Nov 05, 2020 Township Board

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]

[00:03:22]

THANK YOU. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO START OUT TODAY WITH A PRESENTATION FROM OUR

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

I'M REALLY EXCITED AND ANXIOUS TO HEAR IT.

WHO'S GOING TO LEAD THAT DISCUSSION OR THAT PRESENTATION, MR. HARVEY? HI, THANKS FOR INVITING US, CARVING SOME TIME OUT ON YOUR AGENDA.

I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THAT WE HAD A TREE PLANTING INITIATIVE EARLIER LAST MONTH WHICH INVOLVED QUITE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE THE BACKGROUND ON THAT WHICH STARTED RIGHT HERE AMONGST YOU.

YOU ARE REALLY THE VISIONARIES FOR WHAT STARTED AS A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. AND IF IT'S OK TO JUST SHARE MY SCREEN, I WILL I'LL JUST SHOW A FEW SLIDES AND THEN INVITE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO CHIME IN, BECAUSE SEVERAL OF YOU WERE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THAT EFFORT THE DAY OF AND AND ALSO LEADING UP TO IT.

THIS IS HOT OFF THE PRESS.

SOME OF IT IS SOME OF THESE SLIDES ARE IN YOUR PACKET.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO FAR INTO IT, BUT.

THE CONCEPT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, MANY OF YOU KNOW, IS A WAY TO CONTROL STORMWATER, IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND IT'S GAINING MORE AND MORE

[00:05:02]

THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO OUR COMMUNITY AS PART OF OUR OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION OR PARKS, URBAN FORESTRY, CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT. TREES ARE REALLY MORE OF A VISIBLE FORM OF THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PART OF THE VISION WAS NOT JUST TO DEMONSTRATE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND TREE PLANTING REALLY SEEMED LIKE THE WAY TO DO THAT.

WE STARTED THE INITIATIVE ONCE WE HEARD ABOUT YOUR SUPPORT FOR A GRANT FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS ENTRUSTED WITH COMING UP WITH A PLAN AND WE PUT TOGETHER A TREE TEAM, IF YOU WILL, WHICH INVOLVED EXPERTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

WE LOOK TO EXPERTS LIKE IRENE CAHILL, WHO IS THE URBAN FORESTER IN LANSING, WHO ENDED UP JOINING US ON THAT DAY TO GIVE US SOME ADVICE WITH PLANTING AS WELL AS PLACEMENT OF THE TREES. WE HAD OTHER WE PULLED OTHER EXPERTS TO FROM AROUND THE REGION TO JUST GIVE US SOME ADVICE. WE ALSO INVOLVED THE GREEN TEAM AS EARLY AS LAST WINTER IN DISTRIBUTING TREES AND STARTING THE EDUCATION EFFORT AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

THIS IS ELAINE WHO WAS THERE DURING THE TREE PLANTING DAY ON OCTOBER 3RD.

SHE HAD ALSO BEEN IN A SIMILAR BOTH IN THE SAME PARKING LOT THE WEEK BEFORE, DISTRIBUTING SNACKS AT THE RECYCLING EVENT.

OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR GREEN TEAM INCLUDED ELLEN D., WHO STAFFED THE WINTER MARKET AT THE MALL GIVING OUT INFORMATION ABOUT NOT JUST RECYCLING, BUT THE TREE INITIATIVE.

THIS SUMMER, WE WERE ABLE TO, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INGHAM CONSERVATION DISTRICT, GIVE OUT FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY TREES, SOME OF YOU HELP STAFF THAT TABLE.

ABBY WAS THERE, ABBY TITHOF WAS THERE ON OCTOBER 3RD AND GAVE AWAY SEVERAL DOZEN TREES AND THEN MEMBERS OF OUR GREEN TEAM AS WELL.

MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF INCLUDED OUR UTILITY WORK, SOME OF OUR UTILITY WORKERS, BEN MCCAN, JAMES ARNETTE, DERRICK ROBBS, ROBERT STACEY, DAN P., MIKE LOVE, LARRY BOB, JOSH CANNON, DON C., DAN [INAUDIBLE], TOM BAKER.

THEY HELPED WITH UNLOADING THE TREES THE DAY BEFORE AND ARE CONTINUING TO HELP BY WATERING THE TREES.

WE ALSO HAD HELP FROM THE STAFF AT OKEMOS SCHOOL AND THESE ARE A COUPLE OF THE FOLKS ON MAINTENANCE STAFF AT CHIPPEWA.

HERE'S THE PRINCIPAL OF CHIPPEWA.

HERE'S ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR STAFF, EMMA CAMPBELL, WHO WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DAY OF BUT ALSO WITH HER EXPERTISE.

SHE BROUGHT HER MICHIGAN CONSERVATION CORPS TOOLS ALONG AND THAT WAS SUPER HELPFUL.

HERE'S EMMA STANDING WITH IRENE AND MICHELLE B.

. MICHELLE B. WITH CONSERVATION DISTRICT WAS A KEY RIGHT HAND WOMAN FOR THIS PROJECT.

SHE DONATED TREES FROM HER TREE SALE IN THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL AND ENABLED US TO GIVE AWAY FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY TREES TO RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND THROUGH THEM THE TABLE AT THE FARMERS MARKET.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE STURDY VOLUNTEERS THAT SHOWED UP.

WE ALSO HAD BUSINESSES SUCH AS HAMMOND FARMS THAT CONTRIBUTED MULCH FOR THE TREES, AND ONE OF THE UNSUNG HEROES WAS BRIAN V., WHO HELPED WITH THE DIGGING OF 40 HOLES WITH THIS SERIOUS LOOKING THREE FOOT AUGER.

AND JUST SAVED US PROBABLY ABOUT 40 VOLUNTEERS WORTH OF, MAYBE 80 HOURS OF DIGGING.

THIS IS BILL MCCONNELL WHO WAS ON OUR TEAM HAULING TOOLS AROUND.

I DON'T KNOW IF MICHELLE IS HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I'M SHARING MY SCREEN.

[00:10:04]

BUT THE INGHAM CONSERVATION DISTRICT, I HOPE SHE'LL BE A PARTNER THIS YEAR AS WE CONTINUE THE PROJECT. THESE ARE WHERE SOME OF THE TREES WERE PLANTED AT CHIPPEWA, AND MICHELLE HELPED WITH NOT JUST LOCATING WHERE THE TREES MIGHT GO, BUT IDENTIFYING A GOOD SOURCE OF STURDY NATIVE MICHIGAN TREES.

OUR NEXT STEPS, WE HOPE TO DO MINI GRANTS TO HASLETT AND OKEMOS SCHOOLS IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE, WE'RE ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT OF OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.

SOME OF YOU ARE HELPING WITH THAT AND WE'RE HOPING EVENTUALLY TO MAYBE BE DESIGNATED AS A TREE COMMUNITY.

SO SOME OF OUR TREE TEAM, ROSE F., JIM [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHERS ARE HELPING WITH THAT.

WE'RE IMAGINING MINI GRANTS, IT COULD BE FAIRLY FLEXIBLE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TREE PLANTING.

IT COULD BE OTHER FORMS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE GREEN ROOFS, PLANTER BOXES, RAIN GARDENS, BIO SWALES, TRENCHES, PONDS.

WE WANT TO INVOLVE STUDENTS AND WE WANT TO GIVE THEM SOME FREE REIN FOR DECIDING WHAT IS MOST APPROPRIATE. POROUS PAVEMENT IS ANOTHER ONE THAT ANOTHER POPULAR FORM OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

RAINWATER HARVESTING, ETC.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM OR VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD OR TWO? DERRICK WAS THERE THAT DAY AND I DISCOVERED THAT HE WAS AN URBAN FORESTER AND A PARKS PERSON IN A PREVIOUS LIFETIME AND WAS REALLY HELPFUL CARTING AROUND DIRT AND TREES, AND OF COURSE, TREASURER DESCHAINE WAS IT WAS HELPFUL IN DESIGNING THE PROJECT AS WELL AS HELPING ON THE DAY OF THE BIG PLANTING.

BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THAT ACTIVITY, WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND SAY ANYTHING HERE? MR. DESCHAINE, YES? THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. IT REALLY WAS NOT JUST A GOOD EVENT, BUT A GREAT EVENT.

AND IT WAS VERY MUCH A COOPERATIVE EFFORT.

WE HAD GREAT STAFF INVOLVEMENT.

THANKS LEROY AND DERRICK [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS CREW.

OKEMOS SCHOOLS GOT INVOLVED.

WE HAD OVER 50 VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES, LOTS OF YOUNGER VOLUNTEERS. I KNOW TRUSTEE WISINSKI HAD BOTH OF HER TEENAGERS OUT THERE AND HAS BEEN HELPING OUT ALL DAY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AS LEROY MENTIONED, MICHELLE AT THE ENGLAND [INAUDIBLE] DISTRICT WAS REALLY AWESOME.

THEY HAVE GREAT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

JIM [INAUDIBLE] IS A RETIRED MSU FORESTRY PROFESSOR AND HE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF HELP IN PICKING OUT THE VARIETIES, MAKING SURE WE WERE PUTTING THEM IN THE RIGHT PLACES, IN THE RIGHT TREES.

AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AS WELL.

IT WAS REALLY AN AWESOME EVENT.

WHAT I THINK IS MOST REMARKABLE ABOUT IT IS THAT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, IT WAS A WAY TO PHYSICALLY GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING AT THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC.

EVERYONE HAD A MASK ON. WE WERE OUT THERE AND WE WERE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT A GLOBAL PROBLEM THAT'S HARD TO GET YOUR HANDS AROUND, BUT YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS AROUND THOSE TREES AND GRAB THEM AND HAUL THEM INTO THESE LARGE HOLES THAT WERE DUG FOR US AND AND FEED THEM WITH FERTILIZER AND WATER THEM.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AMAZING CHIPPEWA GROUNDS FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS BECAUSE OF THIS DAY. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN EXPAND IT NEXT YEAR AND DO A SIMILAR PROJECT UP IN HASLET.

LEROY PROVIDED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT.

I WANT TO THANK HIM SPECIFICALLY FOR REALLY BRINGING TOGETHER LOTS OF DISPARATE GROUPS AND MAKING IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, LEROY.

THANK YOU, TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU, LEROY.

ANYONE ELSE? I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I WORRY ABOUT WITH TREE PLANTING PROJECTS IS THAT THEY GET PLANTED AND THEN PEOPLE KIND OF FORGET ABOUT IT.

