Jul 08, 2025 Township Board

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:01:38]

GOOD EVENING. IT IS 6:00. WE WILL CALL THIS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO ORDER.

FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM THREE. ROLL CALL WILL CLERK DEMAS PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON.

HERE. CLERK DEMAS HERE. TREASURER DESCHAINE HERE.

TRUSTEE LENTZ. HERE. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. HERE. TRUSTEE TREZISE.

HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON. HERE. EVERYONE IS PRESENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 4A FOR PRESENTATION.

[4.A. Introduction of New Police Officers-Brandon Nevills & Tom Coddington]

WE HAVE MR. CRANE HERE. TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.

BRING MY DUCKLINGS UP WITH ME. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT. I COME HERE WITH A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AND TO INTRODUCE THESE TWO MEN TO YOU.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AS WE GET STARTED HERE, THAT BOTH TOM AND BRANDON WERE REFERRED TO US BY CURRENT EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.

I'M GOING TO START WITH BRANDON ON MY LEFT. BRANDON GREW UP IN IONIA.

HE SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY SERVING OVERSEAS AS A COMBAT MEDIC.

HE'S OBTAINED HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS.

AND MOST RECENTLY, HE SERVED WITH THE EATON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

AND NOW HE'S COMING ON TO OUR DEPARTMENT. HE SERVED IN MANY ROLES DURING HIS TIME WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, INCLUDING THE TACTICAL TEAM AND AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER. SO HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE WAITING HERE FOR HIM AND GET GOING.

TOM CODDINGTON HERE ON MY RIGHT GREW UP IN WEBBERVILLE, MICHIGAN.

AT ONE POINT, OWNED PROPERTY ON THE LAKE. YEP.

LAKE LANSING. RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL HE ATTENDED THE FIRE ACADEMY.

AND HE SERVED WITH THE LANSING FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC FOR 23 YEARS BEFORE RETIRING.

HE WENT BACK TO, MADE A GOOD DECISION, WENT BACK TO THE POLICE ACADEMY, AND THEN WORKED FOR OVER A YEAR WITH THE EATON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND NOW HE'S HERE WITH US. SO FROM WHAT YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE BACKGROUND I'VE JUST PROVIDED TO YOU, BOTH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE COUNTRY, AND I EXPECT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE HERE WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRING BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN ON BOARD.

BUT I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE BOARD, ALL THE TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES AND THE COMMUNITY.

THEY PROVIDED A LOT OF SUPPORT AND A LOT OF PATIENCE TO OUR AGENCY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE GOT TO THIS POINT. WE'RE FULLY STAFFED AS OF THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS AMAZING. AND THANKS GOES OUT TO EVERYONE.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DO PUBLICLY THANK ALL OF THE SWORN MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION. THEY'VE WORKED A LOT OF LONG HOURS, A LOT OF HARD SHIFTS TO GET US TO THIS POINT.

AND HERE WE ARE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BROUGHT UP DURING THIS.

SO WITH THAT, I INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR ARE NEW TO US NEW OFFICERS BRANDON NEVILLS, THOMAS CODDINGTON.

I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. AS ASSISTANT CHIEF CRANE SAID, I'M

[00:05:05]

THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY. AND I ACTUALLY STARTED WRITING ON THE ROAD ABOUT TWO DAYS AGO, TWO SHIFTS AGO.

AND I CAN COMPLETELY TELL THAT THE PUBLIC HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LOVES ITS LAW ENFORCEMENT.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT. I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING MY CAREER HERE WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, SIR. WELCOME.

THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU SIR. WELCOME.

THANK YOU. WELCOME ABOARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE ITEM 4B 2024 TOWNSHIP AUDIT.

[4.B. 2024 Township Audit-Ali Barnes, Yeo & Yeo]

ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE IT UP ON THE SCREEN. I THINK WE CERTAINLY CAN.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD HAVE IT LOADED UP, BUT WE CAN FIND A WAY.

WHILE HE'S WORKING ON THAT, I CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT. AGAIN, MY NAME IS ALI BARNES.

I AM THE LEAD PRINCIPAL ON YOUR TOWNSHIP'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT.

SO I'LL JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT OPINION AND WHAT THAT MEANS WHILE HE'S WORKING ON PULLING UP THE GRAPHS AND GIVE YOU KIND OF THAT OVERVIEW.

SO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ARE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO AUDITS.

MOST HAVE TO HAPPEN EVERY YEAR. SOMETIMES IF YOU'RE A SMALLER COMMUNITY, IT'S EVERY OTHER YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE US HERE RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY.

SO OUR FIRM WAS ENGAGED TO PERFORM THE ANNUAL AUDIT FOR 2024, AND WE HAVE ISSUED AN OPINION ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

SO IN UNMODIFIED AUDIT OPINION IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT THE INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED TO YOU IN YOUR STATEMENTS HAS BEEN DONE SO ACCURATELY, GIVEN THE ACCOUNTING RULES THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW IN MATERIALITY.

AND SO YOUR TOWNSHIP DID RECEIVE AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN AUDIT OPINION.

SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT YOU YOU WANT US TO BE GIVING.

YOUR TEAM DOES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO GET TO THAT POINT.

AND I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT HAD A HAND IN COMPLETING THIS AUDIT, BUT ESPECIALLY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT LIFT ON THAT POSITION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING SHE DID TO JUMP IN AND GET THE AUDIT GOING, KEEP IT GOING AND GET US TO THE FINISH LINE.

LOOKS LIKE MAYBE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

THEY DO HAVE IT DIGITALLY IN THEIR PACKET. SO LET ME STEP THROUGH THAT.

YEP. THAT'S FINE. SO MAYBE WHAT I'LL DO IS JUMP TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO COME UP.

BECAUSE THE REST OF IT IS KIND OF DRIVEN BY SOME GRAPHS.

SO THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING. SO IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE.

FIRST INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBERS. SO GENERALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AN AUDIT WE THINK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THE DOLLARS GOING INTO THINGS. BUT THERE'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THROUGHOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS.

AND SO WHEN WE GET DONE WITH AN AUDIT, WE LOOK BACK AND SEE WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES.

AND IF THERE ARE ISSUES, WHAT MAGNITUDE DO WE THINK THOSE ISSUES WERE AT.

AND SO THE TOWNSHIP THIS YEAR DID HAVE A COUPLE OF FINDINGS.

WE HAVE TWO FINDINGS THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.

THE FIRST ONE RELATES TO BUDGET NONCOMPLIANCE.

SO YOUR TOWNSHIP DURING 2024 ENTERED INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR SOME PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

THIS LEASE AGREEMENT OVER THE ENTIRE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS ABOUT $1.8 MILLION.

THE ACCOUNTING RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE REQUIRE YOU TO, DURING THE YEAR OF LEASE INCEPTION, RECORD THAT LEASE IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IN A GOVERNMENTAL FUND. SO YOUR GENERAL FUND, IN THIS CASE YOU HAVE TO GROSS UP YOUR REVENUES AND GROSS UP THE EXPENDITURES. SO IT'S A IT'S A NET ZERO EFFECT ON YOUR CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE YOUR END OF YEAR FUND BALANCE.

[00:10:01]

AND SO FOR THIS YEAR, THAT PARTICULAR LEASE WAS NOT FACTORED IN WHEN THE FINAL BUDGET AMENDMENT HAPPENS.

AND SO YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENDITURES WERE OVER BUDGET BY A MATERIAL DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THIS YEAR.

THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY AN UNCOMMON ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE LEASE AGREEMENTS.

PEOPLE USUALLY ARE JUST HOPING MY LEASE AGREEMENT ISN'T MORE THAN WHAT I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAD CUSHIONED IN MY BUDGET.

BUT DUE TO THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT, IT DID CAUSE THE OVER BUDGET SITUATION.

AGAIN, NOT A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.

AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A ONE TIME ISSUE. I BELIEVE YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY PUT IT ON THEIR CHECKLIST FOR BUDGET TIME TO LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE LEASE AGREEMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENTS THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE RECORDED.

THE SECOND MATERIAL WEAKNESS RELATES TO A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS.

PRIMARILY WITHIN CAPITAL ASSETS AND THEN ONE UTILITY BILLING ISSUE.

SO WITHIN CAPITAL ASSETS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THERE WERE SOME ROAD ASSETS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPITALIZED BUT WEREN'T.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE DOLLARS WERE CORRECTLY RECORDED WITHIN THE FUND THAT SPENT THEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET ADDED TO THE CAPITAL ASSET RECORDS THAT ROLL UP INTO YOUR TOWNSHIP WIDE STATEMENTS.

AND TRADITIONALLY, YOU PROBABLY DON'T USE OR RELY ON THOSE PIECES OF THE STATEMENTS AS MUCH, BUT THEY DO NEED TO BE ACCURATE. AND SO THERE WAS A RESTATEMENT DONE TO ADD THOSE ROAD ASSETS BACK.

THERE WAS ALSO IN THE CURRENT YEAR, THERE ARE SOME ASSETS THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER FOR WATER AND SEWER BY EXTERNAL CONTRACTORS AND THEN ESSENTIALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE TOWNSHIP.

AND SO YOUR TOWNSHIP RECORDS A CONTRIBUTION REVENUE AND THEN RECORDS THOSE ASSETS.

AND THIS YEAR THOSE PARTICULAR CONTRIBUTIONS AND ASSETS WERE MISSED.

BUT THEY BY THE END OF THE AUDIT THEY WERE RECORDED.

AND THEY ARE INCLUDED WITHIN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

AND THEN THE LAST ITEM RELATES TO UTILITY BILLING.

SO IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, YOUR WATER AND YOUR SEWER FUND EACH HAD A SECTION OF BILLING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCRUED BACK BUT WAS MISSED ON THE TOWNSHIP SCHEDULE.

AND SO THIS YEAR THE EQUITY WAS ADJUSTED LIKE THAT RECEIVABLE WAS BOOKED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

AND SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THE DATES OF HOW BILLING HAPPENS.

BUT I THINK THE, THE DOCUMENTATION AND THE SPREADSHEETS HAVE BEEN UPDATED NOW SO THAT THAT SHOULD BE CAUGHT.

GOING FORWARD. SO OVERALL EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ADJUSTMENTS AND THERE WERE A COUPLE LARGE ADJUSTMENTS, I WOULDN'T SAY YOU HAVE A PERVASIVE PROBLEM. SO WE DIDN'T COME IN AND SAY NOTHING IS RIGHT.

WE NEED TO POST MANY ADJUSTMENTS. WE SIMPLY SAID, THERE ARE A COUPLE KEY AREAS THAT YOU NEED TO TIGHTEN UP YOUR CONTROLS.

AND MAKE SURE TO GET IT RIGHT. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES.

THAT'S KIND OF THE SECOND LEVEL DOWN OF FINDINGS.

AND WE ALSO THIS YEAR, DUE TO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT SPENT IN YOUR ARPA FUNDING, WE DID AN ARPA COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION.

SO DUE TO THE FEDERAL AWARD MAKEUP FOR YOUR TOWNSHIP, YOU WEREN'T REQUIRED TO HAVE A SINGLE AUDIT.

YOU COULD HAVE THE COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION, AND WE HAD NO FINDINGS WHEN IT CAME TO THAT EXAMINATION.

WE ALSO DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT WE FELT NEEDED TO BE IN WRITING.

AS FAR AS MANAGEMENT COMMENTS GO. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE UP AND RUNNING NOW.

SO WE'LL KIND OF GO BACKWARDS HERE. OH YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

BEFORE YOU GO ON REGARDING CAPITAL ASSETS, PARTICULARLY THE ROAD WITH WATER AND SEWER, WE OWN THAT OR CO-OWN THOSE FACILITIES, BUT WE DON'T OWN THE ROADS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ROADS ARE CONSTRUCTED AND THEN DEEDED OVER TO THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.

THAT IS TRUE. BUT PRESUMABLY YOU HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO BE MAINTAINING THOSE ROADS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE IT'S YOUR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS USING THOSE ROADS THEY STILL DO GET CAPITALIZED.

OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO ON. NO, THAT WAS THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL.

I MEAN, THEY MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY RETAIN THE OWNERSHIP OF THE ROADS.

