Township Board Minutes

MINUTES
CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
7:00 P.M.

Article 1. Supervisor Julien called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Supervisor Julien, Trustee Beahan, Koessel, Currier, Treasurer Carpenter and Clerk Goodyke. Trustee Parrish arrived at 8:00 p.m.
Absent: None
Also Present: Manager Cravens, Deputy Clerk Biegalle and those listed on Supplement #1.

Article 2. Supervisor Julien led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Article 3. The Agenda was revised to include the following:
· Article 5. c - Update on 28th St. Landscape Project and recommendation on the Final payment.
· Article 9 03-2006 - Status Report on 2005 Board Goals.
The agenda was approved with the above stated revisions on a motion by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Treasurer Carpenter. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Township Board Minutes
1. Regular Meeting Minutes of 12/14/05.
b. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Library Advisory Board Regular Meeting Minutes of 12/5/05.
2. Kent County Road Commission Meeting Minutes of 11/8/05.
3. Kent County Road Commission Meeting Minutes of 11/22/05.
4. Kent County Road Commission Operating Budget Meeting Minutes of 11/22/05.
c. Receive and File Communications
1. Letter from Todd Merrill re: Taxes
2. Letter from Eric Neitzel re: Dam Draw Down
3. Letter from Kent County Road Commission re: Tom Cisler letter/improvements on Cascade Rd.
4. Letter from Kent County Road Commission re: Traffic Issues
5. Letter from Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen re: Purchase of property in Meadowbrook Business Park.
6. Letter of response from Steve Peterson to Cascade Thornapple River Association /Eric Neitzel re: Property at 7725 - 48th Street.
7. Copy of a resolution passed by the Kent Intermediate School District Board.
8. Copy of a resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Grand Rapids Community College.
d. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Fire Department Month End Report for November.
2. Fire Department Month End Report for December.
3. Memo regarding Supervisor Appointments to various Township Boards and Commissions.
The consent agenda was approved on motion by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Treasurer Carpenter.
Trustee Beahan questioned whether the Board was going to respond to Mr. Merrill's letter (4c.1). Supervisor Julien asked Manager Cravens to go over the concerns in the letter with Mr. Merrill.
Clerk Goodyke commented on the letter from Tom Cisler of the Kent County Road Commission (4c.3.) Motion carried unanimously.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of Bills, Transfers, and Payroll for December 2005.
Motion to approve Bills, Transfers, and Payroll for December 2005 was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Treasurer Carpenter.
Trustee Koessel inquired when we were going to see a reduction in costs for the Building & Grounds Departments cell phones. Manager Cravens stated they were going to be on a joint account with the Fire Department and eliminating the phones with Nextel.
Trustee Beahan questioned a line item in the amount of $12,359 for the Fire Department for small equipment. Motion carried unanimously.
b. Treasurer's Department Bank Balances for November, 2005.
Motion to approve November Bank Balances for November, 2005 was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Beahan. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Update on 28th St. Landscape and Street Light Project and the
Recommendation on the Final Payment.
Manager Cravens reviewed the project and recommended the Final payment be paid in the amount of $71,845.00.
Motion was made by Treasurer Carpenter and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the Final payment to Buist Electric in the amount of $71,845.00. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 6. Public Actions (None)

Article 7. Public Comments (None)

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
01-2006 Discussion and Consideration of First Reading of Sewer Use Ordinance
Manager Cravens reviewed the proposed Sewer Use Ordinance. Cascade Charter Township and all customer communities of the Grand Rapids sanitary sewer system are being asked to adopt new sewer use ordinance by the City of Grand Rapids. The proposed ordinance has been reviewed by our Township attorneys for consistency with our other utility ordinance and State law. Consideration for ordinance adoption would take place on January 25, 2006, following a public hearing. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Treasurer Carpenter to approve the First Reading of the Sewer Use Ordinance. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

02-2006 Consider Approval of Fourth of July Street Fair Contract for
Rides and Amusements
Manager Cravens reviewed the contract with "Funny Business" for the Fourth of July Street Fair.
Clerk Goodyke inquired if there was any way to keep track of the "additional expenses" involved with the Fair. (i.e., Fire Department/B&G hours)
Trustee Beahan asked why we are paying $38,000 right away. Manager Cravens was asked to negotiate a down payment with "Funny Business".
Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Beahan to approve the contract for the Fourth of July Street Fair with "Funny Business" for the amount of $37,834. Motion carried unanimously.

03-2006 Report on 2005 Township Board Goals
Manager Cravens relayed that he felt the Board had completed all their goals for 2005. Although he did want to discuss the wireless technology goal and the recycling goal to see if anything more needs to be done in 2006. Discussion followed.

Article 10. Manager's Comments
Township Manager Cravens submitted to following for comments:
· Needed to set a date for a 2006 Goal setting meeting.
Discussion followed. It was decided that the Board would meet on Monday, January 30th at 5:30 p.m. at the Township Hall to discuss goals for 2006.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Currier reported on the following:
· The Cascade Phone Book put together by the Community Foundation was great.
Trustee Parrish reported on the following:
· She had been appointed to the Kent County Agriculture Preservation Board as a representative of Cascade Township.
Clerk Goodyke reported on the following:
· "Paper-less" agenda packets, once we moved into the new Wisner Center. Discussion followed.
· We had a record setting month for passport applications.
· It was also mentioned that the Board consider a goal regarding putting a task force together to recruit specific business to Cascade Township.
Treasurer Carpenter reported on the following:
· Did all Board members receive her e-mail regarding the installment purchase for the new fire truck?
· Cascade Township had a AA rating for Bonding purposes.
· Reviewed our internet services hook-up with BS&A.
· Reported the 2002/2003 bankruptcy case with IPCS was settled.
Trustee Koessel reported on the following:
· His telephone number was not in the new phone book.
Trustee Beahan reported on the following:
· Community Foundation envelope in the new telephone directory for donations.
· Open Space Committee was ready to commit to a Natural Features Inventory at the cost of $3,000.
· Building Inspections Department doing a good job.
· Sewer repair at Thornhills/28th St….what was going on?
Supervisor Julien reported on the following:
· Homeyer Fund Grant - $500,000…Cascade's match would be $500,000 also.

Article 12. Adjournment
Motion was made by Trustee Parrish and supported by Clerk Goodyke to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Deputy Clerk

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