Approval of Agenda

Council Member Scheid made a motion to approve the agenda as presented, supported by Council Member Feehan.

Mayor Miller stated Michael Baker would be moved to Guests – Item A, Dave Hodges to Item B, Chuck and Holly to Item C and Fleis & VandenBrink to Item D.

The question on the motion was called and the result of the voting is as follows:

            Ayes:               Council Members Scheid, Davis, Meyers, Feehan and Miller

            Nays:               None

Public Comments

There were no public comments. 

Guest

A.    Michael Baker – Recreation Advisory Board appointment. 

Michael Baker stated he works for Cherry Health in the area of substance abuse and mental health.  Smart Recovery is a program in Ionia and other counties.  He volunteers with the schools.  He trains recovery coaches.  He loves kids.  The City of Belding is trying to keep the youth alive and in activities.  He would like to keep that going.  Being a citizen of Belding, the city welcomed him.  He wished to thank everyone in the community and being a part of that will be great for him. 

B.     Dave Hodges, Ionia County Commissioner

In the committee of the whole today, they heard from Emergency Management.  He handed out copies of the report on KMI.  They had chlorine escape.  The EPA and Health Department are involved.  The governor turned down the emergency relief for the County of Ionia on the flooding for Portland.  They will continue to take the steps needed to get the relief.  The governor likes to take care of the big areas.  They had discussion on the road commission and thought of putting the road commission on the ballot.  The pros would include holding them more accountable as elected officials.  It gives everyone a voice to elect people.  Right now it is done by interview.  He wants to make sure it is divided into the five areas of the county, like his board is.  He would like input, so give him a call and tell him what you think.  They are thinking of moving the Michigan Extension on M-66 to the downstairs of the old district court building.  It is a nice rental spot out there.  The money would go to the airport, but could be moved to other departments.  It would generate $60,000 to $70,000 a year.  The jail is 30 years old and they are spending from $200,000 to $300,000 a year for maintenance.  It is overcrowded.  It was built for 140 inmates but they have 170 at times.  And it depends on the type of prisoners, male or female. The kitchen is overburdened.  A group will study the situation and propose to build new, or make renovations.  They will put a community committee together, so get in touch with him or Stephanie Fox if interested.  They will plan and take their time.  They will have to vote on it for a millage.  They would like to use the maintenance money for other uses.        

C.    Chuck Robinson and Holly Noble, Veteran’s Memorial Park

Holly Noble wished to thank council for letting them do this.  This was Dennys’ dream and they want to continue with what he wanted for the community.  There are things they would like to see happen soon.  They are starting on the next monuments.  The placement of Dessert Storm and Dessert Shield will be just to the back of the Vietnam monument.  They would like sidewalk from the handicap ramp in back of the Vietnam Memorial, along the curb to the No Parking sign. Then it would go into the grass area between the trail and road to place the monument.  It would be three panels, with two panels on an angle, and the gray slab in the middle.  They would like access to the front of the monument.  That war involved the 1073rd in Greenville, and a lot of community members served.  The middle piece is an etching of the country.  On the back of the piece, in honor of the 1073^rd, the names will be etched in of those who served.  They will also have room for other active military members that served.   On the back of the black tablets there will be an etching of pictures.  The local 1073^rd pictures will be used.  The center piece of the monument will be six feet tall and three feet wide.  The black side panels will be five feet tall and 2-1/2 feet wide.  The slabs are six inches thick.  The middle section of the monument will be in place for Veteran’s Day.  The two side tablets will be in place for Memorial Day.  They will do the sidewalk between the two trees. 

They would love eventually, and soon, to put two more pillars in the beginning of the pillars that line the walkway to represent the VFW and American Legion, with an emblem for each and a description of what they do.  They would love to have a bench out the back depot door, beyond the docking area, with a passenger train car.  There would be a bench on the slab with a lifesize statue of a soldier in fatigues.  It would tell about the history of Belding with the war, and what part the community did for the war.  In the area behind WWII, before the Vietnam monument, they want to place a helicopter or a tank.  There would be a cement slab and wrought iron railing. In the panels of the fence, there would be American flag pieces in the wrought iron. 

Mayor Miller asked that council be updated.  He asked for an actual drawing to show how the placement is.  They want to move forward and will take it in stages.  They could do the first couple.   

D.    Fleis & VandenBrink – Capital Improvement Plan – Water

Mike Mandella from Fleis & VandenBrink reviewed the Capital Improvement Project plan.  The reliability studies and the Asset Management Plan were used.  The short term and long term needs were listed.  Dawn Lund will outline how the city could pay for that.  Another document deals with the fact that in addition to these water capital projects, they will be dealing with lead service lines.  They have to go to the customer’s house, and then inside the house by 18 inches or to the meter.  That document goes through what that will cost.

