[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
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I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER FOR ALL THOSE ABLE PLEASE RISE TO SAY THE PLEDGE OF
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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.
OK, IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD.
YEAH, WILL THE CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? SUPERVISOR STYKA? I'M HERE.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
WE'RE GOING TO START OUT WITH THE PRESENTATION.
[4A. Okemos High School Tennis State Champions-Suchir Nagisetty & Ethan Portnoy]
THIS IS A WONDERFUL KIND OF PRESENTATION.WE LIKE TO MAKE THESE WHEN WHEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SAID EITHER ARE HASLETT OR OKEMOS SCHOOL, BECOME STATE CHAMPIONS, WHATEVER TEAM THEY'RE ON, WHATEVER ACTIVITY WE LIKE TO HONOR THEM.
AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING THE HIGH SCHOOL STATE TENNIS CHAMPIONS FROM OKEMOS.
AND I LIKE TO CALL IN THEIR COACH FIRST.
KARIM VLSI COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE MICROPHONE.
AND I'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE INTRODUCE THE TWO STUDENTS.
YES, [INAUDIBLE] IS ETHAN PORTNOY.
I'VE BEEN COACHING HIGH SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS BETWEEN EAST LANSING AND OKEMOS.
AND OKEMOS HAS BEEN DOING REALLY WELL THE LAST 10 YEARS.
WE WON REGIONALS 10 YEARS IN THE ROW SINCE 2010, AND THEN THEY WON REGIONALS AND THEN LEAGUES 2010.
SO THEY WON 10 YEARS IN A ROW AND LAST YEAR, 2020, THEY WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND 2019 THEY WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AGAIN DIVISION ONE.
AND THIS YEAR WE FINISHED TOP THREE, WE CAME VERY CLOSE.
BUT MY TWO NUMBER ONE SINGLES AND NO MORE FOUR SINGLES, THEY WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
OKEMOS HAVE KNOWN AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST TEAMS IN THE STATE.
I FEEL THE KIDS HAVE FUN WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER.
THEY THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND THEY REALLY DO WELL.
I THINK ANY SPORT, TENNIS AND SOCCER OR BASKETBALL OR ANYTHING I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE KIDS TO DO THE SPORT.
I FEEL LIKE THE THE THE ATMOSPHERE IS VERY GREAT FOR THE KIDS AND PLUS THE PARENTS HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THE PARENTS AND FUN SEASON.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU AND THEM HERE.
YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY DOING A GREAT JOB AND I HAVE TRUSTEE AND SUPERVISOR PRO TEM DAN OPSOMMER, HE'S GOT SOME CERTIFICATES FOR THE TWO BOYS.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEHALF [APPLAUSE].
IF THE YOUNG MEN WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING THEY CAN CHAMPIONSHIP HE WON SINGLES.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY TWO PARENTS FOR LETTING ME PLAY TENNIS JUST FOR MY WHOLE LIFE SO FAR.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WAS REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE ALL OF OUR 12 SENIORS LEFT LAST AFTER OUR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS NICE JUST TO PROVE THAT OKEMOS WILL STILL BE A REALLY GOOD TEAM WITHOUT THEM.
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FIRST OFF, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND SUPERVISOR STYKA FOR INVITING US OUT HERE.I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY PARENTS, MY COACH KARIM JALASI AND MY BROTHER AND MY PERSONAL COACH, BRUCE PERKINS.
I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT ANY OF THEM, SO I JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE NOW HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION, THIS IS FROM OUR FIRE CHIEF.
[4B. Check Presentation from the Fire Department to It’s a Breast Thing Charity]
AND IT'S THE PRESENTATION OF A CHECK, I BELIEVE.SUPERVISOR STYKA I'M ONLY GOING TO DO PART OF THIS.
I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TRIES, THE MEN AND WOMEN ALWAYS TRY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
AND FIREFIGHTER SAMANTHA WEBER CAME TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO AND ASKED IF SHE COULD DO THIS.
AND OF COURSE, WHY NOT? SO I'M GOING TO LET HER EXPLAIN IT AND INTRODUCE AND THEN WE'LL DO A CHECK.
ALL RIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE AND SHARE WHAT WENT ON IN OCTOBER.
SO AS WE KNOW, OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND IT'S VERY COMMON IN AREA FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO WEAR SOME SORT OF SHIRT THAT SIGNIFIES OR RAISES AWARENESS.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A SHIRT MADE THAT WAS DONE HERE LOCALLY BY T-SHIRT GOODS IN HASLETT GREAT COMPANY.
THEY ACTUALLY ALSO DONATED FIVE PERCENT OF THE SALES TO A LOCAL CHARITY.
THE CHARITY THAT WE CHOSE WAS LOCAL AND JUDY [INAUDIBLE] WITH IT'S A BREAST THING.
THEY ARE ALL VOLUNTEER BASED, AND EVERY OUNCE OF MONEY THAT GOES TOWARDS THEIR CHARITY IS GIVEN TO LOCAL PATIENTS OF BREAST CANCER.
THEY'VE RAISED OVER, I THINK ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND WAS GIVEN LAST YEAR ALONE TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREAST CANCER PATIENTS.
SO WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE SALES AND THE LOCAL 1600 WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT JUDY WITH THAT CHECK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING HERE? SURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST THANK THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR DONATION.
IT'S A BREAST THING IS A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2007.
PROBABLY THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE REALLY MADE A MUCH BIGGER IMPACT.
WE GIVE OUT A THOUSAND GRANTS TO BREAST CANCER PATIENTS IN THE 19 MID-MICHIGAN COUNTIES, AND PEOPLE APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
THEY CAN APPLY TWICE IN TWO DIFFERENT YEARS.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED #SMALL ACTS, WHERE THREE TIMES A YEAR WE VISIT 13 DIFFERENT CANCER CENTERS AND WE DROP OFF GIFT CARDS TO BE GIVEN OUT TO OUR PATIENTS SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BUY GAS, GO OUT TO DINNER OR SOMETHING SPECIAL.
SO IT IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS DONATION.
WELL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD ON THIS, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT JUST SHOWS YOU THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HERE WORKING AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND IT'S A TERRIFIC PLACE.
OK, WE HAVE ONE MORE PRESENTATION TODAY, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.
[4C. Nokomis Learning Center-John Ostrander]
YOU KNOW, WE ALL SEE THAT BUILDING AS WE GO DOWN MARSH ROAD CALLED THE OKEMOS LEARNING CENTER, AND WE HAVE JOHN OSTRANDER HERE TODAY TO TELL US ABOUT IT.YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT USED ENOUGH.
SO WE'D LIKE TO HEAR YOU, HEAR ABOUT IT AND GET PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT AT THE OKEMOS WE NOW JUST TO GO BACK, IN 2019, WE CHANGED OUR DBA TO OKEMOS CULTURAL LEARNING CENTER.
ONE THING TO KIND OF TELL US MORE WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.
OUR CENTER IS WHERE WE DO THE TEACHINGS AND ANY LEARNING AS FAR AS ON THE ANISHINAABE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT LAKES, THE PEOPLE OF THE THREE FIRES, WHICH ARE THE OJIBWE,
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ODAWAS, AND THE POTAWATOMI.AND PLUS WE WERE FINDING OUT IN OKEMOS LEARNING CENTER.
WE WERE GETTING CALLS, SO PEOPLE EITHER THOUGHT WE WERE A DAYCARE OR WE DID TUTORING.
SO BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS STARTED BACK IN 1989 WITH THE NOTION OF TRYING TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS FAR AS WHO THE PEOPLE WERE OF THIS AREA BEFORE THE EUROPEAN SETTLERS.
AND SO THROUGH THE YEARS, LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR UPS AND DOWNS.
AND A FEW YEARS BACK, THINGS WERE KIND OF WHERE THINGS HAD GONE DOWN INTO A LULL.
IN 2019, THEY HAD DEVELOPED A NEW OR VOTED IN A NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
AND WHAT WE DID ON THAT, WE TOOK THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION AND KIND OF FLIPPED IT UPSIDE DOWN.
FINANCES; HOW WE GO ABOUT DAILY BUSINESS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO RUN THAT BUSINESS? AND SO THROUGH 2019 IT WAS A LEARNING FOR EVERYBODY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND JUST WHEN WE WE THOUGHT WE WERE STARTING TO MEET GROUND AND THEN 2020, YOU KNOW, COVID HIT.
AND SO WE WERE SHUT DOWN FOR ALMOST 11 MONTHS FROM THAT.
BUT WHAT WE DID DURING THAT TIME IS WE TOOK THE TIME WE WENT THROUGH OUR BUILDING, STRIPPED EVERYTHING DOWN AND REBUILT IT.
OUR GALLERY AND OUR LEARNING CENTER.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT REALLY HELPED TO KIND OF BRING A NEW MORALE TO THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN ALSO A NEW INSIGHT ON WHERE WE NEEDED TO GO.
AND SO WITH THAT, BY BEING REFOCUSED, IT ALLOWED US ALSO, FOR ONE THING, ON FINANCES BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME THAT IT WAS HARD TO SEE IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS AT THE END OF EVERY MONTH.
AND I CAN SAY THAT AS WE SIT NOW FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVEN'T HAD A MONTH WHERE WE DON'T HAVE WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD UNDER SIXTEEN THOUSAND SITTING IN OUR NEST EGG PER SAY, AND WHICH FOR ANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CUSHION TO HAVE.
AND ONE THING I MEAN, IT HELPED US TO BOTH GO THROUGH THAT TIMES AND THE GRANTS THAT WE COLLECTED TWO OF THEM SPECIFICALLY FROM THE MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND ONE THING I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THROUGH THIS WHOLE TIME, SINCE IN REVITALIZING A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWNSHIP, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LOU ANN MEISNER AND I SPEAK TO HER SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH JUST TO KEEP HER UPDATED ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO AS WE SIT TODAY, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FOCUS WITH OUR BUSINESS AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'RE WE'RE WORKING WITH.
WE JUST STARTED WORKING WITH THE OKEMOS SCHOOLS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO.
WE'RE SETTING UP A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE GOING ONCE A MONTH FOR IN ONE SCHOOL AT THE THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS AND START TEACHING EVERY MONTH.
WHO ARE THE ANISHINAABE PEOPLE? AND SO AND THEN EVERY YEAR WE'RE GOING TO SLOWLY KEEP BUILDING ON THAT.
AND SO BUT AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S EVERYBODY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION OF OKEMOS, AND WE DO HAVE BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY.
AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR PRESIDENT AARON DOKHAM, OUR SECRETARY.
JENNY RENFRO, I'M SORRY, WE ALL HAVE THOSE MOMENTS.
AND THEN TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, CATHY YATES AND LIZ WURSKY.
AND SO BUT BECAUSE OF THIS IN THE THE REBUILDING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHICH I HAVE TO REALLY GIVE BIG THANK YOU TO BECAUSE IT HAS ALLOWED US TO REGENERATE AND BECOME WHO WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND I THINK THAT FOR THE OKEMOS CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER, WE ARE FINALLY THERE
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WHAT THEY WANTED US TO BE OR WHAT THEY INITIALLY TRIED TO GET SET UP.FOR THOSE WHO DON'T PAY ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR CULTURAL CENTER OVER THERE WITH THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND RIGHT NEXT TO THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, RIGHT OVER BY MARSH ROAD IS WHERE THIS CULTURAL CENTER IS REPRESENTING THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE, AND IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S ANOTHER DRAW TO OUR COMMUNITY, JUST LIKE THE HISTORICAL CENTER AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT ALL THE MEMBERS DO.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A ROOF PROJECT AND I'M WONDERING HOW THAT'S GOING? YOU WANT TO COME BACK UP AND TELL US.
THE ROOF NEEDS REPLACEMENT, FOLKS, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT CHECKBOOK OF YOURS.
AND YES, THE ONE THING THAT THE ROOF, OUR ROOF THAT'S ON THE BUILDING IS THE ORIGINAL ROOF THAT WAS PUT ON THERE, 1989.
IT'S GOT MORE THAN ITS MONEY'S WORTH OUT OF THERE.
AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO THANK THE TOWNSHIP FOR PARTNERING US WITH THIS, AND I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE DATE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT THIS YEAR.
AND I KIND OF GET YOU NERVOUS AS WE GO INTO THESE, BUT THEY ARE SETTING OUT A HUGE CREW.
THEY SAYS THEY'LL DO IT IN ABOUT THREE DAYS AND SO IT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF THIS YEAR.
AND BUT IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT HELPS US TO SHOW PEOPLE ALSO THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE ALIVE AND WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND THE PEOPLE AND TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW, TO DO PART WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THIS, FOR THE AREA.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND INSTEAD, IT'S A THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLAR PROJECT AND THE TOWNSHIP IS THE ONE THAT'S? 40.
THERE'S SOME OTHERS WITH THE ROOF AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADD ON TO THAT OUR FASCIA, WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THE FASCIA BECAUSE IT'S ROTTED AND HOLES ARE IN THERE.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP THEY'VE NEVER HAD A GUTTER SYSTEM ON THE BUILDING.
WE'RE HAVING A GUTTER SYSTEM PUT ON BECAUSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THE WATER WAS COMING OFF THE ROOF AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG ROOF.
ALL THAT WATER HITTING THE GROUND, IT WAS CREATING WHERE THE GRADE OF THE GROUND WAS RUNNING ALL THE WATER TO THE BUILDING.
AND SO AFTER THEY DO THAT, THEN WE'RE HAVING SOIL BROUGHT IN.
IT'S ABOUT 16 YARDS PUT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING.
WE'RE REGRADING THE WHOLE AREA AROUND THERE JUST TO KEEP IT, SO WE DON'T GET ANY MORE DETERIORATION AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING.
SO, BUT SO YEAH, THIS WAS IT WAS A NEAT PROJECT.
LIKE I SAID THAT BUILDING THE HASN'T REALLY HAD ANYTHING DONE TO IT SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN 89.
I HAVE TO THANK YOU THANKS TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR HELPING US OUT WITH THIS TOWNSHIP'S PAIN WORTH THIRTY THOUSAND OUT OF THE 40 THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING 40 AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING AFTER THAT TO COVER IT.
MY NAME IS AARON DOKHAM, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE OKEMOS CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER.
JOHN ACTUALLY CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION NOW, AND I WILL GIVE HIM SOME APPRECIATION FOR THAT AND AS WELL AS THE REST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
WE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE DOING.
SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR HAVING A LANGUAGE.
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDAITEMS]
OK.WE NOW COME TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEMS AND NOT AGENDA ITEMS. THERE'S TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THE MEETING.
CITIZENS WHO WANT TO ADDRESS THE BOARD CAN DO IT NOW, OR IT CAN DO IT NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.
I WANT YOU TO COMPLETE A GREEN FORM, WHICH MANY OF YOU HAVE.
WE HAVE 11 OF THEM ALREADY HANDED IN SO THAT WE CAN CALL ON YOU IN AN ORDERLY FASHION AND YOU'RE REQUIRED TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO JUST THREE MINUTES.
EXCEPT WHEN THIS REQUIREMENT IS WAIVED IN ADVANCE BY THE SUPERVISOR FOR CAUSE.
SO AT THIS POINT, EVERYONE WILL BE THREE MINUTES.
YOU'LL GET NOTIFIED AS YOUR TIME EXPIRES.
THE BOARD HIGHLY VALUES PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT.
HOWEVER, THE BOARD MEETING FORMAT IS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE EVENING'S AGENDA AND THEREFORE RESTRICT BOARD MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING IN A CONVERSATION OR BACK AND BACK WITH SPEAKERS OR IMMEDIATELY RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS QUESTIONS THAT CONCERNS MAY
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BE ADDRESSED BY THE BOARD LATER IN THE AGENDA.WHEN WE HAVE OUR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, ET CETERA, OR MAY BE ADDRESSED LATER BY THE MANAGER AT A LATER DATE.
IN ORDER TO FOSTER THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE BOARD'S BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM RUDE OR DISCOURTEOUS BEHAVIOR.
PLEASE ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD, NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE.
FINALLY, THE MEETING IS A TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING HELD IN PUBLIC FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
IT IS NOT A MEETING OF THE PUBLIC GENERALLY.
PLEASE LIMIT COMMENTS TO THE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL CALL ON QUINN DESTORY, WHO IS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO COMMENT.
I'M QUINN DESTORY AT 4526 MARLBOROUGH.
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT I AM NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING.
I'M JUST HERE TO PRESERVE MY IN THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE DANIELS DRAIN, WHICH IS APPARENTLY GOING RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DANIELS DRAIN NEEDS IMPROVEMENT DESPERATELY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO PRESERVE MY RIGHTS TO COMMENT ON DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT DISSATISFIED, BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MAY BE UNHAPPY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
SO, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT SOMETHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
WE'RE ALWAYS AT RISK OF FLOODING, AND I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE HAD SOME SERIOUS FOUNDATION PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
AND IF SHE DID, PLEASE, WHEN YOU COME UP, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
AND NEXT WILL BE MR. HARRINGTON.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WILL BE DAVID PEARSON.
I'M RX HARRINGTON, I LIVE AT 820 PIPER ROAD IN HASLETT.
THIS TITLE HERE, THE URBAN AND NATURAL WORLD INTERFACE I GOT FROM TRAVIS, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FIRE MARSHAL, TODAY WHEN I WENT OVER TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE THE MOWING REQUIREMENT THAT'S IN THE TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE, WHICH IS NOW AT 75 FEET FROM ANY STRUCTURE.
AND I WANTED TO ASK HIM, IS IT REALLY A FIRE HAZARD? I MEAN, IS UNCUT GRASS EVER CAUSED ANY FIRES IN THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE WE HAVE A SECOND ISSUE WHICH HAS ARISEN, AND THAT'S THE CLIMATE CHANGE THAT'S CAUSED BY THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS.
SO IF WE'RE MAINTAINING THIS 75 FOOT BOUNDARY AROUND EVERY STRUCTURE AND WE'RE DOING THAT WITH GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MOTORS, WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWNSHIP AND OF THE PEOPLE OF THE REST OF THE WORLD.
SO I'M ASKING YOU; IS THIS 75 FOOT BOUNDARY AROUND STRUCTURES REQUIRED TO MOW? IS THAT FOR APPEARANCES OR FOR SOME KIND OF CONFORMITY, TO SOME UNITY OF THE WAY THE TOWNSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK? OR DOES IT HAVE AN ACTUAL PURPOSE THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE, THE TOWNSHIP? MY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE SCRAP IT AND ELIMINATE MOWING FROM OUR WORLDVIEW BECAUSE WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT IT'S NOT THAT OUR MACHINERY IS NOT BENIGN AND THAT OUR MACHINERY IS THE CAUSE OF THE WARMING.
SO WE NEED TO TURN OFF THE MACHINES AND THE FIRST MACHINES THAT I CAN SEE THAT WE CAN TURN OFF WITHOUT TOO MUCH TROUBLE ARE LAWNMOWERS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. PEARSON.
COUNSELOR? THANK YOU, AND ACTUALLY, I'M HERE FOR THE DANIELS DRAIN, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO HEAR FROM ME TWICE, SO I'LL WAIT.
NEXT, WE HAVE CHARLES BARBIER, FOLLOWED BY CECILIA KRAMER.
YOU'RE ALSO HERE FOR THE HEARING.
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OK.I CALL ON YOU THAN THAT, RIGHT? OK, CECILIA KRAMER.
I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS.
I'M REALLY HERE FOR THE DANIELS DRAIN AND THE QUOTE "DAY OF REVIEW" THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS EVENING.
IN MY MIND, THE DAY OF REVIEW IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PARCEL OWNER TO HAVE QUESTIONS RESPONDED TO AS TO HOW THIS PROJECT AFFECTS THEIR PARCEL.
FOR A PERSON JUST TO GET UP AND TALK ABOUT THINGS, COMPLAIN BUT NOT GET ANY ANSWERS IS REALLY NOT A DAY OF REVIEW.
THEIR REVIEW SHOULD BE ONE ON ONE WITH THE PERSONAL OWNER AND THE STAFF ENGINEERS.
HOWEVER, YOU'RE DOING YOUR ASSESSMENT.
THAT'S HOW YOU DO THE DAY OF REVIEW.
WHAT YOU WANT TO COME OUT WITH AT THE END IS A FAIR AND EQUITABLE PROJECT THAT EVERYBODY CAN AGREE TO AND THAT EVERYBODY HAS BOUGHT INTO HOW YOU'RE COMING UP WITH YOUR NUMBERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO DO THAT TRICK.
SO WE HAVE KEITH LATHAM, WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY IT LOOKS LIKE KERRY HILL.
THERE ARE ALSO BE HEARINGS, SO YOU HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IN THE SENSE OF THE HEARING AS WELL.
YEAH, BASICALLY THE INITIAL COST.
I'M SORRY, KEITH LATHAM 4382 HICKORY WOOD DRIVE SO I'M PROTESTING THE INITIAL COST OF THE ASSESSMENT BEING ASSIGNED TO MY PROPERTY.
I BELIEVE THE METHOD BEING USED TO CALCULATE THE ASSESSMENT IS FLAWED, LEADING TO DISPROPORTIONATE COSTS BEING ASSIGNED TO SOME RESIDENTS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ENGINEERS.
I BELIEVE THIS INACCURACY STEMS FROM INACCURATE CONTOUR MAPS.
IN THE CASE OF MY PROPERTY, I'M BEING TOLD ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF MY PROPERTY DRAINS TOWARD A DRAIN, BUT HALF OF MY PROPERTY DRAINS EAST, NOT WEST TOWARD A DRAIN.
SO THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTOUR MAP.
SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASSESS PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND CHARGE THE MONEY, PLEASE GET ACCURATE DATA TO DO SO.
NEXT IS IT LOOKS LIKE CORY HILL, FOLLOWED BY RUTH [INAUDIBLE] MR. HILL ? HI, MY NAME IS CORY HILL, I LIVE AT 4507 EASTWOOD DRIVE IN FOREST HILLS.
I CAME HERE TONIGHT JUST TO KIND OF GET SOME GENERAL INFORMATION ON THIS.
THE DANIELS PROJECT SO FAR, IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING LOSING FORESTS AND WHATNOT.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, MAKING THE DRAIN FIELD OR THE POND LARGER.
I HAVE LIVED AT MY HOUSE NOW FOR 14 YEARS ALONG WITH AND MADE GREAT FRIENDS THAT ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A WATER ISSUE.
I MEAN, WE HAD EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN.
I BELIEVE THIS SUMMER, WHICH IS MOST THAT I'VE EVER SEEN SINCE LIVING IN MY HOUSE.
WE'VE HAD WATER POOLING IN THE CULVERTS, WHICH IS NATURAL AND SHOULD HAPPEN, AND IT DISSIPATES WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
AND I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASSESSED PERSONALLY 46 HUNDRED DOLLARS.
AND FOR ME TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT BROKEN, I'M NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR OTHERS, BUT I HAVE A DAYCARE PROVIDER THAT IS IN HER UPPER 80S AND SHE IS NOW A WIDOW AND WAS ASSESSED A TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLAR BILL.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS OVER TIME AND THERE'S A LEAN PUT ON THE HOUSE.
I JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST KIND OF WAS, IN MY OPINION, I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS UNTIL PROBABLY SIX MONTHS AGO.
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SO I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE AND I GUESS, TO AIR MY GRIEVANCES.I'M SORRY, BUT I JUST I DON'T SEE THE NECESSITY OF IT.
WHERE I LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'VE TALKED TO OTHER NEIGHBORS, WE WERE AT ONE OF THE HIGHEST POINTS IN FOREST HILLS, SO EVERYTHING WOULD ESSENTIALLY RUN AWAY FROM US.
AND I GUESS THAT'S ALL I REALLY CAME HERE TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST NOT A FAN OF THE $4600 ASSESSMENT.
I KNOW THAT CAN CHANGE, BUT I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR IT.
RUTH LUTER, 4506, MARLBORO NEIGHBOR TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT JUST SPOKE.
I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS TWOFOLD QUESTIONS.
CAN WE ACCESS ANY OF THE MICHIGAN FUNDS INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING TO MICHIGAN FROM THE, WHAT IS IT? I THINK IT'S 55 BILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH DRAINS FIT UNDER THAT.
