Dec 12, 2023 Township Board

BOARD. LET'S BRING UP EMMA FIRST.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TRYING TO COUPLE COUPLE RESIGNATIONS TO FIND OUR REPLACEMENTS.

AND WE HAD ABOUT FIVE APPLICATIONS.

AND SO WE'VE MOVED FORWARD OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH DOING OUR FINAL PICKS, OF WHICH EMMA AND CARSON ARE HERE TODAY.

SO THIS IS EMMA BROWN.

UH, EMMA IS FROM BLISSFIELD.

UM, SHE DID HER PARAMEDIC TRAINING AT OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN 2022.

AND HER FIREFIGHTER ONE AND TWO CERTIFICATION AND HAZMAT OPERATIONS IN MAY OF 2023 AT OAKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

SO SHE'S REALLY NICE.

SHE'S VERY POLITE. YOU KNOW, I HATE GETTING CALLED, SIR ALL THE TIME, BUT SHE'S LIKE REALLY PUSHING IT BECAUSE THAT'S SHE'S SHE'S SHE'S A GREAT FIT.

SO YOU KNOW, WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS WE ALWAYS TRY TO STRIVE TO GET THE, THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE GOING TO FIT OUR CULTURE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GROUP OF FIREFIGHTER BEHIND ME.

UM, WE'RE HERE FOR OUR NEW PEOPLE.

THEY TRAIN EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL.

OUR GOAL IS NEVER TO LET THEM FAIL AND WHATEVER IT TAKES.

THAT'S WHAT THESE FOLKS DO WITH OUR NEW RECRUITS EVERY DAY.

SO EMMA'S A WONDERFUL ADDITION, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE HER.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE HER INTRODUCE HER FAMILY, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

GO AHEAD. EMMA? SURE.

UH, THIS IS MY MOTHER, AUDREY.

MY GIRLFRIEND KENDRA.

MY BROTHER GABE IN THE BACK THERE.

MY SISTER AND MY NEPHEW ABRAHAM.

SO HOLD THAT THOUGHT.

CARSON, COME ON UP.

AGAIN, SOMEONE THAT FIT OUR CULTURE VERY WELL.

CARSON IS FROM WISCONSIN, ACTUALLY.

SHE'S BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS UP AT LAKE STATE DOING A DEGREE IN SCIENCE, BUT WITH A FIRE BACKGROUND.

THEY HAVE A FIRE TRAINING PROGRAM THERE.

IT'S FOUR YEARS.

THERE'S MANY ASPECTS TO IT, BUT YOU CAN BECOME A PARAMEDIC AND FIREFIGHTER AND A LOT OF OTHER SIDES TO THE FIRE SERVICE.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE SHE HAS DONE A MAJORITY OF HER TRAINING.

UM, SHE'S STILL IN SCHOOL, BUT IT'S ALL ONLINE.

SO SHE GRADUATES IN DECEMBER.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER EARLY.

UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT FIT FOR US.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. SHE ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED ME.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. SO, UM, HER APPLICATION CAME IN, I CALLED HER, AND WE HAD A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS, AND IT'S LIKE, WHAT CAN I DO RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU? AND I'M LIKE, SHE'S INTERVIEWING US.

UM, SO SHE DID A ABOUT A HALF A DAY RIDE ALONG, AND, UM, I THINK WE PASSED AND WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF INTERVIEWING HER, AND SHE'S A GOOD FIT.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE BOTH CARSON AND EMMA HERE.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE EACH OF THEM SAY SOMETHING.

OH, INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY. I'M SORRY.

UM, THAT IS MY MOTHER, MINDY, AND MY FATHER, NORM AND MY BOYFRIEND, TREVOR.

[00:15:02]

UM, SO I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THEM TO BE IN FIREFIGHTERS, I MEET THEM.

UH, CAN WE HAVE CARSON'S LAST NAME, PLEASE? CARSON KNITS. KNITS.

THANK YOU. AND EMMA'S LAST NAME? BROWN. BROWN. BROWN, BROWN.

ONE MONTH. SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN, UM, ASKED TO APPROVE EARLY.

UM IN COMMENTS.

WE CAN MEET OUR OFFICERS.

OKAY. SURE, WE CAN MEET THEM.

I'D LIKE TO COME AROUND. INTRODUCE.

WE WELCOME YOU FORMALLY.

HEY. NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE, CARSON.

HI, CARSON. CONGRATULATIONS.

I'M SO HAPPY TO HAVE MET YOU.

HI. NICE TO MEET YOU.

WELCOME. CONGRATULATIONS.

GLAD YOU'RE HERE. WELCOME ABOARD.

EMMA. THANK YOU.

I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED, BUT I THINK WE'LL GET THAT STRAIGHTENED OUT.

NEXT WE HAVE, UH, FOR C, THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY SWORN IN YESTERDAY.

THAT WOULD BE LED BY CHIEF GRILLO.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

UM, I'M VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT YOU WITH, UH, NATHAN WICKS, OUR NEWEST HIRE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UH, NATE'S JOURNEY BEGAN WITH US DECEMBER 13TH OF 2022.

SO, ALMOST EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO, HE SUBMITTED HIS APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH US.

UM, NATE COMES, UH, ORIGINALLY FROM CHARLBURY.

CHARLBURY, ENGLAND.

DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? YEAH. UH, SO BORN IN, UH, IN ENGLAND.

UM, CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN, UH, WHEN HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

UH, MOVED TO NOVI WITH HIS PARENTS.

UM, HE ATTENDED NOVI HIGH SCHOOL, PLAYED BASEBALL, PLAYED VIOLIN.

UH, HONESTLY, KIND OF A RENAISSANCE MAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE, BECAUSE HE'S ALSO IN A COMEDY TROUPE CALLED AWKWARD PAUSE.

AND, UH, WAS ALSO IN THE DEBATE AND THE DEBATE TEAM.

UM, HE WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

HE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM MSU.

UH, CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION, WENT TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND, UH, AND GOT HIS MASTER'S DEGREE FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY.

SO, UM, HE GRADUATED AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS AND THE POLICE ACADEMY.

HE WAS ONE OF OUR SPONSORED CANDIDATES.

UM, WON THE ACADEMIC AWARD WITH A CUMULATIVE, I GUESS, GRADE OF OVER 90, AROUND 96%.

SO VERY PROUD OF THAT.

AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM.

THANK YOU SIR.

GO AHEAD PLEASE. DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YEAH, YEAH.

UM, I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN ME, UM, TO BE HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL.

UM, AND I'M JUST GLAD TO BE ABLE TO HELP EVERYBODY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THE BEST TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

YES. THANK YOU. HI.

CONGRATULATIONS. WELCOME AGAIN.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE. YEAH, YEAH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

BABY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. OKAY, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS, UH, COUNCIL PRESENTATION BY TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE COURTNEY BRZEZINSKI.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, BOARD MANAGER, WALSH MS TEAM.

AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE BUSY RIGHT NOW.

UH. GOOD EVENING.

UM, I'M UP HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU HOW INCREDIBLY I'M HONORED, HOW INCREDIBLY HONORED I AM TO HAVE SERVED THE LAST SIX YEARS AS A BOARD TRUSTEE, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE COMMISSIONS.

UM, WITH WONDERFUL PEOPLE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, THE ELECTION COMMISSION, WITH OUR CLERK AND FORMER PARK COMMISSION AND, UH, ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU ON VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ISSUES.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THE PAST SIX YEARS, AND WE'VE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE'VE WORKED ON TO MAKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THE BEST PLACE IN MICHIGAN TO RAISE A FAMILY, UM, INCLUDE, BUT OF COURSE, NOT LIMITED

[00:20:03]

TO, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FIRST AFFORDABLE HOUSING THIS YEAR, UM, COMMUNITY SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND USE PLANNING, FINANCIAL SECURITY WITH LOTS OF HELP FROM OUR MANAGER.

UM, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND OF COURSE A MORE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY.

I'M EXCEPTIONALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS THE NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

WITH THAT, I AM FORMALLY RESIGNING FROM OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

PLEASE KNOW THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ENORMOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT.

OR WILL LEAVE US WITH.

AND I PROMISE TO UPHOLD HER LEGACY WITH ALL OF MY HEART.

I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK.

UM, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MAISNER FOR HAVING FAITH IN ME WITH HER TEAM.

UM, I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR WALSH FOR HIS THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.

I, UM, HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT, AND I'M SO VERY EXCITED TO JOIN YOUR TEAM.

SO WITH THAT, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MUCH AWAY FROM OUR DIRECTOR.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

AND I DON'T KNOW, OUR ASSISTANT MANAGER PROBABLY DID THIS MORE ELOQUENTLY, BUT I THINK I HAVE TO LEAVE THE BOARD TABLE AND PROBABLY MOVE ON OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE FOR THAT.

I LIKE TO HUG INSTEAD OF SHAKING HANDS.

WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU, AND WE'RE GONNA LOVE YOU.

AS FAR AS. YOU'RE SITTING HERE.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE PODIUM FOR A SECOND? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? NO.

SOME OF US MIGHT HAVE SOME COMMENTS, THOUGH.

I WASN'T PREPARED FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ALMOST FIVE YEARS YOU'VE SERVED IN THE BOARD WHEN YOU APPLIED IN 2019.

THERE'S A LOT OF APPLICATIONS.

WE RECEIVED A LOT OF APPLICANTS, AND YOUR APPLICATION REALLY STOOD OUT.

AND, UM, YOU CERTAINLY FULFILLED EVERY EXPECTATION I HAD AS A FELLOW BOARD MEMBER THAT YOU WOULD SERVE THE BOARD, COME TO MEETINGS WELL PREPARED, INFORMED THE ISSUES, HAVING DONE ALL OF THE HOMEWORK, AND REALLY BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBER.

YOU HAVEN'T AGREED ON EVERY ISSUE, BUT I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED YOUR OPINION.

AND BECAUSE I KNOW IT CAME FROM CAREFUL STUDY OR REALLY FROM YOUR HEART, YOU SOME SOME OF THESE DECISIONS WE MAKE ARE COME AS MUCH FROM THE HEART AS THEY DO FROM THE BRAIN.

AND YOU BROUGHT BOTH TO THE BOARD TABLE AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU.

YOU'VE BEEN AN EXCELLENT BOARD MEMBER AND REALLY A SOLID PART OF THE BOARD FOUNDATION THESE FIVE YEARS.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE AWESOME.

PARKS DIRECTOR. SO WE'RE NOT LOSING YOU OFF THE BOARD, BUT WE'RE GAINING, UM, A REALLY EXCITING, DYNAMIC NEW PARKS DIRECTOR.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR FIVE YEARS.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB AS TRUSTEE.

THANK YOU. TREASURER. YOU MADE IT EASY.

AND THE BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU.

UM E WILL BE LED BY MR. WALSH.

ITEM FOUR.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING FOR TWO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TRIBUTES.

UM, TWO VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE TO OUR ORGANIZATION.

LUANN MAZUR AND ROBIN FAUST.

UM. LUANN MEISSNER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I RECALL A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH THEN MANAGER JERRY RICHARDS.

IT WAS, UM, EARLY 2013, AND I CALLED TO TALK ABOUT THE TEAM THAT I WAS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH WHEN I CAME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND HE TALKED OPENLY ABOUT THE GREAT TEAM THAT'S HERE.

UM, HE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT LUANN MEISSNER AND HOW WONDERFUL OF A JOB SHE DOES, OR THE CHEERLEADER OF THE ORGANIZATION AND MANY OTHER THINGS. AND I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE TIME ON THE 21ST AT HER PARTY TO TO TO HONOR HER.

UM, AND HER 24 YEARS.

SHE JOINED US IN OCTOBER OF 99.

AND ROBIN FOUST.

ROBIN FOUST AGAIN, ANOTHER OCTOBER HIRE TEN YEARS PRIOR TO LAND BACK IN 1989.

AND ROBIN'S BEEN THE GLUE TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS.

[00:25:02]

UM, IF YOU WEAR PURPLE, YOU GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH ROBIN.

THAT'S THE ONE THING.

UM, SHE'S BEEN IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THE ENGINEERING, AND HAS JUST DONE A WONDERFUL JOB, ACTUALLY, DURING COVID, ACTUALLY, YOUR, UH, MY ASSISTANT FOR A NUMBER FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS YOU GOT OUT OF THERE.

I KNOW YOU GOT OUT AS SOON AS YOU COULD.

WE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SUPERVISOR IF SHE WOULD TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT A COUPLE OF TRIBUTES, FIRST TO LUANN AND THEN TO, UH, TO ROBIN.

AND SO IF I COULD, FIRST OF ALL, HAVE, UM, LUANN AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT, UM, LUANN'S HUSBAND, MIKE MEISSNER, IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

IF I GET IN TO TALK ABOUT ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS OFFICIALS, I'LL PROBABLY GET IN TROUBLE FROM LUANN, SO I WON'T DO THAT.

THERE YOU GO. LUANN IS MY JOY TONIGHT TO READ A TRIBUTE TO YOU AND YOUR MANY YEARS AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND I BELIEVE, I HOPE, THAT I EXPRESS IN THIS TRIBUTE THE SENTIMENTS OF THIS BOARD.

PROBABLY MANY BOARDS BEFORE US, AND CERTAINLY ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HELD ON THE 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023 AT 6 P.M. LOCAL TIME.

WHEREAS LUANN MEISSNER BEGAN HER CAREER SERVING AS THE RECREATION AND MARINA SUPERVISOR FOR THE CITY OF MUSKEGON'S DEPARTMENT OF LEISURE SERVICES, AND WHEREAS, PRIOR TO HER ROLE WITH THE TOWNSHIP, SHE SERVED FOR SIX YEARS AS THE FIRST PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF DEWITT AND WHEREAS.

LUANN JOINED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TEAM ON OCTOBER 25TH, 1999 AS THE TOWNSHIP'S FIRST PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR. AND WHEREAS IN 2014 I KNOW YOU KNOW ALL THIS STARTED IN 2014.

LUANN WAS THE LEADER BEHIND THE DEDICATED PARKS AND LAND PRESERVATION MILLAGE, AND WHEREAS, SHE IMPLEMENTED THE LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM AND THE PURCHASE OF OVER 965 ACRES OF LAND PRESERVES.

AND WHEREAS LUANN MEISSNER SERVED AS PAST PRESIDENT FOR THE MICHIGAN PARKS REGIONAL ASSOCIATION, SERVED ON THE AWARDS COMMITTEE, CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE, AND AS A MEMBER OF THE M PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

AND WHEREAS, ON JANUARY 31ST, 2019, SHE RECEIVED THE MICHIGAN RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION M PARKS FELLOWSHIP AWARD AND THE M PARKS PROFESSIONAL AWARDS CATEGORY DURING THE M PARKS ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

AND WHEREAS, UNDER LUANN'S TENURE AT THE TOWNSHIP, THE GROWTH OF AMENITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS, INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF OVER 80 MILES OF TRAILS AND PATHWAYS.

