Board of Trustees Meeting on March 16, 2009

GENOA CHARTER TOWNSHIP
PUBLIC HEARING AND REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 16, 2009
6:30 P.M.

MINUTES

Supervisor McCririe called the regular meeting of the Genoa Charter Township Board to order at 6:30 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was then said. The following persons were present constituting a quorum for the transaction of business: Gary McCririe, Paulette Skolarus, Robin Hunt, Todd Smith, Jean Ledford, Steve Wildman and Jim Mortensen. Also present were Township Manager Michael Archinal, Township Attorney Rick Heikkinen and approximately sixteen persons in the audience.

A Call to the Public was made with the following response: Mark Jones - I am sorry to see Item 6 (Discussion regarding Genoa Charter Township's continuing participation in the Brighton Area Fire Authority.) on the Agenda. I hope we can make some changes. I retired last year and will be glad to assist.

Steve Moor - I am concerned with Item 6. Congratulations to the board for making the right move.

Approval of Regular Agenda:
Moved by Ledford, supported by Smith, to approve for action all items listed under the Regular Agenda. The motion carried unanimously.

1. Payment of Bills
Moved by Wildman, supported by Ledford, to approve the payment of bills. The motion carried unanimously.

2. Request to approve minutes: 3-2-09
Moved by Mortensen, supported by Ledford, to approve the Minutes of 03/02/09 with the addition of a memo concerning the credit card Resolution that there will only be two cards held by the township. The corrected minutes were voted and carried unanimously.

3. Public Hearing and approval of the township general fund budget for the Fiscal Year 2009/2010: 212 (Liquor Law), 261 (Future Road Improvement), 262 (Fire Construction), 264 (Road Lake Improvement Advances) 270 (Future Parks and Recreation), 271 (Buildings and Grounds) and the DPW Funds: 503 (DPW Utility) and Debt Service Funds #854 thru #876.

A. Disposition of the General Fund Budget. A call to the public was made with no response. Moved by Mortensen, supported by Smith, to approve the Budget for the General Fund for fiscal 2009/10 as presented. The motion carried unanimously.

B. Disposition of General fund accounts: 212 (Liquor Law), 261 (Future Road Improvement), 262 (Fire Construction), 264 (Road/Lake Improvement Advances) 270 (Future Parks and Recreation), 271 (Buildings and Grounds).
A call to the public was made with no response. Moved by Skolarus, supported by Hunt, to approve the budgets for the following funds: 212, 261, 262, 264, 270 and 271. The motion carried unanimously.

C. Disposition of DPW accounts of 503 (DPW Utility) and 504 (DPW Reserve). A call to the public was made with no response. Moved by Skolarus, supported by Ledford, to approve the budgets for DPW Funds 503 and 504. The motion carried unanimously.

D. Disposition of Debt Service Fund accounts: 854 thru 876. A call to the public was made with no response. Moved by Ledford, supported by Skolarus, to approve the budgets for the Debt Service Funds 854 thru 876 as presented. The motion carried unanimously.

4. Request for approval of an amendment to the lease with Livingston County United Way in regards to the previous Genoa Township hall located at 2980 Dorr Road.
It was the consensus of the board to have the Administrative Committee to meet with the United Way to discuss the reason behind their request. Manager Archinal asked a question regarding the status of the lease since it technically expires at the end of the month.The consensus of the Board was that the lease would continue on a month to month basis at no charge to the United Way. Moved by Ledford, supported by Smith, to table the request until the next regular meeting of the board. The motion carried unanimously.

5. Request for approval to enter into a three party agreement with Fonson Construction and Oceola Township for the placement of crushed limestone on Golf Club Road.
Moved by Mortensen, supported by Smith, to approve the agreement with Oceola Township and Fonson Construction for the installation of 15,840 linear feet of 23A crushed limestone on Golf Club Road at an approximate cost of $218,245.00. The motion carried unanimously.

6. Discussion regarding Genoa Charter Township's continuing participation in the Brighton Area Fire Authority.
McCririe - Mayor Lawrence called me a week before the previous fire authority meeting and asked that the chief's evaluation be removed from the agenda because the full board would not be in attendance. Then ten minutes before the next regularly scheduled meeting (03/12/09) Lawrence advised me of her intention to amend the agenda to include discussion related to the fire chief. It is apparent to me that there are different meeting styles within that organization (Brighton Fire Authority). This action is not only unprofessional but suspect. Genoa Township is the largest contributor to that organization. Genoa Township should begin discussing how to best serve our community. I am asking for an independent analysis of the budget of the fire authority and to convene a committee in Genoa Township for the review of participation in the Brighton Fire Authority and whether it appropriate to look at participating with other municipalities or create our own authority. Under no circumstances are we looking to diminish the already stellar fire protection but rather analyze whether there is a more cost effective and way to deliver that service. After that is complete we will respond to the action of the Brighton Fire Authority.

Smith - There is an obligation of the fire authority to do business in public. There appears to be a management program that is occurring behind closed doors. Mr. Corrigan does not answer to the tax payers. He supplies fuel to the authority and sits on the board of directors. Mr. Corrigan should submit his resignation as well as others on the board associated with this decision who is employed by Corrigan.

Mortensen - We need to serve our taxpayers within this community and we have other options that need to be considered.

Skolarus - We have damaged the reputation of our fire chief and opened the township to binding arbitration. If the authority was not pleased with the fire chief they should have been asked for his resignation and offered a severance package.

It was the consensus of the board to have the supervisor appoint a committee to examine the township's long term options as they relate to fire protection.

7. Consider adjustment to the Board of Review member's hourly rate.
Moved by Skolarus, supported by Mortensen, to establish salaries for the board of review at $15.91 per hour. The motion carried unanimously.

Mortensen- The Planning Commission to discuss the PUD agreement with Livingston Commons (Lowes/Walmart) and there are traffic issues that are not addressed in the agreement.

Smith - Please include discussion of the Howell Parks and Recreation budget in the next agenda.

The public hearing and regular meeting of the board was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Paulette A. Skolarus
Genoa Township Clerk
(Press/argus 03/20/09)