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[INAUDIBLE]

[00:00:14]

STYKA.

HI PAT.

[INAUDIBLE] LIKE WATCHING THE MEETING, AND HAVING FUN OUT THERE.

[LAUGHTER] HELLO.

OK.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE ABOUT READY TO GET STARTED, EVERYONE.

GO AHEAD, RON.

YOU SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO SEE ME AND HEAR ME [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT RIGHT.

YES.

BOARD MEMBERS.

YES.

OK.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, AND WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AND WITH THAT WILL HAVE CLERK CALL THE ROLL.

SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES, I'M HERE AND I'M VIRTUAL PROBABLY FOR THE LAST TIME SINCE THE

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:05:03]

LEGISLATURE IS NOT ALLOWING US TO DO IT ANYMORE.

BECAUSE OF SOME HEALTH ISSUES I'M AT HOME AND HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

ALL RIGHT, CLERK GUTHRIE IS HERE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

HERE.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

UNMUTE YOURSELF.

YOU'RE MUTED.

PAT YOUR MUTED.

THERE.

OK, I AM HERE FROM MY HOME IN OKEMOS, MICHIGAN.

ALL RIGHT, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

PRESENT.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

PRESENT.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE.

WHAT DO WE HAVE? ONE TWO THREE FOUR.

SIX BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.

OK.

ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO PRESENTATIONS AND WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION HERE

[4A. Okemos High School Boys Soccer Team State Champions]

FIRST.

OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER TEAM IS STATE CHAMPIONS.

[APPLAUSE] THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN.

YEAH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE HONORED BY ALL OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MANAGER WALSH IS GOING TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS TO THEM BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THEM COMING UP.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE WHOLE SOCCER TEAM TO COME DOWN BEHIND THE PODIUM AND WITH YOUR COACH AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR DIVISION ONE.

I'M NOT A VERY SMART GUY, BUT IF YOU'RE A NUMBER ONE CHAMPION DIVISION ONE THAT MAKES YOU THE BEST TEAM IN THE STATE, RIGHT? [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT.

WE WANT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT YOUR TEAM.

OK.

THIS GOOD RIGHT HERE.

GOOD.

PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR.

FIRST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THEN YOUR TEAM MEMBERS PLEASE.

OK, WE'LL DO THAT.

OK, GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M BRIAN GUGGEMOS.

I'M THE HEAD BOYS COACH AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

I'VE BEEN THERE FOR WAY TOO LONG.

IT SEEMS LIKE.

BUT NO, OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE YEAR.

WE HAD SO MUCH FUN.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY.

I'VE TALKED TO SO MANY PEOPLE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE JUST HIGH SCHOOL COACHES OR COLLEGE COACHES, AND THEY JUST SAID THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS GROUP.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SPECIAL GROUP, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH SPECIAL THINGS.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EASIEST.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME UP REAL QUICKLY AND JUST KIND OF SAY YOUR NAME REAL QUICK AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN POP OUT.

AND THEN IF YOU WANT ME TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS ABOUT OUR TEAM.

WOULD THAT WORK GOOD FOR YOU GUYS.

OK? ALL RIGHT.

SO GUYS, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS REAL QUICKLY COME ON UP AND JUST SAY YOUR NAME REAL QUICK? OK, GUYS, AND JUST COME ON UP REAL QUICK GUYS.

YEP.

YEAH, YEAH.

LAST NAME? YEP THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD.

GOOD.

I'M TRENT [INAUDIBLE].

OK, TELL THEM WHAT POSITION YOU PLAY.

YEP.

JUST GO AHEAD [INAUDIBLE] JUST KEEP GOING.

IT CAN START WITH YOU.

I'M CHARLIE STOVER MIDFIELD.

I'M THE LEO [INAUDIBLE] ATTACKING MIDFIELDER.

OH, OK I'M ALEX GANDY AND I PLAYED DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER.

OK, COME ON, GUYS.

KEEP GOING, YOU GUYS.

I'M ALEX WALLACE AND I PLAY MIDFIELD.

ALL RIGHT, GUYS, KEEP COMING UP QUICKLY.

I'M ELIAS [INAUDIBLE] AND I PLAY LEFT WING UP TOP.

I'M CADEN SMITH AND I PLAY STRIKER.

COME ON, JONAH.

COME ON, GUYS.

JUST KEEP COMING, NICK.

AND THEN ISIAH.

HEY, THIS IS KEEP COMING, GUYS.

I'M JONAH TEMPLO.

I'M A DEFENDER.

I'M NICK MICHAEL, AND I WAS A WINGER.

I'M CASE [INAUDIBLE] AND I PLAY DEFENSE.

SAWYER, GOALIE.

I'M ISIAH [INAUDIBLE] AND I PLAY MIDFIELD.

[00:10:07]

YOU'RE FINE.

LET'S GO, GUYS.

HELLO, IRFAN FORWARD.

I'M JACK COZIER AND I PLAY DEFENSE.

I'M BEN HUDSON, I PLAY MIDFIELD.

WILL [INAUDIBLE] AND I PLAY MIDFIELD.

OWEN BREWER, I'M A FORWARD.

AIDEN ATCLIFF, I'M A DEFENDER.

[INAUDIBLE] RUSSELL, I'M THE OUTSIDE MID.

GEORGE MOON, MIDFIELDER.

[INAUDIBLE], I'M A DEFENDER.

I'M ISAAC FREEDOFF, I PLAY BACK.

I'M JACK GUGGEMOS AND I'M A FORWARD.

ALL RIGHT.

KEITH.

HI, KEITH MILLER, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT ASSISTANT COACH.

[LAUGHTER] HE'S MY OTHER BETTER HALF.

SO ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING OUR BANQUET OR CELEBRATION THIS THURSDAY AND EVERYTHING I KNOW YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? BUT YOU KNOW, THE SEASON OBVIOUSLY JUST SORT OF SNOWBALLED, AND IT KIND OF GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.

AND I KNOW OF SOME OF THE PARENTS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE.

I STILL THINK WE ALL KIND OF PINCH OURSELVES AND GO, DID WE REALLY ACCOMPLISH THIS IN THIS GROUP? AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS GROUP IS, FIRST OF ALL, I MEAN, WE WENT UNDEFEATED IN DIVISION ONE, WHICH IS JUST AND LEO SAID, SOMETHING WHICH IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SAID SOMETHING BEFORE THE SEASON.

SAID I WANT TO GO UNDEFEATED AND WE ALL KIND OF KIND OF LAUGHED AND LIKE, YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.

SO DO I.

I WANT TO BE AN NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT I'M NOT RIGHT.

AND SO, YEAH, BUT AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE TEAMS THAT WE BEAT IN THE TOURNAMENT, WE BEAT LIKE FIVE RANKED TEAMS BACK TO BACK TO BACK.

AND SO THAT WAS JUST IT JUST SEEMED LIKE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE GOT TO THE STATE FINALS AND PLAYED AN UNBELIEVABLE TEAM IN ANCHOR BAY WHO HAD ONLY HAD ONE LOSS AND WE'RE DOWN ONE ZERO WITH 10 MINUTES TO GO.

AND YOU KNOW, THINGS AREN'T LOOKING GREAT AND WE SCORED A GOAL.

AND THEN AIDEN HIT MAYBE ONE OF THE GREATEST GOALS IN THE HISTORY OF OKEMOS SOCCER, MAYBE THE GREATEST GOAL IN HISTORY AND OKEMOS SOCCER.

AND THEN I SAID WE ONLY GOT SEVEN MINUTES TO GO AND WE'RE STATE CHAMPS.

AND SO IT WAS REALLY COOL.

BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE COOLER THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT THIS YEAR IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE COACHES I'VE TALKED TO WAS A COLLEGE COACH.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I COULD JUST TELL YOU GUYS WERE REALLY GOOD.

IT DIDN'T MATTER.

AND THAT IN TERMS OF LIKE THEIR TALENT, BUT LIKE WHAT TYPE OF GUYS THEY WERE.

AND HE SAID, WHEN YOU GUYS SCORED, THERE WAS NEVER, YOU KNOW, ONE GUY WHO WAS ACTING, YOU KNOW, BY HIMSELF, IT WAS LIKE, YOU COULD TELL THAT EVERYONE REALLY WANTED TO SORT OF SUCCEED.

AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A GREAT MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE IS THAT IF EVERYONE KIND OF PLAYS THEIR ROLE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE GREATER GOOD, RIGHT? AND THE GUYS RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND SO IT DIDN'T MATTER IF IT WAS THIS GUY SCORING OR THIS GUY SCORING.

EVERYONE WAS JUST ALL IN AND YOU COULD SEE THE PURE EMOTION ON THEIR FACE.

BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT, I THINK, AS WELL AS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS.

THIS IS MY 20TH YEAR AS A HEAD COACH, AND THIS YEAR I ACTUALLY JUST GOT THE DATA FROM OUR SCHOOL IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT OUR GPA IS.

WE HAD 19 GUYS WITH A THREE, FIVE OR GREATER.

WE YEAH.

[APPLAUSE] OUR AVERAGE GPA ON OUR TEAM IS A THREE, SIX, FOUR.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE KID AND WHAT TYPE OF PERSON THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET MOTIVATED KIDS THAT ARE NOT ONLY MOTIVATED IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT THEY'RE MOTIVATED ON THE FIELD AND MOTIVATED TO DO WELL BY ONE ANOTHER.

IT ALL KIND OF TIES TOGETHER.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN MICHELLE CONTACTED ME ABOUT YOU GUYS RECOGNIZING US AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH, I'VE WON A COUPLE OF STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WHENEVER WE'VE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING RECOGNIZED BY GROUPS LIKE YOU GUYS, I ALWAYS

[00:15:41]

THINK IT'S THE COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS RECOGNIZING THEIR HARD WORK AND EVERYTHING.

AND IT'S BEEN KIND OF A FAIRY TALE.

I KNOW THAT WORD HAS BEEN THROWN A LOT AROUND A LOT.

BUT YOU GUYS, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION EVERYTHING, AND THANKS A LOT FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

YEP.

[APPLAUSE] I COACHED SOCCER FOR 12 YEARS.

OF COURSE IT WAS LITTLE GUYS AND MY GUYS ARE NOW IN THEIR FORTIES, SO [INAUDIBLE] I COACH THEM, BUT I COACHED [INAUDIBLE] I COACHED ALL OF THEM.

THE 12 YEAR PERIOD OF TIME IN THE LOWER LEAGUES, THE YOUNGSTERS GETTING READY FOR GETTING UP THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND IT JUST MAKES ME SO PROUD AS A 22 YEAR VETERAN OF THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD TO SEE THIS TEAM HERE.

THIS IS AMAZING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT, GUYS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

I BELIEVE THIS [INAUDIBLE] FOR YOU GUYS IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW.

OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE THE TOWNSHIP GOALS FOR 21 22.

WELL, BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THE MOMENT OF SILENCE IS FOR ALL OF THOSE POOR SOULS THAT WERE LOST WITH REGARD TO THIS HORRIBLE WEATHER HURRICANES, ET CETERA, DOWN IN THE SOUTH IN KENTUCKY, ILLINOIS AND OTHER PLACES.

[4B. 2021-2022 Township Goals]

AND IF WE COULD JUST EXIT.

[INAUDIBLE] GO AHEAD AND PAUSE FOR A MINUTE HERE, WHILE WE LEFT THE ROOM EXIT OUT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

GOOD IDEA.

WELL, GIVE YOU A FEW WHEN WE'RE QUIETED DOWN HERE.

I KNOW.

YOU WIN.

THANK YOU, AGAIN GUYS.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST ONE MORE MOMENT HERE.

OK.

OK.

WE ABOUT READY NOW.

WHAT I WAS SAYING IS, IS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE TRAGEDY, THE LOSS SOULS FOR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES, ET CETERA, WITH THE HORRIBLE WEATHER DOWN SOUTH AND ALSO IN KENTUCKY AND ILLINOIS, ET CETERA, WITH THE TORNADOES.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND NOW WE'LL GO ON TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WITH 21 22 TOWNSHIP GOALS [INAUDIBLE] TO LEAD US IN THIS.

[INAUDIBLE] COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GO OVER TWO YEARS IN LESS THAN TWENTY OR TWENTY FIVE MINUTES, SO WE'LL BE QUICK.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I THOUGHT THE OKEMOS SOCCER COACH TALKED ABOUT IF HOW EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR JOBS AND THEIR POSITIONS AND THEIR ROLES GREAT THINGS HAPPEN AND IT REMINDED ME OF EVERYONE SITTING AT THIS TABLE AND EVERYONE AT THE HEAD TABLE AND EVERYONE ON ZOOM.

A YEAR AGO, THE BOARD SET THEIR 2021 ACTION PLAN.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE BECAUSE WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

NUMBER ONE WAS ABOUT COVID AND MAINTAINING A GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HELPING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY DURING COVID.

AS YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP ASSISTED WITH LOCAL BUSINESS GRANTS THROUGH THE EDC AND THROUGH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.

NUMBER TWO WAS OUR SOLAR PROJECT, WHICH IS OUR THIRD YEAR OF OUR SOLAR PROJECT, AND THAT WENT EXTREMELY WELL.

LED BY MANAGER PERRY AND WE INSTALLED SOLAR AT THE SERVICE CENTER.

THREE, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE MADE GREAT STRIDES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE 40 PERCENT, 60 PERCENT OF OUR LAST 10 INDIVIDUALS HIRED IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE BOOSTED OUR RANKS TO TWENTY FIVE PERCENT FEMALE MEMBERS, PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

WE CAN'T OVERLOOK THAT GREAT WORK BY CHIEF PLAGA.

WE ALSO INCREASED OUR DIVERSITY RANKS AT OUR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, BUT NOT JUST INCREASED OUR DIVERSITY, WE INCREASED DIVERSITY WITH EXCELLENCE.

REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO.

BUT DIRECTOR TITHOF AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OTHERS WERE MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT.

STEPHEN'S DEPARTMENT.

MR. GEBES IS MORE DIVERSE AS WELL.

FOUR CONSTRUCTION IN OKEMOS AND HASLETT AN UPDATE ON THAT.

WE HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH A DEVELOPER THIS AFTERNOON.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT DIRECTOR CLARK WITH A POTENTIAL STRONG POTENTIAL OF A DEVELOPER FOR THE REMAINING 19 ACRES UP AT HASLETT.

IN FACT, WE SAW A SCHEMATIC.

SO THERE'S GOOD NEWS POTENTIALLY COMING THERE TO JOIN WITH PINE VILLAGE.

WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO.

I'M NOT GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE LITANY OF DDA AND BROWNFIELD AND MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUNDED ALL THE THINGS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS DONE.

WE'VE DONE MORE THAN OUR SHARE.

WE'RE TRYING TO MEET SOMEBODY AT MIDFIELD.

[00:20:02]

WE'RE ON THEIR THIRTY FIVE YARD LINE.

THEY NEED TO COME UP CLOSER TO MIDFIELD.

THANK YOU FOR USING FOOTBALL TERMS INSTEAD OF SOCCER.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SOCCER, SO I KNOW MY PLACE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE DOWNTOWN HASLETT.

