Dec 17, 2024 Township Board

[00:02:08]

MIC] . ALL RIGHT.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

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

WILL EVERYONE WHO IS ABLE PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US 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.

THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS ROLL CALL.

WILL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? . ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

THANK YOU. DEPUTY CLERK.

GORDON. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FOUR, A INTRODUCTION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS.

[4. PRESENTATION]

AND TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION AS CHIEF GRILLO, WE'RE WELCOMING SARAH HANSON AND TAYLOR BERMAN.

YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US AGAIN.

I'VE GOT TWO MORE SUCCESS STORIES FROM OUR RECRUITING AND RETENTION PROGRAM.

AS YOU SAID, WE HAVE SARAH HANSON, AND WE HAVE TAYLOR BURMAN.

BOTH ARE FORMER CADETS OF OURS.

THAT'S HOW THEY CAME TO US.

WE'LL START WITH SARAH. SARAH WAS, SHE WENT TO NORTHVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE PLAYED SOCCER WHILE SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

NO. I'M SORRY. SHE PLAYED HOCKEY.

I TOLD HIM I WASN'T GOING TO DO THAT, AND I DID IT ALREADY.

SHE PLAYED HOCKEY WHILE SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE, GOT HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND WORKED AT BUDDY'S PIZZA ACTUALLY FOR A MINUTE, AND DECIDED SHE WANTED TO COME GET A PART TIME JOB WITH US. SO WE HIRED HER AS A CADET.

SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB.

SHE BECAME OUR LEAD CADET AND WAS OUR LEAD CADET UNTIL SHE LEFT FOR THE POLICE ACADEMY.

SO SHE IS ONE THAT WE SPONSORED.

AND TAYLOR BERMAN IS HERE AS WELL.

SHE WENT TO CENTRAL.

I'M SORRY. NO. WALLED LAKE.

CENTRAL. EXCUSE ME.

WHERE? SHE PLAYED SOCCER.

SHE ACTUALLY WAS A KIND OF A SOCCER SUPERSTAR.

SHE. SHE WENT DOWN TO AN ACADEMY IN FLORIDA AND PLAYED DOWN THERE FOR A WHILE BEFORE SHE CAME BACK UP HERE AND GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

ALSO WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE, GOT A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BECAME A CADET FOR US AND AGAIN DID A FANTASTIC JOB.

AND SO WE WERE EXCITED TO OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AT SPONSORSHIP.

[00:05:02]

IN FACT, SARAH WON THE REPORT WRITING AWARD, AND THERE WAS HOW MANY RECRUITS? 37? 37 RECRUITS.

AND SHE WAS THE ONE WHO WROTE THE BEST REPORT IN ALL OF THE ACADEMY.

SO VERY PROUD OF THAT AND VERY PROUD OF JUST THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SO FAR.

WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY WHAT THEY'LL DO FOR US.

SO SARAH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE GETTING THE CHANCE TO CONTINUE WORKING HERE.

I LOVED WORKING HERE AS A CADET, SO I APPRECIATE BEING SPONSORED THROUGH THE ACADEMY.

I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE WORKING FOR YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR HAVING US.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET STARTED AND GET TO KNOW YOU GUYS MORE.

AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THE SPONSORSHIP.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? CERTAINLY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING THE TEAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD.

THANK YOU. INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

THANK YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. WELCOME TO THE TEAM.

CONGRATS. THANKS.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELCOME. WELCOME ABOARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANOTHER ONE. THANK YOU.

OH, SORRY. OKAY.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

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

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS OUR AGENDA, OR ANY ITEM NOT ON OUR AGENDA, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AS WELL AS NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING. THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN CARD, WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE TABLE NEAR THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO THE BOARD MEMBER OR THEIR STAFF PRIOR TO THE START OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, SUPERVISOR, THAT'S ME.

WE'LL CALL YOU UP TO THIS NEXT CALL UP THE NEXT SPEAKER TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.

WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT IS HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES IF YOU WILL PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS.

CITIZENS ARE LIMITED TO, REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.

AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME, AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT AND BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOU HAVE 30S REMAINING AND WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT FROM OUR PUBLIC.

THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES RESTRICT MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH COMMENTERS OR ANSWERING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY BOARD MEMBERS AT A LATER TIME, OR MAY BE REFERRED TO BY A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON.

PLEASE ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD AND OR THE BOARD BOARD'S CHAIR, AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE.

WITH THAT SAID, I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF GREEN CARDS THIS EVENING.

OUR FIRST GREEN CARD IS FROM KURT ARMBRUSTER AND THEN RON ARTEST.

RON ERNST.

I'D LIKE TO PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.

AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF HANDOUTS THAT WE RECEIVED, AND WE'D ASK THAT WITHOUT OBJECTION, THEY'D BE ENTERED INTO THE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE PACKET WHEN THIS IS APPROVED.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR UP.

MR. ARMBRUSTER. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS KURT ARMBRUSTER.

I LIVE AT 6411 EAST REYNOLDS ROAD IN HASLETT, MICHIGAN.

AND THAT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE.

I LIVE ON THE LAKE ON THE NORTH SIDE WHERE PERRY ROAD COMES DOWN.

ROD, WHO WILL COME UP NEXT? AND I AM HERE TO BRING THE EAST REYNOLDS PAVING JOB TO YOUR ATTENTION.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY, AND THEN ROD'S GOING TO ASK FOR SOME ACTION.

KIND OF, YOU KNOW ACTION EVENTS IN TERMS OF HISTORY.

YOU ALL RECEIVED A LETTER FROM US, AND FROM 40 SIGNED BY, I THINK, ROUGHLY 40 RESIDENTS ON EAST REYNOLDS ROAD OBJECTING TO THE PAVING PROJECT.

AND THAT WAS IN YOUR JULY PACKET.

AND AMAZINGLY OR MAYBE NOT AMAZINGLY, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ONE WORD FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

ABOUT THAT LETTER.

NOBODY FROM THIS BOARD CONTACTED US.

NOT ONE.

WHOEVER OUR TRUSTEE IS FOR OUR AREA DIDN'T TRUST CONTACT US.

AND. NO, NOBODY.

TIM OR THE MAJOR.

NOBODY CONTACTED US.

WE DID HAVE SOME CONTACT FROM JANICE USERIDS.

[00:10:07]

A LITTLE BACKGROUND HISTORY.

ALL THE PROPERTIES AND ALL THE DRIVEWAYS ON EAST REYNOLDS ROAD USED TO BE TOTALLY DRY.

AND THE REASON THEY WERE DRY IS BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS LOWER THAN ALL THE DRIVEWAYS AND LOWER THAN THE PROPERTIES, AND SO THE WATER WOULD FLOW DOWN THE ROAD.

AND LET ME JUST BACK UP FOR A SECOND, JUST TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE.

HERE'S THE LAKE.

HERE'S THE PROPERTIES THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT ON EAST REYNOLDS, HERE'S EAST REYNOLDS ROAD, AND THEN UP HERE IS THE SWAMP OR THE OR THE WETLANDS, WHICH WOULD BE TO THE NORTH. SO THIS WOULD BE NORTH END OF THE LAKE, EAST REYNOLDS ROAD AND THEN THE WETLANDS.

SO IN THIS AREA THE ROAD WAS ALWAYS LOWER.

SO THE WATER ALWAYS FLOWED ACROSS THE ROAD INTO THE WETLANDS OR IN SOME CASES WHERE WE'RE LIVING ON HILLS, IT ROLLED DOWN THE ROAD AND THEN INTO THE WETLANDS.

AND SO ALL OF OUR DRIVEWAYS WERE ALWAYS DRY.

OUR DRIVEWAYS IN INCIDENTALLY, ARE ALSO OUR SIDEWALKS.

WAS THAT A THREE MINUTE? THAT WAS THE 32ND WARNING.

OH, OKAY.

I'M OUT. CAN I ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER TIME HERE? YOU HAVE A MINUTE MORE? YEAH.

OKAY. OUR DRIVEWAYS ARE ALWAYS DRY BECAUSE WATER FLOWS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN DOWN THE ROAD AND INTO THE SWAMP.

WHEN THEY PUT THE NEW ROAD IN, THEY RAISE THE ROAD SIX INCHES.

AT LEAST MY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.

IT GOT RAISED SIX INCHES THE DRAWING CALLED FOR 4.5IN.

AND SO NOW WHAT? EVERYBODY, INCLUDING ME AND I'LL JUST DESCRIBE MY HOUSE IS MY HOUSE SITS UP HERE.

DRIVEWAY GOES DOWN.

AND THEN THERE'S A RAMP LIKE THAT OF ASPHALT GOING UP TO THE ROAD UP HERE, SIX INCHES HIGHER THAN MY DRIVEWAY.

IN THE WINTERTIME, WATER'S IN THE DRIVEWAY.

IT CAN'T GO LEFT OR RIGHT BECAUSE OF SNOWBANKS AND WHATEVER, AND IT CAN'T GO DOWN THE ROAD LIKE IT USED TO.

SO NOW I GOT A SIX INCH PUDDLE OF WATER, EIGHT FEET DEEP, 16FT WIDE, NOT ONLY IN MY DRIVEWAY, BUT IN MY SIDEWALK, BECAUSE THAT IS MY SIDEWALK AS IT IS WITH ALMOST ALL THE HOUSES ON OUR LAKE.

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM TO SOME DEGREE.

SO MY NEIGHBORS ONLY MAYBE GOT TWO INCHES.

ANOTHER NEIGHBOR MIGHT HAVE THREE INCHES, BUT IT MIGHT BE 12FT DEEP OR WHATEVER.

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ROD ERNST AND MICHAEL CHRISTIE IS ON DECK.

GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. ROD. MY NAME IS ROD ERNST.

MY ADDRESS IS 6353 EAST REYNOLDS.

AND I'M MIRRORING WHAT KURT HAD SAID.

HE HAD. I DID NOT INCLUDE IT IN THE PACKET, BUT KURT HAD TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS IN MAY OF 23.

I HAVE EMAILS WHERE HE WAS WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO PAVE THE ROAD AND INCREASE IT.

I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE WHAT THE RAMIFICATION WOULD BE, BUT WHAT I SENT YOU IN THE PACKET OF PICTURES PICTURE NUMBER ONE IS MY HOUSE.

I NEVER HAD THAT MUCH WATER.

AND THEN I CAN GIVE YOU 15 PICTURES.

BUT THE POINT IS, IN THE SUMMER, IT'S A MESS BECAUSE OF WATER.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GET WATER RUNNING IN THEIR GARAGES.

OUR CONCERN IS IN THE WINTER, THIS IS GOING TO BE, I THINK, A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.

ICE SKATING RINK.

PEOPLE DELIVERING PACKAGES FROM FEDEX TO, YOU KNOW, PRIME TO WHATEVER.

AND LIKE, KURT HAS A GRANDCHILD THAT LIVES THERE.

YOU KNOW, PICK ME UP AT A BUS.

SMALL KIDS WALKING. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ICE PAD.

AND JANICE, WHO CAME AND TALKED ABOUT MY SOLUTION, WAS TO DIG A DITCH SO THAT MY WATER, MY NEIGHBOR'S WATER GOES ACROSS MY LAND TO MY NEIGHBOR'S LAND. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION.

SO BOTTOM LINE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN AUGUST, WE SENT A LETTER, TOO, SIGNED BY 43 RESIDENTS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST KURT AND I ASKING FOR MAYBE A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT WHAT THE SOLUTION IS GOING TO BE.

WE COULD HAVE MORE SIGN, BUT WE THOUGHT AT 43 IT WAS FINE.

WE'VE HAD NO RESPONSE SINCE AUGUST.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR HERE IS WHAT'S OUR NEXT STEP? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN YOU DO? WHO SHOULD WE BE GOING TO BESIDES YOU TO KIND OF GET THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED?

[00:15:02]

BUT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY MY JOB HERE IS KURT CAN GIVE YOU MORE HISTORY AND WE CAN RESPECT WE CAN GIVE YOU WHATEVER WE NEED.

BUT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR NEXT STEP IS.

SO MIKE, DO YOU HAVE A? DO YOU WANT TO TALK OR NOT? OKAY. MICHAEL CHRISTIE AND THEN THAT IS THE LAST GREEN CARD.

IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE FILL OUT A GREEN CARD AT THE DOOR THERE.

AND IT'S ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WILL HAVE IT BROUGHT UP TO US.

MICHAEL. MICHAEL CHRISTIE, 6399 EAST REYNOLDS ROAD.

THE YOU IMPACTED MY PROPERTY IN A NEGATIVE WAY, AND I WILL EXPLAIN.

MY GARAGE FLOOR USED TO BE HIGHER THAN THE ROAD.

THE ROAD IS SIX INCHES HIGHER THAN MY GARAGE FLOOR NOW.

AND NOW THEY CREATED A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR ALL MY NEIGHBORS, MY WIFE, MYSELF, DELIVERY PEOPLE, FAMILY, FRIENDS. BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THEY INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE OLD ROAD, THEY PUT THE NEW ROAD ON TOP.

AND SO, THERE'S MY DRIVEWAY IS SIX INCHES LOWER, LIKE MY GARAGE, SIX INCHES LOWER THAN THE ROAD NOW.

SO THEY'VE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED MY PROPERTY.

AND IN NEW SUBDIVISIONS, THEY ALWAYS MAKE THE ROAD LOWER SO IT HOLDS THE WATER WHEN YOU HAVE FLOODING OR STORM CONDITIONS OR EXTRAORDINARY SNOWSTORMS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO THEREFORE, THEY'VE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED MY PROPERTY AND IT'S CREATED A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY WIFE, MY NEIGHBORS, MY FRIENDS, DELIVERY PEOPLE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I HOPE YOU TAKE ALL THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NO ONE RUSHING TO THE GREEN CARDS, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 6:16 P.M.

JUST IN CASE. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX.

[6. INTERIM TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

WE'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO OUR INTERIM TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

TIM SCHMITT. YEAH.

YOU SHOULD BE DOWN HERE.

SO. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY FOLLOW UP WITH SOME MORE DETAILS ON THE REYNOLDS ROAD SITUATION.

IT'S VERY COMPLICATED THING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING.

STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON A LOT BOTH RECENTLY AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THERE THAT WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON.

I WILL POINT OUT THE FIRE TRUCK IS GENTLEMEN.

GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

CAN YOU TAKE IT TO THE HALLWAY, PLEASE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I THE FIRE TRUCK, OUR NEWEST FIRE TRUCK IS BEING INSPECTED RIGHT NOW IN OHIO, AND WE SHOULD TAKE DELIVERY EARLY NEXT WEEK.

IT LOOKS GREAT.

WE'LL HAVE SOME PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC TO SEE AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT.

HARRIS NATURE CENTER.

IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO JOIN US LAST WEEK ON A VERY COLD DAY, THEY DEDICATED THE NEW LOGJAM STRUCTURE.

THAT WAS THROUGH FUNDRAISING WITH FOUNDATION, KIWANIS AND ROTARY.

IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THIS COLD, COLD WINTER.

NEXT UP IS THE HAWKS NEST, WHICH, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE TO SEE THE RENDERING OF IT.

PRETTY COOL IDEA.

IT'LL BE A ONE OF A KIND, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY WOULD WELCOME ANY SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THAT PROJECT.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK UP THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, THEIR FOUNDATION IS A GREAT FUNDRAISING ARM AND HELPS US OUT TREMENDOUSLY WITH THAT FACILITY.

DEER MANAGEMENT, THIS YEAR WE'RE AT 132 DEER AS OF MONDAY.

ROUGHLY ON TRACK WITH YEARS PAST.

BOW SEASON LASTS UNTIL JANUARY 15TH AND THEN THE PD WILL TAKE OVER AFTER THAT.

WE ARE AUTHORIZED FOR 300 IN OUR CALL THROUGH DNR.

YOU MET TWO OF THE NEWEST POLICE OFFICERS THIS EVENING ON JANUARY 6TH.

WILL SWEAR IN ANOTHER ABBY GORDON.

AND THAT GETS US TO 40 SWORN OFFICERS.

WE'LL ALSO ON THE SIXTH WE HAVE TWO PROMOTIONS COMING UP AT BEST WILL BE PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT, AND DOUG STRAUSS GETS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT.

SO DOING GREAT THINGS OVER IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AGAIN, A DIRECT RESULT OF THE BOARD'S RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM.

THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE CONTINUES TO MEET WHERE WE HAD SOME GREAT MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST MONTH, AND OUR CONSULTANTS AND STAFF ARE WORKING ON BRINGING

[00:20:03]

THE BOARD WILL ALSO GET AN UPDATE FROM THE TASK FORCE IN JANUARY, PER THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE THAT WE LAID OUT TO REPORT BACK.

AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.

IF I DON'T SEE YOU BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, HOPE YOU TRAVEL SAFE AND HOPE SANTA BRINGS YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT UNDER THE TREE THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR INTERIM MANAGER SCHMIDT? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

TRUSTEE WILSON.

I WAS SO PLEASED TO PARTICIPATE ON SATURDAY WITH SANTA FIRST RESPONDERS PARTY.

THIS IS AN EFFORT PUT ON BY THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO GIVE HAVE A MEAL AND ALSO HAVE TOYS FOR CHILDREN, HIGH VALUE TOYS.

AND IT WAS A SMASHING SUCCESS.

I TALKED TO THE ORIGINATOR OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS, GAYLORD MANKOWSKI.

JUST TODAY. HE TOLD ME 260 LOW INCOME KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE SERVED BY THIS PARTY, SO IT WAS A THRILL TO BE THERE.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR MANY YEARS AND IT'S A 32ND PARTY LIKE THIS.

SO BUT IT WAS THE BIGGEST ONE EVER.

SO, GAYLORD'S GOT MORE IDEAS OF WHAT WE CAN DO.

SO I WAS REALLY THRILLED WITH THAT.

THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO TOUT IS THAT OUR ROTARY CLUB, PHIL AND I BELONG TO ROTARY.

WE DELIVERED 100 HOLIDAY BASKETS LAST THURSDAY TO GRANGE ACRES, SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE EATING WELL UP THERE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS.

CLARK DEMAS. YEAH, I HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS TO SHARE.

IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING COUPLE OF WEEKS.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE AGAIN OUR NEW POLICE OFFICERS, OFFICER HANSON AND OFFICER BERMAN.

I HAD THE HONOR OF SWEARING THEM IN YESTERDAY.

AND I WANT TO THANK OFFICER GRILLO AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SUCH A GREAT CEREMONY.

LAST WEEK, BILL, PETER AND I WENT TO THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.

AND THAT WAS FOR THE NEW LOG JAM PLAY FEATURE AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER.

SO JUST THANK YOU TO OUR PARK AND LAND PRESERVATION SUPERINTENDENT, KATIE ADAMS, AND ALSO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, COURTNEY WISINSKI.

AND SHE SHARED THAT THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A VERY GENEROUS DONATION FROM THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER FOUNDATION AND THE KIWANIS CLUB OF HASLETT AND OKEMOS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THEM.

LAST WEEKEND I WENT TO THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN'S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE EVENTS.

WE GOT TO SEE AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE FROM THE RENAISSANCE SINGERS AND WATCH THE ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE A LOT OF FAMILIES THERE, AND I WAS ALSO ABLE TO SUPPORT THE FRIENDS OF THE OKEMOS LIBRARY FOR THEIR BOOK SALE LAST WEEKEND.

AND I KNOW MYRNA WAS ALSO THERE HELPING OUT AND I HOPE THE BOOK SALE WAS A SUCCESS.

HUGE. YEAH.

AND THOSE ARE ALL MY UPDATES BEFORE THE NEW YEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU.

I AM WEARING A MASK TODAY BECAUSE I'M JUST GETTING OVER A COLD.

AND FOR THE SAKE OF CAUTION, I AM ASKING NOT TO MAKE SURE IF I HAVE ANY GERMS. THEY STAY RIGHT HERE.

I WAS AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER AS WELL FOR THE LOGJAM RIBBON CUTTING.

I WANT TO THANK THE KIWANIS CLUB MEMBERS WHO HAVE DONATED AROUND $10,000 TO THE HARRISON NATURE CENTER JUST THIS YEAR, AND TO THOSE WHO SUBSCRIBED TO FLAGS OVER MERIDIAN.

AND THAT'S HOW THIS CLUB GETS ITS MONEY TO DONATE TO GOOD PROJECTS.

SO ALL OF YOU THAT SUBSCRIBE EVERY YEAR TO FLAGS, YOUR MONEY'S BEING PUT TO GOOD USE.

I DO WANT TO SAY TOWNSHIP OFFICES WILL BE OPEN 8 TO 5 ON DECEMBER 23RD, 26TH, 27TH IN THE 30TH.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME IN AND PAY THEIR TAXES IN PERSON BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I'LL SIMPLY ADD IN ADDITION TO TIM'S UPDATE WE DID HAVE OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE MEETING LAST TUESDAY.

WE ARE NOW TRANSITIONING FROM COLLECTING IDEAS TO LET'S START TO TALK ABOUT MONEY.

AND SO WE HAD SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.

WITH WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION COMING IN JANUARY.

AS TIM POINTED OUT AT OUR JANUARY 7TH MEETING, WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF, WELL, AT LEAST ONE TASK FORCE MEMBER HERE TO GIVE US OUR UPDATE.

SO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM EIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA TO BE A MOTION FOR THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OR SORRY? ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

THIS EVENING, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD.

THREE SETS OF MINUTES.

[00:25:01]

WE DO HAVE ONE SET OF CLOSED SESSION MINUTES THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU AT YOUR PLACES.

WE'LL ASK THAT YOU TAKE A MOMENT AS I READ THROUGH THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA TO REVIEW THE CLOSED SESSION MINUTES.

AND THEN WE'LL COLLECT THOSE BACK FROM YOU AND LEAVE THOSE WITH US.

ONCE THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED.

THE OTHER TWO SETS ARE FROM OUR DECEMBER 3RD SPECIAL MEETING AND REGULAR MEETINGS.

WE HAVE THE BILLS, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH BETWEEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND MDOT RELATING TO THEIR PROJECT OVER THE M43 BRIDGE.

A COUPLE OF VEHICLES TO DISPOSE OF.

WE ARE LOOKING TO APPOINT JAMES CURTIS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

REAPPOINT. REALLY? AND APPOINT BILL FOWLER.

WILLIAM FOWLER TO OUR BOARD OF REVIEW, AS WELL AS APPROVING THE 2025 NONUNION WAGE SCHEDULE, WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU SAW IN YOUR PACKETS AS WELL.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I WOULD ASK THAT WE CONSIDER MAKING SLIGHT AMENDMENTS TO.

FOR OUR DECEMBER 3RD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES ON PAGE SEVEN OR ITEM SEVEN, RATHER, THERE WAS AN INCORRECT SPELLING OF NOKOMIS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NOKOMIS ART FAIR.

AND THEN IN NINE D IN THE MOTION THERE WAS A MISSPELLING OF THE WORD PROJECT.

SO JUST IF WE COULD IF I COULD ASK OUR MOTION MAKER TO CORRECT THE SPELLINGS ON THOSE TWO ITEMS, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH SPELLING CORRECTIONS.

MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY CLERK DEMUS.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE, WILL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

CARRIES. THANK YOU.

AND THEN. BOARD MEMBERS. IF YOU COULD PASS THE CLOSED SESSION.

MINUTES IN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO.

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

WE HAVE NONE. ITEM 11 HEARINGS.

WE HAVE NONE. ITEM 12.A THEN IS WHAT WE FIND OURSELVES AT.

[12.A. Township Manager Interview/Hiring]

AND BEFORE US THIS EVENING, WE HAVE OUR DECISION TO MAKE.

AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF WE SORT OF GO OVER THE PROCESS INITIALLY AND THEN TALK THROUGH OUR THOUGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THAT COURSE OF THAT TIME.

SO WE OBVIOUSLY STARTED THIS PROCESS BACK IN LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE BY PUTTING OUT AN RFP, LOOKING FOR A FIRM TO ASSIST US WITH THE PROCESS OF FINDING OUR NEXT TOWNSHIP MANAGER, AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.

APPLICANTS APPLY TO ASSIST US.

AND THE BOARD IN AUGUST CHOSE A TALENT.

AMY SELL IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING, BY THE WAY.

AND AFTER THAT THERE WERE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH BOARD MEMBERS, KEY STAFF MEMBERS, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND OTHER FOLKS OF INTEREST TO IDENTIFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB AND PUT TOGETHER A JOB POSTING.

THE BOARD APPROVED THAT AND APPLICATIONS WERE ACCEPTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.

OVERALL, WE HAD 57 APPLICANTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND WE WERE VERY, VERY PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH A NUMBER OF FINALISTS TO CONSIDER SELECTING OUR NEXT MANAGER FROM THE BOARD INVITED THREE OF THOSE FINALISTS TO OUR DECEMBER 3RD SPECIAL MEETING.

TO INTERVIEW THEM.

THIS INCLUDED OUR CURRENT INTERIM MANAGER, TIMOTHY SCHMIDT.

TIM DEMPSEY AND ROB HILLARD.

ALL THREE GENTLEMEN WERE ABLE TO JOIN US FOR INTERVIEWS, AND I THINK WE HAD THREE VERY GOOD INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE CANDIDATES.

AND AFTER WHICH WE HAD A PUBLIC MEET AND GREET RECEPTION.

WE HAD LARGELY TOWNSHIP STAFF COME DOWN AND INVISIBLE.

WE DID A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

AND GET A CHANCE TO MEET OUR MANAGERIAL CANDIDATES.

AND ALSO PROVIDE COMMENT CARDS AND FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD CONSOLIDATED BY AMY SELL TALENT AND SENT OVER TO US FOR OUR CONSIDERATION. AND SO WE FIND OURSELVES HERE THIS EVENING.

CONSIDERING THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER APPLICATIONS FOR ROB HILLARD, TIM DEMPSEY AND TIM SCHMIDT.

[00:30:01]

WE DO HAVE TWO MOTIONS WHICH WE SHOULD CONSIDER SEPARATELY.

THE FIRST, IF WE ARE READY TO OFFER THE POSITION TO ONE OF OUR THREE CANDIDATES, IS THERE.

AND THE SECOND WOULD BE TO AUTHORIZE MYSELF TO WORK WITH THE LEGAL COUNSEL AND OUR HR DEPARTMENT TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH WHOEVER WE CHOOSE.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU.

WE DID HAVE THREE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES THAT WERE THE FINALISTS THAT WE INTERVIEWED HERE TWO WEEKS AGO.

AS WE INTERVIEWED THEM AND ASKED THEM QUESTIONS, WE ALL HAD TALLY SHEETS WHERE WE COULD RECORD ESSENTIALLY SCORING ON VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF LOOKING FOR THAT, FOR THAT CANDIDATE.

AND THEN WE COMPILED THOSE SCORES FOR US.

AND SO WE COULD WITHOUT COLLABORATING, WE COULD ALL SEE THE CUMULATIVE SCORE.

AND THE RESULTS WERE PRETTY DEFINITIVE.

MR. DEMPSEY SCORED 44 EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS ON OUR CRITERIA.

THIS WAS NEARLY TWICE THE SCORE OF THE OTHER TWO CANDIDATES.

ALL THREE WERE GOOD ROBERT HILLARD.

MR. DEMPSEY, AND CERTAINLY OUR ACTING MANAGER, TIM SCHMIDT.

BUT MR. TIM DEMPSEY REALLY STOOD OUT.

AND I THINK HIS SCORES REFLECTED THAT.

I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY HIM AND IMPRESSED BY ALL THREE, BUT ESPECIALLY MR. DEMPSEY. AND I THINK HE WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

EXCELLENT. AS OUR NEXT TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE WILSON.

WHEN I LOOKED AT ALL OF THE THREE APPLICANTS, ALL OF WHOM I THINK WOULD SERVE US WELL, I LOOKED FOR STRENGTH IN THE STEADY HAND TO GUIDE OUR TOWNSHIP AS THE MANAGER FOR THE NEXT NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THERE WAS HIS EXPERIENCE FROM EVERYBODY, AND I WANT TO DO A SPECIAL THANKS TO TIM SCHMITT FOR ABLY COVERING US FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HUGE JOB, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU HAVE TAKEN THE REINS, BUT I DID FIND THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL ROSE TO THE TOP FOR ME BECAUSE OF NOT ONLY THE EXPERIENCE, WHICH WAS PRETTY SIMILAR FOR ALL THREE CANDIDATES, BUT THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD THE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF ALL ASPECTS OF WHAT IS DONE IN THIS TOWNSHIP.

SO THAT INCLUDES FISCAL POLICY, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, THINGS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LACKING WITH OTHER CANDIDATES. THIS INDIVIDUAL ALSO WAS THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO OUR SISTER CITY TO THE WEST, EAST LANSING.

AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS AND REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED, I FELT THAT THE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE AND THAT STEADY HAND WOULD BE BEST EXECUTED BY TIM DEMPSEY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

YEAH. I WANT TO START BY THANKING ALL THREE CANDIDATES.

ALL OF THEM HAVE A LOT TO OFFER OUR TOWNSHIP.

I THINK THE INTERVIEWS AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK MADE A BIG, A BIG IMPACT.

AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ONE CANDIDATE IN PARTICULAR ROSE ABOVE AND BEYOND AND EXCEEDED MANY OF THE EXPECTATIONS SET FOR THIS POSITION.

THIS INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITED A LOT OF VALUABLE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS, AS WELL AS HAVING EXPERIENCE WITH BUDGETING, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC POLICY.

OVERALL, THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES TO MANAGE A MUNICIPALITY, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH HIS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

I WAS IMPRESSED BY HIS COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND I FELT LIKE THIS INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSES WERE MORE DETAILED AND INDIVIDUAL BASED.

SO FOR THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT I WOULD SUPPORT HAVING MR. DEMPSEY FILL THE POSITION OF OUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

TRUSTEE. THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO START OUT BY THANKING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SENT EMAILS TO US AS A BOARD AND WEIGHED IN ON THIS DECISION.

YOU KNOW, AS A NEW TRUSTEE, THIS REALLY WAS YOU KNOW, A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND FROM BEING SWORN IN TO MAKING ONE OF THE BIGGEST DECISIONS WE AS A BOARD ARE GOING TO BE MAKING FOR SOME TIME.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE INPUT THAT EVERYONE GAVE TOWARDS THAT.

ECHOING SOME OF THE AREAS THAT OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE STATED BUT ALSO EXPANDING ON THAT YOU KNOW, WE ALL DESERVE GOOD LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND MR. DEMPSEY DISPLAYED A CREATIVITY IN HOW TO ENACT GOOD LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

[00:35:01]

AND FOR THAT REASON AND FOR THE OTHERS THAT YOU ALL DISPLAYED, HE REALLY DID SEEM TO BE THE TOP CANDIDATE FOR ME.

SO, TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. AND AGAIN, I ECHO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO INTERVIEWED FOR THE POSITION AND THAT YOU KNOW, WE ARE JUST EXCITED TO HAVE A GOOD SELECTION OF CANDIDATES.

AND ONE OF THE PARTICULAR CANDIDATES, YOU KNOW, ROSE TO THE SURFACE FOR ME ALSO.

HE HAD 30 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, 20 IN GOVERNMENT.

HE EXCELLED IN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORTING BUSINESS RETAIL EXPANSION, OVERSEEING A $500 MILLION NEIGHBORHOOD BUDGET AND NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

SO FOR ME MR. DEMPSEY DID RISE TO THE TOP.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE JUST REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYBODY WHO WAS INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS AND MADE US MADE US SHINE.

YOU KNOW, WE JUST APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

TRUSTEE. I WILL WEIGH IN ALSO.

I ALSO WOULD SUPPORT MR. DEMPSEY. HIS BACKGROUND WAS EXTREMELY BROAD, AND I THINK AN IMPORTANT PIECE THAT HE BRINGS TO US, IF WE GO THAT WAY, IS HIS YEARS WITH PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANTS IN DEVELOPING POLICIES AND RECOMMENDING PROGRAMS STATEWIDE FOR VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S A SKILL SET THAT ISN'T OFTEN FOUND IN PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

AND HE DID THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND DID IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY.

I THINK THAT BRINGS A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO HIM IN OUR POSITION.

