER FREE AND REDUCED PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T CAN'T AFFORD IT, BUT THEY DON'T ASK THE FDA TO PROVIDE IT, THEY OR THE REGULATORS TO PAY IT.

[02:10:01]

THEY PAY IT THEMSELVES.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE GOT THIS BACKWARDS, THAT THIS IS ALREADY A QUESTIONABLE FINANCIAL ENTERPRISE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO MY FIRST BLUSH AT [INAUDIBLE] EQUITY IS IT SEEMS BACKWARDS TO ME, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO DISCUSS IT IN A FUTURE MEETING.

AND JUST TO SPEAK TO THE ACTUAL INTENT IN CASE PEOPLE MISSED IT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ACROSS THE STATE AND IN THE MEDIA ON THIS QUESTION OF SOCIAL EQUITY.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT IT MEANS IS AS WE LOOK AT AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS BEEN IN PROHIBITION FOR CENTURIES AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE INCARCERATION OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND DEMOGRAPHICS IN PARTICULAR BUT REGARDLESS OF RACE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS AT LARGE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AND IT'S ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A STAKE IN THE INDUSTRY AS WELL.

WHEN THE ORIGINAL WHEN THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSURE ACT THAT WE OPTED IN UNDER THEY PUT IN YOU KNOW, THEY PUT IN A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS, SOME OF WHICH REQUIRED CERTAIN CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS.

SO IF YOU'RE SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY PROHIBITION AND THE CRIMINAL OFFENSES INVOLVED HERE, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO GET INTO THE INDUSTRY AND THEN ALSO HAVE THE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE LEGISLATURE'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

SO IT'S ABOUT CREATING THAT FINANCIAL EQUITY IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO THE MARKETPLACE.

WE'RE LIMITED AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT WRITING A SYSTEMIC WRONG O VER THE PAST SEVERAL CENTURIES IN THIS COUNTRY, SO I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO WHEN PERMITS OPEN UP.

OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE PREEXISTING PERMIT HOLDERS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE PROSPECT THAT PERMITS OPEN UP.

AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOCIAL EQUITY MOVING FORWARD.

YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN WE WERE ADOPTING THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA, WE TRIED TO WORK IN THINGS THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE OR HELP PEOPLE FROM MINORITY GROUPS ETC TO BE INVOLVED AND BE PART OF THE APPLICATION APPLICANTS OF LICENSEES.

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IT ALL WORKED OUT.

SO ANYTHING MORE WE COULD DO IS GOING TO BE A PLUS.

SO, YEAH, WE SHOULD BE READY TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEXT TIME, MR. DESCHAINE.

I THINK WE SORT OF GOT OUR ORDINANCE HANDED TO US LAST MEETING WHEN MR HANK WHO IS A NATIONAL OR STATE EXPERT ON RECREATIONAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA, BASICALLY CALLED OUR ORDINANCE CRAPPY AND IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY INCLUSION, DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY DIVERSITY, AND DIDN'T INCLUDE MUCH FOR ALLOWING FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS.

WHICH ME GETS BACK TO THE FACT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA THAT NO ONE WANTS TO ACT ON.

THEY'VE TOLD US IT'S WORTHLESS.

SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING RECREATIONAL, THAT'S A SEPARATE TOPIC AND THAT WE OUGHT TO TAKE INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION THE IDEA OF OF ROLLING BACK OR ELIMINATING OUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE, IT'S NOT BEING USED AND IT'S EXPOSING US TO A HUGE LIABILITY, SHOULD WE EVER ACT ON RECREATIONAL THEN ALL THE PERMITS THAT WE APPROVED UNDER MEDICAL, WHICH COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO TWENTY ONE, COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME RECREATIONAL LICENSES.

THAT'S THE INTERPRETATION WE'RE GETTING FROM OUR LAW FIRM.

AS LONG AS WE LEAVE THAT MEDICAL ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS, WE'RE HIGHLY EXPOSED.

SO WE'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S A WORTHLESS ORDINANCE THEY DON'T WANT TO ACT ON.

IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD.

THEY NEED RECREATION.

THAT'S FINE.

LET'S GET RID OF IT AND LET'S PASS A RECREATIONAL ONLY IF THE VOTERS APPROVE IT.

IF THE SURVEY RESULTS SHOW SUPPORT FOR IT, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECREATIONAL ONLY.

THIS MEDICAL ORDINANCE WE'VE GOT IS REALLY AN ALBATROSS THAT CAN ONLY HURT US MOVING FORWARD.

IT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD ORDINANCE.

WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT BY MR. HANK, DOESN'T INCLUDE DIVERSITY, DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY LOCAL ANY ABILITY TO BRING IN LOCAL PROVIDERS.

IT'S NOT A GOOD ORDINANCE FOR BEING TOLD.

AND IT EXPOSES US GREATLY TO BEING SUED IN THE FUTURE, HAVING FAR MORE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA THAN WE EVER INTENDED.

MR. OPSOMMER.

I DO SEE THAT OUR ATTORNEY IS IN THE ATTENDEE SECTION, AND THAT'S A VERY DIRECT LEGAL QUESTION THAT WAS JUST POSED BY THE TREASURER.

SO I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD PROMOTE HIM? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GEBES.

AND THEN, MATT, CAN YOU HEAR US?

[02:15:01]

ARE YOU WITH US YET? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.

HI, MATT.

HOW YOU DOING? SO MY QUESTION IS.

READING YOUR MEMORANDUM, I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING TO THE EFFECT THAT REPEALING OUR MEDICAL ORDINANCE WOULD REDUCE THE EXPOSURE, OR RELIABILITY AND OPTING IN UNDER ADULT USE.

WHAT IS YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THAT AND WHAT LITIGATION EXPOSURE WOULD RESULT FROM REPEAL OF THE EXISTING NON ZONING AND ZONING MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCES? RIGHT.

YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT SIMPLY REPEALING THEM DOESN'T NECESSARILY CHANGE YOUR LITIGATION RISK PROFILE.

AS WE SORT OF LAID OUT, IF THE TOWNSHIP WERE TO REPEAL THOSE, THERE ARE STILL SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT ISSUED PERMITS AND WHETHER THERE'S PROPERTY RIGHTS TO THOSE PERMITS.

THERE ARE NO ISSUED PERMITS MATT.

RIGHT, RIGHT TO THE SPECIAL USE PERMITS AT THIS POINT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED SOME OF THAT IN THE IN THE WRITTEN MATERIAL.

IF WE KIND OF SAY, OK, REPEALING THAT, LET'S SAY THAT TAKES YOU BACK TO A POSITION EX ANTE WHERE THERE'S NO MARIJUANA AUTHORIZED IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THEN YOU WERE TO MOVE FORWARD SIMPLY WITH RECREATIONAL.

THAT DOES GET YOU FARTHER AWAY FROM SOME OF THE LITIGATION THAT WE'VE SEEN, WHICH IS WHERE YOU HAVE OPERATING MEDICAL FACILITIES AND THEN A COMMUNITY TRANSITIONS INTO RECREATIONAL AND THERE'S DISPUTES ABOUT WHO GETS THOSE RECREATIONAL PERMIT.

SO IT WOULD SEEM TO POTENTIALLY LIMIT SOME OF THAT, THAT LITIGATION RISK.

BUT GIVEN THE GIVEN THAT WE CAN'T JUST GO BACK ON PAPER.

SO I THINK.

REPEALING OR CHANGING THE WAY YOU'RE APPROACHING THE MEDICAL PERMITS, WHETHER THEY ULTIMATELY ARE ISSUED OR NOT, THAT REMAINS AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO COME INTO PLAY FROM A LITIGATION PERSPECTIVE AND A RISK OF LITIGATION PERSPECTIVE UNDER THE ADULT USE ESTABLISHMENT.

AND WHAT WOULD BE BASED ON A MEMORANDUM? AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT IN, WHAT REDUCES THE LITIGATION RISK GREATEST FOR THE TOWNSHIP? THE THING THAT WOULD RIGHT.

WHAT WOULD REDUCE LITIGATION RISK THE MOST WOULD BE TO HAVE UNLIMITED RECREATIONAL PERMITS AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEN ANYONE WHO WANTED TO HAVE A RECREATIONAL PERMIT COULD APPLY FOR ONE, AND THERE WOULD BE LITTLE INCENTIVE TO SUE TO GET ACCESS TO A RECREATIONAL PERMIT.

BUT WE COULD CONSTRAIN THROUGH THE ZONING AND CREATE THAT SIX PERCENT OR SIX FACILITY CAP THROUGH THE ZONING WITH AND WITHOUT EXPRESSLY STATING THE CAP LIKE YOU OUTLINED IN YOUR PREVIOUS MEMORANDUM? EAST LANSING MODEL DIRECTION, BUT THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS IS HOW DO THE EXISTING MEDICAL APPLICANTS RESPOND TO WHATEVER SCHEME IS PUT IN PLACE AND WHETHER THEY'RE ABLE TO CO-LOCATE WITH FACILITIES THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED SPECIAL USE PERMITS FOR OR IF THAT MEANS THAT THERE COULD? YOU KNOW, THAT'S STILL A QUESTION THERE.

BUT, YES, IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT.

ANY PROCEDURE THAT GIVES YOU A MORE MEDICAL OR A RECREATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT PERMITS WOULD REDUCE YOUR RISK OF LITIGATION.

AND I BELIEVE YOUR FEBRUARY 16TH MEMORANDUM HAD PRETTY MUCH EXPRESSLY STATED GO WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF PERMITS OR MORE ESSENTIALLY.

I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT THIS MOMENT, BUT THAT WAS.

SEEM TO REDUCE YOUR LITIGATION RISK, GRANTING LESS WOULD SEEM TO INCREASE IT.

IF YOU HAVE SIX OPERATING MEDICAL FACILITIES AND THEN YOU ONLY AUTHORIZED TWO RECREATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

THAT DOES SEEM TO BE A HIGHER RISK SITUATION AND IS VERY CLOSE TO LITIGATION THAT'S CURRENTLY ONGOING IN TRAVERSE CITY.

BUT ON THAT LAST COUNT OR LAST STATEMENT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE VERSUS WHERE THEORETICALLY WE COULD BE.

WE HAVE FOUR APPLICANTS, NONE OF WHOM WANTS TO DO ANYTHING.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WITH A PERMIT OPERATE A MEDICAL IN OUR TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE AS A BOARD DECIDED WE WANTED.

[02:20:03]

NOTHING'S HAPPENING WITH REGARD TO THAT.

HOWEVER IF WE TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM ANYBODY, IF WE OPT OUT OF MEDICAL AND OPT IN INTO RECREATIONAL WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER, WHATEVER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE [INAUDIBLE] DON'T HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF HAVING 12, SIX MEDICAL AND SIX IF WE USE THE ZONING ASPECT.

SIX FOR RECREATIONAL.

I SEE HEAD NODDING BUT I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING.

SO, YES, I MEAN, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD POINTS.

WE HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY ANALYZED THE PROPERTY RIGHT QUESTION IN A FACT INTENSIVE WAY.

BUT I DO SEE THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING, WHICH IS THAT WITHOUT A PERMIT ISSUED, THEN THERE WOULD BE A HARD ARGUMENT TO MAKE THAT THERE'S ANY TYPE OF PROPERTY RIGHT.

IN THE PERMIT BECAUSE ALL THEY HAVE IS THE APPLICATION.

AND FROM A SPECIAL USE PERSPECTIVE, ALTHOUGH SOME SPECIAL USE PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, THE ZONING LAW IS MORE CLEAR THAT SOME ACTUAL BUILDING OR IMPROVEMENTS TYPICALLY HAVE TO BE TAKING PLACE BEFORE THAT PROPERTY RIGHT AND A USE PERMIT WOULD VEST.

I'M NOT AWARE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ACTIVITIES HAVE TAKEN PLACE, I SUSPECT POTENTIALLY NOT.

SO THAT DOES MITIGATE THAT DOES MITIGATE AGAINST THE ARGUMENT OF IF THERE WAS A REPEAL OF THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE AND THEY RAISED IT AND THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT FOR VESTED PROPERTY RIGHTS FROM THESE PERMIT APPLICANTS, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A DEFENSE TO THAT.

BUT IT.

WE'VE LAID OUT AT THIS POINT IS CANVASING THE ISSUES AND RAISING THAT THERE'S IT WOULD BE A POINT THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE RAISED BY THOSE INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS.

OK, THOSE EXCUSE ME, DEBORAH.

SORRY.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKE.

DAN YOU SAID IN ORDER TO REDUCE LITIGATION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE UNLIMITED AVAILABLE PERMITS FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

IS THE OPPOSITE TRUE? IF YOU HAVE ZERO AND OPT OUT, WHAT IS THE LITIGATION POSSIBILITY THEN TO JUST REMAIN AS WE ARE? RIGHT, SO THE LITIGATION RISK IS SMALL.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE SITUATION YOU'RE IN RIGHT NOW, IS THAT YOU'VE OPTED OUT.

YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS PROHIBITING IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT REQUIRES THE TOWNSHIP TO DO.

SO THAT'S YOUR POSITION RIGHT NOW.

SO IS THAT THE SMALLEST LITIGATION RISK THAN SMALLER THAN OPENING IT UP TO AS MANY PERMITS AS POSSIBLE IN THE TOWNSHIP? THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

I WOULD TEND I WOULD TEND TO SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY EQUAL, RIGHT? AND YOU'VE GOT THE DIFFERENT THE DIFFERENT SIDES.

YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT MARIJUANA ARE, OF COURSE, VERY HAPPY WITH NO PERMITS AVAILABLE.

AND SO THAT CONTINGENT WHO MIGHT DO SOMETHING IS HAPPY VERSUS WHEN YOU HAVE UNLIMITED PERMITS, THEN, OF COURSE, THE INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS OR FOLKS WHO WANT RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, THEY'RE HAPPY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHO MIGHT BRING LITIGATION FOR VARIOUS REASONS, I WOULD SEE THOSE AS EQUAL.

THE ONE POINT I WILL MAKE IS THAT IN EITHER CASE, THE PETITION SITUATION IS STILL OUT THERE IN AN ESTABLISHMENTS THAT YOU CONTACT.

SO ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE NO ESTABLISHMENT PERMITS AUTHORIZED RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO LITIGATION RISK OR THERE'S SMALL LITIGATION RISK REGARDING THAT.

BUT THERE IS A PETITION OPTION THAT A CITIZEN COULD BRING A PETITION TO ASK FOR AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PERMIT A CERTAIN NUMBER.

SO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RISK.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S OUT THERE ON THE EXTREMES.

AND WHAT IS THE UNLIMITED NUMBER? I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAY UNLIMITED NUMBER, YOU'RE NOT TALKING LIKE A THOUSAND PERMITS, I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAY UNLIMITED AVAILABLE PERMITS, WHAT ARE WHAT IS THAT NUMBER THAT YOU? I'M SORRY, YOU JUMPED ON MY SCREEN.

WHEN YOU SAY UNLIMITED AVAILABLE PERMIT NUMBERS, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? RIGHT, SO, I MEAN, THAT'S HARD TO SAY.

ON ONE HAND.

YES, UNLIMITED IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER.

FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S WHAT EAST LANSING HAS.

THEY SIMPLY HAVE NO CAP.

SO THE TECHNICAL NUMBER IS UNLIMITED.

THE PRACTICAL NUMBER WOULD BE WHAT SATISFIES THE MARKET.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE WORKED IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY PUT A 50 LICENSE PATH AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THAT WAS AN UNLIMITED CAP BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT THE DEMAND THEY'RE PRETTY CERTAIN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HIT 50.

SO, YES, THE TOWNSHIP COULD STILL ADOPT A LOT, A LARGE NUMBER, WHATEVER THAT IS.

[02:25:01]

FIFTY, TWENTY FIVE, TWELVE.

THAT WOULD SATISFY DEMAND.

AND ANYONE WHO CAME FORWARD WITH AN APPLICATION WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ONE.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE HAD TWENTY FIVE TO TWENTY SEVEN APPLICATIONS FOR THE MEDICAL PERMITS.

IS DEMAND BASED ON CONSUMER DEMAND OR IS IT BASED ON BUSINESS DEMAND? IS THAT BASED ON WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD OR IS IT BASED ON WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO CONSUME? RIGHT FROM THE TOWNSHIP'S PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY IT'S BASED ON BUSINESS DEMAND.

WHO WANTS TO COME FORWARD AND PUT SOMETHING INTO THE TOWNSHIP? AND OF COURSE, THAT'S A VERY MURKY CRYSTAL BALL, WHICH IS WHERE I WAS KIND OF GOING WITH THE OTHER COMMENTS OF TRYING TO PICK THAT NUMBER OF WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD SATISFY THAT, OTHER THAN SAYING UNLIMITED WOULD BE WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DO WITHOUT [INAUDIBLE].

SO WHEN YOU'RE USING THE TERM DEMAND RIGHT NOW, IT'S YOU'RE USING THE TERM DEMAND IN REGARDS TO BUSINESSES DEMANDING TO COME HERE, NOT RESIDENTS DEMANDING TO HAVE THESE BUSINESSES COME HERE.

IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? CORRECT.

YEAH, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I'M EVALUATING THIS FROM A FROM A LEGAL LITIGATION RISK TYPE PERSPECTIVE.

YEAH, BECAUSE.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR MATT, YOU'RE SAYING THAT TWENTY FIVE MIGHT BE A NUMBER THAT WOULDN'T GET US SUED, IF ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT WOULD LIKELY GET US SUED BY THE PRODUCERS? YOU KNOW, OF ANY CASES WHERE CITIZENS HAVE SUED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T OPT IN? OR DO THEY TAKE IT TO THE IS THEIR RECOURSE BEEN TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS IN THE FORM OF AN ELECTION? RIGHT, I THINK THE RECOURSE THERE IS TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS IN THE FORM OF AN ELECTION THAN THERE HAS BEEN LITIGATION ABOUT THOSE ELECTION PETITIONS.

SO TO THE EXTENT THERE'S LITIGATION SURROUNDING THAT, IT'S TYPICALLY THE PETITION STARTS FIRST AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THAT GETS ADMINISTERED OR INTERPRETED.

AND MY GUESS IS THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE SUING IN FOR THE PETITIONS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SUING, WHICH IS THE MARIJUANA PRODUCERS THAT DIDN'T LIKE THE PETITION LANGUAGE AND ARE TRYING TO KEEP IT OFF THE BALLOT.

THAT MY GUESS THERE.

BUT SO CITIZENS AREN'T SUING TOWNSHIP BOARDS OR CITY COUNCILS FOR NOT OPTING IN.

THESE LAWSUITS ARE COMING FROM THE INDUSTRY.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S MY READ ON IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THE LAWSUITS THEMSELVES, RIGHT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS OF THREE RIVERS OR CITIZENS OF THREE RIVERS FOR JOBS.

TYPE THING.

SO HOW MANY CITIZENS ARE PART OF THAT INITIATIVE VERSUS HOW MANY HOW MANY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS ARE PART OF THAT ADVOCACY GROUP IN THAT LOCAL AREA? YOU KNOW, REALLY HARD TO SAY FROM OUTSIDE.

I'M NOT AWARE OF A PURELY CITIZEN BASED LITIGATION ACTION.

I SUPPOSE I WOULD I COULD SAY IT THAT WAY.

AGAIN, TO RECAP, YOU WOULD THINK WE NEED TO LIMIT WE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW TWENTY FIVE OR SO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA STORES BEFORE WE AVOIDED BEING SUED BY THESE PRODUCERS FOR LEAVING THEM OUT.

IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] WHAT YOU JUST SAID? I THINK IT'S HARD TO PUT A NUMBER ON IT, BUT THAT BASED ON WHAT WE SAW IN APPLICATIONS BEFORE, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR BALLPARK FIGURE.

SO ANY REASONABLE NUMBER? ONE TWO FOUR.

EVEN SIX IS STILL EVEN IF IT TO ME, THAT'S A WILDLY HIGH NUMBER, FAR MORE THAN WE NEED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT WOULD STILL EVEN A VERY BIG NUMBER OF SIX RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WOULD STILL END UP WITH MANY, MANY LAWSUITS.

IS THAT YOUR ASSESSMENT? THE POTENTIAL EXISTS, AND IT DEPENDS IN PART ON THE FINAL ORDINANCE ITSELF.

HOW WE CRAFT ANY COMPETITIVE REVIEW, WHETHER WE'RE USING A ZONING BUFFER SYSTEM TO CREATE THOSE LIMITATIONS AND ACTUAL PERMITS.

BUT YES, THE MAIN THRUST OF YOUR QUESTION, THE LITIGATION RISK EXISTS WITH ESPECIALLY ANYTHING BELOW SIX AND I THINK EVEN AT SIX.

AND THOSE LAWSUITS, AGAIN, ARE COMING FROM INDUSTRY, NOT FROM THE CITIZENS.

PROCEED WITH RECREATIONAL, WE NEED TO SET ASIDE, WHAT, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS LEGAL DEFENSE, A MILLION DOLLARS.

WE'RE GOING TO END UP IN COURT INDEFINITELY BY THESE [INAUDIBLE] PRODUCERS.

SO STEPPING IN IS GOING TO COST THE TOWNSHIP A LOT OF MONEY IN LAWSUITS ALONE.

AND THAT HAS TO BE A FACTOR AS WELL.

ARE WE PREPARED TO SPEND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR RESIDENTS' MONEY DEFENDING LAWSUITS TO OPT IN TO HAVE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA STORES, WHICH OUR CITIZENS

[02:30:05]

AREN'T ASKING FOR, BUT THE PRODUCERS ARE.

SO THEY'RE ASKING US TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE SO THEY CAN OPEN UP HERE.

IF WE DON'T GIVE THEM ENOUGH PERMITS, THEY'RE GOING TO SUE THE [EXPLICIT] OUT OF US.

EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO.

AND SO WE SPEND A TON OF MONEY DEFENDING LAWSUITS FOR AN ORDINANCE WE'RE DOING ON THEIR BEHALF.

IS THIS INSANE OR WHAT? I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE EVEN GIVEN THIS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION, KNOWING THE MORASS WE'RE ABOUT TO STEP INTO IF WE OPT INTO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

WE'VE GOTTEN THIRTY SIX LETTERS ON RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SINCE FEBRUARY 10TH.

THIRTY THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN FROM CITIZENS OPPOSED TO IT.

THREE HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF IT.

THIS IS NOT A CITIZEN LED INITIATIVE.

THIS INDUSTRY LED INITIATIVE.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER ARRANGED THOSE TOURS OF THE OF THE FACILITIES.

RESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] SHOULD GO TO EAST LANSING'S [INAUDIBLE] FACILITIES.

IT WAS THEM COMING TO US SAYING, COME SEE WHAT A GREAT FACILITY WE HAVE IN EAST LANSING.

CLERK GUTHRIE TALKED TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LAST YEAR RUNNING FOR CLERK, NOT ONE MENTION ACCESS ISSUE, NOT ONE MENTIONED THE ABSENCE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES, NOT ONE MENTION WE NEED RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

OUR CITIZENS AREN'T ASKING FOR THIS.

THE INDUSTRY IS.

AND NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD BY LEGAL COUNSEL WE ARE GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TIME IN COURT IF WE DON'T GIVE THEM TWENTY FIVE OR MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

WHERE IS OUR GOOD SENSE, WHERE'S OUR COMMON SENSE ABOUT THIS? WHY WOULD WE DO SOMETHING AS INSANE AS ALLOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES EVEN IN A HIGH NUMBER, LIKE SIX, KNOWING WE'RE GOING TO BE SUED BY THE OTHER 20 THAT DIDN'T GET THEIR LICENSE.

THIS IS THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS, FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE THING THIS BOARD COULD BE CONSIDERING AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY A HUGE PRICE FOR.

THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR AND IN 2024, WHEN THE ELECTION COMES AROUND, ALL THE GOOD WORK THIS BOARD HAS DONE THE PAST FOUR YEARS WILL BE ERASED BY THIS RECKLESS AND REALLY BAD DECISION TO OPT IT TO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

BY CHANGING THE READY RIGHT ORDINANCES WE DID TONIGHT, WE'VE SOLVED THE ACCESS ISSUE.

ANYONE CAN GET MEDICAL MARIJUANA FROM PLEASANTRIES FOR A DOLLAR FIFTY OR A DOLLAR QUARTER OR LESS OF A RIDE, SO ACCESS IS NOT THE ISSUE.

SO WHAT IS THE REASON FOR DOING THIS? WHAT IS THE REASON FOR STEPPING INTO THIS VERY LITIGIOUS AREA THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AT BEST SPLIT, MOST LIKELY OPPOSED TO? WHAT'S THE UPSIDE HERE? I'M JUST NOT SEEING THE UPSIDE.

ALL WE'RE HEARING IS THE DOWNSIDE TO THIS, SO I ASK YOU, TRUSTEE SUNDLAND, YOU'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF THIS.

