[00:00:01]
[INAUDIBLE] AND MAY IT GOT PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT, AND SO, YEAH, IT'S BEEN, I THINK, A FULL TWO MONTHS. SO GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE.
I DON'T THINK MIKE WILL BE JOINING TODAY.
IF HE IS, HE MIGHT BE IN AND OUT.
IS THAT CORRECT, LUANN? YES. OK.
I DO WANT TO TRY, IF POSSIBLE, TO KEEP THE MEETING TO AN HOUR IF WE'RE ABLE TO.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS AND AN ACTION ITEM. BUT LET'S HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS IN AN HOUR.
AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LINES ARE OPEN AND THE COMMUNICATION TO THE PUBLIC IS AVAILABLE. THERE WAS A MESSAGE IN THE CHAT THAT SAID THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO GO LIVE.
WE'RE ABOUT TO GO LIVE ON HOMTV.
OK, STEPHEN, OK, GREAT. I SEE THAT ROBIN'S IN NOW AND WE'RE LIVE ON HOMTV, SO.
HEY, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 12:00.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA PLEASE.[2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL THINGS WE NEED TO PUT ON IT? NO. ALL RIGHT. I SECOND THAT.
WE NEED A QUICK VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
THANK LUANN, I'M GOING TO KICK IT OVER TO YOU TO START US OFF.
[Additional Item]
OK. WELL, BACK IN 1999 IS WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN OCTOBER, AND THAT WAS THE CREATION OF THE FIRST PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.AND WHEN I ARRIVED, I WAS GREETED BY THIS WONDERFUL WOMAN NAMED ROBIN FOUST, AND SHE HAS BEEN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR TWENTY ONE YEARS, ALTHOUGH SHE HAS WORKED FOR THE TOWNSHIP, I BELIEVE FOR THIRTY TWO YEARS IN TOTAL AND WORKED FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
BUT SHE WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ONES THAT HELPED KEEP THIS DEPARTMENT RUNNING, KEPT COMMUNICATIONS OPEN WITH THE PARK COMMISSION FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND SHE RECENTLY WAS PROMOTED TO DEPUTY CLERK.
AND SO SHE IS NOW WORKING OVER AT THE TOWNSHIP HALL AND NO LONGER IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. BUT BECAUSE OF ALL OF HER WONDERFUL SERVICE AND VALUE TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PARK COMMISSION TO RECOGNIZE HER WITH A RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION.
AND WE WISH HER ALL THE BEST OVER AT TOWN HALL AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
BUT I GUESS AT THIS TIME IT WOULD BE GREAT IF SOMEONE WOULD READ OFF THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE PARK COMMISSION.
DO WE NEED TO CONFIRM WHICH COMMISSIONERS OFFER THE RESOLUTION FIRST, OR CAN I JUST READ IT? YOU CAN JUST READ IT.
OK. ROBIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING TODAY TO ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR YOU IN THIS WAY AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE.
WHEREAS ROBIN FAUST HAS BEEN DEDICATED HAS BEEN A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SINCE 1989 AND AS OF 2021 HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP FOR THIRTY TWO YEARS AND IS WHERE ROBIN FAUST BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHERE SHE COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT OF THE NOKOMIS LEARNING CENTER AND WORKED IN NEWLY CREATED COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHERE SHE HAD MANY RESPONSIBILITIES, AS LUANN MENTIONED, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE PARKS DIVISION, INCLUDING SCHEDULING RECREATION FIELDS, ART FACILITIES AND THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND THEN IN 1999 WAS PROMOTED TO DEPARTMENT SECRETARY WITH THE NEWLY CREATED PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEREAS WHILE WORKING FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST TWENTY ONE YEARS, ROBIN SERVED TO ASSIST WITH THE COORDINATION AND PROMOTION OF THE VARIOUS DIVISIONS, INCLUDING RECREATION, PROGRAMING, PARK MAINTENANCE, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, CEMETERIES, HARRIS NATURE CENTER, FARMER'S MARKET AND SNELL TOWER RECREATION CENTER.
CREATED MULTIPLE EDITIONS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION FAMILY FUN GUIDE, SERVED AS THE
[00:05:04]
PRIMARY FUNDRAISER FOR THE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN FESTIVAL AND SERVED AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.AND WHEREAS ROBIN'S DEEP PROFESSIONAL ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING AND EXPANDING RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOTH OKEMOS AND HASLETTT DISTRICTS, OKEMOS AND HASLETTT SPORTS CLUBS, FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN, HASLETTT OKEMOS ROTARY CLUB, HASLETTT OKEMOS [INAUDIBLE] CLUB AND NOKOMIS LEARNING CENTER.
AND WHEREAS IN 2021 ROBIN FAUST WAS PROMOTED THE POSITION OF DEPUTY CLERK, WHERE HER HARD WORK AND DILIGENCE WILL SERVE THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS VERY WELL.
AND WHEREAS ROBIN IS A DEPENDABLE AND VALUABLE EMPLOYEE AND WAS VITAL TO THE DAILY FUNCTION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION OFFICE, THE PARK COMMISSION AND THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.
AND WHEREAS ROBIN HAS DEVOTED HER TIME AND ENERGY TO ASSISTING THE TOWNSHIP IN NUMEROUS CAPACITIES EXTENDING WELL BEYOND, WELL BEYOND, WELL BEYOND, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE NORMAL WORK DAY BY INCLUDING REGULARLY VOLUNTEERING AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.
AND NOW THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT THE PARK COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN EXTENDS ITS VERY BEST WISHES TO ROBIN.
AND WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PARK COMMISSION AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] I'D LIKE TO OFFER A MOMENT TO ANY OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS OR STAFF JOINING US NOW THAT WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A COUPLE OF KIND WORDS AND THOUGHTS FOR ROBIN. I SHOULD LET LUANN START, BUT I'M SURE [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE FINE.
I'VE KNOWN YOU A LONG TIME, AND IF I WANTED ANYTHING EVER DONE OR IF I COULDN'T GET A HOLD SOMEBODY OR WHATEVER I CALL ROBIN BECAUSE SHE'S THE LADY THAT TO GET ANYTHING DONE ANY TIME, I'M GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT.
I'LL SEE YOU AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHEN I'M GOING THERE SIGNING THINGS AND GET ON.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS PROMOTION AND MOVING UP, YOU KNOW, AND IN YOUR DUTIES, YOU ARE JUST. IMMEASURABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO THIS COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO KNOW YOU AS A FRIEND.
THANK YOU, MARK, THAT'S VERY KIND WORDS.
AND EMMA, I SEE THAT YOUR HAND IS RAISED NEXT.
YES, SO I KNOW I HAVEN'T BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT VERY LONG, BUT I JUST HAVE A LOT OF GREAT MEMORIES BEFORE EVERYTHING WENT CRAZY OF ROBIN ANSWERING EVERY SINGLE QUESTION I HAD AND REALLY JUST HELPING ME GET COMFORTABLE IN THE DEPARTMENTS AND JUST GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. ROBIN, I MISS THE HECK OUT OF YOU, BUT I'LL HAVE TO STOP BY AND SEE AND BRING YOU TREATS. YES.
YEAH, SO I'LL TRY AND TALK WITHOUT CRYING, BUT I'VE BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP ALMOST 19 YEARS, IF ANYBODY CAN BELIEVE THAT, AND ROBIN TAUGHT ME JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I KNOW.
SHE JUST IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I STILL BOTHER HER EVERY DAY WITH QUESTIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED HELP.
SHE'S HELPED ME IN ALL MY POSITIONS AND JUST AMAZING.
THANKS, KATIE. I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY ELSE.
JUST QUICK, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, ROB, AND AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR PROMOTION. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GREAT SUPPORT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PARKS COMMISSION.
AND EVEN BEFORE I WAS ON THE PARK COMMISSION, YOU WERE A GREAT RESOURCE AND A GREAT CONTACT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND CONTINUED GOOD WORK AND GOOD LUCK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, AND THEN IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE ISN'T AROUND, I THINK YOU REALLY SEE THEIR VALUE EVEN MORE THAN YOU USED TO WHEN THEY WERE HERE. AND WITH COVID, ROBIN WAS RELOCATED OVER TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE ABOUT A YEAR AGO. NOT TO SAY THAT WE WEREN'T COMMUNICATING AND SHE WAS HELPING OUT, BUT HER MAIN ROLE WAS OVER THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN AS PUTTING THESE PARK COMMISSION PACKETS TOGETHER JUST THE DAY TO DAY, KEEPING US ALL ORGANIZED, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE THAT SO
[00:10:05]
VALUABLE, ROBIN.AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE STILL WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND CAN HELP US IN OUR TRANSITION AND IN WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN A STAFF MEMBER TO ME.
YOU HAVE BEEN A FRIEND, AND I THINK WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY.
YEAH, AND LUANN, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, ROBIN, I'VE GOT SOME PLASTIC MEETING PACKETS, I'M GOING TO DROP OFF TO YOU BECAUSE I THINK I'M THE OFFICIAL PACKET HOARDER.
SO THOSE I MIGHT JUST DROP THEM OFF IN FUN.
BUT I GUESS JUST ONE LAST CALL TO ACTION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP THAT IF YOU SEE ROBIN OUT AND ABOUT OR AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE, CONGRATULATE HER ON HER TIME SERVED IN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE AND AND CONGRATULATE HER ON HER PROMOTION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, LUANN, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO ALL OF US TODAY TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR ROBIN.
SO THANK YOU, ROBIN, FOR JOINING.
YOU BET. AND BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS, WE HAVE AMANDA OR CHAIR LICK MAKING THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE NEED A COMMISSIONER TO SUPPORT IT AND THEN A VOTE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THIS.
AND WE'LL PUT IT IN A NICE FORMED IN A FRAME AND GET THAT TO ROBIN THIS WEEK.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION? OK, ARE GOOD WITH COMMISSIONER STEPHENS? YES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, ROBIN, FOR ALL OF YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, ROBIN.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS HONOR.
I'M GOING TO VERY MUCH MISS WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
I'M NOT GOING TO MISS DOING BOARD PACKETS, BUT I STILL HAVE ONE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO DO. BUT I REALLY AM GOING TO MISS WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU WHEN I'M OUT AND ABOUT.
AND I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS AND WILL BE AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, WILL BE AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER AND AND ALL OF THE I'LL EVEN MAKE IT TO [INAUDIBLE] SOON TOO. NICE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] THANKS ROB.
LUANN WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE? I WOULD. I WOULD.
SO ANYWAY, THE SEARCH WAS ON TO FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR ROBIN, WHICH OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW ARE GIGANTIC SHOES TO FILL.
BUT I AM VERY, VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE BRIDGET CANNON AND SHE IS HERE IN THE ORANGE SHIRT IN MY LOWER LEFT HAND ON JANE GREENWAY'S SCREEN.
AND ANYWAY, BRIDGET IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS ADDITION TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
SHE HAS WORKED IN STATE GOVERNMENT.
SHE WORKED FOR STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE FRIEND OF THE COURT SECTION AND THEN ALSO WORKED FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE CITY OF [INAUDIBLE].
AND SHE IS VERY TALENTED AND SKILLED AND VOLUNTEERS IN HER COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WERE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU ALSO WERE A REENACTOR, A HISTORIC REENACTOR? SO RIGHT THEN AND THERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP US OUT WITH OUR ACTIVITIES IN [INAUDIBLE] VILLAGE. SO ANYWAY, I KNOW WE ARE ALL THRILLED TO HAVE AND TO INVITE BRIDGET ON OUR TEAM.
AND NOW IT'S JUST A TRAINING PROCESS TO BRING HER UP TO SPEED ON OUR CULTURE AND OUR WAY OF DOING THINGS WITH [INAUDIBLE] STANDARDS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT, MAN ALIVE, OF I JUST SEE US MOVING FORWARD AND WE'RE SO EXCITED NOW WITH COVID HOPEFULLY GETTING IN A REARVIEW MIRROR, WE'RE ABLE TO GET BACK READY FOR ACTION AS WE WERE BEFORE OR EVEN BETTER.
AND I DON'T KNOW, BRIDGET, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU LIKE TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF JANE HAS A MICROPHONE ON HER COMPUTER.
SHE DOES. I CAN TELL THAT I DO HAVE VERY BIG SHOES TO FILL.
ROBIN DID A GREAT JOB FOR YEARS AND PEOPLE HAVE COME TO EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, MARK KIESELBACH, WHO HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP FOR FORTY TWO YEARS, IS RETIRING. AND TIM IS JOINING US AND AS THE NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. SO WELCOME, TIM, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN TRYING TO LEARN ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
I AM TRYING TO DRINK FROM THE FIRE HOSE AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
WELL, WELCOME IN. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
YES. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BRIDGET AND AND TIM FOR JOINING THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TEAM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU BOTH.
SO, LUANN, WE'RE GOING TO IF WE'RE GOOD WITH MOVING FORWARD, GIVEN THE TIME, NOW WE'RE
[00:15:05]
GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE SECTION THREE PRESENTATIONS.[3.A. Pathway Master Plan Review -Derek Perry, Director of Engineering and Public Works; Deputy Township Manager]
AND UP NEXT IS DEREK PERRY.HI DEREK. AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
HI DEREK. HELLO. GREAT LOOKING GROUP HERE.
YES, UNLIKE YOU FOLKS, I'LL STILL GET TO SEE ROBIN EVERY DAY.
