REGULAR MEETING
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Pere Marquette Depot
100 Depot Street
7:00 p.m.
A meeting of the Belding City Council was convened in open and public session at the Pere Marquette Depot, 100 Depot Street, Belding, MI 48809, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Mayor Bruce Meyers called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and gave the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
City Clerk, Janae Ortego, took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding, Bonita Steele, Jeanine Leary, Jorel Davis and Bruce Meyers
Members absent: None
Mayor Meyers noted the following additions to the Consent Agenda: Add an additional check run for Mercantile Bank, checks 1561 through 1568, for a total of $127,092.59 to be approved. Moved by Davis, seconded by Leary to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
Moved by Davis, seconded by Leary to approve the Consent Agenda with the added changes noted under the Approval of Agenda. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all. The Consent Agenda is as follows:
A. Approve Independent Bank Checks 81327 to 81397 in the amount of $153,241.14
Approve Mercantile bank Checks 1551 – 1568 in the amount of $127,092.59
B. Approve Minutes: City Council regularly scheduled meeting – February 20, 2024
Leary reported that the Museum Board met and discussed sponsor donations and roof renovations. The Library Board met and discussed new flooring, the Touch-A-Truck event, the summer reading program. The Library Board will also be reviewing their bylaws over the next year.
Davis reported that the Planning Commission was cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Gladding reported that neither the ZBA nor the Solid Waste Committee have met.
Steele reported that the Cemetery Committee will be meeting next Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at the Belhaven Community Center, 41 Belhaven.
Mayor Meyers reported that the Housing Commission will meet on Thursday, March 21st at 6:15 p.m.
Moved by Leary, seconded by Davis to rescind Resolution 2023-11-18 which granted an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for C3 CNC Incorporated. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – All. City Manager Jon Stoppels advised that the owner has decided to no longer pursue the exemption, however he is still bringing his business into the City.
Scott Hall of Fleis & Vandenbrink gave a status report on the Wastewater Treatment Plant noting the following:
· Lack of snow has allowed for a “jumpstart” on the project.
· Over 1,000 pounds of concrete have been poured over the last two weeks, with no extra precautions due the 45-degree weather we have been experiencing
· Lagoon cleaning is scheduled to take place in late April/early May
· Pond 4s cleanout is under contract with BioTech, which has been extended to 2025 at the same price
· More concrete will be poured over the next couple of months
· Over all the project is ahead of scheduled, however some equipment has long lead times of 50-52 weeks
· The consumers power lines are above ground; it is significantly more expensive to go underground
· The project is estimated at 5% completion
· The two river crossings will be dealt with in this project
· Photos of the current progress are on file in the Clerk’s Office
David Mickevich of Williams & Works gave a progress report of the Lightning Bend Improvements Project noting the following:
· Stakes are in place for new t-pads at the disc golf course (the old ones are still in place)
· Work is scheduled to resume in mid-April
· Electrical will be done this spring
· The park will be closed for a period of time this spring; park use is not recommended during this time
· The improvements must be completed before June per the DNR Grant
· A lot of extra sand was needed for meeting ADA compliance as the tree roots were too high. Sand runs $45 per cubic yard. The cost for the extra sand and labor was $2,625.00. The larger holding tank and the fog seal were eliminated to cover this cost. There are no issues with the current holding tank.
Sharon Carlson commented in her capacity as the DDA Chairperson, asking the City Council to have an individual appointed so the DDA may conduct business. The DDA has not had an adequate number of members since August. They have informally met for discussion only, but are not taking votes. Michigan law states a minimum of seven members, plus one member of management. Currently two members are not in the district and five are from local businesses. They meet once per quarter or as often as needed.
Stoppels commented on the following topics of interest:
· Fleis & Vandenbrink completed an application for funding for the WWTP to Senator Debbie Stabenow due t her proposed funding bill. This is for federal money versus state money.
· There is an opening for a custodian at the Museum and City Hall. One applicant has applied.
· Stoppels is interviewing five companies for the new city hall renovations.
· A grant application requesting $27,000 in funding for Lightning Bend has been submitted.
· Staff are working on the annual budget
· The Citizen’s Cemetery Committee is scheduled to meet next Thursday.
Leary thanked everyone for coming out and stated that City Council had a successful session at Saturday’s 2024/25 goals setting session.
Davis commented on the rescind of the IFT noting that it is clear that businesses are coming to the city. He thanked Williams & Works, Fleis & Vandenbrink for their reports; Stoppels for continuing to seek funding for the WWTP, thanked council for Saturday’s Goal Setting session and thanked everyone for coming out.
Gladding thanked everyone for coming, thanked Scott Hall (Fleis & Vandenbrink) and David Mickevich (Williams & Works) for their updates and also commented on Saturday’s session being good, very productive and laid back.
Steele commented that Saturday was great. It is always good to refocus. There was a lot of discussion about boards and commissions and as for the DDA, the more members the better.
Mayor Meyers thanked council for the goal setting meeting. Fifteen items were on the agenda, which spurred off to other items. He thanked Scott Hall (Fleis & Vandenbrink) and David Mickevich (Williams & Works) for their updates. He looks forward to see where the Rec Board is with other projects once the current one at Lightning Bend is completed. The river pipes are a significant part of the wastewater treatment plant, approximately $2 million of the project and $7-10 million for lagoon clean-up. He thanked Williams & Works and Fleis & Vandenbrink for their reports. Mayor Meyers also noted that he attended a meeting sponsored by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and was able to speak with Winnie Brinks, the first woman majority leader of the Senate and our former State Representative, now Senator (for a different district) Tom Alberts, who has ties to Belding, regarding the need for funding for the WWTP. It was a good meeting and he thanked the City for allowing him to attend.
Moved by Davis, seconded by Steele to adjourn the meeting at 7:44 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
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Bruce Meyers, Mayor Janae Ortego, City Clerk