IT'S NOT DIRECTLY UNDER, IT'S SORT OF UNDER SOME TREES AND ANYWAY.
[00:02:47]
AND THAT'S WHERE HE'S BEEN EATING IT AND.I DON'T KNOW, THEY USUALLY HANG AROUND A BIG GROUPS.
HUH? YEAH, WHAT WOULD IT BE EATING A SNAKE? INTERESTING QUESTION.
THEY THEY HATE SNAKES, BUT THEY WON'T.
YEAH, MY CAT BIRD'S WELL, NOT MY CAT IS 10 YEARS OLD, I THINK HE'S GOT TWO BIRDS.
WHAT HE EATS BASICALLY IS CHIPMUNKS.
OH YEAH, BABY RABBITS IN A SEASON.
YEAH, AND SOMETIMES BABY SQUIRRELS.
YEAH, WE DON'T GET MANY MICE ANYMORE VOLES.
SOMETIMES THOSE OUTDOOR MICE THEY CALL GOLD MINE WOULD GO TO THE NEIGHBOR'S POND AND GET MICE AND BRING IT HOME.
OH, AND WAIT FOR US TO COME HOME AND SHOW US THAT HE CAUGHT IT.
AND HE'D EAT IT, AND HE WOULD ONLY EAT THE RABBITS HEADS.
THEY ALL NEED TO HAVE A SHOVEL AND TAKE THE BODY AND PUT IT IN THE GROUND.
I ASKED, WELL, I ASKED THE VET ABOUT THAT, EATING IT.
AND SHE SAID, ACTUALLY EATING THE HEAD IS THE HEALTHIEST THING BECAUSE IT'S GOT ALL KINDS OF NUTRIENTS AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY WORMS OR, OH, THAT'S TRUE, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PARASITES.
SO THEY USUALLY EAT THE HEAD FIRST.
BECAUSE THE BODY, THE LIVER, AND ALL THAT COULD HAVE SOMETHING IN IT, IN THE STOMACH.
WELL, OURS WILL EVENTUALLY IF YOU DON'T PICK IT UP RIGHT AWAY.
I MEAN, WE ALWAYS FIND THEM HEADLESS.
BUT IF WE DON'T DISPOSE OF THEM RIGHT AWAY A DAY OR SO LATER, IT'LL BE GONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HIM OR SOME OTHER ANIMAL.
YOU KNOW IT'LL BE A TAIL LEFT YOU.
ALL RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[1.CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:05:01]
THIS IS THE OCTOBER FIVE MEETING OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN BOARD.AND FOR ALL THOSE ABLE, PLEASE TURN TO THE FLAG AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND NOW WE NEED A ROLL-CALL, THE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY, IT'S THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FULL TIME PARAMEDIC
[4A. Introduction of New Full-Time Paramedic/Firefighter and New Part-Time Paramedic]
FIREFIGHTER AND A NEW PART TIME PARAMEDIC.YES, SIR.ANNE MARIE CURRENTLY WORKS IN DIAMOND DALE.
SHE CAME TO US A FEW MONTHS AGO, WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND REALLY FIT THE CRITERIA WE WERE LOOKING FOR IN A GOOD EMPLOYEE FOR THE FOR NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE.
SHE'S GOING TO WORK PART TIME FOR US AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND HER TO A FIRE TRAINING COME THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND THEN OUR GOAL WHEN SHE GETS THROUGH THAT IS TO HAVE HER START FULL TIME IN JUNE.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO FIRE SCHOOL AND WORK PART TIME AND THEN HOPEFULLY HAVE A FULL TIME POSITION OPEN NEXT YEAR FOR ME AFTER I FINISH.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU WITH US AND NORMALLY WE'D HAVE WE'D SHAKE HANDS.
BUT WITH COVID, WE'RE SAY HELLO TO YOU.
AND ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR FULL TIME IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN JOSEPH HAVILLAND, HE HE STARTED WITH US.
AND HE HAS A SICK CHILD AT THE LAST MINUTE THIS AFTERNOON, SO HE'S NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.
BUT JOSEPH HAS BEEN WITH US NOW FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
GRADUATED FROM DIAMOND DALE AND WENT THROUGH THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAM AT LCC AND A FIRE ACADEMY.
AND WE'RE JUST REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM ABOARD.
HE'S ALREADY FITTING IN PRETTY WELL AND VERY MOTIVATED AND AGAIN, THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB AND WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS A LONG TERM EMPLOYEE.
WE NOW COME TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA, NON-AGENDA ITEMS, AND UNLESS OUR NEW PART TIME PARAMEDIC WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY CITIZENS HERE, I BELIEVE.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.JUST A FEW THINGS GOING ON, WE ARE WRAPPING UP THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM.
WE'VE RAN INTO SOME ISSUES IN A COUPLE OF STREETS.
ONE OF THOSE IS GOING TO REQUIRE A MEETING OF THE MINDS THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUT ON THE STREET.
THE MARKETPLACE CONTINUES TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR US, HUGE CROWDS AT THE FARMERS MARKET AND WE'VE ADDED WEDNESDAY MUSIC TO THAT GROUP.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MOVE ALONG IN A GOOD FASHION AS LONG AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW IS SOME ISSUES WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS IN COMMUNITIES AND OTHERWISE THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG PRETTY WELL AT THE TOWNSHIP.
NO BIG ISSUES AT THIS TIME, SO THAT'S IT.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUE? SURE.
YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF THREW THAT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST.
I MEAN, PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE REMOVING CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FROM PARKED CARS.
SO, YEAH, SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP STEM THAT.
SO YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME ON AND OFF.
AND I THINK WITH THE RARE EARTH ISSUE, IT'S BECOME EVEN MORE PREVALENT.
YEAH, I WOULD POINT OUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON? OUR HEALTH CARE COALITION WORKING ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THAT LATER ON IN THE AGENDA WITH HEALTH CARE COSTS AND ALL THAT.
SO I'LL PASS OVER THAT AT THIS TIME.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
BOARD MEMBERS, REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.OH, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? I ACTUALLY JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR THE MANAGER ON THAT.
I DIDN'T ASK, DID YOU SAY THAT CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUE WAS RESIDENTIAL OR BUSINESS OR A COMBINATION? FROM WHAT I'VE READ, I DON'T KNOW.
CAPTAIN GRILLO IS HERE THIS EVENING AND HE COULD PROBABLY EXPOUND ON THAT MORE.
BUT I BELIEVE IT'S MORE RESIDENTIAL FROM WHAT I READ.
BUT THAT'S I JUST READ, BASICALLY READ A REPORT ON IT.
JUST FOR CONTEXT, I WAS ACTUALLY WORKING ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LANDSCAPE
[00:10:01]
COMPANY THAT REPORTED TO ME IN MY DAY JOB UP IN BATH TOWNSHIP THAT'S BEEN DEALING WITH THIS, BUT THAT'S A SERVICE YARD WHERE THEIR TRUCKS ARE PARKED OVERNIGHT.BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST I HAD HEARD ABOUT IT HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
IT'S KIND OF A CONTINUING ISSUE.
IT HAPPENED QUITE A BIT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
IT KIND OF WAXES AND WANES AS FAR AS THE HOW FREQUENTLY IT HAPPENS.
WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH AREA DETECTIVES AND WE SHARE INFORMATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY CATCH SOMEBODY AND TWO MORE POP UP.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
SO WE WORK WITH THE SCRAP YARDS TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, BUT AS FAR AS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, IT'S MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.
APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR AREAS WHERE IT HAPPENS AT AND THEN SOMETIMES AT THE BUSINESSES OVERNIGHT.
OK, NOW THE BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES OR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? SURE, I'LL GO FIRST.
SO WE DID HAVE A JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY OF EAST LANSING AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONERS LAST NIGHT.
DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY, DIRECTOR SCHMIDT, MYSELF AND THE CAPTAIN WERE PRESENT ON BEHALF OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE REST OF OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
THERE WAS A BROAD DISCUSSION ON JUST TRANSPORTATION RELATED ISSUES BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES.
BUT ALSO THE MAIN AGENDA ITEM OF THE EVENING WAS RECONFIGURATION OF THE LAKE LANSING, BIBER AND TOWER INTERSECTION.
SO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP, ESSENTIALLY IT'S DIFFICULT TO VERBALLY CONVEY THIS, BUT ANYBODY, ANY CITIZENS AT HOME THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROSPECTIVE PLAN COULD CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY, AND HE HAS THOSE PLANS.
THEY'RE ALSO IN THE MEETING PACKET FROM THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BUT TODAY IT OPERATES, WE CALL IT A SLIP LANE WHEN YOU'RE IN A LANE AND IT BASICALLY JUST MAKES A CURVE AND IT BYPASSES THE INTERSECTION, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE TRAVELING EASTBOUND, YOU CAN BYPASS THAT WHOLE INTERSECTION BY BEING IN THAT RIGHT HAND SLIP LANE, RIGHT? SO THE THE NEW CONCEPT IS WE WOULD CREATE A ROAD [INAUDIBLE].
SO JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH CENTRAL PARK, WITH NEWTON, WITH LAKE LANSING ROAD ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY AT HAGEDORN, WE WOULD HAVE THREE LANES, ONE THROUGH LANE IN EACH DIRECTION AND A CENTER RIGHT HAND TURN LANE.
AND THE WHOLE ROAD WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE A SLIP LANE.
HOWEVER, THERE WOULD BE TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN THE EVENT THAT PEDESTRIANS NEEDED TO CROSS.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME RECONFIGURING OF THE TOWER AND BIBER INTERSECTION, AND THAT WOULD FUNCTION KIND OF AS ITS OWN INTERSECTION DUE TO THE TRAFFIC VOLUME BEING GREATLY DIMINISHED.
BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF ALL OF THAT IS TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY, AND EAST LANSING HAS TRAILS TO THE SOUTHWEST, AND THEN WE'RE INSTALLING THE 10 FOOT PATHWAY AS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN ON THE NORTHEAST, NORTH OF TOWER ROAD UNTIL WE HIT THE THE TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY AND THAT CONNECTS TO TRAILS ON THE NORTH END OF THE CITY ADJACENT TO THE AQUATIC CENTER.
SO IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF TRAIL CONNECTIVITY GOING ON.
IT'S PIECEMEAL, BUT IT'S FILLING IN A HUGE GAP AND A TRAIL CONNECTION, BASICALLY ON THE BOUNDARIES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ROAD COMMISSION IS INVOLVED BECAUSE IT'S THEY'RE PREDOMINANTLY THEIR PROJECT AND THERE'S A FEDERAL SAFETY GRANT THAT WAS SECURED TO MAKE THE INTERSECTION ENHANCEMENTS POSSIBLE.
THE COUNTY ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO SO.
OVERALL, I WOULD SAY SENTIMENTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP WERE POSITIVE.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERN ABOUT KEEPING THE NORTH SOUTH PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK AND BIRCH ROW INTACT AND KEEPING IT IN THERE, AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ONE CROSSWALK THAT THE ROAD COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO SEE TAKEN OUT ACROSS THAT SLIP ROAD.
BUT I WOULD SAY THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OVERALL FAVORED KEEPING THAT CROSSWALK, AND IT IS IN THE CURRENT TENTATIVE PLAN.
SO I'D SAY THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST OVERVIEW I CAN GIVE VERBALLY OF A PRETTY COMPLEX INTERSECTION.
AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, I DO THINK THE ROAD COMMISSION DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF CAPTURING INPUT FROM BOTH EAST LANSING, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THE BICYCLE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE ON THIS AS WELL.
TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES, I WOULD JUST REPORT THAT I ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ANNUAL CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, I BELIEVE OF LAST WEEK.
I WAS JOINED, OF COURSE, BY CLERK GUTHRIE AND TRUSTEE SUNDLAND, AS
[00:15:09]
WELL AS MR. WALSH, I BELIEVE I'M NOT SURE I SAW ANYONE ELSE FROM THE TOWNSHIP THERE AT THE MEETING.I ALSO ATTENDED A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE WE APPROVED THE 2022 BUDGET FOR THAT ORGANIZATION AND CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE REGIONAL TIP PROGRAM.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE DDA MEETING THIS MORNING AS WELL.
OTHERS? MS. WISINSKI? I WANT TO THANK MR. WALSH AND DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR THE WETLAND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FUNDING LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD OUR THIRD MEETING WITH ALL OF THE EXPERTISE FROM BRANDI YATES TO HELP US GET A PLAN TOGETHER FOR WHAT AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS VERY COMPLEX ISSUE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS CONTRACTORS AND SOME OTHER DEVELOPERS THAT DO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE WETLANDS.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND WE'RE WORKING HARD.
TREASURER? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, I HAVE ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL TREASURERS ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN KALAMAZOO.
THIS PAST MONDAY WITH TRUSTEE JACKSON AND MANAGER WALSH ATTENDED THE DDA MEETING HELD IN THIS ROOM IN THE SAME ROOM.
THIS COMING THURSDAY WILL BE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OCTOBER MEETING RIGHT HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE MET IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND REGARDING THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, FOUND OUT THAT THE HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING DANCE WAS HELD THERE THIS PAST WEEKEND.
AND WHAT AN INNOVATIVE USE OF THAT SPACE AND A WAY TO HOLD THAT DANCE IN THE ERA OF COVID THE COVID PANDEMIC AND APPARENTLY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
SO IT'S A REAL TRIBUTE TO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF AND ALL THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
YEAH, THE OTHER ONE WE GIVE CREDIT TO ARE THE WEATHER PEOPLE BECAUSE I SAW THAT THEY WERE HAVING THAT AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA, IF IT DOESN'T RAIN AND IT TURNED OUT PERFECT.
CLERK? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.
I, TOO, ATTENDED THE MMO CONFERENCE.
I THINK THE MANAGER FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
IT WAS VERY, VERY GOOD CONFERENCE.
I THINK THE TWO BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS I HAD FROM THAT WAS ONE FRANK INTRODUCED ME TO AN AT&T PERSON, BROUGHT HIM OVER AND SAID, I KNOW WHO CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THESE GEEKY RIGHTS -OF-WAY STUFF AND WIRES AND TELECOM STUFF.
AND SO HE AND I ACTUALLY ENDED UP TALKING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, SO I WAS IN COMPLETE HEAVEN.
AND THEN, TOO, THERE WERE SOME REALLY GOOD EQUITY SESSIONS THAT I ATTENDED, AND SO I HAD A LOT OF TAKEAWAYS FROM FROM THOSE EQUITY SESSIONS.
AND I KNOW TRUSTEE SUNDLAND AND I BOTH ATTENDED A BUS TOUR OF SOME OF THE THE DOWNTOWN AREAS AND SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE WITH SOLAR.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN GRAND RAPIDS.
