Jan 06, 2026 Township Board

[00:01:03]

I HOPE IT'S FINE. ALRIGHTY.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WILL ALL 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 UP ON OUR AGENDA IS A ROLL CALL WITH CLERK DEMAS.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON.

HERE. CLERK DEMAS. HERE. TREASURER BURGHARDT.

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

HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON HERE. SIX BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.

WHICH BRINGS US TO ITEM FIVE. CITIZEN'S ADDRESS.

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

THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN CARD, WHICH YOU CAN FIND ON THE TABLE NEAR THE DOOR, AND MAKE SURE TO HAND THAT TO A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF OR TO THE BOARD. AND THEN WE WILL CALL YOU UP WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN.

I'LL CALL YOU UP TO THE PODIUM. WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT IS HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES. IF YOU PROVIDE THE NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PARDON ME, AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS.

CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME, AND AN AUDIBLE BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT.

THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES, HOWEVER, DO 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 OR TO THE BOARD'S CHAIR, AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE.

WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE TWO GREEN CARDS THIS EVENING. FIRST UP IS BETH BECHTEL AND THEN BARB O'KELLY.

YOU ARE ON DECK. AFTERWARDS. YOU'RE AT THE END.

PARDON ME. BETH BECHTEL, [INAUDIBLE] DEAR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE BOARD AND STAFF BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TAXPAYING RESIDENTS ARE FACED WITH DRAMATICALLY RISING EXPENSES THAT ARE CAUSED BY A VARIETY OF FACTORS SUCH AS INFLATION, TARIFFS, MEDICAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS, EXPONENTIALLY RISING MICHIGAN PROPERTY, TAXABLE VALUES SOARING BY RISING 20.1% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, TOWNSHIP WATER AND SEWER BILLS CONTINUALLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY RISING WITH INCREASED FEES AND RATES, ETC.. SO IN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING PACKET FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2025, TOWNSHIP TAXPAYING RESIDENTS FIND IT SURPRISING TO SEE ON PAGE 42 IN THE INVOICE REPORT SHOWING ABOUT $4,500 EXPENSES FOR A HOLIDAY EMPLOYEES PARTY THAT BENEFITS ONLY THE STAFF EMPLOYEES WHO ATTENDED.

THESE LUXURY PARTY EXPENSES HAVE ALSO HAPPENED IN PRIOR YEAR 2024, WITH ABOUT $2,000 AT GO KARTING ENTERTAINMENT PLUS OTHER EXPENSES IN DECEMBER 2024, ALONG WITH ABOUT $1,600 AT GO KARTING ENTERTAINMENT LISTED IN APRIL 2025, PLUS ONGOING LOCAL RESTAURANTS, LOCAL DONUT SHOPS, ETC. EXPENSES LISTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 2025 AS WELL.

THESE TYPE OF EMPLOYEE LUXURY EXPENSES ARE MORE APPROPRIATE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, PAID FROM COMPANIES PROFITS VERSUS THE PUBLIC SECTOR PAID FROM HARD WORKING TAXPAYING RESIDENTS. PLEASE ENSURE TOWNSHIP RESIDENT TAXPAYING FUNDS GO TOWARDS REQUIRED EXPENSES FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

AND PLEASE FOREGO THESE LUXURY EXPENSES THAT BENEFIT ONLY THE STAFF, EMPLOYEES THAT ATTEND THESE PARTY EVENTS, ETC. ESPECIALLY NOW. AND INSTEAD REDIRECT THESE SIGNIFICANT THESE SIGNIFICANT TOWNSHIP RESIDENT TAXPAYER FUNDS TOWARDS THE REQUIRED STAFF EMPLOYEES,

[00:05:10]

NUMBER ONE FOR FOR CELEBRATORY PARTIES SUCH AS HOLIDAY EMPLOYEE PARTIES, CAN STAFF EMPLOYEES PLEASE CELEBRATE TOGETHER WITH DEPARTMENTAL POTLUCKS, WITH STAFF EMPLOYEES BRINGING IN A DISH TO PASS TO GATHER TOGETHER ON SITE AND TOWNSHIP BUILDINGS? AND NUMBER TWO, CAN STAFF EMPLOYEES PLEASE AVOID USING TOWNSHIP RESIDENT TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR STAFF ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES? EVEN THOUGH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REVENUES CONTINUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY RISE FROM RISING PROPERTY TAXABLE VALUES, PLEASE BE COGNIZANT THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS FUNDED BY HARD WORKING, TAX PAYING RESIDENTS.

WHEN TOWNSHIP TAXPAYING RESIDENTS ARE FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED IN TODAY'S WORLD, THE BOARD AND STAFF'S ACTIONS NEED TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THE CURRENT HARSH ECONOMIC REALITY AND BE CONGRUENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP TAXPAYING RESIDENTS THAT FUND THEM AND THAT THEY SERVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER GREEN CARDS FOR THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:05 P.M.. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX, THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT MANAGER DEMPSEY.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

LOOKING FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE 2026. FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T AWARE PARTICULARLY MAYBE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS PROJECT, THE CONTINENTAL AUTHENTICS PROJECT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO LIKELY BE ON THE JANUARY 20TH AGENDA.

HOWEVER, WE PROBABLY WON'T KNOW FOR SURE FOR A LITTLE WHILE YET.

A WEEK OR SO. SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE ANYBODY INTERESTED IN IT TO CHECK THE ONLINE AGENDAS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS WHEN THEY GET PUBLISHED.

THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL BE ON.

SO BUT WE'LL KEEP PEOPLE UP TO DATE AS WE LEARN MORE FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPER.

WE'VE HAD AN INTERESTING STRETCH OF WEATHER LATELY.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GONE FROM WINTER TO SPRING TO AND BACK AGAIN.

AND JUST ENCOURAGE AND REMIND EVERYBODY TO KEEP THEIR STORM DRAINS CLEAR, WHETHER THEY'RE A CURB AND GUTTER OR DITCH ROADS PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY SEE WATER PONDING, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN EASILY DO. WE APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IT KEEPS OUR STREETS FREE OF PONDING AND ICING OVER AS THINGS GET COLDER AGAIN. REMINDER AS WELL THAT THE DECEMBER WINTER TAX BILLS DECEMBER 2025 TAX BILLS HAVE BEEN OUT.

THOSE ARE DUE ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH. ANY PAYMENTS BEYOND THAT DO GET A 3% PENALTY WE ON OCCASION DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO FORGET OR, YOU KNOW, RUN INTO ISSUES. WE JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TRY TO GET IT IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID THAT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT PENALTY.

WE ARE SORT OF LIMITED BY STATE STATUTE IN TERMS OF THAT PENALTY, SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY THERE.

AGAIN, JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PAY ON A TIMELY BASIS.

AND THEN A COUPLE EVENT RELATED ACTIVITIES. THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER HAS SOME EVENTS COMING UP THIS FRIDAY IS THE AT 5:30 P.M.

AT HARRIS IS THE SENSORY FRIENDLY NIGHT. SO THESE ARE FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SENSORY PROCESSING NEEDS, AND THEY'D LIKE TO ATTEND AN EVENT THERE AND MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO GO.

IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER TO HARRIS.

AND THEN JANUARY 15TH, ALSO AT HARRIS AT 10 A.M.

IS THE CHIPMUNK STORY TIME. SO SOME GOOD, GOOD, FUN FAMILY EVENTS HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND MORE DETAILS ARE ALWAYS ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS JUST ANOTHER REMINDER THAT ON MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH, TOWNSHIP OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR HOLIDAY.

WE'LL HAVE A RESOLUTION HONORING THE LEGACY OF DOCTOR KING AT THE BOARD MEETING ON JANUARY 20TH.

WITH THAT, I'M ALL GOOD. UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.

BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS OF MANAGER DEMPSEY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SEVEN.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

CLERK DEMAS. I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL HAVE A MAY 5TH ELECTION FOR THE INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND PROPOSAL.