SO SORRY. YES, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN . APOLOGIZE MARK, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THIS AT LAND PRESERVATION [INAUDIBLE] SAME MATERIAL . AS THIS COMMISSION'S WELL AWARE, BLESSED WITH AN OUTSTANDING PATHWAY SYSTEM, 70 MILES OF PATHWAYS, 30 PLUS MILES OF PAVED SHOULDERS.
AND THAT'S REALLY NOT EVEN COUNTING ALL THE THE TRAILS THAT EXIST IN THE PARK SYSTEM ITSELF. SO A VERY EXTENSIVE NETWORK FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ENJOY.
THE PURPOSE WAS TO CONNECT SCHOOLS, PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO AGAIN, PARKS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS AND IT'S FUNDED WITH ITS OWN DEDICATED MILLAGE SO IT'S ABOUT POINT THREE THREE MILLS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THAT BRINGS IN ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME SOME FUTURE YEARS STILL AVAILABLE BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT A RENEWAL.
BUT THOSE SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REALLY FUND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF THE PATHWAY. WE TRY TO BUDGET A CERTAIN AMOUNT EACH YEAR FOR THAT, CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PATHWAYS AND ALSO WE TRY TO LEVERAGE THAT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE WITH GRANTS.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE'VE LEFT THE TRUST FUND ALONE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S A BIG SOURCE OF MONEY FOR THE PARK SYSTEM.
SO WE TRY NOT TO DOUBLE DIP, BE COMPETITIVE IN THAT.
BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE GRANTS HAVE WOUND UP, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT FOR PHASE THREE OF THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT.
SO, AGAIN, GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT.
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IS WITH THE COUNTY'S PARKS AND TRAIL MILLAGE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH GET BACK EVERY DOLLAR THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE SENT TO THE COUNTY AND BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR OUR PROJECTS HERE.
SO A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT, WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO DO SOME GREAT PROJECTS LIKE THE OKEMOS ROAD BOARDWALK.
AGAIN, THAT'S BEEN ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR YEARS, PROBABLY THOUGHT IT WAS SKY IN THE PIE, OR YOU KNOW PIE IN THE SKY KIND OF DEAL, BUT WITH THE COUNTY'S FUNDING ALLOWED US TO BUILD THAT MILLION DOLLAR BOARDWALK, WHICH NOW REALLY IS AN ATTRACTION, I THINK, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO EVER SO WITH THE MILLAGE, THERE'S SOME SOME GUIDELINES THAT WERE SET UP THAT BASICALLY YOU NEED A MASTER PLAN TO KIND OF GUIDE HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
AND REALLY, IT'S NOT A BIG DOCUMENT, PER SAY.
IT'S REALLY A MAP. AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN IN PLACE.
AND WHAT WE UTILIZED TO GUIDE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE PATHWAY AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING THOSE FUNDS. AND WE DO TRY TO UPDATE THAT ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO WHEN WE DO THAT, I TRY TO VISIT AND PREDECESSOR BEFORE WE TRY TO GO TO AS MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS POSSIBLE TO GET AS MUCH PUBLIC INPUT AND INPUT FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS AS POSSIBLE ON HOW WE SEE THE FUTURE OF THIS PLAN.
AND I SHOULD SAY THERE'S TWO PARTS TO IT.
ONE IS KIND OF THE SHORT TERM PLAN, WHICH IS THE WHAT I CALL THE FIVE YEAR SCOPE OF IT.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? AND REALLY THIS YEAR, YEAR TWO AND THREE ARE REALLY TIED UP WITH MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF GRANT DOLLARS TIED UP WITH THAT.
AND THOSE THOSE FUNDS REALLY NEED TO BE PUT TOWARDS THAT TO COMPLETE THAT.
2024, 2025 WE'VE TRIED TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE CALL HISTORICAL GAPS IN THE NETWORK THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE MAP FOR MANY YEARS THAT WE TRIED WE WOULD TRY TO LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND THAT'S BASED ON SOME OF OUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, BUT ALSO OPINIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SAYING, HEY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO THIS GAP? I'M TIRED OF LOOKING AT IT.
I'M TIRED OF TRAVELING ACROSS THE STREET HERE, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S DRIVING SOME OF THOSE.
SO IN YOUR PACKET, WE COULD SHARE WITH YOU OUR 2021, 2025 PLAN 2026.
I JUST KIND OF SHARE WHAT THAT IS.
AND ALSO ON THE MAP, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS TOO.
WHO'S THE MASTER OF THE ZOOM? IF THEY'LL LET ME SHARE I CAN BRING UP THE MAP.
ALL RIGHT. AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN UP HERE, LIKE IN 2024, THE FIRST GAP WE'D LIKE TO GET TO HERE IS ON OKEMOS ROAD THERE.
JUST A SMALL LITTLE GAP HERE BY THE INNER URBAN.
THE SECOND PRIORITY IS UP HERE KIND OF WHERE THE TOWNSHIP ACQUIRED A TRIANGLE PIECE OF PROPERTY THERE'S A TOUGH LITTLE GRADE IN HERE, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO CONNECT THAT GAP TO
[00:20:01]
ALLOW FOLKS TO GET TO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TOWNSHIP AND MAYBE UTILIZE SOME OF THE TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES THAT ARE UP THERE, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS UP THERE TO CREATE SOME CONNECTIVITY THERE. THERE'S ANOTHER GAP OVER HERE, THIS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHITE HILLS LAKE, FOR MANY YEARS, THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE KIND OF STRANDED OUT HERE.THEY HAVE THEIR INTERNAL SIDEWALKS.
THEY DO HAVE SOME PATHWAYS AROUND THEM.
BUT THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO KIND OF GET THEM OUT TO TIE INTO THE REST OF THE PATHWAY SYSTEM. SO WE'RE LOOKING IN 2025 TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THAT CONNECTION WITH THEM SO THEY CAN TIE INTO THE REST OF THE OF THE NETWORK ITSELF.
AND THEN OVER HERE ON THE EAST SIDE WITH THE COPPER CREEK DEVELOPMENT, WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FINISH UP THIS GAP WAY HERE BECAUSE POTENTIALLY YOU COULD HAVE TWO OR THREE HUNDRED HOMES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S GOING TO NEED A NICE WAY TO GET INTO THE HASLETT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, BE ABLE TO WALK. SO AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN DRIVING OUT HERE, ONE OF OUR MOST RECENT RRFBS WAS ALSO LOCATED THERE ON THAT INTERSECTION TO HELP BRING SOME BETTER VISIBILITY FOR PEDESTRIANS TRYING TO CROSS THERE.
AND WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE SLATED, YOU'VE NOTICED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING MORE AND MORE OF THOSE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE BY THE FARMER'S MARKET THAT WAS INSTALLED.
AND AS THE TECHNOLOGIES INCREASE WITH THOSE, WE'VE BEEN ADDING ADDITIONAL FEATURES.
NOW THERE'S ACTUALLY A FLOODLIGHT THAT LIGHTS UP.
SO IF YOU PUSH THAT BUTTON AT NIGHT, IT ACTUALLY LIGHTS UP THE CROSSWALK ITSELF WHERE BEFORE IT WAS JUST A FLASHING BEACON.
SO LOOKING TO ENHANCE THOSE IS GOING FORWARD.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ON THE MSU PHASE THREE OF ADDING SOME OTHER ONES TOO SO.
THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE NEMOKA DRAIN PROJECT.
WE JUST OPENED BIDS FOR THAT TODAY.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET CONSTRUCTION GOING THIS SUMMER.
BUT HERE AT THIS CROSSING, WE'RE PROBABLY DOING OUR RFP TOO.
AGAIN, TRYING TO CREATE SOME SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BIKERS, CHILDREN AS THEY'RE TRYING TO CROSS THESE BUSY ROADS.
AND THEN THAT'S KIND OF THE SHORT TERM PLAN, LONG TERM PLAN ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW.
WE'VE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED 10 NEW TRAILS, PATHWAYS THAT WE'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE MAP, AND THEY'RE ALL IDENTIFIED WITH A NUMBER AROUND A CIRCLE.
[INAUDIBLE], LIKE THE NUMBER ONE IS THE GREEN ROAD CONNECTOR.
OUR THOUGHT IS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY, IT MAKES SENSE TO COMPLETE THIS GAP THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO KIND OF LOOP BACK INTO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WE SEE THAT AS MAKING A LOT OF SENSE DO THAT ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS CARLTON ROAD PATHWAY, VERY POPULAR FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AROUND THE LAKE.
WE WANT TO CREATE SOME CONNECTIVITY THERE.
WE KNOW WE GOT TO RECONSTRUCT CARLTON ROAD HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE THAT WE [INAUDIBLE] DO SOMETHING ALONG THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH LAND PRESERVATION, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE CREATE SOME TYPE OF CONNECTOR HERE THROUGH THE POTTER LAND PRESERVATION PROPERTY, TOO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT ENHANCEMENT POTENTIALLY.
I HEARD ABOUT MAYBE A PIKE HATCHERY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
MAYBE THAT BECOMES A LITTLE SIDE PATHWAY THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE TOO.
SO I'M TRYING TO CREATE THOSE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. SOME OTHER CONNECTIONS WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
UP HERE ON TOWNER ROAD, TOWNER ROAD WAS RECONSTRUCTED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, WE DID THERE IS A PAVED SHOULDER ON IT.
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT OF RIGHT OF WAY THERE.
AND WE RUN INTO THESE ISSUES WHEN WE WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH WETLANDS.
SO MAYBE THERE'S WE WANT TO PUT THAT ON THERE TO MAYBE DO AN OFF ROAD PATHWAY, PROBABLY WOULD BE A BOARDWALK THROUGH THE WETLAND AREA.
BUT WE THINK THAT WOULD BE A NICE ENHANCEMENT.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO TRY AND CREATE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE PARKS.
WE DO HAVE THAT CONNECTION HERE WITH THE SIERRA RIDGE, GRADE THAT OFF COUNTRY PATHWAY TO TIE INTO THE PARK. SO IN THEORY, PEOPLE COULD, YOU KNOW, DO THAT BIG LOOP IN THIS AREA, POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT UP HERE IN THE FUTURE, TOO.
AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT I SHOULD RAISE TOO.
ONE OF THEM. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS TO HAVE THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN IS WHEN DEVELOPERS COME AND APPROACH THE TOWNSHIP ABOUT DOING A PROJECT.
IF THAT PATHWAY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED ON THEIR PARCEL THAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING, THAT'S ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO BASICALLY GET A DEVELOPER TO PAY TO HAVE THE PATHWAY CONSTRUCTED.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF HAVE THESE BIG FUTURE PLANS OUT THERE, TOO.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE NOT ONLY THE SHORT RANGE PLAN, BUT ALSO THE LONG RANGE PLAN. CONNECTOR FOUR TALKS ABOUT HILLBROOK PARK, AND I KNOW WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH, IS IT A PATHWAY? IS IT A PARK? OUR THOUGHT WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S A CRITICAL CONNECTION.
[00:25:04]
THERE'S THE POTENTIAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DEVELOPER DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS GAP.SO IT JUST MAKES SENSE FOR US TO GET ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN, THIS NICE CONNECTOR TO THE HILLBROOK PARK. SO WE THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
DEREK? YES, I HAD A QUESTION FROM A NEIGHBOR THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THE HILLBROOK PARK SECTION THERE, THEY NOTICED THEY'RE PRETTY OPEN ABOUT STUFF TO ME.
IS ARE WE THINKING ABOUT PAVING THAT OR CRUSHED LIMESTONE THAT OR IS THAT GOING TO BE ALL? THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT THEY HAD ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE NEW SECTION OF THAT, THAT GOES UP TO LAKE LANSING ROAD FROM HASLETT TO LAKE LANSING, PAVED OR UNPAVED? WHAT'S THE THOUGHT ON THAT? ALL ACCESSIBLE PAVED TRAILS.
BUT AGAIN, BEING A PARK PROPERTY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK, OBVIOUSLY WITH PARK COMMISSION TO DETERMINE WHAT WHAT IS THE BEST SURFACE FOR THAT? THERE ARE SOME OFF CONCRETE PATHWAYS THAT WE JUST MOW AND AGAIN, SOMETIMES JUST PROGRESS OVER TIME. AND I FOUND THE ONLY WAY TO EAT AN ELEPHANT RIGHT.
AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO CREATE A ROUGH COUNTRY TRAIL AND GET PEOPLE USING IT.
AND NEIGHBORS ALL OF A SUDDEN OVER TIME FIGURE OUT THAT YOU HAVE NO ONE'S GOING TO WALK IN MY BACKYARD AND STEAL MY LAWN FURNITURE AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, YOU KNOW, AND THEN OVER TIME, AS IT GETS USED, IT CAN BE REPURPOSED OR PAVED OR SOMETHING.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT'S BEING RAISED BY THE DRAIN OFFICE IS USING DIFFERENT IMPERVIOUS MATERIALS. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO DO TO BECAUSE STORM WATER IS A BIG DEAL AS PART OF OUR STORM WATER PERMIT PROCESS.
WHERE DOES THAT RAINWATER GO? AND AS WE'RE MAKING MORE AND MORE IMPERVIOUS PATHWAYS, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A PROJECT IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP, THE TOWER ROAD CONNECTOR, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONNECTING WITH THE CITY OF EAST LANSING ON SOME SOME PROPERTIES THEY HAVE.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO MAYBE DO A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON A HORSE PAVEMENT PROJECT? SO. LONG ANSWER TO A SIMPLE QUESTION MARK, SO I GUESS BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE OPEN TO THINGS, NOT NECESSARILY A HARD AND FAST, ESPECIALLY ON, I WOULD SAY, NONTRADITIONAL PATHWAYS TO [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH PARKS AND LAND PRESERVATION PROPERTY.
SO. I LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING WITH IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND DIFFERENT MAYBE A PILOT PROJECT OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE THAT'S A PRETTY WELL USED TRAIL THROUGH THERE AT HILLBROOK, A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BENSON USE THAT AND A LOT OF WALKING FROM HASLETT ROAD ALL THE WAY UP TO [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH THE WOODS. AND IT'S IT'S BEEN NICE.
AND THAT NEW LITTLE TRAIL THAT WE HAD KIND OF CREATED UP THROUGH THE BACK PART OF WHERE YOU CUT UP THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THAT ROAD IS.
THAT'S THAT IT CONNECTS TO THAT'S JUST OFF OF LAKE LANCING.
LAKE DRIVE, I THINK. OR LAKE COURT.
OK. YEAH. BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, THE ONE THAT GOES BEHIND THOSE HOUSES ON LAKE LANSING.
SO BUT I'VE, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THAT AND WALKING UP THERE SO I COULD SEE IT WELL USED. YEAH, I KNOW WE'VE, I CAME ACROSS TO YOU A FEW TIMES OUT THERE, MARK, SO I KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, MARK, FOR THAT QUESTION, DEREK, REALLY QUICK WONDERING IF YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND FOR THAT SECTION TWENTY FOUR DASH THREE WITH THE BUILDER ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COST OF CONNECTING THAT.
I'M CURIOUS, YOU MENTIONED TWO TO THREE HUNDRED HOMES GOING IN OVER THERE IS WONDERING IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF THE APPROVAL OF THAT DEVELOPMENT? SO, YES, THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS GOING ON ABOUT THAT, AND PART OF IT IS WHETHER THAT NEEDS TO BE RELOCATED TO WORK AROUND WETLANDS.
GOOD POINT YOU RAISE. WE TRY TO GET THE LINE ON THERE.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S EXACTLY HOW IT WILL BE [INAUDIBLE].
BUT WE DO TRY TO AT LEAST GET A COUPLE OF DOTS ON THERE AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THOSE. OK, GREAT.
YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF BECAUSE IT WAS SLATED FOR TWENTY FOUR, IF IT WAS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT, THAT CONTINUING.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEY SAY THAT ANY OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER AND WORK TOGETHER TO YOU KNOW WITH OTHERS TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE GOALS AND BRING MORE CONNECTIVITY IS REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
[00:30:03]
I LIKE THE CONVERSATION ON THAT ROAD NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS.THAT'S WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW, I THINK, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO AND MARK'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF SUPPORTING THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I'M WONDERING I KNOW AMI'S GOT A QUESTION.
I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST.
HOW ARE WE CONTINUING TO INVOLVE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS AND THE WORKING THROUGH THIS PATHWAY PLAN AS IT EVOLVES OVER THE YEARS? YEAH, SO AFTER WHAT WE DO, OUR FIVE YEAR UPDATE, THOUGH, THE NEXT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WILL ATTEND AND IT'S BEEN ON EVERYONE'S REGULAR AGENDA WOULD BE THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION. THIS IS THE FIRST UPDATE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT THIS GO AROUND.
SO, AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THE HOPE IS THAT BEING ON A DIVERSE SET OF BOARDS AND COMMISSION WILL BRING A DIFFERENT SET OF EYES FROM THE COMMUNITY YOU KNOW FORWARD TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS. BUT ULTIMATELY IT'LL GO BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
WE'LL SET A PUBLIC HEARING THAT'LL BE ADVERTISED WILL INCLUDE IN OUR MEMO TO THE BOARD, ANY INPUT COMMENTS FROM THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OR OTHER COMMENTS WE RECEIVE DURING OUR ATTENDANCE AT THOSE AND THEN PRESENT THAT AND THEN AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, IT'LL BE ON FOR SECOND MEETING FOR THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY ADOPT IT.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH BEEN THE PROCESS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WITH MY EYES I'M HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME WITH THE MAP IS 241, IS THAT THE LITTLE SECTION GOING UP TO THE HASLETT MARSH SHOPPING AREA THAT'S ON PAGE RIGHT NOW? SO THAT'S ON OKEMOS ROAD, AND THAT'S JUST SOUTH OF [INAUDIBLE] ROAD.
WHERE THE WHERE THE ELECTRIC THING IS? JUST NORTH OF THERE, SO THE ELECTRIC SUBSTATIONS RIGHT HERE ON THE INNER URBAN AND THEN JUST GOING NORTH. OK, OK, I WAS JUST HAVING A HARD TIME, I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE MAJOR STREET, SO I COULDN'T FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND YEAH, JUST TO ECHO AMANDA'S COMMENTS, I THINK I MADE THESE COMMENTS A LOT, BUT I JUST I KNOW THEY'RE MANAGED SEPARATELY, BUT THE PARKS AND THE PATHWAYS AND THE AND THE TRAILS ALL TO ME ARE REALLY JUST ONE BIG SYSTEM, YOU KNOW? AND I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST YEAR THROUGH COVID, YOU SEE SO MANY PEOPLE USING THE TRAILS, STOPPING AT THE PARK, HAVING A PICNIC, WALKING ON THE BRIDGE.
TELL YOU HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM OF ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND I KNOW MANY OF MY FRIENDS MAKE COMMENTS.
IT'S EVEN EXCITING. JUST WHEN YOU SEE, LIKE A LITTLE NEW BRIDGE GO IN WITH THE NEW DECORATIVE ELEMENTS, IT KIND OF TIES IT ALL TOGETHER.
I JUST THINK IT IS SUCH AN ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT IN AND THAT AND THE CONNECTION BACK TO OUR PARKS AS WELL.
I THINK THE [INAUDIBLE] MORE VISITATION BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE TRAILS THERE ON BY FOOT, BY BIKE. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AGAIN, I JUST PRETTY AWESOME THAT A COMMUNITY SUPPORTS IT THE WAY IT DOES. I MEAN, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DEDICATED MILLAGE.
YOU KNOW, SOME COMMUNITIES ARE LUCKY TO GET A GRANT AND THEY BUILD ONE TRAIL AND THAT'S ALL THEY GET TO DO FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY HERE, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO BE BUILDING CONSTRUCTING NEW PATHWAYS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO MY FAVORITES, HONESTLY, IS THE ONE THE CENTRAL PARK CONNECTOR IS, YOU KNOW,I LOVE IT. YEAH.
I MEAN, THIS. I LOVE, WHAT I CONSTANTLY RUN THAT.
IT'S NOT VERY LONG, BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO GET IT INTO MY ROUTE.
THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY.
I KNOW THIS PROBABLY IS PART OF YOUR JOBS, BUT I SWEAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IF WE COULD EVEN JUST TAKE PICTURES OF THOSE SMALL LITTLE THINGS YOU PUT IN, I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT, JUST LIKE THE NEW BRIDGE RAILINGS.
LOOK AT THIS. I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT I GET SUPER EXCITED WHEN I SEE EVEN NEWS THAT WHEN THEY PUT NEW SIGNAGE IN WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE IT'S JUST OVER A YEAR AGO I WAS LIKE, SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THESE GREAT NEW AMENITIES AND EXTENSIONS THAT GO IN, BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT FROM FRIENDS THAT I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? AND I BELIEVE TYPICALLY THE ONES THAT I SEE ARE THROUGH THE MILLAGE, THROUGH THE COUNTY MILLAGE.
BUT SOMETIMES I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR, TOO.
SO, YEAH, THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
[00:35:01]
AND WE WE PROBABLY DON'T DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB, YOU KNOW, TOOTING OUR OWN HORNS WHEN IT COMES TO A LOT OF THESE.GET. PUBLIC WORKS, WE JUST TEND TO GIVE US A WE'LL DO IT AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE ONE WE'RE JUST NOT INGRAINED YOU KNOW THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU, PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT YOUR WORK, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT.
THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. THANK YOU.
AND FOR THE PLUG THAT I ALWAYS MAKE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AMI, IT'S EITHER ME OR AMI, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUMP TRACK.
ANYTHING TO CREATE A BIGGER LOOP OUT TO THE TRACK, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU CAN GO THROUGH THAT. OH, MY GOODNESS, I'M BLANKING ON IT NOW.
SO IT'S THOUGH LAKE PARK MARINE RIVERFRONT TRAILGLEN. SYLVAN GLEN, SO YOU CAN CONNECT THAT WAY, BUT TAKING IT OUT NORTH MERIDIAN IS PRETTY DANGEROUS TO RIDE ON THAT CORNER AND CROSSING GRAND RIVER.
BUT IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF LOOP THAT ALLOWED FOLKS TO TAKE US ALL THE WAY OUT THERE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL TOO AT SOME POINT.
BUT. YEAH, WE'RE ACTUALLY ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY TO SECURE LICENSE AGREEMENTS FOR THEIR UTILITY CORRIDORS.
FOR MANY YEARS WE'VE HAD CORNHILL ROAD ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.
DIFFICULTY WITH THAT IS YOU KNOW OUR COMMUNITY FOUGHT PRETTY HARD WITH THE ROAD DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN AS MANY TREES AS POSSIBLE.
THE DOWNSIDE TO THAT IS YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH RIGHT OF WAY LEFT THEN TO CREATE EITHER A PAVED SHOULDER OR AN OFF ROAD PATHWAY.
SO THE THOUGHT IS HOW DO WE HOW DO WE REPLICATE A SIGNIFICANT NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE THAT EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP? AND CONSUMER'S ENERGY REALLY DOES HAVE A LARGE CORRIDOR HERE THROUGH HERE.
THAT TO US SEEMS TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, AND THAT WOULD CREATE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO TIE INTO THOSE PARKS YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, LIKE LAKE PARK AND EAST GATE PARK, BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR EXTENSIVE SYSTEM THROUGH THERE, TOO.
SO WE SEE SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONNECTIVITY THERE WITHOUT NECESSARILY UTILIZING THOSE MAJOR NORTH SOUTH ROADS THAT GET THAT ARE PRETTY NARROW AND SPEEDS ARE PRETTY HIGH, AS EVERYONE KNOWS. IN FACT, I'VE TRIED TO WALK ON CORNELL A FEW TIMES AND I JUST DECIDED THAT IT'S NOT WORTH JUMPING INTO THE WATER.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DEREK, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE WHEN YOU READ.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SHOWING UP BECAUSE I HAVE A SPLIT SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
I CAN. DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS? YES. YES, OF COURSE.
I DID WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK ON THIS ALSO PARTICULARLY THE GAP YEARS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO COME BACK SIMILAR TO ACCESSIBILITY AND CIRCLE BACK AND CLOSE SOME OF THOSE GAPS.
MY SPECIFIC QUESTION TIED TO I THINK YOU REFERRED TO AS A CARLTON ROAD CONNECTOR PORTION THERE IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF LAKE LANSING, RIGHT THERE ALONG LAKE DRIVE.
YEP. AND IT TIES TO THAT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO WALK.
AND I BUT I ALSO THE CARS GO BY THERE VERY QUICKLY.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE COORDINATING.
I'M HONESTLY NOT SURE WHO HAS JURISDICTION OVER THAT ROAD, BUT THAT PARTICULAR AREA THERE WHERE IT LOOPS BACK, SOMETIMES IT EVEN BECOMES A PSEUDO DRAG ROUTE.
AND I KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WALKING THERE, IT'S PARTICULARLY AROUND THOSE CURVES, IS PRETTY TRICKY.
AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY COORDINATION REGARDING ANY KIND OF TRAFFIC MONITORING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED TRAFFIC CALMING, BUT THAT DEFINITELY IS A CRITICAL JUNCTION THERE. IT'S PRETTY TRICKY.
WELL, ACTUALLY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING BECAUSE I KNOW BY CREATING THIS CONNECTOR HERE ON SHAW AND RIGHT NOW THERE ACTUALLY IS A SIDEWALK ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF SHAW, ALTHOUGH IT'S A TRADITIONAL FIVE FOOT WE'LL BE EXPANDING THAT, PROBABLY MAKING IT A 10 FOOT. BUT BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT OF WAYS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO GET YOU ACROSS, THEN SHIFT OVER TO THE WEST SIDE OF SHAW AND THEN CONTINUE NORTH.
WE TYPICALLY TRY TO KEEP THE PATHWAY ON THE SAME SIDE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, BUT JUST RIGHT OF WAY IS CREATED SOME RESTRICTIONS FOR US.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE AS PART OF THE PHASE THREE, WE'RE GOING TO PUT ONE OF THOSE RRFBS IN HERE TO HELP PEOPLE COMING AROUND THESE CURVES.
AND IDEALLY, IT CURVES ARE SUPPOSED TO SLOW YOU DOWN.
BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THERE'S IT IS A CHALLENGE.
BUT WHAT ARE THOSE RRFBS AND THOSE ARE THE RECTANGULAR, RAPID FLASHING BEACONS, THEY BASICALLY AREN'T TELLING THE THEY'RE NOT A STOPLIGHT AND TYPICALLY THEY'RE NOT WARRANT TO CREATE A STOPLIGHT OR WHAT'S CALLED THE HAWK SIGNAL.
