VILLAGE OF BARODA

Council Meeting Minutes

Baroda Municipal Building

June 1, 2009

6:51 p.m.

Meeting called to order at 6:51p.m. by President Getz. Meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I.          Business Awards Reception

            The Village Council recognized the following businesses with certificates and plaques.

            Certificates of Recognition/Welcome

Robert Lewis – Lewis Electric

Jeff & Corina Razor – CJ’s Quick Mart

Business of the Year Awards

Tio’s Restaurant – Velma Tio for 36 years in Business

Johnny’s Barber Shop – John Chivla for 46 years in Business

            Community Spirit Award

Baroda Estates & Mini Storage – John Baird for his contributions to the community.

 

II.        Audience Comments - none 

III.       Reports

A.  Audit Report – Bob Gerbel, Gerbel & Co. P.C. Certified Public Accounts Mr. Gerbel reviewed the Audit Report   

(copies are available in the office) and stated that he rated our financial status between very good and excellent. We    

have 5.17 months of operating funds available as of March 31, 2009.

 

B.  Police Chief – No report.

      C.  Village Engineer – Steve Carlisle

Steve Carlisle reported that we need to obligate the $70,000 in stimulus dollars we received by December 1, 2009 for work to be completed in 2010. We also have the $120,000 grant from the Berrien County Road Commission that is for 2012 road work.

The Hills Road Estimate includes curb and gutter as well as storm drain. Mr. Carlisle suggested that we complete the Hills Road work in phases. The first 300 feet needs to go to bid in December 2009 and does not include the water or sewer portion of the project. He gave us another estimate with curb and gutter only from First St. intersection to Sonoma Court for a savings of approximately $26,755.

Council asked Mr. Carlisle to get us estimates on installing the water lines at the same time we do the road project.

      D.  Committees

                  1.      Park

a.   Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Bob Getz to spend $300 to replace dead

      trees in the fall. Motion carried.

b.   Larry will contact Maint. Supervisor Krone as to where to place the Mutt

      Mitt Kit.

c.   Volunteers are needed to weed the flowers around the gazebo.

d.   Hickory Creek has a large sand deposit near the walk bridge which is

causing erosion problems on the bank. This falls under the Berrien County Drain

Department as it is considered an open drain and is exempt from the DEQ requirements.

2.      Finance – Nothing to report.

 

E.  Planning Commission

            1.   A public hearing was held in May to discuss the rezoning request of Mark

       Rohm for his property on Cleveland Ave. Mr. Rohm was not present, but was

       contacted to discuss the possibility of a conditional rezoning.

2.   A public hearing will be held on June 16 to review the proposed sign

      ordinance.

          

            F.  DDA – nothing to report 

IV.       Unfinished Business

A.  Sewer Pond Resurfacing

                  President Getz inspected the sewer ponds with Maint. Supervisor Krone to discuss the

      erosion of the pond banks. Bids were received from Ott’s Excavating and Burkholder

      Excavating.

      Motion by Milt Sluder, seconded by Ed Rath to enter into an agreement with

      Burkholder Excavating in the amount of $12,400 to do the repair work on the sewer

      pond banks.

                                         YES    NO      ABSENT

     Bob Getz                      X       __        __       

     Claudia Brister                    __        __       

     Larry Nye                     X       __        __

     Ed Rath                        X        __        __

     Milt Sluder                   X        __        __

     Mona Stankiewicz        X        __        __

     Don Turney                  X        __        __

      Motion carried.

 

B.  Sewer Fence

1.   Repair and Paint

      Bids from Wiltse Fence Co. were reviewed. Fence Masters did not submit a bid.

      Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Don Turney to enter a contract with Wiltse

      Fencing for the painting of the sewer pond fence in green (per quote #5A).

YES    NO      ABSENT

                 Bob Getz                       X       __        __       

                 Claudia Brister               X       __        __       

                 Larry Nye                      X       __        __

                 Ed Rath                         X       __         __

                 Milt Sluder                     X       __        __

                 Mona Stankiewicz         X       __         __

                 Don Turney                   X       __         __

                  Motion carried.

  

      Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Bob Getz to enter into a contract with Wiltse  

      Fencing to do the repair work on the sewer pond fencing (per quote #1).

YES    NO      ABSENT

                 Bob Getz                       X       __        __       

                 Claudia Brister               X       __        __       

                 Larry Nye                      X       __        __

                 Ed Rath                         X       __         __

                 Milt Sluder                     X       __        __

                 Mona Stankiewicz         X       __         __

                 Don Turney                   X       __         __

                  Motion carried.

 

2.   Gate

      Motion by Don Turney, seconded by Milt Sluder to enter into a contract with

      Wiltse Fencing to move the sewer pond entrance and install a new16 ft.

      swinging gate (per quote #2 and #4).

                                                 YES   NO      ABSENT

                 Bob Getz                       X       __        __       

                 Claudia Brister               X       __        __       

                 Larry Nye                      X       __        __

                 Ed Rath                         X       __         __

                 Milt Sluder                           __        __

                 Mona Stankiewicz                __        __

                 Don Turney                   X        __        __

                  Motion carried.

 

            C.  Maint. Building Gate

                  Purchase of a Maintenance Building gate was tabled.

