Township Board Minutes

MINUTES OF THE CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
7:00 P.M.

Article 1. Supervisor Julien called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Supervisor Julien, Trustees Beahan, Koessel, Fox, Goldberg, and Treasurer Carpenter.
Absent: Clerk Goodyke.
Also Present: Deputy Clerk Biegalle and Rob Elliott from Pondera Advisors, LLC.

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

Article 3. Motion to approve the agenda was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Beahan. Motion carried.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Township Board Minutes
1. Regular Board Meeting Minutes for 7/25/07.
b. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Board of County Road Commission Meeting Minutes for 07/10/07.
c. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Building Department Month End Report for July, 2007.
d. Receive and File Communications
1. Memo from Lt. Doug Venema - re: Camp 911
Motion to approve the consent agenda was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox. Motion carried.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of July 2007 Bills, Payroll, and Transfers.
Motion to approve the July 2007 Bills, Payroll and Transfers was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel. Motion carried.

Article 6. Public Actions (None)

Article 7. Public Comments

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
053-2007 Consider Approval of Kent County Road Commission Local Road Construction Authorization for Plan, Review and Inspection of Burton St. between Kraft Ave. and Cascade Pointe Dr.
Interim Manager Beahan explained the request as common practice for the KCRC to get approval from the Township Board to inspect the above mentioned project. Motion to approve the Local Construction Authorization was made by Trustee Beahan and supported by Trustee Goldberg. Motion carried.

054-2007 Consider Approval of Proposal for Legal Services to the Three Townships regarding the Forest Hill Fire Department analysis.
Supervisor Julien reviewed the process on whether the three Township Fire Departments (Ada, Cascade and Grand Rapids Township) could be combined into one department that would be tentatively proposed to be called the Forest Hill Fire Department. This is a complicated legal process and Attorney John Gretzinger of Nantz, Litowich, Smith, Girard & Hamilton has experience in working with the City of South Haven and several Townships around South Haven in consolidating their department. The Committee (M. Julien, R. Goodyke, R. Beahan, G. Haga and M. DeVries) is very impressed with his knowledge on the legal and practical issues regarding a consolidation. A dollar limit would be set at a not to exceed $30,000 or $10,000 each Township. Discussion followed.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to instruct the Committee to ask Gretzinger to provide the Committee with names of people who have administered a combined fire department/authority, then authorize the Supervisor to hire John Gretzinger if after having discussed it with these people that there are good prospects and they are satisfied that he is the right guy. Motion carried.

055-2007 Consider Recommendation of Personnel Committee regarding Township Manager Job Description.
Supervisor Julien stated that the Personnel Committee had met with the
outside consultants, Pondera Advisors and would like to have Pondera take the Board through their process and thru the job description. Trustee Koessel added that the Personnel Committee had met to review the job description and made some suggestions for some changes, which the Board had in front of them.
Rob Elliot from Pondera Advisors reviewed the Job Description with the Board. Mr. Elliot stated that the issue of Residency needs to be addressed within the job description. Discussion followed. The Board decided that there would be a residency requirement within a time frame of twelve months.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the job description as presented using the word "requires" regarding the residency issue within a time frame of twelve months. Motion carried.

056-2007 Consider Recommendation of Supervisor for appointment to the Board of Review.
Supervisor Julien recommended John Meyer for the Board of Review appointment effective January 1, 2008.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to appoint John Meyer to the Board of Review effective January 1, 2008. Motion carried.

Article 10. Manager's Comments
Interim Manager Beahan reported the following:
" Bolt Ave. paving is in the process of being harvested for timber. Final grading and paving will be done within the next two months.
" Burton St. project has been started. Looking optimistically laying the first bit of pipe Monday. They are in the process of de-watering.
" Water pressure issues over in the plat off of Buttrick have been addressed with the Grand Rapids City Water Department. A joint letter has been sent to all the water customers in that area talking about a voluntary switching of timing on sprinkling.
" The Boardwalk on Buttrick has been damaged by a car swerving off the road. The insurance company of the driver has already called to ask where to send the check.
" Went out to Buttrick with Road Commission personnel and talked about possibilities for some engineering studies.
Motion by Trustee Fox and support by Trustee Goldberg to allow Interim Manager Beahan to enter into an agreement with the Kent County Road Commission regarding engineering studies to Buttrick at the cost of $10,000.00.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Goldberg offered the following comments:
" Pondera is really earning their keep….doing a good job. Happy to have on Board.
Trustee Fox offered the following comments:
" Final Riverbeat concert tomorrow at Tassell Park featuring the Wiley's.
Treasurer Carpenter offered the following comments:
" Received a report from BS&A… the tax area of our software that we have out on the net has had over 13,000 hits in the last year. Assessing has had more than that.
Trustee Koessel offered the following comments:
" Question from resident regarding cars parking in the side yard.
Trustee Beahan offered the following comments:
" Rain location in case of rain…will be at the Wisner Center.

Article 12. Adjournment
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Trustee Beahan to adjourn.
Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Township Deputy Clerk

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