MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
Monday,
February 21, 2005 – 7:00 PM
Mayor James Rynberg called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Councilmember Rob Mani gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
Present at Roll Call: Mayor James Rynberg and Councilmembers Rob Mani, Jane Drake and Larry Breuker. Councilmember James Breinling arrived at 8:02 PM.
Staff Present: City Manager Chris Yonker and City Clerk/Finance Director Todd Blake
Public Present: Eric VanDop, Kathy Parsons, Wayne Mast and Alice Kendziorski
City Manager Yonker requested the addition of consideration to commit local matching funds toward a MI Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) grant for the Water Department.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breuker to approve the meeting agenda as amended; motion approved.
Councilmember
Mani requested page 2 of the minutes reflect the following:
“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
Motion by Councilmember Mani, seconded by Councilmember Drake and carried to approve the minutes of the meeting held February 7, 2005 as amended; motion approved.
Motion by Councilmember Breuker, supported by Councilmember Drake to approve the 2/17/05 accounts payable check register report totaling $821,455.36; motion approved.
Mayor Rynberg introduced
Councilmember Kathy Parsons of the City of
Mayor Rynberg opened the public hearing at 7:07 PM to
receive public input and comments regarding confirmation of the proposed
Mr. Eric VanDop, of Brickley DeLong, PLC, briefly
summarized Hoffman, Steensma & Plamondon’s (HS&P’s) decision to end
its governmental and nonprofit auditing practice and Brickley DeLong’s
willingness to transfer the governmental accounts to its firm.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember
Breuker authorizing staff to sign a three-year agreement with Brickley DeLong,
with the City reserving the right to terminate the firm’s services if
necessary and to also release the City’s financial information from HS&P
to Brickley DeLong; motion approved.
Staff reported the current five-year contract with Sunset
Waste Services allows for an annual cost-of-living adjustment to rates for
residential refuse and recycling services, based on the U.S. Dept of Labor’s
Urban Consumer Price Index (CPI.) The
2004 CPI for the Detroit Urban Area was 2.2%, which would adjust the 65-gallon
refuse cart monthly rates from $7.93 to $8.10, the 95-gallon refuse cart from
$9.28 to $9.48 and the recycling bin monthly rates from $1.50 to $1.53.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember
Mani to approve Sunset Waste Service’s request to increase the monthly rates
for residential refuse carts and recycling bin services by 2.2%, effective April
1, 2005; motion approved.
City Manager Yonker reported the City submitted a grant
application to the MDEQ, for an abandoned well management project.
The grant requires a 25% local match, with the City’s obligation being
$15,000 out of the total $60,000 project budget.
The City has already budgeted wages to address this issue, which meets
local match requirements.
Motion by Councilmember Mani, seconded by Councilmember
Drake to commit to the 25% local match requirement of $15,000 for the proposed
grant project; motion approved.
Mayor Rynberg closed the public hearing at 7:37 PM.
Motion by Councilmember Mani, seconded by Councilmember
Drake to approve Resolution R-05-05 confirming the Hillcrest Avenue Storm Sewer,
Sidewalk, Street, Curb & Gutter Special Assessment District as recommended;
motion approved.
The City Manager reported the City received four
professional services proposals for the re-write of the City’s zoning
ordinance and interviews are scheduled for March 15th.
City Clerk Blake announced the Fremont Area Parks &
Recreation Advisory Committee will meet Monday, March 14th at 7 PM to
discuss the benefits and recreational opportunities that could accrue from the
establishment of an area-wide recreation authority.
Councilmember Mani informed City Manager Yonker that Mark
Schuiteman, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, has requested information
regarding the City’s costs associated with the
Councilmember Breuker inquired whether or not the City
could address other options to alleviate truck traffic from Downtown, rather
than the proposed
Councilmember Breinling arrived at 8:02 PM.
·
City
Manager’s Friday Newsletter: Semi-Mo. Progress Report on Key City
Objectives, Policies & Projects
·
·
·
·
Status
Report on Selection of Consultants for Comprehensive Zoning & Subdivision
Code Amendments
·
Year-to-Date
Budget Comparison Report for General, Water & Sewer Funds as of 1/31/05
·
Expanded
Notes from 1/31/05 Public Transportation Forum
·
Handout
from 2/14/05 School Board Meeting: “Summary of Recent Cooperative &
Collaborative Efforts between the City of
·
2/8/05
Memo from Sen. Jerry VanWoerkom: “Rural Jobs Package” as distributed @ 2/14
Press Conference
·
2/18/05
State Press Release: “Governor Makes Appointments to Dept. of Agriculture
Boards & Commissions
·
2/18/05
Geoff Hansen Press Release: “Hansen Offers
Amendment to Fund Local Prison”
·
ICMA 1/05
Guide: “Active Living & Social Equity: Creating Healthy Communities for
All Residents”
·
Fremont Area Community Foundation 4th Quarter 2004 Fund
Statements for the following funds:
1)
·
Chamber of Commerce 2/11/05 Email: “Results of
·
ICMA Public Management 10/02 Article: “Unnecessary
Lights-and-Siren Use: A Public Health Hazard”
·
Times Indicator Articles:
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2/9/05:
“
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2/9/05: “New
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2/9/05: “Public Hearing Notice:
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2/16/05:
“Day of Dance Scheduled for 2/26”
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2/16/05:
Public Notice: Adoption of Ordinance O-05-01- Trailways
·
Ø
2/9/05:
“
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2/9/05:
“Planners Supportive of Sidewalk Cafes”
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2/11/05:
“Deal Clears way for Muskegon County Water System Expansion”
Ø
2/12/05:
“Still Flying High -
Ø
2/14/05:
“Closing ‘Punk Prison’ would Save $13.1 Million”
Ø
2/15/05:
“GOP Comes to Oceana to Push for Rural Jobs”
Ø
2/15/05:
“Tree-Cutting Ordinance may Grow”
Ø
2/18/05:
“Official Explores Topic of Government Consolidation”
·
Ø
2/16/05:
“
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MiBiz West Articles:
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5/5/03:
“New Urbanism puts the Emphasis on Community”
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6/16/03:
“
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6/16/03:
“Community Airports called Crucial to Future Transportation”
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6/30/03:
“Stranglehold of Suburbia Must End: Return to Simple Methodologies &
Colonial Design Principles”
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2/7/05:
“Land Use Legislation addresses Contract Zoning Issue & Streamlines Plat
Process”
·
Governing Articles:
Ø
2/03:
“Learning to
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2/05:
“Grading the States:
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2/05:
“Transportation: The Long View”
Ms. Alice Kendziorski stated her displeasure with the
City’s proposed alternate truck route passing residential and Middle School
properties.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to close the regular session at 8:16 PM and enter into a closed session, by request of City Manager Yonker, to conduct his performance review; motion carried by unanimous roll call vote.
The closed session ended at 10:48 PM and the regular session reconvened.
Adjustments
to Compensation for City Manager
Based on the results of the City Council’s review of the performance of the City Manager, Councilmember Drake moved, supported by Councilmember Breinling, to
· Increase the City Manager’s salary by 1.4% effective retroactively to October 1, 2004;
· Re-establish the annual review process to coincide with the City’s fiscal year of July1 – June 30; and
· Conduct a mid-year review in December of each year.
Motion carried unanimously.
Adjournment
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling, to adjourn the regular meeting at 10:52 PM; motion carried.