WE ALSO HAVE A NEW DEPUTY CLERK IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

HER NAME IS ANGIE GUILLEN. AND LAST UPDATE, THE ELECTION COMMISSION APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO UPDATE OUR PRECINCT BOUNDARIES.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMBINE OUR PRECINCTS GOING FROM 22 TO NOW 14.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES.

I WANTED TO IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIME OF NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED.

[00:10:08]

THERE'S STEWARDSHIP SATURDAYS IN THE MORNING, AS WELL AS THURSDAY AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES.

SO TRIMMING INVASIVES AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, I THINK IS SOMETHING WE COULD ALL HOPEFULLY SEE MORE OF IN THE YEAR AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT IS RIGHT NOW, A CLOUDY DAY, BUT IN GENERAL, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.

SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OTHERS? I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THE PRECINCT CHANGES.

WILL RESIDENTS BE NOTIFIED IF THEIR PRECINCT HAS CHANGED OR IF THE PRECINCT LOCATION HAS CHANGED? YES. RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE THEIR VOTER ID CARD IN THE MAIL LETTING THEM KNOW THEIR NEW PRECINCT AND IF WE HAVE NEW POLLING LOCATIONS, ANY UPDATES THAT OCCUR, THEY WILL RECEIVE THAT IN THE MAIL.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER REPORTS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT,

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY CLERK DEMAS. ANY DISCUSSION OR CHANGES ON THE AGENDA.

SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NINE, CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

TWO SETS OF MINUTES, ONE FROM OUR DECEMBER 16TH REGULAR MEETING, AND THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE A MANILA FOLDER IN FRONT OF YOU WITH MINUTES FROM THE 16TH CLOSED SESSION. WE HAVE THE BILLS, THE 2026 MDOT RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT, SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TERMINATION OF THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS BRAY PLAN AS IT EXISTS TODAY, A CONTRACT WITH ALL CITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR CROSSING GUARDS, AN APPOINTMENT TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION AND APPOINTMENT TO OUR BOARD OF REVIEW.

CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE PARKS AND REC FIVE YEAR MASTER PLAN RFP UPDATE AND THE 2026 EMERGENCY SUPPORT OPERATIONS PLAN FROM CHIEF HAMMEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO APPROVE AND RATIFY THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 16TH, IN CLOSED SESSION OF DECEMBER 16TH, 2025, AS SUBMITTED, AND TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PROPOSED.

OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION ON. OH, SORRY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? TRUSTEE LENTZ SUPPORTED. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DID HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE ITEMS THAT WERE BEFORE US.

THE FIRST WAS IN RELATION TO ITEM 9.F THE CONTRACT WITH ALL CITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

MANAGER DEMPSEY. WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAD INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET? YES, THAT IS CORRECT. THIS WAS INTEGRATED INTO THE 2026 BUDGET.

SO WE REMOVED EXPENSE ITEMS FROM THE SALARIES FOR CROSSING GUARDS AND PUT THAT INTO EXTERNAL EXPENSES FOR THIS AGREEMENT.

ANTICIPATING THAT WE WOULD BE PROCEEDING WITH IT IN 2026.

IT IS IN THE APPROVED AND ADOPTED BUDGET. OKAY.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD WAS RELATING TO THE PARKS AND REC RFP CONTRACT IS THIS GENERAL FUND MONEY OR IS THIS PARKS MILLAGE MONEY THAT WE'RE HELPING TO ALLOCATE HERE FOR THIS? YEAH, I THINK DIRECTOR UNLESS MANAGER DEMPSEY YOU WANTED TO. SO IT WOULD BE PARKS MILLAGE MONEY.

OKAY. YEP. TERRIFIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAD.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE. CLERK DEMAS, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK DEMAS.

YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON.

YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE SEND YOUR MANILA FOLDERS DOWN TO THE CLERK SO WE CAN HANG ON TO THOSE.

[10.A. Senior Center Update]

MANAGER DEMPSEY IS HERE TO GIVE US A QUARTERLY UPDATE.

YES. THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING AGAIN. SO AS THE SUPERVISOR INDICATED, THIS IS OUR REGULAR QUARTERLY UPDATE.

AFTER THE OUTCOME OF THE AUGUST 2025 ELECTION, IT WAS DECIDED BY THE BOARD THAT THE STAFF WOULD COME FORWARD WITH REGULAR QUARTERLY UPDATES AS WE SORT OF PROGRESSED ON NEXT STEPS FOR THE SENIOR CENTER.

WE PROVIDED OUR INITIAL UPDATE BACK IN OCTOBER.

AND JUST TO SUMMARIZE THAT REALLY BRIEFLY WE HAD SCREENED 170 PROPERTIES THAT FELL WITHIN A 5000 TO 15,000 SQUARE FOOT

[00:15:01]

WE DID SORT OF NARROW DOWN TO A FEW AVAILABLE PROPERTIES.

ONE WAS THE RITE AID AT CENTRAL PARK, THE VACANT RITE AID FORMER RITE AID THAT'S NOW CLOSED AT CENTRAL PARK DRIVE IN GRAND RIVER.

WE DID LOOK AT THAT BUILDING IN DETAIL, DID GET AN APPRAISAL, ACTUALLY DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNER.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE GAP BETWEEN THEIR ASKING PRICE AND APPRAISED VALUE WAS SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH.

THAT WASN'T REALLY A VIABLE OPTION FOR US. WE ALSO SPENT SOME TIME, TALKING WITH BOTH THE OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HASLETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON POTENTIAL OPTIONS. I THINK THE CONCLUSION THERE WAS THERE ARE POTENTIAL OPTIONS, BUT THOSE ARE MORE LONGER TERM AND NOT NECESSARILY SHORT TERM.

THE OTHER MORE IMMEDIATE ONE WAS THE FOODS FOR LIVING SITE.

WE DID A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF THAT, GIVEN ITS SIZE AND THE RENTAL STRUCTURE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER PROPOSED.

AGAIN, IT WASN'T REALLY A FINANCIALLY VIABLE OPTION FOR THE TOWNSHIP, REALLY TO MAKE AN EXISTING RETAIL SITE WORK.

IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY REALLY REQUIRE ACQUISITION VERSUS LEASING, GIVEN CURRENT RENTAL RATES.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THAT TIME, AND REALLY THE ONE THAT'S SORT OF THE ONLY POTENTIALLY STILL VIABLE OPTION, AT LEAST TODAY FOR EXISTING STRUCTURES WOULD BE THE NOKOMIS CULTURAL CENTER.

WE HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY THE LEADERSHIP. THEY HAD EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO POTENTIALLY RELOCATE.

THEY WERE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL SITE THAT WAS A POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

IT WAS SORT OF A VERY NARROW WINDOW FOR THEM TO DO THAT.

SO AT THIS STAGE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM ABOUT WHAT A LEASE BUYOUT WOULD BE.

SO AGAIN, TO REWIND THE TAPE A LITTLE BIT THAT PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE TOWNSHIP, THE LAND AND THE BUILDING IS ALSO OWNED BY THE TOWNSHIP.

I THINK THERE WAS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING AT ONE POINT WITH THE CULTURAL CENTER'S LEADERSHIP ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE LEASE HAD BEEN RESTRUCTURED AT ANY POINT, IT HAS NOT. THE LEASE IS STILL IN PLACE. SO THEY DO HAVE A LEASEHOLD AGREEMENT THAT'S FAIRLY LENGTHY.

IT'S 99 YEARS. THERE'S STILL 60 PLUS YEARS ON THAT LEASE.

SO IT'S A FAIRLY LENGTHY LEASE. THE TOWNSHIP COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT THE OPTION OF BUYING THAT LEASE OUT.

IF AGAIN, THEY HAVE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR RELOCATION.

THEY'VE BEEN LONGTIME PARTNERS WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

THE TOWNSHIP OBVIOUSLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM BEING HERE ON OUR CAMPUS, AND WE WANT TO RESPECT THAT HERITAGE.

SO I THINK ANY WORK WITH THE CULTURAL CENTER HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL, HAS TO BE WELL THOUGHT OUT TO ENSURE THEIR ONGOING SUCCESS.

