Aug 15, 2023 Township Board

YEAH, THERE'S YEAS AND NAYS.

OKAY, LET'S COME IN AND TAKE A SEAT.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.

THANKS.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

NO.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 15TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

PLEASE JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA IS THE ROLL CALL.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

AND FOUR ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT.

[4. PRESENTATION]

THE FIRST WILL BE A RETIREMENT TRIBUTE TO CHIEF POLICE CHIEF, MR. WALSH.

HE'S TRYING TO GO.

WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN MR. WALSH? SO, BEFORE I READ THE RESOLUTION, I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT A PHONE CALL THAT I HAD TODAY WITH A CANDIDATE FOR TO BE OUR NEXT POLICE CHIEF.

AND THEY WERE DOING SOME OF THEIR OWN RESEARCH TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY WANTED TO BE.

AND THE PERSON ASKED ME AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

THEY SAID, WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE QUALITIES OR THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF? AND I PAUSED AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF, CAN I CALL YOU BACK? I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION.

AND SO I CALLED THAT PERSON BACK AFTER LUNCH AND I WROTE DOWN THESE FIVE THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, BUILDING TRUST WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

BUILDING TRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

RECRUITING AND RETAINING TALENT.

EFFECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION.

AND OF COURSE, COMMUNITY SAFETY.

THOSE ARE THE FIVE THINGS I THINK THAT WHEN OUR PANELS AND THE BOARD LOOKS AND RECOMMENDS THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF.

AND THEN I GOT THINKING ABOUT CHIEF PLAGGA'S, 29 YEARS HERE, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO TEN OF THOSE.

I CAN SPEAK TO FIVE OF THEM AS CHIEF AND THE FIVE BEFORE THAT WHEN HE SERVED AS ASSISTANT CHIEF AND I THINK CAPTAIN, ASSISTANT CHIEF, CAPTAIN, MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.

WE TEND TO FORGET THOSE THINGS.

BUT I DON'T.

I REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE BRYAN RANDALL, REMEMBER IN 2018, CHIEF WAS THEN ASSISTANT CHIEF.

AND AS YOU RECALL, THE DEPARTMENT AND MANY OTHERS WERE STANDING IN THIS ROOM, HAD TO GO THROUGH 17 YEARS OF REPORTS LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED.

THIS GENTLEMAN TO MY LEFT LED THAT REVIEW OF 17 YEARS AND DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH IT.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY EXAMPLES THAT I CAN TELL YOU OF WHAT CHIEF PLAGGA HAS MEANT TO THIS DEPARTMENT.

SO, THIS TRIBUTE THIS EVENING ENCAPSULATES A 29-YEAR CAREER AND NOT JUST

[00:05:05]

HERE, BUT BEFORE THIS IN BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP AND NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP.

BUT WHEREAS CHIEF KEN PLAGGA WAS BORN IN JACKSON, MICHIGAN, TO CHARLIE AND BEV PLAGGA, WHEREAS KEN WAS RAISED NEAR THE DAIRY QUEEN IN MICHIGAN CENTER AND GRADUATED FROM JACKSON LUMEN CHRISTI HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WHEREAS, KEN WENT ON TO ATTEND AND GRADUATE FROM JACKSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.

WHEREAS KEN BEGAN HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER WITH BLACKMAN CHARTER TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS A TOWNSHIP JUST NORTH OF JACKSON, THE CITY OF JACKSON IN JACKSON COUNTY, AND AS A PART TIME RESERVE IN NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO BROOKLYN, RIGHT NEXT CLOSE TO THE MIS RACETRACK.

AND WHEREAS, IN 1996, CANON HOLLEY EXCHANGED VOWS IN JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

AND WHEREAS, ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 1995, KEN JOINED THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A PATROL OFFICER.

WHEREAS, ON DECEMBER 8TH, 1999, KEN WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF SERGEANT.

AND WHEREAS, ON APRIL 12TH, 2005, KEN WAS PROMOTED THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT.

WHEREAS, ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 2016, THEN CHIEF HALL CAME TO ME AND ASKED ME ABOUT PROMOTING KEN TO THE ASSISTANT CHIEF POSITION IN WHICH WE DID.

WHEREAS ON THURSDAY, JULY 26TH, 2018, AT JACK'S RESTAURANT IN CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN, IN FRONT OF MANY OF HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLEAGUES, CHIEF PLIEGO WAS OFFICIALLY NAMED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF.

LONG STORY BEHIND THAT.

BUT IT WAS MEANINGFUL AND WELL PLANNED OUT, WHEREAS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH, ALMOST FOUR YEARS TO THE DATE OF RETIREMENT, CHIEF.

AND IT SHOULD BE, I BELIEVE, AT BEST, SERGEANT [INAUDIBLE].

SERGEANT [INAUDIBLE] JUMPED INTO WALDEN POND AND RESCUED AN ELDERLY WOMAN FROM HER SINKING CAR.

WHEREAS, CHIEF PLAGA HAS SERVED AS A NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE SPEAKER ON THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH NASSAR SURVIVOR BRIAN RANDALL GAY.

BOTH OF US ATTENDED AND SPOKE IN NASHVILLE AND WE SPOKE IN CHARLEVOIX ON THAT SUBJECT.

WHEREAS THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD, OUR 45,000 RESIDENTS AND OUR ENTIRE TOWNSHIP TEAM WITH CHIEF PLAGA LONG, HEALTHY RETIREMENT.

AND WHEREAS, THE COMMUNITY OF MERIDIAN WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP PROVIDED BY CHIEF PLAGA AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HEREBY OFFICIALLY NAMES AUGUST 25TH, 2023, AS CHIEF.

GOOD DAY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

WELL, THANK YOU ALL.

I SPENT MORE TIME WITH MERIDIAN THAN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION.

I'M TAKING ANOTHER COURSE OF MY CAREER, A NEW CHAPTER.

I'LL MISS THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE KNOWN, WORKED WITH AND CARED ABOUT.

BUT I'M NOT GONE.

I'M NOT DEAD.

I'LL STILL BE AROUND.

I'LL STILL BE WATCHING RICK AND BART AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

SO.

BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY.

I WANT TO THANK FRANK.

I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, THE REST OF THE DIRECTORS ON THE TEAM AND THE BOARD FOR FOR RECOGNIZING ME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

FIRST, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION BEFORE US.

WE SHOULD WE ADD THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO OUR AGENDA AS WE GET TO THAT POINT.

SO, WHEN WE GET TO APPROVE OF THE AGENDA, YOU'D LIKE TO ADD AN AMEND AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA AT THAT TIME.

EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.

SO, AT THIS TIME, ITEM 4.

B ON OUR AGENDA RELATES TO A TRIBUTE TO KWENDA STORY, A VALUED CITIZEN THAT HAS THAT WE'VE LOST.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR MARNA WILSON WILL PROVIDE THAT TRIBUTE.

I HAVE TO SAY IT'S A TOUGH FOLLOW UP TO KEN'S SERVICE AND WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB

[00:10:01]

HE'S DONE FOR OUR TOWNSHIP.

I WISH TO SPEAK TODAY, TONIGHT ABOUT A FRIEND OF MINE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS WHO GAVE SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

LONGTIME RESIDENT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENT KWENDA STORY DIED ON AUGUST 6TH, 2023, LEAVING A LEGACY OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISM ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS.

MARRIED TO DON FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, THEY RAISED TWO CHILDREN IN THE FOREST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY NEVER LEFT.

KWENDA WAS BORN IN ARKANSAS AND ATTENDED WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE OBTAINED HER LAW DEGREE.

AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF PRIVATE PRACTICE IN DETROIT, SHE MOVED TO OKEMOS IN 1983.

KWENDA WAS A WOMAN OF MANY TALENTS.

SHE WAS A CONTRACTS LAW PROFESSOR AT COOLEY LAW SCHOOL.

MANY OF HER STUDENTS ARE PROMINENT ATTORNEYS WHO ARE STILL PRACTICING AND SOME HAVE RETIRED.

SHE WAS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR ON CONSTRUCTION, LAW, JOBSITE, SAFETY AND SENIOR AND SCIENCE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

YOU CAN STILL FIND HER BOOKS ON AMAZON.

KWENDA WAS A VORACIOUS READER.

SHE LOVED LIBRARIES.

IN THE EARLY 1990S, SHE JOINED THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF THE OKEMOS LIBRARY AND HELD THE OFFICES OF VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY DURING HER DECADES LONG TENURE.

IN 2002, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD APPOINTED KWENDA TO REPRESENT TOWNSHIP INTERESTS ON THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD.

THAT'S CATTLE.

SHE SERVED IN THIS ROLE FOR 15 YEARS, AND IN 2017, SUPERVISOR RON STYKA HONORED HER WITH A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR HER DEDICATED SERVICE.

KWENDA WAS A BELIEVER IN GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION.

SHE WAS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE FOREST HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD.

IN 1986, WHEN A 22-STORE STRIP MALL WAS PROPOSED THAT WOULD ENCROACH ON HER NEIGHBORHOOD, KWENDA AND OTHERS LED THE PUSH TO ACQUIRE GREEN SPACE TO SEPARATE THE COMMERCIAL AREA AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

DONATING HER LEGAL EXPERTISE PRO BONO, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PREVAILED IN OBTAINING A FOUR-ACRE GREEN SPACE BUFFER.

IT IS NOW A TOWNSHIP PARK.

HER ACTIONS SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS TO NEGOTIATE SUCH BUFFERS.

HER LEGAL EXPERTISE ON ZONING ISSUES, DEVELOPMENT, BUILDING CODES AND ORDINANCES WAS GENEROUSLY SHARED.

SHE DIRECTLY SUPPORTED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO RAN FOR OFFICE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SHE HERSELF RAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN 1992.

AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE FOR RESIDENTS, SHE ADDRESSED THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON MANY OCCASIONS.

KWENDA WAS KNOWN AS INTELLECTUAL, PASSIONATE AND KIND.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD RECOGNIZES AND HONORS KWENDA STOREY'S LEGACY AS AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTOR TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, ITEM 4.

C IS AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM FROM A LITTLE BIT FROM ME.

CHIEF.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

FIRE CHIEF HAMEL.

JAMES, YOU WANT TO COME ON UP? YES.

SO, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I ACTUALLY MET THESE TWO WHEN WE WERE DOING THE CLEANUP OUT HERE ON A SATURDAY.

ROTARY AND THESE GUYS AND THEIR TEAM CAME, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE SERVICE BECAUSE HE'S ACTUALLY INTERESTED SOMEDAY MAYBE IN THE FIRE SERVICE.

AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO CAME TO ME AND WANTED TO TALK ABOUT AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.

I'M GOING TO LET HIM TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

IT'LL BRING SOME BEAUTIFICATION TO THE TOWNSHIP FIRE STATIONS AND I'M GOING TO LET JAMES DO ALL THE TALKING.

COME ON UP, JAMES.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT MY EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.

I'M HERE REPRESENTING BOTH MYSELF AND TROOP 97.

MY PROPOSED PROJECT IS A SMALL SERENITY GARDEN WITH A FEW BENCHES AND SOME NICE FLOWERS TO PRETTY UP THE AREA.

IT WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION, WHERE THERE IS A SMALL, UNUSED SQUARE OF GRASS.