I KNOW THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THE MANAGER AND THE DEPUTY MANAGER, LEADING AN EXCELLENT AND DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THAT.
SO IT WAS VERY GOOD CONFERENCE AND I APPRECIATE BEING THERE.
OH, AND LET'S SEE, WE HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS MEETING TOMORROW AND I THINK THEY EXPRESSED WANTING TO CONTINUE WITH THE MERIDIAN MAGAZINE AND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WRAPPED UP OUR NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION MONTH.
AND WHILE THERE WASN'T A TON OF PEOPLE, I THINK WE DID HAVE GOOD PRESENCE AT THE MARKETPLACE AND WE DID HAVE PEOPLE REGISTER AND WE DID HAVE SOME PEOPLE, SOME ELECTION INSPECTOR APPLICATIONS, AND WE HAD ONE PERSON UTILIZE OUR CURBSIDE VOTER REGISTRATION HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WELL, ONE PERSON IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DRY RUN, I GUESS.
ANY OTHERS? MS. SUNDLAND? I ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND YES, THE MAIN TOPICS SEEM TO BE
[00:20:05]
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WAS LIKE THE THEME.IT WASN'T AN OFFICIAL THEME, BUT IT SEEMED TO BE IN A THEME OF THE WHOLE CONFERENCE AND JUST EXPLORING THAT FROM ALL ANGLES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS, WELL, IT WAS A GOOD CONFERENCE.
I'LL MENTION THAT I ATTENDED THE QUARTER IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MEETING, AND THE QUARTER APPROVAL AUTHORITY HAS WORKED WITH GETTING THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS THEY REDO GRAND RIVER TO ADD SOME CROSSWALKS.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A, ONE OF THEM LOCATED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN,I WON'T SAY EXACTLY WHERE, BUT IT'S BETWEEN THE OKEMOS AND THE MARSH INTERSECTIONS OF GRAND RIVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, ACROSS FROM THERE GENERALLY AND THEN TWO OF THEM ON FURTHER TO THE WEST DOWN TOWARDS WHERE WE HAVE BUSINESSES LIKE PLAYMAKER'S AND OTHERS.
AND THEN THERE'S THAT APARTMENT STUDENT APARTMENT AREA THAT WILL BE ONE DOWN AT THAT END.
THE OTHER THING THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'RE CONTINUING TO ASK TRANSPORTATION TO PUT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE BE ABLE TO MAKE LEFT TURNS TO GET OUT OF THE HAMILTON CEDAR BEND NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.
THAT AT THE INTERSECTION RIGHT NOW, WHERE YOU COME DOWN AND YOU MAKE THAT TURN AND YOU TURN THERE BUT A BLOCK SOONER BEFORE YOU GET TO THE PLAYMAKER'S, ET CETERA, BECAUSE THAT LINES UP WITH THE AN EXIT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS FROM OTTAWA HILLS.
AND IF YOU COULD PUT ONE THERE, THAT WOULD FACILITATE LEAVING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH LEFT TURNS AS WELL AS FROM THE HAMILTON AREA.
SO THEY'VE BEEN RESISTANT, BUT THEY CONTINUE WORKING [INAUDIBLE].
SO THE OTHER THING I ATTENDED, ALONG WITH TRUSTEE JACKSON AND OUR MANAGER WAS A MEETING WITH MSU'S PRESIDENT, SOMETHING THAT WE DO KNOW ONCE IN A WHILE USED TO BE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN IT WAS RECENTLY.
BUT PRESIDENT STANLEY IS ALWAYS VERY INFORMATIVE ALONG WITH SOME OF HIS STAFF.
KATHY WILBUR AND JANET LILLY AND.
WE TOLD HER ABOUT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP, THEY TOLD US ABOUT THINGS HAPPENING AT THE ON CAMPUS AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY WORTHWHILE SESSION.
I THINK ESPECIALLY PRESIDENT STANLEY BEING, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW MORE RECENT TO THE AREA.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO HEAR FROM OUR TOWNSHIP BECAUSE WE EMPHASIZE ALWAYS THAT PART OF THE CAMPUS IS IN OUR TOWNSHIP AND THE REST OF IT BORDERS THAT.
AND HE HE SEEMED VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR TOWNSHIP.
YES, MR. SUPERVISOR, YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT.
WE SURE HAD THE PRESIDENT STANLEY'S ATTENTION WHEN WE TOLD THEM ABOUT THERE BEING 1760 COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BEING RANKED NUMBER ONE AS THE PLACE TO LIVE BY NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE THAT DREW HIS ACTUALLY APPLAUSE ON THE ZOOM MEETING, IF I RECALL.
TWO OTHER THINGS I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IS YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME ACTIVITY AT THE OKEMAS CENTER IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AS YOU REMEMBER, THE BOARD APPROVED A NEW ROOF FOR THE OKEMOS CENTER, AND THAT'S FINALLY GOING TO GET GOING.
WE EXPECT IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS THE PROJECT TO GET STARTED.
AND ONE OTHER THING YOU DID RECEIVE A CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION REGARDING THE PRIMARY AND MAGAZINE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT ALL STARTED BECAUSE THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE HAS BEEN IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THE BUDGET AND CONTINUES TO BE IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S PLANNED FOR ONE EDITION IN 2022 AND THAT IT WILL OCCUR IN JANUARY.
IT'LL BE LENGTHY AND IT'LL FOCUS ON PRIMARILY THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE BOARD.
ONCE YOU SET THOSE IN DECEMBER, THE 2022 GOES OUT IMMEDIATELY IN JANUARY, EXPLAINING WHERE THE TOWNSHIP'S VISIONS ARE, ALONG WITH ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PLANNED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
ANY OTHER REPORTS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I NEED A MOTION.TRUSTEE JACKSON? I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
ANY OPPOSED? WE HAVE AN AGENDA.
FIRST, WE COME TO A CONSENT AGENDA AND IT HAS THREE CATEGORIES OF ITEMS
[9. CONSENT AGENDA ]
COMMUNICATIONS THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 21 REGULAR MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION? TREASURER? I MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
[00:25:02]
SUPPORT? SUPPORT.SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
WE NEED A ROLL CALL BECAUSE OF THE BILLS.
NO ATTORNEY HERE AT THIS TIME.
BUT WILL BE HERE LATER FOR A CLOSED SESSION.
[12A. IT Assessment Proposal]
WE HAVE SEVERAL AND NO ONE ON AN ACTION ITEM LIST IS THE IT ASSESSMENT PROPOSAL.AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE MR. PERRY.
SUPERVISOR STYKA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EATING MY MASK HERE POLICY.
AS THE MANAGER'S MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN NEED OF A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW.
I THINK EVERYONE'S PROBABLY IN THIS ROOM HAS EXPERIENCED SOME ISSUES WITH IT.
OUR IT DEPARTMENT DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MANAGING THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
THE PROBLEM IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED.
TO THAT END, ESSENTIALLY, THE MANAGER PUT TOGETHER AN IT REVIEW TEAM.
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
WE CONTACTED SEVERAL FIRMS TO TALK TO THEM, AND OUT OF THAT CAME A PROPOSAL FROM BRIGHTLINE IT INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO AN ASSESSMENT FOR US, A VERY COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR US AND TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WOULD LEAD US TO REALLY SPENDING THE MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO UPGRADE THE SYSTEM.
AGAIN, THE BOARD GRACIOUSLY ALLOCATED THOSE DOLLARS, BUT WE REALLY NEED A DOCUMENT IN A PLAN TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT AND THIS IS WHAT WILL GET US THERE.
SO TONIGHT, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REQUESTING THAT YOU APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO SIGN IT AND ALLOW US TO GET STARTED ON THIS ASSESSMENT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VERY MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS HERE AT THE ACT INFRASTRUCTURE.
I NOTICE WE DID NOT HAVE THIS FOR DISCUSSION AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
IS THIS TIME SENSITIVE? THEIR PROPOSAL DOES HAVE LIKE A DISCOUNT, BUT AGAIN, WE PROBABLY COULD WORK WITH THEM TO EXTEND THEIR PROPOSAL.
OUR THOUGHT IS IT'S OCTOBER NOW.
WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS GOING AND GET THAT EVALUATION MOVING.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT IT ON FOR ACTION.
IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ACTION TONIGHT, YES.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.? SO I ONLY HAD ONE QUESTION.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE THEY WORKED WITH? I ASSUME WE EXAMINE SOME OF THE REFERENCES AND GLEANED FROM THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES AND WHAT KIND OF OUTCOMES DID THEY SEE? JUST HIGH LEVEL, MORE HOLISTIC OUTCOMES.
DID THEY SPEAK TO US ABOUT THAT THEY ACHIEVED THROUGH THIS FRAMEWORK? THAT WAS VERY CRITICAL FOR THE REVIEW TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRM THAT WE HIRED HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO THE JOB.
SO WE DID TALK TO SEVERAL COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OUTCOMES AND THE DELIVERABLES THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE.
THE MANAGER SENT OUT A REQUEST ON THE MANAGERS LIST SERVE.
I'M SURE A LOT OF YOUR PROFESSIONS HAVE THOSE LIST SERVES, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS DOING A GREAT JOB FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES.
OK, WE NEED A MOTION MR. CLERK.
I MEAN, MR. DESCHAINE, THE TREASURER, PLEASE.
IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO HAVE THE REPORT BACK FROM [INAUDIBLE]? I WOULD SAY WE WOULD HAVE A REPORT WITHIN 60 DAYS.
I DO BELIEVE IT'S ACTUALLY IN THEIR PROPOSAL.
IT SAYS THREE MONTHS IN MY MEMO.
BUT THEY FELT THAT THEY COULD GET INTO OUR SITES AND GET IT DONE IF THEY'RE GIVING THEMSELVES A LITTLE ROOM TO MANEUVER.
THANK YOU.I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE TOWNSHIP TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT PROPOSAL PROVIDED BY BRIGHTLINE IT IN THE AMOUNT OF FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT.
ANYTHING MORE YOU WANT TO SAY ON IT? SO WHAT MADE BRIGHTLINE STAND OUT ABOVE THE OTHERS? AND WHY DO YOU THINK THEY'RE SUCH A GOOD FIT FOR OUR TOWNSHIP? I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE COMMITTEE HAD CONFIDENCE IN THEM THAT THEY COULD DO A VERY COMPREHENSIVE OVERALL REVIEW OF THE NETWORK.
SOME OF THE FIRMS THAT WE TALKED TO REALLY FOCUS MORE JUST ON THE SECURITY SIDE OF THINGS, AND WE NEEDED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT.
WE NEED THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE SYSTEM.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SWITCHES AND ALL THAT, THE CONNECTION SPEEDS AND THIS
[00:30:05]
COMPANY, I THINK WE WERE CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN DELIVER THAT FOR US.TRUSTEE JACKSON? I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US A LAYMAN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE DELIVERABLES THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? YEAH, SURE.
IT REALLY IS AN OVERALL REVIEW OF ALL THE SYSTEMS. SO THEY'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY WE GET AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE A WI-FI ASSESSMENT.
THEY ARE GOING TO DO THE VULNERABILITY REPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, I GUESS, NEFARIOUS WAYS INTO THE SYSTEM.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE FACILITIES EVALUATIONS, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER AN ASSET LIST, SO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WE HAVE.
ENDPOINT POINT IN ASSESSMENT, ACTIVE DIRECTORY ASSESSMENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT NETWORK TOPOLOGY ASSESSMENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR SERVERS AGAIN SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REPLACING OUR SERVERS, OUR HARDWARE ON THE FREQUENCY THAT WE SHOULD BE.
SO THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT TO SAY, WELL, LOOKS LIKE MERIDIAN'S ARE REPLACING THEM EVERY FOUR YEARS.
MAYBE IT SHOULD BE EVERY TWO YEARS.
THOSE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
LOOK AT CONNECTIVITY, STORAGE, BACKUP AND DISASTER RECOVERY.
SO SOFTWARE EMPLOYMENT, ACTUALLY OUR ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE NEED WHERE OUR GAPS IN OUR TRAINING, NOT ONLY FOR THE IT STAFF ITSELF, BUT MAYBE THEY COULD FILL IN SOME GAPS FOR SOME OF OUR STAFFING, TOO, AS FAR AS TRAINING AVAILABILITY AND THEN LOOK AT AGAIN OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
SO IT TRULY IS COMPREHENSIVE AND I THINK WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS COMPLETED AND PROVIDING THAT ROADMAP GOING FORWARD.
NO, I JUST I HAVE TO EVEN THINGS OUT.
YOU GOT TWO MORE TIMES TO DO THAT.
DIRECTOR PERRY, I SEE THAT IT TALKS A LOT ABOUT SITES AND I'M NOT SURE IF WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT SITES, IT'S TALKING ABOUT SITES AS IN DESK SITES WHERE PEOPLE WORK AND POLICE CARS, OR IF IT'S TALKING ABOUT SITES AS IN THIS BUILDING, THE POLICE BUILDING THE FIRE BUILDING, HARRIS NATURE CENTER.
LIKE IS IT? WHICH BUILDING SITES? ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MAYBE WHERE A QUARTER OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THE TOWNSHIP WORK.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE STATIONS.
WE HAVE THE SERVICE CENTER, THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, SO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE THINGS.
I WASN'T CLEAR FROM THIS, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
I WANT TO GET BACK TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI QUESTION.
AND JUST A LITTLE BIT THE QUESTION.
IF I RECALL WAS, WHAT MADE THIS COMPANY STAND OUT IN, MY ANSWER TO THAT IS WE WENT THROUGH THE COMPANIES IN MY MIND, IT'S NOT MY SPECIALTY AND MY FORTE I'VE EXPERIENCED IN SOME OTHER AREAS, BUT NOT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE THINGS I'D RANK HIGH.
SO REALLY, FOR ME, IN MAKING A DECISION, A RECOMMENDATION, IT WAS WHEN DIRECTOR GEBES WAS SATISFIED IN HIS REVIEW, SO HE REACHED A POINT WITH A COMPANY THAT HE WAS SATISFIED.
I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR TITHOF AND CHIEF PLAGA AND MANAGER PERRY AND DIRECTOR DAVIS FOR ALL THE TIME THEY SPENT ON THIS TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
WE'RE AT A VERY CRITICAL POSITION FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND MOVING FORWARD IS IT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
AND SO THAT'S TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
WHAT I BECAME COMFORTABLE IS WHEN HE BECAME COMFORTABLE.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? SO JUST ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WHEN I WAS REVIEWING BRIGHTLINE'S PROPOSAL IN THAT QUOTE THAT THEY PUT IN THE PACKET.
SO IT DOES TALK ABOUT INTERVIEWING STAFF AND WORKING WITH STAFF TO IDENTIFY NEEDS.
