Watertown Charter Township
Minutes of Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
February 19, 2008
Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance.Board Members Present: Supervisor Adams, Clerk Husby, Treasurer Thelen, and Trustees Zay, Weitzel, Mitchell, and Maahs. Staff present: Tubbs, Polverento
Public Comment:
Ron Overton reported on the leadership conference that he recently attended on land bank legislation would streamline the process for foreclosure
Jack Enderle, county commissioner, reminded Board members that County website has their meeting agendas and minutes, etc. He reported on a citizen interested in banning phosphorous chemical lawn treatments and the sale of those chemicals to homeowners. There is a study concerning being done on lawn chemicals. A joint meeting was held by Greenspace and Farmland Preservation with good outcome. Greenspace’s five year plan is near completion.
Patti Schafer, Eagle Township treasurer, would like the Board to support a sixty day extension on the existing agreement, which expires on February 29th. Eagle Township would still like to have a joint meeting to discuss and clarify items in the agreement.
Andrea Polverento, planning director, described a call from John Bonfiglio from Gravity Works. Phase I was intended for duplexes and he would like to change a portion to single family residences. With the current market,, he isn’t sure how many he wants to build, so it would be difficult to submit a revised site plan. She would like to know if the Planning Commission could be allowed to handle the change without submitting a new site plan to the Board.
Board members want to review the new site plan. They need to know what will change.
Consent Agenda: Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell to approve the Consent Agenda items as presented. Motion carried
Agenda Approval: Adams would like to add item #11 to schedule a special meeting with Eagle Township and the closed session will become #12. Motion by Thelen and seconded by Maahs to approve the February 19, 2008 Board of Trustees agenda as amended. Motion carried
Approval of Minutes: Regular meeting, January 21, 2008- Thelen pointed out a typo on page 2 and under "Pending Business" she would like "contracting" to replace "it" on the ninth line. Husby wanted it noted there was five minute break after the closed session. Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs to approve the regular meeting minutes dated January 21, 2008 as amended. Motion carried
Closed meeting, January 21, 2008-Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs to approve the Board of Trustees closed meeting minutes dated January 21, 2008 as amended. Motion carried
Approval of bills: Motion by Maahs and seconded by Thelen to approve the bill list dated February 19, 2008 as presented. Motion carried
Adams suggested that New Business, Item #1, be addressed first since there is a representative to address the Board of Trustees.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Presentation by Tonia Olson from Granger provided a review of ongoing projects and outlined some future services.
Grand River Avenue Landfill was established in 1973 and is 180 acres in size. They accept disposal of Type 2 municipal solid wastes, such as household, non-hazardous materials and accept material entering as Type 3 inert types of materials-construction demolition etc.
Fees are collected with a share going to the County and to Watertown Charter Township. They have capacity for approximately twenty-five years.
They provide eight containers for the township's annual "Dump Your Junk" program for residents which will be May 3, 2008 in Heritage Park.
The recycling program at the Township Hall collected about 250,000 pounds of recycling during 2007.
Granger is recycling the gas produced at the landfill into 3.2 megawatts of power (enough for approx. 2000 average households). The gas in the landfill is produced by organic materials. There is discussion on legislation allowing yard wastes to again be placed in land fills to increase the production of more useable gas to benefit energy production. It will not reduce the space in the landfill significantly compared to the amount of energy produced. If yard wastes are used in landfills, the state could produce 300 megawatts of energy which is the same produced by one medium size coal-powered plant. A wind project in the thumb area produces 52.8 megawatts of power. Senate Bill 864-"the grass for gas" legislation would not repeal the ban on yard waste, but would involve facilities that meet very specific criteria to use the gas produced. Methane gas can be produced in a closed cell for 25-30 years.
The Forest Hill Road access is being re-evaluated as an entrance partly because of traffic from local businesses. Because of a grant they participated in with MSU and the weather conditions, a contractor had to be hired recently to assist in the clean up of the mud deposited onto Grand River Ave.
Olson suggested that Watertown Charter Township could be in the planning of energy for the future.
Recycling materials - Olson responded that plastic bags, green glass, and boxboard are being looked at for the future collection.
2. Case #07-16 TXT, Zoning Ordinance Amendments
a. Section 28-566(f) Temporary Buildings and Uses. Polverento explained that it is for regulating the "pods" that were initially meant for containing items during a house move. Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs that the Watertown Charter Township Board of Trustees concurs with the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve the zoning amendment to Section 28-566 (f) described in Case #07-16 TXT for the following reasons and findings of fact:
1.) The zoning amendments are necessary to provide clarification and improvement to the existing Watertown Charter Township Zoning Ordinance.
2.) The zoning amendments address areas of the Zoning Ordinance where existing language does not adequately cover current zoning issues.
Yes: Husby, Maahs, Weitzel, Adams, Thelen, Zay, Mitchell
No: none
Motion passed
b. Sections 28-7 and 28-570(b) Kennels. Polverento explained that they looked at ordinances distinguishing a commercial kennel from a private kennel. Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs that the Watertown Charter Township Board of Trustees concurs with the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve the zoning amendments to Sections 28-7 and 28-570 described in Case #07-16 TXT for the following reasons and findings of fact:
1.) The zoning amendments are necessary to provide clarification and improvement to the existing Watertown Charter Township Zoning Ordinance.
2.) The zoning amendments address areas of the Zoning Ordinance where existing language does not adequately cover current zoning issues.
Yes: Maahs, Zay, Husby, Mitchell, Weitzel, Adams, Thelen
No: none
Motion passed
Pending Business:
1. Poverty Exemption Guidelines Resolution. Adams explained that there is a new resolution on the table. Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell to waive the reading of Resolution no. 219-2008-4. Motion carried
Motion by Thelen and seconded by Zay to adopt Resolution no. 219-2008-4, a resolution to amend poverty guidelines.
Yes: Adams, Husby, Thelen, Maahs, Mitchell, Weitzel, Zay
No: none
Motion carried and resolution adopted
New Business:
3. Resolution no. 02-192008-1: Authorization of Financial Investment Entity.
Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell to waive the reading of Resolution no. 02- 192008-1. Motion carried
Motion by Thelen and seconded by Maahs to adopt Resolution no. 02-192008-1, Authorization of Financial Investment Entity as presented.
Yes: Mitchell, Weitzel, Maahs, Zay, Adams, Thelen, Husby
No: none
Motion carried and resolution adopted
4. Resolution no. 02-192008-2: Resolution to extend Fire Authority Agreement.
Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs to waive the reading of resolution no. 02- 192008-2, resolution to extend Fire Authority Agreement. Motion carried
Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs to adopt Resolution no. 02-192008-2, Resolution to Extend Fire Authority Agreement for a period of sixty days commencing March 1, 2008.
Yes: Weitzel, Adams, Mitchell, Thelen, Husby, Zay, Maahs
No: none
Motion carried and resolution adopted
5. Resolution no. 02-192008-3: Over/Short Resolution. Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell to waive the reading of resolution no.02-192008-3, the Over/Short Resolution. Motion carried
Motion by Thelen and seconded by Maahs to adopt Resolution no. 02-192008-3, the resolution to eliminate the collection of payments or refunds on tax balances of $5.00 or less as amended.
Yes: Adams, Maahs, Mitchell, Weitzel, Zay, Husby, Thelen
No: none
Motion carried and resolution adopted
Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Thelen that resolution no. 02-192008-3, resolution to eliminate the collection of payments or refunds on tax balances of $5.00 or less, be made effective March 1, 2008. Motion carried
6. Ordinance Issues. Husby explained that the Ordinance and Policy do not agree with current practice. Thelen agreed that our practice does not conform to the Ordinance. Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell that the Board of Trustees requests that the Policy & Personnel Committee meet to discuss the subject of health insurance. In particular:
a.) Compliance with the Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances Sections 2-68 through 2-72 Group Insurance.
b.) Preparation and/or review of the RFP requesting health care quotes following the requirements of the Public Employees Health Benefit Act, if applicable, or the procedure outlined in Township policy.
Motion carried
Motion by Thelen and seconded by Mitchell that the township manager provides evidence of the Board’s action approving the current practice extending coverage of costs beyond the provisions of the Ordinance and to make this information available to the Policy & Personnel Committee. Motion carried
Ordinance-sewers: Husby referred to ordinance provisions regarding sewers and asked that a decision that was made allowing sewer connections to an incomplete sewer system in developments on State and Stoll Roads be documented. Thelen would like to see a change in how sewers are approved in reference to building and occupancy. Motion by Husby and seconded by Thelen that the subject of the sewer ordinance and a review of all of the codified ordinances be referred to the Ordinance Review Committee for discussion. Motion carried
Performance appraisal for Planning Director. Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Maahs that the Township Board concurs with the favorable annual performance evaluation of the planning director by the Planning Commission and with the favorable recommendation by the township manager and that the Board grant Andrea Polverento a one step increase to the first level of the Township’s 2008 wage rate schedule for the position. Husby noted that Board Policy 1.7 directs how the review of board employees is to be conducted. Weitzel clarified that his motion was to adopt the evaluation of the Planning Commission as ours. Thelen is disappointed that the board is not participating in the evaluation. Motion carried
8. Authorization for pay increase. Adams noted the review for the township manager supplied to the board on the table. Thelen asked if the board could have time to review the evaluation. Adams stated that the township manager contract specifies and requires the salary increase as stated in paragraph no. 4. She disagrees with the issue raised by the clerk that the evaluation relates to the granting of the increase. She has indicated in the evaluation provided that the Township Manager performs at a very high level, exceeds expectations. Motion by Adams and seconded by Maahs that the Board accepts the performance appraisal of the township manager as prepared by the supervisor.
Dale Westrick – Noted that the process outlined seems like it is reasonable and his experience with issues is that there is a lack of response and action from the manager's office.
Thelen asked not to be rushed and would like time to review the evaluation. Husby pointed out that the contract clearly says there shall be a review due in a specified time period and that it qualifies the statement of satisfactory performance. The personnel policy states what the board is to do if an evaluation is not completed for township board employees. If we are not going to meet the standards of the policies we have then weneed to waive them with a concerted decision. Once again this evaluation is only the opinion of the Supervisor not the board.
Yes: Maahs, Adams, Zay, Weitzel, Mitchell
No: Thelen, Husby
Motion carried
9. Outdoor Lighting Plan. Tubbs provided a quote for the placement of lights behind the gym and the overhang between the township office and gym. Husby suggested that the lights be set up with light and motion sensors and suggested that the front lights be updated also because of the timer that currently effects the proper operation.
10. Gym table and chairs. Tubbs reported that there are plenty of chairs and tables for the capacity of the gym. Husby commented that the condition of the tables is in question, and would like to see them all replaced with lightweight tables. Thelen concurred that she questions the condition of the tables, there were not enough for the last event. Adams suggested replacement of the tables be budgeted for next year.
Weitzel suggested that round tables might be appropriate. Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Mitchell that two (60").round tables be purchased for use in the gym for facility events 9;
Yes: Mitchell, Maahs, Adams, Weitzel, Zay
No: Thelen, Husby
Motion carried
11. Date for joint meeting with Eagle Township. The dates to be proposed are March 13 or March 27 at 6:00 P.M. at Eagle Township.
Public Comment: none
12. Closed session called at 9:35 p.m.
Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Thelen to go into closed session for the purpose of discussing township litigation.
Yes: Mitchell, Weitzel, Maahs, Zay, Adams, Thelen, Husby
No: none
Motion carried
Motion by Weitzel and seconded by Thelen that the township manager and the planning director be included in the closed session. Motion carried
Resumed regular meeting at 10:26 P.M.
Discussion and Public Comment:
Weitzel announced the election of Tubbs to Vice Chair for SCCMUA.
Adjournment- The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 P.M.
Date approved: ____________ ___________________________
Deb Adams, Supervisor
____________________________
Jean Husby, Clerk