WHAT'S YOUR REASON? WHAT'S THE PUBLIC POLICY TRUSTEE SUNDLAND IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, YOU'VE BEEN IN FAVOR.

[INAUDIBLE] BOARD MEMBERS ARE ASKING OTHER BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS.

[INAUDIBLE] OK, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE TRUSTEES THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS.

WHAT IS YOUR PUBLIC POLICY? WHAT IS THE PUBLIC POLICY BENEFIT OF MOVING FORWARD WITH RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ARTICULATE, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE NODDING AFTER ONE TRUSTEE WHO LIKED IT, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF GOOD PUBLIC POLICY REASONS FOR OPTING INTO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

AND WE'VE GOT MORE REASONS FOR NOT DOING IT AGAIN TONIGHT FROM OUR ATTORNEY.

BUT I'M NOT HEARING ANY GOOD PUBLIC POLICY REASONS FOR OPTING IN.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AND FOUR OF YOU BEEN IN FAVOR UP TO THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW YOUR REASONS FOR SUPPORTING IT.

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD THEM YET.

MS. WISINSKI.

SO I WANT TO THANK OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, FIRST OFF, THAT WAS HELPFUL.

AND I DO PLAN TO READ INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BUT.

TO SPEAK TO TREASURER DESCHAINE, THERE'S MULTIPLE REASONS WHY I AM IN SUPPORT OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA OUTSIDE OF THE LITIGATION COMPONENT.

IT CAN BRING A LOT OF GOOD AS TO MERIDIAN FIRST OFF, IT CAN BRING JOBS, JOBS THAT ARE PAYING 15 TO 18 DOLLARS AN HOUR WITH FULL BENEFITS.

AND HERE IN COVID, WE'VE BEEN LOSING JOBS.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

BACK TO THE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, IN THE INTERIM, HAVING A READY RIDE TO ONE FACILITY FOR MEDICAL IS FANTASTIC.

BUT LONG TERM, IS THAT REALLY EQUITABLE? IS THAT SOMETHING WHERE EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS THAT AND GET THERE WHEN THEY NEED TO?

[02:35:01]

IS THAT SOMETHING WE WANT TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO? AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME IS THE SOCIAL JUSTICE COMPONENT OF IT.

FOR OVER AND OVER.

WE KEEP HEARING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORS.

EAST LANSING HAS IT.

LANSING HAS IT.

WHY DO WE NEED IT HERE? THAT SITS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ME BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING IT'S OK, GO USE IT, WE'RE NOT JUDGING YOU WELL, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO HERE IN MERIDIAN.

AND SO I HAVE A REALLY HARD.

I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO BE DIVERSE, WE WANT TO BE EQUITABLE, WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, BUT NOT YOU.

WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE.

WE DON'T WANT YOU USING IT HERE.

SO I'M HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME WITH THAT AS WELL.

BUT I DO THINK IT CAN POTENTIALLY REDUCE STREET DRUGS THAT ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR CHILDREN.

I THINK IT CAN INCREASE JOBS.

IT INCREASES ACCESSIBILITY FOR A MEDICAL.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE MONEY.

IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MONEY OUTSIDE OF LITIGATION, IF DONE CORRECTLY, IT CAN BRING A LOT OF MONEY INTO THIS COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE USED ON THINGS THAT WE NEED.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, MERIDIAN CARES OR COVID BUSINESS RELIEFS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALL THE INITIATIVES THAT CHIEF PLAGA IS PUTTING FORWARD.

WE COULD ADD TO THOSE TO THAT FUNDING AS WELL.

SO I THINK THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT LITIGATION.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AN ORDINANCE OR A CHANGE TO AN ORDINANCE.

AND I CAME IN A LITTLE BIT IN THE MIDDLE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

SO I WAS YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE TO VOTE ON THE, THE END ALL BE ALL.

BUT I WASN'T THERE IN THE PLANNING.

BUT I KNOW THAT I KNOW THIS BOARD PUT A LOT OF OF WORK AND INTENTION INTO THAT PLANNING, DESIGNING THOSE OVERLAY DISTRICTS.

SO I FEEL THAT WE CAN DO THAT, STILL BE SOCIALLY EQUITABLE AND STILL AT LEAST MINIMIZE OUR LITIGATION.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO YOUR RESPONSE.

MS. GUTHRIE.

LIKE TO RESPOND AS WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO CONCUR WITH THE FORMER CLERK.

THAT ACCESSIBILITY HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.

WAS NEVER AN ISSUE FOR ME IN HIGH SCHOOL, WAS NEVER AN ISSUE FOR ANYONE I KNEW IN HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE FOR CURRENT KIDS WHO ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S AN ISSUE OF HOW TO GET IT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, HOW TO GET ACID OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, HOW TO GET POT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

POT.

MEDICAL, RECREATIONAL, WHENEVER YOU WANT TO.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS MARIJUANA.

I DON'T KNOW ANYONE.

I SMOKED IT IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WHEN I GOT PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST SON, I HAVEN'T SMOKED IT SINCE 1990.

I SHARED A STORY WITH TRUSTEE OPSOMMER OF THAT INCIDENT WHERE I KNOW SOMETHING WAS LACED AND I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO APPROVE REGULATED RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ACCESS, IF YOU WANT IT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.

IF YOU WANT ALCOHOL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.

IF YOU WANT A DRUG, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.

IF YOU NEED MEDICINE OVER THE COUNTER.

I NEED ADVIL COLD AND SINUS TO GET RID OF MY MIGRAINES.

GUESS WHAT? THE PHARMACY AT MYER IN OKEMOS ISN'T OPEN 24/7.

SO IF I HAVE A MIGRAINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND I HAVE NOTHING IN MY HOUSE, I HAVE TO DRIVE TO MYER IN EAST LANSING PHARMACY TO GET ADVIL COLD AND SINUS CUZ PEOPLE USE IT TO MAKE METH.

SO I GOT TO GO TO THAT PHARMACY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH A MIGRAINE.

IF YOU EVER HAVE A MIGRAINE, IT'S TORTURE TO DO IT.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I DO IT.

I GO.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT ACCESS IS AN ISSUE.

AND I CONCUR WITH THE FORMER CLERK.

I THINK HE WENT ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT HOW.

TONS OF PEOPLE ARE SMOKING IT IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I AM CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER OF PERMITS.

I'VE NEVER SAID I'VE NEVER SAID I'M COMPLETELY AGAINST RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

I'M CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER OF PERMITS.

I'M CONCERNED THAT THE THAT OUR ATTORNEY HAS HAS SAID BASICALLY THERE'S OR ADVISED US OR, YOU KNOW.

THAT BASICALLY TO REDUCE LITIGATION, YOU EITHER HAVE TO HAVE UNLIMITED OR OPT OUT.

THOSE ARE THOSE ARE MY THAT'S MY BASIC CONCERN BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOU CAN

[02:40:05]

GET IT ANYWHERE IF YOU WANTED.

MR. OPSOMMER.

I FIRST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING AND THEN I'LL ASK OUR ATTORNEY TO RESPOND.

THERE WERE A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS MADE AND WHAT WAS ASKED OF THE ATTORNEY.

WHAT [INAUDIBLE] SAYS AND WHAT THE ATTORNEYS OUTLINED IN OUR MEMORANDUM IS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE EXPLICITLY WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE IF YOU HAVE MORE APPLICATIONS THAN PERMITS AVAILABLE.

EXPRESSLY WRITTEN IN MEANING NUMERICALLY, IF WE'RE NUMERICALLY CAPPING IT, WE RECEIVE MORE APPLICATIONS THAN WE RECEIVE, THEN WE HAVE TO USE A POINT SCORING SYSTEM.

BUT IF WE DO THE SAME, WE HAVE THIS MEDICAL ORDINANCE.

WE'VE CREATED THESE OVERLAY DISTRICTS WITH CONSIDERATION TO HOW WE REGULATE ZONING IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS INSTEAD OF SAYING IN THE ORDINANCE, ONE PER FACILITY OR ONE PERMIT PER OVERLAY DISTRICT, IF WE SIMPLY SAY THE FACILITIES HAVE TO BE LOCATED IN THE OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND THEY CAN'T BE WITHIN X FEET OF EACH OTHER, THAT NATURALLY SAYS ONE PER OVERLAY DISTRICT, IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY OF ACHIEVING THE SAME THING.

