[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
          [00:00:28]
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IT IS 6:00 AND WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. 
          THIS IS THE JUNE 17TH, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF
MERIDIAN. 
          FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE,
PLEASE STAND 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. 
          NEXT ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS ROLL CALL. 
          CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? I'M SORRY. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON,
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. 
          HERE. TREASURER DESCHAINE. HERE. CLERK DEMAS. 
          HERE. TRUSTEE LENTZ. HERE. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. HERE. 
          TRUSTEE TREZISE. HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON. HERE. ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FOUR PRESENTATIONS. 
          [4. PRESENTATION]
WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. INTRODUCTION OF SOME NEW FIREFIGHTERS OWEN
VANDERBOS AND ZOE HENDRICK. 
          AND FOR THIS WE HAVE CHIEF HAMEL. THANK YOU,
MR. SUPERVISOR. BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALWAYS ENJOY OUR NEW EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY'RE
SO EXCITED AND YOUNG AND ENERGETIC. 
          AND THEY YOU KNOW, IT'S WHEN WE HIRE, WE LOOK FOR THE VERY BEST AND WE LOOK FOR THOSE WHO, A, WANT TO BE HERE, BUT THOSE THAT WANT TO LEARN AND YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE YOU SEE IN THE BACKGROUND DO A LOT TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL. THEY TRAIN EVERY DAY. THEY WORK FOR A YEAR WITHOUT FAIL. 
          THEY HAVE QUARTERLY AGENDAS THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE. 
          AND SO IT'S REALLY FUN FOR US ALL TO MOLD SOMEONE,
TO BE READY TO GET THROUGH THAT FIRST YEAR AND THEN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. 
          SO TODAY I HAVE OWEN VANDERBOS, I'M SORRY, AND ZOE HENDRICK. 
          SO OWEN IS FROM LANSING, GRADUATED FROM ASCENSION GENESYS,
WHICH IS NOW ACTUALLY OWNED BY HENRY FORD. 
          AND HE WENT THROUGH HIS PARAMEDIC COURSE THERE. HE WORKED FOR GRAND LEDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT
WHEN WE HIRED HIM. 
          HE GOT GREAT REVIEWS FROM HIS BOSS THERE. GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. 
          AND PRIOR TO THAT, HE WORKED FOR DELTA TOWNSHIP FOR A LITTLE BIT. HE'S A FIREFIGHTER. ONE
AND TWO. 
          HAZMAT TECHNICIAN, LIKE I SAID, PARAMEDIC. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM. 
          THEY'VE BEEN TRAINING REALLY HARD NOW FOR A WEEK AND A HALF. THEY STARTED A WEEK AGO
MONDAY. THEY HAVE A TWO WEEK ONBOARDING AND THEY BOTH HAVE WORKED THEIR TAILS OFF. 
          SO ALSO WITH ME IS ZOE. AND ZOE IS FROM ALAMO. 
          SHE HAD HER EMT CERTIFICATION IN DECEMBER OF 24. 
          SHE WILL BE GOING TO PARAMEDIC SCHOOL IN AUGUST. 
          SHE'S ALREADY ENROLLED. SHE'LL BE GOING TO HENRY FORD GENESYS HOSPITAL,
AND SHE'LL BE ATTENDING THE 18 MONTH PROGRAM THERE, AND SHE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF HELP HERE TO GET THROUGH THAT. 
          AND SHE WORKED FOR SAINT LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT MOBILE MEDICAL RESPONSE. 
          SO AGAIN, FIREFIGHTER ONE AND TWO HAZMAT OPERATIONS. 
          SO IT'S JUST A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE EXCITED AND WANT TO BE HERE. 
          AND THEY'VE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. 
          THEY HAVE, WHAT'S TOMORROW WEDNESDAY, THREE MORE DAYS OF ONBOARDING. 
          AND THEN NEXT WEEK THEY WILL START THEIR 24 HOUR SHIFTS. 
          SO I'LL START WITH ZOE AND LET HER JUMP UP. GOOD EVENING. 
          I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A FIREFIGHTER HERE
IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND I AM VERY EXCITED FOR MY FUTURE HERE. THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME IS OWEN VANDERBOS. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN MY
NEW CAREER AS A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC HERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CONGRATS. GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE. WELCOME. WELCOME TO THE TEAM. 
          THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. 
          WELCOME TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU. WELCOME. CONGRATULATIONS. WELCOME. 
          OH, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. WELCOME. WELCOME ABOARD. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHIEF. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE. 
          [5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDAITEMS]
CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS ANY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, OR ANY ITEM NOT ON OUR AGENDA, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING OR AT THE END OF THE MEETING. 
          AND TONIGHT WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WHICH IS ITEM TEN A. 
          THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN CARD,
WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE TABLE NEAR THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO TO THE BOARD OR A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF DURING THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. 
          [00:05:03]
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, THE SUPERVISOR. THAT'S ME. WE'LL CALL YOU UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK
TO THE TOPICS INDICATED. 
          WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT IS HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES IF YOU PROVIDE
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS. CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM KEEPS TRACK OF THE TIME,
AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT AND AUDIBLE BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOU HAVE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT. 
          THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES, HOWEVER, RESTRICT BOARD MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING 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 OR THE BOARD'S CHAIR,
AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          AND FOR NOW, THIS EVENING, WE DO HAVE ONE GREEN CARD. 
          BETH HUBBLE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM,
PLEASE. 
          I'M ASSUMING THIS IS A MICROPHONE. YES. OKAY. 
          I'M ASKING BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS I DON'T COME TO MEETINGS ANYMORE IS I DON'T EVER
HEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. 
          THEY EITHER DON'T GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE MICROPHONE. 
          INCLUDING WHAT ALL YOU WERE JUST SAYING. I COULD NOT HEAR. 
          SO I JUST I GUESS THAT WASN'T MY MAIN CONCERN,
BUT I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT IS AN ISSUE. 
          I DID GO TO THE LISTENING SESSION AND I WAS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR,
AND IT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE USING THE MICROPHONES CORRECTLY AND THEY WERE PASSING THEM AROUND. 
          SO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SPEAKING, I COULD ALSO HEAR. 
          SO I'M HERE IN REGARDS TO THAT MEETING BECAUSE IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING AND I LEARNED A
LOT. 
          THERE WAS A LOT OF INPUT FROM PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          THERE WAS A GOOD TURNOUT. THEY CAME PREPARED. 
          THEY CAME UP WITH A LOT OF FACTS AND THINGS THAT WERE OF CONCERN ABOUT THE UPCOMING
ELECTION, AND THAT WAS MY CONCERN AS WELL. SO MY REASONS FOR SPEAKING HERE WAS I HAD TIME TO PROCESS
TO GO HOME AND PROCESS WHAT I HEARD, AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT REALLY CONCERNED ME THAT
I FELT REALLY DIDN'T GET ADDRESSED. 
          AND SO I'M REALLY HERE TO SPEAK ON WHAT I WOULD CALL THE INVISIBLE GENERATIONS OF THIS
COMMUNITY, OF WHICH I'M ONE. AND I THINK THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT OFTEN SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS,
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE USING THE SENIOR CENTERS. 
          AND THE ISSUE WAS AND I ASKED ABOUT THIS TOO,
WHAT THE NEEDS WERE FOR THESE TWO GROUPS THAT ARE BEING COMBINED FOR THIS ELECTION. AND I DIDN'T SEE A REASON FOR THIS COMBINATION. 
          AND SO WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE NEED, I MEAN, IT WASN'T REALLY VERY SPECIFIC. 
          ON THE SENIOR CENTER, IT REALLY WASN'T ADDRESSED A WHOLE LOT,
BUT I'VE HAD SOME, I DON'T PARTICULARLY GO TO THESE, BUT I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THEM. 
          AND THE ONE THING THAT I THINK TAKES KEEPS THEM APART FROM THE OTHER KIND OF GROUP IS THE
FACT THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME BASICALLY, MOSTLY, I THINK THEY COME FOR THE NUTRITIONAL FOOD THAT THEY GET. 
          AND THIS IS A REAL IMPORTANT THING ABOUT SENIOR CENTERS. 
          AND I'VE LOOKED AT VARIOUS ONES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY REALLY DON'T REQUIRE A LOT. 
          THEY NEED A KITCHEN. THEY NEED I HOPE THIS DOESN'T MEAN I'M BEING. 
          GO AHEAD. YEAH. ANYWAY, THEY NEED A KITCHEN. THEY NEED SOME SPACE FOR TABLES,
CHAIRS, WHATEVER. 
          I SEE A POSSIBILITY WITH A LOT OF RESTAURANTS THAT ARE CLOSING. 
          THAT MIGHT BE A PERFECT FIT FOR THEM. I DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT WAS LOOKED AT,
I DIDN'T. 
          OOPS, I'M MOVING THIS THING, SO. I DIDN'T SEE THAT. 
          YOU KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF OPTIONS LOOKED AT OR POSSIBILITIES FOR FINDING A SPACE FOR
THEM, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, THEY'RE LOSING THEIR SPACE. 
          AND IT'S NOT BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THE SCHOOL THAT'S BEING BUILT. 
          SO IT'S REALLY UP TO THIS COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT NEED BECAUSE IT WILL BE MISSING. 
          AND IT'S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT THEY'RE GETTING A NUTRITIONAL MEAL. 
          WHAT THEY'RE DOING ALSO IS THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
AND THESE ARE OFTEN PEOPLE THAT LIVE ALONE. 
          [00:10:03]
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING I FEEL IS A REAL HIGH PRIORITY. 
          AND SO WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE NEEDS OF HAVING THIS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR COMMUNITY
CENTER, AND I ASKED ABOUT THAT AND MY ANSWER THAT I GOT WAS THE NEED IS THAT OUR KIDS NEED A GYM. 
          THEY NEED BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL. AND THEN THERE WAS PICKLEBALL MENTIONED. 
          NOW WE HAVE BASKETBALL IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE HAVE WONDERFUL SCHOOLS. 
          WE HAVE VOLLEYBALL. WE HAVE COMMUNITY ED CLASSES FOR AFTER SCHOOL,
THINGS WE HAVE CLASSES IN OUR LIBRARIES. 
          I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY THINGS GOING ON ALREADY. 
          WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE HERE. AND SO I YOU KNOW,
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO WEIGH WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE. 
          AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO PAY TAXES FOR BUILDING
THIS HUGE FACILITY THAT WE MAYBE DON'T EVEN REALLY NEED. 
          I'M NOT FEELING LIKE WE DO. AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED FOR THESE TAXES THAT ARE
ASTRONOMICAL, AND WE HAVE LEARNED THAT WE ALREADY PAY THE HIGHEST TAXES IN THE WHOLE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 
          SO I'M JUST HERE TO KIND OF HOPE THAT YOU WERE LISTENING AT THAT MEETING AND THAT YOU ARE
ALSO RETHINKING MAYBE WHAT WE'RE BEING FACED WITH IN AN ELECTION,
BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THERE'S STILL TIME TO FIX IT. 
          AND I THINK THAT OPTIONS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AND WE SHOULD HAVE OPTIONS WHEN WE VOTE. 
          WE'RE NOT HAVING AN OPTION HERE. IT'S A ONE OR ALL,
YOU KNOW, ALL OR ONE OR WHATEVER I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE ANYWAY. 
          AND SO IT DOESN'T PASS AND I FEEL LIKE MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT WILLING TO PAY THESE EXTRA
TAXES AND FOR SOMETHING WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED OR CERTAINLY DON'T NEED AS MUCH AS WE NEED THE SENIOR
PLACE PLACE FOR SENIORS. 
          SO MY CHALLENGE TO THE BOARD IS TO RETHINK THIS AND TO COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS FOR THIS. 
          MAKE IT A BETTER CHOICE FOR THE VOTERS, BECAUSE WE MAY BE LOSING OUR HOMES IF WE HAVE TO
PAY THOSE KIND OF TAXES. 
          WE JUST CAN'T. WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, AND IT WOULD CHANGE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN
NOW BECAUSE YOU'D BE LOSING SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOREVER. 
          I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 60 YEARS IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. SO MY CHALLENGE IS TO RETHINK THAT. 
          COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS. IF YOU CAN'T DO IT BY THE ELECTION,
THEN POSTPONE THE ELECTION UNTIL WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE RESEARCH DONE, MORE OPTIONS AND MORE POSSIBILITIES. 
          THANK YOU. SO THAT'S MY CHALLENGE TO YOU. THANKS FOR LISTENING. 
          THANK YOU. THAT'S THE ONLY GREEN CARD THAT'S LOOKING TO SPEAK AT PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS
POINT. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME?
SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:13 P.M.. NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT. 
          [6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
AND FOR THAT WE HAVE DEPUTY TOWNSHIP MANAGER DAN OPSOMMER. 
          THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. MANAGER DEMPSEY REGRETS THAT HE COULD NOT BE HERE THIS
EVENING. 
          I WANT TO START OFF THE MANAGER'S REPORT ACTUALLY,
BY HAVING KATIE LOVE WITH MERIDIAN CARES COME UP. 
          AS THE BOARD KNOWS, KATIE'S GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE MERIDIAN CARES EFFORTS
FOLLOWING THE FIRE ON DOBIE ROAD YESTERDAY. 
