[00:03:42]
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 4TH 2022 REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME, WE WILL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A ROLL-CALL VOTE, AND I BELIEVE CLERK GUTHRIE WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR US THIS EVENING.
>> TRUSTEE [OVERLAPPING] WISINSKI? [LAUGHTER]
ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT WE COME TO PRESENTATIONS.
[4A. Introduction of New EMT/Firefighter]
[00:05:03]
THE FIRST ITEM 4A, IS INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMT FIREFIGHTER BY CHIEF HAMEL.>> MADAM SUPERVISOR, BOARD, THANK YOU.
THIS IS STEVEN SHOT, HE'S ONE OF OUR NEW EMT FIREFIGHTERS.
THE LAST BOARD MEETING YOU GUYS APPROVED GO TO PARAMEDIC SCHOOL. HE'S FROM DEWITT.
HE WORKED FOR DEWITT FIRE FOR A LITTLE BIT.
HE IS A CERTIFIED INSPECTOR, PLAN REVIEW, SO HE'S GOING TO GIVE TAVOUS A RUN FOR HIS MONEY, BUT JUST COMPLETELY THRILLED WITH HIM.
HOW HE ACTUALLY GOT INTERESTED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, HE WORKED FOR, BOYNTON, RIGHT?
>> BOYNTON IS ONE THAT COMES IN AND TESTS ALL OF OUR SMOKE DETECTORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS TO DO WITH FIRE SAFETY.
HE ACTUALLY HAD A JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH DELTA, AND HE WAITED FOR US TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE.
WE'RE REALLY THRILLED THAT HE DID THAT FOR US.
BUT STEVEN IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION, VERY MOTIVATED, YOUNG AND ENERGETIC, AND WE'RE JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE HIM. STEVEN?
>> YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HERE.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GO OVER AND SHAKE THEIR HANDS. [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND]
>> ITEM 4B IS A 2022 AUGUST PRIMARY ELECTION REPORT FROM CLERK GUTHRIE.
[4B. 2022 August Primary Election Report-Clerk Guthrie]
>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR JACKSON.
MAN, USED TO SET THIS UP ALL THE TIME.
HOW EASILY YOU FORGET. IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THESE, I KNOW MOST PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE ELECTION RESULTS, AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE UNOFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS FROM THE COUNTY CLERK'S WEBSITE.
SO ANYONE CAN GO TO THE INGHAM COUNTY CLERK'S WEBSITE TO THE ELECTIONS SECTION AND LOOK UP THESE RESULTS.
THESE ARE NOT FINAL AND I DID NOT INCLUDE THE WRITINGS FOR THESE RESULTS.
IN AUGUST, THE AUGUST PRIMARY, YOU CAN SEE THAT, THIS IS SEE-THROUGH.
FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION RACE IN THE 12TH DISTRICT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE TICKET AND THE REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE TICKET.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY VOTES EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES RECEIVED AND THEY RAN UNCONTESTED.
IN THE INGHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONER 13TH DISTRICT, THERE WERE TWO CANDIDATES.
ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES WILL MOVE FORWARD INTO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
THEN THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE RAN UNCONTESTED.
THEN THE INGHAM COUNTY 14TH DISTRICT, YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE TWO DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR THAT POSITION.
THEN IN THE 15TH DISTRICT THERE WERE, I'M SORRY, IN THE 14TH THERE WAS ONE DEMOCRATIC AND ONE REPUBLICAN.
THEN IN THE 15TH DISTRICT, THERE WERE TWO CANDIDATES IN DEMOCRATIC RACE AND ONE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
THEN THERE WAS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE IN THE 15TH DISTRICT.
FOR TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR RACE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, NO SURPRISE.
WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE A FEW WRITINGS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE RACE, PEOPLE COULDN'T VOTE FOR MORE THAN TWO CANDIDATES.
WE'RE NOT SURPRISED BY THIS AS WELL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OF YOU. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE]
>> THEN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MARIJUANA PROPOSAL QUESTIONS, THERE WERE 6,145.
THESE ARE UNOFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS, 6,145 TOTAL YES VOTES AND 6,159 TOTAL NO VOTES.
THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY SERVICES MILAGE,
[00:10:01]
THERE WAS 9,613 TOTAL YES VOTES AND 2,489 TOTAL NO VOTES.THEN THE HEADS UP PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINKING FUND, 2,629 YES VOTES AND 1,451 NO VOTES.
THE COUNTY PROPOSAL FOR THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY HAD OBVIOUSLY COUNTYWIDE RESULT, ALMOST 34,000 YES VOTES AND 15,500 NO VOTES.
I DO WANT TO REPORT THAT THE ELECTION COMMISSION HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO MOVE SOME OF THE POLLING LOCATIONS OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OUT OF HASLETT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND OUT OF OKLAHOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE RECEIVED SEVERAL POSITIVE COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRS, CO-CHAIRS, AND ELECTION INSPECTORS FOR THE NEW LOCATIONS THAT THEY ARE AT.
WE RECEIVED ONE COMPLAINT FROM SOMEONE THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO VOTE AND THAT WE DID NOT INFORM THEM OF WHERE TO VOTE.
WE DO WANT TO ASSURE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT WE DID SEND OUT A VOTER ID TO EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THAT WE DID SEND OUT INFORMATION VIA THE TAX BILL TO EVERY RESIDENT WHO RECEIVES A TAX BILL IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THAT WE ALSO POSTED THIS INFORMATION ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE AND THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
WELL, BASICALLY THEY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE FOR US AND THAT THEY POSTED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, THE TOWNSHIP FACEBOOK PAGE AND ANOTHER VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF INFORMATION AND WE FOLLOWED STATE LAW IN REGARDS TO NOTIFYING RESIDENTS OF THE NEW POLLING LOCATIONS ON THEIR NEW VOTER ID INFORMATION.
WE WERE GLAD TO RECEIVE THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE ELECTION INSPECTORS.
THERE WAS ONE POLLING LOCATION THAT RECEIVED NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND THAT WAS THE LOCATION ON HAMILTON ROAD.
THIS HAPPENED TO BE THE ONLY LOCATION THAT I DID NOT PERSONALLY VISIT.
I DID VISIT EVERY SINGLE POLLING LOCATION ON ELECTION DAY.
WHEN I WENT TO THIS POLLING LOCATION MYSELF ON ELECTION DAY, I DETERMINED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A RECOMMENDED POLLING LOCATION ONE, BECAUSE OF THE ACCESSIBILITY, TWO THE BUILDING, THE DRIVE TO THE BUILDING IS ONLY ONE ACCESS DRIVE, YOU CAN'T GO BOTH WAYS, YOU CAN GO IN OR YOU CAN COME OUT, IT'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR TWO VEHICLES TO GO IN AND OUT AT THE SAME TIME.
WHEN I ENTERED THE BUILDING, I HAVE HIGH SINUS ISSUES MYSELF SO WHEN I ENTERED THE BUILDING, IT WAS MUCH LIKE MY REACTION TO THE WARD CLIFF BUILDING WHEN I WENT IN THERE AND WE WENT AND EVALUATED THE BUILDING IN THE WINTER, BUT IN THE SUMMER WHEN I WENT AND EVALUATED WARD CLIFF WHEN I VISITED ON THE POLLING LOCATION DAY, THERE WAS A HIGH MOLD SMELL AND WE KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT WE COULD NOT RETURN.
I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BUILDING AND IF I HAD BEEN THE PERSON WHO WENT THERE AND VISITED THE LOCATION MYSELF, I WOULD HAVE NOT RECOMMENDED THAT.
MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT AND THAT IS ONE LOCATION THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO MOVE AND WE DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
OTHER THAN THAT, I GOT TO GIVE A LOT OF KUDOS TO OUR ELECTION INSPECTORS AND TO OUR CHAIRS, AND OUR CO-CHAIRS.
WE WERE NOT THE ONLY JURISDICTION THAT HAD STRUGGLES WITH FINDING ELECTION INSPECTORS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REPUBLICAN AND A DEMOCRATIC CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR AT EACH POLLING LOCATION.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY JURISDICTION THAT STRUGGLE TO FIND AN EVEN BALANCE AT POLLING LOCATIONS.
WE WORKED NIGHT AND DAY TO FIND ELECTION INSPECTORS, TO HAVE AN EVEN BALANCE AT OUR POLLING LOCATIONS AND I THINK THAT THEY REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND MET THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE FACED AT OUR POLLS ON ELECTION DAY.
THERE WERE SEVERAL VOTERS WHO APPEARED AT THE POLES AND WANTED TO SPOIL THEIR BALLOT.
MORE THAN WHAT I'VE HEARD HAS BEEN SEEN AND I ATTENDED THE BOARD OF CANVAS MEETING YESTERDAY AND I DID HEAR
[00:15:01]
SEVERAL COMMENTS OF THE BOARD OF CANVAS HERE SAYING, "WOW, THERE'S A LOT OF SPOILED BALLOTS HERE".WHEN YOU SPOIL A BALLOT, THE VOTER COMES IN AND SAYS, "I WANT TO SPOIL MY BALLOT", THEY CAN DO IT ON ELECTION DAY, THEY CAN DO IT FOR ELECTION DAY, THEY COME IN AND THEY SAY, WE WANT TO SPOIL OUR BALLOT.
ON ELECTION DAY, YOU HAVE TO CALL THE TOWNSHIP OFFICE AND WE HAVE TO SPOIL IT OURSELVES AND SO THAT TAKES TIME.
AT THE POLLING LOCATION, THE VOTER HAS TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING FOR IT TO BE SPOILED.
IF I TOOK THE CALL, I VIRTUALLY SAT ON THE PHONE UNTIL I HEARD THAT THE VOTER SIGN THE AFFIDAVIT BEFORE I ACTUALLY SPOILED IT IN THE QUALIFIED VOTER DATABASE FROM THAT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND CLERKS MAINTAIN SO THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF THOSE.
THERE WERE A LOT OF CHALLENGES, I'VE SPOKE WITH MOST OF THE CHAIRS TODAY ON THE PHONE, CALLED THEM INDIVIDUALLY, MANY OF THEM WANT TO RETURN IN NOVEMBER AND THEY WANT TO RETURN AS A TEAM, THEY REALLY ENJOYED THE TEAM THAT THEY WORKED WITH.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH COUNTY CLERK BARB BYRUM AND THERE WERE SOME DEFICIENCIES ORGANIZATIONALLY AND WITH THE TRAINING THAT WAS GIVEN TO OUR ELECTION WORKERS AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH COUNTY CLERK BARB BYRUM TO IMPROVE THOSE TRAININGS FOR OUR ELECTION WORKERS.
I WILL SAY THAT WE HAD MANY CANCELLATIONS LAST WEEK, I TALKED TO SOME OTHER CLERKS AND THEY HAD THE SAME ISSUES AND SO THERE WAS A STEEP LEARNING CURVE AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR MANY ELECTION INSPECTORS.
THE OTHER MAIN ISSUE THAT WE HAD WERE THE E-POLL BOOKS.
THIS IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE, I KNOW THAT COUNTY CLERK BARB BYRUM IS HIGHLY UPSET ABOUT THE E-POLL BOOKS AND SHE MADE A STATEMENT AS SUCH AT THE BOARD OF CANVAS'S MEETING YESTERDAY.
THE E-POLL BOOKS WENT DOWN SEVERAL TIMES STATEWIDE, THIS COST STAFF A TON OF TIME AND OUR POOR STAFFER, ZACH LAMASTER, WHO IS JUST PROBABLY AT HOME RESTING, WAS RUNNING AROUND TO ALL THESE PRECINCT LOCATIONS LIKE A CHAMP TRYING TO GET THESE E-POLL BOOKS TO WORK.
HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS A STATEWIDE ISSUE, HE CONTACTED THE COUNTY SO HE'S THINKING IT'S A TOWNSHIP ISSUE THAT MAYBE HE MUST STOP.
HE CALLED THE COUNTY AND THEY SAID NO, IT'S A STATEWIDE ISSUE, MUCH TO HIS RELIEF AND OUR RELIEF.
I KNOW THAT COUNTY CLERK BARB BYRUM WILL BE ADDRESSING US WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THAT'S BASICALLY MY REPORT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DO YOU TAKE QUESTIONS DURING THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, GUTHRIE, I KNOW THIS WAS YOUR FIRST ELECTION AND I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU PUT INTO IT BEING ON THE ELECTION COMMISSION AND MAKING SURE THE NEW JURISDICTIONS WERE APPROPRIATE AND MOST FEASIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTS GIVEN THAT WE HAVE NEW DISTRICTS.
I APPRECIATE THAT. TWO QUESTIONS AND THIS IS JUST MY IGNORANCE, BUT, A SPOILED BALLOT, WHY WOULD THAT HAPPEN?
>> YOU COULD SPOIL BALLOT FOR ANY REASON.
A VOTER COULD COME IN AND SAY, "I WANT TO RECAST MY VOTE".
>> YOU CAN COME IN AND YOU CAN SAY, "I WANT TO RE-VOTE" AND WE SAY, "OKAY, HERE'S AN AFFIDAVIT YOU NEED TO SIGN TO HAVE YOUR BALLOT SPOILED AND WE WILL RE-ISSUE YOU A NEW BALLOT".
>> YEAH, SO WE BASICALLY CANCEL THE BALLOT NUMBER FOR THE OLD BALLOT THAT THEY HAD AND THEN WE GIVE THEM A NEW BALLOT. YEAH.
>> GOT IT. SECOND THING IS WHAT'S AN E-POLL BOOK?
>> THE E-POLL BOOK IS WHAT IS THE LIST OF VOTERS.
WHEN YOU CHECK IN, THAT'S THE E-POLL BOOK AND THEY LOOK UP YOUR VOTERS STATUS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO ISSUE A BALLOT TO YOU AND ASSIGN A BALLOT TO YOU AND THEN WE PRINT THAT OUT AT THE END OF THE NIGHT FOR THE SUMMER REPORT.
>> TWO POINTS I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
THE FIRST WAS THE SPOILED BALLOT.
IT'S JUST FOR THE SAKE OF OUR AUDIENCE'S UNDERSTANDING, IT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO SAY, "I WANT TO VOTE AGAIN, SO THEY SPOIL THE ORIGINAL BALLOT AND THEY CAN VOTE AGAIN"?
>> THEN COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSING LANGUAGE OF THE MARIJUANA PROPOSAL, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHICH WAY IT PREVAILED AND BY HOW MANY VOTES?
[00:20:05]
>> I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO DO THAT.
>> WELL, AT THIS MOMENT YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT IT IS CONFUSING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS.
>> I'M GOING TO REPEAT THE NUMBERS WITHOUT A SUMMARY AND NO DISRESPECT TO THE QUESTION.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE EXPLAINING IT, SO I AM GOING TO AS CLERK, MY JOB IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE QUESTION IS.
>> TO READ WHAT IT IS WITHOUT EXPLANATION, THAT'S MY JOB AS A CLERK.
>> THE PROPOSAL IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENT PROHIBITION PROPOSAL.
THE YES VOTES WERE 6,145 AND THE NO VOTES WERE 6,159.
>> TRUSTEE, I MEAN TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> THANK YOU. QUICK, UPDATE FOR THIS REPORT.
DO WE KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES THAT WERE CAST YESTERDAY AND HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE AV COMPARED TO AT THE POLLS?
>> I HAD THAT ON MY REPORT AND THEN I DELETED IT THINKING IT WAS TOO MUCH INFORMATION TO PROVIDE.
>> DO YOU HAVE A ROUGH NUMBER IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF AV VERSUS IN-PERSON.
>> AV WAS AROUND 9,000 AND TOTAL VOTES WAS AROUND 13,000.
>> SECOND QUESTION, BACK TO THAT QUESTION SPOILED BALLOTS OR INVALID BALLOTS.
DID YOU HAVE MANY BALLOTS THAT WERE DISQUALIFIED FOR LACK OF A SIGNATURE MATCH WITH THAT MANY AV BALLOTS THAT CAME IN.
YOU DO A SIGNATURE MATCH IN THOSE BALLOTS. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> WHEN SOMEBODY GOES TO THE POLLS TO VOTE, WE DO A SIGNATURE MATCH.
WHEN SOMEBODY DOESN'T IT FOLDS ABSENTEE DO A SIGNATURE MATCH.
I'M NOT SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION.
>> I'M ASKING FOR YOU IF YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THE AV VOTES WERE DISQUALIFIED, IF ANY.
>> I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CLERK, IN MY DAY JOB, I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO RUN AN ELECTION AND THIS ONE WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER IN TERMS OF ITS DIFFICULTY.
ESPECIALLY GETTING INTO IT FOR THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME.
IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND IT'S TRIAL BY FIRE AND IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING RIDE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS WORKS IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT, IF THERE'S ANY ASSISTANCE I CAN PROVIDE FROM MY DAY JOB PERSPECTIVE I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT AT ANY POINT BUT I HAVE TOTAL FAITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE GREAT THINGS TO COME.
>> SINCE I'M NOT IN GUTHRIE'S ROLE OF ONLY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE TITLE OF THE INITIATIVE.
I CAN AT LEAST TRY TO HELP WITH THE INTENT OF THE INITIATIVE.
THE INITIATIVE ESSENTIALLY SAID, SHOULD WE OPT OUT OF ADULT USE OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA AND THE VOTE CAME BACK 14 VOTES IN FAVOR OF NOT OPTING OUT.
ESSENTIALLY, YOU HAVE 14 MORE PEOPLE SAYING THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA THAN THOSE THAT DID NOT.
IF THERE'S EVER ANY INDICATION THAT EVERY VOTE COUNTS AND IF THERE'S ANY INDICATION THAT YOU SHOULD VOTE BECAUSE EVERY VOTE MATTERS, IT'S WHEN WE SEE THESE PROPOSALS THAT COME DOWN TO JUST A HANDFUL OF VOTES.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY DAY JOB, WE HAD TWO TIES IN THIS ELECTION.
THEY WERE JUST REPLACING DELEGATE SO THERE WEREN'T MANY VOTES CAST IN THOSE RACES, BUT TWO DIFFERENT TIES.
SINCE I STARTED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2019, THAT WOULD MAKE FIVE NOW TIES IN THE SIX ELECTIONS THAT I'VE WORKED ON.
EVERY VOTE COUNTS SO IF YOU'RE ON THE FENCE ABOUT DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO GO OUT AND VOTE IN THE NEXT OR ANY ELECTION, MAKE SURE YOU DO BECAUSE YOUR VOTE COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
>> THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE'S QUESTION ABOUT SIGNATURES.
[00:25:05]
WHILE I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER, THERE WERE SEVERAL ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT WERE RETURNED WITHOUT A SIGNATURE, AND WE RECEIVED OVER 1,500 ABSENTEE BALLOTS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION AND ELECTION DAY.THERE IS ZERO TIME FOR OUR OFFICE TO CONTACT EVERY VOTER WHO DID NOT SIGN THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT.
SO IF YOU SEND, THIS AS I KEPT STRESSING, SEND IT IN EARLY, SIGN THE BACK OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOT.
IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, YOUR BALLOT DOESN'T COUNT, YOU HAVE TO SIGN THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE.
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION.
THERE WERE SEVERAL THAT CAME IN THAT WAY.
THERE WERE SEVERAL THAT CAME IN WHERE A HUSBAND SIGNED A WIFE'S ENVELOPE OR A WIFE SIGNED, HAPPENS A LOT.
HUSBANDS AND WIVES OFTEN SIGN EACH OTHER'S CHECKS AND STUFF.
THERE WERE SEVERAL OF THOSE WHERE WE HAD TO CALL PEOPLE IN, AND SAY YOU HAVE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
ON ELECTION DAY, IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CALL 100 PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SIGN THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION AND ONE IN WHICH I HOPE VOTERS DO HEAR THE MESSAGE THAT YOU NEED TO GET THESE ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> I HAVE ONE. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTERS, [LAUGHTER], ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
OKAY, YOU CAN GET BACK TO US ON THAT.
>> YES, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THOSE TOTAL NUMBERS.
>> BECAUSE I'D BEEN HEARING THAT IN SOME PLACES THERE WAS RECORD TURNOUT AND I WAS WONDERING, I DIDN'T THINK WHAT I SAW WAS RECORD, BUT IT WAS PRETTY HIGH FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
>> IT WAS PRETTY HIGH FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN PRECINCTS THAT HAD ALMOST 60 PERCENT VOTER TURNOUT.
I DID LOOK PRECINCT BY PRECINCT AND I DID LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY MORE INTERESTED IN THE PRECINCT BY PRECINCT NUMBER, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT WE HAD MOVED OUR PRECINCT POLLING LOCATIONS AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHEN I LOOKED AT THOSE PRECINCT BY PRECINCT NUMBERS THAT WERE REMOVED, THOSE POLLING LOCATIONS, WERE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF VOTERS.
MY JAVA'S CLERK WAS MORE INTERESTED IN, ARE WE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR VOTERS AT THESE POLLING LOCATIONS.
SO I LOOKED INTO THOSE NUMBERS MORE THAN I DID THE ACTUAL TOTAL VOTE.
I DID NOTICE THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN PRECINCTS THAT HAD 40 PERCENT, 50 PERCENT.
I WAS VERY SURPRISED, IT WAS A WIDE RANGE OF VOTER TURNOUT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS AT ALL IN YOUR DAY JOB, BUT I DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THOSE BONDS AND I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.
>> BUT I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE PRECINCT TOTALS, TO BE HONEST.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND CARRYING OFF THIS ELECTION.
>> YOUR STAFF. WE COME TO ITEM NUMBER 5, CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. I DON'T SEE ANY CITIZENS IN THE ROOM, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 6,
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT, AND I PRESUME TONIGHT THAT WILL COME FROM ASSISTANT MANAGER OPSOMMER.>> CORRECT. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS SUPERVISOR JACKSON, HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS EVENING? TO ATTEMPT TO ANSWER TREASURER DESCHAINE QUESTION AS BEST AS POSSIBLE ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ABSENTEE VOTING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TWO BALLOT PROPOSALS, THE 65.63 PERCENT OF VOTES CAST ON PROPOSAL 1, THE MARIJUANA PROPOSAL OR ABSENTEE, AND 65.79 PERCENT OF VOTES CAST ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE WERE ABSENTEE, 12,554 VOTES CAST,
[00:30:03]
BUT THAT WAS A QUICK TALLY OF THE PRECINCT RESULTS AND 12,300 VOTES ON PROPOSAL 1, 12,100 TO TWO VOTES ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE.WE HAVE HAD OVER 13,000 VOTES IN THE PAST TWO PRIMARIES, SO NOT RECORD TURNOUT FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT ROUGHLY DOUBLE WHAT WE SAW PRIOR TO 2018 AND 2020 PRIMARY ELECTIONS.
VERY HIGH TURNOUT AND CONTINUED VERY HIGH ABSENTEE VOTER PARTICIPATION AS WELL.
TODAY WE DID HAVE THE BID OPENING.
I SENT THE BOARD AN EMAIL SHORTLY BEFORE THE MEETING BEGAN.
WE HAD A BID OPENING FOR ROUND TWO OF THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAMS BONDS AND WE HAD EIGHT BIDDERS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY PHENOMENAL.
WE USUALLY, RIGHT NOW OUR BOND CONSULTANT INFORMED US THAT THEY'RE SEEING 3-5 BIDS ON GENERAL OBLIGATION TAX BONDS.
WE HAD ROUGHLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF BIDDERS THAT MOST ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
AS A RESULT, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A VERY GOOD INTEREST RATE.
OUR INTEREST RATE WAS 1.79 PERCENT, I BELIEVE.
LET ME JUST DOUBLE-CHECK MY MATH ON THAT.
OUR FIRST ROUND OF BONDS, THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE IN 2019 WILL RECALL THAT WE RECEIVED AT 1.35 PERCENT INTEREST RATE ON THOSE BONDS.
OBVIOUSLY INTEREST RATES ARE UP RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH BOTH THE NUMBER OF BIDS AND THE INTEREST RATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE.
THE HIGH POINT ON THE BIDS WAS 2.104 PERCENT INTEREST, SO WE ALSO HAD A PRETTY WIDE GAP ON THE BIDS.
ONE UPDATE FOR THE BOARD, MSU TO LAKE LANSING PHASE 1.
WE HAVE CLEARED ALL OF OUR HURDLES NOW OFFICIALLY WITH MDOT FOR THE FEDERAL TAP GRANT AND WE'RE HOPING THAT MDOT WILL ASSIST US IN GETTING THAT TO BID THIS MONTH.
DUE TO THE FEDERAL TAP GRANT, WE DO RELY ON MDOT TO BID THIS PROJECT, SO WE ARE SOMEWHAT AT THEIR MERCY ON THE SCHEDULE.
THE HOPE IS THAT WE WILL BID THIS PROJECT AND SECURE A CONTRACTOR BY SEPTEMBER AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE ABUTMENTS TO THE RIVER FOR THE BRIDGE BEHIND THE MSU COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL IN BEFORE THE TEMPERATURES DROP ON US.
THAT WAY WE CAN INSTALL THE BRIDGE IN THE WINTER MONTHS SO LONG AS THE CONTRACTORS DON'T HAVE ANY SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES WITH THE BRIDGE AND THE MATERIALS.
PHASE 2 OF MSU TO LAKE LANSING WILL ALSO LIKELY GO TO BID IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
PHASE 2 IS THE PHASE FROM GRAND RIVER AVENUE NEAR PARK LAKE TO OPEN THIS ROAD NEAR GAILLARD C. SMITH CORP. THAT PHASE WE WILL BE BIDDING INTERNALLY WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND WE'RE DOING OUR FINAL ENGINEERING REVIEW OF THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION OF BOTH PHASE 1 AND 2 THIS FALL AND THROUGH NEXT SUMMER ONCE THE ASPHALT PLANTS REOPEN IN MAY OF NEXT YEAR.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI, SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND MYSELF, AND CHIEF PLAGA AS WELL, ALSO MET WITH PRESIDENT STANLEY AND THE MSU GOVERNOR RELATIONS OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON.
DURING THE MEETING, WE DISCUSSED ENROLLMENT TRENDS.
THEY ARE LOOKING DEPENDING ON HOW THE FINAL NUMBERS SHAKEOUT AT THEIR LARGEST INCOMING ENROLLMENT EVER.
DUE TO BOTH TRANSFERS, THE INCOMING FRESHMEN CLASS, AS WELL AS OTHER DYNAMICS OCCURRING IN THAT SPACE.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE GONE TO TWO-YEAR ENROLLMENT.
THEIR MESSAGE TO US WAS THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT THERE IS A SURPLUS, NOT A SHORTAGE OF OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING.
RENTAL HOUSING AND PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY, BUT WE'VE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THEM AND IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE PROVIDED UPDATES ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE, THE OPENNESS ROAD BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION, PHASES 1 AND 2 OF MSU TO LAKE LANSING AND DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP.
I WOULD SAY THERE WAS EXCITEMENT ABOUT SILVER REEF IN PARTICULAR.
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IN PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY THAT THEIR FACULTY WOULD FIND INTRIGUING OR DESIRABLE AS A PLACE TO LIVE.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS HOME TO MORE MSU FACULTY THAN ANY OTHER LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT IN THE REGION.
I BELIEVE THAT'S STRICTLY JUST ON THE SHEER NUMBER OF FACULTY THAT IS NOT A PER CAPITA ADJUSTMENT.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE ON THAT FRONT.
IN THE INTEREST OF KEEPING MY REPORT SHORT, [LAUGHTER] THOSE ARE THE HIGH POINTS, AND I WILL LEAVE YOU TO YOUR MEETING. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NOW HERE, ITEM 6 TOWNSHIP I'M SORRY, ITEM 7 BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]
[00:35:01]
TRUSTEE SUNDLAND [LAUGHTER].>> THIS MORNING I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING, AND SOME HIGHLIGHTS, WERE INTRODUCTION OF THE SHOP LOCAL ROADBLOCK PROGRAM.
IT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO, IS IT, I'M TOO LOUD?
>> OKAY. IT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
IT'S AN INCENTIVE FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THERE'S GRANTS INVOLVED AND SO IT HELPS THEM OUT OTHER THAN GIVING TONS OF DETAIL, [LAUGHTER] IT HELPS THEM OUT.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE AREA DESIGNATIONS OR PICAS, AND THAT THE MERIDIAN MALL IS GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PICAS.
THEN WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE MRF FUND SUPPORT RESOLUTION.
>> MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND.
LOTS OF INFORMATION THIS MORNING AND IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION.
>> OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> REAL BRIEFLY, ON THE 20TH OF JULY WAS THE ZBA MEETING HERE IN THIS ROOM, SAME DAY WITH THE CATA BOARD MEETING.
MORE IN THE CATA BOARD MEETING IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.
TWENTY EIGHTH THE BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MET, THAT TODAY AS TRUSTEE SUNDLAND MENTIONED, THE EDC MEETING AND TRUSTEE SUNDLAND IS THE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE EDC.
I LEFT A LITTLE EARLY, BUT SHE SUMMARIZED IT VERY WELL. THANK YOU.
>> OTHERS? TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.
>> THANK YOU. THE 29TH, MYSELF AND TREASURER DESCHAINE, AND ONE OF OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER PAUL STOUFFER ATTENDED A WALK-THROUGH OF THE NEW SPARROW EMERGENCY FACILITY.
BUT I THINK TRUSTEE WILSON WAS THERE THE WEEK PRIOR TO US.
IT WAS A REALLY NICE FACILITY.
IT'S COMING ALONG MUCH FASTER THAN I EVER EXPECTED IN THAT LOCATION.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AS WELL, TO PROVIDE THESE EMERGENCY SERVICES AS NEEDED.
REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE VERY QUICK PROGRESS ON THIS FACILITY AND I BELIEVE THEY SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD LIKELY BE OPEN SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT HAPPY NOW TILL I MAKE THIS DEADLINE FOR THEM, BUT THEY WERE HOPING FOR SOMETIME THIS FALL.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. I ATTENDED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I'D BEEN ABSENT FOR A COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO FINALIZE THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
FOR THE UPDATE, WORK GROUPS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN UPDATING THAT AND BRINGING IT TO THE COMMISSION FOR INPUT.
ALSO, OCTOBER 8TH IS THE RECYCLING EVENT HELD AT CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THAT'S GENERALLY AN ELECTRONICS RECYCLING.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH CONSUMERS' ENERGY TO ACCEPT APPLIANCES AS WELL.
AS ASSISTANT MANAGER OPSOMMER MENTIONED, WE MET WITH MSU'S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS STAFF TODAY AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THAT LOOKING AT THE OLD WHAT'S IT CALLED NOW THE STUDENT HOUSING COMPLEX, SPARTAN VILLAGE, AND THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE GETTING READY TO OPEN WHAT THEY ARE CALLING THEIR TECH CENTER WHICH IS LIKE AN INNOVATION STUDENT AND TECHNICAL COMPONENT TO THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO MAYBE HAVING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT USES FOR THAT PROPERTY.
IT COULD BE HOUSING OR IT COULD BE MAYBE OFFICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE READY TO OPEN AND I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN, BUT RELATIVELY SOON IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO TO HAVE THE GROUNDBREAKING ON THE FIRST BUILDING. THAT'S MY REPORT.
>> I BELIEVE IT WAS SEPTEMBER 23RD WE HAVE IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR GRAND OPENING FOR TECH SMITH.
[00:40:02]
>> WELL, I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT, I'VE HAD A LONG DAY.
I ATTENDED THE EDC MEETING THIS MORNING AND THE MEETING WITH THE PEOPLE IN MSU.
BUT ON TUESDAY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT I SPENT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IN A RIDE ALONG WITH CHIEF PLAGA.
I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT AS MY BELATED RIDE ALONG FROM MY [NOISE] CLASSES IN THE CITIZEN'S ACADEMY, BUT HE DOESN'T QUITE LIKE THAT IDEA.
[LAUGHTER] WE VISITED 5-6 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
I'M VERY GLAD I DID IT AND I ENCOURAGE OTHERS, WITH CHIEF PLAGA'S PERMISSION, [LAUGHTER] TO CONSULT HIM ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RIDE-ALONG.
NO FURTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
WE COME TO APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
>> I WANT TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY YES.
>> THE CHAIR VOTES YES AND THE MOTION PASSES.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA (SALMON)]
WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH INCLUDES COMMUNICATIONS, BILLS AND AS TREASURER DESCHAINE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, PROPOSED CATA ROUTE AND SERVICE CHANGES.>> I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> WHICH SECOND DID YOU HEAR? [OVERLAPPING] I HEARD TRUSTEE WILSON FIRST.
FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'M SORRY.
>> IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT THERE ABOUT THE CATA CHANGES?
>> YOU'LL SEE IN THERE THERE ARE THREE PAGES EXPLAINING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CATA'S ROUTES THAT ARE IMPACTING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUS 24, WHICH IS EAST LANSING AND EAST LAKE LANSING THERE'S A MINOR CHANGE.
THEY'RE MOVING OFF OF SAGINAW AND ALTON AND STAYING ON HAGADORN AND BURCHAM.
ALSO A CHANGE, THE 26 ABBOTT CHANDLER.
THE REALLY REMARKABLE ONE I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE HOLIDAY SERVICE THAT CATA IS GOING TO BE OFFERING.
TYPICALLY CATA HAS BEEN CLOSED ON SEVEN MAJOR HOLIDAYS THAT BEING NEW YEAR'S DAY, EASTER SUNDAY, MEMORIAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, LABOR DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, AND CHRISTMAS DAY.
CATA IS REALLY TRYING TO BE MORE AN ADAPTIVE COMPANY AND EVEN INVESTIGATING MICRO-TRANSIT, WHICH IS SINCE THE UBER AND LYFT STYLE MODEL.
THIS HOLIDAY SERVICE, THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER A RIDE FOR 2.50 ANYWHERE IN THE CATA HOLIDAY SERVICE REGION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY MOST OF THE CATA SERVICE AREA IF YOU LOOK ON THE LAST PAGE FOR THAT MAP.
THAT WILL BEGIN THIS YEAR AT THANKSGIVING AND AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL QUALIFICATION AS YOU DO FOR A PAIR OF TRANSIT RIDE ON NOT ETRAN.
>> THANK YOU. IT OPENED TO ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE CATA SERVICE AREA SO THAT WILL BEGIN THIS YEAR.
IT'S EXCITING ADVANCING SERVICE BY CATA WHO IS BEING LED VERY ABLY BY OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRAD FUNKHOUSER WHO'S REALLY BRINGING SOME INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO CATA.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
TRUSTEE SUNDLAND, DID YOU HAVE INFORMATION TO ADD?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION IN THE INVOICES, I NOTICED THAT BRIGHTLINE HAD LIKE 115,807 INVOICE AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE STARTED.
WE'RE GETTING STARTED ON THE BRIGHTLINE IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S ALL I WANT TO POINT OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF STEVE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT, BUT IT JUST AS EXCITING.
>> MR. GIBES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD A COMMENT?
>> SUPERVISOR, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS THE FIRST INVOICE ON THE FIRST PURCHASE ORDER OF PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE THAT WE WILL HAVE IN 2022 AND EVEN MORE TO COME NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S A BIG PROJECT FOR US WITH A LOT OF DELIVERY DATES THAT ARE COMING OVER
[00:45:03]
THE NEXT 12 WEEKS OR SO FOR THAT FIRST ROUND OF EQUIPMENT AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED ON THE NEXT BATCH AS WELL.MY TEAM'S DIGGING INTO ALL THOSE PIECES AND STARTING TO PUT OUR HARDWARE IN PLACE, MOUNTED, AND RECONFIGURE NETWORKS.
THINGS ARE MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
THIS ITEM REQUIRES A ROLL CALL VOTE. CLERK GUTHRIE.
>> ON 11TH IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE EVENING PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 22-14.
[11A. Planned Unit Development #22-014-3560 Hulett Road-Giguere Homes]
THE PROJECT WE'VE BEEN INTRODUCED TO BY MR. SCHMIDT, AND WE WILL ASK HIM TO INTRODUCE IT AGAIN BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.>> MADAM SUPERVISOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE REQUESTS IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS FOR 3560 HULETT ROAD, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE NETS LOFT FARM PROPERTY.
JIM DAGUERRE HAS OPTION TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND IS PLANNING TO SAVE THE HISTORIC HOUSE AND PLACE IT ON A NEW INDIVIDUAL LOT AND THEN PARCEL OFF 5 OTHER LOTS TO BUILD NEW HOMES ON.
THE HOMES WOULD BE SIMILAR IN SIZE TO THE HOMES AND THE SURROUNDING MS-DOS SUBDIVISION.
THE APPLICANT IS UTILIZING THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT APPROACH, WHICH DOES HAVE 50 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE PROPERTY SET ASIDE IN OPEN SPACE IN PERPETUITY IN EXCHANGE FOR ALLOWING THEM TO SLIGHTLY REDUCE THE LOT SIZES, WHICH MAKES THEM ROUGHLY CONSISTENT WITH THE MS-DOS WHICH WAS DEVELOPED UNDER A SIMILAR PROCESS.
STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE PROPOSED PUD AND HAS RAISED NO MAJOR CONCERNS.
I WILL SAY THAT WE DID GET ONE COMMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE NEIGHBOR WHO SENT THE SAME COMMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND I BELIEVE WE'VE REACHED OUT AND DISCUSSED THIS WITH THEM PREVIOUSLY, THAT WE WILL BE ADDRESSING STORMWATER AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN ON THE SITE UNTIL WE CAN CONFIRM THROUGH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S APPROVAL THAT WATER WILL NOT BE GOING INTO HIS PROPERTY, BUT THEY WILL BE ROUGHLY SIMILAR IN HEIGHT IN THE END.
BUT THE FINAL ENGINEERING HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
THAT'S THE DETAIL WE WILL GO THROUGH DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW OF THE PROCESS.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS EITHER NOW OR DURING THE ACTION FOR THIS ITEM, BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME TO STEP ASIDE.
>> WE'LL HOLD OUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS UNTIL LATER.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:45 PM.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING ITEM PUD 22 DASH?
>> WOULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME?
>> I AM THOMAS BROWN FROM COLDWELL BANKER.
OUR FIRM REPRESENTS THE NIMITZ FAMILY OVER THERE ON HULETT ROAD.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF OBVIOUSLY WITH A PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH JIM ON THIS AND WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT OF IT AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SELL THIS PROPERTY FOR OVER EIGHT MONTHS, AND OBVIOUSLY STRUGGLED WITH THE WAY IT'S BEING SOLD NOW BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S LOCATED AS FAR AS A FARM WITHIN THE CITY.
THIS WAS OUR IDEA THAT THIS WAS THE BEST WAY TO OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ON THIS PROPERTY.
TALKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH OPEN HOUSES AND STUFF, THEY WERE FULLY AWARE AND THEY WERE VERY ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE SITUATIONS.
JUST OUR SUPPORT WITH COLDWELL BANKER IN THE VAN OF ENTERTAIN.
>> ARE THERE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE? CLERK GUTHRIE.
>> FOR THE RECORD, THE GENTLEMAN WHO JUST SPOKE, I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME.
COULD YOU PLEASE FILL OUT A GREEN FORM AND RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.
THANK YOU. THEN FOR THE RECORD, WE ALSO RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM DIRECTOR TIM SCHMIDT AND WE WILL BE INCLUDING THIS WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOTE THE PERSON WHOSE NAME.
>> I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
IF I DID NOT SAY THE NAME PROPERLY RIDIKA PRASAD FROM 3547 STILL BE DRIVE ALCHEMISTS, MICHIGAN 4864.
[00:50:09]
DIRECTOR SCHMIDT REFERS TO THIS LETTER IN HIS COMMENTS AND SO IT BECOMES A PART OF THE RECORD.ARE THERE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? I BELIEVE THAT'S MR. DAGUERRE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM?
>> WOULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS?
I'M 16900 PINE HOLLOW, DRIVE IN EAST LANSING.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE PUD DEVELOPMENT OF HULETT ROAD, 6 UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE PRESERVING THE FARMHOUSE THAT'S THERE AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT DEVELOPMENT.
>> IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE WILL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD AND MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS.
[12A. Planned Unit Development #22-014-3560 Hulett Road-Giguere Homes]
I HAD HIM 12A IS THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 22-014-3560, HULETT ROAD-GIGUERE HOMES.WE HAVE JUST FINISHED OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
MR. SMITH, DO YOU HAVE OTHER ITEMS OR INFORMATION TO ADD?
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD RAISE AT THE LAST MEETING WITH RESPECT TO HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THEM.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL THAT YOU HAVEN'T PRAYED THIS EVENING, SPECIFICALLY CONDITION ADDRESSES THE PATHWAY ALONG HULETT ROAD WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING.
CONDITION 9 ADDRESSES THE STREET TREES ALONG HULETT ROAD, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP AND CONDITION 11 WE CLARIFIED THAT WOULD BE FOR THE REAR OF ALL 4 OF THE LOTS ADJACENT TO THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL, ALTHOUGH IT'S RESIDENTIAL.
RESIDENTIAL TYPICALLY, YOU DON'T SCREEN THIS, BUT GIVEN THE THIRD CLASS WAS THERE, MR. JAEGER WAS AMICABLE TO DOING SO.
THAT COMBINED WITH THE REMAINING CONDITIONS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS, STAFF HAS RAISED NO MAJOR CONCERNS AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AT THIS TIME.
>> BOARD MEMBERS. COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, MOTION, NO ONE? JUST THE SUDDEN MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT REQUESTS FROM JIM JEAGER FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY AT 3560 HULETT ROAD.
TRUSTEE, SOMETHING YOU HAVE COMMENTS.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE A LOVELY COUPLE OF LOTS THAT TO BE DEVELOPED AND THEY'RE PRESERVING THE EXISTING FARMHOUSE.
I'M NOT SURE. MUCH ABOUT THE EXISTING FARMHOUSE AND WHETHER ANYBODY LIVES THERE OR WHAT THEY'RE GOING DO WITH IT, BUT JUST LOOKS LIKE A LOVELY LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> MR. SMITH, DID YOU TELL US HOW OLD THE FARMHOUSE WAS AT OUR LAST MEETING?
>> I JUST DIED. THE SISTER MANAGER OBSERVER DID IT BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO LOOK IT UP QUICKLY.
>> I THINK IT'S IN YOUR MINUTES.
>> DO YOU HAVE MY ADDRESS, MEMORIZE?
>> I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABSENT A BIT BUT I'M WORKING IN HOUSING FOR THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT I'M WONDERING TO MR. GEAR.
WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO PRESERVE THE FARMHOUSE AND MAKE SURE IT STAYS ON THAT PROPERTY?
I REVIEWED THE PROPERTY, LOOKED AT US, AND REALLY GOOD CONDITION SO ONE OWNER PROPERTY AND IT'S VERY HABITABLE.
I REALLY WASN'T ANY OF TO DO THAT.
I CAN RESELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE IT AS A COMMUNITY AND KEEP THE PRESERVATION.
[00:55:05]
>> THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> I THINK THE PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING FARMHOUSE IS WHAT MAKES THIS ONE OF THE MORE DESIRABLE PROJECTS WE HAVE.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH OF A SENSE OF HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'D LIKE TO TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN AND START OVER AGAIN.
OF COURSE THAT IS NOT TRUE IN EVERYTHING WE DO, BUT THAT HAS BEEN A TENDENCY WITH DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT PRESERVES ANY CONCENTRIC HOME WHICH IS TURNING THE 19TH CENTURY AT HOME, WHICH IS REMARKABLE.
I APPLAUD THE APPLICANT FOR DOING THAT.
SOUNDS LIKE IT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE AS WELL FOR YOU SO IT'S A WIN-WIN. THANK YOU.
>> 1870 IS THE YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT STAFF DID ON THIS PROPOSAL, AS WELL AS THEIR WILLINGNESS THAT THE APPLICANT HAD TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING IN THIS ONE.
SPECIFICALLY FOR ME, THE STREET TREES ALONG HULETT ROAD.
I THINK THAT WILL ENHANCE THE STREETSCAPE THERE.
THEN I THINK THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, WILL VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HAVING SOME SCREENING FROM HULETT ROAD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
THANK YOU TO BOTH OF THOSE PARTIES THERE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT OUR POLICY DOES NOT INCLUDE READING THE RESOLUTION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE MOTION IN TERMS OF AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED TO TAKE NOTE OF HOW THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT WILL ACTUALLY PROGRESS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE NOTED IN THE CONDITIONS ADDED TO THE MOTION SO THAT YOU ARE REASSURED CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR THINGS LIKE WETLAND SETBACKS AND WETLAND REGULATIONS, CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES AND PERMITS, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS FOUND IN THE RESOLUTIONS WHICH WE DON'T ACTUALLY ATTACKED.
BUT I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN THOSE SPECIFICS TO READ THAT PART.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE READY FOR A MOTION OF THIS.
ALSO CALLS FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE I BELIEVE.
>> I KNOW MR. SCHMIDT HAS MAD MOVES BECAUSE ITEM 12B WE'RE INTO MAKING YOU A ROCK STAR HERE.
[12B. Ordinance 2022-08-Traffic Impact Study Standards-Final Adoption]
>> [LAUGHTER] I KNOW 12B IS THE FINAL ADOPTION FOR ORDINANCE 2022- 08.
WHICH HAS TO DO WITH TRAFFIC INPUTS IMPACT AT STEADY STANDARDS. MR. SMITH?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, WOULD STANDARDIZE AND PUT IN ONE LOCATION ALL THE STANDARDS FOR TRAFFIC IMPACTS STUDIES OR TRAFFIC ASSESSMENTS IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.
THIS IS A SOMEWHAT PRO FORMA ORDINANCE AND THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MAJOR CHANGES.
THE POLICY CHANGE WAS MADE WITH THE MUPD ORDINANCE THAT WAS ADOPTED.
WE'RE REALLY BRINGING THE REST OF THE ORDINANCE INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THAT AT THIS POINT.
STAFF IS HAPPY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AS DIRECTED BY THE BOARD.
WE DID PUBLISH THIS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
WE HAVE MET ALL OF OUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS FOR ADOPTION.
>> ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.
>> THANK YOU MADAM SUPERVISOR AM HERE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR FINAL ADOPTION ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-08 TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND MERIDIAN AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR TRAFFIC IMPACTS STUDIES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI WITH THE COMMENT?
>> SURE. I THINK I MENTIONED THIS AT THE LAST GO AROUND, BUT ANY CHANCE WE GET TO MAKE
[01:00:04]
OUR MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE EASIER TO READ AND UNDERSTAND BY THOSE WHO WISH TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS A GOOD THING.I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA THAT THIS WILL STREAMLINE OUR ORDINANCE.
IT IS VERY MUCH LESS CONFUSING WHEN A DEVELOPER IS LOOKING TO COME AND DO BUSINESS HERE.
