on May 4, 2011 at 3:21am.
Board of Trustees Meeting on March 21, 2011
GENOA CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD
Regular Meeting and Public Hearing
March 21, 2011
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 and Jim Mortensen. Also present were Township Manager Michael Archinal, Township Attorney Frank Mancuso and approximately 70 persons in the audience.
A call to the public was made for items non-related to the weed control agenda items with the following response:
Kristian Smith of 6972 Rink Drive lives at the corner of Rink and Hubert. He is here to discuss the Salvation Army. He turned in the pictures that are before the Board this evening. The traffic is horrendous. Cars park on both sides of Hubert. 7 cars turned around in his driveway on Rink Road within an hour. He understands that they are working to install 17 more spaces however that will not cut it. This happens on Wednesday's too. When this was proposed it was to be a furniture store that would not generate that much traffic. It clearly wasn't built for the capacity that is there today. There is also an animal adoption agency that operates out of the building. When the original building was proposed they decided to keep trees rather than build a wall. All the trees have died and now the backyards look at the loading docks. Vehicles dropping off goods look directly at the homes. The store hours are until 10pm at night. That is too late. Vehicles come and go all night. The diesel delivery trucks are left running. There are children that live adjacent to the Salvation Army outlet and it is huge safety hazard. On Hubert Road the traffic is heavy and the speed limit sign is gone. The trash that is left behind is enormous. When Salvation Army has a sale they make unattractive crude signs that are an eye sore. Other businesses in the area have been impacted. We would like some "no U-turn signs" and "no parking signs" along Rink and Hubert Roads. Cars are parking in our yards and then walking across our yards to get to the Army and also Kil's Tae Kwon Doe. We need a traffic light at Hubert and Grand River or perhaps the entrance needs to be moved to Grand River. There are strangers walking through the neighborhood. A commercial "for sale" sign has never been removed. We need a tall wall to separate this business from our residences. This has been going on for around two or three years.
McCririe - We are aware of the issues that are over there. We have been working with the property owner. The owner is being cooperative. We will get the required amount of parking on-site installed. We will meet with them to address your comments this evening. We will meet with the Livingston County Road Commission regarding signage. Our goal is to get cooperation going between the neighbors and the business/property owner. The disturbance to the neighbors will be solved or greatly reduced. We need time to address your concerns.
Other residents voiced their concern. They expressed concern for their children and the individuals working for the Salvation Army. McCririe will keep Mr. Smith advised of the steps being taken by the township and that information will be relayed to effected residents.
Director of Operations for Salvation Army - Jacqulynn Smalley wants the public to know all drivers are screened for CSC and have been background checked. All employees and volunteers are also checked. Please don't be concerned about that. We try to get our trucks in and out as quickly as possible. We have switch out trucks which is something we don't do anywhere else. Sometimes it takes 30-60 minutes to get things loaded and moved out and we do our best. We had two trucks in January and two in February that had to sit longer than 30 minutes. We have records to show how long our trucks sit. Smalley stated that she will make sure trucks turn off their lights.
Debbie Duncan - I live directly behind the Animal Rescue. They take the dogs to use the bathroom in my yard. They leave dogs in that facility overnight. They are in cages. I'm concerned about my animals getting something from the rescue dogs.
Approval of Consent Agenda:
Moved by Ledford, Supported by Smith to approve all items listed under the consent agenda. The motion carried by roll call vote as follows: Ayes: Ledford, Smith, Hunt, Mortensen, Skolarus,
McCririe; Nays: none; absent: Wildman.
1. Payment of Bills
2. Request to approve minutes: 03-07-11
3. Request for approval of a conflict for interest policy for Township employees and board members.
4. Request for approval of a proposal from Fonson Construction for the installation of crushed limestone on Kellogg Road at a cost of $182,511.00 with tree removal not to exceed $20,000.00 between Golf Club and McClements.
5. Request for approval of a Charitable Gaming License for the Livingston Women's Club.
Approval of Regular Agenda:
Moved by Mortensen, Supported by Ledford to approve for action all items listed under the regular agenda. The motion carried unanimously
6. Request for approval of Resolution #3 to (To Approve the Project, Cost Estimates, Special Assessment District and Causing the Special Assessment Roll to be Prepared) for the East and West Crooked Lakes Aquatic Weed Control Reimbursement Special Assessment Project.
Archinal - Six e-mails were received in support and four were received in opposition to the project. 92 petitions are required to stop this project from going forward. Penny Perkowski turned in a petition with 65 additional homeowners opposed. She asked for an extension to obtain additional signatures.
Mr. Crane has 13 pages of 30 signatures and then he has one page of 16. He has a number of 406. So he believes you need 82 signatures to be opposed. Archinal - The methodology used in creation of the district was whether or not they had frontage or deeded access. We added deeded access and the number increased to 459 because of that. The 20% was based on 459 properties.
Mr. Crane - we have children and that is different from those with marina privileges. We are different from Chemung or Woodland. It is poison they are putting in the lake. The lake is very shallow. There is always something that can go wrong. We need more time to get more signatures.
Jim DelCamp of 4481 Clifford has lake access through Conrad subdivision to swim there. Two years ago someone treated the lake and my grandchildren swam there. We had no idea the lake was treated. The long term side effects are unknown. There are alternatives. Someone has to rake the dead leaves and fertilizer use needs to be stopped. I use weeds as compost. I can't do that if they are chemically treated.
Mike Brazeale 2848 Grover is in support. The use of chemicals on Lake Sherwood where we used to live made the lake very nice. There was no harm to our lake or our children. The invasive weeds that is not native to Michigan need to be eliminated. The only weed we want to get rid of is the Eurasian milfoil. When it dies it sinks to the bottom. You won't need to rake. We looked into harvesting and no one wants the weeds. When you cut the weeds the fragments create more plants. Cutting one plant will generate five. The best chance for our lake to get healthier and return to a more natural state is to get rid of the invasive species.
Jodi Cook 3924 Highcrest Drive - I was the secretary of the Tri-Lakes Association. When I was on the Board we looked at the weevil. It was not an attractive option because it takes a few years. It has been 100% successful and is a natural alternative. Had we done it a few years ago when it was talked about the problem it would be fixed or reduced. The cost may be lower and this should be looked it. A weevil is a bug that feeds only on the milfoil.
Mike Brazeale - We did look into the weevil and we couldn't find any success stories. We will look into the weevil again.
Skolarus - Petitions received by the township, whether in favor or opposed, need to be signed by every person who is an owner of the property. Petitions will be reviewed for accuracy by the assessing department.
Peggy Perkoski states she has two more petitioners to submit.
Skolarus - The next public hearing is scheduled for April 4th. We can allow a 30 day extension from today to allow for the collection of additional signatures in opposition.
Moved by Skolarus, supported by Mortensen to approve Resolution No. 3 as submitted. The motion carried as follows: Ayes - Smith, Hunt, Mortensen, Skolarus and McCririe. Abstain - Ledford (since she will benefit from the project). Absent - Wildman.
7. Request for approval of Resolution #4 to Acknowledging the Filing of the Special Assessment Roll, Scheduling the Second Public Hearing, and Directing the Issuance of Statutory Notices for the East and West Crooked Lakes Aquatic Weed Control Reimbursement Special Assessment Project.
Moved by Smith, Support by Skolarus, to approve Resolution No. 4 scheduling the second public hearing for April 4, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. The motion carried by roll call vote as follows: Ayes - Smith, Hunt, Mortensen, Skolarus and McCririe. Abstain - Ledford. Absent - Wildman.
8. Request for approval of the 2011-2012 budget for the general fund.
A Call to the public was made with one resident asking for a copy. Skolarus provide a copy of the budget. No other comments were received.
Skolarus - there have been two changes to the General Fund Budgets since they were last reviewed. The first is for road in the General Fund. It was changed from $100,000.00 to $200,000.00 to cover cost of road work approved in the consent agenda this evening. The second is related to a $75,000.00 increase to the parks and recreation budget to cover the cost of lighting the soccer field and the purchase of playground equipment. These changes do not jeopardize any other projects. At the end of this year we expect to have a budget balance in excess of 1.5 million.
Moved by Ledford, supported by Smith to approve the General Fund Budget as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
9. Request for approval of debt service fund budgets as follows: 854 thru 859, 862, 864, 866, thru 870, 872, 873, 875, 876 as provided by Treasurer Hunt.
Hunt - 16 debt service fund budgets were presented. The reports include actual figures for the year ending 03/31/2011 and the budget for the upcoming year. The budgets are reviewed by the township auditing firm.
Moved by Skolarus, supported by Mortensen, to approve the debt service fund budgets as submitted. The motion carried
unanimously.
10. Request for approval of the miscellaneous budgets as follows: Liquor Law #212, Road Improvement Fund #261, Road Lake Reimbursement #264, Future Development Parks and Recreation #270, Building Reserve #271, DPW Fund #503 and DPW Reserve #504.
Moved by Ledford, Supported by Mortensen, to approve the miscellaneous budgets as requested. The motion carried unanimously.
11. Request for approval of revision to Building Department Fee Schedule and Construction Board of Appeals Membership and procedures.
Archinal explains the changes to the documents are a result of a request from the State of Michigan.
Moved by Smith, supported by Ledford, to increase the membership of the Construction Board of Appeals to five members and appoint Piet Lindhout and Scott Markwardt to the Board of Appeals. All
members will serve terms expiring as follows:
Mark Leonard 3 year term expiring in December of 2014
James Barnwell 2 year term expiring in December of 2013
Brian Donovan 2 year term expiring in December of 2013
Piet Lindhout 1 year term expiring in December of 2012
Scott Markwardt 1 year term expiring in December of 2012
After the expiration of the above listed terms, each member will then be re-appointed for 2 year terms. The motion carried unanimously.
Moved by Skolarus, supported by Mortensen, to approve the revisions to the Construction Board of Appeals Procedures as submitted. The motion carried unanimously.
Moved by Ledford, supported by Skolarus, to approve the amendments to the Building Department Fee Schedule. The motion carried unanimously.
12. Request for approval to enter into a contract with Crampton Electric for installation of soccer field lighting not to exceed $45,591.00.
Moved by Smith, Supported by Ledford, to authorize the execution of the proposals with Crampton Electric Co., Inc. to install the electrical service for the soccer field lighting on a Time and
Materials basis at a cost not to exceed $45,591.00. The motion carried unanimously.
13. Request for approval of newsletter articles to be published April 1, 2011.
Hunt - on the kids just want to have fun article: We should make sure we don't need approval from the people in the pictures. Mancuso - We should have written permission. Skolarus - I did get verbal permission. Mancuso - I would like to look into it and find out tomorrow. Archinal - Permission is not necessary if they are taken in a public area. Hunt - I would like to have the budget article removed. Mortensen agrees. Smith - under fireworks it states the Township "will" grant permits. It should just state that they need to apply for a permit. Remove the second paragraph and state that application for permit can be made at Genoa Township. Mortensen - proof of fireworks insurance should be included in the article. In census bureau article about education it should state "of those graduates".
Ledford - In the Argus article about SELCRA the City of Brighton cut back their contribution by half. She will attend the next meeting. If rates change it may need to be in the newsletter. Jean will provide when she has it. Robin - perhaps we should remove the SELCRA article until we know what will happen. Members agree to take it out.
The public hearing and regular meeting of the board was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Paulette A. Skolarus
Genoa Township Clerk
Kelly VanMarter, Planner
(Press/argus 03/25/2011)