Dawn Lund, Utility Financial Solutions, stated if they implement the Capital Improvement Plan, there are impacts to the rate structure.  In the first two years, council approved a 2.2% inflationary increase. That met operating expenses, funded the infrastructure being consumed in those years, and met minimum cash balance.  Moving forward from 2021 to 2024, there are $5M of capital improvements identified to be replaced.  With a loan from Rural Development of $5M, the interest rate would be 3.75% over 40 years.  A rate adjustment would be needed to pay the debt payments.  The recommended rate changes were discussed.  A minimum cash balance of $600,000 is recommended.  They are recommending an increase in rates of four years at 4.9%.  Council could implement an additional adjustment this year to the already approved 2.2% increase, or adjust the 2021 year.  That would stabilize operating income.  They would like to meet the debt market ratio, as that would be an impact if the city went into the bond market.  She would highly recommend continuing the inflationary increases.  The increase would be about  $10 a year under the current Capital Improvement Program.

Regarding the lead and copper rule, in January of 2021, a utility that has lead service lines needs to replace 5% of them per year, with everything completed within a 20 year period.  To comply with the rule, $9.4M in lead lines will have to be replaced.  The current plan addresses $5.6M of the $9.4 M.  $3.7M will have to be addressed in the future.  If they want to address it right away, all $9.4M in 2021/22, a revenue bond of $600,000 will be needed.  That would require 10.9% increases for the next five years, borrowing $10.9M.  That increase would be about $5.50 per quarter, per customer.  The assumption is for all debt, and no grants.  Grants would lower the debt service.   

Consent Agenda

Reports by Council Liaisons

Council Member Scheid had no report. 

Council Member Davis stated there has not been a ZBA meeting.

Council Member Meyers stated the Housing Commission meets on July 18.  The Rec Board met and they went over Mr. Baker’s appointment.  Pickleball representative, Mark Kohn, stated his desire is that everyone use the courts and come up with a plan.  John did an update on the projects.

Council Member Feehan had no report.

Mayor Miller stated there has not been a Library or Planning Commission meeting. 

Unfinished Business

There was no unfinished business.

New Business

A.    Resolution of Appreciation – Dorothy Williamson

Council Member Scheid moved the passage of the resolution and the motion was supported by Council Member Feehan.

B.     Declaration of city-owned property as surplus

Council Member Scheid moved the passage of the resolution and the motion was supported by Council Member Feehan.

Public Comments

Jenny Bennett, 1125 Kenwood Avenue, stated she volunteers as the market master for the Beatnik Market.  She thanked the city council for their support in using the Gathering Place and Breimayer lot.  There is an average of 100 vendors.  The market attracted 3,000 people to downtown Belding.  People drive over 60 miles for the bazaar.  They find it charming and friendly.  Residents express that Belding needs more like this activity.  Even after four years, they have hundreds of Belding residents that do not know it exists.  They operate on a volunteer staff. They use word of mouth, Area Locals and social media.  She is proud of what they have done with nothing.  There is a digital sign in front of city hall.  Frankly, she was shocked on how uninviting the screens were.  If she was considering Belding to locate, there is nothing on the sign to show anything going on in Belding.  She truly believes Bob would want them to make better use of the sign.  She asked Mr. Niemela to advertise the market on that sign.  He said until a city policy could be made, they should not make exceptions.  She feels this should be addressed.  She reviewed the minutes since 2017, and there is still no policy. She understands they can’t advertise business, but they could come up with a policy to promote civic, school and community events and make better use of the sign.

Sharon Carlson, Director of the Belding Housing Commission, stated in the past when a commissioner went off the board, donations were made to the Alvah N. Belding Library in honor of them.  That has been done in Dorothy’s name. 

City Manager Comments

City Manager Niemela stated at the last meeting there was a question about a sign near the  shuffleboard courts.  He spoke with some of the group and they do not have an exact plan.  Contacts would be through the city, not the Rec Board.  They should hear from them soon to develop that sign and determine how it gets there.

There were two preconstruction meetings today.  The basketball court project will start on August 5.  It will take two weeks to remove and reconstruct the courts.  It will take 30 days for the concrete to cure, and then they will finish it later.  The project will be finished in mid-September.  The existing pipe will be used and there will be new back boards.

The trail by the wall will start on July 29 and will not take very long.  The lag time is the material for the observation deck.  Most of the colors are on back order.  He did suggest another color in trex, but a different grade.  It may not be delayed.  Trees will be planted and benches placed.  The city has eight benches funded through the DDA for the downtown area.  Those could be used and replaced.    

They are working through the approvals from the state for the kayak launch.  There is a 30-day public comment period that was posted for the East Riverside Park portion of the project.  They may start on the land part, and then install the kayak launch at the conclusion of that comment period.

Regarding Emergency Management, on June 22 there was a fire at KMI.  They produce chlorine tablets and other products.  If water is put in it, it has a tendency to cause a fire.  They have material stored, and that is secured.  The roof is being repaired.  The business was shut down for making chlorine tablets, as they need to improve the building, have a management plan and a dust collection system.  The dust product come off the machines and is put in containers.  That is then discharged, a pound a day, by diluting it in water and discharging it to the sewer system.  Our department contained that and it produced a chlorine cloud.  The fire department is knowledgeable about the facility and they have a long standing plan to evacuate or shelter in place.  The report given to the county board was much more extensive than that.  The fire was not related to the material being stored there, just the dust. 

He met with the other agencies and they made a visit after the fire occurrence.  They shut the operation down until corrective measures are taken.  They will collect more dust in the ventilation system, repair the roof, and make building improvements.  The city invited the other agencies in to help with the process.  If they do not make corrections, they cannot operate in the building.  Emergency Management and the Department of Health and Human Resources wanted to educate the residents of the city.  Smart 911 is available.  They want to have more people sign up so they can be made aware of situations more quickly.  A letter was sent out to all residents today. A first class mailing was done using labels from the property tax system.  The Fire Department has taken documents to the Housing Commission, Flats on the River, the trailer park, Brentwood I and II, and Jacklyn, so they can notify the residents with the documents.  They want them to sign up for Smart 911 for notifications.  It could be for storm events, a boil water, active shooters, or any event, to be able to communicate to many people in a short period of time.  There is no cost.  Anyone can sign up on the website.  The contact methodology desired can be entered.  Participants will get automatic notifications. 

Council Member Meyers stated they had four fires over the years.  Was this the only one where chlorine left the building?

City Manager Niemela stated there was a dumpster fire, then a garbage truck that left there had a fire and there was another fire, but he is not aware of chlorine vapers released.

Council Member Meyers asked what type of regulatory process there is?

City Manager Niemela stated with the Right to Know Act, they must notify the fire department and emergency management of chemicals.  That product was not on that list.

Council Member Meyers asked if there would be someone to regulate that they are following the procedure of storage?

City Manager Niemela stated it is more about what they are doing now, not what they did before. Discussion on inspections on that product were held.  They are subject to random inspections.  MIOSHA has not been in there yet. 

Council Member Davis asked if Belding was involved in inspections and code violations?

City Manager Niemela stated if there are code violations the city has authority for, they can respond to them.  If, for example, a hole is seen in the roof, it is reported to the building officials. If a violation is seen, it is reported to the responsible party.  Other agencies have enforcement authority there.

Council Member Davis asked what could have been done previously, more frequently because of the chemicals?

City Manager Niemela stated that will be a part of moving forward.  They will find out where the responsibility areas are.

Council Comments

Council Member Feehan thanked Holly and Chuck for all the hard work.  He thanked everyone for coming. 

Council Member Scheid congratulated Dorothy on her retirement.  He stated that is not the first issue at KMI, as there were other fires.  At one time, they were given an ultimatum to repair building and they did not do it.  Something needs to be done a little different.  Community events should be advertised on the Leppink’s board.    

City Manager Niemela stated the sign issue was brought to council in May 2017, and council did not make a decision on that, as to beyond any notification of city hall activities.  They can work on that.      

Council Member Davis thanked Dorothy for her service.  Belding is better for it.  He thanked the Housing Commission for their donation to the library.  He thanked Jenny for all the service with the Beatnik Bazaar.  He thanked Mike Baker for joining the board and getting active in Belding.  Seeing enthusiastic people being involved is exciting.  He thanked Fleis for explaining the material, with clear information on what the proposal is and how it affects the system.  He thanked Holly, Chuck, and everyone else.

Council Member Meyers stated so many people say it is a great memorial park.  The level we have in Belding is amazing.  He sees how many people do so many things in Belding.  Dorothy has done so much for the Housing Commission.  He thanked Jenny for what she does.  There are many good things going on in Belding.  He thanked everyone for coming.  He thanked Ernie for being there. 

Mayor Miller thanked Ernie and Kareen for Music in the Park, as it is greatly appreciated.  John and Janet sponsored the fire chief’s band.  There were no mosquitos and it was gorgeous.  He expressed kudos to the Beatnik Bazaar.  He thanked Chuck and Holly for the commitment and keeping the dream alive.  Fleis & VandenBrink helped them understand what they need to spend. He thanked Dorothy, as she did so much work with no compensation.  He appreciated her commitment. 

Adjournment

Council Member Scheid moved to adjourn the meeting, supported by Council Member Feehan.

Ayes:               Council Members Scheid, Davis, Meyers, Feehan and Miller

            Nays:               None

The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 9:04 p.m.