SO I THINK THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THE MINDS AT LEAST OF STAFF AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.

THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT SITE IS THAT BUILDING ITSELF A LITTLE BIT UNDERSIZED FOR SORT OF THE THE IDEAL OF MAYBE A 9 TO 12,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY. IT'S THAT BUILDING ITSELF IS UNDER 4000, BUT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO ADD ON AND TO, TO ADD ADDITIONAL SPACE. WHERE WE STAND TODAY IS, SORT OF CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT IN A WAY, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.

AT LEAST WITH RESPECT TO THE STATE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE TO EXECUTE THIS PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR US TO TO LOOK AT ONGOING EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE THE LEASEHOLD BUYOUT, YOU KNOW, TO TO TERMINATE THAT LEASE OR SET UP SOME ARRANGEMENT UTILIZING STATE FUNDING.

THE BIGGER CHALLENGE IS SORT OF LOOKING AT THAT EXPANSION PROCESS YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR DESIGN TEAMS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH, BOTH PROGRESSIVE AS WELL AS THE TEAM HOBBS AND BLACK THAT WE WORKED WITH ON THE POTENTIAL DORM EXPANSION FOR THE FIRE STATION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PROJECT OF THIS SCOPE YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THE SCHEDULE THAT HAD BEEN PUT TOGETHER INITIALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUING RFPS FOR CONSTRUCTION BACK IN OCTOBER TO COMPLETE IT BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

SO NOT ONLY ARE WE, WOULD WE BE THREE MONTHS BEHIND THAT TIMELINE? WE'D BE ANOTHER COUPLE MONTHS OF EVEN GETTING THE DESIGNS PUT TOGETHER TO ISSUE THOSE RFPS.

SO THE TIMELINE FOR A PROJECT OF THIS NATURE IS CHALLENGING.

AND I THINK YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT IS THERE A WAY TO WORK WITH THE STATE AROUND THOSE GRANT DOLLARS TO TRY TO EITHER EXTEND IT IN SOME CREATIVE WAY OR FIND AN AVENUE TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD THEN ALLOW US TO YOU KNOW,

[00:20:04]

NO BARRING SOME OTHER SITE SORT OF FALLING IN OUR LAPS.

IN THE SHORT TERM THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR SORT OF ONGOING FOCUS, AT LEAST HERE OVER THE NEXT 30, 60 DAYS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PRESERVE THE STATE GRANT FUNDING.

AND WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT THE SENIOR CENTER IS GOING TO HAVE AN OPERATING FACILITY COME MID 2028, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THAT'S THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

MAY OF 2028 IS WHEN THEY'RE EXPECTED TO VACATE THE CURRENT CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL FACILITY THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY UTILIZING.

SO I'LL PAUSE RIGHT THERE. AGAIN, IT'S A LOT OF REVIEW WITH SOME NEW INFORMATION, BUT CERTAINLY OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ. SORRY. I THOUGHT MR. TREZISE WAS SPEAKING.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. I'M CURIOUS. AND MAYBE DIRECTOR WISINSKI WOULD BE BETTER TO ANSWER THIS BECAUSE OF HER RELATIONSHIP WITH NOKOMIS, BUT WITH THEIR OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT BEING CLOSED.

IS IT A NOW SHUT CASE WHERE THEY DO WANT TO STAY IN NOKOMIS, OR ARE THEY LOOKING AT OTHER AVENUES THAT THEY HAVE EXPRESSED TO US ABOUT? YEAH, SURE. YEAH. OKAY. MANAGER DEMPSEY. YEAH.

OKAY. SO THEY THEY'VE EXPRESSED TO US, I MEAN, THEY I THINK THEY HAVE A VISION FOR HOW THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE THEIR PROGRAMING OVER TIME. THEY'VE BEEN DOING MORE, I THINK, WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND THEY ENVISION, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR SOME LARGER SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THAT PROGRAMING.

THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE ADDITIONAL SPACE TO DISPLAY MORE OF THE CULTURAL ARTIFACTS THAT THEY HAVE IN STORAGE.

SO THEY, I THINK, CERTAINLY HAVE A DESIRE TO TO LOOK AT SOMETHING NOW THAT THEY'VE PURSUED THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THERE COULD BE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THEIR ORGANIZATION.

SO MY SENSE FROM THEM WAS THAT, YES, THEY STILL WANT TO LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT PROVIDE THEM WITH ADDITIONAL SPACE.

GOTCHA. AND I GUESS FOLLOWING ON THAT, IF WE WERE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR THEM TO MAYBE FIND A NEW SPACE AND TURN THAT INTO A FACILITY, EVEN IF IT IS AT THE REDUCED SIZE.

HAVE WE HEARD ANY WORD FROM THE STATE YET ON THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS TOWARDS THAT? I KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT SOMEWHAT NOVEL LIKE BUYING OUT THE LEASE.

HAS THAT, HAS THIS HAVE WE HEARD BACK ON IF THAT IS NIPPED IN THE BUD OR? YEAH. NOT FINAL CONFIRMATION. I THINK WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW WE WOULD STRUCTURE THAT.

AND THE KEY ISSUE IS THE TIMING, BECAUSE THE INITIAL PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT CLEANER, WHERE WE COULD HAVE BOUGHT OUT THE LEASE IMMEDIATELY AND THEN TAKEN POSSESSION WITHIN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

AT THIS STAGE, WITHOUT AN IDENTIFIED LOCATION FOR NOKOMIS, THE CHALLENGE BECOMES HOW CAN WE EFFECTUATE A TRANSACTION BUT THEN BE ON SORT OF A HOLD IN TERMS OF THE MOVE OUT TIMELINE? SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE MIGHT RUN INTO SOME ISSUES AND SORT OF HAVE TO MAYBE PRESENT A MORE CREATIVE SOLUTION BACK TO THE STATE.

SO THANK YOU. HOW WOULD THE STATE HANDLE THE A CREATIVE FINANCING PLAN FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS? RIGHT. SUCH THAT WE'VE GOT THIS MONEY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STRUCTURE THE DELIVERABLES IN THE CONTRACT IN WHATEVER WAY WE LIKE.

TYPICALLY IF WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PAY X DOLLARS UP FRONT AND, YOU KNOW, AT POINTS ALONG THE WAY, ARE THEY GOING TO OBJECT OR IS IT SORT OF LIKE THE PROJECT MUST BE COMPLETE BEFORE WE CAN EXPEND THE MONEY? YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE ARPA REQUIREMENTS WHERE THIS MONEY ORIGINATED FROM, RIGHT? THIS IS PASSED THROUGH FEDERAL MONEY. AND THE NUMBER ONE REQUIREMENT THAT'S SORT OF ALWAYS BEEN PUT OUT THERE NOT ONLY FOR SUBRECIPIENTS LIKE THIS, BUT FOR DIRECT RECIPIENTS LIKE THE TOWNSHIP WITH OUR OWN ARPA DOLLARS, WAS THAT THE FUNDS HAD TO BE FULLY EXPENDED BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2026.

SO THAT IS REALLY THE PRIMARY DEADLINE. SO ANY SORT OF CREATIVE SOLUTION, I THINK, WOULD HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET THOSE DOLLARS EXPENDED.

AND WHETHER THAT'S STRUCTURING, YOU KNOW, LOCTITE AGREEMENT THAT HAS A CERTAIN DATE CERTAIN FOR US,

[00:25:05]

HOW MUCH TIMELINE IS THERE? BUT IT'S GOING TO, I THINK, HAVE TO BE A ROCK SOLID SORT OF LEGAL AGREEMENT.

IT'D BE MY GUESS. NOW, I DON'T WANT TO ALSO SPEAK FOR THE THE STATE OR TWO BECAUSE YEAH, I GUESS MY POINT IS COMPLICATED, IT SEEMS. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE ITSELF APPEARS TO BE THE CURRENT BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO BEING ABLE TO USE THE GRANT MONEY FROM THE ARPA MONEY FROM THE STATE. AND SO MY THOUGHT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY EVERYTHING TO A CONTRACTOR AND THEN SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE STILL WANT YOU TO COME FINISH IT, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU GET AFTER THAT POINT.

