Village of Constantine

Regular Council Meeting
October 05, 2009
Council Room, 7:30 PM

President Weiss called the Regular October 5, 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, Administrative Assistant Lammott and Clerk Strawser. The pledge of allegiance followed Roll Call.

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

MINUTES
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by LaFluer, to approve the Regular September 21, 2009 Meeting minutes as corrected. Motion passed by Roll Call 5 – 1. Voting YES: Brewer, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers and Moore. Voting NO: Weiss. (Brown absent.)

Corrections – Page 2, Paragraph 4 - Upon suggestion, Manager Honeysett said
he thought it could be put in the current newsletter. – Change to - Upon suggestion, Manager Honeysett said he thought applications to serve on Village commissions, committees, and a vacancy on the DDA Board could be put in the current newsletter. Page 2, Paragraph 8, Line 2 - Treasurer Strawser suggested that written performance/ payment terms [in all bids] before awarding of the contract. –Change to - Treasurer Strawser suggested that there be written performance/ payment terms [in all bids] before awarding of the contract.
Additions: Page 1, Paragraph 5 - President Weiss read a statement on why she would not support approval of the minutes. “Because of the inclusion of an opinion expressed by the clerk which was erroneous regarding the ability of the Council to call for a closed meeting for proper cause, & because of the optional inclusion & exclusion of other material at the clerk’s sole discretion, I cannot in good faith approve the minutes because they do not reflect a full, complete & accurate account of Council business.
Page 2, Paragraph 2, Line 1 - 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. – Addition – Sewer Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Mathers reported that the TR Clean Water Plant Sewer Services Bills are larger than usage rates currently charged by the Village to our residents. Page 2, Paragraph 2, Line 2 – 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… - Addition – He said the high flows have not resulted in greater chemical usage, and are higher in periods of heavy rains and spring thaw, 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. Page 2, Paragraph 4, Line 3 - Manager Honeysett said he would check, but thought Taylor Construction wanted half down, half at completion. – Change to - Taylor Construction wants the entire payment at completion.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Moore, to approve the Special September 30, 2009 Meeting minutes as corrected. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. (Brown absent.)

Correction: Paragraph 1, Line 1 - President Weiss called the Special September 30, 2009 Meeting of the Constantine Village Council for the purpose of discussion and action of the proposed Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant Application Resolution ( Riverview Park) to order at 6:00PM at the Village Hall.Addition: Paragraph 5, Line 3 –Anticipated project cost is $108,000 with a 30% local match of approximately $23,000, mostly in-kind. – Change to – Anticipated project cost is $108,000 with a 30% local match of approximately $32,400, mostly in-kind.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
No one rose to speak.

UNSAFE BUILDING – 557 OSBORN STREET
Manager Honeysett reported that asbestos found in the buildings has been removed. Discussion ensued with the Village manager recommending demolition without total foundation excavation. He said he had not talked with Fire Chief Haydon regarding using the property for fire training since discovery of asbestos, and that while the heavily wooded lot might be problematic, the cost of subsequent debris removal would likely be less than complete demolition. He will check to see if Fire Department training costs might be charged to the property owners.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Mathers, to ask the Fire Department if they wish to use the buildings at 557 Osborn Street for training burns. If the Fire Department wishes to use the buildings for training, the Village Manager is authorized to seek estimates for removal of debris, instead of contracting with Roberts Brothers Excavating for demolition. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. (Brown absent.)

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Harder, to authorize the Village Manager to contract with Roberts Brother Excavating Inc, Three Rivers MI, to demolish the house and garage at 557 Osborn Street, excavate the foundation to 3 feet below grade, backfill the foundation for the house and garage, clean up and dispose (offsite) of all debris with the property, supply fill dirt as required, cover with 4 inches of topsoil, seed and mulch at a cost of $6,250.00. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. (Brown absent.)

MEDC GRANT APPLICATION – 130 E WATER STREET
Manager Honeysett referred the Council to the letter from the Michigan Strategic Fund inviting submission of a full application for the Signature Building Initiative Grant in response to the Notice of Intent for the former Donley building at 130 East Water Street. Treasurer Strawser, citing current economic conditions and current Village debt, to delay until the original MSHDA grant buildings obligations are officially concluded. Discussion ensued with Manager Honeysett asking that the Council set a Public Hearing on the issue in order to move the application forward, and assuring the Council they will have opportunity to approve or reject any grant offer from the State.

Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Weiss, to set a Public Hearing for the purpose of reviewing submission of a full application for the Signature Building Initiative Grant for the building at 130 East Water Street Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. (Brown absent.)

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL GRANT APPLICATION
In response to questions, Manager Honeysett said that Constantine Public Schools is the primary grant applicant; he is the Village contact. The first coordinating meeting is October 12 th at 3:30PM in the High School Conference Room.

ENERGY AUDIT UPDATE
Manager Honeysett said he has talked to the State Energy Department and will have more information at the next Council meeting.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE UPDATE
Personnel Committee Chairperson Brewer read aloud the minutes of the September 28, 2009 Personnel Committee meeting. (Corrections of meeting date and adjournment made verbally.) While the meeting was not an employee evaluation of the Village Manager, rather a discussion of the Active Issues and Action Plan previously drawn up for the Manager and goal setting, with the Personnel Committee feeling the following are current priorities: Energy Audit, Sewer Infiltration, New Water Well and Union Negotiations.

NORTH WASHINGTON & BROAD STREET TRAFFIC LIGHT
Manager Honeysett said he signed a cost agreement with MDOT for the maintenance and energy costs for the soon-to-be updated traffic light at Broad and North Washington Streets. The agreement was an update of previous signal cost agreements between the Village and MDOT. MDOT will change the traffic light to a four-leg LED traffic signal sometime before the New Year.

Adjourned meeting at 8:09PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk