FREMONT CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
Monday, December 3, 2007 – 7:00 PM
Mayor James Rynberg called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM, gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
Present at Roll Call: Mayor James Rynberg and Councilmember’s Larry Breuker, Dick Conley, Jane Drake and James Breinling
Staff Present: City Manager Chris Yonker and Clerk/Finance Director Todd Blake
Public Present: Faune Benson, Holly Moon and Marianne Boerigter
Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Breuker to approve the meeting agenda; motion approved.
Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Drake to approve Resolution R-07-38 honoring former Muskegon Heights Mayor Rillastine Wilkins; motion approved.
Motion by Councilmember Conley, seconded by Councilmember Drake and carried to approve the following Consent Action Items:
City Manager Yonker requested the word “Senator” be replaced with “Congressman” in the fifth paragraph on Page 2 and an “s” be placed after “township’ ” in the sixth paragraph on Page 2.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Conley to approve the revised minutes of the Regular Session held November 19, 2007; motion approved.
Council requested a review of employee classifications be done, with respect to the grade levels on the non-union employee salary schedule, within the next year.
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to approve a 2.5% labor market adjustment in the non-union employee payscale, effective with the first full pay period in January 2008; motion approved.
Brief Public Comment
Newaygo County Treasurer Holly Moon gave a brief update on “Positive Pay”, “Debit Block” and the property tax credit card payment program that her office has recently implemented.
Accounts Payable Check Register Report dated November 29, 2007 totaling $182,054.31
Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Conley to approve the
November 29, 2007 Accounts Payable Check Register totaling $182,054.31; motion approved.
NCCA Director Marianne Boerigter announced NCCA would like to move the Art Festival from August to May and noted they would also like to introduce the new event “Hot Wheels – Art of the Automobile and Motorcycle Rally” on the same day. The events will run concurrently on Saturday, May 10, 2008 and fall within the City’s northeast downtown parking lot. The Market Place Pavilion and its market tables will be needed as well as permission to use the City Hall parking lot for artist parking.
Motion by Councilmember Breinling, seconded by Councilmember Drake to grant NCCA’s requests; motion approved.
City Manager Yonker reported receiving a request to sell approximately 17 acres in the Fremont Industrial Park for the construction of a 100,000 sqft. office building, which could possibly employ 200-300 people. He noted ‘commercial’ development does not fall within the Fremont Industrial Park’s Restrictive and Protective Covenants, so each property owner within the Industrial Park would have to approve the variance. He also reminded Council the City received $1.4 million in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) for construction of the Industrial Park, which came with ‘industrial’ development requirements.
Council authorized staff to entertain the purchase offer and explore possibilities of receiving a variance from the EDA and Industrial Park property owners, of their ‘industrial’ development requirements for this project.
Reports & Comments
City Manager Yonker submitted a draft of the format and procedures for annual department head performance evaluations and noted department heads will receive their evaluations on their hired anniversary dates over the next calendar year.
Mayor Rynberg announced the annual Employee Appreciation Dinner is schedule for Monday, January 28th and will be held at All Saints Catholic Church.
Councilmember Breinling announced the Fremont Community Joint Planning Commission is scheduled to meet on December 10th and will be addressing mapping concerns.
The Following Communications were transmitted for Council Review:
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breinling to close the Regular Session at 9:17 PM and enter into a Closed Session to discuss: 1) Purchase of property; 2) Pending litigation; and 3) Personnel; motion approved by unanimous roll call vote.
The Closed Session ended at 9:34 PM and the Regular Session reconvened.
Adjournment
Motion by Councilmember Drake, seconded by Councilmember Breuker to adjourn the meeting at 9:34 PM; motion approved.
_________________________________
James M. Rynberg, Mayor
_________________________________
Todd M. Blake, Clerk/Finance Director