Township Board Minutes

MINUTES OF THE CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
7:00 P.M.

Article 1. Supervisor Beahan called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Supervisor Beahan, Trustee Koessel, Lewis, Fox, Goldberg, Treasurer Dood and Clerk Goodyke.
Absent: None
Also Present: Manager Cousins, Planning Director Peterson, Auditor Phil Saurman of Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & Carter, PC., Jeff Hillegonds of Progressive AE, and those listed on Supplement #1.

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

Article 3. Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Regular Board Meeting Minutes of 05/13/2009.
2. Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 03/23/2009.
b. Receive and File Communications
1. Letter from Comcast - re: Changes on Channel Line-up
c. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Fire Department Monthly Report for April, 2009.
2. Treasurer's Office Monthly Report for February, 2009.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Trustee Goldberg to
approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of General/Special Funds for April, 2009.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the General/Special Funds for April, 2009. Motion carried unanimously.
b. Consider Approval of Public Utilities Funds for April, 2009
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the Public Utilities Funds for April, 2009. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Consider of Approval of 2009 Budget Adjustments.
Clerk Goodyke asked if he could make a statement. Clerk Goodyke stated that the Budget Adjustments are based on numbers that the department heads submitted to be used as possible "cuts" to the budget. We were asked to look for ten percent (five percent now, and five percent later) that could possibly be eliminated from the budget in order to make up for what we anticipate as loss of revenue from State and Local sources. That was done. But at any rate, it was never taken up as something that we (as a group) looked at and said "is this the best that we can do". It seems to me that we should have a discussion of these various cuts projected by some of the department heads at staff level and at Finance Committee level before the Board considers the step of Budget Adjustments, and look at some other areas that have not fallen into that basket yet…this has not been done.
Trustee Koessel stated that the Finance Committee did look at some of the reductions. The Committee did rely on staff to come up with recommendations and we asked about certain things and the committee was comfortable that the recommendations met the intent of trying to keep a balanced budget.
Trustee Goldberg stated the following:
" We did not look for areas to cut that were not on the list of cuts…we looked at the list of cuts and tried to get a sense if they were reasonable things to cut. We did not "scour" the entire budget looking for cuts, in addition to these being proposed tonight.
" I have a very high degree of certainty we are going to see more cuts from the Governor and shortfalls in the revenue than we have seen thus far this year. I don't think we are going in the other direction.
Treasurer Dood stated that she was looking at it from the
perspective that all the managers were OK with these cuts.
Clerk Goodyke again reiterated that if we had talked about this a
little bit, are these the best areas to cut from…is there more that
could come somewhere else. I seems like it was done in a
"vacuum".
Trustee Koessel stated that he felt these budget cuts were
reasonable at the time.
Discussion continued.
Manager Cousins reviewed the budget adjustments being
proposed.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee
Fox to approve the 2009 Budget Adjustments as proposed.
Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

Article 6. Public Actions (None)

Article 7. Public Comments
Mr. Doug Swisher, 6218 Santigo Ct. was present to address an article in the Grand Rapids Press about the Roundabout and a recent article he had read about removing some ornamental lighting that we just put in because there was too much so we are going to spend money to remove the lighting. I'm interested in what's going on in the Township and I like to see our money is being spent wisely. I wonder what the problem is you are trying to solve at 28th and Cascade. Because I live less than a mile away and I never see a problem there. Mr. Swisher asked if we were already talking about a roundabout, do we really even know what the problem is yet. Or are you trying to find a solution and you don't have the data to actually know what you are trying to fix.
Planning Director Peterson asked to address Mr. Swisher's concern regarding the streetlights. Mr. Peterson stated that the streetlights were the old streetlights that were being removed because of the new decorative ones that had just been installed. We did not remove decorative lights that were just put in.

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
030-2009 A Presentation of 2008 Audit
Phil Saurman was present to give a presentation of the 2008 audit. Jason Mitchell was also present…he co-managed the audit at Cascade. We had a good audit experience this year. We had meetings during the course of the audit to go over things with staff. Had good exit conference with the Clerk/Treasurer/Manager and Accountant. Last week we had a very good meeting with the Finance Committee…going over the final numbers and talking about what went on during the audit. We are happy to report that your auditors opinion was unqualified this year which is the highest opinion an auditor can give. The information you are getting during the course of the year is accurate and timely. Your staff does a real nice job. Transition went really well. All of your funds had very healthy balances at the end of the year.
Jason Mitchell reviewed the (4) letters that each Board member had in front of them.
Discussion followed.

031-2009 Consider Hiring a Consultant for Roundabout Feasibility Study
Planning Director Peterson provided the Board with background information from where it started from the where it is today. One of the methods we used to gain some of the input (Master Plan) was breaking down different issues…whether it was 28th St. Commercial, the Village, Cascade Rd., but I think it is fair to say that Jack and Rob were at a lot of those meetings, it was overwhelmingly brought up about "do something about Cascade Rd. through the Village. The overwhelming support was to be doing something in the Village in terms of creating a sense of identity a gateway/entrance. We also have had traffic congestion and accident problems at that particular intersection. That is why that one was on the radar screen so much when we talked about this particular issue.
As a result of the Master Plan study and those comments, we asked the Road Commission if they would be willing to consider such a treatment. We have to pay for the study, they are basically allowing us to do the study. They had to participate in the writing of the RFP, and selecting of the people the RFP would go out to. So as a result of all of that, we have gotten those RFP's back. They were sent to (2) firms; Progressive and DLZ. After meeting with the Road Commission and seeing that everything was addressed accurately in the RFP's, we recommended that we hire Progressive AE, and Jeff Hillegonds is here tonight. The proposal is just shy of $8,000.00. The DDA has met in regards to this proposal and are in full support of it. The Community Foundation has been in touch with this project and they are in support of it as well.
Trustee Fox asked if roundabouts have been successful in high volume, high speed. Peterson stated that is certainly can work.
Jeff from Progressive AE fielded questions from the Board.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the $7,900 to hire a consultant for a Roundabout Feasibility Study. Discussion followed. Trustee Goldberg amended the motion to include the provision that the funds be expended from the DDA Budget and supported by Treasurer Dood. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion carried on the motion amended.

Article 10. Manager's Comments
Manager Cousins offered the following comments:
" Reminder: the Infrastructure Committee meets tomorrow morning at 7:30.
" Some offices have been moved within the Township Offices. But all the extension numbers are the same.
" The Memorial Day Event was well attended.
" Reminder: the Kent County MTA meeting is tomorrow at noon at Lowell Township Hall.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Lewis offered the following comments:
" Last time I had a large dissertation it was reported that I was stunned and disappointed by the reduction of the Revenue Sharing and so I really don't have any other comments than that…it summarized it all in one sentence.
Trustee Koessel offered the following comments:
" Expressed his sympathy at the loss of Rob Beahan's mother.
" The house on Laraway is looking a little bit better.
Treasurer Dood offered the following comments:
" Millie does a really fine job.
" Hungerford does a very nice job as our audit firm.
" Mailed out (12) RFP's. Has an investment manager coming in tomorrow to talk to us about managing our funds a little bit better.
" Ron, thank you for your comments on the budget. It does make sense to have a list of the items that we feel that we want to start going after.
Trustee Fox offered the following comment:
" Had an inquiry about Military fly-overs over the Township. What is that?
Supervisor Beahan stated that he thought they were touch-n-go's and they were out of the National Guard. They use this as routine training.

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

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Deputy Clerk

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