AND THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY USE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPROVAL PROCESS FOR APPROVING THESE FACILITIES THE SAME WAY WE WOULD WITH AN AUTO DEALERSHIP, LARGE DEVELOPMENT, DRIVE THRU WINDOWS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVES THOSE SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND WE HAVE TWO OR THREE OTHER USE PERMIT PROCESSES.

AND SO THAT ELIMINATES THAT PROCESS FOR US.

THE OTHER THING THAT THE MEMORANDUM EXPLICITLY SAYS IS THAT IF WE KEEP IN LINE WITH OUR MEDICAL ORDINANCE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PERMITS.

BUT MECHANICALLY UNCAP IT THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED BY REGULATING IT INTENSIVELY WITH THE EXISTING ZONING.

THEN THAT PRETTY MUCH REDUCES LITIGATION EXPOSURE, THE SAME WAY THAT EAST LANSING HAS A CAP OF SEVEN, BUT IF YOU READ THEIR ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T SAY THEY'RE LIMITED TO SEVEN.

THEY DID IT WITH THE ZONING.

THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEY OPTED IN AND THEY HAD NO LITIGATION RESULTING.

NOW, YOU KNOW THE OTHER THING.

THAT NEEDS TO BE FACTORED HERE IS.

OUR ATTORNEYS MENTIONED THE PETITION OPTION, PUT THAT IN LAY TERMS, WHAT THAT MEANS IS.

THE VOTER INITIATED ACT THAT WE ALL APPROVED.

IN 2018 ALLOWS FOR CITIZENS TO COLLECT SIGNATURES, YOU ONLY NEED ABOUT ELEVEN HUNDRED IN MERIDIAN AND THAT NUMBER MAY ACTUALLY DECREASE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE THAT'S FIVE PERCENT OF ALL VOTES CAST FOR GOVERNOR IN THE PREVIOUS ELECTION.

AND SO WE ALSO BEAR LITIGATION EXPOSURE DEPENDING ON WHAT VOTERS MIGHT APPROVE IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO IF VOTERS APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE IN THE CITY OF PORT HURON, WHERE IT PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY WHEN VOTERS PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.

THEY HAD THAT PROVISION WHERE THEY COULDN'T THE COUNCIL COULDN'T REFORMAT OR AMEND THE ORDINANCE FOR TWO YEARS, AND YOU'RE JUST LEFT WITH WHATEVER HOWEVER THAT IS CODIFIED OR DRAFTED BASED ON THE CITIZENS THAT PUT IT ONTO THE BALLOT AND COLLECT SIGNATURES.

WE STILL HAVE TO ADMINISTER THAT ORDINANCE.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE GONE THAT ROUTE, BUT TO SPEAK TO THE TREASURER'S POINTS.

FOR ME, IF WE WANT TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN GETTING RID OF THE ILLICIT MARKET.

OPTING IN IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.

THE MORE COMMUNITIES THAT OPT IN TO CREATE ACCESS TO THE LEGAL MARKETPLACE, THE MORE WE WILL REDUCE DEMAND THE ILLICIT MARKETPLACE AND THE FEWER PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY GROW AND BE THE DISTRIBUTOR WITHIN THE ILLICIT MARKETPLACE.

SO EVERY COMMUNITY OPT IN HELPS OR THAT END.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE BOOTLEGGERS ANYMORE EITHER BECAUSE THERE IS NO PROHIBITION ANYWHERE ON ALCOHOL.

AND THERE'S A REASON.

AND IN DOING SO, WE CREATE ACCESS TO SAFE AND TESTED PRODUCTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY LABELED.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY WOULD GO TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEIGHBOR OR SOME RANDOM PERSON AND BUY A BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL IF THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN IT.

AND THAT IS THE REALITY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

PREDOMINANTLY AND YES, PEOPLE GO TO LANSING AND GET IT? OR EAST LANSING AND GET IT? YES, THEY CAN.

BUT WE'RE PLAYING THAT SMALL ROLE THAT WE CAN PLAY IN GETTING RID OF THE ILLICIT MARKETPLACE AND TO THE SAME POINT, IF THERE'S SO MANY SOCIETAL ILLS THAT WILL COME ABOUT, I GUESS I'M PERPLEXED AS TO WHY THOSE AREN'T ALREADY AILING THIS COMMUNITY.

WHEN I LOOK AT PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH, THE NUMBER ONE PREDICTOR OF A CHILDHOOD, A

[02:45:03]

CHILD'S EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IS THE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF THEIR PARENTS.

IF MARIJUANA WAS A SOCIETAL ILL, IT WAS GOING TO WREAK HAVOC ON THE COMMUNITY, IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE SO BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY PREVALENT HERE AND IT'S NOT.

THE SAFEST PRODUCT, BECAUSE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN THE ILLICIT PRODUCT THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CONSUMING.

AND TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S POINT, I DO THINK, BASED ON THE STUDIES I'VE READ AND JUST BASED ON THE LOGISTICS OF LEGAL MARKETPLACES, IT WILL REDUCE ACCESS TO YOUTH.

YOUTH CAN BUY DIRECT IN THE ILLICIT MARKET.

THERE'S NOTHING PREVENTING YOUTH FROM BUYING DIRECT IN THE ILLICIT MARKET.

IT'S AN ILLEGAL TRANSACTION.

THERE'S ALREADY LIABILITY FOR WHOEVER'S PARTICIPATING IN THAT TRANSACTION.

YOUTH CAN'T EVEN GET IN THESE FACILITIES.

YOU CAN GO TO A RITE AID RIGHT NOW AND FIND ALL SORTS OF ALCOHOL CONTAINERS THAT HAVE NO SECURITY CAP ON THEM.

AND THOSE CAN BE POCKETED AND YOUTH CAN WALK OUT IF THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.

THESE FACILITIES ARE HIGHLY REGULATED AND THE MORE COMMERCE THAT WE PUT INTO A REGULATED PLACE LIKE THAT, WE ARE REDUCING YOUTH ACCESS.

I DON'T I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN ARGUE AGAINST THAT.

AND THE STUDIES ARE STARTING TO BEAR THAT OUT FROM WASHINGTON AND COLORADO.

SO FOR ME, THOSE ARE THE PRIMARY FACTORS FROM A PUBLIC POLICY STANDPOINT.

FOR ME, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE REVENUE.

WE DON'T NEED REVENUE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST TAX BASE PRETTY SOON.

COULD WE DO GOOD WITH THAT MONEY? YEAH.

AT ANN ARBOR, THERE'S A STORY IN [INAUDIBLE] TODAY THAT ANN ARBOR IS DOING A LOT OF THINGS TO HELP SUPPORT MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY PROSECUTED FOR MARIJUANA AND HAVE HAD THEIR RECORDS EXPUNGED, BUT THERE'S STILL UNDUE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

SO THEY'RE USING THEIR EXCISE TAX REVENUE FOR THAT.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD USE IT FOR, BUT FOR ME.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE LOGISTICS, A REGULATED LEGAL MARKETPLACE IS A GOOD THING, AND THE FINAL THING IS.

TO THE CLERK'S POINT AS WELL, THESE TRANSACTIONS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE STARTED PICKING UP THIS HABIT BECAUSE IT BECAME LEGAL IN 2018.

FOLKS THAT HAVE WANTED TO USE IT AND MAKE AN ADULT DECISION HAVE BEEN DOING IT.

SO, THE TRANSACTIONS LIKELY HAVEN'T CHANGED.

THE MONETARY VALUE HAS BECAUSE THEY GET IT IN THE LEGAL MARKETPLACE, IT'S TWICE AS EXPENSIVE, WHICH ALSO REDUCES YOUTH ACCESS.

BUT WHAT IS THE LEGAL MARKETPLACE DO? IT ACTUALLY DRIVES TAX REVENUE.

IMAGINE IF WE JUST GOT RID OF ALL IF DID THE SAME THING WITH ALCOHOL AND IT ALL BECAME AN ILLICIT TRANSACTION, AND THEN WE LOST ALL THAT EXCISE TAX REVENUE FOR THE SCHOOLS, ARE WE DOING ANY GOOD BECAUSE THERE WOULD STILL BE AN ILLICIT MARKET WHERE THOSE TRANSACTIONS OCCUR, BUT THE TAX REVENUE DERIVED IN THE LEGAL MARKET CAN ACTUALLY DO SOME GOOD.

IT CAN TREAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER.

IT CAN FUND ROADS AND SCHOOLS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IT CAN FUND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, THE COUNTY WOULD GET MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE EXCISE TAX REVENUE.

FOR EACH COMMUNITY, THAT DOES OPT IN.

SO THOSE ARE THE PUBLIC POLICY REASONS FOR ME AND I'VE OUTLINED THOSE, SO I DO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THIS IDEA THAT ANYONE IS HIDING FROM THIS.

WE'VE HAD MEETINGS ON THIS SINCE NOVEMBER.

I THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY UNFAIR JUDGMENT TO LEVY AGAINST ANYBODY ON THE BOARD, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU COME DOWN ON THE ISSUE.

SO WITH THAT.

I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, THANK YOU.

OTHER MEMBERS? I WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT SPEAK TO ME FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE.

THE FIRST IS THE ACTUALITY, THE REALITY THAT THIS IS A GROWING AND LEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

AND FROM A FAIRNESS PERSPECTIVE, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH BEING IN THE POSITION TO PROMOTE BANNING A LEGAL ACTIVITY IN THE AREA THAT I THAT I LIVE IN.

ON THE SUBJECT OF THE HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACTS OF ALLOWING OR PERMITTING, ALLOWING AS MANY AS SIX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES IN.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I WOULD NOTE THAT A CAREFUL REVIEW OF COLLECTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEGAL AND SAFETY IMPACTS WOULD.

[02:50:04]

ARGUABLY SHOW THAT THESE IMPACTS ARE THE VERY SAME FORCE, THE SAME NUMBER OF BARS AND ALCOHOL OUTLETS, AND SO I DO NOT SEE THAT AS A.

VALID ARGUMENT TO ELEVATE PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SAFETY AND THE MISUSE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

FINALLY, I AM PARTICULARLY IN FAVOR OF IF MARIJUANA IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ANY OTHER COMMUNITY I THOROUGHLY SUPPORT, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT A SYSTEM IN WHICH THE STATE OVERSEES, REGULATES AND STANDARDIZES BOTH THE GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF THE PRODUCT AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE PRODUCT AND PROMOTES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR THE PUBLIC BY HOW IT REQUIRES THE PRODUCT TO BE PRESENTED.

THOSE ARE THE REASONS OF WHICH I AM, IN ADDITION TO MANY OF THE THINGS OFFERED, MANY OF THE ELEMENTS OFFERED BY MS. GUTHRIE, BY MS. WISINSKI AND MR. OPSOMMER.

THANK YOU THANK YOU IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SIX.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12.

SIX MEDICAL, SIX RECREATIONAL.

ANYONE ELSE? MS. JACKSON? I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT CONCLUSION BECAUSE W E HAVEN'T WRITTEN AN ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT 12.

WELL, IF YOU WRITE AN ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT 6 RECREATIONALLY, YOU ALREADY HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT SIX MEDICAL.

WELL, THAT DEPENDS ON HOW WE WRITE THE ORDINANCE WELL, MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THEN WE SHOULD OPT OUT OF MEDICAL AND JUST HAVE THE SIX RECREATIONAL.

THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.

THAT'S WHAT I SAID WAY BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION.

BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO BUILD A MEDICAL.

THEY'VE HAD EVERY CHANCE TO, AND THEY'VE NOT DONE IT.

IN FACT, ONLY FOUR HAVE ACTUALLY APPLIED.

I GUESS THERE'S A FIFTH ONE NOW SOMEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM.

MR. OPSOMMER OUR ATTORNEY'S MEMORANDUM WAS PRETTY CLEAR, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE EXISTING FACTORS ON THE POINT SCORING SYSTEM AND THAT WOULD SUPPLEMENT OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT, APPROVAL PROCESS.

WE SCORE ON THOSE PREEXISTING FACTORS LIKE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

AGAIN, THE FOUR SPECIAL USE PERMITS WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

I FEEL LIKE THAT FALSE OPTION IS BEING OFFERED BECAUSE THEN THE TALKING POINT WILL BE, OK, WELL, NOW WE HAVE REC, BUT MEDICAL AND SO WHAT'S THE POINT IN OPTING IN? THAT'S A FALSE OPTION THAT'S BEING PRESENTED.

WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE SCORING ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS WHICH WOULD PRIORITIZE THE EXISTING MEDICAL PERMIT HOLDERS, BECAUSE WE DO WANT MEDICAL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET MEDICAL FACILITIES UNLESS WE OPT IN ON RECREATIONAL BECAUSE OF THE TIMING IN WHICH WE ADOPTED OUR ORDINANCE.

WE ADOPTED OR WE COMPLETED OUR LOTTERIES IN OCTOBER OF TWENTY NINETEEN WEEKS BEFORE LARA RELEASED THE RULES.

OUR ATTORNEY'S MEMORANDUM, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WE DO HAVE MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN EXPRESS THAT IN CODIFYING THE ORDINANCE.

I DIDN'T READ IT QUITE AS BROADLY AS YOU COULD, BECAUSE NOBODY ACTUALLY HAS.

I SAW THAT YOU COULD SOMEHOW WRITE IT TO GIVE SOME POINTS WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A MEDICAL PERMIT LICENSE, BUT NOBODY DOES.

AND NOBODY IS GOING TO BUILD ONE.

THEY HAVE TOLD US THEY DO NOT WANT TO BUILD MEDICAL MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS AND

[02:55:01]

OPEN THEM IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO WHY ARE WE CONTINUING TO PUSH THAT? LET'S JUST GO WITH THE RECREATIONAL.

CAN I ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION OF THE ATTORNEY TO THAT EFFECT? SURE SO, MATT, CAN A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SCORING SYSTEM THAT WOULD SUPPLEMENT THE SPECIAL USE TO PERMIT APPROVAL PROCESS, THAT WOULD BASICALLY A MAJORITY OF THE POINTS WOULD BE WEIGHTED ON THOSE PREEXISTING FACTORS THAT YOU GUYS OUTLINED IN YOUR MEMORANDUM.

IF THE MAJORITY OF THE POINTS ARE ASSIGNED TO THOSE, THAT IS A WAY OF [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE MEDICAL PERMITTING.

THE EXISTING MEDICAL PERMIT HOLDERS SO THAT WE DO HAVE MEDICAL.

IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M GOING TO SAY NO, BUT I'M HEARING I SEE SEVERAL DIFFERENT QUESTIONS REALLY NESTLED IN THERE.

THE FRAMING, PUTTING IT IN THE SUP CONTEXT IS MOST RELEVANT IF YOU'RE ZONING BUFFER ZONES ARE THE ONES DRIVING WHO HAS A NUMBER OF AVAILABLE PERMITS.

IN THAT CONTEXT, IF YOU HAVE A CASE WHERE TWO APPLICANTS WERE COMING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT ONE TIME, THEN YOU WOULD USE SOME TYPE OF FRAMEWORK TO DECIDE WHO IS ESSENTIALLY CONSIDERED FIRST, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE APPROVED AND THEN THE SECOND APPLICATION'S WITHIN THEIR BUFFER ZONE COULD POSSIBLY MEAN THAT SECOND APPLICANT CAN'T OPERATE.

SO, IN THAT ZONING-LED CONTEXT, I THINK THE QUESTION YOU'RE REALLY ASKING THE ANSWER THERE WOULD BE YES.

THAT'S THE ASSUMPTION I WAS MAKING, BECAUSE THAT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD HAS HAD THAT RESULTED IN YOUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION IN THE LAST MEETING.

THAT'S THE ASSUMPTION I WAS MAKING, IS IF WE [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH ZONING, THEN CAN WE ESTABLISH A POINT SCORING AND SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPROVAL PROCESS THAT PRIORITIZES THOSE PREEXISTING FACTORS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE 6 MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES? TO THE EXTENT IT'S NECESSARY TO BREAK A TIE IN TERMS OF WHICH APPLICANTS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THEN YES, I THINK IT'S A SET OF FACTORS THAT COULD BE PUT TOGETHER.

I'M SORRY, DID YOU HAVE I'M SORRY; I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF.

NO, I WAS JUST SAYING THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS, MATT.

MR. DESCHAINE.

YOUR QUESTION KIND OF BRINGS BACK MY ORIGINAL POINT, WHICH IS YOU'RE SAYING WITH A SCORING SYSTEM AND A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND PREEXISTING FACTORS CAN WE USE OUR EXISTING ORDNANCE? OK, YOU'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT AREAS THERE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE SUED ON THIS FOR YOU MIGHT SEE A GLIDE PATH HERE, BUT THOSE THAT ARE BEING TURNED DOWN ARE GOING TO PICK ON THE POINT SYSTEM OR THIS SUP OR THE PREEXISTING FACTORS.

SO THIS IS JUST OPEN US UP TO TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF LITIGATION.

I AM NOT OPPOSED IF THE VOTERS IF [INAUDIBLE] RESULTS OR THE VOTERS APPROVED RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, I WOULD NOT STAND IN ITS WAY.

AND I WOULD WANT TO CRAFT AN ORDINANCE WITH THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR OUR TOWNSHIP.

BUT THESE MEDICAL LICENSES WE HAVE ARE IN THE WAY AND ALL WE HEARD IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, HOW WORTHLESS OUR MEDICAL PERMITS WERE.

OK, SO LET'S GET RID OF THEM.

LET'S START FRESH.

IF AND AFTER WE GET CONSENSUS FROM OUR SURVEY, THE CITIZENS WANT RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, THEN WE PROCEED WITH THAT.

WHY ARE WE HOLDING ONTO THESE MEDICAL PERMITS? WE'VE BEEN TOLD THEY'RE WORTHLESS AND THEY'RE GOING TO COST US A TON IN LITIGATION.

SO I'M WITH A SUPERVISOR LET'S REPEAL THAT ORDINANCE AND TALK ABOUT RECREATIONAL, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO ANYWAY.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO END UP THROUGH LITIGATION AND END UP WITH NOT SIX, BUT 12 OR FAR MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE SUED.

BECAUSE THE LAW IS NOT THAT CLEAR ON THIS, AS MATT HAS POINTED OUT.

YOU CAN GET LEGAL OPINIONS ALL ACROSS THE SPECTRUM ON THIS AND LOOK WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, MOST HAVE BEEN SUED MANY TIMES OVER THIS.

TRAVERSE CITY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

THEY'VE ALLOWED RECREATIONAL BUT STOOD HEAVILY BY THE INDUSTRY WHEN IT DIDN'T GIVE THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THEY WANTED.

SO LET'S DO THIS RIGHT.

[03:00:01]

LET'S, FIRST OF ALL, WAIT FOR OUR CITIZENS TO SEE IF THERE'S SUPPORT FOR IT.

IF THERE IS, THEN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECREATIONAL ONLY PERMIT AND GET THE MEDICAL OUT OF THE WAY.

THE ADVOCATES FOR THE INDUSTRY THE PROVIDERS HAVE TOLD US AGAIN AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO MORE DEMAND FOR MEDICAL.

WE CAN SATISFY THAT WITH A RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA STORE.

FINE, LET'S PROCEED WITH THAT.

LET'S START OVER AGAIN.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT OUR MEDICAL ORDINANCE STINKS ANYWAY.

IT HAS NO INCLUSION, IT HAS NO DIVERSITY AND HAS VERY LITTLE LOCAL PREFERENCE.

SO LET'S GET RID OF IT.

WHY STAND WITH A DEAD HORSE THAT'S ONLY GOING TO HURT US IN THE FUTURE? OK, I'M GOING TO--I SEE MS. WISINSKI HAS HER HAND UP.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WRAP THIS [INAUDIBLE] ENOUGH TO CONTINUE ANOTHER MINUTE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT STUFF TO DO IN OUR CLOSED SESSION.

AND TIME IS RUNNING.

MS. WISINKSI, GO AHEAD.

UNDERSTOOD.

I JUST WANT TO POSE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT REMOVING MEDICAL PERMITS AND REVISING, WHICH IS RECREATIONAL, I CAN SEE WHERE YOU MIGHT BE GOING THAT MIGHT BE CLEANER.

THAT BRINGS ME BACK TO ACCESSIBILITY AND I WANT TO CLARIFY, WHEN I SAY ACCESSIBILITY, THAT'S TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

SO MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS THERE FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASES AND DISABILITIES THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND OR THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO GET TO GET THEIR MEDICINE.

SO THAT'S WHERE I SEEK ACCESSIBILITY.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

BUT IF WE REMOVE MEDICAL ALTOGETHER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HUGE COST DIFFERENCE FOR THE CONSUMER.

SO RECREATIONAL COSTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MORE THAN MEDICAL.

AND-- IT'S ACTUALLY A 10% TAX DIFFERENCE AND CONSUMER COST AS WELL AS THE POTENCY.

SO RECREATIONAL HAS A SMALLER POTENCY THAN MEDICAL IS ALLOWED TO HAVE.

SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME CONSIDERATIONS I JUST WANT TO THINK ABOUT.

OK, WE DO NEED TO MOVE ON.

WE GOT MS. GUTHRIE, GO AHEAD.

TO COURTNEY'S POINT, I'M SORRY TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S POINT, MY APOLOGIES, THE STRAINS ARE DIFFERENT FROM FROM MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL AND WHAT THE MEDICINAL NEEDS ARE.

THOSE STRAINS ARE DIFFERENT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I CONCUR WITH MS. WISINSKI'S POINT ON THE ACCESSIBILITY TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

AND WHILE, MAYBE THE ORDINANCE IS CRAP, MAYBE IT'S NOT GOOD.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON IT.

BUT WHAT I HEARD FROM AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ON THIS, ZOOM, WHO ARE IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT I HEARD WAS NOT NECESSARILY COMPLETELY THROWING OUT MEDICAL.

IT WAS THAT THEY CAN'T SURVIVE MEDICAL ALONE, THAT THEY NEEDED THE RECREATIONAL COMPONENT ALONG WITH THE MEDICAL, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.

ANYONE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

SO THAT WAS JUST MY FINAL POINT ON THAT.

MATT, [INAUDIBLE] COLOCATION THING.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN? THE POINTS THAT MISS GUTHRIE JUST RAISED.

YES, I THINK SECTION SIX OF THE [INAUDIBLE] SECTION SIX FIVE, SUBSECTION FIVE OF THAT SECTION HAS COLOCATION LANGUAGE THAT LIMITS HOW A MUNICIPALITY CAN LIMIT THE COLOCATION OF A GROWER, PROCESSOR AND RETAILER.

THE LANGUAGE IS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THEY MEAN COLOCATION OF RECREATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT TYPES OR WHETHER THEY MEAN COLOCATION OF MEDICAL FACILITY TYPES OR BOTH, AND WHETHER THAT LANGUAGE WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THE TOWNSHIPS AUTHORITY IN THE BEGINNING OF THAT SECTION, SUBSECTION SIX ONE TO SET THE LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS ONE OF THE POINTS, I BELIEVE, THAT IS RAISED IN THE TRAVERSE CITY LITIGATION.

THEY PUT IT IN THEIR COMPLAINT WHETHER IT WILL ULTIMATELY BE RESOLVED OR NOT, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE [INAUDIBLE] AND HOW IT'S GOING TO INTERACT WITH ANY MEDICAL PERMITS THAT DOES REMAIN UNRESOLVED AT THIS TIME.

I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT [INAUDIBLE] OBVIOUSLY CONTINUING DISCUSSION NEXT TIME.

WE SHOULD MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

[03:05:06]

MR. GEBES, ARE YOU THERE? I AM HERE.

YES, WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

STAND BY ONE SECOND.

PEOPLE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, OF COURSE, ABLE TO USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE IN ORDER TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, OR WE CAN TAKE TELEPHONE CALLS AT FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE, ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE ROBERT [INAUDIBLE].

PLEASE BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU, SIR.

OK, BOB [INAUDIBLE], I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE NINETEEN SIXTY EIGHT, APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THREE YEARS, MY LAW OFFICE HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA FOR CLOSE TO 40 YEARS FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THAT NINETEEN SEVENTY THREE UNANIMOUS DECISION OF THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT, WHICH I QUOTED TO YOU BEFORE, WHICH STATED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA IS MORE HARMFUL TO SOCIETY THAN ITS USE.

THE WILL OF THE VOTERS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS WELL KNOWN.

SIXTY ONE PERCENT OF THE ELECTORATE VOTED FOR THE DECRIMINALIZATION AND THE LEGAL AVAILABILITY OF BOTH MEDICAL AND ADULT USE MARIJUANA.

IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS BOARD TO FACILITATE THE WILL OF THE VOTERS AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT WILL CARRY OUT THAT WILL.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, OF ACQUIRING LICENSES FOR CLIENTS FROM DE TOUR MICHIGAN TO BUCHANAN TO JACKSON TO DETROIT ALL OVER THE STATE, THESE WELL REGULATED ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY ARE IN IN EVERY WAY WITH NO WITH NEGLIGIBLE TO NONEXISTENT DISADVANTAGES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, HIS SPECULATION IS TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE REAL WORLD.

