Spring
Arbor Township Board Minutes: November 10, 2003
The
regular meeting of the Spring Arbor Township Board was held Monday,
November 10, 2003, at 7:30 p.m., with the following members present:
Supervisor Will DeGraaf, Clerk Randi DeVries, Trustees Marston Fortress,
Troy Ganton, Patricia Short and Brent Williams. Absent: Treasurer
Gloria Melchiori. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Supervisor
DeGraaf.
Guests
were: Garry Lewis, Russ Ratkiewicz, Will Keeler, Cheryl Videto,
Jim Videto, Stan Lyon, Dick Renner, Ken Melville and Bob Ross.
Public Comment: Public comment opened at 7:31 p.m.
Jim
Videto addressed the public and the board members regarding county
finances and working on balancing the county budget, health department
programs, soil erosion issues, inventorying lands owned by the county
and a comprehensive land use plan. Robert Ross addressed the public
regarding his run for State Representative. Dick Renner addressed
the board regarding the 2004 consumer price index and the increases
for residential and agricultural. Public comment closed at 7:52
p.m.
Minutes. Minutes of the regular meeting of October 13
were approved on motion by Williams and support by Short; carried.
Financial Report. The financial report for the month
was received on motion by Fortress and support by DeVries, showing
the following balances as of October 31:
General
Fund Cash
$ 33,180.28
Certificate
of Deposit
121,117.59
Fire
Operations Cash
33,018.65
Fire
Operations CD
113.54
Street
Light Fund
(2,351.21)
Public
Improvement Fund
(30,208.70)
P.I.F.
Certificate of Deposit
89,759.82
Building
Inspection Fund
49,205.98
Falling
Waters Endowment Fund
0.00
Falling
Waters Endowment Fund CD
10,730.49
Sewer
Funds
1,294,887.33
Water
Funds 193,976.82
Trust
& Agency Funds
0.00
Current
Taxes 6,820.02;
motion
carried.
Expenditures. Motion was made by Ganton and supported
by Fortress to approve the following expenditures: General Fund
vouchers #39893-39958 totaling $41,157.74; Fire Department Fund
vouchers #39895-39957 totaling $330,777.24; Street Light Fund expenditures
totaling $2,671.00; Public Improvement Fund expenditures totaling
$27,695.00; Building Inspection Fund expenditures totaling $7,865.57;
Sewer O & M Fund expenditures totaling $35,723.21; and Water
O & M Fund expenditures totaling $14,919.69. Roll call: 6
yes.
BOARDS
AND COMMITTEES:
Sewer
& Water Committee. Motion was made by Williams and
supported by Ganton to approve the minutes of the September 23, 2003
meeting of the Sewer & Water Committee; carried.
Planning Commission. Motion was made by Fortress and
supported by DeVries to approve the minutes of the October 7, 2003
meeting of the Planning Commission; carried.
REPORTS:
A., B. Police and Fire Report. There were 41 medical
rescue runs, two fire alarms, no mutual aid calls, four fire runs,
and no carbon monoxide incidents, bomb threats or Hazmat responses
during October. Police statistics include: 219 complaints, 22
accidents, 28 tickets, 32 verbal warnings, seven arrests, one semi
ticketed and nine back-up calls to other departments.
Chief
Ratkiewicz reported on a joint effort of working with the state
police and the motor carrier division targeting semis, and the participation
by the police department in the Trunk or Treat event on Halloween
night at the church. Motion was made by Short and supported by
Ganton to accept the police report; carried.
Chief
Greenslade was not available for a report. Motion was made by
DeVries and supported by Fortress to accept the fire report; carried.
C. MTA E-News for November- 2003. The MTA E-News for
November included information regarding the office hours for treasurers
at tax collection time, status of the charter township budget bill,
upcoming hearings on mobile home issues, action plan for Land Use
Leadership Council, homeland security program overview, Capitol
Conference 2004, MTA web site facts, legal counsel opinions, newly
published township web sites, MTA workshops, the upcoming annual
conference and how to email the MTA.
D. Washington Report. The October 2003 Washington Report
included information regarding various issues and bills on a national
level.
E. Report of Strategic Planning Goal #5. Goal
#5, assigned to the Supervisor, is to develop a plan for traffic
flow on M-60. He reported that he is still working with MDOT for
some road work to be done at Emerson Rd. and M-60; the traffic light
has been approved for Dearing Rd., but no funds are available to
install it.
F. Report of Strategic Planning Goal #7. Goal #7, assigned
to the Fire Chief, is create a fire safety plan for the township.
The Fire Chief was not available for a report.
G. Report of Strategic Planning Goal #9. Goal #9, assigned
to the Clerk, is to implement the park plan. The Clerk reported
that the initial stage of installing the playground equipment has
been completed and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with coverage
in the County Press. Motion was made by Fortress and supported
by Williams to change the completion date of the goal to September
1, 2007; carried.
UNFINISHED
BUSINESS:
A. Historical Committee Recommendations. Motion was
made by Ganton and supported by Short to table the requests from
the Historical Committee; carried.
NEW
BUSINESS:
A. Gary Videto Outdoor Youth Preserve Request. A request
was received from the Gary Videto Outdoor Youth Preserve Committee
for the use of the fire station as a site for their annual fund
raiser. Motion was made by Short and supported by Fortress that
we support and admire the Gary Videto Outdoor Youth Preserve effort
and offer them the use of the Spring Arbor Senior Center if available
on a date to be mutually agreed upon at no charge; carried.
Motion was made by Williams and supported by Fortress that
the Communications & Policy Committee prepare a policy to govern
the use of the fire barn and the township offices; carried.
B. Spring Arbor University - Fireworks Display Permit. Motion
was made by Fortress and supported by Short to grant the Fireworks
Display Permit to Spring Arbor University; carried.
C. Fiscal Year Expenditure Plan for Fire Department.
The Clerk explained that with the recent purchase of the fire truck
and transferring funds from the General Fund and the Public Improvement
Fund that the purchase of the truck is covered, but depending on
expenses for the Fire Department through the end of the year, more
funds may need to be transferred to cover operating expenses.
She requested to be given the authority to transfer funds from the
General Fund as needed to cover their expenses. Motion was made
by Fortress and supported by Williams to allow the Clerk to transfer
funds as needed; carried. The Clerk then requested that as the
Fire Fund had to borrow funds for the purchase of the fire truck,
that when repaying those funds back, the interest that would have
accrued for those funds should be paid back in addition to the principal
amount. Motion was made by Fortress and supported by DeVries that
the Fire Fund pay the same rate of interest as the General and Public
Improvement Funds would have achieved in the J-Fund on a monthly
basis; carried.
D. Generators. The Supervisor recommended purchasing
generators for the fire station and the township office in case
of emergencies. Since the cost of the generators were over $20,000.00,
it is required by township policy that additional bids are received.
The board members suggested that due to the cost and the current
revenue sharing situation, that it may only be economical to purchase
one generator at this time.
E. Water Extension for Village Green Subdivision. After
discussion, motion was made by Fortress and supported by Short that
the township cost share with Arborwood Development to extend water
in an 8" water main from the Greenbriar Subdivision through
Village Green to Chapel Rd. with an estimated total cost of $83,500.00,
and that the developers are to reimburse the township one-half of
the cost of this extension, and the reimbursement is to be at the
rate of $3,000.00 per lot sold with the total to be repaid no later
than 24 months from the date of the agreement and that the developer
will provide the township with a bond for the portion owed to the
township and connection fees for each house will be $800.00. Roll
Call: 6 yes.
F. Resolution for Upper Grand River Watershed Council.
A resolution was presented by the Supervisor to protect
the Grand River for future generations. Motion was made by Short
and supported by Ganton to approve the resolution. Roll Call:
6 yes.
G. Set dates for Christmas Party and Christmas Decorations
Contest. The date for the employee and township official
Christmas party was set for December 11, 2003 at noon, to be held
at the Ganton Community Center. The date for the judging of the
Christmas Decorations Contest was set for Thursday, December 18,
2003, at 6:30 p.m.
H. Federal Poverty Guidelines. Motion was made by Ganton
and supported by Short to adopt the federal poverty guidelines for
the 2004 assessments; carried.
MISCELLANEOUS:
Building Permit Report. The report of building permits
issued during the month of October showed new homes and miscellaneous
permits for a total value of $3,759,000.00.
Assessing/Building Report. During the month of
October, permits for three new homes were issued, for a total of
43 this year. The assessor reported two commercial permits were
issued; a medical building at Village Crossing and Spring Arbor
University Gymnasium. The agricultural increase for this year
will be 5.5%, and residential will increase 4.5%. The Consumer
Price Index for taxable values will be 2.3% in 2004.
Supervisor’s Report. Advised the board: of the status
of ongoing projects; of the request from Spring Arbor University
for a fireworks display permit; of the results of the vote for the
water expansion project; of the status of state revenue sharing
received year-to-date; of the need for generators to be used during
emergency situations; of a plan to extend water into Village Green
and Greenbriar subdivisions; and, of a resolution to protect the
Grand River. He also reported that the cemetery maintenance garage
which had been broken into is now repaired, that a new flagpole
has been installed at the post office, that there are two broken
window frames at the township office in need of repair, and that
the downspout at the library will be relocated to avoid large ice
buildup where people walk.
Z.B.A. Meeting of October & November. The Zoning
Board of Appeals meeting in October had two variance requests to
consider. James Brown, for a variance from the side yard setback,
and Brad Vancalberg, for a variance from the rear yard setback.
The November 4 meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals had two
variance requests to consider. Progressive Coating, for a variance
from the rear yard setback, and Ken & Shari Moe, for a variance
from the side yard setback.
Planning Commission. Unapproved minutes of the November
4, 2003 meeting of the Planning Commission included a rezoning request
from Spring Arbor University and a site plan review for Dreams &
Designs (Ken Moe).
CORRESPONDENCE:
A letter dated 10/24/03 from Millennium re. an increase
in cable service pricing.
A thank-you note to the fire department from Spring Arbor Free Methodist
Church.
PUBLIC/BOARD
COMMENT--GENERAL: 9:27 p.m.
Trustee Ganton. Trustee Ganton asked if a response was
needed for a recent Voice of the People article regarding the water
expansion project. Supervisor DeGraaf responded that he spoke
with the author, and that the author would be writing a retraction.
Adjournment. Adjournment at 9:29 p.m. on motion
by Williams and support by Fortress; carried.
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