City Council Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Grandville City
Council was called to order by Mayor James Buck on September 12,
2005 at 7:06 p.m.
The City Clerk called the roll.
Present were Council Members Robert DeWitt, Ken Gates, Steve
Maas, Carole Pettijohn, Stan Ponstein, Joe Sierawski, and Mayor
James Buck. Absent:
None
Also attending: Ron
Carr, DPW Director; Tom Guinther, Treasurer/Finance Director; Dan
Johnson, Assistant City Manager; Randy Kraker, City Attorney; Ken
Krombeen, City Manager; Mary Meines, City Clerk; Vern Snyder, Police
Chief; and Todd Wibright, Acting WWTP Superintendent;
Council Member Pettijohn gave the invocation;
and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Moved by Council Member Maas, and seconded by
Council Member DeWitt, to approve the September 12, 2005 revised
agenda as presented. The motion was APPROVED.
Moved by Council Member Gates, and seconded
by Council Member Pettijohn, to waive the reading of the minutes of
the Regular Meeting of August 22, 2005 and to approve with the
correction made to the third paragraph under Council Communications
and Petitions removing “….and obtaining results of the Community
Survey before considering a hiring freeze.” The motion was
APPROVED.
Moved by Council Member Maas, and seconded by
Council Member Sierawski, that Fiscal Year 2005-2006 bills totaling
$575,085.70 presented by the City Manager, be allowed, and authorize
the Treasurer to pay the same. The motion was APPROVED unanimously
by roll call vote.
PUBLIC
HEARING
05-253 Mayor
Buck opened the public hearing at 7:17 p.m. to receive public
comment on the Draft Park and Recreation Master Plan.
Mayor Buck expressed appreciation to the Park
& Recreation Master Plan Committee for their work on the draft
plan. He explained that
the City’s consultant, Bob Petko from Progressive A/E, would not
be in attendance because of car trouble.
Mayor Buck pointed out the Park & Recreation Master Plan
is updated on a 5-year cycle.
City Manager Krombeen indicated the Park
& Recreation Master Plan is required to be approved by the
Michigan DNR in order for the City of Grandville to be eligible for
grant funding for any park projects. The Draft Master Plan was put
together by the Park & Rec Master Plan Committee with the help
of a consultant specializing in parks and recreation. He pointed out
park projects must be identified in a 5-year Park & Recreation
Master Plan and if a park project is not identified in the plan, it
will not be eligible.
As required by law, the Draft Master Plan has been
available for review by the public for the past 30 days. City
Council must take citizen input on the draft plan prior to approving
the plan. The Master
Plan is not a construction document and funding has not been
identified for the projects, but does provide a direction with
regards to park and recreation in the City of Grandville.
Assistant City Manager Johnson summarized the
process used in preparing the Draft Master Plan.
After gathering public input, the committee developed a set
of goals. Four parks are
specifically mention in the plan.
They are Calvin Crest Park, Mill Race Park and new
‘pocket’ parks on Lee and Peck Streets. The projects are
prioritized in the plan’s 5-year capital plan.
Comments were made by:
Remi
Rakipi, 3349 Barrett, spoke on behalf of the Mill Race Park
neighborhood. They are
reminding City staff and City Council that not all areas need to be
built up. As indicated
in a letter submitted to the City they are concerned with: (1) a
parking lot; (2) the ice rink; (3) preservation of green space and
wildlife; (4) bathrooms or warming house; (5) campsites in a
residential neighborhood. They
are supportive of purchasing the land between Mill Race Park and
Brookcrest Nursing Home. She
does not support a skate park at Mill Race.
Jane
Auchter, 3350 Earle, asked how traffic entering Mill Race Park would
be addressed as it crosses the pedestrian trail.
Jill
Van Vliet, 3325 Barrett, asked if the Mill Race property was donated
or purchased.
Lynn
Pell, 3927 Macrace, is concerned about an increase in noise and
traffic.
Shelly
DeBoer, 3329 Elwood, feels Mill Race Park is an attraction to people
purchasing homes in the older neighborhoods of Grandville.
She is concerned with outdoor lighting at the park. She
pointed out there is a skate park in Wyoming.
Dave
Wieringa, 3281 Barrett, would like the neighborhood to remain quiet.
He is also concerned with who will supervise a skate park.
Tom
Herman, 3713 Iris, asked how the campground would be supervised.
He asked for the name of a contact person at the DNR.
Rebecca
Rynbrandt, 3223 Earle, recommended a play area at Mill Race and an
interpretive center with interpretive signage.
Heather
Woodworth, 3825 Carlton Park, asked (1)
if the campsites would be monitored to prevent fire hazards at the
park; (2) if the fishing in Buck Creek will be monitored so it is
not done illegally; (3) if an environmental impact study will be
done as it relates to the wildlife and flooding; (4) if the
buildings would be torn down or renovated; and (5) are there plans
for a concession stand.
Maren
Herman, 3713 Iris, asked if the ground is contaminated; doesn’t
feel campsites would be a safe environment for kids to camp in; and
is concerned that there will not be funds to maintain and operate an
ice rink.
Kate
Rouster, 3387 Barrett, is concerned with the loss of wildlife and
with litter in Buck Creek.
Randy
Jansma, 3504 Earle, does not support campsites, walking trail south
of Buck Creek, and would prefer to see the ice rink at Wedgwood
Park. He would like Mill
Race Park left natural.
Dawn
Lubben, 3207 Elwood, is concerned with vandalism and liability.
Jon
Lunderberg, 3697 Iris, is not in favor of a campground at Mill Race.
Darrel
Wilcox, 3665 Iris, feels people want Mill Race Park left as is.
Mark
Henderson, 3696 Iris, feels the plans for Mill Race is not a good
fit for the community.
City Manager Krombeen
pointed out that the portion of the Park & Rec Master Plan that
is being objected to is just a small portion of the entire plan.
Virgil Leatherman gave
a historical perspective of the City’s Park & Rec Master Plan
process. He pointed out that over the years not all of the ideas in
the Master Plans have happened because the City cannot always come
up with tax dollars for the projects, but does feel the City allows
public participation and that what has been built reflects the
community’s views.
Larry Lind, 3555
Wentworth, a volunteer on the Park and Recreation Master Plan
Committee. He indicated the Committee did talk about a campground or
skate park at Mill Race but did not think of it as a reality. They
did think an ice rink would be appropriate at Mill Race.
City Council thanked
the Park & Rec Master Plan Committee for the work on the Master
Plan and to the public for the comments.
Assistant City Manager
Johnson explained the next steps in the Master Plan process.
No action was taken and the public hearing
was left open to allow for additional comments to be provided to the
City.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS
Moved by Council Member Maas, and seconded by
Council Member Gates, to remove from the table Zoning Ordinance No.
204-BQ. The motion was
APPROVED.
Mr. Johnson explained Zoning Ordinance No.
204-BQ regarding the conditional rezoning of the former La Grande
Mobile Home Park property at 3847 28th Street, from RM-5,
Mobile Home Park Residential, to C-5, Commercial Freeway Interchange
District as requested by Land & Co.
He reviewed the revised conditions regarding the percentage
of property that may be used for residential, time period for
commence of the project and language clarifying the construction of
an approved building, and the condition of the site from now until
it is developed. Dave
Dishaw from Land & Company was in attendance and reassured City
Council that the site is in the process of being cleaned up. Moved
by Council Member Maas, and seconded by Council Member Gates, to
adopt Zoning Ordinance No. 204-BQ, allowing for the conditional
rezoning of 3847 28th Street from RM-5, Mobile Home Park
Residential, to C-5, Commercial Freeway Interchange District.
The motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
Chief Snyder explained the ordinance
regarding the discharge of weapons in public places which is a
result of the increase in the number of air soft firearms in the
community. Moved by
Council Member Pettijohn, and seconded by Council Member Maas, to
introduce Ordinance No. 273, Amending Section 15-203, Weapons.
The motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
Moved by Council Member DeWitt, and seconded
by Council Member Pettijohn, to table Ordinance No. 273.
The motion was APPROVED.