          THANK YOU. KATIE. HELLO. JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE. 
          KATIE LOVE, HUMAN SERVICES SPECIALIST WITH MERIDIAN CARES. 
          I WAS ABLE TO MEET YESTERDAY WITH MOST OF THE RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE FIRE AND TRY TO
MAKE SOME QUICK CONNECTIONS WITH LOCAL RESOURCES. 
          MERIDIAN CARES PROVIDED SOME IMMEDIATE NEEDS TO A COUPLE OF FAMILIES. 
          DIAPERS. ONE FAMILY LEFT THEIR APARTMENT WITHOUT SHOES. 
          PEDIALYTE, SOME MILK. JUST SOME REAL QUICK THINGS THAT WE COULD GET FOR SOME OF THE
FAMILIES. 
          WE ARE STAYING IN TOUCH WITH THE RED CROSS, THE MERIDIAN FIRE DEPARTMENT,
LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES WHO HAVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY, WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT CAN I DONATE AT THIS TIME? WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY FURNITURE OR CLOTHING. WE DON'T HAVE THE PLACE TO STORE IT. 
          AND THESE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE THE PLACE TO TAKE IT TO. 
          SO IN THE FUTURE, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MONTHS,
WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, WE MAY REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, HEY,
WE HAVE FIVE FAMILIES WHO NEED DRESSERS. 
          [00:15:03]
DOES ANYONE CAN ANYONE MEET THAT NEED? RIGHT NOW,
IF ANYONE WANTS TO DONATE, THEY CAN DONATE THROUGH THE MERIDIAN CARES PAYPAL THAT WE HAVE. 
          YOU CAN FIND THAT ON THE MERIDIAN CARES FACEBOOK PAGE OR ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE
UNDER MERIDIAN CARES, THAT IF PEOPLE DON'T DESIGNATE THAT THEY WANT IT TO GO TO THE FIRE THAT STAYS COMPLETELY
SEPARATE FOR VICTIMS OF FIRE 100% OF OUR DONATIONS ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND ARE VERY IMPORTANT,
VITAL PART OF WHAT WE DO. 
          I THINK THAT IS IT. WE'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS. 
          HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE RED CROSS,
LIKE I SAID, AND CHURCHES HAVE STEPPED UP AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO? SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST KIND OF COMPILING PIECES OF EVERYTHING. 
          SHELTER OPENS TONIGHT AT 6 P.M. AT HAZLET MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          FOR ANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO NEED A PLACE TO STAY. 
          THANK YOU. KATIE. AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF DONATIONS DO PEOPLE MAKE GOES TO THE VICTIMS? 100%. SO EVERYTHING OPERATING COSTS IS THROUGH THE HUMAN SERVICES MILLAGE. 
          IF I'M SAYING HUMAN SOMETHING MILLAGE. SO 100% OF DONATIONS GO DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR EFFICIENCY IN GETTING TO THESE
FAMILIES RIGHT AWAY. 
          CERTAINLY, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR THEM AND FOR US FOR THAT MATTER. 
          YEAH. AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO. 
          YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME TO COME SPEAK. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. AND JUST A FEW OTHER UPDATES FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING. 
          I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND WE DO HAVE CHIEF HAMEL IN ATTENDANCE,
IF BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RESPONSE EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE FIRE YESTERDAY. BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS WHO ASSISTED US IN
THAT EFFORT AND SOME INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS. 
          THE EAST LANSING, LANSING AND MASON FIRE DEPARTMENTS,
NISA, NORTHEAST, INGHAM EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITY, INGHAM COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE,
MICHIGAN STATE POLICE AND THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. 
          AND I'LL HOLD THERE IN CASE THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF ON OUR RESPONSE TO
THE FIRE ON DERBY ROAD YESTERDAY. 
          IS OUR FIREFIGHTER WHO HAD HEAT EXHAUSTION OKAY? YEAH, WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO. WE HAD ONE FROM OUR DEPARTMENT,
ONE FROM A NEIGHBORING DEPARTMENT, AND BOTH WERE RELEASED LAST NIGHT. JUST DEHYDRATION. 
          THAT WAS A LITTLE COOLER THAN TODAY, BUT IT WAS A TOUGH FIGHT FOR ABOUT 2.5 HOURS,
SO. 
          YEAH, THEY WORKED HARD. YEAH, BUT THANK YOU FOR ASKING. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. OTHER QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS. 
          HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AT THIS POINT? WELL,
WE KNOW THE APARTMENT IT STARTED IN AND IT CAME IN AS A STOVE FIRE, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT IT DID, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW YET. 
          THE FAMILY WAS MOVING IN THAT DAY. YEAH. OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU, CHIEF. THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR RESPONDING
AS QUICKLY AS YOU DID. 
          AND FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE DAMAGE WAS AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE. 
          CERTAINLY, WE, YOU KNOW, WE UP HERE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE STRESS AND THE BURDEN THAT COMES
WITH HAVING TO RESPOND TO THAT, BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT WHEN WE SEE IT. 
          YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I'LL ECHO DEPUTY MANAGER. 
          WE CAN'T DO IT OURSELVES. AND, YOU KNOW, NOBODY AROUND HERE. 
          CAN WE RESPOND? MUTUAL AID, AUTOMATIC AID ALL THE TIME. 
          AND OUR PARTNERS DID A LOT. AND IT WAS IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THEM THERE. 
          AND IT TOOK A LOT OF THE BURDEN OFF US, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HEAT. 
          SO WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE YESTERDAY AND A LOT OF SUPPORT STAFF,
ESPECIALLY MERIDIAN CARES. 
          THEY DID A GREAT JOB. SHE TEXTED ME AND SAID,
WHAT CAN I DO? AND SHE JUMPED RIGHT INTO IT, WHICH WAS AWESOME FOR THE FAMILIES. 
          SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND SPEAKING OF MERIDIAN CARES,
IF RESIDENTS DO WANT TO MAKE A DONATION, BUT THEY ARE NOT INCLINED TO USE PAYPAL RESIDENTS CAN COME IN AND PAY BY CHECK OR
CONTRIBUTE. 
          I SHOULD SAY BY CHECK AT THE TOWNSHIP TREASURER'S OFFICE. 
          SO THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. OTHER UPDATES FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING. 
          THE TOWNSHIP, JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT ALL TOWNSHIP OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON
THURSDAY, JUNE 19TH, IN OBSERVATION OF THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY. 
          THE TOWNSHIP'S ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY,
JUNE 20TH FROM 3 TO 7 P.M. 
          AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN. AND CONTINUING WITH FESTIVITIES IN JUNE,
WE HAVE THE ANNUAL CELEBRATE FESTIVAL, WHICH WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR FROM THURSDAY, JUNE 26TH THROUGH SATURDAY,
JUNE 28TH. 
          SO THURSDAY, JUNE 26TH, WE HAVE THE CHILDREN'S CONCERT FROM 5 TO 7 AT THE MARKETPLACE. 
          ON FRIDAY EVENING FROM 6 TO 9 P.M., WE HAVE TEEN NIGHT AT THE MARKETPLACE. 
          [00:20:02]
AND THEN ON SATURDAY, THE BLOCK PARTY FESTIVITIES WILL KICK OFF AT 8 A.M. 
          WITH THE FARMERS MARKET AND CONCLUDE AROUND 10:45 WITH THE DRONE SHOW. 
          THE DRONE SHOW WILL START AT 10:15, AND IT IS THE FIRST DRONE SHOW BEING HOSTED BY THE
TOWNSHIP. 
          AND THEN JUST AN UPCOMING NOTICE FOR RESIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION. 
          YARD SIGNS DID GO UP LAST WEEK ACROSS SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR ASPHALT
REJUVENATOR SPRAY TREATMENTS. 
          WE ARE DOING ABOUT 14 MILES OF TREATMENTS THIS YEAR,
WHERE WE ARE TREATING ROADS THAT WERE PAVED FROM 22 TO 24. 
          SO IF YOU'RE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE YOU HAD PAVING DONE BETWEEN 22 AND 24,
PLEASE LOOK AROUND FOR THE YARD SIGNS. 
          AND THE WEBSITE THAT'S LISTED ON THOSE IS DETAILS. AND WE WOULD JUST ASK THAT RESIDENTS MOVE THEIR VEHICLES OFF THE ROADWAYS BETWEEN
JUNE 24TH AND JULY 11TH. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS UPDATED THE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION DOCUMENT PERTAINING TO THE TWO COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER MILLAGE PROPOSALS THAT WILL BE ON THE AUGUST 5TH,
2025 BALLOT, AND I DID MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES RELATED TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING. WE DID NOT ADD A QUESTION SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS
BROUGHT THIS EVENING, OR THE TWO QUESTIONS. SO WE WILL REVISIT THE FAQ DOCUMENT LATER THIS WEEK. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO GET THE PLANS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE UPDATED. 
          SO THERE ARE SOME EXTERIOR ELEVATION AND INTERIOR RENDERINGS TO KIND OF GIVE THE COMMUNITY
AN IDEA OF WHAT HAS BEEN PLANNED IN TERMS OF THE FACILITY ITSELF. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING. 
          HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SEVEN. 
          [7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]
BOARD MEMBER, REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY BOARD MEMBERS WITH ACTIVITIES
AND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO REPORT. 
          CLERK DEMAS. YES. SO A FEW ELECTION UPDATES. JUNE 26TH IS WHEN ABSENTEE BALLOTS WILL BE
MADE AVAILABLE AND MAILED OUT TO VOTERS FOR THE AUGUST 5TH,
2025, SPECIAL ELECTION. 
          JUNE 21ST IS WHEN WE WILL SEND OUT ABSENTEE VOTER BALLOTS TO OUR UOCAVA VOTERS WHO HAVE
FILLED OUT THEIR FEDERAL POSTCARD APPLICATION FOR THIS YEAR. 
          THERE'S SOME UPDATES. I ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL CLERKS SUMMER
CONFERENCE AND RECEIVED A LOT OF GOOD TRAINING. 
          THAT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SO THAT WAS WHY I WAS ABSENT FROM THE JUNE 3RD MEETINGS. 
          LAST WEEK, I ATTENDED THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AND PROVIDED UPDATES
ABOUT THE LISTENING SESSIONS. 
          AND JUST AN UPDATE. I WILL BE HOLDING MY FIRST DEMOCRACY CLASS AS THE CLERK ON THURSDAY,
JULY 3RD AT 6 P.M. 
          HERE IN THE TOWN HALL ROOM. THIS WILL BE FREE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC,
AND I'LL GO OVER ELECTION AND VOTING INFORMATION, AS WELL AS HEAR DIRECTLY FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. TREASURER DESCHAINE. 
          THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL WANT TO SAY SUMMER TAX BILLS WILL BE MAILED AND SHOULD ARRIVE IN
MAILBOXES ON TUESDAY, JULY 1ST? THE PAYMENT WINDOW FOR SUMMER TAXES IS JULY 1ST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 14TH. 
          CAN I TAKE PAYMENT BEFORE THAT, AND YOU CAN PAY UP UNTIL THE 14TH OF SEPTEMBER WITHOUT
PENALTY. 
          AFTER THAT, IT'S A 1% A MONTH PENALTY UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY. 
          ALSO, I WANT TO THANK THE 80 OR SO RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK FOR OUR LISTENING
SESSION. 
          THAT WAS, I THINK, OUR LARGEST LISTENING SESSION YET. AND IT WAS,
WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THEM. 
          I THOUGHT WE HANDLED IT VERY WELL, HAVING THE MICROPHONES OUT. 
          PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO HEAR AND BE AND BE HEARD. 
          THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE LISTENING SESSIONS ARE FOR. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE AND WE
CERTAINLY ACHIEVED THAT LAST WEEK. SO THANK YOU ALL WHO CAME OUT OR THOSE WHO WATCHED. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU. 
          AS THE BOARD LIAISON TO THE MERIDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION I ATTENDED OUR JUNE 4TH
MEETING WHERE WE, EXCUSE ME, NOT WE, I'M NOT A VOTING MEMBER WHERE THAT COMMISSION VOTED ON APPROVAL FOR
ROUND TWO OF THE 2025 GREEN GRANT AWARD RECIPIENTS. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SOME OF THOSE APPLICANTS WHO TOOK THE
TIME TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, INCLUDING ANSWERING QUESTIONS BEYOND THE INITIAL APPLICATION. 
          CORNELL WOODS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BEING ONE THAT IS EXCITED TO WELCOME CORNELL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THEIR PROJECT WHEN IT IS DONE. 
          [00:25:08]
AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT. IT SHOWS THE EDUCATIONAL SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTALISM,
WHICH I THINK THAT COMMISSION DOES A GREAT JOB OF HIGHLIGHTING. 
          SO OF COURSE, THOSE ARE OFFERED EACH YEAR BY THE TOWNSHIP. 
          SO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
OR SOMETHING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. 
          PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THOSE IN THE SPRINGTIME OF NEXT YEAR. 
          SO THE REALLY GREAT PROJECTS THIS YEAR WE HAD. 
          SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE APPROVED FUNDING FOR OKAY. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
          WELL, ABOUT JUST OVER AN HOUR AGO SOME OF US GATHERED AT THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION FOR THE
PUSH IN CEREMONY FOR OUR TWO NEW FIRE ENGINES. A LOVELY CEREMONY, SOME BAGPIPES. WE SPRAYED DOWN THE TRUCKS,
WE DRIED THEM OFF. 
