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VILLAGE OF BARODA Council Minutes Baroda Municipal Building April 5, 2010 6:30 p.m.
Prior to the meeting starting, a reception was held to honor Leonard “Bubber” Krone for 25 years of service to the Village of Baroda. Refreshments were served.
Council
Members Present: President Pro-Tem Larry Nye; Trustees Claudia Brister, Ed Rath, Milt Sluder, Mona Stankiewicz and Don Turney; Treasurer Amy Hemphill; and Clerk Diane Mensinger
Members Absent: President Bob Getz
Guests Present: Greta Hurst, Pastor Kendall Holder, Ron Zordell and Chuck Eckenstahler
The Council Meeting was called to order at 6:39 p.m. and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
I. Audience Comments A. Chuck Eckenstahler, Public Consulting Team Mr. Eckenstahler explained the request for an additional $50.000 from the Rural Development to replenish our Revolving Loan Fund and that we have two new businesses interested in setting up in the Village. Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Milt Sluder to approve Resolution 2010-20111 - #1 to authorize the submission of a Rural Business Enterprise Grant Application to the USDA Rural Development in the amount of $50,000. YES NO ABSENT 6 0 1 Motion carried. B. Greta Hurst – Owner of the building at 8972 First Street: 1. Notified Council that she plans to go before the Planning Commission to request a variance to allow a menu board and two bistro tables to be placed on the sidewalk in front of Hometown Deli. 2. Requested that something be done about the graffiti and old tires along the alley at 8999 Second St. Clerk Mensinger will contact the Enforcement Officer tomorrow.
II. Reports A. Village Engineer - none B. Committees 1. Park – Larry Nye a. Trustee Nye requested a council consensus to allow the expenditure of between $200 -$300 for fertilizer for the west side of the park. It was a consensus to spend the money for the fertilizer. b. Roger Zilke, Berrien County Drain Commissioner, contacted Trustee Nye about the washout on the creek bank at the park. He stated that the County Drain Commission can evaluate the damage and determine what type of work would need to be done to repair the damage. They are also able to do the work for us without DEQ permits. It was a Council consensus to have the Drain Commissioner evaluate the damage and make his recommendations. 2. Finance – Treasurer Hemphill a. The Village currently has a Business Member money market account at United Federal Credit Union. We will no longer be allowed to hold a Business Member Money Market but will be transferred as a Public Funds Money Market. This will result in a loss of .25% loss of interest unless we open a checking account at the same time. It was a Council consensus to not open a checking account at UFCU even though we will experience a .25% loss of interest. b. Health Insurance – Treasurer Hemphill stated that our health insurance went up 27% due to the fact that Blue Cross Blue Shield changed Berrien County’s risk factor from a 3 to a 9 and that they do not even offer the policy that we currently hold. This is an approximate $3,300 overage than what we budgeted. Council members are to review the materials presented and be prepared to vote on it next month. C. Planning Commission – Ed Rath - The Planning Commission did not meet in March, but will meet in April.
III. Unfinished Business A. Hills Rd/First St Intersection - Clerk Mensinger announced that the Hills Rd./First Street intersection work will begin on April 12 rather than April 15. B. Miscellaneous – none
IV. New Business A. Service Agreements 1. Baroda Fire Dept. - Motion by Don Turney, seconded by Milt Sluder to enter into a Service Contract with the Baroda Fireman’s Association in the amount of $500 for 2010. Motion carried, no nays, one absent. 2. Baroda Queen Committee - Motion by Don Turney, seconded by Claudia Brister to enter into a Service Contract with the Miss Baroda Queen Committee in the amount of $350 for 2010. Motion carried, no nays. one absent. B. Park Portable Toilet Bids - Bids were received from Joy’s Johns, Pride and White’s Septic. Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Milt Sluder to award the 2010 Park portable toilet contract to Pride with the full amount being paid at the beginning of the season for an additional 10% savings. Motion carried, no nays, one absent. C. Miss Dig Contract - Maintenance Supervisor Krone had requested that we participate in the Miss Dig Program. Once contacted we learned that there was a $290 initial fee, plus a monthly fee of $17. It was a Council consensus not to sign up for the program at this time. D. Dance & Entertainment License for Baroda Tap & Grille - Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Claudia Brister that a Dance-Entertainment Permit be considered for approval by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission for Baroda Tap & Grille – Resolution 2010-2011 - #2. YES NO ABSENT 6 0 1 Motion carried. E. Commercial Tax Abatement Public Hearing - Motion by Mona Stankiewicz, seconded by Larry Nye to hold a public hearing on May 3, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the request for a Commercial Tax Abatement by Demski Enterprises, LLC. Motion carried, no nays, one absent. F. Miscellaneous – none
V. Consent Agenda A. Council Minutes – correction to the March 2009 minutes should include Don Turney voting YES on all of the roll call votes. B. Treasurer’s Report C. Paying of Bills and Transfers – Clerk Mensinger stated that an additional $25 bill was added to the bills for approval folder after the approval list was printed making the total bills for approval 6628.66. D. Correspondence Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Don Turney to approve the consent agenda items with the above corrections being noted. Motion carried, no nays, one absent.
VI. Council Comments A. President Comments (as presented by Clerk Mensinger) 1. Baroda Tap & Grille gutter – The new gutter on the front of the building drains directly onto the sidewalk. Mr. Demski has agreed to keep the sidewalk salted on a regular basis until the streetscape project is completed and at that time the gutter will be changed to run under the sidewalks directly into the storm drain. It was a Council consensus to go along with this plan. 2. Sewer Treatment - President Getz authorized the purchase of sewer chemicals from State Chemicals in the amount of $920.52 after talking with Trustees Sluder and Nye. The reason for this large of a purchase was that the salesmen came to Baroda just after our March Council meeting and the chemicals needed to be applied within so many days of the ice thawing on the sewer ponds. They also gave us a 100% money back guarantee on the products. This product is designed to help cut down on the sludge and duckweed in the ponds and a degreaser was purchased to help protect the lift stations. 3. I & M Power Co. is going to convert the single phase line on Church Street to a three phase line so that another three phase feeder line will run into the Village. Baroda is currently fed from one circuit and by providing a three phase line along Church Street from Cleveland Ave. it will provide another option for the village to be fed by. They ill also be doing some tree trimming during the line installation. 4. Bill Menser passed away this past weekend. Bill had been the chairman of the Downtown Development Association for many years before retiring. He was a business owner in the Village for many years. His service will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Pike Funeral Home. B. Council 1. No comments from Trustees Nye, Rath, Sluder, Stankiewicz or Turney. No comments from Treasurer Hemphill or Clerk Mensinger. 2. Trustee Brister thanked the Council for their cards, flowers and visits at the time of her husband, Tyree, passing away.
Meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m. |
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