Moved by Council Member Gates, and seconded
by Council Member Sierawski, to approve Resolution No. 2700,
transferring ownership of the Class C Resort liquor license at
3676 Potomac Circle from Brinker Restaurant Corporation to Brinker
Michigan, Inc. The
motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
COUNCIL
COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS
Moved by Council Member Ponstein, and
seconded by Council Member DeWitt, to remove from the table the
motion made at the August 22, 2005 meeting to: Effective August 23,
2005 City Council enact a hiring freeze on all City departments and
operations, and that the City Council consider emergency hires on a
case by case basis as presented by the City Manager at any regularly
scheduled City Council meeting with the hiring freeze to remain in
effect until rescinded by the City Council.
The motion to remove from the table was APPROVED.
City Manager Krombeen explained the materials
that were provided to City Council and stated he does not intend to
fill any positions without bringing them to City Council first.
Council Member Pettijohn suggested scheduling budget work
sessions for October or November to begin the budget process early.
Comments from department heads and the community survey will be
beneficial in the process.
The main motion was DEFEATED by a 2-5 roll
call vote (Yes: DeWitt, Sierawski. No: Gates, Maas, Pettijohn,
Ponstein, and Buck.)
CONSENT
AGENDA
Moved by Council Member Ponstein, and
seconded by Council Member Maas, to approve the Consent Agenda as
presented in the best interest of the City including the following
items:
1.
Reports:
WWTP (August), Treasurer’s (August)
2.
Minutes:
Zoning Board of Appeals (August 17)
3.
Proclamation: POW-MIA
Recognition Day (September 16, 2005)
4.
Contract Renewal: Alternative
Directions – July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006
5.
Miscellaneous Purchase Orders and Requests
a.
Clerk: Ballots
– Printing Systems - $1,050.00
b.
Police/ Water/ Wastewater/ Motorpool:
Computer Server
HP
- $7,384.00
c.
Police/ Water/ Wastewater/ Motorpool:
Computer Server Installation
IT
Resource Web - $9,600.00
d.
DPW: Disposal
– 1995 Jacobsen Mower
Meidema
Auctioneering (online auction)
e.
DPW: Manlift
NES
Rentals - $2,950.00
The
motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Krombeen requested authorization
to renew the employees’ health insurance benefits with Priority
Health for October 1, 2005 thru September 30, 2006.
He explained quotes were received from Priority Health and
MERS Premiere Health. Dave
Kolenbrander from Hub International representing Priority Health and
Sue Mc Nalley from MERS were in attendance.
Mr. Krombeen recommended Priority Health because their quote
was the lower of the two. Moved
by Council Member Maas, and seconded by Council Member Ponstein, to
follow the City Manager’s recommendation to authorize the renewal
of health insurance benefits with Priority Health as per his memo to
City Council dated September 9, 2005. The
motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
DPW Director Carr explained the request to
authorize street overlays. Normally
the street overlays take place in the spring, however because of the
low pricing the FY 2005-06 overlays will be done this fall.
Moved by Council Member Ponstein, and seconded by Council
Member Pettijohn, to authorize major and local street overlays for
FY 2005-06 to Aggregate Industries in the amount of $381,980.00 in
the best interest of the City. The
motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
Acting WWTP Superintendent Wibright presented
an emergency repair of the sewer line of the Eastlake lift station.
Moved by Council Member Ponstein, and seconded by Council
Member Pettijohn, to authorize repair of the sewer line at the
Eastlake lift station by Northwest Kent Mechanic in an amount not to
exceed $4,350.00 in the best interest of the City.
The motion was APPROVED unanimously by roll call vote.
Moved by Council Member Ponstein, and
seconded by Council Member Maas, to appoint Ron Carr to the Building
Authority to fill the term formerly occupied by Mike Chesher
expiring on December 31, 2005. The
motion was APPROVED.
COUNCIL
COMMENTS
Council Member DeWitt indicated he has
written a letter to the editor of the Grand Rapids Press regarding
comments made at the August 8, 2005 meeting and reported
incorrectly. He stated
the Advance has also reported incorrectly and has contacted the
editor.
Comments were made regarding budget work
sessions, 34th Street parcel, congratulations to
employees on receiving certification, and donations for Katrina
victims may be made in the Treasurer’s office through September.
Moved by Council Member Gates, and seconded
by Council Member Maas, to adjourn at 10:50 p.m. The motion was
APPROVED.
Mary
L. Meines
Grandville
City Clerk
Approved
by City Council:
September 26, 2005
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