[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:00:20]
TOWNSHIP BOARD OF A CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO ORDER.
THIS IS OUR APRIL 15TH, 2025 MEETING. HAPPY TAX DAY TO EVERYONE.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M SORRY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM THREE. ROLL CALL WITH DEPUTY CLERK GORDON. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
CALL]. SIX BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS.
WE HAVE NONE. ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS]
SORRY. CITIZENS ADDRESSED AGENDA ITEMS AND NOT AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO TONIGHT'S MEETING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS OUR AGENDA, OR ANY ITEM NOT ON OUR AGENDA, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AS WELL AS NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN CARD, WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE TABLE BY THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO THE BOARD OR A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF PRIOR TO THE START OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENT, AND INPUT FROM OUR PUBLIC.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GREEN CARDS THIS EVENING.
FIRST UP IS MICHAEL OSBORNE, AND THEN TODD SCHULTZ IS ON DECK.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MICHAEL OSBORNE.
I LIVE AT 1494 FOREST HILLS HERE IN OKEMOS, AND I'M A RETIRED AUTO WORKER FROM GENERAL MOTORS FROM THE LAST 50 YEARS. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REPRESENTATION.
AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE MEANS MORE THAN JUST HOLDING AN OFFICE.
MY DEFINITION OF REPRESENTATIVE IS SOMEONE CHOSEN TO SPEAK AND ACT ON THE BEHALF OF OTHERS.
THAT MEANS SHOWING UP, INFORMING THE PUBLIC, LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC AND CREATING A DIALOG OF SORTS.
WITHOUT THE DIALOG, THERE IS NO INPUT. YOU HAVE NO INPUT.
FRANKLY, YOU DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT. TOM BARRETT WAS ELECTED LAST NOVEMBER.
I BELIEVE IT WAS ON THE FIFTH AS THE DISTRICT SEVEN CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM MICHIGAN.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE HASN'T LISTENED TO ANY OF YOU.
HE HASN'T HEARD YOU. I WAS RECENTLY AT AN INDIVIDUAL INDIVISIBLE MEETING.
HE HAD BEEN INVITED TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND NO RESPONSE. WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM AT ALL.
AND INTERESTING ENOUGH, THE NIGHT WE HELD THE MEETING, IT WAS 1000FT AWAY AT BRESLIN CENTER.
[00:05:10]
WASHINGTON IS NOT AN EASY PLACE TO BE IN JUST TO DRIVE AROUND, LET ALONE PREPARE YOURSELF AND HAVE AN OFFICE AND PREPARE FOR THE MEETINGS THAT YET TO COME. BUT AFTER THREE MONTHS IN OFFICE, MR. BARRETT, ACTUALLY FIVE MONTHS, BUT THREE MONTHS IN OFFICE, MR. BARRETT HAD THREE RECESSES. RECESSES. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A FOURTH.AND YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ME? I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ME. NOBODY'S HEARD FROM ME.
AND I THINK THAT'S INEXCUSABLE BECAUSE YOU ARE BEING ARE BEING MISLED.
YOU'RE NOT BEING TREATED LIKE THE RESPECT YOU DESERVE.
THE REASON HE DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD THE MEETINGS WAS BECAUSE. AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE YELLED AT. TO ME, THAT'S TROUBLING BECAUSE HE WOULD BE FACING TOUGH QUESTIONS. THAT'S PART OF THE JOB. LISTENING TO FRUSTRATION IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT.
BUT IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD. I'M SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT.
THEREFORE, I'M RUNNING. I'M RUNNING FOR THE NOMINATION FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE TO RUN FOR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WITNESSING SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES IN THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY IS VERY DIVIDED, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO BE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. TODD SCHULTZ.
AND THEN SUSAN LEALOA. YES. MAYBE AFTER I MARK THE ONE.
OH. YOU DID. PARDON ME. GO AHEAD.
WHAT'S THAT? OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TODD SCHULTZ.
I LIVE AT 2830 CARNOUSTIE DRIVE. OUR FAMILY MOVED HERE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
WE LOVE IT. THANK YOU FOR HELPING CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT'S SAFE AND FUN AND VIBRANT.
I'M 56. WHICH MAKES ME A SENIOR CITIZEN OR FAST APPROACHING.
RIGHT, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU SET THE BAR. SO AS SUCH, I WAS MILDLY EXCITED WHEN I CAUGHT A RECENT BOARD MEETING ON TV AND HER DISCUSSION ABOUT A NEW OR REMODELED SENIOR CENTER PAID FOR WITH A $5 MILLION GRANT.
IT WAS CLEAR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THE STAFF HAD DEVOTED MUCH TIME AND THOUGHT TO THE PROJECT.
I WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EXCITED AS THE CONVERSATION TURNED TO COST.
WE ARE MAXED OUT ON PROPERTY TAXES AT ROUGHLY $15,000 PER YEAR AND RISING.
OUR TAX BILL HAS TRIPLED SINCE MOVING FROM [INAUDIBLE] TOWNSHIP.
OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ASK US HOW WE LIKE OUR NEW HOME.
THE ANSWER IS WE LOVE IT. BUT SO IN OUR HOUSE.
AND I'M SURE YOURS. WE CHOOSE BETWEEN NEEDS AND WANTS EVERY DAY.
WANTS ARE WONDERFUL WHEN WE CAN AFFORD THEM. MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS CAN'T AFFORD THIS WANT RATHER THAN BORROWING MORE TO BENEFIT A FEW. WE SHOULD IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BY EXPLORING WAYS TO REDUCE OUR COMMUNITY'S PROPERTY TAX BURDEN.
I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO PAUSE AND TO RECONSIDER THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS.
NUMBER ONE, WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? NUMBER TWO, HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM? AND THREE, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, WHICH SOLUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE BUDGET OF THE $5 MILLION GRANT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU. JANELLE CRAIG AND THEN STEVE VAGNOZZI IS ON DECK.
AND JANELLE CRAIG AT 296 BELDING COURT. WE'RE LOSING OUR SENIOR CENTER.
[00:10:01]
OKAY. SO IT'S NOT IN THE OR THE LUXURY THING.IT IS SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY NEED TO REPLACE. IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT, LIKE A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A NEW SENIOR CENTER BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING IT.
AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, WE WILL ALSO LOSE THE $5 MILLION GRANT.
SO WE DO NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
BUT WITH THE CURRENT TARIFFS BEING ON AND OFF THE CURRENT HOLD UP AND DOWN OF OUR ECONOMY, OF OUR POLITICAL THINGS GOING ON, I DON'T THINK ASKING FOR A WHOLE COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE COST THAT THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT IS A REASONABLE THING TO DO. AND ALSO, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DRAWINGS FOR WHAT THEY WERE DOING JUST ON THE SENIOR CENTER, THEY PUT A HUGE PORCH ON IT. WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE PORCH? SO WE CAN ALL SIT OUT AND GET BIT BY MOSQUITOES OVER THE WETLANDS? NO, I MEAN, THAT'S A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY IN MY OPINION.
DON'T DO THAT. WE DON'T SIT OUTSIDE. WE'RE NOT IN A NURSING HOME THERE.
WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT ARE ACTIVE AND INDOORS.
WE DO NOT NEED A PORCH OUTSIDE. SO COME UP WITH A REASONABLE, AFFORDABLE SENIOR CENTER.
I THINK YOU CAN FIND YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE FOR 5 MILLION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. STEVE VAGNOZZI AND THEN NEIL BOWLBY.
STEVE VAGNOZZI, RIVERWOOD PARK AND OKEMOS. THIS STATEMENT IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND NOT THAT OF THE SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BASED UPON THE BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSION AT THEIR APRIL 3RD MEETING.
IT IS CLEAR THAT A NEED EXISTS FOR MORE INDOOR RECREATION SPACE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
IT WILL SERVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PEOPLE THAN A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER.
HOWEVER, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR A COMBINED SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER WITH OVER 38,000FT² OF COMMUNITY CENTER, INCLUDING A DOUBLE SIZED GYM, IS OVERKILL. IT HAS TWO 120 PERSON MEETING ROOMS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL COST 3.25 TIMES MORE THAN A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER TO BUILD AND OPERATE, BASED ON THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES. AND THE COMPARISON IS THIS A 0.3346 MILLAGE RATE OVER TEN YEARS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER VERSUS A 1.0934 MILLAGE FOR THAT INCLUDES 3.985 FOR TEN YEARS OF OPERATION OF THE COMBINED CENTER, AND A 0.6949 MILLAGE OVER 20 YEARS, INSTEAD OF TEN FOR JUST THE SENIOR CENTER, WHICH IS TWICE AS LONG A PERIOD OF TIME.
THE TOWNSHIP CAN'T RISK LOSING ITS SENIOR CENTER BECAUSE IT'S LINKED TO AN OVERSIZE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THE VOTERS TURNED DOWN THE NEEDED MILLAGE PROPOSAL.
AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER NOTED, THERE IS A. HARD DEADLINE FOR THE DEMOLISHMENT OF THE CURRENT SENIOR CENTER. I SUGGEST THE BOARD CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
COMBINED THE. AS ON THE PLAN. IT'S CALLED THE COMMUNITY CENTER ACTIVITY AND MULTI-PURPOSE TWO SEPARATE ROOMS WHICH WOULD SAVE ABOUT 2300FT². REMOVE THE YOUTH RECREATION SPACE.
USE MEETING ROOMS INSTEAD, WHICH WOULD SAVE 5000FT².
SAVE 5000FT². AND COMBINE THE RECEPTION AREAS WHICH WOULD SAVE ANOTHER 870FT².
THE ABOVE MODIFICATIONS WILL CUT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS 37% FROM THE BUILDING, WHICH SHOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONAL COSTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NEAL. AND THEN BETH BECHTEL IS ON DECK.
NEAL BOWLBY. 6020 BEECHWOOD. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT DIRECTORS OPSOMMER, SCHMITT AND WISINSKI ON A NICE, CONCISE REVIEW OF THE ISSUE FOR THE SENIOR CENTER.
IT'S NICE HAVING THE NUMBERS THERE AND THE RATIONALE.
[00:15:02]
I AGREE THAT TAXES ARE AN ISSUE, AND ESPECIALLY NOW, AS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS POINTED OUT, WITH AN UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC FUTURE.I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S REALLY NEEDED, WHICH IS THE SENIOR CENTER.
I THINK IT'S TOTALLY REASONABLE TO ASK FOR WHAT WAS IT, 0.3 SOMETHING MILLS, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME RATE THAT PEOPLE WERE PAYING BACK IN 2023 WITH THE TWO EXPIRING MILLAGES.
PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MUCH MORE THAN WHAT THEY.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S LESS THAN WHAT THEY DID BEFORE. I WOULD URGE THE PLANNERS, WHOEVER IS DECIDING ON THE BUILDING LAYOUT OR DESIGN, TO CONSULT THE EXPERTS WHEN DESIGNING THE LAYOUT AND THE PARKING.
AND BY EXPERTS, I MEAN THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE FACILITY, THE SENIORS THEMSELVES, NOT NECESSARILY THE PROFESSIONALS, THE ARCHITECTS. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL LAB RENOVATION PROJECTS AT MICHIGAN STATE.
IN FACT, WHOLE BUILDINGS THAT WERE BUILT FOR SCIENCE LABS.
AND THEY NEVER CONSULTED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE USING THOSE LABS WHEN THEY GOT IN THERE.
SINKS WEREN'T IN A CONVENIENT PLACE. EQUIPMENT WAS PLACED IN A DIFFERENT ROOM.
SO LET THE THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY USE THE FACILITY HAVE A SAY OR AT LEAST TAKE THEIR INPUT WHEN IT COMES TO ARRANGING WHERE THE ROOMS ARE, WHERE ENTRANCES ARE, WHERE PARKING IS.
AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT, AND I ENDORSE THE SENIOR CENTER ONLY PROJECT AT THIS POINT.
I GUESS I AGREE, MAYBE THE PORCH IS A LITTLE BIT MUCH.
MAYBE YOU COULD TRIM THE THE EXPENSES A LITTLE BIT.
BUT ALL IN ALL I THINK IT'S TOO MUCH OF AN ASK FOR A SENIOR IN COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE DON'T NEED THAT. WE NEED A COMMUNITY CENTER OR A SENIOR CENTER.
I MAY BE USING IT WHEN IT GETS BUILT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. BETH BECHTEL AND THEN DONNA KERAN.
YOU MARKED THE SECOND BOX. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE FIRST ONE AS WELL? SURE. OKAY. BETH BECHTEL, HASLETT, MICHIGAN. I WANT TO AGAIN COMMEND AND THANK THE BOARD FOR BEING FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS LAST SUMMER, WHEN THE BOARD VOTED NO ON THE VERY LARGE AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE YONKERS COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE BOARD'S GOAL NOW AT HAND IS TO FIND A REPLACEMENT LOCATION FOR THE CURRENT SENIOR CENTER.
A VERY LARGE AND EXPENSIVE COMMUNITY CENTER HAS NO WIDE, TANGIBLE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED AND CAN BE SEEN MONTH AFTER MONTH AT THESE MEETINGS. REFERENCING BACK TO THE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 BOARD PACKET SURVEY, QUESTION 32 IS NOT ONLY GENERIC, AND POORLY WORDED. IT REFERS TO A TAX MILLAGE FOR, QUOTE, FILL THE GAP IN FINANCING.
END QUOTE. ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE NOTE THE RESPONSE WAS QUOTE ABOUT 50%.
THIS LARGE COMMUNITY CENTER PROPOSAL AT 53,784 TOTAL SQUARE FEET WOULD NEED HUGE PRIMARY FUNDING, WITH LIKELY BOTH A LARGE ONGOING TAX MILLAGE AND A SIGNIFICANT BOND.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND ALSO THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS A CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND IT'S NOT A CITY.
ALL COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED AND REFERENCED THROUGH THIS PROCESS ARE WITH CITIES, NOT TOWNSHIPS. CITIES HAVE COMMUNITY CENTERS, NOT TOWNSHIPS.
MUCH THOUGHT IS GIVEN TO LIVE HERE TO GET BACK TO BASIC SERVICES.
LIVING IN A SUBURB AND RURAL AREAS AND DEFINITELY AWAY FROM THE CITY.
ONE QUESTION THAT IS VERY PERPLEXING AND I WANT TO ASK THE BOARD, IS IF THE BOARD VOTED NO ON THE VERY LARGE YONKERS COMMUNITY CENTER AT 39,230 TOTAL FINISHED SQUARE FEET AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
TOTAL INITIAL ESTIMATED COST AT $78.4 MILLION.
WHY OR WHY IS THE BOARD TODAY EVEN CONSIDERING IN THESE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES OF HIGH INFLATION? RECENT TARIFFS, HIGH INTEREST RATES AND ALMOST 40% MUCH LARGER COMMUNITY CENTER PROPOSAL AT 53,784 TOTAL SQUARE FEET. THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. SO AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO PLEASE REMAIN STEADFAST AND CONTINUE TO PLACE PRIMARY UTMOST IMPORTANCE ON BEING FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS BY CHOOSING THE LOWEST COST OPTION.
[00:20:08]
PLEASE, PLEASE NO MORE TAX MILLAGES. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, DONNA KERIAN. AND THEN BONNIE JORDAN IS ON DECK.
HI, I'M DONNA KERIAN. I LIVE AT 5910 WESTMINSTER WAY, EAST LANSING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
MY CONCERN IS I'VE BEEN TO THE SENIOR CENTER MANY TIMES AND I BELIEVE WE DO NEED ONE.
HOWEVER, I'M LOOKING AT THAT AREA AND THEY HAVE A KITCHEN.
THEY HAVE TABLES FOR CARDS, BINGO GAMES AND SPEAKERS.
THEY HAVE A BILLIARD TABLE, THEY HAVE A LIBRARY SECTION.
THEY HAVE A SMALL ROOM WITH THREE EXERCISE MACHINES IN IT.
SOMEWHERE OUT BACK THEY HAVE TABLE TENNIS IN THE SCHOOL, I BELIEVE.
SO MAINLY WHEN I COME IN, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
A TIME STUDY, FOR INSTANCE. HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THE TABLES IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM FOR GAMES.
CARDS. BINGO. WHEN A SPEAKER COMES IN, OFTEN USES THOSE TABLES.
AND THERE'S EIGHT AND ONE TABLE AND TEN AT ANOTHER TABLE AND 12 AT ANOTHER TABLE.
YOU TAKE THAT AVERAGE. THAT'S 30 PEOPLE MAYBE TWO HOURS A WEEK, AND YOU ADD UP THOSE HOURS AND YOU COME UP WITH A FIGURE. IF WE DO THAT FOR EVERY ROOM OR SECTION OR PART OF THE SENIOR CENTER FOR A MONTH OR TWO, I THINK WE MIGHT GET AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH EACH AREA IS USED.
FOR INSTANCE, THE KITCHEN IS THE KITCHEN. ARE THERE PEOPLE BACKING WORKING BACK THERE, PROVIDING MEALS? I DON'T KNOW, MEALS ON WHEELS OR WHATEVER. EVER.
BUT IF WE DO THE TIME STUDY AND LIKE I SAY, MAYBE IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND I'M JUST UNAWARE OF IT.
BUT WE CAN GET AN IDEA OF WHICH ACTIVITIES SEEM TO BE NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THEN SEE WHAT KIND OF AREAS WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT. MAYBE I MISSED IT, MAYBE IT'S OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT. MAYBE IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, BUT THIS WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF LIKE, DO WE REALLY NEED AS BIG A MEETING ROOM OUT BACK LIKE WE CURRENTLY HAVE AT THE SENIOR CENTER? THAT ROOM IS OFTEN EMPTY. MAYBE WE NEED MORE ROOM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING THE BILLIARD TABLE? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING THE EXERCISE ROOM WITH THE THREE MACHINES? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BONNIE JORDAN AND THEN BARBARA O'KELLEY.
I CAN I'M BONNIE JORDAN. I DON'T LIVE IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
I LIVE OUT OF IT. BUT I BROUGHT ALMOST 30 NAMES LAST TIME I SPOKE WHO WERE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF DOING SOMETHING FOR A SENIOR CENTER, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO SENIOR CENTER. WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES.
JAZZERCISE CLASS IS THAT BIG ROOM IN THERE IS PACKED WITH GIRLS.
WOMEN TWICE A WEEK. USED TO BE THREE TIMES A WEEK.
WE PLAY EUCHRE THERE OFTEN. OFTEN, WE COME IN TO PLAY EUCHRE.
IF IT CAN'T BE HELD AT ONE OF OUR HOUSES THAT WE SOMETIMES GO TO.
THEY'RE SO AGAINST THE GREATNESS OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY WITH TAXES.
AND AN INCREASE IN THE SENIOR CENTER IS USED, AND IT'S LIKE FAMILY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO GO THERE.
COME TO A MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY JAZZERCISE SESSION AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE.
OR IT'S LIKE, NO, IT'S NOT FULL ALL THE TIME.
BUT IF WE CALL AND WANT TO USE IT, WE CAN USE IT FOR FOUR TABLES OF EUCHRE ON A FRIDAY WHEN IT CAN'T BE HELD AT THE HOUSE OF THE 93-YEAR-OLD WHO IS HANDICAPPED. SO, I'M JUST REITERATING WHAT THE 29 PEOPLE WANTED ME TO VOICE ON THEIR BEHALF.
AND A FEW OF THEM WE PAY EXTRA TO COME TO THE SENIOR CENTER.
[00:25:02]
ONE COMES FROM OVER BY THE AIRPORT, 15 MILES AWAY.IT'S THAT IMPORTANT TO HER TO COME TO OUR CENTER BECAUSE SHE THINKS IT'S SUCH A CLOSE FAMILY.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. BUT THANK YOU FOR HOUSING US IN THE OKEMOS SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU, BARBARA O'KELLY AND THEN MARK LUNETTA.
AND THAT IS THE LAST GREEN CARD I HAVE. AT THIS TIME, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, PLEASE FILL OUT A GREEN CARD AND GET THAT TO US AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN. THANK YOU. I'M HERE AGAIN, BARBARA O'KELLY FROM WOODHILL AND OKEMOS, AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE CURRENT SENIOR CENTER, WHICH IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED.
I HAVE I WANT TO CONCENTRATE RIGHT NOW ON ONE PARTICULAR FEATURE, AND THAT IS THE ISSUE OF ENTRANCES. I'M ASKING AGAIN FOR YOU FOR THE BOARD TO DIRECT THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TO PROGRESSIVE TO SHOW YOU A DESIGN WITH SEPARATE CENTERS.
AND I HAVE ACTUALLY BECAUSE I HAVE SOME TRAINING IN ARCHITECTURE, I HAVE PUT TOGETHER PLAN ALTERNATIVE PLANS FOR A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER AND A COMBINED SENIOR CENTER, WHICH MY PRINTER REBUILT.
BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO RUN IN MAY AND I HAVE SENT IT IN AN EMAIL.
THIS THE ADVANTAGE OF THE SENIOR CENTER PORTION IS THAT THERE'S THE ENTRANCE IS MOVED TO THE CENTER, WHICH MAKES THESE PARKING SPACES MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE SENIORS.
AND IT, I HAVE ALSO MADE SIMPLIFIED THE OUTLINE OF THE BUILDING.
SO, IT'S NOT AN L SHAPE WITH A BIG PATIO WHICH WILL HELP THE FLOW, I THINK, CONSIDERABLY.
PICTURE OR DURING THE, DURING A SUMMER AFTERNOON.
AT A COMBINED CENTER WHERE THE FINALS OF A BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP ARE BEING HELD IN THE GYM AND A GROUP OF ABOUT 30 BRIDGE PLAYERS ARE COMING TO PLAY BRIDGE IN THE AFTERNOON, FUNNELING THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH AS THE SAME ENTRY, TRYING TO PARSE OUT WHOSE MEMBERSHIP IS NEEDED AND WHOSE IS NOT, WHICH SIDE THEY GO TO AND SO FORTH. IS WOULD BE COMPLICATED.
CONFUSING. WORSE, THOUGH, CONSIDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
FINAL PICTURE. IF SOMEONE CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY IN THE SENIOR CENTER STARTED LIGHTING A CANDLE TO PUT ON SOMETHING ON A PIECE OF CAKE, AND IT CAUGHT FIRE. AND THEY WERE NEAR THE EMERGENCY EXIT FROM THE SENIOR CENTER.
I KNOW THERE ARE EMERGENCY EXITS, BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND I THINK THAT'S INVITING A DISASTER. SO PLEASE DIRECT THEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MARK. MARK LUNETTA.
I'M MARK LUNETTA. I LIVE AT 3884 WINDY HEIGHTS DRIVE.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 31 YEARS. I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE SENIOR CENTER SINCE 2018.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED IN 2028 BECAUSE AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A GRANT THAT HAS BEEN FILED FOR AND ISSUED FOR THE SENIOR CENTER TO BE REPLACED. I'VE LOOKED FOR THAT GRANT ON THE INTERNET.
COULDN'T FIND IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE GRANT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS JUST FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, AND IT WILL EXPIRE IN 2026.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ATTENDING THE SENIOR CENTER THAT WE WANT TO KEEP COSTS DOWN FOR SENIORS, KEEP THEM AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OR LOWER. I THINK THAT SENIORS ARE VERY FRUGAL WHEN IT COMES TO SPENDING IT ON THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, THEIR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
[00:30:03]
THEY'RE VERY RESISTANT TO SPENDING IT ON THEMSELVES. SO, IF PRICES GO WAY UP, YOU MAY SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY JUST DISPERSE.SO, KEEP THE COSTS DOWN. KEEP THE SENIOR CENTER SMALL AND KEEP IT ALIVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL GREEN CARDS.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:30 P.M.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX, TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT MANAGER DEMPSEY.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR US? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR AND GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS THIS EVENING.SO, WE'VE NOTIFIED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS OF THAT.
SO, PEOPLE SEE THAT TO NOT BE ALARMED. THAT IS A PLANNED EVENT.
THE LAKE LANSING BOAT LAUNCH WAS OPEN TODAY. THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGH THIS SUNDAY.
AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE AGAIN NEXT MONDAY THROUGH THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY ON APRIL 25TH FOR THE FINAL PAVING AND CONSTRUCTION WORK, AND THEN ON SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH, IT REOPENS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON AT THAT POINT.
TODAY, INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT RELEASED SOME INFORMATION.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE MEDIA REGARDING MEASLES EXPOSURE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LOCATIONS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP THAT WAS ON THEIR LIST.
JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS FRIDAY, ALL TOWNSHIP OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED AT NOON.
FOR GOOD FRIDAY. AND THEN A COUPLE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
THIS SATURDAY EVENING IS THE ANNUAL FLASHLIGHT EASTER EGG HUNT IN NANCY MILLER PARK.
SO, GATES OPEN AT 6:30 P.M. AND THE EGG HUNT STARTS AT 9:15 P.M.
THEY DO DIVIDE CHILDREN UP TO 12 INTO THREE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
THAT'S APPROPRIATE. SO, WE ENCOURAGE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN TO PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT EVENT.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS NONE OF US CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE RIGHT NOW.
BUT ANYBODY WATCHING ON TV, IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, GO OVER TO CULVER'S OFF OF TIMES SQUARE BY WALMART.
UNTIL 9 P.M. WE ARE TAKING PART IN THE FUNDRAISER FOR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.
SO, A PERCENTAGE OF ALL SALES AT CULVER'S RIGHT NOW THIS EVENING UNTIL 9 P.M., GO TO THAT EVENT.
SO, AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS OF MANAGER DEMPSEY? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SEVEN.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
BOARD MEMBER, REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY BOARD MEMBERS WITH ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO REPORT CLERK DEMAS.LAST WEEK, I ATTENDED THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, AND DURING THAT MEETING, WE DISCUSSED CRITERIA USED DURING LAND SITE SCREENINGS.
THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
YEAH. LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS. I CAN'T KEEP MY WEEK STRAIGHT.
I ATTENDED A MEETING OF THE LANSING ECONOMIC AREA PARTNERSHIP, AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
GOT TO MEET A SHIRTTAIL RELATIVE. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING MEETING.
I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT. GOOD. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
TREASURER DESCHAINE. ALL OF US ATTENDED OUR RETREAT ON SATURDAY.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT, AND IT WAS A USEFUL DAY.
THE BOARD HADN'T DONE THAT IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND I THINK WE ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL.
AND I THINK WE'LL WORK BETTER AS A BOARD AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO THAT WAS THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TRUSTEE WILSON. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WAS AT THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO GOOD WORK IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
OKAY. YES. SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA ITEM EIGHT.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I WOULD ASK IF THE MOTION MAKER COULD MAKE ONE CHANGE, SINCE I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE INTERESTED IN ITEM 13.B IF WE COULD SWAP 13.A AND B AND TAKE UP THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER FIRST.WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR MOTIONS. TRUSTEE WILSON.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ONE ADDENDUM, THAT ITEM 13.B BECOMES 13.A AND THE JOINT BOARD AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ITEM BECOMES ITEM 13 BE. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ.
[00:35:02]
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA. SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THE MOTION CARRIES. OKAY.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
NEXT IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A ROBUST CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD. WE HAVE MINUTES FROM OUR APRIL 3RD MEETING.
WE HAVE THE BILLS, WE HAVE THE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN AND MERIDIAN PRIDE OUTDOOR GATHERING PERMITS, LIQUOR LICENSE FOR MERIDIAN PRIDE. A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF FRONTLINE WORKERS.
APPOINTMENTS TO BOTH THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
TREASURER DESCHAINE QUARTERLY REPORT. AND AN ADDENDUM TO THE SEWER CONTRACT.
AN AGREEMENT OF JANUARY 17TH, 1961. AND I WILL POINT OUT ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM.
THAT'S ITEM NINE D AND IT HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY UPDATED.
SO WE WILL SO AMEND IN THE PACKET IF ONCE WE APPROVE THIS ITEM.
CLERK DEMAS YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MINUTES? YES. SO AFTER FURTHER REVIEW OF THE DRAFT MINUTES THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS CREATED AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION, AND THAT SHOULD BE LOCATED IN FRONT OF EACH BOARD MEMBER.
SO, THESE EDITS INCLUDE ADDING INFORMATION TO THE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS, AS WELL AS SEVERAL DISCUSSION ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE 13 B AND 13 D.
IT'S BEEN A MOTION MADE TO AMEND THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? YES. TRUSTEE WILSON.
IS THERE ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE IN HERE THAT YOU MADE CHANGES TO SINCE WE REVIEWED THE EARLIER VERSION OF THE MINUTES? SO, I DID SOME FORMATTING, OR OUR OFFICE LOOKED AT THE FORMATTING OF THE CITIZENS, ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY THAT WAS ADDED WAS JUST MORE DETAILS TO THE DISCUSSION ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR DISCUSSION DURING THOSE ITEMS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE NEED A MOTION ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? TRUSTEE TREZISE? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE ALTERNATIVE MINUTES THAT WE JUST REPLACED? AND I THINK THAT WAS THE ONLY THING. OKAY. MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? TREASURER DESCHAINE.
IF I COULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 75 OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT IS MY TREASURER'S REPORT.
UNDER MATURITY DISTRIBUTION, THE CHART IN THE BOTTOM LEFT OF THAT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE CASH UNDER ONE YEAR, 1 TO 2 YEARS, ALL THE WAY TO FIVE YEARS AND OUT.
IT'S A ROLLING IT'S A LADDER THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS IT RESETS ITSELF.
AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE 20% OF OUR INVESTED FUNDS MATURING EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
THE WAY THE BENEFIT OF DOING THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO WE WILL LEVEL OUT WITH HIGH AND LOW YIELDS.
RIGHT AFTER COVID, WE HAD VERY HIGH RATES. THE FIVE YEARS BEFORE THAT, WE HAD ZERO RATES AT ZERO WENT FROM 0 TO 5% BY LADDERING. THIS WILL END UP WITH A WITH A PREDICTABLE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENTS.
AND IT WILL, IN ESSENCE REINFORCE ITSELF EVERY YEAR WITH BY BUYING THAT CURRENT MARKET.
IT'S ALSO CALLED IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF MARKET TIMING.
IT'S CALLED DOLLAR COST FOR INDIVIDUAL INVESTOR.
IT'S CALLED A DOLLAR COST INVESTING. YOU MAKE THE SAME INVESTMENT EVERY MONTH REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE PERCENTAGE RATES ARE, OUR CURRENT AVERAGE COUPON OR INTEREST RATE IS 2.43%.
IT'S NOT AS HIGH AS WE COULD GET. OTHER PLACES WE CAN GET FOR FOUR AND A QUARTER RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL BE A LEVEL RATE RATHER THAN SEEKING HIGHER YIELDS WITH BY SELLING AND BUYING.
THE MAIN GOAL OF OUR INVESTMENT POLICY IS SAFETY.
THESE ARE ALL TREASURY BILLS AS WELL AS LIQUIDITY BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THEM IMMEDIATELY IF WE NEED TO, WHICH WE CAN DO. AND LAST OF ALL IS YIELD. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE.
YOU'LL SEE ON THIS CHART THE MATURITY DISTRIBUTION THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE IMPROVED.
[00:40:02]
THE BLUE NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN WE HAD WITH THE ORANGE NUMBERS IN PAST YEARS.SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. I HOPE WE'LL BE THERE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL POINT OUT THAT FOR 9.H. MR. BILL MCCONNELL IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
HE IS UP FOR APPOINTMENT FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I HAVE KNOWN BILL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS PROFESSIONALLY, THROUGH MY WORK AT INGHAM COUNTY.
HE WAS THE EQUALIZATION DIRECTOR THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
HE IS ALSO A RESIDENT OF THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE AND WILL BRING A LOT OF EXPERTISE AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND SO, WE THANK HIM FOR BOTH HIS SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM IN THIS WAY.
SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? . MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 0. OH. SUPERVISOR. HENDRICKSON.
YES. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM TEN QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY. WE HAVE NONE.
[12.A. Special Use Permit #25-03 – Okemos Land Investments– 4360 South Hagadorn Road –Recreational Marijuana Retailer]
4360 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD. RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILER.AND FOR THIS WE HAVE DIRECTOR SCHMITT. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. SO AT THE LAST MEETING, WE DISCUSSED THIS AND THERE WERE NO MAJOR CONCERNS RAISED.
I DO JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE TIMING GATES THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, BECAUSE I BELIEVE I MISSPOKE AND GAVE YOU ONE OF THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA GATES INSTEAD OF THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA GATES BECAUSE CONVENIENTLY, WE DID TWO SEPARATE STANDARDS FOR THOSE.
AND AS WE DISCUSSED AFTER REVIEW STAFF DID ASK FOR SOME CHANGES AND THE APPLICANT TOOK BACK AND RE SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATION FOR SOME MAJOR AMENDMENTS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE UP REVIEWING AT THIS TIME.
THE SECOND GATE IS 12 MONTHS FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THAT CONDITIONAL LICENSE WHICH IS MAY 9TH, 2025. THEY HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE PERMITS ON THE SITE.
THIS CAN BE EXTENDED ONCE, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DIRECTOR.
SO THAT IS AN ENTIRELY ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION.
THE FINAL GATE IS WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE CONDITIONAL LICENSE.
THEY HAVE TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS. THE BOARD CAN EXTEND THAT ONCE FOR SIX MONTHS, AND SO IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF THE BOARD BEFORE NOVEMBER 9TH TO DISCUSS AN EXTENSION, BUT THAT IS ENTIRELY UP TO THE APPLICANT AT THIS POINT.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NO MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
AND GIVEN THE SITE'S LOCATION, IT IS NOT A BAD SITE FOR THIS TYPE OF USE.
AS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS I WOULD OPEN THINGS UP FOR DISCUSSION OR A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
TRUSTEE TREZISE I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING SPECIAL USE PERMIT 25-03, A REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILER AT 4360 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD.
PARCEL NUMBER 33-02-0229-151003. SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ZONED RP RESEARCH AND OFFICE PARK. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MARIJUANA BUSINESS OVERLAY DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
TRUSTEE TREZISE. WELL, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES, IF NOT MORE.
AND I THINK I WAS WENT THROUGH THIS ONCE OR TWICE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE IT CAME HERE.
AND I THINK BASED ON OUR ORDINANCES, THE STATE LAW, THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO DO THIS.
AND I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE MOTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TRUSTEE LENTZ. AS MUCH AS I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN HOW YOU CAN REHAB THAT OLD FARMHOUSE, I THINK THE UPDATED PLAN WITH A FRESH BUILDING THAT HAS MEETS PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS, SECURITY
[00:45:09]
AND PARKING NEEDS. IT FEELS LIKE AN EASY ONE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD ON CONSIDERING ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY ON IT.SO, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WILSON I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE TIMELINE.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THE REVISED ONE IN FRONT OF US.
HOW LONG IF YOU WERE TO GRANT APPROVAL AT YOUR DISCRETION TO, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND SO ON, THE BUILDING HOW LONG WOULD THAT CUSTOMARILY BE? PER THE ORDINANCE, THE EXTENSION COULD BE FOR SIX MONTHS.
SIX MONTHS. OKAY. SO THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR THE OPENING FOR NOVEMBER 9TH, THAT IT HAS TO BE OPEN, WHAT WOULD BE A CUSTOMARY PERIOD, THAT THERE MAY BE AN EXTENSION RELATED TO THE DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION? PER THE ORDINANCE? IT'S SIX MONTHS. IT'S SIX.
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? SO YEAH, WE'VE CERTAINLY TALKED ABOUT THIS ONE A FAIR AMOUNT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
OBVIOUSLY, AS IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE WHETHER THEY'RE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, REHAB OR BUILD THE BUILDING AND OPEN IN A VERY QUICK TIME FRAME.
YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE EXTENDED IN NOVEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING IT OVER THE WINTER MONTHS.
AND SO THAT BUILDING IS GOING TO HAVE TO BASICALLY BE BUILT DURING THIS CONSTRUCTION SEASON, WHICH IS A VERY TIGHT TURNAROUND. HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT OUR PLACE TO, TO OPINE ON REALLY, IN SO MUCH AS WE'RE APPROVING THIS APPLICATION.
I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO DECIDE ON WHETHER WE'RE FEELING GENEROUS ABOUT TIMELINES IN NOVEMBER.
BUT THAT'S A DECISION FOR ANOTHER DAY. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION AS PRESENTED AS IT DOES MEET OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT CRITERIA. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, AND THIS BEING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? . MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR SCHMITT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12.B, THE FIRST QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
[12.B. 1st Quarter Budget Amendments]
WE HAVE OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, BERNADETTE BLONDIE.WELCOME. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE FIRST QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR 2025.
DETAILS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET, BUT I WILL TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS FOR OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE'RE REQUESTING A PROJECTED USE OF FUND BALANCE OF AROUND $224,000.
THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THIS REQUEST ARE RELATED TO FINANCIAL SERVICES SUPPORT, ALONG WITH THE CARRYOVER FOR A COUPLE OF PROJECTS FROM 24 THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE. THIS INCLUDES ABOUT 121,000 FOR THE ENGAGEMENT OF OUTSIDE FINANCIAL SERVICES IN THE ABSENCE OF A FINANCE DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS ABOUT 29,000 FOR THE TEMPORARY STAFF FOR OUR UTILITY BILLING POSITION FOR THE PROJECT CARRYOVERS, WE ARE REQUESTING ABOUT 7500 FOR THE COMPLETION OF OUR SIGN PROJECT, ALONG WITH ABOUT 110,000 FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GENERATOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR 24 REMAINS AN ESTIMATE, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WORKING TO COMPLETE OUR OUTSTANDING FISCAL YEAR END ENTRIES IN PREPARATION FOR OUR AUDIT, WHICH THAT WILL BEGIN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AND THEN MOVING TO OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
YOU MAY NOTICE A REDUCTION IN OUR BOND PROCEED REVENUE IN THE LOCAL FUND, LOCAL ROAD FUND.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THIS REVENUE WAS RECEIVED IN THE END OF NOVEMBER OF 24.
AND SO THIS ADJUSTMENT OR THIS SORRY. NERVOUS.
FIRST TIME. THIS. SO THIS WAS AFTER THE ORIGINAL BUDGET PROCESS WAS FINALIZED.
SO NOW IT'S BEING REFLECTED PROPERLY IN THIS AMENDMENT.
[00:50:05]
CHIEF GRILLO PROVIDED THE BOARD WITH A PRESENTATION ON THIS.I THINK IN THE LAST BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, WE'RE REQUESTING AMENDMENTS FOR THE CAPITAL PLANNING FOR THE SENIOR CENTER AND OPTICOM PROJECT THAT'S LED BY INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DORMITORY REMODEL.
IF YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'D ASK THAT WE SUSPEND OUR RULES. AND IF SOMEONE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT SO WE CAN BEGIN THE DISCUSSION, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. TRUSTEE WILSON MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION SUPPORT.
OKAY. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF SUSPENSION OF THE RULES, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE HAVE SUSPENDED OUR RULES AND CAN CONSIDER THIS THIS EVENING.
NOW, AT THIS TIME, ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR BLONDIE FOR MOTIONS TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE WILSON. ARE WE READY FOR THE MOTION? WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE DISCUSSION AFTER THE MOTION AS WELL. SO THIS IS AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY. MOVE TO APPROVE THE FIRST QUARTER 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENTS, WITH A DECREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF TWO $264,422.
WHICH PROJECTS A USE OF FUND BALANCE OF $224,168.
BASED ON THE 2024 RESULTS, THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, WILL BE $13,251,425.36. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT? SUPPORT SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ.
DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. TRUSTEE WILSON. I DID A CURSORY REVIEW OF THIS, AND KNOWING MISS BLONDIE'S HISTORY WITH THE TOWNSHIP, I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT IT IS ACCURATE.
I WILL SAY THAT I WAS SURPRISED WITH ONE EXPENSE, AND THAT WAS $80,000 FOR ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS FOR THE FIRE STATION, BUT WE CAN DELVE INTO THAT LATER. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
AFTER SITTING IN ON A FEW OF THE FINANCIAL MEETINGS AT THE MTA CONFERENCE.
SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR JUMPING ON BOARD AND IMMEDIATELY COMING TO US WITH A RESOLUTION.
SO THANK YOU. THANKS. TRUSTEE TREZISE. DO I INTERPRET THE FUND BALANCE OVER AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENDITURES CORRECTLY? TO SAY WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES.
ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES IN THE FUND BALANCE AT THIS POINT? YES. AND THERE ARE OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE FUNDED AND DEDICATED TO OTHER THINGS THAT AREN'T COMMITTED.
SO. CORRECT. THIS IS JUST THE BASIC BANK ACCOUNT FOR OPERATIONS.
YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I READ IT.
SO. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. AND IT MIGHT BE YOU.
OR IT COULD BE CHIEF HAMEL WHO I SEE LURKING IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE OPTICOM EXPENDITURE? MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF LOOKING AT ASKING FOR STATE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THAT PROJECT, BUT I GUESS WHAT IS THE 16,000 INTENDED FOR THAT WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY, PARDON ME.
I ASSUMED IT WAS PUBLIC SAFETY. I WILL TAKE THE QUESTION, MR. SUPERVISOR, BUT A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN CHIEF HAMEL AND I.
BUT IT WAS THE TWO PROJECTS THAT YOU BROUGHT? YES.
I DIDN'T LIST OUT THE PROJECT SEPARATELY. DID YOU PROPOSE INCREASING THAT ACCOUNT? YOU DID? OH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU SENT ME? YEAH. I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT RECORDED IN THE NOTES. AND WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS. SO, WE JUST PAID AN INVOICE FOR THE OPTICOM AT CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND OKEMOS ROAD.
THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT IS DOING A SIGNAL REPLACEMENT PROJECT AT MARSH IN LAKE LANSING.
THERE IS NO GRANT FUNDING, SO WE WILL HAVE TO COVER 100% OF THAT COST.
[00:55:01]
THAT ONE SHOULD BE AROUND 16 TO 20,000. WE ARE ALSO AS PART OF THAT PROJECT THROUGH THE PATHWAY MILLAGE.SO SEPARATE FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE OPTICOM.
CORRECT. AND THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE, IS NOT RELATED TO THE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE WERE REQUESTING TO REPLACE SYSTEM WIDE AND COUNTY WIDE ALL THE SYSTEMS. THIS IS A TARGETED 1 OR 2 THAT ARE BEING REPLACED AS A PART OF SMALLER PROJECTS OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN.
YEAH. SO I CAN GET BACK. THIS GOES BACK TO WHEN DEREK WAS STILL HERE.
DEREK PERRY AND BACK THEN THEY STARTED REDOING THE BOXES AT THE INTERSECTIONS FOR LIGHTS AND TO REDO THOSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR THE OPTICOM SYSTEM AND EVEN THE NEW SYSTEM, WHICH IS GOING TO BE GUIS SOMEDAY WHEN WE GET THE MONEY, THAT'S A $4.3 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT. ALL THE INTERSECTIONS HAVE TO HAVE THEIR COMPUTERS, IF YOU WILL, CHANGED. AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO. WE STARTED THIS BACK WITH THE COUNTY WHEN DEREK WAS STILL HERE.
HE JUST INHERITED IT. AND WE'VE USED COST RECOVERY MONEY OR TRIED TO.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE HAD TO BUDGET FOR IT ALSO.
GOT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THAT IS A CONTINUED PAYMENT THAT WE'LL BE RECEIVING OVER.
I THINK IT'S LIKE 17 MORE YEARS OR I BELIEVE IT'S 14 MORE YEARS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE NARCOTICS SCANNER, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, NEEDED RELOADED WITH ADDITIONAL. I'M SORRY I WASN'T HERE FOR THAT PRESENTATION LAST YEAR, SO I BELIEVE IT'S A ONE TIME EXPENSE. I BELIEVE IT'S JUST A BASICALLY A MACHINE.
I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS UPDATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST ONE THAT THEY'LL USE.
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS AS A DAY JOB IN HUMAN SERVICE NONPROFITS, I THINK YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT ALL MUNICIPALITIES IN MICHIGAN HAVE OF A CERTAIN SIZE, OF COURSE, HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF THAT OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING IS GREAT THAT WE CAN DIRECT IT TOWARDS KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING SOME AVENUES FOR THOSE FUTURE CHECKS IN THE COMING YEARS TO LOOK TOWARDS OTHER OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF JUST OR OUTSIDE OF SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A ONE TIME EXPENSE.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. FABULOUS. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
. MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. AS WE ARE APPROACHING OUR LONGEST AGENDA ITEM THIS EVENING, LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS, AND WE'LL BE BACK AT 7:03 P.M. IT'S ON THERE.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ALL ASSEMBLED. WE'LL CALL OURSELVES BACK TO ORDER AT 704.
MAKING SIX MINUTES, I THINK, MIGHT BE OUR RECORD.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS NEW ITEM 13 A, WHICH IS OUR SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
[13.B. Senior/Community Center]
AND WE HAVE DIRECTOR SCHMITT HERE TO KICK US OFF.YEAH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO KICK OFF THE CONVERSATION THIS EVENING.
JUST TO ESTABLISH CONTACTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME.
LAST TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, NOT QUITE TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE DID DISCUSS THE DESIGN AND PROGRAM OF THE POTENTIAL FACILITY.
THE GENERAL LAYOUT OF THE FACILITY AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TASK FORCE.
SO SORT OF SET THE TABLE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
SO, THIS IS THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER OPTION THAT IS CURRENTLY UP AS AN OPTION, ABOUT 53,784FT².
YOU'LL NOTE, YOU KNOW, GYMNASIUM, YOUTH AREA, SORT OF COMMUNITY CENTER AREA, LARGE MEETING ROOM,
[01:00:04]
KITCHEN, ANOTHER SUBDIVIDABLE MEETING ROOM. AND THE SENIOR CENTER IS ON THE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.THIS IS WHAT WE'VE REFERRED TO PREVIOUSLY AS THE SENIOR CENTER SOUTH PLAN.
CURRENT COST ESTIMATES INCLUDING ESCALATION FOR 2026.
CONSTRUCTION. SO ALREADY PLANNING ON INCREASING COSTS FOR 2026.
SECOND ITEM UNDER CONSIDERATION IS THE SENIOR CENTER ONLY OPTION.
THIS IS WHY WE CALL IT THE SENIOR CENTER SOUTH, BECAUSE THE SENIOR CENTER IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE THE THE THE PROPERTY HERE ABOUT 15,579FT². ESTIMATED COSTS WITH ESCALATION, 9.3 MILLION TO $10.3 MILLION.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE THE TASK FORCE LANDED ON THE SITE BETWEEN THE FIRE STATION AND THE POST OFFICE, WHICH IS A SITE WE ALREADY OWN. SO THERE'S NO ACQUISITION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS EVENING THE DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER IS GOING TO WALK THROUGH AT THIS POINT.
IT STARTED TO LOOK AT THE MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCHMITT. AND THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. OKAY.
SO FOR THE DEBT MILLAGE TO FUND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW CENTER, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A TEN YEAR BOND FOR 4.94 MILLION. NOW, THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE BONDING COSTS IN ADDITION TO THE DEPOSIT THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 4.8 MILLION.
HERE, THE KEY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE WE'D BE LOOKING AT A 20 YEAR BOND, AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT 24.6 MILLION TOTAL, WITH A CONSTRUCTION DEPOSIT OF 24.1 MILLION, WITH A MILLAGE RATE OF 0.6949.
THEN, MOVING TO THE OPERATING MILLAGES, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A TEN YEAR TERM FOR BOTH MILLAGES, AND THAT WAS INTENTIONAL. STAFF'S INTENTION WITH A TEN YEAR MILLAGE ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE, IS THAT WE GET TO REVISIT THAT MILLAGE RATE SOONER IN THE PROCESS.
SO AS THINGS CHANGE WITH THE FACILITY AGING OR IF CONDITIONS CHANGE, WHETHER THE HOURS OF OPERATION, IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO CHANGE THOSE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REVISIT THAT WHEN THE MILLAGE CHANGES.
BUDGET BASED ON OUR MODEL IS 4.6 MILLION AND THE REQUIRED MILLAGE WOULD BE 0.101.
LOOKING AT THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER OPERATING MILLAGE, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT JUST OVER 12 MILLION FOR THE TEN YEAR OPERATIONS COST FOR THE FACILITY. THIS REQUIRES A MILLAGE RATE OF 0.3985, BRINGING THE TOTAL FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER OPTION TO JUST UNDER 1.1 MILLION. THEN. SO, WE DID KIND OF MODEL YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE OUR INTENTION HERE IS THAT WE'RE NOT COUNTING ESTIMATED OR PROJECTED REVENUES WHEN WE'RE CALCULATING THE REQUIRED MILLAGE RATES FOR THE OPERATIONS. BUT WE DID KIND OF TAKE DIRECTOR MAISNER HE'S ESTIMATED REVENUE NUMBERS AND JUST LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AFTER THE CENTER OPENS, IF THESE REVENUES COME IN, AS WE HAD FORECASTED, WHAT MIGHT THAT PORTEND FOR ROLLING BACK THE MILLAGE RATE? BECAUSE WHAT VOTERS APPROVE IS THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE THAT CAN BE LEVIED.
THE TOWNSHIP CAN ALWAYS VOLUNTARILY LOWER THAT LEVY DURING THE TERM OF THE MILLAGE.
SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS IF WE HAD 100% REVENUE CAPACITY COME IN, THAT WOULD ALLOW US, HYPOTHETICALLY, TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE BY 0.0176 MILLS. AND IF WE CAME IN AT THE 65% OR ACTUALLY, NO, THIS IS JUST THE SENIOR CENTER OPTION.
SO JUST FOR SENIOR CENTER, WE HAD ONE REVENUE ESTIMATE, WHICH WAS THE $20,057 THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE BY 0.001.
[01:05:01]
IF THAT CAME TO FRUITION. AND THEN LASTLY, JUST TO REVISIT FROM LAST SUMMER, WE DID DO SOME POLLING LAST SUMMER.WE TESTED TWO DIFFERENT MILLAGE RATES. THE METHODOLOGY FOR THE POLL IS ESSENTIALLY MIMICKING THE PROCESS THAT VOTERS USE TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT. SO IT IS A MOCK BALLOT THAT THE POLLSTER DISSEMINATES TO A RANDOM SAMPLE OF VOTERS IN THE FIELD, DOOR TO DOOR. THE VOTERS WILL CAST THE MOCK BALLOT AND MAIL IT BACK IN, JUST LIKE AN ABSENTEE BALLOT.
AND WE TESTED ONE MILL AND 0.75 MILL, AND THE POLL RESULTS ARE HERE.
SO FOR THE 0.75 MILL, IT SHOWED 61.4% SUPPORT FOR THE YES VOTE.
AND THAT WAS COMPLETED BETWEEN JUNE 25TH AND JULY 31ST, 2024.
FOR CANVASING AND BALLOTS WERE ALL RETURNED BY AUGUST 28TH.
SO, AT THE BOARD'S LAST MEETING, THERE WAS SOME DIALOG ABOUT KIND OF TRYING TO COMPARE THE TWO OPTIONS, RIGHT. APPLES TO APPLES. AND SO THE BEST THING THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH AS A TEAM FOR AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON, BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING DISTINGUISHING THE TWO PROPOSALS IS THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
RIGHT. SO ONE FACILITY IS OPEN 12 HOURS A DAY, SIX DAYS A WEEK.
ONE IS PROPOSED TO BE OPEN EIGHT HOURS A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
SO WHEN WE JUST LOOKED AT IT ON A COST PER HOUR OVER THE FIRST TEN YEARS, THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER CAME IN AT A LITTLE UNDER 1100 PER HOUR, AND THE SENIOR CENTER CAME IN A LITTLE UNDER 700 PER HOUR.
SO THAT'S THE FINAL THING THAT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TO THE BOARD THIS EVENING.
WITH THAT THE ENTIRE TEAM WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS. DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.
TREASURER DESCHAINE. DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER.
THIS FIGURE YOU JUST SHOWED US. SENIOR CENTER COST OVER TEN YEARS OF 14.4.
THAT DOESN'T MATCH THE EARLIER NUMBERS. WHETHER YOU SAID THE COST WAS GOING TO BE ON PAGE ON PAGE 70 FOR THE SENIOR CENTER OPERATING AS 236 AND CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION. 546. THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE 14,000 OF THE FIGURE YOU'RE GIVING THERE.
SO, THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE. YEAH, I'M TRYING TO WITH THAT.
14. TURN TO THE LAST PAGE YOU'RE ON. YEAH. GO DOWN TO THE VILLAGE IMPACT STATEMENT.
I THINK IT'S PAGE 170. IN THE UPDATED PACKET.
OKAY. YEAH. SO, YOU GOT SENIOR CENTER COST OVER THE FIRST TEN YEARS? THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE ON PAGE 70, WHERE THE COST IS $7,330,000.
SO THIS TABLE HERE INCLUDES ALL EXISTING REVENUE, TOO.
WE BACKED THAT OUT RIGHT UP ABOVE EARLIER IN THE MEMORANDUM.
WE ARE GIVING YOU THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW MILLAGES.
HERE. THIS TABLE HAS ALL EXISTING REVENUE. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT GOING BACK TO THIS, THIS $14,000 FIGURE FOR OVER TEN YEARS, YOU'RE SHOWING US ON PAGE 70, THE COST FOR TEN YEARS IS $7,330,000.
SO, HOW'D THAT NUMBER DOUBLE? I'M SORRY. WHICH PAGE? 70. IT'S 170. I'M SORRY. PAGE 170, RIGHT? YES.
SO? SO HOW DID THAT 730? THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE GRANT.
[01:10:06]
SO, I LISTED THE CONSTRUCTION DEPOSIT OF 4.8.SO, THE BONDING COSTS ARE ALSO OMITTED THERE.
BUT IT'S BASICALLY THESE NUMBERS PLUS THE 5 MILLION PLUS THE BONDING COSTS.
SO THIS IS THE CONSTRUCTION DEPOSIT MINUS BONDING COSTS.
IF I COULD, TREASURER. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IN THE PARAGRAPHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE TABLE THAT DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER IS REFERRING TO, AND I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO AS WELL. IT INDICATES THAT THE ESTIMATED COST TO OPERATE THE FACILITY IS 4.63 MILLION, AND THEN THE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST IS 9.8.
THOSE TWO COMBINED EQUALS THE 14.4 THAT IS BEING REFERRED TO AT THE DOWN BELOW.
SO I THINK THAT'S THOSE ARE THE TWO NUMBERS YOU'RE LOOKING TO ADD TOGETHER.
I AGREE THAT IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING IN THE IN THE TABLES.
IT IS CONFUSING BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S YOU KNOW, THE SCENARIO IS RIGHT WHERE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT NEW REVENUE, NEW MILLAGE RATES THAT CORRESPOND TO NEW REVENUE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE EXISTING FUND BALANCE FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE, THE EXISTING REVENUE THAT WILL COME IN OVER THAT DECADE FROM THE EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE. AND THEN ALSO THE $5 MILLION GRANT.
THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS THAT WE'VE THROWN OUT HERE. AND THEN THIS NEW INFORMATION PRESENTED TONIGHT. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO FOLLOW, LET ALONE THE PUBLIC TRYING TO FOLLOW THIS. THEY WOULD EASILY GET LOST IN ALL THESE NUMBERS BACK AND FORTH.
BUT THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT. OKAY.
YOU HAD INDICATED THAT'S THE WRONG ONE. YEAH.
NOT QUITE. THIS ONE. NOPE. I GOT THE WRONG ONE, TOO.
THERE IT IS. YES. DOWN TO. THERE WE ARE. THANK YOU.
SO MY QUESTION IS IN THE PACKET YOU REFER TO THE ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE MILLAGE BEING 932,000 FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
ENTER IT'S ON PAGE LOWER ON PAGE 170 THAN YOU WERE THERE.
IT IS 972. AND, YOU KNOW, MY MATH SUGGESTS THAT 400,000 IS A MUCH LARGER CHUNK OF THE ANNUAL COST. IF THE ANNUAL COST IS 932,000.
SO CAN YOU HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE SAYING IT'S 4.4% WHEN 420,000 SEEMS LIKE A MUCH LARGER PIECE OF THAT 932. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, IT DOES. GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT. I THINK IT'S ON PAGE 189.
WELL. SO THIS SUGGESTS PAGE 189 SUGGESTS THAT THE OPERATING BUDGET WOULD BE 1.4 MILLION.
BUT EVEN STILL, THE 420 IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM 4%.
SO I'M CURIOUS HOW THAT 4% NUMBER WAS ARRIVED AT.
SO, WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK THIS AND WE THREW IT INTO THE EXISTING REVENUE AND THEN JUST REDUCED THE MILLAGE RATE BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY COUNTING EXISTING REVENUE THAT WILL COME IN FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE. SO, WE ADDED REVENUE ON TOP OF IT.
SO ARE YOU I GUESS LET ME JUST SEE IF I CAN SIMPLIFY MY QUESTION SO THAT IT MAKES MORE SENSE ON PAGE 189, WHICH IS TWO PAGES PRIOR TO WHERE YOU'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
YOU INDICATE THAT THE ANNUAL. NOPE. NOPE. YOU PASSED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S THE EXPECTED EXPENDITURE BASED ON THAT.
YES. AND SO MY QUESTION IS IF WE EXPECT A REVENUE OF 420,000 OR IN THIS USE 420, 440 OR
[01:15:07]
WHATEVER THE NUMBER HAPPENS TO BE. THAT TO ME IS A MUCH LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE 1.4 MILLION THAN A 4.4 REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE RATE WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.I MIGHT HAVE PUT IN ONE YEAR REVENUE AND NOT MULTIPLIED IT BY TEN.
THAT'S THE ERROR THAT I MAKE. SO, IT'S NOT 4%.
IT'S ACTUALLY 30%. ESSENTIALLY MULTIPLY IT BY TEN ROUGHLY 44%.
CORRECT. SO THEORETICALLY, IF THE REVENUE COMES IN AROUND WHERE WE EXPECT IT, THE MILLAGE RATE THAT'S ACTUALLY ASSESSED OF OUR RESIDENTS COULD BE 44% LOWER THAN WHAT EVEN WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING.
I BELIEVE THAT TO BE CORRECT. YEAH. YEAH. I PUT IN ONE YEAR REVENUE AND FAILED TO MULTIPLY IT BY TEN BECAUSE THE REST OF THE METHODOLOGY IN THAT TABLE WAS LOOKING AT TEN YEAR FORECAST. SO YEAH, WE UNDERSTATED THAT.
MY APOLOGIES ON THAT. OKAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THERE.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO IS THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR THE MILLAGE.
THE OPERATING MILLAGE COULD BE REDUCED BY, YOU KNOW, UP TO AROUND 40% IF REVENUES CAME IN AT THE AMOUNTS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS ANTICIPATING, BASED ON THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE CENTERS LIKE THIS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
IS THAT CORRECT? AND YOU'RE EXPECTING THE SENIOR CENTER.
SENIOR. THE CURRENT SENIOR MILLAGE TO BACKFILL THAT AMOUNT? NO. I MADE A MATHEMATICAL ERROR WHEN WE WERE THE BOARD WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEW REVENUE THAT MIGHT COME IN FROM THE ROOM RENTALS, THE GYM RENTALS AND THE OTHER AMENITIES IN THIS FACILITY.
THAT WOULD BE REVENUE BASED, RIGHT? SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS FORECASTED THAT WE COULD BRING IN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 440,000 AND 666,000. AND OUR OPERATING, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST YEAR THAT IT'S OPEN, WE'RE FORECASTING THAT IT'S ABOUT 1.4 MILLION TO RUN THE CENTER.
SO THAT'S 40 TO 50% REVENUE COULD COVER 40 TO 50%.
IF THAT REVENUE MODEL COMES TO FRUITION, THAT COULD BE USED TO REDUCE THE OPERATING MILLAGE.
SURE. AND THAT WOULD BE TRUE UNDER EITHER SCENARIO SENIOR CENTER OR SENIOR AND COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NO ROLLBACK THERE, DAN. THAT'S JUST COVERING THE DEFICIT.
WHAT DEFICIT? WELL, PAGE 170 SHOWS REVENUE OF FROM THE SENIOR CENTER MILLAGE OF $932,000. OKAY. FROM THE 3.9 MILLS. BOTTOM OF PAGE 170.
SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. NUMBER RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE SCREEN.
NINE 3286, $876. THAT'S THE. THAT'S THE AMOUNT THE ROADS WILL TURN.
WILL GO, NOT TURN BACK TO PAGE 169 WHERE YOU'RE AT.
SO THE GAP THERE BETWEEN THE 1.4 MILLION AND THE 930,000 IS THE EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE.
THIS IS THE FIRST WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT MILLAGE. ISN'T THAT MILLAGE GOING FOR OTHER THINGS? I MEAN, MERIDIAN CARES IS PAID FOR WITH THAT MILLAGE. SO HOW MUCH OF THAT EXISTING MILLAGE? 57%, ABOUT 200,000 A YEAR, 200,000 WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
THAT STILL ONLY BRINGS US TO 1.1 MILLION $132,000.
YEAH. SO WE'RE LOOKING OKAY. THE FACILITY WON'T BE OPEN, THOUGH FOR TWO YEARS OUT OF THE TEN, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK THE 1.4 MILLION FOR THE FIRST YEAR OPERATING, AND WE COMPOUNDED IT WITH INFLATION.
BUT THE FIRST TWO YEARS WE ONLY HAVE A BUDGET OF I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 30,000 FOR ANY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE OR ANYTHING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO BE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHILE THE CENTER IS CONSTRUCTED. SO THERE'S TWO YEARS WHERE THERE WILL BE ALMOST NO OPERATING BUDGET WHATSOEVER.
SO, THE MILLAGE REVENUE COMES IN RIGHT EACH YEAR PROPORTIONATE.
SO OVER THE TEN YEARS WE'RE TRYING TO COVER AN EIGHT YEAR BUDGET, MORE OR LESS, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY EIGHT OUT OF THE TEN YEARS WHERE THERE WILL BE A CENTER TO OPERATE. SO, IT'S HARD TO COMPARE THOSE TWO NUMBERS.
[01:20:07]
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES. BUT NONETHELESS WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $300,000 A YEAR DEFICIT.THERE'S NOT A DEFICIT. IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE $200,000 IN THE SENIOR CURRENT SENIOR CENTER MILLAGE, RIGHT. THAT'S THE NUMBER YOU JUST GAVE ME. AND ADD THAT TO THE 9 MILLION OR $932,000.
THAT'S ABOUT 1.132, AND THAT'S ABOUT 300,000 SHORT FROM THE FIGURE ON PAGE ONE.
679. THAT SHOWS THE OPERATING COSTS AT 1.4 MILLION.
AND SO, WE PROJECTED IT'S GOING TO BRING IN 10 MILLION.
SO THE OPERATING MILLAGE WILL BRING IN 10 MILLION.
THE TOTAL COST TO OPERATE THE FACILITY OVER THE FIRST TEN YEARS. IT WAS RIGHT THERE. IS 12 MILLION. AND WE PROJECT THAT THE EXISTING MILLAGE IS BRINGING IN ABOUT 2.1.
I STATE THAT SOMEWHERE. SO THE MILLAGE WILL BRING IN 10 MILLION. THEY EXIST. THE NEW MILLAGE OPERATING MILLAGE WOULD BRING IN JUST UNDER 10 MILLION.
RIGHT. THE EXISTING MILLAGE, 57% OF THE EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE, WHICH GOES TO THE SENIOR CENTER TODAY, WILL BRING IN ABOUT 2.1 MILLION. THAT BRINGS YOU TO THE $12.1 MILLION TOTAL OPERATING COST THAT THE NEW OPERATING MILLAGE WILL NEVER BRING IN. THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BUDGETING ANY FUNDING FOR YEARS ONE AND TWO, REALLY WHEN WE HAVE IT UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S NOTHING TO OPERATE AT THAT TIME.
AND WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE A $1.1 MILLION SURPLUS IN YEARS ONE AND TWO ON THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT WILL GO INTO A FUND TO HELP PAY FOR YEARS EIGHT, TWO THROUGH THREE THROUGH TEN.
SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEVY A HIGHER MILLAGE ON THE BACK END TO COVER THE BACK END.
WE CAN ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE SAVINGS UP FRONT, PUT THEM IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND HELP PAY DOWN.
HELP OFFSET THE LONG TERM MILLAGE RATE BY USING THAT MONEY.
THAT WAS WHAT WE DISCUSSED. ALSO, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DIAL DOWN THE MILLAGE AND UTILIZE A PORTION OF THE EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE FUND THAT HAS BEEN BUILT UP FROM THE 57% THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR THIS.
I FOLLOW YOU. BUT THEN YEARS 11 TO 20, THAT SURPLUS IS USED UP, AND WE'RE NOW OPERATING AT A $300,000 A YEAR DEFICIT BECAUSE YOU'VE USED THE SAVINGS YOU GOT FROM YEARS ONE AND TWO TO COVER THE OPERATING COSTS OF YEARS THREE TO 3 TO 10.
RIGHT. WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT AN INCREASE. IT'S POSSIBLE WHEN THE MILLAGE IS NEEDING TO BE RENEWED.
WE JUST RENEWED THAT IN 2022, I BELIEVE, FOR TEN YEARS.
SO THAT MILLAGE WILL HAVE BEEN RENEWED. THEN IT WILL BE A QUESTION OF DOES THE EXISTING OPERATING MILLAGE STILL COVER THE COST? PROSPECTIVELY, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT WILL, BECAUSE OUR REVENUE.
WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME REVENUE.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME NEW REVENUE THAT COMES ABOUT.
AND WE'VE ASSUMED NO NEW REVENUE. RIGHT. SO HOPEFULLY IN YEARS 4 OR 5 OF THE MILLAGE, WHICH WOULD BE YEARS 2 OR 3 OF THE CENTER BEING OPEN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF CENTER IT IS, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GO, OKAY, WE'VE GOT TWO YEARS WORTH OF ACTUAL OPERATING BUDGET DATA TO LOOK AT, AND WE CAN THEN LOOK AT REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES AND START TO SCALE BACK THE OPERATING MILLAGE BASED ON HOW MUCH REVENUE WE DO BRING IN.
OR ALTERNATIVELY, WE REBUILD THE FUND BALANCE SO THAT IN YEAR TEN, KNOWING WE HAVE CONSISTENT REVENUES, WE CAN REDUCE THE MILLAGE ON RENEWAL. OUR ENTIRE GOAL IS TO AT SOME POINT, AT A POINT WHERE IT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE TO AGAIN KEEP ALL THE PRESSURE OFF THE GENERAL FUND. THAT'S A VERY ADMIRABLE GOAL. IT'S VERY ASPIRATIONAL, AS IS THE 300 OR $400,000 IN RENTAL REVENUE.
BUT WE'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY CENTERS EAST LANSING, PORTAGE AND FARMINGTON HILLS.
SO I THINK IT'S EASY TO BE, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY IT DOWN. AND IN REAL LIFE, THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS DON'T SEEM TO GENERATE MUCH RENTAL REVENUE BECAUSE THEY'RE A COMMUNITY CENTER.
[01:25:02]
THEY'RE NOT A HIGH END HOTEL THAT SOMEONE WOULD DO A WEDDING RECEPTION AT.THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR AN EXPENSIVE ROOM RENTAL.
YEAH. AND I WOULD JUST STATE THAT THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASSUMING NO NEW REVENUE FOR EITHER OPTION.
RIGHT. WHETHER THE BOARD GOES SENIOR CENTER OR SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER, WE'VE ASSUMED NO NEW REVENUE IN THE OPERATING MILLAGE IS SET AT THE APPROPRIATE MILLAGE RATE TO FUND THE OPERATIONS, ALONG WITH THE EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE REVENUES.
REGARDLESS OF NEW REVENUE. BUT YOU JUST PUT THAT REVENUE INCOME ESTIMATE INCOME INTO THE DOCUMENT YOU SHARED WITH US SO CLEARLY THAT THAT NUMBER IS OUT THERE, THAT YOU'RE AT SOME LEVEL COUNTING ON OR YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SHARED IT WITH THE BOARD AGAIN, WOULD YOU? I MEAN, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ADDED, THAT WAS A DIRECT ASK OF THE BOARD.
TO YOUR POINT, HAVING EXPERIENCE WITH HANNAH COMMUNITY CENTER AND MANAGER DEMPSEY.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LONGER TRACK RECORD THERE, BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY PLAN ON IT SUPER CONSISTENTLY, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING. SO THE MODEL, THE MILLAGE MODEL IS SET UP FOR ZERO REVENUE RIGHT NOW.
IF IT HAPPENS MAYBE HOPEFULLY IN YEAR 3 OR 4 OR 5 OR 6.
RIGHT. IT'S VERY THEORETICAL. ON THE MILEAGE ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
THAT'S WHY THE MILLAGE IS BUILT TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. TRUSTEE TREZISE. AND THEN TRUSTEE LENTZ.
I THINK I FOUND A FLAW IN YOUR LOGIC. TO AN EXTENT.
YOU'RE COUNTING ON NO OPERATION COSTS FOR THIS BUILDING FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
BUT WE DO HAVE OPERATING COSTS OUT OF THE SENIOR MILLAGE THAT IS GOING TO BE SPENT AT THE EXISTING SENIOR CENTER. YEP. SO, THE EXISTING SENIOR CENTER. WE DONATE. WELL, WE CONTRIBUTE FOR THE PAYROLL PURPOSES FOR THE 1.5 EMPLOYEES TODAY.
BUT WE DO HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS WHEN IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW CENTER, FOR A SENIOR ONLY CENTER, WE'VE GOT A BUDGET OF ABOUT 65,000.
AND FOR A SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER, WE HAVE A BUDGET OF ABOUT 165,000.
SO GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER, SANITARY SEWER INSURANCE DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A FUND BALANCE IN THERE.
AND SO YOU'RE TALKING A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THE SENIORS PROGRAMING.
AND NOT ALL OF THAT'S EXPENDED AT THIS POINT.
CORRECT. YEAH. WE INCUR ZERO COST FOR THE FACILITY ITSELF TODAY FOR THE EXISTING SERVICE CENTER.
OUR CONTRIBUTION OF 148,000, I THINK IT IS IN THE 2025 BUDGET, IS STRICTLY FOR THE PAYROLL FOR THE 1.5 EMPLOYEES TO STAFF THE SENIOR CENTER. YES. OKAY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, THAT IF THE BUILDING WASN'T GOING AWAY, RIGHT, THAT COULD CONTINUE AD INFINITUM, THE WAY IT'S BUDGETED RIGHT NOW AND THE WAY THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MILLAGE IS SET UP, THAT CAN JUST KEEP HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE BUILT IN THOSE, THOSE MINIMAL COSTS IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS TO COME OUT OF THE NEW MILLAGE RATE AND START THAT CHAIN OF REBUILDING FUND BALANCE AS WE TALKED ABOUT. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YEAH. THANK YOU.
SO, FOLLOWING THE MATH THAT WE WERE DOING AS A GROUP OF THE OF 44% OF THE OPERATIONS BEING COVERED BY THAT 65% OCCUPANCY FOR REVENUE.
SO THAT IF I'M DOING MY MATH CORRECT. YEAH. RIGHT THERE.
PERFECT. THAT WOULD REDUCE THAT OPERATING MILLAGE TO ZERO POINT, AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT 0.2151. THAT'S CORRECT. IF WE WANTED TO GIVE THAT BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE OPERATING MILLAGE FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
YES. YES. I'M SORRY. YEAH. 40 TO 50%. SO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 0.2 AND 0.25 WOULD BE THE MILLAGE RATE.
[01:30:06]
IF WE WERE TO ACHIEVE THE REVENUE FORECAST THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ANTICIPATED.CAN YOU. THANK YOU. CAN YOU WALK THROUGH WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE? SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE TWO YEARS OF WHERE IT'S NOT AN OPERATING BUILDING.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT GETS ALL THE CLUBS AND TEAMS ALL SET UP.
LIKE, WHEN, WHEN WOULD MERIDIAN RESIDENTS SEE THE BENEFIT OF THAT REVENUE BEING RAISED ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES IN THAT MILLAGE RATE? SO IN TERMS OF THE MILLAGE IS GOING INTO EFFECT, RIGHT.
IF THEY'RE PASSED AT AN AUGUST ELECTION, THEY WOULD GO ON THE WINTER 2025 TAX BILL.
ALL TOWNSHIP MILLAGE IS ALWAYS GO ON THE WINTER TAX BILL.
WE HAVE NO MILLAGES ON THE SUMMER IN TERMS OF AN ADJUSTMENT TO AN OPERATING MILLAGE.
ONCE THE CENTER IS OPEN AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES TO LOOK AT ACTUAL EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, IT WOULD BE PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. EVERY YEAR WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO REDUCE ANY OF THE MILLAGE RATES WHEN WE PASS A MILLAGE.
WE JUST CAN'T EXCEED THAT MAXIMUM AUTHORIZED MILLAGE RATE THAT THE VOTERS HAVE GIVEN US.
OKAY. SO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS 3 OR 4 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, ONCE IT'S CONSTRUCTED AND OPEN AND WE HAVE THAT ACTUAL DATA, THEN WE COULD START EXPLORING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS WHETHER OR NOT REVENUES ARE SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE THE OPERATING MILLAGE FOR THE NEW CENTER.
IT CAN ONLY BE USED ON THAT SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER FOR OPERATIONS.
YOU KNOW, TO BE DEFINED BY THE TOWNSHIP. CORRECT.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THAT TIMELINE. THAT CLARIFIES MY WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN PARTICULAR, I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON THIS AND THINKING, HOW COULD WE DELIVER TO OUR COMMUNITY WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAYING THAT THEY WANT? WE DID DO OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY A YEAR AGO, NOT QUITE, AND DID GET THE RESPONSE THAT BASICALLY 60, 40, 60% OF OUR RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF A COMMUNITY CENTER AND 40% DO NOT WANT TO.
AND WE DID NOT ASK THE MILLAGE QUESTION AT THAT TIME.
AS PASSIONATE AS THE MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR CENTER GROUP ARE, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO JUSTIFY IN MY MIND, BUILDING A NEW BUILDING THAT WILL COST BETWEEN 9.3 AND $10.3 MILLION FOR SUCH A LIMITED POPULATION.
I CHECKED WITH DIRECTOR WISINSKI, WHO TOLD ME THAT 390 PEOPLE BELONG TO THE CURRENT COMMUNITY CENTER, AND EVEN IF WE WERE TO INCREASE OUR COMMUNITY CENTER USAGE BY TWO TIMES, THAT THE AMORTIZATION OF THE COST OF BUILDING THE NEW CENTER DOESN'T QUITE MAKE SENSE TO ME. I THINK IT'S TOO HIGH.
SO I THOUGHT, HOW COULD WE DELIVER SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO OUR COMMUNITY? AND I THOUGHT THAT WHAT IF WE WERE TO SCALE BACK THE SIZE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER TO MAKE IT SOMETHING USEFUL, BUT AT A MUCH LOWER COST BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT DELIVER AS MUCH AS.
WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED IN OUR $53 MILLION PROJECT? SO I ACTUALLY I TALKED TO OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR AT PROGRESSIVE AS PART OF THIS BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE NOW A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND WE TALKED THROUGH SOME NUMBERS OF DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS TO BUILD ONE GYMNASIUM INSTEAD OF TWO, CONVERT SPACE THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR, SAY, THE PATIO INTO A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM THAT WOULD HOLD 120 PEOPLE AND HAVE A KITCHEN, A WARMING KITCHEN ATTACHED TO IT.
[01:35:05]
MALE AND FEMALE BATHROOMS. I THINK THREE STALLS APIECE.AND I THOUGHT, COULD WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND HOW COULD WE BRING THE COST DOWN SO THAT THIS MIGHT BE FEASIBLE TO BE USED BY ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY? WE WOULD NOT DO THE YOUTH ROOM, AND THAT'S A STICKING POINT.
BUT THAT IS 5000FT², AND I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT IN, IN THE IDEA THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO WE COULD GET OUR COSTS DOWN TO ABOUT 70% OF WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND I HAVE NO HARD NUMBERS ON THIS. THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE.
AND I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE THIS BODY CONSIDER A SCALED BACK COMMUNITY CENTER WITH A SENIOR CENTER THAT COULD DELIVER SOMETHING FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WITH THE OPTION TO BUILD OUT MORE IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAVE AVAILABLE SPACE TO DO THAT.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
SO I'M THROWING IT OUT THERE. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE JOHNSON AND CLERK DEMAS.
THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WILSON. I YOU KNOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE EMAILED US, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL SEEN THEM COME ACROSS OUR INBOXES AND ESPECIALLY SOMEONE LIKE MR. VAGNOZZI WHO SERVED ON AS A MEMBER FOR ABOUT A YEAR, GETTING THIS ALL PREPARED.
HIS EMAIL IN PARTICULAR WAS COMPELLING. SO I IF HE WAS HERE, I WOULD THANK HIM FOR IT.
BUT IT'S ALONG THE SAME LINES OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT.
AND WELL, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PURPOSE OF EACH AND EVERY ROOM.
I, I AM COMPELLED TO THINK THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE EXACT NEED FOR MULTIPURPOSE AND MEETING ROOM AND SO I'M COMPELLED TO. WANT TO SUPPORT WHAT TRUSTEE WILSON IS PROPOSING A BIT MORE THAN THIS VERY LARGE CENTER THAT IS BEFORE US TODAY. I AM ALSO COMPELLED BY THE IDEA THAT WHILE THE SENIOR CENTER CURRENT SENIOR CENTER MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY VOCAL WHILE HERE IN OUR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING, AND I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A SPACE.
I KNOCKED ON AROUND 5000 DOORS LAST YEAR, AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF YOU KNOW, YOUNG PARENTS WHO DID EXPRESS THAT THEY DO WANT SOME KIND OF SPACE THAT IS FOR ALL AGE GROUPS.
YOU KNOW, JUST ON SATURDAY, WE AS A GROUP ALL KIND OF BROUGHT UP THAT THERE ARE GROUPS THAT AREN'T.
AND SO I DO THINK THERE IS AN THERE IS SOME COMMUNITY FERVOR AROUND THE IDEA OF A COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, THOUGH, OF COURSE.
YES. FURTHER DISCUSSION. OH MY GOSH. CLERK DEMAS.
I DIDN'T GET YOU. PARDON ME. YEAH. TRUSTEE WILSON.
I THINK THAT I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE.
I THINK THAT THERE IS COMPROMISE HERE TO HAVE A SENIOR CENTER WITH COMMUNITY SPACE.
MY CONCERN IS HOW EXPENSIVE THE VILLAGES WILL BE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE A SCALED BACK COMMUNITY CENTER COMPARED TO A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER.
I THINK IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY.
IF WE GO INTO A RECESSION, HOW WILL THAT IMPACT THIS FACILITY? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW WILL OUR RESIDENTS BE AFFECTED? WE HAVE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR COMMUNITY SPACE, I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO PROVIDE THAT WITHOUT BURDENING OUR RESIDENTS WITH ANOTHER TAX INCREASE. SO I THINK LOOKING INTO THOSE AVENUES IS IMPORTANT.
TREASURER DESCHAINE LIKE TRUSTEE WILSON, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST MONTHS, AND ACTUALLY I PUT TOGETHER A FEW SLIDES AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION I'D LIKE TO SHARE A POWERPOINT.
I'LL PASS THESE DOWN. IT'S NOT THAT LONG. IT'S ONLY 14 SLIDES.
[01:40:04]
I TELL THIS COST, TAXES, COMMUNITY AND CONSENSUS.IF YOU GO TO THE SECOND SLIDE. DAN, WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS.
BUT MY TAKE, THE COST WE CAN PAY FOR OUR NEW SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER OVER TEN YEARS FOR THIS 0.233 MILLS AND OPERATING MILLAGE WOULD FUND OPERATIONS. THE COST OVER 20 YEARS FOR THE SENIOR CENTER WOULD BE AROUND $10 MILLION.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE 70, I CAN BACK THAT UP, BUT WE'LL COME BACK A LITTLE LATER. IF YOU WANT TO QUESTION THAT NUMBER. IT WILL TAKE 20 YEARS TO PAY OFF A COMMUNITY CENTER WITH ITS 0.6949 MILLAGE AND OPERATING MILLAGE OF ALMOST FOUR MILLS COST OVER 20 YEARS, WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $44 MILLION.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THIS SLIDE HERE, THE COST FOR OUR RESIDENTS FOR A NEW SENIOR CENTER WOULD BE ABOUT $714 OVER THOSE 20 YEARS. NEXT SLIDE. THE COST FOR A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER WOULD BE AROUND $3142 OVER 20 YEARS FOR THOSE SAME 14,000 THAT, BY MY NUMBERS, THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS GOING TO COST ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF TIMES MORE THAN A SENIOR CENTER. NOW, IF WE REDUCE IT BY 70%, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE STILL THREE AND A HALF TIMES WHAT A NEW SENIOR CENTER.
THE COST IS STILL GOING TO BE CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN A SENIOR CENTER.
INGHAM COUNTY TAXES US NEARLY 14 MILLS AND IS THE HIGHEST COUNTY TAX IN THE WHOLE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THE HIGHEST COUNTY MASS TRANSIT IS 3.3 MILLS.
THE HIGHEST. IT'S THE HIGHEST MUNICIPAL MASS TRANSIT TAX IN MICHIGAN.
WE ALSO HAVE A HIGH LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE TAXES.
TURN TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS COMPARING US TO SIMILAR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
WEST BLOOMFIELD VERY AFFLUENT SUBURB OF DETROIT.
THEY PAY ABOUT 54 MILLS, SO 100. I CHECKED WITH THE ASSESSOR TODAY.
OUR AVERAGE HOUSE HAS A, IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS A TAXABLE VALUE OF $143,430.
SO THAT HOUSE IN WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN WOULD COST 700 AND $745.22 IN ANNUAL PROPERTY TAXES.
DEWITT TOWNSHIP, JUST TO THE NORTH. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT BETWEEN OKEMOS AND DEWITT.
BOTH HAVE EXCELLENT SCHOOLS. BOTH ARE GREAT COMMUNITIES.
DEWITT TAXPAYERS WOULD PAY $8,000 FOR THAT SAME HOME.
AND $8,000. IT'S A $215, $2,151 DISCOUNT OVER MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
DELHI TOWNSHIP. EXCUSE ME. DELHI TOWNSHIP TO THE FAR WEST.
THAT THAT SAME HOME WOULD COST $8,318 $1,864 DISCOUNT FROM WHAT THEY PAY IN MERIDIAN AND THEN CLINTON TOWNSHIP IN MACOMB COUNTY, ANOTHER LARGE TOWNSHIP. THEY WOULD PAY $8,749.
OUR NUMBER IS $10,183.53. THAT IS THE AVERAGE TAX BILL IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN 2025.
WE GOT ANOTHER BILL TO THIS FOR A SENIOR CENTER OR EVEN 8/10 OF A MILL.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE ALL THESE NUMBERS JUMP BY EVEN MORE.
IT'S GOING TO BE $143 MORE. IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TAXES PER YEAR.
I'M SORRY, 200, $150 IS THE NUMBER $143 MORE PER YEAR TO THIS ALREADY EXTREMELY HIGH TAX BILL.
THE HIGHEST TAX BILL OF ANY TOWNSHIP IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN BY A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
IN OUR NEARBY NEIGHBORS, DEWITT AND DELTA TOWNSHIP ARE PAYING $2,000 LESS PER HOUSEHOLD FOR THE SAME TOWNSHIP SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO YOU CAN SEE THERE 27% HIGHER THAN DEWITT.
22% HIGHER THAN DELHI. EVEN OUR MOST PROGRESSIVE VOTERS IS THAT EMAIL I SHARED LAST WEEK ARE SAYING I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY MERIDIAN TAXES. WE'VE REACHED THE BREAKING POINT. WE REALLY HAVE.
IT CANCELS OTHER EFFORTS. IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR YOUNG FAMILIES TO BE TO MOVE IN HERE.
[01:45:01]
SO, OUR GOAL IS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. A TAX INCREASE IS CONTRARY TO THAT.CITIES CAN TAX UP TO 20 MILLS. THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF TAX AUTHORITY.
WE DON'T HAVE CITIES BUILD COMMUNITY CENTERS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE IN EAST LANSING, HOWELL, PORTAGE AND FARMINGTON HILLS.
OUR RESIDENTS ALREADY PAY FOR 19 PARKS IN A VERY ROBUST PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMING.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS COMMUNITY, THIS COMMUNITY CENTER WILL VERY LIKELY TAKE FROM OTHER TOWNSHIP NEEDS, LIKE ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITY CENTERS WHO LOOKED AT IT, WILL LIKELY REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WILL DRAIN RESOURCES FROM OTHER NEEDS OF THE TOWNSHIP. MAYBE NOT IN YEAR ONE OR 2 OR 3, BUT FIVE YEARS OUT, TEN YEARS OUT, 20 YEARS OUT. THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THIS FACILITY IS GOING TO BE AROUND FOR 40 YEARS OR MORE.
50 YEARS. CITIES OF EAST LANSING AND HOWELL AND PORTAGE AND FARMINGTON HILLS HAVE ALL HAD TO BAIL OUT THEIR COMMUNITY CENTERS FOR PORTAGE OVER THE BRAND NEW CENTER, WHICH IS PAID FOR HALF BY PRIVATE FUNDING. THEIR ANNUAL DEFICIT IS $600,000.
SO, THESE FACILITIES DON'T TURN OUT TO MAKE MONEY.
THEY TURN OUT TO COST MONEY. AND THAT TAKES AWAY FROM OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
INSTEAD, WE'RE UP CLOSE TO 40 AGAIN BECAUSE WE HAD THE MONEY TO DO IT.
WE HAD A ROBUST GENERAL FUND. IT WASN'T BEING DRAINED BY A LARGE ASSET.
A LARGE COMMUNITY CENTER. THIS COULD TAKE THAT ABILITY TO APPLY MONEY TO FIX ESSENTIAL SERVICES AWAY FROM US, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO THIS VERY LARGE, 53,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. PLUS, WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPETING WITH EXISTING BUSINESSES HERE.
I LIST ALL THE CURRENT FACILITIES THAT OFFER RECREATION FACILITIES.
RECREATION FACILITIES, GYM. WAS ONE FOR KIDS IN THERE.
THE GYM KIND. OKAY. ALL THESE COMMUNITIES, ALL THESE BUSINESSES COULD POTENTIALLY BE HARMED BY PEOPLE WHO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY CENTER WHO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY CENTER BUT DON'T PARTICIPATE. I DON'T CANCEL OUR MEMBERSHIP FOR THESE THINGS.
WE DON'T WANT TO COMPETE WITH OUR TAXPAYERS. WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE WE REALLY WANT TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES, NOT MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
THIS COMMUNITY CENTER WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES TO STAY IN OPERATION.
NEXT SLIDE. AS CLERK DEMAS POINTS OUT, WE'RE IN A REALLY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES.
THE STOCK MARKET IS DOWN INTO A CORRECTION PHASE, WHICH IS OVER 10%.
IT'S ACTUALLY DOWN ABOUT 14%. AND IF IT GOES DOWN TO 20%, WHICH IT VERY WELL COULD, IT WOULD BE IN THE CRASH PHASE IN THE CRASH MODE, IF YOU WILL. MORE TO THE POINT, LOCALLY, BILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING IS BEING PULLED FROM UNIVERSITIES.
MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WORK MAY LOSE THEIR JOBS DUE TO DOGE AND TARIFF, DOGE CUTS AT MSU.
WHEN THIS FUNDING HITS PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND MICHIGAN STATE IS A HUGE RESEARCH FACILITY, AND THEY COUNT TREMENDOUSLY ON THESE FEDERAL RESEARCH DOLLARS AND TARIFFS AS WELL.
AND INSTEAD OF REFLECTING THAT BY DOING SOMETHING VERY MODEST AND PRUDENT, WE'RE PROPOSING ALMOST A $1 MILLION, ONE MIL TAX INCREASE. THAT'S THE WRONG MESSAGE.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG MESSAGE TO SEND TO OUR RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW. NEXT SLIDE IS THERE'S REALLY NOT ANY COMMUNITY EXCITEMENT OR PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER AND TWO YEARS OF DISCUSSION MEETINGS.
WE'VE SEEN VERY LITTLE SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER. THE FITNESS OVER 50 GROUP SPOKE OUT, AND THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST GROUP THAT WE HAD IN TWO YEARS TO COME OUT AND SAY, YEAH, WE SHOULD BUILD A COMMUNITY CENTER. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO PRIVATE SUPPORTERS AND FOUND THEM TO BE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ANY FUNDING WHATSOEVER.
WHEN PORTAGE DID THIS, THEY GOT HALF THE CAPITAL FUNDS FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS.
[01:50:03]
WE'VE GOT ZERO. AND THAT MILLAGE QUESTION WE ASKED FOR GAP FUNDING.WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT WITH GAP FUNDING? THIS IS PRIMARY FUNDING.
THIS EXCEPT FOR THE STATE. THIS IS ALL COMING OUT OF OUR TAXPAYERS WALLETS.
IN AUGUST 2024, THE COMMUNITY CENTER WAS VOTED DOWN ON A VOTE OF 5 TO 2.
I VOTED AGAINST THAT AND I GOT ONLY GRATITUDE FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
THERE JUST ISN'T BROAD BASED GRASSROOTS SUPPORT FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER.
THERE'S NOT. IT'S NOT THERE. MAYBE A GREAT IDEA.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I THINK WE CAN FIND CONSENSUS BASED ON PREVIOUS BOARD DISCUSSIONS AND VOTES.
WE WILL NOT REACH A CONSENSUS ON A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER, EVEN A SCALED BACK ONE.
THE COST 30% LESS. IF WE'RE PROPOSING A TAX INCREASE TO OUR 44,000 RESIDENTS, WE SHOULD DO IT WITH A CONSENSUS UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THIS TAX INCREASE, NOT A SPLIT VOTE. I THINK WE CAN FIND CONSENSUS FOR A SENIOR CENTER, AND I ENCOURAGE US TO VOTE FOR A SENIOR CENTER MILLAGE ONLY.
IT'S AFFORDABLE. IT'S THE PRUDENT THING TO DO.
IT'S A NEED, NOT A WANT, WHICH IS WHAT A COMMUNITY CENTER IS.
WE CAN'T AFFORD OUR WANT RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IT.
WE NEED A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER. I'M SORRY. WE NEED A NEW SENIOR CENTER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE. THEN TRUSTEE WILSON.
TREASURER DESCHAINE. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR GRAPH AND YOUR SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN.
SURE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE GRAY IS THE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN US AND THEM.
YES. THAT'S WHAT THE GRAY IS. THAT'S HOW MANY MILLS DO WEST BLOOMFIELD DO IT? TOWNSHIP. DELTA. TOWNSHIP. LEVY. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE ON YOUR SHEET. 54 FOR WEST BLOOMFIELD.
56 MILS FOR DEWITT. 58 FOR DELTA, 61 FOR CLINTON.
AND WE'RE AT 71. THAT'S THE MILLAGE. YEAH. OKAY.
HOW MUCH OF THAT DO WE LEVY AS A TOWNSHIP? TEN.
WE LIVE IN A VERY HIGH TAX COUNTY RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE VERY HIGH MASS TRANSIT COSTS.
WE HAVE VERY HIGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE COSTS. THIS IS NOT ALL OF OUR MAKING.
I DON'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT. OKAY, TO TAKE YOUR LOGIC TO THE END, YOU'RE PROPOSING A 3/10 OF A MIL INCREASE TO FUND A SENIOR CENTER ONLY. AND THAT STILL IS ADDED TAXES ON OUR CITIZENRY.
AND THAT WOULD SAVE OUR RESIDENTS MILLAGE MONEY.
TAX MONEY. AND YOU'RE SAYING NO, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE CHARGING THEM THAT.
MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE. MY PREFERENCE IS THAT WE SPEND THE $5 MILLION TO HAVE AN EXISTING BUILDING AND USE THE COMMUNITY CENTER MILLAGE. WE HAVE NOW IN A SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT TO PAY FOR IT WITH NO TAX INCREASE.
IT ISN'T LIKE WE GOT A DISC ON IT. THEY JUST PAID EARLY BECAUSE OF INCREASING VALUES.
AND THE SAME WITH [INAUDIBLE]. MY PREFERENCE IS THAT WE HAVE NO NEW KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER.
OKAY, SO THEN HOW WOULD YOU FUND THE OPERATING COSTS OF THE SENIOR CENTER? I THINK WE LOOK AT IT BECOMES A GENERAL FUND THING THAT WE PAY FOR AS WE GO.
SO WE TAKE IT FROM OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED FOR YEARS IN ORDER TO FUND THIS.
I'M NOT SAYING TAKE ANYTHING. I SAY WE LOOK AT IT. IT'S POSSIBLE WE COULD NEED A SMALL VILLAGE, BUT NOT 1.1 MILLION. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EVEN A 0.2 MIL, WHICH IS WHAT THE MOST WE WOULD NEED TO FUND A COMMUNITY CENTER, OUR SENIOR CENTER, AND A ONE PLUS VILLAGE, WHICH IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, IT'S 8/10 OF A MIL.
THIS MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE A WANT AND NOT A NEED.
THE FACT THAT IT'S BEEN OFFERED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THE GRACE OF OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOESN'T MEAN THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS ON A COMMUNITY BASIS. I UNDERSTAND I WANT TO REPLACE IT. THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
[01:55:02]
TO BUILD IT. AND SO IT COULD BE AND I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T DONE ANY POLLING THAT THAT IS A WANT THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR TAXPAYERS WON'T WANT TO PAY.IT COULD BE. WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
THAT WANT IS A VERY QUIET WANT OUT THERE IF IT EXISTS.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT IT. AS I'VE GONE AROUND, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE AN ORGANIZED GROUP TO DO IT, AS DOES THE SENIOR CENTER. AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEY DON'T HAVE RISK OF LOSING SOMETHING.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I BELIEVE IT'S OUT THERE, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, GOING DOOR TO DOOR.
AND SO WE CAN'T IGNORE THAT. TRUSTEE WILSON AND CLERK DEMAS.
SO, TREASURER, I'M HEARING YOU SAY NO, LET ME RESTART.
TWO TASK FORCE. WE LOOKED AT EVERY CONCEIVABLE BUILDING THAT WE KNEW OF IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU'RE COMING IN AND THERE WAS NOTHING OUT THERE.
WHERE IS THAT BUILDING? TREASURER DESCHAINE. I DIDN'T COME PREPARED TO DISCUSS AN EXISTING BUILDING.
I AM DISCUSSING THE TWO MILLAGE OPTIONS. OKAY.
MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT WE USE AN EXISTING BUILDING.
THERE IS THERE ARE COMMERCIAL SPACES AVAILABLE IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT COULD BE UTILIZED FOR THIS.
WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THEM FOR THAT. WE'VE LOOKED AT SPACES TO BUILD A NEW CENTER.
NO, SIR. THAT'S INCORRECT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOOKED AT EXISTING BUILDINGS AND WE PUT FEELERS OUT TO EXISTING BUILDINGS TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY WERE INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR PROPERTIES. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ON THE SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE.
YOU HAVE MADE A DECLARATORY STATEMENT THAT YOU DO NOT WANT A MILLAGE.
TAKE THE $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, FIND AN EXISTING BUILDING, PURCHASE IT, SIT OUTFITTED AND THEN THERE WON'T BE A TAX INCREASE.
SO, I AM CHALLENGING YOU BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR IDEA.
WHERE IS THAT BUILDING? WELL, WE HAVEN'T REALLY RESEARCHED THAT.
WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT. WE MAY HAVE LOOKED AT IT TWO YEARS AGO, AND I WAS ON THAT TASK FORCE AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE IT SINCE THEN. WE'VE LOOKED AT THE SECOND TASK FORCE, AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS LOOKING FOR PROPERTIES TO BUILD A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER OR SENIOR CENTER.
WE HAVEN'T ASKED STAFF TO DO AN INVENTORY OF EXISTING POSSIBLE COMMERCIAL SPACES.
THE HASLETT COMMUNITY EDUCATION BUILDING, WHERE THEY HAVE THE LIBRARY IS A POSSIBLE SPACE.
WE MAY HAVE TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT IT. WE MAY NOT MAKE IT AS CENTRALLY LOCATED AS WE WANT TO.
SPACE IS OUT THERE. WE JUST HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AND CONSIDERING IT.
IT MAY NOT BE ON THE GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR IN THE CENTER OF THE TOWNSHIP, BUT I ASSURE YOU THERE IS COMMERCIAL SPACE AVAILABLE THAT COULD BE REHABBED AND CREATED FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER IF NECESSARY. AS FOR OPERATIONS, I'M NOT SAYING I'M AGAINST ANY MILLAGE FOR OPERATIONS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF 0.2 MILS AT MOST, NOT NEARLY ONE MIL FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER.
BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T RESEARCHED THAT OPTION OF REHABBING AN EXISTING BUILDING IN THE TOWNSHIP USING THE $5 MILLION, AND WE TAX ONLY FOR OPERATIONS FOR THIS CENTER.
SORRY, BECAUSE NO, JUST COME UP TONIGHT. NO, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST PULLING UP THE.
THE TASK FORCE MEMO BECAUSE WE DID. WE'VE GONE THROUGH POTENTIAL BUILDINGS MULTIPLE TIMES.
YES, WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, MEMBER VAGNOZZI ACTUALLY AT ONE POINT BROUGHT UP FOODS FOR LIVING.
AND OUR UNDERSTANDING AT THE TIME WAS THERE WAS A LEASE ON THE SPACE.
AND SO, WE DIDN'T PURSUE THAT. WE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT [INAUDIBLE].
WE OBVIOUSLY WE LOOKED AT YONKERS. YOU KNOW, THE AS DIRECTOR CLARK WOULD, I THINK, RIGHTLY POINT OUT THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET CHANGES ON A DAILY BASIS. IS THERE SOMETHING OUT THERE? SURE. I THINK THE QUESTION BECOMES, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THE ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WITH GETTING AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO GRAND RIVER AND MARSH TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DECENTRALIZED AS POSSIBLE TO BOTH HASLETT AND OKEMOS RESIDENTS. RIGHT. AND THEN THE SIZE.
[02:00:01]
WHICH THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF AVAILABLE SPACES THAT WOULD MEET THAT SPECIFIC OF A BANDWIDTH OF SIZE.RIGHT? BIG LOTS IS, I BELIEVE, THREE TIMES THE SIZE WHEN WE LOOKED INTO THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CHURCHES THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FIT THE FUNCTION, BUT THE BUILD OUT ON A SPACE LIKE THAT WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL. I MEAN, I THINK THE I THINK THE THREE MOVING PARTS YOU HAVE RIGHT SIZE, LOCATION AND MONEY. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT EXISTS BASED ON OUR REVIEW OF WHAT'S OUT THERE.
I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY MEET TWO OF THE THREE.
BECAUSE WE OWNED IT. RIGHT. YOU TOOK THAT TWO, THREE, FOUR, $5 MILLION OF ACQUISITION OFF THE TABLE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO JUST PLOW IT DIRECTLY INTO THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT PIECE.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO LEASING A SPACE.
AND IN TALKING TO THE STATE, IT IS LEGAL BASED ON HOW THE LAW IS WRITTEN.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE VERY HESITANT TO RECOMMEND THAT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE YONKERS SITE, ONE OF THE SURPRISES THAT CAME UP TOWARDS THE END WAS THERE HAD BEEN NO DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD ABOUT THE CAM FEES, THE COMMON AREA MAINTENANCE FEES FOR THE SITE, YOU KNOW, $60,000 A YEAR PER ANNUM ENTERING INTO A LONG TERM LEASE, WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO A LONG TERM LEASE BECAUSE THE STATE'S GOING TO NEED IT TO LOOK LIKE IT'S BEING PURCHASED.
AND MANAGER DEMPSEY AND I HAVE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE A 50 YEAR, 75 YEAR OR 99 YEAR LEASE, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD SUBSTANTIAL ESCALATORS INTO THAT.
YOUR ESCALATORS MIGHT SHOOT THIS THING OUT OF THE ROOF, BECAUSE SOMEONE IS GOING TO TRY AND SET UP A LEASE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A THEY'RE MAKING THEIR MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. SO YEAH, WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT.
THERE IS NOT THE GOLDILOCKS EXISTING BUILDING OUT THERE.
TURNS OUT THEY WERE DOING JUST GREAT. WE CALLED CORPORATE AND FOUND OUT.
SO THERE'S A THERE'S WE ARE BLESSED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF OF COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE SPACE.
JUST NOT MUCH THAT I THINK WOULD MEET ALL THREE OF THOSE CRITERIA.
ON SLIDE 14 OF YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID YOU ENCOURAGE A VOTE FOR A SENIOR CENTER ONLY, WHICH, CANDIDLY, I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT AS WELL? BUT THEN YOU SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A MILLAGE AT ALL, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DECISION.
IF WE WERE TO USE THE GENERAL FUND, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT YOU MEANT BY THOSE TWO STATEMENTS? I AM NOT ADVOCATING HERE TONIGHT FOR NO MILLAGE AT ALL.
COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE SENIOR CENTER ONLY IS THE MORE FISCALLY PRUDENT DECISION TO MAKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ADVOCATING. OKAY. IF WE WERE TO LOOK INTO NOT HAVING A MILLAGE, DO YOU THINK THAT IS EVEN AN OPTION? I DON'T KNOW. WE THE STAFF HASN'T STUDIED IT.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME HERE TO DO IT. I DO AGREE WITH DIRECTOR SCHMITT, THE GOLDILOCKS OF HAVING ALL OF OUR GOALS IN ONE BUILDING FOR $5 MILLION THAT WE CAN DO IS PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE. IF WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE NO BUILDING COSTS WHATSOEVER JUST TO REHAB AN EXISTING BUILDING.
IT WOULD LIKELY NOT BE IN THE CENTRAL CORE WHERE WE WANT IT. IT WOULD EITHER BE SOUTH OF THE TOWNSHIP, NORTH, EAST OR WEST. WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A COMPROMISE, AT LEAST ON LOCATION.
I'M NOT ADVOCATING WE SPEND NOTHING AT ALL ON A, ONLY FUND THE OPERATIONS. I'M SAYING BETWEEN OUR TWO CHOICES TONIGHT BETWEEN $44 MILLION FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER AND ESSENTIALLY $10 MILLION FOR A SENIOR CENTER. THE $10 MILLION OPTION IS THE RIGHT ONE TO MAKE.
IT'S THE ONLY FISCALLY PRUDENT ONE TO MAKE, AND IT'S THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO SEND TO OUR VOTERS.
[02:05:01]
WE'RE GOING TO OFFER A SMALL TAX INCREASE TO FUND THIS SENIOR CENTER, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROPOSE A LARGE TAX INCREASE TO FUND COMMUNITY CENTER.SENIOR CENTER. THAT'S THE MESSAGE I WANT TO SEND.
I ACTUALLY HAVE MET WITH MANAGER DEMPSEY DIRECTOR OPSOMMER AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT HAVING A MILLAGE AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE DID PULL FROM THE GENERAL FUND. AND I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL ABOUT IF WE WERE TO LOOK INTO THAT DECISION. CERTAINLY. SO CLERK DEMAS TO YOUR QUESTION, RIGHT.
WE KNOW THAT BASED ON THE CURRENT SENIOR CENTER CONCEPT, THAT'S BEFORE THE BOARD.
JUST UNDER 15, 16,000FT². RIGHT. THE COST TO OPERATE THAT BUILDING.
SO GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER, SEWER, THE TWO EMPLOYEES WHO WOULD WORK IN THAT BUILDING AND STAFF IT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT ABOUT 4.6 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF TEN YEARS. WITH REALLY EIGHT OF THOSE YEARS BEING FULL OPERATIONS.
RIGHT? TWO OF THOSE ARE CONSTRUCTION YEARS. THEN CONSTRUCTION COST.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT 9.8 MILLION. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THOSE COSTS DO SCALE.
SO, IF YOU TAKE IT FROM 16,000 DOWN TO 10,000, IT'S GOING TO SCALE SOMEWHAT PROPORTIONATELY, BUT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO NEED THE TWO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
TODAY WE HAVE 1.5 FTES. AND I THINK JUST RIGHT, WHEN WE ALL STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT, WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS TODAY WE ARE ONLY FUNDING 1.5 EMPLOYEES. THAT IS THE ONLY COST WE ARE INCURRING.
WHEN STUFF BREAKS OR CARPET HAS TO BE REPLACED, THAT'S ALSO BEING PAID FOR BY OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO, WHEN THE SENIOR CENTER MEMBERSHIP HAVE A COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL TAKE THAT TO OPS STAFF AND THEIR INTERNAL STAFF WILL REPAIR WHATEVER'S NECESSARY INSIDE THE FACILITY. RIGHT.
SO THAT'S THE HUGE. THAT'S WHY A MILLAGE IS ESSENTIAL NO MATTER WHAT.
NOW, HOW LARGE OF A MILLAGE IS A PURELY A QUESTION OF POLICY.
BUT A MILLAGE IS NECESSARY REGARDLESS, BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ASSUMING ALL THESE NEW RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT TODAY WE DO NOT HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE ONE AND A HALF PERSONNEL WHICH WE ARE RECOMMENDING, BE TWO PERSONNEL FOR A MORE RELIABLE SET OF HOURS FOR THE FACILITY. RIGHT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THAT. AND I WOULD JUST ADD FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THINGS.
[INAUDIBLE] VERY CORRECT. IT'S SCALABLE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW, 15,000 SQUARE FOOT PLAN IS I WENT THE WRONG DIRECTION.
I REALLY MESSED UP NOW. APOLOGIES. IS THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE SENIORS WANT TO REPLACE, LIKE, FOR, LIKE, WHAT THEY HAVE. BUT BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT IN AN OPS BUILDING.
WE'RE NOT IN AN EXISTING BUILDING. THERE'S CERTAIN ADDITIONAL THINGS WE HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE TO HAVE MECHANICAL ROOM. WE HAVE TO HAVE BATHROOMS. WE HAVE TO HAVE HALLWAYS, ALL THAT STUFF THAT 35% FACTOR THAT WE BUILD IN. AND SO, TO GET TO A SIZE OF FACILITY THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A DEBT MILLAGE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING THAT THE SENIORS SAID THEY WANTED IN THE FACILITY.
SO, WE STAFF ALREADY WENT THROUGH THE EXERCISE WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AT THE BEHEST OF THE SENIOR CENTER, SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE OF REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN TO THIS.
RIGHT. SO, IT WAS CUT OFF 10 TO 10 TO 15%. RIGHT.
AND SO WE'VE PULLED OUT AT THE TIME, ABOUT 17,700 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY PULLED OUT ABOUT 2000FT² TO REDUCE IT TO THE SIZE YOU SEE HERE. TO GET BEYOND THAT, THOUGH, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE POINT WE'VE MADE ALL ALONG ABOUT REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE SENIOR CENTER.
WE NEED DIRECTION ON WHAT TO PULL OUT BECAUSE SOMETHING WILL HAVE TO COME OUT.
AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE PUBLIC AS A NEED SLASH WANT IN THE FACILITY.
SO TO GET THE CONSTRUCTION WITHOUT A MILLAGE WE WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO CUT SOMETHING.
AND MAKING THAT DECISION EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER IS PROBABLY BETTER BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ROOMS. SPACES? I'M SORRY. THEY'RE NOT ROOMS YET. SOME OF THOSE SPACES HAVE VERY SPECIFIC DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS WHEN THEY TURN INTO ROOMS,
[02:10:08]
RIGHT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO POOL TABLES, SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE, HAVING A POOL TABLE IN THE BASEMENT AS A KID, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ENOUGH SPACE AROUND ALL SIDES TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SHOOT POOL.AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PROPER SPACE, NO ONE'S GOING TO USE IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE USELESS SPACE. AND SO, IF THE GOAL IS TO GET IT DOWN TO SAY, 10,000FT², RIGHT, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, 30% REDUCTION, WHICH WOULD BE A 30% REDUCTION IN COST, WHICH MAYBE WE COULD AT THAT POINT COVER THAT BETWEEN THE GRANTS CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, GENERAL FUND, HOWEVER, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION TO BE HAD.
WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT A MILLAGE IN ITS CURRENT FORMAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OTHER TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU.
SO, TALKING THROUGH WHAT? TRUSTEE WILSON PROPOSED A REDUCTION OF, LET'S SAY, 30%.
AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I WOULD WANT TO TALK OR ASK DIRECTOR WISINSKI WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF REVENUE PROJECTIONS RELATED TO PROGRAMING LIKE AND APOLOGIES, I'M SURE THIS WAS COVERED IN THE TASK FORCE MEETINGS, BUT YOU KNOW THAT GETTING RID OF.
EXCUSE ME, GETTING RID OF, LET'S SAY, ONE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM AND THE YOUTH RECREATION PROGRAM ROOM, AND HAVING ALL YOUTH PROGRAMS OPERATING IN THE GYM INSTEAD.
WHAT IS THAT IN HALF A YEAR? SORRY. YOU WERE SAYING HALF THE GYM AS WELL AS TWO GYMS? IT'D BE ONE. SO, I GUESS I'M JUST CURIOUS. IS IT JUST LIKE WE CAN HAVE LESS KIDS BE ON THESE BASKETBALL CAMPS OR IS IT A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN TERMS OF EXPECTED REVENUE? DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE NOW, OR IS THAT TOO TOUGH TO SAY? I WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW NUMBERS FOR REVENUE, BUT I CAN PUT A LITTLE CONTEXT AROUND EACH DIFFERENT AREA THAT WHETHER IT BE THE MEETING ROOM, THE YOUTH REC OR THE, YOU KNOW, HALF OF A GYM OR ONE GYM AS OPPOSED TO TWO.
SO YOUTH RECREATION IS ABOUT 5000FT² AS PROPOSED.
IF IF WE WERE TO REMOVE OR REDUCE THAT, IT WOULD MOSTLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ENRICHMENT TYPES OF CLASSES, LIKE, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, ARTS, LANGUAGE, ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF CLASSES.
THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A PROGRAM THERE.
IN ADDITION TO SPORTS FOR SHORTIES COULD ALSO BE PROGRAMED THERE.
SO AS FAR AS REVENUE I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT IF WE WERE TO REMOVE THAT, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THE ONE OF THE LARGE THE ACTIVITY MEETING ROOM, WHICH IS ABOUT 2100FT². I WOULD NOT EXPECT A REDUCTION IN NECESSARILY.
SO IT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF PROGRAMING. I'M SORRY OF REVENUE, BUT I THINK WE COULD STILL MAINTAIN THE PROGRAMING WHERE WE WILL CUT REVENUE WILL BE THE GYMNASIUM. SO THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE ACTIVITY HAPPENS.
SO IT WOULD. IF YOU THINK ABOUT TAKING TWO GYMS THAT HAVE ONE BASKETBALL COURT, ONE VOLLEYBALL COURT, AND FOUR PICKLEBALL COURTS FOR 3 OR 4 THREE. THANK YOU.
AND YOU ONLY HAVE ONE GYM. THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS HAPPENING IN THAT GYM.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO REDUCE REVENUE QUITE A BIT BECAUSE OF THAT.
YOU CAN'T HAVE PICKLEBALL WHILE WE'RE PLAYING BASKETBALL AND AND VICE VERSA VOLLEYBALL TOO.
SO WITH TWO GYMS YOU HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR MULTIPLE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
SO THAT'S WHERE I WOULD SEE THE REVENUE GOING REDUCING.
IF THAT SPACE WAS REDUCED AS WELL. GOTCHA. DID THAT ANSWER? YEAH. I REALIZE IT'S NOT AN EASY QUESTION TO ANSWER IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS DISCUSSION, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
YEAH. AND I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE REVENUE DISCUSSION, THIS IS SUCH A VARIABLE CONCEPT, RIGHT? SO, IT IS SO DIFFICULT, AND I'VE WRAPPED MY HEAD AROUND MULTIPLE THINGS.
[02:15:03]
AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OFFER.AND THEN WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. I YOU KNOW, I CAME INTO THIS MEETING TONIGHT INTERESTED IN FINDING A MAYBE A MIDDLE GROUND AND THE EVERYTHING I'M HEARING KIND OF CONTINUES TO POINT ME TOWARDS THAT. I DO THINK THE FULL EXPANSE OF 53,000FT² MODEL IS A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED TO OUR MILLAGE RATES.
AND TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, THAT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY DUE TO ECONOMIC FACTORS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
I DO THINK MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP; WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE SERVICES WE HAVE.
AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHILE SITTING IN ON A COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING TO TREASURER DESCHAINE POINT ABOUT INGHAM COUNTY MILLAGES, I THINK IT ALLOWS THOSE HIGHER RATES DO ALLOW INGHAM COUNTY AND THEREFORE MERIDIAN TO HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT ARE, I THINK, MAKE US AN AMAZING PLACE TO CALL HOME.
AND BUT THE ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE WORLD AND OUR COUNTRY, LED BY PEOPLE WHO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY DIRECT CONTROL OVER DO MAKE ME NERVOUS TO PUT 1.1 OR EVEN IF IT WITH THE REVENUE YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
I WANT TO SEE A SPACE. IT'S I'M CURIOUS IF THERE IS A WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO BUILD A REDUCED DOWN VERSION AND THEN WITH ROOM FOR EXPANSION FOR THAT YOUTH PROGRAMING, IF THERE IS A CLEAR CUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE EVERY SATURDAY FILLED WITH PICKLE BALLERS UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
AND WE WANT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR KIDS TO HAVE THEIR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, THE MATH THAT I RAN ON THE GYM, BEING AT ABOUT 15,000FT², THAT COSTS ABOUT 7.5 MILLION RIGHT THERE. THE ESTIMATES FOR RENTAL SPACE THERE WOULD ONLY EQUAL $131,000 ANNUALLY. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT PIECE BY PIECE, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD NECESSARILY SHOULD.
IT WOULD TAKE DECADES TO PAY OFF AN IMMENSELY LARGE GYM LIKE THAT BASED OFF OF THE SIZE.
AND I THINK WE ARE ALL PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS.
AND IT MAKES ME IT MAKES ME NERVOUS TO RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT LARGE AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON FINDING SOME MIDDLE GROUND.
I THINK WE ALL WANT TO DO THAT. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE A PRESSING NEED TO REPLACE THE SENIOR CENTER AND COMMIT TO $5 MILLION.
THIS BOARD COULD PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS THE SENIOR CENTER.
ONLY QUESTION FOR THE AUGUST BALLOT. AND IF IT PASSED, WE WOULD MEET THOSE GOALS.
IN AUGUST OF 26 OR NOVEMBER 26TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ELECTIONS ANYWAY.
WE COULD PUT PHASE TWO BEFORE THE VOTERS, WHICH WOULD BE A COMMUNITY CENTER.
THAT COMMUNITY CENTER WOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA THAN OF THE ECONOMY.
THE IMPACT OF DOGE AND CHAOS WE'RE GETTING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE COUNTRY WOULD SETTLE DOWN. THE COUNTRY IS VERY UNSETTLED RIGHT NOW.
WE ALL ARE. WHO KNOWS WHAT HIS NEXT TWEET IS GOING TO BE? IT AFFECTS US ALL. 18 MONTHS FROM NOW, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN A DEEP RECESSION WHEN IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY CENTER. SO, IF WE DO THIS IN PHASES, THE COMMUNITY CENTER ON THE AUGUST BALLOT, I'M SORRY, THE SENIOR CENTER IN THE AUGUST BALLOT AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN ON THE 2026 BALLOT. THE BUILDING IS LAID OUT THAT WAY. WE COULD START ONE PHASE AND THEN DO THE SECOND PHASE LATER ON.
IT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE PLAN WE GOT FROM OUR CONSULTANTS.
I'M NOT SAYING IT WOULDN'T REQUIRE SOME MODIFICATIONS, BUT IN TERMS OF COMMITTING TOWNSHIP RESOURCES AND TAX DOLLARS TO IT, WE DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT IT ALL AT ONCE. WE CAN START WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR NEED.
[02:20:05]
WE COULD PUT THE SECOND QUESTION OF A COMMUNITY CENTER BEFORE THE VOTERS.IT'S A MODERATE POSITION IN BETWEEN. IT DOESN'T CLOSE THE DOOR ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT JUST SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW, MEET OUR NEED, AND WE'LL LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE IN 18 MONTHS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW IN 18 MONTHS. AND IT SCARES THE HECK OUT OF ALL OF US, INCLUDING OUR VOTERS.
WELL, I'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO WEIGH IN TO SORT OF ON THE CONVERSATION.
THAT'S BEEN NICE TO SORT OF JUST FACILITATE FOR A MINUTE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN PHILOSOPHICALLY PRO COMMUNITY CENTER SINCE WE'VE STARTED THIS DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK AS AN ASPIRATION, THE BOARD HAS BEEN AS WELL.
IT'S WHY WE'VE ADOPTED IT AS OUR ONE OF OUR TOP FIVE GOALS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AS WELL AS THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS AND STAFF THAT JOINED ME ON TASK FORCE TWO.
AND I DID AS BEST AS I COULD. AND I THINK IF YOU WATCH THE TAPE, I HOPE YOU'LL AGREE THAT I WAS ABLE TO REMAIN AS NEUTRAL AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF TASK FORCE TWO, SO THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TRULY THE GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOT SOMETHING THAT I WAS TRYING TO DIRECT.
I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE INFORMATION HERE ON THE SENIOR CENTER AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER I BELIEVE THEY REFLECT A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE BY THAT TASK FORCE THAT WAS FREE FROM THE BIAS OF ANY ONE PARTICULAR POSITION.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER FROM A FINANCIAL PICTURE PERSPECTIVE WHAT IT IS THAT OUR RESIDENTS WILL BE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THIS COMING TAX BILL FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH IS THERE WILL BE A REDUCTION OF OFF OF OUR TAX BILLS FROM 0.4 MILLS. 0.2, THANKS TO THE GOOD EFFORTS OF TREASURER DESCHAINE.
AND THE GRACE OF THAT CAME OFF IN DECEMBER. SO, IT'S ONLY.
OH, SO IT'S ALREADY. IT'S ALREADY COME UP ONCE.
TERRIFIC. THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF TREASURER DESCHAINE AND THE AGREEMENT OF THE CATA BOARD, WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR READY RIDE MILLAGE WHILE NOT REDUCING OUR SERVICES BY 0.2 MILLS. AND AS TREASURER DESCHAINE POINTED OUT THE PRE, THE COMPLETED PAYMENT OF THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION, WHICH IS ALSO TWO MILLS, SO A TOTAL OF 0.4 MILLS COMING OFF OF OUR TAXES IN RECENT MEMORY.
ABSOLUTELY. I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO REPLACE THE SENIOR CENTER.
AT LEAST. AT LEAST AS TRUSTEE WILSON RIGHTFULLY POINTS OUT, OUR ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP IN THE SENIOR CENTER IS RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO THE POPULATION OF SENIORS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND IN ADDITION, PEOPLE OVER 65 IN THE TOWNSHIP MAKE UP ONLY 16% OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, YOU COULD ARGUE WHAT WHERE THAT SLIDING SCALE IS.
BUT FROM THE CENSUS PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SAY. AND SO TO TRUSTEE POINT, WHATEVER WE PUT IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS AND I'VE SAID THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THIS PROCESS, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF MILEAGE TO COVER SOME AMOUNT OF EITHER BUILDING OR OPERATING. IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE DOING MORE FROM A, FROM A BUILDING PERSPECTIVE, AT THE VERY LEAST IN TERMS OF FACILITIES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE PUTTING ON YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY 0.3.33 MILLS FOR 390 PEOPLE OR AT BEST, 16% OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS THAT A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO VERSUS PUTTING ON A MILLAGE FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE, EVEN IF IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE? NOW LITTLE BIT IS ME OPINING, RIGHT? YOU COULD ARGUE THAT 1.09 IS MORE AND NOT A LITTLE. I HEAR WHAT TRUSTEE WILSON IS SAYING.
[02:25:07]
AND I SENSE AGREEMENT FROM SEVERAL OTHERS ON SOME VERSION OF A REDUCED SQUARE FOOTAGE OF A SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER OPTION. AND I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE THE TASK FORCE WAS WHEN THEY WERE CONSIDERING THIS EVEN TWO MONTHS AGO VERSUS WHERE WE ARE TODAY INDICATES THE VOLATILITY OF THE ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.AND SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO CONSIDERING SOME PLAN C THAT INCLUDES A REDUCTION IN SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM A BUILDING PERSPECTIVE AND A REDUCTION IN PROGRAMING FROM AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, TALKING ABOUT IT HERE UNLESS OUR STAFF HAS READ OUR MINDS WE MAY NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SUPPORT THAT INFORMATION. I MEAN, HOW MANY NUMBERS WOULD YOU LIKE WE CAN GET? I THINK WE HAVE READ YOUR MIND. WE HAVE READ YOUR MINDS.
SO LET ME START WITH THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN DEPUTY MANAGER WILL TALK ON THIS SIDE.
THESE ARE ROUGH, RIGHT? SO, PLEASE JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING.
SO, WHAT I HEARD FROM TRUSTEE WILSON'S ORIGINAL COMMENT WAS REJECTION OF THE GYM.
ELIMINATION OF THE SMALLER OF THE TWO LARGE READING ROOMS, AND ELIMINATION OF THE YOUTH AREA.
THAT IS GROSS 14,100FT². TAKING INTO ACCOUNT 35% REDUCTION FACTOR.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY A REDUCTION IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF $10.5 MILLION.
I SAY ROUGHLY, BECAUSE YOU MAY RECALL OUR CONSULTANTS TALKING ABOUT THE SITE COSTS AND HOW THAT'S THE REASON THE SENIOR CENTER IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THE HIGHER PER SQUARE FOOT COST, BECAUSE YOU HAVE LESS SQUARE FOOTAGE TO ABSORB THOSE IN TALKING ABOUT IT.
THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF SPACE, RIGHT? SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS A $10.5 MILLION POTENTIAL REDUCTION ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, GETTING YOU TO BETWEEN 17 AND 20 OR 12 AND 15, WHICH TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FIVE FROM THE STATE.
RIGHT. CUTTING OUT HALF THE GYM, APPROXIMATELY ELIMINATING THE YOUTH ACTIVITY SPACE AND THE MEETING AND ACTIVITY ROOM, WHICH I'LL POINT THAT ONE OUT. WE'RE REFERRING TO THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE ONE OF THE LARGE MEETING ROOMS THAT WOULD BE ELIMINATED UNDER THIS SCENARIO.
WE DID NOT FACTOR IN THE 35% FACTOR. SO THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL SAVINGS BUT NOT ACCOUNTING FOR THE 35% FACTOR. WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AN OPERATING MILLAGE OF ZERO POINT ESSENTIALLY 0.35 AND A CONSTRUCTION MILLAGE OF 0.47, AND IT WILL REDUCE ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 5000 MORE SQUARE FEET, BECAUSE WE ONLY ACCOUNTED FOR 14,191FT² OF REDUCED SPACE IN THE FACILITY, WHICH WAS 7000FT² OF THE GYM, THE ENTIRE ACTIVITY AND MEETING ROOM, AND THE ENTIRE YOUTH AREA.
SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION TO SAY IT WOULD BE LESS THAN THAT, BECAUSE AS WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT, I'M TRYING TO IN MY MIND, HOW DO THOSE BUBBLES GO BACK TOGETHER.
AND SO I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THE FULL 19 THAT I AM JUST RAW HACK NUMBERS.
[02:30:01]
FOOTAGE. SO FROM 53 DOWN TO YOU KNOW, RIGHT AROUND 40, 41.AND WE RUN A, THE DEBT SERVICE ANALYSIS BASED ON THAT, THAT WILL GIVE US SOME AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY ONCE WE GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF LAYING THIS THING OUT. YOU KNOW, AFTER WE TAKE OUT BOX A.
BOX B AND BOX C OF HOW IT THEN GOES BACK TOGETHER.
IT'S ALSO AGAIN TO NOT TO HARP ON THE THEME. IT'S ALSO A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO TACKLING IT.
IT'S IT WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO OVERSHOOT THAT.
VERY EASY TO UNDERSHOOT THAT NUMBER IN THE LONG RUN.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE SMART WAY TO TACKLE THIS IS TO SAY 30% REDUCTION IN SQUARE FOOTAGE, NOT WORRY ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SPACES. AND THEN WE'LL RUN THE DEBT ANALYSIS BASED OFF THAT, IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE BOARD WANTS US TO TAKE FOR OUR FINAL MEETING ON THIS. AND ONE THING THAT WE CAN ALSO DO JUST TO ACCOMMODATE, RIGHT.
BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW WE VIEW THIS CAMPUS LONG TERM, DECADES DOWN THE ROAD, NOT JUST IN THIS IMMEDIATE DECADE. RIGHT. SO WE ALREADY HAVE THIS FOOTPRINT RESERVED AS A FUTURE ADDITION.
SO ALONG THAT SAME CONCEPT, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN TALK TO PROGRESSIVE AND DETERMINE AS WE REFINE THOSE ROUGH NUMBERS, RIGHT OF AROUND 0.8 MILLS TOTAL, WE CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW WE WOULD FRAME THIS WALL HERE, RIGHT. BECAUSE WE'D BE ESSENTIALLY REMOVING THIS HALF OF THE GYM, AND WE COULD FRAME THAT WALL IN SUCH A WAY THAT BASICALLY THERE'S A DUMMY WALL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENCLOSING IT WITH A WALL THAT IS NOT STRUCTURE.
AND WE'D STILL HAVE A STEEL I-BEAM ACROSS THE TOP.
AND WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR MIRROR THAT GYMNASIUM TO THE WEST, AS YOU SEE HERE.
SO AND WE CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THOSE COSTS WOULD BE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT. ROUGHLY, WE KIND OF FIGURED THE DISCUSSION MIGHT VENTURE DOWN THIS ROAD, MIGHT VENTURE DOWN COMPROMISE ALLEY. YES. OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO BEFORE WE GOT TOTALLY DIVERTED, I JUST WANTED TO HIT ON TWO MORE THINGS BEFORE WE BEFORE WE OPEN IT BACK UP, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE'RE NOT GOING INTO THIS BLIND.
IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS OR NEEDS.
RIGHT. THIS APPEARED ON TWO PREVIOUS COMMUNITY SURVEYS AND IN BOTH CASES WAS WELCOMED AND WAS SUPPORTED. AND IN ADDITION, THERE WAS POLLING DONE AS DEPUTY MANAGER.
OPSOMMER POINTED OUT IN OUR PREVIOUS SLIDES, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS TEN HOURS AGO, THAT INDICATED THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS, EVEN AT A 0.75 OR A ONE MILL INCREASE AT A RATE OF ABOUT 60 TO 40.
WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION. AND LASTLY, I DO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS AS IF IT'S A DRAIN ON THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? IT'S A BIG, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A SINKHOLE.
AND IT'S NOT IT'S AN ASSET. RIGHT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT A SERVICE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT THAT DOESN'T EXIST TODAY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT A COMMUNITY CENTER IN PARTICULAR OPENS UP A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR PROGRAMING THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY OFFER THAT WE COULD OFFER TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THIS.
THEY'RE GETTING ACCESS TO A FACILITY THAT THEY CAN USE SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICS.
I APPRECIATE OUR STAFF PROVIDING SOME, SOME GENERAL RAW NUMBERS.
I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME SPECIFICS IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIALS RELATING TO MIDDLE OF THE GROUND,
[02:35:03]
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OPTION IN TERMS OF A SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER.WHICH IS SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR FOLKS AT PROGRESSIVE PROVIDED TO US ALONG THE WAY WAS THAT THE COSTS ARE ONLY EVER GOING TO GO UP. IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET MORE EXPENSIVE TO DO THE SAME THING EACH AND EVERY YEAR THAT WE DO NOT DO IT.
IT WOULD BE WE'D BE HARD PRESSED TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT ONE YEAR FROM NOW, BEFORE A SENIOR CENTER IS EVEN BUILT, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER.
I THINK EVEN IN THE BEST CASE SCENARIO RELATING TO WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AT LEAST AFTER THE SENIOR CENTER COMES ONLINE, THAT WE WOULD ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER. SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE, FOUR, MAYBE FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND THE COSTS ARE ESCALATING, AS I SAID EACH YEAR.
AND SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO DO IT IN ONE BITE SOONER THAN LATER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THE INCREASED COSTS OF DELAYING.
I THINK THAT THAT ACTUALLY IS A SLIGHTLY YOU KNOW, IT MAY COST A LITTLE BIT MORE TODAY TO DO IT, BUT DOWN THE ROAD IT WILL COST A LOT MORE. AND SO, I THINK FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, WE'D ACTUALLY BE COMING OUT AHEAD TO DO IT NOW IF WE PLAN ON DOING IT AT ALL. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS ON FOR DISCUSSION. AND BUT WE DO NEED TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION TO STAFF AND TO ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE ASKING FOR NEW CALCULATIONS. WE NEED TO GIVE OUR BOND COUNCIL TIME TO ADAPT AND RESPOND.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF CLOSING OR ANYTHING, IS THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO BE MADE AT THIS TIME? REGARDING YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF DELAY, THERE ARE ALWAYS INCREASING COSTS OVER TIME.
THAT'S A FACTOR. THIS IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A YEAR AGO OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
THAT'S LIKE TIME ITSELF. IT'S UNSTOPPABLE. IF THERE IS A 60% SUPPORT FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER, YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING A VOTE FOR IT IN A YEAR.
SO I DON'T YOU'RE ARGUING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.
IF THERE IS SUPPORT FOR IT, IT WILL PASS IN A YEAR, AND WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE IMPACTS OF THESE MASSIVE FEDERAL CUTS AND THE IMPACTS OF THE RECESSION. THAT'S VERY LIKELY ON OUR DOORSTEP.
A YEAR FROM NOW. IT'S THE PRUDENT THING TO DO.
AND IF THE SUPPORT IS AS STRONG AS YOU SAY IT IS, YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING THAT THAT VOTE A YEAR FROM NOW, NEXT AUGUST OR NEXT NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. CLERK DEMAS, I WANT TO ADD THAT WE HAVE A DEADLINE COMING UP.
SO, WE DO NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BY OUR MAY 8TH BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU. IT'S A GOOD REMINDER. JUST ON THAT SAME NOTE, IS THE $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE STATE THAT THAT COMES UP IN OCTOBER, IS IT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ALLOCATED.
I'M SORRY. IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT BY SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2026.
LET'S MAKE SURE THERE'S. I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE, TIM.
THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEPTEMBER 30TH.
THAT MEANS THE SHOVEL NEEDS TO BE IN THE GROUND IN THE SPRING OF 26.
IF THE VOTE IS SUCCESSFUL, I WOULD SAY IF WE ARE, WE NEED TO BE TURNING DIRT ON MAY 1ST OF 26.
THANK YOU. SO WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF TRUSTEE TREZISE? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMPROMISE PROPOSAL, AT LEAST IN SOME ROUGH DRAFTS AND FINANCES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FULL SPECTRUM.
I'M NOT AVERSE TO VOTING FOR THE SENIOR CENTER ALONE.
I JUST THINK THERE'S A NEED IN MY MIND AND AT LEAST A STRONG WANT TO HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER.
[02:40:09]
AND MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT MEETS BOTH GROUPS AND THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.WELL, LET'S GO, LET'S GO THIS WAY. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO HAVING OUR STAFF PRESENT US WITH A REDUCED SIZE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER FINANCIAL OUTLOOK? NONE FOR ME. OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS NOW FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND 45 MINUTES.
GIVEN THAT THIS WAS ON FOR DISCUSSION AND WE'VE GOT SOME TO DO'S FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND END NOW, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT.
I THINK DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER HAD SOMETHING TO SAY.
AT LEAST TWO, PERHAPS THREE. SO WE THINK WE CAN BRING BACK 2 OR 3 MORE OR LESS HYBRID CONCEPTS, RIGHT? A SCALED BACK SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO ENGAGE PROGRESSIVE AND REDESIGNING AT THIS POINT.
IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE REDUCTION.
THIS IS THE PERCENTAGE REDUCTION. THAT WOULD BE THIS AND THIS. THIS PERCENTAGE REDUCTION WOULD BE THIS AND THIS. AND THEN THE SENIOR CENTER, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING, IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE UNLESS THERE IS A DESIRE TO PROVIDE AN OPTION THAT IS REQUIRES NO MILLAGE. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT WAS THE ONE OUTSTANDING QUESTION I HAD.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY FROM SOME OF THE SHAKING HEADS I'M SEEING.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BEFORE WE SHUT THIS DOWN.
OKAY. TRUSTEE TREZISE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.
THE THREE OF YOU DID YEOMAN'S WORK AND THE INFORMATION.
A LOT OF NUMBERS IN THERE, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND THE RESULTS THAT YOU BROUGHT TO US.
SO, THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. WE ARE BUT HUMBLE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
MY PARTING THOUGHT FOR THE BOARD. RIGHT. BECAUSE AS CLERK DEMAS POINTED OUT AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, IT YOU KNOW, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE PUT BEFORE YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU'RE MORE OR LESS GOING TO HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM, BECAUSE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANY MATH ON THE FLY.
SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SQUARE FOOTAGE REDUCTIONS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF, YOU KNOW, 20 TO 40%, PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE 30% RANGE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US BEFORE WE GO BACK AND TRY TO PUT TOGETHER 2 TO 3 CONCEPTS IN THAT SPIRIT, KNOWING THAT WHAT WE PUT BEFORE YOU IS REALLY GOING TO BE YOUR FINAL MENU OF OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM FOR PASS MAKING AND SECONDING A MOTION. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU WANT TO ASK FOR? TREASURER DESCHAINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SENIOR CENTER PROPOSAL THAT ALSO INCLUDES MORE MEETING ROOM SPACE THAT COULD WORK AS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND AFTER HOURS. SO WOULDN'T HAVE A GYM, WOULD HAVE MEETING SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT PARTS OF THE SENIOR CENTER COULD BE USED COULD BE USED BY THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT'S NOT BEING USED BY THE SENIORS, ESSENTIALLY TAKING THAT WHOLE PORCH AREA AND CONVERTING THAT INTO MEETING SPACE.
I MEAN, FUNCTIONALLY, THAT IF THE IDEA IS TO TAKE THE GYM OUT COMPLETELY.
FUNCTIONALLY, THAT IS THE SENIOR CENTER, THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER PLAN WITH A 30% REDUCTION.
IT'S REALLY WHERE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF SQUARE FOOTAGE AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMBINE CENTER. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SENIOR CENTER ONLY PROPOSAL THAT HAD MORE MEETING SPACE BUILT INTO IT. AND ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT IF YOU TAKE OUT THE YOUTH SPACE AND THE GYM OUT OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER, YOU'RE FUNCTIONALLY AT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. SO WE'LL ROUGHLY BE THERE.
OKAY. OKAY. I WOULD ASK FOR THE SAKE OF EASE THAT WE GIVE THESE A NAME.
EACH PLAN GETS A NAME TO BE REFERRED TO IN THE MOTIONS AND IN TABLES AND WHATNOT.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU CALL IT ZEBRA. IT'S GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF MEMORABLE NAME SO THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, WE CAN REFER TO IT APPROPRIATELY, JUST FOR THE EASE OF TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF THINGS AT THE NEXT MEETING,
[02:45:05]
IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE. ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN CERTAINLY ACCOMMODATE THAT.THANK YOU. BRAVO. OKAY, WELL, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A FURTHER TWO HOURS SINCE OUR LAST BREAK, SO I'D ASK THAT WE TAKE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WE COME BACK FOR OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WILL BE THE JOINT BOARD AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SCHOOL MEETING. TOPICS WITHOUT OBJECTION AT RECESS.
CAN WE ADOPT ELECTED OFFICIALS? ALRIGHTY. WE'LL BRING OURSELVES BACK TO ORDER BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE STILL HAVE QUITE A FEW AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING.
AND I'D LIKE NOT TO BE HERE TILL MIDNIGHT. ME, TOO.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 13.B THE JOINT BOARD OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS MEETING TOPICS.
[13.A. Joint Board and Local Government/Schools Meeting Topics]
MANAGER DEMPSEY. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR US? YEAH. SO IN THE MEMO, OBVIOUSLY WE OUTLINED A FEW TOPICS THAT STAFF THOUGHT ABOUT BRINGING TO THAT MEETING.YOU KNOW, THE ROAD PROJECTS ARE ALWAYS IMPORTANT. I THINK THERE'S SOME SHARED INTEREST IN DISCUSSING, IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE MIGHT HAVE WITH THE AREA AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH ON THAT.
THE RED CEDAR RIVER CLEANUP PROJECT IS ONE THAT I THINK IS A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL, BUT EVERYBODY SORT OF WORKED IN THEIR OWN BUCKETS AND THERE COULD BE SOME CONVERSATION THERE. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE MSU LAKE LANSING TRAIL ALWAYS HAS GREAT INTEREST.
SOME OF THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE UPDATE SIDE.
WE DID GET A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF THE CONFIRMED ATTENDEES.
SO THAT'S CERTAINLY, IT'S DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING TOPIC, ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T DELVED INTO A LOT YET HERE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ONE THAT'S ON THE HORIZON IN A LOT OF WAYS.
SO, WE'VE GOT THOSE THREE PLUS THOSE TWO SUGGESTIONS TO DATE AND CERTAINLY OPEN TO OTHER THOUGHTS OR IDEAS ON ANY OF THESE OR ANY OF ADDITIONAL TOPICS YOU MIGHT HAVE. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
IF WE HAVE ANY ITEMS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND PARTNERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE US SOME IDEAS OR TOPICS. WHAT DO WE THINK? ANYTHING THAT ISN'T INCLUDED ON THIS THAT WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT? YES. I'M HAPPY TO START. FIRST OF ALL, I AM UNFORTUNATELY GOING TO HAVE TO MISS THIS MEETING.
SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT I AM GOING TO BE MISSING WHILE AT A CONFERENCE FOR MY DAY JOB IS THE INTENTION REALLY JUST TO FIND COMMON GROUND WHERE POSSIBLE? YOU KNOW, REPORT ON OUR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THESE SHARED INTERESTS AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FIND FUTURE PROPOSALS THAT COULD.
OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY SAD TO SEE I WOULD BE MISSING IT BECAUSE OF MY INTEREST IN WORKING REGIONALLY, AS I HAVE MENTIONED ON THIS BOARD. SPENT, YOU KNOW, MY ENTIRE LIFE IN SIX DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS IN THIS REGION.
SO, I CAN SAY THAT I'M INCREDIBLY INTERESTED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE RED CEDAR PICKUP WHILE SERVING ON THE INGHAM COUNTY PARKS COMMISSION. I YOU KNOW, GOT TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE PLACE WHERE THOSE OF WHAT EXACTLY THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WHEN THIS CONVERSATION DOES COME FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MERIDIAN, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO ADD EVEN MORE TO OUR IMMENSE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS BY SAYING WE HAVE PUT MONEY WITH THE COUNTY TOWARDS A PROJECT THAT ALLOWS US, YOU KNOW, RIVER ACCESS TO BE AN EVEN BIGGER STAPLE OF WHAT WE DO.
SO WITH THAT SAID I AM MADE IT. NONE OF YOU ARE SURPRISED TO HEAR ME SAY I'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND I KNOW THAT WHILE THE LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT DON'T ALWAYS MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE WOULD LIKE TREASURER DESCHAINE AND I HAVE BOTH OR HAVE MET TO TALK ABOUT FINDING WAYS TO POTENTIALLY WORK WITH INGHAM COUNTY ON THEIR ON THE MILLAGE THAT THEY LEVIED AND, OR THAT WERE WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2024 TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY PROJECTS IN MERIDIAN.
I THINK WE IN MERIDIAN HAVE WE DESERVE TO GET SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS HERE WHERE THEY WILL BENEFIT OUR TAX BASE, GROW OUR SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW TO MAKE THAT MEETING HAPPEN.
[02:50:04]
WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERIDIAN LOOKS LIKE.I THINK IT'S CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT FOR JUST GROWING THIS TOWNSHIP AND EVERYTHING IT CAN BE.
AND, YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LEAVE IT WITH.
BEST EXAMPLE IS OUR WATER AND SEWER OPERATIONS, WHICH WE SHARE WITH EAST LANSING.
TRUSTEE WILSON. ABOUT THE RED CEDAR CLEANUP PROJECT.
NOT ONLY IS PARKS DIRECTING THAT ACTIVITY, BUT THE HASLETT OKEMOS ROTARY HAS COMMITTED TO THIS AS A MAJOR PROJECT TO DO THE SIGNAGE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, SO WE ARE READY AND WILLING TO DO THAT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY COMES UP.
GREAT. ANYONE ELSE? TRUSTEE TREZISE, I THINK, AND I AGREE THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT TOPIC, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN TALK ABOUT IS THE BROWNFIELD PROJECT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LATER, AND HOW THAT MIGHT FLOW IN THAT AREA. ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IF THEY'VE LOOKED INTO IT, WHAT THEIR FEELINGS ARE AND WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE. YEAH. GOOD IDEA. YEAH. THE OTHER ONE THAT I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO POSE IS, YOU KNOW HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE ENCOURAGING ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT IN THEIR DISTRESSED AREAS. THIS IS A PROBLEM WE'VE ALL BEEN FACING ALL TO DIFFERENT DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A COUPLE OF KEY AREAS IN OUR, IN OUR TOWNSHIP.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE. THAT'D BE ALSO VERY HELPFUL.
THAT'S TRUE. I WOULD ASK. I'M SORRY. I MEANT TO SAY THIS EARLIER.
AS THE MERIDIAN LIAISON ON THE TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, I HAVE, I LET THEM KNOW ALREADY THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THIS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH UP THEIR ALLEY INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORK.
I'M CURIOUS IF THERE WOULD BE ANY DESIRE BY THIS BOARD TO ASK SOMEONE FROM TRI COUNTY IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND OR IF YOU DON'T FEEL THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WORKS TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THIS BOARD.
SO I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY VALUE IN HAVING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH TRI COUNTY.
I THINK THIS MAY NOT BE THE VENUE FOR IT. THE RIGHT VENUE.
I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? SEEING.
NONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. MARCHING ORDERS. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. ITEM 13.C THE PERSONNEL POLICY UPDATE.
[13.C. Personnel Policy Update]
WE HAVE BOTH DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] AND ATTORNEY MILLS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.YOU GET THE ONE TWO PUNCH. SO WE FIND OURSELVES BACK AT PAGE 42.
IN THE POLICY WHICH BEGINS THE BENEFITS SECTION, I GUESS, AS I HAVE THIS ALL TIME, WOULD YOU LIKE TO OFFER ANY INTRODUCTION BEFORE WE GET GOING? I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING AND GOOD EVENING.
I'M GLAD THAT LINDSAY COULD JOIN US TONIGHT. I KNOW SHE'S BEEN DOING THE TOURS TO MICHIGAN.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT GLAD SHE COULD BE HERE.
SO ANY BOARD MEMBERS WITH CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ON PAGE 42? MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSURANCE? NO. OKAY. THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO FLEXIBLE SPENDING GROUP.
[02:55:03]
THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE GOOD EFFICIENCY. ANYTHING ON PAGE 54? SORRY, 44. JUST LOOKS LIKE WE'RE CHANGING SOME PRONOUNS HERE AND THERE.OKAY. PAGE 45. COMPENSATION. WE'RE AT OVERTIME PAY.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN? NO. OKAY. MOVING ON. PAGE 46. UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE? YES. HAPPY TO DO SO. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE WAS NOTHING UNLAWFUL ABOUT YOUR PRIOR POLICY.
AND RATHER, WHAT HAPPENED IS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A QUARTER CENTURY, LAST YEAR IN APRIL, THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION UPDATED ITS UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE GUIDANCE.
SO WE HADN'T SEEN ANY SUCH UPDATES AGAIN IN A QUARTER CENTURY.
AND WHEN WE SEE SUCH EXCITING ONCE IN A QUARTER OCCURRENCES, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR EXISTING POLICIES, SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. THE GUIDANCE FROM THE EEOC ON THIS TOPIC VARIES WILDLY FROM THE DEPTH TO WHICH POLICIES NEED TO GO INTO EXPLANATION DIFFERENTLY THAN WAS MAYBE PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED.
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES AND CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT WHOSE ROLE OCCURS, AT WHAT PHASE, AND WHERE DO THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES LIE? SO, IN, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PAGE 46, REALLY HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE, FOR INSTANCE, TWO PIECES OF THIS PUZZLE. ONE IS DISCRIMINATION AND ONE IS HARASSMENT.
SECOND. THEN MOVING ON TO WHAT ARE THE EXAMPLES OF HARASSMENT? OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY TIMES IF YOU NOT IN THIS TOWNSHIP, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD STEWARDS HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME ON THIS POLICY MANUAL.
BUT IN OTHER PLACES YOU MIGHT ONLY SEE, FOR INSTANCE, A SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY THAT SAYS, DON'T DO THAT. AND IT'S NOT BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER ALL OF THE OTHER TYPES OF UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT.
SO YOURS HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE ARE ADDING IN SOME LANGUAGE TO GIVE FURTHER EXAMPLES, IDENTIFYING THOSE DIFFERENT PROTECTED CLASS SPACES THAT THAT SORT OF HARASSMENT COULD FOCUS UPON BECAUSE IT IS MUCH BROADER THAN SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
SO YOU SEE SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT. FOR INSTANCE, ON PAGE 47, GIVING SPECIFIC CALL OUTS TO THESE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT. ON PAGES 48 AND 49. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IN TERMS OF CHANGES ARE, NUMBER ONE, PULLING OUT REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC LAWS. AS A POLICY DRAFTER, I DON'T REALLY ENJOY CITING LAWS.
WE CAN DO THAT IN BRIEFS. I CAN DO THAT IN A POSITION STATEMENT IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF A CLAIM.
BUT THE AVERAGE EMPLOYEE DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO TYPICALLY READ THAT SORT OF THING, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM YOU AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ME? SO WE PULLED SOME OF THOSE PIECES OUT AND GENERALIZE THOSE TERMS. AND THEN ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE GUIDANCE ADDED SPECIFIC LANGUAGE REALLY IN MORE DETAIL EXPLAINING WHAT RETALIATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WHEN THERE COULD STILL BE SOME NEGATIVE EFFECT TO SOMEONE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE, THEY INTENTIONALLY PROVIDED A FALSE CLAIM, NOT JUST LIKE THE INVESTIGATION TURNED OUT TO NOT SUBSTANTIATE IT, BUT THERE IS PROOF THAT YOU KNEW FULL WELL THAT THAT WAS NOT A LAWFUL ACTUAL CLAIM.
SO THERE ARE EXPLANATIONS WITHIN THE RETALIATION POLICIES FOR THAT EXACT REASON.
NO, YOU'RE NOT SOMEBODY WHO CAN BE SUBJECT TO RETALIATION.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORDS LIKE UNCOMFORTABLE, THAT'S A HARD ONE TO ENFORCE.
I CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND A PACKERS FAN LIONS FAN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAYBE GIVE RISE.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE LIGHT, BUT WE DO SEE.
CERTAINLY I CAN I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ABBY. MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS IS TRUE.
I CAN SAY FOR ME THAT WHEN WE HAVE LANGUAGE LIKE THAT, IT IT LEADS TO QUESTIONS, RIGHT? WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? SO TRYING TO PULL OUT ANY POTENTIAL AMBIGUITIES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE TOWNSHIP THROUGH THE DIRECTOR, THROUGH THE MANAGER AND THIS BOARD TO EXECUTE ON THE POLICY? IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE INCLUDES TO THE DIRECTION TO THE EMPLOYEES ABOUT EXPECTATIONS, ABOUT HOW THEY WILL PROVIDE COMPLAINTS. IT CLARIFIES THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE A COMPLAINT IN YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT IN WRITING OR ORALLY.
[03:00:07]
BUT AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CAPTURE IT IN WRITING SO THAT WE HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID AND A GOOD RECORD.AND THEN FOLLOWING ON THE PAGE 50, YOU SEE, WE DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE SECTION PERTAINING TO DIRECTORS, MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS, WHICH REALLY IS AN EMPHASIS ON THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT PEOPLE IN THAT LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT HAVE ON BEHALF OF THE EMPLOYER TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE DIRECTOR AND ENGAGE IN CORRECTIVE ACTION AND INVESTIGATIVE PROCESSES.
IF SOMETHING COMES TO YOU. BECAUSE WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE A SITUATION OF WHERE DIRECTOR TITHOF IS FULLY AND COMPLETELY CAPABLE OF REVIEWING A POTENTIAL UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT THAT ARISES IN A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS ALSO CRITICAL NOT TO BE FEARFUL TO THE DIRECTORS REMAINING IN THE ROOM, BUT MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS IN THEIR CAPACITY ALSO TEND TO HAVE A SEPARATE LEVEL OF LIABILITY POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE. SO I WANT TO PROTECT THEM AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CLEAR ON WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND HOW THEY'RE EXPECTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. AND THEN FINALLY AND AS TO THE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE COMPONENT, YOU'LL NOTICE A WHOLE NEW SECTION ON TOWNSHIP RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION.
SOME OF THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR LANGUAGE HERE IN THIS TOWNSHIP, BUT ALSO SOME OF IT DRAWS DIRECTLY BACK TO THAT EEOC GUIDANCE THAT I SPOKE TO PREVIOUSLY, WHICH SAID WE NEED GREATER CLARITY FOR EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY PICK UP THIS POLICY ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD EXPECT IN THE COMING PROCESS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE ARE SET DEADLINES FOR ACTIVITY.
BUT IT DOES LET THEM KNOW WHO'S THE CONTACT GOING TO BE, WHO'S THE PERSON THAT MIGHT BE INVESTIGATING THIS? DEPENDING ON WHO IS IT ABOUT. AND YOU WILL SEE IN THE MATERIAL AT THE TOP OF THE REDLINE COPY, PAGE 51. WE HAVE EXAMPLES ABOUT IT'S TYPICALLY GOING TO BE DIRECTOR TEED OFF OR SOMEBODY WORKING AS HER DESIGNATE.
IF IT HAS TO DO WITH DIRECTOR TEED OFF IN ANY WAY, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE MANAGER.
IT HAS TO DO WITH THE MANAGER. THEN IT'S GOING TO COME TO BOARD MEMBERS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE BOARD MEMBER CONTACT. SO I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. NUMBER ONE, A LOT OF FOLKS, EVEN WHEN THEY'VE BEEN LONG SERVING PUBLIC SERVANTS THERE IS SOME LACK OF CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE ARM AND THIS GOVERNING BODY.
SO, LET'S TAKE CARE OF IT. AND THEN FINALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF SECTIONS ON CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCIPLINE CONFIDENTIALITY IS A TRICKY THING. ALWAYS WITH HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION MATTERS.
THE TOWNSHIP'S EXPECTATIONS ARE THAT DURING THE PENDENCY OF THE INVESTIGATION, WE'LL DO OUR LEVEL BEST TO KEEP THINGS AS CONFIDENTIAL AS POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE INVESTIGATION. WE CERTAINLY AREN'T GOING TO BE GOING AROUND CHASING PEOPLE AND SAYING, DON'T DO. DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS. DON'T DO THAT.
BUT THE IDEA IS TO SET AN EXPECTATION THAT IF DIRECTOR TITHOF CONDUCTS A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS, THAT THOSE INTERVIEWEES AREN'T GOING TO GO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE THAT THEY THINK IS GOING TO BE INTERVIEWED AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT SHE ASKED ME, AND THIS IS WHAT I TOLD YOU. AND TO HELP MAINTAIN THAT PROTECTION AGAINST RETALIATION, THAT CAN SOMETIMES BE A PERCEPTION OR A REALITY PROBLEM THAT ARISES DURING THESE INVESTIGATORY PROCESSES. ALL THE WHILE, RECOGNIZING AS A PUBLIC EMPLOYER, WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH CONTROL OVER WHAT REALLY IS CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE A MORE CLARIFIED DISCIPLINE SECTION.
YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE IS LANGUAGE PERTAINING TO WHAT IF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ACCUSED OF WRONGDOING IS ACTUALLY A VENDOR OR A RESIDENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS AWARE OF ITS EXPECTATIONS TO MAINTAIN A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS STAFF, AND THAT THAT MAY INVOLVE SOMEHOW FOLKS COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE, AND THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN IN THOSE SCENARIOS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO TO YOUR EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT IS THE BIG PICTURE. I CERTAINLY, THOUGH, DO NOT WANT TO STEAL ANY THUNDER FROM THIS VERY TALENTED, KNOWLEDGEABLE HUMAN NEXT TO ME. SO IF I MISSED ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO CALL OUT, PLEASE DO SO.
NO, I THINK YOU ARTICULATED THAT REALLY WELL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. WELL, BOARD MEMBERS AFTER THAT THAT DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEW POLICY IS THERE ANY COMMENT ON PAGES 46 TO 52? THE NEW THE NEW POLICY OR THE UPDATED POLICY AS PRESENTED?
[03:05:08]
I'D BE AFRAID TO. I'D BE AFRAID TO. \ AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED AT THE LEVEL OF THOROUGHNESS THAT THIS NOW INCLUDES. CERTAINLY, I THINK WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION THAN WE WERE EVEN A YEAR AGO TODAY.AND AGAIN, THIS SEEMS TO HAVE REORGANIZED FULLY.
AN EXISTING SECTION. ANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE THAT HAVE DROPPED OUT ENTIRELY OR THAT HAVE CHANGED SO RADICALLY, WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. NO RADICAL CHANGES TO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES OR THE OBLIGATIONS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S NOT THE GOAL OF THE POLICY MANUAL.
SO THOSE ARE THE WERE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE PRIMARY CHANGES.
AND AGAIN, I DEFER TO DIRECTOR TITHOF. YEAH. AND WE AGREED, EVEN LOOKING AT IT WITH A BOARD POLICY REVIEW GROUP, WE DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS DID NOT HAVE TO BE WRITTEN OUT COMPLETELY VERBATIM WHEN IT WAS.
AND EVEN WHEN THINGS GET UPDATED, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT WHAT IS THE MOST RELEVANT, MOST RECENT, MOST APPLICABLE POLICY FOR THAT MOMENT.
BUT NO, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT LIZZIE WAS SAYING.
AND THEY'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK IT THROUGH WITH US AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT THEIR LEAVE PLANS IN ADVANCE TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. AND THEN WE MAKE SURE TO INFORM THEM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A LIFE EVENT INVOLVED HERE OR, YOU KNOW, BIRTH OF A CHILD AND GETTING INSURANCE TAKEN CARE OF.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE EMPLOYEE AND TO WORK THROUGH IT.
SO JUST TO SUFFICE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE THIS POLICY.
I THINK ANYTIME WE CAN GET SIX PAGES DOWN TO TWO, WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOTOR. AND RIGHT ALONG REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ADA.
WE SEE SOME STRIKETHROUGHS. WE SEE SOME CONSOLIDATION OF LANGUAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE 61? NO, I DID NOT EITHER.
WE CUT OUT QUITE A BIT OUT OF PAGES 60. WELL, ALL OF 62, 63 AND 64.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE BREVITY THERE. NEXT INTO SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY ON PAGE 65, WE REQUIRE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AUTHORIZED TO POST FROM TOWNSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. EXCELLENT.
THAT'S A NICE REQUIREMENT TO MAKE SURE WE CODIFY.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE STRIKE OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT ON PAGE 66.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE RATIONALE IS FOR STRIKING THE PRESS REQUESTS? I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BORE OUT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR AT OUR OFFICE, ACTUALLY, PRIMARILY BECAUSE PRESS REQUEST MATTERS ARE NOT UNIQUE TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY IS DESIGNED TO SPEAK TO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO SOCIAL MEDIA THAT NEED TO BE CLARIFIED, ET CETERA. THERE ARE ALREADY COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, POLICIES IN PLACE, AND WE WERE COMFORTABLE LEANING ON THOSE.
AND WE TRUST THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING DIRECTORS ALL THE WAY DOWN, THAT IF WE HAVE PRESS REQUESTS COMING THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP'S OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS, WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS SPEAKING TO. THOSE ARE NOT GOING TO BE HANDLED ANY SEPARATELY.
SO THIS WAS A DISCUSSION TO KIND OF PULL THAT OUT, MOVE THAT ALONG TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHTY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE.
ANY ISSUES THERE? CLERK DEMAS I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE INCLUSION OF PERSONAL USE ON WORK TIME.
IS THIS STANDARD TO INCLUDE FOR OTHER PERSONNEL POLICIES? YES. SO TWO THINGS ABOUT THIS, MADAM CLERK NUMBER ONE IS THAT PREVIOUSLY YOU'LL SEE ON PAGE 66 UNDER WORK RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE SECTION SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP'S ACCOUNTS, THERE WAS, ODDLY, THIS LANGUAGE THAT SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, EXCESSIVE USE OF NON-WORK RELATED USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA DURING WORK HOURS IS
[03:10:08]
SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE AND SO INSTANTLY REALIZING, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE OUGHT TO ACTUALLY MOVE THAT TO THE PERSONAL USAGE COMPONENT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP ACCOUNTS.SECOND YES, THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAN UPON IF WE HAVE SOMEONE.
NOT THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE IN THIS TOWNSHIP, BUT HYPOTHETICALLY, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S JUST SITTING AT THEIR DESK, JUST SCROLLING ON THEIR PHONE AND GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO POINT TO THAT SAYS WE HAVE SOME EXPECTATIONS NOW BEING PRACTICAL, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PRACTICAL. ONE OF OUR FIRM'S CORE VALUES IS PROVIDING PRACTICAL LEGAL ADVICE.
WE ALL KNOW EVERYBODY USES THEIR PHONES. THE IDEA IS NOT TO WALK AROUND AND LIKE, FIND THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'RE USING IT, OR YOU OPEN UP YOUR INSTAGRAM OR WHATEVER SOCIALS YOU CHOOSE TO USE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER ISSUES OR QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT. DOWN TO OUR FINAL TWO PAGES, EVERYONE.
MILITARY LEAVE POLICY. AND NOT A WHOLE LOT HAS CHANGED IN THIS.
SOME PRONOUNS. SOME DOES. I THINK WE'VE DONE IT.
I THINK THAT'S IT. ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, ANY OTHER ISSUES, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PERSONNEL POLICY SECTION THAT WE REVIEWED TONIGHT OR IN GENERAL THAT YOU'VE NOTICED IN YOUR REVIEWS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS? WELL, I COMMEND BOTH THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, OUR ATTORNEYS DIRECTOR TITHOF, AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS BEEN A PART OF GETTING THIS UP TO DATE. REVIEWING THIS AFTER 21 YEARS IS NO SMALL FEAT.
AND THERE'S A REASON WHY IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS OF POLICY TEAM, SEVERAL MONTHS OF REVIEW, AND NOW THREE FULL MEETINGS OF US DESCRIBING THIS.
I THINK THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS GET A FINAL DRAFT AND A MOTION FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
I'M QUITE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. YOU SHOULD KNOW, TOO, THAT WE'LL PROBABLY DO THAT AT THE 2ND MAY MEETING, JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF CLEANUP.
AND THERE WERE SOME EDITS IN THE FIRST TWO SECTIONS.
WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE TIME AND GIVEN THE TOPIC COMING UP IN THE NEXT MEETING, MIGHT BE GOOD. SHOULD WE HAVE REALLY SHOULD WE TRY TO KEEP IT JUST TO SET EXPECTATIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SURE. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT.
[13.D. Brownfield/Housing TIF Program and Procedures Amendment]
SO SHE'S NOT LAST AGAIN. SO DIRECTOR CLARK IS HERE TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE BROWNFIELD HOUSING TIF AMENDMENTS.OKAY. SORRY. AND APOLOGIES FOR MY VOICE. I JUST I TOLD THE MANAGER I'M PRACTICING TO BE MARGE SIMPSON THIS WEEK, SO JUST GO WITH IT. LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ME AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
AGAIN, BEFORE THE BOARD IS A DRAFT POLICY CHANGING THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND POLICIES PROCEDURES THAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO INCLUDE HOUSING. AT OUR LAST MEETING, THE BOARD ASKED ABOUT UPDATING THE DEFINITIONS INCLUDED IN THE POLICY.
SO THE DEVELOPER AFFORDABLE DWELLING UNIT INCOME, QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD.
THOSE ITEMS WERE UPDATED AS WELL AS THE BOARD HAD QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING OF A BROWNFIELD PLAN THAT WOULD USE THAT WOULD APPROVE HOUSING AS AN ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY. HOW WOULD STAFF MANAGE THAT INCREASE TO 10% OF THE TIF CAPTURE OF THE PLAN? OF ANY APPROVED PLAN THAT INCLUDES HOUSING IS A REGULAR FEE THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SO THAT THEY COULD HIRE A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES AND MANAGEMENT FOR THAT PLAN.
QUESTION REGARDING LANGUAGE OR POLICY ABOUT INCOME QUALIFICATIONS, SHOULD IT EXCEED 120%? WE DID REACH OUT TO [INAUDIBLE]. AND THEY WERE RESPONSIVE. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY POLICIES, AND THEY DO NOT MAKE POLICIES WHERE A INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD EXCEEDING A CERTAIN PARAMETER LIMIT, DEPENDING ON WHATEVER PROGRAM IT IS THAT THEY, THAT THERE'S ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE HOUSEHOLD.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR. SO THE INCOME QUALIFICATION COMES AT THE START, RIGHT? THE START OF THE RENT OR THE SOME OF THE CASES THE FOR SALE COMPONENTS FOR [INAUDIBLE].
THE AFFORDABLE FOR SALE DWELLINGS WAS ANOTHER MAJOR COMPONENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
[03:15:05]
DIRECT BENEFIT TO THE DEVELOPER. ANCILLARY BENEFIT TO THE END USER AND POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING THE REPAYMENT OF THE TIF REIMBURSEMENT OVER TIME SHOULD PROPERTY SELL. AND SO WE TOGGLE BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS.WE'VE COME UP WITH PLAN DURATION IS THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD AT EVERY PLAN.
IF IT'S FOR SALE, THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD IS TEN YEARS.
THERE ARE CAVEATS. THERE'S ONE CAVEAT OF FOUR.
SO LET'S SEE. LET ME GET MY THINGS FOR D.6.B.
THAT ALLOWS A CURRENTLY OCCUPYING INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD TO SELL THE DWELLING AT MARKET RATE.
AND THERE ARE PARAMETERS OF WHAT COULD, WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IF THEY SELL THE PROPERTY AT MARKET RATE.
OUR ATTORNEYS HAD SOME HAD SOME CONCERN THAT ONCE THE PROPERTY SELLS TO A SECOND HOUSEHOLD, THAT FOR THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL, THAT PARTICULAR DWELLING UNIT, THE BROWNFIELD PLAN IS GOING TO END.
SO SETTING UP THE AFFORDABILITY AS THE DURATION OF THE PLAN REQUIREMENT, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WHERE THE QUALIFIED INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD NEEDED TO MOVE IN YEAR 1 OR 2 FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON. THEY'RE GOING TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO ANOTHER INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD AT THE MSHTA SALES PRICE LIMITS FOR THE COUNTY OF THAT YEAR. SO THERE REALLY IS NO INCREASE AT THAT TIME.
IF IT IS SOLD AT MARKET RATE, 25% OF THAT PROFIT COMES BACK TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TOWARD AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND FOR IT TO BE DELEGATED AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT DISBURSEMENT.
IT STILL INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT FOR APPRAISALS, LISTINGS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BROWNFIELD AND TO MSHTA. SO THOSE WERE OUR MAJOR CHANGES FROM OUR LAST DISCUSSION.
OKAY. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. TRUSTEE WILSON? IN THAT SAME SECTION, HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO TRACK THE SALE OF A HOUSE AFTER SEVEN YEARS AND KNOWING THAT THAT 25% IS GOING TO COME BACK TO THE BROWNFIELD, WHATEVER THEY CALL IT.
HOW ARE YOU PLANNING ON TRACKING THAT? WILL THIS BE A LEAN OF SOME TYPE ON THE ORIGINAL MORTGAGE, OR WILL IT BE A CONDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO THE MORTGAGE OR SOMETHING? I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THIS AND HOW DIFFICULT THIS WOULD BE.
THE DEED RESTRICTION IS GOING TO SAY THE DURATION.
THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD IS FOR THE APPROVED PLAN DURATION, WHATEVER THAT IS.
AND THEN IF IT IS YEAR SEVEN, THAT INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD OWNER SELLING TO THE SECONDARY PERSON IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE TOWNSHIP OF WHAT THEIR SALE PRICE WOULD BE WITH THE APPRAISAL. AND THEN THEY WILL INCLUDE THE LISTING AGREEMENTS FOR THE SALE PRICE AND THE CLOSING OF.
THE DWELLING HAS TO BE AT MARKET RATE THEY ARE PROVIDING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION FOR US.
OKAY. THAT IS WHEN OUR ATTORNEYS BELIEVE. YEAH, THAT'S THROUGH THE DEED RESTRICTION.
THAT'S WHEN OUR ATTORNEYS BELIEVE THAT THAT BROWNFIELD PLAN FOR THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL WOULD END.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY FEEL LIKE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY MORE ENFORCEMENT AFTER THAT.
IT'S TRYING TO GET IN THE MIDDLE OF HOW DO WE TRACK WHO'S GOING TO OCCUPY THE UNIT.
SECONDLY, IF THAT WERE TO COME, HOW DO WE ALLOW SOMEONE TO HAVE SOME UPWARD MOBILITY OR MOVE INTO MARKET RATE IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, BUT ALSO KNOW AND IDENTIFY WHO IS GOING TO BE IN THAT UNIT IN THE SECOND, AND THEN HOW CAN YOU ENSURE THAT THAT 25% PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THAT THAT WOULD BE A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THIS AGAIN, IS A SALE PRICE. IT SHOULD BE CONFIRMED WITH THE REPORT.
[03:20:04]
THERE'S ANNUAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.SO THEY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY REPORTED TO US IN YEAR SEVEN.
IT WOULDN'T BE GREAT, BUT HOW COULD YOU COLLECT? IT WOULD BE THE QUESTION. YES. YEAH. I MEAN, MY EXPERIENCE ON THESE IS THE DEED RESTRICTION PROCESS KICKS IN WHEN THE TITLE INSURANCE IS BEING DONE RIGHT AND IT'S OFTEN THE LENDER OF THE BUYER.
THERE'S ALMOST ALWAYS SOMEONE KNOCKING AT THE, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES DOOR OF.
HEY, WE NEED TO GET THIS CLEANED UP. LET'S GET THIS RIGHT IN ORDER.
SO PART OF THAT THEN, IS THAT CLOSING? THEY HAVE TO WE HAVE TO SEE THAT CLOSING STATEMENT, VERIFY THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL BE COMING TO US.
SO, THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD THAT DEED RESTRICTION IS A POWERFUL TOOL.
CORRECT. AND NOT DONE ANNUALLY AFTER THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? FOR THE FOR SALE UNITS. SO, IF IT'S A TEN YEAR DURATION REIMBURSEMENT THERE IS AN ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.
AND THIS IS THE YEAR ONE. AND IT WOULD BE AMBER CLARK YEAR TWO.
SAME THING. SO IT'S ANNUAL REPORTING REQUIREMENT FOR ALL OF THE HOUSING DWELLINGS.
AND IF THEY ARE NO LONGER INCOME QUALIFIED INCOME QUALIFIED IN YEAR TWO.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE OWNER. THERE ARE NONE IN THE FOR SALE THERE.
REALLY? YEAH, THERE REALLY ARE NONE IN THE FOR SALE. SO, WE WILL KNOW THERE ARE OVER INCOME.
BUT WE. NOTHING CHANGES FOR THEM. CORRECT. OKAY.
REGARDING THE SALE THAT WITHIN THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS, THE UNIT CAN BE RESOLD TO AN INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD. THAT APPLIES TO MULTIPLE SALES AS WELL.
QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD. YEP. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY.
CORRECT. TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU. REGARDING FOR J THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.
SO, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY, THE POTENTIAL TO USE IT FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE. IF WE UPDATE THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SOMEONE BUILDS UNDER THE, UNDER THIS PRETENSE. THE SOONEST THAT THIS FUND COULD BE USED FOR THAT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS PROBABLY LIKE EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT. CORRECT. YEAH, I'D EVEN SAY NINE.
RIGHT. SO GREAT. GREAT WORLD. THEY GET IN THERE.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING. THE HANDS HAVE CHANGED OVER THAT.
25% COMES FROM THAT MARKET SALE DEPENDING ON HOW GREAT OF THAT PROFIT IS.
CORRECT. RIGHT. THAT'S HOW MUCH WOULD COME INTO THE FUND. SO YES, EIGHT YEARS. NINE YEARS.
OKAY. AND WITH THE, YOU KNOW, CHANGING LAWS AND POLICIES AT THE STATE LEVEL, IS THERE ANYTHING TO THINK ABOUT THERE? YOU KNOW THAT THIS FUND MAY BE SUBJECT TO EIGHT YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THAT IT WOULDN'T BE SUBJECT TO NOW OR ONCE WE ESTABLISH THIS BECAUSE IT IS OUR POLICY EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW, IT IS TO BE USED AS WE DIRECT IT RATHER THAN ANYTHING WITH MSHTA BEING INVOLVED. CORRECT. THIS IS OUR POLICY.
SO THIS IS THIS IS HOW WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THE POTENTIAL OF ONE.
TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM ABUSING, GETTING AN INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD AND THEN GOING BACK OUT IN THE MARKET AND RECEIVING AN ABSORBENT HIGH PROFIT FROM THAT SALE. AND THEN ALSO TO KIND OF REINVIGORATE A LOT OF THE GOALS THAT THE BOARD HAS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WE HAVE A REVOLVING LOAN FUND IN THE BROWNFIELD RIGHT NOW THAT'S SIMILAR.
AND IT'S DOING REALLY WELL. AND A LOT OF OUR POLICIES RELATE TO SPECIFICALLY, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT THE BROWNFIELD CAN DO WITH THAT REVOLVING LOAN FUND. IT DOES GO BACK TO THE SPECIFIC STATE ACT, BUT ALSO IN OUR POLICY OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
GREAT. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT ADDITION, AND I AGREE THIS GOES TOWARDS THE STATED GOALS OF THIS BOARD, SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
[03:25:02]
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FOR SALE. THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD IS IT CAN VARY. IS THAT ACCURATE? CORRECT. WELL, THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD IS THE DURATION OF THE REIMBURSEMENT PLAN.IS THE PLAN DURATION? SURE. SO, DEVELOPER ASKS FOR 30 YEARS.
IT COULD BE 30 YEARS. DEVELOPER ASKS FOR TEN YEARS. IT COULD BE TEN YEARS, ET CETERA.
CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. I LOVE THE END RESULT OF THE 25%. MY CONCERN IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO FEEL LIKE FOR THE SELLER OF THE HOME WHEN I MEAN, IDEALLY, THEY COULD WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD.
RIGHT. AND THERE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY AT THAT POINT THERE WOULD BE NO RESTRICTION AT ALL.
AND THEY COULD SELL IT FOR 100% OF THE MARKET RATE VALUE.
CORRECT. OKAY. YEAH. WE HAVE NO ENFORCEMENT AT THE END OF THE BROWNFIELD PLAN OF THE DURATION.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIG OLD STAR ON THE CALENDAR.
HEY, I CAN SELL THIS FOR A MARKET RATE. AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND THEY'RE GOING TO SELL THEIR HOUSE FOR MARKEDLY MORE THAN THEY BOUGHT IT FOR. AND IN THE FACE OF A WINDFALL.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY'RE GOING TO GET HIT WITH 25% OFF.
MY CONCERN IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF SUDDEN ILL WILL DIRECTED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S WAY.
SO I GUESS LET ME START WITH THE QUESTION OF, IS THIS AN INVENTION OF OURS, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE BORROWING FROM OUR FROM FOLKS WHO HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE? THIS IS AN INVENTION OF OURS. SO, WHEN I ASKED MSHTA.
AGAIN, I SAID, HEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OR ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO ENFORCE AND CONTINUE TO KEEP TRACK OF THE FOR SALE UNITS FOR INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD? THEY SAID NO. IN FACT, SEVERAL COMMUNITIES ARE COMING UP WITH VARIOUS WAYS OF HOW THEY WILL MANAGE THAT.
AND THEY ACTUALLY SAID THEY'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT WE COME UP WITH. YEAH, I GUESS AS AN INITIAL PUSH INTO THIS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'LL NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER UNTIL AT LEAST 8 OR 9 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
I WONDER IF 25% IS TOO MUCH OF A PERCENTAGE TO TAKE OFF THE TOP.
I JUST I WORRY THAT WE ENJOY A LOT OF POSITIVE SENTIMENT COMPARED TO OTHER UNITS OF GOVERNMENT AT EVERY LEVEL.
AND I WORRY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT ILL WILL OR SIGNIFICANTLY INSPIRE ILL WILL BY.
TAKING AN AMOUNT THAT COULD BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, LIKELY WILL BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS OF SOMEONE'S LIFE.
SO IF IT IS A 30 YEAR PLAN, THE AFFORDABILITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 30 YEARS.
AND THEN TWO, CONTINUE TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THE NEXT PERSON.
I THOUGHT THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE PAY BACK INTO TRYING TO MAKE AFFORDABILITY FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD OR FOURTH PERSON THAT BUYS AT MARKET RATE, RIGHT? IF THEY BUY AT THE INCOME QUALIFIED. MSHTA SALES PRICE LIMITS THAT THAT IS INCOME QUALIFIED, RIGHT. IT IS AFFORDABLE ACCORDING TO THE STATE'S PARAMETERS.
BUT IF THEY BUY MARKET RATE, THIS IS OUR WAY OF BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT TRANSACTION.
[03:30:02]
ONE CONTINUED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS KNOW WHO THE SECONDARY INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS ARE, TOO, AND THAT WE COULD HELP THEM WITH SOME AFFORDABILITY.BUT 25% IS THIS WHOLE THING IS OF OUR MAKING SO WE CAN CHANGE IT.
THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE I SAW YOU. YEAH. THE IDEA OF SOME OF THIS HAVING A 30 YEAR PAYBACK IS KIND OF FRIGHTENING. BUT THAT ASIDE, I THINK THE FEE WE'RE CHARGING THEM IS TO GET OUT OF THEIR INCOME RESTRICTION AND SALES RESTRICTIONS EARLIER THAN THEY'VE SIGNED ON TO BE.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, IT COULD BE A SLIDING SCALE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH EARLIER THAN THE LIMIT IS.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, 5% A YEAR OR 6% A YEAR FOR ANYTHING BEFORE YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELL IT ON THE TERMS OF THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. SO. I THINK THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
THE INITIAL DISCOUNT OFF OF MARKET RATE IS GOING TO BE WHAT PERCENTAGE? OH, DEPENDS. IT REALLY DEPENDS. LET'S SAY 30%, YOU KNOW.
YEAH. SO WE'RE JUST SO THE HOUSE IS GOING TO INCREASE IN VALUE.
WITH A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT SECOND MORTGAGES, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY ALLOWED IN THIS CASE? THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, FOUND EARLY ON THAT THEY WERE HELPING A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT, AND THEY'RE BUILDING HOUSES FOR THEM AND GIVING THEM, PUTTING THEM IN THESE HOUSES AND WALKING AWAY THINKING, BOY, WE JUST DID A GREAT JOB.
AND SO UNINTENTIONALLY, THEY ENDED UP TAKING A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EFFORT AND MONIES AND IT ALL BEING LOST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOMEOWNER COULD BE OFTENTIMES PREYED UPON BY THESE SECOND AND THIRD MORTGAGES.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT QUESTION. WILL WE ALLOW THEM UNTIL WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD VALUE? OKAY. I CAN LOOK INTO THAT. I'M GLAD IT DOESN'T APPLY TO INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS.
CORRECT. THAT'S A GOOD OUT. YEAH. IS THERE ANY APPETITE IN EXPLORING A SLIDING SCALE AS OPPOSED TO A FIXED PERCENTAGE BASED ON THE PRICE OF THE HOUSE? ARE YOU THINKING BASED ON THE YEARS? SO, IF THEY HAVE 15 YEAR REPAYMENT AND THEY SELL IT, WE SAY THEY CAN SELL IT AFTER SEVEN.
DO THEY PAY A LARGER PERCENT BECAUSE THEY SELL IT EIGHT YEARS EARLY? IF THEY'RE ON A TEN YEAR PLAN, IT'S A SMALLER BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY THREE YEARS OUT OF.
I'M INCLINED TO. I GUESS I DON'T KNOW. I'M SORRY I'M LATE.
LATE MEETING. I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE THAT I WANT TO SEE AS MUCH GO TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. I WOULD SAY, LIKE, AS A TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HELP FACILITATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
AND IF THERE IS A A PERCENTAGE THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY, IN THIS CASE, 25% TO THE TOWNSHIP, I THINK THAT IS A SOMEWHAT REASONABLE AMOUNT CONSIDERING THE BLANKET THAT WE PUT OVER THEM TO PROTECT DURING THIS PROCESS IN THE BEGINNING. HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE.
I'M SORRY. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YEAH, I JUST THREW THAT OUT AS A SUGGESTION.
NOT THAT I'M SUPPORTING IT, BUT IF THEY'RE BUYING THE HOUSE AT A 30% DISCOUNT, THEY'VE GOT A PROFIT BUILT IN. SO AT THE END OF SEVEN YEARS, ASSUMING PROPERTY PRICES DON'T TANK LIKE THEY DID IN 2007 OR WHATEVER, 2008, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PROFIT ON THAT.
SO 25% AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS. THE NET PROCEEDS.
[03:35:05]
SO OVER WHAT NET PROCEEDS AFTER THE MORTGAGE IS PAID OFF.YES. YEAH. SO, IT COULD BE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.
YEAH. IT COULD BE. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. CLERK DEMAS.
YEAH. I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE AND TRUSTEE LENTZ SAID.
SPENDING MONEY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT ALSO IS FAIRLY LATE, SO I'M IN THAT SAME BOAT.
WE'RE ALL IN THAT BOAT. WELL, THAT'S DEMOCRACY FOR YOU.
OKAY, SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL OKAY WITH IT. WE LIKE THE 25%.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH ENFORCEMENT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ON THAT WITH THE BROWNFIELD POLICY, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE ATTACHED TO THE TO THE SPECIFIC PARCEL FOR THAT UNIT.
REALLY? ANYTIME IT'S. YEAH. I WOULD IMAGINE ANY TIME THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY TAKEN ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH MAYBE THAT'S SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE WE PUT IN. THAT THAT IS A PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORTING THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE DEVELOPER OR PROPERTY OWNERS REQUIREMENT TO THE TOWNSHIP.
PERHAPS IT CAN BE DONE WITH ANOTHER DEED RESTRICTION? I DON'T KNOW, BUT LAWYERS MIGHT HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. WELL, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE TAKEN THIS UP A COUPLE OF TIMES ON DISCUSSION.
I THINK SO. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU AT A FUTURE MEETING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
BARBARA O'KELLY, THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND. SAME RULES AS THE FIRST TIME AND AS ALL THE TIMES.THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A. THE SHEETS I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF DRAWING TAKING, MODIFYING THE PLANS FROM PROGRESSIVE.
I PUT ALL THE SAME SPACES IN AND REARRANGED IT SOME TO SHOW THAT IF WE DID A STANDALONE SENIOR CENTER WITH THAT PLAN WITH THE CENTER ENTRANCE, I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE PARKING IS MUCH EASIER FOR EVERYBODY THAN AN ENTRANCE WAY OVER AT THE END.
AND THEN ON THE SECOND PAGE IS A PLAN FOR A COMBINED THE COMBINED COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER WITH TWO ENTRANCES. THE MORE RECTANGULAR SHAPES OF THESE BUILDINGS WILL DECREASE THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
NOT SO MANY DIFFERENT ROOF ANGLES. ROOF PIECES.
SO THIS IS WITH THE SENIOR CENTER ALONE AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER AS PROPOSED BY ALL PROGRESSIVE BUT WITH A SECOND ENTRANCE. AND CONVENIENTLY, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE DISCUSSION THAT WOULD HAPPEN TONIGHT, BUT CONVENIENTLY, YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DOTS AND ON THE IN THE GYM.
AND IF YOU JUST SLICE DOWN THROUGH THERE, THAT WOULD CUT OFF.
THAT WOULD LEAVE THE ABOUT THE ONE GYM MORE MEETING SPACE AND A NICE CLEAN PLACE TO BUILD ADD ON IN THE FUTURE. SO, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU WILL ASK AT LEAST TO SEE PROGRESSIVE PLANS FOR A22 ENTRANCE FACILITY AND WOULD REQUEST THAT THE POLICE, SOMEONE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY, COME AND MEET, PERHAPS WITH OUR ADVISORY BOARD OR.
AND WE ALWAYS HAVE OTHER MEMBERS AT THE MEETINGS.
THERE WILL BE STAFF PRESENT ALL THE TIME. THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS.
THERE WILL BE KEYCARD ACCESS TO THE SENIOR PORTION ANYHOW.
AT LEAST THAT HAS BEEN THE PLAN. SO PLEASE ASK THE STAFF TO EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CARD FROM JOSH NAHEM.
WELCOME BACK. WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A LITTLE WHILE. HELLO.
MY NAME IS JOSH NAHEM, 1517 RIVER TERRACE, EAST LANSING.
IT'S IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, CONFUSINGLY ENOUGH.
[03:40:02]
I JUST WANTED TO. I KNOW IT'S LATE. I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS REAL SHORT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN, ESPECIALLY THESE LATE HOURS. I WANTED TO MENTION THAT SOME OF THE TIMES THAT I CAME HERE PREVIOUSLY, I WAS JOINED BY MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HELPING US, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME OF THE FINAL MONTHS OF OUR LIVES HAVING SOME FUN ACTIVITIES FOR HER TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIL GOVERNMENT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 953.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
SEEING NONE, MOVE TO ADJOURN. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 9:53 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.