ALL THOSE TREES ARE BEHIND MY HOUSE AT CHIPO, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND I SEE THE TOWNSHIP PEOPLE OUT THERE PUTTING REFILLING THE WATER BANKS, MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

I KNOW THE TREES ARE GOING TO MAKE IT.

REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SURE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES TREE HUGGERS LOOKED AT AS A NEGATIVE.

I THINK IN MERIDIAN WE LOOK AT TREE HUGGERS AS A POSITIVE AND APPRECIATE THIS EFFORT.

[INAUDIBLE] HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THIS IS ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS, AND I'M WONDERING IF MR. GEBES KNOWS IF THERE'S ANYBODY WATCHING THE MEETING OR ONLINE WANTING TO TALK.

[00:15:04]

OTHERWISE, IF YOU'RE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, YOU CAN STILL USE THE RAISE AND FEATURE AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD DIRECTLY THROUGH THE ZOOM INTERFACE.

AND WE'LL PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND.

FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO AND OR RAISE HANDS.

IF THE SUPERVISOR WANTS TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WILL WORK.

BUT I'M NOT SEEING OR HEARING ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.

IF ANYBODY DOES DECIDE TO CALL IT OR TO RAISE THEIR HAND, YOU WILL GET THREE MINUTES.

WE PREFER IT IF YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, NOT ANY INDIVIDUALS, AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE THAT ARE ON OUR AGENDA, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN GO TO OTHER MATTERS IF YOU NEED TO.

MR. GEBES.

WE HAVE NO CALLS AT THIS TIME, SIR.

THE MEETING IS YOURS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW GO ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGERS REPORT.

[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]

GOOD EVENING BOARD. JUST A FEW THINGS TO GO OVER THIS EVENING.

FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT TREE PROJECT. THAT'S GREAT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

EVERYONE, PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ON THE SCREEN WAS INVOLVED WITH HELPING WITH THE ABSENTEE BALLOT DELIVERY THE OTHER NIGHT.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR HELP [INAUDIBLE].

I SENT YOU TODAY A PICTURE OF WHAT [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOPEFULLY Y'ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THAT.

THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO GO OUT THE OLD VALUE TIRE ON [INAUDIBLE] AND SET UP A SIGN, A BANNER SIGN OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT SIGN YET.

REMINDER, THE GOAL SETTING IS ON NOVEMBER 23.

MONDAY EVENING. AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR PACKETS TO YOU ON NOVEMBER 13TH, 10 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. I WANT TO REPORT THAT THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS OFF TO A FANTASTIC START UNDER [INAUDIBLE] AND HER DEPARTMENT'S LEADERSHIP AND ALSO THE HELP FROM MANY, MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING PUBLIC WORKS.

MIKE ELLIS, WHO'S A MEMBER OF DEREK'S TEAM DOWN THERE, AND [INAUDIBLE] TEAM.

IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL.

BUT WE'RE AT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN ALREADY, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY OUTSTANDING FOR WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST YEAR.

OUR GOAL IS STILL THREE HUNDRED AND WE THINK WE CAN GET THERE WITH [INAUDIBLE] APPROVAL.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT MAGGIE AND MEGAN COLE.

MEGAN AND MAGGIE COLE.

THEY'RE FROM CHELSEA. THEY GO TO MSU AND THEY PLAY FIELD HOCKEY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO POLICE CADETS FOR US. THEY'RE TWINS.

AND CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] HAS URGED US TO TAKE A LOOK AT BOTH OF THEM AND SENDING THEM TO THE ACADEMY. THE SAME WAY WE DID, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. [INAUDIBLE], THAT WE SENT TO THE ACADEMY MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO.

THE BOARD MADE THE DECISION TO DO THAT AND TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO DO THAT.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT DECISION.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FOR MAGGIE AND MEGAN COLE AS WELL.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE TWO OUTSTANDING OFFICERS FOR THIS DEPARTMENT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

THEY WILL GRADUATE IN THE DECEMBER AND START THE ACADEMY RIGHT AWAY.

SO I CONGRATULATE CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] FOR WORKING WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] ON THAT.

PINE VILLAGE IN HASLETT IS ALL SET.

BROWNFIELD'S SIGNED OFF ON AND WERE READY TO GO AND HOPEFULLY WITH THAT STAGGERED INTEREST RATE THAT THE BOARD CAME UP WITH AND WAS MASSAGED A LITTLE BIT BY MR. OPSOMMER, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET THIS PROJECT GOING RIGHT AWAY.

IT BEHOOVES THEM TO GET STARTED.

LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. DIRECTOR CLARK HAS BEEN TALKING WITH THE VILLAGE OF [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT GETTING THE DEMOLITION STARTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WE DON'T WANT ANY DRAGGING OF THE FEET.

WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THAT.

WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

THE WINSLOW TRAILER PARK ON GRAND RIVER ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.

WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE TRAILERS AND CABINS WE'VE HAD. I KNOW IT WAS [INAUDIBLE] GUTHRIE HAD SOME DEALINGS WITH, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU HAD SOME RESIDENTS THERE WHO RAISED CONCERNS DURING THE ELECTION SEASON AND THOSE WERE BROUGHT FORWARD.

WE JUST REACHED A CONSENT JUDGE, CONSENT ORDER AND A JUDGMENT WITH THE OWNERS OF THE PARK TO MAKE CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PRETTY DETAILED TO THE TRAILERS AND CABINS THERE TO BRING THAT UP TO MERIDIAN STANDARDS.

IN A VERY-- AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, IN OCTOBER, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE OUR HUNDRED OR SO VOLUNTEERS.

THAT'S BEEN A TRADITION SINCE I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. STYKA ON THIS BOARD STARTED MANY YEARS AGO.

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN, WE CAN'T DO IT THIS YEAR.

BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IDEAS TO COME UP WITH ABOUT HOW TO STILL DO SOMETHING FOR OUR

[00:20:03]

WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS LATER.

THE LOCAL ROADS, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR LIST TO YOU ON YOUR DECEMBER ONE BOARD MEETING.

YOU'LL HAVE THE LIST FOR 2021.

HVAC SYSTEM IS COMPLETE.

IT WAS ON TIME. IT WAS UNDER BUDGET.

CREDIT, MR. PERRY, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THAT.

AND PLUS EVERYONE WHO HAD TO PUT UP WITH THE DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES THAT WE DID THIS SUMMER. THE SOLAR PROJECT.

THE OTHER THING LED BY MR. PERRY, IT'S FINISHED.

IT'S COMPLETED ON THE SOUTH FIRE STATION.

BUT NOW I'M ALSO IN THE MARKETPLACE.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, THAT WAS COMPLETED SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY THE MARKETPLACE, STOP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE SOLAR THERE.

LADDER TRUCK ORDERED WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK IS WHAT WE HOPE.

AND I WANT TO CLOSE BY THANKING ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ALL TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND THAT VOTED AND GAVE US OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE POLICE, FIRE, LAND PRESERVATION [INAUDIBLE]. IT'S NOT OFTEN IN THESE TYPE OF TOWNS WHERE YOU CAN GET 70 PERCENT VOTER APPROVAL FOR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A MILITARY RENEWAL, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, MR. SUPERVISOR, UNLESS ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MANAGER WALSH? OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT ONE.

YOU RAISED A VERY IMPORTANT THING, AND THAT IS THE THANK YOU TO OUR RESIDENTS, THE MILLAGE FOR THE POLICE AND THE MILLAGE FOR THE FIRE ARE CRITICAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE HAD OUTSTANDING PUBLIC PROTECTION BY OUR AGENCIES AND THIS WILL ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE NEW ROAD WITH REGARD TO LAND PRESERVATION, WITH THE LESSER MILEAGE, BUT STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT WILL HELP KEEP THE LAND THAT WE ALREADY HAVE PUT ASIDE INTO PRESERVATION, INTO GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION.

AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING COMES ALONG.

WE MIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOMETHING.

SO WE WANT TO THANK THE VOTERS FOR ALL OF THAT.

WE NOW COME TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVIST AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS - A. Election Report-Clerk Dreyfus]

THIS REPORT IS FOR THE NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION.

I'LL START WITH A BY PROVIDING A SUMMARY OF ELECTION RESULTS AND VOTER NUMBERS, AND THEN I'LL PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF ELECTION OPERATIONS.

SO TO START WITH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF THIRTY THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG INCREASE.

WE'VE BEEN-- WE'VE WAVERED THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS GOING UP.

JUST WHEN WE LAST REALLY LOOKED, WE WERE CLOSER TO THIRTY ONE THOUSAND.

SO WE'VE GOT AN INCREASE OF WELL OVER TWO THOUSAND VOTERS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

SO THIRTY THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY REGISTERED VOTERS.

WE HAD EIGHTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED PEOPLE VOTE AV ABSENTEE VOTER BALLOTS.

AND WE HAD SEVEN THOUSAND AND ELEVEN PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THE POLLS FOR A TOTAL OF TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND ELEVEN PEOPLE AT THE POLLS FOR A VOTER TURNOUT OF SEVENTY SIX PERCENT, A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.

THAT'S PARTIALLY DUE TO THOSE EXTRA TWO THOUSAND VOTERS IN THE NUMBERS, BECAUSE IF THOSE WEREN'T THERE, THAT NUMBER WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT HIGHER.

SO THAT NUMBER WAS SURPRISINGLY LESS THAN WHAT I THOUGHT FOR SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MINIMAL OF AN 80 PERCENT TURNOUT.

SO VOTER TURNOUT WAS SEVENTY SIX PERCENT.

BY A PERCENTAGE, SEVENTY THREE PERCENT OF THE VOTES WAS CAST AV AND TWENTY SEVEN PERCENT OF THE VOTERS WERE VOTING IN PERSON AT THE POLLS.

THERE WAS A TOTAL OF TWENTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE AV BALLOTS ISSUED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED BALLOTS WERE RETURNED FOR A NINETY TWO POINT THREE PERCENT AV RETURN RATE, WHICH IS STATISTICALLY ABOUT THE SAME AS WHAT WE'VE HAD THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAD MUCH SMALLER NUMBERS OF AV BALLOTS SENT OUT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE ALWAYS HAD TYPICALLY AROUND A NINETY TWO PERCENT, NINETY THREE PERCENT RETURN RATE. AND STATISTICALLY IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THAT NUMBER HELD UP THE SAME, EVEN WITH THIS PARTICULAR ELECTION IN PLACE.