IS THAT BEEN THAT THOUGHT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED OR THAT REQUEST? AND THEN I KNOW THERE IS SUCH A VARIANCE IN EACH ONE OF THE ASSESSMENTS.
AND I LOOK AT THE ACREAGE AND THE BENEFITS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF US ARE GOING TO HAVE A BENEFIT PARTY AND CELEBRATE.
I AM CLOSE ON MARLBOROUGH AND I SKIRT AROUND TO EASTWOOD AND I'M GOING TO BE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE THE DRAINAGE.
BUT WHAT AM I GOING TO BENEFIT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S DOLE, FOLLOWED BY, I HAVE A BLANK FORM HERE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? GARY STOWE 4511, EASTWOOD DRIVE.
AND I'M JUST I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I'VE LIVED HERE WITHIN A HALF A MILE OF MY HOUSE FOR 60 YEARS, AND THERE HAS NEVER ONCE BEEN WATER OVER THE ROADWAYS AND THERE'S NEVER REALLY BEEN ANY FLOODING ANYWHERE IN THAT SUBDIVISION AROUND THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THIS DRAIN IN.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S KIND OF A I THINK THE MONEY COULD BE SPENT ELSEWHERE AS OPPOSED TO THAT.
AND NONE OF THE HOUSES DO THERE.
THERE ARE FOUNDATIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID WITH EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN AND THE OTHER TIME WHERE THERE WAS FOUR INCHES OF RAIN WITHIN FOUR OR SIX HOURS THAT IT FLOODED IN THEIR FOUNDATIONS.
BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DRAINS OUT IN FRONT OF THE HOMES.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT FOR 60 YEARS, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM WITH WATER DRAINING INTO OUR DRAINS AS THEY ARE NOW.
JESSE ADLER, FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE CROFT.
JESSE ADLER, 1 80, HILLSIDE DRIVE, A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
ACTUALLY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FIRST OFF FOR FINALLY INSTALLING A LEFT TURN LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF GRAND RIVER AND THE OKEMOS OR THE HAMILTON, WHATEVER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE CORNER.
NOW, IF WE COULD JUST GET IT TURNED ON.
NOW, MR. SCHMIDT THE OTHER DAY DID TELL US THAT WE'RE WAITING ON A PART THAT'S PROBABLY ON A BOAT SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN, SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WE JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR AT LEAST FINALLY GETTING US THAT LEFT TURN LIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER BAD ACCIDENT RECENTLY AND OBVIOUSLY NEAR MISSES ALL THE TIME.
SO A GOOD THING THAT'S FINALLY HAPPENED.
THE REST OF MY COMMENTS, I'M MOSTLY GOING TO SAY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DANIELS DRAIN, BUT JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID, BECAUSE I ONLY GET THREE MINUTES, SO I'M GOING TO USE MY TIME WISELY.
WE JUST WANT TO HAVE AN EQUITABLE AND RELOOK AT THAT ASSESSMENT ROLE.
WE'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE CLOSEST PROPERTIES TO THAT DRAIN THE TANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING TO US.
WE HAVE YET TO SEE ON PAPER OR ANY OTHER WAYS.
[00:40:02]
ALL WE'VE BEEN SEEING AS AN ASSESSMENT ROLE WITH THE C TIMES A TIMES P, THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME RIGHT NOW.I WANT TO ONE ON ONE LOOK AT WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT'S BEING DONE SPECIFICALLY TO MY PROPERTY.
I HAVE NOT YET SEEN THAT NOBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
AND SO AS CECILIA SAID EARLIER, WE WANT A ONE ON ONE LOOK WITH EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN OUR TOWNSHIP TO REDO THE ASSESSMENT ROLLS BECAUSE I JUST THINK AT THIS POINT, THE CONSTRUCTION'S IN PROGRESS.
I DON'T DISAGREE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT THERE'S BEEN SO MANY TIMES THAT THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER EARLIER.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE JUST WANT A FAIR LOOK AND FAIR SHARE AT WHAT'S GOING ON.
NOW WE HAVE CATHERINE CROFT, FOLLOWED BY JOHN LEONI.
HI, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR HEARING MY COMMENTS TODAY.
I, MY NAME IS CATHERINE CROFT AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, TREVOR CROFT.
WE LIVE AT 4517 MARLBOROUGH ROAD.
AND I AGREE WITH MANY OF THAT, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE DANIEL'S DRAIN PROJECT.
AND I AGREE WITH THE THINGS THAT MY NEIGHBORS WERE SAYING, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD A FEW THINGS.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY THAT THE THE FACTORS THAT WERE USED TO CALCULATE THE ASSESSMENTS, THE C TIMES, P TIMES A THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A FEW TIMES AND THIS IS AS IT'S APPLIED TO MY PROPERTY.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT THAT CAN GET LOOKED AT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY.
THE A FOR ME, THE ACREAGE THAT'S BEING USED FOR MY PROPERTY IS 0.5944 ACRES, BUT WE JUST BOUGHT OUR PROPERTY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND ON FILE WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, OUR ACREAGE IS 0.478 ACRES, SO THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF TWENTY FOUR PERCENT.
SO FOR THIS PROJECT, OUR PROPERTY IS BEING MEASURED AT TWENTY FOUR PERCENT LARGER THAN IT IS ON FILE, AND THAT IS A REALLY BIG BILL.
IN THE END, WITH THE C TIMES A TIMES P.
I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE OTHER ONES, TOO, THE C, THE LAND USE AND THEN ALSO THE P, THE PROXIMITY.
BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET INTO THAT TODAY AND I GAVE YOU GUYS A LETTER AND I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO READ THAT AND THAT IT DETAILS THAT MORE THE OTHER PARTS TO IT.
MY OTHER ISSUES WITH MY RELATIVE BENEFIT COMPARED TO MY NEIGHBORS, MY ASSESSMENT IS FOR $7,925 AND THE AVERAGE IN MY AREA OF MARLBOROUGH AND EASTWOOD.
I DID THE CALCULATIONS IN THE AVERAGE IS 4,809.
AND SO MINE IS SIXTY FIVE PERCENT HIGHER FOR MY HUSBAND AND MY PROPERTY THAN EVERYONE ELSE IS.
AND I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE HOW WE WOULD BENEFIT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT MORE THAN OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE ALREADY HAVE A NEW DRIVEWAY, SO A NEW DRIVEWAY ENTRY WAY WON'T BENEFIT US.
OUR BASEMENT IS WATERPROOFED AND I JUST WISH THAT THE BOARD WOULD LOOK AT HOW THAT C TIMES A TIMES P THE BREAKDOWN OF IT FOR OUR PROPERTY AS IT'S APPLIED TO US BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THAT IT'S THERE'S SOMETHING FAULTY OR SHOULDN'T BE ALMOST $8000.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, I JUST ASK THAT YOU GUYS LOOK AT THE INTEREST RATE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN DETERMINED YET, BUT OK.
I ASK THAT AN INTEREST RATE, THE SAME INTEREST RATE BE CHARGED TO HOMEOWNERS.
THAT WAS THE INTEREST RATE THAT WAS USED TO SELL THE BONDS THAT ARE FINANCING THE PROJECT BECAUSE ANY HIGHER INTEREST RATE.
I KNOW INTEREST RATES ARE REALLY LOW RIGHT NOW AND ANY HIGHER INTEREST RATE WOULD MEAN THAT THE TOWNSHIP'S MAKING MONEY OFF TAXPAYERS.
AND THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT, IT'S TO FIX THE DRAIN.
SO I JUST ASK THAT THAT SAME INTEREST RATE BE USED FOR US TO CHARGE US INTEREST.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR LISTENING TO MY COMMENTS.
JOHN LEONI FOLLOWED BY MIKE OSBORNE.
AND I JUST REALIZED THE PROCESS NOW I SIGNED UP FOR BOTH.
SOME HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED IN WRITING AND I'LL JUST WAIT TO HEAR NOW THAT I SEE, I WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S PRESENTED AT THIS HEARING AND THEN I ASSUME I'M ON THAT LIST.
I SIGNED THE OTHER LIST, SO HERE IS NO PROBLEM.
MIKE OSBORNE? MIKE OSBORNE, 1494 FOREST HILLS.
THIS DANIELS PROJECT IS REALLY AMAZING.
IT STARTED, NOBODY WAS INFORMED OF IT IN ADVANCE FOR THE COSTS, AND NOW WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
SOMETHING NEW TO ME IS WE GOT A LIEN ON OUR HOUSES.
THIS DOESN'T ADD ONE NICKEL TO ANY OF OUR HOUSES.
[00:45:03]
NOBODY'S HOUSE DOESN'T HAVE ANY VALUE TO IT.IT'S A REPAIR PROJECT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY JUST DOING THE REAL PROBLEM SOLVING THE DRAIN OR AT THE POND.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG.
PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SILT IN THERE.
GUESS WHAT? THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE STANDING WATER.
BUT NOW WE'RE DOING A NICE JOB OF MAKING A NICE, BEAUTIFUL POND FOR TWO COMMUNITIES BECAUSE ONE GUY HAD WATER IN THE BASEMENT.
AND IT CERTAINLY ISN'T SIX MILLION DOLLARS? THANK YOU.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE GREEN SLIPS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO FILL ONE OUT? WE WANTED TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
PLEASE FILL OUT A FORM AS SOON AS YOU'RE DONE AND HAND IT UP.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
SO MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M AT 4416 ALDERWOOD DRIVE.
THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME AND I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO COMMENTED ON BEHALF BECAUSE I WAS I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I WANT TO KNOW ALSO HOW IT AFFECTS MY PROPERTY AND HOW IT'S ASSESSED AND ALL THAT JAZZ.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY SPOKE EVERYTHING THAT I WAS THINKING.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE MANAGER'S REPORT.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.YOU'LL RECEIVE YOUR 2022 GOAL SETTING PACKET.
YOU'LL BE RECEIVING THAT ON DECEMBER 3RD.
THERE'S AN EVENT THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR AT THE WILL BE THE NEW ICE ARENA AND IF THE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THIS OR NOT, BUT THERE WILL BE A THERE'S BEEN AN ICE ARENA CONSTRUCTED ARTIFICIAL ICE ARENA AT THE NEW MARKETPLACE.
IT'S A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN FUNDED BY PARTIALLY BY THE KIWANIS CLUB, AND THERE WILL BE AN EVENT FOR THAT OPENING THAT ON DECEMBER 4TH.
SO PAY ATTENTION TO THE WEBSITE.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE THANK THE KIWANIS CLUB AND EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN HELPING RAISE THOSE FUNDS.
THIS FRIDAY AT THE MARKETPLACE, THERE WILL BE AN EVENT AT 11:30, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE AWARDED THE FUNDING FROM THE LEAP ORGANIZATION WITH THE HELP OF TRUSTEE, HERRING JACKSON AND OTHERS.
AND THAT $10000 GRANT IS USED TO CREATE NEW ART AT THE MARKETPLACE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, STOP DOWN TO THE MARKETPLACE AT 11:30 THIS FRIDAY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL DEER CALL.
THAT QUESTION ON THE DEER CALL WAS PUT ON OUR CITIZENS SURVEY THAT WENT OUT SOME FIVE MONTHS AGO TO WHAT DID THE RESIDENTS THINK ABOUT THE ANNUAL DEER CALL THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2010 AND 83 PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS SUPPORTED THE CONTINUATION OF THAT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT EIGHTY NINE FOR THIS YEAR.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BY MARCH 1ST.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S AN ARCHERY PROGRAM AND ON JANUARY ONE, IT GETS HANDED OVER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S A A FIREARMS PROGRAM, THE SAME ONE WE USED LAST YEAR.
YEAH, THE NEW THE NEW WEBSITE IS IN PLACE.
IF YOU GO TO OUR TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
I WANT TO THANK BRANDI YATES FOR HER WORK ON THAT.
AND IF YOU NOTICE OUR POLICE OFFICERS, I THINK WE HAVE ONE, CAPTAIN GRILLO'S IN THE ROOM.
IT'S A FUNDRAISER FOR A LOCAL NONPROFIT.
SO IF YOU NOTICE ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR SPORTING WELL WHEN APPROPRIATE, OUR SPORTING A BEARD AND I'VE WRITTEN DOWN, I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT I'VE WRITTEN DOWN AN ENTIRE LIST HERE ON THE DANIELS DRAIN QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR REGARDING THE CONTOUR MAP.
CAN WE USE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE? WHERE'S THE BENEFIT? THE AREA DOESN'T FLOOD EQUABLE REVIEW OF THE ASSESSMENT, REAL CONCERNS FOR FACTORS TO DETERMINE ASSESSMENTS, THE TWENTY FOUR PERCENT DIFFERENCE IN PROPERTY ACREAGE AND THE INTEREST RATE REVIEW.
SO I'M JUST MAKING A NUMBER OF NOTES HERE.
I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THEM, BUT I TRY TO MAKE A BUNCH OF NOTES THAT WE'LL GO OVER AND LOOK INTO AT A LATER DATE.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE BEING HEARD AND WE'RE MAKING THOSE NOTES.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TEAM.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A PERSONAL TRAGEDY AND OUR FAMILY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR[00:50:03]
SUPPORT.WE'RE NOW GOING OUT TO THE MEMBERS REPORTING ON THEIR ACTIVITIES AND MAKING ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY HAVE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO BRING UP? MS. SUNDLAND? YES.
I JUST WANT TO REPORT ON THE MOST RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING THAT I ATTENDED ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2021.
AND IT WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT THE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING IN OFF OF OKEMOS ROAD.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING TO GET STARTED IN JUNE OR JULY.
THEY'RE GOING TO START, YOU KNOW, TAKE A FIRST DRAW ON AND SO THAT THEY CAN START DOING CONSTRUCTION.
THEY ARE ENVISIONING A RESTAURANT ON THE CORNER OF HAMILTON.
THEY WANT OPEN TABLES, KIND OF AN OUTDOOR SEATING AREA.
THERE'S GOING TO BE 200 UNITS OF RESIDENTIAL LIVING AND IT JUST LOOKS LIKE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT IN OKEMOS.
WE'RE GOING TO BRING OKEMOS BACK AND GET IT VITALIZE.
MR. OPSOMMER? I WAS JUST GOING TO.
I DON'T HAVE A REPORT THIS EVENING.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE'RE ALMOST AN HOUR AND MAYBE WE HOLD OUR REPORTS TO THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING THAT WE GIVE IT OUT OF THE WAY.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A REPORT, BECAUSE WE CAN DO THEM AT THE END ALSO? THAT'S IMPORTANT.
OK, THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
AND I LIKE TO SUGGEST IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM ANYBODY THAT WE TAKE ITEM 13B AND DO IT AS A 12A.OR, YOU KNOW, SUB WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, THAT EXCUSE ME, THAT IS.
IN OTHER WORDS, PUT IT UP RIGHT AFTER WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
IT STILL BE A DISCUSSION, BUT KEEP IT UP AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION, MR. OPSOMMER? ALL RIGHT.
I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH ITEM 13B BEING MOVED TO ITEM 12A.
AND THEN RE LETTERING THE ACTION ITEMS UNDER THE ACTION.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE A 13, BUT JUST PUT IT OUT OF ORDER.
WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA WITH THAT CHANGE.
ANY OPPOSED? OK, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
THE FIRST ONE IS COMMUNICATIONS.SECOND IS MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 2ND REGULAR MEETING AND THE THIRD ONE IS THE BILLS, WHICH WE HAVE TO APPROVE.
IS THERE A MOTION? MR. TREASURER? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT THEN WE NEED A ROLL CALL BECAUSE OF THE BILLS.
SUPERVISOR STYKA? CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES NO.
[11A. Silverstone Estates Public Streetlighting Improvement]
IS THAT HERE WE MOVE ON TO 11, HEARINGS AND FIRST IS THE SILVERSTONE ESTATES PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT.AND I THINK OUR DEPUTY MANAGER HAS SOMETHING ON THAT.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THIS IS THE SILVERSTONE ESTATE STREET LIGHTING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE BE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND AS REQUIRED UNDER 188, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HOLD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF THAT, AND AGAIN, IT'S TO HEAR OBJECTIONS OR SUPPORT FOR THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT THAT WOULD BASICALLY POWER SEVEN LIGHTS IN THE SILVERSTONE SUBDIVISION.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE WANTS TO COMMENT ON THAT LIGHTING DISTRICT? THEN WITHIN A MINUTE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE ARE DONE WITH THAT.
WELL, NOW MOVE ON TO THE DANIELS DRAIN, PUBLIC DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 6:52.
[11B. Daniels Drain Public Drain Improvement]
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THAT HEARING AND CALL UPON MR. PERRY TO AGAIN KIND OF ADDRESS US FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS.WITH THIS ITEM, I THOUGHT I'D TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND MAYBE PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND TO IT.
THE DANIELS DRAIN IS A INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN LOCATED WITHIN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, SOUTH OF GRAND RIVER, BETWEEN CORNELL ROAD AND DOBIE ROAD TO THE SOUTH AS FOREST HILL DRIVE.
IT ACTUALLY IT GOES INTO THE CORNELL WOODS DOWN TO SILVER WOULD DRIVE BACK IN TWENTY
[00:55:05]
FIFTEEN.THE RESIDENTS OF THE PONDS APPROACHED THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND SAID, WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DRAIN.
AT THAT POINT, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER SAID, WELL, THAT'S A CHAPTER 20 DRAIN.
YOU NEED TO CONTACT THE TOWNSHIP AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN THE DRAIN CODE.
SO AT THAT POINT, THEY DID APPROACH THE TOWNSHIP AND WE HAD HELD SEVERAL MEETINGS.
THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
THOSE ALL OCCURRED IN ABOUT 2015.
THEN IN 2016, THE BOARD WAS COMFORTABLE WITH PROCEEDING WITH A PETITION TO THE INGHAM COUNTY COMMISSION TO PROCEED WITH A PROJECT.
SO THAT REALLY IS HOW THE PROJECT BEGAN BACK IN 2015-2016.
STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS OWNED AND MAINTAINED AND OPERATED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN.
COMMISSIONER MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOESN'T OWN DRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE EXCEPT ON OUR PROPERTIES.
PARK PROPERTIES IN THE PARKING LOT, THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT DRAINS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER, AND I'LL EXPLAIN HOW WHY THE TOWNSHIP'S INVOLVED IN THIS ONE.
AND AGAIN, THE CONSTRUCTION, THE MAINTENANCE.
ALL OF THAT AGAIN, IS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
TOWNSHIP DOESN'T GO OUT AND MAINTAIN THOSE SYSTEMS. THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND ALL DRAIN COMMISSIONERS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN GET THEIR POWER GRANTED TO THE DRAIN CODE OF 1956.
THAT'S THE LAWS AND THE REGULATIONS THEY USE TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.
UNDER THAT STATUTE, MOST DRAINS ARE WITHIN THE THE TOWNSHIP OR CHAPTER 4S, WHICH MEANS THE COUNTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE THING.
SO IF A RESIDENT HAS AN ISSUE WITH A DRAIN, THEY APPROACH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER.
HE'LL TELL THEM THEY NEED TO BASICALLY PUT TOGETHER A PETITION.
THEY'LL GO TALK TO THEIR RESIDENTS, THEY'LL PETITION THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER TO DO THAT PROCESS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS STEPS THAT THEY DO.
AND THEN IF THE PETITION IS RULED, BASICALLY A VALID PETITION, THEN THEY PROCEED WITH THAT.
THEY'LL DO THE PROJECT AND THEN THEY'LL ASSESS THE PROPERTY OWNERS, INCLUDING THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S A CHAPTER 20, AND I SHOULD STATE ON THOSE TYPICAL CHAPTER FOUR DRAINS.
THE TOWNSHIP DOES SHARE IN THOSE COSTS, BUT IT'S MORE AS NOT A A BENEFITING PARCEL OWNER, BUT AS A PUBLIC BENEFIT.
AND WE WOULD GET OUR BILL FOR THAT PROJECT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OR SUBDIVISION, AND OUR PERCENTAGE THAT WE PAY IS TYPICALLY OF TWENTY FIVE TO 30 PERCENT FOR THAT PUBLIC BENEFIT PORTION OF IT.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY CREATED FOR PUBLIC CORPORATIONS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, LEGAL SPEAK FOR MUNICIPALITIES, ROAD AGENCIES, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND AGAIN, THE DANIELS DRAIN IS A CHAPTER 20 DRAIN.
WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THAT IS, AGAIN, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER STILL OWNS THE DRAIN.
HOWEVER, THERE'S ONLY THREE ENTITIES IN THIS PROJECT THAT WOULD RECEIVE A BILL OUT OF IT OR AN INVOICE FROM THE DRAIN OFFICE.
ONE WOULD BE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS ABOUT 82 PERCENT OF THE PROJECT, THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
BECAUSE GRAND RIVER IS IMPACTED BY THE DRAIN AND THEN THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE ROADS WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION WHEN IT WAS.
THE PETITION WAS FILED WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER BACK IN 2016.
THE BOARD RESERVED THE RIGHT TO PASS ALONG A PORTION OR ALL OF THOSE ASSESSMENTS TO THE BENEFITING PARTIAL OWNERS, SIMILAR TO WHAT TYPICALLY OCCURS IN A NORMAL DRAIN PROJECT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TOWNSHIP, TYPICALLY THROUGH THEIR GENERAL TAXES THAT THEY COLLECT, WILL PAY ABOUT TWENTY FIVE OR 30 PERCENT OF A DREAM PROJECT.
THE THE THINKING AT THE TIME WAS WE SHOULD TRY TO EQUATE THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO A TYPICAL DRAIN PROJECT WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE PROCEEDED WITH.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE TOWNSHIP DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF THAT, TWENTY FIVE TO 30 PERCENT THAT ACTUALLY THE TOWNSHIP GENERAL FUND WOULD TAKE CARE OF 50 PERCENT OF THE ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT A TOWNSHIP WOULD NORMALLY DO ON A DREAM PROJECT.
THE REST OF THAT $2.7 MILLION OUT OF THAT 5.5 MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT WOULD BE ASSESSED TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE PARCELS IN THAT DISTRICT RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP ISN'T IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING STORM WATER PROJECTS.
WE DO WATER MAIN, WE DO SANITARY SEWER.
WE'RE GOOD AT THAT AND WE TYPICALLY WOULD DO THOSE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
WE HIRED A CONSULTANT THAT SPECIALIZES IN THESE DRAINING PROJECTS.
WE HIRED SPICER GROUP HERE OUT OF LANSING.
TIM INMAN, HE'S HERE TONIGHT, SO IF THE BOARD HAS QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLE, HE'S HERE TO HELP ANSWER THOSE.
BUT THE ROLE WAS PUT TOGETHER BASED ON BENEFITING ACRES LAND USE TYPE.
[01:00:03]
SOMETIMES IT'S ZONING, BUT WE USE A LAND USE COVER MAP TO TRY TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BETTER.AND THEN A PROXIMITY FACTOR TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PROPERTIES THAT WERE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL BENEFIT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE NORMAL PARCEL WOULD RECEIVE AS FAR AS THE BENEFIT.
AGAIN, FOR US TO DO THE ASSESSMENTS, WE DON'T USE THE CHAPTER 20 OR I'M SORRY, THE THE DRAIN CODE WE USE.
WE USE PUBLIC ACT 188 IN 1954.
THAT'S THE PROCESS YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
SIMILAR TO THE STREETLIGHT PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE JUST HAD HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO AND THAT REQUIRES TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, TONIGHT IS THE FIRST OF TWO.
THE FIRST ONE AGAIN IS TO PUT A TENTATIVE ASSESSMENT ROLL BEFORE THE BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK AT PRESENT THAT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THE PARCEL OWNERS, SO THAT THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THOSE ASSESSMENTS COULD POTENTIALLY BE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THEIR CONCERNS, THEIR OBJECTIONS, THEIR SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT KNOWN.
AND THEN WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO WITH OUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS IS AFTER THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, RESIDENTS HAD TO HAVE SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
UNLIKE A DAY OF REVIEW, BUT SIMILAR TO THAT, THEY MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ONE ON ONE THROUGH APPOINTMENT SYSTEMS. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN NOW IN THAT SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IN THE SPRING TO, YOU KNOW, DO THAT ONE ON ONE INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC.
WE JUST NEED TO SET UP APPOINTMENTS TO DO THAT.
AND THEN IN THE SPRING, FOLLOWING ALL THOSE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, WE WOULD AGAIN PUT TOGETHER THE ASSESSMENT ROLE THAT WE THINK IS FINISHED.
WE WOULD PRESENT THAT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
WE SEND OUT THOSE NOTICES AGAIN TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE HOLD ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SAY, NOW YOU'RE STILL ALL WET.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE THINK IT SHOULD BE CHANGED OR ALTERED.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD FINALIZE THOSE ASSESSMENTS.
AND THEN THOSE ARE SENT OUT ON A SEPARATE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BILL IN THE SUMMER.
IN JUNE, THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO PAY.
AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO PAY IN FULL OR THEY CAN PAY IT OVER THE LIFE OF THE BOND, WHICH IS 20 YEARS ON THIS PROJECT.
AGAIN, THE TOWNSHIP DID NOT BOND FOR THIS.
THE INGHAM COUNTY DRINK COMMISSIONER BONDED FOR THIS, BUT WE WOULD USE THE SAME TERM AND WE WOULD USE THE SAME INTEREST RATE.
THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION IF THE TOWNSHIP BONDED FOR ON A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TIED BY LAW TO THAT INTEREST RATE, SO I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO DO THAT TOO.
NORMALLY, ON OUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS, WE USE OUR OUR OWN INTERNAL FUND AND THE BOARD HAS DISCRETION AND TYPICALLY WE DO.
FIVE PERCENT INTEREST IS WHAT WE'VE DONE ON SOME OF THE PAST.
BUT BUT AGAIN, I KNOW THERE WAS A QUESTION ON INTEREST RATES, SO THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION IN THE FUTURE.
AS FAR AS BACKGROUND, HOPEFULLY THAT WAS A QUICK SYNOPSIS.
IT WASN'T TOO LONG, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE WE'RE HERE TO TAKE NOTES AND AGAIN PROCEED WITH THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL NOW CALL ON INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO COME FORWARD DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE FIRST ONE I HAVE IS DAVID PEARSON.
THANK YOU, DAVID PEARSON ON BEHALF OF ELLEN'S PROPERTIES.
THAT'S THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WHERE TOM'S FOOD IS RIGHT AT OKEMOS 1619 GRAND RIVER.
I FILED A WRITTEN OBJECTION, WHICH YOU'LL SEE, BUT I THINK THERE'S TWO POINTS THAT WE WANT TO BRING UP AND ONE I SHOULD SPEAK TO BECAUSE THE ROLE OR THE PROPOSED ROLE HAS CHANGED SINCE IT WAS FIRST PUT OUT.
THE KEY FACT IS WHEN WALSH GOLF SET OUT TO BUILD THIS STORE WHEN HE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY IN THE EARLY 1980S.
NOT UNUSUAL FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THERE WAS A CONTROVERSY WHICH WENT ON FOR SOME YEARS.
AND WHAT RESULTED WAS A SETTLEMENT WHICH INCLUDED OF HIS 10 ACRES, FOUR ACRES WAS GIVEN TO THE TOWNSHIP TO HOLD AS OPEN SPACE.
IT HAS TO BE LEFT OPEN BECAUSE IT'S EFFECTIVELY THE OPEN SPACE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE OVERALL SITE FOR THE GROCERY STORE.
SO WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU THINK, WELL, THIS MAKES SENSE, IT'S JUST THE STORE, A BIG PARKING LOT WITH A LOT OF ASPHALT.
[01:05:01]
IT MAKES SENSE THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH ASSESSMENT.IT'S A BIGGER PARCEL THAN THAT EFFECTIVELY.
I'D BE GLAD TO SHARE WITH YOU.
THE STATE JOURNAL REGULARLY COVERED IT, SINCE IT WAS A MATTER OF SOME INTEREST AND CONTROVERSY.
BUT AS A RESULT, REALLY, THE PROPERTY SHOULD BE GIVEN EFFECTIVE CREDIT FOR THAT OPEN SPACE, WHICH APPEARS NOT TO BE PART OF THE PROJECT.
WHAT COMPLICATES IT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO ALL OF THIS IN THREE MINUTES, IS THAT SINCE THE ROLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AS PROPOSED, THE PARKS HAVE DECIDED TO KICK IN.
AND SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A LINE ON THE ROLE FOR THAT FOUR ACRE PIECE SOUTH OF THE STORE.
SO REALLY, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT SHOULD BE COUNTED AS PART OF THE STORE'S PARCEL FOR PURPOSES OF THE ASSESSMENT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT DOING THAT IS IN SOME SENSE UNPOPULAR FOR OTHERS BECAUSE IF THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING IN THAT MUCH MORE, REALLY WHAT IT'S DOING IS BENEFITING THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AND REALLY THE PROPERTY IS THE OWNER IS SAYING THAT SHOULD BE CREDITED TO THAT PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST MENTION IS THE PROXIMITY FACTOR AND HOW IT'S APPLIED, BECAUSE WHERE IT SEEMS TO APPLY AT THE ONE POINT ZERO AND WHERE IT'S INCREASED HAD A GREATER RATE DOESN'T SEEM CLEAR ON LOOKING AT THE MAP.
AND IT SEEMS TO IN FACT REINFORCE AREAS WHERE IN FACT, MUCH OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING DONE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED, THAT THE ASSESSMENTS THEY'RE UNDER THE PROXIMITY FACTOR AREN'T COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT THEY SHOULD BE.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT MR. PERRY WILL BE MEETING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THESE MATTERS IN PARTICULAR TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, BOARD MEMBERS, THIS EVENING.
I'M CHARLES BARBIERI, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PONTES COOPERATIVE HOMES ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE BEEN THE GENERATOR OF THIS PROJECT IN THE SENSE OF ADVOCATING FOR IT FOR THE PAST SIX, SEVEN YEARS, AND WE APPLAUD THE EFFORT THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS TAKEN IN PETITIONING FOR THIS PROJECT AND BEING INVOLVED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY.
WE DO HAVE A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
I WISH TO INDICATE TO YOU THAT WE SHARED THOSE IN A LETTER THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED THIS EVENING ALONG WITH THE POWERPOINT THAT I'M BRIEFLY GOING TO ALLUDE TO AS PART OF MY REMARKS THIS EVENING.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE COME UP WITH A FORMULA WHICH IS THE FORMULA OF THE AYE BEING THE BENEFITTED ACREAGE, THE RUNOFF COEFFICIENT FOR THE C AND THEN THE PROXIMITY P FACTOR.
WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU TAKE CAREFUL NOTE IN THE CASE OF MY CLIENT, THE PONDS, BECAUSE OF ITS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE SERIOUSLY QUESTION WHETHER THERE IS THE BENEFIT FOR THE ENTIRE 18 ACRES WHERE A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT IS REALLY A PART OF THE BURDEN FOR RECEIVING ALL THE STORM WATER FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT THAT THE DANIAL STREAM CONSISTS OF.
THE POND ITSELF IS 2.6 ACRES, AND IN THEORY IT'S SUPPOSED TO AT LEAST ATTAIN ALL THE WATER THAT COMES FROM THE DANIELS DRAIN DISTRICT WE SUBMIT TO YOU.
THAT REALLY IS A BENEFIT THAT SITE WIDE OR DISTRICT WIDE AND OUGHT TO BE CALCULATED DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S A BENEFIT.
SIMILARLY, THE FOUR BAYS AND WETLANDS THAT SURROUND THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS ALSO BEING PART OF THAT WIDESPREAD BENEFIT AND NOT CERTAINLY A BENEFIT STRICTLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE THE PONDS ITSELF.
AND THAT'S ABOUT ONE POINT FIVE ACRES AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT AT THE MAP.
NOW, IN ADDITION, AND PERHAPS JUST ILLUSTRATE IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A THE PART OF THE GII SITE DOCUMENTS, WHICH THE TOWNSHIP ACTUALLY HAS ON ITS WEB SITE.
THE FOUR BAYS ARE LOCATED HERE IN THE WETLAND FEATURES AROUND IT.
THE OTHER FACTOR TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, WE HAVE HAD TO SIGN AND AGREE TO CERTAIN EASEMENTS FOR THE PROJECT TO OCCUR.
AND IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE EASEMENT DOCUMENTS AND I'VE ATTACHED THOSE TO THE LETTER THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED, OVER 50 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL 18 ACRES OR NINE PLUS ACRES IS
[01:10:02]
SUBJECT TO ONGOING RESTRICTIONS.EVEN AFTER THIS PROJECT IS DONE, YOU HAVE WIDESPREAD USE OF MORE THAN NINE ACRES CURRENTLY BECAUSE OF THE DREDGING AND THE PROJECT THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
BUT EVEN AFTER IT'S DONE, YOU'RE LEFT WITH A ONGOING OBLIGATION THAT ALWAYS HAS TO PERMIT THE ACCESS BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER TO DO WHATEVER HE BELIEVES IS NECESSARY FOR THE CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF THE DRAIN.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, SOME OF THE BURDEN IS PUT ON US FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE INGRESS AND EGRESS PATHWAYS GOING FORWARD.
SO IT'S NOT STRICTLY A BENEFIT, IT'S ACTUALLY A BURDEN.
WE WOULD REMIND YOU THAT THE CASE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE BENEFIT ACTUALLY BE CONFERRED AND THAT BE PROPORTIONAL.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF THE FACTORS, WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PROXIMITY FACTOR WE ARE, I BELIEVE, THE ONLY HOMEOWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE GIVEN THE 1.4 FACTOR, AND IT'S BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT WE RECEIVE SOME UNIQUE BENEFIT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S BEEN DESIRED, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN REFLECTED BY THE HISTORY BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS FLOODING INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER TIME AND QUITE FRANKLY, THAT WE'LL HAVE THE CONTINUING OBLIGATIONS GOING FORWARD.
SO I INVITE YOU TO RECONSIDER THE PROXIMITY FACTOR AND FLATTEN THAT OUT IN THE CASE OF MY PARTICULAR CLIENT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO US THIS EVENING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MR. PERRY AND HIS STAFF, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HOPE THE PROJECT SUCCEEDS AND ITS ULTIMATE INTENT.
IF YOU HAVE A CARD FOR MR. JOHN LEONI AGAIN.
JOHN LEONI, 4544 DOBIE ROAD AGAIN, AND I'M HERE, THIS SHOULD BE QUICK, I'VE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS.
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A POINT, THOUGH, THAT I'M HERE REPRESENTING SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS OUT HERE? SOME ARE NOT, BUT THEY'VE SIGNED OFF ON THAT LETTER THAT TO REPRESENT THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE SECURED AND DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO PRESERVE THEIR OBJECTIONS IF WE END UP HAVING TO GO TO THE TAX COMMISSION.
IN SHORT, WHERE SIX PROPERTIES, SEVEN PROPERTIES, ACTUALLY SIX ADDRESSES THAT ARE RUN ACROSS FROM THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE COMMERCIAL AREA ON DOBIE ROAD, AND WE HAVE EYEWITNESSES THAT FOR OVER 30 YEARS THERE'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY ZERO FLOW IN OUR CULVERTS.
SIMPLY, WE'RE PHYSICALLY NOT CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM WHATSOEVER.
THE TOPOGRAPHY SHOWS THAT AND I DID MY BEST.
I TOOK SOME PICTURES JUST SO THERE'S SOME EVIDENCE OF IT, AND THEREFORE I COULD GO ON.
BUT IN SHORT, WE WERE SIMPLY NOT CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM.
AND SO WE SHOULD BE DROPPED OUT OF THIS SYSTEM.
AND I GUESS I CAN, SINCE IT'S SUCH AN INDIVIDUALIZED POSITION AND I DIDN'T CATCH THE NAME OF MR. PERRY THAT WAS SPEAKING REALLY.
IS THAT WHO WE WOULD SPEAK TO AT THIS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS GROUP TO TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES? EASIEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO SET UP THOSE APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE THE EMAIL IN THEIR AND AGAIN, WE'LL SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CHIEF ENGINEER AND SPICER AND MYSELF IF NEEDED, AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH THOSE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS.
THE ISSUE WILL BE AND WE MAY HAVE TO BRING IN THE INGHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONER BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ESTABLISHED THAT DISTRICT AND THAT'S DISTRICT WAS GIVEN TO US THAN WHAT WE BASED OUR ASSESSMENTS ON.
SO IT BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE DETERMINED THAT DISTRICT.
DOES THE TOWNSHIP HAVE ANY POWER TO REQUEST IT BE CHANGED? WE WOULD.
I DON'T KNOW AS FAR AS WHAT'S STANDING, THE TOWNSHIP HAS TO DO THAT.
OK, AND IT WAS SPICER GROUP, IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU BEFORE, WAS THE GROUP THAT MADE THIS DECISION ON WHERE THE LINES SHOULD GO ON THE ON THE DRAIN DISTRICT.
NO, THEY RECEIVED THOSE LINES FROM THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER.
INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER ESTABLISHED THE DISTRICT AND GAVE US THOSE DISTRICT LINES, AND THEN WE OVERLAY THOSE DISTRICT LINES ONTO OUR PARCEL.
NOW WHAT WAS SPICER GROUP'S ROLE? I THOUGHT THEY HAD DEVELOPED.
TO DEVELOP THE ASSESSMENT ROLE FOR US.
AND DO YOU IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION PRIOR TO THE DRAIN COMMISSION MAKING THE DISTRICT WITH THE TOWNSHIP TO DISCUSS WHERE IT SHOULD BE, WHAT PROPERTIES ARE CONNECTED, WHICH ONES ARE WITHIN SUFFICIENT PROXIMITY [INAUDIBLE] THE FACTORS THAT WOULD GO INTO MAKING THE DISTRICT THEY GO THROUGH THEIR NORMAL LEGAL PROCESS THROUGH THE DRAIN CODE,
[01:15:02]
WHICH YOU KNOW THERE IS NOTIFICATION PROCESSES.BUT AGAIN, BEING A CHAPTER 20, IT'S A LITTLE UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD.
SO WE RELY ON THE COMMISSIONER TO ESTABLISH THOSE DISTRICTS.
LET'S HAVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
WELL, THAT WAS MY QUESTION, AND I DIDN'T QUITE GET IT ANSWERED, WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS THAT WAS USED, WAS THERE COMMUNICATION PRIOR TO THE DRAIN COMMISSION, DRAWING THE LINES OF THE DISTRICT, WAS THERE COMMUNICATION WITH THE TOWNSHIP? THERE WAS FORMAL COMMUNICATION TO THE TOWNSHIP THAT THIS IS THE BOUNDARY BEING SET.
THE ANSWER WAS WE WERE INFORMED WHAT IT WAS.
BUT IN THAT PROCESS--WE WERE INFORMED WHAT IT WAS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WAS NO BACK AND FORTH.
GOOD EVENING, MR. SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JERRY F.
I LIVE AT 5570 OKEMOS ROAD AND I AM PROTESTING MY PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT AT 1730 CHIEF OKEMOS CR AND BASICALLY MY PROTEST IS REGARDING THE NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT WERE USED IN ASSESSING THE COST OF EACH ASSESSMENT, AND WE HAD DEVELOPED THE CHIEF OKEMOS CR PAID ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, INCLUDING SURVEYS AND AS-BUILT AND SUCH TO BUILD THAT, AND WHICH WAS A DRAIN SYSTEM THAT HOLDS THE WATER ON THE SITE.
AND THE OBJECT WAS IS THAT THE BEFORE WE BUILT THE AMOUNT OF RUNOFF? AND AFTER WE BUILT THE RUNOFF WAS TO BE ABOUT THE SAME AND SO WE SPENT THE MONEY TO BUILD THE SYSTEM.
NONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE ANY SORT OF DETENTION POND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND I DON'T THINK THAT FACTOR HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN ASSESSING OUR PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT.
I'VE LOOKED AND REVIEWED DURING A RAINSTORM AND ALL OF MY ADJOINING NEIGHBORS WATER POURS OUT ONTO THE STREET, AND OURS IS A TIMED RELEASE TO THE SAME AS WHEN WE WERE THERE, WHEN BEFORE THAT WE STARTED OUR PROJECT.
SO I'M SAYING THAT OUR FACTORED THAT FACTOR DID NOT GET TAKEN INTO INTO INTO ACCOUNT AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS MAYBE THAT WHEN WE WOULD MEET AFTERWARD, THAT FACTOR COULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND THANK YOU.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING IF OTHERS WHO WANT TO COME UP AND TALK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
YOU DON'T NEED A LIST FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I RESIDE AT 4767 CORNELL ROAD.
CAN I BORROW YOUR MAP OF THE ASSESSMENT DISTRICT TO HELP MY COMMENTS A LITTLE BIT? I DID FILE A WRITTEN NOTICE PROTESTING MY PROPERTY WAS INCLUDED IN THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT.
IT'S A NEEDED PROJECT AND I HOPE IT DOES GO FORWARD.
BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD SUPPORT ALL OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING WHY THEIR PROPERTIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER DETERMINATION, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WORKING WITH THE DRAIN OFFICE IN COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AND I THINK IF WE COULD ASK THE TOWNSHIP TO ASSIST US IN THAT COMMUNICATION, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
MY PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF GRAND RIVER HERE IN THIS LITTLE SQUARE, AND I'M KIND OF IN A TRIPLE JEOPARDY SITUATION.
I CURRENTLY GET PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS FROM THE HATHAWAY DRAIN THAT FLOWS ACROSS OUR PROPERTY HERE.
THE SECOND PART OF THE JEOPARDY IS THAT WHEN GRAND RIVER WAS REDONE HERE, I SIGNED AN EASEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ALLOW THEIR GROUNDWATER TO FLOW ONTO MY PROPERTY AND CREATE A WETLAND, WHICH I WAS WILLING TO DO AND THE THIRD PART OF THE DOUBLE JEOPARDY IS THAT WHENEVER THOSE CONTOUR MAPS WERE CREATED, WHICH WE HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF, WHEN THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE DOGGY DAY CARE BUILDING WAS BUILT,
[01:20:01]
THEY RAISED THE ELEVATION OF THE GROUND TO BUILD THAT BUILDING AND THEIR GROUNDWATER FLOWS ONTO MY PROPERTY, CREATING MORE OF A WETLAND.SO THAT'S THE TRIPLE JEOPARDY THAT THIS PROJECT IS PLACING US IN.
SO AGAIN, I'D APPRECIATE THE TOWNSHIP SUPPORT IN US COMMUNICATING WITH THE DRAIN OFFICE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW RELEVANT THIS IS, BUT IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE VERY RELEVANT.
SOME 20 PLUS YEARS AGO, BEFORE [INAUDIBLE] WAS BUILT WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED, IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE OF FLOODING.
WE WERE AFRAID THAT IN FOREST HILLS BEHIND [INAUDIBLE], THIS PROJECT WOULD CREATE FLOODING ISSUES AND MY HUSBAND I AND SEVEN OTHER FAMILIES STARTED A LAWSUIT BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE ARE [CHUCKLING] AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT LAWSUIT WAS A SETTLEMENT AND PART OF THE PROPERTY THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR BUILDING IS NOW OPEN SPACE, AND IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED AND PART OF THE SETTLEMENT WAS THAT IT WOULD BE OPEN SPACE FOR, AMONG OTHER ISSUES, FLOOD CONTROL.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE CHARGING, WHO YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME TO ME AND I'M BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT YOU CAN INCLUDE IT IN YOUR CALCULATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S PERTINENT OR NOT, BUT THAT PARTICULAR OPEN SPACE BEHIND THE GROCERY STORE JUST DIRECTLY OF YOUR FINGER.
YEAH, IT'S JUST JUST BEHIND THE GROCERY STORE THAT WAS STARTED OUT AS PART OF THE GROCERY STORE PROPERTY.
WELL, WE INTERFERED WITH THAT AND IT IS NO LONGER PART OF THAT PROPERTY.
WHEN WE SETTLED THE LAWSUIT, WE TURNED IT OVER TO THE PARKS COMMISSION AND THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARKS COMMISSION OWNS THAT PROPERTY AND ONE OF ITS PURPOSES WAS FLOOD CONTROL.
THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE SORT OF THING THAT MAY AT SOME POINT BECOME RELEVANT OR NOT, BUT I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BRING IT UP JUST, YOU KNOW, TO IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, QUICK QUESTION FOR THOSE OF US--I UNDERSTAND THAT--FOR THOSE OF US WHO SIGNED UP ORIGINALLY ON THE OTHER WHITE SHEET, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ARE VERY CONFUSED IF WE HAVE TO FILL IN ANOTHER GREEN SHEET AND COME UP HERE OR NOT.
OFFICIALLY, JESSE ADLER, 1580 HILLSIDE DRIVE.
SO AS I SAID EARLIER, WE FEEL THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISTAKES THAT HAVE GONE INTO NOT JUST THIS PROJECT, BUT 50 YEARS WORTH OF PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, REZONING, ZONING AND ALL OF THE THINGS BOTH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION.
AS I TALKED TO SOMEBODY THIS MORNING, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DECIDE WHERE THE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO GO.
THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER DECIDES HOW THOSE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO GET DRAINED AND WHERE.
BUT OVER THE YEARS, WHEN THIS POND WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN IN THE FORTIES, NONE OF OUR HOUSING EXISTED.
WE ALL MOVED IN, BUILDINGS GOT BUILT, HOUSING GOT BUILT, TOMS GOT BUILT, ETC.
BUT NONE OF THAT WAS REALLY CONSIDERED THAT THIS POND WAS NOT MEANT TO HOLD ANY OF THAT, AND YOU'VE HAD MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE YEARS TO RECONSTRUCT IT, CLEAN THE POND, FIX THE DRAIN, WORK WITH MDOT, AND ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THAT HAS HAPPENED.
FAST FORWARD TODAY, AND WE'RE ALL STANDING HERE COMPLAINING BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN NO TRANSPARENCY, NO REGULAR MAINTENANCE BEING DONE AND NOW WE ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR IT.
OUR BILL IS ABOUT SIXTY TWO HUNDRED.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASSESSED.
YES, WE HAVE A LARGER LOT SIZE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS A BENEFIT TO US WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, BOUGHT OUR YARD, AS THE REALTORS SAY, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL LOT SIZE, A GORGEOUS NATURAL AREA THAT SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED BEHIND
[01:25:04]
OUR HOUSE.THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SOLD ON TODAY.
THAT NATURAL AREA HAS BEEN PARTIALLY DESTROYED BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAVE DECIDED TO USE IT AS A STAGING AREA.
SO AGAIN, THIS TIME THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF TANGIBLE BENEFITS AND PROXIMITY, IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL TO US, IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO OUR PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CAUSE A LOSS OF PROPERTY VALUE BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE WE'VE WE'RE MISSING OUR TREES.
WE HAVE HUGE RUTS IN OUR YARD FROM ALL THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THAT'S DRIVING THROUGH OUR YARD ON A DAILY BASIS, TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR ENGINEER HAS COME TO MY HOUSE AT LEAST TWICE TO APOLOGIZE FOR ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THAT KEEPS DRIVING THROUGH OUR YARD.
SO I HOPE TO GOD THAT AT SOME POINT THAT ALL GETS FIXED AND NOT ON OUR DIME BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY OF THAT.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A DRAINAGE WATER RETENTION ISSUE OR FLOODING OF ANY KIND ON OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] THAT NATURAL AREA BEHIND US WAS DESIGNED TO HELP CONTROL THE FLOODING.
SO ALL OF OUR WATER EITHER GOES TO THAT AREA, IT GOES INTO OUR DRAINAGE DITCH, WHICH AGAIN IT FILLS UP IN A RAINSTORM.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO AND THEN IT DISSIPATES.
OR IT JUST SIMPLY GOES INTO THE GROUND AND REFILLS THE AQUIFER THAT OUR WELL IS USED FOR AND WE, YES, WE ARE STILL ON A WELL.
