Village of Constantine
Regualr Council Meeting
December 7, 2009
Village Hall 7:30 P.M.

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

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

Adam Beck was introduced as the new full-time police officer.

AGENDA
Motion by Moore, Seconded by LaFluer, to approve the agenda as amended. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. Voting YES: Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. Voting NO: none. ABSENT: Brewer. Amendment: add under VII. New Business – B. Mayor Exchange.

MINUTES
Motion by Brown, Seconded by Moore, to approve the Regular November 16, 2009 meeting minutes as set forth. Motion passed by affirmation 6 – 0. ABSENT: Brewer.

Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Brown, to approve the Special November 25, 2009 meeting minutes as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 6 – 0. ABSENT: Brewer.

NEWSLETTER PRINTING OF MINUTES
Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Harder, to approve the abridged version of the Regular November 16, 2009 meeting minutes as presented for printing. Motion passed by affirmation

6 - 0. ABSENT: Brewer.

Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Brown, to approve the abridged version of the Special November 25, 2009 meeting minutes as presented for printing. Motion passed by affirmation 6 – 0. ABSENT: Brewer.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Clerk Strawser said MSEU’s Brad Neumann had forwarded information on a 7-class Citizen Planner curriculum offered to St. Joseph & Kalamazoo County officials/citizens, Mr. Neumann suggesting part of the $350/person cost might be underwritten by the Village’s insurer.

UNSAFE BUILDING – 557 OSBORN STREET
Roberts Brothers Excavating has completed demolition and removal of the buildings, etc. as contracted for at 557 Osborn Street. Excavation cost will be added to the property tax bill.

SEWER LINES – EAST WATER STREET
Manager Honeysett reported that 75 feet of the north-south sewer line in the alley next to the hardware store is in need of repair as is a small section at the west end of the line at the manhole, and that the memo information of the same was actually backwards. ProForm suggested cured-in-place lining for the alley line and pipe patch for the small manhole section. Manager Honeysett said the repairs were not discussed at the Sewer Ad-Hoc Committee meetings, but DPW Foreman Hamminga and Jon Moxey of Fleis & Vandenbrink recommended open-cut repair instead of the cured-in-place lining, at relative cost, since open-cut would be more permanent and reliable, and the cured-in-place lining method would reduce the bore size of the 6-inch pipe. Discussion ensued as to urgency, cost and reliability. President Weiss said she wished to telephone her personal expert for an opinion.

Recessed meeting at 7:50PM.

President Weiss exited at 7:50PM.

President Weiss entered at 7:50PM.

Reconvened meeting at 7:54PM.

Discussion resumed as to urgency, cost, best repair method and possible alternatives. Motion by Moore, Seconded by Brown, to authorize the Village Manager to contract with ProForm Pipe Lining, Mishawaka, Indiana, to install pipe patch in two to three feet (2-3’) of 6-inch sewer line in the 100 block of East Water Street at a cost not to exceed $5,000.00. Motion failed by

Roll Call 6 – 0. Voting YES: none. Voting NO: Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. ABSENT: Brewer.

Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Moore, to authorize the Village Manager to contract with Morris Excavating, White Pigeon, MI to replace seventy-five feet (75’) of six-inch sewer line in the 100 block of East Water Street at a cost of $3,500.00 if de-watering proves unnecessary, or not to exceed $9,500.00 if de-watering is necessary. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0. Voting YES: Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. Voting NO: none. ABSENT: Brewer.

CURED-IN-PLACE LINING –GARDEN STREET
Manager Honeysett said he will present ProForm with a contract on December 8, 2009 for the previously approved lining on West Water and Garden Streets. The projects are expected to begin on December 21 and end no later than December 31, 2009.

2008-2009 AUDIT REPORT
Motion by Brown, Seconded by Harder, to accept and file the 2008-2009 Audit report as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 6 – 0. ABSENT: Brewer.

PARKS & RECREATION FIVE-YEAR PLAN
Manager Honeysett explained that to be eligible for Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant funding, the Village must have a 5-year Parks and Recreation Plan in place. Copies of the [draft] updated plan have been distributed to the requisite interested parties for comment. The Council praised the work of the Recreation Board and others involved in the production of the updated plan.

Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Mathers, to adopt Resolution No. 09-04, approving the Constantine Parks and Recreation Five Year Plan. Motion passed by Roll Call 6 – 0.Voting YES: Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and President Weiss. Voting NO: none. ABSENT: Brewer.

RESOLUTION NO. 09-04

CONSTANTINE PARKS AND RECREATION 5-YEAR PLAN
WHEREAS, the Constantine Parks and Recreation Board has undertaken a five-year Parks and Recreation Plan which describes the physical features, existing recreation facilities and the desired actions to be taken during the period between 2010 and 2014, and

            WHEREAS, the Constantine Parks and Recreation Board has provided ample opportunities for public input including regular meetings of the Parks and Recreation Board, a special issue identification workshop held September 28, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Constantine Village Hall and a second workshop held on November 11, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Constantine Village Hall, and the updated Parks and Recreation Plan was an agenda item at the Regular Village Council meeting held on December 7, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Constantine Village Hall, and

            WHEREAS, the Constantine Parks and Recreation Board has developed the plan for the benefit of the entire Village, to adopt the plan as a document to assist in meeting the parks and recreation needs of the community,

            THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Village of Constantine hereby adopts said 2009 Five Year Parks and Recreation Plan. President Weiss reminded the Council that it is time to make plans for the Mayor’s Exchange if the Council wished to participate in 2010. Trustees suggested finding a community comparative to Constantine, preferably within an hour’s drive. The Michigan Municipal League can help to match communities.

Adjourned meeting at 8:10PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk

Included in the packet, but not discussed: Dec. 3, 2009 Three Rivers Commercial-News article re: Clean Water Plant.