[1.CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:01:04]
ORDER AND START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALL THOSE ABLE PLEASE RISE AND FACE THE FLAG.
[INAUDIBLE] ]I THINK, KATHY, I THINK YOU CAN STAY SEATED, IT'S UP TO YOU.
ALLEGIANCE] I SEE THAT WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS COUNTING MYSELF VIRTUALLY AND OUR MANAGER VIRTUALLY.
SO WE'LL NEED TO CALL THE ROLL AND MENTION THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
I AM HERE VIRTUALLY FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
CLERK GUTHRIE IS HERE FROM GRAND RAPIDS.
WE WILL NOW HAVE A PRESENTATION.
[4A. Community Resource Commission Check Presentation]
AND THERE'S A CHECK TO BE PRESENTED.I'M GOING TO CALL ON OUR TREASURER AND ALSO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO THE PRESENTATION.
CAR SHOW RECENTLY, TOWNSHIP ABROAD HAD CAME UP.
HI, SO I'M JORDAN WITH [INAUDIBLE].
I'M A REAL ESTATE AGENT, LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT THAT HELPED JORDAN OUT WITH THE CAR SHOW THAT WAS PUT ON A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
WE'RE CALLING MERIDIAN MOTOR FEST.
I USED TO DO A LOT OF CHARITABLE CAR SHOWS AND JUST TRY TO RAISE MONEY FOR LOCAL PROCEEDS, THINGS AND OUR CAR COMMUNITY.
IT'S A REALLY TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY AND THEY DO A GOOD JOB OF ALL COMING TOGETHER.
DO REOCCURRING THE ANNUALLY, WHAT WE SELECTED THIS YEAR FOR THE FOR THE DONATION WAS GO TO GO TO MERIDIAN CARES, YOU KNOW, BACK LOCAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE INVESTED HEAVILY INTO THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE FIRST YEAR IS ALWAYS THE EXPENSIVE YEAR, GETTING PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.
GETTING THE ADVERTISE OUT THERE AND MAKING A BIG SPLASH THE FIRST YEAR SO THAT REOCCURRING THE YEAR AFTER THE YEAR, WE GROW THAT.
NOW THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS, IS EVERYBODY HERE FAMILIAR WITH THE GIZZARD FEST OVER IN POTTERVILLE? THAT STARTED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SOMEBODY STARTED WITH, LET'S GET PEOPLE TOGETHER, LET'S BUILD A COMMUNITY WITH IT, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
NOW WE HAD PEOPLE LIKE EVAN JUMP IN AND THEN KEVIN WITH CARS AND COFFEE.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE COULDN'T BE HERE THROUGH ALL THIS.
HE LOST BOTH OF HIS PARENTS THIS YEAR, AND DURING THAT TIME HE WAS HELPING PUT THIS TOGETHER.
WE INVESTED OVER $10000 INTO MAKING THIS THIS EVENT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, INVESTING IN THE ASSETS DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENT LABOR THAT GOES INTO IT.
BUT THE FIRST YEAR WAS AN ABSOLUTE SUCCESS.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK EVERY PERSON THAT REGISTERED.
WE JUST TOOK ALL THAT MONEY AND IT'S ALL GOING TO GO TO MERIDIAN CARES WITH IT.
NEXT YEAR, I EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT MORE AS WELL.
BUT OUR FIRST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY CARS COME THROUGH.
SO WE ENDED UP WITH A CHECK HERE THAT EVAN'S GOING TO PRESENT FOR ONE HUNDRED OR ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE DOLLARS TO YOU GUYS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, THANK YOU GUYS, BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP ALSO HELPED US OUT WITH THIS PUTTING TOGETHER.
SO HOPEFULLY IT GETS PUT TO GOOD USE AND MORE TO COME NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP STACKING THAT UP AND WE'LL MAKE THIS SOMETHING HUGE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE DONATION.
IT WILL GO TO HELP DOZENS AND DOZENS OF FAMILIES.
[00:05:03]
YOU NEED TO BY THE MICROPHONE, BILL.IT WILL HELP DOZENS OF FAMILIES THIS YEAR THROUGH THE WINTER SEASON AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT AND EXPANSION INTO HIGH CALIBER [INAUDIBLE].
YOU ARE MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE REVITALIZATION OF THE MALL AND THIS WHOLE REGION, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT INVESTMENT AS WELL.
[APPLAUSE] I WANT TO SAY I WISH I WAS THERE TO SHAKE YOUR HANDS.
I WISH I WAS THERE TO SHAKE YOUR HANDS AND THINK [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION TO OUR TOWNSHIP.
THEY'RE DOING THE WONDERFUL THINGS THERE IN THE NORTH END OF THE MALL AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THEIR EFFORTS AND WE MET WITH OUR.
OUR EDC COULD HELP THEM OUT A LITTLE BIT DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THAT THEY SURVIVED THAT HORRIBLE TIME.
OK, WE NOW HAVE CITIZEN SURVEY PRESENTATION FROM THE COLBALT COMMUNITY RESEARCH
[4B.Citizen’s Survey Presentation-Colbalt Community Research]
THAT HELPED US PUT TOGETHER THIS YEAR'S SURVEY AND GOING OUT TO THE CITIZENS WITH IT.GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, I HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL.
I'M GOING TO BE SHARING MY SCREEN SO YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME AS WE GO THROUGH.
THE SURVEY RESULTS ARE VERY POSITIVE, SO I THINK YOU'LL BE VERY ENCOURAGED AS THOSE COME THROUGH.
LET ME FIRST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE THE SCREEN SO EVERYONE CAN SEE THAT OK? YES.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, COLBALT WE ARE A 501C3, NOT FOR PROFIT.
WE WORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH COMMUNITIES VERY MUCH LIKE YOURS ON COMMUNITY PLANNING AND OTHER KINDS OF DATA AND [INAUDIBLE].
REALLY, WE WANTED TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET PLANNING, THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AGAIN, COMING IN AND CHECKING YOUR BASELINE MEASURES TO SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING, TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT A GOOD DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES LOCKED IN SO YOU CAN COME BACK AND MEASURE PROGRESS IN THE FUTURE.
UNDERSTAND IF YOUR PRESUMED SERVICE EXPERIENCES ARE ACTUALLY ACCURATE IN THE EYES OF YOUR RESIDENTS AND LOOK TO SEE WHICH EXPERIENCES RESIDENTS HAVE THAT HAVE THE MOST RESONANCE FOR THEM THAT ARE THE STRONGEST DRIVERS OF OUTCOME BEHAVIORS LIKE THE MEANING OF THE COMMUNITY, THE RECOMMENDING TO OTHERS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO START BY JUMPING STRAIGHT TO THE BOTTOM LINE.
SO YOUR SCORE BASED ON THE ACSI WAS A SEVENTY EIGHT.
THE ACSI GOES FROM ZERO TO 100, WITH 100 BEING A PERFECT SCORE THAT NO COMMUNITY GETS.
A 78 IS AN EXTREMELY SOLID SCORE, AS YOU'LL SEE IN A MINUTE WHEN I COMPARE YOU TO SOME OF THE BENCHMARKS.
THERE WERE FIVE AREAS THAT REALLY HAD THE STRONGEST EFFECTS OVERALL SATISFACTION IN THOSE OUTCOME BEHAVIORS THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
THESE ARE JUST THE THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST HIGHLY LEVERAGED IN MOVING YOUR SCORE UP OR DOWN IN THE FUTURE.
AND THOSE FIVE AREAS TOWNSHIP SERVICES, COMMUNITY IMAGE, PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE SERVICES, THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THEMES ABOUT WALKING AND CYCLING, SCHOOL, SAFETY, PARKS.
ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS REALLY VALUE AND THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE CONTINUE TO SAY AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE IN THE LINES OF MUSIC AND ART AND FOOD EVENTS.
BE ABLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON COMMUNITY EVENTS AND VARIOUS TOWNSHIP PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON, INCLUDING START DATES, END DATES WITH SOME OF THE TRAFFIC THINGS AND SO ON.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WE DID IN THE SURVEY LOOKING AT BROADBAND, AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 66 PERCENT OF YOUR RESIDENTS SUPPORTING A MILLAGE FOR BROADBAND.
CURRENTLY, THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT $90 MONTH FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE.
ABOUT 80 PERCENT SUPPORT CONTINUATION OF THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ALSO SIGNED UP BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN POTENTIAL FUTURE PLANNING WORKSHOPS, FOCUS GROUPS AND SO ON.
SO OVERALL, THIS IS KIND OF YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, REALLY SOLID RESPONSE FROM FOLKS, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD ACTIONABLE INFORMATION THAT WE'LL GET TO IN JUST A MINUTE.
IT WAS A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 1500 VOTERS.
WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE.
386 RESIDENTS AT THE TIME WE HAD TO CLOSE IT, I THINK IS A PLUS OR MINUS FIVE PERCENT.
IT'S A QUESTION THAT COMES UP ALL THE TIME IS IS THAT ENOUGH OF A SAMPLE TO REPRESENT A COMMUNITY OF OUR SIZE? AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
FOR A NATIONAL SURVEY TO GET A PLUS OR MINUS FIVE PERCENT.
YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO HAVE THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR RESPONSES.
AND SO YOU'RE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE FROM A STATISTICAL STANDPOINT.
WE DID WEIGHT THE RESULTS BASED ON ETHNICITY JUST TO ADJUST THAT BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SKEW THERE.
IN ADDITION, THE SURVEY WAS OPEN TO RESIDENTS WHO WERE NOT PART OF THE RANDOM SAMPLES, FOR ALL OF THOSE VOICES TO BE HEARD AS WELL.
WE HEARD FROM ABOUT 66 RESIDENTS, SO YOU HAD A TOTAL OF 452 RESPONSES.
SO IF YOU HAD ALL OF THOSE FOLKS BACK THERE IN THE BOARDROOM, IT WOULD BE A VERY FULL ROOM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO POINT OUT FROM A STATISTICAL STANDPOINT IS THAT
[00:10:01]
THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE RANDOM SAMPLE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RESULTS, THAT I'M GOING TO BE GOING OVER TODAY.BUT IN THE CROSS TABS WHICH YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED, AND THAT'S A VERY DENSE SET OF INFORMATION, THERE IS A ROW ON THAT SO THAT FOR EVERY QUESTION, YOU KNOW HOW THE NON SAMPLE RESPONDENTS, HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE SO THEIR IDEAS CERTAINLY ARE NOT LOST IN THIS.
I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CROSS TABS, AND THIS IS A TINY SLIVER OF IT IF YOU HAVEN'T CRACKED IT OPEN YET, BUT ESSENTIALLY EVERY SURVEY QUESTION IN THE SURVEY HAS ITS OWN COLUMN AND EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC BILLBOARD HAS ITS OWN ROW.
SO THIS IS JUST A COUPLE OF AREAS JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE TINY TASTE OF IT.
BUT WE ADD THE SHADING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE SPREADSHEETS THAT YOUR EYES KIND OF CROSSED.
SO THE BLUE SHOWS WHERE THE SCORES ARE RELATIVELY HIGH AND THE RED SHOWS WHERE THE SCORES ARE RELATIVELY LOW, SO YOU KIND TO DRAW YOUR EYES TO YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.
THE OTHER THING [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN INDIVIDUAL QUESTION AND DROPPING DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCES OF THESE INDIVIDUAL COHORTS.
AND ALSO, YOU CAN SEE IF THE EXPERIENCES ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT ACROSS COHORTS.
SO REALLY, IF IT'S ALL BLUE OR ALL PINK, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF OF BACKGROUND, PEOPLE ARE HAVING PRETTY SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.
IF THERE'S SOME CHECKERING LIKE WE HAVE OVER HERE IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY AND SHARING INFORMATION, THEN YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT PERCEIVED EXPERIENCE IS.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION TO IF THIS IS AN AREA THAT YOU WANT TO SPEND TIME LOOKING AT SHORING UP.
BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST A QUICK GLANCE AT HOW THAT WORKS.
THE SCALE THAT WE USE FOR THE TOWNSHIP QUESTIONS FOR FROM ONE TO SIX.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THESE SCORES, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VERY FEW THAT DROP DOWN BELOW THREE.
LET'S START DIVING INTO THE RESULTS.
SO I TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE COMPARABILITY OF OUTSIDE BENCHMARKS.
WE DIDN'T DO THIS FOR ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME SENSE OF HOW WELL YOU'RE PERFORMING COMPARED TO YOUR PEERS.
SO YOUR OVERALL SCORE WAS A FOUR POINT NINE ON A SIX POINT SCALE THAT TRANSLATES TO A SEVENTY EIGHT THE AMERICAN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX.
FOR COMMUNITIES, THE AVERAGE IS 67, SO YOU ARE 11 POINTS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AND SIXTY NINE FOR SIMILARLY SIZED COMMUNITIES.
MIDWEST, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE SCORES ARE.
SIXTY SIX AND SEVENTY FOUR IN MICHIGAN.
SO YOU ARE DOING REALLY WELL OVERALL TO [INAUDIBLE] THE KIND OF VALUE THAT YOU'RE DELIVERING TODAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WITH ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE TAKE THEM AND WE THROW THEM INTO THIS KIND OF SCATTER PLOT.
SO THE PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE OF THAT RATING FROM ONE TO SIX IS ON THE VERTICAL.
SO YOU'RE RELATIVELY HIGHER SCORING AREAS THAT ARE IN THE TOP, YOU'RE RELATIVELY LOWER IN SCORING AREAS OR IN THE BOTTOM.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE IMPACT OF CORRELATION WITH OVERALL SATISFACTION PLOTTED ACROSS THE HORIZONTAL.
SO THINGS THAT ARE MORE OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ARE THE THINGS WITH STRONGER RELATIONSHIP TO OVERALL SATISFACTION.
THINGS THAT ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE HAVE A WEAKER ASSOCIATION WITH OVERALL SATISFACTION, ALL OF THOSE OUTCOME BEHAVIORS THAT ARE TIED IN WITH IT.
SO WE TOOK ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE SEND THEM UP IN THE CATEGORIES THAT THESE DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS AND WE PLOTTED THEM THERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT WITH THIS SCALE IS THAT IT STARTS AT A THREE.
SO EVEN YOUR LOWEST SCORING AREA IS STILL UP HERE CLOSE TO A 4.2.
BUT WE DO THIS AND WE ZERO IN ON THE CLUSTERS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EACH OF THESE AREAS.
SO ALL OF YOUR AREAS PERFORMED WELL, BUT FROM A RELATIVE STANDPOINT, SOME AREAS ARE STRONGER THAN OTHER AREAS.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE ON THE RIGHT THAT HAVE STRONGER LINKAGE WITH OVERALL SATISFACTION.
THINGS OVER HERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE HAVE A WEAKER CORRELATION WITH OVERALL SATISFACTION.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IS FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE, BUT ISN'T THAT WAY OVER HERE ON THIS, THIS HIGH IMPACT SIDE THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MEASURING IMPORTANCE.
WE'RE MEASURING HOW CLOSELY THESE ARE LINKED TO OVERALL SATISFACTION.
AND THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS IF YOU WERE TO BUY A CAR AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES THAT A CAR HAS THAT WOULD HELP YOU CHOOSE ONE MODEL FROM ANOTHER.
IT MIGHT BE THE PRICING, IT MIGHT BE THE SAFETY, IT COULD BE THE MILEAGE.
BUT IT'S NOT WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS A STEERING WHEEL.
ARE THEY IMPORTANT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THEY'RE SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT THE THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES ONE CAR FROM ANOTHER, NECESSARILY, AND THAT'S REALLY HOW FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE.
AND I APOLOGIZE TO FIRE CHIEF.
BUT THE FIRE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT THE THING THAT HELPS DECIDE FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER IN TERMS OF WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER AREAS LEASE DEFINITELY A STRONG AREA.
YOU'RE DOING WELL, THAT IS A LOT.
PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH ALSO PERFORMED WELL, COMMUNITY IMAGE A LITTLE BIT SOFTER IN THE TOWNSHIP SERVICES AND WE'LL GET TO THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MINUTE.
AND EACH OF THESE, I'LL BE BREAKING THEM OUT FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT QUESTIONS FOR
[00:15:01]
THE ONES OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT.I'M NOT GOING TO HIT EVERYTHING JUST FROM TIME CONSTRAINTS, BUT YOU'LL HAVE THAT AVAILABLE IN YOUR PACKET.
AND ONCE YOU SEE ME GO THROUGH THIS, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND HOW TO READ THE CHARTS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THIS IS AN AREA THAT I WANT TO LOOK AT JUST BECAUSE ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE NEWS OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE YOUR SCORES, YOU KNOW, WELL ABOVE FIVE AND MOST AREAS A LITTLE BIT SOFTER GIVEN THE TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE ALL REALLY STRONG SCORES.
ON ACSI SCALE, WHICH TURNS INTO ABOUT 86, WHICH IS A VERY STRONG SCORE.
SO YOUR OFFICERS ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND SO THEY NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS APPRECIATED AND RECOGNIZED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE EACH OF THOSE BARS AND WE PLOT THEM INTO THE SCATTER CHART SO YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE, THE RELATIVE IMPACT OF SOME COMPARED TO THE OTHERS.
YOU CAN SEE THE TRANSPARENCY AND SHARING INFORMATION IS THE AREA THAT THE DEPARTMENT MIGHT WANT TO MORE TIME LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF WHAT CAN I DO TO BE [INAUDIBLE]? IT'S STILL A VERY STRONG SCORE.
SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A TUNING KIND OF CONVERSATION, BUT THIS IS THE RELATIVE WEAKNESS THAT MATTERS THE MOST FOR THEM IN TERMS OF MOVING THAT SCORE EVEN HIGHER.
OTHER AREAS, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, RESPONSE TIME TO EMERGENCIES, ALL FANTASTIC SCORES AND THESE ARE STRENGTHS THAT CONTINUE TO RESONATE WITH YOUR RESIDENTS.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS REGARDING PARKS.
WE ASKED THEM HOW OFTEN WE USE THEM.
THEY USE THEM IN THE PAST YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THAT ONLY ABOUT 14 PERCENT OF YOUR RESIDENTS DID NOT USE YOUR PARKS AND TRAILS AT ALL IN THE LAST YEAR, SO THERE'S VERY HEAVY USAGE, PARTICULARLY IN THIS TIME OF PANDEMIC.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES THAT WE WANTED TO RATE AGAIN.
ON THE SAME SCALE, YOU CAN SEE A PARTICULARLY HIGH SCORE FOR MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN FARMERS' MARKET.
HIGH SCORE FOR THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.
HIGH SCORE FOR HISTORICAL VILLAGE.