SO EVERY TIME THAT YOU GUYS START A DRAINAGE PROJECT AROUND US, WE GET REALLY NERVOUS JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO TO THE OVERALL GROUNDWATER SYSTEM.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE ARE STILL A GOOD CHUNK OF HOUSES ON HILLSIDE THAT ARE STILL ON A WELL AND AS FAR AS SOME OF THE BENEFITS, YES, WE LIVE BY THE POND.
I CAN'T GO TO THE POND BECAUSE THERE ARE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS EVERYWHERE ON THE PONDS COOPERATIVE PROPERTY.
SO WHATEVER THESE SO-CALLED IMPROVEMENTS ARE, THE SIDEWALKS, THE TREES, THE WHAT HAVE YOU THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD AS PART OF THIS LOVELY POND, IT'S NOT GOING TO MEAN A DANG THING TO US BECAUSE THOSE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS ARE GOING TO KEEP US FROM BENEFITING FROM ANY OF THAT AND THAT GOES FOR ALL OF US IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT MY ASSESSMENT AND IN THAT PROXIMITY FACTOR AND THE BENEFITS TO US, IT'S NOT GOING TO MEAN ANYTHING TO US.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT OUR PROPERTY AND WHO THE RESIDENTS ARE THAT ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THAT AND IN THAT CASE, IT'S ONLY THE PONDS COOPERATIVE, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THEY WERE THE ONES WHO ASKED FOR THIS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WE WERE NOT PART OF THE PETITION.
SO WHY ARE WE BEING CHARGED FOR A PROJECT THAT ONLY A HANDFUL OF RESIDENTS ASKED FOR? I HAD ANOTHER POINT OH, NEW TREES AND PLANTINGS.
YOU WIPED OUT MORE THAN SIX HUNDRED TO SEVEN HUNDRED TREES.
NOT THOSE TREES DIDN'T ALL HAVE TO GO.
THERE WAS A BETTER WAY THAT THIS PROJECT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PIPE RAN UNDER SOME OF THOSE TREES BECAUSE THAT PIPE HAS BEEN THERE SINCE NINETEEN FORTIES AND THE TREES HAVE GROWN SINCE THEN.
BUT AGAIN, WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS IN THE MEANTIME, AND AGAIN, NOW OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO GO DOWN.
WE JUST HAD A NEW HOMEOWNER MOVE IN ON HILLSIDE DRIVE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENED.
TWO WEEKS, DO YOU THINK SHE HAD ANY IDEA WHAT SHE WAS FACING GOING INTO THAT? I DON'T THINK SO.
NOBODY TOLD HER ANYTHING BECAUSE THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION AND YOU GUYS DIDN'T TELL US SQUAT ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO GO DOWN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS.
I DON'T CARE IF WE'RE GETTING A NEW DRAIN OR PIPE IT, IT'S GETTING TO BE KIND OF RIDICULOUS.
ALSO, DID YOU KNOW THAT THE TURTLES ARE GETTING A PLAY AREA? THE TURTLES, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY BENEFIT OUT OF IT, BUT THE TURTLES ARE GETTING A NICE LITTLE PLAYGROUND AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ON ONE OF THE DESCRIPTIONS AND I KNOW PEOPLE WERE LIKE, OH, WE'RE GETTING A PLAYGROUND FOR THE KIDS.
OH NO, IT'S A PLAYGROUND FOR THE FROGS AND THE TURTLES.
HEY, IF EVERYBODY ELSE CAN TALK THE THINGS, WE'RE ALL GOING TO KEEP GOING.
YOU ARE GETTING A LITTLE LONG, PLEASE, JESSIE.
AND ALL RIGHT, SO AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL THING I'M GOING TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS HERE TO ACTUALLY GET AN ASSESSMENT MEETING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IN REALITY, WE DON'T HAVE CURB AND GUTTER IN OUR AREA.
SO THERE IS SOME CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS IN ALL OF THAT AS FAR AS THE PAVEMENT IS CONCERNED.
BUT I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING.
WE'RE JUST A LITTLE FRUSTRATED AS THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS ARE, AND I'VE HEARD SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS TONIGHT THAT I DIDN'T THINK OF AND HOPEFULLY BETWEEN ALL OF OUR COMMENTS, YOU GUYS CAN, RELOOK AT OUR ASSESSMENTS MORE CLOSELY.
BRIAN MARKHAM AT 4424 SATINWOOD DRIVE IN OKEMOS.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS ON THE LIST BECAUSE WE'RE INTERESTED IN PROTESTING OUR ASSESSMENT AS WELL, AND I WASN'T SURE WHO TO GET THAT TO.
[01:30:01]
WHO DO WE PHYSICALLY GIVE OUR LETTER TO? I MEAN, ANYBODY? SURE.OUR QUESTIONS ARE THE SAME IS THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OR THE FACTORS BEYOND THE NAMES IN TERMS OF HOW THEY PLAYED IN THEM AND HOW THEY WERE DETERMINED.
IT SEEMED KIND OF OPAQUE PROCESS TO US.
WE'D LIKE AN UNDERSTANDING AND WE THINK SOME OF THE ONES FOR OUR PARTICULAR PROPERTY ARE INCORRECT.
[INAUDIBLE] SO I'M HERE AGAIN, MY PROPERTY IS FOUR FOUR, ONE SIX, ALDERWOOD DRIVE AND AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, IT'S MAKING SENSE.
WHAT IS HAPPENING SINCE I'M A NEW HOMEOWNER IN CORNELL WOODS AND I DO WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR BECAUSE I LIVED PREVIOUS TO THIS HOUSE IN A FLOOD ZONE, SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND I DON'T WANT WATER IN MY BASEMENT.
BUT THE REASON I BOUGHT THIS HOUSE WAS TO NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, DRY BASEMENT.
SO NOW THAT I'M HAVING A BILL FOR DRYING MY BASEMENT, BASICALLY AGAIN FOR THIS DRAIN THAT I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL EVER HAVE WATER IN THAT KIND OF PROBLEM, BUT I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MY PROPERTY BENEFITS FROM THIS DRAIN AND I KNOW THERE IS A DRAIN RIGHT AT THE END OF MY PROPERTY, WHICH ACTUALLY IS RUINING MY FENCE BECAUSE IT'S CORRODING OR THE IT'S LIKE THE LAND AROUND IT IS SINKING.
SO RIGHT NOW, MY FENCE IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO BREAK.
SO HONESTLY, I DO WANT THAT FIXED, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR IT.
I CAN JUST RAISE THE FENCE AND PUT SOME DIRT AROUND IT AND FIX THAT.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE AND HOPE WE GET MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND HOW IT'S ASSESSED.
MY NAME IS CATHERINE CROFT AND I LIVE AT 4517 MARLBOROUGH ROAD AND I SPOKE EARLIER AND I THINK I MAY HAVE SPOKEN AT THE WRONG TIME AND I APOLOGIZE SO I WON'T GO OVER EVERYTHING THAT I DID BEFORE.
DO I NEED TO SAY ALL THAT AGAIN? NO, NO, NO.
JUST BECAUSE I REREAD THE WORDING OF THE LETTER THAT WAS GIVEN TO US AND IT SAYS WE NEED TO SPEAK AT THE WELL, I THINK AT THE HEARING.
SO I THINK I SPOKE AT THE WRONG TIME AND I APOLOGIZE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY MR. PERRY MEETING WITH YOU AND YOUR OFFICE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND THE C BY A BY P AND FACTORS AND HOW THAT'S APPLIED TO MY PROPERTY BECAUSE I DO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, WITH THE ACREAGE, WITH THE C FACTOR, WITH THE PROXIMITY FACTOR AS WELL AND THEN JUST SAY ONE MORE TIME ABOUT THE INTEREST THAT WILL BE CHARGED BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR ASSESSMENT IS ALMOST $8000 AND FIVE PERCENT INTEREST ON $8000 OVER 20 YEARS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE JUST MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
I DIDN'T SEE THIS COMING, AND I JUST ONCE AGAIN ASKED THAT I KNOW THAT MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE LAW SOMEWHERE, AND I ASKED THAT JUST THE BOARD CONSIDER USING THE SAME INTEREST RATE THAT WAS USED TO FINANCE THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE FAIR CONSIDERING THAT INTEREST RATES NOWADAYS ARE SO LOW.
SO IF A ONE POINT TWO INTEREST RATE IS WAS USED TO FINANCE, CHARGING US FIVE PERCENT INTEREST OVER 20 YEARS, THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS.
CECILIA KRAMER, 4560 OAKWOOD IN OKEMOS AND A COUPLE OF POINTS FOR MRS. CROFT THAT JUST GOT UP AND TALKED ABOUT THE INTEREST RATE, THE INTEREST RATES ON THE BONDS ARE 1.75.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT BEING THE INTEREST RATE.
THE DISTRICT BOUNDARY, DISTRICT BOUNDARY WAS SET BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND FINALIZED BY THE DRAIN BOARD THAT OPERATES THIS CHAPTER 20 DRAIN AND IT WAS DONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO
[01:35:01]
AND EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTICED BECAUSE THEY THEY FIRMED UP ALL OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT DRAIN DISTRICT AND THEY IN FACT AT THAT POINT, ADDED THE ACROSS THE GRAND RIVER DOGGY DAYCARE AREA, AND THEY ALSO DID WORK ON THE ALLOWED THE REALIZED LET'S CALL IT THAT REALIZED THAT THE FOREST HILLS DRAIN HAD BEEN ADDED SINCE THE BOUNDARY OF THE DANIELS' HAD BEEN PUT INTO PLAY.SO THAT'S WHY SOME OF THE STREETS ARE HALF STREETS OR YOUR PROPERTIES ARE HALF IN HALF OUT OF THE DISTRICT.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROPER NOTICE FOR THAT.
THAT WAS DONE BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND THE TOWNSHIP REALLY HAD NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS ALL PROCESSED THROUGH THE DRAIN CODE.
WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE, IT LOOKS LIKE? YES, NO? YES.
OK, AND PLEASE, ONLY ONCE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I GIVE SOME SYMPATHY TO THE PONDS.
BOTH OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ON THE POND, THE WATER AREA THERE, THERE'S ENOUGH LAND THERE THAT MOST EARTHEN DAMS IN MICHIGAN ARE AS THICK AS AND THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN THIS YEAR, THE FIRST TIME IN FORTY FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THAT WE'VE EVER HAD EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN.
THE REAL PROBLEM HERE IS MAINTAINING THE DRAINS AND THESE PEOPLE AND THE THREE HUNDRED ODD HOUSES SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND THIS LADY HERE THAT JUST MENTIONED TO US ABOUT A BOARD AND THE DOGGY DAY CARE.
AND THERE WAS SOME ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME.
NOBODY IN THE FOREST HILLS SUBDIVISION GOT WORD OF IT.
THE DRAINS THAT ARE BEING REPAIRED TO THE EAST OF THE FOREST HILLS SUBDIVISION ARE LESS THAN 20 YEARS OLD, MOST OF THEM, AND THEY'VE BEEN RIPPED OUT AND THEY GOT NEW ROADS.
THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SOMEBODY GAVE US A FIGURE OF FIVE POINT SOMETHING.
WE WERE TOLD THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE THAT IT WAS SIX POINT SIX AND THEN IT WAS FIVE POINT FIVE.
TODAY, WE HEARD NUMBERS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TWENTY FIVE PERCENT TO FIFTY PERCENT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A POND THAT'S ALL RIPPED UP.
WE'VE GOT STREETS THAT ARE RIPPED UP.
WE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING TAXED FORTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ON AVERAGE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN TAXES GO DOWN YET, NOT IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
[CHUCKLING] AND SO NOW WE GOT ANOTHER FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
I'M SORRY, THE POND'S GOT A PROBLEM.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT BUILT THE PONDS.
I LIVE A HALF MILE FROM THE POND AND GUESS WHAT? I HAVE NO PROBLEM.
REALLY IS NONSENSE AND FOR SOME REASON, THE TOWNSHIP HAS NOT STOOD UP AND TAKEN THIS WHOLE PROBLEM ON LIKE THEY SHOULD.
IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE'S PROBLEM PONDS' GOT A PROBLEM DEAL WITH THE PONDS.
IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] IN A ROAD DEAL WITH THE [INAUDIBLE], DON'T RIP UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SIX POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS FOR WHAT? THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER YET THAT HAS NOT SPOKEN DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION? I DON'T MICHELLE [INAUDIBLE], 1384 IVY WOOD DRIVE.
I'M AT THE CORNER OF MISTY WOOD AND IVY WOOD, WHICH IS SORT OF ALMOST GROUND ZERO FOR A LOT OF THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS PART OF IMPROVED DRAINAGE.
I'VE TALKED WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSION.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE POSITIVE THAT WE COULD ALSO LIKE MEETING WITH DEREK, THAT WOULD BE KIND THAT WE COULD HAVE ALSO MEET WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER VIA CARLA OR PAUL, EITHER ONE OF THEM ON A ONE ON ONE BASIS AS WELL.
[INAUDIBLE] TO BE A PART OF THAT OR IT BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
I'VE BEEN THERE TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO SAID THAT THOSE HOUSES HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
MY HOUSE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST EIGHT THAT WAS BUILT IN THE CORNELL WOODS.
[01:40:03]
I MOVED IN IN APRIL OF 1988 AND WE ARE ALL IN THAT SUBDIVISION WONDERING WHY, WHAT THE HIGHER APPROXIMATION IS AND WHAT OUR FIGURES ARE AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT IT TAKES.FOR INSTANCE, I HAVE 15 HUGE TREES ON MY PROPERTY.
DOES THAT OFFSET MY WATER THAT GOES INTO THE STORM SEWER BECAUSE MY TREES EAT IT UP? I DON'T KNOW.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP INDIVIDUALLY, CIRCUMSTANTIAL, BUT I DID WANT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF US THAT ARE ON THE EAST END OF FOREST HILLS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
MR. PERRY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? GUESS NOT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TO MAKE A FINAL COMMENT WHO HAS NOT SPOKEN? THEN, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT, IT LOOKS LIKE 7:39.
SINCE WE MOVED THINGS AROUND ON OUR AGENDA.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO OUR DISCUSSION PHASE OF THE DANIELS DRAIN PUBLIC DRAIN
[13B. Daniels Drain Public Drain Improvement]
IMPROVEMENT.MR. PERRY WANT TO GET US STARTED WITH THAT.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO GO THROUGH DETAIL, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] POINT ITEMS, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS ALL STARTED AND, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS ABOUT NOTICES NOT BEING RECEIVED AND SENT AND AGAIN, THIS OCCURRED BACK IN 2015-16.
YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP ALSO HAD A PROCESS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A PETITION TO THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER, WHERE WE SENT OUT NOTICES.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THOSE IN OUR FILE.
SO PROPERTY OWNERS AT THAT TIME WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THAT.
I'M SURE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD REMEMBER WE ACTUALLY HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
AGAIN, THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED BY STATUTES AND BASICALLY TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION.
BUT THE TOWNSHIP HAS TRIED TO COMMUNICATE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTIONAL GUIDELINES.
WHO IS PERFORMING THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE RIGHT NOW? IS THAT THROUGH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER.
SO ANY CONSTRUCTION WORK THAT'S OCCURRING IS THROUGH THE INGHAM COUNTY DURING COMMISSIONER.
THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT INVOLVED WITH THAT CONSTRUCTION AT ALL.
AS WITH ALL DRAIN PROJECTS, THAT IS THE PURVIEW OF THE INGHAM COUNTY GREEN COMMISSIONER, THEY HIRE THEIR OWN ENGINEERS.
THEY HIRE THEIR OWN CONTRACTORS, THEY BOND OUT FOR THE PROJECT.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ENGINEERS AND INSPECTORS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OBSERVING THE PROJECT DEALING WITH RESIDENTS.
IT'S AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP'S KIND OF UNIQUE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT THE ENTITY THAT OVERSEES ALL LAYERS OF WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER AS LIKE A POTENTIAL MUNICIPALITY.
ROAD'S, RIGHT? THE TOWNSHIP, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM, WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL OR AUTHORITY OVER THOSE ROADS.
ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO IS UNDER A PERMIT AND UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE THEIR ROADS AND ALL THOSE PROJECTS WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ARE SUBJECT TO THEIR APPROVAL AND BLESSING.
AGAIN, STORM SEWER SYSTEMS ARE THE SAME WAY.
THERE'S A DIFFERENT LAYER OF GOVERNMENT THAT OVERSEES THOSE PROJECTS.
ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING FOR--YES, TRUSTEE JACKSON? MR. PERRY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT SOMEONE FROM THE SPICER GROUP WAS WAS HERE TONIGHT? I DID ACTUALLY TIM INMAN HERE, AND MAYBE HE COULD TALK ABOUT AN EXAMPLE CALCULATION.
I KNOW THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S BEEN RAISED, HOW THE C FACTOR, THE A FACTOR AND ALL THAT AND I'M GOING TO PUT THIS UP AS A OK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TIM INMAN, I'M WITH SPICER GROUP AND MYSELF AND COLLEAGUES IN MY COMPANY PUT TOGETHER THE ASSESSMENT ROLL THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TONIGHT AND THIS CALCULATION THAT'S ON THE SCREEN IS A SAMPLE CALCULATION AND THE BASIS FOR ALL THE CALCULATIONS THAT ARE IN THE APPORTIONMENT RULE.
THAT IS THE ROLE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
[01:45:02]
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF PAPER, YOU CAN SEE AN IDEALIZED PARCEL AND THERE IS A THERE'S A DASHED LINE HERE AND THAT'S THE SERVICE AREA.A LOT OF TIMES TONIGHT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, THE SERVICE AREA, THOSE HAVE BEEN GETTING USED INTERCHANGEABLY AND ON CHAPTER 20 DRAIN, THERE IS A DISTRICT BUT FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE SERVICE AREA WOULD BE THE WATERSHED THAT IS THE CONTRIBUTING AREA.
SO THIS DASH LINE IS THE SERVICE AREA AND SOMETIMES THAT SERVICE AREA CROSSES A PARCEL.
SOMETIMES IT CONTAINS A PARCEL FULLY AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE ASSESS MENT ROLL.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT AREA AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TWO OTHER FACTORS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PARCELS THAT HAVE AREA IN THE ASSESSMENT ROLL.
WE'VE BEEN USING THE TERM BENEFITED AREA AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE TERM BENEFIT.
THAT'S A TERM OF ART IN THE DRAIN CODE.
BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PARCEL RIGHT HERE WHERE THE SERVICE AREA WOULD GO RIGHT THROUGH THE PARCEL, ONLY THE AREA THAT'S WITHIN THAT SERVICE AREA IS THE AREA THAT IS CALCULATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE CALCULATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE BENEFITTED AREA OF THAT PARCEL.
THE PARCEL ITSELF WOULD BE LARGER.
IN ADDITION TO AREA, WE USE WHAT'S CALLED A C FACTOR.
THAT'S A TERM OF ART FOR RUNOFF COEFFICIENT IN THE DRAIN CODE.
WE QUITE COMMONLY USE AREA IN RUNOFF AS A THE PRODUCT OF THOSE TO IDENTIFY THE INTENSITY OF RUNOFF FROM A PARCEL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A WOODED PARCEL WOULD HAVE A MUCH LOWER C FACTOR THAN A FULLY IMPERVIOUS OR OPEN WATER PARCEL.
SO, THOSE TWO FACTORS THE AREA AND THE RUNOFF COEFFICIENT ARE VERY, VERY COMMON IN ASSESSING.
PROXIMITY IS OUR THIRD FACTOR AND PROXIMITY FOR OUR PURPOSES HERE, WE'VE BEEN USING THE CONCEPT THAT IF YOU'RE ADJACENT TO OR INFRASTRUCTURE IS ON YOUR PARCEL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A STORM PIPE OR YOU HAVE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS OR SOME OTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PROJECT THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED, THE PROXIMITY TO THAT WORK, THERE IS A BENEFIT FOR THAT PARCEL FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL PERSIST FOR THE NEXT 20 OR MORE YEARS.
SO WHEN WE WHEN WE MAKE THE CALCULATIONS, IF A PARCEL HAS A BENEFITTED AREA OF AN ACRE AND ITS RUNOFF COEFFICIENT IS DETERMINED BY THE PORTION OF ITS LAND THAT IS IN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT LAND COVER ZONES THAT WERE USED FOR THE CALCULATION.
SO A PORTION BEING DECIDUOUS FOREST, A PORTION BEING MEDIUM INTENSITY DEVELOPED THESE THINGS ALL COMPOSITE TOGETHER TO GIVE US A COMPOSITE C AND THEN OVERLAID WITH THE PROXIMITY FACTOR.
THE PRODUCT OF THOSE THREE THINGS BECOME THIS NUMBER THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THE PRODUCT BEING THE CAP NUMBER.
ONCE THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALL GENERATED FOR EVERY SINGLE PARCEL IN THE ASSESSMENT ROLL, APPORTIONMENT HAPPENS WHERE EACH PARCELS, PART OR PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL OF THAT GIVES A PRODUCT THAT GIVES US.
THE PERCENTAGE THAT PARCEL HAS, THAT APPORTIONMENT PERCENTAGE IS THEN APPLIED TO THE AMOUNT OF THE ASSESSMENT THAT'S BEING SPREAD TO THE PARCELS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL A I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
0001 WAS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PARCEL, IT WOULD BE THAT NUMBER OF TIMES THE TWO POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR VALUE TO GET TO THAT PARCELS ASSESSMENT.
[01:50:07]
TOTAL ASSESSMENT THE ASSESSMENT ROLL ALSO HAD A CALCULATION FOR PAYMENT OVER 20 YEARS.YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH NUMBERS LIKE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, DECIMAL POINTS REALLY MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO APPORTIONMENT PERCENTAGE AND THE NUMBERS CAN BE FAIRLY SENSITIVE AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EQUITY COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR--YES, CLERK.
COULD YOU REVIEW THE CALCULATION FOR THE DECIDUOUS FOREST, HOW THAT'S CALCULATED AND IF THERE IS NO DECIDUOUS FOREST, WHAT THE PERCENTAGE, IF THERE IS A PERCENTAGE THAT ISN'T CALCULATED FOR COST FOR HOMEOWNERS? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DECIDUOUS FOREST BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY NOT THERE ANYMORE.
SO HOW DOES THAT WEIGH INTO ALL OF THIS? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THAT WEIGHS INTO ALL OF THIS.
SO THE LAND COVER THAT WAS USED WAS THE NATIONAL LAND COVER DATA SET, AND THAT IS A GUESS LAYER THAT WAS USED AS INPUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT IS THERE TODAY OR THAT IS NOT THERE TODAY, THAT HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS 2016 WHEN IT WAS GENERATED.
SO ANY CHANGE TO LAND COVER SINCE 2016 COULD BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT--2016, I'M SORRY YOU SAID? YES.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE USE CODES HERE.
SO DECIDUOUS FOREST IS A ZERO POINT ONE FIVE HIGH INTENSITY DEVELOPED IS ZERO POINT NINE.
LOW INTENSITY DEVELOP THE ZERO POINT THREE MEDIUM INTENSITY DEVELOPED IS ZERO POINT FOUR OPEN SPACE DEVELOPED WAS ZERO POINT THREE.
HAY AND PASTURE IS ZERO POINT TWO, MIXED FOREST ZERO POINT ONE FIVE AND WOODY WETLANDS ZERO POINT ONE FIVE.
SO THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW THE NUMBERS WERE USED IF THERE WAS NO LAND COVER OF ONE TYPE OR ANOTHER ON A PARCEL THAT WOULD NOT BE APPLIED AT ALL.
SO EACH PARCEL WAS LOOKED AT FOR ITS AMOUNT OF ACREAGE IN EACH OF THESE LAND USE CODES, AND THEY WERE CALCULATED AND THEN THEY WERE MERGED TO AGGREGATE THAT PARCEL'S TOTAL COMPOSITE C.
SO IF THERE'S A PORTION AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS, LET'S SAY THERE'S A PORTION OF DECIDUOUS FOREST THAT'S IN CORNELL WOODS AND THERE'S A PORTION OF DECIDUOUS FOREST THAT'S IN SOME PART OF FOREST HILLS.
IF A PORTION OF THAT DECIDUOUS FOREST DISAPPEARS, LET'S SAY, IN FOREST HILLS.
HOW IS THAT RECALCULATED? IS IT RECALCULATED? AT THIS TIME THAT HAS NOT BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR.