MEDICAL IS NOT [INAUDIBLE] THIS IN SPITE OF THE WAY HE'S PARAPHRASING, JEFF, MY GOOD FRIEND JEFFREY HANK, WHO WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT.

AND IT'S NOT PRONE TO LITIGATION.

MOST HAVE NOT BEEN SUED, CONTRARY TO WHAT MR. DESCHAINE SAID.

THAT HASN'T HAPPENED ANYWHERE IN THE STATE.

LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF MUNICIPALITIES HAVE OPTED IN WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT LITIGATION TO SPEAK OUT.

SO IN WHAT WORLD IS LITIGATION OVER A REASONABLE ORDINANCE PRONE TO LITIGATION? THERE ARE ZERO EXAMPLES IN THE REAL WORLD, INCLUDING RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN EAST LANSING.

EXAMPLES TEMPLATES AND MODELS UP FOR OPTING IN BOTH MEDICAL AND ADULT USE, AND THEY HAVE TO GO TOGETHER FOR IT TO BE FINANCIALLY VIABLE, ABOUND ALL OVER THE STATE.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL AND COMPETENCE TO DO THE SAME.

HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WE'RE IN THE THIRD YEAR SINCE ADULT USE WAS APPROVED [INAUDIBLE] I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THIS BOARD TO END PROHIBITION IN THIS TOWNSHIP AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR THE WILL OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP VOTERS.

NEXT, WE HAVE MS. [INAUDIBLE] CALLING IN.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

JOYCE [INAUDIBLE], 5882 OKEMOS ROAD.

SUPERVISOR, STATE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

BUT ONE THING I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IS THAT THE BOARD MAKE A DECISION OR REACH CONSENSUS AND DOING THE SURVEY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

AND I VOICED THAT CONCERN LAST NIGHT OR EXCUSE ME AT THE LAST MEETING.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE I HEARD A CONSENSUS TONIGHT.

I HOPE THAT WE CAN THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT BEFORE TAKING FURTHER ACTION.

THANK YOU MS. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, IT LOOKS LIKE, MARK SANTUCCI, YOU NEED UNMUTE YOURSELF, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

YES, MY NAME IS MARK SANTUCCI, I LIVE AT FIVE NINE ZERO NINE [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE IN EAST LANSING, BUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP [INAUDIBLE], IT WAS SAID THAT NO ONE HAS APPLIED FOR A MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

I OWN A PROPERTY

[03:10:03]

WHERE OVER A YEAR AGO, SOMEONE APPLIED HERE, I LOOKED FOR SOMEONE ELSE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN DOING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE, I FOUND A GROUP THAT WAS INTERESTED IN DOING THIS.

THE ONLY REASON IT HASN'T GONE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THIS TIME IS THEY HAVE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY FINDING A FIRM THAT CAN DO THEIR SITE PLAN FOR THEM, BECAUSE THE ECONOMY, IN SPITE OF WHAT WE HEAR, HAS BEEN BOOMING AND SO [INAUDIBLE] WHO THEY WENT TO FIRST HAD A SIX MONTH WAITING TIME BEFORE THEY COULD EVEN GET STARTED ON IT, SO THEY HAD TO GO OUTSIDE THE LANSING AREA, THAT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO PRESENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HAVE BEEN OBTAINED.

THEY HAVE ALREADY SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON DOING IT.

I HAVE FOUND THE THREE PARTNERS.

TO BUILD THE BUILDING FORM, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OVER [INAUDIBLE]BASICALLY IT'S ON AN INCOME PROPOSITION BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WE CAN'T MAKE MONEY ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA ALONE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAD TO STEP FORWARD AND SHOW THE TOWNSHIP THAT THIS COULD BE DONE AND IT COULD BE DONE WELL.

AND OUR EXPECTATION WAS THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA WOULD BE BECOME LEGAL IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE'RE TAKING A RISK.

BUT WE FELT SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT.

AND AS FAR AS NO ONE SUING, IF YOU GOT RID OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA, YOU WOULD BE SUED.

THANK YOU WE HAVE NO OTHER CALLERS AND NO OTHER HANDS AT THIS TIME, SIR.

[INAUDIBLE] FROM THE BOARD? WHERE WE'RE GOING NEXT IS WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AND WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO GO

[16. CLOSED SESSION]

INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS A WRITTEN CONFIDENTIAL [INAUDIBLE] OF THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY CONCERNING PAYMENT OF PREVAILING WAGES AND POTENTIAL LITIGATION.

I MOVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION OR CONFIDENTIAL SESSION WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING PAYMENT OF PREVAILING WAGES.

THIS IS MOVE BY DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY JACKSON.

IS THAT CORRECT, MS. JACKSON? MS. GUTHRIE, YOU WANT TO TAKE THE ROLL, PLEASE? [UNANIMOUS] SO, WE'RE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OUT OF THIS ZOOM AND INTO A DIFFERENT ZOOM, WHICH WILL BE LIMITED TO JUST THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CLOSED SESSION.

AND THEN WHEN THAT IS OVER, WE WILL COME BACK INTO THE OPEN SESSION ON THIS ZOOM AGAIN.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT WILL HAPPEN THEN IS WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AN ACTION ITEM THAT COMES UP AS A RESULT OF THAT [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE COULD GO OUT OF THIS ROOM AND INTO THE OTHER ZOOM.

OK, DAN? I MOVE TO GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY THE TREASURER.

WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL.

DEBORAH? DIDN'T HAVE THAT LITTLE PORTION OF MY LITTLE CHEAT SHEET FOR TAKING VOTES, SO I HAD TO WRITE THAT DOWN.

[LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

SEVEN ZERO.

OKAY, WE ARE NOW IN OPEN SESSION AND I'M GOING TO PROPOSE A MOTION AND MAYBE

[17. ACTION ITEM-Motion on Township Attorney’s recommendation concerning payment of prevailing wages.]

SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT.

IT'S A MOTION TO ADOPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MICHIGAN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

[03:15:02]

ACT AND STATE LAW GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS WITH CONTRACTORS FOR CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR SERVICES PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO THE TOWNSHIP AS ATTACHED TO OUR MATERIALS.

SO MOVED.

MOVED BY JACKSON.

IS THERE SUPPORT? SUPPORT.

[INAUDIBLE] DISCUSSION.

MR. OPSOMMER, DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS? SURE, I'LL START.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE STEP THAT WE'RE TAKING TONIGHT IS TO LEGALLY MAKE A MINOR CHANGE TO OUR POLICY AND MOVE IT MORE TO A GUIDELINE.

THE IMPLICATION HERE IS THAT WE ARE STILL PROVIDING FOR A PREVAILING WAGE ON ALL TOWNSHIP PROJECTS AT OR IN EXCESS OF FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THE RFP.

AND WE ARE MAINTAINING IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR LABOR UNIONS ACROSS THE REGION AND STATE OUR COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING PREVAILING WAGE AND SUPPORTING.

JOBS THAT PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE, A SECURE RETIREMENT AND GOOD BENEFITS.

OTHER MEMBERS.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE? OH, YES, MR. DESCHAINE? THIS IS THE SAME POLICY WE HAVE FOLLOWED WITH OUR OWN EMPLOYEES AND IT'S THE VALUES OF THIS BOARD.

AND I FULLY SUPPORT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER'S MOTION FOR THAT REASON, FOR SUPPORTING GOOD JOBS AND FAMILIES BOTH IN OUR WORK AND THE WORK THAT OUR SUBCONTRACTORS ARE DOING.

IT WAS ACTUALLY JACKSON'S MOTION, BUT MR. OPSOMMER SPOKE FIRST ON.

ANYONE ELSE? OK, THEN WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE, MISS GUTHRIE.

TO CLARIFY, IT WAS PROPOSED BY STYKA, MOVED BY JACKSON AND SUPPORTED BY WISISKI OR DESCHAINE? WISINSKI, I BELIEVE, OR WAS IT DESCHAINE.

I THINK IT WAS A TIE.

DESCHAINE CAN HAVE IT THE SUPERVISOR CALLED ON WISINSKI; THEY BOTH HAD THEIR HAND UP.

YEAH, I DID RECOGNIZE MS. WISINSKI.

THEN I WILL WRITE DOWN WISINSKI.

ALL RIGHT CALL] MOTION'S CARRIED, SEVEN ZERO.

I GOT EVERYONE RIGHT? RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND SEND IT TO YOU, DEBORAH.