BUT IT DOES IT IS AN ADVISORY SIGNAL THAT SAYS, HEY, SOMEONE'S TRYING TO CROSS HERE.
AND IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS SOME ADVANCE WARNING SIGNAGE.
[00:40:04]
SO OUR THOUGHT IS ONCE THAT GOES IN, THAT'LL THAT'LL HELP WITH THIS LOCATION HERE.BUT AS SPEEDING GOES, WE DO OUR MERIDIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL PORTABLE SIGNS.
WE'VE BEEN BUYING ONE OR TWO EACH YEAR.
SO I THINK WE HAVE AT LEAST FOUR OF THEM NOW.
AND BASED ON COMPLAINTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THOSE UP TO HELP GATHER SOME SPEED DATA.
IT NOT ONLY REMINDS PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN, BUT IT ALSO GIVES US SOME DATA TO SAY HOW FAST ARE PEOPLE DRIVING ON SOME OF THESE ROADS? NOW, SPEEDING WILL ALWAYS BE AN ISSUE.
THE ONLY WAY TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN, HONESTLY, IS TO HAVE A SPEED LIMIT SIGN AND HAVE A POLICE OFFICER SITTING DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH IT OR THROUGH DESIGN.
AND I THINK I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH THIS GROUP BEFORE THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE WIDER THE ROAD IS, THE FASTER PEOPLE DRIVE AND JUST THE MORE COMFORTABLE PEOPLE ARE, THE FASTER THEY DRIVE AND POTENTIALLY THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL ROAD CALMING THAT COULD OCCUR THERE.
BUT IT IS I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK THERE, AND IF THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY, IT WOULD BE NICE TO MAYBE DO AN OFF ROAD PATHWAY THROUGH THERE.
BUT THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFICULTY THAT EXISTS, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SOUTHERN SECTION THERE, JUST SO WET. NO, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I APPRECIATE THOSE EFFORTS AS SPECIFIC THERE BY THE WETLAND AREA, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN THE CARS OR THE PEOPLE ARE COMING AT THOSE CORNERS, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE YOU'RE ON, THEY REALLY CAN'T SEE THE PEOPLE WALKING AND THEY REALLY DO COME AROUND THERE AND IT'S JUST THOSE CORNERS.
SO I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE AREA THERE AT SHAW.
BUT IF THEY'RE CALM BY THE TIME THEY GET THERE.
IT IS JUST TRULY THAT AREA RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S BY THE WETLAND AT THOSE TWO CURVES.
I THINK, AS YOU SAID, NORMALLY CURVES WOULD SLOW PEOPLE DOWN, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT WAY THEY TAKE THOSE THAT THAT IS NOT SLOWING THEM DOWN AT ALL.
AND I APPRECIATE IT'S KIND OF AN AWKWARD BALANCE, BUT WITH THE PEOPLE WALKING THERE, THERE'S QUITE A BIT YOU'RE RIGHT THERE.
THERE JUST ISN'T NECESSARILY WIDE ENOUGH RIGHT OF WAY THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS TO COORDINATE ON THAT.
AND IT'S VERY LIKELY MARY, THAT WHEN WE GET INTO THE DESIGN OF THIS, THAT THIS WILL ALSO BE A STRONG CANDIDATE FOR ONE OF THOSE RRFBS JUST TO HELP PEOPLE GET ACROSS THAT INTERSECTION. SO.
THAT ONE IS ACTUALLY A LOT TRICKIER THAN SHAW YOU ARE CORRECT.
YEAH. SO I DO KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT RAILROAD CROSSING.
JUST SO YOU FOLKS THAT TRAVERSE THAT WHEN THAT WAS DONE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE HOT MIX ASPHALT PLANTS OPEN, SO THEY COULDN'T REALLY DO A GREAT LEVELING JOB ON THAT.
WE'RE BEING TOLD FROM THE ROAD DEPARTMENT THAT THE RAILROAD WILL BE BACK TO MAKE THAT REPAIR. SO OUR FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT IT'LL BE A MUCH BETTER FINAL REPAIR WHEN THAT'S DONE. BUT PRETTY ROUGH CROSSING IT RIGHT NOW.
DEREK, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YEAH. I THINK OK, SO SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PARK COMMISSION ON AREAS OF PREFERENCE THAT MAYBE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL PREFERENCE? WELL, I GUESS OVERALL SUPPORT OF THE PLAN OR IF THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS THAT YOU SAID, HEY, DEREK, WHY AREN'T WE DOING CONNECTING A AND B KIND OF THING [INAUDIBLE] INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE PLAN? OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON HERE THAT THE GROUP SAYS, WHY ARE YOU WASTING YOUR TIME WITH THAT? WISH YOU TAKE THAT OFF, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AGAIN, THIS BECOMES OUR MASTER PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WE DON'T WANT SOMETHING ON THERE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SURE. OR IF WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING THAT US HUDDLED AROUND THE TABLE JUST FORGOT TO THINK ABOUT.
LUANN DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A COUPLE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, THAT WE FORM LIKE A WORK GROUP OF SOME KIND JUST TO GIVE YOU IN MORE DEPTH AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THE PARK COMMISSION COULD SUPPORT? SURE, SURE.
YOU KNOW, I HAD A FEW THAT I THINK ARE OF OF IMPORTANCE TO THE PARK COMMISSION AND ONE IS TOWNER ROAD. AND I DEREK, I SEE YOU HAVE IT ON THERE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT APPLICATION IS AND WHAT YEAR YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR THAT PATHWAY TO GO IN TO ACCESS.
YEAH. SO TOWNER, SO TOWNER ROAD WE'VE JUST IDENTIFIED IS THAT'S ONE WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE A DEDICATED PATHWAY FOR.
SO THAT WOULD JUST BE MORE ON THE FUTURE PLAN.
WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED A SPECIFIC YEAR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THAT MAY BE ONE THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE THEN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEAR PLAN TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE ACTUALLY WANT TO GET THIS DONE.
MSU TO LAKE LANSING REALLY HAS DRIVEN OUR NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY LET'S GET SOME OF THESE GAPS CLOSED AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE MORE OF A FINITE YEAR THAT WE DO THOSE, SO.
BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT THAT PARK WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS AT
[00:45:02]
HARTRICK. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU MOVE DOWN TO THE LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER.AND I SEE YOU HAVE SOME PATHWAYS PLANNED OUT ON HAGADORN AND BUT OUR PATHWAY DOESN'T RIGHT NOW CONTINUE OUT TO HAGADORN.
BUT IS THERE A IS DO YOU THINK THERE'S A PLAN FOR THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE? SO THOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE EXISTING, THEY'VE BEEN PROBABLY ON THE PLAN FOR A WHILE, ACTUALLY, THE DIFFICULTY WITH THAT IS THE CITY OF LANSING, RIGHT? THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE NECESSARILY CAN COMPEL THEM TO BUILD A PATHWAY.
SO THE THOUGHT IS AT SOME POINT, YEP.
IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO TAKE THIS OUT ALL THE WAY TO HAGADORN.
THE QUESTION IS, WHEN DO WE PHASE THIS? WHEN DO WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S HERE AND THEN WE DO THE SOUTHERN LOOP KIND OF THING. SOME OF IT'S DRIVEN BY DEVELOPMENT TOO MAYBE AT SOME POINT THESE BECOME MORE COMMERCIAL AND SOMETHING OCCURS THERE, BUT THEY'RE ON THERE ON THE PLAN.
IT'S JUST CREATING A LOOP BACK MAKES IT DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE CITY OF LANSING.
ONE AREA WE DID ADD WAS WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE [INAUDIBLE] CONNECTOR, BECAUSE THIS WAS ALWAYS ON HERE.
AND THE TOWNSHIP IS PART OF THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND HERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE TURNING OVER THIS LITTLE PIECE HERE KIND OF CLOSE THESE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS. WELL, OUR THOUGHT IS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, WHY NOT BRING A CONNECTOR ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO CREATE SOME ACCESS TO THE [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY TOO.
THAT'S GOOD. OK, SO, LUANN, DO YOU WANT TO CONNECT WITH US SEPARATELY AND IF WE NEED TO PULL THAT GROUP TOGETHER? OR DO YOU NEED? WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US TODAY? NO I THINK WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO APPOINT TWO OR THREE MEMBERS OR WE COULD, YOU KNOW, DECIDE AT ANOTHER TIME.
BUT I THINK IT DEFINITELY DESERVES SOME TIME AND EFFORT.
I KNOW THAT DEREK AND HIS TEAM PUT A LOT OF DEDICATE A LOT OF THEIR TIME TO THIS.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS, TOO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OUR PARKS. RIGHT. AND THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND SO THERE COULD BE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE WOULD WANT TO EMPHASIZE FOR MAYBE A GREATER IMPORTANCE. RIGHT.
SO [INAUDIBLE] AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
BASED ON COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP'S INTEREST AND AND COMMISSIONER FARRIS, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE TWO OF THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOU.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO THAT AND THEY'RE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
COMMISSIONER STEPHENS, OF COURSE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AS WELL, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU ALSO SUPPORT US IN OTHER WAYS WITH LAND PRESERVATION.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING SOME OF THESE.
AMANDA, CAN I ASK YOU IS, WOULD THIS MAYBE BE A BETTER OR WOULD IT BE AN ALTERNATIVE TO HAVE JUST A WORK SESSION OF THE PARK COMMISSION? WE COULD DO THAT TOO. FOR SUCH A SMALL GROUP AND THEN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LUANN TO CARRY THAT FORWARD TO DEREK.
YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT. BECAUSE I'M REALLY PLEASED AND SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN TO DATE AND THEN THE QUESTIONS THAT LUANN HAD.
SO MAYBE AMONG THE COMMISSION WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT.
YEAH. YEAH. I THINK THAT MIKE ALSO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS.
SO I THINK A WORK SESSION WITH ALL OF US WOULD BE WOULD BE GOOD.
CAN WE GET AND MAYBE IS THERE LIKE A ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS MAP.
I HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME VISUALIZING UNLESS I CAN.
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST LOOKED AT MY PAPER PACKET, MAYBE I NEED TO GO INTO MY EMAIL.
I THINK YOU HAVE THIS ELECTRONICALLY.
PAPER ONE USUALLY, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO MAPS.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL CIRCLE BACK TOGETHER AS A GROUP AND WE'LL HAVE A WORKING SESSION WHERE WE WILL CONNECT AND DEREK WILL PROVIDE INPUT.
AND WHEN DO YOU NEED THAT BACK BY? MY APOLOGIES. YOU MAY HAVE SAID AND I MISSED IT.
WELL, AGAIN, I WANT TO GIVE WHATEVER TIME IS NEEDED FOR THESE GROUPS TO HAVE GOOD INPUT ON. SO THE THOUGHT WAS TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD NEXT MONTH, BUT I CAN PUSH IT BACK TO JULY. THERE'S REALLY NOTHING TIME SENSITIVE TO IT.
IT'S ON MY TO DO LIST AND I JUST LIKE TO CHECK OFF BOXES, SO.
SO IF YOU COULD PUSH IT BACK A MONTH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF PLANNING
[00:50:03]
AND TIMELINE AND GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY AND MAYBE EVEN GIVES US A CHANCE.WE LIKE TO MEET IN OUR PARKS OCCASIONALLY.
AND SO IT MIGHT GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCHEDULE SOME WALKING MEETINGS WHERE WE LOOK AT THE PARK AND THINK ABOUT CONNECTIVITY ON THE GROUND INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT THE MAP.
DEREK, THANK YOU. SO WE SHOULD HAVE LUANN SOMETHING BACK TO HIM THEN IN JULY.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU, DEREK.
TAKE CARE. OK, SO WE HAVE OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT PROPOSAL
[3.B. Eagle Scout Project Proposal Zachary Sieloff – Bike Fix-it Station at Eastgate Park]
FROM ZACHARY.HI ZACHARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING.
YEAH, HI. THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME TODAY.
AM I ABLE TO SHARE MY SCREEN? YOU ARE, YES.
OK, YES. SO MY NAME, ZACHARY SIELOFF, I'M CURRENTLY A LIFE SCOUT AND I'M IN 10TH GRADE AND GO TO OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO MY PROJECTS THAT I'M PROPOSING TO YOU IS TO DO A BIKE REPAIR STATION AT EASTGATE PARK.
I REALLY LIKE THIS IDEA BECAUSE, LIKE, I RIDE MY BIKE A LOT AND IT'S JUST I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE TRAILS AND HELP BETTER THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF EASTGATE PARK, AND I'M PROPOSING TO PUT IT RIGHT HERE WHERE THE X IS AND I PICK WE PICKED THIS LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE BIKING TRACK OVER HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT A BIKE PUMP AND THEN I'M PLANNING TO.
MAKE A POST WITH THE TOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED TO FIX BIKES THAT ARE COMING OFF HERE, SUCH AS WRENCHES AND [INAUDIBLE].
TO INSTALL THE BIKE PUMP, I WILL NEED ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS, I'M GONNA DO THIS BY ASKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILY.
AND BY ASKING LOCAL BIKE SHOP.
SO I PLAN TO FUNDRAISE IN MAY AND JUNE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE TO GET IT BUT I RAISE ALL THE MONEY, BUT I THINK I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW I CAN DO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. I PLAN TO CONSTRUCT IT IN JULY AND AUGUST AND.
YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ZACHARY, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT TO CONSIDER AND TO PLAN FOR, AND ESPECIALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE LOCATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP, I'M HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE TAKEN MY BIKE OUT TO THE PUMP TRACK MULTIPLE TIMES AND WISHED I HAD A TOOL OR TWO, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING I'VE NOT PLANNED FOR.
BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
ZACHARY ON YOUR ON THE POST WITH THE TOOLS ON IT.
WILL THERE BE LIKE A BIKE HOLDER, LIKE A RACK OR SOMETHING TO PUT YOUR BIKE UP ON TO HANG ? PLANNING TO DO A BIKE HOLDER RIGHT NOW.
VERY CHALLENGING TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO BUY THAT BIKE HOLDER, SO WE AREN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW.
WE DON'T, IT WOULDN'T BE VERY POSSIBLE TO DO IT WITH FUNDRAISING.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE TOOLS THAT ARE HANGING OFF OF A POST ON A CABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THEN AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REACH THE GROUND OR BE ABLE TO REACH AROUND THE BIKE LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR STARTING YOUR PROJECT BEFORE THE 12TH GRADE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT WHEN ZACHARY PROPOSED THIS PROJECT, THE PUMP TRACK SEEMED TO BE LIKE THE MOST LOGICAL LOCATION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A BIKE FIX STATION AT CENTRAL PARK AS PART OF THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR AND THEN ALSO AT MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN AT THE JOHN VEENSTRA MEMORIAL BIKE AREA THERE AT MARKETPLACE.
AND SO TO HAVE SOMETHING OUT ON THAT END OF TOWN IS IDEAL, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE PUMP TRACK AND KIDS GETTING OUT AND USING THEIR BIKES AND ADULTS.
[00:55:02]
AND SO, YEAH, I'M VERY THRILLED WITH WITH THIS LOCATION AND WITH THIS PROJECT.I AM AS WELL LIKE I SHARED, AND ZACHARY, I THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING FOR CONSIDERATION IS IF YOU ARE ABLE TO RAISE SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, TAKING INTO COMMISSIONER STEPHENS COMMENTS ABOUT PUTTING HAVING A STAND WHERE FOLKS MIGHT BE ABLE TO LIFT THEIR BIKE UP.
OK. SO JUST JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
MIGHT EVEN GET SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY DONATE MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT CAUSE.
SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MIGHT BE THAT I MAKE A LIST OF THE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT AND THEN ASK DONORS OR WHEN YOU'RE FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT THE COST OF THAT SPECIFIC TOOL, IT MIGHT GIVE THEM SOMETHING MORE TANGIBLE, TANGIBLE TO WRAP THEIR MINDS AROUND FOR.
THAT'S A GREAT IDEA THANK YOU. YEAH SO.
AND LUANN DO WE NEED TO VOTE TO APPROVE IT? OR WE? YES. YEAH, ACTUALLY IT'S DOWN IN ACTION, BUT I WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT MAYBE YOU TAKE ACTION NOW AND THAT ZACHARY'S FREE TO GET BACK TO CLASS.
WHAT WAS I GOING TO MENTION? OH ZACHARY, WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO IS POST SOMETHING OUT AT THE PARK THAT YOU'RE ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR PEOPLE UTILIZING THE PUMP TRACK.
AND THEN ALSO THERE'S QUITE THE BICYCLE COMMUNITY TRYING TO THINK A TRI COUNTY REGIONAL BICYCLE ASSOCIATION.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DONATE IF YOU JUST REACH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
EVEN THE PEOPLE WORKING ON THE PUMP TRACK THAT VOLUNTEER FOR OUR [INAUDIBLE] THAT BUILT THE THING. WHAT WAS AT THE MICHIGAN MOUNTAIN BIKING ASSOCIATION? YES. THEY MAY HAVE SOME DOLLARS AVAILABLE THERE.
AND YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW I'M NOT THINKING ANYTHING REALLY EXPENSIVE TO GO OUT THERE, EVEN A EVEN A FOUR BY FOUR OFF OF IT THAT HAS A NOTCH IN IT THAT YOU COULD JUST AT LEAST LIFT YOUR BIKE UP ON SO THAT THOSE TOOLS ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
I'M AN OLD GUY, SO BENDING DOWN DOESN'T WORK VERY MUCH ANYMORE.
SO BUT I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY, SO.
[7.D. Eagle Scout Project, Zachary Sieloff]
SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION TO ACCEPT YOUR PROJECT, ZACHARY.OPPOSE. OK, IF WE COULD BACK UP A SECOND, WE NEED A PERSON TO MAKE THE MOTION AND A SUPPORTER. OH, LUANN, I DON'T SEE THAT IN MY PACKET, THOUGH.
IT WASN'T THERE. SO WE JUST REALLY NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE THE MOTION AND SUPPORT IT.
OK, MARY AND MARK FOR THE SUPPORT VOTE HAPPEN.
YES IT WAS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE ZACHARY IS READY TO GO.
CONGRATULATIONS ZACHARY. YEAH, GREAT ZACH.
OK, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LUANN, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT THEN.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ON THE LINE? AND, OF COURSE, TAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT METHODS FOR THOSE WATCHING ON HOMTV, WE CAN TAKE CALLS AT (517)349-1232.
IF YOU'RE ATTENDING VIA THE ZOOM MEETING ITSELF, YOU CAN, OF COURSE, USE TO RAISE HAND FEATURE INSIDE THE ZOOM MEETING.
AND WE CAN GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO MAKE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT VIA THE INTERFACE PROVIDED BY ZOOM. I'M SEEING NO HANDS AND I'M HEARING NO TELEPHONE CALLS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. OK, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. FROM OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH IS IN MARCH.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MOTION TO APPROVE. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP. SUPPORT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.
PROBABLY VOTE ON THAT. OH YES.
NOW MY VOTING IS ALL MESSED UP, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
[6. COMMUNICATIONS]
OK, WE DID. DO YOU MIND IF I SPEAK? NO. GO AHEAD. OK, WE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT CAME THROUGH AND I'M HOPING THEY'VE MADE IT INTO YOUR PACKET.WE HAD A LITTLE STRUGGLE HERE GETTING THE PACKET DIGITIZED TO YOU.
BUT SO THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION FROM EMILY CONWAY, WHO IS A PHD STUDENT AT MSU IN BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT, AND SHE WANTS TO BUILD A SMALL SCALE PRAIRIE RESTORATION.
AND SHE IS WORKING WITH EMMA CAMPBELL ON THAT, I BELIEVE, AT ONE OF THE LAND PRESERVES.
WHEN WE FIRST SPOKE, I THINK SHE WAS THINKING OF THE AREA BY SMALL ACRES LANE ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE JUST BELOW THE CEMETERY.
[01:00:02]
BUT I THINK MAYBE HER LOCATION HAS CHANGED.AND THEN ALSO THERE WAS EMAIL IN THERE FROM EMMA CAMPBELL ABOUT HER CONSERVATION CORPS AND HARTRICK PARK.
THERE WAS A WORK DAY THAT WAS A WEEK AGO SATURDAY, AND THEY TOOK OUT SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS OF INVASIVES OUT OF HARTRICK PARK JUST ON SATURDAY ALONE.
AND THEN ALSO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE TREES PLANTED AT TOWER WOODS PRESERVE. AND AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER DAVE CASSETTE, BUT HE USED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE TOWER COMMUNITY CONCERNS COMMITTEE AND THEY WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SUMMER PROGRAMING FUNDING FOR AT [INAUDIBLE] REC CENTER.
WELL, ANYWAY, THEIR ASSOCIATION ENDED UP RECEIVING A GRANT FROM THE CAPITAL REGION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR THOSE TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE TREES.
AND THEN HE WAS AVAILABLE THERE ON SITE FOR THE TREE PLANTING DAY AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE WAS. [INAUDIBLE] THE PRESIDENT.
LUANN? I DON'T THINK THAT ASSOCIATION EXISTS ANY LONGER.
OH. BUT HE'S JUST LIKE A VERY ACTIVE CITIZEN IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND HE USED TO SERVE, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, HE WAS ON THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR A WHILE, THOUGH HE TAKES GREAT INTEREST AND LIVES IN THE TOWER GARDENS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO HE DOES TAKE SOME PERSONAL INTEREST IN THAT SITE.
I JUST SO ASSOCIATE HIM WITH THAT ORGANIZATION THAT I DON'T EVEN.
RIGHT. THAT IT'S GONE, YOU KNOW, SO GOOD.
THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THERE THAT JANE WROTE TO THE SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL ON OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAD A NUMBER OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR TOWER, OUR TOWNER ROAD PARK GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE EXERCISE, THE MULTIGENERATIONAL EXERCISE PLAYGROUND AREA.
AND LET'S SEE, I'LL JUST READ THEM INTO THE THE RECORD [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE TRI COUNTY COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
LEE ART, WHO'S A RESIDENT AND AVID PARK USER.
[INAUDIBLE], CHRISTINE [INAUDIBLE], NICKI MCGUIRE, MICHELLE BROCK.
THEY'RE ALL RESIDENTS OF HASLETT AND USE THE PARK.
JILL [INAUDIBLE] IS WITH WILTSHIRE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
[INAUDIBLE], LAUREN DRYER OR [INAUDIBLE] EXCUSE ME, AMY [INAUDIBLE], NATE [INAUDIBLE], WHO'S ALSO A BUSINESS OWNER AND A PARK USER.
RICHARD HOLCOMB WAS A RESIDENT.
ANDREA BOWMAN. SO JANE DID A GREAT JOB OF OBTAINING LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR A GRANT APPLICATION THAT, OF COURSE, ALL OF THAT HELPS TO STRENGTHEN OUR CHANCES.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT IS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THIS MONTH.
I MOVE TO PLACE ON FILE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK FOR THAT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU, AMI. OK.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED. OK, PLEASE PLACE THOSE FILES ON, PLEASE PLACE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE. ANYWAYS, I'M MOVING THROUGH THE ITEMS HERE, AND I AM SORRY THAT I'VE BEEN A BIT DISTRACTED TRYING TO PULL TOGETHER ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTION ITEMS AND THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF PAPER. LUANN, SO I APOLOGIZE.
BUT THE ACTION ITEMS FOR TODAY, WE DO NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON A CORRECT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A WORK SESSION AMONGST THE PARK COMMISSION AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT WAY.
SO WE WON'T BE DOING THAT TODAY.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE ACTION ITEMS B.
[7.B. DNR Grant Agreement-Okemos Road Parcel Acquisition]
SO IF OUR COMMISSIONERS CAN PULL OUT THAT MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU AND LUANN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING WITH THE GROUP OF SEVEN B? SURE. AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN AWARDED THE GRANT FOR ACQUISITION OF THE PARCEL ON OKEMOS ROAD OUTSIDE THE SERVICE CENTER AND OUR OFFICE.IT IS POINT ONE EIGHT FIVE ACRES IN SIZE.
THEY WE RECEIVED THAT WE WERE GOING TO APPROVE IT.
IT FINALLY MADE IT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.
WE JUST RECEIVED THE GRANT AGREEMENT FOR EXECUTION.
AND SO THIS COMES TO YOU AND TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN PREPARATION OF THE ACQUISITION JANE GREENWAY HAS, WE'VE ORDERED THE PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
AND THEN OUT OF THAT, WE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY USED FUEL OIL IN HOW THEY HEATED THE HOUSE OR WHATEVER. SO WE ENGAGED IN A PHASE TWO STUDY.
SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
THE INITIAL PRAISE APPRAISAL WAS DONE PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR THE GRANT.
SO ONCE WE EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN UPDATED APPRAISAL TO DNR STANDARDS AND WE ALREADY HAVE THE QUOTES FOR THAT AND READY TO GO.
IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE 60 SECTION SIXTY ONE REVIEW WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND THEN THE BOUNDARY SURVEY AND
[01:05:05]
THEN WE CAN EXECUTE THE SALE AND THEN CLOSE THE GRANT.WE HAVE ALSO OBTAINED A COST ESTIMATE FOR DEMOING THE THE STRUCTURE THAT'S ON THE SITE.
SO THIS WHOLE PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS ALL ABOUT THE ACQUISITION, NOTHING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL ENGAGE IN IN THE FUTURE WITH A PLAN.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ENTERING INTO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE DNR FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE MICHIGAN [INAUDIBLE] RESOURCES TRUST FUND GRANT. THE AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED AT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THAT COMING FROM THE PARK MILLAGE, WHICH IS AN ESTIMATED FORTY TWO FIVE, AND THE GRANT AMOUNT WOULD BE ONE TWENTY SEVEN FIVE.
NOW THIS IS ALL ESTIMATED BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN UPGRADED SURVEY, WHAT THE HECK. THE APPRAISAL, THANK YOU, HAVE TO HAVE AN UPDATED APPRAISAL SO THAT NUMBER MAY CHANGE, WHICH MEANS THE GRANT AMOUNT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
OUR AMOUNT OF OUR CONTRIBUTION WOULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE APPRAISAL COMES THROUGH AT. SO I GUESS RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A MOTION HERE FOR SOMEONE TO READ.
SO WE ARE ALL IN APPROVAL OF SETTING ASIDE THE MONEY AND THEN ALSO MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THIS OF THIS PROPERTY.
CHAIR LICK DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE MOTION? I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, TOO.
IF THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CREATE EVENTUALLY A GREAT ENTRANCE FOR THE PARK, BUT ALSO KIND OF POTENTIALLY CREATE A GREAT TRAIL HUB FOR THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY [INAUDIBLE]. GREAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT, DEREK.
AND I WANT TO THANK JANE GREENWAY AND LUANN AND HER TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO UPDATE THIS PROPOSAL AND RESUBMIT IT AND TO GATHER ALL THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
COMMISSIONER FARRIS, PLEASE READ THE MOTION.
MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION MOVE TO REQUEST THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ENTER INTO A PROJECT AGREEMENT WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING AN ONE POINT EIGHT FIVE ACRE PARCEL.
PARCEL NUMBER 33020216200011 LOCATED AT 5280 OKEMOS ROAD, HASLETT IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE COSTS, WHICH IS ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FUNDED BY THE MICHIGAN NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND GRANT AND COMMITTING FORTY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OR TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE COST FROM THE TOWNSHIP'S PARK MILLAGE FUND.
THIS SITE, WHEN ACQUIRED, WILL HOST A DEDICATED ENTRANCE TO NANCY MOORE PARK AND SERVE AS A TRAILHEAD AREA FOR USERS OF THE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE PATHWAY SYSTEM.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FARRIS, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.
THAT'S ALL. YOUR SUPPORT. OK, SO COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.
YOU SUPPORT THAT? YES. OK, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.
MOVING ON TO SECTION SEVEN C THE LABYRINTH PROPOSAL FOR CENTRAL PARK.
[7.C. Labyrinth Proposal for Central Park]
OK, I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN AT THIS TIME.HOW DO YOU START IT? PUT IT ON SHARE SCREEN, DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
LIKE THAT? GREEN, AND THEN THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER LITTLE SHARE SCREEN THERE.
THE GREEN BUTTON ON YOUR TOOLBAR AND THEN YOU SELECT THE DISPLAY THAT YOU WANT TO SHOW.
IS EVERYONE SEEING MY SHARE SCREEN.
BUT LUANN WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT I HAD A DREAM ABOUT THE LABYRINTH YEAH, I DID.
AND JUST HOW WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS WILL BE AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE.
AND IN MY DREAM, THOUGH, THERE WAS AN ETERNAL FLAME.
[01:10:01]
REALLY? YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THIS THERE WAS A FLAME LIKE ONE OF THOSE LIT FLAMES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LABYRINTH AND I DON'T BUT I DID.I DREAMED ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF.
THE MEANING BEHIND IT, AND I JUST THINK IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN. LIKE ME TO HOLD UP THE? IS THAT THERE NOW? NO. WELL, OK, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
HERE WE ARE. OK, SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.
ANYWAY, WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED AND I KNOW I'VE CHATTED WITH ALL OF YOU BEFORE AND I BELIEVE I'VE PRESENTED THE CONCEPT OF THIS.
AND SO JANE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING AND EMMA CAMPBELL HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DR.
AND MRS. RAJENDRA ON THIS PROJECT.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL IS A DIAMETER OF TWENTY EIGHT FEET.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS THE ELEMENTS OF THIS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS LOW MAINTENANCE, BUT WE REALLY WANT IT TO WE WANT TO USE A LOT OF VEGETATION.
SO THERE'S COLOR. IT'S ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE AND INVITING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEN WITH A WITH A PLAQUE.
AND REALLY WHAT THIS TURNS INTO IS LIKE A PATIO WITH SOME VEGETATION.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A LOW MAINTENANCE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE AND WILL BE USED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THE LOCATION IN HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND NOKOMIS IS JUST AN IDEAL SPOT.
AND JANE, I'M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE THIS OVER.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SO INVOLVED IN THIS AND DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH.
AND AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE RAJENDRA FAMILY.
ARE YOU PUTTING THE POWERPOINT UP ON THE SCREEN LUANN? I AM UNABLE TO.
OH, I HAVE IT OPEN ON THE BOTTOM.
IF YOU MAKE ME A HOST, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT.
YOU ALREADY HAVE PERMISSION TO DO SO.
LET'S SEE HERE, I'M GONNA GO OPEN IT.
ALTERNATIVELY, IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL IT TO ME, I CAN DISPLAYED AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK JANE CAN GET IT.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT WHILE YOU GOT, YOU'LL PROBABLY EXPLAIN THIS, BUT I'M THINKING TWENTY EIGHT FEET AND HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF RINGS IN THE LABYRINTH, CORRECT, SO WHY DOES THAT PATHWAY HAVE TO BE TO ACCOMMODATE A WHEELCHAIR? ARE WE THINKING WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE? PROBABLY NOT, BUT THERE ARE NO BARRIERS, AND SO A WHEELCHAIR COULD EASILY FOLLOW IT WITHOUT ANY BARRIERS, BUT I BELIEVE EACH OF THOSE PAVERS IS PROBABLY TWO FEET WIDE.
CAN YOU SEE THIS NOW? CAN YOU SEE THE PRESENT? YOU CAN'T. NO, I COULDN'T EITHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO SEND IT TO STEPHEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ACCESSIBLE FROM THE STANDPOINT AS THEY CAN EASILY FOLLOW IT, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BEYOND THE WHERE THE PAVERS WOULD BE.
AND AND WE'VE LOOKED AT KITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT A LOCAL COMPANY TO INSTALL THIS. AND OUR GOAL AND WHAT WE'RE MOVING FOR IS MOVING TOWARD IS THE RAJENDRA FAMILY WOULD PAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS.
AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO PUT TOGETHER LIKE A PERPETUAL CARE FUND.
AND I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT 20 OR 30 YEARS FOR THE ANTICIPATED LIFE.
AND SO IF WE NEEDED TO REPLACE A TREE OR WE MAINTAIN THE BEDS EVERY SPRING AND FALL, THAT THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF THIS AND JANE.
I'M GONNA LET, TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
OK, I EMAILED IT TO STEPHEN, SO IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION COMMISSIONER STEPHENS, ABOUT DR.
RAJENDRA WONDERED THE SAME THING IF SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR IS LOOKING AT, BUT THAT WOULD BE A MUCH LARGER DIAMETER.
I CAN PICTURE FOLLOWING THE PATH AND BEING ON THE OTHER PATH, TOO, WHILE YOU'RE AT IT AND YOU KNOW, YOU JUST WITH THE WHEELCHAIR.
SO I'M PICTURING EVERYTHING FLAT THEN AND PAVERS ALL THE WAY AROUND.
SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A WHEEL OFF INTO A DIRT AREA OR YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE FLAT AND PAVED.
OK, THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO ME NOW.
AND I THINK STEPHEN IS PROBABLY STILL GETTING IT SENT TO HIM AND PUTTING IT UP.
BUT WHEN WE WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE STARTED OUT KIND OF WHAT WHAT IS A LABYRINTH
[01:15:01]
? YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT A MAZE OR WHAT IS THIS GOING TO LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE YOU SEE DIFFERENT ONES THAT.OH, GOOD, HERE WE GO. THANK YOU, STEPHEN.
YOU SEE DIFFERENT ONES THAT ARE HAVE MORE VEGETATION IN BETWEEN DELINEATING THE PATH AND THEN YOU SEE ONES LIKE WE DESIGNED, WE THINK WILL BE BETTER FOR MAINTENANCE AND KIND OF CLEANER. SO IT'S MORE ABOUT WALKING THE PATH.
LET'S SEE. SO AS LUANN HAD SAID BEFORE, THESE WHAT WE CALL THE DESIGN PROGRAM, KIND OF THE MENU HERE IS A LOT OF THIS COMES DIRECTLY FROM DR.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING, SO WHAT IS A LABYRINTH? AND I HAD A LOT OF FUN WORKING ON THIS, LEARNING ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
SO YOU WALK AND YOU FOLLOW THIS PATH AND YOU'RE YOU'RE GETTING TO THE CENTER WITH THIS WITH THIS PURPOSE.
SO YOU'RE. EITHER LABYRINTH IS HELPING YOU FIND YOUR WAY AND YOU'RE QUIETING YOUR MIND AND AS IT SAYS COMING UP HERE, KIND OF A STRESS REDUCTION, SELF REFLECTION TIME.
AND YOU SEE THESE LABYRINTHS IN A LOT OF PLACES, HOSPITALS, PARKS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, RETREAT CENTERS.
SO I THINK THIS IS JUST SUCH A NEAT THING FOR OUR PARK SYSTEM, SUCH A UNIQUE.
IT'LL BE LONG LASTING, IT'LL BE BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING SO DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND A GREAT DONATION FROM THIS FAMILY.
STEPHEN. OK, SO HERE'S AS AS LUANN SAID, HERE'S HERE'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE POLICE STATION ON THE LEFT THERE.
AND THEN IF WE ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT, HOW DOES THIS FIT IN WITH THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE MADE FOR CENTRAL PARK A FEW YEARS AGO? IT FITS IN JUST GREAT.
SO IS THAT THAT ARROWS POINTING WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO.
AND IF WE EVER WERE TO BUILD A PAVILION AT THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM TO ACCOMMODATE THAT AS WELL.
GOOD THINKING. YEAH, SO THE THING THAT I THINK IS SO COOL ABOUT LABYRINTHS, THIS HEART STONE OR TOUCHSTONE, SO YOU PARK IN THE PARKING LOT HERE, THE NOKOMIS KIND OF PARKING LOT GO IN ON A CONCRETE PATH IN THAT CENTER WHERE THE PINK TREE IS, THERE'S A HEART STONE OR A TOUCH STONE.
AND THAT COULD BE ANY PHYSICAL OBJECT.
SO IT COULD EVEN BE WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING AN EASTERN REDBUD WITH NICE HEART SHAPED LEAVES PLANTED THERE.
AND THEN A NICE PLAQUE WITH A ROCK, WITH THE PLAQUE, WITH THE FAMILY'S NAME IN SOMETHING THAT DESCRIBES TO THE USER WHAT A LABYRINTH IS AND HOW TO USE IT.
BUT SO YOU'RE ALMOST KIND OF SETTING YOUR INTENTION, TOUCHING THAT THAT TREE OR THAT STONE BEFORE YOU ENTER THE ACTUAL LABYRINTH SPACE.
THE CENTER CIRCLE IS THE TWENTY EIGHT FOOT DIAMETER LABYRINTH ITSELF.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT IS A IS A 10 FOOT WIDE PATHWAY.
SO BASICALLY SOMEONE COULD COME IN THERE, SIT ON A BENCH AND OBSERVE WHILE SOMEONE ELSE IS UTILIZING THE LABYRINTH.
THIS IS THE BEST PART, RIGHT? THIS IS KIND OF THE LOOK THAT WE'RE GOING FOR.
THESE DON'T HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL CONCRETE PATIO OR A CONCRETE WALKWAY PATHWAY AROUND IT.
BUT BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THIS IS THE LOOK WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO SORT OF A BASICALLY A PATIO.
IT'S MADE OUT OF PAVING STONES WITH NATIVE SHRUBS AND FLOWERS AND GRASSES ALL AROUND IT AND BOULDERS FOR RESTING.
SO PROBABLY NOT BOULDERS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, BUT A FEW BOULDERS AND THEN ALSO SOME BENCHES ON THE CONCRETE PATIO.
SO I THINK THIS EMMA PUT TOGETHER THIS WONDERFUL PALLET OF MICHIGAN NATIVES, WHICH I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.
AND THEN UP THERE ON THE TOP RIGHT.
THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS ONE IDEA FOR A HEART SPACE, KIND OF A BUBBLING ROCK.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MORE OF EASTERN REDBUD WITH HEART SHAPED LEAVES AND THEN A LARGE BOULDER WITH A PLAQUE.
OK, SO I ALREADY BRUSHED ON THIS, BUT JUST BASICALLY HERE'S THE STEPS, SO YOU WOULD ACCESS THE LABYRINTH FROM THE PARKING LOT IN THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, ENTER ON THAT SEVEN FOOT WIDE PATH, WHICH LEADS TO THE HEART SPACE AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE LABYRINTH.
I THINK LIKE ANYTHING, ONCE YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS, IT'S MORE INTERESTING.
YOU KNOW, I BECAME A LOT MORE INTERESTED IN THIS WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING IT.
AND SO THIS PLAQUE WILL SERVE TO EDUCATE THE USER ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'LL GET MORE OUT OF IT WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THE THE HISTORY OF LABYRINTHS IS PRETTY INTERESTING.
WE HAVE PAVERS THAT ARE LOW MAINTENANCE, LONG LASTING.
[01:20:03]
TWO DIFFERENT COLOR PAVERS WILL BE USED TO DIFFERENTIATE THE LABYRINTH PATH.THE COOL THING IS THAT THESE COME AS KITS.
YOU CAN GET A, AS YOU COULD IMAGINE IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD TO CUT ALL THOSE PAVERS EXACTLY. TO LINE UP AND TO FIT SO YOU CAN BUY THESE KITS THAT YOU INSTALL.
THIS IS THE DESIGN THAT WE CHOSE, BUT THERE'S SO MANY OPTIONS, AND THIS DESIGN IS A REALLY FAMOUS ONE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR THE LONGEST DISTANCE WITHIN A SMALL SPACE.
SO THIS IS ONE THAT'S AT A FAMOUS CHURCH IN PARIS.
AND THEN THE CHURCH IS ON THE LEFT, ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OUT IN.
OK, NOW THIS ONE, THE SLIDE IS JUST SHOWING THAT THIS COULD BE A REALLY COOL, OPEN SPACE FOR LOTS OF USES, YOGA OVER HERE ON THE LEFT.
FRANCIS BLESSING THE DOGS PICTURE, JUST JUST PEOPLE WATCHING AND QUIET USES.
AND WE THINK THIS WILL REALLY BE A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PARK.
THESE ARE JUST SOME DESIGNS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE USED FOR PLAQUES, I LIKE THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE THE MOST BECAUSE IT SAYS WHAT IT IS, WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN YOU'RE WALKING THE PATH. AND WE CAN PUT SOME INFORMATION IN THERE ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION FROM DR. RAJENDRA'S FAMILY.
WHO, BY THE WAY, ARE JUST WONDERFUL RESIDENTS, AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT THEY BROUGHT THIS TO US. I THINK IT'S THEY'RE JUST THE SWEETEST PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR MANY YEARS.
SO WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
HEY JANE? YEAH? DO YOU KNOW OF THOSE? AND I DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY AND YOUR RESEARCH.
DID YOU EVER SEE ANYTHING THAT WERE LIKE HAD IN THE PAVER, LIKE AN ENGRAVED THOUGHT PROVOKING A QUOTE OR SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHILE YOU'RE WALKING ALONG? LIKE TO HAVE A FEW OF THOSE, LIKE, ARE THESE PAVERS ABLE TO BE ENGRAVED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THAT'S COOL MARK.
CONTEMPLATING LIKE KIND OF A, YOU KNOW.
YEAH. LIKE ONE OF THOSE CALENDARS YOU PULL OFF LIKE A QUOTE ABOUT.
OR IT COULD BE LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT OR I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE BY THE BENCHES OR BY THOSE BOULDERS.
SOME LITTLE SIGNS OR SOMETHING OR.
YEAH. SOMETHING TO JUST MAKE PEOPLE.
YEAH. EVEN MORE DEEPLY WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHILE YOU COULD HAVE LIKE OF THOSE PAVERS COULD BE ENGRAVED OR SOMETHING LIKE ON THE PATH WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN, YOU KNOW YOU JUST KIND OF.
I LOVE IT. THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU COULD PROBABLY ENGRAVE ANY PAVER JUST LIKE THEY DO WITH THOSE DONOR PATIOS AND THINGS.
SO THIS IS THIS IS REALLY THE LAST SECOND TO LAST SLIDE, JUST KIND OF OUR NEXT STEPS.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TALKING TO COMPANIES THAT INSTALL PATIOS AND LANDSCAPING JUST TO GET SOME BALLPARK ESTIMATES.
AND THEN THIS, THE LINK UP AT THE TOP, THE RAJENDRA FAMILY IS LOOKING AT THOSE COLLECTIONS AND KIND OF PICKING WHICH ONES THEY THEY LIKE.
SO WE ARE NEARING THE END, WE WOULD LOVE TO GET THIS IN.
EARLY SUMMER THAT SO WE JUST NEED TO GET SOME PRICES TOGETHER AND WE WILL GET A FEW BIDS, OF COURSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JANE, FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] OF THIS, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SHARED TONIGHT, WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND JUST A SPACE THAT CAN BE UTILIZED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
IF NOTHING THIS PAST YEAR HAS TAUGHT US GETTING OUTSIDE AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEDITATE AND BE WITH OUR SELF AND JOURNEY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO TO HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE THAT'S IN IN HONOR OF A FAMILY OF OUR COMMUNITY I THINK IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A QUESTION.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS.
THANK YOU. ONE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT OR HAVE WE ASKED ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PROXIMITY OF THE LABYRINTH TO PARKING? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A QUIET ENOUGH SETTING OR I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT COMES INTO PLAY, BUT JUST MAKE SURE WE'VE THOUGHT THAT THROUGH.
AND THEN, MIKE, I HAD A QUESTION SO I LOVE THE I KNOW WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT THE LOOK OF THE TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS LOOKS REALLY INTERESTING.
[01:25:05]
OR MAYBE THAT WAS JUST TWO DIFFERENT KIND OF CONCRETE, BUT HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT? I JUST THINK IT REALLY ADDS DEPTH TO IT AND I KNOW IT WOULD ADD PRICE AS WELL.NO, AMI THAT'S THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THAT LABYRINTHCOMPANY.COM.
THEY'RE THEY'RE THE SAME PAVERS, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT COLORS.
OK. AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE COLOR OPTIONS.
AND IT IS IT'S A REALLY SLICK LOOK.
YEAH. IT LOOKS REALLY NICE AND EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL, INCLUDING ALL OF THE FLOWERS AND SHRUBS. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WAS GOING TO SAY WAS LOOKING AT THOSE DIFFERENT SIGNS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT THE THE SIGNAGE IS GOING TO REALLY SET A TONE.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WERE EVEN THINKING ABOUT THAT.
BUT LIKE THE ONE THE THIRD ONE JUST DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WOULD FIT THE SPACE AS MUCH AS THAT WASN'T YOUR PREFERENCE ANYWAY.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE JUST BECAUSE THIS IS BEING DONATED IN MEMORY OF SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER, THAT WE REALLY KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT.
SO I THINK THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL OF A PLACE.
YES. AND JUST REMIND EVERYBODY OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THEY'VE LOST OR HOW LUCKY WE ARE FOR OUR HEALTH AND A PLACE TO COME MEDITATE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S REALLY FRONT AND CENTER THAT, AS YOU SAID, THIS FAMILY HAS ALREADY GIVEN SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME AND AND SUPPORT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP, I WENT ON A LOCATION HUNT WITH THE DONOR TO FIND THE BEST LOCATION FOR THIS.
AND THIS WAS THE ONE HE THOUGHT WAS THE BEST.
AND OUR GOAL IS, YOU KNOW, LUCKILY THE PARKING LOT AT THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND WHAT'S GOING ON AT NOKOMIS, THAT'S NOT A HIGH TRAFFIC, HIGH VOLUME AREA.
AND THEN ALSO WE LOOK AT TRYING TO ENCLOSE THIS AS MUCH AS WE CAN OR ENGULF IT WITH NATIVE VEGETATION.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CALM WHATEVER SOUNDS THAT COULD BE THERE.
BUT ALSO, WE WANTED IT IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING AND NOT TOO REMOTE BECAUSE MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS IN THE VILLAGE, LIKE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL FROM THE LOG CABIN. AND AND WE BOTH AGREE THAT THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE TOO REMOTE AND THEN NOT AVAILABLE, NOT AS EASILY AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SEE IT AND GO CHECK IT OUT.
AND SO WE FEEL WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD WITH THIS LOCATION.
AND WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH NOKOMIS AND THE FRIENDS OF THE HISTORICAL MERIDIEN.
SO EVERYONE'S ON BOARD WITH THIS LOCATION AND THIS PROJECT AND AND LIKE AS JANE HAD SAID, WE'RE STILL IDENTIFYING THE COST ESTIMATES BECAUSE THAT OBVIOUSLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE DONOR. AND SO THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT, THE DONATION AND GIFT AGREEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH THEM, BUT WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT IS.
I'M GUESSING WE'RE AROUND THE FORTY THOUSAND DOLLAR MARK, BETWEEN 40 AND 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND THEN WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR IS FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR FOR 20 YEARS, WHICH WOULD BE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THAT WOULD JUST GO INTO A PERPETUAL CARE FUND FOR ANNUAL UPKEEP OF THIS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT YET AND WE REALLY NEED TO SEE WHAT OUR COST ESTIMATES ARE. AND SO THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL BY ANY MEANS, BUT WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY AND THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO I DON'T THINK I'M REALLY ASKING FOR ANY ACTION TODAY OTHER THAN THIS WAS REALLY JUST TO GIVE YOU.
AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH WHAT AN AGREEMENT THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH WITH THE RAJENDRA FAMILY FOR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD AT THAT TIME.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I'D HAD INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, BUT I THINK JANE DID A REALLY NICE JOB WITH THE POWERPOINT, GIVING YOU A MUCH BETTER FLAVOR.
AND EMMA, COMING UP WITH ALL THOSE NATIVE PLANTS THAT HAVE COLOR YEAR AROUND, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION FOR PEOPLE TO.
AND THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT QUIETING YOUR MIND, OH, MY GOSH, I NEED TO SPEND A DAY THERE EVERY WEEK. AT LEAST.
SO MUCH HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, IF YOU CAN'T TELL.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO OUR ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS ONE LOCATED IN A LOCAL CHURCH OR SCHOOL GROUND.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING SIMILAR OVER AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BY THE NURSING RESEARCH CENTER. IT'S A MORE OF LIKE A PRESSURE POINT WHERE YOU IF YOU WRAP YOUR FEET AROUND DIFFERENT SHAPE ROCKS AND IT'S REALLY A THEY GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE IT.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT POINTS WITHIN YOUR FEET THAT IMPACT THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IN YOUR BODY. AND IT'S REALLY IT'S GOT A LOT OF PETOSKEY STONES AND IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOLKS TAKING A LOOK OVER THERE.
IT'S BY THE NURSING RESEARCH CENTER OFF OF THE SERVICE DRIVE.
BUT THIS COULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING THERE AND SEE
[01:30:04]
[INAUDIBLE] THE SIGNAGE AND.ONE ON MERIDIAN TOWN, I MEAN, MERIDIAN ROAD, I THINK, TO ON A CHURCH JUST THAT JUST NORTH OF SHERWOOD OR JUST SOUTH OF SHERWOOD, I THINK THERE IS ONE ON THEIR PROPERTY AS WELL.
ST. LUKE'S LUTHERAN COULD BE PROBABLY COULD BE.
FOR THERE. SO ANYWAY, WE'RE WE'LL BE BACK AT ANOTHER MEETING WITH MORE WITH A FINAL AGREEMENT, I GUESS, FOR APPROVAL BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MOVE INTO IT.
LUANN IT DOES HAVE MOTION LISTED BELOW.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU DO NOT WANT US TO.
OH. WAIT, I'M SORRY. THAT'S THE THAT'S FROM MY MINUTES ON THE 6.
SO I THINK I THINK SHE'S RIGHT.
I DID PUT A MOTION ON SAYING FOR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD, I THINK COMMISSIONER FARRIS [INAUDIBLE]. RIGHT.
YOU'RE RIGHT. AND THAT AND IT'S JUST REALLY TO GIVE YOUR PERMISSION THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND YOU'D LIKE US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SECURING A DEAL WITH THE DONOR.
SO I GUESS WE WOULD TAKE SOME ACTION ON THIS, IF YOU WOULD.
I, I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY FROM THE SIXTH, THOUGH.
I THINK IT'S FROM MY IT'S DATED THE 6TH.
I THINK IT'S FROM MY MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING THAT I GOT MIXED UP.
UNLESS I DON'T SEE IT ANYWHERE ELSE, SO.
IT IS MARKED AS 7C, I THINK THAT THE DATE IS JUST WRONG AS MAYBE THE DATE WASN'T CHANGED OK, SO.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR JANE.
JANE, WHAT'S THE SLOPE LIKE THERE? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HILL, BUT SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF GRADING. AND THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A LITTLE BIT OF BERM AREA UP AROUND THE LABYRINTH ITSELF, TOO, WHICH WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE SHELTERED FROM THE PARKING LOT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD TAKE MORE WORK BECAUSE I WAS THINKING THERE WAS A FAIR SLOPE THERE. LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A MOUND, ISN'T IT? YEAH. WHAT I WAS THINKING BEHIND THE CHAPEL IS MORE LIKE A BOWL, ALMOST SO, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN UP TO THE TOP, SO I KNOW YOU'RE TAKING GOOD CARE OF THAT ALONG WITH THE PLANTING MATERIALS. THANKS.
OH, YOU'RE WELCOME. SORRY I MISSED YOUR HAND THERE, MARY.
OK. WE'LL GO AHEAD, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MOTION THEN.
YEAH I MOVE TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARKS AND REC STAFF TO WORK WITH THE RAJENDRA FAMILY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LABYRINTH IN CENTRAL PARK, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN. THIS PARK IMPROVEMENT WILL SERVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL PARK IMPROVEMENT DESIGN FOR THE REST, RELAXATION AND GENERAL ENJOYMENT.
THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASS. MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION, ITEMS.
[9.A. Love a Park Day – Wednesday, May 26 6pm-8pm]
WE HAVE LOVE A PARK DAY, WHICH IS WEDNESDAY, MAY TWENTY SIXTH FROM SIX TO EIGHT.YES. SO, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT WAS WHEN PHIL DESCHAINE, OUR TOWNSHIP TREASURER, WAS ON THE PARK COMMISSION. HE THIS WAS A PROGRAM THAT HE STARTED IN TRYING TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY GROUPS AND RESIDENTS AND PARTICIPATING IN CLEANUP PROJECTS AND PARK BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN THE SPRING.
AND NOW WITH EMMA CAMPBELL AND HER STEWARDSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP SATURDAYS, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING. BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT JUST SOME BEAUTIFICATION THINGS THAT BROWNIE'S TROOPS CAN GET INVOLVED WITH AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A DAY WHICH IS WEDNESDAY, MAY TWENTY SIXTH FROM SIX TO EIGHT P.M.
AT THE FOLLOWING PARKS FERGUSON, [INAUDIBLE], HILLBROOK, HARTRICK, NANCY MOORE, NORTH MERIDIAN ROAD AND TOWNER ROAD.
AND IT'S REALLY JUST GOING TO BUY SOME FLOWERS TO PLANT AT THE SIGNS OR AT THE ENTRANCES LIKE AT [INAUDIBLE]. I KNOW AS YOU'RE WALKING INTO THE PAVILION, WE NORMALLY HAVE SOME FLOWERS AND MULCH AND TRASH PICK UP AND IT'S REALLY SIMPLE STUFF.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO AND I'LL CONTACT YOU ALL LATER.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S AVAILABLE ON THAT EVENING, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR ALL OF YOU TO TAKE A PARK AND KIND OF BE THE SUPERVISOR AT THAT ONE PARK.
AND EMMA'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ORGANIZING THE VOLUNTEERS AND DISPERSING THEM TO THE SITES. SO IF YOU CAN LOOK ON YOUR CALENDARS AND WE'LL CHAT.
BUT ON WEDNESDAY, MAY TWENTY SIXTH, SIX TO EIGHT, THAT WE CAN DO THIS WORK AND EACH PARK IS REALLY GOING TO PROBABLY TAKE LESS THAN AN HOUR.
BUT BUT I THINK TO ME, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT CREATES CHARM IN A COMMUNITY ARE THE FINER POINTS, LIKE WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?
[01:35:05]
AND TO ME, IF WE CAN HAVE NICE LANDSCAPING AND SOME FLOWERS PLANTED AND NO TRASH AROUND, I JUST THINK THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.AND SO AND IT ENGAGES PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT DON'T HAVE TO BE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS OR WORKERS. IT'S JUST GENERAL PEOPLE THAT CAN COME AND HELP AND CONTRIBUTE AND FEEL LIKE BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO LIKE I SAID, I'LL GET WITH YOU ON THE SPECIFICS, BUT THOSE ARE THE PARKS AND THE DATE.
AND SO JUST LIKE MARK, I'M GUESSING HILLBROOK MIGHT BE ONE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE SO.
YEAH ON THE 26TH I'M NOT AVAILABLE.
OK. I KNOW I'VE GOT ANOTHER MEETING AT THAT POINT, IT'S ONE I'M TEACHING.
NO WORRIES. AND THEN ALSO I WANTED TO SHARE WHILE I WAIT TILL MY STAFF REPORT AND I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY I'M WONDERING IF IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE YOU SEND US YOUR STAFF REPORT [INAUDIBLE]. I WILL. AND YOU KNOW, AND THE THING IS, I PRETTY MUCH DID BEFORE I LEFT ON VACATION, I SENT LIKE A SIX PAGE UPDATE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND SO NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT OUR PAVILION RENTALS ARE JUST OUT OF THIS WORLD.
OUR PHONES ARE RINGING OFF THE HOOK WITH WITH PAVILION RENTALS.
BUT WHAT ELSE WE'RE GETTING ARE JUST CASUAL USERS AND A TON OF TRASH.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO BEST MANAGE THE TRASH WE COULD HAVE ONE DAY AND FILL A DUMPSTER. IT'S TRULY INSANE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
BUT AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT AT SOME POINT IS
[9.B. Ribbon Cutting Events in June]
SCHEDULING A RIBBON CUTTING FOR ALL OF OUR GRANT PROJECTS BECAUSE EVERYTHING NOW IS COMING TO A CLOSE. JANE'S WORKING ON OUR FINAL REIMBURSEMENTS AND IT'S TIME TO TO CELEBRATE ALL THESE GREAT ADDITIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.AND THEN ALSO, I SEE THAT TOM CAREY IS NOW IN THE PICTURE WITH JANE.
AS WE KNOW, LAST YEAR WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE THIS LAST SATURDAY, TOM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE HAD FIFTY FIVE VENDORS THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE TWO BOOST SPACES.
SO THERE WERE WELL OVER PROBABLY 70 BOOTH SPACES AND OVER THREE THOUSAND VISITORS TO THE MARKET ON SATURDAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE MASK REQUIREMENT BEING RELAXED, TOM AND I SPOKE THAT WAS LIKE ON FRIDAY IN THE MARKET SATURDAY MORNING.
AND WE HAVE STOOD FIRM ON MASK REQUIREMENT FOR OUR VENDORS AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY, BUT I VISITED THE MARKET ON SATURDAY.
AND, OF COURSE, TOM WAS THERE ALL DAY.
AND PEOPLE IN FACT, HE POSTED SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK AND PROBABLY TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE SAID, THANK YOU. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ONE PERSON THAT WAS LITTLE ADVERSE TO THAT, BUT EVERYONE ELSE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO WE'VE GOT ALL WEEK TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR THIS NEXT SATURDAY.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THREE THOUSAND VISITORS IN ONE LOCATION, I STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE NEED TO STAY SAFE.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE GRADUAL CHANGE FOR US THAN JUST.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYBODY MASK OFF AND LET'S GET GOING.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH OUR H.R.
DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING A TOWNSHIP PROTOCOL MOVING FORWARD.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON MAKING A DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON ALL OF THAT.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A GRADUAL PROCESS.
AND AND AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE GOAL OF KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND HEALTHY AND WELL AT THE CENTER AND ALSO PROVIDING ACCESS FOR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOP OUTDOORS AND GET FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE.
AND AND I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND PROBABLY SEVERAL OTHERS THAT WE SUPPORT YOU IN THAT ESPECIALLY THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE UNDER THAT PAVILION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OPEN, IT CAN BE REALLY CROWDED AT TIMES.
[INAUDIBLE] AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO INCREASE, LAST YEAR WE PEAKED AT THIRTY ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE. AND THIS WEEK WE'VE HAD THIRTY ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE.
RIGHT. THAT WAS IN AUGUST BEFORE WE[INAUDIBLE].
SO IT'S JUST GOING TO BE MORE OF A RISK WITH MORE PEOPLE.
WE ALSO HAVE CONCERTS COMING UP ON THE WEDNESDAY MARKETS.
WHEN DO THE WEDNESDAY MARKETS? WEDNESDAYS WILL START IN JULY AND BASED ON WHERE WE'RE AT WAS COVID.
MIKE DEVLIN HAS ACQUIRED A THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR DONATION AND HE HAS BANDS PLAYING ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS FROM LIKE 5:00 UNTIL 8:00 OR 5:00 UNTIL 9:00.
THE MARKET GOES, I THINK, FIVE TO EIGHT OR FOUR TO EIGHT, FOUR TO SEVEN ON WEDNESDAYS.
BUT SO WE LOOK AT TRYING TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AT MARKETPLACE ON WEDNESDAY
[01:40:01]
NIGHTS. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME CORNHOLE LEAGUES OR WHATEVER HAPPENING AND SOME LIVE MUSIC AND A LITTLE FARMER'S MARKET.SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE A FUN PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GET TOGETHER SAFELY OUTDOORS.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATES.
[INAUDIBLE] AND JANE FOR HAVING HIM ON.
THAT WAS GREAT. ANY OTHER LAST COMMENTS? WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY NOW BEFORE WE ADJOURN FOR THE DAY, COMMISSIONERS.
YOU HAVE ANY LAST COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?
[11. OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS]
COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.JUST A SENSE OF FUN WITH THIS.
EVEN JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, I WAS DRIVING BY THE BRIDGE AND IT WAS LIKE AN ATTRACTION.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE AT OKEMOS ROAD.
EVERYBODY'S OUT ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER IN THE PARKS AND ON TRAILS.
SO IT'S JUST AN EXCITING TIME OF YEAR AND ESPECIALLY LEARNING ABOUT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. THERE'S JUST ALWAYS THINGS HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE STAFF'S WORK.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS, BUT YOU GUYS CAN SEE MY PHOTO THERE.
CAN YOU SEE THAT A MUSHROOM THAT ORANGE MUSHROOM? IT'S NOT AN ORANGE MUSHROOM.
AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PAINTING ROCKS, PUTTING THEM IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN HILLBROOK PARK.
AND IT KIND OF POPPED INTO MY MIND THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE LIKE A UNIQUE TRAIL THAT LIKE MAYBE WE DO LIKE MAKE YOUR EYES WORK AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, YOU KNOW, ON A TREE OR SOMETHING TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK. BECAUSE I SAW THAT I WAS LIKE, OH, AN ORANGE MUSHROOM.
I'M GOING TO GO TAKE A PICTURE. WHAT ORANGE MUSHROOMS THERE? THERE'S NO ORANGE MUSHROOMS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT.
SO I PICKED IT UP AND I WAS LIKE, OH, IT'S A DOG TOY.
BUT PEOPLE SET IT THERE AND THEY HAVE THESE PAINTED ROCKS ALL THROUGH THE TRAILS.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF LOOKING FOR THESE.
THEY HAVE LIKE LITTLE NOTES ON THEM SAYING YOU ROCK AND IT'S JUST KIND OF COOL SO.
IT IS COOL AND, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I DON'T THINK I SHARED IS THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING THE ART GRANT FROM LAEP LANSING AREA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, AND IT'S A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT, AND SO WE'RE HAVING A BID OPENING ON THURSDAY WITH PROPOSALS AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE TWO PARK COMMISSIONERS AND TWO TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS AS THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE THE SUBMITTALS.
AND THEN ALSO WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DELTA DENTAL FOR VOLUNTEERING, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTING AND SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHILDREN AND ART.
AND I KNOW WHEN WE DID OUR CENTRAL PARK MASTER PLAN, WE TALKED ABOUT AN ART TRAIL, KIND OF LIKE WHERE THE LARGE DOG PARK IS NOW.
BUT WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO ENGAGE YOUTH IN CREATING ART ON THE ON THE PAVED TRAIL THAT'S NEXT TO THE DOG PARK BETWEEN THE POND IN CENTRAL PARK SOUTH AND THE FENCE.
AND WE COULD HAVE ART INSTALLATIONS ALL ALONG THAT TRAIL AND ENCOURAGE THE STUDENTS TO.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYTHING GREAT.
IT COULD BE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
BUT YEAH, LIKE THE PAINTED ROCK THING.
OR SOMEBODY COULD CREATE A KITE IN A TREE THAT MAYBE IS OUT OF PAPIER MÂCHÉ.
IT'S NOT A REAL KITE. BUT AND THEN I THINK OVER IN FRONT OF THE ROAD THERE'S A TREE THAT PAINTED SILVER OR SOME BRANCHES THAT MAYBE HAS SOME IT'S PROBABLY A SILVER SCULPTURE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A TREE THAT'S BEEN PAINTED IN SILVER ANYWAY.
I JUST THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT OUR CHILDREN COULD BE REALLY CREATIVE WITH AND CREATE A LITTLE ART TRAIL AND ART WALK THERE IN CENTRAL PARK SOUTH.
ANYWAY, I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GOT TO GET BACK TO WORK SO WELL.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE LUANN, BUT MAYBE TACKING ON SOME OF THOSE THOUGHTS FOR OUR WORKING SESSIONS.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO START WORKING THROUGH THE PATHWAY PLAN DOCUMENT AND THEN SOME OF THESE IDEAS AROUND ENGAGING ARTISTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY, CREATING OUR PATH THAT I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN FLOATED AROUND.
AND, YES, COMMISSIONER FARRIS.
I THINK ALSO IN LOOKING BACK OVER OUR MINUTES, WE ARE DUE TO PICK UP SOME OF THE THINGS WE SAID WE WOULD TALK ABOUT LATER IN A WORK SESSION.
SO MICRO PANTRIES, I THINK, WAS ONE JUST TO KIND OF CLOSE THOSE LOOPS UP.
AND I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE ACCESSIBILITY.
I KNOW WE'RE SHORT TODAY RUNNING OVER AND IT'S A MUCH LONGER TOPIC, BUT I HAD SOME AND VISITING SOME OF THE PARKS AND SOME QUESTIONS ON SOME OF OUR EFFORTS AND MAYBE WHAT THE PLANS WERE MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND YES, THE MICRO PANTRIES DISCUSSION NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED UP ON.
I WAS THINKING THAT THAT WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE THAT BACK TO THE GIRL SCOUTS TO CONTACT US, BUT WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THEN.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT CAME TO MY MIND WHEN I WAS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET THIS WEEKEND, TOO,
[01:45:01]
THOUGH. I SECOND THAT, COMMISSIONER FARRIS SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION AGAIN.AND THEN ONE THING, MAYBE THERE'S AN EVENING ONE DAY THAT WE COULD DO A LITTLE SITE VISIT, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU GO TO THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, LOOK AT THE PAVILION, THE RESTROOM BUILDING.
THERE'S A BIRD OVERLOOK OUT ON THE TRAIL SYSTEM THAT THE HARRIS NATURE FOUNDATION FUNDED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE CAPITAL REGION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR CENTRAL PARK TRAIL.
I JUST HAVE SOME NEW THINGS AND IT WOULD BE FUN JUST TO GO ON SOME SITE VISITS AND CHECK THOSE OUT. I THINK WE'RE DUE.
YEAH. COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, WHEN WE START MEETING TOGETHER, MAYBE WE MEET AT DIFFERENT PARKS AND THEN WE COULD END OR MAYBE BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH A QUICK TOUR.
I MEAN, WE COULD DO IT ALL TOGETHER, TOO, BUT THAT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO DO IT THAT WAY. AND THEN YOU KIND OF CAN GET YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN PARKS THAT I'M AT ALL THE TIMES AND OTHERS THAT I'M NOT.
AND THEN YOU KIND OF GET A SENSE OF THE PARK AND THE TRAFFIC FLOW AND ALL OF THAT WHEN YOU JUST SORT OF SIT AND OBSERVE TOO.
OK. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 1:44.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
BYE GUYS HAVE FUN. BYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.