I BELIEVE THIS AREA COULD BE PUT TO BETTER USE FOR BOTH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE STATIONED THERE.

I THINK THAT THIS SMALL GARDEN WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION FOR THEM AND FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD BE HOSTING A MEETING AT THE FIRE STATION.

[00:15:01]

WHILE WE STILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOME FUNDRAISING ISSUES, ANY REMAINING MONEY WILL BE GIVEN TO TROOP 97 FOR LESS FORTUNATE SCOUTS TO USE.

THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS, TYPICALLY WHEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COME TO SPEAK TO US, WE ASK THEM FIRST TO GIVE US THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS.

SORRY.

QUESTIONS.

I'M STILL NEW TO THIS.

WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR US TONIGHT? JAMES ROBINSON JR.

2215 BARTRAM DRIVE.

AND DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO YOUR COMMENT OR YOUR TROOP LEADER? UH, I DON'T THINK SO.

BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR? TRUSTEE WILSON? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, I HAVE A QUESTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO INSTALL THE SERENITY SPACE? UM, I BELIEVE IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THANK YOU, JAMES, FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

I WAS A LIFE SCOUT WITH TROOP 1702 IN TROY, MICHIGAN, AND I KNOW HOW CHALLENGING THESE PROJECTS ARE AND HOW MUCH GOES INTO THEM.

AND I'M SURE THAT YOU'VE PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK ALREADY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION AND WORKING WITH CHIEF HAMMEL.

WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF YOUR PROJECT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

TREASURER DESCHAINE THANK YOU, JAMES, FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD.

YOU CAN'T GO INTO ONE OF OUR PARKS AND NOT FIND AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT THERE.

EAGLE SCOUTS HAVE ENHANCED THE PUBLIC SPACE IN MARION TOWNSHIP GREATLY OVER THE YEARS, AND TROOP 97 HAS BEEN A SPONSOR OF MANY OF THOSE SCOUT PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY OVER AT HARRIS.

NOW, THERE'S 3 OR 4 THAT I CAN THINK OF, AND SERENITY SPACE AT THE FIRE STATION IS A PERFECT ADD ON THE HIGH STRESS WORK THAT THEY DO THERE ALL THE TIME.

THEY HAVE A PLACE IN NATURE TO RELAX AND TAKE IN NATURE.

IT'S WELL PUT THERE.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS HAPPEN NEXT YEAR OR LATER THIS YEAR.

AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS PROJECT TO US.

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.

MY MOM AND I WERE DEN LEADERS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH MY BOYS, SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

ONE IS, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA? IT'S FABULOUS.

AND TWO, HOW DO YOU HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PURSUE YOUR DONATIONS AND HOW CAN PEOPLE DONATE SINCE YOU HAVE A PLATFORM HERE? UM, I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER HOW I CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA.

OH, ACTUALLY, YES.

I REMEMBERED A PREVIOUS EAGLE SCOUTS SERVICE PROJECT INVOLVED BUILDING BENCHES AT A NEARBY PARK.

I BELIEVE IT WAS ETHAN OLDS.

IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH.

ETHAN OLDS DID A PROJECT OVER AT THE PARK JUST DOWN THE STREET HERE.

HE DID A BARRIER BETWEEN THE POND AND THE GRASSY AREA WITH NATIVE PLANTS.

OKAY, JUST WEST OF HERE, JUST A FEW FEET.

THAT WE GOT IT, THOUGH.

AND THEN HOW WOULD PEOPLE DONATE OR GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU IF THEY'RE INTERESTED OR.

UM.

I WOULD RECOMMEND TALKING TO MY SCOUTMASTER, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS EMAIL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

APOLOGIES.

WELL, WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION THROUGH CHIEF HAMILL SO WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT FOR CERTAIN.

I THINK JUST IN CASE, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT DOES WANT TO DONATE SOMETHING, THAT CHIEF HAMILL WOULD BE A GREAT POINT OF CONTACT.

GO THROUGH THE FIRE STATION.

WE HAVE TWO PARTS OF FUNDING THAT WE NEED.

PART OF IT IS FOR WOOD AND MATERIALS.

AND THEN HE HAS ALSO THE PLANTS THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A SEPARATE DONATION FOR THOSE AS WELL.

BUT SOMEBODY WANTS TO CONTACT THE FIRE STATION.

IT'S A PUBLIC ENTITY.

WE CAN EASILY WORK THROUGH THAT.

EXCELLENT.

ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU BOTH.

AND YOUR TROOP 97 FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO TO YOUR COMPLETE COMPLETION OF YOUR PROJECT.

[00:20:05]

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

D, WHICH INVOLVES THE OKEMOS SOLAR RACING CLUB RECOGNITION BY CLERK GUTHRIE.

WE NOW MOVE TO ITEM 4.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, FOR ALL THE THE HITS THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE ABOUT NEGATIVITY.

THERE ARE SOME GREAT THINGS ON THERE LIKE DISCOVERING THAT A THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A OKEMOS SOLAR RACING CLUB AND B THAT THEY WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

AND SO I AM VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THE CAPTAIN AND THE TEAM.

BUT ACTUALLY, HE'S GOING TO DO ALL DO ALL THE WORK HERE AND INTRODUCE AND WHAT THEIR TEAM DOES, HOW THEY BUILT THIS CAR AND ALL OF HIS TEAMMATES FOR COMING HERE.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

SO HI, MY NAME IS JOON HONG.

I'M A JUNIOR AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M THE CAPTAIN OF THE OKEMOS SOLAR RACING CLUB.

SO WE ARE A STUDENT LED GROUP OF ENTIRELY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, JUNIOR AND UNDER AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL, DEDICATED TO DESIGNING, BUILDING AND CREATING A FULLY FUNCTIONING, DRIVABLE SOLAR POWERED VEHICLE.

LAST YEAR, I TRANSFERRED TO OKEMOS FROM THE CHICAGO AREA AND I FOUND OUT THAT OKEMOS HAD A SOLAR RACING TEAM IN 2019.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL, BUT I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE DISBANDED.

SO I WAS LIKE, OH HEY, WHY WOULD I NOT BUILD A CAR OF MY OWN? SO TOWARDS THE END OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I GATHERED A GROUP OF KIDS.

THESE ARE A LOT OF THE MEMBERS, BUT THERE ARE MORE AND FORMED A CLUB.

TOWARDS THE SUMMER WE BEGAN A DESIGN OF THE CAR.

WE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS DESIGNING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS RIGHT.

AND TOWARDS THE WINTER, THE BEGINNING OF MY JUNIOR SCHOOL YEAR, WE GATHERED, AND WE STARTED BUILDING SOME BASIC PARTS OF THE CAR, SUCH AS THE FRAME AND ADDING ON COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE WHEELS, THE STEERING AND BRAKES.

DURING THIS, WE PRESERVED, WE PERSEVERED THROUGH MANY CHALLENGES.

THERE WERE THINGS THAT WENT WRONG, THINGS THAT DID NOT GO RIGHT, THINGS WE DID NOT EXPECT.

PROBLEMS SUCH AS FUND-RAISING PARTS, BREAKING AND TIME CONSTRAINTS.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PERSEVERE THROUGH ALL THAT.

SO IN AROUND SPRING, AROUND MARCH, AFTER THOUSANDS OF HOURS PUT INTO THE CAR, WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR ROLLING.

THIS WAS A HUGE, HUGE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A HUGE LANDMARK FOR US.

AFTER THAT, WE SPENT EVEN MORE HOURS BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTING THE CAR TO MEET ALL THE REGULATIONS IMPOSED US BY THE SOLAR CAR CHALLENGE, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL COMPETITION HELD IN TEXAS EVERY YEAR.

SO, TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ALL OF US GATHERED AND WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD SPEND EVERY DAY IN THE OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL GARAGE BUILDING AND WORKING ON THIS SOLAR CAR, SPENDING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6 TO 15 HOURS EVERY DAY.

AND AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF OF WORK, WE DEPARTED FOR TEXAS ON JULY 10TH.

WE ARRIVED THERE AND THEY INSPECTED OUR CAR RIGOROUSLY FOR THREE DAYS IN THE VERY, VERY HOT WEATHER.

AND WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO PASS.

AFTER THAT WAS DONE, WE EMBARKED ON OUR LONG JOURNEY.

SO, THE JOURNEY, THE COMPETITION CONSISTS OF EIGHT DAYS OF RACING ON REAL ROADS WITH OTHER HIGH SCHOOL SOLAR CAR TEAMS. AND IT TAKES PLACE FROM DALLAS, TEXAS, TO PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A 900-MILE JOURNEY.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO EMBARK ON THE JOURNEY, WHICH WAS JUST AMAZING.

DURING THAT WE RACED, AND WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO RACE FOR THREE DAYS, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATE.

THE REASON FOR THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS.

A COVID OUTBREAK AND THE RACE GOT CUT SHORT.

HOWEVER, ON THE THIRD DAY AND ALL THE DAYS, ACTUALLY WE DROVE REALLY WELL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE A TOTAL OF 227.

4 MILES AND WE SECURED FIRST PLACE.

OH.

SO NOT ALL THE MEMBERS ARE HERE, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF OUR VERY IMPORTANT CORE MEMBERS.

SO, THIS I'LL JUST START FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.

SO, THIS IS OUR HERE'S A CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD CONGRATULATING YOU ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A COPY FOR ALL OF YOU.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

[00:25:01]

DID YOU WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE? YES, IF YOU ALL WANT TO COME TOGETHER.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR SUCH AN INSPIRING STORY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THERE YOU GO.

I'M PRESUMING BOARD MEMBERS HAD NO QUESTIONS.

NO, IT WAS VERY, VERY EXPLANATORY.

WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA WHERE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE NOT COLLECTED ANY GREEN CARDS TODAY, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

SEEING NONE, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX ON OUR AGENDA.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

SO, TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.

MR. WALSH? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

JUST A FEW THINGS THIS EVENING.

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE LAST 25 MINUTES, I SEE CHIEF PLAGA AND I KNEW KWENDA REALLY WELL.

AND I SEE JAMES.

AND THEN I SEE THE SOLAR TEAM.

THIS PLACE IS IN GOOD HANDS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET A LOT IN THE LAST FEW MEETINGS.

THE BUDGET IS COMPLETED AND A DRAFT FORM.

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF INTERIM DIRECTOR BERNIE BLONDIE.

SHE TOOK THE REINS FROM THE BEGINNING AND HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.

SHE'S BEEN ASSISTED IN THIS PAST A LITTLE OVER A WEEK BY DIRECTOR ANNIE.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS BUDGET.

IT'S A $60 MILLION BUDGET.

IT'S BALANCED.

THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 27 MILLION.

IT'S FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN.

WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.

AND I'M AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME BETWEEN NOW.

AND IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING WHO ARE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT AND THAT WE HAVE SOME OF YOU WHO ARE TRUSTEES AND JUST NOT ABLE TO BE AS INVOLVED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT HERE EVERY DAY.

SO PLENTY OF TIME.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK THAT OVER AND SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 5TH WHEN WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

WE ALSO MET TWICE WITH THE TEAM AND ALL THE DIRECTORS TO GO OVER IT.

