[00:01:34] I LIKE YOUR COAT. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO MY COAT. OH, THIS IS LOVELY. IT'S SO. IT'S SO LIKE. OH, YEAH. IT'S A NICE COLOR. YEAH. I LOVE THE COLOR. IT'S KIND OF RED AND ORANGE AND ALL KINDS OF COLORS. OKAY. OH, I'M ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. IT [1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER] IS 6:00. WE WILL CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN FOR FEBRUARY 4, 2025 TO ORDER. FIRST ON OUR AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN 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. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 3. A ROLL CALL WOULD DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. HERE. CLERK DEMAS . HERE. TREASURER DESCHAINE. HERE. TRUSTEE LENTZ. HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON. HERE. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. HERE. TRUSTEE TREZISE. HERE. ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 4 PRESENTATION. [4. PRESENTATION] WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. THE FIRST WILL BE COMING FROM MANAGER DEMPSEY, BUT IT IS INDEED ACTUALLY AN INTRODUCTION OF OUR NEW TOWNSHIP MANAGER. WE ON THE BOARD ARE VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TIM DEMPSEY, WHO WAS SELECTED TO BE OUR NEXT TOWNSHIP MANAGER LATE LAST YEAR. AND WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM JOIN THE TEAM HE STARTED A WEEK AGO MONDAY. AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LET HIM TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIMSELF. WELCOME. THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS YOUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING THIS MEETING THIS EVENING AND HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN IN ON THE SEARCH PROCESS, IT WAS A VERY EXTENSIVE SEARCH PROCESS CONDUCTED BY THE BOARD. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT MYSELF. SO IN THE PAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN UP IN THE SAGINAW AREA WORKING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. PRIOR TO THAT, I WORKED FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS WITH PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANTS, HELPING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, PRIMARILY ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK. DID A LOT OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT CONSULTING WITH COUNTIES AND OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, HELPING NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS, AS WELL AS A BUNCH OF OTHER WORK, AGAIN, RELATED TO COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUT PRIOR TO THAT, I WORKED FOR 15 YEARS WITH THE CITY OF EAST LANSING, STARTING OUT AS THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND THEN OVERSEEING THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN ALSO AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, SO FOCUSED ON A LOT OF CITY WIDE ISSUES. RESIDENT OF THIS AREA FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, DID RELOCATE UP TO SAGINAW, BUT MY WIFE AND I ARE GOING TO BE RELOCATING BACK. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING IN THIS COMMUNITY AGAIN. AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY AS WE GO FORWARD. [00:05:02] THE TEAM HERE HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE IN MY INITIAL WEEK HAD A LOT OF INITIAL MEETINGS WITH ALL OF YOU AND THE DIRECTORS AS WELL. SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD START. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE HERE AND A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS TO WORK ON. WE CERTAINLY HAVE OUR CHALLENGES, BUT IN ALL THOSE CHALLENGES LIE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR AGAIN FOR THE CONFIDENCE TO BRING ME ON BOARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WELCOME. THANKS. AND NOT TO THROW YOU DIRECTLY INTO, INTO A MASSIVE REPORT, BUT OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS OUR 2024 ANNUAL REPORT. WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU ARE NOT WITH US FOR MOST OF. BUT I THINK IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR IN REVIEW AND EVERYONE SORT OF GETS UP TO THIS UP TO SPEED ON WHAT IT IS THE TOWNSHIP'S BEEN UP TO. SO WE'LL TURN THINGS BACK OVER TO YOU TO LET US KNOW HOW WE DID. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO KICK OFF THE ANNUAL REPORT FIRST BY ACKNOWLEDGING JUST WHAT YOU TOUCHED ON, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. AND THAT'S THAT. YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THIS. KUDOS FOR ALL THIS WORK. GOES TO THE EXISTING STAFF. I KNOW THE DIRECTOR SCRAMBLED TO GET THIS TOGETHER AND PUT IT TOGETHER IN THE MIDST OF OBVIOUSLY HAVING SOME VACANCIES IN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB TO, I THINK, STITCH IT TOGETHER. AND WHAT I WANTED TO DO TONIGHT, I THOUGHT I'D SORT OF LOOK AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, YOU KNOW, THE OUTSIDER COMING IN AND HAVING REVIEWED IT. AND I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON SOME HIGHLIGHTS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO GO ONLINE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. IT'S A 76 PAGE DOCUMENT, SO IT'S VERY EXTENSIVE. IT PROVIDES A LOT OF DETAIL ON EVERY DEPARTMENT, TOUCHES ALL OF THE KEY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. SO IT'S REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT FOR PEOPLE, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET A SORT OF A WELL, I WON'T SAY CLIFFSNOTES BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT SHORT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET A REALLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES FOR ITS RESIDENTS, IT'S A GREAT DOCUMENT FOR THAT PURPOSE. BUT I'M JUST GOING TO HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS THAT I PICKED OUT IN THE CONTEXT OF, YOU KNOW, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES AND SEEING SOME THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPRESSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM. THE POLICE WENT FROM 31 UP TO 39 OFFICERS. WE WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ATTRITION, DID NOT PLAN FOR THAT PUT US AT 36. BUT WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS THERE IN ADDING STAFF. FIRE HAS DONE THAT AS WELL, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD PEOPLE GETTING BACK TO 2010 LEVELS. AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT CALL VOLUMES FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS, THEY'VE ONLY GONE UP. AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITIES YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE REGION AND THE STATE. THE LEVEL OF SERVICE REQUIRED FROM OUR PUBLIC SAFETY JUST CONTINUES TO INCREASE, SO THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. COMPLETING THE FOUR REMAINING SIRENS ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP IS A GREAT THING. SO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE COVERAGE SHOULD AN EMERGENCY OCCUR AND WE NEED TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS. THE ONGOING ROADS PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SIX PLUS MILES FOR THE 24 ROADS, IN ADDITION TO ADVANCING ABOUT SIX STREETS FROM THE 2025 LIST, IS AN IMPRESSIVE AND ONGOING PROJECT. THE RENOVATION OF THE PAVILION, THE CENTRAL PARK PAVILION ACROSS FROM OUR BUILDING HERE. THE SERVICE DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE RECYCLING CENTER. AS SOMEBODY WHO MAY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT SERVICE, EVEN AS NOT A RESIDENT OF MERIDIAN IN THE PAST, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT IMPROVEMENT. THE PHASE TWO MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL YOU KNOW, JUST CONTINUING TO EXTEND THE TRAIL SYSTEM IN THE COMMUNITY THAT GOES FROM GRAND RIVER TO OKEMOS, NEAR GAYLORD SMITH DRIVE. SO THAT'S A TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO UTILIZE THOSE, A GREAT ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY. A PRESCRIBED BURN OF 17 ACRES ON THE DAVIS FOSTER PRESERVE. SO LOOKING AT HOW WE ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE PROACTIVE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WE OFTEN DON'T THINK OF YOU KNOW, WILDFIRES AS AN ISSUE HERE IN MICHIGAN. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DO OCCUR IN OUR STATE ON OCCASION. WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN UP IN THE SAGINAW AREA THIS PAST SUMMER. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR PROPERTY AND PREVENT SUCH THINGS. THE SIGNAGE THAT THE TOWNSHIP'S PUT IN PLACE WITH THE BRANDING, I THINK IS VERY IMPRESSIVE FROM A VISUAL STANDPOINT, BUT FROM WAYFINDING, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'VE WRAPPED UP 76 TOTAL SIGNS, 37 PARK SIGNS, 15 FACILITY SIGNS, 23 PATHWAYS, AND A DDA SIGN AS WELL. THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING UPGRADES THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO FROM THE FRONT COUNTER TO SOME FLOORING AND PAINTING AND UPGRADING THE LOCKERS. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT EMPLOYEE RETENTION TOOL RIGHT THERE. TOWNSHIP PASSED ANOTHER BALANCED BUDGET FOR GOING INTO 25, KEEPING THE RAINY DAY FUNDING, YOU KNOW, VERY HEALTHY AND ABOVE THE 25, WELL ABOVE THE 25% TARGET THAT YOU SET, NEARLY $124 MILLION IN TAX COLLECTIONS AS A [00:10:08] TAXING JURISDICTION. YOU KNOW, COLLECTION ENTITY FOR MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. JUST UNDER 19 MILLION OF THAT IS FOR THE TOWNSHIP. ON THE SORT OF HUMAN RESOURCE SIDE, ADDING PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AS A BENEFIT AND THEN MAINTAINING OUR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE WITHOUT EMPLOYEE COST SHARING PREMIUM. AGAIN, VERY IMPRESSIVE. MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO GO TO THAT AT SOME POINT. MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO EVALUATE THOSE ESCALATING COSTS, BUT A GOOD EFFORT TO MAINTAIN THAT BENEFIT. BUT THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE SYSTEM AND SECURITY UPDATES AND UPGRADES ACROSS ALL OF OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE. AS WE KNOW, CYBERSECURITY IS A BIG ISSUE THESE DAYS, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL. THE TOWNSHIP MANAGED 4 ELECTIONS LAST YEAR, SO VERY BUSY ON THAT END, INCLUDING THE NOVEMBER 24TH GENERAL ELECTION AND NINE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING. SO THAT'S SOMETHING NEW THAT COMMUNITIES ARE FACING AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH. 32 CANDIDATES. SO BEYOND JUST THE TOWNSHIP CANDIDATES, BUT FOR OTHER ELECTED POSITIONS WERE INTERVIEWED ON TV. SO THAT'S A NICE THING THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, AREN'T ALWAYS ABLE TO DO. WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS ON MODERNIZING THE ZONING ORDINANCE. THAT'S ALWAYS ONE OF THE MORE CHALLENGING THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO ORDINANCE UPDATES AND OBVIOUSLY A MULTIYEAR PROCESS. THERE A LOT OF DILIGENT WORK TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES ON HASLETT VILLAGE THAT HOPEFULLY WILL COME TO FRUITION HERE IN 25 TO GET THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD. THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY. WE'LL HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT HERE IN THE COMING MONTHS. IN MERIDIAN CARES IT'S SORT OF SWITCHING CONCEPTS HERE A LITTLE BIT, 123 FAMILIES WERE ASSISTED WITH JUST OVER $51,000 OF SUPPORT. AND TO WRAP IT UP HERE CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF THE FARMERS MARKET. SO THAT'S AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FARMERS MARKET IS WELL KNOWN HERE AS ONE OF THE BEST, NOT JUST IN THE REGION BUT IN THE STATE. HAVING WORKED WITH MULTIPLE ONES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT IS ALWAYS IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF IT. SO THOSE ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I PICKED OUT. THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY A LOT MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT STAFF DID. AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO ALL THE DIRECTORS HERE AND THEIR TEAMS AND ALL OF OUR TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES THAT DID IT, AS WELL AS TO THE BOARD WHO SUPPORT THE POLICIES TO MAKE THIS WORK AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YEP, HERE'S ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF ACTIVITIES. SO WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE. WE HAVE STAFF HERE TOO. IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DELVE INTO ANYTHING SPECIFIC, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, I'LL SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR STAFF WHO HAVE HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE NOT ONLY TO THE WRITING OF THE REPORT, BUT ALSO TO ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WENT INTO IT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE GROUP TO WORK WITH, AND IT'S BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE SET OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED OVER THE LAST YEAR. AND NONE OF THAT'S POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF ALL OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S EMPLOYEES FROM THE BOARD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE OUT THERE TOILING EVERY DAY. AND SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK IN HELPING TO MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE. AND SO THANK YOU TO YOU ALL. AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NOT AGENDA ITEMS. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 6:12 P.M.. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX, THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT. [6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT] ANYTHING TO ADD FROM WHAT YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED? JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO MENTION. THE FIRST ONE IS, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE ONGOING ROAD CLOSURE ON GRAND RIVER BY MERIDIAN ROAD BECAUSE OF THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT. WE KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE REALIZE THIS IS A MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LED PROJECT. WE'RE PROVIDING INPUT AND SUPPORT WHERE WE CAN, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED, BUT WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT, PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZE ANY IMPACTS THAT WE DO SEE FROM THAT. SO THAT'S ONE. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE THE JOINT BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETING ON TUESDAY EVENING AT 6 P.M.. SO ENCOURAGE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE TO TUNE IN TO THAT AND TO COME AND SIT IN IF THEY WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE UP TO. [00:15:04] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE REPORT? TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SUPERINTENDENT ADAM SPINA OF WILLIAMSTON SCHOOLS FOR KEEPING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT IN THE LOOP AS TO HOW MUCH THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO IMPACT HIS STUDENTS. I RESPONDED TO HIS EMAIL UPON SEEING IT THAT HE SENT TO ALL OF US AND MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT FIVE YEAR OLDS ON THE BUS FOR OVER AN HOUR IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYONE WANTS, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATEVER ROLE WE CAN PLAY AS A TOWNSHIP AND HOPEFULLY MITIGATING AND HELPING THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE GET TO GET TO CLASS. SO TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. MR. TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR. FIRST OF ALL, WE REMIND OUR RESIDENTS THAT TAXES ARE DUE A WEEK FROM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AND THE ABSOLUTE DROP DEAD DEADLINE IS THE 28TH. BUT AFTER THE 14TH OF 1% FEE WILL BE ADDED TO IT AFTER THE 28TH, THE TAXES UNPAID TAXES GET TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY TREASURER. IN THE ANNUAL REPORT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NUMBERS I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD FROM MY REPORT, ONE IS TEN. 10% WAS OUR GROWTH IN REVENUE AS MANAGER DEMPSEY MENTIONED. THAT IS A VERY STRONG NUMBER. AND IT REFLECTS A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS THE HIGH DEMAND AND INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES OF HOMES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. WE ARE STILL A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE TO AND RAISE A FAMILY. DUE IN LARGE PART TO OUR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS WITH OKEMOS, HASLETT, EAST LANSING AND WILLIAMSTON. IT'S A PLACE THAT FAMILIES WANT TO BE FOR GOOD REASON. OTHER IS THAT IT REFLECTS OUR MODERATE, SMART AND PLANNED GROWTH. WE CONTINUE TO GROW ABOUT 1% A YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT THE BOARD OVER THE PAST DECADES HAVE INDICATED. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, IT'S MORE INFILL GROWTH AND NOT IN ANY WAY TOUCHING OUR URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY. WHAT WE'VE SAID IS GOING TO REMAIN RURAL AND WITH LARGE ACRES, LARGE PROPERTIES AND WELL AND SEPTIC RATHER THAN WATER AND SEWER SERVICES PROVIDED TO IT. AND WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OR REDEVELOP OUR AREAS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT. SECOND NUMBER I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS 2.4 MILLION. THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE RESERVE WE EARN FROM OUR RESERVE FUNDS LAST YEAR. AND THAT BENEFITS OUR GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS OUR PARKS, OUR PUBLIC WORKS, AND OUR LAND RESERVE FUNDS. SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR. [INAUDIBLE] THESE ARE INVESTED IN THE SAFEST THINGS AVAILABLE, WHICH ARE TREASURY BILLS BACKED BY THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO IT'S NEVER AT RISK AND RETURN TO GOOD GROWTH. TYPICALLY YOU TRADE OFF THE MORE SECURE, THE LESS GROWTH YOU GET. WE'VE GOTTEN BOTH SECURITY AND GOOD RETURNS THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WE'RE MOVING INTO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS? [7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS] CLERK DEMAS. ON SUNDAY, I ATTENDED THE CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION WITH BILL, NICK AND PETER. IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL WATCHING EVERYONE WHO PERFORMED AND WALKING AROUND THE DIFFERENT TABLES. THANK YOU TO THE GREATER LANSING CHINESE ASSOCIATION AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR PUTTING ON SUCH A GREAT EVENT. IN REGARDS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT. I WASN'T SERVING LAST YEAR FOR THE FOUR ELECTIONS, SO I DID NOT PUT ON THOSE ELECTIONS. [LAUGHTER] BUT I WAS ELECTED IN NOVEMBER AND JUST APPRECIATE THE PREVIOUS CLERK AND OUR CLERK STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER OR FOR THEIR PART IN THE ELECTIONS AND OUR CLERK'S STAFF FOR GETTING THE GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YEAH. LAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND MY FIRST MEETING AS THE BOARD DESIGNEE DESIGNATEE TO THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION. IT WAS VERY MUCH A, YOU KNOW, AFTER HOLIDAY DINNER WITH A PRESENTATION, BUT DID COME WITH OFFICER ELECTIONS. OUR OFFICER AS INGHAM COUNTY RESIDENTS IS VICE CHAIR BOB PEÑA, WHO'S A COUNTY COMMISSIONER SERVING WITH NATHAN TRIPLETT, THE CHAIR FROM THE CITY OF LANSING. MICHAEL FREDERICK, ACTING AS THE TREASURER FROM CLINTON COUNTY. AND BRANDON HASKELL, WHO IS AN EATON COUNTY COMMISSIONER. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DIVING INTO SOME OF THOSE REPORTS. THEY'RE EACH QUITE EXTENSIVE. SO IT'S A NICE LATE NIGHT READING MATERIAL TO LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT MERIDIAN CAN DO WITH ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION. SO IT'S A GREAT MEETING, THOUGH. GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. LAST TUESDAY I WAS AT THE SENIOR AND [00:20:04] COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE MEETING. THIS WAS YOU'LL GET A FULL REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THAT GROUP FROM THEIR DECEMBER AND JANUARY MEETINGS AT OUR NEXT MEETING. BUT THE CLIFFSNOTES VERSION IS IT'S TIME TO COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH. WE GOT SOME GOOD DIAGRAMS AND ARCHITECTURAL SCHEMATICS FROM OUR CONSULTANTS AT PROGRESSIVE AE. AND SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THEY WERE THE LET'S PUT EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD INTO THE DOCUMENT, AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO WINNOW IT BACK A LITTLE BIT. MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS DOLLARS. AND SO WE'VE ASKED THEM TO SHARPEN THEIR PENCILS ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. AND THEY'LL BE BRINGING SOME ADDITIONAL WORK BACK IN MARCH AND NEXT MONTH OR THIS MONTH LATER, WE WILL DISCUSS THE OPERATIONS PLAN. SO STAFFING AND PROGRAMING AND WHATNOT. SO LOTS OF GOOD MATERIAL THERE. WE ARE STILL ON TRACK TO RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BOARD IN TIME FOR US TO ACT IN APRIL. IN CASE WE ARE INTERESTED IN PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT FOR THIS AUGUST. SO KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN ON THAT ONE. WE'LL HAVE MORE COMING SHORTLY, AND THEN I'LL MAKE ONE MORE PLUG FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING, WHICH IS AGAIN A WEEK FROM TODAY IN THIS ROOM. TH IS IS A FASCINATING MEETING. I LOVE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE LEADERS OF OUR VOLUNTEER CORPS WHO WORK ON ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, GET AN UPDATE ON ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR. AND THERE'S ALWAYS 5 TO 12 REALLY GOOD TIDBITS OF INFORMATION THAT HAVEN'T FOUND THEIR WAY UP TO THE BOARD YET THAT I FIND REALLY EXCITING TO HEAR ABOUT. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. ANYTHING ELSE FOR BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? SO MOVED. [8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA] MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA. SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE, OUR CONSENT AGENDA. [9. CONSENT AGENDA] WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD. THE MINUTES FROM OUR JANUARY 21ST REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING, THE BILLS UPDATING A SIGNER FOR THE MSHDA CHILL GRANT, AN APPOINTMENT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AN AUTHORIZATION OF SURPLUS PROPERTY DISPOSAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE 2024 PLANNING COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO, AND THE TREASURER'S FOURTH QUARTER 2024 REPORT. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SUPPORT? SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? CLERK DEMAS. JUST A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT MINUTES JUST IN GENERAL. AND REGARDING LIKE MINUTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, JUST IF ANY STAFF OR BOARD MEMBERS NOTICE ANYTHING, SUCH AS SPELLING OR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS BEFORE A MEETING. AND IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN FIX THOSE SMALL EDITS. BUT PLEASE CONTINUE TO INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS IF CORRECTIONS NEED TO TAKE PLACE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT BECAUSE OUR STAFF WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ACCURATE MINUTES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? TREASURER DESCHAINE. ONE COMMENT ON THE TREASURER'S REPORT UNDER THE CASH BALANCE ON PAGE 2022 OF THE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE THE CASH BALANCE FROM QUARTER FOUR JUMPED AROUND $14 MILLION $13 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. IT DIDN'T REALLY JUMP. WE'VE JUST RECATEGORIZED THE ROAD IMPROVEMENT FUNDS. WE PUT THEM ESSENTIALLY INTO OUR CASH BALANCE. THEY ARE SHORT TERM CDS THAT WE WILL SELL AS SOON AS THE ROAD WORK IS DONE BY OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER EXPECTS TO HAVE IT ALL SPENT BY THE END OF 26, SO IT'S GOING TO BE 18 MONTHS OR SO. BUT THE REST OF THE REPORT, APART FROM THAT $33 MILLION, IS OUR TRUE CASH RESERVES, WHICH IS AROUND 19 MILLION AND SOME CHANGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WILL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK DEMAS. YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM TEN QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY. [00:25:02] WE HAVE NONE. ITEM 11 HEARINGS. WE HAVE NONE. THEN WE BRING OURSELVES TO ITEM 12 A TEXT AMENDMENT 2025-01 FIRE CODE UPDATE FOR FINAL ADOPTION. [12.A. Text Amendment 2025-01-Fire Code Update-Final Adoption] AND WE HAVE FIRE MARSHAL MILLEROV HERE TO INTRODUCE THIS TOPIC. GOOD EVENING, MR. SUPERVISOR. MR. SUPERVISOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD . HERE WE ARE AGAIN FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF OUR AMENDMENT HERE TO THE FIRE CODE, BRINGING US UP TO DATE TO THE 2024 VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE. AND THIS WAS SEEN AT THE LAST MEETING THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED. IT HAS SINCE BEEN PUBLISHED. AND WE RECOMMEND AS STAFF TO KEEP FORWARD OR MOVING FORWARD FOR FINAL ADOPTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC OR MOTIONS TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE LENTZ. I MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-01 PURSUANT TO THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE, INCLUDING APPENDIX CHAPTERS B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, N, AND O AS PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AMENDMENTS. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATED THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED ALONG THE WAY ON THIS PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO BE SAID AT THIS POINT, BUT I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH, CERTAINLY. WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND THE TEAM HAVE PUT INTO THIS. WE'VE TALKED THIS TO DEATH OVER THE LAST FOUR MEETINGS. AND SO SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT THESE CHANGES MAKE SENSE, AND WE APPRECIATE INCORPORATING THEM TO KEEP US UP TO DATE ON ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT AROUND BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE. SO THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WILL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS. YES. MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 12 B THE PURCHASING POLICY UPDATE. [12.B. Purchasing Policy Update] AND FOR THAT WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TIM SCHMITT. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. SO THE PURCHASING POLICY IS BACK IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING. THERE WAS ONE MAJOR QUESTION THE LAST TIME WE REVIEWED THIS. AND THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE VERY LIMITED SCENARIO WHERE ONLY THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED WITH THE APPROVAL PROCESS. AND SO IN DISCUSSING THAT WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AT PLANTE MORAN, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE INCLUDE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AS THE SORT OF FINAL SIGN OFF THERE. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY SPOT, IN THEORY, WHERE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER GETS INVOLVED, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ONLY SPOT THAT DOESN'T HAVE SORT OF A SECOND CHECK AND BALANCE TO IT. AND SO THAT IS WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING. THE POLICY HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THAT FOR BOTH AP AND GL OR AP AND PO APPROVALS. AS TREASURER DESCHAINE POINTED OUT THE LAST MEETING, WE WILL REVISIT SOME OTHER THINGS. WE HAVE A NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR ON BOARD. BUT THIS WILL AT LEAST UPDATE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO UPDATE BASED ON STAFF INPUT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS ANY DISCUSSION OR MOTIONS TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE TREZISE. I'M LOOKING THROUGH THIS. THE MEMO LISTS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF APPROVAL FOR THE MANAGER AND WHERE IT SHOULD GO TO FINANCE DIRECTOR. BUT LOOKING THROUGH THE QUICK REFERENCE. PAGE? I'M TRYING TO SEE THE PAGE HERE. IT'S PAGE 141. OKAY. THERE'S A CHART. QUICK REFERENCE CHART. CHAPTER ONE. THERE'S VARIOUS LEVELS OF EXPENDITURE AND WHATEVER. IN NONE OF THESE, DOES IT REFERENCE THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR. IT ENDS WITH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR APPROVAL. AND THAT I RECALL ANYTHING OVER 1000 NEEDED TO GO TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. SO IT'S JUST AN OMISSION IN THE CHART? YEAH, THAT'S JUST A QUICK CHART THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE DEPARTMENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO SHOW THE GENERAL PROCESS, BUT AS OF AT THIS TIME, FINANCE DIRECTOR IS INVOLVED IN EVERY APPROVAL. WELL, I BELIEVE THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IS BEING PULLED OUT FOR EXPENSES UNDER 1000, BUT IT IS NOT ON THIS CHART SAYING THAT HE OR SHE MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN LARGER EXPENDITURES AND IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED TO REFLECT THAT. [00:30:06] YEAH YEAH YEAH. SURPRISED THAT CHART'S EVEN IN THERE. BUT YES. [LAUGHTER] THAT WILL NEED TO BE UPDATED. SHOULD THE SHOULD THE BULK OF THE POLICY BE CHANGED? WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE THE MOTION WITH THE AMENDMENT TO UPDATE THAT. SURE. THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. IT'S JUST A I DIDN'T WANT TO PUBLISH A DOCUMENT THAT WASN'T COMPLETE. YEAH. IF THE TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES ARE ANYTHING LIKE THE WAY I INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY'S VERSION OF THIS POLICY, THE QUICK REFERENCE CHART IS THE ONLY THING I EVER USE. YEAH, IT'S A HANDY TOOL. SO WE PROBABLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT GET THAT UPDATED TO REFLECT OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE LENTZ. DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT UNSOLD SURPLUS PROPERTY AND SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO MERIDIAN CARES. I HAVE NOT LISTENED IN ON THE MEETINGS THAT MARNA, I KNOW YOU ARE A PART OF, BUT IS THERE ANY INSTANCE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT YOU THINK UNSOLD SURPLUS PROPERTY COULD BE REUSED, LIKE AS AN IN-KIND DONATION ALMOST TO MERIDIAN CARES? OR IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REFERENCED OR COULD SEE BEING APPLICABLE IN THIS CASE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE NECESSARILY SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE IS A HISTORY OF PIECES THAT COULD BE USED FOR THAT KIND OF. MOST OF THE DONATIONS TO MERIDIAN CARES ARE MONETARY. HOWEVER WHEN WE DID OUR BACKPACK PROGRAM, WE DID HAVE WE GOT A SURPLUS OF BACKPACKS THAT CAME IN LATE THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO USE. SO WE PARLAYED THAT INTO ADDITIONS OUT TO THE SCHOOLS. SO BASICALLY NOTHING GOES UNUSED AND IT GOES FOR THE FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SURE. CLARIFICATION. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY MOTIONS TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE UPDATED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PURCHASING POLICY AS PRESENTED WITH THE AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE REFERENCE TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR APPROVING EXPENDITURES IN EXCESS OF $1,000. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE . DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? THE MOTION BEFORE US IS TO APPROVE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PURCHASING POLICY WITH THE DISCUSSED AMENDMENTS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 C, THE RIFLE PURCHASE PROGRAM. [12.C. Rifle Purchase Program] FOR THIS WE HAVE CHIEF GRILLO. WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. YEAH. SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP DURING THE LAST MEETING I HAVE ANSWERS TO. THE FIRST ONE, SUPERVISOR, WAS YOUR QUESTION REGARDING INSURANCE AND WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE PROGRAM. DIRECTOR TITHOF DID REACH OUT TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND SENT THEM ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL RECEIVED WHAT THEIR CORRESPONDENCE WAS, BUT THEY WERE PLEASED WITH THE WAY THAT IT WAS WRITTEN. THEY SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES. AND THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH WHAT WAS IN OUR DOCUMENTS. THE SECOND ISSUE TRUSTEE LENTZ, YOU ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SAFES AND WHAT WOULD WE DO IF AN OFFICER WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM OR EVEN HADN'T PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM, IF THEY WANTED A SAFE, COULD WE INCLUDE A SAFE IN THIS PROGRAM? AND MY ANSWER, JUST FROM LOOKING AT THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN, IS YES, I CONSIDER A SAFE TO BE AN ACCESSORY. AND ACCESSORIES ARE SOMETHING THAT ARE ALLOWABLE. SO WE HAVE A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT INCLUDES THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCESSORIES, BE IT THE DIFFERENT FLASHLIGHTS THAT ARE ON THERE, THE DIFFERENT SLINGS THAT ARE ON THERE, THOSE THINGS IT'S AS SIMPLE AS JUST ME ADDING THAT LIVING DOCUMENT, THE DIFFERENT SAFES THAT ARE ALLOWABLE BY THE PROGRAM. SO THOSE WERE THE TWO MAIN CONCERNS THAT CAME TO ME WITH THIS. BUT I'M OPEN TO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ. I DO APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WEAPONS SO READILY AVAILABLE FOR OUR OFFICERS, NO MATTER HOW WELL TRAINED THE SAFE IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT. SO MAKING SURE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR EVERY OFFICER WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS. I THINK IT'S A NO BRAINER, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE AS A TOWNSHIP BOARD. [00:35:01] SO I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT WITH ME. YES, SIR. YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, LIKE THAT IS SUCH A GREAT ADDITION TO THIS PROGRAM THAT I KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE GREATLY. I KNOW MY OFFICERS APPRECIATE IT GREATLY AS WELL. GREAT. THANK YOU. CLERK DEMAS. YEAH. JUST TO ADD TO THAT, LIKE, I THINK THIS IS NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE FOR SAFETY. AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED FOR US. YES, MA'AM. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK WITH THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS. FOR ME, THE INSURANCE COMPANIES SIGN OFF REALLY DOES HELP ME FEEL BETTER THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THE TOWNSHIP IN ALL CASES. AND SO I'LL BE I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I HAD ONE QUESTION. THE MOTION BEFORE US RAISES THE PURCHASE PROGRAM FROM A MAXIMUM OF 2000 TO 3000, WHICH IS FINE, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS PRESENTED INITIALLY AS UP TO $2,500 FOR THE RIFLE AND $500 FOR A SAFE. THIS, AS IT'S WRITTEN, WOULD IMPLY THEY COULD SPEND UP TO $3,000 ON A RIFLE. OKAY. AND THAT'S NOT THE INTENT. I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD WAY FOR US TO FIT THE LANGUAGE IN THERE. SO IF IT WAS PUT IN THE GUIDELINES AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION, I THINK THAT COULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. YES, SIR. AND I'M OKAY WITH THE MOTION AS PRESENTED, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE CLARIFIED WITH YOUR OFFICERS AS TO WHAT THE LIMITS ARE FOR THIS AND THAT. YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY MOTIONS TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE TREZISE. YEAH. I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE AN INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ALLOWED FOR THE RIFLE PURCHASE PROGRAM FROM $2,000 TO A MAXIMUM OF $3,000 ON AN INTEREST FREE LOAN FOR UP TO THREE YEARS, WITH PROGRAM RULES SET BY THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND CHIEF OF POLICE. 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. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. JUST FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE AUDIENCE. THESE RIFLES ARE GOING TO BE USED IN THE COURSE OF DUTY OF YOUR OFFICERS. AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SEEING NOTHING ELSE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RIFLE PURCHASE PROGRAM, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 D THE POLICE CONTRACT WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. [12.D. Police Contract with Michigan State University] THERE WAS A SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM I BELIEVE, SENT OUT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL AND REPUBLISHED IN THE PACKET AS WELL. SO THANK YOU TO CHIEF GRILLO FOR BEING ON HIS EMAIL OVER THE WEEKEND AND GETTING THAT OVER TO US, BUT WE'LL TURN THINGS BACK OVER TO YOU. OKAY. SO THE WAY THAT THIS WENT, THE WAY THAT THIS OCCURRED AS YOU ALL PROBABLY REMEMBER, WE VOTED ON THIS LAST YEAR, I THOUGHT IT WAS DONE AND OVER WITH. WE RECEIVED WORD FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WHEN WE SENT OUR ORIGINAL DRAFT OVER TO THEM THAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH EVERYTHING. BROUGHT IT BACK HERE FOR A VOTE. IT WAS APPROVED. SEND IT BACK OVER THERE TO THEM FOR A SIGNATURE. IN ABOUT A MONTH LATER, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WANTED SOME CHANGES. THAT'S WHY WE'RE BACK HERE AGAIN. THE CHANGES THAT THEY ASKED FOR, HONESTLY WERE LIKE INDEMNITY CLAUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND MY LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND WAS SENT OFF TO OUR ATTORNEYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND FOR THEM TO COORDINATE WITH MSU ON UPDATED LANGUAGE. THE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN UPDATED. BOTH SIDES HAVE AGREED. WELL, OUR ATTORNEY HAS AGREED AND MSU HAS AGREED TO THE LANGUAGE. SO IT'S COMING BACK TO YOU ALL TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? THESE CHANGES SEEM INCREDIBLY MINOR TO A NON-LAWYER. I'M SURE THEY ARE NOT MINOR TO A LAWYER. WHICH IS WHY THEY ASKED FOR THEM. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THEIR BILLABLES. SO WE WE APPRECIATE THEIR DILIGENT WORK PROTECTING THE TOWNSHIP'S INTERESTS. I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT. TRUSTEE TREZISE. WELL, THE CHANGES AS YOU'RE, AS YOU POINT OUT, ARE RELATIVELY MINOR, BUT IT TOOK A LOT OF LANGUAGE TO PUT MANY OF THESE CHANGES IN. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE. BEFORE WE INSULT ANY MORE OF THE LAWYERS WHO LIVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES BETWEEN MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS, AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN THE CONTRACT. THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORTED BY CLERK DEMAS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? AND I APOLOGIZE TO THE LAWYERS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU. THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH CLERK. [00:40:07] DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON . YES. CLERK DEMAS . YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA. CHIEF, YOU'VE GOT THREE IN A ROW. [13.A. Prosecuting Attorney Contract Renewal] I KNOW. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PROSECUTING ATTORNEY CONTRACT RENEWAL. CHIEF GRILLO, WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE US AN INTRODUCTION? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SPEAKING OF ATTORNEYS, THIS IS OUR ATTORNEY THAT WE USE FOR PROSECUTION OF MISDEMEANORS AND ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS, CULLEN HARKNESS. CULLEN HAS BEEN PARTNERED WITH US FOR APPROXIMATELY A DECADE, ACTUALLY 15 YEARS TOTAL, FIVE YEARS WITH BODWIN AND TEN YEARS WITH OUR FIRM. YEAH, HE'S BEEN FANTASTIC TO DEAL WITH EVER SINCE DAY ONE. AND I THINK I WAS AN OFFICER WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WITH US. WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP? HE'S EXTRAORDINARILY RESPONSIVE WHENEVER WE NEED ANYTHING. NOT ONLY THAT, HE ALSO DIGS THROUGH SOME THINGS AND MAKES SUGGESTIONS TO US. HE'S DONE THAT QUITE A FEW TIMES, AND IT'S BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY BENEFICIAL. HAVING HIM, I KNOW THAT I CAN CALL HIM PRETTY MUCH ANY TIME OF THE DAY IF I HAVE A QUESTION OR CONCERN. SAME THING WITH WITH ME. HE KNOWS THAT HE CAN CALL ME. HE DEALS VERY WELL WITH OUR OFFICERS. HE PROSECUTES LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASES AGAINST THE BEST LAWYERS IN THE AREA. AND HE'S VERY SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT HE DOES. SO I HAVE FULL HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN CULLEN AND THE WORK THAT HE DOES. HIS CONTRACT WAS SET TO EXPIRE HALFWAY THROUGH THIS YEAR. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH SOME ADDED THINGS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE'S EVER HIS RATES HAVE EVER RAISED IN A DECADE, WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING. BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME THAT WE RECTIFY THAT. AND WE ARE DEFINITELY GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT PAY SCALE THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING GOING FORWARD HERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF CULLEN HAS ANYTHING TO ADD. I WOULD JUST ADD, I'VE WORKED WITH I'VE BEEN HERE THROUGH, I'M ON MY THIRD CHIEF NOW, AND I'M GLAD THAT CHIEF GRILLO IS NOW PROMOTED CHIEF BECAUSE I CAN STOP UPDATING HIM IN MY PHONE. HE WAS AN OFFICER AT FIRST, AND I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH HIS PROMOTIONS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH MERIDIAN. I FIRST STARTED WITH YOU WHEN I WORKED FOR BODWIN AND ASSOCIATES IN EAST LANSING, AND THEN WHEN WE TRANSITIONED, OUR FIRM CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, BEFORE I DID PROSECUTION, I DID FELONY DEFENSE WORK, AND I EXPERIENCED A LOT OF DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AND I THINK I CAN SAY THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS PROBABLY THE BEST IN INGHAM COUNTY WHICH MAKES MY JOB A LOT EASIER BECAUSE THE CASES ARE EASIER TO PROSECUTE. MOST OF YOU KNOW ME. I KNOW I'VE MET TRUSTEE LENTZ, BRIEFLY AND CLERK DEMAS AT PRIOR TO THE ELECTION. SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE BOTH OF YOU AGAIN. I KNOW THE REST OF THE BOARD REMEMBERS ME. I DON'T GET TO GO IN FRONT OF YOU AS OFTEN, BUT WE'VE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT KEEPS US BUSY. WE'D LOVE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS AS CHIEF INDICATED. OUR CONTRACT HAS NOT RAISED IN A DECADE. IT WE CAME IN IN 2015, AND WE HAVEN'T RAISED ANYTHING SINCE THEN. WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE I THINK JUST THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IS KIND OF NECESSITATED. AND THEN WHAT WE BUILT INTO THE NEW CONTRACT IS JUST A 2% ESCALATOR CLAUSE FOR EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE FOR OUR OFFICE TO SERVE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. I'M PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE IN EXCESS OF 95% CONVICTION RATE FOR THE CASES THAT WE DO PROSECUTE. EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT, INCLUDING THE APPEALS AND EVERYTHING. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF APPEALS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT WE'VE WON THEM ALL. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THE BOARD HAS ANY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TREASURER DESCHAINE. THIS IS THE THIRD CONTRACT OF YOURS THAT MYSELF AND TRUSTEE SUNDLAND HAVE VOTED ON. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S BEEN $6,666 EACH OF THOSE PREVIOUS CONTRACTS GOING BACK TO 2019. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THEY WENT BACK FOUR YEARS BEFORE THAT AS WELL AT THE SAME RATE. SO YOUR INCREASE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING OF UP TO 7916 IS ABOUT AN 18% INCREASE. BUT IN JUST THE PAST SIX YEARS ALONE, INFLATION HAS BEEN 24%. SO WE'RE STILL GETTING A BARGAIN FROM YOU. AND YOU'RE ALSO A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT, A NEIGHBOR OF MINE. WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU MAKE THIS PLACE YOUR HOME AS WELL. WHAT I'M IMPRESSED WITH IS CHIEF GRILLO AND HIS TEAM AND ASKING HIM BEFORE THIS MEETING WHY NOT PUT THIS OUT FOR BIDS AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE? [00:45:03] AND HE BASICALLY INDICATED THAT THERE'S SUCH A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIS OFFICERS AND THE COMMAND AND YOUR FIRM THAT IT'S REALLY A SEAMLESS, SMOOTH OPERATION ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND BACK OUT IN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE PROSECUTION IS BEING HANDLED WISELY AND EFFECTIVELY BY YOU. THAT WAS ENOUGH THAT I NEEDED TO HEAR TO KNOW THAT WE NEEDED TO RENEW THIS CONTRACT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. THANK YOU SIR. OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT FORFEITURES. YES. BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WORK ON THOSE CULLEN. CHIEF, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT WE RECOVER? JUST BALLPARK ON FORFEITURES. DO YOU WANT. GO AHEAD. IF YOU HAVE BECAUSE. SO THE LAW HAS CHANGED ON FORFEITURE. SO IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE WE'VE DONE ONE. THE LAST FORFEITURE THAT WE DID WAS THE ILLEGALLY OPERATING MARIJUANA FACILITY THAT WAS ON OKEMOS ROAD, NEAR THE CORNER OF HAMILTON. YES. THAT WE FINISHED UP BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY FILED BEFORE THE LAW TOOK EFFECT. BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T DONE A FORFEITURE SINCE JUST BECAUSE, A THE LAW CHANGED. AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUS WITH THAT, WE HAD A LOT OF RETIREMENTS AND A LOT OF I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK EXODUS, BUT WE WERE DOWN A LOT OF PEOPLE AND SO IT WASN'T REALLY ON THE FOREFRONT. WE STAND READY TO DO IT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT TO DO THESE DAYS, WE HAVE TO HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. MY OFFICE HAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. DEWANE. THE PROBLEM THERE IS THEY'RE HURTING FOR PEOPLE VERY BADLY. I HEARD ABOUT A HANDFUL OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING, SO IT'S HARD TO FIND ATTORNEYS THESE DAYS. WE'RE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. GO BACK TO WORK. NO, NO. YEAH. I'M A RECOVERING ATTORNEY, REMEMBER? [LAUGHTER] SO WE HAVE NOT DONE ONE WITH THE TOWNSHIP SINCE THAT FACILITY ON HAMILTON OKEMOS ROAD. IT IS INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES IDENTIFY SOMETHING THAT WOULD FALL EITHER UNDER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE FORFEITURE OR AN OMNIBUS FORFEITURE. HAPPY TO DO THEM. IT'S JUST IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A MINEFIELD TO COORDINATE THESE DAYS. AND BETWEEN THE STAFFING ISSUES AT, INGHAM COUNTY AND JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING COME UP. KNOCK ON WOOD. BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THEM IF THEY DO ARISE. I SAW IT IN YOUR CONTRACT, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. WELL, I'LL CHIME IN TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY REASONABLE REQUEST, BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN AN INCREASE IN TEN YEARS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A STRONG RAPPORT BETWEEN MR. HARKNESS AND HIS FIRM AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH, AS THE TREASURER POINTS OUT, HELPS US TO, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS. AND SINCE I'VE JOINED THE BOARD THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TWO INSTANCES WHERE MR. HARKNESS HAS PROACTIVELY BROUGHT TO US UPDATES IN OUR TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE. SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND IN RETAINING SOME RETAINING SOME OF THE FINES AND FEES AND RETAINING CONTROL OF THAT. AND CERTAINLY THAT'S THE KIND OF INITIATIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE, IN MY OPINION, REWARDED WITH A CONTRACT EXTENSION. SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE RATES AS PROPOSED. AND I THINK THIS TO ME IS AN EASY DECISION. OKAY, SIR. TREASURER DESCHAINE. ATTORNEY HARKNESS, YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LEGALIZED MARIJUANA SALES FOR MANY YEARS NOW. WE'RE ABOUT TO STEP INTO THAT AREA. SHOULD WE EXPECT ADDITIONAL WORK COMING YOUR WAY WITH THE OPENING OF THESE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES? SO WE RECENTLY ADOPTED THE MARIJUANA ORDINANCE AS THE BOARD IS AWARE. YOU KNOW, EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT. I'M SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR LEONI TOWNSHIP. THEY WERE KIND OF ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WAS ON THE FOREFRONT OF THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY, AND THEY KIND OF CHARGED INTO IT HEAD FIRST WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF REGULATION. AND NOW WE'RE PLAYING BAD CLEANUP AND HAVE BEEN SINCE I JOINED THEM IN 2019, BECAUSE IT THEY DIDN'T REGULATE ENOUGH. SO WE'RE TRYING TO REIN EVERYTHING IN. I KNOW THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT DOES A FAIR AMOUNT OF ENFORCEMENT. I THINK AS YOU SEE, FACILITIES START TO OPEN UP AND THERE'S MORE PRODUCT IN THE AREA, THERE WILL BE MORE ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY EXPERIENCE IS SOMETIMES IT'S ADULTS, [00:50:07] BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MINOR IN POSSESSION TENDS TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT. WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE LAW IS TAILORED TO ADDRESS. AND WE'VE ADOPTED A LOCAL ORDINANCE TO DEAL WITH THAT. BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN THROUGH MY COMMUNITIES IS KIDS JUST DON'T THINK OF CONSUMING MARIJUANA AT A YOUNG AGE AS LIKE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. OBVIOUSLY THE LAW IS NOT WRITTEN THAT WAY. IT'S WRITTEN LIKE ALCOHOL. AND THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU DON'T CONSUME ALCOHOL UNTIL YOU'RE 21. THERE'S A REASON YOU DON'T CONSUME MARIJUANA UNTIL YOU'RE 21. SO THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS I THINK YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE. I THINK FOR A LONG TIME THERE WASN'T A LOT OF ENFORCEMENT, NOT BECAUSE THE POLICE WEREN'T ENFORCING IT, BUT THE PROSECUTOR AT THE TIME WHEN POLICE WOULD CHARGE IT, SHE KIND OF HAD A POLICY THAT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO BE DISMISSED. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO PROSECUTE MARIJUANA OFFENSES AT ALL. THAT IS NOW NO LONGER THE CASE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A NEW PROSECUTOR IN AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE LOCAL ORDINANCE, WE CAN HANDLE THEM LOCALLY IF WE NEED TO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO DISAGREEMENT TO SOME OF OUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE TENOR OF THE RESOLUTION. I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS BACK FOR A FAVORABLE VOTE AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHTY. I THINK WE'VE ASTOUNDED MR. KUSCHEL WITH OUR SPEED HERE. OH. WELL, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13, B BOARD POLICY UPDATES. [13.B. Board Policy Update] WE HAVE IN OUR PACKET A DRAFT BOARD POLICY MANUAL. MR. KUSCHEL IS INTENDED TO SPEAK TO THIS THIS EVENING. I DON'T SEE HIM PRESENT IN THE ROOM, SO I GUESS I'LL DO MY BEST TO GIVE IT A KICK OFF, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS ANY CHANGES, AND HE CAN WORK FROM THE MINUTES. SO AS WE ALL RECALL WE, THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE IN 2024 WE CREATED THE BOARD POLICY. THE POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OR A WORK GROUP, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY WHICH INCLUDED TRUSTEE TREZISE THEN CLERK GUTHRIE. DIRECTOR TITHOF. AND I THINK THAT WAS ACTUALLY THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS IT. AND THEY DID A LOT OF GOOD WORK GOING AROUND AND UPDATING NOT ONLY THE PERSONNEL MANUAL, WHICH WE'LL SEE AT A FUTURE MEETING HERE SOON BUT ALSO OUR BOARD POLICIES, WHICH HADN'T BEEN UPDATED IN ABOUT 20 SOMETHING YEARS. AND SO THE FRUITS OF THAT, PLUS OUR ATTORNEYS REVIEWING IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB ARE IN OUR PACKET THIS EVENING. THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US BACK IN AUGUST. SO YOU'LL SEE FORMER CLERK GUTHRIE'S MEMO THERE ABOUT THAT. BUT THIS IS BEFORE US FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING, SO FEEL FREE TO BRING ANY COMMENTS OR CHANGES HERE, AND WE WILL HAVE OUR ATTORNEYS TAKE A QUICK PEEK AT THEM BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD POLICIES? TRUSTEE TREZISE. YEAH. THERE IS ONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT I FOUND FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US LAST SEPTEMBER, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH BOARD MEMBERS SEEKING EMPLOYMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP, AS LONG BEEN THE POLICY THAT IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A FULL TIME POSITION WITH THE TOWNSHIP, THE BOARD MEMBER MUST RESIGN IN ORDER TO DO THAT. WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO US IN SEPTEMBER AND THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET SINCE THEN, BUT IT CAME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE, WHICH I'M TRYING TO FIND IT AGAIN. WHICH BASICALLY SAID YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE JOB AS LONG AS YOU MEET THE JOB REQUIREMENTS AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO RESIGN PRIOR TO ACCEPTING THE JOB, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THAT IS DIFFERENT. AND I THOUGHT I'D BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CHANGE CAME FROM. I'VE CHECKED WITH OUR HR DIRECTOR, AND IT DIDN'T COME FROM HER. IT DIDN'T COME FROM ME. AND THE COMMITTEE HASN'T MET, SO I DON'T KNOW. I SUSPECT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AFTER OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY HAS GOTTEN INVOLVED. [00:55:05] I BELIEVE SO, I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON WHO REALLY THE ONLY GROUP THAT WOULD HAVE TOUCHED THIS, OTHER THAN THE THREE PEOPLE WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSION AT THE AUGUST 29TH MEETING REQUESTING THAT CHANGE EITHER. I TOO FOUND THAT A BIT ODD. PERHAPS THERE'S. I MEAN, I NOTE THAT THERE THERE IS NO ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IN THE BOARD MANUAL THAT WE HAVE HERE IN FRONT OF US, AND PERHAPS THAT'S NOT THE WORST THING. HOWEVER I WONDER IF SOMEONE WAS TO BE FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THAT POLICY, THE PREVIOUSLY STATED POLICY. WHAT WE WOULD DO ABOUT THAT? SINCE WE CAN'T FORCE ANYONE TO DO, YOU KNOW, TO LEAVE THE BOARD. BUT THAT MAY BE THAT MAY BE THE REASON WHY. BUT THERE MAY BE A REASON BEHIND IT. BUT IT ALSO, WHILE WE COULDN'T NECESSARILY REMOVE SOMEONE FROM THE BOARD. WE COULD PROHIBIT THEM FROM TAKING THE JOB OR APPLYING FOR THE JOB. AND I'M PERFECTLY WILLING TO HEAR FROM MR. KUSCHEL AS TO WHY THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHANGED, AND THERE MAY BE A PERFECTLY RATIONAL REASON FOR THAT. EITHER WAY IT CAN WORK. IT'S PAGE 214. PAGE 214. THE BOTTOM PAGE FOUR OF THE MANUAL. SECTION E, SHOULD A BOARD MEMBER APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SO FORTH. AND THE LINE YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS HE SHE WAS IN THERE FIRST RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD. THAT'S BEEN STRUCK FROM THIS DRAFT OF THE POLICY. YEAH. AND IT WAS REPLACED WITH WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THE POSITION WITHOUT ANY PARTIALITY. THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED THE SAME AS ANY OTHER APPLICANT. IF I MIGHT CONTINUE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON MIGHT HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BECAUSE WE AT ONE TIME WE HAD A SUPERVISOR WHO ALSO ACTED AS A PART TIME ASSESSOR. MR. LITTLE, I BELIEVE, AND IT CREATED A REAL MESS WITH THE BOARD AND THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT WAS A DECISION THE BOARD CAME TO REGRET FOR HAVING ALLOWED THOSE DUAL ROLES. AND SO I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THIS, IS THAT EMPLOYEES AND BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD NOT HAVE DUAL ROLES. AND THAT'S EXPLICITLY OUTLINED BY STATUTE, AS IT IS FOR THE CLERK AND TREASURER BY THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP LAW. BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IT, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THIS 25, 30 YEARS AGO, AND IT DIDN'T TURN OUT WELL. WITH THAT, I'M NOT SURE WOULD THAT SITUATION BE COVERED UNDER THIS, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INSTANCE WHERE THE PERSON WAS BOTH AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWNSHIP WHILE SERVING ON THE BOARD AND I BELIEVE. YEAH, EXCEPT IN CASES OF EMERGENCY UPON ACCEPTING EMPLOYMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP A BOARD MEMBER MUST RESIGN. SO THAT JUST MOVED THE MUST RESIGN DOWN. SO SOMEONE COULDN'T SERVE AS AN EMPLOYEE AND A BOARD MEMBER. WHICH I THINK MIGHT STILL BE COVERED BY STATE LAW. I BELIEVE IT IS. YOU CANNOT BE BOTH. YOU CAN'T SUPERVISE YOURSELF. TRUSTEE WILSON. WE'VE HAD TWO RECENT EXAMPLES WHEN WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE BOARD GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ALSO TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. NOW THOSE OCCURRED. ONE PRIOR TO MY BEING ON THE BOARD, BUT THE MOVEMENT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW THIS WILL HANDLE, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE EXAMPLES OF THIS PROCESS. I BELIEVE THAT THEY RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD. THAT IS CORRECT BOTH RESIGNED. OR BEFORE THEY INTERVIEWED OR BEFORE THEY TOOK THE POSITION? I THINK IT WAS BEFORE THEY ACCEPTED THE POSITION, ACCEPTED THE OFFER. I BELIEVE THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. PERHAPS DIRECTOR TITOFF CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. I BELIEVE THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW PRIOR TO THEIR LEAVING THE BOARD. THAT'S CORRECT. FAMILIAR? YEAH. SO WE'VE GOT SOME EXAMPLES OF WHY DON'T WE FOLLOW THAT UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION FROM THE ATTORNEY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. SO FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE ASKED TO STEP DOWN. THEY INTERVIEWED FOR THE POSITIONS WHILE THEY WERE BOARD MEMBERS. AND WHEN THEY ACCEPTED THE OFFERS, THEN THEY STEPPED DOWN. WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO THE MANAGER OR MANAGER ABOUT THAT. [01:00:03] OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MANAGER DEMPSEY. YES. SO THE ATTORNEY IS ABOUT TEN MINUTES OUT, I THINK, BASED ON MY LAST MESSAGE FROM HIM. SO HE'S RAISING HERE AS QUICKLY AS HE CAN, SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, WHAT'S THE YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I SUPPOSE. IS THERE AN APPETITE TO RETURN THAT PROVISION TO THE BOARD THAT THEY MUST RESIGN BEFORE APPLYING? OR ARE WE. DO WE BELIEVE THAT RESIGNATION PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. I THINK THAT RESIGNATION PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE, IT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE REMEDY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT POSITION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'D BE RESIGNING. AND IF THEY DIDN'T GET THE POSITION, THEN THEY'RE NO LONGER A BOARD MEMBER. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT IS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO HEAD. OTHER THOUGHTS. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO CONCUR AS WELL. BOARD MEMBERS ARE ELECTED OR APPOINTED AND I THINK THAT IF THEY ARE ACCEPTED, THEN THEY SHOULD STEP DOWN. BUT IF THEY APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT IN THERE, THAT THEY MUST RESIGN FIRST. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, A BOARD MEMBER IS SO INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT THEY PROBABLY MAKE A GREAT CANDIDATE. YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY TO BE IN A POSITION. SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT. OKAY. TREASURER DESCHAINE. TO TRUSTEE SUNDLAND'S POINT CERTAINLY OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, DEPUTY MANAGER DAN OPSOMMER HAS BEEN ONE OF THE FINEST AND MOST HARDWORKING PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS WE'VE HAD IN A LONG, LONG TIME HERE IN TOWNSHIP. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU COULD END UP WITH A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A FORM OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, NEPOTISM, WHERE THE BOARD IS HIRING ONE OF ITS OWN MEMBERS NOT BECAUSE OF THE MOST QUALIFIED, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S THIS OLD BOY NETWORK, IF YOU WILL . WHERE THE BOARD'S IN ON IT. THIS IS A FRIEND. HE NEEDS A JOB. AND SO HE STEPS DOWN FROM THE BOARD AND THEY GIVE HIM A FULL TIME POSITION. AND THAT PERSON MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE BEST PERSON, BUT THE BOARD WANTS HIM BECAUSE HE'S A FRIEND OF THEIRS. SO YOU CAN YOU CAN END UP WITH A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE LIKE DAN OPSOMMER, OR YOU COULD END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T TURN OUT WELL AT ALL. AND THE BOARD HAS REALLY SQUANDERED THIS POSITION BY HIRING THE WRONG PERSON FOR IT. OKAY. TRUSTEE LET'S EXCUSE MY NAIVETE ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE BOARD IS, YOU KNOW, HIRING THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE DIRECTOR POSITIONS ARE NOT DIRECTLY UNDER OUR HIRING REVIEW. AND SO WHILE I WOULD AGREE, I WOULD NOT LIKE TO HAVE ONE OF US INTERVIEW TO REPLACE MR. DEMPSEY IF THAT CAME TO PASS, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ISSUE WHERE IF SOMEONE WAS APPLYING FOR A POSITION THAT THE BOARD DOES NOT DIRECTLY OVERSEE, LIKE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER, I DON'T SEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE IN MY EYES. AND I DO SEE OR TRUSTEE SUNDLAND MAKES A GOOD POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES REGULARLY MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK AND READING PACKETS, HOPEFULLY. SO WE ARE UNIQUELY AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE TOWNSHIP. SO I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO AGREE THAT STEPPING DOWN UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE POSITION CLERK DEMAS. IN RESPONSE TO THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS TRUE, THAT WE DON'T HIRE DIRECTORS AS A BOARD. BUT THE TREASURER AND I DO OVERSEE LIKE CLERKS DEPARTMENTS AND TREASURERS DEPARTMENT. LET'S SAY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS DECIDES TO APPLY FOR A POSITION IN THAT DEPARTMENT. COULD THERE BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE TOWNSHIP? BUT I GUESS THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN. WOULD BE BECAUSE WE ARE IN THIS POSITION, IF WE, IF ANY OF US OR ANY OTHER BOARD OR FUTURE BOARD MEMBERS APPLIES FOR A POSITION IN THE TOWNSHIP, WOULD THERE, AS I SAID, WOULD THERE BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. AND I WOULD JUST THINK THAT BECAUSE THE DIRECTORS ARE ACTUALLY HIRING FOR THE POSITIONS THEY'RE DOING A VERY THOROUGH VALUATION OF WHETHER THAT PERSON MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE POSITION. I DON'T SEE THAT. I DON'T SEE THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD HIRE SOMEONE JUST [01:05:10] BECAUSE THEY WERE A BOARD MEMBER. I THINK THEY HAVE TO HAVE UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS. AND I THINK ESPECIALLY MISS WISINSKI, I THINK SHE HAD A BACKGROUND IN DNR. I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT AGENCY, BUT ANYWAY, SHE HAD A UNIQUE BACKGROUND IN THAT AREA, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT SHE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION WAS BECAUSE OF HER UNIQUE BACKGROUND. SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO DISQUALIFY SOMEONE FOR APPLYING FOR A TOWNSHIP POSITION THAT IS VERY QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING EITHER. I THINK WE WE NEED TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST HIRE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM THE TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW, BOARD. BUT IF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS ARE UNIQUE AND, YOU KNOW, RISE ABOVE THE BAR, I THINK THAT IS TOTALLY APPROPRIATE. I THINK IT'S ALSO PRUDENT TO CONSIDER THE OTHER PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY IN THE BOARD POLICY MANUAL THAT WE THAT THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THE POSITION WITHOUT ANY PARTIALITY. THEY'D BE CONSIDERED THE SAME AS ANY OTHER APPLICANT. THEY MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POSITION. YOU CAN'T HIRE SOMEONE WHO'S TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE A BOARD MEMBER. AND THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW THE PROCESSES CONSISTENT WITH THIS TOWNSHIP STANDARD HIRING PRACTICES. I THINK I SUSPECT THAT THE THRUST OF THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN POINTED AT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED THE LAST TIME BOARD MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED BOTH BY YOU KNOW, STAFF AND THE PUBLIC. AND THAT THESE ARE SOME GUARDRAILS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE BOARD POLICY MANUAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, WE ARE ABOVE REPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HIRING PRACTICES HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP. AND CERTAINLY I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE TAKEN STEPS HERE TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE HIRE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DO COME FROM THE BOARD, ARE MEETING THE SAME STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT IN ANY OTHER HIRING. TRUSTEE TREZISE I CAN ACCEPT THAT. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, PARTICULARLY AS LONG AS THE HIRING PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED. BECAUSE I'M THERE IS A PERCEPTION, WHETHER TRUE OR NOT, THAT AT TIMES THE HIRING PROCEDURES HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWED AND IT'S A RECRUITMENT, WHETHER FROM THE BOARD OR FROM OUTSIDE, WITH SOMEONE GIVEN PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR HIRING. SO AS LONG AS THE PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED, THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE MET. IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE TO ME WHETHER THEY RESIGN BEFORE THEY APPLY OR BEFORE THEY ACCEPT. JUST AS LONG AS THE POLICIES ARE FOLLOWED AND THAT WILL COME INTO THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE POLICY MANUAL, PROBABLY, AND SOME OF THE HR POLICIES. THANK YOU. THERE ALSO YOU MAY WANT TO DEFINE EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OUR CLERK IS SCRAMBLING FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ELECTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME. AND I HAVE WORKED THE ELECTIONS HERE. I'M NOT SURE THAT A BROAD STATEMENT AS FAR AS EMPLOYMENT WOULD ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN, AND I CAN LIVE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP OUR CLERK RECRUIT PEOPLE. IF THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK THE ELECTIONS. RIGHT. AND A FEW OTHER JOBS LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. KUSCHEL. GOOD EVENING. WE SURPRISED YOU WITH OUR EFFICIENCY. SO WE WERE DESCRIBING PAGE FOUR. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAGE FOUR OF THE UPDATED MANUAL SPECIFICALLY RELATING TO HIRING PRACTICES RELATING TO BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE'VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT ON WHETHER TO REQUEST RESIGNATION PRIOR TO APPLICATION OR PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE OF THE POSITION. AND TRUSTEE TREZISE WHO SITS ON THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE WAS NOT PRIVY TO THAT REQUEST BEING MADE AND IMPLEMENTED. AND WE'RE WONDERING IF THAT HAPPENED ON YOUR DESK OR MR. CARSON'S DESK OR AND WHAT THE RATIONALE FOR THAT WAS. [01:10:02] BECAUSE IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE SENSE OF THE BOARD IS THAT WE'RE OKAY WITH WHAT YOU'VE CHANGED. WE'RE JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE MOTIVATION WAS. CERTAINLY THAT IS A CHANGE ON MY DESK. SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, THAT'S WHERE OF THE FAULT OR OTHERWISE LIES. AND THE RATIONALE IS TO PROTECT THE ELECTED OFFICE, THAT SOMEONE ON THE BOARD HAS THAT POSITION BY VIRTUE OF THE ELECTION. CERTAINLY WITH ALL THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS BUT EVEN WITH AN APPOINTMENT, THAT'S SOMEONE THE BOARD IS SELECTING. WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE ARE ULTIMATELY SUBJECT TO ELECTION. OFTENTIMES, THEY COME FROM OTHER BOARDS THAT HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO ASKING AN OFFICIAL WHO HAS A POSITION BY VIRTUE OF ELECTION OR SAYING YOU HAVE TO FOREGO THAT MERELY TO APPLY FOR A POSITION RAISED A CONCERN ABOUT. THE VESTING OF AUTHORITY VIA THAT ELECTED POSITION. SO PROTECTING THE DECISION THAT THE VOTERS MADE FROM WHILE ALSO RESPECTING THE FLEXIBILITY OF A BOARD MEMBER TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN CAPACITIES THAT MAY SUIT THEIR STRENGTHS. AGAIN, AS LAID OUT IN THE DRAFT. CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT INHERENTLY IN BEING ON THE BOARD AND BEING EMPLOYED, BUT IT'S WHEN CAN WE PULL THAT TRIGGER? WHERE IS IT AN EFFICIENT WAY TO RECOGNIZE THE CONCERN, MEET THE CONCERN, WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT A PERSON IN THE POSITION ON THE BOARD? SO ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPETING INTERESTS, WHERE'S A GOOD COMPROMISE? AND THIS IS, AGAIN, AS I SAY, THE DRAFT LANGUAGE THAT I PUT TOGETHER IN AN ATTEMPT TO WORK THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL AND CERTAINLY ANSWERS THE INITIAL QUESTION, WHICH WAS WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT SECTION? CLERK DEMAS. I APPRECIATE WHAT TRUSTEE BROUGHT UP. I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LANGUAGE TO DEFINE WHAT EMPLOYMENT MEANS IN THIS POLICY UPDATE. WE DO NEED ELECTION INSPECTORS, AND WE DO SEEK OUT PEOPLE FAR AND WIDE. AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, TRUSTEE TREZISE WAS AN ELECTION INSPECTOR HELPED WITH OUR ELECTIONS. AND SO I WANT TO KNOW IN THE FUTURE IF THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO DO SO. YEAH. AND IT I WOULDN'T BE DOING MY DAY JOB JUSTICE IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT, OF COURSE, NONE OF US ARE PERMITTED TO WORK ANY ELECTION FOR WHICH WE APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. THIS WOULD BE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE INSTANCES WHERE WE DO NOT OF WHICH NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE SEVERAL OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. SO YEAH, I GUESS THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR MR. KUSCHEL. IF YOU COULD ATTEMPT TO DEFINE EMPLOYMENT IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT THAT IS ADDRESSED. CERTAINLY. THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE. AFTER THE ATTORNEY EXPLANATION AND TRUSTEE, I CAN LIVE WITH THE NEW LANGUAGE THAT A PERSON COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR AN EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT HAVING TO RESIGN THE POSITION. IT GIVES OUR MANAGER MORE FLEXIBILITY IF HE FINDS ANOTHER EXCELLENT CANDIDATE, LIKE WE HAD WITH TRUSTEE WISINSKI, WHO TURNED OUT TO BE AN EXCELLENT PARKS DIRECTOR, AND TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. BOTH OF THOSE CASES, RECENT CASES WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE TALENT OF BOARD MEMBERS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THAT SECTION THEN. ANY THING TO DISCUSS IN THE NEXT SECTIONS. SO THAT WOULD BE PAGE FIVE. TRUSTEE WILSON. I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. I REALIZE THIS IS THE ORIGINAL OF THIS DOCUMENT IS PROBABLY 25 YEARS OLD. I FOUND THAT THE OPENING PARAGRAPH UNDER BOARDS GOVERNING STYLE TO BE ARCHAIC LANGUAGE THAT DIDN'T ADD ANYTHING TO THE [01:15:05] BULLET POINTS OF WHAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO DO. AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE'RE INCLUDING THIS. YOU COULD DO THIS INSTEAD OF THIS. YOU COULD DO THIS INSTEAD OF THIS. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME TO EVEN HAVE IT IN THERE. COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS RETAINED? NO. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. THAT'S AN HONEST ANSWER. SO YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE PARAGRAPH OPENING PARAGRAPH SIX. YES. UNDER GOVERNING BODY. IT STARTS WITH THE BOARD WILL GOVERN WITH AN EMPHASIS ON OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY AND OUTWARD VISION, RATHER THAN AN INTERNAL PREOCCUPATION. I MEAN, IT'S JUST. RIGHT. I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT A POTENTIALLY MORE HELPFUL ANSWER IS RETAINING THE LANGUAGE SO AS TO MAKE FEWER CHANGES. THAT WAS OUR THINKING ON THE COMMITTEE THAT IT WASN'T IT WASN'T OFFENSIVE. IT DIDN'T NEED AND IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN A WHILE TO CRAFT SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT. BUT I'M WILLING TO RECONVENE WITH MISS TITHOF AND WORK ON SOME OF THESE THINGS, IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WISHES, AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF REDUNDANCY OR THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE A LOT OF DON'T ADD TO THE DOCUMENT. AND I FOUND THE SAME IN BULLET POINT ONE. THE CLAUSE AT THE END, RATHER THAN TO SUBSTITUTE INDIVIDUAL JUDGMENTS, YOU ALREADY LAY OUT WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS. WHY DO WE HAVE THIS CLAUSE THAT DOESN'T ADD ANYTHING TO THE ARGUMENT. IN FIVE BULLET FIVE. THERE IS A TYPO WITH FULFILLED DASH THERE. I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TO SCOTT, THESE ARE MINISTERIAL CHANGES, MANY OF THEM THAT DON'T REALLY CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE DOCUMENT ITSELF. AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION ON ITEM SEVEN ABOUT ANNUALLY MAY IS A PERMISSION ANNUALLY APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR THE MANAGER TO ACT AS PARLIAMENTARIAN IN THE ABSENCE OF OR TO ASSIST THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY. THAT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. SO THE IDEA BEHIND SEVEN IS ROBERT'S RULES IS SOMETHING THE BOARD ALREADY LOOKS TO. SO WE DIDN'T TAKE THAT OUT, RIGHT? BUT KNOWING THAT THE ATTORNEY ISN'T ALWAYS PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS WHO MAY BE MOST QUALIFIED OR MOST FAMILIAR WITH ROBERT'S RULES. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS HERE. THE BOARD MAY HAVE A MEMBER WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH ROBERT'S RULES, OR COULD EXPECT THE MANAGER TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PASSING FAMILIARITY TO ACT IN THAT ROLE. SO IN THAT SENSE IT ESTABLISHES THAT IF THE BOARD DESIRES TO HAVE SOMEONE TO RECOGNIZE ON PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS, ON SORT OF THE DAY TO DAY. YOU CAN DO THAT. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU CAN DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME, IF IT'S A PARTICULARLY KNOTTY QUESTION THEN THAT BUCK DOESN'T STOP WITH THEM. THE BUCK STOPS WITH THE ATTORNEY. SO IF AND WHEN NEEDED, WHETHER IT'S PARTICULARLY KNOTTY OR ARCHAIC OR WHATEVER THE REASON IS, IT'S RECOGNIZED THAT, YEAH, WE WANT IF WE NEED A RESOLUTION OF THIS PARLIAMENTARIAN QUESTION, WE GO TO OUR ATTORNEYS FOR THAT. AND THEN THAT WAY YOU HAVE THE INTERMEDIATE STEPS THAT SHOULD HOPEFULLY RESOLVE DAY TO DAY QUESTIONS OF PROCEDURE WITHOUT NEEDING OUR INVOLVEMENT, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT AND KNOWING WHERE THE BUCK ULTIMATELY STOPS AND RESTS. I THINK THIS COULD BE CRAFTED A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. THANK YOU. LET ME SEE IF I HAD ANYTHING ELSE IN THE IN THE GOVERNING STYLE SECTION. IN THAT SECTION? NO, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IN THAT SECTION? YEAH. I THINK THIS SECTION I IT BRINGS UP THE QUESTION OF IS POLICY GOVERNANCE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH. AND THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN HERE. BUT THERE ARE REFERENCES TO IT. AND YOU KNOW, FROM MY VERY FIRST MEETING, IT WAS DESCRIBED TO ME AS THIS IS WHAT POLICY GOVERNANCE [01:20:08] IS. WE DON'T DO IT, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT IS. AND WE GOT AWAY FROM THAT YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT WAS SO BURDENSOME. AND SO TO ME, THE QUESTION IS IF WE ARE INTENDING TO MAKE A CHANGE FROM THAT, WHAT DO WE CHANGE TO AND HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THAT IN HERE? BUT THAT MAY BE A DISCUSSION THAT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT. AND MAYBE IT MAYBE ITS OWN, DEDICATED, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION. BUT I'M OKAY WITH, WITH THE WAY THIS IS LAID OUT IF ANYONE WANTS TO BE PARLIAMENTARIAN, FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW ONCE WE APPROVE THIS, BECAUSE I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE LINING UP FOR THAT ROLE, I'M SURE. COULD I ASK A QUESTION? HAVE WE EVER HAD A PARLIAMENTARIAN, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE? NOT IN THE 8 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE GOOD NEWS, AT LEAST SINCE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN FRIENDLY ENOUGH TO NOT GET INTO PARLIAMENTARY SQUABBLES AT THE BOARD TABLE, BUT WE HAVE THEM. IN THE 90S, WHEN YOU WERE ON THE BOARD THE FIRST TIME. OH, LORD PHIL, YOU'RE ASKING ME TO RECALL. NO, I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION. I DON'T THINK WE DID. AND SO I'M WONDERING WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE IN THERE OR SHOULDN'T BE IN. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? I SUSPECT THAT THAT AT SOME POINT THERE'S A RATIONALE FOR WHY IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED, AT LEAST AT LEAST TO DESIGNATE SOME PERSON. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO HAVE A TWO HOP SYSTEM LIKE IS BEING DESCRIBED HERE, BUT AT SOME POINT SOMEONE'S GOING TO CHALLENGE A RULING THAT'S BEEN MADE AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME WAY OF RESOLVING IT. WELL, I CAN SEE YOUR QUESTION. IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS ON THE BOARD, WE HAD A BOARD MEMBER THAT WOULD GO ON FOR LONG DIATRIBES AGAINST WHATEVER TOPIC. WELL, WE COULD HAVE USED A PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM AND JUST SPLIT. THE WORDS ARE AND YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS BACK AND FORTH. WHO GETS TO CALL THE QUESTION WHEN SOMETHING OUT OF ORDER, ALL THOSE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ARE DECIDED BY THE PARLIAMENTARIAN SO THEY CAN BE AN ESSENTIAL PERSON. OF COURSE, WHICHEVER SIDE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN ON IS GOING TO BIAS THEIR DECISIONS TOWARDS THAT. SO IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE. THAT PERSON IS NEVER GOING TO BE COMPLETELY OBJECTIVE. ARE WE. CLERK DEMAS. I GUESS TALKING ABOUT OBJECTIVITY, WE SHOULD DESIGNATE SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO BE OBJECTIVE THEN. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD KEEP THIS IN BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE VALUE IN OUR TOWNSHIP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OBJECTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT. ONWARD AND UPWARD. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES. I HAVE HAD MY RESPONSE. MY PROHIBITION ON INDIVIDUAL AUTHORITY, ON POLICIES REMOVED. I LIKE IT. NO, IT'S JUST BEEN MOVED TO LATER IN THE SECTION. I THINK I WAS MORE OR LESS OKAY WITH ALL THE CHANGES TO TO THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANYTHING. I WILL ASK THE BOARD THAT SHOULD WE EVER BE WITHOUT A TOWNSHIP MANAGER, THAT WE APPOINT AN INTERIM QUICKLY SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT? BUT OTHERWISE. [LAUGHTER] OKAY. AND THEN LET'S SEE, IN THE BOARD MEETING PROCESS, I AM HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT WITH OUR OWN RULES. THAT'S NO PROBLEM AND WITH STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS THERE. SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS ON THE SUPERVISOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. DUTIES OF THE ELECTED DEPARTMENT HEADS. COUPLE OF CHANGES MADE HERE. I'LL LET THE CLERK AND TREASURER, I SUPPOSE, WEIGH IN ON THAT. ANY ANY ISSUES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN CHANGED IN THAT SECTION FROM YOU ALL? IT'S TREASURER DESCHAINE. RATHER DIRECT IT IS AN INTERESTING ROLE FOR THE CLERK AND TREASURER BECAUSE 40 HOURS OF THE WEEK WE ACTUALLY WORK AS PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM AND REPORT TO THE MANAGER. TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETINGS. WE DIRECT THE MANAGER AS PART OF THE BOARD. BUT THESE DO DESCRIBE THE DEPARTMENTAL HEAD RESPONSIBILITIES THAT BOTH THE CLERK AND THE TREASURER HAVE. IT'S VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. OKAY. THAT WAS OUR HOPE THAT WE DIDN'T PIN YOU IN, BUT STILL GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY YOU NEEDED. CLERK DEMAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? [01:25:03] I CONCUR. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT SECTION? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON. TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETINGS. THIS I THINK THE CHANGES ARE VERY MINOR HERE IN THIS SECTION. AND I TAKE A BIT OF EXCEPTION TO LEAVING IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, BUT OH, NO, WE DID REMOVE THAT. WE DID? YEAH. I DON'T SEE IT BY REFERENCE. THANK YOU. YES, BY REFERENCE IS WHAT WE WERE, WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR. SO THAT'S FABULOUS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MEETINGS SECTION? MANAGER DEMPSEY? YEAH. ACTUALLY, BEFORE YOU GO ON FURTHER, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WE'RE HAVING A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THE MEETING RECORDING. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST CONTINUE THE MEETING AND WE'LL RECORD EVERYTHING. SO THE VERSION THAT WILL SHOW UP ONLINE YOU KNOW, TOMORROW OR SUBSEQUENT WILL BE A COMPLETE VERSION. BUT RIGHT NOW, IF ANYBODY'S WATCHING IT, THEY'RE SEEING A FROZEN SCREEN. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THAT'S GOING ON AND AN UNFORESEEN ISSUE THAT, THE STAFF TRIED TO DEAL WITH. BUT OUR BEST SOLUTION AT THIS POINT IS JUST TO CONTINUE ON SO WE GET A FULL, COMPLETE RECORDING SO THAT ANYBODY COULD GO BACK AND WATCH THIS ENTIRE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. OKAY. SO NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MEETINGS SECTION. I DON'T SEE ANY NODDING HEADS THERE, SO. OKAY. ANNUAL GOAL SETTING. THIS SECTION IS NEW. BUT BASICALLY LAYS OUT THAT WE'LL BE DOING THINGS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO, HEY, IT'S ACTUALLY MOVED FROM A DIFFERENT AREA. IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? YEAH. SO SOMETIMES HOW WORD WILL CODE THE GREEN VERSUS THE BLUE? WE PROBABLY CHANGED SOME OF THE LANGUAGE TO TRY AND STREAMLINE IT. BECAUSE THERE WAS A BIT OF REDUNDANCY THERE WITH THIS GOAL SETTING LANGUAGE. SO WE MOVED IT WHERE IT FIT BETTER, AND THEN TRIED AND REMOVED SOME OF THAT REDUNDANCY WHILE STILL GRABBING WHAT WAS LATER IN THE DOCUMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE GOAL SETTING SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD THERE. AGENDA PROCEDURES. SO THIS HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. IT CODIFIES THE PRACTICE THAT AGENDA ITEMS CERTAINLY CAN BE SUBMITTED BY BOARD MEMBERS. AND VARIOUS OTHERS THAT THEY'LL BE SUBMITTED BY A CERTAIN DEADLINE. AND THAT THE MANAGER AND THE SUPERVISOR WILL REVIEW AND FINAL APPROVAL COMES THROUGH ME. SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR EMERGENCY ITEMS, PUTTING IN THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORY, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. YEAH. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA? YEAH. SEEING NONE. PACKET DISTRIBUTION THIS IS STANDARD PROCEDURE ALREADY. PACKETS WILL BE DELIVERED ELECTRONICALLY AND PUT ON THE WEBSITE THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE UPCOMING MEETING. SO NOT A WHOLE LOT CHANGING THERE. WE'RE GOING TO BREEZE THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE PRETTY SHORT PROCEDURES FOR MEETING NOTICES. THIS IS MOSTLY THE CLERK'S AREA HERE, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT POSTING OUR MEETINGS IN THE TYPICAL WAYS. THE QUORUM OF THE BOARD IS FOUR MEMBERS. AS HAS BEEN TRUE THIS ENTIRE TIME. IN THE CASE OF ANY FORESEEABLE ABSENCE, PLEASE LET CLERK DEMAS AND I KNOW SO THAT WE MAKE SURE WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM FOR THE BOARD MEETINGS. AND THEN CALL THE BOARD IS A FASCINATING ONE. THERE'S THIS IS, OF COURSE, A PROVISION THAT'S AVAILABLE IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL. BUT THIS IS THE PROVISION THAT ALLOWS US TO BASICALLY REQUIRE AND FORCE SOMEONE INTO ATTENDANCE. IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT. THAT'S HOW I READ THIS LANGUAGE. OKAY. AND THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, DEFAULT WOULD BE MORE TO RESCHEDULE. SO THIS IS SORT OF PUTTING IN ANOTHER POTENTIAL TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO SAY, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET A HOLD OF THAT MEMBER. LET'S CONTINUE TO WAIT, SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO ATTEND. AGAIN. SO LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS POLICY DOCUMENT. [01:30:02] GIVEN RETAINING THAT OPTION AS PREVIOUSLY. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. WE'VE SEEN THIS DONE A COUPLE OF TIMES AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHERE THEY'VE SENT OUT THE SERGEANTS AT ARMS AND THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE TO GO COLLECT LEGISLATORS FROM PLACES THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DODGE INTO. [LAUGHTER] ALWAYS A FUN MOMENT AT THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THAT HAPPENED. NOT FOR THE ONES WHO WERE BEING COLLECTED. THE NEXT SECTIONS HAVE ALL BEEN STRUCK THROUGH BECAUSE THESE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED. LOOKS LIKE SO WE'RE ON TO RULE SIX, CONDUCT OF THE MEETINGS. THIS DOES POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE DO MORE FREQUENTLY IN CASE OF ABSENCE OF THE CLERK APPOINT A TEMPORARY CLERK FOR THAT MEETING. OF COURSE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE DEPUTY CLERK GORDON HERE TO HELP US WITH MINUTES AND ROLL CALLS. BUT IT IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE IS REQUIRED BY LAW, RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, EVEN IF IT SEEMS. EVEN IF WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT STAFF EXISTS. WELL, YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE SAYS IT SHALL APPOINT A TEMPORARY CLERK FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS. WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE. YES. RIGHT? NO, I'M JUST SAYING, FUNCTIONALLY, THE DEPUTY CLERK CALL THE ROLL OR SHARE SOME THINGS HERE. OKAY. YEAH. AS I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY. AND WE DID ADD IN HERE THE ADDITION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WHICH I SUPPOSE PREVIOUSLY WASN'T IN HERE OR WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT IT IS A PRACTICE OF THE BOARD. SO WE CAN CODIFY THAT. OKAY. OKAY. NEXT SECTION WITH CHANGES IS TO QUORUM OF THE BOARD. THIS LOOKS MOSTLY TO BE CLEANING UP ADJECTIVES OUT OF HERE. YES. ANY DISCUSSION OR ISSUES WITH THE DECORUM OF THE BOARD SECTION. WE'RE MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH EVERYONE. WE CAN DO IT. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THIS STRIKES THROUGH THE SUPERVISOR ASKING WHICH AGENDA ITEM THEY'LL BE ADDRESSING. FUNCTIONALLY, THAT'S USUALLY PRETTY CLEAR WHEN THEY START TALKING. THAT IS A STRIKE THROUGH. YES, BUT IT'S REPLACED. IT'S JUST MOVED UP IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE PARAGRAPH BEFORE. OH. FAIR ENOUGH. YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M SORRY I MISSED THAT. I GUESS I COULD DO THAT. IT DOESN'T SEEM PARTICULARLY HELPFUL, BUT IF IT BECOMES UNCLEAR, I GUESS WE CAN ASK WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. IS IT NOT ON THE FORM? IT IS ON THE FORM. YEAH. YEAH. AND USUALLY PEOPLE ARE PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT. I'M TALKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 15 A OR WHATEVER. SO. TWO. MINUTES. POLICY. WE ARE CONSOLIDATING SOME OF THE LANGUAGE AROUND CLOSED SESSION MINUTES. AND MOVING THE REVIEW OF MINUTES OUT OF THE PLANNING DIRECTOR'S PURVIEW AND INTO THE MANAGER'S PURVIEW. THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A SENSIBLE CHANGE. I'VE NEVER REALLY QUITE UNDERSTOOD WHY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WAS INVOLVED IN THAT. THAT SEEMS LIKE AN UNNECESSARY EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT POSITION. ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? IT GOES BACK TO THE EARLIER YEARS WHEN THE MINUTES THEMSELVES WERE HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS AND THEY NEEDED A NEUTRAL PARTY TO KIND OF MITIGATE OR PROVIDE A, QUOTE, NEUTRAL VERSION OF THE MINUTES. SO THEY REMOVED THEM FROM THE TREASURER AND BUMP IT UPSTAIRS TO MARK KIESELBACH, THE LAND PLANNING MANAGER. BUT IT WAS MADE. IT WAS A SITUATIONAL DECISION BECAUSE OF A CONTENTIOUS BOARD AT THE TIME. THAT'S WHY IT WAS CHANGED THAT WAY. WELL, THANKFULLY WE PUT THAT CONTENTION BEHIND US. I THINK IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO HAVE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR NOT BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. YES. AND I DON'T THINK THAT ISSUES WILL BE BROUGHT UP WITH A CONTENTION IN THE REGARD OF ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT HANDLES THE MINUTES AND TRANSCRIBES THEM AND THEN CAN TAKE THE EDITS THAT THE MANAGER AND I SUGGEST TO THEM. SO IF THERE IS ANY ISSUES, IT WOULD BE THE HIRING PROCESS. SO I THINK THAT THIS MAKES SENSE TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE PLANNING DIRECTORS. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? TREASURER DESCHAINE. NUMBER TWO MINUTES SHALL BE BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE. THAT WAS THE MAIN ISSUE IS THAT CERTAIN DISCUSSIONS OF THE BOARD GOT A FULL PAGE, OTHER ONES GOT A LINE. [01:35:03] AND SO IT APPLIES TO ALL THE PROCEDURES OF THE BOARD. THEY'RE ALL AS CONCISE AND BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON'T QUOTE WHAT A CERTAIN BOARD MEMBER SAID AT LENGTH ON THIS TOPIC. WE SUMMARIZE WHAT EVERYONE SAYS ON THE TOPIC, AND THE POLICY STATES THAT CLEARLY. GREAT. THANK YOU. THE MINUTES ACCESSED BY THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. AND DO WE MOVE THE PII OR DO WE JUST DELETE THAT? WE JUST DELETED IT. IT WASN'T CLEAR THAT THIS ACT WOULD APPLY TO THE TOWNSHIP IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY. SO ITS INCLUSION DIDN'T SEEM RELEVANT. OKAY. I DO THINK IF WE COULD, IT MIGHT NOT BE A BE A BAD IDEA TO INCORPORATE THAT AS A PRACTICE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT. EVEN IF THAT SPECIFIC PIECE OF THE US CODE IS NOT APPLICABLE, JUST INSOFAR AS A METHOD TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS PRIVACY. AS THESE MEETING MINUTES ARE PUBLIC TO REDACT THINGS LIKE THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES AND WHATNOT SO THAT THEY DON'T GET SPAMMED BY PEOPLE LOOKING THROUGH OUR MINUTES. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WOULD FALL UNDER FERPA. THAT WAS OUR THINKING. CORRECT. BUT YOU KNOW WHY THAT WOULD BE THERE? YOU WOULD STILL HAVE LIKE, EMAIL REDACTION AS PART OF WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING COMMENTS INTO A PACKET, MATERIALS YOU COULD STILL UTILIZE UNDER A PRIVACY EXEMPTION BECAUSE. RIGHT. MAKING A COMMENT TO YOUR PUBLIC BODY ISN'T GROUNDS TO BE SPAMMED. AND IT'S A SUFFICIENT PRIVACY INTEREST TO LIMIT THAT THOSE BAD ACTORS FROM UTILIZING PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND DOESN'T SHED LIGHT ON THE GOVERNMENT'S OPERATIONS JUST TO HAVE THE EMAIL ADDRESS OF SOMEONE COMMENTING TO THE BOARD. RIGHT. OKAY. TRUSTEE I DID HAVE A QUESTION, AND I RECOGNIZE THE IRONY OF THE VIDEO NOT WORKING AS I ASKED THIS, BUT WITH MINUTES BEING A VERY REGULATED AREA OF BOARD PROCEEDINGS WHERE THE VIDEO IS MORE OF A BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE IN THE TOWNSHIP. HOW LONG ARE THE VIDEOS OF OUR RECORDED TOWNSHIP MEETINGS AVAILABLE ONLINE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANY OF US IN THIS ROOM CAN ANSWER CONSIDERING THE I.T. ISSUES, BUT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. AS SOMEONE WHO WATCHED PLENTY OF THEM IN MY YOU KNOW, YEARS LEADING UP TO SERVING ON THIS BOARD, I WONDER IF MANAGER DIEHL IS IN THE BACK AND STILL ABLE TO HEAR US. SHE MAY BE ABLE TO BEST ANSWER THAT QUESTION. YOU JUST HAD A CONSTITUENT REACH OUT SAYING VIDEO IS FROZEN, BUT AUDIO IS WORKING. HEY. OKAY, WELL, WE'LL LET MANAGER DIEHL GET TO THAT IF SHE. I THINK STEPHEN, DIRECTOR GEBES MIGHT HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT. THE QUESTION IS, HOW LONG DO WE KEEP THE ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE OF BOARD MEETINGS? IT'S SPECIFIED IN OUR CONTRACT WITH GRANICUS. AT THIS PARTICULAR JUNCTURE, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONTRACT. AT THIS POINT, NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN TAKEN OFFLINE. WHEN WAS THAT CONTRACT STARTED? DO YOU KNOW THE YEAR? ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO NOW. OKAY. AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT PROBABLY IN THE SAM DIEHL AND THE PREVIOUS DIRECTORS OR MANAGERS DOWN THERE HAVE CONTRACTED FOR THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE HAVE. AND WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION BEFORE WE LET ANYTHING FALL OFF. SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU. OH. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? SORRY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? I WAS TYPING OUT AN EMAIL TO TIM EXPLAINING. YEAH, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE RETENTION OF ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, HOW LONG THAT LASTS AND AND HOW FAR BACK IT GOES. YEAH. SO WE HAVE ALL THE VIDEOTAPES STILL FROM WHEN OUR FIRST PRODUCTIONS WENT OUT, SO IN THE 80S. AND THEN WE STORE ALL OF OUR FOOTAGE. NOT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CONVERTED DIGITALLY, BUT WE STORE ALL OF OUR SERVICE OR OUR FOOTAGE ON AN EDIT SHARE SERVER. SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT TO PULL OUT ANYTHING THAT WE MAY NEED TO SEARCH. IT HAS A REALLY COOL FUNCTION WHERE YOU CAN LIKE SEARCH THROUGH FOOTAGE. ALSO, THAT KIND OF HELPS PULL IT UP IF ANYONE EVER HAS LIKE A REQUEST FOR SOMETHING. SO I'VE HAD RESIDENTS REACH OUT SAYING, I WAS ON THIS EPISODE OF THIS HERE'S THE DATE. CAN YOU FIND THAT COPY? AND I CAN SEARCH IT AND PULL IT UP. SO IT'S A REALLY NICE FEATURE. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T WANT ANY CHANGES MADE TO THE POLICY AS A RESULT OF THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO SHOW I'M A BIG FAN OF THE VIDEO WORK THAT IS DONE FOR THESE MEETINGS. I THINK THEY'RE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. SO THANK YOU. [01:40:01] WE'LL LET YOU GET BACK TO YOUR EMAIL. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT TOPIC? CLERK DEMAS. CAN I ASK WHY IT WAS TAKEN OUT REGARDING A SEPARATE SET OF MINUTES MUST BE TAKEN FOR CLOSED SESSIONS. AND THEN WHAT WAS TAKEN OUT WAS WHILE CLOSED SESSION MINUTES MUST BE APPROVED IN AN OPEN MEETING. THE BOARD MAY MEET IN CLOSED SESSION TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE MINUTES. BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT CLOSED SESSION MINUTES WOULD PROPERLY BE APPROVED IN AN OPEN SESSION. OKAY. SO IT'S REALLY YOU CAN REVIEW THEM, BUT THEN YOU GET INTO THIS INTERESTING CYCLE OF IF YOU NEED TO NEED TO DISCUSS CHANGES TO THE CLOSED SESSION MINUTES, THOSE WOULD BE BACK INTO A NEW CLOSED SESSION. SO IT'S KIND OF A UNANIMOUS CONSENT TYPE SITUATION. IF NO ONE OBJECTS TO THE CLOSED SESSION MINUTES AFTER THEY'VE BEEN HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM, THEY'RE CONSIDERED APPROVED. OKAY. I JUST WANTED MORE CLARIFICATION ON THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT. SPECIAL COMMITTEES. WELL, NOW IT'S JUST COMMITTEES. WE'RE NOT SPECIAL ANYMORE. TRUSTEE WILSON. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THIS IN CLAUSE ONE. IT SAYS THAT THE BOARD MAY AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. IS THAT JUST SAYING THAT IF WE HAVE AN APPLICANT FOR A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY OR I'M SORRY, COMMITTEE AND WE DON'T HAVE A CHAIR FOR THAT COMMITTEE, YOU MIGHT SUGGEST THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE THE CHAIR. THAT'S HOW I READ IT. BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. I READ IT AS THE BOARD SELECTS COMMITTEES THAT'S WHERE THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IS. IF A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE IS DESIRED, THEN THE BOARD WOULD ESTABLISH THAT BY VESTING THE SUPERVISOR WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL PIECES OF AUTHORITY. LATER IT SAYS THE COMMITTEE MAY ALSO ESTABLISH ITS OWN CHAIR. SO IF THE BOARD OR THE SUPERVISOR HASN'T SELECTED A CHAIR, THEN THE DEFAULT WOULD BE THAT THEY AMONGST THEMSELVES WOULD SELECT WHO THEIR CHAIR WOULD BE POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THEIR OWN BYLAWS. BUT THAT'S REALLY COMPLICATED. SO IN THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING. MY ANSWER WOULD BE NO, THAT WITH A GENERIC COMMITTEE, THE BOARD WOULD ACCEPT THAT APPLICATION AND REVIEW IT, AND WHETHER OR NOT TO APPOINT THAT PERSON. MAY OR MAY NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHETHER WHO THE CHAIR IS OF THE COMMITTEE. AND AGAIN, IN THAT HYPOTHETICAL, IT IN TERMS OF APPOINTING A CHAIR WOULD BE LESS ABOUT A NEW APPLICANT COMING ON AND MORE ABOUT HOW THAT COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, WHETHER THE BOARD ORIGINALLY APPOINTED THE CHAIR, WHETHER THE SUPERVISOR APPOINTED THE CHAIR, WHETHER THAT COMMITTEE HAD TRADITIONALLY APPOINTED ITS OWN CHAIR. AND THEN ESTABLISHING THAT FACT IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, THEN WORKING THROUGH AN ISSUE LIKE THAT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH WORKING WITH COMMITTEES, THAT THE COMMITTEE ITSELF USUALLY CHOOSES AMONG THE MEMBERS WHO WILL BE THE CHAIR. IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THAT ACTION, DOES IT? CORRECT. IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THAT ACTION. GREAT. I HAD A QUESTION HERE, WHICH IS WE REFER IN THE OPENING INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH. IT SAYS COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES SHALL BE ADVISORY TO THE BOARD. AND THEN IN NUMBER THREE, WE SAY COMMITTEE OR TASK FORCE SHALL ADHERE TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. BUT WE DO NOT DEFINE TASK FORCES AT ANY POINT. AND THAT SECTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND STRUCK THROUGH. I'D ASK THAT THAT BE REINSTATED SO THAT WE HAVE A DEFINITION OF THAT. DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? I DO, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT WHILE SAYING THOSE TASK FORCE REFERENCES WERE ERRORS ON MY PART. SO MOVING THE ONE WHOLE SENTENCE AND REINSERTING IT THERE AS PART OF THE EDITING PROCESS. IT THE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A TASK FORCE? ALSO WASN'T CLEAR WITHIN THE DOCUMENT. SO THE ATTEMPT HERE WAS TO STREAMLINE AND JUST HAVE COMMITTEES. IF THERE NEEDED TO BE A TASK FORCE WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DEFINITION TO DO A SPECIFIC THING. [01:45:08] CERTAINLY THE BOARD CAN UTILIZE THAT AND PUT IT IN ITS PROCEDURES. BUT EXACTLY. THEN WE SHOULD HAVE A DEFINITION AND UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE USING DIFFERENT LANGUAGE FOR THAT. AND WE HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW AS IT'S CURRENTLY OPERATING, WHICH IS WHY I FEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DISPATCHING OF IT OUT OF THE BOARD POLICIES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. WELL, GIVEN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD CAN DEFINE SCOPE, RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS, DURATION, COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT, IN EFFECT GIVES THE GUIDANCE TO WHETHER IT'S A COMMITTEE OR A TASK FORCE. SAME WAY, JUST ADD THAT TERM IN. OKAY. SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TASK FORCE AND AN AD HOC COMMITTEE ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT IS. I THINK A TASK FORCE IS CONVENED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. SO AS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE . SO IT'S AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. [LAUGHTER] YES, YES IT IS. WHEREAS THE COMMITTEE'S REFERENCED HERE ARE ONGOING COMMITTEES. THEY MAY BE. YES. THAT'S THE GENERAL. YEAH. INTERESTING. OKAY. SO THEN WE'RE STRIKING THROUGH TASK FORCE IN ALL THE APPLICABLE AREAS AND LIVING WITH JUST COMMITTEES THEN. I THINK WE CAN. OKAY. IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THE WORDS TASK FORCE. WELL, I THINK IT HAS. IT HAS A CERTAIN JE NE SAIS QUOI. IT DOES. BUT YEAH, IF WE THINK WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR WORDS THAT'S FINE. OKAY. LIAISONS. WE'RE ALMOST THERE WE ARE TWO PAGES FROM THE END. LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS. THIS JUST INDICATES THAT IT'S THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT DO IT, NOT ME, WHICH I'M THANKFUL FOR. AND THEN APPOINTMENTS. WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS LIKE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. BASICALLY, WE FOLLOW STATE LAW 45 DAYS. AND REMOVAL FROM APPOINTED OFFICE. WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. ALTHOUGH I THINK WE DID TALK ABOUT IT AT ONE POINT AND LEARN ABOUT IT. AND SO THERE IS A PROCESS THAT'S REQUIRED BY STATE LAW IN ORDER TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM AN APPOINTED POSITION. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. I'M NOT SURE NOW IF IT'S BLACK LETTER STATUTORY OR IF IT'S MORE DUE PROCESS GUARANTEE HAVING THE PUBLIC MEETING PIECE IS CERTAINLY A WAY TO SATISFY THAT DUE PROCESS. SO, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THERE'S A CONCERN THEN OKAY, WE HAVE A CLEAR PROCESS HERE THAT GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO YES, BY LAW, IN THE SENSE OF WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING DUE PROCESS, MAYBE NOT PRECISELY THIS MECHANISM STRICTLY WHICH IS PROBABLY SUFFICIENT DETAIL, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO GET REALLY COMPLICATED. NO. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS ON THE APPOINTMENTS OR VACANCIES? SEEING NONE. WE'VE GOT PROCEDURES FOR WHEN THERE ARE VACANCIES. SO STAFF LIAISON LOOKS AT IT AND NOTIFIES VARIOUS PEOPLE AND PROVIDE NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED. AND THE LIAISON WILL PROVIDE INPUT TO SUPERVISOR, CLERK AND MANAGER REGARDING FILLING THAT POSITION. SUPERVISOR REVIEWS THE APPLICATIONS AND DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR RECOMMENDATION FOR AN APPOINTMENT. AND THEN THE BOARD WILL EVENTUALLY VOTE RECOMMENDATION IN THE PACKET. SO NOT A WHOLE LOT'S CHANGED, JUST SOME CODIFICATION OF WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. IT SOUNDS LIKE AT THE STAFF LEVEL. AND THEN ORDINANCE. THIS IS. YEAH. AGAIN, JUST CODIFICATION OF OUR CURRENT PRACTICES, IT LOOKS LIKE. UPDATES TO ROBERT'S RULES. ONE PIECE ON ORDINANCES. YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. OH, WE REMOVED THE EFFECTIVE. IT'S SEVEN DAYS INSTEAD OF 30. THAT'S NICE. WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. OKAY ZONING HAS THE SHORTER PERIOD. FOR SOME REASON, I CAN'T SEE THE LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW. [01:50:04] IMMEDIATELY. BUT EARLIER DISCUSSING QUORUM WE CLARIFIED THAT A MAJORITY OF THE QUORUM COULD TAKE ACTION, APPROVE MINUTES, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT IN THE ORDINANCE SECTION, YOU IT SPECIFIES THAT FOUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO PASS AN ORDINANCE. SO THAT CLARIFIES IF IT'S AN ORDINANCE PIECE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THAT BIGGER REGULATORY REACH. NOT SIMPLY A MAJORITY OF A QUORUM, BUT AN ACTUAL MAJORITY. GOT IT. AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. SO YOU WERE AWARE OF IT. OKAY, WE NEED ALL FOUR. AND THEN I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. UPON MOTION AND SECOND OF TWO BOARD MEMBERS OR AT THE DIRECTION OF SUPERVISOR, A PROPOSED POLICY SHALL BE READ IN FULL AT THE MEETING. IS THIS LIKE THE PURCHASING POLICY WE APPROVED TODAY? TWO OF US COULD HAVE ASKED FOR THAT TO BE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY. IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? YES. YES. LET'S USE THAT POLICY. IT'S SPECIFICALLY ON BOARD POLICY. OH. BOARD POLICY. RIGHT. BUT WE SET THE POLICIES RIGHT? LIKE THE PURCHASING POLICY MAY REFER TO A PROPOSED BOARD POLICY OR POLICY CHANGE. IT APPEARS TO BE REFERRING TO UPDATES TO. I DON'T YES. I CAN'T SEE A REASON TO LEAVE THAT IN THERE. NUMBER THREE. NUMBER THREE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FILIBUSTER THAT I DON'T THINK THIS BOARD HAS ANY INTENTION OF ALLOWING TO REMAIN. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT TOPIC. I CONCUR IT COULD BE A STALLING TECHNIQUE AND DOESN'T SEEM TO ADVANCE THE PROCESS IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY. YEAH. SO LET'S STRIKE THAT OUT. OKAY. AND WE FIND OURSELVES AT THE END. LOOK AT THAT. THAT WASN'T SO PAINFUL. NO. GOOD DISCUSSION. ANY BROAD STROKES? THINGS THAT WE FEEL ARE MISSING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD? OR ARE WE RELATIVELY COMFORTABLE? OH, THERE'S NO TABLE OF CONTENTS ANYMORE? YES. I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK MICROSOFT WORD. SO THERE WILL BE AGAIN. OKAY. THAT'S FAIR. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? BROAD STROKES THAT'S MISSING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ABSENCES. IS THERE, LIKE, A TYPICAL PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE IN CASE ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO NOTIFY US OF AN ABSENCE? OR IS IT JUST ANY METHOD OF COMMUNICATION? I THINK WE'VE NOT ACCEPTED WE'VE ACCEPTED ANY WAY THAT THAT INFORMATION IS PASSED ALONG. FREQUENTLY THAT I'VE HAD IT'S BEEN VIA TEXT OR VIA EMAIL. IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL RECORD. IT'S JUST A HEADS UP, BASICALLY, SO THAT WE KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUORUM. YEAH, EVEN WORD BY MOUTH IS ACCEPTABLE. YEAH. OKAY. YEP. AND ALONG THOSE LINES, WE DON'T DESIGNATE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FROM AN ABSENCE. AN ABSENCE IS AN ABSENCE. CORRECT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD BEFORE WE CLOSE UP ON THIS TOPIC, I SEE DIRECTOR TITHOF HAS JOINED US AGAIN AT THE PODIUM. YES. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REALLY CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS WHOLE DOCUMENT. AND SOON WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE PERSONNEL POLICY AS WELL. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PROCESS. JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN EARLIER DISCUSSION, I HEARD SOME THINGS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID THAT MAY NOT BE CORRECT AS TO A COUPLE OF POSITIONS THAT WERE PLACED, AND NOT ALL OF YOU WERE ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME. BUT I DO WONDER I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE TRUST OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY LEARN FROM SOME PRIOR PLACEMENTS. THOSE LAST TWO WE TALKED ABOUT. AND I WONDER, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EITHER MYSELF TO SPEAK WITH OUR NEW MANAGER AND BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD? I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EFFORTS MADE AND WOULD LOVE TO TALK IT THROUGH JUST SO THAT THERE IS UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE I DID HEAR A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE STATED THAT WERE I ASSUMPTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS WOULD HAPPEN AND THEY WOULD IN AN ORDINARY PROCESS. BUT, YOU KNOW, TO PRESERVE THE SANCTITY OF THE HIRING PROCESS OVERALL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM WHAT OCCURRED HERE. [01:55:02] I'M SORRY, JUST TO CLARIFY, IS IT YOUR ASSERTION, THEN, THAT THE UPDATED TEXT OF THE POLICY MANUAL DOESN'T PRESERVE THAT? WELL, IT CAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT IT WHEN WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE POLICY. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S AS GOOD AS ITS ENFORCEMENT. AND I THINK THERE ARE STILL SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT, EVEN WITH THE LANGUAGE BEING THERE AT THE TIME THAT WE DIDN'T DO IT. AND I WOULD LOVE TO PUT SOME SAFEGUARDS IN THERE. SO REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN ANY CHAIR ACROSS THE TABLE THERE OR IN ON OUR SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND DOING CORRECTLY. AND JUST TO PROTECT AGAINST BIAS AND ENSURE AN APPROPRIATE AND FAIR SELECTION PROCESS. AND THAT'S REGARDLESS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT JUST WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THIS MANUAL AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A CHANCE FOR US TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT IT. SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE INFORMATION. WELL, CERTAINLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MR. DEMPSEY. AND IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE PROPOSED TO THIS PRIOR TO OUR NEXT MEETING, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT WHEN WE TAKE IT UP NEXT TIME. YEAH. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY SO. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO NECESSARILY MAKE CHANGE. IT'S REALLY JUST UNDERSTANDING AND LEARNING FROM WHAT HAS OCCURRED. AND I JUST FELT I NEEDED TO COME UP HERE BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD SAID, I THINK THAT MAYBE SOME FOLKS DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC, WE'LL CONSIDER WE'LL MOVE ON AND SEE THIS BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING WITH A COUPLE OF RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGES AND PERHAPS SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. DO ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 7:55 P.M.. ITEM 15 IS OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS THIS EVENING? WE'VE TALKED OURSELVES OUT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ADJOURNMENT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AND THOSE OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:55 P.M.. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.