AND WHEREAS DIRECTOR MAISNER WAS INVOLVED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWNER ROAD PARK, HARTWICK PARK.

ORLANDO PARK.

CEDAR BEND HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.

I HAVE MORE GAY NORTH MERIDIAN PAVILION, AND HE DID BATHROOMS. UH UH, PAVILION AND HEATED BATHROOMS. I'M SORRY. WALSH PARK PAVILION, HISTORICAL VILLAGE BATHROOM, FISHING DOCKS, PICKLEBALL COURTS, LARGE DOG PARK, SMALL DOG PARK.

AND WHEREAS LOU ANN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BEGINNING OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OVERPOPULATION OF DEER IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND WHEREAS SHE HAS IMPLEMENTED MANY TOWNSHIP WIDE SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDING CELEBRATE MERIDIAN AND SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, AND WHEREAS IN 2020, THROUGH LOU ANNE'S LEADERSHIP, THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN OPENED AS A NEW, VIBRANT MARKET AND WINTER ICE RINK THAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

AND WHEREAS LOU ANN HAS BEEN A MENTOR TO MANY DIRECTORS IN THE FIELD TODAY AND OFFERS GREAT KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT AND IDEAS FOR ADVANCING THE FIELD OF PARKS AND RECREATION, AND FOR MORE ANSWERS WHEN SHE WILL BE MISSED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC FOR HER POSITIVE DIRECTION AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

[00:30:07]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, EXTENDS ITS GRATITUDE TO LOU ANN MESSNER FOR HER NEARLY 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WITH UNDERSTANDING, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, AND AN UNBRIDLED DESIRE TO CREATE MICHIGAN'S NUMBER ONE RATED PARK SYSTEM.

WOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

AND THIS IS FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.

MAY I JUST SAY A COUPLE THINGS? PLEASE DO. OKAY.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME AROUND FOR 24 YEARS.

UM, WHEN I FOUND THE FIELD OF PARKS AND RECREATION BECAME A PROFESSIONAL, UM, I COULDN'T HAVE FOUND A BETTER PROFESSION FOR ME.

IT JUST FIT ME TO A TEE, AND THERE'S BEEN, LIKE, NO DAY.

I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO WORK.

IT'S JUST I AM GOING TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

AND, UM, BUT ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE WONDERFUL, AND I APPRECIATE THE RESOLUTION, BUT I MAY HAVE SOME IDEAS, BUT I'M NOT THE ONE THAT ON MY OWN IMPLEMENTS THEM. AND SO IT TAKES IT TAKES EVERYONE.

AND I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE WONDERFUL STAFF PEOPLE.

AND I FEEL THAT IS, UM, PROBABLY THE KEY TO, TO MY SUCCESS OR JUST TO SUCCESS IN GENERAL, IS TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE VERY BEST THAT YOU CAN.

AND I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE OVER THE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DONE THAT.

AND BEFORE I LEAVE THE PODIUM HERE TODAY, I DO WANT TO MENTION ROBIN FROST, BECAUSE WHEN I STARTED HERE IN 1999, WE I'M THE FIRST.

SO THERE WASN'T MUCH.

ROBIN WAS WITH ME AT THE VERY BEGINNING, AND SHE WAS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR 20 YEARS.

AND ROBIN PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE SUCCESS THAT WE EXPERIENCED STILL TODAY.

AND SO, ROBIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MY FRIEND, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO HELP OUR DEPARTMENT THRIVE OVER THOSE YEARS.

AND, UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM, TO ME IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SUCCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC SEES, OUR PARKS AND GROUNDS, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE JUDGED.

AND I SAID THIS AT THE PARK COMMISSION MEETING.

IT'S LIKE, IS THE GRASS MOWED? ARE THE WEEDS TRIMMED? UM, ARE THE ARE THE LINES ON THE BALL FIELD STRAIGHT? THE ARE THE BATHROOMS CLEAN? THE PUBLIC JUDGES US EVERY SINGLE DAY BY WHAT THEY DO AND THEY ARE AWESOME.

AND EVERY EVENT THAT'S SET UP, IT'S PROFESSIONALLY SET UP.

I DON'T HAVE TO SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? IT IS IT IS DONE AND IT'S PERFECT.

YOU LOOK AT THE THE THE ICE RINK RIGHT NOW AND HOW THEY DECORATE IT.

THEY TAKE THAT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAKE IT LOOK EXTRA SPECIAL.

MY RECREATION STAFF, MIKE DEVLIN, WAS THE FIRST PERSON THAT I THAT I WAS ABLE TO HIRE, AND I WANTED SOMEONE WHO COULD CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BE A BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR RESIDENTS.

I COULD NOT HAVE I COULD NOT HAVE FOUND A BETTER PERSON FOR THAT.

AND HE HAS BEEN A HUGE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN AND THEN WE'VE ADDED PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.

WE HAD KIT RICH AT THE NATURE CENTER PART TIME.

WE HAD GERALDINE SNELL AT SNELL TOWER REC CENTER PART TIME, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, KATIE ADAMS LEADING OUR MAINTENANCE DIVISION, AS WELL AS THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, AND ALISON GOODMAN, EXCELLENT PEOPLE AT OUR NATURE CENTER, VERY PROFESSIONAL.

UM, UH, MIKE DEVLIN.

AND NOW WE'VE ADDED NICK WING, UH, TO OUR RECREATION STAFF, UH, EMMA CAMPBELL, LAND PRESERVATION.

SHE'S BEEN JUST, UH, I SAY IT SO OFTEN, BUT A ROCK STAR, HOW SHE'S CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND IT CONNECTS PEOPLE.

AND I COULDN'T BE MORE APPRECIATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR EMBRACING US AND AND BEING EXCITED.

IT'S LIKE WE BUILD IT. THEY COME, WE OFFER A PROGRAM, THEY'RE ALL ON IT.

THEY'RE ALL ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE THERE.

AND IT'S LIKE, HOW DO YOU NOT BE EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY WHEN YOU CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS? SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.

AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MANAGER WALSH FOR ALL OF HIS SUPPORT.

I'VE GROWN DRAMATICALLY IN THIS JOB OVER THE LAST 24 YEARS, AND JERRY RICHARDS FOR HIRING ME BACK IN THE DAY AND, UM, FOR THE M TEAM AND ALL OF MY STAFF AND AND AND THE COMMUNITY, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT CAREER.

AND NOW I'M READY TO GO HAVE SOME FUN OF MY OWN.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH EVERY MAKE FUN FOR EVERYONE ELSE, AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO HAVE SOME FUN.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TRIBUTE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR YOUR KIND DID THIS ONLINE.

OKAY. I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON, SO I WASN'T SURE I WAS PICKING UP THE RIGHT ONE.

[00:35:07]

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PODIUM TO.

YES. I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR 24 YEARS.

MY EXPOSURE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WASN'T WHEN I STEPPED INSIDE THIS BUILDING TO GET INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

IT WAS A DECADE BEFORE THAT WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN LOCAL YOUTH SPORTS, AND MY DAUGHTER WAS SO TAKEN WITH MIKE AND THE TEAMS THAT HE COACHED AND THE PARKS THAT WE WOULD TAKE OFF AND, UM, PLAY IN WHEN THEY WERE VERY SMALL, AND EVERY EXPOSURE TO OUR PARKS AND YOUR STAFF WAS JUST TOP NOTCH, AND YOU BROUGHT PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE TO THIS JOB, YOU'VE BEEN INNOVATIVE TO GET THINGS DONE THAT NO ONE THOUGHT COULD GET DONE, BUT YOU FOUND WAYS TO GET IT DONE, AND YOU'VE DONE THE HARD WORK THAT IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS, LIKE DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR PARKS AND CREATING THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM THAT ISN'T DONE EASY.

THOSE ARE EASY THINGS TO WRITE OUT, BUT IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GET THEM DONE AND EXECUTE THEM.

AND YOU'VE DONE THAT HARD WORK FOR 24 YEARS.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

YOU'VE BEEN YOU ARE, IN MY OPINION, MISS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

YOU JUST PERSONIFIED THE PASSION AND AND LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, THAT YOU'VE SHOWN THESE YEARS.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DID.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE MEANS A LOT TO THE BOARD HAVE THOMAS.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL.

WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. OKAY.

AND NOW, ROBIN FOUST.

GREAT PURPLE. I GO EVERYWHERE IN PURPLE.

AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HELD ON THE 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023 AT 6 P.M. LOCAL TIME.

WHEREAS ROBIN FOUST JOINED THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TEAM ON OCTOBER 16TH, 1989, WORKING AS A SECRETARY IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK PROGRAM AND HUMAN SERVICES.

WHEREAS, SHE ASSISTED WITH SPECIAL PROJECTS INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF THE NOKOMIS LEARNING CENTER AND THE MERIDIAN 2000 FUTURING PROJECT, AND WHEREAS, IN 1991, ROBIN WAS THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEWLY CREATED COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND ASSISTED WITH THE TOWNSHIP'S 1992 SESQUICENTENNIAL.

ARE YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO CATCH YOU, DIDN'T IT? SESQUICENTENNIAL 150TH CELEBRATION.

AND WHEREAS IN 1993, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS DISSOLVED, BUT ROBIN RETAINED THE DUTIES FOR PARKS HOME TV AND ADDED PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION AND THE HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM.

WOW. AND WHEREAS, IN 1995 SHE BECAME THE DIRECTOR, THE DEPARTMENT SECRETARY FOR ACCOUNTING AND BUDGETING, IN ADDITION TO PARKS HOME TV, MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE PARK COMMISSION.

AND WHEREAS, IN 2000, ROBIN WAS PROMOTED TO DEPARTMENT SECRETARY TO THE NEWLY CREATED PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT UNDER DIRECTOR MAISNER AND WHEREAS, ROBIN CONTINUED HER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CABLE DIVISION HOME TV AND CHANNEL 21, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, HARRIS NATURE CENTER, SNELL TOWER RECREATION CENTER, NUMEROUS PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS WHILE WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE NEW RECREATION ACTIVITIES COMPONENT AND WHEREAS, WHEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MOVED TO THE SERVICE CENTER, ROBIN ASSISTED WITH FORMATION OF NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE OKEMOS AND HASLETT SCHOOLS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MERIDIAN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, MERIDIAN HISTORICAL VILLAGE, AND NOKOMIS LEARNING CENTER. AND WHEREAS IN 2020, DURING COVID 19, SHE SERVED AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

AND WHEREAS IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, ROBIN'S UH DUTIES INCLUDED ASSISTING IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE ELECTION PROCESS FOR THE MAY 2020 SPECIAL ELECTION AND MINUTES FOR BOTH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. AND WHEREAS, IN 2022, ROBIN BECAME THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO IN THE PUBLIC WORKS

[00:40:02]

DEPARTMENT, WHERE SHE HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH RESIDENTS ON THEIR WATER, SEWER, STORM DRAIN PATHWAY AND CEMETERY ISSUES.

AND WHEREAS, ROBIN HAS WORKED FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR 24 YEARS AND HAS EXCELLED IN ALL THE POSITIONS SHE HAS HELD, AND WHEREAS SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED BY EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC FOR HER EMPATHY AND KINDNESS. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, EXTENDS ITS GRATITUDE TO ROBIN FOUST FOR HER 34 YEARS OF LOYAL, DEDICATED, AND IMPECCABLE PUBLIC SERVICE. AND THANK YOU.

THIS IS FOR YOU. THANK YOU.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

YOU LIKE TO GET ME JUST A FEW.

I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER, WALSH AND ALL THE DIRECTORS.

I'VE ENJOYED ALL MY 34 YEARS HERE.

UM, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT DIRECTORS.

I LEARNED SO MUCH UNDER WAYNE MASER.

IF IT WASN'T FOR HER. AND SHE TAUGHT ME PARKS AND RECREATION MADE AN EXCEL, AND WE HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THAT.

BUT I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO TO GO TO A COUPLE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ENDED UP LANDING IN PUBLIC WORKS AND TOOK THAT ON.

AND I LOVE ALL OF THE THE ASPECTS OF LEARNING OF OVER THERE.

AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH WITH A GREAT TEAM AND STAFF TO WORK WITH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ROBIN, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM.

YES, SIR. MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT WAS WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO THE PARK COMMISSION IN 2014.

AND, UM, YOU MADE THAT EXPERIENCE SO GOOD FOR ME AND OTHER PARK COMMISSIONERS.

YOU REALLY. EVERY TIME I CAME INTO THE PARK, YOU MADE IT SEEM LIKE I WAS MANAGER WALSH WALKING IN, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE YOU WERE VERY HELPFUL.

AND YOU JUST MADE THAT JOB REALLY SHINE FOR ALL OF US.

WE ARE ALL ALL A GREAT MATERIALS.

AND YOU REALLY WERE THE CONNECTION FOR ALL OF US OUTSIDE THE TOWNSHIP TO THE PARK COMMISSION AND ALL WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

YOU REALLY CONNECTED ME AS AN OUTSIDER TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE TOWNSHIP, PARTICULARLY THE PARK.

SO YOU DID EXCELLENT WORK THERE.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING ALWAYS MAKING ME FEEL SO WELCOME WHEN I CAME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

YOU HAVE TWO, UH, AMAZING FEMALE LEADERS AND MENTORS BEFORE US TONIGHT WHO ARE RESIGNING FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

BUT I KNOW THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT LEAVING THEIR HEARTS.

I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR BOTH THESE LADIES FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

UM, MANY OF THEM HAVE, UH, ARE JUST THE CAMARADERIE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED ME WITH SINCE I WALKED IN THE DOOR.

AND I KNOW YOU CAME IN A YEAR LATER, LEANNE.

BUT ROBIN WAS HERE WHEN I STARTED IN 96 AS AN INTERN, KNOWING NOTHING.

AND, UM, ROBIN, YOU TAUGHT ME SO MUCH WHEN I CAME IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP.

UM, EVERY SINGLE STORY I EVER HAD TO DO, I KNEW THAT I COULD ASK YOU QUESTIONS, AND YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO LEAD ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT INFORMATION WAS HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND LUANNE AND I WORKED ON MANY PROJECTS TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, CELEBRATING WHO WE ARE.

UM, AND I COULDN'T THINK EITHER ONE OF YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT.

AND THEN JUST THE SPECIAL PLACE I HAVE IN MY HEART FOR ROBIN, WHO HAD A TREMENDOUS TASK WHEN SHE WAS DEPUTY CLERK OF THE TOWNSHIP DURING AND I WAS AT HOME WITH MY MOM, TAKING CARE OF MY MOM FOR A MONTH AND A HALF.

AND, UM, MANAGER WALSH AND AND ROBIN WERE THERE FOR ME, AND I KNOW THE CLERK'S OFFICE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN RUN WITHOUT ROBIN THERE TO KEEP IT AT THE HELM AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

AND AND THAT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON ROBIN IS.

SHE WOULD. SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE AND ANY POSITION THAT SHE EVER HAD.

SHE DID THAT. AND I KNEW NO MATTER WHAT POSITION I EVER HAD IN THE TOWNSHIP, THAT I COULD ALWAYS GO TO ROBIN AND WITHOUT FAIL.

[00:45:01]

SHE WAS AN AMAZING PERSON AND ANYTHING THAT SHE DID AND JUST AMAZING WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SO THANK AND LUANNE YOU TO CUSTOMER SERVICE I MEAN YOU GUYS TO MY FAVORITE LADY.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE GIVEN TO THE TOWNSHIP.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'M SORRY.

I'M A CRIER. I DIDN'T MEAN TO CRY, BUT THANK YOU.

IT REALLY MEANT MEANS A LOT.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR AMAZING ROBIN.

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

WE COME NOW TO ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA.

CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE ONE GREEN CARD TONIGHT.

IT WAS. IT'S FROM JOSH NAHUM.

PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

HELLO I'M JOSH NAHUM 1517 RIVER TERRACE, EAST LANSING.

I'M HERE TO APPLAUD POLICE CHIEF GRILLO FOR MEETING WITH DOCTOR LASHER, DIRECTOR OF THE MSU SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, AND JESSICA MARTIN, SUPERVISOR FOR THE SOCIAL WORK UNIT OF THE LANSING PD, ON THURSDAY FOR A VERY INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION ON HOW NEARBY POLICE DEPARTMENTS BENEFIT FROM THE INVOLVEMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS. MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE FOUND THAT SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD OF THEIR PEER POLICE OFFICERS AND HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE BOARD AND MTPD, AS THEY CONSIDER WHETHER THIS MIGHT BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO OUR VERY OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THANK YOU, OFFICER GRILLO.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHERS WHO LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.

UM, BEFORE I GET INTO A FEW OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON, I.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE FIRST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF OUR TEAM IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.

I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY CLERK GUTHRIE COMMENTS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL KNOW DURING THAT MONTH OF THE HALF WHEN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, IT WAS ROBIN DOING ALL THE CLERK'S WORK.

I WAS HER GOFER, BUT SHE WAS DOING THE CLERK'S WORK JUST TO, FOR THE RECORD, KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ELECTIONS.

UM, FRANK WAS MY I SOME EMOTIONAL SUPPORT YOU GAVE ME.

SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR.

YEAH, RIGHT. YOU WEREN'T REALLY DOING WORK IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT 34 YEARS AND WE TALKED ABOUT 24 YEARS, BUT THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE IN THE ROOM TONIGHT THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED.

AND THAT'S THE PERSON WHO, OUT OF ALL OF OUR TEAM, WHICH IS 165 MEMBERS, IS NUMBER ONE IN SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT IS DENISE GREEN AND HER 43 YEARS TO THE TOWNSHIP.

SO, DENISE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SHE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO GOT THE MEMO ABOUT WEARING ROBIN'S PURPLE, TOO.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE WERE ALL AT THE RIBBON CUTTING.

RIGHT? AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL THING.

IT TOOK US ABOUT, UH, 30 YEARS OF PLANNING AND THEN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, AND 250 PEOPLE SHOWED UP.

BUT WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS BEHIND THE SCENES, WHO REALLY PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER AND DID THE WORK? ONE PERSON IS JAY GRAHAM.

HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT.

FORMER ARCHIE VIRTUE AWARD WINNER, ACTUALLY THE INAUGURAL WINNER OF THE ARCHIE VIRTUE AWARD WINNER SEVEN YEARS AGO.

BUT THERE'S TWO GENTLEMEN HERE WHO REALLY HELPED MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND THEY SHOULD ALSO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR GREAT WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, NOT JUST WITH THAT PROJECT, BUT THEY ALSO DESIGNED THE OKEMOS ROAD, UM, PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY JUST NORTH OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.

I LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JANICE SHRADY AND NIALL NUNN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.

SO, UM.

AND I WANT TO, UM, ALSO, COURTNEY, WELCOME YOU TO OUR TEAM.

WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU.

UM, IT'S NOT ONLY BIG SHOES.

IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

AND WE'LL, UM, LLEWYN'S REMARKABLE SERVICE TO THE TO THE COMMUNITY AND MIKE DEVLIN'S WORK WITH HIS RECREATION WORK.

[00:50:04]

MIKE, YOU'RE A PILLAR IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOU RUN THAT RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

YEAH, YEAH.

WE LOVE HAVING YOU.

THE MAYOR OF PLEASANT LAKE, RIGHT? I WANT TO DEDICATE MY REPORT TONIGHT TO WILL ALEXANDER GOODELL.

THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WELL UNDERWAY UNDER THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, SOON TO BE CHANGING OVER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE APPROXIMATELY 127 DEER AT THIS POINT.

GOOD MORNING MERIDIAN, WHICH IS OUR NEWS PROGRAM.

WE'RE IN OUR SECOND MONTH OF KICKING THAT OFF.

THE FIRST EPISODE WENT REALLY, REALLY WELL.

I WANT TO COMPLIMENT DENISHA MCDOWELL AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

SHE PUTS ALL THAT TOGETHER AND ALL THE EDITING THAT GOES ON.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE EDITING IS THE IS THE HARDEST PART OF PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.

THE REST OF US JUST TALKING.

SO DENISHA THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER.

I KNOW A NUMBER OF YOU WILL BE PART OF THE SECOND EDITION OF GOOD MORNING MERIDIAN.

AS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATE ALL THAT OUT, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, CENTER, TASK FORCE, ARE YOU GOING TO YOU'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT UNDER COMMENTS OR I CERTAINLY CAN.

GOOD. THANK YOU.

UH, ARCHIE VIRTUE EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER.

UM, NIALL NUNN, A FORMER, UH, WINNER OF THIS AWARD.

THIS AWARD. I APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK.

I KNOW, UH, DIRECTOR GIBBS AND I HAVE HAD ABOUT SIX CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS, AND I TALKED TO A NUMBER OF THE DIRECTORS.

GIVE US FEEDBACK, WE GET ALL THIS FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE, AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT OUR AWARD WINNERS.

BUT ARCHIE VIRTUE WAS WITH US FOR 54 YEARS.

HE WAS A MAN OF GREAT HONOR.

HE PASSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND WE STARTED THIS AWARD IN HIS RECOGNITION AND HONORS.

UM, I THINK THERE'S 7 OR 8 EMPLOYEES WE HONOR EVERY YEAR, AND THEN THERE'S ONE OUT OF THOSE THAT WINS THE AWARD.

AND IT'S REALLY A HIGH HONOR.

ROBIN FOUST I BELIEVE YOU'RE ON ARCHIE VIRTUE AWARD WINNER AS WELL.

YES. WE HAVE TWO OF YOU IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

ANNUAL GOAL SETTING IS MONDAY NIGHT AT 5 P.M.

IN THIS ROOM. UH, ROBIN FOUST PARTY WEAR PURPLE ON THURSDAY, THE, UH, WEDNESDAY THE 20TH AT 10 A.M..

RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM, 10 A.M.

PURPLE. UH, LEWIN MASNER IS GOING AWAY.

PARTY. RETIREMENT PARTY WILL BE ON THE NEXT DAY ON THE 21ST ON THURSDAY FROM 2 TO 4 IN THIS ROOM.

NOT A GOOD TIME TO GO TO THE POLICE STATION RIGHT NOW AS THE MASSIVE FLOORING PROJECT IS UNDERWAY.

AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS INTO THE BUILDING, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UM, DIRECTOR CLARK, WHO'S BEEN AN ADAMANT SUPPORTER OF THE CIA TIF PROJECT AND UNDERSTAND MONDAY NIGHT WILL BE MEETING WITH THE AIRPORT.

LAST TIME WE DID A TIFF, IT TOOK ABOUT SIX PEOPLE, DIFFERENT PEOPLE WORKING ON IT.

IF YOU RECALL, YOU GO, HERE YOU GO, HERE YOU GO HERE.

WE CHANGED OUR GAME PLAN.

IT'S AMBER, YOU GO HERE, AMBER, YOU GO HERE, AND AMBER, YOU GO HERE.

AND IT'S WORKING OUT RATHER WELL.

AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD THEIR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR LAST NIGHT.

AND, UH, JERRY RICHARDS, OUR FORMER TOWNSHIP MANAGER, LONGTIME PUBLIC SERVANT, HAS RESIGNED FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO THERE IS, UM, AN OPENING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE MASTER PLAN, THEY SHOULD TALK TO SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

AS YOU KNOW, APPOINTMENTS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ARE MADE ONLY BY THE SUPERVISOR.

AND FINALLY, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR MASTER PLAN, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DETAILS FOR YOU AS THE CALENDAR TURNS INTO 2024.

THAT'S MY REPORT THIS EVENING.

ARE YOU HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.

THANKS, THANKS.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

AND SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA IS BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

TRUSTEE WILSON.

WELL, AS FRANK ALLUDED TO, WE HAD A MEETING OF THE SENIOR CITIZEN TASK FORCE TODAY, UH, WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO AN ATTORNEY WHO SPECIALIZES IN APPRAISAL INFORMATION.

SO WE'RE CURRENTLY AT THE BEGINNING STAGES.

AND AS I SAID TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRING A THEATER GROUP TO A COMMUNITY CENTER, EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE AND WE'LL CONSIDER EVERYTHING.

BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF THE COST AND THE AMENITIES AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS.

SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF EVALUATING A, UM, A BUILDING THAT IS IN THE TOWNSHIP, CENTRALLY LOCATED.

THEY MAY BE A POTENTIAL SITE.

SO WE'RE WORKING TO GET AN APPRAISAL DONE OF THAT BUILDING.

AND THEN WE START TO WORK AROUND FEBRUARY 1ST WITH A COMPANY THAT WE HAVE ENGAGED, UH, CALLED PROGRESSIVE E, AND THEY ARE GOING TO HELP US WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT, COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, PRELIMINARY

[00:55:09]

PLANS, DESIGN WORK AND SO ON.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL OUR COMMUNITY WE ARE MOVING SLOWLY AND DELIBERATELY, AND YOU WILL SEE THINGS BEGIN TO EVOLVE IN 2024.

DEHEN. YES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. MR..

DID YOU HAVE JUST AN UPDATE, LIKE MOST OF THE BOARD ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING LAST FRIDAY FOR THE NEW PHASE ONE OF UM, OF THE LAKE LANSING TO UM OR MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY.

IT WAS AN AMAZING DAY.

I MEAN, DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM, YOU GUYS DONE FANTASTIC WORK THERE.

THAT'S REALLY AN IMPRESSIVE BRIDGE AND SECONDARY BRIDGE PATHWAY.

AND THEN BOARDWALK, PEOPLE KEPT GOING AND BEING MORE AND MORE AMAZED.

AND THE PATH YOU CHOSE IS VERY SCENIC.

IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING TREASURED BY THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT CENTURY, I'M SURE.

SO FANTASTIC WORK ON THAT.

UM, TAX BILLS WENT OUT, UM, 12 DAYS AGO.

IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR TAX BILL YET, PLEASE CALL MY OFFICE 8534140 AND I'D BE GLAD TO SEND OR EMAIL YOU ANOTHER ONE.

UH, THE US POSTAL SERVICE IS RELIABLE, BUT NOT AS RELIABLE AS IT USED TO BE, SO WE WERE HAVING TO SEND OUT DUPLICATES IN MANY CASES.

IF YOU DIDN'T GET ONE, WE'RE GLAD TO SEND YOU ONE.

UM, REGARDING MY OFFICE, WE DO HAVE A NEW, UH, OPENING FOR A BOOKKEEPER IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IN A PART TIME OPENING IN THE UTILITY BILLING DEPARTMENT.

SO WE'D LOVE TO HAVE, UM, YOU JOIN THE TEAM IF YOU HAVE QUALIFICATIONS AND ARE INTERESTED IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND THEN LASTLY, CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE WAS LAST SUNDAY.

WELL DONE BY THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN.

ALL VOLUNTEER EFFORT.

THEY HAD THE GENERAL STORE.

THEY HAD THE CHAPEL, THEY HAD THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

THEY HAD EVERYTHING OPEN AND WONDERFUL TOURS.

THEY HAD SOME, UH, SINGERS WHO DID 16TH AND 17TH CENTURY CHRISTMAS, UH, MUSIC AND JUST BEAUTIFULLY DONE BY A LOT OF REALLY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS.

GREAT DAY FOR MERIDIAN AS WELL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

UM, I ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING AS WELL, AND, UM, STARTED WALKING THE PATHWAY.

I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW LONG.

I MEAN, YOU HEAR HOW LONG IT IS, BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW LONG IT IS UNTIL YOU KEEP WALKING AND WALKING AND WALKING.

SO OUR RESIDENT WHO'S HERE TONIGHT AND MADE A COMMENT, WE WERE WALKING TOGETHER.

AND HE'S GOT A BEAUTIFUL DOG, BY THE WAY, AND WE JUST ENJOYED EACH OTHER'S COMPANY AND THE SCENERY AND HOW WONDERFUL THIS NEW ADDITION IS TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, I WILL DEFINITELY BE MAKING MY HUSBAND WALK AT ONE WHEN HE'S AROUND AND IN TOWN.

UM, IT YOU DON'T REALLY REALIZE THE BEAUTY THAT IS HIDDEN BEHIND ALL OF THE, UM, APARTMENTS AND GRAND RIVER AND ALL THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE THERE.

YOU FORGET THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL RIVER IS BACK THERE.

SO IT WAS JUST NICE TO BE ABLE TO WALK IT.

UM, FOR THE THE BOARD HAD REAPPOINTED, UH, A BUNCH OF BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, AND OUR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, WHO WE STOLE FROM THE TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT.

STEPHANIE IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB CONTACTING THEM AND SCHEDULING OATHS TO GET THEM SWORN IN BEFORE THEIR FIRST MEETING FOR THEIR REAPPOINTMENT.

SO THAT IS IN THE WORKS.

AND THEN JUST A REMINDER FOR, UM, FOR VOTERS TO TURN IN THEIR PERMANENT MAIL BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO OUR OFFICE.

THAT'S. YEP. OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE? UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD TO CLAIRE GUTHRIE'S COMMENTS THAT NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT REALIZE HOW LONG A TRAIL IT IS, YOU ALSO DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH WORK WENT INTO BRINGING IT TO REALITY.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO PARTICULARLY ALL OUR STAFF, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, OUR, UM, UM, THE RELATIONSHIPS WE NEEDED TO GET IT BUILT WITH MDOT AND EVERYBODY.

AND AGAIN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR 30 YEARS AND SAD A FRIDAY IT CAME TO RELIGION.

SO DAN.

NIALL. UM, UM, JANICE, JANICE EVERYBODY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE COME NOW TO APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA.

[01:00:01]

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN, PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. YES. YES. OPPOSED? NO. CHAIR.

VOTES. YES.

UM. HMM'HMM.

AND NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES TYPICAL COMMUNICATIONS MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING.

UM, OUR USUAL BILLS.

ITEM D IS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A FEE SCHEDULE FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 307, FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES COST RECOVERY.

AND WE'VE HEARD PLENTY ABOUT THAT FROM, UH, CHIEF AMEL.

UM, WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

YOU HAVE. IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, I NEED A MOTION.

I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE. UH SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

WILSON. YES.

THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY TONIGHT.

NO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

AND WE MOVE ON TO ACTION ITEMS 12 A IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM.

[12.A. Meridian Township Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Program]

WE WILL HEAR FROM MR. WALSH, CHIEF HAMEL.

HAMEL AND CHIEF GRILLO.

THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

I'M JOINED, UM, TO MY LEFT BY CHIEF GRILLO AND TO MY RIGHT BY CHIEF HAMILL.

UM, WE'RE ALL A TEAM ON THIS APPROACH.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS COLLECTIVELY FOR, UM, ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

UM, TOGETHER.

UM, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS, UM, STAFFING ISSUE THAT WE HAVE PREDOMINANTLY ON THE POLICE SIDE RIGHT NOW, BUT AT ANY TIME COULD BE ON THE PARAMEDIC SIDE, AS WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU.

IT'S IT'S AN INTERESTING DICHOTOMY THAT FOR A PARAMEDIC, I THINK IT TAKES 18 MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

UM, AND TO GO THROUGH THE POLICE CADET PROGRAM IS 4 OR 5 MONTHS.

UM, AND SO YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE ISSUE ON STAFFING WOULD BE MORE ON THE PARAMEDIC SIDE, BUT ACTUALLY IT'S MORE ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE FOR US.

UM, WE HAD, UM, OUR 32ND OFFICER JOIN US HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND WE WALK THEM.

UH, MISTER WICKS.

AND CHIEF HAMILL CONTINUES TO DO EXTREMELY WELL AT KEEPING THE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS FULLY STAFFED AT 34, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO 36 NEXT YEAR. SO, UM, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE LED WITH, UM, GREAT LEADERSHIP ON OUR STAFFING ISSUE.

WHAT? WE'RE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT, AND WE'LL BE VERY BRIEF, ALTHOUGH I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WATCHING FOR THE FIRST TIME ARE AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE TONIGHT.

IT'S, UM, IT'S KIND OF A DUAL APPROACH TO HITTING OUR STAFFING ISSUES.

IT'S VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE POLICE RECRUITMENT WORLD RIGHT NOW.

UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A 10% PLUS THE NORMAL 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT ON JANUARY 1ST.

SO IT'S A 13% INCREASE IN, UM, UM, POLICE AND FIRE WAGES, UM, FOR BOTH.

INTERESTING. OLAF I WAS TALKING TO IS IT, UH, CARSON, THE BASKETBALL PLAYER? YEAH, I WAS TALKING TO CARSON, OUR NEW FIREFIGHTER, AND MEETING HER FAMILY BEFORE THE MEETING.

SHE PLAYED BASKETBALL UP AT LAKE SUPERIOR STATE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE.

AND IT WAS AMAZING, UM, HOW WELL RESEARCHED SHE WAS ON OUR BENEFITS.

AND I MENTIONED, ARE YOU AWARE OF WHAT THE BOARD'S GOING TO DO TONIGHT? AND I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO TELL HER WHAT IT WAS THAT.

YEAH, SHE WAS WELL AWARE OF IT.

SO IT'S REALLY HAVING AN IMPACT ALREADY.

AND OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT IT'S COUPLED WITH A RECRUITMENT BONUS AND THAT IS AND WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS SEVERAL TIMES.

I WON'T GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS TONIGHT, BUT IT'S A $5,000 BONUS FOR RECRUITMENT.

IT'S OPEN TO ANY EMPLOYEE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, UH, WHO HAPPENS TO GET WITH EITHER CHIEF AND SIGN OFF ON THE FORM.

THAT'S THE FIRST STEP THAT YOU MUST TAKE, AND THAT OFFERS A STAGGERED AMOUNT UP TO 5000 OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.

IT'S NOT JUST RIGHT AWAY, IT'S OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.

THERE'S TOLL GATES YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH TO TO RECEIVE THAT $5,000.

BUT THIS, WE BELIEVE, WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO FILL OUR RANKS.

[01:05:04]

WE'RE SWORN AT 42 ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 32.

UM, BUT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, CHIEF GRILLO'S STAFF IS WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THIS RECRUITMENT ON THE RECRUITMENT AREA.

I HAVE FULL FAITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE ON THE TEAM THAT'S GOING TO GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH OUR STAFFING LEVELS.

SO TONIGHT, UM, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING TO ADD, GENTLEMEN TO THAT.

UM, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

THIS IS OUR FOURTH TIME, I THINK, DISCUSSING THIS, BUT TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE WAGE INCREASE AND THE RECRUITMENT BONUS, UH, EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1ST, 2024.

OKAY. TRUSTEE TREASURER DESCHAINE.

UH, MANAGER WALSH AND CHIEF GRILLO.

AND, UM, CHIEF HAMILL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.

I KNOW THE THREE OF YOU WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER.

THIS IS A REALLY DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE IT FOR YEARS NOW.

AND, UH, WITH RETIREMENTS, NATURAL RETIREMENTS AND SO FORTH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT LEAST, UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM.

PROBABLY HASN'T MADE IT WORSE, BUT IT HASN'T FIXED IT.

THIS IS A REALLY BOLD STEP.

WE'RE TAKING 13% IS A IS A BIG INCREASE FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE.

UH, THEY'RE WORTH IT. THEY DO WORK EVERY DAY.

IT'S THE MOST VALUABLE SERVICE WE OFFER TO OUR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE EXCELLENT POLICE AND FIRE, ALL OF US WOULD BE OUT OF WORK AS BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY WOULD PUT A DIFFERENT BOARD.

THEY MADE SURE WE HAD EXCELLENT POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WE DO NOW.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I WANT TO MAKE THE I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2023 PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING FULL STAFFING IN OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS BY DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.

SUPPORT. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE WILSON.

UH. LET'S SEE, CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? VOTE? CAN WE HAVE.

OH. I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE ANYTHING I DID? TRUSTEE WILSON, YOU GO FIRST AND I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

SO THE, UH, IN THE MOTION, IT STATES THAT THE GOAL IS TO REACH FULL STAFFING.

AND THIS IS AN ADDITION.

UM, THAT'S A BIT OF A CHANGE THAT BY DECEMBER 1ST OF 2024, NOW WE HAVE A SHORTFALL OF TEN POLICE OFFICERS.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE STAFFED TO 32.

WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR 42.

IS THIS A REALISTIC GOAL OR SHOULD THIS BE AMENDED? WELL, I CAN SAY THAT, UM, AS OF TODAY I HAVE UM.

OH, LET'S SEE, I THINK I HAVE FOUR RECRUITS THAT ARE SCHEDULED.

I HAVE TWO THAT ARE IN THE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW, TWO MORE THAT ARE SLATED TO GO TO THE ACADEMY.

AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WITH THE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE, THAT I CAN GET 2 OR 3 MORE INTO THE LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UH, POLICE ACADEMY, THE MICHIGAN POLICE ACADEMY.

UM, I'M, I'M THERE ARE TWO THAT ARE RETIRING NEXT YEAR FOR SURE.

UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS HERE, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

UM, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT, THOUGH, JUST FROM THE BUZZ THAT I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER AGENCIES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT A PROPOSED WAGE INCREASE IS WHAT WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD.

UM, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT SAYING THAT I WILL GET QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THAT FIT OUR NEEDS.

UM, SO I IS IT A LOFTY GOAL? YES. DO I FEEL LIKE I CAN MEET THIS GOAL? I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.

DONE AND DONE. THANK YOU.

OKAY, MR. CHANG, MY QUESTION IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

IS THIS A MANAGEABLE GOAL? YOU STATED THAT WE'RE IN MANY WAYS HALFWAY THERE ALREADY.

AND YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE REMAINING TEN.

YEAH. I'M AGAIN, I SAY I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE, SIR.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP? OH, OKAY. I WAS JUST GOING TO SECOND THE MOTION.

OH. I'M SORRY.

GET TO THE NEXT. THAT WAS A WHILE AGO, I GOT IT.

UM. I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WANT SOMETHING BETTER FOR OUR FOR OUR STAFF.

UM, FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF ACROSS THE BOARD.

UM, TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE AND THE WAGES.

I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN WAGES BEING COMPETITIVE.

UM, AND BEING ABLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

UM, AND THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE THAT THAT GIVES TO PEOPLE AND PAYING PEOPLE APPROPRIATELY FOR THE JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO IN SAYING THAT, UM.

I WONDER WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE COMPARABLE WAGES OFFICERS.

[01:10:05]

UM, I SAW, YOU KNOW, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT THEY WERE COMPARED TO WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THAT.

UM, MY, MY QUESTION WAS, WHY THESE COMMUNITIES? WHY DID WE CHOOSE THEM? IS THERE SOME SORT OF FORMULA FOR COMPARING OUR WAGES AND, AND KNOWING THAT THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE COMPARE OURSELVES WITH TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT THAT THESE ARE THE CORRECT OR COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR OUR OFFICERS? THAT THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THIS IS, IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU MA'AM I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO THE WAY THAT I DID THAT WAS THAT THERE WERE FOUR DIFFERENT, I GUESS, STUDIES THAT I USED.

THE FIRST ONE WAS JUST LOCAL AGENCIES.

EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE OUR COMPARABLES, THEY ARE OUR COMPETITORS WHEN IT COMES TO TALENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR LOCALLY.

UM, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT METRIC.

UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, A IT WAS, UM, GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP DID A WAGE STUDY, SO AND THEY USED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS A COMPARABLE.

SO THAT WAS THE SECOND STUDY THAT I USED.

UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO, MANAGER WALSH SENT US INFORMATION ON HOW TO, UH, I GUESS A WAGE STUDY THAT WAS DONE WITH THE ML.

UM, SO I USED TWO DIFFERENT METRICS.

I USED POPULATION, AND I PUT US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

SO I THINK I PICKED FIVE ABOVE US AND FIVE BELOW US.

UM, PUT US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE TO SEE WHERE WE WOULD COMPARE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I USED WAS, UM, A TAXABLE VALUE.

SO AGAIN, I TOOK THE, YOU KNOW, I PUT US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF FIVE BELOW AND FIVE ABOVE, UM, JUST TO SEE HOW WE COMPARED.

SO THAT'S HOW I THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT STUDIES I USED.

OKAY. AND THIS DID I.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

DID I SEE IN THIS IN THE PACKET OF INFORMATION THAT IN TOTALITY IT'S A 13% WAGE INCREASE? YEAH. SO UH, 3% THAT WAS ALREADY BUDGETED FOR UM, THAT ALL EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE, ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP, UH, RECEIVE AND THIS WAS AN ADDITIONAL 10% ON TOP OF THAT 3%. AND THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT IS THE SAME FOR BOTH POLICE AND FIRE.

CORRECT. 26 THE, UH, THE CONTRACTS GO THROUGH THE END OF 2026.

OKAY. AND THEN I'M ASSUMING MANAGER WALSH, IF THIS IS NOT WORKING, YOU WILL BRING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD AND WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REOPEN IT OR RE RELOOK AT HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, THAT AT SOME POINT YOU'LL BE REPORTING TO US THROUGH THE YEAR.

YES. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.

I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

WE MAY HAVE BROUGHT IT UP AND IF NOT, UM, I PLAN TO BRING THIS UP AT THE GOAL SETTING FOR 2025.

SO A YEAR FROM RIGHT NOW, BACK TO TRUSTEE WILSON AND I THINK TREASURER DESANTIS QUESTION, WE'LL BRING THIS UP AND EVALUATE IT.

BUT, UM, EVERY QUARTER I, WE PLAN TO BE BEFORE YOU JUST LIKE UNDER THE MANAGER'S REPORT OR SOMETHING EVERY QUARTER, MAKING SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF OUR STAFFING LEVELS AND THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING.

WE WON'T WAIT FOR A YEAR TO REPORT WHERE WE'RE AT.

AND WHILE I HAD THE PODIUM, I MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT.

THANK YOU. I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T.

UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE A LOT OF THE BULK OF THE WORK WAS COMPLETED BY THESE GENTLEMEN.

BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WORK THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES AND PREPARING ALL THE, UM, SALARY INFORMATION, ALL OF THAT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO. AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, HR MANAGER CAROL HASSEY FOR THAT.

AND THEN THE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT, WHICH JUST DON'T HAPPEN.

THEY DON'T FALL FROM THE SKY.

THEY HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH EVERYONE.

AND I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR ABBY T HOFF FOR PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER FOR US.

SO WE HAD THE WAGE INFORMATION, WE HAD THE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIONS, AND THEN WE HAD REALLY PUTTING THE PIECES OF THE PROPOSAL TOGETHER.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

OTHER COMMENTS.

MM. UM, I HAVE A COUPLE.

UM, I THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THESE NUMBERS, THESE COMPARISONS, AND BRINGING THEM, ADDING THEM TO THE REPORT THAT YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN.

IT CERTAINLY HELPS ME A LOT WHEN I SEE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS AND I CAN MAKE MY OWN COMPARISONS.

UM, I THINK THIS IS A GALLANT, UM, EFFORT TO TRY TO QUICKLY RIGHT OUR DEFICIENCIES, AND I AM IN FULL SUPPORT.

UM, THE SECOND COMMENT IS, UM.

WE. ARE CHANGING, I THINK, UM.

SOME AGREEMENTS.

THAT'S LATER ON. WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT LATER.

COME BACK TO THAT POINT LATER.

ALL RIGHT. WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE SHOULD, UM, VOTE WITH THE ROLL CALL.

[01:15:01]

JACKSON. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO.

TRUSTEE. WILSON.

YES. SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, IF I MAY.

