Board minutes
2007-12 Regular Board Minutes
On Thursday, December 13, 2007, the Middlebury Township Election Commission met
at 6:45pm at the Ovid Municipal Building to approve the Election workers fro the
January 15, 2008 Presidential Primary. Present at the meeting were as followed:
Supervisor, Anthony Sinicropi; Clerk, Susan Tomasek- Swan; Treasurer, Carolyn
Stevens. The meeting was called to order by Clerk, Tomasek-Swan. Stevens made the
motion to approve the following people as election workers:
Lois Wadsworth (R)
Susan Tomasek-Swan (R)-election chairman
Shawn Dilts (D)
Carrie Unterbrink (D)
Margaret Bernath (D) – alternate
Sinicropi seconded the motion. All ayes and no nays the motion was passed.
Submitted by Susan Tomasek-Swan
Draft
On Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 7:00 pm., the Middlebury Township Board met in
the Village Municipal building at 114 East Front St., Ovid, and Mi. Supervisor Anthony
Sinicropi called the meeting to order and began the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Trustee Charles Simpson followed with a prayer. Roll call was taken with the following
board members present: Supervisor, Anthony Sinicropi; Clerk, Susan Tomasek-Swan;
Treasurer, Carolyn Stevens; Trustees, Paul Dutton and Charles Simpson. Also present at
the meeting: Deputy Supervisor, Richard Givens; Deputy Clerk, Shawn Dilts, SEDP
representative, Jennifer Broome; Assessor, Stephen Schweikert; and two guests.
Scheduled Comments:
Steve Loomis was not present.
Jennifer Broome from the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership (SEDP) spoke
on behalf of the organization to encourage us to continue our support. She spoke on the
goals of the SEDP of creating jobs, keeping jobs and attracting new jobs to our county.
She displayed information on the new growth of business that the SEDP has helped, as
well as the projected new business.
Supervisor Sinicropi asked why the bigger townships were not contributing to this
organization when they received the most direct benefit from the economic growth.
Treasurer Stevens mentioned that the Shiawassee Co. donates money to them as well as
the townships so they are “double dipping”.
Trustee Dutton voiced the opinion that it was important to contribute and we can’t say to
the other township what they should do.
Sinicropi said economic times are hard for our township and money will be tight due to
road funds being cut.
Public Comment:
Bill Morris former owner of the Owosso Speedway track spoke on behalf of the present
owners of the track about their upcoming court case. The present judgment on the
business is the track can only be open for business on Wednesday 3pm to dark and
Saturday 12pm to 12am Sunday and is limited to auto racing. The owners are hoping to
have the restrictions modified so that the business can be run so that it can break even.
The court date is set for January 11, 2008.
General Business:
Dutton motioned to approve the Agenda as it was written. Simpson seconded the motion
and it was carried with all ayes.
Dutton made a motion to approve the minutes with the correction of Simpson instead of
Dutton under unfinished business about the insulation estimates. Sinicropi seconded the
motion. All ayes and no nays, the motion was carried.
Sinicropi made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented. Simpson seconded
the motion. All ayes and no nays the motion was carried.
A motion was made by Dutton to approve the paying of December bills in the amount of
$10,389.59 with check numbers 2010-2024 with a void on check number 2016. Simpson
seconded the motion. All ayes and no nays the motion was carried.
Communications:
Sinicropi and Givens agreed that the workshop on the Township Laws was worth
attending. They had a better understanding of how the laws work. There was also
explanation of property values and why taxes increases.
Sinicropi attended the yearly Road Commission meeting with supervisors. Sinicropi
discussed that the ten year plan for the roads was completed and that future funding
would be cut. The board discussed options to cover the expense of the road repairs. One
option was to propose a road millage. The board agreed that Shiawassee County had
better roads than most Michigan counties. Givens expressed the opinion that the township
having a voice in the spending and contributing to the fund helps. Another option was to
use money from other areas of our budget.
Old Business:
Tomasek-Swan updated the board on the timelines for the Primary Elections.
Dutton expressed the opinion if we needed to have a township hall. He has looked into
the matter and said that legally we did not need a hall. He express the money used for
upkeep of the hall could be used for renting other building when we needed to use one.
Tomasek-Swan said for the Presidential primary it was too late to move polling places.
The public needs a 60 days notice.
New Business:
A motion was made by Stevens and seconded by Sinicropi to approve the 2008 Regular
Middlebury Township board and Planning Commission meetings. All aye and no nays
the motion was carried. Givens stated that in lieu of the whole planning commission
board meeting on those dates, Sovis and Givens were meeting to work on the Master land
use plan.
Sinicropi moved the motion to approval of the 2008 snack calendar and was seconded by
Simpson. All ayes and no nays the motion was carried.
Dutton moved the motion to approve the payment of the hotel room for Tomasek-Swan
and Dilts for two days at a rate of $129.00 plus city tax for the MTA conference on
January 9th and 10th. Sinicropi seconded the motion. All ayes and no nays, the motion was
carried.
Dutton made a motion to approve the payment of per diem for two days at a rate of
$40.00 per day or $ 12.00 per meal (Resolution 2007-02) to Tomasek-Swan and Dilts.
Sinicropi seconded the motion. All ayes and no nays, the motion was carried.
Simpson made a motion to purchase a wall map from the zoning commission on future
land use of Shiawassee County for the price of $8.00. Dutton seconded the motion. All
ayes and no nays, the motion was carried.
Sinicropi made a motion to accept Audrey Sovis letter of resignation with deep regret on
the position of cemetery record keeper and proposed that Deputy Clerk, Shawn Dilts
would attain the position at a rate of $9.00 per hour. The Clerk would maintain the
records of receipts of the opening and closing of graves. Tomasek-Swan seconded the
motion. All ayes and no nays the motion was carried.
A motion was made by Sinicropi that 5 people (3 Board of Review members, Supervisor
and Deputy Supervisor) could be sent to the Board of Review training on February 4th
2008 in Frankenmuth, MI. Dutton expressed the opinion if there was a need for both of
the Supervisor and Deputy Supervisor to attend the training. Stevens seconded the
motion. All ayes and no nays, the motion was carried.
Sinicropi made a motion to change the January Regular Board meeting from January 8th
to January 3rd at 7:00 pm in the Ovid Municipal Building due to the Clerk and Deputy
Clerk attending the MTA conference. Stevens seconded the motion. All ayes and no nays,
the motion was carried.
Final Comments:
Tomasek-Swan wanted the board to know that the hall would need to be heated from
Sunday to Tuesday while preparing and conducting the Presidential Primary Election.
The gas usage on the last hall’s consumers’ bill had increased. Sinicropi and Tomasek-
Swan went to the hall and found the furnace was set on the temperature correctly.
Stevens made a motion to end the meeting at 9:05 pm. Tomasek-Swan seconded the
motion. All ayes and no nays, the motion was carried.
Submitted by
Susan Tomasek-Swan, Clerk