KIMBALL TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 2160 WADHAMS ROAD, KIMBALL, MI
REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 18, 2014
6:30 P.M.
Usakowski opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
OFFICERS PRESENT: Usakowski, Jackson, Hand, Ritter, Wrubel and Kilroy.
ABSENT: Sturdevant.
ALSO PRESENT: Al Grabowski-Mechanical Inspector, Nicole Blaszczuk-Deputy Clerk, Chief Gorski, Cal Hunt, Dan Casey-EDA, Tricia-Library and Deputy Treasurer Wendy O’Connor.
INVOCATION BY: Julie of Grace Ministries.
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APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Under Unfinished Business – add E. Water Line Replacements on Lapeer Road
Under New Business – add D. ECF’s and County Equalization
Under New Business – add E. Engineering RFP
Under New Business – add F. Times Herald Article
Under New Business – add G. DPW Union Negotiations
Move EDA-Dan Casey from Unfinished Business to Consent Agenda and Communications
Kilroy motioned to approve the agenda as amended supported by Hand. Motion Carried
- PRESENTATION OF MINUTES FOR MARCH 4, 2014
Under IX. E. should read Legal Matter “Arbitration” not Worker’s Compensation (closed session) at end of meeting.
Usakowski motioned to approve the minutes as amended supported by Kilroy.
Motion Carried
- CONSENT AGENDA AND COMMUNICATIONS
A.
Check Register from 02/24/2014 – 03/07/2014
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Revenue & Expenditure Report for Period ending March 03/31/2014
- Consent Agenda
Jackson explained the Consent Agenda on page 18.
Jackson motioned to accept and file and pay the bills supported by Ritter.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Jackson, Ritter, Usakowski, Hand, Wrubel and Kilroy.
NO: None. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (6-0-1) Motion Carried
- BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
- Board of Public Works of the County of St. Clair for February 18, 2014 and Special Meeting for February 26, 2014
- Board of County Road Comm. of the County of St. Clair for February 18, 2014 and Special Meeting for March 26, 2014
Usakowski motioned to accept and file the minutes supported by Wrubel. Motion Carried
- EDA – Dan Casey
Dan Casey from the EDA gave an update on the EDA report and explained partnership and membership with EDA.
Discussion
- PUBLIC COMMENT (Brief Comments)
Ken Harris: Resident of Port Huron, son lives here; discussed assessments and gave recommendations to residents appealing to Board of Review and Tax Tribunal.
Rebecca Harris: She came to the Board of Review and Michigan Tax Tribunal and won. Came to Board of Review again and discussed sales under assessed value.
Brian Reed, 1305 Range Road: He had three complaints with his neighbors house and said he is getting nowhere with ordinance enforcement. He wants to know why nothing is being done.
He would like to know what a mass assessment is and he can’t get forms from Peggy Chambers. He says he is tired of her attitude.
Usakowski asked him for all his information and that he would be happy to help him with his problems.
Eric Dusche Dusci, Ravenswood: He is working with the EDA on commercial hops farming. He disagrees with assessment. Complaining about the February requisition document from Peggy Chamber’s and her attitude. Peggy pulled Agriculture Exemption. On 3-10-2014 he asked for clarification at Board of Review.
Usakowski mentioned how the township commercial businesses are very important to us and explained how they get assessed.
Bill Deland, 178 Pickford: Wants to know why his pole barn, which is 1280 sq. feet, is showing on the record card as being 3600 sq. feet has not been fixed?
Usakowski will check into it tomorrow.
- FIRE CHIEF GORSKI REPORT
There are no appeals at this time.
The 2013 Annual Awards Banquet will be Saturday, April 5th, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
There was no Fire Administrative Board meeting due to the blizzard.
- UNFINISHED BUSINESS
- Land Purchase for Fire Department
Discussion about the property on Allen Road just north of Griswold Road.
Kilroy advised that the property is low. (Grade)
Discussion
Will discuss price with owner.
- EDA – Dan Casey
Usakowski thinks it would be beneficial to us to join the EDA.
Hand motioned that we join the EDA supported by Ritter.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Hand, Ritter, Usakowski, Jackson, Wrubel and Kilroy.
NO: None. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (6-0-1) Motion Carried
- Park Attendant
Job not posted until this afternoon. Park opens April 1st.
Ritter wants to discuss part-time night/weekend salary needs to increase.
Hours for the park are sunrise to sunset.
Discussion
- Brandy Hoffman, 2259 Allen Road: Advised she has everything recorded.
Jeremy Moore, Delands couldn’t get appointment. She says she came in with Moore and Delands to get an appointment for them and not her.
Usakowski: That is not what we interpreted from that last meeting.
Usakowski explained value of pole barn with ECF of 3.
Discussion
Water on Lapeer Road
It is in the Capital Improvement to do the water line at the same time the county replaces Lapeer; cost sharing. The county is improving Lapeer Road to five lanes at Wadhams, four lanes just after KOA and then down to three lanes. County asked if we wanted to do the rest between Range and Allen Roads at an estimated cost of $577,000 for that mile. That is going to be at the high end. If we wanted to do the ¾ mile between Allen and Wadhams it would be around $390,000 additional.
