VILLAGE OF CONSTANTINE
Regular Meeting, February 2, 2009
Council Room, 7:30 PM

NOTE: There were tape recorder difficulties resulting in incomplete recording.

President Weiss called the Regular February 2, 2009 Meeting of the Constantine Village Council to order at 7:30PM at the Village Hall.

ROLL CALL
Present at Roll Call: Trustees Brewer, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. Absent: Trustee Brown. Also present: Manager Honeysett, Treasurer Strawser, DPW Foreman Hamminga, Rental Inspector Lammott, Officer Davis and Clerk Strawser. The pledge of allegiance followed Roll Call.

THREE RIVERS WTTP BILLS

Manager Honeysett referred the Council to the November and December 2008 bills from the Three Rivers WWTP, saying that they appeared to be in-line with usage, but that he was unable to find the accompanying reports, which he promised in the next meeting packet.

AGENDA
Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Harder, to adopt the agenda as amended. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. Amendments: under Unfinished Business – move drinking Water Revolving Fund item to first item and add – Three Rivers WWTP November and December 2008 bills.

MINUTES
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Moore , to accept the Regular January 19, 2009 Meeting minutes as corrected. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0.

Correction: Page 1, Paragraph 8, Line 1: … the volunteer Santa is paid a restaurant gift certificate. change to – … the volunteer Santa is given a restaurant gift certificate. Page 1, Paragraph 9, Line 2: … he estimated they had a $600 checkbook balance. Change to – Manager Honeysett said that they had problems closing out the financials on the Harvest Festival and therefore he could not present a final report, though he estimated they had made$600 profit. Page 2, Paragraph 2, Line 1… the fire at the Jaxon building (former Nickell building)…Change to – the fire at the Jaxon International building (former Nickell building)…Page 2, Paragraph 2, Line 3: The Jaxon Company has been given temporary office space in the Incubator,.. change to – Jaxon International has been given temporary office space in the Incubator, but is also in need of 10-15,000 sq. ft. of storage space and a loading dock during repairs to their building. Page 2, Paragraph 7, Line 2: … such a change only allowed only if Gorno Ford had not been officially notified… remove the first “only” – Clerk Strawser reminded him that the Council had awarded the bid to Gorno Ford of Woodhaven MI, and that any change had to be re-presented for Council approval, and that as discussed before, such a change only allowed only if Gorno Ford had not been officially notified of its winning bid award.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
No one rose to address the Council.

DRINKING WATER REVOLVING FUND
Jon Moxey of Fleis & Vandenbrink, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed Water System Upgrades totaling $1,500,000.00 which includes a new high capacity well in the existing well field, expansion of the existing iron filter building to allow simultaneous multiple well treatment, a new storage tank on the north side of the Village and construction of a St. Joseph River crossing at the west of the Washington Street bridge, including the Dixon Engineering’s recommendation for $140,00.00 in current water tower maintenance presented to the Council October 6, 2008. Mr. Moxey said that project was not an urgent, but that funding might benefit from the economic stimulus package expected from Washington D.C. Discussion ensued as to how the project would likely be funded, including increased water/sewer rates and issuance of municipal bonds. Treasurer Strawser asked the Council to consider the current economic conditions, especially since they have yet to receive a proposed 2009-2010 budget. Discussion ensued as to doing a new Water/Sewer Rate Study costing approximately $4,000 versus the proposed project’s Preliminary Engineering Study costing $16,000-$18,000. Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Moore, to allocate up to $18,000.00 for a Preliminary Engineering Report for water system improvements, including a rate study. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 1. Voting YES: Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and Weiss. Voting NO: Brewer.

DPW Foreman Hamminga exited meeting at 8:10PM .

NEW POLICE CRUISER
Manager Honeysett informed the Council that Sellye Ford expects to make delivery on the new police cruiser on February 23 rd. In response to Police Commissioner Brewer’s questions, Manager Honeysett said he chose McDonald’s Wrecker in Kalamazoo to outfit the new cruiser because the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department uses that company, but that he could seek bids if directed to do so by the Council. Manager Honeysett said that Officer Davis will research costs to replicate the setup to the new vehicle, expecting to present a request to use money from the Equipment Fund, to be paid back in approx. 5 years, to outfit the new vehicle as well as purchase (2) two new in-car video cameras and make improvements to squad car #42, saying the existing lights are not powerful enough.

HARVEST FESTIVAL 2008
Manager Honeysett referred the Council to a Harvest Festival ledger spreadsheet showing the Harvest Festival currently has $2,453.87 in its bank account, having made a $624.33 profit thanks to fundraising by the Cool Cities Committee. Clerk Strawser reminded everyone that the Harvest Festival checkbook belongs to the Harvest Festival Committee, not Cool Cities Committee, as the latter does not have independent fiduciary rights.

Officer Davis exited 8:16PM.

THREE RIVERS WTTP BILLS
Manager Honeysett said the November and December 2008 charges appeared to be in line with normal usage, though he would need the report to confirm.

THREE RIVERS HEALTH
Constantine Township TRAH Board Representative John Touse spoke on the economics and services of the Three Rivers Hospital, recent newspaper articles, the .4 millage levy and the reasons behind the May 2009 hospital millage request.

Trustee Mathers exited at 8:20PM; returned at 8:22PM.

CONSTANTINE US-131 BYPASS RECORD OF DECISION
The Council was invited to read the Record of Decision for the proposed US-131 Improvement Study at the Village office or the Constantine Township Library.

President Weiss declared the meeting adjourned at 8:37PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk