Nov 14, 2023 Park Commission Meeting

YOU. I'LL CALL THE MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARK COMMISSION TO ORDER ON NOVEMBER 14TH AT 4:30.

[00:00:09]

I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF TO.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNWANTED INTERRUPTIONS.

OKAY. ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER STEPHENS.

I'M HERE. COMMISSIONER MCDONALD.

I'M HERE. VICE CHAIR VAN ANTWERP.

HERE. CHAIR FARRIS IS HERE.

DIRECTOR MAISNER.

I AM HERE. AND ASSISTANT BRIDGET CANNON.

YEAH, HERE.

THANK YOU. AS EVERYONE LOOKED OVER THE AGENDA.

[3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY YES.

YES, YES. OPPOSED? NO. UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE ANY HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I THINK THEY WERE TAKEN EXCELLENTLY BY THE PERSON THAT TOOK THEM.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT AS WELL.

SECOND. SECONDED THAT.

WONDER IF THEY'RE ON THE JOB MARKET.

ALL THOSE APPROVED? [LAUGHTER] ALL THOSE APPROVED SAY YES PLEASE.

YES. YES.

OPPOSE NO.

UNANIMOUSLY PASSED.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN COMMUNICATIONS OVER TO LUANN.

[6. COMMUNICATIONS]

ONE IS THE STEWARDSHIP CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.

EMMA CAMPBELL IS HERE AS STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR.

AND WHEN SHE MAKES HER REPORT, I'M SURE SHE'LL COVER A FEW OF THESE THINGS.

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS THE ACTIVITY CALENDAR AT SNELL TOWER RECREATION CENTER.

AND WE JUST STARTED OPERATING PROGRAMS THERE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

NICK WING WILL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN HE GETS UP TO MAKE HIS REPORT AS WELL.

AND THOSE ARE THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMUNICATIONS.

I'D ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT A PLACE ON FILE.

OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

YES I'LL SECOND.

SECOND. OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES.

YES. YES. OPPOSED? NO. HEARING NO NO'S THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

OKAY. WE ARE ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS.

[7.A. Snell-Towar Recreation Center Planning Session]

WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE IN 1999, IT WAS A PART TIME DIRECTOR THERE, GERALDINE SNELL.

AND THERE WERE PROGRAMS THERE FOR CHILDREN AND SENIORS.

AND IT WAS A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SHE RETIRED AND NOW WE'VE HAD STAFF THERE PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT.

AND THEN NOW WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE MUCH THERE IN PROBABLY ALMOST A DECADE.

AND SO NICK AND OUR INTERN ALEX HAVE STARTED RUNNING PROGRAMS. THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S KIND OF REENGAGING, AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS MADE.

AND I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN A LITTLE BIT DURING OUR PLANNING FOR OUR FIVE YEAR PARKS RECREATION MASTER PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR CIP ABOUT WHAT TO DO AT SNELL.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS MAYBE WE JUST BECOMES A PAVILION FOR USE BY THE COMMUNITY.

BUT ANYWAY, THE TOWNSHIP HAS FOUND SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE TO USE FOR SOME RENOVATION PROJECTS, POSSIBLY THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD QUALIFY FOR.

AND THE PROBLEM IS, WE CAN'T REALLY APPLY FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

AND THERE'S BEEN THOUGHTS OF LIKE, WELL, MY THOUGHT OF [LAUGHTER] MAYBE PUTTING A BIG GARAGE DOOR IN THE BACK AND YOU OPEN IT UP AND THERE'S A PATIO.

AND SO YOU STILL USE THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE.

SO I HATE TO JUST TAKE A BUILDING DOWN RIGHT WHEN THERE'S.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING HERE IS THAT IN A FUTURE MEETING OF THE PARK COMMISSION DURING A WORK SESSION THAT YOU TAKE THIS PLANNING ON WITH, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY MEETING, HAVING A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, MAYBE ROAST HOTDOGS, INVITE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN TO GET THEIR OPINIONS ON THINGS, TALK TO STAFF AND KIND OF THINK OF WHAT WE WOULD WANT THAT TO BE AND AND THEN GET SOME COST ESTIMATES.

AND THEN WE HAVE STAFF HERE THAT CAN APPLY FOR GRANTS.

AND MAYBE THERE'S FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING THERE AND MAKE IT EVEN A GREATER RESOURCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

DEADLINE ON THE FUNDING?

[00:05:02]

WELL, WE'VE MISSED IT FOR THIS YEAR.

SO IT'S FOR THIS YEAR.

AND IT COMES PROBABLY LATER IN THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD THE DEADLINE.

IT'S A POSSIBILITY THERE'S A FUNDING SOURCE OUT THERE WE COULD USE FOR THAT.

RIGHT. AND I'M SURE THERE'S MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES.

BUT WE JUST NEED TO HAVE A PLAN OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN DOING THERE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY IT.

THERE'S NO MOTION TO MAKE OR ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION TO PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

DID YOU WANT NICK TO SAY ANYTHING? HE'S GOING TO SAY SOMETHING DURING HIS REPORT.

OKAY, THEN I'VE GOT A QUESTION OR A COMMENT, MARY.

GO AHEAD. I'VE OWNED A RESIDENCE HERE SINCE 78, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THE BUILDING.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE LAST TIME I DROVE BY IT UNTIL THEY HAD THAT, YOU KNOW, EPIC DEAL AT THE CORNER OF LAKE LANSING, WHERE THEY REDID THE WHOLE CORNER.

AND WE DRIVERS GOT SHUTTLED THROUGH A PRIVATE PARKING LOT.

AND THEN YOU JUST WENT NORTH.

SO YOU WENT BY THE REC CENTER AND IT COULD USE SOME HELP.

I WONDER IF NICK OR ANYONE COULD BE AVAILABLE.

NOT THAT THE WEATHER'S GOING TO TURN AWFUL, BUT BETWEEN NOW AND OUR DECEMBER MEETING, IT'S CERTAINLY PROBABLY GOING TO GET WINDY AND COLD.

I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF SOMEONE SOMETIME COULD EVEN INDIVIDUALLY JUST MEET, US THERE AND LOOK INSIDE THE PLACE. OH YEAH.

I'M SURE DURING THAT WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS, MIKE WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE IN THE BUILDING.

YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF IT HAD CURRENTLY HAD HEAT AND LIGHTS.

YEAH, I GUESS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW ANYWAY.

BUT I WENT LAST YEAR AND KIND OF TOURED THE PROPERTY AND NOT INSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE TO SEE THE PROGRAMING THAT'S GOING ON THERE.

AND I THINK WHAT TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS MAY BE.

SO THAT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PEEK INSIDE THE BUILDING.

THAT'S AWESOME. BUT I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE RESIDENTS THINK.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY HAPPY IT'S BEING USED, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I WENT WITH MY HUSBAND LAST YEAR JUST TO KIND OF CHECK OUT THE STRUCTURE FROM THE OUTSIDE, THAT'S KIND OF HIS THING.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SOMEHOW USE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

YEAH, IT WAS A NICE WALK.

IT'S A NICE AREA. SO YEAH, COMMISSIONER VAN ANTWERP.

YEAH. SO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE LIVES 2 OR 3 DOORS DOWN, SO WE END MOST OF OUR RUNS IN THE PARK.

WE WALK THE LITTLE SIDEWALK FROM ONE STREET TO THE OTHER, AND IT'S JUST ALWAYS KEPT NICE AND TIDY.

SO YEAH, AND IT DEFINITELY HAS LIGHTS.

[LAUGHTER] BUT NO, IT'S A GREAT LITTLE PARK.

KIDS ARE ALWAYS THERE, ADULTS.

I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS KIND OF A WEIRD SPOT FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY MAIN STREETS BEHIND IT.

YOU KIND OF HAVE TO BE GOING THERE TO GET THERE.

SO YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

YOU KNOW, AN THE INTERESTING THING, SORRY.

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT SNELL TOWER RECREATION CENTER IS THAT IT'S IN AN EAST LANSING MAILING ADDRESS.

IT'S THE EAST LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IT'S MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS A GOVERNMENTAL UNIT.

SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS HERE.

SO WHERE'S THEIR IDENTITY? YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE GETTING A NEW PARK SIGN.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR HERE SOON.

YOU HAVE TO WANT TO GET THERE.

YEAH YEAH. IT'S NOT ON A BEATEN PATH.

COMMISSIONER MCDONALD.

SO GOOD SEGUE.

YOU HAVE TO WANT TO GET THERE.

I DON'T THINK THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE I WAS WITH THE DEPARTMENT, OR EVEN WITH THE COUNTY THAT THE BROWN SIGNS IS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS REFERRED TO THEM AS, ARE CONTROLLED BY THE COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION.

AND I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE THE CADILLAC DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS DIDN'T HAVE ONE WHEN I WAS SENT UP THERE.

AND YOU JUST GOT A HOLD OF THEM, THAT'S ALL.

AND THEY WENT, YOU WANT A BROWN SIGN THAT SAYS DNR DISTRICT? SURE, WE'LL DO IT.

AND AT SOME TIME.

AT SOME POINT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ONE OF THE BROWN SIGNS PUT UP SOMEWHERE TO POINT FOLKS TO IT. THEN YOU MIGHT GET A FEW DRIVE BY'S, OR VISITORS, OR FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW SOMEONE LIKE AMI DOES, AND I SWITCH SUBJECTS A LITTLE BIT.

DID A FAMILY NEEDS DELIVERY IN ONE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT'S IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S IN MERIDIAN, AND THAT PARTICULAR APARTMENT COMPLEX I DON'T THINK HAS FIVE SQUARE FEET OF RECREATION SPACE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOWER INCOME APARTMENT COMPLEX, AND THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I

[00:10:05]

YEAH. YOU KNOW, THE SIGNS THAT COMMISSIONER MCDONALD ARE SPEAKING OF, WE HAVE THOSE FOR HARRIS NATURE CENTER AND BOTH JOLLY AND GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME SIGNS NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO NORTH MERIDIAN ROAD PARK, SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND IF IT'S NOT, I WOULDN'T THINK AT THE MOMENT IT'S REALLY SOMETHING YOU WOULD ASK ABOUT.

BUT I THINK SOMEWHERE IT COULD BE A FREE ADVERTISEMENT.

YEAH. GOOD THOUGHTS.

THANKS, MIKE. COMMISSIONER STEPHENS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR.

NO. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE PLACE, AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

I MEAN, WHEN I FIRST STARTED WITH THIS, GREG GROTHOUS WAS OUT THERE.

IT WAS WHERE HIS OFFICE WAS, AND HE DID PROGRAMING ALL THE TIME WITH IT.

IT WAS GREAT. WOW.

SO AND, YOU KNOW, I SEE WHAT NICK HAS BEEN DOING AND I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A PRESENCE THERE AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD DEFINITELY NEEDS.

AND WE HAD SOME STAFFING SHORTAGES AND THAT KIND OF PROHIBITED TO CONTINUE PROGRAMING THERE.

SO BUT WE DON'T NOW EVERYTHING'S GOOD.

SO FAR SO GOOD.

ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR.

OKAY, ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS FOR MARSHALL PARK.

[8.A. Marshall Park Playground Replacement Proposal]

THERE IS A PARKING LOT AND THERE'S A BASKETBALL COURT, AND THERE IS A PLAY STRUCTURE THAT'S 27 YEARS OLD, PREDATES ME. AND WE ARE IN GOING TO BE PUTTING A NEW PARK SIGN THERE THAT IS GOING TO REALLY DRAW ATTENTION, EVEN MORE SO TO THAT PARK.

MOST OF THE PARK IS WET, AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ITEMS THERE.

BUT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD RECENTLY HAD A LISTENING SESSION.

THEY'VE BEEN GOING AROUND THE COMMUNITY FOR DIFFERENT LISTENING SESSIONS JUST TO SEE WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY.

AND I THINK SOME COMMENTS CAME UP ABOUT THAT PLAYGROUND.

AND SO AT THE THE LAST TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD DISCUSSED IN A PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WORKING WITH THE PARK COMMISSION TO FUND A NEW PLAYGROUND AT MARSHALL PARK.

AND WITH THE PARK MILLAGE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 1000 ACRES OF PARKS AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS AND THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.

AND THE NEW PLAYGROUND IS ON THE CIP, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL, IS IT 2026? AND SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS INTERESTED IN, I WILL GO BACK AND ASK THEM IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING UP TO $150,000 OF GENERAL FUND MONEY TO HELP US REPLACE THE PLAYGROUND AT AT MARSHALL PARK, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY HAVE AN INTEREST, BUT EVERYONE HAS THEIR LANE, SO TO SPEAK.

AND THAT'S THE PARK COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARKS.

AND YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY OVER PARKS.

SO REALLY, THEIRS WAS A FRIENDLY ASK IF THERE'S AN INTEREST THEY ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.

SO THAT IS THE MOTION HERE IS TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO REPLACE THE PLAY STRUCTURE IN MARSHALL PARK, UTILIZING GENERAL FUND SUPPORT IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 FOR INSTALLATION IN SPRING OF 2024.

NOW, SOME PEOPLE LISTENING MIGHT THINK $150,000 FOR A PLAY STRUCTURE IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S JUST NOT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE IT A VERY NICE PLAY STRUCTURE, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WOW, PLAY STRUCTURE.

BUT THEY DO LAST A LONG TIME.

YOU KNOW THIS ONE IS IN FOR 27 YEARS.

IT'S NOT DANGEROUS BY ANY MEANS.

BUT BOY IS IT REALLY OUTLIVED ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY AND IF ANYBODY'S BEEN OVER THERE THE FUN FACTOR IS NOT THAT HIGH.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT IT SHOULD.

I KNOW KATI AND OUR AND OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF HAVE DONE SOME THINGS TO REPLACE CERTAIN PARTS OF IT IN THE PAST, BUT IT IS TIME FOR THAT TO COME DOWN AND FOR A NEW STRUCTURE TO GO IN. AND IF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING WITH US, I THINK THAT'S A BONUS.

MY OPINION.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER MCDONALD.

ONCE AGAIN, A PERFECT LEAD IN.

AND IT'S JUST THE SAME THING.

I WAS THINKING IF THERE NEEDED TO BE ANY OH, THE RIGHT WORD IS AN EDUCATION.

WE'LL GO WITH THAT, EDUCATION ON WHAT IT COSTS TO HAVE A DECENT PLAYGROUND.

YOU ARE CORRECT.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S A PART OF WHAT'S BEEN SUCH A THRILL OF HAVING YOU, A PARKS AND REC PROFESSIONAL, BE AROUND US FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, THAT YOU JUST GO TO STEP 2 OR 3.

WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO START WAY BACK OF, WELL, IT USED TO BE ABLE TO GET ONE FOR TEN GRAND AND THEN IT.

[00:15:07]

DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY NEED? WOULD THERE BE ANY BENEFIT IN THE RESOLUTION TO MAKE SOME REFERENCE TO WHAT IT COSTS TO GET A DECENT PLAYGROUND OR THE COMPONENTS OF ONE, BECAUSE I'M GUESSING THE 150 DOES NOT INCLUDE [INAUDIBLE] PLACE, WHICH ISN'T MANDATED. AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT IF IT DOES PROVE TO BE A BIG FUN FACTOR DOWN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, YEARS FROM NOW YOU COULD STILL PUT [INAUDIBLE] PLACE, SURFACE UNDER IT.

AND THEN THE OTHER THE OTHER THING IS LATE THIS SUMMER, WHEN I COULDN'T DO MUCH OF ANYTHING ELSE, I WENT TO ONE OF THE CONCERTS.

AND I'VE KNOWN COE EMENS FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOW HE'S THE MANAGER AT LAKE LANSING AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HE WAS SITTING IN HE WAS SITTING ALSO NEAR WHERE I WAS ON ONE OF THE RAILROAD TIES, JUST HANGING OUT FOR THE CONCERT, AND HE HAD HIS UNIFORM ON.

