Jun 16, 2026 Township Board

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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IT IS 6:00 AND WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

FIRST ON OUR AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WITH 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 ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 3A, APPOINTMENT OF A TEMPORARY COURT.

IN THE CASE OF AN ABSENCE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK.

AND CLERK DEMAS IS ABSENT THIS EVENING. THE TOWNSHIP BOARD SHALL, AS PER MCL 42.5, SUBSECTION 2.

APPOINT A TEMPORARY CLERK FROM ITS MEMBERS IN ORDER TO TAKE THE RECORD ROLL CALL VOTES.

SO AT THIS POINT, I'D OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO ANYONE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE AS OUR TEMPORARY CLERK THIS EVENING.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT FOR IT.

SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND YOU, SIR? GOOD TO HAVE.

OH, BOY. OH. IT'S OKAY, IT'S OKAY. IT'S NOT A COMPUTER.

YEAH. OH, THAT'S JUST A BAD. OKAY. WE SAVED IT.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN THEN OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 3.B.

WELL, TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? HERE. CLERK DEMAS? TREASURER BURGHARDT? HERE. TRUSTEE LENTZ? HERE. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? HERE.

TRUSTEE TREZISE? HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON? HERE. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE WE HAVE SEVEN, SIX PEOPLE OF THE SEVEN.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. VERY WELL, OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS ITEM 4 PRESENTATIONS.

[4. PRESENTATIONS]

THE FIRST WOULD IS THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FIREFIGHTER, NICHOLAS KRAMER.

WE HAVE CHIEF HAMEL HERE TO MAKE THIS INTRODUCTION.

SUPERVISOR BOARD. THANK YOU AS ALWAYS IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE WHEN I GET TO INTRODUCE SOME NEW BLOOD.

I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I STARTED REALLY, REALLY LONG TIME AGO.

IT'S AN EXCITING TIME. SO NICHOLAS WHO ACTUALLY BECAME PARAMEDIC THROUGH LANCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WORKED SAINT JOHN FIRE DEPARTMENT, CLINTON COUNTY AREA EMS, AND WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT HIM FROM LANSING TOWNSHIP.

AND SO NICHOLAS COMES WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM. HE STARTED YESTERDAY.

HE'S WORKING HIS TAIL OFF RIGHT NOW, GOING THROUGH A LOT OF ONBOARDING FOR TWO WEEKS. BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. SO, NICHOLAS. THANK YOU, CHIEF. NICHOLAS KRAEMER.

COMING TO YOU WORK AS A FIREFIGHTER MEDIC WITH A COUPLE OF YEARS EXPERIENCE.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK CHIEF AND OTHER HIRING BOARD MEMBERS.

THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE FOR YOU.

[APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. BOARD. OKAY.

OKAY, OUR NEXT ITEM IS A SECOND PRESENTATION OF THE EVENING, THE ITC ONEIDA-SABINE LAKE PROJECT UPDATE.

AND WE HAVE BREINA PUGH AND BEN TERRELL HERE TO GIVE US OUR PRESENTATION.

HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BACK. I AM BREINA PUGH.

I'M THE AREA MANAGER FOR THIS AREA IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TEAM.

AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ONEIDA SABINE LAKE PROJECT.

AGAIN. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO JUST TO LEVEL SET ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAYBE HAVE FORGOTTEN, IT IS A 50 MILE TRANSMISSION LINE WHERE WE'RE BUILDING A 345 KV LINE BETWEEN LIVINGSTON COUNTY, SABINE LAKE STATION, WHICH IS A PROPOSED SUBSTATION, AND THEN THE ONEIDA SUBSTATION, WHICH ALREADY EXISTS.

SO THAT IS WHAT THE PROJECT IS AS PART OF OUR LONG-RANGE TRANSMISSION PLANNING.

AND THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO HERE'S AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT.

SO WHEN WE LAST CAME HERE WE SHOWED YOU THIS MAP.

THIS IS OUR ROUTE SEGMENT NETWORK MAP. THIS IS WHAT WE USED AT THE OPEN HOUSES THAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

[00:05:06]

SO WE'VE GOT TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, AND HERE ARE ALL THE PLETHORA OF OPTIONS.

AND AS YOU'LL SEE, THERE WAS AN OPTION GOING THROUGH THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AREA.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE RECEIVED 2,500 PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE LINE.

WE HAD 1,000 FOLKS COME THROUGH OUR OPEN HOUSES.

WE TOOK ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK, AND THEN WE WENT THROUGH AND ELIMINATED CERTAIN PARTS OF THIS.

AND WE'VE COME UP NOW WITH SEVEN ROUTES, WHICH IS THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO YOU SEE ALL SEVEN ROUTES HERE. SO THEY ARE COLOR CODED.

AND THIS IS KIND OF SUBWAY MAP STYLE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT COLORS THAT KIND OF ALIGN NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY OVERLAP.

AND YOU'LL SEE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOES NOT HAVE ANY CURRENT ROUTE GOING THROUGH IT, SO IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE FOR US TO ROUTE THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP.

SO WE HAVE MOVED THE ROUTE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED THROUGH THAT.

AND THAT IS KIND OF OUR BIGGEST UPDATE FOR TODAY.

I DO HAVE ONE OTHER SLIDE AFTER THIS THOUGH. SO KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

SO WE HAVE A FOUR PHASED APPROACH TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE STILL HAVE TWO OTHER PHASES OF THIS APPROACH THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH. SO IN PHASE THREE WE WILL HAVE LANDOWNER OPEN HOUSES THERE FROM JULY 21ST THROUGH THE 30TH.

THEY ARE AT THE U CLUB, ELK WEST CAMPUS AND FOWLERVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT GOING THROUGH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ANYMORE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, YOU'RE STILL WELCOME TO COME.

FOLKS WILL BE GETTING LETTERS IN THE MAIL TO LET THEM KNOW IF THEY'RE EITHER ON THE ROUTE, OFF THE ROUTE, WITHIN A MILE OF THE ROUTE, BETWEEN THE ROUTES.

I THINK THAT'S ALL THE OPTIONS. AND THEN JUST IF THEY'RE AN INTERESTED PARTY. SO FOLKS IN THE TOWNSHIP WILL RECEIVE A LETTER LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER ON THE ROUTE, IF THAT'S THEIR ONLY PROPERTY. IF THEY HAVE OTHER PROPERTY THAT HAPPENS TO FALL OUTSIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP, AND WE'RE NOT NEAR ONE OF THE OTHER ROUTES. THEY MAY RECEIVE A LETTER INDICATING THAT, BUT IT WILL HAVE THEIR PARCEL ID ON IT.

SO WE'LL LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT IS. AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE THESE MAPS IN IT.

WE'LL HAVE A VERSION THAT HAS ALL THE DIFFERENT MAPS. AND THEN ONCE WE GET THROUGH PHASE THREE OF THESE LANDOWNER HOUSES, WE WILL DO OUR PUBLIC ACT 30 MEETINGS WITH OUR NEW ROUTES AT THAT POINT.

SO WE'LL NARROW IT DOWN TO PROBABLY 3 TO 4 ROUTES.

THOSE WILL HAPPEN IN PROBABLY JANUARY, FEBRUARY OF 2027.

AND THEN WE'LL APPLY TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER THOSE MEETINGS.

SO THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD BE THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION AT THAT TIME.

THEY'VE GOT A YEAR TO CONSIDER IT AND THEN THE ROUTE WOULD BE CHOSEN.

AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT MYFUTUREGRID.COM.

THERE'S AN INTERACTIVE MAP ON THERE, SO YOU CAN STILL ZOOM IN AND LOOK AT DIFFERENT PARTS AND PIECES OF IT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT. IF YOU'RE STILL INTERESTED, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ. I HAVE MORE OF A COMMENT.

I WANTED TO THANK ITC, BREINA, YOU IN PARTICULAR FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS, SPECIFICALLY AT THE INGHAM COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE MTA MEETING THAT THE TREASURER AND I ATTENDED. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, LISTENING BACK AND FORTH.

IT WASN'T REALLY A GUARDED CONVERSATION, WHICH IS APPRECIATED FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST SERVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

SO I WANTED TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR THAT AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WILSON. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE SAME.

WE ATTENDED. SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED YOUR MEETING DOWN AT THE OKEMOS CENTER, I BELIEVE IT WAS AND LEARNED A LOT THERE AND FELT THAT YOU WERE VERY FORTHCOMING WITH YOUR INFORMATION. PLUS YOU HAD OTHER MEETINGS AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF COMMUNICATION.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE APPRECIATE THAT. TREASURER BURGHARDT.

WHAT TRUSTEE WILSON AND TRUSTEE LENTZ SAID, I ECHO.

AND I'LL ALSO ADD THAT I WANT TO COMMEND ITC.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST KNOCKS OF ANY, YOU KNOW, BODY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOLICITS INPUT IS THAT THEY DON'T LISTEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW FROM OUR MEETINGS THAT WE HAD HERE THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT OUR RESIDENTS WERE VERY ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS AND YOU MADE IT VERY EASY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.

AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR FROM THE RESULTANT CHANGES TO THE MAP THAT YOU TOOK THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS GIVEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, HEARD THE CONCERNS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND ALSO THE AFFECTED RESIDENTS ON THE PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTED ROUTE, WE VERY MUCH WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATING IT INTO YOUR NEW MAPS.

YEAH, WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. WE'RE GLAD WHEN COMMUNITIES ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE PROCESS TOO. SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU GIVING YOUR FEEDBACK AND MAKING SURE YOUR CITIZENS WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. GREAT.

YEAH. THANKS. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS ITEM 4C, THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARIES ANNUAL REPORT.

[00:10:07]

WE'VE GOT JENNY MARR, THE DIRECTOR, AND OF COURSE TOM MOORE AS WELL.

IF YOU GIVE BOTH OF US, I'M JENNY MARR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KEPLER DISTRICT LIBRARIES.

WITH ME TONIGHT IS TOM MOORE, WHO'S OUR REGIONAL HEAD OF THE MERIDIAN BRANCHES.

WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE TEAM MEMBERS WITH US. WE HAVE A BOARD MEMBER, SANDY DRAKE, WHO IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S DESIGNATED APPOINTEE FOR INGHAM COUNTY.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE A RESERVED POSITION ON FROM THE FROM THERE.

AND THEN VICTORIA MEADOWS IS OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. SO WE'RE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR 2025 ANNUAL REPORT.

THE FULL REPORT SHOULD BE ONLINE BY THE END OF JUNE.

WITH YOU, I'VE GOT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SECTION.

THERE'S SOME EXTRA ONES OVER ON THE TABLE. EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE.

AND FOR THOSE AT HOME, THEY'LL BE ONLINE. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ THROUGH IT THERE AS LONG AS AS WELL AS EVERY ANNUAL REPORT WE'VE EVER DONE IS ALL ONLINE.

2025 WAS A BUSY YEAR. WE SAW A 2% INCREASE IN LIBRARY VISITS OVERALL.

WE SAW ABOUT 6.5% INCREASE IN PROGRAM ATTENDANCE INCREASE IN COMPUTER USE AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE MEASURE. SO WE, A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN SEEKING HELP, SEEKING COMMUNITY, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER AT THE LIBRARY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE INVOLVEMENT THERE.

FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SPECIFICALLY WE SAW AN INCREASE IN CIRCULATION.

SO OUR RESIDENTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CHECKED OUT 625,954 ITEMS. SO THAT'S JUST THE CIRCULATION. THAT'S NOT ALL THE PROGRAM.

THAT'S EVERYTHING ELSE. SO WE DO ASSIGN A VALUE TO THOSE TO THOSE ITEMS, WHICH MEANS THAT RESIDENTS THE VALUE OF IT WAS 14.396 MILLION FOR, THAT THEY SAW. AND ONCE YOU TAKE OUT THE, THE MILLAGE REVENUE WE RECEIVE FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, IT'S STILL $10,891,000 OF VALUE THAT RESIDENTS SAVED BY NOT BUYING THINGS THEMSELVES, BUT BY COMING IN AND CHECKING THEM OUT FROM THE LIBRARY.

SO IT'S ALWAYS A THRILL TO SEE HOW MUCH PEOPLE USE.

WE SEE IT, ANECDOTALLY, HASLETT OKEMOS ARE VERY BUSY BRANCHES.

IT'S NICE TO SEE THE DATA SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE BUSY WHEN WE'RE IN THERE.

A COUPLE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO MENTION. WE HAVE ADDED OUR 14TH LOCATION FOR CATTLE.

SO WE HAVE 13 BRANCHES, TWO BOOKMOBILES AND WE NOW HAVE A LOCAL HISTORY CENTER THAT WE OPENED.

IT'S JUST UP THE STREET AT 2175 UNIVERSITY PARK DRIVE, RIGHT BY THE OKEMOS ROAD ENTRANCE ONTO 96.

SO IT'S A BUILDING THAT WE HAVE MOVED OUR ENTIRE MID MICHIGAN FOCUSED LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION.

IT'S BEEN IN THE BASEMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN LANSING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

IT'S A STEAM HEATED BUILDING, WHICH MEANS TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ARE NOT CONTROLLED. IT'S NOT GREAT FOR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS.

AND IT'S IN THE BASEMENT, WHICH MEANS LEAKY PIPES ARE NOT ITS FRIEND.

SO WE HAVE FOR PRESERVATION AND ACCESS. WE HAVE MOVED THE ENTIRE COLLECTION OUT AND IT'S NOW IN ITS OWN DEDICATED BUILDING.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE IT THERE. THERE'S GREAT PARKING.

IT'S EASY TO GET TO FROM ANY AREA FROM AROUND.

WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE IT A DIGITIZATION HUB FOR THE STATE.

THERE'S GOING TO THEIR LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN IS TRYING TO MAKE ABOUT 5 OR 6 OF THEM AROUND THE STATE AND THIS WILL BE ONE OF THEM.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO DO THAT AND TO BRING PEOPLE IN FROM ALL AROUND INTO THE AREA.

SO WE HAVE STARTED REGULAR HOURS IN JUNE, SO WE'RE OPEN, WE'RE THERE AND WE ALWAYS DO THINGS BY APPOINTMENT AS WELL.

SO THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE. LASTLY WE ARE ON THE AUGUST 4TH PRIMARY.

WE HAVE A MILLAGE RENEWAL BALLOT QUESTION ON THERE.

WE DO THIS EVERY FOUR YEARS. IT'S A STRAIGHT RENEWAL.

THERE'S NO INCREASE ON IT. 90% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET COMES FROM THIS FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

SO THIS RENEWAL WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING NOW.

SO I THINK THESE ARE JUST INFORMATIONAL WITH FACTS ABOUT THE MILLAGE.

IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY, I CAN LEAVE SOME BEHIND AT CITY HALL FOR ANY RESIDENTS WHO, WHO WANT TO SWING BY AND SEE IT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.

I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO TOM SO HE CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANKS, JEN. OKAY, SO I PASSED OUT SOME SUMMER READING CHALLENGE LOGS AND OUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE BUTTONS.

AND I THINK I MENTIONED TO SOME OF YOU THAT WE HAD A DESIGN CONTEST FOR THESE BUTTONS.

JUST HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WE HAD OVER 120 PARTICIPANTS TO SUBMIT DESIGNS.

SO REALLY COOL ENGAGEMENT FROM ESPECIALLY FROM THE OKEMOS SCHOOLS ON THAT CONTEST.

SO THANKS FOR TAKING THOSE READ ALL SUMMER LONG.

AS FAR AS LIKE 2025 AND THE ANNUAL REPORT YOU KNOW, IN 2025, MERIDIAN LIBRARIES, AS ALWAYS,

[00:15:01]

WE WELCOMED MORE THAN 260,000 VISITORS TO OUR, TO OUR TWO BRANCHES.

AND OUR, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO WENT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN OUR COMMUNITY SPACES. OUR PROGRAMING REACHES ALL AGE GROUPS FROM OUR YOUNGEST, YOUNGEST RESIDENTS TO OUR OLDEST SENIORS.

AND THEY'RE HEADLINED BY OUR WEEKLY EARLY LITERACY EVENTS.

SO THOSE ARE OUR STORYTIMES, WHICH ROUTINELY DRAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EACH WEEK.

SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF HERE IN MERIDIAN.

AND IT GIVES PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT ALSO GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY, GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE OUR NEXT GENERATION OF READERS.

RIGHT? AND GET THEM READING AND ENGAGING WITH BOOKS AND LITERATURE, YOUNG.

REOCCURRING ADULT EVENTS LIKE OUR CRAFTERNOONS, OR DROP IN EUCHRE, OUR COOKBOOK CLUBS, OUR BOOK CLUBS, WHICH WE HAVE LIKE TEN BOOK CLUB BOOK CLUBS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO IF YOU'RE LIKE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO READ AND DISCUSS.

AND OUR ESOL AND SPANISH CONVERSATION GROUPS ALL KEPT ADULTS COMING BACK WEEK AFTER WEEK AND ENGAGING WITH US.

BUT OUR MONTHLY CALENDARS WERE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED BY LOCAL AUTHOR VISITS, HISTORIANS AND ARTISTS COMING IN TO SPEAK AND SHARE AND INSTRUCT.

OUR TEEN ADVISORY BOARD AT OKEMOS RANGES FROM LIKE 20 TO 30 TEENS ENGAGING IN MONTHLY MEETINGS.

THEY HELP US DECORATE THE LIBRARY, CREATE ENGAGING DISPLAYS AND PLAN SOME OF THE TEEN EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT OKEMOS, LIKE OUR ICE CREAM SOCIALS. OUR TEEN LOCK IN EVENTS, AND SO MUCH MORE.

AT HASLETT, WE CONTINUE TO BE A VERY POPULAR AFTER SCHOOL HANGOUT, AND WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CROWDS THAT ARE THERE AFTER SCHOOL BY OFFERING LOTS OF WEEKLY EVENTS WITH CRAFTING, CREATIVE WRITING, BOARD GAMES, VIDEO GAMES THAT ROTATE ALL SORT OF WEEKLY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THE CREATIVE WRITING THIS LAST YEAR WAS SO POPULAR THAT SOME OF THE STAFF STARTED THEIR OWN TEEN LITERARY MAGAZINE AND INVITED THOSE AFTER SCHOOL KIDS TO SUBMIT ART AND WRITING TO THAT THAT PUBLICATION. AND IT'S BEEN COMING OUT TWICE A MONTH.