WE EXPECT PINE VILLAGE TO BEGIN THEIR PROJECT IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE CALENDAR TURNS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A HOW LONG HAVE WE WANTED SOMETHING? I THINK I HEAR L&L WENT OUT.

I THINK IT WAS AROUND 07.

I THINK SO.

YEAH.

SO WE'RE BORDERING ON 15 YEARS SINCE DEVELOPMENT UP THERE AND WE JUST HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND DIRECTOR CLARK, JUST FANTASTIC LEADERSHIP IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND OF COURSE, THE HASLETT MARATHON STATION ACROSS THE STREET.

GOAL NUMBER FIVE LOCAL ROADS.

DIRECTOR PERRY IS MAKING GREAT PROGRESS WITH THAT WITH OUR ENGINEERING TEAM.

AND AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PASER RATING, RIGHT? THIS BOARD LIKES METRICS, RIGHT? TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

THEY WANT TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT YEAR TO YEAR.

SO WITH THAT, HERE'S THE BENCHMARKING FOR LOCAL ROADS.

THE BLUE IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO GET TO AN EIGHT.

REMEMBER WE WERE AT A FOUR POINT.

I THINK IT WAS THREE FIVE.

WE WANT TO GET TO AN EIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AT THE END OF THE 10 YEARS, RIGHT? WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR RATING FOR THE ORANGE IS WHERE WE ARE.

BLUE IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

AND SO WE'RE EXCEEDING EACH OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS.

WE'RE EXCEEDING WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO BE AN EIGHT.

GOAL NUMBER SIX IS DEVELOPING BROADBAND IN THE TOWNSHIP AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE TO GET THERE.

BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THE ROAD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY.

GOAL NUMBER SEVEN WAS THE LAKE LANSING PATHWAY PHASE ONE AND TWO.

IT'S ALL BEEN DESIGNED, IT'S READY TO BE BUILT AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S A TWO POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT WITH ONLY THREE HUNDRED OR THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND COMING FROM THE TOWNSHIP FROM OUR PATHWAY FUND.

THE REST IS BEING FUNDED BY THE COUNTY PARKS MILLAGE AND WE JUST RECEIVED A THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRUST FUND DNR TRUST FUND TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO WE'RE FUNDING 350, THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OUT OF A TWO POINT 6 MILLION PROJECT.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT IN FACT, THERE IT IS, A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR PATHWAY SYSTEM, PROBABLY THE MOST, THE LARGEST ENHANCEMENT TO OUR PATHWAY SYSTEM AS FAR.

IT'LL TAKE US FROM SHAW STREET, THE MUSIC HALL AT MSU ALL THE WAY TO LAKE LANSING.

AND AS YOU COULD SEE, SOME OF THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WE MADE IN THE COMMUNITY.

GOAL NUMBER EIGHT, THE SIGNAGE, WE'VE NOT MADE THE PROGRESS I'D HOPE TO ON THE SIGNAGE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROJECT THAT'S FOREFRONT IN 2022, AT THE VERY LEAST, REPLACING THE TWO SIGNS ON TOWNSHIP PROPERTY.

IT'S MORE DIFFICULT THAN WHAT YOU THINK, MAYBE TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE FOR US TO DO THE ENTRY SIGNS TO THE TOWNSHIP WERE UNLIKE CITIES WHERE THEY CAN GO, PUT UP WHERE THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE PUT IT, ERECT THE SIGNS WHERE THEY WANT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY.

WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY.

IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.

THIS PROJECT STARTED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR GUTHRIE, MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, WE'VE MADE PROGRESS.

GOAL NUMBER NINE, UPGRADING THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE UNDER THE HEAD OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, BRANDIE YATES.

EXTREMELY GREAT WORK AND THE PROJECT WAS.

THE WEBSITE WAS LAUNCHED ON NOVEMBER 15TH.

FINALLY, GOAL NUMBER 10 IS KEEPING OUR PROMISE TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT MERS PENSION PAYMENTS.

AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE WE MADE A PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ABOVE THE REQUIRED PAYMENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE THE ACTUAL MERS NUMBERS.

WE ARE KEEPING OUR PROMISE AND EXCEEDING THAT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND WE'VE DONE IT IN 2018, 19, 20 AND 21.

AND THERE'S THE WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED ON THE LEFT AND ON THE RIGHT IS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING INTO THE MERS PENSION SYSTEM.

2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS, DEBT FREE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYBODY, WHAT DO THEY DO? SCREAM AT RAMSEY, WE'RE ALL DEBT FREE.

WE WON'T DO THAT TONIGHT, BUT WE PROBABLY SHOULD BECAUSE WE WERE $6 MILLION IN DEBT WITH OUR TOWNSHIP PENSION FUND AND RETIREE HEALTH CARE JUST FIVE YEARS AGO.

AND WE NOW HAVE PAID THOSE OFF OVER JUST GREAT PLANNING AND GREAT MANAGEMENT BY THE BOARD AND THE STAFF OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER THAT SETS YOU APART FROM THE REST OF THE STATE.

WE WELCOME OUR NEW ASSESSOR, ASHLEY WINSTEAD, AND OF COURSE, SHE'S A LEVEL THREE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL FOUR MASTER ASSESSOR.

WE APPROACHED THE STATE.

SUPERVISOR STYKA WROTE A LETTER REQUESTING THAT WE GET A WAIVER FOR A YEAR.

WE JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT WE GOT APPROVAL FOR ASSESSOR WINSTEAD TO WORK FOR US FOR A YEAR AT LEVEL THREE, AND SHE IS WORKING ON HER MASTER LEVEL, LEVEL FOUR.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE SUPERVISOR'S HELP AND WE APPRECIATE DIRECTOR SCHMITT

[00:25:05]

BRINGING HER TO US AND FOR HER AGREEING TO JOIN US.

IT'S WORKING OUT REALLY WELL.

SPEAKING OF THAT, WE GOT A TWO FOR ONE HERE.

WE GOT FROM HOWELL, WE GOT DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND OUR ASSESSOR FROM THE CITY OF HOWELL, OUR WARNING SIRENS.

JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAD FOUR.

WE NEED TO HAVE 15.

WE INSTALLED THE 10TH THIS YEAR.

THE 11TH IS IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

HOMTV CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED AT A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.

AND THIS IS SAM WHO DOESN'T JUST A TREMENDOUS JOB ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

WE UPDATED THE MUPUD.

THAT PROJECT HAD STALLED MIXED USE PLAN USED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.

THAT PROJECT HAD STALLED FOR QUITE A WHILE, NOT WITH DIRECTOR SCHMITT ON BOARD, IT'S NOW ACCOMPLISHED.

COPPER CREEK UP IN HASLETT, THE SUBDIVISION FIRST SUBDIVISION TO BREAK GROUND IN HASLETT IN A VERY LONG TIME.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUDDY'S PIZZA ON GRAND RIVER, REPLACING THE FORMER BURGER KING.

TRADER JOE'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IN THE LAST WEEK WE HOPE TO SEE THEM ERECT THEIR BUILDING IN 2022 AND THEY'LL BE LOCATED NORTH WIND ACROSS FROM WHOLE FOODS.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

THEY ONLY COME TO THE ANN ARBOR'S, THE NOVI'S, THE BIRMINGHAM'S THE GRAND RAPIDS AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WHEN YOU'RE LISTED IN THAT, THAT SETS YOU APART FROM THAT.

WE'VE GOT OUR RETIREE HEALTH CARE PAID OFF AND WE HAVE TRADER JOE'S.

WE'VE HAD A TREMENDOUS YEAR, BUT OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS YEAR IN MOST COMMUNITIES.

BUT HERE WE DO SO MUCH MORE.

THE INAUGURAL SEASON OF THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.

TREMENDOUS SUCCESS UNDER DIRECTOR MAISNER AND HER TEAM.

NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE FARMERS MARKETS AND THAT SORT OF THING THERE, WE ALSO WELCOME THE HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING DANCE.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S MORE OF JUST IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST A FARMER'S MARKET.

THROUGH THE WORK OF TRUSTEE JACKSON THROUGH LEAP AND DIRECTOR CLARK AND DIRECTOR MAISNER, WE'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR ART GRANT FROM LEAP.

AND WE APPRECIATE TRUSTEE JACKSON'S LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND THEN OUR STAFF PULLING THAT OFF.

WE UNVEILED THE PUBLIC ART JUST ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO.

THE KIWANIS YOUTH SPORTS PAVILION, A GREAT EFFORT BY TREASURER DESCHAINE AND THE KIWANIS CLUB.

I BELIEVE MANAGER PERRY'S, THE PRESIDENT OF THE KIWANIS CLUB.

THEIR DONATION, THEIR STRONG FINANCIAL SUPPORT, ALLOWED US TO PUT UP THE ARTIFICIAL ICE RINK AT THE MARKETPLACE.

POLICE REACCREDITATION CHIEF PLAGA, OF COURSE, LEADING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ONLY THE WAY THAT HE CAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RECERTIFIED WITH OUR POLICE ACCREDITATION.

THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN ENHANCED.

WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING APPROXIMATELY 70 TO ONE HUNDRED DEER PER YEAR ON A GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR, THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THROUGH AN AMPLIFIED PROGRAM THAT BEGINS ON JANUARY ONE.

IT'S A FIREARM WITH BAITING APPROVED BY THE DNR.

WE SURVEYED OUR RESIDENTS THIS YEAR AND ASK THEM, DO YOU WANT TO SEE US CONTINUE THE PROGRAM? AND EIGHTY ONE PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS SAID YES.

HARD TO GET ANYONE TO AGREE ON SOMETHING AT EIGHTY ONE PERCENT.

GREAT WORK AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, I'LL CHECK OUT THE NEW RESTROOM AND SHELTER THE NEW LADDER TRUCK.

AS WE PROMISED IN 07, WE SAID WE'D ORDER IT IN 2021.

WE DID.

WE'RE PAYING CASH FOR IT AND WE SHOULD RECEIVE THE NEW LADDER TRUCK IN 2022.

GREAT LEADERSHIP BY CHIEF HAMEL.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN WE MAKE A PROMISE, WE KEEP IT.

RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND WELL-BEING.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUMPING OFF THE DOCK ON AND AGAIN SETTING US APART FROM MOST EVERY COMMUNITY IN MICHIGAN.

WE'RE DOING SOME.

WE'RE DOING INCREASED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO ALL DEPARTMENTS BASED ON INFLATION AND A NUMBER OF THINGS.

WE'RE GOING TO A FOUR DAY WORKWEEK FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

AND WE'RE ALSO OFFERING A RETENTION PAYMENT.

AND OF COURSE, WE DO LUG NUTS GAMES, WE DO SUMMER PICNICS AND WE DO CASUAL WEAR AND WE DO A LOT OF STUFF HERE.

AND I THINK OUR TEAM REALLY APPRECIATES IT.

HERE'S SOME OF THE FUN THAT WE HAD THIS PAST SUMMER IN A WIFFLE BALL GAME.

THE RED TEAM LOST AN THE BLUE TEAM WON.

I MENTIONED OUR CITIZENS SURVEY DIVERSITY ROADS SIDEWALKS.

ALL OF THAT STUFF INCLUDED IN OUR CITIZEN SURVEY THAT WAS LED BY DIRECTOR CLARK.

ALSO DIRECTOR CLARK BROUGHT US OUR FIRST EVER BUT NOT OUR LAST JUNETEENTH EVENT, AND IT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY OUR COMMUNITY AND WE APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP.

DON'T JUST COME IN AND DO THE STATUS QUO COME IN AND IMPROVE THINGS, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE HAS DONE.

THE COVID HOTLINE, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT AS POPULAR AS OBVIOUSLY IT WAS, THANKFULLY BACK IN 2020, WE CONTINUED INTO 2021 WITH OPERATING THAT FOR ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE.

THAT'S BEEN PROBABLY AGAIN SOMETHING THAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES IN

[00:30:04]

THE STATE.

WE RESPONDED TWENTY FOUR SEVEN TO OUR RESIDENTS BACK IN 2020.

POWELL ROAD REPAVING OR POWELL ROAD PAVING.

THAT'S A PROJECT THROUGH A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S SERVING THE SILVER STONE DEVELOPMENT.

TWENTY EIGHT LOTS OFF OF POWELL ROAD.

AGAIN, BEING BOLD, BEING THE LEADERS, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.

AND WE WENT THROUGH STRUGGLING TO GET PARAMEDICS AS EVERYONE IS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

CHIEF HAMEL CAME UP WITH A PROGRAM.

THE BOARD SUPPORTED IT AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING A YOUNG LADY THROUGH A PARAMEDIC SCHOOL TO I'LL TELL YOU ATTRACTING PARAMEDICS AND POLICE OFFICERS IS AN EXTREMELY CRITICAL ISSUE FOR THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND BEYOND THE TELEHEALTH.

TELEHEALTH IS A NEW PROGRAM THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AGAIN.

WE JUST DON'T DO THINGS AND KEEP DOING WHAT WE DO.

WE ARE BOLD, WE'RE INNOVATIVE AND WE'RE VISIONARY AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE SET THE BAR FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION AND BEYOND.

WHAT DO WE DO? WE HAVE A SYSTEM NOW SET UP WHERE IF YOU COME UP, IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMES UPON A CASE WHERE SOMEONE HAS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, INSTEAD OF HOPING THAT OUR OFFICER IS PROPERLY TRAINED FOR THAT, WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY CALL AND BE CONNECTED TO SOMEONE WHO'S A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT.

AGAIN, BOLD, VISIONARY LEADERSHIP.

THAT'S 2021 IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES, LET'S GO ON TO 2022 AND OUR ACTION PLAN AND WHAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN 2022.

ALL THE GOALS ARE BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT AND JUST SO THE LISTENING AUDIENCE KNOWS OUT THERE.

THIS IS ABOUT 10 TO 15 HOURS OF WORK BY THE BOARD, THE FIRST REVIEW OF IT AND THEN AN ALL DAY SESSION LAST SATURDAY AND THEN THIS EVENING.

SO THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE BOARD IS LOOKING OR RECEIVING OR CONSIDERING THEIR GOALS.

NUMBER ONE IS TO WORK WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY ON THE PROJECT FOR THE GRAND RIVER BRIDGE OR THE OKEMOS ROAD [INAUDIBLE] RIVER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.

TWO VERY BIG PROJECTS.

IN FACT, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, IF YOU DID THIS AND YOU DID THE PATHWAY FROM OKEMOS TO MSU? IT WOULD BE A BANNER YEAR? PEOPLE WOULD THINK WE REALLY GOT A LOT ACCOMPLISHED.

WELL, HERE THERE'S ABOUT 30 OTHER THINGS WE HOPE TO DO IN 2022.

GOAL NUMBER TWO IS TO CONTINUE OUR WORK WITH DIVERSITY.

IN FACT, NOT ONLY INCREASE IT BUT MAKE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A TOP PRIORITY IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO BECAUSE IT'S EXTREMELY CRITICAL AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY HIRE TALENT, BUT WE HIRE DIVERSE TALENT.