A LITTLE BIT SOFTER IN TERMS OF THE VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE BOARD WITH OUR CLIENTS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING BACK TO THE LAST YEAR, PARTICULARLY HEAVY USERS.
THEY HAVE A CERTAIN ADDICTION TO RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THEN WE HAD TO CLOSE THINGS DOWN.
YOU KNOW, THEY FELT THAT A LITTLE BIT BUT STILL WAS A VERY GOOD SCORE.
LOOKING AT THAT SCATTER CHART, THINGS THAT ARE REALLY THE MOST CLOSELY LINKED TO THE OVERALL SATISFACTION AGAIN GET THE VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS, THE VARIETY OF PARK AMENITIES, PARK FACILITY CLEANLINESS AND THE QUALITY OF PARK AMENITIES LIKE THE TRAILS AND PLAYGROUNDS AND SO ON.
AND ALL OF THESE ARE HIGH IN THE CHARTS.
THESE ARE STRENGTHS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE YOUR SCORE OVER THERE, LIFTING YOUR OVERALL SATISFACTION SCORE.
LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE SO YOU CAN SEE A VERY SOLID SCORE FOR YOUR PATHWAY SYSTEMS, FOR BIKING AND WALKING, CATA HAD GOOD SOLID SCORES.
STRAIGHT SERVICE, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.
YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE I GO IN THE MIDWEST, IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME STORY AND IT'S THE SAME FOR YOU AS WELL.
SO STREETS ARE DEFINITELY A CONCERN FOR YOUR RESIDENTS.
WHEN WE BREAK IT INTO THE CHART, YOU CAN SEE THE ONE THAT REALLY CROSSES THE LINE THE FURTHEST AGAIN, THE STREET TREE MAINTENANCE [INAUDIBLE].
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
STREET SERVICE, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR WHILE THE LOWEST SCORE, IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT QUITE AS IMPACTFUL AS THE TREE MAINTENANCE.
SO BOTH OF THESE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF IMPACT ON THEM.
SO YOU'LL WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME LOOKING AT WAYS TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT AND REALLY BUILDING THE AWARENESS OF WHAT YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD ON.
WHAT'S THE PLAN IS, HOW THE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
LOOKING AT PUBLIC WORKS, STRONG SCORES SURE.
CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SCREEN? YOU'VE GOT THE HORIZONTAL LINE THERE DRAWN AT ABOUT FOUR POINT NINE RATHER THAN WHAT WOULD BE 3.0, WHICH WOULD BE THE HALFWAY POINT BETWEEN ONE AND SIX, IS THE FOUR POINT NINE? WHY IS THAT USED IN ALL YOUR SURVEY RESULTS IS UNIQUE TO OURS, AND THE SAME WITH THE VERTICAL LINE DRAWN THERE ABOUT POINT FOUR? SURE, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
IT IS DRAWN IN DIFFERENT PLACES BASED ON WHICH PARTICULAR CLIENT WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND THIS IS BASED ON WHEN WE DRAW THE CLUSTER OF ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO WE HAVE A SCATTER PLOT WITH, YOU KNOW, 80 SOME DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ON THERE.
THIS IS THE CENTER POINT OF WHERE ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS FALL.
THEN WE LOCK THEM IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE SLIDES, YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF WHERE EACH OF THESE AREAS SHOW UP BASED ON THAT SAME KIND OF CROSSROADS THERE.
OK, SO YOU'RE USING THAT SAME CROSS POINT FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE SCATTER POINT GRIDS? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO IF YOU'RE HERE, SAME CROSS POINT.
EASE OF PAYING TOWNSHIP UTILITY BILLS.
VERY HIGH SCORE, HIGH SCORE IN TERMS OF THE RESPECTFUL TREATMENT OF RESIDENTS, GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, DRINKING WATER QUALITY, VERY HIGH.
[00:20:02]
STORM WATER AND DRAIN MAINTENANCE, LOWER SCORE.AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD SOME ISSUES HERE IN THE PAST, SO I THINK THAT SHOWS UP HERE IN THIS PARTICULAR SURVEY.
AND THEN THE SNOW MANAGEMENT ON TRAILS AND PATHWAYS ALSO IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SOFTER SCORE TOO.
WHEN WE LOOK HERE, IT'S REALLY THE STORM WATER DRAIN MAINTENANCE THAT HAS THE MOST IMPACT FROM A NEGATIVE STANDPOINT THAT'S PULLING THE SCORE DOWN THE MOST.
THIS GROUP, BUT THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE DOING PARTICULARLY WELL IS RESPONSE TIME TO EMERGENCIES AND RESPECTFUL TREATMENT OF RESIDENTS, TREATMENT OF RESIDENTS AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVELS THAT ARE PROVIDED ARE DEFINITELY STRENGTHS THAT ARE LIFTING THE SCORES.
TOWNSHIP SERVICES IS SORT OF A GENERAL CATCHALL CATEGORY.
PLAN REVIEW, VERY STRONG SCORES, A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF CUT ACROSS YOU'RE AT THE 4.5 LINE, A LITTLE BIT WEAKER WITH YOUR RENTAL INSPECTIONS AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WHEN WE DROP INTO THE CROSS [INAUDIBLE], YOU CAN SEE THAT BOTH THE RENTAL INSPECTION AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BOTH WERE THE LOW SCORING AREAS THEY WERE OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP CONTINUING TO STAY ON TOP OF LATE TYPE OF ISSUES.
WE HAD SOME OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS IN THE SURVEY AND WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE, WE TAKE ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS, WE DROP THEM INTO A WORD CLOUD SOFTWARE AND WE LOOK AT THE WORD COUNTS AND WHICH ONES COME UP THE MOST OFTEN, AND THAT'S TIED IN WITH THE SIZE OF THE WORDS.
AND YOU HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF COMMENTS.
THE THREE WORDS THAT REALLY CAME OUT THE MOST THAT REPRESENTED DIFFERENT THEMES WERE AFFORDABLE, WALKABILITY AND INCENTIVES.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD MAKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP A BETTER PLACE FOR BUSINESSES.
ON THE AFFORDABLE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE COST OF RENT CONTINUES TO GO UP.
TAXES AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING PROFITABILITY, PARTICULARLY [INAUDIBLE].
STRONG THEME THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY, PEOPLE JUST WANT TO HAVE MORE WALKING PATHS.
THEY WANT TO HAVE MORE BIKE LANES.
THEY WANT TO HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUING TO BE EMPHASIZED AND DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED.
THEN INCENTIVES FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, TAX INCENTIVES AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF YOUR COMMUNITIES ARE IN THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL IN TERMS OF MANAGING SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF APPROACHES.
WHERE WE HAVE WHAT BARRIERS PREVENT RESIDENTS FROM PARTICIPATING MORE IN EVENTS GOING ON DOWNTOWN OR MAKE THEM MORE LIKELY TO NOT BE IN THE COMMUNITY FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? AGAIN, AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION.
BUT THE MAIN THEMES WERE AGE, TIME, IMPACTS.
SO AGE, YOU HAVE A COHORT OF RESIDENTS THAT JUST FEEL THAT THE EVENTS AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON JUST DON'T REALLY AREN'T AS ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM AS THEY COULD BE.
SO AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE MENU OF THINGS THAT ARE OFFERED, THAT'S ONE CONSIDERATION TO PUT INTO IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TYPICAL THING.
PEOPLE HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE.
AND THEN FROM A TAX STANDPOINT, A NUMBER OF FOLKS MENTION THAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT MOVING JUST FROM A TAX BURDEN PERSPECTIVE, NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT MOVING OUT OF STATE.
WHAT KINDS OF CULTURAL EVENTS WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED IN? MUSIC, ART AND FOODS, PARTICULARLY THINGS THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ETHNIC ANGLE TO THEM.
YOU CAN SEE LOTS OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
AND AS YOU GUYS START GOING INTO THAT PHASE OF YOUR PLANNING, IT'S FUN COMMENTS TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF CREATIVITY.
STRONG SCORE FOR AN ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR CHILDREN, AN ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR OLDER ADULTS, THE SAFE PLACE TO BIKE AND WALK.
SO THOSE ARE ALL GREAT THINGS TO DO WELL.
A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT SOFTER.
A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A BUSINESS, THAT CAME IN A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN I THINK WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.
AN ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR YOUNG ADULTS.
A LITTLE BIT SOFTER, ALSO WITH PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE GREAT CURB APPEAL, TIES WITH SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS REGARDING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND RENTAL INSPECTIONS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME AS I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE OVERALL SCORES.
LOOKING AT THE SCATTER PLOT, WE CAN SEE THAT THE ONES THAT ARE KIND OF THE MOST LOADED IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITY DRIVE YOUR SCORE HIGHER, COMMUNITY [INAUDIBLE] RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THAT'S OFTEN A COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A BUSINESS.
PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE, GREAT CURB APPEAL IS HERE.
THE PERFECT COMMUNITY FOR ME IS PRETTY MUCH ON THE LINE, SO NOT REALLY SO MUCH OF A DETRACTOR.
AN ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT IS OVER HERE.
AS FAR AS TWO STRENGTH IS THE ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS TO PUT ON THE BUMPER STICKERS IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY DO LOVE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT IT.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, [INAUDIBLE] ACTUALLY THROUGH THE STRONG PARKS, YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF PARK ADDICTS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
[00:25:02]
THEY LOVE IT.THEY LOVE ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OVER THERE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO THAT WAS CERTAINLY RECOGNIZED AND WAS THE REASON THAT PEOPLE COME AND WHY PEOPLE STAY.
TOP OF [INAUDIBLE] WAS PRIORITIZE, ON DIVERSITY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT POPPING UP HERE, PEOPLE JUST WANT THAT CONTINUE TO BE AN AREA OF ATTENTION, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF THE EVENTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.
JUST TO GET MORE OF THAT VARIETY, TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT ETHNIC REPRESENTATION GOING ON.
WELL, LIKE A LOT OF PLACES, IMPROVE ROAD CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO EXPANDED BIKE LANES AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT CAME UP QUITE A BIT AROUND THE ROADS AND THE SIDEWALKS.
PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE MORE SIDEWALKS AND THEY WANT MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WELL LIT.
HOW DO YOU PREFER TO RECEIVE INFORMATION? EMAILS, NUMBER ONE, [INAUDIBLE] MAGAZINE, TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
THESE VARY BY SOME OF THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS, SO AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME [INAUDIBLE] EFFORTS, YOU'LL WANT TO DIG INTO THAT DETAIL.
WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION DO THEY WANT? WELL, NUMBER ONE, THE COMMUNITY EVENT.
SO THAT CONTINUES TO SHOW UP OVER AND OVER THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY.
TOWNSHIP PROJECTS WHAT'S GOING ON, WHEN DO THINGS START, WHEN EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE WRAPPED UP? THEN OTHER KINDS OF TOWNSHIP NEWS, WHAT'S GOING ON? WE WANTED TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN IN THE HOME, AND WHILE ENGLISH WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT CAME UP ON IT.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GREAT VARIETY OF LANGUAGES THAT ARE SPOKEN.
SO AGAIN, THAT JUST REFLECTS THE INTERESTING DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERNET PROVIDERS.
IS EITHER COMCAST WAS THE NUMBER ONE PROVIDER IN THE TOWNSHIP FOLLOWED BY AT&T.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT SHOW UP ON THE RADAR, BUT NOT VERY MUCH.
WE ASKED, WHAT ARE THEY PAYING CURRENTLY? THE AVERAGE COST IS 110 AND THE MEDIAN WAS 90.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO BLOCKED OUT OUR STATS CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, THE AVERAGE BASICALLY IS JUST THE MEAN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE COST AND AVERAGING THEM ACROSS DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED.
BUT YOU CAN HAVE OUTLIERS, SO SOME FOLKS THAT PAY A VERY LARGE SUM CAN KIND OF SHIFT THAT AVERAGE HIGHER THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF EVERYTHING WAS CLUSTERED EVENLY.
THE MEDIAN IS REALLY THE CENTER POINT.
SO IF YOU TAKE ALL OF THOSE SCORES AND YOU FIND OUT THE CENTER POINT OF THAT DISTRIBUTION, THAT'S THE MEDIAN, WHICH TENDS TO BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE.
WE ASK THEM WHAT IS THE FAIR COST OF INTERNET SERVICE? SO THE MEDIAN CAME OUT TO AROUND $50.
AND WHAT'S THE MAXIMUM THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE FROM THE TOWNSHIP AND THAT CAME UP TO ABOUT $60.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HALF ARE ABOVE AND HALF BELOW, AND YOU'D WANT TO LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHAT THOSE GROUPS LOOK LIKE.
BUT THAT GIVES YOU A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE SOME OF THAT PRICING COULD AND AT LEAST WHERE THE CONVERSATION WOULD START.
DO YOU SUPPORT A MILLAGE FOR BROADBAND? YOU CAN SEE THAT WELL OVER SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE FOLKS SAY YES.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY AN APPETITE.
WHAT KIND OF SERVICES TO SEE ONLINE, WELL EVENTS, THEY WANT TO SEE MORE COMMUNICATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON CONSISTENT WITH SOME SOMEONE'S EARLIER QUESTIONS THAN WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT.
MAYBE THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, BROADCASTING AS WELL ON THAT, OR AT LEAST SOME ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, THE TOWNSHIP MEETINGS AND WHAT THE TOPICS ARE GOING TO BE.
PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO DO THEIR BILL PAYMENTS WITHOUT A SERVICE CHARGE AND ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT THEY COULD PAY ON USING SOME OF OUR ONLINE UTILITIES AND FOR UTILITY SERVICES THEMSELVES.
I THINK PEOPLE FELT THAT THE CURRENT BILL PAYMENT PROCESSOR A LITTLE BIT CLUNKY.
AND SO TAKING A LOOK AT THAT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME SIMPLIFICATION THAT COULD BE DONE.
WE ASKED ABOUT TOWNSHIP SERVICES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THE HOUSEHOLD.
THE BIG THREE ARE WHAT WE SEE ALL THE TIME.
FIRE AND AMBULANCE, POLICE SERVICES, ROAD MAINTENANCE.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF THE SECOND PLACE AREAS ARE TOWNSHIP PARKS, TRAILS AND PATHWAYS AND THEN PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER FOR YOUR NEXT NEXT SET OF SERVICES.
WE ASK THEM WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY AMENITIES THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED OR IMPROVED.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WERE SPREAD OUT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER ONE THING REALLY AGAIN, THE WALKING AND BIKING TRAILS CAME OUT.
YOU CAN SEE THE POP UP PEDESTRIAN SPACE THAT ALSO CAME UP HERE WITH ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE RESPONSE.
SOME OF THEM WERE SOME VERY SPECIFIC KINDS OF IDEAS THAT WERE FLOATED ACROSS FOR THE
[00:30:06]
RESIDENTS TO CONSIDER AND SEE THE IMPROVED BROADBAND ACCESS WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING.OVER 50 PERCENT WERE INTERESTED IN THAT AND ALSO EXPANDING AND ENHANCING THE TRAILS AND PATHWAYS.
A COUPLE OF THOSE CONTENDERS WERE EXPANDING THE SOLAR AND OTHER GREEN INITIATIVES AND THEN INVESTING IN UPGRADING AND MODERNIZING THE WATER SOURCE FACILITIES.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION DO YOU SUPPORT THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM? AND OVERWHELMINGLY OVER 80 PERCENT SAID YES, THEY DO.
PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME REAL SAFETY ISSUES, AS WELL AS ISSUES WITH THE HEALTH OF THE HERD.
OK, SO THAT WAS THE LIGHTNING TOUR OF THE RESULTS JUST ORIENTED TO YOU.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE CROSS TABS OR THE COMMENTS, SO THERE'S HOURS AND HOURS OF READING ENJOYMENT AHEAD OF YOU AS YOU START DIVING INTO THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO YET.
BUT BEFORE YOU DIGEST, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOW THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO ANSWER WHILE YOU'VE GOT? EITHER AMAZED YOU, OR I PUT YOU ALL INTO A COMA.
[LAUGHTER] QUESTION, I HAVE A QUESTION.
OKAY, SO I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THE 18 TO 24 GROUP WAS KIND OF A SOLID LOWER SCORE AND 25000 OR LESS WAS KIND OF A SOLID LOWER SCORE.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF A PLANNING APPROACH TO KIND OF TAKE THIS DATA AND TURN IT TO ACTION WITH KIND OF OUR MODIFIED [INAUDIBLE].
YOU'VE DONE THE MEASUREMENTS, FIRST OF ALL.
SO YOU'VE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE AREAS THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE BEFORE YOU SURVEY AGAIN.
SO YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITIES.
PROBABLY THE FIRST THING IS TO BREAK UP INTO SMALL GROUPS.
SO LEADERSHIP WITH SOME OF THE STAFF THAT THAT COULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE WITH THAT AND START BRAINSTORMING WITH A COUPLE OF QUICK CHARTS.
AND THERE'S REALLY TWO QUESTIONS THAT THAT EACH OF THESE GROUPS WOULD WANT TO WRESTLE WITH.
NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING THIS SCORE UP? JUST PURE BRAINSTORMING, YOU KNOW, GET ALL OF THIS LISTED OUT.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WOULD MOVE THE NEEDLE THE MOST? SO PUTTING A PRIORITY ON [INAUDIBLE].
THEN YOU EXPAND THE CONVERSATION OUT.
SO YOU, INSTEAD OF HAVING THOSE THOSE LITTLE SMALL GROUPS, YOU HAVE SOME WIDER GROUPS, THAT MAYBE INCLUDE A LOT OF LINE STAFF, MAYBE BRINGING IN SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK GROUPS AND FOCUS GROUPS HAVE THOSE FOLKS IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME OF THE SCORES THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON MOVING UP THESE PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
NUMBER ONE, HERE'S OUR LIST AND WHAT'S MISSING ON THE LIST.
THAT WAY, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELABORATE ON THAT.
THEN NUMBER TWO, AGAIN, WHAT WOULD MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THE TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT YOU THINK WOULD MATTER THE MOST? FROM ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS YOU DECIDE, THESE ARE THESE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT WE WANT TO GO AFTER.
WHAT ARE THE TOOLS? WHAT ARE THE THE SKILLS THAT STAFF NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THESE PARTICULAR CONCERNS, WHETHER IT'S DOING MORE INSTAGRAM, INSTAGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T DO TOO MUCH AT THIS TIME.
MAYBE MORE YOUTUBE KIND OF THING.
SO UNDER THE MANHOLE COVERS, GOING OUT BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS THAT ARE DONE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING, AND YOUTUBE IN PARTICULAR, IS A VERY STRONG TOOL FOR THOSE PARTICULAR COHORTS.
