Feb 18, 2025 Township Board

[00:00:50]

I HAVEN'T SEEN HER, NO.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WE WILL CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO ORDER. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ALLEGIANCE].

ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM THREE.

ROLL CALL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 4, PRESENTATIONS.

[4. PRESENTATION]

WE HAVE MICHELLE STEED FROM OUR TASK FORCE HERE TO GIVE US THE UPDATE.

WELCOME. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON.

OUR TASK FORCE HAS RECEIVED EXCELLENT SUPPORT FROM OUR STAFF AND WONDERFUL INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE OUR REAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS. IN OUR LAST REPORT, WE GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, PROVIDED SOME SOFT COSTS OF ESTIMATES THAT ARE ROUGHLY $25 A SQUARE FOOT FOR STAFFING AND OPERATIONAL OR FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS, AND THEN ROUGHLY $400 A SQUARE FOOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

AT OUR TASK FORCE MEETING IN JANUARY, WE REVIEWED FOUR CONCEPT PLANS THAT REFLECTED THE PROGRAMING SUGGESTED IN THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, ALONG WITH SOME ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS BASED ON OTHER PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY COMPLETED IN MICHIGAN AND THIS IS WHAT WE GOT FROM PROGRESSIVE.

4 OPTIONS THE STANDALONE CENTER, SENIOR CENTER, A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER WITH A GYM, A COMBINED SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER WITH A SHARED GYM, AND THEN A COMBINED SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER WITH TWO GYMS ESSENTIALLY COMBINING OPTIONS TWO AND THREE.

WE ELIMINATED A COUPLE OF OPTIONS PRETTY QUICKLY, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY.

THE FIRST ONE WE ELIMINATED WAS THE SENIOR CENTER WITH THE GYM.

THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE GYM SHOULD BE A COMPONENT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO WE TOOK THAT OFF, AND THEN OPTION FOUR WITH THE TWO GYMS, WE JUST DETERMINED THAT WAS TOO COSTLY AND TOO BIG, AND WE TOOK THAT ONE OFF. SO WE WORKED WITH THE STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER OPTION AND THEN THE COMBINED SENIOR CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER WITH THE GYM OPTION. THE PLAN THAT PROGRESSIVE PRESENTED WAS FOR 20,000 23,000FT².

THAT BROKE DOWN TO 17,300FT, ROUGHLY OF PROGRAM AREAS AND 6666 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEY ARE ALLOTTING ABOUT 35% OF PROGRAM AREA FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. THE CURRENT CENTER IS ABOUT 8500FT² OF PROGRAM AREA.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 11,000FT² PREVIOUSLY, SO IF YOU'RE CONFUSED BY THAT, WE HAD NEW MEASUREMENTS THAT CAME IN TODAY.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT HAS CHANGED. AND WE HAVE NOTHING SET ASIDE FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AREA BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND THAT'S HANDLED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING. SO BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION, WE ASKED THE CONSULTANTS AND OUR INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL TO SEE IF THEY COULD SHARPEN THAT UP AND BRING THAT DOWN TO THE PROGRAM AREA BEING CLOSER TO TO 14,000FT² DOWN FROM WHAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY ALLOTTED, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO THAT AND PRESENT THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE COMBINED SENIOR CENTER AND COMMUNITY CENTER WITH A GYM,

[00:05:05]

WE THOUGHT THE PLANS WERE A LITTLE BIT HEAVY ON MEETING AREA THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE COMBINED, SO THAT IT WOULD BE MORE OF A MULTI-PURPOSE ONE.

WE LOOKED AT THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF SIMILAR PROJECTS.

THEY SHOWED US ONE IN PORTAGE THAT HAD BEEN DONE RECENTLY AND ONE IN GREENVILLE AND JUST TO KIND OF ADJUST THE EXPECTATIONS, THOSE CONSTRUCTION COSTS WERE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO 500 SQUARE FOOT THAN THEY WERE 400 SQUARE FOOT AND THEN WE ASKED THE CONSULTANTS, AS I SAID, TO COME BACK AND GIVE US MORE INFORMATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING AND DIVING INTO STAFFING COSTS AND OPERATIONS COSTS, AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE MORE OF OUR UPDATES COMING IN AT THE END OF MARCH BEFORE THE TASK FORCE SENDS TWO PROPOSALS TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION. SO THANK YOU, MS. STEVE, FOR COMING IN AND SPEAKING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I WILL CHEER ON THE SPARTANS FOR YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 4B TO 2025 LOCAL ROADS PROGRAM PRESENTATION AND FOR THIS WE HAVE DEPUTY MANAGER DAN OPSOMMER.

GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.

SO TONIGHT I AM GOING TO FIRST RECAP THE 2024 LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM AND THEN WE WILL GET INTO WHAT EVERYONE IS EXCITED ABOUT THE 2025 ROADS.

SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE 153 MILES OF LOCAL ROADS.

2025 WILL BE THE SIXTH YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION UNDER THE NEW MILLAGE, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN AUGUST OF 2019 AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, OUR GOAL AT THE OUTSET WHEN WE PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER IN 2019 WAS TO ACHIEVE AN AVERAGE PACER RATING OR PAVEMENT RATING OF AN EIGHT ON A 1 TO 10 SCALE. SO AN EIGHT WOULD BE THE UPPER ECHELON OF THE ROADS THAT ARE RATED IN GOOD CONDITION.

JUST TO KIND OF RECAP THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE ON OUR PACER RATINGS.

IN BLUE YOU WILL SEE OUR GOAL OR OUR TARGETS, AND IN ORANGE YOU WILL SEE THE ACTUAL.

SO WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM OR WHEN WE PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER IN 2019, WE WERE AT A PACER RATING OF 4.48 AND AT THE END OR THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2025 PROGRAM, WE BELIEVE WE WOULD ARRIVE AT A 5.99 PACER RATING, STILL SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR GOAL OR OUR BENCHMARK? REASON BEING, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN YEARS PRIOR, WE DID GET HIT WITH FAIRLY HIGH INFLATION LARGELY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND DUE TO THE INFLUX OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, SPECIFICALLY OUR OUR ASPHALT PRICES IN OUR CONTRACTS WENT FROM APPROXIMATELY 60 TO $65 PER TON TO 90 TO $110 PER TON FROM 2021 TO 2022. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE SEEN PRICES PRETTY MUCH FLAT, AND IN THE MOST RECENT BIDS THAT WE RECEIVED, OUR PRICING WAS 85 TO 90. SO WE SAW A SLIGHT DECREASE IN OUR MOST RECENT BID PRICES AND STILL WE ARE SHOOTING OR TARGETING ABOUT A 6.5 TO A SEVEN PACER RATING, WHICH IS EXCEPTIONAL.

YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A COMMUNITY WITH LOCAL ROADS RATED THAT HIGH.

TYPICALLY THE PASSER RATING IS GOING TO BE HIGHER ON THE STATE TRUNKLINES.

STATE HIGHWAYS, IT'S GOING TO REDUCE FOR COUNTY PRIMARIES, AND IT WILL REDUCE AGAIN FOR LOCAL ROADS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, ACROSS THE STATE, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND. JUST A RECAP OF THE TREATMENTS THAT WE DID IN 2024.

WE HAD 6.32 MILES OF ROADS THAT WERE RECONSTRUCTED, 13.39 MILES OF CRACKED FILL, WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED IN 2025.

AND THEN 13.05 MILES OF ASPHALT REJUVENATOR 32.75 MILES TOTAL.

IN 2024 WE RECONSTRUCTED THE FOLLOWING ROADS.

SO IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAD SLATED FOR 2024, THESE WERE TWO OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE WERE RUNNING BEHIND ON.

SO 2023 CONTRACT WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED LAST YEAR IS THE RANDALL WEST REYNOLDS.

EAST REYNOLDS NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LAKE LANSING.

THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE SANITARY SEWER REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

WHICH OCCURRED OVER THE WINTER OF 23 AND 24 AND THEN THE 2022 CONTRACT WORK THAT HAD BEEN POSTPONED DUE

[00:10:01]

SO ACTUAL FUNDING FOR THE 2024 PROGRAM, OF COURSE, WE RECEIVED 0 ACT 51 FUNDING AS IS WILL BE THE CASE EVERY YEAR OF THE PROGRAM. THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT DID CONTRIBUTE THEIR ANNUAL 335,000, WHICH WE DID RECEIVE, AND THAT WAS AN INCREASE FROM THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD 2022 AND PRIOR, WHICH WAS 172,500. THE GENERAL FUND ENDED UP CONTRIBUTING $155,506.

ARPA WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS LEFT OVER THAT WE WILL BE USING AT THE START OF THE 2025 PROGRAM, BUT WE DID SPEND $34,924 OF THE ARPA FUNDS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED IN THE FALL OF 2024, AND THEN THE ROAD BOND REVENUE CONTRIBUTED JUST SHY OF 5.3 MILLION.

IN TOTAL, THE 5.8 MILLION WAS BY FAR OUR MOST OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN TERMS OF COMPLETING WORK, AND IT WAS THE MOST THAT WE HAD EXPENDED IN A GIVEN YEAR.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A RECAP OF THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE NOW RECONSTRUCTED OR RESURFACED 41.13 MILES OF OUR POOREST CONDITION ROADS, AND WE'VE COMPLETED JUST SHY OF 81.5 MILES OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE WORK.

SO 2025, WE HAVE 5.7 MILES LEFT TO BE RECONSTRUCTED.

WE'VE OMITTED THE MILEAGE OF THE ROADS THAT WE COMPLETED LAST FALL.

WE HAVE 14.559 MILES OF REJUVENATOR TREATMENTS.

SO THAT WILL BE THOSE ARE ROADS THAT WERE PAVED IN 2022, 23, AND A SMALL PORTION OF ROADS THAT WERE PAVED IN 24, THAT ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO BE MOBILIZING TO TREAT 22 AND 23 ROADS.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE TREATING 22, 23 AND THE START OF 24 ROADS WITH ASPHALT REJUVENATOR.

THIS YEAR, THE 6.69 MILES OF CRACK FILL REPRESENTS THE CHIP AND FOG OVERLAY ROADS, AS THE BOARD WILL RECALL.

SO THE REFLECTIVE CRACKING IS STARTING TO COME THROUGH ON THOSE ROADS.

SO WE WILL BE CRACK FILLING THOSE THIS YEAR AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ASPHALT STABILIZATION TREATMENT HERE SHORTLY.

THAT IS A NEW TREATMENT THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.

SO THIS IS THE 2025 PROGRAM. THIS IS THE NORTH HALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.

THE ROADS IN BLUE ARE THE ONES THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.

THOSE ARE THE CURB AND GUTTER ROADS THAT WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED.

SO I'M GOING TO START BY HIGHLIGHTING LOCKE, DUMONT AND THE EVERETT FARMS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS WILL BE OUR LAST YEAR PAVING IN EVERETT FARMS. WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2025.

THE GREEN ROADS ARE THE ROADS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CRACK FILLED.

SO THESE WERE TWO OF THE ROADS THAT HAD THAT RECEIVED CHIP AND FOG OVERLAY PAVING IN 2023.

LOCKE DUMONT IS A ROAD THAT HAS BEEN SETTLING OVER TIME.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PERFORMING A CEMENT STABILIZATION UNDER THAT ROAD.

DUE TO THE AGGREGATE BASE. TIHART ROAD IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PAVING PROJECTS.

SO THE PURPLE OR PINK COLORS THAT YOU SEE REPRESENT THE ROADS, THE DITCH ROADS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RECONSTRUCTED.

AND THIS YELLOW SEGMENT OF TIHART ROAD FROM CORNELL ROAD TO ESSENTIALLY THE ENTRANCE TO GEORGETOWN.

THIS IS AN EXISTING GRAVEL PORTION OF TIE ROAD.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRING A HIGHER ROAD DESIGN STANDARD OF ROAD DESIGN FOR ROADS THAT HAVE HIGHER DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES.

SO TIHART ROAD, THINK TOWNER ROAD, CORNELL ROAD, ROADS LIKE THAT IN LIEU OF PAVING A THICKER ROAD.

WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO, AND WHAT THE ROAD DEPARTMENT HAS AGREED TO, IS WE'RE GOING TO PERFORM AN ASPHALT STABILIZATION TO THE AGGREGATE BASE BENEATH TIHART

[00:15:07]

SO THE EXISTING ROAD WILL BE CRUSHED. THEN WE'LL MIX IN THE LIQUID ASPHALT TO THAT EXISTING AGGREGATE BASE, WHICH WE'RE ADDING TO WHEN WE CRUSH THE ROAD.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THAT ASPHALT STABILIZATION OUT TO CORNELL ROAD.

THIS SEGMENT OF ROADWAY RECEIVES A LOT OF COMPLAINTS DUE TO ITS CONDITION AND SO AND ALSO THE HISTORY WITH THAT SEGMENT.

MILLINGS WERE PUT ON IT WHEN THEY WERE TOO HOT AND THEY BINDED BACK TOGETHER.

SO IT KIND OF MADE A PSEUDO PAVED ROAD. BY PERFORMING THIS TREATMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BREAK THOSE MILLINGS BACK UP ASPHALT, STABILIZE IT, AND WE'LL PRODUCE A ROAD THAT'S BASICALLY IN BETWEEN A PAVED ROAD AND A GRAVEL ROAD IN TERMS OF ITS RIDE QUALITY.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE PERFORMED SUCH A TREATMENT, BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND WE DO BELIEVE IT WILL BE WELL RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC.

WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM FREDERICK. WAS THIS ALSO DONE ON NORTH BEND ROAD A FEW YEARS BACK, ON SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT WERE NOT PAVED? THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT THEY JUST GAVE ON TIHART ROAD WOULD APPLY TO VANNATA.

THEY TOOK MILLINGS THAT WERE REALLY HOT, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A HOT DAY WHEN THEY PUT THEM DOWN AND THOSE MILLINGS, INSTEAD OF BEING COLD MILLINGS WHERE IT'S LOOSE LIKE GRAVEL, THEY BIND IT BACK TOGETHER AND KIND OF MADE A PSEUDO PAVED SURFACE.

SO YEAH, THE GRAVEL PORTION AT THE S CURVE ON VANATTA.

A VERY SIMILAR THING OCCURRED THERE. SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE RECEIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT EXPANDING AND WE'RE GETTING ECONOMY OF SCALE BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO ASPHALT STABILIZE UNDER TIHART ROAD BECAUSE OF THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUME THAT TIHART RECEIVES.

SO WE'RE ALREADY MOBILIZING A CONTRACTOR TO TREAT THIS AREA, AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO EXTEND IT THIS WAY AND THEN THE CRUX OF OUR PAVING WORK, OR THE LION'S SHARE OF THE PAVING WORK FOR 2025, IS GOING TO BE IN TACOMA HILLS.

THIS WILL ALSO BE OUR LAST YEAR PAVING IN TACOMA HILLS.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE TACOMA BOULEVARD AND BASICALLY ALL THE SIDE STREETS THROUGH THE CENTER AND THE WEST SIDE OF TACOMA HILLS.

WE COMPLETED TOMAHAWK RIGHT HERE. LAST YEAR WE COMPLETED THIS STREET, THIS CUL DE SAC HERE AND THIS CUL DE SAC HERE IN THE FALL OF 2024. SO THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU SEE THERE ARE THE REMAINING PROJECT LIMITS THAT WE HAVE IN TACOMA HILLS.

AND JUST ZOOMING OUT SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE SOUTH END OF THE TOWNSHIP.

SO ALL THE ORANGE ROADS THAT YOU SEE WERE ROADS THAT WERE PAVED, 22-23, SOME IN 24 THAT WILL RECEIVE THE ASPHALT REJUVENATOR TREATMENTS, THE GREEN ROADS THAT YOU SEE, WHERE THE CHIP AND FOG OVERLAY PAVED ROADS IN 2023 AND THERE'S THE ZOOMED OUT OF THE NORTH HALF OF THE TOWNSHIP AND THEN, OH MY APOLOGIES, I FORGOT ONE OF OUR PROJECT LIMITS FOR PAVING.

THE FINAL PROJECT LIMIT FOR OUR PAVING PROJECTS IS NEWMAN ROAD IN THE EASTERN THIRD.

IN 2023, WE DID THESE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS OFF OF NEWMAN ROAD TO PREPARE FOR RESURFACING NEWMAN ROAD.

AND THEN WE CORRESPONDED THIS PROJECT FOR THE YEAR THAT THE BRIDGE WOULD BE REPLACED ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE BECAUSE WE DID RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC ON NEWMAN ROAD AND SO THIS WILL AT LEAST PROVIDE ABOUT A FOUR WEEK OVERLAP PERIOD WITH THE BRIDGE PROJECT, IN WHICH NEWMAN ROAD WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW ONCE MORE FOR THE BOARD THE PACER RATINGS. SO THIS IS OUR THESE WERE OUR PACER RATINGS MAPPED OUT PRIOR TO THE NEW MILLAGE.

SO THIS IS THE END OF 2019. THANK YOU AND THEN THESE ARE THE PACER RATINGS POST 2024 CONSTRUCTION. JUST SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE CONTRAST THAT THE PROGRAM HAS HAD.

GOING TO THE SOUTH HALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

I HAD A COUPLE THE PACER RATING THAT YOU PRESENTED AT THE BEGINNING.

DOES THAT TAKE. DOES THAT INCORPORATE THE COUNTY AND STATE ROADS IN IT, OR IS THIS JUST SPECIFICALLY OUR LOCAL ROADS,

[00:20:07]

BECAUSE THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BUMP THINGS UP SINCE WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF BIG PROJECTS ON GRAND RIVER OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO, YEAH. ALSO, JUST SO YOU'RE FOR POSTERITY'S SAKE THE 2024 NUMBER APPEARS TO BE LISTED AS 6.71, BUT I THINK IT'S IN THE PLACE OF 5.71. IT IS.

THAT'S A TYPO. AND I HAVE TO MANUALLY ADD THOSE TO THE TOP OF THE BAR.

THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT. AND SO THAT 2024 NUMBER REPRESENTS WHERE WE ARE AT THE END OF THE 2024 YEAR.

YES. CORRECT. AND THEN THE 2025 IS BASICALLY WHERE WE PROJECT TO BE AT THE END OF 2025.

CORRECT. GOT IT. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU GO OVER AGAIN THE PROCESS FOR PICKING THE ROADS THAT ARE PAVED EACH YEAR WITH THAT INVOLVES, AND WHO'S INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS? YES. SO IT WOULD BE OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER, OUR PROJECT ENGINEERS, AND MYSELF AND OUR TWO ENGINEERING FIRMS. WE HAVE ONE ENGINEERING FIRM THAT DEALS WITH ALL OF OUR ROADS WITH CURB AND GUTTER.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ENGINEERING FIRM THAT DEALS WITH ALL THE RESURFACING PROJECTS ON DITCH ROADS.

IT'S A WIDE VARIETY. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 2019 PACER RATINGS AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR AREAS WHERE WE CAN FIND A LOT OF RED AND CONTIGUOUS AREAS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ROADS THAT WERE RATED AS BEING IN POOR CONDITION PRIOR TO THE NEW MILLAGE.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR LARGE CONTIGUOUS AREAS SO WE CAN GET GOOD ECONOMY OF SCALE.

HENCE THE WORK IN TACOMA HILLS, OR HENCE THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN OKEMOS SQUARE, SUNDANCE ESTATES AND HURON CREEK.

FROM THERE, IT REALLY WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO CORRESPOND WITH OTHER PROJECTS, RIGHT? SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE THAT IS NOT RELATED TO THE ROAD PROJECT.

WE REPLACED SANITARY MAIN THAT WE FOUND DURING OUR GRANT TELEVISING THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WE'RE ALSO REPLACING THAT LIFT STATION.

SO SOMETIMES WE'RE ALSO PICKING PROJECTS WHERE WE HAVE POORLY RATED ROADS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OTHER ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WE'RE ALSO STAGGERING THEM TOO.

RIGHT. SO NEWMAN ROAD, WE HAD TO PREPARE BY MAKING SURE THAT WE RESURFACED COUNTRY DRIVE, CHIPPING CAMDEN, AND I FORGET THE THIRD CUL DE SAC OFF OF IT. AS ONE COULD SURMISE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WE'RE PREPARING FOR HEWLETT ROAD BECAUSE WE'VE ADDRESSED ALL OF THE ROADS OFF OF HEWLETT ROAD.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO WORK BACK TO FRONT.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AT THE BACK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CUL DE SACS, AND THEN WORK TOWARDS THE FRONT.

TO REDUCE HOW MANY TIMES CONTRACTORS ARE MOBILIZING OVER NEW ROADS.