GOAL NUMBER THREE IS TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS UP IN HASLETT AND THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

AND RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE HASLETT IS WAY AHEAD OF OKEMOS WHEN IT COMES TO THESE TWO PROJECTS, WITH BOTH OF THE PROJECTS BEING ONE BEING READY TO GO UP IN HASLETT THE OTHER BEING COULD BE IN THE FOREFRONT IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

AND AGAIN, WE HOPE TO GET THE TEAM MOVING ON THE OTHER PROJECT.

GOAL NUMBER FOUR IS UPDATING OUR MASTER PLAN.

IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN 2017 AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT WILL BE LEADING US THROUGH A REDO OUR RELOOK OF THE MASTER PLAN IN 2022.

GOAL NUMBER FIVE IS OUR FOURTH SOLAR PROJECT AND A WETLAND CAMPAIGN.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE WANT TO BE MORE, MORE CONSCIOUS, MORE CONSISTENT, WHATEVER THE RIGHT, C WORD IS FOR OUR WETLAND EFFORTS.

BUT WE CERTAINLY WANT TO EXTEND OUR EFFORTS INTO 2022 WITH WETLANDS AND RECYCLING EVENTS AT OUR FOURTH SOLAR PROJECT.

THE LOCATION OF THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT THE MONEY HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATED BY THE BOARD.

GOAL NUMBER SIX INVOLVES INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT'S A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT WOULD BE THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL.

OF COURSE, THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN THERE.

WE'VE GOT A HUGE HALF MILLION DOLLARS SET ASIDE TO ENHANCE OUR I.T.

INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE LED BY DIRECTOR GEBES.

MANAGER PERRY WILL LEAD THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING.

AND THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS ON HERE THAT WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE.

GOAL NUMBER SEVEN, WE JUST ACCOMPLISHED WELL WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT FORTY FIVE MINUTES IS THE WILLIAMSTOWN POLICE CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT FOR US BASED ON STAFFING.

THEN, OF COURSE, REALLY BOLD RECRUITING FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND UPDATING OUR ACCREDITATION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S OUR EFFORTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT'S ALL ABOUT STAFFING AND WE RECEIVED SOME GOOD NEWS TODAY.

WE LOST AN OFFICER TWO YEARS AGO WHO WAS AN OUTSTANDING OFFICER.

HE WENT INTO SALES REALIZED IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO SALES AREN'T FOR HIM.

HE WANTS TO GET BACK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NOW CONSIDER THIS.

HE COULD GO WHEREVER HE WANTS TO GO RIGHT NOW.

ISN'T IT SOMETHING THAT HE CONTACTED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND WANTS TO COME BACK HERE? THAT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE ATMOSPHERE THAT CHIEF PLAGA AND HIS LEADERSHIP HAS

[00:35:05]

CREATED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

GOAL NUMBER EIGHT IS FINANCIAL.

CONTINUE OUR SUPPORT OF MERS AND OUR PENSION.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RETIREE HEALTH CARE NOW.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR TOWNSHIP PENSION FUND.

OUT OF THE THREE, TWO ARE FULLY PAID.

NOW WE CAN TOTALLY FOCUS IT ON MERS.

AND OF COURSE, THEN THE BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE A DELIBERATE AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ART FUNDING.

WHERE IS THE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS? WHAT'S THE BEST USE OF THAT? AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD AS A TEAM.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BOARD'S INPUT AND DIRECTION ON WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO.

GOAL NUMBER NINE INVOLVES ENHANCEMENTS TO THIS TOWN HALL ROOM AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE MILLAGE THAT WE HAVE COMING UP.

THAT INVOLVES THREE THINGS.

IT INVOLVES COMMUNITY RESOURCE, WHICH IS THROUGH DARLA JACKSON AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY.

RECREATION PROGRAM THROUGH DIRECTOR MAISNER AND THREE OUR SENIOR CENTER.

THOSE THREE THINGS THAT IT'S A VERY SMALL MILLAGE.

IT'S LIKE 1.14.

IT'S NOT EVEN A QUARTER OF A MILL THAT SUPPORTS THOSE THREE AREAS.

SO THAT MILLAGE, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS TEN YEARS, COMES UP IN 2022.

SO WE'LL BE PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT.

AND GOAL NUMBER 10 AGAIN IS TO CONTINUE OUR RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.

WE ARE ALMOST WE WERE 12 OR 13 TEAM MEMBERS DOWN JUST ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO 10 MONTHS AGO.

WE ARE NOW SEPARATING POLICE AND FIRE.

WE'RE DOWN ABOUT ONE OR TWO POSITIONS TOWNSHIP WIDE.

OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS WORKING.

PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT THE FOUR DAY WORKWEEKS THEY'RE HEARING ABOUT THE RETENTION PAYMENTS THEY'RE HEARING ABOUT CASUALWEAR.

THEY'RE HANGING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S A COMPLETE TEAM EFFORT THERE.

THERE'S TWO YEARS IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN 2021 AND THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN 2022.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AS YOU SAID, IT'S A MICROCOSM OF THE THINGS THAT BOARDS HAVE BEEN.

THE BOARD ITSELF HAS BEEN LOOKING AT TALKING ABOUT DISCUSSING AND WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS NOW, INCLUDING LAST SATURDAY, WE MET FROM 9:00 A.M.

TO ABOUT 2:30.

SO WE ARE VERY MUCH INTO THIS AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT MORE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

WE NOW COME TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING WELL FIRST ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER WITH REGARD TO THAT REPORT.

SHOULD HAVE ASKED THAT RIGHT AWAY.

OK.

IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN I GUESS.

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

WE NOW GO TO SEE CITIZENS [INAUDIBLE] NON AGENDA ITEMS. AND I BELIEVE WE DO.

DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS THERE THAT WANTS TO BE CALLED ON CLERK.

YES, MR. SUPERVISOR, WE HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] THE PERSON IS MR. MICHAEL UNSWORTH.

MIKE, IF YOU JUST WANT TO GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE YOU START YOU'RE [INAUDIBLE] SURE.

I WILL JUST BEFORE YOU BEGIN LET ME EXPLAINED WE'RE LIMITING IT TO THREE MINUTES.

[INAUDIBLE] CITIZEN, WE DO NOT GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE CITIZEN, BUT WE MAY LATER ON IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, BRING UP THE ITEMS AND DISCUSS IT.

AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS LATER ON, EITHER THROUGH THE MANAGER OR DIRECTLY AFTER THE MEETING, OR AT A LATER DATE.

WE ASKED YOU TO BE POLITE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, NOT TO NAME INDIVIDUALS IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL THEN ASK YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND GET GOING ON YOUR COMMENTS.

OK.

BEFORE THE THREE MINUTES START, CAN YOU? I HAVE A MAP I'D LIKE TO HAVE DISPLAYED.

IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF THE THREE MINUTES? OK.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL START.

SURE, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT.

SURE.

MY NAME IS MICHAEL UNSWORTH.

I LIVE AT 5948 VILLAGE DRIVE HERE IN HASLETT.

I'M REPRESENTING THE TRI COUNTY BICYCLE ASSOCIATIONS, AND FRANKLY, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE HAD THE REPORT BEFORE THIS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME INTERSECTION OF THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE PRIOR REPORT.

FOR SEVERAL DECADES, THE TOWNSHIP CITIZENS HAVE INVESTED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS IN OUR PATHWAY SYSTEM.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE STAFF PATHWAYS HAVE BEEN A PERENNIAL POOR STEPCHILD DURING ROAD CONSTRUCTION.

IN TOO MANY CASES, THE NEEDS OF THE PATHWAY USERS ARE NOT CONSIDERED.

WE'RE LUCKY, EVEN IF THEY'RE AN AFTER SPOT.

NOW HERE'S A CASE IN POINT ALONG GRAND RIVER WALDEN POUNDS COOPERATIVE HOMES, THE GOLF CENTER OKEMOS ROAD THAT AWAY WILLIAMSTON THAT AWAY.

[00:40:03]

OK, THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER HAD A PROJECT THERE ALONG M43.

THAT PROJECT SHUT DOWN A HEAVILY USED PATHWAY ON THE START SOUTH SIDE, AND IT STARTED WITH INSUFFICIENT PATHWAY, CLOSE SIGNS, IMPROPER BURIAL BARRIERS.

OF COURSE, IF SOMEBODY GOT HIT WALKING ON THE ROAD, THERE WOULD BE A BURIAL.

NO INSTRUCTIONS OR ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE OR OTHER SAFE ROUTES.

NOW, MY COLLEAGUE TIM POTTER, WHO I THINK YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, HE'S ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.

HE WAS TOLD BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS CONTRACTOR THAT THIS PROJECT AND ACCOMMODATION FOR NON-MOTORIZED USERS WAS ANOTHER AGENCIES RESPONSIBILITY.

NOW, EVENTUALLY, BARRIERS AND SIGNS WERE PUT IN PLACE ALONG THE PATHWAY.

HOWEVER, THESE BARRIERS AND SIGNS WERE THEN LEFT IN PLACE FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THE PATHWAY WAS USABLE.

NOW LATER, THE CONTRACTOR DID PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO USING PATHWAYS AS A STORAGE AREA WHEN THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY SPACE ON THE PATHWAY AND THE RIGHT OF WAY ALONG HERE.

THEN THE CONTRACTOR DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN A TRAFFIC LANE AND USE THE LANES FOR MATERIALS AND OTHER ITEMS. TRI-COUNTY BICYCLE ASSOCIATION THINKS THAT TAKING A LANE SHOULD BE USED A LOT MORE RATHER THAN SHUTTING DOWN THE PATHWAYS.

IN THIS CASE, PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS HAD NOWHERE TO GO.

NOT IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA, BUT IF THEY WANTED TO GO ON THE SOUTH SIDE, YEAH, THEY HAD TO GO INTO M43.

OK, NOW VERY CRITICALLY, MDOT IS STARTING TO DEVELOP ITS PLANS FOR THE MUCH NEEDED RECONSTRUCTION OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE FOR MORE THAN TWO MILES THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP.

NOW, TCBA UNDERSTANDS THIS A MAJOR PROJECT, AND WILL INCONVENIENCE ALL CONCERNED.

TCBA ASKED THE TOWNSHIP TO BE PROACTIVE IN PROVIDING SAFE ASSET ACCESS FOR NON-MOTORIZED USERS DURING THE PLANNING AND THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, I GOT TWO MORE SENTENCES IS THAT OK.

MDOT AND IT'S CONTRACTORS SHOULD KNOW THAT MERIDIAN OFFICIALS ARE ACTIVELY MONITORING THEIR WORK TO PROTECT THE NEEDS OF CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS WHO RELY ON OUR PATHWAYS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION RECREATIONAL NEEDS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE ANOTHER CITIZEN, I UNDERSTAND.

MR. SUPERVISOR, HE STUCK AWAY.

CAN YOU GIVE US JUST ONE MOMENT? DID YOU SEE HIS NAME AND HE MIGHT HEAR IT IN THE BACK? COURTLAND, ARE YOU OUT THERE? NOW IT'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.

HE SHOULD BE ON THIS WAY.

OKAY.

GIVE US JUST ONE MINUTE.

HE'S ON HIS WAY.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, AND I WILL OFFICIALLY CALL ON MR. COURTLAND JENKINS.

AND REMEMBER, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

OK.

MY NAME IS COURTLAND JENKINS, AND I LIVE AT 2507 FIVE SOUTH WADSWORTH DRIVE IN LANSING, MICHIGAN.

SO IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING THREE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AS WELL.

AND THE REASON THAT IS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU GUYS TAUGHT ME A LOT.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'M SORRY.

LIKE, YOU GUYS DO A LOT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THE OKEMOS BOYS SOCCER TEAM, LIKE Y'ALL GAVE THEM RECOGNITION BY EVEN DURING THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

YOU HAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ESCORT THEM TO THE FREEWAY AND YOU DON'T REALLY HEAR STORIES LIKE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT.

AND THEN YOU GUYS SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT ARE LARGE OR SMALL.

YOU GUYS HAVE FUNDRAISERS, CHARITIES AND YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF STUFF WILL STICK WITH YOU FOREVER.

I MEAN, I KNOW IT WAS JUST AN INTERNSHIP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S LIKE I LEARNED SOME REAL WORLD STUFF FROM YOU GUYS.

SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I DID HAVE EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO COMING HERE WITH VIDEO EDITING, BUT YOU GUYS KIND OF VISUALLY WRITE IN MY, YOU KNOW, MENTALITY AND LIKE MY VIEW, IS DIFFERENT ON THE REAL WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CERTAIN THINGS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR TEACHING ME THAT WHILE I WAS HERE.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] AND THANK [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN, THANK YOU, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU

[00:45:05]

AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU COURTLAND.

THANK YOU COURTLAND.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OK.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CITIZENS? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS MR. SUPERVISOR.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WELL, THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT, AND MAYBE HE

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

HAS NO FURTHER REPORT.

I DON'T KNOW.

JUST ONE THING.

MR. SUPERVISOR.

I'D LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK THE BWL, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS FOR THEIR VERY PROACTIVE AND VERY RESPONSIBLE RESPONSE TO THE TRAIN INCIDENT AND THE POWER LINES AND EVERYTHING ON SATURDAY.

THEIR WORK WAS AMAZING AND OUR RESIDENTS AND MANY OTHERS BENEFITED FROM IT.

AND THE BWL HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD PUBLICLY SAY SO.

THANK YOU.

VERY WELL SAID.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

BUT WE NOW GO ON TO THE BOARD MEMBER [INAUDIBLE] AND ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THEY

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

HAVE.

BOARD.

THE PICTURE LET'S SEE.

TREASURER.

THANK YOU.

I WANT TO USE MY TIME TONIGHT OR OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, REALLY TO SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL, TO OUR FORTY FOUR THOUSAND RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SHOWN AMAZING RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF A SECOND YEAR OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THEY'VE MANAGED IT AND COPE WITH IT WELL AND HAVE BEEN VERY BRAVE IN THESE TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND TO OUR CITIZENS, I WANT TO SAY YOUR TRUST AND SUPPORT IN YOUR TOWNSHIP BOARD.

ALL OF US HERE MAKES POSSIBLE THE POSITIVE WORK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES, FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES, PUBLIC WORKS, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE REST OF OUR TOWNSHIP.

WE ONLY CAN DO IT BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR US HERE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE EM TEAM.

MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR FORTITUDE.

THIS PAST YEAR, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY QUITE AMAZING.

WELL, I THANK MY STAFF, DEPUTY TREASURER DEANNE MULIETT AND BOOKKEEPER STEPHANEY GUILD, WHO'VE BEEN REALLY ESSENTIAL TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AND FOR PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO THANK TOWNSHIP MANAGER FRANK WALSH.

IN 2021 FRANK, YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR OUR RESIDENTS, SO MUCH FOR OUR STAFF AND SO MUCH FOR ME PERSONALLY.

EACH AND EVERY DAY YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR ALL OF US.

THANK YOU.

2021 HAS BEEN THE HARDEST YEAR OF MY LIFE WITH THE DEATH OF MY DAUGHTER MARIANNE.

AND SO MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE HELPED ME AND MY FAMILY GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.