JUST LOOKING AT THE KIND OF MEDIA THAT YOU'RE USING AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE STORIES THAT ARE MOST INTERESTING FOR THEM TO REALLY TIE INTO THEIR VALUES ARGUMENT AND THEN CREATE SOME EVENTS THAT THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF THE VALUES BRING UP.
SO ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS GO INTO THAT TRAINING AND SKILLS AND TOOLS THING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY TO DO A PROJECT.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR DELIVERABLES? WHAT'S THE TIMING OF ROLLING EACH OF THESE THINGS OUT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MEASURE SUCCESS? AND THEN AT SOME POINT COMING BACK IN TWO OR THREE YEARS, MEASURING IT AGAIN, SEE IF WE'VE MADE PROGRESS.
SO THAT'S THE LONG ANSWER IN TERMS OF WAYS TO THINK ABOUT APPROACHING.
SO FOR ME, I THINK THE IDEA OF THE FESTIVALS SO THAT THE GENTLEMEN OF THE [INAUDIBLE] PRESENTATION JUST BEFORE YOU, THAT IS A FANTASTIC WAY OF ENGAGING WITH COHORTS AND INVOLVED WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
OVER HERE IN [INAUDIBLE] I WAS AROUND AND HELP SET UP THE MICHIGAN ART AND FIRE FESTIVAL .
AGAIN, JUST SOME DUMB LITTLE FESTIVAL THAT WOULD HAVE FUN WITH, AND IT'S GROWN TO ABOUT 10000 PEOPLE DRAWING FOLKS IN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IT'S REALLY THAT AGE COHORT THAT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
[00:35:02]
SO COMING UP WITH SOME OF THESE IDEAS, GET THE WORD OUT FROM THOSE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS THEY USE, FRAMING IT BASED ON THEIR VALUES WITH IMAGES THAT KIND OF REFLECT THEM AND THEIR VALUES.THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL REALLY HELP RESOLVE THAT WITH THOSE COMPLAINTS.
ANYONE ELSE? I CAN'T SEE, OH THERE'S A HAND UP, PHIL, [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU, WILLIAM, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU COVERED A LOT OF MATERIAL THERE VERY WELL.
I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION HERE THAT WE CAN USE AS WE PUT TOGETHER OUR GOALS FOR THE 2022.
I THINK MAYBE A COMBINED STUDY SESSION IN EARLY NOVEMBER WHERE WE STUDIED THIS UP CLOSE AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, USE THAT TO BEGIN TO OUTLINE WHAT OUR GOALS ARE FOR THE 2022 BECAUSE IT GIVES US A PRETTY CLEAR OUTLINE FOR WHAT OUR RESIDENTS THINK IS IMPORTANT AND A GREAT STARTING POINT FOR PUTTING TOGETHER OUR GOALS.
THERE'S A LOT OF RICH INFORMATION THAT [INAUDIBLE] DID A GREAT JOB SHARING.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THEY WANT TO ASK? DAN HAS HIS HAND UP.
WILLIAM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD ADDRESS A FEW QUESTIONS ON PAGE FORTY FIVE, WHICH IS THE BROADBAND COST ANALYSIS.
SO ON THIS TABLE THAT YOU HAVE SORT OF HEADINGS CURRENT COST.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THE RESIDENT HOW MUCH THEY ARE CURRENTLY PAYING FOR BROADBAND INTERNET.
SO IT'S SELF-REPORTED DATA AND THEN FAIR COST [INAUDIBLE] FOR FAIR COST.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THEM WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE? THAT'S CORRECT.
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PAYING TWICE THAT, BUT AT MAXIMUM COSTS, WHAT IS THE CONTEXT FOR THAT? RIGHT.
SORRY, THAT WAS A QUESTION MAXIMUM COST.
WHAT ARE WE ASKING THEM THERE? MAXIMUM COST WE ASK SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS THE HIGHEST MONTHLY FEE YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THIS TYPE OF SERVICE? OK, SO THAT'S THE HIGHEST YEAH.
I THINK BETWEEN 50 AND 60 IS MOST LIKELY IF YOU WANTED TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE MIDDLE POINTS.
SO FROM A MODELING STANDPOINT, TO PAY THE COST OF DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM, IF YOU NEEDED TO CHARGE MORE THAN YOU MIGHT ONLY GET SORT OF HALF OF YOUR POPULATION, YOU MIGHT GET A SMALLER PERCENTAGE.
SO THAT'S JUST NEEDS TO GO INTO THE MODELING.
AND I'M SURE THAT THE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WORKING WITH CAN DO A LOT MORE WITH THAT IN TERMS OF MODELING OUT WHAT LIKELY PARTICIPATION WOULD BE.
OK ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? COURTNEY HAS HER HAND UP.
SO, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS.
I WAS GOING THROUGH, BUT I'M LOOKING AT OUR PACKET.
WILLIAM, DID WE MISS DISCUSSING FACILITY AND GROUNDS AND ECONOMIC HEALTH? AND I ASKED BECAUSE OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH MIGHT NEED A LITTLE OF ATTENTION.
I DIDN'T GO OVER THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE LOWER [INAUDIBLE] THAT THERE IS.
AND I WANTED TO BE MINDFUL OF HOW MUCH YOU HAVE ON THE AGENDA, I GUESS YOU HAVE THOSE IN THE PACKET AND YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUAL BAR CHARTS FOR EACH OF THOSE AND THEN THE SCATTER SCATTER CHARTS, INTO EACH THE QUESTIONS WITHIN THOSE AREAS WITHIN THOSE DIMENSIONS AND YOU CAN SEE WHICH ARE ONES THAT ARE MOST CLOSELY CORRELATED, MORE WEAKLY CORRELATED.
SO YOU'RE CORRECT THAT I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THEM, BUT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPROACH.
YES ONE, I'M GLAD TRUSTEE OPSOMMER BROUGHT UP PAGE FORTY FIVE, WHICH IS THE INTERNET COST BECAUSE THAT CAME UP.
AND WILLIAM, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF WHAT PEOPLE REPORT HERE.
AND THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT IS I JUST CUT THE CORD FROM MY CABLE AND I THOUGHT I WAS PAYING ABOUT A HUNDRED BUCKS A MONTH FOR INTERNET.
BUT WHEN I GOT RID OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE AND JUST GOT INTERNET FROM COMCAST, THE COST WAS SIXTY FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH.
SO BUT IF YOU'D ASKED ME BEFOREHAND HOW MUCH OF MY TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL WAS I PAYING FOR INTERNET, I WOULD HAVE SAID, OH, AT LEAST A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO I GUESS IN TERMS OF SELF-REPORTING, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOW ACCURATE THAT
[00:40:01]
DATA THAT PEOPLE REPORT BACK TO US IS? YEAH, YOU SHOULD TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, THIS IS TO HELP INFORM DECISION, BUT IT WAS.IT'S GENERALLY THE PACKAGE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE PAYING TO COMCAST, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ALL IS INCLUDED WITH THEIR PACKAGE.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE.
SOME PEOPLE DID DIFFERENTIATE THE COST FOR EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL AREAS, BUT MOST OF THEM YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE CHECK GOING OUT THE DOOR.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH FURTHER STUDY TO SEE HOW ACCURATE WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE MAY BE ESTIMATING HIGH BECAUSE COMCAST FORCES YOU INTO THAT TRIPLE PLAY PACKAGE WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO BUY CABLE, PHONE AND INTERNET, AND YOU EASILY GET A $200 PHONE BILL FROM COMCAST WITHOUT WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT AT ALL.
I THINK THERE'S SOME FRUSTRATION WITH COMCAST IN GENERAL.
MY RECOLLECTION, TREASURER DESCHAINE, IS THAT THE INDUSTRY WANT ON AVERAGE EVERYONE TO PAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS A MONTH.
THAT'S THEIR GOAL, IS THAT THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER IS PAYING ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY A MONTH.
AND THEN JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THE SURVEY, MORE FOR THE AGE GROUP WAS 18 TO 25? WAS THAT THE AGE GROUP? BELIEVE SO.
YEAH, WAS THERE, WAS THERE ANY KIND OF RESPONSE FROM THEM ABOUT BROADBAND AND INTERNET AND WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD ATTRACT THEM TO THIS AREA COST WISE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT OR ANY COMMENT FROM THAT AGE GROUP? WE DIDN'T BREAK THE COMMENTS DOWN BY THE AGE GROUP, WITHIN THE CROSSTABS.
THERE IS SOME FEEDBACK ON SUPPORT FOR THE FOR THE INTERNET AND THAT KIND OF THING INCLUDE WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY USING.
BUT BOTH OF THOSE COHORTS ARE ALSO SMALLER RESPONSE AREAS, SO A LITTLE BIT SOFT IN TERMS OF STATISTICAL VALIDITY WITHIN EACH OF THOSE COHORTS.
BUT YEAH, THERE IS SOME INFORMATION ON IF THEY WANT OR NOT.
AND CERTAINLY THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SEVENTY FOUR PERCENT SAY YES, THEY SUPPORT THE MILLAGE FOR 18 24 YEAR OLDS.
WE'VE GOT 81 PERCENT FOR THE 25 TO 34 YEAR OLDS.
AND WHAT ABOUT WHAT ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES? AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD LIKE BIGGER BREAKS AND THAT KIND OF THING, DID THEY RESPOND AT ALL ABOUT BROADBAND OR ACCESS OR INCENTIVES IN THAT REGARD? IT'S AGAIN, A PRETTY SMALL GROUP.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE PERCENT OWNER OPERATOR OF THE BUSINESS.
WE CAN RUN A CROSS TAB FOR THE BUSINESSES.
WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THEM AS A DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.
WE CAN EASILY DO THAT IF THAT WOULD ADD VALUE TO [INAUDIBLE] FOR ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE SURVEY.
HOW DO THEY RATE REGARDING SERVICE SATISFACTION AND IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAVE? THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY EASY THING TO DO HERE.
AND WOULD YOU BE CHARGING US FOR THAT? NO, [INAUDIBLE] MAYBE CHARGING HERE.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU TO PROVIDE FOR US.
ANYONE ELSE AND THE PICTURE'S SMALL SO YOU CAN HELP ME AGAIN, DEBORAH, IF YOU SEE ANYBODY.
JUST JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION DO YOU HAVE ANY ANALYSIS OF COMMENTS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RESPONSES YOU GOT FROM THE OFFICIAL SURVEY GROUP AND THE ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS? WE DIDN'T.
WE DIDN'T BREAK THE COMMENTS APART BY COHORT, SO THE COMMENTS ARE TYPICALLY THE COMMENTS ARE NOT STATISTICAL ANYWAYS, THEY'RE MORE QUALITATIVE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE RESPONDED THE WAY THEY DID FROM A STATISTICAL STANDPOINT, I COULD BREAK IT APART.
I CAN PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF THE COMMENTS FOR THE NON SAMPLE COHORT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE COULD GET.
I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT FOR YOU.
ONE THING THAT WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING TO ME, AND MAYBE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF, I WOULDN'T SAY NEGATIVE BUT NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH PARKS AND TRAILS AND KNOWING THAT WE'VE GOT OVER EIGHTEEN HUNDRED ACRES OF PARKS AND
[00:45:03]
TWENTY FIVE MILES OF TRAILS, I'M GOING TO ASSUME BASED ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH DOWNTOWN WALKABILITY.BUT IS THERE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN GET REGARDING WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN OUR PARKS AND TRAILS? AS YOU GO THROUGH THE COMMENTS THEMSELVES, YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THE COMMENTS FOR THE PARKS IN TERMS OF THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THEY SAID, AND I THINK THAT'LL GIVE YOU A LOT OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION.
THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY JUMPS TO MIND, I'M SCROLLING THROUGH THE SCREEN, SO I'M KIND OF GLANCING OFF IN THE STRANGE DIRECTION THAT THAT'S WHY I'M DOING IT.
BUT IF I RECALL YOUR SCORES FROM A STATISTICAL STANDPOINT, YEAH, FOR PARKS AND REC, WERE ALL VERY STRONG SCORES.
SO WHILE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVE, OVERALL YOU'RE GETTING EVERYTHING.
YOUR WORST SCORE IS A 5 ON A 6 POINT SCALE.
SO THE COMMENTS ARE REALLY DESIGNED MORE TO HELP POLISH THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT THEY'RE HAVING, RATHER THAN SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE LACKING.
[INAUDIBLE] SUPERVISOR STYKA, DEREK.
HOW MANY? HOW MANY HAVE [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS? I KNOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET CONFUSED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIDEWALKS AND WHAT THE TOWNSHIP'S SUPPOSED TO OVERSEE.
HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS DO WE HAVE TO DO THE SNOW AND THAT KIND OF THING FOR THE.
I THINK, COURTNEY SAID WE HAVE 25 MILES OF TRAILS.
SO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THERE'S TWENTY FOUR EMPLOYEES, WE'RE KIND OF DIVIDED UP.
SO EIGHT OF THEM ARE ASSIGNED TO WATER, SIX OR EXCUSE ME, SIX ARE ASSIGNED TO THE PARKS, FOUR ASSIGNED TO THE SEWER.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO MECHANICS.
I THINK THAT GETS ME TO MY COUNT.
EXCUSE ME, THERE'S TWO IN BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS TOO.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW EVERYONE'S DIVIDED UP.
BUT ON ACTIVITIES LIKE SNOW PLOWING OF THE PATHWAYS THAT TYPICALLY IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK KIND OF THING.
WHEN THE PARKING LOTS NEED TO BE PLOWED, PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED PRIORITIES.
BUT OVERALL WE HAVE A POOL OF TWENTY FOUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THAT WORK HAPPEN.
DO YOU THINK SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALKS, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY SIDEWALKS THAT THE TOWNSHIP MAINTAINS THAT THERE'S CONFUSION OR? WELL.
AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD POINT OUT TO THE SERVICES ARE NOT PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIP.
THERE'S THERE'S QUESTION ABOUT STREET TREE MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADS.
WE DO HAVE OUR LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS A COUNTY FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, STORM WATER MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S COUNTY FUNCTION, TOO.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE INDICATORS ARE SO WE CAN TALK TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND EXPRESS THOSE OPINIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT IN REGARDS TO THE PATHWAY MAINTENANCE, I YOU COULD SPECULATE THAT RIGHT, IF YOU'RE ON A PATHWAY, THE TOWNSHIP PLOWS THAT SIDEWALK.
IF IT'S A SIDEWALK IN A SUBDIVISION, THAT'S THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
AND YOU HAVE LIKE IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD, IN ANY TOWN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT HAS SNOW.
A GOOD PORTION OF YOUR RESIDENTS ARE PROBABLY OUT THERE SHOVELING AFTER THE FIRST INCH HITS THAT SIDEWALK.
BUT THEN YOU ALWAYS HAVE THOSE RESIDENTS THAT EITHER CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THE SIDEWALK OR JUST HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO AND WOULD RATHER, YOU KNOW, NOT SHOVEL THEIR SIDEWALKS.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY SOME FRUSTRATION WITH THAT FROM SOME OF THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BE HIT AND MISS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIDEWALKS.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A LOT OF SPECULATION.
WE HAVE A THOUSAND ACRES OF PARKS, A THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND PRESERVES, AND WE HAVE A LOT 85 TO 90 MILES OF PATHWAYS.
DID YOU SAY? THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
AGAIN, I'M SURE THAT A LOT OF THAT STATUS WITH REGARD TO SNOW SHOVELING, ET CETERA, IS IT'S JUST CONFUSION AS TO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT.
I PICK UP ON THAT AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE RESULTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SEWERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT AREN'T REALLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
BUT AS DEREK SAID, I THINK IT'S VERY WISE TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO GO TO THE PROVIDERS, WHETHER IT'S THE COUNTY OR WHOEVER AND EXPLAIN TO THEM OUR NEEDS.
IT'S A VERY STRONG PLACE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
[00:50:02]
YEAH, IT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO USE.ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE? FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE ANYMORE OF EVERYBODY.
I JUST HAD ONE OTHER FINAL THOUGHT.
SO ON PAGE 30 [INAUDIBLE] GO AHEAD.
YEP, ON PAGE THIRTY TWO, THIS IS THE BUSINESS THEMES AND FOCUSING ON CREATING A BETTER PLACE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO THE THEMES THAT WERE EXTRAPOLATED ARE THEMES THAT REALLY ASSIMILATE TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD ON DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.
THE COMMUNITY IS EXPRESSING A DESIRE FOR LOWER RENTS FOR BUSINESS SPACES SPECIFICALLY.
THEY ALSO EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR A LOWER TAXES FOR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT THE TAX RATE IS THE TAX RATE ACROSS ALL MANNER OF PROPERTY.
WE AREN'T ALLOWED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ONE PARCEL OR ANOTHER WHEN IT COMES TO THE TAX RATE.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT FIRST REFLECTION ON RENTS WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ON THE RENT MARKET RATE AS IT RELATES TO THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK THAT'S AN INDICATOR OF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THOSE WALKABLE NODES, THE THREE PEKA AREAS PREDOMINANTLY AND THEN ALSO THE LINKAGE BETWEEN TAX INCENTIVES AND EXPANDING SPACE FOR DOWNTOWN STOREFRONTS.
SO I FELT LIKE THAT MIRRORED THE CONVERSATION THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAS BEEN HAVING WITH THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT REALLY DRIVES HOME THE POINT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN MAKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN THAT OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, WHICH IS THE COMMERCIAL SPACE.
THE RESIDENTIAL IS A PERFECTLY FINE USE, BUT BUT FOR HAVING THE VIABLE, VIABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE WHICH GETS AT THE RENT FACTOR OR THE MARKET RATE, IF YOU WERE GOING TO SELL IT, THAT GETS TO VIABILITY AND WHETHER OR NOT BUSINESSES WILL ACTUALLY LOCATE.
SO THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT THE MOST TO ME.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ARE WE DONE WITH THIS? OKAY, WE WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE], FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND FOR THE RESULTS OR THE GOOD REPORT ON THE RESULTS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AS WE MENTIONED TODAY AND AND WE'LL BE THINKING OF YOU AS WE PORE THROUGH THESE DATA.
I MEAN, THERE'S ENOUGH HERE TO SPEND QUITE A FEW NIGHTS, HOURS, DAYS AND PERHAPS MONTHS LOOKING AT.
WE'RE READY NOW TO GO ON TO CITIZEN'S ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS.
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS]
MR. DAVIES, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS? WELL, FIRST I CAN'T SEE, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROOM THAT AT THIS TIME? THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, SIR.WE HAVE ONE PERSON ATTENDING VIA ZOOM WHO IS WELCOME TO USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE IF THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY [INAUDIBLE] AT THIS TIME OR NOT.
NO ONE IN THE ROOM WISHES TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
I THINK WE HAVE SOMEONE [INAUDIBLE].
