Feb 21, 2023 Township Board

[00:02:07]

WELCOME, THIS

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING AFTERWARDS.

[3. MOMENT OF SILENCE & REFLECTION-MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY]

[4. TRIBUTE TO MSU-SHADOWS]

[00:07:12]

[6. PRESENTATION]

SO WE HAVE SEVERAL TONIGHT, AND WE WILL START WITH A PRESENTATION BY CHIEF PLAGA AND CHIEF HAMEL IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESPONDED TO THE EVENTS AT MICHIGAN STATE.

MADAM SUPERVISOR, BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU.

WE HAD AN ENTIRE SHIFT RESPOND TO THE UNIVERSITY.

THERE WERE THREE OF THE FIRST SEVEN ON SCENE WERE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES.

THEY WERE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WORKED FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I RECEIVED THE CALL. I CAN TELL YOU WHERE I WAS AT.

I WAS ON MARSH ROAD NORTHBOUND AT LAKE LANSING WHEN I HEARD THAT CALL GO OUT AND SEVERAL OTHER OFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE STATION.

THERE WERE 20 IN ALL THAT RESPONDED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

FOUR OF OUR TACTICAL TEAM MEMBERS WERE THERE.

WE HAD OFFICERS FIRST ON SCENE AT THE UNION.

ALSO, WE HAD THEM AT [INAUDIBLE] HALL.

ONE OF OUR OFFICERS ASSISTED IN EVACUATING THE VICTIM FROM THE UNION AND TRYING TO GET THEM TO MEDICAL ATTENTION.

I KNOW THAT CHIEF HAMEL HAD SEVERAL FOLKS ON SCENE.

I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO THEIR RESPONSE.

YEAH, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD, THANK YOU.

SO I WAS IRONICALLY AT A MEETING AS WELL IN ALDEN TOWNSHIP, AND CHIEF CAMPBELL TRIED TO CALL ME RIGHT AFTER THE PAGE CAME OUT. I TEXTED HIM, I'LL CALL YOU IN FIVE, AND THEN I LOOKED AT MY [INAUDIBLE] 9-1-1 AND SAW A SHOOTING, OF WHICH I JUMPED UP AND WENT OUT AND CALLED HIM AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT HAPPENED. SO MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS CALL MY DAUGHTER BECAUSE SHE GOES TO SCHOOL THERE, AND SHE WAS GOOD.

OUR ENTIRE SHIFT RESPONDED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE RIG.

SO WE HAD THREE AMBULANCES AND OUR TRUCK AND BATTALION CHIEF CAMPBELL.

WE ENDED UP WITH HIS STAFF, A COUPLE OF OUR STAFF INTERIOR, EXTRACTING THE VICTIMS, AND WE TRANSPORTED THREE TO SPARROW.

SO AFTER THAT, CHIEF CAMPBELL AND MYSELF AND BATTALION CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] FROM EAST LANSING WENT TO THE COMMAND POST AND HELPED SET UP UNIFIED COMMAND.

[00:10:01]

IT TOOK 3 HOURS TO FIND THE INDIVIDUAL.

SO IF YOU WERE LISTENING TO THE SCANNER, THERE WERE SHOTS FIRED EVERY 2 SECONDS, IT SEEMED LIKE, AND SO WE WERE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH AMBULANCES, AND WE HAD 18 OF OUR OWN IN THE METRO AREA THAT WERE THERE , AND FROM A COUPLE OF COUNTIES.

SO REALLY, UNIFIED COMMAND WAS ONE THING THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE OKEMOS RESPONSE, AND WITH CHIEF PLAGA DOING HIS AFTER ACTION THAT DAY, I BELIEVE IT REALLY HELPED US CULTIVATE A GOOD RESPONSE AND TEAMWORK FROM I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF POLICE OFFICERS WERE THERE? CLOSE TO 500. VERY HARD TO MANAGE THAT.

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS ULTIMATELY WE HAD THERE, BUT IT WAS A LOT.

SO, BEST CASE SCENARIO, WE RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY, AND I BELIEVE EVERY PATIENT THAT WAS TRANSPORTED SPARROW WAS THEIR.

THE CALL CAME AT 8:20. THEY WERE THERE PROBABLY BY 8:45, 8:50 AT THE LATEST.

SO WE ENDED UP HAVING A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN ON RECALL AND BASICALLY RESPOND TO THE REST OF THE TOWNSHIP, AND [INAUDIBLE] CAME IN AND ACTUALLY PUT AN AMBULANCE IN THE TOWNSHIP TO HELP US WITH THAT , AND SO WE DIDN'T MISS ANY OTHER CALLS BECAUSE WE HAD WE HAD A COUPLE BAD ACCIDENTS AND SOME OTHER THINGS, SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT.

SO ULTIMATELY, I THINK WITH WHAT THEY DID, WHAT POLICE DID, WHAT FIRE DID, IT WAS A WELL ORGANIZED OUTING, NOT WHAT WE WANTED.

NOT WHAT WE LIKE.

WE'RE GOING TO LEARN FROM IT AND CONTINUE ON, AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST PRAY FOR ALL THE FAMILIES.

SO, QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE AT THIS TIME? WELL, JUST LET ME SAY THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR DOING YOUR JOBS AND THE WAY YOU DO YOUR JOBS.

THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR REPORTING TO US.

ITEM 6B IS THE INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW FULL TIME EMT FIREFIGHTERS.

CHIEF HAMEL. ALL RIGHT, SO ANDREW'S THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.

ZACHARY SILVER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.

HAD SOMETHING COME UP.

I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT ZACHARY REAL QUICK AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT ANDREW, AND HE CAN I FORGOT TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS [CHUCKLING][INAUDIBLE] OCCUPIED.

SO LET'S SEE.

ZACHARY COMES TO US FROM THE BRIGHTON AREA, WORKED FOR BRIGHTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE HIRED HIM AS AN EMT FIREFIGHTER, AND SINCE HIRING HIM, HE ACTUALLY HAS ALREADY PASSED HIS NATIONAL REGISTRY EMT/PARAMEDIC, WRITTEN TEST AND PRACTICAL. HE JUST PASSED HIS PRACTICAL, I THINK, FRIDAY.

SO WE'RE EXCITED NOW TO GET HIM GOING AS A PARAMEDIC AND MOVE ON TO THAT.

HE ACTUALLY WORKED IN BRIGHTON AND LIVINGSTON COUNTY AND HE COMES WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM.

SO I'LL TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HIM TO MEET YOU GUYS AT ANOTHER TIME.

OKAY, AND THEN THERE'S ANDREW.

SAME THING ANDREW WE HIRED AS AN EMT FIREFIGHTER.

HE HAS SINCE PASSED HIS WRITTEN TEST AND HE TAKES HIS PRACTICAL THIS WEEK, RIGHT.

THIS FRIDAY, AND SO WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED AND THEN WE'LL MOVE HIM UP TO A PARAMEDIC.

HE'S FROM BATTLE CREEK.

HE TOOK HIS PARAMEDIC PROGRAM AT KELLOGG COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HAS, AGAIN, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE WORK FOR THE VETERANS AFFAIRS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND WE'RE JUST REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE ANDREW AND ZACH JOIN OUR TEAM, AND WE'VE BEEN LUCKY TO FIND SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY LONG TERM VACANCIES, AND IT'S REALLY JUST HELPED A LOT.

SO I'LL LET YOU SAY THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].

PARDON ME? [INAUDIBLE] WELL, THANKS, GUYS. KIND OF WINGING THIS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT KIND OF SHOVES ME THE SPOTLIGHT, BUT THANKS, GUYS.

LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AND BEING PART OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. WELCOME. [APPLAUSE] NICE TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU. WELCOME ABOARD.

HELLO. HI.

[00:15:01]

I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

THANK YOU. ALL GENTLEMEN.

ITEM 6C ON OUR AGENDA IS A REVIEW OR UPDATE ON THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL PRESENTED BY DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER.

GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.

PLEASED TO BE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL.

SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF PHASES ONE AND TWO.

SO AFTER MANY YEARS OF HARD WORK TO ACQUIRE THE LAND, THE NECESSARY FUNDING, INCLUDING FEDERAL FUNDING, COUNTY PARKS AND TRAIL MILLAGE FUNDING, AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL MATCH FUNDING, AND TO DESIGN THE TRAIL TO PUT IT OUT TO BID.

I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE CONSTRUCTION PHASES FOR ONE AND TWO.

PHASES ONE AND TWO ARE PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

USERS WILL HAVE WILL THEN HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE OPTION FOR NON-MOTORIZED TRAVEL FROM MSU'S CAMPUS TO LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH.

PHASE THREE, WHICH WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AT A FUTURE YEAR, WILL THEN PROVIDE NON-MOTORIZED OPTIONS FOR TRAVELING TO LAKE LANSING PARK NORTH.

SO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS YEAR, WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY NAVIGATE FROM THE MSU CAMPUS TO LAKE LANSING SOUTH AND SO THIS IS A COLOR CODED MAP.

THE BLUE LINES THAT YOU SEE IS PHASE ONE.

SO THIS IS THE PHASE ONE ROUTE RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S MSU CAMPUS.

HERE IS HAGEDORN ROAD, HERE IS GRAND RIVER AVENUE, AND SO PHASE ONE BEGINS AND THERE'S AN RRFB, ONE OF THOSE FLASHING BEACONS LIKE WE HAVE ON [INAUDIBLE] AND SEVERAL OTHER PLACES IN THE TOWNSHIP, THE INTERURBAN CROSSING ON OKEMOS ROAD.

WE'VE ALREADY INSTALLED THE FLASHING BEACON RIGHT THERE AT SHAW AND HAGEDORN, AND PHASE ONE WILL TAKE YOU OVER THE RED CEDAR ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RED CEDAR, ALONG THE CN RAILROAD TRACK TO THE PARK LAKE/GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION.

THE YELLOW PHASES OF THIS MAP ARE THE EXISTING CONSTRUCTED PATHWAYS AND TRAILS.

PHASE TWO IS HERE IN GREEN.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE THAT LINE ON THIS MAP, BUT I DO HAVE SOME ZOOMED IN SLIDES LATER ON, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE EXISTING INNER URBAN AND THE EXISTING PHASE 2B, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2021, AND LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH IS UP HERE.

SO THAT YELLOW, GREEN AND BLUE ROUTE IS ESSENTIALLY THE ROUTE THAT NON-MOTORIZED PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF 23.

SO SOME FACTS ON PHASE ONE, IT IS APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE LONG, AND AGAIN, IT STARTS AT HAGEDORN AND SHAW AND IT CONCLUDES AT GRAND RIVER AND PARK LAKE . IT INCLUDES THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, WHICH WILL VERY CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ON OKEMOS ROAD ADJACENT TO THE NEW CAMELBACK BRIDGE THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND AGAIN, THIS TRAIL WILL TAKE USERS OVER THE RED CEDAR BEHIND THE MSU COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL AND THEN ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RED CEDAR AND THE CN RAILROAD TRACKS.

SO HERE IS A ZOOMED IN PORTION OF THE PHASE ONE TRAIL.

ONE QUESTION THAT I OFTEN GET IS HOW DO YOU GET FROM PHASE ONE TO PHASE TWO? THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO OPTIONS.

THE FIRST OPTION IS TO CROSS HAGEDORN OR GRAND RIVER AVENUE USING THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION HERE, AND THEN TAKE THE EXISTING PATHWAY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE TO PHASE TWO.

OR YOU CAN JUST PROCEED RIGHT HERE AND THEN RIGHT HERE AT CAMPUS HILL DRIVE AND GRAND RIVER AVENUE IS WHERE THE NEW PEDESTRIAN ISLAND WILL BE INSTALLED AS PART OF THE--SORRY--THE GRAND RIVER AVENUE PROJECT THIS YEAR, AND ACTUALLY, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH CAMPUS HILL DRIVE, IT'S A [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE. THE EASTERN DRIVE WILL BE THE EXISTING EASTERN DRIVE WILL BE THE TRAILHEAD RIGHT THERE.

SO WE WILL RECONFIGURE THAT CURB AND YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE TRAVELING UP THE EXISTING EASTERN ASPHALT DRIVEWAY THERE.

PHOTO OF PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION.

YOU CAN SEE THE RIVERBANK RIGHT HERE TO YOUR RIGHT.

ANOTHER PHOTO OF PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION.

SO CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN DECEMBER, AND WE HOPE THAT PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION WILL CONCLUDE IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER OR SORRY, JULY TO SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

THE ESTIMATED COST IS 3.37 MILLION.

WE DID OBTAIN A $1.7 MILLION FEDERAL TAP GRANT FOR PHASE ONE.

[00:20:02]

PHASE TWO.

SO PHASE TWO IS SLIGHTLY LONGER, 1.2 MILES, NO PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, FAR FEWER BOARDWALKS.

SO THE CONSTRUCTION IS EASIER.

WE JUST RECEIVED THE BIDS ON PHASE TWO AND ARE WORKING TO SCHEDULE THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING, AND AGAIN, THIS WILL TAKE MOTORISTS FROM CAMPUS HILL DRIVE ESSENTIALLY TO GAYLORD C.

SMITH CT, WHERE SERVICE CENTER IS LOCATED AND OKEMOS ROAD, AT WHICH POINT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER RRFB OR FLASHING BEACON FOR THAT CROSSING ON OKEMOS ROAD.

SO HERE'S A ZOOMED IN PORTION OF THE PHASE TWO, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S PREDOMINANTLY BEING CONSTRUCTED ON DTN'S CAMPUS HILL PROPERTY AND THEN THE MERIDIAN UPLANDS.

SO LAND PRESERVATION PROPERTY.

SO FOR THIS PHASE, WE HAD MINIMAL LAND ACQUISITION COMPARED TO PHASE ONE.

FUNDING OF PHASE TWO.

SO PHASE 2, NOT INCLUDING PHASE 2B COSTS, BUT JUST PHASE 2 WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $382,000 TO CONSTRUCT , AND THIS IS BEING FUNDED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY TRAILS AND PARKS MILLAGE AND THEN OUR MATCHING GRANT, AND AGAIN, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE FOR THIS, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE END OF 2023.

WE'RE HOPING MAYBE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER, THIS WILL BE WRAPPED UP.

THIS IS ONE OF THE PHOTOS OF A PORTION OF THE TRAIL ROUTE FOR PHASE TWO THROUGH OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROPERTY.

SO PHASE 2B, IF YOU RECALL, THIS WAS THE WIDENING OF THE EXISTING PATHWAY ON THE EAST SIDE OF OKEMOS ROAD FROM WHERE PHASE TWO WILL CONNECT AT GAYLORD C.

SMITH CT UP TO THE EXISTING INTERURBAN TRAIL, AND SO WE WIDEN THIS TO A TEN FOOT WIDE PATHWAY IN 2021. THERE'S A ZOOMED IN PORTION OF THE PHASE 2B PORTION OF THE PROJECT RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S A PICTURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION IN 2021.

THERE IS A PICTURE I TOOK THIS MORNING OF THE COMPLETED PROJECT.

THEN THE INTERURBAN TRAIL USERS WILL THEN MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO THE INTERURBAN AND TAKE THIS PORTION AS 1.1 MILES, AND THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO MARSH ROAD JUST SOUTH OF HASLETT ROAD.

PICTURE OF THE INTERURBAN TRAIL, AND SO, AGAIN, AT THE END OF 2023, USERS CAN USE THE EXISTING PATHWAY SYSTEM AND THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION AT HASLETT AND MARSH TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION TO THE FINAL PHASE THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS THE SHAW STREET CONNECTOR.

THIS WAS ALSO CONSTRUCTED IN 2021 AS PART OF THE DRAIN PROJECT AND RECONSTRUCTION OF ALL THE ROADS.

SO WE DID INSTALL AND WIDEN THE EXISTING SIDEWALK ON SHAW STREET, AND SO WE HAVE THE TEN FOOT WIDE PATHWAY THAT BRINGS NON MOTORIZED USERS UP TO THE LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH ENTRANCE.

THERE IS A PHOTO OF THE SHAW STREET CONNECTOR.

SO YOU CAN SEE IN PORTIONS OF THE SHAW STREET CONNECTOR, WE WERE SIMPLY WIDENING THE SYSTEM AND OTHER PORTIONS.

WE WERE CONSTRUCTING THE ENTIRE PORTION OF THE SIDEWALK.

THERE IS A ZOOMED IN PORTION OF THE SHAW STREET CONNECTOR PHASE, AGAIN CONSTRUCTED IN 2021.

PHASE THREE, THE TOWNSHIP ALSO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT WE WILL BEGIN WORKING ON THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF PHASE THREE IN 2023.

WE WOULD HOPE TO COMPLETE THAT DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SOMETIME IN 2024 AND PUT THE PROJECT OUT TO BID, HOPEFULLY FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 2025 , AND THERE IS A ZOOMED IN PORTION OF THE PHASE THREE ROUTE.

SO IT ENDS ESSENTIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP NEAR WHERE THE CN RAILROAD TRACKS ACROSS GREEN ROAD.

SO, AND ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL THREE PHASES OF THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE TRAIL, USERS WILL THEN HAVE APPROXIMATELY 6.7 MILES OF TRAIL SYSTEM THAT THEY CAN ENJOY AS PART OF THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL.

[00:25:02]

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

SO THE END OF THE PHASE THREE TRAIL YOU SAID WAS LOCATED AT THE CROSSING OR RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE CROSSING OF GREEN AND THE CN TRACK.

WHAT IS THE I MEAN, IS THAT GOING TO BE LIKE A TRAILHEAD? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? EXACTLY. SO WE HAVEN'T DESIGNED THIS TRAIL.

SO WE'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY CERTAIN, BUT THE REASON TO TAKE THE TRAIL THIS FAR NORTH EASTWARDLY IS BECAUSE THE COUNTY WILL BE PUTTING IN A NEW TRAIL ROUGHLY ABOUT RIGHT HERE.

IT'S SHOWN ON OUR PATHWAY MASTER PLAN IF YOU PULL UP OUR PATHWAY MASTER PLAN ON THE WEBSITE.

SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE A TRAIL OFF OF PHASE THREE AND INTO THE EXISTING TRAILS THAT COMPRISE LAKE LANSING PARK NORTH.

ONE TROUBLE, AND I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO FORGET EXACTLY WHY IT WAS, BUT BICYCLES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE LAKE LANSING PARK NORTH TRAIL SYSTEM, AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE LAND ACQUISITION.

SO THAT LAND WAS ACQUIRED FROM THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND AS PART OF IT, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A DEED RESTRICTION OR A RESTRICTED COVENANT OR SOME OTHER INSTRUMENT THAT REQUIRED THAT IT BE PEDESTRIAN ONLY TRAILS IN THE PARK SYSTEM.

SO THAT IS THE ONE CAVEAT.

SO WE'RE AWARE OF THAT.

WE MAY DO LIKE BICYCLE PARKING AT THAT TRAILHEAD SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEIR BIKE.

THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. DESCHAINE.

JUST TO REITERATE.

SO BY THE END OF 2023, WE WILL HAVE OUR MSU TO LAKE LANSING BIKE PATH FINISHED? NOT THE ENTIRETY OF IT.

PHASE THREE OF THIS ORANGE PORTION WILL NOT BE FINISHED, BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TRAIL ROUTE FROM LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH USING THE YELLOW, GREEN AND BLUE SECTIONS HERE.

BLUE AND GREEN ARE WHAT WE ARE CONSTRUCTING THIS YEAR.

PHASE THREE IS KIND OF A SURPRISE TO ME.

I WAS EXPECTING JUST TO SEE THE DEAD END AT LAKE LANSING AND PARK SOUTH, AND SO THE EXTRA UP TO GREEN ROAD IS AN ADD-ON TO IT, BUT IT'S REALLY GREAT NEWS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS PATH DONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WITH THE EXTENSION DONE NEXT YEAR.

THERE'S A LACK OF PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND SO WE'VE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT.

WE RECENTLY PUT THIS TOGETHER IN EARLY FEBRUARY AND ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE TO REALLY TRY TO GIVE RESIDENTS A DETAILED OVERVIEW AND LOOK AT WHAT THE EXPERIENCE WOULD BE. WE ALSO, THANKS TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, SAM DIEHL, WE HAVE DRONE FOOTAGE OF THE PHASE ONE TRAIL ROUTE, AND SO WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH AND REVIEWING THAT, BUT WE'LL BE RELEASING SOME FUN SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT WITH THAT PHASE ONE ROUTE, AND THEN, OF COURSE, AFTER CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL GET FOOTAGE OF THE SAME TRAIL ROUTE POST-CONSTRUCTION SO WE CAN DO A SIDE BY SIDE BEFORE AND AFTER.

WE CAN DO A LOT OF FUN THINGS WITH THAT IMAGERY, AND WE'LL BE DOING DRONE FOOTAGE OF PHASE TWO AS WELL, AND BASED ON THE POPULARITY OF INTERURBAN, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS WON'T BE WILDLY POPULAR WITH OUR RESIDENTS.

I MET WITH PRESIDENT STANLEY BEFORE HE DEPARTED MSU AND HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TRAIL.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A TON OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS, SO WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO WORK ON INCREASING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM.

LIKE I SAID, THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION I GET IS RIGHT HERE HOW DO YOU GET FROM GREEN RIVER AND PARKWAY TO CAMPUS HILL AND GRAND RIVER? THAT'S BEEN THE BIG DOT THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED CONNECTED.

THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THE I ALMOST PUT A PHOTO OF ONE OF THESE SIGNS IN THERE, BUT WHEN YOU SEE THE BIG DARK BLUE SIGNS, THE WAYFINDING SIGNS FOR TRAILS, THAT IS A COUNTY PROJECT.

SO THE COUNTY HOLDS A CONTRACT WITH SPICER GROUP FOR THOSE SIGNS, BUT WE WILL HAVE SIGNS INSTALLED POST-CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON WITH THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU.

6D IS I UPDATE ON THE TOWNSHIP DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM.

DIRECTOR TITHOF.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY.

I'M GLAD THAT WE COULD BE TOGETHER.

I AM GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DEI HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP.

WE HAD OUR TASK FORCE MET IN JANUARY.

WE HAVE BEEN HASHING OUT OUR PLAN, WHICH IS INTENDED TO BE A FRAMEWORK THAT ALL OF THE TOWNSHIP USES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING

[00:30:05]

OUR MISSION STATEMENT REMAINS AS TRUSTEE WISINSKI I THINK HELPED US COME UP WITH IN 2021, WHICH IS TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT A DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE THROUGH TRAINING, EVALUATION AND ACTION.

SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE DEVELOPED PURPOSE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

WE WERE INTENDING TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.

THEN THINGS HAVE BEEN, AS YOU KNOW, PRETTY TUMULTUOUS.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE ACTUAL PLAN ITSELF, BUT WE DO HAVE THE FRAMEWORK AND THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS THAT WE ARE WORKING IT OUT SO THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO ASSESS OURSELVES.

WE ESTABLISH OUR QUARTERLY TRAINING FOR STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, AND IT ALSO WILL AFFECT HOW WE RELATE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.

WE ARE A VILLAGE.

SOME OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR JANUARY MEETING WERE INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, COLLABORATION, REFLECTION AND DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING, AND I THINK WE DID TALK ABOUT IT PREVIOUSLY, ABOUT WORKING WITH THE SMART PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC AND TIME BOUND.

SO WE WORK WITH THAT IN MIND IN EVERY MEETING.

SO TOGETHER WE HAVE COME UP, WE HAVE FOR 2023, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, WE HAVE OUR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.

WE HAVE THAT COMING UP IN JUNE.

WE HAVE OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION FOR THE WEEKEND OF THE 16TH, AND WE WILL HAVE SOME INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CELEBRATIONS THAT TIE TO THAT EVENT , AND AS YOU ALSO KNOW, THANK YOU BOARD, YOU HAVE APPROVED OUR JUNETEENTH AS A HOLIDAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO OBSERVE AS EMPLOYEES, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE HAVING OUR FIRST PRIDE CELEBRATION AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT FOR AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.

WE'VE GOT OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING ANOTHER.

I THINK THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND MEETING ON FRIDAY.

SO THAT WILL BE A STELLAR STEP IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

SO WITH OUR DEI PLAN OVERVIEW, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE FRAMEWORK, BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE INTENTION OF FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS, QUARTERLY TRAININGS FOR STAFF, AND THE INTENT REALLY BEHIND ALL OF IT IS TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE OUR CONNECTION.

SO I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.

WE ARE A UNIQUE VIEWPOINT FROM BEING IN HUMAN RESOURCES BECAUSE I WORK WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, SO I GET TO SEE EVERYBODY IN THEIR WORK, IN THEIR ZONE, DOING AMAZING THINGS, AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT IS PERPETUAL AND IT'S AMAZING TO BE PART OF.

SO WHAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON--AND WE DO EVERY YEAR; IT'S JUST A PART OF WHO WE ARE--WE CELEBRATE OUR PEOPLE, OUR STAFF OR THEIR STRENGTHS. WE HAVE EMPLOYEE EVENTS.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND FRANK, MANAGER WALSH HAS BEEN STELLAR IN LEADING THOSE.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY A PART OF HIS WIRING THAT IT MUST HAPPEN, THAT WE CELEBRATE OUR STAFF AND APPRECIATE THEM THROUGH EMPLOYEE EVENTS JUST TO DE-STRESS AND HAVE FUN, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE HOLIDAY PARTY, BUT WE HAD A PRETTY SERIOUS COMPETITION WITH SOME TRIVIA AND PEOPLE WERE REALLY, REALLY INTO IT AND IT'S JUST A LOVELY WAY TO JUST CHANGE THE CHANNEL FOR A MINUTE AND JUST CONNECT AS PEOPLE.

SO WE HAVE OUR EMPLOYEE EVENTS, ANNUAL PICNIC, OTHER EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION EVENTS, LUNCHEONS, YOU KNOW, JUST IMPROMPTU LUNCHES WHEN WE CAN, WHEN THE WEATHER IS MARVELOUS. I MEAN, WHO KNOWS WHAT THIS WEEK HOLDS? AND THEN OUR HOLIDAY PARTY AND WE WORK ON TOWNSHIP GEAR, TOO.

I THINK THAT STAFF SEEMED TO APPRECIATE THAT.

I SEE QUITE A BIT OF IT AROUND.

FOCUSING ON WELLBEING AND HEALTH.

I THINK OUR STAFF KNOW AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE IT AND I ALWAYS HAVE STUFF IN HR, BUT WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.

SO WE DID A SPECIAL TYPE OF CRITICAL INCIDENT DEBRIEFING FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND WE GOT TO THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD IN THE MOMENT.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THOSE WENT WELL.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES.

WE ARE WORKING THROUGH ALL LANGUAGE IN ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP DOCUMENTS.

WE JUST FINISHED FOUR OF OUR CONTRACTS LAST YEAR, WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE CONTRACTS AND READ THEM WORD FOR WORD AND REPLACED ANYTHING THAT'S GOT SOMETHING GENDER

[00:35:01]

SO THAT WILL HAVE A DEI LENS.

I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE OUR ADA PROCESS THAT WE PUT IN FOR MEETINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THE FOLKS WHO NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY WHILE STILL ADHERING TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SANITARY PRODUCT DISPENSERS THAT WERE PUT IN, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING VERY WELL. WE'VE HAD LOTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND FOLKS WHO DO APPRECIATE AND USE SAID PRODUCTS AND THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERVIEW REALLY.

IT'S JUST THE CONNECTEDNESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CHECKING IN WITH OURSELVES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE PLAN AHEAD AND WE HAVE THINGS MEASURABLE THAT WE CAN TALK WITH YOU ABOUT. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU, ABBY.

AND OUR FINAL PRESENTATION IS 6E, THE 2022 MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ANNUAL REPORT.

MR. WALSH. MANAGER WALSH.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, AND BEFORE I GIVE A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY AND I MEAN VERY BRIEF, I JUST GOT CONTACTED BY DR.

LILLIE.

JANET LILLE, WHO'S VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT MICHIGAN STATE.

I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW DR.

LILLIE, BUT ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY, SHE EXPRESSED HER DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE VERY MOVING WAY.

YOU STARTED THE MEETING, SO I WANTED TO PASS IT ALONG TO THE BOARD.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS STARTED 15 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE BOARD STARTED PLANNING 2022 IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER OF 21, PLANNED 22.

AS YOU KNOW, WE ACCOMPLISHED AS A TEAM, ACCOMPLISHED A LOT IN 22.

IT'S CLEARLY DELINEATED IN THIS 2022 ANNUAL REPORT.

IT'S BEEN OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW.

IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARIES, AND WE ALSO COVERED IT IN FRONT OF OUR BOARD AND COMMISSIONER MEETING THAT WE HAD IN THIS ROOM LAST MONTH.

SO WE PRESENTED IT TO THE PUBLIC.

I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT IT IS AVAILABLE.

I DON'T PLAN TO GO THROUGH ANY OF IT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THAT AND IT'S AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND ESPECIALLY FOR HONORING OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AT THE UNIVERSITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

WE'VE COME TO ITEM SEVEN WHERE WE HAVE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS.

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

THE FIRST IS FROM REX HARRINGTON.

IF YOU WILL GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

REX HARRINGTON, 820 PIPER RD, HASLETT, AND I'VE COME TO COMMENT ON THE PRESENTATION YOU HAD TWO SESSIONS AGO BY A MAN WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT THE RED CEDAR RIVER.

HOW THE RED CEDAR RIVER WAS CLOGGED WITH LOGJAMS, AND THAT IF THESE WERE CLEARED AWAY, THAT IT WOULD BE A VERY FINE RECREATIONAL ASSET FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND THIS RUNS RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND YET IS UNUSABLE.

SO I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THAT NOTION, AND THERE WERE TWO QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, AND I'D LIKE TO ANSWER THEM.

THE FIRST QUESTION WAS WHETHER THE LOGJAMS WOULD REFORM IF THEY WERE TAKEN AWAY AT THIS TIME, WHY WOULDN'T THEY REFORM WHEN NEW TREES FELL INTO THE WATER OR WASHED INTO THE WATER? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I BELIEVE AND THIS IS A THEORY MORE THAN IT IS AN EXPERIENCE, IS THAT I DID CANOE THAT TRIP FROM MERIDIAN ROAD IN GRAND RIVER DOWN TO OKEMOS ROAD, AND SO I SAW AND WENT THROUGH ALL THE LOGJAMS AND IT WAS JUST ABOUT LIKE A SESSION OF SURVIVOR TO GET THROUGH THEM, BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH OF THOSE LOGJAMS, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ANCHOR LOG OR SOMETHING DEEPLY BURIED IN THE SAND, AND THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN THERE FOR DECADES, AND THIS LOG DOESN'T MOVE WHEN THE STORMS COME THROUGH AND THE OTHER LOGS PILE UP AGAINST IT.

SO MY THOUGHT WAS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST REMOVING THE UPPER LOGS, YOU HAVE TO PULL OUT THESE ANCHOR LOGS AND PULL THOSE ANCHOR LOGS OUT IS NOT SOMETHING I KNOW HOW TO THAT IT'S BEEN DONE OR HOW IT'S DONE, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A MACHINE TO DO IT.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T USE GROUND BASED OR [INAUDIBLE] BASED MACHINERY BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN THE WILDERNESS.

[00:40:04]

SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY.

THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE COST, AND THAT COST WOULD DEPEND A LOT ON HOW THESE ANCHOR LOGS ARE PULLED UP, BUT MY FEELING IS THAT THE RIVERS ARE ASSETS OF MICHIGAN, AND AS THERE ARE THE ASSETS OF MICHIGAN, THAT IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MICHIGAN, THE STATE GOVERNMENT, TO HANDLE THIS PROJECT, AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO WRITE A LETTER TO OUR REPRESENTATIVE, JULIE BRIXIE, [CHUCKLING] OUR REPRESENTATIVE PENELOPE TSERNOGLOU AND SENATOR [INAUDIBLE], SO WHY NOT WRITE THAT LETTER AND WE'LL HAVE THAT PROJECT DONE.

[CHUCKLING] THANK YOU FOR THAT ADVICE, MR. HARRINGTON. OUR SECOND GREEN CARD IS FROM REPRESENTATIVE JULIE BRIXIE, A LONGTIME FRIEND OF THIS BOARD, AND MAYBE SHE'LL GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON MR. HARRINGTON'S SUGGESTION.

I DIDN'T COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT LOGJAMS. LIKE CHIEF, LAST WEEK, I WAS AT THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, ATTENDING THE DEBRIEFING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE OTHER AGENCIES GAVE FROM THEIR RESPONSE TO THE SWATTING EPISODE THAT HAD OCCURRED, AND I WAS UPDATING THE SCHOOL BOARD ON LEGISLATION THAT WE HAD INTRODUCED THE WEEK BEFORE REGARDING THE SCHOOL SAFETY PACKAGE THAT WE HAD WORKED ON LAST YEAR IN THE WAKE OF THE OXFORD SHOOTINGS.

LIKE CHIEF PLAGA, I LEFT THAT MEETING AND FOUND MYSELF NOT LONG AFTERWARDS GOING OVER, AND I SPENT THE EVENING WITH THE EAST LANSING POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU KNOW, WHILE OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REELING AND GRIEVING FROM THE LOSS OF THE THREE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND THE TRAGEDY OF THE FIVE OTHERS WHO ARE STILL HOSPITALIZED, THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO WERE TRAUMATIZED BY THE EVENTS.

WHILE WE'VE BEEN GRIEVING THAT, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ECHO THE THANK YOU THAT THE BOARD HAS PASSED ALONG TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO THANK SOME OF THEM ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, BUT HAVING BEEN ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR 18 YEARS BEFORE GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE AND WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS THAT THESE TYPES OF EVENTS HAVE ON OUR PEOPLE.

WE EXPECT THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO GO IN THERE AND DO THEIR JOBS AND PUT THEIR LIVES IN DANGER, WHICH THEY DID, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS. MANY OF THEM ARE PARENTS, AND THE AFTERMATH CAN'T BE EASY FOR ANY OF THEM.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, BOTH OF YOU, CHIEFS, AND PLEASE PASS THAT ALONG TO ALL OF YOUR FOLKS.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN TOUGH ON EVERYBODY.

SO TODAY, I AM NOT WEARING GREEN.

I'M WEARING RED, AND OUR CLERK IS A MEMBER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION AND HAS COME AND VISITED ME IN OFFICE HOURS MULTIPLE TIMES , AND SO I THOUGHT FOR HER SAKE, AND BECAUSE OF THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE TONIGHT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON.

I THOUGHT I WOULD WEAR RED IN HONOR OF MOMS DEMAND.

I, TOO, AM A MOM AND SEVERAL OF MY KIDS ATTENDED MSU.

SO THE SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE UPDATE I HAVE IS THAT WE INTRODUCED ABOUT A 12 BILL PACKAGE A WEEK AGO

[00:45:04]

THEY ALL HAVE KIND OF A SIMILAR METHODOLOGY IN RESPONSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE SAW LAST WEEK AND THE WEEK BEFORE, MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS PARTICIPATE IN THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS SPEAKING TO THE UNIFORMITY OF THOSE TYPES OF PLANS AND DRILLS.

THEY ALSO ADDRESS SOME STANDARDIZING DEFINITIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, DEFINITIONS OF SCHOOL SAFETY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS BEHIND THE OKAY TO [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE USING , AND THE BILLS ALSO GIVE GUIDANCE AND SPECIFICS TO TIMELINES AND HANDLING OF REPORTS THAT COME IN FROM KIDS OR FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT POTENTIAL THREATS.

IN ADDITION TO THE SCHOOL SAFETY PACKAGE, LAST WEEK, THE SENATE INTRODUCED AN 11 BILL PACKAGE.

THAT AND THE HOUSE WILL BE INTRODUCING IT TOMORROW, AND THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL BILLS ON UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, A NUMBER OF BILLS ON EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS, WHICH ARE SOMETIMES CALLED RED FLAG LAWS, AND THOSE LAWS ALLOW WEAPONS TO BE REMOVED FROM SOMEONE'S HOME IF THEY ARE A THREAT TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHER PEOPLE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO REMEMBER THAT 60% OF DEATHS FROM FIREARMS ARE BY SUICIDE, AND THESE EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY MAKE A MEASURABLE IMPACT ON REDUCING SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS. THE THIRD BUCKET OF BILLS IS SAFE STORAGE LAWS, AND THERE'S, I THINK, THREE DIFFERENT BILLS IN THAT PACKAGE THAT MAKE SPECIFICS.

IN ADDITION TO THOSE PACKAGES THAT THE SENATE INTRODUCED AND WILL BE INTRODUCING IN THE HOUSE, AND WE WILL BE HAVING JOINT HEARINGS STARTING THURSDAY, JOINT SENATE AND HOUSE HEARINGS FOR THESE REFORM BILLS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M ALSO INTRODUCING A BILL PACKAGE THAT WOULD BAN GUNS FROM THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND THE GROUNDS, AS WELL AS THE STATE OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT ARE AROUND, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE IS THAT THE CAPITOL IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, AND WE RECEIVE A LOT OF VISITORS EVERY YEAR AT THE CAPITOL, ABOUT A MILLION VISITORS AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE CHILDREN.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR DUTIES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IS TO LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF FOLKS, AND CHILDREN ARE PEOPLE THAT DEFINITELY NEED AND DESERVE PROTECTING.

SO THAT IS MY UPDATE FOR YOU ON THOSE BILLS, AND I AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND LOOK FORWARD TO PERHAPS COMING BACK AND GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE PASSED, AND IF ANYONE HAD ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

ARE THERE QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO ASK AT THIS TIME? NOT JUST YET, JULIE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

WE'VE NOW COME TO ITEM EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.

[8. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

AGAIN, I'LL BE BRIEF. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES AHEAD OF YOU TONIGHT.

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE ITEM, AND THAT'S THE RENOVATION OF THIS BUILDING AND START GETTING THAT INFORMATION, CONTINUE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE WE'RE

[00:50:04]

I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK TO 2014, FEBRUARY.

I THINK IT WAS AROUND THE 13TH WHERE WE CLOSED THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION ON CLINTON STREET AND WE CLOSED IT BECAUSE OF THE POOR CONDITION IT WAS IN.

THE FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF THERE TEN YEARS BEFORE THAT.

IT WAS IN VERY, VERY POOR CONDITION.

I BELIEVE THE CLERK'S AUNT AND UNCLE LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THERE.

SO WE CLOSED THAT BUILDING BACK THEN TO AND WE MADE A MAKESHIFT STATION, WHICH WAS BETTER OFF THAN WHERE OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS WERE BEFORE, AND SO THAT DECISION FAST FORWARD TO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR ASSETS AND INVEST IN OUR BUILDINGS, AND IF YOU WALK AROUND THIS BUILDING, MOST OF THIS BUILDING IS 50 YEARS OLD.

ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE ONLY PART OF THE BUILDING THAT'S BEEN RENOVATED.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, YOU THINK, WELL, THIS BUILDING'S PRETTY NICE, BUT YOU SHOULD TAKE A WALK AROUND THE BUILDING AND SEE THE WALLPAPER THAT'S COMING OFF AND THE CARPET AND THE EQUIPMENT.

THE OFFICE FURNITURE IS FROM THE SEVENTIES, SO IT'S TIME TO REINVEST IN OUR BUILDING.

WE'VE BEEN SETTING ASIDE, AS YOU KNOW, CASH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO DO THIS.

WE'RE PREPARED TO DO IT THIS YEAR.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN IN MID APRIL, MOVING OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

THIS ROOM HERE, THE TOWN HALL ROOM, WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE RENOVATION.

IT WILL REMAIN OPEN.

SO CITIZENS WHO COME HERE TO BE SERVED BY THIS BUILDING OR IN THIS BUILDING WILL CONTINUE TO BE SERVED, WILL ACCESS THROUGH THIS DOOR OVER HERE AND IN HERE WILL BE THE ENTIRE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO STILL TAKE BILLS JUST LIKE WE TAKE BILLS NOW.

PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR INVOICES, GET INFORMATION, BUT ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL HAVE FOUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN HERE WITH ONE PERSON EACH, AND THAT WOULD BE ASSESSING AND BUILDING AND PLANNING AND ENGINEERING, AND WE'LL SPREAD THOSE FOLKS OUT IN HERE AS BEST WE CAN.

WE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS IN HERE BEST WE CAN, BUT THIS WILL START ABOUT MID APRIL AND GO TILL OCTOBER 1ST.

THE REST OF THE BUILDING WILL BE SPREAD.

THE REST OF THE STAFF, 53 OF US WILL BE SPREAD OUT INTO THREE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND THAT WILL BE DOWN.

ONE WILL PUT 19 PEOPLE DOWN AT THE TWO FOR TWO NEXT TO THE TWO FOR TWO CHURCH BUILDING ON BENNETT ROAD NEAR THE BENNETT WOODS ELEMENTARY.

WE'LL BE MOVING SOME DEPARTMENTS DOWN THERE.

I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING THIS TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE'LL BE PUTTING 12 OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS OVER ACROSS THE STREET IN THE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN ANOTHER NINE OR TEN OVER AT THE SERVICE CENTER.

THREE OF OUR MEMBERS WILL STAY IN THE BUILDING AND THEY'LL WORK OUT OF THE STUDIO, THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN INGRESS EGRESS THAT DOESN'T TAKE THEM THROUGH THE BUILDING. WE'RE GOING TO TRY THAT.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE 53 PEOPLE, 53 TEAM MEMBERS WILL BE RELOCATED APRIL 17TH TO ABOUT OCTOBER 1ST.

IT'LL BE A REPLACEMENT, BE A PAINTING OF THE WALLS.

IT'LL BE NEW CARPETING AND NEW OFFICE FURNITURE.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE COMPONENTS WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THERE WILL BE AREAS OF THE BUILDING, SUCH AS THE RESTROOMS AND OTHER AREAS THAT WE DON'T GET TO WITH THIS REMODELING, BUT WE'RE STAYING WITHIN BUDGET.

WE'RE PAYING CASH FOR IT, AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF A BUILDING THAT'S BEEN BASICALLY THIS CONDITION FOR 50 YEARS.

THE ONLY PART THAT'S NEWER IS THE FAR SOUTH END OF THE BUILDING AND THE COMMUNICATIONS WING, WHICH WAS BUILT, I BELIEVE, IN 90 OR 92.

SO I JUST WANTED TO START GETTING THIS OUT THERE.

THIS PROJECT IS COMING FORWARD AND WE'LL BE VACATING THIS BUILDING FROM APRIL 17TH, ROUGHLY UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST, AND MUCH MORE INFORMATION ON THIS, AND WE WILL BE SENDING A LETTER DIRECTLY TO OUR RESIDENTS, LETTING THEM KNOW, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THIS ROOM WILL REMAIN OPEN AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE MOST EVERYONE THAT COMES .

IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE.

SO THANK YOU.

I KNOW THERE WILL BE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT NEW NEWS TO YOU, BUT I WANT TO START GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ISSUES THE REST OF THE EVENING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[9. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

THANK YOU. I'LL ALSO BE QUICK TONIGHT.

ON FEBRUARY 10TH, I ATTENDED THE [INAUDIBLE] MEETING AT THE INVITATION OF DIRECTOR CLARK, WHO HAD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE M TEAM THERE TO TALK TO THE MERIDIAN [INAUDIBLE] BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. IT WAS VERY GOOD MEETING.

WE GOT TO TELL THEM ABOUT ALL THE THINGS WE DO HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MANY OF THEM HELPFUL TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

FEBRUARY 14TH, WAS THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE MEETING WHICH MET FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND IT WAS A GOOD FIRST MEETING. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING DATA, WE'LL VERY LIKELY BE DOING SOME SITE VISITS OF OTHER SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THE 15TH WAS THE CATA BOARD MEETING AND I ATTENDED WITH OUR NEWEST TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBER, PHYLLIS VAUGHN, WHO WE APPOINTED THE LAST MEETING AND WAS SWORN IN IN TIME TO ATTEND HER FIRST MEETING.

[00:55:04]

AS OF MARCH 1ST, THEY'LL NEED TO GO TO THE INGHAM COUNTY TREASURER TO PAY THEIR TAXES.

THAT'S STATE LAW.

SO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND PAY THAT BALANCE OFF BEFORE IT GOES TO THE COUNTY TREASURER BECAUSE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FINES AND PENALTIES ADDED ONTO IT WHEN IT GOES TO THE COUNTY TREASURER. THAT'S MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE WILSON. THE CRC, THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION MEETING ON FEBRUARY 8TH. THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT SPREADING THE WORD MORE THOROUGHLY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ASPECTS OF MERIDIAN CARES, WHICH IS OUR PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS OR PEOPLE IN AN EMERGENCY WITH RENT, UTILITIES AND BUS PASSES.

SO THAT WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE TASK FORCE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING A COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE HAD OUR VERY FIRST MEETING.

I WAS THERE WITH SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND TRUSTEE I'M SORRY, TREASURER DESCHAINE, WHO IS PART OF THE GROUP, AND WE HAD A PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION JUST TALKING ABOUT THE VISIONING OF WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I'LL BE CHAIRING THAT IN THE FUTURE.

THIS PARTICULAR TASK FORCE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

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

[10. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. OPPOSED, NO.

THEN WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE AGENDA IS APPROVED, WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THE CONSENT AGENDA OUR

[11. CONSENT AGENDA]

THANK YOU, BOARD SUPERVISOR. I MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED THIS EVENING.

SUPPORT. SUPPORT, I BELIEVE, THIS TIME BY MR. DESCHAINE. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? THEN WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE, MR. LEMASTER, FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MOTION CARRIED SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. WITH NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.

[13.A. Haslett Village Square Commercial Rehabilitation Exemption Application]

A PUBLIC HEARING IS ON THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE COMMERCIAL REHABILITATION EXEMPTION APPLICATION.

DIRECTOR CLARK.

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

YES, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING RELATED TO THE COMMERCIAL EXEMPTION, THE COMMERCIAL REHABILITATION EXEMPTION APPLICATION. SO WE'VE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FROM THE DEVELOPERS SB HOLDING FOR 1655, 1621 HASLETT RD.

THIS IS GOING TO MIMIC EVERYTHING THAT WE DID IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

THE REASON WHY WE DID NOT SUBMIT THIS URA APPLICATION WAS THEY WERE NOT THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

SO SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION TO THE STC.

WE'VE CALLED THEM, WE'VE EMAILED THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

IT IS A PROCESS MUCH LIKE OTHER TAX EXEMPTING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO EXEMPT FOR THE FULL YEAR.

SO AS LONG AS WE SUBMIT OUR APPLICATION WITHIN 23 BEFORE OCTOBER 31ST, THE EXEMPTION SHOULD HIT IN TIME FOR 2021.

SO IT'D BEGIN JANUARY 1ST, 2024.

SO THE EXEMPTION APPLICATION IS GOING TO EXEMPT PROVIDE A TAX ABATEMENT FOR TEN YEARS BEGINNING DECEMBER

[01:00:04]

SO MUCH OF THE REQUEST BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT IS EXACTLY THE SAME OF WHAT WE DID IN SEPTEMBER.

THE PROJECT IS THE SAME.

THE DEVELOPERS ARE THE SAME.

THE REASON WHY WE DID NOT BRING IT FORWARD BEFORE IS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

OKAY, AT THIS TIME, I THINK I NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.

ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER IN SUPPORT OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSAL DESCRIBED BY DIRECTOR CLARK.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, SEEING NONE.

I GUESS WE CAN CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON.

THIS IS ON FOR DISCUSSION, SO I'LL BE BACK.

THANK YOU. ITEM 14, OUR ACTION ITEMS.

[14.A. Ordinance 2023-01 – Rezone 1642 Lake Court – RB to RCC, with a Conditional Rezoning Agreement-Introduction]

YES, MA'AM. MR. SCHMIDTT. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS AGAIN.

THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE THE APPROXIMATELY 0.7 ACRES OF LAND BETWEEN LAKE LANSING AND LAKE COURT DIRECTLY TO THE WEST OF THE OLD [INAUDIBLE] BUILDING THERE AT MARSH ROAD FROM THE CURRENT ZONING OF RB ONE FAMILY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND C-1 NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE.

THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY SPLIT ZONED TO RCC, MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING WITH A CONDITION OF THAT REZONING, LIMITING THE DEVELOPMENT TO 12 DWELLING UNITS OR SIX DUPLEXES.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS MATTER EARLIER THIS YEAR, HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS AND VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

THE BOARD REVIEWED THIS AT THEIR LAST MEETING AND HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS AND DIRECTED STAFF TO BRING THIS FORWARD.

AT THIS TIME, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE INTRODUCTION.

IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO APPROVE THIS, WE WILL PUBLISH THE NOTICE AS REQUIRED IN A PAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION AND BRING IT BACK FOR FINAL ACTION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION? MR. HENDRICKSON.

I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION [INAUDIBLE] ORDINANCE 2023-01, AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY AT 1642 LAKE COURT DRIVE, PARCEL ID NUMBER 330202-10-207-032 FROM RB ONE FAMILY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND C-1 NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE TO RCC MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBJECT TO A CONDITION OF REZONING LIMITING DEVELOPMENT ON THE LOT TO 12 DWELLING UNITS.

SUPPORT.

MR. HENDRICKSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT FURTHER? SURE ,WE SAW THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE, AND THIS WILL EFFECTIVELY NOT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS THAT WERE POSSIBLE ON THE PROPERTY, ON THE PARCEL.

THE PLAN IS FOR A NUMBER OF DUPLEXES.

I BELIEVE, AS I RECALL FROM OUR LAST MEETING, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND TO CLEAN UP WHAT ARE SOME PROPERTIES THAT COULD USE SOME REVITALIZATION IN THE HASLETT AREA AND SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT IT.

TRUSTEE WILSON.

[INAUDIBLE] PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE'RE REPLACING BLIGHT WITH A VIABLE DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT'S THE REASON I'LL BE VOTING FOR IT.

ALL RIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? MR. DESCHAINE.

I, TOO, WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED BLIGHT.

IN FACT, THE HOMES ARE ALL DOWN A BIT DOWN BY THAT PARCEL, AND SO THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] APPROVAL I WOULD GUESS THEY'RE GOING TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION THIS SPRING.

IS THAT WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND? THEY STILL DO NEED TO GO THROUGH THE SITE PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS AND WORK WITH THE COUNTY, DRAIN COMMISSION AND ROAD COMMISSION ON THE NECESSARY APPROVALS.

OKAY, IT'S A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE HASLETT PORTION OF OUR TOWNSHIP.

[01:05:06]

THIS IS FOR INTRODUCTION FOR ORDINANCE 2023-01.

IT'S THE REZONING. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.

PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. YES.

OPPOSED, NO. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU, MISTER.

THANK YOU. ITEM 14B IS A RESOLUTION TO CALL FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

[14.B. Resolution to Call for Legislative Action on Gun Violence Prevention]

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND OUR RULES TO CONSIDER ITEM 14B FOR ACTION THAT TONIGHT'S MEETING.

SUPPORT. MR. HENDRICKSON. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS TIMELY GIVEN THE EVENTS OF THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS CRUCIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THOSE IN THE AREA TO VOICE THEIR SUPPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE WHO WILL BE TAKING THESE BILLS UP IN SHORT ORDER . TRUSTEE WILSON.

YES, I SUPPORT FOR THE EXACT SAME REASONS.

THANK YOU, AND MR. HENDRICKSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THE RESOLUTION? I'D BE HAPPY TO. IT MIGHT BE MORE PRUDENT AT THE MOTION TO APPROVE THERE THAN THE SUSPENSION OF THE RULES.

OH, LET'S MOVE. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTING ON THE MOTION TO SUSPEND.

YES.

LET'S SEE.

THIS CAN BE DONE BY VOICE VOTE.

I BELIEVE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR RULES TO CONSIDER THIS RESOLUTION.

PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. OPPOSED, NO.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, AND NOW, MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION 14B CALLING ON THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE AND CONGRESS ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LEGISLATION.

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I BRING THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE US TONIGHT WITH TRUSTEE WISINSKI AND YOURSELF AS CO SPONSORS.

HOWEVER, I SUSPECT THAT IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR US ALL TO SIGN ON THAT WE WOULD WOULD HAVE.

I'D ASK FOR SOME LATITUDE FROM CLERK GUTHRIE AND HER TEAM, ALLOWING MY STATEMENT, WHICH I'LL PROVIDE, BE PRINTED IN FULL IN THE MINUTES.

I PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT CAN BE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THROUGH [EXPLETIVE] THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

TWO WEEKS AGO, THE WORST FEARS OF PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WERE ALL BUT REALIZED AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND A TERRORIST, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE CALLED IN TO EMERGENCY LINE TO REPORT THAT THERE WAS A GUNMAN AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT TWO STUDENTS HAD ALREADY BEEN SHOT, AND WE WERE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE AS A COMMUNITY, INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO DISCOVER THAT THIS WAS INDEED A HOAX AND THAT OUR FAMILIES WERE SAFE AND SOUND , BUT THIS DID NOT STOP US FROM EXPERIENCING A TRAUMATIC EVENT AS A COMMUNITY.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI, AT OUR LAST MEETING, TOLD US OF HER EXPERIENCE AS A PARENT.

THE FEAR THAT SHE HAD, THE PARENT OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE EMERGED PHYSICALLY SAFE, OUR COMMUNITY WAS LEFT WITH EMOTIONAL DAMAGE THAT MAY TAKE YEARS TO PROCESS FULLY.

AT OUR NEXT MEETING THE NEXT DAY I SAT BEFORE YOU AND REMINDED US OF HOW LUCKY WE WERE AND MENTIONED THAT WE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY NEXT TIME , AND I'VE NEVER IN MY LIFE WANTED TO BE MORE WRONG THAN I ENDED UP BEING, BECAUSE JUST SIX DAYS LATER, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD FEARED CAME TO PASS.

A GUNMAN AT OUR UNIVERSITY JUST FOUR MILES FROM THIS BUILDING FROM WHERE WE SIT TONIGHT.

ARIEL ANDERSON, ALEXANDRIA VERNER, BRYAN FRAZIER.

TWO JUNIORS AND A SOPHOMORE STRUCK DOWN IN THEIR PLACE OF LEARNING.

FIVE MORE CRITICALLY INJURED, AND AS OF TODAY, ONE IS STABLE.

TWO ARE IN SERIOUS BUT STABLE CONDITION AND TWO REMAIN IN CRITICAL CONDITION, AND ONE OF THESE FIVE IS ONE OF OKEMOS OWN.

ALL AT THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WITH NO CONNECTION TO THEM.

NO CONNECTION TO THE UNIVERSITY.

SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY CHARGED WITH GUN CRIMES.

[01:10:01]

I ATTENDED MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AS DID MY PARENTS BEFORE ME.

I MET MY WIFE THERE AND SHE WENT THERE LATER ON TO OBTAIN HER MASTER'S DEGREE AS WELL.

MY WIFE WAS AN MSU EMPLOYEE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, RUNNING CAMPS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED YOUTH FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND BEYOND.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEARED WHEN I STARTED AT MSU WAS HOW BIG IT WAS.

I SOUGHT OUT COMFORT IN THE FAMILIAR.

I GREW UP IN TROY, MICHIGAN, WHICH IS A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY, TO CLAWSON, WHICH IS WHERE ONE OF THE VICTIMS IS FROM, AND I REALIZED THAT NEARLY A QUARTER OF MY GRADUATING CLASS, OVER 100 STUDENTS WOULD BE ATTENDING MSU, AND I FURTHER REALIZED THAT IF THAT TREND HAD HELD TRUE, THAT ABOUT 1% OF ALL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT MSU WERE FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S A BOGGLING STATISTIC TO THINK ABOUT, AND I DID MEET PEOPLE WHO I KNEW FROM HOME, BUT I WAS ALSO THRUST INTO MEETING SCORES OF NEW FRIENDS WHO I GREW UP WITH, GRADUATED WITH, AND HAVE STAYED FRIENDS WITH TO THIS DAY BUT ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MICHIGAN STATE HAS CREATED WAS TAUGHT TO ME ON MY FIRST DAY WHEN A SENIOR STOOD UP AT AN EVENT PARTICIPATION WHAT THEY CALLED IT BACK OF THE DAY, AND LET US KNOW THAT WHEREVER WE WERE, IF WE WERE TO RUN INTO ANOTHER SPARTAN, WE COULD ALWAYS YELL OUT, GO GREEN, AND INVARIABLY. THEY WOULD RESPOND WITH GO WHITE.

AT THE TIME, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THAT WOULD BE.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

STUDENTS LIVE HERE AND WORK HERE.

FACULTY LIVE HERE AND RAISE THEIR FAMILIES HERE.

NEARLY EVERYONE WHO COMES NEARLY EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS MSU AT ONE POINT COMES TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WHETHER IT'S FOR OUR TRAILS OR PARKS OR EVENTS OR SHOPS OR MORE.

IF I ASK THOSE PRESENT HERE TONIGHT TO RAISE THEIR HAND IF THEY COULD FIND A DIRECT LINK TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYONE'S HAND IN THIS ROOM WOULD BE UP, BUT EVEN IF WE DIDN'T, WE'RE A COMMUNITY WHO CARES FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND CARES FOR ITS NEIGHBORS.

I'LL CRIB FROM PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT WHEN HE WHEN HE SAID ABOUT THE LEND-LEASE ACT, WHEN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE IS ON FIRE, YOU DON'T STOP TO ASK HIM TO PAY YOU FOR THE GARDEN HOSE, AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINE WORK OF OUR POLICE, FIRE AND EMS HEROES WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT AND THOSE THAT AREN'T HERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE WHEN THE CALL CAME IN, OUR PERSONNEL RUSHED IN AND WERE SOME OF THE FIRST ON THE SCENE, AS WE HEARD FROM CHIEF PLAGA AND CHIEF HAMEL.

THEY DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AGAIN FOR THEIR HARD WORK.

SO THANK YOU. THEY DIDN'T HESITATE TO PUT THEMSELVES INTO AN ACTIVE SITUATION, ONE THAT WAS FRAUGHT WITH MISINFORMATION, BUT THEY DID THEIR JOB.

THIS GOOD WORK SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN NECESSARY.

THIS WAS A SITUATION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTABLE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO START THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT AND TO ASK OUR STATE LEGISLATURES AND OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO STEP UP IN THE WAKE OF THIS UNSPEAKABLE AND TRAUMATIC EVENT AND TO MAKE CHANGES THAT ARE BOTH WILDLY POPULAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME COMMON SENSE AND I APPRECIATE REPRESENTATIVE BRIXIE COMING TONIGHT TO TELL US ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED.

I DO. WE'LL BE ASKING THEM IN THIS RESOLUTION TO TAKE UP LAWS THAT WOULD REQUIRE BACKGROUND CHECKS UNIVERSALLY BEFORE ANY WEAPONS PURCHASE.

THESE LAWS WOULD PREVENT THOSE WITH HISTORIES OF VIOLENT OR IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR FROM OBTAINING WEAPONS THAT MIGHT BE USED FOR VIOLENCE.

WE'LL ASK THEM TO TAKE UP RED FLAG LAWS OR EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS SO THAT OUR COURTS CAN, AFTER DELIBERATION AND EVIDENCE, PROVOKE PREVENT THOSE WHO ARE AN IMMINENT DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS FROM OWNING FIREARMS. WE'LL ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO CREATE SAFE STORAGE LAWS SO THAT OTHERS, INCLUDING SMALL CHILDREN, MAY NOT GAIN ACCESS TO GUNS.

WE'LL ASK FOR A BAN ON ASSAULT STYLE WEAPONS PROHIBITING THE SALE OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AS THEY ARE THE FAVORITE WEAPON OF THOSE SEEKING TO MAXIMIZE TERROR AND CASUALTIES FROM THESE SORTS OF INCIDENTS, AND WE'LL ASK FOR MAGAZINE CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS WHICH WILL SLOW DOWN WOULD BE ASSAILANTS FROM BEING ABLE TO FIRE WEAPONS QUICKLY AND REPEATEDLY.

AS OF TONIGHT, THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE HAS ALREADY BEGUN THEIR HARD WORK AND WE APPLAUD THEM FOR THEIR INITIATIVE HERE.

THEY WILL LIKELY FACE STEEP, SWIFT AND WELL-FUNDED OPPOSITION TO THEIR EFFORTS, AS ONE GROUP HAS ALREADY COME OUT TO SAY THAT THEY WILL RECALL

[01:15:01]

I BELIEVE IT IS OUR DUTY AND OUR OBLIGATION TO STAND UP AND TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE OUR SUPPORT AND THAT PASSING THIS RESOLUTION WILL DO JUST THAT.

I THINK THAT TONIGHT, BY PASSING THIS RESOLUTION, WE'LL BE PLEDGING OURSELVES TO A CAUSE, BUT ALSO TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE THOSE IN THE MSU COMMUNITY WHO WERE AT SANDY HOOK.

WHEN THAT EVENT OCCURRED.

WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE THOSE AT MSU WHO WERE AT OXFORD, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAD FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE BOTH PLACES AND WHO WERE BOTH IN OKEMOS SCHOOLS LAST WEEK AND AT MSU THIS WEEK WHO HAVE FACED OR THOUGHT THEY WERE FACING TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS IN AS MANY WEEKS.

I'VE SAID BEFORE, WHEN THIS RESOLUTION, A SIMILAR RESOLUTION, CAME UP LAST MAY, THAT MY WIFE WAS A TEACHER AT A LOCAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE STILL IS, AND SHE GOES TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, AND IN ADDITION TO PLANNING LESSONS, GRADING HOMEWORK AND PROCTORING TESTS, SHE HAS TO CONSIDER WHAT SHE WOULD DO IF HER SCHOOL WAS NEXT. SHE HAS TO DECIDE WHETHER HER CLASS SHOULD BE RUNNING, HIDING OR FIGHTING IN THE FACE OF AN ACTIVE, VIOLENT, ACTIVE INCIDENT. SHE HAS TO BE COUNSELOR TO GRIEVING STUDENTS WHO ARE TERRIFIED BY WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK AND DOZENS MORE WHO ARE WORRIED THAT THEY'LL BE NEXT , AND I WORRY ABOUT HER SAFETY.

I WORRY ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I GOT THE CALL ONE DAY TOO OFTEN.

MY CHILDREN ARE YOUNG.

MY OLDEST WILL BE STARTING KINDERGARTEN IN OKEMOS IN THE FALL, AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD ABOUT SHIELDING HIM FROM WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON , BUT NEXT YEAR, SOMEDAY, RATHER THAN LEARNING ABOUT SHARING OR READING OR WRITING, OR ALL THE THINGS THAT A CHILD OF FIVE SHOULD BE LEARNING, HIS TEACHER WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN ABOUT HIDING BEHIND THEIR DESKS, BARRICADING THEIR DOORS AND STAYING SILENT.

NO STUDENT STAFF PARENT NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE BEING SHOT IN SCHOOL.

SCHOOLS ARE MEANT TO BE TEMPLES OF KNOWLEDGE, NOT WAR TORN REGIONS WHERE THEY FACE DEATH ON A DAILY BASIS.

THEY SHOULD NOT BE.

THIS ORDEAL HAS FORCED ME TO REFLECT A LOT OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND I KEEP COMING BACK TO THAT FIRST DAY ON CAMPUS.

WHEN THEY EXPLAINED WHAT GO GREEN MEANT.

THEY WERE EXPLAINING A CALL AND RESPONSE.

WHEN SOMEONE RESPONDS WITH GO WHITE, THEY ARE RESPONDING TO YOU.

THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

THEY ARE, WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING ELSE, TELLING YOU THAT THEY SHARE SO MANY ICONIC SPARTAN EXPERIENCES.

THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THEY'RE A MEMBER OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND OF YOUR FAMILY, AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THEY ARE HERE FOR YOU.

THAT'S CERTAINLY HOW I VIEW IT NOW, AND SO I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION TONIGHT AND GO GREEN.

GO WHITE. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? COURTNEY.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, THAT WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL, VERY MOVING, VERY TOUCHING.

NOT TOO MUCH I CAN ADD TO THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID, BUT I 100% SUPPORT THIS AND I'LL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP THE LEGISLATURE THEN TO PASS THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE AND CONGRESS TO ACT ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LEGISLATION.

COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE, MR. LEMASTER? YES.

MOTION CARRIED SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU.

[14.C. Wage Adjustment & Contract Extension Consideration-Meridian Township Fire Fighters Association]

[01:20:06]

WE HAVE THREE UNIONS INVOLVED.

WE HAVE THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, POLICE PATROL AND POLICE COMMAND.

GOING BACK THREE YEARS AGO, WE NEGOTIATED A FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THOSE THREE BARGAINING GROUPS AND IT WAS A TWO YEAR, 2% INCREASE PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS, AND SO WE ARE IN THE FOURTH YEAR, JANUARY ONE OF 23, STARTED THE FOURTH YEAR OF THAT AGREEMENT, AND THAT AGREEMENT THAT EXPIRES TERMINATES ON DECEMBER 31 OF 2024.

SO WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 21 MONTHS REMAINING ON THAT CONTRACT.

WHEN WE NEGOTIATED THIS CONTRACT, THE TERMS SEEMED PRETTY FAIR BACK AT THE TIME, 2% PER YEAR.

