Township Board Minutes

MINUTES OF THE CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, January 9, 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, and Clerk Goodyke.
Absent: Treasurer Carpenter
Also Present: 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 9 New Business 008-2008 - Consider DDA Recommendation of plans for Streetlights, Street Trees and Sidewalks along 28th St.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the agenda per the above mentioned revisions. Motion carried.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Township Board Minutes
1. Regular Board Meeting Minutes of 11/28/07.
b. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Regular Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting Minutes of 11/13/07.
2. Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 12/03/07.
3. Kent County Road Commission Meeting Minutes of 11/13/07.
c. Receive and File Communications
1. Letters from Comcast - re: Additions in Channel Lineup/Dropping of channel Comcast Local
2. Letter from Janesville Acoustics - re: Closure schedule extended
3. Letter from Disability Advocates - re: Increased Public Transportation Services.
4. Letter from The Restored Church of God - re: Accommodation for Carol Meyer.
5. Brochure from the City of Grand Rapids - re: Sample Insert for Water Bills.
d. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Treasurer's Department Report - re: October 2007 Tax Accounts Bank Balances.
e. Education Requests
1. Brian Wilson/Jim Spaak - Metro Building Inspectors Association 24th Annual Mid-Winter Workshop - Comstock Park -
January 16-17 2008.
Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the Consent agenda as presented. Motion carried.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of December 2007 Payables, Payroll and Transfers.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the December 2007 Payables, Payroll and Transfers subject to Payroll Section regarding zero dollars listed in net numbers for the first pay period in December.
Trustee Fox questioned a line item regarding mileage for a Building Inspector. Discussion followed. Motion carried.

b. Consider Approval of November, 2007 Public Utilities Funds.
Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the November 2007 Public Utilities Funds. Motion carried.
c. Consider Approval of November, 2007 General/Special Funds.
Motion was made by Trustee Beahan and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the November, 2007 General/Special Funds. Motion carried.
d. Consider Approval of Pay Application #4 for the Sanitary Sewer and Watermain in Burton Street for the period ending November 29, 2007.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve Pay Application #4 for the Sanitary Sewer and Watermain in Burton St. for the period ending November 29, 2007 subject to reviewing that reimbursements have been made from the developers. Motion carried by roll call vote.

Article 6. Public Actions (None)

Article 7. Public Comments

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
001-2008 Consider an Exception from the Private Street Regulations in order to split the Property at 2090 Thornapple River Dr.
Motion to excuse Trustee Fox from discussion by reason of conflict of interest regarding the above mentioned issue was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Beahan. Motion carried.
Trustee Fox left the room.
In Planning Director Peterson's absence, Trustee Koessel proceeded to review the request.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg that the Board grant the application for an Exception from the Private Street Regulations in order to split the Property at 2090 Thornapple River Dr. with the stated staff recommendations. Motion carried.
Trustee Fox returned to the room.

002-2008 Consider Type II Special Use Permit for Day Care Center at the Northeast corner of Macnider and Cascade Road.
In Planning Director Peterson's absence, Trustee Koessel proceeded to review the request. The daycare Center is a use that is allowed in the residential zone as a special use. Given the odd shape of the lot, the applicant is proposing to give some property to the adjoining property owners. The plan indicates that access will be from two drives on Macnider. This did require a variance from the ZBA and was approved. The KCRC has also approved the design for the access for this project.
The plan does not show a center turn lane on Cascade Rd. The applicant has agreed to pay for a portion of the center turn lane as a part of this project and has asked that the Township and Road Commission to share in its cost.
Discussion followed.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the Type II Special Use Permit for Day Care Center at the Northeast corner of Macnider and Cascade Road subject to staff recommendations 1-6 and also regarding the center turn lane that there is an agreement with the developer and with the KCRC that would be put into writing by the Township Attorney sharing the cost (1/3, 1/3, 1/3) subject to a maximum contribution by the developer of $40,000. Motion carried.

003-2008 Consider Disposition of 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee/Pool Vehicle for Township Activities.
Supervisor Julien reviewed the memo from Manager Cousins regarding a pool car or even keeping the Jeep and using it as a pool car. Supervisor Julien stated that he didn't think we should keep a $35,000 vehicle as a pool car.
Are willing to take a loss and sell it for $12,000 - 13,000 or re-bid it.
Do we need and will we benefit from having a pool vehicle. A Ford Focus was a suggestion by Manager Cousins as an option.
Discussion followed. The consensus of the Board was to advertise one more time with a minimum bid of $17,000 or OBO and see if we get a nibble. Also the consensus of the Board was that there was no particular desire to go into the pool car business.

004-2008 Consider Resolution for Changing MERS Benefits for Ronald Goodyke.
Trustee Koessel addressed the Board on the whole MERS issue. Trustee Koessel explained that Clerk Goodyke has asked to consider to allow him to purchase some vesting. The Personnel Committee's concern was two fold; (1) that in no way it would cost the Township any additional monies; (2) and that it would not cost the employees that are currently in the MERS plan any more money. An actuarial valuation was done, which shows there is a cost to Clerk Goodyke of approximately $4,100 which he is willing to pay. The $4,100 buys him four years of vesting. If Clerk Goodyke didn't do this and he were to not seek re-election or maybe he sought re-election and decided he couldn't fulfill another four year term, any contributions that the Township had made for his benefit to the plan up to that point would be forfeited. He would receive no pension benefit. By doing this, what he is gaining, if he were not seeking re-election, or even if he did seek re-election and only serve two years (having only a total of six years) he would participate in the MERS plan up to four years vesting. MERS has a formula for calculating what his pension benefit would be based on that. If he does pay the $4,100 and he does seek re-election and is elected and serves another eight years, his contribution would come back to him in the form of a pension benefit, once he fully retired. Trustee Koessel did mention that the form/Resolution in front of the Board was not necessary in talking with Linda Blackshaw, the Director of the MERS Plan. The Board does not need to submit this particular form. The only concern the Committee had related to the form, is that they did not want it to imply that there was any change in any benefits for anybody else that is participating in the plan. They are alright with the language that talks about the census change…this can be submitted to them in the form of a letter signed by Mike Julien as Supervisor and Bill Cousins as our Manager along with a copy of our minutes.
The Personnel Committee reviewed it and recommends that Ron be able to do this.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Beahan to excuse Clerk Goodyke from discussion by reason of a conflict of interest. Motion carried.
Clerk Goodyke left the room.
Discussion followed.
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve making this benefit available to Clerk Goodyke in exchange for the payment that he has indicated that he is willing to make. Motion carried by roll call vote.
Clerk Goodyke returned to the meeting.

005-2008 Consider Legal Fees for the Township.
Motion was made by Trustee Beahan and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the increase in the Legal Fees for the Township. Motion carried.

006-2008 Consider Providing Electrical Power for 2008 Relay for Life to be held in the Cascade Library Area in May, 2008.
Supervisor Julien stated that if we were reimbursed, why we wouldn't cooperate with any Charity that might want to do it. Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg that Relay for Life be allowed to use the electrical hook-up with staff formulating a reasonable fee to be charged. Motion carried.

007-2008 Consider Resolution Permanently Changing Voting Precinct # 1 from the Forest Hills Administration Building to the Fellowship Church at 6655 Cascade Road.
Clerk Goodyke reviewed the reasoning behind changing the Precinct locations. Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the Resolution Permanently Changing Voting Precinct #1 from the Forest Hills Administration Building to the Fellowship Church at 6655 Cascade Road. Motion carried.

008-2008 Consider DDA Recommendation of plans for Streetlights, Street Trees and Sidewalks along 28th St.
Assistant Sandra Otey reviewed the DDA recommendations. Discussion followed. Motion by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Koessel to accept the recommendation of the DDA to proceed with the project as outlined in the materials that accompanied the agenda regarding Streelights, Street Trees and Sidewalks along 28th St. Motion carried.

Article 10. Manager's Comments
Assistant Sandra Otey offered the following:
" Information distributed regarding the Disselkoen Lawsuit

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Goldberg offered the following:
" Glad to be back…sorry to miss the last meeting.
Trustee Goodyke offered the following:
" Thank you to the Personnel Committee for the work they did on the MERS request. In the future, we should try to exempt any elected official from having to join or being able to join MERS. That way we would all be in the same program (i.e. John Hancock).
" The Cascade Business Association (CBA) is considering joining with the Cancer Walk and having a Taste of Cascade at the same time.
Trustee Koessel offered the following:
" Two members did not get re-appointed to the Planning Commission. There was some discussion within the Planning Commission that it would be a good idea to consider at least one if not two more appointments to keep that number the same.
Trustee Beahan offered the following:
" The Eastern Township Open Space Committee is having their Annual Photography Exhibit.
" Would like to thank Trustee Koessel for all the work he did on the MERS information that was gathered/interpreted for the Board.
Supervisor Julien offered the following:
" Supervisor Message on 2007 Board Goals.
" The Board needs to set a date for a millage renewal Election, because the original Police Millage and the original Fire Department Millage has expired. By statute, we need to schedule it on mandated election dates which are May 6, August 5, or November 4.

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

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Deputy Clerk

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