          WE PUSHED THEM INTO THE INTO THE FIRE STATION. 
          AND INGHAM COUNTY DISPATCH HAD A NICE MESSAGE OVER THE OVER THE THE SCANNERS IN SUPPORT OF
OUR NEW ENGINES. 
          SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TO DO THAT. IT'S A TRADITION I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT PRIOR TO JOINING
THE TOWNSHIP. 
          BUT CERTAINLY IS IS ONE WE WERE HAPPY TO TAKE PART IN TODAY. 
          AND SO THANK YOU TO CHIEF HAMEL AND THE REST OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR
HELPING TO MAKE THAT EVENT COME TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY AFTER A VERY TRYING AFTERNOON YESTERDAY. 
          SEEING NO OTHER REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT,
WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. 
          [8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. 
          SUPPORT. MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE
AGENDA? SEEING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE. 
          [9. CONSENT AGENDA]
CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING,
INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THREE SETS OF MINUTES. ONE FROM OUR SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SESSION ON JUNE 3RD, ONE FROM OUR REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING ON
JUNE 3RD, AND THEN ONE FROM OUR LISTENING SESSION THE TREASURER MENTIONED ON JUNE 10TH. 
          WE HAVE THE BILLS. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE HAZARD VILLAGE
BROWNFIELD PLAN. 
          ON JULY 8TH. WE HAVE A REAPPOINTMENT OF OUR YOUTH MEMBER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. 
          A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS TO THE INGHAM COUNTY TRAILS AND PARKS MILLAGE GRANTS,
MOVING SOME MONEY FROM THE NORTHERN TIER TRAIL TO LAKE LANSING [INAUDIBLE] TO LAKE LANSING PHASE ONE, WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR OUR TOWNSHIP BOARD LIAISON TO THE EAST LANSING
MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY BOARD. 
          THAT'S TRUSTEE LENTZ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF OUR LOCAL
FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH COMCAST, WHICH WE DISCUSSED. AND WE'RE IN APPROVAL OR IN AGREEMENT TO. 
          AT OUR LAST MEETING. SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT APPEAR ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING I MOVE TO APPROVE THE
CONSENT AGENDA. 
          MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY CLERK DIMAS. 
          ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE,
WILL DEPUTY CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK DIMAS. YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. 
          YES. TRUSTEE SUNLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. 
          TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM TEN,
WHICH IS HEARINGS. 
          [10.A. 2025 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Special Assessment District #21]
WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING, AND THAT IS THE 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 21. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER KICK US OFF ON THIS,
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN JUST A MOMENT. 
          YES. SO THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON, JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD,
THE ORDER TO MAINTAIN PROGRAM BEGAN BACK IN 1999 AT THE BOARD'S RECENT MEETING BACK IN ON JUNE 3RD. ACTUALLY, NO. I'M SORRY, YOUR SECOND MEETING IN MAY. 
          THE BOARD ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU DID WAS YOU
ESTABLISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE ASSESSMENT RULE, AND YOU SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION TWO FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. 
          SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE FIRST DRAFT
OF THE ASSESSMENT RULE. 
          WE WILL THEN HAVE A SECOND DRAFT OF THE ASSESSMENT RULE AFTER CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN
COMPLETED, AT WHICH POINT WE MIGHT GET SOME CORRECTIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY,
AND THEN WE WOULD FINALIZE THE FINAL DRAFT, WHICH WOULD BE BEFORE YOU FOR RESOLUTION FIVE IN LATE 2025 OR EARLY 2026. 
          SO JUST FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT,
TONIGHT IS THE VERY INITIAL STEP IN THE PROCESS AND WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN CONSTRUCTION. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THIS POINT,
WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. 
          AND I DO HAVE ONE GREEN CARD FROM MISTER HARRINGTON. 
          SAME RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT APPLY AS ANY OTHER MOMENT. 
          YEAH. REX HARRINGTON FROM 820 PIPER ROAD IN HAZLET. 
          [00:30:02]
I DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF MY PLACE,
SO I'M NOT SPEAKING FROM MY OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. I'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF WALKING THE STREETS OF ANN ARBOR
AND DEXTER AND OLD TOWN. 
          AND IN EACH OF THESE THREE COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF MAINTAINING THE
SIDEWALKS, WHICH I THINK IS PREFERABLE. WHAT THEY DO IS THEY CUT A BEVEL WHEN THERE'S A RAISED EDGE
ON A SIDEWALK. 
          THEY THE I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM DO THIS, SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT EXACTLY. 
          BUT I WOULD ASSUME WHAT THEY DO IS THEY STRIKE A LINE ON THERE AND THEY USE A CONCRETE SAW
AND THEY CUT OFF AN ANGLE. 
          THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WHEN YOU WALK THESE STREETS,
YOU DON'T NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE WHEN THEY'RE IN THE LEVELING. 
          SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE, THAT YOU'VE ALLOWED THE SIDEWALKS TO DETERIORATE IN ANY WAY. 
          I THINK THAT THIS IS A PREFERABLE METHOD TO THE ONE WE'RE USING NOW,
WHICH IS WHAT REMOVING THE CONCRETE JACKHAMMERING IT OUT, REMOVING THE CONCRETE, FORMING IT, POURING A NEW CONCRETE,
REMOVING THE FORMS. VERY EXPENSIVE. AND I THINK THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THIS CUTS AND AT LEAST TRY THEM. 
          DO THESE CUTS FOR PROBABLY ONE QUARTER THE PRICE OF WHAT YOU'RE PAYING NOW FOR THIS
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE. 
          I'D LIKE TO SEE US TRY IT. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON THIS TOPIC? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CONSIDERED CLOSED AT 6:31 P.M.. 
          AND WE DO HAVE A RESOLUTION WHICH WILL TAKE UP ON OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM. 
          SO I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? THAT CONCLUDES THAT. ALL RIGHT. 
          WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:31. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11 A,
WHICH IS 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. 
          [11.A. 2025 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Special Assessment District #21 - Resolution #3]
DISTRICT NUMBER 21, RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE. DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. 
          THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. SO JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD,
RESOLUTION THREE, THAT IS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING WOULD WOULD ESSENTIALLY GIVE US THE DIRECTIVE BASED ON THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THE ASSESSMENT RULE TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION. 
          AT WHICH POINT, ONCE WE GET CLOSE TO FINALIZING CONSTRUCTION,
WE WOULD THEN BRING BACK RESOLUTION FOUR TO SET THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING. 
          AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MAY HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU. DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER,
IS THE AMOUNT OF SIDEWALK REPAIR BEFORE US TODAY, TYPICAL FOR AN AVERAGE YEAR,
WOULD YOU SAY, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE? YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY BELOW THE QUANTITIES THAT WE HAD IN THE 2022 ORDER TO MAINTAIN,
WHICH KIND OF OCCURRED OVER THE IT'S TECHNICALLY THE 2022, BUT IT OCCURRED BETWEEN 22 AND 24. SO THIS IS A LOWER QUANTITY OF SIDEWALK THAT WE ARE
REPLACING. 
          IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE AGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PREDOMINANTLY IT DEPENDS ON TREE
ROOTS. 
          SO THE MATURITY OF TREES AND THE QUANTITY OF TREES IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST FACTOR. 
          THERE'S ALWAYS EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES. A UTILITY THAT'S WORKING MIGHT DAMAGE A
SIDEWALK, CRACK IT, FOR INSTANCE, IN A MANNER THAT WOULD HIT OUR THRESHOLD FOR REPLACEMENT. 
          BUT TYPICALLY THOSE GET IDENTIFIED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER,
AND WE FIX THOSE WITH THE UTILITY SO THAT THEY DON'T BECOME A COST ON THE RESIDENT. AND SO THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT I WAS THINKING IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT THAT WE HAD THIS EVENING. 
          THE ONE DOWNSIDE OF GRANTING OR CUTTING THE TRIP HAZARD IS THAT IF THAT ROOT,
IF A ROOT IS THE CAUSE OF THE HEAVING SLAB, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE,
AND THEN WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME BACK AND HIT THAT RESIDENT FOR THE SAME ONE. 
          WE CUT THE ROOT OUT TO TRY TO ELIMINATE THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. 
          THERE'S NEVER A GUARANTEE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE COULD BE A ROOT THAT'S GROWING JUST BELOW
THE AGGREGATE BASE THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT COULD HEAVE IT, BUT WE TYPICALLY TRY TO ELIMINATE THE ROOT THAT'S CAUSING THE HEAVING IN THE FIRST PLACE. 
          SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE DO THE REPLACEMENT. 
          BUT OVERALL THIS IS PROBABLY SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE. 
          BUT I THINK THAT'S ALSO INDICATIVE OF WHERE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER AND A LOT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ON THE NEWER SIDE OF AVERAGE IN TERMS OF HOUSING STOCK. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION. AND I BELIEVE I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS,
BUT JUST FOR COMPLETE CLARITY, IF, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC DECIDES THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
REPAIRS OR THEY WANT TO PURSUE IT ON THEIR OWN 
          [00:35:02]
THE THE ARE THEY ALLOWED TO SEEK ANY SECOND OPINION ON THE RATING OF THEIR SIDEWALK. 
          WHAT IS DETERMINED TO BE TOO FAR GONE? I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER LIKE 82
RESIDENTS, AND I'M CURIOUS IF THEY THINK LIKE, WELL, IT'S FINE. AND THEN,
YOU KNOW, THAT COULD CAUSE ISSUES. 
          YEAH. SO THERE'S REALLY ONLY A HANDFUL OF THINGS THAT A RESIDENT COULD BRING TO A PUBLIC
HEARING LIKE TONIGHT THAT WOULD MAKE US QUESTION IT. 
          ONE WOULD BE IF THE FLAG OF CONCRETE IS RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE,
WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK OUT, VERIFY WHERE THE IRON IS. THAT MARKS AND DELINEATES THE PROPERTY LINE. 
          AND WE MAY HAVE TO RECONCILE THAT. ANOTHER ONE WOULD BE OCCASIONALLY WE GET THE SQUARE
FOOTAGE MEASUREMENT OFF. 
          WE HAD ONE OF THOSE IN THE 2022 ROLL. DURING THE SECOND HEARING,
THE RESIDENT SENT US THEIR CALCULATIONS. 
          WE WENT BACK OUT IN THE FIELD AND DOUBLE CHECKED THINGS AND CONCURRED WITH THE RESIDENT.
REALLY, OUR STANDARDS ARE PRETTY SPECIFIC, AND WE DOCUMENT THEM. 
          SO IF THE TRIP HAZARD EXCEEDS. I ALWAYS MIX UP PATHWAY AND SIDEWALK,
BUT I WANT TO SAY IT'S TWO INCHES FOR SIDEWALK, SO IF THE HAZARD EXCEEDS TWO INCHES, THAT'S WHAT COMPELS IT TO BE ON THAT ORDER TO
MAINTAIN AND THEN CRACKS OF A HALF INCH OR GREATER. 
          SO THOSE WE WOULD ALSO PERHAPS GO BACK OUT AND REMEASURE IF A RESIDENT WANTS TO CONTEST. 
          THUS FAR, ALL WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE WHO'S CONTACTED US IS THEY WOULD LIKE THE TOWNSHIP
TO DO IT. 
          I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE ASSESSMENT RULE, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IS IN THE $260 RANGE. 
          YOU COULD CERTAINLY TRY TO GET, YOU KNOW, A SMALLER CONCRETE CONTRACTOR TO DO IT. 
          YOU MIGHT SAVE 30 TO 50 BUCKS, BUT YOU MIGHT SPEND FOUR HOURS OF YOUR TIME TO DO SO. 
          SO THUS FAR, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY IS QUITE CONTENT WITH OUR IDENTIFICATIONS. 
          AND WE DO TAKE PICTURES, THOUGH, TO DOCUMENT,
AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF TRANSMIT THOSE TO RESIDENTS IF THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHY WE IDENTIFIED THEIR SIDEWALK. AND WE WORK THROUGH IT WITH THEM. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT BACK AND FORTH WITH THE RESIDENTS. 
          SORRY, DAN, WHO DOES THE ORIGINAL AUDIT OF THE SIDEWALKS,
IS THAT DONE BY STAFF OR BY THE CONTRACTOR? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE OF OUR INSPECTORS DOING IT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PROJECT
ENGINEER. 
          SO AND WE DO IT BASED ON THE PLANTS, RIGHT. SO WE WE TRY TO ROTATE THROUGH THE PLANTS ONCE
EVERY TEN YEARS. 
          SO THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR A CONTRACTOR TO MAYBE OVER ESTIMATE. 
          NOPE. AND WE MARK IT ALL UP. THE CONTRACTOR IS LITERALLY JUST GOING OUT THERE AND
REPLACING EXACTLY WHAT WE TELL THEM. 
          PERFECT. YEP. THE CONTRACTOR HAS NO ROLE IN THAT. 
          THANK YOU. SO, TOWNSHIP INTERNAL EMPLOYEES, INSPECTORS AND ENGINEERS DOING ALL THE
INSPECTION DOCUMENTATION AND DETERMINING THE SCOPE. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DO HAVE A MOTION. IT'S A LOT FOR WHOEVER WANTS TO TACKLE IT,
BUT IT'S THERE. 
