MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING

FREMONT CITY COUNCIL

Monday, March 6, 2006 – 7:00 PM

Mayor James Rynberg called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.  Councilmember James Breinling gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.

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

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

Public Present: Sandra Crandell, Rachele Crandell and Ray Arnett

Approval of Meeting Agenda

Mayor Rynberg requested the addition of Action Item 8.1a “Sale of Police Department Seized Vehicle.”

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

Consent Action Items

Motion by Councilmember Conley, seconded by Councilmember Breuker and carried to remove Items #3.4 “Request for U.S. Flag from City of Fremont for Student-Fremont/Yahaba Friendship City Exchange Program” and approve the following remaining consent action items:

• Minutes of the Regular & Closed Sessions held February 20, 2006
• Purchase of 2001 Dodge Durango for $4,000 from N.C. Sheriff’s Department, for Fremont Police Department (661-000.000-970.000)
• Amend the FY 05/06 Budget for the above vehicle purchase, receipt (101-000.000-663.000 $7,500) of the final forfeiture funds related to the Pizza Hut drug case and transfer (661-000.000-699.101 $4,000)
• Authorize $18,389 Pump Replacement for Fire Dept. Tanker Vehicle, to maintain ISO rating
• Amend FY 05/06 Budget for above purchase (661-000.000-970.000) and receipt of recent truck sale of $25,000 (661-000.000-677.000) and the $2,500 sales commission (661-000.000-801.000)

Request for U.S. Flag from City of Fremont for Student Participating in Summer ’06 Fremont/Yahaba Friendship City Exchange Program

Miss Rachele Crandell requested the City donate a U.S. flag for her Fremont/Yahaba student project.  She would like to present a flag that has flown in front of the Municipal Offices to the Mayor of Yahaba Cho, Japan.

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Breuker to grant her request for a U.S. flag and have staff make appropriate arrangements to fly it over City Hall; motion approved.

Accounts Payable Report dated March 2, 2006 totaling $67,039.11

Motion by Councilmember Breuker, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to approve the accounts payable check register report dated March 2, 2006 totaling $67,039.11; motion approved.

Sale of Police Department Seized Vehicle

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Conley to approve the sale of a ’96 Pontiac Grand Am (an abandoned vehicle) to the high bidder, Mr. Joe DuBois of Fremont for $862; motion approved.

Reports & Discussion

Council discussed the defeat of the 2/28/06 Fremont Public School bond proposal for the high school.  Mayor Rynberg suggested the Councilmembers take a more active role in Fremont Public Schools’ next bond campaign for a new high school.

City Manager Yonker submitted an itinerary for the 3/10/06 Pine Street Primary School Kindergarten tours of the City Hall/Police/Fire Departments and thanked those staff and officials who would be participating in the day’s event.

Council discussed efforts and costs related to the City employee recognition dinner and also discussed holding a separate lunchtime event for Boards and Commission members, recognizing their service to the community.

The City Manager reported that the Michigan Tax Tribunal recently accepted the negotiated settlement between the City & Gerber Products Company re: the disputed real property values for the ’05 tax year.  He noted that the MTT has not yet issued final consent judgments on the ’03 or ’04 petitions, but that they would be considering them soon.

The Following Written Communications Were Submitted for Council Review:

• City Manager’s 3/03/06 Friday Newsletter
• Fremont Fire Department Minutes of the 2/27/06 Meeting
• Fremont Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Subcommittee Minutes of the 2/22/06 Meetings
• Fremont DDA Agenda for the 3/8/06 Meeting
• Farmers Market Committee Recommendations to DDA: “Operation of Fremont Marketplace Pavilion”
• Fremont Community Joint Planning Committee Minutes of the 2/13/06 Meeting
• MI Tax Tribunal Consent Judgment: Gerber Products Co. ’05 Real Property Assessment Appeal (Consolidated ’03 & ’04 Consent Judgments still pending before MTT)
• Draft Staff Letter: “Proper Parking of Vehicles”
• MML Capitol Report of 2/27/06
• N.C. Board of Public Works Notice: “Household Hazardous Waste Collection”
• Wisconsin DNR Publication: “Land-Use Lingo: A Glossary of Land-Use Terms” (This is also being shared with the City Planning Commission, ZBA and the Fremont Community Joint Planning Comm.)
• Smart Growth Network 3/3/06 Article: “Big Boxes Going Small?”
• 2/20/06 Letter from Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health & Sports: “06 Labor Day Walk”
• Articles from ’05 Planning Commissioners Journal “Back to School for Planners” Issue:
• “Back to School for Planners
• “Resources on Schools & Planning” (Note: City staff has copies of all four of these documents)
• “Safe Routes to School”
• “Breach the Wall of Separation”
• NCCS Newsletter: “Making a Difference through Local Missions” (Profiling Firefighter Ed Bell)
• Times Indicator Articles:
• 2/22/06: Mayor’s Letter to Editor: “City Support for FPS Bond Proposals”
• 2/22/06: Public Notice: “City of Fremont Board of Review”
• 2/28/06: Accepting Bids Notice: “Sale of Abandoned or Forfeiture Vehicles”
• MiBizWest Articles:
• 2/20/06: “$15 Million in Change: WIRED to Weave Workforce Systems Web Across Region”
• 2/20/06: “State Grants Target Land Use & Region’s Quality of Life”
• 3/3/06 Governor’s Press Release: “Governor Announces ‘Centers for Excellence’ to Streamline Government Resources and Save Taxpayers Money” (Also see related MiBizWest article above)

 Closed Session: Union Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Negotiation Strategy and Possible Land Acquisitions

Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Conley to close the Regular Session at 8:45 PM and enter into a Closed Session to Union Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation strategy and possible land acquisitions; motion approved by unanimous roll call vote:     

              Yeas:       Rynberg, Conley, Drake, Breinling and Breuker

              Nays:       None

              Absent:    None

The Closed Session ended at 9:02 PM and the Regular Meeting reconvened.

Consideration of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the City of Fremont and Union Local No. 512 of the Utility Workers of America (Dept. of Public Works)

Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to approve the 3-yr CBA between the City and the DPW Union as negotiated by the City Manager, Clerk & Mayor, contingent on the ratification by the Union members; motion approved.

Adjournment

Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Conley to adjourn the meeting at 9:02 PM; motion approved.

                                                                                      _________________________________

                                                                                      James M. Rynberg, Mayor

                                                                                      _________________________________

                                                                                      Todd M. Blake, City Clerk