WE MET LAST MONDAY AND I BELIEVE WE MADE 100 AND AROUND $135,000 WORTH OF AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET BASED ON THE INPUT FROM ALL THE DIRECTORS.

AND FOLLOWING THAT, WE MADE ANOTHER LARGE INVESTMENT HERE IN THE LAST WEEK IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MORE TO COME ON THAT LATER WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET.

THE BUILDING REDEDICATION, REDEDICATION, REDEDICATION IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 31ST AT 10:00.

WE'LL BE RIGHT OUT HERE.

WE'LL CUT A RIBBON TO THE REDEDICATION AFTER 50 YEARS OF REMODELING THE BUILDING.

I BELIEVE THERE'S BETTER NEWS FACT, WHEN I WALKED IN THIS MORNING, DIRECTOR MASSEY HAD WHAT WE THINK IS IS GOOD NEWS.

WE'RE NOT SURE YET.

BUT WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN LATE SEPTEMBER ARE ACTUALLY HERE.

I HAVEN'T HAD AN UPDATE SINCE THIS MORNING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE.

SO WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED BECAUSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET EVERYONE IN SOONER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT.

BUT CERTAINLY THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE WILL BE IN AND OPERATING, CERTAINLY IN OR AROUND THE 31ST.

AND ESPECIALLY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT IN THE THROES OF TAX COLLECTION.

I THINK ONCE THEY MOVE IN TWO MORE WEEKS OF TAX COLLECTION, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW EVERYBODY'S WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS AND COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

IT'S REALLY BEEN SOMETHING TO SEE AND AND GREAT LEADERSHIP BY BY DAN AND MELISSA.

YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE SOMETHING MISSING ON OUR ENTRY SIGNS TO THE TOWNSHIP OUT HERE AND THAT WAS THERE WAS NOTHING DIRECTING US TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOMETHING.

I MEAN, IT'S NICE TO HAVE A SIGN TO HISTORICAL VILLAGE OF THE THINGS, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT ARE ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND MARSH DRIVE THAT THIS IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THOSE NEW ADDITIONS ARE IN.

THEY'RE VERY BOLD.

THEY REALLY STAND OUT.

AND YOU CAN SEE NOW THAT THIS IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

[00:30:03]

AND I APPRECIATE CHIEF FLAG AND HIS TEAM'S PATIENCE AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT.

IT WAS A LITTLE SOMETHING WE WE MISSED ALONG THE WAY.

WE HAVE A $1.

5 MILLION PAYMENT THAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTION THAT WE'RE SITTING ON THAT NEEDS TO GO TO MERS.

AND WE'RE MEETING THIS WEEK ON DETERMINING HOW TO MAKE THAT THAT PAYMENT THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE POLICE AND FIRE SEVEN.

WE NEED TO MAKE THAT CONTRIBUTION EMERGE.

REMEMBER, WE MAKE IT TO.

SURPLUS FUND.

THE REASON WE MAKE IT TO A SURPLUS FUND AND NOT THE ACTUAL FUND IS BECAUSE IF WE PUT IN THE ACTUAL FUND, IT WOULD ARTIFICIALLY LOWER THE ARC, THE REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION.

IF I PAID A LOT MORE IN MY MORTGAGE, I COULD LOWER MY MORTGAGE.

THAT'S THE SAME CONCEPT.

WE COULD LOWER HOW MUCH WE WOULD OWE, BUT WE COMMITTED TO THE VOTERS BACK IN 2017 THAT WE WOULD NOT ARTIFICIALLY LOWER OUR PAYMENT BY DOING THAT.

AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE MET WITH EAGLE THROUGH TEAMS YESTERDAY, DIRECTOR CLARKE AND DIRECTOR SCHMIDT.

THEY HANDLED THAT MEETING.

I WAS A PARTICIPANT AND THAT'S ABOUT THE GRANT AND LOANS FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

THEY'VE GIVEN FIVE EXTENSIONS AND THERE'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ANOTHER EXTENSION, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT ALL OF IT BECAUSE THROUGH IT ALL, WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH EGLE, AND I THINK REGARDLESS OF HOW WE END UP IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN 2024 WHEN THIS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD AND USE THAT RELATIONSHIP TO OUR BENEFIT.

THE PRIDE EVENT IS COMING UP.

IT'S A WEEK FROM SATURDAY ON THE 26TH.

I'M TOLD WE HAVE QUITE A FEW RACERS FROM ZACH AND NOW WE ARE ACTUALLY RUNNERS OUTNUMBER.

IT'S A LITTLE COMPETITION.

I'M TRYING TO GET MORE DOGS ZACH TRYING TO GET MORE RUNNERS.

AND HE'S BEATING ME BY THREE RIGHT NOW.

SO IF YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR DOG IN THE DOGGIE PARADE, WE WOULD WELCOME THAT.

AND ZACH IS HOSTING A SUCCESSFUL RUN EVENT ON THAT DAY.

SO, IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT.

I THINK IT'S 4 TO 10 AT THE MARKETPLACE.

COME ON OUT AND CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE DID NAME AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF LAST MONDAY.

CAPTAIN RICK GRILLO WILL ASSUME THE DUTIES OF INTERIM POLICE CHIEF FOR THE TOWNSHIP EFFECTIVE AT 5:00 ON AUGUST 25TH.

VERY CONFIDENT IN CAPTAIN GRILLO'S ABILITY.

HE'LL PICK RIGHT OFF, PICK UP RIGHT OFF WHERE SHE LEFT OFF.

AND HE AND CAPTAIN CRANE WILL DO A GREAT JOB LEADING THE DEPARTMENT.

SPEAKING OF THAT, THE POLICE CHIEF RECRUITMENT PROCESS IS WELL UNDERWAY.

TODAY WAS THE DEADLINE WE RECEIVED AS OF AROUND NOON.

THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAT CAME IN LATER ON.

I'M NOT SURE YET.

I'LL FIND OUT TOMORROW.

THOSE HAVE BEEN COMING THROUGH THE HR OFFICE.

WE HAVE, I THINK, 17 SO FAR OUT OF THOSE.

I'VE DONE AN INITIAL VETTING.

I'VE ASKED DIRECTOR TEHOV TODAY TO DO A VETTING AS WELL BEFORE WE SET UP SOME ZOOM INTERVIEWS.

BUT THERE ARE NINE CANDIDATES OF THE 17 THAT REQUIRE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CANDIDATES WITH EXCELLENT COMMAND EXPERIENCE.

SO THE WAY THIS WILL WORK IS THAT WE'LL ZOOM THE COMMITTEE OF FIVE, WHICH INCLUDES SUPERVISOR JACKSON, TRUSTEE WISINSKI, AND THEN DIRECTOR TEHOV, CHIEF HAMMEL AND MYSELF.

WE WILL ZOOM IN WITH ALL 8 OR 9 CANDIDATES AND SELECT FIVE FINALISTS.

AND THOSE FIVE FINALISTS THEN WILL MOVE ON TO A DOUBLE INTERVIEW STAGE, WHICH WILL BE SEPTEMBER 13TH AND SEPTEMBER 20TH.

THERE WILL BE TEN FOLKS INVOLVED IN THOSE TWO PANELS AND INCLUDE BOTH POLICE UNIONS AND JOYCE VAN COUVERING AS A CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVE AND MANY OTHERS.

THE PARKS AND REC RECRUITMENT THE DIRECTOR'S POSITION THAT WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ONCE WE WORK OUR WAY ALONG.

I EXPECT THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER WILL BE FAR ENOUGH ALONG AND THE POLICE CHIEF RECRUITMENT THAT WILL START THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR RECRUITMENT.

THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GO WELL.

WE'RE ACTUALLY WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON GETTING THE 2024 ROAD LIST BID OUT, AND ASSISTANT MANAGER OPSOMMER IS WORKING ON THAT PROJECT AND GETTING IT OUT.

OKEMOS SCHOOLS HAS REACHED OUT.

SUPERINTENDENT JOHN HOOD WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH US AND TALK ABOUT OUR.

I WOULDN'T SAY RELATIONSHIP.

THE RELATIONSHIP ABOUT ALL THE FIELDS THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER, ALL THE COLLECTIVE THINGS, THE SENIOR CENTER, THE USE OF THE FIELDS.

I DON'T BELIEVE CHIEF PLAGA, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, SO WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.

AND THAT MEETING IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK.

THE PENSION BOARD IS ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.

THE PENSION BOARD HAS NOT MET REGULARLY AND WE REALLY I KNOW I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT,

[00:35:03]

IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND DIRECTOR RYAN IS WORKING ON THAT AND WE'LL BE GETTING THAT.

OTHER THAN WHEN WE HAD THAT CRISIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A MAJOR CRISIS IS WHAT I CALL IT, BECAUSE WE HAD TWO PENSIONERS THAT HAD BIG ISSUES.

AND I WANT TO AGAIN CREDIT DIRECTOR TEHOV FOR WORKING.

THAT WAS TEDIOUS AND DIFFICULT AND WORKED THROUGH THAT ALL THE WAY TO THE END.

BUT THE PENSION BOARD NEEDS TO GET ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE AND BE LOOKING AT THE ACTUARIAL REVIEWS THAT WE GET IN AND HAVING A.

A FIRM GRASP ON OUR PENSION.

A FINAL REMINDER OF CHIEF PLAGA'S RETIREMENT PARTY IS AUGUST 25TH AT THE MARKETPLACE.

THAT'S FRIDAY, HIS LAST DAY OF SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP FROM 2 TO 4, AND THE LISTENING SESSIONS BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 12TH.

SO STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, BASICALLY UNTIL THANKSGIVING, IT'S ALMOST EVERY TUESDAY IN BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS.

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ONE THAT'S OFF WITH WE HAVE FIVE TUESDAYS, BUT SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD.

I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION, I THOUGHT SOME REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD ABOUT TOPICS AND WE'LL HONE IN ON THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND FIGURE THAT OUT AND WE'LL GET A LETTER OUT FOR THE SEPTEMBER 12TH.

THE FIRST MEETING IS DOWN IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP AND I BELIEVE IT'S AT BENNETT WOODS SCHOOL, IF I RECALL, PRECINCTS 13, 16 AND 17, I BELIEVE.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT.

LOTS GOING ON.

LOTS OF GREAT STUFF GOING ON.

AND WE JUST CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL STEP AWAY.

WELL, MEMBERS QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. WALSH.

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

ANNOUNCEMENTS.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? AT FIRST, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING ON AUGUST 3RD AND NEGLECTED TO PUT MY NOTES IN MY CARRY ON SO I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO REPORT.

WE WERE WORKING ON A LOGO, THE BAG.

THERE'LL BE A LOGO THAT SAYS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADD IT BECAUSE I JUST TOTALLY NEGLECTED TO BRING MY NOTES.

ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE WILSON? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I HAVE REPORTING ON TWO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

ONE IS THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION, WHICH WILL BE MEETING ON THE 13TH.

BUT IN THE INTERIM, WE'RE DOING TWO MAJOR PROJECTS.

THAT GROUP IS DOING TWO MAJOR PROJECTS.

ONE IS HAVING A RESOURCE SESSION TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT GRANGE ACRES FOR INDIVIDUALS.

