GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JULY 11TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP
[00:00:56]
BOARD FOR THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.PLEASE JOIN ME IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
WE HAVE THREE KIND OF PRESENTATIONS TODAY, AND I WILL LEAD THE FIRST IN THE ROLL CALL.GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF AGAIN.
I'M SORRY, MR. FOR SPURLOCK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL FOR US.
[4. PRESENTATION]
AND NOW TO ITEM 4, THE PRESENTATIONS.I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN NOTING AND COMMEMORATING THE RECENT PASSING OF RETIRED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF DAVE HALL.
CHIEF HALL PASSED ON JANUARY I'M SORRY, ON SUNDAY, JUNE THE 18TH, 2023, AND CHIEF HALL CAME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER OF 1978.
AND IN 2004, HE WAS NAMED CHIEF OF POLICE, HOLDING THAT POSITION UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT 14 YEARS LATER, SHE'S HALL WAS EXTREMELY DEDICATED TO HIS FAMILY, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED.
I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR CHIEF HALL'S LEGACY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
ITEM FOUR B ON OUR AGENDA IS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER EMT JUSTIN JONES.
THIS WILL BE CONDUCTED AND THE INTRODUCTION WILL BE BY CHIEF HALL.
THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.
THIS IS JUSTIN JONES AND HE COMES TO US FROM ATHENS, MICHIGAN, WHERE WE STOLE THEM FROM THE VETERANS AFFAIRS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND HE IS CURRENTLY AN EMT AND PARAMEDIC TRAINING AT KELLOGG COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
[00:05:04]
CORRECT.WHICH HE'LL BE FINISHING AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN WE'LL GET HIM ON AS AS A PARAMEDIC, WHICH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE BEEN HIRING EMTS JUST BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGE OF MEDICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO AS THE THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE JUST FELT LIKE HE WAS A GOOD FIT WITH OUR CULTURE AND HOW WE OPERATE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
AND THANK YOU FOR HIRING ME AND THIS LOVELY COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR EVERYONE IN THIS AREA.
WE HAVE AS ITEM FOUR C, THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS TONIGHT LED BY CAPTAIN GRILL.
YEAH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'VE HIRED TWO NEW OFFICERS.
LARRY VANDERMOLEN AND HAYDEN KLING.
LARRY COMES TO US FROM OWASSO, WHERE HE WAS BORN AND RAISED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
HE DECIDED THAT IT WAS VERY COLD IN MICHIGAN.
HE JOINED THE ARMY TO GO TO A WARMER CLIMATE.
THEY IMMEDIATELY SHIPPED HIM TO ALASKA.
HE BECAME A RAPPEL MASTER, RAPPELLING OFF OF GLACIERS IN -40 DEGREE WEATHER.
SO FOLLOWING THAT, HE WENT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED THERE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AS A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE ROCK HILL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CAME BACK TO MICHIGAN TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY AND WAS MOST RECENTLY WORKING FOR DURAND POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A PART TIME OFFICER.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE MR. VANDERMOLEN.
HAYDEN KLING IS COMES FROM THE BRIGHTON HOWELL AREA.
HE HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM CLEARY UNIVERSITY.
HE GRADUATED FROM THE MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICE ACADEMY THIS PAST SPRING.
AND WE'RE ALSO EXCITED TO HAVE OFFICER KLING WITH US.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER, SIR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PUT THE TIME AND EFFORT INTO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THROUGH OUR TRAINING AND WE GET HIRED.
AND THE COMMAND STAFF OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING EVERYBODY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, YOU ARE VAN DER MOLEN.
FOR CLARIFICATION, I'D BE OFFICER KLING.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO WORK WITH YOU AND NOT ONLY WORK WITH YOU, BUT HOPEFULLY TO SERVE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY.
AND I HOPE TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU OVER THE COURSE OF MY TENURE HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE COME TO ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA WHERE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE NOT COLLECTED ANY GREEN CARDS TONIGHT.
ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, WHICH IS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
MR. WALSH.THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE RENOVATION PROJECT CONTINUES TO GO EXTREMELY WELL.
AGAIN, I WANT TO CREDIT DIRECTOR MASSEY AND MANAGER OPSOMMER FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE WENT OUT AND HIRED, SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON A GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
WE DECIDED TO DO IT OURSELVES.
AND THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR HAVE REALLY TURNED OUT WELL FOR US.
WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND HOPE TO MOVE IN SOMETIME AROUND LABOR DAY, WHICH IS A MONTH AHEAD OF WHEN WE HAD PLANNED.
SECOND THING THAT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT'S GOING TO REALLY SPROUT UP AND BE EXCELLENT ADDITIONS TO THE TOWNSHIP IS THE TOWNSHIP SIGNS ALL LOOK LIKE THEY'RE
[00:10:02]
UP, BUT THE WESTERN SIGN IS NOT THE WESTERN BOUNDARY SIGN COMING IN.AND THANKS AGAIN TO THEIR WORK.
WE HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH DTN OVER, I GUESS IN FRONT OF THE UPS OFFICE WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE IT'S THE SIGN IS ALREADY MANUFACTURED.
SO YOU'LL NOTICE THE FINAL ENTRY SIGN GOING IN HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
LATER ON, WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR EFFORTS ON THE BUDGET AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND SOME REALLY IMPORTANT NEWS.
BUT FOR THAT'S ENOUGH FOR THIS THIS PART OF THE MEETING.
ITEM SEVEN, BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]
TRUSTEE WILSON.WELL, EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN BECAUSE I REPORTED TO YOU AT THEIR JUNE 20TH MEETING THAT WE WERE ON HOLD FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED $5 MILLION FOR OUR PROJECT.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO REACTIVATE OUR TASK FORCE AND WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED ON GETTING DRAWINGS, RENDERINGS DONE, INCLUDING THE EXTERIOR AND THE INTERIOR ON THE PIECE OF LAND THAT'S BEEN SELECTED.
AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU.
AND I AM PLANNING TO HAVE THAT READY FOR OUR LISTENING TOUR AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.
SO WE HAVE A VERY SHORT TIMELINE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO NOTE THE PASSING OF A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT, CAROLYN SUCH, WHO PASSED AWAY ON JUNE 20TH AFTER AN EIGHT YEAR STRUGGLE WITH DEMENTIA.
KAITLYN IS A BEAUTIFUL, VIBRANT WOMAN WHO WAS MARRIED FOR 37 YEARS TO FORMER TRUSTEE ANDY SUCH AND IS THE STEPMOTHER TO A LONG SERVING TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE, ANGELA RYAN.
SHE'LL BE MISSED BY MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY HER LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF EVENTS SINCE WE LAST MET, MOST OF THEM WITH MOST OF THE BOARD I PARTICIPATED IN CELEBRATE MERIDIAN ON JUNE 24TH.
IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AGAIN THIS YEAR, THOUSANDS TURNED OUT.
GREAT FOOD, DRINK, MUSIC AND A HUGE CHILDREN'S AREA CAPPED OFF BY ANOTHER SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS SHOW.
ON JUNE 24TH, I PARTICIPATED IN THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR WOODWARD WAY, OUR NEWEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEWEST IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, PROBABLY.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A NEW ONE.
WOODWARD WAY PROVIDES 49 UNITS OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
OUR PARTNER WITH THIS WAS WALTER COOPER OUT OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.
MANY THANKS TO CRAIG PATTERSON AND HIS TEAM, WHO PERSEVERED OVER FOUR YEARS OF COVID AND MANY EXTRAORDINARY ROADBLOCKS.
THEY OVERCAME EVERY ONE OF THEM.
AND WE THE BUILDING IS NOW OPEN.
ALSO ON THE 24TH, I ATTENDED THE OPEN HOUSE FOR THE AMERICAN HOUSE MERIDIAN UP IN THE HASLETT FOUR SQUARE FOUR CORNERS AREA.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THOSE DEVELOPERS ARE ON TASK.
THEY'RE COMPLETING THE PROJECT ON SCHEDULE AND THEY'RE ALREADY ASSIGNING LEASES FOR PEOPLE 55 AND OLDER WHO DESIRE A VIBRANT LIFESTYLE WITH A WARM AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY.
I'M SORRY, BUT I CAN'T HELP COMPARE AMERICAN HOUSE MERIDIAN WITH THEIR CAN DO ATTITUDE WITH THE EXCUSES AND INACTION WE'RE SEEING IN DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.
I HOPE SOME OF OUR DOWNTOWN OKEMOS DEVELOPERS WERE THERE AND STOP BY IN THE 24TH.
THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN A ROADMAP FOR HOW TO DEVELOP AN APPEALING MODERN ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT WHICH WE ALL WANT FOR DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? TRUSTEE WILSON.SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA PLEASE SAY YES.
ITEM NINE IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT IS A TYPICAL COMMUNICATIONS, MINUTES OF OUR JUNE 22ND, 2023, REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING AND THE MANAGERS BILLS.I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING WITH FIVE AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 20TH, WHICH I PROVIDED TO THE CLERK AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AT THEIR PLACES.
I'LL READ THEM FOR THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER, THEY'RE MOSTLY ADMINISTRATIVE.
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE IN UNDER ITEM THREE TO STRIKE DEPUTY CLERK LEMASTER AND REPLACE WITH CLERK GUTHRIE.
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO UNDER ITEM FIVE, STRIKE 6:41 P.
[00:15:01]
M.. AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE ITEM 11 A ADD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PARAGRAPH SUPERVISOR JACKSON OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:24 P.
. AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR IS ITEM UNDER ITEM 14 TO STRIKE 8:48 P.
AND AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE UNDER ITEM 16 TO STRIKE 8:48 P.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THEN WE WILL NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, I PRESUME.
ITEM TEN, THEN, IS QUESTION FOR THE ATTORNEY.
11 WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR TONIGHT.
WE COME TO ITEM 12 A ITEMS UNDER 12 ARE ACTION ITEMS. A IS ORDINANCE 2020 2-19 MARIJUANA ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATES FOR FINAL ADOPTION.
SO ORDINANCE 2022-19 IS THE UPDATE TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SALE S. IT WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS PERMITTED AND THE TYPES OF USES PERMITTED.
SO WE'RE JUST TALKING RETAIL SALES AT THIS POINT.
THE ORDINANCE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE REFERENCED
[12.A. Ordinance 2022-19 – Marijuana Zoning Ordinance Updates – Final Adoption]
SPECIFICALLY MEDICAL MARIJUANA.AND SO WE NEEDED TO MAKE THESE CHANGES TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS ALL THESE POTENTIAL USES.
AT THE BOARD'S DIRECTION, WE DID PUBLISH THIS IN THE PAPER OF RECORD AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
THIS EVENING FOR FINAL ADOPTION.
STAFF WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AS THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE BOARD'S DIRECTION ON THIS ITEM.
I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-19 TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO UPDATE THE ZONING STANDARDS FOR MARIJUANA RELATED BUSINESSES.
MOST OF THE MATTERS AT HAND ARE MINISTERIAL, SO TO HAVE CONFORMANCE WITH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF GETTING THIS DONE.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL TO ADD.
SINCE WE PUBLISHED THE DRAFT DIRECTOR SCHMITT, HAVE WE HAD ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? WE HAVE NOT.
THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ZONING AMENDMENT 2022-19 TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO UPDATE THE ZONING STANDARDS FOR MARIJUANA RELATED BUSINESSES.
MR. SPURLOCK, WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
SO NOW WE MOVE TO 12 B 12 BEAT.
I'M LOSING MYSELF AND MY AGENDA.
12 B, MR. SCHMIDT IS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2023-02 RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LICENSING ORDINANCE FOR FINAL ADOPTION.
ORDINANCE 2023-02 IS THE SECOND PIECE, THIS IS THE TECHNICAL LICENSING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES.
CURRENTLY, THEY ARE PROHIBITED BY ORDINANCE, SO THAT PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE STRUCK OUT OF CHAPTER 40.
AND THIS ARTICLE WOULD BE ADDED TO PROVIDE LICENSING GUIDELINES FOR RECREATIONAL SALES.
THIS IS THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE THINGS THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON IS NOT GOING TO SEE.
IT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR JOBS.
AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD.
FROM THE JUNE 20TH MEETING, WE DID PUBLISH THIS ORDINANCE IN A PAPER OF RECORD.
WE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS AND WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING FOR FINAL DECISION.
STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AS IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE BOARD'S PREVIOUS DIRECTION ON THIS MATTER.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2023-02, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN INGHAM COUNTY TO RENAME CHAPTER 40 OF REPEAL ARTICLE THREE OF CHAPTER 40 AND ADDING ARTICLE FOUR TO CHAPTER 40, WHICH AUTHORIZES AND PERMITS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS . SUPPORT.
SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
THIS ORDINANCE REFLECTS MONTHS AND YEARS OF WORK, BOTH BY THIS BOARD STAFF AND MANY OTHERS IN THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE COME IN TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, INCLUDING A BALLOT PROPOSAL THAT WAS BEFORE THE VOTERS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ALMOST A YEAR AGO.
AND I THINK THAT THE RESULTANT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND THAT HARD WORK HAS PUT BEFORE US AN ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF AND ONE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR.
AND I THINK THAT THANKS ARE IN ORDER TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THE DRAFTING OF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE OTHER TWO ORDINANCES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US TODAY FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN THIS EVENING.
TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON SAID IT VERY WELL, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.
THEN THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2023-02, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY TO RENAME CHAPTER 40, REPEAL ARTICLE THREE OF CHAPTER 40 AND ADDING ARTICLE FOUR TO CHAPTER 40, WHICH AUTHORIZES AND PERMITS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS.
MR. SPURLOCK, WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
MR. SCHMIDT IS NOW PREPARED TO TAKE US THROUGH ORDINANCE 2023-03, MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING UPDATE FINAL BEFORE US FOR FINAL ADOPTION.
THIS IS THE THIRD PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE.
THIS WOULD MODIFY THE STANDARDS FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE TO MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE WHAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED FOR RECREATIONAL
[12.B. Ordinance 2023-02 – Recreational Marijuana Licensing – Final Adoption]
LICENSING.AND YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE HAD THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, FIX A FEW FLAWS THAT STAFF HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE, MOST NOTABLY THE REQUIREMENT THAT EVERY YEAR ON THE SECOND TUESDAY, WE OPEN A WINDOW FOR APPLICANTS WHICH HAD NO SUNSET DATE IN THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE.
SO THESE ARE REALLY TECHNICAL CHANGES THAT DON'T FUNCTIONALLY AFFECT THE EXISTING LICENSEES, THE EXISTING APPLICANTS WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LICENSING BECAUSE THEY ARE AT THE SUP STAGE, THEY'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE SUBMITTAL AND REVIEW.
SO THIS WOULD ONLY AFFECT SOMEONE GOING FORWARD.
OR IF WE HAD A LICENSEE DROP OUT, WE HAD TO ISSUE A NEW LICENSE.
AT THE BOARD'S DIRECTION, WE DID PUBLISH THIS IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL RECORD AND RECEIVED NO COMMENT AND AT THIS TIME WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THESE CHANGES AS THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE BOARD'S PREVIOUS DIRECTION IN THIS MATTER.
I MOVE TO ADOPT TAX AMENDMENT 2023-03.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF CHARTER TOWNSHIP MERIDIAN INGHAM COUNTY TO AMEND CHAPTER 40, ARTICLE TWO, COMMERCIAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES.
IS THIS SUPPORT? CLERK GUTHRIE SUPPORTS.
WITH THREE OTHER MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD TRUSTEE WISINSKI, SUNDLAND AND SUPERVISOR JACKSON, WE ALL VOTED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER OF 2019, AND WE REALLY HOPED AT THAT POINT TO HAVE THESE UP TO SIX MEDICAL FACILITIES, WHICH WE WOULD THEN EVALUATE AND BASE OUR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE ON THAT.
WELL, THINGS DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT WAY.
[00:20:01]
AND SO FOUR YEARS LATER, WE'RE AMENDING IT.SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE GOING TO BE, SINCE THERE'S NO DEMAND FOR STANDALONE MEDICAL MARIJUANA, THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'LL BE ALLOWING FOR THOSE APPLICATION FOR THOSE ORDINANCES AS WE'VE CHANGED IT THE RECENT ROUND WE DID.
I REALLY WANTED TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT THIS BOARD IS SPEAKING AS ONE VOICE AS TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON POINTED OUT, THERE WAS A VOTE ON THIS.
IT WAS AN EVENLY SPLIT VOTE, DECIDED ONLY BY SIX VOTES.
AND THE BOARD COULD BE SPLIT ON THIS AS WELL.
WE'VE CHOSEN TO TALK WITH ONE VOICE AND SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH ONE CLEAR MESSAGE.
WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES IN A LIMITED FASHION, WITH UTMOST SAFETY AND CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE DID THIS AND WE DIDN'T SPLIT, AND WE'RE SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE.
THAT'S A SIGN OF A HEALTHY, STRONG BOARD, WHICH WE ALL ARE PART OF.
IN ADDITION, I THINK IT GIVES CLEAR DIRECTION TO STAFF RATHER THAN HAVING THEM KEEP HAVING TO GET OUT THEIR ERASER AND SHARPEN THEIR PENCIL.
SO I'M SURE THAT DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS APPRECIATIVE THAT THE BOARD SPOKE WITH ONE VOICE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH A THOUSAND TIMES.
UM, I DO HAVE I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID.
I THINK YOU SAID IT ELOQUENTLY.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR SCHMITT IN REGARDS TO THE PROCESS AFTER ACTION IS TAKEN PLACE.
IF ALL THREE ORDINANCES ARE PASSED TONIGHT, ARE THEY THEN PUBLISHED IN NEWSPAPER? AND THEN IS THERE AN APPEAL TIMING PROCESS AND WHEN CAN THESE BE CODIFIED? SO THESE ORDINANCES ARE ACTUALLY PUBLISHED AND PUBLISHED IN THERE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON REVIEW.
THIS ISN'T A ZONING ORDINANCE LIKE A MAP AMENDMENT.
IN THEORY, THERE IS AN APPEAL PROCESS.
OKAY? BUT FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT CHANGE, TYPICALLY THE BOARD HAS THAT ABILITY TO ADOPT THAT AND ONCE THEY ARE PUBLISHED, THEY ARE DECLARED EFFECTIVE AND IMMEDIATELY EFFECTIVE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THEN THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT TEXT AMENDMENT 2023-03.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN INGHAM COUNTY TO AMEND CHAPTER 40, ARTICLE TWO COMMERCIAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES.
MR. SPURLOCK, I BELIEVE WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
[12.C. Ordinance 2023-03 – Medical Marijuana Licensing Update – Final Adoption]
ITEM 12 D IS REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITIES RECERTIFICATION, HOUSING UPDATES.MR. SCHMIDT, I BELIEVE YOU'RE IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES, AND STAFF FINALLY GOT A GOOD DRAFT THAT WE WERE READY TO REFER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND SO WHAT THIS IS JUST AS A REMINDER, AS PART OF OUR REDEVELOPMENT READY CERTIFICATION RECERTIFICATIO N, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CHANGED SLIGHTLY IS ESSENTIALLY AN ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING BY RIGHT.
WHAT THE STATE, THE MEDC IS TRYING TO GET AT IS TO MAKE HOUSING MORE EASILY AND
[00:25:05]
CLEARLY ATTAINABLE FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, THEREBY, IN THEORY, REDUCING THE COST OF DEVELOPMENT.SO BY REDUCING TIME YOU ARE ABLE TO SELL IT FOR LESS AND IN THEORY MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND SO THEY DON'T TELL US HOW TO DO THIS.
THEY TELL US THAT WE NEED TO DO IT.
AND FUNCTIONALLY, WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS YOU NEED TO ESSENTIALLY HAVE IN MOST OF YOUR ZONING DISTRICTS THREE BY RIGHT HOUSING TYPES.
AND SO IN REVIEWING OUR ORDINANCES, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EASY ANSWERS HERE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING REDUCING THE MINIMUM HOUSE SIZE BECAUSE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU GET SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO BUILD A SMALL HOUSE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SMALL LOTS, VERY SMALL LOTS UP NEAR THE LAKE THAT IN THEORY ARE NOT VERY EASILY BUILDABLE UNDER OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE.
SO THIS WILL MAKE THOSE EASIER TO BUILD UPON, WHICH IN THEORY IS MORE AFFORDABLE.
IF YOU CAN BUILD A SMALLER HOUSE, IF YOU DON'T NEED A LARGER HOUSE, ALLOWING
[12.D. Redevelopment Ready Communities Recertification –Housing Updates]
MULTIPLE FAMILY UNITS BY RIGHT IN MULTIPLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICTS.UM, AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS A PROCESS TO ALLOW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
AND SO ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT IS HISTORICALLY THEY'RE CALLED AN IN-LAW SUITE OR A GRANNY FLAT SPACE.
[00:30:03]
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S ABOVE A GARAGE, WHETHER IT'S DETACHED OR ATTACHED TO THE HOUSE THAT HAS A SECONDARY POINT OF ACCESS.THAT'S NOT OBVIOUS FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT ALLOWS YOUR IN-LAWS TO LIVE THERE OR IT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A ROOM TO RENT OUT.
WE HAVE A SORT OF A COUPLE OF THESE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
THEY EXIST, BUT IN ONE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY A DWELLING UNIT, SO THEY'RE PERMITTED.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS CREATE A PROCESS TO MAKE THEM ACTUALLY PERMITTED, BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO AGE IN PLACE IN THEIR HOME.
IT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO HAVE MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSING.
IT ALSO JUST INCREASES YOUR HOUSING STOCK IN SMALL WAYS, WHICH SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTUALLY APPEARS TO HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO, AND THEN NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT.
IT WAS ONE OF THEIR GOALS TO ESTABLISH THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THEN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE GONE ANYWHERE.
AND SO WE'RE CIRCLING BACK TO THAT AS PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT READY CERTIFICATION.
THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER CHANGES IN THIS ORDINANCE I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON WHILE WE'RE HERE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, STAFF'S RECOMMENDING AND THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT READY CERTIFICATION IS THE PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENT FOR OR BY RIGHT USES.
SO A SPECIAL NOT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT STILL HAS STATE REQUIRED PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS, BUT FOR JUST SITE PLANS THAT ARE ALREADY PERMITTED AND MEET ALL THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS.
THERE SHOULD BE NO PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT FOR THAT.
WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF UTILIZING OUR WEBSITE ANYWAY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN MY TWO PLUS YEARS HERE, WE'VE HAD PROBABLY CLOSE TO TWO DOZEN OF THOSE SITE PLAN MEETINGS.
AND I CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME, AND I DON'T EVEN NEED THE WHOLE HAND IF YOU TAKE OUT COMCAST SALESMAN.
SO IT'S NOT AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET THE WORD OUT IF THAT'S OUR INTENDED GOAL.
THERE IS ALSO A PROVISION TO ALLOW MULTIFAMILY UNITS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN THE C TWO AND C THREE DISTRICT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT OF THE CAA ORDINANCE.
THE CAA STATE ENABLING LEGISLATION CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED WHEN WE ESTABLISHED IT BECAUSE TECHNICALLY WE'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
AND SO BEFORE WE GO ABOUT THINKING ABOUT DOING A TAX CAPTURE, WE'D LIKE TO GET IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE THAT I WANTED TO BRIEFLY TOUCH ON WAS I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS IS RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD IN TERMS OF JUST STRIKING ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.
UM, THE MAIN STRIKEOUT THAT YOU SEE IN HERE ACTUALLY IS FUNCTIONALLY THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ARE REPEATED IN THE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT FOR SOME REASON.
AND SO WE'RE JUST WE DON'T NEED THAT.
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE REPEATED.
UM, WE FOUND THIS AT A COUPLE OF PLACES AND SO AS WE DO THESE ORDINANCES, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE THAT MORE WHERE WE STRIKE A WHOLE BLOCK OF TEXT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THERE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO STREAMLINE THINGS AS BEST WE CAN HERE.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEKING THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S, SPECIFICALLY THE, THEIR INPUT ON THE ADUS, THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PIECE THAT WE WANT TO TRY AND MAKE IT AS WORKABLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S DEMAND FOR THAT OUT THERE AND WE GET THAT QUESTION REGULARLY.
AND SO THE REQUEST THIS EVENING IS TO REFER THIS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR REVIEW AND INPUT, AND WE WILL HAVE THIS BACK TO YOU HOPEFULLY IN SEPTEMBER.
BOARD MEMBERS, TRUSTEE WILSON.
I MOVE TO REFER THE TOPIC OF HOUSING ORDINANCE CHANGES RELATED TO THE REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITIES RECERTIFICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR INPUT AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
TIM TALKED ABOUT CLEANING UP A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEEDED CLEANING UP AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE WHICH YOU ARE DOING WITH THIS.
I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO SEE THE ADU CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING
[00:35:01]
THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN MANY, MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN RATHER BACKWARD ABOUT IT.SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, AS TIM SAID, INCREASE OUR HOUSING STOCK, ALLOW FOR ALTERNATIVES FOR MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES TO LIVE AT THE SAME LOCATION, BUT HAVE, IN ESSENCE, THEIR OWN PRIVATE SPACE.
I JUST THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE DO THIS AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS COMING FORWARD.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF TRUSTEE WILSON'S COMMENTS, I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
IT COMPLIES WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO IT DOES THAT IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
ALSO SMALLER HOUSING, SMALLER CARBON FOOTPRINT.
SO IF WE ALLOW FOR SMALLER HOUSING, LESS MATERIALS, LESS ENERGY AND LESS URBAN SPRAWL, WHICH SPEAKS TO WHAT TRUSTEE WILSON WAS ALSO SAYING, HAVING MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES, BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN THE SAME PROPERTY, TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, MOVES TOWARDS THAT AGING IN PLACE MOVEMENT THAT I KNOW IS NATIONALLY BECOMING MUCH MORE OF A TOPIC AND LOSING MY MOM THIS PAST YEAR I CAN SEE WHERE THAT IS YOU KNOW, AS OUR BOOMER POPULATION CONTINUES TO AGE, THIS IS NECESSARY TO HAVE PLACES WHERE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILY.
ALSO APPRECIATE THE THE COMMUNICATION AND THE TRANSPARENCY COMPONENT OF THE WEBSITE, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE TRULY DO KNOW AND CAN HAVE AN INPUT.
I THINK THAT MOST OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS VERY GOOD, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND PUBLIC INPUT ON THESE CHANGES.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE PREVIOUS TWO SPEAKERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE ADUS AS WELL AS THE TINY THE ALLOWING FOR SMALLER FOOTPRINT HOMES AS WELL.
I HAD A COUPLE OF I HAD ONE TEXT QUESTION BASED ON AROUND THE CIA UPDATES THAT ARE BEING SUGGESTED IN THE SECTION.
YOU SAY THAT MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF A BUILDING WHEN THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING CONSISTS OF NON RESIDENTIAL USES PERMITTED UNDER THE SECTION.
ARE WE ALLOWING FOR THE SECOND FLOOR AND HIGHER OR IS IT ONLY THE SECOND FLOOR? IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
THIS PROVISION ALLOWS ONLY FOR THE SECOND FLOOR TO MEET THE PROVISIONS OF BY RIGHT TO MEET THE CA REQUIREMENTS.
THE NET TO GO HIGHER THAN THAT YOU WOULD COME IN UNDER THE MUPUD.
NO, THIS IS, I THINK, A REALLY INTERESTING AND GOOD ORDINANCE SET OF ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT I'LL BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE TO GET THE FEEDBACK OF THE PUBLIC AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
DIRECTOR SCHMITT, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THESE CHANGES TO US.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY A STOP NINE MONTHS AGO.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH MEDC WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
YOU FLIPPED IT AROUND IN AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT SOME OUTDATED ORDINANCES OF OURS.
AND THAT'S REMARKABLE WORK, SO THANK YOU.
I LIKE THAT IT HELPS WITH THE DEMAND FOR MORE HOUSING.
REMEMBER, WE'RE THE FASTEST GROWING COMMUNITY IN MID-MICHIGAN, OVER 5000.
MOST OTHER LARGER COMMUNITIES ARE STAGNANT OR SHRINKING.
IT MAY INCREASE AFFORDABILITY AS WELL WITH SOME OF THESE SMALLER HOMES.
AND I REALLY LIKE THE ADU CONCEPT.
IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE ABILITY OF OUR RESIDENTS TO AGE IN PLACE.
AND YOU ASK FRAIL SENIORS WHAT THEY WHERE THEY WANT TO AGE IN PLACE WHEN THEY LOSE MOBILITY.
THIS WILL ENABLE THAT TO HAPPEN MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS BRINGING THIS TO US.
OF COURSE I'M FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS AND ALL THAT.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS REGARDING THE ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS.
I THINK IT DOES INCREASE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LANGUAGE THAT I READ IN HERE REGARDING AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT REGARDING THE SIZE OF THESE ADUS, WHERE IT ONLY SAYS THAT IT'S SMALLER THAN THE MAIN HOUSING UNIT.
HOW MUCH SMALLER IS THAT HOW YOU KNOW, SO SO MY CONCERNS WOULD BE HOW LARGE IS THIS ADU ON A LOT AND HOW WHEN I LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE THE LOT SIZE OF MY HOUSE, IT'S I HAVE A SMALL LOT SIZE YOU KNOW SO MY CONCERNS WOULD BE HOW BIG IS THE LOT FOR THE
[00:40:14]
PRIMARY DWELLING UNIT.HOW BIG CAN THE ADU BE ON THAT LOT IN THE BACK OR WHEREVER IT IS IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN, YOU KNOW, ABOVE THE GARAGE OR WHATEVER.
SO I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I REALLY WOULD HATE TO SEE A BUNCH OF THESE POP UP ALL OVER THE TOWNSHIP, SECONDARY UNITS BEHIND PEOPLE'S HOMES.
I DO APPRECIATE YARDS, BUT I ALSO DO APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THIS AS AN OPTION AS WELL.
SO THOSE WOULD BE MY CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOKS AT THIS.
AND JUST TO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE ORDINANCE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN WOULD LIMIT THEM TO 600FT², WHICH IS JUST SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THAN A NORMAL GARAGE.
AND FUNCTIONALLY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET ALL THE UNDERLYING REQUIREMENTS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD JUST TAKE UP YOUR WHOLE REAR YARD WITH ONE OF THESE.
YOU WOULD STILL HAVE TO MEET THE STANDARDS, WHICH IS GOING TO LIMIT THEIR VIABILITY AT FIRST.
BUT I THINK FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WE NEED TO SEE IF THE CONCEPT WORKS BEFORE WE EXPAND IT TO START, BECAUSE THE NEXT STEP IS TO START REDUCING THE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF LOT COVERAGE IN THE REAR YARD SO THAT SOMEONE WITH A SMALLER LOT COULD HAVE ONE OF THESE.
BUT THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
SO THEY'RE STILL MEETING THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS AND ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS? YEAH, WE'RE RIGHT.
SUBSECTION D OF THE CLAUSE OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO BE SETBACK.
SUBSECTION F WOULD MAXIMUM LOT SIZE MAXIMUM SIZE.
SO YEAH, WE'RE STILL THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET.
I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE UP TO SUBCU AND STANDARDS RIGHT NOW BUT YOU KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO TO MAKE THESE VIABLE WHILE NOT JUST ALLOWING EVERYTHING.
OKAY, THAT'S CLEAR TO ME THEN.
AND THEN ALSO IN REGARDS TO YOU MENTIONED THE LOTS AROUND THE LAKE, THAT THEY'RE SMALL, LOTS AROUND THE LAKE.
IF ARE THERE ANY EMPTY LOTS AROUND THE LAKE OR ARE THEY ALL OCCUPIED WITH SMALL HOMES? THERE'S SO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK THERE'S 83 LOTS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT ARE UNDER 6000FT², WHICH IS OUR MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
ALL OF THOSE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, EXISTED AS A LOT OF RECORD PRIOR TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND SO THEREFORE THEY ARE BUILDABLE.
AND SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, HOW DO YOU BUILD ON THEM? OBVIOUSLY, IF I HAVE A LOT THAT'S ONLY 2/10 OF AN ACRE, I'M NOT GOING TO BUILD A 4000 SQUARE FOOT HOME ON IT.
I'M MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT'S A 600 SQUARE FOOT FOOTPRINT AND TWO STORIES OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO BY REDUCING, BY ELIMINATING THE MINIMUM FLOOR AREA, YOU GIVE THOSE SMALL LOTS MORE VIABILITY IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO BE BUILT ON.
I THINK IT'S 83 THAT'S IN THE MASTER PLAN.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE ALL VIABLE TO BE BUILT ON BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GONE INTO THAT DETAIL OF ANALYSIS.
BUT THE WAY OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IS SET UP, IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD ON IT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
AND MAYBE IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME HOW I READ THE MEMO AND THE ORDINANCE OR HOW I HEARD YOU EXPLAIN IT, HOW IT HOW THIS ORDINANCE WOULD MAKE IT ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SOMEBODY WITH A NON-CONFORMING LOT SIZE WOULD BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO BUILD WHAT THEY NEED TO ON THOSE LOTS.
IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM BECAUSE THERE WOULDN'T BE A MINIMUM HOUSE SIZE THEY HAVE TO PUT ON IT IF THEY JUST WANTED TO PUT A 400 SQUARE FOOT COTTAGE ON THERE, 2/10 OF AN ACRE, THEY COULD DO THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? I THINK, MR. SCHMIDT, IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE SETBACKS AND THE DISTANCES BETWEEN DWELLINGS.
I STILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE UNDERLYING ZONING STANDARDS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ZONING DISTRICT.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, IN ADDITION TO THE MANY POSITIVES THAT HAVE BEEN NOTED HERE, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF MIXING HOUSING SIZES AND HOUSING TYPES AND WITHIN A WHAT ARE TYPICALLY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, SINGLE
[00:45:10]
FAMILY DISTRICTS.SO WHAT IS BEFORE US? WE HAVE A MOTION.
THE MOTION IS TO REFER THE TOPIC OF HOUSING ORDINANCE CHANGES RELATED TO THE REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITIES RECERTIFICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR INPUT AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
ALL OPPOSED TO THE MOTION PLEASE SAY NO.
THEN WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM E IS 12 E IS LAND PRESERVATION ACQUISITION.
[12.E. Land Preservation Acquisition-Cornell/Sweetwood]
CORNELL AND SWEETWOOD.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND TOWNSHIP BOARD.
YES, I HAVE EMMA CAMPBELL HERE.
SHE'S OUR STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND SHE IS GOING TO INTRODUCE THIS TOPIC.
AND THEN WE'RE BOTH HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
SO LAST TIME I WAS IN FRONT OF YOU WITH THIS ACQUISITION RECOMMENDATION WAS IN APRIL.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY A LITTLE BIT, SOME OF THE BACKGROUND ON THIS PARCEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR FOCUS FOR OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM IS NO LONGER ACQUISITION.
WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON STEWARDSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, AND WE HAVE OUR MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH DOES A GREAT JOB OF DOING ALL THAT WORK.
BUT WE DO HAVE CITIZENS, WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO SEND US REQUESTS ALL THE TIME FOR POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS ONE THAT WE GOT OUT OF PROBABLY ABOUT NINE, AND THIS WAS ONE THAT WE DECIDED TO PURSUE OUT OF ALL OF THOSE.
I HAVE A MAP HERE THAT, OF COURSE, IS REALLY TINY ON THE SCREEN, BUT I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A WAY TO ZOOM IN IF YOU NEED TO.
SO THE PARCEL IS ACTUALLY OUTLINED IN GREEN.
AND SO IT IS PART OF A WETLAND ON THE MAP.
THE BLUE AREAS ARE DELINEATED WETLANDS.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY COMPLETELY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WETLAND AT THE SITE, BUT THERE IS AN UPLAND AREA AS WELL AS A MARSHY AREA HERE.
SO THIS IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE ROAD FROM CORNELL ELEMENTARY.
SO SWEETWOOD DRIVE ENDS INTO THIS PARCEL.
DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH IS 30 ACRES OF THE HIAWATHA DRAIN RELIEF, WHICH IS THE INGHAM DRAIN OFFICE LAND.
SO THAT'S A REALLY NICE PARCEL OF GREEN SPACE.
THERE IS A PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT WE DID REACH OUT IN INTEREST BECAUSE OF COURSE WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT LARGER CHUNK TO TO PURSUE.
BUT WE DIDN'T HEAR RESPONSE FOR THAT.
SO HERE THESE ARE PICTURES FROM THE WINTER TIME.
SO THERE'S NOTHING GREEN IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE DID VISIT IT IN JUNE OF LAST SUMMER.
WE FOUND A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING PLANTS OUT THERE.
AND LUCKILY WE DIDN'T FIND A LOT OF INVASIVE SPECIES, WHICH MOST OF US KNOW TAKE TIME AND EFFORT TO REMOVE AND TO CONTROL, WHICH IS MY JOB.
SO IT HAS A VERY MANAGEABLE AREA AND A LOT OF NATIVE OAK SPECIES PRESENT AND AMONG OTHER WETLAND PLANTS AND WOODLAND PLANTS.
SO THERE'S A GOOD VARIETY THERE.
WE HAD THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD DO AN ECOLOGICAL SCREENING AND AFTER THAT WE DID HAVE IT APPRAISED.
WE ALSO HAD AN ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT PER OUR PROCEDURE FROM OUR PAST ACQUISITIONS.
AND SO NOTHING OF CONCERN CAME UP IN THAT REPORT.
AND THEN THE LAND WAS APPRAISED AT 62,000, WHICH WE OFFERED.
YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS A PENDING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START A PROCESS WITH US FOR THE LANDOWNERS? WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE REAL ESTATE AGENT.
THE LANDOWNERS ARE OUT OF TOWN, SO THAT'S WHO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH.
AND THEY ACCEPTED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH OUR PROCESS.
[00:50:02]
AND THEN OF COURSE, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, WE WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH OUR SECTION 61 REVIEW, WHICH WAS PASSED.AND REALLY JUST KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD.
OF COURSE, THERE'S THE QUESTION OF WHAT WOULD WE LIKE OUT OF THIS PARCEL OR WHAT IS THE VALUE WE SEE IN IT? AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IS THAT IT WOULDN'T TAKE A LOT TO MANAGE THIS SITE.
EVEN WITH OUR REDUCED MILLAGE, WE GET ANYWHERE FROM 180,000 TO $190,000 A YEAR TO MANAGE ALL OF OUR PARKS AND ALL OF OUR PRESERVES.
ALL OF OUR PRESERVES AND A LOT OF OUR MANAGEMENT DOES GO TO INVASIVE SPECIES.
IT ALSO GOES TO PRESCRIBED BURNS, IT GOES TO NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION.
I'M ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE FINAL BUDGET RIGHT NOW AND WE ARE REALLY PUSHING TOWARDS MORE CONTRACTUAL MANAGEMENT WITH THAT WITH THOSE MONIES AS WELL.
I'M ONE PERSON FOR 1700 ACRES, SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK DOWN THOSE AVENUES.
BUT OF COURSE, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE MCC, WHICH IS A TOTALLY INVALUABLE PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS OUR CITIZENS TO THESE NATURAL AREAS AND THEY DO SO MUCH WONDERFUL WORK AND THEY COME OUT IN CRAZY WEATHER AND JUST HAVE SO MUCH FUN.
SO OF COURSE, THIS WOULD BE A PIECE OF ALL THAT.
AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, AS SOMEONE WHO IS THE STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR AND WENT TO SCHOOL TO STUDY WILDLIFE BIOLOGY, IS THAT THIS IS A SMALL PARCEL.
SMALL PARCELS DO MATTER IN THE END.
SO THERE IS A WETLAND AT THIS SITE.
WE DO HAVE REALLY GREAT WETLAND PROTECTIONS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE A TREE ORDINANCE.
SO IF SOMEONE WERE TO WANT TO CLEAR THIS AREA, THAT'S VERY MUCH AN OPTION FOR THEM.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SITES LIKE THIS, WE WE ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT THE BENEFITS OF NATIVE TREES AND EVERYTHING THEY PROVIDE FOR US, COOLING OUR CITIES DOWN, PROVIDING SHADE, MITIGATING FLOODING, SOAKING UP WATER, CLEANING OUR WATER, ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS.
SO I HAVE I'M HERE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, AND SO IS LEANNE.
UM, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION TO ACQUIRE PARCEL NUMBER 20 6-202-001, CONSISTING OF 2.
71 ACRES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY VALUABLE LAND FOR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $62,000 PLUS OR MINUS FROM THE TRUST OF MICHAEL AND LISA ALLEN AND AUTHORIZED TOWNSHIP MANAGER WALSH AND CLERK GUTHRIE TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.
THANK YOU, EMMA, FOR YOUR CERTAINLY YOUR PRESENTATION HERE.
BUT ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS AND I MISS SOME LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, I DO KNOW HOW HARD AND HOW MUCH WORK WENT INTO THIS AND HOW MUCH THOUGHT, GIVEN THAT THE MISSION ISN'T GENERALLY ABOUT ACQUISITION AND MORE ABOUT STEWARDSHIP.
BUT IT WAS A REALLY OPPORTUNITY FOR LAMPREYS TO, LIKE YOU SAID, TO TO ACQUIRE THAT AND MAINTAIN THE ECOLOGICAL COMPONENT OF IT.
IN ADDITION, I KNOW WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ALSO.
IT IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CORNELL, SO THERE IS LOTS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE, LET'S SAY WETLANDS OR NATIVE TREES.
WOULDN'T THAT BE FANTASTIC? UM, AND ONE MORE THING TO ADD TO THAT IS WE DO WE HAVE ISSUED A GREEN GRANT TO CORNELL WOODS COMMON AREA TO ALSO PLANT ADDITIONAL NATIVE TREES WITH SOME EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS.
SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT AREA FOR STEWARDSHIP, LAND PRESERVATION AND ALSO EDUCATION.
I THINK THE WHOLE BOARD, THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS AND I APPRECIATE IT.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI TRUSTEE WISINSKI, COULD I ASK YOU TO DEFINE THE WE WE ISSUED THE GRANT.
WE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ISSUED A GREEN GRANT TO CORNELL WOODS.
I CAN ONLY MIRROR WHAT TRUSTEE WISINSKI SAID, BECAUSE TO ME, THE MOST VALUABLE THING ABOUT THIS PARCEL IS THE PROXIMITY TO CORNELL ELEMENTARY.
THAT SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE REBUILT AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LARGER POPULATION, AND IT JUST AFFORDS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO HAVE ECOLOGICAL EXPLORATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE ON LAND PRESERVATION AND THE CORPS OF VOLUNTEERS
[00:55:05]
WHO YOU'VE ASSEMBLED TO DO THIS WORK.I MEAN, BASICALLY, YOU GET VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT EVERY OTHER WEEK AND PULL WEEDS FOR US AND PLANT TO IN TERMS OF TREES.
DO YOU HEARD A GREAT SAYING ABOUT TREES.
THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE IS 20 YEARS AGO.
THE SECOND BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE IS TODAY.
SO ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ANY MORE TREES ON A PLAN AND PUTTING ANY NATIVE TREE SAPLINGS ON THE SITE? SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD NEED TO NECESSARILY RIGHT AWAY AT THIS SITE BECAUSE OF THE OAK SPECIES THAT ARE PRESENT THERE AND THEY'RE QUITE MATURE.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PLANT THEM.
WE KNOW THAT OUR OAK SPECIES ARE THRIVING, BUT THE THE YOUNG OAKS ARE NOT REGENERATING BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPRESSING FIRE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT OUR PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
ADOPTING THIS AREA IS WE COULD ACTUALLY MANAGE IT CORRECTLY AND DIVERT IT IN A WAY TO NATURALLY REGENERATE WITH NATIVE TREE SPECIES BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY A LOT OF GREAT STUFF THERE.
YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE 1700 ACRES OF LAND PRESERVED.
I THINK WHEN IT WAS SET UP IN TRUSTEE, THERE'S 1000, 1700 IS WHAT I OVERSEE WITH PARKS AND PRESERVES.
YES, BUT IT'S STILL FAR MORE THAN WE EVER INTENDED WHEN WE SET THIS UP.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING OUT THAT THIS IS A LOW MAINTENANCE AREA AND THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT CONTRACTING SOME OF THIS WORK OUT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH YOU AND YOUR YOUR CONSERVATION CORPS CAN DO.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
VERY MUCH VALUE OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES.
I'LL ADD TO THE CHORUS OF FOLKS WHO HAVE PRAISED THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THAT THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD HAS DONE IN IDENTIFYING THIS PARCEL AND BRINGING IT TO US.
THIS IS, AS YOU SAID, A TWO JUST OVER TWO AND A HALF ACRE PARCEL.
AND WHEN YOU IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, COMPARE THAT TO THE 1000 ACRES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT IT ISN'T, ESPECIALLY FOR, WE HOPE, FOR THE CHILDREN AT CORNELL ELEMENTARY.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF FISCAL QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE YOU OR DIRECTOR MAISNER COULD HELP ME TO JUST WRAP MY HEAD AROUND.
WE GOT A REPORT FROM OUR AUDITORS ABOUT A MONTH AGO ABOUT THE FINANCIALS RELATING TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE LAND PRESERVATION FUND.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURES IN 2022 IS ABOUT 140,000.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S A TYPICAL YEAR FOR THE LAND PRESERVATION EXPENDITURES? I THINK IT'S INCREASING.
AGAIN, OUR FOCUS WAS A LITTLE LESS ON MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP SINCE I STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2020 WHEN I WAS HIRED IN.
THEY SAID, WE WANT THE MANAGEMENT, WE WANT IT BIG.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PLACES TO IMPROVE.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN MY GOAL, IS TO JUST UTILIZE AS MUCH OF THAT AS MANY OF THOSE MONIES AS POSSIBLE.
AND AND WE ARE CONTRACTING OUT MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE FOR INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND PRESCRIBED BERMS. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BE YOU KNOW, MY BUDGET THIS YEAR IS UTILIZING MORE CONTRACTUAL WORK TO BRING THAT UP TO AROUND THAT 180,000 THAT WE'RE GETTING THROUGH THE MILLAGE.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE EXPECT TO COME IN THEN, IS THAT 180,000 THAT WE SAW, 192 THAT WE SAW LAST YEAR IS ROUGHLY ABOUT WHAT WE EXPECT PLUS WHATEVER THE INCREASES WERE FROM INFLATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO SINCE AS FAR AS I'VE, SINCE THAT MILLAGE HAS BEEN REDUCED, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING OR RECEIVING FROM THAT.
AND AGAIN, IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TRIAL AND ERROR.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET WITH YOUR FUNDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO WORK OR NOT AT A CERTAIN PRESERVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE'VE HAD A REALLY LARGE YEAR OF INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND GETTING OUR CORE OUT THERE AND DOING ALL THAT WORK, WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY PAYING OFF WHERE WE'RE INCLUDING MORE RESEARCH INTO LIKE OUR PRESCRIBED BURN AREAS.
WE'RE DOING FLORISTIC SURVEYS NOW SO THAT WE CAN GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW SUCCESSFUL THOSE ARE.
WE'RE SEEING THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE WOULD LIKE DATA TO BACK THAT UP.
[01:00:02]
SO THAT'S ONLY GOING TO INCREASE WHAT WE SPEND MORE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT WORKS.YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO FRIVOLOUS AND SPEND OUR MANAGEMENT MONEY WHEN I FEEL LIKE MAYBE IT'S GOING TO BE A WASTE.
SO NOW THAT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND I'M REALLY SEEING HOW THIS IS ALL IMPROVING OUR LAND PRESERVES, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT FULFILLED COMPLETELY EACH YEAR AT THAT AT WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THAT MILLAGE.
TO ADD THAT IF POSSIBLE, BACK IN 2000, WHEN THE MILLAGE WAS FIRST ADOPTED, THERE WAS A PART OF THE MILLAGE THAT WOULD GO INTO A FUND THAT WAS AN ENDOWMENT FUND THAT WOULD FUND MAINTENANCE IN PERPETUITY.
AND THEN WHEN THAT MILLAGE ENDED AND THEN IT WENT TO A MORE REDUCED MILLAGE, THERE WAS MONEY SET ASIDE FOR ACQUISITION AND WE STILL HAVE, I BELIEVE, $4 MILLION IN A FUND JUST FOR ACQUISITION.
SO THE MONEY THAT WAS BEING SPENT ON THIS ACQUISITION WILL NOT CUT INTO THE ANNUAL FEES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING NOW FROM THE REDUCED MILLAGE OF $180,000.
SO IF YOU WERE THINKING OF SPENDING THAT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH IF THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE HEADED.
THERE IS MONEY SET ASIDE FOR ACQUISITION STILL THROUGH THE LAND PRESERVATION FUND.
AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT I SEE WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR AUDITED STATEMENTS, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THERE'S $7 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE IN ADDITION TO THE ANNUAL INCOMING, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION I'M AS I LOOK AT WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD THAT, YOU KNOW TRUSTEE WILSON ALLUDED TO WITH THE SOME POSSIBLE STATE MONEY COMING IN THAT'S SORT OF A BIGGER PICTURE VISION OF IT.
I ASK MYSELF, IF WE HAVE $7 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE IN THE BANK, IS IT NECESSARY TO CONTINUE AND AND WE ARE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ACQUISITION THAT WE ARE EXPECTING OVER THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS TO 20 YEARS.
HOWEVER LONG IS IT NECESSARY TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THIS MILLAGE AT THIS TIME FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, KNOWING THAT THERE'S $7 MILLION SITTING IN A FUND BALANCE SOMEWHERE? THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND, NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT THAT YOU THE WORK WE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FUND.
WE DO YOU KNOW, IF WE BASED ON THE 7 MILLION THAT I SEE THERE, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IF WE WERE TO SAY NO MORE MILLAGE TOMORROW, WE COULD FUND THE THE CONSERVATION AND THE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES FOR A FURTHER 50 YEARS BASED ON THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE, KNOWING THAT SOME OF IT'S EARMARKED, HALF OF IT OR MORE IS EARMARKED FOR ACQUISITION IS REALLY IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THAT WEIGHING IN, BUT THAT WAS ALL MY QUESTIONS.
YOU DO GREAT WORK AND WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU ON VOLUNTEERING.
PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TIME KNOWING HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS OUT THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR LAND PRESERVES.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THIS THIS PROPERTY, AGAIN, ECHOING THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, IS ACROSS FROM CORNELL ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY, BUT ALSO ON A NATURAL BEAUTY ROAD.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL TO KEEP THE THAT ROAD IN THAT NATURAL BEAUTY STATE.
UM, MY QUESTION I HAVE ONE QUESTION AND IT IS WILL YOU CONTINUE IF WILL YOU CONTINUE PURSUING REACHING OUT TO THAT NEIGHBOR IN REGARDS TO THEIR PROPERTY OR.
YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT OR ONCE THIS IS DONE, YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, NO, WE'RE DONE REACHING OUT TO THEM.
WILL THAT PURSUIT CONTINUE? I BELIEVE THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE BOARD.
IT'S A SIMILAR SIZE PROPERTY AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING TO ACQUIRE, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE POTENTIALLY ACQUIRING THIS PARCEL HERE AND THEY COULD CONNECT AND JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT EVEN MORE, I THINK WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE INTERESTED IN REACHING OUT AGAIN.
IN ANY OTHER CASE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REACHING OUT TO ANYBODY IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF RECOMMENDED FROM STAFF OR RESIDENTS, THE COMMUNITY.
BUT YEAH, THERE'S CERTAINLY INTEREST.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PESTER ANYONE BUT WOULDN'T HURT TO SEND OUT ANOTHER LETTER OF INTEREST.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. DUCHAINE.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE LAND MILLAGE MILLAGE, IT IS ONE TENTH OF ONE MILL, SO IT'S ABOUT $0.
AND WE RECENTLY CUT THAT BACK LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSER TO 4/10 OF A MILL.
SO WE REALLY SLASHED IT BACK ALREADY.
[01:05:03]
YES.AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MY AS A STAFF PERSON, MY, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE AND WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING IS MANAGING OUT OF THAT MILLAGE FUND AND OF COURSE THERE IS THAT OTHER MONIES I HAVEN'T TRULY REALLY LOOKED TO DO ANY OF MY WORK OUT OF THAT.
BUT I DO THINK THERE IS ALSO THE VALUE IN THE COMMUNITY BEING ABLE TO GIVE SOME MONEY TOWARD THIS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME OUT TO WORK DAYS OR WHEN THEY ARE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE HIKE WE'RE DOING OR LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS, THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE PART OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF COOL TOO, AND THEY ALL SEEM APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
SO BUT I DO ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU WANT ME TO STOP REMOVING OR PAYING ME TO REMOVE INVASIVES FROM NATURAL AREAS, YOU CAN STOP PLANTING THEM IN YOUR YARDS.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE INCENTIVE TOO, THAT COMES WITH THE MILLAGE.
THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION TO ACQUIRE PARCEL NUMBER 26-202-001, CONSISTING OF 2.
71 ACRES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY VALUABLE LAND FOR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND THE AMOUNT OF $62,000 PLUS OR MINUS FROM THE TRUST OF MICHAEL AND LISA ALLEN AND AUTHORIZED TOWNSHIP MANAGER WALSH AND CLERK GUTHRIE TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.
MR. SPURLOCK, I BELIEVE WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM 12 F, AND THIS IS LISTED AS A RECOMMENDED 2024 BUDGET
[12.F. Recommended 2024 Budget Schedule]
SCHEDULE.YOU HAVE THE BUDGET SCHEDULE IN FRONT OF YOU.
PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING DATE TO NOTE ON THAT IS SEPTEMBER 5TH, AND THAT'S WHEN THE BOARD HEARS THE ENTIRE BUDGET REPORT BOARD HAS INPUT ON THAT AT THAT TIME AND CHANGES ARE TYPICALLY MADE ON THAT EVENING MODIFICATIONS.
AND IT COMES BACK TO YOU ON SEPTEMBER 19TH.
THIS IS A TYPICAL BUDGET SCHEDULE.
IT'S NOT A TYPICAL BUDGET SEASON GIVEN THAT WE'VE BEEN WITHOUT A FINANCE DIRECTOR NOW FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WE'RE REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO HAVE THE BUDGET TO YOU 120 DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO AT THE END OF AUGUST, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE BUDGET TO YOU.
OUR ACCOUNTANT, BERNIE FAULKNER, WHO IS OUR BERNIE BLONDIE NOW, IS NOW THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND SHE'S DOING GREAT WORK.
SHE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS AND I FULLY EXPECT THE TWO OF US TO HAVE THE BUDGET TO YOU ON TIME.
THE SCHEDULE IS RIGHT NOW TO HAVE IT TO YOU ON AUGUST 25TH, 4 OR 5 DAYS AHEAD OF WHAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
WE WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE BUDGET REVIEW IS SEPTEMBER 5TH.
WE WANT TO GIVE YOU 12 OR 13 DAYS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK THAT BUDGET OVER.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE REGARDING THE SCHEDULE.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE SCHEDULE? TRUSTEE WILSON.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2024 TOWNSHIP BUDGET SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED.
WE KNOW THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE YOU'RE TRYING TO OVERCOME TO GET THIS DONE.
AND I THINK THIS IS DOABLE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
WITH THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, DO YOU HAVE DO YOU ARE YOU CONFIDENT YOU HAVE THE STAFFING TO GET THIS TO MEET THIS RATHER AGGRESSIVE BUDGET SCHEDULE TO US? YOU KNOW, I WAS AT TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAD IN MY MIND THAT WE WERE GOING TO BRING IN A RETIRED CITY MANAGER WHO I KNOW WHO IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD TALENTED WITH BUDGETS.
BUT I SAT AND LISTENED TO OTHER PEOPLE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, ESPECIALLY BERNIE BERNADETTE, WHO IS OUR ACCOUNTANT, AND SHE MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE AND I LISTENED TO SOME OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOURSELF, AND HAD PLACED MY FULL CONFIDENCE IN HER.
AND I'VE STEPPED ASIDE AND I'LL BE MEETING WITH HER REGULARLY.
BUT SHE HAS THE NUMBER ONE THING SHE HAS, SHE HAS GREAT RAPPORT WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS AND SHE'S REALLY WELL RESPECTED IN THE ORGANIZATION.
[01:10:02]
AND SO THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP HER MEND WELL INTO BRINGING THE BUDGET FORWARD.AND SHE'LL DO GREAT WORK AND THE DIRECTORS WILL DO GREAT WORK AND WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET TO YOU AND YOU WON'T EVEN NOTICE A SPEED BUMP.
I'M AGREEABLE TO THIS CALENDAR.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED SEPTEMBER 26TH AS A SPECIAL MEETING IF NECESSARY, WHICH IS ALSO A DATE THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE AND HAVE COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE MAY NEED TO MOVE THAT SPECIAL MEETING TO A DIFFERENT DATE, MAYBE THAT SAME WEEK, EVEN A DIFFERENT DAY OF THE WEEK.
YEAH, I CAN ASSURE YOU, IN MY TEN YEARS WE HAVEN'T NEEDED THAT MEETING AND WE WON'T NEED THAT MEETING THIS YEAR.
IT'S A GOOD POINT, BUT WE WILL NOT NEED THAT MEETING.
WE NEVER HAVE AND WE NEVER WILL BECAUSE WE CAN GET OUR WORK DONE WITH TWO MEETINGS.
CLERK GUTHRIE JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON ECHO MANAGER WALSH'S COMMENTS REGARDING BERNIE'S.
SHE'S NOW THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR.
INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE CALENDAR.
I'VE MET WITH HER ABOUT THE BUDGET AND SHE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB EXPLAINING TO ME MY BUDGET.
AND WE REVIEWED DIFFERENT PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL YEAR AND REVIEWING THOSE LINE ITEMS WITH ME, AND SO I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN HER AND SHE HAD GREAT RAPPORT ANYTIME I'VE EVER SPOKEN WITH HER.
AND SO SHE'S JUST EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT TO WORK WITH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE BECAUSE BECAUSE I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH HER ON THE BUDGET AND AND SHE'S BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HER AND I LOVE HER STYLE.
I WALKED INTO THE ROOM WHERE HER OFFICE IS LOCATED THIS MORNING, AND I WAS GOING TO SAY TO HER THAT YOU DIDN'T NEED TO COME TO THE MEETINGS.
IT'S JUST TO SETTING THE BUDGET SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW.
AND SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SHE SAID, I SEE THAT BUDGET SCHEDULE AND DO YOU REALIZE THIS IS MY GOLF NIGHT? I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL HER NOT TO COME.
SO HOPEFULLY SHE'S HAVING A GOOD ROUND.
THEN THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE 2024 TOWNSHIP BUDGET SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED.
UM, WE CAN USE A VOICE VOTE HERE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION BEFORE YOU PLEASE SAY YES.
IF I MAY JUST GO OFF THE AGENDA FOR JUST ONE MINUTE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A FINANCE DIRECTOR ALONG WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN.
I KNOW TRAVERSE CITY JUST INCREASED THEIR SALARY SIGNIFICANTLY, TRYING TO FIND A FINANCE DIRECTOR.
AND NOW IT'S GETTING TO WHERE WE USED TO REQUIRE A CPA.
NOW IT'S PREFERRED BECAUSE THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH TO GO AROUND.
AND I THINK THERE'S 11 OPENINGS FOR FINANCE DIRECTORS.
LAST TIME I LOOKED IN MICHIGAN, PEOPLE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO FIND THEM.
AND WE REALLY OUR TEAM HERE, WHICH INCLUDED SUPERVISOR JACKSON, TREASURER DESCHAINE AND OUR HR DIRECTOR, ABBY KEHOFF AND BERNIE, AND WE ALSO INVITED OUR INTERN, WILL CHRISTIE, TO SET IN.
BUT WE REALLY WERE FOCUSED ON A FEW THINGS AND THAT WAS WE WANTED SOMEONE WHO KNEW ACCOUNTING, KNEW BSNA SOFTWARE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT, BUT KNEW IT HAS DONE OR UNDERSTANDS MUNICIPAL ACCOUNTING, KNOWS OR UNDERSTANDS MUNICIPAL ACCOUNTING OR AUDITING.
AND THEN IT'S A BONUS IF YOU'RE A CPA AND THEN A TRIPLE BONUS IF YOU'RE A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT AND IF YOU HAVE A YOUR PERSONABLE AND TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, THAT'S THE GRAND SLAM.
AND WE LOOKED AT ALL THESE THINGS AND WE KNEW WE WERE LOOKING FOR IS A TALL TASK.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE COMMITTEE'S WORK.
I'M HAPPY WITH WHO I'M SELECTED TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU THIS EVENING.
BUT WE'VE REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO BRING UP DANTE.
DANTE, CAN YOU COME UP? DIANE? DANTE ALIGHIERI IS.
HE HAS, I THINK, THREE TIMES MORE THAN I HAVE, BUT AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM U OF M, A LAW DEGREE FROM MICHIGAN STATE.
HE'S A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT, FORMER PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR.
HE SERVED A VOLUNTEER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
HE HAS A REAL LOVE FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
HE HIT ALL OF THE CIRCLES FOR US ON THIS RECRUITMENT.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO INTRODUCE DANTE THIS EVENING.
HE'S CURRENTLY WITH YO AND YO, OUR ACCOUNTING FIRM, AND HE WILL BE STARTING WITH US ON AUGUST 15TH.
[01:15:01]
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY, DANTE, BUT THE MIC IS YOURS.I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE LIVED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MOST OF MY LIFE, WENT TO OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FIRST THROUGH 12TH GRADE, AND I'M JUST REALLY PRIVILEGED AND HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, HAVE A CHANCE TO SERVE.
OH, NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE NOT MOVING.
NOW WE MOVE TO ITEM 12 G, HAS TO DO WITH MAISNER RETIREMENT CONSULTING
[12.G. Maisner Retirement Consulting Agreement]
AGREEMENT.SO, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGEMENT, THERE'S ONE MAIN THING YOU GOT TO REMEMBER IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN MANAGEMENT, AND THAT IS SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU CARE BEFORE YOU SHOW THEM THAT YOU KNOW.
SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU CARE BEFORE YOU SHOW THEY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU KNOW.
AND LUANN AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR TEN YEARS AND IT'S BEEN AN EXCELLENT TEN YEARS.
MUSKEGON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE CAME FROM A FAMILY OF DRY CLEANERS, BY THE WAY.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY LONG STORIES ABOUT THAT.
HER FATHER ACTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HARRY MORGAN, WHO, IF YOU WATCH MASH, THE STAR OF MASH.
EXCELLENT ATHLETE, TENNIS, SOFTBALL, PLAYED IN COLLEGE, GRADUATED FROM GRAND VALLEY, WENT ON AND WENT ON A DATE ONE NIGHT WITH A GUY FROM THE SHE KNEW FROM THE PARKS AND REC ASSOCIATION THAT TURNED INTO A MARRIAGE ON MAY 8TH OF 1993.
SO THEY JUST CELEBRATED 30 YEARS.
HER HUSBAND, MIKE, VERY ACCOMPLISHED BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, EVERYTHING OFFICIAL, ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE EVER TO MAKE IT TO THE BIG TEN RANKS AND WAS A BIG TEN FOOTBALL OFFICIAL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, VERY RESPECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND BEYOND.
RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS, CHRISTINA AND JENNIFER, AND JUST HAS BEEN A REAL PILLAR IN THIS COMMUNITY.
LUANN CAME TO ME ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY READY TO RETIRE AND I PLAN TO RETIRE SOMETIME IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
AND I SAID AT THAT POINT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER BECAUSE WE THINK ABOUT WHAT LUANN DOES FOR A MINUTE, THINK ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THE FARMERS MARKET, YOU GOT THE MARKETPLACE, YOU GET THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, YOU GOT THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND YOU GOT THE SENIOR CENTER AND YOU GOT ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, 31, PARKS, 30 LAND PRESERVES.
YOU KNOW, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND WORKS WITH THE PARKS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LOT THAT LUANN OVERSEES IN HER ROLE.
AND I'M THINKING, HOW CAN WE LOSE? FIRST OF ALL, A PERSON WHO BRINGS IT EVERY DAY AND GELS WITH A TEAM, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, GELS WITH THE TEAM.
AND WITHOUT THAT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF LEADER YOU ARE.
WE HAVE HER HIRED OCTOBER OF 1999, I BELIEVE.
AND WE JUST CANNOT ALLOW THAT INSTITUTIONALIZED TO WALK AWAY.
AND SO I SIT DOWN WITH HER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND KIND OF REMINDED ME OF MY HIGH SCHOOL PROM DATE.
SHE SAID NO TWICE, BUT I DIDN'T GIVE UP.
I WENT BACK AND WE HAD A THIRD CONVERSATION AND TALKED TO LYNN ABOUT STAYING ON IN A CONSULTING ROLE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN HIRE SOMEONE THAT I CAN FORESEE AND THAT THEY CAN COME IN AND TAKE OVER AND HAVE ALL THIS JUST LIKE NOW WHEN WE GOT UP AND WELL, BACK IN 2000, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.
THAT'S I'M SITTING BACK THINKING THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TONIGHT.
SO LUANN AND I HAD JUST GREAT POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS AND TALKING ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT WORK.
AND AND THE ONE BEAUTY THING ABOUT IT IS THE TRUST THAT'S BETWEEN US.
SHE KNEW THAT WHEN I SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO.
AND I KNEW SHE SAID, THIS IS WHAT I'LL DO.
I KNEW THAT I COULD TRUST HER AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A CONTINUATION OF LUANN SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP, IF YOU WOULD.
SO CONSIDER AND WHAT IT WOULD BE IS A RETIREMENT IN EARLY JANUARY I THINK AROUND THE THIRD AND THEN SIX MONTHS OF CONSULTANT WORK WHERE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, WE GOT WORK GOING ON AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.
WE GOT WORK GOING ON AT HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND ON AND ON AND ON.
ALL THE EVENTS THAT GO ON AT THE FARMERS, THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE PARKS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH PART OF THE COMMUNITY WHO'S TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TOWNER ROAD PARK.
ALL KINDS OF ISSUES GOING ON WITH HER HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE WILL BE SO
[01:20:01]
IMPORTANT.AND SO TONIGHT, I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THIS CONSULTANT AGREEMENT, WHICH WOULD KEEP HER ON BOARD FOR SIX MONTHS UNTIL JUNE 30TH OF 2024.
AND THE COMPENSATION AND THE PACKAGE IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO AND IT WILL AID OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO RECREATION WISE TO HAVE HER EXPERTISE.
AND I'VE EVEN TOLD HER, IF YOU GET BORED, WELL, SHE SAID, NO WAY.
BUT I SAID, IF YOU GET BORED ON A MONDAY, YOU CAN STILL COME TO THE MEETING.
SHE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY, BUT THE INVITATIONS THERE AND ALWAYS BE THERE.
SO AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO HAVE LOU MEISSNER COME UP AND JUST RECOGNIZE HER AND OFFER HER A CHANCE TO SAY SOME COMMENTS.
CAN YOU BELIEVE I'M HERE ANNOUNCING MY RETIREMENT? OH, MY GOSH.
ANYWAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE SOME OF MY STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE SHOWED UP HERE TODAY, PARK COMMISSIONERS AND MY HUSBAND, MIKE.
AND IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY.
WORKING FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS YOUR FIRST DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION HAS BEEN A DREAM JOB OF MINE AND IT HAS BEEN A PINNACLE OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND I MEAN THAT.
IN THE FIELD OF PARKS AND RECREATION, WE WORK TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS, ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, MAKE THEM FEEL PART AND CONNECTED.
AND BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF MY 24 YEARS, MY LIST OF ACQUAINTANCES AND FRIENDS HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT IS THAT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE GOT MY KLEENEX AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE THEY KIND OF INTERTWINE.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S KIND OF EMOTIONAL TO ANNOUNCE MY RETIREMENT.
BUT DON'T BE WRONG, I WANT TO RETIRE.
I'M JUST STRUGGLING JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE.
BUT IT'S HARD, TOO, BECAUSE COMING IT'S BEEN MORE THAN JUST A JOB.
IT IS MY PASSION WORKING HERE.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S HARD.
I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO MY WONDERFULLY TALENTED AND DEDICATED STAFF WHO ARE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
IT IS THEM AND IT'S THE REST OF THEM THAT AREN'T HERE AS WELL.
AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF OUR PARK COMMISSIONERS WHO LEND THEIR EXPERTISE AND VISION TO GUIDE THE PATH FORWARD FOR PARKS.
AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND FELLOW DEPARTMENT HEADS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR LEADER, FRANK WALSH.
THANK YOU, FRANK, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR MENTORSHIP AND YOUR GUIDANCE, WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND FOR CREATING A COHESIVE TEAM ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WORK TOGETHER AND WE TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND WE HAVE EACH OTHER'S BACK.
AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY SPECIAL.
AND HE'S REALLY CREATED A WINNING AND COHESIVE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE OF THAT.
COLLECTIVELY, OVER THE 24 YEARS, WE HAVE ALL DONE GREAT WORK.
ALL OF US, EVERYONE THAT I MENTIONED, IT'S TAKEN EVERYONE AND WE CAN BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
OUR QUALITY PARK SYSTEM, OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS, THE LAND PRESERVES, THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, RECREATION, FARMER'S MARKET, SENIOR CENTER, HISTORICAL VILLAGE, WELL MAINTAINED FACILITIES.
AND ALL OF THIS WORK AND MORE SUPPORTS WHAT BEING A PRIME COMMUNITY IS ALL ABOUT.
THAT IS POWERFUL, THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN A PART OF THAT.
AND I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR KINDNESS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M MAKING THIS THROUGH PRETTY MUCH WITHOUT CRYING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS, AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE YOU AND IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE A PARTY.
THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE A PARTY.
ANYWAY, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO REQUEST THE CONSENT AGREEMENT THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MAISNER.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED MAISNER RETIREMENT CONSULTING AGREEMENT BETWEEN
[01:25:01]
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR LUANN MAISNER, AND AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT.SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE THE FIRST EVER PARKS DIRECTOR FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND SOMEONE THAT KNOWS YOU REALLY WELL.
SITTING NEXT TO YOU, A LONG SERVING PARK COMMISSIONER, AMANDA LICK.
WOULD YOU MIND SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT LUANN? EXCUSE ME.
WELL, I WILL NOW HAVE ENOUGH TEARS FOR BOTH OF US.
LUANN MAISNER IS TRULY A COMMUNITY GEM AND A GIFT.
SHE'S BEEN A WONDERFUL FRIEND AND MENTOR.
WE, I CAME INTO THE PARK COMMISSION NOT REALLY KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT PARKS.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT THAT ON TV, BUT I DID.
AND LUANN WELCOMED ME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND TOOK ME UNDER HER WING.
AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS I WAS SERVING AS THE CHAIR, DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT WAS INCREDIBLY SCARY.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD ABOUT 60 PICKLE BALLERS SHOW UP TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS AND LUANN JUST HANDLED IT LIKE IT WAS NOTHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT WAS JUST LIKE AND SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO LISTEN AND BETTER AND HOW TO CARE BETTER AND HOW TO GIVE BETTER, TO GIVE BACK TO WHERE YOU LIVE IN A PLACE THAT YOU LOVE.
AND I'M JUST SO FOREVER GRATEFUL.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL IF WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH HER, YOU'RE A BETTER PERSON.
IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WALK IN OUR PARKS, YOU'RE A BETTER PERSON.
IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LIVE HERE AND JUST ENJOY ANY OF THE AMENITIES THAT SHE HAS PUT HER HEART AND SOUL INTO.
ANN HAS TAKEN SOME OF OUR CRAZIEST IDEAS AND MADE THEM COME TRUE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE SKATE THE SKATE RINK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD ICE SKATES FOR ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTED TO UTILIZE IT.
ICE SKATES CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE, AND HER AND HER TEAM WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD THEM AVAILABLE.
THE DOG PARK, MAKING SURE THAT THAT WAS AN EXPENSE LIKE THOSE MEMBERSHIPS CAN BE EXPENSIVE FOR FOLKS.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE, I MEAN, ANYTHING YOU PUT IN FRONT OF HER, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY AND SOMETHING I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH WITH ME AND TAKE FOR IT IN MY WORK IS THAT IT IS A NO.
LIKE SHE DOESN'T SAY NO, IT'S A LET'S FIGURE THAT OUT TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN.
AND I KNOW THAT SHE'LL BE HERE WAY BEYOND THIS CONTRACT.
RIGHT? LIKE YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF GOOD WORK OUT OF SOMEONE FOR A LONG TIME COMING, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S THERE'S NOTHING INSIDE OF HER THAT ISN'T ABOUT GIVING AND AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE NOW AND IN GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO, LOU ANN, TRULY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
I KNOW THAT CHAIR FERRIS AND I BOTH ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL.
AND I KNOW THAT FROM WHAT YOUR STAFF HAS SHARED OVER THE YEARS, THEY'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND NO ONE WANTS TO SEE YOU GO.
BUT LIKE I SAID IN THE TEXT, YOU KNOW, FRIENDSHIP LIKE THIS LASTS FOREVER.
AND SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT NEVER WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE BEEN AS LONG AS WHEN I FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH THE TOWNSHIP, I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE HECK FRANK WALSH WAS OR STEPHEN GEBES.
AND I THINK I THINK COURTNEY MAYBE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, BUT I GOT TO KNOW MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THROUGH LUANN MAISNER, AND I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A DOZEN YEARS SINCE BECAUSE LUANN MADE ME FEEL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PARK COMMISSION AND THAT I CAN MAKE A USEFUL CONTRIBUTION.
AND I'M SURE YOU'VE DONE THAT FOR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS.
THANK YOU, TREASURER DESCHAINE AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT STARTED LOVELL PARK DAY AND WE'RE STILL DOING IT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY TO LUANN THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE HERE
[01:30:07]
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO SOME SORT OF CONSULTING AGREEMENT TO HELP US ALONG BECAUSE YOUR SHOES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL.AND WE YOU DID NOT HAVE TO DO THIS.
YOU COULD HAVE SAID, OH, I'VE GOT THIS PLANS, I'VE GOT THESE PLANS AND I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO COMPLETE THIS.
BUT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER SYMBOL OF YOUR DEDICATION TO THE TOWNSHIP AND THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO HELP US OUT AND AND GET STARTED ON THE RIGHT PATH.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST BEEN THIS FOUNDATION BUILT, AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOT TO HAND IT OFF.
AND SO THERE I DO FEEL PERSONALLY.
THE VERY PERSONAL ABOUT IT, TOO.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THIS AGREEMENT OUT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PRIME COMMUNITY AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH.
SO AS THE RELATIVE NEWCOMER TO THE BOARD, I HAVEN'T HAD QUITE THE LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE WITH DIRECTOR MAISNER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BEING A PIONEERING PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR REQUIRES A LOT.
YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE MOST BEEN IMPRESSED BY IN THE TIME THAT I'VE SPENT WITH YOU HAS BEEN AN INFECTIOUS ENERGY WHICH I SEE HERE STILL TONIGHT ANNOUNCING YOUR RETIREMENT AS WELL AS TREMENDOUS VISION.
IT DOESN'T IT'S NOT JUST TAKING WHAT SOMEONE BEFORE YOU HAS DONE AND CONTINUING TO DO THE SAME OLD.
IT'S INVENTING AND REINVENTING AND INVENTING AGAIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND INNOVATING.
TESTAMENTS TO YOUR SUCCESSES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS STAND IN BUILDINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT STANDS IN THE PEOPLE WHO YOU HAVE THAT WORK FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES THAT YOU'VE IMPACTED THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE HERE.
MY SON TONIGHT IS ACROSS THE PARKING LOT, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF THE MANY PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE HELPED TO FOSTER.
AND SO THE NEXT GENERATION WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE.
I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU CONTINUE ON AND MENTOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU AND I'LL BE PLEASED TO HAVE YOU.
WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OF THE GREATEST TALENTS THAT I THINK ANY PERSON CAN HAVE, AND THAT IS VISION AND GETTING STUFF DONE AND YOU DO THOSE BOTH SO EFFECTIVELY, THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OVER BUDGET, BUT IT ALWAYS GETS DONE RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
TRUSTEE WILSON TRUSTEE WISINSKI.
MY TEARS DRIED UP, BUT I ALSO.
I ATTEST TO EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAID HERE, LEANNE.
AND I ALSO DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A FIRST PARKS DIRECTOR.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT YOUR AWARD WINNING SO THE DIRECTOR MAISNER HAS HAS WON MANY AWARDS FOR THE WORK SHE'S DONE, WHICH IS MORE THAN MORE THAN YOU CAN EVEN SAY.
BUT I AM HONORED TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU AND COMMISSIONER LICK ON THE PARK COMMISSION.
I DID KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARKS, BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE POLICY WAS ABOUT AT THAT TIME.
SO I ALSO LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU AND YOU WERE WELCOMING AND YOU WERE PATIENT AND ALL OF YOUR WORK AND YOUR EXCELLENT STAFF IS ALL RESULT OF YOUR GREAT LEADERSHIP.
AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SUCH FANTASTIC STAFF WITHIN OUR PARKS AND REC.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, MY KIDS.
WHILE WE KIND OF STARTED AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW SAME SECTION OF THIS BUILDING AND IT WAS SAD TO SEE YOU LEAVE THE BUILDING.
BUT TOOK OVER THAT ROOM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU DID.
[01:35:01]
IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOY WORKING WITH YOU HAND IN HAND ON MANY, MANY PROJECTS AND WORKING ON DOWNTOWN.CELEBRATE DOWNTOWN OKEMOS TURNING INTO CELEBRATE MERIDIAN AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE WORKED ON TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC IN OUR CRAZY VIDEOS WHEN YOU WERE WITH.
OH MY GOSH, THE VEGETABLE, THE VEGGIE TALES VEGETABLE VIDEO.
WE PUSHED ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS INTO A THING OF LEAVES, TALKING ABOUT RAKING UP THE LEAVES.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR STAFF IS WITH YOU AND THEY'RE ON YOUR BUS OR ON YOUR BUS.
WHEN THEY WILL DRESS UP IN OVERSIZE VEGETABLE COSTUMES AND GO TO CULVER'S BECAUSE COREY WAS OFFERING 20% OF HIS GROSS SALES AS WE WERE FUNDRAISING FOR MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
AND MY STAFF WENT TO CULVER'S THAT NIGHT AND THEY WERE DELIVERING FOOD TO TABLES IN THEIR COSTUMES AND TO THE DRIVE THROUGH.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAND OUT DONATION CARDS IN THE IN THE BAGS AND ON THE TRAYS.
DO YOU KNOW THEY'RE BEHIND YOU ON THE VIDEO WHEN THEY'RE RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET IN THOSE SAME VEGETABLE COSTUMES WITH THE POLICE ESCORTING THEM ACROSS THE STREET.
THEY ARE TOTALLY AMAZING AND THEY'RE FUN AND THEY'RE INTELLIGENT AND THEY'RE TALENTED.
AND I COULDN'T HAVE A BETTER TEAM THAN I HAVE.
YOU HAVE HAD AMAZING TONS OF AMAZING PEOPLE WORK FOR YOU OVER THE YEARS, AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU AS WELL, BUT MORE SO THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD AND JUST THE NUMBER OF STORIES THAT WE SHARED.
AND WHEN FRANK TICKED US OFF, WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT IT.
GO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE, HAVE A GLASS OF WINE, GO TO DUSTY'S.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M GOING TO TALK TO NOW, SO.
BUT NO, IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
I HOPE OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS WORK.
DIRECTOR MAISNER, ALLOW ME TO BE THE LAST.
IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO SUPPORT THIS AGREEMENT TO KEEP YOUR VISION ALIVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
I BELIEVE WE NEED A THIS IS A.
BECAUSE THIS IS A CONSULTING AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING.
ITEM 13 BOARD DISCUSSION ITEM MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
[13.A. Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) Defined Contribution Administration]
DEFINED CONTRIBUTION ADMINISTRATION.THIS WILL BE PRESENTED TO US BY OUR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, ABIGAIL ABIGAIL TEETER.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE AND TO SEE YOU AND TO FEEL THIS GREAT ENERGY DIRECTED AT OUR DIRECTOR MAISNER.
I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO, LUANNE WAS FRONT AND CENTER TO MY LEFT, AND I JUST REMEMBER LIGHTING UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE BECAUSE I'M LIKE PICKLEBALL.
I WAS JUST PICKLEBALL SET AND IT WAS JUST GREAT TO SEE HER BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY SEEN AND I'VE LIVED HERE, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, SO I'VE HAD ALL THESE TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCES.
AND THEN I'VE GOT HER SITTING RIGHT THERE IN AN INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR THIS JOB THAT I REALLY WANTED.
SO IT'S JUST IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF IT, AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND YOUR POSITIVITY AND YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS VERY CONTAGIOUS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
WELL, I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE HATS HERE AND GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS.
OKAY? I'M HERE THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE'D LIKE TO MAKE A CHANGE IN OUR PLAN ADMINISTRATION FOR OUR TOWNSHIP 401, A 457 AND OUR HEALTH RETIREMENT HEALTH SAVINGS PLAN.
I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
[01:40:01]
SOME ISSUES HAVE BEEN GOING ON OVER THE LAST YEAR, SOME COMMUNICATIONS ISSUES AND SOME SYSTEMS ISSUES THAT HAVE POSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR US AT THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH ALSO HAS AFFECTED SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES.SO WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS CONSIDERATION TO SWITCH TO MERS, WHO HAS ALREADY ADMINISTERED OUR DEFINED BENEFIT PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE NEW POLICE AND FIRE ARE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IN THE HEALTH CARE SAVINGS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING WITH MERS IN THAT.
SO WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, IF WE MAY MAKE THAT MOVE FOR THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OH, AND I'M SORRY, I MIGHT MENTION, TOO, WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF YOU DO HAVE ANY PLAN, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR EVEN TRANSITION QUESTIONS AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WE DO HAVE LEO BANK HERE WITH US FROM MERS.
EVERYONE CLEAR ON WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? NO, NOT 100%.
BUT I'M ALISON, AND I USUALLY CATCH UP TO PEOPLE AT THE TABLE WHO ARE PART OF THIS CURRENT PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH OUR CURRENT PLAN ADMINISTRATOR AND IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP AT MEETINGS FOR FOR MANY MONTHS.
AND WE TRIED TO WORK WITH OUR EXISTING SPIDER AND FOUND THEM QUITE UNRESPONSIVE AND DIRECTOR DID SOME EXPERIENCE AND FOUND THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ALSO WORKING WITH THAT PROVIDER HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THEM.
AND IT JUST APPEARED ESSENTIAL TO PROTECT THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES INTO THEIR PENSION PLAN THAT WE WE SWITCHED TO A MORE RELIABLE PROVIDER AND MERS CAME TO THE TOP OF THE LIST RIGHT AWAY.
TREASURER DESCHAINE THAT WAS SOMETHING I MEANT TO MENTION ALSO, BECAUSE IN THIS PROCESS WE HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE AND LEARNED THAT OTHERS WERE MOVING.
OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE MOVED TO MERS.
IN FACT, IT FEELS KIND OF LIKE WE'VE GOT TO WAIT IN LINE TO GET THAT PROCESS DONE.
SO WE'RE STEADILY WORKING WITH OUR WONDERFUL STAFF OVER AT MERS JUST TO GET EDUCATED AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT ALL MEANT AND HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN AND TO ENSURE THE FINANCIAL, THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND THE JUST THE RELIABILITY AND THE GREAT COMMUNICATION AND THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONSIVENESS.
NOW, I WOULD ASK TRUSTEE WISINSKI, HAS THAT HELPED? THANK YOU.
AND I THINK MR. HENDRICKSON HAD HIS HAND UP FIRST.
SO I APPRECIATE THE MANAGER AND DIRECTOR TEED OFF FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
I'VE HEARD DRIPS AND DRABS OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD WITH OUR CURRENT PLAN ADMINISTRATOR.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
FIRST, WHEN DID WE BEGIN WITH OUR CURRENT PLAN ADMINISTRATOR? AND AT THAT TIME, DID WE GO OUT TO BID? OH, GOSH, IT WAS WELL BEFORE I WAS HERE.
OH, AND I THINK IT WAS ICMA AND IT WAS I THINK WE HAD THE TOWNSHIP PENSION PLAN AT THE TIME.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD MERS JUST YET.
FRANK, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? YEAH.
IT'S BEEN WITH ICMA INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGER ASSOCIATION FOR OVER NEARLY THREE DECADES.
IT HASN'T BEEN BID OUT, AND THAT'S WHO WE WENT ICMA SWITCHED TO MISSION SQUARE AND WE ACCEPTED THAT.
AND IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH A DISASTER FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH MERS IN THE PAST WITH TWO PREVIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND CERTAINLY KNOW FROM A USER PERSPECTIVE THE VALUE THAT THEY CAN BRING AND THE RESPONSIVENESS THAT THEY HAVE.
HAVEN'T HAD INTERACTIONS WITH THEM.
FROM THE EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE, I'M SURE IT'S JUST AS GOOD.
AND SO BUT, YOU KNOW, PRUDENCE WOULD REQUIRE ME TO ASK, HAVE WE CONSIDERED GOING OUT TO BID FOR THE SERVICES OF A PLAN ADMINISTRATOR? AND IF NOT, IS THERE A REASON WHY NOT? WE HAVE NOT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MERS FOR OUR DEFINED BENEFIT PROGRAM.
[01:45:02]
AND WE ARE ALREADY USING THEM FOR OUR HEALTH CARE OR EXCUSE ME, RETIREMENT.I GET CONFUSED BECAUSE THERE'S THE RETIREMENT HEALTH SAVINGS THAT WOULD BECOME THE HEALTH CARE SAVINGS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE ARE ALREADY USING MERS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
THIS WOULD PUT THEM OVERSEEING OUR OTHER PLANS FOR CONSISTENCY, RELIABILITY, AND THEN NOT HAVING MULTIPLE OTHER ADMINISTRATORS FOR OUR VARIOUS RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SELECTED A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATOR.
THEY RECENTLY, I THINK IT WAS POSSIBLY IN 2020 THAT THEY SET UP THEIR OWN DEFINED CONTRIBUTION THROUGH ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR, AND THAT WAS THEIR CHOICE AND THEY PREFER TO STAY WITH THAT.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE GOING NOW BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENCY FACTOR, THE RELIABILITY.
AND I THINK LEAH CAN PROBABLY FILL US IN A LITTLE BIT BETTER SO SHE CAN TALK ABOUT THE FIDUCIARY AND THE THE BENEFICIARY OPTION THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE WITH WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, NO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL SHARE SOME OF THE THE HUGE BENEFITS WITH MERS AS COMPARED TO MISSION SQUARE AND PROBABLY A MAJORITY OF OTHER PROVIDERS.
TOP, TOP AND FIRST AND FOREMOST WOULD BE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEREAS WITH MOST OTHER FOR PROFIT PROVIDERS, YOU ARE GOING TO SHARE A CO FIDUCIARY ROLE, MEANING THE BOARD EMPLOYEES WILL TAKE ON SOME TYPE OF LIABILITY, WHEREAS MERS, WE OPERATE AS A NOT FOR PROFIT.
AND ME PERSONALLY, I HAD TO GIVE UP MY FIDUCIARY LICENSE TO WORK FOR MERS.
MERS IS THE FULL FIDUCIARY, TAKING ALL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY OFF THE BOARD, OFF EMPLOYEES WHO ADMINISTER THE PLAN.
SO THAT'S ONE HUGE THING THAT YOU CAN FIND AT MERS, WHERE YOU CAN'T FIND MOST OTHER PLACES WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT.
WHEN WE WORK WITH THE EMPLOYER, ALL OF OUR PLANS ARE RUN.
THE EMPLOYEE IS THE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL PAY AN INVESTMENT FEE AND THAT'S MUCH LOWER THAN MANY OTHER OF THOSE FOR PROFIT COMPANIES OUT THERE.
WE'VE DONE WE'VE DONE COMPARISONS OVER THE YEARS, SPECIFICALLY FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHERE MERS SHOWS FAVORABLE IN INVESTMENT FEES WERE LOWER.
AND THEN AND WE'RE USUALLY DOING BETTER IN PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND THEN THE HEALTH CARE SAVINGS PROGRAM REPLACING MISSION SQUARE'S RETIREE HEALTH SAVINGS PLAN, WE'LL THROW THAT IN THERE.
THE RH, I THINK IT'S NORMALLY REFERRED TO HERE.
ONE HUGE ADVANTAGE IS MERS GOT A SPECIAL LETTER RULING WITH THE IRS THAT IT HAS THE SAME TAX ADVANTAGE.
BUT ONE HUGE BENEFIT IS THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE OWNED BY THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS WHO.
THE TOWNSHIP HAS CONVERTED THEM TO INTO THAT PROGRAM.
IF THAT EMPLOYEE PASSES, THOSE DOLLARS WILL REVERT BACK TO MISSION SQUARE, WHEREAS MERS HAS THAT SPECIAL LETTER RULING TO SAY YOU CAN NAME A BENEFICIARY, A PRIMARY BENEFICIARY AND A CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY THAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU, YOUR DOLLARS WOULD NOT GO BACK TO YOUR EMPLOYER OR TO FUND YOUR EMPLOYER'S TRUST.
IT WOULD GO TO YOUR NAMED BENEFICIARY AND THEN, OF COURSE, A BACKUP TO THAT BENEFICIARY.
SO THAT'S THE HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THAT ONE PLAN, NOT TO MENTION OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CALL CENTER LOCATED IN LANSING.
MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY WORKS ON SITE ANYMORE, BUT THAT IS IS THERE AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREAT ATTRIBUTES BESIDES THAT, ALL OF THE SERVICE, THE HIGH PRIORITY WE PUT ON SERVICING OUR EMPLOYERS AND OUR OUR PARTICIPANTS, OUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR SOMEONE LIKE THAT AND YOU SAY, WELL, THIS COULD HAPPEN OR THIS MIGHT HAPPEN.
AND PEOPLE USUALLY SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WELL, IT DID HAPPEN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND I WON'T GET INTO NAMES, BUT A FORMER ELECTED OFFICIAL PASSED AND HAD HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT $30,000 OF HER MONEY IN AN ACCOUNT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ACCOUNT IT I THINK IT WAS A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
AND WHAT LEAH JUST SPOKE TO IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WE WERE WITH ICMA AT THE TIME WITH LATER MISSION SQUARE.
WE HAD TO TELL AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER.
WE HAD TO TELL HIS SON THAT, YEP, THAT'S HER MONEY.
BUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A FIDUCIARY, THAT MONEY COMES BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT MONEY THAT COMES BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP.
IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, AND I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
IT'LL BE DIFFERENT WITH MERS BECAUSE YOU CAN NAME A BENEFICIARY.
[01:50:07]
COMMENTS.MR.. FIDUCIARY ALSO MEANS DUTY OF CARE IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE INVESTING THEIR MONEY WITH THEM.
AND ARE YOU SAYING THAT WHEN YOU'RE WORKING FOR A FOR PROFIT BENEFICIARY COMPANY, THERE'S A DUAL DUTY OF CARE, ONE THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THAT COMPANY, AS WELL AS THE INVESTORS IN THE IN THE FUND? YEAH, I'LL CLARIFY THAT.
WE ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY, BUT WE OPERATE AS A NOT FOR PROFIT.
AND THAT BEING SAID, YES, THAT FULL FIDUCIARY CONTROL OR REALLY RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EDUCATION.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THOSE FEE COMPARISONS OFTEN.
AND THEN EVERY DECISION OUR INVESTMENT BOARD AND OUR BOARD MAKES, OUR BOARD OPERATES AS YOU DO, AND IT ACTUALLY IS MADE UP OF PARTICIPANTS, RETIREE PARTICIPANTS, EMPLOYER PARTICIPANTS AND EMPLOYEE PARTICIPANTS.
EVERY DECISION THEY MAKE ABOUT ALL OF OUR PLANS HAVE TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE INVESTOR, THE EMPLOYEES.
SO YES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OUT HERE FOR EDUCATION, AT LEAST OFFERING IT THAT WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR ALL OF OUR PLANS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES BECAUSE I'M A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED, WHAT HAPPENED WHILE ICMA WHILE I WAS UNDER ICMA AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH MY FUNDS AS AN EMPLOYEE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING UNDER MISSION SQUARE, BUT AS A TOWNSHIP ELECTED OFFICIAL SITTING SITTING UP HERE WITH THAT OFFICIAL HAT ON TODAY, MAKING A DECISION FOR THE EMPLOYEES, MINUS THE FIREFIGHTERS, FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ON THIS NEW RETIREMENT PROGRAM.
IT'S HARD TO MAKE THAT DECISION OR HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT WITH.
OH ONE WITH A ONE SENTENCE MEMO.
WITHOUT HAVING ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THERE'S NO COMPARISON.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPARE MEMBERS WITH MISSION SQUARE.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME.
AND SO IT'S HARD AS AS A PERSON WHO'S VOTING ON THIS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITHOUT HAVING ANY SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION, TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT TO PREPARE FOR THE MEETING.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MISSION SQUARE AND AND MERS BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, SO THAT I CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION AS A VOTING MEMBER OF THIS BOARD AND BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.
TRUSTEE OLSEN THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
I WORKED IN BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS IN MY CAREER, AND THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU HAVE TO HAVE IS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAD TO EXERCISE SUCH CARE WITH THE EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTS, AND TO ME THIS IS NOT A DIFFICULT DECISION BECAUSE THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US INDICATING THAT AN EMPLOYEE, FOR INSTANCE, HAD MONEY DISAPPEAR OUT OF HER ACCOUNT OVER A WEEKEND WAS SO ALARMING TO ME, HAVING BEEN IN THAT ROLE IN THE PAST THAT THINGS HAD TO CHANGE.
AND CLEARLY THIS HAS BEEN A PATTERN THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.
I THINK MIRRORS REPUTATION PRECEDES ITSELF.
THEY ARE WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN FOR THEIR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES, THEIR GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE OTHER ASPECTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO TO ME, THIS IS NOT A DIFFICULT DECISION BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE EMPLOYEES, THOSE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANS AND ALSO THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED, IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL TO THOSE EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF THE NAMING RIGHTS FOR BENEFICIARIES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK GUTHRIE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR EITHER MANAGER WALSH OR DIRECTOR HOFF.
I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MY ACCOUNTS UNDER MISSION SQUARE.
[01:55:06]
HAVE YOU THOUGHT THAT YOU CAN REVEAL ANYTHING FROM OTHER FROM EMPLOYEES OR ANYTHING? HAS THERE BEEN SCUTTLEBUTT FROM EMPLOYEES ABOUT MISSION SQUARE? I KNOW I'VE BEEN VERY UNHAPPY WITH IT, YEAH.AND I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR QUESTION ABOUT NEEDING MORE DATA AND INFORMATION.
AND I WANT TO RESPECT YOUR POINT.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT'S TRUE IN MOST EVERY OTHER CASE EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE.
THIS ONE, I THINK, TO TRUSTEE WILSON'S POINT, IS TOTALLY ABOUT CUSTOMER CARE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTS.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE FROM MINE.
I WAS LOCKED OUT OF MY ACCOUNT TEN MONTHS AGO.
I COULDN'T EVEN GET INTO MY ACCOUNT TO KNOW WHAT MY BALANCE WAS.
FOR SIX MONTHS THEY TRIED TO GET ME AND COULDN'T GET ME IN, AND FINALLY I JUST GAVE UP AND SAID, I JUST WON'T KNOW.
AND I TOLD AND EVERYONE TRIED AND COULDN'T GET IT.
THEY COULDN'T GET ANYONE TO GET MY ATTENTION TO GET INTO MY ACCOUNT.
FINALLY, SOMEONE IN KANSAS CITY GAVE ME MY ACCOUNT AND IT WAS $150,000 LESS THAN WHAT I HAD THOUGHT I HAD IN THERE.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, YEAH, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY ENDS WITH ZERO FOUR, THREE, FOUR, RIGHT? I SAID, NO, NO.
WELL, I'VE GOT A DIFFERENT FRANK WALSH HERE, SO SHE'S GIVING ME SOMEBODY ELSE'S INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S A TRUE STORY AND THAT'S WHY I WENT TO SAID AND I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHEN I CAN GET MY ACCOUNT.
I'M INTO IT NOW, SIX MONTHS LATER.
