Dec 03, 2024 Township Board

[00:00:22]

SELF-SUFFICIENT. I CAN DO SOME THINGS.

AND LOOK AT THAT AND BE READY ON TIME.

GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT.

IT IS 6 P.M.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR ALL WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

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.

ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA IS ROLL CALL.

ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ITEM FOUR A IS A PRESENTATION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM WITH US THIS EVENING.

[4. PRESENTATION]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO LAST YEAR, AT ABOUT THIS TIME, I PROMISED THAT I WOULD COME BACK AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PROGRAM HAD GONE.

SO CHIEF HAMEL WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN HERE AS WELL.

BUT HE IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, SO HE'S ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF, WHICH COULD BE KIND OF DANGEROUS.

ANYWAYS LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT, SHALL WE? SO GOING THROUGH SOME OF OUR STATISTICS IN THE PAST.

THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU LAST YEAR.

GOING BACK TO 2009, OUR STAFFING WAS 42 OFFICERS.

AT THE TIME, WE WERE ONLY RESPONDING TO ABOUT 13,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

FAST FORWARD TO 2022, OUR NUMBERS HAVE DWINDLED TO 35, AND OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE HAD INCREASED TO OVER 18,000 PER YEAR.

AS FAR AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOES.

IN 2010, THEY WERE AT 30 FIREFIGHTERS WITH FOUR ADMINISTRATORS.

SO 34 IN THEIR IN THEIR RANKS.

RESPONDING TO APPROXIMATELY 7500 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

WELL, I'M SORRY, 4000 CALLS FOR SERVICE PER YEAR.

FAST FORWARD TO 2024.

THEY'RE NOW UP TO 40 FIREFIGHTERS IN THEIR RANKS AND 6400 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

AND AGAIN, JUST TO ILLUSTRATE, CHIEF HAMILL'S POINT 30 OFFICERS IN 20 1036 I'M SORRY, NOT OFFICERS.

FIREFIGHTERS. EXCUSE ME 36 FIREFIGHTERS IN 2024 WITH AN INCREASE IN CALLS FOR SERVICE BY ABOUT 57% AND AN INCREASE IN POPULATION BY ABOUT 15%. SO FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, 2023 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO FIREFIGHTERS.

THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR, THEY WERE ABLE TO HIRE FOUR ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.

THEY HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEIR SPOUSES HAD FOUND A DIFFERENT JOBS AND WERE REPLACED WITH THIS RECRUITING AND RETENTION PROGRAM.

THEY HAVE ONE SENIOR EMPLOYEE THAT WILL STAY AN ADDITIONAL YEAR, WHICH I THINK SAYS A LOT, RIGHT.

A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTOR.

WHEN WE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT COUNTDOWN GOING ON THERE ON THEIR PHONES AND THEIR CALENDARS AND THINGS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, 1000 DAYS UNTIL I CAN RETIRE.

AND I THINK IT SAYS A LOT THAT A SENIOR PERSON WAS WILLING TO STICK AROUND FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR WITH THE CURRENT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE USING.

SO HOW DID WE GET HERE DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR? I WAS NEWLY APPOINTED CHIEF AT THAT TIME WITH ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN THE POSITION, WHEN I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT ACCEPTING THE POSITION, I WAS A LITTLE RELUCTANT BECAUSE I HAD AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS MUCH EASIER TO REPLACE THE TOP THAN IT WAS THE BOTTOM, MEANING THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND NEW OFFICERS AT THE TIME.

AND WITH THE STAFFING STRUGGLES WE WERE HAVING, I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT ME TAKING THE POSITION, IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO REPLACE THAT BOTTOM POSITION, THAT THAT LOWER LEVEL POSITION. HOWEVER, AS I CAME HERE AND MADE MY PRESENTATION, WE ALL AGREED UPON A 10% RAISE FOR ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES BEGINNING IN JUNE OR JANUARY 1ST OF 2024, COUPLED WITH AN ALREADY BUILT IN 3% RAISE.

[00:05:04]

INITIALLY IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE FOR ALL PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, DECIDED TO MAKE IT BROADEN THAT TO ALL EMPLOYEES.

AND I'LL GO OVER THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.

SO FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO ARE WE ABLE TO HIRE RIGHT OFF THE BAT? WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK TWO OF OUR FORMER OFFICERS.

TWO OFFICERS THAT HAD LEFT TO WORK IN OTHER SECTORS DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO COME BACK.

WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE ONE LATERAL TRANSFER FROM THE EATON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WE HIRED ONE RECRUIT FROM LERTA, WHICH IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT REGIONAL TRAINING ACADEMY IN FLINT.

IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO FIND ANYBODY WHO IS NOT SPONSORED IN THE POLICE ACADEMY AT THIS TIME.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET ONE TO COME TO US FROM FLINT.

AND HE'S BEEN FANTASTIC.

WE SPONSORED AND HIRED FIVE RECRUITS.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL SPONSORED RECRUITS IN THE POLICE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW.

SO OF THOSE EIGHT RECRUITS THAT I HAVE UP THERE, ZERO OF THEM COST US MONEY TO SEND TO THE POLICE ACADEMY.

THEY WERE ALL SPONSORED WITH STATE FUNDED GRANTS.

AND OF THESE EIGHT RECRUITS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY, FIVE WORKED FOR MTPD PREVIOUSLY, EITHER AS CADETS OR IN OUR RECORDS DEPARTMENT.

SO WE ARE HIRING OUR OWN.

WE'RE HIRING PEOPLE THAT WE ALREADY KNOW AND THAT ALREADY KNOW US, AND WE ARE ENTICING THEM TO STAY ONCE THEY START HERE.

AND OF THE TEN WE'VE HIRED IN 2024, FOUR OF THEM ARE FEMALE.

WE GO BACK TO OUR 30 BY 30 GOAL THAT CHIEF SET MANY YEARS AGO, WHICH WE HAD ACHIEVED.

AND THEN THROUGH LOSING PEOPLE, WE DROPPED BELOW THAT 30%.

ONCE WE GET THESE, THESE NEXT THREE GRADUATED FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY IN THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF.

WE WILL BE BACK OVER THAT 30 BY 30 GOAL THAT WE HAD.

SO HOW ABOUT RETAINING THESE FOLKS? IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS BEFORE 2024, WE HAD FIVE OFFICERS THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH OUR FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM.

WE HAD NINE THAT LEFT FOR BETTER PAY OR A BETTER FIT, AND TWO WERE FIRED.

2024 WE ONLY HAD TWO LEAVE.

BOTH OF THEM LEFT AFTER 25 YEARS PLUS CAREERS.

IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AGAIN, IT SAYS A LOT THAT NO OFFICERS FAILED FIELD TRAINING.

WE'RE HIRING GOOD, QUALITY, TALENTED PEOPLE.

NO OFFICERS LEFT FOR BETTER PAY BECAUSE WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO? THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET PAID BETTER THAN THEY GET PAID HERE.

NO OFFICERS WERE FIRED.

AGAIN, GOOD QUALITY, TALENTED PEOPLE.

FOUR OFFICERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT RECRUITING PROGRAM, THE RECRUITING BONUS.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT.

WE HAVEN'T GIVEN OUT, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE AMOUNT YET, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT FOUR ADDITIONAL OFFICERS BECAUSE OF THE WORKS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF US FINDING TALENTED PEOPLE TO COME WORK FOR US.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT THAT HAS HAD COMPARED TO 23 TO 2024.

IN DECEMBER 2023, AT THIS TIME, WE WERE DOWN TO 30 OFFICERS.

TODAY, ONCE WE HAVE OUR THREE GRADUATE FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY, WE WILL BE AT 41.

THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS WE ISSUED LAST YEAR, 816.

SO FAR, THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS WE'VE ISSUED THIS YEAR, 2452.

WE'VE TRIPLED THAT. NOW, AGAIN, I DON'T USE THAT AS MY ONLY METRIC FOR DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT MY OFFICERS ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

BUT I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD METRIC TO SHOW A MEASURED IMPACT THAT WE HAVE HAD ON THE MOTORING PUBLIC, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT THE PUBLIC BRINGS TO US.

THE NUMBER OF FULL TIME INVESTIGATORS, THAT WAS DOWN TO THREE LAST YEAR.

THAT'S ONE SERGEANT AND TWO INVESTIGATORS.

WE ARE BACK UP TO FOUR NOW WITH HOPES OF ADDING A FIFTH ONCE I GET A FEW MORE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD, WHICH IS THE NORMAL LEVEL THAT WE HAVE, IT'S USUALLY ONE SERGEANT FOR INVESTIGATORS.

NUMBER OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS? WE ONLY HAD ONE LAST YEAR.

THIS YEAR WE'RE UP TO TWO.

AND YOU KNOW, I FIND A LOT OF BENEFIT HAVING OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOLS BEING LIAISONS.

WHOOPS. I'M GOING THE WRONG WAY JUST TO KIND OF SHOW THE IMPACT THAT STAFFING HAS HAD.

I PUT THIS COPY OF WHAT OUR SCHEDULE LOOKED LIKE LAST YEAR.

IN 2023. THIS IS FROM DECEMBER OF 2023.

YOU CAN SEE, FOR INSTANCE, ON THIS SUNDAY HERE.

AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE, BUT I HAD ONE SERGEANT AND ONE OFFICER WORKING THE DAY SHIFT THAT DAY TO FILL THE REST OF THOSE SPOTS, BECAUSE OUR MINIMUM STAFFING IS THREE OFFICERS AND ONE SERGEANT.

I HAD TO MOVE A NIGHT SHIFT OFFICER TO DAY SHIFT, AND I HAD TO TAKE A JUMP OFFICER WHO WORKS KIND OF AN IN-BETWEEN SHIFT AND BUMP THEM UP TO THE DAY SHIFT JUST TO MEET MINIMUM STAFFING. AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ON HERE, YOU'LL SEE OFFICER VANDERMOLEN IS WORKING SATURDAY.

SUNDAY HE FILLS AN OVERTIME SPOT.

ON MONDAY HE HAS TUESDAY OFF.

AND THEN HE WORKS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

[00:10:01]

SO HE WORKED SIX OUT OF SEVEN DAYS, 72 HOURS THAT WEEK.

SO AND THAT WAS JUST KIND OF THE WAY THAT WE HAD TO DO THINGS LAST YEAR BECAUSE THERE JUST WAS NOT A THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH STAFFING TO, TO MAKE IT WORK. THIS IS WHAT OUR SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE TODAY.

SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT FROM A WEEK LAST MONTH WHERE YOU CAN SEE EVERY SHIFT HAS 4 TO 5 OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO IT, 1 TO 2 SERGEANTS. WE'RE STILL ABLE TO FILL THOSE VACATION SPOTS.

THAT'S WHAT ALL THAT YELLOW IS UP THERE.

THOSE ARE OUR OFFICERS TAKING DAYS OFF.

AND WE HAVE OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOLS.

SO JUST THE VOLUME OF OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE ON PATROL NOW.

AND I THINK, SUPERVISOR, YOU SAID IT TO ME THE OTHER DAY THAT YOU SEE CARS OUT ALL THE TIME NOW, WHEREAS YOU WEREN'T SEEING THEM BEFORE.

AND THAT HAS AN IMPACT THAT THAT HAS A MEASURABLE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC AND ON CRIME.

SO WHERE DO WE RANK OUR OFFICERS? AND I GUESS I PUT FIREFIGHTERS UP HERE.

I'M NOT SURE ON THAT STATISTIC, SO PLEASE DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.

CURRENTLY THE HIGHEST PAID OFFICERS IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA SECOND TO NONE.

BENEFITS REMAIN SECOND TO NONE.

I THINK WE ALL CAN APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

AS WE CONTINUE TO DO UPDATES TO OUR BUILDING, WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR EQUIPMENT.

WE ARE ATTRACTING NEW PEOPLE TO COME ON AND COME AND WORK FOR US.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF NEW ASSIGNMENTS, SUCH AS A TRAFFIC TEAM, WHICH I INTEND TO FORM NEXT YEAR TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS, THE COMMUNITY HAS ABOUT TRAFFIC AND THE TOWNSHIP.

AND WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL COMMAND POSITION, WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED WITH THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT COMES WITH ACCREDITATION AND ALL THE TRAINING AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE.

SO, TRUSTEE WILSON, LAST YEAR AT THE MEETING.

AT THIS MEETING YOU WHEN THIS PROGRAM WAS APPROVED, YOU SAID, I HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED.

AND HONESTLY, WHEN YOU SAID THAT, MY STOMACH SANK LIKE EXPECTATION.

AS YOU WANT ME TO BE FULLY STAFFED, RIGHT? BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE GOT TWO RETIREMENTS PLUS 12 OTHER POSITIONS TO FILL.

I CAN'T. I AM AMAZED BY THE STRIDES WE MADE, AND WE'RE VERY CLOSE.

IN FACT, WE HAD ONE OFFICER WHO DID LEAVE WHILE HE WAS IN FIELD TRAINING BECAUSE HE REALIZED THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WASN'T FOR HIM, BUT NOT FOR THAT.

I WOULD BE ABLE TO COME HERE AND SAY THAT BY DECEMBER 18TH, WE WOULD BE FULLY STAFFED, WHICH IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.

AND MY HATS ARE OFF TO THE ENTIRE BOARD FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR AND YEARS PAST.

AND I FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS A GREAT UPDATE.

AND THAT I'M GLAD WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM.

MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IMPACT AND CHANGES MAY WE EXPECT FOR 2025 FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE FULL STEAM AHEAD STILL.

I HAVE ONE POSITION THAT WE HAVE TO FILL.

WE'RE ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THAT POSITION.

WE WERE HOPING TO GET A LATERAL TRANSFER FROM ANOTHER AGENCY, SOMEBODY WITH EXPERIENCE THAT COULD JUST STEP RIGHT IN AND THAT'S OUR HOPE.

BUT IF WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE WELL AND SEND SOMEBODY THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY, WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN.

WE'RE STILL GETTING A LOT OF GOOD QUALITY APPLICANTS.

BUT THEY NEED TO BE SPONSORED THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY.

SO AGAIN, THE HOPE WAS TO GET A LATERAL, BUT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO JUST SAY, HEY, IT'S TIME TO SEND SOMEBODY THROUGH AND GET THEM THROUGH.

BUT THE IMPACT THAT IT WILL HAVE, NOT JUST ON RECRUITING, BUT ALSO JUST THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO START THAT TRAFFIC TEAM.

I HAVE TWO OFFICERS WHOSE SOLE JOBS ARE JUST TO BE OUT THERE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC.

I CAN SEE THAT AS BEING SOMETHING THAT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS NEXT YEAR.

IT MAKES ME EXCITED, AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM MY OFFICERS THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THAT TYPE OF A POSITION.

SO YES, THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. WHEN PEOPLE, YOUR ANNUAL SURVEY OR EVERY THREE YEAR SURVEY IS ABOUT HERE.

OTHER TOWNSHIP SERVICES ARE ABOUT HERE.

POLICE AND FIRE ARE WAY UP THERE.

SO WE'RE DOING WHAT THE PUBLIC ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES OF US TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE BEST POLICE AND FIRE OFFICERS OUT THERE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU HAVE EXECUTED THE INCENTIVE PLAN.

AND WE PUT OUT THERE. MONEY IS A GOOD START, BUT IT TAKES THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO ATTRACT THOSE NEW OFFICERS AND RETAIN THEM.

AND I COMMEND YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR COMMAND STAFF THAT HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB ATTRACTING THOSE OFFICERS.

HAS THE MINOR RENOVATIONS IN THE NEW LOCKER ROOMS BEEN HELPFUL IN RECRUITMENT AS WELL? DOES IT APPEAR TO BE A MORE PLEASANT PLACE TO WORK THAN IT MIGHT HAVE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO? YEAH, NOT JUST WITH RECRUITMENT, BUT ALSO WITH RETENTION.

OUR OFFICERS REALIZED THAT, HEY, WE CARED ABOUT HERE.

WE ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND THEY WANT TO STAY.

THEY'RE HAPPY THERE.

THEY'RE POSITIVE.

THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING.

THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

AND SO YES, TO GO ALONG WITH THAT.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME WITH THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY.

[00:15:05]

AND AGAIN, THAT TRICKLED RIGHT DOWN TO MY TEAM BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO DID THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK.

TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU.

I SEE FROM LOOKING AT THE PAST STATISTICS, THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS AND CITATIONS HAVE GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.

YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY LONG, DO YOU THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ACTIONS TAKEN BY YOU AND YOUR OFFICERS, OR IS THAT A NATURE OF THE COMMUNITY CHANGING AND GROWING.

LIKE, WHERE DO YOU SEE? I MEAN, LESS THAN HALF OF THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS IS QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.

YEAH. AND IF THAT IF THAT DRAFT WENT BACK EVEN FURTHER, YOU WOULD SEE AN EVEN MORE DRASTIC CHANGE.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.

RIGHT? BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS IS JUST THE SHEER VOLUME OF PEOPLE IN THE TOWNSHIP, ALONG WITH THE CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE TAKE.

RIGHT. IT'S EASY FOR ME TO GO OUT AND WRITE A TRAFFIC TICKET.

RIGHT? THAT TAKES ME TEN MINUTES.

BUT IF I GET IF I GET IF I GET ROPED INTO A CREDIT CARD FRAUD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I COULD BE WORKING FOR TWO, THREE, FOUR HOURS ON THAT TYPE OF A CALL.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS THOSE CALLS FOR VALUE OR THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE GO UP, THERE'S LESS TIME FOR OFFICERS TO DO MORE OF THAT PROACTIVE POLICING.

SO WRITING TICKETS, MAKING ARRESTS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THAT NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN IS BECAUSE SIMPLY YOU GO FROM 13,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE TO WITH US PATROLLING WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP, 20 CALLS, 20,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF OFFICERS OR LESS OFFICERS.

JUST THE NATURE OF OF THAT IS GOING TO TO THERE'S GOING TO BE A SLIGHT, I'M SORRY, A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ARRESTS AND TICKETS.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

NOT A FUNCTION OF LESS CRIME NECESSARILY.

RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND GIVING US THIS PRESENTATION.

IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE A PROGRAM THAT'S WORKING.

AND I THINK THIS HAS CERTAINLY EXCEEDED MY WILDEST EXPECTATIONS, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF SPEED AND EFFICACY.

SO THANK YOU FOR FOR HELPING TO IMPLEMENT THAT AND FOR BRINGING THAT TO US LAST YEAR.

AND VERY HAPPY THAT WE'VE SEEN THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE.

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

PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, AND WE DO HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW AND AT THE END OF THE MEETING IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM, WE DO HAVE ONE GREEN CARD FROM HEATHER GODARD.

AND WE'LL GET YOU SET UP THERE.

THERE IS A LIGHT ON THE PODIUM THAT WILL INDICATE TO YOU WHEN YOU'VE GOT 30S LEFT, AND THEN WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE BEGINNING.

THAT HELPS WITH OUR TRACKING OF THE MEETING MINUTES, IF YOU WOULD.

HEATHER, LAST NAME IS GODDARD, AND MY ADDRESS IS 560 BABBIT STREET, HASLETT.

THIS IS ACTUALLY UNDER A MINUTE, BUT MY TOPIC IS ABOUT THE WEED STORE GOING INTO OKEMOS.

WE'LL JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, CANNABIS AFFECTS REACTION TIMES, ATTENTION, COORDINATION, AND MUCH MORE.

FREQUENT USE CAN LEAD TO PSYCHOSIS OR SCHIZOPHRENIA.

THIS THUS PUTTING ANOTHER WEED STORE IN WILL ONLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CRAZY, UNCOORDINATED PEOPLE DRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

ACCORDING TO DR. PETERSON AT INSTITUTE OF LIVING.ORG, THE ODDS OF BEING INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH WHEN HIGH ARE DOUBLE THAT OF THOSE SOBER.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT WHEN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING HIGH? WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THEY DO.

I DID, I DID.

WHEN I USED TO SMOKE WEED WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYBODY THAT DIDN'T, DOESN'T OR HASN'T WHEN THEY SMOKE WEED.

IT'S JUST A FACT OF LIFE.

IF YOU GO TO A WEED STORE, YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE THERE HIGH.

YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THERE HIGH.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY WOULD RATHER GIVE MORE ATTENTION TO ADDING ANOTHER MIND ALTERING CANNABIS STORE THAN PUTTING A STOPLIGHT AT HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL. I WORK IN HEALTH CARE, AND THE STORE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME.

I SEE THESE PEOPLE COME IN.

I SEE THE EFFECTS OF THIS AND IT JUST IT MAKES ME WORK HARDER AT MY JOB.

I DON'T LIKE IT.

SO SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

JUST NEEDS TO GET IT TOGETHER.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RUN FOR ONE OF YOUR GUYS' SEATS ONE DAY, SO HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

THAT'S MY SPEECH.

PLEASE DON'T PUT A WEED STORE IN OKEMOS.

WE DON'T NEED IT. LANSING HAS A TON.

IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT NECESSARY.

SO THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.

[00:20:04]

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX, INTERIM TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT.

[6. INTERIM TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I DON'T HAVE A HUGE UPDATE BECAUSE WE JUST MET LAST WEEK, BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS.

REALLY KUDOS TO PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY HAVE STARTED OFF THE WINTER SEASON WITH A CHALLENGING SET OF WATER MAIN ISSUES.

WE DON'T USE THE B WORD, BUT THEY HANDLED THEM VERY WELL LAST NIGHT AND TODAY.

ALONG EAST LAKE DRIVE AND ALONG NORTH WIND.

AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A QUIET REST OF THE SEASON NOW AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

BUT IF ANY RESIDENTS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT WE WENT THROUGH LAST NIGHT AND TODAY, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.

EVERYTHING'S BEEN HANDLED AND WE ARE BACK TO NORMAL WATER OPERATIONS.

I BELIEVE COMPLETELY THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM AT THIS POINT.

THE OTHER THING I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

THE DIRECTOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR CLARK, DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER AND MYSELF HAD TODAY TO GO SPEAK TO HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AND THEY ARE READING.

THEY GOT DONE READING A BOOK ABOUT MAKING CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY STARTED HAVING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE WENT AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT A NUMBER OF TOPICS, INCLUDING A LIGHT AT HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL ON MARSH ROAD, AND TRIED TO GIVE THEM A PLAN TO TRY AND WORK WITH THEIR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO GET THEIR VOICES HEARD AND GET THEIR THINGS DONE.

THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE POPULATIONS THAT YOU DON'T HEAR ENOUGH FROM.

AND WE STRESS TO THEM THAT YOU CAN HAVE JUST AS MUCH OF A VOICE AS ANYONE ELSE.

YOU'RE A RESIDENT HERE.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER, HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT TRAFFIC AND TY HART ROAD PAVING AND ANY NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS. AND SO I LEFT FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE YOUTH.

SO IN THE EVENT THE BOARD GETS AN UPTICK IN RANDOM EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THAT'S YOUR REASON BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM A PLAN AND HOPEFULLY THEY START TO IMPLEMENT THAT PLAN.

BUT I SUSPECT THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL HEAR FROM THEM MORE BECAUSE THE MARCH THE LIGHT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS THEIR BIGGEST ITEM OF DISCUSSION.

SO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY TOPIC.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SEVEN.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISHING TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR DESCRIBE ACTIVITIES AT THIS TIME? WE DID JUST MEET UP AND WE HAD A HOLIDAY IN BETWEEN TREASURER DESCHAINE.

JUST A QUICK COMMENT. AS MENTIONED LAST WEEK, TAX BILLS WERE MAILED OUT TO ARRIVE ON MONDAY.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR TAX BILL YET, FEEL FREE TO GIVE MY OFFICE A CALL 853-4140 AND WE'LL MAIL YOU ANOTHER COPY OR EMAIL YOU A COPY OF IT, BUT THEY SHALL BE IN YOUR MAILBOX BY TODAY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT. JUST CONTACT US AND WE'LL GET YOU.

WE'LL GET YOU A REPLACEMENT ONE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES. CLERK GUTHRIE. I'M SORRY.

GOODNESS. THAT'S JUST.

THAT'S JUST HABIT RIGHT THERE.

I BELIEVE THIS SUNDAY DECEMBER 8TH, THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN.

THERE IS A CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE EVENT FROM 2 TO 4, AND IT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO JUST ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STOP BY.

THANK YOU. I WILL ALSO MENTION THERE IS ALSO THIS WEEKEND, NO MRS 31ST ANNUAL HOLIDAY ART MARKET AT THE NOKOMIS CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER.

RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THIS BUILDING.

THEY'RE OPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

SORRY. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THIS WEEKEND AND SATURDAY OF NEXT WEEKEND FROM 10 A.M.

TO 5 P.M. SO STOP ON BY AND CHECK OUT THE HOLIDAY MARKET ALSO.

ALL RIGHT.

WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY? TRUSTEE WILSON. I'LL ADD ANOTHER ONE TO IT THIS SATURDAY MORNING.

THE FRIENDS OF THE OKEMOS LIBRARY IS HAVING THEIR FOUR TIME A YEAR, FIVE TIME A YEAR BOOK SALE OVER AT THE MASONIC HALL, WHICH IS ON HAMILTON ROAD.

WE OPEN AT 9 A.M.

ON SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, AND SUNDAY IS BUY A BAG FOR $4.

[00:25:01]

AND ALL THE BOOKS ARE $0.50 AND $1, SO IT'S THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN.

IF YOU WANT TO COME AND JOIN US.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM EIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

THE BILLS A NUMBER OF BOARD AND COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENTS.

A NUMBER OF LIAISON APPOINTMENTS THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY AT OUR MEETING ON THE 23RD.

THE COST RECOVERY POLICY, WHICH WE SAW LAST TUESDAY AND SAW NO OBJECTIONS TO, AS WELL AS THE RECENTLY. THE ONE THING I WILL ASK AND MAYBE MANAGER SCHMIDT CAN TELL ME I NEGLECTED TO DOWNLOAD THE UPDATED PACKET THAT WAS TO FIX THE MISSPELLING OF TRUSTEE LENTZ'S NAME.

PERHAPS IT WAS ACTUALLY WE HAD AN OLD SET OF AN EXTRA SET OF MINUTES IN THE PACKET, SO WE SWAPPED IT TO HAVE THE CORRECT SET OF MINUTES.

IF WE HAVE MISSED TRUSTEE LENSES NAME, I APOLOGIZE.

WE DID TURN THESE AROUND IN ABOUT THREE HOURS, SO WE MIGHT HAVE GOT ONE.

OKAY, SO THEN TWO UPDATES TO THE MINUTES.

I'LL ASK THAT WE MAKE THE FIRST BEING ON THE NOVEMBER 23RD ON APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

WE APPEAR TO HAVE MAYBE COPIED AND PASTED THE VOICE VOTE FROM A MEETING WHERE CLERK GUTHRIE WAS OUR CLERK AND NOT OUR UPDATED BOARD.

SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S AGENDA ITEM SIX ON PAGE ONE OF THE NOVEMBER 23RD MINUTES.

AND THEN I CAUGHT A MISSING LETTER IN TRUSTEE LENTZ'S NAME ON PAGE FOUR OF THE NOVEMBER 26TH MINUTES. AND I THINK WE GOT THAT ONE.

THAT WAS THE WETLAND.

YES. EASEMENT? YES. OKAY.

OKAY. I THINK WE I THINK WE DID CATCH BOTH THOSE, BUT I WILL DOUBLE CHECK.

OKAY. AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ASK ON THE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THE ALAIEDON TOWNSHIP, I BELIEVE WE HAD TRIED TO UPDATE THE SIGNATORIES TO THE SUPERVISOR SINCE ALAIEDON TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR IS THEIR SIGNATORY.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT IF THE MOTION MAKER COULD UPDATE THE SIGNATORIES IN THE ALAIEDON TOWNSHIP TO THIS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE NOTES.

WOULD ANYONE BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? TRUSTEE WILSON, MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THOSE UPDATES.

WITH THOSE UPDATES.

THANK YOU. SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THERE'S QUITE A BIT ON THERE THIS TIME.

I'LL SIMPLY SAY THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EXCELLENT CANDIDATES THAT WE ARE APPOINTING TO OUR VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

I SHOULD SAY REAPPOINTING.

I BELIEVE ALL OF THESE FOLKS ARE PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING BACK ON THERE, AND WE COULD GO THROUGH, I THINK, AS A BOARD AND EXPLAIN THE, THE, YOU KNOW, LAUDABLE APPOINTMENTS THAT THEY ALL ARE.

AND THAT WOULD PUT US HERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR SO.

BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE TOWNSHIP WHO DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN THIS IN THESE CAPACITIES, AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR CONTINUED SERVICE.

WITH NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK. DUMAS. YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES.

TRUSTEE. LENTZ. YES.

TRUSTEE. SUNDLAND. YES.

TRUSTEE. TREZISE.

YES. TRUSTEE. WILSON.

YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON.

YES. MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM TEN QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY.

WE HAVE NONE. ITEM 11 HEARINGS.

WE HAVE NONE. ITEM 12 A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

[12.A. Special Use Permit #24-23-Okemos Gateway LLC-1614 West Grand River Avenue-Recreational Marijuana Retailer]

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILER.

WE'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. SCHMIDT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE BOARD HAS SEEN THIS REQUEST.

THEY PREVIOUSLY HAD SOME CALL IT TYPOGRAPHICAL ISSUES WITH THEIR APPLICATION FORM, WHICH THEY UPDATED AND WE BROUGHT FORWARD LAST WEEK.

[00:30:01]

THERE WERE NO MAJOR CONCERNS RAISED.

THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TWICE AND WAS RECOMMENDED FOR UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.

THIS APPLICANT IS THE APPLICANT THAT WAS SELECTED DURING THE COMPETITIVE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE LICENSE IN THIS DISTRICT.

THEY ARE THEN ON A CLOCK BASICALLY TO GET THROUGH SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS AND CONSTRUCTION.

AND SO THIS IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THEM TO START MOVING TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION.

STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED NO NO MAJOR CONCERNS AT THIS POINT.

AND AS IT DOES MEET THE OTHER STANDARDS OF THE ORDINANCE AND WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GO AHEAD. TRUSTEE TREZISE.

YEAH, I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING SPECIAL USE PERMIT 24 DASH 23 REQUEST FROM OKEMOS GATEWAY, LLC TO ESTABLISH A RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILER AT 1614 WEST GRAND RIVER AVENUE, PARCEL ID NUMBER 33, DASH 0202 DASH 22, DASH 426001.

SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ZONED C2 COMMERCIAL AND THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MARIJUANA BUSINESS OVERLAY DISTRICT.

MOVED BY TRUSTEE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY TRUSTEE LANCE.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? TRUSTEE TREZISE. I THINK WE WENT THROUGH THIS AT SOME LENGTH ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO WHEN THEY HAD THE THE FIRST APPLICATION, WHICH HAD SOME ISSUES AS FAR AS MISIDENTIFYING SOME PROPERTY, AND I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A CARRYOVER FROM EARLIER APPLICATIONS THAT HADN'T BEEN UPDATED AS THIS PROCEEDED. AS OF THE LAST MEETING, THEY HAD PROVIDED A NEW APPLICATION WITH CONSIDERABLY MORE INFORMATION WHICH MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR ORDINANCE, THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

AND BASED ON THAT, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE APPROVING THIS AT THIS POINT.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE LENTZ.

AFTER REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTS, WHICH I ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INTERESTED IN THIS BUSINESS WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

I SEE NO REASON TO NOT SUPPORT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

COMMUNITY HAS VOTED IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING THESE BUSINESSES HERE.

AND THIS IS YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE OF A BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO PLAY BY THE RULES THAT THIS TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS SET.

AND LIKE I SAID, I SEE NO REASON TO NOT APPROVE.

OKAY. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TREASURER DESCHAINE INTERIM DIRECTOR SCHMIDT.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

YOU'VE SEEN YOUR IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE BUILDING HERE.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE CAPITAL COST FOR THIS TO BE? TO BUILD A BUILDING SUCH AS THIS? YOU KNOW, I'D ACTUALLY DEFER TO THE APPLICANT ON THIS.

THE THE COST OF THESE HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SOMEWHAT SPECIALIZED CONSTRUCTION.

I'M NOT AS CONFIDENT IN ESTIMATING THAT.

AND GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE, I WOULD DEFER TO THEM.

WELL, THE APPLICANT, PLEASE JOIN US AND GIVE US YOUR NAME.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

DOMINIC MCCALL, 3638 RIDGELAND COURT, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, TREASURER DESCHAINE COULD COST ANYWHERE IN REGARDS TO THE SHELL AND THE SITE WORK AND WHATNOT.

I WOULD SAY ABOUT FOUR $400 A SQUARE FOOT IN REGARDS TO THE ACTUAL BUILD OUT OF THE SPACE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEPENDENT ON THE TYPE OF FIXTURES THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN THE SPACE AND THE FINISHES THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT INSIDE OF THE SPACE AS WELL.

SO IF I GIVE YOU A COST OF ABOUT ONE, $1.4 MILLION OR $1.6 MILLION, I WOULD I WOULD ESTIMATE IT TO BE WITHIN THAT RANGE.

CORRECT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT, WOULD YOU GO OVER US WITH US AGAIN? THE DEADLINES. THEY MUST MEET FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND THE TO START CONSTRUCTION.

YEAH. SO THEY HAVE 60 DAYS FROM THE FROM THE LICENSING APPROVAL TO SUBMIT FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

SPECIAL USE PERMIT AT THAT POINT IS SUBJECT TO OUR NORMAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURE.

THERE'S NO SPECIAL TIMELINE THAT THEY HAVE TO GET THROUGH.

UNDER THAT, THEN THERE IS A TWO YEAR WINDOW WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE OPEN.

THEY CAN REQUEST A ONE YEAR EXTENSION UNDER THE LICENSING PROCEDURES.

OKAY. AND THEN REGARDING THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION, WHICH WE ARE APPROVING, WHICH WE DIDN'T APPROVE IN THIS ONE TODAY, THIS COMES UP AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHEN WE WOULD INVOKE ANOTHER APPLICATION FEE AS THE APPLICANT ORIGINAL APPLICATION HAD ENOUGH DEFICIENCIES TO IT.

WE BASICALLY PUT IT BACK ON DISCUSSION AND THEN BROUGHT IT BACK FOR APPROVAL.

TO ME, THAT'S A NEW APPLICATION.

SO IT DOESN'T APPLY IN THIS CASE.

WE PASSED ON THAT.

BUT ANY FUTURE APPLICATION APPLICANTS I WOULD HOPE THIS BOARD, IF IT CAN'T MOVE IT ON TO APPROVAL BECAUSE OF DEFICIENCIES IN THE APPLICATION, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A NEW

[00:35:07]

THAT'S MY OPINION.

AND WITH DUE RESPECT TO TRUSTEE LINDSAY, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THE COMMITTEE DID VOTE TO APPROVE THIS, BUT THE COMMITTEE IS CERTAINLY SPLIT.

I THINK IT WAS A SEVEN VOTE MARGIN OUT OF OUR VOTING POPULATION OF 35,000 POSSIBLE VOTERS.

AND AS WE HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT, THE COMMUNITY IS BY NO MEANS DECIDED ON THIS.

WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED WITH IT, BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY DIVIDED VIEWS ON THAT.

AND WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF OF THOSE VIEWS.

AND CERTAINLY I EXPECT THIS BOARD WILL BE.

BUT IT IS A, IF YOU WILL, A SPLIT DECISION BY THE BY OUR RESIDENTS.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE THIS PROCESS IS IT'S FAR FROM PERFECT, RIGHT? WE DID THE ABSOLUTE BEST WE CAN IN TERMS OF CRAFTING AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

IT IS MY OPINION THAT TO ADD THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON TO THE END OF THIS PROCESS.

SEEMS LIKE A LIKE THERE ARE REASONS FOR IT, I'M SURE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE AN EXTRA STEP TO THAT.

WE HAVE MORE OR LESS COVERED IN THE LICENSURE PORTION OF THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THESE FACILITIES.

I'M NOT SAYING WE CHANGE OUR PROCESS TODAY BECAUSE WE ALL JUST DECIDED ON IT, AND IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE TO GET TO THAT POINT.

YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY YOU KNOW, WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO TURN IT DOWN AT THIS POINT WOULD BE A VERY UNUSUAL ACT.

UNLESS THEY WERE UNLESS THE PLAN THAT THEY PROVIDED VERY SPECIFICALLY HAD CHANGED SINCE THEIR LICENSURE APPLICATION AND VERY SPECIFICALLY VIOLATED ONE OF OUR SPECIAL USE CRITERIA.

AND MAYBE THERE'S A WORLD IN WHICH ALL OF THAT HAPPENS.

BUT IT'S I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY UNUSUAL WORLD THAT THAT DID HAPPEN.

AS IT IS, THE APPLICATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, IN MY OPINION, DOESN'T VIOLATE ANY OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT CRITERIA, WHICH IS THE ONLY THING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE AS OUR GUIDEPOST FOR WHETHER OR NOT WE VOTE YES OR NO ON THIS TONIGHT.

AND AS A RESULT, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION AS PROVIDED.

MR. SUPERVISOR, IF I CAN JUST CORRECT ONE THING I SAID, IT'S 24 MONTHS TOTAL.

TREASURER DESCHAINE THEY HAVE 18 MONTHS TO BE OPEN FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THE LICENSE, AND THEY CAN REQUEST A SIX MONTH EXTENSION.

I ADDED THE SIX MONTHS ON TWICE.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

. MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13 A THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS TEXT AMENDMENT.

[13.A. Text Amendment 2024-19-RN-Village of Nemoka Update]

AND FOR THIS WE HAVE INTERIM TOWNSHIP MANAGER TIM SCHMITT.

THANK YOU, SIR. SO THIS WAS PART OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S ONGOING EFFORT TO UPDATE OUR ORDINANCES, AND WE PRINCIPAL PLANNER SHORKEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AFTER WE NOTICED SOME FLAWS IN THIS ORDINANCE.

AFTER A RECENT APPLICATION, I SAY RECENT.

IT'S BEEN A YEAR AFTER AN APPLICATION WE HAD IN THIS DISTRICT PUT THE ORDINANCE TOGETHER AND TOOK IT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION.

IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S REALLY A CLEANUP.

THIS ORDINANCE HAD BEEN COBBLED TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT OVER THE YEARS.

THERE WERE BAD REFERENCES TO OTHER ORDINANCES.

THERE WERE USES PERMITTED HERE THAT IF YOU FOLLOWED THE WAY THE ORDINANCE READ, TECHNICALLY WEREN'T PERMITTED BECAUSE IT'S AN OVERLAY DISTRICT, SO THIS MAKES THIS MORE USABLE GOING FORWARD.

IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, REVIEWED IT, HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.

THEY REVIEWED IT MULTIPLE TIMES IN MARCH AND APRIL OF THIS YEAR.

EVENTUALLY APPROVED IT IN JUNE.

AND THEN THIS JUST SORT OF GOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WE WENT THROUGH BUDGET.

SO THAT'S THE EXPLAINING THE GAP HERE.

SIMPLY A SIMPLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION ON OUR PART THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO BRING THIS FORWARD SOONER.

SO THIS IS IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING.

FUNCTIONALLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT CHANGES THE NW DISTRICT TO STOP HAVING SO MANY CROSS REFERENCES TO OTHER DISTRICTS AND PUTS THE STANDARDS ACTUALLY IN THE R DISTRICT, SO IT'S EASIER TO USE AND IT DOESN'T WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IF WE CHANGE SOMETHING HERE.

WE GOT TO CHANGE IT OVER HERE TO NOW.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BEFORE WE GET INTO IT, CAN YOU TELL ME A MAP WOULD BE SO HELPFUL.

[00:40:04]

AND WE CAN INCLUDE A MAP IN THE NEXT.

I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE IN HERE. THERE IS NOT.

WE WILL ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE A MAP IN THE NEXT THE NEXT PACKET.

BUT IT'S THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

OKAY, ON TO THE EAST OF MARSH ROAD, NORTH OF HASLETT, UP TO THE LAKE.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, LIKE A COUPLE PROPERTIES ALONG HASLETT AND A COUPLE ALONG MARSH.

AND IS THIS SUBJECT TO THE LAKE LANSING OVERLAY AS WELL? A PORTION OF IT IS, YES.

OKAY. STAFF RECOGNIZES THIS IS A STOPGAP.

THIS IS ON OUR LONG TERM.

OUR LONG TERM LIST INCLUDES WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE LAKE AREA? WE'VE GOT TOO MUCH ZONING UP THERE.

IT'S TOO COMPLICATED.

IT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA.

SO THIS IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS SOME IMMEDIATE CONCERNS.

GET US PAST THOSE AND ALLOW US TO THEN THINK, BECAUSE WE DID THE UPDATES TO THE LAKE LANSING OVERLAY DISTRICT TO ADDRESS THAT.

NOW WE'RE DOING THE UPDATES TO THIS TO ADDRESS THIS AREA.

OKAY. NOW THAT WE CAN GET SOME BREATHING ROOM, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE TACKLED THIS WHOLE AREA NOW? AND HOW DOES THAT WORK.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

IT'S JUST A VERY DIFFICULT PLACE TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING TO A HOUSE, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON.

ONE OF THE ONE OF THE ZONING STANDARDS WILL TRIP YOU UP.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? TREASURER DESCHAINE WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE FIXES THAT THIS WILL RESULT WILL PROVIDE FOR US? SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT ACTUALLY PUTS STANDARDS IN THIS DISTRICT.

WHEREAS BEFORE IT WAS ARGUABLE THERE WERE NO STANDARDS FOR THIS DISTRICT.

AND SO RATHER THAN GET INTO THAT PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION WE PUT THE STANDARDS IN.

THERE'S ALSO A PROVISION IN HERE THAT IN THE CURRENT DISTRICT THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO APPROVE ABOUT ANY USE THEY WANTED TO, WHICH ARE NOT THE BEST LANGUAGE TO HAVE IN AN ORDINANCE.

I MEAN, I GET WHAT IT WAS TRYING TO DO.

IT WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE AREA ALONG THE EDGE ALONG HASLETT AND MARSH ROADS, WHERE YOU HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL AS WELL.

BUT WHAT WE'VE RUN INTO IS YOU START TO SEE, LIKE THE DENTIST OFFICE BUILDING, WHICH IS WHAT PROMPTED THIS ON SHORE STREET WE REALIZED, OH, THERE ARE THE STANDARDS ARE CLEARLY NOT RIGHT FOR THIS.

YOU GET TO THAT AND YOU REALIZE EVERY TIME SOMEONE CAME TO US TO ASK ABOUT THAT BUILDING, THEY WERE ASKING, USUALLY ALONG THE NORMAL LINES.

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU GOT A REALLY WEIRD QUESTION.

AND THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, BUT YOU CAN APPROVE WHATEVER YOU WANT KIND OF UNDER THIS LANGUAGE.

SO TO ME, THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE, IS WE'RE TAKING THAT LITTLE WEIRD QUIRK OUT OF THE ORDINANCE COMPLETELY FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WON'T EVER DEAL WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A SPECIFIC ORDINANCE, AND THERE ARE VERY FEW VACANT LOTS LEFT UP THERE.

AND THE ZONE, IS IT A RECTANGULAR ZONE? IT'S YEAH, IT'S A ROUGHLY IT'S A ROUGH, ROUGHLY RECTANGULAR BOX.

SO HOW FAR EAST DOES IT GO AND HOW FAR NORTH DOES IT GO? IT GOES TO THE LAKE AND IT GOES TO THE PARK.

OKAY, SO IT JUST TOUCHES THE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE LAKE, IF YOU WILL.

THAT UNDEVELOPED MARSHLAND, I'M GUESSING.

YES. LET ME PULL IT UP HERE REAL QUICK FOR YOU.

I APOLOGIZE, I SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THIS MAP.

THIS IS WHAT WE GET FOR RUSHING A PACKET OUT IN THREE HOURS.

SO IT'S THIS AREA RIGHT HERE IS THE ONLY AREA.

SO BOTTOM.

THIS IS HASLETT.

THIS IS MARSH.

THIS IS BLUE.

GO, GIRL. AND WATERSHED.

THIS IS LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH.

AND SO IT GOES RIGHT UP TO THE LAKE RIGHT BEFORE.

THIS IS THE MARSH YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.

YEAH. SO, IT BUTTS RIGHT UP TO THE MARSH.

FOLLOWS THE LAKE UP TO UP TO THE SOUTH END OF THE PARK AND THEN DOWN MARSH ROAD.

A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS. THERE'S TWO COMMERCIAL LOTS HERE.

THERE'S AN OFFICE LOT HERE, AND THERE'S AN OFFICE LOT RIGHT THERE.

AND DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY BEFORE THAT? THIS IS THE ONLY ZONING AREA IN THE ENTIRE.

ONLY AREA ZONED IN THE TOWNSHIP.

YES, YES.

OKAY. YES.

AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GUESSING ULTIMATELY, THIS IS ONE OF THE ZONES.

YOU ARE ONE OF THE ZONING CODING, IF YOU WILL, THAT YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE.

THIS WOULD BE A GOOD ONE TO ELIMINATE.

IT IS THE PROBLEM.

THE WAY THIS ONE'S COMPLICATED.

NOT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS HERE, BUT THE WAY THIS ONE WAS COMPLICATED BECAUSE THERE ARE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.

THERE'S MULTIPLE FAMILY PROPERTIES, THERE'S DUPLEXES, THERE'S EIGHT-PLEXES AND SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES ALL IN THIS DISTRICT.

[00:45:03]

RIGHT? IT BUILT UP BEFORE MOST MODERN ZONING WAS IN PLACE.

SO WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH A STRATEGY FOR HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT.

YEAH. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL IN THIS AREA BECAUSE IT HAS VERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ABSOLUTELY. AND WE DON'T WANT TO COME IN AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO REDEVELOP THIS WHOLE AREA WITH SINGLE FAMILY LOTS, BECAUSE THE DENSITY OF THAT AREA IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST DENSITIES ANYWHERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

YEAH. AND TO BE CLEAR, WE DON'T WANT TO REDEVELOP THIS AREA.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

BECAUSE THE LAKE LANSING OVERLAY DISTRICT AND THIS DISTRICT ARE WHERE WE TEND TO RUN INTO THE MOST.

OKAY. HOW DO WE FIGURE THIS OUT? QUESTIONS. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE, NOPE, YOU'RE IN THE LAKE AREA.

HERE'S WHAT IT IS.

THIS THIS IS THE PATH.

SO BY APPROVING THIS, WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME STANDARDS TO APPLY TO THIS DISTRICT.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO, WE EXPECT TO SEE MAYBE A MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE ENTIRE LAKE AREA.

YEAH. YEAH, THAT'S OUR GOAL.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE LENTZ.

THANK YOU.

IN LOOKING AT THIS ORDINANCE, SECTION ONE, SUBSECTION C REFERENCES DENSITY SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO DWELLINGS, UNIT PER ACRE.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S CURRENTLY INFORMATION OR BREAKDOWN AS TO WHAT THAT DENSITY, WHAT EXISTS CURRENTLY THERE.

BOTH IN ORDINANCE AND IN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT AREA.

I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.

THE WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE EXISTING DENSITY IN THE ORDINANCE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, BUT THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

LET US DO SOME HOMEWORK ON THAT.

I IMAGINE WITH THE HISTORICAL NATURE MAY HAVE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT MAYBE DIDN'T EVEN CONFORM TO THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE WILSON.

I WAS LOOKING THROUGH I ACTUALLY READ ALL OF THIS.

THE USES PERMITTED BY RIGHT.

I, I WONDER WHAT THIS FOLLOWS.

SO YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A FOSTER FAMILY GROUP HOME, A FAMILY CHILDCARE HOME.

THAT WOULD BE SIX OR LESS, RIGHT? CORRECT. AND THEN FAMILY ADULT CARE HOMES.

BUT SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR A CHILD CARE GROUP HOME.

SO THAT IS FOR CHILDREN UP TO 12.

IS IT? OKAY.

SO THAT'S 7 TO 12.

YES. OKAY.

THOSE ARE BOTH PROVISIONS DIRECTLY OUT OF STATE LAW.

WE ARE WE ARE OVERRIDDEN BY THE STATE ON THOSE FOUR ITEMS. IN THE STATE PLANNING ENABLING ACT, THE ZONING ENABLING ACT.

THE OTHER ONE I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WAS PRIVATE, NONCOMMERCIAL KENNELS AS A USE BY.

RIGHT. SOUNDS HIGHLY SUSPECT THAT I BELIEVE THAT'S A CARRYOVER FROM.

LET ME DOUBLE CHECK. IS THAT FROM THE OLD ORDINANCE? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ADDRESSED.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT ADDRESSED BEFORE.

I MEAN. IT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE ENTIRETY OF THE INTERNET AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

I LIKE THE VERY CLEAR RESTRICTIONS ON GARAGE SALES.

YEAH, THAT WAS THE OTHER QUESTION.

WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? THE MORE THAN TWO PER YEAR.

WELL, THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT.

YEAH. AND MOST, MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE THE LIMITATION OF TWO PER YEAR BECAUSE YOU GET PEOPLE THAT HAVE A PERPETUAL, PERPETUAL GROWTH.

SO IT'S ONLY ONE.

BUT IS THAT ANYWHERE ELSE IN ANY OF OUR USES BY RIGHT, AND ANY OTHER DESIGNATION? SO IT'S REFERENCING BACK TO THAT.

HE'S STILL WORKING ON THAT FIRST QUESTION, DON'T YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THE ANSWER TO BOTH IS THE SAME.

I'M JUST OKAY. THIS IS THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN.

RIGHT. THERE'S REFERENCE TO THIS.

AND THEN IT'S REFERENCED TO THIS.

AND I'M WORKING MY WAY BACK THE CHAIN TO MAKE SURE BEFORE I SAY NOW I'M BACK TO RA.

AND NOW THAT'S GOING TO REFERENCE BACK TO RR.

NO, THIS IS WHY WE'RE CLEANING IT UP.

THIS IS WHY WE'RE CLEANING IT UP. EXACTLY.

SO YES, IF YOU GO BACK ALL THE WAY, RANT FOR JUST A SECOND.

WE HISTORICALLY BUILT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE OFF OF THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT FOR SOME REASON, WHICH IS USUALLY ONE OF THE MOST RESTRICTIVE.

BUT OURS IS NOT. BUT OURS IS NOT.

YEAH, IT HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS.

AND SO AS I FLICK BACK TO THAT, THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS KEEPING OF CHICKENS AND RABBITS, THAT'S WHERE THE CHICKEN CHICKENS CAME FROM.

[00:50:03]

THAT'S WHERE THE GARAGE SALE STANDARDS ARE.

AND THAT IS WHERE THE PRIVATE, NONCOMMERCIAL KENNEL STANDARDS IS AS WELL.

SO IN YOUR ULTIMATE VERSION OF WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN RN OR SOME OTHER DESIGNATION THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE CLEANUP, CORRECT? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE IF WE'RE REALLY THINKING BIG PICTURE HERE, WE NEED TO REALLY SEPARATE OUR ZONING ORDINANCES, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, YOU'VE KIND OF HIT ON SOMETHING IN THEORY.

IN THEORY, YOU CAN HAVE A PRIVATE, NONCOMMERCIAL KENNEL ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

ALMOST ANYWHERE. THE WAY OUR ORDINANCE IS SET UP, RIGHT, YOU START AS YOU START REFERENCING BACK ALMOST EVERYTHING REFERENCES BACK TO THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IN SOME WAY AT SOME POINT.

AND SO IN SOME PLACES IT MIGHT BE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

BUT IN A LOT OF DISTRICTS IT'S GOING TO SAY PERMITTED USES, ALL USES PERMITTED IN FIRST WILL GO TO THE RA AND THEN IT'LL GO TO THE RR AND THEN THE RR.

PERMITTED USES. THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THEM BECAUSE RURAL RESIDENTIAL RIGHT.

YOU CAN ALLOW KEEPING OF CHICKENS.

THAT'S WHERE THE GARAGE SALE STANDARDS ARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE HOME OCCUPATION STANDARDS ARE.

SO LIKE SO NOT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THIS AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU HERE ALL NIGHT BECAUSE I COULD.

BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO FEEL A LOT OF THINGS OUT OF THE RR DISTRICT AND PUT THEM INTO THE SUPPLEMENTAL USES CATEGORY, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T DO THAT TO BEGIN WITH. SO THAT WAY HOME OCCUPATIONS HAVE THEIR OWN STANDARDS.

HERE'S THE STANDARD KEEPING OF CHICKEN AND RABBITS HAVE THEIR OWN STANDARD.

HERE'S THE STANDARD.

AS OPPOSED TO THIS CONSTANT CROSS-REFERENCE.

THIS IS NOT HOW I THIS IS NOT HOW I WRITE ORDINANCES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SLOWLY START CARVING THIS OUT.

HAVE YOU PUT TOGETHER A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN YOU MIGHT REVIEW THIS AGAIN.

NO STAFF IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO FINALIZE A DRAFT OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE, WHICH I BELIEVE WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AN EARLY DRAFT OF THAT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.

SO THAT'S BEEN OUR FOCUS FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO GET THAT ONE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL ISSUES.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. WE'LL BE BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

NEXT UP IS ITEM 13 B, WHICH WE HAVE LISTED AS TOWNSHIP MANAGER INTERVIEW SLASH HIRING.

[13.B. Township Manager Interview/Hiring]

IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.

OTHERWISE, WE CAN PERCOLATE ON IT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AND WE'LL BE HEARING FROM AMY CELL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WITH THE CONSOLIDATED COMMENTS FROM BOTH THE INTERVIEWS AND ALSO FROM OUR RECEPTION.

TRUSTEE PRECISE QUESTION.

I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE DISCUSSION OF THE INTERVIEWS, PARTICULARLY AT THIS POINT.

BUT AMY CELL IS COLLECTING COMMENTS ON THIS.

DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG SHE WILL ACCEPT THOSE? SO MY UNDERSTANDING WAS BARBIE HAS COLLECTED THE COMMENTS SHEET THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF FOLKS DID FILL OUT THE COMMENT CARDS AFTER THE PUBLIC RECEPTION AND PLACED THOSE IN THE BIN.

SO SHE IS ALSO COLLATING THOSE RESPONSES, AND INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE THOSE RESPONSES TO US IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

OKAY, SO SHE WASN'T OPENING A WINDOW FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT WANT TO WATCH THIS TO TO COMMENT.

OF COURSE, ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE OF COURSE ABLE TO EMAIL US AT BOARD AT MERIDIANI US IF THEY WISH TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY IF THEY WERE WATCHING AT HOME.

AND THAT CERTAINLY IS ACCEPTABLE.

BUT NO, THERE WAS NO MECHANISM THAT I WAS UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE WOULD COLLECT.

I WAS JUST CHECKING IF THERE WAS A MECHANISM, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED TO CHECK ONLINE TO WATCH THE INTERVIEWS. I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON YOUTUBE.

THEY MAY BE SOME OTHER PLACE, BUT I WOULD ASK THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE ON HOME TEAM, BUT I LIVE, BUT AT ANY RATE COMCAST.

YEAH. AT ANY RATE I WOULD ASK THAT THERE BE A LINK PLACED ON THE WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WHO WISHED TO WATCH THE INTERVIEWS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND.

SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE IT LOOKS LIKE 52 SECONDS OF IT IS UP ALREADY ON MTV'S WEBSITE. YEAH.

SO SOME WERE OUT IN THE ETHER.

OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS ALWAYS WATCHING.

RIGHT. AND PERHAPS THEY COULD PUT A PROMINENT LINK SOMEWHERE IF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.

THEY CAN FIND THAT ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE, SO.

THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD NOTE.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR BEFORE WE BREAK ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC.

CLARK DAVIS. YEAH, I JUST HAVE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS.

IS THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.

[00:55:02]

SO WE CAN HAVE MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.

I THOUGHT THE PUBLIC MEET AND GREET, WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND TO HEAR SOME PUBLIC FEEDBACK.

AND JUST THAT WE HOLD A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR COMMUNITY TO ENSURE WE'RE MAKING THE MOST INFORMED DECISIONS POSSIBLE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR, FOR INCLUDING QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF THE CANDIDATES ABOUT THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US. AND WE ASKED THEM SPECIFICALLY, HOW WILL YOU COMMUNICATE AND HOW WILL YOU BUILD THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY? IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND BACKING UP WHAT CLARK SAYS THIS IS, THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THIS BOARD WILL MAKE.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE DELIBERATIVE ABOUT IT.

WE GAVE OURSELVES LOTS OF TIME FOR THESE QUESTIONS TODAY.

THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS TAKEN LONGER THAN WE MIGHT HAVE LIKED.

BUT WE'RE DOING IT METHODICALLY, CORRECTLY, AND IN A WAY THAT'S VERY TRANSPARENT.

SO I TOO AM GLAD WE'RE WAITING TWO WEEKS.

WE'LL HAVE THE TIME.

AND OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMENT IN TWO WEEKS AND MAKE OUR DECISION, ASSUMING WE ALREADY DECIDED ON A CANDIDATE.

SURE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, I'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO CAME OUT TO MEET OUR THREE MANAGERIAL CANDIDATES.

THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF WHO TOOK THE TIME AFTER WORK TO STOP BY AND SAY HELLO AND GET TO KNOW AT LEAST THEY GOT TO KNOW OUR NEXT MANAGER, WHOMEVER THAT MAY BE. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CANDIDATES FOR TAKING MOST OF THEIR AFTERNOON TODAY TO BE HERE WITH US TO ANSWER A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I, FOR ONE, AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAD THREE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES COME IN.

AND I THINK THAT REGARDLESS OF WHO WE CHOOSE, WE'RE GOING TO BE WELL SERVED.

SO WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT THIS EVENING.

SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 6:56 P.M.

NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 15.

OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

ADJOURNMENT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE'LL STAND ADJOURNED AT 6:57 P.M.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.