|
VILLAGE OF CONSTANTINE
Regular Meeting, March 17, 2008
Council Room, 7:30 PM
President Weiss called the Regular March 17, 2008 meeting of the Constantine Village Council to order at 7:30PM at the Village Hall.
Present at Roll Call: Trustees Brewer, Brown, Mathers and Witek, and President Weiss. Absent: Trustee Harder. Also present: Manager Honeysett, Treasurer Strawser, Fire Chief Haydon, Rental Inspector Lammott and Clerk Strawser. The pledge of allegiance followed Roll Call.
President Weiss announced the “Can Small Towns Be Cool?” educational program on Monday, March 24 th at 7:00PM in the Constantine High School LGIR presented through the St. Joseph County-MSUE and the Cool Cities Committee.
Trustee Witek asked that committee and other appointments be placed on the next regular meeting agenda. Discussion ensued.
Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Mathers, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
Trustee Brown said that he found no reason for inclusion of comments in minutes saying that choice of comments was subjective and that correction of comments was problematic since both comment and correction remained part of the public record, and he would vote against any minutes so presented. Discussion ensued.
Motion by Witek, Seconded by Brewer, to approve the Regular March 3, 2008 Meeting minutes as presented. Motion failed by Roll Call 3 – 2. Voting YES: Brewer and Witek. Voting NO: Brown, Mathers and Weiss. (Harder absent.)
Clerk Strawser said she had never experienced rejection of minutes and would have to research the ramifications. Discussion ensued.
Motion by Weiss, Seconded by Witek, to approve the Regular March 3, 2008 Meeting minutes as corrected. Motion passed by Roll Call 3 – 2. Voting YES: Brewer, Weiss and Witek. Voting NO: Brown and Mathers. (Harder absent.)
Corrections : on Page 1, Paragraph 11, Line 2: Trustee Brown said that Scott Chiddister’s singular history with sewer issues and his technical expertise and credentials make him invaluable to the Sewer Ad Hoc Committee and asked that he be (re-)appointed to the committee as a community member. Remove (re-) so sentence reads Trustee Brown said that Scott Chiddister’s singular history with sewer issues and his technical expertise and credentials make him invaluable to the Sewer Ad Hoc Committee and asked that he be appointed to the committee as a community member. On Page 2, Paragraph 3, Line 2: Much of the increase is thought to come from inflow and filtration. To read: Much of the increase is thought to come from inflow and infiltration.
Various officials raised questions re: the bills submitted by Bush & Bush, Gateway Ford and Red Shed Service Center, Indiana Michigan Power Co., Semco Energy, Comcast, and the City of Three Rivers. Discussion ensued.
Motion by Witek, Seconded by Weiss, to pay the bills and make the necessary transfers totaling $158, 216.41. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
No one asked to speak during Audience Participation.
Manager Honeysett read the list of meetings he attended in February 2008. Discussion ensued re: the Fourth Of July Committee, Recreation Board and Fireworks.
Police Commissioner Brewer gave a synopsis of the February 2008 Police Department Report.
Manager Honeysett read the February 2008 DPW Report. Discussion ensued re: door repair at the WWTP.
Fire Commissioner Brown read the February 2008 Fire Department Report.
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Brown to accept and file the Manager’s and Commissioners’ reports as presented. Motion passed by Roll Call 4 - 1. Voting YES: Brewer, Brown, Mathers and Weiss. Voting NO: Witek. (Harder absent.)
The Council interviewed Roxana King for the seat vacated by Scott Chiddister’s resignation, asking the same questions presented to the three (3) candidates interviewed at the Special March 10, 2008 meeting.
Clerk Strawser said she would find if the candidate could be immediately sworn in following appointment. Discussion ensued re: merit of same.
Motion by Brown, Seconded by Witek, to table action on the council seat appointment until the Special March 31, 2008 meeting. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
Trustee Witek reported his difficulty in determining if the US-131 Workshop Committee was still an active committee and his confusion as to whether the committee had completed its tasks as directed. Discussion ensued. Trustee Witek asked if he had the authority to invite MDOT’s Jason Latham to a village meeting to answer the “six (6) areas of concern”. Discussion ensued; President Weiss ended discussion.
Trustee Brown pointed out an ever-increasing sewer flow and the need to take action, leading the discussion of Cured In-Place (sewer sleeving) bids from the two bid finalists for the Riverside Drive Sewer Sleeving Project. Discussion ensued as to anticipated problems and advantages, cost and scheduling.
Motion by Brown, Seconded by Mathers, to approve the bid, and to direct the Village Manager to enter into a contract for cured in-place sleeving from Pro Form Pipe Lining Co., Inc. of Mishawaka, Indiana in the amount of $102,502 upon three (3) favorable references. Passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
Fire Chief Haydon presented the Council with a request for permission to seek a FEMA Grant for purchase of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for the Fire Department. Discussion ensued re: the current equipment, advantages of new equipment, equipment life of both and anticipated costs and funding sources.
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Witek, to commit $2,378.00 toward purchase of SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) equipment and to authorize the Fire Chief to seek the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) grant as presented. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Weiss, to set a Special Meeting for March 31, 2008 at 7:30PM to 1) hold a Public Hearing for the 2008-2009 Budget, 2) Budget adjustments, and 3) Appointment to fill vacant trustee seat. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. (Harder absent.)
Adjourned meeting at 9:09PM .
Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk
Included in packet, but not formally discussed: January 2008 Clean Water Plant Sewer Services Bill (from Three Rivers); February 2008 Clean Water Plant Sewer Services Bill (from Three Rivers);
|