ON THE SUBJECT OF THE FIVE WISHES, THE FIVE WISHES IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO AN ADVANCED DIRECTIVE.

IT ASKS YOU IF YOU'RE COMING TO THE END OF LIFE OR BEFORE THE END OF LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN DO SOME PLANNING AND PUT IT IN WRITING.

IT HAS THE SAME WEIGHT AS ANY OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENT.

SO, IT'S REALLY, IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.

IT DOESN'T INVOLVE HAVING TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE THAT TO THE GRANGE ACRE POPULATION AND HOPE TO TAKE IT OUT TO OTHER GROUPS, INCLUDING CHURCH GROUPS AND SCHOOLS AND SO ON.

THE SECOND THING THE CRC HAS DONE IS WE HAD A PACKING PARTY LAST TUESDAY.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANTED TO PACK BACKPACKS, WE HAD A FABULOUS TURNOUT AND WE PACKED 240 BACKPACKS IN 28 MINUTES.

IT WAS FANTASTIC.

SO WE HAVE ALREADY DELIVERED A GROUP OF THOSE BACKPACKS TO HASLETT SCHOOLS.

AND NEXT MONDAY AT 1:00, WE'RE DELIVERING THE BALLOTS TO ALL THE OKEMOS SCHOOLS.

AND THE SCHOOLS ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

THESE ARE BACKPACKS FULL OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES.

AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO REPORT ON IS TODAY THE TASK FORCE ON THE COMMUNITY SLASH SENIOR CENTER MET WITH BOND COUNCIL AND WE LEARNED A LOT.

AND WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS CENTER HAPPEN.

SO IT WAS VERY FRUITFUL.

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE BOARD WHEN IT'S A LITTLE MORE RIPE.

MR. DUCHAINE? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

TO ADD TO THE BACKPACKING PROJECT THAT WAS DONE LAST WEEK ORGANIZED BY MERIDIAN CARES THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE HASLETT OKEMOS KIWANIS CLUB, AND THEY GOT THEIR MONEY FROM THE FLAGS OF MERIDIAN AND OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE SUBSCRIBED TO THAT EVERY

[00:40:02]

YEAR.

AND THEY DO GREAT THINGS LIKE THIS BACKPACK PROJECT.

THANKS, PHIL.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS SEMINAR WE'RE SPONSORING ON SEPTEMBER 6TH AT THE SNELL COMMUNITY RECREATION AREA ON PORTER AVENUE.

IT WILL RUN FROM 2 TO 6 AND IT'S ON THE MY HALF ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR ANYONE IMPACTED BY COVID, WHICH ACTUALLY INCLUDES VIRTUALLY EVERYONE.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT.

BEHIND PEOPLE GOT BEHIND, GET BEHIND ON PROPERTY TAXES, MORTGAGES, UTILITIES, CONDO FEES, LAND CONTRACTS OR EVEN HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.

THERE'S HELP OUT THERE, BUT THE HELP IS GOING TO GO AWAY ABOUT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

SO, PEOPLE CAN WANT TO MAKE AN APPLICATION, THIS IS THE TIME TO MAKE IT.

IT'S OFFICIALLY RUN BY THE INGHAM COUNTY TREASURER WHO'S HELPING TO ADMINISTER THIS AS LONG AS WELL AS THE MSU EXTENSION SERVICE.

AND KATIE LOVE IS OUR CONTACT THERE FOR THAT SEMINAR.

IT'LL RUN FROM 2 TO 6 LUNCHES PROVIDED YOU CAN COME IN, BRING YOUR IDENTIFICATION AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY HELP YOU COMPLETE THE ENTIRE APPLICATION.

EVERY WEEK WE GET SEVERAL PAYMENTS IN UTILITIES IN PARTICULAR, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO IN THE TOWNSHIP HAVE APPLIED FOR MY HALF HELP ARE ELIGIBLE AND THEY THEN GET CAUGHT UP AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DO SEND ADDITIONAL NOTICES OR, GOD FORBID, SHUT THEM OFF.

SO THERE IS HELP OUT THERE.

IT'S MY HALF SEPTEMBER 6TH AT SNELL.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ANYONE ELSE? CLERK GUTHRIE? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

NEXT MONTH IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION MONTH AND MY TEAM IS WORKING ON A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE WITH VOTERS TO START EDUCATING THEM ON WHAT THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSAL TWO MEANS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THEM NEXT YEAR.

SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

AND THEN NATIONAL VOTER EDUCATION WEEK IS OCTOBER 2ND THROUGH THE SIXTH AND WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A CLERK'S ACADEMY.

WE MAY HAVE TAKEN THAT WORD FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY THAT THEY PUT ON.

WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A CLERK'S ACADEMY ON A WEEKLY BASIS THROUGH THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO THANK YOU FOR THAT SMILE.

CHIEF PLAGA TO EDUCATE VOTERS ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN THE OFFICE.

JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE OFFICE, OVERVIEW OF THE EQUIPMENT, LETTING THEM WORK ON THE EQUIPMENT, DOING SOME EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, HOPEFULLY TO DRUM UP SOME MORE ELECTION WORKERS AND HAVE MORE ELECTION INSPECTORS FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT A POLLING LOCATION FOR ONE FOR PRE-ELECTION FOR VOTING.

SO, WE ARE VETTING SOME LOCATIONS FOR WHERE THAT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE.

SO, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.

HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETING I CAN MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHERE THAT WOULD BE.

THEN WE MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

THE BOARD MEMBERS.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

MR. DUCHAINE? I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

PER THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION REGARDING CHIEF RETIREMENT TRIBUTE, I WOULD MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THE MOTION MAKER PERHAPS THAT WE COULD UPDATE THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE THE CHIEF RETIREMENT TRIBUTE AS ITEM NINE D ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AND THEN ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT I HAD WAS SINCE THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR LAST OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK ABOUT THE LISTENING SESSIONS PRIOR TO THE WHEN A LETTER GOES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE WISE FOR US TO HAVE THAT ON AS A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR 13.

SO, IF IT HELPS THE PARLIAMENTARY PART OF IT, I CAN MAKE THAT A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD ITEM FOUR A AS ITEM 9.

D AND TO ADD LISTENING SESSION TOPICS AS ITEM 13.

AMERICA TO SUPPORT CLERK GUTHRIE.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER ITEM.

WELL, FIRST, LET'S GET, I GUESS, SUPPORT FOR YOUR MOTION TO AMEND.

SUPPORT? OKAY.

UM.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA.

[00:45:02]

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ITEM NINE E, WHICH IS THE WONDERFUL TRIBUTE THAT MARNA GAVE FOR KWEDNA STORY.

IF WE COULD SIGN THAT AS A BOARD AND MAYBE SEND IT TO KWENDA'S FAMILY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.

SO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA AS WELL.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO ADD ITEM 9.

E PLEASE SAY YES.

AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES, OF COURSE.

OPPOSED? NO.

NOW, THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

NOW? YES, MR. DUCHAINE, I DON'T THINK I GOT A SECOND.

I WAS THE SECOND.

SECOND WAS TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.

OUR AGENDA IS CHANGED BY THREE ITEMS. ITEM NINE ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES, AS USUAL, COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH IN SEVERAL CASES HIGHLIGHT MANY OF THE ITEMS MR. WALSH NOTED IN TERMS OF EVENTS GOING ON IN THE TOWNSHIP.

ITEM 9.

B IS THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 1ST, 2023, REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING AND ITEM NINE C ARE THE TYPICAL MANAGER'S BILLS AND D AND NOW D AND E THAT WE ADDED JUST NOW.

OH, I'M SORRY.

AND NOW NINE D IS THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE TRIBUTE PRESENTED FOR CHIEF PARKER? YES.

I NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.

YOU NEED A MOTION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT.

I'M SORRY.

WE WERE LOOKING AT 9.

E FOR THE KWENDA THING AS WELL, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.

FIRST, WE NEED A MOTION, THEN A ROLL CALL VOTE.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON THAT.

WHO HAS A MOTION? TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED.

AS AMENDED.

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

I MEAN, FOR THE ATTORNEY.

NO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.

WE MOVE NOW TO THE ACTION ITEMS AS 12.

[12.A. Special Use Permit #23-012 –The W. Investment Holdings– 1614 West Grand River Avenue – Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center]

A REPRESENTS THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 23-012 FOR THE W INVESTMENT HOLDINGS AT 1614 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENT ER.

MR. DIRECTOR SCHMIDT WILL INTRODUCE THAT TO US TONIGHT.

THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS FINAL ACTION ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER PROPOSES 1614 WEST GRAND RIVER.

THIS IS THE VACANT PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE SPARROW FACILITY NEAR THE OLD PANERA AT WEST GRAND RIVER AND CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.

THIS IS THE EXACT SAME APPLICATION THAT WAS REVIEWED IN 2020 AND APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON APRIL 14TH.

IT DOES STILL CONTINUE TO MEET ALL THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS AND MEETS ALL THE STANDARDS OF THE UPDATED ORDINANCE AS WELL THAT THE BOARD RECENTLY ADOPTED.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AS REQUIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BOARD.

AND THE BOARD REVIEWED THIS AT THEIR LAST MEETING AND HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS AT THIS POINT.

STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PROVISIONING CENTER.

AND WHICH WILL START THE CLOCK FOR THEM TO OPEN THE FACILITY UNDER OUR ORDINANCE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR A MOTION PERIOD? I CAN READ IT.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES.

MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REQUEST FROM THE INVESTMENT

[00:50:06]

HOLDINGS TO CONSTRUCT A 4000 SQUARE FOOT MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER AT 1614 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C2 COMMERCIAL AND IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MARIJUANA FACILITIES OVERLAY DISTRICT.

SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

OH, JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THIS IS JUST THE NEXT PIECE TO GET EVERYTHING APPROVED THROUGH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER.

I WOULD ECHO THIS IS FOR MELODY.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

APPRECIATE THE PERSEVERANCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MR. DUCHAINE? DIRECTOR SCHMITT, HAVE WE ACTUALLY GOTTEN PLANS FOR THIS 400 ZERO SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, OR HOW FAR ALONG ARE THEY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY INTEND TO CONSTRUCT THERE? WE WOULDN'T HAVE RECEIVED BUILDING.

ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT BUILDING CONSTRUCTION? WE WOULDN'T RECEIVE BUILDING PERMITS AT THIS POINT ANYWAY.

THE NORMAL COURSE OF THINGS SOMEONE WOULD GET THE SHOP LINED UP.

NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO GET THE SITE PLAN APPROVED BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ROAD DEPARTMENT APPROVAL, MDOT AND DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AT THE INGHAM COUNTY AS WELL.

SO THIS IS STILL RELATIVELY EARLY IN THE PROCESS UNDER ANY FOR ANY PROJECT, ANY ESTIMATE OF WHAT 4000 COMMERCIAL, 4000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY OF THIS NATURE WOULD COST IN TERMS OF OTHER PLANS, YOU'RE GETTING INTO THE TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF COST OF CONSTRUCTION.

YEAH, I SUSPECT THERE WILL BE JUST FOR THE BUILDING.

I SUSPECT THEY'LL BE 11.

2 MILLION WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

BUT ALSO THERE ARE SOME THINGS ARE STARTING TO COME DOWN IN COST.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY SEE SOME REDUCTION IN CONSTRUCTION PRICES IN THE COMING YEAR.

