Township Board Minutes

MINUTES

CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, July 28, 2004
7:00 PM

Article 1. Supervisor Julien called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Carpenter, Goodyke, Jones, Julien, Kleinheksel, Parrish and Timmons
Absent: None
Others Present: Manager Cravens, Reporter Wilson, Deputy Clerk Neve and those listed on Supplement #1.

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

Article 3. The agenda was approved on motion by Trustee Goodyke and supported by Trustee Parrish. The motion carried.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Township Board Minutes
1. Regular Meeting Minutes of 6/23/04
b. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Kent County Road Commission Meeting Minutes of 6/8/04
2. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 6/7/04
3. Cascade Township Election Commission Meeting Minutes of 7/13/04
c. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Treasurer's Department Bank Balance Report for May
2004
d. Receive and File Communications
1. Letter from Kent County Sheriff Lt. Jim Van Bendegom
Re: Kent County Emergency Management Homeland Security Training
2. Letter from Kent County Drain Commissioner Roger
Laninga -re: Forest Drain District No. 256
3. Letter from Thomas Maatman - re: Laraway Lake Drive
Pedestrian Pathway
4. Thank you letter from Dirk Koning, Director, Community
Media Center
e. Education Requests
1. Judy Hedke, Roger McCarty and Caryn Rasch - Michigan
Assessors Continuing Education Classes
Supervisor Julien requested a response be sent to Thomas Maatman outlining the improvements discussed to remedy the Laraway Lake Drive Pedestrian Pathway.
Motion to approve the consent agenda carried.

Article 5 Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of Public Utilities Financial Report for June 2004
b. Consider Approval of General and Special Funds Financial Reports for June 2004
c. Consider Approval of Bills, Transfers, and Payroll Report for June 2004
Motions to approve the financial actions carried.

Article 6. Public Actions
Motion and support to open the public hearing carried at 7:12 p.m.
a. Public Hearing - re: Ordinance Approving Amended District Development Plan & Tax Increment Financing Plan.
Manager Cravens related the DDA has been working on updating the District Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan. The plan was mostly completed last November when property owners in Centennial Park requested expanding the district to include the remaining portions into the DDA.
The plan shows seven major projects that span 20 years including sidewalks, streetscapes and street lighting.
Rosie Briggs, 3475 Goodwood, questioned if any excess captured money would be returned to the taxing authority.
The DDA Board would make a recommendation to the Township Board if any funds show a surplus.
Trustee Timmons recommended the Plan reflect exactly what
would happen to any excess monies.
Motion and support to close the public hearing carried at 7:30 p.m.

Article 7. Public Comments
Jonathan Shapiro, Boy Scout from Troop 290, was introduced and related
he is working on a communication badge.

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
79-2004 Presentation by Friends of the Kent County Wildlife Park
Sam Moore, Campaign Chair for the Wildlife Park, gave a brief
presentation about the proposed Zoo and millage request.

80-2004 Consider Ordinance Approving Amended District Development Plan
& Tax Increment Financing Plan
Trustee Timmons supported by Trustee Parrish moved to table the Plan until further clarification on excess funds is included into the Ordinance.
The motion carried.

81-2004 Consider Approval of Consent to Demolish and Hold Harmless
Agreement at 6865 Hurley St.
Clerk Kleinheksel supported by Trustee Parrish moved to approve. The
motion carried.

82-2004 Consider Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) Local Road
Construction Authorization for Burton Street Sanitary Sewer &
Water Installation Related to Cascade Pointe
Trustee Jones supported by Trustee Goodyke moved to approve. The
motion carried.

83-2004 Consider Approval of Extension of Charter Communications
Franchise Agreement and Resolution
Trustee Parrish supported by Trustee Jones moved to approve. The
motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

84-2004 Consider Appointing a Citizen Subcommittee on Reviewing the
Need for a Property Maintenance Code
Due to increasing calls about certain properties falling into disrepair,
Manager Cravens presented the idea of a property maintenance code to
about 20 neighborhood associations. The interest to participate has
increased recently. Building Official Visser and Planning Director
Peterson would serve as staff representatives.
Supervisor Julien suggested the neighborhood associations could
assist in identifying problems and defining the issues.
Trustee Timmons questioned if we are talking about adopting a whole new
set of ordinances and why a citizen committee is needed.
Supervisor Julien asked for the idea to be brought back in a month with
names of citizens interested in participating.

85-2004 Discussion and Consideration of First Reading of Amendments to the
Pathway Opening Ordinance
Supervisor Julien commented that with 17 miles of path the situation that
occurred on Cascade Road with the Manchester Hills project could very well happen again.
Trustee Timmons stated what happened on Cascade Road is abominable. Weeks and months have passed and the situation still hasn't been fixed. The path should have been repaired daily so it would be useable while the contractors were not working.
Trustee Jones related the contractors need to know, right from the beginning, what to expect.
Trustee Parrish related she would like to see very specific terms in the ordinance regarding daily restoration.
Supervisor Julien requested the amendments be returned at another meeting with a separate section added for terms of restoration.

Article 10. Manager's Comments
Remember to vote on Tuesday.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Clerk Kleinheksel related she has heard positive comments about the July
4th celebration.
An article will appear in the next newsletter thanking all the volunteers.
An invitation to lunch with the Kent County Road Commission was
distributed.
Supervisor Julien suggested scheduling a meeting with the Road
Commission.
Treasurer Carpenter related the tax roll is now on the website.

Article 12 Adjournment
Trustee Parrish supported by Trustee Jones moved to adjourn. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanie Neve
Deputy Clerk

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