At 7:00 p.m. on December 9, 2004 the regular Middlebury township board meeting held at the Ovid Municipal Building was called to order with the pledge to the flag by supervisor Anthony Sinicropi. Prayer was said by clerk Audrey Sovis. Also present were treasurer Carolyn Stevens and trustees Paul Dutton and Charles Simpson. There were10 visitors. Resident Bill Kline inquired about the status of the Metz trailer situation. Sinicropi reported that the matter is now in the hands of the county prosecutor. A motion was made by Sinicropi, seconded by Dutton to appoint Rich Givens as deputy supervisor. Roll call vote: Sinicropi aye, Simpson aye, Dutton aye, Stevens aye, Sovis aye. No nays, carried. A motion was made by Sovis, seconded by Sinicropi to appoint the following: Cindy Dennison as deputy clerk, Mike Stevens as deputy treasurer, Erin Dutton and Heather Kline to the library board, and Doug McCallister to the Ovid-Middlebury Emergency Service board. All ayes, no nays, carried. Oaths were given to all but Dennison and McCallister. A motion was made by Sovis, seconded by Dutton that the board approve sending Givens to the Detroit Annual Conference in January. All ayes, no nays, carried. A motion to approve the agenda was made by Simpson, seconded by Dutton. All ayes, no nays, carried. A motion to approve the minutes of the November 11, 2004 regular board meeting was made by Dutton, seconded by Simpson. All ayes, no nays, carried. A motion was made by Dutton, seconded by Simpson to amend the budget, transferring $200 from the Contingency Fund (941) to Library Board (728), leaving a remaining balance of $16,409 in the Contingency Fund. Roll call vote: Simpson aye, Dutton aye, Sinicropi aye, Sovis aye, Stevens aye, no nays, carried. A motion was made by Sovis, seconded by Sinicropi to accept the treasurer’s report. All ayes, no nays, carried. A motion was made by Sinicropi, seconded by Dutton to pay the December bills in the amount of $16,054.76 (check #’s 1335-1356). All ayes, no nays, carried. Zoning violation notices were read by Sinicropi involving property owned by Margie Moorehead; and Ronald and Vera Dennison. Discussion was held regarding the re-zoning of the Owosso Speedway from A-2 to B-2. No motions were made. A motion was made by Dutton, seconded by Sovis to sign a grant agreement resolution, sent from the County Clerk, that would allow Middlebury to apply for new voting equipment offered by the State of Michigan through the federally funded Help America Vote Act, at no cost to the township. Roll call vote: Stevens aye, Sovis aye, Sinicropi aye, Simpson aye, Dutton aye, no nays, carried. There was discussion regarding the library getting more money to operate than the township. Dutton went over a financial report from the library to show where money was spent. Also discussed was an annexation request made by Avery Squires of Middlebury township. His father, Larry Squires was present at the meeting. After lengthy discussion among the board, Mr. Squires, Attorney Mark Cooley, Assessor Steve Schweikert, Leighton Leighty and several Middlebury residents, a motion was made by Sinicropi that the board vote ‘aye’ if in favor of this property being annexed in with the Village of Ovid, and vote ‘nay’ if not in favor. A roll call vote was taken: Sinicropi nay, Simpson nay, Dutton nay, Stevens nay, Sovis nay, no ayes. The request by Avery Squires to be annexed in with the Village of Ovid was unanimously rejected by the Middlebury township board. At 9:45 p.m. a motion to adjourn was made by Sovis, seconded by Stevens. All ayes, no nays, carried.