Dec 03, 2024 Special Township Board

[00:00:33]

YEAH, 12,000 BOOKS.

IF YOU GO. IF YOU GO LATE IN THE DAY, YOU CAN GET FISH FRY TOO.

AND THAT'S IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHE BUYS THEM BY THE BAG.

COME ON. WE NEED.

$0.50 AND A BUCK, YOU KNOW, PER BOOK.

THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE, MY KIDS, IT'S SO GREAT.

THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH A BOOK OF BEANIE BABY VALUES.

OH, THAT WAS THE BOOK WAS IN 1998.

THAT WAS FROM 1998.

I'M SURE LIKE $500 FOR THE RAILROADS.

OH, GOSH. THEY'RE SO.

THEY'RE SO VALUABLE. IT'S A GOOD THING I KEPT THEM ALL.

BRING THEM SATURDAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, 9 A.M., MAN.

AND WE HAVE SO MANY KIDS' BOOKS.

YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE. I KNOW WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO DO MY MOM'S IN TOWN, SO WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE GO TO THESE, SO SHE LOVES AND GET BOOKS FROM 8:30 FOR EARLY, NINE UNTIL FOUR, I THINK.

OKAY, LET'S GET EVERYONE ALL SET UP.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

IT IS 1:30 P.M.

AND WE WILL CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO ORDER.

FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

WILL THOSE THAT ARE ABLE PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM THREE, A ROLL CALL.

WILL CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

I'M SORRY.

MY APOLOGIES.

. EVERYONE IS HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FOUR, CITIZEN'S ADDRESS, AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 1:31 P.M.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?

[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ANY COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THE AGENDA IS PASSED.

ALL RIGHT. OUR MAIN AGENDA ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS UNDER BOARD DISCUSSION.

[6.A. Township Manager Candidate Interviews]

AND SO JUST A BRIEF WORD HERE BEFORE WE GO AT YOUR PLACES, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU WILL FIND THE LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WAS PROVIDED BY AMY SELLE AND HONED BY US TO ASK OUR CANDIDATES THIS AFTERNOON.

AND SO GENERALLY, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST FOR BOARD INTERVIEWS, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PART OF, IS WE'LL DO THEM ONE AT A TIME AND SORT OF GO DOWN AND AROUND THE TABLE ASKING OUR QUESTIONS OF THE CANDIDATES.

AND SO, WITH US, FIRST, WE HAVE OUR FIRST CANDIDATE, ROB HILLARD, WHO IS JOINING US AND US SITTING HERE.

SO WE WILL GET STARTED IN JUST A MOMENT.

WE ALSO HAVE BARBIE FROM AMY CELL TALENT IN THE BACK.

SHE'LL BE HELPING US TO KEEP US ON TRACK THROUGHOUT THE PROCEEDINGS THIS AFTERNOON.

YOU'LL ALSO FIND THREE CANDIDATE EVALUATIONS FOR OUR INTERVIEWS TODAY THAT WERE PROVIDED BY AMY CELL TALENT.

THEY'VE ASKED US TO WRITE THE CANDIDATE NAME ON THERE, BUT NOT YOUR OWN NAME, AS THESE ARE MEANT TO BE.

FOR US, FIRST OF ALL.

BUT THEN ALSO THEY'LL BE COLLATED AT THE END OF THE PROCESS.

AND WE WILL ASK IF THERE'S SOMEONE FROM OUR STAFF WHO WOULDN'T MIND CLOSING THE DOORS JUST SO THAT WE CANNOT HAVE THE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT MAKE THEIR WAY OUT TO OTHER APPLICANTS AS THEY ARRIVE? WE DO ASK, YOU KNOW, WHILE THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY ASKED OTHER CANDIDATES TO WAIT IN OUR LOBBY AREA.

WITH TO RESPECT THE PROCESS SO THAT THEY DO NOT HEAR THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME, AND NO ONE HAS AN ADVANTAGE IN THAT WAY.

SO WITH THAT SAID, ROB, WELCOME.

THANK YOU. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AFTERNOON IS WE'VE GOT A LIST OF PRESCRIBED QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AND ASK YOU.

[00:05:09]

YOU CAN ASK THAT AS WELL.

AT THE END, WE'LL LEAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OF US.

IF ANYTHING COMES UP THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK US ABOUT ALONG THE WAY.

AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY FOLLOW UPS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ASK AT THE END, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AT THE VERY END FOR THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED? LET'S GO. OKAY.

VERY GOOD. SO THE FIRST QUESTION WILL COME FROM ME.

AND WOULD YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF A TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND HOW IT SHOULD WORK WITH THE BOARD? SO AS AN EXPERIENCED MANAGER.

FOR OVER 30 YEARS I'VE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND SO THE BASICS OF YOUR QUESTION ARE COLLABORATION, WORKING TOGETHER, REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF THE BOARD, HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT AS A STAFF.

AND SO, MY MAIN JOB IS TO UNDERSTAND THOSE DESIRES.

YOU KNOW, I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ORGANIZATION, SO I TAKE MY JOB VERY SERIOUSLY.

IN TERMS OF EVALUATIONS, EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT.

HOWEVER, I THINK IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOARD, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.

I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE RESEARCH OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND YOUR OUTREACH TO LISTENING SESSIONS.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS THAT THE BOARD DOES TAKE THE INTERACTION WITH THE CITIZENRY VERY SERIOUSLY.

THEY'RE WILLING TO WEAVE IN AND YOU ARE WILLING TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN SOLVE THE TOUGH PROBLEMS AT HAND. SO MY ROLE AND VIEW IS TO KEEP CHECKING IN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY, EXCUSE ME.

TOWNSHIP, I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE.

TOWNSHIP. CITY MIGHT BE INTERACTIVE.

I'LL KEEP IT CLOSE TO TOWNSHIP THOUGH.

BUT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT, EMPLOYMENT MANAGEMENT, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE KEY.

BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS GOING TO BE BASED ON DESIRES AND GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY QUESTION IS HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE? SO I MENTIONED ALREADY COLLABORATION.

SO LET ME EXPAND UPON THAT.

I WHEN I GO INTO A COMMUNITY AND AGAIN AS A 30 PLUS YEAR MANAGER, I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITIES.

THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS.

SO WHAT'S THE ROLE? IS COLLABORATION, UNDERSTANDING, LISTENING.

NOT JUST LISTENING TO HEAR, BUT LISTENING TO BE EMPATHETIC, TO UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS.

IN THIS CASE, IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT STYLE, I'M COLLABORATIVE BUT DIRECT.

ALSO, I WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP EMPLOYEES DO THE WORK.

EMPLOYEES ARE ON THE LINE REPRESENTING US AS ADMINISTRATION, US AS A BOARD, US AS A COMMUNITY.

SO TO DIG IN DEEP TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEEDS, DESIRES AND WANTS OF EMPLOYEES IS CRITICAL.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE BRINGING PEOPLE ALONG IN A WAY THAT THEY SUPPORT YOU AND ARE LOYAL BUT ALSO DO THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR JOBS.

SO ULTIMATELY, IT'S ABOUT COLLABORATION.

AND THEN THE UNDERLYING THERE IS LISTENING AND RESPECT FOR WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS' EMPLOYEES HAVE PROVIDED.

I'M SURE YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THEY'VE SEEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GROW.

THEY'VE SEEN THE CHALLENGES.

THOSE ARE VALUABLE ASSETS THAT WE WANT TO KEEP CULTIVATING AND WORKING WITH.

SO THAT'S PART OF IT FOR ME IS TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO AGAIN, COLLABORATIVE RESPECT, USE LISTENING SKILLS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND ULTIMATELY MEAN IT.

THANK YOU. ROB, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU BUILD TRUST IN THESE THREE CONSTITUENTS THE STAFF, THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY? AND IF YOU HAD EXAMPLES TO SHARE WITH US OF PAST TIMES, WE BUILT TRUST.

THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.

SURE. I THINK IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO MEANING IT.

I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT I CANNOT DO MY JOB WITHOUT STRONG BOARD RELATIONSHIPS, WITHOUT STRONG EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS, AND WITHOUT STRONG COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.

AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT LISTENING.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THAT, BUT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO DELIVERABLES.

INDIVIDUALS WANT PROBLEMS SOLVED.

[00:10:02]

THAT'S A THAT'S AN ACTIVE PROCESS.

SO IN TERMS OF CITIZENRY, IT CAN BE AS ISSUE ORIENTED AS LEAF PICKUP OR MAKING SURE A PARK IS PROPERLY MAINTAINED.

TO ME, SHOWING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE ABLE AND WILLING TO DO THOSE THINGS IN A RESPONSIVE WAY IS THE KEY.

SO HOW DO I DELIVER THAT? AND THAT'S THROUGH EMPLOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING, LISTENING TO INDIVIDUALS HAVING THE OPEN DOOR POLICY.

SO EXAMPLES OF THAT.

GOSH, THERE'S SO MANY OVER MY CAREER.

IN ONE COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE FIRST WEEKS I WAS, I GOT THE CALL ABOUT A STREETLIGHT BEING OUT, AND SOME MIGHT KIND OF MAYBE DISMISS THAT.

THAT WAS A MOMENT FOR ME THAT ACTUALLY MADE MY WEEK, BECAUSE SOMEONE FINALLY GOT TO ME TO ASK ME ABOUT A STREETLIGHT THAT HADN'T BEEN TAKEN CARE OF FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I GOT IT DONE, AND I WAS SO PROUD OF THAT.

NOW YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, ROB, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A STREETLIGHT.

WHY DO YOU CARE? RIGHT.

WELL, I CARE BECAUSE IT MEANT A LOT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST THE STREETLIGHT, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE THOUGHT BEHIND THE STREETLIGHT.

HOW YOU'RE NEGLECTING US AS A CITY.

AND BY THE WAY, AS A CITY MANAGER OR A TOWNSHIP MANAGER, WE REPRESENT EVERY BAD DECISION MADE OVER THE PERIODS OF TIME.

SO YOU HAVE TO BUILD TRUST.

WHETHER YOU'RE MAKING THOSE BAD DECISIONS OR PREVIOUS DECISIONS WERE MADE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN RESPONSIBLE, EVEN IF THE POSITION WASN'T RESPONSIBLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

SO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

SO THAT'S THE SMALLEST, I SUPPOSE.

IN TERMS OF KIND OF MANAGING AN ORGANIZATION, I'VE WALKED INTO ENOUGH ORGANIZATIONS TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS, AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. SO I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GRAB HOLD OF THE ULTIMATE PROBLEMS WITH BOARDS.

IT CAN BE ABOUT NOT HAVING EITHER A PROPER AGENDA OR NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE OF THE ORGANIZATION IS GOING.

SO IN THE BIG PICTURE, IT'S FACILITATING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THAT VISION.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ON WORDS, IT'S ON DEEDS.

SO THAT'S THE BIG ONE FOR ME.

PUTTING TOGETHER WITH THE BOARD SOME AGENDAS THAT YOU CAN THEN HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE TO IT.

AND THAT EFFORT IS NOT EASY.

BUT YOU CAN'T DO YOUR JOB AND YOU SURELY CAN'T DO THIS JOB WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.

AND THEN EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, WHETHER ITS SNOW PLOWING THAT'S NOT BEING DONE PROPERLY OR SOMEONE DOESN'T VIEW THAT BEING DONE PROPERLY, WHETHER IT'S A POLICE ISSUE THAT NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN, PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THE ONE I'M MOST PROUD OF, I THINK, IS HOW WE INTERACT WITH CITIZENS.

AND WHEN I FIND THAT EITHER, WE, AS AN ORGANIZATION AREN'T RESPONDING PROPERLY, THAT'S IMMEDIATE FOR ME.

SO, LET'S TALK THROUGH THAT.

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE SAYS IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT TRUE, BUT I TAKE THE PRESUMPTION THAT I'M GOING TO LOOK INTO IT.

AND I DO TAKE A [INAUDIBLE] VIEW ON CITIZEN INTERACTION.

SO THAT'S I GUESS EXAMPLES.

BUT JUST CARE.

CARE ABOUT YOUR JOB.

CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND I DO.

GREAT. ROB, MY QUESTION IS AS A TOWNSHIP MANAGER, YOU WILL HAVE DOZENS OF PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES GOING ON.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON KEEPING THOSE STRAIGHT AND COMMUNICATE UPDATES TO THE BOARD? SO IN MY WORK I PROVIDE, AND IT DEPENDS ON THE BOARD, BUT I'M USED TO PROVIDING WEEKLY UPDATES, WRITTEN UPDATES.

IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, IT'S NOT AS BURDENSOME AS IT MIGHT SOUND.

I DO REQUIRE MONTHLY REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT ALLOW FOR THE MORE DETAILED VIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON INDIVIDUALLY, IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE BOARD.

I TAKE THOSE REPORTS THAT I PROVIDE AND GIVE UPDATES AS REGULARLY AS I CAN.

IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE EXPECTATION.

I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD SOMETIMES I PROVIDE TOO MUCH INFORMATION, SO IT'S THE BALANCE, BUT IT'S BEING CONSCIOUS THAT AS AS TRUSTEES AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU NEED TO KNOW.

AND PART OF KNOWING IS, IS THE MOMENT IN THE GROCERY STORE, THE MOMENT IN THE MALL, THE MOMENT IN THAT PART WHERE YOU JUST WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

AND SO I TAKE FROM MY VIEW, I DON'T LIKE TO BE SURPRISED, BUT I ALSO TAKE IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE BOARD.

I DON'T LIKE TO SURPRISE THE BOARD NOW, IN A SIZE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE IN WITH THE JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE, ULTIMATELY THOSE THINGS WILL HAPPEN.

[00:15:09]

ALL THAT AT LEAST LIMITS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SURPRISE.

AND IF THE SURPRISE HAPPENS, THEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.

BUT ARE YOU SINCERE ABOUT THAT EFFORT? AND I GUARANTEE YOU I AM.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY, SO THERE'S A SECOND PART TO THIS QUESTION.

HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES INTO CLEAR AND ACHIEVABLE TASKS FOR STAFF? YEAH, IT HAS TO BE MEASURABLE.

SO IT'S AGAIN, FULLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE AS BEST YOU CAN, HELPING AND ASSISTING THE BOARD WITH MAYBE SOME CLARITY ON THAT.

THERE MIGHT BE A BROAD AND GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM, BUT MAYBE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SOLUTION BUILDING.

SO YOU GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE FROM THERE WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH DIRECTORS OR EMPLOYEES VERY SPECIFICALLY, AND CREATING MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.

AND THAT'S WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM, UNDERSTANDING THAT MAYBE, MAYBE EVEN THAT 30 YEAR PLUS MANAGER DOESN'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND, BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND THEN WORKING TOGETHER.

SO THEN HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THAT? WELL, IT'S THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEANS.

AGAIN I BELIEVE IN MONTHLY MEETINGS.

REGULAR INTERACTION.

SAME. SAME. SAME GOES.

OPEN DOOR POLICY.

EMAILS. RESPONSES.

REGULARLY. AGAIN.

THE MONTHLY MEETING.

THE REQUIREMENT OF WRITTEN REPORTS IN A WAY THAT'S NOT SO BURDENSOME THAT FOLKS AREN'T GETTING THEIR JOB DONE.

BUT CUT TO THE CHASE.

I CALL IT LIGHT, TIGHT AND BRIGHT.

AND IF THERE'S FIRE FOLKS LISTENING RIGHT NOW, THEY MIGHT BE LAUGHING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S A MEDICAL TECHNIQUE.

BUT REALLY, IT COMES DOWN TO A REPORTER A LONG TIME AGO SAID, KEEP IT LIGHT, KEEP IT TIGHT, KEEP IT BRIGHT.

IN OTHER WORDS, BRING IT. BRING ME THE INFORMATION THAT I NEED TO KNOW IN A QUICKLY, IN A QUICK WAY THAT I CAN SORT IT OUT.

SO AGAIN, TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT.

IT'S JUST BEING ACTIVE, BEING PRESENT, INTERACTING ON A MONTHLY FORMALIZED MANNER, BUT ALSO BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

ALSO, DEPARTMENT MEETINGS.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

USUALLY AROUND HAVING DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS OR DIRECTOR MEETINGS, AROUND BOARD MEETINGS.

THAT'S HELPFUL FOR ME BECAUSE I HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE DESIRES AND GOALS OF THE BOARD AS WELL, AND I CAN GATHER AND LEARN A LOT FROM THEM, TOO, OF COURSE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES AND ETHICS YOU DEMONSTRATE AS A LEADER? GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS PRACTICE EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWSPAPER.

SO BE REAL CLEAR THAT YOUR ACTIONS THAT YOU TAKE ARE ABOUT REPRESENTING THE ORGANIZATION, YOUR FAMILY.

SO WHAT I DO IS I LIVE MY LIFE WITH THAT IN MIND.

ALSO BEING RAISED IN SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN, WHICH IS KIND OF SORT OF CENTRAL MICHIGAN.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BROUGHT TO DO A GREAT JOB.

DO IT WELL, TELL THE TRUTH.

I ALSO BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY.

I BELIEVE WE'RE BETTER AS A GROUP WHEN WE HAVE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND UNDERSTANDING.

SO THAT VALUE OF VALUE OF DIVERSITY REALLY HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IT ALL.

I LIKE TO THINK I'VE MADE EFFORTS AND TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S BACKGROUND AND CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT OVER, YOU KNOW, 30 PLUS YEARS PLUS, YOU KNOW, A CHALLENGING GROWING UP, I THINK I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING ISN'T PERFECT, EVERYTHING ISN'T MODELED THE WAY WE MIGHT THINK.

SO IF YOU CAN BRING YOURSELF TO A POSITION OF SAYING, MAYBE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THERE'S A UTILITY BILL ISSUE OR AN ISSUE WITH THE POLICE, AND FOLKS SOMETIMES JUST WANT TO TALK IT THROUGH, DON'T BE SO QUICK TO JUDGE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT THEY STILL WANT TO TALK.

AND PART OF BEING IN TALKING IS TO UNDERSTAND.

BUT HERE'S THE THING.

THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT.

SO DON'T DON'T BLOCK IT.

UNDERSTAND IT.

TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.

AND AS A MANAGER WE'RE DEALING WITH HIGH LEVEL FINANCES AND BUDGETS.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE TIME TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HELP THE ORGANIZATION DO THAT AS WELL.

TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO LISTEN TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

IF YOU DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THEN I THINK THAT FALLS IN LINE.

I THINK WITH THE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE TRUST AND DOING THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING.

[00:20:01]

AND THAT'S HOW I GET THROUGH THE DAY, EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU. ROB, HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE? SO LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING, NOT FEARING IT.

EMBRACE THE UNCOMFORTABLENESS IN TERMS OF THAT CONFLICT.

BUT ALSO KNOW, AGAIN, IF WE GET A CHANCE TO WORK TOGETHER, I HAVE A VARIETY OF SAYINGS THAT I HAVE AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S WORK THIS OUT.

LET'S FIGURE IT OUT.

SO CONFLICT.

IT'S REAL. IT'S WHAT WE DO.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE CONFLICT, MANY OF US WOULDN'T HAVE A JOB, BECAUSE PEOPLE IN DEMOCRACY AND PROCESS JUST ARE GOING TO THROW CONFLICT INTO THE MOMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT DESIRES. SO I LISTEN, I PAY ATTENTION, I LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS.

I TELL THE TRUTH WHEN THERE ISN'T A SOLUTION.

BUT I DON'T JUST STOP WHEN BECAUSE I'M GIVEN A SMALL PIECE OF INFORMATION, I NEED THE BIGGER PIECE OF INFORMATION.

SO I GUESS JUST LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING AND BEING SINCERE ABOUT PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS. THAT WOULD BE HOW I DEAL WITH CONFLICT.

NOW, IF IT'S MORE FORMALIZED, LIKE, SAY, UNION CONFLICTS.

YOU WILL. THEN THERE'S MEDIATION.

THERE'S ARBITRATION.

THERE'RE OPPORTUNITIES TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH A GROUP.

LET'S SAY IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.

I'VE DEALT WITH THAT BEFORE WHERE I VALUE THE LISTENING SESSIONS IN A WAY THAT THESE ARE MORE ABOUT FOLKS TALKING TO ME THAN ME MAYBE TALKING TO THEM.

AND PART OF THAT IS TO TRY TO HELP IN THOSE MOMENTS, SOLVE OR SEE THE PROBLEM AT THAT LEVEL.

BY THE WAY, I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO BE A PART OF THOSE LISTENING SESSIONS.

NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY PARTICIPATE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OPEN MEETINGS, ACTS, AND PROCESSES.

HOWEVER, JUST SITTING THERE AND LISTENING TO ME FACILITATE THAT KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONFLICT MIGHT BRING A SOLUTION TO THE TABLE, AND I MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE SOLUTIONS. I LIKE TO THINK OVER 30 YEARS I BROUGHT A LOT OF SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE, BUT AS I LIKE TO SAY, I'VE BEEN A 30 PLUS YEAR MANAGER. A MUNICIPAL MANAGER, BUT I'M NOT YOUR MANAGER.

SO I HAVE ZERO EXPERIENCE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU ALL KNOW, AND THE CITIZENS KNOW AND THE EMPLOYEES KNOW.

SO DON'T COME, COME THINKING YOU KNOW EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU DON'T.

AND IF YOU CAN COME WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE, THEN CONFLICT CAN HELP AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

AND IF WE CAN'T, WE'RE GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT IT.

OH, BY THE WAY, FOLLOW UP PHONE CALLS.

JUST THE SIMPLE THINGS.

VERY SIMPLE TO ME BECAUSE THAT SHOWS THAT YOU RESPECT THE PROBLEM AND THE CONCERN THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED.

IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU CAN'T TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF THE DEAL.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT SETTING PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR YOUR TEAM MEMBERS? SO AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M VERY FOCUSED IN ON BOARD INTERACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS.

SO TO ME, AND AGAIN, IF WE CAN VISUALIZE A FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNINGS OF A FISCAL YEAR AND THEN BACK IT UP, SAY SIX MONTHS FROM THERE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND WANTS AND DESIRES ARE AND THEN HAVE WHAT I CALL A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.

NOW, WITH THAT SAID WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY PLANS, WE'VE DONE PARKS PLANS, WE'VE DONE A VARIETY OF PLANS AND ANALYSIS.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALL ABOUT NEW.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT AND DEVELOPED.

SO FROM THERE, IDENTIFY THE STRATEGIES THE GOALS AND THE OBJECTIVES CLEARLY.

FROM THERE THE EMPLOYMENT, THE DIRECTORS, THE OBJECTIVES OF WHAT WATER MAINS ARE GOING TO REPLACE OR PARKS ARE GOING TO ENHANCE POLICE EQUIPMENT.

WE NEED NEWEST TECHNOLOGY.

ALL THAT IN SOME RESPECTS COMES FROM THOSE DIRECTORS.

SO YOU ALSO GATHER THAT IN A BUDGET PROCESS, TOO.

SO VISUALIZE SIX MONTHS STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION OF BOARD TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF WHAT THE PLANS ARE, WHAT THE PLAN IS CHANGING FROM THERE.

THEN QUICKLY TURN IT INTO A CONVERSATION WITH DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THOSE NEW AND OTHER IDEAS ARE COMING IN.

AND THEN MIX.

LOOK AT BUDGET PRIORITIES.

LOOK AT WHAT BUDGET MONIES ARE AVAILABLE.

IF YOU DO ALL THAT, THEN WORK CLOSELY WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTORS, THE FOLKS THAT REALLY ARE HELPING MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT, RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL THINGS.

FROM THERE, THEN PRESENT A PRELIMINARY BUDGET.

HAVE BUDGET HEARINGS AND PROCESSES SO THE BOARD CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CONCLUDED.

[00:25:04]

AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL THOSE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND OPEN MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC TO ENGAGE WITH.

BUT ALSO YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH THAT THE WHOLE TIME.

SO AND THEN YOU GET A BUDGET.

SO VISUALIZE THAT SIX MONTHS.

RIGHT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU'RE ALWAYS LISTENING.

YOU'RE ALWAYS FIGURING OUT WHAT THE NEXT PROJECT IS.

I WISH EVERYTHING WAS A ONE YEAR MOMENT.

IT'S NOT IT COULD BE 2 TO 5 YEARS TO LEGITIMATELY DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AND THEN AND THEN FROM THERE, THOSE MONTHLY MEETINGS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, LIST THEM OUT TIE THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO THE EVALUATION PROCESS.

IF YOU DO THAT, THEN EVERYONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE, INCLUDING YOUR CITY, YOUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

EXCUSE ME. AND FROM THERE, WE CAN REALLY, REALLY CAN REALLY SEE IT AND THEN AND THEN COME BACK TO IT.

IT'S NOT AN EVALUATION YOU NEVER SEE AGAIN.

IT'S SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND I'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL BY USING THOSE STRATEGIES THE WHOLE WAY.

AGAIN, I SHOULD SAY BENCHMARKING AS WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID WE DO LAST YEAR? WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS YEAR? YOU KNOW, POLICE REPORTS ARE DATA BASED, SO THOSE ARE GOOD ONES TO EVALUATE AND THEN SEE WHERE THE TRENDS ARE GOING IN OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF CRIME OR ACTIVITY.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS YOU CAN ALSO THEN MEASURE AS WELL.

THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE TALENT WHEN BRINGING ON NEW STAFF MEMBERS.

SO AFTER 30 PLUS YEARS OF DOING THIS WORK, I'VE HIRED AND FRANKLY FIRED ENOUGH FOLKS TO KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING, USUALLY WITHIN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. HOW DO I IDENTIFY TALENT? IT'S GOING THROUGH A RIGOROUS HIRING PROCESS, AS YOU GUYS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, TO HIRE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER THAT'S EVALUATING THE APPLICATIONS, EVALUATING REFERENCES.

ASKING THE QUESTIONS UP FRONT ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

FEELINGS ABOUT EMPLOYEES.

COMMUNITY. GET TO THE CORE.

BUT IT'S TALKING.

IT'S UNDERSTANDING.

AND FRANKLY, WORKING WITH YOUR HR DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A TOUGH TIME TO HIRE FOLKS IN ANY RESPECT.

SO HR, A WELL-TRAINED HR CAN HELP UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN GET A BETTER POOL OF INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU CAN START FROM.

HOPEFULLY THE TOP OR AT LEAST NEAR THE TOP.

AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR JOBS OUT THERE, YOU'RE DOING A LARGER SCOPE OF WHERE TO PUT YOUR ADS.

I ALREADY MENTIONED DIVERSITY.

I BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY.

SO, MAKE SURE THAT DIVERSE POPULATIONS ARE SEEING THOSE ADS IN A WAY THAT CAN BE ATTRACTIVE TO OUR ORGANIZATION.

WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES AS YOU'RE WORKING WITH AMY SOULE BUT WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO SEE WHAT TALENT IS OUT THERE.

SOMETIMES THAT TALENT NEEDS TO BE CULTIVATED TO COME TO YOU.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS.

YOU KNOW, THE DAYS ARE JUST PUTTING AN AD IN THE NEWSPAPER AND GETTING A MILLION APPLICATIONS ARE GONE.

BECAUSE IF YOU WANT PEOPLE, THAT'S EASY.

BUT IF YOU WANT THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND THE RIGHT TALENT, THEN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ALSO, NETWORKING TO A GREAT REPUTATION OF A MUNICIPALITY.

IN THIS CASE, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SENDS RIPPLES THROUGHOUT THE WORKFORCE.

SO IF YOU DO IT WELL, DO IT RIGHT.

YOU KNOW THEY'LL BE THERE, BUT YOU GOT TO TRY AND YOU GOT TO BE CONSCIOUS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES.

YOU KNOW, THE OTHER IS WAGE COMPARISONS AND ALL THAT.

YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW FROM A WAGE STANDPOINT IS JUST DIFFERENT.

AND SO YOU NEED TO ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.

SO THAT'S WHERE HR CAN PLAY A TREMENDOUS ROLE DOING WAGE SURVEYS, WORKING WITH, LIKE THE OTHER LARGER ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR WAGES. KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE'RE ACTUALLY EVALUATING THE ENTIRE EMPLOYEE BASE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU, ROBERT.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOTH YOUR BUDGET PREPARATION EXPERIENCE, PREPARING FOR ANNUAL BUDGETS AND ABOUT THE TOUGHEST BUDGETARY DECISIONS YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE OVER THESE PAST 30 YEARS? SURE.

SO THE CITY OF OBERLIN IN OHIO, WE HAD A $40 MILLION BUDGET.

WE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ELECTRIC, WATER, SEWER, STORMWATER, GENERAL FUND, POLICE, FIRE, THE WHOLE THE WHOLE GAMBIT. SO 40 MILLION WAS THE TOP LEVEL BUDGET I'VE EVER WORKED ON.

WE HAD PRETTY TIGHT PROCESSES TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS ON WHAT WOULD GET FUNDED AND WHAT WOULDN'T.

WE SEPARATED IT OUT AND OBVIOUSLY THE OPERATIONS AND THE CAPITAL SIDE.

AND THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS WERE CULTIVATED OVER YEARS.

[00:30:04]

BUT AS I TELL STAFF, I DON'T LIKE TO BE SURPRISED.

WHY AM I HEARING ABOUT IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A BUDGET SESSION? YOU KNOW, WHY IS THIS NOW THAT IMPORTANT? SO YOU CONTINUE TO KIND OF MONITOR AND TALK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.

THE TOUGHEST, OF COURSE.

IT'S SO I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH.

I'M NOT SURE IF MERIDIAN DEALT WITH THIS, BUT WHEN THE STATE DECIDED THAT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WERE NOT IMPORTANT TO MUNICIPALITIES AND SO WE HAD TO REALLY IN ALLEGAN, WE HAD TO MOVE QUICKLY.

AND THAT WAS TOUGH BECAUSE WE HAD TO REALLY TIGHTEN IT DOWN.

I MEAN, WE WERE ALREADY TIGHT, BUT WE HAD TO REALLY TIGHTEN IT DOWN AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOMES WERE GOING TO BE.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE REIMBURSEMENTS WOULD BE IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE ANY, YOU KNOW, OTHER STATES HAD DEALT WITH, THEY DIDN'T REIMBURSE AT ALL.

SO WE WERE [INAUDIBLE].

WE WERE VERY HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.

SO THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE I MADE TOUGH DECISIONS WITH THE BOARD THAT WERE NOT POPULAR.

BUT WE NEEDED TO DO THAT BECAUSE ALL I COULD DELIVER A BALANCED BUDGET.

AGAIN, I WASN'T BEING PAT ON THE BACK BY CERTAIN DEPARTMENT HEADS.

I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE BOARD REALLY WASN'T HAPPY WITH IT EITHER, HONESTLY.

BUT I HAD TO DO MY JOB, AND THAT WAS TO LAY IT OUT IN A WAY.

SO THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT, I WOULD IMAGINE.

YOU KNOW, I AGAIN, DOING THIS A BIT.

SO MY VERY FIRST VILLAGE MANAGER'S JOB WAS REALLY SMALL.

SO WE TALK ABOUT BIG BUDGETS AND BIG DECISIONS.

WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK TRYING TO BALANCE A HALF $1 MILLION BUDGET WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR MID 20S.

AND IT WAS PRETTY HARD TOO, BECAUSE BUT I TALKED TO PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THAT AND THEY SAY, ROB, IT'S JUST SOME ADDITIONAL ZEROS.

THE DIFFICULTY OF A LARGER BUDGET AND THE SMALLER BUDGETS ARE PROBABLY THE SAME.

BUT I WOULD REMIND THEM THAT IF YOU'RE WRONG IN A SMALLER BUDGET, YOU'RE BELOW THE MARK.

AND THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY AS A 20 SOMETHING MANAGER WHO WAS TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CAREER.

SO BUT I WOULD SAY THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX AND THE VALUATION.

THE OTHER, OF COURSE, IS EVALUATING CAPITAL PROJECTS AS IT COMES TO UTILITIES.

I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THAT ON THE TABLE WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THE PAST OF INVESTMENT IN YOUR UTILITIES OR YOUR ROADS AND ALL THAT IS CRITICAL.

BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT OR DONE IT EFFECTIVELY, THEN YOU HAVE TO WATCH EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE NEEDS, BUT NOT ENOUGH MONEY.

SO THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

BUT THE DECISIONS AREN'T GOING TO BE SATISFYING BECAUSE YOU WANT TO DO IT ALL OR TRY TO DO IT ALL.

SO YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, DO THE BEST YOU CAN, COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, RELY ON PLANNING THAT'S HAPPENED OR HOPEFULLY HAS OCCURRED WITH CITIZEN INPUT AND THEN LOCK IT DOWN.

BUT ALSO A PLAN I WOULD JUST SAY IS OR THE BUDGET IS A PLAN, THINGS CHANGE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

BUDGET REVENUES AND ESTIMATES CAN GO HIGH OR CAN GO LOW.

SO YOU JUST KEEP BEING FLEXIBLE WITH IT BUT ULTIMATELY KNOW THAT THAT PLAN DOES MEAN SOMETHING.

AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE HARD BUDGET CUTS YOU HAD TO MAKE IN LIGHT OF THE LOSS OF THE PPT AND ELEGANT.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT FROM STAFF YOU DIDN'T HAVE FROM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE BUDGET CUTS ARE HARD.

I TAKE IT YOU REALLY HAD TO COUNT ON YOUR OWN GUT, YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE TO MAKE THIS, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO SAY, OH YEAH, CUT MY DEPARTMENT OR CUT, CUT THAT OUT.

HOW DID THAT TURN OUT? HOW DID WAS TRUST IN YOUR GUT THE RIGHT THING TO DO? SO I WOULD PROBABLY EXPAND.

IT'S TRUSTING IN WHAT YOU KNOW.

AND THE REALITY IS BEING A TRAINED MANAGER, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, KEEPING YOUR EYE ON THAT, BEING AS REALISTIC ON THOSE ESTIMATES AS YOU CAN, NOT TRY TO FLOAT THEM HIGH OR FLOAT THEM LOW TO PROVE SOME POLITICAL AGENDA.

I KNEW WHERE THE MONIES WERE.

I KNEW THE IMPACT.

I ALSO KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO NOT JUST DO IT IN A MOMENT.

WE HAD TO DO IT OVER PERIODS OF TIME SO THAT WORST CASE SCENARIO HAD TO BE EVALUATED OVER MAYBE 1 OR 2 OR THREE YEARS.

SO IF THE ANSWER AND NO, I'M SORRY, I WISH EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD COULD REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S TURF PROTECTION.

BUT WHAT I TRY TO DO IS HELP EXPLAIN TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, YOU KNOW, I GET IT, I DO, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR LOYALTY, BUT THIS IS OUR REALITY.

AND HELP THEM SEE THE BUDGET.

NOW, THEY MAY NOT CARE BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR BUDGET, IF YOU WILL.

AND I HATE THAT TERM, BY THE WAY.

THEIR BUDGET. MY BUDGET.

[00:35:03]

IT'S THE CITIZEN'S BUDGET.

IT'S THAT PROCESS.

SO NO, I THEY UNDERSTOOD.

I HAD A NICKNAME IN ALLEGAN.

I WAS CALLED ROBERT SCISSORHANDS.

THAT'S TRUE. BUT WITH THAT SAID, THOUGH, IT WAS ALWAYS A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING THEIR NEEDS, WANTS AND DESIRES.

NO, IT SOMETIMES IT GETS NASTY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE IT'S ALMOST TAKEN PERSONALLY.

IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT A PERSONAL THING.

IT'S THE REALITY OF BUDGETS.

AND SO LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS FULLY ENGAGED IN IN THAT.

AND YOU JUST DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITY.

YOUR ABILITY TO SAY, WELL, THAT'S THE REALITY.

I'M NOT JUST MAKING IT UP.

WHAT ARE WE? AND DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS? LIKE I SAID, SAYING THIS, I WANTED MORE, BETTER, BEST.

MORE, BETTER, EFFECTIVE.

IF THERE'S ANOTHER IDEA OUT THERE, TELL ME.

I'M OPEN TO IT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S TOUGH.

DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE PATTERNS CAN PROVE OUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE CAN GET WHAT WE NEED DONE.

OR IF IT'S READJUSTING, YOU KNOW IT'S DONE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH PATIENCE.

OKAY. ROB, CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLANNING? YEAH. I MEAN, CAPITAL PLANNING IS ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S THE NEXT ROAD? SO CAPITAL PLANNING, I BELIEVE IN MULTIYEAR BUDGETS WHEN YOU CAN GET THERE, IF YOU'RE IN CRISIS MODE, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS ATTAINABLE OR YOU CAN'T ACCOMPLISH THAT.

BUT YOU LOOK MULTIPLE YEARS.

I WAS REALLY FAMOUS FOR THAT IN ALLEGAN.

OBERLIN. WE DID OUR FAIR SHARE OF THAT.

AGAIN, IN OTHER CITIES, I COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY JUST WORKING FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

BUT ALSO, IT'S PROJECTING WHAT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS YOU WANT TO DO, HAVING THAT CITIZEN INPUT.

AND I MEAN, THESE LISTENING SESSIONS ARE CRITICAL.

I AM SO IMPRESSED THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN ON LISTENING SESSIONS.

I THOUGHT I WAS SOME CUTTING EDGE GUY ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO IN OBERLIN.

NOW, YOU GOTTA GET HERE AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING IT.

I THINK IT'S GREAT. YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN DOING IT ALL ALONG, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S THE BOARD I WANT TO WORK WITH THE BOARD.

THAT REALLY DOES LOOK AT THAT AS A TOOL.

BUT WITH THAT SAID, IF YOU CAN THEN PROJECT OUT WHAT YOUR PROGRAMS ARE, SAY IT'S PARKS, WE KNOW THERE'S A DNR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THE TRUST FUND AND ALL THOSE GRANT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES. YOU GOT TO PROJECT IT THROUGH A PARKS MASTER PLAN.

THOSE PLANS CAN BE A BIT VAGUE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO KEEP FLEXIBILITY.

BUT IN THOSE PROCESSES YOU'RE IDENTIFYING PROJECTS AND MAYBE CAN'T DO IT THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.

BUT IF YOU CAN PROJECT IT OUT IN LONG RANGE, THEN FROM THERE, THEN YOU KEEP YOUR EYES OUT ON THE GRANT PROGRAMS. YOU WORK WITH YOUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, TOO.

IT'S NOT JUST SOMEONE ELSE'S JOB TO GO AND FIND A GRANT.

YOU GUYS GOT TO BE THE EXPERTS IN THESE AREAS, AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE IN MY CAREER TO FIND SOME EXCELLENT PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY LOOKING OUT FOR THAT.

BUT IF YOU DO IT IN A LONG RANGE TERM, YOU CAN THEN PREPARE FOR THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY.

GRANTS JUST DON'T HAPPEN IN A MONTH.

THEY HAPPEN IN A YEAR TIME FRAME, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S FEDERAL, FEDERAL OR STATE.

IT JUST DEPENDS.

SO IN SPECIFIC TERMS IT'S CAPITAL PLANNING.

WHAT ROADS NEXT, WHAT WATER MEANS NEXT.

PROGRAMING FOR POLICE AND FIRE.

IT'S LIKE WHAT'S THE LATEST GREATEST TECHNOLOGY TO HELP? FIRE IS A VERY MUCH AN EXPENSIVE ORDEAL AS WE KNOW FIRE PROTECTION.

SO, BUT THERE'S ALSO SUPPORT THERE FOR GRANTS THERE.

SO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.

INCORPORATE IN THE CAPITAL PLANNING MULTI USE BUDGET PROCESSES TO SHOW THE TRENDS.

I'VE DONE THAT IN MY WHOLE CAREER.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. SO WHAT TYPES OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE YOU WORKED ON IN THE PAST AND WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES THEY BROUGHT ABOUT? SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S CRITICAL TO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE IT DOES PROJECT OUTGROWTH AND REVENUE, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS OUR VALUE SYSTEM.

SO BOY, THERE'S JUST A NUMBER AND I COULD LIST THEM OFF IF YOU WANT.

AND I HOPE MY ANSWERS AREN'T SO VAGUE THAT THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

BUT IN ALLEGAN, WE WORK WITH THE PERRIGO COMPANY.

THEY ARE A LARGE MANUFACTURING GROUP.

THEY GREW EXPONENTIALLY DURING THE TIME THAT I WAS THERE.

WE WORKED WITH THE STATE MEDC ON GRANT PROGRAMS, TAX ABATEMENTS, PUSHING FOR, YOU KNOW, GROWTH IN NOT ONLY THE MANUFACTURING SIDE BUT THE OFFICE SIDE.

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GROWTH THERE.

IN ALLEGAN, WE ALSO DID A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

WE WERE ACTUALLY THE FIRST.

[00:40:03]

I STILL THINK WE WERE FIRST FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITY PROGRAM IN THE STATE WHEN THOSE PROGRAMS WERE COMING OUT.

FROM THERE, I TWISTED THAT TO BE A MAJOR RIVERFRONT INITIATIVE DOWNTOWN.

SO IT WAS A COMBINATION OF RIVERFRONT ENVIRONMENTAL, BUT IT WAS ALSO ABOUT DOWNTOWN ENHANCEMENTS.

WE WERE STRUGGLING AT THAT TIME, PROUD TO SAY THAT.

THEY'VE CONTINUED, I THINK, SOME WONDERFUL PROGRAMING IN ALLEGAN.

I LIKE TO THINK THAT IT HAD A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH IT, AND I THINK IT HAD TO DO A LOT WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. OUR POSITIVELY ALLEGAN INITIATIVES AND ALL THAT.

BUT THAT WAS A THAT WAS GATHERING AS MUCH GRANT MONEY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THEN REINVESTING IT INTO A DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD HELP THE BUSINESSES.

THAT WAS CLEAR.

GOSH. IN OBERLIN, WE BOUGHT GOSH, CLOSE TO 100 ACRE INDUSTRIAL OR LAND FOR INDUSTRIAL PARK INITIATIVES.

SO IT CAN BE THE NEXT GREATEST THING IN THE COUNTY.

AND SO WE, WE WORK TOWARDS THAT GOAL.

AND THAT WAS CLEARLY A BOARD SUPPORTED PROCESS.

YOU DON'T JUST DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT REAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE BOARD SEES IN TERMS OF REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS, JOB CREATIONS.

AND AGAIN, JOB AND REVENUES ARE ONE THING, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE AND FAMILIES AND CREATING JOBS FOR FOLKS.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST ENHANCING A BUDGET.

IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE.

AND SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I SEE IT MORE THAN JUST TAX REVENUE.

I SEE IT AS INVESTMENT IN A COMMUNITY.

SO GOSH, I'M TRYING TO THINK THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TAX ABATEMENTS MY WHOLE CAREER.

EVEN EARLY ON.

20 SOMETHING MANAGER.

THAT WAS FUN. AGAIN, ALLERGAN HAS SEEN A VARIETY OF GROWTH THROUGH THE PERRIGO COMPANY AND OTHER GROUPS.

AGAIN, OBERLIN WORKED REALLY HARD TO HAVE A VIABLE DOWNTOWN.

AGAIN, EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW THEY SEE THE GOVERNMENT INTERACTION.

BUT SUPPORT IS THE KEY.

AND THAT'S THE THING. I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE IN WHAT I CALL RAINMAKERS.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS FOLKS WHO BRING THOSE BUSINESSES IN AND THEN CHEER, OH, WE DID ALL THIS.

WE DID ALL THAT.

I THINK THOSE EFFORTS ARE IMPORTANT.

HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF CREATING AND CULTIVATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTIVE AND THAT'S COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITIZENRY.

THAT'S UNDERSTANDING.

CHANGE ISN'T ALWAYS EMBRACED, BUT IT'S ALSO A MATTER OF FORECASTING MAYBE WHERE WE'RE GOING IN A WAY THAT'S POSITIVE.

SO AGAIN, IT HAS ALSO ACTUALLY I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALSO ITS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT I THINK IS SO KEY.

I CONNECT THAT TO EQUITY.

I CONNECT IT TO DIVERSITY.

IT'S ALSO OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.

AND SO I LIKE TO THINK WE'RE A CITY, A TOWNSHIP, A COUNTY STATE THAT REACHES OUT AND SAYS THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.

WE JUST NEED TO MAKE IT MORE OBVIOUS AND ACCESSIBLE.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

HOW DO YOU PLAN AND BUDGET FOR NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IN THE TOWNSHIP? AGAIN, DEPENDS ON THE UTILITIES WE HAVE.

SO FOR WATER IS A BIG ONE.

SO EVALUATING YOUR SYSTEM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGE OF THE UTILITIES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

KEEP GREAT RECORDS ON WHEN THE LAST TIME YOU MAINTAIN THEM.

IF IT'S ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THE PACE OF RATING SYSTEMS THAT ARE PRETTY STANDARD AND STRAIGHTFORWARD THESE DAYS, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF RATING YOUR ROADS, DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO STAY AHEAD OF THE POOR, THE RATINGS.

BUT AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE PAST.

I WAS TALKING TO MDOT THE OTHER DAY.

THEY SAID, YEAH, WE'RE JUST AS GOOD AS THE MONEY YOU PROVIDE US.

I MEAN, IN GENERAL TERMS, AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF THAT.

I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.

BUT YEAH, MONEY DOES HELP.

SO I WOULD SAY WATER, MAIN MAINTENANCE, EVALUATING RECORDS, WORKING WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM SPOTS ARE, TRY TO EVALUATE THOSE IN A WAY TO ELIMINATE THOSE IF POSSIBLE.

WORK YOUR CAPITAL PLANS TO DO THAT.

IN TERMS OF ROADS.

IT'S A MATTER OF PACE OF RATING SYSTEMS. IT'S IT'S MAKING SURE THAT MAYBE RESURFACING IS THE SOLUTION VERSUS A TOTAL RECONSTRUCT.

AND IF YOU STAY AHEAD OF IT, YOU MIGHT GET AWAY WITH THAT.

BUT ALSO YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S SEWER AND WATER AND STORM UNDERNEATH THOSE ROADS.

SO IT'S A IT'S AN ENGAGED PROCESS.

BUT THEN PARKS.

RIGHT. WHAT A GREAT ATTRIBUTE.

AND MERIDIAN IS JUST SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE A WONDERFUL PARK SYSTEM.

SO WHAT'S THE NEXT PARK.

WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? ARE WE DONE? WHAT'S YOUR PARKS PLANNING PROCESS SAYING YOU KNOW WHAT AVAILABILITY IS THERE FOR OTHER DEVELOPED LANDS THAT MAY NOT BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE?

[00:45:02]

AND DO WE HAVE THE STAFF TO SUPPORT THAT? AND ARE WE ASKING THE PARKS FOLKS ABOUT THAT? IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.

AND SOMETIMES I THINK AS LEADERS, WE DON'T ALWAYS DO THAT WELL BECAUSE WE'RE SO EXCITED.

BUT THEY'LL FORGIVE US, I HOPE.

ANYWAYS. SO JUST PAY ATTENTION.

KNOW THAT A DECISION DOES MEAN SOMETHING TO SOMETHING.

THANK YOU. ROB, YOU'VE COME TO THE WRAP UP QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? OH MY GOSH. ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP, THE POSITION OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THE JOB? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHEN YOU PURSUE THIS TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY, YOU DO A LOT OF RESEARCH.

SO LIKE I SAID, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

YOU KNOW, IT'D BE AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS A MORE DISCOVERY IS WHAT'S THE OBJECTIVE OF THE TOWNSHIP REGARDING INTER INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS? WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT THAT BIG OLD UNIVERSITY OVER THERE IS, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE.

SO IF WE HAD PROBABLY ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO, WE'LL PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I DIDN'T EVEN MENTION MY EXPERIENCES WITH OBERLIN COLLEGE.

AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OHIO AND CLEVELAND, OBERLIN COLLEGE, IT'S QUITE A COLLEGE.

IT'S ALSO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

SO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WERE KEY.

AND SO WE HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED ON THAT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'D ASK QUESTIONS ON HOW MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THOSE KIND OF INSTITUTIONS REALLY INTERACT WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

AND WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO WITH THAT? SO THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ONE TO ANSWER HERE OR NOT, BUT I WOULD ASK THAT.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS EMPLOYEE MORALE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME STUFF.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

THINGS HAPPEN. AND MUNICIPALITIES.

I COME IN AND AND HELP SETTLE, SETTLE IT DOWN.

AT A MINIMUM, I'D LIKE TO BE A STABILIZING FORCE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY.

HOW? HAS EMPLOYEE MORALE.

WHAT'S THE MORALE OF THE BOARD AND THE EMPLOYEES? WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THAT? THOSE WOULD BE QUESTIONS I WOULD ASK, TOO.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DECIDE.

SO I KNOW ALL THAT.

APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I HAVE AN OPEN CELL LINE FOR AMY'S CELL.

SO SORRY.

SORRY. I'M NOT. I'M ANSWERING, ASKING MY OWN QUESTION.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK I UNDERSTAND.

BY THE WAY, I GREW UP IN THE CITY OF PORTAGE, MICHIGAN.

SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW PORTAGE, IT'S A SUBURB OF KALAMAZOO, AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH MERIDIAN.

NOT EVERY COMMUNITY IS THE SAME, OF COURSE, BUT THE VALUE SYSTEMS THAT I GREW UP WITH, I THINK ARE VERY CONSISTENT WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE REGION AND THE COMMUNITY, BE THAT MODEL.

AND SO I'D WANT TO KNOW HOW THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT THAT.

SO SURE. WELL, I'LL JUST TRY TO I'LL BE AS SUCCINCT AS I CAN IN TRYING TO RESPOND TO AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GROW OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THE UNIVERSITY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING THAT WE THAT I HAVE WITH OUR MANAGER AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY, AND WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO START GENERATING SOME, SOME IDEAS.

AND I THINK THAT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SIT DOWN AS A BOARD AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WANT TO SEE THAT RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE? WE DO HAVE AN ANNUAL MEETING WHERE WE SIT DOWN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES.

AS WELL AS AS WELL AS THE UNIVERSITY.

AND I THINK THAT'S PROVIDED A LOT OF VALUE, A LOT OF INTERESTING IDEAS.

AND WE'RE STILL SEEKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ACTIONABLE THINGS WE CAN DO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH A NUMBER OF OUR SMALLER JURISDICTIONS NEARBY TO PROVIDE POLICE SERVICES, BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION IN THAT END.

BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.

AND IT JUST TAKES A CREATIVITY AND, YOU KNOW, SOME INSPIRATION.

AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD IN TERMS OF MORALE.

THAT'S PROBABLY A BETTER QUESTION TO ASK OF THE EMPLOYEES.

CERTAINLY THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE THAT THINGS HAVE IMPROVED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOWARD PROVIDING A STABLE ENVIRONMENT.

AND THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT OUR GOAL IS.

[00:50:02]

I IMAGINE THAT WE'LL HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE STAFF THERE.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT THING TO ASK THEM AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING.

AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE IMPROVING THERE AS WELL.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A STABLE YOU KNOW, STABLE AT THE TOP IS A GOOD A GOOD THING, I THINK, AS A GENERAL RULE AND A CALMING, STABLE PRESENCE THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL HEARD, MAKES PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE LISTENED TO, I THINK WOULD BE A POSITIVE THING.

AND THEN PROCESS. YOU'RE DEAD ON.

WE'LL DO INTERVIEWS TODAY.

WE'LL DO THE MEET AND GREET THIS EVENING.

AND THEN OUR, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE'LL DELIBERATE AND COME TO A DECISION ON DECEMBER 17TH.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION AND WHATNOT THAT GOES ON AFTER THAT.

BUT IT'S OUR HOPE THAT WE'LL SELECT OUR, OUR MANAGER ON THE 17TH.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO WITH WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I MISSED THAT YOU GUYS WANTED TO ADD? I DON'T MEAN TO. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT TRI COUNTY ARRANGEMENTS THAT WE HAVE.

OH, YES, WE HAVE A TRI COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WE MEET WITH.

WE WORK ON MUTUAL INTERESTS WITHIN EATON, INGHAM AND CLINTON COUNTIES.

WE ALSO HAVE A TRI COUNTY SWAT TEAM THAT WE INTERACT COLLABORATIVELY AND ALSO HAVE MUTUAL AID WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.

IF THEY HAVE THE BIG FIRE, LIKE WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY SHOWED UP FOR IT.

SIX JURISDICTIONS.

SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO TO RECOGNIZE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

NICHOLAS, I DID HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THROUGHOUT THIS INTERVIEW, YOU MENTIONED YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD.

I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE EMPLOYEES OF MERIDIAN.

WHAT DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF THE DIFFERENT MANAGERS WHO WOULD REPORT TO YOU AS OVERALL TOWNSHIP MANAGER? WHAT WOULD YOU VIEW AS THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE BOARD IF THERE IS ONE AT ALL? YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND I WOULD ANSWER IT BY SAYING THAT'S IT'S SITUATIONAL BECAUSE I WILL NOT PRETEND TO KNOW IT ALL.

AND SO SOMETIMES IN MANY RESPECTS, MAYBE MOST TIMES THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAIL.

AND THAT DETAIL NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED TO THE BOARD AND IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.

SO I WOULD WANT TO DO A QUICK REVIEW OF THE CHARTER, THE ORDINANCES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE TYPES OF, OF LAWS AND RULES.

HOWEVER, I LOVE HAVING DEPARTMENT HEADS TELL THEIR STUFF.

AND SO WHETHER IT'S AT A BOARD MEETING THAT REALLY HAS TO BE EVALUATED.

NOW, I WOULD SAY THIS IS WHERE WE CAN GET IN TROUBLE, THOUGH, BECAUSE WHEN TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS FEEL THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE OF THEIR INTEREST ISSUES OR COMMITTEES OR WHATEVER, IT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC.

SO I HOPE TO HAVE AN OPEN AND CLEAR DIALOG.

BUT WHERE I'VE BEEN MOST SUCCESSFUL IS WHEN DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE A COMFORT WITH THE BOARD, AND PART OF THAT IS TO TALK WITH THEM. I ALSO TRY TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ISSUES THAT ARE ACCUMULATING, 2 OR 3 BOARD MEMBERS CALL YOU ON SOMETHING KIND OF LET ME KNOW BECAUSE SOMETHING'S GOING ON HERE. BUT I THINK THAT'S A BALANCING ACT.

WE ALL HAVE TO WALK.

AND I THINK IF WE RESPECT OUR ROLES, IT WORKS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S POLICY AND THERE'S ADMINISTRATION AND NEVER THE TWO SHALL MIX WELL, THEY DO ALL THE TIME.

SO AS AN EXPERIENCED MANAGER, I KNOW THAT.

AND I'LL GET TOO WORKED UP OVER IT UNTIL IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.

AND THEN I WON'T SAY I GET WORKED UP WITH IT.

I DEAL WITH IT IN A CONFLICT.

LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT.

SO I LIKE THE INTERACTION.

IT'S JUST SOMETIMES DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS DON'T THOUGH.

SO WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT THEY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

COMFORTABLE. AND SO IF THEY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, WE NEED TO TALK THROUGH THAT.

THESE BOARD MEETINGS ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THOUGH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PUBLICLY PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE CHIEF, THE CHIEFS, THE DIRECTORS IN A WAY THAT'S MEANINGFUL, NOT JUST HAVE IT FILTERED THROUGH A MANAGER WHO IS MAYBE A GREAT SPOKESPERSON, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE DETAIL GUY THAT YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR, BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY THE DETAIL IN THE GROCERY STORE THAT GETS YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROB.

I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT RELATIONS WITH THE BOARD.

THIS BOARD THAT I'VE SAT ON AND KATHY SAT ON FOR EIGHT YEARS AND OTHER MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS, HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE BOARD EMPOWERMENT, I WOULD CALL IT, OF THE PREVIOUS MANAGER WHO BROUGHT US THE RIGHT ISSUES AT THE RIGHT TIME, WHO FACILITATED THE DISCUSSIONS.

[00:55:05]

NOW THAT WE DO EVERYTHING, KNOW DOWNTOWN OKEMOS IS STILL A AN UGLY EYESORE RIGHT NOW.

SO WE DIDN'T DO IT ALL, BUT WE DID A LOT.

THIS BOARD, IF YOU TAKE OUT KATHY AND I, HAS AN AVERAGE TENURE OF ABOUT 20 MONTHS, AND IF YOU WORKED WITH WHAT I CALL YOUNGER BOARDS IN THE PAST, BOTH IN CHRONOLOGICAL AGE AND EXPERIENCE, AGE, AND WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AND HOW DID YOU FIND IT TO BRING THEM TO THE TO TO THE SKILL LEVEL? THEY NEEDED TO MAKE THESE TOUGH AND GOOD DECISIONS? I DON'T WANT TO BE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT LISTENING TO THE DESIRES, HOPEFULLY BUILDING TRUST THAT SAYS THOSE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CAN HELP MOVE THINGS FORWARD IN A PROGRESSIVE WAY OR A CONVERSATIONAL WAY.

ENCOURAGE TRAINING AND HOPEFULLY FOLKS ARE OPEN TO THAT.

BUT IN A, IN A YOUTHFUL ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO GET IT DONE.

IT MIGHT NOT BE A LOT OF PATIENCE, YOU KNOW.

AND SO THEN YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, TRY TO WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE THE BEST SOLUTION.

IF IT'S A PROBLEM AND I SAY IT, IF IT'S A PROBLEM, IT'S IT'S TIME.

BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN AS AN EXAMPLE THESE EIGHT YEARS, YOU'VE DEALT WITH A LOT.

YOU MIGHT HAVE DEALT WITH THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND AND THE RESULTS ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T TAKE IT ON.

SO BUT THOSE YEARS OF EXPERIENCES ARE VALUABLE IS TRYING TO TALK THROUGH THAT.

BUT AS A NEW MANAGER I'M NEW TO, I MIGHT BE A LITTLE OLDER MAYBE THAN SOME IN TERMS OF BOARD MEMBERS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M NEW TO.

SO I WANT TO TAKE ON THOSE CHALLENGES.

THEY SAY FOR A NEW MANAGER, YOU'RE ACCEPTING ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE RESOLVED IN PEOPLE'S MINDS.

SO YOU GET A CHANCE TO NOT ONLY WORK WITH NEW, NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, BUT ALSO IN MAYBE INJECT THAT EXPERIENCE TO THAT AND SAY, I'M NEW TO.

LET'S TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

BUT WITH 30 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I'VE LEARNED.

AND IT DOESN'T MEAN I'M SAYING NO.

I'M JUST SAYING WE JUST GOT TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THAT.

SO TRAINING.

RIGHT. ENCOURAGE THAT. EVERYONE SHOULD GET TRAINING.

AND I DON'T THINK WE DO. AT LEAST I'VE EXPERIENCED.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY DO A GREAT JOB OF TRAINING BOARD MEMBERS.

USUALLY WE JUST THROW THEM RIGHT IN THE FIRE AND SAY, SURVIVE.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY STOP THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HAVEN'T DONE A GREAT JOB ON THAT AS MUCH BECAUSE I'M JUST AS EXCITED.

SO I WOULD JUST SAY JUST BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE SAYING IN CHARLOTTE, YOU KNOW, LET'S GIVE EACH OTHER GRACE AND NOT BE SO WORKED UP ON IT.

SO THE LAST QUESTION IS, FOR ME AT LEAST, IS YOUR 30 YEARS ARE IMPRESSIVE.

THE PIECE THAT'S NOT AS IMPRESSIVE, TO ME AT LEAST, WAS THE FACT THAT YOU DO HAVE A VERY SHORT TENURE IN CHARLOTTE.

YEAH. AND THAT'S THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU. WHY? AFTER SIX MONTHS, YOU'RE SEEKING OTHER EMPLOYMENT.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I APPRECIATE HAVING THE CHANCE TO ADDRESS THAT.

I THINK CHARLOTTE IS AN UP AND COMING COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING GREAT THINGS IN THE FUTURE IN MY WORLD AFTER 30 PLUS YEARS.

OKAY, I'M SAYING 30. IT'S REALLY MORE LIKE 35 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.

SO I HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR ME AND MY FAMILY AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEFORE ME.

I'M COMMITTED. I'M LOYAL.

AT THE SAME POINT I THINK MERIDIAN HAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.

AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT, ESPECIALLY PUBLICLY.

NOT LIKE THIS IS ON CAMERA OR ANYTHING EITHER.

EXACTLY. BUT, YOU KNOW AFTER AS LONG AS I'VE DONE THIS CAREER, I'VE LEARNED SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND SEE AN OPPORTUNITY AND GO FOR IT.

AND THAT'S WHERE I AM NOW.

I'VE MADE A LOT OF GREAT FRIENDS IN CHARLOTTE.

THEY'RE AN UP AND COMING COMMUNITY.

I WISH I COULD DO BOTH.

AND AND SO IT'S.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS I'VE HAD TO DO IN MY CAREER.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, BUT I OWE IT TO ME AND MY FAMILY.

AND I'M TO THE STAGE OF MY CAREER.

TIME IS IMPORTANT, SO I'M DOING IT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING THAT.

AND IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THE TIME I SPENT THERE REALLY HAS HELPED THEM.

AND I THINK IT HAS. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

WELL, BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS.

WE ARE APPROACHING 230.

SO I THINK NOW IS THE TIME WHERE WE SAY THANK YOU, ROB, FOR COMING TO INTERVIEW WITH US.

WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.

AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN A COUPLE HOURS AT THE MEET AND GREET.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBERS WILL TAKE LET'S SAY A 3 OR 4 MINUTE RECESS TO STRETCH OUR LEGS, AND WE'LL BE BACK HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.

[01:00:12]

WE WILL GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE AT 234.

AND IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO WELCOME TIMOTHY DEMPSEY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

DO YOU PREFER TIMOTHY OR TIM? TIM. TERRIFIC.

WELL, THEN I WILL CROSS OUT THE REST HERE ON MY SHEET SO I GET IT RIGHT.

OKAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR COMING TO INTERVIEW FOR THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER POSITION.

I'LL GIVE YOU THE SAME SPIEL THAT I GAVE OUR FIRST CANDIDATE, WHICH IS WE'VE GOT A LIST OF PRESCRIBED QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING EVERYONE.

AND SO FEEL FREE TO TO RESPOND TO THOSE ONCE ONCE THEY'VE BEEN POSED.

ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH SORT OF AROUND THE TABLE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ASKED OUR QUESTIONS, WE'LL LEAVE SOME SPACE FOR YOU IN CASE YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB, THE TOWNSHIP, ANYTHING THAT'S ON YOUR MIND AT THE TIME.

AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON AT THE END OR ANYTHING THAT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE THE LIST OF THE WRITTEN PRESCRIBED QUESTIONS, WE'LL SAVE THAT TO THE VERY END FOR YOU.

OKAY. ANYTHING.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR US BEFORE WE GET STARTED? NO. NOT INITIALLY.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ARE TO.

ALL RIGHT. SO THEN FIRST QUESTION WILL COME FROM ME.

CAN YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR VERSION OF THE ROLE OF THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND HOW IT WORKS WITH THE TOWNSHIP WORK? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

TOWNSHIP MANAGER ROLE IS CERTAINLY A KEY LEADERSHIP ROLE FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

IT'S REALLY THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

YOU, AS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, HAVE A KEY ROLE IN SETTING POLICY FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND DETERMINING SORT OF KEY POLICY PRIORITIES AND KEY INITIATIVES FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

IT'S THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S ROLE, THEN TO IMPLEMENT AND TO ACTIVATE THOSE POLICIES.

IT'S A TWO WAY RELATIONSHIP, OF COURSE.

THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER HAS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT THE PEOPLE YOU ARE THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN BY THE RESIDENTS TO FORMULATE THAT POLICY.

SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP WORKS WELL, THAT THAT MANAGER IS RESPONDING TO THE PRIORITIES THAT ALL OF YOU ESTABLISH, AND DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE PARAMETERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

SO THAT MEANS THE FINANCIAL PARAMETERS.

THAT MEANS PARAMETERS WITHIN LABOR CONTRACTS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT SORT OF WORK TOGETHER IN THAT.

BUT AGAIN, IT IS GETTING BACK TO THE INITIAL PART, THOUGH.

IT IS A KEY SORT OF LEADERSHIP ROLE, BECAUSE THAT MANAGER ALSO HAS TO SET THE TONE FOR THE ORGANIZATION, FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY OVERSEE. THEY PLAY.

THAT PERSON PLAYS A KEY ROLE, OF COURSE, IN HIRING DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OTHER KEY LEADERSHIP.

SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT.

AND THAT INTERFACE BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THOSE EMPLOYEES IS CRITICAL AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES OVER TIME.

ACROSS MICHIGAN AND ELSEWHERE WHERE THAT RELATIONSHIP CAN BREAK DOWN AND PEOPLE SORT OF FORGET THEIR KEY ROLES, AND THAT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC.

BUT FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THRIVED, YOU OFTEN SEE THAT RELATIONSHIP IS VERY WELL UNDERSTOOD, CLEAR EXPECTATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT LEDGER, BOTH ON THE BOARD SIDE AS WELL AS ON THE MANAGER SIDE.

THANK YOU. SURE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE? YEAH. SO MY COMMUNICATION STYLE IS ONE THAT I TEND TO.

IF ANYTHING, I WANT TO OVERCOMMUNICATE AT LEAST UNTIL I UNDERSTAND THE THE GROUPS OR THE INDIVIDUALS OR THE ENTITIES THAT I'M COMMUNICATING WITH AND THEIR PREFERRED COMMUNICATION STYLE.

YOU KNOW, TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT IN THE VIDEO INTERVIEWS, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WANT TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION.

YOU KNOW, IN TODAY'S WORLD IT COULD BE TEXTING, IT COULD BE EMAILS, IT COULD BE PHONE CALLS.

I'M COMFORTABLE DOING ANY OF THOSE AND ALL OF THOSE DEPENDING ON THE NEED.

AS A TOWNSHIP MANAGER, IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT COMMUNICATION IS DONE WELL, PARTICULARLY WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A CRITICAL ISSUE EMERGING, EVEN IF IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD SO THAT ALL OF YOU WOULD BE AWARE OF ANY OF THOSE ISSUES AND ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THEM, SO YOU DON'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT IN SOME OTHER MEANS, RIGHT?

[01:05:04]

THAT'S THAT'S GOT TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.

IS THAT STRONG COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD? BUT AGAIN, USING THE MEANS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR ANY OF THE, FOR THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT COMMUNICATION IS ALSO IMPORTANT WITH STAFF.

IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT DOWNWARD CHANNEL COMMUNICATION IS IS OCCURRING SO THAT STAFF UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THE BOARD IS MAYBE WRESTLING WITH OR THE CHALLENGES OR THE PRIORITIES THAT THOSE ARE COMMUNICATED WELL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND CONSTITUENTS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNICATION, NOT JUST FROM THE MANAGER, BUT FROM THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE IS DONE WELL.

SO COMMUNICATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S A KEY ASPECT OF A MANAGER POSITION, AND CERTAINLY ONE AGAIN WHERE I, LIKE I SAID, TO KICK THIS QUESTION OFF.

MY INCLINATION IS ALWAYS TO AT LEAST OVERCOMMUNICATE RATHER THAN TO TO UNDER COMMUNICATE AND HAVE SOMETHING GET MISSED OR HAVE A VITAL ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SURPRISE SOMEONE BECAUSE ONE THING WE DON'T LIKE, WE MIGHT LIKE SURPRISES ON OUR BIRTHDAY, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE SURPRISES WHEN WE'RE MANAGING LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SURE.

TIM, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND YOUR PREPARATION FOR THIS QUESTION ABOUT BUILDING TRUST.

HOW DO YOU DO IT FOR THESE THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS, ONE BEING THE STAFF, SECOND BEING THE BOARD AND THE THIRD BEING THE COMMUNITY? YEAH, A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE TRUST IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS, RIGHT? IF YOU DON'T TRUST THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER, YOU NAME IT, THEN THAT'S GOING TO STRUGGLE.

SO TRUST REALLY TAKES TIME.

IT TAKES AN EFFORT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU'RE TRUSTWORTHY.

RIGHT. SO THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, BEING HONEST IN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH PEOPLE.

THAT MEANS HAVING A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY, ENSURING THAT WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO, YOU FOLLOW THROUGH AND ACTUALLY DO THAT.

SO WITH THAT INTEGRITY, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.

AND THAT WILL BE THE CORE TO BUILDING TRUST.

YOU KNOW, TO BE, AGAIN, THAT FORTHRIGHT PERSON, THAT HONEST PERSON, AND DEMONSTRATE THAT CONSISTENTLY OVER TIME.

THANK YOU. TIM.

AS A PROJECT MANAGER, YOU'LL HAVE DOZENS OF PRODUCTS AND PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON KEEPING THOSE STRAIGHT AND COMMUNICATE UPDATES TO THE BOARD? YEAH, SO THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, YOU KNOW, PROJECT MANAGEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMPONENT OF WHAT I'VE HAD TO DO, WHETHER IT'S BEEN AT PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANTS, MANAGING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS WITH CLIENTS, WHETHER IT'S BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AT THE CITY OF EAST LANSING OR THE CITY OF SAGINAW.

AND THAT IS A CRITICAL SKILL TO LEARN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED OVER TIME IS YOU SORT OF ADAPT AND EVOLVE THOSE SKILLS.

SO A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, WE DID SOME LEAN TRAINING.

AND, YOU KNOW, LEAN HAS REALLY COME OUT OF THE MANUFACTURING WORLD, BUT IS ALSO ENTERED SORT OF WHITE COLLAR PROFESSIONS.

AND THE NOTION THERE IS THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TOOLS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE.

I MYSELF AM OFTENTIMES A VISUAL LEARNER.

SO I LIKE TO HAVE MY PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER IN A VISUAL FORMAT.

IN MANUFACTURING, IF YOU GO ON A FACTORY FLOOR, YOU'LL SEE SORT OF VISUAL, THE KANBAN, THE LAYOUT OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND PROJECTS AND WHERE THEY'RE AT AND STATUS. SO I'D LIKE TO DO THAT IN MY OWN OFFICE.

I ACTUALLY LIKE TO LAY OUT SOME KEY PROJECTS AND TO PUT THOSE UP VISUALLY.

BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION OUTWARD TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE COMMUNITY.

SO HAVING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CLEAR PROJECT SUMMARIES THAT OUTLINE TIMELINES, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, YOU DO SOMETHING SIMPLE IN A SPREADSHEET OR YOU DO SOMETHING IN A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD VISUAL TOOLS TO DO THAT.

BUT FOR ME, IT'S HAVING THOSE TOOLS.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I'VE SHIFTED OVER THE LAST PROBABLY 5 OR 6 YEARS OF MY CAREER TO REALLY TRY TO WORK AS MUCH AS I CAN IN A PAPERLESS ENVIRONMENT.

SO I DO A LOT OF THAT DIGITALLY.

THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IS I CAN ACCESS THAT INFORMATION PRETTY READILY AND HAVE IT AVAILABLE.

BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO HAVE THE OLD PAPER TO HAND OUT IN A MEETING.

SO BEING ABLE TO USE THE APPROPRIATE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION ON THAT.

[01:10:04]

THAT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE A GOOD, GOOD SYSTEM IN PLACE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, SO HOW WOULD YOU TRANSLATE THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES INTO CLEAR AND ACHIEVABLE TASKS FOR STAFF? YEAH. OKAY.

ANOTHER AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL EXCELLENT QUESTIONS.

THE YOU KNOW THE THE FRAMEWORK GOING FROM POLICY TO IMPLEMENTATION IS REALLY ONE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF IDENTIFYING, OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE THOSE PRIORITIES, RIGHT? AND I KNOW THAT YOU JUST RECENTLY SPENT SOME TIME DOING YOUR 2025 GOALS AND LAYING THOSE OUT.

SO ONCE THOSE GOALS AND PRIORITIES ARE ESTABLISHED, IT'S SITTING DOWN WITH STAFF TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY, WHAT DOES THIS TAKE? HOW DO WE BREAK THIS DOWN? YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIP MANAGER OBVIOUSLY HAS EXPERIENCE IN A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENT TOPICS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHERE THE TEAMWORK ASPECT REALLY COMES INTO PLAY.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY LEAN ON THE STAFF AND THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND ACTUALLY TO FRAME THAT OUT.

A LOT OF TIMES, DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF A PROJECT OR A TASK, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A STAFF MEMBER SAY, LOOK, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE FOR TEN YEARS NOW. WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.

HERE'S THE PROPOSAL ROUTE TO DO IT.

AND THE MANAGER JUST PROVIDES FEEDBACK.

IT COULD BE MORE INTERACTIVE.

IT COULD BE SITTING DOWN WITH STAFF AND ACTUALLY BRAINSTORMING WITH THEM HOW WE MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A PRIORITY AND BREAK THAT DOWN INTO ACTIONABLE STEPS.

OR IT COULD BE SOME COACHING, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SITTING DOWN WITH THE STAFF, PARTICULARLY, MAYBE A STAFF MEMBER THAT DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH OF EXPERIENCE TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS HOW I MIGHT THINK ABOUT APPROACHING IT AND REALLY GUIDING THEM IN THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MANAGER THEMSELVES CAN'T DO THIS RIGHT.

YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THAT TEAM TO DO IT.

SO IT'S INTEGRATING THEM, GETTING THEM AT THE TABLE AND TAKING ONE OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES DEPENDING ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR ABILITIES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES AND ETHICS YOU DEMONSTRATE AS A LEADER.

AND CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN PRACTICE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO THIS SORT OF TIES BACK TO THE EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT TRUST.

YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD GOOD TEAMS AND STRONG TEAMS, WHICH I HAVE A DEMONSTRATED TRACK RECORD OF, YOU HAVE TO START WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY.

AND AGAIN, THAT GETS BACK TO BEING ABLE TO EXECUTE ON WHAT YOU'VE PROMISED YOU CAN EXECUTE, ON BEING ABLE TO HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND VALUING THAT STRONG, TRUSTWORTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW, FROM A, FROM A PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL VALUE STANDPOINT THAT WHEN WORKING WITH OTHERS, YOU HAVE TO BE A GOOD LISTENER.

YOU HAVE TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

OFTENTIMES WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE DIFFERENT STAFF THAT I'VE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS, THE BEST OUTCOMES ARE THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY WE'RE HAD A GOOD, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS AND WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY UNCOVER THE CHALLENGES, MAYBE IN THE LIMITS THAT SORT OF WOULD MOVE SOMEBODY FORWARD.

AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT THAT I COULD GIVE IS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WE WERE LOOKING FOR A BUILDING OFFICIAL IN THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS.

WE ENDED UP SELECTING SOMEBODY BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT IT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG IN TERMS OF THAT WORK RELATIONSHIP.

THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AT THE TIME WHO HAD SOUGHT THAT ROLE.

AND THEN AFTER THE PROCESS HAD PLAYED OUT WITH THE CANDIDATE WHO WAS ULTIMATELY SELECTED WE WERE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND SORT OF FIGURE OUT A GAME PLAN GOING FORWARD.

SO WHEN THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WE HIRED DIDN'T WORK OUT, WE ENDED UP THEN PROMOTING THAT PERSON FROM WITHIN.

AND IT WAS THAT WORK THAT SITTING DOWN AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY WERE FACING, THE PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS IN WHAT THEY COULD DO, THEY WERE ABLE TO COME ON BOARD, FILL THAT ROLE AND DO IT VERY WELL.

IN FACT, THEY WERE ABLE THEN TO SORT OF USE THOSE SAME PROCESSES IN WORKING THROUGH THAT TO HELP ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER ON THEIR TEAM

[01:15:02]

AND IT REALLY ALL IT ALWAYS GOES BACK TO, AGAIN, HAVING THAT INTEGRITY, HAVING THAT TRUST, BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH SOMEONE.

BUT IT DOES TAKE TIME. YOU HAVE TO WORK OVER TIME.

YOU CAN'T COME IN DAY ONE AND ASSUME IT'S THERE.

IT DOES TAKE TIME TO DO THAT.

THE OTHER, JUST A COUPLE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO TOUCH ON TOO, IN TERMS OF SORT OF THOSE THOSE VALUES IS, YOU KNOW, HARD WORK, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, THESE JOBS REQUIRE HARD WORK.

YOU KNOW, A MANAGER JOB IS NOT A 40 HOUR A WEEK JOB.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

YOU HAVE TO BE COMMITTED, YOU KNOW, TO THE EVENINGS, TO THE WEEKENDS.

YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A CALL AT FOUR IN THE MORNING FROM THE POLICE CHIEF OR THE FIRE CHIEF.

RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

AND JUST THE ABILITY TO BRING THAT WORK ETHIC AND COMBINE IT WITH THOSE OTHER SKILLS.

THANK YOU. TIM, HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE? YEAH. SO CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE, RIGHT? IN ANY WORKPLACE.

AND IT REALLY STARTS WITH WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT LISTENING.

YOU HAVE TO SORT OF SIT DOWN AND LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY'S PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY'RE.

YOU KNOW, UPSET ABOUT OR WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS.

A REALLY IMPORTANT APPROACH THAT I TAKE, AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A CONFLICT, YOU KNOW, YOU GENERALLY YOU DON'T DEAL WITH IT IN THE PUBLIC SETTING, RIGHT? THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE.

BUT IF IT'S WITH STAFF, GENERALLY MY APPROACH IS TO ALWAYS ADDRESS IT ONE ON ONE OUTSIDE OF A PUBLIC FORUM.

RIGHT. AND TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH SOMEBODY.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE TRUST FACTOR, RIGHT? YOU NEVER, NEVER, EVER THROW SOMEBODY UNDER THE BUS IN PUBLIC.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT RESPECT FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL, EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THEM, BUT TO SIT DOWN, LISTEN AND WORK THROUGH THE ISSUE, TALK IT THROUGH AND TRY TO SEE WHAT THE DRIVER IS THERE.

AND THEN AND THEN LOOK FOR A SOLUTION.

THAT PROCESS FOR ME HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

DOES IT ALWAYS RESOLVE THE CONFLICT IN AND OF ITSELF? IT MIGHT NOT. IT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WHERE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS.

IT'S A DISAGREEMENT.

BUT WHAT IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS DONE IS IT'S AT LEAST BROUGHT THAT ELEMENT OF, OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT WE DON'T AGREE, BUT WE CAN RESPECT EACH OTHER AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD PROFESSIONALLY DESPITE THE CONFLICT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HOW DO YOU SET PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR YOUR TEAM MEMBERS? YEAH. SO PERFORMANCE GOALS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IN WORKING WITH STAFF IS THERE HAS TO BE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO.

HOW ARE THEY EXPECTED TO PERFORM.

A LOT OF TIMES FOR STAFF, PARTICULARLY IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT.

THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT RIGHT.

JUST HAVE TO GET DONE EVERY DAY.

RIGHT. WE KNOW THAT X, Y, AND Z HAVE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED, YOU KNOW, EACH DAY, EACH MONTH, QUARTERLY, ANNUALLY.

WE HAVE SORT OF THOSE SET THINGS.

SO PART OF THAT FRAMEWORK IS RECOGNIZING THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THINGS RIGHT, THAT THEY GET DONE.

AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE GROWTH ASPECT? WHAT ARE THE NEW INITIATIVES, THE NEW PROJECTS THAT WE CAN DO TO TAKE ON AND FIGURING OUT WAYS TO SAY, OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEASURE THAT? RIGHT. WHAT'S A REASONABLE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, METRIC KPI, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR.

SOME PEOPLE USE THAT TERMINOLOGY.

WHAT WHAT CAN WE USE TO MEASURE THAT PROGRESS.

BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN SETTING THOSE GOALS THAT THAT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SITTING DOWN WITH AN EMPLOYEE ONCE A YEAR, AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM, RIGHT? YOU REALLY HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS AND GIVE THEM ONGOING FEEDBACK.

AND IT CAN BE SIMPLE THINGS, RIGHT? LIKE SOME VERBAL FEEDBACK LIKE, HEY, ON THIS OFFER, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU APPROACH THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, HERE'S HOW.

MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

AND YOU KNOW, BY DOING THAT, AGAIN, YOU SET SORT OF THOSE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS.

PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

AND THAT'S ALL PART OF SORT OF THAT ONGOING TRUST, RIGHT? THEY CAN SORT OF RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND THEN IT'S EASY. THEN YEAR AFTER YEAR, HOPEFULLY IT GETS EASIER TO SORT OF DETERMINE WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE GOING TO BE AND WHAT THOSE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS WILL BE.

[01:20:03]

THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT IN TERMS OF SORT OF RECRUITING AND ATTRACTING TALENT.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN A WELL MANAGED ORGANIZATION, SO IT'S AN APPEALING PLACE TO WORK.

BUT AS YOU SAW WITH YOUR POLICE AND FIRE CHALLENGES YOU KNOW, YOU HAD TO TAKE A VERY AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO ATTRACTING TALENT WITH SALARY INCREASES, WHICH I COMMEND YOU ON BECAUSE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THAT ISSUE.

SO LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ARE CRITICAL, BUT IN TERMS OF EVALUATING TALENT, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT THAT ARE CRITICAL.

ONE IS HOW DOES THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL FIT WITHIN THE CULTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION? I BELIEVE THAT CULTURAL FIT IS AS CRITICAL AS ANYTHING.

YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS THE GREATEST SKILL SET IN THE WORLD.

BUT IF THEY COME INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND THEY'RE NOT A COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATOR, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN TEAMWORK OR WORSE, THEY MAYBE HAVE A TOXIC PERSONALITY AND THEY'RE JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH.

THE SKILLS DON'T MATTER, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT PERSON INTO TEAMWORK, TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE ORGANIZATION.

SO THAT CULTURAL FIT IS REALLY CRITICAL.

CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S INTERVIEW PROCESSES LIKE THIS.

BUT GENERALLY TOO, I THINK THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT TOOLS OUT THERE THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T NECESSARILY USE ABOUT.

WE DON'T USE AS OFTEN AS MAYBE WE COULD IN TERMS OF PRELIMINARY QUESTIONNAIRES AND SORT OF OTHER ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO TO REALLY GET AT THOSE ISSUES AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

BUT THAT CULTURAL FIT IS IMPORTANT.

AND OF COURSE, SKILL SETS ARE IMPORTANT AS WELL.

BUT LIKE EVERYTHING AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME SAY THIS THEME OVER AND OVER, YOU KNOW, IT'S TEAMWORK.

YOU KNOW, IT'S WORKING WITH YOUR HR DEPARTMENT, RELYING ON THEIR EXPERTISE.

AGAIN, A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE AT THE TABLE TO HELP GUIDE AND DIRECT ALL OF THAT.

SO THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL.

AND RELYING ON YOUR YOUR DIRECTORS AND YOUR OTHER SUPERVISORS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE INPUT.

BECAUSE WHAT I FOUND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HIRING SOMEBODY ON YOUR OWN IS NEVER IDEAL.

YOU WANT TO DO IT TOGETHER AS A GROUP.

YOU WANT TO DO IT AS PANELS, AS HIRING COMMITTEES, BECAUSE HAVING THAT FEEDBACK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

TIM, WILL YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE PREPARING AND WORKING WITHIN EXISTING BUDGETS? AND A SECOND QUESTION.

SHARE AN EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD MAKING REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS, BUDGETARY DECISIONS IN TIGHT FINANCIAL TIMES.

YEAH. SO WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, I HAD PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY WITH BUDGETS AS A COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR.

I HAD A HANDFUL OF DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT WE HAD TO BUDGET.

AND THEN AS THE DEPARTMENT GREW AND EXPANDED, THAT INCREASED.

I HAD FIVE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THAT I THAT I MANAGED AND HAD TO BUDGET FOR, AND WITHIN THOSE HAD A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDS.

SO WE HAD GENERAL FUND ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

WE HAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

WE HAD DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

OUR PARKING SYSTEM, WHICH WAS A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ENTERPRISE OPERATION, MUCH MORE LIKE A BUSINESS.

I HAD RESPONSIBILITIES.

BUDGETING THERE AND IN EAST LANSING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET PROCESS WAS SORT OF THE TYPICAL MUNICIPAL PROCESS.

WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE'D START WITH SORT OF OUR STAFFING COSTS AND SORT OF BUILD THAT BUDGET FROM THE GROUND UP, WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR BUDGETING TEAM TO ESTABLISH THAT, SORT OF CREATE THAT, LOOKING AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS THAT WE HAD TO INTEGRATE IN BUDGET AS WELL.

AND THEN IN ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, OVER TIME, WE SHIFTED TO THAT.

WE SHIFTED TO THE PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING MODEL, WHICH IS A MODEL NOT NECESSARILY DEPARTMENT DRIVEN BUT PROGRAMMATICALLY DRIVEN.

SO LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITIES OF AN ORGANIZATION AND THE PROGRAMS YOU'RE USING AND BASING THE BUDGETING OFF OF THERE? IS THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING LINING UP WITH THOSE PRIORITIES.

SO USING PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING THERE AS A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WITHIN THE CITY, OF COURSE WE HAD A LOT OF

[01:25:01]

SO GOING BACK TO 2010, 11, 12.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BASICALLY WHITEBOARD AN ENTIRE CATEGORY OF CUTS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE TO GET THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED WERE 0% SALARY INCREASES.

WE ACTUALLY DID THAT TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

WE DID THINGS LIKE EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHS.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS DIFFICULT.

IT WAS IT WAS HARD TO DO.

WE OBVIOUSLY PRIORITIZED PRESERVING POSITIONS THE BEST WE COULD.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THINGS CREATIVELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ENDED UP DOING OUT OF THAT, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF EAST LANSING AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SHARE TRADES INSPECTIONS.

SO LOOKING AT WAYS TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

BECAUSE THAT AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION, WE SAW PERMIT ACTIVITY JUST PLUMMET.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT TOOL TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR TEAM BUSY, BUT BRING IN THE REVENUE THAT WE NEEDED SO TO BE CREATIVE.

THAT WAS, I THINK, ONE OF THE BETTER PARTNERSHIPS.

AND IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, CARRIES ON TO THIS DAY, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.

SO YEAH, A LOT OF LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND BUDGETING INCLUDING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND MY TIME WITH PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANTS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS THERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT JUST BUDGETING TO BREAK EVEN.

YOU'RE BUDGETING TO MAKE A PROFIT.

SO THAT WHOLE ELEMENT IS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN I THINK LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES LOOKS AT THINGS, BUT A GREAT PERSPECTIVE TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, OKAY, HOW DO WE ENHANCE THE REVENUE SIDE, NOT JUST LOOK AT REDUCING EXPENDITURES AS A FOLLOW UP WHEN YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE THESE BUDGET CUTS AND THESE TOUGH DECISIONS, YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM ANYONE.

OBVIOUSLY, IT IS YOURS TO DO THAT.

WHAT DO YOU TURN TO? HOW DO YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS WHEN YOU KNOW EVERYWHERE YOU TURN, PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, DON'T DO THIS.

FIND ANOTHER WAY. BUT YOU KNOW IN YOUR GUT YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS.

YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS CALL FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO REMAIN FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

YEAH. YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THAT GOES BACK TO EDUCATION.

SO IN EAST LANSING, WE WOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR LABOR GROUPS, TO SIT DOWN AND WELL AHEAD OF BUDGET TIME TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS THE FINANCIAL PICTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

HERE'S WHERE WE STAND TODAY.

HERE IS WHERE THINGS MAYBE ARE GOING WELL, AND HERE'S WHERE THEY'RE NOT, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE TIMES OF THE GREAT RECESSION.

LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE THE HEADWINDS.

THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL PROBLEM.

AND AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'D ALSO DO A FIVE YEAR FORECAST EVERY YEAR.

SO USING THAT FORECAST TO SAY, LOOK, IF WE DON'T MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT OR A TURN HERE, THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELP ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

IT DIDN'T ALWAYS MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT IT AT LEAST LEFT PEOPLE SAYING, LOOK, WE UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS NOW, SO WE SORT OF GET IT IN, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTS.

I THINK THAT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, HEY, WHY WOULD THIS GET CUT OVER THIS? AND THAT EDUCATION PIECE WAS CRITICAL.

TIM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE FOR ME YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING? YEAH. SO I'LL JUST SORT OF SEGUE FROM THAT LAST COMMENT ABOUT THE FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.

SO AT THE CITY, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD STARTED UNDER TED STATE AND THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME.

IT STARTED DOING FIVE YEAR FORECAST.

AND OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT OVER THE YEARS WOULD CONTINUALLY SORT OF REFINE THAT MODEL.

WE USED, YOU KNOW, VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES TYPICALLY WHEN IT CAME TO REVENUE AND TENDED TO USE MORE AGGRESSIVE ESTIMATES ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

RIGHT. REALLY THINKING THAT THROUGH.

BUT THAT MODEL WAS REALLY HELPFUL AGAIN, BECAUSE YEAR TO YEAR YOU CAN DO A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS TO ADJUST FOR PARTICULAR YEAR THAT MIGHT GET YOU OVER THE FINISH LINE THAT GIVEN YEAR, BUT IT COULD CREATE REAL HEADACHES TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

SO HAVING THAT FIVE YEAR FORECAST WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

NOW YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE, RIGHT, THAT FORECASTING ANY FINANCIALS, PARTICULARLY IN 2024, WITH THE SPEED AT WHICH OUR ECONOMY MOVES, WITH THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THINGS LIKE A COVID PANDEMIC, IT'S VERY HARD TO DO SUPER ACCURATELY, BUT IT'S STILL A VERY IMPORTANT AND WORTHWHILE EXERCISE.

AND GENERALLY, THE YEAR TWO THREE.

[01:30:03]

SOME THINGS DON'T ALWAYS ALIGN, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN ALSO BE SURPRISING HOW CERTAIN COMPONENTS CAN BE QUITE ACCURATE.

SO IT'S BALANCING THE RECOGNITION THAT, LOOK WE'RE NOT GOING TO NAIL IT EXACTLY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO AT LEAST AGAIN EDUCATE FOLKS AND HAVE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT LONG TERM FINANCIAL HEALTH THAT ARE ENLIGHTENED BY MORE THAN JUST ANNUAL BUDGETING. THANK YOU.

OKAY. OKAY.

WHAT TYPES OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE YOU WORKED ON IN THE PAST AND WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES? YEAH, SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT MY RESUME, WHERE SORT OF MY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE HAS BEEN FOR A GOOD CHUNK OF MY CAREER AS COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK.

SO, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN EAST LANSING OVER THE 15 YEARS THAT I WAS THERE ON THE HOUSING SIDE, WE DID THE AVONDALE SQUARE PROJECT, THE 600 BLOCK OF VIRGINIA AVENUE, WHERE WE ACQUIRED AN ENTIRE BLOCK OF PREDOMINANTLY RENTAL PROPERTIES, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT HAD CONVERTED OVER TO STUDENT RENTALS.

WE ACQUIRED THAT WHOLE BLOCK, DEMOLISHED ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES EXCEPT FOR ONE OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENCE.

A GENTLEMAN WHO WANTED TO REMAIN ON THE STREET.

WE INTEGRATED THE NEW URBANIST DESIGN AROUND HIS HOME AND BUILT AN ENTIRE BLOCK OF HOMES.

AND IT WAS A SHIFT FROM SCATTERED SITE HOUSING REHAB FUNDING.

WITH OUR CDBG, WE ACTUALLY USED BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FUNDS, WHICH THERE'S NOW AN OFFICIAL HOUSING TIF AS IS PART OF THE BROWNFIELD ACT IN MICHIGAN, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ENTITIES THAT EVER DID THAT LONG BEFORE WE FOUND A WAY TO DO IT THROUGH THE LAND BANK ASPECT.

A LOT OF CREATIVE FINANCING.

WE HAD A FEDERAL APPROPRIATION.

WE DID ISSUE SOME DEBT THAT WAS COVERED THROUGH THAT BROWNFIELD TIF REVENUE OVER TIME, BUT TURNED OUT TO BE WHAT I THINK IS A VERY NICE PROJECT AND CAME OUT REALLY WELL.

OF COURSE, DOWNTOWN EAST LANSING IS DRAMATICALLY TRANSFORMED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES.

THE CENTER CITY PROJECT, WHERE THE NEWMAN LOFTS AND THE ALBERT AVENUE PARKING GARAGE.

I WAS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THAT, NEGOTIATING THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPERS FOR THAT.

THE UNIQUE BOND FINANCING THAT WE USE, THE REVENUE BOND, BUT IT WAS NON-RECOURSE TO THE CITY.

IT WAS ACTUALLY GUARANTEED BY THE PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

SO THAT WAS AGAIN, AT THAT TIME, ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN MICHIGAN THAT WAS DOING THAT.

THAT'S BECOME A MORE COMMON TOOL.

I THINK DETROIT'S BEEN USING THAT A LOT.

SO WORKING WITH FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS, WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, ARE REALLY SHARP AT THAT KIND OF THING AND CAME TO THE TABLE, OF COURSE, THE CITY CENTER TWO PROJECT ACROSS THE STREET THAT WAS ADMITTEDLY A LONG AND PAINFUL PROCESS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN PLAY A ROLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HERE TO STAY AND YOU CAN SORT OF HAVE THAT LONG VIEW AND MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PROJECT HAPPENS.

OVER TIME, THAT CORNER WAS FINALLY DEVELOPED.

THERE'S STILL SOME PROPERTY BEHIND IT THAT EAST LANSING HAS TO DEVELOP AT SOME POINT.

SO THOSE WERE IMPORTANT PROJECTS AS WELL.

AND THEN SOME OF THE GROWTH ON THE NORTHERN TIER THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH FROM A SORT OF MORE OF A PURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD WORKED WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION BACK IN THE EARLY 2000.

WE HAD AT THE TIME WHEN PATRICK MCFARLAND WAS CEO, TRIED TO GET THEM TO ACTUALLY PUT THE NEW HEADQUARTERS UP ON GRAND RIVER AND BOGUE.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY GREAT LOCATION FOR VARIOUS REASONS THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, BUT THEY ENDED UP STAYING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS TO THE POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY NOW HAVE A BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN EAST LANSING THAT WAS PART OF THAT AND BEING INVOLVED WITH THAT.

AND THEIR CURRENT CEO A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO TO SORT OF START THAT PROCESS AND GET THAT ROLLING.

SO THOSE WERE ALL IMPORTANT.

BUT ONE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON, AND I CAN CERTAINLY TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS, TOO, ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T ALWAYS SORT OF SEE THAT AREN'T AS VISIBLE.

YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A VERY THOUGHTFUL PROCESS ON DEALING WITH NON-CONFORMING RENTAL PROPERTIES.

OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, A LOT OF EAST LANSING STUDENTS RESIDE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

AND WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE WE SAT DOWN WITH THE LANDLORDS AND LONG TERM RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO MODIFY OUR NON-CONFORMING LAW RULES

[01:35:04]

LANDLORDS COULD ALWAYS DO BASIC MAINTENANCE RIGHT, COULD REPLACE HVAC, COULD PAINT, COULD DO ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT MAINTAINING A BUILDING.

BUT THEY COULD NEVER EXPAND THAT NONCONFORMITY.

WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP TWEAKING THAT, BUT REQUIRING SOME THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES, NAMELY GETTING BEDROOMS OUT OF BASEMENTS AND DOING OTHER THINGS AS A TRADEOFF.

SO WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS AND A VERY DIFFICULT AND STICKY ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL THAT WERE ULTIMATELY ADOPTED.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO BE AGAIN.

YOU DON'T SEE. THOSE ARE SOMETIMES THE PROJECTS YOU DON'T SEE IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SIDE.

HOW DO YOU PLAN AND BUDGET FOR NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IN THE TOWNSHIP OR CITY? YEAH, SO INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IS CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE.

YOU KNOW, IN DOING THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH FOR THIS INTERVIEW, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WATER SYSTEM IS DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT THE SEWER SYSTEM IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGED.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMMUNITIES ACROSS, YOU KNOW, MICHIGAN ARE FACING IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE COST, JUST THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AND SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD.

BUT THAT'S WHERE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS CRITICAL TO SORT OF LAY OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS IN THE SHORT TERM AND WHAT ARE THE NEEDS LONG TERM? OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE LIKES TO ISSUE DEBT FINANCING FOR PROJECTS.

AND THAT SHOULD NEVER BE SORT OF THE FIRST OPTION.

THE PAY AS YOU GO OPTION IS ALWAYS IDEAL, BUT IN TERMS OF COSTLY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS EXTENDED LIFESPANS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED AND DETERMINED. BUT IT STARTS REALLY BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THOSE COSTS? WHERE IS THAT CONDITION? YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE ENGINEERING TEAM AND CONSULTANTS TO REALLY IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, RIGHT.

IF WE CONTINUE TO DEFER MAINTENANCE, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A COSTLIER FIX TOMORROW? BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, THE DOLLAR TOMORROW ISN'T GOING TO BE AS VALUABLE AS THE DOLLAR TODAY.

AND ON TOP OF THE INFLATION THAT'S ONLY BEEN ACCELERATED.

SO THINKING ABOUT NUMBER ONE WHAT ARE THOSE NEEDS.

DEFINING THEM. WELL AND THEN SITTING DOWN AND THINKING ABOUT THE FINANCING OPTIONS IN TRYING TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD THAT OUT.

OF COURSE, OVER TIME CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON RATEPAYERS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE ARE LEFT WITH HAVING TO MAKE THE CHOICE OF INCREASING THOSE RATES, WHETHER IT'S A WATER USER OR WHETHER IT'S THE SEWER USER. AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY CRITICAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR THAT AND BEING ABLE TO GET THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT ON THE MILLAGE TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.

CERTAINLY, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF STATE RESOURCES, SA GRANTS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

MY PROGNOSTICATION, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AHEAD A LITTLE BIT, I DON'T REALLY SEE A TON OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT AREA, MAYBE AS MUCH AS WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY JUST BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN ARPA FUNDING, THAT SORT OF DRYING UP, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN AND THE STATE'S GOING TO HAVE SOME OF ITS OWN BUDGET CHALLENGES IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

BUT I COULD BE WRONG, RIGHT? IF THE ECONOMY KEEPS GOING STRONG AND THE REVENUE STAYS HIGH, THERE COULD ALSO BE THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

SO THAT CAN BE ANOTHER PIECE.

TIM, THIS IS YOUR WRAP UP QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP, THE POSITION OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THE JOB? YEAH, I DO.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND WOULD APPRECIATE IF I COULD GET A RESPONSE FROM EVERYBODY ON THIS, BUT VERY BRIEF.

THE QUESTION IS ESSENTIALLY A TWO PART ONE.

I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT EACH OF YOU SEE AS THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE OF THE TOWNSHIP AND ALSO THE NUMBER ONE OPPORTUNITY.

NOW THEY COULD BE THE SAME DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS.

I RECOGNIZE THAT. SO YOU MIGHT ONLY HAVE ONE ANSWER HERE.

BUT I'D LOVE, YOU KNOW, BRIEFLY JUST TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.

YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE WE'RE TIGHT ON TIME.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ME A BIG EXPLANATION, BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THOSE ISSUES MIGHT BE AND WHAT THOSE TOPICS ARE.

SO I GUESS I'LL START AND WE'LL WRAP AROUND.

SURE. IN MY OPINION, THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FACE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS IS THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT OF TWO AREAS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE TOWNSHIP, OUR VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AREA AT OKEMOS ROAD IN HAMILTON, AND THE LONG TERM VIABILITY AND REDEVELOPMENT OF

[01:40:01]

THESE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ADDRESS OVER THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS.

PRETTY THOROUGHLY.

SO THOSE WOULD BE MY VERSION OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE.

THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS SOMETHING SO AND THAT'S YOU'LL FIND THAT ON OUR 2025 GOALS IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE TACKLE THAT IN A NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAY? ALSO, YOU'LL SEE THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDING SOME NEW BUILDINGS, AND OUR SENIOR CENTER IS IN ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

AND IT WAS IN ONE OF THE OLD BUILDINGS WITH THEIR DISPLACEMENT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SENIOR CENTER AND POSSIBLY ADDING A COMMUNITY CENTER ASPECT TO THAT DOWN THE LINE.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SOME SERVICES TO ADD A NEW AND EXCITING FACILITY WITH PROGRAMING TO OUR COMMUNITY'S PORTFOLIO.

SO THAT I THINK IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

YEAH, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY ANSWER BRIEF BECAUSE I AGREE WITH SCOTT HERE.

I BELIEVE THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FOUR CORNERS OF OKEMOS OR VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND THE MERIDIAN MALL IS A CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, ESPECIALLY INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

SO, I CONCUR WITH THE FIRST TWO SPEAKERS, BUT ANOTHER I THINK CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS KEEPING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DIVERSE ECONOMICALLY.

WE ARE PRICING MANY PEOPLE OUT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BY THE INCREASING HOUSING VALUES, WHICH IS A GOOD THING ON ONE HAND, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY CHALLENGING FOR YOUNG FAMILIES TO MOVE HERE. AND WE NEED YOUNG FAMILIES.

WE NEED WE NEED DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO DEVELOP MORE AFFORDABLE BOTH LOW INCOME, AFFORDABLE AND MIDDLE INCOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH THE MARKET JUST ISN'T PROVIDING RIGHT NOW.

THE DEVELOPERS WANT TO BUILD MCMANSIONS EVERYWHERE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO BUILD TO THAT MIDDLE OR SOMETHING, NOT THE LOWER SEGMENT.

THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS WE HAVE GOT A WEALTH OF OF KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION BY OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THIS A BETTER COMMUNITY.

THEY VOLUNTEER IN RECORD NUMBERS FOR OUR PARKS, FOR OUR TEAMS, FOR OUR.

THEY VOLUNTEER TO PULL WEEDS.

OKAY. ON A MONTHLY BASIS IN OUR WITH OUR, VERY METAL CORE.

AND SO WE NEED TO FIND EVEN MORE WAYS TO TAP THAT THAT INTEREST THEY HAVE AND THE SPIRIT THEY HAVE TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE HERE TO MAKE IT EVEN STRONGER. SO TREASURER DESCHAINE HERE STOLE ALMOST WORD FOR WORD, KIND OF WHAT I'M LOOKING TOWARDS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BUILDING FOR THAT FUTURE MICHIGAN AS A STATE IS AGING.

AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE COST OF LIVING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BEING SO HIGH AND FOLKS MOVING TOWARDS RETIREMENT AGE, I, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE BUILD THAT MERIDIAN OF THE FUTURE SO THAT THE YOUNG FAMILIES CAN YOU KNOW, LEAN IN ON MAKING THIS PLACE A HOME RATHER THAN MAYBE JUST A STOP ALONG THE WAY TO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT THEY CAN PUT DOWN ROOTS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE GREAT ASSETS HERE.

AND THAT KIND OF LEADS ME TOWARDS OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE INTEL.

I MEAN, THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THIS AREA IS INCREDIBLY HIGH.

YOU KNOW, BEING SO CLOSE TO MICHIGAN STATE AND HAVING THE STATE EMPLOYEES AROUND LIKE WE DO HAVE, I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, A CAPACITY FOR SOME REALLY NUANCED PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS SHOWN BY PASSAGE OF MILLAGES OVER THE YEARS, THE COMMUNITY IS READY TO STEP UP WHEN WE AS A GOVERNMENT CAN LEAD THEM TOWARDS WHAT WE THINK IS NEXT.

WELL, AGAIN, I ECHO SOME OF MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I THINK THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A BIG ISSUE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE THE FOUR CORNERS IN OKEMOS THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF ALONG THE WAY, THERE WERE SOME DEVELOPERS THAT WANTED TO COME IN AND DO SOMETHING A DIFFERENT, JUST APARTMENT BUILDINGS, AND WE HAD A VISION FOR THAT FOUR CORNERS.

WE WANT IT TO BE VIBRANT, WE WANT IT TO BE WALKABLE, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SMALL CAFES AND RESTAURANTS.

AND WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO JUST BE APARTMENT BUILDINGS.

SO WE HAVE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THE SOIL AND, AND WE'VE GOT SOME INFRASTRUCTURE STUFF.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG CHALLENGE.

BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A DIVERSE POPULATION HERE IN MERIDIAN, AND WE'RE SO FORTUNATE BECAUSE

[01:45:04]

WE HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSORS AND AND PEOPLE FROM THE UNIVERSITY, AND I THINK THAT IS ADDING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DOCTORS AND LAWYERS.

SO AS WELL AS WORKING PEOPLE.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PULL IT TOGETHER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR CITIZENS IN MIND AS WE'RE DEVELOPING.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THE THE GROCERY STORE OPPORTUNITIES.

I JUST HAD ONE THE OTHER DAY WHERE I WAS JUST GETTING THE LAST FEW INGREDIENTS FOR THANKSGIVING AND HAD SOMEBODY COME UP TO ME AND SAY, WELL, I REALLY LIKE THIS ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID AT A MEETING, AND I REALLY LIKED THAT, AND I HOPE THIS IS GOING TO GO FORWARD.

AND SO THE, THE LISTENING MOMENTS.

SO THOSE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THE ONLY WORST POSITION TO BE IN THIS PANEL GOING AROUND IS HERS.

BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID IS IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVEN'T FACED IN THE PAST 15, 20 YEARS IS WE'RE PRETTY MUCH BUILT OUT IN MOST OF THIS TOWNSHIP WHERE WE HAVE UTILITIES AND SERVICES, SO WE CAN'T COUNT ON LARGE GROWTH FOR DEVELOPMENTS LIKE HOUSING AND WHATEVER.

WE HAVE THE NEEDS.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE PROPERTY THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

I THINK OUR POSITIVES ARE WE'RE CLOSE TO MSU, WE'RE CLOSE TO EAST LANSING.

THERE'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA THAT WE CAN PIGGYBACK ON.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED LONG TERM STAFF THAT I THINK IS GOING TO STAY.

I MEAN, THEY DO LIKE WORKING HERE.

WE DO TRY TO TREAT THEM WELL.

SOMETIMES WE'RE LESS SUCCESSFUL THAN OTHERS, AS IN ANY ATTEMPT.

BUT WE DO HAVE A STRONG CORE IN THIS TOWNSHIP TO CARRY FORTH WHERE THIS TOWNSHIP NEEDS TO GO.

I LOVE BEING LAST.

NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE IS EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAID.

BUT I'M GOING TO ADD ONE MORE AND THAT IS ADDRESSING OUR PENSION LIABILITY.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO PAY IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO BRING US UP TO A LEVEL.

WE'RE STILL NOT THERE.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF BUDGETING, THAT WE ARE MAKING THAT ALLOWANCE FOR ADDING TO OUR DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING INTO AGAINST OUR PENSION LIABILITY. AND I'M TORN ON THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN VERY INVESTED IN THE SENIOR CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER CONCEPT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, ACTUALLY FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.

BUT I DO THINK A GREAT NEED.

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN THIS COMMUNITY IS MIDDLE HOUSING.

WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ATTRACT.

WE BROUGHT ONE PROJECT IN, BUT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO ATTRACT A LOT MORE, AND I REALLY WOULD HOPE WE WOULD MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT SINCE IT COMES UP REGULARLY ON OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. YEAH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT FOR US? NO, BUT JUST A COUPLE RESPONSES TO WHAT I HEARD.

NUMBER ONE, I THINK IT'S NICE TO HEAR FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME CONCURRENCE ON SOME KEY ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT, OF COURSE, I TALKED ABOUT THE MIXED USE PROJECTS IN EAST LANSING THAT I'VE WORKED ON.

A LOT OF EXPERIENCE THERE I BELIEVE THAT I COULD BRING TO BEAR BOTH FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AS WELL AS THE MALL.

YOU KNOW, I STARTED MY CAREER IN RETAIL SITE LOCATION, DOING WORK FOR MALL DEVELOPERS AND OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE LINGO.

THAT INDUSTRY HAS BEEN JUST TOTALLY FLIPPED OVER IN THE LAST DECADE PLUS.

HUGE OPPORTUNITY THOUGH WITH THAT SITE.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. SO REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOUSING, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF MY PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW.

MY CURRENT ROLE IS WORKING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ON PRIMARILY WORKFORCE HOUSING.

RIGHT. YOU CAN CALL IT ATTAINABLE.

YOU CAN CALL IT, YOU KNOW, THE MISSING MIDDLE SORT OF TWO DEFINITIONS, RIGHT.

IT'S BOTH FORM.

IT'S THE TYPE OF HOUSING RIGHT.

TOWNHOMES THOSE SORT OF SMALL APARTMENT BUILDINGS AS WELL AS THE INCOME RANGE.

RIGHT. THAT 80 TO 120% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS TO TAP INTO DOES MY NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE CONSOLIDATION OF THEIR KEY FUNDING TO ADVANCE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS. THE HOUSING TIFF, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IS NOW A FORMAL PROGRAM.

SO THERE'S TOOLS OUT THERE.

I THINK THAT THE TOWNSHIP COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND SMALL BUSINESS WORK.

[01:50:01]

WE DID A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, WORKED IN THE CITY OF PONTIAC LOOKING AT A BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION, THE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED.

WE TOOK A REALLY UNIQUE APPROACH TO SORT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM AND HOW WE SORT OF LOOKED AT THEIR CHALLENGES AND WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS.

IT WAS A PROJECT FUNDED BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY.

OBVIOUSLY, I'VE WORKED WITH MSU A LOT OVER THE YEARS.

I KNOW THE KEY LEADERSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY, SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN SOME OF THESE MANNER MATTERS AND ISSUES AS WELL.

AND THEN ON THE PENSION SIDE OF THINGS, I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT BEING MENTIONED.

YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE PROMISES MADE.

WE NEED TO BE KEPT, RIGHT? ALL JURISDICTIONS HAVE TO HONOR THOSE PROMISES.

AND AGAIN, NOT A CHALLENGE UNIQUE TO THE TOWNSHIP.

YOU KNOW, I DID SEE IN THE LAST ACTUARIAL STUDY FROM 23, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, OVER A DECADE TO GET IT UP TO 100%.

SO IT SHOWS YOU, RIGHT, THAT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND THE CHALLENGE THAT'S THERE.

BUT AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS AND KEEP UP WITH THAT INCREASING, YOU KNOW, ARC THAT THE ANNUAL REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION THAT'S BEEN GOOD, THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF US IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT LOOK BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WRING OUR TOWELS AT MERS AND SOME OF THE SORT OF PROJECTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE TEN, 15 YEARS AGO.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

ALL WE CAN DO IS SOLVE FOR THE PROBLEM.

SO HAVING A WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT AND STAY STAY COMMITTED TO THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON AND GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK BASED ON WHAT I HEARD.

BUT I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SHARING THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT ALL OF YOU PUT INTO THIS PROCESS.

I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IT IS.

I THINK I HEARD ON ONE OF YOUR EARLIER MEETINGS, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRUSTEE WILSON WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, 17 SEMIFINALIST, AND YOU GO THROUGH THE VIDEOS AND EVERYTHING, THE HOURS ADD UP AND UP AND UP.

AND THAT'S PART OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZE.

SO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, MOST OF MY CAREER, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE SOME, SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE COMMUNITY.

SHOULD I GET THE OPPORTUNITY? THANK YOU. SO WE NOW HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

NOT MUCH. FOR FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

IF ANYTHING CAME UP ALONG THE WAY.

I'M GOING TO START WITH ONE AND I'M JUST GOING TO WE'LL THEN MOVE ON TO EVERYONE ELSE.

WHY MERIDIAN.

YEAH, THAT'S A THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND A VERY FAIR QUESTION.

COUPLE OF REASONS IS SO I'VE SPENT MY WIFE AND I SPENT 20 YEARS IN THE GREATER LANSING AREA.

OUR KIDS GREW UP HERE, GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN EAST LANSING.

THEY'RE NOW OFF OUT OF COLLEGE.

WE MOVED UP TO THE SAGINAW AREA TO BE CLOSER TO A FAMILY.

SOME PERSONAL THINGS HAVE CHANGED THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I TOOK ON A ROLE THAT AFTER SORT OF COMING OUT OF SOME TEMPORARY WORK AT THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, SORT OF TAKE A BREAK, RECOGNIZING THAT AT SOME POINT THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK INTO MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT.

I DIDN'T THINK MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WOULD NECESSARILY BE ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, SORT OF AS YOU LOOK AROUND THE STATE AND THINK ABOUT RETIREMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND IT CAME UP AND I THINK FOR ME IT'S THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY AT THE RIGHT TIME.

YOU KNOW, I'M FAMILIAR WITH YOUR COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO DRIVE AROUND LAKE LANSING, ANY GIVEN SATURDAY IN THE SUMMER OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, YOU'D SEE ME AND MY BUDDY RIDING OUR BIKES OUT THERE, RIGHT? YOU'D SEE MY WIFE AND I GOING TO EAT AT THE RESTAURANTS IN TOWN, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, THE PARKS THAT YOU HAVE, RIGHT? ALL THE ASSETS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS, THEY, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SENSE OF PLACE AND IDENTITY, BUT THEY ALSO DON'T ALWAYS CARE ABOUT THOSE BOUNDARIES.

RIGHT? WHEN YOU LIVE IN AN AREA AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY TOO, RIGHT? AND IN A LOT OF WAYS AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT FAMILIARITY THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN A WELL-MANAGED ORGANIZATION, I THINK FRANK AND JERRY ADDED UP TOGETHER, YOU HAVE YOU GO BACK TO WHAT, THE MID 90S? I MEAN, WITH TWO MANAGERS, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE TRACK RECORD.

AND IT'D BE A PRETTY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO STEP INTO THAT AND TO CARRY THOSE LEGACIES, YOU KNOW, FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOW THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN MANAGED BY THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP AND BY THE DEDICATED STAFF OVER TIME.

SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

YOU KNOW, MY WIFE'S AN MSU GRAD.

SHE MISSES THE SHE MISSES CAMPUS, RIGHT?

[01:55:01]

SO IT'S SORT OF BECOME MY ADOPTED SCHOOL IN SOME WAYS AS WELL.

SO A LOT OF LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

YEAH, WE'VE GOT JUST ANOTHER MINUTE HERE.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? TREASURER DESCHAINE I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED THE PREVIOUS CANDIDATE.

FIRST OF ALL, YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CREDENTIALS ARE JUST REMARKABLE.

I'VE LIVED HERE 40 YEARS, AND THE MOST DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE AREA HAS BEEN THE TRANSFORMATION OF DOWNTOWN EAST LANSING.

YOU YOU WERE PART OF THE TEAM THAT LITERALLY CHANGED THE SKYLINE THERE IN A WAY THAT I NEVER IMAGINED.

AND IT'S REALLY A REMARKABLE TOWN NOW WITH ALL THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT AND DONE, DONE THE RIGHT WAY.

AND I THINK YOU WE BENEFIT IMMENSELY FROM MSU HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE'RE LIKE A I SAY WE'RE LIKE A TOURIST COMMUNITY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE MONEY THAT GETS SPENT IN TOWNSHIP DOESN'T COME FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

IT COMES FROM STUDENTS WHO COME HERE, COME TO MSU TO ATTEND SCHOOL, AND WE BENEFIT IMMENSELY.

AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT PARTNERSHIP IS.

AND CHANGING EAST LANSING HAS MADE IT MUCH MORE, I THINK, EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE PLACE FOR A STUDENT TO GO TO ATTEND SCHOOL.

MY QUESTION IS THIS IS A TOUGH JOB, AS YOU KNOW.

IN ADDITION TO MANAGING 165 PEOPLE, YOU'VE GOT TO MANAGE WORK WITH THE SEVEN OF US.

AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS MANAGER, FRANK IN PARTICULAR, KNEW WHAT TO BRING TO US AT THE RIGHT TIME, WHERE TO WHERE OUR ATTENTION NEEDED TO BE.

HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BOARD MEMBER EMPOWERMENT.

DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH BOARDS LIKE THIS BOARD IN THE PAST? THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A GOOD START IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THIS BOARD? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT WAS SUCH A PRIMARY FOCUS IN EAST LANSING, THAT WAS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YOU KNOW, AS SERVING AS DEPUTY AS WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CITY MANAGER WAS GONE, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE PERSON IN THIS CHAIR WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL ON A REGULAR BASIS.

I WAS THE ONE, AGAIN, HAVING TO COMMUNICATE WHEN THOSE CALLS CAME IN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SITTING DOWN WITH THEM, DOING, YOU KNOW, ONE ON ONE CHECK INS WITH THEM IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CITY MANAGER.

SO DEFINITELY HAVING THOSE EXPERIENCES.

BUT I'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WORKED WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHETHER IT'S PLANNING COMMISSION, ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, HOUSING COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE BOARD AND EACH OF THEM HAS THAT SAME NEED.

RIGHT. IT'S THEY NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AND PART OF IT IS SCIENCE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS AN ART, RIGHT? IT'S UNDERSTANDING SORT OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT, BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON THE SAME BOARD WHO HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS.

AND YOU JUST IT TAKES IT TAKES TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND RECOGNIZE IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH IT ACCORDINGLY.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAVE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO THAT.

AND EVEN MY PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK I WAS DOING, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN FRONT OF OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, I DID SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH THE GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

IF YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT COUNTY, YOU KNOW IT'S A VERY PURPLE COUNTY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN INTERESTING BOARD TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME INTERNAL CHALLENGES.

BUT I CAME IN, WE SAT, WE DID SOME REAL GREAT ICEBREAKER WORK WITH THEM TO MOVE THEM FORWARD.

I HAD A COMMISSIONER COME UP AFTERWARDS AND SAID, I'VE BEEN ON THIS.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS WRAPPING UP HIS TERM.

HE'S LIKE, I'VE BEEN ON HERE FOR TWO YEARS.

I'VE NEVER HAD A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT IN MY ENTIRE TWO YEARS.

AND IT'S JUST SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT DYNAMIC, READING THE ROOM, WORKING WITH PEOPLE AND AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TREATING EVERYBODY WITH RESPECT AND TREATING THEM AS, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

THAT'S ANOTHER BIG PART OF IT TOO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TIM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMING IN AND SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.

IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURE, YOU'LL KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A MEET AND GREET LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

AND THEN WE'LL COLLECT THE COMMENT CARDS FROM THAT EVENT AND HOPEFULLY COME BACK WITH DELIBERATIONS ON THE 17TH AND HOPEFULLY A DECISION AT THAT TIME WITH, YOU KNOW, NEGOTIATIONS AND WHATNOT TO FOLLOW.

BUT WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.

GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE GREAT QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER 2 OR 3 MINUTE BREAK AND BE BACK IN JUST A FEW.

MINUTES. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE.

OKAY. WE WILL CALL US BACK TO ORDER AT 3:39 P.M..

WELCOME, TIM SCHMITT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

SO FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY, WE'LL GIVE THE SAME SPIEL THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO EVERYONE.

WE DO HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH YOU.

WE'LL DO THEM IN SORT OF A ROUND ROBIN FORMAT AROUND THE TABLE.

AND ONCE WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THOSE, WE'LL LEAVE SPACE FOR YOU IN CASE YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.

[02:00:03]

ABSOLUTELY. SOUND GOOD? SOUNDS GREAT. ALL RIGHT.

SO FIRST QUESTION WILL COME FROM ME.

CAN YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR VERSION OF THE ROLE OF THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND HOW THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER RELATES WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD? YEAH. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS TO BE THE INTERIM MANAGER FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE IN MANY IT HAS MULTIPLE ANSWERS.

I THINK IN FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT COMES TO MY MIND, IT'S I AM HERE TO IMPLEMENT THE BOARD POLICY AND THE BOARD GOALS.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE GOAL SETTING THAT THE GROUP DOES IS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE SORT OF BIG PICTURE THINKING, SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

I THINK THE MANAGER THEN IS THE CONDUIT REALLY BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE STAFF AND THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IN MANY WAYS, TO IMPLEMENT THOSE GOALS AND POLICIES TO MAKE YOU GUYS LOOK GOOD.

I MEAN, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO BE ELECTED.

SO WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES IN THE WAY THAT YOU WANT THEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED, SO THAT THE PUBLIC RECOGNIZES THAT THE BOARD IS DOING WHAT THEY ASKED THEM TO DO. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR AS STAFF.

I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY IT SHOULD BE A VERY COLLEGIAL BACK AND FORTH RELATIONSHIP.

IF I'M DOING MY JOB RIGHT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHEN SOMETHING IS A BAD IDEA, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHEN I'M DOING A POOR JOB, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE ON AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, YOU COULD USE EVERY SPORTS METAPHOR IN THE WORLD IF YOU WANT TO.

I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, THE BOARD FUNCTIONS AS THE GM AND THE MANAGER FUNCTIONS AS THE COACH, AND YOU HAVE THE RESIDENTS AS THE OWNERS OF ALL THIS.

BECAUSE IN THE END, WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING THE BEST COMMUNITY WE CAN FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE? SO I TRY TO I WOULD TRY TO I TRY TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

RIGHT. SOME PEOPLE WE'VE HAD THIS TODAY ACTUALLY.

IT'S FUNNY YOU BRING THAT UP BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TWO CUSTOMERS TODAY WITH UTILITY BILLING QUESTIONS THAT LARGELY IT WAS A GENERATIONAL ISSUE.

RIGHT? AS WE WERE AS I WAS TALKING THEM AND WALKING THROUGH THE ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL, I COULD TELL THAT THEY WEREN'T PICKING UP ON WHAT I WAS SAYING, AND I WAS NOT PICKING UP ON WHAT THEY WERE MISSING.

AND SO WE HAD TO DO A LITTLE DANCE AND WE FINALLY GOT THERE.

I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEIR CONCERN IS.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT YOUR STYLE TO THE PERSON YOU'RE TALKING TO.

THE WAY I RELATE TO THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY I TALK TO STAFF, AND THE WAY I TALK TO THE M TEAM.

THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY I WOULD TALK TO ONE OF THE FRONTLINE STAFF MEMBERS.

AND SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT PART IS TO JUST BE OPEN AND HONEST AND DIRECT WITH PEOPLE, BUT TRY AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE PEOPLE.

I, AS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, DID NOT DO WE'RE NOT BIG MEETING TEAM BECAUSE WE WERE OUT IN THE FIELD AND WE'RE ON THE GO A LOT.

AND SO GENERALLY WHAT I DID WAS SEND THEM IRREGULAR EMAILS.

WE LITERALLY CALLED THEM THE IRREGULAR MUSINGS OF THE DIRECTOR BECAUSE ONE, I DIDN'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE IT, YOU KNOW.

OH, THERE'S THE EMAIL.

YOU KNOW, DELETE. MOVE ON.

I WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S POPPING UP ON AN IRREGULAR BASIS.

AND I SHARED WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

MAYBE BUILDING WASN'T DIDN'T SEE WHAT PLANNING WAS WORKING ON THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

MAYBE PLANNING. DIDN'T NOTICE THE BUILDING CLOSED SOMETHING OUT AND TRY AND BLEND THE TWO TOGETHER.

AND I THINK THAT IS I'VE TAKEN A SIMILAR APPROACH AS THE INTERIM MANAGER IN TERMS OF SENDING OUT EMAILS SOMEWHAT IRREGULARLY TO ALL THE STAFF, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE, OH, IT'S JUST ANOTHER THING.

IT NEEDS TO BE LIKE, OH, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

I SHOULD READ THIS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

TIM TELL US HOW YOU WOULD YOU BUILD TRUST WITHIN THREE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES THE STAFF, THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY? YEAH. SO I THINK THE BASIS OF ALL OF THAT IS OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION.

I SAID THIS TO THE BOARD WHEN I WAS APPOINTED INTERIM MANAGER.

I SAID IT ON CAMERA TO FOX 47 THAT I AM.

IF NOTHING ELSE, I'M AN HONEST BROKER.

YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM ME AND SOMETIMES IT'S BAD NEWS, BUT I'M GOING TO SHARE IT BECAUSE WE ALL NEED THE MOST INFORMATION POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.

[02:05:01]

AND I THINK THE KEY IS GOING TO BE BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION WITH THEM WITHOUT IT BECOMING PERSONAL.

RIGHT. WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN HERE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

AND THROUGH THOSE CONTRACTS, IT MAY BE A DIFFICULT AND ANGRY AT TIMES DISCUSSION, BUT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET TO TO THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE.

AND SO SHOWING THEM THAT I AM TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR THEIR BEST INTERESTS WHILE ALSO BALANCING THE INTERESTS OF THE OVERALL COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY CANDIDLY, IS THE EASY PART FOR ME BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA, YOU KNOW, ALMOST EVERY WEEK FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE, I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM ME AND WHERE I CAN SHARE INFORMATION, I SHARE IT.

EVERYTHING WE DO IS GENERALLY AN OPEN BOOK HERE.

FOIA SUNSHINE LAWS ARE GREAT.

THEY YOU CAN'T HIDE.

SO WE KNOW THAT ANYTHING WE HAVE IS POTENTIALLY TO BE FIRED.

AND I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING I WRITE OR PUT OUT THERE TO BE FOIA.

AND SO THE PUBLIC CAN COME TO ME WITH ANYTHING, AND I WILL SHARE WHATEVER INFORMATION I HAVE WITH THEM.

THE BOARD IS, IS THE ONE THAT WILL REQUIRE THE MOST WORK, RIGHT? TECHNICALLY, YOU ARE MY BOSSES.

SEVEN OF YOU. AND MAINTAINING THOSE SEVEN RELATIONSHIPS IN A WAY THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE OVERALL BODY AND MOVING FORWARD, WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR ME WILL BE A CHALLENGE.

YOU'RE YOU'RE SEVEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND SEVEN DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND SEVEN DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

AND SO I THINK THE KEY IN THE END, AND I KNOW I'VE HARPED ON THIS A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY, BUT THE KEY IN THE END IS JUST KNOWING THAT I'M AN HONEST PERSON WHO HAS SERVED THE PUBLIC MY ENTIRE CAREER AND WANTS NOTHING MORE THAN TO PROVIDE A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY.

TURNING TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT AS TOWNSHIP MANAGER, YOU'LL HAVE DOZENS OF PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON KEEPING THOSE STRAIGHT AND COMMUNICATE UPDATES TO THE BOARD? SO I THE COMMUNICATION PIECE IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT I'M CANDIDLY GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON WITH THE BOARD.

I'M STILL TRYING TO TO GATHER THAT I, FORMER CLERK GUTHRIE TO HER CREDIT, TOOK ME ASIDE AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION AS THE PREVIOUS MANAGER. AND AS I UNDERSTOOD SORT OF WHAT WAS BEING SHARED AND WHAT WASN'T BEING SHARED AND HOW IT WAS BEING SHARED.

I'VE IMPROVED ON THAT AND I'M SURE I CAN I CAN IMPROVE MORE AS THE BOARD AND I, AS MYSELF AND THE BOARD CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.

TO THE BROADER QUESTION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

I CAN ANSWER IT IN ONE WORD, AND IT'S GOING TO BE DISCERNMENT.

I HAVE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THIS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, NOTABLY OF DISCERNING WHAT I DIRECTLY NEED TO BE INVOLVED WITH AND WHAT I JUST NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND TRUST MY LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BE IMPLEMENTING.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE THUS FAR.

I THINK LARGELY THAT HAS BEEN DUE TO THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HAD INTERNALLY IN THE UTILITY BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND HAVING TO TAKE ON MORE OF A ROLE THERE THAN I ANTICIPATED.

WHEN I TOOK THIS JOB ON, YOU KNOW, MY TWO GOALS WERE SOLID ELECTION AND SOLID BUDGET, AND WE GOT THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE.

BUT IN THE BACKGROUND OF ALL THAT WAS THIS CONSTANT HUM OF UTILITY BILLING AND FINANCE AND THINGS THERE.

AND SO I AM GOING TO HAVE TO BE BETTER ABOUT DISCERNMENT BECAUSE I AM A PERSON WHO WANTS TO.

I DON'T WANT TO MICROMANAGE IT, BUT I LOVE BEING INVOLVED IN PROJECTS.

LET'S DO NEW THINGS.

LET'S GET NEW THINGS GOING AND DO NEW PROJECTS.

BUT THAT IS NOT THE BEST USE OF MY TIME IN THIS TYPE OF POSITION, AND THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE FOCUSED ON ONCE WE ARE FULLY STAFFED.

I RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN IF I'M NOT CHOSEN AS THE NEXT FULL TIME MANAGER, THAT I'M STILL GOING TO LIMP ALONG CARRYING THE UTILITY BILLING DEPARTMENT TO THE EXTENT I CAN AND ASSISTING ON THE FINANCE SIDE.

BUT AT SUCH TIME AS WE CAN OFFLOAD THAT, THE SOONER THE BETTER, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES INTO CLEAR AND ACHIEVABLE TASKS FOR STAFF? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'M TRYING TO WORK ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

AFTER THE GOAL SETTING OF LAST SATURDAY OR TWO SATURDAYS AGO.

SO I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BOARD'S POLICIES AND GOALS, ANYTHING THAT WE DO AS STAFF GENERALLY, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY AS FALLING UNDER ONE OF THE GOALS.

[02:10:05]

I, YOU KNOW, AS A PLANNER TEND TO BE A BIG PICTURE GUY.

SO I WANT TO TO HAVE THAT UMBRELLA AS WIDE AS I CAN SO THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME INTERESTING WAYS TO IMPLEMENT A SUSTAINABILITY GOAL OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

BUT STAFF WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND IT WILL BE RELAYED TO THEM ONCE THE GOALS ARE ADOPTED.

THIS IS OUR BOX. NOW, IF WE'RE OUT MUCH OUTSIDE OF THAT BOX, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD AS TO WHY WE'RE GETTING OUTSIDE THAT BOX, OR HOW DO WE NEED TO EXPAND THE BOX.

MASTER PLAN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE, RIGHT? THERE'S A SERIES OF APPROXIMATELY 50 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN THERE THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS.

AND IF WE ARE FROM A LONG RANGE PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY THE DAY TO DAY STUFF HAPPENS AND THE PROJECTS HAPPEN.

BUT FROM A LONG RANGE PERSPECTIVE, IF WE AREN'T WORKING ON ONE OF THOSE GOALS, WE'RE WASTED.

WE'RE NOT UTILIZING OUR TIME AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE CAN, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF GOALS TO HAVE DONE IN FIVE YEARS, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A BIG MIX OF THINGS TO WORK ON, RIGHT? NO ONE WANTS VERY FEW PEOPLE WANT TO SIT ON THE SAME PROJECT FOR YEARS AND YEARS ON END, BUT WE STILL NEED TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THOSE OVERALL GOALS.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY MESSAGE TO STAFF AT ALL LEVELS IS THAT THESE ARE OUR GOALS.

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS.

AND IF WE'RE NOT, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE'RE NOT.

OKAY. WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES AND ETHICS YOU DEMONSTRATE AS A LEADER? GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN PRACTICE.

SO I HARP ON I HARP ON THE HONESTY POINT AND I, YOU KNOW, DON'T NEED TO GO INTO THAT ANY FURTHER.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT IN DEALING WITH DEVELOPERS SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHERE WE HAVE TO GENTLY TELL THEM, THAT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.

AND AFTER THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY SOMETIMES, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE EVEN AS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, I HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD ARE ON MOST TOPICS.

RIGHT? IT'S IT'S FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE.

IT'S RARE THAT I GET COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED BY ONE OF THOSE TOPICS.

BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WE'VE HAD THE MASTER PLAN REVIEW AND WE'VE WE'VE BEEN IN THE IN THE WEEDS ON THESE THINGS.

AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOST DEVELOPERS WOULD TELL YOU IS THAT THEY KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO PROTECT THEIR INVESTMENT, BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE A POINT.

IF I HAVE TO TELL THEM THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, I WILL TELL THEM THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, AND IT GOES BACK TO JUST BEING OPEN AND HONEST WITH PEOPLE.

IF YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT FEELINGS BEING HURT, THEN MAYBE WE'RE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

OCCASIONALLY IT HAPPENS.

I'VE HAD DEVELOPERS THAT GET REALLY ANGRY AT ME WHEN I TELL THEM THIS IS A BAD IDEA.

I'VE HAD PROJECTS GO FORWARD AND GET SHOT DOWN BY BOARDS OVER THE YEARS, AND THEN WE'VE TAKEN A STEP BACK AND HAD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE FIX THIS AND HOW DO WE REPOSITION IT IN A WAY, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVED THAT YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW? FOR ME, THAT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, AND AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY IT, YOU KNOW, I POINT TO A YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PROJECT IN EAST LANSING THAT BUILT, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THE FIFTH STORY THAT WAS BUILT ON THE BUILDING DOWNTOWN WITHOUT PERMITS.

AND WE HAD HAD THAT CONVERSATION MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE DEVELOPER.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS. YOU NEED TO COME IN, TALK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, TALK TO THE BOARD.

AND THEN IT COLLAPSED AND IT BECAME A BIG THING.

AND THEY LEARNED A VERY HARD LESSON.

I MEAN, IT COST THEM THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND THREE MONTHS OF TIME BECAUSE WE SHUT THEM DOWN.

WHEREAS IF YOU JUST COME FORWARD, NO ONE WOULD HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH IT.

THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR WAS FOUR STORIES TALLER, SO IT WASN'T GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

IT WAS JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WEREN'T HEEDING OUR ADVICE AS STAFF.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE ONE POINT WHERE, LIKE, YOU CAN LEAD A, I CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT I CAN'T MAKE IT DRINK.

[02:15:05]

IT'LL GET APPROVED.

YOU JUST NEED TO COME IN. AND THEY DIDN'T LISTEN.

AND SHAME ON THEM.

YEP. I'M SORRY.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE? TRY TO HEAD IT OFF BEFORE IT BECOMES CONFLICT CANDIDLY.

I MEAN, IF YOU'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT OF CONFLICT, I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE'VE NOT DONE OUR JOBS AS LEADERS AND MANAGERS.

BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY IS AVOIDING THE QUESTION.

SO IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ACTUAL CONFLICT, ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, YOU HAVE TO MEET IT HEAD ON, BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU'VE GOTTEN TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ANGRY OR PEOPLE ARE SET IN THEIR WAYS.

AND SO WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.

IT NEEDS TO BE ALL PARTIES.

WE HAVE HAD SITUATIONS IN THE PAST WHERE WE'VE HAD DEPARTMENT HEADS DISAGREE ON THINGS, AND WE'VE JUST HAD TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND WORK THROUGH IT, BECAUSE IN THE END, WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT OF WHAT IS THE SOLUTION.

NOT A IS MAD AT B BECAUSE B SAID C SAID A WAS WRONG, RIGHT? IT JUST IF WE ARE TO THE POINT OF CONFLICT, WHICH AGAIN, I WOULD REITERATE, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFLICT, BUT GIVEN THAT WE'RE AROUND EACH OTHER MORE THAN WE'RE AROUND OUR FAMILIES, SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS.

WE JUST NEED YOU HAVE TO TACKLE IT HEAD ON.

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY AROUND IT.

AS LONG AS YOU'RE WORKING WITHIN YOUR PERSONNEL POLICY AND TO THE EXTENT IT MATTERS, THE UNION CONTRACTS, IF THAT'S INVOLVED THE THERE SHOULDN'T BE NECESSARILY A MAJOR PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU GET TO A POINT OF DISCIPLINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'S A PRETTY CLEAR PATH LAID OUT.

SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE FOLLOWING YOUR POLICIES AND YOUR PROCEDURES, YOU'RE GOOD THERE.

BUT TRYING TO HEAD THAT OFF IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.

IF YOU IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT.

WE SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF TALKING.

IT'S THE EASIEST THING THAT MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE DISCOVERED OVER THE, OVER THE TRAINING THAT WE DID RECENTLY, I AM I AM A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL FROM A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE IN THAT I KIND OF BLEND AMONGST GROUPS WHEREVER I CAN.

AND AND THAT'S NOT ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MORE LIKE ENGINEERING TYPES.

DON'T LOVE THAT ABOUT ME.

AND THEY WOULD TELL YOU BUT AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND TRYING TO HAVE THOSE REAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT POINT. HOW DO YOU SET PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR YOUR TEAM MEMBERS? SO I CAN TELL YOU HOW.

I CAN TELL YOU HOW I'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST AND HOW I WOULD ANTICIPATE DOING IT IN THE FUTURE.

SO IN THE PAST, AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR EVERYONE ON MY TEAM GOT TWO THINGS.

BIG PICTURE PIE IN THE SKY TO WORK ON.

SORT OF. ONE OF THEM IS USUALLY DETAIL ORIENTED ITEM.

IN FACT, ONE OF THEM ONE YEAR, WAS TO ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS.

I NEED YOU TO WORK ON THE DETAILS, LIKE THE TYPOS AND THE CUT AND PASTE AND LIKE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THOSE RIGHT GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE I SEE IT A LITTLE MORE AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING TIRED. IT'S GETTING THE END OF THE WEEK OR WHATEVER.

JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE STAY ON THE DETAILS.

AND SO USUALLY WHAT I TRIED TO DO WITH MY STAFF WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE BIGGER PICTURE THING TO WORK ON FOR NEXT YEAR AND ONE, YOU KNOW, DETAIL, SMALL THING TO KEEP THINGS FLOWING BECAUSE LIKE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW SHOULDN'T BE A WELL, BACK IN FEBRUARY YOU DID THIS THING WRONG AND THEN IT CAUSED THIS ISSUE IN APRIL.

LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ISSUE IN FEBRUARY, BRING IT UP IN FEBRUARY AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IF IT'S AN ISSUE THAT IS AN ONGOING THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE AN ONGOING PROBLEM, LIKE, LET'S ADDRESS IT AT THE TIME.

WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR PERFORMANCE REVIEW TO DEAL WITH THAT.

SO I THINK THAT THAT WORKED WELL FOR ME IN THE COMMUNITY PLANNING REALM, AND I THINK MY STAFF WOULD AGREE, I THINK FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FOCUSED MORE ON HOW WE, AS DEPARTMENT HEADS, ARE MEETING THE TOWNSHIP'S GOALS.

THE BOARD'S GOALS THAT THEY'VE ESTABLISHED.

AND THEN GENERALLY, MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE SORT OF THEIR OWN PLANS, LIKE PARKS HAS A PLAN.

ENGINEERING HAS A COUPLE OF PLANS.

PLANNING OBVIOUSLY HAS A PLAN.

LIKE HOW WE ARE MEETING THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITHIN OUR INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL? THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM A FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE SHARED IT'S NO SECRET THAT I DIDN'T LOVE THE WAY WE DID GOALS BEFORE THIS YEAR.

IT JUST IT WASN'T MY STYLE BECAUSE I TRY TO BE A BIG PICTURE THINKER.

[02:20:03]

RIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT SLID UNDER MOST OF THOSE GOALS.

IF WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT AND IF WE AREN'T, THEN WE EITHER NEED TO RECONSIDER HOW WE'VE DONE THE GOALS, OR WE NEED TO DISCUSS WHY A DEPARTMENT IS OUTSIDE THE BOX SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE TALENT WHEN BRINGING ON NEW STAFF MEMBERS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THE COUPLE OF HIRES THAT I HAD IN COMMUNITY PLANNING, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU JUST KIND OF KNOW AS YOU'RE TALKING TO THE PERSON THEY ARE, THE ANSWERS IN THE INTERVIEW ARE GOOD AND THE DEMEANOR IS RIGHT, AND YOU JUST YOU GET THE GOOD FEEL RIGHT.

AND THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE MORE AND DIG IN, BUT THEY STILL END UP BEING A GREAT HIRE.

I THINK THE KEY TO ME IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, SO WE'RE WE'RE RECRUITING FOR A BUILDING OFFICIAL RIGHT NOW.

SO WHAT AM I WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR IN THAT POSITION.

BECAUSE EITHER WAY, IT'S GOING TO BE UNDER ME ONE OR THE OTHER.

AGE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER TO ME BECAUSE THE FIELD IS WIDE AND VARIED, RIGHT? SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE, BECAUSE THESE POSITIONS ARE HARD TO FILL AND ARE BECOMING HARDER TO FILL.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WITH SOME LOYALTY.

I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO'S WILLING TO MAKE THAT TOUGH DECISION.

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE AND YOU'VE GOT A BUILDER BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK AND THEY'VE GOT A DEADLINE, BUT YOU'VE GOT AN ISSUE STILL IN THIS PART OF THE CODE.

AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST THAT, JUST ENOUGH CREATIVE THOUGHT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BUILT A DECK AND IT WAS A LITTLE CROOKED TOWARDS THE END, AND THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET BACK TO A PLUMB SQUARE RAILING AT THE END OF THE PROJECT THAT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST CREATIVITY BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S FIXING THE MISTAKE, BUT IT'S RECOGNIZING WHEN YOU WHEN IT'S THE PLOW AHEAD APPROACH AND FIX IT AS YOU GO.

AND WHEN IT'S TO TAKE A STEP BACK.

STOP. OKAY.

WE REALLY NEED TO PULL THAT POST OUT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.

THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT NOT TO BE SO SPECIFIC AS THE BUILDING OFFICIAL, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND THAT AND THAT REALLY TENDS TO BE MY THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND ALMOST ANY POSITION.

RIGHT. THE EASIEST.

IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO RETAIN A BUSINESS YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN ATTRACT A NEW ONE.

STUDIES AND STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT, AND I TAKE THE SAME APPROACH WITH EMPLOYEES.

IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO RETAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES AND TRY AND ATTRACT A NEW ONE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE HIRING PROCESS AND THE TRAINING PROCESS.

AND IN THE END, YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT PERSON.

SO SOME LOYALTY, SOME ABILITY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

BUT THE DECISION MAKING ABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN GOVERNMENT TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE HAVE TO SAY NO, LIKE WE REALLY WE JUST DO BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH 45-ISH THOUSAND PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CURVE BALL IS GOING TO WALK THROUGH THAT DOOR.

AND SO SOMEONE THAT CAN SAY NO IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT OFFEND THE PERSON AND STILL TRIES TO GET TO A SOLUTION FOR THEM, IS PROBABLY THE THING THAT WOULD RISE TO THE TOP FOR ME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

KIM, SHARE WITH US SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCE PREPARING BUDGETS.

AND FURTHERMORE, FOLLOW UP QUESTION WOULD BE THE DISCUSSION OF SOME OF THE TOUGHEST BUDGETARY DECISIONS YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE.

YEAH, SO I MAKE NO SECRET OF THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR WAS MY FIRST FULL, FULL SIZE BUDGET.

IT WAS NOT AN EASY BUDGET.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS WAS THAT WE HAD DONE A GREAT JOB CREATING THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, DID NOT THEN MAKE THE NECESSARY BUDGET UPDATES TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT IN THE FIRST QUARTER.

THAT WAS THE OFF THE BAT.

WE KNEW WE HAD A BIT OF AN ISSUE, A BIT OF A STICKY WICKET THERE.

AND SO AS I HAD REACHED OUT, I HAD REACHED OUT TO THE ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND ASKED THEM, OKAY, WHAT DO YOU NEED?

[02:25:05]

AND SLOWLY BUT SURELY NOTCHED EVERY ONE OF THEM WITH A 25 DOWN THE LIST UNTIL WE GOT TO THE AIR AND UTILITY BILLING SUPERVISOR.

AND I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE THE AIR INTO THE BUDGET.

AND THE BOARD ADDED THIS UTILITY BILLING SUPERVISOR, WHICH WE WILL HAVE IN THERE.

THOSE ARE HARD DECISIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE NO ONE IS COMING TO THE MANAGER WITH, HEY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY NEED THIS, THIS PERSON.

EVERYONE CAN JUSTIFY IN EVERY DEPARTMENT ANOTHER BODY OR TWO.

I WILL GETTING A LITTLE SMALLER PICTURE.

TALK ABOUT A PROJECT.

A PROJECT BASED BUDGET.

FROM MY TIME IN HOWELL.

SO WE HAD IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE, HISTORIC DOWNTOWN OF ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEVEN BLOCKS BY TWO BLOCKS, ROUGHLY.

SO VERY TIGHT DOWNTOWN.

AWARD WINNING DOWNTOWN AND HAD A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT WE RECEIVED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING FOR, BOTH THROUGH THE STATE. AND SO, THEY WERE GRANT ADMINISTERED PROJECTS.

AND THE SECOND ONE WE KNEW WAS GOING TO DO WELL, AND IT ENDED UP WINNING A BUNCH OF AWARDS.

IT WAS AN ALLEY, PROJECT ALLEY, AND OUR STREET PROJECT TO CREATE A FESTIVAL STREET.

SO, 100% ADA ACCESSIBLE AND HAD BEEN IN ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE HAD PLANNED FOR THIS FOR A DECADE, LIKE WE HAD WANTED TO TRY AND DO THIS, AND WE FINALLY FOUND A PATH TO DO IT AND GOT THE GRANT, WENT OUT TO BID, AND WE WERE ALREADY $700,000 OVER BUDGET.

AND SO THIS PROJECT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD LONGED FOR AND PUSHED FOR YEARS, WE WERE ALREADY OUT OF.

WE HAD A PROBLEM OFF THE BAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, FIRST STEP, AS IT SHOULD DO WITH [INAUDIBLE], AS YOU CALL HIM UP AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY MORE MONEY AVAILABLE.

THEY DID NOT, OBVIOUSLY.

AND SO WE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT LINE BY LINE AND REALLY STARTED THINKING ABOUT TO THIS PROJECT, WHAT IS WHAT WAS THE KEY TO THE PROJECT. RIGHT.

WE WANTED TO PUT ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATIONS IN.

BUT WAS THAT THE CORE OF THE PROJECT.

AND WE ENDED UP GETTING THOSE IN THROUGH A DIFFERENT WAY.

BUT THAT KIND OF STUFF, WE ENDED UP SLOWLY PULLING OUT.

WE PULLED OUT $35,000 WORTH OF TENT ANCHORS.

WE WERE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY EMBED THEM INTO THE PROJECT, INTO THE GROUND, SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BIG CONCRETE BLOCKS THAT POTENTIALLY RUINING OUR PAVEMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDING TENTS DOWN. AND WHEN THEY DROP THE TENT, THEY DROP THE CONCRETE BLOCK.

RIGHT. SO WE HAD TO CUT THAT OUT.

AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE SLOWLY BUT SURELY GOT THAT PROJECT DISTILLED DOWN TO, OKAY, WHAT IS THE PROJECT? THE PROJECT IS WE'VE GOT A SEWER LINE THAT'S ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD AND A 12 FOOT WIDE ALLEY THAT'S ABOUT 20FT DEEP THAT THAT'S GOT TO GET DONE.

WE'VE GOT A ROAD THAT CLEARLY NEEDS REDONE, AND WE HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING THIS FESTIVAL DESIGN THAT'S GOT TO GET DONE.

SO AS LONG AS WE GET TO THAT, WE'LL GET THERE.

THERE ARE SOME TOUGH CUTS. I MEAN, I THINK STILL THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO A COUPLE OF THE THINGS IN THAT PROJECT.

BUT THEY'VE MOVED ON TO ANOTHER ONE AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

LIKE, TO BE CLEAR, WE GOT TO AN AWARD WINNING PROJECT.

IT WON SEVERAL AWARDS FROM THE MICHIGAN CONCRETE ASSOCIATION AND PAVING ASSOCIATION BECAUSE OF THE INNOVATIVE DESIGN THAT WE USED ON IT.

AND THEY TOOK THOSE LESSONS AND ARE NOW WORKING THROUGH ANOTHER CDBG GRANT WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN SORT OF ONE BLOCK OVER TO EXPAND UPON A PARK THAT WE BUILT.

SO BACK TO THE POINT, I MEAN, I THINK ANY BUDGET AT ANY LEVEL OR SIZE.

YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE BASICS WHAT IS OUR CORE FUNCTION? AND ONCE WE GET TO THE CORE FUNCTION, AS LONG AS WE'RE WITHIN OUR OUTER BOUNDS, WHAT ELSE DO WE POTENTIALLY ADD THAT IS STILL WITHIN THE GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY TO PUSH US FORWARD? IT'S A CHALLENGING I MEAN, BUDGETING AND BUDGETING, AND MICHIGAN IS A WILDLY CHALLENGING THING.

WHEN I MOVED UP HERE, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE CITY OF NOVI, WE WERE DOING GREAT, IT SEEMED.

AND THEN YOU STARTED TO SEE THE RECESSION BEGINNING.

YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE BUYING 800, $900,000 NEW HOMES ON ONE INCOME.

AND LIKE, THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.

AND THEN I MOVED TO EAST LANSING.

AND THEN I REALLY SAW IT RIGHT AT THE TIME.

THE GREAT RECESSION HAS HIT.

THE IMPACT OF HEADLEE AND PROP EIGHT ESSENTIALLY FLIPPING MANY MUNICIPAL BUDGETS ON THEIR HEADS, AND THEN GOING TO HALLE AND JUST SEEING HOW WE ARE A LEAN AS ONE OF THE LEANEST ORGANIZATIONS I COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE RUNNING A FULL SERVICE COMMUNITY.

[02:30:05]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE EVENTUALLY GOT TO WHERE, OKAY, WE START TO GET SOME RAISES IN THERE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST EIGHT YEARS OF FLAT SALARIES BECAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS.

THE OTHER THING IN MICHIGAN AND I, YOU KNOW, NOT TO DENIGRATE OUR, OUR FRIENDS AT MERS, BUT MAN, I WOULD LOVE TO GET THOSE CALCULATIONS EARLIER IN THE YEAR OF WHAT OUR BUDGET'S GOING TO NEED TO PUT IN, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR IT SEEMS TO BE A SURPRISE REALLY RIGHT TOWARDS THE END OF THE BUDGET.

JUST PLUG THAT. MERS IS LISTENING.

WELL, IT'S A FOLLOW UP.

AND YOU HAD THOSE TOUGH BUDGETARY DECISIONS [INAUDIBLE] THE PROJECT.

HOW OLD ARE HERE WITH OUR BUDGET THIS PAST YEAR? WHAT DO YOU TURN TO? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY NO ONE, AS YOU SAY, NO ONE'S COMING TO YOU AND SAYING, I DON'T NEED THIS STAFF PERSON, I'LL CUT THIS.

YOU'RE GETTING THE OPPOSITE.

YOU'RE GETTING PRESSURE TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN THERE.

SO WHAT TOOLS DO YOU USE TO FINALLY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS? SO YOU'RE GOING TO.

TO ME, THE FIRST THING I DID WAS LOOK AT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR ANYTHING THAT WAS INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED.

WHAT'S OUR SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE? WHAT'S OUR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE ON OUR VEHICLES? BECAUSE WE INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND PAYMENTS TO THE MOTOR POOL THIS YEAR TO ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE THAT WAS COMING UP? THAT WAS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EASY CUT, BUT TRYING TO LOOK AHEAD A LITTLE BIT AND SEEING THAT WE'RE ALMOST OVER THE HUMP WITH THE MOTOR POOL, THAT WAS ONE THAT WE ENDED UP LEAVING IN, BECAUSE I THINK IN THE LONG TERM IT'S GOING TO BE A BENEFIT FOR US.

YOU KNOW, SECOND THING YOU LOOK AT IS WHAT ARE OUR CURRENT GOALS, WHAT ARE WE AIMING TOWARDS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOVE TOWARDS TYING OUR GOALS A LITTLE MORE DIRECTLY INTO THE BUDGET, OR AT LEAST SHIFTING THE TIMING OF THE GOALS SO THEY ARE DIRECTLY AHEAD OF THE BUDGET, BECAUSE IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS THEN BASED OFF OF GOALS.

IF WE JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION TWO MONTHS AGO.

THANK YOU. TIM, CAN YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLANNING? YEAH. SO THAT IS BEFORE THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IS MY BLIND SPOT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLANNING.

I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH WATER AND SEWER LONG RANGE PLANNING.

MORE ON THE FEE AND FUND BALANCE SIDE.

AND SO THAT, CANDIDLY, SHOULD BE A RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS.

THERE ARE THIRD PARTIES THAT DO THAT WORK AND ESSENTIALLY WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A STUDY THAT SAYS, YES, TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE BASED ON THE AGE OF YOUR SYSTEM AND THE SIZE OF YOUR SYSTEM. THIS IS WHAT YOUR RATE INCREASE SHOULD BE THIS YEAR.

AND IT TAKES THE POLITICS OUT OF IT A LITTLE BIT; RIGHT? WE HAD WE DID THAT IN HOW IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

MY MANAGER THERE, SHAY CHARLES, HAD IMPLEMENTED THAT AND I WOULD LOVE TO IMPLEMENT THAT HERE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.

PART OF WHAT IT DID THOUGH, IS IT ALSO LIKE IN THE YEARS WHERE THE BOARD DECIDED THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, LIKE 8% OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS THAT YEAR AND THEY MADE IT SIX OR THEY MADE IT FOUR.

WE WERE ABLE TO THEN SHOW THEM IMMEDIATELY WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

OKAY. HERE'S THE EFFECT OF THAT.

NOW NEXT YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE 11%.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS WATER MAIN BREAK THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT ON OUR PROJECTIONS.

AND SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO IMPLEMENT.

I THINK, CANDIDLY, IF I'M BEING HONEST WITH YOU, I AM NOT A FINANCIAL EXPERT.

WE NEED A GOOD FINANCE DIRECTOR AND WE NEED A FINANCE DIRECTOR WHO CAN HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MANAGER ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP US ON TRACK.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

WHAT TYPES OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE YOU WORKED ON IN THE PAST, AND WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES THEY BROUGHT ABOUT? YEAH. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

SO. I AM TRYING TO NARROW THEM DOWN IN MY HEAD.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES HERE.

WE DID WHEN I WAS IN NOVI, WE AS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN UPDATE, WE DID A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BUILD OUT OF THE OF THE CITY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS HELPED THAT HELPED THEM PRE AND POST RECESSION, TO BE ABLE TO PLAN FOR SOME OF THEIR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE THEY WERE SEEING A DIP IN THE OFFICE MARKET.

AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO SORT OF, OKAY, MAYBE WE SHOULD REDEPLOY OVER TO THIS AREA OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE.

AND WE HAVE WE'RE SEEING PRESSURE OVER HERE FROM A RESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE.

[02:35:01]

YOU KNOW, I, I'VE ALWAYS I WAS PART OF THE I THINK EVERYONE THAT'S WORKED AT EAST LANSING IN THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN PART OF THE PROJECT AT GRAND RIVER AND ABBOT, RIGHT WHERE THE GRADUATE HOTEL IS.

AND THAT PROPERTY, THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN THREE TIMES THAT SIZE, AND IT'S BEEN HALF THAT SIZE, LIKE IT'S CHANGED SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.

AND SO I WOULD SAY I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT PROJECT DONE IN SOME WAY.

NOW. THERE'S STILL A LOT TO GO THERE.

THE ONE I WOULD POINT OUT, THOUGH, IS THE AVONDALE SQUARE PROJECT IN THE 600 BLOCK OF VIRGINIA AVENUE.

AND, AND I'VE, I MEAN, I'VE HARPED ON IT.

I MENTIONED IT IN MY PREVIOUS INTERVIEW WITH WITH AMY SAUL, AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT IT FROM ONE OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES BECAUSE IT'S A PHENOMENAL PROJECT.

RIGHT. SO WE BEFORE I GOT TO THIS CITY, THEY HAD TAKEN A LOAN AGAINST THEIR FUTURE CDBG REVENUES TO BUY UP AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK, MOSTLY RENTALS, AND TURN IT INTO AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY.

IT WAS I APOLOGIZE.

IT WAS ACTUALLY A MIXED COMMUNITY.

IT WAS BOTH AFFORDABLE AND MARKET RATE.

AND SO BY THE TIME I GOT THERE, THEY HAD CLOSED ON THAT, HAD CLOSED ON A COUPLE OF HOUSES, BUT STILL HAD A NUMBER OF HOUSES LEFT TO ACQUIRE AND TO START CONSTRUCTION. AND SO I CAME IN WAS THE PLANNER IN CHARGE OF GETTING THE PROJECT APPROVED THROUGH ALL OUR HOOPS INTERNALLY, AND THEN WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF WHATEVER RANDOM PROJECT PIECE NEEDED TO GET DONE.

AT ONE POINT, I WAS PUSHING A CAR OUT OF THE MUD BECAUSE WE HAD ONE HOUSE LEFT ON THE BLOCK, AND IT WAS.

IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE DEMOLISHED WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AND IT RAINED REALLY HARD AS THEY WERE MOVING OUT, AND THEY DECIDED TO CUT THROUGH THE YARD OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, AND THEY GOT STUCK.

BUT WE ALSO WE MOVED A HOUSE, LIKE, PUT IT ON A TRUCK AND MOVED IT SEVEN BLOCKS SOUTH TO A NEW LOT.

SO THAT THAT PROJECT FEELS LIKE IT HAD IT ALL, LIKE THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF SORT OF PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION ISSUE THAT WE COULD HAVE RUN INTO.

WE RAN INTO IT THERE.

I WOULD SAY THAT ONCE I WENT TO HOWL, THE ONE I'M MOST THE ONE I'M MOST PROUD OF, THERE WAS IS IS A REALLY SMALL ONE, ACTUALLY.

BUT IT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE.

AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS THE IT WAS AN EXTERIOR REHABILITATION GRANT THAT WE GOT FOR TWO BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY THREE THIRD PROPERTY OWNERS DROPPED OUT.

IT WASN'T. HIS WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR NOT A GREAT RETURN.

BUT THE TWO BUILDINGS, LIKE BEING ABLE TO PRESERVE 100 YEAR OLD BUILDINGS FOR ANOTHER GENERATION LIKE IS THERE'S SOMETHING THERE'S SOMETHING INTRINSICALLY AWESOME ABOUT THAT FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS.

WE'VE GOT IT. THE ONE I'M AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, BRING ONE FROM, FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

LIKE, I AM PROUD OF THE WORK THE TEAM HAS DONE ON HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE ON THE CUSP FINALLY.

AND THAT HAS BEEN VERY COMPLICATED.

THE FINANCING IS COMPLICATED.

THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE IS COMPLICATED.

THE WORK WITH THE SURROUNDING OR THE OTHER OUTSIDE AGENCIES HAS BEEN COMPLICATED.

BUT I THINK IT GOES TO SHOW, WHEN YOU PUT A GOOD TEAM TOGETHER, WE CAN GET THERE.

BUT ALSO THE ANSWER IS NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS BLACK AND WHITE WHEN THAT PROJECT PROJECTS STARTED THE CONCEPT OF LAYERING A CRA, A COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION ACT ABATEMENT WITH A BROWNFIELD TIF.

I JUST COULDN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT, TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE YOU'RE ABATING THE TAXES, BUT THEN YOU'RE CAPTURING THE TAXES.

IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, RIGHT? AND ONCE THEY LAID OUT THE PROFORMA AND SHOWED HOW THE CASH FLOW WAS GOING TO WORK UNDER IT, IT MADE A WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE.

IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT BULB GOING OFF.

SO NOW I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT LITTLE TRICK WORKS IN THE FUTURE.

BUT THEY THAT WAS A THAT WAS A GREAT PROJECT FOR US TO WORK WITH, A DEVELOPER WE HADN'T WORKED WITH BEFORE, AND I THINK HAVE PROVEN TO THEM THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT.

LET'S GET THERE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PROJECT WHEN IT'S DONE, I REALLY DO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HOW DO YOU PLAN AND BUDGET FOR NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE IN THE TOWNSHIP? WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE OUR CIP 100%.

IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE WORKED ON EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND NEXT YEAR WILL BE NO DIFFERENT.

I HAVE SOME HOPES AND PLANS FOR HOW WE CAN FURTHER IMPROVE THAT, BECAUSE IF WE THE OTHER THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE HAVE A BENEFIT HERE IS WE HAVE A CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.

AND SO WE NEED TO TWO PIECE TWO THINGS IMPROVE THE CIP.

SO THEN WE CAN TIE THAT MORE DIRECTLY TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND THEN WORK ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO FUND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND LONG TERM TO BE ABLE TO FEED BACK INTO THE

[02:40:09]

YOU KNOW, THE CIP, IN MANY WAYS, THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS YOU CAN THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT GET INVOLVED BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH PARKS, RIGHT, THERE'S GRANTS INVOLVED, THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS.

TYPICALLY WE JUST GOT A GRANT THAT POTENTIALLY COULD GO TOWARD THE SOLAR INSTALLATION.

AND SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF LIKE ONE OFF FUNDING SOURCES.

BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN BUILT UP AND HAVE THOSE PROJECTS IN THERE, YOU'RE UNLIKELY TO GET FUNDED FOR THEM, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING TO YOU HAVE THIS GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S NOT IN YOUR PLAN.

AND SO THE BETTER WE CAN BUILD THAT PLAN OUT.

SO WE CAN SEE COMING UP OKAY.

IN 2028.

HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE ROUGHLY LAID OUT FOR THE WATER FUND.

IS IT GOING TO WORK NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLANNING, THE UTILITY RATE STRUCTURE THE RATE STUDIES THAT OKAY, BASED ON THIS RATE, CAN WE GET TO THIS 2028 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSAL OR DO WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THAT.

SO TO ME THE CIP IS IN MANY COMMUNITIES AN UNDERUTILIZED DOCUMENT.

IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT, IT SHOULD BE A PRIMARY SOURCE OF BUDGET PREPARATION YEARS IN ADVANCE.

TIM, THIS IS YOUR WRAP UP QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP, THE POSITION, OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THE JOB.

I, I DO I AM CIRCLING BACK TO THE WHOLE COMMUNICATION QUESTION.

I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT I DO WONDER IF THE BOARD HAS OTHER THOUGHTS ON TYPE AND LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION.

AND I SAY THAT IN THAT WE HAD A POLICE INCIDENT OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY THAT STARTED IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY, CAME INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE POLICE PERSPECTIVE, THAT TURNED INTO A NORMAL INVESTIGATION.

WE WEREN'T PART OF THE CHASE.

IN THE END. IT'S JUST A INCIDENT THAT WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE.

DIDN'T MAKE THE NEWS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

AND SO TO ME, THAT'S THAT WAS AN EASY SORT OF FOLLOW UP EMAIL LATER ON AS OPPOSED TO A REAL TIME THIS IS GOING ON.

AND SO I'D BE CURIOUS TO TO THE BOARD'S THOUGHTS ON LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION AND SORT OF THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REAL TIME AND LAGGING ISSUES.

IN GENERAL.

WELL, I'LL LET OTHERS CHIME IN ALSO.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS I SAW IT FIRST ON NEXTDOOR.

AND THE CURSE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE AT IS THAT I AM DESPERATELY, ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND ON THE PULSE, AND THAT INVOLVES SOMETIMES GOING TO THE HASLETT GROUP, GOING TO THE OKEMOS GROUP, GO TO NEXT DOOR AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO I WAS SURPRISED A LITTLE BIT TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A POLICE INCIDENT INVOLVING WHAT IT INVOLVED, AND THAT WE HADN'T HEARD ABOUT IT.

NOW, I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S A THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY LIKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE TRIED TO BE I TRY TO SET BOUNDARIES BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE IS ON 24 OVER SEVEN LIKE MYSELF, BUT I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED NOT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT ONE IN REAL TIME, BECAUSE IT DID INVOLVE WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A PRETTY HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE, EVEN IF IT WASN'T OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

OVERALL, I THINK IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS IT'S IMPROVED.

WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM YOU KNOW, YOU AS INTERIM MANAGER HAS BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT.

I DON'T WANT TO. THIS DOESN'T MEANT TO BECOME LIKE A FEEDBACK SESSION, BUT I THINK GENERALLY, IF THERE'S EVEN A QUESTION OF SHOULD I.

THE ANSWER IS USUALLY, YEAH, I SHOULD.

IT JUST IT THERE'S EVEN IF IT'S JUST I LOOK AT IT AND SAY OH GREAT.

THAT'S THAT IS KNOWLEDGE HAD SO THAT I'M NOT SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WE'RE NOT SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A GENERAL, A GENERAL RULE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ABIDE BY.

YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON TO THAT.

SO I PREFER OVER COMMUNICATION AND A VARIETY OF COMMUNICATION STYLES, WHETHER THAT'S TEXT OR EMAIL.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM NEW TO THIS POSITION, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ANY INFORMATION THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR TOWNSHIP.

SO, YOU KNOW, I AM ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I DID SEE IT ALSO ON NEXTDOOR.

AND YOU KNOW, I DO RESPECT US HAVING SOME TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT JUST FOR ANY FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS, JUST A QUICK TEXT OR AN EMAIL IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. AND I'LL SAY, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE WEEKLY UPDATES THAT WE GET ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS THAT COVER A LOT OF TOPICS THAT ARE SORT OF BACK,

[02:45:10]

IT'S NICE TO GET THAT HIT OF WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT'S GOING ON, EVEN IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NECESSARILY HEAR OUT IN THE WORLD.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL LIKELY BE HEARING ABOUT DOWN THE LINE, AND IT OFTEN SPURS ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UPS THAT ARE THAT ARE HELPFUL TO CLARIFY TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNICATION. I WOULD SAY MORE WOULD BE BETTER AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIKE TO BE ON 24 OVER SEVEN LIKE SCOTT, IF YOU'RE SITTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU'VE GOT YOUR PHONE IN YOUR HAND, YOU'RE GETTING TEXTED OR A MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK FROM SOMEONE SAYING, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? I JUST HEARD THIS, AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION OUT THERE CAN BECOME MISINFORMATION, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO CORRECT THEM FROM THINKING THE PLACE IS BURNING DOWN, WHEN IN FACT IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL INCIDENT.

YEAH, PETER, I THINK I'D ADD THAT I GUESS IF ONE OF YOUR DIRECTORS THINKS IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU AN IMMEDIATE MESSAGE THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED, THAT PROBABLY IS A CUE THAT YOU SHOULD FORWARD IT ON OR THE INFORMATION ON.

I ALSO SHOULD TELL YOU I DON'T ALWAYS ANSWER MY TEXTS.

I ALMOST NEVER ANSWER MY TEST TEXTS UNLESS I HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, RIGHT? BUT I DO READ THEM AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU CAN'T OVERCOMMUNICATE IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU GOT TOO MANY TEXTS FROM YOU, THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM, NOT YOURS.

THE INFORMATION NEEDS TO COME OUT AND IT NEEDS TO BE SHARED WITH US BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHO'S GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

SO YEAH.

OTHER QUESTIONS, I GUESS THE OTHER THE OTHER QUESTION IS TOP OF MIND IS BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMELINE.

I HAVE REALLY TRIED TO STAY OUT OF THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

SO I ONLY HAVE A VAGUE SENSE OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS AT THIS POINT MOVING FORWARD.

SURE. YEAH.

SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE DOING OUR INTERVIEWS TODAY.

WE'VE GOT THE MEET AND GREET THIS AFTERNOON.

AND THE AMY CELL TALENT WILL BE COLLECTING FEEDBACK CARDS FROM EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS THE MEET AND GREET THIS AFTERNOON.

THAT INFORMATION, ALONG WITH OUR COLLECTIVE NOTES FROM THE INTERVIEWS, WILL BE COLLATED, PROCESSED AND PUT TOGETHER PROVIDED BACK TO US AHEAD OF OUR DECEMBER 17TH MEETING.

IT'S OUR INTENTION AT THAT TIME TO MAKE A DECISION, IF WE CAN, AT OUR DECEMBER 17TH MEETING.

AND THEN OF COURSE, NEGOTIATIONS AND BLAH, BLAH, YOU KNOW.

OUR HOPE IS THAT THE NEXT MANAGER, WHOMEVER THAT MAY BE, WILL BE IN PLACE SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? I KNOW WE LEFT A COUPLE OF MINUTES HERE FOR QUESTIONS.

CLERK. DENNIS. YES.

SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT CHANGES YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS THAT HAS BENEFITED OUR TOWNSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING.

YEAH. SO I THINK THE FIRST ONE THAT COMES TO MIND, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON TODAY, IS WE'VE SLIGHTLY CHANGED THE WAY WE'VE DONE UTILITY BILLING SHUTOFFS TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

AND IT SEEMED TO WORK WELL, LAST, LAST GO AROUND, WE HAD THE NUMBER OF SHUTOFFS WE GOT DOWN PRETTY LOW.

THERE WAS VERY LITTLE AFTER HOURS ACTIVITY.

AND SO I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS THERE.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE REALLY TRIED TO DO IS I'VE TRIED TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THE LATITUDE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET THINGS DONE.

AND I THINK THAT GOES BACK, AT LEAST TO ME, TO WORKING UNDER SORT OF THESE UMBRELLA GOALS OF THE BOARD.

RIGHT. THERE'S A LOT OUT THERE.

EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAS JUST A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS GOING ON AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

AND SO VERY RARELY IS MY PROJECT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.

SO I DON'T I DON'T PULL RANK VERY OFTEN.

WHEN I DO THEY KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT SO I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE JUST GIVING THEM THE LATITUDE TO GET GET OUT THERE, GET THE WORK DONE, TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED SO I CAN SUPPORT YOU.

BECAUSE THE MORE EFFICIENT I CAN MAKE DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE MORE EFFICIENT IN THEORY THEN THEY CAN MAKE THEIR PEOPLE.

AND THEN WE'RE DOING WE'RE ABLE TO GET MORE DONE AND WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD.

I HOPE MY THOUGHT IS AT LEAST THAT I'VE SET THE TABLE ON A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN THE NEXT QUARTER, WHETHER I'M THE MANAGER OR NOT, TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM.

[02:50:01]

AND WHAT THE FUTURE WORKFLOW AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT LOOKS LIKE IN GENERAL WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR THE WORK NEVER ENDS. CANDIDLY.

AND SO THE MORE WE CAN TO THE SUPERVISOR'S POINT MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, THE BETTER WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN THE LONG TERM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE LINTZ.

SO, TIM, YOU'VE SPENT, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS NOW IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS OF VARYING SIZE.

I'M CURIOUS, AND I APPRECIATE HOW CANDID YOU WERE WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU FEEL YOU DO NEED TO IMPROVE ON.

AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M CURIOUS YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ANY THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE IF YOU ARE CHOSEN OUTSIDE OF JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY THINKING LIKE, OH, I NEED TO BE BETTER ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOARD OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHERE ARE THOSE AREAS THAT YOU SEE? YOU WILL FOCUS ON GROWTH AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A MANAGER, AS A PERSON.

YEAH. SO, MY GROWTH AREA IS GOING TO BE IN THE FINANCE SIDE, WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO GET AS STRONG OF A DIRECTOR AS POSSIBLE IN THAT ROLE, SO THAT I CAN THEN TAKE MY TIME TO NOT DRINK AS DIRECTLY FROM THAT FIRE HOSE AND GET INTO SOME OF THE NUANCE OF IT BETTER.

YOU KNOW, DOING THE ROAD BONDS THIS FALL WAS FASCINATING EXPERIENCE.

I'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED THAT DIRECTLY WITH ALL OF THE LITTLE THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN AT A VERY SPECIFIC TIME FRAMES TO MAKE THE ROAD BOND HAPPEN AS SMOOTHLY AS IT DID. LIKE ONCE WE GOT TO THE DAY, IT WAS LIKE, OH, YEP, THERE IT IS.

WE'VE SOLD THEM. THEY'RE DONE.

WE GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL. THAT SEEMED WAY EASIER THAN THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT WENT INTO THIS BEHIND THE SCENES.

SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF MY BIGGEST GROWTH AREAS.

I, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, LEARNING THE NUANCES OF ASSESSING BECAUSE IT LEADS DIRECTLY INTO FINANCE.

AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING IS UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE GOING FROM A TAXABLE VALUE AS A COMMUNITY.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID, LIKE FINANCE ASIDE, I AM A SWISS ARMY KNIFE.

IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YOU COULD PROBABLY PUT ME IN CHARGE OF ALMOST ANY DEPARTMENT AND I WOULD AT LEAST RUN IT COMPETENTLY.

I WOULDN'T BE AN AMAZING IT GUY, BUT I COULD GET THERE.

THAT'D BE THE ONE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'D EVER LEARN THAT.

BUT. AND SO.

RIGHT. THERE'S MANAGEMENT AND THERE'S DOING AND I THINK THAT'S GOING BACK TO THAT DISCERNMENT QUESTION OF LIKE, I KNOW WHAT I CAN KNOW AND I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO LEARN.

RIGHT. I DON'T NEED TO BE THE EXPERT IN ANY OF THESE FIELDS.

WE'VE GOT 12 PHENOMENAL DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT CAN BE THE EXPERTS.

AND I CAN THEN FOCUS ON IMPROVING MY FINANCE AND KNOWLEDGE.

YOU KNOW, LEARNING, KEEPING UP ON THE NEWEST TRENDS IN ENGINEERING AND PLANNING, RIGHT? LIKE, WE UTILIZE THE TECHNIQUE THIS SUMMER IN ONE OF OUR ROAD PROGRAMS THAT I HADN'T HEARD OF.

IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE I DOVE INTO THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND SO BEING ABLE TO STAY ON THE LEADING EDGE OF SOME OF THESE THINGS AND BRING THEM TO THE TOWNSHIP TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVE OUR COSTS ON CERTAIN PROJECTS, I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE LIVING.

I APPRECIATE THAT OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

AND NOW WE DO HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF FINAL ITEMS TO GET THROUGH OUR AGENDA HERE, FOLKS.

SO WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN WHICH IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 4:34 P.M.

AGENDA ITEM EIGHT IS OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME?

[8. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

VIRTUALLY AND REMOTELY AND HERE IN PERSON.

A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THANK YOU TO ALL THREE CANDIDATES.

WE WILL BE STARTING OUR PUBLIC MEET AND GREET RECEPTION IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

SO WE'LL SEE YOU THERE.

LAST ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE TO ADJOURN.

WE HAVE TO ADJOURN. SUPPORT THE MOTION TO ADJOURN FROM TREASURER DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 4:35 P.M.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.