Paradise Township Board Regular Meeting May 14, 2014

Transcription

1 Paradise Township Board Regular Meeting May 14, 2014 Meeting called to order by Supervisor Tim Trudell at 6:00 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Board Members Present: Tim Trudell (Supervisor), Lisa Gulliver (Clerk), William King (Treasurer), Robert Whims (Trustee), Tim Wicksall (Trustee) Approval of Agenda: King/Whims: motion to approve the Agenda: Carried 5/0. Consent Calendar: The purpose of the consent calendar is to expedite business by grouping non-controversial items together to be dealt with in one board motion without discussion. Any member of the public, board, or staff may ask that any item of the consent calendar be removed and placed elsewhere on the Agenda for full discussion. Such request will be automatically respected. General Fund Bills Grand Traverse Rural Fire $25, Minutes of April 9, 2014 and May 1, 2014 Treasurer s Report Clerk s Report Ambulance Sheriff Department County Commissioner Supervisor s Report Zoning & Planning Report Mr. King asked that the minutes of May 1, 2014 be removed. King/Wicksall: motion to approve the Consent Calendar as amended: Carried 5/0. Mr. King indicated that the minutes of May1, 2014 lists the meeting starting time as 6:30 p.m. The meeting started at 6 p.m. Trudell/King: motion to approve the minutes of May 1, 2014 as amended: Carried 5/0. Announcements/Correspondence: Resignation Letter for the ZBA The Board is in receipt of a letter from Kurt Douglass. He indicates that he will be moving out of the Township and will not be able to continue to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals. 1

2 Reports: Trudell/King: motion to accept the letter of resignation from Kurt Douglass: Carried 5/0. Class Action Suit - Mrs. Gulliver indicated that she had been contacted by the Township Attorney regarding communication he received about a class action lawsuit that the Township is apparently a part of through the John Hancock Pension investments. The Township was given the option to opt out of the lawsuit. However, due to timing it was too late to opt out. This is just an FYI to the Board about our participation in the lawsuit. Insurance Renewal Par Plan Mrs. Gulliver indicated that another insurance company requested to bid services but then backed out. Municipal Underwriters of Michigan submitted a renewal bid. Gulliver/Trudell: motion to approve the insurance quote submitted by Par Plan: Trudell yes, Wicksall yes, Whims yes, King yes, Gulliver yes: Carried 5/0. Fire Department: Brian Carpenter reported the following: 17 calls total 7 in Paradise 2 in Village of Kingsley 2 in Mayfield 6 in other areas He reported that they have added a lot of new people. The roster is sitting at 14 with more coming. They also have 2 Explorers (Boy Scouts). They do train and assist but are not allowed in the hot zone. There are multiple trainings coming up. Planning Commission: Mr. Wicksall reported on the following: The Township and Village Planning Commissions have formed a subcommittee to work on the Transportation Plan. The next meeting will be May 23 rd at 6 p.m. They are working on getting traffic counts. The Planning Commission discussed the sign. Mr. Trudell asked what the status is on the Master Plan. He asked if there was any feedback from other Townships. Mrs. Gulliver indicated that the Planning Commission needs to do a final approval by resolution. GTC Road Commission: Mr. Trudell reported on the following: Work has begun on Voice and Clark Roads which is a millage project. They are currently removing trees. Scheduled completion is mid June. Elmer s will be doing the seal coating. Civic Center South: Mr. Wicksall reported on the following: 2

3 Worked on the budget. Discussed how to bring in more money. The County is withdrawing their support ($25,000). Report from George and Polly on happenings down at the park. Discussed purchasing a new gate and work on the pillars. Mr. Radtke reported that CCS has picked up the mower donated to them by the Township. Mr. Whims asked what is being done about increasing funding from the County. Mr. Wicksall indicated that we have Commissioner Renny going to bat for Civic Center South but that he is pretty negative about it and encourages trying for grants. Mr. Wicksall indicated that any ideas would be appreciated. Funding is badly needed. He indicated that CCS will be looking at charging for things that have not been charged for in the past. Mr. Radtke indicated that they will be looking at the rental/fee schedules. Mr. Neil Smith indicated that Everett Pierce has resigned from Civic Center South. The Village has appointed Karen Send to replace him. CPO Report: Please refer to the report submitted under the Consent Calendar. Deputy White reported that there has been a rash of Larceny in the Village on Eden Street. Search warrants have been executed. The investigation is ongoing. The suspects have been identified they are just trying to track down the property. There is an ordinance violation issue on Voice Road near Scruffy Trail. He indicated that this has been passed on to Grand Traverse County Code Office and the Prosecutor s Office. This person will eventually have warrants out for his arrest for non compliance. He is in compliance with the Township but not the County. Deputy White indicated that heroin use is on the rise in the area. Deputy White encouraged everyone to make sure that they lock their vehicles and homes. Public Input (Limited to 3 minutes, non-agenda items): Ken Henton (Fife Lake Township) announced his candidacy for State Representative in the 104 th District. Bob Johnson announced his candidacy for District 7 County Commissioner, this seat is currently held by Charlie Renny. Old Business: 1. Charter Phone Mrs. Gulliver reported that she contacted Mr. Stiner the local CenturyLink representative. He was unable to give her much help in way of a quote for services. He indicated that faster service will become available in the near future. However, it will be more expensive. Mrs. Gulliver indicated that she will try one more time to contact CenturyLink and request that they send a business representative out to meet with us and to provide a quote. This will be kept on the agenda under Old Business 3

4 2. Computer Upgrades Mrs. Gulliver presented quotes for computer upgrades from Crain Systems Group and I.T. Right. Both quotes were very complicated and difficult to understand. It was requested that the Clerk create a spread sheet to input the information to make it easier to understand. Keep on Old Business and readdress next month. King/Whims: motion to keep it under Old Business and provide a cost analysis to be presented at the next Board Meeting in June: Carried 5/0. New Business: 1. Road Brining Trudell/Gulliver: motion to contract with Grand Traverse County to provide two (2) applications at $ per application: Trudell yes, Whims no, Wicksall yes, King no, Gulliver yes: Carried 3/2. 2. Hulett Double Headstone Mrs. Gulliver indicated that the ordinance states that a double headstone cannot be larger than 48 inches. The reason this is in there is because if you are putting a double headstone on a single grave, that is all the space you have. This is a double headstone going over two gravesites. It is a veteran s marker with a companion marker in the same style on a granite foundation. She noted that the Board has made this exception before. She is inclined to make this exception because it is over two (2) gravesites and there is room. Trudell/King: motion to approve the variance request from the Lowell Granite Company for the 54x16x4 granite base with matching bronze memorials: Carried 3/2. 3. Veteran s Marker Mrs. Gulliver stated that an individual at Covell Funeral Home took it upon herself to sign the Veteran s Marker Request where the Clerk is the only authorized person to sign. The individual passed away over the winter time and is scheduled to be buried May 21 st or 23 rd. They notified us to install the Veteran s Marker at which time Mrs. Gulliver stated she had not ordered a Veteran s Marker for this individual. It was after some investigation they figured out that one of their employees had signed the form and ordered the marker. The marker ordered is too tall and does not comply with the ordinance. The Ordinance requires that the marker cannot be over 30 inches and this marker is at 42 inches (it is unknown if the 42 inches includes the foundation). Another reason these are not allowed is that over time they fall over and it is a maintenance and insurance liability. Mr. Wicksall asked if the Board could require them to install a bigger foundation to ensure that it doesn t fall over. Another issue is that not long ago another veteran widow requested this marker and she was told she couldn t because it doesn t comply with the ordinance. She regularly visits the cemetery and she will see this marker, if the 4