SO IF THIS APPLICANT PROCEEDS IN, GETS THEIR PERMITS, THEY'LL BE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMERCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

ABSOLUTELY.

TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS APPLICANT HAS COME BEFORE US.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THEY CAME SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH BASICALLY THE SAME APPLICATION.

DID THEY GET DOWN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE APPROVALS THE AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT WAS APPROVED AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN NOW? NO, THEY LITERALLY GOT APPROVED LIKE I THINK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER COVID STARTED.

SO THEY DID NOT PROCEED.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD WAS JUST OF YOU PIQUED MY INTEREST WHEN YOU SAID THAT THEY HAD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

GOT IT.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE UPDATED THE ORDINANCE.

NONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE REQUIRE THEM TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM A FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE OR FROM THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SEE THEM AGAIN AFTER THE ORDINANCE CHANGE, RIGHT? NO, FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, NOTHING CHANGED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD AFFECT THE APPLICATION.

IS THAT TRUE ALSO FOR ANY CHANGES THAT WOULD COME UP WITH THE MASTER PLAN OR RECOMMENDATIONS? WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT TREES AND I SEE A NUMBER OF TREES ALONG HERE ON GRAND RIVER.

WE TALKED ABOUT LESS PARKING SPACES, SO.

SO AS THIS APPLICATION STANDS, DOES IT AFFECT THIS? AND IF THIS EXPIRES IN A NEW APPLICATION WERE TO BE SUBMITTED, WOULD IT CHANGE THE PARAMETERS AT ALL GIVEN THE MASTER PLAN BEING UPDATED? THE MASTER PLAN WOULDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

THAT'S A PLANNING DOCUMENT.

THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS WHAT AFFECTS THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO AS A PROJECT GOES FORWARD, IT IS REVIEWED UNDER THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT'S IN PLACE AT THE TIME.

IF IT EXPIRES AND SOMETHING HAS CHANGED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THEY AS AS IS THE CASE WITH ANY PROJECT, THEY'LL NEED TO MEET THE CURRENT STANDARDS WHEN THEY'RE UNDER REVIEW.

ANYONE ELSE? ONE QUESTION FROM ME.

YOU MENTIONED STARTING A CLOCK, ESPECIALLY USE PERMIT HAS A TIME LIMIT.

[00:55:03]

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

THE SPECIAL USE PERMITS IN THIS CASE IS SEPARATE FROM THE STANDARDS AND ELSEWHERE IN THE ORDINANCE.

AND I'M TRYING TO FIND IT REAL FAST.

IT IS.

DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO.

THEY HAVE APPLICANT FOR ANY COMMERCIAL.

THEY HAVE.

ONE YEAR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE TOWNSHIP'S SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPROVAL TO START CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING.

SO THEY DO NEED TO PROCEED POSTHASTE.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THEN? THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REQUEST FROM THE W INVESTMENT HOLDINGS TO CONSTRUCT A 400 I'M SORRY, 4000 SQUARE FOOT MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER AT 1614 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C2 COMMERCIAL AND IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MARIJUANA FACILITIES OVERLAY DISTRICT.

OUR MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED APPROPRIATELY, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

ITEM 12 B IS TO SET THE 2024 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023.

[12.B. Set 2024 Budget Public Hearing-September 5, 2023]

MISTER WALSH WILL START US ON THIS DISCUSSION.

YEAH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO SET THE DATE FOR THE BOARD TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THERE WILL BE A PROBABLY ABOUT A 20 OR 30 MINUTE PRESENTATION PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY ON THE FIFTH FOLLOWING.

THAT WILL BE THE REVIEW AND INPUT DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD.

ANY OTHER INPUT? I NOTED THAT THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT WRITTEN ON THE MEMO, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

MR.. HENDRICKSON THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I MOVE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD AT 6 P.

ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023, FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING COMMENTS REGARDING THE 2024 CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN RECOMMENDED BUDGET SUPPORT AND MR. HENDRICKSON.

AND I'M SURE OVER THE NEXT 3 OR 4 MEETINGS WE'LL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING THIS TOPIC AND THANKING THE RELEVANT PARTIES FOR THEIR INPUT ON CREATING THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT, WHICH I KNOW WE ARE ALL ANXIOUS TO GET OUR HANDS ON.

THE MOTION TONIGHT IS A RATHER PERFUNCTORY ONE.

WE WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT SO THE PUBLIC CAN OBSERVE THE BUDGET, CAN HEAR FROM TOWNSHIP ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND CAN MAKE COMMENT ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT THE BUDGET.

AND SO SO AS A MATTER OF TRANSPARENCY, I URGE EVERYONE TO WATCH THAT MEETING AND THAT PRESENTATION AND PROVIDE INPUT BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO SERVE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT IN THE WAY THAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN.

SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS MOTION THIS EVENING.

OKAY? UH TRUSTEE.

WILSON I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT MANAGER WALSH AND HIS STAFF HAVE MADE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO US AS TRUSTEES TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON THE BUDGET IN ADVANCE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF US HAVE SIGNED UP TO DO SO.

SO I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED TO TAKE THAT ACTION.

OTHER COMMENTS.

WE HAVE A MOTION FOR A PUBLIC TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023, AT 6 P.

FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE 2024 CHARTER TOWNSHIP MERIDIAN RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.

PLEASE SAY YES.

OPPOSED TO THE MOTION SAY NAY.

THE MOTION PASSED.

I'M ASSUMING THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

AND SO.

THANK YOU, MR. WALSH.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING? WELL, IF I MAY.

YES, PLEASE.

THIS HAPPENED TODAY WHILE ALL OF US WERE IN THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER MEETING DOWN IN THE TRIANGLE.

BUT THE MICHIGAN NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION PRESENTED A BEAUTIFUL AWARD

[01:00:05]

TODAY AT 2:00 TO OUR HASLETT BEAUTIFICATION ASSOCIATION FOR THE DONALD LEROY'S MEMORIAL GARDEN.

SO IT'S A COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION AWARD FOR THE MICHIGAN NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION THAT WAS PRESENTED, PRESENTED TO THE

[13.A. Special Use Permit #23-011-Haslett Gallery-2119A Haslett Road-Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center]

ARBOR TODAY TO ANN PERKINS AND THE GROUP.

SO I THOUGHT MR. OPSOMMER WAS THERE TO RECEIVE IT ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP AND THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE THAT AND THANK THE ARBOR FOR THEIR EFFORTS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK MR. OPSOMMER FOR US.

WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM 13 ON OUR AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND 13 A IS ANOTHER MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER.

SUP, MR.. MR. SCHMIDT, I'VE BEEN UPGRADED.

I KNOW.

I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, I THIS WHEN THESE ORIGINALLY CAME BACK THROUGH.

THERE'S THREE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER SUPS THAT THE BOARD WILL NEED TO ACT ON.

WE TRIED TO LINE THESE ALL UP SO THEY'D ALL BE ON THE SAME NIGHT.

AS YOU SEE, WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT BECAUSE I ALSO NEED TO APOLOGIZE.

I APPEAR TO NOT HAVE AN APPLICANT THIS EVENING, WHICH I WILL TAKE FULL BLAME FOR SOMEHOW HAVING THAT MISCOMMUNICATION.

UM, AS THEY'VE AND THIS IS THE EASIEST ONE ACTUALLY.

SO THIS IS THE REQUEST FOR THE OVERLAY AT THE CORNER OF HASLETT AND OKEMOS ROAD 2119 HASLETT ROAD.

THIS IS THE SHOPPING CENTER, FORMERLY 7-ELEVEN WAS IN IT.

THIS IS THE SUITE NEXT TO THAT, AGAIN, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN MARCH OF 2020.

THIS IS AN IDENTICAL APPLICATION.

THEY ACTUALLY DID START CONSTRUCTION PREVIOUSLY AND WERE STOPPED BY COVID.

AND SO THIS IS ALONG WITH THE ONE ON JOLLY ROAD THAT DID A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION PREVIOUSLY.

THIS ONE IS VERY CLOSE TO WOULD BE MUCH CLOSER TO OPENING BACK UP SHOULD THE SNP BE GRANTED.

PLANNING COMMISSION HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER AND HAD NO MAJOR HAD HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS BUT HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS SPECIFIC TO THE APPLICATION AND DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BOARD.

AND SO WE ARE IN FRONT OF THIS EVENING FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU WITH ANSWERS TO THOSE AT THE NEXT MEETING.

MR.. SCHMIDT LIKE THE OTHER THE ONE WE JUST APPROVED AND THE ONE BEFORE, IN IN ALL THREE CASES, THESE APPLICATIONS OR THESE APPS WERE APPROVED ROUGHLY TWO YEARS AGO, THREE, THREE AND A HALF, THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THIS CASE LIKE THE OTHER TWO, CORRECT? OKAY.

IN FACT, THIS IS THE EXACT SAME APPLICATION.

THEY DIDN'T NEED TO UPDATE ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS AN EXISTING BUILDING, WHEREAS THE OTHER TWO APPLICATIONS DID NEED TO UPDATE SOME MINOR THINGS ON THEIR APPLICATION, JUST PAPERWORK ISSUES ON THEIR APPLICATION.

AND I REMEMBER WE LEARNED IN THE FIRST ONE THAT AN UPDATED TRAFFIC STUDY WAS REQUESTED AND THERE WAS NO IN FACT, THERE WAS A DIMINISHING OF THE TRAFFIC, THE INTENSITY OF THE TRAFFIC IN THE NEW STUDY.

AND SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THESE OTHER TWO DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.

THIS ONE DID NOT REQUIRE ONE BECAUSE IT'S AN EXISTING BUILDING.

AND SO THE STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, IT'S RETAIL AND OR RETAIL SPACE.

OTHER QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE RESOLUTION ON PAGE 97? THE PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION, I IF THIS WERE IF THIS WAS PASSED, I WOULD REQUEST A A PASSED VERSION SIGNED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON PERSON RATHER THAN A BLANK VERSION.

I DON'T KNOW WHO'S SECONDED IT, WHO'S SUPPORTED IT, WHO PASSED IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OR IF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

SO YES, MA'AM.

APOLOGIES.

WE DO HAVE THE MINUTES IN THERE WITH THAT INFORMATION, BUT WE WILL GET A SIGNED COPY OF THE RESOLUTION.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MR.. MR.. THE APPLICANT IS INCLUDED.

[01:05:04]

PICTURES OF THE PROPOSED SIGN ON HASLETT ROAD AND WE.

THESE SIGNS ARE NOT COVERED BY OUR SIGN ORDINANCE.

CORRECT.

THESE ARE COVERED ONLY BY OUR PROVISIONING CENTER AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCES.

IS THAT CORRECT? CONTENT OF THESE SIGNS? THEY'RE ACTUALLY COVERED BY BOTH BECAUSE THE SIZE AND PLACEMENT STILL HAS TO MEET OUR SIGN ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS.

BUT YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE IS STILL THE CONTENT RELATED REGULATION IN THE LICENSING ORDINANCE.