BUT I GUESS, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT IN THAT STATE GRANT AGREEMENT THAT WOULD MAKE IT SUCH THAT WE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THE TOWNSHIP WERE TO KICK IN THE FINAL DELIVERABLES WORTH OF COST TO BUILD THE THING, COULD WE USE THAT GRANT MONEY TO EXPEND ALL OF IT BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, EVEN IF THE CONSTRUCTION IS NOT FULLY COMPLETE? YEAH, I THINK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COMPONENT OF IT, IT GETS VERY DIFFICULT.

I THINK THE IT WOULD PUT THE STATE IN A DIFFICULT POSITION TO SAY YES, JUST GIVEN THE NATURE OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OUR OWN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PUT ON FOR COMPLETION BEFORE PAYOFFS ARE APPROVED.

LIKE ALL THOSE THINGS THAT COULD UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF THE DESIGN, BUILD BID PROCESS CREATE CHALLENGES, I THINK. YEAH. I GUESS MY POINT IS, IF IT'S A $6 MILLION PROJECT AND WE SPEND 5 MILLION OF THE STATE'S MONEY FIRST, AND THE PORTION OF IT THAT THAT 5 MILLION WAS MEANT TO COVER IS COMPLETED, THEORETICALLY, WOULD THAT FALL IN LINE WITH HOW THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE STATE? YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY. BUT I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE THEN THERE IS JUST THE OVERALL TIMELINE.

CAN YOU DO IT RIGHT? CAN YOU WHAT CAN YOU GET DESIGNED? WHAT CAN YOU GET BID AND WHAT CAN YOU EVEN GET STARTED.

RIGHT. AND ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY FOR A PARTIAL CONSTRUCTION START? MAYBE THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE DESIGN PROCESS AND THE DETAILED CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.

BUT BEYOND THAT, IT MIGHT GET, YOU KNOW, GETS MORE COMPLICATED.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, I THINK WE CERTAINLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO NOODLE ON IT AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND ANY OTHER CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO HOW WE MIGHT CONTINUE FORWARD.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN HAVE A, A PLAN IN PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A SENIOR CENTER TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH IF THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO, TO USE THE STATE MONEY OR START TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN ON OUR OWN? BOTH BOTH ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSIDER IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

YEAH. WELL, SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM TEN, B TOWNSHIP BOARD GOALS.

[10.B. 2026 Township Board Goals]

AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE DID A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN IN RECENT YEARS.

WE WANTED TO LINK THE GOALS BACK TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO WE DID THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT THEN IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD THAT WE BRING IT BACK IN EARLY 2026, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT TIME LAG, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD FELT THAT THEIR GOALS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED AND ADOPTED ARE IN KEEPING WITH WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.

GIVEN THAT WE ARE NOW IN 2026. SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, ARE YOUR GOALS.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY DESIRE, BUT CERTAINLY IF THERE IS, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AS WELL TO TALK ABOUT THE BOARD VALUES.

BUT LOOKING AT THE GOALS HERE JUST A QUICK RUNDOWN.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FIRST GOAL BEING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOAL, FOCUSING ON EFFORTS TO ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT AND PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS, BOTH FOR THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND ON THE MERIDIAN MALL AREAS.

WE DID TAKE OFF THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE SITE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PROJECT IS HOPEFULLY MOVING ALONG NOW UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. WE TALKED ABOUT THE UPDATED WATER AND SANITARY SEWER RATE STUDY PRIOR TO THE 2026 BUDGET.

SO THE GOAL THERE IS TO GET THAT COMPLETED BY JUNE.

AND I KNOW OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS, YOU KNOW, SET THAT FOR THEIR GOAL AND WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MEET THAT.

THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER, OF COURSE, WE JUST FINISHED DISCUSSING.

WE DO KNOW NOW, OF COURSE, THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON SENIOR ONLY CENTER GIVEN THE OUTCOME OF THE AUGUST ELECTION.

[00:30:01]

AND THEN FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING PURPOSES, DOING THE TOWNSHIP'S FIRST FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST TO HELP NOT ONLY INFORM THE 27 BUDGET, BUT TO START TO LOOK FORWARD, AS WE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE 26 BUDGET.

A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ISSUES, A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE BEING A PRIMARY ONE, BUT CERTAINLY COST INCREASES AND REVENUE CHALLENGES, STATE REVENUE SHARING IN PARTICULAR, BEING ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE WANT TO REALLY SORT OF THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS SO WE CAN PLAN AHEAD AND DO A BETTER JOB OF OVERALL STRATEGY. SO THAT'S YOUR SORT OF BRIEF OVERVIEW ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THE INITIAL TOWNSHIP GOAL. SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY DESIRE TO ALTER, CHANGE, ADD, OR OTHERWISE REVISE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CLERK DEMAS. YEAH. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE AUGUST 5TH ELECTION RESULTS FROM 2025 I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE AMEND THE BOARD GOAL TO SOLELY FOCUS ON THE SENIOR CENTER AND REFLECT THAT LANGUAGE.

MAKES SENSE. BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE AGREE WITH THAT? SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY COMMON SENSE CHANGE. YEAH.

MAYBE WE COULD STRIKE EVERYTHING UP TO OR AND THEN CAPITALIZE.

PROCEED. PROCEED WITH DEVELOPING AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR SENIOR CENTER ONLY PROJECT, AND THEN WE'LL STRIKE THE TITLE TO JUST SAY SENIOR CENTER INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER. YEAH. YEAH. THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU THAT THAT WORKS.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE MISLEADING TO THE RESIDENTS.

YEP. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I THINK THE REMAINING BOARD GOALS FOR 2026 REMAIN VALID AND IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON.

I SEE NO REASON TO AMEND THOSE. OKAY. TRUSTEE WILSON AND THEN TRUSTEE LENTZ.

STRUGGLE WITH VILLAGE OF OKEMOS BECAUSE IT'S STILL A GOAL.

YEAH, IT COULD BE A LONG GOAL. EXACTLY. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN EXPECT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN IN 2026.

SO TO THAT END, IF I MAY YOU KNOW, THE FOCUS THAT STAFF IS PLACING ON IT RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, IS SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST. AND WE ARE, THE DDA DID HIRE CONSULTANT TO WORK THROUGH THE FEDERAL BUILD GRANT.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PURSUING, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL DOLLARS TO GET THAT INTERSECTION OF HAMILTON AND OKEMOS RECONSTRUCTED.

SO I THINK THAT PROJECT COULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ANY DEVELOPER, WHETHER THE EXISTING DEVELOPER WANTS TO COME BACK WITH A REVISED PLAN OR THEY EVENTUALLY CONVEY IT TO A NEW DEVELOPER.

I THINK THAT TAKES A LOT OF THE UNKNOWNS OFF THE TABLE, AND I THINK TOO, UNDER THE PRIOR LEADERSHIP OF THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THAT PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE THE SORT OF FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT WHOLE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH, AS WE LEARNED, REALLY WASN'T POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE COST RELATED TO JUST THE REDEVELOPMENT.

SO I THINK OUR FOCUS ON THAT OKEMOS ROAD BUILD GRANT COULD HELP MOVE US ALONG.

IS IT A LONGER TIME FRAME THAN WE'D LIKE? CERTAINLY.

BUT IF WE WERE TO GET AWARDED THAT GRANT YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE, I THINK, A SUBSTANTIAL STEP FORWARD.

SO. WELL, GIVEN THAT, LET'S LEAVE IT ON THE GOALS.

OKAY. ANY OTHER CHANGES OR. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ.

I HAD A QUESTION HERE, AND APOLOGIES. I TRIED TO LOOK BACK THROUGH OUR DOCUMENTS FROM SETTING OF THESE GOALS, BUT MANAGER DEMPSEY, COULD YOU WALK THROUGH WHEN IT COMES TO THE FINANCIAL PLANNING GOAL LISTED HERE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS OUR ROLE AS THE BOARD IN THAT? YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF JOINING BERNIE WHEN SHE COMES BACK ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, WHICH IS NOT REASONABLE.

WHAT HOW DO YOU SEE US HAVING, YOU KNOW, AN IN-DEPTH PART OF THAT? OBVIOUSLY, HAVING A FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST, YOU KNOW, IS LOFTY.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A BOARD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO THERE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE AS POSSIBLE.

YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BULK OF THAT WORK, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO BE DONE BY STAFF.

RIGHT. AND WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO WORK CLOSELY, POTENTIALLY WITH ONE OF OUR FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS AS WELL, BECAUSE THE ESSENCE OF THE FORECAST IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT EXPENSES AND THE INFLATIONARY RATE.

[00:35:03]

WE DON'T WANT TO OVERLY ASSUME THAT REVENUE IS GOING TO GROW AT A FASTER CLIP THAN IT MIGHT.

WE DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THAT EXPENSES ARE EITHER TOO LOW OR TOO HIGH BASED ON WHERE WE THINK WE'RE HEADED.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL BE A FORECAST, RIGHT? AND FORECASTS AREN'T PERFECT, BUT IT SHOULD PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO SORT OF THOSE MACRO LEVEL ECONOMIC ISSUES.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF ARE WE PROJECTING TO ADD TO FUND BALANCE IN THE COMING YEARS, OR DO WE EXPECT THERE TO BE DEFICITS, AND ARE WE EXPECTING TO HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES? FOR INSTANCE, DO WE THINK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN CUTBACKS, OR DO WE THINK WE HAVE TO FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES? IT'S REALLY ABOUT IDENTIFYING THOSE MACRO ISSUES TO KNOW WHAT STRATEGIES WE MIGHT THINK COME INTO PLAY.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART, I THINK, FOR THE BOARD IS THE CONNECTION WITH THE FORECAST IN TERMS OF EXISTING MILLAGE VILLAGES THAT ARE ON THE TAX ROLLS NOW THAT WILL BE COMING OFF IN COMING YEARS THAT THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO PUT IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS FOR RENEWAL.

YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONES COMING UP THIS YEAR, THE MILLAGE.

AND WE'LL BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS EVEN AHEAD OF THE FORECAST.

BUT THAT WILL BE ANOTHER, I THINK, IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR ALL OF YOU TO SORT OF LOOK AT THOSE PROJECTIONS AND THEN UNDERSTAND HOW CURRENT REVENUE STREAMS MAYBE NEED TO BE REMAIN IN PLACE OR NEED TO BE ALTERED.

SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF US AS BOARD MEMBERS IS CRUCIAL FOR DOING SOMETHING AS ADVANTAGEOUS AS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT EXPLANATION. GREAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THE GOALS? ALL RIGHT. ONE ONE SLIGHT AMENDMENT AND I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

OKAY. WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[10.C. Board Rules and Procedures]

THIS ONE ONCE AGAIN. MANAGER DEMPSEY. YES. YEAH.

THANK YOU AGAIN. SO ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS COME UP WITH THE BOARD SINCE I'VE STARTED HERE BACK IN JANUARY IS THE ISSUE OF WHAT ITEMS SHOULD COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND SORT OF THE TWO STEP PROCESS.

SO TYPICALLY IT'S BEEN THE BOARD'S PRACTICE FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE SIGNIFICANT ITEMS THAT NEED DELIBERATION OR DISCUSSION TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE DISCUSSION AGENDA FOR ONE MEETING AND THEN TYPICALLY HAVE IT ON FOR ACTION AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, WHETHER IT'S THE FOLLOWING ONE OR FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, DEPENDING ON THE TIMELINE OF WHAT WAS ASKED AND WHAT NEEDED TO BE PUT TOGETHER.

SO IN LOOKING AT YOUR CURRENT RULES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, THE ONLY TIME IT'S ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO DO THAT WOULD BE UNDER THE ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE, RIGHT, WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE INTRODUCTION OF THAT ORDINANCE IN ONE MEETING AND THEN ACTION FOLLOWING. TYPICALLY, THERE'S ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING INTEGRATED INTO THAT PROCESS.

THERE ARE ALSO PLANNING AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS OTHER STATUTORY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS, OTHERS WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE A MULTI-STEP PROCESS AS WELL.

PUTTING THOSE ASIDE, THOUGH, FOR OUR OWN INTERNAL PURPOSES, THOUGH, THE ONLY LIMITATION, AGAIN, WOULD BE THE PROCEDURES OR PRACTICES THAT YOU ALL FOLLOW.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK, TO MAYBE GET SOME CLARITY AROUND THIS ISSUE.

JUST SO THAT IT'S CLEAR FOR TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S CLEAR FOR THE BOARD AND STAFF WHICH ITEMS WE MIGHT WANT TO TO GO THROUGH THAT TWO STEP PROCESS. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, THOUGH, THAT ANY ITEM, EVEN IF IT WAS PUT ON THE ACTION AGENDA AND HAD NOT BEEN ON THE AGENDA PRIOR, THE BOARD CAN ALWAYS DEFER ACTION.

RIGHT. JUST BECAUSE IT'S ON YOUR AGENDA AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.

YOU CAN DEFER ACTION. YOU CAN TAKE ACTION THAT IS ALWAYS OPEN TO YOU AND IS YOUR PRIVILEGE TO DO SO.

SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, BUT I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION HERE TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE BOARD ON THIS MATTER AND THEN MAYBE JUST GET SOME CLARITY, JUST AGAIN, FOR PURPOSES OF EASE AND AS WELL AS TRANSPARENCY FOR THE PUBLIC.

[00:40:03]

SPECIAL USE PERMITS. YEAH. SO DEPENDING ON SPECIAL USE REZONING, TYPICALLY THERE'S THERE'S ALMOST ALWAYS A RIGHT.

THERE'S A NOTICE PROVISION FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

OFTENTIMES THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL.

HOWEVER YOU DO HAVE REQUIREMENTS WHERE SPECIAL USE PERMITS, RIGHT.

25,000FT² OR LARGER DEVELOPMENTS DO COME TO THE BOARD.

TYPICALLY A LOT OF THOSE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL, BUT WE OFTEN SORT OF MIMIC THOSE AS WE DID WITH THE AUTHENTICS PROPOSAL, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BUT TYPICALLY WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF OF TRANSPARENCY AND FOR THE PUBLIC.

SO A LOT OF TIMES, THE PLANNING AND ZONING ISSUES, THOSE BOXES MIGHT BE CHECKED FROM A STATUTORY STANDPOINT.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO BOARD MEMBERS, THIS WOULD BE IT COULD BE A CHANGE IN OUR TYPICAL PROCEDURE.

WHAT WE'VE DONE THUS FAR, IF WE CHOOSE TO RESTRICT OUR RULES SUCH THAT WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THOSE STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS IN TERMS OF THE TWO STEP BOARD MEETING PROCESS I PERSONALLY WOULD ARGUE THAT I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR SUPS AND REZONINGS THAT WE CONTINUE THAT PRACTICE. BUT CERTAINLY I THINK SMALLER THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN RFP AWARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT COULD GO JUST ON AN ACTION ACTION AGENDA WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THE EXPEDIENCY OF THE MEETING.

AND WE'VE STARTED TO DO SOME OF THAT WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA AS WELL IN RECENT YEARS.

BUT I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR MORE FROM EVERYONE ELSE, TOO, ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE HOW WE HANDLE THAT.

YES, I DO LIKE THE TWO STEP PROCESS IN MOST CASES.

BUT I DO AGREE THAT IT CAN GET BURDENSOME. AND I THINK WHAT WE MIGHT FOCUS IN ON, AND IT'S NOT IN OUR RULES NOW, IS THE TYPE OF ITEMS THAT COULD BE PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE THE TWO STEP PROCESS.

