KIMBALL TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 2160 WADHAMS ROAD, KIMBALL, MI
SPECIAL MEETING
JANUARY 30, 2014
6:30 P.M.
Supervisor Usakowski opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the pledge of allegiance.
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: Present: Usakowski, Jackson, Hand, Sturdevant; Absent: Ritter, Wrubel, Kilroy.
ALSO PRESENT: Deputy Clerk Blaszczuk, Chief Gorski, Jason Hyde
- APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Sturdevant moved to approve the agenda as presented. Seconded by Jackson. Motion Carried.
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NEW BUSINESS
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BUDGET
Usakowski explained the first two pages are revenue. We will be taking a loss in personal property revenue. It will not be a big loss this year but could be next year.
Under Business Licenses and Permits we see a decrease in the number of burn permits being sold.
State shared revenue is the numbers that are being projected by the state however these numbers are not final.
Charges for services will not see many changes.
The next page is interest. Jackson explained it is hard to say where interest rates will be.
Usakowski explained that under estimated revenue there is an increase in the IMPACT fee from St. Clair County Landfill.
Usakowski advised that overall everyone should see a 30% increase in workman’s comp cost.
The supervisor’s budget will remain pretty much the same.
Deputy Clerk Blaszczuk requested that the two salaries and wages lines be combined for a total of $15,000 in that line. All of deputy clerk’s wages are coming out of the clerk’s budget. Postage should be increased to $4000 due to the number of elections this year. Clerk Hand advised $4000 should go into professional fees that cover the work done by the county in preparing ballots etc.
Usakowski discussed legal fees in the assessor’s budget. Tony Houle is not an expert on tax tribunals so he is outsourcing it to another attorney. This is no different than what our previous attorney did. We are also settling as many of these outside of court as we can.
Clerk Hand requested that $200 be moved from training into the books and publications line. This will leave the training line at $1800.
Jackson advised with the change from a part time to a full time deputy and the change from a full time clerk to a part time clerk he will need a budget of approximately $107,547.50.
Discussion on the budget for the township hall and using capital improvement monies versus maintenance monies for issues such as fixing the roof and other projects that should be taken care of.
Discussion on the Smiths Creek building. Budget to remain the same.
Discussion on the cemetery budget. Usakowski advised we do not have enough money in perpetual care and we need to look at increasing that fee. Further advised would like the cemetery board to figure out a plan for how to proceed with the expansion and use of capital improvement monies.
Usakowski advised that building clerk needs to be billing some of her time to ordinance enforcing when she is writing letters etc. Also we are incurring legal fees when enforcing blight cases.
Emergency management budget to remain the same.
Discussion on the proposed fire department budget. Usakowski requested that Chief Gorski outline what duties he would be preforming if he’s working full-time. Usakowski explained that the increase in salaries and wages and also in hospitalization reflects the proposal of bringing Chief Gorski on full-time.
Discussed capital outlay for the fire department and the need to update some outdated equipment. Chief Gorski may be able to purchase some of the items this year.
Usakowski advised that with the capital outlay money in the planning commission budget we should consider codification of the zoning ordinance and having them review all of the ordinances for updates.
Usakowski advised no line item for wages and salaries in the DPW budget because all of their wages are distributed to other departments such as water and sewer etc. We need to look at getting some of the equipment on a capital improvement plan so we are replacing it as it needs to be rather than in emergency situations.
Usakowski advised drains will be pretty much the same. Jackson advised there are a couple of new ones.
Usakowski advised that we will be starting at zero this year with the roads budget and there will be less shared money available for roads projects. He further advised that we are on a three year cycle when it comes to gravel and most other places are on a two year cycle. We should consider moving to a two year cycle in the future.
Usakowski advised that under parks and recreation we need to decide what we want to do in regards to a park attendant. Do we keep someone on full time and have them mow the grass at both parks and keep up the trails here are the office and at the parks or do we put two people on part time? Do we post the job outside? Discussion.
Usakowski advised that the annual celebration was a big hit and we have budgeted the same amount of money this year as last year.
Usakowski advised that this years proposed budget for the library does have some capital improvement money in it. Met with people from the library and it was discussed that improving the back room and allowing it to be used for functions was requested. Also discussed putting in a glass entry way in front of the building.
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DPW TRUCK
Clerk Hand advised that the engine on truck #2 went. Discussion on repair versus buying new. Hyde advised that he took the good parts from truck #2 and put them into truck #1 so that they would have a functioning truck. Discussion on color of truck and what brand to purchase.
Usakowski moved to purchase a white GMC pickup up to the cost of $30,000. Seconded by Sturdevant. Roll Call Vote:
Yes: Usakowski, Sturdevant, Jackson, Hand. No: None. Absent: Ritter, Wrubel, Kilroy. (4-0-3) Motion Carried.Discussion on straight plow blades versus v blades. Hyde advised he would prefer a v blade.
Sturdevant moved to purchase the v blade at a cost of $5,512.60 from New Holland. Seconded by Usakowski. Roll Call Vote:
Yes: Usakowski, Sturdevant, Jackson, Hand. No: None. Absent: Ritter, Wrubel, Kilroy. (4-0-3) Motion Carried.
Discussion on what to do with the old truck which is currently being housed in the DPW shop.
Usakowski moved to scrap the old truck and save the blade and put it out for bids. Seconded by Hand. Roll Call Vote:
Yes: Usakowski, Sturdevant, Jackson, Hand. No: None. Absent: Ritter, Wrubel, Kilroy. (4-0-3) Motion Carried.
- PUBLIC COMMENT (Brief Comments)
None
IV. OFFICERS REPORT
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Supervisor Usakowski
No report.
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Clerk Hand
No report.
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Treasurer Jackson
No report.
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Trustee Kilroy
Absent
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Trustee Ritter
Absent
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Trustee Sturdevant
Absent
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Trustee Wrubel
Absent
- ADJOURNMENT
Sturdevant moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:37 p.m. Seconded by Usakowski. Motion
Carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:37 p.m.
Submitted by
Robert G. Hand, Clerk