AND I CAN'T POSSIBLY TELL YOU ALL HOW MUCH YOU'VE HELPED ME AND MY FAMILY COPE WITH THIS GREAT LOSS AND HOW TO CARRY ON TO CARRY ON WITHOUT HER.

IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M SO FORTUNATE TO LIVE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND BE PART OF OUR KIND AND VERY GENEROUS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU MR. TREASURER.

[INAUDIBLE] REPORTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS, COURTNEY WAS [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, THANK YOU TO TREASURER BECAUSE YOU ARE ALSO A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR TEAM, SO APPRECIATE THAT.

TWO SHORT UPDATES.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION JUST WANTED TO THANK MANAGER WALSH AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR YATES FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN CONTINUING OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGN REGARDING WETLANDS.

ALSO ADDING INTO OUR FY22 GOALS TO FOCUS RESOURCES ON ENSURING OUR WETLAND ORDINANCES CONTINUES TO BE ADHERED TO.

ALSO ANOTHER, THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WENT OUT FOR THE GREEN GRANTS AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT BENEFIT PUBLIC AT LARGE FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AS WE KNOW, HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND RADMOOR MONTESSORI SCHOOLS HAD EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL GRANTS LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY UNDER BUDGET, SO THEY'RE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE GRANTS THEY HAD LAST YEAR.

SO THE NEW GRANTS WE'RE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN WITH TANGIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND REAL WORLD RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE, AND I THINK THEY'LL MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT IN THE FUTURE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

NO UPDATES FROM GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD AND OR ELECTION COMMISSION.

THANK YOU.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE BOARD ONE UPDATE AS WELL AS TOWNSHIP STAFF WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.

IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION HOUSE BILL 5351, WHICH IS INCREASING THE

[00:50:03]

EXEMPTION UNDER THE GENERAL PROPERTY TAX ACT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.

THAT'S A BILL THAT ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH REP.

BRIXIE'S TAX POLICY COMMITTEE.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED WHERE WE WERE, THE SPONSOR WAS INTENDING TO INDEX THE THOUSAND DOLLAR EXEMPTION FOR PPT TAXES TO INFLATION, SO IT WAS A CPI BILL.

THAT BILL, WHEN IT WAS REPORTED TO THE FLOOR THEN WAS SUBSTITUTED AT THE LAST MINUTE AND IT INCREASED THE EXEMPTION BY DOUBLING IT TO ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND.

IT IS NOW OVER IN THE SENATE, WHERE I GOT A REPORT FROM VARIOUS FOLKS THAT IT'S BEEN INCREASED TO ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND AND THEN THE REPORTS THAT I'M GETTING.

IT'S NOT DEFINITIVE YET, BUT I'M GETTING A STRONG INDICATION THAT IT ACTUALLY WILL BE SIGNED INTO LAW.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE TONIGHT ON THAT.

IT'S NOT GOOD NEWS ON BEHALF OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS MICHIGAN.

THE INTENTION, YOU KNOW, THE BILL EVOLVED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS PROFOUNDLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THERE'S STILL HOPE FOR A VETO ON THAT.

BUT JUST ONE ITEM FROM STATE GOVERNMENT AS IT IMPACTS LOCAL TAXING JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND THEN I WOULD JUST GIVE ONE UPDATE FOR THE BOARD.

AND I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND ASSISTANT PLANNER CHAPMAN.

I THINK I MADE PASSING REFERENCE TO THIS.

BUT THE ZBA'S HAD A NUMBER OF CASES WITHIN THE LAKE LANSING OVERLAY DISTRICT, IN WHICH RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED VARIANCES FOR FRONT YARD SETBACKS.

WE DO REQUIRE A 20 FOOT FRONT YARD SETBACKS AND MANY OF THE STREETS OVER THERE WHERE YOU HAVE HOMES WITH FIVE, 10, 12 FOOT FRONT YARD SETBACKS JUST DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PARCELS.

AND WE MIGHT BE SEEING A SHORT TERM AMENDMENT WORKING ON THAT FROM A PLANNING COMMISSION AS IT RELATES TO THE WORK THAT THE ZBA HAS BEEN DOING WITH STAFF.

SO AFTER THAT, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL, MORE COMPREHENSIVE AMENDMENTS COMING NEXT YEAR AND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR SCHMITT FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE DEPARTMENT TO REALLY BREATHE SOME FRESH LIFE INTO UPDATING AND MODERNIZING ORDINANCES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY DECADES OUTDATED.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE.

YES [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, I WAS ASKED HOW MANY POSITIONS WERE OPEN TO SERVE WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND WE HAVE 13 POSITIONS OPEN.

I WON'T TELL YOU EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHICH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THEY ARE.

WE HAVE SOME OPENINGS WITH THE BOARD OF REVIEW, THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE LOCAL OFFICIALS COMPENSATION COMMISSION AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY INTERESTED PEOPLE OUT THERE WATCHING THIS MEETING, AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON ONE OF THESE BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS, YOU CAN DO SO ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, JUST GO TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SECTION AND YOU FILL OUT A PUBLIC SERVICE APPLICATION.

YOU CAN CONTACT ANY OF US TO FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE POSITIONS.

ALSO, I SIT ON THE OKEMOS MASCOT SELECTION COMMITTEE, AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE HAS NARROWED DOWN THE CHOICES TO 10 DIFFERENT MASCOT NAMES.

AND SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY REVIEWING THAT TONIGHT.

SO OBVIOUSLY I'M MISSING THAT MEETING, BUT I'M SURE IT WILL BE SHARED WITH ME LATER.

AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT NARROWING THOSE DOWN EVEN FURTHER AND MAKING A DECISION IN EARLY JANUARY AND MAKING A PRESENTATION TO THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD AT THE END OF JANUARY.

I'M ALSO I ATTENDED THE OKEMOS LIBRARY, FRIENDS OF OKEMOS LIBRARY BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANY KIND OF COLLECTION THAT THEY CAN DISPLAY AT THE LIBRARY.

THEY DO A ROTATING DISPLAY THERE, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANY COLLECTION THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.

IF YOU HAVE A TEA COLLECTION OR BASEBALL COLLECTION.

FRANK, YOU GOT ANY SPORTS MEMORABILIA THAT YOU CAN SHARE.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT.

AND THEN FINALLY ON THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MEETING, AND I THINK THIS IS COMING UP LATER, BUT I ATTENDED THAT MEETING AS WELL LAST WEEK AND I DID NOTICE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BRING THIS UP LATER THAT COMMISSIONER MIKE NEVILLE'S WISHES TO BE AN ALTERNATE AND THERE IS AN APPLICATION FROM LISA WHITING DOBSON, WHO WOULD

[00:55:04]

LIKE TO BE A FULL TIME COMMISSIONER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST BRING THAT UP NOW SINCE THEY DID ATTEND THAT MEETING, AND THAT'S COMING UP LATER.

AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

OK.

ANY OTHERS.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON.

AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND WE HAVE A REQUEST TO MOVE.

I DON'T SEE WHICH IS THE POVERTY EXEMPTION GUIDELINES DOWN TO A DISCUSSION ITEM AND I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN WE MOVE THE AGENDA WITH THAT IN MIND, WERE INCLUDED.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YEAH, BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION, I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE DID UPDATE THE PACKET ONLINE, SO THE PUBLIC PACKET REFLECTS THE POVERTY EXEMPTION BEING ITEM 13 A.

AND I WILL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

SUPPORT.

AND [INAUDIBLE] THE LATEST VERSION DID INCLUDE THAT CHANGE.

I'M SORRY, I [INAUDIBLE] MENTIONED.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND.

SUPPORT.

WAS THAT? MS. WISINSKI.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

AYE.

WE HAVE THE AGENDA APPROVED.

WE WILL NOW GO ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

THE FIRST ONE IS COMMUNICATIONS AND ONE IS MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 7TH REGULAR MEETING.

AND THE LAST ONE IS THE BILLS, WHICH [INAUDIBLE].

TREASURER.

I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE JACKSON.

SUPPORT.

ANY DISCUSSION.

[INAUDIBLE] ROLL CALL.

SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES, YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES.

AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES.

OK, MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE] HEARING, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION

[12A. Special Use Permit #21-00-011–2763 Grand River Avenue – Consumers Credit Union – Modification of Special Use Permit for Buildings Greater than 25,000 Square Feet]

ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT #21-00-011€"2763 GRAND RIVER AVENUE CONSUMERS CREDIT UNION MODIFICATION SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR BUILDINGS GREATER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.

[INAUDIBLE] TRUSTEE JACKSON.

PAT, YOUR MUTED.

I DON'T SEE A MOTION PROPOSED.

THERE'S NO MOTION.

YOU CAN MOVE TO APPROVE.

THE RESOLUTION.

YES.

ALL RIGHT THEN I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

I BEG YOUR PARDON.

NO [INAUDIBLE].

I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SO THAT APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AMENDMENT .

[INAUDIBLE] SUPPORT.

SECOND.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

OK.

DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, MR. SCHMITT, BEFORE WE DISCUSS? I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD.

[INAUDIBLE] WEEK AGO, [INAUDIBLE] YES, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD HAS.

YES.

THE TREASURER, PLEASE.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE ZBA, SO I'M NOT UP ON MY SIGN ORDINANCE REGULATIONS.

BUT I'M ASSUMING THIS SIGN DOES MEET OUR OUR CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT WILL REQUIRE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION TO ALLOW THE LED MESSAGE PORTION OF THE SIGN.

OK, BUT THE SIGN ITSELF IS IN COMPLIANCE.

SIZE AND LOCATION ARE IN COMPLIANCE.

THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

ALL RIGHT.

I WILL JUST SAY THAT THIS IS A MUCH BETTER USE OF THE EXISTING SITE RIGHT NOW.

IT IS PREDOMINANTLY IMPERVIOUS SURFACE PARKING IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE HOBBY LOBBY PARKING LOT.

SO THIS IS CERTAINLY A MUCH BETTER LAND USE AND WE DO CREATE KIND OF A GREEN SPACE BUBBLE THERE.

I DO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT WORKING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON RECONFIGURING THE SITE AND CHAIR HENDRICKSON HAD ACTUALLY CALLED ME WHEN HE

[01:00:01]

WAS REVIEWING THE PACKET AND I THOUGHT HIS IDEA SOUNDED GOOD.

AND OVERALL, I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD SITE PLAN HERE, SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT.

ANYTHING TO ADD TRUSTEE JACKSON.

NO, EXCEPT MAYBE THE SPECIFICS.

THE LOCATION IS AT THE CORNER OF GRAND RIVER, AND THAT IS THAT STREET IS? NORTH WIND.

NORTH WIND DRIVE.

NORTH WIND DRIVE.

AND THE REASON THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] FOR US IS THAT WE ARE MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2000 TO ALLOW FOR BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000 SQUARE FEET.

CORRECT.

ANYTHING FURTHER.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE ON THIS.

YES TREASURER.

JUST TO CLARIFY, THE BUILDING ITSELF IS NOT GREATER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET, BUT THE ENTIRE COMPLEX IS AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BEFORE THIS BOARD CORRECT.

CORRECT.

THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL WAS FOR A BUILDING LARGER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.

THIS PROPERTY WAS INCLUDED IN THAT ORIGINAL APPROVAL, SO YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY AMENDING THAT ORIGINAL APPROVAL.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

WELL, WE HAD THAT EXPLANATION LAST WEEK.

THIS REALLY WAS A VERY SMALL PORTION OF IT.

OK, THEN WE NEED A VOTE.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES.

SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

WE NOW MOVE ONTO 12B WHICH IS THE WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP POLICE CONTRACT.

[12B. Williamstown Township Police Contract]

WHO WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION.

TREASURER.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES TO THE WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP BEGINNING JANUARY ONE 2022 THROUGH DECEMBER 31 2024 FOR EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSES OUTSIDE OF 40 HOURS.

I'M SORRY, NON EMERGENCY RESPONSES OUTSIDE THE FORTY HOURS OF WEEKLY PATROL AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR AND CLERK TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY WISINSKI.

I HEARD FIRST.

ALL RIGHT CHIEF PLAGA, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT THIS CONTRACT.

WELL, WE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT WE WERE PROVIDING PATROL.

WE WERE PROVIDING 80 HOURS.

BUT WITH STAFFING CRISIS HERE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WORKING WITH THEIR SUPERVISOR AND MANAGER WALSH, WE WERE ABLE TO COME TO A 40 HOUR AGREEMENT.

THE CONTRACT DOES HAVE A PROVISION THAT IF THE TWO ENTITIES DO CHOOSE TO INCREASE OR EVEN DECREASE HOURS OF SERVICE, THAT IF BOTH ENTITIES ARE AGREEABLE, THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

SO IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY TO WORK WITHIN OUR STAFF.

SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THUS FAR AND WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICE TO THE LEVEL THAT WE CAN WITHOUT IMPACTING SERVICE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY SHERIFF IS NOT REALLY [INAUDIBLE] THE AREA [INAUDIBLE] STAFFING, ETC.

AND WILLIAMSTOWN IS SMALL [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE ARE THE BEST [INAUDIBLE] IN THE STORM, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE HAVE BEEN COOPERATING WITH WILLIAMSTOWN BY PROVIDING THIS FOR SOME YEARS NOW.

IS THAT CORRECT CHIEF.

THAT IS CORRECT.

INITIALLY, IT WENT OUT FOR BID AND WE WERE SELECTED.

THE TOWNSHIP DID SEEK BIDS THE LAST RENEWAL AND NO OTHER ENTITY EVEN PROVIDED A BID BECAUSE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES.

OK, THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON THIS? TREASURER.

SO CHIEF THE NET EFFECT WILL BE IN TWO AND A HALF WEEKS WE'LL HAVE ONE SWORN OFFICER AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IS THAT CORRECT? IF WE'RE PROVIDING ONE LESS TO WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP, WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE AVAILABLE FOR MERIDIAN.

RIGHT, THAT'S 80 HOURS MORE AVAILABILITY HERE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TRY TO STRESS IS THAT IF THERE'S AN OFFICER THAT'S WORKING IN WILLIAMSTOWN, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS ON MERIDIAN ROAD ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SIDE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT OFFICER DOESN'T COME AND HELP.

WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS THAT IT HELPS US BOLSTER OUR STAFFING LEVELS SO THAT WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON THE ROAD FOR THOSE CRITICAL INCIDENTS WHEN WE DO NEED MORE AND

[01:05:02]

WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR STATE OR COUNTY OFFICERS TO GET HERE FROM WELL OUTSIDE THE AREA.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MS. JACKSON.

MS. JACKSON.

YES, THIS CHANGE ALTERATION IN THE CONTRACT ALLOWED US TO DELINEATE VERY SPECIFICALLY THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND OFFERED TO WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP AS WELL AS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND I APPRECIATE THE DETAIL THAT IN DESCRIPTION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS CONTRACT FOR ALL OF OUR SAKES.

YEAH.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

OTHERS? YES CLERK GUTHRIE.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND COMMEND YOU AND WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP AND THE MANAGER FOR DEVELOPING THIS CONTRACT, MUCH LIKE TRUSTEE JACKSON SAID THE DETAIL OF THE CONTRACT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICES THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS ABLE TO REND OUR NEIGHBORS AND KEEPING OUR REGION SAFE AND KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORS SAFE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

PLEASE PASS THAT ON TO THE OFFICERS.

THANK YOU AND A LOT OF THIS WORK.

YOU KNOW, THE MANAGER SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH MYSELF AND GIVING GUIDANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD STILL PROVIDE SOME SERVICE WITHOUT IMPACTING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO.

OK, THANK YOU.

YOU READY TO VOTE? TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES.

SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU ALL.

NEXT ITEM IS THE FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

MAKE A MOTION [INAUDIBLE] TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

I THINK TRUSTEE JACKSON RAISED HER HAND FIRST I'LL LET HER MAKE A MOTION.

[12C. 4th Quarter Budget Amendments]

[INAUDIBLE] I SAW YOUR FIRST.

THAT'S ALRIGHT GO AHEAD TRUSTEE JACKSON.

I MOVE TO INCLUDE THE YEAR EDV 2021 BUDGET AMENDMENTS WITH AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS WHICH PROJECTS A USE OF FUND BALANCE OF SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND EIGHTY FIVE DOLLARS BASED ON 2020 RESULTS WITH PROJECTED FUND BALANCE OF DECEMBER 31, 2021, WILL BE NINE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.

THANK YOU IS THERE SUPPORT.

SUPPORT.

[INAUDIBLE] WHO SAID THAT I DIDN'T SEE? CLERK.

MS. JACKSON YOU WANT TO COMMENT OR SHALL WE HEAR FIRST FROM OUR DIRECTOR? I WAS JUST GOING TO THANK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THOSE BIG NUMBERS TO SAY THOSE BIG NUMBERS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[LAUGHTER] DIRECTOR MATTISON DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS PLEASE.

WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS OUR YEAR END BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW FOR THE REVENUE SIDE.

WE'RE ADDING BACK THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND IN STATE REVENUE SHARING SOME RECYCLING.

WE WEREN'T REALLY PLANNING ON A RECYCLING EVENT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DO ONE AND WE'VE RECEIVED REVENUE FROM THAT.

SOME REIMBURSEMENTS FROM FIRE AND POLICE, ALONG WITH PAYBACK FUNDS FROM THE PARKS INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THOSE INCREASES ARE OFFSET WITH SOME EXPENDITURES KIND OF LISTED THERE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS FROM THE TREASURER [INAUDIBLE] THE RECYCLING EVENT, WHICH OFFSETS THE REVENUE THAT WE BROUGHT IN.

SAME THING WITH THE POLICE OVERTIME THAT OFFSETS THE REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN FROM THAT.

OPERATING SUPPLIES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE DETAIL IS THE SPECIAL EQUIPMENT WE BUDGETED ANNUALLY TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GO INTO THE MOTOR POOL FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE ENGINE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE ENGINE, NOT AS MUCH AS WHAT

[01:10:06]

WE ORIGINALLY BUDGETED, GAVE US SOME EXTRA MONEY TO BUY SOME SPECIAL EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDED TO GO ON THE ENGINE, SO YOU'LL SEE A TRANSFER IN THERE.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRANSFER THE FULL 250, BUT WE'LL OFFSET SOME OF THAT FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDED TO BE PURCHASED FOR THE ENGINE.

SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE INS AND OUTS ON ON THE DETAIL.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING.

OK.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BESIDE.

TREASURER GO AHEAD.

I THINK THE MOTION.

THE QUESTION WAS IT WAS THE YEAR END 2021? IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? END 2021, SORRY.

AND THEN A DISCUSSION THAT YOU AND I HAD EARLIER TODAY.

THE ONE CONCERN I HAD WAS ABOUT THE REFUNDS OF SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND YOU EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PAYMENT ON THE IDE COURT SETTLEMENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND THAT YOU'LL SEE UNDER THE SEWER FUND.

IT'LL SAY REFUNDS, THAT IS THAT FIRST PAYMENT FOR THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS.

[INAUDIBLE] OUR FUND BALANCE ENDS UP HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED IN MID-YEAR, IS THAT CORRECT DIRECTOR MATTISON? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

GOOD WORK.

IT'S NOT ALL ME, IT'S ALL THE DIRECTORS THAT HAVE PITCHED IN AND MADE SURE THAT THEIR SPENDING WAS APPROPRIATE.

SO THANKS TO THE WHOLE TEAM.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] THE MANAGER AND WORKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT SMALLEST EMPLOYEE.

MS. MATTISON IS FROZEN ON MY SCREEN, BUT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE OK.

OH, [INAUDIBLE] OK, GREAT [INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT.

I GUESS WE NEED A VOTE THEN.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[12D. 2022 Township Goals]

MOVE ON TO THE 2022 GOALS.

SOMETHING AS WE SAID EARLIER IN THE MEETING, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON INCLUDING ONE SESSION ON SATURDAY AND WE HAVE MET WHAT THE MANAGER UNDERSTOOD US TO HAVE DECIDED ON SATURDAY AND I'LL START WITH A MOTION.

MS. WISINSKI.

I WILL DO THAT, I JUST HAVE TO FIND IT.

OK.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2022 MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ACTION PLAN, AS DEVELOPED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY MS. JACKSON.

DISCUSSION.

DO WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE OR DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK FIRST MS. WISINSKI? I CAN JUST SAY THAT, AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, NOT NECESSARILY JUST FROM THE BOARD, BUT FROM THE MANAGER AND FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND STAFF.

SO THAT WENT INTO DEVELOPING THESE GOALS.

I THINK THEIR LOFTY.

BUT GIVEN WHAT WE DID IN 2021, I FEEL THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD SPOT.

I ALSO WANT TO APPRECIATE THE OPENNESS OF THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE PROPOSED GOALS, AND I'M FEELING POSITIVE ABOUT 2022.

MS. JACKSON I AGREE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, TREASURER DESCHAINE YEAH.

I TOO WANT TO THANK STAFF AND THE MANAGER FOR TAKING THE CONSENSUS OR THE SENSE OF THE BOARD AND DRAFTING THESE BEFORE US, ALLOWING US TO MODIFY THEM, REFINE THEM A BIT ON ON SATURDAY AND OUR DAYLONG SESSION ON THAT AND TO HAVE THIS BEFORE.

I LIKE THIS NEW FORMAT HERE WHERE WE HAVE A BROAD AREA WITHIN FOUR OR FIVE SPECIFICS UNDERNEATH IT.

I THINK IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER TO MEASURE THIS IN THE YEAR BECAUSE WE DON'T JUST HAVE A, FOR EXAMPLE, IT DOESN'T JUST SAY, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO AN INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT OUTLINES THAT AS A CATEGORY AND THEN GIVES US FIVE SPECIFIC AREAS IN WHICH WE CAN MEASURE WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE YEAR AHEAD BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIT ALL THESE, TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S POINT.

[01:15:02]

IT'S A VERY LOFTY SET OF GOALS, BUT WE'VE SET IT OUT THERE.

THIS IS WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.

AND BARRING THE PANDEMIC GETTING WORSE OR OTHER SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES PROHIBITING US OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS IS OUR INTENTION TO GET TO THESE GOALS.

TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THIS YEAR GIVES OUR STAFF A VERY SPECIFIC ACTION PLAN AS WELL.

SO I'D LIKE THIS THIS NEW FORMAT, AND I THINK WE'LL WE'LL GET GOOD DATA BACK FROM IT.

AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US IN THE NEXT YEAR.

WELL, WE MENTIONED GOOD GOALS ARE SPECIFIC AND THEY ARE ALSO MEASURABLE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE FORMAT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THIS.

EXACTLY.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK THE MANAGER A QUESTION FOR US.

I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME ON SATURDAY TO BE HERE, THE DIRECTORS AND LOTS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO REVIEW THE GOALS.

IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL AND USEFUL DAY.

I FOUND IT MOST BENEFICIAL IN THE THE TOWNSHIP FINANCES SECTION BECAUSE WE DID SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME REVIEWING THE GOALS.

WE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THE ART FUNDS.

AND SO I CAN'T RECALL WHEN WE STATED THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AGAIN, IF YOU COULD REFRESH MY MEMORY.

SURE.

YEAH, THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION AT THE VERY END OF THE DAY AFTER ABOUT SIX HOURS OR SO.

AND IT WAS A SHORT CONVERSATION.

THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD IS, LET'S TAKE OUR TIME.

THERE'S NO TIMETABLE.

IT MIGHT BE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH BEFORE WE START THE DISCUSSION, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN AN EXPERT WHO HAS EXPERIENCE OR HAS NO EXPERIENCE BUT HAS KNOWLEDGE IN ALL THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND WHY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH OUR FUNDING.

SO BEFORE WE GO OFF ON A PATH WHERE WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO, WE'LL BRING IN AN EXPERT THAT WILL HELP EDUCATE THE BOARD AND THEN THEY CAN, FROM THAT POINT, JUMP FORWARD IN THEIR DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU.

I'M GLAD I ASKED IT, AND I REMEMBER ALL THAT [INAUDIBLE] A SHORT TIME THAT WE STILL SHOULD ALL BE GATHERING OUR THOUGHTS, OUR PROCESSES, WHAT WE THINK SHOULD HAPPEN WITH THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE OUT BALANCE.

[INAUDIBLE] GOALS WHICH ARE ACTUALLY AN ACTION PLAN THIS YEAR.

WE'RE JUST GOING TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

MOTION CARRIES 6-0.

THANK YOU.

WE NOW COME TO SOME BOARD IN COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.

[12E. Board and Commission Reappointments]

THESE WERE NOT ON THE LIST LAST TIME AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHANGE SOMETHING HERE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THERE.

MY RECOMMENDATION MIKE NEVILLE'S WISHES TO BE AN ALTERNATE COMMISSIONER STARTING AND STARTING NEXT YEAR, AND THAT IS A ONE YEAR TERM.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WISH TO JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR HIM OR IF OR IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT FOR HIM NOW.

CAN WE JUST STRIKE HIM OUT OF THIS WHEN WE DO THE MOTION? YES, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

OK.

MR. HASLETT? YES.

I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH ONE OF THE TIMES AND I GET REALLY.

I MOVED TO REAPPOINT BRIAN SIPPLE TO THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR A THREE YEAR TERM, ENDING 12/31 OF 2024.

SUPPORT.

ARE YOU SUPPORTED BY MS. GUTHRIE? I WAS [INAUDIBLE] ANY COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

DO WE HAVE SOMEONE TO [INAUDIBLE].

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? OK, SO I WILL MOVE TO I WILL MOVE TO APPOINT.

[01:20:04]

MR. MIKE NEVILLES AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR A ONE YEAR TERM, ENDING AT 12/31 OF 2022.

SUPPORT.

[INAUDIBLE] SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

NOW WE GO ON TO THE OTHER ONE IS THAT MOTION WAS.

[INAUDIBLE].

MOVE TO CONFIRM THE SUPERVISOR'S REAPPOINTMENT OF KARLA HUDSON TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR A TWO YEAR TERM ENDING 12/31/23.

SUPPORT.

MS. JACKSON? SUPPORT.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE].

I JUST, SUPERVISOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST AGAIN THANKING OUR RESIDENTS TO BE A PART OF THESE COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS, KNOWING WE'VE GOT VACANCIES, KNOWING HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT IT TAKES, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, THEY'RE VALUABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

[13A. Poverty Exemption Guidelines]

AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

AYE.

WE'RE DONE WITH OUR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APPOINTMENT, SO WE SEE MORE APPOINTMENTS AND ET CETERA.

THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN FILLING VACANCIES.

I'M GLAD THAT MS. GUTHRIE MENTIONED THAT THE VARIOUS VACANCIES ARE.

WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE SOME APPLICATIONS ON FILE, BUT WE NEED MORE.

OK,[INAUDIBLE].

WHO'D LIKE TO START THIS DISCUSSION? MR. OPSOMMER? YES, I'LL JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW HERE OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING FOR TRUSTEE JACKSON, WHO COULDN'T BE WITH US LAST MEETING AND WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY WITH THE REVISED PROPOSAL IN THE PACKET, I WANT TO FIRST JUST KIND OF BACK UP AND TALK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE? AND SO THIS BOARD HAS DISCUSSED MANY TIMES ABOUT ITS DESIRE TO SEE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAKES ON MANY SHAPES AND FORMS. WE HAVE HUD SECTION 8 HOUSING, WE HAVE HUD HOUSING.

WE ALSO HAVE LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] CREDIT HOUSING LIKE [INAUDIBLE] COOPER THAT'S GOING IN BEHIND THE WHOLE FOODS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE POVERTY EXEMPTION, WHICH ALLOWS SOME AFFORDABILITY FOR LOW INCOME HOME OWNERSHIP.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DO OWN THE HOME IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM.

AND SO WITH THE BOARD'S DESIRE AND OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LEFT KIND OF JUST WAITING AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS NOT GOING TO YIELD AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUTSIDE OF SECTION 8 OR [INAUDIBLE] TAX CREDIT HOUSING PROJECTS.

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE OFTEN DON'T GET A LOT OF THOSE RELATIVE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES DUE TO LAND VALUES IN THE TOWNSHIP; RIGHT? SO THAT'S A BARRIER HERE FOR US.

SO THIS IS ONE WAY IN WHICH WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE CONTROL OVER PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO HOMEOWNERS.

AND SO JUST TO BACK UP AND REVISIT WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT IN 2021, WE USE A 1.35 MULTIPLIER ON THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR INCOME AND ASSETS.

SO BASICALLY, OUR INCOME AND ASSET LIMITS ARE 135 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES, AND THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES ARE UPDATED ANNUALLY.

AND SO AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD A TWO TIER PLAN FOR EXPANDING IT, AND THAT ORIGINAL MEMO IS IN THE PACKET, AS WELL AS THE TABLE THAT CONTAINS THE COMPARISON TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, WHICH HAS TAKEN A VERY CLOSE LOOK ACROSS THEIR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT AND IN CONSULTING WITH STAFF AND MANAGER WALSH, I HAVE PREPARED A REVISED PROPOSAL IN THE PACKET.

BUT FIRST I JUST WANTED TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAD AT THE LAST MEETING.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS WHETHER OR NOT LAND CONTRACTS QUALIFY.

SO IF YOU'RE UNDER A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE A HOME, DO YOU QUALIFY UNDER THE POVERTY EXEMPTION? THE ANSWER IS YES.

IT'S SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE ACT, AND OUR TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GET THAT ANSWER DEFINITIVELY FOR US.

AND JUST FOR BOARD MEMBERS KNOWLEDGE, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH LAND CONTRACTS, ESSENTIALLY, RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO OBTAIN A MORTGAGE IN ORDER TO PURCHASE THE HOME, IT'S THE ACTUAL CURRENT OWNER WHO IS BASICALLY

[01:25:02]

EXTENDING YOU A LINE OF CREDIT IN FORM OF THE HOME, AND YOU'RE PAYING THAT FORMER OWNER FOR THAT HOME OVER A DURATION OF TIME, AS STIPULATED IN THE LAND CONTRACT.

