Village of Constantine

Regular Council Meeting
September 21, 2009
Council Room, 8:00 PM

President Weiss called the Regular September 21, 2009 Meeting of the Constantine Village Council to order at 8:00PM at the Village Hall.

ROLL CALL
Present at Roll Call: Trustees Brewer, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. Also present: Manager Honeysett, Treasurer Strawser, Administrative Assistant Lammott and Clerk Strawser. Absent: Trustee Brown. The pledge of allegiance followed Roll Call.

AGENDA
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Brewer, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 6 – 0. Absent: Brown.

Trustee Brown entered 8:03PM.

MINUTES
President Weiss read a statement on why she would not support approval of the minutes.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by LaFluer, to approve the Regular September 8, 2009 Meeting minutes as presented. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 0. Voting YES: Brewer, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers and Moore. Voting NO: Brown and Weiss.

PAYMENT OF THE BILLS
Treasurer Strawser said the Three Rivers Clean Water Plant Sewer Services Bill was for two months. She explained fee in lieu of taxes. Manager Honeysett said the total for Emergency Vehicle Products did not reflect the reimbursable portion. Motion by Brown, Seconded by Harder, to pay the bills and make the necessary transfers totaling $120,251.23. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
President Weiss welcomed members of the Boy Scouts in attendance. Steven Stone, Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park, expressed concerns on the location of the Scare Fest, the annual event taking place on private property between the mobile home park and the Pine Valley Apartments. Discussion focused on noise, curfew, safety and liability, zoning and licensing concerns. Voiced conclusions were that active steps should be taken to encourage relocation of the event, with Manager Honeysett and Police Chief Bedell looking into the issues.

CONSENT AGENDA
Manager Honeysett read the list of meetings he attended in August 2009.

Police Commissioner Brewer gave a synopsis of the August 2009 Police Department report. Chief Bedell reported the steps he had taken re: heavy traffic concerns near Eastside Elementary mornings and afternoons, including seeking a school zone sign to lower US-131 traffic during school hours. A new part-time officer has been hired. Every officer will be radar certified. Trustee LaFluer reported the lack of a crossing guard one day last week; there is a substitute crossing guard.

DPW Commissioner Harder gave a synopsis of the August 2008 DPW report.

Fire Commissioner Moore gave a synopsis of the August 2009 Fire Department report.

Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Moore, to accept and file the Manager’s and Commissioners’ reports. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

UNSAFE BUILDING – 557 OSBORN ST.
Manager Honeysett said that the erroneous bid dates was opportune as the EPA mandates asbestos removal prior to demolition, requiring inspection by a certified asbestos specialist. Once all asbestos has been safely removed, the buildings might be disposed of through controlled burning /Fire Department training.

SEWER FLOW
Sewer Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Mathers reported that the TR Clean Water Plant Sewer Services Bills are larger than rates currently charged by the Village to our residents. He said the high flows have not resulted in greater chemical usage, which shows the increased flows are likely due to water infiltration and not increased sewage; this will likely result in flow meter testing and camera inspection of sewer lines. Manager Honeysett said that Dell Lawsuit money would be used for the proposed sleeving and tests.

Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Weiss, to authorize the preparation of a Request for Proposal soliciting bids for the installation of Cured in Place Lining in roughly 600 feet of sewer main on West Water Street. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0.

DDA BOARD RESIGNATION
Upon suggestion, Manager Honeysett said he thought it could be put in the current newsletter. Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Harder, to accept, with regret and thanks, the resignation of Cindy VanDeraa from the DDA board. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

VILLAGE OF CONSTANTINE MONEY PURCHASE PLAN DOCUMENT RESTATEMENT
Upon suggestion, Manager Honeysett said he would speak with the Village auditors regarding Donohue Feiman’s recommendation. Motion by Brown, Seconded by Mathers, to authorize the Village Manager to contract with Donohue Feiman Retirement Plan Services, Inc. of 1800 Glenarm Place, Suite 900, Denver, Colorado 80202 to prepare a document restatement at a cost of $1,200. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0.

ROOF REPAIR – DPW BUILDING
In response to questions, Manager Honeysett said that the DPW had knowledge of, and respect for the work done by, all the bidders. Treasurer Strawser suggested that written performance/ payment terms [in all bids] before awarding of the contract. Manager Honeysett said he would check, but thought Taylor Construction wanted half down, half at completion. Motion by Brown, Seconded by LaFluer, to authorize its Village Manager to contract with Taylor Construction, 265 Broad Street, Constantine, MI 49042 to perform the work necessary to repair the roof at the Constantine Department of Public Works building at 290 W. Johnson St. in Constantine at a cost of $1,605.46. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0.

Meeting adjourned at 8:48PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk