Oct 20, 2020 Township Board

[00:00:55]

IT'S SIX O'CLOCK, MR. GEBES ARE WE READY? YES, SIR, THE MEETING IS YOURS.

OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, THEN I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ON OCTOBER 20.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

THANK YOU, EVERYONE. AND NOW WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL.

IS OUR CLERK READY TO DO THAT? PLEASE. SITTING AT HIS DESK AND I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF [INAUDIBLE]--THERE IS.

TIME FOR THE ROLL CALL OR DREYFUS, AND YOU'RE MUTED.

SIX MEMBERS OF PRESENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS, AND THE FIRST ONE I WANT TO MENTION IS

[4. PRESENTATION - A. Environmental Commission Program Update]

STATE CHAMPS, THIRD TIME OUT OF 4 YEARS! THIS TIME IT'S DIVISION ONE, HOLY COW! AND I BELIEVE THE COACH IS HERE, AS WELL AS TEAM MEMBERS AND I WILL CALL ON THE COACH, WHO'S CHRIS [INAUDIBLE].

CHRIS, ARE YOU THERE? YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO US, PLEASE, ABOUT THE TEAM.

I'M PROMOTING HIM TO PANELIST RIGHT NOW, SIR.

OK, THE PROBLEMS WITH ZOOM.

I SEE HIM ON MY SCREEN, AT LEAST, BY NAME.

THERE WE GO. NOW, I'VE BEEN UNMUTED.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE RECOGNITION AND FOR INVITING US HERE THIS EVENING.

WE'RE VERY HONORED TO BE PRESENT.

UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO MAKE IT, BUT WE DO HAVE WITH US SENIOR CAPTAIN SIDDHARTH NAGISETTY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.

THEY WILL, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE, THOUGH, AND THEN MENTION THE ONES WHO ARE MISSING. SO I'M ON MY PHONE, SO I CAN'T QUITE SEE THE FULL ROLL CALL.

BUT WE DO HAVE SIDDHARTH NAGISETTY HERE AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ROHAN SHAH, SHREY PATEL, DRUV TALLURI TO LAURIE, JOSHUA PORTNOY, RYAN LEE ARE ALL PRESENT, SO THEREFORE MISSING WE HAVE GEORGE FAN, COLSTON WELLS, [INAUDIBLE], DIEGO CASAGRANDE, YOONHO CHO, AND BENJAMIN WEI.

GREAT GROUP OF YOUNG KIDS.

SO THE WHOLE TEAM IS PRESENT.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE A HISTORY HERE IN MERIDIAN OF HONORING WHETHER THEY'RE FROM HASLETT OR OKEMOS, STATE CHAMPIONS, AND WE'VE HONORED THIS TEAM, WELL, SOME OF THESE MEMBERS

[00:05:05]

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOME MORE, MR. [INAUDIBLE], AND THEN CALL ON YOUR CAPTAIN? WELL, WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SEASON.

THERE WAS, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, TOUCH AND GO AT THE BEGINNING, WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE AS A TEAM.

AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND VERY MINDFUL THAT SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE SPRING OR AGAIN THIS FALL.

SO WE'RE JUST THANKFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A GREAT SEASON.

AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.

IF WE COULD, THERE ARE FOUR ESTEEMED CAPTAINS.

WE HAVE SIDDHARTH NAGISETTY, DRUV TALLURI, SHREY PATEL AND ROHAN SHAH.

IF POSSIBLE, I'D LOVE FOR EACH OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAY A BRIEF WORD AND THANK YOU AGAIN. WHICH ONE WANTS TO START? JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOU AND I'LL CALL ON YOU AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.

OK, SIDDHARTH.

CAN YOU FIND THE UNMUTE BUTTON? HELLO, EVERYONE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SUPERVISOR AND THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR HONORING US TODAY. THIS SEASON HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL, ESPECIALLY FOR US SENIORS, LIKE COACH SAID, WE WERE UNSURE IF THERE WOULD BE A SEASON THIS YEAR.

SO TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST GRATEFUL TO PLAY THIS YEAR. AND THEN ONCE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, WE REALLY STAYED FOCUSED AND WORKED HARD THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND WENT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS CONFIDENT.

SO I'M GLAD WE GOT THE JOB DONE.

GREAT. WHO ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ROHAN, UNMUTE YOURSELF. THERE YOU GO.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

I KNOW WE'RE ALL REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU GUYS FOR DOING IT.

FIRST OF ALL, I MEAN, WE HAD A REALLY STRONG TEAM COMING IN THIS YEAR.

AND WITH LIKE EIGHT SENIORS, WE HAD A LOT OF TALENT AND WE HAD NEW TALENT TO COME IN.

AND IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY AWESOME YEAR THIS YEAR.

AND WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING OUR COACH'S DONE BEING THIS IS HIS LAST YEAR AND IT'S REALLY AWESOME GOING OFF WITH THE STATE TITLE.

OTHER CAPTAINS OR SPEAKERS? SHREY. I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND THE ENTIRE SEASON, WE WORKED REALLY HARD AND REACHED OUR GOAL, THAT WAS TO WIN STATES AND THEN TO HAVE COACH GET THE STATE TITLE MEANT A LOT ANYONE ELSE? DRUV? YEAH, SO JUST LIKE THEY ALL SAID, WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR YOU GUYS FOR HOLDING THIS FOR US AND, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WAS A REALLY CRAZY YEAR.

SO WE'RE JUST REALLY HAPPY THAT WE CAN SEND OUR COACH OFF WITH HIS THIRD STATE TITLE.

AND SO, YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO END HIS GREAT CAREER FOR HIM.

SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR GUYS.

AND SO. YEAH. AND I NOTICED THAT ALTHOUGH HE MAY NOT BE A SENIOR CAPTAIN, JOSH CAME PREPARED WITH HIS TENNIS RACKET AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S OTHER PLAYERS WITH HIM AS WELL.

IS THAT RIGHT, JOSH? YEAH, WE'RE ACTUALLY WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR GROUP LESSON, AND WE CAME OUT AND GOT ON THE ZOOM. VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

COACH, IT'S YOUR LAST YEAR. WHY ARE YOU LEAVING; YOU'RE SO SUCCESSFUL.

IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A REAL HONOR AND AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE WORKING WITH THESE YOUNG MEN.

IT'S BEEN 11 SEASONS.

I AM ALSO BLESSED WITH THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AND A BURGEONING REAL ESTATE CAREER THAT REQUIRES MORE FOCUS AND TIME THAN I CAN AFFORD TO SPLIT.

ALSO, THE SENIORS THAT I HAVE THIS YEAR, I'VE BEEN CLOSE WITH FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT TIME TO CALL IT A YEAR WITH THEM AND THEIR TIME AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE THEIR TURN RUNNING THE REINS OF A PROGRAM AT OKEMOS; IT'S A LOT OF FUN TO BE A PART OF.

I'M SURE YOU'RE LEAVING SOME EXCELLENT TALENT BEHIND FOR THE NEW COACH, WHOEVER THAT ENDS UP BEING. THERE ARE ALWAYS HORSES IN THE STABLE AT OKEMOS, FOR SURE.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, BACK IN MY MANY YEARS AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, IT WAS MORE THAN ONCE THAT WE HONORED THE TENNIS TEAM FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SO IT'S A GREAT TRADITION IN OKEMOS, THANK YOU.

IT CERTAINLY IS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COACH.

OK, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS GOING TO COME FROM

[00:10:03]

OR CONCERN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

SUPERVISOR STYKA, WE HAD HOPED TO HAVE LEROY HARVEY HERE TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI AND I WERE PART OF THE SPECIAL TREE EFFORT THAT WENT INTO PLANNING 20 LARGE TREES ALONG CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND IF WE PUT THIS PRESENTATION OFF FOR ANOTHER MEETING, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A BETTER PRESENTATION AND IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER LED BY MR. HARVEY. OK, BUT I'M SORRY THAT HE COULDN'T MAKE IT THIS TIME, BUT WE CERTAINLY COULD PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME AS WELL.

THANK YOU. WE NOW COME TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND MR. GEBES, I'LL CALL UPON YOU TO LET US KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE CITIZENS AND WHETHER OR NOT

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

OF COURSE, ANYONE THAT'S PARTICIPATING VIA ZOOM CAN USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE, AND I SEE WE HAVE PEOPLE ALREADY DOING THAT.

I WILL CALL ON YOU IN ORDER THAT YOU THAT YOU RAISED YOUR HAND.

WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING VIA EITHER HOMTV CHANNEL TWENTY ONE OR ONE OF THE OTHER INTERNET STREAMS THAT WE'RE DOING, WE CAN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT VIA TELEPHONE. IF YOU CAN'T USE THE ZOOM INTERFACE.

THE TELEPHONE NUMBER TO DO THAT IS FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO.

AND WE'LL PAUSE FOR THE SUPERVISOR TO REMIND PEOPLE THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'LL START PREPARING TO PROMOTE PEOPLE TO SPEAK.

THE FIRST PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS GOING TO BE THE LEWIS FAMILY.

OK, AND I WILL REMIND PEOPLE YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, IT WILL BE TIMED AND PLEASE ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUALS, KEEP IT AS ON TOPIC AS POSSIBLE AND AS [INAUDIBLE] AS POSSIBLE. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL CALL ON--OH, AND START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. SO WE'LL CALL ON THE LEWIS FAMILY.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROBYN LEWIS, AND I RESIDE AT 2295 [INAUDIBLE] RD, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME OK? YES, WE DO. THANK YOU.

THIS WAS HONORED THAT I INTRODUCED MYSELF AS A POTENTIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO THE [INAUDIBLE] BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE OF YOU THAT URGE ME TO PURSUE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME TO APPRIZE THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS FAMILIAR OF MY DESIRE AND CREDENTIALS AS OTHERS.

I'VE BEEN A MICHIGANDER FOR THE PAST THIRTY THREE YEARS, THE ENTIRE TIME AS A RESIDENT OF INGHAM COUNTY. I'VE LIVED IN LANSING UNTIL A YEAR AND A HALF AGO PRIOR TO MOVING TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I WORKED FOR OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND HAVE A PASSION TO SERVE OTHERS.

I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND HAVE SERVED NUMEROUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE CITY OF LANSING, INGHAM COUNTY AND THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SINCE I'VE MOVED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MY ZEAL TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WHICH I RESIDE, HAS REMAINED.

THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I WOULD BRING TO THE TABLE FOR MY YEARS AS A PUBLIC SERVANT WOULD BE TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE THAT RELY ON SAFE, RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR DAY TO DAY SERVICES. I WON'T BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THIS TASK BECAUSE I WILL LISTEN, BE PREPARED AND REMAIN DEDICATED TO THOSE THAT I SERVE AND BE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS HEARD AND ATTENDED TO. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU MY DESIRE TO SERVE THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY IN THIS CAPACITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ANOTHER CITIZEN.

MR. GEBES.

THANK YOU, I'M SORRY I WAS TAKING A TELEPHONE CALL, THE NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE MR. MCCONNELL, WHO'S BEEN ENABLED TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THEN YOUR COMMENTS.

[INAUDIBLE] DID THAT WORK? YOU'RE FINE, BILL. OH, THANK YOU.

THIS IS BILL MCCONNELL FOUR THREE SEVEN SIX [INAUDIBLE] IN OKEMOS.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING SOME DETAIL IN THE CLERK'S REPORT LATER ON IN THE MEETING.

WHEN I DROPPED OFF MY BALLOT YESTERDAY, MY ABSENTEE BALLOT YESTERDAY, I NOTICED A NUMBER

[00:15:05]

AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT IS AND HOW IT'S WORKING AND HOW IT'S PROCEEDING. ALSO, ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS, ONCE IN THE PRIMARY AND ONCE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT OUTDOOR DROP BOX AT THE CURB HAD BEEN OVERFULL. SO I'M JUST HOPING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE ELECTIONS ARE PROCEEDING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP. I THINK WE ALL WANT TO HAVE REASSURANCE THAT EVERYTHING IS WELL IN HAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, I DID NOT MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT AS I'M SURE BILL KNOWS AND THE REST OF YOU WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK SHOULD KNOW, WE DON'T DIALOG DURING THE TIME OF PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THE CLERK CHOOSES, HE MAY RESPOND LATER ON AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME IN THE MEETING.

NEXT PERSON, PLEASE, MR. GEBES. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE [INAUDIBLE] WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A DIAL-IN CALLER.

START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], I RESIDE AT THIRTY EIGHT ZERO THREE SANDLEWOOD DRIVE IN THE CITY OF OKEMOS. AND I'D LIKE TO DEDICATE MY THREE MINUTES TODAY TO URGE THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE MOTION, NOT TO REAPPOINT DONNA ROSE TO THE CATA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

DONNA ROSS IS AN EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED BOARD MEMBER AT CATA, A SOCIAL WORKER PROFESSIONALLY WHO NOT ONLY USES CATA BUT DO SO DAILY.

FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC BUS COMPANY WHERE I LEARNED FIRSTHAND THAT THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS ENCOMPASSES LISTENING TO OUR RIDERS AND CUSTOMERS IN GENERAL, BUT FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO ACTUALLY GET ON THE BUS AND RIDE WITH US FOR A LONG TWO HOUR RIDE.

IN ALMOST EVERY CASE WHERE AN ACTUAL BUS RIDER PROVIDES FEEDBACK, OFTEN A CRITIQUE, WE MAKE A DECISION TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION AND MITIGATE A FUTURE RECURRENCE.

I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MANY TRANSIT RIDERS WHO DEPEND DAILY ON TRANSIT SERVICES ARE OFTEN TOO WORRIED ABOUT RAISING A COMPLAINT ON ANY MATTER DUE TO A CONCERN FOR FOR THE CONCERN OF RETRIBUTION, RETRIBUTION FROM A COMPANY THAT THEY ALSO DEPEND ON EVERY SINGLE DAY.

DONNA ROSE IS A BOARD MEMBER, IS NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND PROVIDES CATA MANAGEMENT AND THE BOARD WITH CRITICAL FEEDBACK, THIS FEEDBACK, BOTH COMPLIMENTARY AS WELL AS CRITIQUING INFORMATION, HAS ACCOMPLISHED IMPROVING THE SERVICE FOR EVERYONE.

DONNA'S VOICE SHOULD NOT BE SILENCED, I FEAR THAT WHAT'S BEHIND THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE DECISION TO SILENCE A VOICE OF DISSENT.

EVEN THOUGH THIS ONE CRITICAL VOICE IS THE BEST--.

PLEASE WRAP IT UP, MR. [INAUDIBLE], THREE MINUTES.

OK IS THE BEST TOOL TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY BUS SERVICE, NOT REAPPOINTING DONNA IS A MISTAKE AND OUTRIGHT FLAWED BUSINESS DECISION BY THE BOARD FROM EVERY ASPECT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CALLING IN.

MA'AM, COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD? THIS IS DONNA ROSE.

I AM AT SIX TWO ZERO SEVEN COBBLERS DRIVE.

AND I'M CALLING IN TODAY, I AM YOUR CURRENT CATA BOARD MEMBER.

I'VE BEEN A VERY RESPONSIBLE MEMBER, I'VE ONLY MISSED THREE MEETINGS IN FOUR YEARS.

I'VE ONLY MISSED THREE MEETINGS IN FOUR YEARS.

YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME. I'M JUST GETTING OVER WHAT I THINK IS COVID.

SO I'M NOT UP TO PAR, REALLY.

I WANT TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT I'M BEING DISMISSED AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DO NOT KNOW WHY I'M BEING DISMISSED.

AND NOBODY HAS GIVEN ME A REASON.

IT IS CRUCIAL TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SUCH AS THE CATA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR US IS A NECESSITY.

[00:20:05]

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT I'VE HELPED CHANGE WHILE BEING ON THE BOARD. THE FIRST THING I BROUGHT TO MIND, AND I CAN'T SAY TOO MUCH IN THREE MINUTES, BUT WE MAKE A LARGE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MAKE UP A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF RIDERSHIP. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS HAPPENING WAS WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED THE CATA MULTI-MODAL CENTER IN EAST LANSING, THE OLD CEO WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CATA BUS TO GO IN AND OUT OF THAT CENTER, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RUN BY CATA.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU USED A MOBILITY DEVICE LIKE A CANE, CRUTCH, WALKER, WHEELCHAIR, IF YOU TOOK THE BUS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, USED THE BUS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, YOU COULD NOT OVERCOME THE RAILROAD TRACK THERE BECAUSE IT WAS A BARRIER TO MOBILITY. AND SO YOU COULDN'T GET TO THE MULTI-MODAL CENTER THAT WAY.

SO WHEN BRAD CAME ON AS CEO AND I BROUGHT THAT UP AGAIN, HE ACTUALLY MADE IT SO THAT THE BUS WOULD GO INTO THE CATA MULTIMODAL CENTER.

AND IT HAS EVER SINCE, FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND PEOPLE THAT ARE MSU STUDENTS AND OTHER STUDENTS, I MEAN, OTHER CITIZENS LOVE THAT SERVICE.

OK, THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE BOARD WAS PURCHASING NEW BUSSES THIS PAST SUMMER.

MAYBE IT WAS IN THE SPRING, I GUESS.

AND WE HAVE VENTILATION SYSTEMS IN THE TOP.

WHAT IS THAT, THE ONE MINUTE--.

DONNA, YOU'RE AT THREE MINUTES, SO PLEASE, TRY TO--.

SO WE HAVE VENTILATION IN THE TOP OF THE BUSSES AND WE HAD WE WERE PURCHASING BUSSES AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME THAT DID NOT HAVE ANY VENTILATION FOR HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING TO THE BACK OF THE-- THAT'S YOUR TIME CAN WE PLEASE WRAP UP? OH, YEAH, ONE OF THAT WAS THE THAT'S MY TIME.

OK, SO THE VENTILATION SYSTEM TO THE BUS, I ENDED UP GETTING CATA TO PURCHASE VENTILATION FOR THE VANS, THE CATA VANS.

SO THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE TO RIDE SPEC-TRAN, THE LITTLE WHITE VANS, WOULD BE COMFORTABLE IN THE BACK, OTHERWISE WE WERE TOO HOT IN THERE IN THE SUMMER AND WE HAVE TO RIDE SOMETIMES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

PLEASE WRAP IT UP. SO I'VE DONE MY BEST TO DO WHAT I CAN AS A CATA BOARD MEMBER FOR YOU.

AND I'M JUST AT A LOSS.

I THINK THAT NOT HAVING A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY ON A BOARD THAT RIDES ALL THE SERVICES IS REALLY NOT A GOOD THING.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

THANK YOU, DONNA. NEXT SPEAKER.

NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE [INAUDIBLE].

HI, THERE GO AHEAD.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OK? YES. OK, THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR STYKA AND BOARD MEMBERS, I'M FRED WURTZEL, PRESIDENT OF THE CAPITAL REGION CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND.

I LIVE AT 1212 NORTH FOSTER IN LANSING.

I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO REQUEST THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT. I GUESS THAT'S THE WORD OF DONNA ROSE FROM THE CATA BOARD.

AS PRESIDENT OF THE LARGEST AND OLDEST ORGANIZATION OF THE BLIND, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT HAVING A BLIND PERSON ON THE BOARD IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE REPRESENTATION THERE.

WE HAVE NO OBJECTION ON A PERSONAL LEVEL TO THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACE HER WITH, EXCEPT THAT SHE'S NOT BLIND.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH SHE RIDES THE SERVICE OR USES SERVICE.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER SHE'LL USE THE SPEC-TRAN SERVICES OR NOT.

HOWEVER, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS A HISTORY OF APPOINTING BLIND PEOPLE TO THE CATA BOARD.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST IF YOU CONTINUE THAT TRADITION.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DONNA WOULD BE BEING REMOVED FROM THE BOARD.

SHE SERVED AS SHE SPOKE ON HER OWN BEHALF, VERY WELL.

WE'VE BEEN TO MANY OF THE MEETINGS WHERE SHE HAS BEEN IN ATTENDANCE AND WE'RE VERY

[00:25:04]

SO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS APPOINTMENT.

I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE THE NEW APPOINTEE COULD SERVE EQUALLY AS WELL AND REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP JUST AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

ANOTHER SPEAKER, MR. GEBES? [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARLA HUDSON.

I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR WHO THE FIRST ONE WAS, MR. GEBES.

CARLA HUDSON IS GOING TO BE THE SPEAKER.

CARLA? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. HI, THIS IS CARLA HUDSON MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENT SKYLINE DRIVE.

I'M A USER OF ALL CATA SERVICES.

TWENTY TWENTY IS NOT ONLY THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT IS THE YEAR THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CELEBRATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

CELEBRATING THIS LANDMARK LEGISLATION, WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES, BUT THERE STILL REMAINS ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED.

ONE OF THOSE IS THE BARRIER TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES REMAINS AT 70 PERCENT.

FOR THE BLIND, IT IS 80 PERCENT.

THE NUMBER ONE LEADING REASON IS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF THE CATA BOARD, ONLY TWO MEMBERS USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REGULARLY.

THE INPUT OF THOSE TWO MEMBERS AS USERS OF THE SYSTEM IS RECOGNIZED AS EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO THE QUALITY OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVE FROM THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

GETTING A SEAT AT THE TABLE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY IS NOT EASY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT MISS ROSE IS NOT BEING REMOVED, BUT THAT HER TIME ON THE BOARD IS NOT BEING REAPPOINTED.

HISTORICALLY, THIS POSITION WAS HELD BY ANOTHER PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND SHOULD CONTINUE IN ORDER THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES' VOICES CAN BE HEARD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT MISS ROSE HAS BEEN GIVEN THE OPTION OF SERVING ON THE LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS PART OF THE CATA SYSTEM IN MY BOOK, THAT IS A DEMOTION.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT SHE IS NOT BEING REAPPOINTED AS WE NEED A NEW VOICE AT THE TABLE.

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEED A NEW VOICE AT THE TABLE.

I STRUGGLE WITH THAT ANSWER AS THE NEW APPOINTEE ONCE ALSO SERVED ON THE CATA BOARD--THE POTENTIAL NEW APPOINTEE.

LASTLY, I MIGHT ADD THAT MS. ROSE, SERVES ANOTHER ELEMENT OF DIVERSITY ON THE COMMITTEE FOR CATA AS SHE IS NATIVE AMERICAN. SO IF THERE'S A DIVERSITY NEED, SHE WOULD FIT THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO? MR. GEBES, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? WE DO, SIR. CALLER, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD? MY NAME IS PHYLLIS [INAUDIBLE] MY ADDRESS IS 6100 [INAUDIBLE] CT, HASLETT, MICHIGAN.

I'M CALLING REGARDING CATA AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DISABILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

I OWNED AND OPERATED AN ADULT FOSTER CARE HOME IN DEWITT FOR OVER 12 YEARS AND I GOT BARRIERS REMOVED AND SIDEWALKS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL WITH READY RIDE RIGHT NOW.