SO THAT'S THE OVERVIEW OF THE ELECTION.

NOW WE'LL GET INTO SOME OF THE [INAUDIBLE] A VERY BRIEF SPECIFICS.

I ASKED-- WE'VE BEEN, OF COURSE, BEEN VERY BUSY.

I'LL COME TO THAT IN A MOMENT.

TODAY WAS THE DAY THAT YESTERDAY, AFTER SUCH LONG HOURS, WE ONLY WORKED PARTIAL DAY YESTERDAY.

I HAD MY DEPUTY CLERK PREPARE FOR THE ELECTION RESULTS TODAY.

WE WERE DEALING WITH ISSUES FROM THE BOARD OF CANVASSERS AND MY DEPUTY CLERK PROVIDED THE RESULTS. SHE UNFORTUNATELY LEFT OFF A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE REPUBLICAN RESULTS WERE NOT PRESENT FOR A COUPLE OF RACES.

I WILL PRESENT THAT IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AND CERTAINLY CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE BOARD PACKET FOR THE NEXT ONE AS WELL.

SO WE ARE MISSING-- I HAVE THE THE COUNTY RESULTS.

WE DON'T HAVE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESULTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL VOTES AND HOW THAT WAS SPLIT

[00:25:01]

JOHN JAMES, THE REPUBLICAN, RECEIVED SEVEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINE VOTES.

REPRESENTATIVE FOR CONGRESS 8TH DISTRICT ELISSA SLOTKIN, THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWO VOTES.

AND PAUL YOUNG, THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, RECEIVED SEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN VOTES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, SIXTY NINETH DISTRICT JULIE BRIXIE, THE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT, RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY NINE VOTES.

GRACE NORRIS, THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, RECEIVED SEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX VOTES.

FOR THE COUNTY, THIS IS-- WE DID NOT GET THE REPORT THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER, DID NOT INCLUDE THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS.

I JUST HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES, ALL WHO WON OFFICE, ALL THE INCUMBENTS WON OFFICE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. SO CARROL SEAMAN, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, RECEIVED SIXTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN VOTES.

[INAUDIBLE] WRIGGLESWORTH, SHERIFF DEMOCRAT, RECEIVED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE VOTES.

[INAUDIBLE] DEMOCRAT RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND ONE VOTES.

TREASURER ERIC [INAUDIBLE], DEMOCRAT RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE VOTES. REGISTER OF DEEDS DEREK QUINEY RECEIVED SIXTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE VOTES, DEMOCRAT.

TRAIN COMMISSIONER PATRICK LINDEMANN, DEMOCRAT, RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND AND THREE VOTES.

IN THE 11TH COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT, EMILY STIVERS, THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT, RECEIVED SIX THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR VOTES.

AND IN THE 12TH COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT, [INAUDIBLE] DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT RECEIVED SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO VOTES.

FOR THE TOWNSHIP. ALL TOWNSHIP POSITIONS RAN UNOPPOSED.

THERE WERE ONLY DEMOCRATS ON THE BALLOT AND THE NUMBERS ARE FOR SUPERVISOR RON STYKA RECEIVED NINETEEN THOUSAND FORTY ONE VOTES.

TOWNSHIP CLERK DEB GUTHRIE RECEIVED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX.

TOWNSHIP TREASURER PHIL DESCHAINE RECEIVED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE . TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.

PATRICIA JACKSON RECEIVED SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY SEVEN.

DAN OPSOMMER SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FOUR SEVENTY NINE.

KATHY SUNDLAND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX.

COURTNEY WISINSKI SEVENTEEN THOUSAND THREE TWENTY THREE.

PARKS COMMISSIONERS MARY [INAUDIBLE] FARRIS RECEIVED SIXTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY ONE. AMANDA LICK SIXTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED.

MICHAEL MCDONALD SIXTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX.

MARK STEPHENS SIXTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX.

AMI VAN ANTWERP SIXTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND ONE.

FOR PROPOSALS.

THE PROPOSALS--.

ALSO, WERE NOT BROKEN DOWN THE STATEWIDE ONES AND THE COUNTY WAS NOT BROKEN DOWN, SO I ONLY HAVE THE AGGREGATE NUMBERS OF WHICH THEY PASSED, OF COURSE, ONE, TWO AND THREE ALL PASSED.

FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF THE LOCAL MERIDIAN, MERIDIAN EMS MILLAGE, NINETEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY YES.

FOUR THOUSAND AND FOURTEEN NO.

SO IT PASSED BY A LARGE, VERY LARGE MARGIN.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LAND PRESERVATION.

SEVENTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY YES.

FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR NO.

IT PASSED. AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE.

SIXTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT YES.

SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO NO.

SO THAT IS THE NUMBERS FOR THE ELECTION RESULTS.

LET'S TALK GLOBALLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED FOR THE ELECTION.

WE HAD, OF COURSE, THE POLLS ARE OPEN AT SEVEN, CLOSED AT EIGHT.

WE HAD AN AB COUNTING BOARD THAT WAS NOT NO LONGER TAKING PLACE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

IT WAS MOVED TO THE INGHAM COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

LET'S START WITH THE ABSENTEE VOTING.

THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE ALL ACCUMULATED AND RECONCILED THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND.

AND WHEN WE STOPPED ACCEPTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS BY STATE LAW AT 4:00 P.M., WE BEGAN RECONCILING ALL 19 PRECINCTS.

WE HAD THE COUNTY THERE AND WE COUNTED TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY AND OUR TOWNSHIP STAFF SO THAT WE HAD AN ACCURATE COUNT.

WE THEN PACKAGED UP ALL OF THE BALLOTS WE USED.

WE HAD STEPHEN GEBES AND DERRICK BOTH SERVING AS A D AND AN R, AND THEY CERTIFIED THE PACKING OF THEM INTO A CERTIFIED BALLOT CONTAINERS, AS WELL AS TRANSPORTING THEM TO MASON, OF WHICH I FOLLOWED BEHIND THEM.

AT THE COUNTY, WE UNLOADED THEM AND THEN THE BALLOTS WERE PROCESSED STARTING AT 7:00 A.M.

TODAY. THEY USED ABOUT 14 TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES AND THEY USED APPROXIMATELY 40 OTHER ELECTION WORKERS THAT THEY HAD FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

AND THEY USED FOUR LINES, TWO HIGH SPEED TABULATORS AND THEIR PROCESSING CONCLUDED AT

[00:30:01]

WE HAD THE POLLS OPENING AT 7:00.

WE HAD LINES REPORTED AT ALL PRECINCTS PRETTY MUCH FOR MOST OF THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON IN MOST LOCATIONS.

IN SEVERAL OF THE PRECINCTS, IT WAS DUE TO EITHER INSUFFICIENT TABLES OR INSUFFICIENT, PARTIALLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT VOTING AREAS DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS.

AND I HAD TO GO TO SEVERAL PLACES AND TRY TO RECONFIGURE THE ROOM, AND WE HAD TO MAKE IT AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY AT THE HASLET HIGH SCHOOL WITH TWO PRECINCTS THAT WERE CO-LOCATED THERE, PRECINCTS THREE AND SIX WERE TOGETHER THERE.

AND THAT WAS A TIGHT ROOM BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY SMALL ROOM.

SO I WENT THERE AND WE DID RECONFIGURE IT AND MADE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, BUT ADDED A NUMBER OF VOTING STATIONS AND THE LINES WENT DOWN FAIRLY SUBSTANTIALLY.

THE LINES ALSO WERE DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS A LONGER BALLOT WITH A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS.

AND VOTERS TAKE LONGER TO REVIEW BALLOTS THAT HAVE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS, ESPECIALLY TAX PROPOSALS ON THEM.

SO WE HAD MORE PEOPLE STAYING LONGER AT THE VOTING AREAS.

WE ALSO HAD AGAIN WITH SPATIAL ISSUES.

WE ALSO HAD COVID SPATIAL ISSUES WITH THE SIX FOOT THAT CREATED MUCH LONGER LINES, JUST LITERALLY JUST DUE TO THE PHYSICAL SPACE THAT WE TRIED TO KEEP BETWEEN PEOPLE.

IN SOME CASES, LINES LITERALLY WENT OUT THE BUILDING AND WENT DOWN THE SIDES OF BUILDINGS. SOMETIMES THEY WRAPPED AROUND AND SNAKED AROUND WHEN POSSIBLE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE REALLY MANY ISSUES, MOST OF THE BALLOTS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROVISIONAL BALLOTS. WE HAD VERY FEW ISSUES.

WE HAD NO OPEN CARRY ISSUES.

WE HAD NO THREAT ISSUES.

WE DID HAVE ONE ISSUE WITH THE VAT WITH ONE VOTER THAT HAS EXPERIENCED ISSUES IN THE PAST. SHE WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT THAT.

AND WE DID DISCUSS THAT.

IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE.

SHE HAS CONCERNS WITH THE ACTUAL USE OF THE VAT ITSELF AND WHAT COMPLIMENTED AND PRAISED THE STAFF AT THE POLLING LOCATION FOR TRYING TO WORK WITH HER AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

SHE CAME INTO THE TOWNSHIP AND ALSO TRIED TO HELP US.

SHE'S MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOMEONE ELSE NEEDED TO HER ASSISTANT NEEDED TO HELP HER. AND SO THE ASSISTANT HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE BALLOT TO HELP HER.

AND SHE REALLY EXPECTS TO WANT TO HAVE A BALLOT LIKE ANYONE ELSE THAT NOBODY CAN SEE WITH 100 PERCENT PRIVACY.

SO SHE DID GET A BALLOT AND HER BALLOT, HER VOICE WAS HEARD.

BUT THROUGH THE PROCESS, SHE HAD AN ASSISTANT TO HAVE TO HELP HER AS WELL.

SO THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE AND IT'S BEEN REPORTED AGAIN TO STATE OFFICIALS, THE BUREAU OF ELECTIONS, THE COUNTY AND TO US AS WELL.

AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEFINITELY STILL ATTEMPTED TO BE WORKED ON.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE USE THE VAT AND OTHER AREAS AND HAD NO PROBLEMS REPORTED USING IT. WE HAD TABULATORS DOWN IN ONE LOCATION SPECIFIC.

WE HAD THEM DOWN TEMPORARILY, BUT THEY CAME UP WITH ONE WAS DOWN FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS.

THE MACHINE BASICALLY BIT THE DUST.

IT WAS WE HAD OUR TECHNICAL SERVICE PERSON OUT THERE.

WE CALLED OUR VENDOR, WE CALLED THE COUNTY.

AND ULTIMATELY, LUCKILY, WE HAD A BACKUP MACHINE.

WHEN I ORDERED FROM THE GRANT PROCESS BACK FOUR YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER THOSE QUESTIONS.

I ORDERED TWENTY INSTEAD OF NINETEEN.

WELL, JUST FOR THAT REASON, WE HAD A BACK UP MACHINE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE.

I ALSO ELECTION SOURCE, A VENDOR THAT GOT THE CONTRACT DIDN'T DO US ANY GOOD.

WE CALLED THEM IN THE AFTERNOON, REPORTED THE ISSUE EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON AFTER WE WERE TRYING TO SOLVE IT OURSELVES.

AND I REPORTED IT DIRECTLY TO THE TECH IN GRAND RAPIDS AND THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO PASS IT TO OUR INGHAM COUNTY FIELD TECHNICIAN.

AND WE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM THE WHOLE REST OF THE DAY.

VERY DISAPPOINTING SERVICE WITH ELECTION SOURCE IS SPOTTY.

THEY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH MAINTENANCE PAY FOR VERY DISAPPOINTING.

WE NEVER EVEN HEARD FROM THEM THE REST OF THE DAY.

THEY HAD LITERALLY FIVE AND A HALF HOURS TO GET BACK WITH US AND WE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM. WE DID CONTACT THEM AGAIN TODAY AND ARE TRYING TO BACK UP MACHINE WOUND UP DEVELOPING PROBLEMS AS WELL.

IT STARTED CHEWING UP THE BALLOTS, LITERALLY GRINDING SOME BALLOTS AND CAUSING PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO BALLOTS. LUCKILY, THAT WAS AT THE CONCLUSION OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

SO WE HAVE TWO TABULATORS THAT ARE IN NEED OF FULL REPAIRS RIGHT NOW AT THE END OF THIS ELECTION CYCLE. AS FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY VOTER INTIMIDATION OR HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE VIOLATING THE CAMPAIGN LAWS IN TERMS OF WITHIN ONE HUNDRED FOOT OR THE 20 FOOT.

WE HAD CHALLENGERS AT LOCATIONS.

WE HAD NO OFFICIAL CHALLENGES THAT I'M AWARE OF.

WE HAD MANY OBSERVERS THROUGHOUT THE PRECINCTS.

AND AGAIN, THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK THAT WAS NEGATIVE THAT I'M AWARE OF.

WE DID HAVE A SECRETARY OF STATE PERSON GOING AROUND AND SHE PRESENTED SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

ONE OF THE PRECINCTS DIDN'T HAVE SIGNS RIGHT ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT.

WE HAD SIGNS IN THE-- THROUGH THE WHERE PEOPLE DRIVE INTO THE PARKING LOT.

WE HAD BIG VOTE HERE SIGNS.

BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, ONE OF THE SMALL SIGNS WAS NOT THERE.

SO SHE POINTED OUT SOME THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.

AND THEY GAVE US SOME TIPS ALONG THE WAY.

AND SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE SOMEBODY GO AROUND.

SHE'S GOING AROUND WITH HER DAUGHTER.

SO HER DAUGHTER WAS EXCITED.

[00:35:01]

WILL PROBABLY BE AN ELECTION INSPECTOR, MAYBE EVEN FURTHER IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY A SUMMARY OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.

WE'RE WAITING FOR THE BOARD CANVASSERS TO GET BACK WITH US.

WE HAVE A FEW MINOR ISSUES RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RESOLVE, INCLUDING SOME PEOPLE NOT SIGNING THE TAPES.

WE HAD A PRECINCT LEAVE EARLY WITHOUT GETTING THE AV BALLOTS.

THE ISSUE WITH THE AV BALLOTS COMING TO THE PRECINCT WAS SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC.

I BELIEVE THAT A BIG MISTAKE WAS MADE ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

WE KNEW FOR SURE THAT MERIDIAN WAS GOING TO BE THE ONLY PRECINCT, ACTUALLY THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY BEING COUNTED AS PART OF THE AV COUNTY BOARD.

AND AT THAT POINT, WE SHOULD HAVE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ALL THE AV BALLOTS RIGHT TO THE COUNTY AT 8 PM BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS IN PLACE.

THEY COULD PROCESS THEM ALL IN A HALF AN HOUR, EASY, EASY, HALF AN HOUR AND PROCESS ALL OF THEM. AND IT WOULD HAVE SAVED ALL THE PRECINCT, SPENT AN ADDITIONAL TWO TO THREE HOURS PROCESSING THE AV BALLOTS.

THAT'S WHAT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET ALL THE LOCAL PRECINCTS TO BALANCE OUT WAS THE AV BALLOTS. MOST OF THEM HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH IT.

AND IT WAS COMPLICATED.

AND THEY HAD A DUPLICATE SOME BALLOTS BECAUSE OF MISTAKES MADE ON THE BALLOTS THAT WE COULD LEGALLY DUPLICATE.

AND NONE OF IT NEEDED TO BE THAT WAY.

A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT METHOD WOULD HAVE BEEN TO DELIVER ALL THE BALLOTS AT EIGHT PM STRAIGHT TO THE AV COUNTING BOARD, AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH IT LESS THAN THIRTY MINUTES LATER. SO I BELIEVE THAT WAS AN EFFICIENCY ERROR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED BY THE COUNTY BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF IT UNTIL REALLY, REALLY LATE IN THE PROCESS.

THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE COUNTY, THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO IT WAS DUE TO MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE.

SO THAT'S A LESSON LEARNED FOR THE FUTURE.

IF THERE'S ONLY ONE MUNICIPALITY IN A AV COUNTY BOARD, DO NOT HAVE THE BALLOTS BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL THE PRECINCTS.

IT JUST ADDS A LOT OF CONFUSION AND HASSLES AND IS UNNECESSARY, BASICALLY.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'S THE ELECTION REPORT CURRENTLY.

[INAUDIBLE] IN THE ELECTION REPORT.

I SEE NONE.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES OR ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE? YOU'RE MUTED TREASURER.

A QUICK REPORT.

YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WITH TRUSTEE WISINSKI, WHO IS THEIR LIAISON ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT [INAUDIBLE] DISCUSSED. THIS MORNING, I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING, WHICH TRUSTEE SUNDLAND SERVES AS THE BOARD MEMBER ON.

AND I AM THE TREASURER, BUT A NON-VOTING MEMBER.

I DO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION IN YOUR PACKET TO THE TREASURER'S REPORT, WHICH IS ITEM NINE F. ONE REMARKABLE THING ABOUT THE REPORT COMPARED TO PAST REPORTS IS THE THIRD PAGE YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY TWO THOUSAND IN ROAD IMPROVEMENT INVESTMENTS. THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

THE COMMERCIAL BANK ON MILLION DOLLARS [INAUDIBLE] WAS SPENT ON THE LAST OF THE ROAD REPAIRS, BUT THAT DOES LEAVE US WITH EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS APPROXIMATELY FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. SO I'M SURE ALL RECALL OUR ROAD MILEAGE ALLOWS US TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.

SO THAT'S THOSE YOU'LL SEE FOUR MORE WILL MATURE NEXT YEAR.

THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AND FOUR MORE WILL MATURE IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

ALSO IN THE PACKET YOU WILL SEE A REPORT FROM ME, ITEM NINE G, ON DELINQUENCIES THAT ARE BEING MOVED TO THE TAX BILL AND THE BOARD SEES THIS EVERY YEAR.

WHAT'S SAYING ABOUT THIS ONE IS THAT YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE DELINQUENT UTILITIES ON THAT REPORT IN THE AMOUNT OF TWENTY ONE TWENTY THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS AND FIFTY TWO CENTS. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LOWEST WATER AND SEWER RATES.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE COLLECT EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE CAN.

THE REASON THIS NUMBER IS HIGHER THAN IN PAST YEARS IS WE DO NOT-- WE ARE NOT DOING SHUTOFFS IN THIS COVID PANDEMIC WITH THE BOARD DECIDED AND THE GOVERNOR HAS DECIDED THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR SHUTOFFS.

AND SO WE REALLY HAVE NO RECOURSE TO COLLECT THESE DELINQUENCIES EXCEPT TO PUT THEM ON THE TAX BILL.

IF THEY REMAIN UNPAID IN THE TAX BILL, THEY GET TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY TREASURER WILL THEN WORK TO COLLECT THIS MONEY.

AND IF UNSUCCESSFUL, IT CAN BE A REASON FOR FORECLOSURE.

SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THESE GET PAID ON THE TAX BILL AND IT DOESN'T GO ANY FURTHER THAN THAT. THOSE ARE MY TWO REPORTS IN THE CONSENT PACKET.

OPEN TO ANY QUESTION TO ANY BOARD MEMBER MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE TREASURER? ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM OTHER TRUSTEES OR BOARD MEMBERS?

[00:40:06]

DOES SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? TRUSTEE JACKSON HAS PUT HER HAND UP FOR A REPORT.

OK, THERE SHE IS. COULDN'T FIND HER ON MY SCREEN FOR A MINUTE.

TRUSTEE JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION HAS PREPARED ITS TWENTY FIVE YEAR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN. THEY ARE GOING TO PUBLICLY PRESENT THIS DRAFT AT A VIRTUAL MEETING ON THE 10TH OF NOVEMBER AND THAT FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, I THINK THE 24TH, THEY ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PLAN.

AND SO I URGE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN WHAT VISION THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE AREA FOR THE NEXT TWENTY FIVE YEARS TO LOOK AT THAT PLAN, TO ARRANGE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING ON THE 10TH AND TO COMMENT.

THANK YOU. VERY GOOD.

AND I'LL TRY TO LOOK HARDER.

ANYONE ELSE? YES [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. I DID-- I WAS TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE ELECTION ITSELF, SO I COULDN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.

I NEED TO THANK, HEARTILY THANK, THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PLUS ELECTION WORKERS THAT WORK THE POLLING LOCATIONS IN THE AV COUNTY BOARD.

I WANT TO THANK THE TEMPORARY FULL TIME UP TO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED INTERNALLY IN OUR TOWNSHIP HALL ROOM AND ALSO OUR FULL TIME ELECTION STAFF.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM FOR THE EXTREMELY HARD WORK, THE LONG HOURS AND THE DEDICATION TO OUR DEMOCRACY AND TO HELP MAKE THIS ELECTION FUNCTION AND WITHOUT THEM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS.