SO I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM NOT TO RUSH AND EXPEDITE THE 60 DAY NECESSARILY, SINCE THEY DO GIVE US THE THREE MONTH WINDOW.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THEIR SCOPE.
SO AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT SCOPE WHEN WE I JUST KNOW FROM MY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE WAS WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO HAVE A VIDEO CONFERENCE SLASH HYBRID IN-PERSON MEETING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP HALL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE JUST EXECUTING IT AND WORKING OFF OUR PHONES, RIGHT? SO A LOT OF THAT COMES DOWN TO JUST EVERY DAY TRIAL AND ERROR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
SO I SAY, LET THEM HAVE THEIR TIME, LETS US GET OUR MONEY'S WORTH AND LET THEM TALK TO AS MANY STAFF AS THEY CAN BECAUSE IT'S THOSE EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A CONFERENCE CALL LINE THAT STAFF CAN ACTUALLY WORK IN THE ROOM?
[00:35:02]
AND HOPEFULLY IT'S FAIRLY USER FRIENDLY, RIGHT? SO IT'S DOWN TO ALL THOSE LITTLE NUTS AND BOLTS.THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME.
I THINK WE STILL NEED A MOTION.
NO, IT'S IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED.
[12B. 2021 Halloween Hours]
THANK YOU, MR. PERRY.WE NOW COME ON TO ITEM 12B, WHICH IS THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE HALLOWEEN HOURS.
I NOTE THAT WE STILL DON'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM OUR STATE OR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WITH REGARD TO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE KIND OF WAYS OF TRICK OR TREATING THIS YEAR.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY SET THE HOURS AND I SEE THAT OUR CAPTAIN IS UP THERE.
I BELIEVE CHIEF PLAGA TOLD ME TO RELAY TO YOU GUYS THAT WE ARE DOING HALLOWEEN AS WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER YEAR.
OKAY, SO YOUR OFFICERS WILL BE OUT THERE MAKING SURE OUR LITTLE ONES ARE? AS ALWAYS, SIR.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE TRICK OR TREATING ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2021 FROM SIX TO EIGHT P.M.
YES, MS. WISINSKI? I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR CAPTAIN OR MAYBE MANAGER WALSH, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY EVENTS THAT WE'RE, AS A TOWNSHIP, HOLDING THAT WOULD CONGREGATE A CROWD? SO DO WE HAVE ANY HALLOWEEN EVENTS HAPPENING? THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING ON HOLDING OUR NORMAL HALLOWEEN OPEN HOUSE ON THE 30TH.
WE DO HAVE SOME MEASURES IN PLACE THIS YEAR.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD THE BUILDING COMPLETELY PACKED, THE LOBBY PACKED.
WE DON'T WANT THAT THIS YEAR, SO WE HAVE AN EVENTBRITE EVENT SET UP FOR THAT SO THAT FAMILIES CAN SIGN UP FOR SPECIFIC TIMES.
WE'RE LIMITING GROUPS TO SIX PEOPLE IN A GROUP, AND THEY'RE LEAVING ABOUT 10 MINUTES IN BETWEEN EACH GROUP SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE CONGREGATION THAT WE NORMALLY HAVE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE LESS PEOPLE COMING THROUGH BECAUSE OF THAT, AND IT'S GOING TO BE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.
BUT THERE IS A PLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE BIG CROWDS.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP BUILDINGS, YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
SO ALL OF THOSE PROTOCOLS WILL BE IN PLACE, EVERYBODY WILL BE SCREENED BEFORE THEY CAN COME IN.
DO WE KNOW WHETHER FIRE IS DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT? I'M NOT SURE.
ANYONE ELSE? THEN WE WILL VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO SET HALLOWEEN HOURS FROM SIX TO EIGHT ON OCTOBER 31ST SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE HAVE HALLOWEEN HOURS, AND ONCE WE GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, WE WILL PUT OUT THROUGH OUR MEDIA SECTION AND INFORMATION.
OK, WE COME TO DISBURSEMENT OF 2022 HEALTH CARE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND
[12C. Disbursement of 2022 Health Care/Health Savings Account]
WE HAVE SOMETHING TO CALL OUT FOR THAT.SO BACK IN 2011, THE STATE PASSED PA 152, WHICH WHICH ESTABLISHED A HARD CAP.
AND THAT HARD CAP IS THE CEILING FOR THE AMOUNT THAT AN EMPLOYER MAY PAY FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE.
AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR 10 YEARS.
EVERY SINCE THAT POINT, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S COST FOR HEALTH CARE HAVE FALLEN BELOW THE HARD CAP.
SO THEREFORE, THERE'S WHATEVER YOU WOULD CALL THAT THE SURPLUS, THE AMOUNT, THE AMOUNT THAT'S LEFT OVER, AND IN THE PAST, THE PAST PRACTICES OF THE TOWNSHIP WOULD TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND WE PROVIDE THOSE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO DO SO.
WE WOULD DIVIDE IT UP BY THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, SINGLE TWO PERSON FAMILY AND PROVIDE THAT IN A FORM OF AN HSA PAYMENT.
IT IS IN OUR UNION CONTRACTS THAT IF THERE'S AN HSA AGAIN, THAT'S UP TO WELL, IN THE PAST, IT'S BEEN UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
BUT I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT IT NOT BE A POLICY DECISION BY THE BOARD.
AND AS LONG AS I'M THE MANAGER HERE, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD FROM THIS POINT FORWARD BECAUSE WE'VE JUST BEEN MAKING A DECISION UNILATERALLY AND A COUPLE OF OFFICES.
OH, WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'LL DO WITH IT, AND WE JUST FEEL IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
SO THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION OF WHY IT'S HERE TONIGHT AND WHY IT HASN'T
[00:40:01]
BEEN IN THE PAST.IT'S PROBABLY BEEN AN, IT HAS BEEN AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART.
NO ONE ELSE IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD.
SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 10 YEARS.
WE'VE ALWAYS TAKEN THE FUNDS AND RETURN THEM TO THE SORT OF THE TEAM.
THE QUESTION BEFORE IS, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THAT PAST PRACTICE? AND IF YOU DO, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE IN DOING THAT? AND THE AMOUNT? I THINK THE THE AMOUNT THAT WERE UNDER THE HARD CAP IS AROUND 233 THOUSAND.
THE HARD CAP THIS YEAR IS 1.6MILLION AND OUR TOTAL HEALTH CARE IS COMING IN ABOUT 1.455.
KEEP IN MIND, THOUGH, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE DENTAL AND OPTICAL COST, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR OPT OUT.
SO IF AN EMPLOYEE CHOOSES NOT TO TAKE HEALTH CARE, DOESN'T WANT US TO SPEND NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THEM, THEY GRACIOUSLY TAKE FORTY FIVE HUNDRED IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT.
AND SO WE GIVE THAT EMPLOYEE FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED.
BUT THE EMPLOYEE WHO WANTS HEALTH CARE, WE SPEND NINETEEN THOUSAND.
SO THE OPT OUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE OPT OUT IS APPROXIMATELY 60, ROUGHLY 60 EMPLOYEES.
IT'S ABOUT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED SHORT OF A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO IF YOU ADD IN THE COST OF THE HARD CAP AND THE COST OF DENTAL AND OPTICAL AND THE COST OF MEDICAL AT 1.4, IT'S JUST OVER 1.9 MILLION CLOSE TO $2 MILLION FOR OUR TOTAL HEALTH CARE COST.
RIGHT NOW, WE PAY THE FULL PREMIUM FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, FOR HEALTH CARE.
AND SO THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS THERE'S THIS AMOUNT.
THIS LEFTOVER IS ABOUT 230 THOUSAND.
WE'RE COMFORTABLE AND RECOMMENDING APPROXIMATELY 202 THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT.
THE BOARD COULD SAY IT'S UP TO YOU.
I MEAN, THE OPTION TO YOU IS LIKE.
WHATEVER THE AMOUNT IS, AND WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT YET THAT COULD FLUCTUATE BY FIVE EIGHT TEN THOUSAND BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON EXPERIENCE RIGHT OF ALL OF OUR MEDICAL COSTS.
SO THAT NUMBER COULD FLUCTUATE.
THE QUESTION BEFORE TONIGHT IS DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE A 100 PERCENT OF THAT BUT UNDERSTAND IF YOU DO THAT, THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL COSTS AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
IF JANE LEAVES AND COLLECTS HER PAYMENT IN JANUARY AND JANE DECIDES TO LEAVE IN FEBRUARY AND WE HIRE JOE TO REPLACE JANE, WE'VE GOT TO PAY JOE FOR THAT APPROACH, CORRECT? A MILE UNTIL JULY.
SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL COST EVERY TIME THERE'S A CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT.
SO I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT WOULD BE AN ESTIMATE WOULD BE.
WELL, WE ASK THE WE ASK OUR THIRD PARTY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WITH A GOOD NUMBER FOR THAT WOULD BE AND THEY THOUGHT ABOUT 15 THOUSAND.
SO THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS, FIRST OF ALL, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH PAST PRACTICE AND PROVIDING THAT TO THE IN FORM OF AN HSA? AND IF YOU DO, DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, WHATEVER THAT X IS, THAT AMOUNT, IT'LL BE AROUND 230 THOUSAND.
OR DO YOU WANT TO RETAIN PROVIDE IT, BUT YOU WANT TO RETAIN 15 THOUSAND OF THAT TO PROVIDE FOR THAT EMPLOYEE TURNOVER THAT WILL OCCUR IN 2022 AND THE PAYMENTS WILL END UP BEING ROUGHLY AROUND TWENTY TWO HUNDRED, TWENTY ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS RIGHT IN THERE FOR A PERSON WITH A TWO PERSON OR FAMILY COVERAGE.
AND OUR DEDUCTIBLE IS 28 HUNDRED.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOTAL COST FOR HEALTH CARE FOR THE TOWNSHIP, IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 19 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT COULD BE OUT OF POCKET FOR AN EMPLOYEE FOR A FAMILY THAT USES A WHOLE DEDUCTIBLE WOULD BE ABOUT SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS WOULD BE THE TOTAL AMOUNT THEY WOULD PAY.
SO THE TOWNSHIP PAYS 19 THOUSAND AND THE EMPLOYEE PAYS ABOUT SIX HUNDRED.
THAT'S HOW THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PAYS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OPTICAL AND THE OPT OUT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING, AND WE REALLY AGAIN HAVE THIS TIME FOR ACTION BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW THIS NUMBER BECAUSE THEN WE GO TO OUR HEALTH CARE COALITION AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM, WHICH IS A MEMBER FROM EACH OF OUR UNIONS AND THEN OUR NONUNION EMPLOYEES GET TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A HEALTH COALITION GROUP AND THEN WE NEED TO MOVE INTO GETTING PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR 2022.
SO I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A LONG WINDED, BUT THAT'S KIND OF OUR OVERVIEW OF HEALTH CARE IN THREE MINUTES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU NEED US.
THE NUMBER YOU GAVE OF TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE TWO OR SEVEN.
IT'S IN THIS MEMO, RIGHT? THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS OR WHAT? WHAT'S THE STORY THERE? YEAH.
SO THERE WAS A TYPO IN THE MEMO.
THE 207 THOUSAND DOLLARS AT THE BOTTOM SHOULD ACTUALLY BE THE 202, THE NUMBER THAT IT ACTUALLY CAME BACK AND IT WAS AROUND 233 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEN THEY DID MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE STUDY AND THE NUMBER CAME IN AT AROUND 218 OR 219, AND WE TOOK 15 THOUSAND OFF OF THAT.
[00:45:02]
SO THE AMOUNT IS BASICALLY, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT'S LEFT OVER AND THAT NUMBER COULD BE 218, 219, 230? WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL EXPERIENCE STUDY DONE.DO YOU WANT TO GIVE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OR WHATEVER THE FINAL NUMBER IS OR THE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT MINUS 15 THOUSAND? THAT'S THE QUESTION FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
THE PROPOSED MOTION IS WRITTEN IN A FORM FOR FOR A DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
INSTEAD, A MOTION MAKER SHOULD SHOULD ASSUMING THEY WANT TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID, MAKE A MOTION FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT OR A HUNDRED PERCENT MINUS FIFTEEN THOUSAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND YEAH, AND I, YOU KNOW, I WISH I YES.
OK, BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION.
MR. OPSOMMER? I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TEN IN HEALTH CARE SAVINGS BE PASSED ON TO THE TEAM IN THE FORM OF HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT ALLOCATIONS FOR THE 2022 CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, TO MAKE SURE MY MATH IS RIGHT, I'M JUST TAKING.
I TOOK THE TWO HUNDRED TO SEVEN 10 AND I PUT THE 15 ON.
JUST BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OR AN ALLOCATION, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT ALL THAT BE ALLOCATED, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE FULL AMOUNT CORRECT BASED ON OUR CURRENT ACTUARIAL FOR THIS.
YOUR MOTION WOULD PROVIDE A RIGHT NOW.
OUR BEST GUESS IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT NOW.
IF IT COMES IN, IT GETS TRICKY.
BUT IF IT COMES IN, IF THE NUMBER ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, LEFT OVER IS 214,800.
I MY GUESS IS YOU WANT US TO PROVIDE IT 214,800 YOU WANT.
TO PROVIDE 100 PERCENT OR WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, WHAT'S LEFT OVER.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, THERE'S NO RETAINING IS BASICALLY WHAT YOUR MOTION IS SAYING.
THAT IS MY INTENT IS LET'S ALLOCATE THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE'RE UNDER THE CAP, HOWEVER, THAT SHAKES OUT ONCE WE HAVE ACTUAL VERSUS ESTIMATES.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS CAN SPEAK TO THEIR INTENT.
WHY DO WE WANT TO REWORD YOUR MOTION THEN? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT SAYS 217 THOUSAND SAID, DO WE WANT TO? I COULD MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THE INTENT IF WE WANT TO REPLACE THE MOTION ON THE TABLE OR JUST, YEAH, JUST REPLACE THE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WITH THE 100 PERCENT.
I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO ALLOCATE 100 PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT UNDER THE HARD CAP AND HEALTH HEALTH CARE SAVINGS BE PASSED ON TO THE TEAM IN THE FORM OF HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT ALLOCATIONS FOR THE 2022 CALENDAR YEAR.
IT'S MINUS THE FIFTEEN THOUSAND.
I'LL LEAVE THAT DISCRETIONARY FOR THE I MEAN.