MAYBE AS A COURTESY, YOU COULD JUST LET COE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF DOING AND JUST DOES THE LAKE LANSING PARK MANAGER HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT I IMAGINE HE'S GOING TO SAY IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT LET'S MAYBE ASK HIM.

OKAY MIGHT BE A PARTNERSHIP THERE TOO AS WELL.

WE TALKED AT ONE TIME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A SKATE PARK THERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAKE LANSING AT ONE TIME.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN IN THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? BACK THEN THEY WERE THEY WERE NOT IN SUPPORT OF THAT.

BUT THERE'S NEW PEOPLE AND IT'S A NEW DAY.

SO IT MAY BE WORTH A NEW ASK.

YEAH. AND WHETHER IT WAS UNDER THE LAST MANAGER, PAT OR COE, THAT I'VE JUST BEEN, IT'S HEARTWARMING TO SEE THAT THE COUNTY PUT IN A HARD SURFACE PATH FROM GRANGE ACRES OVER TO GET FOLKS TO GO TO THE CONCERT, AND I DON'T LOOK AT IT EVERY TIME I DRIVE BY IT, BUT IT WAS JUST AN AWFUL NICE THING TO DO, BECAUSE WHEN THE CONCERTS STARTED, AND PROBABLY STILL TODAY, THE FOLKS AT GRANGE ACRES MAKE UP A PRETTY GOOD AMOUNT OF THE CROWD.

AND AS MARK SAID, THERE IS A NEW, YOU KNOW, A NEW REGIME THERE, AND HE CERTAINLY MIGHT HAVE SOME GOOD INPUT.

GOOD SUGGESTION. I DON'T THINK GRANGE ACRES ALLOWS CHILDREN, DOES IT? IT'S KIND OF IS IT A SENIOR COMMUNITY? I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW, BUT A FAIR NUMBER OF FOLKS ARE IN IN CHAIRS AT GRANGE ACRES.

OKAY. I HAD A QUESTION.

EITHER I READ OR YOU SAID ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.

CORRECT? YES. AND SO THAT DOES TYPICALLY INCLUDE [INAUDIBLE] IN PLACE.

NOT NECESSARILY. NOT NECESSARILY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF THOSE WERE ONE AND THE SAME.

YEAH I WASN'T EITHER.

IS THAT DOES THAT MAKE THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY IS THE PARKING ARRANGEMENT, THE PARKING AREA, ACCESS TO THE PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING.

IT'S ACCESS TO THE PLAY STRUCTURE ITSELF? THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES HIGH AND LOW FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESS.

OKAY. OKAY.

TRANSFER PLATFORM.

RIGHT. A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN BUILD IN.

DEFINITELY A GOOD DIRECTION TO MOVE IN.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT ASKING THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IF THEY'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN FUNDING.

I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.

OKAY. I MOVE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO REPLACE THE PLAY STRUCTURE IN MARSHALL PARK, UTILIZING GENERAL FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF THE $150,000 FOR INSTALLATION IN THE SPRING OF 24. THAT'S PRETTY QUICK.

24. VERY QUICK.

WELL, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO GET ROLLING AND GET THIS ORDERED RIGHT AWAY SO WE CAN GET IN.

IS THERE A SECOND.

SEE SOME ACTION. SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY YES.

YES. ALL OPPOSED? NO. WITH THAT, IT PASSES.

I KNOW BEING OVER THERE WITH MY GRANDSON, THERE'S SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT HAS A HIGHER PLAY VALUE.

SO. AND IT IS OUR FRONT DOOR.

SO WE HAVE SO MANY NEEDS.

BUT IF SOMEONE IS WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US FOR FUNDING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK TO LEVERAGE.

ALWAYS.

ALWAYS ALWAYS.

OKAY, WE'RE ON DIRECTOR'S REPORT DIRECTOR MAISNER I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

[9. DIRECTOR’S REPORT]

NORMALLY, I'M THE ONE WHO DOES ALL THE SPEAKING AND TELLS YOU ABOUT ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS GOING ON IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE, I AM RETIRING ON DECEMBER 21ST AND THIS IS MY LAST PARK COMMISSION MEETING.

AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PERFECT TIME TO INVITE MY STAFF TO COME HERE.

AND I'M GOING TO LET THEM TELL YOU ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT THEY'VE GOT GOING ON.

[00:20:06]

BUT IT IS BITTERSWEET FOR ME TO BE LEAVING.

BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I CELEBRATE DAILY IS THE REMARKABLE STAFF THAT I HAVE.

LET THEM GO LU, YOU'RE GOING TO CHOKE UP.

WHO'S FIRST? NO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE A COMBINATION OF A DIVERSE TALENT, AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN SEGMENTS, BUT THEY'RE FABULOUS ON THEIR OWN.

THEY ARE ROCK STARS ON THEIR OWN.

BUT TOGETHER WE KNOCK IT OUT OF THE BALLPARK.

AND I'M VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID I THINK I'VE SAID THIS RECENTLY, THAT IF I WAS A FOOTBALL COACH, WHEN THEY LEAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER TEAM, THEY TAKE ALL THEIR POSITION COACHES WITH THEM.

WELL, EVERYBODY HERE IS COMING WITH ME.

I'M NOT PLANNING ON GOING ANYWHERE ELSE.

I AM TAKING A BREATH HERE.

BUT THAT'S HOW GREAT THEY ARE.

I WOULD TAKE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WITH ME.

THEY'RE REALLY FABULOUS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH JUST INTRODUCING EVERYONE REAL QUICK.

EVEN THOUGH MY MAINTENANCE TEAM IS NOT HERE, I REALLY WANTED TO START WITH THEM.

AND KATI ADAMS IS OUR LEADER.

SHE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS LAND PRESERVATION AND PATHWAY MAINTENANCE, AND SHE MANAGES A TEAM OF FIVE MEN.

LARRY BOB IS OUR LEAD WORKER.

JOSH CANNON, TOM BAKER, TREVOR FULLER, AND TROY GOODMAN.

AND I BELIEVE THAT PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING.

AND THIS GROUP OF GENTLEMEN AND ONE LADY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THE PUBLIC SEES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IS THE GRASS MOWED? ARE THE EDGES TRIMMED? ARE THE BATHROOMS CLEANED? ARE THE TRASH CANS EMPTIED? ARE THE FIELDS PREPARED FOR GAMES? ARE THE LINES STRAIGHT? ARE THE PATHWAYS PLOWED? ARE THE BRANCHES TRIMMED? I MEAN, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, AND WE ARE JUDGED BY THE PUBLIC ON ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MORE.

AND THEY CARRY A HEAVY LOAD FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, FOR SURE.

AND BECAUSE OF THEIR DEDICATED EFFORTS, I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS PROUD AND APPRECIATIVE OF OUR PARK SYSTEM AND OPEN SPACES, AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM TO SHOW MY DEEP APPRECIATION.

AND I WILL BE SEEING THEM AT A LUNCHEON NEXT FRIDAY.

BUT THEY ARE NOT THEY COULD NOT COME HERE THIS EVENING.

NOT SURE, IF THAT WAS A THREAT OR A PROMISE.

[LAUGHTER] I DON'T KNOW. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS, BUT THE MAINTENANCE TEAM IS JUST LIKE PRIMARY TO EVERYTHING WE DO.

WE SCHEDULE ALL THE SPORTS GAMES AND THE SOFTBALL GAMES AND THE SOCCER FIELDS.

THEY'RE THE ONES PREPARING EVERYTHING SO THAT WE'RE READY TO GO EVERY SPECIAL EVENT.

WHEN YOU GO TO CELEBRATE MERIDIAN OR ANY EVENT THAT WE HAVE, IT IS SO PROFESSIONALLY SET UP, READY TO GO.

THEY JUST EXCEED EXPECTATIONS EVERY SINGLE TIME.

AND NOT NECESSARILY KNOWN BY EVERYBODY IN THE TOWNSHIP.

EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

SO KATI, I'M GOING TO START WITH KATI HERE.

SHE STARTED WITH US AS A PART TIME NATURALIST AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.

SHE LEFT FOR A BIT AND THEN RETURNED AS A FULL TIME PARK NATURALIST.

SHE WAS THEN PROMOTED TO SENIOR PARK NATURALIST AND IN CHARGE OF THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, AND NOW IS THE PARKS LAND PRESERVATION PATHWAY MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT, AS WELL AS AS SENIOR PARK NATURALIST.

AND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST INTERVIEWED HER AT HARRIS NATURE CENTER WITH KIT RICH, WHO WAS OUR FIRST PARK NATURALIST, AND SHE WAS AN INTERPRETER FOR THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

AND SHE PLAYED THE GUITAR.

SHE PLAYED THE GUITAR. GOT A BIG HAPPY FACE ON THAT APPLICATION BECAUSE I COULD JUST SEE ALL THE GREAT PROGRAMING MOVING FORWARD WITH KATI, AND SHE HAS BEEN A SUPERSTAR WITH US LIKE EVER SINCE.

AND SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HARRIS NATURE CENTER, ALLISON GOODMAN, ALLISON TOO STARTED WITH US, I BELIEVE, AS A SEASONAL, BUT THEN CONTINUED WITH US PART TIME FOR YEARS, YEARS, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A FULL TIME POSITION AVAILABLE.

SO SHE LEFT US FOR A WHILE, WENT TO EATON COUNTY, AND THEN WE.

CORRECT? AND THEN WE HAD A FULL TIME POSITION.

SO BACK SHE CAME AND WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER RUNNING ALL THE PROGRAMS AND THE CAMPS AND TAKING CARE OF ALL THE ANIMALS AND CRITTERS AT THE NATURE CENTER, A TOTAL ANOTHER TOTAL SUPERSTAR.

EMMA CAMPBELL.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE COMING UP TO THE PODIUM, SO EVERYBODY AT HOME WILL BE SEEING THEM VERY SOON.

EMMA CAMPBELL IS OUR STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR, AND SHE'S OUR SECOND STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR, ACTUALLY BROUGHT ON FOR LAND PRESERVATION AND PARKS TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES AND PUT SOME AND REFOREST AND RECLAIM SOME OF THE AREAS IN OUR PARKS AND LAND PRESERVES.

BUT SHE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.

SHE IS NOT ONE TO SIT BEHIND A DESK.

SHE'S PUTTING THE BOOTS ON.

SHE'S GOT THE CHAINSAW GOING OUT.

PLUS, SHE ALSO INITIATED THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION COURSE.

SHE HAS 280 VOLUNTEERS, INDIVIDUALS PLUS GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ON BOARD.

SHE RUNS WORKDAYS TWICE A WEEK, WHERE SHE HAS PROBABLY AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE SHOW UP.

[00:25:03]

AND IT'S BECAUSE SHE MAKES IT FUN AND IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND THEY WANT TO KEEP COMING BACK.

AND EVERYBODY LOVES HER WARM PERSONALITY.

ANOTHER SUPERSTAR ON MY TEAM, BRIDGET CANNON.

BRIDGET CANNON IS OUR RIGHT HERE, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.

SHE'S BEEN WITH US A COUPLE OF YEARS.

TWO? TWO AND A HALF AND, YOU KNOW, SHE'S KIND OF LIKE MISSION CONTROL.

SHE'S LIKE, RIGHT THERE AT THE FRONT DESK, AND SHE MANAGES EVERYTHING FOR US AND EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE WE GET OUR PACKETS DONE AND OUR AGENDAS AND ANSWERING THE PHONE AND JUST TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING FOR US.

AND SHE HAS BEEN AN AMAZING ROCK STAR.

AND SHE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT HALLOWEEN BECAUSE [LAUGHTER] WON THE BEST HALLOWEEN EVENT EVER.

AND THEN TOM CARY, OUR FARMERS MARKET MANAGER.

SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE HAD FIVE MARKET MANAGERS.

THIS GUY HERE TOOK US FROM PRE COVID.

WE WERE IN THE MALL, COVID HITS.

WE HAVE TO TAKE A PAUSE.

THEN WE GET A CHANCE TO MAYBE WE MOVE IT ALL OUTDOORS.

WE HAVE PROBABLY 50 VENDORS WHO ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS.

WE GO OUT IN THE PARKING LOT, WE SEPARATE, WE MAKE OUR FARMERS MARKET.

HE MAKES OUR FARMERS MARKET SPECTACULAR.

PEOPLE ARE DYING TO GET OUT AND GET SOME FRESH AIR AND GET FRESH FOOD AND VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.

AND WE HAD MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN SITTING THERE READY TO BE USED.

BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO CRAM EVERYONE INTO ONE SPACE.

AND HE ACTUALLY HELPED US MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM THE SMALL PAVILION HERE AT CENTRAL PARK TO MARKET PLACE ON THE GREEN.

NO EASY FEAT, NO EASY FEAT.

AND HE AND I'VE HAD MARKET MANAGERS WHERE I'M GETTING CALLS FROM VENDORS OCCASIONALLY COMPLAINING.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER GOTTEN ONE CALL ON TOM CARY, ANOTHER SUPERSTAR ON MY TEAM, NICK WING.

NICK WING STARTED AS AN INTERN WITH US IN 2017 AND HE GOT DONE WITH HIS INTERNSHIP.

WE DID NOT HAVE A POSITION FOR HIM.

WE NEVER DO, BUT WE HOPEFULLY TRAIN THEM AND THEY COME BACK EVENTUALLY OR GET FULL TIME JOBS IN PARKS AND RECREATION.

HE WAS WORKING FOR DEWITT RECREATION AUTHORITY, WHICH IS AN AUTHORITY BETWEEN THE CITY OF DEWITT, DEWITT TOWNSHIP AND DEWITT SCHOOLS.

AND WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE A FULL TIME.

MIKE DEVLIN HAS BEEN OUR FULL TIME PARKS AND RECREATION COORDINATOR ON HIS OWN.

WITH ALL THIS, ALL THESE THINGS GOING ON AND WE NEEDED HELP.

SO WE HAD SOME STAFFING CHANGES.

WE WERE ABLE TO BRING NICK BACK WITH US, AND HE PLAYS IN A BAND.

HE ACTUALLY PLAYED AT TEEN NIGHT FOR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, SO HE BRINGS A LITTLE BIT EXTRA, BUT HE'S RUNNING ALL OF OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS NOW.

MUSIC THEME HERE.

YES, THERE'S A MUSIC THEME.

I DO LOVE MUSIC, BY THE WAY, BUT ANOTHER GREAT SUPERSTAR ON OUR TEAM AND THEN MIKE DEVLIN.

OKAY, SO I STARTED IN OCTOBER OF 1999.

MIKE STARTED IN APRIL OF 2000.

SO HE HAS BEEN WITH ME THE WHOLE WAY.

AND THE ONLY OTHER LONGER PERSON THAT'S BEEN WITH ME IS ROBIN FAUST, WHO WAS OUR DEPARTMENT SECRETARY FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.

AND SO WHEN MIKE STARTED AND I'M THE FIRST DIRECTOR HERE OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

SO WE WERE BUILDING A FOUNDATION AND HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES SUSTAINABLE? AND SO I REALLY WANTED A PERSON WHO COULD REALLY ENGAGE AND GET TO KNOW THE PUBLIC, DIDN'T SIT BEHIND A DESK AND HIRE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS.

YOU GO TEACH SOCCER AND YOU GO DO THIS.

HE'S OUT THERE. HE'S OUT THERE PUTTING THE TEAMS TOGETHER.

HE'S AT THE FIELDS. HE DEVELOPED THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAM WE'VE EVER HAD HERE, SPORTIES FOR SHORTIES, AND IT STILL CONTINUES TODAY.