BUT THIS IS A MATTER OF JUST POOR, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WE NEED TO CHANGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WE NEED TO GO ON SOMEONE WHO'S REALLY RELIABLE.
AND THERE'S SO MANY COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN DOING THIS AND LIKE IT WAS A GOOD LINE THAT DIRECTOR TIFF SAID, WE HAVE TO STAND IN LINE BECAUSE WE PRETTY MUCH DO TO MAKE THIS CHANGE.
BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THIS CASE.
AND YEAH, I RESPECT YOUR COMMENTS.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
SO WHAT I'M WHAT I'M HEARING THAT'S NOT IN THIS PACKET IS THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE WHO LOST MONEY.
THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE, YOU KNOW WHO THEY HAD THE WRONG ACCOUNT AND WAS LOCKED OUT AND SOMEHOW THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY OF 150 GRAND OR SOMETHING.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND WE DECIDED TO KIND OF TAKE THE HIGH ROAD TONIGHT.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE INFORMATION, WE DECIDED NOT TO.
BUT YES, THERE'S A PERSON WHO PUT IN AN IRA ACCOUNT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND GETTING TO GET ACCOUNTED FOR THAT YEAR.
THEY MOVED IT TO THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT'S THOSE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW TO MAKE A DECISION TO.
SWITCH AND KNOWING THE FIDUCIARY COMPONENT OF THE MONEY.
AND I DO RECALL THAT WHEN WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY AND THAT WAS AWFUL.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
I WOULD HATE IT IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN TO MY CHILDREN THAT THEY COULDN'T GET THAT HSA MONEY.
I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAD TO DO THAT.
I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAD TO TELL HIM WE'RE TAKING YOUR MOM'S MONEY.
BUT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS TO KNOW FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON'S QUESTION BECAUSE I ALSO FEEL FOR EQUITY'S SAKE, LIKE IF WE ARE JUST SOLICITING, WHY IS THAT? SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE EXPLANATION.
SORRY, IT'S NOT EVEN THAT LATE.
UM, I ALSO THINK TRUSTEE WILSON BECAUSE I UNFORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE LITTLE TO NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS TYPE OF STUFF.
SO I KNOW WHAT I HAVE AT WORK, BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING TO THAT.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, CLERK GUTHRIE, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION.
THAT'S WHY I WAS VERY CONFUSED.
I READ THIS PROBABLY 13 TIMES BEFORE AND I'M LIKE, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S ASKING.
AND SO AND IT'S A LOT OF IT'S JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WORDS, RIGHT? I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A BENEFIT PLAN ADVISOR WAS AND DIDN'T, SO I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE WORD.
SO ADDITIONAL CONTEXT IS VERY HELPFUL.
AND I ALSO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE THE PROBLEMS EVERYBODY'S HAD.
SO YEAH, THAT'S I WOULD SAY THAT MORE INFORMATION NOW I HAVE IT.
I FEEL MUCH MORE CONFIDENT IN MAKING A DECISION, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THE FUTURE NOT TO YOU OR DIRECTOR, BUT LETTING ME KNOW.
I THINK THE ENTIRE INTENTION HERE IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE STAFF WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THESE PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEIR MONEY IS SAFE AND THAT WE HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION, RESPONSIVENESS, RELIABILITY, AND WE HAVE THIS BENEFICIARY AND THAT WE KNOW WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE A FIDUCIARY AND THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY OUR STAFF, EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES THAT NEEDS THE MOST.
AND I DO HAVE TO CLARIFY FOR CLERK GUTHRIE THAT ONE OF THE ACCOUNTS THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING THAT WOUND UP BEING THAT WAS THERE, IT WAS STILL MISSION SQUARE.
[02:00:01]
IT WAS FROM A FORMER EMPLOYER, AND THAT WAS ACCOUNT INFORMATION, CORRECT.HOWEVER, WE HAD A NOTIFICATION FROM THE EMPLOYEE AND THEY WERE REALLY DISTRESSED ABOUT IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE MADE TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I WAS EVEN ASKING WHAT WOULD WE DO IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? AND WE STILL HAD TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY.
SUNDLAND HASN'T SPOKEN TO THIS ISSUE EITHER.
OF COURSE MY BACKGROUND IS HUMAN RESOURCES AND I'M KIND OF ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT A COMPETITIVE BID.
LIKE IF IT WAS OUT PUT OUT FOR A COMPETITIVE BID AND MURS IS THE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY, THE BEST SOURCE, THEY'RE GOING TO RISE TO THE TOP.
SO I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THAT IT HURTS TO GO THROUGH SOME SORT OF COMPETITIVE BID ON SUCH A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STAFF.
SO THAT WOULD JUST BE MY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE A LITTLE BIT.
THAT AND MERS, IF THEY DID A BID, YOU KNOW, THEY PROBABLY RISE TO THE TOP ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE DONE COMPARISONS IN THE PAST AND I CAN GET A COMPARISON COMPLETE BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING.
I WOULD SAY WITHIN A WEEK, WEEK OR TWO.
OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE OUR PRODUCTS, MERS AS COMPARED TO MISSION SQUARE.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THE ONLY DIFFICULTY HAS BEEN WITH MY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IS FINDING THAT INFORMATION THROUGH MISSION SQUARE OR ACCESSING IT.
SO AS SOON AS THAT COMES THROUGH, IT CAN TAKE PROBABLY A WEEK TO TEN DAYS.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT TRUSTEE SUNDLAND MENTIONED AS WELL.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHERE I HAVE WHERE I STRUGGLE WITH WITH THE DISCUSSION ITEM PUT BEFORE US TONIGHT WAS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE ANECDOTAL PROBLEMS AND THE.
STOMACH PROBLEMS I'M SURE THAT HAVE HAPPENED ARE DEFINITE LEGITIMATE REASONS TO FIRE OUR CURRENT BENEFIT PLAN ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT A ROAD PROJECT THAT IS SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS, WE PUT IT OUT TO BID.
WE HEAR FROM ALL OF THE POTENTIAL CONTRACTORS WHO WOULD DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SPENDING THE TOWNSHIP'S MONEY APPROPRIATELY.
HERE WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT WILL OVERSEE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OUR EMPLOYEES FUNDS, AND I BELIEVE WE OWE IT TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO GIVE THEM THE EQUAL CARE IN SELECTING THE NEXT PERSON THAT WILL OVERSEE THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS.
THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED PUTTING IT OUT TO BID.
THAT'S WHY I'M APPRECIATIVE OF TRUSTEE SUNDLAND COMMENTS IN THAT REGARD.
I HAVE BENEFIT ACCOUNTS WITH MERGE MYSELF AND HAVE WORKED WITH THEM IN THE PAST AS HAVE, IT SOUNDS LIKE A NUMBER OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, FOR THE SAKE OF DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE PROPER CARE AND HEAR FROM BIDDERS RIGHT THERE.
I CAN'T SAY WITH 100% CERTAINTY.
IS THERE ANOTHER FIDUCIARY NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD BE COMPETITIVE AND WOULD PROVIDE EQUAL CUSTOMER CARE? I CAN'T SAY THAT FOR SURE.
AND I I'M CERTAIN THAT YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT YOU HAVE A SELF-INTERESTED ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I AGREE.
IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT TWO WEEKS, TWO MONTHS, HOWEVER LONG IT IS, MERS MAY VERY WELL RISE TO THE VERY TOP OF THE PILE WHEN IT COMES TO A COMPETITIVE BID.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH FOR MATTERS THAT ARE MONETARILY FAR SMALLER THAN THIS.
AND IT MAY IT SHOULD BE, I THINK, SOMETHING THAT WE CONSIDER FOR THIS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON THANK YOU, TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
I THINK WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT HAD MUCH TO DO WITH THE NATURE AND THE FREQUENCY AND
[02:05:04]
THE SEVERITY OF WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON IN VERY RECENT MONTHS.AND THAT WAS PROBABLY A VERY BIG FACTOR BECAUSE AFTER THAT LAST INCIDENT, WITH THE NOTIFICATION AND ZERO COMMUNICATION AFTERWARDS FROM MISSION SQUARE, IT WAS SO CONCERNING.
AND AT THE TIME WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THEIR ACCOUNT HAD BEEN HACKED.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE IN DANGER, IF THIS PERSON IF THEIR MONEY WAS JUST GONE.
AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO NO RESPONSE, IT WAS REALLY UNFORTUNATE.
AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN HERE THREE YEARS AND I'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR REP A REALLY APPRECIATE HIM.
HE COMES IN AND HE DOES IN PERSON.
HE SITS DOWN WITH PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR ACCOUNTS.
BUT KNOWING THAT THERE WERE ISSUES LAST YEAR AND SYSTEM ISSUES, THEY MADE SOME SYSTEM CHANGES AND THAT IT WAS CAUSING QUITE THE BURDEN ON OUR PAYROLL, ON OUR HR ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE WAS HAVING EXTREME DIFFICULTIES AND DELAYS EVEN IN INFORMATION GETTING OVER.
I WAS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE AND TO WAIT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE THE SITUATION THAT MANAGER WALSH HAD DESCRIBED AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN RAPID SUCCESSION, AND THEN THAT ACCOUNT SITUATION AND ZERO COMMUNICATION.
I WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP AND OUR STAFF AND THEIR ACCOUNTS WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE SAFE AND SECURE.
SO THAT IS THE EXPLANATION FOR THE SPEED OF THAT MOVE.
SO KNOW, IF I MAY, I APPRECIATE ALL THE I WILL TELL YOU THAT IF I COULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH A SWIPE OF A PEN, IT WOULDN'T BE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT'S HOW QUICKLY THIS SHOULD BE DONE.
I WOULD HAVE SIGNED OFF ON THIS IF WE DIDN'T NEED A RESOLUTION FROM THE BOARD.
AND I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, BIDDING OUT STUFF IS VERY PRACTICAL.
IT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO BE GOOD FIDUCIARIES OF OUR TAXPAYER FUNDS.
OF COURSE, IN THIS CASE IT'S OUR EMPLOYEES FUNDS.
BUT THIS IS LIKE NOT LIKE TAKING A BID FOR CUTTING GRASS OR OR PAVING A ROAD.
THIS IS LIKE WE'RE PAVING A ROAD.
AND THE CONTRACTOR THAT'S PAVING IT JUST QUIT.
AND NOW WE CAN SIT HERE AND TRY TO GET A NEW CONTRACTOR OUT THERE AND WE CAN GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS TO GET A NEW CONTRACTOR AND TAKE A BUNCH OF TIME.
I, FOR ONE, I DON'T WANT MY FUNDS MOVED.
IF WE DID AN RFP AND IT CAME OUT TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE OUT IN.
CALIFORNIA OR SOMETHING THAT WE WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH.
I'D PROBABLY LEAVE THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT.
I DON'T WANT TO BE MOVED TO SOMEBODY THAT I'M NOT TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH.
AND THAT'S WHY ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN ARE SWITCHING TUMORS.
AND I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO EVERYONE KNOWS AND TRUSTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
WE SHOULD, IN MY OPINION, BIDDING THIS PARTICULAR THING OUT DOES NOTHING FOR US BECAUSE IT'S OUR EMPLOYEES FUNDS.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE DOING A $500,000 JOB AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE BEST PRICE FOR IT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE OUR TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE TOTALLY FRUSTRATED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON HAVE WANTED ME TO ACT THREE MONTHS AGO OR SIX MONTHS AGO, AND WE COULDN'T ACCESS AN ACCOUNT.
THERE'S SOME PRETTY DANGEROUS THINGS GOING ON AND WE SHOULD MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS.
IN MY OPINION, BIDDING THIS OUT IS NOT GOING TO GET US ANYWHERE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
IT'S NOT A COMMODITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY ON.
THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBER AND OUR TEAM MEMBERS FUNDS, AND WE SHOULD BE MOVING AHEAD QUICKLY.
BIDDING IT OUT IN THIS CASE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
I MEAN, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
I MEAN, I WISH WE WERE OFF MISSION SQUARE MONTHS AGO.
WHENEVER IT'S ALMOST AS SOON AS IT STARTED.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH BIDDING IT OUT.
BUT I NEED SOME INFORMATION TO MAKE A VOTING DECISION.
I NEED SOMETHING IN FRONT OF ME, YOU KNOW, THAT SAYS WHAT MERS IS.
WHAT IS THIS? YOU KNOW, I CAN'T JUST VOTE BLINDLY, YOU KNOW, SO I NEED SOMETHING EMAILED.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ON FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT ONE IN THE MEMO TONIGHT.
I'M THE ONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THREE LINER BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST COME OUT AND BOOM, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT INFORMATION.
BUT NEXT TIME YOU'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
YES, WE NEED TO PROVIDE YOU MORE INFORMATION.
BUT PLEASE, IF WE EXTEND THIS OUT TOO FAR AND SOMETHING HAPPENS, I DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
[02:10:01]
AND THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH CLOSE CALLS.WE STILL I DON'T KNOW IF WE FIGURED OUT THE IRA FROM LAST YEAR OR NOT.
I STILL DON'T THINK IT'S FIGURED OUT FOR THAT TEAM MEMBER.
I DO LIKE GETTING BIDS ON THINGS WE ALL DO.
WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO THE PUBLIC TO SPEND MONEY WISELY WITH DUTY, TO CARE FOR THEM.
PROBLEM WITH COMPARING THESE TYPES OF PLANS IS IT'S A VERY EXHAUSTIVE PRODUCT PROCESS.
IT COULD TAKE US SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO DO IT PROPERLY.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING ONE FOR BANKING SERVICES RIGHT NOW.
IT TOOK US SIX WEEKS TO DRAFT THE THE RFP.
WE HAVE ANOTHER SIX WEEKS WAIT FOR RESPONSES, BUT ANOTHER 2 OR 3 MONTHS TO TO EVALUATE THOSE RESPONSES.
AND IN BANKING, CHOICE IS ACTUALLY FAR SIMPLER THAN A BENEFIT PLANS ADMINISTRATOR CHOICE.
I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT MERS CAN PROVIDE TO US.
LIKE THE CLERK, I'D LIKE TO SEE A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE PACKAGE THAT MERS IS OFFERING US, BUT I THINK MAKING THAT COMPARISON IS A VERY LONG, EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS.
WE CAN DO THAT, BUT THAT'S 6 TO 9 MONTHS TO DO IT PROPERLY, AND WE SHOULDN'T DO IT AT ALL IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT PROPERLY.
TRUSTEE BRZEZINSKI THANK YOU, MA'AM.
SUPERVISOR PROBABLY DIRECTOR OR MANAGER.
WALSH IF IN FACT WE MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION, WHAT RISKS DO WE HAVE OF ALL OF THE FUNDING TRANSFERRING FROM THIS MISSION SQUARE TO LIKE YOU'D HAVE TO ROLL IT OVER INTO THIS PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION, ADMINISTRATI ON ADMINISTRATOR AND NOT TO SAY IT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK IF WE'VE ALREADY I MEAN, WE'RE WE'RE CURRENT CLIENTS AND THIS IS HAPPENING JUST I DIDN'T I'M SURE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT YES.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I MEAN, LEAH'S HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THAT TRANSFER PROCESS AND HAS EXPLAINED IN GREAT DETAIL WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR US AND FOR STAFF AND EASILY DESCRIBABLE IN ADVANCE SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IF I CAN ADD BENEFIT PLAN ADVISOR, THAT IS EXACTLY MY ROLE IS WALKING THROUGH COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE CREATING PLANS OR TRANSFERRING PLANS SO WE CAN PROVIDE ALL THAT INFORMATION OF WHAT THAT TRANSFER PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE.
BUT ULTIMATELY THAT WOULD BE THE.
ADMINISTRATORS OF MISSION SQUARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATOR.
THAT'S THE SEAMLESS PART OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A LOT OF MISSION SQUARE TRANSFERS CURRENTLY.
SO WE WOULD STAND HERE HAND IN HAND TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT.
I THINK MANAGER WALSH MADE A CRITICAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN RFP TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR A PROJECT AND MOVING AHEAD ON AN ACTIVITY THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE EMPLOYEES THERE, NOT TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVOLVED IN THIS.
THAT'S WHY I'M FAR MORE COMFORTABLE MAKING THIS DECISION NOW RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS, WHICH I WOULD ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR WHEN WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
I THINK THERE'S THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO ACTIONS, AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD SUPPORT GOING WITH MIRRORS.
SO WHAT YOU NEED THIS IS IN MY INTERPRETATION SOUNDS LIKE AN EMERGENCY THAT WE THAT CAN BE RESOLVED VERY QUICKLY ONCE YOU GET SUPPORT FROM THIS BOARD TO TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS, TO ENGAGE THIS PROCESS AND TO MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND SO SOME NUMBERS, SOME ACTUAL FACTUAL INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS AVAILABLE AND CAN BE PRESENTED BROUGHT TO US BY OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO I THINK THAT THAT THIS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS SOME NEED FOR SPEED AND AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OF OUR EMPLOYEES, WE WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
YOU AGREE THEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT OUR NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND AN ACTUAL MOTION FOR US TO ACT ON?
[02:15:01]
I BELIEVE I ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING FROM LEAH THAT I CAN.IT'S GOT ALL WE HAVE ALL OF THE DETAIL, ALL OF THE PLAN INFORMATION AND THE TRANSFER INFORMATION AND EXACTLY WHICH PIECES, WHICH PLANS WE PARTICIPATE IN.
THEN I THINK WE WOULD WE WOULD APPRECIATE GETTING THAT.
TOMORROW MIGHT BE A LITTLE EARLY BECAUSE WE CAN'T ACT ON IT TILL NEXT MEETING.
SO BUT, BUT I THINK THAT'S A ROUTE TO ACTUALLY SOLVING THIS PROBLEM, ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.
WE NOW COME TO ITEM 14 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.WAS THAT A FALSE START? THAT WAS A THAT WAS A FALSE START.
SEEING NONE, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 15.
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.I DID WANT TO BRING UP ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK MAY MERIT SOME DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE, WHICH IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF BOARD PACKETS.
CURRENTLY WE RECEIVE OUR BOARD PACKETS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS TOWARD THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY, AND IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE OF MINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'VE GOT TIME TO READ THROUGH IT AND ASK QUESTIONS OF DIRECTORS OR DIRECTOR OR MANAGER WALSH OR OTHERS RELATED TO INFORMATION THAT'S IN THAT PACKET.
ON A FRIDAY NECESSITATES THAT THOSE QUESTIONS COME ON THE WEEKEND.
AND THEN I FEEL BAD BECAUSE I'M THE JERK THAT'S EMAILING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON THE WEEKEND AND EXPECTING RESPONSES OR THE EXPECTATION IS IMPLIED EVEN IF I DIDN'T EXPECT IT.
IN ADDITION, MOVING THE PACKET DEADLINE BACK ONE DAY TO THURSDAY WOULD ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF IF THERE ARE ISSUES OR PROBLEMS. STAFF DOES NOT HAVE TO WORK AFTER HOURS OR ON THE WEEKEND TO UPDATE THOSE OR FIX THOSE OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WHICH WE'VE SEEN FROM TIME TO TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, IF POSSIBLE, WOULD BE TO MOVE THE DEADLINE BACK ONE DAY TO THURSDAY SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY REAP THE BENEFITS OF THE TWO THINGS I JUST MENTIONED.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
TRUSTEE HENDRICKS AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT SIMILAR MYSELF HAVING THE TIME AND I ALWAYS THINK I JUST DON'T MAKE THE TIME FOR IT.
BUT I DO FEEL LIKE I'M EITHER, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONING MANAGER WALSH ON THE WEEKENDS OR I WAIT UNTIL MONDAY, WHICH DOESN'T GIVE ME A LOT OF TIME TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION IN THE DECISION MAKING.
AND I DO REMEMBER AND I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY USED TO BE DUE TO THE CLERK BY THURSDAY AT NOON WHEN WE HAD A DIFFERENT CLERK AND A DIFFERENT SUPERVISOR.
SO I THAT, I DON'T THINK IS AN UNCOMMON THING OR AT LEAST FOR THIS BOARD AND I, I WOULD AGREE IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP ME BE PREPARED.
IN ADDITION TO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS GOING TO BE THOSE TIMES WHERE THINGS GET CHANGED OR THINGS GET ADDED.
AND SO THAT GIVES OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME ON THAT AS WELL, IF THAT COMES IN A LITTLE LATER.
TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
SO JUST TO THE POINT THAT TRUSTEE WACZYNSKI MADE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
BUT THAT THURSDAY AT NOON DEADLINE STILL PRODUCED A FRIDAY PACKET.
EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TO YOU ON THURSDAY AT NOON AND THEN THE PACKET.
WE'VE ALWAYS WELL, I'LL SPEAK FOR MY TEN YEARS HERE.
THE PACKET HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON FRIDAY.
BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THE BOARD HAS A DESIRE TO HAVE IT ON THURSDAY AFTERNOONS, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO CHANGE OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.
ALL WE'D HAVE TO DO AND IT MIGHT BE EASIER BECAUSE SOMETIMES STAFF IS IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROBABILITY OF STAFF THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BEING OFF ON A FRIDAY VERSUS A THURSDAY, IT'S PROBABLY MORE ON FRIDAY.
SO IF YOU TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN AND WE CAN SIT DOWN AND FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME IT FALLS UNDER OUR OFFICE.
AND MICHELLE WORKING WITH WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE PREDOMINANTLY, IT FALLS TO US AND THEN IT GETS POSTED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
ALL THE INFORMATION FLOWS THROUGH US.
[02:20:01]
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE.FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS THAT THE TOWNSHIP MOST PACKET PIECES DO NOT ARRIVE AT THE NOON DEADLINE ON THURSDAY.
THEY ARRIVE FRIDAY MORNING MOSTLY BECAUSE STAFF IS WAITING FOR INFORMATION FROM BUSINESSES.
AND SO THAT PUSHES THAT TIME BECAUSE THERE ISN'T IT A REQUIREMENT OR MAYBE NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT WE'RE ASKING BUSINESSES TO SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION BY OR DEVELOPERS OR WHOEVER TO SUBMIT INFORMATION BY WEDNESDAY.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME IN ON WEDNESDAY, IT COMES IN LATER.
AND SO THEN STAFF STAFF STILL HAS TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR.
BACK AT PEACE AFTER THEY RECEIVE THE INFORMATION.
ISN'T THERE LIKE A TIME CRUNCH THERE? I'M JUST LOOKING OUT FOR STAFF AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY NEED TO PUT THESE PACKET PIECES TOGETHER TO GET IT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
YEAH, WE WOULD JUST BACK UP THE SCHEDULE TO WEDNESDAY AT NOON AND THAT WOULD BE A FIRM, FIRM TIME.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXACTLY CORRECT.
BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.
IT'S CALLED THE BOARD PACKET, NOT THE MANAGER'S PACKET.
SO IT'S UP TO YOU WHEN YOU WANT TO RECEIVE IT, YOU TELL US YOU'LL GET IT.
BUT ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO BE AWARE OF AND COGNIZANT OF IS THAT THERE WILL BE MORE TIMES WHEN YOU GET INFORMATION LIKE THAT BACK SUPPORTIVE MATERIALS THAT WON'T BE IN THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T.
TO THE CLERK'S POINT, IT'S NOT US.
WE'RE WAITING FOR IT FROM OTHER ENTITIES AND WE DON'T HAVE IT ON TIME.
SO THERE MIGHT BE INFORMATION YOU'RE GETTING LATER THAT'S SUPPORTIVE OF THE MATERIAL AS LONG AS YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT HAPPENING A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN THAN IT HAPPENS NOW, IT DOES HAPPEN A LOT, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THEM ON THURSDAY AFTERNOONS, WE JUST HAVE TO RECONFIGURE HOW WE DO THINGS.
FOR THE COMMENTS, I WANT TO MAKE ONE FURTHER COMMENT, IF I IF I MAY.
AND IT IT IT TAKES TIME TO REDO THE PACKET EVERY TIME A PACKET.
SO IF THE PACKET IS COMPLETE AND YOU UPLOAD IT TO THE WEBSITE, YOU UPLOAD IT TO THE ONEDRIVE, YOU BOOKMARK ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS AND THE PACKET PIECES AREN'T IN THERE.
YOU THEN HAVE TO REDO THE PACKET.
YOU'RE REDOING THE WORK, YOU'RE DOING IT OVER AGAIN FOR AN ADDITIONAL PACKET PIECE THAT COMES IN LATE, NOT BECAUSE THE STAFF, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE INFORMATION AND THEN MORE INFORMATION COMES OR THERE'S A CHANGE, CHANGE TO THE AGENDA WE'RE PUTTING THE AGENDA ON AGAIN.
SO WE MAKE THOSE CHANGES OVER THE WEEKEND OR ON MONDAY OR ON TUESDAY, THE DAY OF THE BOARD MEETING.
WE WE'VE NOW ASKED STAFF TO REDO THE PACKET FIVE, SIX, SEVEN TIMES.
IF WE WERE TO GET ALL OF THE PACKET PIECES ON THURSDAY AT NOON AND THERE'S NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, IT WOULD SAVE OUR DEPARTMENT AN AND MICHELLE AND YOU AND ANYONE ELSE WHO'S WORKING ON IT AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE COULD SPEND DOING OTHER THINGS.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
MR.. JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE TIME THAT IT DOES TAKE.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE AND DONE NOW IT'S ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE AND DONE.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF AN EARLY PACKET AS WELL, BUT IF WE MOVE IT BACK TO WEDNESDAY, WE MEET THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS INFORMATION THAT'S SIX DAYS OLD.
A LOT OF OUR STUFF WE PROCESS HERE IS TIME SENSITIVE, SO WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH A LOT OF UPDATES BEING HANDED OUT AT THE MEETING OR PUBLISHED LATER ON.
SO THAT'S MY CONCERN, IS WE'RE GOING TO GET INFORMATION THAT IT'S RELATIVELY OLD IN TERMS OF THE TWO WEEK AGENDA.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COUNT ON WHEN THAT THURSDAY, WHEN IT GETS PUBLISHED, IS AN AGENDA THAT'S PROBABLY LOCKED IN PLACE, BUT DATA BEHIND IT WILL LIKELY NEED UPDATING.
WE DO HAVE MONDAY AVAILABLE FOR STAFF QUESTIONS AND THAT'S AVAILABLE MONDAY AND MOST OF THE DAY ON TUESDAY.
SO WE DO GIVE BOARD MEMBERS DO HAVE THE MONDAY AND MOST OF THE TUESDAY BEFORE MEETING TO ASK STAFF QUESTIONS.
WE DID HAVE ISSUES IN THE PAST WHERE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ASKING STAFF QUESTIONS AT 5 P.
ON TUESDAY, WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
BUT WE DO HAVE A BETTER PART OF TWO BUSINESS DAYS TO ASK QUESTIONS WITH THE CURRENT AGENDA, THE CURRENT TIME SCHEDULE.
SO MY CONCERN ABOUT MOVING IT BACK IS WE'RE GETTING GET OLDER INFORMATION IN THE BACK AND THEN WE MIGHT NEED AND REQUIRE MORE UPDATES TO THE PACKET.
SUPERVISOR THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE THE CONTEXT THERE.
[02:25:03]
UM, I MEAN, IS IT POSSIBLE WE CAN MAKE IT MANDATORY, HAVE YOUR MATERIAL TO US ON THURSDAY BY NOON OR WEDNESDAY BY NOON? AND IF IT'S NOT IN THERE, IT'S NOT IN THERE.I GET THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CASES WHERE.
IF WE REQUIRE IT AND WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T PROVIDING US THE INFORMATION, THEN THEY GO IN THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE'RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME PROCESS IMPROVEMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW ME SPECIFICALLY BE BETTER AT MY JOB.
CLERK GUTHRIE THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE PACKET PIECES DUE WEDNESDAY.
I WOULD LOVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PACKET.
I COMPLETELY AGREE THERE ARE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND SO WE IF IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET US THEIR INFORMATION BY THAT TIME AT NOON ON THURSDAY, WE CAN'T JUST SAY, OKAY, YOU CAN'T BE IN THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARING OR WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON AN ITEM BY A CERTAIN DATE.
WE HAVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING.
THERE'S THERE'S THINGS THAT BACK UP.
SO WE WE CAN'T JUST TAKE IT OFF BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET IT TO US ON TIME.
WE HAVE TO REDO THE PACKET AND ADD IT IN THERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, UM, WHEN WE HAVE TO REDO THE PACKET.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ASKED FOR THINGS TO BE ADDED OR OTHER PEOPLE AND THAT THAT CERTAINLY HAPPENS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE CUT OFF DEADLINE FOR THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT I, I DON'T THINK WE COULD DO THAT TO BUSINESSES AND, AND DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
AN INDIVIDUAL'S CONSTITUENTS WERE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT BEFORE THEY WOULD GET THE LARGEST COMPLAINT WE HAD.
I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND WE'VE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHEDULES OVER THE YEARS, AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN OUR PACKETS WERE ASSEMBLED ON WEDNESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AT NOON AND SEND OUT ON THURSDAY MORNING.
THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT THAT WE GOT DURING THAT PERIOD WAS THERE WOULD BE SOMEBODY WHO SUBMITTED SOMETHING ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND THEY WERE COMMENTING ON A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE UPCOMING MEETING, AS CLERK GUTHRIE SAID.
AND THERE'S A COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC THAT MAY BE VERY SALIENT.
HOWEVER, IT CAN'T BE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET BECAUSE THE PACKET WAS PROCESSED AND PACKAGED UP AND YOU NEED TO PUT THAT IN THE WE NEEDED TO PUT THAT INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL WORK AROUND.
BUT IT'S CLERK GUTHRIE SAID THE MORE YOU MOVE THAT FORWARD, THE MORE YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE COMPLAINING THEIR COMMENTS WERE NOT HEARD BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PACKET UNTIL THE WEEKEND AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT.
THE MORE LEGITIMATE THOSE COMPLAINTS REALLY SEEM TO US GOING BACK TO THE LATE 1990S.
SHE THE BENEFIT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE? YES.
BETWEEN NEW ENGLAND, I THINK IT'S.
IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU ABOUT THIS OR ANYONE ELSE? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE COME TO A CONCLUSION, SO MAYBE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS THINK ABOUT IT AND TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE MORE.
AND CONSIDERING ALL OF THE COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT MUST HAVE COME ON UNDER OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD COMMENTS? ANYTHING ELSE? TRUSTEE WISINSKI JUST ONE ONE PLUG.
THAT AUGUST 26TH IS OUR FIRST PRIDE CELEBRATION HERE IN MERIDIAN.
WE'VE GOT A MULTITUDE OF FOLKS WORKING ON THIS AND WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED.
SO AUGUST 26TH AT 3 OR 4:00, IT WAS THREE AT ONE.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT PLUG OUT THERE SO EVERYBODY CAN COME AND INVITE ALL THEIR FRIENDS.
WE'VE GOT I'VE BEEN INVITING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
I GOT FOLKS COMING IN FROM CALIFORNIA, SO SUPER EXCITED.
I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT A COUPLE OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT I GOT THAT I ASKED KURT GUTHRIE TO PUT IN THE BOARD COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE MICHIGAN HIGH SPEED INTERNET TOUR.
THEY HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND AND THEY ARE RUNNING AROUND THE
[02:30:04]
NATION.I MEAN, NOT THE NATION, THE STATE ASKING RESIDENTS HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
THEY ACTUALLY BRINGING YOU A DRAFT PLAN AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR COMMENTS.
YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITES AND FIND OUT WHERE THE DIFFERENT SITES ARE.
BUT I NOTE THAT AUGUST THE 1ST THERE IS A MEETING WITH THIS GROUP WITH THEIR DRAFT PLAN AT THE OKEMOS EVENT CENTER.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I GET A CHANCE TO, BUT YOU CAN GO INTO THE COMMUNICATIONS TO THIS BOARD MEETING AND SEE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND THE OTHER IS THAT THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO HAVE TWO HOUSING PARTNERSHIP SUMMITS AND THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE ON JULY 20TH AT 830 IN THE MORNING TO NOON.
THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IS ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.
I TRIED TO GET THE INFORMATION TO YOU SO YOU'LL KNOW.
ANYTHING ELSE? THEN WE HAVE COME TO ITEM 16.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
I CAN'T GET IT IN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.