SO IN A SENSE, THE QUESTION IS MR. OPSOMMER, DO YOU WANT US TO WHATEVER X IS THE NUMBER THAT'S LEFT OVER, WHICH WE'LL KNOW IN THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS? DO YOU WANT US TO PROVIDE THAT NUMBER OR SHOULD WE TAKE A RETAINING OFF THAT AND HOLD THAT BACK? DO YOU WANT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT OR DO YOU WANT? WITH A CHANGE OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND FOUR? SO AS I UNDERSTAND YOUR MOTION, IT WOULD BE TO DOUBLE PAYMENTS TO AUTHORIZE 100 PERCENT LESS FIFTY THOUSAND IN HEALTH CARE SAVINGS, BE PASSED ON TO THE TEAM, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
ALTHOUGH ABOUT FIFTEEN THOUSAND IN PART ENDS UP GETTING PASSED ALONG TO THE TEAM ANYWAY.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION.
SO YES, IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN READ THE MOTION ONE MORE TIME.
I THINK MS. GUTHRIE WOULD APPRECIATE.
OKAY, SO FOR IS, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT IN HEALTH CARE SAVINGS BE PASSED ON TO THE TEAM WITH AN AMOUNT IN THE SUM OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND BEING RETAINED FOR STAFF TURNOVER IN THE FORM OF HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT ALLOCATIONS FOR THE 2022 CALENDAR YEAR.
HOW'S THAT? ARE YOU STILL SECONDING IT? YES, SECOND.
RIGHT NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THAT FISCAL THING STRAIGHTENED OUT.
MR. OPSOMMER? SO FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS.
THANK YOU TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS BEFORE AN AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD LAST YEAR, TRUSTEE JACKSON AND SUPERVISOR STYKA BEING THE OTHER AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALONG WITH MYSELF AND THEN SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WITHIN THE MACHINE AND MANAGER WALSH.
SO THE INTENT HERE ALL ALONG, WHICH I LOVE THE PREMISE AND I LOVE THE INTENT WE'RE TRYING TO COVER, AT LEAST TO THE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STATE LAW ALLOWS US DEDUCTIBLE PAYMENTS AND WE DO HAVE A REASONABLE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DEDUCTIBLE FOR THOSE THAT NEED THE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO COVER THAT AND WE'RE GETTING NEAR NEAR 100 PERCENT PAYMENT OR COVERAGE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE DO COVER 100 PERCENT OF THE PREMIUM.
[00:50:03]
AND I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A LOT OF EMPLOYERS HAVE GONE TO AN 80/20 ARRANGEMENT ON PREMIUMS. SOME IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR PROBABLY REQUIRE MORE THAN 20 PERCENT, BUT EVEN STATE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING MORE TO AN 80/20 RULE ON THE PREMIUM PAYMENT.SO WE ARE STILL IN VERY GOOD STANDING AND COVERING 100 PERCENT OF THE PREMIUM.
MY ONLY THOUGHT ON THIS POLICY, AND I'VE TALKED TO THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS, WE'VE SPOKEN TOGETHER ABOUT THIS AND I'M JUST GOING TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO CONSIDER.
SO IF OUR INTENT IS TO HELP EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP AND THEIR DEPENDENTS ON THEIR HEALTH COVERAGE PAY DOWN THEIR DEDUCTIBLE.
WE DO HAVE RIGHT NOW IT'S A POLICY AND IT'S ACTUALLY A POLICY IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, SAYS MANAGER WALSH NOTED.
WHERE WE PAY OUT BY ANNUALLY, SO WE PAY OUT IN JANUARY AND JULY.
SO FOR THE VAST MAJORITY, PROBABLY NINETY SEVEN PERCENT, THOSE PAYMENTS BEING STAGGERED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WORKS PERFECTLY.
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T INCUR THAT KIND OF MEDICAL BILL.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SINGLE PERSON INCURRING, YOU KNOW, $800 IN MEDICAL BILLS IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR WHERE THEY RUN OUT THAT DEPOSIT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES THAT WILL IF YOU HAVE RETRAINED THERAPY, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL SPEECH OR PT, ET CETERA, OR IF THERE'S INTENSIVE FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INPATIENT HOSPITAL STAYS OR VERY COSTLY.
SO SOME THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BURN THROUGH THAT FIRST PAYMENT, THEN GO OUT OF POCKET AND THEN THEY'LL GET THAT SECOND DEPOSIT IN JULY, BUT THEY'LL HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND THEY HAVE THAT.
IT'S THERE FOR MEDICAL, FOR CO-PAYS AND FOR SOME MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT YOU PURCHASE OVER THE COUNTER PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT INCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP THEM PAY THEIR DEDUCTIBLE.
SO MY ONLY THOUGHT IS THAT WE LOOK AT THAT AND CONSIDER JUST DOING THE PAYMENT IN JANUARY.
THE DOWNSIDE TO THE MANAGER'S POINT WOULD BE THEY MIGHT COST US AN ADDITIONAL LIKE FIVE THOUSAND A YEAR WHERE YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYEE LEAVE PRIOR TO JULY AND THEY TAKE THAT FULL PAYMENT WITH THEM INSTEAD OF HALF THE PAYMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT LEAVE RIGHT AFTER THE SECOND PAYMENT TODAY IN JULY, AND WE'RE STILL BASICALLY THE SAME AMOUNT, BUT OUR PREPARATION IS REDUCED FOR THAT NEW EMPLOYEE.
SO THERE COULD BE A MODEST FISCAL IMPACT, BUT.
SO THERE'S A PROTOCOL, I'M LIKE ANYTHING, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO PROBABLY A FEW FAMILIES, NOT MANY OVERALL.
AND IT WOULD BENEFIT A FEW THAT MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE POLICY.
SO THOSE ARE THE PROS AND CONS AS I SEE IT.
BUT IT'S JUST ONE THOUGHT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I KNOW MY HOUSEHOLD WOULD BLOW THROUGH THE DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT IN ANYWHERE FROM A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS.
WELL, WHAT IF SAID THAT'S THAT THAT'S POSSIBLY A SECOND MOTION THAT COULD BE MADE AFTER WE'RE DEALING WITH THE FIRST MOTION AT THIS POINT, ANYTHING MORE OF A MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS FOR THE THE FULL AMOUNT MINUS THE THOUSAND.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER MOTION YOU WANTED TO MAKE, OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PUT IN FRONT OF THE MANAGER AT THIS POINT? I WAS JUST SEEING IF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAD ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR INPUT ON IT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT WELL, MR. THE ISSUE AND I'D LIKE THE MANAGER TO WEIGH IN AS WELL.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE FOR THE MANAGER, DO WE HAVE THE DISCRETION FOR A FAMILY TO TRUSTEE OPSOMMER DESCRIBED IT THROUGH THEIR WHOLE DEDUCTIBLE TO PROVIDE THE SECOND HALF OF IT EARLIER IN THE YEAR IF THE IF THE FAMILY EMPLOYEE HAD REQUESTED IT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I'VE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT TO THAT BECAUSE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER RAISED THAT QUESTION YESTERDAY.
MY CONCERN WITH THAT IS IS THAT THAT TO ME INVITES SOMEONE TO HAVE TO COME IN WITH THEIR HEAD DOWN INTO THE H.R.
OFFICE AND SAY, OH, I'VE HAD THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY GET INTO ALMOST LIKE WANTING TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE.
AND I JUST IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
IT'S RELEVANT, BUT I JUST AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SETTING THAT UP FOR, IF YOU'RE ONE
[00:55:03]
OF THOSE THAT YOU KNOW AND ALMOST SUGGEST EITHER, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A COMFORTABLE SITUATION FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TO COME INTO HR AND START TALKING ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEY ALMOST FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED OR I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.I'D RATHER IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, I'D RATHER IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO.
I'D RATHER YOU JUST DO IT AND NOT SET UP WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS.
LET ME ASK YOU RIGHT NOW YOU SAID IT'S IN OUR BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE STARTED TO PAYMENTS.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH REGARD TO THE THE UNIONS, THEN TO CHANGE IT TO ONCE A YEAR.
CORRECT, WE'D HAVE TO GET THEM TO JUST DO A LETTER OF AN AGREEMENT ON THAT.
OK, WITH THAT OVER MS. WAS ASKING JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU DID GO THROUGH THAT VERY FAST.
YOU'VE CLEARLY DONE YOUR RESEARCH, BUT CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE DEDUCTIBLE IS? MANAGER WALSH? SURE.
SO THE DEDUCTIBLE FOR A SINGLE, I BELIEVE, IS EIGHT HUNDRED AND THE FAMILY ARE TWO PERSON COVERAGE IS TWENTY EIGHT HUNDRED.
I BELIEVE A FAMILY AND TWO PERSON.
IT'S DIFFERENT IN THE THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SETS THE DEDUCTIBLES AND THE WAY THAT THE P ONE POINT FIFTY TWO CREATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEVEL LIKE IT USED TO BE.
THERE WAS A TWO PERSON IN THE FAMILY, BUT NOW IT'S JUST A TWO PERSON IS CALLED A FAMILY, SO IT CHANGES.
THE MAXIMUM DEDUCTIBLE FOR A FAMILY IS TWENTY EIGHT HUNDRED.
TO THAT POINT, I DO AGREE, AGREE WITH TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? MY PERSONAL IS I'VE GOT A MOM WITH CANCER, I'VE GOT A SISTER IN RECOVERY AND A HUSBAND THAT PLAYED FOOTBALL FOR SO MANY YEARS.
SO WE EASILY IN ALL THREE OF THOSE FAMILIES COULD SPEND THAT MONEY, ALL WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS, JUST BASED ON THE ONGOING CARE.
I WOULD ALSO AGREE WITH MANAGER WALSH.
IT WOULD DOESN'T SEEM EQUITABLE FOR A FAMILY OR A PERSON OR AN EMPLOYEE HAVE TO COME IN AND ASK FOR THAT.
SO I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS PROVIDING THE ENTIRE PAY UP FRONT, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE IS A RISK OF SOMEBODY LEAVING.
HOWEVER, WE'VE GOT FIFTEEN THOUSAND RETAINER TO COVER THAT RIGHT.
IS THAT WHAT THAT RETAINER IS FOR? NO MISUNDERSTANDING THE 15TH? WELL, IT'S CONFUSING.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $2 MILLION IN HSA AND DEDUCTIBLES AND ALL THAT.
I'M PROBABLY CONFUSING YOU TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT.
BUT THE FIFTEEN DOLLARS SET ASIDE IS FOR AN HSA AMOUNT FOR SOMEONE WHO COMES AND GOES LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT COMES IN JANUARY AND THEY LEAVE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR PAY FOR THEIRS, THIS IS DIFFERENT.
THIS IS LIKE IF YOU PAID SOMEBODY THE FULL TWENTY TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS IN JANUARY AND THEY LEAVE TWO MONTHS LATER THAT WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THAT EMPLOYEE WHO LEFT, WHICH ALSO BEGS THE QUESTION THAT WHAT IF IT WAS JULY 2ND, RIGHT? SO YEAH.
IT'S YEAH, THERE'S A RISK INVOLVED.
WHAT IS OUR TURNOVER RATE AT THE TOWNSHIP FOR EMPLOYEES? OH, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S THROWING A DART AGAINST THE WALL AND TYPICALLY, I WOULD GUESS, AND DIRECTOR TITHOF WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I WOULD SAY 15 TO 17 WOULD BE MY GUESS, ROUGHLY JUST UNDER 10 PERCENT.
WE HAVE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE FULL TIME.
YEAH, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE A MOTION, BUT MR. AND THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE MANAGER IF WE INCREASE THE CHANGE TO 20 THOUSAND IS THAT THE NO? DID YOU HEAR TRUSTEE OPSOMMER MS. COMMENTS CORRECTLY THAT YOU THOUGHT THIS WOULD ADD ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS OF COSTS, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT RETAINER, RIGHT? YEAH, I'M COMFORTABLE AND I LOOK AT THINGS FINANCIALLY AND I LOOK AT THINGS THAT TRY TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR, FOR, FOR ALL I HAVE.
WE HAVE NINE UNION TRYING TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BUT I'M COMFORTABLE FINANCIALLY.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE SITTING AT THIS TABLE WELL, WE WERE SITTING AT THIS TABLE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO WHEN OUR FUND BALANCE WAS 5.2 MILLION AND NOW IT'S OVER $8 MILLION.
SO AND WE'VE PAID OFF OUR RETIREE HEALTH CARE, WE'VE PAID OFF OUR TOWNSHIP PENSION.
SO IF THE BOARD DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO DO THIS IN ONE PAYMENT, I'M COMFORTABLE
[01:00:04]
WITH IT.AND REGARDLESS OF THE MOTION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, IT'S THE 15TH.
I'M COMFORTABLE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS IN ONE PAYMENT.
MR. OPSOMMER? I WOULD MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THAT THE PAYMENT SCHEDULE BE MOVED FROM BIANNUALLY TO ONCE ANNUALLY IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
MS. JACKSON? THIS IS JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR ME.
SO THE HSA, AS YOU CALL IT, THE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT IS WHERE THIS OVERAGE GOES ALLOTTED PER EMPLOYEE? I SEE, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GO TO TO TAKE IT OUT TWICE A YEAR OR ONCE A YEAR.
MR. OPSOMMER? AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, LIKE MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, MY EMPLOYER PUTS NOTHING IN.
SO BUT I HAVE THE OPTION OF PUTTING IN MONEY PRETAX, RIGHT? AND THEN I CAN USE THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY ANYTHING FROM TOILETRIES, SO IT GETS AS BROAD AS TOILET PAPER UP TO, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WOULD USE IN THE BATHROOM, BUT PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, CO-PAYS.
IT'S USUALLY HOW AN EMPLOYEE WOULD SET AMOUNT, SET ASIDE THEIR OWN PAY AND ESPECIALLY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
YOU'D SET ASIDE YOUR OWN PAY TO PAY DOWN YOUR DEDUCTIBLE SO THAT YOU SAVE THE TAX ON IT.
SO THE WAY THAT WE'RE USING IT IS INNOVATIVE IN THAT REGARD, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER PLACES DOING, AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT LIKE THE ONLY PLACE, BUT IT IS FAIRLY UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE.
WELL, I WAS SAYING US PUTTING MONEY IN FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO COVER THE DEDUCTIBLE BECAUSE USUALLY IT'S YEAH, YOU CAN SET IT UP ON YOUR OWN IF YOU WANT AS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR OWN PAYROLL, CHECK IN.
AND YES, OUR EMPLOYEES CAN STILL PUT MONEY IN, BUT FOR SOME, THAT MAY NOT SPEND THEIR WHOLE DEDUCTIBLE DOWN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THEY CAN USE ANY REMAINING BALANCE TO BUY SOME OF THOSE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, RIGHT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? TO ME TO BUY CERTAIN ESSENTIAL GOODS TAX FREE? AND IT'S I MEAN, THAT'S A STATE POLICY BECAUSE WE DON'T TAX GROCERIES.