 

D.  Reimbursement Policy Resolution

      Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Larry Nye to adopt resolution 2009-2010 - #2,

YES    NO      ABSENT

                 Bob Getz                       X       __        __       

                 Claudia Brister                     __        __       

                 Larry Nye                      X       __        __

                 Ed Rath                         X       __        __

                 Milt Sluder                    X       __        __

                 Mona Stankiewicz         X       __        __

                 Don Turney                   X       __        __

      Motion carried.

E.  Miscellaneous - none

 

V.        New Business

A.  Millage

Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Bob Getz to adopt Resolution 2009-2010 - #3 to levy 9.9000 mills for 2009 village taxes.

YES    NO      ABSENT

     Bob Getz                       X       __        __       

     Claudia Brister               X       __        __       

                        Larry Nye                      X       __        __

                        Ed Rath                         X       __        __

                        Milt Sluder                    X       __        __

                        Mona Stankiewicz         X       __        __

                        Don Turney                   X       __        __

                  Motion carried.

 

B.  Music in the Park

Clerk Mensinger announced the dates and bands for the 2009 Music in the Park Concert Series and asked Council Members to volunteer to host one of the events.

            June 28 – Carl Payne

            July 26 – Ed Bagatini Jazz Quartet

            August 23 – UpHill Climb Bluegrass Gospel Band

 

C.  Safety Day

Clerk Mensinger reported that the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission had contacted the office about doing a bicycle safety rodeo at Barodafest. They declined to have them because they do not allow bicycles on the festival grounds. Clerk Mensinger suggested holding a Safety Day in Baroda to include fire, police, and medical, etc. safety booths. She further suggested that it be held on Sunday, October 11 from 2 – 4 p.m. and that First Street between Church and South Streets be closed for the event.

      Motion by Claudia Brister, seconded by Mona Stankiewicz to hold Safety Day on

      10/11/09 from 2 – 4 p.m. and to close off First Street for the event.

      Motion carried, no nays.

 

D.  Christmas in the Park

      Clerk Mensinger reported that she has not received any response to Christmas in the Park,

      but it is still early. The biggest concern is finding somebody to play Santa

      Claus.

E.  Miscellaneous - None

 

VI.       Consent Agenda

A.  Council Minutes

B.  Treasurer’s Report

C.  Paying of Bills and Transfers ($4798.01)

D.  Correspondence

Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Mona Stankiewicz to approve the consent agenda      

items.

                  Motion carried, no nays.

 

VII.     Council Comments

A.  President Comments

1.   Enforcement Officer – There are several issues in the village that need to be

resolved. President Getz and Officer Fowler will do a drive through so that they can identify the issues.

                        2.   Liquor License Control Commission – Treasurer Hemphill stated that we need

to adopt a resolution stating that we will pass along our 55% of the license fees directly to Baroda Lake Township Police Department. A resolution will be presented next month.

                        3.   President Getz reported that we have been approved for the RDA Revolving

      Loan Funds in the amount of $50,000. This with our $16,000 matching funds

      will give us a total of $66,000 to work with. There is some additional

      paperwork that we need to complete prior to receiving the funds.

4.   Bob’s Tree Service – Maint. Supervisor Krone reported to President Getz that

there are two trees located on Second Street and one on Third Street that are in need of being trimmed or removed. He has received a quote from Bob’s Tree Service for $600 to do the work.  Larry Nye reported that there are two scrubby trees at the park that need to be removed and asked if he could get an additional quote from Bob’s Tree Service.

Motion by Ed Rath, seconded by Don Turney to have Bob’s Tree Service do the work on Second and Third Streets and the Village Park, but not to exceed $850 total.

Motion carried, no nays.

                        5.   Starr & Wellington Drain – Clerk Mensinger spoke with Drain Commissioner

Zilke regarding the dredging of the Starr & Wellington Drain. He stated that they will clean out the drain, but not dredge it as the drain is lower than the cross tube. Trustee Rath asked for a detailed breakdown of the expenses we are paying on the recent work to the drain. Clerk Mensinger will contact the Drain Commissioner’s office.

                        6.   John Harner, past village president, has invited Council Members to a 70th

      birthday party on June 20.

7.   First Street – A large sink hole has opened up on First Street. There are no

 water or sewer lines at this location and Maint. Supervisor Krone believes it  

 might have been an old cistern that collapsed. They will be digging a larger

 hole and filling it in.

                        8.   President Getz announced that Chuck Eckenstahler has told him about a new

      grant that is for low to moderate income communities. We were not a low to

      moderate income the last time, but communities are finding that the current

      unemployment situation is greatly affecting their income levels. President

      Getz, Clerk Mensinger and Chuck Eckenstahler will meet to discuss the

      possibility of doing a new survey.

9.   President Getz announced that he will be out of town for the July 6th Council

      Meeting.

B.  Council Member’s Comments

            1.   Clerk Mensinger stated that she will be out of the office June 16 through June

 19 for the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks Conference in     

 Frankenmuth. President Getz announced that Clerk Mensinger has received

 the honor of being named the MAMC Village Clerk of the Year.

2.   Treasurer Hemphill stated that the Berrien County Treasurer has sent her a

      letter stating that they are writing off 2003 delinquent personal property

      taxes.

3.   No comments from Trustees Brister, Nye, Rath, Sluder, Stankiewicz or

     Turney.

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

 

Recorded by: 

Diane Mensinger, Village Clerk