AND I'M A USER OF READY RIDE AND SPEC-TRAN, AND I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHER DISABILITIES BESIDES BEING BLIND AND YOU CAN ADVOCATE FOR ANYBODY WITHOUT THAT DISABILITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. GEBES? THE NEXT CALLER IS LILY HUDSON FROM INSIDE THE ZOOM INTERFACE.

MS. HUDSON, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PUBLIC RECORD.

ALL RIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OK, WELL, MY NAME IS LILY HUDSON.

I'M THE DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL AND CARLA HUDSON AND I LIVE ON SKYLINE DRIVE.

I WILL BE VOTING IN MY FIRST ELECTION COME NOVEMBER, BUT I AM NO STRANGER TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS I WATCH MY PARENTS SEVERAL TIMES AT THESE MEETINGS ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.

[00:30:01]

UNLIKE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AND EVEN SOME ADULTS, I UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE OF THE TRANSPORTATION USER I HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVES TO READY RIDE, CATA SPEC-TRAN, AND THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEMS. MY FAMILY HAS CONDUCTED MOST LIFE ACTIVITIES VIA THESE SERVICES.

WE DID NOT OWN THE FAMILY CAR AND I WORE OUT LOTS OF SHOES WALKING TO THE BUS AND HEARING THAT DONNA ROSE WOULD NOT BE REAPPOINTED TO THE CATA BOARD, I WANT TO SPEAK UP REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE WHO USE THE SERVICE, HAVING A VOICE.

IF THOSE WHO DO NOT USE THE SERVICE MAKE UP THE MAJORITY, HOW DO PERSONS WHO USE THE SERVICE REGULARLY EVER GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE.

ON A TRANSPORTATION BOARD MOSTLY COMPRISED OF PEOPLE WHO DRIVE, HOW CAN THESE INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE OF A TRUE TRANSPORTATION USER? IN NOT SELECTING A USER OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT YOU ARE MISSING A KEY FACTOR TO A TRANSPORTATION BOARD APPOINTMENT.

ONLY A USER CAN UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO STAND IN THE FREEZING COLD FOR A BUS THAT IS RUNNING BEHIND OR THE CHALLENGES IT TAKES TO CARRY GROCERIES ON A BUS WHILE JUGGLING YOUR CANE. ONLY A TRUE BUS USER CAN UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO HAVE THE BUS SERVICE RUN LONGER THAN NINE TO FIVE, AS LIFE DOES NOT JUST STOP AT FIVE.

ONLY A TRANSPORTATION USER GETS THAT ONCE YOU LEAVE THE BUS, YOU MIGHT JUST HAVE A LONG WALK HOME. I ASK THAT WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE THIS EVENING THAT YOU REALLY CONSIDER WHAT A TRUE BUS USER IS AND CONSIDER EXCLUSIVITY AND EQUITY IN YOUR APPOINTMENT SELECTION. THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS, MR. GEBES? YES, SIR MICHAEL HUDSON WILL BE THE NEXT SPEAKER.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

START OUT BY [INAUDIBLE] MICHAEL.

HOW ABOUT NOW, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. I'M SORRY I HAD TOO MANY MUTE BUTTONS IN FRONT OF ME.

MICHAEL HUDSON, 6009 SKYLINE DRIVE.

I'VE BEEN A PASSENGER, RIDER OF CATA FOR 29 YEARS.

IN FACT, I WILL SAY IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I CHOSE TO START A CAREER HERE IN THIS TOWN. AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S BEEN VERY REFRESHING TO FIND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CATA.

IT'S BEEN A GOOD BUS SERVICE TO THE YEARS, ONE OF THE BEST, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOTTEN BETTER OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

DONNA ROSE BRINGS UNIQUE TALENTS TO THE JOB, HAVING BEEN A LIFETIME WRITER OF BUSSES HERSELF. SO THESE ARE NOT DECISIONS THAT ARE TAKEN LIGHTLY.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE AROUND.

AND SHE DOES THE FIXED ROUTE.

SHE DOES THE PARATRANSIT ROUTES, AND EVERY DAY SHE'S GAINFULLY EMPLOYED THANKS TO THE SERVICE. SHE'S A HOMEOWNER, A TAXPAYER.

AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT ON THESE SYSTEMS. SHE HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN CONTROVERSY FREE, BUT NOR HAS CATA.

AND I THINK DONNA'S HELPED CATA TO SAVE SOME BAD DECISION MAKING AND IN FACT, HELPED SELECT A VERY OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF CATA WHO I'M IMAGINING MUST ENJOY A LITTLE BIT OF THE SUPPORT THAT DONNA BRINGS TO THE MIX AND THE TRUE UNDERSTANDING.

AND I WILL ECHO DONNA.

I ATTRIBUTED SOME OF THE THINGS SHE'S DONE.

I KNOW IT WAS ON MY AGENDA TO SEE THAT BUS GET INTO THE CATA STATION.

IT WAS IRONIC TO FIND A CATA STATION THAT DIDN'T SERVE CATA BUS ROUTES.

SO THAT WAS FIXED.

I'VE SEEN DRAMATIC EXPANSIONS TO WHERE THE READY RIDE GOES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IT LOOKED CONTROVERSIAL.

IT PROBABLY RUFFLED SOME FEATHERS, BUT ULTIMATELY IT HAS BECOME SOME OF THE BEST DECISION MAKING THAT'S BEEN DONE AND THE SYSTEM IS BETTER FOR IT.

SO BEFORE YOU MOVE DONNA ROSE, PLEASE CONSIDER THESE GIFTS OF TALENT AND IMMERSIVE USE OF THE BUS SYSTEM DON'T COME EVERY DAY.

AND I THINK YOU'D BE MAKING A MISTAKE TO REVERSE OUT OF THIS.

PERHAPS OTHER MEMBER COULD BE SWAPPED IN AND OUT TO BRING THE DIVERSITY THAT YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR. BUT DONNA ROSE IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED AND VALUABLE TO THIS PROCESS.

THANK YOU. ANYMORE, MR. GEBES? YES, SIR, WE HAVE MR. ADAM CARLSON.

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, PLEASE.

YES. ADAM CARLSON, ONE FOUR NINE FIVE BIRCHWOOD DRIVE.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, HAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR, I THINK, EIGHT YEARS NOW.

AND I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION BEFORE YOU FOR THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND. THIS WAS VETTED AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EDC IN EARLY OCTOBER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.

[00:35:04]

WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FACT THAT, OR I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS FUND TO SEE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.

THE APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, IS NOT PERFECT.

I WISH THERE WAS MORE WE COULD DO, BUT PERFECT WOULD BE THAT DOWNTOWN OKEMOS HAD BEEN REDEVELOPED 10 YEARS AGO.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, POSITIVE PROGRESS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT AND WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO BE SUPPORTIVE AS WELL. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE NO OTHER CALLERS AND NO RAISED HANDS AT THIS TIME, SIR.

GIVE IT JUST A MOMENT, IN CASE SOMEBODY WANTS TO RAISE THEIR HAND, THIS IS THE TIME.

NOT HEARING THAT THERE IS ANYONE, SO WE'LL MOVE FURTHER ON THE AGENDA.

THE NEXT ITEM IS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

I WON'T GO INTO THE WALNUT HILLS UPDATE, CERTAINLY, BECAUSE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA LATER ON, YOU MAY RECALL.

BUT WITH THE INDIAN LAKES AND THE [INAUDIBLE] PROJECT, THERE'S A NEED TO MEMORIALIZE THE THINGS THAT WERE STATED DURING THAT PROCESS.

AND WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

ONE OF THE WORST THINGS TO DO IS TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS AND THEN NOT MEMORIALIZE THEM INTO PAPER.

AND PEOPLE WONDER A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON THAT PROPERTY.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE WINSLOW TRAILER PARK ON GRAND RIVER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS WORKING ON THAT, TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY.

IT'S A GATEWAY TO THE TOWNSHIP.

AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER OUT THERE.

THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH SOME TRAILERS AND COTTAGES.

IF YOU DRIVE BY THE FORMER VALUE TIRE ON JOLLEY ROAD, YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE A SHELL OF A BUILDING. AND YOU MAY WONDER WHAT'S GOING TO BECOME OF THAT.

AGAIN, RIGHT ON OUR THOROUGHFARE DOWN ON THE SOUTH END OF THE TOWNSHIP, DIRECTOR CLARK AND PLANNER MENSER AND I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH OWNERSHIP OF THAT BUILDING.

THE OWNER OF THAT BUILDING ALSO OWNS CAPITAL PRIME AND ANOTHER QUITE A FEW RESTAURANTS IN THE REGION AND WANTS TO REDEVELOP THAT IN A GREAT WAY.

OUR CONCERN IS WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE DURING COVID? AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT.

WE'VE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON AN IMMEDIATE ENHANCEMENT OF THE APPEARANCE OF THAT BUILDING, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT LOOKS CURRENTLY ALL WINTER, CHIEF PLAGA AND OTHERS ARE WORKING ON IT AND ADDRESS ISSUE ON MERIDIAN ROAD.

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A MAJOR ISSUE TO SOME? BUT IF YOU'RE THAT RESIDENT WHOSE ADDRESS HAS BEEN AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED FROM OKEMOS TO WILLIAMSTON AND THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH THE MAIL SERVICE, IT'S A BIG DEAL AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT TRYING TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS.

WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO A LITANY OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THREE MILLAGE PROPOSALS, THE LAND PRESERVATION, THE POLICE AND FIRE MILLAGES THAT ARE ON THE ON THE BALLOT HERE FOR NOVEMBER. LOTS OF QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THOSE.

WHAT DO THEY NEED AND WHAT IS THIS REDUCTION MEAN AND WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T VOTE FOR THE REDUCTION AND A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.

WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR VOTERS.

PINE VILLAGE THE BROWNFIELD REIMBURSEMENT PLAN FOR PINE VILLAGE UP IN HASLETT WAS APPROVED BY THE BROWNFIELD BOARD LAST THURSDAY MORNING.

IF YOU GO BY THE SOUTH FIRE STATION ANY TIME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF WORK GOING ON THERE.

YOU'LL SEE THE SOLAR PANELS GOING ON TO THE SOUTH FIRE STATION ROOF AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE DRIVEWAY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.

BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE BEING DONE WITH, CASH, NO DEBT AND COMING OUT OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.

NEXT UP FOR SOLAR IS THE MARKETPLACE.

AGAIN, A PROJECT THAT THE BOARD BUDGETED.

AND THE SAME COMPANY THAT'S DOING THE WORK AT THE FIRE STATION, WILL THEN MOVE TO THE SOLAR ON THE MARKETPLACE.

THE HASLETT MARATHON.

THAT PROJECT'S BEEN AROUND A FAIR NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND WE NOW JUST RECENTLY, I THINK ACTUALLY MAYBE ON MONDAY, RECEIVED A BUILDING PERMIT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO AUGMENT OUR CURRENT 34 OR 35 POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE, AND CHIEF PLAGA HAS TWO CANDIDATES THAT WE'LL BE MEETING WITH TOMORROW.

SPEAKING OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE NEW LADDER TRUCK WILL BE ORDERED THIS MONTH AND IT'S ABOUT AN 11 MONTHS DELIVERY.

SO SOMETIME NEXT SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER WE'LL KEEP OUR PROMISE TO THE VOTERS THAT WAS MADE IN

[00:40:05]

THE 2020 STREET PROJECT IS COMPLETED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MANAGER PERRY, AND THE LIST FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN SOME FINE TUNING.

AND THAT LIST WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AT YOUR DECEMBER 1 BOARD MEETING.

SO YOUR FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER, YOU'LL RECEIVE THAT LIST.

AND FINALLY, I WANT TO TALK JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THE MARKETPLACE FOR THOSE OF YOU AND I THINK MOST EVERYONE ON THE SCREEN WAS THERE, THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT DAY, BUT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THAT PROJECT.

THAT IS TO THANK THE DRAIN COMMISSION OFFICE.

THERE WAS AN EXTENSIVE PROBLEM CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF THAT WITH DRAINAGE, AND IT REQUIRED US EVEN MANAGER PERRY AND I, TO GO DOWN TO INGHAM COUNTY AND WORK WITH OUR DRAIN COMMISSIONER. AND THE OFFICE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL.

THEY REALLY WERE. THEY DIDN'T GET MENTIONED ON THAT DAY, BUT THEIR WORK WAS IMPERATIVE.

WITHOUT THEM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

I WANT TO THANK MANAGER PERRY.

YOU KNOW, HE WASN'T ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU [INAUDIBLE] YOU HEARD ON THAT DAY, BUT HE DID AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK ON THIS PROJECT.

AND I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE CHIEF PLAGA, ANOTHER NAME YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT DAY, BUT CHIEF PLAGA AND I WHEN THE WHEN OTHER FOLKS COULDN'T FIND A SPONSOR FOR THE MAINSTAGE FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR SPONSORSHIP, CHIEF PLAGA AND I WENT OUT AND MET WITH DELTA DENTAL.

AND WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK TO THE GENEROSITY OF DELTA TO BRING BACK FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THAT PROJECT.

THE LIST GOES ON AND ON THE WORK THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS CREW THEMSELVES DID SOME OF THE WORK ON THE PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD THE NEEDS OF THE CONSTRUCTION CREWS AND ALL THAT, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK. BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT DID A LOT OF WORK.

AND I WANTED TO THANK THEM PUBLICLY BECAUSE IT'S A BIG PROJECT AND IT WAS A LOT OF WORK AND I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THAT'S MY REPORT.

UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, MR. SUPERVISOR. DO ANY TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES OR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? OK, I GUESS YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK FOR A MOMENT, AT LEAST, MR. MANAGER.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

SO I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A ELECTION UPDATE.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES AND WHAT'S GOING ON.

FIRST, I WANT TO JUST COVER SOME OF THE GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC, AS I ALWAYS DO, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE AT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO FROM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE. LET'S START WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED VOTERS, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MOST PEOPLE ARE REGISTERED VOTERS, BUT FOR THE FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE AT THIS POINT.

YOU HAVE TO COME TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

AND YOU CAN DO THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO 8:00 P.M.

ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, AND REGISTER AND VOTE.

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A BALLOT AND VOTE.

IN TERMS OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, WE HAVE ISSUED AND MAILED OUT OVER 18 THOUSAND BALLOTS.

OBVIOUSLY A MASSIVE EFFORT AND BY FAR HISTORIC PROPORTIONS OF BALLOTS ARE GOING OUT ACROSS THE STATE. AND MERIDIAN REFLECTS THOSE ENORMOUS NUMBERS.

I SIGNED THE DOCUMENT.

THE BOARD, AUTHORIZED ME TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH INGHAM COUNTY TO HAVE A JOINT A COUNTY BOARD, I SIGNED THAT AGREEMENT AND WE ARE JUST GETTING THOSE DETAILS TOGETHER.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN MASON IS WHERE THE AB COUNTING BOARD IS GOING TO BE. AND WE SENT A LIST OVER OF TWENTY FOUR ELECTION INSPECTORS THAT WILL WORK THE AB COUNTING BOARD IN MASON.

AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO GET MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL POOL.

WE DO ANTICIPATE ALWAYS LAST MINUTE CANCELATIONS.

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF ELECTION INSPECTORS APPLICATIONS AND WE DON'T NEED TO RECRUIT AND DO ACTIVITIES TO TRY TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN TO WORK AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE PANDEMIC COMBINED.

ODDLY ENOUGH, THE PANDEMIC, COMBINED WITH THE INTENSITY OF THE POLITICAL CONFLICTS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY, HAS LED A NUMBER OF CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN MERIDIAN BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO LIVE IN MERIDIAN TO BE AN ELECTION INSPECTOR, TO WANT TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND COME AND WORK THE ELECTIONS, BASICALLY.

AND FOR YEARS WE'VE HAD TO DO A LOT OF THINGS TO TRY TO INDUCE PEOPLE AND COME UP WITH DIFFERENT MARKETING TECHNIQUES.

AND THERE'S BOOKS AND WORKSHOPS ON THE TOPIC.

[00:45:01]

WE'RE GOING TO BE ROTATING PEOPLE AROUND.

AND IN FACT, JUST TO BE FAIR AND TO TRY TO DO THINGS REALLY WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY TO JUST GET A COUPLE OF NEW PEOPLE IN SOME NEW POSITIONS, EVEN TRY TO GET SOMEBODY NEW IN A CHAIR POSITION HERE OR THERE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO REALLY GET THIS NEW BLOOD CIRCULATING THROUGH THE WHOLE ELECTION TEAM.

SO THAT'S ALL REALLY GOOD NEWS.

ALL THE POLLING LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY HAVE.

THEY'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF FIVE.

I WAS REALLY CONCERNED WE COULD EVEN GET THREE OR FOUR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF FIVE AND MOST OF THEM WILL LIKELY HAVE SIX OR MORE, WHICH MEANS WE CAN HAVE GREETERS THAT WORK BEFORE YOU SIGN THE APPLICATION TO GET A BALLOT.

THAT REALLY HELPS A LOT WITH VOTER INTERACTION.

THAT'S A PERSON THAT COULD COME DOWN THE LINE AND HELP PEOPLE MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THE RIGHT LOCATION AND OTHER VOTER INFORMATION.

OK, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER ISSUES, TOO, THAT WAS MENTIONED.

THERE'S BEEN A BIG EMPHASIS ON DROP BOXES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

LAWS WERE PASSED ABOUT THIS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS MERIDIAN HAS BEEN DOING THIS AHEAD OF THE CURVE BEFORE I EVEN CAME ON BOARD. MERIDIAN HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO A TWENTY FOUR HOUR DROP BOX IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS I'M ALWAYS PROUD WHEN I HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL. AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THERE'S THE SPEAKER THAT MR. MCCONNELL SAID THAT THERE WAS AN OVERFLOW SITUATION.

IT HAPPENED ONCE.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S GETTING WHERE THE INFORMATION COMES FROM.

IT HAPPENED ONE TIME AND IT WAS A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE.

AND ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS, THERE WAS ONE TIME IT HAPPENED.

AND THAT WAS AFTER OUR JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WEEKEND HERE FOR THE PREVIOUS PRIMARIES WHEN IT HAPPENED. WE'VE HAD TO GET FILL.

IT NEVER GOT OVERFILLED ASIDE FROM THAT SITUATION WHERE IT WAS EVER ANY DANGER OF BALLOTS NOT GOING IN OR BALLOTS BEING RETRIEVED.

AND IT IS WITHIN, OF COURSE, WITHIN EYESHOT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THE DROP BOX WORKS WELL, IT'S TAKEN UP [INAUDIBLE] WE GET QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE DROP BOX AND THE NATURE OF IT AND HOW IT'S WORKED.

AND THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE.

THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THEY'RE PERIODICALLY TAKEN OUT AND THEY ARE PROCESSED LIKE THEY WOULD IF THEY CAME THROUGH THE MAIL OR IF THEY WERE HANDED IN AT THE COUNTER AND THEY'RE TIME STAMPED ENTERED IN.

AND OF COURSE, THEY GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS OF SIGNATURE VERIFICATION AND THEN THE REST OF THE BALLOT PROCESSING PROCEDURES.

IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT POLLING LOCATION THAT WE HAVE HERE, WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE FORTY DAY ELECTION CYCLE, WHICH BEGAN SEPTEMBER TWENTY FOURTH.

ALL VOTERS CAN VOTE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AT THE TOWN HALL BUILDING DURING OUR BUSINESS HOURS. THEY CAN COME INTO THE BUILDING AND THEY CAN VOTE.

YOU CAN CALL IT EARLY VOTING.

THAT'S NOT THE PROPER TERM ANYMORE.

IT'S JUST THAT WE CAN VOTE AND THE VOTING CYCLES FOR 40 DAYS AND VOTERS CAN COME IN AND VOTE. WE'RE ALSO OPEN LATE ON THURSDAY FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF OCTOBER, BROKE UNTIL SEVEN P.M., A THIRTY ON THURSDAY FOR VOTER CONVENIENCE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE OPEN ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER THIRTY FIRST FROM 9:00 TO 5:00 TO ALSO ASSIST VOTERS AND GETTING BALLOTS.

IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE ACTUAL HALL, THERE HAS BEEN POLL WATCHERS THAT HAVE COME IN. WE HAVE HAD NO MORE THAN I BELIEVE TWO AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THAT HAVE COME INTO THE TOWN HALL ROOM. WE HAVE GUIDELINES.

THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE ROOM UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ROLES OF A POLL WORKER AND WHAT THE LIMITATIONS ARE.

THERE'S TWO TYPES OF OBSERVERS THAT CAN COME IN A POLLING LOCATION, A CHALLENGER AND A POLL WATCHER. THE TWO HAVE DISTINCT, DISTINCT DIFFERENCES.

THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO.

THE MOST IMPORTANT SIMILARITIES ARE THAT THEY CANNOT INTERACT WITH VOTERS.

THEY CAN'T IMPEDE THE VOTER PROCESS.

NOW GIVEN COVID, THEY ALSO CANNOT CONTRIBUTE TO ANY INTERFERENCE WITH COVID SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. SO I HAVE HAD TO GO IN AND HAVE HAD TO SITUATE THEM.

SOMETIMES AND MOVE THEM TO A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE SIX FEET AWAY FROM EVERYBODY AND PEOPLE COMING IN THE DOOR, AND IT'S A TIGHT SITUATION.

SO ULTIMATELY PEOPLE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE REALLY HAVING TO DO THINGS IN A NEW MANNER. WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

WE'RE AD LIBBING WHERE WE HAVE TIGHT SPACE CONSTRAINTS AT THE TOWNSHIP HALL.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT THE TOWN HALL ROOM LOOKS LIKE.

IT'S TIGHT. IT'S TIGHT AS A VOTING LOCATION.

WE ALSO USING IT AS A STAGING AREA FOR ALL SORTS OF ELECTION PROCESSING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SPACE ANYWHERE ELSE.

PLUS, WITH COVID, WE NEED SIX FOOT DISTANCING.

SO WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS LOGISTICAL CONSTRAINTS.

AND THAT ALSO AFFECTS HOW VOTERS CAN COME IN.

WE DON'T WANT THEM WALKING THROUGH THE WHOLE BUILDING.

SO WE'RE KEEPING THEM COME AS CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOWN HALL ROOM AS POSSIBLE THROUGH THAT BACK EXIT DOORS, THE MAIN WAY IN AND OUT.

[00:50:02]

SO THAT'S THE STUFF WE'RE WORKING WITH.

WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES.

OUR FULL TIME STAFF IS WORKING LONG HOURS.

WE HAVE LIMITS IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN ACCESS QVF.

SO THAT RESULTS IN SOME BACKLOGS AND SOME STRESS DURING THE DAY AS WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE BACKLOG OF AV APPS AND AVS WHEN THEY WERE HAPPENING.

WE ARE ALL CAUGHT UP.

EVERYBODY HAS WE'RE ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE ARE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING, BUT IT'S PRETTY HAIRY FOR A WEEK OR TWO. SO THAT'S THE STATE OF WHERE THINGS ARE AT RIGHT NOW.

AND VOTERS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CAN COME IN AND VOTE, AS I SAID BEFORE, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, 4 PM.

VOTERS CAN ALSO SPOIL A BALLOT BY COMING INTO THE BUILDING AND FILLING OUT A SIMPLE SIGNING A SIMPLE STATEMENT THAT SAYS THEY WISH TO SPOIL THEIR AV BALLOT AND GET A NEW BALLOT, EITHER TO TAKE WITH THEM OR VOTE THERE OR DECIDE THEY WANT TO VOTE AT THE POLLING LOCATION. SO THOSE ARE SOME OPTIONS.

VOTERS CAN ALSO TAKE THEIR BALLOT, THEIR AV BALLOT TO THE POLLING LOCATION IF THEY DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEY CAN SURRENDER THEIR BALLOT AT THE POLLING LOCATION AND ALSO VOTE IN PERSON THERE AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KEY ASPECTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ELECTION AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ANY REPORTS, ACTIVITIES? TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YOU'RE MUTED TREASURER. ON MARCH 8TH, I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING AND THE MAIN OBJECT OF THIS MEETING WAS TO REVIEW THE GREEN [INAUDIBLE] FUND REQUEST. [INAUDIBLE] WE'LL BE DISCUSSING.

SO ON THE 8TH WITH TRUSTEE SUNDLAND AND CLERK DREYFUS, I ATTENDED THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSION MEETING, WHERE WE APPOINTED [INAUDIBLE] OFFICIALS TO THE COUNTY CENTER AND OUR [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTATIVES BACK [INAUDIBLE] AND MANY PEOPLE AT THIS MEETING.

I WAS ALSO AT THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE NEW MARKETPLACE AND THE GREEN ON MARCH 8TH.

EXCELLENT NEW FARMER'S MARKET WE NOW HAVE.

THERE WERE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THIS.

AND COMMISSION [INAUDIBLE] MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND GROUPS HAVE CONTRIBUTED [INAUDIBLE] TO A SUCCESSFUL TEAM.

AND [INAUDIBLE] ONE PERSON WHO WAS [INAUDIBLE] THERE MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE SUCCESS OF THEM, THAT WAS THEIR OWN MANAGER, FRANK WALSH.

HE MANAGED THIS PROCESS WAS SCALED [INAUDIBLE] FROM BEHIND.

I THINK YOU HAD A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS AND PRODUCTS, [INAUDIBLE] NOT ALL OF THEM COME TO FRUITION, I THINK, BECAUSE THE MANAGER'S PASSION AND SKILL, THIS DREAM CAME TRUE AS A RESULT. WE HAD A GREAT FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] MANAGER WALSH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE NEW MARKETPLACE AT THE GREEN.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, ANY REPORTS? YES, TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES, SO I WAS GOING TO REPORT ON THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND APPLICATION IN THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS, BUT WE'VE ALREADY HAD A REPORT FROM PHIL DESCHAINE AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS REDEVELOPMENT IN OKEMOS.

SO THE ONLY OTHER THING, ONLY OTHER ITEM THAT I CAN THAT I HAVE TO REPORT ON IS I WENT TO THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MEETING AND THEY ARE UPDATING THEIR POLICIES IN DIVERSITY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.

BUT, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO REPORT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND I WAS GOING TO REPORT ON THE ELECTION COMMISSION.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON TOP OF IT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, AND YOU HAVE INDIRECTLY REPORTED AS WELL.

SO THAT'S GOOD. OK, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, ANY REPORTS? I DON'T SEE ANY MORE HANDS.

OH, I DO, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? I GUESS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE MEETING TOMORROW AT FOUR P.M. AT THE USUAL TIME, VIA ZOOM AND AS I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ON, WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN ADVERTISING POLICY WHICH WOULD PROSPECTIVELY GENERATE ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO ONE POINT TWO MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

WE ARE NEARING THE ADOPTION PROCESS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AMENDMENT OFFERED TOMORROW AT THE BOARD MEETING.

BUT THE POLICY COMMITTEE, WHICH I SERVE ON, HAS BEEN DEVELOPING THIS OVER ABOUT THE LAST

[00:55:05]

BUT WE DO NOT ALLOW POLITICAL SPEECH.

IT DOES ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EXPRESS ADVOCACY, WHICH IS KIND OF THIS DARK MONEY ELEMENT UNDER CITIZENS UNITED.

AND IT'S ALSO VERY COMPREHENSIVE IN TERMS OF CERTAIN CONTENT THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT VISIBLE ON OUR BUSSES FROM AN ADVERTISING POLICY, WHETHER IT'S ADULT MATERIAL, FIREARMS, ALCOHOL AND OTHER PRODUCTS.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE POLICY, I CAN FORWARD THAT TO YOU. BUT THAT IS NEARING THE PROCESS OF BEING ADOPTED AND JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. AND THERE WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AS THE STATIONS THEMSELVES WOULD HAVE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES OVER TIME AS THEY'RE UPGRADED TO THE NEW STATIONS THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE REGION.

SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A RIGHT OF WAY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT.

SO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WILL ALSO PLAY A ROLE AS WE NEAR THAT PROCESS.

AND THAT IS MY REPORT.

ANY OTHER FIRST TIME AROUND [INAUDIBLE] REPORTS? I'LL MENTION THAT I HAD IN ADDITION TO, OF COURSE, BEING AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING.

TODAY I ATTENDED A ZOOM MEETING WITH OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SLOTKIN OF THE 8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND VARIOUS COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS REMAIN WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF CONGRESS AND THE SENATE AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE GETTING TOGETHER.

SO IT'S NOT LOOKING VERY PROMISING ON SOMETHING HAPPENING BEFORE THE ELECTION TO GIVE RELIEF TO OUR CITIZENS AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

MR. DREYFUS, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD? YEAH, NOT TO BELABOR THE ELECTION ISSUE, BUT I HAD I HAD NEEDED TO CLARIFY ABOUT THE DROP BOX, I FORGOT THAT I NEEDED TO ANSWER THE ONE KEY ISSUE ABOUT THAT, AND THAT IS THE OVERFLOW OCCURRED ON A SUNDAY.

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN DURING THE WEEK.

IT HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY AND HAPPENED ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

SO AS A MEASURE, WE'VE COME IN ON SUNDAYS NOW PERIODICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SO THAT'S HOW WE ADDRESS THE OVERFLOW ISSUE IS THE ONLY TIME THAT COULD FEASIBLY HAPPEN WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER THE WEEKEND.

AND SO I CAME IN ON A COUPLE OF SUNDAYS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT AND THE MAILBOXES WERE ONLY NOT EVEN HALF FULL.

SO I JUST NEEDED TO CLARIFY THAT.

THANK YOU. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR VOTERS KNOW THAT THEIR BALLOTS WILL GET IN AND BE COUNTED. TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

REGARDING THE [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS BEFORE THE BALLOT.

POLICE AND FIRE [INAUDIBLE] ARE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT'S COME IN SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THE NON PRESERVATION FORM, WHICH THIS BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED BE REDUCED FROM POINT THREE TO POINT ONE APPROXIMATELY.

THE QUESTION I'VE GOTTEN IS IF YOU VOTE NO ON THAT LAND PRESERVATION AND WILL IT REVERT TO POINT THREE, THE ANSWER IS NO.

IT WILL GO TO ZERO.

SO THOSE ARE OBSERVING THAT, THE CHOICES POINT ONE OR ZERO IF YOU VOTE NO.

MAJORITY VOTE [INAUDIBLE] LAND PRESERVATION FUND.

EXCELLENT REPORT.

I'VE HAD THE SAME QUESTION FROM CITIZENS WHO THEY THINK PERHAPS IF THEY VOTE NO, THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP THE POINT THREE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S EXPIRING.

SO IF YOU VOTE NO, WE WON'T HAVE A LAND PRESERVATION FUND.

SO THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO VOTE YES TO KEEP IT POINT ONE.

OK, ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT WE'LL MOVE ON. AND OUR NEXT THING IS, THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

I MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

AND I BELIEVE I READ MS. SUNDLAND'S LIPS SECONDING THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? YES. ALL RIGHT.

OK, ANY NEED TO REMOVE ANYTHING? OR ANYTHING ON THE MINUTES? THEN WE NEED A VOTE. CLERK DREYFUS? OH, ON THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? OR ARE WE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? THE AGENDA. OK.

YEAH. OK, SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE JACKSON? OH, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? EXCUSE ME.

YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI?

[01:00:01]

OK SO THEN NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS.

WE HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 6TH FOR THE VIRTUAL REGULAR COMMITTEE, AND THEN FINALLY,

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? TRUSTEE WISINSKI? I MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OK IS THERE A SECOND? [INAUDIBLE] YOU SECOND IT.

ANY DISCUSSION? AND WE NEED A ROLL CALL ON THIS CLERK DREYFUS.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES. TRUSTEE SUNLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY, I DIDN'T SEE ANY, HE'S NOT HERE OR SHE'S NOT HERE EITHER ONE. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR HEARINGS AND THE FIRST HEARING OR THE ONLY HEARING IS THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REDEVELOPMENT FUND APPLICATION.

[11. HEARINGS (CANARY) A. Meridian Township Redevelopment Fund Application]

THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND WAS CREATED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO AND ITS ORIGINAL CORPUS WAS SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

A PORTION OF THAT WAS USED FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED BY THE BOARD AND IN NEXT YEAR'S [INAUDIBLE] OF ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT SEVEN HUNDRED. THOSE FUNDS ARE BUDGETED IN THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE BUDGET TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL CORPUS OF SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU [INAUDIBLE] IT'S IN THE RANGE OF EIGHTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS, EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.

AND THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH FOUR OR FIVE OTHER POTS OF FUNDING TO TAKE DOWN THE BUILDINGS AT THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS WITH SOME DEADLINES AND TIMETABLES BEFORE YOU. THIS WENT BEFORE THE REDEVELOPMENT OR THE MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MAYBE A WEEK AGO AND RECEIVED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM THE EDC TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

SO THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE FUND EFFECTIVE ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THERE'S FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY APPROXIMATELY NOW.

SO THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU, IT'S JUST OVER 10 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE FUND.

I'M SURE THAT THE REQUESTER THAT'S ON TONIGHT WILL GO INTO WHERE THE OTHER POTS ARE.

SO I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO BE REDUNDANT.

I'M SURE THEY'LL COVER WHERE THE OTHER POTS OF FUNDING ARE COMING FROM TO GET I BELIEVE THE DEMOLITION COST IS OVER EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IF I RECALL.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A BRIEF SYNOPSIS.

MR. SUPERVISOR AND BOARD OF WHAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

AND I KNOW THAT THE MR. RANDALL AND MR. HELZER ARE ON THIS CALL.

SO I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. ALL RIGHT.

DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT MR. RANDALL OR MR. HELZER WANTS TO TELL US BEFORE WE OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE HEARING? YES, THIS IS ERIC HELZER, IF I CAN MAKE A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS TO ADDRESS WHAT THE SUPERVISOR HAD ALLUDED TO.

WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS.

WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REDEVELOPMENT FUND CONSIDERATION.

SO WE FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS MATTER UP.

YOUR PORTION OF IT IS ONE PARTICULAR SOURCE.

WE HAVE ANOTHER SOURCE OF FUNDS THAT IS COMING FROM THE FORMERLY MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. NOW EAGLE, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES AND ENERGY.

WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND THE SECURING OF FUNDS FOR THAT.

AND THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING ABOUT SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARD BOTH BLOCKS, ONE AND TWO.

AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE WEBINAR RIGHT NOW, BLOCK ONE IS NORTH OF HAMILTON AND WEST OF OKEMOS ROAD.

IT IS IN THAT NORTH WEST [INAUDIBLE] SECTION.

AND THEN THE BLOCK TWO IS IN THE SOUTHWEST SECTION SOUTH OF HAMILTON ROAD AND WEST OF OKEMOS ROAD. AND THEN THE DEVELOPER IS ALSO GOING TO BE FRONTING ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THIRTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARD THE OVERALL BUDGET.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL END WITH IS THAT WE HAVE PREPARED THIS AS A BUDGETARY ESTIMATE. WE HAVE MET WITH CONTRACTORS TO SECURE COST FOR THIS BUDGET ESTIMATE.

[01:05:01]

THAT IS A REQUIREMENT OF EAGLE WHEN YOU USE THESE TYPES OF FUNDS.

AND I'M SURE THE TOWNSHIP WOULD WANT THAT ANYWAY.

AND WE WILL BE DOING THAT IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY DO BETTER ON OUR PRICING TO SECURE MORE COMPETITIVE PRICES.

IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING WITH COVID AND HOW BUSY CONTRACTORS ARE IN THE LACK OF LABOR IT HAS HAD HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.

SO WE WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN BEAT THESE NUMBERS, BUT IT COULD BECOME TOUGH JUST BASED ON CERTAIN EXPERIENCES THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.

THAT WILL BEGIN RELATIVELY SOON, ASSUMING THAT WE DO GET A FAVORABLE APPROVAL HERE TODAY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PROCEEDING EXPEDITIOUSLY TOWARD THE DEMOLITION OF BOTH BLOCKS.

AND IT'S GOING TO START WITH THIS [INAUDIBLE] ABATEMENT AND IT IS COMPLETE DEMOLITION OF BOTH BLOCKS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE BUILDING THAT IS ON THE BLOCK ONE, THE NORTH BLOCK. IT IS THE FAR NORTH WEST BUILDING THAT WILL REMAIN.

ALL OTHER BUILDINGS WILL BE RAISED AND THE HOLES WILL BE FILLED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL WORK THAT IS ONGOING IN BLACK TWO DUE TO A DRY CLEANER SITE.

THAT LOCATION WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL SPRING AT LEAST.

WHILE WE DO THE BALANCE OF THE WORK.

SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU RON. OK, ANY OTHER PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT, IF NOT, THEN AT 7:06, I WILL OPEN THE HEARING TO THE PUBLIC AND ASK MR. GEBES IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO IS INDICATING A NEED TO SPEAK OR TO ASK QUESTIONS DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REDEVELOPMENT FUND APPLICATION? REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE WELCOME TO CALL IN AT FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE, ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO. OR, OF COURSE, INSIDE THE ZOOM INTERFACE.

THEY CAN SIMPLY RAISE HANDS AND WE'LL ENABLE THEM TO SPEAK.

I AM HEARING NO TELEPHONES RING, I AM SEEING NO HANDS RAISED SIR.

OK.

LOOKING AT THE SCREEN AND LOOKING AT THE PARTICIPANTS, I DIDN'T SEE ANY EITHER.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC ASPECT OF THE HEARING A MINUTE LATER AND WE WILL THEN HAVE THIS MATTER COME UP LATER IN THE MEETING FOR DISCUSSION.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ACTION ITEMS, AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS. OPEN YOUR PACKET MEMORANDUM FOR ME, THESE ARE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

TWO VARIOUS [INAUDIBLE]. IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES OF MEETINGS, SO PROBABLY AT EVERY

[12A. Board and Commission Appointments]

THIS ONE INCLUDES A RECOMMENDATION WHICH HAD ACTUALLY A TECHNICAL VACANCY FOR A YEAR WITH DONNA ROSE CONTINUING TO SERVE DURING THE INTERIM BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT REPLACED THE LAST YEAR WHEN HER TIME WAS UP.

THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD HAD A COUPLE OF RESIGNATIONS, BUT WE HAVE ONE GOOD APPLICANT TO THE BOARD ITSELF HAS RECOMMENDED FILL IN FOR ONE OF THOSE.

AND THEN THE EAST LANSING MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ALSO HAD A RESIGNATION AND WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A SPOT THERE.

SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN MOTIONS.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? I MOVE [INAUDIBLE] SUPERVISOR STYKA'S APPOINTMENTS TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE [INAUDIBLE] TERM EXPIRATION DATE OF 9/20/2022.

MR. [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR A TERM EXPIRATION OF 12/31/2024.

AND JAMES [INAUDIBLE] TO THE MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF 6/30/2022.

OK. THESE ARE ACTUALLY THE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, NOT MINE.

I JUST MADE A RECOMMENDATION.

SO IF YOU WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IN YOUR MOTION? IT'S THE BOARD APPOINTING THESE PEOPLE.

OK, I MOVE [INAUDIBLE] THAT THE FOLLOWING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE MADE [INAUDIBLE] SUPERVISOR STYKA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ACTION.

OK. IS THERE A SECOND? TRUSTEE WISINSKI WAS SECONDED.

YES. OK.

DISCUSSION, MR. DESCHAINE? YEAH I THINK WE HAVE THREE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES HERE FOR THESE.

FOR THESE BOARDS, WE ARE WELL SERVED BY MANY DOZENS AND DOZENS OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO [INAUDIBLE] IN OUR COMMISSIONS.

[01:10:03]

WE ARE MOVING NEW PEOPLE ON TO OUR BOARD AND COMMISSIONS.

I THINK THE BOARD ITSELF SHOULD BE DOING THAT TO [INAUDIBLE] APPOINTMENTS IN THE IN JANUARY.

I SERVED ON [INAUDIBLE] FOR FOUR YEARS.

I THINK IT'S TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO SERVE ON THE COMMISSION NOW.

I THINK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HAS BEEN ON THE [INAUDIBLE] FOR FOUR YEARS.

[INAUDIBLE] I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR DIFFERENT CITIZENS AND FOR DIFFERENT [INAUDIBLE] TO SERVE ON THESE BOARDS. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE VERY GOOD, COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE ON THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THESE THREE THAT WILL BE SERVING.

AND BY NO MEANS IS THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] TO INSULT FOR ANYONE WHO IS ON THOSE BOARDS.

[INAUDIBLE] AS YOU RECOMMENDED THAT YOU NOTED MS. ROSE HAS SERVED A THREE YEAR TERM, FOUR YEAR TERM, AND SHE SERVED VERY WELL, WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE. SHE'S BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR BLIND AND OTHER HANDICAPPED CITIZENS [INAUDIBLE]. THOSE CITIZENS IN THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP VERY WELL AND WE OWE HER A BIG THANKS FOR HER SERVICE ON THIS BOARD.

IS THERE, SECOND AND FIRST.

MS. WISINSKI? I WOULD ECHO WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE HAS SAID.

I THINK ALL THREE CANDIDATES ARE EXCEPTIONAL.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS, AND I DO THINK ALL THE INPUT IS VALUABLE AND HAS HELPED A LOT OF FOLKS WITH OUR WITH OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY CATA, BUT I DO I DO ALSO AGREE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CAPTURE MULTIPLE VOICES IN AND IN KNOWING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A MINORITY VOICE ON THE CATA BOARD.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD TIME TO POTENTIALLY TO EXCITED THAT WE HAVE AN APPLICANT THAT IS WILLING TO DO THAT.

SO I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT.

SUPERVISOR STYKA'S APPOINTMENT SUGGESTIONS.

SO IT WAS MENTIONED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT THAT FIRST, BEFORE I SAY THAT, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I DO SUPPORT THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENT AND I DO SUPPORT THE EAST LANSING MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY APPOINTMENTS.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE SUPERVISOR I AGREE WITH AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOOD APPOINTMENTS TO JOIN THESE PUBLIC BODIES.

MY COMMENTS ARE REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT AS THE, FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTATIVE.

IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE RECOMMENDATION BY SUPERVISOR A ROBIN LEWIS.

THAT ROBIN LEWIS HAD SERVED PREVIOUSLY ON THE CATA BOARD.

IS THAT TRUE? YES, AS A LANSING REPRESENTATIVE.

OK, SO IF THE ARGUMENT IS THAT WE WANT NEW PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, IT DOES.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WITH OTHER POSSIBILITIES WHY WE WOULD BRING SOMEBODY BACK THAT'S ALREADY SERVED. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE I'M SURE WE COULD HAVE HAD AN OUTREACH TO GET OTHER PEOPLE TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE.

SO MY FIRST CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING A NEW VOICE.

THIS IS NOT TO CRITICIZE ROBIN.

OBVIOUSLY, HER BACKGROUND IS EXEMPLARY.

I LISTENED WITH HER PUBLIC COMMENTS AND APPRECIATED HER VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE, HER CREDENTIALS AND HER BACKGROUND.

ALL EXCELLENT.

AND WOULD MAKE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO ANY PUBLIC BODY, CLEARLY, THAT SHE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN. THIS IS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR BOARD CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT HERE WITH THE EXISTING PERSON WHOSE TERM IS EXPIRING.

SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S ANYBODY ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO REPLACE HER.

THIS IS ABOUT THE EXISTING PERSON RIGHT NOW FROM THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT.

AND THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY BRINGING IN SOMEONE NEW UNDER THAT, GUYS.

WE'RE BRINGING IN SOMEBODY THAT HAS HAD SOME EXPERIENCE BEFORE.

SO THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT WHY IS DONNA ROSE BEING REPLACED? AND I THINK THAT THE ARGUMENT IS THAT DONNA DOESN'T ALWAYS TOE THE LINE.

SHE ACTUALLY IS A MAVERICK.

SHE THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX.

SHE ACTUALLY HAS COMMENTS THAT ARE OFTEN PIERCING AND CUTTING EDGE AND THAT CAN SOMETIMES BE OFF-PUTTING TO OTHER PEOPLE.

SHE'S BRIGHT, SHE'S FUNNY, AND SHE COMES UP WITH SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS THAT ARE VERY USEFUL TO OUR TO THE PUBLIC BODIES DEBATE.

HERE AND ALSO AT PADA, SHE IS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.

SHE'S BLIND AND ACTUALLY A BLIND PERSON IS A PHENOMENAL INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON OF HER COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND HER DISCERNMENT, BECAUSE SHE BECOMES SORT OF LIKE A WALKING OBSERVER AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HER.

SHE PAYS A LOT OF ATTENTION.

SO SHE LOOKS AND UNDERSTANDS A LOT OF THE NUANCES OF THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SHE'S USING. SHE DOES REPRESENT E DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION PRINCIPLES BECAUSE BLIND

[01:15:06]

AND WE'VE KNOWN ISSUES IN THE PAST THAT READY RIDE HAS ACTUALLY HAS ISSUES WITH PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO BE ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BECAUSE OF CIRCUMSTANCES OF HOW READY RIDE SERVICES OPERATED.

SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS WHICH THESE CONUNDRUMS THAT ARISE ABOUT HOW OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT WORKS.

SO GETTING BACK TO DONNA ROSE, I THINK THAT REALLY WE HAVE TO LOOK ALSO AT LIKE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE RENEWALS OF ALL THE IMPORTANT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. WHENEVER THERE'S RENEWALS, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, ALMOST NOBODY IS NOT RENEWED BECAUSE WE HAVE APPLICANTS THAT WANT THOSE.

WE DON'T PICK NEW PEOPLE.