AND THE CONTENT DOES NOT ALLOW IT TO SAY MARIJUANA IN THE SIGN, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

BUT IT DOES SAY HABANA AND GROWING UP, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT HERB WAS ANOTHER WORD FOR MARIJUANA.

KIND OF.

SO ARE WE ARE WE CLOSE TO THE LINE HERE OF PRESSING WHAT THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS? I THINK WE WOULD.

SO THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, IT TALKS ABOUT PICTURES, PHOTOGRAPHS, DRAWINGS, DEPICTIONS OF MARIJUANA, OBVIOUSLY.

AND THEN IT SAYS THE WORDS MARIJUANA, CANNABIS OR ANY OTHER USE, WORDS USED TO OR INTENDED TO CONVEY THE PRESENCE OR AVAILABILITY OF MARIJUANA SHALL NOT APPEAR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PERMITTED PREMISES.

THE ISSUE IS THE WORD IS TO YOUR POINT, THE WORD IS HERB, HERB, HERB.

AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE CONVENIENTLY PLAYING OFF THE NAME, THE WORD URBANA DOES NOT DIRECTLY REFERENCE.

IT WOULD BE A STICKY WICKET TO TRY AND FIGHT.

IT WOULD BE AN UNLIKELY COST US A LEGAL CHALLENGE TO ENFORCE IT AND WE DON'T WANT TO INCUR UNNECESSARY COSTS.

THAT'S MY QUESTION.

ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE WILSON TIM, COULD YOU SHOW US ON THE MAP EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS? IS THIS PART OF THE STRIP MALL AT THAT CORNER? YES.

IS IT THE EASTERN END OF THAT STRIP MALL? WELL, LET ME JUST TAKE OVER CONTROL HERE FROM ZACH.

WELL, THANK YOU.

YES, WE ARE RIGHT HERE.

YEP.

THERE IT IS IN THE MIDDLE.

AND I WENT TOO FAR.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THIS IS A LOT HARDER TO DO ON A BIG SCREEN.

SO YOU ARE RIGHT HERE IN THIS SUITE.

SO THIS IS THE 7-ELEVEN.

THIS IS THE SUITE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT THERE WITH THE VACANT SIGN IS.

ARE WE PREPARED TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE AT OUR NEXT MEETING? MR. SCHMIDT, WILL WE BE READY? WE WILL ENSURE THE MEETING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ITEM 13 B IS A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE AND ADOPTION OF THE 2022 TRI COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE BEING PRESENTED BY FIRE CHIEF HAMEL.

[13.B. Resolution to Authorize the Acceptance and Adoption of the 2022 Tri-County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update]

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR BOARD.

SO WHEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM EVERY FIVE YEARS, THEY HAVE TO REWRITE THEIR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.

THIS IS THE PROCESSING AND COUNTY STARTED DOING IN LATE 21.

GOT A LITTLE DELAYED.

ONCE IT'S WRITTEN AND THEY HIRE A GROUP TO DO IT FOR THEM.

SO IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE THREE DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT ARE INGHAM, EATON AND CLINTON.

SO THEY CAN KIND OF SHARE THE WEALTH AND THE COST OF REWRITING THIS.

AND THEY REALLY LOOK AT ALL HAZARDS THAT WE COULD DEAL WITH IN INGHAM COUNTY, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND A LOT OF IT'S HISTORICAL DATA.

SO AS I SAID, ACT 390 REQUIRES THEM TO REWRITE IT EVERY FIVE YEARS OF WHICH THEY HAVE DONE.

AND WHAT THEY ONCE THEY GET IT, THE WRITTEN COPY DONE, THEN THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO SEND IT TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO APPROVE ONCE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE APPROVE IT IN THEIR HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP, THEN IT GOES TO FEMA FOR APPROVAL.

AND THAT CAN TAKE UP TO SIX MONTHS.

SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF, I THINK NOW MAYBE TWO MONTHS SINCE THEY RECEIVED IT BACK AND NOW WE REVIEWED IT.

AND SO WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FROM THE STATE AND FEMA IS FOR THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE A STAKE IN THIS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO DO A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING IT.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR TODAY, TO RECOMMEND THAT.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF MOVE

[01:10:02]

FORWARD FROM THERE.

TRUSTEE WILSON, SO BOTH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT DONE A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THIS PLAN.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE POLICE HAS IF MR. BESSENAND GOT IT OR NOT.

IT'S REALLY A REWRITE OF WHAT WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS.

THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING NEW.

OUR BIGGEST HAZARD IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE WEATHER.

NOW YOU HAVE THE MANMADE DISASTERS.

ONE THAT WE'VE JUST DEALT WITH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS COVID.

SO NOW YOU HAVE THE PANDEMIC THAT WE'VE TRULY LIVED THROUGH ONE.

SO THEY REFINE THAT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT REALLY IT'S JUST TAKING THE PLAN AND REWRITING IT WITH THE ADDITION OF THE OTHER TWO COUNTIES ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THAT'S WHAT KIND OF TOOK A LITTLE LONGER TO TO BOAST THE PLAN.

BUT IT'S A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND REALLY, IT'S A IT'S A MAP.

IT'S NOT TELLING US HOW TO RESPOND.

IT'S GIVING US HISTORICAL DATA.

AND THEN THEY RANK IT ON THE THREAT.

HOW HOW, YOU KNOW, A THUNDERSTORM.

IT'S A HIGHER THREAT FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE THEM, ICE STORMS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF PDS.

I THINK KEN HAS.

CHIEF HAS.

SO THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT WAS MERIDIAN WAS CALLED OUT SPECIFICALLY ALONG WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER LARGER JURISDICTIONS IN THE TRI COUNTY AREA.

AND IN TERMS OF HOW THEY EVALUATED VARIOUS THINGS, ONE OF THEM WAS RELATED TO PLANNING FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

AND I'M PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE WE WERE ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE MOST PLANS COMPLETE AND ON FILE.

THE TWO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ARE THE ONES I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT, WHICH ARE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND WILDFIRE PROTECTION.

THEY APPEAR TO BE TWO THINGS THAT AT LEAST THEIR SURVEY INDICATED THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE OR ARE WE WORKING TOWARD THOSE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

WITH THE STORMWATER, I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN DO SOME RESEARCH FOR YOU ON THAT.

IN REGARDS TO WILDLAND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE NEVER WE HAVE BRUSH FIRES, BUT I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD LOOK AT AND WORK ON MAYBE PUTTING IN PLACE.

IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT MAY OCCASIONALLY COME INTO EFFECT ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP ESPECIALLY.

AND TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S BRAVOS TO BE HAD ACROSS THE BOARD HERE.

RIGHT? WE HAVE.

OF THE OTHER.

18 THINGS THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED AS KEY PLANS TO HAVE.

WE HAVE 16 OF THEM.

SO I DON'T MEAN TO CALL OUT THE TWO AS THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER, BUT IT IT DID STRIKE ME AS ODD BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ENCOUNTER RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND IT SORT OF SURPRISED ME.

IT JUMPED OUT AT ME.

YOU KNOW, SURELY WE MUST HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT.

SO I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK ABOUT IT, BUT THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

TRUSTEE BASINSKI THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SUPERVISOR THANK YOU, TRUSTEE.

HENDRICKSON VERY GOOD CATCH.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WORKS ON THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT ALSO HAS A WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMPONENT JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT THERE, IT'S EVER EVOLVING, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE IS CONSISTENT WITH DEFINITELY RECOMMENDATIONS.

GREAT IDEA TO LOOK AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND COMPARE TO WHAT INGHAM COUNTY HAS FOR US ALL THROUGH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

CLERK GUTHRIE.

I NOTICED THE INCREASE IN POPULATION FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN COMPARISON TO THE REST OF INGHAM COUNTY.

HOW DOES THAT OR DOES THAT FACTOR INTO THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WHEN YOU HAVE THE INCREASE IN POPULATION AND A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS STAFF? HAVE YOU ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN CALLS AND HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THAT? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, OVER THE LAST 3 TO 5 YEARS AND MANAGER WALSH AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR CALL VOLUME HAS GONE UP IN THE LAST WELL, SINCE 2010.

IT'S ALMOST PRETTY MUCH DOUBLED.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT RECENTLY IN REGARDS TO A SHORTAGE OF PARAMEDICS, ESPECIALLY IN THE PRIVATE WORLD OUT THERE WHERE WE'RE PICKING UP A LOT OF THEIR BACKFILL, THEY CAN'T MANAGE.

BUT POPULATION INCREASE IS ALWAYS GOING TO INCREASE YOUR CALL VOLUME.

WE'RE AN OLDER COMMUNITY, 50 I THINK 54% OF OUR EMS REVENUE IS FROM MEDICARE.

[01:15:02]

SO THAT TELLS YOU A LOT.

AND THEN ANOTHER 8 TO 10% IS MEDICAID.

AND SO AS YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD SENIOR CENTERS AND AS OUR POPULATION GROWS, THEN OUR CALL VOLUME IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW UP AS WELL AS THE HOSPITALS ARE GOING TO GET BUSIER.

ONE OF THE IMPLICATIONS COMING IN THE NEXT, WHAT 6 OR 7 YEARS IS WHEN THE BABY BOOMERS HIT 65.

THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE A LOT OF MEDICAL CONCERNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO THOSE ARE ALL TAKEN INTO EFFECT.

AND YES, WE WE CONSTANTLY LOOK AT OUR DATA ANNUALLY.

AND FRANK OR MANAGER WALZ, I GIVE IT TO HIM ALL THE TIME ON OUR DATA JUST SO HE KIND OF SEES WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE OUR GROWTH IS AND WHERE OUR NEEDS ARE AND IT WILL CONTINUE.

WE'RE AN AGING POPULATION.

SO BUT A GREAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU ALL.

THE BOARD MEMBERS.

CHIEF, I REALIZE THAT YOU ARE THE DESIGNATED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

PERSON IN THE TOWNSHIP.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

SO THAT RELATES TO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN.

WELL, SERGEANT BESTON IS ALSO A PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T WORKED AS MUCH AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO KIND OF BUILD ON.

BUT BOTH OF US ARE SO BUSY, IT'S REALLY HARD TO CONNECT.

AND HIS ROLE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE BOTH KIND OF WORK TOGETHER ON IF WE HAVE A DISASTER OR ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY WORKING WITH THE BOARD, WORKING WITH THE MANAGERS MANAGER, WALSH, THE MANAGER OF THE DEPARTMENTS, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD WORK THROUGH ANY TYPE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE CONTINUITY OPERATION PLAN WILL HELP US A LITTLE BIT ALSO.

I ALSO WONDERED WHETHER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WAS AT ALL INVOLVED IN THE TOWNSHIP'S ASSESSMENT OF ITS READINESS AND ITS REPORT OF ITS READINESS.

THERE WERE TWO OTHER PEOPLE, AND I DON'T RECALL THEIR NAMES RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY MIND THAT WERE INVOLVED FROM THE TOWNSHIP FOR SOME OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES THAT CAME OUT EARLY ON.

AND I CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY EMAILS AND GET THAT FOR YOU.

I JUST DON'T REMEMBER WHO THEY WERE.

AND MY MY OTHER MY NEXT QUESTION IS, DOES.

THIS KIND OF ASSESSMENT OF OF THE TOWNSHIP'S.