THEY HAVE ALLOWED US BY RESOLUTION AT THE COUNTY BOARD LEVEL TO FIX THOSE ROADS AT OUR COST.

HOWEVER, THEY DON'T THEY DON'T RELINQUISH OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL OF THAT EVER.

[00:15:06]

IT DOESN'T COME DOWN TO PEER OWNERSHIP IN THE ACCOUNTING RULES.

SO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

BUT BECAUSE THERE IS PRESUMABLY A RIGHT TO USE AN ASSIST IN MAINTAINING YOU STILL WOULD CAPITALIZE THEM FOR FINANCIAL RECORDING PURPOSES.

SO EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE IS DOING IT THIS WAY AS WELL? THEY THEY SHOULD BE IF THEY MEET THE SAME FACT PATTERN.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND SOME.

PERFECT. THERE YOU GO. SO WE'LL START WITH GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

SO FOR 2024, TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES CAME IN AT $30.8 MILLION.

YOU CAN SEE HERE A BREAKDOWN BY CATEGORY OF THOSE REVENUES FOR BOTH 2024 AND THE PREVIOUS FOUR CALENDAR YEARS AS WELL.

OBVIOUSLY, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REVENUE SOURCE FOR YOU IS PROPERTY TAXES THAT THIS YEAR WAS UP ABOUT 6.5%.

YOUR OTHER CATEGORIES INTERGOVERNMENTAL CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND LICENSES AND PERMITS HELD RELATIVELY STABLE BASED ON PRIOR YEAR NUMBERS. AND THEN WITHIN YOUR KIND OF ALL OTHER CATEGORY, YOU DID HAVE AN INCREASE THERE THIS YEAR.

THAT IS WHERE THE 1.8 MILLION FOR THE LEASE IMPLEMENTATION WAS RECORDED.

SO WITHIN THAT IS IS $1.8 MILLION. AND I DID PUT A NOTE ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO FORGET ABOUT IN THAT ALL OTHER CATEGORY ALSO THERE'S KIND OF THE OUTLIER THERE FOR 2022 THAT RELATED TO A BOND ISSUANCE RELATED TO SOME DRAIN ASSESSMENTS.

SO THAT'S WHAT KIND OF THROWS OFF THAT CATEGORY FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.

ON THE NEXT PAGE WE HAVE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.

SO THESE TOTALED ABOUT 29.5 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.

HERE WE CAN SEE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CATEGORY.

IT WAS JUST SHORT OF 18 MILLION FOR 2024. WITHIN THIS CATEGORY IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT 1.8 MILLION LEASE RECORDING. SO WHAT GROSSED UP THE REVENUE? AND THEN HERE'S WHERE WE CAN SEE IT ON THE EXPENSE SIDE AS WELL.

SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT IT INCREASED QUITE AS MUCH AS IT DID FOR WHAT I WOULD CALL DAILY OPERATIONAL COST.

SO WITHOUT THE LEASE PUBLIC SAFETY CAME IN AT ABOUT 16.1 MILLION, WHICH WAS JUST OVER A 10% INCREASE.

OKAY. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT PAGE AND TALK ABOUT FUND BALANCE.

SO HERE, ANY YEAR WHERE THE ANNUAL REVENUE IS EXCEEDING YOUR ANNUAL EXPENDITURES.

SO THE BLUE SHADED BAR IS HIGHER THAN THE TAN SHADED BAR WOULD INDICATE A YEAR WHERE YOU'RE ADDING TO FUND BALANCE.

AND THEN VICE VERSA. IF TAN IS EXCEEDING THE BLUE YOU'RE USING UP SOME FUND BALANCE.

SO WE CAN SEE HERE THE TOP LINE, THE BLACK LINE THERE IS YOUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE OVER TIME AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT DID INCREASE THIS YEAR.

IT WENT UP ABOUT $500,000. SO YOUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WAS ROUGHLY $15 MILLION.

AND THEN THE ORANGE LINE BELOW THAT IS THE UNASSIGNED PORTION.

AND THAT INCREASED AS WELL. THAT IS ABOUT 12.6 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE BOTH MY FUND BALANCE AND MY UNASSIGNED BALANCE COMPARED TO WHERE MY EXPENDITURES ARE.

SO I KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE I HAVE SITTING THERE COMPARATIVELY.

AND ON THE NEXT PAGE, THEN YOU CAN SEE KIND OF ALL THE COMPONENTS OF FUND BALANCE OVER TIME.

SO THE DARK BLUE IS GOING TO BE THAT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

SO THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ON HOW YOU CAN SPEND THAT.

FOR 2024 THAT NEXT LIKE LIGHT BLUE SHADE IS YOUR PENSION STABILIZATION AMOUNT.

SO THAT'S ABOUT 2.2 MILLION. THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT YOUR TOWNSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO COMMIT.

SO EITHER YOU PUT THOSE THOSE TOWARDS THE PENSION STABILIZATION OR AT SOME POINT, IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DO THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO THIS BOARD TO UNCOMMIT THOSE DOLLARS. AND THEN YOU JUST HAVE A VERY SMALL PORTION IN WHAT'S CONSIDERED UNSPENT.

THAT WAS LESS THAN $200,000. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH GEARS OVER TO YOUR UTILITY ACTIVITY.

[00:20:05]

SO THIS YEAR, OPERATING REVENUES CAME IN AT ROUGHLY 8.5 MILLION VERSUS OPERATING EXPENSES OF 7.4 MILLION.

WE DID SEE UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION INCREASE THIS YEAR.

SO AT END OF THE YEAR AT ABOUT 6.5 MILLION. AND I DO LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE 6.5 MILLION TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, YOU WOULD SEE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT IS A HIGHER NUMBER.

FOR YOUR PURPOSES HERE, I BACK OUT YOUR NET INVESTMENT IN THE EAST LANSING MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH CONTROL OVER THAT PARTICULAR PIECE.

BUT THIS IS MORE WHAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH.

AND THEN ON THE SEWER SIDE, OPERATING REVENUES CAME IN AT 8.8 MILLION VERSUS OPERATING EXPENSES OF 5.7 MILLION.

AND THAT WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCREASE IN YOUR UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION.

AND THAT CAME IN AT 7.4 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO THOSE FUNDS ARE ARE SITTING IN A RELATIVELY GOOD POSITION.

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THOSE FUNDS ARE VERY, VERY COSTLY.

AND SO YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY ENSURING YOUR OPERATING REVENUES EXCEED OPERATING EXPENSES TO ALLOW FOR CASH FLOW, FOR LARGE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE, AND THEN POTENTIALLY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE IN 2023, THERE WAS ALSO A NET POSITIVE IMPACT.

HOWEVER, THE UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION WENT DOWN.

THIS IS BECAUSE OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES? CORRECT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR LONG TERM PAYROLL RELATED LIABILITIES. SO WE'LL FIRST TALK ABOUT THE TWO PENSION PLANS AND THEN THE OPEB PLAN.

SO THE FIRST PLAN IS THE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT PENSION PLAN.

THIS IS THE SMALLER PLAN AND THIS PLAN IS CLOSED.

SO THIS PLAN HAS A NET POSITION AT THE END OF THE YEAR OF ABOUT 4.3 MILLION VERSUS A NET PENSION.

NET NET PENSION. SORRY A TOTAL PENSION LIABILITY OF 4.4 MILLION.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NET OF THOSE, YOUR ACTUAL NET PENSION LIABILITY IS LESS THAN $100,000 WITHIN THAT PLAN.

SO YOU ARE ALMOST 99 FUNDED WITHIN THAT PLAN.

THE NEXT PLAN IS THE MERGE PLAN. SO THIS PLAN HAS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS WITHIN IT.

AND THIS IS AN OPEN PLAN. SO PEOPLE ARE STILL CONTRIBUTING.

THE TOWNSHIP IS CONTRIBUTING. AND SO THESE NUMBERS WILL CERTAINLY FLUCTUATE MORE THAN THE PLAN THAT IS CLOSED.

SO AT THE END OF 2024, WHAT IS RECORDED IS ACTUALLY A ONE YEAR LAG.

BECAUSE THE IT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THE SYSTEM TO BE AUDITED AND FOR THEM TO ISSUE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

SO YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ACTUALLY USE THE 2023 INFORMATION.

SO AT THE END OF 2024, WHICH IS REALLY 2023 FIGURES, THE FIDUCIARY NET POSITION WAS ABOUT 63.3 MILLION VERSUS THE TOTAL PENSION LIABILITY, WHICH IS 90.8 MILLION.

SO THAT GIVES YOU A NET PENSION LIABILITY OF 27.5 MILLION.

AND THAT WAS DOWN JUST SLIGHTLY FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.

AND THAT MAKES THIS PLAN ABOUT 69% FUNDED. AND THEN THE LAST LONGER TERM LIABILITY RELATED TO, TO I WOULD SAY PAYROLL IS YOUR OPEB PLAN OR YOUR POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN. AND SO THIS PLAN IS ALSO IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION.

THE FIDUCIARY NET POSITION WAS ABOUT 8 MILLION VERSUS THE LIABILITY THAT'S CALCULATED OF ABOUT 8.2 MILLION.

AND SO YOUR NET LIABILITY IS JUST UNDER 200,000 MAKING THIS PLAN ROUGHLY 98% FUNDED.

SO REALLY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE THE PLAN THAT IS CLOSED ON THE PENSION SIDE IS WELL FUNDED, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THIS OPEB PLAN IS WELL FUNDED AS WELL.

AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN MAKING SOLID PROGRESS ON THE MERS PLAN OVER TIME.

ALSO, THAT'S JUST A LARGER LIABILITY. IT TAKES A LOT LONGER TO KIND OF CHIP AWAY AT THAT.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

[00:25:05]

AND CERTAINLY THESE ARE NOT EASY TO PUT TOGETHER.

AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR BLONDE AS WELL FOR ASSISTING AND MAKING THAT ALL HAPPEN.

MAYBE I'M MISSING IT HERE. YOU HAD INDICATED 69% FUNDING ON THE MERS PLAN.

I COULD SWEAR I SAW 75 SOMEWHERE UP FROM 74. AM I? I THOUGHT IT WAS. WELL, MAYBE. LET ME GO TO THAT PAGE.

LET'S SEE. IT ALSO COULD BE YOU GET A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CALCULATIONS FOR THAT PLAN. AND SO SOMETIMES YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE.

OKAY, TOO. LET'S SEE.

SO IF YOU LOOKED AT PAGE 4-7.

I TOOK THE 69% FROM THE 2024 COLUMN ON THAT PAGE.

OKAY. BUT YOU COULD HAVE SEEN, I THINK, IS THERE ALSO AN ASSUMPTION WITH THIS CALCULATION, WITH THE STATE ASSUMPTIONS? I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT IT WAS.

YEAH. WE GOT WE GOT AN EMAIL I THINK THE OTHER DAY.

YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. THEY HAVE ANOTHER CALCULATION THAT INCORPORATES THOSE OTHER ASSUMPTIONS.

SO. OKAY. THAT'S THE SORT OF NUMBER THAT THEY PRESENT.

OKAY. USING THOSE. SO JUST TO MAKE IT MORE CONFUSING.

YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. EITHER WAY, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, WHICH IS GOOD TO SEE.

CORRECT. AND I THINK THEY MAY ALSO HANDLE THE MONEY THAT'S SET ASIDE AND FUND BALANCE FOR THE PENSION.

THE SORT OF TREAT THAT I THINK IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN YOU TREAT IT IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS WELL.

THE 2.2 MILLION. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

BOARD MEMBERS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE WILL SEE THE APPROVAL OF THE AUDIT ON A FUTURE BOARD AGENDA FOR US TO GIVE OUR OFFICIAL THUMBS UP TO. SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.

OKAY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE WHICH IS CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS.

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

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 THE BOARD OR A MEMBER OF THE STAFF PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, I'LL CALL ON YOU TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.

WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT IS HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES IF YOU CAN PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS. CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, AND AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT, AND A BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE COMMENT AND INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES RESTRICT BOARD MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH COMMENTERS OR ANSWERING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.

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

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

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

SO FIRST UP WE HAVE JANE SOUTHWELL AND THEN JEFF KASTNER AFTER THAT.

JANE. GOOD EVENING. ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING.

MY NAME IS JANE SOUTHWELL. I'M AT WILD OAK IN EAST LANSING.

I WAS HERE AT YOUR SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING AND BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THE KIND OF THE NEGLECTED MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AT RIVERSIDE CEMETERY, WHICH IS LOCATED AT HAMILTON AND GRAND RIVER.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WERE ABLE TO EVER GET OUT THERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

I HOPE YOU DID. IT'S KIND OF A BIG HISTORIC SPOT.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY WORTH PRESERVING IN OKEMOS.

PRIOR TO MY LAST TIME I MET WITH YOU, I HAD MET WITH ROB MACKENZIE AND TYLER KENNELL AT THE SITE.

THERE WAS A HUGE TREE DOWN, HUGE OAK TREE DOWN THAT FINALLY WAS CLEANED UP BY THIS MEMORIAL DAY.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ILLUSTRATES POSSIBLY THE NEED FROM SOME EXTRA HELP FOR ROB MACKENZIE.

[00:30:08]

ANYWAY, I COME AGAIN. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF THE CEMETERY.

THERE'S NAMES SUCH AS HAMILTON, MARSH, HEWLETT, GRETTENBERGER, WHICH YOU ALL RECOGNIZE.

AND OF COURSE, THE SOUTHWELL NAME IS THERE, AND I HAVE ANCESTORS THERE ALSO.

THERE'S A LOT OF MILITARY. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MILITARY VETERANS THERE, AND I'M WORKING ON IDENTIFYING THEM.

WITH TYLER'S HELP, HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A THE ORIGINAL PLOT MAP OF THE CEMETERY AND ALSO SOME CARDS INDICATING WHO HAD BOUGHT THE LOTS.

I'M STILL WORKING ON GETTING COPIES OF THAT FROM TYLER.

HE'S DOING HIS BEST, BUT HE'S SWAMPED ALSO. AT THE TIME, I'D MADE SUGGESTIONS TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE CEMETERY, AND THAT IS, IN TERMS OF FENCING ALONG THE RIVER IS A REALLY STEEP DROP DOWN THERE.

IT'S ONLY HALF FENCED OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE FENCING WAS NEVER COMPLETED BECAUSE OF THE GRAVES THAT ARE IN REAL CLOSE PROXIMITY THERE, AND THEN FENCING ALONG THE WEST END. THE CEMETERY BUTTS UP TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, AND I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT INFRINGEMENT ON THE CEMETERY ITSELF. SO INCLUDING FENCING THERE WOULD BE AWESOME NEW SIGNAGE AT THE EAST ENTRANCE, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE ON HAMILTON, [INAUDIBLE] BY THE PUMP STATION.

SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, THAT WAS ALWAYS THE ENTRANCE, ROB TOLD ME, YOU KNOW WHERE THAT SIGN IS? AT THE OTHER END IS WHERE THE ENTRANCE WAS. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DECADES AGO, BUT IT'S BLOCKED OFF NOW AND NO ONE CAN GET IN THERE OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE FOLKS. ANYWAY, SO I'M ASKING AGAIN FOR RIVERSIDE TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.

I DID GET AN EMAIL FROM MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU'RE ALL COMMITTED IN PRESERVING THE GROUNDS, INCLUDING RIVERSIDE.

I'M GETTING THREE SOUTHWELL STONES THERE. FIXED ON JULY 20TH.

A YOUNG MAN IS COMING TO FIX THEM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

HE'LL BE THERE AROUND 9 OR 9:30. AM I OFF? YEAH.

SORRY. ANYWAY I'D JUST LIKE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FOLKS BURIED THERE THAT THEY DIDN'T TRUST US WITH PERPETUAL CARE, EVEN IF THEY BOUGHT THEIR LOTS 150 YEARS AGO.

AND HAVING RELATIVES IN THE CEMETERY. I WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS TO PRESERVE THIS AREA.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JEFF KESSNER.

GOOD EVENING. JEFF KESSNER, HASLETT RESIDENT.

I AM HERE TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AS TO THE REAL COST OF A COMMUNITY CENTER.

THE OFFICIAL BALLOT STATES IN PART, QUOTE SHOW THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN BORROW A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $19,415,000 AND ISSUE ITS GENERAL OBLIGATION TAX BONDS PAYABLE OVER NOT TO EXCEED 20 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.

END QUOTE. PLEASE REFER TO THE HANDOUT THAT I PROVIDED, AND THOSE OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE CAN TAKE A COPY FROM MY CHAIR.

THE FIGURES ON THIS SHEET COME DIRECTLY FROM TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETINGS.

THESE ARE YOUR NUMBERS. THE SECOND COLUMN, WHICH IS 20 YEAR CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF 24 MILLION AND THAT INCLUDES 5 MILLION FROM THE STATE, PLUS THE 19 MILLION THAT YOU WANT TO BORROW.

NEXT, WE HAVE FINANCING COSTS OF $415,000. FINANCE COST INCLUDES THE COST OF ISSUANCE.

NEXT WE HAVE $22,723,000 OPERATING COSTS. AND THAT'S FOR 20 YEARS.

NEXT WE HAVE $10,056,000 INTEREST AND BONDING COSTS FOR 20 YEARS.

SO THESE COSTS ADD UP TO 50 APPROXIMATELY $57 MILLION, A NUMBER MUCH BIGGER THAN IS BEING PORTRAYED TO THE PUBLIC.

GIVEN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE REAL COST OF 57 MILLION IN THE 19 MILLION YOU WERE ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE IT'S QUITE OBVIOUS THAT VOTERS WILL BE ASKED TO PAY MILLIONS MORE IN THE YEARS TO COME. I'M NOT HERE TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO VOTE, BUT I AM HERE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE VOTING FOR.

SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT ABOUT SINCE DAY ONE.

SO IN CLOSING, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE.

I'LL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL JULY 24TH FROM 6:30 TO 7:30 IN THIS ROOM.

THE TOPIC WILL BE WHAT IS THE REAL COST OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER? AND DOES THE CURRENT PROPOSAL MAKE SENSE? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.

[00:35:02]

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR, AND GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.

IT'S SUMMERTIME. SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPENING WITH EVENTS, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE ROAD CONSTRUCTION.

SO A COUPLE OF QUICK UPDATES. OUR LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM IS IN FULL GEAR, TACOMA HILLS.

THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE PAVING PROCESS THERE, BUT THAT SHOULD BE WRAPPING UP HERE SHORTLY WITH SOME OF THE FINISHED WORK LAC DU MONT IS THE NEXT PROJECT THAT WILL BE UNDERWAY STARTING ON MONDAY, JULY 14TH, WITH SOME PREP WORK AND THEN PAVING WORK TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH.

THERE'S ACTUALLY AN INFORMATION MEETING GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

SIMULTANEOUS. IF THERE ARE ANY RESIDENTS LISTENING, ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO ONLINE.

MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF THE DETAILS BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL SHUTTLING NEEDED FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE CONTRACTORS PLANNING FOR AND WILL HAVE ADEQUATE SERVICE THERE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MOUNT HOPE ROAD PROJECT IS UNDERWAY THAT'S A INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT PROJECT.

THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT OVERSEEING THAT. BUT I HEARD TODAY THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WITH THE MILLING AND PAVING THAT'S GOING ON.

SO WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS THAT THEY'RE RUNNING INTO ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TOUCH BASE WITH WHATEVER STAFF ARE IN THE FIELD THAT GIVEN DAY.

THEY SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO DIRECT PEOPLE, BUT IF THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES, JUST TO LET US KNOW AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ROAD DEPARTMENT ON THAT. AND THEN COMING UP ON JULY 14TH, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL BE DOING THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE SIGNALIZATION AT MARSH ROAD IN LAKE LANSING. SO THAT SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY A VERY SHORT TERM PROJECT, WEATHER PERMITTING.

AND OF COURSE, WEATHER IMPACTS ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.

THE OTHER SIDE IS SUMMER, THE EVENT SIDE, THE FUNNER SIDE.

JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE A FEW THINGS AND PEOPLE RELATED TO THOSE.

SO THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL. AMBER CLARK, WHO HEADED THAT UP WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR.

SO THANKS TO HER AND ANOTHER GREAT EVENT, AND OF COURSE, A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO WE HAD THE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS A FABULOUS TURNOUT. THE WEATHER REALLY WORKED TO OUR ADVANTAGE.

I THINK THIS YEAR WE HAD A NICE WINDOW OF A COOL, RELATIVELY COOL BUT WARM ENOUGH EVENING.

SO I WANT TO THANK COURTNEY WISINSKI AND KATIE ADAMS FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.

BUT REALLY, ALL OF OUR STAFF ACROSS SO MANY DEPARTMENTS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE COLLECTING MONEY, THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHO WAS PRESENT THERE AS WELL.

SO WE REALLY WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK EVENT. SO THANKS TO ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR DOING THAT, AS WELL AS ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO DEDICATED THEIR TIME TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THAT.

AND WE STILL HAVE EVENTS ONGOING. OUR SUMMER CONCERT SERIES CONTINUES.

THE NEXT ONE IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.

AND IF YOU'RE A STEVIE NICKS FAN, THERE'S A STEVIE NICKS COVER BAND THAT WILL BE THERE TOMORROW NIGHT. AND THOSE CONTINUE ON THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

AND THEN MY LAST ITEM IS JUST TO REITERATE THE THANKS THAT THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED EARLIER FOR DIRECTOR BLONDE AND HER STAFF, AS WELL AS YEO & YEO OUR AUDITORS, FOR WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

WHEN THE DIRECTOR STEPPED INTO HER ROLE EARLIER THIS YEAR THE AUDIT PROCESS WAS ALREADY SORT OF IN PROGRESS.

BUT SHE HAD TO CATCH UP AND SHE DID A GREAT JOB DOING THAT.

SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF HER WORK AS WELL. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MANAGER DEMPSEY? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

TO 8 P.M. WE ARE ALSO OFFERING EARLY VOTING ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 1ST THROUGH AUGUST 3RD ON SUNDAY, AND THAT WILL BE OPEN FROM 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M.. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE 40 DAYS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE LENTZ. JUST REITERATING THE THANK YOU THAT MANAGER DEMPSEY I GAVE TO THE STAFF OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, WHICH I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO VOLUNTEER AT YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT TO WORK ALONGSIDE THOSE STAFF MEMBERS, A LOT OF WHOM I HAD NOT MET BEFORE. AND SO THEIR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND, YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THE SETUP TEARDOWN AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN WHILE GETTING MAYBE A LITTLE SUNBURN ALONG THE WAY, LIKE MYSELF WAS A, YOU KNOW, VERY NICE GESTURE.

IT WAS. EXCUSE ME. IT WAS SO REFRESHING TO SEE SO MANY DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS REPRESENTED IN

[00:40:01]

SO IT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGED TO SEE FOLKS COMING OUT TO YOU KNOW, A TOWNSHIP EVENT, WHICH IS VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO FILL UP THEIR SUMMERS. SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT THEY WANT TO SPEND IT WITH US.

AND ECHOING THAT IT WAS THE PERFECT WEATHER DAY.

SO TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF PARK STAFF FOR EXCELLENT CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.

AND ACCORDING TO REVENUE, WE WERE UP ABOUT 20% IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE A LOT OF CHILDREN IN THAT PLAY AREA.

IN FACT, THEY HAD THEIR OWN LINES THAT'S HOW MANY KIDS WERE THERE.

IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. IT'S REALLY OUR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AT ITS BEST THAT DAY.

SOME TAX BILLS HAVE BEEN MAILED. IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE YET, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE.

853-4140. WE'LL SEND YOU OUT A NEW ONE OR SEND YOU OUT AN EMAIL COPY OF IT.

TAXES ARE DUE ON SEPTEMBER 15TH OF THIS YEAR, WHICH IS THE MONDAY AFTER THE 14TH.

TAXES CAN BE PAID IN PERSON BY CHECK, CASH OR CREDIT CARD, OR THEY CAN BE PAID ONLINE ALSO BY CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD.

OR YOU CAN DO AN ACH FROM YOUR ACCOUNT AND THERE IS NO FEE FOR THAT.