WE HAVE AN ISSUE THAT YOU CAN BROWSE AT HASLETT IF YOU STOP BY SEE THAT STUDENT ARTWORK.

IN THE FALL, WE LAUNCHED OUR MULTILINGUAL STORYTIMES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MSU GRAD STUDENTS WITH SESSIONS IN URDU, SPANISH, KOREAN, AND CHINESE. CULTURAL PROGRAMING ALSO INCLUDE OUR LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION, INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE PERFORMANCE, KERALA HERITAGE CRAFTS AND OTHER HERITAGE CRAFT EVENTS, AS WELL AS A LITTLE FOODIES STORYTIME THAT BLENDED FOOD FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS WITH EARLY LITERACY.

WE WERE THRILLED AGAIN TO BE A PART OF SO MANY OF YOUR AMAZING TOWNSHIP EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, JUNETEENTH AND PRIDE THAT JUST HAPPENED.

WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK THIS YEAR. BUT ALSO THE MERIDIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL, THE CELEBRATION MERIDIAN TEEN NIGHT.

I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU'VE TALKED TO ME AT ALL A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I VALUE BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING THE LIBRARY HAVE A PRESENCE AT THOSE EVENTS. SO I APPRECIATE THE INVITATIONS THAT YOU EXTEND TO US AND THAT YOUR STAFF EXTENDS TO US, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE PARTNER WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS WELL, THOUGH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ESPECIALLY THROUGH OUR STUDENT SUCCESS INITIATIVE, WHICH ALLOWS ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE A LIBRARY ACCOUNT WITH THEIR SCHOOL ID.

ALLOWS THEM TO CHECK OUT UP TO FIVE BOOKS AT A TIME AND ACCESS ALL OF OUR DIGITAL RESOURCES.

BUT WE SHOW UP TO THEIR COMMUNITY EVENTS AS WELL, SO THEIR MULTICULTURAL NIGHTS, THEIR STEAM NIGHTS, THE LITERACY NIGHTS AND BLOCK PARTIES AS WELL AS BRINGING STORYTIMES OUT TO SOME OF THEIR FACILITIES.

AND WE STARTED A BOOK CLUBS AT RALEIGH AND MURPHY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THIS YEAR TO WORKING WITH THEIR, THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS ON THOSE PROJECTS. IN TOTAL, WE RAN OVER 900 EVENTS WITH NEARLY 13,000 ATTENDEES IN 2025. WE HAD, WE WERE OUT AT OVER 100 OUTREACH EVENTS, AND WE WELCOMED IN JUST OVER 500 COMMUNITY RESERVATIONS IN OUR SPACES FOR OUR MEETING ROOMS AND EVENT ROOMS. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT ACTIVITY AND ALL THAT TO SAY IS NOT EVEN LISTING LIKE SOME OF OUR CORE SERVICES, WHICH ARE THE COLLECTIONS, THE BOOKS, THE AUDIOBOOKS, THE MOVIES AND THINGS THAT WE ARE CIRCULATING AND ALL THE COUNTLESS HOURS THAT OUR STAFF ARE PUTTING IN TO CIRCULATE THOSE ITEMS, CATALOG AND PROCESS THEM TO SHELVE AND RESHELVE AND RESHELVE ALL OF THOSE BOOKS, WHEN EVERYONE'S CHECKING OUT, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF MATERIALS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WORKING HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO BE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE'RE

[00:20:04]

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF BOTH OUR EVENTS AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS.

I KNOW THAT MY KIDS HAVE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS, AND THEY'VE BEEN TO THE LIBRARY THREE TIMES.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR HOW MANY TIMES YOUR STAFF MUST HAVE SHELVED THE WHO WOULD WIN BOOKS, BECAUSE MY KIDS CONTINUE TO GET THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

SO THEY'RE PROBABLY RESHELVING THOSE SIX TIMES THIS SUMMER, JUST FROM MY FAMILY ALONE.

SO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE PROGRAMING AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.

IT'S OUR PLEASURE. IF YOU WANT AND YOU REALLY ENJOY THE LIBRARY, WE BROUGHT OUR I LOVE MY LIBRARY SIGNS AND WE'RE PUTTING OUT IN THE YARDS THIS SUMMER, SO FEEL FREE TO GRAB ONE. THEY ARE HERE FOR YOU TO TAKE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

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

WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN. I'LL CALL YOU UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.

AND 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 REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES. AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME, AND AN AUDIBLE BEEP AND INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE COMMENT AND INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

HOWEVER, 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 HAVE ONE GREEN CARD THIS EVENING FROM NEIL BOWLBY.

COULD YOU RUN IT AS A SLIDESHOW? OR CAN I DO IT FROM HERE? OH. WE'RE FIGHTING. UP ABOVE. OH THAT'S GOOD.

I THINK THAT DOES IT THERE. YEP. OKAY. NEIL BOWLBY 602.

OH, BEECHWOOD. I HOPE YOU GOT MY LETTER TO THE BOARD.

I WANT TO AMPLIFY A FEW THINGS. AS SHOWN HERE, THESE ARE THE LAND PRESERVATION PROPERTIES, AND I'VE ARRANGED THEM INFLATION ADJUSTED. SO IN THE FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN SHOWS THE ACTUAL COST PER ACRE.

AFTER ADJUSTING FOR INFLATION, THE PROPOSED PURCHASE IS THE SECOND HIGHEST IN IN AMOUNT.

MOST OF THEM ARE AROUND 2,000 OR EVEN LESS. YOU GOT A REAL STEAL ON THE NEMOKE PRESERVE.

THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, THIS SHOWS THE ASSESSED VALUE OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS.

AND IT'S CURIOUS THAT LAST THAT JUST THIS YEAR THE ASSESSED VALUE ROSE BY ALMOST TWOFOLD.

AND I JUST WONDER WHY THAT IS. ACCORDING TO THE TAX ROLLS, IT HAS A TAXABLE VALUE OF WHAT $512,562, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY LOW COMPARED TO THE PROPERTY VALUE.

IF IT GETS SOLD, PRESUMABLY THAT WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE TAXABLE VALUE WILL GO UP.

I WOULD ESTIMATE AT LEAST THREEFOLD. THIS IS THE ZILLOW LISTING ON THE PROPERTY.

IT'S LISTED FOR 94,900, ROUGHLY $95,000. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, WHAT'S SPECIAL, IT SAYS BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME ON THIS STUNNING 1.94 ACRE PROPERTY.

IT'S BEEN ON ZILLOW FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND TWO MONTHS.

BUT IT DOES HAVE PROBLEMS FOR BUILDING. THIS IS THE PROPERTY.

THE DARK BLUE IS THE WETLAND. THE LIGHTER BLUE IS THE FLOODPLAIN AND THE DISTANCE FROM THE MIDDLE OF HAMILTON ROAD TO THE BEGINNING OF THE FLOODPLAIN IS ABOUT 112FT. OOPS. ACCORDING TO THE TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE, SETBACKS FROM A COLLECTOR ROAD, WHICH IS WHAT HAMILTON ROAD IS, IS 85FT. AND SO 85FT FROM THE CENTER LINE OF HAMILTON ROAD PUTS YOU AT THAT POINT

[00:25:06]

SO THE PROPERTY IS REALLY NOT BUILDABLE UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL KINDS OF PERMITTING WITH THE MEDQ AND TOWNSHIP AND GETTING VARIANCES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO I REALLY DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY A WHOLE LOT ABOUT PEOPLE BUILDING ON THAT PROPERTY.

IF IT DOESN'T GET SOLD, IT'S GOING TO STAY THE WAY IT IS.

ALL OF THAT WETLAND AND NATURAL AREA IS GOING TO STAY THE WAY IT IS.

THE OTHER ARGUMENT THAT WAS MADE IS THAT IT'S GOING TO ENHANCE DEER HARVESTING.

BUT THE PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT DOOR, THE MECKLENBURG WOODS LAST YEAR, THEY GOT TWO DEER OUT OF IT.

2024. THEY GOT THREE. 2022 THEY GOT TWO DEER.

SO ADDING THIS TINY LITTLE BIT OF PROPERTY ISN'T GOING TO REALLY ENHANCE THE DEER.

SO I REALLY THINK IT'S A LOT TO PAY FOR THAT TWO ACRE PROPERTY.

AND THINGS AREN'T GOING TO CHANGE THAT MUCH IF THE TOWNSHIP JUST PASSES ON IT, MAYBE THEY'LL COME DOWN IN THEIR PRICE OR MAYBE EVEN DONATE IT SINCE IT'S GOING TO A TO AN ESTATE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME. SEEING NONE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:26 P.M..

NEXT UP IS OUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT. MANAGER DEMPSEY.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

FIRST, I WANT TO EXTEND THANKS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ANDREW CLARK AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PARKS AND REC TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION LAST FRIDAY. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND SOME GREAT MUSIC AND GOOD VENDORS OUT THERE, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN A RELATED REMINDER THAT TOWNSHIP OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED THIS FRIDAY IN CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY.

THE HOME TV AUGUST PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE.

SO THESE ARE FOR CANDIDATES FOR STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICES COMING UP FOR THE AUGUST PRIMARY ELECTION.

RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS THOSE AT HOMETV.NET OR GO DIRECTLY TO YOUTUBE AS WELL, ON THE HOME TV CHANNEL THERE.

THERE'LL ALSO BE INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS ON THE CADL AND INGHAM COUNTY BALLOT PROPOSALS.

THOSE WILL BE LIKELY ONLINE BY NEXT TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD AS WELL.

AND THEN THE FINAL ITEM IS THAT THE MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM AND GREEN TEAM ARE HOSTING THE ANNUAL ENERGY FAIR AT THE FARMERS MARKET THIS SATURDAY FROM 9 TO 1, SO VISITORS CAN LEARN ALL THINGS ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY, HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION.

SO WE ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE TOPICS TO STOP BY AND ENJOY THE FARMER'S MARKET AS WELL.

UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME THAT WRAPS IT UP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON TO ITEM 7.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

YEAH, I WANTED TO GIVE A REMINDER AGAIN TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT MERIDIAN WILL BE HOSTING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH, THE INGHAM COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE MTA MEETING IN THIS ROOM.

THIS IS WITH OUR NEW INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, JIM PATTON SPEAKING.

AND AS I SAID LAST TIME, WE ARE BLESSED WITH OUR MILLAGE, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR ALL THESE OTHER TOWNSHIPS.

AND OF COURSE, THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THOSE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I WOULD ASK THAT IF YOU DO PLAN ON ATTENDING, YOU ALL RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MY FRIEND ROBIN CLEVELAND OF WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP.

IF YOU COULD PLEASE RSVP TO THAT JUST FOR SAKE OF REFRESHMENT ORDERING, BUT HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

AND LASTLY I WANTED TO GIVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THE MERIDIAN PRIDE EVENT THAT MANY OF US ATTENDED A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO AND REITERATING WHAT I SAID WITH A SOMEWHAT QUIET MICROPHONE.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS WHO MADE THAT EVENT POSSIBLE.

TAX DOLLARS DO NOT GO TOWARDS THE FUNDING OF THOSE EVENTS.

THAT IS A SPONSORSHIP LED INITIATIVE. AND SO WHILE I DON'T HAVE THAT LONG LIST IN FRONT OF ME, I DO APPRECIATE THEM AND ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MAKE THIS PLACE A MORE WELCOMING AND WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU. OTHERS? YEAH. I'LL PILE ON MY APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO DIRECTOR CLARK AND THE FOLKS, THE STAFF WHO PUT TOGETHER THE THE JUNETEENTH EVENT THIS YEAR.

IT CONTINUES TO GROW. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME GREAT VENDORS AND SMALL BUSINESS OPERATORS THERE SELLING VARIOUS SUNDRY THINGS, CAKES. THEY WERE DELIGHTFUL. AND THE BANDS WERE GREAT AS USUAL.

[00:30:01]

AND THEN OF COURSE, FOR OUR PRIDE EVENT AS WELL WHICH TRUSTEE LENTZ TOUCHED ON.

ANOTHER TERRIFIC SHOWING THERE. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE YOU KNOW, THE JOY THAT IT BRINGS AND INSPIRES IN OUR RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE.

AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT AND FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT GOES IN BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THOSE EVENTS HAPPEN.

OTHER REPORTS? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 8.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

WILSON. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

AN APPOINTMENT TO THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD OF TREASURER BURGHARDT.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. AN AGREEMENT WITH COMCAST FOR SERVICES AT THE SERVICE CENTER, THIS IS A CONTRACT EXECUTION.

PROPERTY DISPOSAL FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF A NUMBER OF ITEMS. AND THAT'S ALL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE WILSON. MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE SUPPORT? SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE. SUNDLAND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WILL TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ? YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES. TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. AND SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES. IT PASSES 6-0.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHTY, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10A, THE 2026 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK

[10.A. 2026 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Special Assessment District #22 - Public Hearing]

AND WE HAVE CASEY HART, OUR SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER, WHO'S WITH US THIS EVENING TO GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. SO AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD AND ALSO THE PUBLIC THE SIDEWALK ORDER TO MAINTAIN PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERS. IT INVOLVES SENDING OUT OUR STAFF TO WALK DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF SIDEWALK WITHIN SUBDIVISIONS AND INSPECT THEM FOR ANY DEFECTS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE REPAIRED. SO SPECIFICALLY THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM, WE FOCUSED ON THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE TOWNSHIP, TOWNSHIP SECTIONS 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, AND 9. SO WE SENT OUT OUR INSPECTORS.

THEY WALKED ALL THE SUBDIVISIONS WITHIN THOSE TOWNSHIP SECTIONS AND BASICALLY KIND OF LOOKED AT IT IN A LENS OF SAFETY RELATED REPAIRS THAT MAY NEED TO BE MADE.

SO SOME OF THE MOST COMMON ONES ARE TRIP HAZARDS.

SO WE IDENTIFY THOSE AS SLABS THAT HAVE HEAVED AN INTEGRATOR.

OR IF THERE'S MULTIPLE CRACKS THROUGHOUT A SECTION OF SIDEWALK OR AN CRACK THAT'S AN INCH OR WIDER.

SO I'D SAY THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE DEFECTS THAT WE WOULD MARK UP.

AND AS OF LAST MONTH'S MAY, I THINK 19TH MEETING, YOU GUYS APPROVED OR THE RESOLUTION ONE AND TWO, WHICH BASICALLY CREATED A DRAFT ASSESSMENT ROLE AND ALSO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS EVENING.

SO LATER ON IN THIS MEETING, I'LL BE BACK UP TO TALK ABOUT RESOLUTION NUMBER 3 AND THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROGRAM.

BUT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN GENERAL, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE BEFORE WE OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC.

THANK YOU. I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY SAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE DISCUSSION ITEM OR THE ACTION ITEM LATER.

OKAY. BUT WE APPRECIATE THE SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDER TO MAINTAIN.

AT THIS POINT, WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR IF ANY RESIDENTS WISH TO ADDRESS THE ORDER TO MAINTAIN SPECIFICALLY AT 6:34 P.M..

SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC RUSHING TO THE PODIUM, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:34 P.M..

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11A, ORDINANCE. 2026-07, THE GARZA FAMILY FROM 1745 MACK AVENUE REZONING.

[11.A. Ordinance #2026-07-Garza Family-1745 Mack Avenue Rezoning-Adoption]

MR. SCHMITT. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY THAT IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF MACK AVENUE AND MARSH ROAD FROM ITS CURRENT DESIGNATION OF RDD MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL TO RB, ONE FAMILY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.

[00:35:03]

AND SO THIS REQUEST WOULD BRING THE PROPERTY, THE ZONING OF THE PROPERTY IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE USE OF THE PROPERTY.

WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AS REQUIRED BY LAW AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO THE BOARD.

AND THE BOARD DID DIRECT STAFF TO FORMALLY PUBLISH INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDINANCE AT THEIR JUNE 2ND MEETING, WHICH WAS DONE PRIOR TO THIS EVENING. THEREFORE, WE ARE IN A POSITION NOW WHERE WE WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKET. WOULD EFFECTUATE THAT, AND THEN WE WILL PUBLISH THE APPROVED ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH DIRECTOR SCHMITT. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION OR MOTIONS TO BE MADE THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE LENTZ. OH I MOVE TO ADOPTION. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 2026-.

OH, COULD I HAVE THAT BACK AGAIN? AM I LOOKING AT THE WRONG ONE? IT'S 11A. YEP. OKAY. MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 2026-07.

AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 1745 MACK AVENUE. PARCEL ID NUMBER 33-02-02-03-251-001. FROM RDD MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UP TO FIVE DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE TO RB, ONE FAMILY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM IN FRONT OF US. I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. THIS FEELS LIKE A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROJECT TO HELP A FAMILY THAT IS INTERESTED IN HAVING THEIR PROPERTY BE IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY ENVISION. SO HAPPY TO MAKE THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE WILSON. I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IT'S AN RB DESIGNATION WHICH THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ARE.

YEAH, I'LL ADD THAT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

WE DISCUSSED THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING AS WELL.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS REZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING OF THIS PARCEL.

AND TO ME MAKES PERFECT SENSE THAT IT, YOU KNOW, BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS NEIGHBORS.

AND SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS AS WELL. FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TRUSTEE LENTZ? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES.

TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES.

AND TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES. WE HAVE 6 AFFIRMATIVES.

NONE OPPOSED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[11.B. Zoning Amendment #2026-06-Parking Standards Update-Adoption]

DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS HERE ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS IS THE LAST PIECE OF STAFF'S WORK AND PLANNING COMMISSION'S WORK ON THE PARKING ORDINANCE FOR NOW.

THIS GETS US TO ROUGHLY 3/8 OF THE ORDINANCE FULLY UPDATED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

SO WE'VE MET A LOT OF PROGRESS OVER TIME. BUT SPECIFICALLY THIS ONE IS SORT OF THE TECHNICAL BONES OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE.

WE'VE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF SPACES SORT OF ASSOCIATED WITH USES.

THE LANDSCAPING WAS DONE SEPARATELY, AND NOW WE'RE INTO THE SORT OF NUTS AND BOLTS. PLANNING COMMISSION HAS HAD A ROBUST AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

ULTIMATELY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD HAS HAD DISCUSSION AND HAD NO MAJOR CONCERNS.

DIRECTED AND DIRECTED STAFF AT THE JUNE 2ND MEETING TO PUBLISH THE ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION FOR EVENTUAL ADOPTION.

SO WE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING, HAVING PUBLISHED THAT DOCUMENT AND RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME.

I CAN ALREADY TELL YOU, WE'VE STARTED TALKING TO DEVELOPERS AS IF THIS IS THE PLAN, RIGHT? HAD A CONVERSATION TODAY WHERE THIS WILL PROBABLY COME INTO PLAY WITH RESPECT TO A REDEVELOPMENT SITE.

SO ALREADY MAKING SOME PROGRESS ON ON IMPLEMENTING THIS SHOULD THE BOARD CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS OR A MOTION FOR ADOPTION.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING TEXT AMENDMENT 2026-06 TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AT ARTICLE 8 OF CHAPTER 86 TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR PARKING AND PARKING LOTS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

[00:40:09]

ANY DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE TREZISE. WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

I THINK ONE OF THE PLUSES FOR THIS IS IT STANDARDIZES WHERE WE'RE GOING.

IT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PARKING CONFIGURATIONS.

AND ALSO HOPEFULLY WE'LL REDUCE THE IMPERMEABLE SURFACE AREA TAKEN UP BY PARKING LOTS, WHICH ARE NOT READILY USED OR OFTEN USED AT THIS TIME. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, TRUSTEE WILSON.

AND I ALSO SUPPORT IT FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING GREEN SPACE INSTEAD OF IMPERMEABLE SURFACE BY REDUCING THE PARKING.

AND IT HAS GONE THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW.

SO I THINK WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON THIS TODAY.

I AGREE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPENT WE BETWEEN THE BOARD, THE PLANNING STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE SPENT PROBABLY OVER A YEAR AT THIS POINT WORKING ON THE PARKING ORDINANCE AT LEAST.

THIS REPRESENTS THE THIRD OF OUR THREE MAJOR CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.

YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE OUR STANDARDIZING OUR REGULATION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR THE INCLUSION OF CHARGING STATIONS THERE, AS WELL AS THE BICYCLE PARKING SPACES STANDARDIZATION AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, AND TO TRUSTEE TREZISE AND WILSON POINTS YOU KNOW, WE, OUR PREVIOUS UPDATE TO THIS ALSO, YOU KNOW, WORKED ON REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT OVERALL THAT A, THE PROJECT NEEDED TO HAVE.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THE, THERE ARE SOME IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MALIGN THE MR. CAR WASH PROJECT OVER IN THE OFF OF MARCH ROAD.

BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE OUTBACK PROPERTY, LOOK AT HOW MUCH GRASS AND, YOU KNOW, PERMEABLE SURFACE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THAT PROJECT.

NOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY AS A RESULT OF THIS, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE DESIGN FOR THAT WAS IN THE WORKS BEFORE THIS.

BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE OUT OF THESE OUT OF THESE AREAS.

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO RIDE THEIR BIKES.

PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSIT, PUBLIC TRANSIT.

AND THESE PARKING LOTS ARE SITTING EMPTY MOST OF THE TIME.

AND I THINK THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING, BOTH WHAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY, AND ALSO THESE WILL HELP TO FACILITATE THAT AND BRING BACK SOME NEEDED GREEN SPACE TO OUR COMMERCIAL AREAS. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT THIS EVENING AS WELL.

NO FURTHER COMMENTS. SEEING NONE WE'LL TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES. TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES. WE HAVE AN TRUSTEE LENTZ? I WOULD ALSO, YES.

JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE. RIGHT. YEAH. WELL, YOUR VOTE WOULDN'T MATTER.

YEAH. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WE HAVE SIX AFFIRMATIVES, NO NEGATIVES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU DIRECTOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS ITEM 11C,

[11.C. 2026 Order to Maintain Sidewalk Special Assessment District #22 – Resolution #3]

DISTRICT NUMBER 22, RESOLUTION NO. 3. WE WELCOME BACK SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER CASEY HART.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. SO RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE, THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

IF ADOPTED, THAT WOULD DIRECT OUR DPW DEPARTMENT TO SEND OUT A NOTICE TO REPAIR TO THE RESIDENTS LOCATED ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLL. SO WHAT THIS NOTICE IS, IT BASICALLY TELLS THEM THAT THEY HAVE 20 DAYS TO MAKE THE REPAIR TO THEIR SIDEWALK IF THEY WANT TO DO IT THEMSELVES OR HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO DO SO. I WILL NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING AT HOME AND IF YOU'RE ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLL, WE ARE FLEXIBLE WITH THAT TIMELINE. I UNDERSTAND THAT 20 DAYS CAN BE A QUICK KIND OF TURNAROUND TO GET DIFFERENT QUOTES FROM CONTRACTORS AND ALSO GET THE WORK DONE IN THAT PERIOD, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEIGHT OF CONSTRUCTION SEASON.

SO I JUST ASK THAT IF YOU DO WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE AND REPAIR IT YOURSELF, JUST REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW DURING THAT 20 DAY PERIOD, WE'LL MAKE NOTE OF IT AND WORK WITH YOU REGARDING THAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND HIRE THEIR OWN CONTRACTOR.

WE WILL HAVE OUR TOWNSHIP CONCRETE CONTRACTOR COME OUT AND DO THE REPAIRS AFTER THAT 20 DAY NOTICE HAS EXPIRED.

SO CURRENTLY WITH KIND OF THE TIMELINE OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR CONCRETE CONTRACTORS LIST,

[00:45:05]

SO ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE WE SEND THEM OUT TO DO THE REPAIRS, WE'LL HAVE THEM POST DOOR KNOCKERS ON ALL THE RESIDENTS DOORS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE YOU KNOW, WELL AWARE OF WHEN THAT WORK WILL BE TAKING PLACE.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE NEXT STEPS OF THE PROGRAM GETTING THIS RESOLUTION ADOPTED AND KIND OF MOVING IT FORWARD INTO CONSTRUCTION.

SO AFTER THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHERE WE BRING BACK THE FINAL ASSESSMENT ROLL AFTER THE ALL THE CONCRETE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AND WE'VE TAKEN MEASUREMENTS OF THAT. SO LIKELY WE'LL DO THAT PROBABLY EARLY NEXT YEAR IN 2027.

THAT WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEST.

YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'VE BEEN ASSESSED. AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT WILL GO ON TO SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR SUMMER OF 2027.

SO THAT'S AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE REGARDING IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS? TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

THANK YOU. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS I'M ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON THE LIST AND MY, MY FRONT TREE, ACTUALLY, IT'S THE TREE THAT YOU PLANT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP PLANTED BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE ROAD THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S GETTING SO BIG, IT'S BUCKLING THAT SIDEWALK. BUT ONE THING I DID NOTICE, I HAD TO HAVE A SQUARE REPLACE OVER TIME IN THE PAST. AND THEN THIS SQUARE IS LIKE THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS IT WAS IN THE PAST.

OKAY. SO IT'S THE INCREASE IS IT'S SUBSTANTIAL.

SO I'M SURE IT'S PROBABLY THE CONCRETE BUSINESS.

AND YEAH, JUST CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY.

I WILL SAY THOUGH WE JUST REBID OUR COUNTRY CONCRETE CONTRACT THIS YEAR.

WE, IT WAS VERY COMPETITIVE. I THINK WE HAD, I WANT TO SAY NINE DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS BID IT.

AND OUR RATES THAT WE SELECTED WITH OUR CONCRETE CONTRACTOR WERE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.

SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S COMPETITIVE ON YOUR END BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SEEING THE INCREASE.

BUT THAT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A MARKET RIGHT NOW.

I'M NOT SURE WHEN YOUR, YOUR REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE, BUT I'D SAY FROM, FROM 2020 ESPECIALLY, THINGS HAVE JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, EXPONENTIALLY INCREASING IN.

WHATEVER TIME PERIOD BECAUSE I HAD A REPAIR BEFORE.

YEAH, THIS ONE AGAIN. AND THIS IS THERE. THE TIMING IS JUST WHEN YOU COME THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS PROBABLY.

RIGHT, YEAH, AND TYPICALLY I'D SAY WE COME THROUGH EVERY 7 TO 10 YEARS.

SO IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, AROUND THAT TIMELINE, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEP. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR MOTION TO BE MADE? TRUSTEE WILSON. OH. I'M SORRY. SORRY. I HAD A QUESTION.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE BID PROCESS AND THE ESTIMATES YOU PLACE.

IT'S SIMPLY A SQUARE FOOTAGE CALCULATION. CORRECT.

NO PROFIT IN THAT OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT'S WHATEVER THE COST IS TO REPLACE THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE OF CONCRETE.

RIGHT, IT'S, YES, IT'S WE DO ADD IN A, THERE'S A 15% MARKUP AND THAT'S JUST TO COVER OUR INTERNAL TIME.

SO WE HAVE TO SEND EVERYBODY OUT TO WALK ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL OF MY TIME TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE THE RESOLUTION AND THE INVOICING AND WHATNOT.

SO YEP. THAT'S ALL THERE IS. TRUSTEE WILSON. I WILL MAKE THIS VERY LONG MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2026 ORDER TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, DISTRICT NO.

21, RESOLUTION NO. 3, WHICH APPROVES REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALKS IN PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS CARRIAGE HILL ESTATES. CARRIAGE HILL ESTATES NO.

2. CARRIAGE HILL ESTATES NO. 3. CRESTWOOD NO.

2. CRESTWOOD NO. 3. CRESTWOOD NO. 5. EVERETT FARMS NO.

FOUR. EVERETT FARMS. EVERETT HILLS. NO. 4. EVERETT HILLS.

DID I GET YOU? GOT YOU GOT THOSE. OKAY. EVERETT FARMS NO.

4. EVERETT HILLS. EVERETT WOODS. HERITAGE HILLS.

HERITAGE HILLS NO. THREE. HERITAGE HILLS NO. 4.

SIERRA RIDGE ESTATE. STORMWATER DETENTION. DETENTION.

SIERRA RIDGE ESTATES NO. 2. WHITEHILLS LAKES.

WHITEHILLS LAKES NO. 1. WOOD CREEK. AND TO DEFRAY THE COST BY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT APPROVES THE COST ESTIMATE OF

[00:50:01]

DIRECTS THE MAKING OF AN ASSESSMENT ROLL. AND DIRECTS NOTICES BE SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE 20 DAYS TO REPLACE OR MAKE SAFE THE DEFECTIVE SIDEWALK.

IT'S BEEN MOVED EXHAUSTIVELY BY TRUSTEE WILSON SUPPORT.

OH, THAT IS EASY. THAT'S SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? IT'S A STANDARD PROCEDURE THAT YOU KNOW I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP STAFF CONTINUE TO EXECUTE AT A HIGH RATE.

AND SPEAKING FOR THE FORMER TREASURER WHO ALWAYS MADE THIS COMMENT I KNOW THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOES A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING COSTS LOW FOR THIS COMPARED TO OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS. AND I KNOW THE RESIDENTS APPRECIATE THAT.

OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS NOW FOR DECADES AT THIS POINT.

AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IF RESIDENTS CAN FIND A BETTER PRICE FOR THIS, WE WELCOME THEM TO DO SO.

I'LL SAY HAVING HAD SOME NEIGHBORS WHO WERE ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO DO SO. TOWNSHIP GETS A GOOD RATE AND IS ABLE TO PASS THAT ALONG TO RESIDENTS IN AN ECONOMICAL FASHION.

SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. AND AS AVID NEIGHBORHOOD WALKERS, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE OUT THERE RIDING THEIR BIKES AND RIDING THEIR SCOOTERS AND ORDINARILY JUST RUNNING AND NOT WATCHING WHERE THEIR FEET GO.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SAFE PATHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS FOR THEM, FOR ALL OF THEM TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS THIS EVENING.

SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS. TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES. TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. TRUSTEE OR TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES.

AND SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES. WE HAVE SIX AFFIRMATIVE VOTES.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 11D, ZONING AMENDMENT NUMBER 2026-05 BACKYARD CHICKEN AND RABBITS

[11.D. Zoning Amendment #2026-05 - Backyard Chicken and Rabbits Update - ADOPTION]

THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THIS IS THE FINAL PIECE OF ADOPTION FOR THE MOST RECENT UPDATE TO THE BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBIT ORDINANCE THAT STAFF HAS UPDATED A COUPLE TIMES IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THIS REQUEST WAS DIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF A RESIDENT, I BELIEVE, AT ONE OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS.

THAT BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT IN THE OUTSIDE OF THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL SORT OF AGRICULTURAL AREA OF THE TOWNSHIP, THE EASTERN THIRD, IF YOU WILL, BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBITS ARE ALLOWED IN ALL OF THE SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICTS.

BUT ONE, THE RB DISTRICT, WHICH IS WHERE YOU START TO BLEND INTO THE DUPLEX.

AND THE RX DISTRICT, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY PROPERTIES OF, IS THE DUPLEX DISTRICT, BUT FUNCTIONALLY, THEY'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY IN NATURE.

AND SO THE REQUEST AT THE TIME WAS TO REVIEW THE ORDINANCE TO SEE IF POTENTIALLY WE COULD EXPAND INTO THOSE DISTRICTS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED IT EXTENSIVELY AND MADE A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THAT EXPANSION AND THE BOARD.

THEY DID MAKE A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. THE BOARD HAS DISCUSSED THIS AND DIRECTED STAFF AT THE MAY 19TH MEETING TO PUBLISH THE ORDINANCE WITH AN INTENT TO ADOPT.

AND SO WE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR BACKYARD, THE KEEPING OF BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBITS WITHIN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? OR A MOTION TO BE MADE.

TREASURER BURGHARDT. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 2026-07 AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE. WE'RE ON THE WRONG ONE. I'M SORRY. YES, WE'RE ON CHICKENS REZONING.

WE'RE ON THE CHICKENS. OKAY. HOLD ON. WE'LL GET THERE.

OKAY, SO WE ALREADY DID. OH SEVEN. WE CAN'T DO THAT ONE AGAIN.

THERE WE GO. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WAS ON SUCH A ROLL.

I'M SORRY. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE TEXT AMENDMENT 20, NUMBER 2026-05 TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AT SECTION 86-368.

TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR THE KEEPING OF BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBITS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

[00:55:04]

ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TREASURER BURGHARDT ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? OH, DO NOT SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION. I'M FINE. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE CARVE OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICT. SO WE'RE FIXING SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO THANK YOU TO OUR CHICKEN OWNER WHO'S HERE TONIGHT.

OR CHICKEN? THAT'S RIGHT. ALMOST GOT HER. YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE IDEAS THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENT BROUGHT TO US AT OUR LISTENING SESSION.

AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE COMMON SENSE CHANGES THAT WE CAN MAKE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE TREATED THE SAME WAY.

AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS A NO BRAINER. THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A ZONING DISTRICT WHERE MY HOUSE IS LOCATED.

AND WHILE I DON'T INTEND TO HAVE CHICKENS, I DO EXPECT WE'LL BE HAVING SOME CHICKENS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THAT'S JUST FINE BY ME. SO WITH THAT SAID, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. WILL TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES.

TRUSTEE LENTZ? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES. TRUSTEE WILSON? I HIT YOU, DIDN'T I? YES.

SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES. WE HAVE SIX YAYS.

ALRIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR ACTION ITEMS THIS EVENING.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12A, THE LAND PRESERVATION ACQUISITION OF HAMILTON, BUT NOT OF HAMILTON ROAD.

[12.A. Land Preservation Acquisition-Hamilton Road]

GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. I'M THE STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR WITH THE TOWNSHIP, AND I'M ALSO THE STAFF FOR OUR LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

SO REALLY QUICK FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT OUR BOARD STANDS FOR AND THEN WHAT THE ACQUISITION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND ADVISORY BOARD, ALONG WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT'S TIED TO ALL THAT WAS CREATED IN 2000.

THE GOAL WAS TO ACQUIRE 600 ACRES OF LAND TO PRESERVE NOT JUST GREEN SPACE, BUT PRESERVING ECOLOGICAL HABITAT.

YOU KNOW, REALLY AREAS MEANT FOR MORE PASSIVE RECREATION, NOT NECESSARILY PARKS THAT ARE MORE MAINTAINED.

SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 959 ACRES AND I AM CHARGED WITH ALL OF THOSE AND STEWARDSHIP AT PARKS.

SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OUR ACQUISITION PROCESS HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY.

NOW WE REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING MORE AT MANAGEMENT OF THESE LANDS.

SO WHEN I WAS HIRED IN, IT WAS MANAGEMENT WHICH IS AMAZING.

AND I GET TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT MY BOARD STILL SERVES TO REALLY HONOR OUR DUE DILIGENCE.

AND SO WE DO GET PARCELS PRESENTED TO US ALL THE TIME FROM STAFF, FROM, YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS, FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO OUR LAST ACQUISITION WAS IN 2023 OF ABOUT THREE ACRES OF WETLAND.

BUT PREVIOUS TO THAT, OUR LAST ACQUISITIONS WERE AROUND 2018.

SO WE'VE REALLY SLOWED THAT DOWN. BUT AGAIN, IT IS OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO LOOK AT THESE PARCELS.

WE'VE PROBABLY LOOKED AT ABOUT 8 OR 9 SINCE LAST YEAR.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'RE REALLY PICKY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PARCELS.

AND SO OF COURSE WHEN A PARCEL IS ADJACENT TO OUR LAND PRESERVE, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK VERY CLOSELY.

WE ALSO HAD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO US TO PURSUE THIS PARCEL.

SO OUR BOARD REALLY GOES THROUGH THE WRINGER WITH THESE.

WE GO OUT AND WE DO AN ECOLOGICAL SCREENING. WE DECIDE THE VALUE OF THE LAND.

WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A LARGE AMOUNT OF INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT TO COMPLETE? THEY DO NOT WANT TO ADD A TON TO MY WORKLOAD.

THEY'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF WHAT MY STAFF AND I HAVE TO DO EVERY DAY.

AND THEN WE ALSO GET AN ESA PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT, PHASE ONE, AND THEN AN APPRAISAL DONE TO EVEN REALLY SEE IF IT'S A ROAD THAT WE WANT TO GO DOWN. AND THEN OF COURSE, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION COMING RIGHT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

OH GOSH, I HOPE THAT'S NOT MY PHONE. I'M SO SORRY.

[01:00:03]

SO WHEN WE GET AN APPRAISAL DONE. WE ARE YOU KNOW, THAT IS REALLY THE PRICE THAT WE ARE GOING TO OFFER A LANDOWNER.

OF COURSE, WE CAN NEGOTIATE AT THAT POINT. OUR BOARD, THIS WAS APPRAISED AT 87,000 AT, FOR 1.94 ACRES, 0.48 OF THE ACRES IS CLASSIFIED AS USABLE LAND AREA.

SO THAT IS WHAT OUR BOARD DECIDED TO BRING FORTH TO THE LANDOWNER AS A NEGOTIATION.

SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN SO FAR AND NOW WHERE WE'RE AT IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR BOARD AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO BRING THIS PARCEL INTO OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

IT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO MANDENBERG WOODS. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE CAME ACROSS THIS WITH OUR ACQUISITION IN 2023, WHICH WAS MOSTLY WETLAND.

AND THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY GET THE QUESTION.

WELL, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE DEVELOPED ON ANYWAY.

AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT NOW IN LAND MANAGEMENT LAND IS NOT REALLY GOING TO THRIVE ANYMORE ON PRESERVATION ALONE. SO IF THAT LAND BECOMES UNDEVELOPED, THAT'S GREAT.

IT'LL SIT THERE. BUT WE'RE AT THE POINT IN OUR ECOLOGICAL STANDING WHERE INVASIVE SPECIES MOVE AND THEY MOVE AND THEY MOVE.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT LAKE LANSING NORTH PRESERVE, AND THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF LAND AND IT THRIVES BECAUSE WE STEWARD IT, WE BURN IT EVERY OTHER YEAR. WE PUT COUNTLESS HOURS INTO IT.

OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BASELINE THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR LAND PRESERVES REALLY THRIVE BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING THE WORK IN TO MAKE THEM MORE DIVERSE PLACES.

IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN BY SITTING THERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO BELIEVE THAT ABOUT GREEN SPACE, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT IT WILL FILL IN WITH INVASIVE SPECIES OVER TIME.

THERE ARE A FEW INVASIVE SPECIES PRESENT, BUT NOTHING THAT WE CAN'T HANDLE.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE OVERVIEW. THERE ARE WHAT WE THINK ARE VERNAL POOLS ON THE PROPERTY AS WELL.

SO WE ARE CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN THE WETLAND HABITAT THERE, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IT'S RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER AND IT'S GOING TO SERVE AS A PLACE WHERE STORMWATER RUNOFF CAN GO TO AND HOPEFULLY DROP SOME SEDIMENT AND POLLUTANTS BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE RIVER.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE OUR INTEREST LIES. AND I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE WILSON. WAS THE APPRAISAL DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT PARTY? IT WAS DONE BY VALBRIDGE PROPERTY ADVISORS. BECAUSE I DID NOTE AS OUR, CONSTITUENT, NEIL BOWLBY POINTED OUT, IS THE SPIKE IN THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY AFTER BEING BASICALLY FLAT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

DID YOU HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT? NO. DID THEY REASSESS ALL OF HAMILTON ROAD RECENTLY? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS IS A THIS IS A QUESTION I CAN TRACK DOWN.

YEAH, WE CAN CHECK WITH THE ASSESSOR ON THAT AND GET AN ANSWER BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

ALL RIGHT. I DRIVE BY THIS PROPERTY BASICALLY EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLOSE TO MY HOME, AND I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S BUILDABLE. I THINK THE ILLUSTRATION THAT WE SAW REALLY TELLS YOU THE PROBLEM WITH IT.

IT'S BASICALLY UNBUILDABLE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A STEEP DROP OFF TO THE RIVER OVER THERE.

SO GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF MANDENBURG WOODS RIGHT NEXT TO IT, IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY.

TRUSTEE TREZISE. I AGREE IT DOESN'T APPEAR BUILDABLE TO ME AND I WALKED THROUGH IT TODAY.

DID YOU? I DID WANDER THROUGH THE TREES. I DIDN'T GO DOWN THE CLIFF.

RIGHT. IT'S QUITE THE LITTLE WALK DOWN THERE.

YEAH, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN DOWN, BUT COMING UP WOULD HAVE BEEN TROUBLE.

NO, IT'S AN INTERESTING PIECE OF PROPERTY. THERE'S NO FOUNDATION ON IT.

THERE IS ON VANDENBERG AS WELL THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING IT REMOVED OR WHAT THE TRADE OFF WOULD BE OF THAT.

BUT YEAH, THERE IS ALSO ONE ON VANDENBERG. OKAY.

LOOKS LIKE AN OLD GARAGE OR SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE MAY HAVE HIT OVER THERE OR A SHED, BUT YEAH.

YOU SAID THERE IS SOME INVASIVE SPECIES, BUT NOT AN OVERABUNDANCE.

YEAH. SO THERE IS TREE OF HEAVEN, WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH.

[01:05:02]

AND WE ARE ACTUALLY JUST MOUNTING OUR ATTACK ON THE SPECIES THIS YEAR.

WE'VE BEEN HOLDING OFF BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THE PROBLEM MUCH WORSE.

SO WE HAVE FOUND A FEW ON THAT PROPERTY AT VANDENBERG AS WELL.

AND THEN THERE IS A WINTER ACONITE COLONY ON THE PRESERVE OR ON THAT PARCEL, WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE DID HAVE PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US WANTING TO PRESERVE THE LAND TO PRESERVE THE WINTER ACONITE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A NATIVE SPECIES.

IT'S NOT INVASIVE THAT I KNOW OF, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE WOULD MANAGE OUT OF THERE.

WELL, IF IT'S NEXT TO PRESERVED LAND IF IT DEVELOPS ON THIS TWO ACRES IT WILL BE ON WHAT ABOUT EIGHT ACRES OF THE OTHER ONE. I MEAN IT WILL SPREAD TO IT AND MAKE IT MORE PROBLEMATIC THAN IT IS AT THIS POINT.

SO I THINK THAT ALONE JUSTIFIES IT. AND THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT BUILDABLE IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

I DO QUESTION THE PRICE OF IT. I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING THING TO PURSUE AND TO TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THE PRESERVE.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YEAH. I WOULD ECHO THE THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PRICE OF THE PIECE OF LAND, BUT TO FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AS MUCH AS ANYONE.

I, YOU KNOW, HAVE JOINED EMMA AND HER TEAM AT VARIOUS NATIVE PLANTINGS AND REMOVALS OF INVASIVES.

AND THE WORK THAT IS DONE THERE, I THINK IT CLEARLY BENEFITS ALL SPECIFICALLY, I REMEMBER AT THE VERNAL POOL PRESENTATION, THERE WAS A NOTE ABOUT ELIMINATING SOME INVASIVES CAN HELP STABILIZE THE PH OF BODIES OF WATER THAT COULD LEAD TO, EXCUSE ME, LESS MOSQUITO GROWTH. I'M SURE EMMA WOULD TELL ME WHY THAT'S A LITTLE INCORRECT, BUT HOPEFULLY I GET THE HIGH MARKS THERE. BUT, I DID WANT TO ASK ONE QUESTION.

COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT AS TO OUTSIDE OF THE FINAL SALE PRICE OF THE PIECE OF LAND, HOW YOU MIGHT EXPECT THIS WOULD AFFECT THE LAND PRESERVATION FUND? I KNOW IT'S A RELATIVELY QUITE HEALTHY FUND, BUT YOU KNOW, IS THE UP FRONT COST OF ADDING TWO ALMOST TWO ACRES, YOU KNOW, IS IT GOING TO COST 20,000 TO DO A PROPER BRUSH THROUGH, AND THEN IT GETS INTO LIKE REGULAR MAINTENANCE? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK WHEN UPON FIRST ACQUISITION? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING OUR WORKDAYS AND OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO HAVE A BOARD MEMBER THERE.

AND YOU DID A VERY GOOD JOB EXPLAINING THE MOSQUITO GROUND.

BUT YOU'RE ILLUSTRATING THAT WITHOUT MANAGEMENT, THINGS CAN GET A LITTLE CRAZY IN IMBALANCED.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION ABOUT OUR, ESPECIALLY LIKE OUR INITIAL COSTS WHEN WE DO INHERIT A LAND PRESERVE.

SO REALLY THE THE LARGEST COST. AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT ACQUISITION COST COMES OUT OF OUR RESERVE FUND.

THAT'S THE FUND THAT I DON'T USE FOR MANAGEMENT OR ANYTHING AT ALL.

IT'S THERE FOR ACQUISITION AND TO SIT THERE AND LOOK PRETTY.

SO I DO USE THE MILLAGE FOR MY MANAGEMENT AND FOR MY STAFF ALONE.

AND THEN WHEN WE ACQUIRE A PROPERTY, WE DO NEED TO GET PROPER SIGNAGE FOR IT, WHICH THOSE LARGE NAME SIGNS WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO REPLACE QUITE A FEW THIS YEAR.

THEY CAN PUT US BACK ABOUT A GRAND FOR THE REALLY BIG ONES.

AND THEN THE NEXT MOST EXPENSIVE PIECE IS GOING TO BE OUR STEWARDSHIP PLAN THAT IS OUTLINED IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE TO GET A STEWARDSHIP PLAN FOR EACH PROPERTY THAT WE ACQUIRE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE IT AND WE DO OUR OWN MANAGEMENT PLAN KIND OF AROUND THAT.

BUT WE DO HAVE A COMPANY COME IN. AND I WOULD GUESS THAT FOR OUR THREE ACRES THAT CAME IN AT ABOUT SIX GRAND.

SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE AROUND PROBABLY A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT.

AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR SURVEY IS THE NEXT BIGGEST COST THAT SETS US BACK.

AND YOU KNOW, TO, TO DO FIVE AND A HALF ACRES RECENTLY AND TO REMARK OUR ENTIRE BOUNDARY WITH OUR LAND PRESERVE MARKERS.

IT WAS ABOUT NINE GRAND. SO I'M ASSUMING FOR A TWO ACRE PARCEL THAT IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT COST RIGHT THERE.

ONCE WE GET ALL THAT DONE AND WE MARK OUT THE BOUNDARY AND WE GET IT A NICE STEWARDSHIP PLAN.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S REALLY JUST A MAINTENANCE COST, WHICH IS US, YOU KNOW, USING OUR STAFF TIME TO GO OUT AND MANAGE INVASIVE SPECIES.

WE DO CONTRACTUAL MANAGEMENT. AND I'VE BEEN EXPANDING MORE INTO THAT BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH GROUND TO COVER.

[01:10:02]

IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE QUITE EASY FOR US TO MANAGE.

AND OF COURSE, WITH OUR MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WE GET TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND WE ALSO GET VOLUNTEER HELP TO REMOVE THOSE INVASIVE SPECIES. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIAL COSTS.

AND THEN MAINTENANCE MODE IS, IS PRETTY LOW, PRETTY LOW COST.

REALLY STAFF TIME IS, IS THE MAIN THING THERE.

YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THAT CLEARS UP MY AREAS OF CONCERN.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY SNOWBALLING YOU FINDING SOMETHING ALONG THE WAY.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SOME ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THAT STARTUP PRESERVATION WOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO. ABSOLUTELY, WHICH IS WHY WE PASS UP WHY WE HAVE PASSED UP OTHER PARCELS IN THE PAST, EVEN THOUGH NEIGHBORS REALLY, REALLY WANTED US TO PURCHASE THEM. IF IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BUCKTHORN FIELD.

YEAH. AND TO ME, THAT'S NOT VERY SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR LONG TERM MANAGEMENT.

AND THAT WOULD TAKE CONTINUED MANAGEMENT. BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE.

AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. I WOULD ECHO THAT POINT.

SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS SPECIFICALLY SPOKE TO ME AS BOARD, AS A BOARD MEMBER WHEN I WENT OUT THERE FOR AN INVASIVE DEMONSTRATION, AND THEY WERE KNOWLEDGEABLE ECOLOGISTS FROM MSU WHO SPOKE TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WE DON'T WANT TO BUY EVERY SINGLE PARCEL BECAUSE THEN THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS BECOMES HIGHLY, HIGHLY UNTENABLE. SO I'M VERY ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF ANSWERS MY CONCERNS OF COURSE, KEEPING IN MIND THAT PRICE TAG THAT WE'VE MENTIONED SO FAR. THANK YOU. YEAH. TRUSTEE WILSON. QUICK ONE.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT BALANCE IS IN THE LAND ACQUISITION FUND? I TRIED TO ASCERTAIN THAT TODAY AND I DID NOT GET, I BELIEVE, OVER 7 MILLION.

YEAH. SO THE TOTAL COMBINED FUNDS ARE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 25 ARE 8.281 MILLION.

SO YEAH, IT'S SUBSTANTIAL. THAT'S COMBINED FOR MAINTENANCE.

THAT'S COMBINED. YEAH. THE MILLAGE IS 4.7. AND THE LAND RESERVE IS THREE POINT JUST UNDER 3.6.

GREAT. BUT I DO WANT TO ECHO THAT. WE WORK WITH ABOUT 190 000 FROM THE MILLAGE FOR OUR MANAGEMENT EVERY YEAR.

SO WE AT 4 MILLION IS NOT PART OF WHAT WE USE FOR MANAGEMENT RIGHT.

OKAY. YEAH. I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION AS WELL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHENEVER IT COMES UP OF, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE AN EXPENDITURE OUT OF THAT ACQUISITION FUND, IT'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WELL, WELL, HOW MUCH ARE WE DRAWING DOWN AGAINST THAT? WHAT ARE OUR FUTURE PLANS FOR THAT, ETC..

SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S PLENTY TO COVER THE ACQUISITION COSTS, CERTAINLY OF THIS PARCEL AND, YOU KNOW, PARCEL PROPERTY VALUES CONTINUE TO GO UP. SO THE, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF ACQUISITION IN THE FUTURE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE MORE THAN IT WAS PER ACRE, YOU KNOW, IN PREVIOUS YEARS. SO YEAH, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

YEAH, AND I, THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S.

PROXIMITY TO THE WOODS PRESERVE. I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT TO THIS, I'VE NOT BEEN OUT TO WALK THE PROPERTY, LIKE TRUSTEE TREZISE HAS. BUT I HAVE DRIVEN BY IT MANY TIMES AND I DID NOTE I DID NOTE THE FOR SALE SIGN LAST YEAR WHEN IT CAME UP.

AND YEAH, THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS, HELL, THIS IS NEVER GOING TO SELL.

WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES A COUPLE OF JUST TO THE EAST OF THAT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING, BUT THOSE ARE ON HIGHER GROUND AND HAVE LESS FLOODPLAIN IN IT THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE.

AND SO I THINK IT MAKES, IT MAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SENSE TO YOU KNOW, TO WORK ON ACQUIRING THIS TO ADD TO THE RESERVATION.

YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT IS, IT IS ALWAYS INTERESTING, AS YOU KNOW, TRUSTEE LENTZ POINTS OUT TO, TO GET INTO THOSE PRESERVES AND TO SEE THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORTS THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THE CONSERVATION CORPS HAVE MADE.

AND TO THAT END, I DO ALSO WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT OFF TOPIC TO THANK YOU AND THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD.

I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EFFORTS LATELY AS WELL TO CITE SOME PATHWAY FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO CONNECT TO OUR, AS A PART OF OUR PATHWAY MASTER PLAN CONNECTING MSU TO LAKE LANSING TRAIL NORTH ON IN HASLETT.

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT. NOT ONLY IS IT GOOD FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TRANSIT BACK AND FORTH, BUT I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT'S AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND SEE THE BENEFITS OF WHAT OUR LAND PRESERVATION MILLAGE HAS BEEN UP TO ALL THIS TIME.

[01:15:02]

I KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT MORE OF THAT WITH, WITH MY FAMILY LATELY.

YOU KNOW, WE BACK UP TO THIS, OUR PRESERVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO IT'S A GREAT SPACE TO JUST SORT OF BE IN HERE, HERE, NATURE, SEE NATURE BE A PART OF IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO ALL THAT TO SAY, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU AND THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD HAVE BEEN UP TO, TO HELP US TO FURTHER THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN, BUT ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOW FOLKS TO SEE YOUR HARD WORK.

THANK YOU. AND SO FOR THIS, NO ISSUES WITH THIS GENERALLY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ASSESSOR'S OPINION ON THIS PARCEL TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT JUMPED IN PRICE SO MUCH.

BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE ACQUISITION FUND, WHERE IT IS WILL LIKELY MAKE THAT BACK IN INTEREST BY NEXT YEAR ANYWAY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THESE THINGS CAREFULLY AND THAT WE DO OUR DUE DUE FINANCIAL DILIGENCE, BUT I GENERALLY HAVE NO ISSUE WITH IT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL BE SEEING YOU BACK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAVE A LOVELY NIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT MY ALARM. NEXT UP IS ITEM 13 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE COMMENT THIS EVENING? PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN AT 07:16 P.M..

SEEING NO ONE RUSHING TO THE PODIUM, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:16 P.M..

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 14 OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND THE OTHER MATTERS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD THIS EVENING. SEEING NONE,

[15. CLOSED SESSION]

TRUSTEE LENTZ YOU GOT THAT LONG ONE MARNA EARLIER.

SORRY, I WAS MAKING A JOKE. I MAKE THE MOTION TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION UNDER MCL 15.268(1)(H), TO CONSULT WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING A CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

TEMPORARY CLERK TREZISE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TRUSTEE WILSON? YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT? YES.

TRUSTEE LENTZ? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE? YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON? YES. WE HAVE SIX, SEVEN, NO SIX AFFIRMATIVE VOTES.

ALL RIGHT. THAT IS ENOUGH TO CARRY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

WE ARE ENTERING CLOSED SESSION. MOTION.

MOTION HERE. OH, SORRY. I HAD A LONG DAY. OKAY.

WE ALL SET. AND FIVE AYES. AND WE WILL REENTER OPEN SESSION AT 8:23 P.M..

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 16. ADJOURNMENT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 8:23 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.