Sep 19, 2023 Township Board

[00:00:44]

SHE'S GOT A CRASH COURSE ON HOW TO USE THIS.

SHE DID.

OH, THIS WORKS.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

AND THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THANK YOU. OUR NEW DEPUTY CLERK, EMILY GORDON, WILL NOW CALL THE ROLL.

THANK YOU. ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS.

[4. PRESENTATION]

ONE IS A RECOGNITION FOR MR. HOWARD TANNER, AND THAT PRESENTATION RECOGNITION WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY DIRECTOR MAISNER, PARKS AND RECREATION.

RECOGNIZE AND TO HONOR DR.

HOWARD TANNER, WHO IS THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENT.

HE JUST TURNED 100 YEARS OF AGE ON SEPTEMBER 4TH.

BUT WE'RE ALSO HERE TO RECOGNIZE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COUNTRY AND TO OUR GREAT LAKES STATE AND ALSO HERE LOCALLY HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF HOWARD'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, WHICH IS INTERESTING READING, AND IT'S A SIGNED COPY.

IT'S VERY SPECIAL, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IT VERY INTERESTING READING.

HE'S HAD AN AMAZING LIFE.

HOWARD'S UNABLE TO JOIN US HERE TODAY, BUT HE IS WATCHING AT HOME AT HOME ON HOME TV.

BUT HERE TO TO REPRESENT DR.

TANNER IS MARK STEVENS, LONGTIME PARK COMMISSIONER.

HE'S OUR LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, AND HE ALSO IS THE COORDINATOR FOR PROJECT FISH AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

AND ALSO DR.

TANNER'S BOOK. THE PROCEEDS FROM HIS BOOK ARE DONATED TO PROJECT FISH AND TO MARK AND HE AND MARK HAVE BEEN LONG TIME FRIENDS.

SO I'LL HAVE MARK COME UP.

AND THEN THERE'S A RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION FOR YOU TO READ.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. STEVENS. HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU? I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING THIS RECOGNITION TO HOWARD.

HOWARD IS AN INCREDIBLE PERSON, AN INCREDIBLE FRIEND, AND KNOWN HIM FOR QUITE A WHILE.

HE AND HELEN AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HIM OUT IN THE BOAT, BLUEGILL FISHING AND GOING AROUND TO THE STATE AND TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT HIS GREAT LIFE, YOU KNOW, DOING ASSEMBLY PROGRAMS AND JUST PROMOTING FISHING, SPORT, FISHING AND THIS MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY THAT HE CREATED IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

IT'S JUST A HE'S A SUPER PERSON, VERY SPECIAL.

EVEN NOW WHEN YOU GO AND TALK TO HIM, IT'S JUST HE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT HIM, BUT HE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU.

HIS WHOLE MANTRA IS DO THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE FOR THE MOST PEOPLE FOR THE LONGEST PERIOD OF TIME.

HE'S 100.

THAT'S A LONG TIME.

AND HE'S STILL DOING THAT FOR FOLKS.

SO, YEAH. SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING HOWARD HERE AND HIS FAMILY IS ANOTHER HIS SON IS NOW TRAVELING DOWN IN

[00:05:10]

AND HIS OTHER KIDS ARE IN COLORADO WITH AGED PARENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.

YOU KNOW. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE BRZEZINSKI THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR WOULD YOU MIND IF I READ THE RESOLUTION OUT LOUD? PLEASE DO. SLOW AND STEADY.

UM, SO THANK YOU, MARK AND DIRECTOR MAISNER FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

AND JUST WANT TO READ THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS WRITTEN, I BELIEVE, BY BY MARK DIRECTOR MAISNER.

ALL RIGHT, SO WHEREAS WHAT'S THAT? OKAY. SO WHEREAS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE DR. HOWARD TANNER FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO MANAGEMENT OF MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN'S NATURAL RESOURCE AND GREAT LAKES FISHERY FISHERIES INDUSTRY, AND ALSO TO HONOR THE CELEBRATION OF HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2023.

AND. WHEREAS, DR.

TANNER AND HIS LATE WIFE HELEN HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY MEMBERS SERVING ON BOARDS OF THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN AND THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE MERIDIAN GARDEN CLUB.

AND. WHEREAS, HOWARD SERVED ON THE FRONT LINES OF WORLD WAR TWO FROM 1943 TO 1946, AS AN ARMY TECHNOLOGY ENGINEER RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING AND MAINTAINING COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND WEATHER STATIONS FOR THE AIR FORCE.

AND. WHEREAS, HOWARD'S CHILDHOOD PASSION FOR FISHING LED HIM TO A 40 YEAR CAREER IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, SERVING AS THE CHIEF OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND LATER AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

AND. WHEREAS, ON APRIL 2ND, 1966, HE LED THE EFFORT FOR THE FIRST COHO SALMON RELEASE TO THE GREAT LAKES, RESULTING IN THE CREATION OF A WORLD CLASS FISHERY VALUED MORE THAN SEVEN $7 BILLION PER YEAR INDUSTRY TO OUR ECONOMY.

AND. WHEREAS, HOWARD LED THE EFFORTS TO BAN PCB DISCHARGE AND CONTAMINATION INTO THE GREAT LAKES, THUS PRESERVING THE WATER AND HABITAT QUALITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND.

WHEREAS, DR. HOWARD TANNER OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE FATHER OF THE GREAT LAKES SALMON FISHERY, WAS INDUCTED INTO THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY HALL OF FAME OF EXCELLENCE IN 2028 FOR HIS EARLY CONTRIBUTIONS IN SHAPING THE GREAT LAKES SALMON STOCKING PROGRAM, REFERRED TO AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BIOMANIPULATION PROGRAM IN THE HISTORY OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND MOST RECENTLY HAD THE NEWEST DNR RESEARCH VESSEL NAMED IN HIS HONOR.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT.

RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO OFFER THIS TRIBUTE TO DR.

HOWARD TANNER FOR HIS OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTRY, OUR STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON CELEBRATING HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2023.

DR. HOWARD TANNER'S PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE TRULY BEEN SOMETHING SPECTACULAR.

QUOTE UNQUOTE SUPPORT.

ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. YES.

OPPOSED. NO.

CHAIR VOTES. YES.

AND THE MOTION PASSES.

MR. TANNER, IF YOU'RE WATCHING, CONGRATULATIONS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. DESCHAINE. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER STEVENS.

IF YOU. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE PARK COMMISSION? OH, WELL, THOSE QUESTIONS, I THINK.

I THINK 11 YEARS.

YEAH. 11 OR 12, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I THINK YOU WERE THE MOST SENIOR ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.

HOW ABOUT THAT? YEAH.

SEE, MY HAIR KIND OF RESEMBLE THAT REMARK.

I KNOW YOU'RE A BIT OF AN EXPERT ON FISHERIES AND FISH.

CAN YOU TELL A BIT ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE GREAT LAKES FROM COMMERCIAL FISHING TO SPORT FISHING? I KNOW THAT RECENTLY IN COMMERCIAL FISHING ALONG THE OCEANS, IT'S JUST DESTROYED IN MANY CASES THE SEABED AND INCLUDING THE VERY VALUABLE SHORELINES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THAT COULD VERY WELL HAVE HAPPENED IN MICHIGAN AS WELL.

IT SEEMS IF VISIONARIES LIKE DR.

TANNER HADN'T STEPPED IN AND SAID SPORT FISHING IS THE WAY TO GO.

YEAH. AND REPRESENTING HOWARD, HE SEES NO NO USE FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING AT ALL.

HE SAID THERE IS NO REASON FOR IT.

[00:10:02]

AND THE FISH IN OUR GREAT LAKES ARE OUR FISH AND THE PEOPLE'S FISH.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, SEEING WHEN HE CAME BACK IN THE 60S IN 65 AND HE AND HE SAW THE ALEWIVES BUILDING UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INVASIVE SPECIES, HE BASICALLY SAID, THAT'S A FOOD SOURCE.

THAT'S GREAT. WE CAN DO SOMETHING HERE TO CREATE THIS INCREDIBLE FISHERY, NOT TO CONTROL THE ALEWIVES, BUT BASICALLY SAYING, YEAH, I CAN PUT SOME FISH OUT THERE AND THE FISH WILL DO REALLY WELL.

AND BUT IT WAS IT WAS A RISK AND HE HAD A LOT OF OPPOSITION.

BUT YEAH, COMMERCIAL THERE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEW CONSENT DECREE WITH THE THE TRIBES HERE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THAT WAS JUST SIGNED AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A BATTLE THERE WITH SPORT FISHING AND COMMERCIAL FISHING.

THERE AREN'T A LOT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ANYMORE.

SO HERE IN THE STATE, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.

THERE'S A RESOURCE THAT'S AVAILABLE.

AND IF WE MANAGE OUR FISHERIES RIGHT, WHICH OUR DNR DOES PRETTY WELL, IN FACT, EVERYBODY SHOULD BUY A FISHING LICENSE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T FISH, BECAUSE A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE MONIES GO TO SUPPORT OUR DNR FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.

IT COMES IN HERE. SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN OR CHILDREN, BUY THEM A FISHING LICENSE, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T NEED ONE UNTIL THEY'RE 17.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO BUCKS AND IT COUNTS AS A LICENSE.

AND SO DEFINITELY COMMERCIAL FISHING IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AND THEN THEY KEEP AN EYE ON IT.

AND BUT WE NEED MORE DNR.

WE HAVE 50% OF ALL OF THE STATE'S FRESHWATER HERE IN THE IN MICHIGAN, IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION HERE.

AND ALL THE OTHER STATES HAVE THE OTHER 50%.

AND THEY HAVE AS MANY IN EACH OF THOSE STATES, THE DNR PEOPLE, TO SUPPORT THEM.

AND WE YOU KNOW, WE NEED MORE DNR PEOPLE.

IF WE CAN MORE MANAGEMENT, THE BETTER.

SO YEAH, BUT YEAH, THANKS.

WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON OUR FISHERIES FOR SURE.

AND SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? DIRECTOR MAISNER AND MR. STEVENS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

UM, ITEM 4B ON OUR AGENDA IS THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

AND THIS ITEM WILL BE PRESENTED TO US BY MISS EMMA CAMPBELL, STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR IN PARKS AND RECREATION.

THANK YOU. HI. GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND YES, I AM HERE TO DISCUSS OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

I'M THE STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR, BUT I'M ALSO THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM COORDINATOR.

AND SO WE ARE HEADING INTO OUR 12TH YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IT'S AN AMAZING, VERY UNIQUE PROGRAM.

AND REALLY THIS HAS COME ABOUT BECAUSE URBANIZATION CAUSES AN OVERPOPULATION OF WHITE TAILED DEER.

THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST IS THAT WE PUT OUR HOUSES HERE, WE DISPLACE OTHER PREDATORS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREEN SPACE IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT IT DOES CERTAINLY INVITE WHITE TAILED DEER TO REPRODUCE AT A VERY ALARMING RATE.

AND SO PART OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH OUR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS ADDRESSING THE INCREASE IN DEER CAR COLLISIONS, CONCERN FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU KNOW DEER DO CARRY TICKS AROUND DISRUPTION OF OUR ECOLOGICAL BALANCE OF THE PARKS AND PRESERVES THAT.