NEEDS AND VULNERABILITIES BECOME INCLUDED IN THE MASTER PLAN.

SO I'M SORRY.

MR. SCHMIDT AND I WERE ACTUALLY TALKING THAT HE CAME TO ME AND WANTS TO TO PUT THAT IN THERE.

SO HE AND I ARE GOING TO WORK FORWARD WITH THAT.

HE'LL DO MOST OF THE WORK.

I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM THE PLAN.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S MR. SCHMIDT'S RIGHT ON THAT.

QUESTION I ACTUALLY DID ENJOY READING THIS DOCUMENT.

THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION IS VERY INTERESTING AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WITH A WITH A MOMENT, A FEW MOMENTS, WITH A FEW MOMENTS BECAUSE IT IS THICK, A FEW MOMENTS OF FREE TO TO DO SO TO READ IT.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

SO TONIGHT YOU'VE COME TO ASK US TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION TONIGHT.

YES, MA'AM.

SO I THINK AT THIS POINT WE WOULD NEED A SUSPENSION OF OUR RULES TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT.

MR.. SHANE SO UNDER NORMAL RULES AND TAKE ACTION ON THE ITEM 13 B TONIGHT SUPPORT.

SO THIS IS THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES, PERIOD.

AND SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE UPDATED TRI COUNTY REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, AUTHORIZE THE CLERK TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION AND DIRECT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FORWARD A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION TO MICHIGAN STATE POLICE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION.

SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FOR ME? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE UPDATED TRI COUNTY REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND AUTHORIZE THE CLERK TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION AND DIRECT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FORWARD A COPY TO THE OF THE RESOLUTION TO THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? PLEASE SAY YES.

AND THE MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU ALL.

APPRECIATE IT.

WE COME NOW TO ITEM 14 ON OUR AGENDA, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT 1313 C WHERE

[Additional Item]

[01:20:05]

DID I LEAVE IT? OH, THE LISTENING SESSION DISCUSSION.

MR. HENDRICKSON BROUGHT THE SUBJECT UP.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THE DISCUSSION? SURE.

SO AS THE MANAGER WALSH MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WE HAVE LISTENING SESSIONS PLANNED ON ALTERNATING TUESDAYS FROM OUR BOARD MEETINGS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER 6TH OF THEM, I BELIEVE, AND I BELIEVE WHEN LAST WE SPOKE IN JUNE ABOUT THIS, THE PLAN WAS TO SEND OUT AN INITIAL SOLICITATION, LETTING THEM LETTING RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THIS WAS COMING AND THEN FOLLOW THAT UP PRIOR TO EACH REGIONAL AREA MEETING WITH A SECOND LETTER OUTLINING TOPICS OF DISCUSSION AND MANAGER WALSH WAS KIND ENOUGH TO KICK START THAT CONVERSATION BACK THEN AND NOW.

AND SO I FIGURED THAT SINCE WE WILL ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING LEFT BEFORE THOSE START ON SEPTEMBER 5TH AND THAT BEING A RELATIVELY SHORT TURNAROUND TO GET ANOTHER LETTER OUT, THAT IT MIGHT BE WISE FOR US TO SETTLE ON SOME TOPICS NOW SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT MORE QUICKLY AND GET THAT OUT TO RESIDENTS SO THEY HAVE TIME TO MARK THEIR CALENDARS SINCE THE FALL CAN BE A VERY BUSY TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I, I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR TOPICS, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WANTED TO GET INTO BEFORE THAT, I'M OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION TOO.

ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE DEAL WITH SUGGESTIONS? MR.. JANE, I I'M GLAD MR. HENRIKSEN BROUGHT THIS UP AND THE MANAGER WALSH INITIATED THE CONVERSATION.

WE NEED TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS SOME IDEA OF TOPICS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.

THEY MAY NOT LIKE ALL OF THEM, BUT IF WE JUST SAY A PUBLIC MEETING, A LISTENING SESSION, THAT SOUNDS KIND OF BORING.

BUT IF WE GIVE THEM WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWNSHIP RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A LOT, WE'RE LIKELY TO GET A MUCH BETTER TURNOUT.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROCESS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME UP WITH A LIST TONIGHT.

WHOSE HAND IS UP? MY HAND UP.

OH.

TRUSTEE WILSON.

SO SEVERAL OF US MADE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE INITIAL IDEAS THAT THE MANAGER CAME UP WITH.

DO WE WANT TO SPEAK TO EACH OF THOSE ITEMS AND MAKE A DECISION WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER? THEY WERE EXTREMELY SIMILAR.

SO THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL BASICALLY ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT WE THINK SHOULD BE COVERED.

AND I AGREE WITH WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE, IT SHOULD BE ITEMS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO OUR COMMUNITY.

KEEP IT LIVELY, TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING ON, ANSWER QUESTIONS AND SO ON.

BUT WE DO WANT TO LISTEN.

THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXERCISE.

SO THERE IS TO TO TO YOUR POINT, THERE IS A LIST THAT WAS STARTED ONLINE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ THAT LIST OFF? AND WE CAN COMPARE THAT LIST OF SUGGESTIONS TO MR. HENDRICKSON'S LIST OF SUGGESTIONS.

OF TOPICS TO INCLUDE.

I CAN TRY AND CONSOLIDATE THIS DOWN TO THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.

SO THE FIRST THING, NOT THE FIRST IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, BUT THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT, LOCAL ROADS, EVERYONE COMMENTED ON LOCAL ROADS.

THE STATUS.

ONE OF THE POINTS I MADE IS NOBODY KNOWS WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE ROADS, SO IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION.

WHICH ROADS ARE STATE, COUNTY AND LOCAL POTENTIAL NEW RECYCLING CENTER.

THERE WAS SOLAR AND SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE WHOLE GREEN EFFORT MADE BY THE TOWNSHIP.

THE WAY I SEE IT, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ITEMS RELATED TO POLICE AND FIRE.

ONE WAS THE POLICE CHIEF RECRUITMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO UNDERTAKE, THE STAFFING OF BOTH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

HANG ON.

I THERE'S ALSO THE WARNING SIRENS CAME UP ON SEVERAL REPORTS HOW WE'RE COVERING THE TOWNSHIP WITH OUR WARNING SIRENS, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN HAWAII AND THEN CRIME PREVENTION.

I ADDED, BECAUSE IF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO CRIME MAPPING, WE HAVE HAD SOME INTERESTING AND MORE FREQUENT FORAYS INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND

[01:25:05]

BREAK-INS OF UNLOCKED VEHICLES.

TAXES WAS ANOTHER TOPIC WHERE THE MONEY GOES, WHAT PORTION OF IT STAYS HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO ALL THE LOCAL TAXING ENTITIES SUCH AS ELK AND THE AIRPORT AND THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AND SO ON.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOUCHING ON THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

THIS IS A CONSTANT TOPIC, AT LEAST IN OKEMOS, TO KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT PROJECT IS.

LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.

THESE ARE NOT IN ORDER.

THEN DEBORAH SUGGESTED THAT WE TALK ABOUT VOTING THE PERMANENT VOTING LIST, ABSENTEE LIST, HOW EARLY VOTING IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTED, WHERE AND WHEN, AND THE UPDATES TO PROPOSAL TO.

AND A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF TOWNSHIP EVENTS AND OFFERINGS.

THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR, CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, THE PRIDE ACTIVITY, JUNETEENTH.

WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS TO BE PROUD OF.

SO IT'D BE GREAT TO JUST RUN THROUGH THOSE TWO.

AND TOWNSHIP FINANCIAL HEALTH.

HOW ARE WE DOING? THOSE ARE THE THINGS I SEE.

THERE'S A LOT.

NOW LET'S GO BACK TO MISTER HENDRICKSON FIRST.

SO I APPRECIATE HAVING SOMEONE ELSE READ THROUGH THE LIST BECAUSE IT GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT CONSOLIDATE THAT INTO A DIGESTIBLE LIST.

THAT'S BREVITY OR BREVITY IS KEY BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT HAVE LONG OR PEOPLE READING THE FLIER, RIGHT? YEAH.

SO WHAT I HEARD WAS I THINK THAT THAT LIST CAN BE CONSOLIDATED DOWN INTO MAYBE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO SEEK.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT.

AND THAT LIST IS ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH I THINK COVERS A NUMBER OF THOSE DIFFERENT TOPICS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I THINK THAT COVERS A LOT OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM FROM MANAGER WALSH AND OTHERS WHO CHIMED IN.

AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A BRIEF LIST LIKE THAT AND WE CAN COVER SOME OF THESE SUB TOPICS IN WITHIN THAT AS THEY COME UP AT THE DIFFERENT SESSIONS.

BUT PART OF I THINK THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THESE SESSIONS IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LENGTHY PRESCRIBED AGENDA, RIGHT? WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, A SKELETON OF THINGS THAT WE THINK THEY MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT MAYBE POINT NUMBER FIVE IS WHATEVER YOU ELSE YOU HAVE TO TO BRING TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION BECAUSE PART OF THE VIRTUE OF THIS IS THAT THERE THERE MIGHT BE THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.

I'M SORRY I MISSED ONE OF THOSE.

ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WERE THE FOUR THAT I THAT I HEARD THAT SEEMED LIKE RELATIVELY BROAD TOPICS.

AND YOUR CONTENTION IS THAT THAT COVERS IN SOME WAY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT TRUSTEE WILSON YES.

MISTER DESHENG I THINK IT COVERS IT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THOSE FOUR TOPICS MEAN BUT THE PEOPLE READING THIS ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHAT THOSE FOUR THINGS MEAN.

SO IF WE DON'T BREAK OUT WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE THAT THEY DON'T PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEANS WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN OKEMOS OR WHY HAS THAT HAPPENING.

SO I THINK WE CAN HAVE THE FOUR BROAD TOPICS, BUT THEN SMALL BULLETS UNDERNEATH THEM, SAY, AND INCLUDING THESE TOPICS, INCLUDING THESE TOPICS, THESE TOPICS.

IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO CATEGORIZE THEM AND IT'LL KEEP US FOCUSED AS WELL WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING THEM WITH THE PUBLIC.

BUT I THINK WE DO WANT TO TELL THEM WHAT WE MEAN BY THOSE TOPICS JUST TO SPUR THEIR INTEREST AND THEIR REASON FOR WANTING TO COME OUT AND ENGAGE WITH US.

I LIKE YOUR FIFTH TOPIC AS WELL.

THAT'S A LOT.

I KNOW THAT WHENEVER THEY THEY CAN COME WITH THEIR OWN TOPIC AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE TO LISTEN TO THEM.

THAT'S THE POINT.

THAT WAS THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT IS LISTENING.

WE DON'T I PRESUME WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ALL THE TIME TELLING THEM STUFF.

STUFF YOU KNOW, WE WANT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE ARE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE WHOLE TIME TELLING THEM WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS GOING ON.

I MEAN, IF IT'S A LISTENING SESSION, THE NUMBER ONE TOPIC IS LISTENING TO THE

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

[01:30:02]

RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND ALLOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT.

I AGREE WITH THESE CATEGORIES.

I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN DOWN THAT MUCH MORE THAN THAN WHAT YOU MENTIONED.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE THERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE IF THEY WANT TO ASK ABOUT EARLY VOTING.