HE KNOWS PROBABLY EVERY CHILD IN OUR WHOLE TOWNSHIP FROM THAT PROGRAM.

THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY I NEEDED.

AND HE, I GOT SO LUCKY TO GET HIM AND TALK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO IS JUST DEDICATED, LIKE I SAID, HE IS PROBABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN PERSON IN OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

COACH MIKE. SO THAT IS MY STAFFING, MY STAFF THAT'S HERE.

AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NOW LET THEM COME UP INDIVIDUALLY AND MAKE JUST A LITTLE BRIEF REPORT.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH KATI ADAMS. THANKS LUANN. APPRECIATE THAT, THAT HE CRYING STOPPED.

OKAY. I HAVE TO GO FIRST.

YOU GUYS CAN'T START THAT.

[LAUGHTER] WELL, I KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT AS LUANN SAID, I OVERSEE THE MAINTENANCE OF ALL THE PARKS AND SOME OF THE LAND PRESERVES AND 80 MILES OF PATHWAY, PLUS THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, SNELL TOWER, HARRIS NATURE CENTER, PAVILIONS AND ALL THAT.

SO. IT'S A LOT.

AS SHE MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE A CREW OF SIX GUYS AND THEY DID FEEL REALLY BAD THEY COULDN'T BE HERE.

SO THEY ARE TAKING HER TO LUNCH.

THAT WAS THEIR, I'M SO SORRY.

LET US TAKE YOU TO LUNCH KIND OF THING.

SO I LOVE THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT FOR YOU.

THEY DO A LOT OF ONGOING MAINTENANCE THAT IS THE VISUAL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S MOWING, THERE'S PLOWING, THERE'S TRAIL MAINTENANCE, THERE'S PATHWAY MAINTENANCE, TRIMMING, MOWING, SPORTS FIELD PREP, THE ICE RINK,

[00:30:10]

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHICH TO ME, THAT'S 40 HOURS PER EACH OF SIX GUYS A WEEK THEY HAVE TO SQUEEZE IN A LOT OF SPECIAL PROJECTS TOO.

AND SOME OF THOSE THIS YEAR INCLUDED BUILDING CORRALS AROUND THE DUMPSTERS SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT EYESORE.

SOME CORRALS AROUND PORTA JOHNS AS WELL, JUST TO KIND OF TUCK THAT STUFF AWAY TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE, I DON'T KNOW, TO ME, USER FRIENDLY, IT LOOKS BETTER.

THEY BUILT A GAME FOR MIKE AND NICK THIS YEAR.

THEY DID SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON THE HAWK CAGE OUT AT THE NATURE CENTER.

A LOT OF UPGRADES TO THE BACKSTOPS ON ALL THE BALL FIELDS.

TOWNER ROAD PARK, HARTRICK PARK UPGRADES TO SOME PLAYGROUNDS.

SO THEY HELPED WITH THE INSTALL THE NEW DRAGONFLY FEATURE AT THE NATURE CENTER.

THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS THE CLIMBING WALL STRUCTURE AT HARTRICK PARK, ALONG WITH SOME NEW STEPPING STONE POD THINGS, AND WE JUST ORDERED A WHOLE BUNCH OF REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR SEVEN MORE PLAYGROUNDS, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM THIS WINTER TOO.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING ALL THOSE UPGRADES.

THEY HELP THE KIWANIS WHEN THEY INSTALL THEIR BENCHES.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY COOL PARTNERSHIP THAT THEY GET TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE KIWANIS CLUB WHEN THEY GO OUT.

WE DID INSTALL A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW DOGS ON LEASH SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE PARKS AND ON ALL THE OUTFIELD FENCES IN THE PARKS THIS YEAR, TOO.

AND THEY HELPED IN TO BUILD AND INSTALL THE NEW SHADE STRUCTURE AT THE TOWNER ROAD PICKLEBALL COURTS THIS YEAR AS WELL.

SO THEY HAD AND THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

SO THOSE GUYS DO, I THINK SO MUCH MORE THAN IS SEEN.

THEY'RE QUITE INCREDIBLE.

SOME OF OUR BIG STUFF THIS YEAR CONTRACTUALLY THAT THEY DID HAVE TO HELP WITH.

ONE IS GOING TO BE THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE.

AND SOME OF IT'S NOT REALLY NOTICEABLE BECAUSE IT'S ROOFING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WE DID HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO THE FACILITIES IN THE VILLAGE THIS YEAR.

THERE'S A NEW ROOF ON THE BARNS HOUSE.

THERE'S A NEW ROOF ON THE FARM, ON THE GRETTENBERGER FARMHOUSE NEW ROOF ON THE BARN NOW, AS WELL AS SOME STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY.

ADDED TO THAT, WE'VE PAINTED THE SCHOOL HOUSE, PAINTED THE CHAPEL, SWITCHED ALL THE LIGHTING IN THE CHAPEL OVER TO LED, WHICH I THINK WAS NEEDED BECAUSE AS THOSE BULBS STARTED BURNING OUT, WE COULDN'T REPLACE THEM ANYMORE.

SO WE UPGRADED AND WENT GREEN ON THAT ONE.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE UPGRADING THE ELECTRICAL IN THE BARN YET THIS YEAR TOO.

SO A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE IN 2023.

ANOTHER BIG UPGRADE FOR US WAS THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, AND THAT WAS DONE BY THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS PLUS OUR MAINTENANCE CREW, WHICH IS KIND OF COOL HOW MANY PEOPLE IT TOOK TO TO UPGRADE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW.

IT HAD A TAN COLOR TO IT FOR ALL OF ITS YEARS OF EXISTENCE, AND WE JUST FELT THAT IT NEEDED TO LOOK A LITTLE MORE MODERN, BUT STILL WOODSY AND LOOK MORE LIKE A PUBLIC FACILITY BECAUSE IT'S LOOKED LIKE A HOUSE FOR SO LONG, AND IT STILL CONFUSED SOME PEOPLE.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT HAD A NICE UPGRADE.

SO WE DID GET THE BRICK PAINTED.

THERE IS STONEWORK ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING NOW THAT MATCHES THE NEW PAVILION AND RESTROOM BUILDING.

SO IT KIND OF TIED IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THE SIDING WORK IS GOING TO BE FINISHED.

SO WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THAT TO COME IN.

ONCE THE SIDING GOES UP, THAT WHOLE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETE.

SO HOPEFULLY YET THIS YEAR.

OUR CREW PAINTED ALL THE DOORS, THE SOFFIT, THE FASCIA TRIM.

THEY PUT IN A COUPLE NEW WINDOWS.

SO THEY HAD A BIG, BIG HAND IN THIS PROJECT AS WELL.

AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THE WINDSCREENS AT MARKETPLACE WAS A REALLY BIG, BIG PROJECT.

AND I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

IT'S BEEN USED AT THE MARKET'S, I THINK QUITE FREQUENTLY.

WE KNOW THAT THAT MARKET IS KIND OF A WIND TUNNEL.

SO THESE WINDSCREENS HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE.

IT'S BEEN NICE ON THE STAGE TO KNOCK DOWN THE SUN FOR OUR MUSICIANS.

THAT WEST WALL, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE WINDSCREENS DOWN IT MAKES A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE.

SO THE ENTIRE WEST END IS NOW ENCOMPASSED WITH THE RETRACTABLE SCREENS AS WELL AS TWO PARTS OF THE STAGE.

SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE BIG PROJECTS, NOT TO MENTION THE HILLBROOK.

PICKLEBALL COURTS WERE RESURFACED AND REPAINTED THIS YEAR TOO, AND I THINK THAT WAS A MUCH NEEDED PROJECT.

SO THAT'S THE GIST.

YEAH. [LAUGHTER] ANY QUESTIONS? OH I'M SORRY,

[00:35:03]

NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE IN THE MAINTENANCE LINE ARE THOROUGHLY UNDERAPPRECIATED AND NOT ALWAYS WELL KNOWN.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.

THEY TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY THEY LOVE WORKING FOR THE PARKS.

AND I THINK THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN FUN TO WORK WITH ON VOLUNTEER PROJECTS.

YES, YES.

AND I THINK IT DOESN'T SET US APART FROM EVERY COMMUNITY, BUT IT SETS US APART FROM EAST LANSING THAT YOU ARE THE PARKS DIRECTOR IS IN CHARGE OF THE PARKS MAINTENANCE CREWS.

AND I THINK THAT HAVING BEEN AROUND EAST LANSING, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.

NO QUESTION. AND OUR GUYS WOULDN'T WANT TO WORK, YOU KNOW, VIA THE DPW.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, I NEVER ASKED THEM, BUT I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND THAT IS WITH EAST LANSING, AND HE LOVES THEIR PARKS, AND HE DOESN'T GET TO SPEND VERY MUCH TIME IN THERE BECAUSE HE'S DOING OTHER THINGS ON THE BOULEVARD AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.

IN FACT, TODAY IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK OUT TO DINK AROUND A LITTLE ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT, AND THE MOWING CREW WAS THERE TODAY.

I MEAN, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN WINTERIZING THEIR EQUIPMENT.

THEY COULD HAVE, GOD KNOWS WHAT, VARNISHING TABLES, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT OUT THERE MOWING AND YOU CAN HEAR THE MOWER STOP AND THEY GET OUT, AND THEN THEY MOVE THEIR TRASH CAN AND THEN THEY MOW THERE.

AND THEN THEY PUT THE TRASH CAN BACK.

AND BELIEVE ME, FOLKS LIKE THE SMALL GANG THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR IS AT HILLBROOK APPRECIATE THEM TO DEATH.

STILL THERE. YOU KNOW, IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, COMMISSIONER MCDONALD HAD STATED ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION NOT BEING TOGETHER WHEN I FIRST STARTED, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WAS THE FIRST. SO I THINK NOBODY REALLY KNEW EXACTLY THE PATH FORWARD.

AND SO I WAS HIRED AS THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

BUT WHEN I STARTED, I JUST HAD RECREATION FOR LIKE A MONTH, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD HAVE, LIKE, SOMEBODY WOULD RENT THE PAVILION AND THEY WOULD ASK FOR SOMETHING, AND WE PUT A WORK ORDER IN TO PUBLIC WORKS.

OUR STUFF WASN'T A PRIORITY AND THEN IT DIDN'T GET DONE.

SO WE WERE MAKING PROMISES TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WEREN'T DELIVERING ON.

NOT A GOOD START, YOU KNOW, NOT A GOOD START.

AND THAT'S WHEN I WENT IN RIGHT AWAY AND I SAID, WE NEED TO THIS IS THE TEAM IS PARKS AND RECREATION, SALT AND PEPPER.

I MEAN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT.

AND THEN THAT HAPPENED.

AND THEN FROM THEN ON, NOT TO SAY WE'RE LIKE ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.

AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE SPATS OCCASIONALLY.

BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, BEING TOGETHER IS DEFINITELY IT ALMOST HAS TO BE THAT WAY FOR THE BUS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

I THINK IT'S TIME.

WELCOME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

THIS IS MY SON, LELAND. WHO? HI. HI.

WHO DOESN'T ENJOY MARSHALL PARK AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT THERE.

[INAUDIBLE] THERE, FIVE YEARS AGO, I WAS HIRED ON IN AUGUST OF 2019 AS THE FARMER'S MARKET MANAGER, AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT, AND IT'S BEEN, WE'VE REALLY BUILT A GREAT MARKET AND HAD A LOT TO WORK WITH TO START.

WE'VE ADDED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS OVER THE YEARS.

ONE OF THE MORE RECENT IS A FOOD GLEANING PROGRAM.

THIS YEAR, WE HAVE COLLECTED ALMOST 12,000 POUNDS OF FOOD FROM THE MARKET AND FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THAT'S BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL ADDITION TO WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE THE FARMERS CAN'T ALWAYS SELL EVERYTHING THAT THEY BRING TO MARKET.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN A NICE THING.

AND WE'VE ALSO HAD A LOT FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO MAKE OUR FOOD MORE AFFORDABLE TO LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF THE MARKET FOR A LONG TIME.

IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE COLLECTED ALMOST $115,000 IN OR DISTRIBUTED $115,000 IN FOOD ASSISTANCE, WHICH DOES A LOT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND ALSO IMPROVES THINGS FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET.

[00:40:04]

IT'S VERY WELL SUPPORTED AND TRAFFICKED.

ALMOST A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE COME THROUGH THAT MARKET, AND THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT VENDORS FROM ALL AROUND THE REGION, MANY NEARBY, BUT STILL A LOT.

SOME EVEN COME AS FAR AS ZEELAND TO DRIVE AND BE PART OF OUR MARKET, BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT VENUE FOR THEM.

BUT 145 DIFFERENT VENDORS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN KIND OF THE AVERAGE.

AND IT'S ALSO BEEN IT'S A PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT AND IT EVEN GOES BACK BEFORE LUANN, WHICH IS IN A TIME LONG, LONG AGO.

[LAUGHTER] SO 50 YEARS AGO, THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, SOMEWHERE IN THERE, WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY, NEXT YEAR OF THE FARMERS MARKET.

AND SO IT'S BEEN A REAL INSTITUTION.

IT'S GROWN, IT'S CHANGED.

IT'S CHANGED LOCATIONS.

BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY NEAT PART.

AND I'M SO GLAD THAT IT'S UNDER THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

ONE OF THE FUNNY STORIES ABOUT AN I GREW UP IN GRAND RAPIDS AND THE FULTON STREET FARMERS MARKET, THE BIG MARKET THERE USED TO BE UNDER THE CEMETERY DEPARTMENT, SO THERE THE CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THESE THINGS, BUT I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE IT, AND IT'S BEEN WELL SUPPORTED.

AND THERE'S SO MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PARKS PROGRAM THAT I THINK INTEGRATE AND HELP MAKE IT, AND WE HOPE TO DO MORE OF THAT AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS VENUE.

SO WITH THAT LOOK, FOR MORE FROM THE FARMERS MARKET AS WE GO FORWARD AND SOME FUN AND EXCITING NEW THINGS FOR NEXT YEAR AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 50TH YEAR.

ANY QUESTIONS OR? NO, IF I COULD I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT TOM IS REFERRING TO.

IT'S THE BRIDGE CARDS AND THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS.

AND IS IT A PROJECT? YEAH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT COUPON BASED PROGRAMS, PROJECT FRESH AND RIGHT AND WHEN THE MARKET WAS LOCATED HERE AT THE CENTRAL PARK PAVILION AND WE STARTED DOING FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMING WE WOULD MAYBE HAVE $3,000 OF.

FOOD ASSISTANCE.

BUSINESS OR WHATEVER IN AN ENTIRE YEAR.

THAT'S HOW LITTLE IT WAS.

AND NOW WE'RE UP AT, YOU KNOW, $100,000, $150,000 IN THREE YEARS.

TOWN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN REQUESTING A BUS STOP BE PUT NEAR THE MARKET.

SO FOLKS ARE COMING.

THEY CAN GET THEIR THINGS, GET BACK ON, GET ON THE BUS AND HEAD HOME.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH THE FOOD GLEANING, WHICH IS ALL VOLUNTEER EFFORT.

ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT TOM STARTED WAS THIS FOOD SCRAP PROGRAM.

TOM, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THAT REAL QUICK AND THEN WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

YEAH. SO WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM WHERE RATHER THAN HAVE PEOPLE TAKE THEIR FOOD WASTE AND PUT IT IN THE LANDFILL, AND IT CREATES METHANE AND THAT KIND OF THING, WE'RE WORKING WITH HAMMOND FARMS, WHERE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN COME AND DROP OFF THEIR FOOD SCRAPS FROM THE WEEK AND THEN GO SHOP AT THE FARMERS MARKET.

SO THERE'S KIND OF A NICE HAND AND GLOVE THERE.