I PERSONALLY WORK VERY HARD TO RESTORE HABITAT IN AND ALSO FOR THE HEALTH OF THE DEER HERD.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WAS ONCE GROUND ZERO FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, AND SO OVER POPULATION NOT ONLY AFFECTS US WITH WHITE TAILED DEER, IT ALSO AFFECTS THEIR VERY OWN POPULATION.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE PROGRAM COMES FROM.

AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.

AND THIS YEAR.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO OVER WHAT OUR PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.

WE HAVE 67 RESIDENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE OUR PROGRAM ARCHERS, AND THEY ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, WHICH IS AMAZING BECAUSE THEY PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM.

OF COURSE, THEY DO GET A WONDERFUL RECREATION OPPORTUNITY THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE AND THEY'RE EACH ASSIGNED TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.

SO WE HAVE 44 TOWNSHIP PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT THIS YEAR, AND WE ALSO HAVE 27 PRIVATE PROPERTIES, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE US JUST BEING ABLE TO COVER OUR OWN TOWNSHIP PROPERTIES IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH MANAGEMENT TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

[00:15:09]

OUR VOLUNTEER ARCHERS ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH TRAINING AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT CHECK AND ALSO A PROFICIENCY TEST.

AND THEY'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREAS WE DO ADD NEW PEOPLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.

WE LIKE THAT PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE BACK AND THEY'RE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT PART OF THE PROGRAM.

ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED TO TO DONATE THEIR FIRST DEER HARVEST.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE THIS YEAR DONATING VENISON, THANKS TO MICHIGAN SPORTSMEN AGAINST HUNGER, WHICH COVERS THE COST OF OUR PROCESSING OF DONATED DEER.

SO IT IS A HUGE COST THEY COVER AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

THE FOOD BANKS THAT DPW WORKER MIKE ELLIS, HE HAND DELIVERS ALL THE VENISON TO EACH AND EVERY FOOD BANK.

I KNOW YOU KNOW VERY WELL.

YES. LAST YEAR WE DONATED 8,000 POUNDS OF VENISON AND CERTAINLY HAVE DONE EVEN MORE THAN THAT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

SO THAT IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD SINCE 2020.

THIS YEAR, WE WILL BE WELCOMING IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH MSU.

SO YOU DO HAVE ANOTHER MEMO, AND I DO WANT TO ADD THAT THE DEER MANAGEMENT MAP WAS ADDED.

SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP PROPERTIES OUTLINED THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN MANAGEMENT THIS YEAR.

YOU DO HAVE ANOTHER MEMO THOUGH, THAT DOES GO OVER THE RESEARCH PROJECT WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY.

IT'S IT'S JUST HELPFUL, BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYONE.

AND SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US, THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US GET MORE DATA ON THE HOME RANGES OF OUR DEER IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO HOW FAR THEY'LL GO IN AN AREA AND GET US SOME NUMBERS OF HOW MANY ARE ARE VISITING THESE THESE STUDY PLOTS THAT THEY HAVE SET UP. THEY ARE INTERESTED IN RELIEVING THE TICK BURDEN ON WHITE TAILED DEER.

SO AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, TICKS ARE A THING.

I WORK OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME, SO IT'S ALWAYS ON MY MIND.

AND OF COURSE, THE BLACKLEGGED TICK CAN CARRY LYME DISEASE, WHICH IS AN UNFORTUNATE THING FOR ANYONE TO HAVE TO HAVE.

AND SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY ALSO GOING TO BE STUDYING TICKS SPECIFICALLY FROM THE DEER IN OUR PROGRAM.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE TESTING THEM.

AND SO WE'LL GET DATA ON THAT THAT'S SPECIFIC TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING OFF INTO THE FUTURE OF HOW THEY CAN RELIEVE THE BURDENS, THE BURDEN OF TICKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OH. OH, YES.

I'M SO SORRY. I ALMOST FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

PART OF THE MSU RESEARCH THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS THEY WILL BE PUTTING OUT THESE FOOD PLOTS WHERE THEIR LOCATIONS ARE SET.

IT WON'T BE ANYWHERE NEAR ANY OF OUR HUNTERS.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS LEGAL IN MICHIGAN.

SO THEY'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT.

BUT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY HANDMADE THESE ALFALFA AND MOLASSES, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY LIKE A TREAT.

AND WHAT IS INSIDE IT IS A BIOMARKER.

IT'S CALLED RHODAMINE B, AND IT'S BEEN USED IN LOTS OF WILDLIFE STUDIES.

THEY'VE USED IT.

WE ARE STILL 100% ABLE TO DONATE THE DEER SINCE THE RHODAMINE DOES NOT LEAVE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.

SO IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE MUSCLE TISSUE AT ALL.

SO WE ARE USDA APPROVED TO STILL BE ABLE TO DONATE THAT DEER AND ALL OF OUR HUNTERS ARE STILL ABLE TO TO UTILIZE ANY DEER THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THEMSELVES. AND THE IMPORTANT PART ABOUT THAT IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE SEEING WHERE THOSE DEER CAME FROM, HOW FAR THEY WENT IN AN AREA.

AND FOR THEIR INTEREST, THEY'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, LIKE AN ANTI TICK MEDICATION, LIKE WHAT YOU WOULD GIVE YOUR DOG.

THAT IS NOT IN THIS RESEARCH RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS IT'S ALL VERY PRELIMINARY.

WE'RE JUST VERY INTERESTED IN GATHERING THAT INFORMATION ABOUT TICKS AND LYME DISEASE AS WELL AS OUR DEER POPULATION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE BETTER AND BETTER MANAGEMENT DECISIONS EACH YEAR.

[00:20:05]

AND THAT'S WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR OUR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT YEAR.

SO ALL ANY INFORMATION WE CAN GET ON OUR DEER POPULATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GO INTO SOUND MANAGEMENT.

I THINK. ALL RIGHT.

I THINK I SAW TRUSTEE SUNDERLAND'S HAND FIRST.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND THAT. IT'S ALL ALL GREAT.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, KIND OF MADE A POINT OF THAT.

THE VOLUNTEERS DONATE THEIR FIRST YEAR.

HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS JUST KEEP GOING ON AND.

. WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO LAUGH, BUT THEY DO.

SO IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY'RE PLACED.

NOT ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES HAVE THE SAME, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC OF DEER, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE ABLE TO HARVEST MORE DEER THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

AND WITH THE WAY THAT OUR PERMITS ARE SET UP, WE USE DEER MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT PERMITS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE GET APPROVED TO USE THROUGH THE DNR.

SO THEY SET OUR LIMIT FOR THAT YEAR AND THEN THEY CAN USE AS MANY OF THOSE PERMITS AS THEY WANT ON ANY OF THOSE PROPERTIES.

SO THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TO TO CERTAINLY HARVEST MORE THAN ONE DEER.

SO WE DO ASK THAT THEY DONATE THE FIRST ONE, BUT SOME OF THEM WHO DO YOU KNOW, GET A FEW TO A DOZEN DEER, THEY ARE DONATING A LOT OF THOSE.

SO THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO FILL THEIR FREEZER FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY PUT IN A LOT OF WORK TO THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY END UP DONATING A LOT OF THAT VENISON.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE BASINSKI.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR.

I'M ON OUR LAST LAND PRESERVATION MEETING.

YOU MENTIONED THAT THAT THAT PARTICULAR BIOMARKER, IT CREATES SOME SORT OF PINKNESS.

OH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT, BECAUSE I ALSO DID NOT MENTION THAT PART.

YEAH. SO IT DOES MAKE THEIR MOUTH PINK FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 DAYS.

AND THIS PART IS, IS HARMLESS.

THE BIOMARKER DOES LAST IN THEIR WHISKERS FOR UP TO 3 TO 4 WEEKS.

SO WHEN THEY PLACE THESE OUT, IT WILL ACTUALLY BE BEFORE ARCHERY SEASON STARTS.

SO OUR VOLUNTEER HUNTERS MIGHT BE SEEING SOME OF THE PINK MOUTH, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH DONE BY THAT TIME.

BUT THE RESEARCHERS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO COME IN AND CUT WHISKERS AND THEN THEY'LL STILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHETHER THAT DEER CONSUMED THAT.

BUT WE DO WE WE SEND OUT AN FAQ SHEET WITH ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOTICES IN ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP LETTERS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF THEY DO SEE A DEER OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF WILDLIFE WITH A PINK MOUTH, IT IS FROM THAT STUDY AND IT IS COMPLETELY HARMLESS FOR THEM AND IT WILL GO AWAY.

SO WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE ALARMED WHEN THEY SEE THAT.

SO WE DID SEND OUT A FAQ SHEET ABOUT THAT.

AND THESE PLOTS, I DO WANT TO MENTION BECAUSE IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WE DO ENCOUNTER A LOT OF DOGS OFF LEASH ON OUR PROPERTIES. NOW STATE LAW IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR DOG LEASHED ON PUBLIC LAND AND WE ALSO ENFORCE THAT YOU NEED YOUR DOG LEASHED.

THESE STUDY PLOTS THEY SCOUTED FOR THREE WEEKS TO FIND PLACES THAT WERE FAR OUT IN THESE AREAS.

THEY WEREN'T NEAR ANY TRAILS.

THEY WERE ONLY PICKING UP WILDLIFE OR DEER ON THEIR CAMERAS.

SO THEY THEY DON'T WANT THESE PLACES TO BE NEAR HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS.

SO IF SOMEONE'S DOG DOES GET INTO THIS, THEY IT'S THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD THEIR DOG ON A LEASH.

AND ALSO IT WILL BE HARMLESS.

SO WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, TOO, THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST RIGHT ON THE TRAIL.

THEY'RE THEY'RE WAY BACK WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THEM.

AND IF THEY ARE, THEY'RE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, GOING ON A TRIP AROUND THE PRESERVE.

SO THANK YOU, MR. DESHENG THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION AND YOUR WONDERFUL JOB MANAGING THIS PROGRAM.

IT'S GROWN.

I'M NO WILDLIFE EXPERT, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND, CERTAIN CANINE SPECIES WILL HAVE A MILE RANGE OR MILE WIDE RANGE THAT THEY'LL COVER.

DEER, CONVERSELY, HAVE A VERY RELATIVELY SHORT RANGE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

SO A LOT OF TIMES ANIMALS WHO ARE LIKE A PREDATOR, LIKE WOLVES OR LIKE A BIG CAT, THEY WILL HAVE A REALLY BIG RANGE OF WHERE THEY GO.

BUT WITH DEER, THEY WILL STAY WHERE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE FOOD, WHERE THEY HAVE SHELTER.

[00:25:02]

AND THERE WAS A FOUR YEAR OLD DOE WHO HADN'T MOVED MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE IN HER WHOLE LIFE.

SO THEY CAN VERY.

VERY MUCH STAY IN A SMALL AREA.

AS LONG AS THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED, THEY THEY WILL STAY THERE.

SO A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ALONG THOSE LINES.

THE AREAS THAT AREN'T COVERED ARE THE PRIVATE AREAS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, TACOMA HILLS, FOREST HILLS, CORNELL WOODS, BRIARWOOD, ALL OF OUR MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TOWNSHIP. IS IT POSSIBLE WE'VE CHASED THE DEER OR THE TEARS DEER OUT OF OUR NATURAL AREAS AND THEY'VE KIND OF CONGREGATED NOW IN THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE NOT HUNTING THEM LIKE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE.

WE IN SOME WAYS MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE IN FOR HABITAT FOR AREAS THAT LIKE OUR LIKE OUR BIGGEST NEIGHBORHOODS? YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE WANT TO TAILOR OUR PROGRAM EACH YEAR AND REASSESS IT, BECAUSE SINCE 2020, WE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED WHAT WE USED TO HARVEST IN OUR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

SO WE'VE BEEN TAKING ANYWHERE FROM 326 TO 350 DEER SINCE 2020.

THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.

YOU KNOW, WE ALSO DO COUNT OUR DEER PICKUP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE DO THAT AS WELL.

SO THERE'S ABOUT 415 DEER THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, DECEASED FROM THE TOWNSHIP EACH YEAR.

AND THEY WILL GO TO THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY KNOW THERE ISN'T SOMEONE THERE.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR EFFORTS IS WE ARE TRYING TO UTILIZE MORE PRIVATE PROPERTIES, TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP SO THAT WE AREN'T FORCING DEER INTO A CERTAIN AREA.

AND WE'VE ALSO PUT OUR CAP AT 300 DEER THIS YEAR.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE AFTER LONG DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DNR, WE HAVE TO BACK OFF IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS AND WE HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO KIND OF REDISTRIBUTE THEMSELVES.

THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER ISN'T GOING TO MEAN THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DEER NEXT YEAR BY ANY MEANS, JUST BECAUSE IT'S 50 LESS.

BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE DEER ARE REALLY SMART.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS THEY DO GET HEALTHIER, THEY DO ALSO PRODUCE MORE OFFSPRING.

SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK THIS FINE LINE OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ENOUGH PRESSURE TO MAKE THE POPULATION MORE STABLE BUT NOT PUTTING SO MUCH THAT WE ARE FORCING THEM INTO OTHER AREAS.

SO WE'RE REALLY KIND OF TRYING TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN PLACE PEOPLE AT PRIVATE PROPERTIES TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN OUR COMPLAINTS GO WAY DOWN IN A LOT OF THE TOWNSHIP.

BUT WE DO ALSO SEE THAT WE ARE PUTTING SOME PRESSURE ON DEER IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS WHY WE NEED, YOU KNOW, HELP FROM THOSE NEIGHBORS AS WELL IN BEING ABLE TO TO UTILIZE PRIVATE PROPERTY.

WE ALSO HAVE SEEN A 32% DECREASE IN DEER CAR COLLISIONS SINCE 2020.

SO WE KNOW WE'RE WE KNOW WE'RE BEING EFFECTIVE NOW.

WE JUST HAVE TO FINE TUNE OUR MANAGEMENT SO THAT WE'RE NOT PLACING A PROBLEM ON OTHER AREAS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT DOES MAKE SENSE. AND MY POINT IS THAT IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN, THEY WILL TELL YOU THE DEER PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE BECAUSE INSTEAD OF SEEING A FEW DEER, YOU NOW OFTEN WILL SEE A DOZEN OR MORE DEER IN YOUR BACKYARD.

IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE, WITH ANY KIND OF SPACE AT ALL, THEY MOVE IN PACKS AND THEIR NUMBERS ARE STRONGER THAN EVER, DESPITE THE SUCCESS OF THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. WELL, AND AGAIN, IT'S THAT'S A LONG TERM THING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT SERGEANT MCCREADY AND MANY OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLICE CALL HAVE DONE A LOT OF VERY HARD WORK TO REACH OUT TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, TO GO TO THOSE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING.

A LOT OF HOA'S HAVE BYLAWS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PLACE A HUNTER AND MAYBE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT A HUNTER THERE, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO GO IN AND CHANGE THEIR BYLAWS.

AND SO IT'S A LONGER PROCESS.

SO THAT BEING SAID, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A PROBLEM, BUT IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ADDRESSING AND WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T GET WORSE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, TAKING MORE PERMITS OUT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE DO THINK THAT TAKING A LARGER NUMBER IS GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT. IT'S VERY MUCH ABOUT WHERE WE PLACE OUR MANAGEMENT.

SO AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INTELLIGENT AND THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO THIS SITUATION.

[00:30:01]

THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE AND WHERE IT'S DONE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU.

I HAVE JUST ONE ONE LAST QUESTION.

WOULD YOU REPEAT THE DATES FOR THE FOR THE ARCHERY YES PROGRAM? YEP. SO THE ARCHERY PROGRAM RUNS THE SAME DATES AS OUR STATE OF MICHIGAN ARCHERY HUNT.

SO IT'S OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO JANUARY.

FIRST 2024.

THAT'S IT. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HAVE A LOVELY EVENING.

ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA IS JUST AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS.

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

AND THE FIRST IS JENNIFER GOYETTE.

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

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JENNIFER GETS YES.

AND I LIVE AT. NO, NO WORRIES.

IT'S OKAY. I LIVE AT 2423 HASLETT ROAD.

SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE TRUSTEES AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON HASLETT ROAD ON FRIDAY EVENING.

A COUPLE HOUSES OVER FROM MY HOUSE.

THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH A CHILD WAS STRUCK ON A BICYCLE AND WAS PRETTY SERIOUSLY INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

WE LIVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HASLETT ROAD AND YOU ALL MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT CORRIDOR.

THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS ON OUR SIDE AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF FAMILIES AND SOME YOUNG FAMILIES THAT ARE MOVING IN WITH CHILDREN.

WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD THAT GOES TO WILKSHIRE, FOR INSTANCE, AND WE'RE REALLY VERY BADLY HEMMED IN ON THE SOUTH SIDE. SO IF WE HAVE ANY DESIRE TO HAVE ANY KIND OF RECREATION ON FOOT, TO RIDE BIKES, TO LEAVE OUR HOME, NOT IN A CAR, WE HAVE TO RUN ACROSS FOUR LANES OF OF TRAFFIC, WHICH THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45.

BUT HONESTLY, PEOPLE DRIVE UP TO 55 AND 60MPH IN THAT STRETCH OF ROAD AND CARRY OUR CHILD, SOMETIMES LUGGING A BICYCLE WITH US.

AND WE FREQUENTLY CROSS THE ROAD AS MUCH AS MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY.

MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH GO WALK IN THE SUBDIVISION THAT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS.

I THINK WESTMINSTER IS THE ENTRY TO THE SUBDIVISION AND WE ARE FREQUENTLY TAKING OUR CHILD TO THE SUBDIVISION TO RIDE BIKES OR TO THE PARK OR WHEREVER.

AND SO I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THIS REALLY DEVASTATING ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THEY'RE TOTALLY PREVENTABLE, WE BELIEVE ONE THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT THOSE OF US WHO LIVE SORT OF MIDDLE, MIDDLE, MIDWAY BETWEEN PARK LAKE AND OKEMOS ROAD HAVE HALF A MILE TO WALK IN EITHER DIRECTION TO HAVE A SAFE CROSSING.

SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY PROHIBITIVE.

SO IF WE DO WANT TO LEAVE AND WE DON'T WANT TO WALK FOR WHAT COULD BE UP TO TEN MINUTES WITH A FIVE YEAR OLD, WE DO HAVE TO RUN ACROSS THE ROAD.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS ALSO REALLY RELEVANT IS THAT SO MANY KIDS THAT LIVE ON OUR SIDE OF THE ROAD HAVE FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN THE SUBDIVISION, SCHOOL FRIENDS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, 12, 13 YEARS OLD.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE THEIR BIKES INDEPENDENTLY ON THEIR OWN SAFELY AND GO VISIT FRIENDS WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS ESCORTING THEM ACROSS THE ROAD.

SO BASICALLY, WE'RE ASKING FOR A SAFER CORRIDOR FOR YOU ALL TO SUPPORT US IN DEVELOPING A SAFER CORRIDOR THAT DEALS WITH THE EXCESSIVE SPEED OF MOTORISTS AND MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE ON FOOT RECREATION WITHOUT BASICALLY RISKING OUR LIVES.

AND SO THE ASK, I GUESS, TO MAKE IT SHORT AND QUICK, IS TO HAVE A MIDDLE TURNING LANE BIKE LANES, A LOWER SPEED LIMIT AND DESIGNATED CROSSWALKS WITH FLASHING LIGHTS THAT WOULD BE IN BETWEEN THE TWO MAJOR INTERSECTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS MATTHEW JEANETTE.

DID I GET THAT ONE RIGHT? YOU DID GET IT. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

MY NAME IS MATTHEW JEANETTE. I LIVE AT 2390 HASLETT ROAD.

I AM A FORTUNATE NEIGHBOR OF JENNIFER.

AND I'M HERE WITH A SIMILAR CONCERN BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE TO TO MY CHILD'S FRIEND.

AND SO WHAT I THINK IS JUST MY FOCUS IS REALLY ON THE SPEED LIMIT.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT ON THIS ONE MILE STRIP FROM PARK TO FROM PARK LANE TO OKEMOS ROAD, IT'S 45 MILES AN

[00:35:04]

AND ON BOTH SIDES OF IT, ONCE YOU CROSS THOSE INTERSECTIONS, IT DROPS DOWN TO 35.

SO JUST FOR THIS ONE STRIP WHERE THERE ARE 57 HOUSES, WE SEE A SPEED LIMIT THAT THAT EXCEEDS EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE AREA.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S TONS OF BENEFITS TO MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT SLOWER.

YOU DECREASE THE LIKELINESS OF SEVERE ACCIDENTS.

JENNIFER MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS, LIKE A TURNING LANE.

THOSE DON'T EXIST.

AND SO SOMETIMES THAT THAT CAN PROVIDE SAFETY FOR BOTH PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELING AND PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO ARE GOING INTO THEIR HOMES.

AND THE THE LAST PART IS LIKE, WHAT EFFECT COULD THIS COULD JUST CHANGE THIS SPEED LIMIT A LITTLE BIT? HAVE AS SHE MENTIONED, IT'S ABOUT HALF MILE FROM HER HOUSE ON EITHER SIDE.

SO IT'S JUST ONE MILE OF ROAD CHANGING THE SPEED LIMIT FROM 45 MILES TO SOMETHING LIKE 35 WOULD MEAN INSTEAD OF DRIVING FOR A MINUTE AND 20S, YOU'RE DRIVING FOR A MINUTE AND 45 SECONDS.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT AND AND REALLY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR FOR PEDESTRIANS, FOR DRIVERS AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

SO REALLY MY ASK TO SIMILAR TO HERS IS SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S A COUNTY ROAD WHICH MIGHT CHANGE JURISDICTIONS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO KNOWING KNOWING THE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO DRIVE THERE EVERY DAY, IT CAN CAN IMPROVE THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PRETTY QUICKLY.

SO JUST AGAIN, ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON ON THESE TYPES OF ISSUES SO WE CAN PREVENT ANOTHER HORRIBLE ACCIDENT LIKE WHAT HAPPENED THIS LAST WEEK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS REX HENRY HARRINGTON.