I AGREE WITH YOU. SPECIAL USE PERMITS ORDINANCES, OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WILL HAVE AN IMPACT TO A SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF OUR RESIDENTS. THE TWO STEP PROCEDURE MAKES SENSE TO ME FOR THOSE THAT ARE LESS.

ALL ENCOMPASSING. AND IF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, I COULD SEE PUTTING THOSE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR PUTTING IT ON FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION THE SAME NIGHT. IF IT DOES, IF IT DOES JUSTIFY THE DISCUSSION BUT DOESN'T REQUIRE A TWO STEP PROCESS.

SO SOME SORT OF DEFINITION, I THINK IT'S NOT SO MUCH FOR US AS IT IS TO THE MANAGER, AND THE PREPARATION OF THE AGENDA AS TO WHAT GOES WHERE. AND OUR RULES ARE A LITTLE BIT LAX IN IDENTIFYING THOSE THINGS.

TRUSTEE WILSON. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS RECENTLY IN WHICH WE HAVE SUSPENDED THE RULES TO TAKE ACTION, AND THAT CREATES AN ANOMALY THAT I THINK IS NOT REALLY AS TRANSPARENT AS IT SHOULD BE, BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING ACTION ON IT.

SO ALTHOUGH I CONCUR WITH YOU ON THE TWO STEP PROCESS FOR ANYTHING THAT'S COMMUNITY IMPACT, YOU KNOW, REZONINGS AND SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND SO ON, NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

I DO SEE THERE'S GREAT VALUE IN IF IT'S A DECISION THAT IS PRETTY MUCH CUT AND DRIED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW WE WOULD MOVE AHEAD WITH.

THEN LET'S PUT IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND NOT BE SUSPENDING OUR RULES.

WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT, RIGHT? WE HAD, I THINK, 3 OR 4 THINGS. I THINK TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE BY THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AND WE WHEN YOU DEVIATE FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND TO BE PRACTICED SEVERAL TIMES IN A MEETING, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE MAYBE WE SHOULD RELOOK AT THE LOOK AT THE PRACTICES THAT WE'RE DOING.

YES. CLERK DEMAS. YEAH, I WOULD AGREE. I THINK THESE RESTRICTIONS MAY NOT BE BENEFICIAL TO US AND CERTAINLY DOES NOT LOOK THE BEST WHEN WE KEEP SUSPENDING OUR RULES. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE THINGS WRITTEN OUT CLEARLY ON WHAT SHOULD BE A TWO STEP PROCESS AND WHAT SHOULDN'T.

WITHOUT AS MUCH RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO, TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

[00:45:04]

I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT TABLING IT, BECAUSE TABLING WOULD MEAN LATER ON IN THE MEETING, GOING BACK TO IT.

BUT JUST APPEARANCE WISE, PUTTING AN ITEM UNDER ACTION RATHER THAN DISCUSSION.

I DON'T THINK APPEARS THE BEST IF IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING ACTION ON IT.

OKAY. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. I, I FAVOR THE TWO STEP PROCESS BECAUSE I THINK AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC IS POSITIVE. SO BY DOING LESS STEPS, I FEEL LIKE WE MIGHT GLOSS OVER SOME OF THESE ITEMS. SO THAT WAS THAT'S MY OPINION ON IT. I THINK MORE KNOWLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC AND MORE MORE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.

I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT TO GO OVERBOARD, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD BALANCE RIGHT NOW IS WHAT MY PERSPECTIVE IS.

OKAY. TRUSTEE LENTZ. THANK YOU. MANAGER DEMPSEY, YOU'VE INTERACTED WITH A FAIR SHARE OF MUNICIPALITIES IN YOUR CAREER, AND I'D BE CURIOUS IF YOU SEE VALUE IN HAVING A BULKIER CONSENT AGENDA.

AND THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE I SEE OFTEN IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, SOMETIMES IT LEADS TO A AT LEAST SOMEWHAT CHANGED ACTION COMPARED TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT UP IN THE DISCUSSION BASED AROUND THAT DISCUSSION.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU IN IN THE HOPES THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR JOB AS WELL AS YOU CAN, WHICH INVOLVES MANAGING US AND THIS AGENDA, BUT ALSO THE STAFF, IF YOU FIND THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE AND SMOOTH OVER THINGS VIA CONSENT AGENDA, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY LEAD TO ISSUES WHERE IT'S CALLED OUT AND THEN DISCUSSION ANYWAY.

OR I GUESS I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S OTHER VERSIONS OF RUNNING MUNICIPAL BOARD MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN THAT YOU THINK WE COULD MAYBE EMULATE A BIT? WELL, WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA APPROACH, IT'S VERY COMMON.

ALMOST EVERY ELECTED BODY THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH HAS UTILIZED THAT TOOL.

RIGHT. JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING TO A LOT OF THE CONTRACTS THAT YOU APPROVE, RIGHT. STAFF HAS GONE THROUGH A PROCESS, RIGHT, TO ISSUE RFPS, GET A BID AND GET THE CONTRACT IN PLACE.

WE'VE CONSULTED WITH ATTORNEYS, THE LEGAL ASPECT OF IT, IF WE'RE GOOD WITH IT, IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF THE BOARD SORT OF REVIEWING THAT AND FEELING, HEY, THERE'S CONCURRENCE HERE. THIS IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. WHAT I'VE SEEN THOUGH HAPPEN, AND THIS IS I THINK A FAIR PRACTICE AS WELL, IS THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CONFUSING OR UNCLEAR OR AN ISSUE OR NEW INFORMATION COMES UP BETWEEN THE PUBLICATION OF THE PACKET AND THE MEETING THE PRIVILEGE OF A BOARD MEMBER TO REQUEST THAT THAT BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND PLACED ON THE DISCUSSION AGENDA, FOR INSTANCE, OR THE ACTION AGENDA TO HAVE A MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION.

IT DOES TWO THINGS. ONE IS IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, HEY, WE SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE.

WE DON'T WANT TO CONSENT AND WANT TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I THINK OUR GOAL WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT HERE MUCH BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE TRIED TO BE PROACTIVE WITH ADDRESSING THOSE UP FRONT AS MUCH AS WE CAN, RECOGNIZING WHAT WE THINK IS MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD VERSUS MORE COMPLICATED OR COMMUNITY ORIENTED.

BUT THAT IS A TOOL. AND I'VE SEEN OTHER BOARDS AND COUNCILS UTILIZE THAT FEATURE FAIRLY FREQUENTLY WHERE THEY'LL PULL CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, PARTICULARLY A LARGER COMMUNITIES.

THEY MIGHT HAVE 25, 30, 35 ITEMS ON A CONSENT AGENDA.

OURS TEND TO BE TEN OR LESS. SO YES, GOOD QUESTION THOUGH.

AND I WOULD SAY I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL GO THROUGH TO MAKE THIS AS EXPEDITED A PROCESS AS POSSIBLE.

I'M THINKING ABOUT AND I GUESS OUR SUPERVISOR HERE MAY HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE ON THIS AS WELL, BUT INGHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE KNOWN FOR VERY BULKY CONSENT AGENDAS AND THEN PULLING OUT.

I GUESS I'M ASKING MR. SUPERVISOR DO YOU SEE SOME MERIT TO THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MAYBE LEARN FROM? BECAUSE I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MAKING THE PROCESS FOR STAFF AS EASY AS POSSIBLE WHEN NOT HAVING SUCH A LONG PERIOD FOR BASIC THINGS. YEAH, I THINK THE CONSENT AGENDA HELPS THE FROM WHAT I'VE VIEWED RIGHT IN MY DAY JOB WITH THE COUNTY.

[00:50:03]

WE STILL REVIEW THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR PACKET DOESN'T ABSOLVE US OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STILL MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS ON THOSE ITEMS. BUT IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YEAH, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE DON'T NEED TO HAVE A 25 MINUTE DISCUSSION.

NOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE CONSENT AGENDAS CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 60 ITEMS IN A GIVEN MEETING.

AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS GENERALLY IN A COMMITTEE OR IN A BOARD MEETING AT THEIR LEVEL, THEY PULL MAYBE 2 TO 3 OF THOSE PER WEEK AND ACTUALLY HAVE SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION ON THEM.

