City Commission - Regular Meeting

Do we have Chris Simmons hooked up in uh

Chris? Can you give us a mic check? Good evening. There we go. All right. Thank you very much. Like to call the meeting to order of the Battle Creek City Commission for April 7th, 2026. Thank you very much for being here. Very nice crowd. We're going to start with a moment of silence. Um and then we're going to have our pledge of allegiance. And I'd like to call upon the vice mayor to lead us in the pledge. Would you please stand for a moment of silence?

Vice Mayor Sherry Sophia, please to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. First item on our agenda is roll call. Madame clerk, would you please perform the roll call? Commissioner Kasarci Smith here. Commissioner Lacrosse here. Commissioner Lance here. Commissioner Morris here. Mayor By here. Commissioner Reynolds present.

Commissioner O'Donnell here. Commissioner Simmons here. Commission Vice Mayor Sophia here.

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk. Next item on our agenda, I want to start off by saying the last time Bobby Holly was in the audience, he came up here and did a reverse backflip. And Bobby, I'm going to ask you, at your young, tender age, please don't do another backflip. That was impressive, though. I'll never forget it. But we have some uh proclamations and awards. Our first one will be Bobby Holly. I believe he's asked some people to be here with him. So, if they would like to join us, you may. Then we have a proclamation for National Child Abuse Prevention Month 2026. And the executive director, Robert Miller, and Joita Todd, board president of CASSA, will be here. And I'd like to have them talk a little bit about CASSA if they could. Then we have a proclamation for sexual assault awareness month 2026 and the systems manager from Brownson Sexual Assault Services will be here, Amber Goodlock um to present. Then finally, a proclamation for crime victim's rights week 2026. Alina Robinson, victim service coordinator for for the Battle Creek Police Department will be heard to accept. And I would assume that's what these little lapel pins are for. Good. Thank you very much. Uh, I want to thank uh, Commissioner Carlo Reynolds who helps me with these proclamations.

So, if we could have Bobby Ali and his supporters come on up front and then I'm going to ask Commissioner Lacass to assist. God bless you, Bobby. Thank you. Thank you for being here. You look good. You look good for young 70. Yes, young joiner us around. Thanks. Bobby Holly is a lifelong resident of Battle Creek. Bobby graduated from Battle Creek Central High School and was inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 201516. He served in the US Army from 1966 to 68 and received the US Army Physical Training Award. Bobby attended Kellogg Community College and furthered his education at Western Michigan University where he earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in music. Bobby retired from Battle Creek Federal Center and has been a substitute teacher in our local schools for over 20 years. Bobby is a former STAX recording artist and had hits on music charts while touring around the nation with Junior Walker and Allstars, Al Green, the OJS, and many more. He is responsible for planning tributes to many local recording acts. Bobby has been instrumental in recognizing those who have helped to make history great in Battle Creek, including the remaining renaming streets honoring Helen Montgomery and William E. Boards Jr., as well as a park after Julia V. Milner. Bobby has devoted over 35 years to fighting crime, violence, drugs, bullying, gun violence, homelessness, and rallying assistance for disabled individuals. He has boldly endured the worst of conditions in his heartfelt pursuit of raising awareness by walking and crawling countless miles. He has

brazenly demonstrated with illustrative gestures and remains vigilant in his efforts to help others. We are honored to call Bobby Holly a Battle Creek neighbor and recognize him for his passion and years of commitment and efforts to make Battle Creek a safe community for all. This certificate is presented on behalf of the city of Battle Creek Commission to Bobby Holly in honor of lifelong dedication and love for the Battle Creek community. Presented by Jessica Lacass, Commissioner Bobby, on behalf of the entire city commission and all the people at Battle Creek, we want to thank you for your energy, your enthusiasm, and exuberance and really working to make our community better. That's what it's all about, and that's what you do. And that's why I love seeing you out there at Walmart, Felosh, and Penfield. and then out at Frankie Zenadis. God bless you. Thank you very much. Keep it going. Thank you.

I just want to say, yeah, this community is a great community and I'm glad to be a part of it. But as we move on right now, we just keep on moving on, moving on. Right now, we're just trying to get those bicycles for those kids down there in Union City and also down in Three Rivers where they had that big tornado. So, that's why you see me singing in front of the stores right now in order to raise funds to for those folks down there, those kids down there. As we keep on moving, thank you very much my Battle Creek community and all my all my supporters up here. God bless you all. And also my team right here, team of Tim Johnston and Styler Thompson who helps me behind the scenes diligently. So, I want to make sure that they get and my pastor um my pastor Cedric Washington, his lovely first lady wife, and all the rest my daughter at the end down here and everybody also my nephew, Pastor Bradley, and also uh all the others and uh and all the others too. God bless everybody.

Thank you. I he says same one my take it from my own record instead of baby I love you it be battle creek I love you battle creek I love you I love you so and I never ever let you go Thank you for coming down. I really appreciate it. Thank you for coming down. Thank you. That was nice. That was very Thank you. Thank you.

Next proclamation is our National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Do we have the representatives of this organization here? National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Judge. Thank you. I think you got right next to me. I I need to have you talk a little bit about your organization so we can get more people supporting it. Can you help me?

Yes. Hello everyone. I'm Josita Todd and I am a CASA quarterappointed special advocate for abuse neglected children. We have been working for three and a half years. Uh even I have been working for three and a half years. Judge Yos has been working for 20 years to bring this program to Calhoun County and and I am so thrilled that we have finally brought this program to help our children who are wards of the court and who are in foster care. And I'm going to turn it over to our executive director who I am so thrilled after three and a half years to have an employee. Okay. Hello everyone and thank you so much for coming out today to to learn a little bit about what's happening at the commissioner meeting and also with what we're doing here at CASA as well as the the next group coming up with sexual assault services. CASA is an important thing to have in our community because it allows our our youth to have the support that they need to be able to get past a really difficult time in their life. There is no way that becoming a ward of the court, the things that these kids go through is something that is not a traumatic experience. So by having a CASA there that's able to stand alongside them, it's going to increase their chances of coming out on the other side in a better place with permanence with a family that wants them there with all of the things that we want our kids in our community to have. Our systems for child welfare here are already overwhelmed. So CASA coming in is an opportunity for us to be able to support those services that are already here and get kids the help that they need here in our own community and that's for all of Calhoun County and we're really happy to be have embraced so warmly by all of the people here and all of the folks that have come together to make CASA an opportunity for our youth. So, thank you so much.

And I would be remiss if I did not we did weren't expecting Judge Yos uh Johnson to be here, but she handles 99.9% of these kids and she has such a passion that she has really helped drive this program for us here in Calhoun County. So, I can't make decisions unless I have the information. And the way I get the information is having good people that help these kids have a voice. A lot of times we'll have a situation where maybe the the foster parents are afraid to speak up or the parents are afraid to sign something or the kids they sit there or they're not sure whether or not to come to court. Um we've got guardians. Kim Wickham is one of our guardian edits. She's amazing and she's been on the steering committee. And as part of that, she gets to see the kids once every 90 days, sometimes more if there's an emergency. Cases have constant contact with these kids. So it is really important that we have these programs to give stability, to give someone that the kids can communicate with on a consistent basis to bring those issues to our attention that we might not otherwise have to connect them to services in the community to other programs. So I just want to thank everyone for recognizing this program and for our community to be willing with the outpouring of volunteers. We've had amazing people on the steering committee and it we tried to do this as she said we've been working on this 20 years. It didn't happen the first time, but with the help of of these people and many more um we have a gala coming up on April 24th. Um I'm happy to announce we have some of the justices uh at least one justice from the Supreme Court has

committed to come down and support our program. Um, we have the tribal judge, Judge Pope's coming in. The tribe has supported us. We have an amazing outpouring from every corner of our community, not just Battle Creek, but every corner Calhoun County has come together for our children. So, I just want to especially thank Battle Creek for their support, but to thank across the county because they have just been amazing at bringing this program in, and we couldn't have done it without the support of everyone that's up here and the volunteers we've had. Kim, do you want to say anything?

Hi everyone. So, uh, I am Kim Wickham. I'm one of the guardian edits, and that's a fancy term for attorney for the child. Um, and sometimes it's really hard for me to take off my lawyer hat, um, and put on my social work hat. And that's exactly what CASA is going to do. Uh, so my job is to protect their legal interest, try to represent what I think or argue is what I think is best for the children. and having CASA is going to give me somebody who's going to have and and have the resources to be able to have more contact with these children uh than I'm able to have. So, I'm so happy uh to be able to have a partner for some of my kids and I'm already thinking of some of the cases that I'm going to ask for CASAS on. So, uh we want to thank Battle Creek for the support and thank you for everyone who's up here who's worked so hard for this. I just can't believe that it's, you know, finally happening and it's going to have a huge impact on our children. So, thank you. Okay. Well, thank you very much. We want to say the new buzzword in Ken County is CASA, CASA, courtappointed special advocates. Check them out on the Facebook. Contact our city clerk's office if you get information and if you can't reach anyone for help. So, on behalf of the people of Battle Creek, we want to say congratulations. We'd like to have a photo for Congratulations. God bless you.

April 24th.

Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations on sexual assa sexual assault awareness month. Do we have representatives of this organization? Thank you. Thank you for bringing your dog, too. That's great.

You want to pass introduce myself. Hello. So, my name is Amber Point Goodlock. I'm the assistant manager for sexual assault services um which is part of Bronson Battle Creek. With me, I have my our facility dog, Chewy, um who also works at our sexual assault services and child advocacy center. So sexual assault services provides comprehensive um victim services to survivors of sexual violence across the age range. We have multiple programs including a same a sexual assault nurse examiner program, a victim advocacy program. We provide counseling. We have prevention education. We have a child advocacy center and we have a crisis line. So our goal is to support survivors um wherever they are in the process of their healing whether is they are reporting um just reporting the assault and needing medical care and victim advocacy or in needs of counseling. Um so we provide that support. We also have our our court dog who is also trained specially trained to sit with children during a forensic interview so they have the support that they may need that may feel comfortable for them at the time. Um as well as go is trained to go into the courthouse to testify with children um if it is approved. Um what am I missing? I think so. Um we are very uh fortunate in this community. So this year we are celebrating 30 years of services in this community um in Calhoun County. Our sexual assault program, our sexual assiner program is regional. So Calhoun, Van Beern, and Kalamazoo counties. Um and we also have outreach counseling that um is in Calhoun and Van Beern County. So we have um I'm really proud

of the collaboration that we have in this community. Um we have tremendous support with our multi-disiplinary team members including law enforcement, prosecution and child protective services in NASA um which we are very excited to have in this community as well. Um so we're very grateful um and feel very fortunate that we are able to do this work um in this area and we have um are able to provide the services that survivors deserve. um and support their healing um throughout the process and for as long as they need to free of charge to them.

So there's kind of an intersection here between uh child abuse prevention. We also have our partners from the intermediate school district um that are um supporting parents and families um to prevent child abuse and connect them with services. Um, so we are happy to have um our advisory board member with us as well. Thank you.

And I probably should put a plug in for our benefit dinner which is next Thursday, April 16th. So we will be having our sexual assault annual benefit dinner. It is a fundraiser, but it is also more importantly it is about um celebrating and honoring our community partners, especially our volunteer victim advocates who are on call 365 days a year, 247 um who get called out in the middle of the night to provide those critical services. Um so we'll be honoring them. Um, importantly, we will also have Rachel Denhollander as our speaker um who is one of the first survivors to come forward um to report Larry Nasser um in the in at from MSU. So, we are very excited. So, April 16th, look it up. Um and we hope to see you there.

On behalf of the citizens of the city of Battle Creek, we want to say thank you. We feel it's important to get this word out and it's a positive word to help our improve our our people in our community. So, um, we say thank you and, um, we appreciate your dog being here, too. Thanks. Our last proclamation is for Crime Victim's Rights Week. Do we have representatives of this organization here? Thank you very much.

Thank you for being here. Could you introduce yourself and say yes?

Hello everyone. My name is Alina Robinson. I am the victim services coordinator for the Battle Creek Police Department. National Crime Victim Rights Week is something that is very passionate for me and it is a national endeavor um aimed to acknowledge survivors of crime and um local communities are encouraged to adopt the theme every year. So this year it is listen, act, and advocate. And it is all about supporting survivors in our community. And um the official week is April 19th through the 25th. And as you'll see, I've got a lapel pin on. I've made these specifically for Battle Creek, um specifically for the officers. And throughout the week, you'll see the officers as well as prosecutors wearing the uh the pin as a non-verbal acknowledgement for Crime Victim Rights Week. So if you're out and about in the community and you're a victim of crime and you see an officer wearing the pin, then you know that your community supports you. So it's something that's very near and dear to my heart. So thank you for having me.

Thank you. Thank you very much. On behalf of the people of Battle Creek, we helped celebrate this as the 45th anniversary of the National Crime Victim's Right Week uh proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan back in 1988. Once again, thank you to everyone for u coming forward and really helping us spread the word about some of the things that we're doing in Battle Creek to make our community better. Next item on our agenda is a presentation by the Battle Creek Police Department Civilian Police Academy Alumni Association. We're going to ask Roger Ballard and maybe some other um graduates of the association to come forward. Thanks, Roger. I'm gonna get the mic. Good question.

Thank you, Mayor. So on behalf of the Battle Creek Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, this is a letter of instruction to Encourage BC and the Battle Creek Police Department's law fund. The letter of instruction is for in accordance with the BCCPAA m minutes dated January 8th of 2026. We're very happy to donate $10,000 to the city of Battle Creek Police Department's law fund. This is to be used for any programs that they wish, including but not limited to drunk or treat and shop with a cop programs. Roger, we accept this gift and we will do our best to work with our police department to spend the money most efficiently.

Thank you very much. And I would also like to be proudly to say that officer Yates here is a a graduate of Battle Civilian Police Academy Alumni Association. um in 2017, the same year that I went through uh with it. And this last year, he became an officer in the police department. So, we're very proud of him. Also with me, and I I didn't see you come up, is Sergeant um Corey Chaplain, and he he is kind of the coordinator between the police department and the association. So, thank you for showing. And then we also have

Charene Charlene um Vanluven um who is a uh one of the uh co-board members along with um Officer Yates and myself and um we just like to have her say a few words about the organization itself.

Thank you, Roger. Well, I'd like to say that um on behalf of the association, we're looking for everybody that's gone through the academy to come to our next meeting. We're looking for people to get involved to be a positive smile, a positive uh force in the community and to shed some positive light. And if you've been through the academy, for those on TV and watching, we invite you to our next meeting. We're looking for volunteers and for those that have new ideas and things we can do to progress this organization. Thank you again. Well, we're really shocked and very happy for this gift and we'll give it to our police department and they'll do the best they can. Thank you.

God bless you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Next item on our agenda is chair noting any added or deleted resolutions. There were none. Thank you. Next item on our agenda is petitions, communications, and reports. There were none. Thank you.

Next item on our agenda is a public hearing. This is a public hearing to receive comment on the Brownfield plan for the proposed Allen Edwin Homes redevelopment projects, Outpost Terrace and Eldrid Corner located along Northeast Avenue, Berkeley Avenue, Eaton Street, and North 20th Street, respectively. I declare the public hearing open. Is there anyone here to make a public comment?

Is there anyone here for public comment? hearing. None. I'll declare the public hearing closed. Thank you for your investment though in Battle Creek. Next item on our agenda is public comment regarding any remaining agenda items. Limited to four minutes per individual. If you'd like to make public comment regarding any remaining agenda item, please raise your hand and we will acknowledge you to come forward to our podium. You will have four minutes to make your comments. Please state your name and address before making your comment and indicate which agenda item you are speaking to. Yes, Gloria Sackis, please come forward.

Hi, Mark. How are you? I'm doing good. All right. My name is Gloria Zakis. I live at 604 West Territorial Road, Battle Creek, Michigan. And the reason I am here is the light. Um I have um Okay. Are you speaking um public comment or are you speaking on the agenda? Actually, I think both. Okay. Which which item are you speaking on then? Okay. Now, on the things with people with the homeless and stuff. Okay. And the people and the kids. Okay. There's I'm going to have to hold you off till the end of the meeting to speak on that time. All right. All right. That's fine.

Thank you. Are there any public comments um on the agenda remaining agenda items?

Barry Wayne, come on up. I haven't seen you in a long time. Remember to dumb it down. All right. I don't know if I can do that. Uh yeah, Barry Wayne Adams, 6.2 going to West Green Street over Marshall. Uh former candidate for mayor and uh again running for mayor uh in this November uh mayor of Marshall. Uh I am referring to your resolutions uh 354 and 355 and they both deal with quote unquote emergency issues. Now what does it really mean when we speak of emergency? It's actually an altering of the character of government and uh if you go to the now defunct Michigan compiled statute 10.31 it clearly shows the originating authority for uh the declaration of a a state of emergency. Now, uh, as was spoken of in, uh, Walsh versus City of River Rouge, uh, only the president or the, uh, governor can issue a declaration of state of emergency. But in that MCL 10.31, it clearly states that the originating authority for the uh governor to issue a state of emergency is derived from uh article 5 section 12 the Michigan constitution which declares that the governor shall be the commander-in-chief of the military. So emergency authority is actually military

authority. Uh the the exertion of non-ivilian military authority into the civilian arena. Now this is specifically prohibited uh as spoken of by the United States Supreme Court in exparte Milligan. Uh that's title 71. in United States Reports page two and following and it goes into a very extended discussion of the history of the imposition of of martial law or internal military authority uh and how it is explicitly contrary to the purposes of the constitution. The the purpose of the constitution is to ensure a civilian or civil form of government. Uh and the purpose of having military authority is to destroy the natural rights that are supposed to be protected by the Constitution. Uh going all the way back to the Declaration of Independence. This is our history. We started a revolution because we did not like the martial law of the red coats. And in the Declaration of Independence, you've got the laundry list of violation of individual rights that the red coats were actively engaged in. And you're seeing this happen uh but in a very slow, gradual, incremental manner uh as to what's been happening with these types of resolutions. uh you're slowly destroying the white line boundaries, the hard boundaries between the different bal wicks, the different jurisdictions.

Eric, you're going to have to conclude your comments. You've expired your time. He has 20 seconds left. We have 40 seconds now. 20 20 seconds. Thank you. Okay. Maybe you'll make up your mind in 40 seconds, but uh we're not supposed to be under martial law in these uh very soft pedaling uh softselling uh resolutions that uh do not reflect the true gravity of the type of encroachments and usurppations that uh are are involved in these kinds of resolutions. Uh,

time's up, Barry. Thank you for your comments. You guys need to be up on this stuff. Are there any other public comments on any agenda item?

Any other public comments? Seeing none, we'll move on. Adoption of ordinance resolution 348 for ordinance 10-2026. Madame clerk, when you're ready. This resolution adopts ordinance 10 20226 amending section 296.09 of the Battle Creek Code of Ordinances retirements to enhance the city's ability to rehire a retiree whose expertise or historical knowledge is needed in a critical position in order to sustain operations while the city recruits for a permanent replacement. The ordinance limits the duration of any retiree rehiring to 6 months after which commission approval will be required.

Move to adopt ordinance 1026. I'll second. Moved and supported to adopt resolution ordinance 10-26. Are there any comments from the commission? Seeing none, u would you please vote on the adoption of ordinance 348 resolution ordinance 10 2026.

Commissioner Simmons. I that didn't register. I'm sorry.

We got it. It just was delayed. Sorry. The option of ordinance 10-2026 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 349 on the adoption of ordinance 11-2026. Madame clerk, when you're ready. This resolution adopts ordinance 112026 amending section 21 of chapter 882 of the Battle Creek code of ordinances to extend the commencement and completion deadlines for the blue light development pilot. Move to adopt ordinance 1126. Second.

Been moved and supported to adopt ordinance 11-2026. Are there any comments by the commission? Commissioner Lacass. I'm just wondering if Ted or Amanda can um explain. I know a lot of the public isn't aware why we have to extend this um just to kind of give an overall idea. It's just out of an abundance of caution. Uh we don't anticipate that the construction is going to take that long, but just in case it does for the blue light project and they've had a lot of issues with like you know getting I guess to where they need to be to get this to right. Okay.

Any other comments by the commission? Seeing none, would you please vote on the adoption of ordinance 11-2026? Ordinance 11-2026 has been approved. Next item on agenda is commission comment regarding meeting business. Move to approve the consent agenda. Second.

Has been moved and supported to approve the consent agenda. Is there any comments by the commission? Seeing none, would you please vote on the consent agenda? The consent agenda has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 357. This project consists of approximately 128,000 square yards of a single chip seal application and finishing application of fog seal with pavement markings to follow. Also included in this project is 26 lane miles of overband crackfill on major and local streets located in the city of Battle Creek. If approved, this resolution accepts a bid for 2026 capital preventative maintenance program project from Pavement Maintenance Systems LLC in an estimated amount of $618,47.95 with unit prices prevailing. The city manager or her designate is also authorized to approve change orders for up to 10% in aggregate for city initiated and pre-approved changes for unforeseen field conditions that are not itemized in the contract. Move to approve resolution 357.

Second.

Been moved and supported to approve resolution 357. Are there any comments by the commission? Seeing no, would you please vote on resolution 357? Resolution 357 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 358. This project consists of milling and paving of approximately 74,000 SYDs of milling and paving of local streets, manhole adjustments as needed, 37 ADA sidewalk ramp upgrades, 1,000 SYDs of concrete, pavement removal and replacement at the city's wastewater treatment plant, 5,000 SYDs of parking lot milling and paving with parking lot striping. If approved, this resolution accepts the lowest responsive responsible bid for 2026 rehabilitation program project from Lakeland Asphalt Corporation in an estimated amount of 1,56,558.98 with unit prices prevailing. The city manager or her designate is al also authorized to approve change orders for up to 10% in aggregate for city initiated and pre-approved changes for unforeseen field conditions that are not itemized in the contract.

Move to approve resolution 358. Second. Been moved and supported to approve resolution 358. Are there any comments by the commission?

Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 358? Resolution 358 has been approved and thank you Lakeland Asphalt. Next item on our agenda is resolution 359. Madame clerk, when you're ready. This project consists of full depth reconstruction of taxiway A, including removal and replacement of pavement, storm drainage upgrades, under drain improvements, electrical and airfield lighting work, pavement markings, erosion control, and associated site work. If approved, this resolution accepts the lowest responsive responsible bid for BTL Reconstruct Taxiway A project from Hoffman Brothers Incorporated in an estimated amount of 9,971,470 with unit prices prevailing. The city manager or her designate is also authorized to approve change orders for up to 10% in aggregate for city initiated pre-approved changes for unforeseen field conditions that are not itemized in the contract.

Move to approve resolution 359. Second. Been moved and supported to approve resolution 359. Are there any comments by the commission?

Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 359? Resolution resolution 359 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 360. If approved, this resolution authorizes the city manager to temporarily suspend a park rule prohibiting fishing to allow for two children's fishing activities. A pre-event on June 13th, 2026 and the fth annual Johnny Jake Collier teach a kid to fish event on August 9th, 2026 to take place at the specified Gowwak Lake location.

Move to approve resolution 360. Second. Been moved and supported to approve resolution 360. Are there any comments by the commission? Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 360? Resolution 360 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 361. Madame clerk, when you're ready.

If approved, this resolution recognizes the Lake View Band and Orchestra Boosters, Inc. as a nonprofit service organization operating in the city of Battle Creek for the purpose of obtaining a charitable gaming license from the state of Michigan lottery bureau's charitable gaming division. Move to approve resolution 361. Second. Been moved and supported to approve resolution 361. Are there any comments by the commission?

Seeing none, please vote on resolution 361. Resolution 361 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 362. Madame clerk, when you're ready.

City staff are looking to add interactive voice response, IVR, as a credit debit card payment option for residents. This would allow residents to call an automated number and make a utility payment over the phone without having to provide payment information over the phone to city staff. The fee, bond, and insurance schedule needs to be updated to account for the service fee charged by the payment processor of 3.95% as well as a 50 cent fee per transaction. Move to approve resolution 362.

Second. been moved and supported to approve resolution 362. Are there any comments by the commission? Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 362? Resolution 362 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 363.

Allan Edwund Homes as proposed in act 381 brownfield plan for the redevelopment of six vacant parcels totaling approximately 43.75 acres located within the city of Battle Creek. The properties are commonly referred to as Outpost Terrace and Eldrid Corner sites and are located along Northeast Avenue, Berkeley Avenue, Eaton Street, and North 20th Street. The proposed redevelopment includes the construction of approximately 116 new single family homes, including a portion of incomerestricted rental housing units. The total capital investment across all project sites is estimated to be approximately $35 million with construction anticipated to begin in the summer 2026 and occur in phases through approximately 2031. This resolution approves a brownfield plan for the proposed Allen Edwin Homes redevelopment projects outpost terrace and Eldrid corner.

Move to approve resolution 363.