YES, YES.

ON BEHALF OF OUR, UM, 70, SOME PARAMEDIC FIREFIGHTERS AND PROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICERS AND THE TWO CHIEFS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

UM, THIS IS NOT EASY STUFF TO DO.

UM, AND YOUR UNPARALLELED SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOTED, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

AND IF I MAY MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT'S OFF SUBJECT.

IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT TEAMWORK IN OUR ON OUR GROUP, RIGHT.

AND THERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF TEAMWORK THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING CHANGE THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE CLERK AND TREASURER'S OFFICE.

AND IT'S TAX TIME.

AND SO IT'S A BUSY OFFICE RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS EXTREMELY BUSY, TOO.

WHAT DO WE DO? HOW DO WE COVER IT? WE GO AND ASK DIRECTOR MELISSA MASSEY TO GO OVER, SET ASIDE WHAT SHE'S DOING RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE GRANT WORK SHE'S DOING, SHE'S WORKING HALF DAYS OVER TWO WORKING TAXES IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

THAT'S THE KIND OF TEAMWORK WE HAVE.

THAT'S WHAT I'M PROUD OF ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM 12 B A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

[12.B. Memorandum of Understanding-Okemos Public Schools]

OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THIS WILL BE PRESENTED TO US BY DIRECTOR MAISNER.

YES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

UM, AT YOUR MEETING LAST WEEK, I BROUGHT THIS UNDER FOR DISCUSSION.

AND IT IS A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO, UH, HELP SOLIDIFY THE PRIORITY IN WHICH FACILITIES, OUTDOOR FACILITIES AND INDOOR FACILITIES, UM, WOULD BE SCHEDULED.

AND OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT RUNS A NUMBER OF YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS THAT UTILIZES OKEMOS SCHOOLS.

UM, THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES.

OUR ISSUES WE HAVE WITH HASLETT THAT THERE'S NOT MANY THERE, SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT MUCH, UM, DIFFICULTY WITH HASLETT SCHOOLS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT MANY FACILITIES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THERE.

MOST OF OUR FACILITY USAGE IS WITH OKEMOS.

UM, SUPERINTENDENT HOOD DRAFTED THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AND AT OUR MEETING LAST WEEK, UM, I MADE THE CHANGES THAT WERE DISCUSSED.

AND THE ONE THE FIRST ONE IS TO PUT A TITLE ON THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

AND SO I ADDED THE TITLE, OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MERIDIAN CHARTER TOWNSHIP FACILITY USE AGREEMENT, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS TO REMOVE THE NOTE ON SECTION FOUR, WHICH WAS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOES NOT CURRENTLY UTILIZE INDOOR FACILITIES IN OKEMOS SCHOOLS.

THERE'S REALLY NO NEED FOR THAT SENTENCE TO BE IN THERE.

UH, SECTION FIVE, WHICH REFERENCED THE MERIDIAN, UH, POLICE PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE THIS IS A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT'S PERTAINING TO FACILITY SCHEDULING. AND SO IT JUST KIND OF MUDDIES.

THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT TO BE IN HERE.

IF THERE'S A IF THERE'S GOING TO BE AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MERIDIAN POLICE AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT SHOULD BE SEPARATE AS WELL AS NUMBER SIX, WHICH REFERENCES THE MERIDIAN SENIOR CENTER.

AND SO, UM, THOSE THREE THINGS WERE DELETED FROM THE, UH, THE DRAFT, WHICH YOU HAVE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT IN COLOR.

MINE IS IN COLOR, BUT I HAVE, UM, UH, STRIKED THE, UH, THOSE, THOSE SECTIONS.

SO THERE'S A MOTION HERE TODAY FOR YOU TO APPROVE, AS AMENDED FROM LAST WEEK OR APPROVE THE, UM, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH OKEMOS SCHOOLS AS PRESENTED TODAY.

UM, ONCE IT'S PRESENTED, THEN THIS WILL GO BACK TO OKEMOS SCHOOLS.

IT WILL GO TO THEIR SCHOOL BOARD AND, UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE LIKE A DOCUMENT THAT EVERYONE CAN WORK FROM MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT OUTLINES FACILITY SCHEDULING AND FEE SCHEDULE FOR RECIPROCAL USE OF SCHOOL AND TOWNSHIP PROPERTIES WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS.

ADD THE TITLE OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FACILITY USE AGREEMENT DASH.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

REMOVE SECTION FOUR.

NOTE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOES NOT CURRENTLY UTILIZE INDOOR FACILITIES AT OKEMOS SCHOOLS.

REMOVE SECTION FIVE MERIDIAN POLICE PARTNERSHIP AND REMOVE SECTION SIX.

MERIDIAN SENIOR CENTER PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE TRUSTEE WILSON. YES, MA'AM.

UM, I THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE EDITS THAT I THOUGHT WERE NECESSARY, BUT WE THIS IS A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OF A VERY SPECIFIC THING,

[01:20:06]

NOT POLICE AND, UM, AND CERTAINLY ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SENIOR CENTER.

THOSE ARE BOTH OUTSIDE OF SCOPE.

SO I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT THIS IS.

I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE IT IN WRITING, AND IT IS A RECIPROCITY BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE SCHOOLS TO USE THE FIELDS TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE.

SO THANK YOU AND CLERK GUTHRIE.

THANK YOU FOR SPEARHEADING THIS.

IS THIS YOUR LAST CALL TO ACTION IS AS THE DIRECTOR.

THAT'S GREAT, I LOVE IT.

I APPRECIATE YOU SPEARHEADING THIS AND DOING THIS.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A SIMPLE THING, BUT SO, SO NECESSARY TO DO.

AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE CHANGES AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH US.

THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS.

MR. DUCHAINE, THANK YOU FOR CODIFYING THIS AGREEMENT AS WELL.

A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN JUST, I'M GUESSING, HANDSHAKES OR UNDERSTANDING.

AND WITH YOU IN CHARGE, THEY WERE FULLY, UM, TRUSTING OF ANYTHING WE DID.

AND I'M SURE THE DIRECTOR WAS WILL HAVE A SIMILAR REPUTATION, BUT IT'S STILL GOOD TO GET THIS DOWN IN WRITING.

SO THANKS FOR THE EFFORT TO WRITE ALL THIS OUT AND HAVE IT DOCUMENTED.

SO WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, NO MATTER WHO'S IN THE IN THE POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY.

THANK YOU. THAT.

AND I WOULD ADD AGAIN THANK YOU.

I'M A BIG FAN OF SEEING IT IN WRITING REGARDLESS AND HAVING THE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE POSITIONS, REGARDLESS OF WHO'S WHO'S IN THOSE POSITIONS. IT'S A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THE, UM, MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AS EDITED.

UM. IT'S YOUR CALL.

YOU WANT TO ROLL CALL? UH, YEAH.

LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES.

YES. AND CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES.

YES. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ITEM 12 C ELECTION COMMISSION APPOINTMENT.

[12.C. Election Commission Appointment]

THIS IS BY CLERK GUTHRIE.

SORRY, I'M TRYING TO DO THE MINUTES ON THIS AT THE SAME TIME.

SWITCH SCREENS HERE.

YEAH I GET GETTING LOST IN SOME OF THIS 12 C.

THANK YOU. UH, WITH THE RESIGNATION OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE, UH, COURTNEY WIECZYNSKI, WHO WAS ON THE ELECTION COMMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, TO THE BOARD TO HAVE TRUSTEE SCOTT HENDRICKSON SERVE ON THE ELECTION COMMISSION.

THE CHARTER TOWNSHIPS ARE HAVE ELECTION COMMISSIONS WHO HAVE TWO, UH, TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES SERVE ON THEM AND ONE CLERK.

AND THERE ARE MANY DECISIONS THAT THE ELECTION COMMISSION NEEDS TO MAKE, INCLUDING MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD FOR, UH, BOUNDARIES.

OR THEY THEY DO THEY MAKE SURE THAT THE BALLOTS ARE CORRECT.

AND TRUSTEE KATHY SUNDLAND IS ON THE ELECTION COMMISSION AS WELL.

AND SO WE'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS TOGETHER.

SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, BODY, AND IT'S ONE IN WHICH WE DO NEED TO ACT QUICKLY BECAUSE THERE IS SOME ITEMS OF BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO DO BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO AFTER THIS, I'LL BE CALLING YOU TO SCHEDULE A MEETING.

KATHY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UH, CAN I DO THAT? WHAT? CAN I MOVE TO A POINT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE.

OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO A POINT.

TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE SCOTT HENDRICKSON TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ELECTION COMMISSION SUPPORT.

AND I THINK YOU'VE SAID AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.

WOULD YOU HAVE TO COMMENT, HAVE COMMENTS? UM. TRUSTEE WILSON.

THANK YOU. MADAM SUPERVISOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS AN EXCELLENT APPOINTMENT BECAUSE SCOTT HENDRICKSON HAS A SPECIFIC SKILL SET AND IS THE DEPUTY CLERK OF INGHAM COUNTY.

SO HE IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS ADDITION.

HE'S VERY UP ON ALL THE RULES.

AND WITH THE ELECTIONS COMING UP, HE'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL ASSET.

OKAY. OTHER COMMENTS.

WE ALL AGREE.

OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS TO APPOINT TRUSTEE TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE SCOTT HENDRICKSON TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ELECTION COMMISSION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. OPPOSED? NO. THE CHAIR VOTES YES, AND THE MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU. WE MOVE TO ITEM 12 D, FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

[12.D. 4th Quarter Budget Amendments]

UM, DIRECTOR.

FINANCE DIRECTOR DANTE IMANI EONNI.

[01:25:05]

UM. MADAM SUPERVISOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I PREPARED A DRAFT SET OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN THE ATTACHMENT.

UM, I'VE WORKED WITH THE DIRECTORS TO TRY AND ESTIMATE WHAT WE THINK OUR EXPENDITURES WILL BE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

UH, WHICH ARE PRESENTED HERE IN THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT.

UH, JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS.

UM, A FEW ITEMS HAVE COME IN AHEAD ON REVENUE.

UH, MORE INTEREST.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE VERY WELL COLLECTING INTEREST THIS YEAR.

UH, WE'VE BEEN AHEAD OF OUR BUDGET THERE.

UH, WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE.

UH, THAT'S BEEN COMING IN AT EXPECTATIONS.

UM, SOME OF OUR BUILDING PERMITS HAVE BEEN UP.

UH, YOU MAY HAVE GOT SOME REPORTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER ON THAT, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING VERY WELL WITH OUR BUILDING PERMITS, AND THOSE ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MAIN REVENUE SOURCES THAT INCREASED.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE INCREASED EXPENDITURES, UM, SOME OF THOSE FOR OVERTIME FOR POLICE AND FIRE JUST SMASHED OUR NEEDS THERE.

UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR BUILDING PROJECTS, I'VE NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS AS WELL.

UM, JUST BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND SOME DIFFERENT COST OVERRUNS.

AND THOSE ARE MORE OF THE BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT WENT OVER BUDGET A BIT.

UM, SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I PREPARED AN ADDITIONAL MEMO.

UM, THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS TOTAL INCREASE OF 329,852.

UH, EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENTS.

YOU CAN SEE ON THAT SOME OF THE DIRECTORS CAME BACK AND TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY NEED ALL THE MONEY THAT WAS IN THEIR BUDGETS.

SOME DIRECTORS GAVE BACK MONEY THAT HAD BEEN BUDGETED FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

UM, AND THAT OFFSETS SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED SOME INCREASES.

UM, A COUPLE OF ITEMS YOU MIGHT NOTE ON HERE.

UH, I THINK THERE'S A PORTION FOR THE POLICE AND FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHERE I NOTED A PROJECT FOR, LIKE, INCREASED EXPENDITURES.

UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THOSE WILL BE OFFSET WITH GRANT MONEY.

SO THIS IS AN EXPENDITURE HERE, BUT WE'LL RECOUP ALL THAT MONEY PRETTY MUCH THROUGH GRANTS LATER ON.

UM, SO THAT'S ALSO IN THE BUDGET AS SOME OF THE INCREASE FOR EXPENDITURES.

UH, PROJECTED USE OF FUND BALANCE IN TOTAL IS 6,604,268.

AND AS YOU'LL NOTE IN THE NOTE LINE ON THE SECOND PAGE, THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, THE 5.5 MILLION IN FUND TRANSFERS.

SO THAT USE OF BUDGET IS KIND OF DECEIVING, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS JUST TRANSFERS OUT RATHER THAN MONEY THAT WAS ACTUALLY SPENT.

UM, SO THAT'S THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.

UM, FUND BALANCE, AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENDITURES.

YOU HAVE ABOUT, UH, FOUR MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.

AND OUR, OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND THE PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE IS 8,665,638.

UM, AN ADDITIONAL 1.25 MILLION WILL BE RETURNED TO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

THAT'S ALSO IN THERE. AND THAT'S MONEY THAT'S NOT BEEN SPENT EITHER.

OKAY. THANK YOU QUESTIONS, MR. SHENG. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FOURTH QUARTER 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

WITH AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $281,565, WHICH PROJECTS A USE OF FUND BALANCE OF $6,604,268, BASED ON THE 2023 RESULTS, PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2023 WILL BE $8,665,638. SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. CHOREOGRAPHY.

MR.. DUSHANE. YEAH, I THIS PAGE, UH, 52.

THAT'S ON THE SCREEN NOW IS IF YOU LOOK AT IT FIRST, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING.

OUR FUND BALANCE WENT FROM 15.2 MILLION TO 8.6, BUT WE.

BUT FOR SOMEONE WHO SEES FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE BACK STORY IS THAT WE MOVED THESE $6 MILLION INTO OUR REDEVELOPMENT FUND AND INTO OUR PENSION STABILIZATION FUND.

SO NEXT YEAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE 8,665,000 COMPARED TO WHERE WE'RE AT THE END OF 24.

WE HAD A GOOD YEAR IN TERMS OF INTEREST INCOME.

UM, I KNOW BECAUSE I MANAGE MOST OF THOSE ACCOUNTS.

INTEREST RATES RIGHT NOW ARE OVER 5%.

JUST TWO YEARS AGO THEY WERE LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT.

SO THEY'VE GONE UP TEN FOLD.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO LAST FOREVER.

UM, GOOD NEWS IS INFLATION IS GOING DOWN, DOWN TO 3% IN THE LATEST REPORT.

IT'S FALLING FASTER THAN, UM, THEY EXPECTED.

SO THAT MEANS OUR INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO COME DOWN AS WELL.

SO WE COULD BE LOOKING AT 3% A YEAR FROM NOW, 2% A YEAR FROM NOW.

BUT THEY HAVE TO COME DOWN BECAUSE, UM, IT'S MADE HOME BUYING A HOME EVEN MORE UNAFFORDABLE FOR FOR MANY PEOPLE.

UM, BUT WHILE THEY'RE GOOD, NICE AND HIGH, WE'VE TAKEN FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT BY INVESTING IN SAFE MUTUAL FUNDS, CDS AND INSURED BANK ACCOUNTS.

GOOD REPORT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THESE TO US.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. CLERK GUTHRIE.

DO YOU HAVE MORE TO SAY?

[01:30:01]

SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

THANK YOU FOR THIS VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED REPORT.

WELL, SOME A LITTLE TINY WAS, YOU KNOW, EASY TO BLOW UP.

AND, UM, YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT PRESENTING THE NUMBERS AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND.

SO I APPRECIATE THE EASY MANNER IN WHICH YOU PRESENT THIS TO THE BOARD TONIGHT.

AND AS A DIRECTOR.

AND YOU PROBABLY COULD TESTIFY TO THIS AS WELL, THAT YOU'RE VERY EASY TO WORK WITH.

AND, UM, YOU'RE VERY HELPFUL AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND HOW THEY WORK, AND HOW WE CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY SUPPLIES AND ITEMS FOR OUR OUR TEAM MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN SUCCEED IN SERVICING THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE TWO THINGS, PROVIDING THIS EXCELLENT REPORT AND BEING SO EASY TO WORK WITH AND AND HELPFUL FOR FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS. THANK YOU.

OTHER COMMENTS.

SO THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE FOURTH QUARTER 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UM, ETC., ETC..

UH, WE SHOULD HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

WILSON. YES.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

YES. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

WELCOME. ITEM 12 E IS A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND

[12.E. Letter of Agreement with the Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation TPOAM Union]

RECREATION TO O&M UNION.

IT'S THE OPSOMMER.

UH, GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, SO, AS WE DISCUSSED AT YOUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, UH, BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A LETTER OF AGREEMENT THAT SEEKS TO ADDRESS, UH, TWO SMALL MATTERS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE UNION AND WORKED WITH THEM ON.

UH, THE FIRST IS TO CONVERT AN EXISTING $250 STIPEND.

THAT'S FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRAINING AND LICENSURE.

AND SO WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE CONVERT THAT FROM A NASCO LICENSE, UH, REQUIREMENT TO VECTOR TRAINING AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, UH, OPERATIONS.

AND THEN SECONDLY, TO, UH, REVISE THE, UH, STANDBY CALL DUTY, SIGN UP FROM BIANNUAL TO QUARTERLY.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.

AND WE HAVE PREPARED A MOTION IN YOUR PACKET, UH, FOR APPROVAL BASED ON THE DISCUSSION AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING.

ONE MEMBERS TRUSTEE WILSON.

MA'AM. SUPERVISOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.

OKAY. MOVE TO ADOPT THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, TECHNICAL, PROFESSIONAL AND OFFICE WORKERS ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN, ALSO KNOWN AS TPO A M SUPPORT.

TRUSTEE WILSON. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

SO WHAT I SEE ARE EFFICIENCIES IN USING OUR MONEY MORE EFFECTIVELY FOR THE STIPEND, AND ALSO MAKING IT MUCH EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO PLAN THEIR SCHEDULING OF TIME.

SO THESE TO ME ARE REALLY HOUSEKEEPING ISSUES FOR THE MOST PART.

AND I'M PLEASED TO THAT YOU MADE THESE STEPS.

THANK YOU.

UM. CLERK GUTHRIE.

JUST HAPPY TO HAVE THESE CONTRACTS CLEANED UP.

WHEN? WHENEVER WE CAN REOPEN THEM AND WE GET A CHANCE TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

OKAY. UH.

ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE ONE COMMENT.

UM, SO THESE ARE WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US ARE AMENDMENTS TO OUR, UM, NORMAL, OUR USUAL CONTRACT WITH THIS UNION.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED WAS THAT IN SOME PLACES WE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE, WE WERE STILL REFERRING TO MISSION SQUARE. I THINK THAT MIGHT SHOW A LITTLE PROOF.

UM, READING AND CLEANING THAT UP MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

CERTAINLY. THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A WHOLESALE CHANGE WHEN WE OPEN THE CONTRACTS NEXT TO YOU.

CAN'T CHANGE THEM AS PART OF THE AMENDMENT.

WE COULD, UH, PERHAPS WE COULD GO THROUGH THE CLERICAL PROCESS OF SUBBING IT OUT, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACROSS ALL SEVEN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACTS.

OH. OKAY, I'M PRESUMING THAT IT'S IN ALL SEVEN IF IT'S IN ONE OF THEM.

SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT WILL NOW BE A MERGED SERVICE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

YEAH. SO THAT WAS THE CURRENT STATUS WHEN WE AGREED TO THOSE CONTRACTS.

[01:35:03]

SO THAT'S WHY THAT LANGUAGE IS THERE.

IT'LL BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE.

CONTRACTS. CORRECT? CORRECT. SO THOSE THOSE CONTRACTS WERE ENTERED INTO GENERALLY SPEAKING, IN FEBRUARY OF 2023, UM, WITH THE WORK LEADING UP TO IT OCCURRING OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR.

SO AT THAT TIME, UM, THE TOWNSHIP WAS NOT EVEN CONSIDERING LEAVING MISSION SQUARE.

THOSE DISCUSSIONS KIND OF OCCURRED AFTER ADOPTION OF THE CONTRACT.

SO WE COULD TECHNICALLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT IT WOULDN'T REALLY YIELD ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

TO DO A LETTER OF AGREEMENT REGARDING THAT.

COULD I ASK THE MANAGER MANAGER WALSH A QUESTION? I BELIEVE THAT BOTH THE, UM, THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS ARE COVERED UNDER THE PERSONNEL POLICY AND A GENERIC SORT OF WAY.

SO EVEN IF IT DOES CHANGE, IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS BECAUSE IT'S COVERED UNDER THE PERSONNEL POLICY.

IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.

THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY.

SO, UM, THE MOTION IS.

MM. I'M WAY TIED UP IN THIS TONIGHT.

HERE WE GO. UH, LETTER OF AGREEMENT.

YEP. NOPE.

THAT'S NOT IT. OH.

THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL OFFICE WORKERS ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN.

UH, WE NEED A ROLL CALL.

VOTE YES. TRUSTEE.

WILSON. YES.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, ITEM 12 F IS TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE SELECTION PROCESS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[12.F. Township Trustee Selection Process15]

UH, WITH THE RECENT SELECTION OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE COURTNEY WICINSKI AS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, WE NOW HAVE A VACANT TRUSTEE POSITION.

STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE PROCESS BE COMPLETED IN 45 DAYS.

I'VE OUTLINED A PROCESS FOR FILLING THE VACANCY.

THE SCHEDULE IS ATTACHED TO THE MEMORANDUM AND I IN IT.

I AM SUGGESTING A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF TREASURER DESCHAINE, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, AND MYSELF TO COMPLETE THE INITIAL SCREENING AND SELECT THREE FINALISTS TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD.

THE APPLICATION PERIOD WOULD BE OPEN FROM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, 2023 TO WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22ND, 2023.

ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE ASKED TO COMPLETE AN EIGHT QUESTION CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS GENERALLY AS WE USE IN FILLING THE 2018 TRUSTEE VACANCIES.

THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER WILL COLLECT THE APPLICANT CREDENTIALS AND PROVIDE THEM TO THE SEARCH COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27TH, 2023.

THE COMMITTEE WILL CONVENE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, 2023 TO SELECT THE OUR TOP THREE CANDIDATES AND THEN THE MANAGER WOULD SET UP INTERVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2024.

PUBLIC UM INTERVIEWS WITH THE FULL TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD BE HELD AT 4 P.M., 4:30 P.M.

AND 5 P.M.

ON JANUARY 9TH, 2024.

FROM THE DATE OF TRUSTEE WISINSKI RESIGNATION TO THE NAMING OF NEW TRUSTEE, UH TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES WOULD COMPRISE 29 DAYS. UM, COULD I GET A MOTION? TRUSTEE WILSON.

I MOVE THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ADOPTS THE PROCESS FOR APPOINTING A NEW TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE, INCLUDING THE APPOINTMENT OF SUPERVISOR JACKSON TRUSTEE. I'M SORRY.

TREASURER DESCHAINE AND TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AS THE APPLICANT APPLICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE AND ADOPTS THE APPLICATION FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE SUPPORT.

ALL RIGHT, TRUSTEE WILSON, YOU HAVE COMMENTS FOR THE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. MADAM SUPERVISOR.

I THINK THIS IS A SOUND PROCESS.

[01:40:01]

UM, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT TIMING, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS AHEAD DESPITE THE HOLIDAYS, WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE. BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GOOD PLAN, AND THAT WILL GET US, UH, GET AND RESULT IN GETTING A NEW TRUSTEE SEATED BY JANUARY 9TH AND CLERK GUTHRIE ONLY.

JUST TO ADD, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE SAME PROCESS BEING FOLLOWED AS WHAT WAS FOLLOWED ALL BEFORE THAT THE BOARD IS FOLLOWING THAT SAME PROCESS MAKES IT CLEAR FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO APPLY TO UNDERSTAND, OR IF THEY'VE APPLIED IN THE PAST AND WOULD LIKE TO REAPPLY, THAT IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.

YES. AND THE BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS, MR. DUCHAINE, I'LL ASK MANAGER AT THE PODIUM WHAT WAYS WILL WE PUBLICIZE THIS OPENING? IN WHAT WAYS DID WE PUBLICIZE IT IN THE PAST? YEAH, SO WE'LL POST IT AT BOTH LIBRARIES.

WE'LL POST IT HERE IN THE BUILDING, AND WE'LL PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE AND WE'LL PUT, UM, AS BEST WE CAN, A SHORT LITTLE AD IN THE LOCAL PAPER.

THOSE WOULD BE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'LL DO.

PLUS I WOULD UM, TYPICALLY WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD SEND OUT, UM, THE PROCESS TO ALL 110 AS I DO, I COMMUNICATE WITH ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT THINGS.

I WOULD SEND IT ALL TO THEM SO THEY WOULD HAVE NOTICE OF IT.

IF I MAY. COULD I MAKE A COMMENT? SO, UM, I WANTED TO INVITE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY FOR THE POSITION.

MY DOOR IS OPEN IF THEY WANT TO CONTACT ME AND TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF A TRUSTEE AND HOW INVOLVEMENT AND ALL THAT, MY DOOR IS OPEN FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

APPLICATION PERIOD OPENS TOMORROW UNTIL THE 27TH.

IT'S A TWO WEEK PERIOD.

AND TO MAKE SURE YOUR APPLICATION GOES TO CLERK GUTHRIE OFFICE, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK ON THE PROCESS.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON I AGREE, IT'S IT'S REALLY LAID OUT WELL, AND UH, I THINK IT FITS WELL WITH OUR SCHEDULE.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

UH. FURTHER COMMENTS.

THEN THE MOTION IS FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO ADOPT THE PROCESS FOR APPOINTING A NEW TRUSTEE, INCLUDING THE APPOINTMENT OF, UH, SUPERVISOR JACKSON TRUSTEE.

I MEAN, UH, TREASURER DESCHAINE AND TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AS THE APPLICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE.

AND, UM, A THE BOARD IS ALSO BEING ASKED TO ADOPT THE APPLICATION.

FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.

YES. YES. OPPOSED? NO. CHAIR.

VOTES. YES.

AND THANK YOU.

HELLO. PRESENT THIS ISSUE TO US.

ITEM 12 G.

[12.G. CAMTV Emergency Purchase]

IS CAM TV EMERGENCY.

PURCHASE THIS DEAL.

UM, SO MY NAME IS SAMANTHA DEAL, AND I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW.

AND JUST A START, I ACCIDENTALLY SENT CLERK GUTHRIE THE INCORRECT MEMO TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS PACKET.

SO AN HOUR AGO, WHEN I REALIZED THAT I EMAILED YOU ALL THE CORRECT MEMO AND STEPHEN HAS IT DISPLAYED OKAY ON THE TV AS WELL.

SO I SENT YOU THE MEMO FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 19TH MEETING WHERE I CAME FOR A SIMILAR, UM, REQUEST.

BUT SO BASICALLY AT THE SEPTEMBER 19TH MEETING THAT WAS TO, UM, PURCHASE TWO NEW ENCODERS FOR HOME TV AND CAM TV.

UM, ENCODERS ARE WHAT SENDS THE SIGNAL TO COMCAST SO THEY CAN BROADCAST THAT OUT.

BUT NOW THE CAM TV PLAYBACK SERVER HAS FAILED.

SO THAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS US TO UPLOAD VIDEOS INTO THE SCHEDULER AND HAVE THEM PLAY.

SO IF YOU GO TO CAM TV RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS COMCAST CHANNEL 30, YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING BECAUSE THE HARD DRIVES THAT STORE, THOSE VIDEOS HAVE FAILED.

SO I'M BEFORE YOU ASKING AGAIN FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASING UM, TO FROM THE OLD PEG FEE FUND TO PURCHASE NEW UM PLAYBACK SERVERS FOR BOTH HOME TV AND CAM TV.

SO CAM HOME TVS IS OPERATIONAL RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS AN 11 YEAR OLD SYSTEM, SO I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE REPLACING BOTH SYSTEMS AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WHEN WE'RE REPLACING THEM AGAIN TEN YEARS FROM NOW, THEY WILL WE CAN REPLACE THEM AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT THE MOTION BEFORE YOU IN THE PACKET THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IS INCORRECT.

SO THE MOTION YOU WOULD WANT TO READ IS FROM THE UPDATED ONE I JUST SENT YOU.

OKAY. IT'S THE ONE THAT'S ON UP HERE.

YEAH, THAT'S ON THE SCREEN.

AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

SO THE MOTION BEFORE WHEN WE GET ONE.

SO I'LL WAIT AND LET THAT HAPPEN.

[01:45:01]

UM. TRUSTEE WILSON.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE USE OF PEG FUNDS FOR THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE.

JUST LOST IT.

EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF HOME TV AND CAM TV CHANNEL PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT SUPPORT.

MR. WILSON, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO FORWARD.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN PEG FUNDS? YEAH. SO THAT OUR AUDIENCE KNOWS.

YEAH. SO PEG FEES ARE COLLECTED FROM.

SO WE HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH BOTH AT&T AND COMCAST.

AND EVERY QUARTER WE ARE COLLECTING PEG FEES THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS ARE PAYING.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR CABLE BILL, YOU WILL SEE A LINE WHERE IT SAYS PEG FEE.

AND, UM, THOSE, UM, THOSE DOLLARS GO WENT INTO A SPECIAL FUND THAT COULD ONLY BE USED FOR HOME TV RELATED PURCHASES.

SO, UM, THE PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT FOR THE CHANNEL WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE PURCHASES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.

SO THIS IS NOT GENERAL FUND MONEY, CORRECT? NOT GENERAL FUND MONEY.

THAT CLEAR. AND THE SECOND THING IS, SAMANTHA, WILL YOU TELL US THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE PURCHASE.

YEP. SO RIGHT NOW I'VE SPOKEN TO TWO OF THE THREE COMPANIES I'M LOOKING AT.

SO CABLECAST TELVUE.

AND THEN THERE'S ONE MORE CALLED CASTUS I WANT TO SPEAK TO.

AND THEN NEXT WEEK I HAVE A PHONE CALL WITH THE DIRECTOR OVER AT UM PUBLIC MEDIA NETWORK IN KALAMAZOO.

HE UTILIZES TELVUE, THE SECOND COMPANY I'VE SPOKEN TO.

SO I'M GOING TO GET HIS FEEDBACK ON THE EQUIPMENT.

AND FOR CABLECAST, THE FIRST COMPANY I'VE SPOKEN TO, I SPOKE TO THE DIRECTOR FROM LAKE ORION TELEVISION BECAUSE HE USES THEIR EQUIPMENT AND GOT HIS FEEDBACK.

SO JUST TRYING TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE WHO USE THESE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES TO SEE HOW THEY HOW THEY LIKE IT BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION.

SO THE ROUGH ESTIMATE, I SEE AN ESTIMATE HERE IN FRONT OF US IS PROBABLY ON THE LOWER END, 30,000 ON THE HIGHER END, 50,000.

IT'S GOING TO BE THAT MUCH.

WELL, ONE OF THE LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, TELVUE, ONE OF THE COMPANIES I'M LOOKING AT, THEY WOULD HAVE IT.

WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THEM IS YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO WATCH HOME TV AND CAM TV ON YOUR PHONE THROUGH AN APP.

IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE THROUGH, UM, ROKU TV, APPLE TV.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER AREAS WHERE PEOPLE COULD VIEW HOME TV AND CAM TV.

SO JUST LOOKING AT ALL THOSE OPTIONS AND THEN DECIDING WHAT WOULD BE BEST.

AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING TO NOTE RIGHT NOW.

SO WE ARE PAYING, UH, APPROXIMATELY $33,000 PER YEAR TO SWAGIT, WHO IS CURRENTLY OUR, UM, PROVIDER OF THE LIVE STREAM AND WHO ARCHIVES ALL OF OUR MEETINGS.

AND IF WE WERE TO GO WITH, SAY, TELVUE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN STREAMING FEATURE INVOLVED AND IT'S NOT A ANNUAL THING YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY EVERY TIME, LIKE SWAGIT. SO IT WILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT UP FRONT, BUT WE WOULD ALSO BE SAVING $30,000 A YEAR BY NOT UTILIZING SWAGIT AS WE CURRENTLY DO. AND WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO USE THE ARCHIVE FILES FROM PRIOR INFORMATION THAT IS IN THE SWAGIT SYSTEM? MHM. YEP. SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY WILL SEND ALL THAT INFO, ALL THE OLD FILES TO YOU AND THESE BIG HARD DRIVES AND THEN YOU CAN JUST FROM THERE DIGITIZE THEM AND HAVE THEM FOR YOUR RECORDS OKAY.

MR. DUCHAINE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT PEG FEES.

UM, WHEN CLERK GUTHRIE SAT IN YOUR ROLE, AND AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, WE'VE BEEN FORECASTING LOWER AND LOWER PEG FEES BECAUSE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE CUTTING THE CABLE. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OF PEG FEES THIS YEAR AND WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING NEXT YEAR? UM, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN SEEING A DECLINE IN PEG FEES, UM, ESPECIALLY ON THE AT&T QUARTERLY STATEMENTS COMPARED TO THE COMCAST ONES.

I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME.

I HAVE THEM ON THAT COMPUTER OVER THERE.

BUT, UM, YEAH, I'M SEEING THEM DECLINE EVERY SINGLE YEAR OR EVERY SINGLE QUARTER.

IS IT GOING DOWN A PERCENT? 5% OR WHAT? LET ME GRAB MY COMPUTER BECAUSE THIS WILL HAVE IT.

THANK YOU. WHICH LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY LESS IMPORTANT PERHAPS, THAN THAT.

HOW MUCH? BUT DO WE WHAT DO WE ANTICIPATE THEM ESSENTIALLY FLATTENING OUT CLOSE TO NOTHING IN ANY THOUGHTS FOR REPLACEMENT REVENUE WE COULD FIND FOR THIS? YEAH. SO THIS SO THIS SPECIFIC FUND IS STILL FROM THE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE ALL ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME WHEN THEY MADE THE CHANGES TO THE FRANCHISE FEES GOING AND PEG FEES GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS THAT FUND FROM BEFORE THAT CHANGE WAS IMPLEMENTED.

SO LAST I SAW I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY.

I KNOW I WANT TO SAY IT WAS AT LEAST $120,000 LEFT IN THAT FUND.

[01:50:03]

I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE. AND FOR CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK IN OUR GENERAL LEDGER.

BUT LET ME PULL UP THE PEG FEE NUMBERS.

SUPERVISOR. YES.

UH, WELL, SAM'S LOOKING THAT UP.

I THINK IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD STREAM, UH, THE MEETING INFORMATION OR THE ARCHIVE MEETINGS THROUGH YOUR IPHONE OR YOUR IPAD OR.

THAT JUST SOUNDS TERRIFIC TO ME.

SO IN THE 30S, TECHNOLOGY IS A GREAT THING.

SO RIGHT NOW, MY GRAPHS AREN'T THE THE THE PERCENT INCREASE OR DECREASE ISN'T WORKING CORRECTLY.

BUT IN JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, IN 2021, WE RECEIVED $128,800 IN PEG FEES, AND IN 2022, WE WENT DOWN TO 125,000.

SO 128 TO 125.

AND BEFORE THAT, SO 2020 WAS WHAT, 133? SO FROM 2020 TO 2021, WE WENT FROM 133 TO 128.

SO IT'S KIND OF LOOKING LIKE A FEW GRAND EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THIS IS A SHAME. THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

IT'S NOT FALLING OFF A CLIFF.

IT'S SLOWLY, SLOWLY.

AND I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WILSON.

THE FACT WITH THIS NEW EQUIPMENT, WE CAN DO OUR OWN STREAMING.

AND ARE YOU SAYING WE'LL SAVE $30,000 IN SWAGIT FEES IN 2024? YES, AND 30,000IN 2025.

SO THIS LONG TERM, THIS COULD BE A HUGE BONUS FOR US.

YEAH. THANK YOU CLERK GUTHRIE.

SO THE THE NEW SYSTEM, WILL THEY ALSO BE DOING CLOSED CAPTIONING.

UM SO THAT'S A ADDED.

SO THEY THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE TO ADD ON TO THE SYSTEM.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I PLAN ON ADDING ON JUST BECAUSE WE NEED CLOSED CAPTIONING FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO UTILIZE IT.

AND THE PREVIOUS BOARD DID MAYBE THREE BOARDS AGO NOW THAT WE'VE CHANGED.

SO EVEN MUSICAL CHAIRS HERE, UM, DID APPROVE HAVING CLOSED CAPTIONING FOR RESIDENTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT WILL BE CONTINUING WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.

UM. I NOTICED THAT, UM, IN THE LAST THE OLD MEMO, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT PEG FEES COULD NOT BE COULD ONLY BE USED FOR THE THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF AND THAT, UM, YOU WERE GOING TO WORK WITH SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP INSTALL ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE YOU TO IT.

SO THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE THAT OCCURRED TO ME WAS, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO INSTALL THESE TWO PIECES? YEAH. UM, AND CAN THAT WORK BE PAID FOR WITH PEG FEES? SO ONCE WE GET THE EQUIPMENT, IT WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO INSTALL AND CONFIGURE.

AND THEN FOR, UM, IN TERMS OF PAYING BRIAN CUSH, WHO'S THE ENGINEER I WORK WITH, TO HELP INSTALL ANY EQUIPMENT, I HAVE A BUILT INTO MY BUDGET, A AREA FOR HIM THAT I PULL FROM, SO I WOULDN'T BE NEEDING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THERE.

WE ALREADY HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR WORK, FOR WORK THAT HE'S GOING TO DO FOR US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THEN THE MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OKAY. IT'S TO APPROVE THE USE OF PAY FEES FOR THE EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF HOME TV AND CAM TV CHANNEL PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT.

UH, THEY WERE THE MOST, UH, SPENDERS.

CHAIR. ROLL CALL.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

TRUSTEE. WILSON. YES.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND I'LL MAKE SURE ONCE WE HAVE THE COMPANY SELECTED, I CAN PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT EVERYTHING WILL COST.

GREAT. OKAY. GOOD JOB, MR. WALSH. YEAH, IF I MAY, ON THE SAME SUBJECT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A NUMBER OF YEARS.

BUT IF YOU ROLL THE TAPE BACK MAYBE 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO, THEN DIRECTOR GUTHRIE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AS AS THE, UH, PEG FEES AND FRANCHISE FEES STARTED TO DECLINE.

SHE WENT WITH AN AUDIT, AND WE HAD THAT ABILITY TO AUDIT WITH COMCAST AND AT&T.

[01:55:05]

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD A TURNAROUND AND STARTED TO SEE AN UPTICK IN OUR REVENUE AFTER THE ANNUAL THOSE AUDITS WERE COMPLETED.

SO I KNOW THAT'S ONE THING THAT DIRECTOR, UH, OUR MANAGER IS TALKING ABOUT DOING, AND WE'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT DOING IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS, IS A RE DOING AN AUDIT OF THE COMPANIES OF THE FEES.

AND UH, WE FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE AT ON THAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN MAYBE ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.

OKAY. ITEM 12 H TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER FOR THE ALDERWOOD DRIVE AND SILKWOOD DRIVE INTERSECTION.

[12.H. Traffic Control Order for the Alderwood Drive and Silkwood Drive Intersection]

I BELIEVE THIS IS MR., UH, DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.

AND CHIEF GRILLO IS ALSO WORKING WITH ME ON THIS.

SO REAL QUICK, I'M GOING TO PULL UP A MAP OF THE AREA IN QUESTION AND JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO ADDRESS.

AND I WOULD ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT.

UH TRUSTEE.

MARNA WILSON HAS ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS AND THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENT, UH, AS SHE WAS CONTACTED DIRECTLY BY THE RESIDENT WHO BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. SO I'M GOING TO ZOOM OUT HERE.

THIS IS CORNELL ROAD RIGHT HERE.

UH, NORTH IS FACING TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE SCREEN UP HERE.

THIS IS, UH, CORNELL ELEMENTARY.

AND RIGHT HERE WE HAVE CORNELL WOODS.

AND SO WHAT'S OCCURRING HERE IS, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, CORNELL ELEMENTARY, THE CAMPUS IS VERY SMALL, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE CAPACITY FOR MODERN DAY STUDENT DROP OFF LINES.

RIGHT. WE HAVE A LOT MORE PARENTS DRIVING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND DROPPING THEM OFF.

AND SO AT THIS CAMPUS, WHAT HAS OCCURRED IS PARENTS ARE ACTUALLY COMING INTO CORNELL WOODS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY'RE PARKING ALONG ALDERWOOD DRIVE, PREDOMINANTLY BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD EAST AND WEST.

AND THEN STUDENTS ARE LEAVING THE CAMPUS THROUGH THE SIDEWALK ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS, WHICH TEES INTO THE SIDEWALK ALONG ALDERWOOD DRIVE.

THIS ACTUALLY ALL STARTED WITH A REQUEST THAT WE INSTALL NO PARKING SIGNS UP AND DOWN ALDERWOOD DRIVE, WHICH CHIEF GRILLO AND I DISCUSSED AND DECIDED THAT ALL THAT WOULD DO IS SHIFT THE TRAFFIC WESTWARD INTO CORNELL WOODS AND ULTIMATELY INTO FOREST HILLS IF YOU WERE TO KEEP USING THAT AS A SOLUTION.

SO INSTEAD WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT THE AREA IN QUESTION, AND WHEN MY STAFF AND I EXAMINED THE RAMPS HERE.

SO WE HAVE ONE RAMP BENEATH THIS TREE CANOPY THAT YOU CAN'T SEE.

UH, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE RECEIVING RAMP OR THE RAMP ON THE WEST SIDE WAS NEVER CONSTRUCTED.

WE ARE UPGRADING ALL THE RAMPS TO ADA CURRENT ADA SPECIFICATIONS THROUGH THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN THIS VICINITY ANYTIME SOON DUE TO THE ROAD CONDITIONS.

UM, AND DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE SCHOOL, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE UPGRADED THIS RAMP, THESE TWO RAMPS, AND THEN INSTALLED THIS ONE, ALL FULLY ADA CAPABLE. AND THEN WE WENT AND DEMOLISHED THIS RAMP HERE AND INSTALLED A SIGN TO DIRECT PEDESTRIANS TO THE INTERSECTION.

THE PURPOSE BEING IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE STUDENTS TO CROSS WHERE THERE'S BETTER SIGHTLINES BETWEEN MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.

NOW, THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE, WHICH I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF GRILLO TO DISCUSS, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OBSTRUCTIONS TO THOSE SIGHT LINES.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAVE CHIEF GRILLO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

SO THE LAST PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE IS TO ESSENTIALLY MAKE IT SO THAT THERE ARE BETTER LINES OF SIGHT AT THIS INTERSECTION, THIS T INTERSECTION FOR DRIVERS AND FOR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO CROSS THE ROAD.

UM, WHAT WE'VE ASKED IS THAT YOU APPROVE A TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER THAT RESTRICTS PARKING ON ANY SIDE OF SILKWOOD AND ALDERWOOD WITHIN 50FT OF THAT INTERSECTION.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT, UH, THERE'S A BETTER LINE OF SIGHT FOR THE KIDS WHEN THEY CROSS THE STREET.

OKAY. UH TRUSTEE.

MA'AM. SUPERVISOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.

MOVE TO APPROVE THE TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER FOR THE ALDERWOOD DRIVE AND SILKWOOD DRIVE INTERSECTION.

THIS IS A SHAME. SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEE WILSON.

IT HAS TAKEN A VILLAGE FOR THIS ONE.

THE HOMEOWNER AT 4396 ALDERWOOD.

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT.

