Richland Village Council

Regular Meeting

April 15, 2013

Present: President Jeff Heppler, Clerk Jacqueline Holewa, Treasurer Terry Edds, Trustees: Paul Gobble, Bob Prentice, Diane Briggs, Virginia Gross, Doug Jonas and Chief Mattioli

Also in attendance: Village Attorney Robert Soltis, GLSWA representative Rich Pierson, PreinNewhof representative Mike Swartz.

Absent: Rob Brinkerhoff

The meeting was called to order in the Gull Lake High School Cafeteria by President Jeff Heppler at 7:03 pm

Pledge of Allegiance was led by President Jeff Heppler

  1. Guests: Brian Fadden, Charles Bryant, Kim Morris, Pete Graham, Tom Koporetz, Gail Koporetz Heidi Bryant, Jim Thompson and Randy Klinger
  2. Discussion:

D Avenue residents stated their concerns, views, and facts opposed to include the sewer installation with proposed D Avenue Road Project. All were against the sewer. Randy Klinger, a Bunkerhill resident, pointed out that in the past the other streets paid for their street projects with sewer assessment. Brian Fadden expressed concern about traffic speed on D Avenue.The council listened attentively to their comments; President Heppler told them that the vote would be decided under old business on the agenda.

ACTION POINTS:

  1. MOTION to approve March 4, 2013 Special meeting minutes – Prentice/Gobble – CARRIED
  1. MOTION to approve March 11, 2013 Regular meeting minutes – Gobble/Gross – CARRIED

Discussion:

  1. Treasurer gave his budget report
  1. Bills Payable accepted – Discussion regarding Citgo account.

Action Point:

  1. Clerk will split out gas bought by the police department to accurately reflect accounting for the DPW and Police Department supply budgets.

Discussion

  1. Police report given by Chief Mattioli – 73 Incidents – 133 Citations – 31 Verbals. There was a 6% increase in criminal complaints, 99% increase in citations, the department participated in two OWI grant enforcement events in March.
  2. Fire report – 24 calls in March - five were in the Village. Richland Township submitted an invoice for $13,773 for fire protection in the village.
  1. Streets report - Trustee Prentice requests removing Railroad Street from the M-DOT Village Street map.
  1. Action Point: Resolution for Decertification/Vacation of Railroad Street – Prentice/Gross – Roll Call Vote: Yes – Gross, Jonas, Prentice, Gobble, Briggs, Brinkerhoff, and Heppler – Carried
  1. Parks – no report
  1. Trees – no report
  1. Building and Grounds – accepting sealed bids – will open sealed bids on May 9 – 4:00 pm at 8100 North 32nd Street, Richland, MI 49083.
  1. Community Hall – work progressing on time – move in first of May.
  1. Zoning – Planning Commissioner Delton Heckelman III requested training at the cost of $350.00
  1. Action Point: MOTION to support the request to pay for training – Gobble/Jonas – CARRIED.
  1. P.P.P. – Village is in compliance with IRS regarding the Flex Plan per Attorney Soltis and Basic Insurance.
  1. RABA- no report
  1. Public Service – Spring News letter sent to printer in mail boxes by end of April. Spring Clean UP – May 18 – Brush pick up – May 20.
  1. Ad Hoc – no report
  1. Old Business: Discussion to consider Hazard Management with county/state
  1. Action Point: postpone until May 13, 2013 meeting.
  1. GLSWA – Discussion of D Avenue Road Project. Rich Pierson explained that the council had two decisions to make #1. Road only or Road with Sewer.
  1. Action point: MOTION to proceed with the Road Only Project – Gobble/Jonas – Roll Call vote: YES - Jonas, Gobble, Briggs. NO – Gross, Prentice. Abstain- Heppler. Absent: Brinkerhoff -- CARRIED 3 Yes – 2 No – 1 abstain
  1. Discussion: Gobble thought that he not heard a strong argument for sewer. The equity argument is not strong enough to consider including sewer with the road. Other Streets in the past petitioned the council for sewer. Gross questioned evaluating the septic systems –Rich Pierson said time constraints to perform testing prohibitive at this time. Briggs said that if council voted in favor of Road Only project the sewer installation would not come up again in the near future. Prentice felt that the opportunity to install sewer was now. Jonas does not see a benefit to the Village to install sewer. He stated that there was no need, no benefit, and no economic reason to include sewer with the road. Heppler cautioned that if the sewer is not installed that it would be many years before a grant would be available again.
  1. #2 How to fund the project? Attorney Soltis stated that it could be funded by the village general fund or D Avenue residents could be assessed or combination. Jonas didn’t think that neither optionwas acceptable.
  1. Action Point: It was decided that a committee should be formed to investigate means to finance the project. Prentice, Jonas, Gobble volunteered to be on the committee with the addition of Treasurer Edds. The committee will report to the council their findings.
  1. President Jeff Heppler submitted his verbal resignation at the March 11, 2013 regular meeting; the council did not take any action at that time.
  1. Discussion Attorney Soltis explained that a verbal resignation was acceptable but it should have an effective date included.
  1. Action Point: MOTION to accept President Heppler’s verbal resignation effective April 15, 2013 – Gross/Jonas – Roll Call Vote: yes – Gross, Jonas, Briggs Gobble, Prentice Trustee Brinkerhoff was absent. CARRIED. (Gobble, Prentice, and Briggs regretfully accepted Heppler’s resignation.)
  1. New Business: Discussion Greg Rosine with Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority, gave details about the service. There is a May 7th vote to renew the millage for the service and asked for the Village’s support.
  1. Action Point: The clerk will post information in the Spring newsletter and contact Sean McBride to post it on the village website.
  1. Discussion: clerk clarified her request to change from Municode to General Code for the village’s ordinance needs.
  1. Action Point: MOTION to allow the clerk to make the change from Municode to General Code if the total cost is not over $1,000. – Gobble Gross –CARRIED
  1. Friendly amendment to the motion: to have the clerk compare twoservices Ameriscan and Municode which Richland Township utilize against the services offered by General Code. Jonas/Gobble – CARRIED.
  2. Discussion: Set a Joint meeting date with Richland Township.
  1. Action Point: Date setfor May 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm to be held at the newly renovated Richland Community Hall – new home of the Village and Police Department offices.
  1. Discussion: Prentice was contacted by Don Gilmer questioning, “Why the village would write two unsolicited letters to the State in opposition to a non-village citizen desiring to purchase the Bay View restaurant/pub which is outside of the village limits. Also, why has the village requested supervisory oversight for Bay View Restaurant (outside of the village) located in Ross Township?” The Clerk answered that she had no knowledge of the letters or the situation and had not responded to the State. Trustee Prentice requested that the above discussion be included in the minutes.
  1. MOTION to adjourn Gobble/Prentice - CARRIED

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm

Submitted by

Jacqueline Wanda Holewa,

Village of Richland Clerk