THEY'RE NOT TERRIBLY COMMON, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO HAVE LAND CONTRACTS, THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS.

ANOTHER QUESTION WAS WHAT'S THE FISCAL IMPACT UNDER THE CURRENT POVERTY EXEMPTION? SO IN 2020, THE FISCAL IMPACT FOR THE CURRENT POVERTY EXEMPTION USING A 1.35 MULTIPLIER WAS $8,305 FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THAT'S THE REVENUE IMPACT TO THE TOWNSHIP, AND THE REVENUE IMPACT ACROSS ALL TAXING JURISDICTIONS WAS 41,700.

THE FOURTEEN HOMES THAT QUALIFIED HAD JUST UNDER EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND IN TAXABLE VALUE, SO THAT'S $56,774 PER HOME IN TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH IS THE MARKET VALUE IS DOUBLE OR MORE, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN KEPT UNDER STATE LAW AND PROPOSAL A.

AND SO THEN THE BOARD WAS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE FISCAL, YOU KNOW, THE FISCAL IMPACT NUMBERS.

I DID PUT THEM IN THE PACKET, BUT THESE NUMBERS REFLECT THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

THEY DON'T REFLECT THE PROPOSAL THAT'S IN THE BOARD PACKET TONIGHT.

SO I'LL SKIP OVER THOSE FOR NOW.

BUT THEY'RE THERE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

SO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ASSESS THE DATA IS KEEPING THE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT EXEMPTION WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS USING THE 1.35 MULTIPLIER AND THEN CREATING A NEW TIER.

SO HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOME AND ASSETS BELOW 1.85 TIMES THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES WOULD QUALIFY FOR A 50 PERCENT EXEMPTION.

AND SO THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ASSESS HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN THAT RANGE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THEM, BUT UNLIKE A CITY WITH AN INCOME TAX, WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, INCOME TAX DATA TO REALLY EXTRAPOLATE.

ALL WE COULD DO IS REALLY LOOK AT OTHER COMMUNITIES WITH SIMILAR MULTIPLIERS AND SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS AND TO KIND OF EXTRAPOLATE ON A POPULATION OR A HOUSING STOCK BASIS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY HOMES WE COULD EXPECT TO QUALIFY.

SO I SUSPECT WE COULD SEE ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO A DOZEN HOMES QUALIFY UNDER THIS PLAN FOR THE 50 PERCENT EXEMPTION ABOVE THE CURRENT 14.

AND I GUESS I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SHARE.

OTHER THAN IT'S A FIRST STEP AND THEN WE CAN REASSESS NEXT YEAR AND THERE'S MULTIPLE OPTIONS THAT WE COULD PURSUE.

WE COULD CONSIDER RAISING THE EXEMPTION PERCENTAGE FOR THE EXISTING NEW TIER.

YOU COULD BUILD A TWENTY FIVE PERCENT TIER OFF OF IT, SO IT GIVES FLEXIBILITY IN THE FUTURE AS TO WHAT THE TOWNSHIP MAY OR MAY NOT PURSUE DOING.

AND I WOULD JUST ASK IF OUR ASSESSOR HAD ANYTHING SHE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ON THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SHARE AT THIS TIME.

ASK ANY QUESTIONS IF GOT THEM.

AS YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE DISCUSSION, THIS BOARD SEES RAISING THIS EXEMPTION AS A TOOL TO MAKE MORE HOUSING AFFORDABLE OR ALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH AFFORDABILITY TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE AS AN ASSESSOR IN OTHER COMMUNITIES; HAVE THEY TRIED THAT? OR IS THIS A UNIQUE APPROACH TO USING FOR POVERTY EXEMPTION? I THINK IT WOULD BE A UNIQUE APPROACH IF YOU WERE TRYING TO BRING IN NEW FAMILIES.

I HAVEN'T HEARD OF VERY MANY COMMUNITIES DOING THAT, BUT USING IT AS A WAY TO KEEP A HOUSE AFFORDABLE FOR SOMEBODY IN A SITUATION THAT'S MAYBE CHANGED.

A SPOUSE HAS PASSED AWAY A DIVORCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING IT THAT WAY.

OK, THANK YOU.

OK.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE].

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS? THIS IS SOMETHING WE WERE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT DOING OUR [INAUDIBLE] JANUARY, I SUPPOSE.

BUT AS FOR THE FUTURE, WE DECIDED [INAUDIBLE].

MS. JACKSON? YES.

CAN I GET MR. OPSOMMER TO REPEAT FOR ME, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS ORIGINAL PROPOSAL LAST WEEK, WHICH I ACTUALLY WATCHED AND THE CHANGE IN THE PROPOSAL THIS WEEK?

[01:30:01]

YES.

LET ME WALK THROUGH IT THIS WAY.

SO THE PROPOSAL LAST WEEK WOULD HAVE RAISED THE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY TAXES TO 1.85 TIMES THE FEDERAL GUIDELINE, WHEREAS HERE WE'RE JUST KIND OF BUILDING OFF WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE.

SO THE EXPANDED UNIVERSE FROM 1.35 TIMES THE FEDERAL GUIDELINE TO ONE POINT EIGHTY FIVE IS JUST GOING TO GET A 50 PERCENT EXEMPTION.

AND THAT WAY WE CAN DISCERN HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS FALL IN THAT CATEGORY BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE RELIABLE INCOME DATA OTHER THAN AGGREGATE CENSUS DATA.

I SEE.

AND THEN THE OTHER, YEAH, THE OTHER PROPOSAL LAST WEEK WOULD HAVE CREATED A 50 PERCENT EXEMPTION CATEGORY FROM 1.85 TO TWO TIMES THE FEDERAL GUIDELINE.

SO THIS IS A SLIGHTLY PARED BACK APPROACH.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIPS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADAPT THIS EVERY CALENDAR YEAR.

SO NO THANK YOU.

IT IS MY HOPE THAT IF WE DO ADOPT THIS NEXT YEAR, WE THEN REVISIT IT BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE AND DATA OF THE ASSESSOR AND TREASURER AND THE OFFICE, ET CETERA.

AND THEN PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, UPGRADE IT, WHATEVER SORT OF ORDER THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH SOME OF THE LOWER END OF OUR INCOME SCHEMES MS. JACKSON? SO FUNDAMENTALLY, THE PURPOSE IS TO MAKE THIS TOOL, THE POVERTY EXEMPTION TOOL, AVAILABLE TO MORE PEOPLE IN THE TOWNSHIP, TO USE WHEN AND IF THEY NEED IT? AT A GREATER LEVEL, TOO, RIGHT NOW, THE LEVEL IS VERY, VERY SMALL.

MS. JACKSON, OF COURSE, IS ALSO INVOLVED WITH THIS AREA IN TERMS OF HELPING PEOPLE IN [INAUDIBLE] IF WE'RE WATCHING IS ALSO TO THE BENEFITS[INAUDIBLE], MS. JACKSON.

ANYTHING ELSE? YES.

TREASURER.

WELL, WE HAVE THE ASSESSOR HERE LIKE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR HER.

IS THIS TYPICALLY GRANTED PROACTIVELY OR CAN IT BE GRANTED RETROACTIVELY BY THE BOARD OF REVIEW? IT CAN ONLY BE GRANTED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, SO WE CAN GRANT THIS IN MARCH, JULY AND DECEMBER FOR THE CURRENT TAX YEAR.

OK.

AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THEIR TAXES, WHICH ARE OFTEN TO BE WAIVED AND THOSE TAXES.

ARE THEY PAYING THAT DIRECTLY IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OR WOULD YOU ESTIMATE THEIR PAYMENT MORE THROUGH THAT ESCROW ACCOUNT AND THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT? HONESTLY, I'M NOT SURE THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY I WOULD DEFER TO YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF MOST OF THEM ARE ESCROW.

WE JUST EITHER APPROVE OR DENY AND THEN WE SEND EVERYTHING TO THE TREASURER.

WE KNOW THAT TOWNSHIP WIDE, ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF OUR RESIDENTS PAY THROUGH ESCROW, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY TARGETED SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION HERE, AND WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THAT POPULATION PAYS A HIGHER RATE OF ESCROW OR LOWER RATE.

MY GUESS WOULD BE A HIGHER RATE OF ESCROW JUST BY THE NATURE OF THE WAY MORTGAGE COMPANIES WORK.

THEY DON'T LIKE TO TAKE ANY RISKS AT ALL WITH THAT.

I GUESS I'LL POINT THIS OUT JUST TO SAY THAT WHILE WE THINK OF THIS AS A TOOL TO INCREASE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING AND CAN MEET THOSE NEEDS, IT'S A VERY CUMBERSOME TOOL.

IT'S NOT LIKE THE HELP THAT [INAUDIBLE] JACKSON PROVIDES, WHICH CAN BE DIRECT HELP WITH THEIR UTILITY BILL THIS WEEK.

THIS WOULD HELP THEM WITH THEIR TAX BILL, WHICH WOULD MEAN THEIR MORTGAGE COMPANY WOULD EVENTUALLY LOWER THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT TO REFLECT THE LACK OF TAXES AND SO IT CAN ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A SLOW MOVING TOOL, AND WE MAY NEED TO DO MORE THAN JUST THIS TOOL IF THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE].

ANYTHING ELSE? YES, MS. WISINSKI.

THAT WAS VERY GOOD POINT.

TREASURER, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I DO FULLY SUPPORT THIS PLAN AND I THINK ASSESSOR WINSTEAD AS WELL AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER FOR WORKING ON THIS.

I THINK IT SUPPLEMENTS AND I THINK YOU MADE A VERY GOOD POINT.

IT SUPPLEMENTS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT FOR [INAUDIBLE] WHAT IS IT CALLED [INAUDIBLE] TYPE OF HOUSING.

SO I THINK BUT WHAT I DO THINK IS IT'S SUSTAINABLE.

IT MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S SUSTAINABLE AND IT NOT ONLY PROVIDES HELP TO

[01:35:04]

FOLKS THAT MIGHT NEED THIS LONG TERM, BUT IT ALSO HELPS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION, RIGHT? THIS IS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP AND NOT RENTERS.

SO THAT CREATES A STABILIZATION AMONG NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT CONTRIBUTES TO COMMUNITY OVERALL, INCLUDING LIKE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OVERALL HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SECONDARY BENEFITS THAT COULD COULD HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF OF THIS PARTICULAR PLAN, AND IT COULD BE LONG TERM.

SO I ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT.

MORE DISCUSSION? MR. OPSOMMER? JUST ONE OTHER PIECE OF CONTEXT FOR THE BOARD.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT WHEN WE LOOK AT LIKE THE SECTION 8 HOUSING VOUCHER OFFERED THROUGH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THAT WAITING LIST IS CLOSED MORE OFTEN THAN IT'S EVEN OPEN.

AND THAT'S JUST A WAITING LIST.

SO JUST TO GET ON.

SO IF YOU'RE ONE OF THESE FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO PAY THE BILLS.

AND WE ALSO MADE IT A MUCH MORE RAPID PACE TO GO THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.

IT USED TO BE FIVE YEARS TO GO THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE, TO LOSE YOUR PROPERTY.

IT'S NOW TWENTY FIVE MONTHS DUE TO CHANGES THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS MADE.

SO FOR THESE FAMILIES, IF THEY LOSE THEIR HOME, THEIR OPTIONS ARE PRETTY LIMITED.

IT'S NOT EASY TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE THERE'S A LIMITED SUPPLY OF SECTION 8 AND MICHIGAN HOUSING, AND THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER IS ESSENTIALLY CLOSED THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE YEAR RIGHT NOW.

WAYNE, WALSH, AND KALAMAZOO HAVE THE WAITING LIST OPEN OUT OF EIGHTY THREE COUNTIES.

THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR.

YOU.

ONE MORE POINT WE KNOW ABOUT TAX FORECLOSURES THAT WE HAVE VERY FEW IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, ONE OR TWO AT MOST.

BUT WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS HOW MANY HOMEOWNERS HAVE LOST TO A BANK FORECLOSURE THAT CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE NUMEROUS THAN A TAX FORECLOSURE AND A BANK FORECLOSURE COULD CERTAINLY BE CAUSED BY THE INABILITY TO PAY TAXES AS WELL.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL ATTEMPT TO RESEARCH BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING IS TO GET A NUMBER ON BANK FORECLOSURES AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THOSE TARGETED BY INCOME CATEGORY FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT WOULD BE A VALUABLE DATA POINT TO HAVE.

BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

MS. ASSESSOR.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE JUST DONE WITH OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND WE WOULD MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC THERE? WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, BUT NONE WISHING TO SPEAK MR. SUPERVISOR.

ALL RIGHT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE OTHER MATTERS FOR THE BOARD.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

[INAUDIBLE] I'D LIKE THE BOARD TO LOOK AT THE JANUARY 4TH MEETING.

THE PACKET FOR THAT MEETING WOULD BE DUE ON A WEDNESDAY ON THE 29TH BECAUSE WE HAVE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY OFF FOR HOLIDAYS ON THE 30TH AND 31ST, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE BOARD WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING.

MAYBE NOT HAVING THE MEETING ON THE 4TH OR I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, IF YOU'VE DONE THAT BEFORE OR.

WE'LL CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT AND WE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE, I WOULD ASK THE MANAGER WHAT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT WITH ME AT THIS MOMENT.

WHAT MEETINGS DO WE HAVE SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW IN JANUARY? YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE MY OTHER BOOK IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I WOULD GUESS IT WOULD BE JANUARY 4TH AND JANUARY 18TH.

AND THEN TYPICALLY, I THINK WE, WELL, I THINK IT'S IN FEBRUARY THAT WE DO THE THERE'S THE JOINT MEETING AND ALL THAT.

BUT I THINK IN JANUARY, THERE'S JUST TWO OF THE FOURTH IN THE 18TH I THINK MR. OPSOMMER MAY HAVE OUR ANSWER.

YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ON JANUARY 25TH, WHICH IS OUTSTANDING, STANDING FOURTH TUESDAY FOR THAT MEETING ANNUALLY.

SO WE DO HAVE THAT IN JANUARY.

ONE THING YOU COULD CONSIDER MR. SUPERVISOR, IF THE BOARD ELECTS, IS YOU COULD ELIMINATE THE FOURTH.

YOU COULD GO ON THE 11TH AND 25TH.

START YOUR MEETING ON THE 25TH WITH YOUR JOINT MEETING, IF YOU'RE GOING TO EVEN HAVE THAT THIS YEAR.

BUT YOU COULD JUST MOVE YOUR MEETINGS TO THE 11TH AND 25TH AND START THE 25TH EARLY ENOUGH TO DO YOUR BUSINESS AND THEN GO INTO THE JOINT MEETING.

[01:40:01]

BUT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD, I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE PROBABLY WON'T BE A JOINT MEETING ON THE 25TH.

AND SO YOU COULD GO TO THE 11TH AND 25TH AND DO AWAY WITH THE FOURTH.

THAT'S AN OPTION BEFORE YOU, SIR.

OKAY.

I WOULD MENTION THAT IT'S POSSIBLE WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT DOING A LATER, CERTAINLY LATER IN THE YEAR, MAYBE FEBRUARY OR MARCH, DEPENDING ON WHAT CONTACT WITH COVID ET CETERA.

SO THAT JOINT MEETING WITH THE COMMISSION, I JUST.

MR. OPSOMMER? YEAH, I WILL MOVE TO CANCEL THE JANUARY 4TH MEETING AND MOVE THE JANUARY 18TH MEETING TO TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH AT SIX P.M.

IN THE TOWN HALL ROOM.

ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

[INAUDIBLE].

AYE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE NO LONGER HAVE THE MEETING ON THE FOURTH, BUT WE DO HAVE A MEETING ON THE 11TH.

CORRECT.

POSSIBLY EVEN LATER ON.

OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM BOARD MEMBERS? TRUSTEE WISINSKI? JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAYS KEEPING IN MIND THAT COVID IS ON THE RISE.

SO KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCE AND, YOU KNOW, SAFE HAND-WASHING, BUT BEING ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

SO IN CONCERT WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I MONITOR WHAT'S GOING ON IN TERMS OF COVID, AND IT'S RATHER SHOCKING AS TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.

I REALIZE THAT EARLY ON IT APPEARS OVERCROWDED WAS NOT QUITE [INAUDIBLE], BUT THAT'S NOT NEARLY SHOWN YET.

THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE.

[INAUDIBLE] VERY VIRULENT AND IN THE PRESS WAS EVEN WORSE.

SO ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.

AND AT THIS POINT, WE STILL HAVE A SUPERVISOR'S ORDER IN EFFECT, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THAT LASTS FOR BEYOND A YEAR THAT WE MAY CONSIDER ANOTHER ONE IN JANUARY, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.

[INAUDIBLE].

WHEN WE WERE ALL BACK IN THIS BUILDING AGAIN, AND ON THE 11TH, WE MAY SEE A FEW SMILES BY THE TOWNSHIP, MORE SMILES THE THE TOWNSHIP STAFF, BECAUSE WE WILL BE IN THE SECOND WEEK OF THE MANAGER'S FOUR DAY WORKWEEK.

AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO ADD A LOT TO EMPLOYEE MORALE AND SPIRIT AND HELPING US ALL GET THROUGH THESE DARK MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

SO AGAIN, MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT IDEA.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL MORALE BOOSTER FOR THE 160, NOT 160 EMPLOYEES, BUT ALL OF OUR NON POLICE AND FIRE EMPLOYEES.

I WOULD MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR DAY WORKWEEK DOES COME [INAUDIBLE] GETTING A PACKAGE READY, ET CETERA FOR MEETINGS AS CRITICAL AFTER VERY WELL SHOWED US THIS ALREADY MITIGATED.

IF THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE WE ALL ONE LESS DATA TO COMPARE THOSE THINGS AND GET IT DONE SOONER.

IT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT HOW BUSY OUR CALENDAR IS AND WHETHER WE WANT TO MAKE SOME OTHER LEADING CHANGES COME JANUARY 11TH, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT THEN, I GUESS.

[16. CLOSED SESSION]

THE MEETING IS COUPLE THINGS.

WHILE WE WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER IS RIGHT TO ASK WHAT HE DID WITH PERFORMANCE REVIEW EVALUATION.

WE ALSO NEED TO TALK AND WE CAN NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS AND OSHA AS WELL.

SO WE'LL WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WITH THE MANAGER.

WHEN WE DO COME BACK INTO PUBLIC SESSION AFTER THAT TO TALK ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND ITS RESULTS, AND POSSIBLY TO DEAL WITH THE CONTRACTS SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD KEEP IN MIND.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE FOR THE OTHER REASONS THAT TO BE GOING INTO INTO THE CLOSED SESSION FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME.

WE WILL TAKE A BREAK WITH REGARD TO THAT.

THE PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO DURING A BREAK BECAUSE MS. JACKSON ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE OUR ZOOM CREDENTIALS, ET CETERA SO THAT WE'RE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION DURING THE CLOSED SESSION WITH YOU ON THIS.

BUT NOW WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE OPEN SESSION.

MR. OPSOMMER? I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR THE TOWNSHIP MANAGERS 2021 PERFORMANCE REVIEW SORRY TO DISCUSS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW UNDER MCL

[01:45:03]

15.2688 BASED ON THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REQUEST FOR A CLOSED SESSION MEETING.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORT BY THE TREASURER.

ANY DISCUSSION OF THIS? CLERK GUTHRIE, PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE.

SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? MOTION CARRIES 6-0.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION AND AS I SAID, WE'LL TAKE A BRIEF BREAK AND THEN ACTUALLY AND HAVE CLOSED SESSION.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION THEN.

AND JUST TO SUMMARIZE, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION, TALKED ABOUT

[17. Township Manager Performance Review and Contract]

MR. WALSH AND WHAT HE'S DONE IN THE LAST YEAR, HIS PERFORMANCE AND OVERALL GAVE HIM AN EXCELLENT RATING WHICH WOULD [INAUDIBLE].

OFFICIALLY TODAY WE DECLARE THAT HE IS EXCELLENT IN TERMS OF THIS PERFORMANCE, WITH THE TOP NEXT.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HIS CONTRACT.

[INAUDIBLE].

GIVE ME A MINUTE.

IS IT AN EMAIL? I'M GOING TO FORWARD IT TO THE TOP OF THE ENTIRE EMAIL.

JUST ONE MOMENT.

IN GENERAL TERMS, AS I UNDERSTAND, THE CONTRACT IT PROVIDES, THE MANAGER WITH A TWO PERCENT RAISE; IS THAT CORRECT? THREE.

THREE PERCENT RAISE, OK.

YES, SIR.

YEAH, THREE PERCENT, WHICH MATCHES OUR OTHER WAYS.

DOES IT INCLUDE THE $1000 EMPLOYEE RETENTION BONUS? OK, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE GIVE THE MANAGER THE $1000 RETENTION BONUS THAT WE'VE GIVEN OTHER NON-ELECTED EMPLOYEES.

QUITE HONESTLY, WHERE I THINK WE'RE MASSIVELY UNDERPAYING OUR MANAGER COMPARED TO OTHER TOWNSHIPS, OUR CITIES, OUR SIZE ARE MAKING.

I UNDERSTAND THE MANAGER IS UNWILLING TO TAKE ANY MORE THAN THE RAISE THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS GETTING.

AND I RESPECT HIM FOR THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT AT LEAST WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE HIM WITH THE SAME RETENTION BONUS WE'VE GIVEN OTHER NON-ELECTED EMPLOYEES.

SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MOTION FOR THAT RETENTION PAY.

DID IT EXCLUDE YOU AND ME AND FRANK OR DID IT SET UP THE MEETING? FRANK SAID AT THE MEETING HE WANTED TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THAT, AND I'M ASKING NOW TO PUT HIM BACK INTO THAT GROUP.

WELL, DEBORAH, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR SALARY AND BILLS [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AS THE TRUSTEE IN GENERAL ARE GOVERNED BY THE COMPENSATION BOARD.

WE CANNOT DISCLOSE ANY KIND OF A RAISE WHATSOEVER.

IT'S JUST EVERY TWO YEARS WHERE THEY MEET.

THEY DECIDE WHAT WE GET.

WE CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANYTHING.

RIGHT.

I WAS JUST ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THE BOARD WOULD NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT WORK.

I WASN'T SAYING HE SHOULDN'T GET IT.

YES, WE WOULD NEED A FORMAL MOTION AND I SUPPORT IT FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT BECAUSE TRUE PARITY OR EQUITY IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD BE EVERY, EVERY TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE NOT GOVERNED BY THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS COMPENSATION BOARD RECEIVING THE SAME RETENTION BONUS IN THE DECEMBER PAY PERIOD OF 2022.

MY MOTION, THEN? I DIDN'T HEAR A MOTION, BUT I SUPPORT IT.

IS EACH INDIVIDUAL THING A MOTION? I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS JUST DECIDE WHAT THE CHANGES ARE AND HAVE ONE MOTION.

THAT'S WHAT I THINK, TOO.

YEAH.

[INAUDIBLE].

THE MANAGER SUGGESTED DISCUSSING ALL CHANGES AND THEN MAKING ONE MOTION WITH ANY ANY CHANGES IF THERE ARE ANY? DO YOU WANT ME TO WALK THROUGH THE CHANGES REAL QUICK? IF YOU WOULD, THAT'D BE.

THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT.

YES, GO AHEAD.

YEAH.

COULD YOU HELP ME FIND IT FIRST? SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR INBOX.

IT'S NOT SENDING HOLD ON.

IT'S TRYING TO GET AFTER IT FIRST.

WHILE SHE'S STILL LOOKING, FRANK, I NOTICED IN THE CONTRACT THAT IT REFERS TO

[01:50:01]

THE PERSONNEL POLICY FROM NINETEEN NINETY TWO, SO I CIRCLED THAT IF YOU COULD.

SO IT WAS HARD TO SEE WHICH SECTIONS YOU'RE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ADHERING TO AND WHICH ONES LIKE.

IT'S LIKE ON PAGE FOUR, IT SAYS SECTION 12 BENEFITS.

WELL, SECTION 12 IS NOW SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, WHICH I'M SURE YOU KNOW.

SO LIKE THESE DON'T MATCH THE CURRENT PERSONNEL POLICY, SO THAT COULD BE CLEANED UP IN THIS CONTRACT.

NOT ANYTHING TO GET HUNG UP ON OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST HAVING THE CURRENT PERSONNEL POLICY REFLECT THIS.

IT'S A GOOD POINT..

AND ANY LUCK? NO, I JUST FORWARDED FROM MY PHONE, SORRY, THE INTERNET IN THE BUILDING IS NOT WORKING GREAT RIGHT NOW.

YES, I GOT IT.

THERE WE GO.

I SEE IT.

OK.

THE CHANGES ARE IN RED, WHICH ARE GREAT.

YOU READY FOR ME TO START, PLEASE? OK.

OK.

OK.

ON PAGE ONE, IT JUST EXTENDS THE CONTRACT LIKE WE'VE DONE EVERY YEAR TO A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.

SO INSTEAD OF ENDING IN '23, IT ENDS IN '24.

ON PAGE TWO SECTION FOR SALARY.

IT'S A THREE PERCENT INCREASE EQUAL TO OTHER EMPLOYEES.

ON PAGE THREE, SECTION D.

RETIREE HEALTH CARE, RETIREE HEALTH CARE.

I WOULD RECEIVE 50 PERCENT RETIREE HEALTH CARE FOR MY SPOUSE AND I FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL AND VISION.

AND YEAH, THAT WOULD BE THE CHANGE.

AND THEN IF I'M TERMINATED AND THAT'S IN A DIFFERENT AREA, BUT IF I'M TERMINATED, I WOULD GET THAT AS WELL.

BY BY THE BOARD, THERE ARE ONLY TWO IN THIS WHOLE DOCUMENT.

THERE'S ONLY TWO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES THE THREE PERCENT INCREASE IN RETIREE HEALTH CARE.

THERE IS NO OTHER REQUEST MADE.

EVERYTHING ELSE STAYS THE SAME.

OK.

GOING BACK TO OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION, WE CAN ALL BE AROUND YOU GETTING THE SAME OF BENEFITS THAT WE GIVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS THAT BASICALLY WAS EITHER VIEWED AS AN INCENTIVE PLAN OR CALL IT WHAT YOU ARE KNOWN AS FIND WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, SO THAT THE OUT OF PARITY WITH EVERYONE ELSE FULLY, NOT JUST THE THREE PERCENT, BUT ALSO GET THE OTHER THAT WE DECIDED TO GIVE TO ALL EMPLOYEES.

I BELIEVE THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR IS THAT OUTLET.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE RETENTION BONUS? YES.

YEAH, YEAH.

IF YOU'RE EMPLOYED IN SEPTEMBER, I THINK IT WAS OF SEPTEMBER 17TH OF 2021 AND YOU'RE EMPLOYED IN THE FIRST PAYROLL OF DECEMBER 22.

YOU GET A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR RETENTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION AGAIN.

I MOVE THAT SINCE WE SEEM TO HAVE NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT.

OH YEAH, I HAVE SEVERAL NOTES REGARDING THAT.

DO YOU, SUPERVISOR MAY? OH, IT'S GREAT.

MAYBE YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RETIREE HEALTH CARE, SPECIFICALLY THE CHANGE, HOW THE CHANGE IS DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

AND THEN CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YES OR NO, THAT OTHER EMPLOYEES GET THIS SAME BENEFIT? SO POLICE AND FIRE HAVE THIS BENEFIT, AND IT'S A CHANGE FROM BEING OFFERED RETIREE HEALTH CARE AT MY TOTAL COST TO A 50 PERCENT COST SHARING, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT POLICE AND FIRE HAVE.

AND I'M TAKING IN TOTALITY THAT I'M PAID ABOUT 30-35 THOUSAND LESS THAN AN AVERAGE MANAGER OF AN AVERAGE SIZED COMMUNITY THAT I'M IN.

IN FACT, DEREK POTENTIALLY GOING TO COMMUNITY OF SEVEN THOUSAND WILL MAKE MORE THAN I AM HERE.

AND SO TAKING THAT IN CONSIDERATION, INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT A MUCH LARGER SALARY, I'M LOOKING FOR A BENEFIT IN CONJUNCTION TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHERE I'M AT SALARY WISE, MY PERFORMANCE AND HOW MANY YEARS I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS.

[01:55:03]

I THINK IT'S A FAIR, IT'S A VERY FAIR PROPOSAL.

SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THE REQUEST.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS? AND THIS IS JUST ME NOT UNDERSTANDING? YOU KNOW HOW IT WAS IN THIS LAST CONTRACT.

YEAH.

SO I HAD RETIREE HEALTH CARE OFFERED TO ME, BUT IT'S AT MY TOTAL COST ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF MY PAYMENT.

THE TOWNSHIP DOESN'T GIVE ME ANYTHING.

THIS PROPOSAL IS A SPLITTING OF 50 50 THAT I WOULD GET IN RETIREE HEALTH CARE.

AND THEN IT MENTIONS HERE THAT, AND YOUR SPOUSE, SO WAS YOUR SPOUSE INCLUDED PREVIOUSLY? YES.

OK, SO SPOUSES ARE INCLUDED.

RIGHT, THE ONLY CHANGES THE 50 PERCENT IS THE ONLY CHANCE.

THAT'S THE CHANGE? YES.

CORRECT.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

THANK YOU.

YES.

WE'VE LOST THE PICTURE FROM THE TOWNSHIP, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND AGAIN.

IT'S RECONNECTING.

YOU CAN.

HERE YOU GO.

YEAH.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, I ACTUALLY HAVE THAT EXACT SAME QUESTION AS TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

SO I ACTUALLY READ THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.

THE 50-50 PROVISION FOR WHICH CONTRACT AMONG POLICE FOR THE SUPERVISORY UNION IS ACTUALLY ON PAGE 12 OF OUR AGREEMENT.

ITEM C AND SO IT DOES INCLUDE SPOUSES AS WELL.

TO THAT POINT, AND THEN FOR I DIDN'T PULL UP THE [INAUDIBLE] OR THE OTHER POLICE CONTRACT AT THE MOMENT.

BUT ON PAGE 19, ITEM G IS THE 50-50 PROVISION FOR THE FIRE UNION.

SO I ACTUALLY HAD THAT SAME THOUGHT AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS EQUITY WITH OR SOME KIND OF PRECEDENT IN THE TOWNSHIP AND IT IS THERE.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'M PREPARED TO SUPPORT IT.

SO THE TOWNSHIP PAYS THEM TO THE RETIREE HEALTH PLAN, NOT NOT YOU.

CORRECT.

IS THAT WHAT? I'M GOING TO SPLIT 50-50.

THE PREMIUMS THAT HAVE PAID BY THE TOWNSHIP HAVE PAID BY THE RETIRED SUPERVISOR OR IN THIS CASE, THAT WOULD BE THE RETIRED MANAGER.

OK, SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, I PAY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT INTO MY OWN.

IT COVERS MY RETIREE HEALTH PLAN, COVERS MY SPOUSE AND I; RIGHTY? WHAT I PAY INTO? AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS DIFFERENT.

I'M SO CONFUSED.

OH, SO SO FOR ME, WHEN I RETIRE, WHEN THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD GET 50 PERCENT OF MY HEALTH CARE PAID FOR IT.

I WOULD PAY THE OTHER 50 PERCENT TO THE TOWNSHIP, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER RETIREES.

THIS IS THE PREMIUM SPECIFICALLY.

THAT CO-PAYS DEDUCTIBLES.

YEAH, OK.

YEAH, OK.

IT'S JUST TO HELP WITH.

THE PREVIOUS PROVISION WAS ALLOWING HIM TO PURCHASE THE CONTRACT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY IN BECAUSE THIS IS A PROSPECTIVE CONTRACT ALLOWED THE MANAGER TO PURCHASE HEALTH CARE FROM THE EMPLOYER, MEANING THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, HE COULD GO TO THE TO, YOU KNOW, THE MARKETPLACE THAT WAS CREATED UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, HE WOULDN'T HAVE AN ACTUAL EMPLOYER TO CONTRACT WITH.

BUT WE DO COVER 50 PERCENT OF OUR THE PREMIUM FOR BOTH POLICE UNIONS AND THE FIRE UNION.

SO THIS IS A BENEFIT THAT WE DO OFFER.

OK.

BUT THEN WE HAVE THE OPTION NOW OF WHAT HAVE 10 PERCENT GOING INTO THEIR COLLECTIVE INTO A 401K RETIREMENT SAVINGS, SO.

RIGHT, SO NEW EMPLOYEES GET A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION OF THEIR PENSION OF 1.75 MULTIPLIER.

THEY GET 10 PERCENT DEFINED CONTRIBUTION.

SO THEY HAVE A HYBRID PLAN AND THEY GET SEVEN PERCENT OF THEIR SALARY PUT INTO RETIREE HEALTH CARE.

AND YOU DON'T GET A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION.

YOU GET A? I DON'T GET A DEFINED BENEFIT.

I DON'T GET A PENSION FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

OK.

NO.

WHEN I RETIRE HERE, I HAVE WHAT MY DEFINED CONTRIBUTION IS WHAT IT IS.

YEAH, OK.

PENSIONS AREN'T UNCOMMON FOR A MANAGERIAL CONTRACT.

IT VARIES, BUT THEY'RE NOT UNCOMMON.

BASICALLY, HE'S ON HIS OWN TO DO IT FOR WORK OR WHATEVER.

CORRECT.

OH, YOU DON'T GET TOWNSHIPS.

YEAH, I GET THE TOWNSHIP, I GET THE TOWNSHIP INTO MY DEFINED CONTRIBUTION.

THAT'S ALL I GET.

OK.

NO DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN.

NO, NO RETIREMENT PENSION.

OK.

WHERE YOU GET A CHECK EVERY MONTH, I DON'T GET THAT.

THAT'S ONLY POLICE AND FIRE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS.

ALL RIGHT.

GET IT RIGHT.

SO LIKE WHEN ROBIN RETIRES HERE, SHE'LL GET A LIFELONG PENSION.

[02:00:03]

OK.

ALL RIGHT NOW.

OFF MIC] WITH REGARD TO ONE ITEM IN THE PROPOSED BILL.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.

AM I CORRECT IN THAT? THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUGGESTING TO THIS CONTRACT? OH, I HAVE A SUGGESTION.

OK, WELL, WHAT IS IT? I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO.

WELL, LET ME JUST SAY, OK, YOU KNOW, WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IS MAKING A LITTLE AMENDMENTS AS WE GO ALONG AND THAT WE GET RID OF THE ENTIRE THING.

SO WELL, YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR YOUR A MOTION AMENDMENT.

WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

DEBORAH HAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT SHE WANTED TO ADD TO THE AMENDMENT OR TO THIS MOTION.

SO I WANT TO HEAR HER.

I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH JUST COMMUNICATION HERE.

EARLIER, DAN HAD TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HAD STATED OR ASKED, AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF LISTING.

OR MAYBE IT WAS MANAGER WALSH LISTING WHAT THE CHANGES ARE IN THE CONTRACT AND THEN MAKING A MOTION AT THE END FOR THOSE CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT.

SO RIGHT NOW, I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN A THOUSAND DOLLAR RETENTION PAY ADDED CLEAN UP THE PERSONNEL POLICY TO REFLECT THE CURRENT POLICY ACCEPTANCE OF THE RETIREE HEALTH CARE D.

SO THOSE ARE THE CURRENT CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE ALL AGREED TO SO FAR.

I THINK THE CHANGES IN RETIREE HEALTH CARE ARE IN THE CONTRACT.

YEAH, THE CONTRACT WE HAVE FOR YOU IS WHAT YOU'D BE VOTING ON.

THE ONLY CHANGES SO FAR TO IT IS A THOUSAND DOLLAR RETENTION PAYMENT.

THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

YEAH.

OK.

CORRECT.

SORRY.

NO, IT'S OK.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT.

SO I YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

GO AHEAD.

OK.

I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU.

I WANTED TO CLEAN UP THIS A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU, SO I'D HAVE TO HAVE YOU IN LETTER F WHAT'S TAKING OUT VACATION DAYS AND AND IN HERE SOMEWHERE IT MENTIONED SICK DAYS AND I COULDN'T EVEN FIND WHERE YOU GET SICK DAYS IN HERE.

SO IT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, I MEAN, I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE VACATION DAYS.

IT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM LIKE YOU UNPLUG A LOT.

SO I JUST WAS WONDERING THE NECESSITY OF HAVING VACATION DAYS AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE.

AND IF WE IF YOU DON'T WANT IT ELIMINATED BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOU IN A NEGATIVE WAY, THEN I DON'T WANT TO DO IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE.

WELL, WHAT DO YOU SUGGESTING TO ELIMINATE MY VACATION? THERE'S A REQUIREMENT.

YEAH, LIKE YOU HAVE TO TAKE, OH, I GO OUT, I GO WAY BEYOND.

I MEAN, I TAKE THE I TOOK 20 SOME WELL, SEE, I GIVE FIVE BACK BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL BUSINESS.

I DO, AND I TAKE SOME CALLS DURING THE DAY.

SO I GIVE FIVE BACK AUTOMATICALLY BECAUSE JUST TO MAKE IT RIGHT FOR ME, IF I TAKE A CALL DURING THE DAY AND THEN I TAKE FIFTEEN PERSONAL DAYS OR VACATION DAYS OR SO, I MEET THAT EVERY YEAR.

AND SO I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE FEEL, I DON'T HAVE TO LIKE, PUT IN VACATION TIME ON OUR, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I NEED TO WRITE TO THE MANAGER TO DO THAT.

YOU'RE ELECTED, THOUGH, AND I HAVE.

I JUST THINK THIS IS THE THING.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M TAKING TIME OFF.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE IN THERE.

OK, JUST TO KEEP IT.

AND I'VE TAKEN IN THE TWENTIES EVERY YEAR.

IN FACT, PHIL ASKED ME EVERY YEAR HOW MANY I'VE TAKEN.

AND THEN IN HERE REFERENCE THIS SICK TIME, BUT I COULDN'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE.

LIKE, I SEE A WHOLE THING ON VACATION, BUT I DON'T SEE.

YEAH THE SICK TIME WOULD JUST BE UNDER.

IT WOULD BE UNDER LIKE THE SICK LEAVE.

I GET WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE GETS 12 DAYS.

UNDER THE PERSONNEL POLICY? YEAH, UNDER THE PERSONNEL POLICY.

YEAH, OK.

[INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, EVERYONE GETS 12 DAYS.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN I HAD ONE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO ADDRESS, AND THAT IS THE AUTOMOBILE, THE $800 MONTHLY ALLOWANCE.

I WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE THAT AND RAISE THE SALARY BY TEN THOUSAND.

I WOULD RATHER RAISE THE SALARY FROM 135 TO 145 AND ELIMINATE THE 800 MONTHLY ALLOWANCE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RAISE THE SALARY THAT'S MORE COMMENSURATE AND I THINK EVEN 145 IS LOWER THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD TRADE.

[02:05:01]

[INAUDIBLE].

THE PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW I'M MAKING ONE.

I'M MAKING 135 AND CHANGE THREE PERCENT ON TOP OF THAT IS 139.

WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS TO TAKE THE 9600 DOLLARS FROM THE CAR ALLOWANCE AND MOVE IT ON TOP OF THE 139? YEAH, JUST MAKE IT EVEN TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR, GET RID OF THE 800 A MONTH AND YOU CAN EVEN DO A THOUSAND A MONTH.

HE WANTS IT TO BE PARITY WITH WHAT? SO 9,600 IS THE PRECISE AMOUNT.

YEAH.

OH, OK, YOU WERE RIGHT.

YOU WERE JUST ROUNDING UP.

BUT 800 TIMES BY 12 IS 9,600.

SO AT 9,600 TO 139,316.

BUT DON'T YOU HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON THAT? I HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON IT EITHER WAY.

ON THE CAR? WELL, YEAH, IT'S 148,910.

148,910.

GREAT.

AND THEN KEEP THE STILL KEEP THE LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT YOU BEING ABLE TO USE A CAR AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

OF COURSE, IN MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT, OF COURSE.

KEEP ALL THAT OTHER LANGUAGE IN THERE.

YEAH.

AND I WOULD ONLY USE A VEHICLE IF I WENT ON A TRIP, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT ANYWHERE AROUND HERE.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S FINE.

SO WE WOULD TAKE OUT THE LANGUAGE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A CAR THAT SHOULD COME OUT, TOO, SINCE I'M BEING COMPENSATED.

WE NEED TO TAKE OUT THE LANGUAGE ABOUT A CAR BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE A CAR AND THEN THE EIGHT HUNDRED A MONTH SHOULD COME OUT AS WELL.

BOTH OF THEM.

ONLY C SHOULD BE STRUCK.

AND THEN IT WOULD JUST BE REGULAR EMPLOYEE POLICY.

NO, BECAUSE SOME OF IT SAYS THAT HE CAN USE A TOWNSHIP VEHICLE IF HE GOES ON BUSINESS AND STUFF LIKE.

I WOULD DO THAT ANYWAY.

SINCE I DON'T HAVE A CAR ALLOWANCE, I WOULD TAKE IT.

IF I GO TO TRAVERSE CITY TO A MEETING, I WOULD TAKE A CAR.

IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.

OK, YEAH, WE CAN ALL BE COVERED UNDER THE PERSONAL USE.

YOU CAN STRIKE C.

OK, THIS IS AGREEABLE TO YOU, FRANK? YES.

OK.

I THINK AS I SUGGESTED IT IN PRIOR YEARS AND IT WAS NOT.

SO IT'S QUITE SURPRISING.

OK.

I KEEP A VERY OPEN MIND, BUT I WON'T CATCH A NOTE THAT .

HE'S ALSO ENDORSING FOUR DAY WORKWEEKS, TOO.

THE MIRACLES NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE US, BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF STAGGERING THAT NEXT YEAR, FOUR AND FOUR AND STILL DO IT, BUT LET PEOPLE CHOOSE THEIR.

I DO, TOO.

YEAH, IT'S A BETTER IDEA.

YEAH.

WE HAVE A NEW SUMMARY AS TO WHERE WE ARE IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO I GUESS ONCE YOU MAKE A MOTION DEBORAH, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK ALL THE PERSONAL LANGUAGE STUFF WAS ALL I HAD.

CLEANING THAT UP.

OK, I'LL TAKE A STAB AT A COMPLETE MOTION WITH THE CHANGES.

IS THAT OK, PHIL? SURE.

OK.

I MOVE ON PAGE THREE OF THE CONTRACT TO STRIKE ITEM C.

PAGE ONE THE TERM.

OH, THAT'S OK.

YES, OK.

SO I MOVE ON PAGE THREE, ITEM C TO STRIKE ITEM C TO INCREASE THE SALARY ON PAGE, MY APOLOGIES.

SECTION FOUR, TO INCREASE THE SALARY IN SECTION FOUR TO 148,910 DOLLARS, WHICH IS PUTTING THE CAR ALLOWANCE LUMP SUM ON TOP OF THE SALARY IN THE CONTRACT AND STRIKING THE CONTRACT.

AND THEN LASTLY, TO INCLUDE A PROVISION THAT WOULD MIRROR THE 2022 BUDGETED RETENTION BONUS THAT WILL BE PAID OUT IN DECEMBER OF 2022 IN THE AMOUNT OF $1000 PER YEAR .

AND TO CLEAN UP THE PERSONNEL.

AND ACTUALLY ONE THOUSAND IN CALENDAR YEAR 2022 ONLY FOR ONE TIME AND ONE TIME FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2022 TWO AND WAS THERE ONE OTHER ITEM? OH, AND AND UPDATING THE CITATION FOR THE PERSONNEL POLICY IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I SECOND THAT MOTION.

OK, I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY ANYMORE.

HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FOR A WHILE, BUT I CAN HEAR YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE YOU.

YOU'RE DONE? AND WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE ON THE CONTRACT, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REAL PROBLEM.

SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.

CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON? YES.

MOTION CARRIES 6-0.

[02:10:01]

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

CAN I JUST MAKE A COMMENT? YES, YOU MAY.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE BOARD FOR THE TRUST AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE AND WORKING TOGETHER.

AND I COMMIT TO YOU THAT 2022 IS GOING TO BE JUST AS MUCH OF AN EFFORT AND POTENTIALLY EVEN MORE, DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.

BUT I ASSURE YOU, I HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND IT'S A BIG DEAL.

IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I JUST I REALLY ENJOY MY JOB HERE AND THE TEAM I GET TO WORK WITH.

AND I LOVE COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT CONTINUE GOING FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE SO FAR.

AND FOR MANY, MANY MORE TO COME.

WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I MOVE TO ADJOURN.

SUPPORT.

ANYBODY OPPOSE? SO ORDERED.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.

EVERYONE HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

BYE!

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.