MAKES SENSE. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE END OF THE PROGRAM.

END OF THE MILLAGE. FOUR YEARS FROM NOW WE HOPE TO GET TO EIGHT.

BUT WITH THE 60% INCREASE IN ASPHALT, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE.

WHAT WOULD YOU ESTIMATE OUR RATING MIGHT BE IN 2029? I THINK WE'LL BE OVER A 6.5, BUT NOT QUITE A SEVEN.

SO I'M THINKING HIGH SIXES ON THE 1 TO 10 SCALE.

ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. I WONDER THERE'S NO RUSH ON THIS, BUT I WONDER IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO SEE A MAP SIMILAR TO THIS, WHERE WE LOOK AT JUST THE ROADS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED OR JUST THE ROADS THAT ARE IN SORT OF THAT POOR CONDITION AS OF TODAY.

JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE MAPS ARE TERRIFIC.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM. BUT IT IS HELPFUL TO SEE, LIKE WHAT WHAT WORK IS YET TO BE DONE AND I'M SURE THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF OVERLAYS TO CLICK. I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH US AT SOME POINT IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

YEAH, ESSENTIALLY A MAP OF WHAT PROJECT LIMITS HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED EXACTLY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.

YEAH AND THAT JUST GIVES US A SENSE OF SORT OF, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN SEE ON THE MAP WHERE WE HAVE YET TO BE.

YEAH, AND THAT JUST IS AN INTERESTING DATA POINT, I THINK.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU.

CHANCE. I MIGHT JUST NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD YOUR ADJECTIVE USE, BUT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TIHART ROAD, YOU HAD MENTIONED INGHAM COUNTY LIKES A HIGHER RATING.

DEPENDING ON USAGE. ARE YOU SAYING THAT HAS THE RATING EXPECTATION HAS INCREASED OVER THE YEARS? OR ARE YOU SAYING BECAUSE THERE ARE 200 PEOPLE THAT DRIVE ON THAT A DAY, IT NEEDS TO BE HIGHER THAN A ROAD THAT HAS 50 DRIVERS A DAY? JUST WAS CURIOUS. YEP. SO WHAT THE ROAD DEPARTMENT IS STATING IS THAT ON A ROAD LIKE TIHART OR TOWNER THAT HAS HIGHER AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUME,

[00:25:02]

WE ARE PAVING FOUR INCH THICK ROADS, BUT IN LIEU OF GOING TO A FIVE INCH THICK ROAD, WE CAN ASPHALT OR CEMENT STABILIZE THE AGGREGATE BASE THAT SUPPORTS THE ROAD AND SO AND WE ACTUALLY GET A COST SAVINGS BY DOING THAT.

AND THEN WE CAN GET THE ADDED BENEFIT OF DOING IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THIS TO TIHART ROAD, BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE ASPHALT STABILIZATION IN OUR CONTRACT.

WE CAN ASPHALT STABILIZE A GRAVEL ROAD TO IMPROVE IT WHILE WE FIX THE PAVED PORTION OF TIHART ROAD AND SAVE A LITTLE BIT ON THE COST.

SO BASICALLY WE'RE TAKING AN INCH. THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WOULD SAY PAVE A FIVE INCH THICK ROAD FOR TIHART .

WE'RE GOING TO PAVE IT FOUR INCHES THICK AND IN LIEU OF THAT ONE INCH WE'RE GOING TO ASPHALT STABILIZE THE AGGREGATE BASE.

WE ACTUALLY DID A VERY SIMILAR TREATMENT LAST YEAR ON HICKORY ISLAND AND CARLTON AND ALSO IN THE WEST REYNOLDS NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE NORTH WEST CORNER OF THE LAKE RIGHT HERE. WE DID A CEMENT STABILIZATION, AND WE PAVED A THINNER ROAD.

THOSE ROADS WERE PAVED 2.5IN THICK WITH A CEMENT STABILIZED BASE.

OKAY. DOES THAT REDUCE THE OVERALL CAPACITY OF THE ROAD FOR HEAVY TRUCKS OR POTENTIAL DETERIORATION.

THAT'S WHAT THE ROAD DESIGN IS. IT'S DESIGNED TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH TRAFFIC VOLUME IT CAN HANDLE AND WHAT SIZE OF VEHICLES AT WHAT VOLUME.

OKAY. SO BASICALLY THIS ROAD HAD THE SAME ROAD DESIGN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY 2.5IN THICK.

IT HAS THE SAME DESIGN CAPACITY OR CAPABILITIES AS ALL THE OTHER ROADS THAT WE'VE DONE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AS SOMEONE WHO USED TO LIVE OFF OF TIHART ROAD, I CAN ATTEST TO HOW SCARY THAT ROAD CAN BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T REALIZE THE NATURE OF IT.

SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR. THANK YOU ALL.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FOUR C, THE 2025 PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE.

ANOTHER EXCITING TOPIC FOR THIS EVENING. AND FOR THIS WE HAVE SAM DIEHL, OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER.

HI EVERYONE! I'M ALSO GOING TO HAVE RACHEL STOLEN OUR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST, WHO'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE BULK OF THE MAGAZINE. BUT YEAH, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE 2025 PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE.

THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL PUBLICATION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND JUST WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING THE INCREASE IN THIS PUBLICATION'S LINE ITEM COMPARED TO 2024, SO THAT WE COULD DO A 20 OR A 24 PAGE MAGAZINE.

IN THE PAST, IT WAS JUST A 16 PAGE MAGAZINE AND THEN I JUST ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT THIS IS DESIGNED COMPLETELY IN-HOUSE.

NOT EVERY ORGANIZATION IS ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THAT JUST SPEAKS TO RACHEL'S SKILL, BEING ABLE TO DESIGN A PUBLICATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

AND YEAH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE'S RACHEL.

HI EVERYONE. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE. SO FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM AND THOSE ON HOME TV WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH ME, I'M RACHEL STONE. I'M THE MARKETING AND PR SPECIALIST FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.

THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE IS A PRETTY SPECIAL PROJECT TO ME.

I KIND OF CONSIDER IT LIKE MY JOB RECRUITMENT AD IN THAT I FIRST GOT THIS MAGAZINE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND AT THE SAME TIME I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB AND NOT REALLY SURE AND THIS JOB WAS OPEN AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I CAN DO THAT AND I CAN DO THAT. SO TWO YEARS LATER, HERE WE ARE, AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS BE MY SECOND MAGAZINE.

AND I'M SUPER PROUD OF IT. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE MAGAZINE IN PRACTICE, THOUGH, GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WE SAW IN THE FALL, WE SAW THAT 31% OF OUR COMMUNITY'S RESPONDENTS PREFERRED THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE AS A COMMUNICATIONS METHOD FROM THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY AHEAD OF OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, HOME TV.

AND IT COMES ONLY SECOND TO OUR WEBSITE AND SO THIS IS A HIGHLY PREFERRED METHOD OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND SO I EMPHASIZE THAT WHEN BUDGET DISCUSSIONS COME UP TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A VALUED PIECE OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, AND AN EXTRA STORY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT VALUE IS RIGHT AFTER THIS WAS SENT OUT LAST YEAR.

WE RECEIVED SOME COMMUNICATIONS FROM A RESIDENT IN OKEMOS WHO SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST COMMUNICATIONS THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THIS WAS A SPECIAL WAY FOR THEM TO REALLY GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY ALL IN BULK AND SO I LIKE IT FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND I LIKE IT FOR A COUPLE OTHER PURPOSES THAT I'LL MENTION, BUT I THINK THAT YOU GUYS WILL LIKE IT, TOO, BECAUSE I THINK IT TIES VERY NICELY WITH YOUR IMPROVED CITIZEN OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION GOAL FOR 2025, BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON A LOT OF STORYTELLING WITH THIS PUBLICATION, AND WE FOCUS ON REACHING OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT IN A

[00:30:04]

MECHANISM, AS I MENTIONED WITH THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.

AND SO THIS IS THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE. I REALLY LOVE THIS IMAGE.

IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS A LOT OF THE VIBRANCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME, I THINK, VALUES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS A COMMUNITY FOR ALL TO ENJOY.

AND YOU GUYS WILL GET THIS MAGAZINE EITHER THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXT WEEK.

AND SO YOU'LL GET TO SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH ALL THE PAGES. BUT IT JUST BETWEEN THE IMAGES THAT APPEAR ON DIFFERENT PAGES, WE HIGHLIGHT OKEMOS AND HASLETT RANKINGS IN THE NICHE DATA RANKINGS AS THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN MICHIGAN.

OKEMOS BEING NUMBER ONE AND HASLETT BEING IN THE TOP 5%.

AND THEN WE ALSO FOCUS ON THAT PRACTICAL STUFF LIKE THOSE NEW RESIDENTS WOULD WANT TO HEAR HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, HOW TO PAY CERTAIN BILLS IN CASE THEY HAVEN'T VISITED OUR OFFICES BEFORE TO KNOW THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO FOCUS ON ACCESSIBILITY TOO. BECAUSE THIS IS A PUBLICATION THAT REACHES THOSE RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS MIGHT NOT CARE TO VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

JUST THE TRUE VARIETY OF RESIDENTS BEHAVIORS AND PERSPECTIVES THAT THEY HAVE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER EVERYONE AND INCLUDE PRACTICAL, USEFUL INFORMATION IN THIS ANNUAL MAGAZINE.

AND THEN SHIFTING OVER TO THE NUMBERS ASPECT.

I KNOW THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.

WE ARE PRINTING ABOUT 27,800 COPIES OF THE MAGAZINE THIS YEAR.

ABOUT 26,300 OF THOSE WILL BE MAILED. WE'LL KEEP 1500 BOTH IN-HOUSE, AND WILL PARTNER WITH LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS TO GET THOSE OUT FOR VISITORS WHO MIGHT VISIT THOSE LOCATIONS AND PICK IT UP THERE.

I THINK I GOT IT FROM A LIBRARY FIRST. SO THERE ARE THOSE RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT BE GETTING IT VIA MAIL, BUT FOR BUDGET BREAKDOWN, WE BUDGETED FOR $19,000 THIS YEAR.

LOOKING AT THE PATTERN OF INFLATION OVER PREVIOUS YEARS.

WE REALLY JUST WANTED TO KIND OF OVER BUDGET AND THEN SEE IF WE COULD COME UNDER BUDGET FROM THERE.

SO BUDGETED 19,000 AND CAME OUT AT 17.3, WHICH WAS WE WERE PRETTY HAPPY WITH THAT BASED ON HOW IT COSTS HAVE INCREASED IN THE PAST AND THEN LOOKING AT THAT 17.3 NUMBER COMPARED TO THE 27.8 FOR THE NUMBER OF PRINT COPIES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $0.62 PER MAGAZINE, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY GOOD KNOWING THAT A POSTAGE STAMP IS ABOUT $0.70 NOWADAYS.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OR YOU'RE LOOKING AT LESS THAN THE COST OF SOMETHING YOU'RE MAILING FOR PERSONAL PURPOSES FOR US TO GET THIS MAGAZINE OUT TO RESIDENTS AND THEN ALSO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT WITH THAT COST, I KNOW THAT THE MAGAZINE CAN LOOK LIKE A HIGH COST UPFRONT.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET. IT'S A FIVE FIGURE NUMBER.

WHY ARE WE SPENDING THIS ON A COMMUNICATIONS PIECE? BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF COSTS THAT ARE IN THOSE CONTRACTED LINES AND LINES, AND THOSE APPLY TO THINGS LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE EMAIL NEWSLETTER.

SO YOU'RE HAVING MORE COST EFFECTIVENESS WITH THIS COMMUNICATIONS METHOD AND SO I DON'T WANT IT TO SPOOK YOU WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET LINE.

IT IS COST EFFECTIVE. RESIDENTS VALUE IT. IT ACHIEVES YOUR GOALS AND IT IS HIGHLY VALUED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO TO KIND OF WRAP IT UP WITH THAT POINT.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK OR IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR RECEIVE ANY AS IT GOES OUT THIS WEEK? SOME OF YOU KNOW, MY EMAIL OR HOW TO REACH ME.

I WOULD HAPPILY WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SO I CAN INCORPORATE IT NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE WILSON. I NOTICED IN THE BILLS THAT WERE IN OUR PACKET THIS WEEK THAT THERE THE COST OF THE POSTAGE ALONE IS ABOUT $6,700. IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE COST OF PRODUCING THE MAGAZINE, OR IS THAT AN ALL IN $17,000 FIGURE? THAT NUMBER THAT I GIVE YOU IS ALL AND THAT INCLUDES THE POSTAGE.

IT'S ABOUT, I THINK, TEN THREE FOR THE PRINTING ITSELF AND SO YEAH, ALL IN 17.

GREAT. THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK WITH THIS.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET, BUT I'M SURE IT WILL BE THE HIGH QUALITY YOU'VE DONE WITH OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

THIS REALLY IS A VALUABLE TOOL. IT'S GREAT TO SHOW OFF AND GIVE IT TO PEOPLE.

HERE'S OUR TOWNSHIP, AND IT REFLECTS THE OTHER WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING MY OWN.

SO WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOUR TALENT AND YOUR PASSION FOR THE TOWNSHIP ON BOARD AND PLEASE KEEP ON DOING IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? [INAUDIBLE]. YES, YES. YEAH. I THINK THIS MAGAZINE LOOKS REALLY GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

[00:35:01]

HOW IS CAN YOU TOUCH MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND HOW THAT'S DECIDED? WE, I KNOW GOING THROUGH THE WAY THAT THE POSTAGE IS DONE WITH ALLEGRO PRINTING, THEY DO EVERY DOOR, DIRECT MAIL. AND SO THAT'S JUST CATCHING EVERY DOOR ON POSTAGE ROUTES.

BUT I KNOW SOME RESIDENTS HAVE SAID IT JUST HASN'T REACHED THEIR MAILBOX OR SOMETHING, SO MAYBE THAT'S JUST A THING ON THE POSTAGE ROUTE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE IN OTHER FORMS. AND THEN I DIDN'T MENTION THIS, BUT IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE DIGITALLY.

THAT'S HOW IT'S ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW AND SO PEOPLE CAN READ THIS ON OUR PUBLICATIONS WEBPAGE OR WE HAVE A FLIPSNACK ACCOUNT IF PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT, I WOULDN'T EXPECT THEM TO. BUT SO IT IS AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT FORMATS.

IF A RESIDENTS SAY IT DOESN'T REACH THEIR MAILBOX AND WE'LL PROMOTE IT ON OTHER FORMATS TOO.

SO IT'S GOING TO GET TO PEOPLE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL THANK YOU. I'LL SIMPLY ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I THINK, A JEWEL OF THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB LAST YEAR, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO FORWARD TO SEEING THE WORK YOU'VE DONE THIS YEAR AND WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET TIME, I PERSONALLY HAVE NEVER HAD ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER TO CONTINUE FUNDING THIS PARTICULAR ENDEAVOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS IN THE MAIL IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

OF COURSE. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE.

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

THAT'S AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME, AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT AND AUDIBLE BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. BOARD MEMBERS VALUE YOUR COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

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

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

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

WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE TWO GREEN CARDS THIS EVENING.

FIRST UP IS BARBARA KELLY AND THEN NEIL BOWLBY.

YOU ARE ON DECK AND IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE REMEMBER TO GRAB A GREEN CARD OFF THE TABLE AND HAND THAT IN.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDERSON. THANK YOU BOARD.

I THINK I HOPE MOST OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM ME WITH ALTERNATE PROPOSAL.

I'M BARBARA KELLY. I LIVE IN WOODHILL. EXCUSE ME.

AND I'M ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE CURRENT MERIDIAN SENIOR CENTER.

THERE ARE THREE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS. THE FIRST ONE IS I'M SORRY.

MICHELLE STEED IS NOT STILL HERE. SHE MENTIONED THE NEW MEASUREMENT OF 7500FT².

THAT IS BECAUSE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TAKEN BACK ABOUT 1100 SQUARE FEET OF OUR SPACE FOR ACTIVITIES NEEDED FIRST FOR THE BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO REDUCE SOME OF THE CROWDING IN A SCHOOL ROOM. AND SECONDLY, BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, THEY NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL OFFICE SPACE.

PRIOR TO COVID, WE HAD 9600FT² OF PROGRAMING SPACE.

THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HUNDRED SQUARE FEET, OR 35% OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE DON'T HAVE.

BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THE CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SEPARATE INFRASTRUCTURE.

IF YOU ADD THE 35%, THAT COMES UP TO ABOUT 13,000FT².

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE DO HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD.

WE HAD SOME CONCERN WITH THE PLAN FOR THE STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE TASK FORCE.

THAT WAS 23,000FT². AND THE TASK FORCE HAS ASKED FOR A 10 TO 15% REDUCTION.

WHEN THEY COME BACK, WHEN THE CONSULTING FIRM COMES BACK WITH A NEW PLAN THAT STILL IS OVER 15,000FT².

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IF I UNDERSTAND THE FINANCES CORRECTLY.

AND OF COURSE, NONE OF THIS IS FIRM OR FIRM, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT THE ADVISORY BOARD IS AFRAID THAT IS

[00:40:09]

AND WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT THE SENIORS, CURRENT SENIOR CENTER MEMBERS ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A BIG, GRAND SPACE. WE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE WITHIN THE BUDGET, BUT WE WOULD LIKE AN A COMBINED CENTER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE DEDICATED SPACE OF ABOUT AT LEAST 10,000FT².

THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS NEIL BOWLBY. AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GREEN CARDS.

IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE. IF YOU COULD HAND ONE OF THOSE TO OUR TOWNSHIP, STAFF WILL MAKE SURE THEY GET UP TO US. MR. BOWLBY .

NEIL BOWLBY, 6020 BEECHWOOD I AGREE WITH WHAT BARB WAS SAYING ABOUT THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS BROUGHT BACK AT THE LAST MEETING BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH NEEDS FROM WANTS.

AND IT SOUNDED LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE SENIORS, OF WHICH I'M ONE THAT 10,000FT² OF OF ACTIVITY SPACE IS, REASONABLE. AND AT $500 A SQUARE FOOT, THAT'S A $5 MILLION CONSTRUCTION COST.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE FEWER PEOPLE TO STAFF IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA STUFF ON THERE.

SO I'M KIND OF IN FAVOR OF THAT SMALLER IDEA OF A TEN, 10 TO 12,000 SQUARE FOOT SENIOR CENTER.

IT WOULD BE GOOD, BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE A COMMUNITY DESIRE, AT LEAST AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, TO HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER. SO IT'D BE IMPORTANT TO INCORPORATE THE SENIOR CENTER, OR DESIGN IT IN A WAY THAT IT COULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE A COMMUNITY CENTER. I KNOW YOU'VE ASKED FOR SENIOR STAND ALONE SENIOR CENTER PLANS AND SENIOR PLUS COMMUNITY CENTER.

NOT THAT THOSE BOTH HAVE TO BE BUILT AT THE SAME TIME.

BUT THE FINANCING THING IS IMPORTANT. I WAS LOOKING AT TAXES.

MY OWN PROPERTY TAXES. I WENT BACK TO THE YEAR 2000 AND LOOKED AT MY PROPERTY TAX BILLS UP TO 2024, FROM 2000 TO 2024. THE INFLATION RATE HAS BEEN ABOUT 83%, SO IT'S A FACTOR OF 1.83.

MY PROPERTY TAXES HAVE GONE UP BY A FACTOR OF 2.2.

NOW I KNOW SOME OF THOSE INCREASES ARE SELF VOTED FOR THINGS.

OUR ROAD MILLAGE, THE POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGE.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE BROUGHT UPON OURSELVES.

BUT I DON'T THINK A BIG HUGE ADDITIONAL TAX INCREASE IS GOING TO GO OVER WELL WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND SO KEEPING COSTS DOWN IS IMPORTANT. CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE GOING TO GO UP.

IT'S A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN HOW FAST CAN WE BUILD AND GET OUR MONEY'S WORTH VERSUS PUTTING IT OFF FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHEN IT'S GOING TO COST A LOT MORE? WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH? BUT BEING A PRIME COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR PRIME COMMUNITY DOES IS DISPLAY THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, DISPLAY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SO IT'S INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO MAKE A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR THE TAXPAYERS, WORK FOR THE SENIORS, AND HOPEFULLY MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS BETH BECHTEL.

HI. MY NAME IS BETH BECHTEL. I LIVE IN HASLETT.

I SENT AN EMAIL TODAY TO THE BOARD AND THE TASK FORCE, AND I JUST WANT TO READ IT SINCE IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE PACKET FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND AND THANK THE BOARD FOR BEING FISCALLY AND SOCIALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CITIZENS LAST AUGUST 8TH, 2024, WHEN THE BOARD VOTED NO ON THE VERY LARGE AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE YONKERS COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER PROPOSAL AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000FT² AND APPROXIMATELY $80 MILLION IN INITIAL COSTS.

I TRULY APPRECIATE AND AM GRATEFUL FOR THE BOARD'S STEADFAST AND PRIMARY STEWARDSHIP OF BEING FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CITIZENS.

SECOND, AT THE LAST TASK FORCE MEETING, TWO PROPOSALS WERE PRESENTED AND SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD, WHICH WERE AS FOLLOWS. AND THOSE PROPOSALS ARE IN THE JANUARY 28TH, 2025 TASK FORCE PACKET, PAGES 14 AND 16. NUMBER ONE, A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SENIOR CENTER ONLY.

NO GYM PROPOSAL AT 23,396FT², WHICH IS OVER DOUBLE THE SIZE OF OUR CURRENT SENIOR CENTER AND EXCEEDING WHAT THE SENIORS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THEY NEED AND WANT. NUMBER TWO, A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER, ONE GYM PROPOSAL AT 55,809FT²,

[00:45:02]

EXPENSIVE AND COSTLY YONKERS PROPOSAL. THE TASK FORCE DIRECTION GOING FORWARD IS TO REDUCE THE TWO PROPOSALS ABOVE BY 10% TO 15% IN SQUARE FOOTAGE, WHICH AMOUNTS TO THE FOLLOWING. A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SENIOR CENTER ONLY.

NO GYM PROPOSAL REDUCED TO APPROXIMATELY 20,000 TO 21FT² RANGE, WHICH IS STILL DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE CURRENT SENIOR CENTER AND EXCEEDING WHAT THE SENIORS HAVE EXPRESSED IN WHAT THEY NEED AND WANT, AND A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.

ONE GYM PROPOSAL REDUCED TO APPROXIMATELY 47,000 TO 50,000FT² RANGE, WHICH IS STILL APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25% LARGER THAN THE PRIOR VOTED NO. EXPENSIVE AND COSTLY YONKERS PROPOSAL.

ADDITIONALLY, IT'S BEEN SHARED AND IS KNOWN THAT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION COST PER SQUARE FOOT ARE HIGHER THAN RENOVATION COSTS PER SQUARE FOOT.

WITH THIS CURRENT DATA, INFORMATION THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

I'M DEFINITELY VERY CONCERNED THAT THE TWO UPCOMING PROPOSALS THAT WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE FULL BOARD FOR REVIEW THIS APRIL OR MAY WILL HAVE VERY LARGE, SQUARE FOOTAGE. AND AS A RESULT, VERY HIGH AND EXORBITANT COSTS, WHICH WILL PLACE A HEAVY FINANCIAL PROPERTY TAX BURDEN ON THE TOWNSHIP CITIZENS FOREVER INTO PERPETUITY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO PLEASE REMAIN STEADFAST AND CONTINUE TO PLACE PRIMARY AND UTMOST IMPORTANCE ON BEING FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CITIZENS.

THIS VERY IMPORTANT DECISION MADE ON THIS NEW FACILITY PROJECT WILL FOREVER SIGNIFICANTLY FINANCIALLY IMPACT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CITIZENS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE FOR PERPETUITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE REMARKS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC REMARKS ARE CLOSED AT 6:45PM.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 6. THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. SO A FEW THINGS HERE TONIGHT ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA UNDER BILLS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF ONE CHARGE. THERE WAS A FEBRUARY 1ST CREDIT CARD CHARGE OF 2000 FOR GAS.

OUR FINANCE TEAM IDENTIFIED THAT AS A FRAUDULENT CHARGE, SO THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO OUR CREDIT CARD FIRM.

THEY RESPONDED WITH A NEW CARD FOR THAT PARTICULAR USER, AND WE'LL GET A CREDIT BACK.

OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE PROCESSED SOMETIME THIS MONTH.

SO YOU SHOULD SEE THAT IN AN UPCOMING MEETING TO GET ADDRESSED.

IT'S VERY COLD OUT, AS WE ALL KNOW. SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT PATHWAYS AND SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS.

SO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY PLANNING TEAM AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, PUT TOGETHER AN UPDATED WEBPAGE ON THE WEBSITE.

SO IF RESIDENTS GO TO COMMUNITY AND INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS, THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.

BUT IN A NUTSHELL, IT JUST TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES TO PLOW PATHWAYS.

WE DO NOT SALT THEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND LOGISTICAL REASONS, BUT HOPEFULLY HERE AS IT WARMS UP, THIS ISSUE WILL GO AWAY FOR ANOTHER YEAR IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

ANOTHER WEATHER RELATED REMINDER FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES FOR ANY TIME DURING COLD WEATHER, PLEASE KEEP YOUR THERMOSTAT AT 55 OR ABOVE. WE DO HAVE CASES WHERE PIPES FREEZE WHEN PEOPLE ARE AWAY AND IT CREATES PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES FOR HOMEOWNERS. SO REMINDER 55 AND ABOVE WHEN YOU'RE AWAY, A COUPLE OTHER THINGS WITH THE TOWNSHIP WE ARE HIRING A NUMBER OF POSITIONS. WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE CAREERS PAGE FOR ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED OR KNOW SOMEBODY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK.

ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, OUR ASSESSING DEPARTMENT IS HOLDING THEIR ASSESSORS REVIEW.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO COME FORWARD AND JUST ASK INFORMALLY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS YEAR'S ASSESSMENT, WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO JUST GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON HOW THAT ASSESSMENT WORKS.

SO WE'RE NOT OUT YET. OKAY. THEY SHOULD BE IN THE MAILBOX SOON.

FEBRUARY 25TH AND FEBRUARY 26TH, FROM 9 TO 12 AND 2 TO 4.

SO FOLKS SHOULD BE SEEING THAT AND THEN JUST SOME FUN EVENTS THIS WEEKEND.

A LOT OF ACTIVITIES ON SATURDAY FROM THE ICE FISHING DERBY AT THE CENTRAL PARK SOUTH PARK FROM NINE TO NOON FOR KIDS ICE SKATING PARTY THAT EVENING AT THE MARKET. SQUARE ON THE GREEN.

THAT'S FROM 6 TO 830 IN THE EVENING AND THEN OUT AT HARRIS NATURE CENTER, ALL ABOUT OWLS FROM 7 TO 8.

SO IF ANYBODY SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ON THESE COLD WINTER WEEKENDS, I DEFY THEM TO COME HERE AND NOT FIND SOMETHING THAT COULD ENTERTAIN THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.

TERRIFIC BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT.

[00:50:05]

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

WE WERE HERE A WEEK AGO SINCE OUR LAST REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.

FOR OUR ANNUAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING.

THIS IS A MEETING WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS, WHO LEAD MANY OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, COME AND GIVE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN UP TO AND AS USUAL, IT WAS A LOT OF INTERESTING AND EXCITING INFORMATION.

A LOT OF GREAT VOLUNTEERS WHO COME OUT AND GIVE THEIR TIME TO THE TOWNSHIP.

AND SO WE WERE HAD AN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM ALL OF THEM AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE VERY HARD WORK THAT THEY DO AND I'LL PIGGYBACK OFF OF MANAGER DEMPSEY TO SAY THAT IF FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT ISN'T WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AT THIS MOMENT, BUT YOU DO WANT TO GIVE SOME TIME TO THE TOWNSHIP, YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVE IN. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF VACANCIES AND OPENINGS ON OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND AS I JUST POINTED OUT, THEY DO A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS AND A LOT OF EXCITING WORK AND YOU CAN FIND THOSE AVAILABLE AT OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS MERIDIAN. SO PLEASE COME ON OVER AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND WE'LL GET YOU ON TO ONE OF THOSE BOARDS.

I THINK MANY OF US SITTING UP AT THE DAIS TODAY HAVE SPENT TIME PROBABLY BEFORE OR DURING OUR TIME AS BOARD MEMBERS ON THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. ANY OTHER REPORTS OR ACTIVITIES? SEEING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

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.

CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 4TH TO REGULAR

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

THE BILLS, AS PRESENTED, THE AUTHORIZATION OF SURPLUS PROPERTY DISPOSAL AND AN APPOINTMENT OF MANAGER DEMPSEY TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

DO WE HAVE ANY MOTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? [INAUDIBLE]. I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE MISS BETH MITCHELL'S EMAIL THAT WAS ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD.

UNDER THE COMMUNICATIONS UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE SHE DID READ IT OUT DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THAT. JUST WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT EMAILS RECEIVED TO BOARD AT MERIDIAN, US WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE BOARD PACKET. WE DO GATHER THEM AND ON THURSDAY BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING END OF THE BUSINESS DAY. SO ANY COMMUNICATION THAT'S RECEIVED AFTERWARDS IS TYPICALLY INCLUDED IN THE NEXT PACKET.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT AMENDMENT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION WITH THAT AMENDMENT THEN? YES. I MOVED TO APPROVE AND RATIFY THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025 AND SPECIAL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025 WITH THAT AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE THAT EMAIL.

SORRY, YOU MEANT THE CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT? NOT THE MINUTES.

OH, YES. MY APOLOGIES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD.

SO THERE'S A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION FROM MISS BECHTEL.

ADDED. IS THERE A SECOND? NO, I HAVE A QUESTION.

SO THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED UNDER COMMUNICATIONS.

UNDER COMMUNICATIONS? YES. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT FOR THE MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AS AMENDED.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. I DECIDED TO BE A NITPICKER THIS TIME, AND I FOUND A TYPO.

IT'S ON PAGE. OH, I CAN'T SEE THE PAGE NUMBER, BUT IT'S ON THE RIFLE PURCHASE PROGRAM.

12 C ON THE FOURTH PAGE. YEP. IT'S PAGE FOUR OF THE MINUTES.

IT SAYS IF I CAN FIND IT HERE. MAXIMUM OF $3,000 ON AN INTEREST FEE BASIS RATHER THAN FREE INTEREST FREE LOAN. VERY GOOD.

WOULD THE MOTION MAKER CONSIDER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO UPDATE THE MINUTES TO CORRECT THE SPELLING ON FREE AND NOT ON THE AFFIRMATIVE? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THEN.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE WILL DEPUTY CLERK GORDON.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM TEN.

[00:55:06]

WE HAVE NONE HEARINGS. WE HAVE NONE. NUMBER 11 AND THEN WE BRING OURSELVES TO ITEM 12 A, WHICH IS THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY CONTRACT RENEWAL AND FOR THIS WE HAVE

[12.A. Prosecuting Attorney Contract Renewal]

YES. THANK YOU SIR AND TRUSTEE, I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL ON THAT.

I'M SURE WE WOULD NOT HAVE LIKED AN INTEREST FEE INTEREST FREE. SOUNDS MUCH BETTER. SO YEAH, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING REGARDING OUR CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE HARKNESS LAW FIRM.

THEY'VE BEEN WITH US FOR OVER A DECADE AND THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OVER THOSE TEN YEARS.

WE'VE BEEN PAYING THE SAME RATE FOR TEN YEARS MONTHLY FOR THEIR SERVICES.

SO THE NEW CONTRACT ESSENTIALLY EXTENDS OUR CONTRACT THROUGH TO APRIL OF 2029 AND ALSO INCLUDES SOME MUCH EARNED INCREASES IN OUR RATES OF PAY THROUGHOUT THAT TIME.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL POINT OUT ALSO THAT MR. HARKNESS DID REACH OUT TO THE BOARD THIS AFTERNOON TO LET US KNOW THAT HE WOULD HE HAD PLANNED TO BE HERE ALTHOUGH DUE TO THE HOLIDAY ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT HE WORKS WITH MOVED THEIR BOARD MEETING TO TONIGHT AS WELL AND HE IS, I GUESS, OBLIGATED BY CHARTER TO BE PRESENT AT THEIR BOARD MEETINGS, WHICH IS EXCITING FOR HIM. BUT HE DID INDICATE THAT.

OF COURSE, HE WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ALTHOUGH, IN MY OPINION, WE'VE ASKED HIM PLENTY OF QUESTIONS AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ANY THAT COME UP. WE ALWAYS WE CAN ALWAYS PUSH THIS BACK.

BUT WE ARE THIS IS FOR ACTION THIS EVENING. SO WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TRUSTEE TREZISE, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY CONTRACT FOR THE PROSECUTION OF SPECIFIC CRIMES AND OTHER LEGAL SERVICES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WITH THE HARKNESS LAW FIRM. I BELIEVE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS FULLY LAST TIME, AND I THINK IT'S READY FOR THE MOTION.

SUPPORT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE AND SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? TREASURER DESCHAINE. WE HEARD LAST WEEK FROM THE CHIEF AND OTHERS THAT WE'VE HAD MORE THAN TEN YEARS OF SERVICE, EXEMPLARY SERVICE FROM THE HARKNESS LAW FIRM.

YOUR DEPARTMENT SEEMS TO WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH THEM.

IT'S A GREAT FIT AND WE'VE GOTTEN A REAL BARGAIN.

UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WITH NO INCREASE IN TEN YEARS.

IT'S TIME TO INCREASE THE OUR PAYMENT TO HIM FOR THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE THAT HE'S DONE AND THE INCREASE IS REALLY NOT THAT MUCH AFTER THIS YEAR. IT'S LIKE 3% PER YEAR. SO WE APPRECIATE HIM KEEPING HIS RATES MODERATE FOR US AND I WILL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION. VERY GOOD. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH. WELL, I WILL ECHO TREASURER SHANE'S COMMENTS AND SAY THAT MR. HARKNESS HAS BEEN CERTAINLY WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM CHIEF GRILLO THAT THEY HAVE THEY'VE HAD ACCUMULATED QUITE THE RAPPORT BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A WORTHWHILE RELATIONSHIP TO CONTINUE.

SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS AS WELL. SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION THIS IS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION WITH DEPUTY CLERK GORDON.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12B, THE BOARD POLICY UPDATE.

[12.B. Board Policy Update]

WE HAVE HAD SOME UPDATES FROM MR. KUSHEL AND HIS FIRM TO MAKE AND YOU FIND A RED LINE.

GREEN LINE. BLUE LINE, BLUE LINE. COPY IN OUR PACKET THIS EVENING.

AS WELL AS THE FINAL DOCUMENT. SO, MR. KUSHEL.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. EXACTLY AS YOU SUMMARIZED, WE HAD OUR DISCUSSION AT THE LAST MEETING AND THEN TOOK THOSE COMMENTS MADE FURTHER MODIFICATIONS CONSISTENT. SO CLARIFIED THE EMPLOYMENT QUESTION ON PAGE FOUR.

WHAT WE DID THERE WAS NOTE THAT THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST WOULD ONLY BE TRIGGERED BY REGULAR EMPLOYMENT AND THEN ADDED A PARENTHETICAL THAT VOLUNTEERING OR IRREGULAR EMPLOYMENT, WHICH WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE AN ELECTION WORKER, WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED THAT REGULAR EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY.

SO THAT, I THINK, REALLY CAPTURES THE INTENT OF WHAT THE BOARD IS, IS GETTING AT THERE.

[01:00:07]

SO I REMOVED THOSE AND THEN JUST KIND OF REORGANIZED IT.

BUT THEN OTHERWISE THERE WERE JUST A FEW CHANGES.

STYLE UPDATES, REMOVING THE TASK FORCE WE DISCUSSED.

SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I THINK THE, BIGGEST AREAS WOULD BE WHETHER WE DID TO CAPTURE THE EMPLOYMENT ASPECT TO YOUR SATISFACTION IF THE BOARD GOVERNING STYLE WAS APPROPRIATELY REFRAMED INTO A MORE CURRENT LANGUAGE AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EITHER THE PARLIAMENTARIAN OR THE PUBLIC COMMENT REVISIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? TRUSTEE TREZISE, I HAD A QUESTION ON PAGE 12.

VOTING PROCEDURES. I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS, AND IT MAKES SENSE, EXCEPT IT ONLY REFERS TO A ROLL CALL VOTE. IN THE CASE OF AN ORDINANCE, AS A MATTER OF CUSTOM, WE HAVE USED THE ROLL CALL VOTE FOR ENTERING INTO EXPENDITURES, BUDGETS CONTRACTS. AND THIS JUST SAYS THERE ALL EYES, GAZE AND NAYS ON THE ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN AN ORDINANCE. SO I WOULD LIKE THAT POSSIBLY BEEFED UP A LITTLE BIT AS TO PAST PRACTICE.

YES. WE CERTAINLY COULD CLARIFY SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIREMENTS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, CLOSED SESSIONS REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

AND IN THE POLICY WE JUST SAY YOU ENTER CLOSED SESSION CONSISTENT WITH THE OPEN OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

AND IF THE OPEN MEETING ACT OR OTHER STATUTES REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE, AND THEY MAY REFER TO THEM BY NAME.

WILL SATISFY THAT ISSUE. IT'S JUST TO LET THE BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC, KNOW THAT A ROLL CALL VOTE IS FOR PARTICULAR OR IMPORTANT PARTICULAR VOTES. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AS LONG AS WE'RE REOPENING IT FOR THAT PURPOSE.

THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING I NOTICED. THIS IS ON PAGE 15 OF THE RED LINE VERSION.

THIS IS REGARDING VACANCIES FOR APPOINTED POSITIONS.

I NOTICED THAT WE HAVE ANY NUMBER OF VACANCIES AT ANY GIVEN TIME ON SOME OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SOME OF THEM LIKELY TO BE STATUTORY. AND AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU KNOW, A GLUT OF APPLICANTS, THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE WE DO NOT.

AND MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE MUST DO 45 DAYS FOR ELECTED OFFICE.

IN THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE. BUT IN THIS CASE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO FILL THOSE WITHIN 30 DAYS AND I WORRY THAT A SELF-IMPOSED REQUIREMENT TO DO SO MAY LEAVE US WITH FINDING OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, RUNNING AFOUL OF OUR OWN POLICIES INADVERTENTLY AND SO I WONDER IF WE COULD SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, ADD IF POSSIBLE, SOMEWHERE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM.

I NOTICED THAT, TOO AND ALSO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH OR SECTION DEALS WITH PROCEDURES FOR VACANCIES ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS AN APPOINTED POSITION IF IT'S NOT ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION? RIGHT? SO MY READ OF THAT SECOND SECTION WAS THAT THIS IS HOW WE GO ABOUT THE PROCESS.

YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMELINE WAS IN THE IN THE APPOINTED POSITION, BUT YEAH, I SEE YOUR POINT.

SO SEE, I THINK IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO SORT OF CLEAN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AS WELL.

CERTAINLY. OTHER DISCUSSION. TRUSTEE TREZISE.

YEAH. I WOULD JUST SAY I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DID ON THIS SINCE OUR LAST DISCUSSION.

[01:05:01]

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT. MY PLEASURE. THANK YOU.

WOULD IT BE HELPFUL, THEN, FOR US TO LAY THIS MATTER ON THE TABLE UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING? THAT SOUNDS LIKE WHERE WE'RE GOING. OKAY, SO THEN WE WOULD NEED THEN A MOTION TO LAY THIS ON THE TABLE UNTIL OUR DATE CERTAIN, WHICH IS MARCH 4TH. TREASURER DESCHAINE. I MOVE TO TABLE THE BOARD POLICY.

APPROVAL UNTIL OUR MARCH 4TH, 2025 MEETING. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TREASURER.

DECHAINE SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.

NON-DEBATABLE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THIS MATTER IS TABLED UNTIL OUR MARCH 4TH MEETING.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. BEFORE WE GO ON, HAS ANY BOARD MEMBER EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BECOMING THE BOARD PARLIAMENTARIAN? I THINK YOU ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS LAST TIME. I THINK IT WAS ELIMINATED IN THIS DRAFT.

YES. I THINK BOARD MEMBERS WERE ELIMINATED AS PART OF PARLIAMENTARIAN IN THIS VERSION OF IT.

I MISSED THAT SECTION. WHY DID WE DO THAT? IT JUST INDICATED THAT THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY WAS THE PARLIAMENTARIAN, AND IF QUESTIONS CAME UP DURING A MEETING, THEY WOULD BE DECIDED BY THE SUPERVISOR IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONSULTATION.

YES. RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WHICH I THINK WILL WORK.

IT WILL. OKAY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13 A.

[13.A. DNR Grant Application Resolution]

GOOD EVENING. BOARD. MANAGER DEMPSEY. I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU TODAY.

SO THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. WE SEE THESE COME THROUGH PARKS AND REC BEFORE THIS.

THIS MEMO AND RESOLUTION IS FOR THE APPROVAL TO APPLY FOR THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCE TRUST FUND GRANT.

THIS TRUST FUND GRANT APPLICATION IS PROPOSED FOR THE PARCEL LOCATED NEAR THE SERVICE CENTER AT 5280 OKEMOS ROAD.

THAT PARCEL WAS PURCHASED VIA LAND ACQUISITION GRANT WITH THE DNR.

AND IN THAT PROPOSAL WAS THE IDEA THAT THIS WOULD BECOME A TRAIL HUB? SO RIGHT NOW WE SIT BETWEEN RIGHT WHERE THAT'S AT PHASE TWO OF PATHWAY HAS OPENED.

SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE TRAFFIC ON THAT PATHWAY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC, WHICH ALSO CREATES A LOT MORE TRAFFIC UP AND DOWN OKEMOS ROAD TOO.

SO THE IDEA OF THIS TRAILHEAD WHERE THAT LOCATION IS NEARLY IDEAL, RIGHT NEXT TO THE PHASE TWO OPENING OF THE PATHWAY.

BUT IT ALSO IS ABOUT ONE MILE FROM MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, WHICH HAS SIMILAR AMENITIES, AND ABOUT 1.3 MILES TO THE PROPOSED TRAILHEAD AT THE NEW HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE.

SO IT GIVES US A PRETTY GOOD DISTANCE, BUT IT CONNECTS US TO THAT ENTIRE REGIONAL TRAIL AND PATHWAY SYSTEM.

IN MAY OF 22, THE HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED FROM THAT.

FROM THAT PARCEL AS WELL AS THE WATER AND SEWER WERE CUT AND CAPPED.

SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING THAT THE PARCEL LOCATED AT 5280 OKEMOS ROAD WHICH IS ABOUT 1.86 ACRES BETWEEN THE INTERURBAN TRAIL AND THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY.

AS A RESULT OF THE NEW PATHWAY, THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN RESIDENT USAGE.

AND THIS WOULD BE AN IDEAL SPOT FOR A TRAILHEAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT BOTH PREVIOUSLY WITH DIRECTOR MAISNER AS WELL AS WITH THE PARK COMMISSION MOST RECENTLY WOULD BE WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.

BUT RESTROOMS WATER FOUNTAIN, BOTTLE FILLING STATION, PROBABLY.

THERE'S A LOT OF PETS. WE'VE GOT THE SMALL DOG PARK IN NANCY MORE SO WITH A PET WATER STATION AS WELL.

BIKE REPAIR STATION AND BIKE PARKING, AS WELL AS PAVED PARKING FOR FOLKS TO ACTUALLY TO PARK THERE AND GET ON THE PATHWAY FROM THERE.

SOME SHADE STRUCTURES. HOWEVER, THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT LARGE TREES ON THAT PROPERTY, AND I'D LIKE TO USE THAT AS OUR MAIN SOURCE OF SHADE, IF YOU WILL. SO I WANT TO KIND OF WORK OFF OF THAT.

I HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT OUR STAFF HAS.

AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. SO JUST A COUPLE HOUSEKEEPING.

THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR 2025.

SO IT WAS ON OUR CIP, WE DID BUDGET $150,000 THIS YEAR FOR THAT PROJECT, ONE BEING ENGINEERING ABOUT 50,000. AND IF WE APPLY FOR THE WHOLE 400,000, WHICH I WOULD EXPECT WE WOULD DO, WE NEED $100,000 MATCH TO THAT GRANT.

[01:10:06]

SO IT'S COMING UP QUICKLY. BUT I'VE GOT TO PUT A TEAM TOGETHER AND GRANT WRITING CAN BE THAT LOVE HATE THING, RIGHT? IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT YOU BECOME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS GENERALLY AFTERWARDS YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PARK COMMISSION HAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THIS THIS PROPOSAL AND THIS RESOLUTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE WILSON. SO IF INDEED YOU CHOOSE TO APPLY FOR 400,000, THE CAP OF THE POSSIBLE GRANT SIZE AND YOU GET IT, THE 100,000 WILL COME FROM PARK MILLAGE.

CORRECT. OKAY. JUST WANT TO BE SURE AND WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON THIS IN MARCH.

AT OUR NEXT MEETING. YES. SO I'VE GOT IT. YEAH.

TALK TO MANAGER DEMPSEY. PUT IT ON FOR MARCH SO THAT WE CAN APPROVE IT AT THAT TIME.

ALL RIGHT. AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A MINISTERIAL ISSUE.

THE MOTION IS PREPARED FOR THE PARK COMMISSION CONSIDERATION.

I THOUGHT I FIXED THAT. ANYWAY, JUST FIX IT FOR THE NEXT TIME.

YES I WILL. [INAUDIBLE]. HE TOLD ME HE COULD FIX IT.

OKAY, I WILL DO THAT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR WISINSKI.

DOES THE DNR GRANT TRUST FUND GRANTS TYPICALLY ALL OR NOTHING, OR DO THEY EVER GIVE YOU GIVE APPLICANTS PART OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AND IF THEY GIVE US HALF OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, IS THERE A PLAN FOR A MODIFIED TRAILHEAD? YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE MY FIRST DNR GRANT. SO WITH MY GRANT EXPERIENCE, YES, THERE'S NEGOTIATIONS GENERALLY.

WHAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, WHAT THE GRANTOR FEELS THAT IS, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE.

GENERALLY HAS TO DO WITH BUDGET. RIGHT. EVERYBODY TO HAVE SOMETHING.

SO I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS ONE BUT I CAN FIND THAT OUT.

AND IF WE HAD IF LET'S SAY WE GOT HALF 200,000, I THINK WE'D HAVE TO JUST REDUCE AMENITIES AND WRITE ANOTHER GRANT.

SO ONE THING TO THAT POINT, TREASURER, IS THAT I'VE SPOKE WITH OUR GRANT COORDINATOR AT DNR, KIND OF GO OVER THIS PROJECT WITH HIM, AND YOU GET SIGNIFICANTLY EXTRA POINTS WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON A TRUST FUND PROJECT ALREADY.

SO THE GOOD THING IS THAT IS ALREADY A TRUST FUND PROJECT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET SIGNIFICANT POINTS FOR THAT. WHAT MERIDIAN GENERALLY SCORES LOW LOWER IN IS OUR AMRI OR OUR AREA.

MEDIAN INCOME IS GENERALLY HIGHER THAN OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE APPLYING.

BUT THEY HAVE CHANGED THE SCORING SYSTEM THIS YEAR.

I WON'T GO INTO THOSE DETAILS, BUT THE MAIN CONCEPT IS THEY WILL BE USING CENSUS TRACT INFORMATION AS OPPOSED TO FULL TOWNSHIP INFORMATION. SO THE AMI MIGHT CHANGE GIVEN WHERE THAT PROPERTY LOCATION IS.

TRUSTEE LENTZ. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE, YOU MENTIONED 150,000 AND SO THAT WAS FOR 2025. CORRECT. SO IF WE APPLY FOR GET THE FULL AMOUNT, 100,000 IS THE 25% MATCH.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE WOULD THEN ONLY HAVE 50,000 TO DESIGNATE TO OTHER PROJECTS, OR AM I COMBINING FUNDS THAT SHOULDN'T BE COMBINED? NO. YOU'RE ASKING VERY GOOD QUESTIONS. SO THE 50,000 WE.

SO NONE OF THE COSTS CAN BE ASSUMED WITH THE GRANT UNTIL THAT GRANT IS AWARDED.

RIGHT. AND THAT WON'T BE UNTIL OCTOBER. SO THE 50,000 ALLOWS US TO DO SOME PRE ENGINEERING SO WE KNOW WHAT TO ASK FOR WITHIN THAT GRANT.

SO IT TAKES SOME LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND SOME SOME ENGINEERING.

SO PROBABLY WON'T SPEND THE WHOLE 50 AND IF THAT'S THE CASE YES WE WOULD GO TO THE PARK COMMISSION AND SAY HEY CAN WE DO EXTRA AT MARSHALL PARK OR WHATEVER MIGHT COME UP? GOTCHA, AND SECOND QUESTION IS, WOULD THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN OCTOBER OF 25, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AS TO WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE UNTIL YOU KNOW THAT FIRST BIKE RIDER CAN FIX THEIR BIKE, THEIR THIRSTY DOG? OR IS THAT TOO HARD TO PREDICT? THAT'S HARD. BUT I MEAN, GENERALLY WITHIN CONSTRUCTION, YOU'RE NOT BREAKING GROUND UNTIL THE FOLLOWING YEAR, RIGHT? SO IT THE LARGEST PIECE WILL BE THE BATHROOM FACILITY.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR ENTRANCE AND EXIT.

NOW THAT WE HAVE THE NEW PATHWAY AND ROAD COMMISSION.

SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME OBSTACLES, BUT THE SOONER THE BETTER.

YEAH. NO, I'VE SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN MERIDIAN WHO APPRECIATED OUR BIKE PATHS, AND THIS WOULD ONLY AID IN, YOU KNOW, MAKING US ALL A BIT LESS CAR DEPENDENT.

SO THANK YOU. SO DIGGING INTO THE WAYBACK MACHINE, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING OF SOMETHING

[01:15:01]

YEAH. AS I RECALL, THEY WERE NOT TOO PLEASED WITH US BECAUSE WITH US PUTTING THE EXIT FROM THE PARK SO CLOSE TO THE TRACKS, THE RAILROAD TRACKS. BUT I MAYBE I'M MISREMEMBERING, BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN ON TO GAYLORD SMITH AND THEN GO PAST THE WHOLE BUILDING TO GET BACK, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXCITING, YOU KNOW, POSSIBILITY.

BUT IT'S A NICE TO HAVE. NOT A MUST HAVE. I REMEMBER SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION.

I'LL LOOK UP THE NOTES, AND I'M ACTUALLY MEETING WITH [INAUDIBLE] TOMORROW.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE WILSON. YEAH. I JUST SAY I THINK THIS IS A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE.

WHY WOULDN'T WE APPLY FOR THIS? IT'S A VALUABLE PROJECT.

EQUIDISTANT FROM THE OTHER TWO TRAILHEADS. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

SO I'LL CERTAINLY BE SUPPORTING THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT. THEN WE'LL SEE YOU BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING. NEXT UP IS ITEM 13B MDOT EXTENDED,

[13.B. MDOT Extended Work Hours]

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

SO AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE YET ANOTHER CHALLENGING BRIDGE PROJECT INSIDE THE TOWNSHIP'S LIMITS AND AS YOU WILL RECALL FROM THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT, WE DID WAIVE CONSTRUCTION HOURS IN A LIMITED MANNER FOR THAT PROJECT AS WELL.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY A REQUEST OF THE BOARD. SO BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, I HAVE A NARROW PROPOSAL TO LOOK AT EXPANDING OUR CONSTRUCTION HOURS UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. JUST SLIGHTLY. SO JUST TO REMIND YOU, ALL THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RESTRICTS CONSTRUCTION TO 7AM TO 7PM.

MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO CONSTRUCTION ON HOLIDAYS, AND THERE IS A NARROW EXCEPTION.

IF YOU CAN ACHIEVE A MINIMAL NOISE TO THE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO WORK.

7 TO 9PM, THAT LAST ITEM IS NOT REALLY AN EQUATION HERE.

WE DO HAVE ABOUT 5 OR 6 PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE, EVEN IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT. SO IF THE BOARD DOES DESIRE TO EXPAND CONSTRUCTION HOURS FOR THIS PROJECT, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS LOOKING AT EXPANDING TO INCLUDE SUNDAYS 7AM TO 7PM.

NO CONSTRUCTION ON HOLIDAYS. I DON'T SUSPECT THAT MDOT WILL MAKE USE OF THOSE SUNDAY HOURS VERY OFTEN, BUT IT COULD COME IN HANDY IF WE HAVE A WET SEASON AND THEY END UP HAVING MORE DAYS THAT ARE RAINED OUT THAN THEY WOULD ANTICIPATE.

THEY WERE PRETTY CANDID IN EXPRESSING THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T USE IT VERY OFTEN, SO WE'D PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT 1 TO 5 INSTANCES OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT WHERE SUNDAY HOURS WOULD BE UTILIZED AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD, WE'RE LOOKING THE CONTRACT CALLS FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION AND OPENING OF THE BRIDGE TO TRAFFIC IN DECEMBER.

BUT WITH ALL PROJECTS, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES AND TARGETS.

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE TELLING THE PUBLIC BY THE END OF FEBRUARY 2026 IS WHEN WE SHOULD ALL ANTICIPATE THE BRIDGE OPENING.

THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE VERY WE DID NOT HAVE UTILITY CONFLICTS DELAY THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION LIKE WE DID WITH THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT AND WE ALSO HAVE NO DRAINS IN THE VICINITY OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH ALSO CAUSED SOME DELAYS.

DURING THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT. SO EVERYTHING DOES LOOK GOOD.

THAT'S A GENERAL OVERVIEW, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER AND I SO YOU KNOW WE'RE OPEN ABOUT THIS.

I WAS HAD ASKED DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER TO BRING THIS MATTER BEFORE US.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A HISTORY WITH BRIDGE PROJECTS THAT HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

AGAIN, NOT OUR PROJECT. RIGHT. NEITHER OF THEM ARE OUR PROJECT.

BUT WAIVING OUR OWN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW THEM TO WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS ON THE WEEKENDS. TO ME, SEEMS LIKE A RELATIVELY LIGHT LIFT FOR THIS BOARD AND IF WE EVEN GAIN A WEEK, A WORK WEEK WORTH OF DAYS, TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE A WORTHWHILE PURSUIT AND WE REALLY COSTS US NOTHING TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THIS

[01:20:05]

AND I SUSPECT THAT IF YOU ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD GIVE UP, YOU KNOW, A LOUD COUPLE OF SUNDAYS TO HAVE THEIR ROAD BRIDGE OPEN AGAIN, THEY'D PROBABLY TELL YOU THAT'S A WORTHWHILE BARGAIN.

SO ANYWAY, I HAD ASKED DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER TO BRING THIS IN FRONT OF US.

AGAIN, IT'S A RELATIVELY NARROW OPENING, AND THEY'VE SAID THAT THEY'RE LIKELY TO USE IT ONLY ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS.

BUT I WANTED TO ADD THAT CONTEXT. SO THAT WE HAD THAT BEFORE WE BEGAN OUR DISCUSSION.

TRUSTEE WILSON. CAN WE EXTENDED THE HOURS FOR WORKING FOR THE OKEMOS ROAD PROJECT? ALSO WAS A 7 TO 7. THAT'S WHAT I RECALL. YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND I MODIFIED THIS EXACT COVER MEMORANDUM FROM THAT PROJECT, AND I DON'T RECALL RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

SO I WOULD WANT TO CONSULT OUR RECORDS TO BE CERTAIN, BUT WITH THAT PROJECT, WE ONLY HAD ONE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY WITHIN THE PROJECT LIMITS AND THAT'S THE HOME THAT NOW HAS A DRIVEWAY OFF OF THE SERVICE DRIVE INTO FERGUSON PARK.

SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN NATURE.

I CAN'T RECALL EXACTLY. I RECALL. SO I LIVE FOUR BLOCKS.

I'M THE CLOSEST BOARD MEMBER TO THAT PROJECT, WHICH WAS PAINFULLY LONG.

BUT THOSE EXTENDED HOURS DID NOT INTERRUPT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WAS ON THE HOMEOWNERS BOARD AT THE TIME. WE GOT NO COMPLAINTS BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTED THE BRIDGE DONE.

SO I THINK THIS IS A SIMILAR SITUATION AND SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE.

LET'S GIVE THEM THIS EXTRA TIME. YEAH. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

I CONCUR WITH TRUSTEE WILSON AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS MOTION IS ONLY GOING TO COME INTO PLAY IF THEY'VE HAD WEATHER DELAYS OR OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE PUSHED OUT THE PROJECT LONGER IN THIS THIS PASSING THIS RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW THEM TO CATCH UP TIME IF THEY NEED TO.

I'M SURE MDOT DOESN'T WANT TO PAY DOUBLE TIME ON SUNDAYS IF THEY CAN AVOID IT, BUT THEY WILL IF THEY HAVE TO GET THE JOB DONE ON TIME.

AND THAT'S CERTAINLY A WORTHY GOAL THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD GET BEHIND.

I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS TO US. THANK YOU TRUSTEE TREZISE, I ALSO AGREE.

ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO GET THIS BRIDGE OPENED UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, GIVEN THE DETOURS AND THE LONG ROAD AROUND IT IS TO OUR RESIDENTS BENEFIT AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A MINOR CHANGE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO GO UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR TWO IN THE MORNING.

IT'S JUST DURING THE DAY AND EARLY EVENING ON SUNDAY, SO I WOULD SUPPORT THIS ALSO.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SEE A GENERAL CONSENSUS OF OF SUPPORT.

SO WE'LL SEE YOU BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. LAST BUT NOT BUT NOT LEAST, CHIEF HAMEL.

[13.C. Annual Emergency Management Plan Update]

YES. SUPERVISOR. THANK YOU. BOARD. THE ANNUAL UPDATE.

WE'RE A LITTLE LATE THIS YEAR, BASICALLY, BECAUSE IT'S NAME CHANGES, AND WE WANTED TO WAIT FOR OUR NEW BOSS TO COME SO WE CAN PUT HIS NAME IN AND SO BASICALLY, AS IT SAYS, THERE'S SOME UPDATES IN REGARDS TO KEY POSITIONS, NAMES, POPULATION.

WE SWITCHED OUT FROM EVERBRIDGE AND WENT TO RAVE AND ADDITIONALLY, JUST TO REMIND YOU WHAT THIS PLAN DID IN 2020, WHEN WE PUT IT IN PLACE, YOU ADOPTED IT. WE DID A RESOLUTION TO NAME INGHAM COUNTY AS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PEOPLE AND SO HOW THAT WORKED IS THIS DOCUMENT IS REQUIRED BY ACT TWO OR BY PUBLICATION 204.

SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO A DISASTER FEDERAL MONEY AND OR STATE MONEY, WHICH IS CONSIDERED SECTION 19 MONEY.

AND JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, WE ACTUALLY USE THIS IN 2023 WHEN WE HAD THE AUGUST STORM AND WE JUST RECEIVED SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL.

A LITTLE OVER $30,000 FROM SECTION 19 MONEY. WITHOUT THAT, THIS WOULDN'T.

WITHOUT THIS, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. SO REALLY, THIS IS JUST THE ANNUAL UPDATE, NAME CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SUPERVISOR'S NAME WAS PUT IN IT. THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? TREASURER DESCHAINE UNDER YOUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, YOU LIST WHICH PAGE? I'M SORRY. PAGE 35. YES, SIR.

OKAY. CAN YOU LIST THE MARQUETTE FOR THE HOLIDAY? RETIREMENT? THAT'S BEEN SINCE SOLD. IT'S NOW CALLED STONY POINT.

OKAY. STORY POINT, ISN'T IT? STORY. I THINK SO.

STONY POINT OR STORY POINT? THE NAME HAS CHANGED WITH NEW OWNERSHIP.

SO WE CAN CHANGE THAT. WE GO THERE A LOT. SO YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

[01:25:01]

IT'S CALLED STORY POINT. EAST LANSING. OKAY. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. PRETTY STRAIGHT. YEAH. THIS THIS SEEMS LIKE A RELATIVELY SIMPLE REVISION TO THE DOCUMENT. I SAW NO MAJOR ISSUES GOING THROUGH IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO KEEP UP ON THIS.

GOD FORBID WE HAVE DISASTERS THAT WE NEED THIS FOR, BUT SOMETIMES, OCCASIONALLY WE DO AND IT'S NICE TO HAVE HAVE THINGS READY AND HAVE PLANS IN PLACE IN CASE OF THE UNEXPECTED WHICH SOMETIMES DOES STILL HAPPEN.

SO I SEE I HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY NOW. I GET TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IF NEEDED.

SO WE'LL TRY TO KEEP THAT TO A MINIMUM. ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'LL SEE YOU BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE IT. LAST. WELL, NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. WE SEEM TO HAVE LOST MOST OF OUR PUBLIC.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? NO. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:25PM. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 15.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBERCOMMENTS]

THERE ARE GAMES TO BE PLAYED AS SILENT AUCTION.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO WIN A SIGNED IZZO BASKETBALL AT.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN TIME. BUT I HOPE ANYONE INTERESTED AND ABLE TO HELP OUT CAN JOIN US.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, MOVE ON TO OUR LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS ITEM 16.

ADJOURNMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED.

TRUSTEE WILSON SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:26PM.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.