          TRUSTEE TREZISE. GLASS ES CLEANED. I MOVED TO APPROVE THE. 
          AND THEY'RE MOVED. APPROVE THE 2025 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. 
          DISTRICT NUMBER 21. RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE,
WHICH APPROVES REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALK AND PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS. 
          BIRD STRAWBERRY FARM ESTATES. BIRD STRAWBERRY FARM ESTATES TWO,
BIRD STRAWBERRY FARM ESTATES THREE, CHIPPEWA WOODS COUNTRY GREEN COUNTRY PLACE, COUNTRY PLACE NUMBER TWO,
COUNTRY PLACE NUMBER THREE, GEORGETOWN, GEORGETOWN NUMBER TWO, TRAILS AT LAKE LANSING NUMBER THREE,
WOOD VALLEY NUMBER THREE, WILKSHIRE, WILKSHIRE NUMBER ONE, WILKSHIRE NUMBER TWO,
WOOD VALLEY, WOOD VALLEY NUMBER TWO, WOOD VALLEY NUMBER THREE, WOOD VALLEY NUMBER FOUR,
WOODSIDE ESTATES, WOODSIDE ESTATES NUMBER TWO, WOODSIDE ESTATES NUMBER FOUR, WOODSIDE ESTATES NUMBER FIVE AND WOODSIDE ESTATES NUMBER
SIX. 
          WHICH WHICH ARE LOCATED IN SECTIONS TWO, 11,
12 AND 14. 
          AND TO DEFRAY THE COST BY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT,
APPROVES THE COST ESTIMATE OF $31,911.24. DETERMINES THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT. 
          DIRECTS THE MAKING OF AN ASSESSMENT ROLL AND DIRECTS NOTICES BE SENT TO THE PROPERTY
OWNERS, INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE 20 DAYS TO REPLACE OR MAKE SAFE THE DEFECTIVE SIDEWALK. 
          DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SUPPORTED. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. 
          ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? CLERK DEMAS. 
          I HAD A QUESTION. IS THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES IS BECAUSE WE HAD
A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE. 
          [00:40:07]
BECAUSE TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN THIS ON THE AGENDA
LOOKING AT PAST MEETINGS. 
          YES. I COULD BE WRONG. I THINK THE SUSPENSION IS USUALLY RESERVED FOR I MEAN,
WE'VE DONE IT FOR OTHER THINGS, TOO. I BELIEVE IT'S USUALLY REQUIRED FOR ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION AND APPROVAL. 
          OKAY. BUT IF WE'D LIKE TO, JUST TO FOLLOW PAST PRACTICE,
WE CERTAINLY CAN TAKE UP A MOTION TO DO THAT FIRST. 
          IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION JUST TO REMAIN CONSISTENT,
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES, SUPPORT BEEN MOVED AND SUPPORTED, TO SUSPEND THE RULES,
TO TAKE THIS ITEM UP IMMEDIATELY. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES NOW TO THE MAIN MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION FOR THE ORDER TO
MAINTAIN. 
          SEEING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION BEFORE US TO APPROVE RESOLUTION THREE,
APPROVING, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF 24 DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE AMOUNT OF 31,911 AND $20.24. DEPUTY CLERK GORDON, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. 
          TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. 
          YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS. YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL GET SOME CLARITY ON WHEN WE DO AND WHEN WE ARE AND
ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THAT. 
          BUT THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 A,
THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS TASK FORCE FROM THE DDA. 
          [12.A. DDA Task Force Appointment]
IN DIRECTOR CLERK'S ABSENCE, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF SYNOPSIS. 
          FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE AT OUR LAST MEETING,
YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WILL GIVE US A RECAP JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE. ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF
AGENDA ITEMS FROM NOW INCLUDES THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS WHICH IS, OF COURSE, HAMILTON AND OKEMOS ROAD THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST PARCELS
AS OF RIGHT NOW AND THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WHO WORKS EXCLUSIVELY IN THIS AREA AS AN APPOINTED
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS SEEKING TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY WORK TO PUT
TOGETHER A PROSPECTUS FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS. THE GOAL OF WHICH WOULD BE TO IDENTIFY NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS FOR
THESE PARCELS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, UPDATES TO OUR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE,
UPDATES TO THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO ON. OBVIOUSLY,
WE ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF, THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP THAT'S BEEN ONGOING IN THAT AREA. BUT ESSENTIALLY THEIR IDEA WAS TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE THAT
WOULD PUT PULL THE HISTORY OF THAT SITE, PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO
MOVE FORWARD AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT THAT LOOK FORWARD MIGHT BE. 
          AND THEY HAD INDICATED THAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT,
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OR PURCHASE OF A PROPERTY BY THE TOWNSHIP FOR ITS OWN DEVELOPMENT. SO I WILL SAY MY EDITORIALIZING ON THAT. 
          WITH THAT SAID THEY HAVE VOTED AT THE DDA TO APPROVE A TASK FORCE. 
          THEY HAVE NOT VOTED TO APPOINT ANYONE AS OF YET. 
          HOWEVER, THEY DID ASK ME TO COME TO THE BOARD AND REQUEST THAT WE FIND SOMEONE WHO WOULD
BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON A TASK FORCE TO THAT END. 
          AND THEY DID INDICATE THAT THEIR GOAL WAS TO MEET MONTHLY,
ONCE A MONTH, TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS BE FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND TO WRAP UP THEIR WORK BY NO LATER THAN JUNE 30TH OF 2026. SO THAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE DESCRIBING AS
A MEMBER OF THE DDA. MYSELF I COULD SERVE ON THIS. HOWEVER, I AM ABOUT MAXED OUT FOR THE MEETINGS THAT I
CAN TAKE ON AT THIS TIME. AND SO AS ITEM FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING I PUT IT TO YOU,
IF THERE'S ANY VOLUNTEERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT FORTH AS OUR MEMBER ON THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO OPEN
THAT UP AS AN OPTION TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO THROW THEIR HAT IN THE RING. TREASURER DESCHAINE. HAVING BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR NINE YEARS NOW AND SEEING THIS
PROJECT AND ITS HIGHS AND LOWS. 
          I'VE GOT A BIT OF HISTORY WITH THIS, AS DOES TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. 
          SHE'S EXPERIENCED AS WELL, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO PUT MY NAME FORWARD FOR IT. 
          [00:45:03]
I TRY TO ATTEND MOST DDR MEETINGS AND I'M THE TREASURER OF THE EDC AS WELL. 
          SO I'M AWARE OF THESE REDEVELOPMENT ISSUES. THEY'RE GOING TO INVOLVE MONEY AND THIS IDEA
OF THE TOWNSHIP BEING ASKED, POSSIBLY ASKED TO PURCHASE IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD NEED TO. 
          WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT MORE THEY ARE THINKING THERE. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. THERE IS OTHER TOWNSHIPS IN THE REGION
THAT HAVE TRIED THIS IN THE PAST DECADE, AND IT DID NOT END WELL. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE,
THE BOARD, PARTICIPATE. 
          GLAD THAT YOU WILL BE GLAD THAT YOU'RE PART OF THE DDA. 
          AND I AM WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS TASK FORCE. 
          OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE KIND OF AS A BACKUP,
YOU KNOW. 
          SO IF PHIL ISN'T ABLE TO ATTEND OR SOMETHING THERE ALONG THE LINES. 
          I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE AS A BACKUP. OKAY. NUMBER. 
          YEAH. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RULES AGAINST THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, THIS IS A RELATIVELY AD HOC TASK FORCE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER. 
          SO CERTAINLY WE CAN SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. AND IF IT IS,
THEN WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          DEPUTY MANAGER. CAN YOU MAKE A NOTE THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK INTO THAT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO OR WISHING TO RAISE THEIR HAND AND VOLUNTEER FOR
THIS? OR ARE WE HAPPY WITH OUR OUR PRIMARY AND BACKUP HERE? THAT'S GOOD. SEEING NO OTHER VOLUNTEERS, I THINK WE'LL SEE THIS BACK ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA
AT OUR JULY 8TH MEETING. 
          OKAY. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 B BOARD RETREAT FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION. 
          [12.B. Board Retreat Follow Up]
TRUSTEE DESCHAINE . THANK YOU. WE MET ON APRIL 12TH. 
          SATURDAY. RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM. I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO GAVE UP A BETTER
PART OF A SATURDAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. 
          I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE SESSION FOR US. 
          AND THE CONSENSUS THAT I GOT FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT WAS THAT WAS MUTUALLY FELT. 
          IT WAS A WORTHWHILE USE OF OUR TIME. EVEN FOR A SATURDAY WHEN WE WERE AWAY FROM OUR
FAMILIES. 
          I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH BOARD MEMBER THEIR TAKEAWAY FROM IT. 
          AND WHAT THEY LEFT WITH FROM IT. BUT FIRST, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO GO OVER THE
DOCUMENTS THAT OUR FACILITATOR, LARRY MERRILL, PRESENTED TO US AND JUST HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT. 
          EMILY, IF YOU WOULD TURN TO PAGE FIVE OF THE REPORT REGARDING THE DISCUSSION,
I THINK THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. HE SAYS THAT THE BOARD CONTINUES TO EXPRESS A HIGH DEGREE OF
SATISFACTION WITH THE COLLEGIALITY AND THE EFFICIENCY OF ITS GOVERNMENT. 
          AND I THINK THAT WAS CLEARLY THE CONSENSUS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE
FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD. 
          AND I THINK I COULD AFFIRM THAT AS WELL. AND HER YEARS ON THE BOARD. 
          WE HAVE A BOARD THAT WORKS WELL TOGETHER, AND THERE IS COLLEGIALITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT. 
          CLARITY OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND THE ASSISTANT MANAGER WERE
CHARACTERIZED AS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE AS WELL. 
          AND THEN THE END OF THAT PARAGRAPH, HE MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT CAME UP EARLY. BOARD
MEMBERS EXPRESSED THE DESIRE FOR A MORE STRUCTURED SYSTEM FOR THE BOARD TO PROVIDE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP. AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS COME UP AT BOARD RETREATS. 
          WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS BOARD RETREAT, I HOPE,
IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE RESULT OF THE RETREAT, DISCUSS IT TONIGHT, AND MAYBE TAKE SOME ACTIONS SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY LEARN FROM IT,
BUT BE A BETTER BOARD BECAUSE OF IT. 
          ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE FIVE THERE, HE TALKS ABOUT BOARD MEMBER ADVICE FOR NEWLY ELECTED
OFFICIALS. 
          I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THOSE THINGS. AND WE WE DO THOSE. 
          I DON'T THINK OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS ARE OBJECTING THAT WE DIDN'T DO THOSE THINGS. 
          MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PAGE, THE MENTAL MODELS,
WE ALL PROVIDED THAT FOR HOW WE WE SEE THE BOARD ROLE AND THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US. AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE SIX, HE TALKS. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE BOARD ADDS VALUE, AND I THINK THERE WERE SOME REALLY KEY ELEMENTS
THAT WERE BROUGHT UP HERE. 
          THAT 6 OR 4 THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME WERE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE COMMUNITY,
TO THE TOWNSHIP, ENSURE CAPABLE AND COMPETENT GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT,
PROVIDING MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON DECISIONS. 
          AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE FIDUCIARY OVERSIGHT TO AVOID UNDESIRABLE OUTCOMES. 
          SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD TO ASK THAT WHAT VALUE DO WE ADD? WE CAME UP WITH A PRETTY GOOD LIST HERE. MOVING ON TO PAGE SEVEN. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THE GOVERNING PRINCIPLES OF EXPRESSING DIVERSE OPINIONS. 
          BOARD MEMBER PARTICIPATION, MEETING PREPARATION,
INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE ROLE OF SUPERVISOR, CLERK, TREASURER AND BOARD MEMBERS. I DON'T THINK WE FOUND OURSELVES DEFICIENCY IN ANY OF
THOSE AREAS WHERE WE ARE DOING THOSE THINGS, 
          [00:50:01]
AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THEM PRETTY WELL. THEN WE GOT INTO THIS AREA OF FOCUSING ON THE
TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETINGS. 
          AND LARRY PUT IT THIS WAY, THERE WAS A STRONG CONSENSUS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO SPEND MORE
TIME FOCUSED ON LONG TERM STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE TOWNSHIP, WITH MORE ATTENTION ON THE CHANGING TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENT AND FOCUSING ON WHAT'S NEXT IN
THE WORKBOOK HE GAVE US AHEAD OF TIME. 
          HE GAVE US THIS MATRIX WHICH HAD THESE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS IN THE BOARD STRATEGY,
POLICY, MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS. SO WE ALL SCORED THAT. 
          AND I THINK WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THE WE WERE SPENDING ABOUT 70% OF OUR TIME ON
MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AND ABOUT 30% OF THAT ON STRATEGY AND POLICY. AND THE CONSENSUS I TOOK FROM THE THE BOARD THAT DISCUSSIONS WE
NEED TO FLIP THAT WE NEED TO BE TALKING MORE ABOUT POLICY, MORE ABOUT STRATEGY AND ALLOWING STAFF TO HANDLE MORE OF THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS. 