AND WE BASICALLY EVERY WEEK WE FILL 260 GALLON CONTAINERS OF FOOD WASTE THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE GOING INTO THE LANDFILL AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST, PROBABLY 4 OR 5 MONTHS.

AND THAT STARTED JUST AS A HEY, LET'S TRY IT AS A PILOT PROJECT, WORKING WITH LEROY AND THE GREEN TEAM.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN A NICE PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.

WHERE DO THE SCRAPS GO? THEY GO TO HAMMOND FARMS AND THEY COMPOST THEM AND THEN THEY SELL THE COMPOST.

OKAY, THANKS.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] OKAY.

PARK NATURALIST ALLISON GOODMAN.

HELLO. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AT HARRIS.

WE HAVE SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS AND COOL ANIMALS AND EVERYTHING GOING ON.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON A FEW OF THE BIG HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR.

FIRST OFF, OUR SUMMER CAMP THIS YEAR WE HAD 492 KIDS COME THROUGH.

AND THAT BROUGHT US IN $40,350, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR ALL TIME HIGHS FOR US.

SO IT'S HUGE.

OUR CAMPS SERVE PRESCHOOL THROUGH SIXTH GRADERS AND WE HAVE LOTS OF FUN ACTIVITIES, GAMES, CRAFTS.

[00:45:08]

NO WONDER OUR CAMPS FILL.

AND THEN MOVING ON.

OUR DONATIONS ARE A HUGE HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE HAD THIS YEAR, SO THE KIWANIS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY GENEROUS.

THEY DONATED $10,000 TO THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER FOUNDATION, AND THAT IS FOR A LOG CRAWL TUNNEL THAT THE CONCRETE GOT POURED YESTERDAY.

AND THE INSTALL FOR THE LOG IS GOING TO BE TOMORROW.

AND WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THAT OPEN BY THANKSGIVING BREAK.

AND THEN MEIJER JUST RECENTLY DONATED 5000 TO THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER FOUNDATION, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE USED TOWARDS UPGRADES TO THE NATURE EXPLORATION AREA AND ALSO TOWARDS SCHOOL BUS SCHOLARSHIPS.

OUR HARRIS NATURE CENTER FOUNDATION OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO SCHOOLS.

WE FOUND THAT BUSSING WAS ONE OF THE BIG DIFFICULTIES, THE HURDLES GETTING KIDS OUT TO THE NATURE CENTER.

THAT WAS MORE OF AN EXPENSE THAN THE ACTUAL FIELD TRIP.

SO THE FOUNDATION OFFERS BUS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THESE SCHOOLS TO COME OUT.

FINALLY, ANNIE'S BIG NATURE LESSON IS WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL WEEKS THIS YEAR AND ANNIE'S BIG NATURE LESSON , IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM, AREA SCHOOLS COME OUT TO THE NATURE CENTER FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.

THEY HAVE ALL THEIR LESSONS AT THE NATURE CENTER, THEIR SCIENCE, THEIR ART, THEIR READING.

WE TIE IN MATH.

AND SO IT'S THEIR OUTDOOR CLASSROOM FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK.

AND SO ALL ALL THE DIFFERENT TOPICS ARE TIED IN.

AND WE PROVIDE AT THE NATURE CENTER AN EXPERT LESSON EACH DAY.

KATI OR I WILL DO THAT.

AND IT CAN VARY FROM BIRDS OF PREY TO THE WATER CYCLE, ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS.

AND ONE THING THAT'S REALLY COOL ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN HOUR OF OBSERVATION TIME OUT IN THE FOREST OR ALONG THE RIVER, AND WHERE THEY JUST SIT AND OBSERVE NATURE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO AS MUCH.

AND IT REALLY BENEFITS A LOT OF THE CHILDREN TO JUST BE OUT THERE JOURNALING AND TAKING NOTICE OF WHAT'S AROUND THEM.

SO YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON, SOME UPCOMING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A NIGHT OUT IN NATURE FOR KIDS BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.

WE HAVE WINE IN THE WOODS AND THEN WE HAVE CRITTER HOLIDAY COMING UP IN DECEMBER TOO.

SO MAKING TREATS FOR THE LOCAL WILDLIFE.

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

JUST THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD WORK.

EMMA CAMPBELL.

HELLO. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

JUST WANT TO PREFACE MY REPORT SAYING HOW MUCH I LOVE MY JOB AND MY COWORKERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I REALLY GET TO DO THE BEST STUFF EVERY DAY.

[LAUGHTER] SO I STARTED THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, WHICH WAS HONESTLY AN AMAZING TIME TO START BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTED TO GET THE HECK OUTSIDE AND DOING SOMETHING WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SINCE THEN, IT HAS JUST BEEN MY FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD.

EVERY TIME WE HAVE A WORK DAY, WE DO SOMETHING ONCE A WEEK AT LEAST.

I TRY TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES.

SO WE HAVE OUR STEWARDSHIP SATURDAYS EVERY OTHER SATURDAY, BUT THEN WE HAVE OUR WEEKDAY WARRIORS.

AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE RETIRED OR WORK A DIFFERENT SHIFT.

WE JUST STARTED OUR SEED SORTING PARTIES, WHICH WE HAVE ONE TOMORROW.

AND COMMISSIONER FARRIS IS GOING OR CHAIR FARRIS.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER NICE LITTLE PIECE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY CAN WALK OUT INTO A PRESERVE OR PARK AND DO SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO.

SO JUST HAVE BEEN REALLY TRYING AND STRIVING TO MAKE THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS AND STEWARDSHIP ITSELF REALLY DIVERSE.

SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 56 TO 70 EVENTS A YEAR, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE WEATHER DOES, BECAUSE MOST EVERYTHING IS OUTSIDE.

AND WE'VE REALLY EVOLVED AWAY FROM JUST DOING INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, WHICH HONESTLY, I LOVE AND I NEVER GET TIRED OF, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BURN PEOPLE OUT WHEN IT COMES TO STEWARDSHIP, BECAUSE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY REMOVING A PLANT THAT ISN'T HELPING, YOU KNOW, OUR LOCAL NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS.

[00:50:01]

AND SO WHEN LATE SUMMER TO FALL ROLLS AROUND, WE START GOING OUT TO PARKS AND PRESERVES AND COLLECTING SEEDS FROM WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE REMNANT POPULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

AND THEN VOLUNTEERS GET TO PROCESS THEM.

AND THEN WE WERE ACTUALLY SOWING SEED AT OUR STEWARDSHIP SATURDAY, SO WE'LL BE PLANTING IT.

BUT THEN WE ALSO GIVE IT TO LOCAL NATIVE NURSERIES TO GROW TRANSPLANTS FOR US.

AND THEN WE GET TO PLANT IN SPRING AND SUMMER.

SO THE DIVERSIFICATION HAS BEEN REALLY NICE, AND IT'S GIVEN VOLUNTEERS A FULL CIRCLE WAY TO BE INVOLVED ALL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR AND THEN BE ABLE TO DO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING RIGHT NOW IS REALLY GETTING THOSE SEEDS AND PROCESSING ALL OF THEM.

WE DO ALSO HAVE MORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, SO OUR TRAILSIDE ECOLOGY AND OUR WETLAND WALKS ARE A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, NOT DO WORK WHEN THEY GO OUT IN THE WOODS, WHICH IS FUN.

BUT THE POINT OF THOSE PROGRAMS IS TO START GETTING PEOPLE CURIOUS ABOUT PLANTS AND WILDLIFE AND LEARNING THE NAMES OF ALL THESE LOCAL THINGS THAT WE'VE KIND OF FORGOTTEN ABOUT.

AND KIND OF WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS MAKING A FRIEND IN THE WOODS, SO THEY START TO CARE ABOUT THESE PLACES.

SO GOT TO TRY TO MIX ALL THAT IN AS WELL.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS YEAR IS THAT WE'VE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

I THINK OUR TWO SEASONAL POSITIONS THAT WE NOW HAVE IN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT, I'M JUST MAKING UP MY OWN DEPARTMENT.

[LAUGHTER] BUT THE TWO SEASONALS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIMIT IT TO MICHIGAN STATE STUDENTS OR COLLEGE STUDENTS, BUT THAT IS SO FAR THE PEOPLE WE HAVE HIRED. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY CREATED A VERY STRONG CONNECTION.

SO THIS YEAR WITH OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH MSU ON RESEARCH AT OUR PRESCRIBED BURN, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT.

WE HAD FORESTRY STUDENTS OUT BEING ABLE TO PARTAKE IN EVERY STEP OF THAT PROCESS.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE CLUB TO DO A SEED EXCHANGE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THEIR PRAIRIES, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A LITTLE BETTER AND RESTORE ON CAMPUS.

SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THOSE GO.

SO IN THE LAND PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP REALM, I GOT TO GO THROUGH MY FIRST ACQUISITION WITH THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS A REALLY LONG PROCESS, BUT WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF ACQUIRING AN ALMOST THREE ACRE WETLAND PARCEL THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CORNELL ELEMENTARY, WHICH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WILL PRESENT US SOME WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THAT LOCAL SCHOOL.

AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO PLAN SOME STEWARDSHIP FOR THAT AREA.

AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO PROTECT SOME OF OUR LOCAL WETLANDS AND BE ABLE TO STEWARD THEM, INSTEAD OF JUST LETTING THEM SIT THERE AND BE TAKEN OVER BY INVASIVES. THE OTHER GREAT THING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TOO, IT'S A SLOW PROCESS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY LAND PRESERVES, BUT WE'RE FINALLY GETTING RURAL SIGNAGE UP AT EVERY SINGLE LAND PRESERVE, AND WE'RE REPLACING NAME SIGNAGE THAT WILL HANG BELOW OUR SIGNS.

AND WE'LL ALSO BE REPLACING SOME OF OUR LARGE SIGNS AS WELL.

SOME OF THE LAND PRESERVES ARE GETTING NEW NAMES, SO THEY'RE NOT SO RANDOM.

A LITTLE MORE HOMEY AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOLDS A MORE LOCAL PLACE IN PEOPLE'S HEART S OME OF THE NAMES WE CHOSE.

SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

WE'RE GETTING MORE TRAIL SIGNAGE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THERE'S NO BIKES ALLOWED ON ALL OF OUR PRESERVES EXCEPT RED CEDAR GLEN WHITE TRAIL.

SO JUST REALLY INCREASING THE ACCESSIBILITY AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR LAND PRESERVES ARE THERE FOR.

SO THAT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT THING ONCE THOSE ARE ALL INSTALLED.

THE NEXT THING IS OUR PRESCRIBED BURN PROGRAM.

AND OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE LEFT OUT OF THIS, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO EXPAND THESE AND GROW THESE PROGRAMS. AND PRESCRIBED BURNS ARE SO IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE DOING INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND THEN NATIVE PLANTING AND SEED SOWING, IT'S KIND OF USELESS IF WE'RE NOT INTEGRATING ALL THESE TOOLS.

AND SO FIRE IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND WE HAD THREE SUCCESSFUL BURNS THIS YEAR.

AND OUR MOST RECENT ONE WAS AT LAKE LANSING NORTH PRESERVE.

THAT'S WHERE OUR PICTURE IS FROM.

AND IT IS SO HELPFUL FOR INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE FIRE ON OUR LANDSCAPE AND WE HAVE A

[00:55:09]

SO LAKE LANSING NORTH IS ONE OF OUR MOST DIVERSE PRESERVES, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW OUR CONTINUED BURNING AT THAT SITE WILL IMPROVE THOSE CONDITIONS.

WE STARTED FLORISTIC SURVEYS THIS YEAR AT THOSE SITES TO STUDY JUST EXACTLY THE BENEFITS AND THE CHANGES THAT FIRE WILL BRING, SO WE CAN HAVE SOME GOOD DATA TO GO OFF OF.

AT DAVIS FOSTER PRESERVE WAS OUR OTHER LOCATION, AND THEN RED CEDAR GLEN PRESERVE WAS A BRAND NEW SITE.

SO A PLACE THAT HASN'T BEEN BURNED IN 100 OR SO YEARS.

SO THAT IS VERY EXCITING TO SEE WHERE THAT SITE WILL GO AS WELL.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO WORK IN A COMMUNITY THAT GENERALLY HAS AN INCREDIBLE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BENEFICIAL THESE ARE, AND THAT THEY CAN BE DONE IN A SAFE WAY THAT REALLY, REALLY BENEFITS OUR LOCAL NATURAL AREAS.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS.

NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOU, EMMA.

SERIOUSLY, YOU GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. JUST HAVING VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY, IN EACH COMMUNITY.

THOSE VOLUNTEERS ARE GOING BACK AND TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND IT'S JUST IT MAKES THAT WHOLE THING ACCEPTABLE FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND READY TO SUPPORT AT ANY TIME.

SO IT'S GREAT. IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR HARD WORK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I WISH YOU COULD HAVE SEEN THE FORESTRY STUDENTS WHEN THEY WALKED UP AND I ASKED THEM, SO HOW MANY BURNS HAVE YOU BEEN ON? AND THEY WERE ALL LIKE, ZERO.

AND THEN OUR CONTRACTOR, AFTER THEY SUITED UP, HANDED THEM A DRIP TORCH AND A WATER BACKPACK, AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST THEY WERE SO HAPPY AND EXCITED THAT THEY GOT THAT EXPERIENCE. SO IT'S THEY JUST CREATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE VERY INVALUABLE.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PROFESSIONALISM OF YOUR OUTREACH.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO GET YOUR NOTES RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND ALSO THE DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP FOR YOUR WORKDAY.

SO I'M SURPRISED WHAT A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THERE ARE.

SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT THE MCC IS IT'S ALL AGES.

IT'S ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.

AND I'VE MET SOME ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THROUGH THAT.

SO.

THEY'RE DEDICATED. YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. MIKE DEVLIN.

HEY, COACH MIKE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT HERE.

FIRST SLIDE IS, AS WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, VERY POPULAR PROGRAM WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

THIS IS MY 24TH YEAR PRESENTING TEACHING KIDS HOW TO PLAY SPORTS.

AND THE SPORTS THAT I DO OFFER IS SOCCER, TEE BALL, FOOTBALL AND TRACK AND FIELD.

THIS PROGRAM IS FOR THREE AND FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLD'S, STARTS THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR COORDINATION AND JUST SPARK THEIR INTEREST IN SPORTS.

I PRESENTED THIS PROGRAM AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, AND NOW DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE STATE HAVE KIND OF COPIED THE PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENTED IT IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.

THIS PAST YEAR, I HAD 489 PARTICIPANTS, AND I WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO LOOK BACK AND ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS AND PROBABLY ABOUT THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS THAT HAVE COACHED KIDS.

NEXT SLIDE IS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.

WE DID RESERVE 17 SLOTS FOR THIS PAST SUMMER AND DUE TO THE WEATHER, LIGHTNING, HARD RAIN, SIDEWAYS RAIN, WE HAD TO CANCEL ABOUT THREE OF THEM.

BUT I DO WANT TO THANK LUANN AND THE PARK COMMISSION FOR BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL MARKETPLACE AT THE GREEN.

IT'S MY JOB IS TO PROGRAM IN THERE.

TOM HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB THIS PAST FIVE YEARS BUILDING UP THE MARKET.

YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW FOUR YEARS AGO ON A WEDNESDAY MARKET, WE ONLY HAD 12 VENDORS.

AND THANKS TO TOM, THE GREAT MARKET MANAGER HE IS, WE NOW HAVE 30 PLUS VENDORS EACH WEEK.

AND THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR IMPLEMENTING MUSIC AT THE MARKET.

I WENT TO LUANN. I SAID, I JUST WANT TO PUT MUSIC OUT ON THAT STAGE, SHE SAYS.

HANDLE IT.

AND AS ME AS I MEAN, I'VE BEEN A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMMER, ADULT SPORTS, THIS IS A NEW AVENUE OF GETTING NEW FACES TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

[01:00:06]

[LAUGHTER] SORRY, MIKE.

WEDNESDAY ROUTINE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THIS PAST YEAR.

OUR GOAL IS TO BRING MORE FAMILIES TO THE MUSIC, AND I THINK WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THAT.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO BUILD ON THAT.

NICK DEVELOPED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARIAN TOM MOORE, AND THEY BROUGHT ARTS AND CRAFTS PROJECTS FOR EVERY, WEEK FOR US.

AND THAT JUST BROUGHT MORE FAMILIES, MORE KIDS TO THE MARKET DURING THE MUSIC.

WE ALSO HAD A GREAT GROUPS, GREAT GROUPS OF DANCE GROUPS IN BETWEEN SETS FOR THE MUSIC AND JUST TURN IT AGAIN, GET MORE PEOPLE THERE GETTING DANCE GROUPS OUT THERE, THEIR PUBLICITY MAYBE HAD KIDS LINED UP.

I COULD JUST SEE THE KIDS EYES WATCHING THE BAND AND WATCHING THE DANCE GROUPS, AND MAYBE THEY'LL BE THERE SOMEDAY.

AND IT'S ALWAYS THAT PLAY STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE THERE.

THAT PLACE IS PACKED ON A WEDNESDAY, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF COOL TO WATCH HOW DIFFERENT KIDS UTILIZE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ON TOP OF THE BUILDING, THEY'RE UNDERNEATH.

BUT IT AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD FAMILIES AND I THINK WE'RE WE'RE STARTING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT A LITTLE BIT.

WE CAN'T IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WITHOUT GREAT SPONSORS.

WE HAD GRAFF CHEVROLET OF OKEMOS, SCHOOL OF ROCK OF EAST LANSING, ORTHOPEDIC REHAB SPECIALISTS, PHYSICAL THERAPY OF OKEMOS, FAHEY, SCHULTZ, BURZYCH, RHODES PLC, THORNTON REALTY TEAM, SPONSORED BY COLDWATER BANK REALTY, MIDWEST POWER EQUIPMENT AND PHANTOM SCREENS BY RETRACTABLE SOLUTIONS.

AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT PUT THE SCREENS UP ON OUR MARKET, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO IF YOU KNOW ANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT LOVE TO SPONSOR OUR MUSIC OR ANY OTHER PROGRAMS SEND THEM TO ME.

OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS WE HAD.

WE DON'T DO AN EGG HUNT.

WE DO AN EVENT CALLED AN EVENT CALLED FLASHLIGHT EASTER EGG HUNT.

AND IT IS AN EVENT.

WE JUST DON'T DO THE EGG HUNT.

WE HAVE AN EVENT, A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO DO SOME CARNIVAL GAMES, ARTS AND CRAFTS.

AGAIN BY CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY, TOM MOORE.

THEY HAVE THE VISIT WITH THE EASTER BUNNY.

WE HAVE PETTING ZOOS, GOATS, BUNNIES, PONIES, SHEEP.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE AND FIRE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM THERE AT ALL OUR SPECIAL EVENTS.

WE HAVE BONFIRES, ROASTING MARSHMALLOW, MUSIC.

AND MY FAVORITE PART IS WE HAD 40 PLUS HASLETT OKEMOS MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME FOR THE EVENT.

AND THEN ONCE THE SKY BEGINS TO DARKEN, WE HAD OVER 432 PARTICIPANTS AT THE EVENT.

SO THERE'S ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE AT NANCY MOORE PARK, AND I WAIT TILL IT'S PITCH BLACK BEFORE WE START THE PROGRAM, AND POLICE AND FIRE PUT OUT THE SIRENS.

AND THAT'S THE START OF THE EGG HUNT.

AND IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR A 15 SECOND EGG HUNT.

[LAUGHTER] BUT WE GOT TO DO WHAT WE GOT TO DO.

HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR WE JUST HAD THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO.

THIS IS OUR THIRD ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR.

WE HAD OVER 250, 240 KIDS SIGNED UP.

IT WAS DOWNPOURING THE WHOLE TIME, BUT THANKS TO OUR NEW SCREENS OR WINDSCREENS, WE KEPT EVERYBODY DRY.

AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR STAFF.

I HAPPEN TO BE ON VACATION LIKE THREE WEEKS BEFORE THAT CAUGHT COVID, SO I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE.

WELL, SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALEX, ALLISON, BRIDGET, EMMA, KATI, NICK, REBECCA AND SAM.

WELL, AS A TEAM, WE BROUGHT THIS EVENT TOGETHER.

AGAIN POLICE AND FIRE WERE OUT THERE AND CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY AGAIN HELPING US OUT WITH ARTS AND CRAFTS THERE.

WE HAD SPONSORED THAT AT OUR EVENT AGAIN, GRAFF CHEVROLET THEY BOUGHT A LOT OF OUR CANDY.

MEIJER DONATED 300 PUMPKINS FOR US FOR OUR PUMPKIN PATCH.

BUDDY'S PIZZA DONATED PIZZA FOR OUR 30 VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAD FROM OKEMOS AND HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS.

SHOUT OUT TO THOSE GUYS.

[INAUDIBLE] DONATED TOKENS FOR A FREE SCOOP OF CUSTARD.

AND ADDITION, THIS IS MY FAVORITE SCHOOL OF ROCK OF EAST LANSING.

[01:05:02]

AND I LOVE WHEN KIDS FIND THEIR NICHE, AND THOSE KIDS ARE FINDING THEIR NICHE AND JUST DOING THE ARTS OF MUSIC.

SO AGAIN, LU LOVES MUSIC, SO THEY WERE ROCKING IT OUT THERE.

I'VE ALWAYS WE CAN'T DO OUR PROGRAMS WITHOUT OUR PARK MAINTENANCE STAFF.

SO SHOUT OUT TO LARRY, JOSH, TROY, TRAV, TOM AND DAN.

THEY ARE AN AMAZING GROUP.

AND LIKE KATI SAID LIKE LU SAID, IT'S KIND OF A THEY DON'T GET THANKED ENOUGH.

I TRY TO THANK THEM AS MUCH AS I CAN AND I KNOW OUR STAFF DOES TOO.

BUT SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP.

WELL WE DID, WE DID DOG YAPPY HOURS, HALLOWEEN HOWL PARTIES FOR THE DOG PARKS.

I'M GOING TO HAVE SANTA PAWS, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO TWEAK MY DRIVE THROUGH SANTA PROGRAM THIS YEAR, KIND OF CONJUNCTION OF SANTA PAWS.

WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THAT PROGRAM LAST YEAR.

I THINK THAT'S IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OH, WE CAN'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, NEXT TIME WE'RE TELEVISED, COULD YOU HAVE SOMEBODY PUT SOME MAKEUP ON ME? I GUESS SINCE.

OH, VERY MUCH, SO MUCH.

WE'LL DO THAT. BUT THIS IS SERIOUS AT PANERA'S A FEW MONTHS AGO, A DAD CAME UP TO ME WHO THOUGHT I WAS YOU, WHICH IS AN EXTREME COMPLIMENT TO YOU BOTH.

[LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, HE HAS A SPECIAL DAUGHTER AND JUST COULDN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT YOU.

SO THANKS.

IS THERE AN ANECDOTE OR TWO, OR THOUGHT THAT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SPORTIES FOR SHORTIES THAT IT ENCOMPASSES KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES? SOME OF THE KIDS ARE SPECIAL? YES. I HAD A COUPLE OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM THIS PAST SUMMER AND THEY HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

MOM WROTE ME A NICE LETTER SAYING SHE APPRECIATED WHAT WE DID.

YEAH. DID YOUR COACH MIKE.

YES. AND DO YOU KNOW SANTA? I HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH SANTA.

YES I DO. WELL, WE'RE TELEVISED, SO I WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW SANTA.

I DO. KNOW SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS SANTA.

I DO, VERY MUCH SO.

[LAUGHTER] I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT MIKE HAS BEEN SUCH A MENTOR FOR SO MANY KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT IT'S UNBELIEVABLE AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SPORTIES FOR SHORTIES.

AND THEN HE ALSO DOES SOME COACHING OVER IN HASLETT SCHOOLS.

BUT THROUGH ALL OF THIS WORK WITH ALL OF THESE STUDENTS, THEY COME TO VOLUNTEER IN OUR PROGRAMS. IT'S THE REASON WHY. AND SO THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT BEING HOW TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN.

AND ALL OF THOSE LESSONS THAT AREN'T JUST THROWING A BASEBALL OR SHOOTING A BASKETBALL.

IT'S LIFE LESSONS.

IT'S REALLY DEVELOPING THE WHOLE CHILD.

AND MIKE, YOU ARE JUST SO INSTRUMENTAL FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU'RE AMAZING. YOU TOO.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR SPORTIES FOR SHORTIES FOR MY GRANDSON AND I JUST WANT TO SAY.

I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU ARE GETTING A LITTLE OLD FOR THAT MARY, A LITTLE OLD.

[LAUGHTER] CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW YOU HARNESS THEIR ENERGY AND HOW WHENEVER THEY'RE BACK AT MARKETPLACE OR WHEREVER, THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR COACH MIKE AND SO KUDOS TO YOU. THANK YOU MIKE.

NICK WANG.

I THINK I'VE MET PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD, BUT IN CASE I HAVEN'T, MY NAME IS NICK WANG AND I'VE JUST COMPLETED MY FIRST YEAR WITH THE TOWNSHIP, ACTUALLY THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING. BUT KIND OF THE FIRST THING I WAS PROUD OF WHEN IT CAME TO THE THINGS WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND KIND OF LIKE WHAT LU SAID, YOU KNOW, I INTERNED WITH THE DEPARTMENT IN 2017, AND I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MENTORED BY BOTH HER AND MIKE.

SO WHEN I GOT THE CHANCE TO COME BACK LAST NOVEMBER, I HAD TO JUMP ON IT.

AND MIKE GRACIOUSLY HAS GIVEN ME THE YOUTH SPORTS AFTER 23 YEARS.

IS THAT HOW LONG YOU RAN THEM FOR? SO TALK ABOUT BIG SHOES TO FILL.

VERY INTIMIDATING.

BUT WE DID IT. WE GOT THROUGH OUR FIRST YEAR OF IT.

I RAN THE YOUTH BASEBALL, SOFTBALL AND TEE BALL PROGRAM OVER THE SUMMER.

WE HAD 401 PARTICIPANTS BETWEEN ALL THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN THIS YEAR WAS MY FIRST YEAR OF YOUTH SOCCER AND YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL.

WHICH BOY, WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT WAS COMING HERE FROM DEWITT WITH NUMBERS.

645 KIDS IN SOCCER BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND SIXTH GRADE, AND 199 KIDS IN FLAG FOOTBALL.

IT EFFECTIVELY TRIPLED WHAT I USED TO DO, WHICH WAS JUST INSANE TO COME TO.

IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE HOW BIG THE COMMUNITY IS AND HOW SUPPORTIVE THEY ARE OF OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS.

[01:10:04]

AND THOSE NUMBERS DON'T REALLY GO INTO THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.

AND WE'RE IMPACTING THE YOUTH COACHES, THE REFEREES, THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, THE VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT I CAN'T RUN WITHOUT KATI'S GUYS LINING ON MY FIELDS.

SO SHOUT OUT TO LARRY, BOB DURHAM AND ANYONE ELSE THAT PUT A LINE DOWN FOR ME OR DRAGGED A BASEBALL FIELD.

IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT WITH THOSE, SO I CAN SAY THAT I'M PROUD OF COMPLETING IT, BUT I REALLY COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOU GUYS, SO THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ONE IS SNELL TOWER, WHICH I KNOW WE'VE TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT.

THERE HASN'T REALLY BEEN PROGRAMING THERE IN A WHILE.

I RAN A FEW PROGRAMS THERE AS AN INTERN AND THEN THAT WAS A BIG GOAL FOR MYSELF WHEN I STARTED BACK UP HERE LAST NOVEMBER.

SO MYSELF AND OUR RECREATION INTERN, ALEX SKINNER, HAVE BEEN RUNNING PROGRAMS OUT OF THERE ROUGHLY TWO DAYS A WEEK SINCE JULY.

JULY IS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH.

THIS YEAR'S THEME WAS WHERE COMMUNITY GROWS, AND WE FIGURED WHAT BETTER WAY TO HELP GROW THE COMMUNITY THAN TO GET INTO A PLACE THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN TO IN A WHILE.

I USED TO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD MYSELF.

IT'S A HEAVY RENTER COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE RENT THE HOUSES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT A PART OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, OR THAT THEY ARE A PART OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THEY ALL THINK THAT THEY'RE A PART OF EAST LANSING.

SO GETTING OUT THERE AND KIND OF INTERACTING WITH THOSE PEOPLE IN JULY, WE THREW A BLOCK PARTY IN AN OPEN HOUSE WHERE WE GRILLED HOT DOGS, HAD ACTIVITIES, GOT A BIG GAGA BALL PIT OUT, AND WE HAD ABOUT 50 ISH PEOPLE BOTH TIMES FOR THOSE EVENTS.

GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE REC CENTER, JUST TALKING THEM, GETTING THEM TO KNOW THAT IT'S OPEN, THAT THERE'S ACTIVITIES THERE.

AND SINCE THEN, ALEX HAS BEEN RUNNING A COUPLE DROP IN DAYS A WEEK WHERE WE GET ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, ON A BAD DAY, WE GET FIVE KIDS.

ON A GREAT DAY, WE GET OVER 20 KIDS.

SO IT'S KIND OF AWESOME GETTING THOSE KIDS IN.

AND THE THING THAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT IT IS THAT THEY'RE ALL PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAMS NOW.

THOSE PARENTS THAT I SEE DROPPING THEIR KIDS OFF, THEY'RE WALKING WITH THEM AFTER SCHOOL, OUR COACHING AND OUR SOCCER AND FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUES.

THEY'RE CALLING ME ABOUT BASKETBALL.

THEY'RE GETTING INVOLVED IN OUR PROGRAMS AGAIN, WHICH IS WHAT MY MAIN GOAL WAS GETTING OUT THERE.

BUT WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO OFFER SOME DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A COUPLE OF ADULTS IN THOSE PICTURES WHICH THAT ONE ON THE LEFT IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BETTER ONE FOR THAT.

BUT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THINGS LIKE VINYL NIGHTS.

WE'VE BEEN DOING READ ALONGS WITH THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY WILL KIND OF CURATE SOME BOOKS FOR ME EACH MONTH, AND WE KIND OF TAKE THOSE OVER THERE FOR THE KIDS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO READ, OR WE'LL READ ALONG WITH THEM. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO BEEN KIND OF PILOTING SOME POOL NIGHTS SINCE WE'VE GOT TWO POOL TABLES THERE.

LARRY PUT TOGETHER A BIG, NICE ONE FOR US IN THE BACK, WHICH IS JUST A VERY NICE TABLE, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH THE PEOPLE COMING IN OUT OF THERE.

SO WE'RE VERY PROUD, VERY PROUD OF THAT PROGRAM.

AND THEN THE LAST THING OH YES, KIND OF GOT THEM FLIP FLOPPED IN MY HEAD.

WHEN I STARTED, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT MIKE AND I TALKED ABOUT WAS GETTING SOMEONE TO COME AND DO CRAFTS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, WHETHER IT WAS HIRING SOMEBODY OR MYSELF, BEING THERE DURING THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKETS, RUNNING AN ACTIVITY FOR KIDS.

AND I THOUGHT, WHY WOULD I DO IT WHEN WE'VE GOT THE LIBRARY? SO I CALLED UP TOM, WHO HAS JUST BEEN A PHENOMENAL RESOURCE FOR US.

AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT COMING TO THE LIBRARY OR COMING TO THE LIBRARY COME TO THE FARMER'S MARKET EVERY OTHER WEEK AND RUN SOME ACTIVITIES WITH THE KIDS. AND HE LOVED THE IDEA.

SO HE CAME OUT ALL SUMMER LONG AND DID IT.

AND HE'S JUST BEEN SUCH A RESOURCE FOR US TO HAVE.

SO LU CAME TO ME WITH THE IDEA OF TEEN NIGHT FOR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, AND SHE SAID, I WANT, SHE SAID, HANDLE IT.

AND I SAID, YOU GOT IT.

[LAUGHTER] AND THEN I PROMPTLY CALLED TOM AND I SAID, HEY, WE GOT THIS TEEN NIGHT.

WHY DON'T YOU HANDLE IT NOW? BUT HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD A TEEN ADVISORY BOARD THROUGH THEIR OKEMOS BRANCH OF THE LIBRARY.

SO I WENT OUT THERE, MET WITH THOSE KIDS A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND THEY REALLY PLANNED IT FOR ME.

THEY GAVE ME ALL THE IDEAS.

ALL I DID WAS PUT THEM TOGETHER FOR THEM SO THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL THING.

ME AND MIKE GOT GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON TEEN NIGHTS, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A HANDFUL OF MORE TEEN EVENTS NEXT YEAR.

BUT THE THE TEEN NIGHT AND THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY INVOLVEMENT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.

I REALLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS ABOUT THOSE GUYS.

FOR TEEN NIGHT WE WE HAD LIVE MUSIC.

I'M KIND OF BIASED.

I THOUGHT THE BAND WAS REALLY GOOD.

WE ALSO HAD A HYPNOTIST AND COMEDIAN COME IN AS SOME OTHER ENTERTAINMENT, AND THEN WE HAD AN INFLATABLE GAGA BALL PIT AND JUST KIND OF OTHER STATIC ACTIVITIES THAT THE TEENS COULD MOVE AROUND AND DO.

WE HAD THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY WAS DOING SHRINKY DINKS.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, THERE ARE THESE LITTLE THINGS.

YOU COLOR THEM, YOU PUT THEM IN AN OVEN, AND THEN THEY GET SMALL AND THAT'S IT.

[LAUGHTER] BUT THEY LOVED THEM.

WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME WITH IT.

THE FEEDBACK WAS GREAT, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATEVER ELSE ME AND MIKE CAN PUT TOGETHER NEXT YEAR.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS SO GREAT ABOUT THE TEEN NIGHT.

WELL, A LOT OF THINGS WERE GREAT ABOUT IT.

BUT THE NEXT DAY DURING THE FULL CELEBRATE MERIDIAN EVENT, WE SAW SO MANY OF THOSE TEENS RETURN FOR THE MAIN EVENT WHERE WE TYPICALLY HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF THAT

[01:15:10]

NICK AND MIKE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE BALLPARK WITH THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT EVENT.

YEAH. AND EVEN IF WE HIT IT SHORT IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS, EVERYBODY WAS JUST EXCITED THAT WE WERE TRYING SOMETHING FOR THEM.

RIGHT. SO THAT GROUP SEEMS TO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

YEAH, GREAT.

WHERE DID YOU FIND SHRINKY DINKS? BECAUSE I GREW UP. IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE AN 80S CHILD.

BECAUSE I WOULD SAY IT'S COMING BACK IN GENERAL.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHY.

OH I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS WHAT IT IS.

OH, NO, I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. OKAY.

YEAH, IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE TEEN GROUP IDEAS.

SO WHEN I WAS AT THE OKEMOS TEEN ADVISORY BOARD IS WHAT THEY CALL IT, THE TAB GROUP.

SO WHEN I WAS THERE MEETING WITH THEM, I WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO MOVE AROUND.

AND I WAS LIKE, DUNK TANKS.

DO PEOPLE STILL LIKE DUNK TANKS? AND THEY HAD THE NERVE TO TELL ME THAT WHATEVER I DID IN 2001 WAS PROBABLY COOL.

AND I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, BACK OFF.

[LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, THEY BROUGHT UP SHRINKY DINKS, AND ALL WE JUST NEEDED WERE A COUPLE OF TOASTER OVENS.

AND TOM WAS LIKE, WE'LL JUST GET THEM FOR OUR LIBRARY OF THINGS.

AND THEY PROVIDED IT ALL AND CAME OUT.

AND THEY JUST THEY CAN ENGAGE, YOU KNOW, THEY INTERACT WITH THAT GROUP A LOT WHERE WE DON'T PARTICULARLY GET TO BECAUSE OUR PROGRAMS TEND TO TEETER OUT BY THE TIME THEY START MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND SO JUST HAVING SOMEBODY THAT COULD KIND OF GET INTO THAT POPULATION WAS, WAS REALLY GREAT.

GREAT IDEA. IT'S A GENERATION. [LAUGHTER] IT MUST BE.

THANK YOU NICK.

OKAY, BRIDGET. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

PART OF MY OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS TO MANAGE THE PARK PAVILION RENTALS AND THE TWO DOG PARK REGISTRATIONS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO, STARTING WITH THE PARK PAVILION RENTALS, THE GATHERINGS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARKS ARE A VERY SPECIAL TIME FOR RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES, AND OUR PARK PAVILIONS ARE VERY POPULAR WITH RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS.

WE OFFER RENTALS AT EIGHT OF OUR PAVILIONS, AT A RATE OF $80 FOR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, AND $160 FOR NON RESIDENTS.

MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL WHEN IT IS NOT BEING UTILIZED BY OUR FARMERS MARKET.

BLOCKS OF TIME AVAILABLE FOR RENT ARE FROM 8 A.M.

TO 3 P.M.

AND OR 4 P.M.

TO DUSK ON A DAILY BASIS AT EACH PAVILION.

IN 2023 PARK PAVILION RENTALS HAVE GENERATED $15,680 NET REVENUE.

CENTRAL PARK PAVILION WAS THE MOST POPULAR PARK PAVILION THIS YEAR.

NOT ONLY DID IT TIE WITH WONCH PARK FOR HAVING THE MOST PAID RESERVATIONS, IT WAS ALSO UTILIZED FOR OVER 125 RECREATION PROGRAM EVENTS AND ALSO FOR NON PROFIT USE ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

HARTRICK PARK PAVILION WAS CLOSE BEHIND WONCH PARK AS THE THIRD MOST POPULAR PAVILION.

REC PRO MADE MANAGING OUR ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM SO USER FRIENDLY AND ORGANIZED, WE IMPLEMENTED REC PRO IN JANUARY OF 2023. PARK PAVILIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO REQUEST ONLINE INCLUDE CENTRAL PARK, HARRIS NATURE CENTER, HARTRICK PARK MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, NANCY MOORE PARK, NORTH MERIDIAN ROAD PARK, TOWNER ROAD PARK, AND WONCH PARK.

SO MOVING ON TO THE DOG PARKS.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP OFFERS TWO DOG PARKS FOR LOCAL DOG LOVERS.

THE LARGE DOG PARK IS LOCATED AT 1990 CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, ACROSS FROM OUR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FARMERS MARKET.

THE LARGE DOG PARK IS FOR DOGS THAT ARE 30 POUNDS AND OVER.

THE SMALL DOG PARK IS LOCATED IN NANCY MOORE PARK AT 1960 GAYLORD C.

SMITH COURT AND THE SMALL DOG PARK IS FOR DOGS THAT WEIGH LESS THAN 30 POUNDS.

BOTH PARKS ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND AND REQUIRE AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP.

CURRENTLY, THE SMALL DOG PARK HAS 149 MEMBERS AND THE LARGE DOG PARK HAS 203 MEMBERS.

PROOF OF CURRENT RABIES VACCINATION AND DOG LICENSE FROM THE COUNTY ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION.

WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE DOG PARKS OFFER GREAT SOCIALIZATION FOR BOTH PETS AND THEIR OWNERS ALIKE.

IN PARTICULAR, AT THE SMALL DOG PARK, THERE ARE DOG PARK PARTIES EVERY SINGLE DAY, TWICE A DAY.

ALL PARK PAVILION REQUESTS AND REGISTRATION FOR THE DOG PARKS ARE FOUND ON OUR PARKS AND RECREATION PAGE ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE PARK, PAVILIONS OR DOG PARKS?

[01:20:04]

AND IT HASN'T BEEN IT'S IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY SMOOTH.

AND YOU ALSO, BRIDGET, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, BUT I THINK YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN A HOWLING SUCCESS, TOO.

YES. THANK YOU.

YEAH. WELL, EMMA AND REBECCA MANAGE THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

I ONLY ASSIST IN THAT WITH THAT PROGRAM.

BUT IT IS VERY POPULAR WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE ARCHERY, SO.

YES. SO WITH THAT, THAT WRAPS UP OUR 2023 HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

AND OUR STAFF JUST WANTS TO THANK LUANN MAISNER FOR HER 24 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

[APPLAUSE] HERE WE GO. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS HERE.

SO KIND OF LIKE IN CLOSING, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I'M THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, I'VE LANDED IN THIS PROFESSION OF PARKS AND RECREATION, AND IT'S JUST BEEN.

AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, 24 OF MY 40 YEARS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, IN PARKS AND RECREATION, WORKING HERE HAS BEEN VERY EXCITING AND REWARDING AND HUMBLING.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE, A SUPPORTIVE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY TO ME AS WELL, AND IT'S THE PLACE THAT I CALL HOME.

MY CHILDREN WENT THROUGH OKEMOS SCHOOLS, AND WE'VE LIVED HERE THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I'VE WORKED HERE.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SIX DIFFERENT PARK COMMISSIONS WHILE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I HAVE TOLD EACH OF THEM THAT THEY WERE THE BEST PARK COMMISSION I'VE EVER WORKED WITH. [LAUGHTER] BUT WE REALLY ARE.

I TELL YOU WHAT, LUCKY FOR ME, IT WAS TRUE IN EVERY INSTANCE.

EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS BEEN GREAT.

BUT HONESTLY, YOU HAVE BEEN THE BEST.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM OVER THE YEARS, AND ALSO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARDS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, INCLUDING TOWNSHIP MANAGER JERRY RICHARDS, WHO HIRED ME IN 1999, AND OUR CURRENT MANAGER, FRANK WALSH.

MY FINAL WORK DAY IS DECEMBER 21ST, AND AFTER REVIEWING 67 APPLICATIONS AND PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS ALONG WITH OUR PARK COMMISSION CHAIR, MARY FARRIS, WE WERE ABLE TO NARROW IT DOWN AND MY SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN SELECTED.

SO ACTUALLY, THAT IS A NICE RELIEF FOR ME JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S BEING HANDED OFF.

AND I FEEL REALLY, REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT COURTNEY WISINSKI WILL BE SERVING AS THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

SHE'S CURRENTLY ON OUR TOWNSHIP BOARD.

SHE SERVES ON THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

SHE IS A FORMER PARK COMMISSIONER AND BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS.

SO SHE'S VISITED EVERY SINGLE PARK AND LAND PRESERVE.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MANY PEOPLE THAT THAT CAN ACTUALLY SAY THAT.

SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT SHE WILL BE STARTING ON THE 18TH OF DECEMBER.

AND, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, FOR ME, I JUST REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING A BREATH.

IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF GO GO GO GO GO GO GO.

WE'VE DONE SO MANY GREAT THINGS AS A DEPARTMENT AND BUT I THINK IT'S JUST TIME TO TAKE A STEP BACK.

BUT I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I HAVE NO PLANS YET, OTHER THAN MAYBE A VISIT DOWN TO SEE OUR DAUGHTER JENNIFER IN FLORIDA FOR A LITTLE BIT.

GET OUT OF THE COLD WEATHER.

BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AND IT HAS BEEN JUST A BLESSING TO WORK HERE AND I LOVE YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MAISNER. YES. OKAY.

WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO LAND PRESERVATION REPORT ANYTHING?

[10. LAND PRESERVATION REPORT – Commissioner Stephens]

YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF STUFF WITH LAND PRESERVATION, YOU KNOW, AND MOST OF IT IS EMMA DOING THESE THINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF THE THINGS I CAN'T TALK ABOUT WHEN WE DO REPORTS BECAUSE WE'RE PURCHASING PROPERTIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, A LOT OF THAT'S QUIET, BUT SHE DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

[01:25:07]

THANKS MARK.

THERE'S A GOOD TEAM.

SO YEAH. THAT'S IT. OKAY.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SO NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT THAT WE HAVE OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS.

[12. OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS]

AND THEN I'D LIKE STAFF, IF THEY WANT TO, TO SAY ANYTHING AT THAT TIME.

SO IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? YOU BET. [LAUGHTER] SO TO BEGIN WITH, WE HAVE SOMETHING, A GIFT FOR YOU, WE THINK YOU COULD USE.

THANK YOU. SO KIND OF NECESSARY.

AND THEN JUST SOME [INAUDIBLE].

NICE. SURE. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. BEAUTIFUL.

I'M GOING TO PUT THOSE RIGHT HERE SO I CAN STILL SEE YOU GUYS.

LET THE CAMERA GET A VIEW OF THOSE.

BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO I ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN, BUT WE'LL DO IT BY SENIORITY WITH LEAST SENIOR, SO I'LL START ODDLY ENOUGH, AND I DID, I HAD TO THINK ABOUT SOME THINGS.

SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING CREATIVITY AND YOUR FORESIGHT.

AND WORKING WITH YOU I'VE KNOWN YOU PROFESSIONALLY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PLEASURE.

YOU ARE SO WELL THOUGHT OF THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION GROUP, BUT I NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU PROFESSIONALLY, ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY HAS.

MY HUSBAND WORKED WITH YOU THROUGH OAKS, AND MY SON HAS WORKED WITH YOU THROUGH HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT, AND THOSE WERE ALWAYS REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCES.

I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA AND YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN.

IT'S ALWAYS AMAZING TO ME AND I THINK IT'S UNDERAPPRECIATED HOW MUCH AROUND THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FROM LUANN'S VISION AND THOUGHTS, AND THAT YOU ACTUALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR NEVER ENDING PASSION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COULD BE YOU WOULD KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S APPRECIATED, BUT I KNOW IT'S JUST A NATURAL PART OF YOU, THE TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU HAVE.

FOREMOST, THE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU HAVE HIRED AND THE TEAM THAT YOU HAVE PULLED TOGETHER IS AMAZING AND WORK WELL TOGETHER AND ARE TRULY ARE EXCEPTIONAL.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND FROM THE COMMISSION, WE COMMIT THAT DURING OUR UPCOMING TRANSITION, THAT THE COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS TRANSITION.

BECAUSE TRANSITIONS ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT NO MATTER WHAT.

CHANGE IS TOUGH.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, LUANN'S WAY.

YEAH. 24 YEARS, YOU KNOW.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE I HEARD IT HANDLE IT THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THEY DO AND THEY DO.

THE OTHER TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I NOTED WERE THE HIGH LEVEL OF YOUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S BEEN NOTICED BY BOTH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.

THE LAND PRESERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS AND EFFORTS ARE OUTSTANDING.

AND EVEN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHEN I WORK WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS AND THAT STAFF AND THIS STAFF, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THAT.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE OUTSTANDING FACILITIES AND PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE ENVISIONED AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED.

SO WHEN I DRIVE BY MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, OR I EVEN SEE THE SIGNS THAT ARE BEING PUT UP RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST VERY APPRECIATED.

AND I'M NOT SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH WORK WENT INTO THAT AND THE VISION THAT YOU HAD IN GETTING THAT DONE.

BUT THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND THIS TIME WITH YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARY.

YOU'RE WELCOME. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR VAN ANTWERP.

JUST HAD A LITTLE FAMILY EMERGENCY AT HOME, SO NOW I'M A LITTLE THROWN OFF.

JUST A LITTLE FLOODING IN THE HOUSE, BUT.

SO. I'M SORRY, MIKE, I RAN OUT ON YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I HAD TO ANSWER THE CALL.

BUT. YEAH. SO THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, FOR ALWAYS MAKING I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY THAT YOU ALWAYS MAKE US FEEL VERY VALUED AND KNOW THE RIGHT TIME TO REMIND US OF OUR ROLE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

IT'S JUST BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

I'VE ALWAYS WORKED FOR GOVERNMENT.

I'VE WORKED FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AND THIS WAS KIND OF THE FIRST TIME THAT I FELT LIKE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WITH MY KIDS GETTING A LITTLE BIT OLDER, THAT I COULD ACTUALLY KIND OF GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH, MY VOLUNTEERISM.

SO I OWE A LOT OF THAT TO YOU.

I THINK MY FAVORITE STORY, OR KIND OF MY EXAMPLE THAT I GIVE TO FRIENDS WHEN THEY ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OR I'M BRAGGING ABOUT HOW GREAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS THAT AND I SAY, I THINK THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT.

BUT YOU AS THE LEADER KIND OF SETS THIS TONE IS THAT I USED TO ALWAYS LAUGH AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IN CITY OR IN GOVERNMENT, YOU

[01:30:07]

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOW AROUND THAT POLE OR YOU KNOW, THAT.

AND I FEEL LIKE WHAT IS SO REFRESHING FOR ME IS COMING AND HEARING THAT WE CAN DO ATTITUDE.

YOU NEVER SAY WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MIKE SAID, MOVING THE TRASH CAN OR HAVING TO MOW AROUND A POLE.

IF IT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE TOWNSHIP AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT AND BETTER THE COMMUNITY.

SO YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU TERRIBLY.

WE HOPE YOU'LL BE SITTING FROM YOUR HOME PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO, AND VISIT US OFTEN.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMI.

AND, YOU KNOW, FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT, BECAUSE IN MY SPEECH, I HAD WRITTEN AT ONE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO HEAR THE WORD NO.

AND THEN I DON'T LIKE TO SAY THE WORD NO.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I HATE TO HEAR THE WORD NO.

AND SO IT HAS REALLY PUT THE STAFF TO TASK SOMETIMES WHEN I SAY FIGURE IT OUT RIGHT, GET IT DONE, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

FIGURE IT OUT. I AM NOT A NO PERSON, BUT ESPECIALLY I HATE HEARING THE WORD NO.

BUT I FEEL THAT WAY.

I'VE ALWAYS WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY.

AND EVEN IF SOMEBODY COMES TO THE COUNTER AND THEY WANT SOMETHING AND WE CAN'T NECESSARILY GIVE IT TO THEM.

BUT IF WE CAN NEGOTIATE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T DETRACT FROM THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND WE CAN GIVE THEM A LITTLE AND WE GET WHAT WE NEED, THEN I THINK THAT'S A WIN WIN.

AND IT'S NOT JUST SAYING, YEAH, GO AHEAD, YOU CAN DO IT.

IT'S HOW ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER? AND THEN THEY'RE MORE APPRECIATIVE AND WE STILL GET TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO YEAH, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY FRUSTRATED MY GROUP AT TIMES BECAUSE I'M REALLY A GRAY PERSON.

I'M NOT A BLACK AND WHITE AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, CAN YOU JUST TELL ME DO YOU WANT IT DONE OR NOT? AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, I'D LIKE YOU TO FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT IT TO GET DONE.

AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I'VE, MANAGED.

AND GUESS WHAT? THEY ALWAYS FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT DONE.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

WELL, LU, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOREVER.

I KNOW. AND STILL PROBABLY PICTURES OF YOU HANGING IN THE HALLWAYS AT MUSKEGON HIGH SCHOOL FOR ALL THE ATHLETIC, WELL, ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC.

PROBABLY MORE ATHLETIC, MIKE, BUT.

[LAUGHTER] AND I CAN'T REITERATE MORE WHAT MARION AND EVERYONE HAS SAID ABOUT YOU TONIGHT, BUT I.

THE ONE THING I CAN THINK OF TO ADD ON IS HOW COMFORTABLE YOU'VE BEEN IN LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR PARK ACREAGE, AND I THINK NOT EVERY COMMUNITY OR EVERY STATE IS COMFORTABLE WITH DOING THAT, AND AS COMFORTABLE AS DOING THAT AS YOU ARE.

ODDLY ENOUGH, IN VISITING MY SON AND HIS FAMILY LAST WEEK WHERE HE'S A MANAGER IN VIRGINIA, HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT STAFF IN VIRGINIA, COMPLAINING ABOUT ADDING LAND TO STATE PARKS WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS TO MAINTAIN IT.

AND THAT GOT ME EXCITED, OF COURSE, SO I COULD GET ON MY TRUST FUND SOAPBOX.

BUT IN MANY CASES, WHEN LAND IS ADDED, IT MAKES THE ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE AND SO FORTH.

IT MAKES IT EASIER.

AND ONE KEY EXAMPLE IS THAT THAT OLD HOUSE THERE BY THE ENTRANCE TO NANCY MOORE, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICE CENTER.

AND I'VE JUST BEEN STAGGERED BY HOW SMOOTHLY THAT'S BEEN THAT LAND HAS BEEN ASSIMILATED INTO OUR SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE DIDN'T STAY THERE VERY LONG.

NOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S MOWED.

IT'S THIS, IT'S THAT.

AND I ALSO CAN'T MEASURE IT.

BUT I THINK YOU'VE GAINED OVER THE YEARS A GREAT AMOUNT OF TRUST WITH THE FOLKS AT MICHIGAN DNR THAT DO HAND OUT THE GRANTS, BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIT OF AN ANOMALY OF A PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ON THE COAST.

IT WASN'T TO PRESERVE FISHING AND HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND I COULD GO DOWN THE LIST.

BUT I THINK THE FOLKS AT THE DNR AND THE TRUST FUND HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH HOW THAT'S TURNED OUT.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT I CAN RECALL IS THE LAND NEAR PONDEROSA.

WAS A BIG ONE. IF I WAS PROBABLY STILL DOING MY OLD JOB, I WOULD HAVE MAYBE NOT SCORED IT HIGH ENOUGH TO GET FUNDED, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INTERRUPTION THERE OF THE RAILROAD. BUT FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE DONE ALL THE MAGIC SHE'S DONE THERE IF IT JUST BECAME ANOTHER EITHER

[01:35:06]

AND I THINK THE DO WE HAVE A NAME FOR IT OTHER THAN THE PONDEROSA? IT'S PONDEROSA. YEAH, I THINK IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT ADDITION.

AND IT TO THE THREE QUARTERS OF THE FUNDING CAME FROM THE STATE.

AND I THINK AS WITH THE OLD FARMHOUSE, THERE ARE OLD HOUSE ON OKEMOS ROAD.

I THINK THAT I'M PROUD OF THAT INVESTMENT AND I THINK THAT YOUR SUCCESSOR, WHO I ONLY KNOW PERSONALLY. IT JUST SEEMS SHE AND HER HUSBAND AND KIDS, YOU KNOW, WERE FACEBOOK FRIENDS, AND SHE JUST SEEMS LIKE A VERY SWEET PERSON.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO HOPE SHE CAN ATTEND THE MRPA CONFERENCE IN KALAMAZOO THIS WINTER, WHERE SHE'LL GET EXPOSED TO A BUNCH OF FOLKS THAT SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT EXISTED.

AND THAT IS THE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, ETERNALLY OPTIMISTIC PARKS AND RECREATION PROFESSION.

IN MY CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT, STARTING AS A RANGER.

AND THEN I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO EAT MY LUNCH UNDER A TREE ANYMORE.

LUCKILY GOT TO LANSING AND WORKED IN GRANTS.

THAT REALLY MADE MY DAY OR MY LIFE AND CAREER OF ALL THE LOCAL COOL FOLKS I WORKED WITH LIKE HURLEY COLEMAN AND ERNIE [INAUDIBLE].

FRANKLY, SOME OF THE GANG AT DNR ARE VERY TECHNICALLY ORIENTED FOLKS.

NOT EVERY WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST AND FORESTER YOU KNOW IS A CHARMER.

SOME OF THEM CAN BE KIND OF DROLL, BUT NOT IN PARKS AND RECREATION.

AND IF YOU MISSED A PARKS AND REC CONFERENCE, YOU MISSED A LOT OF FUN.

BUT ALSO THE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND STORIES IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR COURTNEY.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

GOOD. THANK YOU. MIKE.

MARK.

WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW.

A LONG TIME. MARK.

YEAH. WHEN I TOOK OVER AFTER MARILYN LIEBER GOT HER JOB THAT YOUR HUSBAND WAS DOING AFTER THAT FOR A WHILE, IT YOU KNOW, IT WAS SPECIAL TO ME THAT THERE WERE SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE THAT WERE APPLYING FOR THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY PLAY INTO THAT OR NOT. I'M SURE THAT YOU HAD YOUR VOICE HEARD A FEW TIMES THAT YOU WANTED SOMEBODY YOUNGER.

AT THAT TIME I WAS YOUNGER, SO WE WERE BOTH YOUNGER.

AND THE FOLKS WHO WERE WERE TRYING FOR THAT JOB AT THAT POINT WERE OLDER FOLKS.

AND THEY WERE RECREATION PROFESSIONALS, YOU KNOW, CONSUMMATE RECREATION PROFESSIONALS.

AND THAT. RIGHT.

THAT'S YOU THAT YOU ARE THEM FROM THAT AND YOU ARE KNOWN WIDELY IN THE STATE, WHEREVER I GO LUANN MAISNER'S NAME COMES UP.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE A VERY SPECIAL PERSON.

AND, YOU THINK OF EVERYBODY AROUND YOU BEFORE YOU MAKE DECISIONS.

AND OUR JOB IS EASY WHEN LUANN'S AROUND BECAUSE SHE COMES UP WITH GREAT IDEAS AND SHE SELLS IT TO US.

SO AND HOW CAN WE DISAGREE WHEN SHE PRESENTS THEM AS WELL AS SHE DOES NOW? YOU GUYS ARE LAUGHING BECAUSE IT PROBABLY HAPPENS IN YOUR OFFICE TOO.

IT'S LIKE, OH, I LIKE THIS IDEA.

SO SO I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE IT LUANN'S IDEA? AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? IT'S THE WAY THAT A GREAT LEADER ACTUALLY WORKS.

YOU HAVE AN IDEA, YOU HAVE A VISION, AND YOU MAKE THAT VISION HAPPEN.

AND SO AS A PROFESSIONAL, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY IN THE BUSINESS OR ANY BUSINESS THAT I WORK WITH THAT IS AS PROFESSIONAL AS YOU ARE.

WOW. THANK YOU MARK.

AND I'M GOING TO MISS THAT.

AND WE ARE DECENT FRIENDS.

YOU KNOW, WHENEVER.

WE MET IN FLORIDA. YEAH.

EVEN DOWN IN FLORIDA.

YEAH. WE'RE WITH OUR FAMILIES.

[LAUGHTER] HAD A GOOD TIME WITH OUR FAMILIES.

YEAH. THAT'S MY MIND.

SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, JUST THIS YEAR ALONE.

RIGHT. I FISHED WITH OVER 1000 KIDS AT THAT POND, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POND.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT TYPE OF EDUCATION THAT THAT ACTIVE RECREATION AND GET KIDS

[01:40:09]

AND I'VE GOT 40 KIDS COMING IN.

I WAS LIKE, I GOT TO CALL LUANN AT HOME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE GATE'S NOT OPEN, THERE'S A BUS COMING, AND YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE, LIKE, I'M GOING TO HELP YOU OUT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE RELEASING SALMON IN THE RED CEDAR RIVER.

THERE YOU ARE WITH BOOTS ON.

YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GET YOU TO PUT A WORM ON A HOOK AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DIRTY UP THOSE NAILS A LITTLE BIT.

YOUR RETIREMENT I'M GOING TO CALL YOU A FEW TIMES AND SAY, COME ON OUT TO THE POND AND LET'S DO SOME FUN STUFF WITH KIDS, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT.

I JUST NEVER SEEN YOU PUT A WORM ON A HOOK YET, SO YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE TO WEAR PINK THAT TIME.

OKAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IT'S KIND OF MY COLOR.

UNLESS YOU WANT TO USE ONE OF MY YEAH. ALLURE OR SOMETHING.

YEAH. THERE YOU GO. BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN THE BEST.

AND I TOTALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS AND ALL THE EFFORTS OF YOUR STAFF.

YOUR STAFF IS INCREDIBLE.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M HONORED TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU AND WATCH YOU WORK WITH OTHERS. SO THANK YOU, MARK.

THAT'S WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE.

YOU KNOW, I, COULDN'T ASK I HONESTLY COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER GROUP AND TO HAVE SUCH SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO HELP US ALL BE BETTER.

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH DNR, DNR, DNR, STATE OF MICHIGAN.

BUT I MEAN, THAT'S THE TYPE OF RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.

OUR COMMUNITY IS FULL OF JUST WONDERFUL RESOURCES.

AND I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT WHEN WE HIRE LIKE SUMMER HELP OR WHATEVER, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IN THE COMMUNITY, YOUR RESIDENTS THINK THEY KNOW EVERYTHING AND THEY'RE THE EXPERTS. BUT HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THEY PROBABLY ARE THE EXPERTS BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNITY.

BUT SO MANY OF THEM ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND HELP AND BE A PART OF MAKING US ALL BETTER.

AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS, IS ALL THE HUMAN RESOURCES.

IS THAT WE HAVE HERE. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I MISSED PART OF MY AND PART OF MY SPEECH.

BUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT ENTHUSIASM, OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S LIKE WE BUILD IT.

THEY COME, WE OFFER A PROGRAM, BAM, IT'S SOLD OUT.

THEY'RE ALL THERE. AND THEY'RE LIKE, SO EXCITED TO BE A PART AND PARTICIPATE AND GET EXCITED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE DO.

AND THAT'S TOTALLY AWESOME BECAUSE NOT ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY SUPPORT OUR MILLAGES BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT PARKS AND OUR SENIORS AND OUR RECREATION CENTER AND OUR PATHWAYS, LAND PRESERVATION, IT ALL JUST KIND OF CULMINATES WITH THE WHOLE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

AND AND THAT'S WHY I'VE GOT APPRECIATIVE PEOPLE SITTING IN THAT BACK ROW RIGHT THERE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE.

THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT THEY'RE THE MOST APPRECIATIVE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST SO PASSIONATE AND THEY'RE SO HAPPY THEY'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

AND WE'VE GOT THIS GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

AND WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM TOWNSHIP BOARD, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, PARK COMMISSION.

IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

IT'S JUST THIS WHOLE ORGANIZATION IS REALLY FANTASTIC AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO WALK AWAY.

BUT I THINK YOU NEED SOMEONE TO GET IN HERE WITH MAYBE A LITTLE MORE ENERGY.

AND I'VE KIND OF GIVEN IT ALL I'VE GOT.

AND I THINK IT'S ALL BEEN GREAT.

AND I'M PERSONALLY, I'M VERY PROUD OF ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE ONLY GOING TO GO FURTHER MOVING FORWARD.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL SIGN OUT HERE.

TREMENDOUS FOUNDATION.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR KIND COMMENTS AND FOR YOUR GIFT HERE.

THAT'S VERY NICE. IS THERE ANYBODY FROM STAFF THAT WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING? OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT THIS IS THE TIME.

COME ON UP TOGETHER. BECAUSE IT'S NOTHING MORE AWKWARD THAN STANDING HERE ALONE AND TRYING NOT TO CRY.

SO I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO THIS TOGETHER.