HELLO BOARD. REX HARRINGTON 820 PIPER ROAD, HASLETT AND I'VE NOTICED AND ADMIRED THE GREAT ROAD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP IS JUST MARVEL YOU KNOW WHAT OUR GUYS AND WOMEN CAN DO AND SO I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT.

HOWEVER, I HAVE A GRAVE MISGIVINGS ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT FOR ONE REASON, AND THAT IS I DON'T THINK WE COULD IMAGINE A HIGHER CONTENT OF CARBON BEING RELEASED WITH OUR MONEY THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS ROAD PROJECT.

AND IF IT WERE AT ALL LISTENING TO THE WORLD AND OUR SCIENTISTS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CUTTING CARBON AND THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE ASPHALT, WHEN YOU HAVE HEAVY MACHINERY, WHEN YOU ARE MAKING SOMETHING FOR CONVEYANCES OF VEHICLES, YOU'RE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE REDUCTION OF CARBON.

SO I'D LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE ADD THAT TO OUR PROJECT LIST.

AND ANOTHER IDEA SIMPLY IS THAT YOU WOULD NO LONGER MAKE YOUR SUBDIVISION ROADS WITH PAVEMENT OR WITH ASPHALT. IT WOULD ALL BE GRAVEL WITH DITCHES AND CULVERTS, AND THAT WAY WE REDUCE CARBON BY QUITE A BIT AND MAYBE THE ROADS WOULD LAST LONGER.

BUT THE THE REASON I WOULD LIKE US TO DO SOMETHING IS BECAUSE I WANT US TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

AND NOT ONLY THE PROBLEM.

IF WE PRESENTED OUR PROJECT TO ANYONE OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY, THEY WOULD CALL US CRIMINALS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARBON WE REDUCE, WE'RE PRODUCING.

SO IN IN RESPECT TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE US TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE.

AND, AND I'M COMING BACK TO THE CHLORINATED CARBOHYDRATES, THE THE, THE DRY CLEANING FLUID THAT'S IN THE GROUND HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT'S A CARBON TETRACHLORIDE.

THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL POISON.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TOWNSHIP PUT SOME MONEY INTO IT AND AND DO SOME RESEARCH INTO IT AND GET THESE CLEANED UP.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TOWNSHIP ALSO NOT ALLOW ANY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO BE TRANSFERRED UNTIL IT'S CLEANED UP BEFORE IT'S SOLD.

BUT I'VE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE AROUND TOWN WHO, YOU KNOW, HANDY GUYS WITH CHEMISTRY AND MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING.

WE'VE GOT GUYS AROUND HERE AND WOMEN WHO CAN DO THIS PROJECT.

WE. GET THE MONEY TOGETHER, WE CAN GO IN THERE.

IT'S DIFFICULT PROJECT, A VERY DIFFICULT PROJECT.

YOU HAVE TO PUMP FILTER.

YOU HAVE TO CONTAIN EVERYTHING.

YOU HAVE TO INCINERATE.

MAYBE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND THIS HAS TO BE ENGINEERED OUT.

IF OUR COMMUNITY, WITH OUR MONEY AND OUR TALENT COULD CAN COMBINE AND MAKE A PROTOCOL FOR FOR ADDRESSING THIS KIND OF ISSUE, THIS MUST BE A PREVALENT AMONG MANY COMMUNITIES.

AND WE WOULD DEVELOP A SYSTEM, A TECHNOLOGY TO DEAL WITH IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD GO.

I THINK WE NEED $250,000 UPFRONT FROM THE TOWNSHIP AND THAT THAT WILL BE A BASE BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE.

[00:40:09]

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

GOOD TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

I WANT TO START OUT BY SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE TWO RESIDENTS.

OUR BOARD. THE BOARD HAS A LONG STANDING POLICY.

THEY DON'T ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS WHO SPEAK, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE IGNORING YOU.

THEY JUST THEY EXPECT ME TO FOLLOW UP.

AND BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU DIRECTLY AND SAY THAT I'M REALLY SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

AND HASLETT ROAD FRIDAY NIGHT, I GOT A CALL RIGHT AWAY FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE.

I UNDERSTAND IT WAS DEVASTATING.

SO YOU HAVE THE TOWNSHIP'S CONDOLENCES FOR WHAT TOOK PLACE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT CHIEF GRILLO, WHO JUST TOOK OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, WILL HIS TEAM WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH YOU AND FOLLOW UP AND SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. WE'RE LIMITED, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PUNCH BEHIND US TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

AND WE HAVE HAD HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

SO WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK WITH YOU.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.

NOW TO THE BOARD.

I WANT TO REPORT THAT OUR ASSESSOR, ASHLEY WINSTEAD, WHO'S JUST A TREMENDOUS AS YOU KNOW, WE HIRED HER AS A LEVEL THREE AND SHE WENT AND GOT HER MASTER ASSESSOR AND SHE'S JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.

SHE WENT WE SHE WENT THROUGH THE AUDIT PROCESS, WHICH IS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND THE STATE TAX COMMISSION COMBINED.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF THESE IN MY CAREER AND NEVER HAVE I SEEN WHAT WE EXPERIENCED HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DEALING WITH THESE STATE AGENCIES THAT THEY FIND, BUT IN THIS CASE IT WAS A PERFECT SCORE.

SO THAT REFLECTS NOT ONLY ON ASHLEY WINSTEAD, OUR ASSESSOR, BUT HER ENTIRE STAFF, JENNIFER AND DANIELLE AND ANGELA.

SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

I HAVE A MEETING THURSDAY MORNING WITH GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT MICHIGAN STATE TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH WITH THE UNIVERSITY.

I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK OUR RENOVATION TEAM.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN HERE, YOU KNOW, HAVE MEETINGS BACK IN HERE.

THIS IS WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR FIRST STAFF MEETING BACK IN HERE ON MONDAY, SO TO DIRECTOR MASSEY AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER.

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET IT.

LET'S NOT FORGET DIRECTOR GIBAS AND KMIEC AND AND KRISTIN COLE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID.

IT WAS A SEAMLESS PROCESS AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDING.

CHIEF GRILLO AND I MET WITH, HE'S JUST THE FIRST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF PHENOMENAL WORKING WITH HIM.

HE'S JUST THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE RIGHT JOB.

HE ALREADY HAS BROUGHT, I THINK, 2 OR 3 CANDIDATES ALREADY TO TO ME FOR INTERVIEWS, THAT SORT OF THING.

OF COURSE, IT'S ALWAYS UP TO THE CHIEF WHO HE HAS JOINED HIS TEAM.

BUT I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE LEVEL OF CANDIDATES THAT HE'S BROUGHT FORWARD.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THE ROTARY HERO LUNCH LED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.

BUT OF COURSE, CLERK GUTHRIE AND TRUSTEE, WILSON AND SUPERVISOR JACKSON ARE ALL PART OF THE ROTARY TEAM.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. ROTARY DOES A LOT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

EVEN GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ROOM, TO THE CIRCLE KIND OF CAMPFIRE AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.

AND ON AND ON AND ON.

THE ROTARY DOES A LOT OF WORK FOR THESE LIBRARIES.

I SPOKE AT KIWANIS ON THE 12TH, AND AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP THAT DOES SO MUCH THE FLAGS AND PUTTING IPADS IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND I THINK THEY GAVE $75,000 TO THE MARKETPLACE ICE ARENA.

SO THEY'VE DONE A LOT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WE'RE THANKFUL TO HAVE THEM.

DIRECTOR ARNIE, WHO HAS ONLY BEEN WITH US FOR A MONTH OR TWO NOW, IS GETTING A PENSION BOARD MEETING SCHEDULED.

DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL, BUT WE NEED TO GET THE TRAIN BACK ON THE TRACKS FOR OUR PENSION BOARD AND GET THAT MOVING FORWARD.

A BIG DEAL IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE BRIDGE OVER THE RED CEDAR IS BEING PUT IN PLACE.

A. THAT A PROJECT THAT DEPUTY OPSOMMER IS MANAGING WITH HIS ENGINEERING TEAM.

THIS IS THE LAKE LANSING TO MSU.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A DREAM FOR YEARS AND JUST TALKED ABOUT.

WELL, NOW IT'S A REALITY AND THE BRIDGE IS ACTUALLY BEING PUT IN PLACE.

IT'S DOWN BEST DESCRIBED NEAR HAGADORN AND SEAN SHAW WOULD BE THE AREA THAT THE BRIDGE IS GOING IN.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A PHENOMENAL ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR PROCESS.

WE'LL GET GOING BY THE WAY, LOUIS AND WE'VE GOT THE DATE.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE A DATE FOR HER PARTY.

SO HER PARTY MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

[00:45:01]

WE'RE GOING TO THROW A BIG BASH FOR LOUIS.

AND WHAT A LEGACY SHE'S SHE'S GOING TO LEAVE US AS OUR ONE AND ONLY PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR.

I'M NOT PREPARED TO START THAT PROCESS JUST YET.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE POLICE CHIEF PROCESS.

WE'VE HAD THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'VE HAD THE RENOVATION PROCESS.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BREATHER AND WE'LL GET THE PROCESS STARTED.

PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 3 TO 4 WEEKS, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER PROCESS, HIRING SOMEBODY IN NOVEMBER AND HAVING THEM START AROUND THE 15TH OF DECEMBER. THAT WAY THEY'LL HAVE A WEEK TO WORK WITH DIRECTOR MAISNER BEFORE SHE LEAVES US ON A FULL TIME BASIS.

THE RECYCLING EVENT IS AT CHIPPEWA THIS SATURDAY FROM 9 TO 1, 9 A.M.

TO 1 P.M. SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING THERE AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT'S GOING ON, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE THE FOCAL POINT FOR WHAT I WANTED TO BRING FORWARD THIS EVENING.

SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M GOING TO RETREAT.

DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

SO, ALONG WITH BILLY, EVERYONE UP AT THE DAIS ATTENDED OUR FIRST OF SIX PLANNED LISTENING SESSIONS AT BENNETT WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST TUESDAY AT 6:00.

WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP NEXT TUESDAY AT RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN HASLETT, AND THAT IS ON THE 26TH FROM 6 TO 730.

AND SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COME, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, ALLOWED US TO HEAR FROM THEM, ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.

I KNOW WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE SOME OF OUR OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, OUR MANAGER AND OUR DEPUTY MANAGER THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL.

AND I THINK IT WAS A ROUSING SUCCESS.

THERE WERE PROBABLY 30 OR SO FOLKS IN ATTENDANCE OUTSIDE OF US, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SPEAKING TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND MADAM SUPERVISOR, I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 7TH AND OF COURSE IT WAS SUMMER, SO WELL, END OF SUMMER.

SO NOBODY WAS REALLY TOO MUCH INTO A WHOLE LOT OF TOPICS AT THAT POINT.

BUT THE DISCUSSION IS ONGOING REGARDING THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE.

THEY ARE MOVING ALONG, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME THE THE PROJECT IS MOVING ALONG SLOWLY, BUT THEY ARE NONETHELESS MOVING ALONG.

THEY THEY RAN ACROSS SOME DRAIN ISSUES, BUT THEY'RE STILL MOVING ALONG.

AND THEN THE OKEMOS VILLAGE OF OKEMOS IS ALSO STILL MOVING ALONG.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S HAD SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.

SO THEY ARE STILL MOVING.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON A POTENTIAL LOGO FOR A REUSABLE BAG FOR THE MODEL, WHICH IS MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF.

OH, DEAR. I CAN'T THINK OF IT RIGHT NOW.

MERIDIAN AREA BUSINESS.

MERIDIAN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

OKAY, I GOT IT.

I SAY ALL THE TIME.

OH, WHAT IS THAT? OKAY, SO. BUT THEY ARE DISCUSSING A POTENTIAL LOGO FOR REUSABLE BAGS TO DISTRIBUTE AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN. SO THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS.

AND THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE WISINSKI, I'M HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES OVER HERE TALKING TO OURSELVES DOWN THERE.

I UNFORTUNATELY MISSED THE FIRST LISTENING SESSION, BUT I RAN INTO SEVERAL RESIDENTS THAT SAID THEY WERE THERE AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATED IT AND REALLY LIKED THE IDEA.

I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT, FELT THAT THEY COULD CONTRIBUTE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PASS THAT BACK TO THE FOLKS THAT WERE THERE AND HAVE BEEN LEADING THESE.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE THANK YOU.

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT OR REITERATE TRUSTEE HENDERSON'S COMMENTS.

THAT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL LISTENING SESSION AT BENNETT WOODS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL ONE AND HASLETT NEXT TUESDAY AT RALEIGH ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS LOCATED AT FIVE FOUR, FIVE, SIX FIVE SCHOOL STREET, WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF THE HASLETT LIBRARY AND THE HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

[00:50:05]

WE HAD OVER A DOZEN FAMILIES WHO HELPED THE MY HEART PROGRAM STANDS FOR THE MICHIGAN HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE FUND.

IT WAS MONEY PUT TOGETHER OFFERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTERED BY MR..

THE PROGRAM GOES AWAY ON THE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T APPLIED YET AND YOU NEED SOME HELP, PLEASE CALL MY OFFICE.

8534140 AND WE'LL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH OUR MERIDIAN CARES OFFICE.

THAT CAN HELP YOU PUT THAT APPLICATION IN.

SO MY HALF ANOTHER TEN DAYS IF YOU NEED.

IF YOU FALL BEHIND. NEED SOME HELP? THERE'S STILL SOME MONEY OUT THERE, BUT IT'S ALMOST GONE.

THANK YOU, CLERK GUTHRIE.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

TODAY IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, SO OF COURSE OUR DEPUTY CLERK AND MYSELF ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

WE WENT TO THE OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL TODAY AND DID A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE WITH THE NHS STUDENTS AND AN ALUMNI GROUP AND MSU ALUMNI GROUP, AND EMILY WILL HAVE TO SAY WHO THE NAME OF THE GROUP IS BECAUSE SHE SET IT UP AS KAPPA ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA, THE FRATERNITY GRADUATE CHAPTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND SO WE HAD A LARGE PRESENCE OF VOLUNTEERS THERE TO ASSIST US WITH VOTER REGISTRATION.

AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT 2024 VOTER CHANGES TO THE ROTARY MEETING TODAY.

AND SO I WAS VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTION IN 2024, THERE ARE MANY CHANGES IN 2023.

THIS IS WISHFUL. I KEEP SAYING 2024.

IT'S WISHFUL THINKING.

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTION IN 2023.

WE ARE PREPARING FOR 2024.

AND IF YOU'RE HERE, THERE IS AN INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE IN THE BACK ON WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT AS POSSIBLE TO VOTERS WHAT THOSE CHANGES WILL BE SO THAT WE ARE ALL VOTE READY IN 2024.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WITH CATA ON A BUS, A BUS SHELTER OUT HERE IN FRONT OF THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING SINCE LAST WINTER REQUESTING THAT WE HAVE A BUS SHELTER.

SO ANY OF OUR VOTERS OR PEOPLE COME TO PAY TAXES OR VISITING THE TOWNSHIP HALL OR NOT SITTING OUT THERE ON THE BENCH IN THE HOT SUN OR IN BAD WEATHER, THAT THEY WILL HAVE A SHELTER.

AND SO IF YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION OVER THERE OR THAT THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, THEY'RE INSTALLING A SHELTER OVER THERE.

AND SO WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW TO DISCUSS WHAT THE SHELTER WILL LOOK LIKE.

SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THAT BE INSTALLED RIGHT HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP HALL.

I WANT TO THANK EMMA CAMPBELL.

I'LL HAVE TO. I THANKED HER IN PERSON EARLIER AND ALSO DIANE OPSOMMER FOR HELPING A LOCAL RESIDENT UNDERSTAND HOW.

TO NATURALLY MANAGE JAPANESE KNOTWEED.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THERE IS.

EMMA HAS CREATED A LARGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FOR NATURAL VEGETATION AND PLANTS THAT YOU CAN PUT AND PLANT IN YOUR HOME AND HOW TO HANDLE DEER AND AND OTHER CRITTERS AND WEEDS AND THAT SORT OF THING IN A NATURAL WAY.

SO THERE IS A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION ON THERE AND SHE WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN BEING ABLE TO ASSIST A RESIDENT WITH HOW TO HANDLE JAPANESE KNOTWEED.

AND THEN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, I HAD THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE TO SWEAR IN OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF, CHIEF CARILLO, INTO HIS NEW LEADERSHIP POSITION.

AND IT WAS NICE TO SEE ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AND THE BOARD MEMBERS COME OUT AND SEE YOUR FAMILY THERE.

SO SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.

IT WAS AN HONOR TO SWEAR YOU IN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S END OF MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? THEN WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY.

TRUSTEE WILSON.

MR.. NO CHANGES.

NO CHANGES. UM.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.

PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. OPPOSED? NO. THE CHAIR VOTES.

YES. MOTION PASSES.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

[00:55:02]

THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES TYPICAL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE TOWNSHIP.

THE MINUTES OF OUR AUGUST 30TH, 2023, SPECIAL TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING.

OUR SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023, REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING MANAGERS, BILLS AND AN ITEM ABOUT DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT.

MR.. HENDRICKSON.

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

SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON FOR THE COMMENTS.

THEN WE WILL NEED A ROLL CALL.

VOTE, PLEASE.

CLERK GUTHRIE.

YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WILSON.

YES. TRUSTEE WICINSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE NO HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT AND WE COME TO OUR ACTION ITEMS UNDER ITEM 12.

[12.A. 2024 Township Budget]

MR. WALSH HAS PRESENTED THAT TO US IN THE PAST AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SUM UP WHERE WE ARE.

I'M GOING TO SUM IT UP, JUST ONE OTHER THING THAT I FORGOT FROM MY REPORT THAT I WANT TO MENTION IS YOU REMEMBER OUR TEAM BUILDING TRIP WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN JULY TO CHARLEVOIX, KIND OF IN OUR FORMER CHIEF PLAZA BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HE WAS APPOINTED AND ALL THAT.

THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT DUE TO TIMING, BUT OUR TEAM BUILDING TRIP IS RESCHEDULED OCTOBER 11TH AND MSU IS GRACIOUSLY THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HAS GRACIOUSLY INVITED US TO TOUR THE FACILITIES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET TO SEE MY NINE MAN ICE ARENA, THE BRESLIN AND SOME OTHER COACH.

CASEY ON THE MEN'S GOLF COACH IS GOING TO TAKE OUR TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME UP AT UNCLE JOHN'S.

SO A DAY THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO.

CAN I ASK BERNIE TO COME ON FORWARD IF SHE'LL GIVE US HER NAME TITLE QUARTERBACK. SHE'S KNOWN AS THE QUARTERBACK OF THE BUDGET.

REALLY? I'D BE REMISS IF I JUST GAVE A SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET TONIGHT AND DIDN'T RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR, LEFT FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYMENT AT THE END OF JUNE, AND WE WERE LEFT WITH A TOUGH DECISION ON WHAT TO DO.

AND BERNIE REALLY, REALLY STEPPED UP AND WAS THE QUARTERBACK ON THIS BUDGET PROCESS.

SO ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN CHOSEN BY A ONE TO NOTHING VOTE, BERNIE, THE ONLY ONE VOTING THAT I WOULD PRESENT THE BUDGET, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE BERNIE'S WORK, WHICH WAS JUST SIMPLY OUTSTANDING OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.

I WANTED TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE HER.

SO THANK YOU BOTH. APPRECIATE IT.

NOW, IF YOU'LL GIVE US HER FULL NAME.

NO, I DO.

I DO. I DO.

BERNIE BLONDIE, THE ACCOUNTANT.

THANK YOU.

THE ACCOUNT. THE ACCOUNT? YEAH. SO, IN SUMMARY, YES, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE BUDGET.

I'LL JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO GO THROUGH THIS EVENING.

OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS 27.2.

THE EXPENSES ARE 27.1.

OUR TOTAL BUDGET'S ABOUT $60 MILLION IN ALL.

THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BY THE BOARD AT THE LAST MEETING WAS TO TAKE ON THE ENTIRE SIREN PROJECT AT $120,000 AND FINISH THAT OFF. THAT'S ON PAGE 181 OF THE NEW BUDGET PAGE THAT WE'RE GIVEN TO YOU.

THE RECYCLING CENTER WAS TAKEN OUT ON THE EXPENSE PART, BUT ALSO THE REVENUE PART, WHICH RESULTED IN ABOUT $120,000 TO THE POSITIVE. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS EMERGENCY FUND WAS INCREASED AS REQUESTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON FROM 30 TO 40,000.

THE CAPITAL OUTLAY WAS ELIMINATED IN $330,000 WAS ELIMINATED.

AND THAT'S ON PAGE 181.

THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXPO IS A SIMPLE TRANSFER FROM THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXPO TO THE PRIDE FESTIVAL AT $1,500 AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI ASK ABOUT THE WE CAME THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMING AND WE PUT $30,000 IN THERE.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO $20,000 FOR THE GREEN GRANTS.

ALL OF THAT COMBINED WITH, LET'S NOT FORGET, LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, OKAY? WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK.

I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH A BRIEF LIST WITH YOU OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING $2.3 MILLION ADDITIONAL IN PENSION COSTS.

THAT'S WHY OUR PENSION FUNDED POSITIONS GONE FROM 54 TO 74% JUST OVER THE LAST DECADE.

WE'RE PUTTING $120,000.

[01:00:02]

WE NEEDED 17 SIRENS, AND TEN YEARS AGO WE HAD FOUR.

AND NOW WE'RE FINISHING THAT PROGRAM.

THE GREEN GRANTS IS SUSTAINABILITY AT $30,000, THE SOLAR PROJECT AT 95, WE'RE ADDING TWO NEW PARAMEDICS AND FIREFIGHTERS.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE WERE AT 30 JUST FIVE YEARS AGO.

NOW WE'RE ALL THE WAY UP TO 36.

WE'RE BACK TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD WAY BACK IN 2010, AND THAT'S ABOUT $180,000 COST.

WE'RE ADDING IPADS FOR EACH OFFICER AT 46,000.

WE'RE ADDING WE'RE AUDITIONING AN ELECTRIC ROBOT MOWER TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.

AT 60,000, WE HAVE 400,000 SET ASIDE FOR THE PAVILION PROJECT OUT HERE.

WE'VE GOT 364 TO BUY A NEW FIRE TRUCK.

THAT'S THE THIRD FIRE TRUCK WE'VE PURCHASED WITH CASH IN THE LAST SIX YEARS.

WE HAVE GREAT EQUIPMENT IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY GENERATOR IS BEING PUT IN AT 115,000 THE.

IF MERIDIAN MAGAZINE AT 13,000, WE'RE REPLACING SEVEN TRUCKS BETWEEN ENGINEERING AND WATER AND FIRE.

WE'RE REPLACING THREE NEW POLICE CARS.

WE'VE GOT 30 000 SET ASIDE FOR DCI TRAINING, 825,000 TO GET OUR WATER MAINS BACK IN.

NOW THAT WE'RE DONE DIGESTING A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD.

AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.

COMMUNITY GARDENS, MEALS ON WHEELS, MERIDIAN BAND, ANOTHER 11,700 HOME TV VIDEO PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT AT 12,000.

CELEBRATE MERIDIAN FIREWORKS AT 15,000, NEW PARK SIGNS AT $92,000.

THERE'S MORE.

BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF A HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

TAKING ALL THAT INTO TOTALITY, LET'S GO BACK TO OUR BENCHMARKS.

WHERE WERE WE A YEAR AGO WHEN THE BOARD SAID, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PUT INTO THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUND, THE PENSION STABILIZATION FUND AND THE GENERAL FUND? SO WHERE WERE WE THEN? AND AFTER ALL OF THIS, WHERE ARE WE NOW? AND THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION.

AND THE ANSWER IS THE SEVEN AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS SET ASIDE IN THE GENERAL FUND, RAINY DAY FUND IS SEVEN AND ONE HALF MILLION.

WE HAVE NOT DIPPED INTO IT.

THE PROJECTS FUND, WHICH WAS $3.5 MILLION, IS NOW 3.573.

ALL OF THIS AND WE'VE ADDED $73,000 TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECT FUND, OUR PENSION STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH WAS $2 MILLION IS NOW 2,122,000. WE'VE ADDED $122,000 DUE TO INTEREST AND OUR PENSION STABILIZATION FUND.

WE'RE PAYING 2.3 MILLION MORE INTO PENSION FUND AND ADDED TO OUR STABILIZATION FUND.

THIS BUDGET, WE ARE ALL AS A TEAM, ALL 13 OF US ON THE DIRECTORS ARE VERY PROUD OF THE BUDGET THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR INPUT.

I THINK WE UNLESS WE MISS SOMETHING, WE'VE INCLUDED ALL THE REQUESTS THAT THE BOARD MADE, THE MODIFICATIONS, AND I WOULD TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

THAT'S A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE 2024 TOWNSHIP BUDGET.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR A MOTION.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. I MOVE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVE THE 2024 RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

MR. HENDRICKSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, AND THANK YOU TO ACCOUNTANT BLONDY AND MANAGER WALSH AND ALL OF THE DIRECTORS AND STAFF WHO HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS PUTTING TOGETHER THE SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES OF BUDGET THAT WE SEE HERE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO LOVE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND MANAGER WALSH DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

I DIDN'T KNOW. I DIDN'T NOTICE YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT THERE IS ALSO APPROACHING $5 MILLION IN LOCAL ROAD FUNDING INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL.

I THINK THAT WE ARE SEEING INVESTMENT IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY FROM A TOWNSHIP PERSPECTIVE SO THAT WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW SOLAR PROJECT AT THE NORTH FIRE STATION.

AND I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, THAT THE 3.5 MILLION THAT REMAINS THERE PLUS THE 73, IS ALSO INCLUSIVE OF A $900,000 PLUS EXPENDITURE TO RENOVATE THIS BUILDING IN THIS YEAR. SO NOT ONLY DID WE END UP WITH MORE MONEY IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, BUT ALSO WE COVERED THE TOTALITY OF THE COST OF THAT RENOVATION BEING PUT BACK IN. IT'S JUST GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, AND I THINK IT IS WORTH HIGHLIGHTING ALSO.

[01:05:04]

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S A BIG, BIG MENTION FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN FRONT OF US.

ALL IN ALL, IT'S A JOB VERY WELL DONE ON THE BUDGET HERE, AND I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT IT THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

I THINK TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON LAID IT OUT VERY WELL.

SO I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT I TOO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE.

YOU CAN REPEAT IT ALL IF YOU WANT.

IT'S REALLY FAST. SO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE ALSO TO BLONDIE, OUR DIRECTORS AND THE STAFF INPUT, AND THE MANAGER WALSH FOR ALWAYS BEING SO FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

THANK YOU, MR. DUCHAINE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I TOO, APPLAUD YOU FOR THIS BUDGET AND AND BERNIE, FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT WAS DONE WITH IT.

IT'S A IT'S A LEAN BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALSO AN AMBITIOUS BUDGET.

IT'S LEAN IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDED ANY NEW PEOPLE, SAVE OUR RESTORATION OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE GREAT RECESSION.

AND OUR GOAL TO HAVE 41 SWORN POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL.

THAT'S ESSENTIAL.

THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF OUR OF OUR RESIDENTS.

OUR RESIDENTS THINK OF THE TOWNSHIP WHEN THEY THINK OF THE TOWNSHIP, THEY THINK OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND THAT CAN BE POLICE OFFICERS PRIMARILY.

THEY CAN BE CAN ALSO BE PARKS.

IT CAN BE CLERK STAFF, THE TREASURER, STAFF, THE CITY STAFF.

THOSE PEOPLE, THOSE STAFFS HAVE ALL BEEN PRETTY MUCH FROZEN SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION AND MANY OF THEM TOOK CUTS AHEAD OF TIME.

SO I HOPE THAT WE LOOK TO THE 25 BUDGET, WE CAN LOOK AT STAFFING AGAIN FOR SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT ASKING TOO MUCH AND WE'RE NOT STRESSING THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC ISN'T AS SOLID AS IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE A BIT OVERWHELMED BY THE WORK.

SO SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION, WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 6000 RESIDENTS.

WE HAD OUR STAFFING AND ALL OTHER NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES HAS REMAINED THE SAME.

AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT.

I HOPE WE WILL LOOK AT FOR THE BUDGET WE APPROVE A YEAR FROM NOW.

OVERALL, IT'S A GOOD BUDGET.

WE'VE GOT AMPLE RESERVES AND I THINK IT'S A BUDGET WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.

THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS.

THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE 2024 RECOMMENDED BUDGET RESOLUTION MOVED BY TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AND SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WIECZYNSKI.

WE NEED A ROLL CALL.

VOTE FOR APPROVAL.

TREASURER DUCHAINE. YES.

TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WILSON.

YES. TRUSTEE BASINSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. CLERK GUTHRIE.

YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ITEM 12 B IS HOME TV AND CAM

[12.B. HOMTV & CAMTV Channel Playback Equipment Purchase]

THIS ITEM WILL BE PRESENTED BY.

GIVE ME A MINUTE. SO.

SAMANTHA DEAL, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER.

THANK YOU. SO UNFORTUNATELY OR NOT, UNFORTUNATELY, JUST TO START, WE HAVE TWO CHANNELS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

WE HAVE HOME TV AND CAM TV.

HOME TV IS OUR GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL, WHICH IS FOR PLAYBACK AND LIVE TELEVISED MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE, AS WELL AS ANY ORIGINAL PROGRAMING WE HAVE. AND THEN CAM TV IS OUR SECOND PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL, AND THAT ONE IS FOR PRODUCERS WHO HAVE WHO MAY A SET A SET LIST OF CRITERIA THEY CAN SUBMIT PROGRAMING FOR PLAYBACK ON CAM TV.

AND UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW, BOTH HOME TV AND CAM TV ARE WITHOUT AUDIO AND ARE BOTH EXPERIENCING VIDEO LAGGING ISSUES.

SO ANYONE WATCHING THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW CAN'T HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IF THEY'RE WATCHING ON THE COMCAST CHANNEL.

SO THIS IS THE COMCAST CHANNELS ONLY.

WE ALSO HAVE A HOME TV LIVE STREAM AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE THROUGH A WEBSITE CALLED SWAGIT.

SO THAT STREAM IS NOT IMPACTED, THANKFULLY, BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO INTERNET AND THEY RELY ON THE CABLE FOR ON THE CHANNEL FOR THEIR MEETING COVERAGE.

SO ON AUGUST 23RD, A RESIDENT REPORTED TO CLERK DEBORAH GUTHRIE AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER THAT HOME TV CHANNEL HAD NO AUDIO AND WHAT I DID WAS REBOOT OUR ENCODER.

THE ENCODER IS WHAT SENDS THE SIGNAL TO COMCAST.

[01:10:01]

THIS TIME. AUDIO CAME BACK FOR ABOUT 30S AND THEN DROPPED BACK OFF AGAIN.

SO THEN THAT SAME DAY I REACHED OUT TO COMCAST TO ASK IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SIGNAL.

THEY SAID ON THEIR END THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, BUT THEY STILL SENT OUT A TECHNICIAN ON AUGUST 29TH AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUES ON THEIR END.

AND SO WE DID FURTHER TESTING WITH THE SERVERS THAT ARE THE CHANNEL PLAYBACK SYSTEM.

AND WE CONCLUDED THAT THE ENCODER CONNECTED TO THOSE SYSTEMS ARE BOTH FAILING.

SO THAT'S WHY COMCAST IS WITHOUT AUDIO AND VIDEO IS BECAUSE THE ENCODER IS SENDING THAT SIGNAL TO THEM IS DROPPING BOTH OF THOSE.

SO ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, I MET WITH A COMPANY CALLED CABLECAST AND THEY ARE THE COMPANY I'M HOPING TO GO FOR GO WITH TO REPLACE OUR ENTIRE CHANNEL PLAYBACK SYSTEM FOR BOTH HOME TV AND CAM TV.

SO WE ARE ABLE TO DO A DEMONSTRATION WITH THEM, ASK THEM ANY QUESTIONS AND LEARN A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

LUCKILY, THOUGH, WHEN I WAS AT A CONFERENCE, THE ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY MEDIA CONFERENCE LAST YEAR, I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THEM IN PERSON, DEMONSTRATE, DEMO THEIR PROJECT AS WELL AS SPEAK WITH TWO OF THEIR COMPETITORS, KASTUS AND TELVUE, DEMO THEIR PRODUCTS AND TALK TO THEM.

SO THIS ISN'T JUST ME CHOOSING A COMPANY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH.

OTHER STATIONS UTILIZE IN MICHIGAN, UTILIZE CABLECAST.

SO I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THOSE STATIONS TO GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK AND THEY ALL MADE THE SWITCH FROM LOTRONEX, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT PLAYBACK SYSTEM TO CABLECAST.

SO IT'S NOT JUST US WHO WOULD BE MAKING THAT SWITCH, IT'S A LOT OF OTHER STATIONS.

SO I AM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ASKING FOR THE APPROVAL TO USE MONEY FROM OUR PEG FUNDS TO PURCHASE THIS NEW CHANNEL PLAYBACK SYSTEM.

SO FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, PEG FEES ARE AS THE CABLE FRANCHISE HOLDER FOR THE TOWNSHIP, WE COLLECT PEG AND FRANCHISE FEES FROM COMCAST AND AT&T.

FRANCHISE FEES CAN BE USED TOWARDS ANY TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS, WHEREAS PEG FEES CAN ONLY BE USED FOR HOME TV AND CAM TV SPECIFIC RELATED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. SO YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR PAYROLL.

IT'S REALLY ONLY KIND OF FOR VIDEO SERVER EQUIPMENT LIKE THIS.

SO WE WOULD BE REPLACING THE ENTIRE PLAYBACK SYSTEM.

AND ONCE THE ORDER IS PLACED, YOU HAVE ABOUT IT WOULD BE ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE EQUIPMENT IS DELIVERED, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OF INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING AND TESTING THAT EQUIPMENT.

SO THAT'LL BE DONE WITH MYSELF AND BRIAN KUSH, WHO IS AN ENGINEER FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

HE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IN THE HOME TV SERVER ROOM, CLEANING IT UP, UP, UPGRADING ANY EQUIPMENT SO IT'LL BE THE TWO OF US.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, EVEN ONCE THIS IS APPROVED, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED.

AND FOR ANYONE LISTENING WHO OR WHO MIGHT HEAR THIS, YOU.

IF YOU CAN'T, YEAH, YOU CAN'T WATCH ON THE CHANNEL, BUT YOU CAN WATCH ON HOME TV NET.

THERE'S A LITTLE TAB WHERE IT SAYS WATCH AND STREAM HOME TV.

YOU CAN STILL SEE THE AUDIO, SEE THE VIDEO OR HEAR THE AUDIO.

SEE THE VIDEO. SO. THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR A CABLE SUBSCRIBERS IN THE TOWNSHIP, THEY AREN'T WITHOUT A WAY TO WATCH.

SO I BELIEVE THAT COVERS IT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

BOARD MEMBERS. MR. DESCHAINE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, SAMANTHA, FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK YOU'VE DONE AS MANAGER OF THIS DEPARTMENT FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

YOU'VE MADE A REALLY SEAMLESS STEP INTO THIS NEW ROLE, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS AS EFFECTIVE AS EVER.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT GOOD WORK.

YOU MENTIONED AT&T AND COMCAST PAYING FRANCHISE FEES WITH METRONET BECOMING A PLAYER IN THE TOWNSHIP PROVIDER IN THE TOWNSHIP.

WILL WE RECEIVE FEES FROM THEM EVENTUALLY? I HONESTLY I'M NOT SURE AND I WISH DEPUTY MANAGER OFFICER MURRAY WERE HERE TO POSSIBLY HELP ME WITH THAT QUESTION BECAUSE YEAH, BUT NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY INTERNET.

THEY ARE NOT CABLE TELEVISION.

SO LIKE METRONET.

WOW. THEY WOULDN'T BE A PART OF THIS.

RIGHT. AND TO GET THE DISCUSSION GOING, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE RESOLUTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE USE OF PEG FEES FOR THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF HOMTV AND CAM TV CHANNEL PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE. MR..

JIASHANG SUPPORT THIS AND IT'S GLAD THAT WE CAN USE THESE PEG FEES FOR SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC LIKE THIS, AND WE'LL TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION. THIS IS THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED AND WE CERTAINLY NEED TO HAVE AUDIO ON THE COMCAST AND AT&T FEEDS.

[01:15:05]

YEAH. AND I JUST WANT TO STATE FOR THE RECORD, TOO, THAT THIS PURCHASE WILL BE IN THE TOTAL OF $33,819.

OUR PROJECTED PEG FEE AMOUNT OR PEG FEE FUND AT THE END OF 2023 IS 137,000.

SO EVEN WITH THIS PURCHASE, WE STILL HAVE A GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE THERE FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES ARISE IN THE FUTURE.

SO THANK YOU.

CLERK GUTHRIE. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD JUST TO GET THIS FIXED.

MR. HENDRICKSON HOW MUCH MONEY COMES IN IN PEG FEES IN A GIVEN YEAR? YEAH. SO LET ME PULL UP 2022'S NUMBERS.

SO THAT'S FOR FRANCHISE FEES.

AND THEN PEG FEE IS, UM, 136,000 AS OF 2022.

SO WE GET REVENUE IN.

YES. SO WE GET QUARTERLY FRANCHISE AND PEG FEE CHECKS FROM BOTH AT&T AND COMCAST.

AND AS SOON AS I GET THEM, DEPOSIT THEM INTO THOSE ACCOUNTS AND THEY JUST SIT THERE.

WELL, FRANCHISE FEES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP CAN USE THOSE.

BUT PEG FEES, THEY JUST SIT IN THERE UNTIL WE USE THEM FOR HOME TV CAM, TV RELATED EXPENSES.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE USED OUR PEG FEES TO PURCHASE NEW CURTAINS FOR THE HOME TV STUDIO.

SO THAT KIND OF STUFF.

OTHER QUESTIONS.

SAMANTHA, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

WOULD YOU WOULD YOU AGREE? YES, DEFINITELY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

QUESTIONS. COMMENTS.

UM, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY MR. DUCHAINE, SECONDED BY CLERK GUTHRIE.

THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE USE OF PEG FEES FOR THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF HOME TV AND CAM TV CHANNEL PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT.

WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[13.A. Paid Parental Leave Program]

AND I PRESUME THAT TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, WHO IS BRINGING THIS TO US WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER TRUSTEES, WILL PRESENT THE IDEA.

ONE TRUSTEE AND A CLERK.

OH, OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

YES, I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND TRUSTEE WILSON AND CLERK GUTHRIE THIS EVENING.

SO IN 2020, GOVERNOR WHITMER APPROVED OF A NEW PROGRAM FOR STATE EMPLOYEES TO OFFER PAID PARENTAL LEAVE TO ALL STATE EMPLOYEES, SUCH THAT NEW PARENTS CAN RECEIVE UP TO 12 WEEKS OF PAID TIME OFF AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD OR THE ADOPTION OF A CHILD THAT'S FIVE OR YOUNGER.

SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PROGRAM, IT'S BEEN REPORTED THAT OVER A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, AND THAT AS A PROGRAM, IT'S BEEN LAUDED AS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS, HELPING TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MORALE AND SATISFACTION WITH THEIR POSITIONS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR NEW PARENTS.

I SPOKE WITH MANAGER WALSH TO DO A CURSORY OVERVIEW OF THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT, AS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF IMPLEMENTING SUCH A PROGRAM.

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT OPERATIONALLY WE ARE A FAMILY FIRST ORGANIZATION AS AN EMPLOYER, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE NEW PARENTS AND A NEW ADOPTIVE PARENTS TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES ALREADY.

AND FINANCIALLY, WE BUDGET FOR AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE DURATION OF THE YEAR, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE ON FAMILY LEAVE OR NOT.

AND SO THE COST TO THE TOWNSHIP IS RELATIVELY NEGLIGIBLE TO IMPLEMENT A PAID FAMILY LEAVE OR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM.

AND OPERATIONALLY THE IMPACT WILL BE RELATIVELY NEGLIGIBLE AS WELL.

AND SO IF WE CAN, WHY NOT? AND SO THIS EVENING, I'M BRINGING WE ARE BRINGING THIS SIMPLY FOR DISCUSSION TO SEE IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD.

[01:20:05]

I'VE INCLUDED A SUGGESTED DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE FIRST OF NEXT YEAR.

I'D BE CERTAINLY OPEN TO HEARING THEIR FEEDBACK ON THAT BECAUSE I DID NOT CONSULT THE MANAGER OR THE HR DIRECTOR ON WHETHER THAT TIMELINE WAS FEASIBLE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS WORTH PURSUING, AND I THINK THAT TRUSTEE WILSON AND CLERK GUTHRIE AGREE, WHICH IS WHY THEY AGREED TO BE A PART OF THE INITIAL MEMORANDUM.

BUT BEYOND THAT, I'LL LET THEM SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON, AS A FORMER STATE EMPLOYEE BEFORE I RETIRED, THIS IS MODELING THIS PROGRAM TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

AND IF WE BELIEVE AS RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, THIS IS THE BEST DIRECTION TO GO.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCUR GREAT COST TO THE TOWNSHIP TO JUST SIMPLY PUT THIS IN PLACE.

IT EMPHASIZES THE BALANCE OF WORK LIFE, WHICH I THINK EVERYONE'S TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW BABY OR A NEW ADOPTEE AT HOME, YOU REALLY NEED THAT TIME FOR BONDING.

SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THIS.

I WISH YOU HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE WHEN I WAS HAVING CHILDREN AND THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING IT.

OKAY. CLERK GUTHRIE SAME EXACTLY WHAT TRUSTEE WILSON SAID AND TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON THIS ESPECIALLY AS A SINGLE MOM.

WHEN I WAS A SINGLE MOM BACK IN MY DAY, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO STAY AT HOME A LITTLE BIT LONGER WITH MY KIDDOS RATHER THAN HAVING TO QUICKLY GET BACK INTO WORK TO SUPPORT THEM ON ONE TEENY TINY, I THINK IT WAS $4 AN HOUR AT THAT TIME WHEN I HAD TWO KIDS.

THE MINIMUM WAGE, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT.

SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN I CONCUR.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SUPER BENEFICIAL.

BENEFICIAL TO HAVE.

OKAY. TRUSTEE.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

THANK YOU TO OUR TWO TRUSTEES AND CLERK FOR BRINGING THIS AS A CURRENT STATE EMPLOYEE.

I ALSO HAD CHILDREN BEFORE THIS WENT IN, BUT I NOW HAVE MULTIPLE STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.

AND IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW FOLKS TO SPEND TIME TO ESTABLISH THEIR FAMILIES SO THEY CAN COME BACK TO WORK AND BE MOST PRODUCTIVE AND NOT HAVE TO BANK SICK LEAVE FOR TWO YEARS TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER HAVING, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEXT YOUR NEXT CHILD.

I DO WANT JUST A CLARIFICATION.

SO IT REFERS HERE TO ALLOWING NEW PARENTS.

SO AT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, IT'S EACH CHILD.

SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN, NOT JUST.

FOR EACH CHILD BORN, BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

OKAY? IT'S A NEW EXPERIENCE WITH EVERY CHILD IS WHAT I FOUND.

IT IS SO TRUE.

CERTAINLY IS. AND WE COULD QUOTE UNQUOTE NEW.

RIGHT. BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND THANK YOU.

SO I'M NOT CLEAR AS TO WHAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES.

COULD WE ADD SHOULD WE ASK WE SHOULD ASK THAT MANAGER WALSH.

WELL, THAT'S A QUICK ANSWER.

NOT MUCH.

WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY IF YOU TAKE LEAVE FOR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD OR AS AN ADOPTED CHILD AND AS AN ADOPTED CHILD MYSELF, I APPRECIATE WHAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW.

THE ANSWER IS TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YOU HAVE TO USE ALL YOUR OWN TIME.

AND SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE 12 WEEKS OF TIME OR 14 WEEKS OF TIME, WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'RE YOU GO ON UNPAID.

SO YEAH, SO YOU'RE TOTALLY ON YOUR OWN FOR YOUR BANK TIME IF YOU WANT TO.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE LEAVE.

OKAY. MR. DESCHAINE.

COMMENT FIRST, A QUESTION TO THE MANAGER.

IS IT FEASIBLE TO GET BACK TO THE BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR A POSSIBLE JANUARY 1ST IMPLEMENTATION FOR THIS POLICY? ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED.

I WOULD WANT TO PREFACE THAT THOUGH, THAT I'D WANT TO.

OBVIOUSLY DIRECTOR TEHOV ISN'T HERE THIS EVENING, WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER, BUT ALSO WITH COUNCIL, BECAUSE I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE EVER DONE ACTUALLY TO SUPPORT THE TEAM.

BUT I'D WANT TO TALK WITH OUR COUNCIL ABOUT THIS AND HELP ASK HER TO HELP US THROUGH THIS.

[01:25:04]

AND AS A COMMENT, I SUPPORT IT AS WELL VERY MUCH.

I'VE GOT FOR MY FOUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE ALL OF CHILDBEARING AGE AND I WOULD HATE TO LOSE ANY OF THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD TO LEAVE THEIR POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY NEEDED EXTENDED TIME FOR CHILD LEAVE AND TO LEAVE WITHOUT PAY IS NOT AN OPTION FOR MOST FAMILIES.

IT'S A REAL IMPEDIMENT TO FAMILIES GROWING AS LARGE AS THEY MIGHT, AND THIS WILL HELP THAT SITUATION.

MY ONLY ISSUE WITH THE MEMO FROM IS THE COMPARISON OF US TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN OR THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, THERE ARE REALLY THREE LEVELS OF REVENUE THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL AND THE LOCAL LEVEL.

FEDERAL LEVEL IS UNLIMITED BECAUSE THEY CAN PRINT MONEY AND THEY DO PRINT MONEY AND THEY CAN RUN HUGE DEFICITS.

THERE'S REALLY NO LIMIT TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN SPEND.

SECONDLY, YOU'VE GOT THE STATES AND THROUGH FEDERALISM, THE STATES GET THAT REVENUE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE VERY, VERY LARGE POTS OF MONEY.

THEY CAN AFFORD THINGS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE LOCAL LEVEL, WE DON'T HAVE EITHER OPTION.

WE DON'T HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FEEDING US BILLIONS AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRINT OUR OWN MONEY.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE WE REALLY DO HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR LIMITS.

WE ARE THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT PEOPLE COUNT ON AND NEED, AND WE ARE APPRECIATED BY OUR RESIDENTS.

BUT WE DO HAVE REALLY CONFINED REVENUE SOURCES IN A WAY THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS DO NOT.

SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT ABOUT THE MEMO IS JUST WE ARE A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF REVENUE.

THANK YOU. MAY I COMMENT ON THAT? YES, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THERE ARE GOING TO BE I WILL NOT MISLEAD.

I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU. THAT AND I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON REACHING OUT TO ME FIRST AND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE CRITICAL ISSUES.

BUT I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DEPARTMENTS WHERE THIS OCCURS, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE TO BACKFILL.

THERE WILL BE A COST TO THIS.

WE CAN AFFORD IT.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THERE'S IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S NO COST TO THIS NOW.

THERE'S SOME DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE WOULDN'T NEED TO DO THIS, BUT THERE ARE SOME WE WERE DEFINITELY THAT ARE SMALLER STAFF THAT WE'D WANT TO BACKFILL WITH SOMEBODY AND HIRE SOMEBODY ON A SHORT TERM BASIS.

AND WE GLADLY CAN DO THAT.

CAN I ASK MR. WALSH OR MR. HENDRICKSON EXPLAIN TO ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARENTAL LEAVE AND FAMILY LEAVE.

SO YOU MIGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD ME TALKING PREVIOUSLY ABOUT PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

THAT'S A BIT OF AN EXPANDED DEFINITION THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT.

OKAY. PAID FAMILY LEAVE MIGHT ALSO INCLUDE MEDICAL LEAVE FOR A PARENT OR A SPOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WE'RE FOCUSING ON A RELATIVELY NARROW WINDOW FOR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE, FOR NEW PARENTS, OF NEW PARENTS OF NEW CHILDREN.

LET'S SAY THAT INSTEAD, AND ADOPTED CHILDREN.

OKAY. I THINK THE AGE LIMIT FOR THE CHILD AS WELL FOR FIVE YEARS OR YOUNGER..

FOR ADOPTED CHILDREN, YES.

AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THIS PART OF THE STATE PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT APPLICANTS OR EMPLOYEES HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR PROBATIONARY PERIOD. AND ALSO ARE EITHER NAMED ON THE ADOPTION PAPERS OR THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

AND THAT'S A CHECK AND BALANCE TO PREVENT AGAINST POSSIBLE FRAUD.

YOU. AND SO AND ONE MORE QUESTION.

I THINK IN SOME PROGRAMS, MAYBE NEW YORK IS THE 15 WEEK LIMIT AS OPPOSED TO A 12 WEEK.

IT MAY BE. THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, MIRRORS THE FMLA STANDARD OF 12 WEEKS FMLA FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT, OKAY, WHICH IS THE FEDERALLY GUARANTEED 12 WEEKS OF UNPAID LEAVE.

BUT THE 12 WEEKS USED UNDER THE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE COULD BE USED IN TANDEM WITH THAT, OVERLAPPING THAT TO HAVE THOSE WEEKS BE PAID.

OKAY, SO, SO THOSE ARE THE SPECIFIC PARAMETERS YOU WANT TO INCLUDE.

LIKE FOR THAT WOULD BE TO INCLUDE IN THE PROGRAM THAT WOULD MIRROR WHAT THE STATE PROGRAM OFFERS.

OKAY. MR. WALSH THANK YOU.

SO JUST TO KIND OF LAY OUT FOR THE BOARD KIND OF A SCHEDULE THAT I'M THINKING OF, IF THIS RECEIVES APPROVAL IN THE FIRST PART OF OCTOBER FROM THE BOARD, THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE'D GET TOGETHER WITH COUNCIL AND IT WOULD TAKE US ABOUT, I WOULD THINK, THREE WEEKS IN OCTOBER SITTING DOWN AND FIGURING OUT BECAUSE I'M SURE OUR COUNCIL HAS PROBABLY DONE THIS BEFORE, SO WE WON'T TRY TO REINVENT ANYTHING.

AND THEN FROM THERE WE BRING SOMETHING TO YOU IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER FOR CONSIDERATION.

THERE'S NO ISSUES IN MY MIND.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING APPROVED BY THE END OF DECEMBER.

OKAY? CLERK GUTHRIE THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

JUST ONE FURTHER COMMENT THAT THIS PROGRAM WOULD ALLOW FOR PEOPLE WHO APPLY AND WHO ARE APPROVED

[01:30:05]

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME OTHER STATES HAVE A REDUCED WAGE, SOME ONLY HAVE ONLY RECEIVED 60% OF THEIR WAGE AND THIS IS FOR 100%. OKAY.

THAT WAS MY INTENTION.

OKAY. THAT'S FANTASTIC.

WE WILL WE WILL FOLLOW WHATEVER THE BOARD DIRECTION IS AND WE'LL KNOW THAT AND THEN WE'LL HELP CREATE THE POLICY.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP TO CLARIFY? I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING.

I JUST HAVE NOT RESEARCHED IT.

BUT AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN THE MEMO.

SO YOU'RE PROBABLY CLARIFY THAT.

YEAH, I CAN CLARIFY IT VERY EASILY FOR YOU.

IF ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS EXPECTING AND GIVES BIRTH, WANTS TO TAKE OFF TIME, THAT EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THEIR BILLED TIME THAT THEY HAVE AND BURN UP THEIR OWN PERSONAL SICK VACATION TIME.

HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO STAY COMPENSATED FOR 12 WEEKS AND THEN IF THERE'S COMPLICATIONS THAT OCCUR, THEY NEED TO HAVE MORE TIME THAN THAT.

SO TRUSTEE SUNDLAND, WE HAVE NOTHING, NOTHING THAT WE NO BENEFIT THAT WE GIVE RIGHT NOW FOR PARENTAL PARENTAL LEAVE OTHER THAN USING THEIR BANKED TIME AND USING IT ALL UP.

AND WE HAVE HAD OCCURRENCES.

I WON'T GET INTO SPECIFICS, BUT WE'VE HAD OCCURRENCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE USED THEIR ENTIRE TIME UP AND THEY COME BACK NOW AND HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T GET ILL BECAUSE THEY'VE JUST EXPIRED ALL OF THEIR TIME.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE OFFER NOTHING FOR ADOPTEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE DO RIGHT NOW OTHER THAN USE YOUR BANK TIME AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE ENOUGH.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR.

I WAS JUST IT JUST PROVOKED THIS CONVERSATION.

SO IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, MANAGER WALSH, THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT DOES PROTECT THE EMPLOYEE.

SO IF THE EMPLOYEE TAKES OFF UP TO.

I THINK IT'S. SIX MONTHS. THAT FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT PROTECTS THAT EMPLOYEES POSITION.

SO IF THEY WERE TO TAKE OFF, WE PAY THEM FULL.

THEY THOSE HAVE TO BE IN TANDEM.

AND ANY TIME YOU HAVE MORE THAN THREE DAYS OFF, YOU HAVE TO TAKE FMLA TOO.

SO. SO THAT IS A SECURITY THAT I KNOW MERIDIAN OFFERS AS WELL.

YEAH. AND NOW WE'RE GETTING AN AREA THAT I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN.

AND SO I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS HR AND COUNSEL ON THAT.

I'M NOT GOING TO YEAH, I'M NOT SURE.

I'M NOT AN EXPERT AT ALL ON FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT.

YEAH. OKAY. SO WE ARE SATISFIED THAT STAFF WILL PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL FOR US.

I THINK IF THE SUPERVISOR WILL INDULGE, I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO BRING THIS BACK FOR ACTION AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO OFFICIALLY REQUEST THAT OF THE MANAGER.

THAT WAS THE INTENT OF BRINGING THIS AS A RESOLUTION FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.

WE CAN DO THAT.

MR. WALSH? YES. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, FINE.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AT OUR OCTOBER 5TH MEETING, I BELIEVE.

THIRD. OKAY.

AND IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM, WE MOVE TO ITEM 14 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE STILL WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE PANEL.

SEEING NONE OTHER MATTERS OF ITEM 15 OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

NONE. ITEM 16, WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA A CLOSED SESSION.

[16. CLOSED SESSION]

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.

I MOVE TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO MCL 15.26 81H TO DISCUSS CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION FROM THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING TOWNSHIP EMPLOYMENT POLICIES, THE BOARD MANUAL AND POTENTIAL HUMAN RESOURCE MATTERS SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE. ALL WE NEED A VOTE.

RIGHT. A ROLL CALL.

VOTE YES. A ROLL CALL VOTE.

MISS GORDON TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WILSON.

YES. TRUSTEE. WACZYNSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. CLERK GUTHRIE.

YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON.

YES. THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE, RIGHT?

[01:35:03]