Commission Minutes: July 13, 2017

Members Present: , Commissioners: Gloria Nealy, Joe Madore, Bryant Nolden, Cloyce Dickerson, David Martin, Mike Keeler, Jeff Wright

Members Absent: President Joe Krapohl, Vice President Washington, Secretary Lynch

Staff Present: Amy McMillan, Director; Kevin Shanlian, Chief Park Ranger; Nancy Edwards, Recreation Program and Grants; Deborah Wilkes, Administrative Secretary; Janet Van De Winkle, Project Sustainability Director; Danielle Fulcher, Marketing Specialist; Emily Hall SYI Marketing Aide;

Others Present: Tom Kehoe, 4305 E. Stanley Road, Genesee; Vera Kraft 12305 Mt Morris Rd., Columbiaville

1) Call to Order. Commissioner Nolden presided and called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m.
Commissioner Nolden requested to add an item to the agenda, Director’s Report: Sale of Mt Morris Road Parcels.


Action Taken:

Motion by Commissioner Dickerson

Second by Commissioner Madore

Motion and Support to add an item to the Director’s Report on agenda.

Ayes: All ayes

Nays: None

Motion Carried 7-0
2) Opportunity for members of the public to address the commission. Anyone wishing to address the commission must state their name and address and they have three minutes to speak.

The following comments were made during public address to the commission:

Concerns about leachate at arena due to the heavy rain event
Beach water safety equipment
Regular dust control
Downed tree alongside Stanley Road
Goose Point deadfall
Sidewalk materials at Dam

3) Consent Agenda. Commissioner Nolden asked commissioners if there are any items they wish to remove from the consent agenda for discussion. No items were removed from the consent agenda.

Action Taken:

Motion by Commissioner Dickerson

Supported by Commissioner Wright

Motion and support for approval of consent agenda items A through C, as listed.

Roll Call
Ayes: All Ayes

Nays: None

MOTION CARRIED 7-0

4) Director’s Report

A. Resolution 020-17 Genesee to Vassar Road Iron Belle Trail Grant This trail begins at our office and ends at Vassar Rd. This grant was one of four grants awarded in December 2016. The governor is ready to sign the bill and this grant depends on two other sources for matching funds. This particular project is more time sensitive than the other three grants that we were awarded. We need to move forward with a resolution to accept the grant terms in advance of receiving the contract since this grant depends on matching funds from two other sources, Transportation Alternative Program and Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality dollars. So in order to keep the ball rolling we are asking you to approve this resolution of support, which will then go to the Board of Commissioners. Once approved by our commission it will move forward to the Board of Commissioners.

Action Taken:

Motion by Commissioner Wright

Supported by Commissioner Dickerson


Motion and support to approve Resolution 020-17 to accept the terms of the MI DNR Trust Fund grant # TF 16-0102 for a non-motorized trail from Genesee to Vassar Road.

Yeas: All ayes

Nays: None

Absent: Commissioner Jeff Wright is absent

MOTION CARRIED 7-0

B. Sale of Mt Morris Road Parcels The acquisition of the Hegel Road property, which was one of the grants awarded to us from MI DNR Trust Fund required matching funds. Those matching funds were to be from the sale of two parcels of property on Mt Morris Road, on Holloway Reservoir. The Commission and Board of Commissioners approved and authorized the sale of those parcels. An offer, and counter offer has been made and today we are asking that you accept the $260,000.00 offer. The money will also be used to get the property ready to become a park. If approved by the commission today it will be on the Public Works agenda this Monday as the terms of the sales agreement are time sensitive.

Wright: Does that require two resolutions, one for the Poulos property and one for the property?

What was the appraised value? How much frontage on the water?

McMillan: The appraised value: 379,000.00 Water Frontage: 380 linear feet

Madore: The first offer was about $60 thousand?

McMillan: $55 thousand.

Keeler: Is it 8% or what was the percentage terms of the sale (commission)? Is it both properties we sold?

McMillan: It was 5% - or if there was no other broker involved - the commission rate is reduced to 3% . Both properties were sold.

McMillan: One resolution for the land sale. We will bring the resolution to accept the grant later. We already had a resolution to put the property up for sale. Our first offer was dramatically below the appraised value. McGuirk listed the property and we just received this offer, which we need to accept and move forward to the Board of Commissioners and Corporation Counsel to accept.

Madore: The grant to purchase the (Hegel Rd) property was put in last year and was approved or that is pending to be funded in the next 30-60 days to be closed on this year? The funds will be set aside for some development? Will those funds be expended in this fiscal year or will we need to adjust the budget?

McMillan: Correct. The grant was awarded last year and we should be closing this year and the Atlas County Park must be open and available to the public within 90 days after we close on the purchase of the property. We have to demolish a small building, a deer blind needs to be removed, we’ll probably make some updates to some of the fencing that surrounds the property. It will have its own fund for improvements with anything left over after grant matching funds. There is a discussion with the property owners about when they want to close on the piece of property. There are three owners to this piece of property and they are all in agreement to sell, but some want to deer hunt one more time on the property.

We do want to acknowledge the cooperation of Josh Freeman, the new Board Coordinator, who got back with us in a split second to get this on Monday’s Public Works agenda because of the deadlines associated with the sale agreement. Also to Ted Henry for helping to move this along. Their cooperation is appreciated.

Action Taken:

Motion by Commissioner Dickerson

Supported by Commissioner Wright


Motion and support to accept the terms of the Sale Agreement for parcels on Mt Morris Road.


Yeas: All ayes

Nays: None

MOTION CARRIED 7-0

C. Bluebell Beach Washout As a result of the downpours this morning we have sent pictures around the table to show the beach damage. Our graders are already out to restore those areas and the beach is closed until such time as the repairs are made.

Staff is checking other parks for water damages.

5) New Business There is no new business.


6) Opportunity for the public to address the commission

Public Comments: Frequency of valve operations at the dam.

Proper placement of no trespassing signs.

Condition of Zimmerman Park entrance road

7) Opportunity for Commissioners to address the Commission.

Martin: This Saturday is Be a Tourist in your Town sponsored by the Chamber. Please post on your Facebook and invite others to attend. It only costs a dollar and people will be moved around by bus.

Nealy: She keeps reminding people to come see the treehouse and she hands out brochures all over town about the parks!

Wright: Congratulates all the employees, staff and administration for the grant money they got, not only for this property, but the Iron Belle Trail. It’s easy to talk about grants we get, but not many people appreciate how difficult it is to get those types of dollars from the State of MI. The running around, the loop holes, the connections, the calls, the paperwork that goes along with it so everybody that was involved with that: Good Job. A

8) Adjournment. Motion by Commissioner Wright and Support by Commissioner Dickerson to adjourn the meeting.

All are in favor of adjourning and meeting was adjourned at 10:21 a.m.

Recorded and transcribed by D. Wilkes p:commission/2017/Agenda and minutes/7-13-17

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