Usakowski thinks we should put that addition off.
No new special assessments for residents.
The cost for engineering would be about $6,000 for the county to do it. They would also bid the project out for us. We wouldn’t have to get involved in the bidding. What we do have to do is do all the permitting.
Discussion
Usakowski motioned that we contract with the county to do the engineering for the water line on Lapeer Road from Range to Allen Roads up to $6,000 supported by Wrubel.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Usakowski, Wrubel, Jackson, Hand, Ritter and Kilroy.
NO: None. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (6-0-1) Motion Carried
- NEW BUSINESS
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Budget
- 2014-2015 Proposed Budget
Building Fund: Too much of Teresa’s salary is going into the building fund and not enough into ordinance enforcement. We need to correct this.
Cemetery: We need to address the perpetual care fund. We have five cemeteries that we take care of. Revenue is coming from only one of them.
Water and Sewer: We will be close on this. Next year’s Smith Creek Project Revenue will help cover some of the expenses we have from this year.
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Fire Department Budget
- Resolution #14-03 General Fund Appropriations
Kilroy motioned to approve Resolution #14-03 General Fund Appropriations supported by Usakowski.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Kilroy, Usakowski, Jackson, Hand and Wrubel.
NO: Ritter. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (5-1-1) Motion Carried
- Resolution #14-04 Parks Appropriations
Usakowski motioned to approve Resolution #14-04 Parks Appropriations supported by Kilroy.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Usakowski, Kilroy, Jackson, Hand and Wrubel.
NO: Ritter. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (5-1-1) Motion Carried
- Resolution #14-05 Liquor Control Appropriations
Kilroy motioned to approve Resolution #14-05 Liquor Control Appropriations supported by Wrubel.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Kilroy, Wrubel, Usakowski, Jackson and Hand.
NO: Ritter. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (5-1-1) Motion Carried
- Resolution #14-06 Building Fund Appropriations
Usakowski motioned to approve Resolution #14-06 Building Fund Appropriations supported by Kilroy.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Usakowski, Kilroy, Jackson, Hand and Wrubel.
NO: Ritter. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (5-1-1) Motion Carried
- Resolution #14-07 Water/Sewer Appropriations
Kilroy motioned to approve Resolution #14-07 Water/Sewer Appropriations supported by Wrubel.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Kilroy, Wrubel, Usakowski, Jackson and Hand.
NO: Ritter. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (5-1-1) Motion Carried
- Road Funding/Match Program
Our match money is $65,479.00 which is about $8,000 more than last year. Last year we had some carryover from the year before that. We are also getting $9,094 plus a carryover of $10,859 in drain funding. Both of these are part of the match program, where we split cost on projects 50/50.
The St. Clair County Road Commission will have project information on their website:
http://www.sccrc-roads.org/M2014-17Kimball.htm.
- 2014 Little League Contract
Usakowski motioned to approve the 2014 Little League Contract supported by Jackson.
Motion Carried
- ECF’s and County Equalization
This has already been addressed.
- RFP for Engineering Services
Discussion
Usakowski motioned to approve the RFP Engineering Services supported by Kilroy.
ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Usakowski, Kilroy, Jackson, Hand, Ritter and Wrubel.
NO: None. ABSENT: Sturdevant. (6-0-1) Motion Carried
- Times Herald Article
Discussion.
- DPW Union Negotiations
Closed session to discuss union negotiations after public comments.
- AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Brian Reed: September 22, 2012 issue with Peggy Chambers. Assessing complaints also brought up.
Usakowski motioned to go into closed session at 8:58 p.m. supported by Kilroy.
Motion Carried
Usakowski motioned to open the meeting back up at 9:38 p.m. supported by Kilroy.
Motion Carried
- OFFICERS REPORT
- Supervisor Usakowski
Expanded on EDA future projects.
All set with the RESA contract.
We are waiting on DTE for an easement with the Smiths Creek Project.
I am giving budget guidelines to all Department Heads.
I have a RFP prepared for township trash collection that I will put on the next meeting agenda.
April 28th we are going on a road trip with the County Road Commission to check out the roads.
- Clerk Hand
The newsletters are done and mailed.
FMLA for Connie.
Ritter motioned to approve the FMLA for Connie supported by Usakowski.
Motion Carried
Kelly Service girl to cover Connie’s position for four to six weeks.
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Treasurer Jackson
Taxes have been distributed and 88% has been collected.
Water rates went up March 1st.
The Park Attendant position has been posted.
Jackson will have someone from the bank come in to talk about fraud protection.
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Trustee Kilroy
No report.
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Trustee Ritter
Assessing department: We need to talk to her again regarding her attitude in dealing with the people.
Usakowski responded
Ritter talked to Sturdevant regarding business cards as individual not as a group.
Wrubel and Kilroy declined.
Usakowski is okay with it and they are not expensive.
- Trustee Sturdevant
Absent.
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Trustee Wrubel
No report.
- ADJOURNMENT
Usakowski motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:52 p.m. supported by Wrubel.
Motion Carried
Meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m.
Submitted by
Robert G. Hand, Clerk
