[00:01:04] OKAY. TAKE ME TO. THAT.[INAUDIBLE] WAS TOO MUCH. OKAY. SO. THE APPOINTMENT OF. [INAUDIBLE]. AND THEN JUST HERE. TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THAT WAS COMING. HERE. YOU CAN START. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER] GOOD EVENING. IT IS 6:00 ON JULY 7TH, 2026. AND WE'LL CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN TO ORDER. FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE. PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, TO 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 3.A ROLL CALL. CLERK DEMAS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. HERE. CLERK DEMAS HERE. TREASURER BURGHARDT. HERE. TRUSTEE LENTZ. HERE. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. TRUSTEE TREZISE. HERE. TRUSTEE WILSON. HERE. SIX BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS. [ 4. PRESENTATIONS] WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. WE HAVE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FIREFIGHTER. IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP AND GIVE US A BRIEF INTRODUCTION. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TAVIS MILLER, YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE MARSHAL. AND I'M PINCH HITTING TONIGHT FOR CHIEF HAMEL, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE. AS YOU KNOW OR SAW WITH SOME OF THE EMAILS A WEEK AND A HALF AGO CAPTAIN JEFF ROMMECK RETIRED FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, WHICH MEANS WE GET TO REPLACE HIM. ALTHOUGH I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM WOULD AGREE WITH ME WHEN I SAY THERE'S NO REPLACING OF CAPTAIN ROMMECK, AT LEAST NOT INITIALLY. BUT STILL, WE GET TO FILL THE POSITION. AND SO HERE WE ARE. WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND FILLED THAT POSITION WITH THE GENTLEMAN HERE NEXT TO ME, MR. BENJAMIN SMITH WHO ORIGINALLY HAILS FROM BAYTOWN, TEXAS, WHICH IS A HOUSTON SUBURB SPENT FOUR YEARS IN THE MILITARY LANDING HERE IN MICHIGAN AT SOME POINT AND BECAME A FIREFIGHTER IN 2021, WENT THROUGH MEDIC SCHOOL AND ACHIEVED THAT DESIGNATION IN 2024, STARTED OUT HIS CAREER AS A PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER OVER IN PORTLAND, AND THEN THE LAST TWO YEARS WORKING FULL TIME FOR GRAND LEDGE. SO HE HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH HIS TWO WEEK ONBOARDING ACADEMY WITH US, AND HE HAS BEEN FLYING THROUGH IT WITH WITH EASE, REALLY. HE'S BEEN SPOT ON AND DOING A GREAT JOB FOR US SO FAR. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY A FEW WORDS. HI, MY NAME IS BEN. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE EVERYTHING GOES AND TO GET EVERYTHING STARTED. [00:05:07] TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. WELCOME. WELCOME ABOARD. THANK YOU. GLAD YOU'RE JOINING US. THANK YOU. ME, TOO. WELCOME. THANK YOU. WELCOME, BEN. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM FIVE. [5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS] CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS OUR AGENDA, OR ANY ITEM NOT ON OUR AGENDA MAY DO SO NOW AS WELL AS AT THE END OF THE MEETING. THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A GREEN CARD, WHICH ARE LOCATED AT THE TABLE NEAR THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO THE BOARD WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, THE SUPERVISOR WILL CALL YOU UP TO THIS NEXT SPEAKER UP TO THE PODIUM AND TO SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED. WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT'S HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES, IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS. CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME AND WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE COMMENT FROM OUR PUBLIC. 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 REFERRED TO A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD OR THE BOARD'S CHAIR AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE. WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE ONE COMMENT CARD THIS EVENING. MR. STEVENS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS LARRY STEVENS. I'M A CONSULTING ENGINEER HERE LOCALLY. AND ACTUALLY HAD AN OFFICE IN HAVE HAD AN OFFICE IN RESIDED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. 125 SHOESMITH ROAD IS MY HOME AND I CURRENTLY WORK OUT OF A HOME OFFICE THERE. SO BUT THIS. I'VE BEEN RETAINED BY WINSLOW'S MOBILE HOME PARK TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR ONSITE WASTEWATER ISSUES. THEY HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM THAT IS AT ITS END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE. AND ACTUALLY, I WORKED ON THAT SYSTEM SOME 40 SOME YEARS AGO NOW. AND SO THE SYSTEM IS IS OLD AND THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING VERY AND VERY INVOLVED AND A VERY EXPENSIVE. AT THIS POINT, IN ORDER TO CORRECT SOME PROBLEMS THEY'VE BEEN HAVING. THEY'RE LIMPING ALONG AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE SUBJECT CAME UP OF REPAIRING AND, AND, OR REPLACING THAT SYSTEM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION IS CONNECTION TO PUBLIC SEWER OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS WITH THE ENGINEERING FOLKS HERE. IT'S ABOUT TEN YEARS PLUS AGO, THE PUBLIC WATER WAS EXTENDED DOWN TO WINSLOW'S AND THEY'VE BEEN ON PUBLIC WATER FOR SINCE AND SO THE BUT NOW THEY NEED AN ANSWER TO THEIR ONSITE WASTEWATER ISSUES. AND ONE OF THOSE COULD BE CONNECTION TO THE TOWNSHIP SEWER SYSTEM. IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLEX SET OF ISSUES AT THIS POINT. BECAUSE SEWER IS NOT THERE AT THAT POINT. AND SO IN A LENGTHY EXTENSION NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ROUTES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THAT POSSIBILITY. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. SO IT'S I JUST WANTED TO COME TONIGHT, INTRODUCE YOU TO THE SUBJECT. I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE SOME DISCUSSION. IT MAY REQUIRE BOARD ACTION APPROVAL AT SOME LATER DATE, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT'S SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. SO I THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME. AT SOME FUTURE DATE, THERE MIGHT BE A REQUEST FOR BOARD ACTION. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL THE GREEN CARDS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:08 P.M.. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM SIX, THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT AND WITH US THIS EVENING WE HAVE DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. [6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT] [00:10:03] THANK YOU SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. SO THE ONLY THING THAT I WANT TO REPORT ON THIS EVENING IS THE STORM EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY. I JUST WANT TO EXTEND APPRECIATION TO CHIEF GRILLO AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF HAMEL, FIRE MARSHAL MILLER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO SPENT THE WEEKEND WORKING DILIGENTLY TO RESPOND TO THE HIGH CALL VOLUME, AND THEN ALSO TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THOSE WHO ARE DISPLACED FROM THE CARRIAGE LANE APARTMENT BUILDING WHICH IS IN INGHAM COUNTY HOUSING COMMISSION FACILITY OVER ON DOBIE ROAD. THOSE RESIDENTS WERE DISPLACED DUE TO A FIRE, WHERE A TRANSFORMER, PRIVATE TRANSFORMER CAUGHT FIRE AND JUST RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES SHORTLY BEFORE NOON TODAY. SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THOSE FOLKS BACK. SO APPRECIATION AGAIN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A VERY BUSY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AND THEN ALSO TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THE AFTER HOURS RESPONSES THAT WE HAD OVER THE WEEKEND SPECIFICALLY FOR LIFT STATIONS THAT WERE WITHOUT POWER. SO, AND NOT TO FORGET MERIDIAN CARES AND KATIE LOVE FOR ALL OF HER DUE DILIGENCE OVER THE WEEKEND TO ASSIST THE RESIDENTS AT CARRIAGE LANE APARTMENTS AS WELL. SO THANK YOU TO ALL. SORRY, I FORGOT ONE MORE, COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS OVER THE WEEKEND PROVIDING UPDATES TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OUR STAFF WHO ARE CALLED INTO DUTY OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. ALL RIGHT. WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO REPORT. CLERK DEMAS. [7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS] I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE A FEW WEEKS BACK, WHICH IS WHY I HAD TO MISS THE BOARD MEETING. THE LAST BOARD MEETING, BUT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. I WAS ABLE TO BRING SOME STAFF AND WE RECEIVED IMPORTANT ELECTION TRAINING. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION TO VOTERS THAT IF YOU STILL NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR BALLOT, THERE'S, THERE'S TIME. YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO SPOIL YOUR BALLOT, WHICH MEANS IT WOULD NOT BE VOTED. AND THEN YOU CAN RECEIVE A NEW ONE WITHIN THE DEADLINES. SO PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE IF YOU NEED A NEW BALLOT. THE LAST DAY TO SPOIL A BALLOT AND RECEIVE A NEW ONE WOULD BE FRIDAY, JULY 24TH AT 5 P.M. AND THEN THE LAST DAY TO SPOIL AN UNRETURNED BALLOT AND RECEIVE A NEW ONE IN PERSON WOULD BE MONDAY, AUGUST 3RD AT 4 P.M.. PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TRUSTEE WILSON. I WAS PLEASED TO ATTEND THE POLICE AWARDS CEREMONY. THANKS TO POLICE CHIEF GRILLO FOR PUTTING ON QUITE A PARTY, AND I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE EVERYONE KNEW THAT LORENZO VELASQUEZ WAS NAMED THE OFFICER OF THE YEAR. WELL DESERVED. AND IT WAS REALLY A FUN TIME. THANK YOU. TERRIFIC. TRUSTEE LENTZ. [INAUDIBLE] MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE INGHAM COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE MTA MEETING THAT WE HOSTED HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND MANAGER DEMPSEY, WHO HOPEFULLY IS NOT WATCHING THIS BECAUSE HE IS ON VACATION FOR HELPING SET UP FOR THAT MEETING. FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I THINK IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR FROM OUR NEW INGHAM COUNTY ROADS DIRECTOR. THE PROMISE THAT FROM TALKING WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS REALLY THE REASON WHY THEY PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM, THAT EVERY MAJOR PROJECT WILL COME WITH SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC COMMENT TIME AND OPEN HOUSES BEFORE. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET MORE ENGAGED WITH THE WORKINGS OF THE COUNTY. I KNOW THAT WE ALL ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAVE FELT MANY TIMES THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD BE SERVED GOING TO THAT COUNTY, RATHER THAN TAKING ALL ISSUES TO MERIDIAN, WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL. ADDITIONALLY, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN CASE YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE NOT SEEN THAT THE ELMS LAW ANNUAL MEETING IS ON JULY 15TH. WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND. I'M THE MERIDIAN REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT BODY, BUT IS AT NOON. IT'S AN INTERESTING WAY TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THIS WELL-RUN COMMUNITY RESOURCE. AND THEN LASTLY THIS NOT AS POIGNANT AS THE STORMS THAT OPSOMMER AND HIS TEAM WERE WORKING ON OVER THE PAST WEEK, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT FOR THE UPCOMING JULY 2026 MERIDIAN HAPPENINGS NOTIFICATION. IT WILL INCLUDE A LINK TO SIGN UP FOR ENVIRO FLASH, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED BY EGLE AND INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DEALING WITH AIR QUALITY, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DEAL WITH MUCH THIS YEAR. [00:15:02] BUT I KNOW IN SUMMERS IN THE PAST, THE AIR QUALITY CONCERNS ARE GREAT AND AS SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AND RELIES ON OPEN WINDOWS HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE TO LEARN ABOUT YOU KNOW, JUST THE EFFECTS OF THE WATER WORLD ON MERIDIAN RESIDENTS. SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. OTHER REPORTS. I JUST GOT ONE PIECE OF EXCITING NEWS. THE JOINT APPLICATION FOR THE BUILD GRANT FOR OKEMOS AND HAMILTON ROAD WAS AWARDED. OH SO FANTASTIC. JUST SHORT OF A $12 MILLION GRANT FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF OKEMOS AND HAMILTON ROAD. SO CREDIT TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT DIRECTOR CLARK AND MANAGER DEMPSEY WHO ALL WORKED ON THAT GRANT APPLICATION AS WELL. WELL, THAT IS VERY, VERY EXCITING NEWS. OKAY. WELL, I WILL KEEP MY UPDATES RELATIVELY BRIEF. THE FIRST IS TO REMIND OUR PUBLIC AND FOLKS AT HOME THAT WE HAVE COMING UP OUR SECOND OF THREE LISTENING SESSIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD COMING UP ON JULY 28TH. THAT IS THREE WEEKS FROM TONIGHT ON TUESDAY AT 6 P.M.. AND WE WILL BE HOSTING THAT AT THE PAVILION ACROSS THE PARKING LOT FROM THIS FROM THIS ROOM. AND I WILL SAY SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN THIS MEETING AND NEXT MEETING, THAT IT IS AT OUR PAVILION AT 5151 MARSH ROAD, NOT AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU COME HERE AND NOT THERE. AND AS ALWAYS, WE WILL HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM OUR MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF ON SOME KEY AREAS THAT FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN. AND THEN SPEND THE BULK OF THE MEETING ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND RESPONDING TO ANY ISSUES THAT RESIDENTS BRING TO US. AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT A WEEK OR TWO AFTER WE'LL BE POSTING A SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED ON THE WEBSITE. SO THOSE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND CAN OF COURSE, ALWAYS GO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF THEIR QUESTIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED. I BELIEVE AHEAD OF TIME WE WILL HAVE AN ONLINE SUBMISSION WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE IF YOU'D LIKE OR IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT. WE DO MAKE AN EFFORT TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL, AND THEY CERTAINLY WILL END UP IN THE POST LISTENING SESSION SUMMARY. POSTCARDS WENT OUT TO THE MIDDLE THIRD OF THE TOWNSHIP RECENTLY. SO CHECK YOUR MAILBOXES TO MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL THOSE DETAILS. AND THEN IT IS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THE MONTH OF JULY. AND WE ARE CELEBRATING IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. BUT I WAS HAPPY TO TAKE PART IN FILMING SOME VIDEOS HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PARKS IN THE AREA. WHICH I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DONE AS WELL. THOSE WILL BE POSTED BY THE TOWNSHIP'S SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WE CELEBRATE PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH. AND CERTAINLY IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT TIME TO GET OUT AND ENJOY OUR PARKS. WE HAVE A GREAT PARK SYSTEM HERE. OUR RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED TREMENDOUS APPRECIATION FOR IT OVER THE YEARS. AND I'M VERY, WAS VERY EXCITED TO GET TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE WITH OUR PARK STAFF AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE VIDEOS COME OUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. ANY OTHER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON. AGENDA ITEM EIGHT IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? [8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA] TRUSTEE WILSON. MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE. 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 THE CONSENT AGENDA. [9. CONSENT AGENDA] WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES WHICH I WILL COME BACK TO IN A MOMENT. WE HAVE MINUTES FROM OUR JUNE 2ND CLOSED SESSION, OUR REGULAR TOWNSHIP MEETING ON JUNE 16TH, AND THE CLOSED SESSION ON JUNE 16TH. WE HAVE BILLS. WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE BID FOR THE, FOR VERIZON, WE HAVE A 2120 HOSPITALITY LLC. THE PINS AND PINTS OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT. WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO THIS BOARD'S MEETING SCHEDULE TO ADD THE 5:00 GOAL SETTING MEETING ON THE 21ST OF JULY. AND THEN WE HAVE A PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH BRIGHTLINE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DOMAIN CONTROLLER. [00:20:08] AND THEN IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, I'M GOING TO BE AMENDING A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THE MINUTES THAT I NOTICED, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT. TRUSTEE WILSON. MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. SO I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MINUTES FOR THE JUNE 16TH REGULAR MEETING TO MAKE THREE SMALL CHANGES. AN AGENDA ITEM 3.A WE ARE MISSING THE VOTE THAT WE TOOK TO APPOINT TRUSTEE TREZISE AS OUR TEMPORARY CLERK, WHICH IS NO DOUBT CAPTURED IN THE THE VIDEO OF THAT MEETING. SO I'D ASK, I'D ASK THAT WE AMEND THE MINUTES TO ADD THAT. IN SECTION SIX, THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT, WE HAVE A MISSPELLING OF HOMTV TO THE COMMON HOME. WE'D ASK TO REMOVE THAT E AND CAPITALIZE THE O AND THE M, AND THEN FINALLY ON AT THE END, WE MADE NOTE THAT TREASURER BURKHART LEFT THE MEETING. I WOULD MAKE NOTE THAT THAT WAS AT 8 P.M. SPECIFICALLY. SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE CONSIDER A MOTION TO THE JUNE 16TH MINUTES TO REFLECT THOSE THREE SMALL CORRECTIONS, AND THAT WOULD NEED A SECOND IF WE COULD MOVE. SO SECONDED BY TREASURER BURKHART. OKAY. SORRY. MOVED BY HENDRICKSON. SECONDED BY BURKHART. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. AND NOW, SEEING NO. TRUSTEE WILSON, DID YOU HAVE A. I DID RELATED TO 9.A COMMUNICATIONS. I SEE THAT THERE IS A LEGAL NOTICE OF A CHANGE TO SB HOLDING COMPANY, AND I HAD A QUESTION ON THIS BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT AN INCONVENIENT TIME, 03:00 IN THE AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY, JULY 16TH. THIS IS A WHAT IS CHARACTERIZED AS A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE MIXED USE PLAN OF WHAT'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS HASLETT VILLAGE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNITS FROM 285 TO 190. THAT IS A 33% REDUCTION IN UNITS. AND BEFORE WE VOTE THIS CONSENT AGENDA TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS DOES NOT SEEM MINOR TO ME. SO I SEE DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS MAKING HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATE ON THAT TOPIC. DIRECTOR SCHMITT. YEAH, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE BROWNFIELD HOUSING TIF FOR BUT THE APPLICANT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NEVER ACTUALLY AMENDED THEIR PUD TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT BROWNFIELD TIF PLAN. THIS IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE PAPERWORK THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR THREE YEARS TO ALLOW US TO THEN MOVE ON AND APPROVE THE SITE PLAN SO THEY CAN CONTINUE BUILDING OUT THERE. AND SO THAT IS WHAT THIS IS TO BRING IT IN ESSENTIALLY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE BROWNFIELD PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE. JIM, HOW DOES ELIMINATING A THIRD OF THEIR UNITS AFFECT THE BROWNFIELD TIF? SO THE BROWNFIELD TIF WAS BASED OFF OF THIS PLAN FOR FOR 185. IT WAS BASED OFF, I THINK ORIGINALLY. 199 AND THEN IT, THEY HAD A COUPLE UNITS THAT DROPPED OUT OF THE MAIN BUILDING ONCE THEY DESIGNED IT FULLY, AND THEY HAD TO ROTATE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO MEET FIRE REQUIREMENTS. SO THEY, THEY TICKED OFF A FEW UNITS. OKAY. FUNCTIONALLY, IT WAS MODELED AFTER THIS, NOT AFTER THE 299, 285 NUMBER THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2022. SO THE 290 WAS BASED ON OLD INFORMATION. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL MAP THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2022. AND YOU MAY RECALL THE DELAYS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THAT OCCURRED. AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THE BROWNFIELD TIF WAS APPROVED IN 25. THEY NEVER CAME FORWARD WITH THE AMENDMENT TO THE PUD ALL ALONG. AND SO THIS IS THE LAGGING PIECE OF PAPER THAT THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH. SO ALL OF OUR BROWNFIELD APPROVALS ARE BASED ON THE 185, NOT THE TWO. IT'S BASED OFF THE PLAN THAT'S NOW GOING TO BE APPROVED. YES. THANK YOU. YES. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. CLERK DEMAS, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK DEMAS. YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE RETURN YOUR MANILA FOLDERS TO THE CLERK SO THAT WE KEEP THOSE CLOSED SESSION MINUTES. [00:25:08] THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKEY DOKEY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10.A TEXT AMENDMENT 2026-05 CHICKEN ORDINANCE UPDATES FOR RECONSIDERATION. [10. A. Zoning Amendment #2026-05 - Backyard Chicken and Rabbits Update - RECONSIDERATION] WE HAVE DIRECTOR SCHMITT TO TELL US WHY. SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BOARD'S AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE THAT EXPANDED THE LOCATIONS UNDER WHICH THE BACKYARD CHICKENS OR RABBITS COULD BE. KEPT. HOWEVER, IN ONE OF THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT THEY TURNED IN IN THE MORNING AND BY, I THINK NOON OR 1:00, WE CALLED THEM BACK AND TOLD THEM THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN A, IN A DISTRICT THAT DOESN'T ALLOW IT. THEY HAD ALREADY STARTED BUILDING THEIR COOP AND WERE NATURALLY UPSET. SO WE DISCUSSED BRIEFLY WITH THE ATTORNEYS WHETHER THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE HADN'T BEEN PUBLISHED YET. WE WERE STILL IN THAT INTERSTITIAL TIME WHERE IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT OFFICIAL YET. AND IT WAS THE NEXT MEETING, IMMEDIATE NEXT MEETING. COULD THE BOARD RECONSIDER IT AND THEN DIRECT STAFF TO REPUBLISH THE ORDINANCE, ADDING THE RN DISTRICT. THE RN DISTRICT IS A VERY YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST GO OUT AND SAY IT'S WEIRD. IT COVERS A LOT OF THINGS, BUT FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE, IT IS LARGELY USED AS A SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT. THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE RN DISTRICT ARE SINGLE FAMILY. THE ISSUE IS THAT YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF OLD SCHOOL, LIKE FOURPLEX, EIGHT PLEX APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE PARKED THROUGHOUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN THEY ADOPTED THIS ORDINANCE WAS IT WAS TRYING TO NOT MAKE ANYTHING TRULY NONCONFORMING AND ALLOW FOR EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY WERE DOING. BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE HOUSES UP THERE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. SO IT'S WELL WITHIN THE INITIAL INTENT OF WHAT WAS ADOPTED. AND IN TALKING TO THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY, THIS IS AN APPROACH THAT WE CAN TAKE IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES. BOARD IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION. THIS IS JUST STAFF TRYING TO HELP OUT ANOTHER HOMEOWNER. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE THIS ON AGENDA ON THE AGENDA FOR ACTION. I'LL POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE TWO MOTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IN ORDER TO TO AFFECT THAT. THE FIRST WOULD BE TO RECONSIDER IT, AND THE SECOND WOULD BE TO ADOPT IT WITH AN AMENDMENT. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? TRUSTEE WILSON. COULD WE PUT THE RN DISTRICT UP ON THE MAP SO THAT WE COULD SEE EXACTLY THE PARAMETERS OF IT? YEAH, I WHILE I'M PULLING IT UP, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE AREA FROM LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH DOWN TO LAKE DRIVE AND OVER TO MARSH ROAD. BUT LET ME PULL IT UP REAL QUICK. THANK YOU. STARTING TO GET USED TO THE WEBSITE. SAM. GOOD JOB. NOPE. STILL CLICK THE WRONG ONE. SO IT IS THIS AREA HERE WHICH I WILL ZOOM IN AND I CAN REMEMBER WHERE THE. THERE WE GO. SO THE ENTIRETY OF THE RN DISTRICT IS LOCATED RIGHT HERE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE LAKE. AGAIN, A MIX OF SINGLE FAMILY. THERE'S ACTUALLY AT LEAST ONE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THERE. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE VET CLINIC. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE QD, BUT IT INCLUDES THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND IT INCLUDES THE VACANT LOT SOUTH OF QD. AND IT INCLUDES, I THINK, ONE OF THE PARKING LOTS FOR THE MAYFAIR, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, LIKE IT'S JUST A LOT GOING ON THERE. DOES [INAUDIBLE] TRAILS HAVE THE SAME RN ZONING? THAT IT DID? I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE THERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS COMPLEX RIGHT HERE, RIGHT OFF THE MARSH. OH, IT'S. SEE, I KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING UNUSUAL. YEAH. THAT'S, THIS IS THE ONLY AREA WITH THE RN ZONE. IT WAS ESSENTIALLY SPECIFICALLY DEVELOPED FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WITHIN A, IF WE CHANGE THE ZONING TO ALLOW CHICKENS, THAT MEANS THAT ANY HOMESTEAD THERE, INCLUDING APARTMENTS. NO, NO. THERE'S A SPECIFIC CLAUSE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS IT FOR ANYTHING BUT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. [00:30:04] OKAY. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS BECAUSE THAT ALREADY EXISTS. IF WE HAD TO MAKE THAT CHANGE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIGGER THING. WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE THROUGH A MORE FORMAL PROCESS. BUT THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY, IT IT PROHIBITS ANY ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. OKAY, GOOD. I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY OPTION. THANK YOU. OTHER DISCUSSION. SO I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS COMPORTS WITH THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL, THAT THE ORIGINAL CHANGE WAS MEANT TO SEE WHICH WAS TO EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AND RAISE CHICKENS TO ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. AND SO ISSUE WITH THE PROCEDURE AS IT WAS LAID OUT BY THE STAFF AND THE ATTORNEYS TO RECONSIDER THIS TO SIMPLY ADD THE RN ZONING DISTRICT TO ZONING DISTRICT TO THE LIST OF DISTRICTS THAT CAN ALLOW CHICKENS. SO IF SOMEONE WERE TO WISH TO MAKE THAT MOTION, I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO VOTE FOR IT TO RECONSIDER WHAT WE DID LAST TIME TO BRING THIS FORWARD. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE TEXT AMENDMENT 2026 OR SORRY, 2026-05 TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AT SECTION 86-368, TO UPDATE THE STANDARDS FOR KEEPING OF BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBITS IN THE TOWNSHIP. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE THIS MAY BE A NON-DEBATABLE MOTION. CORRECT. YEAH. SO ROBERT'S RULES IS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. CLERK DEMAS, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. OKAY, SO WE OFFICIALLY RECONSIDER WHAT WE DID LAST MEETING, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION WITH SOME AMENDMENTS IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. TRUSTEE LENTZ QUESTION NOW THAT WE'VE AGREED TO RECONSIDER. SO UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF ZONING WITH THEIR YARD BEING OF PROPER SIZE CAN CAN NOW HAVE BACKYARD CHICKENS. AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? I, I GUESS I'M ASKING, ARE THERE OTHER WEIRD LITTLE LOOPHOLES THAT I CAN'T THINK OF, BUT LIKE, THIS IS FUNCTIONALLY THE LAST ZONING DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED. OKAY. THAT'S MAYBE THE WAY I SHOULD HAVE PHRASED IT. NO, I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A FEW PROPERTIES HERE AND THERE THAT ARE STILL ZONED COMMERCIAL OR ZONED OFFICE BECAUSE IT'S MEANT FOR REDEVELOPMENT, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, THIS FUNCTIONALLY ALLOWS ANY DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES TO NOW HAVE CHICKENS OR RABBITS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THIS COME BACK BEFORE US AGAIN. AND CONSTANT TALK OF CHICKENS. TRUSTEE WILSON. WHAT ABOUT A CONDO? YEAH. THE ORDINANCE IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN. ONE FAMILY DWELLING. SO AN ATTACHED CONDO IS TECHNICALLY NOT CONSIDERED A ONE FAMILY DWELLING. NOW, ONCE YOU GET INTO, LIKE, CONDOS WHERE THEY'RE DETACHED, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. THE ORDINANCE ANTICIPATES THAT AS WELL BECAUSE IT REFERENCES A NOTWITHSTANDING PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS, DEED RESTRICTIONS, CONDO ASSOCIATIONS, BYLAWS, ALL THAT JAZZ. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DO IS WE CHECK ARE YOU IN AN ACTIVE ASSOCIATION, ESSENTIALLY TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT PIECE? IT NEVER COMES UP BECAUSE PEOPLE GENERALLY ASK THEIR HOA FIRST AND THE HOA SAYS NO, BECAUSE ALMOST EVERY, ALMOST EVERY HOA HAS A SIMILAR LANGUAGE IN THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL CUT AND PASTED FROM SOME MASTER HOA FROM THE 60S. THAT PROHIBITS THAT KIND OF THING. BUT DOESN'T OUR ORDINANCE SUPERSEDE A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION DECISION? CORRECT. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE DEFER TO IT. OH YOU DO. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW CASES WHERE WE DO DEFER. IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE ESSENTIALLY AUTHORIZATION FOR US TO PROCEED, I SEE. OKAY. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE. IN RESPONSE TO THE LAST QUESTION, I THINK THE RULE IS IF THEY ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE, [00:35:02] THEY TAKE SUPREMACY. WE'RE MORE RESTRICTIVE. WE DO. SO IT'S THE LEAST PERMISSIVE WOULD CONTROL. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? BOY, THIS IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN I THOUGHT. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY PUT THE CHICKEN ISSUE TO BED, ONLY TO BE AWOKEN AT SUNRISE BY ROOSTER. NO ROOSTERS, NO ROOSTERS. IT'LL BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO BE MADE HERE? TRUSTEE LENTZ. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE AMENDED RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR REINTRODUCTION TEXT AMENDMENT 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, ADDING RN, THE [INAUDIBLE] DISTRICT TO THE LIST OF DISTRICTS WHERE BACKYARD CHICKENS AND RABBITS ARE PERMITTED. PERMITTED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY TREASURER BURGHARDT. TRUSTEE TREZISE. BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID. SHOULD THE VILLAGE OF [INAUDIBLE] DISTRICT BE IN THERE? I THINK THAT'S JUST WHAT THE THAT'S BEEN CALLED. YEAH, THAT'S THE FORMAL NAME OF THE DISTRICT. YES. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. [10. B. Sanctuary #2 Public Streetlighting Improvement Special Assessment District #430 - Resolution #4] NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10.B SANCTUARY NUMBER TWO PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, DISTRICT NUMBER 430 RESOLUTION FOUR. AND WE HAVE DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON AND BOARD MEMBERS. SO TONIGHT BEFORE YOU IS SANCTUARY NUMBER TWO STREET LIGHTING SAD RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR. SO TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES, EARLY IN 2026, WE BROUGHT RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO BEFORE THE BOARD, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SET THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR MARCH 3RD. WE HELD THE FIRST HEARING ON MARCH 3RD, AND NOW WE ARE BRINGING BACK RESOLUTION FOUR, WHICH WILL SET THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING. AND AT YOUR AUGUST 18TH MEETING, WE WOULD ALSO BRING FORTH RESOLUTION FIVE, ADOPTING THE ASSESSMENT RULE FOR THE STREETLIGHTS. JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MINDS, SANCTUARY NUMBER TWO IS THE FINAL PHASE OF THE SANCTUARY PLATTED NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE ARE SEVEN HOMES ON A SMALL CUL DE SAC. THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY PAID FOR THE STREETLIGHTS, THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION HISTORICALLY AND NORMALLY THE CONSTRUCTION COST WOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN HERE. BUT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN INCURRED DIRECTLY FROM THE DEVELOPER. SO ALL WE ARE ASSESSING IS THE ONGOING COST FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND ELECTRICAL SERVICE FOR THE STREET LIGHTS. BUT OVERALL, THE DEVELOPER STILL OWNS NEARLY EVERY PARCEL. SO THEY ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE PAYING THE ASSESSMENTS INITIALLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE PARCEL FOR SANCTUARY NUMBER TWO. SO MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME. WE'VE SEEN THIS A FEW TIMES BEFORE. AND IT'S RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD. I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ESSENTIALLY ABOUT TWO PROPERTY OWNERS. AT PRESENT, THOUGH THE DECISIONS MADE HERE WILL CERTAINLY FOLLOW THESE PROPERTIES TO THEIR FUTURE HOME FUTURE OWNERS. AND HOPEFULLY FOLKS WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN EYES WIDE OPEN AND ALSO BE APPRECIATIVE OF THE STREET LIGHTS ON THEIR STREET. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMS LIKE A RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD MOTION I'LL BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT WHEN WE BRING IT UP. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE SANCTUARY NUMBER TWO PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS. SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 430 - RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH FILES THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK AND SETS THE DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH, 2026. SUPPORT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE, SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLERK DEMAS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10.C SIERRA RIDGE. [10. C. Sierra Ridge #4 Public Streetlighting Improvement Special Assessment District #431 - Resolution #4] NUMBER FOUR PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, DISTRICT NUMBER 431. RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR. DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. SO THIS STREET LIGHT SAD IS ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT WAS JUST BEFORE YOU. [00:40:02] THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF STREET LIGHTS, BUT WE HAVE TWICE AS MANY PARCELS. WE HAVE 14 PARCELS, SO THE COST PER PARCEL IS HALF THAT OF THE PREVIOUS SAD. THIS IS FOR SIERRA RIDGE NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE SECOND TO LAST PHASE OF THE SIERRA RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS BEING BUILT OFF OF NEWTON ROAD IN LAKE LANSING ROAD, IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE TOWNSHIP. WE'RE RUNNING THESE CONCURRENTLY, JUST AS WE HAVE ALL YEAR. SO PUBLIC HEARINGS WOULD BE ON AUGUST 18TH FOR BOTH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS. YOU'VE SEEN SOMETHING VERY MUCH LIKE THIS BEFORE. ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME OR MOTION TO BE MADE. TRUSTEE TREZISE. MOVE TO APPROVE THE SIERRA RIDGE NUMBER FOR PUBLIC STREET LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 431 RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH FILES PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT RULE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK AND SETS THE DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH, 2026. SUPPORT. MOVED BY TREZISE SUPPORTED BY WILSON. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. CLERK DEMAS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. CLERK DEMAS. YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR DISCUSSION ITEM. [11. BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS] WE HAVE ONE THIS EVENING. THAT IS OUR PARK AND PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGE RENEWALS. HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER AND CHIEF GRILLO. AND I AM ALSO GOING TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM DIRECTOR MILLEROV AND DIRECTOR WISINSKI. I'M SO SORRY, I DIDN'T. I ONLY SAW ONE OF YOU MOVING TOWARD THE PODIUM. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS COMING UP. YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO WORK AS A UNIT THIS EVENING. AND CHIEF HAMEL GIVES US REGARDS, BUT HE HAD A PERSONAL MATTER COME UP, BUT WE APPRECIATE FIRE MARSHALL MILLEROV JOINING US THIS EVENING. SO AS THE BOARD WILL RECALL, BACK ON MARCH 3RD BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING ALL THREE OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS CONCURRENTLY, I GUESS WE HAD THE TOWNSHIPS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WENT OVER ALL OF THE TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES WITH THE BOARD. CORRECT. AND OF NOTE WAS THAT THE PARK MILLAGE WOULD HAD EXPIRED LAST YEAR AND THE 2017 POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGE WOULD EXPIRE AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR. SO THE BOARD'S DECISION AT THAT TIME WAS TO PROCEED WITH BRINGING THESE FORWARD OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS PRIOR TO THE BALLOT DEADLINE TO PUT BOTH OF THE MILLAGE RENEWALS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. AND SO TONIGHT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT WILL WALK YOU THROUGH. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NEXT MILLAGE THAT WILL COME UP WILL BE THE LOCAL ROAD MILLAGE, WHICH EXPIRES IN 2027. SO THE PARK MILLAGE, WHICH EXPIRED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR GENERATES ABOUT 1.5 MILLION ANNUALLY. AND THAT FUNDS ALMOST EVERYTHING ACROSS OUR ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM, RIGHT? SO THAT'S OUR PERSONNEL. IT'S PARK IMPROVEMENTS, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. AND THEN THE PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGE, WHICH ORIGINATED IN 2017 BRINGS IN JUST OVER 3.4 MILLION ANNUALLY. JUST TO TOUCH ON THE, THE MAIN FUNDING THAT, THAT MILLAGE PROVIDES REVENUE FOR IT'S PROVIDING FUNDING FOR TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS WITHIN BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FUNDING OUR MOTOR POOL. SO REPLACING THREE AMBULANCES, TWO FIRE ENGINES AND A LADDER TRUCK IN THAT DECADE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES, INCLUDING ALL OF THE MANY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INTERCEPTORS AS WELL. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, IT HAS ALLOWED US TO INCREASE OUR FUNDED STATUS ON THE PENSION SYSTEM. SO IN 2017, WHEN THIS MILLAGE WENT BEFORE VOTERS, WE WERE AT 56% FUNDED. AND AS THE BOARD JUST LEARNED LAST WEEK, WE ARE NOW AT 80% FUNDED STATUS. AND THERE ARE VERY FEW COMMUNITIES THAT CAN SAY THAT. AND NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF GRILLO, AND HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THE MILLAGE HAS ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD. AND I'M SORRY, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON, FOR ALLOWING US TO COME HERE TONIGHT AND DISCUSS THIS, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE CITIZENS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THEY HAVE HISTORICALLY SHOWN US IN PUBLIC SAFETY. VERY PROUD TO WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY AND VERY PROUD OF THE STAFF THAT I HAVE. SO TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MILLAGE HAS DONE FOR US OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. IN 2017, WE HAD 38 SWORN OFFICERS, AND I PUT A PICTURE OF ONE OF OUR OLD POLICE CARS UP THERE TO KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'VE WE'VE COME IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. [00:45:09] WE RESPONDED TO APPROXIMATELY 18,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE, AND WE WROTE JUST OVER 2000 CITATIONS WHEN WE WERE AT 38 SWORN. SO TODAY, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 41 SWORN OFFICERS, SOON TO BE 42, WHICH PUTS US AT OUR OUR PEAK LEVEL OF STAFFING THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO, TO HAVE JUST OVER 21,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE IN 2025 AS WELL AS OVER 3500 CITATIONS. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT GOING FROM THAT 37 TO 41, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT JUMP NOT JUST IN CALLS FOR SERVICE, BUT ALSO IN THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS. THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT, I GUESS, TO REMEMBER HERE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WITH THE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE NOW, IT'S ALLOWED US TO EMPLOY TWO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. BOTH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAVE AN OFFICER ASSIGNED TO EACH OF THEM. WE ALSO RECENTLY WERE ABLE TO ASSIGN TWO OFFICERS TO JUST TO FOCUS ON TRAFFIC SAFETY IN THE TOWNSHIP. THOSE ARE NEW POSITIONS THAT WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO, I GUESS, FILL WITH PAST STAFFING PRACTICES. AND AS WE ALL KNOW FROM THE LISTENING SESSIONS, TRAFFIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN THAT OUR PUBLIC HAS AND THAT THEY EXPRESS TO US WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AND AS FAR AS STAFFING GOES, EVERY SINGLE SHIFT, WHICH THERE ARE TWO NIGHT SHIFTS AND TWO DAY SHIFTS, EACH ONE OF THOSE SHIFTS HAS FOUR OFFICERS AND ONE SERGEANT ASSIGNED TO EVERY SHIFT. SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? WHY DO WE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THIS MILLAGE? OUR PATROL VEHICLES, THEY HAVE A LIFESPAN OF ABOUT 90,000 MILES, WHICH IS ABOUT THREE YEARS, IS HOW LONG IT TAKES US TO GET UP TO 9000 MILES. AND THOSE ARE 90,000 MILES THAT YOU AND I GENERALLY PUT ON OUR PRIVATE VEHICLES. THESE ARE THESE ARE HARD MILES BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE TO BE DRIVEN. THEY'RE DRIVEN IN ALL WEATHER. THEY'RE DRIVEN SOMETIMES FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT BECAUSE IT GETS TAKEN, YOU KNOW, THE VEHICLE GETS TAKEN BY THE NEXT SHIFT COMING ON. SO WE NEED TO CYCLE THOSE VEHICLES OUT EVERY THREE YEARS. I'VE ALSO TAKEN A STANCE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE VERY HIGH STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HIRING AND OUR RECRUITING AND RETAINING OF EMPLOYEES. YOU KNOW, THE ADAGE ONE BAD APPLE SPOILS THE BUNCH IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. IN ORDER TO KEEP THESE HIGH STANDARDS, WE HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, THE SALARIES AND THE BENEFITS THAT WE'RE OFFERING TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST OF THE BEST. AND I GO BACK TO FROM MY NEXT POINT, I GO BACK TO THE 37 OFFICERS VERSUS THE 41, THE PROACTIVE POLICING AND THE COMMUNITY POLICING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO. THE REASON WHY WE ARE ABLE TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS THAT WE'VE WRITTEN IS BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE EXTRA OFFICERS. WITHOUT THEM, WE'RE RUNNING SHORT. AND, YOU KNOW, OFFICERS ARE DOING THE REACTIVE POLICING. THEY AREN'T OUT THERE WRITING CITATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE RESPONDING TO THE CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHETHER THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE. THEY'RE WORKING ON THE REPORTS FROM THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE. SO IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME PROACTIVE POLICING. IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO HAVE BETTER RESPONSE TIMES. WE HAVE OVER 150 ROAD MILES HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND FOR OFFICERS TO HAVE TO COVER THAT AMOUNT OF SPACE, IT'S A CHALLENGE. SO IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE BETTER RESPONSE TIMES. AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE STATE MANDATED TRAINING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEW AS OF 2024. THE STATE HAS REQUIRED ADDITIONAL TRAINING OF POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH TAKES OUR OFFICERS OFF THE ROAD FOR TIME WHEN THEY HAVE TO DO THE TRAINING. AND AGAIN, WE, WE EITHER HAVE TO COVER THAT WITH OVERTIME OR WE HAVE TO RUN SHORT. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIDE. OKAY. AS FAR AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON THIS TONIGHT. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IN THE TEN YEARS OF THE MILLAGE, THE CALL INCREASE FOR CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR US HAS GONE UP OVER 30% IN THAT TIME. YES, THIS MILLAGE WAS ESSENTIAL FOR REPLACING AGING EQUIPMENT BACK BACK THEN, THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN US BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN. TWO FIRE TRUCKS, A LADDER TRUCK, THREE AMBULANCES. THESE ALL HAVE LIFE SPANS JUST LIKE POLICE CARS DO. AND SO IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO KEEP KEEP THOSE THINGS ROLLING. AS FAR AS THE STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS YOU KNOW, THIS PROVIDES TWO, PROVIDES TWO ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS HIRED IN 2018 WITH THIS MILLAGE FUNDING. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO FROM 30 IN 2017 TO 36 TODAY WHICH IS GREAT, BUT YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT WITH THAT, THE CALLS FOR SERVICE IS INCREASING. AND ALONG WITH THAT, I CAN ECHO WITH CHIEF GRILLO AS FAR AS NEW REQUIREMENTS, TRAINING GUIDELINES EQUIPMENT FAILURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. [00:50:05] AND SO ALL OF THIS IS, IS REALLY ESSENTIAL TO KEEP ALL THAT GOING FOR US AND TO KEEP ON TOP OF THE REQUIREMENTS. AND A REALLY GOOD THING TO NOTE ALSO IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS AN ISO RATING OF THREE ONE BEING THE BEST RATING. YOU CAN HAVE TEN BEING THE LOWEST WITH THE INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICES. AND THAT IS THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A FACTOR OF OUR STAFFING RESPONSE TIMES, THE TRAINING THAT WE CAN GET OUR PEOPLE INTO AND, AND, THE FUNDING REQUIRED FOR THOSE THINGS IS JUST A REFLECTION OF THAT. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO PARKS. GOOD EVENING BOARD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. I WANT TO THANK OUR BOTH OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT AS OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM. ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR CELEBRATED MERIDIAN. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT BOTH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS. AND THIS WEEKEND WE HAD ONE OF OUR ROBOT MOWERS GO INTO THE VILLAGE POND AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. DETECTIVE [INAUDIBLE] CAME OVER TO HELP ME GET IT OUT [LAUGHS]. SO WE'RE EYES AND EARS ARE OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. AND SO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT. I DO WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF. WE'RE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM. WE HAVE JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE 30 PARKS, WHICH EQUALS NEARLY A THOUSAND ACRES. ALL OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT RECREATION FACILITIES. WE HAVE EXTENSIVE PROGRAMING, WHICH REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT STAFFING. SO WE HAVE 13 FULL TIME STAFF AND MULTIPLE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEIR PART TIME STAFF DEPENDING. SOMETIMES SEASONAL, SOMETIMES PART TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT A LOT OF HELP FROM SEASONAL MAINTENANCE WORKERS. WE'VE GOT STEWARDSHIP ASSISTANTS. WE'VE GOT ASSISTANT NATURALISTS. I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH RECREATION POLICY INTERN. SO IT TAKES, IT TAKES A VILLAGE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN. YOU CAN SEE OUR TEAM THERE. SO HARRIS NATURE CENTER CREW PARK MAINTENANCE SO GRATEFULLY DID A PHOTO FOR US. SO THAT WAS GREAT. AND OUR STEWARDSHIP TEAM THERE AT THE BOTTOM AND THAT IS EMMA CAMPBELL. SHE IS IN A FULL NET [LAUGHS] WHICH IS NECESSARY IN MOST OF HER JOB. SO I WANTED TO FIRST OFF, GIVE A LOT OF GRATITUDE TO OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, LUANNE MEISSNER, BECAUSE I STARTED IN 2024. UP UNTIL THEN, SHE DEVELOPED THIS PARK SYSTEM. SO IT'S A LOT OF IT'S A IT'S A WONDERFUL PARK SYSTEM. AND SHE DID A LOT OF WORK TO DO THAT. BUT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, SOME OF THE, THE MAIN THINGS WE INSTALLED, THE FLOATING ISLANDS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN CENTRAL PARK SOUTH. WE'VE ADDED WETLAND BUFFERS OVER THERE AS WELL THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PARKS. UPGRADED THE BATHROOMS WITH HEAT AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN, WHICH HAS BEEN HELPFUL. THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE NEEDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REPAIRS AND, AND THOSE REPAIRS CAN BECOME VERY COSTLY. AND IT REQUIRES A PRETTY TECHNICAL CONTRACTORS THAT CAN DO THAT WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE HISTORICAL. SO WE DID NEW ROOFS ON THE FARMHOUSE, THE BARN, THE BARNS HOUSE, THE BARN UPGRADE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LED LIGHTS THROUGHOUT AND A NEW ROOF ON THE CHAPEL AND PAINT. WE INSTALLED SHADE STRUCTURE AT TOWNER ROAD PARK. PICKLEBALL PLAYERS ARE OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. THEY ASKED IF WE COULD DO THAT. THEY HELPED IDENTIFY SOMETHING THAT WAS COST EFFECTIVE. SO THEY HAVE SHADE STRUCTURE OUT THERE AS WELL. ADDED THAT PERMANENT POD TO THE FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH IS TOM CAREY'S OFFICE. AND THAT'S WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS WORK OUT OF FOR OUR FOOD ASSISTANCE DURING, DURING MARKET. CENTRAL PARK PAVILION HAS BEEN REMODELED. THAT WAS YEAR ONE FOR ME. SO THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. GETS A LOT OF USES. PROBABLY OUR MOST USED PAVILION IN CENTRAL PARK ITSELF IS ONE OF OUR MOST USED PARKS. UPGRADES TO THE NATURE CENTER. AND THEN WE INSTALLED PLAY STRUCTURES AT MARSHALL PARK, OTTAWA HILLS PARK AND TOWNER ROAD PARK, AND THEN WE ADDED SOME WINDSCREENS, WINDSCREENS AT THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AS WELL TO HELP KEEP THOSE BALLS IN THE, IN THE APPROPRIATE AREAS. SO A LOT OF WORK HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. LET'S SEE FORWARD. SOME OF THE PARK IMPROVEMENT PARK IMPROVEMENTS ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE PLAY STRUCTURES NATIVE PLANTINGS AT INDIAN HILLS, FOREST HILLS, MARSHALL PARK AND CENTRAL PARK SOUTH. JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE EXCEPTIONAL AND IT'S REALLY GREAT. I KNOW TRUSTEE WILSON YOU LIVE NEAR ONE TO HAVE THOSE PARKS AND FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES TO SERVE. THIS YEAR WAS VERY EXCITING. THE RED CEDAR WATER TRAIL PROJECT WAS A KICKOFF LAST YEAR. [00:55:06] WE'VE CLEARED THE RIVER FROM WILLIAMSTON MCCORMICK PARK IN WILLIAMSTON ALL THE WAY TO HAGADORN ROAD, MSU, USING OUR INGHAM COUNTY TRAILS GRANT. AND THEN WE WORKED WITH TRI-COUNTY FOR FOR THE APPLICATION FOR A STATE DESIGNATION OF A OF THE WATER TRAIL. AND THAT'S ALREADY PROVEN SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE STATE DESIGNATED WATER TRAILS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FUNDING THROUGH THE DNR AND COULD BE UPWARDS OF 30,000 TO HELP KEEP THAT OPEN. WE WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS A MANAGEMENT PLAN OF NOT JUST NAVIGABILITY, BUT ALSO SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ECOLOGICAL VALUE. WE DID INSTALL THE ACCESSIBLE FLOATING DOCK AT HARRIS NATURE CENTER. IT'S GETTING A LOT OF USE. PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. IT'S A NICE LOCATION BECAUSE YOU CAN, YOU CAN PADDLE UP RIVER AND BACK, OR YOU CAN PUT IN UP RIVER AND THEN FLOAT DOWN TO THE NATURE CENTER. MAINTENANCE. SO MENTIONED. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 30 PARKS, 1000 ACRES. SO OUR MAINTENANCE IS SIGNIFICANT. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT PRIOR TO BEING A DIRECTOR, BUT ALL THE PARKING LOTS HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED ALL THE TIME. SO DETERMINING ON WHICH ONES NEED YOU KNOW, CRACK SEAL, WHICH ONES NEED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH ONES NEED TO BE EXPANDED. HAVE SOME SKATING CLOSET, SNOWSHOE RACKS, SLED LIBRARY, WHICH IS ALL REALLY HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU CAN GO OUT TO NORTH MERIDIAN ROAD PARK AND NOT HAVE TO HAVE A SLED. AND THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON PICKLEBALL COURTS. SO THIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. THIS IS A LOT MORE COMMON AND OFTEN THAN I THOUGHT. SO WE DO THAT AT LEAST EVERY OTHER YEAR TO, TO KEEP THOSE COURTS SAFE. WE HAVE REPLENISHED THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS WITH MICHIGAN BEACH SAND, UPGRADING PARKING LOT LIGHTS AT THE NATURE CENTER TO MAKE THEM DARK SKY FRIENDLY, WHICH IS WONDERFUL OUT THERE. HERE'S A ROBOT MOWER. HE DID MAKE IT BACK TO HIS HOME EVENTUALLY, BUT THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT FOR FOR THE VILLAGE IN OKEMOS, THREE ROBOT MOWERS MOW THAT ENTIRE AREA AND CONSISTENTLY. SO WHAT IT DOES, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MOW, IT JUST KEEPS IT AT A, AT A LEVEL. SO I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY CUTE. NOW I'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, SAVIOR ALONG WITH DETECTIVE SLAVIK. JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE 90 MILES OF PATHWAY, SO WE SNOWPLOW ALL OF THAT PATHWAY. SO PLEASE GIVE GRACE WHEN WE HAVE A SNOWSTORM, BECAUSE THERE'S QUITE A FEW MILES TO GET TO PICNIC TABLES THROUGHOUT AND THEN PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE PARKS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. AND THEN SOME OF OUR PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS. WE'RE WORKING ON OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN. AS [INAUDIBLE] OUR BOARD KNOWS BUT SOME PROPOSED FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE DEVELOP THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN TRAILHEAD AT THE NANCY MOORE PARK. WANT TO, WE WILL BE WORKING TO UPGRADE THE PAVILION AND REMODEL THE BATHROOMS AT NANCY MOORE PARK. SO THEN NEXT WOULD BE A PLAY STRUCTURE AND THE INSTALLATION OF A LOOP TRAIL AROUND THAT. YOU CAN SEE NORTH PORTION OF THE PARK, WHICH IS OUR LARGE ATHLETIC FIELD, HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO, ESPECIALLY STROLLERS, PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, OR EVEN JUST GRANDPARENTS. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. THAT'S A WELL USED PARK AS WELL. CONTINUE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON PICKLEBALL COURTS. CLEAN AND SEAL THE PAINT AT THE TOLL GATE HOUSE AT THE LAST BUILDING AT THE VILLAGE THAT NEEDED SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE. AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD JUST DOING REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THAT HAS A CEDAR SHAKE ROOF. SO IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING THERE. WE'LL CONTINUE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE RED CEDAR WATER TRAIL. OUR MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN, OUR FARMER'S MARKET HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY WITH OVER 120 000 PEOPLE LAST YEAR VISITING THAT MARKET. AS A RESULT, WE GET A LOT OF VENDORS AND MORE VENDORS WANT TO COME AND OUR ELECTRICAL CAPACITY IS, IS AT ITS LIMIT. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN FIX THAT. AND THEN WITH OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS, OUR ATHLETIC PARKS THAT HAVE ATHLETIC, ATHLETIC FIELDS, PARKING LOT EXPANSIONS, WE HAD NEARLY 1600 KIDS THAT PLAYED SOCCER LAST YEAR, AND GETTING THOSE KIDS IN AND OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT THE SAME TIME HAS BEEN CHALLENGING. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NORTH MERIDIAN AND HARRIS NATURE CENTER. OOPS. SORRY, DAN. THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR WISINSKI. CHIEF AND FIRE MARSHAL MILLEROV. SO JUST TO CLOSE OUT THE PRESENTATION VERY BRIEFLY THE TABLE BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW SHOWS THE MAXIMUM COST TO [01:00:01] PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE TOWNSHIP. IF YOU'VE LIVED IN YOUR HOME FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME, YOU WOULD PAY LESS THAN WHAT IS SHOWN ON THIS BECAUSE YOUR TAXABLE VALUE WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPPED EVERY YEAR AT THE STATE'S INFLATION RATE. SO TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, IF MARKET VALUES INCREASED 10%, WHICH WE'VE SEEN MARKET VALUES INCREASE WELL IN EXCESS OF 10% IN RECENT YEARS BUT THE STATE'S INFLATION RATE IS 3%. YOUR TAXABLE VALUE CAN ONLY GO UP BY 3%, RIGHT? SO MANY PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD PAY LESS THAN WHAT'S SHOWN HERE UNDER PROPOSAL A, AND WITH THAT, WE WOULD OPEN IT UP. I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SORRY GOING BACK, ONE MORE SLIDE TO TOUCH ON THE MOTOR POOL ONE MORE TIME BEFORE YOU, YOU SEE THE FUND BALANCE AND IN THE 2026 BUDGET, WE CURRENTLY PROJECT A MOTOR POOL FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 107,000. NOW THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE REPLACED MANY OF THE LARGE ASSETS, THE FIRE ENGINES, THE LADDER TRUCK, THE AMBULANCES THE TWO FACTORS FOR PUBLIC WORKS. BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER LARGE ASSETS OUT THERE BACKHOES, DUMP TRUCKS, ETC.. AND THE MOTOR POOL IS GETTING DEPLETED HERE AT THE END OF ALL THESE MAJOR ASSET REPLACEMENTS. WITH THAT. WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO, I THINK WE, WE DID MENTION IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I DO FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO COME BACK TO THE FACT THAT THESE ARE TWO RENEWALS, RIGHT. AND SO WHEN WE SHOW THE SLIDE THAT SAYS COST TAXPAYERS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE COSTS THAT ARE ALREADY ON YOUR TAX BILL. THESE ARE NOT NEW MILLAGES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. CORRECT. AND THEN IN ADDITION I'M ASSUMING BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION FROM OUR MARCH MEETING THAT THESE ARE NOT REQUESTING OVERRIDES. THESE ARE PURELY RENEWALS AT THE RATE THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED OVER TIME THROUGH THE EFFECTS OF PROPOSAL A. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. YEP. OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE CLARIFIED AND, AND MADE SURE THAT THAT WAS SAID AND EXPLAINED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS WILL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE NUMBERS ON THE TABLE YOU'RE PROVIDING HERE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE THE COSTS THAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING NOW FOR FOR SOME TIME. THEY'RE NOT NEW TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY OR TO OUR TAXPAYERS. OTHER QUESTIONS. TRUSTEE LENTZ. JUST SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE. DIRECTOR. WISINSKI. NORMALLY I AM VERY QUICK TO TALK ABOUT THE PARKS, BUT I WILL LEAVE LEAVE YOU OFF MY TALKING POINTS. BECAUSE I HAD SOME OTHER POINTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE FIRE MARSHAL MILLEROV, YOU HAD INCLUDED MENTION OF THE ISO RATING. AND I WENT DOWN QUITE A RABBIT HOLE AFTER REVIEWING THIS. YOU KNOW, OUR AGENDA HERE. AND IT REALLY IS REMARKABLE HOW MUCH OF A BENEFIT IT SEEMS TO BE FOR MERIDIAN TO HAVE THAT RATING FOR CONTEXT, ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE. OH. ONLY 7% OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE A THREE OR BETTER. SO THAT WHAT A THING TO BE, YOU KNOW, EXEMPLARY IN AND ON AVERAGE, THAT RESULTS IN ABOUT A 15% DISCOUNT ON HOMEOWNERS INSURANCES ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DOLLARS FOR COST OF TAXPAYERS IN FRONT OF US HERE, THAT ALMOST REPRESENTS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD BE PAYING FOR YOUR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. JUST TO, JUST TO CONTINUE FUNDING AT THIS RATE. I DID WANT TO ASK IS THE INTENTION WITH THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THAT TAKEN OUT OF MOTOR POOL? LIKE I'M IMAGINING LIKE THE HOSES, THE YOU KNOW, VERY INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EQUIPMENT THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE WEARING DURING THAT. I'M SORRY, WHERE DOES THAT COME OUT OF? EXACTLY. THAT COMES OUT OF OUR BUDGET. OKAY. THAT'S NOT A MOTOR POOL THING. THE MOTOR POOL IS STRICTLY THE VEHICLE ITSELF. ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND STUFF THAT WOULD GO ON THE VEHICLE IS BORE BY US. OKAY. FANTASTIC. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD THAT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IF NOTHING ELSE, I APPRECIATE YOU INCLUDING THAT INFORMATION. I THINK WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIAL BILLS FOR TAXPAYERS, SEEING SOME OF THAT OFFSET, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PARKS AND HAVING A FOUR DAY CAMP FOR YOUNGSTERS FOR $200. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE AND VERY COST EFFECTIVE. BUT THIS HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE REDUCTION, I THINK IS YOU KNOW, REALLY VALUABLE FOR MERIDIAN RESIDENTS TO SEE. [01:05:03] SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND CONSIDERING WHEN I STARTED HERE BACK IN 2000, I'VE BEEN HERE A MINUTE, I THINK WE WERE AT A SIX AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO A THREE FROM THERE, WHICH IS IT'S A PRETTY BIG TASK, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT. SO YEAH. AND IT'S NOT AN EASY BIT OF INFORMATION TO GET. IT SEEMS TO BE REALLY JUST BETWEEN INSURANCE AGENCIES, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY BENEFITS MERIDIAN TO KNOW THIS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU INCLUDING THAT. OKAY. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. CLERK DEMAS. I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE LIKE HOW MUCH THE PARK AND PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGES HAVE BENEFITED THE COMMUNITY. AND, AND I THINK EACH DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR WORK FOR THE TOWNSHIP I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THESE MILLAGES ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. AND I KNOW THAT THAT DEADLINE IS COMING UP, I BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST 11TH. SO I WOULD SUPPORT US BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD AT THE NEXT MEETING. WAS THAT JULY 21ST? GREAT. OTHER COMMENTS? TRUSTEE WILSON. YOU ALL DO A LAUDABLE JOB. IT'S QUITE REMARKABLE, THE SERVICES THAT YOU DELIVER TO THIS COMMUNITY IN EVERY WAY THAT BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS. BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THE ONE THING THAT REALLY DAZZLES ME, AND THAT IS PAYING DOWN THE PENSION DEBT. THAT IS, WE COMMITTED YEARS AGO THAT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP PAYING DOWN OUR PENSION DEBT SO THAT WE WOULD NOT SADDLE THIS COMMUNITY WITH A LONG TERM LIABILITY. AND I'M SO IMPRESSED THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO 80% FUNDING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. YEAH, I'LL PILE ON TO THAT TOO. I MEAN, PART OF OUR A BIG PART OF OUR JOB AS BOARD MEMBERS IS THE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP OF, OF OUR RESIDENTS TAX DOLLARS. AND, YOU KNOW, 56% WHEN THIS POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGE WAS PASSED WAS A VERY POOR PLACE TO BE IN. AND IT IS ONLY THROUGH THIS MILLAGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD ENSURING THAT THE LONG TERM FINANCIAL FUTURE OF THE TOWNSHIP IS WELL KEPT UP. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR RESIDENTS TRULY TO THANK FOR, FOR THEIR GENEROSITY IN SUPPORTING THESE TWO, THESE THREE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THAT WE ALL RELY ON WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, POLICE FIRE, ALL OF OUR STAFF COME WITH YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN SET OF BENEFITS THAT WE, WE OFFER IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST QUALITY STAFF MEMBERS TO, TO RUN THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND TO WORK IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS. AND SO WE CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOLKS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. AND THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, AS WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. RIGHT? WE'RE COMPETING FOR NEW HIRES WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT. CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE WERE ALL EXCITED TO SEE 80% AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR, A LOT OF PROGRESS CAN BE WIPED OUT WITH A BAD MARKET YEAR. AND THE LIABILITY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. AND SO OUR CONTRIBUTIONS WILL HAVE TO ALSO CONTINUE TO GROW AS WELL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THIS AREA. AND THE PASSAGE OF THIS MILLAGE RENEWAL WILL BE ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO SO. SO I'LL ECHO THE SENTIMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE BRINGING THESE FORWARD AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO PLACE ON THE BALLOT FOR THIS NOVEMBER. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS CERTAINLY VALUE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE EFFORTS BY EVERYONE STANDING AT THE DAIS TODAY. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THESE THREE VERY VALUABLE YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE'LL SEE THEIR SUPPORT THIS NOVEMBER. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS JUSTIFIABLY COME IN AND SAY WE'RE THE HIGHEST TAXED COUNTY IN THE STATE, UNLIKE 80% OF THE TAXES LEVY OR WE COLLECT, WE DON'T LEVY THEM THAT WE COLLECT. THIS MONEY STAYS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP. IT PROVIDES SERVICES FOR THE TOWNSHIP RATHER THAN GOING TO THE SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE VERY VALUABLE. [01:10:02] I'M NOT DENIGRATING ANYBODY ELSE'S NEEDS, BUT THESE ARE ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FOR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS. AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THE APPROVAL. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? TREASURER BURGHARDT. EXCUSE ME. FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE LIVED HERE AND IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME IN THIS TOWNSHIP, I AM CONSTANTLY AMAZED AT THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF THE SERVICES AND THE AMENITIES THAT ARE PROVIDED IN THIS TOWNSHIP, AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP. AND IT DOES MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR ME TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR TAXES OR JUST WHERE THEIR MONEY GOES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TERRIFIC. WELL, I SEE GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE THIS BEFORE US AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS. WHEN, AT WHICH POINT WE WILL LIKELY BE ALLOWING THE VOTERS TO HAVE THEIR SAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, AND WE'LL SEE YOU BACK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS ITEM 12 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:10 P.M.. SEEING NO ONE RUNNING TOWARD THE PODIUM WILL CLOSE. PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:10 P.M.. NEXT UP IS OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER MATTERS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, ITEM 14 IS CLOSED SESSION. [13. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS] [Additional Item] WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION. IF ANYONE'S. TRUSTEE TREZISE. I MOVE TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION UNDER MCL15.268 FOR N.1. CLOSE [INAUDIBLE] TO CONSULT WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING A CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON CLERK DEMAS. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. CLERK DEMAS. YES. TREASURER BURGHARDT. YES. TRUSTEE LENTZ. YES. TRUSTEE TREZISE. YES. TRUSTEE WILSON. YES. SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON. YES. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE ENTERING CLOSED SESSION. IF WE COULD PLEASE CLEAR THE ROOM, BOARD MEMBERS WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO LET FOLKS DO THAT AND THEN BE BACK. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL CALL OURSELVES BACK TO OPEN SESSION AT 7:35 P.M.. LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS ADJOURNMENT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE TO ADJOURN. MOVE TO ADJOURN. MADE BY TRUSTEE WILSON SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:35 P.M.. DAN, CAN YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.