I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION NECESSARILY BECAUSE I'M THERE TO LISTEN TO TWO PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY HAVE.

AND I THINK THAT THESE SUGGESTED FOUR TOPICS, BUT HIGHLIGHTING THAT, LIKE THE SUPERVISOR SAID, THAT WE'RE THERE TO LISTEN.

AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE IS IS LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS.

SO IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE A SHORT INTRODUCTION THAT ESSENTIALLY LAYS OUT THESE ARE THE TOPICS WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT AND WE THINK YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, BUT IN A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY WAY AND THEN TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ASK.

ASK THEIR QUESTIONS OR OFFER THEIR COMMENTS AND AND IDEAS.

CERTAINLY IN THAT REALM.

TRUSTEE WILSON I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE'LL OVERWHELM OUR GROUPS THAT ARE COMING IF WE GO INTO ALL FOUR TOPICS AT THE BEGINNING.

SO I'M GOING BACK TO AN EXERCISE THAT WE WENT TO TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AND I ATTENDED THE LISTENING SESSION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT'S A QUARTERLY MEETING WITH ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND WHAT DID WE HEAR ABOUT ROADS? IT WAS ROADS, ROADS, ROADS.

SO I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT ROADS BE OUR FIRST TOPIC AND WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS ON THE ROADS AND SO ON.

AND THEN GO TO THE SECOND TOPIC AND GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON THAT.

AND THEN THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT CLEARER AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION WOULD BE MORE DIRECTED TO THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

IF WE DID THAT KIND OF A FORMAT, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.

TRUSTEE WAS ASKING.

THANK YOU FOR READING THE LIST.

I LIKE.

THAT WAS SUPER HELPFUL IN CONSOLIDATING, OF COURSE, BUT I DO AGREE WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE THAT WE CAN CONSOLIDATE.

BUT I DO THINK WHAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT NOW? EVERYBODY REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA, BUT YOU DON'T TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT ROADS FALLS WITHIN THERE.

RIGHT? UM, SO I KIND OF LIKE THAT AND I, I QUESTION FOR SUPERVISOR WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC FIRST, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHERE THIS INFORMATION IS GOING.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE AN AGENDA WHEN WE GET THERE, BUT BUT LEAD THE CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU CAN LEAD THE CONVERSATION.

I THINK WE ARE MISSING ONE IMPORTANT CATEGORY IF, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO TRUSTEE WILSON'S LIST.

BUT THE POTENTIAL RECYCLING CENTER, THE SOLAR UPDATE AND THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR FALL WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

SO IF WE WANTED TO ADD A CATEGORY, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ONE.

ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.

THOSE ARE MY WORDS, YOU KNOW.

THOSE ARE MY WORDS.

I LIKE THAT.

PROGRESSIVE.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, AND THANK YOU, TRUSTEE WISINSKI FOR ADDING THAT.

I CONCUR WITH THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SIX TOPICS, ONE OF THEM BEING ANYTHING ELSE AND THEN THE FIVE THAT WE DISCUSSED.

SO OUR CONCLUSION IS.

RIGHT.

AND I WILL NOTE THAT MR. WALSH HAS CONSENTED TO HELPING US, YOU KNOW, KRAFT, KRAFT, KRAFT, A A STARTING A START FOR DISCUSSIONS ON THESE SIX TOPICS.

THE LAST TIME WE TALKED, IT WAS DECIDED.

I BELIEVE IT WAS DECIDED THAT EACH ONE OF YOU WOULD KIND OF KICK OFF ONE OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.

SO IF IT'S OKAY, WE'LL JUST SEND OUT A SCHEDULE.

MAYBE TRY TO PUT PEOPLE IN IT.

BOARD MEMBERS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY REPRESENT IF POSSIBLE.

RIGHT.

SO WE'LL SEND THAT OUT WITH ALL SEVEN OF YOU.

ALL SIX.

AND WE'LL HAVE ONE DOUBLE UP.

OR IF SOMEONE CAN'T MAKE THAT OR DOESN'T PREFER TO DO, ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS

[01:35:02]

ABOUT WHAT WE ENVISION IS THAT THE FIRST 15 MINUTES WOULD BE JUST LIKE A LITTLE OVERVIEW FROM ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A 90 MINUTES IS WHAT WE SET ASIDE FOR THE FIRST 15 JUST TO KICK IT OFF ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON FROM THOSE TOPICS.

AND MAYBE IT IS JUST A DISCUSSION.

LET'S START WITH ROADS.

BUT I ALSO THINK PROPOSAL TWO IS PRETTY DAUNTING TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NINETY'S EARLY VOTING AND WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN.

SO IT MAY BE A TOPIC THAT COMES UP AND MAYBE THE CLERK ASK EACH GROUP DURING THE DURING THE EVENING.

ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW VOTING LAW.

SO I THINK YOU JUST KIND OF LEAVING IT WIDE OPEN A LITTLE BIT AND NOT SO NOT RIGID AND YOU KIND OF KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

WE'LL SET UP A SCHEDULE FOR YOU AND WE'LL GET A LETTER OUT IN TWO WEEKS.

SO WE'LL GET A LETTER OUT.

WE'RE SENDING LETTERS OUT TWO WEEKS EARLY.

SO THE FIRST LETTER WILL GO OUT AT THE END OF AUGUST FOR THE SEPTEMBER 12TH MEETING, AND WE WILL I WOULD SAY I HATE TO USE THE WORD TEASE, BUT WE'LL TAKE YOUR TOPICS.

ROADS, POLICE, FIRE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE MIGHT MENTION THE VILLAGE OF HASLETT IN DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.

AND ALSO WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS.

WELL, WE'LL PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER, SO WE'LL USE YOUR TOPICS.

BUT LISTENING TO ALL OF YOU WILL TEASE IT A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME OF THE PERTINENT INFORMATION AND WE'LL GET THE LETTER OUT.

WE'LL GET A SCHEDULE OUT.

AND IF THE SCHEDULE DOESN'T WORK, THEN WE CAN REARRANGE IT.

BUT WE'LL START THERE IF THAT IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO THE BOARD.

GREAT.

MR. DUCHAINE, WHAT ABOUT REFRESHMENTS? WE'VE BEEN OFFERING, LIKE, COOKIES AND LEMONADE OR TEA OR WHATEVER.

I THINK WE SHOULD.

I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT.

EXCEPT FOR WHEN WE CUT THE RIBBON OUT HERE.

NO DRINKS.

GOT A NEW CARPET COMING HERE.

THAT'S.

HE'S GOING.

IT'S BEEN TOLD TO ME THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE.

THAT'S BEEN DULY NOTED.

THE STAFF IS TOLD ONLY PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WHO WILL PUT A LOT OF TIME.

UM, COULD I SUGGEST AS WELL IN IN THESE TOPICS FOR ALL OF US, COULD YOU PROVIDE SOMETHING LIKE YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE OF, ON, ON ALL OF THE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR US TO, TO BEGIN TO WORK WITH? CERTAINLY.

AND THAT IS THE PLAN TO HAVE A LIKE A BULLET POINT, LIKE A LITTLE PARAGRAPH ON EACH TOPIC, LIKE WE'VE GOT BIG STUFF COMING IN POLICING.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, I MEAN, SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY PROUD ABOUT AND I KNOW CHIEF HAMEL AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM IS REALLY PROUD ABOUT, AND I THINK CHIEF PLAGGE AND HIS TEAM AS WELL, THAT IF IF THIS BUDGET GETS APPROVED HERE IN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, WE WILL HAVE INCREASED OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFFING BY 13%.

13%.

WE HAD 39 POLICE.

WE HAD 30 FIRE.

AND THIS BUDGET GOES UP AND GETS US CLOSE TO 70.

SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF, I THINK, PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT WILL WANT THE BOARD WILL WANT TO SHARE WITH WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE IN BULLET POINTS FOR YOU.

AND YOU CAN PICK IT'LL BE MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU'LL WANT TO SHARE, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE OR TOPICS COME UP.

YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD SYNOPSIS OF IT IN FRONT OF YOU.

I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

OTHER COMMENTS.

QUESTIONS.

IDEAS.

THANK YOU, MR. WALSH.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.

I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION.

YOU'VE MADE OUR JOB, THE TEAM'S JOB, A LOT EASIER.

NOW WE'RE AT ITEM 14 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.

IF YOU WOULD COME TO THE PODIUM, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR COMMENTS.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ROGER TAYLOR, 6089 EAST LAKE DRIVE.

AND I'D LIKE SOME CLARITY ON THESE MARIJUANA PLACES THAT ARE GOING IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF TIM IS HERE OR NOT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.

HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT RECREATIONAL AND IT SAYS MEDICAL HERE.

BUT IS THIS A RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA THAT'S GOING IN OR IS IT A MEDICAL.

BECAUSE IN HIS VERBIAGE I HEARD, I DON'T KNOW IF MY TENDONITIS IS ACTING UP, BUT I HEARD RECREATIONAL COMING UP.

SO IS THAT THE IS THAT THE END OF YOUR COMMENTS? NO.

NO, MY THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS THE DRIVE IN THE THE OLD LAND THAT'S OPEN

[01:40:10]

OVER THERE BY MYERS.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THAT? WE DECIDED TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT I THAT LAND STRUCTURE, IS IT IS IT GOING TO BE FILLED WITH BUSINESSES OR THE OLD DRIVE IN? REMEMBER? OKAY.

THAT'S THAT'S MY COMMENTS.

UM, MR. SCHMIDT, ARE YOU WILLING TO ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALWAYS WILLING.

AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION.

THE APPLICATIONS IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING ARE MEDICAL MARIJUANA ONLY.

THERE IS.

THE BOARD HAS NOT ESTABLISHED THE CRITERIA FOR HOW THEY WILL REVIEW THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA APPLICATIONS, NOR HAS A WINDOW BEEN OPENED.

SO THIS IS ENTIRELY MEDICAL.

UNDER THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 20 1819.

THE DRIVE IN SITE.

THERE ARE NO PLANS AT THIS TIME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE.

WE HAVE NOT HAD AN APPLICATION SINCE 2020, AT WHICH TIME THAT APPLICATION REALLY DIDN'T GET ANYWHERE.

UM, PEOPLE ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT THE SITE AND WE'VE TAKEN SOME PHONE CALLS, BUT NOTHING OF ANY CONCRETE THAT I'M ABLE TO SHARE AT THIS TIME.

IF I MAY, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ABOUT THE ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRIVE IN.

WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE DRIVE IN AT THIS TIME.

MR. TAYLOR, IF YOU WOULD, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, FILL OUT THE GREEN FORM.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

ARE THERE OTHER ITEM 15 IS OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

I WOULD SUGGEST FOR MR. TAYLOR THERE IS A SECTION ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE WHERE YOU COULD SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS AND THE.

OCCASIONS DEPARTMENT PUTS OUT INFORMATION FOR ABOUT BUSINESSES AND BOARD HAPPENINGS AND ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP KEEP YOU ABREAST OF OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS OR MAYBE MEET WITH MR. SCHMIDT AFTERWARD TO GET HIS INFORMATION TO CONTACT HIM ANYTIME YOU'D LIKE WITH QUESTIONS.

THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT.