Township Board Minutes

MINUTES OF THE CASCADE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, May 14,2008
7:00 p.m.

Article 1. Supervisor Julien called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Supervisor Julien, Trustee Goldberg, Fox, Koessel, Beahan, Treasurer Carpenter and Clerk Goodyke.
Also Present: Manager Cousins, Planning Director Peterson, Engineer Vilmont, Deputy Clerk Biegalle, Deputy Assessor McCarty and those listed on Supplement #1.

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

Article 3. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the Agenda as submitted. Supervisor Julien stated that under Public Comments Lt. Steve Chanter (East Precinct) will not be able to make the meeting due to being called to duty. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 4. Approval of Consent Agenda
a. Receive and File Various Meeting Minutes
1. Township Board Minutes of 3/26/08 and 4/09/08.
2. Planning Commission Minutes of 04/07/08.
b. Receive and File Various Reports
1. Fire Department Month End Report - April 2008.
2. Building Department Month End Report - April 2008.
3. Treasurer Department Bank Balances - February 2008.
4. Treasurer Department Bank Balances/Investment Report - March 2008.
5. Comprehensive Plan Focus Group Report
6. 2008 Community Profile Report
c. Receive and File Communications
1. Memo from West Michigan Regional Planning Commission - re: City of East Grand Rapids
2. Letters from residents - re: Tassell Property.
" Mark and Jennifer Ellis
" Douglas and Christine Evans
" Robert and Jane Griffin
" MaryAne Olsen and Richard Gottlieb #1
" MaryAne Olsen and Richard Gottlieb #2
" Susan Lovell
" Bonnie K. Miller
" Wade and Shanda Thompson
" Kevin and Karyn Wolschleger
" Francis and Rachel Wong
3. Questionnaire Forms re: Neighbors 4 Serenity
" Stephen and Christine Casari
" Ann Cunningham
" Andrew VanYsseldyke
4. Letter from Randy Grant - re: Trout Creek
5. Letter from Evelyn Brandt - re: School House Creek
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 5. Financial Actions
a. Consider Approval of February 2008 General/Special Funds.
Motion was made by Treasurer Carpenter and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the February 2008 General/Special Funds. Motion carried unanimously.
b. Consider Approval of February 2008 Public Utilities Funds.
Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Goldberg to approve the February 2008 Public Utilities Funds. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Consider Approval of March 2008 General/Special Funds.
Motion was made by Trustee Beahan and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the March 2008 General/Special Funds. Motion carried unanimously.
d. Consider Approval of March 2008 Public Utilities Funds.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Clerk Goodyke to approve the March 2008 Public Utilities Funds. Motion carried unanimously.
e. Consider Approval of April 2008 Payables, Payroll and Transfers.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the April 2008 Payables, Payroll and Transfers. Motion carried unanimously.
f. Consider Approval of 2008 Budget Adjustments
" General Fund
" Fire Fund
" Police Fund
" Improvement Revolving Fund
" DDA Fund
" Building Fund
Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the 2008 Budget Adjustments to the General, Fire, Police, Improvement Revolving, DDA and Building Funds. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

Article 6. Public Actions
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Beahan to open the Public Hearings. Motion carried unanimously.

a. Public Hearing - Request for Approval of IFT District and
Exemption Certificate for new facility for Lakeland Finishing
Corporation.

Deputy Assessor McCarty reviewed the request by Lakeland Finishing. The project is for a 35,000 square foot Building and Paint Process lines, automation and application equipment. Presently they have 120 employees and with this project 15 jobs will be created. The amount of the exemption request is $2,227,000.
The President of Lakeland Finishing, Tom Smith was present to field any questions by the Board or public.
No public comments received.

b. Public Hearing - Consider Adoption of Amendments to Storm
Water Ordinance

Planning Director Peterson reviewed the technical amendments to the Storm Water Ordinance. The amendments largely reflect the information gathered in the storm water management plan as well as the experiences over the last 6 years with the current ordinance.
John Sperla, 6910 Oakbrook S.E., addressed the Board regarding School House Creek (i.e., flooding in several homes and tremendous erosion). Mr. Sperla stated that the plan doesn't seem to put School House Creek as a high priority. It is rated #9 out of 10. The priority given to their problems seems to have been minimized. Engineer Vilmont explained the rating system used for School House Creek (i.e., ecological perspective).
Bonnie Miller, 7140 Oakbrook S.E., commended the Township government for having adopted a Storm Water Ordinance and working toward the end of making it more effective than perhaps than it has been in the past. Her concerns were also regarding the effect of storm episodes on the land upon which her home is situated on School House Creek.
Discussion followed regarding the possibility of a County Drain being established.
Richard Gottlieb, 7100 Hidden Ridge Dr. questioned the Board on the priorities given to the School House Creek and the existing problems.

c. Public Hearing - Consider Adoption of Proposed Right-of Way
Ordinance.

