Middlebury Township PO Box 622, Ovid, Michigan 48866 Draft Approved Regular Meeting 7627 W. M-21, Ovid, MI Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm REGULAR MEETING Call to Order: Supervisor Herendeen called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm. Board Members Present: Supervisor Michael Herendeen, Clerk Susan Tomasek Swan, Treasurer Carolyn Stevens, Trustee Jeff Swan, and Trustee Gene Ruess Guests Present: Guests were present: Colleen Ruess, Deputy Clerk, Jill Ruess, Deputy Treasurer, Mark Holley, Assessor, Gary Kiger, Dick Semans, Carl Chalker Scheduled Comments: Marlene Webster-Commissioner: was not present to provide an update Mark Holley-Poverty exemption was dropped off at the township hall. Mark wants to set up a board of review date in July 2021. Exemptions are only good from date of application going forward. Cannot go back to previous years. The person who submitted has a government advocate speaking with Mark. State of Michigan has enacted the CAM. This is for updating the codes on township partials. The whole township is done. Assessor will not be visiting properties this year except the 1 from last year and new builds will be assessed in the fall. New disable veteran moved into the township. Mark has reached out to them mailed and called. The paperwork has not been completed and phone calls have not been returned. Public Comments: Opened at 7:13pm Closed at 7:14pm No public comments Motion to Approve Agenda: Stevens made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Tomasek-Swan seconded the motion. Voice Vote: Ayes: All Nays None Carried Motion to Approve Minutes: Tomasek-Swan made a motion to approve the May 11, 2021 minutes as with spelling and guest corrections. Stevens seconded the motion. Voice Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None Carried Motion to approve Bills Tomasek-Swan made a motion to approve bills from General Funds in the amount of $7,038.53 with checks #5493-5508 and 1 EFTS and check #1040 for $1,132.50 from the Emergency Fund. Jeff Swan seconded the motion. Total $8171.03. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Tomasek-Swan, J. Swan, Ruess, Stevens, Herendeen Nay: None Absent: Carried Communications: MTA- may meeting was cancelled. Started doing the annual meeting in June, cookout, held at Shi-town Park. Road commission -roads need water for brine to work best. Brine will be applied to the middle of the road this year. Same amount of brine is being applied to the roads. Drain Commission-working on maple river drains-they have 10 years to get them all cleaned out. Health Department-vaccinations, new walk-in sites, covid-19 numbers are significantly down. Library- Meeting tomorrow night, Roof update-not quite finished yet. They are working on insulation. Eve troughs were installed today, Director update-husband has passed. She has asked for a leave of absence until August. Library minutes and leave of absence letter included in board packets. OMESA- meetings last about 15 minutes. Past the penalty period now. The hall can be paid off now. About $87,000 to pay off the building. Questions about savings, they will save money due to the interest rate on the loan. Mike will talk with their treasurer about the payoff. 2022 new millage or renewal. Clerk- Tree Removal- Matt has called a couple tree removal companies. No one is returning his calls. Still waiting for people to contact him back, Matt moved the mystery bench back to the dirt pile. There was some damage on the bench. It may be used. Matt took pictures. Recycling- they are going to discuss to see how to the township residents would not have to pay to visit. Terry suggested a dollar per resident as a donation. Assessor- None Business 1. Approving the L4029-Tax Rule a. Total taxable value $45,984,204 b. Tomasek-Swan motions to approve. Herendeen second’s motion. c. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Tomasek-Swan, J. Swan, Ruess, Stevens, Herendeen Nay: None Absent: Carried 2. Driveway Updates a. Mr. Gasser emailed Gene Ruess to take a look at the permits. Township will pay to look at the documents. Cannot get bids for excavator until permits are purchased. Should take about 2 days. b. Needs trees taken down. $450 to rent the excavator per day from a Friday to a Monday. Need a brush hog to mow before the MISSDIG comes to survey. Will have to burn the brush potentially burn in December. c. Stevens makes a motion to approve brush hog, secure excavator rental up to $2,000 for the removal of the trees, MISSDIG, and authorizes Gene Ruess to do the work. Tomasek-Swan seconded motion. d. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Tomasek-Swan, J. Swan, Ruess, Stevens, Herendeen Nay: None Absent: Carried 3. MTA Dues-Options a. Township paid MTA dues this month. Different package subscriptions for additional coursework available. These are new options as a result of the pandemic. Library of classes people can take. There are classes available individually. 4. OMESA Building Pay off a. Discussed under OMESA communications. OMESA is just going to pay it off. Mike will talk to them and get more info about the logistics. Warning lights are now installed and ready to go. 5. Office Administrator a. Files need to be organized and gone though. Paperwork needs to be digitized. Cemetery needs to be computerized and updated. Mike nominates Susan Tomasek- Swan to be the office administrator. Need a good database to be able to search the documents. Mike provided Temporary Office Manager, Duties & Responsibilities to the board. b. Ruess makes a motion to approve the Temporary Office Manager, Duties & Responsibilities as submitted. Stevens seconded motion. c. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Tomasek-Swan, J. Swan, Ruess, Stevens, Herendeen Nay: None Absent: Carried d. Motion to Hire Susan Tomasek-Swan submitted by Mike Herendeen to the board. Effective tonight, up to discretion of Susan. Stevens seconded motion. Gene Ruess makes motion to up the hourly wage to $18 and forgo any mileage the position may require. Stevens seconded motion. Scratched last sentence on paragraph B. e. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Tomasek-Swan, J. Swan, Ruess, Stevens, Herendeen Nay: None Absent: Carried Final Comments: Opened at 8:53pm Closed at 9:14pm Gary Kiger-City of Owosso price for MMR ambulance. Effective date of Office Manager position. Carolyn and Susan working on the tax newsletter information. Will include the new office position. Road commission-Mike Herendeen signed the documents for the gravel for Leland-Dewey Rd- Hibbard Rd. Motion to adjourn the meeting: Adjourned at 9:15pm Supervisor Herendeen motions to adjourn the meeting. Tomasek-Swan seconded the motion. Voice Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None Carried Without objection the Supervisor Herendeen adjourned the meeting at 9:15pm. Next meeting July 13, 2021 at 7:00pm X Colleen Ruess Deputy Clerk