WHEN YOU COME UP, YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO [INAUDIBLE] MATTERS AND ADDRESS US AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUALS OR COMMENT ON OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO AREN'T PART OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M CHARLES [INAUDIBLE], I'M HERE AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE POND COOPERATIVE HOMES INC, WHICH HAS REQUESTED HISTORICALLY THAT THE TOWNSHIP PETITION FOR THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT, YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION IN ITEM 12C, THIS EVENING WE ARE HERE TO INDICATE OUR SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE TOWNSHIP'S WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT AT THE 50 PERCENT LEVEL, WHICH IS INDICATED IN THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE ALLOCATION OF THE REMAINING 50 PERCENT, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT FUTURE PROCEEDINGS AND HEARINGS WILL BE HELD FOR THAT PURPOSE.
ANYONE ELSE THAT'S IN THE ROOM WANTING COMMENTS? WE HAVE A FRANK [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD EVENING, I'M FRANK [INAUDIBLE], FIVE HUNDRED SOUTH FRONT STREET, COLUMBUS, OHIO, I'M HERE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS TONIGHT ON ITEM NUMBER 13 BOARD DISCUSSION,
[00:55:04]
SPECIAL USE PERMIT 2119 121 WOODWARD WAY SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER THEM AND THANK YOU.ANY OTHERS? YEAH, WE HAVE A CARD FROM MR. JIM WILLIAMS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK NOW OR AT THE END, IT'S UP TO YOU OR BOTH.
THERE ARE TWO, TWO OPPORTUNITIES, NOW AND ONE AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
ONE OR BOTH? JUST AT ONE, JUST NOW, THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT IS.
CAN YOU START OUT WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FIRST, PLEASE? OH, MY NAME IS JIM WILLIAMS AT 4332 ARBOR DRIVE IN OKEMOS, MICHIGAN FOUR EIGHT EIGHT SIX FOUR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT STARTED IN 2015.
AT THAT TIME, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TWO DRAINS THAT ARE ON THE STREET NEXT TO MY HOUSE WERE THE SHOALS DRAIN AND THE FOREST HILLS DRAIN.
SO IN 2015 AND 2016, I THOUGHT THAT THIS DIDN'T APPLY TO ME.
THEN I GOT THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE DANIELS DEAN PROJECT, AND I CALLED THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND FOUND OUT THAT, YES, I'M IN THE SHOALS DRAIN.
I'M IN THE FOREST HILLS DRAIN, I'M IN THE DANIELS DRAIN AND THE CORNELL WOODS DRAIN.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW FAR CAN WE TAKE THIS? EVERY TIME YOU CONNECT SOMETHING TO THIS DRAIN, MY TAXES GO UP AND THEY KEEP GOING UP.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, AND I AM JUST HERE TO SAY THAT I NEED TO KNOW WHO I TALK TO ABOUT HOW YOU APPORTION THESE DRAINS BECAUSE THE TWO DRAINS ON MY LOT.
AREN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT ON EACH ONE.
EACH ONE GETS 50 PERCENT, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE EITHER, BECAUSE THE DRIVEWAY IS ABOUT ONE QUARTER FOR THE ONE DRAIN AND TWO THIRDS GO INTO THE OTHER DRAIN.
SO WHO DO I TALK TO? HOW DO WE HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH I SHOULD PAY? WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DIALOG WITH COMMENTS DURING THIS PERIOD, HOWEVER, WE WILL SEE THAT YOU GET YOUR ANSWER.
[INAUDIBLE] PROVIDE THE ANSWER LATER.
AND THEN, WE HAVE ONE MORE FROM CECILIA KRAMER.
MY NAME IS CECILIA KRAMER 4560 OAKWOOD HERE IN OKEMOS.
AND I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FOREST HILLS HOMEOWNERS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION SPEAKING ON THE DANIELS DRAIN RESOLUTION FOR THIS EVENING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WANTED TO ECHO THE COMMENTS I HEARD EARLIER FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE], THE ATTORNEY FOR THE THE PONDS CONDOMINIUMS. AND JUST AS A PUBLIC COMMENT, THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME SHOULD CONTACT THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER ABOUT THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE DRAINS ON HIS PROPERTY.
AND I WANT TO ECHO CECILIA'S COMMENTS AND YOUR COMMENTS.
IT'S GREAT TO HEAR YOU GUYS BEING SO COOPERATIVE AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE
[01:00:01]
RESIDENTS AND WHAT WE'RE PAYING.AND CANNOT GET THIS THING OFF.
I JUST APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU'RE SHOWING THE CITIZENS, PARTICULARLY CITIZENS LIKE MYSELF.
ARE THERE OTHERS? I DON'T SEE ANYMORE.
MR. GEBES, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY VIRTUALLY? NO VIRTUAL HANDS AT THIS TIME, SIR.
NO PHONE CALLS? WE'RE NOT SET UP FOR PHONE CALLS THIS EVENING SIR.
I KNOW MR. WALSH IS WITH US VIRTUALLY AND ASKE HIM TO PROCEED.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.I FIRST WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR CLARK.
THE SURVEY WAS A VERY INVOLVED PROJECT AND HAD MANY STEPS TO IT.
I ALSO THOUGHT THIS IS MY THIRD SURVEY LIKE THE SUPERVISOR.
MY THIRD SURVEY THAT I'VE SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN AS MANAGER.
I KNOW HE IS ON THE BOARD AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, TONIGHT'S WAS THE BEST PRESENTATION OF THE BEST INFORMATION I'VE SEEN FROM A SURVEY FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
WE HAVE A MEETING, TWO MEETINGS THIS WEEK, ONE WITH THE CONSUMERS ENERGY ABOUT THE POWER LINES AND THE OTHER ONE WITH THE DEVELOPER WHO IS LOOKING AT THE 16 ACRES UP AT THE [INAUDIBLE] SQUARE NEXT TO WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE PINE VILLAGE.
TOMORROW YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PREVAILING WAGE POLICY THE TOWNSHIP HAS TOMORROW THAT WILL BE LITIGATED IN FRONT OF JUDGE KENNEDY.
THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT PROPERTIES STARTS OCTOBER ONE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE OVER JANUARY 2ND.
THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE SELECTED WHO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AND WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT CONTRACT AND ALL THE DETAILS TO YOU FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE, AND WE WILL BRING THAT TO YOU ON OCTOBER 5TH.
LOOK FOR THE WEBSITE TO BE UNVEILED ON NOVEMBER 15 AND ASSUMING THE BOARD WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER AT THE SUPERVISOR'S DIRECTION TO DISCUSS THE ART FUNDING AND WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG AGENDA TONIGHT, MR. SUPERVISOR, SO I'LL STOP THERE.
THANK YOU MR. WALSH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WALSH FROM BOARD MEMBERS, AND MAYBE SOMEONE CAN HELP ME IF ANYBODY IN THE ROOM HAS A QUESTION BECAUSE YOUR PICTURE IS VERY SMALL ON MY SCREEN? NO HANDS.
WE WILL NOW GO ON TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
THE BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE.I CAN SEE EVERYONE I SEE MR. OPSOMMER.
YES, I JUST WANTED TO REPORT FOR THE BOARD OF THAT.
THE STATE BUDGET WILL BE PASSING TOMORROW.
IT'S SENATE BILL 82 IF ANYBODY WANTS TO REFERENCE IT.
AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS RECEIVING A TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FOR A NEW FIRE TRUCK THAT WE WILL BE NEEDING TO ACQUIRE IN THE 2023 BUDGET.
ROUGHLY THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY HALF THE COST OUR PREVIOUS TRUCK FROM 2015 AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE SEEING COST INCREASES, SO THAT WILL BE COMING THROUGH IN THE BUDGET BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST.
A FORMER TREASURER AND CURRENT STATE REPRESENTATIVE, JULIE BROOKS, AND YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED IN THAT.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ANNOUNCEMENTS OR? I DON'T SEE ANY IS MS. OH I SEE THE CLERK.
HATE TO GO AFTER DAN WITH THAT EXCITING NEWS.
YEAH, IT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
I ATTENDED THE THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE EXPANSION OF HIGH CALIBER [INAUDIBLE], AND THE NEW FACILITY IS PHENOMENAL.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND ALL THE WORK THAT AMBER IS DOING WITH THEM AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS WELL ATTENDED EVENT AND IT WAS SUPER FUN.
GREAT, GREAT NEW SPOT FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO.
THEY SAID IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST INDOOR ACTIVITY PARKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
[INAUDIBLE] THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI, I GUESS NOW IT'S EXPANDED TO THE WORLD.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE JOHN [INAUDIBLE] MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE THAT
[01:05:03]
WAS WELL ATTENDED.IT WAS VERY TOUCHING TO HEAR EVERYONE SPEAK SUCH KIND OF WORDS ABOUT JOHN AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY AND HIS LOVE FOR THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE.
SO THAT WAS REALLY WELL DONE EVENT.
SO KUDOS TO THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
WORKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON THAT, WE'RE VOTER REGISTRATION MONTH.
NOT AS EXCITING AS A FIRE AS THE FIRE TRUCK, BUT IT'S VOTER REGISTRATION MONTH.
SO WE WERE BASICALLY DOING VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, SO IF ANYBODY HEARS US AND THEY WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN COME INTO OUR OFFICE, THEY CAN CHECK THEIR STATUS ONLINE.
THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION I THINK THEY'RE CALLED THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR VOTER INFORMATION, AND THEY HAVE SENT LETTERS ACROSS THE NATION TO PEOPLE.
THE LETTERS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT THEY'RE NOT SO IF ANYONE AT HOME RECEIVES THESE LETTERS.
IF THEY LOOK AT THE LETTER AND READ IT PROBABLY IN FINE PRINT ON THERE THAT IT'S FROM THE VOTERS, THE CENTER FOR VOTER INFORMATION ORGANIZATION, WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH THEM.
IF THEY GET THAT LETTER, JUST GO ONLINE.
SEE WHAT YOUR STATUS IS ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE VOTER INFORMATION WEBSITE, AND YOU CAN JUST THROW THE LETTER AWAY.
IF THEY WANT, THEY CAN CONTACT THE OFFICE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT IT YESTERDAY AND TODAY, AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUT SOME INFORMATION OUT ABOUT IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO SCAM PEOPLE'S INFORMATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST AN ORGANIZATION TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE UNIVERSAL ACCESS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK.
THERE WERE A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THERE.
IT WAS A REALLY WELL-DONE MEETING.
I WAS I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT ALL THE GREAT COMMENTS MEAN THINGS YOU WOULD NEVER, EVER THINK OF.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE WHAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES WITH THAT INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WITH THE SURVEY RESULTS THAT THAT WE HEARD ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED AND DONE, BUT I WON'T BORE YOU ALL.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I MET WITH CECILIA KRAMER, WHO'S A MEMBER OF FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, AND WE LOOKED AT THAT FACILITY AS A FUTURE LOCATION TO MOVE TWO PRECINCTS OUT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
IT'S OUR GOAL TO MOVE OUT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN OKEMOS AND IN HASLETT.
AND SO IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD WORK.
REALLY NICE FACILITY OVER THERE AND SOME VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HER TIME AND AND [INAUDIBLE] HER TIME AND LOOKING AT THAT WITH WITH OUR WITH OUR OFFICE.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE IN PERSON, JUST KIND OF SPEAK OUT.
I MEAN, I CAN'T QUITE SEE YOU VERY WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE THAT, WE HAD AN ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT LAST SATURDAY FROM NINE TO TWO AND WANTED TO THANK OUR VOLUNTEERS, THERE WAS QUITE A FEW RESIDENTS.
THERE'S SOME IN THE IN THE IN THE SEATS TODAY, AS WELL AS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS.
IT WAS A VERY SMOOTH PROCESS AND I STOOD AT THE END FOR A WHILE TO TO CHECK PEOPLE OUT OR TO SAY GOODBYE.
AND MOST EVERY RESIDENT WAS SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THAT AND I KNOW NOT ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT A THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ORGANIZED THAT.
YES, I JUST MENTIONED THAT MY FAMILY WERE [INAUDIBLE] THAT MY WIFE COMMENTED HOW EASY IT WAS TO DO, BUT SHE WAS VERY PLEASED AT HOW WELL.
AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT I ATTENDED THE CHAMBER EAST LANSING MERIDIAN, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS TYPE MEETING THAT WE HAVE EVERY MONTH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ASKED IS, DO YOU HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF MERIDIAN? AND I SAID, NO, IF YOU'VE GOT ELECTRONIC STUFF TO RECYCLE.
SO HOPEFULLY THE WORD WAS GETTING AROUND.
TREASURER, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
JUST ONE QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THIS SUNDAY IS THE AUTUMN CLASSIC, WHICH IS A WALK RUN AROUND LAKE LANSING, LEAVING FROM LAKE LANSING PARK NORTH.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE AUTUMN CLASSIC BEFORE, IT IS A DELIGHTFUL EVENT AND IT BENEFITS AREA EIGHT SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
[01:10:03]
THAT'S FOR A GREAT CAUSE, AND THERE'S USUALLY A THOUSAND OR SO WALKERS AND RUNNERS, AND YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE OR GO TO PLAYMAKER'S.IT'S A WONDERFUL LOCAL EVENT AND IT BENEFITS A GREAT CHARITY AND NOTHING QUITE LIKE A WALK AROUND LAKE LANSING ON A CRISP SEPTEMBER MORNING.
SO I ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS WHO HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE TO GIVE IT A TRY THIS SUNDAY AT LAKE LANSING PARK NORTH.
ANYONE ELSE? AND RICHARD, I ALSO ATTENDED MSU INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY SESSION, TALKING ABOUT THE POPULATION CENSUS NUMBERS THAT CAME IN FROM MICHIGAN AT FOUR IN MICHIGAN AND THE EFFECTS ON REDISTRICTING.
AND IT'S RATHER FASCINATING SUBJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF US KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO END UP THERE.
STILL, THE COMMISSION IS STILL WORKING HARD ON IT.
THERE'S BEEN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT RUMORS OUT THERE, DIFFERENT THINGS PUBLISHED IN NEWSPAPERS, ET CETERA.
BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.
BUT MICHIGAN IS LOSING A CONGRESSPERSON AS WE KNOW [INAUDIBLE] NOT AS FAST AS OTHER AREAS.
ANYONE ELSE? I THOUGHT I SAW A HAND.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THE FARMER'S MARKET ON WEDNESDAY.
THEY STILL ARE HAVING THEIR CONCERTS AND SHOWDOWN WILL BE THERE FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THE SURVEY TALKED ABOUT NEEDING MORE MUSIC, WE HAVE THE BAND SHOW.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE THING UP AT LAKE LANSING THAT THAT THAT BAND [INAUDIBLE] ALSO WE HAVE THE FARMER'S MARKET.
THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS WHERE WE DO THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT I GUESS IT'S JUST NOT WIDELY KNOWN.
AND ALSO, OF COURSE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS THANKS TO COVID, WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY QUALIFY AS SOMETHING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON, WE GOT A LOT TO DO.
WE'VE COME TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA TO SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION?
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.SUPPORTED BY MS. JACKSON, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN I GUESS I'LL DO THIS REAL CALL, BECAUSE THEY WAY WE'RE SET UP TODAY.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
TREASURER DESCHAINE.THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
ALL RIGHT, WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF ITEMS. THE COMMUNICATIONS, AS ALWAYS, THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER SEVEN REGULAR MEETING.
THE BILLS WHICH NEED APPROVAL, THE OUTDOOR GATHERING PERMIT FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN [INAUDIBLE] EVENT.
SOMETHING THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR MANY YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT DURING COVID, BUT I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY YEAR, IT'S A FUN EVENT.
RESOLUTION OF DECLARATION AND NOTICE FOR THE LWCF GATEWAY PATH AND RESTROOM PROJECT, THE RESOLUTION OF DECLARATION, A NOTICE FOR THE M&RTF CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR, ASSISTANCE TO THE FIREFIGHTER GRANT AND SAFER GRANT.
THOSE ARE GOOD MONEY COMING IN AND WE APPRECIATE THAT CHIEF.
RATIFICATION OF THE NEW FULL TIME PARAMEDIC, FIREFIGHTER AND PART TIME PARAMEDIC.
AND FINALLY, A CHANGE RECOMMENDED BY THE CLERK AND MYSELF.
WE HAD OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING SET FOR NOVEMBER 4TH THURSDAY INSTEAD OF THE USUAL TUESDAY.
BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL ELECTION, THERE IS NO ELECTION, SO THE ITEM WILL CHANGE IT BACK TO THE TUESDAY, WHICH WOULD BE THE SECOND I BELIEVE.
DOES SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? MS. JACKSON.
MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SUPPORTED BY MS. WISINSKI I BELIEVE.
ANY NEED TO PULL THE MINUTES OFF OR ANYTHING? IF NOT WE NEED TO VOTE.
THANK YOU, HEARING NO QUESTIONS FOR ATTORNEY, WE HAVE HEARINGS TWO OF THEM.
THE FIRST ONE IS ON THE SILVERSTONE ESTATE STREET LIGHTING SAD NUMBER 427.
[11A. Silverstone Estates Streetlighting SAD #427]
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE DISCUSS THIS LATER ON IN THE[01:15:04]
MEETING AS A BOARD, ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW IS THE VENUE FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS AND I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:14.WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COME FORWARD OR IF YOU'RE NOT ON SITE TO COME VIRTUALLY TO THE MEETING AND MAKE COMMENT ON THE SILVERSTONE ESTATE STATE STREET LIGHTING SAD? WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE MR. PERRY EXPLAIN IT THAT MIGHT HELP GET PEOPLE'S INTEREST, MR. PERRY? SURE.
SUPERVISOR STYKA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BACK AT YOUR SEPTEMBER 7TH MEETING, YOU AUTHORIZED THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT TO PAY FOR THE OPERATIONS OF STREET LIGHTS IN THE NEW SILVERSTONE ESTATES SUBDIVISION.
THE FIRST YEAR COST WOULD BE SIXTY NINE POINT TWENTY NINE PER LOT.
TRYING TO SEE, I THINK THERE'S HOW MANY LOTS THERE WERE TWENTY TWO.
THANK YOU BECAUSE THE FULL TWENTY FIVE ARE NOT BEING ASSESSED BECAUSE THEY DON'T RECEIVE A BENEFIT FROM THE STREETLIGHT DIRECT BENEFIT AND IN THE SECOND YEAR ESSENTIALLY IS JUST THE ANNUAL OPERATING COST.
SO IF PEOPLE WANTED A BUDGET, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THAT ASSESSMENT WOULD FALL IN A LITTLE OVER THIRTY ONE DOLLARS.
OF COURSE, ANY TIME ANY ENERGY SUPPLIER PASSES ALONG AN INCREASE, WE WE INCREASE OUR ASSESSMENTS TO CORRELATE WITH THAT.
SO WE RECOVER 100 PERCENT OF THOSE ENERGY COSTS FOR THESE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
AS A REMINDER, THE TOWNSHIP DOES NOT PROVIDE STREET LIGHTING.
INSTEAD, IT HAS TO BE DONE IN THIS WAY BY THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED.
AGAIN, ANY ANYBODY WANT TO COME FORWARD AND COMMENT ON THIS? IF NOT WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PERIOD AT 7:16.
[INAUDIBLE] THE 2021 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SAD NUMBER 19 AND WE WILL OPEN
[11B. 2021 Order to Maintain Sidewalk SAD#19]
THE [INAUDIBLE] 7:16 AND HAVE MR. PERRY TELL US ABOUT IT.SO AGAIN, THIS IS A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT, THIS IS FOR OUR ORDER TO MAINTAIN PROGRAM, AS WAS SEEN EARLIER IN THE SURVEY, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY VALUE PATHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS.
SIDEWALKS ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNATED AS A AS A PATHWAY ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.
AND THE WAY THAT WE MAINTAIN THESE PUBLIC SIDEWALKS IS THROUGH THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
AGAIN, AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THE FIRST RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD SETTING THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT UP.
AND NOW WE ARE FOLLOWING THE THE PROCESS WE USE, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC ACT 188 OF 1954R, WHICH REQUIRES TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TONIGHT WOULD BE THE FIRST OF THOSE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, WHO'S THERE OR WANTS TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY TO COME FORWARD, COMMENT ON THIS.
I DID NOT SEE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC FOR THIS ITEM, HOWEVER, WE DID RECEIVE A WRITTEN COMMENT.
A RESIDENT AT 3801 BINGHAMPTON DRIVE HAD A CONCERN ABOUT A SIDEWALK SECTION THAT HAS SUNK, AND HE'S CONCERNED THAT IT MAY BE RELATED TO SOME STORM INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE WILL INVESTIGATE THAT WITH THE RESIDENT TO DETERMINE IF IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT OR NOT.
ALRIGHT THEN WE'LL CLOSE THIS HEARING AT 7:17.
WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS A BIG ONE.
IT'S OUR 202 RECOMMENDED TOWNSHIP BUDGET [INAUDIBLE] TO ADAPT IT IF WE WANT TO
[12A. 2022 Recommended Township Budget]
AVOID WHAT IS EUPHEMISTICALLY CALLED THE TRIPLE TAXATION HEARING THAT IN PROCESS, WHICH IS KIND OF INVOLVED.SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET TODAY.
WE HAD THE PRESENTATION BY AT OUR LAST MEETING IN GREAT DETAIL BY THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND STAFF AND THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER MADE A FEW CHANGES AND MAYBE HE WOULD LIKE TO FIRST COMMENT ON WHAT THOSE CHANGES WERE.
I KNOW THAT THE BOARDS HAD THE BUDGET NOW FOR NEARLY A MONTH, AND WE'VE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THREE HOURS GOING OVER SOME MORE THAN THAT.
THE ADDITIONS FROM THE ROBUST DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD TWO WEEKS AGO WOULD BE THE ADDITIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU INCLUDE A 34TH FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC POSITION SO THAT
[01:20:06]
WOULD BE A TOTAL OF TWO ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS, A SOLAR ARRAY WITH A NOTATION TO BE ANNOUNCED AT $100,000 $10,000 FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR A GREEN PROJECT TO DETERMINE AND $5000 FOR WETLAND PROMOTION AND PROTECTION.TOTAL BUDGETS JUST OVER FIFTY SEVEN MILLION AND IF APPROVED, THAT ALL GOES AS PLANNED IN 2022.
WE EXPECT A FUND BALANCE ON DECEMBER 31 OF 2022 OF EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN ONE ADDITIONAL SIDE NOTE, I REMIND YOU, IS THAT THIS INCLUDES A THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR.
I'M SORRY, THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS PAYMENT FOR THE DANIELS DRAIN AND AN INCOME OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF 50 PERCENT OF THAT FOR ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THAT'S A RECAP OF THE BUDGET, WHICH HAS TAKEN ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
SO WHEN WE STARTED IT UNTIL TONIGHT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER IT FOR ANY REMAINING QUESTIONS, MR. SUPERVISOR FROM THE BOARD.
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK GOES INTO PUTTING TOGETHER, PUTTING TOGETHER THE BUDGET BY THE MANAGER AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND DOWN TO THIS, YOU KNOW, EVERY STAFF MEMBER AS WELL AS THE FINANCE OFFICE, ET CETERA.
SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING UP TONIGHT? THIS IS OUR CHANCE.
AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, I, YOU KNOW, PICTURE SMALL, HARD TO SEE WHOSE HANDS ARE RAISED.
WELL, I GOT SWITCHED I CAN SEE PEOPLE NOW.
I MOVE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVE THE 2022 RECOMMENDED BUDGET RESOLUTION.
MOVED BY OPSOMMER SUPPORTED BY JACKSON.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE MANAGER AND DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR THEIR EXHAUSTIVE WORK ON THIS BUDGET AND ALSO FOR THE CHANGES THAT THE BOARD HAD REQUESTED TWO WEEKS AGO.
HAVING THEM QUICKLY MOVED INTO THE CURRENT BUDGET, THE BUDGET REFLECTS OUR RESIDENTS VALUES.
POLICE AND FIRE ARE THEIR TOP PRIORITIES WITH RIGHT BEHIND THAT, OUR PARKS AND PATHWAYS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY, IT FOLLOWS THOSE PRIORITIES.
WE ARE FORTUNATE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE A VERY SOLID TAX BASE AND A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF OF OUR TAXES ARE PAID ON TIME BY OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO PLAN BUDGET AND EXPEND THE MONEY THAT THAT'S REQUIRED.
I THINK THIS BOARD SHOULD BE PROUD OF THIS BUDGET.
IT'S A GOOD BUDGET REFLECTS THAT THE GOALS OF THIS BOARD AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO MOVE INTO 2022.
HOPEFULLY, COVID WON'T BE AS PREDOMINANT OF A ISSUE AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND WE CAN BEGIN TO EXPAND AND ACHIEVE EVEN MORE OF OUR GOALS, INCLUDING A DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
DO MORE WITH PARKS AS OUR RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR AND MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE ARPA FUNDING IN THE YEAR AHEAD.
I'M GLAD TO BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MANAGER WALSH WHO'S NOT HERE, DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR THEIR EXHAUSTIVE EFFORTS IN THIS.
ALSO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, ADDING IN THOSE REALLY IMPORTANT BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR SOLAR GREEN GRANTS AND FOR WETLAND EDUCATION ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ADDING AN ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC TO HELP TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AT ITS BEST.
YES, I JUST LIKE TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO THE MANAGER AND HIS STAFF FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER AND ALL OF THE EFFORT THAT THEY PUT IN TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MATTISON AND MANAGER WALSH AND THE ENTIRE TEAM IN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS FURTHER WORK ON THE BUDGET.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO REITERATE MY COMMENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING AS IT RELATES TO THE IT.
I HOPE MANAGER WALSH AND DIRECTOR GEBES AND THE TEAM WILL BRING BACK ADDITIONAL REQUESTS IF THEY'RE NEEDED.
WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED LOST WORK PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO IT INSUFFICIENCY.
SO IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL COST THERE, I VIEW THIS VERY SIMILARLY TO TO THE EXPANSION OF THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
I HOPE STAFF AND THE MANAGER WILL ECHO THAT TO THE BOARD.
SO I BELIEVE THE BOARD WILL SUPPORT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO
[01:25:05]
SUPPORT THE STAFF IN THE OPERATIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP.AND I HOPE MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GLEANED FROM THE CITIZEN SURVEY COULD POSSIBLY KIND OF BE WRAPPED INTO THAT IT OVERHAUL TOO.
I KNOW THE TREASURER'S WORK OR WORKED WITH SOME OF THOSE THIRD PARTIES THAT WE CONTRACT WITH, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE SOME RIGIDITIES, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THEIR SOFTWARE AND USER FRIENDLINESS.
ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE MANAGER AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE ADDITION.
I THINK THE WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN GETTING OUR STAFFING BACK UP WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CALL VOLUME THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE PREVIOUS DECADE.
I THINK THAT WILL MAKE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN STAFFING THERE.
MY ONLY QUESTION AND THE MANAGER AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST ASK SO MANAGER WALSH, I BELIEVE WHEN I READ THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, WHEN WE LOOK AT LIKE THE THE PAYROLL.
THE BOARD IS APPROVING PAYROLL FOR THE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DON'T APPROVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF FTES.
AM I CORRECT? NO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WITH YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS BUDGET, IF YOU APPROVE THIS BUDGET SPECIFICALLY MR. TRUSTEE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE YOU'RE APPROVING 34 FTES AND 41 FTES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
OK, SO JUST TO EXPAND ON THAT, SO ARE WE.
DOES THE BUDGET CAP YOU FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE OF GOING ABOVE THAT ABOVE THOSE TOTALS OF FULL TIME POSITIONS, IF IT DOESN'T IMPACT IF THERE'S STILL PAYROLL ALLOTTED FOR IT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WELL, YEAH, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY, IF, LET'S SAY, IN FEBRUARY, I MADE THE DECISION, WE NEED A 35TH FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC.
I HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
BUT AGAIN, GOING BACK TO COMMUNICATION TRANSPARENCY, I WOULD BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AS AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT BEFORE IMPLEMENTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
OKAY, SO JUST ONE THOUGHT THAT I'VE HAD AS I WAS MULLING IT OVER.
JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT, FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE DEALT WITH SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGES ON THE POLICE SIDE.
AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH MANAGER WALSH ON ONE OR TWO OCCASIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN TO 35 OFFICERS NOW ACTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, IDEAL STAFFING, OR AT LEAST THE APPROVED STAFFING IS 41.
SO IF WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THERE, WHICH I RECOGNIZE AND I CAN'T BEGIN TO IMAGINE THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO HAVING TO ACTUALLY GET THERE, BUT WE'RE SHORT OF PLATOON AND WE'VE SEEN HOW THE TURNOVER WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ACCELERATING.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT STAFF IN GOING ABOVE THE FORTY ONE IF WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THERE SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE THAT NEXT SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, LOSS IN STAFF, WE CAN KIND OF ABSORB IT RIGHT SO THAT WE DON'T FALL TO THIRTY FIVE, MAYBE WE'LL FALL TO 37 OR 38 WHERE WE USED TO BE FALLING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FALLING QUITE LOWER JUST DUE TO THE ACCELERATION IN TURNOVER.
SO JUST ONE THOUGHT THAT I'VE BEEN MULLING OVER.
AND SO THAT'S THE THE INTENT OF THE QUESTION.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THE BUDGET AND I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONS AND YOU CAN BUMP THE FUND BALANCE BACK UP ANOTHER 225 THOUSAND.
THANK YOU WERE THERE AND TO REPRESENTATIVE BRIXIE FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
THAT'S TREMENDOUS NEWS TONIGHT FOR US, FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY WE HAD A REALLY GREAT BUDGET WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO YOU.
I THINK WE HAVE A JUST AN OUTSTANDING BUDGET WHERE THE INPUT, THE INPUT, WHAT I WOULD SAY, ROBUST INPUT FROM THE BOARD TWO WEEKS AGO.
I THINK WE JUST HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BUDGET NOW THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT ALL OF OUR 45000 RESIDENTS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MATTISON AND MANAGER WALSH, ESPECIALLY THE QUICK TURNAROUND TIME MEETING SOME OF THE REQUESTS FROM THE FROM THE BOARD MEETING.
I'M BECOMING CONCERNED, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO MAKE THE THE BOARD AWARE AND A LITTLE NERVOUS AS CLERK, WITH THE REDISTRICTING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT COULD BE REQUIRED OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHILE NOT ASKING FOR AN AMENDMENT
[01:30:01]
OR ASKING FOR ANYTHING.I'M JUST KIND OF PUTTING IT OUT THERE SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, IN 2010, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, TWENTY TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE ON OUR PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER LIST.
TODAY WE HAVE OVER 20000 PEOPLE AND WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
ONE PERSON WHO OUR RECORDS TECHNICIAN WHO OVERSEES THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, WE WENT FROM TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND REGISTERED VOTERS TO THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND REGISTERED VOTERS IN A TEN YEAR TIME SPAN.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CENSUS BECAUSE WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS AND HAVING ANOTHER FIREFIGHTER ON IT, I WENT BACK TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS TO SAY KNEW IT HAD INCREASED, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH IT HAD INCREASED IN HOW AND THE WORKLOAD.
SO I AM CONCERNED NEXT YEAR WITH THE REDISTRICTING AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED OF STAFF.
AND [INAUDIBLE] AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN HIS OFFICE AND, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T BRINGING A STAFF POSITION HERE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANT TO RAISE THAT AWARENESS THAT THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF WORK REQUIRED OF, YOU KNOW, LOCAL CLERK OFFICES ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STATE AND THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT WE MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT.
ANY OTHER BUDGET COMMENTS HERE BEFORE WE VOTE OR QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS.
OK, I GUESS WE'RE READY TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
I'M SURE MR. WALSH IS PLEASED WITH THAT [INAUDIBLE].
WE'LL START WITH THE TREASURER THEN.
AND CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES, MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
THE TRUSTEE WISINSKI [INAUDIBLE] HER VOICE, SOMETIMES AS WELL.
[12B. SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority]
[LAUGHTER] ALRIGHT WE'RE MOVING ONTO 12D, WHICH IS A SMART ZONE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY.WE'VE SEEN THIS NOW SEVERAL TIMES IN OUR AGENDA.
WE'VE PUT IT ON THE BACK BURNER.
IT'S COME BACK TO THE FRONT BURNER.
AND DO WE HAVE STAFF COMMENT ON THIS FIRST? MR. WALSH [INAUDIBLE].
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP THERE YOU ARE.
THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF THE BOARD REGARDING THE SMART ZONE IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET AND SET THE DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 19TH TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED AREAS TO INCLUDE IN THE LANSING REGIONAL SMART ZONE.
I AM HERE AS WELL AS TIM DEMPSEY IS ON VIA ZOOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SETUP IN THE SMART ZONE.
AND I SEE MR. DEMPSEY, SO HE CERTAINLY IS HERE VIA ZOOM.
BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSION ALONG WITH THE MOTION FIRST.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A MOTION? CLERK GUTHRIE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT AND SET UP A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 19, 2021.
IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THAT? SUPPORT.
I'M SORRY WHO WAS THAT? WHO WAS IT? JACKSON.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN INCENTIVE TO ATTRACT, TECH COMPANIES.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO DO WITH REGIONAL COOPERATION.
AND GIVEN THE SURVEY RESULTS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES, OTHER BUSINESSES LOOKING FOR MORE INCENTIVES THAN LOOKING FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO WORK WITH THEM.
I THINK THAT THIS SHOWS THAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES, WANTS TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND IS AND IS INTERESTED.
ALL I'VE DONE IS DRINK WATER AND HAD LOTS OF COFFEE.
SO MY [INAUDIBLE] AND THE TOWNSHIP IS INTERESTED IN HAVING BUSINESSES COME HERE AND THAT WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BE GOOD.
THERE ARE GOOD PLACES TO EAT IN GRAND RAPIDS
[01:35:08]
MS. JACKSON, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT? I AGREE WITH CLERK GUTHRIE.I FIND THIS IS A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO WORK WITH EAST LANSING, LANSING, MSU AND LCC TO ATTRACT, PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY MODERN BUSINESSES AND ENTERPRISES TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO NOT ONLY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT TO OUR REGION.
NEXT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, I BELIEVE.
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, SO I RESPECT THE OPINIONS OF TRUSTEE JACKSON AND CLERK GUTHRIE AND BUT DO HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THIS ONE ON THIS ITEM.
I STILL STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT A TIF WHEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING WILL BE FINANCING.
I JUST VIEW THIS ONE DIFFERENTLY BASED ON THE ZONES, AND I DON'T PERCEIVE THE TWO ZONES TO BE A PRIORITY AREA IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT A TIF WHEN I LACK AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE WOULD BE INVESTING IN WITH THOSE TAX DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT SUCH SUBSTANTIAL COSTS WITH DOWNTOWN OKEMOS, INCLUDING GENERAL FUND, IS BEING PUT TOWARD THAT IN ADDITION TO THE TIF AND ALSO WITH THE LOOMING INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ABSORBED AT SOME POINT BY THE MALL.
YOU KNOW, THE THE BANK PROJECT THAT WAS PROPOSED ON GRAND RIVER BY THE MALL THAT NEVER CAME BACK TO THE BOARD BECAUSE OF CONCERNS THAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE RAISED AS IT RELATES TO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THE SITE AND THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
AND SO ANY REDEVELOPMENT OVER THERE IS GOING TO COME WITH GREAT COST TO TAXPAYERS IN ALL REALITY, AND IT'S AN AREA THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO PRIORITIZE.
SO I CAN'T SUPPORT A TAX CAPTURE IN THESE ZONES WITHOUT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE FUNDING AND WHY WE'RE FUNDING IT AND WHO THE BENEFICIARY IS.
AND MY ONLY OTHER CONCERN IS ALSO THE APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO THE TOWNSHIP IS STILL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL NEW TO TIF.
WE HAVE OUR DDA, BUT WE HAVE NO REAL VIABLE CAPTURE AND WE CONTROL THE DDA.
THE TOWNSHIP BOARD CONTROLS FUNDS THROUGH THE DDA AND ALSO THROUGH THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THIS WOULD BE A DIFFERENT BALLGAME BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT GOVERNING BODY APPROVING THE FUNDS.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE WHAT'S BEFORE US, BUT WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS ON IT.
BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE THE CIA SHOULD PROCEED THIS AND THE DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE A TAX CAPTURE WITH THE CIA BASED ON THE PRIORITY STATUS FOR THE MALL.
I SUPPORT THE MOTION BY DIRECTOR CLARK AND I APPRECIATE THE MOTION BEING MADE BY THE CLERK AND TRUSTEE JACKSON.
I TOO, I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THIS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
WE'RE JUST NOT SURE ON THE LOCATIONS, THE TWO THAT ARE PROPOSED.
DAWN AVENUE DOES MAKE SENSE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MSU CENTER THERE, BUT OLD FM SEVENTY EIGHT SAGINAW HIGHWAY.
WE HAD A COMPANY THAT MOVED AWAY WHEN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL CANDIDATES FOR THIS INCENTIVE.
DO WE USE OUR PICA FOR THIS? THE MALL? THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
IS WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE TO DO THESE SMART ZONES? TAX INCREMENT FINANCE CAPTURE IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AND WE'RE ABOUT TO APPROVE ONE HERE WITHOUT ANYONE REALLY ASKING FOR IT.
IT'S KIND OF A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.
THESE ARE COMPLICATED MEASURES AS WELL.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE ON MY STAFF AND THE FINANCE STAFF TO DO THIS REPORTING.
[01:40:01]
AS THIS CAPTURE HAPPENS, IT'S WORTH DOING IF WE'VE GOT A PARTICULAR PROJECT OR PARTICULAR DEVELOPER OR PARTICULAR REGION IN MIND HERE, BUT WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE SO FAR.I TOO AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTROL WE WON'T CONTROL THIS.
WE'LL BE ONE VOTE OUT OF EIGHT OR NINE ON A BOARD THAT WILL APPROVE THESE EXPENDITURES.
THAT'S NOTHING WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
AND LASTLY, AND PROBABLY MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THIS, I AM AFRAID WILL BE A DISTRACTION.
HIGH TECH IS FUN AND EXCITING AND FLASHY, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THE BASICS OF BRICKS AND BRICK AND MORTAR, WALKABILITY.
GET OUR VILLAGE REBUILT DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.
WE DON'T REALLY NEED HIGH TECH RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED LOW TECH WALKABILITY NEIGHBORHOODS AND VILLAGES IN FEEL AND OKEMOS IN THE FOUR CORNERS AND HASLETT.
TO ME, THAT SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITY OF.
WE MOVE INTO THIS LDFA IT MOVES US AWAY FROM OUR MAIN FOCUS, WHICH IS TO BRING BACK DOWNTOWN OKEMOS AND BRING BACK THE FOUR CORNERS IN HASLETT IN THE CHERRY HILLS.
THOSE ARE THE AREAS ARE FOCUSED ON.
WE'VE GOT INCENTIVES THERE THAT NOT EVEN BEING USED BY THE CURRENT DEVELOPER.
THEY ARE USING LESS THAN HALF OF THE INCENTIVES WE HAVE OFFERED THEM.
SO INCENTIVES AREN'T THE ISSUE.
IT'S MOVING THESE PROJECTS ALONG, ATTRACTING DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO COME HERE.
THERE'S INCENTIVES THERE ALREADY FOR THESE DEVELOPERS.
WE JUST NEED TO FIND A DEVELOPER THAT WILL USE THEM WITH OUR CURRENT TAX INCREMENT FINANCING.
THIS BOARD, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER IN PARTICULAR, WORKED SO HARD TO GET OUR VARIOUS PARTNER STAKEHOLDERS TO BUY INTO, AND THEY DID SO THAT THE MONEY IS THERE.
THE INCENTIVES ARE THERE WITH OUR CURRENT GIFTS.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED THIS ADDITIONAL TIF.
TOO MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT IT, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE DISTRACTION FOR THE BOARD AND FOR STAFF.
AND WHAT A COMMENT, I AGREE WITH BOTH THE COMMENTS OF MR. OPSOMMER AND THE TREASURER DESCHAINE.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE IDEA AS AN IDEA AND I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO IT.
I WISH THAT WE HAD MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS.
MAYBE NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE RIGHT TIME TO GIVE IT REAL SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.
BUT WE HAVE LEFT THIS KIND OF VOID.
THIS BOARD WAS STRUGGLING WITH ANY TIF'S WHATSOEVER, EVEN FOR BROWNFIELD.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE DOING TIF'S AT THE DEA AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF BROWNFIELDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT VARIOUS THINGS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP IN A MUCH MORE GENEROUS WAY.
AND I SIT ON THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY AND THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE CREATED THAT BACK AGAIN BACK AT A TIME WHEN THIS BOARD.
AND THE MEMBERSHIP HAS CHANGED, OBVIOUSLY, WAS RELUCTANT TO DO TIF'S AND IT HAS NO TAXING POWER.
AND AS A RESULT, IT'S NOT REALLY GETTING A LOT DONE.
IT COMES UP WITH SOME GREAT IDEAS, BUT NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO FINANCE THOSE IDEAS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A PRIORITY AND THAT INCLUDES DAWN AVENUE BY THE WAY.
THAT'S A PRIORITY THAT MIGHT SUPERSEDE THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A GENERALLY A GOOD IDEA.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S TIMELY FOR US AT THIS POINT.
I THINK WE HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED BY BOTH MR. OPSOMMER AND MR. DESCHAINE.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST NOT READY TO DIVE INTO A TIF THAT FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT WE WERE JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF IN TERMS OF ANY CONTROL OR MANAGEMENT OF IT.
AND YET WE'RE GOING TO BE THE SECOND BIGGEST TAX PAYER COMMUNITY, ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF THE TAX BASE AS LANSING AS PART OF IT, AND ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE OUT OF EIGHT OR NINE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THERE TO CONTEMPLATE.
AND AS FAR AS TECHNOLOGY GOES, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY REAL DANGER WE HAVE OF LOSING WHAT WE HAVE ON DAWN AVENUE NOW WITH THE MSU LAB THERE IS THAT THEY WOULD GET FREE LAND FROM MSU.
OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THERE AND IT MAY ATTRACT OTHERS JUST BY ITS PRESENCE.
SUPERVISOR STYKA CAN I ASK A FEW QUESTIONS OF MR. DEMPSEY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHEN THE TAX IS CAPTURED, DOES MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP KEEP 90 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS? IS THAT TRUE? THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.
OK, SO 10 PERCENT GOES TO THE SMART ZONE GROUP AND THE OTHER 90 PERCENT STAYS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
UNDER THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR THE CURRENT PLAN.
[01:45:02]
THAT TIF PLAN WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVED BY ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS, BUT THAT IS THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.AND SO DO THEY VOTE ON THAT IN FIVE YEARS OR IS THAT SET IN STONE? SO TO CLARIFY THE BUDGETING AND CONTROL PROCESS, IT'S CORRECT THAT THERE WOULD BE A NINE MEMBER LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECOMMEND AND ULTIMATELY APPROVE A BUDGET.
HOWEVER, THE RESPECTIVE TAXING JURISDICTIONS ALSO HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURES IN THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE TAXES, SO TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD STILL HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THOSE FUNDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
TYPICALLY, THE FUNDS ARE BUDGETED, YOU KNOW, IN BROAD CATEGORIES TO GIVE THE LDFA BOARD THAT FLEXIBILITY, BUT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD HAVE ITS ANNUAL REVIEW OF THAT BUDGET.
SO THERE IS THAT LEVEL OF CONTROL.
SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE NINE MEMBER OF THE LDFA VOTES ON THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE COMMUNITIES KEEP EACH YEAR? IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
SO NO THAT THE TIF PLAN PROPOSES THAT THE 90 CENTS IS A NEW ADDITION TO THIS ITERATION OF A PLAN.
HISTORICALLY, ANY TIF REVENUE THAT WAS GENERATED IN THE JURISDICTION WOULD ONLY BE SPENT IN THAT JURISDICTION.
THE 90 10 SPLIT, THE 90 PERCENT OF IT WILL BE SPENT IN THE JURISDICTION WHERE IT'S CAPTURED.
UP TO 10 PERCENT OF IT COULD BE SPENT IN ANY OF THE THREE JURISDICTIONS, DEPENDING ON THE NEED THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED.
SO THAT DISCRETION WOULD LIKELY BE AT THE LDFA LEVEL WHERE THEY COULD DETERMINE WHERE THAT 10 PERCENT GETS ALLOCATED.
BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS THAT WHEN THAT BUDGET COMES FORWARD EACH YEAR, WHAT'S THE ESTIMATE OF TIF REVENUE FOR A PARTICULAR YEAR'S KNOWN THAT'S BUDGETED? EACH JURISDICTION GOVERNING BOARD WOULD HAVE TO ALSO APPROVE IT.
SO THERE IS THAT THAT LAYER OF OVERSIGHT.
SO IF AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND MAYBE HOW THAT 10 PERCENT WAS ALLOCATED IN THE PRIOR YEAR, YOU WOULD HAVE SOME ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, TO STEER THOSE DOLLARS OR TO INDICATE THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.
SO IT'S NOT THE 90 PERCENT THAT COMES OUT THAT'S IN QUESTION THAT STAYS WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
IT'S THE 10 PERCENT UP TO 10 PERCENT HOW IS THAT 10 PERCENT GOING TO BE SPENT.
THAT'S WHAT COMES INTO QUESTION WITH THE NINE MEMBER BOARD.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? YES, FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING HOW THAT GETS ALLOCATED NOW, THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO RECOMMEND HOW THE 90 PERCENT WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION GETS SPENT.
WITHIN BUT YOU STILL HAVE RIGHT, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO EITHER APPROVE WHAT THEY RECOMMEND OR NOT.
I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU HAVE OVERSIGHT ON ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FUNDS CAPTURED IN YOUR JURISDICTION.
AND CAN YOU? I HEARD ONE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBER TALK ABOUT HIGH TECH AND LOW TECH, LOW TECH QUALIFIES.
IS THAT CORRECT FOR HOW THE MONEY CAN BE SPENT TO HELP WITH LOW TECH COMPANIES? IT'S NOT.
I MEAN, THE SMART ZONE IS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT HIGH TECH COMPANIES.
SO AND THERE'S A DEFINITION IN THE STATE STATUTE THAT DEFINES WHAT THAT IS, RIGHT? THE TYPICAL THINGS YOU'D EXPECT IT TO BE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES, WEB COMPANIES, BIOTECH, LIFE SCIENCES, YOU KNOW, IT'S EITHER ON THAT KIND OF SOFTWARE, INTERNET OF THINK SPACE OR IT'S IN THE LIFE SCIENCES.
SO WHAT IS LOW TECH, THEN? BECAUSE SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT THEY'D RATHER SEE THE MONEY GO TO LOW TECH, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? WHAT IS LOW TECH? SO I CAN'T SPEAK.
I THINK THAT WAS TRUSTEE OR THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE TRUSTEES SPEAKERS] NOTED THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENTIATION, JUST LIKE FROM THE STATE PERSPECTIVE, THE STATE OFTEN REFERS TO KIND OF THE NON HI TECH BUSINESS AS MAINSTREAM BUSINESSES.
SO RETAIL RESTAURANTS AND THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO HELP THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES.
THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE $2.1 BILLION DOLLAR YOU KNOW, A PROGRAM OR ARRAY OF PROGRAMS TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE.
NOW THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THOSE PROPOSALS IS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT MODELING SOME OF THOSE SUPPORT NETWORKS TO ALIGN WITH THE SMART ZONE.
SO AS THIS SMART ZONE BODY MOVES FORWARD, THERE MAY BE THE ABILITY TO TAP
[01:50:04]
ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING.SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO THINK ABOUT.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE TOWNSHIP COULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THIS ENTITY.
BUT IF THE SMART ZONE IS GOING TO BE THAT ENTITY FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT NETWORK THEN THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGES AS WELL.
ARE THERE SOMEBODY ALSO MENTIONED WALKABILITY? AND IN OUR STUDY, THE STUDY TALKED ABOUT ATTRACTING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE? AND DOES THIS HAVE THAT ABILITY HAVING INCENTIVES GOING INTO DAWN AVENUE? OR DOES THAT HELP OUT WITH A MORE WALKABLE PLACE AND INCENTIVIZING YOUNGER PEOPLE BUSINESSES TO COME HERE? THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS.
YOU KNOW, THE PET COMPANIES AND IMPROVING WHAT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THERE PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO IT AND ATTRACTING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KINDS OF TALENT INTO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO I GUESS IF THAT'S SORT OF A QUESTION MY WAY, I MEAN, THE WAY I WOULD LOOK AT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SMART ZONE WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR THIS REGION AND LIKE IT, I THINK IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER REGION.
THE IDEA WAS THAT YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO CHANGE THE BUSINESS CULTURE OF A COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LANSING REGION, THE THREE LEGGED STOOL, HISTORICALLY STATE GOVERNMENT GM AND MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
AND I THINK EVERYONE RECOGNIZED THAT MSU AND THE POTENTIAL TO TAP TALENT THERE WAS NOT BEING REALIZED.
THE NOTION OF THE INITIAL SMART ZONE WAS TO REALLY CREATE A CULTURE AROUND INNOVATION THAT HEY, IF YOU'RE AN ENTREPRENEUR, YOU'RE WELCOME IN THIS COMMUNITY.
NOW DO THESE TWO PARTICULAR DISTRICTS TIE DIRECTLY TO WALKABILITY AND SUPPORTING KIND OF MAIN STREET TYPE BUSINESSES? I THINK YOU COULD MAKE, IT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT ARGUMENT FOR ME TO HEAR AND TELL YOU STRAIGHT UP THAT, YEAH, THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY FIT THAT.
BUT DOES IT FIT SUPPORTING HIGH TECH BUSINESSES, THE INNOVATION AND THE ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] ACCELERATOR? DOES IT OFFER THE POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ATTRACT OTHER ENTREPRENEURS OR BUILD THAT ECOSYSTEM FURTHER BY MAKING IT EVEN MORE REGIONAL, I WOULD ARGUE.
AND THAT'S ALL PART I THINK OF OUR LARGER REGION, AND THAT'S RECOGNIZING THAT ENTREPRENEURIALISM IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF WHAT THE REGION IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO FROM THAT ANGLE, ATTRACTING THE TALENT AND THE TYPES OF ENTREPRENEURS AND THE COMPANIES THAT CREATE JOBS AS WELL, ALL OF THAT THEN ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO HELP PLACEMAKING AND THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE REGION.
SO FROM THAT ANGLE, I WOULD ARGUE THAT, YES, THERE IS A LINKAGE.
BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WHY I SUPPORT [INAUDIBLE] THE MSU [INAUDIBLE] LAB IS JUST FULL OF ENTREPRENEURS DOING FANTASTIC THINGS, INNOVATIVE, DIFFERENT OUTSIDE THE BOX KIND OF STUFF.
AND YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATION AND YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT THIS MONEY BEING PUMPED INTO THESE AREAS FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
I BELIEVE I SEE, MR. OPSOMMER'S HAND UP OR WAS THAT MRS. WISINSKI SHE HASN'T SPOKEN YET.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR AND I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, I REALLY ENJOYED AND LIKED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS REGIONAL APPROACH TO OPPORTUNITY.
I CAN'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU SAID THAT, TIM, BUT ENTREPRENEURIALISM.
I DO AGREE THAT ON A REGIONAL LEVEL, THAT COULD OVERALL ASSIST IN PLACE MAKING.
I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF A PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND ACADEMIA PARTNERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT IS LIKE LONG TERM.
THAT COULD BE A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY BENEFIT MERIDIAN AND THE REGION.
HOWEVER, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS, JUST THAT A LOT OF IT IS TIMING.
YOU KNOW, THIS CAME PRETTY FAST.
NOT TO SAY THAT DIRECTOR CLARK HAS NOT PUT IN MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO THIS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME BIG AGENDA ITEMS FOR US TO COMMIT TO AND ONE OF THOSE BEING OUR DOWNTOWN PICA AREAS.
[01:55:03]
AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD MUCH OF ANY SUCCESS WITH OUR TIFS IN THOSE AREAS I'M A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE TO ADD ANOTHER TIF TO OUR DOCKET.I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE THOUGHT TO THE LOCATION.
AGAIN DAWN AVENUE SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE IT'S IN THAT CORRIDOR THAT I WAS NOT A PART OF, BUT THE IMPROVEMENT CORRIDOR THAT SUPERVISOR HAD MENTIONED.
BUT THE ONE UP ON, SAGINAW, THAT'S JUST YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH, BUT I DO FEEL THAT WE'VE GOT A MALL THAT ALREADY HAS ORGANIZATION IN OUR BUSINESS THERE THAT'S RUNNING AS HIGH TECH.
AND I FEEL THAT MAYBE IF GIVEN SOME MORE THOUGHT TO MAYBE SOME PUBLIC INPUT WE COULD LOOK AT THAT AS AN AREA OF FOCUS.
THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE CONTROL FUNDS, AND THANK YOU CLERK FOR ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS WERE IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, BUT I COULDN'T ARTICULATE.
I JUST I DON'T I'M NOT NECESSARILY COMFORTABLE AGAIN.
I THINK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID IT.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY COMFORTABLE NOT KNOWING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN INVESTING THOSE FUNDS.
SO I WOULD CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO ENTERTAIN THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT I'M JUST NOT IN A POSITION TO SUPPORT IT AT THIS TIME.
WE'VE MENTIONED THE MALL AS PART OF THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY AREAS.
WHICH IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A TIF IN MY OPINION.
OK, ANYONE ELSE? MS., WELL, FIRST MR. OPSOMMER WAS [INAUDIBLE] I BELIEVE, AND THEN MS. JACKSON AND THEN MS. GUTHRIE.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE ANY TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY TO LOOK AT WHAT HAS OR HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE REAL WORLD.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT REGIONALLY THE EXISTING SMART ZONE, LANSING HAS A ZERO DOLLAR CAPTURE.
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ACTIVITY.
AND EAST LANSING'S CAPTURE IS ONLY NOW BEING REALIZED, AND IT'S THE HUB BUILDING AT BOGUE AND GRAND RIVER.
SO IT'S A APARTMENT BUILDING WITH GEORGIOS AND 711 BENEATH IT, AND GEORGIOS AN 711 WERE THERE.
THEY SOLD THE AIR RIGHTS TO BUILD THE BUILDING ABOVE IT.
AND SO THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CAPTURING JUST ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES, SO IT'S NOT JUST IF AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS GOES IN THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY TAXES THAT CAN BE CAPTURED BY AN LDFA ARE CAPTURED.
IT'S ANY BUSINESS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS THE BUSINESS THOUGHT TO BE ATTRACTIVE, RIGHT? AND SO IN PRACTICE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN SUCCESS HERE IN OUR REGION.
I DID TRY TO GO OUT AND ENTERTAIN THIS, AND I READ A LOT OF REPORTS AND I COULDN'T FIND LIKE A EXAMPLE OF THIS LDFA OR THIS SMART ZONE ATTRACTED X COMPANY OR Y COMPANY I COULDN'T FIND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN INTERVENTION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THE LEGISLATURE INVENTS LOTS OF THINGS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY PAN OUT.
SO BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE, I JUST DON'T SEE THE UTILITY.
AND SO IF WE'RE NOT ATTRACTING THE BUSINESS THAT'S ELIGIBLE, AND I WOULD SAY THAT SO THE DAWN AVENUE ZONE HYPOTHETICALLY IS ACTUALLY ALREADY MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE LANSING SMART ZONE.
AND SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DAWN AVENUE IS NOT HOLDING VANCAMP BACK.
THEY'RE THERE, RIGHT? AND WHEN WE LOOK AT DIVERSITY OF THE ECONOMY, I AGREE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST BE THE AUTO SECTOR AND THE TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
BUT SO WHAT HAS BROUGHT THE GREATEST DIVERSITY? IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE AND THE INSURANCE SECTOR, AUTO OWNERS EXPANDING.
IT'S NOT HIGH TECH, BUT THAT HAS BEEN THE LARGEST GROWING SECTOR IN THE LANSING ECONOMY IS INSURANCE NOT AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS? SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
SO I'M NOT SEEING THE ACTUAL UTILITY LOCALLY OR IN THE OTHER PARTS.
AND SO I'M LEFT TO BELIEVE THAT THE LEGISLATURE INVENTED A FLAWED CONCEPT IN THE EARLY 2000S.
BUT SO IF WE DID IT, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY DOING? WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING? SO WE'RE CAPTURING ISD TAXES, MEANING INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LOCAL SCHOOL TAXES AND THEN THE STATE EDUCATION TAX, BOTH THE SIX MIL AND THE EIGHTEEN MIL NON HOMESTEAD, MEANING IT'S [INAUDIBLE] BUSINESSES THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY, MEANING THE EQUIPMENT AND THE REAL PROPERTY, MEANING THE STRUCTURE AND THEIR LAND.
SO WE'RE CAPTURING THOSE TAXES IRRELEVANT OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS,
[02:00:01]
WHETHER OR NOT SO WE COULD HAVE ZERO ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES LIKE LANSING, BUT HAVE OTHER BUSINESSES DO SOMETHING RIGHT.THEY CREATE INCREMENTAL VALUE, THEY INVEST IN THEIR BUSINESS.
SOME ARE CAPTURING THOSE TAXES RIGHT THERE ON DAWN AVENUE TO REDO INFRASTRUCTURE ON DAWN AVENUE.
BUT DAWN AVENUE ISN'T A PROBLEM FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, RIGHT? THE WHOLE POINT OF TIF IS YOU LOCK THOSE TAXES INTO THAT AREA BECAUSE IT NEEDS EXTRAORDINARY INVESTMENT.
WHAT WE'D BE DOING IS TAKING EDUCATION MONEY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO FOR SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT BE THE LOCAL DOLLARS OR THE DOLLARS THAT GO TO THE STATE AND THEN COME BACK TO THE LOCAL DISTRICTS THROUGH PROPOSAL A.
BUT WE'D BE TAKING K-12 EDUCATION MONEY AND INVESTING IT IN DAWN AVENUE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS EVER COMES.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I JUST THE MECHANICS OF THE WHOLE THING JUST LEAVE ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD BECAUSE SO DENNY'S, I THINK DENNY'S, WAIT DENNY'S MIGHT NOT BE IN IT, BUT ELLISON BREWING COMPANY IF THEY EXPAND, THEY'RE NOT AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS.
BUT IF THEY DO SOMETHING TO IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTY, THEY CREATE CAPTURE.
WE'RE CAPTURING JUST BECAUSE ELLISON BREWING COMPANY DID SOMETHING, WE'RE CAPTURING K-12 EDUCATION DOLLARS AND PUTTING IT INTO DAWN AVENUE AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT SMART ZONE.
AND I CAN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHY WE WOULD DO THAT.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS AND WHAT TAXES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND LOOK AT THE LOCAL IMPACT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE LANSING AND EAST LANSING SUCCEED, BUT MORE SO TO THE OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE MALL I REALLY THINK AND I'VE GIVEN THIS A LOT OF THOUGHT.
WE TALK ABOUT BEING CAREFUL WITH OVERDOING TIF.
EAST LANSING HAS OVERDONE TIF WITH THEIR DOWNTOWN, AND IT HURTS THEIR OVERALL GENERAL FUND AND IT HURTS REVENUE THROUGH RESTRICTED MILLAGES.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR INCREMENTAL GROWTH OCCURS ON THE GRAND RIVER AVENUE CORRIDOR, SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL IF YOU JUST CREATE A TIF THROUGHOUT THAT CORRIDOR.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE USUAL GROWTH THAT WE SEE IN OUR GENERAL OPERATING MILLAGE, IN A ROAD MILLAGE AND OUR POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGES PARKS, TRAILS EVERYTHING ALL OF A SUDDEN WE DON'T HAVE.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, BUT I DO THINK THE MALL COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE START OF A CIA TIF, JUST THAT AREA, BECAUSE IT'S AN AREA THAT REQUIRES THAT CAPTURE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE EVERYWHERE ELSE ON THE CORRIDOR, IT'S FLOURISHING.
IT DOESN'T NEED EXTRAORDINARY INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
AND TO THE SAME POINT ON SAGINAW HIGHWAY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NORTHERN TIF ZONE, MINARDS WAS LOOKING AT GOING IN AT THE OLD CINEMA SITE AT NEWTON AND SAGINAW.
THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MDOT WASN'T GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
LIKE IT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE IT'S THERE ARE THOSE PLACES WHERE THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL DO IT.
AND THAT WASN'T EVEN AT GREENFIELD BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOIL ISSUES AND THERE'S OLD CONCRETE AND AT THAT CINEMA SITE.
SO IT'S NOT EVEN JUST THAT A CLEAN GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT.
SO I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST MY THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
LOGISTICALLY, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS FROM A REAL WORLD LENS, BUT I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER.
TRUSTEE JACKSON, YOU WERE NEXT.
THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS WE'RE NOT ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING, BUT WE ARE HERE FOR TONIGHT IS NOT TO DECIDE ON A SMART ZONE, BUT TO DECIDE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS DEVELOPING A SMART ZONE THAT INCLUDES TWO SPECIFIC AREAS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED.
FIRST, AND RELATIVE TO A TIF AND THE TIF THAT IS BUILT OR THAT IS PROPOSED FOR THIS SMART ZONE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS TIF AS BEING PROPOSED BY THE TAXING AUTHORITY ONLY TAKES TAX INCREMENT FUNDING FROM SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THE STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM
[02:05:05]
AND THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL SYSTEM.AND BECAUSE THE STATE CREATED THIS PROCESS, THAT MONEY IS RETURNED TO THOSE SYSTEMS, SO THEY'RE NOT LOSING ANYTHING.
WE'RE NOT TAKING ANYTHING FROM THEM TO CREATE A TIF IN A SMART ZONE.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT I'M BOTHERED ABOUT IN THIS CONVERSATION, ONE OF WHICH IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE THE FUNDS CAPTURED CANNOT BE USED IN OUR PICA'S, BUT MUST BE USED BY WHATEVER MEANS IN THE SMART ZONE THAT IT'S NOT WORTH OUR TIME TO CONSIDER AND TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AS FAR AS THE CAPACITY FOR THE CIA TO COLLECT TAX INCREMENT FUNDING FROM BUILDING ALONG MICHIGAN AVENUE IS CONCERNED.
AND THE FACT THAT DAWN AVENUE IS A PART OF THAT IS REAL.
BUT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT GROUP THAT OPERATES THE CIA THAT WOULD BE HAVE A CAPACITY TO COLLECT TIF IN THAT INSTANCE HAS NO TIF COLLECTING CAPACITY.
THIS PROPOSAL ONLY OPERATES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IF WE DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE.
IT'D PROBABLY TAKE US THE WAY WE DO SOME THINGS IT'LL TAKE US THREE YEARS TO DEVELOP A TIF CAPACITY IN THE CIA, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
I AM STILL PREPARED AT THIS POINT TO SET A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS AT A PUBLIC HEARING THE FEASIBILITY OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DEVELOPING OR DESIGNATING TWO AREAS DAWN AVENUE AND THE SPECIFIC AREA ON I-69 SAGINAW AND TOWNER ROAD.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MAKE AND DRAW YOUR CONCLUSIONS AFTER YOU'VE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'VE HAD A TOTAL AIRING OF THAT QUESTION.
THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, ACCORDING TO THIS RESOLUTION, IS SET FOR, I'M SORRY, OCTOBER.
THERE IS NO ASSUMPTION THERE IS NO REAL ASSUMPTION THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO ANYTHING BEFORE THAT PUBLIC HEARING OCCURS.
BUT WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE SAID WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GIVE US IT DOESN'T HELP US WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PICAS.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST EXPLORE THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING THE COMMUNITY'S INTERESTS AND ENTERING INTO THIS CORPORATION OR THIS PARTNERSHIP AND AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES AND ENTERPRISES IN THESE TWO AREAS THAT PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN OPERATING THIS SMART ZONE FOR 15 YEARS HAVE SUGGESTED ARE RIPE FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT IN THIS WAY.
I NEED TO AS SOMEBODY WHO HAD [INAUDIBLE] YEARS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD, I NEED TO CORRECT SOMETHING.
IT WOULD AFFECT SCHOOL FUNDING BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE BIG POT OF MONEY FOR SCHOOLS AND THE WAY THAT'S DIVIDED UP IS THE STATE THEN PARSES IT OFF BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PUPILS TO ALL THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
IF THAT POT OF MONEY IS DIMINISHED IN ANY WAY AND THERE'S NO OTHER SOURCE FOR THAT MONEY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS COME UP WITH, IT'S NOT GOING TO ADD
[02:10:04]
TO IT.EVERY YEAR THEY [INAUDIBLE] OVER HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE IN IT IF WE START TAKING MONEY OUT OF IT OR TIFS FOR THIS OR ANY OTHER PROJECT YOU ARE DIMINISHING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEN CAN BE SET PER PUPIL IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS.
SO MAYBE A SMALL AMOUNT FROM A POINT OF VIEW OF THE MINUTIA, YOU KNOW, JUST MERIDIAN OR THIS AREA, THIS PARTICULAR SMART ZONE.
WHEN WE START MULTIPLYING THAT OVER THE WHOLE STATE, IT CAN BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY AND MAYBE IT'S A FEW DOLLARS PER STUDENT [INAUDIBLE] TWO DOLLARS PER STUDENT CAN HAVE AN EFFECT ON WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN DO.
SO IT IS NOT CORRECT TO SAY THAT DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT THE STUDENTS.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR STYKA AND THANK YOU, TRUSTEE JACKSON, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WE ARE NOT VOTING ON HAVING A SMART ZONE TONIGHT.
WE ARE VOTING ON HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING AND I THINK DIRECTOR CLARK BROUGHT THIS TO US IN APRIL.
YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
AND THIS SETS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 19TH, IT GIVES THE BOARD PRACTICALLY 30 DAYS TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE A COUPLE OF THESE LOOMING QUESTIONS.
IF WE HAVE THEM CLARIFY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WITH THE SCHOOLS, IT'S NOT VOTING TO HAVE A SMART ZONE IT'S PUTTING A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD DECIDE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO THANK YOU TRUSTEE JACKSON FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
AND I ALSO AGREE WITH TRUSTEE JACKSON THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE PICA ZONE, IT'S NOT JUST THE DDA, IT'S NOT JUST DOWNTOWN HASLETT.
IT'S ALL ZONES ALL ZONES ARE WORTH OUR TIMES.
ALL ZONES ARE WORTH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DISCUSSING AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THOSE AREAS AND ATTRACT [INAUDIBLE] OF ALL KINDS.
AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE HERE, WE CAN DIVERSIFY OUR ATTRACTION.
YOU WILL GET MORE PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL.
YOU WILL HAVE MORE STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOLS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO DIMINISH ANY ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.
IT'S GOING TO IMPROVE WHO IS ATTRACTED FAMILIES WHO ARE ATTRACTED TO COMING TO OUR AREA.
SO BUT LIKE TRUSTEE JACKSON SAID, ALL THIS DOES IS PUT A PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 19TH.
OK? WE [INAUDIBLE] TALKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS THEY WANT TO RAISE? MR. DESCHAINE? YES REAL QUICKLY.
I THINK WE HAVE GIVEN THIS TOPIC A FULL HEARING AND IN ESSENCE, EVERY MEETING WE HAVE IS A PUBLIC MEETING ON THESE TOPICS AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE COULD ON OCTOBER 19TH, BUT I DOUBT, I THINK THIS IS THE FOURTH OR FIFTH TIME WE'VE HAD THIS ON THE AGENDA.
SO WE HAVE GIVEN SMART ZONES PLENTY OF MORE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS.
I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE JACKSON'S PASSION ON THIS, BUT I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THIS DILUTES OUR EFFORTS TO FOCUS ON THE PICA AREAS WITH THE EXISTING TIFS THAT WE HAVE.
THE PROBLEM WITH WORKING ON ALL ZONES IS THAT WE DILUTE OUR EFFORTS AND WE NEED TO BE REALLY FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON CERTAIN AREAS AND SMART ZONES, I BELIEVE WILL DILUTE OUR EFFORTS AND JUST MAKE US THAT MUCH LESS LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN THE AREAS WE ARE CLOSE TO SUCCEEDING IN.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE JACKSON, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I AGREE THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST BE FOR PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE ARE JUST COMMITTING TO AN INTENT, NOT COMMITTING TO AN ACTUAL SMART ZONE.
BUT I'M HEARING WHAT THE TREASURER IS SAYING IS WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AND I KNOW DIRECTOR CLARK HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED MUCH FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC AND I'M WONDERING WHAT A PUBLIC HEARING COULD DO TO ADD TO THE DECISION MAKING FOR ME SPECIFICALLY, BUT FOR THE BOARD IN ITS ENTIRETY.
SO I AM HEARING THAT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW BENEFICIAL THAT COULD BE, ALTHOUGH I THINK PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IF WE WOULD HAVE HEARD MAYBE SOME INPUT AT THIS POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD CHANGE MY THOUGHTS.
THE AGAIN, THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE ZONES I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CLERK GUTHRIE.
WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON ALL OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
BUT WE HAVE TWO THREE ZONES THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP SINCE I'VE BEEN
[02:15:01]
ON THE BOARD.SO WHEN TREASURER, YOU REFERRED TO A DILUTION, THOSE JUST REQUIRE SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M JUST I'M STILL A LITTLE STUCK ON THE FOCUS OF OUR CURRENT OBJECTIVES, AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED ZONES.
[INAUDIBLE] WHAT IS THE MOTION WE HAVE? THANK YOU WHAT WAS IT.
TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 19TH.
AND I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTIFIES THE BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND GIVE US THEIR OPINION AS BUSINESSES IN THAT SAGINAW DISTRICT WHERE THIS IS BUT THE MOTION IS ACTUALLY TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO.
SORRY CAN'T SEE SUPERVISOR STYKA.
WE NOW MOVE UP TO 12C, WHICH IS DANIELS DRAIN SAD #21 RESOLUTION #1
[12C. Daniels Drain SAD #21 Resolution #1]
.CAN WE GET THE PROCESS WHICH HAD ALREADY BEGUN.
I MOVE ONCE I FIND THE MOTION.
IT'S ON PAGE TWO IT'S THE WHITE PAGE [INAUDIBLE] ELECTRONIC.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE DANIELS DRAIN IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 21 RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 APPROVES THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FUNDING 50 PERCENT OF THE TOWNSHIP SHARE THE DANIELS DRAIN IMPROVEMENT COSTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND ORDERS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO USE THE PLANS DEVELOPED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND PREPARE A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR THE REMAINING COST.
YEAH, THIS IS THE MOST THE TOWNSHIP HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A DRAIN PROJECT, BUT THIS IS ALSO A SECTION 20 DRAIN, WHICH TECHNICALLY COULD BE ALL OUR EXPENSE BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT HAS A HIGHER LIABILITY.
WE DID GET THE COMMENT FROM A NEIGHBOR OF MINE.
I DON'T HAVE HIS NAME HANDY, BUT IN HIS CASE, THIS WILL BE HIS FOURTH DRAIN ASSESSMENT THAT HAS BEEN TAXED ONTO HIS ANNUAL TAX BILL.
THESE DRAIN ASSESSMENTS ARE BECOMING A BIGGER AND BIGGER EXPENSE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WE DON'T ASSESS THEM, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER DOES.
BUT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE TOWNSHIP, THEY CAN ADD UP AND PIGGYBACK ONE AFTER ANOTHER AFTER ANOTHER.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE TOWNSHIP USING GENERAL FUNDS TO COVER HALF THE EXPENSE BECAUSE IT'S A SECTION 20 DRAIN WITH A HIGHER PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
MR. OPSOMMER AND THEN MS. WISINSKI.
I ALSO SUPPORT THE 50 PERCENT CONTRIBUTION ON THE TOWNSHIP'S BEHALF THAT IS ABOUT A 43 PERCENT INCREASE IN TERMS OF OUR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS OTHER RESPECTIVE DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
THIRTY FIVE PERCENT IS THE HIGHEST WE'VE CONTRIBUTED IN THE PAST, AND WE'RE CONTRIBUTING 15 PERCENTAGE POINTS MORE SO THAT'S ABOUT A 43 PERCENT INCREASE OVER WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, INCLUDING THE TOWER GARDENS DRAIN PROJECT, WHICH WAS CONSIDERABLE IN TERMS OF COST.
I BELIEVE THE TOTAL COST OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY GREATER THAN THIS DRAIN PROJECT EVEN BACK THEN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT EQUITY AS WELL.
THAT WAS A LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD, WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD WHO DIDN'T GET THAT.
AND SO I THINK THE PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE SETTING HAS RAMIFICATIONS.
[02:20:02]
SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.SAME WITH THAT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION THERE, IT DID RESULT IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DRAIN OR THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLE IS WHAT IT IS.
UP IN TOWER GARDENS I JUST THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S EQUITY AND CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AREN'T TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS.
MY ONLY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF FAMILIES DEALING WITH FLOOD ISSUES.
I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF THEM IN MY DAY JOB.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING MANAGER WALSH, I BELIEVE DARLA IS OUT OF THE OFFICE.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE MONITORING MERIDIAN CARES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE REFERRED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO MERIDIAN CARES, AS WELL AS OTHER FUNDS.
WE'VE GOT OWNER OCCUPIED AND TENANTS RENTING WHO ARE STILL WITHOUT HOUSING OR STILL IN HOTELS.
AND WE'VE TRIED TO DIRECT THEM TO 211 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND OTHER FUNDS.
BUT THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT ARE STILL REALLY STRUGGLING AND THE TENANTS ARE STRUGGLING TO GET REPAIRS DONE RIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF AT THE.
THEY'RE HINDERED BY THEIR, YOU KNOW, LANDLORD AND WHEN THE LANDLORD WILL ACTUALLY GET THE REPAIRS CONDUCTED, SO DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE? IT LOOKS LIKE DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY DOES.
I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK DARLA.
DARLA REPORTS TO MIRIAM, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SO MIRIAM'S BEEN FIELDING THOSE CALLS.
I HOPE WE WOULD JUST BE CONSCIENTIOUS AND MINDFUL THAT YOU KNOW AND BE SUPPORTIVE THROUGH THE CARES FUND WITH THESE FAMILIES BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE STATE PROGRAMING HAS RIGIDITIES AND OFTEN DOESN'T COVER SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO ARE ABOVE CERTAIN SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CO-OP'S INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER A LOT OF THE DAMAGE THIS TIME AROUND.
SO WHAT I BECAME AWARE OF THROUGH WORKING WITH ONE OWNER OF THE CO-OP IS BECAUSE THIS DREAM PROJECT HAS TAKEN SO LONG.
THEY DENIED COVERAGE FROM MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A SECOND EVENT.
AND THE ORIGINAL CAUSE OF THE FLOOD, THE DRAIN FAILURE HASN'T BEEN CORRECTED DURING THAT TIME.
AND SO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES DENYING SO I JUST WANT STAFF TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED.
I THINK WAS COURTNEY THE NEXT ONE? NO, SUPERVISOR I WAS JUST MOVING TOO MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS BEFORE WE VOTE? AND I WILL JUST MENTION THIS I AGREE THAT THIS IS THE TOWNSHIP IT'S A BIG CHUNK WE'RE CONTRIBUTING, BUT I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN THIS CASE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS HERE THAT ARE BEING BURDENED IN BIG WAYS.
THIS ONE AND THE ONE AFTER IT, IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH VERY QUICKLY AS TIME MARCHES ON.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE SILVERSTONE ESTATE STREETLIGHTING ON SAD #427
[12D. Silverstone Estates Streetlighting SAD #427 Resolution #3]
RESOLUTION #3 THAT WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON.IS THERE ANY NEED FOR ANYTHING FURTHER FROM YOU MR. PERRY ON THIS? I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD UNLESS PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS.
THIS NEXT STEP IS RESOLUTION THREE, WHICH PRETTY MUCH ALLOWS US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? MS. WISINSKI.
I MOVE TO APPROVE SILVERSTONE ESTATES PUBLIC STREETLIGHTING IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 427 RESOLUTION NUMBER 3, WHICH APPROVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT, THE ESTIMATE OF COST AND DEFRAY OF THE COST OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
DETERMINE THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND DIRECTS THE MAKING OF AN
[02:25:01]
ASSESSMENT ROLE.OKAY SUPPORTED BY OPSOMMER WAS THAT.
NEXT ONE IS THE 2021 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SAD NUMBER 19 RESOLUTION NUMBER
[12E. 2021 Order to Maintain Sidewalk SAD#19 Resolution #3]
3.AND WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S A GOOD READER BECAUSE THIS IS A LONG RESOLUTION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2021 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 19 RESOLUTION NUMBER 3, WHICH APPROVES THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALK IN PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS BRIAR WOOD, BRIAR WOOD NUMBER 3 NUMBER 4 AND NUMBER 5 EAST MEADOWS CONDOMINIUMS, HERITAGE HILLS, HERITAGE HILLS NUMBER 2 3 4, AMBER OAKS, SUNWIND ESTATES AND THE SANCTUARY, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN SECTIONS 8, 32, 33, 34 AND 35 TO DEFRAY THE COST BY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, APPROVES THE COST ESTIMATE OF 25 MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY SORRY, TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND 12 CENTS DETERMINES THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT DIRECTS THE MAKING OF AN ASSESSMENT ROLE DIRECT NOTICES TO BE SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE 20 DAYS TO REPLACE OR MAKE SAFE THE DEFECTIVE SIDEWALK.
FOR A MOMENT THERE I WAS GOING TO CHANGE TO A CAREER TO GET INTO CONCRETE [INAUDIBLE].
IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THAT MOTION.
THE VERY, VERY QUICK, ALRIGHT ANY NEEDS TO DISCUSS THIS.
WE HEARD EARLIER FROM MR. PERRY ON IT.
LAST ONE IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD HAVE GOT VIA EMAIL YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE, AND
[12F. Resolution in Recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month]
IT'S A RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION OF THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND SOMETHING I PUT TOGETHER.THE ACTUAL MONTH RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH.
IT'S AN ANNUAL THING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE DAYS OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON IN THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE 1960S, AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TIME TO RECOGNIZE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO READ THE RESOLUTION.
WHEREAS THERE'S BEEN A LONG AND IMPORTANT PRESENCE OF HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS IN THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.
AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR A NATION OBSERVES NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH BY CELEBRATING THE HISTORIES, CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS WHOSE ANCESTORS CAME FROM SPAIN, MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZES THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLES HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR NATION AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, INCLUDING THE GIFTS OF LAW, RELIGION, AGRICULTURE, ART, MUSIC, EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, ARCHITECTURE, CUISINE, THEATER AND EXPLORATION.
AND WHEREAS THIS TOWNSHIP IS FORTUNATE TO COUNT AMONG ITS POPULATION A LARGE CONCENTRATION OF CITIZENS OF SPANISH AND LATIN AMERICAN DESCENT, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR GENERATIONS AND THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE TOWNSHIP WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR PROFESSIONS, COMMERCE, FAMILY AND THE ARTS.
AND WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 15 TO OCTOBER 15TH, THIS TOWNSHIP, HISPANIC AMERICAN COMMUNITY CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH A SERIES OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS FEATURING HISPANIC HISTORY, FOOD, DANCE AND ART.
AND WHEREAS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS TO THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING MERIDIAN, AND CELEBRATE THESE PEOPLE'S VARIED HERITAGE, BACKGROUND AND CULTURE.
AND NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
[02:30:01]
MERIDIAN INGHAM COUNTY MICHIGAN BY THE BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN THAT IT RECOGNIZES AND CELEBRATES THE CONTRIBUTIONS, SERVICE AND CULTURES OF TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS WHOSE ANCESTORS CAME FROM SPAIN, MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.[INAUDIBLE] NOW THAT WE NEED A VOTE.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND I WOULD NOTE AS WE START THIS
[13A. Special Use Permit #21-19-121 – Woodward Way Limited Dividend Housing Association –Modification of Plans to Construct a Building Greater than 25,000 Square Feet]
DISCUSSION THAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT OR PARTY THAT WOODWARD LIMITED DIVIDEND HOUSING ASSOCIATION ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER SUSPENDING OUR RULES OF TAKING ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.IF, AS WE DISCUSS IT, SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE THAT MOTION, I CERTAINLY WOULD ENTERTAIN IT.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID EXACTLY THAT WHEN IT REVIEWED IT, THEY DECIDED TO GO FORWARD AT THE TIME AND HAD IT OUT FOR DISCUSSION WITH ACTION.
SO THE ITEM IS THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 21-19-121 WOODWORK WAY LIMITED DIVIDEND HOUSING ASSOCIATION MODIFICATION AND PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING GREATER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
WE DO HAVE DIRECTOR SCHMITT HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS AN INTRODUCTION.
OH FINE, I AM GLAD YOU POINTED IT OUT TO ME.
BRIEFLY, GIVEN THE HOUR, I WILL LIMIT MY COMMENTS, THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS TO RECONFIGURE THE WOODWARD WAY PROJECT AT THE END OF SIRHAL DRIVE NORTH OF WHOLE FOODS.
THE APPLICANT HAD NOT GOTTEN IN TOUCH WITH THE ROAD COMMISSION UNTIL LATE IN THE PROJECT AND REALIZED THAT THEY HAD AN ACCESS ISSUE AND PROMPTING THIS REDESIGN TO INCLUDE THE CUL DE SAC ON THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU CONTAINS THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS AS BEFORE, CONTAINS SLIGHTLY LESS SQUARE FOOTAGE, ACTUALLY BY ABOUT THIRTY ONE HUNDRED SQUARE FEET.
FORTY ONE HUNDRED SQUARE FEET.
AND THE BUILDING IS ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY SHORTER BY SOME INCHES.
NOT BY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, BUT SLIGHTLY SHORTER.
ESSENTIALLY, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY HAVE GONE TO A HOUSING PLAN THAT INCLUDES STACKED UNITS AND NO TOWNHOUSES, WHEREAS BEFORE THEY HAD SOME UNITS THAT WERE STACKED AND SOME WERE TOWNHOUSES.
WHEN THEY WERE IN FOUR BUILDINGS THEY HAD SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY, BUT THIS WOULD RETAIN THE PROJECT AT FORTY NINE UNITS, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ONE POINT OF ACCESS TO THE PROJECT.
PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AND DID APPROVE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE MULTIFAMILY USE ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT IN THE ZONING DISTRICT.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE.
AND I'VE GOT A PICTURE IN THE WAY OF MY PICTURE HERE, JUST A MINUTE.
SO I SUPPORT THE APPLICATION BEFORE US AND HAVE NO CONCERNS WITH THE AMENDMENT AS PROPOSED.
MY ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE JUST REGARDING OBVIOUSLY THERE'S OTHER ISSUES GOING ON WITH THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE.
SO IS THE CUL DE SAC NEEDED DIRECTOR SCHMITT, IF THEY CONNECTED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE OTHER ROADWAY? OR IS IT ONLY NEEDED BECAUSE WE'VE TURNED IT INTO A CUL DE SAC.
SO THEY WOULD NEED THEY NEEDED TO FIND ACCESS, THEY NEEDED TO GET A DESIGN ACCESS THAT WOULD MEET THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S APPROVAL.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY, PUNCHING A FULL ROAD THROUGH WOULD BE AN OPTION.
THE ROAD DEPARTMENT HAS CONCERNS WITH UTILIZING THAT CONNECTION ON GREENCLIFF FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND BROUGHT THAT UP EARLY.
SO THE FOCUS OF THE CONVERSATION HAS LARGELY BEEN ON HOW DO WE MAKE THE CONNECTION AT SIRHAL MEETING THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENTS?
[02:35:02]
OK.WHAT ARE THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S CONCERNS ABOUT CONNECTING TO GREENCLIFF? SO THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT ADDING NEW ROADWAY IN GENERAL AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN.
IT ESSENTIALLY WAS A ROAD THAT WENT INTO A PARKING LOT THAT THEN CAME OUT TO A STUB.
ADDITIONALLY, THE AREA ON GREENCLIFF IS CURRENTLY BEING USED BY THE TWO OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS ADJACENT, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME SUBSTANTIAL REWORKING OF THOSE HOMEOWNERS LOT USE OF THE AREA.
OH OK, THAT RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT OWNED BY THE COUNTY ANYMORE.
IT IS BEING USED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AS VACANT LAND OR? IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF PARKING, A LITTLE BIT OF ACCESS, A LITTLE BIT OF STORAGE, A LITTLE BIT OF VACANT LAND.
BUT SO THEY HAVE, IT MADE, THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY APPROACHED THE TOWNSHIP ABOUT CONTRIBUTING TOWARD THIS BEYOND JUST THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES THAT WE'VE APPROVED AND OTHER THINGS.
IS THE CUL DE SAC INFRASTRUCTURE DRIVING THOSE COSTS? IF NOT, WHAT IS? NO, THE COSTS ARE BEING DRIVEN LARGELY BY THE LARGER MACROECONOMIC FORCES THAT ARE PUSHING THE COST OF EVERY PROJECT HIGHER AT THIS POINT.
YOU NAME IT, IT'S DRIVING THE COST UP.
WE STARTED TO SEE SOME OF THOSE COSTS COME DOWN, BUT YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY PRICED THIS OUT, IT'S PROBABLY SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER.
I SUPPORT SUSPENDING OUR RULES LATER, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE REST OF THE BOARD.
JUST TO CLARIFY THIS CHANGE FROM THE TOWN HOUSES TO ALL TWO STORY IS BEING DRIVEN NOT BY THE CUL DE SAC BUT BY THE ECONOMICS OF CONSTRUCTION COST TODAY FOR THIS PROJECT.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? NO.
THE CHANGE IN THE UNIT TYPE IS BEING DRIVEN ENTIRELY BY THE CUL DE SAC.
THEY APPROACHED THE COUNTY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, HAD FOUR BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY, AND THEY APPROACHED THE COUNTY INITIALLY ABOUT HAVING THE ROAD SORT OF COME THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T GOING TO WORK.
AND THEN THEY TRIED TO WORK ON AN ALTERNATIVE CUL DE SAC DESIGN.
SLIGHTLY SMALLER WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL LAND FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT SOLD THEM THE LAND.
HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING.
AND SO ULTIMATELY WHAT THEY DETERMINED IN ORDER TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING BECAUSE IT IS A TAX CREDIT PROJECT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MOVE QUICKLY NOW IS PUTTING THE CUL DE SAC IN A STANDARD DESIGN ON THEIR PROPERTY WAS THE BEST MOVE TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
ESSENTIALLY, WHAT THAT DID IS THE SOUTHERN BUILDING KIND OF HAD TO GO AWAY.
AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO IT MADE SENSE FOR THEM TO RECONFIGURE THE OTHER BUILDINGS TO ACCOMMODATE THE UNITS.
WHAT IT DOES DO IS IT SAVES THEM SOME MONEY FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT.
IT CERTAINLY SAVES THEM FROM A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MANAGING FOUR BUILDINGS THEY ARE ONLY MANAGING TWO DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
FOLLOW UP QUESTION HAS MSHDA APPROVED THESE REVISED PLANS? I DO NOT HAVE A STATUS ON THE MSHDA APPLICATION AT THIS POINT.
MR. FUGATE IS HERE THIS EVENING, AND HE MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
FRANK, THE QUESTION IS GOING FROM FOUR BUILDINGS TO TWO BUILDINGS, HAS MSHDA APPROVED THE REVISED SITE PLAN.
THAT IS IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, HAVING THEM LOOK AT THAT AND TO REVIEW THAT PROCESS FOR US? DO YOU EXPECT THAT THEY WILL? YEAH.
THE ONLY COMMENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR [INAUDIBLE].
I DO REMEMBER THIS HAS BEEN A WHILE NOW, BUT I DO REMEMBER THE RESIDENTS.
THE MOST AMOUNT OF COMMENTS THAT WE HAD WAS THE RESIDENTS IN THAT ACCESS TO GREENCLIFF.
SO I DO APPRECIATE, ALTHOUGH REDUCING, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE VARIETY OF UNITS.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS THROUGH GREENCLIFF, I THINK, IS IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS.
MR. SCHMITT WASN'T THE INHIBITION OF AN ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE EAST, AN ACTUAL CONDITION OF THE APPROVAL.
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY SUBJECT TO THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S ULTIMATE APPROVAL.
[02:40:01]
AND THAT'S FURTHER ELIMINATED THE POSSIBILITY WHEN DISCUSSING IT WITH THEM.ANYONE ELSE? I'M NOT SEEING [INAUDIBLE] OR MS. SUNDLAND ON MY SCREEN AT THIS POINT? I HAVE A QUESTION SUPERVISOR STYKA.
THERE YOU ARE, YOUR THANK YOU.
DOES THE APPLICANT EXPECT THAT MSHDA APPROVAL? YES, IT SHOULDN'T FUNDAMENTALLY ALTER THEIR MSHDA APPROVAL, GIVEN IT'S SAME NUMBER OF UNITS, SAME TYPE OF UNITS.
THE TAX CREDIT DEAL IS STILL IN PLACE, BUT THEY DO NEED TO GET THAT APPROVAL.
OK, SO BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, EXPECT THE SAME THING THAT APPROVAL TO HAPPEN WITH MSHDA.
I'LL MOVE TO SUSPEND OUR RULES FOR SAME NIGHT CONSIDERATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SUSPENDING THE RULES SO WE CAN TAKE THE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.
SHOULD TAKE A ROLL CALL? WE GOT THIS VIRTUAL PARTIAL VIRTUAL WE'VE GOT TO DO IT BY.
[LAUGHTER] CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
SO NOW WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US THE NEED FOR A MOTION.
GIVE ME JUST ONE MOMENT TO FLIP BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS ITEM.
YEAH, I MOVE TO APPROVE, HERE, OK? I MOVE TO APPROVE SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 21-19-121 WOODWARD LIMITED DIVIDEND HOUSING ASSOCIATION BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000 SQUARE FEET.
SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I GUESS WE'RE READY TO VOTE ON THIS.
GREAT MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
NOW WE GO ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND I SAW MR.
[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
GEBES IS HANDING CARDS TO MR. PERRY.SO, MR. PERRY, DO WE HAVE CITIZENS? WE DO WE HAVE MR. MICHAEL HAMEL.
I JUST WANTED TO ACTUALLY THANK REPRESENTATIVE BRIXIE AND TRUSTEE OPSOMMER FOR THE GRACIOUS THINKING OF US WITH A $250,000 GRANT.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY AWESOME FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT WILL OFFSET SOME BUDGET MONEY IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER NEEDS WE HAVE.
SO IT'S REALLY A GRACIOUS GIFT AND I THANK YOU.
YOU ARE WELCOME, AND I'M NOT THE ONE YOU THANKED, OK.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ANYONE THAT'S PRESENT OKAY YOU GET UP TO 3 MINUTES NAME AND ADDRESS? YES, HELLO.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY GIFT OF TAKING HALF OF THAT ASSESSMENT, THAT IT TRULY IS APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM ALL OF THE HOMEOWNERS.
AND ONCE AGAIN I SAY, YOU'RE WELCOME.
OKAY ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS.
[02:45:02]
I DON'T SEE ANY.NOT ON THE VIRTUAL SIDE OF IT, EITHER.
THEN WE WILL GO ON TO OTHER MATTERS FROM THE BOARD.
OH I WANT TO MENTION AS PART OF THIS OTHER MATTERS FROM THE BOARD TO ASK MR.
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
PERRY TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS THAT SPOKE AT THE BEGINNING GETS THE INFORMATION TO WHERE TO GO.I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE WITH THEIR DRAIN COMMISSION OFFICE WITH REGARD [INAUDIBLE] DRAINS, ET CETERA.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE A RECORD WHO THAT WAS.
JUST A REMINDER FOLKS THAT MIGHT HAVE MISSED SEPTEMBER 14TH TAX DEADLINE, THAT WAS THE DEADLINE.
AND IF YOU MISSED THE DATE BY LAW, ONE PERCENT INTEREST PENALTY HAS BEEN ADDED TO YOUR TAXES.
AND BUT PLEASE COME IN THIS WEEK BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST BECAUSE ANOTHER ONE PERCENT WILL BE ADDED THAT DATE.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T YET PAID YOUR SUMMER TAXES, GIVE OUR OFFICE A CALL 853-4140 AND WE WILL TALK TO YOU AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP.
PLEASE, PLEASE CONTACT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
IF YOU'VE NOT YET PAID YOUR SUMMER TAXES, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T SEE ANY ENTHUSIASTIC HANDS COMING UP.
IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR AN EXCELLENT MEETING.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.