I THINK HIS WORK IN EAST LANSING, WITH SOME OF THE CREATIVE FUNDING SOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HE BROUGHT IN OR SUPERVISED, BRINGING IN WOULD ALSO BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US AND HELPFUL FOR US, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT PLACES LIKE THE FOUR CORNERS. THE PICKUP ON NORTH OF THE IN THE NORTH PART OF THE TOWNSHIP.

AND I THINK HE WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT INDIVIDUAL TO BRING ON.

AND I ECHO EVERYBODY'S STATEMENT WITH REGARD TO THE QUALITY OF THE CANDIDATES.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHEN YOU POST A POSITION.

AND WE DID GET A NUMBER OF VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND THREE THESE THREE I THOUGHT WERE EXTREMELY QUALIFIED.

AND WOULD ANY ONE OF THEM DO A GOOD JOB FOR US? BUT OF THE THREE, I THINK I WOULD GO WITH MR. DEMPSEY. THANK YOU.

WELL, I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE.

YOU NEVER KNOW.

AND I WAS VERY PLEASED THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF EXCELLENT APPLICANTS.

FRANKLY, IT EVEN WENT BEYOND THE THREE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INTERVIEW.

YES. WE HAD QUITE A FEW THAT DIDN'T MAKE THAT CUT EITHER.

I THINK TWO OF THE APPLICANTS THAT WE SAW IN OUR INTERVIEWS.

TO ME WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE.

AND I THINK IT'S.

I THINK WE COULD DO WELL WITH EITHER OF THEM, MR. DEMPSEY OR MR. SCHMIDT.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO THAT YOU KNOW, IT WAS A VERY CHALLENGING TRANSITION THAT OUR INTERIM MANAGER, SCHMIDT, STEPPED INTO.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF HOW TONIGHT GOES, IT'S EXPERIENCE THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY SERVE.

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE PASSED A BALANCED BUDGET OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, EIGHT MONTHS.

WE DID NOT MISS A BEAT ON ANY OF OUR KEY INITIATIVES.

AND IN FACT, WE TOOK A NUMBER OF STEPS FORWARD.

I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, TIM SCHMITT OVER THE LAST NINE MONTHS HAS SHOWN THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE IS DEFINITELY CAPABLE OF, YOU KNOW, RUNNING AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT MR. DEMPSEY DOES BRING TO THE TABLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN MUCH OF IT'S BEEN MENTIONED HERE, AND SO I WON'T TRY TO RELITIGATE ALL OF THAT.

BUT A COUPLE OF DECADES OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE, TIME IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR DOING CONSULTING ON MUNICIPAL ISSUES ACROSS THE

[00:40:08]

YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON DESCRIBED HIM AS ONE OF THE BEST MANAGERS I'VE EVER WORKED FOR.

AND ANOTHER SAID HE WAS A VERY STABLE AND CAPABLE LEADER.

THESE ARE THESE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE STABILITY.

WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT STEADY HAND OF GUIDANCE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

SO I BELIEVE I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF EITHER OF OUR TWO CANDIDATES NAMED TIM.

BUT I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, PUSHED, PUSHED INTO IT, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE CANDIDATE THAT STICKS OUT FOR ME, THAT I WOULD PREFER WOULD BE TIM DEMPSEY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR A MOTION TO BE MADE? TREASURER DESCHAINE. I MOVE TO OFFER TIM DEMPSEY THE POSITION OF TOWNSHIP MANAGER FOR THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

SUPPORT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND SO THEN WE DO HAVE A SECOND MOTION.

TRUSTEE TREZISE.

I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR TO NEGOTIATE THE MANAGER'S CONTRACT.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.

SUPPORT MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE SECOND MOTION HERE? SEEING NONE. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? . MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12.B, THE VILLAGE OF NAMAKWA.

[12.B. Text Amendment 2024-19-RN-Village of Nemoka Update-Introduction]

WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION.

YES, SIR. SO THIS FOLLOWS UPON THE DISCUSSION WE HAD AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE VILLAGE OF MOKA DISTRICT.

AND AGAIN, APOLOGIES, WE DIDN'T GET THE MAP IN THE PACKET UNTIL MONDAY.

CRAZY WEEK LAST WEEK.

AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AREA BOUNDED BY LAKE LANSING PARK, SOUTH MARSH ROAD, ROUGHLY ONE PROPERTY NORTH OF HASLETT ROAD AND THE LAKE.

IT'S THE ONLY AREA IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT'S ZONED MN.

AND SO THIS ORDINANCE UPDATE WOULD CLARIFY LANGUAGE WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE THAT STAFF NOTICED EARLIER THIS YEAR, WAS IN CONFLICT, HAD BAD REFERENCES, JUST HAD BEEN ADDED ONTO OVER THE YEARS AND NOT CORRECTLY DONE UP.

SO THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY CREATE THE MN DISTRICT AS ITS OWN DISTRICT.

WE'RE FINALLY KIND OF GIVING IT ITS OWN LANGUAGE.

PLANNING COMMISSION HAS REVIEWED THIS PREVIOUSLY IN THE EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.

AND THE BOARD REVIEWED THIS AT YOUR DECEMBER 3RD MEETING AND HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS.

AND SO, WHAT'S IT FOR? THIS EVENING IS A RESOLUTION TO INTRODUCE THE TEXT AMENDMENT, AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK AT YOUR NEXT MEETING AFTER WE PUBLISH IT FOR FINAL ADOPTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BOARD MEMBERS. ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE TREZISE.

YEAH, I REMEMBER DEALING WITH THIS AREA WHEN I WAS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND IT WAS A ZOO.

CONFLICTS ALL OVER THE PLACE SORT OF HANGING, DESCRIPTIONS THAT DON'T FIT ANYTHING.

AND BASICALLY, A VERY BROAD RANGE OF POTENTIAL USES IN THERE.

AND I THINK THIS IS LONG OVERDUE AND PROBABLY ONLY THE FIRST STEP.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP. THIS IS TO CLARIFY THE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A OKAY WHAT'S NEXT? AND SO STAFF'S ALREADY PREPARING OUR 2025.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO TACKLE. AND THIS IS STILL ON THE LIST.

THIS DOESN'T PLACE ANYBODY IN THERE IN A NONCONFORMING USE.

NO. SO THIS WOULD NOT CHANGE ANY OF THE EXISTING USES WITHIN THE DISTRICT, NOR WOULD IT ACTUALLY CHANGE ANY OF THE DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS AT THIS POINT.

THAT CONVERSATION AND HOW WE CAN, IF WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES, WILL COME LATER NEXT YEAR OR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

THANK YOU. OTHER DISCUSSION.

WELL, I ALSO SAT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ZBA AND ZBA ALSO GOT TO HEAR QUITE A BIT FROM THIS AREA.

AND WHILE THIS MAY NOT CLEAR UP EVERYTHING, IT'S NICE TO GET A KICK START ON THE PROCESS OF STARTING TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.

[00:45:02]

AND SO, TO STARTING THE PROCESS OF THESE REFORMS, I THINK IS A GOOD THING AND WILL SERVE US WELL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN FURTHER DISCUSSION OR A MOTION? TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR INTRODUCTION TEXT AMENDMENT NUMBER 2024-09 TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AT SECTION 86-377.

TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR THE RN VILLAGE OF NAMAKWA ZONING DISTRICT.

SUPPORT BY TRUSTEE SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

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

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12.C, THE FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR 2024.

[12.C. 4th Quarter Budget Amendments]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AT PLANTE MORAN HERE.

THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND GETTING THIS SQUARED AWAY.

AND SO WHAT YOU SEE IS FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY NET POSITIVE TO THE OVERALL BUDGET IN THE YEAR.

PROJECTED USE OF FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS $972,999.

AND THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE TO THAT, WHICH I'LL GET IN JUST A SECOND.

FUNCTIONALLY, THAT MEANS THE NET CHANGE TO FUND BALANCE WAS THE COST OF THE TRUCK THAT WE PULLED FORWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION.

WHICH IN NO SMALL PART, CANDIDLY, WAS DUE TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT HAVING A RECORD YEAR.

WE HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY BUSY ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

JUST MADE FOR AN INTERESTING YEAR.

SO, THESE CHANGES THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT WE DID UNCOVER TODAY THAT I NEED TO BRING TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.

ONE A LINE ITEM 10170701821000 WILL NEED TO BE INCREASED BY $10,270. THAT IS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SECOND PAYMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.

THAT BILL CAME IN VERY LATE AND WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE ORDER.

AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

AND LINE ITEM 101172727825000 NEEDS TO NOT CHANGE.

WE ALSO GOT A LATE IRS ITEM UNDER THAT LINE ITEM THAT WILL BE THAT ONE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE MONEY OUT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED.

SO WHAT THAT LEAVES US WITH IS A PROJECTED FUND BALANCE.

AT THE END OF THE YEAR, $11,366,000 AND $254, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 5.22 MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES.

HIGHLIGHTS. YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, MOST OF THE DEPARTMENTS WERE WELL UNDER BUDGET THIS YEAR.

I WILL SAY OR AT LEAST ON BUDGET, THE, YOU KNOW, NOTICEABLY WE KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEARS NOW AND CLERK'S OFFICE FUNDING.

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO BUDGET BETTER FOR THAT IN BOTH TWO AND FOUR YEARS.

I WILL SAY WE ALSO DIDN'T FULLY INCORPORATE THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM INTO THE UNDERLYING BUDGET ITEMS. AND SO THAT'S IF YOU GO THROUGH, YOU'LL NOTE POLICE STILL HAD SOME OVERTIME ISSUES, BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE DID THE RECRUITMENT RETENTION IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRAIN THOSE PEOPLE.

AND SO THAT NATURALLY LED TO ADDITIONAL OVERTIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THERE WAS A KNOCK ON EFFECT BOTH IN POLICE AND FIRE THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ABSORB IN THE BUDGET.

THE BIG CHANGES REALLY ARE WE SOLD THE BONDS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS UNDER THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S ABOUT A $10 MILLION, A LITTLE OVER A $10 MILLION BOND OFFERING THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR NOW.

COUNTY DID COME THROUGH WITH ONE OF THE PAYMENTS FOR THE MSU LAKE LANSING TRAIL, WHICH WE DID NOT EXPECT WAS NOT ACTUALLY BUDGETED.

SO THAT IS A NET ADDITION INTEREST ACROSS THE BOARD, OBVIOUSLY IN THE CURRENT MARKET IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER.

AND SO THAT HAS HELPED SEVERAL OF THE FUND BALANCES ESPECIALLY IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

AND LASTLY, I MENTIONED THE BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE IS UP NOTICEABLY THIS YEAR DUE TO BOTH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND EVEN DOING THAT THOSE PERMITS AT A REDUCED COST TO THEM.

THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE AND A FAIRLY SIZABLE PROJECT AT DELTA DENTAL, WHICH IS JUST STARTING TO KICK OFF.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE, BUT AGAIN, I DID PROVIDE YOU WITH A SLIGHTLY MODIFIED MOTION TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE TWO LAST ITEMS WE DISCOVERED THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY DISCUSSION? BOARD MEMBERS? TREASURER DESCHAINE. MR. SCHMIDT, YOU MENTIONED THE EXPENSE OF THE NEW FIRE TRUCK.

IS ACCOUNTING FOR THE MILLION DOLLARS APPROXIMATELY DRAWDOWN?

[00:50:03]

SO THAT WAS A TRANSFER TO MOTOR POOL THAT WE DID IN THE THIRD QUARTER, I BELIEVE.

THAT'S NOT A FOURTH QUARTER AMENDMENT.

OKAY. BUT THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS REPORT, DOES IT INCORPORATE THE MILLION DOLLARS INTO THAT.

LET ME SCROLL UP THERE.

YEAH. SO IF YOU GO TO THE THIRD QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THOSE ARE ABOUT $1 MILLION TO THE RED THAT IS FUNCTIONALLY THE TRUCK RIGHT THERE.

RIGHT. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

YEAH. OKAY. OTHER DISCUSSION.

TRUSTEE. IF I READ THIS CORRECTLY, THE FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS CAME IN WITH A SURPLUS OR UNEXPENDED FUNDS OF ROUGHLY 730,000. WHEN YOU DO THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU'VE ADDED TONIGHT.

CORRECT. SO ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR AREAS.

FUNCTIONED VERY WELL WITHIN THEIR BUDGET FOR THE MOST PART.

AND OUR REVENUE WENT UP.

SO I WON'T SAY ALL OF THEM, BUT OUR REVENUE, DEFINITELY MOST OF THEM.

YEAH. REALLY THE TWO, THE TWO BIG ONES REALLY ARE THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE DID GET FROM THE STATE FOR SOME OF THE ELECTION COSTS, WHICH WERE TREMENDOUS, UP ALMOST $200,000 THERE AND AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $325,000 IN THE BUILDING PERMIT LINE ITEM.

AND THEN IF YOU GO THROUGH AND ADD UP THE INTEREST ACROSS THE BOARD, I MEAN, IT'S SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO I WOULD SAY ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF GETTING REAL CLOSE TO THEIR BUDGET NUMBER THIS YEAR.

GOOD. THANK YOU.

YEAH. TRUSTEE.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. REGARDING INTEREST RATES.

LAST YEAR, WE RECEIVED $2.5 MILLION IN INTEREST INCOME, ABOUT TEN TIMES WHAT WE BUDGETED A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE.

HOWEVER, THE FED IS MEETING TOMORROW TO CUT RATES AGAIN.

SO THESE DAYS OF FIVE AND 4.8% INTEREST RATES ARE GOING AWAY AND GOING AWAY QUICKLY.

SO WE CANNOT REALLY BANK ON THAT.

WE SHOULD NOT BANK ON THAT BECAUSE INTEREST RATES ARE VERY VOLATILE, AND THEY COULD VERY EASILY BE AT 2% A YEAR FROM NOW RATHER THAN 4.75.

AND WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR HUGE INTEREST RATE INCREASES NEXT YEAR.

WE WERE WE WERE STILL WE WERE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN OLD SCHOOL AND NEW SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. VERY GOOD.

WELL, YEAH, BY MY CALCULATION, PRIOR TO THE CHANGES WE'LL MAKE TONIGHT, WE WERE WITHIN $463 OF YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE, WHAT WE INTENDED TO BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

THAT IS AN ENTIRELY REMARKABLE FISCAL FEAT.

AND SO I APPLAUD THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE FINANCIAL TEAM WHO CRAFTED THE BUDGET AND EVERYONE WHO EXECUTED IT.

THIS IS NO SMALL TASK.

AND, YOU KNOW, YES, WE SPENT YOU KNOW, A NEAR $1 MILLION MORE THAN WE HAD PROJECTED, BUT WE ARE GETTING A FIRE TRUCK OUT OF IT.

AND WE ARE WORKING ON RECUPERATING SOME OF THE COSTS OF THAT THROUGH LITIGATION, WHICH WE'LL HEAR ABOUT LATER THIS EVENING.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE BUDGETARY PROCESS AND BEING GOOD FISCAL STEWARDS.

TRUSTEE. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2024 FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS WITH TWO, WITH TWO CHANGES FROM WHAT'S PRESENTED IN THE PACKET. INCREASING BY 10,271.

LINE ITEM 101700701821000.

TO PAY FOR THE FINAL BILL ON THE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND NOT CHANGING LINE.

ITEM 1011702708250000, RESULTING IN A PROJECTED FUND BALANCE ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, OF $11,366,254.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? SEEING NONE. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TRUSTEE, I WOULD ALSO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR PRESENTING A VERY LOGICAL AND READABLE BUDGET PRESENTATION TO EXPLAIN THESE UPS AND DOWNS.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'M LEARNING A LOT FROM THE PLANTE MORAN TEAM, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BRING SOME CLARITY GOING FORWARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF DISCUSSION ITEMS COMING UP.

I THINK IF WE IF THE BOARD DOESN'T MIND, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND BE BACK AT 7 P.M..

[00:55:02]

FOR THE AFTERNOON.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BRING OURSELVES BACK FROM RECESS AT 7:01 P.M.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13, A FIRE CODE UPDATE.

[13.A. Fire Code Update]

WELCOME. GOOD EVENING.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR NEWEST TRUSTEE LENTZ AND CLERK DEMAS, I'M TAVIS MILLER.

I AM THE FIRE MARSHAL.

I'VE BEEN LEADING UP OUR FIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY MY THIRD TIME COMING BEFORE THE BOARD TO DO THIS SORT OF ACTION.

OR TO SOLICIT THIS, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY.

WE ARE SEEKING AN UPDATE FOR THE FIRE CODE.

OUR FIRE CODE IS CURRENTLY BASED ON A MODEL DOCUMENT, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE OF 2018.

CURRENTLY, UNDER THE ORDINANCE, THIS DOCUMENT IS REWORKED ON A CYCLE EVERY THREE YEARS.

SO RIGHT NOW THEY'VE JUST RELEASED THE 2024.

A FEW MONTHS AGO.

AND WE ARE SEEKING TO BRING OUR FIRE PREVENTION CODE ORDINANCE UP TO THAT CURRENT ADDITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE.

2024. JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

THE FIRE CODE IS CONSIDERED A MINIMUM A MINIMUM SAFETY STANDARD FOR A COMMUNITY.

IT GOES IN COINCIDES WITH THE BUILDING CODE.

AND CURRENTLY WE'RE UNDER THE 2015 BUILDING CODE.

AND BECAUSE THAT IS A STATE STATUTE ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE, IT GOES THROUGH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND WAY MORE POLITICAL PROCESS TO GET UPDATED, WHICH IS WHY IT IS STILL LAGGING BEHIND TO THE 2015.

JUST IN A BRIEF SUMMARY THAT I PUT TOGETHER, I'VE GOT ALMOST TWO PAGES OR ONE PAGE FRONT AND BACK OF DIFFERENCES BASED ON US GOING FROM JUST THE 2018 VERSION TO THE 2024.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUT OF ALL OF THOSE IS THE EVOLVING ENERGY SYSTEMS. BATTERY SYSTEMS. THINGS THAT COINCIDE WITH THE SOLAR SYSTEMS IN HOMES.

THINGS THAT UTILITY COMPANIES ARE STARTING TO USE AS A AS THE FIRE SERVICE GOES, WE'RE A LITTLE BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO THAT STUFF.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE SEEKING TO REALLY KIND OF PUSH US UP TO THE MOST CURRENT EDITION OF THAT.

SO WE'RE HERE TO INTRODUCE THIS TO GET THIS GOING AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS UPDATED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ.

THANK YOU. GOOD TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF.

I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY, IF YOU WOULD KNOW OFFHAND HOW MANY COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA HAVE ENACTED SIMILAR CHANGES TO BE IN LINE WITH THIS UPDATED INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE? WE'RE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE IT IS SO NEW, ONLY COMING OUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

THERE MAY BE ONE LOCALLY THAT HAVE DONE IT.

I KNOW THERE'S SOME DOWN TOWARDS THE DETROIT AREA THAT ARE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE STUFF.

AS SOON AS IT GETS RELEASED, THEY UPDATE THEMSELVES UP TO THE NEWER CODE.

LOCALLY, THOUGH, I'M NOT SURE THERE ARE.

I DO KNOW 1 OR 2 OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AREA THAT ARE ON THE 21 CODE VERSUS WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE 18, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO BRING OURSELVES UP TO CYCLES TO THE MOST CURRENT EDITION THAT'S OUT THERE IS THE EXPECTATION.

ANOTHER QUESTION IS THE EXPECTATION THAT THOSE LOOKING TO BUILD TO MEET THESE NEW STANDARDS WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES PROVIDED WHEN THESE UPDATES ARE IMPLEMENTED OR HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK FOR THOSE WHO NOW NEED TO ADHERE TO THIS NEW STANDARD? SO, IT'S A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DOCUMENT THAT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY READ BY ANYBODY.

WHERE IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENTS, BUILDING, BUILDING ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE PREVAILING DOCUMENT IS STILL THE BUILDING CODE.

ALL RIGHT. SO THIS THIS WILL ALLOW US AS THE BUILDING CODE GETS EVOLVED, IT ALLOWS US TO BRING OTHER FEATURES, OPERATING FEATURES THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH ALARM STANDARDS, THINGS, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT ALLOWS US TO GET ON TOP OF IT AND KIND OF PREPLAN IT, SO TO SPEAK.

SO AS THE BUILDING CODE COMES UP, WE'RE ABLE TO MESH IT TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

IT SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING THAT THE DEVELOPERS AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE KNOW ABOUT THIS STUFF.

THEY ARE PART OF THE PROCESS WHEN THESE CODES GET DEVELOPED.

SO AS AN INDUSTRY, IT SHOULD BE ANYTHING.

IT SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING NEW TO THEM.

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND HOW THIS APPLIES.

[01:00:05]

AND WHAT IS THE EFFECT? BACK AND FORTH.

SO THIS ALLOWS US TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONTROL OVER HOW THE BUILDING CODE WILL SAY, HEY, YOU GOT TO PUT A SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN THIS BUILDING.

IT JUST TELLS YOU THE TYPE. THIS TELLS YOU HOW, OKAY, THESE ARE THE STANDARDS AND THINGS OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THE SYSTEM IN, HOW IT'S GOING TO FUNCTION, WHAT FUNCTIONS HAVE TO BE THERE. IT'S JUST A VERY BASIC EXAMPLE.

OKAY. WELL THAT EXPLAINS IT TO ME.

IT'S SORT OF AN ADDENDA TO THE BUILDING CODE.

IT BUILDS OFF THE BUILDING CODE TO A MORE PRECISE STANDARD.

SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ARE YOU READY TO ENFORCE IT? THERE WILL BE A LEARNING CURVE, BUT YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF ELEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN KICKING AROUND FOR YEARS.

WITHIN THE FIRE SERVICE.

WE HAVE THERE ARE TWO CONFERENCES ANNUALLY, THE MICHIGAN FIRE INSPECTOR SOCIETY, WHERE WE DISCUSS A LOT OF THE TOPICS THAT COME UP IN THIS.

SO THERE ARE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHALLENGES, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET ON TOP OF IT.

SO YOU'D BE USING THIS AS DEVELOPMENTS COME IN WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY? ABSOLUTELY. YEP.

ALL BECOMES PART OF THE PROCESS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION OR TWO.

SO. THEY ADDRESSED THIS EVERY THREE YEARS.

YOU SAID THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL THAT DEVELOPS THE CODE ITSELF OR THE MODEL DOCUMENT, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, THEY GO THROUGH.

AND EVERY THREE YEARS THEY WILL REWRITE THIS OR REWORK THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE STAYING ON TOP OF THE WAY THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING.

OKAY. AND NOT THAT I MIND COMING BACK TO THIS EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT MY QUESTION, MY INITIAL QUESTION WAS, IS IT WORTH IT TO JUST ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE? AND WHEN THEY MAKE REVISIONS, WE HAVE ADOPTED IT, OR DO WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK? EACH AND EVERY TIME THIS QUESTION COMES UP? I THINK THERE'S A LEGAL REASON WHY WE CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

CORRECT. THERE'S ALSO INDICATION AMONGST THE VARIOUS CODES THAT WE ADOPT.

WE DO OPT OUT OF CERTAIN SECTIONS IN SEVERAL OF THEM.

SO THAT'S WHY WE DO BOTH.

THERE IS A LEGAL REASON, BUT WE ALSO BECAUSE WE OPT OUT OF CERTAIN SECTIONS, WE BRING EACH ONE OF THEM BACK WHEN THEY UPDATE.

FIRE IS THE ONE THAT IS MOST REGULARLY UPDATED.

BUILDING CODE IS STILL IN 2015, AND SOMEDAY WE'LL GET CAUGHT UP TO THE 2020S.

BUT THAT'S THESE THINGS.

THE STATE HAS A CYCLE THAT THEY WORK ON AND FIRE IS UP RIGHT NOW, BASICALLY.

GOTCHA. OKAY.

YEAH, I THAT ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD TOO.

IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE'RE MAKING JUST A COUPLE OF SMALL AMENDMENTS TO WHAT WAS BEING PRESENTED, AND NONE OF THEM SEEMED TO BE PARTICULARLY THE SUBSTANTIVE.

THEY PROVIDE BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE FOR ADOPTION THAT IS LITERALLY FILL IN THE BLANK THAT ALLOWS US TO JUST PUT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN.

WE BASICALLY COPY IT RIGHT INTO THE ORDINANCE, AND IT'S PRETTY SEAMLESS.

THIS ACTUAL REWRITE FOR THIS EDITION THEY DID A REWORK OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SECTION THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OUT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT, WHEN YOU READ IT, WAS JUST CONFUSING, EVEN TO US, THE WAY IT HAD TO BE PUT DOWN.

SO THIS IS A GOOD UPDATE TO DO TO CLEAN IT UP A LOT.

OKAY. AND THEN LASTLY, AND THIS IS SILLY, I KNOW, BUT WHY IS OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY SIGNING OUR ORDINANCE? THAT'S NOT TYPICAL, IS IT? I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT.

I HAVE NO IDEA.

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WHEN WE BRING IT BACK FOR ACTION.

MAYBE. OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE? WELL, GENERALLY, I THINK YOU FOUND A RELATIVELY RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE TO THESE CHANGES.

SO, WE'LL SEE YOU BACK IN JANUARY.

ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM 13.B I HEART MAC AND CHEESE.

[13.B. I Heart Mac N Cheese Class C Liquor License]

AND HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AMBER CLARK.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THE BIG OLD BINDER.

THE LIQUOR CODE. THE LIQUOR CODE.

IT'S THE LIQUOR CODE AND THE LIQUOR TRAINING MANUAL.

ALL RIGHT. I FIGURED ONE OF YOU WILL ASK ME A QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO.

IF YOU. IF YOU CAN LOOK IT UP QUICKLY.

IF I CAN FIND IT. I'VE GOT SEVERAL TABS OVER HERE, SO WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WELL. GOOD EVENING.

TONIGHT, BEFORE THE BOARD BASED OFF OF YOUR GENERAL CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION, WE WILL BRING BACK A MOTION FOR ACTION.

[01:05:06]

AS SOME OF YOU RECALL, AND WE'VE HAD SOME NEW MEMBERS COME ONTO THE BOARD, WE DID ADOPT A NEW LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE.

WE FELT LIKE OUR ORDINANCE DID NOT ALLOW US TO DESIGNATE NECESSARILY THE LICENSE IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE.

ALSO, THE BOARD ELECTED THAT THE LIQUOR LICENSES THAT ARE FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO ISSUE ARE AN ASSET OF THE TOWNSHIP.

THEY ARE AN ASSET OF A BUSINESS.

AND SO THEY ARE AN INCENTIVE.

SO MUCH LIKE WE USE INCENTIVES BASED OFF THE PARTICULAR PICAS OR INCENTIVES THAT ARE GOING TO REACH A CERTAIN METRIC FOR ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S HOW WE'VE ESSENTIALLY ASSIGNED THIS LIQUOR LICENSE AND ORDINANCE.

THIS IS OUR FIRST CLASS C LIQUOR LICENSE REQUEST SINCE THE NEW ADOPTION.

THIS CLASS A, CLASS C, IS ON PREMISE, SO THE PATRONS WILL CONSUME THE ALCOHOL ON SITE SO THEY WILL PURCHASE AND CONSUME ALCOHOL ON SITE. THERE ARE TIERS BASED OFF THE MICHIGAN LIQUOR LAW REQUIRING A CLASS C TO BE TAVERN, HOTEL, BAR, RESTAURANT OR SOME SORT OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT LIKE THAT.

LICENSES ARE EXPENSIVE.

BESIDES EAST LANSING, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS THE ONLY ENTITY WITH CLASS C LICENSES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY TO ISSUE.

THAT MEANS THAT ON THE MARKET, THEY ARE EXPENSIVE.

SOME LICENSES GENERALLY WILL START BUYING FROM AN INDIVIDUAL LICENSE HOLDER.

ABOUT $60,000 IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN REQUIRES A $20,000 PAYMENT FROM THE APPLICANT AS WELL.

SO JUST OFF A BASE, IF YOU COULD FIND A LICENSE HOLDER THAT WANTED TO RELINQUISH THEIR LICENSE TO YOU FOR $60,000, YOU'D BE INTO THE REQUEST FOR $80,000 JUST TO BEGIN.

SO IT'S VERY UNIQUE.

IT'S HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, AND WE DON'T GET LICENSES UNTIL EACH CENSUS.

SO EACH CENSUS WE GET A CALCULATION, THE STATE WILL LOOK AND DECIDE IF WE NEED A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF LICENSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ISSUE OR AN INCREASE.

WE ONLY GET AN INCREASE OF 6000 NEW RESIDENTS.

SO YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY THINGS ABOUT HOW I'M TRYING TO REACH THAT NEW METRIC BY 2030, HONESTLY.

AND WE'VE HAD OTHER DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.

SO IT'S NOT JUST THE LIQUOR LICENSES, BUT THERE ARE OTHER INCENTIVES TO DRIVE THE POPULATION AND GROWTH OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO WE HAVE AN APPLICATION REQUEST FOR MR. PAUL HAMBY, WHO IS HERE TONIGHT.

IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT AND THE REQUEST, I HEART MAC AND CHEESE.

EAST LANSING, IT IS GOING TO 4790 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD, SUITE 158.

SO OVER IN THE HANNAH HAGEDORN PLAZA, THERE ARE ORDINANCE HAS SEVERAL CRITERIA.

SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS A CRITERIA REVIEWED SHEET INCLUDED WITH THE MEMO.

THERE IS A NUMERICAL VALUE PRESENTED IN THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A VALUE OF APPLICATION, BUT JUST AN INDICATION OF HOW MANY OF THE BULLET POINT CRITERIA LISTED IN OUR ORDINANCE ARE MET IN THE APPLICATION, AND THAT PROVIDES THE BOARD AN IDEA BASED OFF OF SEEING OTHER APPLICATIONS, HOW BUSINESSES ARE MEETING OUR CRITERIA AS REQUESTED.

THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO OFFER A MAC AND CHEESE I HEART.

MAC AND CHEESE IS A FRANCHISE.

UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE CREATES A LA CARTE MAC AND CHEESE.

SO YOU GO IN AS A PATRON.

YOU CAN CHOOSE ALL OF YOUR DIFFERENT TOPPINGS, PROTEINS, ETC..

FAST CASUAL DINING ENVIRONMENT OVER IN THE HANNAH PLAZA.

AS WE SAID, FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, EIGHT.

PART TIME EMPLOYEES 20.

THIS LOCATION DOES HAVE SIMILAR REQUESTED LICENSES IN OPERATION RIGHT NOW.

SO THE MAC SAN SUU SUSHI, HANNAH LOFTS RESIDENT IN RESIDENCE AND PIZZA HOUSE AND SINDHU RESTAURANT ALL HAVE A CLASS C LIQUOR LICENSE, ALL WITH UNIQUE DINING, ALL WITH A BAR OR RESTAURANT INCLUDED, ALL WITHIN A HALF A MILE OF THIS LOCATION.

MANY RESTAURANTS ARE MOVING TO A FAST CASUAL DINING BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER ON THE OVERHEAD.

FOR RESTAURANTS, IT ALLOWS FLEXIBILITY IN STAFFING AND ALSO FLEXIBILITY IN MENU PLANNING AND GENERAL.

THE APPLICATION MEETS THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS OF C2.

THERE ARE NO ISSUES FROM COMMUNITY PLANNING OR FIRE.

WE DO HAVE TO RECHECK AN EYE CHECK RECORD WITH POLICE, BUT SO FAR WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE THERE EITHER.

AND I DON'T HAVE A MOTION FOR YOU TONIGHT.

I JUST HAVE THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND WE'LL LISTEN TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE WILSON.

I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT QUOTA LICENSES.

SO IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO ADDITIONAL LICENSES AVAILABLE CLASS C LICENSES UNDER THE QUOTA UNTIL AT LEAST 2030.

CORRECT. OKAY.

AND I BELIEVE YOU IDENTIFIED.

ARE THERE SIX LOCATIONS WITHIN A HALF A MILE? CORRECT. THAT HAVE.

[01:10:01]

THE POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE AREAS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REDEVELOP, THE FOUR CORNERS OF OKEMOS AND SO ON.

THAT'S A CONCERN, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

DO WE TRY TO GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSIFY THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE LICENSES UNTIL THE UPDATE FOR THE NEW ORDINANCE? THAT HAD NOT BEEN A CRITERIA ADDRESSED.

IT HAS NOT. OKAY.

BUT IT HAS BEEN A FOCUS.

IT'S WITHIN YOUR ORDINANCE TO FOCUS ON AREAS FOR REDEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S THE PURPOSE.

CORRECT. OKAY.

OKAY. DID LOCAL EPICUREAN GET A CLASS C LICENSE? THEY DID, BUT THEY PURCHASED ONE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL BUYER.

THAT WAS A PURCHASE.

OKAY. OKAY.

SO ONLY TWO LICENSES AVAILABLE UNTIL 2030.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GROW 6000 MORE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA TO OBTAIN MORE LICENSES.

AND THERE ARE SIX BUSINESSES WITHIN A HALF A MILE THAT ALREADY HAVE A LICENSE THERE.

AND NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE GOING CONCERNS.

EVERYONE YOU MENTIONED TO ME IS A GOING CONCERN.

IT WOULD NOT BE SELLING A LICENSE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.

CORRECT? I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THEM.

ARE NONE OF THEM HAVE A LICENSE LISTED ON THE ESCROW? SO I'LL SAY IT THAT WAY. THEY ALL HAVE ACTIVE LICENSES THAT THEY ARE USING.

OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT CONCENTRATION OF LIQUOR LICENSES IN ONE VERY SPECIFIC AREA.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

TREASURER DESCHAINE TRUSTEE WILSON PICKED UP ON MY CONCERN.

SIX OF THEM RIGHT THERE AND NONE OF THEM IN OUR PCA AREAS.

THERE ARE SIX RIGHT THERE AND PROBABLY ANOTHER DOZEN WITHIN A MILE OF THAT AREA ALONG GRAND RIVER THERE.

AND I DON'T WANT TO SLIGHT THAT AREA BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TOWNSHIP AND A LOT OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY THERE.

BUT I, TOO, WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER WITHHOLDING THIS LICENSE TILL WE GET 1 IN 1 OF OUR AREAS.

WE WANT RESTAURANTS.

WE DON'T HAVE MANY RESTAURANTS IN THE OKEMOS HASLETT AREAS.

WE HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME FROM OUR RESIDENTS.

WE CAN USE BETTER DINING RATHER THAN JUST THE FAST CASUAL, BUT PEOPLE LIKE A NICE PLACE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A DINNER, ESPECIALLY WHEN FOR VARIOUS EVENTS.

SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS.

THIS IS TO ME TOO MUCH IN THE HANNAH PLAZA AREA, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A RESTAURANT AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR IN ONE OF OUR AREAS ARE VERY CLOSE TO THEM.

MORE TOWARDS THE FOUR CORNERS OF OKEMOS THE DDA AREA OF OKEMOS, THE FOUR CORNERS OF HASLETT, OR EVEN THE CARRIAGE HILLS AREA TO THE NORTH OF THE TOWNSHIP.

WE'VE GOT THREE VERY IMPORTANT AREAS AND LIQUOR LICENSES CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN REDEVELOPING THOSE.

IF WE'RE ALL OUT OF THEM, THE DEVELOPER WON'T EVEN APPROACH US.

THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE.

I AGREE WITH BOTH OF THE TRUSTEES HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE, BUT I ALSO ADD THAT THE BUSINESS MODEL THAT THEY PRESENT IS THAT MUCH, IF NOT MOST, OF THEIR SALES FOR FOOD WILL BE CARRYOUT.

THIS LICENSE PROVIDES FOR ONLY CONSUMPTION ON THE PREMISES, AND THEREFORE I DON'T SEE THAT AS IMPORTANT AS IMPORTANT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT AND THIS RESTAURANT AS POSSIBLY SOMEPLACE WITH A LARGER SEATING AREA WITH A MORE INTENT TO HAVE IN STORE CUSTOMERS DINING THERE.

AND I HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS THAT BOTH PHIL AND MARNA HAD AS FAR AS THE CONCENTRATION AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO SIGNIFICANT PICAS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THESE LICENSES, AND IF WE GET THEM, IF WE SELL THEM, OR IF WE IF WE ISSUE THEM, THEY'RE GONE.

AND THEY CAN ALSO BE MOVED OUTSIDE THE TOWNSHIP ONCE THEY'RE ISSUED.

SO I HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

CORRECT? YES.

YES. EARLIER.

I REACHED OUT TO DIRECTOR CLARK, AND I JUST HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER LOCATIONS WITH THIS FRANCHISE.

AND IF THEY SOLD OR IF THEY HAD, LIKE, A LIQUOR LICENSE THERE.

AND I BELIEVE YOUR RESPONSE WAS, NO, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LIQUOR LICENSE IN THOSE LOCATIONS.

AND I SEE HERE THAT THEY CAN SELL MAC AND CHEESE WITHOUT THE LIQUOR LICENSE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE POINTS.

YEAH. WHEN I LOOK AT OTHER MENUS, I'M GOING TO IMAGINE THAT FRANCHISE'S PROBABLY HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY OFFER BY LOCATION.

BUT LOOKING AT THE OTHER LOCATIONS, AS YOU ASK THEIR MENUS, THEY DO NOT HAVE ALCOHOLIC SALES LISTED ON THE MENU.

[01:15:04]

VERY SMART. I CONCUR, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WHEN WE CONSIDERED CHANGES TO THE LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES WAS THAT WE TAKE THESE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE AND FOCUS THEM ON THE AREAS THAT NEED THEM THE MOST.

THIS IS NOT AN AREA THAT NEEDS IT THE MOST.

AND AS FOR FEMA'S POINTS OUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT EVEN AN AREA WHERE OTHER FRANCHISES APPEAR TO NEED IT THE MOST.

NOW EVERY FRANCHISE IS DIFFERENT.

EVERY LOCATION IS DIFFERENT.

TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY CLEAR IN THE PASSING OF OUR ORDINANCE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT THIS WE ARE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING OUR PCA AREAS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD AND SEEN AND TALKED ABOUT THE DESIRE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESTAURANTS IN THOSE AREAS.

I KNOW HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE, THEIR PROPOSAL ACCOUNTS FOR ONE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EASY TO LOOK AT THOSE AND DO THE MATH VERY QUICKLY AND SEE THAT WE'LL BE WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH.

RIGHT. AND SO WE SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE AND USE THEM AS THE ASSET THAT THEY ARE.

AND GUARD THEM IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE WOULD YOU KNOW, I THINK WHILE THE NUMERICAL SCORE IS NOT NECESSARILY A HARD AND FAST INDICATOR OF THE OVERALL QUALITY OF AN APPLICANT, IT DOES IT DID SPEAK TO ME TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDING THE VALUE THAT WE WANTED TO SEE OUT OF AN APPLICANT FOR THIS.

I MEAN, WE SAW I FEEL LIKE I'VE SEEN ONE NOT TOO LONG AGO.

MAYBE IT WAS THE LOCAL EPICUREAN THAT WAS IN THE RANGE OF 18 OR 20 OUT OF 22.

THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.

AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I AM VERY I WANT TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

YOU KNOW, WITH THIS APPLICATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO YOU KNOW, USE THESE IN THE AREAS THAT NEED THEM THE MOST.

TRUSTEE WILSON, DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE THE OPTION TO PURCHASE A LICENSE? SO, YES.

LIKE PURCHASING. IT'S LIKE A MARKET.

SO, I MEAN, THE APPLICANT WOULD REACH OUT TO LICENSE HOLDERS.

ANY ESCROWED LICENSE IN THE COUNTY ACTUALLY COULD BE POTENTIALLY ONE THAT COULD BE BOUGHT.

IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE A DEAL MADE BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE LICENSE HOLDER.

SO THEY HAVE ANOTHER OPTION.

THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION. THANK YOU.

AND THAT DOES NOT AFFECT OUR QUOTA THAT WE HAVE, IT WILL NOT.

SO IT WOULD COME IN LIKE A TRANSFER, LIKE THE LOCAL UPPER KIMLEY-HORN.

SURE. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE. LET'S. EXCUSE ME.

ARE THOSE THE OPTION TO PURCHASE? IS THAT ARE THOSE PRICES AVAILABLE, OR IS THAT THROUGH NEGOTIATION? THAT'S INDIVIDUAL.

YEAH. BASED OFF THE INDIVIDUAL LICENSE HOLDER.

THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF STRESSED HOW MUCH OF AN ASSET IT IS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EACH INDIVIDUAL HOLDER, ONCE THEY HAVE THE LICENSE CAN PUT THE PRICE ON THE LICENSE ITSELF.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GIVEN YOU ENOUGH DIRECTION TO BRING SOMETHING BACK.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN AMONGST THE BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT THE ISSUANCE OF THIS LICENSE.

I SUSPECT THAT WE WILL LIKELY WANT TO BRING A MOTION TO DENY BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD AND OR I GUESS, IS IT? I GUESS TO GIVE US THE OPTION, WE COULD HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND THEN VOTE NO.

VOTE NO ON IT. THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE CLEANER WAY TO DO IT.

SO YOU WOULD PREFER. YEAH, I THINK A MOTION TO APPROVE.

AND IF WE DECIDE NOT TO ISSUE, THEN WE'LL VOTE NO.

AND THAT'LL AT LEAST STILL BE DEFINITIVE.

CAN YOU DO THAT? THEY WILL BE BACK AT THE JANUARY MEETING.

WE'LL SEE YOU THEN. THANK YOU.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13 C, THE YOUTH COMMISSION ESTABLISHMENT.

[13.C. Youth Commission Establishment]

AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR PETITIONER, SACHSE NAGISETTY.

I'M SORRY. DO WE NOT? I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

SIT DOWN. OKAY. YOU'RE FINE.

CHAIR NAGISETTY, WHO IS OUR PETITIONER? INITIAL PETITIONER FOR THIS PROJECT.

DON'T GO TOO FAR BECAUSE I'M JUST GOING TO GRAB MY NEMO.

I LOVE THAT I, DIRECTOR CLARK, LARGELY DID A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS FOR ME OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT REALLY WANTED TO BRING THIS FOR YOU JUST AS AN INITIAL DISCUSSION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH WHAT THE BOARD IS THINKING HERE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT DIRECTOR CLARK RAISED ALONG THE WAY IS WE DON'T WANT TO SET THIS UP AND HAVE IT I DON'T WANT TO SAY FAIL, BUT TURN IT INTO SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOT A

[01:20:05]

AND SO DIRECTOR CLARK RAISED A NUMBER OF POINTS IN HER MEMO.

WE JUST WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON WHAT WE HAVE YOU THIS EVENING, AND I'M LARGELY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SASHEER AND DIRECTOR CLARK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND I APOLOGIZE, DIRECTOR CLARK, I HAVE I HAVE MY SPECIAL MEMO HERE WHERE I CAN TELL WHO'S COMING UP, AND TIM'S NAME WAS WRITTEN ON THERE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY WITH US.

MR. NAGISETTY.

HI EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I'M HERE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE YOUTH COMMITTEE AND ANY CONCERNS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DIRECTOR CLARK, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD IN ADDITION TO YOUR MEMO? YOU ESTABLISH COMMISSIONS, TYPICALLY THROUGH ORDINANCE.

SO THERE WILL BE, I BELIEVE, IT, TO DO AN ACTION.

WE'D COME BACK, MAYBE WITH TWO MOTIONS.

I GUESS IT'S UP TO YOU, HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE THAT.

AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO BOTH SCHOOLS.

BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

LET ME REFRAIN. LET ME REPHRASE BOTH HASLETT AND OKEMOS.

THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT BOTH ARE PREDOMINANT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SERVE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH THEIR SUPERINTENDENTS OR PRINCIPALS, WHOEVER THEY THINK IS THE BEST SUITED FOR THAT.

BESIDES THE OUTSTANDING CONSIDERATIONS, JUST A LITTLE DIRECTION AND THOSE ON THOSE TOPICS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO BRING THIS BACK.

HOWEVER, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, BOARD MEMBERS DIRECTOR CLARK HAS PROVIDED A MEMO WITH A NUMBER OF CONSIDERATIONS TO THINK ABOUT THIS EVENING.

I ASKED MR. NAGISETTY TO BE HERE IN CASE THE BOARD HAD ANY QUESTIONS THAT HE MAY BE BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER AS WELL, BUT WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC.

TRUSTEE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YOU WERE A SENIOR AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL, CORRECT? YES. GREAT.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH ANY HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS IN THIS? I IMAGINE IT WILL BE TRIED.

TRY TO KEEP THIS COMMISSION AS BALANCED AS POSSIBLE TO CONSIDERING WE HAVE TWO GOOD COMMUNITIES IN THIS TOWNSHIP.

I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH A COUPLE OF HASLETT STUDENTS.

OBVIOUSLY NOT A LOT OF THEM ARE AND HAVEN'T GOT A WHOLE CONSENSUS OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL.

BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO DID SAY THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AND THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN DOING IT.

SO I THINK THERE WILL BE A GOOD AMOUNT OF INTEREST FROM BOTH HASLETT AND OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

GREAT. THAT'S I WOULD SAY THAT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT STICKING POINT FOR ME.

SO GOOD TO HEAR.

THANK YOU. I SAW TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD.

DIRECTOR CLARK, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP SOME OF THE POSSIBLE OBSTACLES TO THIS BEING A SUCCESS.

MAINLY THE COMPETING ACTIVITIES THAT GO ON WITH STUDENTS BETWEEN ATHLETICS CLUBS.

EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

I THINK WE COULD KICK THIS OFF WITH A BIG SPLASH AND THEN FIND OURSELVES A YEAR OR TWO YEARS LATER WITH INTEREST HAVING FALLEN OFF, IN PART BECAUSE EVERYTHING I HEAR AND I HAVE TWO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LIVING NEXT DOOR, RECENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS ARE REALLY BUSY THESE DAYS.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON.

YOU'RE FAR BUSIER THAN WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND TO YOUR CREDIT, YOU'RE DOING OUTSTANDING THINGS.

REALLY? THINGS TO EXCEL.

YOU HELP YOU TO EXCEL IN COLLEGE AND BUILD CHARACTER AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS.

I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT PROBLEM WE WOULD FIX WITH THIS, BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS WE HAVE EXCELLENT SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EXEMPLARY ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED NECESSARILY TO STEP IN HERE AND SAY, THE SCHOOLS.

OH, HERE'S ANOTHER YOUTH COMMISSION THAT'S GOING TO SUPER.

THAT'S GOING TO. THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS THAT WE CAN JUST OFFER A GREAT IDEA.

BUT STUDENTS JUST DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO ONE MORE CLUB, ONE MORE ACTIVITY, ONE MORE COMMISSION.

NONETHELESS, I DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.

MR. NAGDCA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TO OFFER SOME IDEAS AS TO WHY WHY YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD? YES. I THINK THAT WITH THE NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DOES, AS MYSELF HAVE FROM EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T THINK THAT ONE MORE ACTIVITY LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY IF IN THE ORDINANCES IT WAS BIMONTHLY OR MONTHLY MEETINGS, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT COULD BE THAT MUCH OF AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WITH SEVEN MEMBERS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE EASY TO BE OR I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE TIMINGS OF THE MEETINGS.

IF ONE MONTH, IF SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING, OR WITH SEASONAL CHANGES AND SPORTS AND CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT, I THINK IT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE TIMINGS OF THE MEETINGS OR THE SPECIFIC DATE OF THE MEETING.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT INSTEAD OF A VERY SET TIME AND DATE EVERY SINGLE MONTH FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, THAT COULD BE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.

OKAY. AND A FOLLOW UP TO SHANE, WHAT WOULD YOU SEE BEING THE RESULTS OF THIS COMMISSION? WHAT THEIR WORK PRODUCT AFTER THEY MEET AND THEY COME FORMED AND THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND WORK WELL AS A COMMISSION.

[01:25:04]

AND I THOUGHT THAT THIS IS ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE LIKE THE YOUTH COMMISSION IS MAKING POLICIES OR OR DENYING AND APPROVING CERTAIN MOTIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT COULD BE A HELPFUL WAY FOR THE YOUTH AS A WHOLE TO BE INVOLVED, AT LEAST IN GOVERNMENT A LITTLE BIT, OR BE INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND, AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SAY OR HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.

THAT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE JUST TO HAVE THE THE YOUTH A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED WITH THE MORE PROFESSIONAL STUFF THAT HAPPENS.

THANK YOU. KIRK DAVIS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I JUST WANT TO KIND OF ADDRESS WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE DESCHAINE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

I KNOW THAT THE BOARD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING A YOUTH COMMISSION, AND I WOULD BE IN FULL SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS MORE OF OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS.

IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO THAT I'D BE CONSIDERED AMONG THIS YOUTH DEMOGRAPHIC, AND I COULD TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I WOULD BE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE OF A SAY IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. I THINK OFTEN TIMES OUR OUR YOUTH ARE OVERLOOKED AND THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO HELP GARNER AN ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE.

I THINK WITH THAT, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS MORE OF AN INCENTIVE FOR THE YOUTH TO TO JOIN THIS COMMISSION.

THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES PEOPLE HAVE.

THEY'RE FOCUSING ON THEIR STUDIES AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND EVEN HAVE JOBS.

SO I THINK WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF OUR SCHOOLS TO SEE IF COURSE CREDITS CAN BE GIVEN THROUGH THIS PARTICIPATION WOULD BE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

MOST DEFINITELY. I AGREE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN INCENTIVE.

INCENTIVE COULD BE HELPFUL.

I SAW THAT IN THE ORDINANCES THAT THAT COMPENSATION WAS WAS AN IDEA THAT COULD BE FLOATED AROUND.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION, BUT BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING LIKE VOLUNTEER HOURS OR COURSE CREDIT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, COULD BE HELPFUL.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.

THANK YOU. JUSTIN TREZISE.

YEAH. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE COMMISSION TO DO? RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MR. DESCHAINE WAS ASKING FOR.

WHAT IS WHAT COMES OUT OF THE COMMISSION? YES. I CAN SEE IT BEING VERY VALUABLE TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WHATEVER.

THAT'S ONE THING, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT KEEPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IS GOING TO LAST.

AND SO WE DO WANT IF WE DO THIS, WE DO WANT PARTICIPATION.

WE DO WANT SOME SORT OF A GOALS, NOT FOR US, BUT SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO ADDRESS AND REPORT BACK TO US SO THAT WE GET SOME INPUT.

HAVING A COMMISSION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WATCHING GOVERNMENT MEETINGS DOESN'T REALLY HELP YOU THAT MUCH, AND IT DOESN'T HELP US AT ALL. SO IT NEEDS TO BE A TWO WAY STREET.

AND I'M JUST ASKING FOR SOME IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE.

AND OBVIOUSLY IF THE COMMISSION IS CREATED, THE COMMISSION WILL DETERMINE SOME OF ITS GOALS AND WHERE IT WANTS TO GO.

BUT WHAT IS YOUR THINKING SINCE YOU BROUGHT THIS TO US? THE IDEA THAT I HAVE FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO MAINLY FOCUS ON WOULD BE THREE MAIN THINGS.

NUMBER ONE WOULD BE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT ARE LIKE PARK CLEANUPS OR ORGANIZING TREE PLANTING DRIVES OR RECYCLING INITIATIVES WOULD BE WOULD BE FUN OR HELPFUL FOR THE YOUTH TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED IN.

OBVIOUSLY, WE COULD GET IN TUNE WITH THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS PROGRAMS OF HASLETT AND OKEMOS AND THEN GET INVOLVED WITH THAT.

I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVESTED IN WAS MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUTH COMING OUT OF THE COVID 19 COVID 19 PANDEMIC. ALL OF THOSE FORUMS ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND WEBINARS AND SEMINARS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW IT'S IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AND ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL. AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN WOULD BIG COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT I THINK THE YOUTH COMMITTEE COULD.

OR YOUTH COMMISSION COULD BE A BIT MORE INVOLVED IN LIKE CULTURAL.

CULTURAL, CULTURAL APPRECIATION AND HELPING OUT SMALL BUSINESSES IS SOMETHING.

LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SMALL SCALE.

BUT I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO BE INVOLVED IN.

ESPECIALLY HAVE STUFF GOING IN THAT REGARD, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH INVOLVED IN POLICY DECISIONS, I DON'T THINK.

ESPECIALLY IN LIKE THE FIRST COUPLE COUPLE MONTHS OR FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT I THINK.

EVENT PLANNING AND ORGANIZING THINGS IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.

AND WOULD YOU TAKE THESE BACK TO THE STUDENTS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL TO GET A BROADER RANGE OF STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND THE BENEFITS TO THEM? YEAH, YES.

MOST DEFINITELY. I THINK THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY WORK WITH KEY CLUB OR NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY OR THE ACTION GROUP THAT THEY HAVE AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND THE VARIOUS OTHER

[01:30:08]

WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED IN THESE EVENTS AND THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.

I THINK IN RETURN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GRANT THEM VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR PARTICIPATING IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT BUT MOST DEFINITELY, I THINK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD BE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE LENTZ. I ECHOING THE OTHER YOUNG PERSON HERE ON THIS BOARD, I WILL SAY THAT YEAH.

HEY. TAKE IT. TAKE IT EASY.

CAREFUL. LET THE RECORD SHOW.

NO. I APPRECIATE ANY INVOLVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

YOU KNOW, MICHIGAN'S CONSTITUTION HAS A, YOU KNOW, A LOT.

LET ME RESTART. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONS OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOVERNMENT.

SO I THINK I CAN APPLAUD THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE SPEAKING TO THE TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GO TO OTHER FORMS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU MUCH LARGER GROUPS AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD BACK AND FORTH THAT WE'RE HAVING.

SO I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT THIS TOWNSHIP CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE A, YOU KNOW, EXEMPLARY STUDENTS FROM HASLETT OKEMOS AND THAT LITTLE BIT OF EAST LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE TO YOU KNOW, BE AS ENGAGED AS POSSIBLE.

YEAH. TRUSTEE WILSON, I APPLAUD YOUR INITIATIVE IN BRINGING SUCH A GREAT CONCEPT TO US.

I WAS REALLY STRUGGLING WITH WHAT YOUR FOCUS WAS, WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO, BUT IN THE EXPLANATION YOU JUST GAVE TALKING ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP.

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH PIECE BECAUSE WE DON'T DEAL WITH THAT AT THIS LEVEL.

THAT'S A COUNTY ACTIVITY.

BUT EVENTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS AND THAT KIND OF THING, IT SOUNDS LIKE MORE OF A DOING ACTION KIND OF THING.

FOR INSTANCE, ALL THE ACTION STUDENTS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM WERE AT SANTOS FIRST RESPONDERS.

THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF ACTIVITY THAT WE HAVE, EVENTS THAT ARE REALLY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO IS THAT THE FOCUS? AM I HEARING THAT RIGHT? I THINK THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THE FOCUS OF THAT BE FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND TO KIND OF GET US STARTED OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT AND THEN HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FOLLOWING MONTHS AFTER THAT, MAYBE BRANCH OUT AND DO SOME THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE LARGER SCALE.

BUT I IN MY VISION FOR IT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF START OFF, BUT DEFINITELY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OPERATES, BUT THE WAY THAT THAT WOULD BE EXECUTED WOULD BE TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS HERE IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT LIKE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS AND SO ON DISCUSS THOSE THINGS WITH YOU. OTHERWISE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR CONDUIT IS FOR THAT.

OH, YEAH. I I THE COMMISSION WOULD COME UP WITH IDEAS AND AND TALK AND AND FIGURE THINGS OUT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'D HAVE TO COME TO THE BOARD AND GET APPROVAL FOR EVERYTHING, BUT EVERYTHING WOULD RUN THROUGH THE TRUSTEE BOARD.

I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT.

NO. THAT'S FINE.

DON'T APOLOGIZE.

I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THIS.

SO WOULD YOU POTENTIALLY, BECAUSE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WOULD YOU POTENTIALLY SEND A MEMBER OF THE THIS COMMISSION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION COMMISSION TO LISTEN TO THE MEETING AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU? IS THAT THE SORT OF THING YOU'RE ENVISIONING? THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT ADDRESS DIFFERENT ISSUES HERE.

THAT THAT IS WHAT I WAS ENVISIONING.

THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION USED TO HAVE YOUTH MEMBERS.

QUITE RECENTLY. NOW IT DOES.

YEAH. IT DOES. THE HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE.

OKAY, GREAT. DIRECTOR CLARK, HAVE YOU FOUND OTHER TOWNSHIPS OR CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED YOUTH COMMISSIONS? AND WHAT? WHAT CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES? WELL, I'M HONORED ENOUGH TO HAVE A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF JACKSON HERE FROM THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY DEPARTMENT THROUGH HIM, THROUGH THE HUMAN RESOURCE COMMISSION. JUST CHECKING.

OKAY. I WILL BRING MISS KATINA UP HERE IN A SECOND.

REACHED OUT TO BOTH EAST LANSING AND CITY OF JACKSON, RIGHT NEARBY NEIGHBORS, TO TRY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY'VE CREATED AND FORMALIZED THEIR YOUTH COMMISSIONS.

THEY SEEM TO BE ADVISORY YOUTH COMMISSIONS, WHERE THE BOARD OR A APPOINTED COMMISSION WILL SEND EITHER A SUBJECT TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND THEN GIVE SOME SORT OF FORMAL REPORT MEMO, SOME SORT OF COMMENT PRESENTATION.

IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE YOUTH COMMISSIONS ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD AT A COMMISSION MEETING OR SOME OTHER SEPARATE TIME.

[01:35:01]

THEY HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE TRYING TO KEEP THAT FULL.

NINE SO THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF SUGGESTED THE SEVEN YOUTH AGED 14 TO 19.

I DO BELIEVE THE CITY OF JACKSON JUST CHANGED THEIRS TO ALLOW FOR 13 YEAR OLDS, AND BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET PARTICIPATION IN THE FIRST YEAR, THEY DID OPEN IT UP TO ANY STUDENT IN JACKSON COUNTY THAT WAS INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE CITY'S YOUTH COMMISSION.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK.

BUT SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US PULL TOGETHER A LOT OF THOSE FACTS AND FIGURES.

JACKSON HAS WARDS, SO THEY ARE SEPARATED IN THE COMMUNITY BY SIX WARDS.

AND THEY WERE HOPING THAT THEY COULD GET TWO YOUTH MEMBERS OF EACH WARD TO REPRESENT BECAUSE THEIR TRUSTEES, THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE NOT AT LARGE LIKE YOU ALL.

I THINK THEY'RE IN EVERY CAPACITY ADVISORY.

THE LARGER COMMUNITIES LIKE WAYNE COUNTY, GRAND RAPIDS, HAVE 21 MEMBERS.

THEY'RE ALL SEPARATED ONTO SMALLER SUBCOMMITTEES THAT HAVE ACTIONABLE RESULTS BASED OFF OF DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.

SO THE LARGER COMMUNITY, PROBABLY THE MORE INTEREST AS WELL AS THESE COMMISSIONS DO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF CREDIT, GIVING THEM VOLUNTEER HOURS, I THINK, WITH THE CITY OF JACKSON, SINCE LUMEN CHRISTI IS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT WITHIN THE PARAMETERS.

LUMEN CHRISTI HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS.

SO THERE ARE CERTAIN STUDENTS THAT LOOK TO THIS COMMISSION AS LIKE, THIS IS THE WAY THAT I'M GOING TO MEET MY EXPECTATIONS AND EXCEED THEM BY BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT IS POSSIBLE, I THINK, WITH OUR NEIGHBOR CITY, EAST LANSING, THEY HAVE SEVERAL GROWING TOPICS THAT THEY WANT THE COMMUNITY'S YOUTH TO SPEAK ON.

THEY HAD, I THINK, SOME TENSION DURING COVID 19 WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK THAT WAS THEIR ACTIONABLE WAY OF CREATING SOME PATHWAY AND IN CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR RESEARCH FOR THESE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YEAH. SO I'M EXCITED AT THE NOTION OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL AGED SCOTT WOULD HAVE KILLED FOR A YOUTH COMMISSION IN MY TOWN.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

AND WHILE I MAY NOT BE ANYMORE, THE YOUNG BUCK ON THE ON THE BOARD I DO APPRECIATE OUR TWO NEW MEMBERS WHO ARE YOU KNOW, FIT THAT DESCRIPTION.

I THINK THAT WHERE I, WHERE I COULD SEE A LOT OF POSSIBILITY FOR A COMMISSION LIKE THIS IS ENGAGEMENT WITH SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE DO IN OUR, IN OUR TOWNSHIP ALREADY, AND ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO EXPAND THOSE EVENTS TO BE MORE TO INCLUDE MORE AND YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE VOLUME OF THEM AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE THINGS LIKE TEEN NIGHT ON CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.

WE HAVE LOTS OF OTHER HIGH SCHOOL AGE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PARKS DIRECTOR, WISINSKI MAY WISH TO COME TO THE COMMISSION AND GET THEIR INPUT ON. CERTAINLY, IF VOLUNTEERISM AND ACTIVISM IS SOMETHING THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION WOULD WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, FINDING OUT, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT IF YOU TOLD, YOU KNOW, BILL MCCONNELL AND THE REST OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, HEY, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A YOUTH COMMISSION WHO'S EXCITED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING INVOLVED AND GETTING OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS WORK, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM TO EMMA CAMPBELL AND AND SHE WOULD, YOU KNOW, FIND LOTS OF LOTS OF GOOD STUFF FOR THIS COMMISSION TO ASSIST WITH.

AND I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SORT OF, I THINK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED BECAUSE WE SIT UP HERE AND WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A THERE IS LEARNING THE PROCESS OF HOW GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, RIGHT? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PART OF A FORMAL MEETING? YOU KNOW, WE ALL GOT COPIES OF ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT EXPECTING EVERYONE TO READ EVERY YOUTH COMMISSION TO READ ALL OF THAT NECESSARILY, BUT TO PUT YOURSELF IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING, IT JUST IT GIVES YOU SOME OF THAT ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR OFFICE ONE DAY, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUCH AN UNATTAINABLE THING.

AND I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME VALUE IN THAT.

AND IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WITH WANING INTEREST AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO PULL IT BACK TOGETHER, WELL, WE'VE SEEN WHAT WE CAN DO IN THOSE CASES.

BUT I THINK GIVEN THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE SEE WITH OUR STUDENTS IN THE, IN THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE MOST PREVALENT IN OUR TOWNSHIP, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO BE SPOILED FOR CHOICE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS.

[01:40:04]

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.

I GUESS MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING EVERY NEW BODY, EVERY NEW COMMISSION OR GROUP THAT WE BRING IN DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR TOWNSHIP STAFF AS WELL, RIGHT? WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER MEETING TO STAFF.

WE'RE CREATING MORE PACKETS AND MORE AGENDAS AND MORE TIME AFTER HOURS.

AND SO I ASK DIRECTOR CLARK IT IS THE ASSUMPTION FROM YOUR BEING HERE PRESENTING THIS EVENING THAT YOU WOULD BE TAKING THIS ON, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED WITH OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS AND GETTING INVOLVED IN? I CURRENTLY MANAGE FOUR BOARDS FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

I WILL SAY THAT I KNOW THAT I DO NOT SAY NO TO WORK THOUGH, SO I ALSO HAVE A YOUTH THAT KNOWS THAT THERE'S THAT OF INTEREST. YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO OVERSEE YOUR SON.

YES. RIGHT. MAKING HIM SIT ON THIS? NO. ULTIMATELY, CANDIDLY, THE WAY I VIEW THIS IS THIS IS EITHER GOING TO LIVE IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AS A SPECIAL BOARD, OR IT'S GOING TO LIVE IN COMMUNITY PLANNING.

UNDER MY DEPARTMENT, THOSE ARE THE TWO MOST LIKELY SCENARIOS FOR THIS.

IDEALLY, WHAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO, AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EXPLANATION OF SORT OF SOME OF THE FOCUS THAT THEY WANT, THAT HIS VISION IS OF THIS, THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO PULL IN OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ASSIST, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE KIND OF WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE, AS WE'VE BROUGHT IN PARKS AND WE'VE BROUGHT IN DPW AS WE'VE NEEDED THEM. AND SO IF WE'RE FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, BRING IN EITHER, YOU KNOW, BRING IN OR BRING IN COURTNEY, BRING IN DAN AS NECESSARY.

AND SO HOPEFULLY I THINK THIS WILL ULTIMATELY BE A TEAM EFFORT, WHICH IS WHY I THINK EVENTUALLY IT LANDS IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE TO SORT OF MOVE THE MOVE THE CHESS PIECES AROUND. GOT IT.

WELL, HOPEFULLY IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN DAN, WE'RE NOT HAVING THEM OUT THERE.

PAVING ROADS.

TRUSTEE. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, THAT THERE BE A LIAISON FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, LIKE WE DO WITH A LOT OF OTHER BOARDS, SO THAT THAT FACILITATES THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE YOUTH BACK TO THE BOARD AND VICE VERSA.

YEAH. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

I THINK I'M WARMING UP TO THIS IDEA AS WELL.

AND I THINK MAYBE WE APPOINT A TWO YEAR COMMISSION, YOUTH COMMISSION WITH A WITH A RENEWAL OR SUNSET 24 MONTHS LATER.

IT GIVES IT A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET FOOTING AND TAKE OFF OR AFTER TWO YEARS, WE SAY THIS JUST DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY WE'D HOPED IT.

WILL WE GIVE IT A TRY? MAYBE WE'LL COME BACK TO IT.

WE'LL GIVE IT A COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE HOW IT GOES AND SEE WHAT FERMENTS THERE.

AND I THINK IT COULD BE OUTSTANDING.

WE HAVE AMAZING YOUTH IN THIS TOWNSHIP.

YOU REPRESENT THEM VERY WELL, AND I THINK IF WE CAN SOMEHOW CONNECT TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS OR TOWNSHIP ACTIVITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL AND RECREATIONAL AND OTHERS AND EVEN GOVERNMENT ITSELF AND EXPOSE THEM TO THAT, IT IS GOOD FOR US.

MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT.

MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

WELL, THAT'S ONE WAY. WHY NOT? THE ONLY LOGISTICAL QUESTION, I GUESS, THAT I REALLY LEFT MYSELF WITH IS, YOU KNOW, WE, THE YOUTH COMMISSION, TRADITIONALLY. LET ME START BACK A LITTLE BIT.

TRADITIONALLY, WHEN WE DO APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THERE, EITHER BY VACANCY OR STARTING JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR SET OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD BE SERVING ON THIS BODY.

IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO LOOK AT DOING THIS BASED ON THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR, NOT ON THE CALENDAR YEAR.

THAT WAY YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GRADUATE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE OFF AND DOING OTHER THINGS.

THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO MERIDIAN UNLESS THEY STAY CLOSE AND GO TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

THEY MAY NOT STILL BE COMING BACK THROUGH THEIR DECEMBER TERM.

AND SO JUST TO KEEP THINGS IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A CONSISTENT GROUP MONTH AFTER MONTH, WE MIGHT LOOK AT DOING RUNNING THE APPOINTMENTS BASED ON AN ACADEMIC CALENDAR AS OPPOSED TO A CALENDAR YEAR.

WE ALSO MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING A TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT.

SO THERE'S SOME CONTINUITY BECAUSE THERE'S AUTOMATIC AGING OUT OF THIS BOARD.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME CONTINUITY.

SO THAT'S A THOUGHT.

CARDENAS. I HAD A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR CLARK.

FOR OTHER YOUTH COMMISSIONS, DID THEY REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT?

[01:45:02]

SO THAT'S A QUESTION WE WE'VE HAD HAVE HAD WITH MY CONSULTANTS.

THANK YOU. IS DO WE NEED TO CREATE A SECOND PUBLIC SERVICE APPLICATION.

OR WE COULD WORK WITH COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, I GUESS TO INDICATE IF YOU'RE UNDER 18 SOME FORM.

BUT YOU PROBABLY WANT PARENT CONSENT IN THEIR CONSENT.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S I WOULD BE INCLINED TO HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT.

JUST SO THERE'S MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING AND DIALOG BETWEEN FAMILIES AND FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE APPLICATION.

OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YEAH. I WOULD JUST BE A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH A TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL ONLY FOR FOUR YEARS.

SO TWO YEARS, I THINK WOULD BE KIND OF LIMITING.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A SENIOR AND YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION, IT'S KIND OF LIKE DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO BE ON THE COMMISSION.

SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A TWO YEAR LIMIT ON THE APPOINTMENT.

OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE LIMITED THEM TO A YEAR.

AND WHEN THERE'S A VACANCY, JUST AN APPOINTMENT LIKE WE TYPICALLY DO.

OKAY. THEY CAN BE REAPPOINTED THOUGH.

YEAH. RIGHT. YEAH.

OKAY. YES.

AND I LIKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR HAVING IT BE BASED ON THE ACADEMIC YEAR.

YOU IMAGINING THAT SUMMER WOULD STILL BE A TIME THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD MEET AND HAVE ACTION? I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT BEING THE BEST TIME FOR SOME OF THEM TO.

YEAH, I SUSPECT AS MUCH.

YEAH. YEAH. SO, YEAH, I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO SET THEIR OWN SCHEDULE MUCH THE WAY THAT OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SET THEIRS.

BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO MEET THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

THAT'D BE MY GUESS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY ALSO FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, SUMMER JOBS AND SUMMER ACTIVITIES ARE LEAVE THEM WANTING TO PERHAPS TAKE A MONTH OFF IN JULY OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

BUT I THINK THAT SELF-DETERMINATION IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH DIRECTION.

WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS BACK FOR ACTION WITH AN ORDINANCE.

I WILL INCLUDE SOME LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION ABOUT A BOARD LIAISON SUN SETTING IN TWO YEARS AND SETTING IT AS AN ACADEMIC CALENDAR.

SO FROM AUGUST TO JULY.

OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. FOR INCLUDING SUMMER.

SO LIKE THIS AUGUST START OVER THE NEW YEAR.

OR MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S SEPTEMBER TO AUGUST.

OKAY I KNOW THAT SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, BUT THAT GIVES FOLKS A WEEK OR TWO TO GATHER THEMSELVES AND DECIDE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO.

AND MAYBE THEY CAN MEET IN AUGUST AND THAT'LL, YOU KNOW, BE A GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT.

ABSOLUTELY. SO PROCESS WISE, THIS WOULD BE INTRODUCTION AND THEN ADOPTION AS TWO SEPARATE HOPS.

RIGHT? CORRECT. YOU HAVE AN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE AND THEN INTRODUCTION, ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION TO CREATE THE COMMISSION AND AN INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE FOR THE COMMISSION. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE WAY YOU'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.

OKAY. GOT IT.

AND THEN THE LIAISON WOULD WORK SIMILAR TO HOW WE DO LIAISONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND ZBA OR NOT.

SO IN SOME CASES WE ARE A SITTING MEMBER AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? THIS IS JUST LIAISON TO ATTEND AND LISTEN AND REPORT.

NOT TO ACTUALLY BE A NON-VOTING MEMBER.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY. RIGHT.

SO NOT LIKE THE ZBA.

LIKE THE OTHER ONES.

OKAY. OKAY.

YEAH. WE'LL SEE YOU IN JANUARY.

WE'LL SEE YOU IN A MONTH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ITEM 13 D APPOINTMENT OF SUPERVISOR PRO TEM.

[13.D. Supervisor Pro-Tem Appointment]

WE ARE AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN WHERE WE APPOINT SOMEONE FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND SO, SO WE CAN HAVE THIS ON FOR DISCUSSION AND ON FOR ACTION.

NEXT MEETING. SO THERE'S NO GAPS.

I BROUGHT THIS FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU TO TRUSTEE TREZISE FOR BEING OUR CAPABLE SUPERVISOR PRO TEM IN 2024.

I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN FOR 2025 I AM SEEKING TO NOMINATE TRUSTEE WILSON TO SERVE AS SUPERVISOR PRO TEM.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PLANNED ABSENCES AT THIS TIME.

OF COURSE, ILLNESS CAN STRIKE WHENEVER.

WHEN YOU'VE GOT A THREE YEAR OLD AND A SIX YEAR OLD AT HOME.

[01:50:01]

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING TRUSTEE WILSON FOR 2025.

ANY ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS AT THIS TIME? TREASURER DESCHAINE I SUPPORT YOUR YOUR MOTION.

I THINK TRUSTEE WILSON WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT SUPERVISOR PRO TEM.

THE PROBLEM WITH APPOINTING SOMEONE AND NOT THE PROBLEM.

BUT THE FACT IS, IT'S A HONORARY ROLE ONLY BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE AT EVERY MEETING AND YOU'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

AND I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

YOU ARE VERY MUCH A FULL TIME, PART TIME SUPERVISOR.

AND YET WHEN YOU CANNOT BE HERE, I FEEL THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD BE LED VERY WELL BY HAVING TRUSTEE WILSON ACTING IN YOUR PLACE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I DID TELL SUPERVISOR JACKSON THAT I FELT IT WAS AN HONORARY TITLE TOO.

AND HERE WE ARE. SO I DON'T INTEND TO GO ANYWHERE.

BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

I PUT IT ON MY RESUME FIRST THING I CHECKED.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO. TRUSTEE LENTZ, IT'S ONLY JUST TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE ON THE PUBLIC RECORD HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE WILSON'S ADVICE AND, YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF KNOWING EACH OTHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A GOOD MOVE FOR OUR TOWNSHIP.

AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO, FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS PLANS ON ASKING YOU PLENTY MORE QUESTIONS AND ADVICE ALONG THE WAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT THEN I DON'T HEAR ANY MORE DISCUSSION.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 13 E A LIGHT TOPIC TO END ON OUR 2025 TOWNSHIP GOALS.

[13.E. Board 2025 Goals]

VERY LIGHT TOPIC.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS AGAIN, JUST TO TAKE A STEP BACK AS A PLANNER, RIGHT? I'M TRY I TRY TO THINK AS BIG PICTURE AS POSSIBLE AND AND I'VE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE I GOT HERE, I WANTED.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANTED A CHANCE TO WORK ON IS TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO GOALS, BECAUSE IT ALWAYS JUST FELT LIKE WE WERE CHECKING A BOX AS STAFF AS OPPOSED TO LIKE TRYING TO THINK IN A VISIONARY WAY BASED ON THE BOARD'S LEADERSHIP.

AND SO THIS IS AFTER THE RETREAT ON THE 23RD, WHERE I SCRIBBLED NOTES ALL OVER THE FRONT OF THIS.

NOT FOR REAL, SAM.

SORRY. WE DEVELOPED STAFF INTERNALLY, SORT OF WORDSMITH THESE AFTER I PUT AN INITIAL SKELETON TOGETHER TO SORT OF COME UP WITH THESE, THESE UMBRELLA VISIONARY STATEMENTS FOR US TO WORK TOWARDS IN 2025 AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO COVER AS MUCH BASE AS POSSIBLE WHILE STILL HAVING SOME MEAT ON THE BONES SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE HEADED HERE.

AND SO THESE SIX SORT OF VALUE STATEMENTS ARE WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO START THAT BALL ROLLING AGAIN.

I THINK WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE IS THE STAFF WILL PROVIDE YOU AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SORT OF A ROADMAP OF WHAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON FOR THE YEAR UNDER THESE GOALS.

AND THEN AS PART OF THE BUDGET CYCLE NEXT YEAR, THE BOARD CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH MR. DEMPSEY, AS TO HOW WE WANT TO TIE FUTURE GOAL SETTING INTO THE BUDGET AND WHETHER WE LET THIS RIDE FOR A YEAR OR WHETHER WE GO BACK AT THIS AGAIN IN FIVE, SIX MONTHS LEADING INTO BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.

I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CONCERNS? NOW IS THE TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I I'LL JUST SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SOME THE THE LENGTHY DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD ON THIS TOPIC AT OUR RETREAT BACK IN NOVEMBER.

I THINK THAT THE GOALS THAT ARE PROVIDED HERE ARE A PRETTY GOOD DISTILLATION OF THE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION.

I THINK THERE MAY YET BE A LITTLE BIT OF WORDSMITHING I'D LIKE TO SEE.

AS WE, AS WE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ADOPT THESE MORE FORMALLY, BUT I THINK WE'RE WE'VE GOT GOOD GROUND TO STAND ON.

AND SO BEFORE I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR FOR, FOR DISCUSSION HERE AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT.

CLARK DAVIS. YEAH.

SO I THINK THAT THESE GOALS ARE GREAT.

I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE EMPHASIS ON CITIZEN OUTREACH ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LISTENING SESSIONS. AND JUST FROM A CLARK'S PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROVIDE AS MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION TO PEOPLE.

SO THAT REQUIRES REACHING OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS.

SO I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE MORE DETAILED IN OUR GOALS.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. I LIKE THE GOALS.

THANK YOU FOR SUMMARIZING THEM FOR US.

I THINK THEY'RE A LITTLE LONG, THOUGH.

I THINK PEOPLE WILL SEE THIS AND WILL PROBABLY NOT READ THEM ALL.

I THINK ONE IS, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S REFERRING TO OUR LISTENING SESSIONS WE PLAN TO DO.

TO YOUR POINT, CLARK.

[01:55:04]

IT JUST BAKED INTO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE TOWNSHIP TO THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH.

ALL HAVE REAL SUSTAINABLE ACTION.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PROACTIVELY IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

KEEP THEM AS THEY ARE AND CONSIDER REMOVING ONE, BECAUSE IT'S JUST WHO WE.

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'VE DONE.

WE'VE ALREADY SHOWN THE COMMUNITY THE PAST TWO YEARS.

WE'VE DONE LISTENING SESSIONS.

WE HAVE PLANS TO DO LISTENING SESSIONS IN THE COMING YEAR.

I DON'T I THINK IT'S REDUNDANT OR IT'S A BIT DIDACTIC TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO LISTENING SESSIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO DO LISTENING SESSIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S GIVEN CUT IT DOWN TO FIVE.

IT'S EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO READ, READ THE FIVE THAT ARE THERE OTHERWISE.

I THINK THESE ARE ALL COMMENDABLE GOALS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THEM IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

THANK YOU.

I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT HAVING FIVE.

I GOT THERE A DIFFERENT WAY.

I GOT THERE BY COMBINING NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER SIX.

BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE TO DO WITH SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.

I LIKE THAT. AND SO I PUT THOSE TOGETHER AS ONE.

I SORT OF REWORDED TO THE COMMUNICATION GOAL TO BE A LITTLE MORE ACTION FOCUSED.

AND SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I, WHAT I HAVE AND YOU CAN TELL ME IF YOU THINK I'M IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET RID OF IT.

BUT TELL OUR STORY BETTER BY ENHANCING COMMUNICATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY WIDE MEETINGS, MAJOR EVENTS AND OTHER MECHANISMS TO BETTER ENGAGE OUR DIVERSE MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY.

YEAH, I LIKE THAT.

I AGREE. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN LISTENING SESSIONS.

AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO GET OUT THERE AND GET OUR COMMUNITY MORE ENGAGED IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I THINK THAT'S, I THINK ENCAPSULATED WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO DO WITH THIS GOAL IN THE, IN THE, IN THE RETREAT.

I'D ALSO SAY IT HAS MORE MEAT ON IT AND SAYS MORE THAN THE RATHER VAGUE STATEMENT, WHICH IS A GOOD STATEMENT, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY A LOT.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I ALSO HAD THE NOTE ON COMBINING GOAL THREE AND SIX, SO I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU, INTERIM MANAGER, FOR INCLUDING IN THE SECOND ONE THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.

YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY AND REGION AS A WHOLE IS IMPORTANT.

AND WE AS A TOWNSHIP ARE LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A BIG SAY IN THIS TRI COUNTY AREA.

SO AS THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT INCLUDED.

OKAY. I THINK WITH THE FIRST GOAL ENGAGING OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY I THINK THAT TELLING OUR STORY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AS A GOAL, I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MORE DIRECTION FOCUSED.

I GUESS I WOULD APPRECIATE IT TO BE MORE DEVELOPED WHILE ALSO INCLUDING BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WE'RE STILL UPDATING FOCUSING ON OUR PERSONNEL HANDBOOK AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS, I THINK NEED TO BE INCLUDED AS WELL.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THOUGHTS ON.

YEP. TRUSTEE WILSON? JUST TO RESPOND TO YOU, CLERK DUMAS, THE MECHANISM IS THE HANDBOOK AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS, BUT THAT'S USUALLY NOT IN THE GOAL SPECIFICALLY.

RATHER IT'S DIRECTION FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT TO DIRECT OUR STAFF TO DO CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THOSE WHICH ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE DONE. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THOSE WORDS NEED TO BE INCORPORATED HERE, AND I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE FULLY EXECUTED IN 2025.

SO THAT COULD BE A CHALLENGE FOR US IF WE CAN'T MEET THAT GOAL.

YES. YES.

YEAH. WHAT I MEANT IS IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE SPECIFICALLY IN THE GOALS ITSELF, BUT I WOULD WANT LANGUAGE TO REFLECT THAT.

I THINK WITH US TAKING OUT DEI, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THAT THAT WAS A REFLECTION OF UPDATING OUR PERSONNEL HANDBOOK.

AND WHEN YOU TAKE OUT SOME WORDS SUCH AS THAT IT CAN GIVE OFF THE IMPRESSION THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING

[02:00:07]

YEAH. I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTHWHILE TO NOTE THAT TRADITIONALLY, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS ONCE THE BOARD SETS THE GOALS THE STAFF WILL BRING ESSENTIALLY THEIR ACTION ITEMS TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.

AND THIS PART OF WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS THIS DISCUSSION WILL HELP TO, YOU KNOW, INFORM THE INTENT OF THE GOALS THAT WE PASS.

CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE DISCUSSED ON THE 23RD, IT WAS NOT OUR INTENT TO ELIMINATE DEI AS A FOCUS OF THE ACTION, BUT INSTEAD TO INCORPORATE IT MORE INTO, YOU KNOW, INTO OUR STORY AND INTO THE WAY WE JUST DO BUSINESS.

AND WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT IS STILL AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER.

YEAH. RIGHT.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOAL? MY ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE THAT PCAS OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM, WITH THE SEVEN OF US AND THE FOLKS UP IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND DIRECTOR CLARK, IT'S NOT GOING TO MEAN A WHOLE LOT, RIGHT? AND SO, MY HOPE WAS THAT WE COULD MAYBE REFOCUS THIS OR REFRAME THIS AS IDENTIFIED IN OUR, OUR IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREAS OR SOMETHING TO THAT.

I KNOW THAT CARRIAGE HILL KIND OF THROWS OFF THE DOWNTOWN MONIKER, BUT I HAD JUST SIMPLY TWEAKED THIS A LITTLE BIT TO SAY, ENHANCE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP STANDING AS A PRIME LOCATION TO DEVELOP, OWN AND OPERATE A BUSINESS WITH A FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT OF OUR DOWNTOWN AREAS.

I THINK THAT THAT SORT OF JUST SORT OF TURNS THE PHRASE UPSIDE DOWN AND ELIMINATES THE CONFUSION THAT PEOPLE MIGHT SEE FROM PIKAS WHEN THEY HEAR THAT GOAL. SO, THAT WAS THAT WAS MY SUGGESTION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

YES, WE COULD, SINCE WE HAVE THREE PIKAS.

FOUR. I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THEM ALL.

WE COULD IDENTIFY THEM.

FOCUSING ON DOWNTOWN.

THE MERIDIAN MALL AND CARRIAGE HILLS ARE TWO DOWNTOWNS.

MERIDIAN MALL AND CARRIAGE HILLS.

YEAH. BECAUSE I AGREE, PICA DOESN'T MEAN MUCH TO MOST.

NO. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT? I WOULD BE INCLINED TO AGREE WITH TRUSTEE.

I LIKE NAMING THEM RATHER THAN KEEP.

REQUIRES LOOKING AT OTHER DOCUMENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY THAT IS.

SO YEAH.

OKAY. I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE, I THINK I LIKE SAYING REAL DIRECTLY FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT OF.

DOWNTOWN OKEMOS THE FOUR CORNERS AND CARRIAGE HILLS AND THE MERIDIAN MALL.

AND THAT'S A HECK OF A GOAL RIGHT THERE.

OH, YEAH. ANY ONE OF THEM.

THAT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR.

SO, I THINK TO SAY ENHANCE OUR STANDING AS A PRIME LOCATION TO DEVELOP AND OWN AND OPERATE A BUSINESS. AGAIN, WE WILL PROVE THAT BY OUR ACTIONS RATHER THAN STATE IT AS A FACT.

IT'S NOT A FACT YET, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BUSINESS TO REPRESENT THAT.

IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A GOAL OF THIS BOARD, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO BECOME PRIME LOCATION, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

SO FOR THOSE AREAS, YES, IN THOSE AREAS.

RIGHT. CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF PLENTY OF GOOD BUSINESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY THE LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WE'VE HAD WITH A NUMBER OF THOSE DO SHOW THAT WE ARE A GOOD PLACE TO DEVELOP.

BUT I AGREE THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THOSE FOUR AREAS, WE CAN BETTER DEMONSTRATE THAT THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS.

YEAH, YEAH.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER GOAL.

THIS, TO ME, WAS PRETTY PRESCRIPTIVE.

IF WE'RE IF WE'RE HAPPY WITH TAKE ACTION IN SPRING AND CONSTRUCT BY LATE FALL, THEN I'M HAPPY WITH IT.

WE CAN MAKE IT MORE VALUES BASED, BUT THIS IS PERHAPS OUR MOST CONCRETE OF THE ACTION ITEM GOALS.

SO IF WE'RE HAPPY WITH IT, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON FROM THAT.

AND IT'S PRESCRIPTIVE BECAUSE OF TIME DEADLINES.

THAT'S RIGHT. NOT ONLY THIS IS PERHAPS ONE OF OUR MORE ACHIEVABLE GOALS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO.

RIGHT. OR ELSE WE WON'T.

SO, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE MUST OR ELSE WE CAN'T.

[02:05:02]

MAYBE SAYING GROUP CONTINUED REPLACEMENT OR REHABILITATION OF TOWNSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE ESSENTIAL TO THE COMMUNITY. WELL WE'RE COMBINING.

SORRY. SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, IF YOU WOULD.

I WOULD SAY CHANGE IT TO INVEST AND PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE CONTINUED REPLACEMENT OF TOWNSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

OUR PUBLIC WORKS AREAS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS ARE ESSENTIAL, OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BUILT.

OUR POLICE HEADQUARTERS, OUR FIRE STATION ALL NEED SOME ATTENTION THIS YEAR AND ALL OUR ESSENTIAL FACILITIES.

SO MY COMBINING OF IT, I THINK IF I CAN MARRY IT WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

TREASURER DESCHAINE I WAS GOING TO SAY IMPLEMENT THIS IS INCORPORATING THREE AND SIX TOGETHER IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE POLICIES FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP, AND YOUR PART ADDRESS TOWNSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S FINE. THAT WAY WE THINK OF A BETTER WORD THAN ADDRESS.

MAYBE ADDRESS IS THE RIGHT WORD, I DON'T KNOW.

SHOULDN'T THE WORD AGING BE IN THERE? BECAUSE WE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THIS BASED ON AGE AND WHERE THE NEED IS MOST GREATLY.

IDENTIFIED. JUST A THOUGHT.

I'M HONESTLY OKAY WITHOUT IT.

BECAUSE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT FAILS THAT IS NOT ADDRESSED ANYWAY, YOU GOT TO DO IT.

SO, YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO REPLACE IT.

RIGHT? I'M OKAY WITH EXCLUDING AGING FOR THAT REASON, I GUESS.

ALTHOUGH WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS SOME AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

TOO MUCH. SO, I THINK WE'VE TOUCHED ON ALL OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ON.

WE'RE ON CAMERA HERE. SO PERHAPS MR. SCHMIDT CAN TAKE BACK WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AND.

ABSOLUTELY. SEE THAT BACK IN JANUARY? YEP. WE'LL HAVE IT BACK, HOPEFULLY FOR ADOPTION.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

MR. TAYLOR. ROGER TAYLOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US AT THE PODIUM? YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.

GETTING RIGOR MORTIS, SETTING DOWN SO LONG.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL FOR YOUR POSITIONS BEING ELECTED, AND GOOD JOB.

FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING.

SO I'D JUST LIKE A POINT OF INFORMATION AND FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.

I'M SURE YOU GOT MY EMAIL.

I'VE EMAILED.

I THINK SCOTT AND I THINK THE LAST SUPERVISOR WAS IN HERE.

IF YOU NEED MY EMAIL, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM GIVING THAT UP TO YOU, BUT THE POINT OF INFORMATION IS IN GOOD GOVERNANCE TO ME.

I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME POLITICAL DEBATE.

FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU PEOPLE, HERE IS THE FACT THAT, YEAH, WE ACCEPT THIS GUY.

HE'S GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AS A TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

AND THEN JUST LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

I APPROVE.

DOES ANYBODY HEAR? MY POINT OF INFORMATION IS, DOES ANYBODY EVER DISAGREE WITH ANYBODY ON THE BOARD.

AND IF THERE IS, HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT? IS IT IN A FORUM THAT WE CAN HEAR, OR IS IT IN A FORUM THAT WE CAN'T HEAR? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT BECAUSE I HAVE MUCH MORE RESPECT FROM SOMEBODY THAT WILL.

I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT THE ROAD TO ABILENE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THAT MOVIE.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BLURB THAT I HAD IN MY DEBATING CLASS THAT, HEY, I'M GOING TO ABILENE.

YOU WANT TO GO? YEAH, I WANT TO GO.

SO IT'S JUST LIKE WHAT I SAID BEFORE.

IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT.

YOU APPROVE? I APPROVE, YES, I APPROVE.

I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT ANYBODY IN THIS BOARD HERE.

AND IF THEY SAID, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.

I THOUGHT THIS OTHER GUY WAS PRETTY GOOD TOO.

I MEAN, YOU SAID YOU HAD TWO OTHER GUYS THAT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THOSE GUYS TOO MUCH, BUT YOU GOT A LOT OF DEVOTION FROM THE GUY THAT DID THE

[02:10:06]

BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT.

NO, I'VE BEEN ON JURY DUTY.

I'VE BEEN IN LABOR RELATIONS.

I'VE DONE. I'M RETIRED NOW, AND ALL I CAN SAY IS NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE, YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE A MISTAKE. AND I HATE TO BRING THIS UP, BUT YOU SAY THIS HAS.

THIS GUY HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

BUT SO DID THE LAST MANAGER THAT WAS HERE.

AND WHERE IS HE NOW? IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT NOW, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

OR YOU CAN EMAIL ME.

I'M ALL DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? THAT'S FINE. YEP. SO, MY NAME IS PAUL HAMBY.

I'M THE OWNER OF THE I HEART MAC AND CHEESE.

I JUST KIND OF WONDERED IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT JUST KIND OF WAS BLOWN RIGHT OVER.

SO I THOUGHT IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M A NURSE AT SPARROW.

I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 22 YEARS, FELLOW ROTARIAN.

BUT I JUST KIND OF THOUGHT, HEY, INSTEAD OF JUST KIND OF GETTING BLOWN OVER, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I COULD ANSWER? SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO AT LEAST SAY SOMETHING.

THANK YOU. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT AT THAT DISCUSSION ITEM AT THIS TIME.

IT WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF US IN JANUARY, ON JANUARY 7TH.

OH, OKAY. WELCOME TO COME BACK AND SPEAK.

THAT'D BE GREAT. YEAH.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK.

MR. SCHMIDT, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME FOR JUST A SECOND, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY YOU'VE GIVEN ME OVER THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.

THIS WAS QUITE THE CHALLENGE.

AND I CERTAINLY HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING I CAN TO THIS COMMUNITY AND TO THE STAFF AT BOTH MTM AND GENERAL LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU. I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS, SO I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF HAMILL.

SO I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK INTERIM MANAGER SCHMIDT.

TOOK ON A POSITION AT A TIME WHERE IT WAS INTERESTING AROUND HERE AND VERY POSITIVE TO HAVE HIM IN THE ROOM WITH US ALL.

HE KEPT THE TEAM GOING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

HE KEPT US, I THINK, WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM THAT SITS AT THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

TIM KEPT US ON THAT EVEN KEEL.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE.

TIM STILL BEING A PART OF THE TEAM, KEEPING US GOING AND THEN OUR NEW TEAM.

SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO TIM MORE THAN ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, THE MANAGERS AND ALL THE SUPPORT FOR ME WITH MY CRAZINESS I'VE HAD THIS YEAR.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 819.

OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

ANY OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS THIS EVENING?

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

AND I ALSO WANTED TO JUST EXPRESS THAT WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHILE ALSO SHARING THAT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS, AND THAT HAPPENS DURING OPEN MEETINGS.

IT CAN BE DANGEROUS TO SUGGEST THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS OUTSIDE OF OPEN MEETINGS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT PERSPECTIVE AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M NOT THE ONE THAT HAS TO SAY THAT.

WELL, I'LL TREASURER DESCHAINE I THANK YOU.

I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK INTERIM MANAGER TIM SCHMIDT.

HE LED US THROUGH THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS.

THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT YEAR OF THE EIGHT YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.

IT'S BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR.

AND WE NOT TO MENTION IT WAS ALSO AN ELECTION YEAR.

AND SO WE WERE EXTRA BUSY WITH CONNECTING WITH THE PUBLIC, KNOCKING ON TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOORS COLLECTIVELY.

WE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT START TO THE YEAR AND WE HAD A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

AND WHAT I THINK IS REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS AWARD IS THAT WE'VE COME BACK TOGETHER.

WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER.

WE CAN RESPECT EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES AND CONTINUE TO WORK AS A TEAM.

[02:15:02]

WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT SAME COOPERATION AND RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER THAT WE'VE SHOWN THIS PAST YEAR TO SUCCEED IN THE FUTURE, AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT WE'LL FIND THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE IT. THANK YOU.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE LENTZ ECHOING THE FIRST SENTIMENT OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBER, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE JOINING THIS BOARD EASY.

AS EASY AS IT CAN BE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY.

AND RELIANCE ON THE EXPERTISE OF STAFF IS A BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES US ABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE AND GET OUT OF HERE IN LESS THAN SIX HOURS EVERY OTHER WEEK.

SO ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, MR. SCHMIDT, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.

SO THANK YOU.

WELL, I MEAN, NOT ENOUGH GOOD STUFF CAN BE SAID ABOUT TIM SCHMITT AND THE JOB THAT YOU'VE DONE HELPING US NAVIGATE AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TIME.

YOU KNOW, THIS, IT WAS NEW FOR ME.

IT WAS NEW FOR YOU.

I THINK WE WORKED IT OUT, AND WE FIGURED OUT A WAY FORWARD AND ALONG THE WAY, NAVIGATED A LOT OF VERY TRICKY ISSUES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OVERSEES THE MANAGER, BUT IT FEELS A LOT MORE LIKE A PARTNERSHIP THAN IT DOES. THAT KIND OF AN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP.

AND I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED TO SAY WE HAD AN EXCELLENT PARTNER IN TIM SCHMITT.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH.

NOT ENOUGH GOOD THINGS CAN BE SAID.

I WILL SAY, IF YOU THINK THAT THIS GETS YOU OUT OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE MEETINGS, IT DOES NOT.

BUT THANK YOU AGAIN.

AND AND I IT IS ALSO WORTHWHILE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF, WHO HAS ALSO UNDERGONE A VERY CHALLENGING TRANSITIONARY TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL TRANSITION COMING.

BUT I THINK THE UNANIMOUS DECISION OF THE BOARD HERE IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR CONFIDENCE THAT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION SMOOTHLY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHT YEAR COMING AHEAD IN 2025.

SO WITH THAT, BE THAT WE COULD BE DONE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AHEAD OF US.

[16. CLOSED SESSION]

DO WE HAVE A MOTION MAKER TRUSTEE LENTZ.

I MOTION THAT WE ENTER CLOSED SESSION.

I'M SORRY. FOR LEGAL PURPOSES, WE DO HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING.

IT'S ON THE AGENDA. I'M SORRY.

LET ME PULL THAT UP.

OUR LAWYERS WILL GET US.

THANK YOU. I MOVE TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS TRIAL OR SETTLEMENT STRATEGY REGARDING INGHAM COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT CASE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP V WEST SHORE, INC., WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PURSUANT TO SECTIONS EIGHT E AND EIGHT H OF THE OMA.

WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY CLERK DIMAS.

DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? . MOTION CARRIES.

SO WE WILL ENTER CLOSED SESSION AT 8:24 P.M.

THOSE WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION, WE THANK YOU.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

WE'LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.