WELL, I CAN GO FIRST, SO THEN I'LL CRY FIRST AND THEN.

SO FOR ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW, LUANN ACTUALLY HIRED ME TWICE, PROMOTED ME TWICE.

SO I THINK IF YOU LEAVE, THEN IS THIS DEAD END FOR ME? LIKE IS THIS IT? [LAUGHTER] YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD.

YOU CAN DO IT. IT REALLY IS A FAMILY IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE'VE ALL BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

I HIT 20 YEARS TOO, IF YOU COUNT BOTH TIMES I GOT HIRED.

SO I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME WITH LU, AND I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHOLE JUST GET IT DONE.

DON'T TELL ME IT CAN'T BE DONE.

TELL ME HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND THAT HAS STUCK WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALWAYS SAID IT.

[01:45:04]

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR NO, I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND I HAD TO CARRY THAT THROUGH WITH MAINTENANCE.

BUT WE I THINK WE CAN ALL DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS LET US AND YOU ALWAYS HAD FAITH.

IN CONFIDENCE IN US AND YOU ALLOWED US TO DO OUR JOB.

AND I THINK THAT MADE US WHAT WE ARE AND HOW STRONG WE ARE AND HOW GOOD WE ARE AT OUR JOBS.

BECAUSE YOU PUSHED US TO DO THAT AND YOU LET US.

YOU LET US DO OUR THING, AND I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

THANK YOU KATI. I'M GOING TO MISS YOU.

WE GOT OUR PICTURES BEFORE YOU START CRYING TOO KATI.

SO. SO I'M GOING INTO MY FOURTH YEAR AND I THINK FOR ME THIS JOB IS SO SPECIAL AND YOU'VE MADE IT SO SPECIAL BECAUSE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD YOU YOU HAVE TO GO UPHILL A LOT.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY TRY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT.

AND JUST A LOT OF EXPLAINING.

AND I LOVE WITH LUANN, SHE TRUSTS ME AND SHE HIRED ME TO, YOU KNOW, MANAGE THESE AREAS.

AND IT WAS SO GREAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU INTERVIEWED ME, I THINK ACTUALLY THAT THE OTHER APPLICANTS HAD MASTER'S DEGREES IN MY FIELD. BUT LUANN SAID, YOU'VE GOT THE FIELD EXPERIENCE, YOU'VE GOT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WORK.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT TO START MANAGING THESE AREAS.

AND YOU'VE JUST LET ME SHINE AND FLOURISH AND YOU'VE NEVER QUESTIONED ANYTHING.

AND THAT'S VERY SPECIAL.

AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER HAD A SUPERVISOR WHO'S ALLOWED ME TO DO THAT.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M ABLE TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL IN IN WHAT I DO.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, LUANN, FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND I'M GOING TO VERY MUCH MISS YOU.

AND YOU'RE LIKE SUNSHINE WHEN YOU WALK IN EVERY DAY.

AND SO I CAN'T WATER YOUR PLANT FOR YOU THOUGH ANYMORE.

[LAUGHTER] I'M TAKING IT WITH ME.

UNLESS YOU ONLY MAKE A HOUSE CALL.

THANK YOU. EMMA. I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG AS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S STANDING BEHIND ME.

BUT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS KIND OF SOMETHING OFF OF WHAT MARK WAS SAYING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A POSITION WHERE WE GET TO SEE THE IMPACT OF EVERYTHING WE DO, AND NOBODY GETS TO SAY THAT MORE THAN YOU AND MIKE.

RIGHT? YOU GUYS GOT TO SEE AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF PEOPLE COME THROUGH YOUR PROGRAMS AND THEN START DOING THIS STUFF AGAIN IN ALL OF OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO COME BACK HERE FOR ANOTHER YEAR HAS BEEN GREAT.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT, AND I GUESS I'VE SAID IT TO YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES AS AN INTERN, I FELT NOT LIKE AN INTERN.

I FELT LIKE ANOTHER PART OF THE DEPARTMENT.

I FELT RESPECTED, I FELT INVOLVED, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD THAT IMPACT ON ME IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AS AN INTERN.

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU GET TO SAY ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE THAT ARE AT DIRECTOR LEVELS, IN DEPARTMENTS AS BIG AS THIS AND THAT ARE IMPACTING COMMUNITIES THIS LARGE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS REALLY APPRECIATED.

AND I GUESS I'D JUST LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN IF I HADN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK, YOU HAD A VERY BIG IMPACT ON ME AS A CAREER AND AS A PROFESSIONAL, AND I'LL BE CARRYING THAT ON FOR AS LONG AS I GET TO GO.

SO THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES, AND I HOPE YOU GET TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE BEACH.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

SO I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND I NEVER EXPECTED WHAT I WALKED INTO, LIKE.

LIKE KATI SAID, THIS IS A FAMILY.

AND I JUST SO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US.

AND I'M GOING TO MISS YOUR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

JUST I'M ON THE FRONT LINE AND PEOPLE CALL AND THEY'LL BE LIKE, THERE WAS THIS PLAQUE, YOU KNOW, AT THIS PARK.

AND IT WAS LIKE, THERE TEN, I DON'T KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO.

AND MAYBE IT WAS MORE LIKE 15.

BUT THEN AND I LUANN THERE WAS THIS PLAQUE 10 OR 15.

YEP. IT WAS BLAH BLAH BLAH AND BLAH.

AND SHE CAN JUST NAME IT OFF.

AND IT JUST MAKES MY JOB SO MUCH EASIER THAT I CAN RELATE TO THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ALL THIS FROM ALL THESE YEARS AGO, BUT LUANN DOES. AND I MEAN, SHE JUST BRINGS THE PASSION, THE ENERGY TO THE OFFICE.

SHE'S OUR COACH.

I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL VERY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS HERE.

THEY ARE ALL VERY GOOD AT THEIR JOBS INDIVIDUALLY.

[01:50:03]

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING.

I REALLY LOVE WORKING HERE AND LIKE I SAID IT, IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I IMAGINED.

AND I LOVE IT AND I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I AM GOING TO MISS LUANN SO MUCH.

I WORK WITH HER ONE ON ONE AND I WISH YOU THE BEST.

AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY ALL THAT SUNSHINE I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO PURSUE, SO IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU.

THANK YOU. BRIDGET, SHAKE YOUR TAMBOURINE.

YEAH. SO I MOVED HERE AND FROM METRO DETROIT AREA IN 1992, AND I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN HASLETT IN 1998, AND MY MOM WAS ACTUALLY A PARK COMMISSIONER IN 1997.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS AND STUFF IN MY FAMILY.

BUT WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, THERE WERE LIKE, NO PARKS.

I WAS 12 AND THERE JUST WASN'T A LOT TO DO IN THE AREA.

THERE WAS A LOT OF GREEN SPACE AND NATURAL AREAS, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE LAST, WHAT, 24 YEARS IS INCREDIBLE. JUST SEEING AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME TOO.

JUST SEEING HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED FOR THE POSITIVE.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A GREAT, GREAT EYE FOR DESIGN AND DETAIL AND IT SHOWS IT WITH ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE PARKS, THE MARKETPLACE, JUST THE HIGH TOP TABLES AND THE ADIRONDACK CHAIRS, ALL THOSE LITTLE DETAILS JUST REALLY MAKE OUR PARKS A PLACE TO ENJOY.

AS BRIDGET WAS SAYING, HOW YOU ARE A COACH, BUT YOU'RE ALSO A CHEERLEADER.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING WHEN I WHEN I WAS HOPING, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT A NEW DIRECTOR, I'M LIKE, LU IS A COACH AND OUR CHEERLEADER.

SHE TELLS US WE'RE ROCK STARS, GREAT AT MOTIVATING.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE LEARNED TO LEAD THAT WAY WITH OUR PART TIME STAFF.

TO JUST MAINTAIN THAT POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

YOU ALWAYS BRING OTHERS UP WITH YOU AND YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF BOSSES THINK THAT WAY OR BRING OTHERS UP THE WAY YOU DO.

SO YOU JUST HAVE SET SUCH A POSITIVE EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US AND LED WITH SUCH POSITIVITY AND A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR AND I'LL DEFINITELY MISS YOU. WE ALL WILL.

THANK YOU. BUT WE'RE GOING TO HANG OUT TOO.

[LAUGHTER] YEAH.

WHAT IS THIS? THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT WITH ME.

I DID HAVE A COWORKER NAMED DARCY.

AND SHE WAS PREGNANT TWICE OUT OF HER FIVE YEARS THAT SHE WORKED HERE.

AND SHE ALWAYS USED TO RAG ON ME THAT I CRIED MORE THAN SHE DID.

AND SHE. [LAUGHTER] THE EMOTIONAL WRECK BEING PREGNANT [INAUDIBLE] TWICE . LUANN YOU TOOK A CHANCE ON ME.

[INAUDIBLE] IT WAS YOUR RESUME.

YEAH. YOU TOOK A CHANCE ON ME.

I WAS WORKING AT CAMP HIGHFIELDS, AND SOMEBODY TOLD ME TO GET MY RESUME INTO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I WORKED WITH KIDS, COULDN'T LEAVE CAMPUS.

I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

SO I GAVE MY RESUME TO MY FRIEND, AND HE COMES BACK AND SAYS, YEP, GOT IT IN THERE.

YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

PUT IT ON THE FLUORESCENT GREEN PIECE OF PAPER.

THE COVER LETTER WAS ON A BROWN PAPER, AND I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS LIKE, YEAH, WHATEVER.

YOU WERE JUST. BUT THANK YOU FOR GETTING IT IN.

SECOND INTERVIEW KIND OF TOLD THE STORY.

MY FRIEND SAID HE PUT IT ON A FLUORESCENT GREEN PAPER AND PAUL BRAKE GOES, YOU MEAN THIS? AND MY MOUTH JUST DROPPED, BUT YOU TOOK A CHANCE ON ME.

AND I BELIEVE OUR DEPARTMENT IS A HUGE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH PEOPLE, PARKS AND PROGRAM.

AND WE MADE IT HAPPEN.

YES WE DID.

AND THEN YOU JUST HIRED MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE HAPPENING.

OUR FIRST YEAR YOU HANDED ME THE BROCHURE, SAID HERE, HANDLE IT.

AND THEN WINTER TIME COMES UP.

AND LUANN WAS TALKING ABOUT, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD DO A LITTLE TRIFOLD BROCHURE AND.

NOPE. 20 PAGES LATER, WE HAD ANOTHER BROCHURE OUT.

WE WERE MAKING IT HAPPEN.

YOU ARE AMAZING ON DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS, AND IN THIS JOB YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS

[01:55:01]

AND YOU ONCE SAID THAT OUR JOB KIND OF COINCIDES WITH OUR PERSONAL LIFE.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.

I MEAN, SAD THAT I DO BELIEVE IT, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.

[LAUGHTER] YOU HAVE EMPOWERED EVERY EACH MEMBER OF OUR TEAM TO DO THEIR JOB.

YOU HAVEN'T TAUGHT ME AN EMBRACE CHANGE.

AND AFTER 24 YEARS, THIS WOULD BE A HUGE CHANGE FOR ME.

TRULY GOING TO MISS YOU.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO BE PART OF YOUR TEAM, AND I LOVE YOU LUANN AND CANNOT WAIT TO SEE TONS OF SELFIES SMILING ON THE BEACH WITH A COCKTAIL AND SNACKIES IN HAND.

SO WHEN YOU AND MIKE GO TO FLORIDA AGAIN, YOU GUYS CAN TAKE SELFIES AGAIN.

SO I LOVE YOU, LU.

I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I KNOW YOU WILL. AWW [APPLAUSE] . YOU'RE RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE AWESOME. OKAY, WHERE'S THE DRINKS? CAN YOU CUT THAT OUT OF.

[INAUDIBLE] COULD YOU END A CAREER ANY BETTER THAN THIS RIGHT HERE? YOU JUST COULDN'T. I LOVE YOU ALL.

AND I LOVE YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

WE'RE ALL SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE YOU AND WORK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU.

IT'S BEEN PRETTY FANTASTIC.

YES IT HAS.

YES IT HAS.

THANK YOU.

I GUESS WITH THAT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN THE MEETING? I DO NOT THINK SO. I THINK IT'S ALL BEEN LAID OUT THERE.

OKAY. IT'S BEEN A GREAT LAST MEETING.

IT HAS. IT'S BEEN PRETTY FANTASTIC.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME WE'VE HAD.

ME TOO. ME TOO.

I DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU JUST DON'T HAVE ANY REGRETS, AND I JUST DON'T.

EVERYTHING HAS REALLY BEEN GOTTEN A LOT OF THINGS DONE.

YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR SOMETHING OR WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS AGREE, THAT'S NOT A BAD THING, BECAUSE THAT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO SEE THINGS FROM OTHER PERSPECTIVES.

AND I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH.

I'VE GROWN UP SO MUCH HERE IN MERIDIAN IN THIS JOB, AND I'VE LEARNED FROM SO MANY PEOPLE.

I'VE LEARNED FROM ALL OF YOU AND PEOPLE BEFORE YOU.

AND I'M PROBABLY STILL LEARNING MORE AND MORE TODAY.

AND BUT IT'S TAKEN IT'S FROM EVERYONE HERE.

I'VE BECOME A BETTER PROFESSIONAL AND A BETTER LEADER AND YEAH, IT'S IT'S ALL BEEN GREAT.

AND I WAS JUST SO APPRECIATIVE.

AND THERE'S ONE MORE PERSON THAT I NEED TO THANK OR DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

BECAUSE IF WE DON'T TELL PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, THAT'S THE WHOLE THING, RIGHT? WE GOT TO TELL PEOPLE, TELL SOMEBODY.

AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT DOES THAT FOR US, AND THEY HAVE DONE THAT FOREVER.

AND SAMANTHA DIEHL IS OUR LEADER IN THAT DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND WE JUST COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO HAVE THEM.

THEY ARE THERE AT EVERY EVENT.

THEY'RE TAKING PICTURES. THEY'RE POSTING ON FACEBOOK, ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF, OUR BROCHURE.

IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE FROM REALLY ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.

BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON COMMUNICATIONS.

THEY'VE HAD NEW PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME FRUSTRATIONS ALONG THE WAY WITH CAN WE PUT STUFF OUT? ARE YOU PUTTING STUFF OUT? AND WE ALL GET THINGS OUT IN THE PAST, BUT NOW THINGS ARE JUST RUNNING SO SMOOTHLY AND SAM IS DOING JUST A FANTASTIC JOB LEADING THAT DEPARTMENT.

AND SHE WORKS SO WELL WITH ALL OF US.

WE'RE LIKE, WE'RE LIKE THIS.

AND THEN EVEN ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR TEAM, YOU KNOW, POLICE FIRE EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE.

WE ALL ARE THERE TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND HELP ONE ANOTHER.

THERE'S NOT MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO OPERATE THAT WAY AND CAN OPERATE THAT WAY.

AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, WE ALL LIKE EACH OTHER TOO, AND THAT'S JUST AN EXTRA BONUS THAT ALL OF WE FRANK TAKES US ON TEAM BUILDING EVENTS AND AND IT'S NOT OH, WE'VE GOT TO GO ON A TEAM BUILDING EVENT.

IT'S LIKE, OH GOOD, WE GET TO GO AND IT'S GOING TO BE FUN AND YOU GET TO KNOW PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

SO THIS WORKING HERE HAS BEEN JUST A DREAM.

AND BUT I'M READY, LIKE I SAID, JUST TO TAKE A LITTLE BREATHER AND HAVE SOME FUN ON MY OWN.

WE'RE GOOD ABOUT PLANNING FUN FOR EVERYONE, FOR ME TO ENJOY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT FUN.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THAT'S TRUE. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WITH LEADING WITH YOUR HEART.

WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6:30.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.