Apr 26, 2022 Township Board

HERE. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND HERE.

TRUSTEES. WILSON OR SORRY HENDRICKSON AND WISNIEWSKI ARE ABSENT.

CLERK GUTHRIE IS ALSO ABSENT, BUT SHE WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY.

ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEE WISINSKI WILL NOT BE AT OUR MEETING TODAY.

AND I SUSPECT THAT TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AND TRUSTEE AND CLERK GUTHRIE WILL BE HERE SOON.

SO IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GO AHEAD AND DEAL WITH ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS A

[4. AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING DISCUSSION]

DISCUSSION, A OPENING DISCUSSION ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, FUNDING POSSIBILITIES.

MR. WALSH, I THINK WILL LEAD THE CONVERSATION.

WELL, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD.

I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT.

THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AND WELCOME, TRUSTEE WILSON.

SO IT'S NICE NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE.

YOU HAVE A MEMO THAT WAS PREPARED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS INPUT.

AS YOU KNOW, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS.

THE TOWNSHIP IS SET TO RECEIVE FOUR AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.

AND THEN THAT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 2.2 OR APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THAT ALREADY HERE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUST ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET NUMBERS AT ANY TIME, YOU WILL NOT SEE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN INCLUDED IN THOSE NUMBERS.

SO WHEN YOU SEE LIKE A FUND BALANCE FOR GENERAL FUND, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT 2.2 MILLION IS NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE.

IT IS KEPT SEPARATE.

SO IN OCTOBER, WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE SECOND PAYMENT.

SO WE'LL HAVE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

AS FAR AS THE WE'VE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS.

OF COURSE, THE BOARD IS COMPRISED OF TWO NEW MEMBERS NOW.

SO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE, JUST AS A REMINDER, HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE BOARD CAN DO.

AND IN THE A TO Z IS PRETTY IT'S PRETTY WIDE.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THE BOARD'S ABLE TO DO.

JUST TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND PROJECTS, MELISSA MASSEY, IS HERE THIS EVENING.

AND MELISSA HAD A LOT TO DO WITH HELP PUTTING THIS LIST TOGETHER AND SHE'LL BE OVERSEEING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS AND THE PROJECTS ONCE THE BOARD JUST CHOOSES HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

THE ONE THING THAT I THINK COLLECTIVELY AS A STAFF, AS A MANAGEMENT TEAM, THE ONLY I WOULD SAY THE GUIDANCE THAT WOULD COME FROM US, OF COURSE, IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT THE ONLY GUIDE TO HAVE YOU HERE ARE A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE STARTING NEW PROGRAMS. THEY'RE GOING TO FUND THIS, THEY'RE GOING TO START THIS, THEY'RE GOING TO FUND THIS YEAR ONE.

WELL, THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU START THOSE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE NOT SUSTAINABLE IN OUR EYES.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND THEM YEARS GOING FORWARD? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A STAFF MANAGEMENT TEAM IS WHAT IMMEDIATE NEEDS DO WE HAVE THAT ARE FUNDED THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO IMPLEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY BUT WOULD BE NOT BE THEY WOULD BE ONE TIME COST TO AUGMENT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE.

SO BEFORE YOU AND AGAIN THIS IS JUST TO GET THE DISCUSSION STARTED GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TEAM MEMBERS ARE HERE THIS EVENING THAT COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS OR FUNDING REQUESTS, THAT SORT OF THING.

BUT WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW AT JUST AN OVERVIEW OF LOCAL ROADS.

[00:05:04]

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOCAL ROADS, YES, IT'S TRUE THAT WE HAVE A MILLAGE TO FUND LOCAL ROADS.

THAT'S 1.483 MILS FOR TEN YEARS.

WE'RE IN YEAR THREE. IT GENERATES ABOUT 3.7 MILLION A YEAR.

THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE ARE WE JUST OPEN BIDS FOR 2023 LAST WEEK AND THEY ACTUALLY CAME IN PRETTY WELL.

THEY ONLY CAME IN ABOUT 18 TO 21% HIGHER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE OTHERS ARE SEEING 26, 27, 24% INCREASES.

SO IT WASN'T GOOD.

BUT IT WASN'T BAD, AS THEY SAY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS THAT SOME AMOUNT OF THAT 4.5 MILLION WOULD BE COMMITTED TO LOCAL ROADS.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING LOCAL ROADS NEEDS TO CHANGE WELL IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, IF YOU RECALL, WHEN WE PUT AND MANAGER OPSOMMER IS COMMITTED AND IS GOING TO DRIVE THIS TO SUCCESS? WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS ROAD MILLAGE, REMEMBER WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

WE TALKED ABOUT TAKING IT FROM INGHAM COUNTY AND WE WOULD DO THE BIDDING IN THE FALL AND WE'D GET AHEAD OF THE BIDDING AND WE'D GET BETTER BIDS AND WE'D HAVE OUR LIST DONE.

WELL, THAT NEEDS TO START THIS YEAR BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE BIDDING FOR 2022 AND A NUMBER OF THE CONTRACTORS HAVE THEIR PROJECTS LINED UP. SO WE'RE COMMITTED.

IN FACT, I BELIEVE MANAGER OPSOMMER IS ALREADY WORKING ON A LIST FOR 2023.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO BUILD AND I REASON I TELL YOU THAT IS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REALLY REDUCE THAT AMOUNT OF INCREASE BY DOING IT, I THINK, IN A BETTER WAY.

SO WE'LL BID OUT 2023 IN THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS.

THE OTHER THING WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME OUT AND LIST THE ROADS FIRST.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WE'VE BEEN SAYING, HEY, COMMUNITY, HERE'S THE LIST OF ROADS WE'RE GOING TO DO.

OH, WHOOPS, WE BETTER GO BACK AND BID IT OUT AND MAKE SURE WE CAN AFFORD IT.

AND GUESS WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO NEED WE BELIEVE AT A MINIMUM, 100,000, UP TO A HALF A MILLION IN ARP FUNDING FOR 2022 UNLESS WE CUT OUR ROAD LIST.

BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE ROADS THAT WE PRESENTED BACK IN DECEMBER, WE HADN'T BID AT ALL YET.

RIGHT. AND SO WE ESTIMATED IT WAS GOING TO COME IN HERE.

WELL, IT'S 18 TO 21% HIGHER.

SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME ARP FUNDING AND WE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT 4 TO 5 WEEKS.

SO WE'LL GET BIDS IN AND THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR WEEKS.

SO WE'LL KNOW THEN AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY WHAT IS THE PLACEHOLDER.

SO OUT OF THAT, IF, IF IT ENDS UP BEING 1.4, WHATEVER THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO, AT A MINIMUM, THAT NUMBER, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COMMIT ANY OF THOSE FUNDS TO 2023, THAT NUMBER WILL HAVE TO BE UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO CUT ROADS, IT'S GOING TO BE A MINIMUM OF 500,000 FOR THIS YEAR.

ANYTHING ABOVE 500,000 WILL GO INTO NEXT YEAR TO AUGMENT IT.

SO I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROAD PROGRAM.

WE'RE GOING TO RE RE-ENERGIZE, RECALCULATE HOW WE DO IT.

WE'RE GOING TO FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE LIST OF THE ROADS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUBLICIZE THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THE BIDS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THE PROJECTS.

AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, WE'LL BE FINISHED AND THEN WE'LL ANNOUNCE TO THE COMMUNITY THE ROADS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REPAIRED. AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR, AND THAT WOULD BE BASED ON BECAUSE BY THEN, I THINK MAYBE IN THE NEXT SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS, THE BOARD WILL HAVE MADE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO COMMIT TO ROADS AND THEN WE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE.

I KNOW THAT'S A LONG DESCRIPTION OF THE ROAD ONE, BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS THIS YEAR, WHAT THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, WHICH IS NOT HOW WE SET OUT TO DO IT. AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING THAT RIGHT AND THEN BEING ABLE TO FUND 2023.

SO THAT'S AN OVERVIEW OF THE ROADS.

IT, CHRIS YOU WANT ME TO STOP THERE AND ASK [INAUDIBLE] TO FINISH GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY BURNING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED? OKAY, GO AHEAD. SAY IT.

IMPROVEMENTS. WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY EXHAUSTED IT INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT IS IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED TOMORROW INSTEAD OF SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YESTERDAY.

WE HAVE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS PRESSING ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT IS, AS YOU SAID, THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE TODAY TALKING WITH A NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MANAGERS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT.

AND IT IS SUCH A CHALLENGE, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME THINGS INTERNALLY WITH OUR GENERAL FUND TO MAKE US TO TAKE US IN A BETTER POSITION.

[00:10:05]

BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.

WE HAVE GATHERED ENOUGH INFORMATION AGAIN THROUGH MS. MASSEY AND MR. OPSOMMER, WE'VE GATHERED ENOUGH INFORMATION TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT COMPENSATING OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR TEAM WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

AND THAT IS JUST THE FACTS.

AND THE FACTS THAT WE'VE GATHERED ARE PRETTY CRYSTAL CLEAR.

THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE WE HAVE TO TAKE UP IN OUR GENERAL FUND IN THE COMING MONTHS.

LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, THE ISSUE THAT'S ON TONIGHT ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S IT'S. AN INCREASE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, THE TWO PERCENT THAT'S IN THE POLICE CONTRACT AND THAT WE SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO UP THAT TO THREE AND ONE HALF.

YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE THAT ACCUMULATIVE.

WE WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE THAT THE BASE FOR NEXT YEAR.

WELL, WE'RE MAKING IT THE BASE FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO I KNOW I'M GETTING INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I KIND OF WANT YOU TO KNOW THE FULL PICTURE.

I HAVEN'T REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH YOU IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO IT, IMPROVEMENTS, WE KNOW THAT THE TOTAL COST IS AROUND 900,000 DOLLARS IF WE HAD 900,000 DOLLARS.

WE WOULD FIX OUR SYSTEM FROM A TO Z.

WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HIRED A CONSULTANT BRIGHT LINE AND THEY'LL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION TO YOU AT YOUR NEXT MEETING ON MAY 3RD.

SO THAT 900,000 DOLLARS THAT WERE TO BE IF THAT WERE TO BE ALLOCATED, IT WOULD FREE UP THE GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO TACKLE SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE PRESSING AGAINST THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR.

THEN THERE'S THE PIECE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE.

BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS SO THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT BROAD PICTURE OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

SO THERE'S $2 MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

IT'S LIKELY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THAT.

THIS YEAR WOULD BE MY GUESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT WAY TO FUND THE HASLETT PROJECT THROUGH A COMMERCIAL REHABILITATION ACT, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS IN THAT.

WE'RE ASKING FOR 900,000 DOLLARS AND THE MAIN AND I'M NOT, AS YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN EXPERT AND I DON'T CLAIM TO BE.

BUT THE TWO MAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO FIX THAT WOULD BE RIGHT AWAY.

WHEN I SAY RIGHT AWAY, AS SOON AS THE EQUIPMENT COULD COME IN, WHICH COULD TAKE US 4 TO 8 MONTHS, BUT IT'S THE SWITCHES AND THE FIREWALL.

THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED.

AND I BELIEVE, SUPERVISOR JACKS, YOU ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH BRIGHT LINE.

SO YOU'RE I THINK YOU WERE THERE AS WELL TREASURER DESCHAINE.

SO AGAIN, $900,000, IF THAT WERE TO BE SET ASIDE FOR THE IT IMPROVEMENTS, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE RIGHT AHEAD AND GET THIS DONE.

WE THINK IF THAT WERE TO BE A DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE THINK WE COULD FUND WE THINK WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE ENHANCEMENTS, IT ENHANCEMENTS IN THE NEXT 8 TO 10 MONTHS.

I KNOW THAT I THINK PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CAN TELL YOU THE IT CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE HOPE TO GET AT RIGHT AWAY.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

IF WE FUND IT TOTALLY FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WE ONLY HAVE A HALF MILLION.

WE NEED TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER 400,000, AND THAT'S GOING TO REALLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN SOME OTHER AREAS.

BROADBAND, AGAIN.

YES. CAN I INTERRUPT YOU? ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE IT.

I NOTICED IN FURTHER DOWN IN THIS DOCUMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY LISTED AS ONE OF THEIR WISH LIST ITEMS, A SEPARATE NETWORK FOR THEIR OPERATIONS, EFFICIENCY AND AND SECURITY.

SO THE QUESTION IS, IS ANY OF THAT INCLUDED IN THIS $900,000 BILL OR IS THAT ABSOLUTELY SEPARATE? I'M NOT SURE. I BELIEVE IT'S SEPARATE BECAUSE THE OUT OF THIS 900,000 DOLLARSTHE FIREWALL AND SWITCHES, I THINK TAKE UP LIKE 750 OF THAT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF MR. OPSOMMER IF LIEUTENANT CRAIG, IF YOU WOULD KNOW THAT OFFHAND.

I BELIEVE THE DEVICES FOR OUR CONNECTION ARE BEING PURCHASED OUT OF THE CURRENT BUDGET.

I THINK THERE WAS BECAUSE WE DON'T USE AS MUCH BROADBAND AS EVERYBODY ELSE DOES IS MY UNDERSTANDING.

THE MAJOR ASKS FOR $900,000 DOLLARS ALL, ADDRESSES THE ISSUES, SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS WITH IT.

AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I ASK THAT.

LET ME GET A BETTER ANSWER, COMPLETE ANSWER FROM YOU BECAUSE I KNOW LIEUTENANT CRANE IS ACTUALLY THE PERSON WHO HANDLES MOST OF THE STUFF IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ACCORDING TO

[00:15:08]

THE CHIEF. SO LET'S GET WE'LL GET AN ANSWER.

LOOK INTO THAT. I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T SEEN THE REPORT, BUT WE'LL GET IT TO YOU AND SO WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO BROADBAND AGAIN.

THIS IS TOTALLY OUT OF MY WHEELHOUSE EXPERTISE AT ALL.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD ABOUT COMMITTING SOMETHING TO BROADBAND.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD BE COMMITTING TO, BUT COMMITTING TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AS THEY LOOK AT BROADBAND AND KEEPING A PLACEHOLDER IN OUR ARP FUNDING PROBABLY FOR THE SECOND HALF OR THE 2.2 COMING IN OCTOBER, BECAUSE THE 2.2 THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WE COULD ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF THE IT AND TAKE CARE OF THE 500,000 WE MAY NEED FOR ROADS.

I'M NOT SAYING WE'LL NEED ALL 500,000 FOR ROADS, BUT WE MAY.

SO AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO OFFER ON BROADBAND, EXCEPT I KNOW THERE'S A COUNTYWIDE EFFORT GOING ON.

AND SUPERVISOR JACKSON WAS OUR APPOINTEE AND NOW IT'S CLERK GUTHRIE.

AND I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO LET'S PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY, SEE WHERE THIS GOES.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S ALL GOING TO END UP.

AND WILL WE NEED A MILLION AND A HALF AND WHAT WILL THAT BE USED FOR AND WHAT'S THE ONGOING SUSTAINABLE COST WITH DOING THAT PROJECT? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO ANY OF THAT TONIGHT, AND I DON'T THINK THE COUNTY DOES EITHER.

WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING FISHING, WE'RE JUST ON OUR WAY TO THE BAIT SHOP.

SO WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

CLERK GUTHRIE, THANK YOU.

IF YOU SET ASIDE MONEY FOR THIS OR REALLY IN FACT, IN ANY PROJECT AND THAT WEREN'T TO HAPPEN, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT MONEY? DOES IT GET REALLOCATED SOMEWHERE FOR SOME ONE OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS? YEAH CLERK IF WE SAID IF THE BOARD DECIDED TO SET THAT KIND OF MONEY ASIDE OR A MILLION OR WHATEVER, AND IN 18 MONTHS WE DECIDE OR NINE MONTHS IT DECIDES THAT THIS COUNTY BROADBAND EFFORT'S NOT GOING FORWARD.

WE'D COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, IT'S NOT GOING FORWARD.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THAT $900,000? AND THERE'D BE ANOTHER BOARD DISCUSSION AND DECISION BY THE BOARD AS TO WHERE IT WOULD GET ALLOCATED TO.

THANK YOU. WHAT'S YOUR DEADLINE FOR SPENDING ALL THE ARP FUNDS? 2025? I THOUGHT IT WAS 24, 26, 20, 25 OR 26 HAS TO BE OBLIGATED BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, MEANING APPROPRIATED.

SO THE BOARD HAS TO HAVE APPROPRIATED THE FUNDS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

WE HAVE TO SPEND IT BY DECEMBER 31, 2026, TWO YEARS LATER.

BUT NOW SOME OF THE PROJECTS IN YOUR PACKET THIS LONG LIST, I MEAN, SOME OF THEM REQUIRE A LOT OF ADVANCE TIME FOR ENGINEERING AND BIDDING AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. ROADS ARE VERY EASY TO INCORPORATE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE BIDDING A ROAD PACKAGE REGARDLESS.

IT'S JUST THE EXTENT OF THE ENGINEERING AND THOSE SOFT COSTS THAT GO IN AND GO INTO IT IN ADVANCE.

BUT SOME IDEAS IN HERE ARE ENTIRELY NEW ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.

AND I WISH CHIEF HAMEL WERE HERE.

NEXT, MOVING ON.

FIRE DEPARTMENT CUTS.

HE COULD TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE THE CUTS.

BUT THEY'RE A REAL ENHANCEMENT NOT ONLY FOR OUR PARAMEDICS AND THE SAVING OF BACKS AND THE AND ALL OF THAT.

I CAN. BUT ALSO FOR THE PATIENTS AS WELL.

AND I BELIEVE THAT TRYING TO THINK OF HOW MANY I DIDN'T PUT IT IN HERE OF HOW MANY COTS THAT ACTUALLY JUST THREE.

TO USE THEM. YEAH.

SO ANYWAY, AGAIN, JUST A THOUGHT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE COULD DO IN THE ARENA OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND OF ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN, THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW THAT RECENTLY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I THINK WITH ONE FALL THAT I'M AWARE OF, IT TOOK EIGHT PEOPLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION. SO YEAH, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT SITUATION IN MY MIND AND I THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD HELP THE PARAMEDICS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME. I WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU OTHER THAN WHAT IS ON THIS LIST TONIGHT.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A STARTING POINT.

THE NEXT THING IS THE SECURITY SYSTEM.

YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COTS.

ONE OF THE REASONS IN SUPPORT OF DOING THAT, IN MY MIND THAT EXPENDITURE WOULD ACTUALLY COMPLETE A

[00:20:03]

PROJECT. I MEAN, IT WOULD IT WOULD BE THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF PROVIDING THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE OF THAT, ADDING THAT PARTICULAR CAPACITY. BUT OTHER REASONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT ABOUT THAT WAS THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE AGENCIES, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AMBULANCE AGENCIES AROUND US USE THIS NEWER TYPE OF ASSIST ASSISTED COT.

AND WE HAVE THESE AGREEMENTS, THESE, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM ALLOW ALSO THESE AUGMENTED AMBULANCES WITH THESE NEWER KINDS OF COTS TO BE USED ACROSS THE BOUNDARIES AND AS A PART OF THE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS WHICH WAS OFFERED IN SUPPORT.

AND I ACTUALLY COMMEND MELISSA FOR THE MATERIALS SHE ADDED IN SUPPORT OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. MOVING ON, WE'VE SET ASIDE SOME FUNDING.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE.

THE CHIEF PLAGA, HE COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING.

HE'S I BELIEVE HE'S RECEIVING AN AWARD AND I'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT LATER.

A SECURITY SYSTEM THROUGHOUT OUR FACILITIES.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A BALLPARK FIGURE, BUT IT'S A KEY CARD ACCESS SYSTEM THAT WOULD ENTAIL SECURITY.

NOT ONLY HERE BUT THROUGHOUT OTHER FACILITIES.

WE CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO THE AT A LATER TIME.

BUT IT REALLY DEPICTS WHO'S COMING IN INTO THE BUILDING AND AT WHAT TIME AND AND ALL OF THAT.

AND IT REALLY WOULD ENHANCE OUR SECURITY SYSTEM.

WINDSCREENS AT THE MARKETPLACE TRYING AGAIN WHAT'S THE BEST USE OF FUNDS FOR THE PARKS? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT POLICE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FIRE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOK AT IS WE HAVE 19 PARKS I'M SORRY, 29 PARKS ALL IN.

GREAT, GREAT. FOR THE MOST PART.

THEY'RE IN GREAT CONDITION. WE'VE.

SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON PARKS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, MUCH TO THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE HOW DO WE HOW DO WE TAKE WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKE IT BETTER, SUSTAINABLE? RIGHT. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVENTS AT THE MARKETPLACE, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE IS WHEN THE WINDS ARE HIGH, IT'S IT'S IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE WHEN THE WINDS KICK UP AND TRY TO HAVE AN EVENT IN THERE, SUCH AS FARMER'S MARKET AND THE OTHER EVENTS.

AND SO DIRECTOR MAISNER, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE ADDED TO THE REQUEST LIST IS TO PUT SOME SORT OF WINDSCREENS UP.

AND THESE WOULD BE RETRACTABLE.

THEY WOULD BE THE THE HIGH END PROTECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT THE MARKETPLACE.

AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE REQUESTS, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OR ADDING A PARK OR DOING THIS OR THAT, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE ARE PEOPLE AT AND WHERE ARE THE RESIDENTS, WHAT ARE THEY USING? REALLY, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETPLACE, IT INVOLVES THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND NOT JUST WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR PARK SYSTEM.

IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT MONEY IN THE PARKS, THERE'D BE TWO WINNERS AND THERE'D BE 27 PARKS THAT WOULDN'T BE, WITH THE MARKETPLACE WE'RE HITTING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

MOST PEOPLE ARE USING THE MARKETPLACE.

SO AGAIN, WINDSCREENS TO PROTECT THOSE WINDY DAYS AND EVENTS THERE.

AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE $4.5 MILLION.

SO IT'S THE MARKETPLACE SECURITY SYSTEM, IT'S THE POWER CUTS, IT'S THE BROWN BAND, IT'S IT AND IT'S LOCAL ROADS.

AND MR. GEBES IS HERE.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON, IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT QUESTION THAT YOU HAD, AND I THINK THE QUESTION WAS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE MR. GEBES TO THE POLICE, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, IT SYSTEM, SECURITY SYSTEM, THE SERVER THE $900,000 THAT'S LAID OUT BY BRIGHT LINE, WHICH MEANS MAJORITY OF THAT IS FIREWALL AND SWITCHES DOES THAT THE QUESTION SUPERVISOR HAD IS DOES THAT TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? YEAH. AND I'M SORRY I WASN'T HERE EARLIER.

I'M ON THE PHONE WITH CISCO RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT 900,000 IS COMPREHENSIVE FOR ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.

IT IS THE TOWNSHIP HALL BUILDING, PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING SERVICE CENTER, THE THREE SITES THAT ARE HERE AND OUR THREE FIRE STATIONS RECEIVE A LOT OF ATTENTION.

THE EXACT FINAL CONFIGURATION WE'RE STILL WORKING ON AND WE'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY POLICE.

BUT THAT MONEY WILL INCLUDE AND RESOLVE ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ALL OF ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AND STRETCH OUT TO SOME NEW ONES, INCLUDING HARRISON NATURE CENTER.

[00:25:05]

STEPHEN? YES, MA'AM.

LATER IN THIS THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT, AND I'M ASSUMING YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TALKS ABOUT A SEPARATE NETWORK.

THERE ARE AND I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT THERE ARE SEPARATE NETWORK CONNECTIONS THAT ALL SEVEN OF OUR FACILITIES, INCLUDING TOWNSHIP HALL, PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, AGAIN, THOSE THAT WE JUST MENTIONED, THERE ARE DIRECT INTERNET CONNECTIONS AT ALL OF THOSE FACILITIES, DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO OUTSIDE RESOURCES THAT WILL BE USED. YES, THOSE ARE IN THAT STUDY.

THOSE ARE PLANNED FOR.

OH, GREAT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE SEE THE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS GOING AT THE BEST AND HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF OUR FUNDS WE THINK IS THE LIST BEFORE YOU.

I KNOW PEOPLE CAN WE CAN TALK ABOUT WATER AND SEWER.

I'M I PERSONALLY BELIEVE WATER AND SEWER SHOULD BE FUNDED OUT OF WATER AND SEWER RATES AND THAT WE OUGHT TO TACKLE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.

AND FOR ME, I JUST KIND OF FOR ME, WHEN I THINK ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] I CLOSE MY EYES AND I THINK ABOUT 45,000 RESIDENTS AND WHAT WOULD THEY WANT WHAT WOULD MAKE AND ROADS COMES TO THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR ME.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SHORTFALL THIS YEAR AND WE COULD SET SOME FUNDS ASIDE FOR 2023.

IN FACT, I SAW AN EMAIL TODAY WHERE WE'RE ALREADY COMMUNICATING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT ROADS FOR 2023, SO I WON'T GO BACK OVER AT TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE'RE DOING ROADS NOW AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THEM IN THE FUTURE AND SCHEDULING AND BIDDING AND ALL THAT.

OR JUST WATCH THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF THIS MEETING, BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S AN IMPORTANT IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AHEAD BECAUSE WE NEED TO WE NEED TO KIND OF LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING IT AND DO IT BETTER.

SO THAT'S IT. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR ANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, OR MAYBE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE BOARD'S TIMELINE FOR? WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO KIND OF HAVE LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE OUR IT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE READY TO ROLL IN ORDER ON WHEN WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE AND I'LL STOP AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

WELL, LET'S START WITH BOARD COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSALS THE MANAGER OFFERS AND ADDITIONAL IDEAS YOU MAY HAVE THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS WE GO FORWARD.

THEN LATER, WE CAN TALK ABOUT BEGINNING TO WORK ON THE TIMELINE AND A PLAN FOR COMING TO CONCLUSIONS AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES. SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? TREASURER DESCHAINE. I'D BE GLAD TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THE PLAN BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE MANAGER.

AND MELISSA, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND GIVING US A STARTING DOCUMENT TO START THE DISCUSSION.

BUT FIRST TWO THAT REALLY STAND OUT FOR ME AS BEING IMPORTANT IN MY FIRST TWO PREDATORS WOULD BE THE ROAD, THE 1.4 MILLION IN ROADS AND THE 900,000 IN IT INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE ROADS WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO WHEN WE PUT THE MILLAGE BEFORE OUR VOTERS IN 2017.

WE DIDN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO FIX ALL OF OUR ROADS UNLESS WE END UP WITH INFLATION.

WE DIDN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO FIX UP ALL OF OUR ROADS UNLESS RATES GO UP.

WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO FIX ALL OF YOUR ROADS FOR THIS MILLAGE.

AND WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO TO TAKE THE MONEY WE'VE GOT AND SPREAD IT AS PRODUCTIVELY AS WE CAN.

AND IN THE CASE OF HERE, OF GETTING, IN ESSENCE, THAT FEDERAL WINDFALL THAT CAN HELP PLUG THE HOLES FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS OF THE GAP BETWEEN OUR GOAL, THE AMOUNT OF ROADS THAT WE PLAN TO DO AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.

IT'S A VERY PRUDENT USE OF THAT MONEY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

INFRASTRUCTURE, WE KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE.

WE ALL EXPERIENCE IT HERE IN TOWN HALL.

WE EXPERIENCE IT IN BOARD MEETINGS.

I JUST CAME BACK FROM THE TREASURES ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATION CLASS, AND THE THREATS TO PUBLIC NETWORKS RIGHT NOW ARE ALL TIME HIGH. AND IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN ATTACK ON OUR NETWORK AND OUR DATA WERE TO BE HIJACKED OR RANSOMED, WE WOULD LOSE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

A THE COST TO FIX IT BE THE COST TO PAY THE RANSOMWARE ATTACKERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE LOSS OF PUBLIC FAITH IN THEIR RESIDENTS.

IF OUR SYSTEM WERE HACKED AND OUR DATA WERE OUR NETWORKS TAKEN DOWN.

WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT TEAM WORKING THERE, WORKING TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.

NO ONE IS HERE EARLIER OR STAYS LATER THAN STEPHEN GEBES IS YET AND HIS STAFF DOES EXCELLENT WORK AS WELL.

YET THE BACKBONE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE HE IS WORKING WITH IS IS OUT OF DATE AND NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.

SO THE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE FIRST TWO EXPENDITURES, WHICH AMOUNT TO ABOUT $2.3 MILLION, IS IF WE SPEND IT IN THOSE AREAS, MEANS THAT WE

[00:30:04]

DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT IN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES THAT ALLOWS US TO TO MEET OUR OTHER GOALS THAT THIS BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED TO THE MANAGER, WHICH IS TO LOOK AT EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE.

ARE WE PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD BE PAYING THEM? ARE WE PAYING FAIR WAGES? ARE WE PAYING WAGES THAT WILL KEEP OUR TALENT HERE AND GIVE THEM AN INCENTIVE TO STAY HERE RATHER THAN TAKING A HIGHER PAYING JOB, ANOTHER CITY OR TOWNSHIP OR PRIVATE COMPANY.

SO WE'LL HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE WON'T NEED TO SPEND THESE $2.3 MILLION OUT OF GENERAL FUND TO FILL THE GAPS IN THE ROAD FUNDING AND TO FIX THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE HAVE TO BE DONE.

THIS BOARD HAS MADE COMMITMENTS TO BOTH OF THOSE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THEM. AND THE FACT WE CAN USE THE ARPA FUND FOR $2.3 MILLION IS AN EXCELLENT START ON THAT.

IN TERMS OF THE OTHERS, I THINK THE SCREENS FOR THE MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN ARE EXCELLENT IDEA, RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE AND ADD GREATLY TO THAT THAT NEW FACILITY ON THE WISH LIST, THE COUPLE THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME WERE THE RIGHT OF WAY PATHWAYS THAT WERE DISCUSSED ASSISTANT MANAGER OPSOMMER BROUGHT THEM UP. FORMER DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY BROUGHT THIS UP FREQUENTLY AND THAT'S TO USE THE RIGHT OF WAY PATHWAYS, IF YOU WILL, OR CORRIDORS THAT EXIST BETWEEN HASLETT ROAD ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO JOLLY ROAD.

AND WE HAVE TO WORK WITH CONSUMERS TO GET ACCESS TO THAT.

THAT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER THAN WORKING WITH 50 OR 60 DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET RIGHT OF WAY ACCESS TO IT.

ANYONE WHO'S EVER RUN OR WALKED OR BIKED UP CORNELL ROAD, KNOW THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS PROPOSITION.

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC ALONG THERE TO TRY AND WALK IT OR HIKE IT OR EVEN BIKE IT.

THIS WOULD GIVE US A NORTH-SOUTH PATHWAY THAT WOULD EXIST BETWEEN CORNELL AND VAN NATTA ROAD AND CONNECT THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF OUR TOWNSHIP, BRING HASLETT AND OKEMOS TOGETHER.

SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BRING US FORMER MANAGER, FORMER SUPERVISOR.

I COULD TALK A LOT ABOUT ONE MERIDIAN.

WELL, A PATHWAY LIKE THIS IS A LONG WAYS TOWARDS DOING THAT, HAVING A NORTH SOUTH PATHWAY LIKE THAT.

THE THING I LIKE ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS WE COULD LEVERAGE EXISTING MONEY TO TO ACHIEVE THAT.

SO THE ESTIMATE WE'VE GOTTEN FROM STAFF IS THAT AN INVESTMENT OF 200, 200 TO $400,000 COULD BRING US A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF $300,000.

THAT'S AN 8 TO 1 OR 9 TO 1 RETURN ON OUR ON OUR MONEY.

SO I THINK THE RIGHT WAY PATHWAYS ARE GREAT.

THE OTHER ONE I LIKE A LOT IS PUTTING SOME OF THIS MONEY INTO OUR WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE WE CAN RAISE RATES TO DO THAT AS WELL.

FIRST OF ALL, WE CAN DOUBLE THAT MONEY WITH GRANTS.

SO EVERY DOLLAR WE PUT IN THERE, WE CAN GET ANOTHER DOLLAR BACK IN GRANT FUNDING.

AND QUITE HONESTLY, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN TERMS OF OUR TAXES.

AS WE KNOW, WE'RE THE THIRD HIGHEST TAXING AUTHORITY IN THE REGION BEHIND ONLY EAST LANSING AND LANSING.

BUT WE STILL WANT TO MAKE OURSELVES AN ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITY.

BUT ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT IS WE HAVE THE LOWEST WATER AND SEWER RATES IN THE REGION, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AND THAT IS A FACTOR FOR RESIDENTS AND ALLOWS THEM TO ENJOY THE BEST WATER IN THE REGION AT VERY LOW RATES.

SO TO MAINTAIN THAT LOWEST RATE IN THE REGION.

WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME INVESTMENTS IN THERE AND THE FACT WE CAN DOUBLE OUR INVESTMENT WITH A GRANT TO ME MAKES PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO INTO MAYBE OUR WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE MAKES SENSE TO ME.

THE ONE IDEA I LIKE INITIALLY, BUT IT'S KIND OF COOL TOO, IS THE IS THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE IN PART BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA FROM THE COUNTY.

AND SECONDLY, I CAN'T QUITE ENVISION HOW WE'D SPEND THAT MONEY.

WOULD WE PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL SUBSIDIES FOR RESIDENTS? WOULD BE UNDERWRITE COMCAST RUNNING FIBER? WOULD WE PAY METRONET TO STOP BREAKING UP OUR SIDEWALKS? YOU KNOW, BROADBAND IS EVOLVING SO QUICKLY RIGHT NOW.

THE ISSUE THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE HAVE A BROADBAND, I THINK IS FOR MOST OF THE TOWNSHIP IS IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF COMPETITION.

AND ASIDE FROM STARTING OWN UTILITY THAT OFFERED BROADBAND, I DON'T SEE A WAY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

HOPEFULLY THE PRIVATE MARKET WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

SO TO ME, THE SET ASIDE, I HAVE A $1.5 MILLION PLACEHOLDER FOR AN ILL DEFINED BROADBAND INITIATIVE.

I'M NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF THAT RIGHT NOW.

MAYBE HALF THAT AMOUNT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED MIGHT HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

BUT I THINK THIS MONEY COULD BE PUT TO VERY GOOD USE VERY QUICKLY.

AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO TIE UP A THIRD OR MORE OF IT WAITING FOR SOME BROADBAND IDEA TO COME COME FORWARD.

I JUST CAN'T ENVISION HOW WE'D SPEND THAT MONEY IN A WAY THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP, THE WAY SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS MIGHT BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE?

[00:35:04]

THANK YOU. AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR COMING IN LATE.

I DID CAREFULLY REVIEW THE PACKET AND I'LL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE FUNDING DISCUSSION AT THE BEGINNING.

SO I'M UP TO SPEED ON THAT.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF SIMILAR THOUGHTS TO TREASURER DESCHAINE.

I LIKE THE FUNDING FOR THE LOCAL ROADS PROGRAM.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS BEEN A PROMISE MADE TO THE RESIDENTS.

I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT DESPITE THE RISING COSTS.

I ALSO AGREE THAT THAT BROADBAND TO ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACEHOLDER FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T THAT WE MAY HAVE DOWN THE ROAD OR WE MAY NEED TO EXPEND DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT HOW LONG DO WE WAIT? HOW LONG? HOW MUCH DO WE SET ASIDE AND HOW LONG DO WE WAIT? WE COULD CUT THIS NUMBER IN HALF AND STILL HAVE A PRETTY SIZABLE CHUNK THAT WE'RE SAVING IN CASE THE COUNTY HAS NO ACTUAL, DISCERNIBLE, TANGIBLE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO INVEST THAT MONEY.

AND YOU KNOW MY GENERAL PHILOSOPHY WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THE ARP MONEY IS HOW CAN WE BEST IMPACT THE MOST PEOPLE WITH THESE DOLLARS? AND SO WHILE I AGREE THAT IT'S JARRING TO SEE THAT OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE IS AT A D-MINUS RIGHT NOW ON THE LETTER GRADE SCALE, I QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL TRULY IMPACT ALL 45,000 RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

HAS A BIG IMPACT ON US AND THERE HAS COROLLARY IMPACTS ON OTHERS IN CASE OF A SECURITY ISSUE OR SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT I WONDER IF WE'VE ALREADY GOT $500,000 SET ASIDE FOR IT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND? DO WE NEED TO SPEND 900 K OUT OF THE ARP FUNDS FOR THIS? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DO.

I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SMALL WINS HERE.

I LIKE THE WIND SCREENS.

I THINK THAT'S EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN COME AND USE THE MARKETPLACE.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE ACCESS CONTROL FOR SECURITY AND THE COTS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ANYONE WHO'S IN NEED OF THOSE WILL BE BENEFITED BY THOSE.

I THINK THAT WE COULD CUT THE BROADBAND DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.

I THINK WE CAN CUT THE IT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD PUT AS MUCH MONEY TOWARD THE LOCAL ROADS.

AND AS WE CAN TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

TRUSTEE WILSON, SUPERVISOR.

I CONCUR WITH THE FEELINGS OF BOTH OF YOU ON THE ROADS WE HAVE.

THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN MY MIND.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS TO BE ENHANCED.

WE DEFINITELY I'M WATCHING THINGS CREEP THROUGH THE FIREWALL RIGHT NOW IN THE COMMUNICATIONS WE'RE GETTING.

I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT $900,000 WOULD BE WELL SPENT TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF OUR SYSTEM.

AND WE ARE AT VERY HIGH RISK AS [INAUDIBLE] SAID.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE TWO THINGS DONE FOR THE MORE THAN HALF OF THE FUNDING, WHICH IS 2.3 MILLION.

THE WINDSCREENS AT THE MARKET ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED THOSE VENDORS LOSE ALL THEIR GOODS.

I THINK THAT ONE'S A NO BRAINER.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE POWER CUTS.

I HAD A COMMUNICATION.

I ACTUALLY TALKED WITH FIRE CHIEF [INAUDIBLE].

THIS WOULD CUT OUR INJURY RATES SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO TO ME, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO PURCHASE AT $240,000.

I CONCUR THAT THE BROADBAND IS SO VAGUE AND UNSPECIFIC AND UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW THAT I WOULD ADVOCATE MORE FOR A PLACEHOLDER AND PROBABLY A SMALLER PLACEHOLDER OF, SAY, $500,000.

UNTIL WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO EXPEND THOSE FUNDS BEFORE WE HAVE TO OBLIGATE THEM.

SO I'M THINKING THAT WE SHOULD PULL BACK ON THAT AND LOOK AT MORE IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

I CONCUR WITH TRUSTEE DESCHAINE, THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THIS RIGHT OF WAY PATHWAY, CAN'T WE, WITH SOME COUNTY MILLAGE MONEY? IS THAT POSSIBLE COMING IN OTHER OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL? A BIG BELIEVER IN LEVERAGING FUNDS.

SO IF WE CAN PUT A PORTION INTO THE SPENDING, BUT WE CAN ATTRACT OTHER DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THOSE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY PATHWAY, BRINGING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY INTO A LARGE LOOP OF CONTINUITY.

SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AT THE MOMENT.

CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

I CONCUR AS WELL, ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY IN REGARDS TO LEVERAGING FUNDS, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT

[00:40:08]

COMPONENT OF HOW TO UTILIZE THIS MONEY THE BEST IS BY LEVERAGING IT.

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE COMMENTS ABOUT THE PATHWAY BETWEEN HASLETT AND OKEMOS CREATING A ONE MERIDIAN.

ECHOING SEVERAL COMMENTS BY OUR FORMER SUPERVISOR STYKA.

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM TO TO WORK WITH CONSUMERS AND GET THOSE EASEMENTS.

BUT I THINK IT'S A VALUABLE COMPONENT AND IT REFLECTS MONEY AND TOWNSHIP.

IN REGARDS TO THE BROADBAND FUNDING, I'M PROBABLY MORE EXTREME IN SAYING I WOULDN'T PUT HARDLY ANY DOLLARS TOWARDS IT, MAYBE ZERO, BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE ZERO IDEA WHERE THIS IS GOING, WHAT THE SURVEY IS GOING TO SAY.

AND THE CONTINUAL COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM RESIDENTS IS ABOUT WALKABILITY, ABOUT TRAILS, ABOUT ROADS, ABOUT SIDEWALKS.

YES, THEY WANT HIGHER SPEED INTERNET.

YES, WE WANT THAT FOR BUSINESSES.

BUT THE CONTINUAL THEME THAT WE'VE HEARD OVER TIME ARE THOSE ARE THOSE ITEMS. AND I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO LEVERAGE THIS MONEY THAN TO SET ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ASIDE.

I'D RATHER SEE THE HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE LOAN PROGRAM THAN THE BROADBAND MONEY BEING SET ASIDE FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT.

AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE MY MAIN MY MAIN COMMENTS.

I MEAN, I CONCUR WITH THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR COMMENTS AS WELL.

I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YOU HAVE COMMENTS TO ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION? NO, I'M KIND OF LISTENING AND GETTING CAUGHT UP.

THANK YOU. I FIRST OF ALL, LIKE THE SUGGESTIONS PUT FORTH PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY INCLUDE SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE TOTALLY INCLUDED.

I MEAN, THEY CAN BE BEGUN AND END WITH THIS FUNDING.

AND THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO ME FOR USING THESE FUNDS.

I ALSO I CONTINUE TO OPPOSE PUTTING ALL $4.5 MILLION INTO ROADS. ABSOLUTELY.

I AM BECOMING MORE CONVINCED THAT 1.5 MILLION OR AS MUCH AS 1.5 MILLION FOR BROADBAND, WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT CAN BE SPENT OR HOW OR WHEN WE WILL LEARN HOW IT CAN BE SPENT.

I AM COMING TO AGREE THAT THAT'S A AN APPROPRIATE APPROACH TO TAKE TO THAT SUGGESTION AND AM OPEN TO THE IDEA OF REDUCING PROBABLY DRAMATICALLY $1.5 MILLION.

I AM NOT QUITE AT LEAVING NOTHING THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE MIGHT NEED OR WHAT WE MIGHT LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT NEED IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. SO AGAIN, I LIKE THE THE WIND SCREEN ELEMENT.

I LIKE THE POWER COTS FOR ALL THE ALL THE REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.

AND I, I TOO AM VERY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF TAKING CONTROL OF THE WHOLE IT UPGRADE, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE AND AS THE MANAGER SUGGESTED, PART OF THE BENEFITS, THE BENEFIT FROM DOING THAT IS THAT IT FREES UP GENERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY COMMITTED TO THAT.

A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND I LIKE THAT STRATEGY FOR GETTING THAT PROJECT COMPLETED.

[00:45:03]

SO THAT'S WHERE I AM AT THIS POINT.

MR. WALSH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE COMMENTS.

INSIGHTFUL AND APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHT THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.

IT'S A BIG DECISION.

SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE BEGIN TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND MAYBE HAVE SOMETHING IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, MAYBE BY JUNE, TO HAVE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THE LOCAL ROADS WILL BE 1.4, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MIGHT NEED UP TO A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR TO COMPLETE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT ANY ROADS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PROMISED.

BUT THE WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE IS WE'VE BEEN PROMISING AND THEN BIDDING IS KIND OF THAT WILL SAVE YOU.

WE'VE BEEN PROMISING AND THEN BIDDING THE PROJECT AND WE'RE GOING TO START BIDDING EARLY ON AND THEN AND THEN MAKING OUR LIST AVAILABLE.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE 1.4 AND THE IT WOULD STAY AT $900.

THE BROADBAND WOULD GO DOWN TO A HALF A MILLION.

AND THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE WOULD BE WE'D BE BUILDING $1,000,000 INTO PATHWAYS AND PROJECTS THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR AND MATCHING FUNDS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AND THAT WOULD BE IF I TAKE THE CONSENSUS OF WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE GROUP.

THAT WOULD BE THE DRAFT LIST RIGHT NOW, UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT.

BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BRING BACK IN THE NEXT 6 TO 8 WEEKS, A LIST LIKE THAT? TRUSTEE WILSON.

CAN'T MENTION THAT THERE ARE SOME SMALLER ITEMS THAT I THINK WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE, AND THAT IS GETTING THE HIGH SPEED SCANNERS FOR THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT SO THOSE HISTORIC RECORDS CAN BE BROUGHT IN.

THAT WOULD BE UPGRADING SO WE COULD HAVE PAPERLESS PERMITTING THAT WOULD BENEFIT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S A $50,000 ASK.

THERE'S SOME THINGS LIKE THAT I REALLY THINK ARE PRACTICAL AND USEFUL AND WOULD BENEFIT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO I CAN SEND THE WISH LIST TO YOU [LAUGHTER].

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE IN OUR DATABASE.

AND IF WE FOLLOW THIS STRATEGY WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY CHANGING THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, WE'RE COMMITTING TO 1 TO 1 AREA OR ANOTHER, THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME OF THESE SMALLER.

AND SO AT SOME POINT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF THERE ARE SMALLER PROJECTS, A SMALLER COSTING PROJECTS THAT YOU ALSO HAVE IN MIND TO BE INCLUDED.

WHETHER THEY AT THIS POINT ADD UP TO WHAT WE OR FIT INTO WHAT WE HAVE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE YEAH, THERE ARE THESE SMALLER PROJECTS.

I KNOW THAT THE MANAGER, ASSISTANT MANAGER AND OTHER STAFF HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THESE IN SMALLER MEETINGS.

AND SO I THINK THIS BOARD COULD GIVE DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER TO SAY IF YOU HAVE HIGH IMPACT, RELATIVELY LOW COST PROJECTS TO BRING FORWARD, THE BOARD SEEMS AMENABLE TO THOSE.

THE IDEA OF HAVING PAPERLESS BUILDING PERMIT APPROVALS WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

ANOTHER ONE THAT MAY NOT BE AS LOW COST AS THAT WOULD, BUT BE A COMPREHENSIVE SCANNING INITIATIVE TO ALLOW US TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PAPER THAT THIS TOWNSHIP IS STORING. SO THOSE ARE JUST TWO THAT COME TO MIND RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

A THIRD, THERE WOULD BE A HIGH IMPACT IN TERMS OF VISIBILITY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST IS THAT WE'VE GOT FURNITURE IN THE CLERKS AREA AND THE AND UTILITY BILL AND THE TREASURER'S AREA THAT'S RIGHT OUT OF 1976 AND IT'S THE FIRST IMPRESSION PEOPLE GET WHEN THEY COME INTO THE BUILDING IS OUR CUBICLES THAT QUALIFY FOR THE HENRY FORD MUSEUM VERY SOON.

AND SO MODEST PROPOSAL FOR NEW FURNITURE OR MORE PRODUCTIVE CUBICLES FOR OUR FIRST FLOOR STAFF THAT GREET THE PUBLIC ALL DAY WOULD, I THINK, BE ONE OF THOSE RELATIVELY LOW COST BUT HIGH IMPACT PROJECTS FROM MY DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, YOU'LL FIND THAT SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF SMALLER PROJECTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WISH LIST FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.

ARE THERE OTHERS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED THAT YOU COULD THINK OF THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER AT THIS TIME? YES.

MR. WALSH? YEAH, MAYBE.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION AND WE'RE MOVING AHEAD, AND THAT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, THE

[00:50:08]

TOP TWO ISSUES HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE BEING MENTIONED ARE WORTHY PROJECTS AND WILL BE CERTAINLY CONSIDERED IN THE BUDGET COMING UP, WHICH STARTS IN JULY.

IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR THE TREASURER TALK ABOUT GOING PAPERLESS BECAUSE OUR OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR TALKED ABOUT THAT IN HER INTERVIEW, HOW SHE REALLY EVERYTHING'S SCANNED IN CHELSEA AND DONE A CERTAIN WAY AND SHE SEE A WAY AHEAD OF SO WE HOPE TO GET THERE WITH WITH BRINGING HER ON THE TEAM AS WELL.

BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WILL BE COMING UP AND BE CONSIDERED IN THE BUDGET COMING UP.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO TOO AND AGAIN, MOVING THINGS AROUND, WE COULD THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS SUGGESTED RIGHT NOW FOR PATHWAYS THAT COULD GO DOWN TO $600,000, WE COULD PUT A $400,000 PLACEHOLDER FOR OTHER ITEMS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

AND THEN WHAT WE COULD DO IS GO BACK AND GATHER.

NOW THAT WE HAVE 80% OF THIS LAID OUT, PERHAPS I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY ASSUMPTIONS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.

TAKE THE $400,000 AND SET IT ASIDE AND THEN GO BACK AND DRAFT ANOTHER LIST OF ALL OF THESE SMALLER ITEMS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT AND OTHERS.

AND HAVE THE DIRECTORS PUT THAT TOGETHER, HAVE DIRECTOR MASSEY PUT THAT TOGETHER AND BRING IT BACK, AND THEN YOU COULD WEIGH OUT, OKAY, WE KNOW WE'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND WE'VE GOT $400,000 SET ASIDE AND THE BOARD THEN COULD SIT, OKAY, WE HAVE A MILLION TO AND REQUEST FOR THESE SMALLER 30 OR $40,000 AND THEN THE BOARD COULD COME TOGETHER AND APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING FOR THAT FOR THE LAST $400,000.

SO WE COULD SET SOMETHING LIKE THAT ASIDE.

AND IN ADDITION, THERE IS ROOM NOW FROM REDUCING THE COMMITMENT TO BROADBAND SET ASIDE WHICH ALSO ADDS TO THAT THOSE, THOSE POSSIBILITIES.

BUT I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT WE COULD I THINK EVERYBODY'S LIST INCLUDED MOST PEOPLE'S LISTS INCLUDED THE IT AND THE ROADS ELEMENTS.

AND THERE SHOULD BE A WAY WE CAN COMMIT PARTIALLY AT LEAST TO THAT BEFORE MOVING ON.

YEAH. YEAH. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AND BEING ABLE TO USE THAT MORE QUICKLY, AS YOU SAID, THE NEED THE NEED EXISTS AS WE SPEAK.

YEAH, THE ONLY CHANGES THAT I HAVE DOWN FROM HERE IS THAT I HAVE THE BROADBAND DOWN TO A HALF A MILLION.

AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD WANTS TO KEEP IT AT THAT LEVEL.

THAT WAS A SUGGESTION, BUT NOT AN AGREEMENT WE HAVE.

RIGHT. I'M JUST TRYING TO. YEAH.

AND THEN SET $600,000 ASIDE FOR PATHWAYS AND RIGHT AWAYS AND $400,000 FOR AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT LIST TO COME.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE JOTTED DOWN SO FAR.

SO IS THERE A WAY I'M ASKING THAT WE CAN ACT ON THE FIRST TWO THE ROADS AND THE IT SUGGESTION MORE QUICKLY THAN 6 TO 8 WEEKS AND LEAVE THE REST TO LATER AS WE MOVE.

ABSOLUTELY. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR, JUST TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED HERE, THE SET ASIDES THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO INCLUDE FOR THE PATHWAYS, THE RIGHT OF WAYS.

MY MEMO HERE SAYS 2 TO $400,000.

BUT YOU HAD MENTIONED $600,000 A COUPLE OF TIMES.

IS THERE A REASON WHY? YEAH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LONG LIST WE HAVE IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ACTUALLY THIS IS ANOTHER THING, ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO ENHANCE UPON. THIS COULD BE THIS COULD BE A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT IN APPEARANCE.

AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT'S GOING TO LEAD THAT.

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT PIE CHARTS AND OTHER THINGS ABOUT OUR FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AND ALL OF THAT WHERE THINGS ARE GOING.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, THERE'S A LOT OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE BROADBAND, FOR ME, THE PLACE WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO WOULD BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND PURCHASES, PATHWAYS, WATER, SEWER, THOSE KIND OF THINGS WHERE WE CAN SPEND $100,000 BUT MAYBE GET TWO OR $300,000 FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE.

IT WAS JUST A NUMBER, RIGHT? THERE'S NOTHING I DIDN'T DO.

TWO PLUS TWO EQUAL FOUR.

AND THEN I JUST PICKED A NUMBER OUT THAT WE COULD SET ASIDE FOR TO START THE DISCUSSION AND THEN TO FOLLOW UP ON THE IT DISCUSSION THAT'S BEEN HAD.

THERE'S $500,000 IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR ALREADY.

[00:55:06]

WE'RE SUGGESTING PUTTING IN $900,000.

IT'S NOT 1.4 MILLION.

THE TOTAL COST. THE TOTAL COST IS $900,000, RIGHT.

AND THE HALF A MILLION. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING TO A FEW MINUTES AGO.

THAT HALF A MILLION THAT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND COULD BE USED IN THE BUDGETING FOR COMING UP IN THE NEXT, WELL, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS THAT YOU COULD DO SOME OF THESE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING.

THIS WAY IT MAKES IT CLEAR LET'S MOVE FORWARD, LET'S GET THE IT DONE.

BUT WE KNOW THERE'S SOME MONEY THAT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND.

IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS.

YEAH. AND I GUESS MY MY QUESTION WOULD BE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME THINGS IN THE AND WE HAVEN'T WE'RE GOING TO GET A PRESENTATION I THINK FROM THE IT ASSESSMENT SHORTLY.

SO NEXT WEEK, NEXT MEETING.

SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD ASK IS I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT BEFORE WE MAKE ANY FINAL DETERMINATIONS ON SPENDING THIS ARP MONEY ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE I'M SURE WITHOUT HAVING READ IT, THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, A1 CRITICAL HAVE TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY TO SHORE UP IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

AND THERE ARE LIKELY SOME THINGS THAT GET US FROM A, YOU KNOW, A B-PLUS TO AN A-MINUS.

AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, WHICH OF THESE THINGS SHOULD WE BE SPENDING THIS ONE TIME MONEY ON? WHICH OF THESE THINGS CAN WE BUDGET FOR THROUGH THE TYPICAL BUDGETING PROCESS? SO I'D JUST LIKE TO HEAR FROM THAT AND HEAR THAT FULL ASSESSMENT AND READ THAT FULL ASSESSMENT BEFORE I HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY, LET'S JUST SCRAP OUR 500 K THAT WE HAD BUDGETED IN HERE FOR THIS, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE WOULD GIVE IT BACK FOR OTHER USE.

BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE TOP PRIORITY THINGS ARE, WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BEFORE WE MAKE ANY IMMEDIATE DECISIONS ON THAT.

YEAH, WE HAD A MEETING WITH BRIGHT LINE, OUR CONSULTANT A WEEK AGO, TREASURER DESCHAINE AND SUPERVISOR JACKSON BOTH ATTENDED THAT AND I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM BUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR IS THAT OUR SYSTEM IS SO ANTIQUATED THAT WE NEED FIREWALL AND SWITCHES AND THOSE THINGS ARE IMMEDIATE AND THEY ARE $900,000 AND NEED TO START YESTERDAY. AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN COMING YEARS TO MAINTAIN AND ALL OF ALL OF THAT AND OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

BUT THOSE THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY FROM WHAT I HEARD AT THE MEETING, THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY IMMEDIATE AND NEED TO START RIGHT AWAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW, DIRECTOR GEBES IS HERE IF YOU WANT.

I KNOW WE'RE BUMPING UP AGAINST 6:00, BUT YEAH, THE 2 SECONDS SUMMARY OF THAT IS THE $700.

THERE'S $700,000 OF THINGS WE NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW RELATED TO EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER $200,000 THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SHORTLY THEREAFTER JUST TO SHORE UP WHERE WE ARE, THAT'S REPLACING SAND DEVICES, SWITCHES, FIREWALLS.

SO ALL $700,000, ALL $900,000 WILL BE SPENT VERY QUICKLY.

AND IT IS TRUE THAT WE GET A WE GET OUR OWN REPORT OF ALL OF THAT [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] THEN WE REALLY DO NEED TO END THIS SECTION OF OUR MEETING.

WE'LL COME BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AT ANOTHER TIME.

BUT AS MR. WALSH WILL TELL YOU, HIS INTENTION WAS TO GET US STARTED ON THE CONVERSATION.

[5A. Introduction of New Full Time Paramedic/Firefighter - Timothy Brighton]

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION WHICH INVOLVES THE INTRODUCTION OF A FULL TIME PARAMEDIC FIREFIGHTER JOINING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I DON'T SEE CHIEF HAMEL IN HERE.

OH, THERE HE IS. ALL RIGHT, CHIEF HAMEL, WE'RE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

WELL, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TIMOTHY BRIGHTON.

TIMOTHY COMES FROM NEAR JACKSON.

HE'S AN EX-MARINE DISCHARGED FROM MARINE HONORABLY AND COMES WITH A VAST AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE.

GREAT ATTITUDE. HE'S ALREADY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE ON THE FIELD THE POSITION WE HAD AT THE TIME.

AND HE'S BEEN A PARAMEDIC FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND A FIREFIGHTER.

AND SO, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM HERE.

AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TIMOTHY.

LIKE CHIEF SAID, MY NAME'S TIMOTHY BRIGHTON.

I'VE BEEN FIRE AND EMS FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS NOW.

I GOT OUT OF MARINE CORPS IN 2013.

I STARTED MY FIRE CAREER, EMS CAREER ON APRIL OF 2013 DOWN IN NEW MEXICO, WHERE WE DID A WILDLAND STRUCTURE DIVE RESCUE, HAZMAT, CAVE RESCUE, ALL THE RESCUES.

AND THEN BACK IN 18, ME, MY WIFE DECIDED IT'S TIME TO MOVE HOME.

I MOVED UP HERE I STARTED WORKING FOR READING EMERGENCY UNIT UNTIL I GOT A JOB UP HERE WITH MERIDIAN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

[01:00:05]

I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND INTRODUCE MYSELF, AND I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

CAN WE CLAP FOR THAT? YES. [APPLAUSE] WELCOME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WELCOME ABOARD

[6. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDAITEMS]

ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AT LEAST TWO TONIGHT THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE THREE BECAUSE WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

CITIZENS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE AGENDA NON AGENDA ITEMS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AS WELL AS NEAR THE END.

INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN FORM LOCATED NEAR THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND PRESENT THE CAD TO THE BOARD'S SECRETARY AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

SUPERVISOR WILL CALL UPON INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE GREEN FORM TO SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.

WHILE I FINISHED READING THIS, MS. I HAVE ONE GREEN FORM AND IT'S FOR MR. NEIL BOWLBY. CITIZENS ARE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES.

A TIMEKEEPER WILL COMMUNICATE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ADDRESSING THE BOARD.

THE BOARD HIGHLY VALUES PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT.

HOWEVER, THE BOARD MEETING FORMAT IS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE EVENING'S AGENDA AND THEREFORE RESTRICTS BOARD MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH SPEAKERS OR IMMEDIATELY RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY THE BOARD LATER IN THE AGENDA AND OR MAYBE ASSIGNED TO FOLLOW UP BY THE BOARD OR THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AT A LATER DATE . TO FOSTER THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE BOARD'S BUSINESS.

ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM RUDE OR DISCOURTEOUS BEHAVIOR.

ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD, NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE.

AND FINALLY, THE MEETING IS A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF THE TOWNSHIP, HELD IN PUBLIC FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

IT IS NOT A MEETING OF THE PUBLIC.

PLEASE LIMIT COMMENTS TO THE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA AGENDA TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.

MR. BOWLBY WELCOME.

THANK YOU, NEIL BOWLBY, 6020 BEACHWOOD IN HASLETT.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE TWO NEW TRUSTEES, TRUSTEE WILSON.

I MISREAD THE TIME FOR THE START OF THE MEETING, SO I MISSED THE PRESENTATION, BUT I DID COME IN AT THE END AT A PART WHERE IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE INTENDING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT FOR THE BROADBAND IMPROVEMENTS.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE REMEMBER, A THIRD OF THE TOWNSHIP IS RURAL AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS OR CAN'T AFFORD READY ACCESS TO BROADBAND SERVICES.

REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU DO ALLOCATE TO THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT, BUT IT WAS GOING TO BE TO ENHANCE THE INGHAM COUNTY PROGRAM.

I WOULD ONLY ASK THAT IT BE SPENT, THAT THAT MONEY BE SPENT WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, THAT IT NOT JUST BE PUT INTO SOME SLUSH FUND, THAT THE COUNTY DECIDES WHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE MONEY IN, WE SHOULD GET THE MONEY BACK.

SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO THANK DIRECTOR OPSOMMER MEANT TO SAY THIS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, BUT SOMETHING CAME UP.

I WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE FOR BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT SAFEGUARDING TOWNSHIP ASSETS REGARDING RIGHTS OF WAY AND UTILITY COMPANIES OR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO TOWNSHIP PROPERTY, AND I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE INDEMNIFIED. THE LAST THING IS KIND OF AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT'S A LITTLE ON A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TOPIC, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT I CALL RESIDENTIAL CREEP IN MUPUDS.

SO THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PROJECT.

WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED AND PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WAS ABOUT 23% OF COMMERCIAL RETAIL.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVED 17.9%, AND THEN IN A LATER MINOR AMENDMENT, I THINK IT SHRUNK TO 8.6% AND

[01:05:05]

NOW IT'S DOWN TO 8.5%.

THE WHOLE PROJECT HAS BEEN REDUCED IN SIZE AND THE COMMERCIAL IS ONLY 8.5%.

IT DOESN'T REALLY SOUND LIKE A MIXED USE FACILITY TO ME.

COMMUNITY. THE OTHER THING THAT THIS BRINGS UP, IT HAS DIRECTLY TIES INTO THE REQUEST TO THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND, AND IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THOSE FUNDS MAY BE MAY BE RECOVERED THROUGH THE TIF FINANCING.

AND I WONDER WHETHER THAT TIF PROGRAM OR THE AMOUNTS THAT THE TOWNS THAT THE DEVELOPER CAN USE NEED TO BE ADJUSTED BASED ON THE REDUCTION AND THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT.

THAT'S GOING TO MEAN LESS PROPERTY VALUE.

AND THEREFORE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIF FUNDING AVAILABLE NEED TO BE REDUCED PROPORTIONALLY BECAUSE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AS MUCH INCREASE IN TAX REVENUE. AND IF I COULD JUST HAVE TWO MORE SECONDS, I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY OUT OF ORDER COMMENTS A FEW MEETINGS AGO AFTER THE MANAGER EXPLAINED HIS REASONING FOR CHOOSING DIRECTOR OPSOMMER FOR THE POSITION.

I WAS SITTING THERE AND YELLED SOMETHING OUT AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE AND I'M SORRY.

THE SECOND GREEN CARD IS FROM JOE [INAUDIBLE], VERY GOOD.

THANKS. REALLY.

IT'S IN A WAY, I GUESS, I HOPE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY WITH MY MASK ON.

YES. SO OUR FAMILY'S BEEN LIFELONG RESIDENTS FOR ABOUT 65 YEARS, AND I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FIRST.

YEAH, SURE. IT'S JOE AND A LONG LAST NAME ZENAWAGUS.

AND I'M AT 4397 OKEMOS ROAD IN OKEMOS, SO ABOUT A MILE FROM HERE.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING ON THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.

I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS THAT PERHAPS YOU CAN ANSWER IT AT ANOTHER BOARD MEETING OR LATER ON IN THIS ONE.

BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW IT AS CLOSELY AS I'D LIKE.

BUT I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE ASKING FOR ABOUT $17.2 MILLION IN PUBLIC FUNDS, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH MITIGATION FOR PAST POLLUTION OR FROM THE THE $2.4 MILLION.

I THINK THEY'RE ASKING FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY PERIOD, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE TAX PAYERS AT A FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL.

AND I REMEMBER DOUGLAS J AND WE KIND OF GOT DOUGLAS J FOR ABOUT TEN, TEN YEARS OF JUST DESTROYED DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE DECIDED NOT TO CAVE IN TO THEIR DEMANDS FOR EXTORTING.

IT WAS ABOUT $1 MILLION.

AND YOU'LL KNOW BETTER THAN ME, YOU KNOW THE HISTORY BECAUSE I WASN'T AROUND AS MUCH BACK AT THAT TIME, BUT WE'VE KIND OF SUFFERED WITH THAT.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING, WHAT IS WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE AMOUNT OF TAX LIABILITY WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE AS CITIZENS HERE IN OKEMOS FOR THE $17.2 MILLION, WHETHER IT COMES THROUGH LOCAL TAXES OR OTHER TAXES? TWO WERE YOU BLINDSIDED BY THIS DEVELOPER? IT WAS THIS JUST COMING OUT OF THE BLUE BECAUSE THAT'S SEEMS WHAT THE REPORTING INDICATED IN THE NEWS WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW.

AND THEN THREE, WHAT ARE YOU LEANING TOWARDS? IS IT REALLY WORTH THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL SPACE IS A HALF OF IT'S EMPTY IN OKEMOS AND EAST LANSING HASN'T FILLED THERE SIMILAR TYPE BUILDINGS.

SO I NEED TO LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT ABOUT IT.

AND I'M LOOKING FOR ANYTHING YOU HAVE THAT YOU'LL OFFER MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE DONE.

BUT I JUST HAD SOME CONCERNS.

THANK YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH.

OKAY. MR. BOWLBY I PRESUME THE OTHER IS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? YOU'LL GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YES. DICK COMAR, 4168 WABANINGO IN OKEMOS.

I'M JUST MAKING SOME COMMENTS.

FAVOR. NOT FAVOR.

POSITIVE ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON.

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.

HE HAD THIS BUMP AND THEY SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE BUMP? OH, I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD IT.

WELL, AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT SECTION DOWN THERE, AND IF YOU LOOK UP, YOU SEE SOME ALL KINDS OF TELEPHONE POLES AND POWER LINES.

NOW YOU ALL BE LOOKING.

NOW, SEE? BUT DIDN'T MENTION YOU WOULDN'T BE LOOKING.

BUT NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT.

AND IT'S QUITE A TRAVESTY UP THERE TO HAVE ALL THOSE POLES AND EVERYTHING.

AND SO I JUST I KNOW YOU BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE AND IT WAS TOO MUCH MONEY TO HAVE DONE, BUT I

[01:10:07]

MIGHT RECOMMEND THAT MAYBE YOU'D HAVE A SINKING FUND THAT WHEN YOU THROW THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AROUND, YOU CAN PUT A LITTLE BIT OVER THERE.

MAYBE SOMEDAY THAT WOULD HAPPEN THAT YOU'D CLEAR THOSE POLES OUT OF THERE AND MAKE IT A CLEAN LOOK.

THIS IS A WOULD BE A SPECIAL PLACE.

OKEMOS AND JUST TO GET RID OF THE POWER LINES, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY PICK UP THE VIEW OF IT.

SO SORRY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT IT, BUT IT'S IT'S THERE.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX.

I'M SORRY. ITEM SEVEN TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.

[7. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND AGAIN, WELCOME.

MY FIRST MEETING WITH TRUSTEE HENRICKSON AND TRUSTEE WILSON, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ABOARD.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE HERE EARLIER, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FOR THE LAST HOUR ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.

IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.

THE TOWNSHIP'S GOING TO RECEIVE ABOUT FOUR AND ONE HALF DOLLARS.

WE HAVE HALF OF THAT ALREADY.

AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED BY THE BOARD.

TOMORROW IS AN IMPORTANT DAY.

IT'S ADMINISTRATIVE, PROFESSIONAL DAY.

IT'S WHERE WE THANK THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

AND WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THAT THURSDAY AT NOON.

BRIGHT LINE, IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO OUR IT SYSTEM, BRIGHT LINE IS THE CONSULTANT THAT WE'RE USING.

THEY'RE OUT OF BRIGHTON AND THEY'LL BE HERE NEXT MEETING, MAY 3RD I GUESS IS A WEEK AWAY AT 6:00 TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

AND THEY'RE COMPLETE PURVIEW OF OUR IT SYSTEM.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, IT'LL BE AVAILABLE.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO CITIZENS, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THIS TO THE BOARD.

I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO MR. BOWLBY FOR NINE YEARS NOW AND HIS COMMENTS, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM AND I APPRECIATE HIS COMMENTS AND THERE'S NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO CITIZENS.

LIBRARIES, LIBRARY DIRECTORS, BOTH OF THEM OKEMOS AND HASLETT WILL BE HERE ALSO AT YOUR NEXT MEETING WITH BRIGHT LINE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES AT THE LIBRARIES.

AND ALSO IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF THE DANIELS DRAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GONE ON TO THAT.

AND I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO MR. OPSOMMER AND OUR TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHERS [INAUDIBLE] A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO TAKING A DIFFERENT LOOK AT THE DANIELS DRAIN ASSESSMENTS AND ALL THAT INFORMATION WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU NEXT WEEK.

SO MAY 3RD IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING EVENING FOR FOR ALL OF US AND FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY IN MY MIND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTION.

OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR DECIDED TO LEAVE US AFTER SIX YEARS AND TAKE ANOTHER POSITION.

AND WE WISH HER WELL IN THAT.

AND OVER THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE BEEN HANDLING OUR RECRUITMENT, WHICH HAS INVOLVED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT TRYING TO BRING IN A NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR.

AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF GOALS.

AND ONE OF THOSE WAS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO HAD AN ACCOUNTING DEGREE, SOMEONE WHO LIVED LOCALLY, SOMEONE WHO HAD TIES TO THE AREA.

AND IF REALLY IF WE COULD FIND A CPA, THAT WOULD REALLY BE THE THE CROWNING JEWEL OF OUR OF OUR RESEARCH, OUR RECRUITMENT.

AND TONIGHT, I INTRODUCED AMANDA.

COULD YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM WHERE MR. BOWLBY JUST WAS JUST.

AMANDA GARBER. AMANDA COMES TO US.

SHE'LL BE JOINING US IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.

SHE COMES TO US FROM THE CITY OF CHELSEA, WHERE SHE'S CURRENTLY ACTUALLY THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.

SHE'S HER JOB.

BEFORE SHE TOOK OVER THAT ROLE A MONTH AGO OR TWO MONTHS AGO, WAS THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES FINANCE AND ASSESSING AND A BUNCH OF DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU OVERSEE THERE.

AMANDA WILL BE JOINING US AS THE NEW DIRECTOR ON THE 16TH OF THIS MONTH, BUT WE'LL BE WORKING HALF AND HALF FOR A WHILE BETWEEN AS WE SHE ADJUSTS TO CHELSEA, SAYING GOODBYE TO CHELSEA, AND HERE SHE'S GOING TO BE DOING WORK IN BETWEEN FOR A FEW WEEKS UNTIL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOOD FOR THEM AND GOOD FOR US.

RIGHT. AND SO SPOUSE IS FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND UNDERGRAD AND GRADUATE MASTER'S AND BACHELOR'S FROM MICHIGAN STATE IN ACCOUNTING, A CPA.

SO WE ARE JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS EVENING.

YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR TEAM AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF OR I'M JUST REALLY WE'RE REALLY THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SO IT'S ALL YOURS, AMANDA.

HI, I'M AMANDA GARBER.

AS FRANK SAID, I CURRENTLY WORK IN THE CITY OF CHELSEA, BUT I ACTUALLY LIVE IN DEL HYDE TOWNSHIP, AND MY HUSBAND GREW UP AND GRADUATED FROM HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WE HAVE A HUGE TIE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, AS WELL AS GOING TO MICHIGAN STATE AND CONSTANTLY VISITING THE TOWNSHIP.

[01:15:03]

AND I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY AND EXCITED TO BE HERE.

YOU MENTIONED DURING YOUR INTERVIEW AND IT CAME UP A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE ART FUNDING FROM THE TREASURER.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE DIGITIZING OR SCANNING DOCUMENTS.

COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING? AND CHUCK, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN CHELSEA IN THAT REGARD? YEAH, SO I STARTED IN CHELSEA A LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS AGO.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PAPERS FLOATING AROUND, BINDERS, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

WE HAD FILING CABINETS OF INVOICES FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I GOT THERE.

AS WE STARTED SCANNING ALL THE INVOICES, ATTACHING THEM OBVIOUS AND A MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND THINGS.

I'VE ALSO DONE THAT IN THE ACCOUNTING SIDE AS WELL, WITH JOURNAL ENTRY SUPPORT, ATTACHING THAT INTO BELZONI AND JUST TRYING TO SCAN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

GREAT, GREAT.

WELL, AND ALSO PREVIOUS TO YOUR FOUR YEARS IN CHELSEA, YOU WERE ACTUALLY WITH AN AUDITOR.

SO YOU'RE AN AUDITOR, RIGHT, AS WELL? YES, I'M A FORMER AUDITOR AS WELL.

I DID THAT FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AND MY AUDITING SPECIALTY WAS GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND NONPROFITS.

SO SHE BRINGS JUST A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE WITH BS AND A AS WELL OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM SOFTWARE.

AND IN ADDITION, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU SHE HAS STARTED AS A PART TIME EMPLOYEE IMMEDIATELY LIKE YESTERDAY BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR AUDIT AND WE CANNOT JUST ALLOW YO AND YO TO OPERATE THE AUDIT WITHOUT THE CHECKS AND BALANCE.

HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE THAT CAN CAN HANDLE THAT FOR THAT VERY IMPORTANT TASK.

SO PART TIME WE'VE WORKED OUT WITH CHELSEA FOR HER TO BE PART TIME NOW AND HANDLE OUR AUDITING BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND YO AND YO.

AND SO BECAUSE WE'RE IN A CRITICAL PLACE RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THAT FINISHED BY JUNE, SO IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT FOR ALL OF US.

AND I JUST CAN'T SAY HOW EXCITED I AM TO HAVE YOU HERE.

[APPLAUSE] SO. YEAH, THANK YOU.

YOU. THANK YOU, AMANDA.

AND WELCOME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THANK YOU. I THINK YOU MADE A SLIGHT SLIP WHEN YOU SAID THIS MONTH ON THE 16TH.

YOU MEANT NEXT MONTH? NEXT MONTH ON THE 16TH, THOUGH? AND IN REALITY, IS THIS MONTH? YES. I'M JUST SO EXCITED.

IT COULD BE TOMORROW.

YEAH. SO THANKS, AMANDA.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND WORKING WITH YOU.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

ITEM EIGHT IS BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]

I'M ACTUALLY OUT OF THE OFFICE MOST OF THIS WEEK ATTENDING OR BEING CERTIFIED BY THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL TREASURER'S ASSOCIATION IN MOUNT PLEASANT.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

AND BY THE END OF THE WEEK I WILL BE A CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL TREASURER.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, BEEN DONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT WITH THE PANDEMIC IT GOT PUT OFF.

IT'S A THREE YEAR LONG PROCESS AND I'M HONORED TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR CERTIFICATION.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE MANAGER BACK AT THE BOARD TABLE AGAIN.

AND CONGRATS. THANK YOU.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS. ANOTHER EXCELLENT HIRE.

I THINK ONE OF THE MOST BENEFICIAL THINGS YOU BROUGHT TO THE BOARD IS THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT TOP NOTCH TALENT AND TO KEEP THEM HERE AS A PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM.

AND IT'S BEEN A REASON FOR OUR SUCCESSES ABOARD BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL TEAM HERE AT MERIDIAN.

SPEAKING OF THAT, YOU MADE A HIRE ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO THAT WAS A BIT CONTROVERSIAL.

AND BECAUSE OUR DEPUTY MANAGER DID NOT HAVE THE QUOTE ENGINEERING THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE HAD.

WE GOT AN EMAIL TODAY TO THE BOARD I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH MY AS MY BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS FROM MICHAEL ZAVALDO SENT TO DAN, COPIED [INAUDIBLE] AND THE BOARD. AND IT REALLY SPEAKS WELL TO THE TALENT THAT YOU'VE ATTRACTED HERE.

GOOD MORNING. DAN. GOT OUR NEW DRAIN ASSESSMENT AMOUNT YESTERDAY.

REALLY PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR ME AND MY NEIGHBORS.

YOUR LETTER WAS EXCELLENT.

IT WAS A VERY GOOD SUMMARY, AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASSESSMENT, DERIVATION AND PROJECT RELATED EXPENSES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND COSTS.

IT'S NICE KNOWING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THE TOWNSHIP STAFF LISTEN AND ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERN AND COMMENTS OF OUR RESIDENTS.

ONE LAST REQUEST COULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL, A PDF FILE OF THE LATEST AND GREATEST ASSESSMENT RULE AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS.

JUST FOR MY CURIOSITY.

MANAGER WALSH, YOU MISSED THAT MARATHON MEETING WE HAD TWO WEEKS AGO, WE WERE HERE ALMOST TO 11 OK, AND WE GOT BEAT UP PRETTY BAD BY A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE REALLY UPSET BY THAT DANIELS DRAIN MESS THAT THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER DUMPED ON US.

AND YOU'RE YOU'RE HIRING DAN OPSOMMER THE ASSISTANT MANAGER.

DAN JUMPED TO THIS IMMEDIATELY AND WENT BACK.

WE WORK SOME OF THE FORMULAS AND GOTTEN A NEW ASSESSMENT ROLE TO THE TO THE RESIDENTS.

SO WE'VE TURNED THE SITUATION AROUND 180 DEGREES DUE TO THE GOOD STAFF WORK IN THIS CASE, GOOD WORK LED BY DAN AND [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHERS.

[01:20:07]

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ABILITY TO RETAIN GREAT TALENT AND THANK YOU, DAN, FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.

THE MEETING NEXT WEEK STILL COULD BE CONTENTIOUS AND THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE SOME PEOPLE UPSET, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE REASONABLE MEETING THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE GOOD STAFF WORK THAT WE'VE HAD.

SO THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[9. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

THE AGENDA HAS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.

PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. OPPOSE.

NO. THE CHAIR VOTES YES AS WELL AND WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA TO SET

[10. CONSENT AGENDA]

AGENDA INCLUDES COMMUNICATIONS.

I THINK UPDATED TO AS LATE AS THIS AFTERNOON.

MINUTES OF FROM OUR APRIL 12, 2022 REGULAR MEETING.

THE BILLS, MANAGER'S BILLS FIRST QUARTER TRUST TREASURERS, INVESTMENT REPORT AND RE-APPOINTMENTS TO THE LAKE LANCING ADVISORY BOARD.

I MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

CLERK GUTHRIE SUPPORTS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WRITTEN.

ALL IN FAVOR. SAY YES.

YES. I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY. YES, MUST, I GOT GREAT INSTRUCTIONS THIS AFTERNOON.

THIS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MUST BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES SIX-ZERO.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY THIS EVENING.

AND SO ITEM 12 BRINGS US TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

[12A. Village of Okemos LLC, Meridian Redevelopment Fund Request No. 2]

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, LLC, MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

REQUEST NUMBER TWO.

[INAUDIBLE] DO I ENTER NOW? YES. WE WILL HAVE AN INTRODUCTION TO THIS.

WELL, FIRST, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I MUST FIRST OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THE TIME IS 6:25 AND WE WILL BEGIN BY A PRESENTATION OF THE ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD AT THIS TIME FROM DIRECTOR CLARK.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE, WE WILL OPEN OUR FLOOR UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COMMENTING IN PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU WOULD FILL OUT A YELLOW ONE OF THESE FORMS SO THAT WE CAN CALL ON YOU WHEN WE COME TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

MS. CLARK.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.

I'M SORRY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.

WE ARE HERE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, LLC, MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

REQUEST NUMBER TWO, THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS DEVELOPMENT TEAM DID RECEIVE A SMALL REDEVELOPMENT FUND REQUEST IN 2021 AS A PART OF THE RESTORATION OF THE DEMOLITION FOR TAKING DOWN THE BUILDINGS IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHY THE REQUEST IS NUMBER TWO FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT.

NOW, THIS MEETING THIS EVENING IS TO ALLOW FOR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS LLC'S REQUEST FOR THE USE OF FUNDING TOWARD PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON CLINTON, ARDMORE, HAMILTON AND METHODIST STREETS.

THESE ARE THE FOUR STREETS THAT SURROUND THE PROJECT TO BLOCK DEVELOPMENT.

NOW, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOT TO EXCEED A SUPPORT OF $1.25 MILLION FOR THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ITS WATER, SEWER AND MILL AND REPAVE OF THOSE FOUR STREETS INDICATED.

THE HISTORY IS AS SHOWN IN THE MEMO, THE DEVELOPER DID SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR 3.3 ALMOST $3.4 MILLION FOR THIS INTENDED

[01:25:02]

USE. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPUTY MANAGER AND WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TIM SCHMITT AS A TEAM, WE BELIEVED THAT THE REQUEST WAS QUITE LARGE $3.3 MILLION FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY.

SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS ALLUDED TO THAT.

THERE MAY BE SOME ITEMS AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COULD JUST BE REPLACED THAT MAY NOT NEED A FULL REPLACEMENT.

IT JUST DEPENDED ON THE HISTORY AND THE AGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, KNOWING THAT THIS 1.25 MILLION IS A PART OF A MATCH GRANT SUPPORT FOR THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

THE REASON FOR THE FUNDING REQUEST AT THIS TIME IS TO GET THAT APPROVED FROM THIS BOARD AND TO GO TO THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WITH THE LOCAL MATCH FOR THE REVITALIZATION AND PLACEMAKING GRANT AND THEIR CRP.

SO THE EDC LIKES TO SEE THE LOCALS IN FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IN SUPPORT OF A VERTICAL MIX PROJECT LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE PROPOSED.

SO THAT IS WHY WE WERE BRINGING THE REQUEST TO YOU TODAY FOR THE 1.25 IN SUPPORT OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE HISTORY OF THE APPROVALS BEGAN WITH A REQUEST SUBMITTED FROM THE DEVELOPER AND OUR INTERNAL REVIEW OF THAT REQUEST WAS COMPLETE.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD CREATED A SUBCOMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR OF THE MERIDIAN EDC AND TWO MEMBERS OF YOUR BOARD.

THEY MET MARCH 1ST AND REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE 1.25 MILLION REQUEST AS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL EDC BODY.

THAT BODY MET MARCH 3RD AND DID GIVE A FULL RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR AT THE MARCH 15TH MEETING, BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD HAVE TO PASS A RESOLUTION EMPOWERING THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS, AND IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION TO GET TO THAT POINT FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO UNDERLINE THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS, THE PAYMENT AND SCHEDULE IN RELATION TO THE PROJECT, SO THAT WE KNOW WHEN THE PROJECT WILL START, WHEN THOSE FUNDS WILL BE ROLLED OUT AND HOW THEY WILL BE ISSUED.

LEGAL NOTICE WAS SUBMITTED AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU. SO MR. BOWLBY IS THE ONLY YELLOW CARD I HAVE TO COMMENT ON IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE.

NEIL BOWLBY, 6020 BEECHWOOD IN HASLETT.

I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS SORT OF THING.

THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND WAS INITIATED AND DESIGNED FOR JUST THIS KIND OF THING.

MY CONCERNS, THOUGH, ARE WITH WHETHER THE TOWNSHIP, WHETHER THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND OR HOW THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS.

IT WASN'T GUARANTEED.

IT WAS KIND OF UP IN THE AIR.

THAT TOWNSHIP MAY BE ABLE TO RECOVER TIFF FUNDS TO REPAY THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

AND THE PROJECT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS.

I MEAN, IT WAS ANNOUNCED PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WAS WHEN WE HAD THAT BIG THING DOWN THERE WITH THE TENT AND ALL THAT.

YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT, RIGHT? AND THAT WAS A GREAT PROJECT AND WENT THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, FEW CHANGES BY THE BOARD.

THERE WERE A LOT OF CITIZEN OBJECTIONS TO IT.

THE COMMENT WAS SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.

AND NOW IT'S HOW MANY YEARS LATER? AND THERE'S STILL BASICALLY NOTHING.

WE REALLY NEED THIS KIND OF A PROJECT DOWN THERE AND I SUPPORT THE TOWNSHIP DOING ALL IT CAN TO SUPPORT IT.

BUT TAXPAYERS NEED TO GET VALUE FOR THEIR MONEY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO TO WORK INTO IT, SOME SORT OF A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE, BECAUSE YOU MAY PUT UP THIS MONEY AND THEY MAY DO ALL OF THAT WORK AND THEN PACK UP AND LEAVE LIKE THE FIRST DEVELOPER DID.

SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT AND ANOTHER QUESTION IS IF IT IS GOING TO COME FROM THE TIFF FUNDS ONCE THE PROJECT GETS BUILT, KEEPING IN MIND THE DEVALUATION NOW OF THE PROPERTY WITH THE SMALLER SIZE OF THE PROJECT, HOW MUCH OF THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? WHO ACTUALLY HAS TO GET THAT MONEY? CAN THE TOWNSHIP PETITION THE DDA OR ASK THE DDA? AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE DDA IS IN CHARGE OF PUTTING OUT THE MONIES.

CAN THE TOWNSHIP DO THAT OR DOES THE DEVELOPER HAVE TO DO THAT? AND IF IT'S THE DEVELOPER THAT HAS TO DO THAT, THEN YOU SHOULD BUILD IN SOME SORT OF A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE THAT IF THEY PACK UP AND LEAVE, THE TOWNSHIP GETS THEIR MONEY BACK.

[01:30:09]

AND I GUESS THAT WAS THE ONLY THE MAIN QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW IS THE TOWNSHIP GOING TO GET ITS MONEY BACK, IF AT ALL? THANKS. THE SECOND FORM I HAVE IT'S FROM JOE [INAUDIBLE] WAS I KNOW I DIDN'T DO IT AS WELL FOR THE SECOND TIME.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE NAMES AND IT'S MISSING THREE LETTERS.

GO FIGURE. SO, JOE [INAUDIBLE] 4397 OKEMOS ROAD.

AND I CAN'T KEEP A THOUGHT IN MY HEAD AT THIS AGE.

SO JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS.

I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FINANCING OF IT.

AND I WANT TO KNOW, IS THERE A COMMITMENT? I KNOW THERE'S 32,000 FEET.

I'M MAKING THIS NUMBER UP, BUT IT SOUNDS GOOD OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.

DO THEY HAVE TENANTS COMMITTED TO IT? I KNOW THEY MENTIONED A SALON AND PERHAPS A RESTAURANT AND SO ON, WHICH OF COURSE THERE'S A SALON RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AND THERE'S A BARBER SHOP RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET THERE.

AND WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IS ABOUT A MILLION RESTAURANTS AND BUDDY'S PIZZA CAME IN.

AND SO ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A VACANT BOTTOM OF THIS, THESE HOTEL LIKE LOOKING APARTMENTS LIKE THEY HAVE IN EAST LANSING, WHICH ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED? ALL THOSE PROPERTIES IN EAST LANSING, IF YOU LOOK, ARE STILL SOMEWHAT VACANT ON THE BOTTOM.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT KIND OF BIZARRE LOOKING THING WITH JUST THESE EMPTY BOTTOMS OF BLANK WALL, BLANK WINDOWS AND NOTHING IN THEM.

AND THAT'S A BIG CONCERN. SO HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE OVERALL PROJECT? ONCE THAT COMES IN, AND THEY CAN'T LOCATE BUSINESSES THERE.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, LET'S SAY JUST FOR GRINS, THERE IS NOTHING THERE AND THERE'S 200 APARTMENTS AND THOSE ARE FILLED.

IF YOU LOOK AT $17.2 MILLION.

AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE A LOT BETTER AT MATH THAN ME BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LOT LONGER.

BUT AS TAXPAYERS WOULD BE SUBSIDIZING EACH APARTMENT BY ABOUT 86,000 OF OUR MONEY THAT THE DEVELOPER'S ASKING FOR NOW, WHETHER WE'RE GIVING IT TO THEM OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT THAT'S MY KIND OF GOOFY MATH ON JUST THOSE 200 UNITS ALONE.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO COST MICHIGAN TAXPAYERS TO SUBSIDIZE EACH APARTMENT $86,000.

SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT FIGURE OUT.

I WONDER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT AND IS IT REALLY WORTH DOING? IS IT WORTH DOING THIS PROJECT AT THAT RATE, HOW IS IT GOING TO RAISE OUR TAXES? AND WE'D BE BETTER OFF HAVING LIKE A SHANE PARK TYPE OF THING IN BIRMINGHAM WHERE THERE'S ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND RETHINKING HOW OUR MONEY IS BEST SPENT.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

WE'RE OPEN FOR OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE.

HE'S NOT GOING TO COMMENT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTERS PARTICIPANTS IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PART ON THIS ISSUE, WE WILL CLOSE THE.

WELL, SO THE QUESTION TO ME IS IF I'D LIKE FOR THE DEVELOPERS TWO WHOM ARE HERE TONIGHT, MAKE COMMENTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO IT AT THIS TIME, NOT AT THIS TIME FOR DISCUSSION.

WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME UP. OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO WE WILL CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:36 AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS OUR ACTION ITEMS. MR. SCHMIDT IS READY TONIGHT, AND THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL HEAR ABOUT FROM MR.

[13A. Rezoning 21-060 – 2260 Jolly Oak Drive – PO to C-2 – Introduction]

SMITH IS REZONING NUMBER 21-060 2260 JOLLY OAK DRIVE REZONING FROM PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO C2.

AND WE'RE AT THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF THE REZONING REQUESTS.

ABSOLUTELY, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

PLEASE PROCEED. I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

THE BOARD TOOK THIS UP AT THEIR LAST MEETING, HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS.

THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU IS TO REZONE THE ONE ACRE PARCEL AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF OKEMOS ROAD AND JOLLY OAK DRIVE FROM PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO C2.

THIS WOULD ALLOW [INAUDIBLE] TO MOVE THERE INTO THAT BUILDING AFTER MAKING THE RENOVATIONS.

THEY ARE NOT HERE THIS EVENING.

I GAVE THEM THE NIGHT OFF. I TOLD THEM IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE HERE FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION AFTER THE LONG MEETING THEY HAD LAST TIME, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE

[01:35:02]

BOARD MIGHT STILL HAVE ON THIS MATTER.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION IN OUR PACKET TO APPROVE.

I AM OPEN TO CLERK GUTHRIE.

MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION REZONING NUMBER 21060 TO REZONE THE APPROXIMATELY ONE ACRE PARCEL LOCATED AT 2260 JOLLY OAK DRIVE FROM PL PROFESSIONAL AND OFFICE TO C TO COMMERCIAL SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

WOULD YOU. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR MOTION? SURE. BECKY [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING LOCAL BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY HAS PROVIDED EXCELLENT SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WELL ESTABLISHED, WELL KNOWN, WELL RESPECTED.

THE USE PROPOSED HERE TO PURCHASE CORRECT TO CORRECT TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AS OPPOSED TO LEASING.

SHE'S LEASED WHERE SHE'S CURRENTLY AT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND PROBABLY HAS.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO IMAGINE HOW MUCH MONEY SHE'S PUT INTO LEASING.

AND SO I'M SURE THAT THIS IS A MUCH BETTER INVESTMENT FOR HER COMPANY.

AND I THINK THIS BOARD IS SUPPORTIVE OF LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING THEIR ENDEAVORS.

AND I THINK THIS WILL BE AN EXCELLENT AND BETTER USE OF SPACE FOR HER CURRENT BUSINESS AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY THERE RIGHT NOW.

TRUSTEE WILSON. FROM A LOGICAL STANDPOINT, THIS MAKES SENSE THERE'S C@ IMMEDIATELY SOUTH AND THERE'S C2 THE WEST.

THIS IS NOT ENCROACHING ON ANY NEIGHBORHOODS.

THIS ISN'T A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID THUS FAR.

AND I'LL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWS THIS AREA AS COMMERCIAL AS WELL.

SO I'LL BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT, MR. DESHAWN, I, TOO, WILL SUPPORT THIS.

AND THE FIRST THING THAT STUCK OUT MY REVIEWING OF THIS MOTION WAS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE IT FOLLOWING A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT.

AND AS TRUSTEE WILSON POINTED OUT THERE'S C@ TO ALL AROUND HERE, IT MAKES SENSE TO MOVE THIS FROM PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO COMMERCIAL TOO.

I WOULD JUST ADD THAT NOTE THAT THIS IS VERY CLOSE TO WHERE HER CURRENT BUSINESS IS. AND SO I APPLAUD HER INTEREST IN STAYING IN FIRST MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN THE SAME AREA THAT APPARENTLY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR HER TO THIS POINT.

AND SO I, OF COURSE, WILL ALSO BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION.

NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION REZONING NUMBER 210060 REZONING APPROXIMATELY ONE ACRE PARCEL AT 2260 JOLLY OAK DRIVE FROM PROFESSIONAL OFFICE OR PROFESSIONAL AND OFFICE TO C2 COMMERCIAL ROLL CALL VOTE.

MOTION CARRIED SIX-ZERO.

THANK YOU, MR. SCHMIDT. WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 13 B, ORDINANCE

[13B. Ordinance 2022-02 – Zoning Board Of Appeals Standards for Review – Introduction]

NUMBER 2022-02.

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS STANDARDS FOR REVIEW.

THIS IS ALSO AN INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE CHANGE.

ABSOLUTELY, MADAM SUPERVISOR, THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN REVIEWED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

NO MAJOR CONCERNS WERE RAISED.

THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS LOOKS FORWARD TO PUTTING THESE STANDARDS OF REVIEW INTO PLAY SHOULD THE BOARD CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ORDINANCE.

I WILL NOTE THE ONLY CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN RAISED WITH THIS ORDINANCE THROUGHOUT ITS PROCESS WAS ACTUALLY A CONCERN WITH THE STATE LAW, AND WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT.

SO WE'VE MOVED ON WITH THAT LANGUAGE CONTINUING TO BE IN THERE.

COMMISSIONER PREMOE BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD POINT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT IT IS DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE LAW, SO WE COULD NOT MAKE THAT CHANGE FOR HIM.

[01:40:02]

OTHERWISE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MAJOR CONCERNS RAISED AS A RESULT OF THIS ORDINANCE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING IT.

I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION ZONING AMENDMENT NUMBER 2022-02 TO AMEND SECTION 86 TO 2 TO ONE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP MERIDIAN ZONING CODE, AN ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS STANDARDS OF REVIEW.

SUPPORT. SUPPORT BY TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE ZBA.

IT'S MY THIRD TIME ON THAT BOARD.

LET ME JUST SAY IT'S NOT A PREMIER APPOINTMENT.

IT'S BEEN ON THAT BOARD IS BECAUSE THERE'S A VERY BOARD DEALS WITH SOME VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES AND CONTENTIOUS ISSUES.

AND HERETOFORE WE'VE HAD EIGHT CRITERIA MUCH LONGER THAN THE FIVE THAT DIRECTOR SCHMITT HAS PROVIDED US WITH.

SO YOU WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOU BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, WHY YOU PAIRED IT BACK? ARE WE STILL IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW? ABSOLUTELY. STILL IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW TO TO PUT THAT AT REST IMMEDIATELY.

THE ORIGINAL IMPETUS BEHIND THIS WAS, FRANKLY, THE FIRST MEETING I CAME TO.

THERE WAS A LOT OF OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION BECAUSE SEVERAL TWO OF THE TWO PAIRS OF TWO STANDARDS RIGHT NOW OVERLAP IN MANY WAYS.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE CONSOLIDATED THOSE STANDARDS DOWN AND WE'VE ELIMINATED THE STANDARD THAT TALKS ABOUT A GENERALLY OCCURRING ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT AN APPLICANT SHOULD BE DEALING WITH.

THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD BE DEALING WITH.

IF SOMETHING IS SO GENERALLY RECURRENT, WE SHOULD ADDRESS IT IN SOME WAY, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT AN ORDINANCE CHANGE IS NECESSARY, AS YOU'LL SEE WITH THE NEXT TWO ITEMS. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THESE CHANGES.

THANK YOU. FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK THIS IS GOOD THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE US AND I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO VOTE WITH ME TO SUPPORT THIS CHANGE TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS CRITERIA. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS AS WELL? SURE. I'LL JUST SIMPLY ECHO WHAT THE TREASURER HAS POINTED OUT.

THIS WILL HELP TO STREAMLINE AND MAKE THOSE MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL AS MAKE THE PROCESS MORE CLEAR FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR VARIANCES BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. AND AS THE FORMER PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE ON THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, I CAN SAY THAT THE EFFICIENCY WILL BE WELL APPRECIATED BY THE CURRENT MEMBERS.

I MIGHT ADD THAT ACCORDING TO THIS MEMO, BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED OF THE CHANGES TO THESE STANDARDS.

AND COULD I ASK? THERE WERE EIGHT BEFORE I FORGOTTEN HOW MANY ARE THERE NOW? WE GO DOWN TO FIVE, WHICH IS THE FIVE STANDARDS.

GENERALLY WHAT MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE IS FIVE.

I SEE, OTHER COMMENTS? SO THE MOTION, DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, I MADE THE MOTION. OH, I'M SORRY.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-02 TO AMEND SECTION 86, DASH 221 OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN ZONING CODE, AN ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS STANDARDS OF REVIEW.

THANK YOU, MR. SCHMIDT. MADAM SUPERVISOR, ITEM 13D, ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022-04.

MOTION CARRIED SIX ZERO.

LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY FRONT YARD SETBACKS.

I'M SORRY. C IS IS FIRST FRONT YARD LOT COVERAGE.

[13C. Ordinance 2022-03 – Lake Lansing Residential Overlay, Front Yard Lot Coverage – Introduction]

THANK YOU. AND THIS IS KNOW I WILL BRIEFLY SAY I'VE MADE IT.

NO, I'VE MADE NO SECRET ABOUT THE FACT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO REVISIT THIS WHOLE ORDINANCE.

HOWEVER, IN TALKING TO TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON WHEN HE WAS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE DECIDED TO BRING THESE TWO ITEMS FORWARD FIRST, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE TWO MOST COMMON ISSUES THAT WE SEE AT THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

SO THIS ISSUE, THIS PROPOSAL, THE FRONT YARD LOT COVERAGE WOULD SLIGHTLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF LOT COVERAGE PERMITTED ON PROPERTIES IN THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT. THIS COMES UP ALMOST EVERY TIME SOMEONE WANTS TO ADD ON TO THEIR HOUSE.

ONE OF TWO THINGS HAPPENS.

THEY EITHER ARE TRYING TO GET AN ACTUAL TWO CAR DRIVEWAY OR A TWO CAR GARAGE, WHICH BECAUSE OF THE NARROWNESS OF THE LOT, THEY NOW EXCEED THE LACK COVERAGE OR BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY OUT OF THE VIEW SHED AREA OF THE LAKE.

THEY'RE PUSHING THE HOUSE CLOSER TO THE ROAD, WHICH SHRINKS THE FRONT YARD, WHICH THEN INCREASES THE LOT COVERAGE OF THE FRONT YARD.

SO STAFF WENT THROUGH ANALYZE THE VARIANCES THAT HAD BEEN GRANTED AND REVIEWED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

[01:45:04]

AND REALLY WE ONLY NEEDED TO LOOK AT ONE STREET AND WE COULD FIGURE OUT THAT THIS WAS A GENERALLY RECURRING PROBLEM.

THE THE ALLOWANCE IN HERE WOULD CHANGE FOR BOTH THE SMALL LOTS AND THE BIG LOTS.

THE SMALL LOTS WOULD GET A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY.

THE BIG LOTS WOULD STILL GET SOME FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE THE ISSUE.

IT'S JUST WHEN YOU'RE ABOVE A 65 FOOT LOT, GENERALLY YOU DON'T NEED MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING IN THE ORDINANCE.

THOSE WERE A LITTLE MORE RARE.

IT'S THE SMALLER LOTS THAT GENERALLY COME UP.

SO THIS WAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL.

AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, ALTHOUGH DIDN'T REVIEW THE SPECIFICALLY HAS ASKED THE IMPETUS BEHIND THIS WAS THEM ASKING US TO MAKE THIS CHANGE IF IT MADE SENSE.

FROM AN ORDINANCE PERSPECTIVE, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AT THIS POINT.

TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, THANK YOU, MA'AM.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I DO THAT.

SO I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-03 TO AMEND SECTION 80 6-442 OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP EMERGENCY IN CODE AND ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE FRONT YARD LOT COVERAGE STANDARDS IN THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT.

SUPPORT. SUPPORT IS BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS? SURE. YEAH. I WANTED TO THANK DIRECTOR SCHMITT FOR THE HARD WORK THAT HE'S DONE REVIEWING THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED VARIANCES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.

THIS WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE YEAR AND A HALF THAT I SERVED ON THAT BOARD.

AND I THINK THAT THIS ONE, THIS CHANGE AND THE CHANGE THAT WE'LL SEE IN A FEW MINUTES HERE WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE RESIDENTS OF THE LANSING LAKE LANSING OVERLAY DISTRICT AND THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE RENOVATIONS TO THEIR HOMES, TO UPDATE THEIR HOMES, TO ADD OR BUILD NEW IF THEY NEED TO.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY WELCOME CHANGE AND WE'LL CUT A LOT OF GOVERNMENT RED TAPE OUT OF THE PROCESS.

SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS AND THE OTHER ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS THAT WILL BE TAKING UP OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A SMALL, YET IMPACTFUL CHANGE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE LAKE DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WILSON.

THIS AND THE AND THE REQUEST FOR RESOLUTION THAT FOLLOWS BOTH HANDLE PROBABLY 80% OF THE BUSINESS OF THE ZBA OVER THE YEARS.

IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE ATTACKED THIS ONLY AS A ONE OFF RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

SO I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE ARE MAKING THESE CHANGES THAT WILL MAKE IT.

IT'S A UNIQUE AREA.

IT WILL MAKE THAT AREA MUCH MORE FEASIBLE FOR THOSE RESIDENTS.

THERE ARE STILL CERTAINLY PROBLEMS TO ATTACK IN THIS ORDINANCE.

BUT THIS YOU'RE CORRECT, THESE ARE THE MAJORITY, TOO.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YEAH, IT WASN'T A ONE OFF.

IT WAS EVERYONE OFF, IT SEEMED.

SO THE THE MAGIC SAUCE YOU'VE USED HERE IS THAT TO RATHER THAN HAVING ABSOLUTE NUMBERS, YOU'VE NOW INCLUDED RELATIVE PERCENTAGES.

IS THAT THE SUBSTANTIVE NOTION THAT YOU'VE CHANGED HERE WITH THIS ORDINANCE? SO THE ORDINANCE ACTUALLY INCREASES THE PERCENTAGE AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS.

SO UNDER THE LOCK COVERAGE ORDINANCE, YOU'RE ALLOWED A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF YOUR FRONT YARD.

IT IS. IT'S TIGHT.

AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S NOT A VERY FLEXIBLE NUMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO A 40, 35, 50 FOOT LOT, A SMALL LOT.

ALL CREDIT TO ASSISTANT PLANNER CHAPMAN.

HE WAS VERY QUICKLY ABLE TO PULL THIS INFORMATION AND WE VERY QUICKLY WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT RIGHT HERE IS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF WHERE THE ZBA GENERALLY WAS OKAY WITH THINGS, WHEREAS THE ZBA HAD SOME CONCERNS.

WHAT YOU GOT ABOUT THAT? SO THAT'S THE CHANGE.

IT'S THE CHANGE OF THE PERCENTAGE.

THANK YOU. THE MEMBERS HAVE A COMMENT.

THEN THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION THE ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-03 TO AMEND SECTION 80 6442 OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP MERIDIAN CODE, AN ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE FRONT YARD LOT COVERAGE STANDARDS IN THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT.

MR. LEMASTER, I BELIEVE WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE YES. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. MOTION CARRIED SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU. AND MR. SCHMITT, ITEM 13D, I BELIEVE, IS ALSO ONE OF YOURS.

[13D. Ordinance 2022-04 – Lake Lansing Residential Overlay, Front Yard Setbacks – Introduction]

[01:50:06]

ORDINANCE 2022-04 FOR LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY FRONT YARD SETBACKS AND INTRODUCTION.

YES, MA'AM. LAST ONE FOR THIS EVENING.

THIS IS THE OTHER PIECE OF THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY CHANGE WE'RE PROPOSING AT THIS POINT.

RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO SETS OF STANDARDS FOR FRONT YARD SETBACKS AROUND THE LAKE.

IT VERY MUCH ENDS UP PUNISHING PEOPLE THAT ARE LOCATED ON CERTAIN STREETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF STANDARDS THAN THE STANDARD 20 FEET. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS A TWO PART CHANGE, ESSENTIALLY PROPOSING TO GO TO 20 FEET FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE FUNCTIONALLY THAT'S WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING A LOT OF TIMES OUT THERE.

THE SECOND PART, THOUGH, IS THERE ARE STILL GOING TO BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE SETBACK IS IS DIFFERENT IN AN AREA WHERE THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE STREET WHERE YOU HAVE A DEED RESTRICTION THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM GOING CLOSER TO THE LAKE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WE'RE CRIBBING A PIECE, ANOTHER PIECE OF THE ORDINANCE AND SOMETHING THAT I DID IN MY TIME IN THE CITY OF HOWELL THAT I INITIALLY REALLY DIDN'T LIKE.

AND THEN THE FIRST TIME I USED IT, I WAS LIKE, NOW IT MAKES SENSE.

TO ME. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW THAT IF YOU CAN'T MEET THAT 20 FEET.

AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY A COUPLE OF STREETS WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET IT.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE SETBACK, WHICH IS THE AVERAGE OF THE HOMES WITHIN 150 FEET OF YOU ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET.

THIS WAY YOU'RE STILL GOING.

YOU'RE STILL REMAINING CONSISTENT WITH THE AREA.

YOU'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THE ORDINARY, BUT YOU GET A LITTLE ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN THOSE AREAS WHERE IT'S REALLY TIGHT.

THIS ACTUALLY THERE'S A VERSION OF THIS ELSEWHERE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'VE USED ONCE OR TWICE IN MY TIME HERE, AND WE THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD COMPROMISE TO ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM.

THERE ARE ENOUGH WEIRD LOTS OUT THERE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THIS IS GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT THIS SHOULD SOLVE A VAST MAJORITY OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GETTING OUTSIDE OF THAT AVERAGE ITEM, YOU'RE MAKING A WEIRD REQUEST AT THAT POINT AND WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE BUILDER OR OWNER.

STAFF WOULD ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AT THIS POINT.

OKAY, OPEN TO EMOTION.

I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION ZONING AMENDMENT 2020 204 TO AMEND SECTION 80 6-442 OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN ZONING CODE AND ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE FRONT YARD SETBACK STANDARDS IN THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT.

SO MOVED SUPPORT.

SUPPORT. MR. HENDERSON. MRS. WILSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY THIS ALSO? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

THIS ALSO IS HAND IN HAND WITH THE PRIOR REQUEST FOR RESOLUTION, AND IT AGAIN BRINGS SOME EQUITY.

IT DOESN'T CAUSE A DISTORTION IN THE WAY THAT THOSE LOTS ARE HANDLED.

SO THIS AVERAGING DECISION WOULD MAKE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, I THINK, FOR ALL THOSE PROPERTIES UP THERE.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

AND I'LL COMMEND AGAIN THE STAFF FOR THEIR CREATIVITY IN DEVISING THIS METHODOLOGY AND FINDING YET ANOTHER AREA OF OUR CODE AND APPLYING IT HERE WHERE I THINK IT WILL DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK.

SO THANK YOU TO THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. OTHERS, OTHER COMMENTS, THEN WE'RE READY FOR THE ROLL CALL.

TREASURER DESCHAINE, YES.

YES. CLERK GUTHRIE, YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES.

YES. MOTION CARRIED SIX- ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCHMITT.

WE COME NOW TO ITEM 13E, WHICH PERTAINS TO A JUNE TIFF JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY

[13E. Juneteenth Holiday]

PROPOSAL OFFERED BY BOARD MEMBER GUTHRIE TONIGHT.

WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THIS AT THE LAST MEETING AND PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF JUNETEENTH.

AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS BECAME A STATE OF MICHIGAN HOLIDAY AND A FEDERAL HOLIDAY LAST YEAR IN A STATE OF MICHIGAN HOLIDAY THIS YEAR.

AND SO THIS RESOLUTION IS BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FROM OUR LAST MEETING.

[01:55:06]

AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK TRUSTEE WILSON FOR GIVING THE RESOLUTION.

THERE'S A NEW RESOLUTION THAT HAS THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN BASED OFF OF SOME VERY VALUABLE FEEDBACK THAT TRUSTEE WILSON PROVIDED IN MAKING IT MORE SUCCINCT AND CONCISE.

AND SO THAT IS THE RESOLUTION THAT I'D LIKE TO READ BEFORE THE BOARD THIS EVENING OF THIS BOARD WAS READY TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT.

WELL, LET'S PUT THE MOTION ON THE TABLE AND DISCUSS IT.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO. SURE.

SCROLL BACK, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION CELEBRATING AND DESIGNATED JUNETEENTH AS AN OFFICIAL MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT HOLIDAY BY CLOSING ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES IN OBSERVANCE OF THIS FEDERAL AND STATE HOLIDAY AND TO AMEND ALL CONTRACTS AND THE PERSONNEL POLICY TO INCLUDE JUNETEENTH AS A PAID HOLIDAY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

IS THERE A SECOND? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY SUPPORTED BY MR. HENDRICKSON? YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR CAN WE OPEN THE FLOOR TO OTHER COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I HAVE AN AMENDED RESOLUTION FROM THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION THAT'S IN THE BOARD PACKET.

SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT YOU JUST MADE? YES, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE.

OKAY. WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.

CAN I DO THAT BEFORE? CAN YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESCIND THE FIRST MOTION AND OFFER THE SECOND? YEAH, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THE INCLUDED RESOLUTION IN THE BOARD PACKET.

IT'S AN AMENDED RESOLUTION.

OKAY. WHICH I'M HAPPY TO READ OUT LOUD.

OKAY. FOR DISCUSSION.

OKAY. YOU JUST HAVE TO BRING IT UP.

JUST BEAR WITH ME. A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HELD AT THE MERIDIAN MUNICIPAL BUILDING 5151 MARSH ROAD, OKEMOS, MICHIGAN, 4604 AND SAID TOWNSHIP ON THE 26TH DAY OF APRIL 2022 AT 6 P.M.

LOCAL TIME. FOLLOWING RESOLUTION.

EXCUSE ME. YES.

SO YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE MOTION.

YOU'RE CHANGING THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE MOTION.

SO. SO THE MOTION READS IN THE PACKET THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION.

RIGHT. IT'S NOT THE RESOLUTION IS AN AMENDED RESOLUTION THAT'S NOT IN THE PACKET.

SO I'M READING THE AMENDED RESOLUTION.

THE MOTION IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME.

YES. PROCEED.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WHEREAS JUNETEENTH, JUNETEENTH IS THE OLDEST CELEBRATION OF THE EMANCIPATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SLAVE AND SLAVES AND IS SO NAMED FOR THE JUNE 19, 1866 ADOPTION OF BLACK INDEPENDENCE DAY IN GALVESTON, TEXAS.

AND. WHEREAS, CONGRESS PASSED JUNETEENTH AS A US FEDERAL HOLIDAY COMMEMORATING THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND. WHEREAS, IN 20 2021, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN PASSED JUNETEENTH AS A STATE PAID SORRY, AS A STATE PAID HOLIDAY BEGINNING IN 2022.

AND. WHEREAS, JUNETEENTH MEETS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S OBJECTIVE TO FOSTER A WORKPLACE THAT ADHERES TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. AND.

WHEREAS, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD ENCOURAGES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH.

AND. WHEREAS, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT ON JUNE 15, 2021, ENCOURAGING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH AND A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND RECOGNITION AND CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH AND DESIGNATION AS A TOWNSHIP HOLIDAY ON APRIL 26, 2022.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD RECOGNIZES, ADOPTS AND PROCLAIMS THIS RESOLUTION TO UNDERSCORE THE FREEDOM WITH DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING.

FURTHER RESOLVED TO DESIGNATE JUNETEENTH AS AN OFFICIAL TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT HOLIDAY BY CLOSING ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND OBSERVANCE OF THIS FEDERAL HOLIDAY UNTIL ALL CONTRACTS AND THE PERSONNEL POLICY HOLIDAY PAY TO INCLUDE JUNETEENTH AS A PAID HOLIDAY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

[02:00:06]

I APPLAUD THE LANGUAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION THAT IT THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT.

MY RESERVATION, IF THERE IS ANY, IS THAT IT IS A PAID EMPLOYEE HOLIDAY.

AND I WONDER IF OUR MANAGER COULD SPEAK TO THAT SO THAT I UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS AND HAS IT BEEN BUDGETED FOR? BEFORE YOU START, THANK YOU.

YOU DID OFFICIALLY SECOND THE MOTION WHEN IT WAS FIRST MADE.

HENDRICKSON, OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO I TOO WANT TO APPLAUD THE CLERK FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO HAVE AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND CAN WE DO SOMETHING EVEN GREATER? I GUESS THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE US.

TO ANSWER THE QUESTION DIRECTLY FROM THE TRUSTEE, IT'S NOT BUDGETED AND THE COST IS APPROXIMATELY, WELL, IF WE MAKE IT A HOLIDAY, THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP.

IT'S NOT NOT BUDGETED.

IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ABSORB IF THAT'S WHAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS TO DO.

BUT IS THERE A WAY TO DO MORE THAN JUST SAYING IT'S A HOLIDAY AND HAVE PEOPLE STAY HOME AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO? IS IT BETTER TO.

IS IT A DIFFERENT CONSIDERATION IN THIS HOLIDAY? IS IT DIFFERENT THAN PRESIDENT'S DAY? IS IT DIFFERENT THAN THE 4TH OF JULY? IS IT DIFFERENT THAN MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY? IS THERE SOMETHING WE COULD DO DIFFERENTLY TO ENHANCE SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY WORTH CELEBRATING WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT? IS IT SHOULD WE BE OPEN? WE DON'T CHANGE OUR BUDGET AT ALL.

AND IN MY MIND, WE COULD DO MORE BY SAYING, LET'S BE OPEN JUST IN THE MORNING AND THEN AT THE NOON HOUR, LET'S HAVE A BIG LUNCH AND A BIG CELEBRATION FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND HAVE IT AT THE MARKETPLACE AND INVITE EVERYONE AND INVITE SOME OTHER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE, BUT INVITE SOME PEOPLE IN WHO COULD HELP US REALLY DIGNIFY JUNETEENTH AND WHAT IT MEANS AND THEN CLOSE IN THE AFTERNOON.

SO IT MEETS, I THINK SOME OF AND NOT NOT DECLARE IT A HOLIDAY BUT DECLARE IT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE AND HAVE IT AT THE MARKETPLACE AND HAVE ON JUNE 19TH OR THE DAY AFTER, IF THAT'S ON A SUNDAY, HAVE SOME KIND OF RECOGNITION WHERE WE ALL CAN COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE.

AND THAT WAY THERE IS SOME TIME TO REFLECT IN THE AFTERNOON.

THERE'S AN EVENT THAT WE PUT ON OVER THE LUNCH HOUR AND THERE'S WORK IN THE MORNING.

SO IT MIGHT BE A COMPROMISE TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND INVOLVING EVERYONE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE RECENTLY ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE IT GREATER THAN JUST HAVING A DAY OFF TO REALLY HONOR THE CELEBRATION. BUT I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER THE BOARD WANTS TO DO, WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU HAVE.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU. HENDRICKSON, I'M SORRY.

THAT'S OKAY. LITERALLY EVERYONE DOES IT.

IT'S FINE. I HAVE TO WORK ON IT.

SO I APPRECIATE WHAT THE MANAGER IS SUGGESTING.

AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIND A GOOD WAY TO CELEBRATE IT, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD.

WITH THAT SAID, THE INTENT OF THIS RESOLUTION BRINGS THE TOWNSHIP IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE AND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE ALREADY DOING.

IF THERE IS AN ISSUE OF BUDGETING FOR IT THIS YEAR, WHICH THERE MAY BE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A BUDGET THAT WE'VE ALREADY SET FOR THIS YEAR.

I WOULD BE AMENABLE TO MAKING THIS HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JANUARY 1, 2023.

SO AT LEAST WE CAN GO EYES WIDE OPEN INTO THE BUDGETING PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE TIME TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE LABOR UNIONS.

WE HAVE TIME TO GET IT INTO OUR BUDGET SO THAT WE ARE NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD TRYING TO BUDGET FOR IT TO SCRAMBLE THE BUDGET FOR IT FOR THIS YEAR.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, THE INTENT OF THIS RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE IT AS WE DO WITH ALL OTHER FEDERAL HOLIDAYS AND TO NOT RECOGNIZE IT.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD DOWN THE ROAD WOULD BE A GLARING OMISSION.

AND SO I THINK THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

IT NEEDS TO BE A HOLIDAY FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN IF WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR TO ADDRESS THE BUDGETARY CONCERNS YOU JUST RAISED.

AND I THINK THAT IF WE IF WE FOUND A WAY TO CELEBRATE IT, THAT'S BIGGER THAN JUST HAVING A DAY OFF THIS YEAR, THEN EVEN BETTER.

BUT I DO THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH DOWN THE ROAD.

TREASURER DESCHAINE, I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE HENDRICK SON'S COMMENTS.

[02:05:06]

AND I THINK HE IS RIGHT.

WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

I APPLAUD THE MOTION MAKER CLERK GUTHRIE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO US.

I THINK IT IS A IT'S A TOWNSHIP HOLIDAY THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED.

I THINK THE COMPROMISE IDEA OF MAKING THIS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2023, WOULD WORK.

IT WILL GIVE THE MANAGEMENT TEAM TIME TO INCORPORATE IT INTO OUR CONTRACTS AND BUDGET IT FOR FUTURE YEARS AND FOR THIS YEAR.

I THINK THIS IDEA OF WORKING A HALF A DAY AND A HALF THEN HAVE A LUNCH AND A REFLECTION AFTERWARDS, WOULD ACTUALLY PROBABLY MAKE IT MORE MEANINGFUL THAN IF IT WERE JUST A PAID DAY OFF. WHAT DO WE THINK OF WHEN WE THINK OF PRESIDENTS DAY? MATTRESS SALES OK.

NOT ABE LINCOLN AND GEORGE WASHINGTON PAID DAYS OFF.

JUST BY THE DEFINITION, BECOME PART OF THE FURNITURE, IF YOU WILL.

THIS WILL STAND OUT THIS WAY AND WE'LL HAVE A DAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND AT THE SAME TIME THINK ABOUT OUR DEI EFFORTS THAT ARE PROGRESSING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

IT WILL BE A MEANINGFUL EVENT THIS YEAR.

IT WON'T IMPACT THE BUDGET AND FOR NEXT YEAR WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO INCLUDE IT IN THE BUDGET.

SO I LIKE THE IDEA.

SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THIS MOTION.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION YET.

TO AMEND. YES, I'M MAKING AT THE END. AT THE END OF THE AFTER ALL.

EMPLOYEES, COMMA.

EFFECTIVE JANUARY ONE, 2023.

IS THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

WHERE AM I? I DON'T HAVE A SECOND.

FIRST OF ALL, I HENDRICKSON HAS THE SECOND, BUT WE HAVEN'T.

I'LL COMMENT NOW, THEN I'LL COMMENT ON THIS EMOTION, THEN YOUR COMMENT ON THE AMENDMENT.

YEP. OKAY. EVERY YEAR FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER HAS MADE GOOD FRIDAY A FULL PAID HOLIDAY. IT IS A HALF DAY HOLIDAY.

IT'S BEEN BUDGETED AS A HALF DAY HOLIDAY FOR YEARS.

IT COSTS 35,000 TO HAVE A FULL PAID HOLIDAY FOR ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN AND I COMMEND THE MANAGER, BY THE WAY, ON MAKING GOOD FRIDAY A FULL PAID HOLIDAY EACH YEAR. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BUDGETED ANY OF THOSE YEARS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S THE MANAGER DECIDES TO DO FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

IT'S WELL RESPECTED, IT'S WELL RECEIVED, AND THE EMPLOYEES VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.

WE DON'T HAVE TRYING TO THINK OTHER THAN MAYBE 4TH OF JULY IN THE PAST, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE HOLIDAYS WHERE WE WORK AND REFLECT ON THAT HOLIDAY EXCEPT FOR MEMORIAL DAY.

WE DO HAVE EVERY MEMORIAL DAY WE CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY AT THE GLENDALE CEMETERY.

AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A BUDGETARY, IN OTHER WORDS.

MY POINT BEING, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BUDGETARY ISSUE TO HAVE IT AS A HOLIDAY THIS YEAR.

I'M AGREEABLE TO BE GETTING IT TO BE TWEAKED, BEGIN HAVING IT AS A HOLIDAY NEXT YEAR.

BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY IN FAVOR OF CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM OF SLAVERY BY ACTUALLY WORKING ON A DAY WHERE WE'RE CELEBRATING FREEDOM.

FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR, CELEBRATE MORNING AND LANDS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNETEENTH AND 4TH OF JULY.

IT'S A VERY EASY CELEBRATION WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

AS PART OF THAT, WE'RE CELEBRATING MERIDIAN AND WE CAN INCORPORATE OTHER CELEBRATIONS AS PART OF THAT.

AND STAFF IS ALREADY WORKING.

WE'RE ALREADY PUTTING TIME INTO AN EVENT.

IT'S OUR LARGEST EVENT WHERE PEOPLE FROM THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE WHO WE ARE.

IT'S ALMOST THE PERFECT IDEA TO PUT THAT KIND OF THING IN, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS THIS MOTION CELEBRATING EVENTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING. I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT FOR CONTEXT.

I'M PERFECTLY OKAY WITH AGREEING TO HAVE THIS START NEXT YEAR.

I DON'T SEE IT AS A BUDGETARY ISSUE THOUGH THIS YEAR, BUT I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH HAVING IT BEGIN NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

AND I THANK YOU FOR THE MOTION.

THERE ARE OTHER COMMENTS, MR. WALSH. YEAH, JUST AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I APPLAUDED YOU FOR THIS.

THIS IS NOT ME.

[02:10:02]

NO, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING.

AND THE CLERK IS RIGHT ON GOOD FRIDAY.

WE'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

IT'S A HALF DAY HOLIDAY, BUT WE'VE NOT BEEN.

WE'VE BEEN CLOSING THE SECOND HALF.

BUT THAT'S THERE'S NO BUDGET THAT ISN'T PAID TO ANYONE.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT YOU'RE.

THE TWO. THEY'RE NOT COMPARABLE BECAUSE WE DON'T MAKE THE SECOND HALF OF THE DAY A HOLIDAY WHERE WE PAY ANYBODY.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, THAT ONLY BENEFITS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN POLICE AND FIRE.

THERE'S NO HOLIDAY PAY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE GETTING PAID BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE? THEY'RE GETTING PAID. AS LONG AS YOU DON'T MAKE IT A HOLIDAY, THEN YOU'RE NOT.

AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THIS ABOUT JUNETEENTH.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR. I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE THE HALF DAY ON GOOD FRIDAY.

WE DON'T PAY AS A HOLIDAY TO EVERYONE ELSE.

THEY DON'T GET AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF THAT.

THE ONLY BENEFIT IS THAT OUR PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDINGS WHO ARE NOT EMERGENCY DON'T HAVE TO WORK THE AFTERNOON.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WITH IT.

OTHER COMMENTS. SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THE AMENDMENT.

AND THE AMENDMENT IS WOULD YOU REPEAT? IT IS TO THE VERY END OF THE MOTION, WHICH READS AS A PAID PAID HOLIDAY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, COMMA THE EFFECTIVE JANUARY ONE, 2023.

ALL RIGHT. THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT THEN.

MR. LEMASTER, WOULD YOU GIVE US A ROLL CALL VOTE? SURE. SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENT.

YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. TRUSTEE.

WILSON. YES.

TRUSTEE. HENDRICKSON.

YES. MOTION CARRIED SIX-ZERO.

MR. WALSH, I JUST WANT TO ASSURE THE BOARD AFTER THAT VOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WON'T BE TAKEN EFFECT UNTIL 2023, WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.

AND THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING IN JUNE AND WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE.

AND SINCE THE MANAGER SETS WORK, HOURS MAY NOT BE HERE ALL DAY ON THE 20.

WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, I CAN ASSURE YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT A REAL CELEBRATION.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES, THANK YOU.

NOW BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION OFFERED BY KURT GUTHRIE AND SECONDED BY MR. HENDRICKSON. WOULD YOU LIKE TO? COULD YOU? YOU ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE NOW.

THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE FIRST MOTION.

NO, THERE IS. WE VOTED TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED.

NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION ITSELF.

YES. YEAH. YOU VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT, VOTED TO APPROVE IT? NO, WE VOTED ON THE AMENDED MOTION.

JUST THIS ADDITION.

NOW WE'RE VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION.

THE LAST THE LAST VOTE WAS SIMPLY ADDING THE EFFECTIVE DATE.

NOW WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE AMENDED RESOLUTION, IS IT NOT? THE MOTION WITH THE AMENDMENT.

CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.

RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY, MR. LEMASTER. ALL RIGHT.

CLERK GUTHRIE. YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT ISSUE TO US.

THANK YOU. ITEM 13 F FIRST QUARTER 2022 BUDGET AMENDMENT.

[13F. 1st Quarter 2022 Budget Amendments]

THIS MR. WALSH.

THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU THAT IS THREE PAGES WITH A COVER MEMO FROM MYSELF ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022. I WILL.

I WILL. I HAVE TO ADMIT TO YOU, THIS WAS HANDED TO ME THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, KIND OF GOING OUT THE DOOR.

SO I'VE DONE MY BEST TO DO THE RESEARCH.

I NEED TO PRESENT THIS THIS EVENING.

BUT BASICALLY AN END OF 21 FUND, BALANCE OF OVER 13 MILLION.

BUT DON'T LET THAT NUMBER JUST SINK IN, BECAUSE INCLUDED IN THERE IS A CARRYOVER FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND OF 2 MILLION, A CARRYOVER THE LATTER TRUCK OF A MILLION AND SOME OTHER CARRYOVERS, SO THAT THAT 13 MILLION IS NOT ON APPROPRIATED FUNDS.

SO WE PLANNED A BUDGET USE OF ABOUT 2.7 MILLION.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SPENDING.

[02:15:02]

THAT IS NOT A SPENDING PLAN.

THAT'S YEAR TO YEAR.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'VE SPENT $2.7 MILLION THAT ARE EXPENSES ARE OVER REVENUES.

THAT WOULD BE A CLEAR MISTAKE IF YOU IF YOU TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US.

WHAT THAT IS SAYING IS WE DIDN'T SPEND IT IN ONE YEAR, SO WE'RE CARRYING IT OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.

SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST QUARTER OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS, REVENUE SHARING IS UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND THE REASON THE REVENUE SHARING IS UP SIGNIFICANTLY OVER $1,000,000 IS A ONE TIME ADJUSTMENT IS BECAUSE THE CENSUS IS CATCHING UP WITH WE HAD GROWTH AND WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN THAT HAD PRETTY GOOD GROWTH IN THE CENSUS PERIOD.

SO IT TAKES TIME FOR REVENUE SHARING TO CATCH UP WITH THE CENSUS AND NOW THE STATE IS CATCHING THAT UP.

SO WE HAVE A MILLION OVER $1,000,000 IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE SHARING.

YOU CAN SEE IT HERE.

THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS.

I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE 83 SEVEN FOR THE PROJECT MANAGER POSITION.

I WOULD HIGHLIGHT A COMPENSATION PLAN THAT IS COMING TO THE BOARD.

IT'S ACTUALLY 390 NOT 340, BUT WE CAN ADJUST THAT LATER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, TOO.

SO IN THE MIDDLE OF PAGE.

SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE MINUS THE EXPENDITURES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND ALONE, IT'S A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE POSITIVE.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER FUNDS, I WOULD NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, 295,800 FOR THE PATHWAY, THAT AGAIN IS A CARRYOVER AMOUNT.

IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT UNBUDGETED.

IT JUST CARRIED OVER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SPEND IT THE YEAR BEFORE.

AND THEN THE 63,000 AND VIDEO PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND PAGE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING OUT OF.

AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS, BUT THEY'RE COMING OUT OF A FUND THAT WHEN WE REORGANIZE THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT THREE YEARS AGO, WE KEPT A FUND SEPARATE.

IF YOU RECALL THAT AND IT HAS OVER $200,000 IN IT, AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE DOLLARS WOULD COME FROM.

SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 895,000, A LOT OF IT IS CARRYOVER COST OR CARRYOVER EXPENSES.

BOTTOM LINE, WE EXPECT OUR FUND BALANCE.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A ROUGH NUMBER BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE DON'T HAVE OUR AUDIT FINISHED YET.

MOST COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE CALENDAR YEAR HAVE THEIR AUDITS COMPLETED AT THIS TIME.

OUR AUDIT WILL NOT BE BEFORE YOU UNTIL THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE, WHICH IS TYPICAL, BUT WE NEED TO GET BETTER AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT, GETTING THAT AND SOONER WE TALK TO YOU AND YOU ABOUT THAT.

BOTTOM LINE, WE EXPECT A FUND BALANCE OF JUST UNDER $11 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND AT THE 12/31 OF 2022.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR FIRST QUARTER 2022.

QUESTIONS COMMENTS FROM.

I AM. MOVED TO APPROVE THE FIRST QUARTER 2022 BUDGET AMENDMENTS, WITH AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $507,250, WHICH PROJECTS A USE OF THE FUND BALANCE OF $2,187,109 BASED ON 2021 RESULTS.

THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2022 WILL BE 10,978,407.

I SO MOVE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. SUPPORT.

WILSON, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS TO ADD? I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MR. DESCHAINE. JUST TO THANK THE MANAGER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD WITHOUT A FINANCE DIRECTOR IN PLACE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A GENERAL TRYING TO DIRECT THE TROOPS WITHOUT HIS CALVARY IN PLACE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST FINANCE DIRECTOR IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POSITION IN THIS COMMUNITY, OUR SIZE, TOWNSHIP, OUR SIZE.

AND THEY'RE NOT BEING ONE.

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PUT OFF, BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PUT OFF.

AND SO I THINK THE MANAGER FOR DOING HIS BEST, AN EXCELLENT JOB EXPLAINING THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD.

IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.

AND I THINK THE EXPLANATION WE HAD WITH HIS EXPLANATION, WE UNDERSTAND IT SUFFICIENTLY TO MOVE FORWARD.

THE COMMENTS THEN THE MOTION HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.

I THINK I NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND YES.

TRUSTEE WILSON. YES.

TRUSTEE HENRICKSON. YES.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. MOTION CARRIED SIX-ZERO.

[INAUDIBLE] BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING.

ITEM 13 G, MR.

[13G. Waiving Sec. 50-84, Subsection (4) for Preventative Maintenance Work on the North Water Tower]

DIRECTOR OPSOMMER.

THANK YOU.

SO THIS WAS A LAST SECOND EDITION BASED ON OUR PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING WITH OUR CONTRACTOR FOR THE NORTH WATER TOWER.

[02:20:04]

SO IN ABOUT 30 DAYS FROM NOW, WE WILL HAVE OUR TOWNSHIP BRAND PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE NORTH WATER TOWER.

BUT THIS PROJECT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS INCORPORATED INTO A REBRANDING EFFORT, THE PREDOMINANT COMPONENT OF THIS IS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FOR THE WATER TOWER ITSELF.

SO WE ARE DOING PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE INTERIOR OF THE WATER TANK.

AND SO AS PART OF THAT, WE HAVE TO EMPTY THE WATER TOWER.

THAT WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAY.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE DROPPING WATER LEVELS IN THE TOWER.

AND SO WHEN WE WENT TO RECEIVE OUR PERMIT THROUGH EAGLE, OUR CONTRACT TERMS AND THE FULL CONTRACT WAS PART OF THEIR REVIEW AND WE HAD MADE A PROMISE WITHIN THAT CONTRACT THAT WE WOULD RESTORE THE TOWER TO FULL OPERATION WITHIN 30 DAYS.

WE ARE SET TO START WORK TODAY ACTUALLY.

SO WORK SHOULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEGUN TODAY.

AND SO I AM REQUESTING A VERY NARROW EXCEPTION TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, WHICH PROHIBITS CONSTRUCTION ON SUNDAYS TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION DURING THE NORMAL HOURS THAT WE ALLOW ON MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

ON THOSE SUNDAY HOURS, THIS PARCEL IS OBVIOUSLY LOCATED ON SAGINAW HIGHWAY NEAR NEWTON, BUT NOT AT ACTUALLY NO, AT THE ACTUAL INTERSECTION OF NEWTON AND SAGINAW HIGHWAY. THERE ARE NO RESIDENTIAL PARCELS IN THE VICINITY.

THERE IS GOOD TREE CANOPY AND SCREENING, AND AFTER THIS WEEK THERE REALLY WON'T BE MUCH NOISE PRODUCED ON THE JOB SITE ITSELF.

POWER WASHERS WILL BE THE HIGHEST DUST BOWL VOLUME THAT COMES OFF THE JOB SITE.

THAT WORK SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THURSDAY OR FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK.

ALL OF THE PAINT APPLICATION IN THE EPOXY THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON WILL BE ROLLED ON TO THE WATER TOWER.

SO I'M REQUESTING AND MY DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING A NARROW EXCEPTION TO ALLOW THE CONTRACTOR TO WORK ON SUNDAYS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT IS SPRING IN MICHIGAN AND WE COULD EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN APPLYING THE EPOXY AND THE POLYURETHANE.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

WELL, LET'S GET THE MOTION ON THE TABLE SO WE GET THE SPECIFICS OF THE REQUESTS.

I MOVE TO WAIVE SECTION 50-84, SUBSECTION FOUR, IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES TO PERMIT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING AND ITS CONTRACTOR WORKING ON THE NORTH WATER TOWER PROJECT TO CONDUCT CONSTRUCTION WORK BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7 A.M.

AND 7 P.M. ON SUNDAYS UNTIL MAY 22ND, 2022.

THANK YOU. SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE.

THIS SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY CUT AND DRY REQUEST FROM OUR INTERNAL TEAM TO EFFECT THIS WORK QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

AND I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT.

BUT WHAT I WOULD NOTE IN A VERY SPECIFIC LENGTH OF TIME, WHICH IS WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT, MR. LEMASTER.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES.

YES. CLERK GUTHRIE YES.

MOTION CARRIED SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW AT ITEM 14, BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM IS THE DISCUSSION OF THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, LLC MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND REQUESTS

[14A. Village of Okemos LLC, Meridian Redevelopment Fund Request No. 2]

NUMBER TWO. I PROPOSE THAT WE START THIS DISCUSSION BY HEARING FROM THE DEVELOPERS WHO NOTED A PREFERENCE FOR SPEAKING AT THIS TIME.

IF WE GIVE YOU 10-15 MINUTES, I WON'T EVEN NEED THAT.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

DO YOU NEED ANY IMAGES? I'LL CHECK. OKAY.

I'M GOING TO USE THAT. YOU WANT THIS? YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY.

ERIC KELTZER WITH ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS.

AND IF YOU RECALL IN MARCH AT ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEETINGS AND WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS, YOU WEREN'T UNFORTUNATELY HERE TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT WAS THE NIGHT THAT YOU WERE BROUGHT ONTO THE BOARD.

AND LET ME SEE HERE.

CAN WE ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT? SPECIFIC WEBSITE.

OH, AWESOME.

THAT'S. THAT'S OKAY.

SORRY. THAT'S OKAY.

GOOD. THANK YOU. SO WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD DO IS JUST A BRIEF, REAL BRIEF OVERVIEW.

I GAVE A POWERPOINT IN MARCH THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO SEE THE PROJECT.

[02:25:06]

WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH STAFF UNDER THE AMENDED MUPD THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR AND WE SUBMITTED ALL OF OUR SITE PLANS.

WE'VE DONE ALL OF OUR ENGINEERING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING QUESTIONS FROM THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, THE DRAIN OFFICE AND TOWNSHIP STAFF. THE PROJECT IS ABOUT 95% COMPLETED IN ITS DESIGN FOR CONSTRUCTION DOCKS.

FULL CONSTRUCTION DOCKS WE ONLY ARE A FEW WEEKS AWAY AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A FULL SUBMITTAL ON THAT.

AND THEN AGAIN, THAT'S AGAIN AGAINST THE CURRENT APPROVAL THAT WE HAVE IN THAT PRESENTATION FOR THIS REQUEST, THE 1.25 MILLION.

I DID FOCUS A LOT ON THIS DRAWING.

WE KEPT COMING BACK TO THIS DRAWING JUST SO IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT WE WERE REQUESTING.

SO WHAT IS IN THE REQUEST IS TO IMPROVE ALL OF THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SHOWN IN YELLOW.

SO THIS IS CLINTON, ARDMORE, METHODIST AND HAMILTON.

NO WORK IN OKEMOS ROAD THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY, BUT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED PER THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT AT A LATER DATE. BUT THIS ALLOWS THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US RIGHT NOW AND THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AND AWARDED TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND THEY CREATED A FUND OF ABOUT $100 MILLION.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO USE THE TOWNSHIP'S REDEVELOPMENT FUND AS A MATCH TO LEVERAGE OUR APPLICATION, WHICH IS DUE END OF MAY.

NOW, MAYBE JUNE 3RD, WE'RE HEARING.

SO NOT TOO FAR AWAY.

SO THE APPROVAL OF THIS GRANT APPLICATION IS CRITICAL TO THE STRENGTH OF THE SUBMITTAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING FORTH TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

SO THAT GOES BEFORE THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT IT'S ABOUT 90 DAYS.

IS IT STILL 90, 90 DAY REVIEW PROCESS WHEN SAID SUBMITTAL IS THERE BEFORE THEY DO THE AWARDS? IT IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT JUST FROM THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, THERE'S THERE'S OVER $1,000,000,000 THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUESTED.

100 MILLION. SO YOU CAN SEE HOW COMPETITIVE THIS IS.

THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE MEET ONE REALLY CRITICAL PIECE OF THE CRITERIA, AND THAT IS A SHOVEL READY SITE.

SO WE ARE VERY FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS.

WE STARTED THIS PROCESS AFTER WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP STAFF AND THE BOARD.

WE DID PRESENT TO YOU AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, IN PARTICULAR, AUGUST WAS KIND OF OUR LAUNCHING DATE.

THAT'S WHEN WE EMBARKED WITH ALL OF THE ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE TO THE PLANS THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE YOU.

SO NOW WE'RE PUTTING THE FUNDING TOGETHER.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS MENTION OF A DDA TIFF.

THIS PROJECT GENERATES A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION IN DDA TIFF TO JUST FROM THIS PROJECT ALONE.

AND THAT MONEY CAN GO TOWARD THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS GRANT OR ANY OTHER REDEVELOPMENT FUND REQUEST.

IT CAN PAY THAT OFF.

SO THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH STAFF SO THAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE AND WOULD BE CAPTURED ONCE WE COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.

AND THAT IS OVER THE 17 YEARS OF REMAINING, PLUS THE PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES THAT HAVE OCCURRED HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OF THE ACQUISITION.

THE PROPERTY IS FULLY PAID FOR.

WE OWN ALL OF THE PARCELS AND VERY COMMITTED.

WE HAVE SPENT A LITTLE MORE THAN $6.5 MILLION IN PROPERTY ACQUISITION, ENGINEERING, DESIGN, PLANNING TO MOVE FORWARD. SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS JUST BEING PRESENTED TO YOU IN HOPES THAT WE GET SOMETHING SO WE CAN MAYBE DO SOMETHING.

NO, THIS IS A VERY REAL THING TO US IN THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.

SO THAT'S REALLY JUST AN OVERVIEW.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE MONEY IS BEING USED TOWARDS.

THE TOTAL COST BY THE WAY, I DID NOT MENTION THIS AND THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GETTING THROWN AROUND IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT 3.3 MILLION FOR THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

WE WILL BE GOING OUT TO BID ONCE WE DO GET PAST A CERTAIN POINT HERE, HOPEFULLY WEEKS AWAY ONLY IN OUR REVIEWS WITH THE VARIOUS AGENCIES AND ONCE WE KNOW WHAT REVISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE TO ANY OF THE ENGINEERING PLANS THAT KEBS IS WORKING ON OUR ENGINEER, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT TO THE STREET AND REFINE THAT NUMBER.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO IMPROVE ON THAT 3.3 MILLION.

[02:30:02]

BUT OBVIOUSLY, EVERYBODY'S BEEN HEARING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE DRAMATICALLY AFFECTED BY THAT ON THIS PROJECT. TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT, INCLUSIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, IS $85 MILLION.

THAT IS CURRENTLY WHAT'S ESTIMATED FOR THE PROJECT.

SO WITH THAT, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF AMBER WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING THAT I MISSED, YOU CAN GET ADD TO THAT.

[INAUDIBLE] SHE HAD SOMETHING TO ADD.

I WOULD ADD THAT KIND OF ORDER OF OPERATIONS WOULD BE TO RECEIVE AN APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

THE DEVELOPER WE'LL SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY AND HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THIS BODY AS WELL.

THOSE TWO FUNDING BUCKETS FOR APPROVALS WILL BE WRAPPED UP AND IN ADVANCE OF THE WRAP.

SO THEN WE WILL APPROACH THE MEDC IN THE FINAL FUNDING STEP.

SO THOSE I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES, I WOULD WONDER WHAT ARE THE FINAL STEPS TO GETTING ALL OF THE FUNDING APPROVED AND TO HAVING THIS PROJECT IN A READY TO GO SINCE IT IS OUR FUNDING APPROVALS AS APPROVED IN A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT AND THEN TO THE MEDC FOR THEIR FINAL APPROVAL OF WRAP AND THE CRP.

I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE QUICK THING.

SORRY. NO, NONE OF THESE FUNDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE SECURED WOULD BE EXPENDED UNTIL WE HAD ALL OF OUR PIECES IN ORDER. AND THERE'S AN ORDER TO THE OPERATION.

AND THE STATE IS LAST IN.

AMBER MENTIONED THAT BEFORE IN THEIR APPROVAL.

THAT'S JUST STANDARD WITH THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

SO BUT THIS DOES PUT US IN A STRONGER POSITION FOR THOSE STATE FUNDS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU.

ERIC, YOU HAD MENTIONED 3.3 IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.

YOU'RE ASKING FOR 1.2 MILLION FROM THE MARINE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

THE OTHER 2.1 IS THAT EXPECTED A GRANT FROM MEDC OR IS THAT BROWNFIELD? WHERE'S THE REST THERE? WILL IT BE DEVELOPER MONEY? SO WE INITIALLY ASKED FOR THE 3.3 MILLION AND THROUGH DISCUSSIONS YOU DIDN'T HAVE 3.3 MILLION, YOU ONLY HAD 2 MILLION IN YOUR REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

HOWEVER, 2 MILLION WOULD TAKE ALL OF THE FUND AND THERE ARE OTHER [INAUDIBLE] AND THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FINANCE.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN REQUEST FOR, AND WE DO PLAN ON DOING THAT IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN YOUR REDEVELOPMENT FUND, THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY COSTS AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, JUST LIKE THE BROWNFIELD COSTS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN SECURING ALREADY FROM EAGLE, MICHIGAN, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES AND ENERGY.

AND THOSE ARE ADDED TO TO TO THE COST.

SO NONE OF THE COSTS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY ARE GO TO THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION OR ANY PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

IT IS STRICTLY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WITHOUT OUR PROJECT OR NOT, WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE FUTURE.

THE TIF AGAIN IS THERE FOR A REIMBURSEMENT MECHANISM ON THAT.

THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND X IS A SOURCE.

AND WHY THIS IS SUFFICIENT NOW AND YOU MIGHT ASK THAT'S THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION I'M JUST GOING TO GO THERE IS WE DON'T NEED ALL OF THESE FUNDS UP FRONT THE WORK THE WAY THE WORK WILL BE EXPENDED.

THIS WOULD COVER THE INITIAL WORK THAT WE NEED TO GET STARTED WITH THE PROJECT.

THE BALANCE OF THE WORK ON THE ROADS AND THE RESURFACING AND THE UTILITIES WILL COME LATER.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL YEAR 2023 AND 2020 LATER AND 23 AND 24.

SO TIMING WISE, THE WAY THIS GETS PHASED IN, THE WAY IT'S EXPENDED FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DON'T NEED THOSE FUNDS IMMEDIATELY.

BUT THE 1.25 DOES ALLOW US TO START THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK, PARTICULARLY THE DRAIN WORK HAS TO BE COMPLETED UP FRONT SO WE CAN GET CONTROL OF STORMWATER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT DURING A CONSTRUCTION TWO CITY BLOCKS, BOTH ARE TO TWO ACRES A PIECE.

SO THAT'S FOUR ACRES IS CRITICAL.

AND THEN SOME ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTROL AS WE'RE CUTTING ROADS AND REPAIRING ROADS.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE WILL NOT BE COMPLETED TILL THE LATTER HALF OF THE PROJECT.

SO AM I HEARING YOU SAY THEN THAT YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE COMING BACK TO US FOR THE BALANCE OF THE OF THE 3.3 MILLION, OR THERE IS SOME GRANT FUNDING POSSIBILITY OUT THERE FOR AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS OF THIS COST.

SO THERE'S THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS MOVING AROUND.

THERE'S SOME SAID AMBER AND I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS.

SO THERE'S SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THE STATE HAS AND WHY WE'RE NOT JUST RUSHING TO ASK YOU FOR ANY MORE MONEY RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE TRYING TO EXHAUST

[02:35:04]

ANY ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE BEING ALLOCATED TO THE STATE.

THERE IS THAT THERE'S SOME SPECIAL ALLOCATION MONEY COMING OUT OF OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY.

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE AWARDED SOME OF THOSE.

THAT WOULD ALSO HELP DEAL WITH OKEMOS ROAD, WHICH IS NOT ADDRESSED HERE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES.

THE GOAL BEING GET ENOUGH THAT WILL ALLOW US TO START CONSTRUCTION.

AND WE'RE GOING TO KNOW A LOT OF THESE ANSWERS AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

I HEARD JUNE ON ONE OF THE PROGRAMS AND I HEARD AS LATE AS SPRING ON ANOTHER PROGRAM NEXT YEAR.

SO WE WERE JUST REMAINING NIMBLE AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP.

AND WE WENT WHEN WE ENTERED THIS INTO THIS WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND WITH THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING ON ALL OF THIS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DURING OUR PROJECT.

WE THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO IT.

IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO HAVE TO COME BACK LATER AND DO RIP UP THE ROADS AND REPAIR ROADS THAT WE ALL KNOW NEED ALL THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEED TO BE REDONE. I WANT TO SAY THE LAST TIME THIS WAS ADDRESSED, THE VILLAGE WAS IN THE FIFTIES, LATE FIFTIES, EARLY SIXTIES.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE TOWNSHIP DID SOME MAINTENANCE WORK ON SOME OF THE ROADS IN THE EIGHTIES, BUT THAT WAS THE LAST TIME.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN RECORD ON THE UTILITIES.

THERE'S BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS MADE.

AND ONE LAST QUESTION REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OF THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND BY THE TIF OVER THE 14 YEARS, THE TOWNSHIP WOULD BE FIRST IN LINE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT CERTAINLY CAN BE.

THE RIGHT NOW, THE WAY EVERYTHING IS STRUCTURED, WE IT'S AVAILABLE CAPACITY IS THE 6 MILLION GENERATED FROM THIS PROJECT AS PLANNED. SO YES, THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE VILLAGE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD WANT AN EARMARK TO WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN NOW.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

I'LL START WITH A QUESTION FOR OUR STAFF, WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SEVERAL OF THESE ROADS ARE ALREADY INCLUDED ON OUR ROAD IMPROVEMENT SCHEDULE AT SOME POINT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, PLEASE.

YES. SO THE SECTIONS OF CLINTON, ARDMORE, AND METHODIST, THOSE ARE ALL LOCAL ROADS.

SO THEY ARE IN THE TEN YEAR ROAD PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE TOWNSHIP ROAD MILLAGE.

SO AT SOME POINT, THOSE ROADS WOULD NEED TO BE REDONE.

TODAY, THOSE WOULD BE A CRUSHING SHAPE ROAD, WHICH IS ABOUT $450,000 PER MILE.

HOWEVER, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS PROJECT WOULD BE TO INSTALL CURB AND GUTTER.

SO A CRUSHING SHAPE IS A DITCH ORIENTED ROAD, SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY CONVERT IT AND PUT IN CURB AND GUTTER.

OUR ENGINEERING ESTIMATE WOULD BE $650,000 FOR THE THREE ROADS.

THAT'S JUST THE ROADS. THAT'S NONE OF THE UTILITIES, THE WATER AND SEWER.

THE QUESTION WAS RAISED WHEN WERE THEY INSTALLED? WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE THOSE ROUGH TIMELINES ALONG OKEMOS AND HAMILTON.

THE WATER MAIN WAS INSTALLED IN 1970, ARDMORE, HAMILTON TO CLINTON.

SO ALONG ARDMORE, FROM HAMILTON TO CLINTON INSTALLED IN 1980.

THE SANITARY MAIN WAS INSTALLED IN 1961 AND 1963.

WE WOULD WE CAN LINE THE EXISTING SANITARY AND WATER MAINS.

THAT'S USUALLY THE APPLICATION THAT WE WOULD USE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEAD SERVICE LINES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND SO I WOULD PUT THAT OUR ENGINEERING ESTIMATE FOR MINING WATER AND SEWER MAINS IS ABOUT $550,000 OF COST THAT WE WOULD INCUR.

SO THOSE TWO NUMBERS COME OUT TO ABOUT $1.2 MILLION, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND BIDS ARE HIGHLY VOLATILE RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE INFLUX OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

SO EVERYBODY'S GOT PROJECTS AND CONTRACTORS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY, RIGHT? HIGH DEMAND, LOW SUPPLY, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

AND THEN THE LABOR SHORTAGES, I GUESS, WHERE WHAT I'VE BEEN SORT OF HUNG UP ON, AS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONSIDER THIS ISSUE IS.

IT'S IN OUR BUDGET, IT'S IN OUR MILLAGE TO HANDLE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD.

HERE WE HAVE AN APPLICANT FOR A PROJECT IN ONE OF OUR [INAUDIBLE] AREAS WHO IS INTERESTED IN USING A FUND THAT OSTENSIBLY WILL BE PAID BACK TO US TO DO THE WORK THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO ANYWAY.

[02:40:02]

SO TO ME, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS LIKE A WIN WIN, AND I'M TRYING TO FIND THE CATCH BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A CATCH. [LAUGHTER] WHY ARE YOU ASSUMING THERE'S A CATCH? IT'S ALWAYS A CATCH.

THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS I HAVE HEARD FROM BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT MANAGING THE FLOW OF FUNDING.

THIS IS NOT A CHECK THAT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPER IN $1.25 MILLION.

IT WOULD BE MORE OF CONSTRUCTION DRAWS OF THESE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

IT WOULD BE REVIEWED AT THE EDC MEETING IN PUBLIC PACKETS AND THEN APPROVED AS THAT BODY.

I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT WE CREATE A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE DEVELOPER HIGHLIGHTING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHAT IS SPECIFICALLY WILL BE PAID FOR AND THE FUNDS WOULD BE DISBURSED.

AND IF THERE'S A STOPPING POINT, WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THAT.

WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS. WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

AND IN FACT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD REQUIRE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, IS THAT WE HAVE SOME IRONCLAD AGREEMENTS AS WE CAN GET TO ENSURE THAT THAT MONEY IS REIMBURSED AND THAT WE ARE FIRST IN LINE FOR THAT.

AND OF COURSE, THAT WE DO NOT EXPEND THAT MONEY UNTIL WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING WORK, SEEING THIS DONE MORE OR LESS.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, GENERALLY, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, THOUGH I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR THE COMMENTS OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, TO HEAR WHERE THEY'RE AT AS WELL, AND SORT OF LEARN FROM THEIR FROM THEIR QUESTIONS.

TRUSTEE THANK YOU. SO LET'S START FROM THE TOP.

I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL ASK OF ALL PUBLIC MONIES THAT YOU ARE INTENDING TO GET APPLIED FOR PUBLIC MONIES? SO THAT WOULD BE THE $1.25 FROM OUR MERIDIAN DEVELOPMENT FUND.

IT WOULD BE MEDC FUND THROUGH THE WRAP PROGRAM OR WHATEVER PROGRAMS YOU'RE GOING TO.

AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE ARE COMPETITIVE.

SO YOU DON'T KNOW FOR SURE AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW FOR A WHILE WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT FUNDING.

AND THEN WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING? YOU SAID YOU MENTIONED FEDERAL FUNDS.

WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBER? IT'S COMING FROM FUNDING THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO THAT AMBER AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.

THERE'S IT WOULD GO ALL TOWARD THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AT $3.3.

SO THE $1.25.

LET'S START WITH THE FEDERAL PIECE.

THE $1.25 WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THIS.

THE TIF THAT'S GENERATED IS NOTHING THAT WE RIGHT NOW PLAN ON USING PENDING THESE SOURCE FUNDS.

NOW IT'S THERE FOR AVAILABLE REIMBURSEMENT OF THESE EXPENSES.

SO IF THE TOWNSHIP WAS TO AFFORD US THIS GRANT, IT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE A REIMBURSEMENT.

SO IT'D BE FEEL LIKE A GRANT TO US, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE GET TO USE IT UP FRONT.

BUT IT WOULD BE MORE, MORE OF A LOAN MAYBE FROM THE EDC TO THE TO THE DDA.

HOWEVER, THAT MECHANISM WORKS OUT.

AS FAR AS THE OTHER PROGRAMS, I DON'T KNOW.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFICS.

WE'VE PUT IN TWO REQUESTS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MR. OPSOMMER ON ONE AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AMBER ON THE OTHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THOSE TWO PROGRAMS. SURE. YEAH. SO REPRESENTATIVE SLOTKIN HAS ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.

THE FIRST TIME I HAD HEARD ABOUT IT WAS LAST YEAR AND WE DID SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THAT GRANT.

WE DID NOT GET SELECTED GENERALLY IF YOU IT'S ACTUALLY AN APPLICATION, YOU SEND IN A LETTER AND THEN THEY GIVE YOU THE FULL REQUEST FOR APPLICATION.

SO WE DID NOT GET THAT REQUEST LAST YEAR WORKING WITH MANAGER OPSOMMER, WE WENT BACK FOR THAT SAME FUNDING REQUEST THIS YEAR JUST WITH A SMALLER REQUEST.

SO THAT IS A $3.5 MILLION REQUEST FROM ELISSA SLOTKIN.

WE HAVE NO IDEA AT THIS TIME OF WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GETTING THAT FUNDING.

SO I'M NOT CONSIDERING THAT AS A PART OF THE STABILIZING BUCKETS FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.

AND I THINK ABOUT SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.

IT'S MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WITH MRF AND THE BRE, THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND AT $1.2 MILLION AND WE WERE LAST DISCUSSING A BROWNFIELD REIMBURSEMENT OF $4.8.

SO LET'S JUST CALL IT A FIVE, LET'S CALL IT SIX, SEVEN AND THEN 10 MILLION FROM MEDC.

SO $5 MILLION OUT OF THE RAC, THE REVITALIZATION AND PLACEMAKING GRANT AND $5 MILLION OF THE CRP, THREE AND ONE HALF MILLION IN A LOAN AND ONE AND A HALF IN A GRANT.

ALSO LEGAL, BUT.

BUT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

YEAH. SO LET ME LET ME TICK THROUGH IT.

SHE'S, SHE'S RIGHT. LET ME TICK THROUGH IT IN AN ORDER THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND.

BROWNFIELD THIS IS TALK HERE OF BROWNFIELD EXPENSES.

WE HAVE TWO GRANTS.

WE HAVE A $300,000 GRANT AND A $1 MILLION GRANT TO ADDRESS A CLEANUP EFFORTS.

[02:45:04]

ON BOTH BLOCKS.

WE HAVE A LOAN OF $1,000,000 AND THE DEVELOPER HAS $3.3 MILLION.

HAPPENS TO BE SAME NUMBER AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT RELATED, BUT 3.3 MILLION OF THEIR FUNDS.

THAT'S A TOTAL OF $5.6 MILLION.

A PORTION OF WHAT I JUST STATED, THE LOANS AND THE DEVELOPER FUNDING GET REIMBURSED WITH TIF.

ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT TO DOUBLE COUNT.

IT SHOULD NOT DOUBLE COUNT THAT.

SO IT'S A TOTAL OF $5.6 IS ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOUR, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY STATE.

IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH THAT EAGLE, EAGLE, EAGLE.

AND THE TIF THAT WE'RE USING IS A PREDOMINANTLY A STATE TIF.

AND THE REASON IS, IS WE'RE INSIDE THE DDA.

THE DDA IS CAPTURING MAJORITY OF THE LOCAL REVENUES THAT CAN BE USED TOWARDS LOCAL ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THEN THE PROGRAMS FROM MEDC IS THERE'S TWO THE $10 MILLION IS RIGHT, BUT IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO PROGRAMS. THERE'S THE WRAP GRANT.

THAT'S $5 MILLION AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE OUR APPLICATION IS DUE NOW JUNE 3RD.

AND THEN THERE'S AN MCRP MICHIGAN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM LOAN.

SO THAT'S A LOAN THAT WE HAVE TO PAY BACK AND THAT GOES TOWARD GAP FINANCING AND THAT'S $5 MILLION.

SO IF YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER ALONG WITH THE $1.25 HERE, THAT IS $16.85 MILLION.

THE ONLY PORTION OF THAT THAT IS PURE TOWNSHIP IS THE $1.25.

HOWEVER, I DID HEAR YOU SAY THAT THE $5.6 MILLION FROM THE BROWNFIELD CORRECT ACTIVITY IS REIMBURSABLE BY THE TIF.

$4.3 OF THE $5.6 IS A REIMBURSABLE.

YOU ARE CORRECT. RIGHT.

BUT IT'S $4.3 OF THE $5.6.

AND SO ECHOING TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON COMMENTS IS WE'D WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE FIRST IN LINE ON THAT.

AND THAT IS DOABLE.

YES. YEAH.

WE HAVE STRUCTURED THAT INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY OFF SITE CLASS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.

THE DDA PIECE WAS RESERVED SET UP BY OUR PROJECT TEAM TO ADDRESS THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOOMING OKEMOS ROAD ISSUE AND THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND THE BALANCE OF THAT $6 MILLION.

LET'S JUST SAY YOU HAD THE 1.25 THAT GOT PAID OFF BY THE SIX.

YOU STILL HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THAT THAT CAN GO TO OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE WORK.

WHAT'S THE LOOMING OKEMOS ROAD PROJECT ARE YOU OR UNDERGROUNDING OF THE POWER AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS ALONG OKEMOS ROAD THAT ARE NEEDED.

WHAT ABOUT THE TANKS? ABOUT THE WHAT? THE TANKS.

THE TANKS. THE GAS TANKS? YEAH. NO, THEY'RE STILL UNDER THE ROAD AND ON OKEMOS ROAD, SO THERE IS POTENTIAL THAT THERE BE AT THE CORNER.

WE DID DO A GROUND PENETRATING RADAR.

YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS AT ONE OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THE GROUND PENETRATING RADAR DID NOT FIND THEM.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PICK UP ANY REFRACTING.

SO IT'S ASSUMED AT THIS POINT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

THAT WAS FROM THE FORMER BOTTOMS UP PARCEL AT THE CORNER.

CORRECT. AND THAT WAS AN OLD GAS STATION WAY, WAY BACK ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PROPERTIES THAT WAS IN THE OLD VILLAGE.

YEAH. SO WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE IN READING THROUGH ALL THIS MATERIAL I SEE.

START DATE OF SUMMER OF 2022.

THEN I SEE ALL YOUR APPROVALS WON'T BE IN UNTIL NOVEMBER 1ST OF 22.

SO HOW DOES THIS WORK? GREAT QUESTION. SO WHEN WE CAME FIRST BEFORE THE BOARD, WE DID NOT HAVE THE UPDATED TIME FRAME FROM MEDC.

MEDC HAS SHIFTED THEIR TIME FRAME BACK BY A FEW MONTHS, UNFORTUNATELY TO SEPTEMBER, TO MAKING A DECISION.

WE THEN FOUND OUT, AND THIS AGAIN IS SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING I PRESENTED TO YOU THAT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE WE ALREADY SUBMITTED ALL OUR APPLICATIONS.

SO LET ME BE CLEAR. WE'VE SUBMITTED OUR CRPF APPLICATION.

WE COMPLETED A ROUND FILLED PLAN.

WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT GET APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY YOU.

BUT THEY WON'T TAKE THE CRP UNTIL THE WRAP GRANTS ARE DETERMINED.

AND THE REASON THEY MADE THAT DECISION WAS, IS THEY'RE SO COMPETITIVE WITH THE REMAINING OTHER PROJECTS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE IS THAT THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS GOING TO GET THOSE FIRST BEFORE AWARDING THE CRP.

WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS, IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO BACKFILL SOME OF THE WRAP PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT THEY CAN'T APPROVE WITH CRP FUNDS.

IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED MY WORLD IS FUN AT TIMES, BUT THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE DELAYED SO THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO ACT ON OUR CRP PROGRAM REQUEST UNTIL SOMETIME AFTER SEPTEMBER.

SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW TARGETING APPROVALS BY NOVEMBER.

[02:50:02]

IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH EDC AND AMBER HAS BEEN PRESENT WITH WITH ME IN MOST OF THOSE MEETINGS.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FIRST AND WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO START IT? WE HAVE ONE BUILDING REMAINING THAT IS IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE BLOCK ONE, WE HAVE TO DO ASBESTOS ABATEMENT YET ON THAT AND THEN DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING. THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO ONCE WE DO GET OUR APPROVALS, DEPENDING ON TIMING AND WHAT THE BANKS ALLOW US AND WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS US, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE CANNOT START CONSTRUCTION ON, ONE OF WHICH IS VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN WITH EAGLE, WE HAVE APPROVALS THAT WE HAVE YET TO GET THROUGH WORK PLAN APPROVALS AND SO FORTH.

WITH EAGLE ON THE REMAINING ENVIRONMENTAL ITEMS, WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THOSE ON THE SUMMER AND GET THOSE APPROVED BY FALL.

WE CAN MAYBE START SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN START, WE LOVE DOING THIS IN THE WINTER IS TO START TACKLING SOME OF THE STORMWATER ACTIVITIES FOR THE DRAIN OFFICE IN ORDER TO HAVE A READY TO BUILD VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION SITE NO LATER THAN SPRING OF 23.

SPRING OF 23.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR INDULGING ME ON TIME.

LET ME ASK WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOUR TIMELINE.

IT'S ABOUT AN 18 MONTH VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.

WE ARE PHASING BLOCKS ONE AND TWO.

WE'RE STARTING WITH BLOCK TWO THE SOUTH BLOCK.

THIS WAY WE CAN EFFECT EFFECTIVELY BUILD ALL OF THE BUILDINGS.

THERE'S FOUR TOTAL BUILDINGS.

IT LOOKS LIKE TWO. IT'S A CORNER, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO THAT FRONT HAMILTON ON EACH BLOCK AND TWO, THE FRONT OKEMOS ROAD ON EACH BLOCK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START IN BLOCK TWO, WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS WE'VE GOT SPECIAL FOUNDATIONS AND DEEP PILE FOUNDATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

ON BLOCK TWO WE GET THOSE GET OUR FOUNDATIONS GOING.

THEN WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THAT WORK, THEY ROLL OVER INTO BLOCK ONE.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY WE'RE OUR TRADES WILL GO FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE NEXT BLOCK AND THEN IT'S GOING TO START TO LOOK SEAMLESS TO MOST PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF CONSTRUCTION AS FAR AS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY TELL THAT ONES AHEAD OF THE OTHER, BUT THE FINISHES WILL BE COMPLETED AND BLOCK TWO WILL PROBABLY BE DELIVERED BEFORE BLOCK ONE BY A TUNE OF 2 TO 3 MONTHS IS WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING AT THIS TIME.

SO IT'S IT'S 15 MONTHS AND ONE, 18 MONTHS ON THE OTHER.

SO THAT'S WHY WE USE THE 18 MONTHS FOR TOTAL CONSTRUCTION TIME FRAME FOR VERTICAL.

BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPER? MR. DESCHAINE.

ERIC WHAT DO YOU ESTIMATE THE TOTAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE COST TO BE? IS IT THIS $3.3 MILLION OR IS THAT JUST THE FIRST PASS? SO $3.3 FOR EVERYTHING IN THE YELLOW AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO WITH THE REVIEW OF ALL THE AGENCIES, UPDATE THE ENGINEERING PLANS.

WE KNOW WE HAVE DRAIN OFFICE CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE.

WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO ROAD DEPARTMENT CHANGES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT OUT TO BID.

SO IS THAT $3.3 NUMBER ABSOLUTE? NO, IT IS NOT EXACTLY THAT NUMBER THAT WAS BASED ON THE SET OF PLANS THAT WE HAD GOING INTO THIS BEFORE CHANGES AND BEFORE SOME SOME OF THE INCREASES THAT WE'VE HAD ON COSTS AND SO FORTH.

WELL, AS WE'RE WORKING WITH DRAIN OFFICE AND STAYING ON BUDGET, ALL I CAN SAY IS GOOD LUCK IN TERMS OF THESE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.

I'D LIKE TO ASK DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER THESE THINGS WITH THESE 50 YEAR OLD DRAINS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT DOING WITH ANY DEVELOPMENT ALONG ARDMORE AND HAMILTON ROAD? DRAINS OR THE WATER MAINS AND THE SANITARY MAIN? ALL THREE.

THE SANITARY MAIN IS IN NEED OF LINING.

SO WE WILL APPLY A COATING THAT WILL EXTEND THE LONGEVITY OF THE SANITARY AND THE WATER MAINS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TRADITIONALLY WOULD BE DONE AT THIS POINT 40 OR 50 YEARS INTO THAT MAINS SERVICE LIFE.

THE ROADS, ALL OF THE ROADS ADJACENT TO THE TWO PARCELS OBVIOUSLY ARE IN NEED OF RECONSTRUCT.

WE'RE LIKELY NOT WE WOULDN'T LIKELY SEE CLINTON, ARDMORE AND METHODIST ON THE ROAD PLAN ANY TIME SOON.

JUST BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE HOME OR THE ROADS THAT SERVICE RESIDENTIAL FIRST AND FOREMOST.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A MIX HERE, THOUGH, IT'S NOT JUST COMMERCIAL USES AND PROPERTIES ADJACENT.

IT'S A MIX. IT'S A DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT.

BEING THE HISTORICAL OLD VILLAGE.

BUT ALSO THE DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS OF ARE GOING TO KEEP IT OFF THE LIST AS WELL DRAINS THIS IS THE BURGER RELIEF TRAIN WE JUST WE DID RECEIVE UPDATED CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE DRAIN OFFICE TODAY.

[02:55:01]

WE HAVE HAD WE HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO REVIEW IT, BUT THE GRETNA BURGER RELIEF TRAIN IS IN NEED OF WORK.

ANY TIME THE RIVER CRESTS, YOU CAN TELL THAT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS IN NEED OF MODERNIZATION IN THIS AREA.

THANK YOU. IN TERMS OF THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE THE BOARD, I WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEE WITH SUPERVISOR JACKSON THAT BROUGHT THIS TO THE BOARD.

AND I WENT INTO THAT SUBCOMMITTEE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, THINKING THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ASK FROM THE DEVELOPER FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SUBSIDIZE THIS PROJECT.

AND I WAS LOOKING FOR MORE INVESTMENT ON THE SITE, ON THE PART OF THE DEVELOPER.

FOLLOWING THAT HEARING, I WAS IMPRESSED THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS MADE SUFFICIENT INVESTMENTS OF THEIR OWN, AND WHAT IS IN FACT BEING ASKED FOR HERE IS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.

THE DEPUTY MANAGER'S COMMENTS NOW REINFORCED MY BELIEF THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BECAUSE MUCH OF THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE ANYWAY.

I DON'T THINK THIS IS UNIQUE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THIS PROJECT.

ANY PROJECT ALONG THESE TWO BLOCKS IS GOING TO NEED THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE REDEVELOPMENT THIS TIME.

SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I'M INCLINED TO I AM TEND TO SUPPORT THIS WHEN IT COMES TO A VOTE OF THE $1.25 MILLION GRANT FROM THE MARINE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HELZER. THANK YOU.

ARE THERE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE QUESTION BEFORE I SO WERE IN SUPPORT OR NOT? AND SO WE CAN EXPECT I'M SEEING AN ANSWER OF NO CONSENSUS OF NO.

AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE CONSENSUS IS WE WOULD LIKELY BE IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THE REQUESTS FROM THE EDC.

SO HOW DO WE WHAT DO WE EXPECT NEXT FROM YOU TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? GOOD. VERY GOOD QUESTION.

I WILL BRING BACK TO THE BOARD THEN FOR ACTION A RESOLUTION DESCRIBING THE INTENT OF THE BOARD TO CREATE THIS AS A PUBLIC PROJECT AS FAR AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ACT STATES.

AND THE RESOLUTION WILL ENCOURAGE WILL DIRECT STAFF TO CREATE A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT UNDERLINING THE TERMS OF THE PAYMENT OF THE FUNDS WHEN THE FUNDS WILL BE DISBURSED, AND POSSIBLY EVEN ENCOURAGING A SORT OF A SCHEDULE RELATED TO THOSE FUNDING'S, THAT COULD BE APPROVED AT THE BOARD MEETING AND ON THE 3RD.

BUT I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A VERY PACKED MEETING THAT NIGHT, SO I WOULD SUGGEST THE 17TH.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. WALSH. THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I SAY THIS? SO I'LL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU WHEN I DON'T HAVE THE IT EXPERIENCE.

AND YOU ALL WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE TO THAT.

AND THERE'S OTHER OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP, LIKE, WHAT WERE YOU WORKING ON THERE? DANIELS DRAIN NOT MY BAILIWICK.

I GO BACK 30, 35 YEARS ON THIS ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE STATE'S FIRST RENAISSANCE ZONE WHEN IT CAME OUT IN 1995.

I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE STATE'S FIRST BROWNFIELD.

I'VE DONE ABOUT 15 BROWNFIELDS SINCE 1995.

LOTS OF DDAS, LOTS OF TIFS.

THIS THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.

I DON'T WANT TO BE BRAGGY, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL LEND TO ME AND MY A LITTLE BIT TO MY EXPERIENCE AS WE GO FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE.

I THINK TONIGHT IT'S BEEN A GREAT DISCUSSION.

I THINK REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO HAVE GOING FORWARD, THOUGH, AND I'LL BE SILENT UP UNTIL THE POINT WHERE I THINK I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING THAT IS ALL THIS TIF MONEY THAT'S BEING CREATED. RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE NEW DOLLARS THAT ARE CREATED.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE TOWNSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY FUTURE REQUEST SHOULD COME OF DOLLARS, SHOULD COME FROM FUTURE TAX DOLLARS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND NOT FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE FRONTING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE TIF IS FOR.

SO YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF TIFS AND THE HISTORY OF DEEDS AND THE HISTORY OF THESE KIND OF DEVELOPMENTS.

USUALLY THE ARGUMENT IS THERE.

THE DISCUSSION LEADS TO A DISCUSSION.

THE COMMUNITY IS BASED ON WHETHER WE SHOULD USE TIF FINDINGS TO REIMBURSE THE DEVELOPER FOR THE PROJECT.

IN THIS CASE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOWNSHIP.

SO WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT OF THE TIF DOLLARS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THOSE.

SO JUST A THOUGHT AS WE GO FORWARD.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR. CLERK.

MOVE NOW TO ITEM 14 V RENTAL RESTRICTION OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT.

[14B. Rental Restriction Overlay Zoning Districts]

MR. SCHMITT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SUPERVISOR SCHMITT.

[03:00:03]

EITHER ONE WORKS.

THIS IS A INFORMATIONAL ITEM FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING.

MANAGER WALSH AND I AND OUR ONE OF OUR MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT PROJECTS REALIZE THAT QUESTIONS HAVE BEGUN ARISING MORE FREQUENTLY WITH RESPECT TO HOW CAN WE ADDRESS LIMITATIONS OF RENTALS IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS? AND FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S REALLY ONLY TWO OPTIONS THAT I'M AWARE OF.

IT IS DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROPERTY, AND IT IS THIS THE ORDINANCE YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET WHICH HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY ONE COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET ABOUT PLANNERS.

WE REALLY LIKE BORROWING FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AND THIS ORDINANCE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND IN TALKING TO MY FRIENDS IN EAST LANSING, THEY STILL GET CALLS ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.

TO DATE, NO ONE ELSE HAS ADOPTED IT.

SO I JUST LAY THAT OUT BECAUSE THIS IS A CHARGED ISSUE THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING.

THE CONCEPT THAT EAST LANSING ADOPTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WAS FUNCTIONALLY A ZONING OVERLAY, BUT IT PRACTICALLY ACTED AS A PETITION DRIVE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO LIMIT RENTALS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE MUNICIPALITIES.

THE CITY'S ROLE IN IT SIMPLY WAS TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL SHEET, A PETITION FORM THAT WAS APPROVABLE AND A MAP.

HOMEOWNERS THEN WENT OUT AND GATHERED THE SIGNATURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE, BROUGHT THEM BACK PLANNING STAFF, THEN PROCESSED IT THROUGH AS A ZONING AMENDMENT AND EXPLICITLY TOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO OPINE ON THE POSITIVES OR NEGATIVES OF THIS, TO SIMPLY ADOPT IT BECAUSE THEY MET THE REQUIREMENTS.

AND THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL UNDERLYING LEGAL BASIS FOR THIS WAS THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS ABLE TO MAKE A DISTINCTION THAT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES A STUDENT RENTAL FUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY THAN A FAMILY ORIENTED RENTAL. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE TWO CRUXES OF THE CASE.

AND IT GOT APPEALED TO THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

AND THEY ULTIMATELY UPHELD THE DECISION OF THE LOWER COURTS THAT THAT WAS A VALID GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD, THE BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ESTABLISH VERY STRONGLY WHAT THE VALID GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CASE WHERE I CAN BORROW ANOTHER TOWN PLACES, ORDINANCE AND ADOPT IT HERE.

THIS IS ONE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DIG IN TO THE PURPOSE AND INTEREST PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAILORING IT VERY SPECIFICALLY TO THE TOWNSHIP. BUT THIS IS A WAY TO DO IT.

IT HAS BEEN UPHELD IN THE COURTS.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK.

WE WOULD IF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD CHOOSES TO PROCEED WITH SOMETHING ALONG LINE, WORK WITH OUR ATTORNEYS ON EXTENSIVELY TO VET IT, BECAUSE I SAY WITH NO BRAVADO, WE WILL GET SUED.

IT'S INEVITABLE BECAUSE EVENTUALLY IT WILL GO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SOMEONE'S UPSET ABOUT IT AND THEY WILL SUE US.

BUT WE ARE BRINGING IT FORWARD BECAUSE THIS QUESTION HAS STARTED TO COME UP MORE AND MORE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WANTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD THIS EVENING.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO.

OH.

SUPERVISOR. [LAUGHTER]. I CANNOT CALL ON YOU MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I AM UNABLE TO DO THAT.

SORRY, TIM.

MR. SCHMITT THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO PREVENT OWNERS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FROM RENTING.

JUST.

FROM RENTING. FROM RENTING, END OF SENTENCE.

SO THERE'S THREE CATEGORIES.

THERE IS IF YOU LIVE THERE, YOU CAN HAVE A RUMOR.

IF YOU LIVE THERE AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, YOU CAN HAVE A RUMOR, BUT WHEN YOU SELL IT, THAT RIGHT GOES AWAY OR YOU ARE PROHIBITED FROM RENTING TO ANYONE, PERIOD.

SO THAT'S THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN RO1, RO2, AND RO3?

[03:05:05]

YES, MA'AM. SO THE FIRST QUESTION FOR US IS, ARE WE INTERESTED IN PURSUING.

ARE WE INTERESTED IN PUSHING FOR THE RIGHT TO PROHIBIT SINGLE FAMILY RENTALS? THAT IS A FAIR WAY TO FRAME THE QUESTION.

YES. OH, BOY.

TRUSTEE WILSON. THIS IS SORT OF A PERIPHERAL ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT TWO UNRELATED PARTIES IS THE MAXIMUM PER HOUSEHOLD? A FAMILY OR TWO UNRELATED INDIVIDUALS? YES. SO DOES THAT NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEM RIGHT THERE? I MEAN, FUNCTIONALLY, THAT'S HOW RENTAL RESTRICTIONS BEGAN.

I THINK IT WAS AUSTIN, TEXAS, THAT STARTED THIS DEFINITION OF FAMILY OF TWO UNRELATED.

IT WAS THREE UNRELATED ORIGINALLY, AND IT EVENTUALLY WAS AMENDED.

AND THAT SORT OF SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS A GOOD WAY TO RESTRICT SORT OF THAT INCREASING DENSITY THAT YOU TEND TO SEE WITH RENTAL UNITS.

YES. IN WHAT IS TRADITIONALLY A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT DOES HAVE THE EFFECT OF LIMITING THE IMPACT.

WE ALSO HAVE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, WE HAVE RENTAL REGISTRATION AND WE TRY TO GET IN EVERY PROPERTY EVERY YEAR.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES THAT WE HAVE.

THIS ENDS UP BEING THE SLEDGEHAMMER AT THE END OF THE STREET TO PREVENT IT ENTIRELY AND WOULD YOU'D HAVE TO GRANDFATHER IN ANY PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY A RENTAL.

ABSOLUTELY. WHAT WE FOUND IN EAST LANSING WAS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE MOST READY TO SIGN UP WERE THE EXISTING LANDLORDS, BECAUSE THE MARKET WAS THEN CLOSED OFF AND THEY HAD ESSENTIALLY A MONOPOLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

THIS ISSUE IS TIMELY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT AN ISSUE WITH A RENTAL IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ON IT.

AND AT FIRST BLUSH, IT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOME OWNERSHIP HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PROFESSOR WHO GETS A TWO YEAR ASSIGNMENT OVERSEAS AND HAS A VERY NICE HOME AND THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO RENT THAT HOME AND WE'RE GOING TO SUDDENLY SAY, SORRY, YOU CANNOT WE ARE TAKING AWAY THIS ABILITY FOR YOU TO RENT YOUR HOME TO ANOTHER FAMILY THAT NEEDS A SIMILAR HOME.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE ADOPT IT.

THE SECOND THING WE'RE SEEING IS THAT ALMOST EVERY NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE US THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN RENTALS.

THE MARKET IS ASKING FOR RENTALS RIGHT NOW.

THERE IS NOT A DEMAND FOR CONDOS.

THERE'S A DEMAND FOR RENTALS.

AND SO BY DOING THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BENEFIT THOSE RENTALS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PENALIZE THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DECIDE THEY WANT TO PROPERLY RENT OUT THEIR HOME TO ANOTHER FAMILY THAT NEEDS IT.

AND IS THAT A FAIR THING TO DO TO THE 14,000 PARCEL OWNERS HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? SO THAT DISCUSSION ALSO HAS TO BE HAD.

IN TERMS OF THE YOU COME FROM EAST LANSING, I'M ASSUMING YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR RENTAL INSPECTIONS AND OUR RENTAL INSPECTIONS AND THE QUALITY OF THE RENTALS. OF COURSE, EAST LANSING IS KIND OF AN EXTREME CASE BECAUSE OF THE VERY LARGE UNIVERSITY THERE.

BUT MAYBE YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE STUDENT DISTRICT AND MAYBE THE PINE CREST AREA OR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT AREN'T SO MUCH STUDENT AREAS BUT YOU DO HAVE RENTALS.

HOW DO WE COMPARE TO EAST LANSING IN TERMS OF OUR NON STUDENT RENTALS AND THE KIND OF VIOLATIONS WE SEE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT REQUIRED OF OUR STAFF COMPARED TO THEIR STAFF? YOU KNOW, INTERESTINGLY, I WOULD PROBABLY COMPARE US A LITTLE MORE TOWARDS MY PREVIOUS JOB IN THE CITY OF HOWELL.

WE HAD A RENTAL INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT WAS INCREASING IN TIMING WISE.

WE WERE GOING TO GO FROM TWO YEARS TO ONE YEAR, I BELIEVE, JUST BEFORE I LEFT.

AND I WOULD COMPARE US MORE TO THAT IN THAT WE HAVE LARGE, STRONG, SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AND THERE ARE CERTAIN IT'S NOT A PROPERTY OR A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S EVER THE PROBLEM, IT'S THE LANDLORD.

SO YOU HAVE CERTAIN LANDLORDS THAT DON'T MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTIES AND WE COULD GO THROUGH A LIST AND I THINK EVERYONE WOULD RECOGNIZE CERTAIN NAMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DO A GREAT JOB.

YOU KNOW, DTN DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES.

THE HAGAN FAMILY TRIES REALLY HARD AND DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

[03:10:02]

AND I WOULD SAY THAT THEY DO A BETTER JOB HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE STUDENTS RENTING BY AND LARGE.

STUDENTS ARE HARDER ON PROPERTIES GENERALLY BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN OUT OF THEIR PARENTS HOME OR OUT OF THE DORM.

WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE.

SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I THINK EAST LANSING IS IN A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY CAME UP WITH A VERY UNIQUE SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE HAVE THAT I CAN THINK OF STANDING HERE THAT HAS SUCH A CONCENTRATION OF RENTALS THAT IT'S CAUSING A SUBSTANTIALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT.

WHAT YOU END UP HAVING ANYWHERE, ANY STREET IS IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, IT'S A ONE OFF.

IT'S A THAT TENANT OR THAT LANDLORD IS NOT SORT OF LIVING UP TO THE GENERAL EXPECTATION THAT WE HAVE AS LIVING IN SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT IS CAUSING US TO HAVE TO ENFORCE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE EAST LANSING DEFINITELY USED TO BE A LOT MORE CRACKING THE WHIP ON CODE ENFORCEMENT.

THEY'RE A LITTLE LESS LAX NOW BECAUSE I THINK THEY PROBABLY GOT A LITTLE TOO FAR.

WE DO A GOOD JOB OF NOT CHASING THINGS, BUT FOLLOWING UP ON PROBLEMS THAT EXIST, AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD WAY OF UTILIZING OUR STAFF.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

SO I OWN A HOME.

I HAVE THREE EMPTY BEDROOMS. I CAN HAVE HOW MANY UNRELATED, CAN I SUBLEASE THOSE BEDROOMS? CAN I RENT THOSE BEDROOMS OUT TO PEOPLE? YOU COULD RENT ONE BEDROOM OUT TO ONE PERSON.

NOT A FAMILY.

A PERSON. CORRECT.

OKAY. I OWN A HOME. I HAVE THREE EMPTY BEDROOMS. I DON'T RENT THOSE BEDROOMS OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

THEY'RE JUST LIVING THERE.

IS THAT ALLOWED? YOU AND I HAVE A VERY AWKWARD CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE PAYING UTILITIES OR WHETHER THEY'RE PAYING FOR BILLS OR OTHER RENUMERATION THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING TO YOU IN EXCHANGE FOR LIVING THERE.

AND IF YOU CAN PROVE TO ME THAT THEY ARE JUST LIVING THERE.

THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANYTHING.

AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANYTHING, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY OKAY.

I OWN A HOME. I'M NOT LIVING IN THIS HOME.

I DECIDE TO RENT IT.

I CAN RENT IT TO ONE FAMILY OR TWO FAMILIES? TWO UNRELATED PERSONS.

I CAN RENT IT TO TWO UNRELATED PERSONS, CORRECT.

PERIOD. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M LIVING IN IT OR NOT LIVING IN IT.

IT'S TWO UNRELATED PEOPLE.

TWO UNRELATED PEOPLE.

AND IF SOMEONE'S LIVING IN THE HOME WITH ME OR LIVING THERE, AS LONG AS I CAN PROVE THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANYTHING, THAT DOESN'T MATTER.

WELL, I DO HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY, SO I'M JUST I'M JUST CLARIFYING WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES.

I ASSURE YOU. SO I UNDERSTAND.

I ASSURE YOU THAT IF I GOT THAT CALL, WE WOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING GOING ON UNTOWARD THERE, BECAUSE A SITUATION LIKE THAT WOULD LEAD US TO BELIEVE SOMETHING WEIRD WAS GOING ON.

SO I'M GOING BACK TO TRUSTEE WILSON'S COMMENT OF THE TWO UNRELATED PEOPLE, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE. I THOUGHT WE WERE SWIMMING ALONG WELL.

I GUESS I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE BOARD WAS OKAY WITH THE TWO UNRELATED PEOPLE THING.

AND I THINK, I DON'T THINK STAFF NECESSARILY DISAGREES.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT WE'VE STARTED TO HAVE A RUMBLING OUT THERE AND WE WANTED TO TRY AND GET AHEAD OF THIS A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE AGREES WE'RE STILL SWIMMING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IS THE RUMBLING THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING MORE THAN TWO UNRELATED PEOPLE? IS IT AN INCREASED CODE VIOLATION? NO. THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE GOTTEN MOST RECENTLY HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC RENTAL PROPERTIES COMING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE AND ARE RENTING THE OLD ONE OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

ARE THEY? BUT THEY'RE NOT IN VIOLATION.

IT'S JUST THAT THEY'RE RENTING IT OUT AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

THEY'RE NOT IN VIOLATION YET.

WE'RE WORKING TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. I NEEDED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

THANK YOU.

MR. SCHMITT I WAS ABOUT TO FORGET.

MR. SCHMITT. HOW DO YOU KNOW?

[03:15:02]

THE PEOPLE ONLY KNOW THAT YOU'RE RENTING OUT THEIR HOUSE THAT THEY COME AND TELL YOU THEY'RE RENTING OUT THEIR HOUSE, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.

CORRECT. OKAY.

VERY MUCH. AND SO PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT TO WITH THEIR HOUSE AS LONG AS THEY DON'T REGISTER IT AS A RENTAL.

IS THAT CORRECT? IF THEY DON'T REGISTER IT WITH YOU AS A RENTAL? CERTAINLY THEY COULD, BUT THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE IN VIOLATION OF OUR ORDINANCES.

AND WE HAVE OUR WAYS OF FINDING OUT WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN VIOLATION OF OUR ORDINANCES.

OKAY. THE NEIGHBORS WILL TELL YOU.

EVERYBODY TELLS. AND WHY ARE THEY IN VIOLATION OF YOUR ORDINANCE? BECAUSE WE DO WE REQUIRE IF YOU ARE RENTING YOUR PROPERTY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT LICENSED AND INSPECTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. THAT IS CURRENTLY A REQUIREMENT.

I'M SORRY, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT.

OK. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

TRUSTEE HENRICKSON.

[LAUGHTER] SO THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I READ THROUGH THE ORDINANCE AND I APPRECIATE THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SITUATION THAT EAST LANSING FINDS ITSELF IN.

THIS, TO ME IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, FEELS LIKE A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.

IF THERE ARE ISSUES WITH SPECIFIC RENTERS OR SPECIFIC LANDLORDS, IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WITHOUT SPENDING WHAT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IS HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF STAFF TIME DRAFTING UP THIS NEW ORDINANCE BASED ON THE EAST LANSING ORDINANCE AND MAKING IT LEGALLY BULLETPROOF. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE HAVING THESE ISSUES TO KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT A VENUE BY WHICH TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

RIGHT, WHICH IS WITH OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICERS, AND THAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES WORK DILIGENTLY TO RESPOND TO THEM.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE SEE AN INFLUX OF A MASSIVE NUMBER OF RENTALS IN A GIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD OR GIVEN AREA, THAT'S CAUSING PROBLEMS REPEATEDLY WHERE WE WOULD FEEL THE NEED TO RESTRICT THIS, I CAN'T SEE ANY NEED TO SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME, LEGAL TIME AND THIS BOARD'S TIME MOVING FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A BUNCH OF JUSTIFICATION OUT THERE FOR IT, THEN I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.

BUT OTHER THAN BEYOND THAT, I DON'T FORESEE ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED THIS EVENING AS SOMETHING THAT OUR CURRENT CODE CAN'T ALREADY ADDRESS.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

THIS ISSUE OF A PROBLEM TENANT NEXT TO YOU IS LIKE ANY CODE VIOLATION ISSUE.

I THINK IF YOUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR IS OPERATING A BODY SHOP OUT OF THEIR GARAGE OR YOUR NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET HASN'T MOVED THEIR LAWN ALL SEASON, AND THERE [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE JUNK IN THE YARD, JUNK IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT'S A VERY SUBJECTIVE ISSUE.

AND WHEN IT IMPACTS YOU, IT IMPACTS YOU REALLY BIG, BIG.

AND SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY CAPABLE ENFORCEMENT STAFF AND THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE AND THEY'RE EVEN DOING SOME PROACTIVE WORK BECAUSE OBJECTIVELY WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.

BUT SUBJECTIVELY, THERE ARE DOZENS OF PEOPLE IN THE TOWNSHIP RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE NEXT-DOOR VIOLATING THE CODE IN SOME WAYS.

AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOUR TEAM IS OUT THERE TRYING TO MITIGATE THOSE PROBLEMS AND BRING THE OFFENDING OR VIOLATING NEIGHBOR IN COMPLIANCE SO THAT THEY HAVEN'T RUINED THE ENJOYMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY AROUND THEM.

SO, WHILE, I DON'T THINK THIS RO IS THE ANSWER.

WE DO HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THESE COMPLAINTS THAT COME TO YOUR OFFICE.

AND THEY'RE REALLY IMPACTING A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

AND IT'S A REALLY BIG ISSUE FOR THEM.

AND WE FOLLOW UP ON EVERY COMPLAINT WE GET WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BARKING DOGS.

IF YOU'RE WATCHING AT HOME, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER.

DO NOT SEND US AN EMAIL.

[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THE DOG WILL NOT BE BARKING THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I READ THE EMAIL.

BUT WE DO FOLLOW UP ON EVERYTHING WE GET.

AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FENNER DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO MITIGATE SOME VERY HEATED CONVERSATIONS.

SO. WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION THIS EVENING.

WE HAVE A GOOD FEELING AS TO WHERE WE'LL GO AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO BRING EVERYONE INTO COMPLIANCE AS BEST WE CAN.

ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? I THINK THE CONSENSUS I'VE HEARD IS THAT WE'RE NOT ANXIOUS TO PROCEED AT THIS TIME WITH THAT ISSUE. WE'LL PUT THIS ONE IN THE BACK PILE.

AND ITEM 14 C POLICE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM, MR.

[03:20:01]

VERY BACK.

[14C. Police Recruitment & Retention Program]

WALSH. THANK YOU.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE FULLY STAFFED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDICS WERE FULLY STAFFED AT 34 AT THIS TIME.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS BUDGETED AT 41 AND WE CURRENTLY ARE AT 33.

WE'RE DOWN EIGHT. IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE FOR US.

AND SO WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO GO ABOUT CHANGING COURSE AND IMPROVING THAT? SO RECENTLY CHIEF PLAGA CAME TO ME AND SUGGESTED THAT WE ELIMINATE THE FIRST TWO STEPS OF OUR WAGE SCALE.

SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, WE HAD LISTENING SESSIONS, WHICH WE HAVE EVERY YEAR OR TWO, WHERE LEADERSHIP, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE MANAGER OPSOMMER AND HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR TITHOF MEET WITH ALL OF OUR UNIONS.

AND WE JUST SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND AND THAT SORT OF THING.

AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WELL A NUMBER OF THINGS CAME OUT OF THAT LISTENING SESSION.

BUT ONE OF THEM THAT CAME OUT IS YOU'D REALLY DO A BETTER JOB OF RECRUITMENT IF YOU'D ELIMINATE THE FIRST TWO LEVELS OF THE WAGE SCALE.

SO I HEARD THAT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND I HEARD IT FROM OUR UNION REPRESENTATIVES.

AND SO IT REALLY ELIMINATED THE FACT THAT, AGAIN, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OUR COMPENSATION FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S NOT WHERE IT SHOULD BE.

SO IT'S REALLY THE WAGE SCALE BEFORE YOU IS WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT AT THIS TIME.

IF YOU APPROVE THIS, YOU WOULD BE ELIMINATING THE FIRST TWO LEVELS.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS IN FRONT OF YOU HERE ON THE SCREEN, IF I'M JUST STARTING OUT AS A NEW OFFICER IN THIS SCALE, I WOULD GO RIGHT NOW MAKING $20.22, I'D GO TO $23.53.

IT ALSO INCLUDES AND KEEP IN MIND, 13 OF OUR 33 OFFICERS RIGHT NOW ARE IN THIS SCALE, MEANING THEY ARE FIVE YEARS OR LESS, WHICH IS A LOT TO BE OF OUR LESS SENIOR OFFICERS.

IN ADDITION TO THIS, EVERY OFFICER THAT'S INCLUDED THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THIS WAGE SCALE WOULD BUMP TWO LEVELS.

SO FOR INSTANCE, IF I'VE BEEN HERE TWO YEARS RIGHT NOW IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I'M MAKING 23.53.

OH, LET'S SAY I HAVE BEEN HERE ONE YEAR I'M MAKING BETWEEN ONE AND TWO YEARS I'M MAKING $21.63 AN HOUR, I WOULD BUMP TO $26.86, I WOULD GO TWO LEVELS THAT'S $5 AN HOUR.

THAT'S A 10,000 INCREASE.

NOW, THERE AREN'T MANY OFFICERS THAT WOULD AFFECT AT THAT LEVEL, BUT THERE'S A FEW.

OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE AT WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'RE AT THE FOUR YEAR MARK, WELL, THERE'S ONLY ONE BUMP, BUT YOU DO GO TO THE TOP.

YOU GO FROM $30.25 TO $31.87.

THAT'S IT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S A RECRUITMENT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL.

IF YOU ACTUALLY PART OF THIS PROGRAM, IF YOU'RE THE RECRUITER, BY DEFINITION, EITHER RECRUITER, IF YOU GO TO THE CHIEF AND SAY, HEY, SO-AND-SO, WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE DEPARTMENT. I MET THIS PERSON WORKING AT THE BIG TEN PARTY STORE.

THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND WE THINK THIS PERSON WOULD BE A GOOD OFFICER IF THAT PERSON ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GETS SWORN IN THE RECRUITER RECEIVES A $1,500 PAYMENT AND EVERY OFFICER WILL RECEIVE A $100 BONUS.

WE ALL NEED TO CELEBRATE RIGHT NOW BRINGING SOMEONE IN ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FIELD.

IT'S THAT CHALLENGING FOR US.

I HAPPEN TO BE WITH THE CITY OF PORTAGE THE OTHER NIGHT AND ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE KALAMAZOO VALLEY POLICE ACADEMY.

AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION, MR. LEDBETTER, AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE AT THEIR ACADEMY RIGHT NOW FOR OFFICERS.

SO THE COMPONENTS OF THIS THAT'S BEFORE IT'S REALLY THREE PRONGED, ELIMINATING THE FIRST TWO WAGE SCALES, AND THE RECRUITMENT PROGRAM, AND THE BONUS.

THOSE ARE THE THREE COMPONENTS OF THIS PROGRAM.

TOTAL COST IS AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE WHEN I TALKED EARLIER, ABOUT 3 HOURS AGO ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HITTING OUR GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

THIS WILL HIT OUR GENERAL FUND WHEN IT'S NOT BUDGETED, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I HOPE THAT YOU MOVE WITH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO RECRUIT OFFICERS, WE HAVE TO RETAIN THE 13 THAT ARE IN THIS POORLY DEVELOPED WAGE SCALE.

SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, I'M NOT SITTING HERE BEATING A BUNCH OF DRUMS. I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT OFFICERS.

AND IF THIS DOESN'T WORK, WE'LL BE BACK WITH PLAN B.

THANK YOU. QUESTIONS COMMENTS? MR. DESCHAINE.

IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF YOUR MEMO HERE AT THE ANNUAL COST OF THE [INAUDIBLE] RRP IS 68 TO 72,000 DOLLARS.

OK, AND THAT IS FOR THIS SCHEDULE IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW, IS THAT CORRECT?

[03:25:05]

THAT IS CORRECT. AND THEN YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COST OF THIS PROGRAM IS 10,000 DOLLARS PER YEAR.

THAT'S THE BONUS PROGRAM A NEW EMPLOYEES OR NEW POLICE OFFICERS COME ON BOARD? CORRECT? I HAVE A QUESTION.

CLERK GUTHRIE. FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR INCREASING THESE WAGES.

IT SHOCKS ME TO SEE THESE NUMBERS, HOW LOW THEY ARE.

THAT'S FRANKLY, I'M EMBARRASSED BY IT.

I THINK OUR OFFICERS DESERVE MORE.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THOSE FIRST TWO WAGE SCALES ELIMINATED AND AN INCREASE IN SALARIES.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

ONE IS, THE ONE TIME BONUS OF $1,500 DOLLARS.

IS THIS INDEFINITELY OR IT'S JUST SEEING HOW IT GOES RIGHT NOW? IT'S KIND OF.

IT'S THERE UNTIL WE REACH A UNTIL I WOULD DECIDE TO CANCEL IT, BUT IT'S THERE AND IT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

AS LONG AS IT'S WORKING AND ALL THAT.

OKAY. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND FURTHER, I'LL STOP THERE.

OKAY.

AND THEN THE 2% PLUS 1.5% IN 2022.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE REMAINDER OF THEIR CONTRACT FOR THIS YEAR.

AND THEN THE 23 AND THE 24 DOES IS THERE.

I DON'T RECALL THEIR CONTRACT BEING [INAUDIBLE].

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S NEGOTIABLE FOR 23 AND 24 OR IS THIS REVERTING BACK TO 2% IN THOSE TWO YEARS? SO THAT'S A TRICKY QUESTION WITH A TRICKY ANSWER.

I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN.

NO, 23 AND 24 IS NOT NEGOTIABLE UNLESS NEXT YEAR WE DECIDE BASED ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS, HOW OUR RECRUITING IS GOING, HOW INFLATION IS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF COMPONENTS.

WE MAY COME BACK. THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATING THIS YEAR, WE JUST SAID.

THEY DIDN'T COME AND ASK FOR IT.

WE JUST SAID, HERE IT IS.

FURTHER, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THIS THE NUMBER THIS YEAR WILL BE COMPOUNDED.

WE'RE GIVEN THAT EXTRA ONE AND ONE HALF PERCENT.

WILL THAT CARRY FORWARD? IF I WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE $10 DOLLARS AN HOUR THIS YEAR, BUT YOU GAVE ME THIS RAISE TO $11.20.

WHAT'S MY AND THIS IS THE BEST WAY I CAN ILLUSTRATE IT.

WHAT'S MY STARTING BASE TO GET MY INCREASE FOR THE NEXT YEAR? AND THE ANSWER IS 11.20.

WE'RE GOING TO CARRY FORWARD THAT COMPOUND.

WE DIDN'T. AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS WHOLE PROGRAM, IT AFFECTS THE 13.

BUT WHAT COULD WE DO TO HELP SUPPORT THE OTHER 18 OR 19 OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE? AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPOUND THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WE PROVIDED.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, IT DOES.

SO YOU COULD COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS THREE AND A HALF PERCENT FOR 2022, WE'RE GETTING MORE CANDIDATES AND MORE RETENTION.

WE MADE I DON'T WANT TO GET YOU IN TROUBLE WITH ANY CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND.

IF YOU CANNOT, WE MAY KEEP THIS KIND OF THING.

MAYBE I SHOULDN'T EVEN ASK THAT QUESTION.

SCRATCH THAT. NO, NO, IT'S A FAIR QUESTION, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UNTIL 2024.

WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.

WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

UNLIKE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

THAT'S WHAT THIS CHART REPRESENTS.

ALL NEGOTIATED.

YEAH. SO IF WE WANTED TO, IT WOULD BE 2% ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT THIS YEAR THE BOARD DECIDED HERE'S AN EXTRA ONE AND ONE HALF.

AND TO YOUR QUESTION IS NEXT YEAR WE COULD BE.

AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT OUR BUDGET IS, MORE TO THE POINT OF THE IT COMING OUT OF ARP, IT ALLOWS US TO POTENTIALLY GIVES US THE FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE DO SOME THINGS NEXT YEAR THAT WE MAY NOT BE PLANNING RIGHT NOW BASED ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF CIRCUMSTANCES, OR A SET OF EQUATIONS THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT AT THIS TIME.

SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS IT COULD BE ADJUSTED IN 23 AND 24.

ULTIMATELY, THAT'S A BOARD DECISION.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION.

THE WAGE COMPARISON OR WAGE STUDY OR THE WORK THAT DIRECTOR MASSEY IS DOING WITH DIRECTOR TITHOF ARE THE POLICE WAGES GOING TO BE IN THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR?

[03:30:10]

IS IT ONLY THE OPEN CONTRACTS? BECAUSE I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT THE COMPARISON IS, EVEN AFTER THESE TWO STEPS ARE ELIMINATED, WHAT THE COMPARISON IS OF WHAT OUR OFFICERS MAKE TO COMPARABLE COMMUNITIES.

YEAH, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT ALL THAT IN CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT, ABOUT COMPENSATION STUDIES AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING AND HOW WE WANT TO GO ABOUT DOING THIS.

BUT YEAH, WE DID AN ANALYSIS WHAT IT'S CALLED IS WE DID OUR PREPARATION FOR NEGOTIATIONS.

YOU'D LOOK AT YOUR COMPS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT A FULL COMP, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN CLOSED SESSION.

BUT YEAH, WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR WAGES ACROSS THE BOARD.

DOESN'T MEAN WE'VE DONE A COMPENSATION STUDY OR THAT WE PLAN TO, WE JUST DONE OUR PREP WORK TO PREPARE FOR NEGOTIATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

I KNOW IT CAN BE DELICATE AROUND THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

I APPRECIATE IT. SURE.

THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO PREPARE THIS.

AND I THINK THAT ELIMINATING THE TWO LOWEST STEPS MAKES SENSE.

AND I AGREE WITH CLERK GUTHRIE'S COMMENTS THAT IT'S REALLY ASTOUNDING WHAT LEVEL WE WERE IN THESE PAST TENSE PAYING INCOMING OFFICERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR CAREER.

MY QUESTION IS, WE AFFECTED A SIMILAR I SAY WE, THE COUNTY, AFFECTED A SIMILAR PROGRAM IN INGHAM COUNTY AND THEY ELIMINATED THE BOTTOM STEP OF THEIR WAGE SCALE FOR ALL POSITIONS.

BUT THEY ALSO ADDED A TOP SIXTH STEP.

BASICALLY IN OUR FIVE STEPS.

THEY ADDED A NEW STEP AT THE END OF THAT PROGRESSION SO THAT FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MORE SENIOR, THEY WOULD HAVE AN EXTRA STEP TO MOVE FORWARD TO.

HAS ANY CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THAT? AND CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A SENSE OF HOW YOU CAME TO WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE TWO STEPS.

I MEAN, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE ONLY [INAUDIBLE] THERE ARE ONLY FOUR STEPS REMAINING.

RIGHT. AFTER YOU ELIMINATE THOSE BOTTOM TWO.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME SOME BACKGROUND AS TO YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS THERE? YEAH, WELL, WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHERE THAT PUTS US AS FAR AS LIKE SOMEONE AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE, $32 DOLLARS.

AND THAT PUTS US IN A GOOD PLACE IN COMPARISON TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T TAKE IT AN EXTRA STEP.

I TELL YOU, THE COMPARISON THAT WAS MADE AND IT WAS MADE BY ME [LAUGHTER] WAS THAT AND THIS REALLY ILLUMINATED EVERYTHING TO ME.

AND WHY I HOPE YOU'LL ACTUALLY ACT TONIGHT.

LET'S START PAYING THEM CORRECTLY TONIGHT.

WE HAD A REPORT OF I THINK, LIEUTENANT, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE NIGHT, BUT WE HAVE THREE MAJOR OCCASIONS HAPPENING OR FOUR YEAH, AND ONE OF THEM WAS A TARGET.

AND ONE OF THEM WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS A REPORT OF SOMEONE WITH A FIREARM OUTSIDE OF TARGET.

MAYBE IT ENDED UP NOT BEING THAT WAY, BUT THAT WAS THE REPORT.

AND I GOT THINKING THE PERSON THAT'S RUNNING OVER THERE FULLY EQUIPPED TO SAVE WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS OR TRY TO HANDLE THE SITUATION AND DISARM THE SITUATION, WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING WAS PROBABLY MAKING LESS THAN THE PEOPLE WEARING RED SHIRTS THERE WHO WERE CALLING THE POLICE TO SAVE THEM.

THAT'S EMBARRASSING.

IT IS. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WERE ACTING ON THIS AND BRINGING IT TO YOU AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE, I BELIEVE TRUSTEE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SUSPEND OUR RULES AND TAKE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.

SUPPORT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SUPPORTED THAT WE SUSPEND OUR RULES FIRST.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PLEASE SAY YES.

YES, YES, YES.

OPPOSE NO.

CHAIR VOTE YES AND I'LL DEFER NOW TO TRUSTEE WILSON.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I ATTENDED CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY IN 2018, 27 HOURS OF TRAINING, AND THESE GUYS DESERVE $1,000,000,000.

THIS IS THE HARDEST JOB I CAN IMAGINE, AND WE NEED TO BRING SOME EQUITY TO IT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THE MOTION PASSED TO SUSPEND OUR RULES.

TAKE ACTION. DO I HAVE ANOTHER MOTION.

I MOVE THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ADOPT THE MANAGERS APPENDIX A POM COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT MODIFICATIONS TO ELIMINATE THE FIRST TWO STEPS IN THE PAY SCALE EFFECTIVE TODAY APRIL 26, 2022.

[03:35:03]

GO AHEAD.

SUPPORT. COMMENTS.

THAT WAS EFFECTIVE WITH THE NEXT PAYROLL, CORRECT? TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PAYROLL? YES. THANK YOU.

OK. AND SO THAT EFFECTIVELY MODIFIES THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. DOES THAT MODIFY THAT? NO, IT'S ACCEPTING THE MEMORANDUM AND ACTING ON IT.

YEAH.

IT'S ACCEPTING THIS NEW WAGE SCALE THAT WILL TAKE EFFECT AT WITH THE NEXT PAYROLL.

THIS IS THE OLD MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR LOOKING.

YEP. YEAH.

IT MODIFIES, IT ELIMINATE YEP EXACTLY.

YES, IT MODIFIES WHAT'S BEFORE YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. MOTION CARRIED SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU.

AND I WANT TO AGAIN THANK DIRECTOR TITHOF FOR HER WORK WITH ME ON THIS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ITEM 15 ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANYONE STILL IN THE HALL WITH US WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 16 OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

[16. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

SEEING NONE.

SORRY. I DO HAVE ONE.

[LAUGHTER] OKAY, JUST ONE.

I'LL BE BRIEF. OKAY.

I FEEL IT PRUDENT BASED ON ONE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS WE RECEIVED FOR ME TO CLARIFY MY REMARKS FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING REGARDING THE DANIELS DRAIN ASSESSMENT. AND SINCE I WON'T BE HERE NEXT WEEK WHEN THIS ISSUE COMES BEFORE THE BOARD AGAIN, I HAVE TO DO THAT NOW.

SO I WANTED TO JUST SIMPLY CLARIFY THAT I'M PLEASED WITH, FROM WHERE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE GOING, THAT WE HAVE FOUND A MORE EQUITABLE SOLUTION AND THAT IT WAS NOT MY INTENT TO MAKE ANYTHING CONTINGENT ON PRIVATE LAND BEING USED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE.

MY INTENT WAS SIMPLY TO ENSURE THAT THE RESIDENTS WERE TREATED EQUITABLY AND THAT WE BASE THE ASSESSMENT ROLL MORE WITH THE RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT THERE WERE 144 UNITS IN THE PONDS DEVELOPMENT AND THAT THEY WERE THE ONES MAKING THE ORIGINAL PETITION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

AND THAT WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WE'RE REVIEWING WHAT THE ASSESSMENT ROLLS SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO WHILE I WON'T BE HERE NEXT WEEK, WE DO HAVE AN ELECTION NOT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BUT IN THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT I HAVE TO HELP ADMINISTER.

I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO HAVE SAID THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT THAT ON RECORD TONIGHT.

ANYONE ELSE. THEN THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 17.

[17. CLOSED SESSION ]

WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION SCHEDULED AND BEFORE WE CAN DO THAT, WE MUST, MOVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

I MOVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING STRATEGY DISCUSSIONS UNDER MCL 15.268, SUBSECTION 1, SUBSECTION C, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL THAT'S ACTUALLY REQUIRED FOR THE MOTION.

SUPPORT. IT WAS MOVED AND SUPPORTED TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

I HAVE A NOTE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

RIGHT. ON THIS QUESTION.

MR. LEMASTER. TREASURER DESCHAINE.