OK, SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL DANIEL DRAIN AREA, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DECIDUOUS FOREST, YOU'RE LOOKING AT DECIDUOUS FOREST AND THAT ENTIRE AREA.
IS THAT CORRECT? ACCORDING TO THAT LAND COVER DATA SET.
THEY'RE ASSIGNING A DATA NO TO ALL THE PARCELS.
SO EVERY PARCEL HAS AN AGGREGATE SCORE OF WHAT THAT LAND OVERLAND MAP SHOWS BASED OFF OF THIS.
BASED ON THOSE CATEGORIES? CORRECT.
SO SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PARCEL WAS 50 PERCENT MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND IT WAS 50 PERCENT HAY AND PASTURE, HALF OF THE NUMBER WOULD BE HALF OF THE ACREAGE WOULD BE ZERO POINT TWO, AND HALF OF IT WOULD BE ZERO POINT FOUR AND WHEN YOU AGGREGATE THOSE TWO TOGETHER, THAT WOULD LAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, SO THE ENDING NUMBER WOULD BE ZERO POINT THREE.
THE NUMBERS MOST OF THE TIME AREN'T NEARLY THAT CUT AND DRY.
THERE'S A LOT OF FRACTIONS, JUST THE WAY THE AREA CALCULATIONS WORK.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE UTILIZE THAT LAND MAP VERSUS JUST ZONING, WHICH A LOT OF TIMES ZONING IS JUST UTILIZED AS WE KNOW THAT WOULDN'T BE AS ACCURATE AS UTILIZING THIS LAND DATABASE MAP.
BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T GO OUT AND SURVEY AND SPEND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GO OUT AND DO DETAILED SURVEY WORK WE CAN IF WE WANT TO ADJUST THAT TO, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THAT ERROR.
[01:55:01]
AGAIN, BUT THOSE DOLLARS JUST GET PUT BACK ON TOP OF THESE ASSESSMENTS.SO I'M JUST NOT CONFIDENT THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF GOOD VALUE WITH THAT BASED ON STARTING WITH THIS AS A BASE LAYER AND THEN LET THE INDIVIDUALS COME IN AND SAY, WELL, I USED TO HAVE WOODS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NOW I GOT A POOL IN MY BACKYARD, SO MAYBE IT IS MORE OF A MEDIUM INTENSITY KIND OF USE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SAY THAT.
MAYBE PROBABLY THE OPPOSITE, RIGHT? I PLANTED A BUNCH OF TREES.
I TOOK MY POOL OUT AND I PLANTED A BUNCH OF TREES.
WE COULD DO IT, THOSE, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
THE SMALLER THE FACT, THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE.
WELL, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AS AS I LOOK AT THE PONDS AND I LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT ARE NO LONGER THERE.
THAT'S A NEGATIVE, THOUGH, THAT WILL INCREASE THE ASSESSMENT.
AND I LOOK AT THE TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED THERE, WHICH ARE NOT FULLY MATURE.
THE LANDSCAPE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN MY MIND.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE ASSESSMENT, IF AT ALL.
I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE I GO OVER THERE; I'M OVER THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY, AND I SEE YOU COULDN'T SEE THE HOUSES BACK THERE BEFORE.
NOW YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE HOUSES AND ALL OF THE HOUSES CAN SEE THE PONDS.
IT WAS A FOREST THERE BEFORE, AND NOW IT'S NOT THERE.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE TRUCKS AND WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY SEE THEM EVERY DAY.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FOR HOMEOWNERS HOW THIS AFFECTS IF THIS CHANGE IN LANDSCAPING IN THAT AREA WITH THEIR HOMES THAT ARE RIGHT THERE OR ANY OTHER AREA IN THE DANIELS' DURING THE AREA, HOW THAT AFFECTS THE ASSESSMENT OF THEIR PROPERTY, IF AT ALL, I GUESS, IS MY QUESTION, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M TRYING TO UNWRAP IT ALL.
SO THE ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON THE EXISTING LAND USE AT THE TIME THAT PICTURE WAS SNAPPED IN 2016.
SO IN ONE REGARD, NOW THAT THE CLEAR CUT AREA IS RIGHT, THERE FACTOR MAY GO FROM A MIXED FOREST DOWN TO A DEVELOPED OPEN SPACE.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE ALSO INCLUDED THAT THIRD FACTOR, WHICH AGAIN, IS PROBABLY MORE SUBJECTIVE THAN OBJECTIVE.
HOWEVER, THE INTENT IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE BASELINE BENEFIT IS FOR ALL PARCELS IN THE TOWN IN THAT DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S WHY THE PROXIMITY WAS INCLUDED THERE TO KIND OF RECOGNIZE SOME OF THAT.
I THINK THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND THE LAND USE CODE, AND THAT DOES MAKE SENSE BASED ON THE LOT AND FOR THE RECORD, THERE ARE NO DECIDUOUS FORCE LEFT IN CORNELL WOODS [LAUGHTER] I LIVED THERE AND I PLANTED A LOT OF TREES MYSELF, BUT WE'RE A LONG WAYS FROM BECOMING A WOODS AGAIN.
I DON'T QUITE GET THE BENEFIT FACTOR, THOUGH.
I MEAN, TO ME, IF WE'RE DOING A DRAIN FOR THE AREA, IT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE THE SAME WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE DRY BASEMENTS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEIR BACKYARD FULL OF WATER.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DRAIN SYSTEM THAT WORKS PROPERLY.
TO ME AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED TO ME, DIRECTOR PERRY, SOME MAY GET A NEW ROAD AS A RESULT OF THIS, BUT THEY'RE LIKELY TO BE PART OF OUR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PLAN ANYWAY.
SO THAT JUST MEANS THEY MIGHT GET IT EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER, I WOULD THINK AND IF THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE ROAD IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THEN WE WERE TAKING A GOOD ROAD AND WE'RE HAVING TO TEAR IT UP AND GIVE THEM BACK THE GOOD ROAD WHEN THEY'RE DONE.
SO WHILE I KNOW IT MIGHT COST US MORE IF WE TOOK OUT THE BENEFIT FACTOR, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THE WHOLE DRAIN AREA GETS THE BENEFIT JUST AS RATHER THAN TRYING TO SAY, THIS PERSON GETS MORE BENEFIT THAN THIS PERSON.
TO ME, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING A BENEFIT FROM THIS ARE THE PONDS ITSELF.
BECAUSE THEY'VE NAMED THEIR PROJECT AFTER THIS.
THEY'VE GOT THIS ALMOST THREE ACRE POND RIGHT THERE ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT IS THE MARKETING OF THE COOPERATIVE, THIS BEAUTIFUL POND IN BETWEEN AND BY THE WAY, I SUPPORT THE RESIDENT WHO SAID THAT THE PONDS SHOULD OPEN UP THE POND WALKING AREA TO THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANYBODY THAT CAN WALK THERE SHOULD BE THE WALK THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THERE.
IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I'VE SNUCK ONTO THAT WALKING TRAIL BEFORE IN THE PAST [LAUGHTER].
HAVEN'T BEEN BUSTED YET, BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL POND AND IT'S VERY QUIET AND IT WASN'T USED MUCH ACTUALLY, SO I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING A PUBLIC GOOD BY KEEPING THE WEEDS OFF AND SO FORTH.
BUT IT'S A NICE POND AND I'LL PROBABLY BE EVEN NICER WHEN IT'S DONE.
BUT IN TERMS OF I MENTIONED THIS TO MR. BARBERRY, AND HE SAID THAT THEIR INITIAL CONCERN WAS THAT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR OUTSIDERS TO ACCESS THE PONDS WITHOUT WALKING THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY.
[02:00:02]
WELL, SADLY, THERE'S PLENTY OF ACCESS NOW BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN PULLING SEMI-TRUCKS, TRACTOR TRUCKS BACK IN THERE, AND THERE'S A HUGE ACCESS POINT NOW WITH ALL THE WOOD THAT'S GONE.SO MAYBE WHEN RECONSTRUCTING THAT WE COULD DO A PATH WITH THE AGREEMENT FROM THE PONDS, OF COURSE, TO A COMMUNITY PATH TO THE WALKING TRAIL AROUND THE POND.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING HERE NOR THERE.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S THE ENTIRE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING TO THE POND AND IT BEING DREDGED.
IT MAKES SENSE THAT THEY ANYBODY THAT CAN WALK THERE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
BUT ANYWAY, MY QUESTION TO YOU, DIRECTOR PERRY, TELL ME THE PROXIMITY BENEFIT BESIDES THE VIEW OF THE POND THAT JUSTIFIES THESE DIFFERENT FACTORS, IF YOU COULD.
IT REALLY GOES TO THE, I GUESS GOES BACK TO ASSET MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S AN ASSET OUT THERE THAT GETS REPLACED TOMORROW, THAT ASSET'S LIFE CLOCK GETS RESET.
THERE ARE OTHER ASSETS OUT HERE THAT AFTER THE PROJECT, THEIR CLOCK IS STILL 40 YEARS OLD AND THE NEXT TIME THIS PROJECT ROLLS AROUND POTENTIALLY 50, 60, 80 YEARS, THOSE ARE THE ASSETS THAT'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET REPLACED.
RIGHT? THE NEW ONES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET REPLACED, SO IT'S TO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE ARE BEING REPLACED AT THIS TIME.
SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TO THEM FOR THE SYSTEM ITSELF, WHETHER IT BE A NEW DRIVEWAY APPROACH, WHETHER IT BE SOME ADDITIONAL TREES, WHETHER SOME NEW PAVEMENT, NEW ROAD, EVEN THOUGH THE TOWNSHIP DOES HAVE A PROGRAM.
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT ROAD'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT PROGRAM OR IN THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
SO THAT'S THE THINKING WITH IT.
PLUS, AGAIN, THERE IS A CONSENSUS THAT IN RECOGNITION OF THE BOARD PROCEEDING WITH THE PROJECT AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS BEING RECEIVED BY THE PONDS, THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME WAY TO ALLOCATE FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE METHODOLOGY WAS CREATED FOR THE THE ONE POINT TWO AND THE ONE POINT FOUR.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT AN ASSESSMENT ROLL WITHOUT THE BENEFIT FACTORED IN TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD CHANGE THE TOTAL, THE LOSS IN REVENUE WITHOUT THAT? COULD WE DO A PRO FORMA ON THAT, AT LEAST EXAMINE THE DIFFERENCE? SURE, IT DEFINITELY WOULD BE EASIER IF YOU DIDN'T USE A PROXIMITY FACTOR, RIGHT? I MEAN, MOST DRAIN PROJECTS ARE JUST THE BENEFIT ACRES TIMES THE LAND USE.
AGAIN, THE ISSUE WOULD BE THAT THE ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING TO GO UP RIGHT.
IF THE PONDS FACTOR IS REDUCED, THEY'RE GOING TO GET SPREAD AMONG THE REMAINING PARCELS AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE CONSENSUS WAS HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THE POND? OK.
IF I COULD JUST CONTINUE MY OTHER COMMENTS.
NOT NECESSARILY DUE TO THE LAND USE OR PROXIMITY.
OR ARE WE GOING TO JUST VOTE--WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW THE PROJECT.
I WANT THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT FOR THIS MEETING TONIGHT, AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE SPOKE AND THEY DIDN'T USE THE WHOLE THREE MINUTES.
YOU JUST SPOKE FOR A MINUTE OR WHATEVER.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE JUST ON PRINCIPLE USE ALL THREE MINUTES AND YOU WERE VERY COGENT AND DIRECT.
I'M RIGHT ACROSS FROM THIS ZONE.
IF I WERE NORTH SILVER WOOD I'D BE PART OF THIS ASSESSMENT.
SO THESE ARE THESE ARE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY NEIGHBORS.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THE FACT WE HAVE NO CURRENT FLOODING IS NOT A SIGN THAT THE DRAIN DOESN'T NEED TO BE REHABILITATED AND DRAINS REDONE.
WE FOUND WITH OUR ROAD PROGRAM, IF WE GET TO A ROAD WHEN IT'S AT A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, WE GET TO IT AT A FIVE OR SIX.
WE CAN FIX IT FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST IF WE WAIT TILL IT GETS TO A ONE OR TWO AND JUST PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS ALWAYS CHEAPER THAN HAVING TO TEAR OUT THE OLD SYSTEM AND BRING A NEW ONE IN.
NOW I UNDERSTAND PARTS OF THIS SYSTEM ARE HAVING TO BE TORN OUT, BUT FORTUNATELY, MOST OF IT ISN'T.
THE BIG PICTURE HERE TO ME IS THAT THE BOARD TOWNSHIP IS SITTING ON A BILL HERE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER OF FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
NO ONE'S GOING TO STOP THE DRAIN.
THE QUESTION IS, WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT? WHAT'S THE MOST EQUITABLE WAY TO PAY FOR IT? TO ME, THE THING THAT ISN'T BEING SAID AND I WISH SOMEONE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER WAS HERE WAS WHY IS THIS THING SO DARN EXPENSIVE? AND WE HAD SOMEONE RAN AGAINST THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER EIGHT YEARS AGO WHO BROUGHT THIS UP THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST DRAIN COMMISSION OFFICES IN THE STATE AND YET THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER IN TERMS OF STAFF.
AND YET THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER USES MORE CONSULTANTS AND ATTORNEYS AND OTHER OUTSIDE FACTORS DESPITE HAVING A HUGE STAFF.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THE TOWNSHIP A BIG BILL'S BEEN DROPPED IN THE TOWNSHIP'S LAP.
THIS BOARD WASN'T HERE THEN, BUT I THINK TRUSTEE SUPERVISOR STYKA WAS HERE
[02:05:05]
WHEN THE BILL FOR THE TOWER GARDEN DRAIN WAS GIVEN TO THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT WAS A $2 MILLION SURPRISE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.SO WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS LIKE IN THE PAST WHERE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S COME IN AND SAID, HERE'S THE BILL AND HONESTLY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL ABOUT IT.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS BY STATUTE CAN DO A LOT IN THE STATE AND JUST PASS OUT BILLS AFTERWARDS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO MUCH BEFORE THAT, AND IT'S DUE TO THE STATUTE.
THE ONLY CONTROL THE TAXPAYERS HAVE IS REALLY TO VOTE IN OR VOTE OUT DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE CHANGE DARIN COMMISSIONERS.
[CHUCKLING] I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S THE CONTROL THAT'S THERE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A DRINK MISSION THAT DUMPED SOME VERY BIG BILLS HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP AND JUST EXPECTS US TO PICK IT UP AND MOVE ON.
BUT YOU'RE ALL LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST A FIVE THOUSAND ASSESSMENT HERE.
AND AS I SAY, I'M A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM HAVING ONE MYSELF, AND THAT IS UPSETTING BECAUSE DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH COULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE LESS EXPENSIVELY? WE DON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER DOES ONE THING AND DOES IT THE SAME WAY EVERY TIME AND JUST PASSES OUT BILLS AFTERWARDS AND I THINK IT'S A SHAME WE HAVE SO LITTLE CONTROL OVER IT.
I DO LIKE KATHRYN CROSS'S IDEA OF PEGGING THE INTEREST RATE TO THE BOND INTEREST RATE OF ONE POINT SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT.
THAT COULD ASSUAGE THE COST OF THIS A LITTLE BIT.
TALKED ABOUT THE BENEFIT FACTOR.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT TO ME, DIRECTOR PERRY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FEW MONTHS TO WORK THROUGH THIS, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN A BIND TOO.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS INITIALLY, TYPICALLY, THE MOST THE BOARD PAYS IS TWENTY FIVE PERCENT, AND EVEN THAT'S EXCEPTIONAL AND WE SAID, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO PAY 50 PERCENT BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC GOOD AND WE'VE GOT A COOPERATIVE THERE THAT THOSE RESIDENTS THERE ARE NOT EXACTLY FLUSH WITH MONEY IN THIS.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT UNLIVABLE TO LIVE THERE.
SO, IT WENT UP TO 50 PERCENT AND THEN THIS MEETING TODAY, WE'VE GOT THE POND SAYING THERE ARE FACTORS TOO HIGH.
WE GOT [INAUDIBLE] SAYING THERE IS JUST TOO HIGH.
WE HAVE ALL OF YOU FEELING, RIGHTLY SO, YOURS IS TOO HIGH, SO EVERYONE IS FEELING LIKE THIS THING IS BEING DUMPED ON THEM.
THEY'RE PAYING A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH SHARE FOR IT.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO PAY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS AND OTHERS TO PAY.
IT'S A REAL ISSUE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MONTHS, THE COMING MONTHS FIGURING THAT OUT AND THOSE ARE YOU TO ASK FOR THE ONE ON ONE MEETING.
I HOPE YOU ALL FEEL THAT YOU WILL GET THAT MEETING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND IF THE ACREAGE ON YOUR ASSESSMENT ROLL IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR ACREAGE ON THIS ASSESSMENT THAT WE NEED TO RECONCILE THOSE NUMBERS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE RIGHT.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS WITH US AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THIS IS AS EQUITABLE AS IT CAN BE.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE COME OUT TO PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE ONE THAT THE TOWNSHIP HELD AND ALSO PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD THIS ON OUR AGENDA.
THE FIRST THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS TRUST THE PROCESS WITH THE TOWNSHIP AS IT RELATES TO THE ONE ON ONE MEETINGS.
THIS ISN'T A NEW PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS OR A COMMON THING, WHETHER IT'S FOR STREET LIGHTING DRAINS AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, ROADS ON INITIAL PAVING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A STRUCTURED PROCESS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ROBUST AND WE GO THROUGH IT ALL THE TIME.
SO DO TRUST DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND THAT PROCESS TO WORK THROUGH.
I WOULD ECHO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S COMMENTS AND SCOPE OF THE WORK AND THE ONE THING I AM WONDERING, MR. PERRY, DO WE HAVE THE CURRENT SCHEMATICS AND THE ENGINEERING OF THE SITE? I'VE LOOKED AT BID ESTIMATES AND WHATNOT ON IT, BUT DO WE HAVE AN ACTUAL AERIAL FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ON SCOPE OF THE PROJECT DIAMETER OF THE PIPE WHERE IT'S GOING IN, THAT KIND OF THING? WE DO HAVE A SET OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND ACTUALLY THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS IS WHAT WE UTILIZE TO CREATE THE BENEFIT FACTORS TOO.
SO WE ACTUALLY LOOKED FOR TANGIBLE, THAT'S WHY WE USE IT, WHAT ARE SOME TANGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE AND THAT'S HOW WE TIED IT TO THAT P2 FACTOR WE LOOK ON THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN AND SAID, OK, A NEW DRIVEWAY CULVERT, OK, A NEW SERVICE STORM SERVICE TO THE PROPERTY.
THOSE ARE TANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT ARE DEPENDABLE EVENTUALLY AND DO WE HAVE THAT UP ON OUR WEBSITE CURRENTLY OR? WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF UP THERE.
I WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT THE DANIEL'S DRAIN PROJECT.
PLEASE, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING [INAUDIBLE] CHANGE STUFF OUT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME OLD ASSESSMENT ROLLS ON THERE THAT WERE CREATING SOME CONFUSION WITH PEOPLE.
[02:10:01]
THEY WRITE IN AND SAY, AND THEN WE REFERENCE IT IN THE OTHER SOME OLD STUFF ON THERE.WE THINK WE GOT IT CLEANED UP.
BUT IF THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE UP THERE, WE WILL AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE ONE ON ONE MEETINGS.
TO THE RESIDENTS, I DO KNOW I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ACTUAL SCHEMATICS AND THE ENGINEERING, BUT THERE ARE DOCUMENTS UP ON THE WEBSITE THAT HAVE THE ACTUAL ENGINEERING OR THE CONTRACTOR'S POINT OF CONTACT.
SO IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS WITH YARD DAMAGE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THE RESOURCES ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE DO CONTAIN CONTACT INFORMATION DIRECT FOR THE CONTRACTOR, HIM OR HERSELF.
THOSE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE END PHASE, YOU KNOW, FIXES, RIGHT? THE DRIVEWAY APPROACHES AND THE SIDE REPAIRS AND I CAN TELL YOU FOR CERTAIN THAT WE DO ABOUT 26 MILES OF ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE EVERY YEAR AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT FRONT YARD DAMAGE SIMILAR TO A DRAIN PROJECT AND DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND HIS STAFF ARE VERY GOOD AT MAKING SURE THE CONTRACTOR COMES BACK AND FIXES THOSE.
SO IT'S THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S RESPONSIBILITY AND IT'S THEIR CONTRACTOR.
BUT FEEL FREE TO CC AND COPY THE TOWNSHIP IF YOU'RE JUST COLLECTING AND AGGREGATING THOSE CONCERNS TOWARDS THE END OF THE PROJECT SO THAT THEY DO GET FIXED.
SO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THOSE AS WELL AS THAT COMES THROUGH.
JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
SO MR. PERRY DO WE IN FACT KNOW THE INTEREST RATE AT THIS DATE AND TIME? OR IS THAT STILL UP IN THE AIR? NO, BONDS HAVE BEEN SOLD, SO WE KNOW WHAT THAT INTEREST RATE AND I DO, I'M PRETTY SURE IT IS THAT ONE POINT SEVENTY FIVE.
OK, YEAH, THE BOARD TYPICALLY SETS THAT AT THE FIFTH RESOLUTION ON THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT GETS PART OF THAT AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK HISTORICALLY SO WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHAPTER FOUR AND THE CHAPTER TWENTY DRAINS AND I THINK MAYBE ONE THING THAT WASN'T TOUCHED ON IN THERE IS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN AND CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, THE CHAPTER FOUR DRAINS THE RESIDENTS, PETITION THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED A MAJORITY OF THE SIGNATURES WITHIN THE DRAIN DISTRICT, CORRECT? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
YEAH, SO YOU NEED 50 PLUS ONE IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF I FORGET OF ITS ACREAGE OR IF IT'S JUST PARCELS THAT REPRESENT THE PERCENTAGES.
BUT THERE IS A PETITION PROCESS.
WITH THIS DRAIN WHEN WE GO BACK TO 2015 AND 2016, THERE'S ONLY ONE BOARD MEMBER HERE THAT WAS HERE DURING THAT TIME.
AND YOU AND MR. WALSH WERE ALSO NEW TO THE TOWNSHIP AT THAT TIME.
SO WE HAD THE, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN'S COOPERATIVE COMING TO THE TOWNSHIP AND EXPRESSING THIS CONCERN, AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY FLOODING CONCERNS DOWN THERE, RIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
THE FLOODING THIS SUMMER, MY UNDERSTANDING IS LIKE THE INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER IT BECAUSE THE CORRECTIVE ACTION OF REPLACING THE DRAINS HADN'T OCCURRED.
BUT IN THIS PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NOTICES ON THE DRAINAGE, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS OR THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS REQUIRED, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID NOTICE, BUT THERE'S REQUIREMENTS TO NOTICE ON REDRAWING THOSE THE DRAIN SERVICE AREA.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT PETITION PROCESS, SO WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THIS WORK.
THE TOWNSHIP BOARD PETITIONED IT IN '16 AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR PROCESS AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE HERE, TOO AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP WAS WEIGHING WHEN WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION WITH THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
I WILL JUST SAY BECAUSE I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S STORMWATER IS MANAGED, EVEN IF YOU'RE AT THE HIGH POINT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU LIVE AT THE HIGH POINT IN ANY KIND OF DRAIN SYSTEM LIKE THIS, YOU'RE NOT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR OWN PROPERTY.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS AT THE LOW POINT DO END UP GETTING THAT RUNOFF CUMULATIVELY, IT MAY NOT COME FROM EVERY PARCEL WITHIN THE DRAIN DISTRICT, BUT THEY DO GET THAT RUNOFF.
BUT I WAS FRUSTRATED TO SEE THAT THE PONDS ARE OBJECTING TO THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE AND BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP TOOK THEIR CONCERNS BACK IN 2015-16 SO SERIOUSLY AND PETITIONED.
SO I'M FRUSTRATED TO SEE THAT SIDE OF THIS EQUATION OBJECTING TO THE ASSESSMENT ROLL, ESPECIALLY WHEN I BREAK IT ACROSS THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR UNITS.