Second. So moved and supported to approve resolution 363. Are there any comments or concerns by the commission? I just want to say thank you very much for your investment in our community. I know both of these locations are uh fine locations in our city. Um one of the locations on the north side in Garrison Hills has been there for a number of years and I'm just really happy that we're redeveloping that area uh to bring housing to our community. Um, hearing no other comments, would you please vote on resolution 363? Resolution 363 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 364. If approved, this resolution authorizes the city manager to accept the good faith written offer and to execute a warranty deed to sell 226 SC square feet of city-owned vacant land at 62 Yuba Street, parcel number 52-0890--0000-001- 0 to the Michigan Department of Transportation for $1,000.

Move to approve resolution 364. Second. So moved and supported to approve resolution 364. Are there any comments by the commission? Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 364? Resolution 364 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is resolution 365. Madam clerk, when you're ready,

MDOT has requested the city acquire ownership of 42.05 square ft of 200 West Michigan Avenue, parcel number 52-0254-00-051-0 from Burnham Brook Community Center for updating the sidewalk ramps to current American with Disabilities Act standards. The desired portion is located at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Gul Street. If approved, this resolution authorizes the city manager to execute all documents necessary to purchase 42.05 square ft of land located at 200 West Michigan Avenue, parcel number 52-0254-00-051-0 from Burnham Brook Community Center for $1,51.25. Move to approve resolution 365.

Second. Been moved and supported to approve resolution 365. Are there any comments by the commission?

Seeing none, would you please vote on resolution 365? Resolution 365 has been approved. Next item on our agenda is general public comment. If you wish to make general public comment regarding matters over which the city commission has control, please raise your hand and wait for us to acknowledge you to come forward to the podium. You'll have three minutes to make your comment. Please state your name and address prior to beginning your comment. Gloria Zacus. And then we'll go David Moore. Again, I'm Gloria Zakis and the reason I'm here is about the light on territorial um territorial on the Vista. I have um Darwin Campbell and I have Kim Walden that is behind me in engineering that they said that that definitely needs a light there. Just not a blinking light. I've had people in my front yard. They've almost hit kids. Um they don't stop. They just keep right on going, coming up territorial. Um, they've run over your stop signs that you've had there on the Vista. It's time to stand up. It's time to put a light there. I have your engineering department behind me and that should say something. They were there today um tightening up the light. That's not going to do any difference. You pull it up five, six inches. That's not going to help. The traffic there is heavy, especially at school time. And little kids walk across there. And I don't know even if you have a heart, okay? And I'm not trying to be mean, but how would you feel if you went against that, not putting that light there? And if that light would have been there, you'd have saved a lot a life.

I've been trying to get this done now for a long time. And I have engineering. I have the people that you sent through tightening up the light. They they couldn't believe the traffic there. They couldn't even hardly get the trucks through there. Something needs to be done. And I'm asking you now. I waited long enough for you to step up and put a light there. I'd really appreciate it because you're going to be saving somebody's life. You guys be blessed. Thank you, Gloria. I appreciate your comments, David Moore. David Moore. Once again, I came here to the city commission and had a real good treat seeing Bobby Holly getting that award. So has the rest of us. I known Bobby Howie since he was in high school. He graduated in 1963. I know him a long time before that. I remember him in the band files for three years in a row and all this other things he did uh at Balky Central and all this last 60 years that he has done many years and we're at this age he is still going strong and um so I just very honored see Bobby Jav here tonight and I graduate late through high school they're maring they're marching ing band. Lake Booth has really improved a lot in the last couple years. They have came a long ways in sports, their marching band, they in that junior high they built out there and new high school, they have came a long ways in 60 years. So to Bobby Howie and to this

this treaty we had here tonight, God bless you, Bobby Howie, and wish the best for you. Thank you, David. Are there any other public comments at this time? Yes. Reys Atkins.

Good evening. Reese Atkins, 84 South 23rd Street. I want to back up with the this young lady was just saying about La Vista, but let's go back a little ways. Um I travel that road all the time because where I live that's primary to go into the other side of town. But there are two schools that start right after 20th Street that kids are walking up and down there and there's no signs at all stating that that area is a school zone. There's nothing to let traffic know that there's school zones. And I have to agree with what she says. La Vista does need an actual light, but let's get something marked in that area that that's even a school zone. Because if you drive up and down that area be area, you don't know that that's a school zone because you don't see the schools because the schools are technically on a side street, but they're close to territorial and territorial is one of the main thoroughfairs for both schools. So, let's see if we can't get something marked out on territorial that says that is a school zone. I mean, you have the the blinking lights that shows your speed limit in the area, but people don't pay attention to that.

I mean, they don't look at that kind of stuff because they're not even looking at the speed limit signs. So, those are doing no good. So, let's see if we can't get some signage up there stating it's even a school zone. The other thing is, congratulations, Ted, on your reward. last last meeting. I was not here for that one. Um but yeah, let's see what we can do about uh increasing that area to let people know that what's going on. Thank you.

