REGULAR MINUTES
PERE MARQUETTE DEPOT
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
A meeting of the City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan was convened in open and public session at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 17, 2017.
Council Member Miller delivered the invocation.
The Mayor led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The City Clerk took the roll call:
Members Present: Council Members Brad Miller, Bruce Meyers, Mike Scheid, Douglas Feehan and Ronald Gunderson
Members Absent: None
Council Member Scheid made a motion to approve the agenda as presented, supported by Council Member Feehan.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
There were no public comments.
Approve Chemical Bank Checks 7025 to 7035 in the amount of $62,203.86
Council Member Scheid made a motion to approve the consent agenda, supported by Council Member Miller.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Following are the resolutions contained in the Consent Agenda.
C. Special Event Application approval – Belding Beatnik Bazaar / Farmers Market
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELDING, MICHIGAN GRANTING PERMISSION TO JENNY BENNETT FOR THE USE OF THE BREIMAYER LOT FOR THE BELDING BEATNIK BAZAAR/FARMERS MARKET.
WHEREAS, Jenny Bennett submitted a Special Event Application representing the Belding Beatnik Bazaar/Farmers Market; and
WHEREAS, the events will be held on the Breimayer Lot, on the southwest corner of Bridge and Congress Streets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9 and October 14, 2017.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Belding,
Michigan that permission is hereby granted to Jenny Bennett representing the Belding Beatnik Bazaar/Farmers Market to use the Breimayer Lot from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9 and October 14, 2017.
Council Member Meyers stated he attended a Rec Board meeting with a full agenda. For the Belding Events book, they reached out to a lot of organizations to find out what they do. Kristy Riches and Scott are working on the spring/summer edition. With the 5-year fee program for the parks, which is $20 for residents and $30 for non-residents, the fees brought in $1,000 in the last year. They will re-evaluate the fees toward the end of the year. Keven stated Ernie said vandalism was down dramatically with Officer VanderMeulen. The Recreation Master Plan was presented. The plan was a lot of work, and has been a living document for many years. The Pianos on Parade program would bring used pianos to the city to be repainted by high school students and then they would be placed in the city. They will talk to the school more on that. The Rec Board was open to that, but they had questions on liability.
Council Member Scheid stated the Housing Commission meeting is this Thursday.
Council Member Feehan stated the Labor Day Committee met and are just getting started. They are looking for a theme for this year. Just let them know if there is input.
Council Member Miller stated the Historic District Commission meets this Thursday at 6 p.m. at city hall. The Planning Commission meets next week Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. here.
Mayor Gunderson stated the Library held a special meeting on the by-laws.
There was no unfinished business.
The City Clerk read the preamble to the ordinance.
Council Member Scheid moved the adoption of the ordinance and the motion was supported by Council Member Miller.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CITY ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF BELDING MICHIGAN, INCORPORATED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BELDING (BELDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 452) BY SECTION 3.2, OF THE BELDING CITY CODE.
THE CITY OF BELDING ORDAINS
SECTION 1 The Zoning Map incorporated in the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Belding by Section 3.2, of the Belding City Code is amended as follows:
The property rezoned from B-2 (General Business District) to I-1 (Industrial District) is legally described as:
CITY OF BELDING BELDING & ELLIS ADD LOT 139 EXC COM AT NW COR THEREOF, TH SWLY ALG W LN OF SD LOT TO WATERS EDGE OF FLAT RIVER, ELY PAR WITH WATER LN 40 FT, NWLY TO A PT 12 FT E OF POB, W ALG N LOT LN 12 FT TO POB, ALSO EXC COM 12 FT E OF NW COR OF LOT 139, TH SELY TO A PT 40 FT E OF SW COR OF SD LOT, ELY ALG WATER LN 100 FT, NWLY TO N LOT LN AT A PT 115 FT ELY OF POB, NWLY ALG N LOT LN 115 FT TO POB
Location: 131 E. High Street, Belding, Michigan.
Parcel: 34-401-090-000-625-000
SECTION 2 All other parts of the zoning map and zoning ordinance are affirmed and shall remain unchanged.
SECTION 3 A copy of this Ordinance shall be filed with the Ionia County Register of Deeds.
SECTION 4 This Ordinance shall be published as provided in the City Charter and shall become effective ten (10) days after publication.
City Manager Brown stated he talked to the proposed developer today. There are no issues. They are ready to go to work and move to Belding. They are excited about moving forward.
Council Meyers asked if they had any plans as far as what they would fix first?
City Manager Brown stated they would start in the metal building. Next year they will restore as much as they can within the year. They will bring it to the Historic District Commission for a designation. Part of the building will be used, and then they will do something else with the other part.
The question on the ordinance was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Council Member Feehan made a motion to bring the approval of the Library by-laws to the floor, supported by Council Member Scheid.
Mayor Gunderson stated along with him, there was a subcommittee for the by-laws including Robert Brown and Kathy Lehman. The Library Board had a special meeting to put the by-laws in place.
Council Member Miller asked if the compensation package for the Library Director comes from the library?
Mayor Gunderson stated it is through their own budget.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Dave Hodges, Ionia County Commissioner, 4833 Flat River Trail, stated the commission held an organizational meeting and Jack Shattuck will be the chairman this year. They got the committees in place. The committees he will take part on are Audit, Facilities, Mid-West Trail Authority, Southwest Alliance for Region 3, ICEA and the West Michigan Regional Planning Commission. The Committee of the Whole was held, when department heads give updates. Regarding Central Dispatch, a surcharge was voted in on cell phones a few years ago. In 2016, they upgraded the dispatch consoles, did a mobile cad for screen in the cars and made a partnership with Barry County. They work together, and fill in by working each other’s shifts at their dispatchs so dispatchers can be trained. This year they will upgrade the 911 telephone lines to fibre, and volunteer firemen will receive an email or text to their phone regarding where the address is. That will be paid through 911this year. The last facility meeting was held last Thursday for the building project. The old jail is gone. They got the final plans, and within a couple weeks the bidding will finish. The new addition will house the District Court, Friend of the Court, and all the other courts, with one security point. The old Friend of the Court building will be a parking lot. 911 on Appletree will move to the old district court building, as well as finance, administration and the Michigan State Extension Office. The commissioners will meet there. The building on Appletree Drive will be sold. The city will redo Library Street to a one way with angle parking on the library side. It will have an April start and be a twelve month project.
The city manager had no comments.
Council Comments
Council Members Feehan, Meyers, Scheid and Miller had no comments.
Mayor Gunderson thanked everyone for coming with the weather and asked that they be careful. He stated he appreciated the crews around here as the local streets were good.
Council Member Scheid made a motion to enter closed session at 7:22 p.m. to consider the periodic personnel evaluation of the city manager, supported by Council Member Feehan.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Council Member Scheid made a motion to return to open session at 7:55 p.m., supported by Council Member Feehan.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Mayor Gunderson made a motion to extend the contract of Bruce Brown from August 17, 2017 to February 15, 2019, with the current salary of $80,000 to remain in place until August 17, 2017, a 5% increase to $84,000 annually from August 18, 2017 to August 18, 2018, and a 5% increase to $88,200 annually from August 18, 2018 to February 15, 2019, supported by Council Member Scheid.
The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
Council Member Scheid moved to adjourn the meeting, supported by Council Member Feehan.
Ayes: Council Members Miller, Meyers, Scheid, Feehan and Gunderson
Nays: None
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7:58 p.m.
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Ronald Gunderson, Mayor
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Kareen J. Thomas, City Clerk