on May 4, 2011 at 5:09am.
Board of Trustees Meeting on September 8, 2009
GENOA CHARTER ELECTION COMMISSION
Special Meeting
September 8, 2009
6:25 P. M.
MINUTES
Clerk Skolarus called the special meeting of the Election Commission to order at 6:25 p.m. at the Genoa Charter Township Hall. The following commission members were present constituting a quorum for the transaction of business: Jean Ledford, Steve Wildman and Paulette Skolarus. Also present were township board members: Gary McCririe, Robin Hunt, Todd Smith and Jim Mortensen, Township Manager Michael Archinal and approximately thirty persons in the audience.
Moved by Ledford, supported by Wildman, to approve the Agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
1. Consideration of a request from the local school districts to combine precincts for the Nov. 3, 2009 School Election with a recommendation to the Board.
Moved by Wildman, supported by Ledford, to recommend to the Genoa Charter Township Board the consolidation of Precincts 4 & 6 at Church of the Nazarene and the consolidation of Precincts 7
& 8 at Hornung Elementary School. The motion carried unanimously.
2. Consideration of the appointment of election officials to serve for the School Election Nov. 3, 2009 with a recommendation to the Board. Moved by Ledford, supported by Wildman, to recommend the appointment of election officials as requested by Skolarus. The motion carried unanimously.
The special meeting of the Genoa Charter Election Commission was adjourned at 6:28 p.m.
GENOA CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD
Regular Meeting
September 8, 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. All board members listed above remained for the regular meeting of the Board.
Call to the Public was made with the following response: Charles Saliba - The recent music festival held at the Chaldean Camp this past weekend was too loud. Ann O'Reilly - I am asking that you enforce the Township noise ordinance. Robert Kopicko - I moved out to the country for peace and the noise is unacceptable. George Oliveto - I live across the street and my property values are going down. I can't enjoy my own home. Sandra Harrison - I live ½ mile down from the camp and my windows were rattling. The bass was just too loud. There were speeding cars clocked at 70 M.P.H. and more litter along the road on the weekends.
Terry Hanus - I agree that the bass was too loud and the number of cars up and down the street all day is another problem. Was a permit issued for the driveway? There are also signs along Grand
River that obstruct the view when entering Grand River. Patricia Kopicko - This is not an ethnic issue. It is a noise problem that needs to be addressed. We are asking the camp to be good
neighbors.
Eric Tluczek - We all have rights. They have the right to play their music. The music is not bad, but I have an issue with the noise volume. Joe Guzek - I am an engineer and I do sound analysis
with monitoring equipment. My back yard peaked at 90 decibels. Jay Sitek - I live on Euler. The noise from the music is loud and continuous. I could hear the music in my home and also on the
Ironwood Golf Course that is two miles north of the camp. Wall Tridg - I could hear the music but it doesn't bother me. The bass is loud but I have no problem with that kind of music. I have
lived here since 1973 and there was a wedding that wasn't too bad. The Chaldean people are very friendly and I feel this problem can be reconciled. Ms. Ellens - I live near Tridg and Saturday the
noise was excessive. We need procedures in place to solve this problem in a friendly manner.
Approval of Consent Agenda:
Moved by Smith, supported by Wildman, to approve items 1, 2, 4 & 5 and to move the request for approval of a survey to the regular agenda for discussion. The motion carried unanimously.
1. Payment of Bills
2. Request to approve minutes: 8-17-09
3. Request for approval of a Professional Survey Proposal for Wildwood Drive Paving in the amount of $20,000 as submitted by Tetra Tech.
4. Request for approval to combine school district precincts as follows: Combining precincts 4 and 6 located at Church of the Nazarene; combining precincts 7 and 8 located at Hornung School.
5. Request for approval of election officials for the Brighton Area Schools and the Pinckney Community Schools special election scheduled for Nov. 3, 2009.
Approval of Regular Agenda:
Moved by Mortensen, supported by Smith, to approve for action all items listed under the regular agenda with the addition of the survey proposal for Wildwood Drive. The motion carried
unanimously.
6. Discussion regarding noise complaints at Chaldean Camp.
McCririe - Last year at this time a festival was held at the camp. There were several problems that were raised by our residents. The Township met with church officials concerning litter, noise,
parking and traffic. The Church was willing to make changes and we felt that some of those issues were settled. This past year there have been almost no calls of complaint from any of the
neighbors living near the camp. I was called by the State Police and they requested that I visit the property this last Sunday. I spent two hours in the neighborhood and could hear music off the
property. The parking was controlled and shuttle service was offered to members. One resident who was jogging along the northwest corner said that he could not hear the noise/music from his home.
We need to work with the camp to bring the noise level to something more acceptable. The camp is a church gathering place and they have the right to hold parties and weddings, etc. We do not wish
to eliminate but instead to bring the camp into compliance with our noise ordinance.
Mortensen - What is the noise decibel allowed under our ordinance? Archinal - The decibel depends on the time of day. The decibel system is a logarithm scale with dramatically increasing sound
with each additional decibel. Mortensen - Our Ordinance
Enforcement Officer should be writing tickets for each offense with escalating fines. McCririe - Fines are our last resort when property owners do not cooperate. Smith - There are no means for us
to police what is going on at 1:00 a.m.
Skolarus - We have members of the Chaldean Church present here this evening. May we ask them to address our concerns? Mr. Shurfu (St. George Church Pastor) - We apologize for the noise. We will be glad to work with you. We know that we cannot satisfy to 100% but we will work together.
Trustee Smith left the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Hunt - We could put in time restrictions stopping the music at a reasonable hour. Skolarus - There is directional signage that could be placed along Grand River directing residents to the camp.
McCririe - A meeting will be held with the Code Enforcement Officer, the Chaldean Camp and me to discuss the following concerns: Noise (decibel level), signage, parking, littering, speeding, etc. We have a portable sound meter that can measure the decibel level at the property line. In addition our Zoning Ordinance will be reviewed with possible changes for clarity.
7. Request for approval of a Professional Survey Proposal for Wildwood Drive Paving in the amount of $20,000 as submitted by Tetra Tech.
Moved by Skolarus, supported by Hunt, to approve the survey for Wildwood as requested. Further, the survey fee will be considered as part of the township financial support for the road project.
The motion carried unanimously.
8. Request to enter into closed session to discuss the purchase of real estate for which there is not a purchase offer.
Moved by Mortensen, supported by Hunt, to adjourn to a closed session of the board. The motion carried by roll call vote as follows: Ayes - Ledford, Hunt, Wildman, Mortensen, Skolarus and
McCririe. Nays - None. Absent - Smith.
The closed session of the board was adjourned at 7:40 p.m. The regular meeting of the Genoa Charter Township Board was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Paulette A. Skolarus
Genoa Township Clerk
(Press/argus 09/11/2009)