MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING  

FREMONT CITY COUNCIL  

Monday, February 7, 2005 – 7:00 PM  

Mayor James Rynberg called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM.  Councilmember Larry Breuker gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.

Present at Roll Call: Mayor James Rynberg and Councilmembers Larry Breuker, Rob Mani, Jane Drake and James Breinling

Staff Present: City Manager Chris Yonker and City Clerk/Finance Director Todd Blake

Public Present: Jeff Gibbie, Tom Thompson, Sandy Siegel and Brenda Dulaney

Approval of Meeting Agenda

Councilmember Drake requested the Closed Session item be removed from the agenda.

Motion by Councilmember Breuker, seconded by Councilmember Drake to approve the meeting agenda as amended; motion approved.

Proclamation: Declaring February as “Heart Awareness Month” in Fremont

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Breuker to approve the Proclamation as declared by Mayor Rynberg; motion approved. .  Mayor Rynberg presented the Proclamation to Ms. Siegel & Ms. Dulaney representing Gerber Memorial Health Services.

Consent Action Items

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Drake and carried to approve the following consent action items:

·      Minutes of the Regular Session held January 17, 2005

·      NCCA’s request for use of Veterans Memorial Park & Amphitheater for the Annual Arts Festival on 8/13/05

·      Business owners of “The Big Squeeze” and “Rumors & Etc.” Zoning Variance Request for Installation of two Awnings @ 10 E. Main St .

·      Amendment No. 1 to Land Acquisition Professional Services Contract with Mead & Hunt, Inc., for Fremont Municipal Airport, at an additional cost of $4,550.51 for additional environmental assessments.

Accounts Payable Report dated February 4, 2005

Motion by Councilmember Breuker, supported by Councilmember Drake to approve the 2/4/05 accounts payable check register report totaling $358,362.63; motion approved.

Public Comments

Mr. Jeff Gibbie, of Magic Touch Professional Cleaning requested Council consider renewing his contract for the Municipal building cleaning services.  Mr. Gibbie offered to scale back his services for a lower fee if the Council’s main concern was available funding.

Request to Build & Donate Barbecue Grills for Fremont Lake & Branstrom Parks

Mr. John Wolfsen submitted a request to install barbeque grills by the picnic shelters in Fremont Lake Park and Branstrom Park .  He would donate the cost of materials and students from the Newaygo County Career Tech Center have already agreed to construct them.

Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to authorize installation of the grills in City-approved locations under the Public Works supervision; motion approved.

Ordinance O-05-01: Trailways Ordinance

Motion by Councilmember Breuker, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to adopt the “Trailways Ordinance” O-05-01, prohibiting motorized vehicles on any recreational trailways or paths in the City of Fremont ; motion approved by unanimous roll call vote:

        Yeas:       Rynberg, Mani, Drake, Breinling and Breuker

        Nays:       None

        Absent:    None

Resolution R-05-04: Joining Amicus Brief to Preserve the MI Natural Resources Trust Fund

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Breuker, to approve Resolution R-05-04, joining the Amicus Brief being filed by the MI United Conservation Clubs to preserve the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund; motion approved.

Appointment to the Fremont Board of Review

Mayor Rynberg introduced Mr. Thomas Thompson to Council and recommended his appointment to the vacant position on the Board of Review, term ending November 2009.  Mr. Thompson gave a brief summary of his interests in the community and thanked Council for the opportunity to serve.

Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to approve Mayor Rynberg’s recommendation to appoint resident Thomas Thompson to the Board of Review; motion approved.

Appointment of City Councilmembers to serve on the Zoning Ordinance Consultant Selection Committee

Mayor Rynberg stated that Councilmembers Drake and Breuker had expressed interest in serving on the Selection Committee.  He also stated that he would be willing to serve.  Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Drake to accept the Mayor’s recommendations and appoint Mayor Rynberg and Councilmembers Drake and Breuker to the Zoning Ordinance Consultant Selection Committee; motion approved.

City Manager Yonker noted that the first meeting of this Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2005, which will be properly posted as an open meeting at the Municipal Offices.

Reports

The City Manager reported the site visit from consultants Hyett/Palma for the Downtown Blueprint Program has been rescheduled to the week of April 11th, so it would not conflict with the Fremont Public School ’s Spring Break.

City Clerk Blake submitted a draft of the notes from the January 31st’ Transportation Public Forum for discussion.  Council requested the notes reflect the responses of City Manager Yonker and engineer Doug Christenson to citizen questions and concerns.  This would provide for a more comprehensive record of the meeting.

Councilmember Breuker suggested the City give a more comprehensive description of the type of trucks that traversed M-82 on the day Mead & Hunt surveyed the origin and destination of motorists in Fremont .

Councilmember Mani inquired as to whether the proposed northside alternate truck route could be constructed independently and before the proposed southside route, to see if truck traffic on M-82 would be decreased enough to avoid construction of the southside route.  

City Manager Yonker noted it could be built prior to the southside route, but the City should wait to see where the newly proposed high school was going to be built.  If built along 44th Street , design work for utility extensions to it would be crucial to proper system development and funding from the school for this project would be imperative.

Mayor Rynberg announced that the WMSRDC is coordinating a Rural Government Assistance Workshop at the Fremont Area District Library on Tuesday, March 1st from 8:00 AM to noon.  The half-day workshop addresses transportation, recreation, economic development, land use planning, Brownfield development, water quality and infrastructure issues.

The Following Written Communications Were Submitted for Council Review:

·      City Manager’s Friday Newsletter: Semi-Mo. Progress Report on Key City Objectives, Policies & Projects

·      Fremont Fire Department Minutes of the 1/24/05 Meeting

·      Fremont Fire Department Calendar Year Run Histories by Governmental Units

·      Staff Notes from 1/31/05 Transportation Forum

·      Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce 2005 Calendar of Community/Chamber Events

·      Fremont Area Joint Planning Committee Minutes of the 1/30/05 Meeting

·      Fremont Downtown Blueprint Program Timeline

·      FACF 1/21/05 Letter: Notice of Matching of Memorial Contributions to Fremont Beautification Fund

·      Recycling for Newaygo County : 1/05 Director’s Report

·      Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce Employment Ad: NBFF Coordinator

·      MML Legislative Update from MLGMA Winter Institute in Grand Rapids

·      ICMA 2004 Ethics Conversations & Highlights from WMLGMA Winter Institute

·      MML Press Release: “Governor’s Proposal to Restructure Business Taxes”

·      WMSRDC Announcement: “3/1/05 Rural Government Assistance Workshop”

·      MI Land Use Leadership Council Report: Progress on Council Recommendations

·      The Abonmarche Group 10/04 Newsletter Article: “Schools as the Center of your Community”

·      The Abonmarche Group 1/05 Newsletter Article: “Neighborhood Traffic Calming’

·      Hooker/DeJong Architect’s Website Summary: Gerber Federal Credit Union Building

·      Times Indicator Articles:

Ø    1/26/05: “Forum will Examine Traffic Issues Facing City of Fremont”

Ø    1/26/05: “ County Board Names Two Finalists”

Ø    2/2/05: “ County Interim Administrator Resigns”

Ø    2/2/05: “Town & Country Path Project Donor Thank You Listing”

Ø    2/2/05: “Chamber Ex. Director’s Report: Surrounded by Great Resources”

Ø    2/2/05: “ Great Lakes Allied- Shedding Light on New Options”

Ø    2/2/05: “ Fremont Chamber of Commerce Introduces Board Members”

Ø    2/2/05: “Developing Business Plans Workshop Offered”

Ø    2/2/05: “Hospital Chief Honored”

·      Muskegon Chronicle Articles:

Ø    1/23/05: “ Muskegon Chamber Sees Creativity as Key to the City”

Ø    1/23/05: “Next few Months Key for Downtown Muskegon Mall Site Redevelopment”

Ø    1/23/05: “ SmartZone Building moving at the Speed of Government”

Ø    2/2/05: “ Alternate Traffic Route Proposal Outlined”

Ø    2/3/05: “ Newaygo County Board Settles on New Administrator”

Ø    2/4/05: “Downtown Sidewalk Sipping given Preliminary Approval in Grand Haven”

·      Grand Rapids Press Articles:

Ø    1/27/05: “Community News Briefs for January 27”

Ø    2/3/05: “Community News Briefs for February 3”

Ø    2/3/05: “Tax Program may Benefit Downtown Growth”

Ø    2/3/05: “Law Could Raise Election Costs”

·      MiBiz West Articles:

Ø    1/24/05: “CRC Digs into Local Government Financing Mess”

Ø    1/24/05: “Wal-Mart Expansions Pose Challenges for Area Retailers”

·      Thank You Note from the Family of Raymond Rathbun  

Adjournment

Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to adjourn the meeting at 8:54 PM; motion carried.