          MOVING ON TO PAGE NINE. THE INTERACTION WITH THE MANAGER. I THINK WE HAVE A VERY CAPABLE MANAGER. 
          HE UNDERSTANDS HIS ROLES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WELL,
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REFINEMENT NECESSARY THERE. 
          BUT THEN REGARDING STAKEHOLDER ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENGAGEMENT,
THERE'S A STRONG AGREEMENT THAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE MORE VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHOULD DISCUSS WAYS THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. 
          WELL, WE'RE TRYING THAT. WE'RE DOING THREE LISTENING SESSIONS THIS YEAR. WE DID THREE LAST
YEAR. 
          I THINK WE DID FOUR THE YEAR BEFORE. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. 
          I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFIED ON PAGE TEN OTHER GROUPS,
THAT WE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO REACH OUT TO YOUNG PARENTS, CERTAIN UNDERREPRESENTED NEIGHBORHOODS, COLLEGE STUDENTS,
EAST LANSING ZIP CODE RESIDENTS WHO THINK THEY LIVE IN EAST LANSING BUT PAY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TAXES AND AS WELL AS MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES. 
          ALSO ON PAGE TEN, HE TALKED ABOUT BOARD HOLISM AND OUR AGREEMENT WITH HIM THAT CREATING
SUB BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND WORKGROUPS SHOULD BE AVOIDED EXCEPT WHEN NECESSARY, OR TO ASSURE THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL INPUT ON THE OWNERSHIP OF BOARD
DECISIONS. 
          AND WE'VE ALL DONE THAT. WE'VE ALL GAVE OUR TIME FOR THAT. 
          IT DOES CREATE AN IMBALANCE IN THE BOARD, AND WE ALL COME AT IT FROM THE SAME PERSPECTIVE. 
          TO START OFF WITH A BETTER BOARD DISCUSSION,
RATHER THAN HAVING CERTAIN MEMBERS VERY ENTRENCHED OR VERY OPPOSED TO IT. 
          WE'RE ALL COMING AT IT FROM THE SAME POINT OF VIEW. 
          AND THEN MOVING ON TO PAGE 11, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. 
          THE BOARD MEMBER BEHAVIOR AND CONTACT BOARDS POSITION TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. 
          CLARITY OF DELEGATED AUTHORITY. LIMITATIONS ON MANAGERIAL AUTHORITY. 
          ALL THESE AREAS, I THINK WE FOUND THAT WE WERE OPERATING IN A WAY THAT THE BOARD FOUND
SATISFACTORY AND WAS MOSTLY SATISFACTORY. 
          SO TO ME, THE REALLY BIG TAKEAWAY FROM IT, FROM LARRY'S PERSPECTIVE,
IS THAT THE BOARD DOES NEED TO EVALUATE TO IDENTIFY SOME KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES, THINGS WE WANT TO DO BETTER, AND THEN FIND A WAY OR CREATE A WAY TO IDENTIFY THE PROGRESS
WE'RE MAKING ON THOSE KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. 
          AND SO I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT. BUT I DIDN'T GO FURTHER. 
          I'D LIKE TO AT THIS POINT TURN IT OVER TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND GET YOUR TAKEAWAY
TAKEAWAYS FROM IT. 
          THANK YOU. YEAH I'LL GO FIRST. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PIECES OF THE
RETREAT WAS US RANKING, THE AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE OF OUR TIME THAT WE SPEND ON VARIOUS THINGS. 
          EVERYONE'S GOT A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THAT. I THINK BASED PARTLY ON HOW LONG PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN AROUND AND WHAT WE WERE DOING DURING THAT TIME. 
          YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENED TO BE AT THAT MOMENT, RIGHT AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR POLICY AND
PERSONNEL HANDBOOK. 
          AND SO SOME OF US CAME WITH THAT FEELING AS WELL. 
          I THINK THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME ON SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC
ISSUES. 
          WE STARTED TO LOOK AT THE GOALS, WHICH I THINK IS,
YOU KNOW, TOP AMONGST THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WELL, SOME OF OUR LONG RANGE PLANS WHICH WE'LL SEE IN
OUR GOAL MEMO COMING UP. 
          AND I THINK WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF HOLDING OUR INVOLVEMENT IN OPERATIONS TO A GENERAL
MINIMUM. 
          WE'RE NOT UP IN OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, FACES TELLING THEM HOW HIGH TO CUT THE GRASS OR,
YOU KNOW, HOW BEST TO FIX THE SIDEWALK. WE LEAVE THAT TO OUR EXPERTS. 
          OUR STAFF EXPERTS. BUT I THINK THAT, YES, SPENDING A LITTLE LESS OF OUR TIME ON TIME
MANAGEMENT AND POLICY. 
          A LITTLE MORE OF OUR TIME ON STRATEGIC STRATEGY WAS A GOOD THING. 
          I THINK THAT WAS SOME OF THE CONSENSUS THAT WE CAME OUT OF. 
          SO I'M PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO WEIGH IN? TRUSTEE WILSON. I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS THE WORK THAT WE DO ON THE BUDGET,
BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS NOT ONLY FOR THE YEAR COMING UP, 
          [00:55:02]
BUT IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT OUR FUTURE IS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ANTICIPATE SPENDING MONEY
IN ADDITIONAL FISCAL YEARS. 
          AND I KNOW I SPEND HOURS AND HOURS DIGESTING THE BUDGET AND PUTTING MY FLAGS ON THE
DOCUMENT AND GETTING MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
          WHEN I LOOK AT STRATEGY TO ME AS A FORMER ACCOUNTANT AND AUDITOR,
THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY PIECES OF WHAT WE DO. 
          TRUSTEE LENTZ. I WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATED THE DISCUSSION AROUND DIFFERENT
GROUPS THAT WE CAN STAND TO HAVE BETTER ENGAGEMENT WITH, ESPECIALLY THOSE EAST LANSING ZIP CODES. 
          AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN EAST LANSING ZIP CODE,
AND AS WE HEARD FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN OUR LISTENING SESSION WHO WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT MUNICIPALITY HE LIVES IN YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE. 
          I APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNICATION STAFF THAT I THINK DO A GOOD JOB,
BUT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS OBVIOUSLY HAVE THAT AS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR US. 
          SO I WAS JUST GLAD THAT WE HAD SOME TIME TO MARINATE OVER THAT RATHER THAN SOME OF THESE
MORE FORMAL BOARD DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE DURING MEETINGS. 
          SO I APPRECIATE PHIL'S INSISTENCE IN CONTINUING THIS PROCESS,
ESPECIALLY FOR ANDREW AND I AS NEW BOARD MEMBERS. YEAH. ADDING ON TO WHAT TRUSTEE LENTZ WAS SAYING I THOUGHT THAT THIS RETREAT WAS VERY HELPFUL THAT WE ALL GOT TO COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES ON THE
BOARD AND THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER ON. I PARTICULARLY THOUGHT THAT FOCUSING ON STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
OUTREACH, THAT RESONATED WITH ME. I'M STILL GETTING A LOT OF TRAINING GOING TO CONFERENCES. 
          AND I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT FROM BOARD MEMBERS
WHO'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD LONGER THAN I HAVE. 
          AND, AND SEE THEIR PERSPECTIVES AS WELL AS WHAT MERRILL ALSO HAD TO PROVIDE HIS INSIGHT AS
WELL. 
          I THINK SOMETHING THAT WAS GOOD WAS TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A BOARD ANNUAL PLAN. 
          I THINK THAT WAS THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR. 
          SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT WILL WORK FOR OUR TOWNSHIP AND HOW IT WILL BENEFIT US
MOVING FORWARD. 
          OKAY. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INTERESTING MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. 
          I THOUGHT THE DISCUSSION WAS VERY AND I WANT TO SAY ROBUST,
BUT IT WAS VERY OPEN AND REVEALING. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS I TOOK AWAY FROM IT IS SOMETHING I'VE OBSERVED. 
          BEING ON THE BOARD FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR IS HOW WELL THIS BOARD ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS AS A
GROUP. 
          AND THAT'S A CREDIT TO THE MEMBERS AND THE CIVILITY AND RECOGNITION OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS
ON THIS. 
          AND I APPLAUD US FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. 
          AS TREASURER DESCHAINE, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE AND PLANNING AS
OPPOSED TO DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. I THINK THE BOARD HAS BEEN VERY GOOD AT NOT INTRUDING ON THE DAY TO DAY
OPERATIONS, AND I THINK THERE'S A WEIGHING FACTOR. YOU CAN'T IGNORE THOSE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE
ONLY WAY THAT PEOPLE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON A DAY TO DAY IS OUR BOARD MEETINGS. SO WE CAN'T TURN DOWN REPORTS. 
          WE HAVE TO HAVE IT THERE. BUT TO FLYSPECK WHAT OUR MANAGER IS DOING AND OUR OTHER
EMPLOYEES IS INSULTING TO THEIR EXPERTISE AND IT'S NOT THE PROPER ROLE OF THIS BOARD. 
          AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAN PUT TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE
PLANNING AND EVALUATION OF THE PROCESS AS WE GO. 
          TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. OH, I'M JUST I DID NOT ATTEND THAT MEETING,
SO. 
          YES, THAT'S RIGHT. I WAS FLORIDA, SO I'M JUST KIND OF LISTENING AND TRYING TO SOAK IN WHAT
EVERYBODY IS SAYING ABOUT THAT MEETING, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE MEETING AND GOING FORWARD WITH THE BOARD. 
          I THINK THAT WE'RE WE'RE VERY, I THINK WE'RE MOST OF THE TIME WE'RE IN SYNC IN OUR GOALS
AND WHAT WE WANT FOR THE FUTURE. 
          SO THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YOU KNOW,
I THINK THIS ATTEMPT OR OFTEN RESPONSE TO BE HANDS ON COMES FROM OUR BACKGROUNDS. WE ALL COME FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE GET THINGS DONE,
AND WE'RE MANAGERS OR WE'RE DOERS. 
          [01:00:08]
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT INVOLVED IN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT. 
          AND WE'RE JUST USED TO DOING THAT. AND IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ME,
AND I THINK FOR OTHERS TO STEP BACK IN THIS ROLE AND SAY, I'M NOT THE ONE TO DO THIS. I'M THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO EVALUATE THIS. 
          I'M THE PART OF THE BOARD HERE. OVERSIGHT BOARD. 
          I AM NOT ONE OF THE WORKERS. AND KEEPING THOSE ROLES SEPARATE IS NOT EASY. 
          BUT I THINK WE ALL DO THAT WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS. 
          WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS TOWNSHIP. WE CARE ABOUT THE CITIZENS. 
          WE CARE ABOUT HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS. SO I THINK THAT'S THE BASIS FOR IT. 
          IF I COULD SUGGEST THAT WE THINK ABOUT THESE THREE KEY KPIS,
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT, I THINK WE KEEP IT AS SIMPLE AS WE CAN. THIS FIRST YEAR AND THESE TWO OF THESE CAME FROM
LARRY, MAYBE EVEN THE THIRD AS WELL, REGARDING POLICY THAT WE TO SPEND MORE TIME FOCUSED ON THE
LONG TERM STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE TOWNSHIP WITH MORE ATTENTION TO THE CHANGING TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENT AND FOCUSING ON WHAT'S NEXT. THAT'D BE THE FIRST ONE. 
          POLICY TWO WOULD BE REGARDING MANAGEMENT TO MODERATELY REDUCE OUR FOCUS ON PLANNING,
ORGANIZING, DIRECTING, AND SUPERVISING TOWNSHIP FUNCTIONS. 
          WE DO A LITTLE OF THAT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO,
YOU KNOW, SAY WE STOP IT COMPLETELY, BUT TO REDUCE WHAT WE DO EVEN MORE SO THAT WE STEP BACK AGAIN, AND THEN, AT ANGELA'S SUGGESTION,
REMINDED ME OF THE IDEA OF PLANNING TO DEVELOP A BOARD ANNUAL PLAN FOR 2026. 
          SO THOSE ARE THE THREE KPIS I'D LIKE TO SEE US CONSIDER. 
          POLICY, MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING. BOARD MEMBERS,
WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT THAT? TRUSTEE LENTZ. TREASURER DESCHAINE, WHEN YOU SAY ANNUAL PLAN,
WHAT WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT ANNUAL PLAN? WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE THINGS, SIMPLE THINGS LIKE SCHEDULING BOARD RETREATS,
SCHEDULING OUR LISTENING SESSIONS TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE GOING TO DO AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO STUDY SESSIONS LIKE WE DID. ARE YOU ALL,
DID I MISSED IT TWO WEEKS AGO WHERE WE REALLY SET OUT A PLAN FOR HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ABOUT OUR BUSINESS IN THE YEAR AHEAD? WHAT MEETINGS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE? WE SET OUR
SCHEDULE AT THAT SAME TIME, WE TALK ABOUT ANY SPECIAL MEETINGS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING
TO DO AS A BOARD TO BE EFFECTIVE AND STAYING IN TOUCH WITH OUR RESIDENTS. 
          [INAUDIBLE] NOT DOING THAT NOW. I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE NOT DOING THAT NOW. 
          I'M SAYING WE SET IT OUT IN A PLAN SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FROM THE START. 
          FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PREDICTABLE. YES. YEAH. 
          OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON. YEAH. ADDING TO WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE BROUGHT UP I THINK THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL, BEING NEW TO THIS BOARD IT'S, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE,
HOW WE OPERATE HERE AND WE HAVE UPCOMING CONFERENCES THAT WE ATTEND. WE HAVE OUR LISTENING SESSIONS. AND WHILE WE DO DISCUSS IT AS A BOARD FOR THINGS
THAT CAN BE PLANNED AHEAD, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, LIKE, AN ANNUAL PLAN TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THAT. 
          WE CAN EVEN INCLUDE FUTURE BOARD GOALS, OR AT LEAST SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT ONCE
THEY'RE ESTABLISHED EACH YEAR. 
          SO I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING THAT WITH EVERYONE. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT FALLS IN THE THREE ISSUES YOU HAD IS
PERIODICALLY WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THE BOARD GOALS DURING THE YEAR. YES. AND JUST TOUCH BASE. 
          ARE THOSE STILL OUR GOALS? ARE WE PROGRESSING TOWARD IT? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S OPERATIONS PLANNING OR WHATEVER,
BUT I THINK THAT'S A FACTOR IN ALL OF THOSE WHICH COULD BE VALUABLE TO THIS BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY. I COMPLETELY AGREE, AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LARRY POINTED OUT
AS WELL, THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT OUR KPIS ALL THROUGH THE YEAR,
NOT DO IT IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER AND FORGET ABOUT IT UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR. 
          YOU KNOW, WE DO A QUARTERLY, ONE THING EVERY QUARTER,
WHICH IS WE LOOK AT BUDGET AMENDMENTS. 
          OKAY. THAT COULD BE OUR TRIGGER TO THAT. ALSO TO LOOK AT THAT SAME MEETING,
HOW WE'RE DOING ON OUR KPIS. 
          THERE'S THE TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN EVERY QUARTER. 
          WE KNOW BUDGETS ARE COMING. THIS IS A WAY TO LOOK AT THAT. IT CAN BE A RELATIVELY SHORT
DISCUSSION. 
          IT COULD BE A LONG DISCUSSION, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU ENTIRELY. 
          TRUSTEE. WE SHOULD SET OUT KPIS. WE NEED TO CHECK IN ON OURSELVES AND POSSIBLY MODIFY THEM
IF WE NEEDED TO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT IDEALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUCH. WE SHOULDN'T NEED TO MODIFY THEM BECAUSE THEY REALLY
AREN'T POLICY. 
          THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE MORE PROCEDURAL HOW WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE AS A BOARD. 
          AND THAT REALLY SHOULDN'T CHANGE MUCH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. I AGREE THAT AS WE'RE REVIEWING
THE BUDGET AND MAKING AMENDMENTS, IT'S A PERFECT TIME TO LOOK AT MAKING SURE TO AN EXTENT THAT WE'RE PAYING WHAT WE WANT,
WHERE WE WANT IT. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO REVISIT THIS. 
          [01:05:06]
TRUSTEE LENTZ. I WAS GOING TO SAY I CONCUR LARGELY. 
          MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS BASED ON OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM,
THE TOWNSHIP GOALS. 
          AND I'M GLAD WE SPENT THE TIME THAT WE DID TALKING ABOUT GOALS VERSUS VALUES. 
          BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. 
          LIKE WHAT IS BEING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY MEAN? HOW CAN WE EVALUATE THAT EVERY QUARTER? DO WE,
YOU KNOW, ARE WE WAITING AT THE TOWNSHIP ENTRANCE WITH HANDS OUTSTRETCHED? BUT SOME OF THESE MORE SPECIFIC GOALS, I THINK,
WOULD BE GREAT TO EVALUATE IN A REGULAR BASIS. 
          MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA TO PUT TOGETHER AN ANNUAL PLAN. 
          IF WE'RE MOVING OUR GOAL SETTING INTO THE SPRING,
THIS OPENS UP AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FALL TO COME TOGETHER AND DO OUR ANNUAL PLANNING. 
          THAT GIVES US, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE'LL HAVE AN IDEA
OF WHAT OUR COMMITMENTS ARE. 
          AND I THINK THAT WE CAN INCLUDE, SAY, A REVIEW OF THE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF OUR GOALS,
THE SCHEDULE BY THAT TIME, BY THAT TIME, THE BUDGET WILL HAVE PASSED, HOPEFULLY. 
          AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE, INCORPORATE,
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE FROM THAT PROCESS AS WELL. 
          SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO DO THAT IN LATE NOVEMBER EARLY DECEMBER. 
          REASON BEING, YOU KNOW, THREE OF THE FOUR YEARS IT WON'T MATTER. 
          BUT IN THE CASE THAT A NEW BOARD IS ELECTED IN AN ELECTION YEAR,
I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO LET THE NEW BOARD DO THAT AS A PART OF THAT PROCESS. 
          AND SO IF WE SET OUR CALENDAR AND SAY, SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER,
YOU KNOW, WE DISCUSS FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER, WE APPROVE THE BOARD'S ANNUAL PLAN FOR THE FOR THE SUCCESSIVE YEAR. 
          THAT GIVES US A PRETTY CONCRETE TIME FRAME TO DO THAT. 
          HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THAT? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PROPOSAL IN THE LEGISLATURE TO PUT BACK
THE SWEARING IN OF BOARD MEMBERS UNTIL THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, SO THOSE DATES ARE FINE UNDER THE CURRENT LAW,
BUT THEY MAY CHANGE. 
          WELL, THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO DO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. I KNOW THEY ARE. WE'VE GOT
TIME ENOUGH TO ADAPT TO IT. 
          I THINK THE OTHER PIECE OF PUTTING IT THAT CLOSE TO THE ELECTION,
DO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE TO GET UP TO SPEED AS TO WHERE IT'S GOING. AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT. I DON'T WANT TO DELAY IT FOREVER. 
          ON THE OTHER HAND, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT FOR THE GOALS,
WHENEVER THEY'RE SET IS HOW THOSE ROLL INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS THE FOLLOWING APRIL, MAY. SO IF WE HAD TO DELAY IT OR IF IT WAS DELAYED AND
STARTED IN JANUARY AND BE APPROVED IN FEBRUARY, I THINK THERE'S TIME THERE TO INCORPORATE IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET. 
          BUT THAT'S JUST I'M NOT WEDDED TO ANY DATE. SURE. 
          JUST LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES. YEAH. 
          CLERK DEMAS. YES. I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT TRUSTEE TREZISE PROPOSED ABOUT PUSHING
IT TOWARDS JANUARY FOR DISCUSSION. I KNOW THAT LAST YEAR I BELIEVE IT WAS IN NOVEMBER. 
          WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT BOARD GOALS. AND WHILE THAT WAS HELPFUL,
I MADE SURE TO PREPARE LIKE AS I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE. 
          I THINK BEING ON THE BOARD, YOU'RE STILL ADJUSTING. 
          SO HAVING SOME TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE BOARD I THINK JANUARY WOULD BE A GOOD TIME. 
          OKAY. ANY ISSUES WITH JANUARY? ALL RIGHT, DAN,
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PASSING THAT ALONG TO MANAGER DEMPSEY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT FINDS ITS WAY ONTO THE SPREADSHEET. 
          OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO TOUCH ON TREASURER DESCHAINE? THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR
FOR BEING THERE AND PARTICIPATING. 
          IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE DAY AND I THINK THIS IS AN EQUALLY PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION. 
          I FEEL GREAT. WE'RE FINALLY DOING SOMETHING WITH OUR RETREAT,
WITH MAKING THIS RETREAT DAY PAY OFF WITH SOME BETTER POLICIES FOR THE BOARD. 
          GOOD. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12.C TOWNSHIP BOARD VALUES IN 2026 BOARD
GOALS. 
          [12.C. Board Goals ]
SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WHAT OUR STAFF HAVE COMPILED FROM OUR DISCUSSION ON JUNE 3RD
DURING OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SESSION. 
          SO THANK YOU TO THEM FOR ENCAPSULATING ALL THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT INTO A MORE CONCISE
AND BETTER WORDSMITHED VERSION OF OURSELVES. 
          SO AT THIS POINT WE HAVE WE JUST TO TALK ABOUT IT. 
          AND IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES OR THOUGHTS THAT WE HAVE WE CAN SEND THOSE BACK WITH OUR STAFF
AND THEN THIS WILL BE UP FOR APPROVAL AT OUR JULY 8TH MEETING, SHOULD WE DECIDE TO DO SO. SO THEY'RE NICE AND CONCISE,
ONE PAGE . 
          BOARD MEMBERS, WHAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS DO YOU HAVE ON OUR VALUES AND GOALS? TRUSTEE WILSON. I SEE THAT WE ADDED IN A BOARD VALUE OF EMBRACING THE WELLNESS OF OUR
EMPLOYEES. 
          [01:10:06]
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT IN THERE,
BECAUSE THEY ARE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR DECISION MAKING. 
          OKAY. TRUSTEE LENTZ. I JUST LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT SOME VALUES TO UNDERPIN THE
GOALS. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM. 
          AND I THINK IT'S I LIKE THE PRESENTATION AND I LIKE THE SUMMARY OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD
GOALS THAT THE STAFF HAS COME UP WITH. 
          I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH FOLLOWED OUR DISCUSSION AND YET WAS A LITTLE BIT BEYOND IT. 
          IN SOME PLACES THEY SIZE IT A BIT TO MAKE IT BETTER THAN WE MAY HAVE DONE OFF AT OUR
MEETING. 
          I LIKE THEM AS WELL. I LIKE SEPARATING THE GOALS FROM THE VALUES. 
          AND I CONCUR WITH TRUSTEE WILSON ABOUT EMPLOYEE WELLNESS,
AND THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE FACE OF THE TOWNSHIP. 
          THEY ARE THE TOWNSHIP. PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE TOWNSHIP WAS BASED ON AN EMPLOYEE
INTERACTION, NOT SO MUCH A BOARD INTERACTION. MY OWN SUGGESTION IS THAT HOW THESE THINGS GET PRINTED
MATTERS. 
          I KNOW WE'RE NOT RANKING THE GOALS, BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO SEE PUT VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND
MERIDIAN MALLS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND MAYBE MOVE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY SOMEWHERE DOWN. 
          I MEAN, IT'S A VALUE, BUT VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THAT'S A GOAL OF OURS AND
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT. 
          AND WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S ONE AND ONLY, BUT THAT'S LISTED FIRST BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE WE'RE
GOING TO GET ASKED ABOUT FIRST WHEN WE GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS. 
          BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHT. OKAY. CLERK DEMAS. I HAD A QUESTION. 
          SO SINCE I WASN'T IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT SPECIAL MEETING,
I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DISCUSSION AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. 
          I DID SEE IN THE MINUTES THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION JUST GENERALLY TALKING ABOUT
LIMITATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR THE BOARD TO ASSIST WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. 
          BUT WE STILL HAVE, LIKE PROGRAMS LIKE TIF THAT CAN HELP. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT. YEAH. 
          SO I BELIEVE THE DISCUSSION WHAT WE GOT TO IN THE DISCUSSION WAS THE EFFICACY OF PUTTING
IT, AS WE ALL AGREE, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT. AND, BUT IS IT THE RIGHT MOMENT TO PUT THIS AS ONE
OF OUR TOP GOALS THIS YEAR? OR BECAUSE WHAT IS IT THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO PLAN TO DO THIS YEAR IN SUPPORT OF THAT
PASSING THE NEW ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT YOU DESCRIBED WAS SOME CONCRETE ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE ON THAT. 
          AND WE'VE DONE THAT. AND I THINK THE OVERRIDING FEELING WAS,
LET'S GIVE THAT A MOMENT TO HAPPEN, SEE WHAT PROGRESS WE MAKE OVER THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND THEN IF WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY PROGRESS. COME BACK AND THEY PUT IT BACK AS A GOAL FOR
THE FOLLOWING YEAR. 
          FOR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS FURTHER. 
          AND SO I THINK THE IDEA WAS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE CURRENT POLICY WORK AND SEE
HOW WELL THAT SUCCESS IS. 
          HOW COMES. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT. 
          SO WOULD WE CONSIDER THIS MORE AS LIKE AN OVERALL FOCUS THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN LIKE A
FIVE YEAR PLAN OR ONE OF OUR VALUES FOR THE BOARD TO SUPPORT? IT LOOKS LIKE TRUSTEE LENTZ MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. 
          YEAH. SO MY INCLUSION OF I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE MINUTES,
AS TRUSTEE LENTZ REQUESTED A VALUE BE ADDED ABOUT BEING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY WAS IN REGARDS TO THAT. SO THAT WAS ALONG THE LINES OF,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT THE TOWNSHIP CAN LITERALLY DO TO ENCOURAGE HOUSING IN ANY WAY, AFFORDABLE OR NOT SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          SO THAT LANGUAGE, I THINK, KIND OF ENCAPSULATES WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR HERE. 
          I ONE OF MY COMMENTS I WAS PLANNING ON ADDING WAS,
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WELCOMING COMMUNITY MAYBE BEEFED UP A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REGARDING LIKE NEW RESIDENTS. I'M NOT SURE IF HOW EXACTLY THAT MIGHT BE ACCOMPLISHED. 
          I'M HAPPY TO MAYBE WORKSHOP A SENTENCE WHEN I'M NOT SPEAKING INTO A MICROPHONE,
BUT THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THAT ADDITION. 
          BECAUSE I WELL, I AGREE, I WANT TO SEE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE REALITY OF WHAT EXACTLY CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT ON A TOWNSHIP
LEVEL. 
          SO I HOPE THAT EXPLANATION KIND OF GETS AT WHAT I MADE SURE TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENT DURING
THE MEETING. 
          PERFECT. THANK YOU. YEAH. TRUSTEE WILSON. I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR VALUES,
WE WANT TO KEEP THEM VERY BROAD SO THAT IT ALLOWS FOR 
          [01:15:08]
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE FIND ADD VALUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAKES OUR
COMMUNITY BETTER. 
          SO I LIKE THIS LANGUAGE THAT IS QUITE BROAD. AND THEN WE COULD ENCOMPASS THOSE THINGS LIKE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNDERNEATH IT. 
          BUT THANK YOU. I THINK WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT WAS YOU KNOW,
WHILE WELL, WHILE I AGREE WITH THIS LANGUAGE ON ITS FACE, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY DURING THAT MEETING WAS THAT,
I THINK MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE WELCOME TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE HERE AND SPECIFICALLY HAVE A HOME HERE,
BECAUSE THAT ALSO ADDRESSES SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SAY THAT IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
WITH THEIR TAX BILL GOING UP, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH CONTROL OVER AND DECISIONS MADE BY THE BOARD, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE IN THE
COMMUNITY. 
          SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT IN A SINGLE SENTENCE ABOUT BEING WELCOMING. 
          SO AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY IF I. KNOW EXACTLY THE LANGUAGE I WOULD LIKE TO USE. 
          I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, TRUSTEE WILSON I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF THE BEST WAY
TO ENCAPSULATE, LIKE, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MOVE HERE, FANTASTIC. 
          WE WILL HELP. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE AS FEW BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE ON A TOWNSHIP
LEVEL TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN. 
          SO HOPEFULLY ADDRESSING CLERK DEMAS'S ISSUE. TRUSTEE TREZISE. 
          A SIMPLE MODIFICATION. THAT SENTENCE WOULD SAY ENSURE ALL RESIDENTS CURRENT AND NEW. 
          YEAH. JUST TO BROADEN IT OR TO HIGHLIGHT NEW RESIDENTS. 
          I THINK THAT'S FAIR. OKAY. ANY OTHER CHANGES OR UPDATES HERE. 
          CLERK DEMAS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS AS WELL. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INCLUSION OF THESE TOWNSHIP BOARD GOALS. 
          ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GOING INTO DETAIL WITH THAT I APPRECIATE FINANCIAL PLANNING
BEING ADDED TO GOALS. 
          ONE THING I WILL SAY WITH COMMUNICATIONS POTENTIALLY MODIFYING IT TO BE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. 
          AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOU SPECIFICALLY LIKE AS A BOARD,
WHAT YOU GUYS DISCUSSED REGARDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BECAUSE JUST READING IT HERE IT'S NOT AS DETAILED COMPARED TO THE OTHER GOALS. 
          SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED INTO KNOWING MORE ABOUT THAT DISCUSSION. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER I DID READ IN THE MINUTES THAT THIS
CAN BE AMENDED AFTER THE ELECTION, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE TIMELINE? WE ARE ESTABLISHING THESE GOALS. 
          AND IF IT SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION JUST SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO AMEND OUR
TOWNSHIP BOARD GOALS? WELL, SO THESE ARE BEING ADOPTED NOW? WELL, IN JULY OSTENSIBLY. 
          AND BUT IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE THEY ARE 2026 GOALS. 
          RIGHT. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO THEY'RE MEANT TO COVER CALENDAR YEAR 2026. 
          AND WE'RE DOING IT NOW SO THAT WE CAN GET AHEAD OF THE BUDGET PROCESS,
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SET OUR GOALS IN SUCH A WAY THAT OUR BUDGET COULD REFLECT OUR GOALS. 
          AND THE CREATION OF OUR 2026 BUDGET IS HAPPENING BASICALLY NOW THROUGH END OF AUGUST. 
          AND SO, YEAH, IT'S YOU'RE CORRECT. RIGHT. THERE'S SOME TIMING ISSUES WITH NOT KNOWING SORT
OF WHAT THE RESULTS WILL BE OF THE ELECTION. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW,
IF WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS, WE CERTAINLY CAN. 
          YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT. THESE NEED NOT BE SET IN CONCRETE. 
          IF THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN,
YOU KNOW, SOME MASSIVE INCIDENT THAT CAUSED US TO REFOCUS, THERE'S NO REASON WE COULDN'T COME BACK TO TO CHANGE THAT. 
          SO I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A BARRIER FOR US SETTING A GOAL TO,
IF WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT DOWN THE LINE. 
          WE COULD CERTAINLY DELAY PASSING THESE, BUT I THINK IT DOES SORT OF CUT THE LEGS OUT FROM
UNDER THE THE ARGUMENT THAT WE WANT TO HAVE IT IN PLACE BY THE TIME WE DO OUR BUDGET. OKAY. I THINK JUST RESPONDING TO THAT I SEE A POTENTIAL ISSUE FOR FUTURE
YEARS WHERE WE WILL HAVE AUGUST ELECTIONS. SO IT COULD BE MILLAGES THAT COULD IMPACT OUR BOARD
GOALS AS WELL. 
          SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT I AM JUST CONCERNED ABOUT. 
          [01:20:04]
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, SO WE ARE AWARE THAT THESE ARE THE BOARD GOALS THAT WE
WOULD LIKE IN PLACE FROM GENERAL CONSENSUS. 
          BUT I WOULD SUGGEST WE WAIT TO APPROVE THEM UNTIL WE KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THESE BOARD GOALS
WILL LOOK LIKE FOR 2026. 
          SO IS YOUR SUGGESTION THEN TO WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER? I MEAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AUGUST ISN'T THE ONLY TIME WHEN WHEN CHANGE COULD HAPPEN. 
          I GUESS WHAT WOULD YOUR SUGGESTED TIMELINE BE THEN? I AM NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING FOR CERTAIN. I'M VERY OPEN TO OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. 
          I KNOW THAT WE ESTABLISH OUR BOARD GOALS BACK NOVEMBER DECEMBER AREA. 
          THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN WE DISCUSSED THEM IN 2024. 
          AND WE ALSO WILL HAVE FUTURE TOWNSHIP BOARDS. 
          AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THEIR INPUT AS WELL. 
          SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION LATER NOVEMBER,
DECEMBER. 
          BUT I'M OPEN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THE BOARD GOALS GO HAND IN HAND. 
          I'M OPEN TO US AMENDING IT AS WELL. TRUSTEE TREZISE. 
          WE'VE DISCUSSED EARLIER ABOUT REVIEWING PROGRESS ON THE GOALS PERIODICALLY,
AND AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE'RE DOING A BUDGET AMENDMENT, WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED. 
          THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT TIME TO AMEND IT AS A REGULAR SCHEDULE TO COME BACK AND REVIEW IT
RATHER THAN ESTABLISH A DATE NOW. 
          BUT THIS IF WE PASS THIS NOW, IT GIVES SOME GUIDANCE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW,
WHERE WE HOPE TO BE NEXT YEAR, AND HOW WE WANT THE BUDGET DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT THEM. 
          SITUATION CHANGES. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT PERIODICALLY. 
          WE CAN CHANGE THE GOALS. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED MY STANDPOINT ON IT, BUT YEAH,
IF THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE BUDGET, THEN I WOULD BE OPEN TO APPROVING OF IT IN JULY. 
          OKAY. I THINK YOU CRAFTED THIS IN A WAY THAT GIVES US THAT OPTION BECAUSE IT SAYS THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A COMBINED COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER, COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER,
MEANING THE MILLAGES GET PASSED, OR IF THEY DON'T GET PASSED, PROCEED WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN. 
          SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT $5 MILLION GO BACK TO THE STATE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING REGARDLESS. AT LEAST I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LET THAT $5
MILLION GO BACK TO THE STATE. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING HERE. AND I THINK THAT YOU CRAFTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR
THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT OCCURS TO ME LOOKING THESE OVER THAT,
THE BEAUTY OF DOING THIS NOW IS WE GET TO THINK AHEAD, BUT ALSO GIVES THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER TIME TO GET STAFF WORKING SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE FOR
THE START OF THE YEAR. 
          THESE ARE THE BOARD'S GOALS. LET'S GET THE LEGWORK DONE. 
          LET'S GET THE INFORMATION TOGETHER. LET'S FIND OUT WHAT OPTIONS THEY HAVE SO THAT WE START
TO DISCUSS IT AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, EVEN BEFORE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, IN SOME CASES. STAFF HAS HAD MONTHS TO PREPARE,
AND WE DON'T CATCH THEM FLAT FOOTED AND SPEND MONTHS MORE WAITING FOR THEM TO GET BACK TO US SO THEY KNOW SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE YEAR STARTS. 
          THIS IS WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM. THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO SEE DONE WITH THE
TOWNSHIP. 
          OKAY. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? YES. I JUST HAD A FOLLOW UP. 
          SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP IS WHAT DOES THIS SAY TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE
DECIDING ON THE 2026 TOWNSHIP BOARD GOALS NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF 2025, COMPARED TO CLOSER TOWARDS 2026. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE DO ESTABLISH THESE GOALS THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT
THEY CAN BE AMENDED AND CHANGED AS LIFE CHANGES AND SO CAN OUR GOALS DEPENDING ON THE SOCIAL SITUATIONS,
FINANCIAL SITUATIONS AND MORE. 
          YEAH, I THINK I WOULD. IF ANY RESIDENT CAME AND ASKED ME,
YOU KNOW WHY? WHY SET THE BOARD GOALS SIX EIGHT MONTHS IN ADVANCE? I'D SAY FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A GOOD THING TO PLAN AHEAD. 
          AND SECONDLY, IF SOMETHING CHANGES, WE'LL ADAPT,
RIGHT? AS TRUSTEE TREZISE POINTS OUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE OPTION OF THAT ABILITY TO DO SO. 
          BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH ORGANIZATIONS, BIG AND SMALL,
WHAT GETS PAID FOR GETS DONE. 
          AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE, YOU KNOW, YOUR VALUES AND GOALS PUT INTO PLACE DURING
THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY HOPE TO HAVE IT HAPPEN. AND SO IF THERE'S A RESIDENT OUT THERE THAT'S
CONCERNED THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME I'D SAY I'D RATHER BE AHEAD OF THE GAME THAN BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. AND THIS IS A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXPRESS OUR VALUES,
THAT WE PLAN FOR OUR VALUES, AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PAY FOR OUR VALUES WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT
PROCESS. 
          [01:25:05]
SO HOPEFULLY THAT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF TREPIDATION OUT THERE. 
          BUT IF THERE IS, I'D ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME AND ASK ABOUT IT. 
          AND WE CAN TALK THEM THROUGH ALL OF THE GOALS AND VALUES THAT THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND FOR 2026, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL REDUCE ANY CONCERN THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE. 
          YEAH, AND I AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK WHEN WE DO SEE THIS AS AN ACTION ITEM,
INCLUDING SOMETHING ABOUT HOW WE'RE PREPARING WITH THE BUDGET FOR 2026 JUST THAT INCLUSION COULD BE HELPFUL SO WE CAN REFERENCE IT WHEN RESPONDING TO RESIDENTS. 
          AND JUST BRIEFLY, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS THAT I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU GUYS HAD. I THINK MY RECOLLECTION IS WE WANTED IT BROAD AND NOT LIMITED. IF WE LIST SOMETHING THEN WE MAY BE MISSING SOMETHING. 
          BUT I'D ALSO ADD THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME,
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO THIS SIX MONTHS BEFORE. 
          I THINK THE BOARD WILL GET BETTER NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR PAST. 
          AND DOING THEIR PREDICTIONS AND SETTING THEIR GOALS. 
          SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD START AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT. 
          WE CAN ALWAYS GET BETTER. AS I RECALL THE DISCUSSION,
WE WANTED TO GIVE STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE CREATIVE IN IDENTIFYING WAYS TO REACH OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT HAMSTRING THEM BY IMPOSING SPECIFICS. 
          THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK. BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT COMMUNICATIONS IS SOMETHING THAT WE VERY
MUCH WANT TO PUT AT THE TOP OF OUR PRIORITY LIST. 
          OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE. I THINK JUST NOT HAVING SPECIFICS WITH COMMUNICATIONS. 
          IT COMES OFF MORE AS A VALUE THAN A GOAL. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOMETHING IN
PLACE AS TO HOW WE WILL IMPROVE AND SUPPORT COMMUNICATIONS FOR OUR TOWNSHIP GOALS. THIS LOOKS LIKE IT CAN INCLUDE IT. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUPPORT THAT. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN, DAN, IF YOU COULD MAKE A NOTE ABOUT THE INCLUSION IN THE MEMO
FOR OUR NEXT MEETING ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR TAKING IT ON AT THIS TIME AND THE BUDGET PROCESS. 
          YES. I THINK TIM WROTE THE MEMO FOR COVER MEMORANDUM,
MOST LIKELY, IN MY OPINION. 
          YES, EXACTLY. AND THEN ONE OTHER POINT OF INFORMATION TREASURER DESCHAINE HAD BROUGHT UP
MOVING THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS SCHOOL AND THE MALL GOAL UP TO NUMBER ONE. THERE WAS NO SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION,
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT BACK OUT FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STRAW POLL, OR DOES EVERYONE AGREE WITH THAT NOTION OF MOVING
OUT TO THE TOP OF THE LIST. 
          AND LEAVING EVERYTHING THE SAME BELOW IT? I THINK. 
          SO, YEAH. IT'S NOT A RANKED CHOICE. SO I MEAN,
I MIGHT AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          I MIGHT ALSO LOOK AT I DON'T KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO RENAME IT. 
          RIGHT. BECAUSE IT'S OUR MOST INELEGANT NAME FOR ONE OF OUR GOALS. 
          AND I THINK WE DO REFERENCE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND MERIDIAN MALL AREAS IN THE BODY OF THE
GOAL. 
          MAYBE WE JUST CHANGE THIS TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT. 
          YES. AND HAVE THAT BE THE GOAL TITLE AND THEN REFERENCE VILLAGE. 
          HAVE IT BE A FOCUSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUS. 
          SO WE'RE OKAY WITH MOVING THAT UP AND RENAMING IT. 
          SURE. YES. ALL RIGHT I SEE NODDING HEADS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN BE AS CLEAR AS
MUD? NO I WAS THINKING STRIKE AREAS AT THE END. SO VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND MERIDIAN MALL ECONOMIC
REDEVELOPMENT. 
          YEAH. THAT KIND OF THE INTENTION. STRIKING AREAS,
I THINK. 
          I THINK THE INTENTION WAS TO STRIKE IN THE TITLE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND MERIDIAN MALL
AREAS. 
          AND JUST TITLE IT ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT. PERFECT. 
          SIMPLE. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. ONLY THING. THANK YOU. SCOTT. 
          SUPERVISOR. THE ONLY THING I'M THINKING OF IS. 
          AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE THIS FITS IN, BUT WE'VE GOT GOALS. 
          BUT IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE TWO GOALS THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND THE COMMUNITY SENIOR
CENTER ARE MORE VERY SPECIFIC GOALS, AND THE OTHER THREE ARE MORE GENERIC GOAL PLANNING. 
          IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE I'M GETTING AT HERE,
BUT THESE TWO ARE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO AND ACCOMPLISH. WHEREAS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY,
SUSTAINABILITY IS KIND OF A GENERIC THING. 
          SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I'M SAYING HERE, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU IF YOU BLOW IT,
THERE ARE SOME KEY, 
          [01:30:02]
LIKE PHYSICAL DELIVERABLES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THOSE THAT MAY HELP TO HELP THAT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH A WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY,
RIGHT. 
          THAT'S A PHYSICAL DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE. 
          YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOGETHER A STRATEGIC PLAN TO MEET OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGET. 
          THAT'S GOING TO BE A DOCUMENT THAT STAFF WILL HAVE TO WORK ON AND WILL HAVE TO BE A PART
OF AS WELL. 
          AND THEN I LOST MY MONITOR HERE. SORRY. FINANCIAL PLANNING ONE OR THE FINANCIAL PLANNING
WILL BE A DOCUMENT AS WELL. 
          5 OR 8, FIVE YEAR FORECAST. SO HOPEFULLY THE GOAL IS TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE. 
          RIGHT. SO THAT WE CAN MEASURE THE RESULTS OF THAT. 
          SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP. HONESTLY, THE VAGUEST OF THEM IS PROBABLY THE VILLAGE OF
OKEMOS GOAL BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT LEAST IN CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS,
YOU KNOW, AT THAT IN THAT AREA WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, THE TASK FORCE CAN MEET AND HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH A DELIVERABLE. BUT REALLY
THAT'S THE THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO AT THIS MOMENT IS SORT OF PLAN FOR WHAT DEVELOPMENT MIGHT COME IN. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU GUYS. IT WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL. 
          NEXT UP IS ITEM 13 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? 
          [13. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
OKAY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD. AND THEN IF YOU CAN GET US A GREEN CARD,
WE'D APPRECIATE THAT WHEN YOU'RE DONE. 
          SURE. AT THE MICROPHONE RIGHT THERE. MY NAME IS BEN MILLER. 
          I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF COMCAST. I WANT TO THANK YOU,
MR. SUPERVISOR, MADAM CLERK AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR,
INCLUDING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          OBVIOUSLY, I COMMUNICATED WITH HIM PRIOR TO THE MEETING,
SO I HAD A REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT'S WHERE IT WAS GOING TO BE. 
          BUT ALSO WANTED TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLIMENT PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE AND BEING VERY
COMMUNICATIVE AND SPECIFIC ABOUT THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT COME UP WITH THE DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND AND CABLE AND VIDEO
SERVICES, AS WELL AS SAMANTHA AND THE REST OF THE HOME TEAM FOR WHEN THEY HAVE NEEDS US DOING OUR
LEVEL BEST TO RESPOND TO THEM, BUT THEY'RE VERY GOOD ABOUT THEIR SPECIFICITY AND THEIR CADENCE OF COMMUNICATION. 
          THAT IS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY NOBLE AND ESOTERIC BOARD GOALS. 
          AND I WOULD OFFER IN THE GENERAL MID-MICHIGAN AREA,
WE COULD MAKE THOSE MUCH SIMPLER FOR A NUMBER OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND THAT WOULD BE BETTER OFF IN JUST BEING, WHY DON'T YOU JUST KEEP TO THE BASICS. 
          SO I APPRECIATE THE QUALITY OF YOUR STAFF AND THEIR RESPONSIVENESS VERY SPECIFICALLY. 
          JUST ON MY WAY HERE, PUBLIC WORKS OFFICER POINTED OUT A SITUATION IN HAMILTON ROAD. 
          I THINK ACTUALLY, IN FACT, I PASSED A TRUCK COMING FROM HAMILTON ROAD AND HAD BEEN
COMMUNICATING WHILE YOU ALL WERE DISCUSSING, AND I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN SOLVED. BUT THEN OTHER LITTLE THINGS,
YOU KNOW, THE OCCASION AND AFOREMENTIONED A COMPETITOR I WON'T MENTION I SAW PASSING UP OKEMOS ROAD. I SORT OF SUSPECTED I'LL SOON HEAR ABOUT THE LINE THEY'VE
HIT OF OURS. 
          SO I EXPECT PROBABLY AN EMAIL FROM DAN IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS ABOUT THAT. 
          IF PAST IS PROLOGUE, BUT NONETHELESS, IT IS NOT AN EASY THING. 
          WITH ADDITIONAL PROVIDERS AND COMPETITION AND CROWDING,
INCREASINGLY CROWDED ROAD RIGHTS OF WAY, INCREASINGLY CROWDED POLES THE WORK THAT YOUR STAFF DOES IS APPRECIATED TO THAT END,
THERE'S A INVOICE FOR A MISTAKE OF OURS, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT,
AND WE WILL GET THAT TURNED AROUND. 
          WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME INSURANCE PEOPLE AND SOME BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO ARE NO LONGER IN
OUR EMPLOY, BUT WE WILL GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF AND TURN THAT AROUND TO YOU ALL. 
          BUT I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE APPROVAL OF INCLUSION OF
THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          AND FOR THOSE OF YOU MEMBERS, NEW MEMBERS WHO I'VE MET,
MEMBERS I'VE KNOWN LONG BEFORE THEY WERE MEMBERS, SOME THEIR PARENTS, WELL, LONG BEFORE THEY WERE MEMBERS. 
          I, DAN HAS MY CONTACT INFO. SAMANTHA HAS MY CONTACT INFO. 
          SO IF YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE QUESTIONS,
FEEL FREE TO OFFER THEM AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER IT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HARRIS. YES,
I'VE ALREADY GOT YOUR CARD. 
          YOU DON'T NEED TO. THANK YOU. SPEAKING ON THE GOALS I'VE BEEN IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR 40
YEARS, AND ONE OF MY GREAT DISAPPOINTMENTS IN LIVING HERE IS THAT WE HAVE ALMOST NO CULTURE OR
ARTS INITIATIVES. I SEE. OTHER THAN FOOD TRUCKS, THERE'S JUST VERY LITTLE GOING ON HERE AND
NEVER WILL BE. 
          BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE INITIATIVE ON THIS IN THIS TOWNSHIP TO DO THAT KIND OF
THING. 
          NOW, THE EAST LANSING ARTS COUNCIL IS FORMALIZING THEIR FIVE YEAR PLAN TOMORROW. 
          [01:35:08]
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST IS THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PAY EAST LANSING ARTS
COUNCIL $10,000 AND BE INCLUDED IN THEIR WORK. THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING,
THEY'VE GOT EXPERTS. 
          THEY CAN REACH OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SOME ARTS AND SOME CULTURE FOR THIS
COMMUNITY. 
          SO YOU COULD ADD THAT TO YOUR GOALS IF YOU WOULD. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. 
          SEEING NONE, WE'LL CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT. CLOSED AT 7:35 P.M.. 
          NEXT UP ON OUR NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14. 
          [14. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBERCOMMENTS]
OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER MATTERS? I JUST WANT TO WELCOME TRUSTEE
LENTZ TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. 
          I SAW EAST LANSING MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY IS A REAL SUCCESS STORY,
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE CHAIRING IT THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, BUT I KNOW WE CO-CHAIR IT WITH EAST LANSING. WE PROVIDE THE BEST WATER IN THE STATE AT THE
BEST PRICES IN THE REGION, AND IT'S JUST GOVERNMENT AT ITS BEST. WE DO A GREAT JOB THERE. 
          AND STAFF. TERRIFIC. THEY HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE EVERY YEAR. 
          IS THAT COMING UP SOON? JANUARY. USUALLY IN THE WINTER,
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY. 
          OR IS THAT JULY? AM I GETTING MY CALENDAR MIXED UP? YEAH. SO JOIN US NEXT MONTH IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTENDED IT,
PLEASE DO. 
          THEY'LL GIVE YOU A LUNCH TOO. AND SEE THAT PLANT. IT'S A PHENOMENAL PLACE AND IT'S A REAL
SUCCESS STORY FOR GOVERNMENT DOING WHAT IT DOES BEST, PROVIDING SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR CAN'T PROVIDE AS WELL AS AFFORDABLY AS WE CAN. 
          AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR REPORTS ON THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF [INAUDIBLE]. 
          THANK YOU. I WITH, LIKE I SAID IN THE LAST MEETING ABOUT IT SERVING ON TRI-COUNTY AND THE
INTERACTION THERE WITH WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL, I THOUGHT IT WAS A NATURAL FIT AND WITH TRUSTEE TREZISE'S OTHER OBLIGATIONS. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME TAKE THIS ONE SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE YOUR BACKUP. 
          THERE WE GO. YEAH. PERFECT. ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE THE GEORGIA PEACH TRUCK CAME TO TOWN,
AND I BROUGHT PEACHES FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE SOME. 
          THERE'S ONLY FOUR LEFT, BUT FEEL FREE TO GRAB ONE. 
          IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS OF EVERY SUMMER,
SO LOVE SHARING THOSE WITH INDIVIDUALS. 
          THIS GOES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO I'M SPEAKING TO. 
          SO PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? YES. JUST ONE COMMENT. 
          I THINK THAT INCLUDING A VALUE OF CULTURE AND ARTS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING FOR OUR
COMMUNITY. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF CULTURE HERE. AND I KNOW THAT AT CELEBRATE MERIDIAN ON JUNE 28TH,
THERE WILL BE A CULTURAL STAGE. 
          SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE ALL THE PERFORMANCES. 
          I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEEPLY CARE ABOUT AND HAS BEEN A VALUE IN THE PAST,
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN THE FUTURE. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES. DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. 
          THANK YOU , SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. JUST ONE NOTE THAT I FORGOT ON THE MANAGER'S REPORT. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THE FAQ BEING UPDATED POST LISTENING SESSION,
THE FULL SUMMARY OF THE JUNE 10TH REPORT LISTENING SESSION IS BEING DRAFTED. AND THAT WILL BE RELEASED IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS SOON AS IT IS READY. 
          AND THEN, JUST BASED ON SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THIS EVENING,
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO THANK MANAGER DIEHL AND HER STAFF AND ALSO KATI ADAMS, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND THE PARKS DPW CREW, FOR ALL THEIR HELP SETTING UP THE LISTENING
SESSION. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. MILLER AND HIS TEAM AT COMCAST BECAUSE THEY
ACTUALLY ARE VERY RESPONSIVE WHEN THE TOWNSHIP BRINGS MATTERS. 
          AND BEN AND I HAVE HAD TO TEXT OVER THE WEEKENDS BEFORE,
AND BEN IS VERY COMMUNICATIVE AND HIS CREWS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB RESTORING SERVICE FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHEN THEIR SERVICE IS KNOCKED OUT OVER THE WEEKEND. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM AS WELL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO TO KEEP THE INTERNET UP
AND RUNNING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER MATTERS ON BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS,
WE'LL MOVE ON. 
          NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 15. ADJOURNMENT. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE,
SECOND BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:39 P.M..
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.