Thank you, Ree. Any other public comment at this time? Yes, Adam Smith Autumn Smith's Battle Creek. I'm here to address the ongoing investigation into Chris Dupant, says reported on my website, FAFO Justice. It has come to my attention that there is significant backtracking regarding who is responsible for investigating the former police officer. I've spoken to Shannon Bagley and other officials, and it seems there is confusion or reluctance to take proper action. Let's be clear, any crime that originates within the city limits can be investigated by this department without assistance from another agency. Furthermore, that original agency has full authority to continue that investigation across jurisdictions anywhere in the state. So, the idea that responsibility needed to be shifted elsewhere simply does not hold up. Mr. Dupont owns properties within the city limits and tenants have repeatedly complained about his behavior, yet under the current leadership, there seems to be little accountability. Shannon, now in charge, claims to be different, but his actions suggest otherwise. This mirrors previous situations where serious incidents were mishandled even in cases of felonious assault captured on video with Battle Creek police officers. In addition, it appears that HR employee Michelle Hull, allegedly under the director of the new city manager and the city attorney, has been tasked with disciplining employees, including up to termination for sharing my articles about Mr. Dupants and memes about him that many people are generating, not just myself. This raises serious concerns about retaliation and intimidation within the city government. There's also a broader concern that needs to be addressed openly when an individual has significant financial interests, owns

multiple properties within the city, and maintains ongoing interactions with various departments and officials at city hall. It creates an appearance, right or wrong, of potential undue influence. Whether that manifests as preferential treatment or a pay-to-play type environment, even the perception of that undermines public trust and demands transparency. And I will say this, what residents continue to see is a pattern where serious issues are explained away as confusion, miscommunication, inaction. Whether you label that as incompetence or something more, the result is the same. No accountability, no clear answers, and no resolution for the people affected. New leadership has arrived, but the pattern remains the same. Complaints go unresolved, investigations are shifted, and employees face pressure for speaking out. Residents and city employees deserve transparency, accountability, and protection from retaliation. The city must stop deflecting responsibility, enforce the law consistently and ensure that no one, former officer or not, is above scrutiny. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Any other public comments at this time?

John Kenneth, please. John Kenneth, 234 South Avenue. I'm quoting from information that I got from the Daily Moon newspaper in the Battle Creek Inquir. It has to do with floods that have been happening within the city of Battle Creek over a long period of time. In 1868 was the first recorded flood in Battle Creek. The following years are when flood happened in Battle Creek. In 1887 afterwards, in 1896 afterwards in 1904, it flooded. In 1908, the city flooded. In 1912, it flooded. In 1916, it flooded. In 1918, it flooded. And finally, in 1947, it flooded in Battle Creek. The Army Corps of Engineers finished the flood control channel in 1961. We haven't had any floods. However, in April of 2026, Karan Rapids has been flooded. Comtock Park has been flooded. Land East Lancing flooded FA Hastings flooded Vixsburg and the surrounding t town townships. Maybe they want might want to consider a flood control in their area. There have been major floods including dams broken in Midland in the year 2020. Also in uh 2020, Edenville was flooded. I think um you have a flood control problem and the problem's been solved in Battle Creek for more than since 194 since 1961. They might want to consider the same thing instead of having it tore out. I only mentioned this to you is because I've walked the uh flood control system

and found no problems. I've also spoken to the Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit. They are working on a report which they haven't done over the last few years or presented it presented it to anybody. I would hate to see you tear out a something that functions for something that's just a kayak run and then having flooding afterwards. Who will be responsible for that? I doubt the people that would vote in favor of the destruction of the flood control system made in 1961 by the Army Corps of Engineers. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Are there any other public comments at this time? Barry Wayne Adams. Barry Wayne Adams again, 622 West Green Street in Marshall. Uh, evidently a few weeks ago, the uh, attorney for MA came here and was glowing about the successful pro uh, process progression uh, of the uh, blue oil uh, factory. But uh, as you look closer and behind the scenes, uh, a lot of that is gaslighting. Uh, the whole existence of the, uh, battery plant is still up in the air. Uh, and the fundamental decision uh, as to whether the factory should even exist there is going back up to the Michigan Supreme Court. uh the holdings in the circuit court and court of appeals in the committee for marshall not the mega sites case challenging the denial of the uh the referendum the zoning referendum uh when it finally got up to the uh Michigan Supreme Court uh the opinion of the opinion and order of the court of appeals was vacated in its entirety. It was so flawed that even before there was any uh oral argument uh based on the petition for leave to

appeal, the uh Michigan Supreme Court uh kicked it back down to the court of appeals and gave them specific guidance uh citing uh Clam Lake Township versus Department of Land uh licensing and regulation. the significant holding of which was that uh in uh PA425 transfer land transfer agreements uh municipalities can decide to contractually mutualize the zoning power and that's what happened uh when uh Marshall Township and the city of Marshall created the joint planning commission and uh contractual stipulations were already set forth that it would be the decision of the joint planning commission uh that would be the uh uh determining factor, the controlling factor in uh uh zoning decisions. Uh the joint planning commission's uh recommendation was to not reszone, but the uh city council uh refused uh to uh accept it and went on their own uh against contractual mandates. U so things are still up in the air. Uh Michigan Supreme Court may tell them they got to remove that thing.

Thank you for your comments. Any other comments at this time? Any other public comments? Yes, in the back row. Steve Cotch, Washington Avenue North. Um, I don't know if anybody else has noticed, but I have noticed over a period of about I don't know about six years since that nasty 19 come around and everybody kind of disappeared and nobody came to work and nobody showed up at work and everybody stayed away from everybody and everybody come became antisocial and I mean there's all that negative that happened for about four or five years there where nobody could talk to each other, nobody could be near anybody. Everybody's going to catch some deadly flu of some kind, which I never got. Personally, I never stopped doing what I'm doing. I don't have time for it. They have more important things to do. But I noticed at the city of Battle Creek that the police department disappeared. Everybody disappeared with the exception of one individual. He showed up at work. I could actually call this gentleman over here, Mr. Ted Daring, and I could actually have a conversation with him. I could go downstairs and I could talk to somebody down there and I could meet with him if if I needed to meet with him. But anybody else that I wanted to meet with, they weren't available. They weren't in the office. I had to make an appointment. And that goes even to this day. I cannot come to this building and walk up and get to talk to anybody that works here. Unless it's the water department, of course, then you can pay your bill there. But if I wanted to talk to somebody in management here, nobody's available. No one's no one's available here for some weird reason. And we don't have CO anymore. So everybody got very comfortable staying at home or staying

anywhere but at their place of employment, which is a city hall here. So the question I have is, is there any particular time that this might change back to where people actually show up for work every day and come to work every day so that people like myself or other people in the audience here or city people who actually live here can walk downstairs and say, "Hey, can I talk to someone about a problem?" And they say, "Sure, let me call." And the person says, "Yes, uh, they're not available, but they'll be available in 15, 20 minutes." Instead, now it's go down there. Hi, I'd like to see so and so. you'll have to make an appointment. That seems to be the common goal here is everybody has to make an appointment and if you have to make an appointment, no one ever shows up. And that is even true to this day with a police department. If you want to talk to anybody in the police department besides an officer, anybody in management, you have to call somebody up there, you have to make an appointment to be able to see somebody there in charge. So maybe somebody sometime in the near future could change that. Just an idea. Thank you very much for your comments. Any other public comments at this time? Any other public comments? Seeing none, we'll go to commission comments. Patrick O'Donnell. Mr. Patrick O'Donnell. Sorry.

Thank you, Mayor. It's fine. Um, just want to talk about a few things like the the weather the last couple months. Um, we've had a lot of severe weather and I'm glad that we're upgrading our sirens. I'm on the uh 911 county board and um a lot of discussions has been made. you know, should we eliminate sirens? Should we fix them? Because the problem with some sirens are the the uh parts aren't available anymore. And um the technologies changed a lot. So, I'm glad to see that we were able to um get the sirens. And uh it it did help last week. I know people were kind of complaining about the way that storm was in town. I don't know why you would want to complain about not getting a tornado. I don't understand that part, but it was great to know that we had good spotters out there trying to prevent what could have happened and um the people that were uh helping us with those alerts. Thank you very much. Thank you, Chief, and everything you put into last couple months with the severe weather. Um the other thing I want to talk about is this upcoming May election. Um there's there's a lot of people out there that are getting u misinformation like the city snuck it on the ballot. It's not that. It's been we we discussed this months ago. The state law says that we have to have elections in May and this is what was put on the ballot due to the process of the state. We have 10 days of early voting. We have absentee ballots that you can fill out. I just want people to go out and make sure that they vote. The the reason that we're putting this to the citizens is is that all the other cities in Michigan except for Midland and ourselves have two-year terms and we're just suggesting if if people want to have that or not. There's nothing agenda-wise coming from the city commission that says that. We're just trying to see what the public wants. Um, and there's a lot of just controversy out there over how it got on there. It's it's just an election. And again, like I said before, I hope everybody uses their uh right to go vote. So, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner. Any other commission comments? Commissioner Lacass,

just to piggy back um off of what Commissioner Okonnell said, um the storm sirens, just so everyone knows, uh those are for people that are outdoors. I know there's been a lot of comments of people saying that they can't hear them. They're not meant for people that are indoors. They're meant for people that are outside to seek shelter in the event that there's a tornado. Um, also as far as the election, just so everyone's aware too, if it does go to four years, that gives um the public the opportunity if they so choose um to recall any of us, you know, or any people that are elected um those two middle years. So, there is, you know, a method to recall where there is not right now being that we only have two-year terms because you cannot do it the year of an election um on either side of that. So, just wanted to make everyone aware of that. Um, also Charlene, I don't know if you have the date for that meeting. Um, you guys mentioned it, but I wanted to let everyone know the date for that because the Citizens Police Academy is a great organization. The alumni um, organization is great as well. And while she's looking for that, um, also CASA, anyone that still wants to be a part of that, please reach out to Jacita Todd. Um, Castle is an excellent organization and they need as many volunteers as possible. There's a ton of kids that are going to be looking for they're going to be looking for advocates for. So,

May 14th, May 14th. Okay. So, that meeting will be on May 14th for anybody that's went through the academy um for the alumni organization. Thank you. Thank you, commissioner. Any other commission comments? Seeing none, I'm going to adjourn the meeting. Thank you for attending.