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>> [BACKGROUND] ARE WE ALL SET? WE'RE ALL SET.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
IT IS SIX O'CLOCK, AND THIS IS THE MAY 20TH, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WILL THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE?
>> I'D ASK FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF THE MOTHER OF KATHY SUNDLAND WHO PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ROLL CALL WITH DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> TRUSTEE LENTZ. TRUSTEE SUNLAND. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> FIVE BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AND TWO ARE ABSENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FOUR 4A,
[4. PRESENTATION]
INTRODUCTION OF A NEW POLICE OFFICER.WE HAVE CHIEF GRILLO HERE TO MAKE THAT INTRODUCTION.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE EVERYBODY TO OUR NEWEST HIRE KEEGAN CRABB.
KEEGAN GREW UP IN MORRIS, MICHIGAN, AND WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS ACTUALLY THE MASCOT.
>> AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT KEEGAN.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, HE WENT TO BAKER COLLEGE, AND HE BECAME A PART-TIME FIREFIGHTER AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES.
HE WASN'T SURE WHAT HE WANTED TO DO LONG TERM, WORKED FOR MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, GOT A JOB WORKING SECURITY IN JACKSON AT A HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS BASICALLY RECRUITED TO GO INTO POLICE WORK.
HE WAS SPONSORED THROUGH THE WASHTENAW POLICE ACADEMY BY SOMERSET TOWNSHIP AND BECAME AN OFFICER THERE FOR A SHORT TIME, REALIZED THAT HE WANTED SOMETHING BIGGER.
GROWING UP IN MORRIS, HE SPENT TIME IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP QUITE OFTEN, JUST SHOPPING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE HAS RELATIVES THAT LIVE HERE AND ALWAYS HAD AN AFFINITY FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
ONE OF OUR FORMER OFFICERS WENT TO THE POLICE ACADEMY WITH HIM, AND HE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO GIVE US A SHOT.
WHEN HE FOUND OUT WE HAD OPENINGS, HE WAS EAGER TO APPLY, AND I WILL SAY WHEN I TALK ABOUT EAGER, SINCE I'VE STARTED BEING IN CHARGE OF THE HIRING PROCESS IN 2018, HE'S PROBABLY THE MOST EAGER RECRUIT THAT WE'VE HAD.
[LAUGHTER] HE'S SOMEBODY WHERE WHEN WE'D ASK HIM FOR SOMETHING FOR HIS BACKGROUND, REPLYING WITHIN FIVE MINUTES.
WHEN I MET WITH HIM, WANTED TO KNOW WHEN HE COULD GET STARTED.
IT'S LIKE, THERE'S STILL A PROCESS WE GOT TO GET THROUGH, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW ENTHUSIASTIC HE IS ABOUT JOINING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE MAKES NUMBER 40 FOR US, AS FAR AS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICERS WE HAVE.
I WE HAVE VERY PROMISING CANDIDATES FOR POSITIONS 41 AND 42.
I ANTICIPATE THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, WE WILL BE FULLY STAFFED, WHICH IS, TO ME, A PRETTY TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT CONSIDERING WHERE WE WERE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE KEEGAN WITH US, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KEEGAN.
>> HI. I DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE MUCH,
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BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY, AND I WILL NOT LET ANYBODY DOWN.IF I DO, I'LL KNOW ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU GUYS DO, AND I'LL MAKE SURE I'M CORRECT THAT.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 4B, THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT.
WE HAVE JENNY MARR AND TOM MOORE HERE FROM CADL.
>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M JENNY MARR, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARIES.
WITH ME TONIGHT, I HAVE TOM MOORE, WHO'S THE HEAD LIBRARIAN FOR THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BRANCHES.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP APPOINTEE TO THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WHICH IS SANDY DRAKE THERE.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR 2024 ANNUAL REPORT.
YOU HAVE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PORTION IN FRONT OF YOU, THE BOOKLET ON THERE.
THE FULL CADL ANNUAL REPORT WHEN IT'S READY, WILL BE ONLINE ON OUR WEBSITE AT CADL.ORG.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE PAST YEARS ANNUAL REPORTS ON THERE GOING ALL THE WAY BACK.
WE'LL HAVE THAT SOON ONLINE AND GO THROUGH.
BUT FOR TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
2024 WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE GOTTEN BACK TO SOME OF OUR STATISTICAL NUMBERS SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC OF 2020, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE EVERYTHING BACK UP TO NORMAL AGAIN, WHATEVER NORMAL MEANS ANYMORE.
OVERALL, IN CADL, WE HAD A 12% INCREASE OVER 2023 IN OUR LIBRARY CARDS THAT WE HAD, WE SAW LIBRARY VISITS UP ABOUT 1%, AND CIRCULATION OVERALL WAS ABOUT 4%.
NOW, FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS LANSING AND OKEMOS BRANCHES, LIBRARY CARDS WERE UP 8%, WHICH IS PRETTY NORMAL.
OKEMOS, IN PARTICULAR, IS ONE OF OUR BUSIEST BRANCHES, AND HAZLET ALSO, THEY'RE ALWAYS IN THE TOP 3 [LAUGHTER] FOR BUSYNESS.
LIBRARY VISITS FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BRANCHES WERE UP 3.4%, AND CIRCULATION WAS UP 6.2%, SO IT'S BEEN VERY BUSY.
THEY'RE HEAVILY USED LIBRARIES.
ON THE FRONT OF YOUR BOOKLET THERE, YOU ALSO HAVE SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE, IT SAYS VALUE ABOVE MILLAGE.
WHAT THAT IS IS WE ASSIGN A AMOUNT TO EVERY ITEM IN OUR COLLECTION THROUGHOUT CADL, AND THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE MILLAGE REVENUE FROM ANY MUNICIPALITY IS, FIND OUT WHAT THEIR OVERALL CIRCULATION WAS, AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT VALUE YOU GOT BACK BEYOND THAT.
THE VALUE DOESN'T TAKE INTO OTHER THINGS LIKE THE VALUE OF HAVING QUALITY PROGRAMS, EXPERTS, SEASON STAFF, AND ALSO JUST THE VALUE OF HAVING A COMMUNITY HUB [INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION AND CONNECTION.
BUT FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHILE MILLAGE REVENUE WAS UP 6.5% FROM '23-'24, YOUR VALUE ABOVE THE MILLAGE WAS UP 25.5%.
FOR THE MILLAGE REVENUE THAT CADL RECEIVES FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, YOU GOT $10.8 MILLION IN VALUE ABOVE THAT MILLAGE.
IT IS AN EXCELLENT VALUE FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'D ALSO SAY, THE BRANCHES HERE DO A LOT OF INNER LIBRARY LOAN BECAUSE THERE IS VERY HEAVILY CIRCULATING IN YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S BOOKS, AND SO HAVING THE WHOLE OF CADL TO BORROW FROM HAS BEEN A REAL HELP TO THE BRANCHES HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE VORACIOUS READERS.
[LAUGHTER] WITH OUR INNER LIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM WE HAVE, YOU CAN ALSO OFTEN GET THINGS TO PEOPLE THE NEXT DAY FROM ONE OF OUR OTHER BRANCHES.
IT'S REALLY BEEN A VALUE ADD TO CADL WITH THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LIBRARY, SPRING, BUT ALSO, I THINK THEY ALSO BENEFIT FROM HAVING THIS LARGER COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT INGHAM COUNTY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.
I WANT TO JUST MENTION BRIEFLY, WE ARE COMING TOWARDS THE END OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AT CADL.
WE ARE GOING TO BE WRAPPING UP SOON WITH OUR RETREATS TO DIGEST ALL THE DATA AND ALL THE INFORMATION WE GATHERED.
WE DID SURVEYS AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAD ONE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED.
WE'RE BRINGING ALL THAT BACK IN, AND WE SHOULD HAVE OUR FINAL DRAFT READY FOR APPROVAL BY THE BOARD IN JULY.
WE'D LOVE TO COME BACK IN THE FALL AND GO THROUGH IT WITH YOU GUYS, LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE LEARNED, AND SHARE WITH YOU INFORMATION FROM OUR SURVEYS.
WE DO HAVE THE ENGAGEMENT REPORT THAT WE DID AFTER THE ONE-ON-ONE IN COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
THAT'S ONLINE ON OUR WEBSITE ON OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PAGE,
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PERUSE THAT.>> I CAN SEND THAT LINK TO THEM.
>> UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO TOM.
HE IS GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR SUMMER READING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [LAUGHTER]
>> JENNY SAID THAT SHE GETS TO TALK ABOUT THE SERIOUS STUFF AND I GET TO TALK ABOUT THE FUN STUFF.
LOOKING BACK AT 2024, I THOUGHT, WELL, IT'S ALMOST SUMMER, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD FOCUS ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP SOON.
ONE OF THOSE IS THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, SUMMER AT THE LIBRARY IS JUST LIKE CHAOS.
IT'S OUR PRIME TIME, IT'S OUR BUSIEST TIME OF THE YEAR, JUNE THROUGH AUGUST.
WE'LL SEE OUR VISITS INCREASE ABOUT 3,000 VISITORS A MONTH BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS.
NORMALLY AROUND 14,000, 16,000 VISITORS EACH MONTH, WE'LL BE AT, LIKE, 18,000, 19,000 VISITORS, SO IT'S A BIG TIME, AND THAT ACTIVITY HAPPENS RIGHT AWAY.
JUNE 6TH WILL BE THE FIRST DAY THAT BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE OFF SCHOOL, AND WE'LL SEE A FLOOD OF FAMILIES COMING IN TO REGISTER FOR THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE TO CHECK OUT THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, LIKE OUR SUMMER READING KICKOFF PARTY.
YOU CAN COME. IT'S GOING TO BE FUN.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THAT'S ALWAYS SURPRISING TO ME THAT THE ACTIVITY GOES UP, THOSE VISITS GO UP, EVEN THOUGH ALL THE ACTIVITY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE SEE, ESPECIALLY AT HAZLET WITH ALL THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AT THE HAZLET LIBRARY, EVEN THOUGH THAT DISAPPEARS, WE MAKE UP FOR IT AND SOME WITH ALL THE KIDS AND FAMILIES AND ADULTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO THE LIBRARY TO ENRICH THEIR LIVES OVER THE SUMMER.
WITH THAT, OUR CIRCULATION INCREASES.
OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE USUALLY AVERAGE ABOUT 25,000 PHYSICAL ITEMS CHECKED OUT AT OUR TWO BRANCHES A MONTH.
WE'LL BE UP AROUND 31,000 ITEMS. IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE WHAT THE STAFF IS ABLE TO ABSORB OVER THE SUMMER AND KEEP ON GOING AT A NICE CLIPPED PACE.
WE'LL ALSO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS.
WE HAVE 250 EVENTS FOR KIDS AND ADULTS PLANNED THE SUMMER, AND THAT'S OVER 92 DAYS.
IT'S ALMOST THREE EVENTS A DAY.
IT'S REALLY, I THINK, IMPRESSIVE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES ME REALLY PROUD THIS SUMMER IS THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT THE STAFF, WHILE WE WERE PLANNING, SAID, LOOK, I HAVE THIS IDEA, BUT IT'D BE REALLY GREAT IF WE REACHED OUT TO A BUSINESS OR A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR THE TOWNSHIP PARKS AND REC AND COLLABORATED ON SOMETHING AND FOUND A WAY TO MAKE THESE IDEAS BETTER.
ONE COOL IDEA THAT CAME FROM IS OUR ART WITH ARTIST SERIES.
IT'S HAPPENING AT THE OKEMOS LIBRARY, FOR KIDS, FREE ART WORKSHOPS LED BY LOCAL ARTISTS.
THAT WAS ONE OF OUR LIBRARIANS REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ARTISTS THAT THEY KNEW TO BRING THEM IN AND PROVIDE THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
GENERATING RUNNING AND POWERING ALL OF THIS BEHIND THE SCENES, IS THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE, THAT'S OUR ANNUAL EFFORT TO GET KIDS READING AND LEARNING, IMAGINING, AND CREATING OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, TO STOP THAT SUMMER SLIDE, HELP KEEP SKILLS UP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THE FUN THING IS IS THAT, AND I PASSED THEM OUT TO YOU, WE HAVE ADULT SUMMER READING LOGS TO.
THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGES FOR OUR YOUNGEST READERS, OUR BABIES, AND TODDLERS, WHO PEOPLE ARE READING TO, BUT IT'S FOR OUR OLDEST ADULTS AS WELL WHO CAN PROBABLY READ ON THEIR OWN, BUT MAYBE ARE ALSO BEING READ TO SOMETIMES.
YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE, READ, EARN PRIZES, AND REWARD YOURSELF FOR BEING AWESOME LIFELONG LEARNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A THEME, AND THIS YEAR, OUR THEME IS COLOR OUR WORLD.
IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE OUR LINEUP OF YOUTH SUMMER EVENTS.
I PROMISE WE HAVE EVENTS FOR ADULTS, BUT YOU CAN ONLY INCLUDE SO MUCH ON A PAGE.
[LAUGHTER] YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO CELEBRATE ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT ART IMPACTS OUR LIVES.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME AND CELEBRATE WITH US WITH PAINTS AND PENCILS, AND PAPER, AND SCIENCE, AND MAGIC, AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES, AND JUST REALLY HAVE FUN AND IMAGINE AND CREATE AT THE LIBRARY THIS SUMMER.
YOU CAN JOIN US TO DO A LITTLE BIT SPRAY PAINTING, YOU CAN MESS AROUND WITH TIE DIE, YOU CAN SIT IN A DARK ROOM WITH BLACK LIGHTS AND PAINT WITH GLOW-IN-THE-DARK PAINTS, YOU CAN EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF COLOR, THE SCIENCE OF SLIME, JOIN US FOR A MAGIC SHOW.
BUT THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE US OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE PARKS FOR STORY TIMES.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US DO THAT.
AT THE FARMERS MARKETS FOR CRAFTS, AND EVEN AT THE HAZLET BIG BEE FOR OUR BEACH REEDS BOOK CLUB.
I HEAR THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A THEMED DRINK TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, SO CHECK THAT OUT.
[LAUGHTER] OUR MISSION AT THE LIBRARY IS TO EMPOWER OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO LEARN, IMAGINE, AND CONNECT.
[00:15:03]
THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU WOULD JOIN US FOR ALL THE FUN.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU CAN SEE THAT, IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE THE BEST HEAD LIBRARIAN, WE HAVE TWO OF THE BEST LIBRARIES, AND IT IS MY HONOR TO REPRESENT YOU ON THE BOARD.
>> THANK YOU ALL. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND GIVING THIS REPORT.
>> NOW, WE'VE GOT SOME ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE SUMMER.
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE, BUT I THINK MY KIDS MAKE UP FOR PROBABLY 1,000 OF THOSE VISITS OVER THE SUMMER.
>> WELL, I'VE GOT TWO GRANDKIDS HERE PROBABLY FOR SIX WEEKS THIS SUMMER, SO THEY'LL BE THERE.
>> THERE YOU GO. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 5: CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. THERE'S SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS OUR AGENDA, OR ANY ITEM NOT ON OUR AGENDA, HAVE AN 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 YOU CAN FIND ON THE TABLE BY THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO THE BOARD OR A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, I'LL CALL YOU UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.
WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT'S HELPFUL IF YOU DO PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES.
CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT AND AN AUDIBLE BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DO VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES RESTRICT US FROM ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH COMMENTERS OR ANSWERING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY BOARD MEMBERS AT A LATER TIME OR MAY BE REFERRED TO A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD AND/OR THE BOARD'S CHAIR AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
WITH THAT SAID, I DO NOT HAVE ANY GREEN CARDS THIS EVENING.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? I SEE SHAKING HEADS.
THEN PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED CLOSED AT 6:16 PM.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA AS ITEM 6: THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
WE'LL TURN THING OVER TO MANAGER DEMPSEY.>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE FIRST ONE IS RELATED TO LISTENING SESSIONS, AS I COMMUNICATED WITH YOU AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.
WE DECIDED TO MOVE THE MAY 28TH SESSION TO JUNE 10TH TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT ADDITIONAL TIME.
IN PART, TO HAVE GOOD INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS PERTAINING TO THE AUGUST 5TH ELECTION RELATED TO THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THAT THAT WE WANT TO PUT FORWARD FOR FACTUAL PURPOSES TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
THIS IS THE ONLY LISTENING SESSION PRIOR TO THE ELECTIONS THAT WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS PROVIDING NOTICE TO RESIDENTS ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP.
WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO PROVIDE THOSE NOTICES IN GEOGRAPHIC THIRDS BASED ON LOCATIONS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THAT TOWNSHIP-WIDE FOR THIS EVENT, AND THEN SPLITTING THAT UP FOR THE REMAINING TWO EVENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT UPDATE.
WE OBVIOUSLY GOT INTRODUCED, THIS EVENING, TO OFFICER KEEGAN CRABB.
BUT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF RETIREMENTS RECENTLY.
CAPTAIN AL DIAZ WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RETIRED ON FRIDAY.
IT WAS HIS FINAL DAY, 25 YEARS OF SERVICE.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON A GREAT CAREER OF SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP AND WISH HIM ALL THE BEST.
THEN YESTERDAY WAS THE LAST DAY FOR LEROY HARVEY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR WHO WAS WITH THE TOWNSHIP FOR 17 YEARS, AND WISH HIM THE SAME, THE BEST IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS, AND THANKS FOR ALL OF HIS GREAT SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP.
WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR UPDATES.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS TO MANAGER DEMPSEY? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON.
NEXT UP IS ITEM 7: BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISHING TO MAKE ACTIVITY AND ANNOUNCEMENT REPORTS THIS EVENING? CLERK DEMAS.>> YES. THE 31ST ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE WILL BE ON MONDAY, MAY 26TH AT 11:00 AM AT GLENDALE CEMETERY.
THIS SERVICE IS TO HONOR THOSE WHOSE LIVES WERE TAKEN FIGHTING FOR OUR COUNTRY.
LAST WEEK, I ALSO GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE HAZLETT OKEMOS ROTARY CLUB REGARDING TOWNSHIP AND CLERK'S OFFICE UPDATES, WHERE I TALKED ABOUT THE UPCOMING MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE AS WELL AS THE AUGUST SPECIAL ELECTION.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AND WE CONDUCTED A SITE VISIT. THAT'S IT.
>> TERRIFIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO DO A SHOUT-OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE STORM THAT WENT THROUGH ON THURSDAY NIGHT DID
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A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE OVER IN THE AREA WHERE I LIVE.OTTAWA HILLS, INDIAN HILLS, HAMILTON ROAD.
MUCH OF IT WAS IMPASSABLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
I SAW ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO HAD A 200-YEAR-OLD TREE LAND ON HER ROOF, AND SHE TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT SHE WAS SO THRILLED WITH THE SERVICE THAT SHE GOT FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND PARTICULARLY OUR FIRE CAPTAIN, CHRIS JOHNSON BECAUSE CHRIS WALKED THROUGH THE HOUSE WITH HER AND SHOWED HER WHERE THE HOUSE WAS STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND, AND THEY COULD NOT REMAIN THERE.
THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR THE EXCELLENT SERVICE THAT BOTH OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS GIVE US.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, CADL HAS LEFT, BUT I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE EXCELLENT PROGRAMMING THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED THE TOWNSHIP, AND IN PARTICULAR FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF TOM MOORE AS HEAD LIBRARIAN FOR OKEMOS AND HAZLET.
MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT IT HAD TO BE TWO PEOPLE, AND TOM HAS PROVEN THAT ONE STRONG LEADER CAN DO A LOT, AND HE'S DONE THAT AS HEAD LIBRARIAN.
ALSO THANK SANDY DRAKE FOR HER MANY YEARS AS OUR CADL REPRESENTATIVE.
STARTING TOMORROW, OUR RESIDENTS WILL SEE OVER 1,000 FLAGS GO UP IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
IT'S PART OF THE KIWANIS FLAGS OVER MERIDIAN THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
IF YOU'D LIKE A FLAG, JUST GOOGLE FLAGS OVER MERIDIAN, AND YOU CAN BE TAKEN TO THEIR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ONE.
ALL THE MONEY THEY RAISE IN THAT, ABOUT $35,000 GOES RIGHT BACK INTO LOCAL CHILDREN'S CHARITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SO IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE SEEING THE FLAGS UP, AND IT'S GREAT FOR THESE GROUPS THAT BENEFIT FROM IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE, THEN, WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM,
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OF THE AGENDA?
>> MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
ANY COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 9, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES, WE HAVE OUR MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR MAY 8TH MEETING, WHICH WAS OUR LAST REGULAR MEETING, WE ALSO HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SETS OF MEETING MINUTES, ONE FROM THE SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND THE MARCH 11TH, 2025, SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE.
THIS WAS AFTER WE SOLICITED AN OPINION FROM OUR ATTORNEY THAT WE ARE PERMITTED TO APPROVE THE MEETINGS OF THESE BODY'S MINUTES SINCE THEY ARE NO LONGER MEETING SO THAT WE HAVE AN APPROVED MEETING MINUTES SET FOR THOSE COMMISSIONS AND TASK FORCES.
WE ARE GIVEN THAT AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, SPECIAL GATHERING PERMIT AND LIQUOR LICENSE APPROVAL FOR PINS AND PINTS, THE LGBTQ+ PRIDE RESOLUTION, THE DNR WATER TRAIL DESIGNATION APPLICATION FROM OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE MERIDIAN HISTORICAL VILLAGE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND LEASE, THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, AND AN APPOINTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
WITH THAT, I WILL MAKE ONE NOTE.
I NOTED THAT ON THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, TWO RELATIVELY SMALL ITEMS. ONE IS THAT WE ARE STILL DUPLICATING REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE IN ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
THEN THE SECOND BEING IN THE SECTION ON AMENDMENTS ON PAGE 5 OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, SOME SNAFU HAPPENED WHERE I'S BECAME ONES IN THAT PARAGRAPH.
WE MAY NEED TO UPDATE THAT, IF WHOEVER THE MOTION MAKER IS COULD MAKE THE MOTION TO STRIKE THROUGH ONE OF THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON PAGE 2 AND CHANGE THE ONES TO I'S ON PAGE 5.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OR IF THEY WANT TO JUST MAKE THE MOTION, I'LL PROPOSE IT FROM THE AMENDMENT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING I JUST SAID. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE AND SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
I WOULD REQUEST A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO MAKE TWO SMALL CHANGES TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 9H TO STRIKE THE SECOND REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON PAGE 2 OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AND TO CHANGE THE WORD PROVISIONS WITH TWO ONES IN IT,
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TWO PROVISIONS WITH TWO I'S IN IT ON PAGE 5.WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CHANGES REQUESTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 10A: THE PERSONNEL POLICY UPDATES.
[10.A. Personnel Policy Update]
WE HAVE MANAGER DEMPSEY AND DIRECTOR TITHOF HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PERSONNEL POLICY UPDATES THIS EVENING.>> YES. AS YOU KNOW, YOU SPENT THREE MEETINGS GOING THROUGH THIS ON A VERY COMPREHENSIVE MANNER, A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH STAFF AND OUR ATTORNEYS ON THIS POLICY SUGGESTING SOME REVISIONS.
THOSE REVISIONS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED.
HOWEVER, WE DO WANT TO SUBJECT THIS TO ONE FINAL COPY EDIT.
THERE ARE SOME TYPOS AND PAGINATION ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO STILL ADDRESS.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE'VE COVERED AT LEAST THE CONTENT AREAS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE BOARD TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE IT SUBJECT TO ANY FINAL COPY EDIT THAT, AGAIN, WON'T AFFECT CONTENT, BUT WILL CLEAN UP THE DOCUMENT.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ANY POTENTIAL FINAL REVISIONS IN BEFORE WE DO THAT WORK.
THAT'S WHERE WE STAND CURRENTLY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> MANAGER DEMPSEY, OUR ATTORNEYS HAVE REVIEWED EVERY CHANGE IN HERE, CORRECT?
>> OKAY, THEY HAVE SIGNED OFF ON IT.
>> YES, THEY DID ALL THE REVISIONS FOR US.
>> OTHER DISCUSSION OR MOTIONS TO BE MADE ON THIS MATTER? TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FINAL DRAFT VERSION OF THE TOWNSHIP'S PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL, SUBJECT TO FINAL COPY EDITS AS NEEDED.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> ONE THING I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND A LOT OF WORK, AND I APPRECIATE ABBY'S WORK ON IT.
IT'S A MUCH BETTER PRODUCT THAN WE WENT INTO THIS, SO THANK YOU.
>> I'LL ADD THANKS TO THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE THAT WAS WORKING ON IS THE WORKING GROUP, I SHOULD SAY, WHICH INCLUDED TRUSTEE TREZISE, DIRECTOR TITHOF, FORMER CLERK GUTHRIE, PUT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AS WELL.
FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALL PUT IN TO THAT, THAT WAS QUITE AN UNDERTAKING AFTER MANY YEARS OF HAVING NOT ADDRESSED THIS.
CLERK GUTHRIE, WE'LL SEE IT IN THE VIEWING AUDIENCE HERE, I'M SURE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE SEEN THIS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS SECTION BY SECTION, LINE BY LINE.
IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT WE MISSED A FEW COPY-EDITING THINGS BECAUSE WE WERE MORE FOCUSED ON SOME OF THE BIGGER POLICY CHANGES.
I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AFTER A LONG BIT OF WORK.
OTHER DISCUSSION. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> I AGREE. I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS.
IT WAS A MAJOR REVISION TO THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, WHICH HAD A LOT OF WHAT I WOULD CALL VIRTUE SIGNALING THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE THERE, AND THAT WAS TAKEN OUT AND WE GOT RIGHT TO THE POLICIES AND EXPLAINED IT VERY CLEARLY.
IT'S A MUCH MORE READABLE DOCUMENT AND EASIER TO FOLLOW.
I THINK OUR EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE AN EASIER TIME NAVIGATING.
IT'LL BE A MORE USEFUL DOCUMENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE WORK THAT GOT DONE. THANK YOU.
>> SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 10B: THE PIERCE CONTENDER FIRE ENGINE SALE.
[10.B. Fire Engine Sale]
FOR THIS, WE HAVE MANAGER DEMPSEY.>> YES. THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT YOUR PRIOR MEETING ON MAY 8TH.
WE HAD LAID OUT THE REQUEST THAT WE HAD FROM SANTA'S FIRST RESPONDERS TO PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE.
IT'S BEEN THROUGH ITS USEFUL LIFE FOR TOWNSHIP PURPOSES.
THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY DRAFTED A BILL OF SALE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, THEY WANT TO PROCEED WITH THIS. THEY'VE DONE THAT.
WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT HERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SHOULD WE EXECUTE, THEN WE CAN EXECUTE THE SALE AND MOVE THE VEHICLE ON TO THE NON-PROFIT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BILL OF SALE FOR THE 1998 PIERCE CONTENDER FIRE ENGINE TO SANTA'S FIRST RESPONDERS FOR $7,000,
[00:30:06]
AND AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT.>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER?
>> WE KNEW THIS FIRE ENGINE HAD SOME VALUE, AND WE'RE GETTING SOME VALUE FOR IT BEFORE WE DISPOSE OF IT, AND IT'S REALLY EXCELLENT THAT IT'S BEING PURCHASED BY SANTA'S FIRST RESPONDER, WHICH HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL AND VERY IMPORTANT CHARITY IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT IS SO MUCH FOR SOME OF THE MERIDIAN'S NEEDIEST FAMILIES.
ALSO, NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] IN THE [INAUDIBLE] CHILDREN'S CANCER WARD, SO IT'S GOING TO A REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATION.
>> THEY ARE VERY EXCITED TO PUT IT INTO USE.
THEY'RE GOING TO REDECORATE THE ENTIRE ENGINE, SO IT'S LOOKING LIKE A RED ANYMORE.
NO SIRENS, AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAD THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE VISION TO DO THIS.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS
[10.C. 2025 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Special Assessment District #21-Resolution #1 and #2]
ITEM 10C: 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 21, RESOLUTIONS 1 AND 2.BEFORE WE HAND THINGS OVER TO DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER TO DISCUSS THIS, I'LL POINT OUT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MEMORANDUM WITH A SUBSTITUTE MOTION AT OUR PLACES, SO PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT.
WE'LL ASK THAT THAT PLEASE BE UPDATED IN THE PACKET FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING.
SECONDLY, THIS IS HERE BEFORE US FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ALSO FOR ACTION, SO BEFORE WE GET GOING, I'D ASK THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR RULES IF WE COULD.
>> MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO TAKE UP THIS ACTION.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO SUSPEND? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS.
BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS RESOLUTIONS 1 AND 2 FOR OUR 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK PROGRAM.
RESOLUTIONS 1 AND 2 WILL GIVE US TENTATIVE APPROVAL FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS, AND IT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THE COST ESTIMATES THAT HAVE BEEN PREPARED AND ARE IN YOUR PACKET.
THEN IT SETS THE FIRST OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR JUNE 17TH.
AT JUNE 17TH, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ESTIMATES FOR EACH PARCEL THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THUS FAR, THEN WE WILL PROCEED INTO CONSTRUCTION AFTER RESOLUTION 3 IS ADOPTED THROUGH THE SUMMER AND FALL.
THEN TENTATIVELY, WHAT OUR EXPECTATION WOULD BE IS LATE WINTER OR EARLY 2026.
>> MAY 2025, EARLY 2026, WE WOULD BRING BACK RESOLUTION 4, WHICH WOULD BE THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FINAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
THEN, LASTLY, AS YOU'LL RECALL, FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE, RESOLUTION 5, WE'LL FINALIZE THE ASSESSMENT ROLE, WHICH WOULD THEN GO ON THE JUNE BILLING FOR WAY OF BACKGROUND.
THIS PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN 1999 AS A WAY TO KEEP OUR SIDEWALKS IN GOOD ORDER.
ONE OTHER PIECE OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, WE DO HAVE TWO SIDEWALK SYSTEMS, MORE OR LESS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE HAVE THE PATHWAY SYSTEM, WHICH IS ANY TRAIL OR SIDEWALK THAT IS IDENTIFIED ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN, THEN WE HAVE ALL THE OTHER SIDEWALK NETWORKS.
THE PATHWAY MILLAGE SUPPORTS ALL OF THE PATHWAY SYSTEM, WHEREAS SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SUPPORT ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF THE OTHER SIDEWALKS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
RESIDENTS WILL BE PAYING 100% OF THE COST WITH ONE EXCEPTION FOR CORNER LOTS.
THE SIDE YARD THAT IS NOT THE ADDRESS FOR THE PROPERTY OR THE SIDE YARD WITH THE STREET THAT IS NOT THE ADDRESS STREET FOR THE PROPERTY, THE TOWNSHIP DOES PAY 40% TO TRY TO HELP REDUCE THAT BURDEN ON THE CORNER LOT PROPERTY OWNERS.
THAT IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM, AS YOU'LL RECALL FROM THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN, AND MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE THIS EVENING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> YOU MENTIONED THIS HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1999, SO AROUND 26 YEARS OF THIS.
AS OUR TOWNSHIP AGES, ARE WE FINDING MORE SIDEWALKS WITH EACH YEAR WE DO THIS?
[00:35:01]
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION. OUR STANDARD FOR TRIP HAZARDS IS VERTICAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE SLABS OR PERHAPS OCCASIONALLY A CRACK WITH A VERTICAL SEPARATION OF ONE INCH OR GREATER.
I WOULD SAY AS THE COMMUNITY AGES, WE WILL FIND MORE REPAIRS.
IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE MAPS THAT ARE IN THE PACKET, THE BLACK DOTS INDICATE THE REPAIRS.
THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY REPAIRS.
WITH THIS ORDER TO MAINTAIN, THIS IS OUR 21ST SINCE 1999.
WE ARE FOCUSED IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP PREDOMINANTLY.
OBVIOUSLY, MORE REPAIRS WILL OCCUR AS NEIGHBORHOODS AGE, BUT OVERALL, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY ORDERLY SIDEWALK SYSTEM, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE SMALL NUMBER OF REPAIRS, RELATIVE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT YOU MIGHT WALK ON SIDEWALKS IN.
>> WE HAVE THE ASSESSMENT RULE, THE HOMEOWNERS WILL GET THE ASSESSMENT FOR THEIR SIDEWALK REPAIR, AND THEY CAN ACCEPT IT OR THEY CAN GO OUT AND HAVE AN IMPROVEMENT MADE ON THEIR OWN AS WELL.
THAT IS STILL AN OPTION FOR THEM, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT. THERE IS STILL THE 20-DAY PERIOD.
THEY WILL GET A NOTICE, AND THEY WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF 20 DAYS TO WHICH THEY COULD APPLY FOR A PERMIT AND CONTRACT THE WORKOUT OR PERFORM IT THEMSELVES.
>> IS IT LESS EXPENSIVE FOR A HOME OWNER TO HAVE THE ECONOMY OF SCALE OF HAVING IT DONE BY THE TOWNSHIP?
>> NO. ACTUALLY, TYPICALLY, THEY'RE GOING TO FIND IF THEY HIRE A SMALL RESIDENTIAL CONCRETE CONTRACTOR THAT PREDOMINANTLY DOES DRIVEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS, THEY MIGHT REALIZE A SMALL SAVINGS.
NOW, WHETHER OR NOT THAT SMALL SAVINGS MERITS THEIR TIME AND ENERGIES IS UP TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
I KNOW TREASURER DESCHAINE ACTUALLY DID THAT HIMSELF.
HE HIRED HIS OWN CONTRACTOR WHEN HE WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2020 ORDER TO MAINTAIN IF MY MEMORY IS SERVING ME.
>> I DID. WHAT I FOUND IS I HAPPENED TO DO TWO PIECES OF CONCRETE.
I APPROACHED MY HOUSE AND THE STREET SIDEWALK FOR THE SAME PRICE AS THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
IT WAS A LITTLE CHEAPER AND I GOT A LOT MORE WORK DONE FOR IT, BUT IT WAS A VERY LONG TIME.
>> THANK YOU. THE 40% FOR CORNER LOTS, IS THAT NEW OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE'VE DONE THE WHOLE TIME?
>> TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT GOES BACK TO 1999.
IT WAS CERTAINLY IN PLACE FOR THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN.
TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'VE ALWAYS HELPED PAY FOR THE SIDE LOTS FOR THE CORNER LOT PROPERTY OWNERS.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS OR A MOTION TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 21, RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 2, WHICH TENTATIVELY APPROVES THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COST ESTIMATES OF PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AND SETS A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 17, 2025.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 11A, PARKING ORDINANCE UPDATE.
[11.A. Parking Ordinance Update]
FOR THIS, WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TIM SCHMITT.>> THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AFTER A BRIEF HIATUS, MY CONTINUED ATTEMPT TO UPDATE THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE CONTINUES.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO MENTIONED DURING MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS WE'RE SPLITTING THE PARKING ORDINANCE INTO THREE PARTS BECAUSE IT'S A BIG PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE FIRST SECTION THAT EVERYONE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE ACTUAL NUMBERS REQUIRED FOR A SPECIFIC USE.
THE SECOND ONE WILL BE LANDSCAPING, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY GOT A DRAFT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THAT WAS ACTUALLY PREPARED JUST BEFORE MY HIATUS LAST YEAR.
THE THIRD STEP WILL THEN BE THE TECHNICAL PIECE AT THE END, SIZE OF A PARKING SPACE AND THE SIZE OF THE MANEUVERING LANE.
THE STUFF THAT NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT WITH THE PLANNERS, BUT WE NEED TO UPDATE THAT AS WELL.
THERE ARE SOME REFERENCES THAT ARE BAD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS REPRESENTS THE LARGEST ACTUAL CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE.
IT REALLY FOCUSES, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS REVIEWED THIS EXTENSIVELY, STARTING IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR UP UNTIL RECENTLY.
IT FOCUSES ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE'RE TRYING TO SIMPLIFY THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY, AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WERE CLASSIFIED UNDER THE ZONING ORDINANCE DEFINITIONS, AND DEPENDING POTENTIALLY ON THE USES WITHIN THE BUILDING, YOU HAD DIFFERENT STANDARDS.
[00:40:01]
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS AT LEAST SIMPLIFY THE STANDARDS ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AND MAKE IT SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO.SECONDLY, WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE WHERE WE CAN.
THERE WAS CONVERSATION BRIEFLY ABOUT COMPLETELY GETTING RID OF PARKING ORDINANCES, BECAUSE THAT IS A PLANNING MOVEMENT, AND I CERTAINLY AS A PROFESSIONAL CAN SUPPORT THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO A VERY BIG STEP.
THIS IS SORT OF OUR FIRST STEP AT THAT IS REDUCING SOME OF OUR SPOTS.
THE BIG REDUCTION YOU'LL SEE IN THE ORDINANCES IN THE MULTIFAMILY, WE FIND AND HAVE DATA TO BACK IT UP THAT ALMOST EVERY [INAUDIBLE] NO ONE IS BUILDING EXTRA PARKING BECAUSE PARKING COSTS MONEY, IT TAKES UP SPACE, IT REQUIRES YOU TO PUT IN ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT IN STORMWATER PERSPECTIVE.
GENERALLY, IT'S NOT BRINGING IN REVENUE.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE COMPLEXES THAT YOU CHARGE FOR THE COVERED PARKING OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT YOU'RE NOT CHARGING FOR THE PARKING SPACE, YOU'RE CHARGING FOR THE FACT THAT IT'S COVERED.
WHAT WE'VE DONE ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE IS REDUCED.
WE TOOK OUT THE 25% EXPANSION AREA.
THAT WAS ALWAYS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I CAN'T FIND A RECORD OF US EVER HAVING TRIGGERED THAT, BUT IT WAS ALSO WE HAD TO KEEP THE SPACE THERE AND YOU HAD TO PLAN FOR IT IN THE STORMWATER DESIGN UP FRONT.
YOU WERE AUTOMATICALLY TAKING UP WAY MORE SPACE THAN YOU NEEDED WITH NO POTENTIAL FOR IT TO EVER BE USED.
THE OTHER PIECE WE DID WAS WE CHANGED THE ONE BEDROOM EFFICIENCIES FROM THE STANDARD OF TWO SPACES PER UNIT DOWN TO 1.5.
THAT'S A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER.
IT'S WHAT THE INDUSTRY HAS MOVED TOWARDS WHAT WE SEE OUT THERE IN GENERAL.
FOR COMPLEXES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MUPD PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SEEN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TELL FOR WHERE SOME OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE GOING IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND UNITS.
AND BECAUSE ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE VOLUNTARILY PUTTING IN LESS PARKING.
THEY KNEW THEY DIDN'T NEED THE AMOUNT OF PARKING OUR ORDINANCE CALLED FOR.
THAT WAS A TELL TO US THAT, OKAY, THAT'S WHAT ORIGINALLY STARTED THIS DISCUSSION THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO INTERNALLY OF LIKE WE'RE OFF HERE, CLEARLY.
THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG CHANGES I WOULD ARGUE, THE SIMPLIFICATION OF THE COMMERCIAL AND THE MULTIFAMILY.
A COUPLE OF OTHER ONES, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT BRIEFLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF RED LINE IN HERE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO MODERNIZE IT IN MANY WAYS.
THERE'S SOME USES IN THERE THAT WE WOULD NEVER HAVE.
THERE'S SOME USES IN THERE THAT HAVE DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY NOW.
WE JUST TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN SOME OF THAT UP.
THE STANDARD FOR PLACES OF WORSHIP WAS UPDATED.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE WITH MORE MODERN PLACES OF WORSHIP.
IT'S NOT TRADITIONAL PEWS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS ADDRESSES THAT TO ALLOW US TO USE A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MANY COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TOWARDS NOW, JUST HERE'S THE ASSEMBLY SPACE.
HOW BIG IS IT? DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER.
THAT 30 SQUARE FEET IS ESSENTIALLY A BUILDING CODE NUMBER GETTING TO YOUR OCCUPANCY.
THIS IS ATTEMPTED TO TIE THAT TYPE OF USE BACK TO THE UNDERLYING ARCHITECTURAL CODE STANDARD THAT WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO DETERMINE THAT.
LIKE I SAID, WE CONSOLIDATED THE COMMERCIAL.
BY AND LARGE, THE COMMERCIAL AT THIS POINT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF TWO THINGS.
THERE'S STILL SOME EXCEPTIONS, BUT IF YOU'RE A SMALL FACILITY, OR ONE TO 200 SQUARE FEET, IF YOU'RE A LARGE BUILDING, YOU'RE 1-400.
THE LARGER BUILDINGS, WE CAN SEE IT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA PARKING THAT NEVER TENDS TO GET USED.
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO START TO DIAL THAT BACK.
I'VE ONLY HAD ONE PROJECT IN MY ENTIRE CAREER WANT TO BUILD MORE PARKING THAN WE REQUIRED.
THEY KNEW EXACTLY HOW MUCH PARKING THEY WANTED.
THEY STILL DIDN'T GET WHAT THEY WANTED, AND THEY KNEW IT, AND WE'VE SEEN, THERE'S BEEN SOME OVERFLOW OF TIME.
WHAT THIS IS TRYING TO DO IS JUST DIAL IT BACK INTO A STANDARD WHERE ROUGHLY WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.
BY AND LARGE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE PEOPLE WANT TO EXCEED THAT.
THEN I WILL POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE UPDATED THE RESTAURANT STANDARD JUST TO BE MORE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO USE.
THE RESTAURANT STANDARD IS ONE OF THE ONLY ONES THAT WAS GETTING INTO HALF SPACES OR HALF SQUARE FOOT, DEPENDING ON HOW BIG IT IS.
THIS SHOULD WORK BETTER FOR EVERYONE GOING FORWARD.
THERE'S, LIKE I SAID, A PLENTY OF OTHER CHANGES IN HERE IN VARIOUS PLACES, AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE SPECIFICS.
I JUST WANTED TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS TONIGHT.
AS I SAID, THIS IS A THREE-PART PROCESS FOR US.
THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF IT, SO I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS THIS EVENING.
[00:45:01]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> IF A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS BEING REDEVELOPED, CAN WE THEN CHANGE THE PARKING STANDARDS? MY EXAMPLE WOULD BE OLD CHICAGO RESTAURANT THAT IS IN THE WORKS TO BECOME A BANK? WITH FAR LESS PARKING REQUIRED, WHAT MIGHT WE DO IN THAT KIND OF A SITUATION?
>> WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO REDUCE IT BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO RUN INTO IS OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW, BUT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER NOW IS GOING TO IMPOSE THEIR CURRENT STANDARDS ON THE WHOLE SITE.
THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE'LL GET TO BE A GOOD COP HERE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REDUCE IT BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS IMPERVIOUS AND LITTLE TO NO ON SITE DETENTION.
HOW CAN WE REDUCE IT? THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE CAN PARTNER WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE COUNTY AND TRY AND IMPROVE THE PROJECT WITHOUT US HAVING TO BE THE ABY.
> NOT HAVE THESE UNSIGHTLY LARGE PARKING AREAS THAT [OVERLAPPING] ALL THE TIME.
>> IT'S ALL A MAINTENANCE THING.
NO ONE WANTS TO PUT IN THAT MUCH EXTRA PARKING.
SPEND A FEW EXTRA BUCKS UP FRONT, TAKE SOME OUT AND MOVE ON.
I'M CURIOUS FOR ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MALL UNDER THIS? I PRESUME A LOT FEWER SPACES WOULD BE REQUIRED.
>> CANDIDLY, THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY AND I BELIEVE I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR CLARK IS ONE OF THE IMPEDIMENTS TO EVENTUALLY REDEVELOPING THE MALL WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT'S THERE AND WHAT'S ACTUALLY REQUIRED.
TYPICALLY MALLS HAVE LEASES WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENCIES THAT REQUIRE THEM TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PARKING.
FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE, IMMEDIATELY, NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THAT LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO BEHIND THE SCENES.
BUT AS THEY GO FORWARD TOWARDS A REDEVELOPMENT, THIS DOES TAKE A BARRIER OUT OF THE WAY POTENTIALLY FOR REDEVELOPING, SAY, A WING OF THE PARKING LOT THAT THEY DON'T NEED ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS 200 SPACES THAT NOW IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE ORDINANCE, AND SO IF THEY CAN WORK IT OUT UNDER THEIR LEASES, IT OPENS IT UP FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IT IS GOING TO PROVIDE THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE LONG RUN AS THEY BEGIN TO LOOK AT WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
>> DO THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF REQUIRED SPACES THAT THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED?
>> I BELIEVE THEY HAVE IN EXCESS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BECAUSE THIS WAS A VERY EARLY VERSION OF THE PUD FOR US, AND IT ACTUALLY PREDATES, I THINK THE ORDINANCE IT IS NOW UNDER.
I THINK THEY HAVE WHAT THEY WANTED.
IT CERTAINLY PREDATES THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
>> AS TO THE EXACT NUMBER, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THEY'RE OVER BY A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT NOT A INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
>> YEAH. I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT THAT ACTUALLY IS IF WE CAN FIND THAT OUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NEXT TIME.
>> WITH THIS NEW ORDINANCE, EXISTING MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS TO REDO THEIR PARKING LOT, CAN THEY COME TO US AND APPLY FOR A NEW PERMIT AND ELIMINATE SOME OF THE EXCESS PARKING THAT THEY HAVE NOW?
>> YEAH, IF THEY WANTED TO, ABSOLUTELY.
CERTAINLY. I COULD THINK OF ONE OR TWO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT HAVE PARKING AREAS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY GOING BACK TO GRAVEL AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T USED, AND IT FUNCTIONALLY BECOMES A STORAGE AREA.
THERE WAS A POINT AT WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, LET'S JUST RIP IT OUT.
LIKE WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE MACHINE HERE TO REDO THE REST OF IT, JUST MILL THIS UP, BRING IN 50 YARDS OF DIRT AND BE DONE WITH IT.
>> YEAH. I THINK OVERALL, THE CONCEPT OF REDUCING THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, IT'S NOT ONLY GOOD FOR THE DEVELOPERS WHO ARE GOING TO COME IN AND DO SOMETHING HERE TO DEVELOP IN THE TOWNSHIP.
BUT WE HAVE A CHRONIC FLOODING PROBLEM THAT'S THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP, AND REDUCING THAT IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO THOSE SITUATIONS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX IT, NECESSARILY.
>> BUT CERTAINLY IT WON'T BE CONTRIBUTING MORE TO IT.
WE'RE MAKING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THE ACTUAL MATHEMATICS OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE.
I TRUST THE EXPERTS THAT ARE BRINGING THIS TO US THAT THEY'VE DONE THE MATH AND THAT THIS MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
I COULD PULL A COUPLE HERE OR THERE THAT MADE ME TILT MY HEAD, BUT OVERALL,
[00:50:01]
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT WAS SO CONCERNING THAT I HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO IT.>> WE'LL SEE IT BACK FOR WHAT, LIKE A THREE STEP PROCESS TO APPROVE IT, PUBLIC HEARING.
>> PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED, WE'LL NEED TO INTRODUCE AND THEN ADOPT.
WE WILL DETERMINE THAT SCHEDULE.
WE HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION INTERNALLY WITH THE LANDSCAPING ORDINANCE.
PLANNING COMMISSION HAS NO MAJOR CONCERNS, MAYBE WE TIE THEM TOGETHER AND BRING THEM BOTH FORWARD, BUT WE'LL SEE AFTER THEIR NEXT MEETING.
[11.B. Health Savings Account Contributions]
AND WE HAVE MANAGER DEMPSEY, DIRECTOR TITHOF, AND I DON'T SEE DIRECTOR BOND.>> YEAH, SHE'S NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
>> THANK YOU. AS YOU RECALL, GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, AT THE TIME, GIVEN SOME OF THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THAT THE TOWNSHIP WAS FACING, THE BOARD DECIDED TO HOLD OFF WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE HSA CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 2025, BUT REVISIT THAT HERE IN 2025.
THIS IS COMING TO YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN I THINK WE HAD HOPED TO BRING IT FORWARD, BUT PART OF THAT JUST HAD TO DO WITH OUR TURNOVER WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD A BETTER HANDLE ON WHERE 24 WAS ENDING.
AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT PROCESS AND WORKING THROUGH THAT, I THINK WE'RE AT THAT POINT NOW WHERE WE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE PRESENTING THIS TO YOU.
I THINK THE KEY AS WE LOOK BACK AT 24 IS THAT WE HAVE AN EXPECTED IN ADDITION TO FUND BALANCE THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION HERE TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH AN HSA CONTRIBUTION FOR 2025, IN THE AGGREGATE OF ABOUT $155,000.
THEN THERE'S THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE THREE TYPES OF PLANS THAT WE SUPPORT, THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN, SO A SINGLE-PERSON PLAN.
THEN WE HAVE THE TWO-PERSON AND THE FAMILY PLAN, AND THAT'S SCALED BASED ON THE AVERAGE OF LIKE AN EIGHT-YEAR LOOK BACK OF WHAT THOSE AVERAGE RATIOS WERE HISTORICALLY.
WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY, MYSELF, ALONG WITH THE FINANCE TEAM AND THEN THE HR TEAM TO LOOK AT THIS AND BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION.
WE FEEL COMFORTABLE BRINGING THIS TO YOU THIS EVENING AND DISCUSSING IT.
I DO THOUGH WANT TO PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE 26 BUDGET, AND WE START TO LOOK INTO THAT.
THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME HEADWINDS, PARTICULARLY AROUND HEALTH CARE COSTS.
THIS IS NOT SURPRISING TO ANY OF US.
WE'VE SEEN CONTINUED HEALTH CARE PRESSURES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT UNIQUE TO US ORGANIZATIONS OF ALL SIZES ARE FACING THIS.
BUT GALLAGHER, WHO'S OUR FINANCIAL CONSULTANT IN THIS SPACE, HAS INDICATED THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT A POTENTIALLY 12% INCREASE, WHICH WOULD BE UPWARDS OF $275,000.
THAT WILL GET MORE REFINED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE RENEWAL PERIOD.
BUT IN OUR PRE-RENEWAL MEETING, THEY DID SHARE THAT WITH US TO BE PREPARED, AND WE'LL TRY TO LOOK AT THAT AS WE BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
FOR THIS YEAR, WE THINK THERE'S A CONTRIBUTION HERE.
IT'S NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS LAST YEAR, BUT IT DOES EXCEED A NUMBER OF YEARS PRIOR, AND WE PROVIDED THE HISTORY, SO THE BOARD CAN SEE THAT CONTEXT OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AS AN ORGANIZATION.
HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS IF THERE ARE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? TREASURER D SHANE.
>> LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THIS, I RECUSED MYSELF FROM THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE I AM A TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE.
SINCE THEN, I'VE DISCUSSED THIS POLICY WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND ASKED HIM IF IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO RECUSE MYSELF, THE SAME WOULD APPLY TO THE CLERK WAS ALSO AN EMPLOYEE, AND THE ADVICE I GOT BACK WAS, NO, IT'S NOT NECESSARY.
WHILE THIS WILL BENEFIT US AS EMPLOYEES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE POLICY THAT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP GLOBALLY.
HAVING SAID THAT, I WILL SUPPORT THIS.
I THINK EMPLOYEE RETENTION IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
THIS IS A BENEFIT THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED IN THE PAST FOR EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S PART OF THE SUITE OF BENEFITS THAT HELPS US.
WE'RE NOT THE MOST COMPETITIVE ON WAGES, BUT OUR BENEFITS ARE EXCELLENT HERE, AND THIS IS ANOTHER BENEFIT THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE ONE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THIS HSA IS A FEW YEARS BACK, THE BOARD CHANGED IT SO THEY PAY OUT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT IN JANUARY, AND THAT MANY WAYS WORKS OUT TO BE UNFAIR.
WE CAN HAVE AN EMPLOYEE RETIRING IN JANUARY, AND THE PERSON THAT COMES IN BEHIND THEM GETS NO BENEFIT, OR THE TOWNSHIP HAS TO DOUBLE PAY THE BENEFIT.
BY BREAKING IT UP INTO TWO PAYMENTS.
IT'S JUST FOR 26, NOT FOR THIS YEAR, AND HALFWAY THROUGH.
BREAKING IT UP INTO TWO PAYMENTS, IT'S MORE EQUITABLE.
[00:55:02]
IF THERE IS A TURNOVER THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, THE EMPLOYEE BROUGHT IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.SHARES IN THAT BENEFIT RATHER THAN RETIRING EMPLOYEE OR TAKING ALL THE BENEFIT AND ONLY WORKING FOR AN EMPLOYEE AS AN EMPLOYEE FOR ONE OR TWO MONTHS OF THAT YEAR.
THAT'S SOMETHING TO DISCUSS THE NEXT TIME WE DISCUSS THIS.
BUT OVERALL, I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES, AND IT HELPS US TO RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.
>> YES, I AGREE WITH TREASURER D SHANE'S POINT AS WELL, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
I HAD A QUESTION FOR MANAGER DEMPSEY.
WOULD YOU MIND PROVIDING SOME MORE CONTEXT ABOUT THE HSA CONTRIBUTION HISTORY, WHY IT'S PLANNED TO DECREASE THIS YEAR AND IN THE FUTURE, JUST SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND MORE?
>> SURE. I'LL PROVIDE YOU THE CONTEXT.
I DON'T HAVE THE FULL HISTORY WITH THE YEAR-TO-YEAR DECISIONS, BUT IN PART OF IT WAS A CALCULATION AS A SELF-FUNDED INSURANCE PROGRAM.
I THINK THE MANAGER WOULD LOOK ANNUALLY AT WHERE THAT PLAN PERFORMED.
THERE WERE POINTS WHEN THE TOWNSHIP WOULD RECEIVE PARTICULAR REFUNDS DEPENDING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PLAN, AND WHERE IT STOOD FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AS WE'VE LOOK FORWARD, AND AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR US IS THE DOLLARS AVAILABLE.
THE YEAR-END IS A LITTLE BIT STRONGER.
WE DID HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS IN Q1 THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE PROVIDED IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE, I THINK TWO GOALS.
ONE IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A DOLLAR FIGURE THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO THE EMPLOYEES.
BUT THEN ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO HAVE FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
THE OTHER ASPECT, I THINK, AS FAR AS GOING FORWARD, IT'S REALLY JUST GOING TO BE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING COMPREHENSIVE FROM A FINANCIAL PICTURE.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY CERTAIN REVENUE GROWTH.
WE HAVE CERTAIN GROWTH AND COSTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'RE SEEING INFLATIONARY INCREASES, IMPACTING OUR OPERATIONS, PURCHASING OF EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA.
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED, AND THERE'S THAT FULL BALANCE OF HOW DO WE HANDLE THOSE INCREASING COSTS.
ALSO TOO, LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF, I THINK THERE'S A DESIRE FROM OUR EMPLOYEE BASE TO LOOK AT SALARIES AND REMAINING COMPETITIVE AS AN EMPLOYER.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE, I THINK FORWARD WITH POLICE AND FIRE TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEMANDS OUT THERE, RIGHT FOR THE RESOURCES, AND I THINK THIS IS ALL JUST TRYING TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO BENEFIT OUR EMPLOYEES WHILE ALWAYS HAVING AN EYE ON THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AS TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS.
>> THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT CONTEXT.
>> THIS WAS ALWAYS SINCE I JOINED THE BOARD, PITCHED AS AN EXTRA BENEFIT.
WE ARE VERY GENEROUS WITH OUR HEALTHCARE PLAN THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
WELL, IF WE HAVE CASH LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE CAN THROW A LITTLE BIT EXTRA BACK AND PUT IT INTO OUR STAFF TO ADDRESS THE DISCREPANCIES THAT TREASURER D SHANE IS DESCRIBING.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY TIGHT BUDGET THAT WE WERE WORKING ON.
I THINK THAT THE SMALLER NUMBER IS REFLECTIVE OF THAT, BUT IT'S NOT NOTHING.
IT IS STILL NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT GOING INTO THOSE HSAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE AND THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO NEXT YEAR, WE DO HAVE THESE INCREASING COSTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING TO CONFRONT.
WE'VE GOT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RENEGOTIATION COMING UP.
WE HAVE AS A MANAGER DESCRIBED PLANNED.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COMING, AN INCREASE IN OUR HEALTHCARE COSTS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE COSTS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A LONG LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY FOR NEXT YEAR, AND LOOK AT HEALTH CARE COSTS OVERALL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN.
BUT FOR TODAY, I'M HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET WHAT WE COULD HERE AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS BENEFIT.
I THINK I WOULD GO ONE STEP FURTHER THAN TREASURER D SHANE EVEN, AND I'D SAY,
[01:00:03]
IF WE CAN DO IT MONTHLY, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO CUT BACK ON AS FEW DOUBLE PAYMENTS AS POSSIBLE.I BELIEVE OUR FORMER MANAGER HAD MADE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THERE WAS A RUN ON USAGE OF THE MONEY IF IT ALL COMES IN AT ONE TIME, AND THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON SOME OF OUR HEALTHCARE COSTING.
I THINK THERE'S A DOUBLE BENEFIT, NOT ONLY TO PAYING IT OUT TWICE, BUT ALSO TO SPREADING IT OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT INCENTIVIZING THAT RUNNING TO USE THE HSA MONEY JUST BECAUSE IT CAME ALL IN ONE LUMP SUM.
AGAIN, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T DO IT MAKE ANY CHANGES IN 2025, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
BUT I THINK AS WE CONSIDER WHAT TO DO IN 2026, WE MAY LOOK TO SPREAD THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE ENTIRE YEAR, WHICH IS HOW ANY OTHER BENEFIT WOULD BE PAID OUT.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT IN MOST CASES, THE PURPOSE OF AN HSA IS TO ALLOW THE SAVING OF MONEY, EITHER PERSONAL TAX DEFERRED MONIES OR CONTRIBUTION FROM THE EMPLOYER TO OFFSET THE HIGHER COST OF THE DEDUCTIBLE ON A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE INSURANCE POLICY, WHICH THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE INSURANCE POLICY SAVES THE TOWNSHIP A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S A WEIGHING BACK AND FORTH OF HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY WE'VE SAVED, CAN WE USE TO HELP OFFSET THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH DEDUCTIBLES IN THAT POLICY HERE.
I THINK IT'S A WEIGHING BACK AND FORTH.
YOU DON'T WANT TO USUALLY PAY SO MUCH INTO AN EMPLOYEE'S HSA THAT YOUR INSURANCE IS COSTING ON A WHOLE MORE THAN WHAT A FULL COVERAGE POLICY WOULD BE.
THAT'S THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND TO TRY TO BALANCE THE ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU. THAT IS GOOD TO HAVE SAID, YES.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, TRUSTEE WILSON?
>> WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR 2025? MAY I ASK YOU? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY?
>> YES. THE BOARD APPROVES THIS.
OUR PLAN BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'LL BE IN JUNE AT THAT POINT, WE'LL DO IT IN ONE LUMP SUM.
BUT GOING FORWARD TO 26, IF WE ARE TO PROPOSE CONTINUING IT, WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK AT HOW WE WOULD SPREAD THAT OUT, WHETHER IT'S QUARTERLY OR MONTHLY, OR WHATEVER WORKS.
YES, BECAUSE IT IS THE ISSUE THAT THE SUPERVISOR RAISED, IS SOMETHING WE HEARD AGAIN FROM GALLAGHER IN OUR PRE-RENEWAL MEETING IS THAT IS AN ISSUE WHEN YOU FRONT-LOAD IT, YOU HAVE THESE ISSUES, AND THE TREASURER IDENTIFIED AS WELL.
THOSE DO IMPACT THE PLAN AND COSTS.
>> DO WE SENSE GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPOSED PLAN AS IT IS?
>> THEN WE WILL SEE THIS BACK BEFORE US AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SINCE YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET INTO A RELATIVELY HEAVY DISCUSSION OF GOALS AND ACTION PLAN, LET'S TAKE FIVE AND WE'LL BE BACK HERE AT 7:07.
WE'LL STAND AT RECESS. ON MINUTE.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11 C BOARD GOALS AND ACTION PLAN.
[11.C. Board Goals and Action Plan]
MANAGER DEMPSEY HAS A PRESENTATION FOR US.>> YES. GOOD EVENING. A BRIEF ONE, THOUGH.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW WITH YOU PROGRESS ON 2025 GOALS.
THE NOTION THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THE BOARD WAS INTERESTED IN TRYING TO BETTER INTEGRATE YOUR GOAL FORMATION PROCESS WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AS WE'RE SETTING OFF ON THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE 2026 BUDGET HERE AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS AN IDEAL TIME TO HAVE AN INITIAL CONVERSATION JUST TO LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT, THE PROGRESS WE MADE, AND THEN IN UPCOMING MEETING OR MEETINGS TALK ABOUT SETTING GOALS FOR 2026.
I WANT TO START THIS EVENING BY PROVIDING THAT REVIEW.
AGAIN, BRIEFLY, I THINK I'VE GOT JUST ABOUT SIX SLIDES HERE.
OUR FIRST GOAL THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IS TO PROVIDE THAT SUPERIOR CITIZEN-DRIVEN SERVICES.
THIS IS REALLY THE BROADEST, ALL-ENCOMPASSING GOAL.
RATHER THAN SORT OF LIST ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF AND OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS DO, I JUST PUT UP THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART BECAUSE LITERALLY EVERY BOX ON THIS CHART IS INVOLVED IN THAT DAY-TO-DAY WORK.
WHETHER IT'S A BOARD AND COMMISSION, THE VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER IT'S ALL OF YOU, WHETHER IT'S OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS,
[01:05:02]
ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE STAFF.THEY'RE ALL INVOLVED IN PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
THIS IS REALLY SUMMARIZED WHEN WE DO OUR ANNUAL REPORT TO ALL OF YOU THAT PROVIDES ALL THAT DETAIL ABOUT EACH DEPARTMENT AND WHAT ACTIVITY THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S COMPREHENSIVE. THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
THIS IS OUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE WORK BOTH ON THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROJECTS.
THINGS THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ARE, OF COURSE, OUR ONGOING SOLAR PROJECTS.
WE'RE UTILIZING TWO GRANT AWARDS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOLAR RIGHT OVER AT THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE NORTH FIRE STATION WITH THE INTENT TO PROVIDE 100% OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TO BOTH FACILITIES.
NOW WITH THE ADDITION OF A NEW PROJECT ENGINEER, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON DESIGNING AND GET THOSE PROJECTS OUT TO BID AND HOPEFULLY UNDERWAY YET THIS YEAR AND INTO 26.
THE PATHWAY PROJECTS, ONGOING, OF COURSE, I DON'T HAVE LISTED HERE THE THIRD PHASE OF MSU TO LAKE LANSING, BUT THAT'S A BIG INITIATIVE, AND WE'RE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS OF THAT.
BUT I DOING AN RFP ON THE BOARDWALK FOR THE NORTH SIDE OF BENNETT ROAD TO ADDRESS AND AVOID THE DISTURBANCE OF THE NEARBY WETLANDS, AND THEN HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION WILL BE LATER THE SUMMER INTO THE FALL.
THEN WE OFTEN DON'T THINK OF LOCAL ROADS AS NECESSARILY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT DEPUTY MANAGER [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT ARE, YOU KNOW, USING NEW ASPHALT MIXES WITH THE RECYCLED TIRE RUBBER, TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE ON THAT SIDE, AND USING TREATMENTS THAT EXTEND THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE ROADS THAT WE DO HAVE TO MINIMIZE THE USE OF PRODUCT.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE MARSHALL MARTIN PROJECT THAT'S TIED TO SOME PLANNED ROAD WORK ALONG COLUMBIA STREET AND LAKE STREET TO MINIMIZE SOME OF THE FLOODING THERE THAT WE FIND ON THOSE ROADS, WHICH IS PRETTY FREQUENT WHEN WE DO HAVE RAIN EVENTS, SO TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT.
A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN 25 TO ADDRESS THAT.
>> OUR GOAL THREE ADDRESSES THE ISSUE AROUND ENHANCING REDEVELOPMENT AND KEY AREAS.
SO THE FOUR PK AREAS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, OF COURSE, ARE THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, DOWNTOWN HASLETT, CARRIAGE HILLS, AND THE MALL.
TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE MALL IN TERMS OF PARKING.
I MADE THIS COMMENT, I THINK TO A NUMBER OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY.
AS SOMEONE WHO USED TO WORK IN RETAIL SITE LOCATION EARLY IN HIS CAREER AND DID A LOT OF WORK FOR ALL DEVELOPERS, THE MERIDIAN MALL, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MALLS, AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ITS LOCATION, RELATIVE TO HIGHWAY ACCESS AND ITS OVERALL SIZE, IT'S ACTUALLY DOING QUITE WELL COMPARED TO OTHER MALLS OF ITS AGE AND SIZE, IN TERMS OF OVERALL TENANCY.
IT MAY NOT BE THE MALL THAT WE REMEMBER FROM 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO, BUT THE ADDITION OF SOME ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF TENANTS, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON IN RETAIL TODAY, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ASHLEY FURNITURE, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
TO RENEW LEASES WITH JC PENNEY.
CERTAINLY THERE ARE HEAD WINDS THEY'RE FACING, AND THERE'S ONGOING CHALLENGES.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A LONG-TERM PROSPECT THAT WE HAVE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CBL, THE OWNERSHIP, BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS A PUBLIC ENTITY, WE DON'T OWN OR CONTROL THEM MALL, BUT THEY'RE A PARTNER, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, SO WE'LL WORK WITH THEM.
BUT THE TWO AREAS THAT I THINK WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FOCUS ON IS STAFF, OF COURSE, IS HAZLETT VILLAGE.
THE BOARD HAD SOME REALLY GREAT, ROBUST DISCUSSION.
YOU ADOPTED A NEW HOUSING TIF POLICY AS PART OF THE BROWNFIELD POLICY.
WE EXPECT TO SEE A BROWNFIELD PLAN COME IN ON THAT PROJECT AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.
YOU'LL SEE THAT COMING FORWARD TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THIS BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE A PLAN THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL LET THAT PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
AT LEAST THE SOUTHWEST CORNER REDEVELOPMENT WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO PROCEED YET, MAYBE THIS YEAR STILL.
WE'RE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THAT ONE AND HOPE THAT CAN MOVE FORWARD.
VILLAGE OF OKEMOS OBVIOUSLY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THERE.
BEEN WORKING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF TO COMPILE AN UPDATED DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTUS AND REALLY TRYING TO BETTER DEFINE UPFRONT SOME OF THE BIG HURDLES OF THAT PROJECT.
FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, WE KNOW THAT THE CONSUMER ENERGIES OVERHEAD LINES ARE A BIG ISSUE.
THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES ARE EXTREMELY COSTLY TO MOVE AND ADJUST.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NEEDED DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
[01:10:02]
THAT THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION WANTS TO DO.THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE ROADWAY WORK THAT INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT WANTS TO DO.
WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, BUT I THINK REALLY TRYING TO BRING THOSE ENTITIES TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN WE DO AHEAD OF TIME? BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, IF THERE'S ONE THING THEY DON'T LIKE, ARE THE UNKNOWNS.
WE HAVE SOME KNOWN UNKNOWNS AT THIS POINT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, BUT WE HAVE TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE.
THE DEVELOPER WHO HAS COME FORWARD PREVIOUSLY, THE CURRENT OWNER.
THEY'VE SHARED WITH US THAT THEY BELIEVE AROUND $7 MILLION OF SUNK INVESTMENT TO THE PROPERTY, ROUGHLY MAYBE $3.5 MILLION OF DEBT ON THE PROJECT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO ANALYZE CLOSELY AND FIGURE OUT, HOW DO WE EITHER MOVE THAT LAND TO A DIFFERENT DEVELOPER IF THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD AND ADDRESS SOME OF THESE UNKNOWN? WE HAVE HAD SOME INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPERS TO TALK WITH THEM AND EXPLAIN TO THEM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT THESE ARE ONGOING EFFORTS, AND WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME AND CONTINUED WORK ON ALL OF OUR BEHALF TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
THEN GOAL 4 IS THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER, OBVIOUSLY, THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS, YOU SPENT EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME TO DISCUSS IT.
BUT A LOT OF WORK WAS DONE PRIOR TO THAT.
THE MOST RECENT TASK FORCE, OF COURSE, WHICH FOLLOWED AN INITIAL GROUP THAT LOOKED AT THIS PREVIOUSLY.
BUT MOST CURRENT TASK FORCE STARTING BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AND THEN WORKING THROUGH MARCH, SO SEVEN MONTHS OF INTENSIVE WORK TO ANALYZE THIS ISSUE, PRESENTING THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
OF COURSE, YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE DECISION YOU MADE TO PUT BOTH THE BOND MILLAGE AND THE OPERATING MILLAGES ON THE ELECTION CALENDAR FOR AUGUST 5TH.
THE VOTERS OF THE TOWNSHIP WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
THEN, OF COURSE, EITHER WAY, WHETHER THE VOTERS DECIDE TO APPROVE THIS OR THEY DECIDE TO NOT APPROVE IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGED AS STAFF GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY.
EITHER WAY BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT $5 MILLION STATE GRANT.
THE VOTERS APPROVE THE PROJECT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE SO THAT WE CAN FULLY EXPEND THAT.
IF THEY DON'T, PIVOTING AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN THAT GRANT AND ADDRESS THE SENIOR CENTER.
EITHER WAY, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING INITIATIVE, AN ONGOING FOCUS OF STAFF.
THEN GOAL 5, IMPROVING CITIZEN OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUALLY INFORM OUR RESIDENTS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION NOISE OUT THERE.
GENERATIONS, WE ALL KNOW THE RESEARCH ON THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE PREFER TO RECEIVE THEIR COMMUNICATION, EVERYTHING FROM THE TRADITIONAL MAILER TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENT CHANNELS THAT THE MEDIA OR THAT WE USE TO INFORM PEOPLE THROUGH MEDIA.
BUT A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN DOWN, OF COURSE, THE 2025 EDITION OF THE PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE WENT OUT.
THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM PEOPLE ON THAT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
I SEE NODDING HEADS UP THERE, SO I'M SURE A NUMBER OF YOU OR ALL OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE TANGIBLE MEDIA PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE STILL LIKE TO SEE AND HAVE COME IN THEIR MAILBOXES.
THINGS LIKE REELS ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO SHARE UPDATES WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS, ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS, COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL MEDIA, WNS, TO PROMOTE OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS AND USING SOME OF THAT EARNED MEDIA TO LEVERAGE THAT AND DO THAT.
A REVISED APPROACH TO SPONSORSHIP THIS YEAR.
KUDOS TO OUR COMMUNICATION STAFF AND PARKS AND REC STAFF AND OTHERS WHO HAVE LOOKED AT THIS TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE TO SPONSORSHIP.
WE'VE SEEN THE BENEFIT OF THAT ALREADY UP LIKE 33% THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S BEEN GREAT.
THEN, OF COURSE, THE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IN MY REPORT, THE THREE OF THOSE BEING SCHEDULED AND CONTINUING TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN PERSON AS WE DO THAT THROUGHOUT.
WITH THAT, I GUESS, LET ME PAUSE THERE.
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, OR DISCUSSION ON THE UPDATES THAT YOU NEED AT THIS POINT BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? NOT IN PARTICULAR THAT I CAN THINK OF JUMPING AT THE CHANCE.
>> WELL, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO THE SECOND PIECE OF THIS FOR THIS EVENING, AND THIS IS JUST SOME INITIAL KEY ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION.
THESE ARE CERTAINLY COMING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
[01:15:01]
AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE M TEAM, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CONCURRENCE ON THESE, BUT THINKING FORWARD, AS WE AGAIN, TRY TO LINK THESE MORE DIRECTLY TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.I'VE ALREADY TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER BALLOT PROPOSALS.
AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE VOTE IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A FOCUS OF STAFF.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FAIR AMOUNT OF RESOURCES EITHER WAY.
DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER, DIRECTOR ROSINSKI, DIRECTOR SCHMIDT, HAVE ALL BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS TO DATE.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE KEY ROLES AS WE GO FORWARD HERE IN THE PROCESS, AGAIN, EITHER WAY.
THIS WILL BE A FOCUS OF STAFF AND TAKE A LOT OF EFFORT AND ENERGY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US AS WE GO FORWARD EITHER WAY.
MENTIONED EARLIER TONIGHT AS WE TALKED ABOUT HSA IS A LITTLE BIT, TOUCHING ON THE 2026 BUDGET AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I MENTIONED TO ALL OF YOU DURING MY INTERVIEW PROCESS THAT I WOULD HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT I THINK IS A GOOD BEST PRACTICE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT IS THE ABILITY TO DO FIVE YEAR FORECAST AHEAD OF A BUDGET PROCESS.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE, OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR BLONDE IS OBVIOUSLY NOT NEW TO THE ORGANIZATION, BUT NEW TO THE ROLE AND JUST TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP ON A LOT OF THINGS.
WE WON'T DO THAT FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR.
BUT MY HOPE IS AS WE LOOK INTO '27 AS A GOAL FOR '26, THAT WE CAN INTEGRATE THAT FIVE YEAR PLANNING PROCESS OF PART OF WHAT WE DO.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT.
AS WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMY AND WE LOOK AT THE HEADWINDS AND ALL THOSE THINGS, IT'S GOOD TO REALLY LOOK AHEAD ABOUT, WHERE DO WE THINK REVENUE IS GOING TO BE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGER THINGS THAT WE SEE FROM A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STANDPOINT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON THE BOTTOM LINE? IT CAN REALLY HELP INFORM THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET WHEN WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I MENTIONED ALREADY TONIGHT, HOW DO WE KEEP WAGES AND BENEFITS COMPETITIVE AND YET STILL FIT WITHIN THE REVENUE AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'LL BE A FOCUS. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE, I THINK IS, THE EXPIRING MILLAGES THAT WE HAVE FOR OPERATIONS.
THE PARKS MILAGE EXPIRES THIS YEAR.
IF WE'RE GOING TO RENEW THAT, WHICH THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF BECAUSE THAT'S A PIVOTAL PIECE OF OUR OPERATIONS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLACE THAT ON THE BALLOT IN ONE OF THE ELECTIONS IN '26.
THEN THE POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGE THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PART, LARGELY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE UNFUNDED PENSION OBLIGATIONS, WHERE WE'VE CAUGHT UP AND MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
WE HAVEN'T MAYBE GOTTEN TO 100% FUNDING YET, BUT WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT.
THERE'S A FEW POSITIONS IN THERE THAT WE'RE FUNDING AS WELL.
LOOKING AT THAT, AGAIN, EITHER IS A RENEWAL IN '26, AHEAD OF THE EXPIRATION OR CERTAINLY THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S IN PLACE.
I SAT NEXT TO SOMEBODY AT TODAY'S ECONOMIC CLUB AT THE CHAMBER, A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT WHO WAS THRILLED, THAT HIS ROAD WAS ON THAT LIST LAST YEAR, SO EXCITED THAT THE TOWNSHIP WAS PROACTIVE.
IT'S SOMEBODY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AND RECOGNIZES THAT NOT EVERY COMMUNITY IS DOING THAT.
OUR RESIDENTS RECOGNIZE THAT PROGRAM AND CERTAINLY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND KEEP THAT CYCLE OF ROAD RENEWAL AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO CONSIDER TOO.
THE TIMING OF ALL THOSE AND HOW THEY IMPACT THE BUDGETS ARE IMPORTANT, AND I THINK CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYES ON.
THEN RELATED TO THAT IS JUST THE ONGOING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
OF COURSE, OUR ROADS BEING VISIBLE, BUT THE AREA OF IT ISN'T ALWAYS IS THE WATER AND SEWER, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
WHEN PEOPLE FLUSH THEIR TOILET, THEY DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE FOR MANY YEARS.
I DO THINK ABOUT IT. I DO THINK ABOUT WHERE DOES THAT GO? WHERE DOES THAT WASTE GET TREATED? WHERE DOES THAT WATER COME FROM? THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SERVICE AND A RESOURCE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
LOOKING AT THAT, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, DOING A RATE STUDY FOR THE WATER SYSTEM AND GETTING A GOOD HANDLE ON THE NEEDED INVESTMENT OVER TIME, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I CERTAINLY HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
THOSE ARE A FEW, I MENTIONED EARLIER, TOUCHING ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, ARE JUST THOSE EXTERNAL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR EYES ON, THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL ECONOMY, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
FORTUNATELY, WE DON'T DEPEND ON A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORING ENTITIES DO, MSU BEING A BIG ONE.
WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, WITH SOME OF THEIR ISSUES, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN SOME OTHER SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
JUST BEING AWARE OF THAT AND HOW SOME OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT IMPACT US.
[01:20:01]
I'LL STOP THERE AND TURN IT OVER TO ALL OF YOU.AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS.
BUT THE HOPE THAT I HAD OR THE REQUEST WOULD BE, LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL FOR SITTING DOWN AND MAYBE A WORK SESSION AHEAD OF THE NEXT MEETING, WHERE WE COULD MAYBE SIT AT SOME TABLES HERE IN THE ROOM IN A MORE INFORMAL WAY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME GOOD BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE, THINKING ABOUT WHETHER SOME OF THESE, WHICH ONES MERIT BECOMING YOUR GOALS GOING FORWARD, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OTHER ITEMS AND ISSUES THAT YOU WANT TO SEE AS PRIORITIES, AND THEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HOW MANY OF THESE DO WE WANT TO DO? HOW DO WE NARROWED THIS DOWN AND BE HIGHLY FOCUSED BECAUSE I THINK ONE LAST COMMENT I'LL MAKE, AND THEN I'LL STOP AND LET TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
BUT HAVING DONE A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH ENTITIES AS MY TIME AS A CONSULTANT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, I THINK MISTAKES THAT ENTITIES DO, WHETHER IT'S A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR A NONPROFIT IS THAT GOALS AND STRATEGIES OFTEN BECOME THIS HUGE LAUNDRY LIST FOR ORGANIZATIONS, AND IT REALLY MISSES THE FOCAL POINT OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, IF I GO BACK TO THAT FIRST SLIDE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE DAY TO DAY.
WE EXECUTE ON THAT DAY TO DAY.
WE PROVIDE PLANNING AND ZONING SERVICES.
WE PROVIDE SERVICES FROM OUR TREASURER'S OFFICE, OUR CLERK'S OFFICE, ALL OF THAT.
PLEASE FIRE. THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO REPLICATE OUR TO DO TASK, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS REALLY FOCUS ON, WHAT ARE THOSE CORE ISSUES? HOW DO WE FOCUS YOUR ENERGY AND EFFORTS ON THOSE STRATEGIES TO REALLY TRY TO MOVE THE DIAL IN SOME OF THESE KEY THINGS.
WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND TURN IT OVER FOR SOME DISCUSSION AND ANY REACTION OR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL JUST HELP KICK US OFF BY SAYING THAT I APPRECIATE STARTING THIS PROCESS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I LEARNED IN ANY ORGANIZATION IS WHAT GETS PAID FOR, GETS DONE.
THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO SET OUR VISION AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THE BUDGET PROCESS GETS KICKED OFF ALLOWS THE BUDGET TO ENCOMPASS THE VALUES AND THE GOALS THAT THE BOARD IS SETTING AND WILL ALLOW US TO, I THINK, BETTER IMPLEMENT THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVES AND PRIORITIES.
I APPRECIATE THE TIMING ON THIS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
GENERALLY, I AGREE THAT SOME OF OUR GOALS HAVE GOTTEN DOWN ON THE WEEDS OF THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION, IN SOME CASES A BIT TOO MUCH.
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD VALUE STATEMENT TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE SUPERIOR CITIZEN DRIVEN SERVICES.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? IT MEANS WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS THAT EVERYONE'S ALREADY GOING TO DO ANYWAY.
ALL WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS WE WANT IT TO BE GREAT AND FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT WILL DO THAT, NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT TEAM.
I THINK STEPPING BACK AND PUTTING THOSE INTO A BROADER CONTEXT MORE GENERALIZED IS NOT A BAD THING.
THEN I THINK DEFINITELY, WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE LONG TERM FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS GOING TO FIND ITSELF IN.
THAT'S THE THEME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION FOR CONSIDERATION, WHETHER IT'S THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S ON THE BALLOT NOW OR THE THREE MILLAGES THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS OR THE UPCOMING CBAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
ALL OF THESE ARE BIG EXPENDITURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRAP OUR HANDS AROUND AND HAVING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL GAME PLAN, I THINK, IS NOT A BAD THING.
WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANYONE.
OH, AND I GUESS I'LL SAY I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A WORK SESSION PRIOR TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS.
LET'S IT BE A LITTLE MORE INFORMAL, A LITTLE MORE CASUAL ENVIRONMENT.
STILL OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO JOIN US, BUT IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MORE FREE FLOWING DISCUSSION THAT'S NOT ENCUMBERED BY THE RULES OF THE BOARD MEETING SETTING.
I THINK WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SHARE ANYTHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE, AND WE'LL KICK OFF THE DISCUSSION MORE IN EARNEST. CLERK DEMAS.
>> MANAGER DEMPSEY AND ALSO SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON LOOK LIKE WOULD WE HAVE A WORK SESSION THIS YEAR, HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE GOALS FOR 2026,
[01:25:05]
OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A WORK SESSION IN THE FUTURE FOR FIVE YEAR PLANNING?>> YEAH. I THINK THE IMMEDIATE REQUEST WOULD BE TO DO IT SOON AS EARLY AS YOUR NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE CAN START TO HAVE FOCUSED ON GOAL SETTING SO THAT WE CAN INTEGRATE THAT INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AS FAR AS THE LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A NEXT YEAR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CAN REALLY HAVE THE STAFF TIME AND RESOURCES DEDICATED TO THAT.
BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT AS A SPECIFIC GOAL THAT WE WANT TO DEVELOP FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST COULD HAVE A LOT OF VALUE BECAUSE THAT AGAIN, STATES IN WRITING THE COMMITMENT TO DOING THAT, AND THEN CLEARLY COMMUNICATES THAT TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT LOOK, THIS IS A HIGH VALUE, BUT THAT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR.
>> GOAL SETTING WORK SESSION AS EARLY AS JUNE 3RD AND THEN WORK ON THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN NEXT YEAR.
>> WOULD WE HAVE TO APPROVE AS A BOARD FOR A SPECIAL MEETING?
>> IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SPECIAL MEETING. I DON'T THINK.
>> I BELIEVE IT'S CLASSIFIED DIFFERENTLY.
>> I'M SURE OUR ATTORNEYS CAN TELL US WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT IF NEED BE, IF IT HAD TO BE A SPECIAL MEETING, I THINK I HAVE THE PREROGATIVE OR TWO BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE PREROGATIVE TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING IF WE HAD TO.
EITHER WAY, WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL COVER THE EXACT DETAILS OF HOW WE DO THAT. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> I CONCUR WITH YOUR COMMENT THAT IN THE PAST, WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN TOO FAR INTO WEEDS AND BEST EXAMPLE THAT MIGHT EVEN BE TO PROVIDE SUPERIOR CITIZEN DRIVEN SERVICES.
THAT IS A GOAL OF OURS, BUT IT ALSO IS OUR BASIC CULTURE HERE AND WE DO THAT.
I WOULD EVEN ARGUE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IS BUILT INTO THE CULTURE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
OUR GOALS SHOULD BE FOCUS MORE I THINK ON THE BROADER POLICY ONES, SUCH AS REDEVELOPING OUR KEY AREA.
THAT'S A POLICY THAT THIS BOARD ENDORSES AGAIN, LIKELY, AND HERE'S OUR CHALLENGE TO STAFF TO EXECUTE THAT.
SAME WITH THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT GOT AND DESERVED A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM THE BOARD, AND WE DISCUSSED IT IN THE MERITS OF IT, AND WE MADE A DECISION ON THAT.
THE FIVE GOALS, THOSE TWO BALANCE EACH OTHER OUT.
I APPRECIATE THE FOUR THAT YOU BROUGHT BEFORE US HERE, OR AT LEAST THE FOUR THINGS WE'RE LIKELY TO BE VERY FOCUSED ON IN 26, SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER, THE BUDGET AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
WE ARE GOING INTO SOME DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES AND WE KNOW THAT EARLY INDICATOR FROM THAT IS OUR INSURANCE PREMIUM IS GOING UP.
>> TWELVE PERCENT, THAT'S FOR THE HEALTH CARE PREMIUM.
THAT'S A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE THAT COULD BE LOWER OR HIGHER, DEPENDING ON, BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR CONSULTANTS ARE SEEING BASED ON INDUSTRY DATA.
>> THAT'S FOUR TIMES THE RATE OF INFLATION RIGHT NOW.
THAT COULD BE AN EARLY INDICATOR THAT WE'RE IN FOR SOME MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE PRICES FOR THE PRODUCTS WE BUY, THE EQUIPMENT, AND SO FORTH.
YOU'RE RIGHT TIM, THE PARK MILLAGE IS REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR US.
WE DO A LOT WITH OUR PARKS, BUT WE WOULD COME TO RELY ON THE PARKS MILLAGE AND IF THAT WERE TO GO AWAY, WE'D HAVE SOME REAL CHALLENGES IN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
POLICE AND FIRE, OF COURSE, RENEWS IN 2026.
THAT WAS FIRST PASSED IN 2017, I BELIEVE, AND THEN THE LOCAL ROADS AS WELL.
WE WON'T BE DONE WITH OUR ROADS BY THE FIRST 10 YEARS.
WE'VE MADE SOME GREAT PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE GOT WAYS TO GO STILL.
OF COURSE, THE ONGOING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH ROADS, WATER AND SEWER, WE SEE THAT FROM OUR CIP, WHICH IS A VERY EXTENSIVE LIST OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE.
IN TERMS OF THE BROAD POLICY GOALS FOR 2026, I DON'T THINK IT'S A YEAR WHERE WE CREATE SOME NEW, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL GOALS, BUT RATHER ONE WE BRACE OURSELVES AND BE READY FOR WHAT MIGHT BE AHEAD, AND WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES OVEREXTENDED AND THEN HAVING TO LAY OFF STAFF OR DO SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
WE ALL HAVE LOFTY GOALS FOR THE GREAT TOWNSHIP THAT WE HAVE, BUT 2026 MIGHT BE TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND SPECIFIC IN OUR GOALS OF ATTAINABLE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR FISCAL REACH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT COLLECTING ANY OF OUR EXISTING OBLIGATIONS.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I SEE THESE GOALS AND YOUR THOUGHTS AS CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST.
IT'S MORE OPERATIONAL, BUDGET DIRECTED.
THE FORMER GOALS, I DON'T NECESSARILY SAY THEY GOT INTO WEEDS.
[01:30:04]
I THINK THEY WERE ALMOST TOO BROAD, AND THERE WAS VERY DIFFICULT, NO GUIDANCE AS TO HOW TO IMPLEMENT AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO OUR STAFF.IT REALLY DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO TO THE PUBLIC.
I LIKE THE COMBINATION OF SOME MORE OPERATIONAL PIECES TO CARRY OUT IDENTIFIABLE GOALS, AND THIS IS A GOOD GOOD START.
I THINK THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE CAN'T DO IT.
THIS YEAR, MAYBE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND MAYBE ONE OF THE GOALS IN YOUR MIND, WHETHER IT'S A FORMAL GOAL OF THE BOARD IS TO START PLANNING ON HOW THAT COULD BE TACKLED IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD START, AND I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE DISCUSSION.
>> WHEN I TOOK A LOOK AT THIS AT THE FIVE GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR 2025, I LOOKED AT THE BUDGETARY IMPACT OF EACH ONE OF THESE AND TRIED, I'M AN AUDITOR.
I TRIED TO LOOK AT QUANTIFYING AND MEASURING WHAT EACH GOAL'S IMPACT WOULD BE.
WHERE IN OUR FIRST GOAL OF DELIVERING SERVICE, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS WAGES AND BENEFITS AND BEING COMPETITIVE WITH SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITIES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AS YOU SAID.
WHEN WE LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, WE HAVE TO LOOK TO OUR EMERGENCIES THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE EVERY WINTER, REPLACING WATER LINES, POTENTIALLY SEWER LINES, INFRASTRUCTURE COST PATHWAY.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE IMPACTS ON OUR BUDGET, I THINK.
REDEVELOPMENT, THE BIG CHALLENGE, OF COURSE, IS DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.
THE OTHERS WILL COME TO THEIR SUSTAINABILITY AS INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS, BUT THE DOWNTOWN OKEMOS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DOLLAR INVOLVED IN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR A DEVELOPER TO COME INTO THAT AREA.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ROOM TO PUT SOME MONEY INTO THAT AS INCENTIVES FOR WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE PAST, WE HAD THAT 1.25 MILLION AVAILABLE THAT I THINK WE DIVERTED FOR OTHER PURPOSE BECAUSE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS WAS NOT COMING ALONG.
BUT THIS TIME, MAYBE IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PUT SOME MONEY IN THE POT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT THERE.
FOR THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE VOTE IS GOING TO BE, SO SET THAT ASIDE FOR THE MOMENT.
IMPROVING OUR OUTREACH IS REALLY A LOW COST THING.
WE CAN PUT ON LISTENING SESSIONS, VERY LOW COST, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CONTINUATION OF OUR EVENTS OR SPECIAL EVENTS THAT BRING PEOPLE INTO THIS COMMUNITY, MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, CELEBRATE MERIDIAN AND SO ON.
OTHERWISE, THERE'S VERY LOW COST ASSOCIATED WITH GOING TO A HOMEOWNERS MEETING OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS MEETING, THAT THING.
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING BUDGET, WHERE ARE THE IMPACTS HERE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
>> JUST TO CATCH ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
ARE WE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING A WORK SESSION ON THIS TOPIC IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE?
>> I THINK THE 3RD IS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED.
>> YEAH. WE'LL JUST VERIFY THAT IN TERMS OF PROCESS, SETTING IT THAT WE CAN MEET THE TIMING.
I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD BE NOT A PROBLEM SO THAT WOULD BE THE INTENT.
WE'D LIKE TO DO THAT SOONER BECAUSE AGAIN WE'RE KICKING OFF BUDGET HERE THIS MONTH.
>> I'M NOT HEARING ANY OBJECTIONS.
>> WE WOULD BE DURING THE BOARD MEETING?
>> IT WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR.
>> PRIOR. SO IT WOULD BE, I THINK WHAT, 5-6.
>> THE THOUGHT WAS BASED ON THE PROGRESS THAT THE BOARD MAKES AT THAT MEETING, WE COULD DETERMINE IF WE WANTED TO CARRY IT FORWARD, DO AN ADDITIONAL MEETING IF NECESSARY OR HANDLE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE LAND.
WE'LL TRY TO DESIGN A SUFFICIENT PROCESS AS BEST WE CAN.
>> ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE CONTENT OF THE GOALS AS THEY EXIST TODAY OR EXIST IN THE FUTURE BEFORE WE GO SO WE CAN SET OUR PATH A LITTLE BIT IN THAT MEETING AND EVERYONE'S WAITING A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO NOTE, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT OUR LAST GOAL SETTING MEETING.
JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING COMES OFF OF OUR TOP FIVE GOALS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT'S ANY LESS IMPORTANT TO THE BOARD, IT MAY BE THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE MORE PRESSING AS GOALS RIGHT NOW.
[01:35:05]
IN SOME CASES, WE CAN CELEBRATE THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING AND THAT THAT IS SOME OF THE REASON WHY IT COMES OFF.TO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S POINT IF SUSTAINABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT IS INGRAINED SO MUCH IN THE CULTURE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO HIGHLIGHT IT AS A GOAL, I THINK THAT'S A VALUE.
SIMILARLY, THE SUPERIOR SERVICES, I THINK, SAME STORY.
IDENTIFYING WHAT OUR TOP THINGS ARE FOR THE NEXT YEAR THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY OF IMPORTANCE AND NEXT YEAR GOALS IS HELPFUL TO US.
FOR THE FOLKS, I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO FOLLOW OUR GOALS VERY CAREFULLY YEAR TO YEAR, AND WE'LL NOTICE THAT SOMETHING MAY COME OFF OR MY JUST COME ON.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE CARING ANY LESS ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
IT DOES MEAN THAT WE'RE PUTTING A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE. SARGENT DESCHAINE.
>> THE THINGS WE DO WELL ARE FUN TO PUT ON AS OUR GOAL, THAT'S GOING TO BE NO RECORD TO ACHIEVE THEM.
IT'S GOOD THAT WE KEEP THE DOWNTOWN OAKS REDEVELOPMENT ON THERE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ACHIEVED THOSE, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE UNHAPPY THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED THERE.
WE CAN TELL THEM TRUTHFULLY, IT'S NOT OUR PROJECT TO DEVELOP, BUT THEY WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE MORE ACTIVITY BY THIS BOARD TO INITIATE SOME DEVELOPMENT THERE.
I THINK THAT'S A GOAL THAT WE DO NEED TO REVISIT FOR 26.
IT'S A HARD GOAL, AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF WORK, AND MAYBE AS THE MANAGER POINTED OUT SOME RETHINKING OF WHAT IT IS WE ENVISION FOR THAT AND BUT ALL OF THAT IS WORTH DOING.
AS TRUSTEE WILSON ALSO POINT OUT, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO PUT SOME MONEY BACK INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT AS WELL, SO THAT WE ARE PROVIDING MORE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AS WELL.
I THINK THE HARD GOALS ARE THE ONES THAT WE DO NEED TO KEEP COMING BACK TO.
EVEN IF WE AREN'T GUARANTEED TO SUCCEED IN THEM, THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND SO THEY'RE WORTH TRYING AGAIN AND AGAIN.
>> ADDING ON TO THAT POINT, I THINK THAT WE ALSO SHOULD CONSIDER HOW WE TALK ABOUT THESE GOALS AND BECAUSE WE DO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, IT SENDS A MESSAGE WHEN WE TAKE A GOAL OFF.
FOR EXAMPLE, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, IF WE ARE TAKING THAT GOAL OFF FOR 2026, HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR OTHER GOALS TO SHOW THAT, YES, WE DO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, WE CARE ABOUT OUR PARKS? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER.
>> I HAVE ACTUALLY SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW FOR OUR NEXT DISCUSSION.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP COMMUNICATE THAT IS SORT OF DIFFERENTIATING TO BETWEEN GOALS AND VALUES.
I THINK SUPERIOR SURFACES, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE, THOSE ARE REALLY VALUES I THINK THAT THE ORGANIZATION HOLDS THAT ALL OF YOU HOLD THAT OUR RESIDENTS HOLD IN COMMON.
I THINK WE CAN DEFINE SOME OF THOSE AS YOU KNOW, OVERRIDING VALUES THAT APPLY TO REALLY ANY OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
PUTTING THOSE OUT AS VALUES TO DEMONSTRATE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE SEE AS ALWAYS IMPORTANT, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHERE THE GOAL MIGHT BE THAT THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACTUALLY GET TO AND ACHIEVE BECAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, IT'S A VALUE.
WE KNOW WHAT THAT GENERALLY MEANS.
BUT IN AND OF ITSELF, IT ISN'T NECESSARILY A GOAL IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT TARGET THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET AFTER, BUT IT IS A VALUE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT, AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
I THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT AND COMMUNICATE THAT BETTER IN THAT CONTEXT.
>> YEAH, I AGREE. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO.
>> THOSE ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE.
LIKE THE VALUES CARRY FORWARD YEAR TO YEAR UNTIL YOU DETERMINE LIKE WELL, MAYBE WE SHIFT THE WORDING OF THAT VALUE OR CHANGE IT, BUT THOSE ARE REALLY THOSE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS BEHIND.
IT'S CONNECTING BACK TO THE VISION, MISSION APPROACH TO THIS TOO.
>> IN OTHER HANDS, I THINK WE'LL PLAN ON HAVING THIS DISCUSSION FURTHER AT JUNE 3RD EXECUTIVE SESSION OR WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT WORK SESSION AND YOU'LL LET US KNOW HOW WE HAVE TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT.
>> GREAT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK.
THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
SAME RULES APPLY AS THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH YOU TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? I SEE SHAKING HEADS FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:45 PM.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
[13. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
[01:40:02]
ANY OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? TREASURER DESCHAINE.>> JUST THAT I WILL MISS THE JUNE 3RD MEETING BECAUSE I'M TAKING A VACATION WITH MY FAMILY.
FIRST REGULAR MEETING, I MISSED IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS, BUT I CERTAINLY PASS ON TO YOU AHEAD OF TIME, MY COMMENTS ON THOSE BOARD GOALS.
APPRECIATE IF YOU HAD SHARE THEM WITH THE BOARD AT THE TIME.
>> OTHER COMMENTS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE.
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A MOTION TO ADJOURN. A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION ADJOURNED AT 7:45 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.