MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS MONROE, MICHIGAN December 17, 2018 1. At a Regular Meeting of the Board of County Road Commissioners at their offices located at 840 S. Telegraph Road, Monroe, Michigan on Monday, December 17, 2018 the meeting was called to order by Chairman Iacoangeli at 5:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call by Deputy Clerk as follows: PRESENT Charles A. Londo Stephen J. Pace Dan Minton Greg W. Stewart Paul Iacoangeli EXCUSED A quorum being present, the Board proceeded to transact business. 3. Commissioner Iacoangeli led the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. Commissioner Iacoangeli led the Opening Prayer. 5. Commissioner Minton moved, seconded by Commissioner Pace to approve the December 17, 2018 regular meeting agenda as presented. Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Excused: 0 Motion carried. 6. Public Comment None. 7. The following items were listed on the Consent Agenda: (with immediate effect) 1) Approval of Minutes- December 3, 2018 2) Approval of Journal Entry No. 865 Vendor Checks #73338-73398 $ 847,985.37 No. 889 Payroll Checks #64256-64274 & Advice #25143-25231 $270,655.74 Bank Service Charge November 2018 $ 90.90 No. 890 Vendor Checks #73399-73445 $ 258,486.56 3) Township Contracts Exeter Township Various Local Roads Mowing 2018 4) Approve the one-year extension of the Phragmite and Brush Control Chemical Treatment contract with G&T Services, Inc. for the 2019 season. 5) Approve the one-year extension of the Guardrail Spraying contract with The Daltons, Inc. for the 2019 season. 6) Mowing Contractor Exeter Township Exeter Township 7) Award bid for three (3) new tandem axle trucks to Great Lakes Western Star in the amount of $315,654.00 8) Approve the purchase of equipment to outfit three (3) tandem axle trucks to Truck & Trailer Specialties in the amount of $331,080.00 Commissioner Stewart moved, seconded by Commissioner Pace to approve the December 17, 2018 Consent Agenda as presented. Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Excused: 0 Motion carried.
8. Unfinished Business - 1) Presentation of the MCRC 5-Year Plan. Monroe County Road Commission December 17, 2018 Page 2 Mr. Pierce indicated Mr. Leach, Mr. Snell and Ms. Hawkins-Freelain along with Mike Smith, worked hard to develop this 5-year plan (2018-2022). He is very proud of the plan, and of the team. This plan will assist the Road Commission in analyzing future needs for the county road system. They hung in there and did a great job. Commissioner Londo asked what stands out about this 5-year plan. Mr. Pierce stated the plan outlines the expenditure of $40million into the county primary road system over a 5 year period. The letter in the front of the plan identifies how the Road Commission wants to move forward in the future. This plan will allow the Road Commission to lead into the future and control the visions and allows the Board to have a small hand in making the decision on how to move our Road Commission forward. This plan will allow the Road Commission to maintain the assets and provide a safety net for maintenance work on roads, such as chip seals, overband crack fills, etc. Should more money become available the plan can be modified and projects advanced, or projects added. This team will analyze roads annually to update the plan as needed. Commissioner Londo stated the 2018 construction season is already completed so this is considered an active 4-year plan to be reviewed annually and projects added or modified. Mr. Pierce explained that the team will meet annually to review the plan, analyze the roads and continue to add future plans to the list of roads to receive improvements. Mr. Pierce explained the exciting part of the plan is the Road Commission is slowing moving to take back control over the primary road system. In developing the team that includes the Superintendent of Maintenance, County Highway Engineer and Director of Finance, it only makes sense to annually review the plan and provide strategy for the future because these individuals have the cumulative information and knowledge to work together to make these decisions. He stated he is very proud of this team and the way they work together. This Road Commission is leading the way for other road commissions to create similar plans in order spend the money wisely and maintain and preserve road assets. There also needs to have a disclaimer added to say all these projects are dependent on funding. Commissioner Minton clarified that if the Board adopts the plan, the team will review the plan annually. Mr. Leach confirmed that the plan would be reviewed and analyzed annually to expand the list into future years. Meetings have been scheduled in February to review the plan to look at adding projects through 2023. It will require the information to be updated annually, such as additional funding available, the PASER ratings, etc. Commissioner Minton stated he appreciated what the staff put together in this 5-year plan, which makes it a simple read for the Board. He stated a lot of background work went into the creation of this document, and wanted to make sure this information has been communicated to the townships when developing this plan. Mr. Leach indicated the Road Commission has partnered with the townships in the past, and often depended on their contribution on roads so all of that was taken into consideration when developing this 5-year plan. Mr. Leach added there is a lot of information that the team reviewed and analyzed that isn t included in the written document. Commissioner Pace asked if the plan included federal aid eligible projects. Mr. Snell indicated they have been incorporated into the plan through 2021. The Federal Aid Committee will be looking at the projects for the 2022 and 2023 years, and they will be added as well.
December 17, 2018 Page 3 Commissioner Pace asked for an estimated figure for the federal aid projects. Mr. Snell stated approximately $2.6 million per year. Commissioner Stewart stated he hoped the Board appreciated all the work done on this plan as it is going to be game changer. He felt this plan would be a good tool to educate the public on how the Road Commission gets from here to there. He felt the staff did an excellent job on this 5-year plan. Knowing that plans change, budgets change and regulations change, this 5-year plan is a great internal working document to monitor how the Road Commission moves forward to maintain our road system. Commissioner Stewart wanted to encourage the 5year plan is put on the Road Commission website because it makes a powerful statement about where the Road Commission is headed, and a great communication tool. This list sets up goals, shows when projects will be done and how the funding affects road maintenance. He once again mentioned the need to get the township up to speed in preparing and forecasting their own internal 5-year plans as it is well worth the effort to plan ahead. Commissioner Stewart said he was very proud of the current board and how they worked with the townships to get work accomplished. Commissioner Iacoangeli echoed the accolades for the work on the 5-year plan. He understands the hesitation to publish the 5-year plan because the public perception will treat the document as set in stone, yet things may need to be altered based on funding availability, emergencies, etc. He was pleased to hear the Governor still talk about the need to put more money on roads. This plan, however, shows where the money is going and it is all laid out. He thanked the team that worked hard to develop this plan and to Mr. Pierce for his direction to the team. Commissioner Stewart asked Mr. Costello if this 5-year plan required a public hearing before being approved. Mr. Costello indicated it did not require a public hearing. Commissioner Stewart moved, seconded by Commissioner Minton to adopt the MCRC 5-year Plan as presented. Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Excused: 0 Motion carried. 9. New Business - 1) Discussion on Jackman/Smith Road Round-A-Bout project. Matthew Snell, County Highway Engineer, explained that plans for the Bedford Township rounda-bout was submitted by Bedford Township Engineers, Mannik & Smith, and reviewed by the Engineering Division. The estimate appeared to be a little high, based on the comparison with two (2) similar projects in Washtenaw County. There were areas that could be adjusted to reduce the overall cost of the project. Mr. Snell noted land would need to be acquired in the northeast quadrant in order to complete this project. He added that should the project move forward, there would be a future need to widen Smith Road to add a left turn lane, which would probably be a cost to the Road Commission. Upon an overall review of the project, the grant received is $600,000 and does not require a match. The MCRC staff has recommended that any contribution from the Road Commission should not exceed $150,000. Should Bedford Township wish to move forward with this project as designed, the township would be responsible for any additional costs.
December 17, 2018 Page 4 Commissioner Minton asked what Mannik & Smith s estimate was and what the Road Commission estimated the project to cost. Mr. Snell indicated including the land acquisition, Mannik & Smith estimated the project at $1.1million, while the Road Commission estimate was approximately $700,000. Commissioner Londo asked what the difference in the project scope of work was compared to the two projects in Washtenaw. Mr. Snell outlined the plans submitted by Mannik & Smith contained a lot of extra work including additional water main work, a larger radius, several additional lanes, decorative lighting, decorative concrete, etc. The information submitted from Mannik & Smith did not include a full set of plans for the water line so it is difficult to determine the actual need for this work or make adjustments. Commissioner Iacoangeli asked why the land acquisition and widening were not included in the original estimate. Mr. Snell stated the original estimate included design and construction, but the additional design and construction engineering, $100,000 for land purchase and demolition put it over $1.1 million. Commissioner Londo asked if the townships engineer provided a detailed breakdown of costs in their $1.2 estimate. Mr. Snell indicated yes, and some items could be discussed and adjusted if necessary. Commissioner Stewart recapped that the grant was $600,000 which would go toward construction. The Road Commission was willing to contribute $150,000 toward construction for a total of $750,000; however items were added to the township estimate such as land acquisition, water lines, lights, concrete and other items to bring their estimate up to $1.1 million. He felt any money contributed by the Road Commission should be applied strictly to construction. He asked if the Engineering Department was recommending that Bedford Township pay for the land acquisition and the extra items. Mr. Snell indicated that was correct. The extra items were not a necessity but a preference. Commissioner Pace asked if the traffic study identified the number of accidents at this intersection and asked if the $150,000 from the Road Commission was our required match. Mr. Snell explained that this CMAQ grant focuses on reducing air pollution from cars idling at this shifted intersection. There is no required match, but the staff recommended a contribution capped at $150,000. Commissioner Pace stated since there is no required match from the MCRC, he felt the $150,000 would be better spent in other roads. There are many roads that really need work before we contribute to beautification projects. Commissioner Pace stated his opinion would be no contribution from the Road Commission, and if Bedford Township wants this project they be responsible for anything over and above the grant. Commissioner Stewart disagreed with Commissioner Pace. He stated if anywhere, a round-about was needed at this specific intersection. He added the round-a-bout isn t about beautification, but was needed to reduce congestion and relieve the current obstacles - lights and stop signs. He would like more information on the land acquisition, safety and number of accidents at this intersection. Commissioner Minton indicated he believes round-a-bouts can be much safer once you get used to them. He travels a great deal in Washtenaw County and the traffic flows much better. With that in mind, he wasn t sure he would support contributing $150,000 for this project. Like Commissioner Pace stated, that money could be used on other roads. He felt the $150,000 was too high for this specific project.
December 17, 2018 Page 5 Commissioner Iacoangeli wanted to confirm that there is no required match for this grant. Snell indicated that was correct, the money would be there regardless. Mr. Commissioner Iacoangeli stated he also had concerns about the land acquisition and future widening of lanes that the Road Commission will be responsible for. Commissioner Stewart would like to know how much Bedford Township is willing to contribution toward this project before the Board moves forward with a decision. The Board would like more information and asked the staff to talk with Mannik & Smith and Bedford Township to obtain additional facts to share with the Board. 10. Report of Officers Randy Pierce (Managing Director) Mr. Pierce wanted to thank Commissioner Pace for his 6 years of dedicated service on the Board. Under the current Board s leadership, the staff was able to outline the major accomplishments over the last 3 years. He thanked Mr. Pace for this support and encouragement while on the Board. Mr. Pierce indicated the closing on the property on Ida West Road took place last week. He also indicated Mr. Leach provided a copy of the 2018-2019 snow removal plan to the Board members. Commissioner Minton asked about the meetings with MDOT on the State Trunkline contract. Mr. Pierce indicated the meeting was postposed and a date will be set in January 2019. David M. Leach (Superintendent of Maintenance) Mr. Leach indicated the Board was given a copy of the 2018-2019 Snow Removal Plan for both day and night crews. The maintenance division is taking advantage of the good weather and working to maintain the gravel roads. The maintenance division continues to follow up on the Milwaukee Road situation as outlined in the Managing Director communication. Mr. Leach also wanted to extend a thank you to Steve Pace for his 6 years of dedication while on the Board. He wished him good luck in his future endeavors. Commissioner Londo asked for an update on Milwaukee Road. Mr. Leach indicated crews have been out there monitoring any additional material coming out of the road, but with the colder temperatures everything is frozen so no scraping can be done at this time. The magnet continues to be used to pick up additional debris which was minimal. The crews will continue to monitor this road. Commissioner Minton asked if there had been more reports about flat tires since the last board meeting. Mr. Leach indicated not to his knowledge. Commissioner Stewart indicated he sent an email to the board and staff after the last meeting regarding the follow up on Milwaukee Road, and he appreciated all those who replied to his communication and for the continued follow up. Matthew Snell (County Highway Engineer) Mr. Snell indicated the Road Commission has applied for the Small Company Internship Award, which is basically a grant for companies of 500 employees or less, for funding to sponsor an intern for the summer from one of several universities in Michigan.
December 17, 2018 Page 6 11. Public Comment - The Engineering Division applied for ten (10) grants through MDOT for railroad crossing improvements. The MCRC received three appropriations in conjunction with these grants - two (2) Norfolk-Southern crossings, one at Dunbar Road in Monroe Township and one on Swan Creek Road in Berlin Township; and one for Ann Arbor crossing at Lewis Avenue in Bedford Township. The Road Commission pays no money for these improvements as the funding is 60 percent by the State and 40percent paid by the railroad companies. He was pleased with the three awards. Dori Hawkins-Freelain (Director of Finance) Ms. Hawkins-Freelain indicated the auditors completed four days of field work, which was uneventful. They are working on the final report and everything looks good. Philip Costello (General Counsel) Mr. Costello updated the Board that he was still waiting on the dismissal on the lawsuit with ITC. He also indicated that one of the Road Commission s truck was featured in the Truck and Trailer 2019 calendar for February. Mr. Costello also thanked Steve Pace for his years of service on the Board. Dawn Poley, Couper Road, thanked the Road Commission for the work done on Milwaukee Road. She also indicated she was able to submit service requests for Far Road but appreciated the follow up. She also submitted a claim form for a damaged tire. She also thanked the Road Commission for all the work they do on the roads. Paul Francis, Bedford Township Treasurer, stated he was disappointed in the comments about the Jackman/Smith round-a-bout. He felt the Road Commission should be contributing to this project because Bedford Township doesn t have half a million dollars. He suggested the Board drive the intersection in order to truly see the need for this project. He hoped the Township and Road Commission could come to an agreement because this is a safety issue, not a beatification project. Luann Schafer, Carleton West Road resident (between Exeter and Faye Road in Exeter Township) stated this road was recently paved and thanked the Board because it is now fabulous. However, she stated that the farming community is concerned about commercial vehicles that are now using Carleton West Road instead of Exeter Road, and it will destroy this road. She asked if Carleton West Road was a Class A or Class B road. Calls have been made to the township ordinance officer to inquire about weight restrictions and commercial use; and he said a call the Road Commission would need to be made for this information. Calls have been made to the Michigan State Police (MSP), and they were told the MSP would need a reason to cite them. She asked what type of rating Carleton West Road had and if there was any way to stop the heavy truck traffic from using this road. The road is curvy and dangerous and the heavy truck traffic only adds to the problem. Commissioner Iacoangeli explained this was public comment time and invited her to stay after the meeting to talk with the staff about her concerns. David Hoffman, County Commissioner/Dundee, stated there is still issues on Milwaukee Road. He said he is out there working daily and there is still problems with the road. He suggested using millings to put a 3-4 inch cap on this road to resolve the problems. He felt had the road been stabilized we wouldn t have had these problems, but there wasn t enough money.
December 17, 2018 Page 7 Mr. Hoffman added that the round-a-bout in much needed and the $150,000 suggested for the Road Commission to participate is cheap and should be done. That corner is ridiculous and a round-a-bout would be smooth and slick. Mr. Hoffman also hoped the Road Board reviewed the 5-year plan. Bob Queen, Exeter Township, extended a Merry Christmas to everyone! He also stated he continues to receive compliments on the S. Stony Creek Road project. He also added that he has received numerous calls on Carleton West Road, and Exeter Township has NO CLASS A ROADS. Mr. Queen also thanked the staff for working well with Exeter Township on projects. 12. Commissioners' Comments - Commissioner Iacoangeli wished everyone a Merry Christmas! Commissioner Iacoangeli also explained that the Board appreciates all the comments from the public, however it is not his intention to put the staff under the microscope, so any citizen is welcome to stay after the meeting to talk with the staff since the Board doesn t always have all the information to address the concerns. Commissioner Iacoangeli indicated at the last meeting, citizens indicated phone calls were not being returned. It is a concern, but the MCRC has a top notch record keeping system so concerns and issues are addressed. Then additional information comes forward to show calls were never made to the Road Commission by the citizens. He appreciated everyone coming out and expressing their concerns. Commissioner Minton wished everyone a Merry Christmas! He wanted to thank Commissioner Pace for his years of service and for the knowledge he shared during his time on the Board. He stated Commissioner Pace brought a great deal of experience and information to the table being a former employee, and he will be missed. Commissioner Minton explained with all the comments tonight about heavy trucks, he felt it might be time to revisit the truck routes. The MCRC has put a great deal of money into these roads and it is critical that we protect our assets. He also appreciated that the public wanted to protect the roads to keep them in good shape as well. Commissioner Minton added that the Road Commission has been fortunate that we haven t had to deal with any snow removal. He stated he wanted to make sure that both day and night shift workers are careful out there and please stay safe when doing their jobs when the snow comes. Commissioner Londo also said Merry Christmas!! He thanked Steve Pace for his dedication to the board and for the expertise he brought to the table. Commissioner Londo also indicated he drove by the NE Salt Facility and liked the set up. Commissioner Stewart also thanked Commissioner Pace for his dedication to the Board. He stated he appreciated the insight that Steve brought to the table. Commissioner Stewart explained that he enjoyed how the current Board worked together in the spirit of cooperation. He reminded the audience that the Board s job is to make and enforce policy and procedures, not to run the day-to-day operations.
December 17, 2018 Page 8 Commissioner Stewart indicated based on comments made about the Milwaukee Road issues with rebar, he sent out an email with a list of concerns to the Board and staff. Some information given from the public turned out to be less that factual, but he was concerned about how phone calls are addressed. He would like to see a policy put in place outlining procedures to protect our receptionist from false accusations. The responsibility is on the Board to follow up on these concerns. Commissioner Stewart stated he feels there is a misconception about the purpose of a round-about. The purpose is to increase efficiency in poorly designed areas, not for heavy traffic areas. There needs to be more discussion from the participants. Commissioner Iacoangeli recognized Commissioner Pace for his years of service stating this would be his last official meeting. He appreciated all of Commissioner Pace s comments and the wisdom relating to road issues he shared with the Board and the public. Outside of the staff, Commissioner Pace had the most knowledge about how road work should be accomplished. He stated Commissioner Pace will be missed. Commissioner Pace thanked everyone for their comments and compliments. He stated it has been his pleasure to serve on the board for the last 6 years. He added that he had 22 years of service to the Road Commission in different capacities so sharing his history and knowledge of roads and the money required to get work done has always been helpful. Commissioner Pace apologized to all the Milwaukee Road residents for the problems they had encountered but sometimes issues surface that no one would have known about. He was confident the staff would continue to monitor the road and address the concerns in the future. Commissioner Pace stated he attended a County Board meeting in 2012 when the county was contemplating taking the Road Commission over. He explained there was a need for more than $30 million for Road Commission to operate efficiently and do their work properly. That would require general maintenance on a regular basis, such as chip seals, paving, maintenance, microsurfacing, ditching, etc. The County eventually decided they did not want to take the Road Commission over and new leadership was put in place to turn this organization around, which it has done efficiently and effectively. He identified that Milwaukee Road is included in the newly adopted 5-year plan. The Road Commission has a $16 million budget so it is only logical that some things have to take a back seat until additional funding is made available. This organization is making progress, working on roads in a systematic way, turning bad roads into good roads. This turn is evident in the development of the 5-year plan the Board just approved. Commissioner Pace stated if the County Board and/or State of Michigan would step up and kick in more money, the Road Commission could get more roads done quicker. He appreciated how the State of Michigan came through with extra funds in order to do Samaria Road (or M151) and on S. Stony Creek Road. These roads could not have been completed without the help from the State and he wanted to extend a thank you to the State. Commissioner Pace stated this Board has been the best board to work with and even when they disagreed they were all able to talk about their concerns, discuss the problems and come to an agreement that was the best for the county as a whole. This board always put their own agendas aside and did what was best for the county citizens. He added he has enjoyed working with the staff currently in place they do a wonderful job and appreciates all their hard work and knowledge about running this Road Commission.
December 17, 2018 Page 9 Commissioner Pace indicated the County Board would be selecting the new Road Commissioner at their next meeting and he hoped the County Commissioners would put aside their own political agendas and do what was best for the county as a whole. This Board is not a political board and should be left to operate as a team. Commissioner Pace indicated that incorrect statements have been made by County Commissioners in the past, and that has caused some problems and chaos when trying to find a workable solution to issues. Without getting the proper information or asking questions about road issues, County Commissioners have made promises to residents to further their own political aspirations. It would prove beneficial for the County to let the Road Commission continue to do what they do best roads. 13. Adjournment - Chairman Iacoangeli stated if there are no objections, the meeting is adjourned at 6:32 p.m. Cheryl A. U Ran Cheryl A. U Ran, Deputy Clerk