www.middleburytownship.org Middlebury Township www.middleburytownship.org P.O. Box 622, Ovid, Michigan 48866 7627 W. M-21 Ovid, Michigan 48866 (989) 834-5842 Supervisor: Anthony Sinicropi Trustees: Erin Dutton Clerk: Susan Tomasek-Swan Paul Dutton Treasurer: Carolyn Stevens Draft Approved On Thursday, February 12, 2009, the Middlebury Township board held a regular meeting at 114 E. Front St. (Ovid Municipal Building). The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Supervisor Anthony Sinicropi with a Pledge to the Flag and a prayer was followed by Trustee Paul Dutton. Roll call was taken with the following board members present: Supervisor, Anthony Sinicropi; Clerk, Susan Tomasek-Swan; Treasurer, Carolyn Stevens; Trustees, Paul Dutton and Erin Dutton. Also present were 40 guests; among the guest were Steve Loomis, Mark Cooley, Mike Gresens, Lonny Latunski, John Michalec, and Steve Zemcik. Scheduled Comments: Steve Loomis stated the sheriff’s department is working well. He had nothing new to report for Middlebury. The Shiawassee Road Commission presented the “projected” road projects for the year. Lonny Latunski spoke on the projects with an estimated total figure of $129,007.71. He continued to discuss that winter has been hard on the roads with salt usage being up and frost coming out too quickly from the earth. Supervisor Sinicropi asked Mr. Latunski’s opinion on the state of Middlebury Township’s roads. Mr. Latunski stated that he felt Middlebury’s roads were in good condition. He continued to state the new road millage will help to continue the present level of the roads. Mr. Latunski was asked about the Hibbard Road’s bridge. He stated that the Juddville road became a higher priority and so they switch the repair dates with the Hibbard Road’s bridge. The date slated for repair is now 2011. He continued to express a desire to repair and maintain Hibbard Road which is shared with Scotia Township that same year. Mr. Latunski ended his presentation with discussion on the stimulus money. He stated only two sections of roads qualified in Shiawassee County: Delaney Road south of M-21 and Grand River Road by Lansing Road. Supervisor Sinicropi thanked the people in Middlebury Township for passing the road millage. Mike Gresens from Thrun Law Firm was present to go over and answer questions on the Intergovernmental Agreement with Ovid Township. (Note: the schedule comments were broken into several times with comments from the public. Hence forth Mr. Mike Gresens comments are intertwined with the public comment section.) Public Comments: Supervisor Sinicropi stated that the passing of the renewed operating millage was not going to have the building paid for by 2023. www.middleburytownship.org Trustee P. Dutton added by stating the present building doesn’t meet the needs. He continued to state that by year end they (OMESA) would like to be ALS (Advance Life Support) certified. At present time, we (OMESA) have to pay someone else for ALS calls. Dutton continue to state that the new building will be manned 24 hours a day. The ALS will be a money maker. Carl Thornton stated that he understood that Jim (Supervisor of Ovid Township and Chairman of OMESA) McClelland figured the inches wrong and that he made a 100% error. He restated that the renewal millage was sold to the public as being able to pay off the building in 14 years. John Chrenka spoke his feelings that it(OMESA building) should have been brought to public. Art Price stated that he was upset that the issue was placed on the Primary election when most people do not participate in voting. Richard Semans asked about their operation cost and purchasing of equipment. Treasurer Stevens spoke on how she felt that she may have misled the people during the campaigning of the renewal because she thought the new emergency service building would be paid off by 2023. She continued by apologizing to the people. Mike Gresens spoke on the clarification of what Ovid Township had passed at their special meeting. The board (Ovid Township) passed a resolution of intent to purchase a bond in order to have the referendum published in the paper to start the 45 day wait period. Rich Givens spoke of the purpose of extending the renewal millage was to be able to secure a bond to build the building. The purpose of the Intergovernmental agreement is to provide more of a guaranteed in case the OMESA defaults on the bond. Mike Gresens spoke on the possibility of acquiring a loan for the US Agriculture for rural development. Mark Cooley stated on why an Intergovernmental Agreement was needed since this was already written into the incorporation of the Authority (OMESA). Art Price stated what is a “want” verses what is a “need”? Rich Givens asked if there were figures available for maintenance, gas and electric for the proposed building. He stated figures from the Williamston Building. He asked if building part of the building now and part of the building in the future as more money became available. Supervisor Sinicropi asked Charles Simpson his opinion on the matter. Mr. Simpson stated that he had complete admiration for the firefighters but this building has become complete out of hand and there needs to be some rationalization. Dave Sovis spoke in regards to the article published in The Weekly on May 18, 2008 where Jim McClelland spoke on the renewal of the bond issue. Mike Gresens discussed the 42 years written in the Intergovernmental agreement and the service charge of $275.00. General Business: A motion was made by Trustee E. Dutton and seconded by Trustee P. Dutton to accept the agenda with the addition of item (k) Rolling over the cemetery CD. Roll call vote was called with the following: P. Dutton- yes; E. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. www.middleburytownship.org A motion was made by Trustee E. Dutton to accept the minutes with the following corrections: strike employee and correct with board member on page 3 paragraph 2. Te motion was seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was called with the following: P. Dutton-yes; E. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. A motion was made by Supervisor Sinicropi and seconded by Clerk Tomasek-Swan to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented. A roll call vote had the following results: P. Dutton-yes; E. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. A motion was made by Trustee P. Dutton and seconded by Trustee E, Dutton to pay the bills with checks from #2299-2317 in a amount of $6,029.85. A roll call vote was taken with the following: P. Dutton-yes; E. Dutton- yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. Communications: Trustee Erin Dutton and Trustee Paul Dutton reported on the annual MTA conference. Unfinished Business: Adoption of resolution 01-2009; to reimburse township board members for internet service was offered by Trustee E. Dutton and seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The resolution was declared adopted by Supervisor Sinicropi. New Business: A motion was made by Clerk Tomasek-Swan and seconded by Treasurer Carolyn Stevens to table the Resolution to adopt the Intergovernmental agreement with Ovid Township until March 12th meeting or by special meeting if called before the March 12th date. A roll call vote was as followed: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. Diane Dowler spoke briefly on the Board of Review appeals and meeting. She noted the following schedule: Appeals are on March 11th from 3 to 9 pm and March 12th at 9am-12 pm and 1 to 4 pm. She also requested that we made a motion to authorize her to purchase pamphlets to explain Proposal A. Supervisor Sinicropi made a motion to authorize Diane Dowler to purchase pamphlets to give to residents to explain Proposal A. The motion was seconded by Trustee P. Dutton. A roll call vote was taken with the following: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. Clerk Tomasek-Swan offer offered resolution 2009-02; to set forth an alternative start date for the Board of Review. The resolution was seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was called with the following: Tomasek-Swan-yes; E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The resolution was declared adopted. Clerk Tomasek-Swan offer offered resolution 2009-03; adopt poverty exemption income guidelines and asset test. The resolution was seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton- yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The resolution was declared adopted. A motion was made by Clerk Tomasek-Swan to rent a handicap port-a-john for the Board of Review appeals at the Middlebury Township hall on March 11th and 12th. The motion was seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was called with the following: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. The 2009-2010 was presented to the board by Supervisor Sinicropi. A motion was made by Clerk Tomasek-Swan and seconded by Trustee E. Dutton to set the date for the budget hearing on March 12th www.middleburytownship.org 2009 at 6:30 pm. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek- Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. A motion was made by Supervisor Sinicropi and seconded by Trustee E. Dutton for the sending of Erin Dutton, Doug Krebiehl, Bob Dennison, and Tony Sinicropi to the March 23rd 2009 MTA meeting on Planning and zoning at 70.00 per person. This motion is available up to 6 township board people. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. A motion was made by Clerk Tomasek-Swan and seconded by Treasurer Stevens to table the sending of township board members to the wind energy meeting until the March 12th 2009 board meeting. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. A motion was made by Trustee P. Dutton and seconded by E. Dutton to send Supervisor Sinicropi to the MATS conference in Mt. Pleasant and to pay for a 2 night stay at the hotel on March 18th and 19th, 2009. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. Resolution 2009-04; to roll over $20,000 into a CD and use the $680.97 for cemetery repairs and improvements was offered by Trustee E. Dutton and seconded by Trustee P. Dutton. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The resolution was declared adopted. Final Comments: Bob Dennison commented that the cell tower for Gulick was approved but there was a meeting On February 25, 2009 at 7pm on the 3rd floor of the zoning building. Jim Brown made comments in regards to the emergency service building. He stated spoke about Laingsburg’s fire station and the regulations that were required to build the emergency service building. Trustee E. Dutton made a motion to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by Treasurer Stevens. A roll call vote was as follows: E. Dutton-yes; P. Dutton-yes; Stevens-yes; Tomasek-Swan-yes; Sinicropi-yes. The motion was carried. The meeting was adjourned at 11:29pm Submitted by Susan Tomasek-Swan Clerk