SO THE AS TREASURER DESCHAINE SAID, WE'RE STUCK WITH THE BILL BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, THE SCOPE OF WORK AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD WAS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, WE DIDN'T GET ANY LEAD TIME ON THIS.
[02:15:02]
THIS JUST CAME UP IN SEPTEMBER.SO ACTUALLY, THE CURRENT BOARD HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS PETITION OCCURRED IN 2016 UNTIL AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
I BELIEVE IT WAS SEPTEMBER WHEN THIS FIRST CAME ON, BUT MAYBE IT WAS IN SPRING, LATE SPRING.
YEAH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER HEARING.
SO WE'VE ONLY HAD KNOWLEDGE FOR, LIKE THE PAST FIVE OR SO MONTHS, AND AT THAT POINT, THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT HAD BEEN VETTED AND CARRIED OUT.
BUT IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING TO SEE THE SIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT PROXIMITY WITH THE POND OBJECTING TO THE PROXIMITY FACTOR.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PONDS COOPERATIVE GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE HISTORY OF ALL THIS AND HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT IN TIME IN THIS DAY.
BUT AS IT RELATES TO ANY CONCERNS WITH, YOU KNOW, THE ACREAGE AND THE SPECIFICATIONS OF PARCELS, YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES AS WE GET UP TO THE SPRING.
LET ME JUST SEE IF I HAD ANY OTHER THOUGHTS.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD HAVE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE COME.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW HOW THIS WILL UNFOLD, AND IF WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S MORE OF AN AD HOC MEETING LIKE WE DID LAST TIME.
BUT IF WE DO, I WOULD HOPE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE COULD BE THERE TO TALK ABOUT SCOPE OF THE WORK AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S REALLY MISSING TONIGHT.
SO THOSE WOULD CONCLUDE MY THOUGHTS AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE SUPERVISOR.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? MS. WISINSKI.
OH YES, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S BEEN TWO AND A HALF HOURS I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS FOR COMING.
IT'S NEARLY 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU.
I DO WANT TO ALSO JUST THANK THE TREASURER AND OUR CLERK FOR BRINGING UP THE IDEAS BETWEEN THE PROXIMITY BENEFITS AND LAND USE CODES.
THOSE CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND POINT ZERO ONE FIVES AND ONE POINT FOUR AND SO I THINK THAT'S THAT WAS REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION TO HEAR FROM THE MANAGER PERRY ON HOW THEY AND I'M SORRY, I FORGET MR. FROM SPICER TO HEAR HOW THOSE THOSE CALCULATIONS WORK AND I WOULD SUPPORT WHAT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID IS TRUST THE SYSTEM.
WE ARE USING 2016 MAPS, SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS CHANGED OR THAT YOU MAY CONTEST IT ACTUALLY ON YOUR PARCEL, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO LOOK AT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO USE THE BEST RESOURCES YOU HAVE IN SURVEYING EVERY PROPERTY WOULD BE EXCEPTIONALLY EXPENSIVE.
MY HUSBAND WAS A SURVEYOR AND HE'S GOING TO COST $500 $1000 PER PROPERTY TO DO THAT.
IS THAT THE BEST ROUTE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS, EITHER.
I THINK THAT WE COULD WORK ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, EVEN LOOKING AT MAYBE A PRO FORMA OF PROXIMITY BENEFIT BEING REMOVED VERSUS NOT.
BUT LIKE DIRECTOR PERRY SAID, THEN THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE BIGGER PARCELS THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE SPREAD AMONGST RESIDENTS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO I THINK PUBLIC WORKS HAS TAKEN IN A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS ON THIS, BUT I DO THINK THAT NOTHING'S PERFECT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK THROUGH THIS AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM ALMOST EVERYBODY IS THE COMMUNICATION AND YOU KNOW, I HEAR TRANSPARENCY AND WE DIDN'T KNOW I JUST MOVED IN.
I HAVE NO IDEA AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S NOT A BETTER WAY WE CAN COMMUNICATE.
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE DO HAVE, HOW DO YOU HEAR ABOUT THAT? EVEN AS A BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH THAT THE WEBSITE SOMETIMES.
SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND HOW CAN WE GET OR EVEN WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE? AND HOW CAN WE GET BETTER COMMUNICATION OUT THERE SO THAT PEOPLE DO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? AND WE DO HAVE A NEW WEBSITE AND MAYBE GETTING THAT INFORMATION A LITTLE BIT MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE NOTIFICATIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TREASURER SAID, AND THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION IS THE ONE THAT'S DICTATING ALL OF THIS.
THEY NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE AND I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD BE OUR JOB TO HELP FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, PULL TOGETHER THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE THAT WE DO WANT TO TALK TO THEM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, AND I'M NOT FULLY APPRIZED OF THE PROCESS OF THE PUBLIC NOTICE, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT IN THAT WAY, EVERYBODY HAS A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND THEN MAYBE FEELING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THE EQUITY
[02:20:03]
IN THIS AND WHAT EACH PARCEL DESERVES OR NEEDS.I WILL SAY I LIVED IN CORNELL WOODS FOR 17 YEARS, JUST MOVED THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE DID HAVE QUITE A BIT OF FLOODING, BUT I WAS ON ELMWOOD.
I'M NOT PART OF THIS DISTRICT, SO MAYBE YOUR DRAIN WASN'T WORKING FOR US.
[LAUGHTER] I'M NOT SURE, BUT I HAVE KIDS IN NEIGHBORS THAT GREW UP WITH IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE CORNELL WOODS AND FOREST HILLS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TRUST THE PROCESS.
I THINK LIKE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID, CONTACT US.
IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS, CONTACT THE BOARD, LET US KNOW AND WE CAN HELP FACILITATE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HOPEFULLY GET ANSWERS AND FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN THIS PROCESS.
AT THIS POINT, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF SUM UP WHERE WE ARE, SO WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HOW TO GET THERE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE COST OF THE PROJECT OVERALL, THE COST THAT WAS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S AND HOW MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS PROPOSING TO PAY FOR THAT.
SO THE $6 MILLION IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT.
IS THAT CORRECT $6.6 MILLION MR. PERRY? CORRECT.
SO THE TOTAL PROJECT COST OF THE DANIELS DRAIN PROJECT IS SIX POINT SIX NINE FIVE MILLION.
OF THAT, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S SHARE AT EIGHTY ONE POINT FOUR PERCENT IS FIVE POINT FIVE THREE SIX MILLION.
NOW, THERE ARE TWO OTHER PARTIES WHO ARE ALSO PAYING CORRECT THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COST THAT'S ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE CONTROL OVER AT THIS POINT, AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT.
THIS IS THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS USING PUBLIC ACT 188 AND HOW WE SPECIAL ASSESS THOSE BENEFITING PARCELS.
AND THE BENEFIT WORD, I KNOW IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT, THAT'S WHAT THE STATUTE USED TO TALK ABOUT THE PARCELS BEING ASSESSED.
OK, SO I'D LIKE TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES AND THANKING ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE FIRST SAW IT LAST SPRING, I LEARNED A LOT MORE TONIGHT THAN I HAVE READING OVER THE MATERIALS THAT I'VE GOTTEN AND RELATING IT TO THE ISSUES THAT RESIDENTS ARE HAVING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO DO.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
I THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOU'VE HELPED US DRAW OUT FOR ALL OF US IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS FROM HERE OUT MR. PERRY.
THE NEXT THING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS IS THAT FROM SINCE THIS HAS BEEN MOVED TO AN ACTION ITEM, THE BOARD TONIGHT IS GOING TO--IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM; IT'S DISCUSSION-ONLY.
DON'T LET ME GET AHEAD OF US HERE.
OK, THE NEXT THING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING RELATED TO THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL.
IN THE MEANTIME, ALL OF THESE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE ASSESSMENT ROLL AS IT STANDS NOW SHOULD GET IN CONTACT WITH YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR STAFF , AND JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ONE ON ONE THEIR ISSUES AND WHAT'S ON PAPER, RIGHT? WE CAN REVIEW THE THREE FACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN UTILIZED TO DEVELOP THEIR ASSESSMENT.
I MEAN, THEY OBVIOUSLY CAN COME AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT REALLY, THE ONLY THING WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM WITH IS SORT THROUGH THOSE THREE FACTORS TO SEE IF THEY MAKE SENSE OR NOT FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL PARCEL.
THAT HEARING IS PLANNED FOR DID YOU SAY JUNE? NO, SO THE HEARING WOULD HAPPEN PROBABLY.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T SET A DATE ON THAT.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW LONG WE NEED TO TAKE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.
THE ONLY DEADLINE WE HAVE IS TO MAKE SURE WE COMPLETE RESOLUTION FIVE PRIOR TO JUNE, WHEN
[02:25:01]
THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IS GOING TO NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THOSE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT INVOICES.SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO TO GET TO IS THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ISSUES NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO SET UP THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND AIR THOSE CONCERNS LONG BEFORE SPRING.
WE WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT, YES.
TO FACILITATE THAT, WOULD YOU ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONTACT YOUR OFFICE? SURE.
SO VIA TELEPHONE, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS NUMBER IS 517-853-4440.
AND JUST AGAIN, LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO REVIEW THE DANIEL STRAIN ASSESSMENT, OR YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO DPW@MERIDIAN.MI.US.
WE LIKE THE EMAIL BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY GOES TO THREE OF US, SO THERE'S MORE EYES ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE CAN RESPOND TO THAT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK I HAVE MADE MY CONTRIBUTION, THANK YOU.
OK, WELL, I'LL TRY TO SUM THIS UP THEN.
FIRST, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME AND THOSE WHO LEFT ALREADY, BUT CAME ANYWAY.
THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO FOLLOW OUR RULES OF DECORUM, ET CETERA, AND STICKING TO THE TOPIC.
AND ALSO THE TIME, YOU GUYS DID A GOOD JOB ON TIME.
THE INTEREST RATE ISSUE, WE ACTUALLY END UP SETTING THAT RATE.
IS THAT RIGHT MR. PERRY? CORRECT.
OK, SO THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING IT DOWN AT THE BOND RATE IS SOMETHING THAT'S OUT THERE? ARE THERE LIMITATIONS AS TO WHY THAT WOULD NOT WORK? THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, HONESTLY.
OK, SO WE WE'RE LIKELY TO BE DONE AT THAT RATE, RIGHT? AND GENERALLY, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS ONE BIG POT OF EXPENSE, SIX POINT WHATEVER THAT WAS MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS FOISTED UPON US BECAUSE OF HOW THEY THEY'RE MANAGING THE PROJECT AND WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY OURS IS SMALLER THAN THAT.
SO THAT'S SIX POINT SIX MILLION IS THE TOTAL PROJECT? TOTAL PROJECT.
YOU GOT THE SIX POINT WHATEVER MILLION THAT THE DRAKE COMMISSIONERS CREATED A SENSE OF THAT'S HOW MUCH IS COSTING, AND THEY SAY TO DO IT.
RIGHT AND THEN THAT'S GOT TO BE PAID FOR SOMEHOW, WE'RE TAKING HALF OF THAT OFF AS A TOWNSHIP.
WELL, AGAIN, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE NUMBERS.
SO THE TOTAL PROJECT IS THAT SIX POINT SIX NINE FIVE, MERIDIAN SHARE OF THAT IS THAT 5.536.
WHEN YOU SAY MERIDIAN SHARE, YOU MEAN THE CITIZENS AND THE TOWNSHIP COLLECTIVELY, WHEN YOU SAY MERIDIAN, I THINK RIGHT AWAY OF JUST THE TOWNSHIP, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, JUST THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, OUR SHARE IS FIVE POINT FIVE.
AND THEN WE'RE WE'RE A TOWNSHIP OUT OF OUR BUDGET, TAKING HALF AND PAYING IT CORRECTLY.
SO THAT GETS US DOWN TO WHAT'S THE NUMBER A 2.76.
SO YOU GET 2.76, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT ENDS UP BEING ASSESSED.
AND ALL THESE HOMEOWNERS THAT FIT WITHIN THAT DRAIN AREA USING ALL THE FACTORS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, ET CETERA.
AND THE TRUTH IS THAT IF I GET MINE LOWER, SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING UP SOMEPLACE, CORRECT? THAT'S USUALLY HOW IT WORKS, CORRECT? UNLESS I KNOW EXACTLY THERE REALLY ISN'T, IT HAS TO BE OFFSET SOMEWHERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DOLLARS GOING TO BE PAID OUT, RIGHT? SO IN PEOPLE THAT PAY IT AND YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO LOOK AT IT AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND I WANT IT RIGHT FOR ME AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M PAYING THE LEAST THAT I NEED TO PAY IN A RIGHTFUL WAY.
BUT IN EFFECT, THAT'S GOING TO REALLY CAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE TO GO UP SOMEPLACE AS WELL.
RIGHT? BUT THAT'S THE REALITY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PONDS ITSELF, IF THEY GO DOWN, THAT'S GOING TO RAISE EVERYBODY UP A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, YEAH, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SPREAD AMONG THE REMAINING PARCELS.
SO I MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BIG, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SMALL PICTURE THING BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY PROPERTY AND WHAT MINE IS.
BUT IT'S A BIG PICTURE THING BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE ONE LITTLE PIECE, IT AFFECTS ALL THE OTHER PIECES, RIGHT? AND THEN OUR NEXT STEPS WAS WAS CLARIFIED EARLIER.
THAT WAS MY LAST THING I WANT TO BRING UP.
THE NEXT STEPS ARE ANOTHER HEARING.
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER HEARING.
IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE PUBLIC ACT, AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY LEADING TO US DECIDING THAT, OK, HERE'S THE LIST.
HERE ARE THE PROPERTIES AND EACH PROPERTY.
THIS IS X DOLLARS, Y DOLLARS, Z DOLLARS X PLUS TWO ET CETERA, ET CETERA RIGHT? EXACTLY.
AND THEN THEN WE PREPARE THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL.
IT'S TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AND THEN IT'S IMPLEMENTED.
[02:30:01]
OK.AND IN BETWEEN, THERE IS THE CHANCE THAT MS. JACKSON WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR THESE HOMEOWNERS TO COME FORWARD AND SAY, WITH REGARD TO MY LITTLE PIECE, IT'S WRONG AND HERE'S WHY IT'S WRONG AND TRY TO GET IT ADJUSTED.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBERS, ET CETERA, ARE IMPORTANT THAT THEY TOOK THOSE DOWN FOR PHONE NUMBERS, ET CETERA OR GO ON THEIR WEBSITE THEY COULD FIND.
ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? THEN WE'RE DONE WITH THIS ITEM, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
OK, IF THE TV'S READY, OK, WE'RE RECONVENING AND WE'RE GOING TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. FIRST ONE IS 12 A, TOWN HALL ROOM A/V UPGRADES.
[12A. Town Hall Room A/V Upgrades]
CAN HAVE A MOTION? YES CLERK I.I'M AUTHORIZED THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND PROCEED WITH THE PROPOSED TOWN HALL ROOM A/V UPGRADES PROJECT TO TAKE PLACE IN 2022, WITH FUNDS FROM THE FORMER CABLE TV PEG REVENUE ACCOUNT.
WOW, YOU SAID THAT FAST ALL RIGHT.
YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT IT SLOWER? OH, THAT WAS GREAT.
WAS THERE SUPPORT ON THAT MS. JACKSON YOU SUPPORTED IT? ALL RIGHT.
WHO'D LIKE TO COMMENT? [INAUDIBLE] AND YES, I LIKE THE THE PROPOSAL THAT IS IN FRONT OF US AND THE UPGRADES, I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THE TAG REVENUE, THE MONEY.
I THINK IT WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BUT ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND OTHER GROUPS AS WELL HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
YES CLERK I MEAN, I TOO LIKE THE PROPOSAL, PARTICULARLY AS INITIALLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SEEMED LIKE HALF AS MUCH JUST FOR A SMART PODIUM.
MS. YATES, COULD YOU ANSWER A QUESTION? FIRST OF ALL, MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ME IS WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THIS DONE AND WHEN WILL WE GET THIS GREAT TECHNOLOGY IN USE HERE? WELL, IT DOES DEPEND ON WHEN THE EQUIPMENT COMES IN.
SO I DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SMART HOMES AND SMART OFFICES, THE COMPANY WHO WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH ON THIS PROJECT.
REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE SO THEY MIGHT BE A BETTER PERSON TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW QUICKLY.
ONE OF YOU WANT TO? JEFF POSSANZA, WITH SMART HOMES AND OFFICES.
WE'RE SEEING IN AN INDUSTRY WIDE SHORTAGES OF TELEVISIONS, SWITCHERS, MICROPHONES, AND IT'S REALLY HIT OR MISS.
WE COULD HAVE 80 PERCENT OF THE EQUIPMENT READY TO GO AND ONE PIECE A CRITICAL PIECE COULD HOLD US UP.
AND THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS WE'RE SEEING LEAD TIMES INTO FEBRUARY ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 55 INCH MONITORS THAT WE PROPOSED.
WE DO HAVE ALTERNATES, BUT THE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PRODUCTS IS CHANGING.
PRODUCTS APPEAR, PRODUCTS DISAPPEAR WHEN YOU THINK THEY'RE THERE.
SO BEST WE CAN DO IS UPON ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH A PROPOSAL, WE GIVE YOU A REPORT AS TO WHAT THE REALITY IS AND THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO.
THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION SHOULD BE DECIDED ON THESE AGAIN, IMPACTS US HERE THE SIZE OF THE ON DIAS SCREEN.
ARE WE GOING TO TWENTY TWO INCH? YES.
IN LOOKING AT THE MEMO, I THINK I SAW THAT THERE IS A DISCOUNT IN TERMS OF THE COST, WHICH IS DEPENDENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS BOARD APPROVED YOU'RE GOING AHEAD BY NOVEMBER 1ST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BRANDY.
AND I THINK THE IDEAL PROGRAM, YES, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, I THINK, IS A DUD LIKE, SAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
I DON'T KNOW DEADLINES WHATSOEVER.
OK, SO SO REGARDLESS OF WHEN ALL THE PIECES GET HERE, THAT DISCOUNT IN THE COST WILL STILL BE.
I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGE IN PRICING.
EVEN IF IT WAS PUT OFF TO THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR, THE LABOR RATES.
WE HAVE A STATE CONTRACT, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND THOSE UNDER MY DEAL BENEFIT FROM THOSE PRICES.
OK, AND THAT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF SO.
ANYTHING ELSE? I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MYSELF.
IT'S A GOOD PROJECT AND A GOOD, GOOD PROPOSAL.
[02:35:01]
SUPERVISOR STYKA YES.THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR SITTING THROUGH THAT LONG MEETING.
[12B. Mixed Use Planned Unit Development Ordinance Update-Introduction]
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ONE ZERO TWO ZERO MIXED USE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT AUDITS UPDATE INTRODUCTION MS. JACKSON I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION ZONING AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ONE ZERO TWO ZERO TO AMEND ARTICLE FOR DISTRICT REGULATIONS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN ZONING CODE TO UPDATE THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE MIXED USE PLANNING UNIT DEVELOPMENT MUPUD REGULATIONS.SUPPORT FOR MR. OPSOMMER KNOW WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
WE HAD RECOMMENDED SOME CHANGES.
AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THOSE CHANGES ARE IN HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ADIOS, MS. JACKSON? PRIMARILY, I'D LIKE TO RE-EMPHASIZE THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE, THAT THE CHANGES WE TALKED ABOUT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND THE POST-DRAFT COPY, THE COPY SUBMITTED, AND I'M READY TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
OK, YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE THIS AGAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE A TWO STEP PROCESS INTRODUCTION.
I JUST WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS, AND THEN ALSO NOW RETIRED DIRECTOR MARK KIESELBACH AND PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER, WHO STARTED THE PROCESS.
BUT I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE OVERHAUL THAT DIRECTOR SCHMITT DID RECLASSIFYING ALL OF THE AMENITIES WHEN IT CAME TO THE BOARD.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT FINAL PRODUCT AND FINALLY DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN THE AMENITIES AND A MEANINGFUL WAY.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE EMBARKING DOWN A GOOD ROAD MR. TO SHANE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, MS., COUNCILMAN, DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND WHEN WE MEET WITH THEM IN JANUARY, WE CAN WE CAN THANK THEM FOR THIS AND HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS.
IT SHOULD BE FINALIZED BY THEN, BUT IT'S A GOOD WAY TO KICK OFF 2022 WITH THEM HAVING THIS DONE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE CLOSE COOPERATION WITH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION.
ANYWHERE ELSE? THEN WE'RE READY FOR BOTH.
NOW MOVE ON TO SEE WHICH IS THE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.
[12C. Retention and Recruitment Program]
AND DO WE WANT TO HAVE SOME COMMENT? FIRST, WE WANT TO JUST DO THE MOTION.SO I REALLY DO THE A MOTION MR. GUTHRIE.
I MOVED TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE TWENTY TWENTY TWO RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT WELLNESS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY SHRAGER.
DO YOU WANT TO COME IN ON THIS OR YOU WANT TO HAVE MR. MANAGER WALSH COME IN? MANAGER WALSH CAN COMMENT IF HE'D LIKE OK.
SO OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH A LOT THAT WE WENT OVER LAST TIME OR OR WHAT WE DID A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WHAT WE DIDN'T DO.
BUT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND I THINK THAT PARALLELED WITH THE EFFORTS OF CLERK GUTHRIE AND TRUSTEE HEARING, JACKSON WHO ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE APPRECIATE? WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO RE, RETAIN AND RECRUIT.
AND I THINK IT ALL CAME TOGETHER IN A DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND A GOOD DISCUSSION THAT OCCURRED TRYING TO TAKE IT EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT BASICALLY, JUST TO REITERATE, WHAT WE COVERED LAST TIME IS THAT THE HSA PAYMENT, THE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT, WOULD OCCUR IN ONE PAYMENT THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE TONIGHT THAT THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THAT WAS A JANUARY AND JULY PAYMENT.
SO NOW IT'S ONE, SO ALL EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE THAT IN JANUARY.
I THINK THE FIRST PAYROLL, THE ONE THOUSAND RECRUITMENT OR I'M SORRY, RETENTION PAYMENT THAT'S BEEN APPROVED IN THE BOARD.
I REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT NEW TONIGHT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S THERE AND THAT THAT WOULD BE PAID IN DECEMBER.
RIGHT NOW, OUR CONTRACTS CALL FOR A TWO PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL OF OUR UNION.
[02:40:01]
THERE ARE SEVEN UNIONS AND IT'S A TWO PERCENT INCREASE.WITH THIS PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BE A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN 2022 FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND A THREE PERCENT FOR NON POLICE AND FIRE.
AND THE DIFFERENCE AND THAT IS THAT THE FLEX HOURS WOULD TAKE EFFECT AND A FLEX PLAN.
WE ALREADY HAVE A FLEX PLAN IN PLACE, BUT THIS WOULD BE AN ENHANCED FLEX PLAN.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING REALLY, I THINK PRETTY BOLD.
AND THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A FOUR DAY WORKWEEK IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
THE TOWNSHIP WILL CLOSE AND WE'LL START PROMOTING THIS SO PEOPLE KNOW WE WILL CLOSE FOR EIGHT FRIDAYS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
AND THEN STARTING IN MARCH, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE FLEX SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE IN PLANNED RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A SEVEN AND A HALF HOUR WORKDAY.
YOU WORK 8 TO 4:30 OR 8:30 TO 5, DEPENDING UPON YOUR CHOICE AND THE DEPARTMENT.
SO REALLY, THIS IS A IT'S A IT INVOLVES INCREASES OVER WHAT'S PRESCRIBED IN THE UNION CONTRACTS.
IT INCLUDES A RETENTION PAYMENT.
IT INCLUDES FOUR-DAY WORK WEEKS.
IT'S A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE APPROACH.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT NOT JUST DIRECTOR TEHOFF WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE BOARD'S COMMENTS AND INITIATIVES THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS TOO.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO THINK OF THIS IS NOT JUST TWO PEOPLE WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER, BUT A COMBINATION OF EVERYONE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT.
IT'S GOT A QUESTION FOR MANAGER WALSH AND YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE THIS IN THE WORKS IS LISTENING SESSION OR GETTING SOME FEEDBACK FROM STAFF ABOUT HOW THE FRIDAYS WORKED AND DID THEY WORK? DID THEY NOT WORK THAT KIND OF THING BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOU AND DIRECTOR TRF ARE WORKING CLOSELY ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S EQUITABLE FOR THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT MAY BE GOOD FOR HER WORK FOR ONE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER.
AND JUST KIND OF FACTORING THAT INTO HOW ALL OF THIS WORKS OUT FOR RETENTION AND APPRECIATION, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE IN THE WORKS.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT I WOULD ASK THAT.
THERE WILL BE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WILL BE YET BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER TRIED THIS BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THERE WILL BE A PROCESS TO EVALUATE AND THAT FEEDBACK WILL BE CRITICAL FOR WHAT THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO MOVING FORWARD.
BUT YEAH, THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF PROCESS TO ACCEPT THAT KIND OF FEEDBACK AND WHETHER IT'S A LISTENING SESSION OR SOMETHING ELSE, YEAH, WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
AND THEN I JUST HAVE A COMMENT FOR THE BOARD.
AND I THINK THIS IS SORT OF HOW THE APPRECIATION PAY KIND OF GOT STARTED WITH TRUSTEE JACKSON AND MYSELF.
AND THEN LISTENING TO YOUR COMMENTS OF, GEEZ, I THINK A FEW MEETINGS BACK ABOUT INCENTIVES AND THE LUG NUTS GAME AND AND THE PICNIC AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.
THESE ARE NOT INCENTIVES THAT'S BUDGETED BY THE BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN MONIES PUT INTO APPRECIATION EVENTS FROM OUTSIDE ENTITIES AND AND THE MANAGER HIMSELF AND MAYBE SOME OTHER EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN CAN BUDGET THAT.
WE HAVE SOME MONIES PUT INTO WELLNESS PROGRAM THAT WOULD INCLUDE THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY DIGGING INTO THE TO THE POCKETS OF A OF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE MANAGER'S BEEN VERY GRACIOUS IN A LOT OF THE GIVING.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE AS WELL.
SO JUST SOMETHING I THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION TONIGHT THAT WE THINK ABOUT AS THE BOARD.
IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS INTO A WELLNESS PROGRAM, TYPE, TYPE OF LINE ITEM.
YEAH, AND WE WHEN WE DO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION.
SO ANOTHER THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND THAT'S BEEN A STICKING POINT FOR A LONG TIME AROUND HERE.
WHAT CAN WE SUPPORT? WHAT CAN WE PAY FOR? AND JUST RECENTLY, IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS, WE'VE WENT TO THE WE'VE WE WORKED OUT A WAY LEGALLY THROUGH OUR UNIONS WHERE WE COULD PUT THAT INTO THE CONTRACTS THAT WE DO HAVE THESE APPRECIATION THINGS.
SO WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU DO LIKE.
FOR INSTANCE, GIFT CARDS, GIFT CARDS ARE A TOTAL SOMETHING YOU CANNOT DO.
AND SO WE STAY AWAY FROM ANY TIME WE DO A GIFT CARD PROGRAM.
IT'S PRIVATELY FUNDED BY SOMEONE.
[02:45:01]
SOMEONE STEPS UP AND DO IT.BUT AS FAR AS LIKE THE LUG NUTS, TICKETS, HAVING THE PICNICS, ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR A GIFT CARD PURCHASE FOR A PRIZE THE TOWNSHIP CAN NOW DO BECAUSE WE'VE ACCEPTED OUR LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE FAHEY FIRM THAT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE IN THE CONTRACT, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO THOSE KIND OF APPRECIATION THINGS.
AND SO WE'VE WORKED LONG AND HARD TO KNOW WHERE, IS THE CUT OFF LINE ON THAT.
IS THAT CURRENTLY IN THEIR CONTRACTS OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU KNOW MS. TEHOFF ARE LOOKING AT DOING? IT'S IN THE CONTRACTS.
IN FACT, WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFY THE ARCHIE VIRTUE, I THINK ALMOST BY NAME TOO.
RIGHT? YEAH, THOSE SORT OF THINGS IN THE CONTRACTS.
MS. JACKSON, I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU FOCUSED ON RECRUITING AND RETENTION OF POLICE AND FIRE AND YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND I'M WONDERING, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT ASKING YOUR EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY NEEDED, WHAT THEY WANTED.
AND I'M WONDERING, OTHER THAN MORE MONEY, WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM POLICE AND FIRE ABOUT WHAT WOULD MAKE THEIR JOB MORE BETTER? SO IF IF THIS PROGRAM IS BEING VIEWED AS RETENTION, AND IF I IF I MADE IT APPEAR THAT IT WAS A RETENTION OF POLICE AND FIRE THAT'S WHOLLY INADEQUATE OR WHOLLY WRONG.
BUT YEAH, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT, YEAH.
RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT OF ALL.
I MEAN, WE'RE HAVING RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT ISSUES ACROSS ALL UNIONS, ALL EMPLOYEES.
SO THIS PROGRAM IS AIMED AT EVERYONE, NOT SPECIFICALLY POLICE AND FIRE.
BUT IF I'VE LEARNED ANYTHING THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, IS THAT FLEX TIME AND THE SCHEDULE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR FRIDAYS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY FOR MOST GROUPS.
BUT IT VARIES AMONG GROUP AMONG DIFFERENT GROUPS.
SO, YEAH, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IF YOU LOOKED AT A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF OUR OF OUR TEAM THAT THE FLEX TIME IN THE FOUR DAY WORKWEEK, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIMENT WITH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAYBE A HALF A PERCENT OR A PERCENT OR A THOUSAND DOLLAR PAYMENT OR THAT SORT OF THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR NOT.
OK? BECAUSE WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT IS WHAT SPECIFICALLY POLICE AND FIRE ARE LOOKING FOR TO ENHANCE THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT BESIDES JUST MORE MONEY? GETTING MORE PEOPLE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORK AS MUCH OVERTIME, GETTING UP TO OUR HOUR FUNDED LEVELS.
FORTY ONE POLICE AND POLICE AND WOULD ALL END UP BEING THIRTY FOUR FIRE PARAMEDIC IN 2022TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
IT'S MUCH MORE PREVALENT OF A PROBLEM IN POLICE THAN IT IS IN FIRE BECAUSE WE'RE I THINK WE'RE FULLY STAFFED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WELL, FULLY STAFFED AS FAR AS THE NUMBER, OF COURSE, THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE HERE IN ANOTHER FEW WEEKS.
BUT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S BECOMING CRITICAL.
AND SO FOR THEM, IT'S MORE PEOPLE.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN MOST PEOPLE.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE TIME OFF ASPECT.
GIVE US THE COMPENSATION THAT WE NEED TO KEEP US HERE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY POLICE AND FIRE PARAMEDIC AND WE REQUIRE A PARAMEDIC LICENSE HERE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT'S A HIGH, HIGH BAR COMPARED TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, IF YOU'RE TALKING TO POLICE AND FIRE, WE'VE TALKED TO THE TO THE MEMBERSHIP.
IT'S COMPENSATION AND FULLY STAFFING.
IF YOU ASK OTHER FOLKS AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR EVERYONE WHEN I SAY TO OTHER FOLKS, BUT PREDOMINANTLY IT'S FLEX TIME IS MORE IMPORTANT TO NON POLICE AND FIRE GROUPS.
SO THE WAGE INCREASE WHEN YOU SAY NON-POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS.
DOES THAT MEAN EVERYBODY ELSE OTHER THAN THOSE THREE GROUPS? DOES IT INCLUDE THE THREE PERCENT? DOES THAT INCLUDE WHAT DIRECTORS? AND WHO IS THE THREE PERCENT OTHER THAN POLICE OTHER THAN POLICE AND FIRE? WHAT DO PEOPLE GET AS FAR AS COMPENSATION? NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ASKING.
I'M ASKING DOES THE THREE PERCENT INCLUDE EVERYBODY, INCLUDING DIRECTORS? YEAH, OK.
NINE POLICE AND FIRE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MYSELF AND THE EXCEPTION OF THE CLERK AND TREASURER.
IT INCLUDES EVERYONE WHO IS NON POLICE AND FIRE.
[02:50:01]
MS. JACKSON.OH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE THINKING OF ANOTHER QUESTION.
NO, JUST THE GREAT RESIGNATION ACTUALLY WENT UP IN THE LATEST REPORTING MONTH.
THREE POINT OUR FOUR POINT FOUR MILLION PEOPLE RESIGNED FROM THEIR JOB AND IT WAS FOUR POINT THREE MILLION IN AUGUST.
SO THE NUMBERS AREN'T GETTING BETTER.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE A CHOICE TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE ARE.
SO WE'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE TRYING TO HIRE GOOD PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DECIDING WITH THE PANDEMIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO WORK.
SO I THANK THE MANAGER FOR THIS BRINGING THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE THE BOARD AND ALSO GO BACK TO TWENTY EIGHTEEN WHEN THE 401K WENT UP FROM EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT TO 10.
SOON AFTER, I BECAME AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWNSHIP, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
OVER THE YEARS AND THEN WE ALL REMEMBER, EXCEPT FOR, I THINK, FOR CLARK GUTHRIE, THAT THE MANAGER BROUGHT UP THE FLEX TIME IDEA IN 2019 AND IT BECAME POLITICIZED.
AND SO IT DIED BECAUSE ONE BOARD MEMBER WANTED TO WANTED TO PUBLICIZE THAT ISSUE.
BUT THAT WAS A SIGN THAT EVEN TWO YEARS AGO, THE MANAGER WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO.
I THINK YOU EXPLAINED THIS WAY.
YOU WANTED TO TAKE SOME STRESS OFF OUR EMPLOYEES AND MAKE OUR MAKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MORE ATTRACTIVE PLACE BY ALLOWING FLEX TIME.
IT WAS A GREAT IDEA THEN WE COULDN'T DO IT THEN, BECAUSE OF THAT BOARD MEMBER, WE KNEW IT'D BE THE PRICE TO PAY.
BUT WITH THAT BOARD MEMBER GONE, WE'VE MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION AND NOW WE'VE GOT TWO OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE THE LONG TERM, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP AND RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES HERE AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH THEM.
BUT LIKE ANY EVERYWHERE, THERE'S PRESSURES ON THEM, EITHER TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE OR TAKE A BETTER JOB SOMEWHERE.
THERE'S LOTS OF JOB OPENINGS AND I THINK THIS PACKAGE IS GOING TO HELP KEEP OURS.
WE HAVE TWO BRAND NEW EMPLOYEES IN THE TREASURY UTILITY BUILDING PERSON VERY DIRECTOR SCHMITT OFF AND DIRECTOR MATTISON BROUGHT IN AN EXCELLENT NEW EMPLOYEES AND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE GREAT AND THE THOUGHT OF THEM LEAVING IN SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR WOULD BE A HUGE LOSS FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
AND SO I THINK PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE GOING TO HELP US ATTRACT NEW PEOPLE AND KEEP NEW PEOPLE, AND THAT'S THAT'S ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDING GOOD SERVICES.
UTILITY BUILDING ACTUALLY IS A VERY COMPLEX AREA.
THERE'S A LOT TO IT AND THEY GET THE MOST CHALLENGING CALLS, I THINK, IN THE WHOLE TOWNSHIP FROM PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ARGUE UTILITY BILL AND ISSUES.
AND SO IT TAKES A WHILE TO TRAIN THEM BOTH IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE ACTUAL TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT.
SO HOLDING ON TO PEOPLE IN THAT AREA OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE OR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE OR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES INVOLVE IN TO BE COME IN A TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ALL THE LAWS THAT THEY'RE IN ESSENCE ENFORCING AND EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE.
AND SO TO LOSE AN EMPLOYEE AFTER A YEAR OR TWO YEARS EVEN IS A HUGE LOSS BECAUSE MUCH OF THE FIRST YEAR OF AN EMPLOYEE IS JUST TRAINING AND LEARNING THE JOB AND THEN DECIDING, YEAH, I WANT TO WORK HERE.
THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO STAY AND WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT IMPRESSION.
AND I THINK THE FRIDAYS OFF IN FEBRUARY AND JANUARY ARE GOING TO BE A REAL HOME RUN WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
ACTUALLY, IF YOU TAKE IF ANYONE TOOK THE TIME TO GO, TALK TO THOSE TWO NEW EMPLOYEES OR WE HAVE A NEW EMPLOYEE RIGHT HERE DOWN HERE TO MY LEFT, IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHERE DID YOU COME FROM AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW, WHAT DO YOU MEAN HSA PAYMENTS? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE FULLY FUNDING MY DEDUCTIBLE? I'M USED TO PAYING FOR HEALTH CARE OR YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE HERE, OR WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE ON FRIDAYS AND YOU ONLY HAVE TO WORK SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS A DAY.
AND I KNOW YOUR CONTRACT SAYS TWO PERCENT.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE.
AND IF YOU STAY NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER THOUSAND DOLLARS.
TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION.
THIS ISN'T JUST YOUR MILQUETOAST KIND OF PROPOSAL THAT WE'VE NO ONE'S TAKING CREDIT.
IT'S A COMBINED EFFORT THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
THIS IS BOLD AND PEOPLE HERE THINK IT'S OUTSTANDING.
THE WORDS USE ARE OUTSTANDING.
SO YEAH, IF YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE, MAYBE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
BUT IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WHO'VE COME INTO THIS ORGANIZATION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, IT'S A WOW FACTOR.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY I BROUGHT UP SOME CONCERNS LAST TIME AND NOT JUST ON THE SUSTAINABILITY, HOWEVER.
I, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE SOME MATH AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WOW FACTOR IS IMPORTANT.
[02:55:02]
I DO THINK FRIDAY'S OFF WILL HELP, CONFIRMING, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, MANAGER, THAT WE'RE STILL GOING TO STAY A SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS PER DAY, INCLUDING THE EIGHT DAYS FRIDAYS.IN THE FOUR TRUSTEE I'M TRYING TO SO WHEN WE GO TO FOUR DAY WORK WEEKS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WILL WE STILL WORK SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS ON THE OTHER FOUR DAYS? NO, WE WORK FOR EIGHT, FOUR EIGHT.
WELL, THAT SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS BE IMPLEMENTED POST FEBRUARY AGAIN OR NO.
IT WILL WE'LL RETURN TO THE FLEX TIME THAT WE HAD PREVIOUS TO.
WELL, THAT'S IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
SO OF COURSE, ATTRACTION, YOU MADE A LOT OF GOOD POINTS.
ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GIVING FOR RETENTION HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT IF THINKING LIKE JUST THINKING SAID YOU DO AN EVALUATION AND WE COULD LOOK AT IT LONGER? BUT WHAT IF WE HIRE SOMEBODY IN MARCH, THEY DIDN'T GET THOSE EIGHT DAYS GIVE IT THE SEVEN AND A HALF, BUT THEY SAID, I'M JUST THINKING LIKE IT BENEFITS OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE COULD WE USE IT TO ATTRACT OTHER EMPLOYEES? BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT, I SUPPOSE, LOOKING AT THAT FUTURE WISE, BECAUSE AFTER.
YEAH, I THINK THE I THINK THERE WERE OTHER RECRUITMENT WOULD BE, LOOK, HERE'S WHAT WE DID IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, AND YOU HAVE IT TO LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT JANUARY FEBRUARY.
UNDER THE PREMISE, THOUGH, THAT IT WORKED WELL AND THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO WORK OR NOT.
I JUST THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE CONSIDERING GOING FORWARD.
YEAH, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF EVALUATING IT.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT AGAIN, THERE'S NO REASON REALLY TO EVALUATE IT.
I PLAN TO HAVE IT EVALUATED AND PROBABLY NOT EVEN BY ME, MAYBE PEOPLE AT THIS TABLE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT YES, CERTAINLY OUR WHOLE PLAN I MS. ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS TO IMPLEMENT THIS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS.
IF IT WORKS OK, EIGHT DAYS OR EIGHT HOURS, LIKE SIXTY FOUR HOURS, WHICH ABOUT ON AN AVERAGE OF 50000.
LET'S SAY I'M JUST MAKING THAT UP.
SO THINKING ABOUT THAT, LIKE LONG TERM AT FIVE YEARS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THAT JUST BY THAT HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
SO LIKE JUST I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK LIKE LONG TERM THE RETENTION PIECE AND RECRUITMENT BECAUSE THERE'S TWO SEPARATE THINGS HAPPENING.
SO I THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE THINKING THAT WAY, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS AND HOW EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, FEEL ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, YEAH, AND AGAIN, THE REASON THE THE INCREASES ARE A DIFFERENT RATE IS BECAUSE IF THEY'RE THE SAME AND YOUR POLICE AND FIRE, YOU DON'T GET ALL THAT TIME AND EVERYONE GETS THE SAME AMOUNT.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THAT AND A HALF A PERCENT IS NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENTIAL THAT GIVES THE POLICE AND FIRE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA AND TALK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE EIGHT DAYS OR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE CONTINUATION OF FLEX TIME.
THIS MIGHT BE A REALLY SILLY QUESTION, BUT WHY NOTHING SILLY THROUGH THIS PROCESS? WHY CAN'T WE GIVE POLICE AND FIRE SHIRTS A CONTRACT THING? BUT WHY CAN'T WE GIVE POLICE AND FIRE DAYS OFF? IS IT WE THE CAPACITY AND OR IS THERE A CONTRACT ISSUE? IT'S STRICTLY CAPACITY, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
THIS WAS SOMETHING WE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE TREASURER SAID, WE WERE WORKING ON THIS TWO YEARS AGO IN THIS ROOM, ACTUALLY, AND IT'S IT'S LIKE HAVING FOUR CHILDREN AND YOU ASKED THEM ALL WHAT THEY WANT, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD ANALOGY TONIGHT, BUT THE ANALOGY OF WHAT ALL YOUR CHILDREN WANT IS DIFFERENT.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND DIFFERENT DESIRES, DIFFERENT AGES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO IF YOU LISTEN TO POLICE AND FIRE, IT'S NOT ABOUT TIME OFF.
BUT YOUR POINT ABOUT CAPACITY IS A GOOD ONE.
THAT IS A DRIVING FORCE, FOR SURE.
WHAT YOU SAID IS ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THEY'VE ASKED FOR MORE HELP.
SO, YEAH, MORE HELP AND COMPENSATION WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS THING GLOBALLY, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EVERYONE'S JUMPING UP AND DOWN WITH WOW FACTOR, BUT YOU WERE THE 90 PERCENTILE OF HIGHLY SATISFIED WITH A PROGRAM, YOU'VE HIT A GRAND SLAM AND I'M NOT TAKING ANY CREDIT FOR IT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT A LONG TIME AND IT'S TAKEN PROBABLY TOO LONG TO
[03:00:01]
GET US HERE.BUT I THINK THE COMBINED EFFORT OF EVERYONE HAS PROVIDED A REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR TEAM.
FIRST, WE'VE GOT THREE AND THIS MS. JACKSON.
JUST ONE COMMENT I READ IN HERE ABOUT SOME EMPLOYEES IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE NEEDING TO REMAIN OPEN ON FEBRUARY 4TH AND 11TH.
AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE SOME TIMES THAT DPW WILL HAVE TO WORK.
I'M HOPING THAT THEY'RE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY AT A LATER TIME, FLEXING THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE THAN THESE TWO FRIDAYS THAT NO ONE ELSE DOES.
THEY'RE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT HAVE TO WORK AT ANOTHER TIME.
THAT'S EQUITABLE FOR WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
YES, AND THEY DEFINITELY ALREADY HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKEN TOGETHER STARTED WITH THE IDEAS AND THE CHANGES MADE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE BENEFIT PACKAGE.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD, THIS IS GREAT PROGRESS TOWARDS MAKING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THAT IS IMPORTANT AND POSITIVE AND REASSURING.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I AM PREPARED CERTAINLY TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD OF THE NEGATIVE SIDE.
MY DUTY IS WE HAVE A DUTY TO MANAGE THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC MONIES, THE PUBLIC FISC AND SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO'S MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE BENT MIGHT SAY, OH, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO IT THAN THE UNIONS NEGOTIATED.
THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE BENEFITS THAT AREN'T EVEN ASKED FOR BY THE UNIONS AND IN FRONT FOR, ET CETERA.
AND THIS IS OUR MONEY THEY'RE GIVING AWAY.
WELL, THE FACT IS, WE AREN'T GIVING ANYTHING AWAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY BIG CONCERN ABOUT RETENTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THEM BECAUSE THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SINCE SINCE COVID AND THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WITH EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND PEOPLE NOT MOVING AND KEEPING PEOPLE FROM NOT MOVING ON TO OTHER JOBS.
SO WE ARE BEING WISE WITH OUR PUBLIC FISC BY DOING THIS.
JUST SO A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
FIRST, I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE FINAL PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE BOARD.
THANK YOU TO CLERK GUTHRIE AND TRUSTEE JACKSON AND THEN TO DIRECTOR TITHOF AND MANAGER WALSH.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING PRECEDING THIS BOARD PROCEEDING MANAGER WALSH BEING HERE AND HR AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT'S THERE AND IT'S A SUPERVISOR STYKA'S POINT.
IT'S CHANGED PROBABLY MORE DRAMATICALLY AS A RESULT OF COVID THAN EVER BEFORE.
BUT I MEAN, WE DO KNOW TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI QUESTION, I MEAN, WE KNOW PRETTY WELL WHAT FIRE AND POLICE WANT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASKING FOR MORE FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEY ASKED FOR FOUR MORE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO GET BACK TO THEIR PRE GREAT RECESSION STAFFING LEVELS, RIGHT? JUST TO GET UP TO THE STAFFING THAT THEY HAD PRIOR.
AND WE CLOSED HALF THAT GAP IN THE BUDGET THAT'S SET TO BEGIN ON JANUARY ONE.
AND IF YOU TALK TO THE CHIEF OR ANYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
THEY WORK 12 HOUR SHIFTS JUST LIKE A NURSE, RIGHT? SO WHEN SOMEBODY'S SICK, SOMEONE'S GOT TO GO IN, AND IT'S NOT AN EASY SHIFT TO COVER.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE TIME COMMITMENTS UNIQUE AND AND IT'S GRUELING.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEING DOWN, YOU KNOW, ALMOST AN ENTIRE SHIFT OF ACTIVE DUTY OFFICERS OR POSSIBLY AN ACTIVE DUTY SHIFT AT THIS POINT.
BUT I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE'VE COME OUT HERE.
I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT BASE PAY OF TWO PERCENT NOW FOR SOME TIME.
AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT TO THE SUPERVISORS POINT TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS DON'T REALLY NEGOTIATE ON THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO NEGOTIATE ON THEIR HEALTH CARE AND THEIR RETIREMENT FACTORS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO IMPACT THEIR LIFE.
[03:05:01]
SO THAT OFTEN GETS SET ASIDE, BUT WE ARE DEALING WITH HIGH INFLATION AND THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES.AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE INFLATIONARY COSTS BETWEEN THAT AND THE LUMP SUM PAYMENT FOR SOME OF THIS WILL ACTUALLY BE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE INCREASE THAN THAN INFLATION.
SO FOR OTHERS, IT WILL BE JUST BELOW THAT NOW BETWEEN THE TWO FACTORS.
SO I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE LANDED AND I THINK THE BOARD MEMBERS AND MANAGER, WALSH AND DIRECTOR TITHOF FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS, THANK YOU.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? THEN WE WILL HAVE ROLL.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES, TREASURER DESCHAINE, YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU MS. TITO AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 12 D THE 2021 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
[12D. 2021 Small Business Saturday Resolution]
RESOLUTION.I KNOW MANY OF YOU FOR YEARS HAVE PROBABLY NOTICED THERE ARE TV COMMERCIALS EVERY YEAR ABOUT THE SATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING BEING A SPECIAL DAY TO KIND OF EMPHASIZE GOING THROUGH YOUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE THIS BOARD WITH THE HELP OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ET CETERA, HAS GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES IN BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE COVID CRISIS, WHICH IS CONTINUING.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER STEP WHERE FORMALLY RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND GO OUT THERE AND SPEND MONEY THERE.
SO WITH THAT, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION? MS. WISINSKI.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AND RECOGNITION OF SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.
SUPPORTED BY MS. JACKSON, ANY DISCUSSION.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YES, I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC IDEA AND SUPPORTING THE BOARD IS IT'S PRUDENT.
I WONDER IF HOW DO WE HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE LIKE OTHER THAN JUST SAYING THIS AT A BOARD? IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN EITHER PROVIDE A LIST TO PEOPLE LIKE HERE'S WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES OR HERE'S SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW NOT TO SAY WE SHOULDN'T SUPPORT ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT IF WE TRULY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PARTICULAR CAUSE, MAYBE WE COULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR LEFT, BUT I KNOW IN A PAST IN OUR VARIOUS NEWSLETTERS, ETC. WE'VE HAD SUCH LISTS NOT EXACTLY ON POINT, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH SO THAT THEY COULD BE MASSAGED FOR ME.
AND IT'S I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE MANAGER TO HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS TO PUT SOMETHING OUT BEFORE THANKSGIVING TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THIS.
AND IF THE BOARD IS ADOPTED MS. AND HAS ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO DO THAT AND ONE MORE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO DIRECTOR CLARK DID, I THINK, LIKE IT WAS AN EASTER EVENT OR WHERE SHE HAD THEY WENT AROUND TO BUSINESSES AND THEN PEOPLE GOT PRIZES OR YOU WERE SEARCHING FOR? ACTUALLY, MORE RECENTLY THAN EASTER WAS THAT I REMEMBER.
ANYWAYS, I APPARENTLY WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I'M WONDERING IF WE MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR, BUT WE THINK ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY GO TO THESE BUSINESSES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKED WHAT SHE DID, AND MAYBE SHE'LL HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS OR JUST KIND OF THINKING OF THAT TOO.
NO, ACTUALLY, I WAS RESPONDING TO YOUR COMMENT.
DIRECTOR CLARK IS WORKING ON A SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR THE TOWN.
AND THEN IN SERVICE OF THE EDC, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN CANVAS SHOPPING BAGS AND WHEN THEY GIVE THEM OUT TO HAVE IN THERE A DIRECTORY OF ALL MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO THEY'RE ON THIS PROJECT AND THEY'RE WAITING FOR [INAUDIBLE] TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR'S GIFT CARD PROMOTION.
I WAS THE MERIDIAN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC.
YES, AND THE EDC AS TRUSTEE SUNDLAND KNOWS IS TRYING TO GET [INAUDIBLE] INVOLVED AND DOING SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO WE'RE WELL-SERVED WITH THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND ARE REALLY GO GETTER DIRECTOR CLARK, WHO IS TRYING TO PROMOTE OUR BUSINESSES AS MUCH AS SHE CAN.
SO SHE'S SHE'S REALLY ON THIS ALREADY CONGESTED ANYONE ELSE? MS. JACKSON.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT DURING THIS PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES THE BOARD SUPPORTED THAT I THINK IT WAS THE EDC WITH SUPPORTED OR SPONSORED WAS THE GRANTS TO SMALL SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND DURING THAT PROCESS, ONE OF THE ONE OF THE POSITIVES IN THAT PROCESS WAS THE
[03:10:03]
COLLECTION OF WHO IS HERE AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING? AND YOU KNOW, IT HELPED DIRECTOR CLARK BEGIN TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND COMPILE THIS DIRECTORY.AND SO WE HAVE IN THE PAST SUPPORTED AS A BOARD, SPECIFICALLY SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY IN WHICH WE CAN DO THAT.
WE NEED TO VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NOW, GO ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[13A. Silverstone Estates Public Streetlighting Improvement]
THE FIRST ONE SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG, AND THAT'S A SILVERSTONE OF STATES PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT, WHICH WE HAD EARLIER WITH A PUBLIC HEARING.ANYTHING TO ADD WITH REGARD TO THAT, I REALLY DON'T UNLESS THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE RESOLUTION FIVE WHEN YOU SET UP, PROBABLY ON CONSENT, NEXT GO ROUND.
SO SOUNDS GOOD TO EVERYBODY, [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
[13C. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Update]
WE NOW GO ON 2 C WHICH IS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PLAN UPDATE.WHO'S GOING TO DO THAT? OUR DIRECTOR? YES.
SUPERVISOR STYKA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR DEI PLAN UPDATE.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT ON JANUARY 27, THAT OUR DEI TASK FORCE GOT TO MEET VIA ZOOM AND HAVE OUR DISCUSSION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR INTERNAL WORK, AS WELL AS WHAT WE DO EXTERNALLY WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
WE WERE GLAD TO HAVE TRUSTEE WISINSKI ON THAT TASK FORCE AND SHE HELPED US CREATE OUR MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT A DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE THROUGH TRAINING, EVALUATION AND ACTION.
SO AS YOU KNOW, OUR INTENTION IS TO EMBRACE HOW WE DO THIS WORK, INCREASE CONSCIOUS CONSCIOUSNESS AND AWARENESS AND REALLY TO LEARN WAYS TO BETTER CONNECT AND IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION.
SO OF COURSE, THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER INTERESTING YEAR NAVIGATING A PANDEMIC AND TRYING TO INCORPORATE TRAINING AND AWARENESS AT A TIME THAT WE HAD TO STAGGER HEADCOUNT AND REDUCE HEADCOUNT IN THE BUILDING AT TIMES AND JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH A TRICKY EXPERIENCE.
IT'S NOT BEEN EASY FOR EVERYBODY.
SO WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET EVERYONE IN A ROOM, ALTHOUGH IT HAD TO BE VIRTUAL.
BUT WE DID HAVE OUR FIRST TRAINING SESSION FOR LEADERSHIP AND THAT WAS ON AUGUST 5TH.
SO WE HAD A FOUR HOUR SESSION WITH ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS AND OUR TASK FORCE MEMBERS.
WE HAD OUR TRUSTEES PRESENT AS WELL.
AND WE WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT, AND ALFREDO HERNANDEZ IS THERE A DEI LEADER, AND HE CONDUCTED THE TRAINING FOR US, AND HE HAD HIS COLLEAGUE HELPED US OUT AS WELL.
AND SO WE COVERED SOME OF THOSE INITIAL TOPICS JUST TO GET PEOPLE FAMILIAR AND TALKING.
AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I WATCHED EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY IN THIS PROCESS AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A LITTLE BIT GUARDED WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO AS WE GET TALKING, THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BREAKOUT SESSIONS.
AND SO IT WAS SET UP RANDOMLY SO THAT PEOPLE PARTICIPATING, THEY WOULD WIND UP, OH, SORRY, CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME? I APOLOGIZE.
BUT THEY HAD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ON SUBJECTS AND BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A TEAM SO YOU WOULD TALK ON A SUBJECT.
AND IT WAS FUN BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A GAME SHOW WHERE YOU GET A TOPIC AND YOU GO, YOU GO.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT YOUR COLLEAGUES AND THEIR EXPERIENCES, AND THEN WE ALL COME BACK TO THE BIG TABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND I SAW A DIFFERENCE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING.
AND IT JUST INCREASED THE ENGAGEMENT.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT MADE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT HELPS KIDS PEOPLE'S GUARD DOWN SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND SEE WHAT DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES ACTUALLY BRING TO THE TABLE AND WHAT A BENEFIT THAT IS FOR ALL OF US.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE GOT THROUGH THAT FOR HOUR TRAINING, AND I THINK WE WERE BETTER FOR IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS LOVELY PANDEMIC WILL NOT SIMMER, SO WE'RE STILL DOING OUR BEST.
WE'RE STILL NAVIGATING WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT AND AND STAY TOGETHER AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND USE TECHNOLOGY TO LEARN SO AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT.
I THINK I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT I'M WORKING WITH DIFFERENT DEI SPECIALISTS AND WORKING ON CURRICULA.
[03:15:02]
AND I JUST MONDAY GOT SOME FEEDBACK BACK FROM THE MSU, THE ELI BROAD COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR US TO INCORPORATE SOME REGULAR TRAINING, AND I THINK THEY HAVE SIX SUBJECTS RIGHT NOW.PART OF IT WILL BE FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING, AND PART OF IT WILL BE LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN JUST START TO WORK SOMETHING REGULAR IN POSSIBLY ON A SIX, FOUR TO SIX WEEK BASIS JUST TO START GETTING LIGHTER ON OUR FEET AND KEEP THE TRAINING COMING, KEEP THE TOPICS COMING AND HELP FOLKS BECOME CONVERSATIONAL.
AND JUST LIKE, OH YEAH, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT.
I LEARNED ABOUT THAT AND TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE JUST TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER IN THEIR NEW THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND ON THE TRAINING PORTION OF IT.
YOU MAY RECALL ALSO WE IMPLEMENTED THE BOARD APPROVED THE NONDISCRIMINATION AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES POLICY AND THAT WENT INTO EFFECT.
AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY THAT WENT INTO EFFECT JANUARY 29TH OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO THAT WAS INCORPORATED INTO OUR PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL.
WE WELL, WE HAVE A CURRENT APPLICATION PROCESS AND ONLINE APPLICANT PROCESS THAT IS NO LONGER BEING SUPPORTED.
SO DIRECTOR DAVIS AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DIFFERENT SOFTWARE COMPANIES AND LOOKING FOR OUR NEW ONE HOUR REPLACEMENT, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT INCORPORATED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022.
SO WITH THAT, WE ARE HOPING THAT THAT WILL ALSO HELP INCREASE OUR POSITIVITY AND ATTRACTIVENESS AND MAKING THE EASE OF APPLYING FOR A POSITION.
BECAUSE I THINK, AS YOU HAVE DISCUSSED, IT IS VERY REAL THAT THE APPLICANT POOLS ARE NOT WHAT THEY HAD BEEN PRIOR TO COVID.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR OPENNESS AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN SOME CREATIVITY AND OTHER WAYS TO THINK NEW, THINK NEW AND SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY TO BE ATTRACTIVE AS AN EMPLOYER.
SO I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
OKAY, THIS DISCUSSION ITEM BOARD MEMBERS? YES, NO QUESTION.
IT'S IT'S BEEN, SO I THINK ANYBODY THAT HAS WORKED WITH YOU, YOU JUST HAVE SUCH A PASSION AND EXCITEMENT.
I MEAN, YOU ALMOST KILLED THE MICROPHONE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A TON OF MOMENTUM GOING INTO THIS.
THEN COVID HIT AND WE HAD TO REDIRECT SOME OF OUR EFFORTS.
HOWEVER, YOU STILL STAYED ON TASK WITH THIS IN AND YOU KNOW, WE DID A SURVEY BACK IN OCTOBER, AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE HERE THEN I THINK IT WAS DIRECTOR MARKS AT THAT TIME, BUT WE DID A SURVEY OF THE DIRECTORS ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT AND HOW THEY COULD SEE, AND I'LL SEND THOSE SURVEYS.
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES WAS TRAINING PROGRAMS, SO TRAINING AWARENESS IS, OF COURSE, JUST IMPORTANT, LIKE YOU SAID, TO DEVELOP THAT DIALOG, NOT JUST ONE CONVERSATION, BUT A DIALOG THAT MAKES IT EASY TO HAVE SOME MAYBE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT IT'S ALREADY MOVING TOWARDS A POLICY EFFORT.
SO YOU'RE ALREADY CHANGING HR POLICY AND TO LOOK AT THIS TRAINING AS A MORE CONCRETE AND, YOU KNOW, STANDARD IS A POLICY CHANGE.
SO IT'S NOT, WE TAKE ONE TRAINING AND LOOK, WE'RE ALL BETTER, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK THAT TO ME IS REALLY GREAT PROGRESS CONSIDERING WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND ON THIS.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE EFFORTS.
I WILL SAY THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS WERE FUN.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO YOU WERE GOING TO COME IN.
I WAS IN ONE WITH WITH CHIEF HAMMEL AND DIRECTOR MATTISON.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU DID GET FIVE MINUTES, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT IN THOSE FIVE MINUTES AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, YOUR GUARD GOES DOWN AND YOU HAVE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, AND I WOULD ONLY COMMEND YOU AND ALL OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
TREASURER DESCHAINE, I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'LL GET BACK TO THIS.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD DO WOULD BE TO GIVE THE MANAGER SOME SPECIFIC GOALS FOR SOME ACTIONABLE THINGS WE MIGHT DO TO PROMOTE, ENCOURAGE, MENTOR, SPONSOR, IF YOU WILL, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO HELP THEM TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREER IN A WAY THAT WORKS WITHIN THE SAME DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.
IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE PEOPLE THAT WOULD MEET OUR OBJECTIVES AND THEN STATE THAT BROAD GOAL AND THEN HAD THE MANAGER COME BACK TO US WITH SOME KIND OF PLAN FOR WHAT
[03:20:03]
WE COULD DO, WHAT OUR GOALS COULD BE OVER ONE YEAR, TWO YEARS, FIVE YEARS TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US COME HAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC GOAL THAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR BECAUSE WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE IT THAN IF WE JUST TALK IN GENERALITIES I THINK.THAT'S THAT'S MY SENSE OF WORLD.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US END UP AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, SOME SPECIFIC GOALS THAT WE HOPE THAT WE WILL ACHIEVE.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT MORE, TOO, AS WE GET IT THROUGH GOAL SETTING OTHER.
OK, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
VERY WELL DONE, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC.
[13D. Information Technology Assessment Update]
OUR LAST ONE IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT UPDATE.WE HAVE A IS A IS IT A NUCLEAR SCIENTIST THAT'S GOING TO COME THE AEROSPACE AEROSPACE? THE MEMO ACTUALLY PROBABLY COVERS OUR CURRENT STATUS FAIRLY WELL.
WE HAVE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE SMALL TASK FORCE THAT'S BEEN SET UP CONTRACTED WITH THE COMPANY OUT OF BRIGHTON.
WE'VE SET UP AN INTERNAL TEAM WITH THEIR EXTERNAL TEAM AND FOR THE PAST THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN SENDING THEM ALL OF OUR EXISTING WRITTEN POLICIES TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT DON'T EXIST.
WE HAVE NOT YET PUT ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'LL BE DOING THE ACTUAL NETWORK SCANS IN, BUT WE EXPECT THAT TO BE HAPPENING PROBABLY LATER THIS WEEK.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON INTO STARTING TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE THE NEW FRAMEWORK FOR ALL OF OUR WHAT WILL BE A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF WRITTEN POLICIES FOR THINGS THAT WE'VE COVERED IN THE PAST AND SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE THING WOULD BE BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE, TECHNOLOGY DEVICE FOR EMPLOYEES TO BRING THEIR OWN TO WORK.
HOW DO WE EXPECT THEM TO BE USED OR NOT EXPECT THEM TO BE USED? DO WE EVER WANT THEM CONNECTED TO OUR NETWORK, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? THERE ARE SOME POLICIES THAT WE'VE JUST NEVER HAD HERE, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BUILDING THAT FRAMEWORK.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE.
WE'RE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE TO COMPLETE BY THE CURRENT JANUARY 31ST, THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
I GUESS YOUR REPORT WAS THOROUGH WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT TO REPORT YET, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT ALL THE SAME.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S VERY LOGICAL HOW YOU LAID IT ALL OUT.
I THINK THAT'S LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW THAT COMES TOGETHER.
ONE COMMENT WI-FI ASSESSMENT? I'M ASSUMING THAT MEANS IMPROVEMENT IS LASTING.
THE LIST THAT'S JUST DO THE ALPHABETICAL.
YEAH, THAT'S HOW I ORGANIZE IT.
SO YOU COULD TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WHY WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SINGLE DEVICE.
OUR FIREWALL IS ALSO THE CENTRAL POINT FOR SOME OF OUR ANTIVIRUS AND FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER REMOTE CONNECTIONS AND FOR OUR WI-FI SYSTEM AS WELL.
WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY EGGS IN THAT ONE BASKET.
SO WE'RE RELATIVELY CERTAIN RIGHT NOW THAT THAT WILL BE SEPARATED OUT INTO ITS OWN STANDALONE SYSTEM.
WE'LL LOSE CENTRAL MANAGEMENT OF IT.
BUT WHAT WE LOSE IN CENTRAL MANAGEMENT OF IT, WE WILL GAIN IN ROBUSTNESS.
AND THE TRUTH IS WE DON'T NEED CENTRAL MANAGEMENT FOR WI-FI.
SO THAT'S ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING WITH CERTAINTY YET.
THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AS WE MOVE INTO 2022 AND GET ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING FOR 2022 UNDERWAY.
THANK YOU, ANYONE ELSE? YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE SECURITY ISSUES WITH REGARD TO PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL HOME, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, COMPUTERS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT IN.
IT'S BEEN OVER A DECADE NOW, BUT WHEN I WORK FOR THE STATE, THERE WAS A NO-NO BECAUSE IT COULD INFECT THE WHOLE STATE SYSTEM.
SO YEAH, IT IS GENERALLY A NO-NO, BUT AGAIN, THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING FOR A LOT OF REASONS COVID NOT BEING THE LEAST OF THEM.
SO AND HOPEFULLY THE THE SECURITY ASPECTS HAVE IMPROVED ALSO HOPEFULLY.
AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT I SEE THAT THEY ARE ALL HAPPY WITH THEIR EARLIER COMMENTS AND HAVE LEFT US.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE TURNING TO BOARD MEMBERS AND THERE ARE OTHER MATTERS THAT
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBERCOMMENTS]
THEY MAY WANT TO BRING FORWARD OR THE REPORTS FROM EARLIER THAT THEY MAY HAVE SET ASIDE MS. WISNIEWSKI.I HAD A LONG LIST, BUT I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF BECAUSE IT IS LATE AND WE'RE TIRED.
BOARD UPDATES ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ARE FY21.
GREEN GRANTS HAVE COME TO A CLOSE U.
THE BOARD SAW THE HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT, BUT WE ASKED TO PUT THE RADMORE
[03:25:01]
SCHOOL NATURE AREA ON FOR DECEMBER IF WE CAN, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE, WHICH IS JUST AS FANTASTIC.WE ARE FINALIZING FY22 GRANT PROPOSALS, THE RFP, THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
WE LEARNED THAT THE SOONER WE GET THAT OUT, THE BETTER BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE ACTUAL SCHOOL YEAR SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE STUDENTS WITHIN THE TIME FRAME OF BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS.
OUR I DON'T KNOW IF DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS STILL HERE.
OUR OWN EMMA CAMPBELL, AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER, KENDRICK KASHASHY ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT A BUILD BACK THE BUFFER WITHIN THOSE GRANTS.
WE GENERALLY FOCUS ON SCHOOLS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING NEW AND UNUSUAL FOR THESE GRANTS.
THEY ARE ALSO THE VERNAL IS WORKING TO REVIEW THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TEMPLATE, AND THEY'RE EXCITED TO START LOOKING AT THAT MORE IN DEPTH AND MAYBE INCORPORATING THAT MORE INTO SOME MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ORDINANCES SIMILARLY LIKE WE HAD DONE WITH THE MOONPIE.
THERE'S A WINTER COAT DRIVE THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH FROM 10 TO TWO AT MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
SO THAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
PARTNERING WITH OUR MERIDIAN CARES AND I BELIEVE IT'S A WINTER COAT DRIVE AND SUPPLY, SO IT COULD INCLUDE LIKE HATS AND GLOVES AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
WE, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE HAVING TWO STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMISSIONERS ARE RESIGNING DUE TO WORKLOAD AND SOME PERSONAL OTHER PERSONAL COMMITMENTS, SO WE'LL HAVE TO STUDENT COMMISSIONER POSITIONS OPEN ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
SO WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR ANY OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE EXCITED AND PASSIONATE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND THEN IS MS. LEFT? BUT WE WANT TO THANK HER.
SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH US DILIGENTLY ON OUR WETLAND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND IT IS CONTINUING.
SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD.
WE'RE WORKING ON OUR 2022 GOAL SETTING AND BUDGET APPROVAL.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH ON THAT, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SOME PROGRESS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS MR. OPSOMMER.
ONE IS ON THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND SUPERVISOR STYKA CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK.
SO THE PROVISIONS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT DURING THE PANDEMIC ARE SET TO SUNSET OR EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31ST.
SO THE ONLY ABILITY TO ATTEND REMOTELY AFTER DECEMBER 31ST WILL BE FOR ACTIVE MILITARY.
I BELIEVE I BELIEVE YOU NEED TO BE ACTIVE.
THERE IS SOME LEGISLATION OUT THERE, ONE OF WHICH WOULD WOULD ALLOW FOR ATTENDING AND PARTICIPATING IN DELIBERATIONS AND DISCUSSION, BUT WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR VOTES AS A REMOTE PARTICIPANT.
SO JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE FULL BOARD DETENTION SINCE WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF MEMBERS UTILIZE THAT OPTION DURING THESE, YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONING TIMES.
SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY TRACTION ON THOSE.
BUT PREDOMINANTLY THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IS SITTING IDLE IN COMMITTEE AND HAS NOT RECEIVED A HEARING OR TRACTION AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT I WOULD UPDATE THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT SUPERVISOR STYKA AND I WAS WERE DISCUSSING PUTTING ON OUR AGENDA.
THE SHORT TERM RENTAL BILL HOUSE BILL FORTY SEVEN TWENTY TWO IS SITTING IN THE SENATE AFTER THE HOUSE VOTED IT OUT AND THE SENATE CHOSE NOT TO TAKE IT UP PRIOR TO WHAT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE HUNTING BREAK, WHICH DOVETAILS INTO THANKSGIVING, SO THE LEGISLATURE WON'T BE BACK UNTIL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH.
AND SO THAT LEGISLATION WILL AT LEAST SIT IDLE UNTIL THEN.
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT IT MIGHT GET TAKEN UP LAST WEEK IN A RUSH ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AND VOTED THROUGH THE SENATE.
AND SO JUST THAT THAT BILL WOULD PREVENT US FROM REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS OR AIRBNBS IN ANY WAY THROUGH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, ANOTHER PROVISION IN THAT BILL WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW FOR 30 PERCENT OF ALL RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THAT'S THE ONLY CAP THAT A LOCAL UNIT COULD IMPOSE WOULD BE WE COULD WE COULD IMPOSE A CAP ON THE TOTAL HOUSING STOCK, BUT IT COULD NOT BE LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.
SO THE WAY THAT IT'S DRAFTED, YOU COULD ACTUALLY HAVE A THIRD OF YOUR HOUSING STOCK TURNED INTO AIRBNB.
THAT'S ONE OF THE ACTUAL PROVISIONS IN THE BILL.
SO I'LL TALK TO THE SUPERVISOR, BUT WE MIGHT PUT A RESOLUTION ON.
[03:30:01]
WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, BUT WE MIGHT PUT ONE ON FOR OUR NEXT MEETING HERE BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE RECONVENES, AND WE'LL TRANSMIT THAT.BUT IF YOU KNOW ANY LAWMAKERS YOU KNOW IN THE SENATE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM.
I KNOW MANAGER WALSH HAS SPOKEN TO FOLKS BACK IN ST.
JOE AND THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THE STATE REP AND THE STATE SENATOR THERE.
BUT THE VOTES ARE VERY CLOSE THIS TIME AROUND, WHICH IS UNUSUAL FOR THIS LEGISLATION.
SO IF YOU DO KNOW ANYBODY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, THERE ISN'T A LAWMAKER THAT HAS LAKEFRONT PROPERTY THAT SHOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
SO WHICH IS USUALLY WHAT PREVENTS IT FROM MOVING FORWARD? AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER REPORTS.
ONE QUICK REPORT BEFORE YOU MEET AGAIN, EVERYONE THAT'S WATCHING TONIGHT AND ANYONE LIVING IN THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD HAVE YOUR TAX BILL BY DECEMBER 1ST.
YES, EVERYONE'S EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IT WILL BE MAILED THE 29TH OF NOVEMBER AND SHOULD ARRIVE IN MAILBOXES ON DECEMBER 1ST.
IF YOU DON'T GET ONE BY DECEMBER 7TH.
PLEASE CALL US AND WE'LL FIND OUT WHY NOT AND GET YOU A NEW ONE.
BUT WE'LL BE ANXIOUS TO DO THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVED BY DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY [INAUDIBLE] ANY OBJECTIONS? THEN WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.