I WILL ALSO STAND ON MY SOAPBOX TO SUGGEST THAT I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE AT SOME POINT WHEN DIRECTOR SCHMIDT HAS GOT ALL THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT OUT OF THE WAY, [LAUGHTER] THAT IT WOULD BE WISE FOR US TO DIVE INTO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE STREAMLINING OF THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE BURDENSOME AND THAT THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS STUDIES THAT WE GET ARE OFTEN BEST DESCRIBED AS KINDLING AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY HELPFUL TO OUR DELIBERATIONS HERE.
I'D LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THEM MORE IMPACTFUL, TO BE FUNNY AND, THAT'LL BE FOR DOWN THE ROAD.
>> DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT, MR. SMITH?
>> NO. [LAUGHTER] OTHER COMMENTS.
THEN I BELIEVE WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE IN THIS CASE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. ORDINANCE 2022-08 IS ADOPTED.
WE MOVE TO ITEM 12C ORDINANCE 2022-12,
[12C. Ordinance 2022-12-Refuse/Storage Container Regulations-Final Adoption]
REFUGE STORAGE CONTAINER REGULATIONS UP FOR FINAL ADOPTION AT THIS POINT. TREASURER DESCHAINE.>> I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR FINAL ADOPTION ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-12, TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP MERIDIAN TO CREATE REGULATIONS FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE PODS AND TEMPORARY CONTAINER UNITS.
>> I THINK THIS IS A TIMELY AMENDMENT TO OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, 10 YEARS AGO YOU DIDN'T SEE PODS OUT THERE. WE SEE A LOT OF THEM NOW.
IT'S NEW WAY PEOPLE ARE MOVING AND REHABBING AND DOING LOTS OF THINGS SO THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED.
I THINK THESE PODS OVERALL HAVE IMPROVEMENT.
THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL TO HOMEOWNERS.
BUT IF YOU LEAVE THEM IN PLACE FOR A MONTH TO MONTH, THEY CAN BE A REAL EYESORE TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I THINK THIS IS WELL-TIMED TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD THIS YEAR AND THE COURT IS SUPPORTING THIS?
I THINK I'VE MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT IF YOU LEAVE OUT THESE TYPES OF CONTAINERS, YOU END UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD WASTE, WHICH THEN CAN BE HAZARDOUS IN SOME CASES, BUT ALSO CAN BE PROMOTE LIKE VARMINT AND INDOOR RODENTS.
DIDN'T REALIZE WE NEEDED IT, BUT IT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. THANK YOU.
>> ITEM 13 IS BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[13A. Prospective Resolution to the Legislature and Governor Regarding Local Control Under the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act]
13A HAS TO DO WITH THE PERSPECTIVE RESOLUTION TO THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR REGARDING LOCAL CONTROL UNDER THE MICHIGAN FIREWORKS SAFETY ACT.TO BEGIN, THANK YOU, MR. OPSOMMER, FOR GATHERING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION FOR US.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.
TWO MEETINGS AGO IN JULY, WE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD AFTER RECEIVING TWO COMPLAINTS AFTER THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY AND THE FIREWORKS THAT WERE ADMITTED BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER.
AT THAT MEETING, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT WE TOUCH BASE WITH THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION.
I DID SPEAK WITH JUDY ALLEN, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION AND AS YOU CAN SEE, BASED ON THE SPARSE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT I DETAILED IN YOUR MEMO,
[01:05:02]
THAT IS THE FULL REGIMEN OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.IT'S PRETTY SPARSE THIS SESSION.
THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF INTEREST AMONG LAWMAKERS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE BILL THAT REALLY SEEKS TO DO WHAT THE BOARD IS HOPING FOR, WHICH IS TO INCREASE LOCAL CONTROL OR MORE STRICTLY REGULATE STATEWIDE THE ADMISSION AND DISCHARGE OF COMMERCIAL FIREWORKS.
JUDY DID SAY THAT THERE REALLY IS NO CONCERTED EFFORT AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE LACK OF INTERESTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING FROM LAWMAKERS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THE BOARD MAY CONSIDER REACHING OUT TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AFTER THIS COMING NOVEMBER AND TOUCHING BASE WITH THEM AND ASSESSING THE LAY OF THE LAND AFTER THE ELECTION.
WE'LL SEE WHO IS IN CONTROL OF THE LEGISLATURE AND WHAT APPETITE THERE MIGHT BE FOR THEM TO WEIGH IN ON THIS IN THE UPCOMING SESSION, BUT AT THIS TIME THERE'S VERY LITTLE HOPE OF ANY TRACTION IN THE LEGISLATURE.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU, OUR DP MANAGER OPSOMMER FOR THIS VERY THOROUGH SEARCH YOU DID ON THIS ISSUE. WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION.
WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE MTA WAS DOING AND YOU'VE GIVEN US A GOOD OVERVIEW OF IT.
BASED ON OTHER LOCAL CONTROL ISSUES THAT THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO GRANT COMMUNITIES THE CHANCE OF THIS PASSING IN THIS SESSION ARE ZERO TO NONE BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THIS.
I'M GLAD WE LOOKED INTO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FUTURE TIMES WHEN WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT FIREWORKS AND WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AND IT SOUNDS WE DON'T HAVE MANY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR RESEARCH THAT FOUND THAT WE HAVE ON THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE LAWS ON FIREWORKS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS A BIT OF IRONY BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE ONE OF THE MOST RESTRICTIVE LAWS, THEN YOU COULDN'T BUY IT REALLY, UNLESS YOU WENT TO OHIO.
IT'S A SITUATION THAT EVERYTHING CHANGED, IT SEEMS, IN 2011 WHEN THE NEW FIREWORKS LAW WAS PASSED.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF MOVING THIS FURTHER IN TERMS OF BOARD ACTION AND WE HAVE OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES BEFORE US AND THIS COULD BE MORE OF A NUISANCE IN FUTURE YEARS, MAYBE LESS OF A NUISANCE.
IT WILL DEPEND ON HOW OUR RESIDENTS, HOW MANY COMMERCIAL FIREWORKS THEY DECIDE TO PURCHASE AND LIGHT OFF ON THESE ALLOWED DAYS.
WE KNOW THAT OUR POLICE AND FIRE ARE VERY RESPONSIVE WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CHANCE OF ENFORCING ILLEGAL USE OF THESE FIREWORKS IS ALL BUT NIL, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO CATCH SOMEONE IN THE ACT OF DOING IT AND THAT POSSESSING THEM NO LONGER IS A FINEABLE OFFENSE.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS HERE, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU KNOWING WHERE WE ARE WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE VERY MINOR CHANCE OF ANYTHING HAPPENING TO GIVE US MORE LOCAL CONTROL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HOMEWORK ON THIS FOR US.
>> OTHER COMMENTS? TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.
I CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE TREASURER DESCHAINE JUST SAID.
I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT, WITH THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO REQUIRE, OF THE 28 RESPONSES THAT OUR POLICE HAD TO MAKE THIS YEAR, NINE OF THEM WERE IN DATES WHERE FIREWORKS WERE ALREADY PROHIBITED.
I THINK THAT ASSISTANT MANAGERS OPSOMMER'S SUGGESTION OF REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE IS A GOOD ONE.
I THINK A BLANKET STATEMENT TO EVERYONE WOULD BE JUST ANOTHER EMAIL ON THE PILE.
BUT THAT WE'VE GOT VERY CAPABLE REPRESENTATION IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND WHEN IT'S ONE OF FOUR COMMUNITIES ARE ONE OF THREE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT, I THINK WE WILL HAVE A MUCH MORE RECEPTIVE EAR.
WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT UPON US AS COMMUNITY LEADERS TO URGE TO OUR RESIDENTS TO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AND UNDERSTAND THAT, WHILE IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT NECESSARILY, THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS ON WHEN YOU CAN AND CANNOT SET OFF FIREWORKS.
AT THE VERY LEAST, WE'D ASK THAT YOU CONTAIN THOSE TO THE PRESCRIBED ALLOWABLE TIMES, AND IF A NEIGHBOR COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, HEY, I'M A VETERAN AND THIS IS TRIGGERING TO ME OR I'VE GOT A DOG WHO REACTS BADLY TO THE SOUND OF FIREWORK, BE RESPECTFUL TO THAT NEIGHBOR.
WE CAN FIND A WAY TO CELEBRATE IN
[01:10:01]
A PATRIOTIC FASHION WITHOUT CAUSING HARM OR STRESS TO OUR NEIGHBORS.I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE FOR US TO REMIND FOLKS COME JUNE, IN OUR SECOND MEETING IN JUNE THAT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ASK OF THEM.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN SPEAK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND OUR SENATORS ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE AN APPETITE TO PURSUE THIS, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES AND THE EXPERIENCES OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH MORE THAT THE RESOLUTION FROM HIS BODY WOULD DO AT THIS TIME.
>> I AGREE WITH TREASURY DESCHAINE AND TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON WITH NOT PURSUING AT THIS TIME.
I DID WANT TO BRING UP AND I THINK CLERK GUTHRIE, YOU ARE THE ONE THAT BROUGHT UP THIS PRIOR.
BUT WHEN AND IF WE DO REVISIT THIS, I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK INTO SOME OF THE OTHER CULTURES AND WHAT THEY USE AS A CELEBRATION AS OPPOSED TO THE STANDARD FIREWORK TYPE CELEBRATIONS THAT WE MAY BE USED TO IN THE STATES.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT A NOTE IF IN FACT IF WE DO CIRCLE BACK.
THEN AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS AS WELL.
QUESTION IS TO CHIEF PLAGA, DO WE HAVE ANY SAFETY METRICS OR ANY METRICS THAT WE'VE HAD WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HARMED OR ANIMALS WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED OR IS IT REALLY A NUISANCE?
>> IT IS TYPICALLY MORE OF A NUISANCE PROBLEM, A NOISE PROBLEM.
THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS, THERE ARE RARE WHERE WE'VE HAD INJURIES, I WOULD DEFER TO THE FIRE CHIEF FOR INJURY REPORTS, BUT IN THE NEAR NOT-TOO-DISTANT PAST, I CANNOT RECALL ANY INJURIES, JUST NOISE AND VETERAN.
THE VETERAN ISSUE IS A VERY BIG ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU MADAM SUPERVISOR.
TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI'S POINT I DID RAISE THAT AT THE PREVIOUS TIME THAT WE DISCUSSED FIREWORKS.
THE ONLY INTEREST I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS RETURN TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS TO MAKE IT MORE INCLUSIVE OF OTHER HOLIDAYS THAT ARE CELEBRATED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE AS A BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT RETURNED AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE RESTRICTIONS PLACED OR NOT.
IT'S OUR TREASURE TO CHANGE THAT, IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY TO NOT BE ENFORCEABLE.
IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND WHERE THESE FIREWORKS ARE GOING OFF.
IF THERE IS ANY TRACTION IN THE HOUSE TO REDUCE THE TYPES OF FIREWORKS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO GO OFF, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT.
BUT IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE FIREWORKS ARE ALLOWED, I WOULD LIKE TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE THAN WHAT WE ARE TODAY.
>> I BELIEVE THE CONCLUSION IS THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO NOT PURSUE THIS FURTHER.
THE CONSENSUS IS THAT WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PURSUING IT FURTHER, AND SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 13B.
[13B. Debt Management Policy]
MR. OPSOMMER IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY.>> YES. GOOD EVENING AGAIN BOARD AND SUPERVISOR JACKSON.
THIS ACTUALLY CAME UP, THIS IS MORE OF A HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE CREDIT RATING PROCESS WITH S&P PRIOR TO THIS MOST RECENT BOND ISSUANCE THAT WE JUST COMPLETED THIS MORNING, IT CAME UP AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD AN ACTIVE OR AN ADOPTED DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY AND WE DO NOT TODAY.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE CHECKBOXES THAT THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES GO THROUGH.
THIS IS BY NO MEANS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A AA+ CREDIT RATING AND A AAA.
HOWEVER, IT IS ONE OF THE CHECKBOXES, SO AS A HOUSEKEEPING MEASURE, WE DID WANT TO BRING THIS POLICY BEFORE THE BOARD.
THIS IS BASED ON OAKLAND COUNTY'S DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY, WHICH IS A VERY ROBUST POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED UNDER FORMER TREASURER MEISSNER IN OAKLAND COUNTY.
I REVIEWED THAT AND TOOK AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF IT.
[01:15:03]
THEIRS WAS QUITE EXTENSIVE, AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH TO BE SAID REALLY IN THIS AREA.THESE ARE THE CORE PRINCIPLES THAT WE ALREADY FOLLOW.
WE HAVE FOLLOWED FOR DECADES, WE WERE FOLLOWING THESE CORE PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUSTEE WILSON WAS ON THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY AS WELL.
JUST TO QUICKLY RUN DOWN THAT LIST, ONLY INCURRING DEBTS WHEN THERE IS A DEDICATED MILLAGE OR OTHER REVENUE SOURCE TO PAY DOWN THOSE DEBTS.
FULL AND TIMELY PAYMENT OF ALL PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON ALL DEBTS.
TOWNSHIP WILL ASSESS ALL FINANCING ALTERNATIVES PRIOR TO ISSUING DEBT, INCLUDING PAY-AS-YOU-GO FINANCING OPTIONS AND MAINTAINING GOOD COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOND RATING OR THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES TO MAINTAIN OUR FINANCIAL STANDING.
THOSE ARE THE CORE PRINCIPLES OUTLINED IN THE DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY BEFORE YOU.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS MORE OF A CHECKING THE BOX ITEM AND MEMORIALIZING THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE HAD FOR MANY YEARS.
>> [INAUDIBLE] MANAGEMENT POLICY.
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.
>> AS A FORMER AUDITOR, I'M A HUGE BELIEVER IN WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
THEY SAVE YOU ON MANY OCCASIONS, INCLUDING OUTSIDE AUDITS.
THIS IS THE PROPER THING TO DO AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS UP AND ENCODING THIS LANGUAGE. THANK YOU.
>> [NOISE] TREASURER DESCHAINE
>> BECAUSE THIS IS ON OUR DISCUSSION AGENDA TO RENEW, NEED TO FIRST MOVE TO WAIVE OUR RULE AND TAKE ACTION TONIGHT.
>> IT NEEDS SUPPORT FOR THAT FROM [NOISE] CLERK GUTHRIE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, TO MOVE THIS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE WERE TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT.
>> TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.
ANYONE OPPOSE? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> THE MOTION THAT WAS FIRST MADE BY YOU.
>> NO. MADE BY STEVE [INAUDIBLE].
>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND SECONDED BY MR. HENDRICKSON.
ARE THERE OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE MOTION BEFORE US TO APPROVE THE DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY?
>> AS TREASURE, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION AND HAVING MANY AS OUR POLICIES IN WRITING.
NOT ONLY HELPFUL, IT'S IN TODAY'S WORLD ESSENTIAL.
>> BECAUSE MORE AND MORE MOVING PARTS TO OUR OWN GOVERNMENT AND OUR OPERATIONS.
TWO RECENT EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE DDA.
BOTH HAVE GONE FROM VERY SMALL PARTS OF THE TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO A BOX TO VERY LARGE WORKBENCHES OF WORK AND ALL THAT.
WE'VE PROVEN DOCUMENTED THANKS TO DIRECTOR SMITH'S GOOD WORK THERE, SOMETHING LIKE HAVING DEBT POLICY IN WRITING IS ESSENTIAL FOR THIS BOARD.
>> OKAY. [NOISE] ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION BEFORE US, PLEASE SAY YES.
>> OPPOSE NO. THE CHAIR VOTES YES, AND THE MOTION TO ESSENTIALLY MEMORIALIZE THE DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY IS APPROVED.
ITEM 13C, IT'S A SIMILAR ACTION.
[13C. Fund Balance Reserve Policy]
FUND BALANCE RESERVE POLICY, MR. OPSOMMER?>> YES. GOOD EVENING AGAIN BOARD.
THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE, SAME CONTEXT.
THIS ALSO CAME UP DURING THE CREDIT RATING EVALUATION PROCESS FOR THE SNP.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WE DO HAVE AN INFORMAL POLICY, I GUESS I WOULD REFER TO IT AS IT WAS ACTUALLY TRUSTEE SCALES PROPOSAL BACK IN 2013 WHEN THE 2014 BUDGET WAS BEING ADOPTED.
IT HAS BEEN REFERENCED IN ALL OF THE TOWNSHIPS BUDGETS SINCE.
AT THAT TIME, I BELIEVE THE GENERAL RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT WE MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE AROUND 20 PERCENT, AND THAT WAS EXTRAPOLATED INTO A DOLLAR FIGURE, SO I WOULD SAY OUR INFORMAL POLICY IS EXPRESSED AS MAINTAINING A FUND BALANCE OF 5.25 MILLION OR GREATER BECAUSE THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES IN THAT BUDGET YEAR,
[01:20:01]
2013 ADOPTION, 2014 BUDGET WAS THE DISCUSSION ITEM, AND IT HAS BEEN REFERENCED IN EVERY BUDGET SINCE.I WOULD ASK THAT YOU NOT TAKE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS A DRAFT POLICY.
I PUT A PLACEHOLDER IN OF 25 PERCENT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MANAGER WALSH SHARE THE SAME AS I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS IT WITH HIM, BUT THAT IS A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
>> OKAY. TREASURE JUSTIN. [NOISE]
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US AS WELL AT NIGHT.
I AGREE WE SHOULD NOT ACT ON THIS TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STAFF BRING BACK THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS IF WE WENT FROM 25, MAYBE 30, EVEN 35 PERCENT.
WE KNOW WE'RE AT 47 PERCENT BECAUSE OF THE $12 MILLION.
FROM A TREASURE POINT OF VIEW, THE HIGHER THE NUMBER, THE BETTER.
ALTHOUGH SOME YEARS ARE GOING TO BE LEANER THAN OTHERS AND 47 PERCENT, IF WE SET IT AT THAT HIGH NUMBER, WOULD COME BACK TO HAUNT US WHEN WE HAVE YEARS LIKE WE HAD JUST 10 YEARS AGO WITH THE GREAT RECESSION AND FALLING PROPERTY VALUES WHEN THE BOARD WAS WORKING WITH A MUCH LEANER BUDGET THAN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW.
I DID DO THE NUMBERS AT 25 PERCENT WITH LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND THAT WOULD PUT OUR FUND BALANCE AT 6,750,000 APPROXIMATELY OF A BUDGET OF AROUND $27 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD LOOK AT THOSE INTERVALS MAYBE AT 20, 25, 30, 35, AND DISCUSS HOW MUCH WE WANT TO KEEP THERE.
RIGHT NOW, RATES ARE RISING AND WE COULD DO SOMETHING WITH THAT MONEY AND REINVEST IT AND ACTUALLY PRODUCE.
IF WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, WE CAN MAKE LONGER-TERM INVESTMENTS WITH THAT MONEY AND EARN MORE MONEY WITH THIS, RATHER THAN EFFECTIVELY HAVING A VERY HIGH FUND BALANCE RIGHT NOW, BUT ON PAPER, IT'S HALF THAT.
CODIFYING THIS AND SETTING A POLICY WILL HELP US WITH FUTURE INVESTMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> CERTAINLY, I CAN GET THAT DATA AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
>> OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MEMO.
HISTORICALLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT FORMER TRUSTEE SCALES HAD BROUGHT THIS UP AS A POLICY, DID THE BOARD APPROVE IT, HOW IS IT AN INFORMAL POLICY, AND NOW YOU WANT TO MAKE IT?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I BELIEVE IT WAS VOTED ON, BUT IT WAS A VERBAL MOTION, SO IT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY DRAFTED OUT AS A WRITTEN POLICY.
>> OKAY. WHAT I'M HEARING IS NO ONE WROTE ANYTHING TO FOLLOW UP ON A VOTE.
>> CORRECT. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN CODIFIED IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S BEEN WRITTEN INTO THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR SINCE.
BUT IN TERMS OF CHECKING THE BOX WITH S&P, WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL WRITTEN POLICY.
>> AGAIN, HOUSEKEEPING WHERE WE'RE MEMORIALIZING IT INTO A FORMAL ADOPTED POLICY, POLICIES LIKE THIS ARE PRETTY, THERE'S BREVITY BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO PUT TO PAPER HERE.
IT'S SETTING THAT THRESHOLD OF FUND BALANCE TO GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. I WAS TRYING TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT HAPPENED.
>> YEAH. THAT'S THE BEST I KNOW.
I DIDN'T GO BACK AND CONSULT THE RECORD OFFICIALLY.
>> I THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVITY IS A LITTLE TRICKIER THAN A DEBT MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL OR POLICY, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US, AND WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A RECESSION OR A CATASTROPHIC EVENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL FROM THE FUND BALANCE.
I THINK BEING CONSERVATIVE IS A WISE WAY TO LOOK AT THIS.
>> I PICK 25 PERCENT BECAUSE IT WAS CONSERVATIVE, BUT IT WAS ABOVE WHAT MOST POLICIES WOULD BE.
MIGHT RAISE SOME EYEBROWS, ABOUT THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.
>> I HAD JUST ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE AVERAGE FUND BALANCE FOR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT IN MICHIGAN IS AROUND 20 PERCENT.
WHAT'S THE RANGE LIKE, IN TERMS OF POSITIVELY OR PROACTIVELY SETTING IF UNBOUND?
>> FOR THEIR POLICY OR WHAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE FOR THEIR FUND BALANCE?
>> WELL, LET'S START WITH FOR THEIR POLICY.
[01:25:01]
>> MOST POLICIES ARE GOING TO BE IN THE 20-25 PERCENT RANGE.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO, IF THE LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT, HAS A POLICY, MOST ARE GOING TO FALL ON THAT 20-25 PERCENT RANGE.
>> OKAY. BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL CONDITIONS, EVEN RECENTLY, SEVERAL HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MAINTAINING THEIR MANUAL.
I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT A PAST LEADER IN THIS TOWNSHIP, DISCOURAGED THE TOWNSHIP MAINTAINING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN THE FUND BALANCE.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE NEGATIVES OF THAT?
>> ARE YOU REFERRING TO ME WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD?
>> NO, IT WASN'T YOU. [LAUGHTER].
>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE REFERRING TO ME FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL SAYING THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I WASN'T THINKING OF YOU, YOU NO.
>> OKAY. I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON WHO YOU'RE REFERRING TO. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS PAST SUPERVISOR STYKA'S POSITION.
>> ONE DOWNSIDE WOULD BE INFLATION, SO IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM YOUR PORTFOLIO, AND INFLATION IS DWINDLING THE VALUE OF YOUR DOLLARS QUICKER THAN YOU CAN.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT RECENTLY BECAUSE OF YOU'RE TAKING OUT CDS, OR PUTTING IT INTO MONEY MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS, OR OTHER VERY SAFE INVESTMENT TOOLS, WE WEREN'T SEEING VERY GOOD RETURN ON THOSE.
BUT THAT IS BACK ON THE UPTICK AND SO THAT'S STARTING TO CHANGE.
HOWEVER, INFLATION IS ALSO ERODING THE VALUE OF DOLLARS, SO YEAH, THE BEST EXAMPLE I GUESS I COULD GIVE IS THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM AND THE CONVERSATION I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH YOU ALL ABOUT THE REALITIES OF THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM TODAY ARE JUST VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE IN 2021.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW, THINGS ARE CYCLICAL AND YOU JUST NEVER KNOW AND THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE FUND BALANCE IS OUR RAINY DAY FUND.
>> THE STATE HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE RAINY DAY FUND, BUT THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS OUR RAINY DAY FUND.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN WE TAKE THIS UP THE NEXT TIME AROUND, IN ADDITION TO SEEING THE NUMBERS AT THE VARIOUS PERCENTAGES.
FOR ME, IT WOULD BE TO SEE, PARDON ME, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A WHOLE LOT OF SLEEP THIS WEEK, A MONTH-OVER-MONTH VIEW OF THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS JUST SO I CAN COMPARE WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGES AND WHERE WE'VE BEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> JUST A TIMELINE OF THE FUND BALANCE SO I CAN SEE HOW MUCH IT FLUCTUATES MONTH OVER MONTH, AT ANY POINT WHERE WE WOULD BE IF WE ADOPTED A CERTAIN VALUATION, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THAT. THAT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL.
>> ACTUALLY FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, I KNOW THAT 25 PERCENT REPRESENTS THREE MONTHS BASED ON THE CALCULATION FROM THIS YEAR'S EXPENDITURES WHERE 20 PERCENT REPRESENTED ONLY 2.4 MONTHS OF THE EXPENDITURES IN OUR RAINY DAY FUND.
THAT MAY BE THE BASIS OF CONSIDERATION AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> NO FURTHER COMMENTS. MR. DESCHAINE.
>> WE DO HAVE A FORMER MUNICIPAL AUDITOR IN THE ROOM AND I WONDER IF SHE MIGHT HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS AND WHAT SHE'S SEEN IN THE FIELD WITH FUND BALANCES OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY ONES THAT MIGHT BE SIMILAR TO MERIDIAN.
>> WONDERFUL SUGGESTION. THANK YOU.
>> FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER AUDITOR, GENERALLY WE LIKE TO SEE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE 18-20 PERCENT OF FUND BALANCE.
TYPICALLY THE TOWNSHIPS IT IS QUITE A BIT HIGHER.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
WE CAN EXPECT THIS TO COME BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
>> SURE. THIS WILL BE BACK BEFORE YOU ON THE 15TH.
[01:30:02]
>> ON THE 15TH, THANK YOU. ITEM 13D,
[13D. Right of First Refusal for 6160 Whitehills Lakes #5]
RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL FOR 6165 HILLS LAKES NUMBER 5.THIS IS AN ITEM BROUGHT TO US BY THE TREASURER.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOU AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING ACTION, BUT IT IS A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE VACANT PARCELS IN THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP HAS GONE TO FORECLOSURE.
WE HAVE THIS RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL TO CLAIM THIS PROPERTY BEFORE IT GOES TO AUCTION.
JUST TO SUMMARIZE THE PROCESS OF HOW TAXES WORK IN TERMS OF FORECLOSURES, THE TAX YEAR STARTS ON JANUARY 1, BILLS GO OUT IN JULY AND DECEMBER AND MARCH 1ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR, ANY UNPAID TAXES ARE TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY TREASURER.
AT THAT POINT, THE COUNTY TREASURER BEGINS A 3-4 YEAR FORECLOSURE PROCESS TO COLLECT THOSE TAXES.
WE TURNED OVER AROUND $200,000 IN UNPAID TAXES THIS YEAR TO THE COUNTY TREASURY.
THEY WRITE US A CHECK PRETTY QUICKLY AND WE'RE WHOLE.
THEN THAT PROPERTY IS IN ESSENCE ASSUMED BY THE COUNTY TREASURER AND HE OR SHE TAKES CONTROL OF THAT AND THEY START THIS PROCESS AND THEY DO A LOT OF REMEDIAL EFFORTS TO TRY AND HELP THE HOMEOWNER TO GET THEM SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO PAY THEIR TAXES AND CATCH UP THE PROPERTY.
THEIR GOAL IS NOT TO SEIZE PROPERTY, THEIR GOAL, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR COUNTY TREASURER, ALAN FOX, AND BEFORE HIM, ERIC SCHERTZING, IS TO TRY AND HELP THAT HOMEOWNER TO GET CAUGHT UP ON TAXES AND KEEP THEIR PROPERTY.
IN SOME CASES, THE PROPERTY OWNERS LEFT TOWN, THEY ABANDONED THE PROPERTY, THEY JUST DON'T CARE AND SO THIS PROCESS THEN TAKES THREE YEARS, MANY NOTICES TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AFTER THREE YEARS, THE ACTUAL FORECLOSURE TAKES PLACE AND THE PROPERTY IS TURNED OVER TO THE LAND BANK FOR AN AUCTION.
IN SOME CASES THE COUNTY TREASURY IS TAKING THOSE LAND BANK PROPERTIES AND HELP TO REHABILITATE THEM, LIKE IN THE CITY OF LANSING TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK AND IMPROVE THE HOUSING STOCK.
THOSE LANDMARK PROPERTIES TYPICALLY HAVE NOT HAPPENED HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
WE HAD A PARCEL TWO YEARS AGO, ONE OFF OF HATCH ROAD, THAT WAS SOLD AT THE AUCTION AND IT WAS REHABBED PRETTY QUICKLY.
BECAUSE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND THE DESIRABLE REP OF OUR COMMUNITY, IT AUCTIONED OFF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO GO FOR A PRETTY HIGH VALUE.
IT'S FORTUNATE IN THAT REGARD.
THIS PARCEL NUMBER 3302020543001, YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE 2 OF THE MEMO, IT'S A BLANK LOT LOCATED AT 6160 WHITEHILLS LAKES DRIVE.
IT HAS A ASSESS VALUE OF 71,000, WHICH MEANS IT SHOULD SELL FOR ABOUT A $140,000 IN THE CURRENT MARKET, TWICE THAT ASSESS VALUE.
ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES TO RECLAIM THE PROPERTY BY THE OWNER HAVE BEEN FORFEITED AND IT'S GOING NOW TO BE SOLD.
IN THE PAST, THE TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN OFFERED PROPERTIES AND THEY'VE BEEN ADJACENT TO PARKLAND OR SCHOOL LAND.
WE WILL EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO ACQUIRE THAT PROPERTY AND PAY THE BACK TAXES TO THE COUNTY AND OTHER PN OURSELVES.
THEN WE WILL OWN THAT PROPERTY IN WHICH WE CAN THEN GIVE TO OURSELVES AS THE PARKS OR GIVE IT TO HAZARD SCHOOLS OR COMMON SCHOOLS OR ANOTHER COMMUNITY GOOD LIKE THAT, THAT CORE PUBLIC GOOD.
THIS PROPERTY IS NOT ADJACENT TO ANY PARKS, IT'S NOT ADJACENT TO ANY SCHOOLS AND THERE ARE AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO PLANS TO TURN THIS PORTION OF WHITEHILLS LAKES INTO A PARK OR A SCHOOL.
OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO STAY PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND BE DEVELOPED LIKE THAT.
MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IS WE DO NOTHING AND WE NOT EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO FIRST REFUSAL.
DOING NOTHING ALLOWS IT TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A PROACTIVE ACTION TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY BY TELLING THE COUNTY TREASURY YOU WANT TO ACQUIRE IT.
IF WE DID THAT AND WE TURNED AROUND AND SOLD IT, I THINK WE WOULD MAKE 30 OR $40,000 ON THIS PROPERTY.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO PUBLIC GOOD IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR, WE JUST HAVE TO TURN ALL THAT BACK INTO REBATE TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THERE WOULD BE NO NET GAIN OR ANYTHING WE COULD GAIN FROM THAT WOULD BE OUR COST FOR IT.
BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE IN THE LAND BANK AUCTION AND IT WAS IN THE PAPER THIS WEEK, IN FACT, IT'S ONE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT'S BEING AUCTIONED OFF THIS WEEK, I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE THE BOARD AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WE WEREN'T ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH, WE JUST HAVE NO BUSINESS ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE NO PUBLIC GOOD FOR THEM.
ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S A NEW LEGISLATION THAT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER FOR THE COUNTY TO ACQUIRE THESE PROPERTIES AND MAKE A QUOTE PROFIT OFF THEM,
[01:35:04]
DUE TO SOME RECENT LAWSUITS AGAINST THE COUNTY TREASURERS, AND THAT MAKES THE PROCESS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED.THEY'VE TAKEN ISSUE WITH THIS JULY 1ST DEADLINE AND I WON'T GO INTO THAT NOW.
BUT THERE'S A LETTER FROM RACHEL PINTER, OUR DEPUTY COUNTY TREASURER, ON THAT ISSUE AS WELL. THAT'S ALL.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE OF IT AND WHY WE ARE TAKING NO ACTION WITH THIS RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> [LAUGHTER] JUSTICE WISINSKI.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
I READ THROUGH THIS AND I GOT THE GIST TO THAT.
MY QUESTION IS AND I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS BUT, THE PHRASE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, WHEN I SAY THAT, IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO ME OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO ME, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE TO ACQUIRE.
>> BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE TO REFUSE.
>> THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS, THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, JUST NO ACTION MEANS YOU CAN HAVE IT? [INAUDIBLE] .
>> ANYONE ELSE? MR. HENDRICKSON.
>> IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD NOT TO DO ANYTHING, OF COURSE, THAT'S FINE.
FOR THE SAKE OF MY OWN CURIOSITY, THE REASONS WHY WE MIGHT GO OUT AND ACQUIRE A PARCEL LIKE THIS, SAY TO CREATE A NEW PARK.
IF ONE WANTED TO DO THAT, IF ONE WANTED TO CREATE A NEW PARK IN THIS AREA, LET'S JUST SAY, THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE METHODS BY WHICH WE WOULD ACQUIRE LAND TO DO THAT.
A PARCEL LIKE THIS OF THIS SIZE THAT COULD FIT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WOULD BE A WAY OF DOING IT.
>> IT WOULD BE. IF WE WERE IN A-.
>> IF WE WERE IN THE BUSINESS OF CREATING NEW PARKS TODAY.
>> IF WE HEARD THE NEIGHBORS SAYING, WE REALLY NEED A PARK THERE, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
I MEAN, THESE ARE NOT VERY DENSE LOTS, THESE ARE VERY LARGE 1, 2, 3 ACRE LOTS, SO THE NEED FOR A MINI BACKYARDS OR A PARK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S KIND OF SUBURBAN THE WAY SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT IS.
MY DAUGHTER LIVES IN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF PARKS THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE VERY NARROW LOTS AND THERE REALLY ISN'T ROOM FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT IN A TYPICAL BACKYARD, SO THEY CREATE A LOT OF PARKS THAT GIVE THE PUBLIC ACCESS.
WE HAVE THE OPPOSITE CASE HERE WHERE YOU HAVE VERY LARGE LOTS AND PEOPLE HAVE PLENTY OF RECREATION SPACE ON THEIR OWN PARCEL.
BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. IF WE WANTED TO CREATE A PARK THERE, THAT WAS PART OF OUR LONG-TERM PLAN, IT'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FIND THAT SPOT.
>> MR. DESCHAINE, YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BOARD DO NOTHING FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE OF WHICH I KNOW IS YOUR CONCLUSION THAT THE BEST POSSIBLE USE FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS POSSIBLY A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPED.
>> CORRECT. ACCORDING TO OUR OWN MASTER PLAN.
OUR MASTER PLAN DOESN'T PUT A PARK ON THIS AREA.
IF IT DID, THEN AGAIN, WE WOULD FOLLOW THE MASTER PLAN, IF YOU WILL, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS ALL STILL IN RESIDENTIAL.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST DESIRABLE LOTS IN TERMS OF THE VALUE IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND SO WE SHOULD JUST STEP BACK AND LET THE FREE MARKET DO ITS JOB TO DEVELOP THIS.
OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR THE TREASURER IS HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW WOULD SOMEONE LET A PROPERTY WORTH $150,000 FORECLOSE LIKE THIS.
HE SAID AS FAR AS HE KNOWS, THE OWNERS ARE OUT OF STATE AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING TO ANY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THEY HAD.
THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
MESSY DIVORCE OR A PARTNERSHIP THAT WENT SOUTH, BUT HE SAID NO LUCK AT ALL IN THREE YEARS OF RELOCATING OR GETTING ANY RESPONSE AT ALL FROM THE PARCEL OWNERS.
>> IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER AFTER THREE YEARS.
>> TO THIS POINT, IT DOESN'T, NO. IF THREE YEARS LATER THEY'VE LOST THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO RECLAIM THIS PROPERTY.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMING OF THIS ALL.
YOU SAID IT'S UP FOR AUCTION, IT WAS IN THE PAPER, THE TOWNSHIP HAS RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
WHAT IS THE TIMING OF ALL OF THIS? WHEN IT COMES UP FOR AUCTION, HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE BOARD HAVE TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO ACQUIRE? ARE WE PAST THAT TIME NOW WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY?
>> WE HAVE UP UNTIL THE TIME OF THE AUCTION TO EXERCISE IT.
THEY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE HEARD FROM US BY THE END OF JULY, BUT WE HAVEN'T LOST THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
>> BUT UP UNTIL THE DAY IT'S AUCTIONED OFF WE STILL HAVE THAT FIRST RIGHT.
>> OKAY. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT OUR TOWNSHIP PARKS AND OUR BOARD,
[01:40:04]
WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON HAVING PARKS THAT ARE IN CERTAIN WALKING DISTANCE.DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS A PARK IN THIS AREA AT ALL THAT'S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARK? I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND SMALL LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS HERE AND THERE, IS THERE A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK CLOSE TO THIS SUBDIVISION? DO YOU KNOW THAT?
>> AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE IS NOT.
>> THIS WOULD BE AN UNDER PARKED AREA OF THE TOWNSHIP.
IF DIRECTOR MESSNER HERE, WE COULD ASK HER IF THERE'S BEEN ANY REQUESTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS AND HOMEOWNER'S AROUND THERE FOR A PUBLIC PARK.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE REALLY LARGE LOTS UP THERE AND IT'S A PRETTY EXCLUSIVE AREA AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE ARE NO PARKS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY REQUESTS BY ANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS FOR A PARK THERE.
>> THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS EITHER.
MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S ABLE TO ANSWER THIS.
DO YOU KNOW THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THIS? WHEN I'M LOOKING AT IT ON THE MAP, I MEAN, I CAN SEE IT'S A RATHER LARGE LOT.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A WETTER AREA.
I COULDN'T REALLY TELL FROM THE DESCRIPTION IF THERE WERE ISSUES ON THIS PROPERTY WITH FLOODING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>> IT'S GOT FULL CURB AND GUTTER.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 2, THERE'S A PICTURE THERE OF THE LOT.
>> YEAH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE SATELLITE IMAGE AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE ON THE SATELLITE IMAGE THAT THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LOOK AT, IF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD WOULD WANT TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
FOR ME, I WOULD HAVE FUTURE INTERESTS FOR FUTURE PROPERTIES TO KNOW IF THERE IS NO PARK NEAR THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR PEOPLE TO WALK TO, IS THAT AN INTEREST THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE HAVING A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FOR A NARROW AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PARK WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE.
THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT IS THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THIS? IS THERE AN INTEREST TO HAVE IT AS LAND PRESERVATION? I UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL COMPONENTS OF IT AND HOW IT WOULD BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS HAVE A HUGE BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL.
I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE I HAVE TO WALK QUITE A WAYS TO GET TO A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE ANYONE WOULD WALK TO A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FROM WHITE HILLS.
THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY COMMENT IS THAT, WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE LAND PRESERVE TO DIRECTOR MESSNER AND SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN AN INTEREST LIKE YOU MENTIONED.
NO, ALL THE AVENUES SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY.
>> WELL, IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE AUCTIONED OFF IN SEPTEMBER, SO WE WANT TO ASK, DIRECTOR MASON, THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE SHOULD INVITE HER BACK AND ASK THOSE, BUT YES, WE COULD.
>> I'M SORRY. SO WE COULD ASK HER THOSE QUESTIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE HER COME TO THE BOARD, CORRECT?
>> I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION FOR A MINUTE HERE [LAUGHTER].
WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED TWO NEW PARKS IN THE NORTH END OF THE TOWNSHIP.
IT'S A LITTLE UNDER 5,000 FEET TO WALK.
WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED, IT'S LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF THE CUL-DE-SAC THAT ENDS UP AT SAGINAW AND PARK LAKE ROAD.
WHEN THOSE TREES WERE CUT DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF COMMOTION OVER THAT'S THAT CALLED A SAC THAT WINDS OFF OF WHITE HILLS LAKE DRIVE.
CHILDREN, IF THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO, LET'S SAY NEWTON ROAD PARK ON LAKE LANSING ROAD, WOULD TAKE THAT CUL-DE-SAC DOWN AND THEN THEY WOULD CROSS LAKE LANSING AND USE THE PATHWAY SYSTEM DOWN LAKE LANSING TO GET TO NEWTON ROAD PARK.
THEN THERE'S ALSO TURNER ROAD PARK THAT IS SLIGHTLY OVER JUST A MILE.
WE HAVE THE PATHWAY SYSTEM ON SAGINAW HIGHWAY, AND WE HAVE THE NEW CROSSING AT NEWTON ROAD WHERE WE PUT IN
[01:45:02]
A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IN THE MEDIAN FOR SAFE ACCESS THERE.OUR TWO NEWEST PARKS ARE IN THE GENERAL PROXIMITY TO THIS.
BUT THE ONE THING, DIRECTOR SCHMIDT CAME AND INFORM ME OF THIS, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, THE PARCEL TO THE WEST IT'S A VERY SMALL PARCEL AND IT' S OWNED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THIS IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT MEANS.
MY GUESS IS IF THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN IT, THEY'D BE LOOKING AT THAT PROPERTY AND TRYING TO ACQUIRE IT BECAUSE THEY COULD MAKE A CONTIGUOUS PART WITH THEIR ADJACENT PARCEL.
LET ME JUST REFER BACK TO THE MAP HERE.
IT'S PARCEL 05430002, SO IT'S NOT ON THE CORNER, IT'S JUST NEXT TO THIS PARCEL.
COMBINE THESE TWO PARCELS, WE WOULD HAVE THAT ENTIRE HARD CORNER THERE.
THAT WAS MY INSTINCTIVE THOUGHT.
OBVIOUSLY, THE TAX REVENUE FOR THIS PARCEL, IF IT'S DEVELOPED INTO A HOME, COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 3,500 TO 10,000.
I MEAN, JUST DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE HOMES THAT ARE BUILT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMEONE ACQUIRING THE PARCEL OR DOING A CUSTOM BUILD.
IN ALL LIKE WE HAD THE HOME VALUE WOULD BE EVEN GREATER BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKELY TO BE A HOME BUILDER.
BUT THE ADJACENT HOA PARCEL, TO ME, SPOKE TO YOU IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR IT, THEY WOULD ACQUIRE IT.
I THINK IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIS, I THINK YOU HAVE LESS COMMUNITY AND MORE OF PEOPLE ARE PUTTING AMENITIES INTO THEIR BACKYARD.
I THINK THAT'S JUST THE PRACTICAL REALITY THEY HAVE MEANS, AND THEY INVEST IN THEIR OWN YARDS.
>> ONE LAST QUESTION [OVERLAPPING] FOR TREASURER DESCHAINE.
THANK YOU. ASSISTANT MANAGER SUMMER FOR THAT RESPONSE.
ISN'T IT TRUE THOUGH? YES. HOW SPRINGS ACTS TAX VALUE, ISN'T IT TRUE I DO NOT WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] PARKS AND [LAUGHTER] SAY THAT THEY DON'T ADD VALUE BECAUSE THEY CERTAINLY ADD VALUE.
I LIVE IN A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE A TENNIS COURT, WE HAVE A POOL, WE HAVE A BASKETBALL COURT.
I HAVEN'T PLAYED TENNIS IN AWHILE ON THAT COURT, BUT IT ADDS VALUE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT MAKES IT MORE DESIRABLE.
FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE, DON'T PARKS ADD VALUE TO HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS?
>> CERTAINLY ARE 20 PARKS AND 10 NATURAL RESERVES.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
MAY BE IN THE MOST RECENT MEMBER OF THE PARK COMMISSION KNOWS HOW MUCH OUR PARKS ADD TO OUR HOUSING VALUES HERE. THEY DO.
THEY DON'T ADD INCREMENTAL DOLLARS, BUT THEY ADD AGGREGATE DOLLARS BECAUSE IT RAISES THE OVERALL VALUE OF PROPERTIES HERE BECAUSE WE ARE VERY DESIRABLE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, IF DIRECTOR MASON HERE, I THINK SHE MEANT, REPEAT WHAT SHE HAS SAID IN THE PAST, WHICH IS THE STAFF IS PRETTY TAPPED OUT RIGHT NOW AND THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEVELOP A NEW PARK OR OR MAINTAIN A NEW PARK.
>> IT'S UNFORTUNATE. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> I WOULD STILL LIKE TO KNOW THOUGH, IF DIRECTOR MASON WAS INFORMED OF THIS OPPORTUNITY OR POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE YOU DECIDED THAT THE BOARD SHOULDN'T WANT TO BUY IT OR THE PARKS PROBABLY DON'T WANT IT.
>> SHE WAS NOT. I'LL TAKE THAT AS ADVISE FOR THE FUTURE.
[LAUGHTER] YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE NOT DO ANYTHING RELATIVE TO THE FIRST REFUSAL?
>> I'M PRESUMING THAT THE BOARD AGREES WITH YOU.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
SEEING NO PUBLIC TO COMMENT WE MOVE TO ITEM 15,
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBERCOMMENTS]
OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.[01:50:02]
>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THE WHOLE THING I WANTED TO JUST BRING UP AND ASK, AND I'M GIVING TIM TOO MUCH WORK TONIGHT, SO I APOLOGIZE NOW, I KNOW THAT WE OWE A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL OF OUR MASTER PLAN AT SOME POINT AND THAT 2022, IT'S QUICKLY SLIPPING THROUGH OUR FINGERS HERE.
I'M WONDERING IF HE CAN GIVE US JUST A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
WITH THAT, THE CLIFF NOTES WOULD BE FINE.
>> YEAH. THE CLIFF NOTES ARE THE NOTES TEST PLAN IS IN FRONT OF THE PLANE OF MOTION.
>> THE NEXT MONDAY NIGHT, THAT'S THE OFFICIAL KICK-OFF.
AS I STATED THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR, WE GOING TO KICK THIS THING OFF ROUGHLY IN AUGUST OF '22 AND HOPEFULLY ADOPTED IT ROUGHLY IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY '23.
>> DO YOU SAY NOTICE OF INTENT TO PLAN.
>> FIRST STEP UNDER THE 2008 MICHIGAN PLANNING ENABLING ACT IS YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO PLAN TO ALL THE SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES, THE REGIONAL PLANNING AUTHORITY, THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOU WERE IN, ALL EU PUBLIC UTILITIES, AND RAILROADS LOCATED WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION.
>> I MIGHT TAKE THAT HOME FOR ANY HOME PROJECTS [LAUGHTER].
[OVERLAPPING] I CAN'T DO THAT TASK, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A NOTICE OF INTENT TO PLAN [LAUGHTER]
>> YES. THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP AT TRYING TO PROMOTE SOME REGIONALISM IN PLANNING.
>> THAT'S WHY AT THE END THEY ASK ALL THE SAME ENTITIES TO COMMENT?
>> CORRECT. WE WILL THEN CIRCLE BACK AT THE END WHEN WE HAVE A DRAFT AND THERE'S A REQUIRED PERIOD OF TIME WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE OPEN FOR COMMENT FROM THOSE SAME ENTITIES.
>> I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
AYES HAVE IT WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.