TODAY IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT MATCHES THE ECONOMY DOESN'T MATCH WHAT PEOPLE WITH INFLATION AND ALL OF THAT. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR UNIONS REGULARLY IN THE LAST TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A PROPOSAL TO BRING TO THEM WHAT WE'VE OFFERED ALL THREE UNIONS MIRRORS EXACTLY WHAT WE PROVIDED TO ALL OF OUR OTHER TEAM MEMBERS.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE UNIONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30, ROUGHLY 34 IN THE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC AND ROUGHLY 38 IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALTHOUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SWORN AT 41.

THAT'S BROKEN UP BETWEEN THE COMMAND PATROL.

SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT MIRRORS EXACTLY WHAT WE WHAT WAS APPROVED FOR OTHER UNIONS, AND THAT IS A 3% INCREASE AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE TIME 5% INCREASE FOR THOSE THAT ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR STEP OR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A STEP PROCESS.

POLICE, POLICE UNION, POLICE PATROL AND FIRE UNION HAVE A STEP PROCESS WHICH IS NOW FOUR STEPS.

IT USED TO BE SIX, BUT OTHER POSITIONS ARE AT A SALARY LEVEL AND THEY HAVE NO STEPS TO THEM, AND THOSE FOLKS WOULD RECEIVE THE 3% AND THE 5% ONE TIME ADJUSTMENT. SO WHAT WE'VE OFFERED TO ALL THREE OF THESE NEXT AGENDA ITEMS IS THAT THREE AND 5%.

IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY WITH THE NEXT PAYROLL IF IT'S APPROVED BY THE BOARD TONIGHT.

I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION UNDER C, THEY'VE NOT FINISHED THEIR PROCESS.

THEY HAVE A 72 HOUR WINDOW OF BARGAINING OR WITH VOTING ON A CONTRACT EXTENSION.

SO WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED OR WHAT WE'VE REQUESTED IS A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT.

SO IF THIS IS APPROVED BY THE UNIONS AND I WANT THEM TO TAKE THEIR TIME IN DOING IT, AND WHAT OUR CONTRACT THAT WAS SET TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31 OF 24 WOULD NOW EXPIRE DECEMBER 31 OF 2026.

SO IT WOULD BE A BASICALLY AN 8% INCREASE IN 23, AND THEN THREE, THREE AND THREE WOULD BE THE NEW CONTRACT.

SO AGAIN, THAT MIRRORS OTHER UNIONS.

WE'RE WAITING ON THE FIREFIGHTER.

I TALKED TO TJ BOOMS JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO.

THEY'RE HAVING A MEETING TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN THE CONTRACT OFFER AND THEY'LL BEGIN A 72 HOUR VOTING PROCESS, WHICH WOULD AND PROBABLY SATURDAY MORNING WE WOULD KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT. THEN IF THIS HAPPENS, THIS ITEM WOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU.

IF IT'S APPROVED, RATIFIED BY THE FIRE UNION, IT WOULD BE BEFORE YOU ON MARCH 7TH.

SO THAT'S AN UPDATE ON THE FIRE UNION PROSPECT, AND I APPRECIATE PRESIDENT TJ BLOOMS CONTACTING ME EARLIER THIS EVENING AND LETTING ME KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE PROCESS. WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM.

MOVING ON TO D, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.

[14.D. Wage Adjustment & Contract Extension Consideration-Police Officers Association of Michigan]

THEY HAVE APPROVED.

THEY'VE HAD THEIR VOTE. THEY'VE APPROVED.

SO IT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND IT'S EVERYTHING.

I JUST SAID IT ABOUT A FOUR YEAR TERM, THE CONTRACT AND ALL OF THAT.

OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE CONSIDERING ITEM 14D . MR. DESCHAINE.

JUST [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS, 14C WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT OFF UNTIL WE'VE HEARD BACK FROM THE UNION.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND.

I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT VOTING ON IT UNTIL IT'S RATIFIED BY THE UNION.

OKAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BEFORE THE BOARD AND BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT THIS.

FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME INFLATION THAT WE ARE, THE SAME COST OF LIVING INCREASES ACROSS THE BOARD AND THIS IS FAIR AND REOPENING THE UNION CONTRACT AND EXTENDING IT OUT AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS IS A GREAT IDEA.

[01:25:05]

SO I FULLY INTEND TO SUPPORT THIS.

JUST CLARIFICATION, THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME BONUS.

THIS IS GOING INTO THIS WILL BE 8% INCREASE IN BASE SALARIES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

SO THIS WILL AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE COST OF THIS BE TAKEN OUT OF SOME OF OUR ARPA FUNDS.

CORRECT, AND I'LL COVER THAT UNDER F.

OKAY, BUT BEFORE I FINISH, I'D WANT TO SAY THIS ALSO, I THINK TO ME POINTS WHY ARE MAKING ADDITIONAL PENSION PAYMENTS IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR PENSION PAYMENTS. NOW WE'RE INCREASING BASE SALARIES, WHICH INCREASES PENSIONS, BUT WITH THE EXTRA MONEY WE'RE PUTTING IN AND THE LOWER MULTIPLIER, WE CAN ABSORB THIS IN A WAY THAT WE WOULDN'T BE IF WE WERE MAKING THE MINIMUM ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

THANK YOU. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? MR. HENDRICKSON.

SO I THINK BASED ON THE MANAGER'S COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO 14C, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO MOVE TO TABLE THIS RESOLUTION, THIS ACTION ITEM UNTIL OUR MARCH 7TH MEETING.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT MOTION, AND THAT'S FOR ITEM 14 C SPECIFICALLY? YES. ALL RIGHT, THEN, MR. DESCHAINE. EXCUSE ME.

WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION FIRST.

YES.

OTHER COMMENTS? THEN THE MOTION IS TO TABLE ITEM 14C.

MR. LEMASTER, I BELIEVE WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE IN THIS INSTANCE.

MOTION CARRIED SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. THAT ITEM IS TABLED AND WE MOVE TO 14D.

I NEED A NEW MOTION.

MR. DESCHAINE.

THANK YOU.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED WAGE INCREASE AS PRESENTED, INCLUDING AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION MICHIGAN THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026.

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

MR. DESCHAINE. I THINK THE MANAGER HAD SOME MORE THAT HE WANTED TO SPEAK TO THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM ON THE ITEM D.

ACTUALLY, I'VE SAID ALL THAT I PROBABLY COULD SAY ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE A GROUP THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

IT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME, FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, BOTH POLICE AND FIRE, AND BRING THEM MORE ALIGNED FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OTHER TEAM MEMBERS.

THIS IS A GROUP THAT REALLY DESERVES THE BOOST AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE MANAGER FOR TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY AND RECOGNIZING AGAIN, HAVING THAT FORETHOUGHT THAT EQUITY AMONGST OUR STAFF AND SPECIFICALLY OUR POLICE AND FIRE AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T AN EASY TASK AND I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I'LL ADD TO THE CHORUS OF THOSE WHO ARE THANKING THE MANAGER FOR TAKING A VERY PROACTIVE STEP HERE.

IT WOULD BE VERY EASY FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO SIT ON THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, DELAYING WHAT WOULD BE WHAT IS A COMMON SENSE AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT, AND SO I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PROACTIVE MOVE FROM THE TOWNSHIP AND ONE THAT I THINK ALSO, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WOULD ALLOW US TO SHOW SOME APPRECIATION TO THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR POLICE AND FIRE BARGAINING UNITS.

SO THANK YOU TO MANAGER WALSH FOR DOING THAT, AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

OTHER COMMENTS? MR. DESCHAINE.

YES, IT'S REFERENCED EARLIER THAT THIS WILL BE PAID FOR BY RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE $270,000 FROM THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE FOR THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER, SENIOR CENTER, AND MOVE THEM INTO THIS PAY INCREASE, AND AS A MEMBER OF THAT TASK FORCE, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKELY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE

[01:30:06]

THAT IS A LONG TERM PROJECT AND THAT MONEY MAY EVENTUALLY MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

WE WILL HAVE OTHER WAYS TO PUT THAT MONEY BACK IN FUTURE YEARS.

THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT.

THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO SHOW THIS RECOGNITION AND PROVIDE THE EQUITY FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE.

SO I APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION TO MOVE THIS MONEY FROM THE ARPA FUNDS.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING THESE FAIR WAGE INCREASES TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE; WE'RE PAYING FOR IT AT THE SAME TIME . I HAVE ONE QUESTION, MR. WALSH. THESE GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON PASSAGE? CORRECT, IF IT'S APPROVED THIS EVENING BY THE BOARD, IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT WITH PAYROLL IN 72 HOURS.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

MR. LEMASTER, CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL VOTE FOR ITEM 14E, WHICH IS THE WAGE ADJUSTMENT CONTRACT EXTENSION CONSIDERATION? D I'M SORRY.

FOR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN.

MOTION CARRIED SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

ITEM 14E IS THE SAME KIND OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE POLICE SUPERVISORY UNIT.

[14.E. Wage Adjustment & Contract Extension Consideration-Meridian Township Police Supervisory Unit]

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED WAGE INCREASE AS PRESENTED, INCLUDING AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE SUPERVISORY UNIT THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026.

SECOND. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I THINK THAT EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT THE LAST RESOLUTION ALSO APPLIES TO THIS ONE.

THIS WILL MOVE, I THINK, ALL BUT ONE THEN OF OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS TO THIS ARRANGEMENT.

THIS IS A STEP CLOSER TO EQUITY AMONGST ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND I APPLAUD IT.

SO THANK YOU. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

THIS IS JUST KEEPING IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A TOWNSHIP.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.