[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:02:05]
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
CLERK GUTHRIE ARE YOU HANDLING SECRETARY DUTIES TONIGHT? YES I AM. PLEASE GIVE US A ROLL CALL.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
THANK YOU. ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS.
[4. PRESENTATION]
TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO.THE FIRST IS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS BY CHIEF GRILLO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US UP HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH AN UPDATE ON HIRING.
SMILING TODAY, HE'S SMILING TODAY.
OUR REQUEST FOR THE RECRUITING AND RETENTION PROGRAM WAS GRANTED BY YOU ALL IN DECEMBER, AND I GOT TO WORK RIGHT AWAY WITH MY TEAM ON FILLING OUR OPEN POSITIONS.
IT'S BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL SO FAR.
I CAN SAY THAT IN THE EIGHT WEEKS.
IS IT 8 OR 9 WEEKS SINCE WE'VE ENACTED THIS? I HAVE TEN OF THE POSITIONS ACTIVELY BEING FILLED.
AS OF TODAY, WITH THE HIRING OF THESE TWO YOUNG MEN.
WE HAVE 34 OFFICERS, AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET, BECAUSE I'VE GOT AN OFFICER THAT RETIRES NEXT WEEK, AND THEN TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, I'VE GOT TWO THAT ARE GRADUATING FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY.
SO TO GIVE YOU A FAIR NUMBER, IT'S KIND OF CHALLENGING AT THIS TIME, BUT I WANTED TO AGAIN EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE MANAGER, WALSH AND TO YOU ALL FOR THE STEPS THAT YOU TOOK TO HELP ME ADDRESS THE STAFFING SITUATION.
[00:05:03]
MIKE IS A GRADUATE OF THE GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY.HE WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH THE RANKS AT MERIDIAN, BECAME A SERGEANT, WAS AN INVESTIGATOR, INSTRUCTS SEVERAL CLASSES FOR US, AND HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SO HE STEPPED AWAY FOR A FEW YEARS, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PART OF HIS MOTIVATION TO COME BACK WAS THE RECRUITING AND RETENTION PROGRAM. SO HE REAPPLIED WITH US.
SECOND OFFICER IS ALEX [INAUDIBLE].
ALEX IS FROM WILLIAMSTON, WHERE HE LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY.
HE WAS AN EMT, AND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS HE WORKED FOR SPARROW EMERGENCY AS WELL AS A PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY, AND HE AGAIN KIND OF DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO SERVICE, DECIDED HE WANTED TO STEP OUT OF THE EMT WORLD AND STEP INTO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WORLD.
SOME PERSONAL THINGS POPPED UP IN HIS LIFE, AND HE SHORTLY AFTER I BECAME CHIEF, HE SENT ME A MESSAGE SAYING THAT HE HAD TO STEP AWAY AND THAT HE HAD TO RESIGN, BUT HE SAID IT WAS TEMPORARY, AND I SAID, I'M GOING TO HOLD ON TO YOUR BADGE AND YOUR ID, AND WHEN YOU'RE READY TO COME BACK, YOU LET ME KNOW.
SO THAT WAS A PROMISE I MADE TO HIM.
HE KEPT HIS PROMISE, AND THEY BOTH BEGAN THEIR TOURS ON MONDAY.
SO THESE ARE OUR TWO NEW HIRES, MIKE [INAUDIBLE] AND ALEX [INAUDIBLE].
MIKE, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND FRANK AND CHIEF GRILLO FOR HAVING ME BACK.
SO THANK YOU. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE BACK AND SERVING THE TOWNSHIP ONCE AGAIN.
ITEM FOUR B IS THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE PRESENTATION.
I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE DELIVERED TO US BY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS SAMANTHA. I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
I'M GOING TO HAVE OUR MAIN DESIGNER HERE.
RACHEL IS GOING TO BE GIVING THE MAIN PRESENTATION, SINCE SHE WAS THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH A LOT OF THE CONCEPTS FOR THIS, BUT REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE OFF. IT'S A REALLY FUN THING TO WORK ON.
YOU HAVE 16 PAGES TO FILL ALL THE INCREDIBLE THINGS ABOUT OUR TOWNSHIP IN WITH, AND IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY FUN TO WORK ON AND I'LL HAVE RACHEL WALK YOU THROUGH IT.
THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
FOR ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO DOESN'T KNOW ME AND TO PETER, WHO'S A NEW MEMBER ON THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS RACHAEL STOHLIN, AND I AM THE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED SOME DELIVERY DATE DELAYS.
WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED ABOUT MID-FEBRUARY, AND A FEW DIFFERENT MOVING VARIABLES HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR DELAYS FOR US TO NOW ANTICIPATE PROBABLY NEXT WEEK, AND THE BIGGEST FACTOR THERE WAS THE BACK AND FORTH DESIGN ON MAKING SURE OUR FINAL PROOF WITH ALLEGRA PRINTING AND MARKETING WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANTED THIS TO BE SOMETHING WE WERE PROUD OF.
MELISSA [INAUDIBLE], [INAUDIBLE], ELLIE ORTIZ, LESLIE CHARLES ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.
SHE LANDED HER AMAZING AUTHORSHIP SKILLS AND FOUND EVERY GRAMMAR ERROR THAT WAS IN MY SLIDE.
[00:10:04]
[CHUCKLING] MOVING TO PHOTOGRAPHY, THAT, AGAIN, GOES A LOT OF CREDIT TO SAM DIEHL, CORTLAND JENKINS, WHO'S AT MANY OF OUR EVENTS. ONE PHOTO, I BELIEVE, WAS TAKEN BY CLERK DEBORAH GUTHRIE ON OUR ELECTIONS PAGE, AS WELL AS MANY PAST STAFF OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, THANKING ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF WHO RESPONDED WITH THE CONTENT THAT THEY WANTED IN THIS MAGAZINE.I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO CHASE ANYONE DOWN.
EVERYONE WAS ON IT, AND THAT HELPED OUR TIMELINE WORK ALONG SMOOTHLY.
ALLEGRA PRINTING FOR DOING A STELLAR JOB.
WE'VE HAD ABSOLUTELY AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH THEM, AND THEN, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND TOWNSHIP MANAGER, FRANK WALSH, FOR KEEPING COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A PRIORITY.
OUR DEPARTMENT MAKES SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS READILY INFORMED OF ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, AND THIS IS OUR MAIN SOURCE OF REACHING ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA NEWSLETTERS.
WE TRY TO REACH EVERYONE WE CAN, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET THAT FAR.
THIS IS REACHING EVERY DOORSTEP IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO WE APPRECIATE THE FUNDING THERE.
GOING OVER THE MAGAZINE AS A WHOLE.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT IMPORTANCE OF THIS PRINT MASS MAILING.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN HOLD AND HOLD ON TO FOR A LONGER PERIOD.
WE'RE REACHING THAT FULL POPULATION.
WE'RE REACHING RESIDENTS WITHOUT INTERNET, NEW RESIDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE INTERACTED WITH US PREVIOUSLY OR KNOW WHERE TO FIND US, AND THEN THOSE NON TECH SAVVY INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY PREFER THOSE PAPER COMMUNICATIONS.
MANY KNOW THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS HOME TO DIFFERENT STUDENTS, BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES, RETIREES, COUPLES, AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OR ARE HERE FOR A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAT UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY TO VARYING DEGREES, AND SO THIS IS OUR WAY OF REACHING OUR INDIVIDUALS AT DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING AND PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR EACH OF THEM.
THE CONTENT OF THIS MAGAZINE, IF I CAN SKIP TO OUR TABLE OF CONTENTS, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE ON THIS SCREEN, BUT THERE'S THE LIST OF DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSS HERE AND THE CONTENTS THAT ARE OR THE TOPICS THAT ARE IN HERE WERE GUIDED BY COMMUNITY INTEREST.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TOPICS WERE COVERED RIGHT UP FRONT IN THE MAGAZINE.
THE DESIGN OF THIS MAGAZINE WAS ALSO GUIDED BY OUR VIBRANT, ENERGETIC, FORWARD THINKING COMMUNITY.
WE'VE MADE A LOT OF ACTIONS IN 2023, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO SO IN 2024, AND SO I WANTED THE DESIGN AND INFORMATION INCLUDED TO REALLY CONVEY THAT IDEA, AND THEN ALSO A KEY THING IN THIS MAGAZINE, IT'S REALLY HIGHLIGHTED IN THE DIGITAL EDITION, BUT IT'S PREVALENT IN THE PRINT EDITION AS WELL.
WE'RE USING THIS TO START CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT CONVERSATION IS CONTINUED.
SO THIS MAGAZINE HAS ALL YOUR ESSENTIALS AND BASICS ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
IT GETS THAT CONVERSATION STARTED SO PEOPLE HAVE THE GIST OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO PLENTY MORE INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH WEBSITE LINKS, EXTRA CONTACT INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ETC, AND GOING BACKWARDS, I NOTICED I MISSED SOMETHING TWO TOPICS THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THIS MAGAZINE, BUT I REALLY WISH WE HAD THE SPACE FOR IT.
IT WAS JUST A SPACE LIMITATION THAT REDUCED THIS.
SO NO ONE EVEN HAS TO OPEN THE MAGAZINE TO SEE THIS.
WE PUT THE LINK IN THE QR CODE TO THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM WE HAVE, SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY SEE AND KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT OPTION AND CAN ACCESS THOSE ALERTS AS NEEDED. I'LL JUMP BACK HERE TO THE FRONT COVER, AND I'LL GIVE IT OVER LIKE A BRIEF CLICK THROUGH THE PAGES HERE SHORTLY, BUT WITH THIS MAGAZINE BEING A LARGE UNDERTAKING, AND WE KNOW THAT ALL LARGE UNDERTAKINGS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DO COME WITH A FINANCIAL COST.
SO I WANTED TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
THE COST OF THIS MAGAZINE, WE ENDED UP COMING $36 OVER THE BUDGET THAT WE WERE PROVIDED.
[00:15:01]
SO WE STAYED ALMOST WITHIN OUR BOUNDS, BUT THERE WAS SOME REASONING THERE THAT I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE.WE REALLY PINNED THIS ON THE COST OF INFLATION.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, AND THEN THE RISING NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHT, BUT IT ALSO COMES WITH INCREASED COMMUNICATION COSTS TO REACH EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
WE PRINTED 24,024 PAGE MAGAZINES.
SO MORE PAGES THAN THIS, AND THAT CAME OUT TO ABOUT $4,500 FOR THE MAGAZINE.
THIS TIME AROUND, WE'RE PRINTING 27,800 MAGAZINES AT 16 PAGES.
SO THAT'S ABOUT $2,200 MORE IN PRINTING.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY RISEN, BUT THE REAL COST RISE WE SEE IS DEFINITELY WITH POSTAGE AND MAILING.
SO IT'S REACHING ALL THE RESIDENTS.
IT'S, IN MY OPINION, THE BEST FORM OF COMMUNICATION BECAUSE IT'S REACHING EVERY DOORSTEP.
IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO GET THOSE OTHER OPTIONS, BUT THERE IS THAT COST INCREASE, AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT OF WHERE THAT COMES FROM AND WHY YOU GUYS SEE IT ON ON BILLS SOMETIMES I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THAT QUOTE.
THAT WAS THE LOWEST QUOTE THAT WE WERE PRESENTED.
THE NEXT HIGHEST WAS ABOUT 14,700 FOR ALL OF THAT.
WHEREAS WE THE LOW QUOTE WAS ABOUT $36 OVER BUDGET.
SO I WANT TO GIVE THEM AN EXTRA SHOUT OUT THERE, AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PAPER IS KING, AND THIS WAS AN AMAZING MAGAZINE TO WORK ON, AND SO TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT EACH OF THE PAGES LOOK LIKE.
WE HAVE THE FIRST FULL PAGE SPREAD.
IT REALLY COVERS BOARD MEETINGS, HOW TO WATCH THEM MAIN TOPICS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTRIBUTION CREDIT TO SOME OF OUR STAFF FOR WORKING ON THE MAGAZINE, AND THEN HOW TO USE THE LINKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE MAGAZINE SO WE DON'T GET THOSE QUESTIONS LATER.
TOWNSHIP PROJECTS, UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS.
SO YOU SEE THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL PICTURED THERE, THE LOCAL ROADS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTS THAT INDIVIDUALS MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IN OUR EVENTS AND PROGRAMS IN 2024. WE HAVE ELECTIONS INFORMATION.
IT DOES MENTION PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH OF THE EVENTS WERE INCLUDED, AND THE DELAYS THAT HAPPENED KIND OF TRICK OR TRICKED US WITH THAT EVENT BASICS ON PAYING BILLS AND SUSTAINABILITY.
IT'S THE FARMERS MARKET'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, SO CAN'T GO WITHOUT HIGHLIGHTING THAT MARKET, AND THEN A COUPLE OF PAGES ON PARKS AND RECREATION, THE PARKS MAP, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN EACH OF OUR PUBLICATIONS HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN I THINK WE ALL ON THE BOARD LOVE MERIDIAN CARES VERY MUCH, AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TOWARD THE END AND HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT PROGRAM AND KEEP IT ON THE STELLAR PROGRAM THAT IT IS.
SO THAT WAS A BIG HIGHLIGHT ON OUR BACK PAGE AND THEN HOW TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS SUMS IT UP PRETTY WELL AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME AND PRESENT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE.
OKAY, WE NOW MOVE TO ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA, WHERE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS. I HAVE ONE GREEN SLIP, AND THAT'S FOR NICHOLAS LENTZ.HI, EVERYONE. I KNOW A FEW OF YOU.
[00:20:02]
I WAS A READER OF THE MINUTES.SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I LIVE IN THAT BIG RED HOUSE RIGHT NEXT TO WHAT USED TO BE CITY LIMITS EAST NOW IS PINS AND PINTS.
OR YOU CAN SEE ME WITH MY DOG IN A PARK JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU. WHAT KIND OF DOG DO YOU HAVE? OFFICIALLY A MUTT. [CHUCKLING] MY MOM PAID FOR HER TO GET THE, YOU KNOW, TESTING DONE, AND IT WAS, LIKE, 10% BULLDOG, 40% PITBULL, 10%, A MILLION OTHER LITTLE THINGS.
SO I CAN COME HERE AND PRESENT ALL OF YOU IN THE EVENING.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHER MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. ITEM SIX ON OUR AGENDA IS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT, MR.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
FRANK WALSH.GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR JACKSON MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THOSE THREE AND IT MAKES YOU REALLY PROUD.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO SAMANTHA DEAL, OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WHEN SHE MADE THIS HIRE, WE HAD FOUR REALLY STRONG CANDIDATES, AND I ASKED HER WHO SHE WAS GOING TO HIRE, AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, RACHAEL REALLY IS JUST A STEP, JUST A LITTLE STEP ABOVE THE REST OF THEM, AND SHE WAS SO RIGHT.
WE GOT A GREAT TEAM AND THEY ARE DOING EXCELLENT WORK.
I JUST WANT TO POINT THOSE OUT AND START, FIRST OF ALL, WITH YOUNES.
YOUNES ISHRAIDI IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ON MARCH 1ST CELEBRATED 35 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH US.
KATIE ADAMS IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, 18 YEARS.
DAN INMAN IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SIX YEARS, AND JAMIE BARROWS ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS UP IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, TWO YEARS OF SERVICE, AND SPEAKING OF THAT, WE HAVE 156 FULL TIME STAFF. WE HAVE 100 TAKE AWAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S STAFFING, WE HAVE ONE VACANCY IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO ONE, AND THAT'S UPSTAIRS FILLING NYAL NUNN'S FORMER POSITION.
WE HAVE LITTLE TURNOVER, AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR RETENTION AND ATTRACTION.
RIGHT NOW, OUR ORDINANCE SAYS WE HAVE NINE MEMBERS.
MANY COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN HAVE SEVEN.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN EQUITY ISSUE BECAUSE TYPICALLY SOMEONE HAS TO SIT DOWN HERE.
SOMETIMES SOMEBODY STOOD AT THE BACK.
SO ANYWAY WE HAD A MEETING LATE HOUR LAST WEEK WITH SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR SCHMIDTT, AND WE TALKED THROUGH HOW THIS MIGHT WORK.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE BIDS AND THE LIST OF PROJECTS, A LIST OF ROADS, PROBABLY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
I THINK IT WAS TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON AND TRUSTEE WILSON THAT BROUGHT UP MARSHALL PARK.
THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
IT WAS ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, BUT ANYWAY THE DESIGNS ARE IN THE PARK.
THERE'S A CHOICE, AND THAT CHOICE WILL ACTUALLY BE BEFORE YOU ON MARCH 19TH, AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH SUPERVISOR JACKSON, WE'LL BE PUTTING THAT ON TO MOVE THAT EVENING SO WE CAN KEEP THE TIMELINES GOING.
[00:25:08]
ALSO, THE NEXT MEETING, YOU'LL SEE FIRST QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.THE DDA HAS A FACADE PROGRAM AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST APPLICANT, THE DDA MET.
YESTERDAY MORNING EARLY AND EVERGREEN VETERINARY OFFICE AND IS AT [INAUDIBLE].
DIRECTOR CLARK IS WORKING ON THAT.
ALSO, WE'RE SEEING INCREASED ACTIVITY.
THE BIDS ARE IN FOR THE CENTRAL PARK PAVILION PROJECT.
YOU'LL BE SEEING THOSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH.
YOU WILL SEE, I BELIEVE, THREE OF THE APPLICANTS AND SPECIAL USE PERMITS AT YOUR APRIL 2ND INTRODUCTION AND APRIL 16TH MEETINGS.
YOU'LL SEE THREE OF THE APPLICANTS BEFORE YOU.
SO THOSE WILL BE COMING BEFORE YOU.
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA APPEARS TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CLERK AND THE WORK AND THE CLERKS AND THE RECENT ELECTION.
I'VE SEEN, AS I SAID, AT ROTARY TODAY, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF ELECTIONS HERE IN MY 11 YEARS, AND I WANT TO THANK TRUSTEE TREZISE AS WELL, WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE ELECTION AND ANYONE ELSE WHO HELPED OUT BUT REALLY GOOD TO SEE THE ELECTION PROCESS HERE AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WORK.
COPPER CREEK, THE DEVELOPMENT UP IN HASLETT DOING VERY WELL.
[INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN WITH THE AS CHIEF GRILLO MENTIONED HAD A RETIREMENT COMING UP.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE BY THANKING YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY PROUD WHEN I SEE CHIEF GRILLO AND CHIEF HAMEL COME UP AND TALK ABOUT.
IT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXACERBATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND I'M PROUD THAT WE ARE WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF BEING AND WE HAVE 36 AND 42.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THEN WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.WE'LL START WITH TRUSTEE WILSON TONIGHT.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE LOST OUR BAGPIPER TERRY CARROLL, ON FEBRUARY 20TH, HE PASSED AWAY, AND I WANT TO READ A RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE ALL AGREED TO PUT FORWARD IN HONOR OF TERRY AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HELD ON THE 5TH OF MARCH AT 6 P.M..
WHEREAS TERRY CARROLL WAS BORN IN NEW JERSEY AND RAISED IN COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND, AND WHEREAS, HE MOVED TO OKEMOS IN 1980, AND WHEREAS, TERRY WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED HIGHLAND BAGPIPE PLAYER AND A REGULAR IN THE GLEN ERIN PIPE BAND, LANSING'S ONLY AREA DRUM BAND, AND WHEREAS TERRY WAS A FIXTURE PLAYING HIS BAGPIPES FOR WEDDINGS, I ATTENDED A WEDDING 26 YEARS AGO AT SAINT CATHERINE'S, WHERE HE PLAYED THE PIPES.
FUNERALS, POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER EVENTS AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES FOR MANY YEARS.
[00:30:02]
COMMUNITY, AND MANY RESIDENTS CALLED HIM FRIEND.NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, WE OFFER THIS POSTHUMOUS TRIBUTE AND DEEP APPRECIATION TO TERRY CARROLL FOR HIS UNBRIDLED FRIENDSHIP AND GIFT OF MUSIC.
THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS, MR. DESCHAINE. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
I KNEW TERRY THROUGH THE OKEMOS KIWANIS CLUB.
HE WAS A 30 YEAR MEMBER OF THAT AND WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THEIR ACTIVITIES AND A VERY COMMITTED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE WE ALL HEARD HIM PLAY OVER THE YEARS AND HE MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE FOR SO MANY IMPORTANT EVENTS.
LAST THURSDAY WAS THE LAST DAY TO PAY TAXES HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND BOTH PROPERTY AD VALOREM TAXES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, AND I WANT TO GIVE THE BOARD A QUICK UPDATE FRIDAY, THE DAY AFTER THE DUE DATE, 483 DELINQUENT PARCELS WERE TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY TREASURER OUT OF 15,000 PROPERTIES, SO LESS THAN 1 IN 30. THESE TOTALED DELINQUENT TAXES OF 1.2 MILLION, OUT OF A TOTAL OF 77.5 MILLION BILLED, AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, MOST OF THAT MONEY GOES RIGHT OUT TO OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS MEANS THAT 98.5% OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES WERE PAID ON TIME BY OUR RESIDENTS.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE. SECOND, TAXES DUE IN FEBRUARY WERE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS IS TAX ON BUSINESS MACHINERY AND INVENTORY.
MANY, MOST SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NOW EXEMPT FOR THAT, AND IF THEY FILL OUT THE FORM WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, THEY WON'T GET ANY MORE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS, BUT AS OF THE END OF THE MONTH, WE HAD 90 DELINQUENT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX PARCELS TOTALING $53,000 OUT OF $4.5 MILLION BILLED.
SO ONLY 1.1% WERE DELINQUENT, OR NEARLY 99% OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WERE PAID AS WELL.
AGAIN, OUR RESIDENTS COMPLY WITH OUR TAX BILLS AND THEY PAY THEM ON TIME.
WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE HERE.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK TRUSTEE MARNA WILSON FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS TRIBUTE TO TERRY CARROLL.
THERE WAS SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT HIS MUSIC AND SHOWING UP TO AN EVENT WHERE HE WAS PLAYING AT, AND HE WAS SORT OF A MAGICAL PERSON IN AND OF HIMSELF, AND HOW KIND HEARTED HE WAS TO EVERYONE, AND SO, YES, HE'S DONE EVERY MEMORIAL CEREMONY THAT I'VE, THAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER CONTRIBUTED HIS TIME, AND I'LL NEVER FORGET WHEN KIT RICH RETIRED AND I WENT TO THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, YOU KNOW, TO SAY GOODBYE TO KIT.
SO JUST LIKE YOU SAID, HE DID SO MANY EVENTS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T EVEN COUNT.
YOU KNOW, HE JUST SHOWED UP AND DID GREAT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TRIBUTE TOGETHER FOR HIM, AND THEN THE ELECTIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ARE DONE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF EARLY VOTING AND SO EARLY VOTING IS NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF VOTING, AND WE HAD 482 PEOPLE COME OUT FOR EARLY VOTING, WHICH WAS 1.36% OF THE VOTERS, BUT IT WAS 25% OF EARLY VOTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
SO YAY FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP VOTERS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER, AND I ONLY EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO INCREASE BECAUSE WHAT WE SAW IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WAS THAT RATHER THAN VOTERS COMING TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE WINDOW TO GET THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND VOTE ABSENTEE, THEY CAME INTO THE EARLY VOTING CENTER AND VOTED EARLY INSTEAD, AND SO THAT REALLY FREED UP OUR TIME IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE FOR ELECTION DAY.
WE ALSO HAD 7100 PEOPLE VOTE ABSENTEE, WHICH WAS 20% OF THE VOTERS, AND WE HAD 2400 PEOPLE VOTE IN PERSON, WHICH WAS 7% OF THE VOTERS.
SO THAT CONTINUES TO GO THIS WAY WITH AV AND IN-PERSON GOING DOWN ON ELECTION DAY.
[00:35:10]
TO VOTE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VOTERS WHO CAME OUT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVICING YOU IN AUGUST, AND JUST FOR A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT, THERE IS A MAY 7TH.
EAST LANSING PUBLIC SCHOOLS ELECTION, AND SO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOES WORK WITH EAST LANSING.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM OUR VOTERS WHO LIVE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
OUR BALLOT BOXES NEED TO BE OPEN.
WE NEED TO BE OPEN ON ELECTION DAY FOR ANY VOTER REGISTRATION, AND SO WE'VE SENT OUR LETTER TO THE COUNTY ABOUT HOW WE ARE WORKING WITH EAST LANSING FOR THEIR SCHOOL ELECTION ON MAY 7TH, AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CLERK AS WELL, AND SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON ALL OF THAT. THAT IS ABOUT IT THAT IS GOING ON.
WE'RE AT BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
OH, NO, I HAVEN'T DECLARED IT DONE YET BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM EVERYBODY.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.DO WE HAVE A SECOND? KATHY, DID YOU SAY? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN ADDITION TO ACTION ITEMS SO THAT THE BOARD CAN SET A DATE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION.
WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THEM WHEN WE GET TO THAT.
IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA? I THINK YOU HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA.
SO I MOVED TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD ITEM 13B I MEAN 12D SET A DATE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.
SO NOW WE WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, AS AMENDED.
YES? DID WE NEED TO ADD THE RESOLUTION FOR MR. CARROLL TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, PERHAPS, IF WE WERE GOING TO PASS THAT THIS EVENING? WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? I MOVE TO ADD THE TRIBUTE TO TERRY CARROLL TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT. IS THERE SUPPORT? SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO ADD THE TRIBUTE TO MR. CARROLL TO THE CONSENT AGENDA SPECIFICALLY, PLEASE SAY YES.
SO NOW WE'RE READY FOR APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED AGENDA.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED, PLEASE SAY YES.
THE CHAIR VOTE YES, AND WE MOVE ON.
ITEM NINE IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS COMMUNICATIONS WHICH I THINK I WILL ADD ONE TO IN A MINUTE.MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 2024 REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING.
THE TOWNSHIP BILLS, THE TOWNSHIP MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT PROPOSAL FROM THE MANAGER AND RATIFICATION OF THE NEW POLICE OFFICERS OFFICER APPOINTMENTS, WHICH WE JUST THE TWO POLICE OFFICERS WE JUST MET.
IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS I FOUND, I GOT A LETTER AT THE BOARD TABLE TONIGHT, AND I WOULD
[00:40:02]
ASK THAT THE CLERK ADDS THIS TO THE COMMUNICATIONS.THIS PARTICULAR LETTER IS FROM LINDA JONES.
I MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS AMENDED THIS EVENING.
OKAY. SUPPORT, MR. DESCHAINE. MR. HENDRICKSON. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON ONE OF THE ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH I DON'T THINK BEARS PULLING OFF, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST ASK, AND THAT RELATES TO THE TOWNSHIP MILEAGE RATE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY MANAGER WALSH.
OKAY. THIS IS, I BELIEVE, THE SECOND TIME WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND APPROVED THE MILEAGE INCREASES.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WE CHOOSE THIS SPECIFIC CENTS PER MILE AND NOT SAY, PEG THE TOWNSHIP MILEAGE RATE TO THE FEDERAL RATE? IT IS FEDERAL. THIS IS THE FEDERAL RATE.
CAN WE JUST SAY IN THE FUTURE, PERHAPS WE APPROVE THAT THIS, THAT THE FEDERAL RATE WILL BE THE TOWNSHIP RATE? SURE. YOU COULD DO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? THEN WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE CLERK GUTHRIE.
ITEM TEN. QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY.
11 IS HEARINGS AND WE HAVE NONE SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT, AND ITEM 12 IS THE ACTION ITEMS.
[12.A. Ordinance 2024-02 – Rezone 5681 Shaw Street from PO, Professional and Office, to RN, Village of Nemoka Mixed Residential -Final Adoption]
12A IS ORDINANCE 2024-02 REZONE 5681 SHAW STREET FROM PO PROFESSIONAL AND OFFICE TO RN VILLAGE OF NEMOKA MIXED RESIDENTIAL, AND IT'S IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT FOR FINAL ADOPTION.MR. SCHMIDTT. DIRECTOR SCHMIDTT.
WE DID PUBLISH THIS FOR REZONING TO RN, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE APPLICANT'S ORIGINAL REQUEST, WHICH WAS TO RC JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS BUILDING RIGHT HERE, JUST TO THE NORTH OF HASLETT ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE OF SHAW STREET, IS THE ONLY COMMERCIAL BUILDING ON THAT STREET, AND IT'S PROPOSED TO BE IN THE LONG TERM. THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY INTO A SMALL APARTMENT BUILDING.
WITH THIS REZONING REQUEST STAFF HAS NO FURTHER COMMENT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AT THIS POINT.
MR. DESCHAINE. DIRECTOR SCHMIDTT, FROM WHAT YOU CAN TELL, DO THEY PLAN TO REHAB THE CURRENT BUILDING OR TEAR IT DOWN AND START OVER AGAIN? REHAB THE EXISTING BUILDING.
OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION? TRUSTEE WILSON.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 2024-02, AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY AT 5681 SHAW STREET, PARCEL ID NUMBER 33-02-02-10-428-007 FROM PO PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO RN, VILLAGE OF NEMOKA, MIXED RESIDENTIAL.
MR. TREZISE SECONDS THAT MOTION.
TRUSTEE WILSON, DO YOU HAVE MORE YOU WANT TO SAY? THIS BRINGS THE PARCEL INTO CONFORMANCE WITH THE OTHER SURROUNDING PARCELS.
SO IT'S A LOGICAL THING TO DO, AND THAT'S WHY I PUT IT FORWARD.
OKAY. THANK YOU, AND, MR. TREZISE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN VACANT FOR MANY YEARS, FROM THE LAST TIME IT WAS USED AS A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, AND SO ALLOWING THE OWNERS NOW TO REHAB IT INTO A SMALL RESIDENTIAL UNIT.
MULTI-FACET RESIDENTIAL UNIT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
IT DOES FIT IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SITE REVIEW WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE PARKING AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO WITH MULTIPLE HOUSING, BUT I THINK IT FITS INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER THAN AN EMPTY BUILDING, BY FAR.
OKAY. THE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
[00:45:01]
CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.I CONCUR WITH THE TWO TRUSTEES AND ALSO WITH THIS PROJECT FOLLOWING THE MASTER PLAN GUIDELINES THAT WE MOST RECENTLY ADOPTED FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? THE MOTION IS TO, WELL, THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 2024-02, AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY AT 5681 SHAW STREET.
PARCEL NUMBER INCLUDED FROM PO PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO RN, VILLAGE OF NEMOKA, MIXED RESIDENTIAL.
REZONING REQUIRES A ROLL CALL VOTE.
ITEM 12B IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24-002 FOR OKEMOS GATEWAY, LLC
[12.B. Special Use Permit – 24-002 – Okemos Gateway LLC, 1614 and 1622 W Grand River Avenue – Building greater than 25,000 square feet]
1614 AND 1622 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE FOR A BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000FT².IT'S GRAND RIVER IN CENTRAL PARK AND THE SPARROW FACILITY.
SO THIS VACANT PROPERTY RIGHT THERE.
APPLICANT IS PROPOSING CONSTRUCTION OF 127,500 SQUARE FOOT, THREE STORY, CLIMATE CONTROLLED SELF-STORAGE FACILITY JUST TO ALLEVIATE ANY RUMOR THAT'S GOING AROUND THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS NO MARIJUANA RELATED TO THIS BUILDING.
THAT'S NOT WHAT IS UNDER REVIEW THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD REVIEWED THIS AT THEIR FEBRUARY 20TH MEETING, RAISED A SERIES OF CONCERNS, AND JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THEM THIS EVENING, AND I KNOW THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD.
TO REITERATE, THIS WAS DISCUSSED, AND IT WENT A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH, AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY, THERE WILL BE, UNDER THE CURRENT DESIGN, A VARIANCE REQUIRED FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR THE LACK OF SETBACK FROM THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS OF THE NORTH.
200FT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE ORDINANCE, ONLY UNDER 50 IS PROVIDED.
THE HOURS OF OPERATION, LIGHTING, WETLANDS, ETC.
WILL ALL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE SITE PLAN REVIEW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE NO PROPOSED WETLAND IMPACTS FROM THIS PROJECT AND THE DRAINAGE WILL ALSO BE REVIEWED THROUGH THIS PROJECT, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A POND AND IT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE [INAUDIBLE] DRAIN.
SO THIS PROJECT WILL FLOW INTO THE UNDER DRAIN, ULTIMATELY TO THE NORTH HITTING MUD LAKE OUTLET WHICH EVENTUALLY GETS TO THE RED CEDAR, BUT THOSE ARE ALL SITE PLAN RELATED ISSUES THAT STAFF AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WILL DEAL WITH WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.
SO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE BOARD THIS EVENING IS SPECIFICALLY THE BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000FT², AND I'VE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET THIS EVENING IN MY MEMO, THE STANDARDS OF REVIEW, THE PURPOSE OF THE 25,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT, AND THE STANDARDS OF REVIEW FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
ON PAGE TWO OF MY MEMO, THERE WAS NO CLEAR CONSENSUS AT THE LAST MEETING, AND SO CONSISTENT WITH OUR PAST PRACTICE, WE PROVIDED MOTIONS BOTH FOR APPROVAL AND DENIAL. SPECIFICALLY, IN EITHER CASE, THE BOARD NEEDS TO PLEASE, PLEASE EXPLICITLY OUTLINE YOUR REASONS, EITHER FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL BASED ON THE STANDARDS OUTLINED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MEMO.
SO DIRECTLY CORRELATING THE DISCUSSION TO THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, BULK OF THE BUILDING LOCATION, THE BUILDING IMPACT OF THE BUILDING ON THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, AND AS IT RELATES TO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
I KNOW THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF MR. SCHMIDTT, AT THIS POINT? THEN, MR. SCHMIDT, IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE THE APPLICANTS.
YES. I'M NOT SURE ACTUALLY WHO'S GOING TO COME SPEAK.
SO I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S THE DOCTOR THE GOOD DOCTOR IS COMING UP TO SPEAK.
OKAY? JUST TRYING TO THINK HOW TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME.
YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? SURE. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OKEMOS GATEWAY, LLC.
[00:50:01]
ADDRESS IS 29 580 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN.MADAM SUPERVISOR, CAN I STEP FORWARD AND GIVE OUT A PAMPHLET, A PACKET TO EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE PREPARED? OH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.
WHILE THOSE ARE BEING PASSED OUT, WE DO WANT TO PAY OUR RESPECTS TO TERRENCE.
THAT'S A GREAT TRIBUTE TO HIM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE HE DID PUT A LOT OF SMILES ON PEOPLE'S LIVES HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE DO DEFINITELY PAY OUR RESPECTS TO HIM AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE TONIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTARY YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE US LAST TIME.
SO WE HAD OUR ARCHITECTS GIVE A FEW STEPS AND GO STRAIGHT TO DOING RENDERINGS.
SO THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT IS PROVIDED FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEHIND US.
AS YOU WILL SEE, THERE'S ONLY THERE IS ONE UNIT, WHICH IS UNIT NUMBER 22, WHICH HAS THE SIDE OF THE HOME FACING THIS DEVELOPMENT FROM 150FT. OTHERWISE EVERY OTHER HOME IS NOT.
THERE IS NO BACKYARD THAT FACES OUR SELF STORAGE FACILITY, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE RENDERING, AS WELL AS IN THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS EXHIBITED IN THE LETTER THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
EXCUSE ME FOR JUST A SECOND, MR. GIBBS. CAN WE SHOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? YES, I DID PROVIDE A DIGITAL FORMAT, AND I KNOW THE SITE PLAN.
THE FORMAL SITE PLAN IS IN THIS.
SO THIS IS OUR SELF STORAGE FACILITY.
SORRY. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ZOOM OUT RIGHT HERE.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK HERE, IF THIS IS A SELF-STORAGE FACILITY, WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF THE ZBA TO GET A 50 FOOT VARIANCE BUT WE'RE PROPOSING 150 FOOT BARRIER BUFFER, AS WELL AS LEAVING ALL THIS NATURAL FEATURES THAT ARE THERE BETWEEN AND BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL RETENTION POND THERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS THE ONLY UNIT HERE, NUMBER 22, THAT WOULD THE SIDE OF IT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HALF OF IT WOULD BE A GARAGE WOULD FACE SEMI THIS AND THESE ARE ALL EXISTING VEGETATION FACING THAT.
SO WHEREVER THERE IS A RESIDENTIAL PIECE, A RESIDENTIAL HOME, WE ARE NOT IMPEDING ANY SORT OF VIEW, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE RENDERING THAT WE PROVIDED ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS PACKET TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE STORAGE FACILITY IS AND THE HOMES.
SELF-STORAGE IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT REQUIRES A 200 FOOT SETBACK.
SO WE ARE 50 FOOT PAST IF IT WAS A GYM OR A GROCERY STORE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD TODAY TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE 25,000 SQUARE FOOT SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPROVAL.
HOWEVER, I DID SEE A LOT OF CONCERNS AT THE LAST MEETING IN TERMS OF THE USE, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO JUST SPEND A QUICK MINUTE ON THE USE AND EXPLAIN ON WHY THIS IS A NECESSARY USE AND WOULD BE A BENEFICIAL USE TO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THE TOWNSHIP HAS OVER BETWEEN HOMES AND APARTMENTS, A THOUSAND UNITS GOING UP RIGHT NOW.
ALL THESE PEOPLE DO NEED STORAGE.
WE LIVE IN A SEASONAL TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.
HERE IN MICHIGAN. WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT SEASONS.
PEOPLE HAVE TO STORE THEIR FURNITURE.
THEY HAVE TO STORE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY WHERE THEY DON'T NEED THAT SPACE IN THEIR HOME TO STORE THAT.
NOT ONLY THAT, IT HELPS BUSINESSES.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES JUST ON THIS CORRIDOR.
THAT SPACE IS REALLY EXPENSIVE TO RENT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE EXTRA INVENTORY, YOU HAVE EXTRA SUPPLIES.
THIS GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RENT AFFORDABLE SPACE, TO STORE THEIR SUPPLIES, TO STORE THEIR OUTDOOR FURNITURE IF THEY ARE A RESTAURANT THAT HAS A PATIO OUTSIDE IN THE SUMMER AND THEN IN THE WINTER STORES THEIR FURNITURE, IT GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE THAT WITH WITHOUT HAVING TO RENT THE SPACE AT THESE ASTRONOMICAL NUMBERS THAT INFLATION IS CAUSING A STORE.
THE STORAGE FACILITIES HELP BUSINESSES THRIVE IN A COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL NEED.
WE'VE PROVIDED MARKET FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT AS WELL BEYOND THE NEED, AND THIS IS NOT EVEN ENOUGH STORAGE FOR THE TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE TO BE IN LINE WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THIS FACILITY IS, YOU KNOW, YES, IT'S WHEN YOU READ IT, IT'S 127,000FT², BUT THE FLOOR PLATES ARE 40,000FT² FOR A PROPERTY THAT'S EIGHT AND A HALF ACRES.
[00:55:02]
FOR THAT IS ABOUT 4500FT² OF LAND, OF PROPERTY ON EACH ACRE SQUARE, FOOTAGE WISE, FOR THE FLOOR PLANE ITSELF.WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE HEIGHT HERE.
I UNDERSTAND THE HEIGHT IS A CONCERN, BUT PER THE ORDINANCE, WE ARE ALLOWED TO GO UP TO 35FT, AND WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A HEIGHT VARIANCE ON THIS IN TERMS OF LIGHTING ON THE PROJECT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FULL PHOTOMETRIC PLAN THAT WILL SHOW THAT THERE WILL BE ZERO LIGHT PENETRATION TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
WE WANT TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
WHEN WE PRESENTED IT IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION SEEMED ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY SAW IT AS A NEED AND THAT WAS THE REASON WE GOT THE APPROVAL ON THE USE.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT TO COME BEFORE US, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A NEED, AND THEY I FORGOT WHICH BOARD, WHICH PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER WAS THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE FILLED IN NO TIME, AND THAT'S OUR TRUE BELIEF.
THE BUILDING IS NOT A BUILDING THAT CAN'T BE RETROFITTED INTO SOMETHING ELSE, EVEN THOUGH IT WILL NEVER BE RETROFITTED BECAUSE WE KNOW IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT IS A TYPICAL SQUARE BUILDING THAT COULD BE RETAIL, IT COULD BE OFFICE, IT COULD BE ANYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, THOSE STORAGE UNITS ON THE INSIDE ARE DISMOUNTABLE.
THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE YOU KNOW, THIS FACILITY IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY, MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR BUSINESSES TO HAVE SPACE THAT THEY NEED FOR THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT NEED IMMEDIATELY IN THEIR VICINITY, IN THEIR SPACE, BUT NOT HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO EAST LANSING TO GO PICK UP THEIR MATERIALS. THEY COULD BE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THIS, AND THIS PROVIDES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THERE ARE GARAGE DOORS ON THE BUILDING THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO IN.
THEN THE MOVING STARTS INSIDE THE BUILDING.
SO THERE'S NO SOUND PENETRATION LEAVING THE BUILDING IN TERMS. OF TRAFFIC. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE IN TERMS OF PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, INCREASED SIZE MEANS INCREASED TRAFFIC.
WE ARE NOT IMPEDING ON THE IMPACT OF THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BEHIND US.
WE ARE NOT IMPEDING ANY WETLANDS.
WE MADE SURE THAT ALL THE WETLANDS ARE FAR AWAY FROM THIS AND WE ARE PRESERVING THE WETLANDS.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR WETLAND MITIGATIONS.
I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE RENDERINGS HOW, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU MORE OF A VISUAL TO SEE IT, AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I HOPE THE LETTER ADDRESSED A LOT OF THEM AS WELL, AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CLERK GUTHRIE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DEPUTY TOWNSHIP MANAGER DAN OPSOMMER.
THANK YOU. I HOPE I AM ASKING THE RIGHT PERSON.
I'M PRETTY SURE I AM, BUT MAYBE KICK THE CAN TO TIM.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THAT DRAIN RIGHT NOW? I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE DRAIN ITSELF, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE GRAND RESERVE DEVELOPMENT TO THE NORTH.
DO THE SAME DETENTION ON THEIR SITE IS DO YOU KNOW THE CAPACITY OF THIS, LIKE, HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT CAN BE BUILT AROUND THIS AREA FOR THE CAPACITY OF THIS DRAIN? AND DO YOU KNOW HOW OLD THIS DRAIN IS? WELL, AS LONG AS YOU SET ASIDE ENOUGH LAND ON EACH SITE TO STORE AND DETAIN 100 YEAR STORM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CAPACITY.
[01:00:01]
YOU'RE REALLY NOT ADDING ANY NEED FOR THE DRAIN CAPACITY.HOWEVER, THE DRAIN OFFICE HAS BEEN TALKING TO US ABOUT A PROJECT THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO THE DETENTION BASIN, WHICH WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE SITE AND SOUTH OF THE GRAND RESERVE SITE, BUT TO DATE, WE HAVE NO DOCUMENTS FROM THE DRAIN OFFICE REGARDING THAT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU'RE ADDING DETENTION BASINS ON THE PROPERTY THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSED AND YOU'RE STORING ENOUGH WATER FOR 100 YEAR EVENT THAT IS WELL IN EXCESS OF WHAT MOST DRAIN OFFICES WOULD REQUIRE, AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE COMMISSION AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ADDING TO THE CAPACITY OF THE DRAIN.
THEY JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD SIZE AT THIS POINT FOR THE PRELIMINARY, WITH THEIR INITIAL CALCULATIONS, ONCE FINAL ENGINEERING IS DONE, THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE EXACT SIZE, BUT IT WILL BE.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
YES, MR. HENDRICKSON, THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR, AND I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR SCHMIDTT AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT FOR COMING BACK BEFORE US AND PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION AGAIN.
WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
WE CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT WHAT IMPACT THE SIZE OF THIS BUILDING WILL HAVE.
RIGHT? AND I DO APPRECIATE THE RENDERINGS THAT WERE PROVIDED THIS EVENING BY THE APPLICANT'S ARCHITECTS.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALWAYS HELPFUL TO GET A PICTURE.
IT'S ONE THING TO LOOK AT THE GOOGLE MAPS OR WALK THE PROPERTY.
IT'S ANOTHER TO TRY TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE SCOPE OF IT WOULD BE, AND.
I DISAGREE WITH THE APPLICANT'S NOTION THAT ONLY ONE SIDE OF ONE PROPERTY WOULD BE AFFECTED BY A BUILDING OF THIS SIZE.
IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD TO LOOK AT A RENDERING OF WHAT TREES COULD BE ON A PROPERTY LIKE THIS, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE THERE IN 5, 10 YEARS, AND THIS BUILDING WOULD BE, AND SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE STREET'S WORTH OF PROPERTIES THAT BACK UP AND LOOK AT A MASSIVE BUILDING. I THINK THE IMPACT OF A BUILDING THIS SIZE, THIS CLOSE TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA, WOULD BE MUCH LARGER THAN WHAT WAS PRESENTED THIS EVENING, AND SO I WOULD HAVE VERY, A VERY DIFFICULT TIME COMING TO APPROVING A GROUPING OF BUILDINGS OR A BUILDING THAT'S THIS BIG AND THIS TALL, THIS CLOSE TO WHAT IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR WHAT WILL BE, AND SO WE'RE UP ON ACTION FOR THIS THIS EVENING, AND SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION AND WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS GO.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DENYING SPECIAL USE PERMIT 2402, A REQUEST FOR A BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000FT² AT 1614 AND 1622 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE, PARCEL ID NUMBERS 330202, 22426001 AND 33020222401003.
SUPPORT. SUPPORT PROPOSED BY TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, SUPPORTED BY CLERK GUTHRIE. MR. HENDRICKSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO FURTHER SUPPORT YOUR MOTION? THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR. YEAH, I'LL SIMPLY ADD AS MOST OF MY COMMENTS LEADING UP TO THAT WERE ABOUT THE MOTION THAT I APPRECIATE THE ROLE OF
[01:05:04]
DIRECTOR SCHMIDTT IN HELPING TO ALLAY SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT WAS OUT THERE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS TRAVEL FAST.
NEWS TRAVELS FAST, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT, AND SO I APPRECIATE THE ASSIST ON THAT.
CLERK GUTHRIE. I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUE, TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON, ON HIS SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT.
I'M NOT 100% CONFIDENT OR EVEN 50% CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WHEN YOU ASK FOR SPECIFIC SUP REASONS FOR DENIAL, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, NOT ONLY THE SIZE OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING BUT THE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE SERVICE SURFACE THAT IS GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE PARKING LOT AREA.
IN ADDITION, I DON'T, I'M NOT CONFIDENT IN THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE, WHERE THAT STORMWATER IS GOING TO GO, WHERE THE RUNOFF WATER IS GOING TO GO.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THROUGH THIS PROJECT OR THROUGH THE CLARIFICATION FROM THE ITEMS THAT WE ASKED ABOUT IN THE LAST MEETING THAT THOSE WERE ADEQUATELY RESPONDED TO.
IN YOUR MEMO, YOU SAY THE DRAINAGE FOR THE PROJECT STILL NEEDS TO BE FULLY REVIEWED.
WILL FLOW INTO THE UNDERDRAIN WHICH FLOWS NORTH, EVENTUALLY HITTING BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
IT GOES ON AND ON, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HAS BEEN FULLY REVIEWED AND FULLY FLESHED OUT AND, AND SO IN REGARDS TO THE WATER FLOW, WHERE THE DRAINAGE IS GOING TO GO, I'M NOT CONFIDENT IN THAT PART OF THE SUP EITHER, AND IT DOES NOT FIT WHAT THE BOARD VOTED ON TO HAVE INFILL DEVELOPMENT OVER DEVELOPMENT ON EMPTY LAND.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? MR. TREZISE.
THIS IS A RATHER LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I THINK IT SAID EIGHT ACRES OR SOMETHING IN EXCESS OF THAT.
ANYTHING BUILT ON THIS IS INFILL.
WHETHER IT'S 25,000FT² OR 10,000FT².
I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN WITH THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO THE NORTH, BUT THIS COULD BE TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH LANDSCAPING, THROUGH TREES.
THERE ARE SOME THERE THAT COULD BE REPLACED IF THEY COME DOWN.
IT'S 150FT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
THERE'S ALSO A SETBACK FOR THE HOUSING.
SO IT'S APPROACHING PROBABLY 200FT TO THE NEAREST HOUSE IF IT'S NOT QUITE THERE.
I THINK I WOULD SUPPORT THE ISSUE AND THIS ONE.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? MR. DESCHAINE.
I WILL SUPPORT TRUSTEE HENDRICKSON'S MOTION TO REFUSE THIS SUP.
I BELIEVE THE SIZE IS TOO LARGE FOR THE PARTIAL, PARTICULARLY THAT IT MEETS THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS.
I JUST BELIEVE IT'S TOO LARGE OF A BUILDING FOR THAT PARCEL, AND IT'S THE HEIGHT WILL WILL STAND OUT CONSIDERABLY FROM ALL AROUND IT.
I WISH THE APPLICANT HAD BROUGHT A MORE APPROPRIATE SIZE BUILDING BEFORE US.
SO I WILL VOTE NOT TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
[01:10:01]
OKAY. THE MOTION IS TO DENY MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DENYING SPECIAL USE PERMIT 24-02, A REQUEST FOR A BUILDING GREATER THAN 25,000FT² AT 1614 AND 1622 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE.THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ZONED C-2 COMMERCIAL, AND THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A THREE-STORY, CLIMATE-CONTROLLED, SELF-STORAGE FACILITY.
I BELIEVE WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE AS WELL.
CLERK GUTHRIE. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS. I NEED TO HAVE A BREAK BECAUSE I'M RUNNING OUT OF POWER IN MY COMPUTER, AND I DIDN'T BRING MY CHARGER.
SO IF WE COULD TAKE TEN MINUTES.
OKAY, WELL, IT MIGHT TAKE ME TEN MINUTES [CHUCKLING].
[12.C. 2022 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Resolution #4 - Set Public Hearing for April 2, 2024]
[01:19:36]
BACK IN SESSION.ITEM 12C IS 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK [INAUDIBLE].
TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 2ND, 2024.
IF EVERYONE IS READY WE WILL HEAR FROM DEPUTY MANAGER DAN OPSOMMER ON ITEM 12 C.
[01:20:10]
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.SO JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, THIS WAS LAST BEFORE YOU SEPTEMBER 6TH OF 2022.
SO WE COMPLETED THE CONSTRUCTION OVER 2022 AND 2023.
THAT WORK IS COMPLETE, AND THIS IS THE NORMAL TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN WE BRING THIS BACK TO YOU, AND WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE ASSESSMENTS, AND SO AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE DOING SIDEWALKS, WE ASSESS BASED ON THE SQUARE YARD OF SIDEWALK BEING REPLACED, AND SO ALL OF THE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE IN THE ASSESSMENT ROLL BEFORE YOU ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL QUANTITIES OF SIDEWALK THAT WERE REPLACED DOWN TO THE SQUARE YARD, AND EACH RESIDENT PAYS FOR THE SQUARE YARDAGE THAT WAS REPLACED ALONG THEIR FRONTAGE.
ONCE YOU APPROVE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, THAT WILL SET THE HEARING FOR APRIL 2ND, AND EACH OF THE RESIDENTS THAT HAS AN ASSESSMENT WILL RECEIVE A NOTICE REGARDING THAT ASSESSMENT.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED, AND THEN THAT LETS THEM KNOW THAT IF THEY DO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, THEY CAN ONE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WE CAN SPEAK WITH THEM.
AT WHICH POINT, ONCE WE GET BEYOND THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE WOULD BRING BACK RESOLUTION FIVE AFTER RECEIVING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THAT WOULD FINALIZE THE ASSESSMENT ROLL, AND THOSE ASSESSMENTS WOULD GO OUT IN JUNE ON THE TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THIS EVENING.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
DISTRICT NUMBER 20, RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH FILES THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL WITH THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK AND SETS THE DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2024.
SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY MR. DESCHAINE. TRUSTEE WILSON.
SO IN ORDER FOR THAT TO CONTINUE, THIS IS THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS NEEDED, AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT, AND MR. DESCHAINE. [INAUDIBLE] SIDEWALK ORDER TO MAINTAIN, AND AS ALWAYS, IF A RESIDENT WANTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SIDEWALK ON THEIR OWN, HIRE THEIR OWN CONTRACTOR, THEY ARE FREE TO DO THAT IF THEY DO IT IN A TIMELY FASHION.
OKAY, MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
WELL, AS IT TURNS OUT, MY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ON THIS LIST, AND I WAS VERY CURIOUS, AS I DID NOT ASK, BUT I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE WERE BIG X'S ON THE SIDEWALK ALL WINTER, AND NOW I KNOW THAT AMBITION IS THE REASON, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE WORK THAT WAS DONE WAS REALLY WELL DONE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK THAT THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS CONTRACTORS DID.
IT CERTAINLY HAS MADE IT SO THAT MY TWO YEAR OLD TRIPS LESS ON OUR WALKS AROUND THE BLOCK.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. TREZISE? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. OPSOMMER. I'M LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTATION YOU'VE SUPPLIED.
THIS IS EXAMPLES OF WHAT WAS SENT OUT BEFORE.
IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE I'M SEEING 22.
I'M SEEING ALL SORTS OF DATES.
WHICH DOCUMENTS? I'M LOOKING AT THE 22 ORDER TO MAINTAIN DISTRICT.
WE KIND OF ALWAYS CONTINUE WITH THE YEAR IN WHICH IT ORIGINATED.
[01:25:04]
23. WHERE ARE YOU SEEING THE JUNE OF NEXT PAGE AFTER THE.FIRST SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 20 FOR 2022 AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE IT SAYS HOW WILL YOU BE BILLED? IT'S PAGE 78.
OH YES. SO THIS WAS THE THIS IS THE NOTICE THAT WENT OUT IN 22.
WHEN WE SO THIS WAS GOING OUT PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION STARTING.
SO AT THAT TIME, WE DID HOPE THAT WE WOULD COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION AT THE END OF 22 TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS ON THE JUNE 2023 ASSESSMENT ROLL, BUT THOSE DATES WILL BE CHANGED IN THE NOTICE SENT OUT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY AND NOT TOTALLY CONFUSED.
THESE ARE PROPOSED REPAIRS COMING UP IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 AND THEIR BILLS WILL COME IN? THESE ARE PROPOSED.
THESE WERE REPAIRS THAT WERE PROPOSED IN 22.
OKAY, AND THE WORK OCCURRED IN 22 AND 23, AND THEN NOW WE ARE ASSESSING IN 24.
OKAY. THE SO THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING IS THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK.
WELL, TECHNICALLY WE CALL THIS WE CALL THIS BASICALLY A PAMPHLET OR THIS IS KIND OF HOW WE CONVEY IT TO RESIDENTS BEFORE WORK ACTUALLY STARTS OCCURRING.
SO THIS IS MORE OF A Q&A OF WHY IS THE WORK OCCURRING, WHAT WORK IS OCCURRING, WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE WORK, THAT KIND OF THING, AND SO THIS DOCUMENT WAS MAILED OUT TO THEM. THIS DOCUMENT WILL NOT GO BACK OUT TO THEM.
THESE RESIDENTS, THEY WILL INSTEAD GET LOOK AT WHICH PAGE OF THE PACKET IT IS.
THEY ARE GOING TO RECEIVE THE PAY OR THE DOCUMENT THAT'S ON PAGE 72 OF YOUR PACKET, WHICH IS THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THEY ARE YOUR--THOSE ARE INDIVIDUAL WITH AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT ON THEM.
SO MANY PROPERTIES DO NOT GET ASSESSED.
ONE OF MY OLD HOUSE WAS IN THIS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
DIDN'T RECEIVE AN ASSESSMENT, FOR INSTANCE.
I'M JUST ASKING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS READING.
ANYTIME. FURTHER QUESTIONS? THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, DISTRICT NUMBER 20 RESOLUTION AND THIS IS RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR OF THAT ORDER, WHICH FILES THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL WITH THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK AND SETS THE DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2024.
CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE? MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 12D, AND THIS IS BROUGHT FORWARD BY MYSELF.
[Additional Item]
I NEED TO GET THE BOARD TO AGREE.WITH US SETTING A TIME FOR A SPECIAL SECTION, A SPECIAL MEETING TO HOLD A CLOSED SESSION. THE DATA I HAVE AVAILABLE ARE MARCH 10TH, NO EARLIER THAN 3:30 OR MARCH 11TH.
WHICH IS MONDAY? NO EARLIER THAN 10 A.M..
SUNDAY AT NO EARLIER THAN 3:30.
[01:30:02]
GO AHEAD. YES.OF THOSE TWO DATES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, I WOULD PREFER SUNDAY.
MR. DESCHAINE? I AM OUT OF TOWN THIS WEEKEND AND BACK ON TUESDAY.
BOTH THOSE DATES, I'M NOT AVAILABLE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING AND I WOULD HOPE WE COULD GET SOME ADVANCE DATES, A COUPLE OF WEEKS OUT THAT WE COULD ALL SCHEDULE AROUND, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF THIS AND IT'S JUST AFTER TAX SEASON, I TEND TO GET AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND, AND I AM DOING THAT THIS WEEKEND.
I'M NOT AVAILABLE ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY, I WORK.
EVERYBODY KNOWS I'VE GOT A FULL TIME VOLUNTEER JOB, PRETTY MUCH.
SO I AM NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER 1:00 THAT DAY, AND I WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO KNOW.
I HAVE TO ARRANGE FOR SITTING AT MY HOUSE.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. SO I'VE GOT IT WOULD BE MOST DESIRABLE TO HAVE ALL BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS MEETING.
I NEED ALL BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICES? NOT AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO BUILDING AROUND THE SCHEDULES OF AT LEAST TWO OTHER PEOPLE.
OH, I SEE. SO THIS IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
APPARENTLY, SO I WILL CONCLUDE THAT NEITHER OF THESE DATES WILL DO.
IF WE WANT, AND GO BACK AND GO AND GO BACK AND LOOK FOR LATER DATES.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, AND PREFERABLY SOMETHING THAT'S AT LEAST TWO WEEKS OUT FOR US TO.
WE'LL SEE. MR. HENDRICKSON? PERHAPS IF I COULD JUST MAKE THE SUGGESTION, SINCE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT GENERAL AVAILABILITY.
IF THERE ARE BETTER DAYS OF THE WEEK OR SOMETHING, COULD WE SEND YOU AN EMAIL TO THAT REGARD SO THAT YOU COULD SCHEDULE WITH THESE OUTSIDE ENTITIES? WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS WHAT I WAS TOLD, WHICH WAS THESE MEETINGS GENERALLY CAN BE SCHEDULED ANY TIME, WEEKENDS, WEEKDAYS.
SO IN THE CASE OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THIS IS WHAT I GOT AND WE CAN'T WORK WITH THAT.
ONE OTHER PARTICIPANTS IS LEAVING TOWN ON THE 16TH, SO IT WON'T BE BEFORE THEN, BUT I CAN.
I CAN GO BACK FOR OTHER DATES FURTHER OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE TWO WEEKS OUT, BUT AT LEAST FURTHER OUT.
I GUESS THE COROLLARY TO MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE TO DECIDE TO SET THE MEETING IN A MEETING, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING WITH THE CLERK? I THINK SO, YEAH.
IF YOU HAVE SOME DATES, WE COULD SEND YOU.
YOU NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF HOW WE NEED BEFORE WE ANNOUNCE.
KATHY? I'M AVAILABLE MARCH 11TH OR MARCH 18TH OR THE 25TH.
THOSE ARE ALL MONDAYS, BUT I GO TO FLORIDA MARCH 30TH FOR TWO WEEKS.
RIGHT, BUT OKAY, THOSE MONDAYS ARE ALL GOOD FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL DROP THAT AND MOVE FORWARD.
13, ITEM 13 IS BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS AND 13 A IS CONSULTING AGREEMENT.
[13.A. Consulting Agreement One Month Extension-Maisner]
ONE MONTH EXTENSION FOR DIRECTOR MAISNER, AND MR. WALSH IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.THIS IS UP FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
IF THE BOARD SEEMS TO FAVOR IT, THEN WE WOULD BRING IT BACK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AS YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR MAISNER STARTED WITH US IN OCTOBER OF 99, SERVED 24 YEARS, AND DECIDED TO RETIRE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND GAVE ME PROPER NOTICE, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATED.
WE WORKED OUT WE WORKED ON THIS AGREEMENT OVER THE COURSE OF SIX MONTHS AND PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER.
[01:35:08]
FORCE, WHICH SHE HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE, WHICH, OF COURSE, THREE BOARD MEMBERS SERVE ON AND TRUSTEE WILSON CHAIRS. IT'S BECOME QUITE EVIDENT TO ME THAT HER VOICE AND HER EXPERIENCE AND HER KNOWLEDGE OF OUR FACILITIES OUR USES, OUR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, ALL THAT STUFF IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR I'VE KIND OF MAPPED OUT WHERE OUR DISCUSSIONS WILL BE IN MY OWN MIND, I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE AROUND JULY, WHEN WE'D BE KIND OF LIKE WRAPPING UP THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ALL OF THAT.I THINK IT WOULD BE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I THINK IT'S AUGUST 2ND IS THE DATE.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND WOULD BE THE EXTENSION.
SO IT WOULD BE THROUGH THE MONTH OF JULY ENDING ON AUGUST 2ND ON FRIDAY IF THE BOARD APPROVES, AND THAT WOULD GIVE US 30 MORE DAYS OF HAVING HER INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, WHICH I THINK IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M REQUESTING.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS? GO AHEAD. TRUSTEE WILSON.
AS WE WITNESSED TODAY BECAUSE YOU WERE WITH US AND ALSO TREASURER DESCHAINE IS THAT LUANN HAS HER PULSE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SHE IS, AT 24 YEARS, CANNOT BE REPLACED BY ANYBODY ELSE JUST COMING IN NEW, AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT EVEN TODAY SHE SAID, WELL, I'VE GOT AN IDEA FOR A DIFFERENT PARCEL THAN WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, AND I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE THAT AND SO I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF DOING THIS ONE MONTH EXTENSION, BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL PRETTY MUCH BE DONE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THIS PROJECT.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT IS SO FAR OUT.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE AN EXTENSION THAT'S CLOSER TO THE TIME OF THE ENDING DATE.
I'M NOT, I DON'T, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S BEFORE THE BOARD NOW, WHEN HER CONTRACT EXPIRES JULY 2ND; HER CURRENT CONTRACT EXPIRES JULY 2ND, AND WE ARE ONLY IN MARCH.
WE HAVE MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE.
I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT LATER ON IF WE NEED TO EXTEND IT.
SHE'S SHE OBVIOUSLY HAS INCREDIBLE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ADDS TO THE CONVERSATION AND IS VERY INSIGHTFUL AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS, BUT I'M NOT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ON AT THIS TIME, AND I WOULD RATHER HAVE THIS BACK BEFORE THE BOARD AT A LATER TIME, CLOSER TO THE CLOSER TO THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT, AND SEE WHERE WE ARE AND MAKE AN ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME RATHER THAN FOUR MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
MAY I ADDRESS THAT? YES, PLEASE. SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, A GOOD POINT.
THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW DIRECTOR MAISNER WELL, JULY IS A VERY IMPORTANT GOLF MONTH, AND BEFORE AND HER RECREATIONAL THINGS THAT SHE'S INVOLVED WITH AND BEFORE SHE STARTS MAKING PLANS AND IS GOING TO BE OUT OF THE AREA AND ALL OF THAT, I PREFER TO LOCK HER IN TO BE WITH US IN JULY. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A CRITICAL TIME FOR US.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO TRY TO LOCK HER IN TO BEING WITH US, BUT IT'S A FAIR POINT.
[01:40:05]
I LIKE THE IDEA OF LOCKING HER IN NOW, MAKING SURE SHE'S AVAILABLE.WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING ALL THE WORK DONE BY THIS DATE, AND SO I AM CERTAIN WE'RE GOING TO KEEP HER VERY BUSY, AND HER INPUT AND PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL TO THIS TASK FORCE, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING IT TONIGHT.
AS THE CLERK WAS AS I WAS LISTENING TO CLERK GUTHRIE BRING UP THE QUESTION OF OF WHY NOW? ALL I COULD THINK WAS I'M PLANNING MY VACATIONS FOR THE SUMMER.
OR AT LEAST I'M DREAMING OF THEM AT THIS POINT.
SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE NO VACATION THIS SUMMER.
[CHUCKLING] NO, I PROBABLY DON'T.
YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IT'S NICE TO DREAM.
SO I'LL ASK THIS QUESTION OF MANAGER WALSH, WHICH IS HAVE YOU DISCUSSED AN EXTENSION WITH HER? AND IS SHE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT? YES AND YES.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS JUST SORT OF A PROCESS THING.
I NOTICED IN THE PACKET THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED, THERE WAS AN ADDENDUM THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SIGNED BY DIRECTOR MAISNER.
WHAT CAUSED YOU TO BRING THIS TO US? BUT NOT THAT.
OKAY, SO THE INSURANCE, THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS TO THIS CONSULTING CONTRACT.
ONE IS THE SALARY, AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE HEALTH CARE.
THE HEALTH CARE GOALS, THERE'S NO NEED TO AMEND THE HEALTH CARE BECAUSE IT'S FOR 2024.
THE SALARY EXPIRES AT THE END OF JUNE.
SO THE ONLY QUESTION BEFORE YOU IS A 30 DAY EXTENSION ON THE PAYROLL SIDE.
I'M SORRY. LET ME CLARIFY MY QUESTION.
OKAY. YOU'RE BRINGING THIS ADDENDUM OR THIS AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT TO US, BUT YOU, BUT WE DIDN'T SEE THE HEALTH CARE EXTENSION WHEN IT CAME UP WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING THIS AND EVENTUALLY SIGNED IT IN JANUARY, THAT WAS AN ADDENDUM TO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT THAT WE APPROVED BACK IN JULY OR WHATEVER, WE SIGNED OFF ON THAT.
NO, NO, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD IN PLACE WAS SIX MONTHS AND 12 MONTHS, AND THAT'S WHAT WAS APPROVED IN JULY OF OKAY, BUT THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO CHANGES.
THE QUESTION IS, HAVE I MADE ANY CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN JULY? THE ANSWER WOULD BE NO.
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
YEAH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WAS SIGNED IN JANUARY.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT THERE WAS A WORDING CHANGE OR SOMETHING IN THERE, BUT IT DIDN'T CHANGE THE COMMITMENT OR THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MADE, BUT I HAVE NOT, I HAVE NOT AND DIRECTOR TITHOF HAS NOT MODIFIED THE CONTRACT AT ALL.
OKAY, THEN I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH EXTENDING THIS A MONTH.
I DON'T SIT ON THE TASK FORCE, BUT I AM KEENLY INTERESTED IN ITS SUCCESS, AND SO IF THEY IF THEY TELL US THAT, AND YOU TELL US THAT WE NEED HER, THEN ABSOLUTELY. LET'S LOCK HER IN.
THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS? ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS? OH. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND, DID YOU HAVE ANY? NO, NO, I'M FINE WITH EXTENDING IT FOR A MONTH.
SO HAVING TAKEN A BIT OF A STRAW VOTE, YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR BOARD ACTION AND SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
MARCH. EXCUSE ME? THERE IS A MOTION.
. OH, SORRY. I SHOULDN'T HAVE PUT A MOTION.
YEAH, THIS IS NOT TIME SENSITIVE.
SO I CAN BRING IT BACK ON MARCH 19TH FOR YOU TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU, AND ITEM 13B FEDERAL FUNDING
[13.B. Federal Funding Request]
REQUEST, MR. OPSOMMER.GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR JACKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.
[01:45:10]
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE BAD NEWS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS EVENING.SO WE HAD A MEETING WITH SENATOR STABENOW STAFF LATE IN THE DAY ON FRIDAY.
WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE VARIOUS GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
SO UNLIKE THE STATE PROGRAM, THE STATE'S PROGRAM, WHICH WE RECEIVED THE $5 MILLION FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER FOR, THERE IS NO REAL CRITERIA. YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, PRODUCE A MEMO OR A LETTER OR WHATEVER THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE, TRANSMIT IT TO THE STATE LAWMAKERS.
THEY WILL JUST SEE IF THEY CAN PUT LANGUAGE IN THE STATE BUDGET ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
WELL, THE ENTIRE US SENATE UTILIZES.
THAT IS REALLY JUST THE SENATORS TRYING TO GIVE YOU A SLIGHT LEG UP TOWARDS AN EXISTING GRANT OPPORTUNITY AND REVIEWING THE FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, WE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ONE POT OF FUNDING THAT WOULD FUND SUCH A PROJECT AS THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
BECAUSE WE DO NOT MEET THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME REQUIREMENT AS A COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
WHICH IS ALSO WHY WE DON'T TYPICALLY QUALIFY FOR CDBG FUNDING, ALTHOUGH WE DID GET THE CHILL GRANT, BUT THERE'S SOME EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE STATE LEVEL AS TO WHY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CHILDREN RECENTLY.
SO I'M STILL GOING TO PURSUE A COUPLE OF AVENUES THIS WEEK AND JUST SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE COULD APPLY FOR, BUT AT THIS TIME, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE WOULD ULTIMATELY BE ELIGIBLE.
BASED ON OUR REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL STATUTE AND THE REQUIREMENTS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE NEWS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
WE WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, BUT LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FUNDED, MDOT AND AIRPORT AUTHORITIES ARE, BY AND LARGE, THE PREDOMINANT WINNERS OF THESE FUNDS EACH YEAR.
THE LONE CAVEAT BEING THE CDBG FUNDING, BUT YOU'RE SEEING COMMUNITIES LIKE THE CITY OF MADISON HEIGHTS, THE CITY OF LIVONIA, THE CITY OF FLINT WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT FUNDING AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSITION.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT AT THIS TIME.
REGRETTABLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY THOUGHTS OR IDEAS, CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME THAT INPUT.
THE $5 MILLION WE GOT FROM THE STATE FOR OUR SENIOR CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER.
THAT WAS REALLY A PASSTHROUGH, IF YOU WILL, FROM SOME OF THE COVID FUNDING THAT THE STATE GOT.
THAT WAS ARPA FUNDING SPECIFICALLY.
SO AND THAT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S NOT A NEW ROUND OF ARPA FUNDS FOR 24, I'M ASSUMING.
NO UNFORTUNATELY NOT, AND THE STATE'S BUDGET IS SUCH THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF PARED DOWN OUR REQUEST TO THE STATE BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE OUR REQUESTS COMPETITIVE.
I BELIEVE IN THE MEDIA REPORTED ON THIS BECAUSE THE MEDIA DID KIND OF LATCH ON TO THE PORK SPENDING OR THE SPECIAL GRANTS THAT THE LAWMAKERS GAVE OUT, AND I BELIEVE IT ENDED UP TO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1.5 AND 2 BILLION.
OKAY. SO WE WERE 5 MILLION OF THAT 1.5 OR 2 BILLION.
SO OUT OF THE $9 BILLION SURPLUS, YOU KNOW, A HEALTHY AMOUNT 15 TO 18% ISH WENT TOWARDS THOSE GRANTS. MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS JUST FOR THE SENATE'S PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN HEARING ABOUT VIA VARIOUS EMAILS FROM SENATOR PETER'S OFFICE.
CORRECT. THIS IS THE SENATE, THE US SENATE CDS PROGRAM.
THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE US FROM SEEKING FUNDING.
IF THE FEDERAL IF THE HOUSE CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE I THINK IT'S THE CPS PROGRAM.
IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM SOLICITING FUNDS THROUGH THE CPF PROGRAM.
IF THE HOUSE CHOOSES TO DO THAT FROM CONGRESSWOMAN SLOTKIN, IS THAT ACCURATE? IT WOULD NOT. WE WOULD NEED MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN WHAT THE CDS PROGRAM IS OFFERING, THOUGH, THROUGH THE US SENATE.
[01:50:08]
AT THIS, THE LONGER TIME GOES ON, THE LESS AND LESS LIKELY IT SEEMS THAT CPF PROGRAM IS TO CONTINUE.BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT IT BY NOW, AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT APPLYING WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK TYPICALLY, BUT, WELL, THERE'S NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE.
YEAH, THAT APPEARS TO BE THE PROBLEM.
SO THEY ARE JUST KIND OF WAITING.
IT'S JUST KIND OF THE WAIT AND SEE AT THIS TIME, BUT THEY WOULD NEED TO GIVE US GREATER FLEXIBILITY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, IS THE ONLY GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IS THE STATE OF MICHIGAN'S WITHIN LEO LABOR, ECONOMIC GROWTH THE NEWLY RENAMED DEPARTMENT AND THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BECAUSE WE RECEIVED TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE MAXIMUM AWARD THROUGH OUR REQUEST TO OUR STATE LAWMAKERS, THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY CAPS OUT AT 2 MILLION.
I THINK THEY FUNDED THAT WITH 64 MILLION.
SO WE'LL KEEP LOOKING NEAR AND FAR, BUT AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU TO ACT ON.
YEAH, IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TOUCHING BASE WITH OUR COUNTY COUNTERPARTS.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ELDER SERVICES MILLAGE AND WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND ALSO, I KNOW THAT I THINK IT'S THE CITY OF WILLIAMSTON OR STOCKBRIDGE.
1 OR 2 OF THEM HAVE APPLIED FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE COUNTY MILLAGES FOR THEIR SENIOR CENTERS.
SO THIS MIGHT BE THE PATH THEY CHOOSE TO GO WITH MOVING FORWARD.
OKAY. SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH CHATTING WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SEEING WHAT'S WHAT OVER THERE.
ABSOLUTELY,I HAD HEARD THAT THERE WAS THOSE DISCUSSIONS GOING ON.
THIS WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
OKAY. SO I WOULD TAKE A LOOK BACK AND MAYBE SPEAK WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS OVER THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. OPSOMMER. WE WILL EXPECT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN WHEN SOMETHING CHANGES.
ITEM 14 IS THE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.
OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
I HAVE ONE.I HAVE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO READ IT, BUT THESE PARTS OF IT AND OFFER IT FOR INCLUSION IN OUR BOARD PROGRAM.
WHEREAS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS CELEBRATED GLOBALLY ON MARCH THE 8TH TO COMMEMORATE THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN, AND WHEREAS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS AN OCCASION TO RECOGNIZE THE PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT WORLDWIDE, AND WHEREAS, WOMEN PLAY VITAL ROLES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, CONTRIBUTING TO EVERY ASPECT OF SOCIETY INCLUDING EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, BUSINESS, POLITICS AND MORE, AND WHEREAS THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS GENDER BASED DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE AND INEQUALITIES THAT PERSIST IN OUR SOCIETY.
WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GENDER EQUALITY AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OUR TOWNSHIP. BE IT RESOLVED THAT A [INAUDIBLE].
NO. BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GENDER EQUALITY ISSUES AND PROMOTE ACTIONS TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY, AND
[01:55:02]
THEN IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.WHEREAS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS CELEBRATED ANNUALLY DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY, AND WHEREAS, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE COUNTLESS WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SOCIETY, OUR CULTURE, ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS THE HISTORY OF WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE OFTEN BEEN OVERLOOKED, MARGINALIZED, AND UNDERREPRESENTED IN MAINSTREAM NARRATIVES, AND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH SERVES AS A REMINDER TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE THE DIVERSE ROLES WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN SHAPING OUR WORLD AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COMMEMORATES WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WOMEN'S DAY ON MARCH 8TH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE GENERATIONS OF WOMEN WHO HAVE STRUGGLED, STRUGGLED WITH ADVERSITY, AND TO CELEBRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE WORLD, AS WELL AS INSPIRE CONTINUED EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE AND UPLIFT OF VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN.
I HOPE NO ONE OBJECTS TO INCLUDING THAT.
THANK YOU. IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU READ THAT THIS EVENING.
SUPERVISOR JACKSON. BECAUSE IT WAS NOTED AT A MEETING JUST LAST WEEK THAT WE HAD THINK ABOUT THE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. YOU EVER STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT? OUR TOWNSHIP BOARD, OUR EDC, OUR ZBA, OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION, COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
PROUD OF THAT, PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S WORTH NOTING TONIGHT AS YOU READ THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HADN'T NOTICED THAT, ACTUALLY.
OKAY. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF TONIGHT THEN? WE NEED TO MOVE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION, MR.
[16. CLOSED SESSION-move the Township Board enter closed session under OMA Section 8(1)(h) to consult with the Township attorney regarding a written legal opinion concerning a vendor’s breach of contract]
HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, MADAM SUPERVISOR.I MOVE THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD UNDER CLOSED SESSION UNDER OMA SECTION 8(1)(H) TO CONSULT WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING A WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION CONCERNING A VENDOR'S BREACH OF CONTRACT SUPPORT.
THEN, WE NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
WE HAVE TO VOTE. OH, I'M SORRY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION? [INAUDIBLE] ROLL CALL.
YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO MOVE US ALONG.
[CHUCKLING] I'VE LOST MY WAY HERE SOMEWHERE.
NOW
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.