WE GET THIS QUESTION A LOT ABOUT TAXES. ARE THEY JUST FOR THE SUMMER OR ARE THEY FOR LAST YEAR OR ARE THEY FOR NEXT YEAR? THE TAXES ARE REALLY BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER TAXES ARE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR TAX BILL, YOU'LL SEE IT HAS CERTAIN THINGS IN THE SUMMER, CERTAIN THINGS IN THE WINTER. AND SO THEY COVER THE ENTIRE YEAR. AND THEY ARE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. THEY'RE FOR 2025. WE TAKE THAT REVENUE.

WE SPEND IT THIS YEAR ON OUR POLICE AND FIRE AND ALL THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

IT'S SPENT REAL TIME. IT'S FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

IT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TRUSTEE WILSON. I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO THAT CELEBRATE MERIDIAN WAS THE BIGGEST AND BEST EVER, AND I THINK IT WAS DUE TO ALL THE STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

AND SCOTT AND I RUN IN THE BEER CHAMP FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WHAT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED? YEAH, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE FULL ESTIMATE OUT OF THE NUMBER, BUT AS SOON AS WE DO, WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS NEW WAS THE DRONE SHOW, AND I WONDERED HOW WHAT THE FEEDBACK ON THAT HAS BEEN.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE WHO LOVE IT. I THINK IT'S REALLY NEW AND NOVEL FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

CERTAINLY THERE'S ALWAYS TRADITIONALISTS THAT WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE FIREWORKS. BUT I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD IS, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF THE NOISE AND THE SMOKE IS GOOD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OVERALL THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN POSITIVE ABOUT IT.

AND PEOPLE LIKE THE UNIQUE NATURE OF IT FOR SURE.

WELL, IT WAS A LOVELY EVENING. AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED OUT. WELL, I'LL ADD MY THANKS AS WELL TO THE STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEERS. I KNOW WE HAD A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS OUT JUST WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WANTED TO HELP OUT AT CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.

ALSO JUNETEENTH, WHICH WAS A TERRIFIC EVENT AS WELL.

MOVED THAT ONE SORT OF INTO THE TOWNSHIP FACILITY AT THE MARKETPLACE AGAIN THIS YEAR.

WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A GREAT OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR THAT. AND IT'S GOOD THAT WE GET TO USE IT.

I'M SURE OUR STAFF ARE HAPPY THAT JUNE IS BEHIND US, AND THE BULK OF OUR BIG EVENTS ARE IN THE PAST.

BUT CERTAINLY WE APPRECIATE THEM. WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES THEM AS WELL.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS, THAT'S FINE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, HAVING WORKED AT A COUPLE OF THESE NOW, THERE WAS MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAN THAN I'VE SEEN EVER.

AND CERTAINLY STAR FARM WAS A GOOD DRAW FOR A LOT OF FOLKS AS WELL.

BUT THE CHILDREN'S AREA WAS PACKED. YOU KNOW, USUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE FOR THE INFLATABLES, BUT THERE WERE LINES AT EVERY SINGLE ONE. AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MY KIDS BEING DISAPPOINTED THAT I WASN'T THE ONE IN THE DUNK TANK.

I THINK THEY HAD A TERRIFIC TIME AS WELL. AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT I WAS REALLY PLEASED AT THE TURNOUT AND THE PERFORMERS AT THE CULTURAL STAGE. I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY COOL ADDITION THAT WAS THERE.

AND A LOT OF INTERESTING ACTS PERFORMING AT THAT.

SO I THINK IT WAS A REALLY EXCELLENT CELEBRATE MERIDIAN.

I LOVE THE DRONES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN GERMANE THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S BEEN ESPECIALLY DRY YEARS WE'VE HAD TO CANCEL FIREWORKS IN THE PAST FOR FEAR OF FIRE RISK.

NOT SO WITH DRONES. AND SO I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY BRING TO US NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER REPORTS? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM EIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? SO MOVED.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

[00:45:05]

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

THE MINUTES FROM OUR JUNE 17TH, 2025 REGULAR TOWNSHIP MEETING.

OUR BILLS A PATHWAY LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY.

AN EXTENSION OF THE MUPUD WITH HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TANGENTIALLY LATER ON IN THE MEETING.

CONTRACT FOR GATE VALVE REPLACEMENT IN 2025 OVER AT GRAND RIVER AND PARK LAKE.

A PERMIT TO CROSS THE DRAIN FOR THE SCHULTZ PATHWAY PROJECT.

WE'VE GOT THAT COMING UP INTO COMING TO ITS FINAL STAGES OF APPROVALS HERE.

AN ADDENDUM TO THE 2025 JUST FOIA CONTRACT, AN AGREEMENT FOR INGHAM COUNTY MUTUAL POLICE ASSISTANCE AND AN APPOINTMENT TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR BRANDON BROOKS, WHO'S ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION TO BE THEIR LIAISON TO THAT BOARD.

WITH THAT SAID DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.

MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANY ITEMS WE NEED TO REMOVE? SEEING NONE. WILL CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

CLERK DEMAS. YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES.

TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES.

MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[10.A. Amendment to the Haslett Village Square Brownfield Plan]

DIRECTOR CLARK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KICK US OFF? BROWNFIELD PLAN. PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING IS A PART OF A STATE ACT REQUIREMENT FOR THE LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT TO HOLD IN ORDER FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE AFFECTED TAX JURISDICTIONS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK REGARDING THE PLAN.

TONIGHT WITH ME, I HAVE DAVE VAN HAAREN FROM TRITERRA AND CHAD KOSTER FROM SP HOLDING COMPANY, LLC TO TAKE US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION FOR THE BROWNFIELD PLAN.

SO THEY'LL DO THE PRESENTATION LATER ON. ON THE AGENDA IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO HOLD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PLAN AND THE AMENDMENT, SO THEY'LL RUN THROUGH THE PLAN, GIVE A CONCISE REVIEW OF WHAT THE ASK IS FOR THE AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN LATER TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THE PLAN, THE BROWNFIELD PLAN OR THE PROJECT PLAN ITSELF, PLEASE HOLD THOSE UNTIL THAT TIME. AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE HAVE THE TEAM.

SO SORRY. JUST TO CLARIFY. THEY'LL GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.

THEN THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.

THAT'S A PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING. YEP. THAT'S JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'LL MEET OUR DISCUSSION LATER ON. CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER THE PUBLIC HEARING OPENED AT 6:46 P.M., GENTLEMEN.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AMBER. THANK YOU.

I'M CHAD KOSTER WITH SP HOLDINGS. DO WANT TO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, FOR SO MANY YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY FOR US AS WELL AS THE TOWNSHIPS.

SO THANK YOU FOR FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH US.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE YOU FOR IT.

SO YOU KNOW, AFTER THE INITIAL APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT YOU KNOW, WE REALLY EXPERIENCED, YOU KNOW, RISING INTEREST RATES, RISING COST OF CONSTRUCTION, RISING LABOR.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE THINGS THAT IMPEDES A PROJECT LIKE THIS.

AND THEN TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, WE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT DELAYS FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION OFFICE, SO THAT DID NOT HELP US AT ALL. SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, HERE TONIGHT WITH THIS AMENDED PLAN AND ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL ON THAT. THIS PLAN IS REALLY BASED ON NEW LEGISLATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE READY TO BUILD BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY STILL BELIEVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND IN HASLETT AND LOOK FORWARD TO TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL. SO APPRECIATE IT AGAIN. I'M GOING TO LET DAVE KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE GOODIES HERE.

YEAH. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVE VAN HAAREN DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH TRITERRA.

WE ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT AND BROWNFIELD CONSULTANT ON THIS BROWNFIELD PLAN.

AND AS AMBER AND CHAD INDICATED, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT OF THE EXISTING BROWNFIELD PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN BY THE TOWNSHIP IN

[00:50:02]

SO THE INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES, INCREASE IN INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS AND AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, YOU KNOW, LABOR COSTS AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

SO I'LL, GO THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT.

YOU KNOW THE ELIGIBLE PROPERTY IS THE SAME. IT'S IT IS 19 ACRES AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HASLETT AND MARSH ROAD.

IT DOES INCLUDE THIS IS A RENDERING OF THE SITE PLAN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE 199 TOTAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN ADDITION TO SOME COMMERCIAL SPACE.

YOU KNOW, THE TWO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. THE PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE AS A BROWNFIELD DUE TO IT BEING A FACILITY, WHICH I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. MEANING THAT THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION ON THE PROPERTY. BUT THEN ALSO AS OF SEPTEMBER 2023, IS WHEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE CONDUCTED AN AMENDMENT OR APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWNFIELD LAWS ALLOWING FOR WHAT'S CALLED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND USING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING TO SUPPORT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

AND HOW THAT WAS REALLY KEY AND IMPORTANT TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS THAT PRIOR BROWNFIELD PLAN ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES WERE LIMITED TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND CLEANUP, ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AND DEMOLITION COSTS. THIS AMENDMENT TO THE BROWNFIELD ACT 381 ALLOWED FOR THE INCLUSION OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, SITE PREPARATION COSTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT COSTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THOSE COSTS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND SO THAT'S THE MAJOR POINT OF THE AMENDMENT, IS TO ADD IN THOSE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COSTS.

TO SUMMARIZE THE PROJECT, IT IS A PROJECT THAT INCLUDES NEW CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE NEW MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS, 15 FOR SALE UNITS, INCLUDING 14 TOWNHOUSE OR TOWNHOME BUILDINGS AND ONE FOR SALE ROW HOUSE.

IT INCLUDES THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF MARSH ROAD AND HASLETT ROAD, AND THEN REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER VIDEO STORE INTO A COMMUNITY HUB.

SO AS I INDICATED IT, AS FAR AS THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, THERE WILL BE 199 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS AS PART OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO 115 MULTIFAMILY UNITS, RENTAL UNITS, WHICH WOULD BE IF I GO BACK TO THE SITE PLAN HERE.

IT'S THAT WESTERNMOST FIVE BUILDINGS ON THE WESTERNMOST PORTION OF THE SITE PLAN IN ORANGE.

THEN YOU HAVE THE TWO BLUE BUILDINGS, WHICH ARE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND COMMUNITY HUB.

THEN THE REMAINDER OF THOSE STRUCTURES ARE THE FOR SALE TOWNHOMES.

TOTAL INVESTMENT IS AT CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT 62 MILLION IN TOTAL INVESTMENT.

AND AS FAR AS THE COMMERCIAL SPACE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ESTIMATING 38 NEW FULL TIME EQUIVALENT JOBS.

AND AS CHAD INDICATED, THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING READY TO START CONSTRUCTION.

BASED ON THE TIMELINE OF THIS AMENDMENT AND PERMITTING AND EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE TARGETING LATE SUMMER FALL TO GET STARTED ON CONSTRUCTION.

THE RENDERINGS HERE, THE RENDERING ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT BUILDING.

AND THEN THE RENDERING ABOVE THAT IS THE INCLUDES THE STACKED FLATS THAT ARE PART OF THAT MULTIFAMILY, YOU KNOW RENTAL BUILDING. I'M GOING TO SWITCH HERE NOW ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

THAT IS A RENDERING OF THE FOR SALE TOWNHOMES.

THE PROJECT DOES INCLUDE ALL OF THE SAME AMENITIES THAT WERE PROPOSED IN 2023.

YOU KNOW, THOSE REMAIN, INCLUDING A TRAILHEAD AND DOG PARK AND PICKLEBALL COURTS ON THE PROPERTY.

THE COMMUNITY HUB DOES INCLUDE COMMUNITY SPACE, A POOL AND SUNDECK.

THAT THAT POOL WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

BEING THE COMMUNITY OF HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE THAT PART OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THERE WILL BE A POOL AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WELL.

THE BROWNFIELD CONDITIONS AT THE SITE INCLUDE PRIOR TO.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE HERE IN 2023, BROWNFIELD CONDITIONS INCLUDED VACANT BUILDINGS THAT HAD A ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS IN THEM.

THOSE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN ALL THE ASBESTOS HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM EACH OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

[00:55:01]

THERE STILL IS SOME DEMOLITION YET TO OCCUR. THERE IS AN AREA ON THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THAT STRUCTURE, FORMERLY FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, HAD A DRY CLEANING OPERATION, AND A RESULT OF THAT DRY CLEANER HAD A RELEASE OF WHAT'S CALLED TETRACHLORIDE, ETHYLENE, OR PERC, A DRY CLEANING SOLVENT THAT STILL IS REMAINING IN THE GROUND IN THE SOIL.

IF YOU DRIVE BY THE SITE, THERE'S THAT SLAB THAT'S STILL IN PLACE.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE FORMER SLAB OF THAT BUILDING THAT'S ACTING AS A CAP UNTIL WE CAN GET IN THERE AND REMOVE THAT CONTAMINATION.

HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF THE TOTAL COST OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE AMENDMENT.

AS I INDICATED, IN ADDITION TO ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF THAT TETRACHLORIDE, ETHYLENE, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY GO IN THERE AND EXCAVATE THAT OUT, SEND IT TO A LANDFILL AND REMEDIATE THAT WHAT I'D CALL A HOT SPOT OR THAT SMALL AREA OF CONTAMINATION. WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO IS REMOVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL.

WE'RE GOING TO OUR GOAL IS TO REMOVE ALL OF THE CONTAMINATION, IF NOT MOST OF IT TO GET THAT OFF THE PROPERTY IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS THE LANDFILL, BUT ALSO REMOVE ANY NEED FOR PUTTING ANY SYSTEMS IN ANY OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WOULD BE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A VAPOR MITIGATION SYSTEM. WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT CONTAMINATION, REMOVE ANY POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE VAPORS AND ANY NEED FOR LIKE A RADON VENTING TYPE SYSTEM IN THE FUTURE STRUCTURES. SO THAT'S THE TOP PORTION OF THIS CHART OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.

THE REMAINING INCLUDES THE WHAT ARE NOW WHAT WE'RE CALLING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ALLOWED THROUGH THIS NEW HOUSING TIF PROGRAM.

AND THERE'S LINE ITEMS IN THERE FOR DEMOLITION THAT'S ALREADY OCCURRED, THE ASBESTOS ABATEMENT.

AND LIKE I SAID, SITE PREPARATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WITH UP TO A 15% CONTINGENCY ON THOSE COSTS AND THEN THE THE COST TO PREPARE THE BROWNFIELD PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THE BROWNFIELD PLAN, THE TOTAL COST FOR ELIGIBLE PROPOSED ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES IS 14.5 MILLION.

SPECIFICALLY $14,563,048 THE TO BE PART OF THIS HOUSING TIF PROGRAM. AND I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF BUILD UP TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR POLICY. AND JUST AS A REFRESHER WHEN YOU ARE THIS PROGRAM IS TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENTS TO PROVIDE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING. THIS IS NOT AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.

THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ATTAINABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING TARGETING, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS THAT FIT WITHIN THE 80 TO 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

SO WHAT THIS CHART DOES HERE IS SHOWS WHAT THAT 80 TO 120% AMI OR AREA MEDIAN INCOME WOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO A FAMILY OR A SINGLE PERSON FAMILY. IT WOULD BE $56,000 INCOME PER YEAR TO $84,000 OR LESS THAN $84,000 TO BE BELOW THE 120% AMI FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF TWO PEOPLE WOULD BE 96,000.

SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING, PER THE TOWNSHIP POLICY, IS 20% OF THE MULTIFAMILY UNITS ARE GOING TO BE INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSEHOLDS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SET ASIDE, THE DEVELOPER WOULD SET ASIDE 23 UNITS, OR 20% OF THOSE MULTIFAMILY UNITS, TO BE SUBJECT TO THESE INCOME RESTRICTIONS.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS RENT CONTROLS.

ADDITIONALLY, NOT ONLY WOULD RESIDENTS WITHIN THOSE 23 UNITS HAVE TO BE DOCUMENTED WITHIN 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE RENTAL RATES WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE HELD WITHIN THAT 80 TO 120% AMI.

SO WHAT THIS CHART SHOWS IS FOR A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT.

THE. THE PROJECTED RATE RENT IS $1,807 PER MONTH.

THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, BASE RENT, UTILITIES AND FEES.

AT $1800 PER MONTH, THAT'S ABOUT 95.6% OF THE AMI FOR INGHAM COUNTY.

A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT THE PROJECTED RENT IS $2,093, WHICH WOULD BE 92.3% OF THE AMI RATE.

SO IT'S WELL WITHIN THOSE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OF BEING BELOW 120% AMI.

THIS CHART SHOWS THAT OVER A 23 YEAR PERIOD IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS THE DURATION OF THE BROWNFIELD PLAN.

THIS AMENDMENT AND OVER THAT 23 YEAR PERIOD, THERE WILL BE 20.6 MILLION IN NEW PROPERTY TAXES

[01:00:07]

AND THIS CHART PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF THAT 20.6 MILLION IN NEW TAX REVENUE, WHERE THAT THIS BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT IS PROPOSING THAT'S DIVIDED UP WITH 14.5 MILLION BEING DEVELOPER REIMBURSEMENT TO REIMBURSE THE DEVELOPER FOR ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, SITE PREP AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

1.9 MILLION OF THE NEW TAXES GENERATED FROM THE PROPERTY WILL BE FOR THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER THE PLAN AND ADMINISTER THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY, AND THEN ALSO PUT FUNDS INTO A BROWNFIELD REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO HELP SUPPORT OTHER PROJECTS, AND THEN 1 MILLION IN NEW TAX REVENUES TO BE SET ASIDE AND SENT TO BE COLLECTED BY THE STATE FOR THEIR BROWNFIELD REVOLVING FUND, THEIR BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT FUND. THERE WILL BE SOME VILLAGES THAT ARE NOT CAPTUREABLE AND THAT WILL RESULT IN 3 MILLION IN NEW TAXES THAT WILL GO TO THE TAXING UNITS YOUR DEBT MILLAGES AND BACK TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO IN SUMMARY, YOU KNOW, THE BROWNFIELD PLAN IS PROPOSED AS A 23 YEAR, 26 YEAR BROWNFIELD PLAN FROM THE DATE IT WAS FIRST ADOPTED, BUT INCLUDING 23 YEARS OF TAX CAPTURED TO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT.

AND AGAIN, THE LIST OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES ARE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, CLEANUP, DEMOLITION, ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AND THEN SUPPORTING SITE PREPARATION, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME GAP FINANCING REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT FINANCIALLY VIABLE. SO THE TOTAL REQUEST IS 14.5 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE.

TAX REVENUE TO BE CAPTURED IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OUR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD UNTIL THE DISCUSSION ITEM LATER IN THE AGENDA.

BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AT THIS POINT IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL OPEN THINGS UP FOR PUBLIC REMARKS AND ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC REMARKS AT THIS TIME.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC REMARKS AT 7:01, AND THAT WILL BRING US TO THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE WILL CLOSE AT 7:01 P.M.. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11 A THE OFF

[11.A. Ordinance 2025-04-Parking Ordinance Updates - Final Adoption]

AND WITH US WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TIM SCHMITT. GOOD EVENING BOARD.

I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THIS ITEM OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT AS DIRECTED BY THE BOARD AT THE LAST TWO MEETINGS AGO, THANK YOU FOR THE INDULGENCE OF FAMILY TRIP IN BETWEEN WHICH IS WHY THIS TOOK A MEETING OFF.

WE DID PUBLISH THIS IN THE NEWSPAPER AS DIRECTED.

AND SO THE ORDINANCE IS READY FOR ADOPTION AT THIS POINT SHOULD THE BOARD CHOOSE TO TAKE ACTION THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE SEEN THIS FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS THE RESOLUTION FOR FINAL ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE ADOPTION THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE TREZISE. MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING TEXT AMENDMENT NUMBER 2025-04 TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AT SECTION 86-755 TO UPDATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OFF STREET PARKING IN THE TOWNSHIP. DO WE HAVE A SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? TRUSTEE TREZISE. NOT REALLY. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.

WE HAVE REQUIRED FOR MANY YEARS MORE PARKING THAN NECESSARY.

THEY DON'T ADD TO THE ESTHETICS OF THE TOWNSHIP NOR DO THEY ADD PARTICULARLY TO THE BENEFITS OF THE TOWN OR THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS PARKING.

SO I THINK IT'S TIME THAT THIS GET REVISED TO REFLECT ACTUAL NEEDS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TREASURER DESCHAINE. I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE TREZISE THAT THIS IS OVERDUE FOR REVISION.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT CAN YOU GO OVER IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS YOUR CHART ON, I THINK IT'S THE FIRST PAGE OF THE ORDINANCE. PAGE 205. YES, SIR.

RESIDENTIAL. HOW DID IT CHANGE, OR DID IT CHANGE FOR SINGLE FAMILY MULTIPLE FAMILY HOUSING FOR ELDERLY OR MOBILE HOME PARKS?

[01:05:11]

IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, IT REQUIRES 25% ESSENTIALLY SET ASIDE TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND IN THE FUTURE.

SO YOU WERE FUNCTIONALLY JUST REQUIRING ADDITIONAL SPACE TO BE AVAILABLE? NOT I'M NOT AWARE OF A PROJECT EVER HAVING HAD TO UTILIZE THAT.

THE SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT REMAINS THE SAME. OTHER THAN WE TOOK OUT THE PROVISION FOR ADDITIONAL RUMORS.

THE ORDINANCE, I THINK ANTICIPATED WE'D ALL HAVE ROOMMATES FOR MANY YEARS.

AND SO THAT PROVISION WAS REMOVED. THE SENIOR FACILITY AN THE MOBILE HOME PARK ITEM DIDN'T CHANGE ONCE YOU GET INTO THE HOUSING FOR ELDERLY.

REALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE IS WE TRIED TO COMBINE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

IT IS IT DIDN'T FUNCTIONALLY CHANGE THAT MUCH.

IT'S REALLY TRYING TO NOT HAVE TO BE SO EXPLICIT AS TO WHAT TYPE OF SENIOR LIVING FACILITY IS.

SORT OF ALL IS GOING TO FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA ONE WAY OR ANOTHER NOW.

OKAY. ON THE NEXT PAGE, COMMERCIAL CENTERS AND SHOPPING MALLS, CENTERS OF LESS THAN 50,000FT² REQUIRE ONE FOR 200FT², AND OVER THAT REQUIRE ONE FOR 400FT². DID THAT CHANGE? SO THE MAIN CHANGE HERE? YES, THAT THAT SECTION CHANGED EXTENSIVELY.

PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS THERE'S A BREAKDOWN FROM 1 TO 25,000, 25,000 TO 400,000, 400 TO 600,000 AND ABOVE 600,000.

AND SO WE'VE SHRUNK THOSE DOWN TO TWO OPTIONS, ESSENTIALLY BELOW OR ABOVE THE 50,000 MARK FOR THE ACTUAL CENTER. SO THIS IS MULTI-TENANT BUILDINGS.

IF IT'S A SINGLE TENANT BUILDING, IT FALLS UNDER THE JUST BUSINESSES WITH THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.

BUT DID THAT RATIO ONE FOR 200 OR 1 FOR 400 CHANGE? DID WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FEET PER PARKING SPACE FOR EITHER OF THOSE TWO CATEGORIES? THE AMOUNT OF PARKING REQUIRED HAS BEEN REDUCED ACROSS THE BOARD.

THERE ARE NO DIRECT COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THERE WERE FOUR CATEGORIES AND NOW THERE ARE ONLY TWO CATEGORIES.

PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO 200 OR 1 SPACE EVERY 200 TO 1 TO 250.

IN SOME PLACES. IT EVEN GOT A LITTLE BIT BELOW 200 IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE QUANTIFIED IT DOWN TO ESPECIALLY ON THOSE LARGER CENTERS.

RIGHT. YOU DIDN'T. NO ONE REALISTICALLY THINKS ANYBODY NEEDS THAT MUCH SPACE FOR, YOU KNOW, TARGET OR THE MALL. SO THAT'S THE TOP END IS REALLY WHAT CAME DOWN.

THE BOTTOM END IS ROUGHLY THE SAME. I MEAN, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SMALLER SHOPPING CENTERS, GENERALLY THOSE ARE MORE DIALED IN AS TO WHAT THEY NEED.

