Village of Ortonville
MINUTES
Ortonville Village Regular Council Meeting
May 23, 2016
Brandon Township Offices
395 Mill Street, Ortonville, MI 48462
Trustee Eschmann called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.
Roll Call: Present: McClerren, Brice, Skornicka, Eschmann, Dylus
Absent: Wills, Baker (each absent with notice)
Also Present: John Lyons – Village Manager; Mike Lee – Newly Appointed Village Manager; Julie Hanna – Village Clerk; Susan Bromley – Reporter for The Citizen; Molly LaLone – Ortonville DDA Director; Dave Kwapis – Brandon Township Fire Chief; Jason Wilton – potential Medic/Firefighter new hire; Scott Dickerson – ROWE Professional Services Company; two representatives from the Lions Club; several interested members of the public
Approval of Agenda:
It was decided that a new item 12, Recognition, would be added to the agenda beneath item 11. The following numbered sections would then be adjusted:
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Skornicka, to approve the agenda as amended. All in favor; the motion carried.
Approval of Meeting Minutes:
A. Minutes of the Regular Village Council Meeting – April 25, 2016
· Motion by Trustee Skornicka, seconded by Trustee Baker, to approve the minutes of the April 25, 2016, regular meeting as presented.
All in favor, the Motion carried.
B. Minutes of the Special Village Council Meeting – May 2, 2016
· Motion by Trustee Skornicka, seconded by Trustee Baker, to approve the minutes of the May 2, 2016, special meeting as presented.
All in favor, the Motion carried.
C. Minutes of the Special Village Council Meeting – May 5, 2016
· Motion by Trustee Skornicka, seconded by Trustee Baker, to approve the minutes of the May 5, 2016, special meeting as presented.
All in favor, the Motion carried.
Acceptance Items
A. Treasurer’s Report – April 2016
B. Ortonville Planning Commission Meeting Minutes – April 5, 2015
Items Accepted.
Disbursements:
No clarification was sought for the expenditures.
· Motion by Trustee Skornicka, seconded by Trustee McClerren, to pay the bills in the amount of $30,443.73.
Roll Call:
Ayes: McClerren, Brice, Skornicka, Eschmann, Dylus
Nays: None
Absent: Baker, Wills
All in favor, the Motion carried.
Public Comments on Agenda Items:
None
Items from Trustees:
Trustees gave an update for the subcommittee(s) of which they are members.
Dylus: He presented a letter of thanks from the village council to the Ortonville Lion’s Club for their donation of carpet for the Old Town Hall building.
Brice: The skate park opening has been postponed again to June 2nd due to the current lack of participants. This may improve after school is let out for summer.
Skornicka: She made a correction to an article in The Citizen, which stated that the Village of Ortonville has a new village president. The village has a new manager. She introduced the newly hired manager, Mike Lee. The personnel committee is currently reviewing applicants for the position of village clerk, as Julie Hanna has turned in her resignation effective May 27.
New Business:
A. Planning Commission Terms and Appointments
Manager John Lyons looked into P.A. 33 of 2008, Michigan’s Planning Enabling Act, which sets rules, requirements, and guidelines for planning commissions. The planning commission has not kept track of terms of the commissioners in recent years, and they discussed resetting terms at their May 3 meeting. The law sets term limits as three years for planning commissioners. McClerren’s seat is good until she is no longer on the village council, because she is considered an ex-officio member as the council liaison. The other six will need to stagger their terms so that their appointments are not all at the same time. Two commissioners would need to be appointed for a one-year term; two would be appointed for a two-year terms, and two would be appointed for a three-year term. At the end of these initial terms, they or their successor would be appointed for a three-year term.
Palshan and McAvinchey will have terms lasting one year; Nivelt and Hayden will have terms lasting two years, and Craciun and VanDis will have terms lasting three years.
There was some brief discussion regarding terms of planning commissioners and how to become one.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Skornicka, to appoint Lee Palshan and Rick McAvinchey to a 1-year term on the Village of Ortonville Planning Commission, expiring June 1, 2017. All in favor, the Motion carried.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Brice, to appoint Melanie Nivelt and Larry Hayden to a 2-year term on the Village of Ortonville Planning Commission, expiring June 1, 2018. All in favor, the Motion carried.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Skornicka, to appoint Charles Craciun and David VanDis to a 3-year term on the Village of Ortonville Planning Commission, expiring June 1, 2019. All in favor, the Motion carried.
B. Cedar Street Resurfacing Project
John explained the scrap tire grant that the village has received from the state. This grant would be used to resurface Cedar Street from Ball to Oakwood. The mixture used would be partially made from scrap tire material. Scott Dickerson of ROWE Professional Services Company, who is working on the engineering design portion of the project, was present to clarify the project further and answer questions. Sealed bids were accepted by the village for construction services proposals and these were opened on May 19. Four bids were received. The lowest bid of $136,898.35 by Ace-Saginaw Paving Company is being recommended. There were some questions asked about the materials the road would be constructed with, and Scott Dickerson addressed them. It is expected that the road will last about 20 years.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Brice, to accept the bid for the Cedar Street Paving project from Ace Saginaw Paving Co. in the amount not to exceed $136,898.35.