WE HAVE AGAIN, WE HAVE ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THERE LITERALLY ALL THE WAY FROM THEIR 70S UP THROUGH THEIR EVEN THEIR EARLY NINETIES THAT ARE WORKING THESE PRECINCTS AND WORKING 16 HOUR DAYS BECAUSE THEY CARE.

THEY'RE NOT JUST DOING IT TO MAKE A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS.

THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY REALLY CARE.

AND IT'S HARD WORK. ANYBODY THAT SEES IT AND HAS BEEN AROUND KNOWS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT.

AND WE'VE HAD SOME COMMENTS FROM NEW ELECTION WORKERS SAYING I HAD NO IDEA WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING ALL THESE YEARS.

I HAD NO CLUE, WHICH IS WHY I ALWAYS SAID IT'S LIKE AN ICEBERG.

ICEBERGS ARE 10 PERCENT VISIBLE, 90 PERCENT INVISIBLE.

ELECTIONS ARE THE SAME WAY.

AND THE ELECTION WORKERS ARE PART OF THAT 90 PERCENT THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE AND UNDERSTAND. AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE AMAZING BECAUSE THEY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND AGAIN, THEY'RE WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES.

SO I THANK THEM. AMIDST COVID PRECAUTIONS.

AMIDST CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.

AMIDST CONCERNS ABOUT VOLATILE CITIZENS AND THE RIGHT.

AMIDST CHANGING ELECTION LAW UP UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, FOR EXAMPLE, CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS WAS OPEN CARRY WAS CHANGED WITHIN LIKE SEVENTY TWO HOURS.

IT SEEMS LIKE A FREE ELECTION.

ALL OF THIS UNCERTAINTY AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.

OUR OWN CLERK STAFF STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.

WE WORKED A LOT OF LONG HOURS, A LOT OF OVERTIME, AND WE STILL DID IT IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER. WE DIDN'T HIRE-- OTHER COMMUNITIES EVEN LANSING HIRES A LOT MORE PEOPLE PROPORTIONATE THAN WE DO.

SO WE STILL OPERATE IN A SEMI TIGHT CONFINES.

PHYSICALLY, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE.

WE COULD HAVE USED A FEW MORE WORKERS AND TAKEN THE BURDEN OFF A FEW OF OUR INTERNAL PEOPLE. SO A HEARTY THANK YOU PERSONALLY AND FROM ALL THE CITIZENS ON BEHALF OF MERIDIAN CITIZENS. THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL JOBS THAT YOU GUYS DID.

THANK YOU. AS YOU SAID, EVERYONE INVOLVED.

YES, TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

REAL QUICK, JUST WANTED TO UPDATE ON OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORKFORCE, OUR TASK FORCE. WE DID HAVE A FOLLOW UP MEETING WITH THE DIRECTORS POST SURVEY RESULTS TO GET INPUT FROM ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHERE WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE TASK FORCE GO. WE'LL DO A FOLLOW UP MEETING WITH THE DIRECTORS, OR FOLLOW UP SURVEY WITH THE DIRECTORS AND THEN DETERMINE OUR NEXT STEPS FROM THERE.

SO THANK EVERYBODY, ALL THE DIRECTORS, FOR THEIR TIME AND INPUT INTO THAT SPECIFIC SURVEY. THANK YOU.

I'M PLEASED THAT THEIR GROUP IS MOVING FORWARD, CONTINUING WITH THE TASK.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'LL GO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY THE TREASURER.

ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA, PUT THEIR HAND IN FRONT.

[00:45:02]

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SEVEN ZERO, MR DREYFUS.

OK, ALL RIGHT.

WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA]

OUR COMMUNICATIONS, MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 20 VIRTUAL MEETING, BILLS, THE RATIFICATION OF NEW FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC APPOINTMENT, RATIFICATION OF A NEW POLICE OFFICER APPOINTMENT, TREASURER'S QUARTERLY REPORT, IN ADDITION TO THE DECEMBER TWENTY TWENTY TAX BILLS. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROGRAM IN THE CONSENT AGENDA? CLERK DREYFUS I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS PRESENTED.

SUPPORT.

[INAUDIBLE] BY TREASURY. ANY COMMENTS OR NEEDS TO CHANGE ANYTHING [INAUDIBLE]? DON'T SEE ANY.

THE WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES.

TRUSTEE JACKSON.

SAY JACKSON? TRUSTEE JACKSON, YES, MA'AM.

YES.

AND TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKIE.

YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES. CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED.

SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY, NO HEARINGS TODAY.

WE MOVE ON TO NUMBER 12, ACTION ITEM.

[12A. Grettenberger Drain and Meijer Drain Improvements]

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION? YOU'RE MUTED, THERE YOU GO.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE GRETTENBERGER DRAIN RESOLUTION AND THE MEIJER DRAIN RESOLUTION AND AUTHORIZE THE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR AND THE TOWNSHIP CLERK TO SIGN THE ASSOCIATED GRETTENBERGER PETITION FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS OF A DRAIN IN THE MEIJER PETITION FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF A DRAIN AS PRESENTED.

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

DISCUSSION, THE TREASURER? SURE, WE DISCUSSED THIS AT LENGTH AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, BUT A VERY GOOD INFORMATION FROM OUR IN COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT STAFF.

WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE DOVETAILED VERY TIGHTLY WITH THE GRAND RIVER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE POSSIBLE RAISING OF GRAND RIVER NEAR AND [INAUDIBLE] ROAD AT THAT INTERSECTION.

IT'S NECESSARY.

AND WE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE A FLOOD OR TWO BEFORE IT GETS FIXED, BUT FINALLY, THIS IS A PATH TO IMPROVE THAT VERY LOW AREA IN THE FLOOD PLAIN RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF ONE OF OUR BUSIEST CORNERS, GRAND RIVER AND [INAUDIBLE] ROAD.

IT'S WELL OVERDUE AND VERY MUCH A NEEDED IMPROVEMENT TO OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.

VERY GOOD.

MR. PERRY, IS ANYTHING NEW TO ADD TO THIS? THE TREASURER SUMMED IT UP PRETTY WELL, BUT ANYTHING ELSE? I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW TO ADD.

IF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THOUGH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE TREASURER SUCCINCTLY PUT IT ALL TOGETHER FOR EVERYONE.

OKAY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE DID HAVE QUITE EXTENSIVE, EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION LAST TIME ABOUT THIS.

ALL RIGHT, THEN WE NEED A ROLL CALL, MR. DREYFUS. TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES AND TREASURER DUCHAINE.

YES. TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. AND OUR NEXT ITEM, I KNOW IT CAME INTO YOUR PACKAGE SO LATE, BUT IT'S JUST TWO

[12B. Board and Commission Appointments]

WE HAD APPLICANTS AND THESE ARE VACANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SO THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO FILL THEM. I'M RECOMMENDING IF YOU LOOK AT ITEM 12 B, THE APPOINTMENT OF [INAUDIBLE] TO THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD.

SHE'S ALSO WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE STAFF FOR THAT POSITION AND ALSO TO CONFIRM MY APPOINTMENT OF JOSHUA PATTERSON TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

HE'S SOMEBODY WITH A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE.

THINK HE'LL ADD A LOT TO THAT PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. YES, I MOVE TO APPOINT [INAUDIBLE] TO LEAD THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD.

[INAUDIBLE] TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR A TERM ENDING 12/31/23, AND TO

[00:50:03]

THANK YOU. IS THERE SUPPORT? TRUSTEE JACKSON.

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY ON THIS, MR. OPSOMMER? YES, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] HAS A WONDERFUL BACKGROUND AND HER LANDSCAPE DESIGN EXPERIENCE AND AS AN ECOLOGICAL DESIGNER WILL BE A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE ALL OF OUR APPOINTMENTS FILLED AFTER HAVING SOME LENGTHY VACANCIES DUE TO TURNOVER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

AND THEN JOSH ROBERTSON IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH DOWN AT THE STATE CAPITAL FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

HE HAS A WEALTH OF PUBLIC POLICY EXPERIENCE AND WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND IS VERY EAGER TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO. I FULLY SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE SUPERVISOR HAS BROUGHT TO US THIS EVENING. AND WITH REGARD TO MR. PATTERSON [INAUDIBLE] ANYWAY, IT WAS, I THOUGHT, VERY APPROPRIATE TOO BECAUSE WE LOST FROM OUR MEMBERSHIP ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THE TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION AND A LOT OF SKILLS WITH REGARD TO POLICY.

AND SO THIS WOULD FILL THAT VOID.

ANYONE ELSE? AND WE NEED A VOTE, CLERK DREYFUS.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES.

CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. TRUSTEE JACKSON.

YES.

TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YES.

MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

WE NOW MOVE ON TO 12 C, THE COVID-19 WORK FROM HOME PROGRAM.

[12C. COVID-19 Work From Home Program]

THANK YOU MR. SUPERVISOR AND BOARD.

OVER THE, OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE KNOWS OVER THE PAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF THE SECOND ROUND OF COVID HAS HIT US AND EVERYONE VERY HARD.

THE ISSUE OUR CHALLENGE WAS EXACERBATED TODAY WITH A POSITIVE TEST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND WHICH IS GOING TO CAUSE A RIPPLE EFFECT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.

AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK HOW WE'RE SERVING THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW AND HOW WE'RE TAKING NUMBER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TAKING CARE OF ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, ALL ONE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE.

SO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS EVENING THE APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATION OF THE FUNDS THAT WERE SET ASIDE FOR HAZARD PAY, WHICH IS AROUND SIXTY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WE ARE REIMBURSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE WANT TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO PURCHASE LAPTOPS AND PRINTERS AND CHROME BOOKS AND IPADS AND ALL OF THAT TO EQUIP THESE PEOPLE TO WORK FROM HOME.

AND WE'RE NOT SHUTTING THE BUILDINGS DOWN AT THIS POINT.

WE JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND HAVE A HYBRID PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOME PEOPLE WORKING AT HOME AND SOME PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.

AND IT REALLY JUST A HYBRID SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ALL OF YOU.

IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING TIME FOR US.

AND USUALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ORDERING FIRE TRUCKS AND PROJECTS AND BUILDING THINGS AND DOING PATHWAYS AND ALL.

THAT'S WONDERFUL. BUT RIGHT NOW, OUR FOCUS IS ON SIMPLY TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE THE BEST THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.

WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR US AS TO HOW WE DO THIS, HOW DO WE MAKE IT EQUITABLE AMONG ALL DEPARTMENTS? BUT WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT THAT'S THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND BY WAY OF EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS IS AN ACTION AND NOT DISCUSSION, FIRST, MICHIGAN HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A RATHER GRIM INCREASE IN COVID CASES AND DEATHS, AND THAT HAS BEEN EVEN MORE TRUE IN THE AREA THAT CENTERS AROUND EAST LANSING, [INAUDIBLE] THE UNIVERSITY HERE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THE MANAGER FELT LIKE WE SHOULD PUT THIS OUT FOR ACTION AND GET THIS GOING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO WE NEED A MOTION.

MR. OPSOMMER. YES, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROPRIATE SIXTY NINE THOUSAND TO ENHANCE OUR IT EFFORTS IN PROVIDING A MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SAFE WORK

[00:55:03]

SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

DISCUSSION? YES, MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION TO THE MANAGER WOULD NOT BE TO BE FRUGAL IF MORE IS NEEDED, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DON'T BRING THAT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A GREAT FISCAL STEWARD AND MANAGER IN THAT REGARD.

BUT IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN AREA WHERE WE NEED TO BE SKIMPING.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THEIR WORK PRODUCTIVITY AND WHILE DOING IT SAFELY.

SO WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.

AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO DOING THAT.

SO PLEASE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BRING ANY AND ALL NECESSARY NEEDS TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. CLERK DREYFUS. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IS THERE REALLY A NEED TO IT LOOKS LIKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS MONEY THAT'S THAT THE MOTION IS IS TO PAY FOR LAPTOPS.

DON'T MOST EMPLOYEES ALREADY HAVE LAPTOPS? BECAUSE ONCE THIS PASSES, LAPTOPS OR EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT TENDS TO LOSE VALUE VERY QUICKLY.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE NEED TO PROVIDE LAPTOPS FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE TO WORK AT HOME. SEEMS LIKE MOST EMPLOYEES ALREADY HAVE THAT AVAILABLE? NO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR STAFF MEETING TODAY AND ON MONDAY, WHICH ALL OF US WERE A PART OF.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WE'VE DONE A SURVEY AMONG PEOPLE AND NO, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ONE AND SOME PEOPLE THAT DO, WHICH THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO USE A PERSONAL ONE FOR THEIR WORK RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO EVERYONE.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT WE THINK NEED ONE THAT DON'T NEED ONE AND WON'T GET ONE.

BUT WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT ACCORDINGLY.

MR. GEBES HAS A GOOD FIRM HAND ON WHAT WE NEED.

THE DISCUSSION? YES, TREASURER. YES, AND TO ANSWER THE CLERK'S QUESTION, IN MY DEPARTMENT, YOU'VE GOT FOUR PEOPLE THAT WILL BE WORKING FROM HOME HALF TIME AND NONE OF THEM HAVE A TOWNSHIP ISSUED LAPTOP. WE WANT THEM ALL TO BE PRODUCTIVE AT HOME.

NONE OF THEM HAVE A TOWNSHIP ISSUED CELL PHONE EITHER.

I REALLY DON'T WANT MY STAFF CALLING THE PUBLIC ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL LINE, GIVING THEM UTILITY REMINDER, OR TAX REMINDER.

THAT'S IT. THAT WOULD BE UNSAFE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND INAPPROPRIATE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO OUTFIT EACH OF THEM WITH THE NEW LAPTOPS.

THEY CAN MAKE BEST USE OF THE HALF TIME THEY'RE WORKING FROM HOME AND A CELL PHONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE.

AND I REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD THE MANAGER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THE FORCE THAT THOUGHT IT CAME TO IT CAME WITH IT.

AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE TODAY IS ONLY INCIDENTAL.

I KNOW YOU WERE WORKING ON THIS WELL BEFORE WE FOUND OUT THIS MORNING THAT WE HAVE A POSITIVE CASE.

KNOW THE CURRENT INFECTION RATE IN THE COUNTY IS ABOUT ONE POINT SEVEN PERCENT AND ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE EMPLOYEES THAT SAYS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD BY THAT NUMBER THREE EMPLOYEES ALREADY WHO WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT JUST THAT RATE.

SO WE'RE FORTUNATE AND THAT WE HAVEN'T SO FAR.

I THINK IT'S GOOD THE PRECAUTIONS THE MANAGER HAS INSISTED UPON UP UNTIL THIS POINT.

I DO REMEMBER AN EMAIL FROM HIM SAYING THAT THERE ARE NOT MANY THINGS THAT HE WILL FIRE SOMEONE ON THE SPOT FOR, BUT ONE OF THEM IS GOING AROUND THE TOWNSHIP WITHOUT A MASK ON AND THAT GOT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

AND YOU WILL NOT FIND PEOPLE IN TOWNSHIP HALL WITHOUT A MASK ON, AND THAT'S FOR EMPLOYEES. AND IF A VISITOR COMES IN, THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY ASKED TO PUT A MASK ON BEFORE THEY GO ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING.

IN THE PAPER TODAY, I SAW THAT THERE ARE NINETY SIX SUSPECTED COVID-19 CASES IN SPARROW AND MCLAREN. TONIGHT, 14 WERE ON VENTILATORS, 19 OF THEM ARE IN INTENSIVE CARE.

AND THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED TODAY THAN WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT IN MARCH AND APRIL. SO MR. OPSOMMER IS CORRECT. WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS.

THIS HAS COME BACK. IT'S COME BACK STRONGER AND THE WINTER MONTHS HAVE ONLY STARTED.

SO WE'VE GOT THREE, FOUR MONTHS OF THIS BEFORE WE'RE LIKELY TO SEE A BREAK WITH THE WEATHER AND THESE NUMBERS GO BACK DOWN AGAIN.

SO THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

AND AGAIN, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT NOW AND BEING AS PREVENTATIVE AS WE ARE.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THE MANAGER.

THIS IS A HARD DECISION.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM, SO I KNOW THAT YOU'LL DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN.

SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.

AND KEEPING ALL OF OUR STAFF AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FOREFRONT IN THAT.

WE HAVE TO ADD TO, TREASURER DESCHAINE, WE HAVE ONE DEATH, OUR FIRST DEATH THAT'S

[01:00:02]

SO THE RATES ARE HIGH AS THEY WERE IN APRIL.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO ACCELERATE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE COMING INTO THESE WINTER MONTHS WHERE THERE'S HOLIDAYS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE GATHERING AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE OUTSIDE. JUST BASED ON SOME OF OUR PAST PAST PERFORMANCE FROM SOME FROM OUR FOLKS AS WELL AS THIS RISE STARTED RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF WHEN THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT RULED THAT THE EMERGENCY POWERS BY THE GOVERNOR WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

SO I FEEL LIKE AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE REALLY HAVE TO STEP UP TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO OUR JOB.

AND AGAIN, I JUST COMMEND YOU, MANAGER WALSH, FOR BEING SO VERY PROACTIVE.

CLERK DREYFUS. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE START DATE.

IS THIS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 7TH THEN? THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE STARTING BEFORE THAT. IS THIS AFFECTED THE HOURS ALTERNATING STARTING ON DECEMBER 7TH, OR IS IT ANOTHER TIME? I SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERYONE THIS MORNING, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED, SAID THAT, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE THE EDC MEETING THIS MORNING.

SO BEFORE SEVEN THIRTY A.M.

BEFORE WE FOUND OUT THAT WE HAD A POSITIVE TEST AND STATING THAT WE CAN'T WAIT TILL DECEMBER.

IT'S A MONTH AWAY AND IT'S TOO LONG.

AND I ALSO WANT TO WHILE I HAVE THE FLOOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] AND DIRECTOR CLARK.

DIRECTOR CLARK HAS BEEN THROUGH A WORK HOME PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF JACKSON AND OUR VERY FINE H.R. DIRECTOR, AND HE HAS BEEN WITH THIS WITH JUSTICE FOR THE SUPREME COURT.

SO SHE BRINGS THAT VERY VALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO US ON THIS FRONT.

I'M-- THIS WILL WE'RE HAVING A ZOOM MEETING, AS YOU PROBABLY ARE AWARE, MR. CLERK, TOMORROW AT ELEVEN O'CLOCK TO TALK TO OUR STAFF ABOUT THIS AND GET THEIR INPUT AND THEIR IDEAS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TONIGHT.

I JUST THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT NEXT WEEK.

BUT I WANT TO WAIT AND HEAR FROM ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS TOMORROW BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS ON IT. BUT IT CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE FOUR WEEKS FROM TODAY.

IT WILL BE NEXT WEEK AND IT WILL BE THERE WILL BE HICCUPS AND BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.

I KNOW THAT IT WON'T BE PERFECT.

ANY BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'RE READY TO VOTE ON THIS.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI.

YES. SUPERVISOR STYKA.

YES. CLERK DREYFUS VOTES YES.

TREASURER DESCHAINE.

YES. TRUSTEE JACKSON.

SHE'S MUTE.

YES.

TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.

YES. MOTION PASSED SEVEN ZERO.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE END OF THE ACTION ITEMS AND MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION

[13A. Walnut Hills Update]

THAT WOULD BE ME. AND IT'S GOING TO UPDATE YOU THAT THE STRATEGY THAT THIS BOARD IMPLEMENTED ABOUT WAITING AND GIVING PARTIES TIME TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE OF DEMOLITION AND US NOT GETTING INVOLVED AND ENDED UP MEDDLING INTO THEIR AFFAIRS HAS WORKED WELL. THEY'VE REACHED AN AGREEMENT AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE CLOSING SPEAKERS] JUST FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWING KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE. WHO'S THEY? THEY WOULD BE THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE FAMILIES THAT WANTS TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY. YES.

THE TWO SIDES HAVE COME TOGETHER ON A I UNDERSTAND A PURCHASED PRICE THAT INVOLVES DEMOLITION TAKES EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION.

I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE CLOSING ON MONDAY.

AND AT THAT TIME WE'LL BE DIVULGING WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS AND THAT WE'LL BE WORKING.

I DID ASK THE FAMILY, THE PEOPLE PURCHASING THE PROPERTY.

I ASKED THEM HOW SOON BEFORE THE CLUBHOUSE WILL BE RAISED.

AND THEY GAVE ME THEY PROVIDED ME A ONE WORD RESPONSE, IMMEDIATELY.

SO THEY'RE ALREADY LINING PEOPLE UP.

THIS IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

OUR STRATEGIES WORK PERFECTLY.

WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE WANTED AND WHEN WE WANT IT WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND ANY MORE DOLLARS THROUGH LEGAL COUNSEL OR THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.

SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

BUT THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A CLOSING DATE OF MONDAY.

[01:05:01]

BUT ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER ON THIS ANYTHING ELSE? [INAUDIBLE] OK, THEN WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO OUR-- OH, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MANAGER WALSH FOR ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT'S GONE INTO THIS AND WORKING WITH THE FAMILY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS PREPAREDNESS ON THEIR PART TO PROCEED VERY QUICKLY WITH THIS.

AND HOPEFULLY ON MONDAY WE WILL AND IN A WEEK OR TWO, AND THEN WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A FINAL CONCLUSION TO THIS ISSUE.

SO THANK YOU.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MANAGER PERRY'S WORK ON THIS DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER, THE THREE OF THEM AND I OUR TEAM HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT AND COMMUNICATING BACK WITH THE FAMILY.

WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS RIGHT NOW WITH ALL PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARK, DEREK AND PETER, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE A FINAL RESOLUTION TO AN ISSUE THAT SPANNED AT LEAST THE LAST SIX MONTHS PRETTY INTENSELY.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEIGHBORS BEING HAPPY ALSO WITH THOSE BUILDINGS BEING GONE. OK, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO 13 B, WHICH IS THE HICKORY ISLAND ALLEY.

[13B. Hickory Island Alley]

I BELIEVE MR. PERRY WILL BE TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS.

YES. GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR STYKA.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. NORMALLY, I LIKE TO HAVE SOME FORM OF RESOLUTION OR A PLAN PLOTTED MOVING FORWARD. UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS ONE, IT SEEMS TO KEEP STIMMING ME.

HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD KIND OF BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED WHERE WE'RE AT ON THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT INTERNALLY HERE FOR ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS. I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO KIND OF DESCRIBE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

AND BASICALLY, WHAT IS THE ISSUE, MR. PERRY? SO AROUND LAKE LANSING, IN OUR NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE SEVERAL PUBLIC ACCESS POINTS THAT THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CAN USE TO ACCESS LAKE LANSING AND THE ABILITY AND THE WAY THEY CAN ACCESS THAT DOES VARY, THOUGH, DEPENDING ON THE ACTUAL PARCEL, WHETHER IT'S A ROAD END, A COUNTY PARK, A PRIVATE ROAD END ACCESS POINT THAT ONLY BLOCKS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF VARIED WAYS THAT THESE HAVE BEEN CREATED OVER TIME AS THE TOWNSHIP DEVELOPED. ONE AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON CLOSELY IS DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, THE HICKORY ISLAND ACCESS POINT, AND IT'S ACTUALLY AN ALLEY.

WHEN THE SUBDIVISION WAS PLATTED, IT'S A WHAT WE CALL A PAPER STREET.

THERE'S NO ROAD THERE.

HOWEVER, THERE IS A DRIVEWAY THERE THAT'S UTILIZED BY ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

ONE OF THE CONTENTION REALLY IS THE PROPERTY OWNER HERE FEELS THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE CONTROL OVER HIS ACCESS POINT TO HICKORY ISLAND STREET.

THIS IS AN AERIAL PHOTO OF IT.

SO YOU HAVE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS HERE.

YOU HAVE THE CHENS AT THIRTEEN FIFTY SIX.

YOU HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] AT THIRTEEN FIFTY AND THEN YOU HAVE THE MCPHEES AT 13 FORTY.

AND THIS DIRT DRIVEWAY IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE TOWNSHIPS ALLEY, WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE EDGE, WHICH IS SHOWN HERE ON THIS PARCEL MAP.

THIS IS A ALLEY PAPER STREET.

THE COUNTY VACATED THAT TO THE TOWNSHIP AT SOME POINT AND THE TOWNSHIP TOOK IT OVER AS A JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL.

SO WE DON'T OWN TITLE TO THE PROPERTY, WHICH RESTRICTS OUR ABILITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS WITH IT. UNLIKE A TOWNSHIP PARK OR THE PARCEL THAT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING SITS ON, WE JUST DON'T HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS WITH THAT.

WE HAVE JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL OVER TREATING IT AS AN ALLEY, BASICALLY INGRESS AND EGRESS TO THE LAKE. WELL, THE ISSUE IS THE PROPERTY OWNER, MR. [INAUDIBLE], DR. [INAUDIBLE] AT THIRTEEN FIFTY, HE WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD CARVE OUT A PIECE OF THAT TO PROVIDE HIM AN ACCESS POINT TO HIS HOUSE, REALLY CREATE A NEW DRIVEWAY THAT HE COULD PAVE, CONTROL AND MAINTAIN OVER TIME.

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING HISTORICALLY IS THAT HE'S BEEN MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY, CUTTING THE GRASS AND PLOWING THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, WHICH REALLY IS THE ALLEYWAY.

SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR A PERMANENT FIX FOR HIM, BUT ALSO PRESERVING THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO

[01:10:05]

AGAIN, WHAT'S REALLY STYMIED US NOW IS BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN THIS PARCEL THE SIMPLE CONTROL, WE CAN'T REALLY PARSE OUT A PORTION OF IT TO ALLOW HIM THEN TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY.

SO REALLY, WE'RE LEFT WITH TWO OPTIONS.

ONE WOULD BE TO ESSENTIALLY GO THROUGH A VACATION PROCESS.

THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THEN THE TOWNSHIP BASICALLY WOULD LOSE CONTROL.

THE PROPERTY WOULD GO TO THE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE INTEREST IN IT.

THE ONLY WAY-- WE'RE INVESTIGATING A POTENTIAL WHERE MAYBE WE COULD DO SOME TYPE OF MULTI-STEP AGREEMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW VACATION, BUT AS SOON AS THAT OCCURRED, IT WOULD REVERT BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP AND BE SIMPLE OWNERSHIP, WHICH THEN WE COULD TRY TO CONVERT.

SO IT SOUNDS VERY COMPLICATED.

WE'RE WILLING TO EXPLORE THAT, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF LEVEL OF PROMISE THAT ALLOWS FOR. OR IN MY MIND, THE SECOND OPTION IS POTENTIALLY TO DO A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT LIKE WE WOULD FOR ANY OTHER PUBLIC STREET THAT WANTED TO BE IMPROVED, WHERE WE WOULD GET THE PETITION PROCESS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE BENEFIT FOR THIS ALLEYWAY THAT PAY TO HAVE IT PAVED, JUST LIKE WE WOULD ANY GRAVEL ROAD IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND THEN AT LEAST THAT WOULD WORK OUT A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO MAINTAIN IT WITH THAT KIND OF THING.

SO REALLY, THAT'S THE ISSUE IN A NUTSHELL.

IT'S VERY COMPLICATED, BUT I WANTED TO GET THIS BEFORE THE BOARD.

SO IF WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION, YOU WOULDN'T BE SEEING IT WITH FRESH EYES.

SO, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'M HERE TO ANSWER THEM.

BUT THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE TONIGHT.

AND I'M LOOKING FOR THE SUPERVISOR.

SUPERVISORS HAVING SOME CONNECTION PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM BACK IN NOW.

IT SOUNDS LIKE HE'S GOING TO NEED TO AT LEAST REBOOT A COMPUTER, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A FEW MINUTES. SO I WILL TAKE OVER RUNNING THE MEETING.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY.

OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD FOR DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY? TREASURER DESCHAINE HAS A QUESTION AND GO AHEAD.

YES, MY QUESTION, MR. PERRY, IS ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE PUBLIC ACCESS OF THIS ALLEY IN ALL OF THESE OUTCOMES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOAL.

ABSOLUTELY. WE DON'T UNLESS THE BOARD HAS A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, WHICH THEN WE COULD JUST DO A SIMPLE VACATION.

BUT MY SENSE IS THE BOARD WANTS TO MAINTAIN THAT THAT PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE LAKE.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE GOAL FROM DAY ONE WITH THE CAVEAT.

ALSO TRYING TO HELP ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS WITH A SOLUTION.

BUT SPEAKING AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DEFINITELY WANT THAT WOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY OF MINE WHILE ALSO RESPECTING THE ADJOINING PROPERTIES AND SO WE DON'T INFRINGE UPON THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS EITHER. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, BECAUSE I KNOW HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS AND WORKING WITH SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS AND BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF STAFF AND HELPING US TO FIND A RESOLUTION FOR THAT.

AND WE ALL GET CALLS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT ISSUES AND THEY WANT US TO FIX THESE ISSUES AND ADDRESS THEM. AND OF COURSE, WE ALL DO OUR BEST, BUT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, I KNOW, IS TAKING EXTRA EFFORTS IN THIS CASE AND REALLY WORK WITH STAFF AND WORK WITH IT, WORKED WITH THE THE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS TO TRY AND FIND THE BEST SOLUTION FOR IT.

AND IT'S TAKING ALL THE TIME AND A BUSY SEASON FOR HIM.

SO YOU WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THAT EFFORT.

AND SO TO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S POINT, JUST TO FILL IN THE BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET IN ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBOR THAT IS JUST OFF OF HICKORY [INAUDIBLE] INTO THE NORTH WITH THE LAKEFRONT PROPERTY OWNER TO THE NORTH OF THEM RIGHT ALONG THE LAKEFRONT. BUT THIS NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH OF HICKORY ISLAND STREET HAS ALSO OBSERVED SOME ACTIVITY ON THE SITE WITH THE PUBLIC ALLEY AND THE PUBLIC UTILIZING THE PUBLIC ALLEY FOR, YOU KNOW, LAUNCHING KAYAKS.

YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT TAKE YOUR KAYAK DOWN IT, WHICH IS ILLEGAL USE OF THE ALLEY AND LAUNCH IT. WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IN ITS CURRENT LEGAL STATUS IS KIND OF SET UP.

YOU COULD NOT PUT A BLANKET DOWN OR A TOWEL AND KIND OF LAY DOWN BY THE WATER OR KIND OF

[01:15:08]

SO THE TRADITIONAL USES THAT RESIDENTS, THE TIER TWO RESIDENTS, AS WE OFTEN REFER TO THEM BASED ON THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LAKE DISTRICT, WILL USE IT TO LAUNCH KAYAKS OR JUST TO WALK DOWN AND THEN WALK BACK UP.

IT'S COMMON FOR THE PUBLIC JUST TO KIND OF WALK DOWN, TAKE A LOOK AT THE WATER AND WALK BACK OUT ON THEIR WALKS AS WELL.

AND ACTUALLY, CHIEF [INAUDIBLE], AS YOU KNOW, HAD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLED OUT TO THE SITE.

WHAT REALLY CAME ABOUT AS WE HAD THE LAKEFRONT PROPERTY DID CHANGE HANDS, AND SO IN THE EARLY GOING, THE STATUS OF THIS PUBLIC ACCESS WAS NOT FULLY KNOWN TO THAT PROPERTY OWNER I SUSPECT.

WHAT I'VE ENCOURAGED DEPUTY MANAGER TO WORK ON, FROM MY STANDPOINT, WHAT I THINK IS HELPFUL IS, AS TREASURER DESCHAINE SAID, GIVING A PUBLIC ACCESS, BUT MAKING IT MORE DEFINED SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH THAT.

AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COULD THIS BE A PARK AND COULD WE ENHANCE THE USE OF IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT INFRINGE ON THE NEIGHBORS ADJACENT TO IT, BUT RUNNING UP AGAINST ALL THESE LEGAL ISSUES? IT APPEARS THAT THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE THE CASE.

SO BASED ON OUR LIMITATIONS LEGALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE EXPRESSED TO DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY FOR THE BEST OPTIMAL SOLUTION IS FINDING SOME WAY THAT THE OWNER CAN PROPERLY MAINTAIN THEIR INGRESS AND EGRESS TO THE PROPERTY AND ALSO SO THAT WE COULD DO SOME ENHANCEMENT OR AT LEAST POSTING WAYFINDING SIGNAGE AND MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC ALLEY.

SO WE DID PUT WHITE POSTS OUT ON THE STREET FRONT TO KIND OF DENOTE THE ENTRY WAY.

BUT IT'S STILL TO A PASSER BY THAT DOESN'T LIVE ON THE STREET, THEY WOULDN'T REALLY KNOW THE USE OF THE SITE, WHAT IS PERMITTED AND WHAT ISN'T PERMITTED.

BUT REALLY IN THIS AREA, IT'S NOT AS BIG OF AN ISSUE HERE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE USING IT.

LAKE LANSING NORTH, BEING SO CLOSE BY, THE GENERAL PUBLIC OFTEN JUST DRIVES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE.

AND WE HAVE SUPERVISORS STYKA BACK.

DO YOU HAVE A GOOD CONNECTION? I'M ON MY PHONE USING THAT CONNECTION.

THERE'S NO PROBLEM. I'M HERE.

I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING YOU SAID.

AND TREASURER DESCHAINE SPOKE AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

AND I WILL LET YOU RESUME RUNNING THE MEETING.

WELL, WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT NEEDS TO COMMENT ON THIS? IF NOT, I GUESS WE'RE READY TO ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI HAS HER HAND.

YES, OK. YEAH I HAVE MY PHONE OF VERY LITTLE, BUT IT IS THIS THING.

SO PLEASE, IF I SPEAK OUT, IF YOU WANT TO BE CALLED ON.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR PERRY.

SO I'M LOOKING AT THE AREA.

AND I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS.

BUT HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW DID WE GET A DRIVEWAY THAT'S DIRECTLY WITHIN THE ALLEY? AND IT LOOKS AS IF THERE'S NO OTHER MAYBE VERY CLOSE TO THAT NEIGHBOR IF, IN FACT, THEY HAD TO PUT IN A DRIVEWAY THAT'S NOT WITHIN THAT RIGHT OF WAY.

THERE'S A VERY, VERY LONG TITLE HISTORY I'D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ IT, BUT ESSENTIALLY I THINK WHAT'S TRANSPIRED IS THE ALLEY, THE PURPOSE OF THE ALLEY WAS TO SERVICE THAT PARCEL AND OVER TIME FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO VACATE IT.

AND THE TOWNSHIP, I THINK, TOOK CONTROL BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZED, WELL, WE REALLY CAN'T LAND LOCK THAT PARCEL.

SO THAT'S WHY THE TOWNSHIP IS AGAIN, WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OWNING ROADS AND ALLEYS.

BUT IN THIS CASE, WE DO.

AT LEAST JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL OVER IT.

SO ESSENTIALLY ANYONE COULD UTILIZE THAT ALLEY.

AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT DOES CREATE SOME TREPIDATION, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER, TOO, BECAUSE IN ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, HE'S TREATED IT AS HIS PRIVATE DRIVEWAY.

BUT THAT, FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT IS NOT WHAT IT IS.

IT'S A GRAVEL ALLEY THAT SERVICES IS PROPERTY THAT THEN ULTIMATELY TRANSITIONS TO HIS DRIVEWAY ON HIS PROPERTY.

AND REALLY, HE HAS SOME LEGITIMATE CONCERNS, WHICH I GUESS HOW I MAINTAIN THIS, HOW TO WHY SHOULD I BE GRADING IT? WHAT ABOUT SNOW REMOVAL, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A RESOLUTION THAT GIVES HIM SOME SATISFACTION, BUT ALSO PRESERVES THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO INGRESS AND EGRESS THAT LAKE.

THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I ALSO SUPPORT THAT, HOWEVER WE CAN KEEP IT ACCESSIBLE

[01:20:05]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK AT THIS, PLEASE SPEAK OUT.

MR. PERRY, YOU WANT TO SUMMARIZE WHERE WE ARE NOW? AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS REALLY WAS, WELL, I WAS HOPING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION PREPARED THAT WE COULD DISCUSS, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT.

I SEE KIND OF TWO OPTIONS GOING FORWARD.

AND WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM.

AND IF WE THINK THAT WE TRULY HAVE SOMETHING VIABLE THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION ON, WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK.

BUT AT THIS POINT, AGAIN, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR CLEAR NEXT STEP IS UNTIL WE WORK WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM. ALL RIGHT, SO THEN WILL YOU BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO US AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE? THAT IS THE INTENT, YES.

THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME TYPE OF DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND ACTUALLY APPROVE. OK, THANK YOU.

OK, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]

AND WE HAVE A CONNECTION MARKED AS JOSHUA ROBERTS, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWING HIM TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. PLEASE BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

AND PLEASE REMEMBER YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.

BE COURTEOUS IN YOUR REMARKS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.

HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME OK. AND I WILL BE BRIEF.

MY NAME IS JOSHUA ROBERTSON.

MY ADDRESS IS 5879 BAYONA AVENUE IN HASLETT, MICHIGAN.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR THE APPOINTMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN E OVERVIEW OF WHO I AM.

AND SO YOU GUYS CAN KIND OF MEET ME A LITTLE BIT, TOO.

I LIVE IN HASLETT, LIKE I MENTIONED, ALREADY NEAR MURPHY ELEMENTARY AND THE [INAUDIBLE] SUBDIVISION OR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I LIVE THERE WITH MY WIFE AND OUR TWO KIDS, AND WE ARE AVID, AVID USERS OF LAKE LANSING, THE PARKS, THE INNER URBAN TRAIL.

WE WILL BE OUT THERE UNTIL THE FIRST SNOW AND THEN TRANSITIONING TO OUR WINTER GEAR.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND HAVE BEEN IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, WORKING EITHER ON THE PRIVATE SIDE OR IN THE PUBLIC SIDE FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS IN DOWNTOWN LANSING.

ALSO WORKED FOR THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, TOO, IN COLLEGE. AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, I STARTED WITH A COMPANY THAT'S BASED IN [INAUDIBLE].

THEY DO WORK IN MICHIGAN, IN LANSING AREA AS WELL, ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SIDE . AND ON THE VOLUNTEERING AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PERSPECTIVE, VERY INVOLVED IN THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. I SIT ON ONE OF THEIR BOARDS AND I'M ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN THE INGHAM COUNTY CHAPTER.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO AND LOOK FORWARD TO COMPLEMENT YOUR WORK.

WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR WISDOM OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

THANK YOU. OK, ANYONE ELSE? THERE ARE NO OTHER HANDS AND NO OTHER CALLS AT THIS TIME, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE'RE READY TO HAVE MCCONNELL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.

OK. THANKS, COURTNEY.

JUST REAL QUICK, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I WANTED TO UNDERLINE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY MR. HARVEY ON THE RECYCLING AND TREE PLANTING EVENTS AND PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL AGENCIES IS REALLY SUPERB.

NUMBER TWO, THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION IN THE BOARD PACKET ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] ORDINANCE, AND I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO THINK CLOSELY ABOUT THAT.

NOT AN EMERGENCY ISSUE, BUT THE EXEMPTION ON SOME OF THE YARD EQUIPMENT AND CRACKING DOWN ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, I THINK IS WORTH THINKING ABOUT.

THE LAST THING IS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON FOUR CORNERS [INAUDIBLE], I REALLY HOPE THAT THERE IS SOME WAY THAT WE CAN, AS A COMMUNITY, CELEBRATE THE MOVEMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE MADE ON THAT PROJECT.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT IN AN AGE OF COVID, BUT I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL CELEBRATE MOVEMENT FORWARD PROGRESS ON THAT, AND I HOPE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ON THAT. THANK YOU.

BECAUSE YOU WERE SPEAKING AS A PUBLIC PART, YOU'LL HAVE TO SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, MR. MCCONNELL. PARDON ME, BILL MCCONNELL, 4576 [INAUDIBLE].

[01:25:06]

THANK YOU. OK, ANYBODY ELSE THAT I CAN'T SEE THAT WANTS TO COMMENT OUT THERE IN PUBLIC EITHER? OK, I GUESS NOT.

[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

AND I AGAIN, I CAN'T REALLY SEE MANY PEOPLE SO SPEAK OUT IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.

SUPERVISOR STYKA, TRUSTEE I JUST WANTED TO REACH OUT TO CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] AND PLEASE EXTEND OUR POSITIVE AND HEALING THOUGHTS TO YOUR POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS TESTED POSITIVE AND JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE THINKING OF THEM AND WISH THEM THE BEST.

WISH THEM THE BEST. VERY WELL OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SPEAK OUT, PLEASE.

OK, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO WANT TO ADD.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED.

SO MOVED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE.

I THINK EVERYBODY SAID AYE, MR. DREYFUS.

WE'RE ARE WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THE COMPUTER CRASH, BUT IT CRASHED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.