IT'S WHEN YOU GET TO THE TOP END THAT IT REALLY CAME DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER DISCUSSION. TRUSTEE LENTZ.

YEAH. I WANTED TO THANK YOU, TIM, FOR THE DISCUSSION YOU AND I HAD A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, AS I WAS INTERESTED IN. I HAD READ SOME BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT, AND I THINK LAST I SAW WHEN READING A BOOK ABOUT PARKING ORDINANCES WAS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 2 BILLION PARKING SPOTS IN AMERICA.

SO ANYTHING TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKE OUR URBAN SPACE A BIT MORE USABLE, I THINK IS WELL NEEDED.

AND OUR 31 SQUARE MILE AREA HERE, I THINK WE'RE DOING OUR PART.

SO 32, [LAUGHTER] 31 I THOUGHT IT WAS 31 POINTS ON SOME EXCUSE ME, BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE SUPPORTING THIS FOR SURE.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. YEAH, I THINK THIS IS OBVIOUSLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES THUS FAR ALREADY.

WE ARE REDUCING THE REQUIREMENTS MORE OR LESS ACROSS THE BOARD WHICH I THINK IS EXACTLY IN LINE WITH A NUMBER OF THE VALUES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HOLD IN THE COMMUNITY.

HOPEFULLY WHAT WE'LL SEE AS A RESULT OF THIS IS A RETURN TO GREEN SPACE FOR SOME OF THE AREAS, AS WAS POINTED OUT IN SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS, IT'S A LOT MORE COSTLY FOR COMMERCIAL CENTERS, IN PARTICULAR TO KEEP UP PARKING LOTS THAT THEY DON'T NEED AS OPPOSED TO RETURNING THAT TO GREEN SPACE.

[01:10:01]

AND I AGREE, WE'VE GOT TOO MANY. AND WE'LL LEAD TO ENVIRONMENTAL GAINS DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL.

AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY HELP US TO DEAL WITH ANY WATER OR FLOODING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS THAT WILL BE POSITIVE FROM THIS CHANGE.

SO I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS WELL. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE QUESTION BEFORE US IS ON ADOPTION OF A FINAL ADOPTION RATHER OF TEXT AMENDMENT 2025-04 THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

WILL CLERK DEMAS 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 SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 A.

[12.A. Amendment to the Haslett Village Square Brownfield Plan]

DIRECTOR CLARK. DEJA VU. HELLO. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

OKAY, SO THIS ITEM. YOU WILL NOT BE TAKING ACTION ON THE ITEM TONIGHT, SO IT'S JUST FOR DISCUSSION.

SO PLEASE FEEL FREE, YOU KNOW, TO VOICE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROPOSED PLAN.

WE HAVE TRITERRA THE CONSULTING BROWNFIELD TEAM AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

IN 2022. JUST AS A QUICK FLASH BACK IN TIME, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ADOPTED A PLAN WITH THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO SUPPORT A BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE SITE.

THAT WAS IN 22. YOU KNOW, IN 2023, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP STAFF, COMMUNITY PLANNING STAFF AND THE DEVELOPER CONDUCTED WHAT IS OUR SITE PLAN MEETING? THAT IS THE MEETING THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE END OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE DISCUSSION OF THE PLAN AND THE DESIGN OF A PROPOSED PROJECT THAT IS TYPICALLY THE TIME WHERE STAFF IS GOING TO TELL THE PROJECT YOU'RE READY TO PULL FOR PERMITS.

AT THAT MEETING, THE DRAIN OFFICE CAME IN AND SHUT DOWN THE PROJECT.

SO WE HAD ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION AS A COMMUNITY ABOUT SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT, THE BROWNFIELD AND TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD, AND THAT AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR OF THAT DISCUSSION IS WHEN WE HAD AN 18 MONTH PAUSE, AS YOU HEARD FROM THE DEVELOPER EARLIER, THAT 18 MONTH PAUSE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT THAT ESSENTIALLY MAKES THE PROJECT COMPLETELY FIND A NEW FINANCIAL HURDLE TO OVERCOME.

IN MY MEMO, I WANT TO NOTE THAT I HAVE A $4.5 MILLION THAT ARE THE LOCAL MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TAXES.

SO THE CONTRIBUTION THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SPECIFICALLY WOULD HAVE FOR THIS 23 YEAR PLAN, I HAD AT 4.5 MILLION THAT WAS OUR FIRST RENDITION.

WE HAD HAD A MEETING SOON AFTER WITH MEDC WITH THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AFTER IT ADJUSTED NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT ENOUGH THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S LOCAL CONTRIBUTION WILL BE 3.4 MILLION OVER THE 23 YEARS. SO IT'S AN INCORRECT NUMBER, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DIVE INTO THOSE NUMBERS HERE PRETTY QUICKLY THROUGH THE PLAN.

SO OUR BROWNFIELD CONSULTING TEAM AKT HAS PROVIDED THAT SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON.

SO THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MEMO OF WHAT WAS THE FIRST RENDITION OF THE PLAN.

AND NOW THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN, $17 MILLION, $17.6 MILLION INCREASED REVENUE BASED OFF OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT, AND THE DEVELOPER IS ASKING TO USE ABOUT 14.5 AND MOST OF THAT, THE 11.5 OF THAT COMES FROM CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THROUGH THE MICHIGAN STATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND OUR TAX JURISDICTION PARTNERS LIKE CATA, CADL AND ALL OF THE OTHER MILLAGES THAT ARE SUPPORTED.

SO AGAIN, THAT 3.4 MILLION IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S CONTRIBUTION.

THE OTHER PARTNERS AND THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TOGETHER MAKE UP THAT $11 MILLION FOR THE 23 YEARS.

THE PREVIOUS PLAN YOU KNOW, WAS APPROVED FOR SCHOOL OPERATION AND EDUCATION TAX DOLLARS THROUGH MEDC IS A CONVERSATION THIS BODY ASKED WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT BROWNFIELD HOUSING PLAN AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TELL BROWNFIELD TIF FROM ONE BUCKET THROUGH MEDC FROM MSHDA.

THEY MAKE THAT DETERMINATION AS PARTNERS BETWEEN THEMSELVES.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD THAT ADJUSTMENT IN BETWEEN ME SUBMITTING THIS MEMO FOR THE PACKET TONIGHT.

SO THE BOARD DECISION CRITERIA IS BASED ON DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THE PLAN CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

AND GENERALLY THE PUBLIC PURPOSE IS DEFINED BY THE INVESTMENT, THAT WILL BE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROPERTY,

[01:15:02]

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE COMPONENTS THAT ARE COMPRISED IN THIS AMENDED PLAN IS THE SAME AS THE PLAN BEFORE.

THE ADJUSTMENT INCLUDES PROVIDING HOUSING 23 UNITS AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE FOR 20 YEARS.

SO OUR HOUSING BROWNFIELD POLICY REQUIRES THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD TO MAINTAIN THE DURATION OF THE PLAN.

SO THAT WAS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO. I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF TALKING AND THEN BUT THAT WAS OUR REQUIREMENT.

IS THAT FOR A MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY OR FOR A FOR RENT COMPONENT THAT WOULD BE SUBSIDIZED THROUGH THIS PLAN.

THE PLAN DURATION IS THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD.

AND SO IF THIS PLAN IS ADOPTED, YOU WOULD RECEIVE THOSE 23 UNITS FOR 20 YEARS OF AFFORDABILITY, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT LIKE THAT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT DOES THE MISSING MIDDLE.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE 22-23,000FT² OF COMMERCIAL SPACE, THE 14,000FT² OF THE NEW BUILDING AND THE 9000FT² OF THE EXISTING BUILDING. AND OUR OWN CONSULTANTS AT AKT HAVE FOUND NOTHING ALARMING OR MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE REQUEST.

THEY HAVE PROVIDED SOME COMMENTS, AND I THINK THEY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF SOME OF THE AMENITY PACKAGES.

WHAT WAS FOR THE GENERAL MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC? SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE POOL CLARIFICATION.

THE POOL IS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

SO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE, BUT THE OUTDOOR FIREPLACE, THE COMMUNITY HUB AREA, THE ABILITY TO ENTER ANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES, TO SIT OUT, TO HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI AND HAVE A COOL SPOT TO SIT.

THE TRAILHEAD THAT WILL BE EITHER DEEDED OR EASED.

AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE DEVELOPER.

THOSE ARE PUBLIC AMENITIES FOR THE GENERAL MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC.

SO YEAH, I HAVE NO EMOTION FOR YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.

WE HAVE TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND NO SOONER THAN TEN DAYS CAN THE BOARD TAKE ACTION.

WE ARE TRYING TO EXPEDITE THIS A BIT FASTER THAN TYPICALLY WE DO WITH A BROWNFIELD PLAN.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS AN AMENDED PLAN. SO A PLAN THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT A PROJECT THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY PLANNING AND IT IS IN OUR HASLETT PICA, ONE OF OUR PRIORITY POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE AREAS.

AND WE EXPECT THIS COMPLETED PROJECT THAT 19 ACRES TO BE THAT FULL BOOKEND ON THAT SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HASLETT AND MARSH.

IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO ENCOURAGE PROBABLY SOME MORE RESIDENTS TO GO INTO AMERICAN HOUSE CLEAN UP THE SITE.

IT CLEANS UP THE CONTAMINATION AND PROVIDES US SOME HOUSING AFFORDABILITY FOR 20 YEARS.

SO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.

TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU. THIS PROJECT DOES MEET A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

CERTAINLY THE INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND REMOVAL OF THE BLIGHT THAT CORNER HAS BEEN AN EYESORE FOR HASLETT RESIDENTS PEOPLE IN THE NORTH PART OF TOWNSHIP FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES NOW. AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY SAYING HERE THAT I THINK IS WORTH NOTING, THANKING THE DEVELOPER CHAD FOR IS, IS YOU'RE OFFERING 84 UNITS OF FOR SALE HOUSING.

I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR NEARLY NINE YEARS, AND EVERY MULTIFAMILY PROJECT COME BEFORE US, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, HAS HAD ONLY FOR RENT. AND YOU LOOK AT A PLACE LIKE LAKE OF THE HILLS, DEVELOPED ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO.

THOSE ARE ALL OWNER OWNED MULTIFAMILY UNITS, AND WE'RE SORELY LACKING IN THAT.

SO IT'S VERY EXCITING THAT WE'RE FINALLY GOT OVER THAT.

WE'VE BROKEN THROUGH. NOW LET'S KEEP THAT GOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

I AM CURIOUS, WHAT WOULD WHAT'S THE PRICE RANGE FOR THOSE COMMERCIAL FOR THE SALE UNITS.

DO YOU HAVE A RANGE? MY PARTNER IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, AND HE'S THE BUILDER.

I JUST CAN'T I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT RANGE.

COULD YOU BRING IT BACK FOR OUR NEXT DISCUSSION OF THIS? I'D LIKE TO DO THAT.

YES. THANK YOU. IN THE COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR THE COMMERCIAL SPACE BE DEVELOPED AT THE SAME TIME, THE OTHER UNITS ARE DEVELOPED AND EXPECTED TO BE OPEN AT THE SAME TIME.

BECAUSE MY FEAR IS WE'VE SEEN THIS OTHER OTHER DEVELOPMENTS WHERE THEY PROMISE COMMERCIAL SPACE AND ALL AT THE END WERE OUT OF MONEY.

OH WE DIDN'T. WE DID A NEW MARKET STUDY. WE DON'T NEED IT.

OH, WE'RE SORRY, BUT THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL SPACE.

SO WHAT INCENTIVES DO WE HAVE TO HOLD THESE FINE PEOPLE AND ANY OTHER DEVELOPER TRUE TO THEIR WORD, THEY'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THIS COMMERCIAL SPACE. IN THIS CASE, THE PROJECT IS A SEMI PHASED DEVELOPMENT.

WE HAVE A SHORTER TIMELINE NOW THAT SOME TIME HAS BEEN TAKEN UP.

PHASE ONE ARE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND THE TRAILHEADS.

[01:20:03]

SO PHASE ONE IS THE TWO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, THE MULTIFAMILY AND THEN MOVING INTO THE DOG PARK TRAILHEAD.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

TRUSTEE WILSON. I AGREE, THE I THINK THE PUBLIC PURPOSE IS BEING MET HERE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.

SO LET ME JUST CALL THIS DOWN TO THE NUMBERS.

YOU HAVE $62 MILLION IN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, BUT YOU ARE ABLE TO RECOVER 14.5 THROUGH YOUR ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES OF THE BROWNFIELD. IS THAT ACCURATE? OKAY. SO BEFORE YOU GET OKAY, ONE OF YOU COME TO THE PODIUM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR FOLKS AT HOME ABLE TO HEAR WHAT YOUR ANSWERS ARE. SORRY TO INTERRUPT. NO. YES.

THAT'S CORRECT. THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT 62 MILLION.

OF THAT, 14.5 MILLION IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND LISTED AS ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES UNDER THE BROWNFIELD.

THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER. YES. AND I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT NOW THEY'VE CHANGED THE RULES SO YOU CAN DO ABOVE GROUND RATHER THAN JUST BELOW GROUND, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS WHEN I WAS THE MEDC. IN THE PAST IF YOU WERE A CORE COMMUNITY CITY OF LANSING, CITY OF EAST LANSING, YOU COULD INCLUDE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, SITE PREPARATION.

THIS AMENDMENT THE STATE RECOGNIZES THAT THERE'S A HOUSING CRISIS.

AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT HOUSING AND THAT THAT'S IDEAL FOR THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT DOES INCLUDE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT INCLUDES PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALL THE ROADS, UTILITIES, THE AMENITIES. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THE DEVELOPER IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE AMENITIES AND THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS AND JUST PRESERVE THAT, THAT FEATURE OF THE PROJECT.

COULD I ASK WHAT THE MARKET RATE ON THE UNITS THAT ARE RENTED IS GOING TO BE? DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK? YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE'RE FAIRLY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW HERE A LITTLE BIT AGO, $1800. I THINK WE'RE AT $1850 OR $1875 FOR TWO BEDROOM.

OKAY. AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE HOUSING THAT COULD COME IN AS LOW AS 80%.

YEAH. THE REQUIREMENT IS TO MAINTAIN BELOW 120% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

AND REALLY, WHAT'S PROPOSED AS THAT MARKET RATE RIGHT NOW IS THIS IS NATURALLY BELOW THAT 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

BUT THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT BY ADOPTING THIS BROWNFIELD PLAN AND THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S EXECUTED WILL MAINTAIN FOR THE NEXT 23 YEARS THOSE 23 UNITS AT THAT, THE AMI RATE OF BELOW 120%.

ARE YOU GOING TO DISPERSE THOSE UNITS THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT? THE APARTMENTS? THE AFFORDABLE MIDDLE HOUSING.

TWO BEDROOMS. IF I COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT, YOU QUOTED THE ONE BEDROOM AFFORDABLE OR MIDDLE AT, I BELIEVE, $1800 AND THE TWO BEDROOM AT $2000 AND CHANGE.

I THINK 87. YEAH. YEAH. YOU JUST TOLD US THAT THE MARKET RATE FOR A TWO BEDROOM IS $1875.

YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT THE SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE IS GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN THE MARKET RATE, RIGHT? THE CURRENT THE CURRENT RATE AT FOR A ONE BEDROOM AT 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS $2,118. I'M SORRY FOR A ONE BEDROOM IS $2,269 PER MONTH AT 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE 100% SO THE CURRENT AVERAGE OR AREA MEDIAN INCOME FOR A ONE BEDROOM IS $1891.

AND WHAT CURRENTLY IS PROPOSED IS $1807. OKAY.

CAN YOU RUN THROUGH THAT FOR THE TWO BEDROOMS, PLEASE? THE TWO BEDROOM, THE AT 100% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS $2267 PER MONTH. AND THE CURRENT PROPOSED RENT IS $2093 FOR A TWO BEDROOM.

AND YOU SAID THE MARKET RATE THAT YOU PLAN TO CHARGE FOR A TWO BEDROOM IS $1875.

[01:25:03]

SAME. IT'S THE SAME RATE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHARGE LESS FOR A MARKET RATE.

WE UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD CAUSE ME CONCERN.

YEAH. NO. THE. NOPE. IT'LL BE THE SAME OR INCREASE, BUT THE INCOME QUALIFIED HOUSING THOSE 23 UNITS WILL BE MAINTAINED BELOW THAT 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THEY WILL BE THE LOWER RENT.

IT'S NOT. THE UNSUBSIDIZED IS NOT GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN THE SUBSIDIZED.

NO. THE. SORRY. NO, NO. GO AHEAD AND FINISH. GO AHEAD.

THE AMI CHANGES YEAR TO YEAR,. DOES IT NOT? YES.

HISTORICALLY, WHAT KIND OF CHANGES DO YOU SEE OVER A TWO YEAR? I COULDN'T TELL YOU. HISTORICALLY, I KNOW THE INCREASE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WAS 9%.

9%? YEAH. AND RATES, I BELIEVE, ARE HIGHER THAN NORMAL.

RIGHT. WELL, LET'S ASSUME THAT THAT IS HIGHER THAN NORMAL.

YEAH. RENT INCREASES YEAR TO YEAR FOR A COMMERCIAL APARTMENT COMPLEX ARE TYPICALLY WHAT, WHAT DO YOU TYPICALLY SEE? YEAH I MEAN WE'VE SEEN 7 TO 10. YEAH. OKAY. SO MY CONCERN.

RIGHT. IS THAT WE WENT AND PUT THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING TIF INTO PLACE FOR USE, SO THAT WE COULD ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE LONG TERM IN SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, AND WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS THE MARKET RATE AND THE AFFORDABLE, WE'LL CALL IT THE AFFORDABLE RATE.

THE WORKPLACE HOUSING RATE IS NOT VERY DISSIMILAR.

AND THE PERK THAT WE SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT IT WILL REMAIN WITHIN THE 80 TO 120.

HOWEVER, YOU'RE TELLING ME ALSO THAT THE AMI INCREASES 9% OVER THE LAST YEAR, BUT WE'LL SAY THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THAT.

MAYBE IT'S 7%, BUT ALSO YOUR TYPICAL INCREASE FOR RENT IS 7 TO 10%.

SO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS THAT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING ANY REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOUR STANDARD PERSON PURCHASING A UNIT OR RENTING A UNIT IN THIS COMPLEX IS VERSUS THE AFFORDABLE UNIT.

YOU SEE HOW I'M HAVING SOME COGNITIVE DISSONANCE HERE? YEAH. AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT FOR THOSE 23 UNITS, THOSE THAT ARE INCOME QUALIFIED, THEY ARE GOING TO BE HELD TO THAT 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME AS THE YEARS PASS. THERE WILL BE AN ESCALATION IN THE MARKET RATE BASED ON COMPARABLES BASED ON COMPS.

SO THAT WILL BE ESSENTIALLY UNCAPPED. THERE WON'T BE A MAXIMUM A CAP ON THE ANNUAL ESCALATION OF THOSE RENTAL RATES.

SO YOU COULD CHOOSE TO START YOU KNOW, CHARGING 20 TO 30% MORE YEAR OVER YEAR IN RENT.

NOT THAT IT'S NECESSARILY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GAINING IS GUARANTEE THAT IT'S ONLY 7% ONLY AT THE RATE THAT THE STATE INCREASES.

THE AMI. THE AMI. INGHAM COUNTY. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.

WELL. I HAVE TO SAY, I'M NOT AS ENTHUSED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE ME. YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE RESTRICTED BY DOES IT SERVE A PUBLIC PURPOSE, THEN THE ANSWER MAY NEED TO BE YES.

HOWEVER, I DO FEEL IT'S MY OBLIGATION TO SAY THAT WHAT WE'RE GETTING IN THIS AMENDMENT IN TERMS OF VALUE FOR THE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE ARE FOREGOING, IS, I THINK, NOT AS GREAT A DEAL AS IS BEING PORTRAYED.

I THINK SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM, THE SYSTEMATIC NATURE OF THE RENT INCREASES VERSUS THE HELD AFFORDABLE RENT INCREASES IS, TO ME NEGLIGIBLE. I HAVE I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE'RE ALSO REDUCING THE OVERALL NUMBER OF UNIT COUNT.

RIGHT. WE HAVE A TOTAL UNDERSTANDING IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE AS A HOUSING SHORTAGE AND GOES BEYOND THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WE NEED AS MANY UNITS AS WE CAN MUSTER. ESPECIALLY IN THE HASLETT AREA, AS OUR HOUSING STUDIES HAVE SHOWN.

AND WE WENT FROM 289 UNITS IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN TO 199 UNITS IN THE CURRENT ITERATION OF THE PLAN.

NOW GRANTED TO THE TREASURER'S POINT SOME OF THEM ARE FOR SALE, AND THAT'S TERRIFIC.

WE ABSOLUTELY PREFER THAT WHERE WE CAN GET IT, SO THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING 20% IN THIS AFFORDABLE CATEGORY.

[01:30:05]

I'M GOING TO COUNT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS.

AND WHAT? BECAUSE WE MADE IT AVAILABLE FOR, FOR SALE UNITS TO BE AFFORDABLE AS WELL UNDER OUR HOUSING TIF.

AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ENDING UP AT ABOUT 11.5% OF THE TOTAL UNITS OF THIS PROPOSAL AS AFFORDABLE UNITS.

AND AGAIN, I POINT OUT THAT AFFORDABLE IS A RELATIVE TERM WHEN THE SCALE INCREASES EACH YEAR.

I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL DECREASE IN RESIDENTIAL SPACE FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL OF 42%.

THAT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT. THAT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. THE 289 UNITS WAS AT.

I THINK IT WAS 68 MILLION IN TOTAL. TOTAL INVESTMENT, TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS REDUCING THE REDUCTION TO 199 UNITS.

BUT THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST IS NOW 62 MILLION.

SO I DON'T HAVE THAT PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S NOT EQUIVALENT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. YEAH. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND I ALSO, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE THAT'S COME BEFORE US HAS TALKED ABOUT THE INTERVENTION OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND TIME AND RATES AND ALL OF THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC FORCES AT PLAY HERE.

I JUST IT'S WHEN YOU SEE THE TWO THINGS SIDE BY SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE A DRAMATIC CHANGE TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO VERSUS WHAT'S PROPOSED HERE. NOW, IS IT STILL A PUBLIC GOOD? I BELIEVE IT IS, RIGHT. ENVIRONMENTALLY? ABSOLUTELY.

WE MUST CLEAN UP THE SITE. AND WE'RE GETTING THAT AND WE'RE KEEPING THE DRAIN, COMMISSIONER, AT LEAST MARGINALLY HAPPY. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD THING, TOO.

FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, YES. ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN AN EMPTY LOT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT'S A BLIGHTED LOT. AND WE ARE GETTING A NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS ALONG THE WAY, INCLUDING THE COMMERCIAL SPACE, THE DOG PARK, THE PICKLEBALL, ALL OF THAT.

AND SO THAT WE'RE HAPPY FOR. I JUST FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE I WILL LIKELY SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE IT DOES MEET THE STRICTURES OF PUBLIC PURPOSE. I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A DRAMATIC DEPARTURE FROM THE PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDED TO BE SAID. TRUSTEE LENTZ.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR CLARK, I HAD A QUESTION, AND I TRIED TO LOOK BACK THROUGH OUR PAST MEETINGS ABOUT THIS, BUT SO LET'S SAY A DEVELOPER COMES FORWARD AND HAS YOU KNOW, A PLAN TO ASK FOR THIS TIF CREDIT.

FOLLOWING THE CRITERIA OF PERCENTAGE BASED LIKE SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON SAID 20% OF THE RENTAL UNITS IS ACTUALLY 11.5% OF THE TOTAL UNITS BEING BUILT. IS IT POSSIBLE TO SUGGEST THAT IF THERE WAS A PROJECT WHERE 95 FOR SALE UNITS AT MARKET RATE WERE BEING OFFERED AND FIVE AFFORDABLE FOR RENT UNITS WERE BEING OFFERED BECAUSE THAT SECTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS 100% OF THE RENTAL STOCK AVAILABLE, THEY COULD APPLY FOR A HOUSING TIF THAT WOULD ENCAPSULATE SOMETHING THAT IS VERY HIGH MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT.

I APOLOGIZE IF THAT QUESTION IS A BIT WORDY, BUT SURE.

SEE WHAT I'M ASKING. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T WHY DIDN'T WE SUBSIDIZE THE FOR SALE UNITS.

AND WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT. THAT WOULD HAVE ADDED ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT HAVE MADE IT CLOSER TO 20% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS PROVIDED.

THAT ALSO WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TO A 29 YEAR PLAN AND ADDED ABOUT $5 MILLION TO THE REQUEST.

WE DID NOT THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IN A $20 MILLION REQUEST FOR 30 YEAR PLAN.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE LOOKING AT JUST NOT THAT THIS IS NECESSARILY AN INDICATOR, BUT LOOKING ACROSS THE STATE, WHEN WE SEE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE APPROVED, THEY'RE NOT BEING REALLY APPROVED OVER 25 YEARS.

SO WE TRIED TO KEEP OUR YEAR REQUEST AT SOMETHING WE BELIEVE THE STATE WOULD SUPPORT.

SO ADDING ADDING THE SUBSIDY OF A UNIT IS GREAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR AS AN ATTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY.

BUT IT ADDS ON A LOT AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, TIME AND COST TO THE OVERALL PLAN.

SO IT'S BALANCING WHAT WE BELIEVE THE BOARD WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO THROW EVERYTHING INTO THE BUCKET AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE ALL THIS AFFORDABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE AFFORDABLE PROPOSED RENTAL RATES FROM THE DEVELOPER INCLUDES THE UTILITIES AND FEES.

[01:35:05]

THE APARTMENTS THAT BURNED DOWN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

THOSE ARE AT $1,800, AND THEY DO NOT INCLUDE THE UTILITIES NECESSARILY FOR THE ENTIRE COMPLEX AGAIN.

IT'S NOT A PROJECT THAT IS SUPPORTED THROUGH A SUBSIDY LIKE THIS.

AND SO THOUGH THERE ARE HIGHER RENTAL RATES AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY HIGHER THAN WHAT I USED TO RENT AT.

I ALSO KNOW THAT THAT IS VERY COMMON IN IS MARKET RATE.

I MEAN, THESE ARE BRAND NEW BUILDINGS BEING BUILT THIS YEAR, CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

AND THEY'RE AT $1,800 A MONTH. AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING IN THERE, AND PEOPLE ARE EAGER STILL TO BE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY TO AFFORD A KNOB HILL UNIT, WHERE IF WE GET SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THE STATE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE A HASLETT UNIT, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THEIR FAMILY WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.

SO I THINK THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. I THINK ANOTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION WAS ABOUT, I GUESS, REQUIRING THE 20%. SO OUR POLICY IS KIND OF WRITTEN IN TWO PARTS.

AND WE HAD AN A AND A B, WE HAD A FOR RENT COMPONENT AND THEN WE HAD A FOR SALE COMPONENT.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT A DEVELOPER HAS TO PROVIDE BOTH, OR THAT BOTH HAS TO BE PROVIDED AT A WORKFORCE AFFORDABILITY.

THIS IS THE VERSION THAT THEY FELT LIKE COULD GET SUPPORTED, WOULD ALLOW THE PROJECT TO STILL BE COMPLETED, AND ALSO PROVIDE THE WORKFORCE ATTAINABLE HOUSING WE WERE LOOKING FOR.

OKAY. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YEAH IT DID. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH. YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON I DIDN'T COMMENT INITIALLY ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY IS I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE AFFORDABILITY PORTION OF IT.

I THINK THE AND THE FACT THAT YOUR MARKET RENTS ARE VERY CLOSE TO YOUR AFFORDABLE UNITS TELLS ME YOU'RE GOING TO BE RENTING TO PEOPLE 80 TO 120% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME, BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE SOME KIND OF STUDY AND KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR TARGET MARKET FOR THIS UNIT.

I'M NOT POSITIVE OF THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT THE RENTS ARE THE SAME TELLS ME THAT MIGHT BE YOUR INCENTIVE THERE.

I DID RUN THE NUMBERS, AND YOU WERE GETTING ABOUT A LESS THAN 4% SUBSIDY BEFORE, AND NOW YOU'RE GETTING ABOUT A 27% SUBSIDY ON THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT.

IT IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, AND THE TOWNSHIP IS CHIPPING IN.

A GOOD PORTION OF THAT IS INGHAM COUNTY. MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, CAN YOU BRING BACK A PRO FORMA WHERE YOU GIVE US A SCHEDULE WHERE AND YOU GUARANTEE US THAT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS OR THE WORKPLACE UNITS THAT YOU'RE GETTING THIS HUGE SUBSIDY FOR ARE, IN FACT GOING TO BE 10 OR TO 20% LESS THAN WHAT THE MARKET RATE WILL BE FOR THESE UNITS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT IT, BUT IT GIVES US SOME ASSURANCE THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT MEASURE OF AFFORDABILITY BUILT INTO THESE 23 UNITS. YEAH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY THERE IS GOING TO BE A RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE EXECUTED TO ENFORCE AND MAINTAIN THAT AFFORDABILITY OR THE ATTAINABILITY THAT PRICE POINT AT LESS THAN 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES ANNUAL MONITORING, INCOME MONITORING, PRICE MONITORING AND REPORTING TO THE TOWNSHIP AND TO MSHDA.

SO AGAIN THAT'S GOING TO FOR THOSE 23 UNITS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT GUIDELINE.

FOR THE REMAINING UNITS THERE CAN BE AN ESCALATION AND INCREASE AS THE MARKET WILL ALLOW.

AND SO WE DO HAVE A PROFORMA THAT WE'VE PROVIDED.

THAT SHOWS THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT COSTS, THE RENTAL RATES AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ESCALATION.

YOU KNOW, WE DID WE TRY TO KEEP IT CONSERVATIVE.

YOU KNOW THAT WHAT THAT ESCALATION IS GOING TO BE.

JUST TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, A WHAT A NOT A WORST CASE, BUT WHAT A, WHAT AN ACTUAL PROFORMA WOULD LOOK LIKE.

BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR RENT AS THE MARKET WOULD BEAR, AS THE MARKET WOULD ALLOW.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE POINT IS, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY CHARGING THE SAME RENT FOR YOUR 23 UNITS AS YOU ARE THE REST OF THE UNITS.

SO YOUR ONLY REAL COST IS DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY AND MAINTAINING ELIGIBILITY.

YOU REALLY AREN'T LOSING ANY RENTAL INCOME FROM THAT.

NOT SIGNIFICANT. MAYBE 2 TO 5%. SO YOUR ONGOING COSTS ARE NIL.

YOU HAVE SOME INITIAL COST FOR CERTIFYING THAT THEIR INCOME ELIGIBLE.

SO OUR CONCERN AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPERVISOR BRINGING THIS UP IS WHERE IS THE AFFORDABILITY MEASURE HERE.

[01:40:06]

SO I WOULD BE MORE IMPRESSED AND MORE LIKELY TO VOTE FOR THIS IF YOU CAME BACK AND SAID, WE WILL PUT IN WRITING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE OUR TARGET 23 UNITS, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, 10 TO 20% FOR THE LIFETIME OF THIS AGREEMENT.

YES, CERTAINLY WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT IF THAT'S.

YEAH. I WANT TO GET YOUR. YEAH, I MEAN. I CAN'T DO THAT.

I CAN'T DO IT I MEAN THIS, THIS THING IS, IS TIGHT AS THIS PROJECT IS AND HAS BEEN THE STATE HAS COME OUT WITH THIS LEGISLATION FOR JUST THIS REASON, JUST TO HELP US GET IT BUILT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO GO AND LOWER THE RENT DOES NOT HELP GET THIS BUILT AT ALL. OUR DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE RATIO WILL PLUMMET AND THE BANK WILL SAY NO.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND OUR CONCERN, THOUGH, THAT YOU'RE REALLY CHARGING THE TWO GROUPS THE SAME RENT? I THINK WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONCERN. I MEAN, ACROSS THE STATE, EVERYBODY HAS THIS CONCERN.

WE'RE TRYING. OKAY. WELL, IF YOU CAN THINK OF OTHER WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE THIS SEEM LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE FOR THESE MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS, WE WOULD BE IMPRESSED. OKAY. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WILSON.

IT JUST APPEARS TO ME THAT WE'VE HAD AN EMPTY LOT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS WHILE WE'VE HAD TO WORK THROUGH SOME DIFFICULTIES THAT WEREN'T ANTICIPATED. AND IT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY OR FAULT THAT THE ESCALATION OF INFLATION, COST OF GOODS TO BUILD THESE BUILDINGS HAS GONE UP SO MUCH.

I'M REALLY STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS ABOUT 69 MILLION TO BUILD 289 UNITS, AND NOW WITH JUST OVER $7 MILLION LESS, YOU CAN ONLY BUILD 115 MILLION UNITS OR 115 UNITS.

SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING US IS A PROJECT THAT DOES INCORPORATE SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING, RATHER.

AND I THINK WE'RE MAKING I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A BEST EFFORT.

AND I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A BEST EFFORT.

AND SOMEWHERE WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND I HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL.

IF I COULD ASK FOR DIRECTOR CLARK FOR OUR NEXT PACKET.

I'VE SEEN WHEN WE'VE DONE, I THINK, BROWNFIELDS AND TIF'S IN THE PAST, THERE'S BEEN A CHART THAT SORT OF SHOWS THE TAX IMPACT YEAR OVER YEAR.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET SOME A CALCULATION OF THAT NATURE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT? SURE IT IS. SO I'M NOT SURE IF I PUT THE FULL BROWNFIELD PLAN IN THIS PACKET ITEM.

BUT IF NOT, I DID LINK IT SO I CAN BRING THAT BACK THAT'S IT.

I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE YOUR PACKET 300 PAGES. SO I DID LINK IT, BUT I CAN I'LL BRING A SNAPSHOT OF THE TAX INCREMENT INCREASE THAT IS AVAILABLE THAT FULL PLAN IS ONLINE ON THE BROWNFIELD, ON THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WEBSITE, ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE PAGE. BUT I WILL DEFINITELY BRING THAT BACK.

I APPRECIATE THAT. I MISSED IT IN THE LINK, BUT I DO APPRECIATE HAVING IT JUST JUST TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACT IS HERE.

YES. ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. SO BASICALLY, IF THERE'S FURTHER DISCUSSION, I GUESS, BEFORE I.

OKAY. SO WE'VE ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY WE CAN'T PUT THIS ON FOR ACTION.

AND IF WE HAVE TO DELAY, WE CAN DELAY. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE HAVE THAT READY FOR US NEXT TIME, PLEASE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. CHAD. DAVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS ITEM 13 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[13. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

COME ON UP. THANK YOU. SIR.

YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THE FIRST RULES, BUT THE SAME RULES APPLY. THREE MINUTES. AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE PROVIDE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE TOP FOR OUR MINUTES, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. I COULDN'T HEAR IT. SO SORRY. THE SAME RULE.

THREE MINUTES. YES, SIR. IF YOU COULD PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC

[01:45:03]

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I'M RIGHT NEXT TO SONGBIRD POINT.

I'M THE ONLY PROPERTY THAT IS ACTUALLY NEXT TO IT, SO.

YEAH. OKAY. SO I'M THE ONLY ONE AFFECTED BY IT, UNFORTUNATELY.

YEAH. SO THIS SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A QUESTION THAT MAY EVENTUALLY FIND ITS WAY BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

BUT OUR STAFF IS TAKING NOTES ON THIS. AND MAYBE IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION OR PROVIDE AN EMAIL ADDRESS, WE CAN REACH OUT TO YOU AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

YEAH. YEAH. PLEASE. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER INFO YOU NEED FROM ME? I THINK OUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER, MANAGER DEMPSEY, WILL FIND YOU AFTER THE MEETING HERE IN A MOMENT AND GET YOU WHAT HE NEEDS FROM YOU.

OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE REMARKS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:45 P.M..

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER MATTERS THIS EVENING? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THEN ITEM 15 IS ADJOURNMENT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:46 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.