5 Board allows it. It wouldn t be fair. On the other hand the family requesting the variance really wants a marker placed before Memorial Day. There isn t time to order a new headstone and place for Memorial Day. Trudell/King: motion to contact Covell requesting that the placement of the current stone be temporary until another marker can be ordered that complies with the Cemetery Ordinance. The temporary stone will need to be removed by May 1, 2015: Carried 5/0 4. MPP Signs Mr. Trudell indicated that the two (2) signs (24x48) will be placed northbound and southbound on Garfield Road pointing the way to Mayfield Pond Park. They will be installed before June 7 th (prior to the Adam s Fly Festival). Trudell/King: motion to approve the placement of the Mayfield Pond Park signs not to exceed $700: Wicksall yes, Trudell yes, Gulliver yes, King yes, Whims yes: Carried 5/0 5. TART Trails Mr. Trudell presented the Boardman River Trail Paradise Township Signage and Way Finding Proposal. These signs will be placed at no cost to the Township. Permission is needed because signs will be placed along the trail on Township property. King/Trudell: motion to support TART Trail Plan and allow the placement of a kiosk at Mayfield Pond Park: Carried 5/0 6. Townline Road Whims/King: motion to support the concept as presented in the written by Linda Forwerck, Fife Lake Supervisor, dated May 5, 2014 regarding the reconstruction of one (1) mile of Townline Road: Carried 5/0 7. MAMC Conference Mrs. Gulliver indicated that Michigan Association of Municipal Cemeteries is having a conference in Traverse City on June 11-13, Rates are $75 per person. We will also have to pay $35 in yearly membership dues. King/Trudell: motion to send the sexton, clerk and office administrator to the MAMC Conference on June 11-13, Cost not to exceed $300 (including membership dues): Wicksall yes, Trudell yes, Gulliver yes, King yes, Whims yes: Carried 5/0 5

6 General Board Discussion: Mr. Wicksall discussed the Mayfield Pond Park Clean Up Day. Mr. Trudell reported that it was very successful. We had around 38 volunteers despite the rain mostly from the Sportsman s Club and a local Cub Scout pack and their families. He will be sending out thank you letters. Mr. Wicksall expressed concern about the stretch of road near the school where everyone parks by the ball fields. He feels that the maybe the Township should talk to the school about possibly paving a field to provide parking in order to get the cars off the side of the road. It is causing considerable damage to the edge of the road. Mr. Trudell indicated that he has been talking to the Road Commission about it. The biggest issue there is the railroad track. There are safety issues to address. Mr. King indicated that the auditors will be here this week. They will be here about two (2) days. He has also been notified by the Commission on Aging that we will not be getting $1,200 for the seniors anymore. Mr. King also reported that the Township has lost about $3,400 in revenue sharing. Mr. Whims had a couple of questions regarding the bills. He questioned the landscaping bill from Wyskochil Outdoors for $1, Mrs. Gulliver indicated that the charges consisted of half of the cost for Mayfield Pond Park which is paid up front and a cleaning here. The other bill he had a question about was the Kingsley DDA check for $3, Mr. King indicated that this is the settle settlement portion for the Kingsley DDA. Public Input (Limited to 3 minutes): None Karen Renny announced her candidacy for State Representative in the 104 th District. Neil Smith reported on the following: Village has begun demolishing the old Co-Op Building. They have run into lead & asbestos problems. The Village is moving ahead on a security system for Brownson Park. Village Council has approved a resolution supporting local community stabilization and personal property tax reform without raising property taxes. It is an issue that will be voted on in August. There has been interest in possibly establishing a restaurant or a sporting goods store in the area. The Village has hired a summer intern Chelsea Lajko. Mrs. Gulliver reported that she will be looking into weekend rates for the cemetery. Whims/King: motion to adjourn: Carried 5/0. Meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Lisa K. Gulliver, Clerk Minutes prepared by Jennifer J. Scout, Recording Secretary T:\Township Board\Minutes\TB Minutes 2014\TB Minutes docx 6