Roll Call:
Ayes: McClerren, Brice, Skornicka, Eschmann, Dylus
Nays: None
Absent: Baker, Wills
All in favor, the Motion carried.
C. Road Closure/Event Permit for Corn Hole Tournament for Ortonville Days
Two representatives from the Ortonville Lions Club applied to have Pond Street closed for two dates as a part of Ortonville Days for a Corn Hole Tournament. They requested to close parts of Pond Street on June 23, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and June 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. They explained the game and the times of the tournaments briefly.
· Motion by Trustee Eschmann, seconded by Trustee McClerren, to approve the Ortonville Lions Club Permit request to close Pond Street on June 23 and June 26, 2016 as presented. All in favor, motion carried.
D. Beets, Beats & Eats and Creekfest Presentation – Ortonville DDA
DDA Director Molly LaLone gave a presentation regarding two upcoming events downtown. Creekfest is on June 11, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., taking place on the Old Mill campus. Beets, Beat & Eats will take place on every Friday of the summer, starting June 17 and running until September 2. She listed some of the activities that would be going on during the BB&E 2016 season. Molly then requested that there be another appointment to the DDA Board of Directors. At the April 25 meeting, Jeremy Kratt and Harmony Crocker were approved as new members. Now Molly asked that Jason Kratt be approved as a member.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Eschmann, to approve the nomination of Jason Kratt to the DDA Board of Directors as requested by the DDA. All in favor, motion carried.
E. Ortonville Days Presentation – Ortonville Lions Club
Ortonville Lions Club President Gerald Edwards and former Lions Club President Elizabeth Rheaume made a presentation about the upcoming Ortonville Days event to be held June 24 through 26. There will be a circus, beer tent and other activities. They mentioned that they are looking for teams for the corn hole tournament. The fireworks will be on the night of the 25th.
F. Ortonville Free Little Library and Parks – Avery Bills, Emma Hubbard, & Allan O’Neill
Brandon High School students Avery Bills and Emma Hubbard made a proposal for having a “Free Little Library” placed in Crossman Park. This would be a public book exchange where people could leave books and take books freely from a wooden case erected in the park. They passed out a handout about the proposal. There is the option to buy a premade Free Little Library online but they had plans to have it constructed by a friend and fellow Brandon High School student, Allan O’Neill, who also made a presentation before council. O’Neill proposed starting a Parks Project, the goal of which would be to improve the parks within Brandon Township and the Village of Ortonville. He had several suggestions, such as a reading garden around the proposed Free Little Library.
Council would not be deciding tonight, but council thanked the presenters.
G. Fire Department – Hiring New Firefighter/Medic – Chief Kwapis
Fire Chief Dave Kwapis said that a lieutenant is going on an extended medical leave soon, and the fire department would like to hire Jason Wilton as firefighter/medic. His hiring would be helpful especially during the summer months when the fire department would be short staffed. They would be hiring him from the hiring list of those who have already been tested. He would not have to retest for the position. The fire authority recommended hiring Jason Wilton. The proposal was discussed.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Brice, to hire Michael Jason Wilton as a full-time firefighter/medic and promote firefighter/medic Bess to acting lieutenant/medic, effective June 7, 2016.
Roll Call:
Ayes: McClerren, Brice, Skornicka, Eschmann, Dylus
Nays: None
Absent: Baker, Wills
All in favor, motion carried.
H. Fire Department – Lifepak Monitors/Defibrillators – Chief Kwapis
The fire department has six Physio-Control Lifepak cardiac monitors, but parts for these monitors will no longer be made after September of 2016. The current monitors were purchased in 2002. These are required equipment for the fire department to have. With a trade in deal of the old monitors and rebates, the fire department would be able to purchase six new monitors for $149,789.34. June 10th is the deadline to receive this pricing. They would normally cost $227,562.81. The fire department has spoken with its auditor. There are plenty of funds in the amount carried forward from previous fiscal years.
· Motion by Trustee McClerren, seconded by Trustee Eschmann, to approve the purchase of six cardiac monitors from Physio-Control for $ 149,789.34.
Roll Call:
Ayes: McClerren, Brice, Skornicka, Eschmann, Dylus
Nays: None
Absent: Baker, Wills
All in favor, motion carried.
Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items:
None
Recognition
Council presented a plaque to John Lyons thanking him for his service as Village Manager since August 1, 2011 to May 26, 2016.
Items from the Manager: John Lyons said that the skate park is trying to get off the ground. The opening has been delayed until June 2nd. It would be detrimental to lose it. He explained what is needed to sign up and how.
He thanked Julie Hanna for her work as clerk and Beth Forys for her work as treasurer. He wished Mike Lee, the new village manager, luck with the village. He also wished Molly LaLone luck for her future.
He spent 36 years in public service. He thanked the village for its support, even in the rougher times when not everyone agreed.
Mike Lee introduced himself. He served in the military for 33 years and has held many positions. He wished John Lyons the best.
· Motion by Trustee Skornicka, seconded by Trustee McClerren, to adjourn the regular village council meeting. All in favor; the motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:24p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Hanna – Village Clerk
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