IF YOU WANT TO BUY PROCESSED FOOD, IF YOU WANT TO GO BUY PREPARED FOOD AT MCDONALD'S, YOU PAY SALES TAX.
IF YOU GO IF YOU GO BUY PRODUCE OR OTHER GROCERIES AT [INAUDIBLE], YOU WON'T PAY SALES TAX.
SO WE DO HAVE A LONGSTANDING PRACTICE OF TRYING NOT TO TAX ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES IN MICHIGAN.
MS. GUTHRIE, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA, I JUST HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR THE MANAGER.
DID YOU SAY THAT THE OPT OUT THAT EMPLOYS NAMES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE HARD CAP, CORRECT? OR DOES THAT COME FROM IT? IT COMES FROM.
SO WE BUDGET THE FINANCE OFFICE BUDGETS UP TO THE HARD CAP.
OK, SO WHATEVER THE HARD CAP IS, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET FOR HEALTH CARE, IT MIGHT BE 1.9 MILLION.
SO THAT INCLUDES THE MEDICAL, DENTAL AND OPTICAL.
AND THIS WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP JUST THIS WEEK.
WELL, WHERE IS THE HSA AMOUNT? WELL, THE HSA AMOUNT IS INCLUDED IN THERE BECAUSE WE BUDGET TO THE HARD CAP.
SO THE HARD CAP IS ALL COST PLUS THE HSA.
I BELIEVE IN DIRECTOR MATTISON, CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, I BELIEVE THAT THE THE OPT OUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THERE, BUT IT'S BUDGETED SEPARATELY IN THE DIFFERENT BUDGETS, IN THE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS WITH THE [INAUDIBLE].
SO THE FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED, LET'S SAY, FOR INSTANCE, TWO PEOPLE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE DON'T TAKE HEALTH CARE, THIS IS JUST A FOR INSTANCE.
DON'T TAKE HEALTH CARE, THEN THAT NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS WOULD BE A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET UNDER HEALTH CARE.
SO THERE'S A HEALTH CARE NUMBER.
HER JOB IS TO LOOK AT ALL ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE EMPLOYEES IN EVERY HEALTH CARE LINE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIRTY TWO OF THEM TAKE HEALTH CARE.
OK, THIRTY TWO TIMES THE NINETEEN THOUSAND EIGHT OF THEM DON'T.
EIGHT TIMES FORTY FIVE HUNDRED.
THERE'S YOUR HEALTH CARE NUMBER.
SO IT'S ALL IN THE SAME LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET? I BELIEVE NO DIFFERENT LINE ITEM FOR OPT OUT.
YEAH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SEPARATE LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET FOR THE OPT OUT THE FOR FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU.I DIDN'T THINK I HEARD THAT CORRECTLY.
DID YOU HAVE POINT, MR. OPSOMMER? JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY IT AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE THE OPT OUT DOESN'T COUNT TOWARDS OPT OUT PAYMENTS IN AGGREGATE.
DON'T COUNT TOWARDS THE HARD CAP BECAUSE WE'RE IT'S JUST BASICALLY PAYROLL TAX OR BASICALLY PAYROLL TO THE EMPLOYEE.
LEGALLY, IT'S NOT HEALTH CARE, AT THAT POINT? CORRECT.
SO IT'S NOT A CALCULATION IN THE HARD CAP TOTAL.
TRUSTEE JACKSON? I HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
I'M CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT YEAR WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION FOR, BECAUSE IN YOUR MEMO, YOU TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR HARD CAP OF 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS FOR 202 1E.
AND SO THIS DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING TONIGHT, APPLIES FOR BOTH YEARS? NO, THE DECISION YOU'RE MAKING FOR TONIGHT, THIS IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE SETTING NUMBERS BASED ON EXPERIENCE FOR 2022.
IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR WE GET WE MEET WITH OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
THE STATE COMES DOWN WITH A HARD CAP NUMBER AND THAT'S FOR TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
SO WHAT'S BEFORE US TONIGHT? RIGHT NOW, IF EVERYTHING GETS APPROVED IS IN JANUARY, THE HSA AMOUNTS WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR AT ONE TIME IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
THESE NUMBERS HERE, THE ONE POINT SIXTY FIVE EIGHT, DOES NOT INCLUDE MEDICAL OR DENTAL, WHICH BUMPS THAT UP TO ABOUT ONE POINT NINE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OPT OUT AT ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO YOU'RE AT TWO MILLION OR TWO POINT ONE TOTAL TOTAL HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING OPT OUT AND THE THE HEALTH CARE COST RIGHT NOW IS ONE POINT FORTY FIVE.
ONCE YOU ADD IN THE DENTAL AND OPTICAL AND ALL THAT IS THAT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
OKAY, I'M STILL A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THE STATEMENT THAT THE TOTAL HEALTH CARE COST FOR 2022 WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILLION.
OKAY, SO THAT THAT INCLUDES THE 1.455, WHICH IS MEDICAL ONLY AND ADDING ON THE DENTAL AND OPTICAL AND THE OPT OUT, THE OPT OUT, WHICH IS ABOUT A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND.
YOU ADD THOSE THREE, 2 TO THE 1.455 AND YOU GET 2.2 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HORRIFYING.
IS IT OK FOR TREASURER DESCHAINE AND MYSELF TO VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A BENEFIT FOR SINCE WE ARE THE TWO TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS WHO COULD BENEFIT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S.
YOU COULD RAISE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE BOARD CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE THINK YOU HAVE ONE OR NOT OR ONE THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
I GUESS ANOTHER WAY OF PUTTING IT.
I GUESS I'M RAISING IT SINCE I'M ASKING I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXCLUDE THE TREASURER AND THE CLERK FROM THIS VOTE, OR WE SATISFIED THAT THEY CAN BE IMPARTIAL IN THIS? WELL, THAT'S TRUE.
AND THERE'S THE BUT STILL, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY OBJECTION FOR THE RECORD? I SEE NO ONE.
OKAY, SO YOU NOTED I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT UP.
WELL, YEAH, YOU NOTED THE MINUTES THAT NOBODY HAD AN OBJECTION FOR FOR THE PRIOR WALSH OR THIS ONE.
ALL RIGHT, THEN LET'S HAVE A VOTE ON THE CHANGING EVERYTHING, TO JANUARY INSTEAD OF TWO PAYMENTS.
ITEM FOR THE FIRST ONE IS ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY MEANT FOR US TO COME UP WITH SOME
[13A. American Rescue Plan Act Funding]
IDEAS AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD, NOT AT THE ACTUAL PLAN ITSELF, BUT ITS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING AND HOW WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER SPENDING THOSE FUNDS OR PLANNING TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS.MR. WALSH, YOU WANT TO BRING THIS UP OR COMMENT ON IT? SURE, THANK YOU.
WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE ABOUT FOUR POINT FIVE BILLION IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TO APPROPRIATE AND SPEND THOSE
[01:10:01]
FUNDS.THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS ON IT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN SPEND IT ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN BROADBAND.
YOU KNOW, WATER, SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP TODAY THAT I'M LOOKING INTO IS, ARE YOU ABLE TO ALLOCATE THAT TOWARDS PARKS? BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS A WHOLE LOT MORE.
WE WANTED TO GET THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS BEFORE WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU, AND NOW WE'RE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS OR BRINGING THIS TO YOU.
I KNOW TRUSTEE JACKSON AND I SPENT SOME TIME TOGETHER LAST WEEK AND SHE BROUGHT UP SOME POINTS.
SHE'S BEEN PRETTY INVESTED IN THIS ISSUE IS LOOKING INTO THE DIFFERENT WAYS AND DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT METHODS THAT COMMUNITIES ARE GOING ABOUT THIS.
SO JUST WHEN THEY PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO GIVE THE BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO START TALKING ABOUT WHAT PROCESS DO YOU WANT TO USE AND HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THIS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO DETERMINE WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND WHEN AND WHY? SO THAT'S IT.
TALKING DOLLARS AND ALLOCATION WITH JUST.
WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED FORWARD TO FIGURE THAT ALL OUT.
MS. JACKSON, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT FIRST THEN SINCE YOU'VE RAISED THIS? I WOULD OFFER THAT IN MANY I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES, CITIES AND WHAT ANY, ANY USE AND THE LIKE HAVE BEEN APPROACHING THIS ISSUE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ENCOURAGED VERY STRONGLY IS THAT IT IS AN OPEN PROCESS.
IT IS ORGANIZED OPEN PROCESS WHERE YOU ENCOURAGE AND ENGAGE WITH YOUR LARGER COMMUNITY ON HOW THE FUNDS ARE MAYBE USED AND CERTAINLY INCLUDE THEIR THEIR IDEAS AND YOUR DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT TYPICALLY CALLS FOR A AS I'VE BEEN SEEING TOWN HALL TYPE OF OF SESSIONS REMAINED IN MY MIND DO SOME FREE PREPARATION REFRAMING OF THE ISSUE AMONG OURSELVES AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PRESENT THAT TO THE PUBLIC AS A PLACE TO START AND A SET OF POINTS TO CONSIDER IN THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND OFTEN.
AND SO IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH MR. WALSH, I WAS VERY STRONGLY SUPPORTED AND STILL SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF PROCESS AND DETERMINING HOW TO SPEND WHAT ARE INTENDED TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FUNDS THAT COULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL TO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAY IS THAT FIRST, WE KIND OF COME UP WITH A GENERAL IDEA OR FRAMEWORK FROM THIS BOARD AND THEN WE GO FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC.
TO THE POLLS OR SOME OTHER SIMILAR TYPE OF MECHANISM FOR THEM TO EITHER INPUT OR MAKE OTHER SUGGESTIONS? RIGHT.
MR. OPSOMMER, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? YEAH.
SO STARTING POINT THAT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT I THINK WOULD DOVETAIL INTO TRUSTEE JACKSON'S CONCEPT IS STARTING WITH A WORK SESSION.
DO LIKE ONE OF OUR TRADITIONAL WORK SESSIONS AND HOPEFULLY HERE IN LIKE A MONTH.
I THINK WHAT WOULD BE CONSTRUCTIVE IS IF EVERYBODY AT LEAST COMES UP WITH IDEAS AND PUTS THEM ON THE TABLE.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AS AN IDEA IS, YOU KNOW, THE POWER LINES, THE CONSUMER POWER LINES ON OKEMOS ROAD THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN.
SO BUT I MEAN, THERE SHOULD BE IDEAS ON THE TABLE SO THAT WE COULD GO THROUGH IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, AN AGENDA OF SOME JUST IDEAS JUST TO DO SOME INITIAL VETTING AND TO START TO COMPILE THE LIST.
I MEAN, WE HAVE PRETTY BROAD FRAMEWORK AND MMO.
MEIJER WALSH AND DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY COULD PROBABLY GET A MEMO, JUST DID A VIDEO CONFERENCE WITH STATE LAWMAKERS ON.
THEY WERE TRYING TO EDUCATE STATE LAWMAKERS ON WHAT LOCAL UNITS CAN AND CAN'T DO.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME BUDGETARY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY EVEN THAN SOMETIMES THE LAW ALLOWS.
FOR INSTANCE, IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL, I THINK, FOR US TO USE THE ARPA FUNDING FOR A MOTOR POOL.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, BACKFILL AN OBLIGATION THAT'S ALREADY THERE, THAT FREES UP GENERAL FUND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
I KNOW DELHI IS LOOKING AT DOING WATER AND SEWER MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
I THINK BROADBAND WOULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD PUT ON THE LIST IN ADDITION
[01:15:03]
TO THE DOWNTOWN.BUT I'LL CONTINUE THINKING ON THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PROCESS.
PROCESS WISE, AT THIS POINT, WHAT I'M THINKING IS THAT WE FIRST HAVE STAFF INPUT TO THE MANAGER AND BOARD INPUT TO THE SUPERVISOR, AND THEN THE TWO OF US PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH THE LIST THAT YOU WERE JUST MENTIONING MR. OPSOMMER.
AND THEN WE THEN VET THAT AS A BOARD IN A WORK SESSION TOGETHER WITH THE HELP OF OUR MANAGER AND STAFF.
AND THEN WE AT THAT POINT, WE THEN GO TO A MEETING WHERE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND THEN GO TO ONCE WE GOT IT MORE SOLIDIFIED, GO TO THE PUBLIC WITH OUR TOWN HALLS AND LOOK FOR THEM TO EITHER ADD TO, SUBTRACT FROM OR GIVE THEIR INPUT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IS THAT HOW DOES THAT SOUND SO FAR? MR. TREASURER? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA BEHIND TRUSTEE JACKSON'S IDEA OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.
I THINK WE MIGHT NEED TO DO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING, THOUGH THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT IN THE WINTER FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT VERY DIFFICULT AND FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT.
WE JUST HAVE COME ACROSS A VERY GOOD PUBLIC SURVEYING COMPANY AND MAYBE WE TAKE SOME OF THESE ARPA FUNDS AND WE REENGAGE WITH THEM TO IN ESSENCE, CREATE A PUBLIC MEETING OF SORTS WHERE WE TAKE A HAVE THEM TAKE A RANDOM SAMPLE AND AND VET THESE IDEAS WITH THEM.
AND THEN WE GET A REAL REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE BACK FROM THEM AS TO WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
IF WE JUST WAIT TO SEE WHO SHOWS UP HERE FOR A PUBLIC MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO GET VERY SKEWED RESULTS, THEN WE MAY GET NONE AT ALL.
BUT HONESTLY, AND BEING BOTH WINTER AND COVID.
SO I THINK WE DO NEED TO MAYBE MAKE SOME EXTRA EFFORTS TO FIND OUT HOW THE PUBLIC FEELS ABOUT THIS.
AND THAT WOULD MEAN DOING A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN JUST ANNOUNCING IT THAT THERE'S A PUBLIC MEETING THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO.
BUT I LIKE WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR.
I THINK WE'RE ALL, A STUDY SESSION WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE.
BUT LET'S PREPARE FOR THE STUDY SESSION SO THAT WHEN WE MEET FOR THOSE TWO HOURS, WE MAKE THE BEST USE OF.
STAFF INPUT TO THE MANAGER AND ALL OF THEM TO ME.
AND THEN WE'LL PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER.
THE LIST OF WHERE OUR WORK SESSION AS MR. OPSOMMER WAS SAYING AND THAT CAN GO ON THE LIST AND BE PREPARED FOR IT, WORK OUR WAY THROUGH IT, NOT JUST BE SPINNING OUR WHEELS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PUBLIC HALL TOWN HALL AT DIFFERENT TIMES, DIFFERENT DAYS, SO THAT CAN MAYBE REACH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
HOW DO OTHERS FEEL ABOUT ADDING A SOME SORT OF SURVEY ASPECT TO THIS THAT THE TREASURER JUST BROUGHT UP? MS. WISNIEWSKI? I DO WANT TO SAY SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU'VE ALREADY SAID, SUPERVISOR AND ALL OF THE IDEAS FROM THE THE BOARD.
WHILE TREASURER DESCHAINE WAS TALKING, I WAS THINKING, WE ALREADY HAVE A SURVEY THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE.
I'D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY, BUT ADDRESS MAYBE SOME OF THE THE GAPS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE CALL IT A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO SIMILAR TO AN EVALUATION, YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THOSE NEEDS OR THOSE GAPS FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
BUT WE MAY ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IN THE SURVEY WE JUST COMPLETED.
SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, AND FOR ME, I'LL REVIEW THAT AND I KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL.
CLERK GUTHRIE PEOPLE FELT ABOUT BROADBAND AND MAYBE SOME OTHER TOPICS THAT WE THIS MONEY COULD BE USED FOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S INCORRECT OR IF THAT'S THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE SURVEY WAS ABOUT, BUT I ALSO CONCUR WITH WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID.
I LOVE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID AND I ALSO LIKE TO.
AND MANAGER WALSH PROBABLY HAS A BETTER PULSE ON THIS WITH ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT HE ATTENDS, HOW OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME IDEAS, OR MAYBE WE HAVE THE MANAGER USED TO HOST THESE BREAKFASTS WITH THEM.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE THERE'S A MEETING HE COULD HAVE WITH THE CHAIRS OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS AND MAYBE COLLECT THEIR IDEAS AS WELL AND GET THEIR INPUT? MAYBE THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT OR CAN EXPAND UPON IDEAS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT SORT OF MEETING HAPPEN.
WE COULD CERTAINLY PUT THE WORD OUT TO ALL THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, NOT NEXT, BUT AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AT THEIR MEETING, THEY DISCUSSED THIS AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING TO SAY TO US AS WELL.
[01:20:01]
MR. OPSOMMER, YOU WERE NEXT.SO I'M A SURVEY SPECIFICALLY CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED.
WE DID HAVE ONE QUESTION AND THEY WERE KIND OF WE ESSENTIALLY ASKED I WAS TRYING TO PULL IT UP, BUT I COULDN'T GET IT PULLED UP IN TIME.
WE DID ESSENTIALLY ASK, WHAT IS THAT LIKE SERVICE THAT YOU REALLY WANT AND PROVED RIGHT.
IT KIND OF GOT AT THIS AND IT HAD LIKE FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT, AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO COME UP WITH IDEAS THAT AREN'T THERE.
SO WE COULD DECIDE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY IDEAS DO WE COME UP WITH THAT AREN'T THERE ON THAT QUESTION VERSUS HOW MANY ARE THERE? AND MSU WAS RELATIVELY CHEAP COMPARED TO KOBALT FOR THE SURVEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GO BACK TO MSU IF WE SEE MERIT THERE.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS AND HOW MANY IDEAS WE COLLECT OVERALL.
JUST BECAUSE 4.5 MILLION IS NOT THAT MUCH, SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT OUR ROAD MILLAGE IS 40 MILLION.
WHEN YOU PUT IN THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION OVER THE 10 YEARS AND THE NEW ROAD MILLAGE, IT'S $40 MILLION IN 10 YEARS.
SO ARPA IS ONE TENTH OF WHAT THIS BOARD DID IN 2019 AND WHAT OUR VOTERS DID WITH 60 PERCENT SUPPORT.
SO THIS ISN'T EARTH SHATTERING MONEY.
I THINK IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, A BANG FOR OUR BUCK IS IN A FEW ITEMS, MAYBE ONE OR TWO EVEN.
BUT JUST TO THROW AND I, YOU KNOW, CONCEPT OUT THERE, WE ALSO HAVE TO THERE HAS TO BE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO LIKE ONE THING, I'D BE CURIOUS OF WHAT POTENTIAL PARK STAFF THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT THE FARMER'S MARKET, FOR INSTANCE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY, WE HAVE LIKE NO EXCESS CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECOGNITION TOO.
AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW IF THERE'S NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO IT DOES DIRECTOR MAISNER THINK YOU KNOW THERE'S MERIT TO ANY KIND OF EXPANSION THERE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A ONE TIME CAPITAL OUTLAY.
SO BUT MOST OF THE PUBLIC WOULDN'T KNOW UNLESS YOU'RE A VENDOR TRYING TO GET IN THAT YOU CAN'T GET IN AND YOU'RE ON THE WAITING LIST ALREADY.
BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO COMPLICATING FACTORS, YOU KNOW, CONSUMERS ENERGY POWER LINES.
WE DON'T CONTROL THAT FARMER'S MARKET.
WE DON'T CONTROL THE LAND ADJACENT TO THAT.
SO THERE'S ALL THESE COMPLICATING FACTORS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, TOO.
BUT I LOVE THE IDEA AND I LOVE THE THOUGHT OF, I THINK TOWNHALLS WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I THINK THE DIALOG.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD DIALOG CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT STAFF CAN ADDRESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD COMMUNITY DIALOG BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN DIALOG ABOUT, WELL, WE HAVE THIS MONEY.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT? THAT'S MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL.
RIGHT? WELL, THE PLAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS TENTATIVELY THAT DIALOG WOULD BE HAPPENING AT A POINT WHERE WE HAD THINGS SOMEWHAT NARROWED SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE, ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC OBVIOUSLY CAN BRING UP NEW IDEAS, ETC.
IT WOULD NOT BE ALL WILD CONJECTURE TO TURN TO SENATOR DIRKSEN'S UPSIDE DOWN.
YOU KNOW WHO SAID, YOU KNOW A MILLIONAIRE HERE, A MILLION THERE PRETTY SOON YOU GET REAL DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, IF WE SPEND A FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE FOR TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND THERE, PRETTY SOON WE'VE GOT NO DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
OK, TREASURER? WE DID SEE A STRONG RESPONSE TO BROADBAND ON OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THAT THERE WAS GOOD INFORMATION OUT THERE.
PUSHING BROADBAND IS A TERM THAT WE.
HOW WOULD WE DEFINE THEM? GOOD GOVERNMENT IS A TERM, PEOPLE AGREE, EVERYBODY AGREES.
A GOOD GOVERNMENT IS A GOOD IDEA.
FOR SOME PEOPLE, GOOD GOVERNMENT MEANS NO GOVERNMENT AT ALL.
I MEAN, IT'S SMALL OUT OF MY WAY, GOVERNMENT, OTHER PEOPLE.
I MEAN, GOOD GOVERNMENT MEANS, YOU KNOW, FULL SERVICE STAFF.
THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'VE GOT ALL THE GOVERNMENT THEY'RE EVER GOING TO NEED.
SO WE'VE GOT TO DEFINE ONCE YOU DEFINE WHAT THIS BROADBAND IDEA IS AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR THEM WITH TAXES.
THAT'S THE QUESTION I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE TO OUR VOTERS.
BEFORE YOU PROCEED WITH BROADBAND, THAT'S GIVEN A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION ON BROADBAND.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT THIS FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TAXES IF THAT IS THE PROPOSAL THE BOARD COMES UP WITH, OTHER THAN THE GENERALLY NEBULOUS IDEA OF BROADBAND EVERYONE LIKES BROADBAND.
BROADBAND IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS SOCIETY WE'RE IN TODAY.
WITHOUT BROADBAND YOU, YOU'RE OUT OF TOUCH WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.
SO THE CONCEPT WE ALL AGREE WE NEED.
QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE PROPOSING WHEN WE SAY BROADBAND TO OUR VOTERS AND THEN TO BACK UP TRUSTEE OPSOMMER $4 MILLION IS GOING TO GO PRETTY DARN QUICKLY.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO OFFER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T OFFERING 40 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF IDEAS WHEN WE'VE REALLY ONLY GOT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS YEAR TO SET EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH.
AND THEN PEOPLE COME BACK AND SAY THEY WASTED THOSE THAT MONEY.
WE JUST SET EXPECTATIONS TO A LEVEL THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET.
OK, I THINK WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD FRAME.
MS. WISINSKI? SO I CAN DO MY HOMEWORK.
WHAT IS OUR TIMELINE FOR FOR, I GUESS, APPROPRIATING THESE DOLLARS? LOTS OF TIME.
[01:25:01]
YEAH? YEARS.SO WE CAN SPEND SOME TIME ON THIS AND STILL HAVE A SPEND.
TRUSTEE? I WOULD JUST ADD TO A COMMENT TO WHAT TRUSTEE WISINSKI HAD TO SAY LATELY IN SOME OF THESE FORUMS I'VE BEEN GOING TO FOR INFORMATION AND THE LIKE.
TAKE YOUR TIME AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
WHEN TIME'S AVAILABLE, USE IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN FINE TUNE AS WE GO ALONG.
I THINK WE'VE GOT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY GOOD START.
AND WE WILL HAVE IN YOUR PACKET NEXT TIME A KIND OF A SUMMARY WHERE WE ARE NOW AND AND WE CAN THEN DISCUSS A LITTLE MORE AND FIND TO IT.
WE NOW GO TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM OF THE APPRECIATION PAGE.
[13B. Appreciation Pay]
I WILL MENTION THAT THE MANAGER HAD INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND WE ALL APPROVED IT A PAYMENT PROSPECTIVELY TO TRY TO RETAIN OUR WORKERS.AS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE HAVE A TURNOVER OR SOMETHING LIKE 10 PERCENT OR SO OR WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BECOME A BIGGER PROBLEM EVERYWHERE IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS COUNTRY.
POST COVID, FOR SOME REASON, THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF TURNOVER, A LOT OF PLACES THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING EMPLOYEES AND THE MANAGER CAME UP WITH AND WE ALL APPROVED IT.
THOUSAND-DOLLAR PAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND ARE HERE AGAIN AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR SO THAT THEY'VE STAYED WHAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED IN YOUR PACKET, YOU SHOULD HAVE SUPPLEMENT FROM THE CLERK THAT THERE ALSO SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF APPRECIATION PAY FOR LAST YEAR, THE YEAR THAT WE'RE ENDING, WHICH WAS ANOTHER ONE, ANOTHER COVID YEAR.
AND I WILL MENTION THAT AS A FORMER PUBLIC EMPLOYEE FOR 40 YEARS, I ALWAYS COULD USE ANOTHER DOLLAR, ALWAYS APPRECIATED ANYTHING THAT COME MY WAY.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT BUDGETS ARE BUDGETS AND YOU GOT TO BALANCE WHAT YOU CAN GET AND HOW YOU CAN GET IT AND HOW OFTEN YOU CAN GET IT, ET CETERA.
AND THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE VALUE SOMETIMES THAN GETTING A RAISE.
THAT'S A PERCENTAGE OF BASE PAY OVER A LUMP SUM THAT COMES AND THEN DISAPPEARS.
AND AND THEN YOU DON'T SEE IT AGAIN AND IT DOESN'T GET ADDED TO YOUR BASE PAY.
SO THIS WHOLE IDEA IS A LITTLE BIT TOUGH FOR ME.
I KNOW OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ALWAYS UNDERPAID.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM GET MORE MONEY.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A WE'RE NOT AN UNENDING WELL OF WEALTH, UNFORTUNATELY, AND WE CAN'T ALWAYS PAY EVERYBODY WHAT WE WANT TO PAY THEM, BUT WE DO WHAT WE CAN.
SO WITH THAT, MS. GUTHRIE HAS PROPOSED, THOUGH, THIS ADDITIONAL PAY FOR LAST YEAR, AND I'LL LET HER TAKE IT FROM THERE.
LIKE YOU SAID, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AT THE SEPTEMBER 21ST MEETING APPROVED A THOUSAND DOLLAR RETENTION.
YOU MET FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED BETWEEN FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2022 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2022, AND I COMMEND THE MANAGER FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD, FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE ON AND FOR THINKING OF A RETENTION PLAN AND THINKING OF THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND SOME IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN RETAIN EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF OTHER IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THAT THE MANAGER HAS WORKED ON THAT I THINK THE EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
AND I THINK THE BOARD HAS BEEN APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE IDEAS AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED, DRESSING DOWN.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AND IMPLEMENTED.
AND I KNOW EMPLOYEES APPRECIATE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
AND WE'VE HEARD FROM MANAGER WALSH THE APPRECIATION FROM EMPLOYEES NOT ONLY FOR THE FLEX, THE FLEX TIME, BUT ALSO FOR BEING ABLE TO DRESS DOWN AND ALSO THE THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD BUDGETED.
BUT WHAT WE FELT AND YOU KNOW, AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS PROBABLY WAS TRIGGERED FROM THE CONFERENCE AND MANY OF THE EQUITY SESSIONS THAT WE ATTENDED IN THE LARGE, THERE
[01:30:04]
WOULD SEEM TO BE LIKE TRUSTEE SUNDLAND SAID EARLIER, THERE SEEMED TO BE A THEME OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY INCLUSION AT THE CONFERENCE.AND SO WE FELT THAT NOT ONLY DO DO WE THINK EMPLOYEES NEED, SHOULD HAVE THIS THOUSAND DOLLAR RETENTION PAYMENT NEXT YEAR, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THIS YEAR TO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR THEM AND TO HAVE A ONE TIME PAYMENT THIS YEAR AS WELL.
WE FELT IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR AND I'M AND PROBABLY SPEAKING OUT, THE MANAGER CAN CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I'M THINKING THIS IS SORT OF A PLAN THAT HE HAS FOR RETENTION INTO THE FUTURE OF HOW WE CAN DO THINGS.
AND SO WE PUT TOGETHER THIS MEMO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT WE WANT THE STAFF.
I THINK COLLECTIVELY, I KNOW COLLECTIVELY THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL, ALL THAT THEY'VE THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH WORKING FROM HOME, WORKING FROM HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AT HOME, BALANCING ALL OF THAT, PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICES FOR OUR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE TIME.
BALANCING, YOU KNOW, WORKING THERE FOR STILL WEARING MASKS AT THE TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW.
THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO WORK AN EIGHT HOUR DAY WITH THE MASK ON.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE NOT REMISS TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HERE AND THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH DURING THIS TIME AND THEIR RESILIENCY AND SO.
SO IT WAS OUR SUGGESTION TO TO DO AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT A ONE TIME PAYMENT FOR EACH OF THE EMPLOYEES AND TO DISCUSS THAT AND AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING MAYBE ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER HAS A BROADER IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE INCREASES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS YEAR.
I DO WANT TO MENTION YOUR MEMO SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MAY HAVE MISLED THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD'S DIRECTION.
I UNDERSTOOD TOTALLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND DID NOT MR. MANAGER, MIGHT WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
MS. JACKSON? I FULLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL THAT IS BEFORE YOU, PARTLY BECAUSE I SAW IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR A PAYMENT AT THE END OF 2021 THE DESCRIPTION AS AN INCENTIVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
AND IN MY MIND, WE HAD MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY.
I FELT LIKE WE HAD MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE ACCOMMODATIONS MADE BY ALL OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO KEEP MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S OPERATIONS GOING AND AVAILABLE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT EFFORT.
THE CHANGES IN THEIR WORK HABITS, HOW THEY HAD TO LEARN, HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK FROM HOME AND WORK IN THE BUILDING WITH THE INCUMBENT RISKS THAT OCCUR AND BEING OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
THESE KINDS OF THINGS WERE PRESENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK THAT THE SUCCESS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS HAD OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IN MAINTAINING SUCCESSFULLY ITS SERVICE AND OBJECTIVES FOR SERVING THE PUBLIC ARE DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE WILLINGNESS OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO UNDERTAKE THE KINDS OF ADAPTATIONS THEY NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND SO I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF, NOT OF OF A ONE TIME APPRECIATION AWARD TO DEMONSTRATE HOW MUCH
[01:35:06]
AND HOW IMPORTANT ALL OF THOSE CHANGES AND ADAPTATIONS HAVE MEANT TO THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.
SO IN MY PLACE OF WORK, WE DO DO THE ONE TIME THEY'RE NOT BUDGETED AND THEY'RE NOT KNOWN TO STAFF IN ADVANCE, BUT WE DO DO HOLIDAY BONUSES.
THEY COME IN THE DECEMBER PAYROLL, THEY'RE NOTIFIED OR STAFF ARE NOTIFIED IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE GET LIKE A ONE MONTH NOTICE ON IT.
SO IT IS PAID OUT KIND OF LIKE AN AD HOC BONUS, NOT AS A RETENTION BONUS, BUT I DO WORK IN SOMEWHAT OF AN UNORTHODOX ENVIRONMENT.
THE HOUSE HAS A UNIQUE AND UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT TO WORK IN IN MANY RESPECTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN OTHER PLACES DO GENERIC BONUSES, BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
SO I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THIS.
IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THE BOARD WANTS TO GO, I DO WANT TO THROW OUT JUST FOR EVERYONE'S OPTION IN CONSIDERATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HISTORICALLY LOOK BACK, WHEN YOU GO BACK PRIOR TO THE GREAT RECESSION, PRIOR TO 2008, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE INSTANCES WHERE THE TOWNSHIP WOULD DO THREE PERCENT RAISES OR OTHER RAISES.
WE ACTUALLY INSTITUTED PAY FREEZES.
AND OF COURSE, A LOT OF POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED DURING THE GREAT RECESSION, WHEN REVENUE ACTUALLY FELL.
IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY UNCOMMON FOR A LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT THAT RELIES PREDOMINANTLY ON PROPERTY TAXES TO HAVE DECLINING REVENUE.
SO WE HAD DECLINING REVENUE AND WE ELIMINATED POSITIONS THROUGH ATTRITION AND PUT PAY FREEZES IN.
AND THEN I THINK IT WAS 11 OR 12 WHERE WE ACTUALLY STARTED DOING RAISES AGAIN AND WE'VE BEEN DOING TWO PERCENT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT DOESN'T KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.
SO WHEN THE MANAGER PROPOSED WHAT'S IN THE 2022 BUDGET, I SAID I THOUGHT IT WAS PHENOMENAL BECAUSE I THOUGHT FOR A ONE TIME THING, FLAT ADJUSTMENTS OR LUMP SUM PAYMENTS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO REFER TO IT.
THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF EQUITY IN IT.
I DIDN'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO HOW OR WHEN OR WHY IT WENT OUT.
I WAS LOOKING MORE ABOUT THE EQUITY AND HOW IT WAS ALLOCATED, BUT MY ONLY OTHER THOUGHT ON THAT WAS LONG TERM.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE US GET BACK TO A 2.5 OR A THREE PERCENT ANNUAL INCREASE.
AND I'D LIKE THAT TO BE SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IS TYPICALLY IN THAT TWO TO FOUR PERCENT RANGE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, ONLY ON THE BEST YEAR IN TERMS OF INFLATION ARE WE REALLY MEETING COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT WE PROVIDE PHENOMENAL SERVICES LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH OUR BENEFIT PACKAGES AND THE FLEX TIME THAT THE MANAGER IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT WAS AT THE REQUEST OF STAFF.
SO THAT ALL ORIGINATED WHEN TWO YEARS AGO, IN 19 WE HAD STAFF COME TO MANAGEMENT DUE TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME AND WHEN IT GETS DARK AND NOT WANTING TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES AT NIGHT.
SO SOME OF OUR STAFF DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO THE TOWNSHIP HALL AND THEN THAT KIND OF EVOLVED INTO MORE OF THIS FLEXIBLE BEFORE AND AFTER WORK.
BUT ALL OF THAT IS TO SAY, LIKE I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IS, DO WE WANT TO LOOK MORE HOLISTICALLY AND WHEN DO WE WANT TO LOOK BROADER AND TALK, YOU KNOW, WITH MANAGEMENT IN THAT RESPECT? OR IT COULD BE A COMBINATION.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO GIVING OUT THE LUMP SUM ALLOCATION.
I DO THINK THAT TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES WORK VERY HARD FOR OUR CITIZENS.
I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK MANAGEMENT IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES AND EMPOWER THEM.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AGAIN TONIGHT WITH THE IT SYSTEMS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TRYING TO EQUIP THEM AND WITH THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND DELIVERING CUSTOMER SERVICE.
BUT DURING MY TIME ON THE BOARD, WHAT I'VE GENERALLY SEEN IS PHENOMENAL CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM OUR STAFF.
WHEN RESIDENTS CALL IN, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC WORKS OR WHETHER IT'S PARKS AND REC OR WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE'S SOME PHENOMENAL STORIES FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND HOW THEY SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO CERTAINLY I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I WOULD JUST THROW OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE'S CONSIDERATION, THE MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH AND HOW WE LOOK AT THIS AND FORECAST THIS LONG TERM BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US GET TO A SUSTAINABLE PLACE WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTING EVERYBODY AND PEOPLE HAVE KIND OF AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT COME.
[01:40:04]
AND YOU KNOW, I DID DO SOME BACK OF THE ENVELOPE MATH ON THAT, BUT I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO OTHER FOLKS FOR CONSIDERATION.TREASURER ? I LIKE THE IDEA OF SHOWING OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
BEING AN EMPLOYEE MYSELF, I THINK WE'VE MADE GREAT ENDS TO THAT GOAL.
WE ARE CURRENTLY, I THINK, A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO THIS.
ONE IS TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES WE APPRECIATE THEM, BUT ALSO EMPLOYEE RETENTION, AS WAS THE GOAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM.
SO I WOULD RATHER SEE THIS THOUSAND DOLLARS PUT OUT TO EXTEND OUR EMPLOYEE RETENTION FOR A SECOND YEAR.
SO WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A THOUSAND AT THE END OF 2021 AND A THOUSAND DOLLARS AT THE END OF 2022.
IT ENSURES LONGEVITY BY OUR EMPLOYERS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN COUNT ON AND EVEN BUDGET FOR THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS SPECIFIC ACTION AND I KNOW THE INTENTIONS ARE GOOD AND I KNOW THE INTENTIONS ARE TO THANK OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THE GOOD WORK.
MY BIGGEST ISSUE IS IT GOES AGAINST OUR CORE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE OF OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
THAT IS, WE SET THE POLICY AND MANAGER WALSH IMPLEMENTS IT.
WE DON'T SET WORKING CONDITIONS.
WE SET A POLICY WHICH THE MANAGER THEN FOLLOWS.
TO STEP IN HERE IN OCTOBER AND PROVIDE A THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS FOR EACH EMPLOYEE IS TO, IN ESSENCE, TAKE OVER HIS JOB TO MOVE INTO THE LANE AND SAY WHAT WE THINK.
WE THINK YOU NEED THIS EXTRA MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS MONEY AND IT COMPLETELY, SEVERELY DAMAGES THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE UNIONS, OUR EMPLOYEE MANAGERS.
IT JUST OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THIS BOARD TO STEP IN AND SAY, WELL, HERE'S THE NEW WAGES.
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE WAGES HERE BY OFFERING THIS THOUSAND POINTS.
IT JUST VIOLATES OUR CORE PRINCIPLE THAT IS RESET POLICY.
IT'S MOVING OUT OF OUR LANE, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO DO THAT.
THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE WITH THIS, WITH THIS AND THAT IS THAT NOTION OF IT BEING EQUITABLE.
IT MAKES IT SOUNDS LIKE, WELL, WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND IT'S ONLY EQUITABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE'VE HAD A WHO'VE HAD A TOUGH YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF, AND I AGREE THEY HAVE.
BUT THE FACT IS, WE'VE ALL HAD A TOUGH YEAR.
OUR FORTY FOUR THOUSAND TAXPAYERS HAVE HAD A TOUGH YEAR AND A HALF.
THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS HAVING A TOUGH YEAR AND A HALF AND OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME.
AND I BELIEVE THE MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS DONE THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT AS ACCOMMODATING FOR THEM AS POSSIBLE.
BUT IT'S NOTHING UNIQUE TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO DEAL WITH COVID.
IT'S A NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL SITUATION.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR GLOBALLY.
OTHER PROBLEM WITH THE IDEA OF THIS SHARING THE WEALTH WITH OUR EMPLOYEES IS THAT QUITE HONESTLY, THIS ISN'T MONEY WE EARNED.
WE ALL KNOW THIS MONEY BELONGS TO OUR FORTY FOUR THOUSAND RESIDENTS.
IT'S OUR JOBS TO BE STEWARDS OF THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT WISELY AND PRUDENTLY.
LET'S LOOK AT WHERE WE STAND, WE HAVE ABOUT $8 MILLION IN OUR IN OUR RESERVE FUND.
THAT'S ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD.
THINK OF THAT AS THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT PER HOUSEHOLD ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS.
WE ALSO HAVE TWENTY EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS IN PENSION LIABILITY.
THAT'S ABOUT EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DOLLARS IN DEBT.
SO WE PUT THE, FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS IN THE TOWNSHIP, THEY HAVE ABOUT FIVE, THIRTY FIVE IN SAVINGS IN ABOUT EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DOLLARS IN DEBT.
DUE TO THE DECISIONS MADE BY THIS BOARD, NOT THIS BOARD, BUT THE BOARD OVER THE YEARS.
SO WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE ABOUT TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS BEHIND, AND TO SPEND 165 THOUSAND DOLLARS ADDS TO TAKES AWAY FROM THEIR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
AND THERE'S NOTHING WITH THE DEBT.
SO AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY POPULAR DECISION IF THE BOARD APPROVES IT.
WHO DOESN'T LIKE ANY MONEY? IT'S GOING TO BE WILDLY POPULAR IN THIS BUILDING.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK THIS BOARD IS THE GREATEST THING EVER, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND THE PRUDENT THING, BECAUSE THIS IS MONEY WE EARN, THIS IS MONEY WE COLLECTED AND WE MADE A PROMISE TO THE PUBLIC TO USE IT AS PRUDENTLY AS
[01:45:03]
POSSIBLE.SO THE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ASKED NEXT IS FROM THE MANAGER IS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS, ASK HIM TO EXPLAIN TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE TOWNSHIP TO SHOW APPRECIATION HERETOFORE? WHERE DO WE COMPARE WHAT, WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE? WHERE DO WE STAND TO OUR DO OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE A SENSE THAT WE DO APPRECIATE THEM AND APPRECIATE THEM CURRENTLY? OR HAVE WE NEGLECTED THEM? SO I WOULD ASK THE MANAGER TO THEN SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN DONE TO DATE TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES WE APPRECIATE THEIR GOOD WORK.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, THANK YOU.
DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT MR. WALSH? SURE.
IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE, IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT.
WE ALL WANT TO DO IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF 165 TEAM MEMBERS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE FORTY FIVE THOUSAND RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR.
WE HAVE HUGE DEBT IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
SO WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT WE HAVE $8 MILLION IN THE BANK, WELL, WE'RE UNDERWATER.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE USED TO BE UNDERWATER BY THIRTY FIVE MILLION, NOW IT'S ONLY TWENTY EIGHT.
YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT MAYBE YOU ARE.
BUT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HANDED OUT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO, TO THE TEAM MEMBERS.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT? IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE GO BACK, FIVE YEARS AGO, WE INCREASED THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION EMPLOYEES VOLUNTARILY FROM EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT TO 10 PERCENT.
WHAT IS THAT ON A FIFTY THOUSAND A YEAR EMPLOYEE OVER FIVE YEARS? WELL, THAT'S ABOUT $4000 PER PERSON JUST VOLUNTARILY GAVE AWAY AND THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION OUT OF IT.
IN 2016, WE GAVE AWAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE AND IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AWAY ANOTHER THOUSAND DOLLARS.
YOU ADD ALL THAT UP, IT'S ABOUT SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE.
IT'S MORE FOR POLICE AND FIRE IF YOU WANT TO DO AN AVERAGE BECAUSE WE GAVE THE TWO $1000 PAYMENTS FOR THEIR WORK DURING COVID.
SO IF YOU ADD ALL THAT UP, IT'S ABOUT 1.1 MILLION THAT WE'VE HANDED OUT JUST OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
SO HAVE WE TREATED PEOPLE FAIRLY? ABSOLUTELY, WE HAVE.
WE VOLUNTARILY SAID, HERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT.
YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO NEGOTIATE IT.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A 10 PERCENT FOR THE NON [INAUDIBLE] EMPLOYEES.
TWICE, WE'VE GIVEN A ONE PERCENT ONE TIME PAYMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A THOUSAND IN 23022.
WE PAY FULL PREMIUM HEALTH CARE.
I THINK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AT THE HOUSE PAYS SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARDS THIS PREMIUM.
SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS! HERE, ZERO.
AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE THAT WE HAVE HERE? WELL, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO PAY ABOUT 80 OR 90 PERCENT OF YOUR DEDUCTIBLE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY IT TWICE.
ONCE YOU'RE HERE IN JANUARY, YOU GET IT ALL.
WE STOP WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE PROVIDE A MENTAL HEALTH HOUR AND WE GIVE AWAY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
FIVE PEOPLE WITH $100 OF THOSE MENTAL HEALTH HOURS.
WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN ARE DOING MENTAL HEALTH HOURS AND GIVING AWAY CASH SUMMER PICNICS? WE JUST HAD OUR NINTH ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC HALF A DAY OFF, SPONSORED BY THE FAHEY LAW FIRM AND NOT ONLY HALF A DAY OFF, BUT HERE'S ONE HUNDRED GIFT CERTIFICATES TO GIVE OUT.