Manager Cousins explained that this Ordinance was a proactive approach of the Township to protect the residents from any video service company that might come to town that is not covered under the State's Metro Act. This Ordinance was written/proposed by our attorneys to put this in place; there have been a lot of new companies starting up in Michigan now with different types of video service. This is a way that we can be ahead of the game and have the same controls for any new franchise request that comes before us as we have the controls for the ones that are already covered under the Metro Act.
Discussion followed.

Motion to close the public hearing and reconvene into regular session was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Goldberg. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 7. Public Comments

a. Introduction of Lt. Steve Chanter (East Precinct).
Unable to attend this meeting will be in attendance at May 28th Regular Board Meeting.
b. Introduced Justin Amash for Republican candidate for 72nd District State House Representative.
c. Richard Gottlieb, 7100 Hidden Ridge Dr., S.E., introduced additional letters from residents regarding the Tassell Property:
" Abby Dilley and Jim Aidala
" Barbara Goodspeed
" Dr. Nasir Kahn and Mrs. Lubna Nasir
" Jennifer & Dan Scott
" Kevin & Karyn Wolschlager
Supervisor Julien asked Mr. Gottlieb to submit to Manager Cousins and they would be entered into the consent agenda for the following regular board meeting on May 28th.

Article 8. Unfinished Business (None)

Article 9. New Business
039-2008 Consider Approval of IFT District and Exemption Certificate for new facility for Lakeland Finishing Corporation.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Trustee Koessel to approve the IFT District and Exemption Certificate for a new facility for Lakeland Finishing Corporation. Motion carried unanimously.

040-2008 Consider Adoption of Amendments to Storm Water Ordinance
Motion was made by Clerk Goodyke and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the adoption of Amendments to the Storm Water Ordinance. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

041-2008 Consider Adoption of Proposed Right-of Way Ordinance.
Motion was made by Trustee Koessel and supported by Trustee Beahan to approve the adoption of the Proposed Right-of-Way Ordinance. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

042-2008 Consider Purchase of Speed Trailer for East Precinct
Manager Cousins reviewed the request made from Cascade, Ada, Grand Rapids Township and Lt. Chanter of the East Precinct (KCSD) for the need for a speed trailer to be used exclusively by the three townships. The cost of the new speed trailer will be less than $7,000. Each Township would contribute 1/3rd of the cost, estimated to not exceed $2,334/ea. Both Grand Rapids Township and Ada need to approve the purchase before the KCSD moves forward with the purchase.
Motion was made by Trustee Fox and supported by Clerk Goodyke to purchase a Speed Trailer for East Precinct. Motion carried unanimously.

043-2008 Consider 2008 Repairs to the Pathway System.
Supervisor Julien asked Manager Cousins how did we determine that these dozen or so areas needed repair and are there other areas that need repair but would need repair next year…is there a list of spots beyond this. Manager Cousins stated that the B&G personnel, especially Amy Waugh for putting together and meeting with the bidders to get these bids together. What we did was identify the worst areas of the pathway that needed repair.
Trustee Koessel questioned the bids received regarding the disparity of square footage quoted by each company. In accepting this low bid (A-1 Asphalt) are we really getting the repairs that we need. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to extend to the Township Manager the discretion to expend up to $30,000 on pathway repairs using a contractor selection in his discretion but recognizing that A-1 Asphalt is the low bid. Motion carried unanimously.

044-2008 Consider Proposed Local Road Surface Treatments for 2008.
Manager Cousins reviewed his recommendations submitted to the Board:
30th (Wycliff to Buttrick), Leyton (west portion), Behler, Hayward, Redford, Buttrick Ave. (Grand River to Cascade).
Supervisor Julien stated when the Board started the 50/50 sharing of paving the intention was to pave our residential streets. Supervisor Julien also stated that he was not sure that this is budgeted for these types of expenses. Manager Cousins responded that his meeting with the County was that they are doing major repairs and resurfacing to are the major County Roads, and Buttrick, 30th those streets are in their eyes the same as Leyton and Behler. Discussion followed. Motion was made by Trustee Goldberg and supported by Trustee Fox to approve the repairs to Leyton (west portion) Behler, Hayward and Redford and have Manager Cousins come back to the Board in two weeks and report what he has found out from the County. Motion carried unanimously.

Article 10. Manager Comments
Manager Cousins offered the following comments:
" Will be presenting a Resolution at the next regular meeting for consideration from AT&T asking for our support to nudge our State Legislatures to pass a law regarding copper theft.
" Lt. Chanter will be attending the next meeting.
" All Township employees will be receiving a one-hour training on sexual harassment.

Article 11. Board Member Comments
Trustee Goldberg offered the following comments:
" AT&T …what is their intention to start service
" Will not be in attendance at May 28th Board Meeting.
Clerk Goodyke offered the following comments:
" School Election results…558 total votes.
Trustee Koessel offered the following comments:
" Is AT&T talking to citizens regarding purchasing private easements
" Sign Ordinance re: enforcing parking trucks and not moving them.
Supervisor Julien offered the following comments:
" Introduced the new interim Treasurer out in the audience…Marjorie Dood.

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

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise M. Biegalle
Deputy Clerk

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