WE TYPICALLY RENEW THOSE WHO EXPRESS INTEREST.

GENERALLY, WE DO THAT.

THAT'S A THAT'S A THAT'S THAT'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD POLICY.

IT'S EXTREMELY RARE THAT WE'VE EVER HAD SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO SERVE AGAIN, NOT BE ABLE TO SERVE AGAIN. IN ALL MY TIME.

I JUST DON'T RECALL.

I KNOW IT'S HAPPENED, BUT IT'S EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY RARE.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF MESSAGE THIS SENDS TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. IT'S LIKE, AGAIN, WHEN WE START PICKING CERTAIN DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS OF THINGS TO TRY TO FILL SLOTS AND IT REALLY STARTS BECOMING AGAIN, YOU CAN EVEN CALL IT A FORM OF DISCRIMINATION AGAIN.

WHICH PARTICULAR DIVERSITY CHARACTERISTICALLY LOOKING FOR.

AGAIN, OUR COMMUNITY HAS A LOT OF AMERICAN EXCUSE ME, NOT NATIVE AMERICANS, BUT WE HAVE ACTUALLY INDIANS FROM INDIA.

WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF INDIA, PEOPLE FROM INDIA.

AND I THINK THAT WE'RE LACKING REPRESENTATION FROM PEOPLE FROM INDIA THROUGHOUT OUR GOVERNMENT AND THROUGHOUT OUR LOCAL PARTICIPATORY AREA.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE DOING OUTREACH TO THAT COMMUNITY NOR TO THE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. SO, AGAIN, THIS IS GETTING VERY MURKY.

WE HAVE A BLIND PERSON WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WHO WANTS TO SERVE AGAIN.

I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE TIME FOR ROBIN TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AGAIN.

THERE'LL BE THERE'LL BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

AND I THINK IT'S WISE FOR US TO HOLD ON TO A VALUABLE RESOURCE AND HAVE AN ALLY IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY WORKING WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IT'S A WIN WIN WITH HER COMPLETELY AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE HAVE TO GET INTO SOME SORT OF DIVISIVE SITUATION HERE.

AND I THINK WE COULD SAVE THE DAY.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES.

I MAKE MISTAKES. WE ALL MADE MISTAKES.

PUBLIC BODIES MAKE MISTAKES.

WE CAN SIMPLY PULL BACK FROM THIS FOR A MOMENT.

MAYBE WE SHOULD TABLE THIS FOR JUST TWO WEEKS AND CONSIDER IT AS A THOUGHT, AS THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. SO I MEAN IT BECAUSE IF I HOLD OFF ON MAKING THAT TABLING MOTION, IF I CAN GET ANY SUPPORT FROM ANYBODY ABOUT RECONSIDERING THIS MOTION.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT SUPERVISORS STYKA SAID WHEN THESE WERE INTRODUCED, THE TERM WAS ACTUALLY A TWO YEAR TERM APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER 2016 EXPIRING AND ON SEPTEMBER 2018.

SO EFFECTIVELY, THE TERM WAS RENEWED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS.

IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS OR FOUR YEARS NOW AND ONE MONTH.

SO EFFECTIVELY, SHE WAS REAPPOINTED FOR A TWO YEAR TERM.

ON THE ISSUE OF DIVERSITY WITHIN THE AUTHORITY, THE LAC, WHICH HAS BEEN REFERENCED, HAS PRESENTLY HAS FOUR MEMBERS OF THE BLIND COMMUNITY SERVING ON IT, AND IT'S AN 11 MEMBER BODY, TEN OF WHOM WHO HAVE A DISABILITY OF SOME NATURE.

AND THEN THE 11TH MEMBER IS A SENIOR CITIZEN.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, HAS HAD A LONG AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND HAVE NOTED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS OFTEN HAD A MEMBER OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY EVEN THE BLIND COMMUNITY ON THE CATA BOARD.

THE DIVERSITY ON THE CATA BOARD, THE LACKING OF IT IS REALLY COMING FROM THE OTHER MEMBER JURISDICTIONS. DELHI HAS A MEMBER OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY SERVING ON THE BOARD, THOUGH, TODAY. SO IT'S NOT AS IF THERE ISN'T ANYONE OF A DISABILITY SERVING ON THE CATA BOARD TODAY. THERE IS A DISABILITY PRESENT, BUT LANSING AND EAST LANSING SPECIFICALLY RIGHT NOW, I HAVEN'T HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DIVERSITY IN RECENT TIMES AND THAT GOES FOR DISABILITY STATUS AND ALSO RACE AND ETHNICITY AS WELL.

SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THAT.

AND IT WAS MADE AWARE TO ME THAT GIVEN THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S BEFORE US TONIGHT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] PLAN TO APPOINT OR RECOMMEND MS. ROSE'S APPOINTMENT TO THE LAC.

I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS ON THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN INFORMED, THAT THAT

[01:20:03]

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, LOOKING AT THE OTHER APPOINTMENTS, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE FOR EVERYONE THAT THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD DID MAKE A MOTION AND APPROVED IT UNANIMOUSLY TO APPOINT CHRIS PARNELL FOR THE TERM THAT'S LISTED THERE FOR, IN THE PACKET FROM SUPERVISOR STYKA. AND I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION FOR SUPERVISOR STYKA, BECAUSE IT ISN'T DETAILED ON THE MEMORANDUM.

MR. SUPERVISOR, WHEN ARE THESE TERMS EFFECTIVE? WHEN DO THEY BEGIN? BECAUSE THEY'RE REPLACING PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER RESIGNED OR WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE, THEY WOULD BE BEGIN THAT IT BEGAN AS SOON AS THEY [INAUDIBLE] OF OFFICE.

OK, INCLUDING CATA BECAUSE WE HAVE A CATA BOARD MEETING TOMORROW.

WELL, TECHNICALLY, YES.

AND BY THE WAY, AS FAR AS THE INFORMATION I HAD WITH REGARD TO CANDIDATE, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM AND THE VACANCY CAME FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

MY INFORMATION CAME FROM OUR OWN OFFICE.

FURTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU FOR THE FOLLOW UP.

SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT BECAUSE OF THE BOARD DIALOG THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED, I DON'T THINK THE COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE WERE REALLY APPLES.

THEY WERE APPLES AND ORANGES.

THEY REALLY WEREN'T EQUATING TO THE SAME THINGS.

SO TWO OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.

THE FIRST IS THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY REAPPOINTED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS.

IN EFFECT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

IT'S SIMPLY KNOWN AS FILLING A VACANCY IN THE MEANTIME.

AND THAT'S HAPPENED MANY, MANY TIMES.

AND THAT DOESN'T THAT YOU'RE JUST SERVING A IN A IN A LIMBO STATE AND SERVING.

YES, YOU ARE IN THAT ROLE.

BUT THAT'S NOT A REAPPOINTMENT JUST BECAUSE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS HASN'T BEEN FILLED.

SO JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THAT ROLE DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU'VE BEEN REAPPOINTED.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY SERVING KIND OF IN A IN A LIMBO STATE.

AND THAT JUST SHOWS THE GOOD NATURE OF A PERSON WHO KEEPS TAKING IT ON IN THAT IN THAT MANNER. THE SECOND IS THE COMMENT THAT IT'S GOT PART OF THIS ADVISORY, THEY CAN BE PART OF AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.

I THINK ONE OF THE COMMENTS OF, AGAIN, ABOUT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION TYPES OF COMMENTS ARE THAT THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT ROLES.

ONE IS IS A BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ROLE AND THE OTHER IS AT AN ADVISORY ROLE.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE HERE BETWEEN THE TWO.

I'M SURE IT WOULD BE NICE THAT DONNA ROSE IS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN ANOTHER CAPACITY AND SOME SORT OF ADVISORY CAPACITY.

AND SO HER VOICE CAN BE HEARD SOMEWHAT.

BUT IT'S DIFFERENT THAN SERVING IN AS A BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ROLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL KNOW, IS THAT THERE WAS A JUST DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HERE, IS MAINTAINING THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION. SO I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING DONNA ROSE.

NOT THIS IS NOT A VOTE AGAINST ROBIN, AS I WANT IT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY PERSON THAT HAD BEEN APPOINTED FOR THIS, NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THIS POSITION. THIS IS ABOUT THE CURRENT PERSON WHO I BELIEVE IS EMINENTLY QUALIFIED, MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS AN ABLE PERSON HAS SHOWN HERSELF TO BE WORTHY AND WANTS TO CONTINUE.

AND I THINK SHE DESERVES ANOTHER TERM OF OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE HER SERVICE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? WE WILL WE WILL VOTE, AND THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE WAS ACTUALLY ONE MOTION FOR ALL THREE POSITIONS FOR THE TERMS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE MEMORANDUM THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.

WE NEED A ROLL CALL. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES NO.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ONE.

THANK YOU. WE NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT.

OH, YES, OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM, WHICH IS THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING

[12B. 2021 Township Board Meeting Schedule Resolution]

I HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A PROPOSED SCHEDULE WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE'VE HAD EVERY YEAR, ADJUSTED FOR [INAUDIBLE] HOLIDAYS AND ELECTION DATES.

AND I KNOW THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE WANTS TO INCLUDE A RETREAT AT SOME POINT AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE ONE WE DID LAST BEFORE COVID HIT US.

SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MEETING SCHEDULE, THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO AMEND IT OR HOW WE WANT TO CHANGE IT.

[01:25:03]

IS THERE SUPPORT? SUPPORT BY SUNDLAND.

ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH. THE CALENDAR LOOKS FINE TO ME, I SEE THAT WE'VE MOVED THE MEETINGS IN AUGUST AND NOVEMBER TO THE THURSDAY FOLLOWING THE [INAUDIBLE] AND SPRING BREAK HAS BEEN COVERED BY MEETING A SECOND AND THIRD TUESDAYS OF THE MONTH OF APRIL.

HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW HOW NECESSARY THAT WILL BE GIVEN THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SPRING BREAK WON'T REALLY BE TAKING PLACE.

BUT IT LOOKS GOOD TO ME.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AN AMENDMENT, MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE ADD SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH AS THE DATE OF THE ANNUAL RETREAT AND LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED AND AS IT WAS LAST YEAR, THAT RETREAT WILL BE OPEN TO [INAUDIBLE].

IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THAT MOTION TO AMEND TO ADD A RETREAT DATE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH ? TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? SUPPORT. I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MOTION CONTINUE WITH THE MOTION. GO AHEAD. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE ADDED IT LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE JUST BECAUSE A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT COULD BE POSTED.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO. YOU HAVE TO.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO ADD THIS AS AN OFFICIAL MEETING BECAUSE THAT'S AN OFFICIAL MEETING.

YOU GO THROUGH THE GO THROUGH SOME OF THE STEPS OF THAT.

SO IT'S UP TO YOU. I MEAN, IF YOU JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE EXTRA STEPS OF HAVING TO DO THAT OR NOT. WELL, AT THIS POINT, SINCE THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, IT'D BE NICE FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THATS OUR PLANS.

IF COVID CHANGES SOMETHING WILL DEAL WITH IT, THEN I GUESS.

OK, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO END THE FEBRUARY 20TH SATURDAY? A VOTE ON THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY WITH VIRTUAL, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THE CLERK CALL ON US.

CLERK DREYFUS? YEAH JUST, THE AMENDMENT WAS DESCHAINE MADE IT AND IT WAS SECONDED BY OPSOMMER? CORRECT. OK. SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW.

CORRECT. OK, TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES.

OK, SO THE AMENDMENT PASSED SIX ZERO.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE ENTIRE SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR? MS. SUNDLAND? YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST WONDERING, IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, WE HAVE A TUESDAY THE 13TH AND TUESDAY, THE APRIL 20TH.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SAYING THAT PERHAPS.

SPRING BREAKS OR VACATIONS MAY NOT BE SCHEDULED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

THAT IS A POPULAR MONTH TO GO ON VACATION IN APRIL.

SO I'M JUST KIND OF QUESTIONING THE TWO MEETINGS ONE WEEK APART.

IN HAVING TWO MEETINGS AT ALL? JUST HAVE ONE IN APRIL.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING? OR PICK DIFFERENT DATES? I JUST KNOW I'M LOOKING AHEAD EVEN IN MY SCHEDULE, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EITHER ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS.

BECAUSE THEY'RE. I HAVE BREAKS SCHEDULED LIKE ON THE STARTING LIKE THE WEEK OF THE 13TH AND CONTINUING INTO THE FOLLOWING WEEK, SO.

I'M JUST WONDERING.

WELL, YEAH.

WE HAVE TO HAVE MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS IN ORDER TO PAY BILLS, ET CETERA.

AND SO THERE'S GOT TO BE A MEETING IN APRIL.

MR. DESCHAINE? THANK YOU. WE ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED TO [INAUDIBLE].

THERE ARE CASES WHERE [INAUDIBLE] GET APPROVED.

THEY HAVE TO BE WRITTEN BECAUSE THAT SENSE OF [INAUDIBLE].

BUT OUR GENERAL PRACTICE THAT ALL DATES ARE TENTATIVE FOR BOARD APPROVAL.

AND IF WE DON'T MEET FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, THAT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE TO STACK UP THOSE BILL AND PAY THEM.

NOT TO MENTION DIFFICULT ON OUR VENDORS.

[INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE ALREADY MOVED [INAUDIBLE] APRIL MEETING IN NORMALLY WOULD BE APRIL 6TH, THE FIRST WEEK, WHICH IS TRADITIONALLY SPRING BREAK WEEK, SO [INAUDIBLE].

[01:30:07]

OK, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A WISH RIGHT NOW WITH THIS COVID.

THAT'S WHY WE TYPICALLY MOVE THE SECOND THE FIRST MEETING, APRIL, THE SECOND TUESDAY AND THEN THE THIRD TUESDAY AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE NOT JUST FOR OURSELVES, BUT ALSO FOR CITIZENS THAT MIGHT WANT TO BE PART OF THE MEETING, OBSERVE THE MEETING.

THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE AROUND THAT FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, BECAUSE THAT'S THE SCHOOL SPRING BREAK TYPICALLY.

BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT [INAUDIBLE] TWICE A MONTH, THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESS WE'VE HAD THIS PAST YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DECISIONS AND POLICY DECISIONS TO MAKE IN THE TWENTY, TWENTY ONE.

AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE US MEET ONCE A MONTH.

PLAN ON THAT, IT COULD HAPPEN, THAT WE CANCEL A MEETING, BUT I WOULD RATHER SEE THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THE AGENDA THEREFORE WE ARE ABLE TO CANCEL.

THAT'S HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

BUT IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FULL AGENDA FOR THIS MONTH EVERY TWO WEEKS.

ALRIGHT, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THIS POINT, IT BEHOOVES US TO ASSUME THAT THE SCHOOLS, THE ISD AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AT THIS POINT ARE PRESUMING THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A VACATION THAT WEEK, THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

NONE OF US KNOWS THE EXACT FUTURE WITH REGARD TO THE EPIDEMIC THAT'S GOING ON.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT THEN WE NEED A VOTE. TREASURER EXCUSE ME, CLERK.

SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. MOTION PASSES SIX ZERO.

WE NOW WE ON TO OUR DISCUSSIONS ITEMS AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REDEVELOPMENT FUND, WHICH WE HAD THE HEARING ON EARLIER.

[13A. Meridian Township Redevelopment Fund Application]

[INAUDIBLE] SENSE OF PRIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY [INAUDIBLE].

IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE DO SOMETHING, THE FOUR CORNERS THAT [INAUDIBLE] PICA STANDS FOR POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE AREAS, PICA.

WITH THIS FUNDING AND OTHERS, WE'RE GOING TO TURN [INAUDIBLE] ACTUAL CHANGE.

WE'RE GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED CHANGE FOR OKEMOS AND OUR ENTIRE TOWNSHIP AND THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO DO SOMETHING SOON.

THIS WILL. LAY THE GROUND FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT, THE FOUR CORNERS.

IF [INAUDIBLE] IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN A YEAR AGO OR MORE, IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

THIS IS A NECESSARY FIRST STEP.

TILL WE REMOVE THE BUILDINGS UNTIL WE REMOVE THE ASBESTOS NOTHING CAN BE DEVELOPED THERE.

SO BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

IT'S GOT TO BE DONE. THE THING I LIKE ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT A LOT OF MONEY, EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS FOR ELIGIBLE COST WILL ENCOURAGE THAT MR. RANDALL THE DEVELOPER IS PART OF THE INVESTORS MONEY INTO THIS PROPOSAL AS WELL.

TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ABOUT THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS WE'RE PAYING AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE [INAUDIBLE] SIX HUNDRED NINETY ONE THOUSAND, EIGHT TIMES OUR INVESTMENT.

SO MY FEAR WHEN WE SAW THIS PROPOSAL WOULD BE DOING ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING HERE AND ABOUT EIGHTY FOUR EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IS NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT.

IT'S ABOUT 10 PERCENT AT COST, FIFTY OR SEVENTY FIVE HUNDRED PERCENT OF COST.

SO I THANK THE DEVELOPERS FOR TAKING INSTRUCTION FROM THIS BOARD AND OTHER ITERATIONS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND, I ALSO LIKE THE SCHEDULE CAN BE DONE, VAST MAJORITY OF IT, ACCORDING TO THEIR TIME FRAME, SAYS FALL TWENTY TWENTY, WHICH MEANS AS SOON AS THIS IS FINALLY APPROVED AND THEY GET THE BIDS BACK FOR THE WORK.

AND SO THAT COULD MEAN.

AS SOON AS NOVEMBER ALL THROUGH DECEMBER THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE CALLING FALL OF 2020.

IT WILL BE GOOD TO HAVE THIS LIGHT RIGHT NOW AND TO DO IT NOW AND TO DO IT RIGHT.

TO REMOVE THE BASEMENTS, REMOVE THE ASBESTOS TO DO IT SO THAT IT REALLY IS REDEVELOPMENT READY. SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I INTEND TO SUPPORT THIS REDEVELOPMENT COMING FROM OUR.

[01:35:07]

THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSION? I WILL MAKE MENTION THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THAT WE HAVE THE MERIDIAN ONE DID VET THIS AT A RECENT MEETING AFTER A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION, DID RECOMMEND THAT THIS PROCEED, THAT THIS MONEY BE ALLOCATED.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YOU'RE MUTED. MANAGER WALSH, JUST A QUESTION FOR YOU, IT'S PROBABLY IN THE BACK [INAUDIBLE] COME ACROSS IT, WHAT IS OUR CONTINGENCY? SHOULD THE DEMOLITION NOT PROCEED AS PRESENTED IN THE SCHEDULE? AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, SHOULD IT NOT BE COMPLETED BY THE DECEMBER 15TH DEADLINE IN TERMS OF OUR CONTRIBUTION OR THE GRANT SPECIFICALLY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

WE REALLY STRUGGLE WITH THAT.

DIRECTOR CLARK, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT I THINK WHERE IT CAME DOWN TO IS THAT. THE TIMING OF THIS BECAUSE GETTING IT THROUGH EAGLE AT THE STATE WAS A BIG HURDLE FOR US TO GET THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ALLOW THE STATE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO AUGMENT THE TOWNSHIP'S MONEY AND THE DEVELOPER'S MONEY.

AND SO THE DECEMBER 15TH DEADLINE, ALTHOUGH I'D LOVE TO SEE IT ALL HAPPEN BEFORE THAT, IS IT PROBABLY IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

WILL THERE BE ACTION GOING ON BEFORE DECEMBER 15TH? YES. WILL ACTUALLY A BUILDING COME DOWN BEFORE DECEMBER 15TH, WE HOPE.

BUT TO TELL YOU TONIGHT THAT IT'S ALL GOING TO BE DONE BEFORE DECEMBER 15TH, IN MY OPINION. ISN'T LIKELY, MR. HELZER CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG? WILL THERE BE PROGRESS BY THE THEN? YES.

AND WHAT IS THE TOLLGATE FOR US? TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, MR. TRUSTEE. WE DON'T HAVE ONE.

WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF SPENDING 50 PERCENT, CONTRIBUTING 50 PERCENT, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE STATE WOULD BE INVOLVED.

WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD COME UP WITH A QUARTER OF A MILLION.

THAT'S WHAT WE I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A TIGHT DEADLINE.

AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT BY THEN.

SO IT'S OUR FUNDING REQUEST HAS GONE FROM 50 DOWN TO 10 PERCENT.

I PERSONALLY BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE LAX WITH THAT AND UNDERSTANDING.

I KNOW THAT IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO GET EAGLE TO COME AROUND AND THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT PLAYER IN ALL OF THIS.

SO THAT'S WHERE AT.

IF THERE ARE DEADLINES THAT ARE IMPOSED, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE BOARD TONIGHT. BUT I WOULD CAUTION YOU THAT UNLESS I'M CORRECTED BY THE DEVELOPER, I DON'T THINK EVERYTHING IS TOO ROSY TO [INAUDIBLE] GOING TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER 15TH.

JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, WE'RE NOT REMAINING PAYMENT UNDER THESE GRANTS UNTIL THE LIST [INAUDIBLE] SPECIFIED AND OUTLINED IS COMPLETED.

RIGHT? WE'RE NOT JUST SENDING THEM A LUMP SUM? YOU'RE CORRECT, SIR.

THIS IS A REIMBURSABLE PLAN.

MR. HELZER, CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT YOUR CURRENT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE? AND I THINK THE SUPERVISOR DID A GREAT JOB, SO HE TEED ME UP WELL.

SO THANK YOU. OUR CURRENT TIMELINE IS EXACTLY AS YOU SEE IT, EXCEPT FOR IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL. AND I SHOULD SAY WITH WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THE OFFICIAL APPROVAL FROM EAGLE, I WILL SAY IT HAS LEFT THE STAFF'S DESK AND IT IS IN THE PAPERWORK PROCESS TO GETTING APPROVED. SO ONCE THAT OCCURS, WE'RE KIND OF OFF TO THE RACES REGARDING THEIR ASPECT OF IT. HOWEVER, I WILL TELL YOU IN PARALLEL, IF WE'RE APPROVED TODAY, WE WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY TOMORROW WITH THE WORK OF SECURING SPECIFICATIONS FOR BOTH THE DEMOLITION AND THE ASBESTOS ABATEMENT.

WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BEGIN THE ASBESTOS SURVEY AND PRE DEMOLITION SURVEY, WHICH WILL ALSO GET EMBODIED INTO THOSE SPECIFICATIONS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN ADVANCE OF THAT EAGLE APPROVAL.

ULTIMATELY, THAT WILL BE THE WORD.

SO THERE'S A THERE'S A QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSAL PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH. BUT I DO ANTICIPATE YOU WILL SEE IRON ON THE GROUND IN DECEMBER AND TO BUT TO THE LEVEL OF THE DEMOLITION AND WORK THAT'S COMPLETED, THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SAY.

I WILL AGREE WITH WHAT THE SUPERVISOR'S COMMENT WAS, IS BASED ON WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY AND THEN WEATHER WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE GETTING INTO WEATHER.

WHILE IT'S A GREAT TIME TO DO DEMOLITION IS IN THE WINTER.

IT DOES SLOW DOWN, BUT WE DO HAVE BETTER CONDITIONS FROM MORE SOLID CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND, DUST CONTROL AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WE HAVE LESS TRAFFIC.

[01:40:02]

SO IT WON'T BE COMPLETED BY THE 15TH.

WE WILL BE UPDATING WEEKLY AND WILL RANDALL IS ON THE PHONE HERE.

WE WILL BE NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC.

WE WILL DO IT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE WILL BE COMMUNICATING OUR SCHEDULE AND OUR PROGRESS ALL ALONG THE WAY UNTIL WE HAVE A FLAT TABLE OUT THERE.

SO AND A FLAT SITE, AS WE CALL IT, FLAT TABLE.

BUT THAT OUR PLAN.

AND WE WILL KEEP YOU APPRIZED.

AND ONE OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTION, WHERE HAS THE SCOPE OF WORK BROADENED IN WORKING WITH EAGLE? BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WE WERE.

COST WISE ONLY LOOKING AT, I THOUGHT LIKE SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND.

YEAH, YOU'RE CORRECT.

AND THAT WAS PER BLOCK TWO.

WHEN WE GOT EAGLE ENGAGED WE ADDED BLACK ONE, THE NORTH BLOCK.

WE ALSO INCLUDED ADDITIONAL WORK, WHICH IS FOR COMPLETE SITE DEMOLITION.

THAT SITE DEMOLITION WILL NOT OCCUR.

THERE IS A DETAILED SCHEDULE IN ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS TO THE APPLICATION THAT BREAKS IT DOWN AND A LOT MORE GORY DETAIL.

BUT THAT SITE DEMOLITION IS NOT GOING TO OCCUR UNTIL MID NEXT YEAR.

AND THE REASON WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LOT OF THAT ASPHALT PAVEMENT IN PLACE IS WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY CONTAMINATED PROPERTY.

AND THE MORE IMPERVIOUS SURFACES THAT WE LEAVE ON THE GROUND, THE BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. AND SO WE GO TO VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION AND START OUR DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON FOR THE INCREASED.

EAGLE WAS WILLING TO COMPLETE THE FULL DEMOLITION, WHICH INCLUDED THE SITE DEMO.

SO TWO FACTORS, BLOCK ONE ADDED AND SITE DEMOLITION ACTIVITIES AS WELL.

AND SHOOTING AND SHORING ON THE STREET SCAPE WHERE WE HAVE THE FOUNDATION SO CLOSE TO THE UTILITIES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE A SIDEWALK AT BOTH CORNERS.

I ASSUME THAT SHOOTING AND SHORING WILL JUST BE LEFT THERE UNTIL SITE WORK BEGINS.

YES, IT WILL BEGIN.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I TAKE THAT BACK.

THE SHEETING AND SHORING.

THERE'S TWO SHEETING AND SHORINGS. THERE'S EXISTING SHEETING AND SHORING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU SEE. AND THAT IS IN THE SOUTH BLOCK IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SOUTH BLOCK.

THAT WAS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES.

THAT'S GOING TO REMAIN UNTIL VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION GOES.

THERE IS A BASEMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED A COUPLE OF BASEMENTS IN THAT LOCATION.

SO THAT SHEETING AND SHORING IS GOING TO REMAIN THE SHEETING AND SHORING THAT IS FOR THIS WORK FOR THE DEMO IN ORDER TO PROTECT INFRASTRUCTURE IS TEMPORARY.

IT IS NOT GOING TO STAY IN PLACE.

THAT'S WHY THE COST IS SO LOW.

WE'VE GOT BETTER THAN A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST IN THAT ONE CORNER IN SHEETING AND SHORING ALONE.

WE'RE FAR FROM THAT.

THIS IS TEMPORARY SHEETING AND SHORING TO PROTECT THE INFRASTRUCTURE DURING FOUNDATION AND BASEMENT REMOVAL. OK, SO ONCE YOU FILL IT BACK IN YOU'RE GONNA REMOVE.

IT'S GOING TO COME OUT. YEP, YEP.

THEN FINAL QUESTION.

WITH REMOVING THAT FOUR FOOT STRIP OF CONCRETE AND ASPHALT ALONG THE ROAD FRONTAGE ON HAMILTON AND OKEMOS ROADS, WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE THAT ZERO SETBACK STREETSCAPE.

WHAT I SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLANT MULCH AND WHATNOT, BUT.

SHOULD CONSTRUCTION NOT ENSUE NEXT YEAR AS PLANNED? WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO BLOCK ALL THAT SURFACE CONCRETE AND ASPHALT THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED UNTIL TRUE CONSTRUCTION CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND THE PLUME? WELL, THE DEVELOPER HAS BEEN MAINTAINING A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND KEEPING WEED CONTROL DOWN AND MOWING AND SO FORTH.

AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT QUITE WELL, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE ACTUALLY, WHEN WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND THANKED US AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT THE ONES CUTTING THE LAWN AND DOING ALL THAT, HAVE THANKED US FOR KEEPING IT MAINTAINED. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT WILL CONTINUE.

SECONDLY, THAT GREEN SCAPE THAT WE HAVE THERE IS JUST TO GREEN THE STREET FRONT.

IT'S A TEMPORARY THING UNTIL WE GO TO CONSTRUCTION.

AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT TRUSTEE IS THAT IN THE EVENT THAT DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T BEGIN AS PLANNED, WE HAVE THE WHOLE COVID THING AND FINANCING AND A LIKE WE AND I CAN TALK AND WILL RANDALL IS ON THE PHONE.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ABLE TO SPEAK, BUT WE COULD DO SOME IMPROVED GREENING, MAYBE

[01:45:01]

THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.

BUT WE WANT TO LIMIT WHATEVER WE DO BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR A VERY, VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THAT'S THE PLAN.

AND WHY SPEND MONEY IF WE'RE GOING TO BE RIPPING IT OUT? BUT I'M SURE THEY WOULD BE OPEN IN THE EVENT THAT THINGS GOT DELAYED FURTHER TO BREAK UP THAT FAÇADE, SO TO SPEAK, OF A FLAT, FLAT SITE AND ASPHALT.

YEAH. AND I DON'T WANT ANY MONEY TO BE INVESTED IN SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY TEMPORARY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

IF, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PROCESS OF THIS DEMOLITION, YOU KNOW, IT'S LOOKING LIKE THE FINANCING IS NOT GOING TO BE IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR, THEN I THINK IT BECOMES SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE JUST TO AT LEAST BEAUTIFY IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION MIDSUMMER NEXT YEAR, IT'S ANOTHER THING IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION MIDSUMMER TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

RIGHT? UNDERSTOOD, TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD.

I WILL WORK WITH WILL RANDALL AND WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.

WE DO HAVE SOME AGREEMENTS AND SOME OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ULTIMATELY NEED THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY TO APPROVE AND MAYBE WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY BOARD TO ADDRESS THAT.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK MR. RANDALL FOR GETTING THE CEMENT BARRICADES MOVED ELSEWHERE, OF COURSE, INHERITED FROM PRIOR OWNERSHIP, BUT I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN ADDITION TO THE WEED CONTROL ON THE ASPHALT.

BUT. PLEASE JUST CONTINUE TO BE MINDFUL OF SITE CONDITIONS, AND I APPRECIATE THE FORWARD STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.

I'M COMFORTABLE WITH APPROVING THIS AND I AND COMFORTABLE WITH THE ASSOCIATED COSTS.

IT'S SOMETHING, AT THE VERY LEAST FOR THE COMMUNITY WILL CREATE A PAD READY SITE MINUS, I GUESS. THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.

WOULD THERE BE ANY ADDITIONAL EXCAVATION THAT'S NEEDED AFTER THIS FOR THE PLUMES, MR. HELZER? YES, THERE WILL BE.

THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL.

THE THERE IS SOME LIMITED REMEDIATION THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR IN THE SOUTH BLOCK.

UP BY [INAUDIBLE].

WE DO HAVE SOILS THAT WILL BE COMING OUT, CONTINUE TO COME OUT IN THE HAZARDOUS AREA OR FOR THE FORMER DRY CLEANER SITE, AS WELL AS CUT AND FILL OPERATIONS.

MOST OF THAT SOIL IS GOING TO BE GOING OFF TO A LANDFILL.

WE ARE NOT PUTTING AN UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE.

AS MOST EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE STRUCTURE WILL BE CONTAINED IN THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING.

IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY SMALL RAMP SPEED RAMP, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OF THE BLOCK, ON BLOCK TWO. BUT WITH ALL OF THAT WORK AND THE STORM WATER WORK AND SO FORTH WE HAVE TO DO, THERE STILL IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WE HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH.

NOT THE MASSIVE AMOUNT THAT WE NEEDED TO DO WHEN WE HAD UNDERGROUND PARKING, BUT STILL A FAIR AMOUNT FOR A SITE LIKE THIS.

SO I'LL REVISE MY REMARKS.

IT GETS US MOVES US MEANINGFULLY TOWARD PAD READY BUT CERTAINLY NOT PAD READY, GIVEN THE EXTENT OF THE PLUMES. IS THERE AUDIO COMING IN SOMEWHERE HERE? DOES OTHER PEOPLE HERE THAT? [INAUDIBLE] OK, I'M HEARING AUDIO, IT'S COMING THROUGH SOMEBODY [INAUDIBLE] AUDIO IN THEIR BACKGROUND.

I HAVE [INAUDIBLE]. OK.

THANK YOU, MR. HELZER, I WILL BE VOTING YES ON THIS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE REST OF THE BOARD. THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, I WANT TO MENTION, THOUGH, VERY QUICKLY, I WOULD ALSO THANK MR. RANDALL FOR PUTTING THE SIGNS UP.

YOU KNOW, THEY GOT A LOT LESS QUESTIONS FROM OUR CITIZENS WHEN THOSE SIGNS WENT UP SAYING THAT SOMETHING'S COMING AND SOMETHING'S HAPPENING.

THEY REALIZED IT WAS NOT AN ABANDONED SITUATION AND GETTING THE FOR SALE SIGN, WHICH WAS LONG OVERDUE, TO COME DOWN, DOWN.

THOSE ARE SMALL THINGS, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT IN A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.

ANY OTHER POINTS OR QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION BEFORE I ASK MINE? OK. I WILL NOTICE THAT I THINK THE SCHEDULE, MR. HELZER THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, I THINK I FOUND IT HERE AND IT'S TALKS ABOUT COMPLETE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DEMOLITION ASSESSMENT ON OCTOBER TWENTY THREE AND THEN IT'S GOT MOVING ON TO OCTOBER TWENTY SIX, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. IS THAT THE SCHEDULE YOU'RE REFERRING TO? THAT IS THE SCHEDULE, YES.

NOW BASED ON THAT, I MEAN, TONIGHT WE'RE DOING A DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH MEANS WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY ACT ON THIS UNTIL NOVEMBER FIVE.

I GUESS IT IS. IS THAT A PROBLEM OR DO YOU NEED ACTION SOONER THAN THAT?

[01:50:05]

I SPOKE WITH MR. RANDALL ON THAT.

WHEN WE PREPARED THAT SCHEDULE, WE WERE UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING FIRST AND THEN HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

WE WILL TALK INTERNALLY.

WE'LL TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT SCHEDULE THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

IT I DON'T SEE THAT DELAYING OVERALL WITH THE STATUS OF WHERE EAGLE IS AT, I THINK THE DELAY IN ACTION AND GOING TO THE FIRST BOARD MEETING IN NOVEMBER IS NOT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THINGS A WHOLE LOT.

I THINK WE'LL STILL HAVE IRON ON SITE IN DECEMBER, BUT WE WILL UPDATE THE SCHEDULE.

AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE CAN GET BACK WITH YOU BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING ON THIS.

WELL, BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME ASK MR. KIESELBACH, IS IT REQUIRED THAT THERE BE ANOTHER MEETING OR IF SOMEONE WANTED TO MOVE THIS UP FOR ACTION TODAY, IS THAT GOING TO BE LEGAL FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW? NO, YOU COULD ACT TONIGHT IF YOU CHOSE TO.

SO THERE'S ANOTHER THOUGHT, IF BOARD MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED, WE COULD SUSPEND THE [INAUDIBLE] TONIGHT, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE.

IT WOULD TAKE [INAUDIBLE] TO DO THAT.

MR. OPSOMMER? MOVE TO SUSPEND OUR RULES SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING.

ANY NEED FOR A DISCUSSION ON THAT, OR ARE WE JUST READY TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT UP TONIGHT? OK, LET'S HAVE A VOTE ON WHETHER WE TAKE THIS UP TONIGHT.

YES VOTE MEANS WE WILL BRING ACTION.

IT'S A MOTION TO TAKE IT UP TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND TAKE IT UP TONIGHT FOR ACTION.

I WANT TO COMMENT.

SURE. GO AHEAD, MR. DREYFUS. GENERALLY, I'VE BEEN OPPOSED TO THIS BECAUSE WE COULD DO THIS WITH ALMOST ANYTHING THAT COMES BEFORE US AND DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD JUST KIND OF MOVE MORE QUICKLY ON THINGS, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HAVE A CHANCE TO LISTEN AND RESPOND CUZ THE FIRST TIME THEY GET TO HEAR THIS.

SO FOR US TO ACT TAKES AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO COMMENT IN THIS TWO WEEK PERIOD. SO I DON'T THINK IT DOES GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY A GOOD FAVOR WHEN WE ACT THE SAME NIGHT UNLESS IT'S AN EMERGENCY.

USUALLY IT'S DUE TO A DEADLINE IMPOSED BY ANOTHER AGENCY FOR A GRANT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING EXACTLY THAT NIGHT.

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DON'T DO THIS RIGHT NOW AND WE JUST COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS.

IT'S NOT A DISASTER IF YOU WAIT TWO WEEKS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

PART OF THAT SCHEDULE I WAS REFERRING TO AS THE GRANT BEING APPROVED BY EAGLE ON NOVEMBER 6TH THAT WE'RE MEETING NOVEMBER FIVE FOR OUR NEXT MEETING BECAUSE OF THE ELECTION.

SO MY CONCERN WAS THAT MAYBE THIS WAS GOING TO CREATE A PROBLEM.

I'M NOT SURE, MR. HELZER COULD CONFIRM THAT, THOUGH.

IT SOUNDED LIKE MAYBE IT ISN'T A PROBLEM.

SO. BEFORE WE VOTE, WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, IS IT NECESSARY THAT WE DO THIS REPLYING TO WHAT THE CLERK HAS RAISED, MR. HELZER? IN ALL HONESTY, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HOLD US UP.

WE, IT WOULD SEND A GOOD MESSAGE TO EAGLE, BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE THEM ON BOARD.

I AGREE WITH THAT. THIS IS WILL.

YOU AGREE WITH WHAT WILL BE SPECIFIC? I AGREE WITH WHAT ERIC'S SAYING.

JUST THAT WE WILL WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS WHETHER YOU CAN ACT TONIGHT OR YOU NEED TO WAIT TWO WEEKS.

WE CAN KEEP THE PROGRAM ON SCHEDULE.

AND LET'S VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED TONIGHT.

YES VOTE MEANS WE PROCEED TONIGHT.

I DIDN'T GET WHO THE SECOND IS.

OPSOMMER MADE THE MOTION FOR THAT. WHO WAS THE SECOND? IT WAS DESCHAINE, ALTHOUGH TRUSTEE WISINSKI TRIED TO GET IN BUT DESCHAINE BEAT HER.

OK, SO I TAKE THE CALL, TAKE THE ROLL CALL RIGHT NOW? YES, THIS IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS ACTION TONIGHT OR JUST DISCUSSION.

OK, TREASURER. YES MOVES TO ACTION.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA? YES.

AND CLERK DREYFUS VOTES NO.

MOTION PASSES [INAUDIBLE] A FIVE TO ONE.

SO NOW IT'S AN ACTION ITEM INSTEAD OF JUST DISCUSSION.

AND SO WE NEED A MOTION.

I MOVE TO THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS'S APPLICATION TO THE MERIDIAN [INAUDIBLE] FUND, AS PRESENTED IN THE PACKET. THERE'S SUPPORT, SUPPORTED BY WISINSKI. FURTHER COMMENT MR. OPSOMMER? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION WITH THE APPLICANT AND

[01:55:08]

SOME OF THIS ORIGINATED WITH CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD WITH SUPERVISOR STYKA, BUT I ALSO BROUGHT. SOME CONCERNS THAT I HAD TO MANAGER WALSH AT THE TIME, AND IT ENDED UP BEING THE PROCESS THAT WE USED FOR THE DEMOLITION THAT HAS OCCURRED AND WILL TENTATIVELY CONTINUE TO OCCUR FOR SOME OF THE DWELLINGS AND STRUCTURES UP AT WALNUT HILLS.

BUT AT THE TIME, I BROUGHT THAT PUBLIC ACT TO THE MANAGER AND OUR LEGAL TEAM FOR THIS SITE IN PARTICULAR.

AND IT WAS NOTED TO US BY OUR ATTORNEYS THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE UNDER THE STATE ACT. HOWEVER, IT DID BECOME SOMETHING THAT WAS USEFUL UP AT WALNUT HILLS.

BUT THEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE DEVELOPER, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED FROM A STANDPOINT OF THEM ASKING US TO FRONT 50 PERCENT OF THE COST AND IT WOULD ONLY BE ON THE BOTTOM SOUTH BLOCK. IT WOULD NOT ADDRESS ANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL OR DEMOLITION NEEDS ON THE BLOCK TO THE NORTH WHERE THE OLD [INAUDIBLE] MUSEUM AND OTHER STRUCTURES ARE.

SO WE'VE KIND OF EXPANDED AT LEAST WE'VE DOUBLED THE FOOTPRINT, NOT QUITE DOUBLED THE SCOPE OF WORK AND COME OUT AT ROUGHLY A THIRD OF THE COST, A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A THIRD OF THE COST THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY TALKING ABOUT, WHICH I WAS NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM IN FAVOR OF.

BUT I'M GOING TO BE VOTING YES TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, DELIBERATIVE PROCESS. AND THE COMMUNITY, EVEN IF THIS LEADS TO NOTHING IN TERMS OF REDEVELOPMENT, THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING A LOT OF WORK DONE, ABOUT 10 TIMES THE WORK DONE AT A COST THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE ABSORB 100 PERCENT AT A LATER DATE.

SO WHEN YOU GET A DEAL LIKE THAT, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE IT, BECAUSE WE VERY WELL COULD BE IN A SITUATION IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE'RE LEFT TO OUR OWN DEVICES, BECAUSE UNLESS PEOPLE START BREAKING IN TO THESE DWELLING UNITS LIKE WE'VE HAD AT WALNUT HILLS, BREAKING THE WINDOWS OUT AND BASICALLY MAKING THEM A NON-SECURE STRUCTURE, WE HAVE NO LEGAL RECOURSE WHATSOEVER. ON WHOEVER THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND IT'S VERY INCONCEIVABLE THAT THAT IS ALL OF A SUDDEN GOING TO BECOME AN ISSUE ON A SITE WHEN IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO WE REALLY DO HAVE A GOOD DEAL BEFORE US.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT EAGLE, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT ERIC HELZER'S OPINION ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW HE WORKS FOR THEM A LOT.

BUT I THINK IT DOES BEHOOVE THE TOWNSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR APPLICATION OR OUR APPROVAL IS MORE THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE THEY'RE MAKING CONSIDERATIONS ON STATE FUNDS THAT COULD GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THANK YOU. TREASURER DESCHAINE? [INAUDIBLE] REITERATE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HAS SAID.

THIS IS A GOOD DEAL FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

THIS IS A LOT LESS THAN WE WERE EXPECTING TO HAVE TO TAKE FUNDING TO DO THE DEMOLITION, ASBESTOS REMOVAL.

I ALSO AGREE WITH THE CLERK'S STATEMENT THAT.

WE DO HAVE A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR PUBLIC INPUT AND WE [INAUDIBLE] WHENEVER POSSIBLE FOR THAT, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CITIZENS SPEAKING WITH ME ON THIS, AND THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION TO IT. I'D BE MUCH MORE INCLINED TO SAY WE SHOULD WAIT THE TWO WEEKS TO ALLOW FOR THAT. HAVEN'T HEARD [INAUDIBLE].

AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION ITEM BEFORE THIS BOARD THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, THIS IS NO SECRET THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SPENDING SOME [INAUDIBLE] DEVELOPMENT FUND TO ELIMINATE THE BLIGHT THAT'S THERE.

SO IT'S BEEN OFTEN DISCUSSED ITEM.

THERE SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE [INAUDIBLE].

TOWNSHIP AND GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL CAN ACT SLOW IT CAN AND DOES ACT SLOW ON PURPOSE SOMETIMES. OTHER TIMES IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACT WITH SPEED AND [INAUDIBLE].

AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GET THE WORD TO EAGLE, [INAUDIBLE] BETTER THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS GOING TO KICK IN A CHAIR FOR THIS AND WE'RE ANXIOUS AND READY FOR THIS WORK TO BE DONE.

MS. WISINSKI? THANK YOU.

I WOULD JUST HAVE TO REVIEW THE PROPOSAL.

I AM ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.

I DO RESPECT THE CLERK'S POINT OF.

GIVING THAT THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT AND WILL SAY THAT ALL OF THE INPUT THAT I'VE RECEIVED IS WHY AREN'T WE MOVING FORWARD? AND WE'VE HAD SO MANY ROADBLOCKS IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

WELL BEFORE I WAS EVEN A BOARD MEMBER THAT AND WITH COVID NOW, I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE MOVE FORWARD BEFORE CONSTRUCTION SEASON.

SO I ALSO IN SUPPORT OF MOVING ON TONIGHT.

CLERK DREYFUS? YOU'RE MUTED CLERK.

[02:00:10]

THERE WAS ABOUT A MONTH OR SO OR TWO AGO, THERE WAS SOME NOTIFICATION FROM THE DEVELOPER THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A CHANGE IN THE PROPOSAL IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL SPACE WAS GOING TO BE REDUCED, THE AMOUNT OF OF A RESIDENTIAL INCREASE BECAUSE OF THEIR THOUGHT THAT WOULD MAKE IT A MORE PALATABLE LOAN STRUCTURE TO FOR SOME FINANCING WAS WHAT I WAS READING INTO THAT. HAS THE PROPOSAL CHANGED WHEN THE BOARD HAD APPROVED IT? THAT'S MY QUESTION. MARK, CAN ANYBODY ANSWER, HAS THE HAS THE PROPOSAL CHANGED FROM WHEN THE BOARD HAD KNEW WHAT WE HAD VOTED ON WHEN WE APPROVED MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT? THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO FILE FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THAT MIXED USE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL BASED ON THE DISCUSSION WE HAVE OF LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A MINOR AMENDMENT WHICH COULD BE DONE BY THE DIRECTOR.

THEY ARE PROPOSING A REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL SPACE AND TAKING THAT SPACE AND CONVERTING IT TO RESIDENTIAL UNITS.

THEY'VE NOT OFFICIALLY APPLIED YET FOR THAT AMENDMENT.

RIGHT, I THINK IT'S PRETTY I MEAN, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IT GOES FROM LIKE ELEVEN THOUSAND TO SEVEN SOMETHING LIKE IT'S A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL DROP FROM THE SMALL AMOUNT THAT WAS THERE. I MEAN, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT SPACE FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SPACES FOR THE ENTIRE COMMERCIAL, LIKE MAYBE ONE TWO, TWO OR THREE SMALL PLACES, PERHAPS.

HARD TO SAY WHAT COMMERCIAL COULD FIT.

SO TO ME, THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'VE BEEN THAT WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING ALL ALONG IS BECOMING ALMOST A PURE RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT COMPLEX.

I JUST IT'S A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING TO SEE THAT WE HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL AND EVEN THAT'S BEING WHITTLED AWAY.

AND THIS IS OUR COMMERCIAL CORE AREA AND IT'S TURNING INTO BASICALLY AN APARTMENT BUILDING. SO I HAVE A HARD TIME ABOUT SUPPORTING IN GENERAL, GIVING THE MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY THINKING.

WE ORIGINALLY WANTED A REAL MIXED USE.

THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS. AND WE DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT THE FUTURE IS HOLDING WITH THE OTHER PHASES. IT'S THE SAME THING'S GOING TO OCCUR.

SO WE HAVE A HIGH DENSITY AND BRINGING A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN OKEMOS WITHOUT BRINGING THE TYPE OF COMMERCIAL MIX THAT WE WANT.

AND WE'RE WILLING TO GIVE MONEY TO KEEP SUPPORTING THAT.

SO THERE IS POSITIVE SUPPORT, BUT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

I THINK CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE QUITE SURPRISED IF THEY FIND WHAT THEY FIND IN TERMS OF THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OR THE LACK THEREOF WHEN IT COMES TO FRUITION.

I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS THEN I WANT TO ASK OTHER PEOPLE.

FIRST, WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC INPUT, I UNDERSTAND TOTALLY WHAT THE CLERK WAS SAYING EARLIER ABOUT PUBLIC INPUT.

HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE ANYBODY IS BEING SURPRISED.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES.

IT'S BEEN ON OUR AGENDA IN VARIOUS FASHIONS FOR MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AT LEAST.

PLUS WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY THAT WAS WELL NOTICED.

WE DID NOT HAVE IT DID NOT COME FORWARD AND TALK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC IS INFORMED, THE PUBLIC HAS EXPRESSED THROUGH OTHER MEANS, THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS TO US AT VARIOUS TIMES, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A BOARD, THAT THEY WANT ACTION HERE.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS HELD UP IN TERMS OF ANY STATE MONEY.

THE DEVELOPERS WILL COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN THAT CAUSES THE DEMOLITION, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW THE BIG PROBLEM.

BUT YES, WE WANT THE BUILDINGS.

WE WANT TO WHETHER THE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL COMBINATION, WE WANT SOMETHING THERE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'VE GOT IS A MESS.

WE'VE GOT BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNOCCUPIED, FALLING APART, PAINT COMING OFF, LOOKING HORRIBLE. AND THE PROJECT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS NOT THE WHOLE PROJECT, NOT HOW MUCH COMMERCIAL SPACE VERSUS RESIDENTIAL.

THAT'S LATER. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS THE DEMOLITION ASPECT AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DEMOLITION, WHICH IS A STANDALONE THING IN A LOT OF WAYS.

THE REST OF IT CAN'T GO FORWARD WITHOUT IT.

BUT IN A LOT OF WAYS, IT'S A STANDALONE THING, TALKING ABOUT ONLY GIVING A SMALL PORTION NOW INSTEAD OF THE WHOLE DEMOLITION COSTS.

ORIGINALLY, WE WERE THINKING OF DEMOLISHING IT OURSELVES AND SPENDING SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND.

INSTEAD, WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE EIGHTY SEVEN THOUSAND GOING TOWARDS A MUCH BIGGER DEMOLITION, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH BLOCKS.

NOT ONE. AND I CERTAINLY AM IN AGREEMENT WITH MOVING FORWARD VOTING YES ON THIS TONIGHT.

WE HAD HANDS MR. MANAGER WALSH? I WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION ON WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL

[02:05:08]

THE COMMERCIAL SPACE IS ACTUALLY WAS FIFTY TWO THOUSAND.

IT'S DOWN TO TWENTY SIX, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ANYONE ON THE SCREEN, BECAUSE THESE ARE JUST NUMBERS.

AND ALSO OUT OF THAT TWENTY SIX, DOUGLAS J IS GOING TO TAKE APPROXIMATELY TEN THOUSAND OF THAT. THAT'S THE PLAN TO KEEP THEM DOWNTOWN.

SO IT IS A MAJOR COUP TO KEEP THEM IN DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.

AND ALSO, I TELL YOU ONE THING, THERE ARE SOME PRELIMINARY STUDIES GOING ON ACROSS THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WITH COVID AND COMMERCIAL SPACE.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEVASTATED WHEN THIS COVID THING ENDS WITH COMMERCIAL SPACE.

AND THE LAST THING WE REALLY NEED IS A LOT OF ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL SPACE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO IT IS GOING DOWN, BUT IT'S NOT GOING DOWN TO NINE OR ELEVEN THOUSAND.

IT'S GOING DOWN TO TWENTY SIX THOUSAND.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AGAIN, THAT I WISH WOULD HAVE CAME OUT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT IS THAT THE OVERALL SPACE, THE OVERALL FOOTPRINT OF THIS BUILDING IS BEING REDUCED. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AMENDMENT TO THIS BUILDING, IT'S NOT INCREASING THE DEVELOPMENT AT ALL. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT OUT SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME FACTS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ANYONE.

MR. OPSOMMER, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.

YEAH, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO NOTE, MANAGER WALSH KIND OF MADE REFERENCE TO IT.

BUT WITH THE COVID SITUATION AND WITH THE SITUATION WITH HOW PRECARIOUS COMMERCIAL SPACE IS IN TERMS OF VALUATION AND AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR THIS PROJECT, WE'RE LOOKING AT PRIVATE INVESTORS. WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT TRADITIONAL LENDERS LIKE BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS AND OUR TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

SO IF THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW PRECARIOUS OF A SITUATION WE'RE IN TO REALIZE ANY REDEVELOPMENT DURING THE COVID ERA, WHICH HAS NO END IN SIGHT, AND OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO REBOUND AND COME OUT OF IT UNTIL TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WANT TO. LEND IN SUCH RISKY BUSINESSES LIKE COMMERCIAL SPACE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS TRYING TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND ACTUALLY REALIZE AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF THE PROJECT THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY IMPROVED AND GROUND FLOOR REAL ESTATE CAN ALWAYS BE RETROFITTED.

IT'S, YOU KNOW.

IT'S TWO BY FOURS AND DRYWALL.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

TREASURER DESCHAINE? THANK YOU. TWENTY SIX THOUSAND IS NOT THE WHAT WE'D HOPED FOR INITIALLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING. AND I THINK IT'S WORTH RELAYING THE STORY THAT THE MANAGER SHARED WITH US.

SOME OF THE STAFF CONVERSATION, WAYFAIR.

WAYFAIR WAS GOING TO BRING SEVERAL HUNDRED JOBS TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN [INAUDIBLE] PROJECT THAT'S CANCELLED.

THEY WOULD NOT BE BRINGING THOSE JOBS HERE BECAUSE EMPLOYERS ARE DOING THAT SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE WORK OUT OF THEIR HOMES. AND IN FACT, THEY WEREN'T EVEN IN OFFICE ANYMORE.

SO THAT SPACE IS [INAUDIBLE] CORPORATE SPACE FOR THEM.

NOT ONLY NOT COMING TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BUT THEIR SPACE IS NOW [INAUDIBLE].

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED IN A HECK OF A WAY IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE. AND FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A LOT OF OFFICE SPACE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MUCH HARDER POSITIONS THAN [INAUDIBLE] REDEVELOP AREA.

IT'S SAD.

[INAUDIBLE] FIELD, IN THIS [INAUDIBLE] COMMERCIAL AREAS.

SADLY, ABOUT THAT IS A DREAM THAT WILL NOT LIKELY COME BACK IN OUR LIFETIMES BECAUSE THE AMERICAN CONSUMER HAS CHANGED.

WE MAKE IT SO INTERESTING [INAUDIBLE] MAKE IT SOME INTERESTING BOUTIQUES THERE.

RETAIL ITSELF IS GONE AND NOT COMING BACK ANY TIME SOON.

SO WE [INAUDIBLE] AND TRUSTEE OPSOMMER POINTED OUT THIS IS STILL A PROJECT THAT ISN'T EASILY FUNDED AND MR. RANDALL HAS BEEN VERY CREATIVE AND LOOKING FOR PRIVATE INVESTORS TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.

AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT [INAUDIBLE] CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

IT WILL MOSTLY BE HOUSING, IT WILL BE A SMALLER PROJECT.

AS THE SUPERVISOR POINTED OUT. WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT A [INAUDIBLE] THERE.

WE THE UGLY FOUR CORNERS, AND THAT DOES NOT FIT THE CHARACTER AND THE CONFIDENCE AND THE STYLE OF THIS TOWNSHIP.

AND SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE SO IT'S TIME TO MAKE THAT CHANGE, [INAUDIBLE] THEY CAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YEAH WE'RE LOSING COMMERCIAL SPACE.

BUT WE'RE STILL KEEPING SOME COMMERCIAL SPACE.

TO ME THAT'S THE VICTORY HERE.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT ARE WE ALREADY HAVE A VOTE ON THIS NOW? CLERK DREYFUS?

[02:10:08]

TREASURER DESCHAINE? YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND? YES. AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI? YES. MOTION PASSES FIVE ONE.

THANK YOU. WE NOW MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM 13B.

WALNUT HILL'S UPDATE AND I'LL CALL IT MANAGER WALSH.

[13B. Walnut Hills Update]

JUST REAL BRIEFLY, BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR CLARK.

I CAN HEAR FROM HER THAT WHOLE DISCUSSION ON THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND, BUT SHE DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO GO UNNOTICED OR UNAPPRECIATED.

SO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CLARK, FOR THAT.

WALNUT HILLS, TWO WEEKS AGO, THE BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO GIVE A TWO WEEK HIATUS TO MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THE CLUBHOUSE BECAUSE A FAMILY HAD COME ALONG THAT WISH TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY.

I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FAMILY OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS AS OF THE LATEST BEING AT 5:15 THIS EVENING.

IT'S PRETTY APPARENT THAT THROUGH THEIR DUE DILIGENCE THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESURRECT THE CLUBHOUSE.

IT JUST IS TOO MUCH.

AND ALTHOUGH THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THE HOLDINGS INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR THE NOSTALGIC REASONS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE IN THE SAME MANNER THAT THEY PLAN TO. SO THAT LEAVES US TONIGHT WITH WHAT TO DO.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS GET INVOLVED IN BETWEEN SUMMER PARK REALTY, WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY AND THE FAMILY WHO IS LOOKING TO PURCHASE IT.

AND THIS DEMOLITION ISSUE.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FAMILY HAS UNTIL NOVEMBER 6TH TO MAKE A DECISION ON HOW THEY WANT IF THEY'RE GOING TO CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY.

I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD AND MR. MENSER, WHO HAS BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, WHETHER HE FEELS DIFFERENTLY OR NOT OR HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OR ANYONE ELSE ABOUT WHAT I THINK MAKES SENSE TONIGHT, IS THAT BECAUSE IF WE GO OUT AND WE HIRE MICHIGAN DEMOLITION TO DEMOLISH RAISE THE BUILDING, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO OR THREE WEEKS TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STATE FOR ASBESTOS AND OTHER THINGS.

SO I THINK WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IS THAT WE WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER 6TH WHEN THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT. LET'S NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM.

AND THEN ON NOVEMBER SIX, WE CAN GIVE NOTICE TO MICHIGAN DEMOLITION RIGHT NOW.

HEY GET IT DONE SO YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD ON NOVEMBER 10TH OR 11TH AND MOVE FORWARD TO DEMOLISH IT. BUT I JUST THINK IT BEHOOVES US NOT TO DO ANYTHING BEFORE NOVEMBER SIX THAT WOULD ANY IN ANY WAY APPEAR TO BE IN CONFLICT WITH THEIR ABILITY TO FAIRLY NEGOTIATE WHO'S GOING TO DO WHAT AT THIS POINT? SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, THEY CAN'T USE THE CLUBHOUSE.

THEY HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 6TH TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT WITH SUMMER PARK REALTY.

AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST STALL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WORK IT OUT. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW MR. MENSER WOULD AS WELL.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER? YES QUESTION FOR MR. MENSER OR [INAUDIBLE]. WITH THE ESTIMATES THAT WE RECEIVE FOR DEMOLITION IN THE INTERIM COULD WE AT LEAST NOTIFY AT LEAST THE FAMILY.

SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.

BECAUSE THEY DO BELIEVE THEY ARE REASONABLE ESTIMATES THAT WE GIVE THEM AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD ON A QUICKER TIMELINE ON THE CLUBHOUSE ONCE ANY OF THIS IS RESOLVED.

I SUPPOSE SHOWING THEM TO SUMMER PARK REALITY SHOULD BE WOULD BE GOOD, TOO.

BUT DON'T KNOW IF IT ENDS UP BEING THAT THE PROPERTY ISN'T SOLD.

IT MIGHT BE THAT WE HAVE TO JUST GO FORWARD AND PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.

BUT IF WE COULD DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE THERE JUST SO THAT WE DON'T END UP KIND OF IN A RESET MODE WHERE THEY'RE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THIRTY FIVE OR FORTY FIVE DAYS TO GO GET BIDS AND JUST BEGIN A PROCESS OF EVEN TALKING ABOUT DEMOLITION.

I JUST WANT TO TRY TO AVOID THAT IF WE CAN.

YEAH. AND WE SUPPLIED THE FAMILY WITH A LOT OF DOCUMENTS [INAUDIBLE] MR. MENSER HAS AND ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS IS THE BID THAT WE HAVE FROM MICHIGAN DEMOLITION.

IF WE COULD JUST INQUIRE WITH THEM WHENEVER WE INQUIRE NEXT WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE ON

[02:15:05]

MAYBE IT IS JUST SO WE DON'T END UP IN ANOTHER SHOOTING WITH THE SITE.

IN FAIRNESS, I DID TALK TO AND THE SUPERVISOR'S AWARE OF THIS.

TODAY WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.

IN FAIRNESS, I HAVE TALKED TO BOTH SIDES TODAY.

I TALKED TO SUMMER PARK REALITY AND I TALKED TO THE FAMILY BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS HAVE US PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.

KNOWING THAT SINCE WE, I AGREE, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST MOVE FORWARD AND GO AHEAD AND PUT A TAX LIEN ON, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE LOCKING IN THAT CLAUSE.

I REALLY THINK WE JUST NEED BOTH PARTIES TO EXAMINE IT, DETERMINE A FAIR COST.

AND IF WE PREPARED A GOOD BID.

SO THAT THEY CAN ACT EXPEDITIOUSLY WHERE THIS, WHENEVER THEY REACH AN AGREEMENT AND WHICHEVER PARTY HAS TO MAKE THAT EXECUTION.

BUT I MEAN, WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE KNOW.

AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THE CLUBHOUSE IS NOT EVEN WORTH SAVING BEFORE THAT WAS A QUESTION MARK. NOW IT'S A QUESTION MARK.

IT'S NOT ONLY A NUISANCE, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY NO VALUE.

OK, TREASURER DESCHAINE? I THINK THE MANAGER'S ADVICE HERE IS SOLID ADVICE THAT WE SHOULD AVOID TAKE A DRASTIC STEP OF SPENDING THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR DEMOLITION.

[INAUDIBLE] AND THE ONLY REASON THAT I WOULD HESITATE TO DO THAT IS IF THERE WAS A REAL PUBLIC SAFETY. GREATER PUBLIC SAFETY RISK OR THREAT HAD RISEN SINCE THEN, SO I JUST ASKED CHIEF PLAGA IF THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN ANY CRIME? HAS THE ENVIRONMENT THERE REMAINED THE SAME SINCE WE LAST DISCUSSED THIS? WELL, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTS REMAIN RELATIVELY THE SAME.

THERE WERE MANY OF THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

CHANGES IN WEATHER [INAUDIBLE] RESPONSIBILITY.

SO WE HAVE NOT HAD WHAT WE HAD DURING WARMER WEATHER TIMES OR WHEN ALL THOSE BUILDINGS WERE OUT THERE AND WERE NOT SECURE.

THANK YOU. THAT'S MY CONCERN.

AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS JUST GENERAL DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER FOR HIM TO DIRECT STAFF.

HE'S ASKING FOR OUR INPUT AND UNLESS I HEAR STRONGLY OTHERWISE, I THINK THE INPUT IS JUST THAT. HIS SUGGESTION THAT [INAUDIBLE] BE THE NEW DEADLINE, SO TO SPEAK, UNOFFICIAL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, DEADLINE IS WHAT WE'RE SAYIN TO THE MANAGER AS HE REQUESTED. ANYBODY OBJECTING OR RAISING ANY ISSUES? OK, DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED, MR. WALSH? SHAKING HIS HEAD, YES.

OK. ALL RIGHT. MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.

WHICH IS THE SOCIAL DISTRICTS.

[13C. Social Districts]

HELLO. YES, IN THE NEW POSITION.

SO PETER AND I WORKED VERY HEAVILY ON SOCIAL DISTRICTS.

THEY WERE ESTABLISHED THIS YEAR IN JULY, REGULATED BY MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING, REGULATORY AFFAIRS [INAUDIBLE] AND THE LIQUOR CONTROL COMMISSION.

THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE QUALIFIED AND CARRY BASICALLY ANY SORT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSING.

QUALIFIED LICENSERS CAN APPLY FOR A SOCIAL DISTRICT PERMIT.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SERVE OR ALLOW ANY OF THEIR STAFF TO SERVE OUTSIDE OF THEIR PHYSICAL BUILDING.

THE DISTRICTS TO HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] TO ESTABLISH A DISTRICT ITSELF.

SO THIS COMES BACK TO THE GOVERNING LOCAL UNIT BODY.

THEY HAVE TO ESTABLISH AND DESIGNATE THE AREAS.

THEY MUST BE AREAS WHERE AT LEAST TWO QUALIFIED LICENSEES HOLDERS ARE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT AND CONTIGUOUS TO ANOTHER PUBLIC AREA WHERE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED THE COMMONS AREA.

SO THERE'S TWO THINGS KIND OF GOING ON HERE.

ONE IS THAT THE PERMIT ALLOWS FOR THE LICENSE HOLDERS TO SERVE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR OUTSIDE OF THEIR PHYSICAL SPACE, WHICH WHAT WE SEE IS TRADITIONAL.

BUT THE OTHER PART IS FOR THE LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT TO DESIGNATE WHERE THESE AREAS ARE. THERE ARE A LOT OF RULES, INCLUDING SIGNAGE, ENFORCEMENT, MAINTENANCE PLANS, BRANDING, ESTABLISHING SPECIFIC CUPS, ESTABLISHING SPECIFIC STICKERS, ONE FOR EACH QUALIFIED LICENSE HOLDER THAT HAS A PERMIT AS WELL.

I REACHED OUT TO SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY ONLY, AS OF TODAY, 17 COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A SOCIAL

[02:20:07]

I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY ROBUST SOCIAL DISTRICT THAT ARE KIND OF PARCELED ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.

I WAS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR OUR SUBURBAN LAYOUT.

AND I TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR LUKE [INAUDIBLE] AND HE LET ME KNOW THAT IT MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE, CONSIDERING HOW OUR BUSINESSES AND ESTABLISHES ARE LAID OUT.

THAT THEY WERE DOING SOME PRETTY CREATIVE DESIGNATIONS OF AREAS WITH A LOT OF THE AREAS WERE PUBLIC SPACES THAT THEY WERE USING, ALLEYS THAT THEY WERE USING RIGHT AWAY AREAS THAT THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS OWNS TO PERMIT THIS AS A COMMON AREA.

AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMMON AREA IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY.

SO AFTER I REACHED UP TO GRAND RAPIDS, I ALSO WORKED WITH PETER, WHO REACHED OUT TO KALAMAZOO. KALAMAZOO'S GOT A VERY GOOD, ROBUST DOWNTOWN.

THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS ARE VERY MUCH THE SAME.

MY RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW IS FOR US TO FIND SOME POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES [INAUDIBLE] DID ESTABLISH A DIFFERENT PERMITTING OPTIONS FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS TO BE ABLE TO DO OUTDOOR SEATING.

THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

BUT THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT HOW OUR COMMUNITY IS LAID OUT AND WHERE OUR ESTABLISHMENTS ARE, THERE AREN'T TWO THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT, CONTIGUOUS TO A PUBLIC SPACE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SET UP A MAINTENANCE PLAN AND DESIGNATE SIGNS AND ROPE OFF THE AREA FOR THESE COMMON AREAS.

LET ME TRY TO UNDERSTAND MORE FULLY WHAT THESE ARE.

RIGHT NOW, IF I HAVE A RESTAURANT, CAN I HAVE A SEAT ON THE OUTSIDE OF MY RESTAURANT WHERE I COULD SERVE MY CUSTOMERS? AND IF SO, CAN I ALSO SERVE THEM BEER OR WINE, WHATEVER, WITH THEIR DINNER? NOT WITH THE SOCIAL DISTRICT PERMITS.

NO, NO, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW.

YES, RIGHT NOW AN ESTABLISHMENT COULD GET AN ADDITIONAL PERMIT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO OUTDOOR SERVICE ON THEIR PROPERTY.

RIGHT. OK, SO IT HAS TO BE ON THEIR PROPERTY.

SO WE CAN'T BE LIKE PART OF THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK.

IT HAS TO BE TOTALLY ON THEIR PROPERTY.

YES. YOU'RE SAYING YES.

OK, SO WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCIAL DISTRICT IS, IS TO EXPAND THAT TO A BIGGER SPACE.

IS THAT BASICALLY IT SO THAT IT COULD BE BEYOND JUST WHATEVER PIECE OF PROPERTY THEY OWN? YES, THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCIAL DISTRICTS IS TO ALLOW MULTIPLE BUSINESSES THAT WERE MEETING BASICALLY COVID CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS AND THOSE RESTRICTIONS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS WITHOUT HAVING TO TURN ANYONE AWAY OR MAKE THEM WAIT FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY COULD USE THIS LARGE COMMON AREA.

SO IF I WERE TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, IF WE USED THE WATERSHED AND MAYFAIR.

IF THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO A PUBLIC PARK, THEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COULD ESTABLISH A COMMONS AREA IN THAT PARK.

AND BOTH THE WATERSHED AND MAYFAIR COULD HAVE THEIR STAFFS SERVE PEOPLE WOULD GO INTO THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS, GET FOOD AND DRINK, TAKE IT TO THE COMMONS AREA, EAT AND SIT THERE IN A SOCIALLY DISTANCED ENVIRONMENT.

SO JUST THE NATURE OF WHERE ALL OF OUR BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE, WITH THE EXCEPTION MAYBE OF THE [INAUDIBLE], WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT THAT ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER, LET ALONE NEXT TO A PUBLIC SPACE.

YEAH. THE OTHER KEY IS THAT IT HAS TO BE ADJACENT TO A PUBLIC SPACE.

SO EVEN IF THEY ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND THAT IS THE USE OF THEIR PARKING LOT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE. AND WE MAY HAVE SET YOU ON A TASK TO STUDY SOMETHING THAT ENDS UP NOT REALLY HELPING OUR TOWNSHIP OR AT LEAST OUR TOWNSHIP'S BUSINESSES.

ALRIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? MR. OPSOMMER? THIS IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION FOR PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER.

PETER, WE ARE STILL DOING ALLOWING UNDER OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE, WE ARE ALLOWING BUSINESSES GREATER FLEXIBILITY, STILL IN CREATING OUTDOOR PATIOS, USING THEIR PRIVATE PARKING LOTS.

CORRECT? YEAH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT PROGRAM SO FAR.

SO WE STARTED OFF RIGHT AWAY, WHEN BUSINESSES STARTED TO REOPEN AND ALL CAME BACK TO

[02:25:03]

THEY DO HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

THERE'S A TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT PERMIT THROUGH MLCC.

BUT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BUSINESSES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH A LOT OF THEM TO KEEP THE AREAS SUSTAINABLE FOR THE WINTERTIME. SO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING SIDES OFF OR POSSIBLY ADDING HEATING ELEMENTS TO SOME OF THOSE AREAS.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH TAVIS THE FIRE INSPECTOR AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

YEAH, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST IN ROCHESTER HILLS A FEW DAYS AGO AND CHOMP ONE OF THEIR DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS, THEY HAVE AN OUTDOOR PATIO AREA, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST LIKE THE STRUCTURE THAT'S ON IT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST YOUR BASIC TIMBER STRUCTURE.

LIKE SOMEONE COULD REPLICATE IT PRETTY CHEAPLY AND EASILY.

AND IT HAS LIKE CORRUGATED PLASTIC IN THE CEILING.

AND THEY JUST PUT UP [INAUDIBLE] WRAP AND STUFF ON THE SIDES AND THEN BROUGHT IN THE OUTDOOR HEATERS. SO AND THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP A BIG OPENING STILL IN THE OUTDOOR PATIO STRUCTURE. THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP IT FAIRLY WELL HEATED.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL WORK THROUGH THE WINTER.

IT MIGHT DEPEND ON THE TEMPERATURE ON A GIVEN DAY, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE DIRECTOR CLARK AND DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND YOURSELF TO WORK WITH OUR BUSINESSES TO CREATE GREATER FLEXIBILITY. LORD KNOWS WE DO NOT EVEN IN GOOD TIMES, WE DON'T NEED ALL THE PARKING WE HAVE.

NOW WE CERTAINLY DON'T.

SO WE SHOULD PUT IT TO GOOD USE AND MAYBE EVEN ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO PARTNER ON THESE, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE COSTS, BUT MAKING THEM USABLE IN THE FALL AT CERTAIN POINTS IN THE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING.

THAT WE WILL DO THAT.

THANK YOU AND OUR BUSINESSES ARE DEFINITELY VERY CREATIVE IN FINDING WAYS TO SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS DURING THESE TIMES.

[INAUDIBLE] YES, AND DIRECTOR CLARK, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS TO US, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD NECESSARILY DISMISS IT.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF CONTINUING TO PURSUE IT AND PRESENT IT AS A PALATE, IF YOU WILL, TO OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN MAKE OF THIS.

MAYBE THE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, WE'RE NOT AWARE.

WE'RE NOT [INAUDIBLE] DO THAT THIS WINTER.

CERTAINLY BY SPRING THEY MIGHT HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WE DO HAVE A NATURAL AREAS IN THE TOWNSHIP AND PERHAPS IT FOR A BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] EVEN NEW DEVELOPMENT CLOSER TO SOME OF OUR [INAUDIBLE] AREAS BECAUSE OF THIS NEW INITIATIVE.

SO I HOPE YOU WOULD REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THEM AND SEE WHAT KIND OF POTENTIAL IS THERE.

THERE IS A REAL GROWTH OF RESTAURANTS IN THIS TOWNSHIP AND WE NEED TO TAKE WHAT ADVANTAGE WE CAN FIND, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP AND TO BE CREATIVE AND [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT NOW AS COVID IS NOT GOING AWAY.

AND WE'RE DISCUSSING [INAUDIBLE] INTENSIVELY, I THINK, A YEAR FROM NOW AS WE ARE TODAY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING TO STAY FOR YEARS AT LEAST.

SO WE NEED TO BE AS FLEXIBLE, ALLOW OUR BUSINESSES TO BE FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MS. WISINSKI? QUICK QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR CLARK, IS THERE ANY? SO INITIALLY, I WAS I WAS THINKING THE SAME AS YOU.

WE REALLY, OUR TOWNSHIP ISN'T SET UP WITH A DOWNTOWN PER SAY WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS. BUT I HEAR WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE IS SAYING.

IS THERE ANY DISADVANTAGE TO PURSUING THIS? POTENTIALLY AND ASKING, ARE OUR ACTUAL BUSINESS OWNERS OR IS THERE ANY OTHER THAN YOUR TIME? NO, THERE'S NO HARM IN ASKING THE BUSINESS OWNERS THEIR PERCEPTION ON THE EXTENSION. I THINK MY CONCERNS COME DOWN TO ARE WE MEETING THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS? SO WHEN PETER AND I LOOKED OVER AT OR EXCUSE ME, WHEN PRINCIPAL MENSER AND I LOOKED OVER IT, WE COULDN'T FIND A COMMON AREA THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS CONTROL OVER, THAT WE COULD DESIGNATE ANY OF THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE IMMEDIATELY CONTIGUOUSLY SO ADJACENT.

SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE PROPERTY THAT LIES TOUCHING THIS COMMON AREA.

AND THAT IS THE AREA THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD DESIGNATE.

IT'S NOT THAT TWO BUSINESSES HAVE TO BE TOGETHER.

SO I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO [INAUDIBLE] SPECIFICALLY AND TALKED TO SARAH WEBBER AT

[02:30:09]

AND THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY CONSIDER LOOKING AT SOME OTHER CREATIVE OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE SOCIAL DISTRICTS.

BUT THERE ISN'T ANY HARM IN TALKING TO THE BUSINESSES TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THEM. IF I MIGHT, I CONCUR COMPLETELY WITH DIRECTOR CLARK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS QUITE A BIT. I THINK IT'S A TOOL WE KEEP IN OUR BACK POCKET FOR WHEN OPPORTUNITIES ARISE, AS LONG AS THE STATE CONTINUES TO OFFER IT.

BUT FOR NOW, IT MIGHT NOT FIT INTO ANY PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT WE'VE GOT.

WE CAN KEEP PUSHING THE OUTDOOR SEATING AND JUST LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY COME UP.

AND IT DOES SOUND LIKE IT'S A LONG TIME AWAY.

BUT ACCORDING TO THIS ACT, UNLESS THE STATE MAKES IT PERMANENT, IT SUNSETS IN TWENTY TWENTY FOUR. GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH.

OK, I THINK WE'VE TALKED THIS THROUGH.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT DIRECTOR CLARK AND PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER PUT IT TO THIS AND THE OTHER STAFF.

I'M SURE THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK AND SAD THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS OF LOOKING INTO IT, FINDING OUT.

WE NOW GOING TO THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN AND MEIJER DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR AND COUNTYWIDE, PATRICK LINDEMANN HERE AND [INAUDIBLE] ONE

[13D. Grettenberger Drain and Meijer Drain Improvements]

STEPHEN, IF YOU COULD PROMOTE ALSO ALAN BOYER OF LSG ENGINEERING, HE'LL BE INTEGRAL IN PROVIDING BASICALLY A SUMMARY REPORT TOO.

APPRECIATE THAT, STEPHEN.

SO THE BOARD'S AWARE IN THE SPRING OF TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN, WE EXECUTED A FOUR THIRTY FOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE IN COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE TO STUDY THE FLOODING THAT FREQUENTLY OCCURS ON GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS ROAD.

ALSO, THERE'S BEEN SOME FLOODING ACROSS PLAYMAKERS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND THAT WAS AN AREA THAT WE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT.

AND REALLY WHAT WAS DRIVING SOME OF THIS WAS THE MDOT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR GRAND RIVER. WE REALLY FELT ALL AS AGENCIES, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO A STUDY ON THAT TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE COMPREHENSIVE FIX FOR THAT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT FOUR THIRTY FOUR AGREEMENT.

SO TONIGHT, THE DRAIN OFFICE IS GOING TO PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS OF THAT AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS REALLY WHAT IS THE PLAN OF ACTION GOING FORWARD AND HOW WE CAN DO A COMPREHENSIVE FIX FOR THAT ISSUE ON GRAND RIVER.

TURN IT OVER TO THE DRAIN OFFICE.

GOOD EVENING, PAT? I'M HERE.

OK? ALL RIGHT, WELL, THE GRETTENBERGER AND THE MEIJER DRAIN.

THE GRETTENBERGER IS OF 19 IS IT PREDATES 1913.

OUR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS ON IT WERE STARTED IN 1913, BUT IT WAS MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE THAT WHEN THAT DRAIN WAS ACTUALLY PUT IN, ITS UNDERSIZED AND IT'S IN REALLY BAD SHAPE.

WE'VE DONE SOME MAINTENANCE ON CERTAIN PARTS OF IT AND IT'S JUST CRUSHED, THEN FALLEN APART. THE MEIJER DRAIN IS 1974 VINTAGE AND NONE OF THEM CAN CARRY THE VOLUME OF WATER NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE FLOODING.

EVEN IN MINOR STORM EVENTS ON GRAND RIVER.

THE INTERSECTION OF GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS AND THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT IS IN FACT GOING TO REBUILD THE GRAND RIVER.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY GOOD TIME TO PARTNER WITH THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND TRY TO FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR DRAIN WE HAVE.

CARLA CLOSE IS ONE OF MY DEPUTIES AND ALAN BOYER AND DOUG KELLEY IS A DRAIN ATTORNEY.

HE'S ALSO HERE TONIGHT.

AND DEREK PERRY CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S PUT INTO WORKING WITH MY STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS THING TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FIX THIS AND I'M GOING TO LET ALAN BOYER EXPLAIN IT, BUT THE ONLY LEGAL WAY THAT WE CAN GO ABOUT FIXING THIS IS WITH [INAUDIBLE].

[02:35:03]

NOW, WHETHER YOU CONSIDER IT TONIGHT OR YOU THINK ABOUT IT AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN VOTE ON IT, THAT'S UP TO YOU.

BUT THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GET ALL THE PLANS WORKED OUT PRIOR TO THE STARTING OF THE HIGHWAY.

SO IF I COULD ASK ALAN BOYER TO DESCRIBE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AT THIS INTERSECTION.

SURE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LINDEMANN.

I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN HERE SO THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE THIS PRESENTATION.

WHAT WE'VE PREPARED IS A BRIEF POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE HYDRAULIC STUDY THAT WE DID FOR BOTH THE TOWNSHIP AND THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

THIS WAS DONE BY AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

AND THAT AGREEMENT IS IN YOUR PACKET AND AS IS THE STUDY.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN TOWNSHIP STAFF, DRAIN OFFICE STAFF, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT STAFF AT THE COUNTY AND OF COURSE, MDOT STAFF REGARDING THIS.

AND SO I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY RUN THROUGH THE REPORT HERE AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHAT COMMISSIONER LINDEMANN WAS TALKING ABOUT.

THIS IS THE STUDY AREA THAT WE LOOKED AT, AND I'VE GOT MY CURSOR GOING ON THE SCREEN HERE SO YOU CAN SEE THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRIEFLY.

THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DRAIN MAP THAT THE DRAIN OFFICE HAS.

THIS IS OKEMOS ROAD HERE, RUNNING NORTH AND SOUTH WITH THE DOGLEG.

THIS IS GRAND RIVER AVENUE AND FORTY THREE AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN THE TOWNSHIP. THIS ANGLED ROAD HERE IS MARSH ROAD COMING DOWN TO HAMILTON.

OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT THE MERIDIAN MALL HERE.

WE'VE GOT THE FORMER KMART NOW BEST BUY HERE.

THIS IS MEIJERS.

AND CERTAINLY THIS MAP ALSO SHOWS THE RED CEDAR RIVER, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE DISCUSSION HERE AS IT MEANDERS SOUTH OF HAMILTON.

THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS AND THE FOUR BLOCKS HERE WERE A SUBJECT OF YOUR EARLIER DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. THE LINES ON THIS MAP, THE BLUE LINES REPRESENT ESTABLISHED COUNTY DRAINS, THE SOLID LINES ARE OPEN CHANNEL DRAINS, AND THE DASHED LINES ARE ENCLOSED PIPES THAT ARE BELOW THE STREETS.

AND SO YOU CAN TELL FROM THIS MAP THAT THERE IS QUITE A NETWORK OF DRAINS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS AREA.

AND THIS IS IN GENERAL, THE AREA THAT WE STUDIED FOR THE HYDRAULIC STUDY AND THE REPORT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NOT SHOWN ON THIS MAP, BUT YOU WILL SEE IT LATER ON, IS THAT MDOT HAS A STORM DRAIN THAT RUNS RIGHT DOWN THROUGH GRAND RIVER PASSES THROUGH MARSH ROAD, THROUGH OKEMOS ROAD, AND IT ENTERS THE RIVER AT THIS LOCATION DOWN NEAR NEMOKA OR NAKOMA STREET OR SHORT STREET.

I THINK IT'S REFERRED TO IN SOME INSTANCES.

THAT DRAIN IS NOT A COUNTY DRAIN.

IT IS SOLELY OPERATED BY MDOT.

AND THAT DRAIN DOES PROVIDE SOME DRAINAGE FOR THE ROADWAY.

THE STUDY LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF THINGS, AND THIS WAS BASICALLY INTENDED AS THE OUTCOME OF THE STUDY, AND IT WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT THE OUTLETS FOR THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEMS AND THE WHOLE AREA. WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO ALLEVIATE SOME FLOODING DURING THE 10 YEAR FLOOD EVENT.

AND CERTAINLY YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE FROM THE PREVIOUS MAP THAT ALL OF THE DRAINAGE IN THIS PARTICULAR STUDY AREA ALL CONNECTS TO THE RED CEDAR RIVER.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE RIVER BECOMES A LIMITING FACTOR TO HOW THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. THE OTHER THING WE LOOKED AT WAS RELATED TO SIMPLY TRYING TO RELIEVE FLOODING DURING THE 10 YEAR RAINFALL EVENT, WHICH IS A TYPICAL DESIGN EVENT.

AND WE LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY TWO INSTANCES, THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN AS PAT MENTIONED, AND THE MEIJER'S DRAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO PROPOSED IMPENDING ROAD IMPROVEMENTS BOTH ON OKEMOS ROAD AND GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WITH DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND BEING ABLE TO IMPROVE HOW THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS, WE ALSO MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO RAISE OKEMOS ROAD AT GRAND RIVER, THAT INTERSECTION AND A PORTION OF GRAND RIVER IN FRONT OF NAKOMA STREET, SO THAT

[02:40:04]

WE COULD RAISE THE STREET.

SO THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN.

I WILL TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TWO DRAINS THAT PAT MENTIONED, THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN AND THE MEIJER DRAIN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE BOTH CRITICAL TO THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN WERE TAKEN IN AUGUST OF 2018, AT WHICH POINT THE AND AT WHICH POINT IN TIME THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN FAILED.

THESE ARE VIDEOS TAKEN FROM INSIDE THE PIPE.

THERE'S A LARGE VOID HERE IN THE LOWER PICTURE THAT WAS BELOW OKEMOS ROAD.

AND IN THE UPPER TWO PICTURES, YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION OF THE PIPE.

AS PAT POINTED OUT, THIS WAS CONSTRUCTED ABOUT OR BEFORE 1913.

IT'S ONLY A 10 INCH PIPE.

AND CERTAINLY THESE PICTURES SHOW THAT IT HAS FAILED.

THESE TWO PICTURES INDICATE THE VOID THAT WAS UNDER THE ROAD AND CERTAINLY THE REPAIR THAT WAS MADE. THE REPAIR WAS WITH A 10 INCH PLASTIC PIPE CONNECTING TO AN EXISTING 10 INCH TILE. THE STUDY HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT FOR THE DRAINAGE TO SERVE THE ROAD PROPERLY, THIS SHOULD BE A TWENTY FOUR INCH PIPE.

AND CERTAINLY THE ROAD DEPARTMENT HAS DELAYED IMPROVEMENTS TO OKEMOS ROAD SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE DRAINAGE IS INADEQUATE AND IT'S LIKELY THAT THE DRAIN SHOULD BE REPLACED AND IMPROVED BEFORE THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS GO ON TOP OF IT.

THESE TWO PICTURES PROVIDE US WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND RELATED TO THE FLOODING THAT OCCURS IN THE INTERSECTION.

THE LOWER LEFT HAND PICTURE IS THE OKEMOS ROAD GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION, AND THE RIGHT HAND PICTURE IS THE NAKOMA STREET GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION.

THESE TWO INTERSECTIONS, FLOOD BOTH AS A RESULT OF A BACK UP IN THE RED CEDAR RIVER.

BUT THEY ALSO EXHIBIT FLOODING CHARACTERISTICS WHEN WE GET A SHORT DURATION, HIGH INTENSITY RAINFALL THAT THE STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM CANNOT HANDLE.

AND SO ALTHOUGH THIS PARTICULAR SET OF PICTURES INDICATES FLOODING DUE TO THE RIVER, THERE IS FLOODING THAT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS DUE TO THE INADEQUACIES OF THE DRAINS.

IN THIS LOWER PICTURE HERE.

YOU SEE, OKEMOS ROAD AND GREEN RIVER FLOODED.

THE MEIJER DRAIN CROSSES APPROXIMATELY AT THIS LOCATION UNDER GRAND RIVER, AND THE GRETTENBERGER CROSSES AT THIS LOCATION ON THE CENTER OF OKEMOS ROAD.

BOTH OF THOSE DRAINS PASS OVER THE TOP OF THE MDOT STORM DRAIN SYSTEM THAT RUNS DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY'RE ABLE TO PASS OVER THE TOP IS BECAUSE THROUGH THIS INTERSECTION GOING FROM EAST TO WEST ON GRAND RIVER, MDOT CONSTRUCTED AN INVERTED SIPHON SO THAT THE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS SIMPLY DO NOT CONNECT.

AND SO THAT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF THE STUDY.

THAT'S A VERY INEFFICIENT SYSTEM AND IN FACT, IT CONTRIBUTES IN PART TO THE FLOODING.

AND SO WE'VE MADE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THAT AS THEY RELATE TO BOTH THE GRETTENBERGER AND THE MEIJER DRAIN.

THAT MDOT DRAIN DOES OR STORM DRAIN DOES COME DOWN TO ABOUT THIS LOCATION WHERE IT TURNS AND THEN CONNECTS TO THE RIVER, AND IT DOES CONTRIBUTE TO SOME OF THE FLOODING THAT OCCURS ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

THESE ARE THE FLOODING HOT SPOTS THAT OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY 2018 AS A RESULT OF THE RIVER BACK UP, BUT THESE ARE ALSO SPECIFICALLY AT OKEMOS AND GRAND RIVER AND AT NAKOMA AND GRAND RIVER ARE AREAS THAT FLOOD THAT DO PRESENT A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE WHEN WE GET THE SHORT DURATION, HIGH INTENSITY RAINFALLS.

THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE SHOWS THE STUDY AREA THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT HERE AND HAS AN OVERLAY SHOWING THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN FROM THE RED CEDAR RIVER.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FLOOD PLAIN DOES CERTAINLY CROSS GRAND RIVER AND NAKOMA STREET AND AT OKEMOS ROAD THAT THOSE TWO INTERSECTIONS.

[02:45:01]

THAT THE FLOODING WOULD BE ALLEVIATED TO SOME EXTENT AND THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR VEHICLES TRAVELING ALONG THE M ROUTE M43 WOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER WAY OF GETTING THROUGH THOSE INTERSECTIONS DURING MINOR FLOODING EVENTS.

THIS DRAWING SHOWS THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING THOSE RAISINGS TO OCCUR.

AGAIN IN NAKOMA STREET AND AGAIN AT THE GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION, AND CERTAINLY THAT IS WHY WE ARE APPROACHING THESE TWO PARTICULAR DRAINS AS PART OF THE STUDY AND BRINGING THOSE TO YOU HIGHLIGHTED TONIGHT AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.

THIS IS THE MEIJER DRAIN HERE PASSES IN FRONT OF THE MEIJER STORE ACROSS GRAND RIVER AND RUNS UP TO THE OKEMOS DRAIN.

THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN CONNECTS HERE TO THE MEIJER.

AND THEN THE GREEN LINE IS THE MDOT STORM DRAIN THAT AT THIS POINT IS NOT A COUNTY DRAIN AND IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO ANY OF THESE OTHER COUNTY DRAINS.

SO TO SUMMARIZE THE, THE PRELIMINARY HYDRAULIC STUDY TOOK A LOOK AT TRYING TO IMPROVE THE AND REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF FLOODING THAT IS OCCURRING IN THE CORE AREA AS IT PASSES BY THE MALL AND ALONG GRAND RIVER AND THROUGH THE OKEMOS ROAD INTERSECTION.

THE IDEA BEING TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF FLOODING, BUT ALSO BE PREPARED FOR THE PENDING ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ALONG GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS ROAD.

THOSE ARE TWO CRITICAL THINGS RELATED TO THESE TWO SPECIFIC DRAINS AND CERTAINLY TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM SEEMS TO MAKE MORE SENSE IN TERMS OF THE LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT TO THE ROAD SYSTEM SO THAT WE'VE PROPOSED THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT AND THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT IS THE SUBJECT OF BOTH THE RESOLUTION AND THE PETITIONS FOR THE GRETTENBERGER AND MEIJER DRAIN.

THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU, ALAN. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? BOARD MEMBERS DON'T BE SHY.

YEAH. NOT QUITE DEEP ENOUGH TO FLOAT A CANOE.

WELL, MAYBE YOU COULD FLOAT A CANOE IN IT.

BUT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A SAFE SITUATION, AND THESE ARE MINOR FLOODS SOMETIMES WHEN IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE WATER.

THESE COULD BE QUITE DEEP AND THEY'RE JUST IMPASSIBLE.

SO GIVEN THE AGE OF BOTH OF THE DRAINS, THEY HAVE TO SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT WITH THE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.

IN COORDINATING WITH THE ROADWORK JUST MAKES SENSE.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LOT LESS HASSLE TRYING TO DIG EVERYTHING UP.

WE CERTAINLY CAN'T LET THE ROAD WORK TAKE PLACE AND THEN GO BACK IN AND DIG IT UP.

SO WE'D LIKE TO DIG IT UP FIRST AND DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE.

BOTH DRAINS ARE UNDERSIZED AND NEED TO BE INCREASED IN SIZE.

WHEN THEY WERE FIRST PUT IN IN 1913, THE GRETTENBERGER HANDLED A LOT OF VACANT LAND.

ALL OF THAT IS NOW DEVELOPED AND SUBDIVISIONS UP INTO A PARKING LOT STUBBED INTO IT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH ANYWAY THAT WEREN'T THERE BEFORE.

SO IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE UPSIZED.

COMMISSIONER LINDEMANN? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS DELAYED HAS GIVEN US LOTS OF DATES AND DELAYED THEM ON GRAND RIVER, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF ANY [INAUDIBLE] AT ALL ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT? NO, I DO NOT.

I CAN.

OH, RIGHT. YEAH.

SO THEY'RE IN THEY'RE DESIGN PHASE.

AND AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THIS IN A VACUUM.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DRAIN OFFICE, THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, MDOT AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO LET US BASICALLY PUT IT OUT TO BID IN TWENTY ONE JULY, THE SUMMER OF TWENTY ONE, AND ACTUALLY THEN PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION IN TWENTY TWO.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY THIS IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, BECAUSE THE DRAIN OFFICE NEEDS THESE

[02:50:02]

TREASURER DESCHAINE? THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOUR MR. LINDEMANN AND [INAUDIBLE] FOR YOUR HELP WITH OUR MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN PROJECT, WHICH HAD SOME FLOODING ISSUES AND UNDERSTAND YOU WERE HELPFUL WITH OUR STAFF AND GETTING RESOLVE ON THAT. [INAUDIBLE] TAKE A MUCH LONGER [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU FOR THAT. REGARDING THE PROPOSAL HERE, HOW MUCH [INAUDIBLE] WE BE RAISING TWO FEET IS OUR ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH? [INAUDIBLE] THE IMPACT AND WHAT WOULD IMPACT ON BUSINESSES [INAUDIBLE]? YOU ASKING ME THAT QUESTION? THIS IS PAT.

OR ALAN.

OR ALAN.

ALAN PROBABLY COULD ANSWER IT BETTER, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE.

RAISING THE ROAD UP.

RAISING THE ROAD UP IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE OPTIONS.

AND IN TERMS OF THE DRAINAGE, IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP THE DRAINAGE IF WE COULD WORK WITH THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT TO PERHAPS EVEN GET RID OF SOME OF THIS WATER THROUGH THEIR PIPE AND MAYBE SOME OF THEIR PIPE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED INSIDE.

THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT, OF COURSE, AND ELIMINATING THE SIPHON DRAIN UNDERNEATH THAT INTERSECTION WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

AND A FINAL QUESTION, I UNDERSTAND THE FLOODING IS CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT OUR DRAINS ARE ACTUALLY REVERSING SOME POINT [INAUDIBLE] PUSHING WATER THROUGH THE DRAIN UP TO OUR SURFACE DRAINS, AND SO IS THERE ADDITIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY FOR THE RED CEDAR? IF THESE DRAINS RECONFIGURED? AND IF SO, DO WE KNOW HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT HOMEOWNERS LIVING OFF RED CEDER ALREADY REPORTING FLOODING, FREQUENT FLOODING? I CAN'T GIVE YOU.

GO AHEAD.

I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

TO TAKE YOUR QUESTION KIND OF IN TWO PARTS IN REVERSE ORDER, IMPROVING THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE DRAINS WOULD NOT REALLY AFFECT THE FLOODPLAIN ELEVATION THAT'S ASSOCIATED TO THE RIVER. YOU KNOW, THEY GET THE WATER TO THE RIVER.

AND GENERALLY THE AREAS THAT ARE DRAINING TO THOSE DRAINS ARE A SMALL ENOUGH AREA THAT THAT WATER GETS THROUGH THE DRAINS, GETS THE RIVER AND THAT WATER IS MOVED DOWNSTREAM.

IT'S THE WATER THAT'S COMING FROM UPSTREAM IN THE RIVER THAT AS THE RIVER RAISES IT BACKS UP THROUGH THE DRAINS AND AFFECTS THE FLOODPLAIN.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE DRAINS REALLY DOESN'T AFFECT THE FLOODING THAT'S RELATED TO THE RIVER.

IT CERTAINLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF THE HEARING CAPACITY OF THE DRAINS AND REDUCING THE FLOODING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH RAINFALL.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S RELATED TO THAT IN THIS GOES BACK TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION RELATED TO MDOT, MDOT HAS BEEN TAKING A LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF WHAT RAISING THE ROAD INTERSECTIONS WOULD DO TO THE BUSINESSES AND IN SOME CASES, PARTICULARLY ADJACENT TO OKEMOS ROAD, IT WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE THEIR DRIVEWAYS BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THOSE DRIVEWAYS ARE QUITE STEEP AS THEY COME DOWN TO GRAND RIVER.

AND SO BRINGING GRAND RIVER UP WOULD TEND TO FLATTEN THOSE DRIVEWAYS AND MAKE THEM MORE NEGOTIABLE. MDOT IS ALSO AWARE OF THE FACT THAT IF WE DO RAISE THE INTERSECTIONS OR THEY DO RAISE THE INTERSECTIONS, THAT DOES HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE FLOOD STORAGE VOLUME IN THE RED CEDAR RIVER BECAUSE, IN FACT, RAISING THE ROAD WOULD REQUIRE FILL OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

AND SO WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN A LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THERE WOULD BE THE NEED FOR A COMPENSATING CUT IN ORDER SO THAT THERE IS NO NET LOSS OF FLOODPLAIN AND WE'RE NOT CREATING A HARMFUL BACKWATER FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES.

AND CERTAINLY DIRECTOR PERRY AND YOUR ENGINEER [INAUDIBLE] HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN PROVIDING US WITH INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PASSED ON TO MDOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO SOME TOWNSHIP PROPERTY THAT MAY VERY WELL BE AVAILABLE FOR BUILDING THAT COMPENSATING CUT.

AND THAT LOOKS PROMISING TO MDOT.

SO CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME PERMITTING ISSUES THERE.

BUT MDOT'S WHOLE APPROACH TO THIS IS IF THEY CAN IMPROVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF THE

[02:55:02]

THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND ONE LAST QUESTION REGARDING THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN MAP, [INAUDIBLE] CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE CAN EXPECT THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING EVERY 10 YEARS, IT SEEMS THAT EVERY YEAR IS HIGHER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO RE ESTIMATE HOW OFTEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE A 100 YEAR FLOOD HERE IN MERIDIAN? WELL, THE WAY THAT 100 YEAR FLOOD WORKS, IT'S A IT'S CALLED A 100 YEAR REOCCURRING FLOOD.

IT DOESN'T OCCUR.

ONCE EVERY 100 YEARS, IT COULD HAPPEN FIVE TIMES IN ONE YEAR, IT'S ONE PERCENT OF.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT IS ACCUMULATED ONE PERCENT OF THE TIME OVER A PERIOD OF 100 YEARS, SO YOU COULD HAVE, IN THEORY, 500 YEAR STORMS IN ONE SUMMER.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF THE STORM VOLUMES OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, CERTAINLY. AND YOU CAN ATTRIBUTE THAT TO GLOBAL WARMING AND A VARIETY OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, NATURAL PHENOMENA THAT'S HAPPENED.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT TWO INCH STORMS MAKE UP 96 PERCENT OF ALL THE STORMS IN INGHAM COUNTY. IT'S A TWO INCH RAIN.

IF YOU RAISE THE GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS ROAD AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS AND YOU WILL AVOID ALMOST ALL OF THOSE NINETY SIX PERCENT STORM EVENTS.

THERE IS AN INDICATION WHERE YOU MIGHT WIND UP GETTING FOUR INCHES IN FIVE OR SIX HOURS.

WE'VE SEEN THAT AT LEAST TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR.

DELHI TOWNSHIP SEEMS TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, GET HAMMERED BY FOUR INCHES OF RAIN AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM. YOU GET THE IMPACT THAT.

WE WOULD WITH THE MITIGATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO HERE, WE ARE GOING TO REDUCE THE RECURRENCE OF FLOODING, THE SMALL AMOUNT OF FLOODING THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE STORM. WHEN THE RIVER OVERFLOWS AND ACTUALLY DUMPS WATER BACK UP INTO THE DRAINS, ALL BETS ARE OFF. I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND CERTAINLY IF YOU COULD RAISE GRAND RIVER UPWARD, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTINUED TRAFFIC FOR FIRE, AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ALL THE REST OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY NECESSITIES.

BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO AVOID THE REOCCURRENCE OF A 100 YEAR STORM.

AND YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE CLOSER TO 60, 50 YEAR STORMS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS.

THE WAY THAT IS, THE WAY THE TRENDS ARE MOVING RIGHT NOW.

I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL. IT IS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF I COULD ADD TREASURER DESCHAINE, IN OUR WORK GROUP MEETINGS, WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN DISCUSSION AMONG THE AGENCIES ABOUT STARTING A SCOPING PROCESS WHEREBY WE NEED TO GET OUT AND HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, KNOCK ON ALL THE DOORS, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE OPTIONS AND DISCUSS WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALONG THE CORRIDOR THAT COULD BE AFFECTED, AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT'LL BE A HUGE PROCESS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ANOTHER REASON FOR STARTING THE URGENCY, FOR STARTING BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH PLANNING INVOLVED, BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME DISRUPTION, JUST LIKE AT JOLLY AND OKEMOS ROAD WHEN THAT INTERSECTION WAS RAISED, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES HAS BEEN A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.

BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH BUSINESSES AND EASEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ACQUIRED.

AND THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED IN A PROCESS LIKE THIS.

IT'S BEYOND JUST ALAN AND THE OTHER ENGINEERS WORK ON THE DESIGN PLANS AND THE SIZE OF THE PIPE AND THE ELEVATIONS.

THERE'S THE PUBLIC AND OUTREACH AND THE BUSINESS.

AND SO STARTING EARLY GIVES US THE TIME TO BRING EVERYBODY AND GET THEIR INPUT, BRING THEM IN AND GET THEIR INPUT, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED, THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE WOULD BE OUR THE GOAL HERE.

SO ANOTHER REASON FOR STARTING EARLY AND WE'VE CERTAINLY A DEPUTY TOWNSHIP AREAS HAS BEEN

[03:00:05]

CLERK DREYFUS? YOU JUST CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE MITIGATION THAT WOULD OCCUR AGAIN IN THE ON THE TIP BEHIND THE SOUTH OF THE FIRE STATION.

WHAT WOULD IT DO? WOULD IT DAMAGE OR DESTROY MOST OF THE TREES THAT MIGHT BE THERE TO HAVE YOUR WATER FLOW IN THAT AREA? I KNOW IT'S ALREADY WETLANDS TO SOME EXTENT.

YEAH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NORTH OF GRAND RIVER? YES. YEAH, THAT THE MALL, OF COURSE, IS ALMOST 100 PERCENT IMPERVIOUS AND THAT DUMPS THROUGH THAT WETLAND.

THERE IS THE OKEMOS, I BELIEVE, IS CALLED THE OKEMOS DRAIN THAT RUNS THROUGH THERE, THAT ALSO RUNS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THERE ARE PARTS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE IN 19, 1975, WE HAD A 40 YEAR STORM AND 40 YEAR FLOOD.

AND THAT ONE OF THE INTERSECTIONS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WAS NINE FEET DEEP.

SO THAT CAN TELL YOU WHAT A HUNDRED YEAR STORM WOULD LOOK LIKE.

I'LL GIVE YOU SOME SENSE OF IT ANYWAY.

AND THAT COMES FROM ALL OF THOSE BUILDINGS TO THE EAST OF MARSH ROAD.

ALL OF THEIR PARKING LOTS COME THROUGH THE SAME OKEMOS DRAIN AND THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS PART OF THE WATER THAT DUMPS INTO THE OKEMOS DRAIN, WHICH ALL OF THIS WATER FROM THAT INTERSECTION RIGHT NOW GOES TO THE NORTH AND DUMP INTO THE OKEMOS DRAIN.

IF WE CAN DIVERT SOME OF THAT THROUGH THE HIGHWAY DRAIN, IT WOULD IT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT, BUT CERTAINLY NOT TAKE IT AWAY.

THOSE TREES BACK THERE ARE USED TO FLOOD.

THE AND THEIR THEY REALLY THEY CAN HANDLE IT QUITE WELL, THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST 40 OR 50 YEARS HAS BEEN A LOT OF FLOODS ON OKEMOS ROAD.

AND IT'S ALL DUE TO THE INCREASE IMPERVIOUSNESS THAT'S TAKEN PLACE AND THE FACT THAT WE WEREN'T VERY SMART WHEN WE BUILT SOME OF THESE SUBDIVISIONS, WE BUILT THEM RIGHT IN THE LOW SPOTS. IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

SO. DOES THAT HELP? YEP. ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR ISSUES THEY WANT TO RAISE? WELL, DERREK AND PAT I THINK THERE'S A BIG, BIG PROJECT LOOMING HERE.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET EVERYTHING THROUGH [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, I JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, SEND APPRECIATION TO THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THEIR TEAM.

YOU KNOW, THIS ORIGINAL PROJECT WAS JUST GOING TO BE A RESURFACING ALONG GRAND RIVER.

AND WE BROUGHT SOME OF THESE FLOODING CONCERNS TO THEM IN KIND OF THEY WERE ABLE TO PUMP THE BRAKES A LITTLE BIT, FIND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, RESOLVE SOME OF THESE LONGER TERM ISSUES.

SO I JUST AGAIN, LOT OF TIMES YOU HEAR MDOT'S NOT RESPONSIVE TO THESE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.

AND THIS IS A ONE EIGHTY ON THAT.

THEY WERE VERY RESPONSIVE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THEM BEING A STRONG [INAUDIBLE].

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION? NO JUST THAT WE'RE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD AS FAST AS WE CAN SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED, BUT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, IS READY TO DO ITS WORK WITH THE SURFACE INTO THE ROAD. WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE THE DRAIN WORK DONE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE SHOULD DO IT BEFORE THEY RESURFACE AND REBUILD THE ROADS.

IT'S NOT GERMANE, BUT IT'S INTERESTING, I HAD A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE THAT I WORKED WITH WHO OWNED THE HOUSE IN OTTAWA HILLS, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOU REFERENCED NORTH OF GRAND RIVER. HE WAS AT A NORTH SIDE BACK AT 75, AND I HELPED HIM WITH THE CLEANUP.

THE WATER WENT HALFWAY UP HIS FIRST FLOOR.

SO IT WAS A MESS.

IT WAS A MESS. AND THAT WAS ONLY A 40 YEAR STORM.

YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT 100 YEAR STORM WILL DO.

YEAH. OK, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL HAVE THIS ON FOR ACTION NEXT TIME.

OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] FOR COMING OUT TO YOU.

AND MR. [INAUDIBLE], GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DEREK AND STAFF. OK, WE NOW COME TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SECOND ROUND.

MR. GEBES? FIRST, WE STILL HAVE THE TELEPHONE NUMBER DIALED IN BY ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

[03:05:08]

AND WE CAN, OF COURSE.

PROMOTE OR ENABLE ANYONE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA TO SPEAK.

WE ALREADY HAVE ONE PERSON WHO'S RAISED THEIR HAND.

LEWIS FAMILY CAN GO AHEAD.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS THE RECORD.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN, ROBYN LEWIS, TWO TWO NINE FIVE [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, EAST LANSING.

JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT FOR MY APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT.

REPRESENT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO THE COUNTY BOARD.

I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH OF YOU AND WORKING FOR THE CITIZENS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

MY LONGSTANDING EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE OF MY FAMILY AND NUMEROUS FRIENDS GIVE ME INSIGHT. BUT THEY NEED A RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO WORK OR FUN, SCHOOL, DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, ET CETERA.

AGAIN, I WILL BRING THE VAST KNOWLEDGE AND MY DESIRE TO SERVE THAT I HAVE OBTAINED OVER THE YEARS TO THIS APPOINTMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PEOPLE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? AND I AM SEEING NO OTHER RAISED HANDS AT THIS TIME, SIR.

OK, IF THAT'S THE SITUATION WE'LL MOVE ON TO OTHER MATTERS THAT I HAVE A COUPLE OF THEM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ASKING ALL OF YOU FOR OTHER MATTERS.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

WE USUALLY DO THAT AT AROUND OR SHOULD IN DECEMBER OR AROUND DECEMBER AND LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR, MR. WALSH AND I COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF POSSIBILITIES.

ONE IS ACTUALLY NOVEMBER TWENTY THIRD.

THAT'S THE MONDAY OF THANKSGIVING WEEK, AND THE OTHER ONE IS DECEMBER 15TH.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE MEETING ON THE FIRST AND THE 8TH OF DECEMBER BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE MAJOR HOLIDAY THERE.

SO I WOULD ASK FOR GENERAL INPUT BEFORE WE DECIDE WE DON'T NECESSARILY TAKE A VOTE OR ANYTHING. WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD INPUT AND I CAN CALL FOR THE MEETING AND THOSE TWO DATES. LOOKING FOR INPUT, WHETHER NOVEMBER TWENTY THIRD OR DECEMBER 15 WORKS BETTER.

I HAVE ASKED MS. JACKSON, SHE CAN MAKE THE ONE THE 15TH.

I ASKED MS. GUTHRIE AND SHE PREFERS NOVEMBER 23RD.

SO AT THIS POINT I'VE GOT ONE EACH WAY.

MR. OPSOMMER THEN MR. DESCHAINE. I'M GOOD WITH EITHER.

PERHAPS BETTER WITH NOVEMBER, JUST SO WE CAN ALSO GET THE MANAGER REVIEW MOVING AS WELL, PERHAPS.

GOOD IDEA.

MR. DESCHAINE? I KIND OF LIKE THE DECEMBER DATE.

BECAUSE WE'RE IN SUCH A FLUID ENVIRONMENT, GETTING CLOSER TO TWENTY TWENTY ONE MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER TO [INAUDIBLE] TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

EITHER DAY WORKS FOR ME AS WELL.

MY INITIAL PREFERENCES FOR THE DECEMBER DAY.

SO NOW I GOT TWO AND TWO.

ALRIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S THE [INAUDIBLE] QUESTION FIRST, ARE BOTH OF THOSE DATES GOOD FOR YOU? BECAUSE IF THEY'RE TOTALLY OUT, I NEED TO KNOW THAT.

I THINK I THINK MY SCREEN [INAUDIBLE] NOT SURE WHY IT CHOSE TO DO THAT NOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, BUT I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY OR HEAR ANYBODY.

MS. WISINSKI, YOU'RE BACK, CAN YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I JUST SAY BOTH DATES WORK FOR ME.

SO NO HELP TO YOU. SORRY.

HOW ABOUT MS. SUNDLAND? I THINK I PREFER THE 23RD.

OK. ALL RIGHT, I WILL PROBABLY END UP CALLING FOR THE 23RD [INAUDIBLE] IT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY MUCH EVENLY DIVIDED AND I HAD TO BREAK THE TIE.

SO FOR NOW, [INAUDIBLE] THE 23RD.

I KNOW MR. DREYFUS IS [INAUDIBLE] HE DOESN'T REALLY CARE WHICH WAY WE GO.

OK. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS WE HAD SOME INTERESTING NEWS, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] ORGANIZATION RATES SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COMMUNITIES AND OTHER THINGS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN RATING OUR SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN NOW FOR AT LEAST GOSH GOING BACK TO WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD [INAUDIBLE].

AND ONCE AGAIN, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS HOME TO SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. THEY RATED OKEMOS NUMBER FOUR IN THE STATE.

EAST LANSING NUMBER TWENTY ONE AND HASLETT NUMBER THIRTY ONE, AND THAT'S OUT OF 575 DISTRICTS. SO THAT TELLS YOU THE KIND OF QUALITY THAT WE HAVE HERE.

[LAUGHTER] WHY ARE YOU CHUCKLING? COULD I NOT BE HEARD?

[03:10:02]

OK. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? COMMENTS? TREASURER DESCHAINE? ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] SEEING OUR GREAT DEDICATED STAFF EVERY DAY I'M DOING IT, [INAUDIBLE] BUT WE ALSO GET TO SEE OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE HELPING OUT.

THE LUNCH YESTERDAY. AND I CAME ACROSS [INAUDIBLE] I BELIEVE [INAUDIBLE] THEY WERE INSTALLING A [INAUDIBLE] RECENTLY PASSED THE AWAY [INAUDIBLE].

WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I COULD SHARE JUST A COUPLE PICTURES FROM [INAUDIBLE] YESTERDAY.

MORE [INAUDIBLE] ARE THERE.

SO THERE WE GO.

SO THAT THEY'RE THERE FOR THEM.

I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE FOUR WOMEN ARE.

THEY WERE UP THERE IN THIRTY FIVE DEGREE WEATHER, FREAKY WEATHER PLANTING MUMS AND [INAUDIBLE].

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS ALL THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP.

[INAUDIBLE] AROUND TOWNSHIP HALL.

AND SO THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING GREAT WORK AGAIN AND HERE JUST TO A PLAQUE FOR HELEN TANNER, OF COURSE, THE LATE WIFE OF HOWARD TANNER.

[INAUDIBLE]WILL BE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FOR INTRODUCING THE SALMON TO THE GREAT LAKES. [INAUDIBLE] HAS RECOGNIZED ITS EFFORTS THERE.

SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE.

TANNER HAS GIVEN SUBSTANTIAL SUMS TO BOTH THE GARDEN CLUB AND OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE TOWNSHIP VERY GENEROUSLY AND IN HONOR AND IN MEMORY OF HIS DEAR WIFE AND IT'S TRULY APPRECIATED, INCLUDING PAYING FOR WHAT YOU SAW THERE IN TERMS OF THE PLAQUE, A BURIAL PLACE THERE. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE NEED A MUCH MOTION TO ADJOURN.

NOBODY WANTS TO ADJOURN.

[LAUGHER] MOVED BY OPSOMMER, SECOND BY WISINSKI.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

PUT YOUR HAND UP. YEAH, OK.

[INAUDIBLE] GOOD. WE'RE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.