AND HERE'S TO FIVE HUNDRED WINNERS.
AND OUR SUMMER PICNIC, OUR HOLIDAY PARTY, SPONSORED AGAIN BY THE HARKNESS LAW FIRM AND THE FAITH HEALERS THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT WOULD GIVE WAY.
PLUS, IN ADDITION TO GIFT CERTIFICATES THAT OUR HOLIDAY PARTY PLUS THE HALF A DAY OFF, PLUS YOUR MEAL, THE LUG NUTS GAME HALF A DAY OFF, GO TO THE LUG NUTS GAME.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, HERE'S MONEY FOR YOUR FOOD, TOO.
THE ARCHIE VIRTUE EXCELLENCE AWARD? THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS COMMITTED TO THAT, IT'S HANDED OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES WHERE WE HONOR THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE.
13 HOLIDAYS, 12 SICK DAYS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOUR TO SEVEN WEEKS OF VACATION.
WHEN YOU ADD IN THE FLEX TIME, FLEX TIME IS A HUGE DEAL HERE.
IN FACT, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY IF YOU ASK OUR EMPLOYEES AND I'M NOT DEGRADING WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING, I'M JUST SAYING WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WE'RE DOING A LOT.
AND IF YOU ADD IN THIS OTHER PAYMENT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, WE'RE APPROACHING A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS JUST WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF HANDOUTS.
SEVENTY THOUSAND TO POLICE AND FIRE.
SEVENTY THOUSAND TO POLICE AND FIRE, 165 NEXT YEAR.
ANOTHER HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE.
[01:50:06]
WE WENT TO A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE, NOT FOR POLICE AND FIRE.IT'S NOT EVER GOING TO BE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
AND IF YOU THINK BACK TO YOUR DAYS, FOR SOME OF YOU THAT ARE RETIRED AND THINK ABOUT YOUR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, WAS THAT ALWAYS THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES? IT'S NOT.
BUT POLICE AND FIRE WERE HERE AND WORKED EVERY DAY DURING COVID AND FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME OUT WITH 80 HOURS OF TIME OFF.
AND THEY SAID, IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ESSENTIAL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET IT.
POLICE AND FIRE DIDN'T GET IT.
SOME OF US WERE HERE EVERY DAY.
BUT FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES, THEY WERE HOME FOR EIGHT WEEKS AND NO, WE COULDN'T KEEP THEM BUSY.
A LOT OF JOBS YOU HAVE TO BE HERE TO FULFILL.
BUT THEY WERE GIVEN EIGHT WEEKS AT HOME WHILE THE POLICE AND FIRE REPORTED EVERY DAY.
SO THE BOARD ENDED UP GIVING THE POLICE AND FIRE A COUPLE OF PAYMENTS, $1000 PAYMENTS FOR THAT.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN PEOPLE CAME BACK? WE SAID, WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO COME BACK.
WELL, SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE ACCRUING TIME OFF WHILE THEY WERE HOME.
SOME PEOPLE CAME BACK IN THEIR TIME LIMITS.
THEIR TIME ALLOTMENT WAS MORE THAN WHAT'S ALLOWED.
SO THEY TOOK VACATION IN THE NINTH WEEK HAD TO, BECAUSE THEIR TIME ACCRUED, WAS OVER THE LIMIT.
ONCE THEY CAME BACK, WE SAID HOW WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO COME BACK FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
SO WHY DON'T WE START A FLEX TIME? SO WE'VE HAD FLEX TIME NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, MAYBE BORDERING ON A YEAR WHERE YOU, YOU WORK SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS A DAY, YOU CHOOSE EIGHT TO FOUR, THIRTY EIGHT, 30 TO FIVE.
YOU ADD THAT EXTRA TIME UP TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE UP TO SEVEN OR EIGHT WEEKS OF VACATION TIME.
SO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE SICK DAYS AND THE VACATION, THE FLEX TIME, THE PERSONAL DAYS, ALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PAID THE HOLIDAY PARTY, THE SUMMER PICNICS, THE LUG NUTS GAME, MENTAL HEALTH DAYS AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS.
WE ARE I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE REALLY GOOD TO OUR TEAM HERE AND WE ARE.
BUT I THINK TONIGHT I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
YOU'D RECHANNEL AND REPURPOSE AND THINK ABOUT A WAY OF DOING IT IN 2022, WHATEVER THAT IS, AN ADDITIONAL YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE MILLION ONE THAT WE'VE HANDED OUT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THAT'S NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE PAYMENTS THAT I'VE MENTIONED.
THE 1.1 DOESN'T INCLUDE THE HALF MILLION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF YOU HAD THAT ALL TOGETHER JUST IN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, WE'VE HANDED OUT 1.6 MILLION TO OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
THIS TOWNSHIP SETS THE BAR IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT THEY DO FOR THEIR TEAM, WE ARE AT THE TOP.
AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU MADE PHONE CALLS AND YOU ASK OTHER COMMUNITIES WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I JUST THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE A STEP BACK.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING, BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT AND TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTROL IN OUR BUDGET IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO AND ADD IT IN.
AND MAYBE IT'S A GOAL SETTING TOPIC THAT WE HAVE IN DECEMBER.
WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT IN 2022, BUT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, I BELIEVE AS THE MANAGER OF COMMUNITY, WE'RE AT A CEILING FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
PEOPLE APPRECIATE ALL THE STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FLEX TIME OF SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS A DAY.
NOW, WHO HAS THAT POLICE AND FIRE DON'T HAVE THAT, CAN'T OFFER THAT TO THEM.
SO WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT CAN WE OFFER? WHAT CAN DIRECTOR TEE OFF AND I WHO SPEND HOURS AND HOURS ON TRYING TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD? AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S LEVEL.
I THINK WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO OUR TEAM BEYOND WHAT ANYONE'S DOING IN THE STATE.
BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO PAUSE AND MAYBE CONSIDER THIS IN 20\22 AND NOT SAY WE CAN'T DO MORE.
BUT I JUST DON'T THINK RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION, MANAGER WALSH.
I WOULD AGREE THAT I FEEL THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TO GIVE APPRECIATION FOR OUR STAFF.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT EASY IN USING AND WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT.
HE HAD A FEW THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS FROM AN EQUITY LENS
[01:55:07]
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE SUPERVISORS COMMENT ABOUT THE BOARD MAYBE NOT GIVING A GOOD DIRECTION AT FIRST.I WISH I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS A WHILE AGO SO THAT IT WOULDN'T BE COMING UP JUST NOW.
I FEEL I WAS SOMEWHAT IRRESPONSIBLE IN THAT, AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT I SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS EARLIER.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE CAN NEVER BE EQUAL AND I AGREE WE HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES, DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I DON'T THINK EQUALITY IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND SO EQUITY IS A BIT DIFFERENT WHERE I THINK YOU'VE TRIED REALLY HARD TO DO THAT AND BRINGING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SPOTS AND PROVIDING APPRECIATION.
I STILL, YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AND THINK, OR MAYBE HERE'S A QUESTION WE ARE PROVIDING APPRECIATION PAY IN 2022.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHY DID I NOT CATCH? WE'RE NOT DOING IT HERE IN 2021? AND SO I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT MORE EQUITABLE ON THAT SENSE.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN 2022.
WHY AREN'T WE DOING IT IN 2021? WE WANT TO RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT RETAINING THEM NOW, NOT AT THE END OF 2022.
I MEAN, BOTH OF THOSE ARE GREAT.
I ALSO CAN, YES, PLEASE JUST ADDRESS THAT REQUIREMENT.
EQUITY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE DID REACH THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WHAT WE SAID IS THE POLICE AND FIRE.
THEY DIDN'T GET THE 80 HOURS OF FEDERAL TIME OFF.
SO WE'LL GIVE THE POLICE AND FIRE A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BALANCE THAT OUT.
WELL, THEN WHAT WE DID ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN WAS WE SAID, OK, YOU CAN START WORKING AND GETTING THREE AND A HALF WEEKS MORE VACATION POLICE AND FIRE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE TO BE HERE.
WE CAN'T TELL POLICE AND FIRE TO GO HOME EARLY EVERY DAY.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK THE ENTIRE OTHER GROUP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT AND WE SAID WE'LL GIVE YOU A THREE AND A HALF MORE WEEKS OF VACATION.
YOU CAN START COMING IN A HALF HOUR EVERY DAY YOU GET A HALF HOUR.
MY QUESTION WAS, WE'RE DOING IT IN 2022, WHERE WE'RE MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WHY ARE WE NOT DOING IT IN 2021? WELL 2022 IS A RETENTION.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPRECIATION AND RETENTION.
YEAH, THE APPRECIATION THAT WE DID THIS YEAR WAS POLICE AND FIRE.
AND THIS IS I'M TELLING YOU, THIS WAS A WHOLE DECISION TREE THAT INVOLVED CHIEF POLICE PLAGA, CHIEF HAMEL, HR DIRECTOR, MR. PERRY.
AND IT GOES BACK AND AGAIN IT GOES BACK TO AND IT'S TALKING 2021.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T GET IN TIME OFF THE EXTRA TWO THOUSAND AT POLICE AND FIRE RECEIVED, ON THE OTHER HAND, AND IF I ASKED THE EMPLOYEES WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS THIS YEAR? WOULD YOU RATHER COME IN A HALF HOUR LATER, A HALF HOUR EARLY, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR? I HAVE A FEELING THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WOULD RATHER HAVE A HALF HOUR EVERY DAY OFF TO THEMSELVES.
AND SO BUT AGAIN, NOT TO POLICE AND FIRE.
BUT WE OFFER THAT TO ALL OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, AND THEY LOVE IT.
AND THEY ALSO REALLY LOVE THE CASUAL WORK WE'RE DOING.
SO WE HAVE BALANCED IT OUT RATHER WELL.
IN 2021 AND A 2022, IT'S EQUITABLE.
EVERYONE WHO'S HERE RECEIVES THE PAYMENT AND THE FLEX TIME AND ALL THAT WILL CONTINUE.
SO WE HAVE BALANCED IT OUT, ACCORDING TO ALL THE PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISION ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, I GO BACK TO APPRECIATION FOR OUR STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING MAYBE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER BROUGHT UP A POINT.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THIS ON A LONG TERM EQUITABLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE AT THE STATE GET A PERCENTAGE AND/OR A LUMP SUM, DEPENDING ON THE YEAR, AND SO IS A LUMP SUM.
SOMETHING THAT LONG TERM GOING TO MOST BENEFIT.
NOT SURE, BUT I CAN SAY THAT I KNOW THE REASON WE DO IT IS BECAUSE IT IS MORE FISCALLY DOABLE IN CERTAIN YEARS THAN IT IS IN OTHERS.
SO TO ME, A $1000 LUMP SUM TO AN EMPLOYEE THAT HAS BEEN STRUGGLING WITH COMING AND WORKING WITH A MASK, WORKING WITH PUBLIC, BEING EXPOSED IN THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS AT HOME WITH KIDS NOT IN SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WORKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE WI-FI IS GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY.
HOW'S MY 10 YEAR OLD GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL? BOTH OF THOSE PARENTS ARE AT WORK AND AND JUST APPRECIATING THAT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AND ARE STILL SERVING OUR PUBLIC.
[02:00:02]
SO I AM READY TO SUPPORT THIS, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT MANAGER WALSH HAS ALREADY DONE FOR THESE FOLKS AND OUR STAFF.ANYONE ELSE? MR. OPSOMMER? JUST A CLARIFIER, BECAUSE I'VE NEVER ASKED THIS SO WITH THE FLEX TIME, CAN THEY ACCRUE THAT LIKE THEIR SICK LEAVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR IS IT JUST YOU USE THE FLEX TIME OR YOU DON'T? RIGHT.
YOU EITHER WORK 8-4:30 OR 8:30-5 EVERY DAY.
IT'S THE MOST POPULAR THING WE'VE DONE BAR ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE FINANCIALLY FOR OUR TEAM.
THAT'S THE THING THAT THEY REALLY APPRECIATE.
SO IF WE LOOK AT APPRECIATING OUR EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR, WE'VE DONE THAT.
WE'VE OFFERED THEM THREE AND A HALF EXTRA WEEKS OF VACATION TIME AND NOT NOT REITERATING THE WHOLE HEALTH CARE THING AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WE DO HERE.
AND WHAT WAS THE FISCAL IMPACT, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
WHAT WAS THE FISCAL IMPACT ANNUALLY FOR TAKING THE DC, THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION EMPLOYEES FROM EIGHT TO 10 PERCENT ON OUR EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION? WE TOOK HER FROM EIGHT AND A HALF TO 10 PERCENT.
SO A PERCENT AND A HALF, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT PROBABLY IT WOULD BE AT ABOUT.
I JUST I'D BE I'D BE GUESSING TO KNOW BECAUSE I'D HAVE TO BREAK OUT THE POLICE AND FIRE FROM THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE SEPARATE.
I DON'T HAVE ALL THAT, BUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR.
WE'VE APPRECIATED THEM EVERY YEAR AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE AS WELL.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL SET THIS ASIDE AND LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING IF YOU WANT TO APPRECIATE AND LOOK AT SOMETHING EXTRA ON BASE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S JUST IT'S TO ME THIS IS SKEWING THINGS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
I AGREE WITH THE TREASURER EARLIER, THIS IS REALLY A MANAGERIAL FUNCTION, AND WE'RE KIND OF STEPPING IN A DIRECTION THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY STEP BY AFTER WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED THE BUDGET AND EVERYTHING ELSE INSTEAD OF BRINGING IT UP AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND HAVING THE MANAGER'S INPUT AND DIRECTION AND PUTTING IT IN THAT BUDGET.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
COMMENTS AGAIN, THERE'S NOBODY HERE FROM THE PUBLIC.
OTHER MATTERS FROM THE BOARD? IF NOT, WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LEGAL QUESTION THAT
[16. CLOSED SESSION- Motion to go into closed session to discuss a written confidential legal opinion from the township attorney concerning prevailing wage]
ACTUALLY IT'S LITIGATION THAT'S ONGOING AS WELL AS LEGAL ADVICE FROM OUR ATTORNEY AND I LOOK FOR A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.DON'T WE? DON'T WE NEED TO READ THE FULL MOTION? SURE, WE DO.
GO AHEAD AND TREASURER DESCHAINE CAN SAY SO.
I MOVE TO GO IN CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS A WRITTEN, CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL OPINION FROM THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY CONCERNING PREVAILING WAGE.
SUPPORTED BY JACKSON, RIGHT? YOU SUPPORTED IT EARLIER.
I WOULD ASK ANYBODY WHO'S NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN A CLOSED SESSION, LEAVE THE ROOM AND WE'LL STAY HERE FOR OUR CLOSED SESSION.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.