YES THAT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

UM, HAS CALLED US SAYING SUCH A DANGEROUS SITUATION OVER AT THIS INTERSECTION, KIDS ARE CUTTING IN BETWEEN CARS.

[02:00:05]

THERE IS THE ADDITION OF A FIRE HYDRANT ALSO IN THE VICINITY THAT'S BEING PARKED THERE, PARKING WITHIN THE 400FT.

SO THIS IS SUCH A GREAT SOLUTION TO PUSH THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TO THE INTERSECTION WHERE IT BELONGS.

AND THEN THE TRAFFIC CONTROL, WHICH IS REALLY NO PARKING SIGNS WOULD GO SOUTH OF THAT ON ALDERWOOD AND THEN ON SILKWOOD, WHICH WOULD KEEP THAT INTERSECTION CLEAR. IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT SOLUTION.

WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE RAMP WORK OVER THERE, AND I WOULD STRONGLY URGE YOU TO, UM, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING THAT SIGNAGE OVER THERE AND REALLY MAKING THIS SAFE FOR OUR KIDS.

OKAY, MR. DEHEN 50FT OR IS THAT THREE PARALLEL PARKING SPACES? APPROXIMATELY. IS THAT LONG ENOUGH OF A PARKING NO PARKING AREA TO KEEP THE SIGHT LINES OPEN? SO THE SECOND ATTACHMENT IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, WHICH IS ALSO DISPLAYED ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW, THE YELLOW BOXES ARE THE APPROXIMATE LOCATIONS OF WHERE THAT WOULD PLACE THE NO PARKING SIGNS RELATIVE TO THE INTERSECTION.

UM, PART OF THE CHALLENGE, WE'RE TRYING TO PROPOSE SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WE CAN GET COMPLIANCE WITH BECAUSE ENFORCEMENTS.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, UH, WE DO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TRAINING AND SOME CONDITIONING TO GET THE PARENTS TO STOP PARKING IN THE INTERSECTION.

SO WE DID TALK ABOUT GOING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, AND WE ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE MOST PRUDENT PLACE TO START, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO START FORCING THE CARS TOO FAR SOUTH OF WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE COMING FROM.

SO THIS WILL PLACE THE CARS BASICALLY JUST SOUTH OF WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE COMING FROM, WHICH IS THIS SIDEWALK RIGHT HERE.

SO THE RED.

THE RED SQUARE THERE, OR THE RED RECTANGLE IS WHERE THE RAMP WAS DEMOLISHED.

THE ORANGE SQUARE IS WHERE THE NEW SIGN IS DIRECTING STUDENTS TO THE INTERSECTION TO MAKE THE SAFE CROSSING, AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS WILL BE APPLIED HERE IN THE SPRING WHEN THE WEATHER ALLOWS.

WE'LL NEED DRY WEATHER IN THE SPRING, SO IT COULD BE AS LATE AS JUNE, BUT THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL STRIPE THE TWO CROSSWALKS.

AND AGAIN, THE ADA RAMPS AT THE INTERSECTION HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED AND INSTALLED.

WILL THEY PAY FOR THE SIGNS AND INSTALL THE SIGNS AS WELL? UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S AT THE TOWNSHIP'S COST.

OKAY. I GUESS TO ADD ON TO THAT, THE SPEED LIMIT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS 25 MILES AN HOUR.

SO IF PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING THE SPEED LIMIT, THAT SHOULD GIVE THEM AMPLE TIME TO, UH, STOP OF OR SLOW DOWN IF THEY SEE A DANGER IN THE ROADWAY.

OKAY. UNDER MY NOSE.

OKAY. OH.

I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY.

CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU.

MADAM SUPERVISOR, IS THERE A STOP SIGN THERE? DID YOU SAY THAT? UH, NO, THERE'S THERE'S NO STOP SIGN IN THAT INTERSECTION.

OKAY. CORRECT.

AND SILKWOOD, I BELIEVE THERE IS ON SILKWOOD BUT NOT ON ALDERWOOD.

SO THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING.

THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING TRAFFIC HEADING NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND ON ALDERWOOD.

THE ONLY TRAFFIC THAT STOPS IS THE SILKWOOD TRAFFIC.

IS IT NORMALLY.

WHO NORMALLY DOES THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS.

IS THAT THE COUNTY OR IS IT THE TOWNSHIP? IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE NATURE OF THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT.

BUT IF WE'RE REFERRING TO YIELD SIGNS AND STOP SIGNS, THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE DISCRETION OF THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. AND WHAT ABOUT THESE CROSSWALKS, THE PAVEMENT MARKINGS.

SO THE TOWNSHIP CONTROLS THE SIDEWALK SO WE DICTATE WHERE THE CROSSWALKS WILL GO.

OKAY. UM, BASED ON CURRENT ADA AND THEN, UM, NOT TYPICALLY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE WOULDN'T STRIPE THE CROSSWALKS.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS, LIKE THE KEYSTONE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH BERCHEM WINDING THROUGH IT.

UM, AND OCCASIONALLY THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL, UH, THE OPPOSITE WILL OCCUR.

THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL REQUEST THEY MIGHT GET A CALL FROM A RESIDENT AND THEY'LL ASK US, COULD WE INSTALL, UM, RAMPS AND THEN THEY'LL STRIPE IT.

WE DID THAT THIS YEAR.

THEY WANTED ONE AT JOE PASS AND BERCHEM BASED ON SOME RESIDENT INPUT THAT THEY RECEIVED.

SO WE CONSTRUCTED THE RAMPS AND THOSE WILL GET, UH, STRIPED ON BERTRAM DRIVE NEXT YEAR.

SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE EACH SPECIFIC CASE, BUT STOP SIGNS AND YIELD SIGNS, UH, AND SPEED LIMITS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE AT THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S DISCRETION. AND HOW LONG HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF GRILLO? UH, GOING ON 21 YEARS, MA'AM.

21 YEARS. OKAY.

AND SO I'M ASSUMING.

THESE WEREN'T ISSUES AGES AGO WHEN WE HAD EDGEWOOD AS A SCHOOL AND THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS TO EDGEWOOD.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAR ISSUE BACK THEN.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAR ISSUE BACK THEN WITH WARDENCLYFFE, WHEN WARDENCLYFFE WAS WAS A SCHOOL.

SO WE DIDN'T NEED TO ADDRESS PARKING.

[02:05:02]

OR AM I? AM I WRONG? I'D SAY TO SAY THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUE, I DON'T.

I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT I DON'T THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

I THINK THAT THE THE FACT THAT OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN, THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WALK TO SCHOOL NOW, AS OPPOSED TO RIDE THE BUS HAS GROWN.

SO IT'S KIND OF AMPLIFIED.

THE I GUESS THE DANGER THAT THERE IS.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND, UM. UH CLERK GUTHRIE.

TO YOUR POINT THERE, THIS IS THE INTERSECTION OF SENECA DRIVE AND SHAKER BOULEVARD, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, ACTUALLY, ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS DESERVES CREDIT FOR POINTING OUT TO US THE NO PARKING AT THIS INTERSECTION.

SO AT ONE POINT, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER.

YEAH. THIS INTERSECTION IS ACTUALLY ALMOST IDENTICAL IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE AND FORM.

UH, PROBABLY THE LONE EXCEPTION IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU HAVE COMING FROM EDGEWOOD, YOU HAVE A SIDEWALK LEAVING THE CAMPUS INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD. SO AND CLEARLY, WHAT YOU HAD BACK IN THE DAY, BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE EVIDENCE OF IT.

THERE'S YOUR NO PARKING SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION.

CLEARLY, YOU HAD THE SAME CONDITION HAPPENING.

WHERE? UM, I'M SURE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS IT IS TODAY, BUT YOU HAD SOME PARENTS TRYING TO BYPASS THE FORMAL STUDENT DROP OFF LINE, WHICH THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO ADDRESS GOING INTO SHAKER HEIGHTS, PARKING ALONG SENECA AND SHAKER BOULEVARD, UM, TO PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN.

AND CLEARLY, THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THE CROSSING HERE.

SO THEY PUT NO PARKING SIGNS TO KEEP THAT INTERSECTION FREE AND CLEAR FOR THESE STUDENTS WALKING RIGHT HERE.

SO ALMOST IDENTICAL CONDITIONS.

SO WE KIND OF LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID, OKAY, CLEARLY, YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE NO PARKING EVERYWHERE.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH WOULD TRIGGER IT.

IN THIS CASE, IT'S THE PROXIMITY TO A SCHOOL AND THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS CREATED BY THE SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR MAP BACK TO THE, UM, ALDERWOOD AND SILKWOOD DRIVE? SO WHAT? WHERE ARE THE, UM, STOP SIGNS GOING? AGAIN. SO NO STOP SIGNS ARE GOING IN.

UH, NO PARKING SIGNS ARE GOING TO GO WHERE? THESE YELLOW? YEP. WHERE THE YELLOW SQUARES ARE, WHICH ARE ALL.

I MEASURED THESE OUT ON GOOGLE EARTH.

SO THESE ARE THE APPROXIMATE LIMITS OF 50FT FROM THE INTERSECTION.

THIS WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE ON PARKING THAN WHAT'S AT SENECA AND SHAKER.

BUT AGAIN WE WERE LOOKING AT WHERE THE DRIVEWAYS ARE AND WHERE 50FT WOULD FALL.

IT'S REALLY THE SOUTHERN LEG OF ALDERWOOD THAT TRIGGERED THE 50FT, BECAUSE THAT GOT US TO THE SWEET SPOT JUST SOUTH OF THIS DRIVEWAY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANYONE PARKING RIGHT HERE, TOO CLOSE TO THE INTERSECTION.

AND WE REALLY DON'T WANT CARS WEDGING IN HERE.

UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE MAKING THEIR TURN TO GO UP HERE.

SO WE'D LIKE THAT SIGHT LINE OPEN ALL THROUGH HERE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE THE STUDENTS.

UH, WALKING ACROSS WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE IS IF YOU IMAGINE CARS LINING UP RIGHT HERE AND FILLING THAT, AND THEN YOU IMAGINE A CAR COMING FROM THE SOUTH, THE STUDENTS, THE CAR WON'T SEE THAT STUDENT.

RIGHT? BECAUSE THIS CAR LINE IS OBSTRUCTING UNTIL THE STUDENT POPS OUT BETWEEN TWO VEHICLES.

AND AT THAT POINT, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU'RE STOPPING TIME, UH, MIGHT BE VERY NEGLIGIBLE.

OKAY. I'M SORRY.

ONE MORE QUESTION. THANK YOU.

AND DID YOU DID YOU SAY THAT, UM, WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, YOU'VE SEEN SUCCESS WITH THE STUDENTS? DID YOU SAY THAT? UH, SO THE RAMPS JUST WENT IN ON.

SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A LONG PERIOD TO OBSERVE, AND WE HAVEN'T RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO ASK PEOPLE NOT TO PARK IN THE INTERSECTION.

UM HUM. UM, SO WITH THE STUDENTS CROSSING, WHAT'S THAT WITH THE STUDENTS CROSSING? THEY'VE TAKEN TO THE NEW DIRECTION AND OKAY, HERE'S AN ACTUAL BARRICADE.

THEY'RE GONE.

AND I SENT AN OFFICER OUT AND CADETS OUT FOR THE FIRST WEEK OR SO TO EDUCATE THE KIDS.

MOVE IT ALONG, GUYS. GO NORTH.

GO NORTH. VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, SO WHEN THE SIGNS ARE POSTED, ARE THEY POSTED DURING A CERTAIN TIME OF THE DAY OR DO THEY JUST SAY IN GENERAL, THERE'S NO PARKING? WE DID IT IN GENERAL, UH, AGAIN, TO GO ALONG WITH THE LINES OF WHAT WE HAD IN THE SHAKER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, BUT ALSO IT JUST EDUCATES THE DRIVERS.

IF SOMEBODY WAS PARKED THERE, UH, FOR LONG TERM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WEREN'T ANY CARS IN THE INTERSECTION THERE.

YEAH, BECAUSE I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THE RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, WHOSE ARE AFFECTED THAT THEY CAN'T PARK, UM, ON THE ROAD DURING, YOU KNOW, OFF SCHOOL HOURS AT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S A FOOTBALL PARTY OR SOMETHING

[02:10:07]

THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE KIND OF BUMMED ABOUT, OR I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT SAY, OH, UM, NO PARKING BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND 5 P.M.

ON MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I WAS JUST WONDERING.

YEAH, WE, UH, THAT'S NOT THE ROUTE WE WENT WITH THAT.

OKAY. MR. DESHAY, UM, I LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THESE ARE VERY WIDE ROADS, SO THERE'S PLENTY OF STREET PARKING ELSEWHERE.

SO SOMEONE DID NOT HAVE THOSE 50FT IN FRONT OF THEM.

THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACES NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST.

THERE'S LOTS OF LOTS OF STREET PARKING AVAILABLE.

SO YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE AT ALL? NO. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND TO YOUR POINT, UM, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

COUNTERINTUITIVE IN THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE THESE TWO PROPERTY OWNERS REALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROPERTY AND THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR, UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ACTUALLY HAPPY THAT THE NO PARKING SIGNS WILL GO IN, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING SO MANY PEOPLE PARKING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.

AND I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD EVER PARK RIGHT HERE JUST BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE MAKING THE LEFT HAND TURN MOVEMENT HERE, OR IF SOMEONE IS A DISTRACTED DRIVER, THEY COULD HIT YOUR VEHICLE. I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S BEST FOR EVERYONE IF YOU DON'T PARK IN AN INTERSECTION.

NOW, IN ACTUALITY, DO WE HAVE THE TIME TO GO AND DO A TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER FOR EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP? NO, BUT FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, I THINK BOTH BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE SOLUTION.

THAT'S GOOD. OKAY.

THANK YOU. UM, I THINK THAT THE BOTTOM LINE WE WANT EVERYONE TO HEAR IS THAT PARENTS PICKING UP KIDS SHOULD NOT PARK IN THE INTERSECTION, UH, AS THEY DROP KIDS OFF OR PICK KIDS UP, PERIOD. OKAY.

THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER FOR THE ALDERWOOD DRIVE AND SILKWOOD DRIVE INTERSECTION.

AND THIS IS PRIMARILY, UM, DIRECTION FOR THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.

UH, CORRECT. YEAH. THEY THEY NEED A THEY NEED THE TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDER TO GO UP BEFORE WE CAN PUT THE SIGNS UP.

OKAY. DO THEY NEED A ROLL CALL? VOTE FOR THIS OR A VOICE VOTE? WE'RE PAYING FOR IT.

UM. ROLL CALL.

VOTE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

YEAH. GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.

VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.

CLERK. CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES.