Township Board Minutes

MINUTES OF THE CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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, Clerk Goodyke and Treasurer Dood.
Absent: None
Also Present: Township Manager Cousins, Assistant Sandra Otey 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 4d. 3. Education - Deputy Chief Shipley and Firefighter Rick Toppel - Advanced Wilderness Life Support Certification Class - September 5-7, Belding, MI.
The Agenda was revised to exclude the following:
" Article 9. 070-2008 - Consider Approval of Resolution for Transfer Ownership of Liquor License located at 5039 28th St., S.E. (Bennigans)
Clerk Goodyke stated that in consultation with Treasurer Dood, and considering that this corporation which would like to transfer ownership has not paid the Winter tax bill. It is not yet due…until September 15th. Treasurer Dood considered that we should perhaps require that they pay that bill before we transfer the license. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to add Article 4d.3. and remove Article 9. 070-2008 and renumber the remaining items on the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Township Board Minutes of 08/13/2008.
2. Planning Commission Minutes of 07/21/08.
b. Receive and File Communications
1. Letters received re: - Senior Picnic
" Howard and Jeanette Gaylord
" Jeanne Linak
2. Letter received from Forest Hills Public Schools re: -New Board Member.
3. Letter received from Western Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage re: - Matching and Challenge Grants.
c. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Fire Departments July 2008 Monthly Report.
d. Education Request
1. Marjorie Dood - Michigan Municipal Treasurers, September 27-October 1, 2008, Bellaire, MI.
2. Brian Wilson - Code Officials Conference of Michigan, Oct 7-10, 2008, Traverse City, MI.
3. Deputy Chief Shipley and Firefighter Rick Toppel - Advanced Wilderness Life Support Certification Class - September 5-7, Belding, MI.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the Consent Agenda as submitted. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of July 2008 General/Special Funds.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the July 2008 General/Special Funds. Motion carried unanimously.
b. Consider Approval of July 2008 Public Utilities.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Beahan to approve the July 2008 Public Utilities. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Consider Approval of Change Order for the 28th Street Project.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the Change Order for the 28th Street Project. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 6. Public Actions (None)

Article 7. Public Comments

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
070-2008 Consider Request from American Cancer Society for Outdoor Gathering Permit and Overnight Event at the Cascade Library.
Sandra Otey reviewed the request from the American Cancer Society to hold their event on May 29th -30th, 2009. The event will be held on Jacksmith Dr., similar to how it was in 2008. We did receive a complaint from Noto's regarding the lack of directional signs to direct people into their parking lot. Terry has been working with them to rectify the situation. Terry Roach from the American Cancer Society was present for any questions. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the request from the American Cancer Society for an Outdoor Gathering Permit and Overnight Event at the Cascade Library on May 29-30, 2009 in exchange for waiving the Township fee we obtain in its place a $1,000 sponsorship package. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

071-2008 Consider Approval of Landscape Bid for 28th Street Streetscape Project.
Sandra Otey reviewed the Landscape bid for the Board. We received two bids. This project is part of the DDA streetscape project that is currently underway. The recommendation is Twin Lakes Nursery at the cost of $30,440.00. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the Landscape Bid for 28th Street Streetscape Project to Twin Lakes Nursery in the amount of $30,440.00. Motion carried unanimously.

072-2008 Consider Approval of Agreement with The Rapid.
Manager Cousins stated that this was an amendment to our Agreement concerning the provision of GO!Bus service within Cascade. This will increase the fee/reimbursement that the Township pays from $16.97 per rider to $18.76 both for ambulatory and for wheelchair individuals. The fares for the people riding are unchanged. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the Amendment to the Agreement with the Rapid. Motion carried unanimously.
073-2008 Consider Approval of Resolution for the Centennial Park Land Use and Design Plan.
Sandra Otey noted that the plan is "wrapped up". The Township did Fund half of the plan, the Business Association funded the other half of the plan. Beckett & Raeder was the consultant that was hired and they have been working on the Master Plan Study. This plan is strictly for the business portion of Centennial Park. They are located in the DDA. The plan was reviewed by the DDA, Planning Commission and the Business Association in May, 2008. Tonight we are asking the Board to approve a Resolution adopting the plan. What will happen from here, the Township will begin working on an overlay zoning district for their business park. In that we will have business association members, DDA members, Planning Commission members to work on some recommendations for that overlay zoning district. The DDA was concerned with some of the funding in the projects and the cost. The Business Association was made aware from the git go that these projects would not strictly be funded from the DDA/Township. They would certainly have to have their hand in taking care of some of these improvements. The DDA has committed in funding streetlights, street trees and sidewalks. This totals approx. $2,000,000. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the Resolution for the Centennial Park Land Use and Design Plan with added language without at this time committing to the funding and/or construction of any particular project within the plan. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

074-2008 Consider Approval of Resolution for Utility Rebates.
Supervisor Julien stated that the Utility Committee met last week and with charge from the Board whether we could provide some form of incentive to our residents who live in homes (residential properties) that have water or sewer or both in front of their homes and are not currently hooked up…they are not currently customers of the system. Because we fund projects through these fees, we also fund projects to expand the system through rate increases. We need more customers. The more customers we have the system is expanded there is a bigger rate base to amortize those construction costs. It is the recommendation of the Utility Committee to waive for a period of sixteen months (Sept.,2008 - Dec., 2009) the Township fee. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Treasurer Dood to approve the Resolution for Utility Rebates subject to changing the rebate to base it on a per diem with an August 31, 2008 start date. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

Article 10. Manager Comments
Manager Cousins offered the following comments:
" There is a flag lowering this Friday for the unfortunate demise of Army Staff Christopher Rodgers who is from Michigan.
" We are working on some driveway improvements at McGraw Park to help with the Spring flow of water during the high water times. Also some tree work.
" We are also working on electric at the museum, to provide proper power for lighting the Christmas tree. The Historical Society will be lighting a tree this year.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Beahan offered the following comments:
" September 3rd the Open Space group is meeting for discussion about how to come up with some marketing methods for the passing of the millage.
" Tomorrow night the Cascade Community Foundation is having movies in the park at the Tassell Park. They are showing the Pink Panther at dusk.
Treasurer Dood offered the following comments:
" She met with Cloud (the photographer) who would be interested in taking our picture. He suggested his place of preference would be Tassel Park. If this would be something that we would be interested in doing he is looking at two weeks from today.
It was suggested that the Board takes their own pictures…save the money.
" We are staying busy in the Treasurer's Dept….budgets, the investment policy, networking with people on request for proposal. We have lots of things going on and I have quite a bit of professional development in the month of September.
Trustee Koessel offered the following comments:
" The newsletter…when is that due to come out next? It is currently being held up and is scheduled to be mailed out the week of October 6th. Can we include in the newsletter the ballot language that we approved now? Can we put any description at all? It has to be information rather than advocacy.
Clerk Goodyke offered the following comments:
" At the last meeting I failed to mention that we had the Senior Lunch. It was held at the Wisner Center and it went really well.
" I was also wondering when Committee's meet they often give a kind of an official report of what they discuss. I think had we seen that from the Utility Committee we would have been better prepared for the issue today. I think if we had some kind of reporting system to the Board, it would improve the communication that was mentioned at the last meeting. I would like to encourage committee's when they meet to have someone do summary notes and just let the Board members know what is being decided and if recommendations are going to be brought so we can think them over.
" There has been a request by our IT people, that at the end of ea. Meeting each committee that meets here should be asked to properly shut their computers off. We have had to replace hard drives in three of the computers already.
Trustee Goldberg offered the following comments:
" In my absence at the last meeting the Board approved an Assembly Permit to the Centennial Country Club and Pioneer Construction for their outdoor gathering. I attended that gathering and it was a delightful evening.

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

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Deputy Clerk

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