AND I THINK IT ALLOWS, IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AND ANY, OF COURSE, AS A CONSENT AGENDA IS FORMULATED, ANY SINGLE COMMISSIONER CAN PULL AN ITEM OFF TO SAY, WE I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORE, EVEN IF YOU KNOW 14 OTHERS AGREE. AND THAT'S A PRIVILEGE THAT EXISTS HERE AS WELL.

RIGHT. IF ANY BOARD MEMBER OBJECTED TO OR WISHED TO DISCUSS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM, YOU COULD SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, ASK THAT IT BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WE WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND MOVE IT TO ACTION.

SO I THINK THAT CONSENT AGENDA IS A GOOD TOOL GENERALLY, AND IT'S USED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO MAKE, TO ENSURE THAT THEIR MEETINGS ARE EXPEDITIOUS.

AND AS THE MANAGER SAID, IF THERE IS ANYTHING ALONG THE WAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE TO A DATE, CERTAIN WE COULD DO THAT AND BRING IT BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.

IF THE BOARD IS NOT READY TO YET TO TAKE ACTION ON A SPECIFIC ITEM.

YES. DID I SEE SOMETHING ON THIS? AND I CAN'T DIVE INTO IT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT ONLY HAVING A TWO STEP PROCESS FOR ORDINANCES. IS THAT WHAT IT WAS SAYING? A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S WHAT OUR THAT'S WHAT OUR BOARD RULES AND POLICIES THAT WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED ACTUALLY SAY.

RIGHT. AND I THINK THE POINT, THE REASON WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS IS WE HAVE IN PRACTICE, GONE WAY BEYOND THAT AND DONE A LOT MORE OF THOSE TWO HOP PROCESSES THAN WE ARE REQUIRED TO BY OUR OWN POLICIES.

I STILL THINK IT'S A BETTER IDEA TO HAVE DISCUSSION AND HAVE IT OPEN FOR PUBLIC.

AND I JUST THINK MORE INFORMATION IS BETTER. I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD BALANCE RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING TONS OF ITEMS. J, HAVING A J ITEM IS KIND OF UNIQUE. I THINK WE WE USUALLY JUST WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY ITEMS ON FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST STICK WITH WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND I THINK MORE INFORMATION IS GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC.

WELL, I THINK THE IDEA IS, YOU KNOW, WE THE ITEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT, ARE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT.

RIGHT? THEY ARE THEY'RE NONCONTROVERSIAL GENERALLY.

RIGHT. THEY CAN BE HOUSEKEEPING. SO FOR YEAH.

FOR EXAMPLE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM J ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING, THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS, CHIEF HAMMEL SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THE YEARS WORKING ON THAT.

THE ITEMS THAT HAVE CHANGED IN THIS YEAR'S PLAN WERE A COUPLE OF NAMES AND TITLES FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE COME AND GONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M SURE THAT THE PUBLIC APPRECIATES BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT IN OUR PACKET ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A FULL ON DISCUSSION OF 20 MINUTES OR MORE ON ONE MEETING, AND THEN BRING IT BACK A SECOND TIME TO VOTE.

RIGHT. IF IT'S JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF LIKE THAT OR, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AVOID THE TWO STEP PROCESS ON.

YEAH. SO TO KIND OF CONTINUE THAT THOUGHT PROCESS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF NICK OR WOULD KNOW ABOUT WHAT WENT INTO THE UPDATING OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT OPERATIONS PLAN. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A NEW TOPIC FOR THEM.

SO AS BOARD MEMBERS COME AND GO. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN ASSUME THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT AND ALREADY BEEN. IT JUST DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ON BOARD ON THE BOARD, RIGHT? SO I DON'T, I WOULD WANT TO ERR ON MORE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC THAN JUST PASSING THINGS THROUGH

[00:55:06]

I THINK ABSOLUTELY, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE STATUTE.

BUT WHEN WE HAVE WHEN WE HAVE MORE RESTRICTIONS, IT PREVENTS US FROM BEING ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS THAT MAY BE TIME SENSITIVE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.

WHAT I WOULD ARGUE IS ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, LIKE WHAT SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON MENTIONED WE COULD TAKE OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND MOVE IT TO THE ACTION ITEM AS AN ACTION ITEM OR DISCUSSION ITEM, IT IS UP TO OUR DISCRETION AS LONG AS WE APPROVE OF IT.

THE SAME CAN BE SAID WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

IF WE SEE A BOARD DISCUSSION ITEM OR AN ACTION ITEM THAT WE BELIEVE DOESN'T WARRANT DISCUSSION.

IT WOULD BE ODD FOR US, BUT WE COULD MENTION THAT AND AND VOTE TO, TO PUT THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR, OR MOVE AN ITEM TO A DISCUSSION ITEM INSTEAD.

THAT IS IN WITHIN THAT IS WITHIN OUR ABILITIES TO MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR US. SO PROGRESS CAN BE MADE.

TRUSTEE WILSON. AND I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK, BECAUSE IF YOU STUDY YOUR PACKET, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IS PERTINENT FOR OUR CONSENT ITEMS IS OUTLINED IN DETAIL.

IT'S OUTLINED AND IT HAS A DISCUSSION AS TO THE REASONING WHY.

SO IT'S UP TO US TO BE READING OUR PACKETS AND LOOKING AT THAT DETAIL.

SO WE'RE AWARE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT OPERATIONS PLAN ONLY HAD IT WAS IT WAS CLEAR IN OUR PACKETS ONLY AT NAME CHANGES AND TITLE CHANGES. BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE MORE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT THERE IN THE, IN THE FORM OF A MEETING AND WE'RE TELEVISED, THE MORE INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING OUT THERE AND KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOWNSHIP I THINK IS BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYBODY, FOR ALL THE CITIZENS AS WELL.

SO IF WE'RE JUST KIND OF WELL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT WE WANT TO PUT ON A CONSENT AGENDA, LIKE THE MINUTES AND THE BILLS AND SOME OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WERE ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA SEEMED LOGICAL.

BUT I DO NOT WANT TO VOTE FOR PUTTING LESS INFORMATION.

IT WAS TALKED. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A TWO STEP PROCESS IN THIS VERSUS LIKE A ONE STEP PROCESS OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT I THINK THE MORE INFORMATION WE GIVE THE PUBLIC, THE MORE BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY CAN.

WE HAVE AGENDAS. WE HAVE I, WE READ THE AGENDAS, BUT AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION, WE'RE WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE DISCUSSING I JUST THINK MORE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

SURE. INSTEAD OF JUST GOING, OH, WELL, THE ONLY ONES THAT NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT IS US, AND THEREFORE WE'RE JUST GOING TO PASS IT ON.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S KIND OF BEING TOO RIDICULOUS, BUT I'M JUST PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXAMPLE. I THINK MORE KNOWLEDGE AND DISCUSSION TO THE PUBLIC IS BETTER.

YEAH. OVERALL, I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT YOU'RE CONVEYING THERE.

RIGHT. WE DON'T WANT TO SHORTCHANGE THE PUBLIC FOR THINGS THAT THEY THEY SHOULDN'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT.

THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING WE CONTINUE ON WITH THE TWO STEP PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU KNOW, ARE ARE RELEVANT TO, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES AND THAT KIND OF THING.

THE REZONINGS, THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS YOU KNOW, THE THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE DIRECT AND SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T MAYBE THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF RESIDENTS WHO DO CARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHANGING FROM, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT CHIEF TO, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHICH ONE IT IS IF I'M BEING HONEST.

BUT WE MADE A TITLE CHANGE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF THOUGHT CAPITAL ON THAT NECESSARILY, WHICH IS WHY I WAS SUGGESTING THAT THAT COULD GO ON A CONSENT AGENDA AND NOT BE PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL.

BUT I GUESS WHAT DO WE. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES, GIVEN THAT WHAT? WHERE OUR POLICY IS TODAY? ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK FOR? FROM WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR POLICY MANUAL, OR ARE WE RELATIVELY HAPPY WITH WITH WHERE IT'S AT, GIVEN THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE.

I'M RELATIVELY HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT'S BEEN OPERATING IN THE PROCEDURES WE'VE FOLLOWED.

[01:00:02]

AND SO IF WE COULD GIVE GUIDANCE TO THE MANAGER AND TO THE PEOPLE AS TO WHAT IS A TYPICAL CONSENT AGENDA ITEM AS OPPOSED TO REQUIRING A BOARD DISCUSSION.

AND IF THEY PUT AND IF WE DON'T GIVE THAT GUIDANCE AND THEY PUT SOMETHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH A BOARD MEMBER OR MORE THAN ONE BOARD MEMBER FEELS IS, IS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE TO REQUIRE A FULL DISCUSSION, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IT CAN BE PULLED OFF AND SHOULD BE PULLED OFF FOR A FULL DISCUSSION, WHETHER AT THAT MEETING OR IN A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, WHICH MAY BE NECESSARY IF THOSE THAT ARE PROVIDED THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE, AND WE NEED THAT INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS INPUT IN ORDER TO HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE.

WELL, LET ME LET ME SUGGEST THIS THEN. SO AS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE, I SIT DOWN WITH MANAGER DEMPSEY ON A BI WEEKLY BASIS TO TALK THROUGH WHAT THE NEXT AGENDA WILL LOOK LIKE. AND PART OF THAT DISCUSSION OFTEN IS SHOULD THIS BE ON AN ACTION ITEM OR SHOULD THIS BE ON A CONSENT AGENDA? AND THE DRAFT AGENDA DOES GET SENT OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT MEETING.

SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE PULLED OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I THINK THAT JUST AT LEAST GIVES ONE BOARD MEMBER'S OPINION OF LIKE.

I THINK THAT THESE THINGS ARE LIKELY NON-CONTROVERSIAL.

WE DO GET EMAILED OUR AGENDAS ON THAT MONDAY AND THEY'RE NOT FINALIZED TILL FRIDAY.

IF WE'D LIKE, PERHAPS WE CAN IF THE BOARD HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE PULLED OFF, SEND AN EMAIL IN TO SAY, HEY, CAN WE MOVE THIS FROM.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FROM CONSENT TO ACTION.

AND THAT WAY, PROCEDURALLY, WE'RE KEEPING OUR POLICIES RELATIVELY THE SAME.

BUT WE CAN CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR SO THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WE WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, WE CAN PULL IT BACK DOWN.

AND THAT WAY IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN IN THE MEETING.

RIGHT. YEAH. AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PROCEDURE.

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA SO FAR IN THE YEAR AND A HALF THAT I FELT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO BE PULLED OFF FOR A FULL DISCUSSION. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ITEMS ON THE DISCUSSION AGENDA WHICH I FELT COULD HAVE GONE BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND BUT THAT THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AS MUCH THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT REALLY REQUIRE THAT LEVEL OF DISCUSSION.

I'M OKAY WITH THAT. ERRING ON THAT SIDE. BUT I HAVE BEEN QUITE SATISFIED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDAS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED. CLERK DEMAS. I WOULD JUST ADD, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADHERING TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT TO SEND YOUR EMAILS, MOST LIKELY TO THE MANAGER'S OFFICE. JUST SO THAT ANY CHANGES CAN BE MADE THERE.

I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED.

IF I CAN FIND THE PAGE NUMBER. IT WAS REGARDING ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ALSO WORK ALSO STAFF.

SO MYSELF AND THE TREASURER. THIS IS PAGE 108.

AND ON THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT, IT'S PAGE EIGHT. I SEE A NUMBER SEVEN.

IT SAYS ELECTED DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE BI ANNUAL AND ANNUAL REPORTS FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS TO THE WHOLE BOARD. I KNOW THAT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT HAS THE QUARTERLY REPORTS. AND WHILE I'VE PROVIDED UPDATES ABOUT ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD, I'VE NEVER HAD AN OFFICIAL ANNUAL REPORT.

AND I HAVE NOT SEEN INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.

SO THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE MORE CLARITY ON.

AND THEN I ALSO SEE UNDER THE CLERK'S RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL AS THE TREASURER'S, I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD SAY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, JUST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A A WELL, YES.

AND AND IT ALSO SAYS THAT SECRETARY TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS THE CASE FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BUT THERE COULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO BE SECRETARY FOR ANOTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION.

SO I'VE NOT ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IN THIS CONTEXT.

IS THAT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THE CLERK TAKE MINUTES OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS?

[01:05:04]

IT CAN BE REASSIGNED TO SOMEBODY ELSE, IF I RECALL WHICH WE HAVE OFTEN DONE.

RIGHT. SO, YEAH. WE YEAH. YOU KNOW, ON THE ANNUAL REPORT ASPECT, I THINK OUR OVERALL ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE PRESENT, WHICH INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, ESSENTIALLY FULFILLS THAT OBLIGATION.

YEAH. SO, WELL, AND BECAUSE, YEAH, YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE ONE THAT WE GET IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND THEN ALSO WE OFTEN GET ONE IN JUNE OR JULY.

SO MID-YEAR. YEAH. YEAH. THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD. OKAY.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M MEETING OUR PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

BUT WITH THAT, I, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE AN UPDATE IF POSSIBLE.

I'M NOT TRYING TO ADD MORE WORK, BUT UPDATING OUR PROCEDURES MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY CHANGES.

REGARDING, LIKE, OUR TWO STEP PROCESS. DO YOU THINK WE CAN GET A SHORT YES TO THAT.

YEAH, I THINK SO. I THINK WE CAN GET SOME CLARITY AROUND AND CONSENT PROCESS AND THE TWO STEP AND THEN.

EXPANDING THE TWO STEP TO INCLUDE THE SUPS AND ZONING DECISIONS, THAT KIND OF THING.

TO NOTE THAT THOSE ARE DRIVEN BY STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.

AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE WE WANT TO PROMULGATE THIS OUT TO THE STAFF, TOO, SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE.

SO WHEN THEY'RE PITCHING AGENDA ITEMS TO PUT ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY'RE GOING IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. THAT WAS A MUCH MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION THAN I HAD HOPED FOR.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS AT THE COUNTY. AND THANK YOU, TIM, FOR CLARITY ON OTHER GOVERNING BOARDS ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED TO SEE HOW OTHERS ARE GOING ABOUT THEIR TUESDAY EVENING MEETINGS.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ITEM.

SORRY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[11. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

BARBARA KELLY AT WOODHILL DRIVE IN OKEMOS. I'M VERY GLAD TO HAVE HEARD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO THIS TWO STEP PROCESS, BECAUSE I HOPE THAT THE TOWN, THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER SOME ACCELERATION THAT WOULD ENABLE USING THAT $5 MILLION GRANT RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, FOUR MONTHS WORTH OF DELIBERATIONS BEFORE IT COULD BE STARTED. REGARDING SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON QUESTION ABOUT COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, I WOULD JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE MEMO WE RECEIVED FROM THE OUR STATE OVERSEER WELL OVER A YEAR AGO, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE BOARD PACKET WHEN IT WAS THIS WAS AN EMAIL THAT STATED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER COMPLETED TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE PLANS FOR DOING THAT, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO ME THAT THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.

SO I MIGHT LOOK AT THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 7:07 P.M..

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 13. WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING.

[13. CLOSED SESSION]

I MOVE TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO MCL 15.268(1)(H). CONSULT WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING A CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION. MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

CLERK DEMAS. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TRUSTEE LENTZ.

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

TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES.

CLERK DEMAS. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE EVACUATE SO THAT WE MAY ENTER CLOSED SESSION.

ALL RIGHT. I SEE GREEN LIGHTS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14.

ADJOURNMENT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? DID YOU OPEN? I'M SORRY. WE REENTERED OPEN SESSION AT 9:25 P.M..

[01:10:03]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 9:26 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.