City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening everyone. This is the regular council meeting of March 23rd, 2026. It is now 6:31 p.m. Clerk, can you please uh call the role? Councilwoman Aaron, here. Councilman Fleming, here. Councelor Geralds here. Mayor Pro Tim Mir here. Councelor Roarbach here. Councelor Wright here. Mayor Haynes,

I am here. All right. Tonight, the invocation and pledge of allegiance will be led by me. Um, if everyone that's able to would please stand. Let's let us take a moment to pause and reflect before we begin our work this evening. We gather here as stewards of the public trust, entrusted by the residents of Madison Heights to listen with care, to speak with honesty, and to act with integrity. May we approach our responsibilities with open minds and a willingness to consider perspectives different from our own, recognizing that our diversity is a source of our strength. Let us be guided by a shared commitment to fairness, transparency, and respect for all who call Madison Heights home. May our discussions be thoughtful and constructive even when we face difficult decisions or differing opinions. Let us remember the choices we make here have a real and lasting impact in our neighborhoods, our businesses, and the future of our city. As we deliberate, may we strive to balance vision with practicality and leadership with humility. Let us seek solutions that promote opportunity, equity, and well-being for all the members of our community. And finally, let us carry forward a spirit of collaboration and civility, working together not for personal interests, but for the common good of the city of Madison Heights. With that shared purpose in mind, let us begin today's meeting with the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance 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. All right, you may be seated. First item on the agenda. Uh, can I get a motion to appoint Bennett Boucher as the acting city clerk this evening? Your honor. So moved. Second. All right, we have a motion in support. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Oppos say no. Motion carries. Next is the approval of the agenda. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? Your honor. Yes. Motion to approve the agenda as written. Okay. We have a motion to approve as written. Is there a second? Your honor. Yes. Second. All right. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those signify by saying I. I. Those opposed say no.

Motion carries. We have no presentations. We have no public hearings. So at this time we will open the meeting to the public. The meeting is open to the public. Does anybody wish to speak this evening? All right. Seeing none, I will close the meeting of the public. We'll move on to the consent agenda. The first item is director of public services the 2026 RCOC summer maintenance agreement. Second item is city planner acceptance of amended planning commission bylaws. Next we have the CED director downtown clock tower component replacement. Next is director of public services replacement of vehicle number 463. And we have the city clerk appointments to crime commission. We have city clerk appointments to the zoning board of appeals. And finally we have city council regular meeting minutes of March 9th, 2026. What is the wish of city council? Right. Motion to uh accept the consent agenda as presented. I do have a comment to make if there is a second.

I I think we were going to pull Toya wanted to pull number seven, but she can do that on her own just by making the request before you make a motion to approve the consent agenda. For your honor, Councilman. Yes. Can we remove number seven from the consent agenda and add it to item number one? I believe that'll be uh under reports 9A. Yeah, that's fine. Okay. Okay. We have a motion on the floor to move item number seven from the consent agenda uh to the reports as item 9A. Is there support? Your honor? Yes. Support.

All right. We have a motion in support. Any discussion? All right. Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppose say no. The motion carries. Okay. Now for the remainder of the consent agenda, your honor. Yes. Go ahead. Motion to uh approve the uh remainder of the consent agenda as written. Thank you. Okay. And is there support? Your honor, I'll support. All right. We have a motion in support. Any discussion?

Yes, your honor. Go ahead. I just wanted to make a note um that the downtown clock tower component replacement long overdue. And I just want to reiterate to everyone that that is not your tax dollars that is paying for that repair. It is the downtown development authorities. So those businesses within the DDA are paying for that repair. So, uh, much like the change that we made to the, uh, restructuring of 11 Mile, that money came from the DDA as well. So, those businesses are paying for that repair. It's not a taxpayers, um, dollar that's being spent on that.

That's correct. Any other discussion? All right. Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppose say no. Motion carries. Nothing under communications under reports. City manager 2026 proposal R4 ballot proposal.

The city council is requested to approve a resolution to place the neighborhood road millillage designated as proposal R4 on the August 4th, 2026 ballot. This proposal represents the fourth time our voters will consider a dedicated millillage for our residential streets, continuing a success successful program that began back in 1996 and has been renewed in 2006 and 2016. Over these past 30 years, this dedicated funding has allowed the city to repair and reconstruct nearly 35 miles of residential neighborhood streets in our city. We have rem remained committed to a pay as you go approach which has been successful kept the city out of long-term debt while ensuring that every dollar is invested directly into our infrastructure. This proposal will seek to authorize a levy of two mills per 10-year period beginning in 2027. While the purpose remains the same as previous years, the focus on rightaway repair, reconstruction, and related sewer improvements, it is technically a restoration of the two mills rather than a simple renewal as it overrides the roll back under the Headley amendment. If approved, we estimate the levy will raise approximately $2.4 million. Um, for the average Madison Heights homeowner, it will be um approximately $126 a year. But I would like to stress this is not a new tax. This is already a tax that people are currently paying with R3. The funds are strictly restricted under the charter language and cannot be used for any general operations or anything other than what is spelled out in the proposal language which is road repair and sewer repairs and are subject to an annual independent audit. To ensure that we are prepared for day one, the city has com compiled a

comprehensive street condition review in the fall of 2024. It is available on the website. And in addition, if council approves this tonight, we plan on having four public meetings and two public information booths so people can get just information about what they're actually asked to consider. In addition, we will be producing a video, a newsletter, and mailers just to give information, not to influence the vote. Either way, um, with the current authorization set to expire after the 2026 levy, I recommend that council approve this resolution placing R4 on the August 4th, 2026 ballot to ensure our residential road improvements continue without interruption.

Thank you, Melissa. What is the wish of city council, your honor? Yes. I move that uh council adopts the resolution um placing proposal R4 on the August 20 August 4th, 2026 ballot. Okay. Is there support? Your honor? Yes. Board. All right. We have a motion support. Any discussion, your honor, I think I appreciate that staff is working hard to come up with a robust communications plan. Um the fact that we are you know the the language being you know we're what is it replacing we're not replacement instead of renewal

replacements not renewal all of those things they can get confusing but you know this is something we already pay everybody wants their roads fixed and we have to do it uh responsibly and continually because as soon as the roads that we fixed 20 years ago um you know comes back around on the agenda they're ready to get fixed again. So, everybody knows that um roads in Michigan just don't last forever. Just that's the way our uh climate works and um so it's something everybody wants and needs in the end. Um we don't want gravel roads in Madison Heights, I don't think. So, um I appreciate that we're going to have a robust communication plan. So, that's all.

Yes. Anyone else? Yes, sir. Yeah.

Yeah. I just want to reiterate that that it's uh uh again it's it's going to be a slight increase from what you're paying today but not much and it's uh continuing that road replacing and and as councelor Robeck said it's a constant job replacing those streets and it's not even 20 years the ones were replaced 10 years ago are needed are needing to be worked on. Um we wished we could get to them all. that's asking for 2% um isn't even going to cover our our ones and twos. Um so it it we're trying to get those streets fixed for everybody. Um without money set aside for that, it makes that even more extremely challenging. So um just uh agree that we need to put this on the ballot and and and see what the voters thinks. But we we want to fix the dang roads. It just costs a lot of money to do that unfortunately.

Anyone else? Just one other thing. It's it's related, but it isn't technically related to R4 and the budget proposal is coming out in a couple weeks. Um, so um I wish they could have both been on the same agenda, but timing didn't allow for that. The overall millage in Madison Heights is going down this year by a greater amount than the o Headley override for this R4. So residents will still see a decrease even with this replacement millage if we can explain to them appropriately how it's going to work.

Yeah. Thank you. And Melissa, I'm glad you mentioned that because I was going to bring it up if you hadn't that um there is going to be a slight reduction in the overall millillage. Um and we need obviously we need this millillage. Everybody knows how the roads are. I don't have to um to beat that dead horse any longer because we have roads like John which are not under the local but these are for the local streets. These are for our neighborhoods and all the other roads um that we do work on throughout the course of the year. So, um the money is necessary and yet we are able to to pass on a slight savings to our all of our taxpayers. So, um any other discussion?

I do have a question. Um maybe um Sean Valentine could answer this question, but how are we going about fixing certain streets that are really in desperate needs right now as far as a lot of potholes, large areas of cement that are missing other than just putting a hot patch on them? What's What are we What's our plan?

Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm happy to address that. We've got a variety of different ways. The pothole patching is the first one. Um I want to be very clear on this because I've been out on a patch crew and you have someone driving by and the first thing to say is you call that fixing the road. No, we do not. We're filling holes so they don't break your tire, flatten your tires and break your axle. That is all patches for is just to fill a hole. Um, we have the, uh, emulsion coat, which is the, uh, the spray patch or the, um, the product that Simmeron had, the cold rubber, uh, that lasts a bit longer. That's really good for those uh, spalled out crack areas where it's not really a pothole, but just the whole joints kind of failed. And that holds for about 3 to four years. We also have a sectional concrete program where we go through and we're identifying certain slabs. The road's good, but there's two or three slabs that are just really bad at the entrance of it. we go ahead and replace those slabs. Um that was something that just because of funding during the recession, we're going back a ways um had kind of fallen off the radar. If it wasn't part of the R project or it wasn't part of a water main project, the road really wasn't addressed. We have been putting a lot more money into getting back to that sectional so we can go through identify, you know, two or three bad slabs in what is otherwise a pretty decent road, replace those slabs, and then stretch out the life of that road so we're not just patching the same holes over and over.

Okay. So when do you think that might start continuing on that we have the sectionalized? We've been doing it now for uh two or three years. Our concrete starts back up in typically late April, early May. Okay.

So we are also getting for those of you who might follow the state budget um there was a recent huge change at the state budget level with gasoline tax and the 25% tax on marijuana companies that's supposed to fix the roads in Michigan. Um, so Madison Heights is getting an increase in our local and major streets and we're going to use some of that funding to supplement these very issues in the program that Sean is talking about um to help enhance what we would get with beyond R4. All right. Thanks. Anything else? All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppose say no.

The motion carries. There's no items for future public hearings. Next up is bid awards and purchases. The first one is 9A. Oh, I'm sorry. We have to go back to 9A. You're right. Thank you. 9A, which is city clerk appointments to the zoning board of appeals. What is the wish of city council? Um, I'd like to make a motion to appoint Jeff Hillard as a regular member with the term ex ending February 28, 2027 and Omar Hussein as a regular member with a term ending February 28, 2027. Okay, we have a motion. Is there support? Your honor?

Yes, support. All right, we have a motion in support. Any discussion? Right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I.

I. Oppose say no. The motion carries. Now we're on to bid awards and purchases. The first being director of public services the 2026 water main replacement pipe and parts. In anticipation of the upcoming 2026 proposed water mane replacements, DPS staff and purchasing prepared and posted an invitation to bid. Um on March the 6th, 2026, the city received three sealed bids with Corin Maine submitting the lowest complete qualifying bid for a total estimated project amount of $243,866. Staff recommended that council award the bid for the 2026 water main replacement pipe and parts to the lowest responsible bidder who bid on all item items listed who is Corin mine of Shelby Township, Michigan for the unit prices specified. Staff also requests that council motion include extending this bid to an upcoming proposed standalone water main projects at the unit prices identified subject to fiscal year 2027 budget approval.

Okay. Hey, what's the wish of city council? Yarn. Yes. Motion that council award the bid for the 2026 water main replacement pipe and parts to the lowest responsible bidder who bid on all items listed core and main of Shelby Township, Michigan for the unit prices specified. Staff also requests council also asked that you award um motion to include extending this bid to the upcoming proposed standalone water main projects at the unit prices identified subject to the fiscal year 2627 budget approval. Okay. Is there support your honor?

Yes. Support. All right. We have a motion in support. Any discussion? Could um city manager Marge explain the difference between those two pieces of of the motion

um between standalones and the regular um water manes. So when we do um streets R3 as a matter of fact, we do the water manes underneath if they need it. And so that's one section of water manes. And then we also have standalone water mane projects. Um in addition to that, we need replacement parts when we have water mane breaks. So those really are the three. Did I miss anything?

Bring the bullpen. So that's all the water manes that we have, but uh it's a funding matter. So the water manes that we're doing this spring were budgeted in the the current fiscal year budget. Um these are for the R3 projects that are budgeted for the upcoming fiscal year. So we've asked for approval for this bid to do the water manes that we want to start within a month. Um then the standalone ones, those are budgeted out in 2627. So we're also asking for approval pending the budget that we have an approved bid so we can just go ahead with it once the budget hits. So yeah, it's it's a weird split funding where we actually do the water main the year before we do the road. So that way we do it before July, we're out of the way and then they come in and do the concrete. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you, Sean. Marsh, any other discussion? Yes. Is this the same company that's been doing the um all 50 or 60, you know, watering bricks we had last year? So that's actually Sunday brothers. So Corin Maine just supplies the parts. They supply like the inventory repair. But Sunday brothers, you um council approved an extension of their contract the last um council meeting and we've been doing business with them oh goodness 20 years or more. I feel like

yeah say I remember them way back. Right. Anything else? All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. I post say no. Motion carries. Next item under bid awards and purchases, director of public services, fire station 1 HVAC replacement.

So the fiscical year 2026 budget included accumulated phase funding for the replacement of the HVAC system at fire station 1. The system is original to the building and at 22 years of service running 24/7, it's in poor overall condition and warrants replacement. This project was originally planned for next fiscal year but was brought forward due to the overall condition of the city and the unexpected availability of additional funding. The second phase of the recent police department HVAC project was covered by a grant from the state. Um and therefore it was determined that it would be in the city's best interest to utilize originally budgeted funds to accelerate the timeline for the fire department's project. One bid was received by the deadline from Denny's Heating and Cooling. Denny's is our current HBAC maintenance contractor and they continue to be highly skilled and valued contractor providing quality work at cost effective price point. So, city council's being asked to consider two motions. One would be a budget amendment to count account 101336987 in the amount of $26,200. This represents money that was originally budgeted funding in the police department. That does require a super majority of city council to approve. The second is to award the fire station 1 HBAC replacement project including alternate one to Denny's Heating and Cooling of Troy for a total project amount of $361,200.

Thank you, city manager. What is the wish of city council? Your honor, I'll make a motion to approve a budget amendment to account 101 336987 0000 in the amount of 206,200

two motions. Got to do a separate motion. We're going to make two separate motions. You should do them separate because the first one requires a super majority. Sounds good. Okay. Do we have support, your honor? Yes, support. All right. We have a motion in support for the budget amendment portion. Any discussion? Your honor, just uh uh to make the note as city manager Marsh mentioned that uh this al uh amendment is just strictly taking money that was left over from the police HVAC uh project and moving it to the firefighter.

It was my feet. Go ahead, Bill. I'm sorry. Yes. So that was my that was my just my comment. I wanted to make sure that uh we're not changing or we're not adding to the budget. We're strictly moving from one account to another. Yes. Any other discussion? Right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppose say no. The motion carries with a super majority. All right. What is the wish of city council on the second part? Your honor.

Yes. I'll make an um uh motion to award the fire station one HVAC replacement project including alternate one to Denny's Heating and Cooling of Troy for the total project amount of $361,200. That amount is budgeted now that we made the prior amendment. Okay, we have a motion. Is there support? Your honor? Yes, I'll support. All right, we have motion and support. Any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppose say no.

Motion carries. All right, we have no other business uh to attend to this evening. So, I will move on to closing comments and we'll start with Councilman Sean Fleming. I really don't have any comments. Okay. I don't either. Moving right along. No, no comments tonight. No comments. All right. Okay. Uh, city clerk. None tonight. All right. Oh, I feel kind of bad. Oh, I'm sorry. No, no, you're good. Last I am. I was moving to you. I thought you were about to talk. No, no, no.

I just have two quick things. Um, first of all, last council meeting, city council approved a water rate increase. Those postcards are being printed and will be hitting mailboxes in a day, hopefully by the end of March. Um, and a second update to the Gleewood conversation. I know um, everybody in the city knows that we've had over 100 water main breaks and we are setting up a subcommittee to negotiate a agreement with Gala. Um, Sean and I are the city representatives in order to get some type of reimbursement back for those water main breaks. We're currently over $600,000 um, for that. So, that's some good news. That's all I got.

Good to hear. City attorney. Just uh city attorney Larry Sherman asked me to uh let everyone know that his uh father turned 98 years old today and uh awesome. They were having a big family celebration this evening to mark the occasion. Very good. Happy birthday, Councelor Wright.

Uh so couple of things. Uh the HRC is having an adaptive game night and they invite everyone to join them for free, accessible and inclusive game night for people of all ages and abilities. Um games include Giant Connect 4, Giant Sari, Uno, Coloring. Um snacks are included and uh it's for uh the older kids and adults, but everyone is kind of welcome to come out and see um how it works. It's a game night. It's a family night. lights are a little bit lower if there is sound. It's a little bit dimmed and down. So for know people who have sensitivities. So come on out March 25th uh from 6:00 to 8 at the public library. Everyone is welcome to come check it out. It should be a good time. Uh the other thing I wanted to just uh talk about was myself and council me along with a few guests were at the SIMCOG u uh general assembly meeting on Wednesday. Yes, we'll go with that. And uh one of the big things that they brought up uh was the forthcoming um millillage referendum for the Oakland County enhancement education millage in August. So that's something to be aware of because it it will be on the ballot. So they're also pushing back on other initiatives like the government's um government, sorry that was too generic, the state government's initiative for the preemptive zoning. They're opposing it along with MML and other groups as well. So, it's good to have that connectivity and to be a part of that uh conversation. So, I'm glad as a council up to go and and see my fellow council member there and all other members. Um other than that, just remember to be kind and watch out for people on motorcycles.

Okay. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, your honor. Um yeah, the giant star. Sorry, that sounds rather interesting. That uh might be a fun game to watch. see how that goes. Um, spring was here for a couple of days. Um, I think it will be back, so looking forward to seeing that warmer weather and, uh, and, uh, motorcycles and all the things that come with, uh, spring. So, um, I want to let everyone know that the heritage room will have open house on Saturday. um our historical commission historian uh Kevin Wright couldn't be here this evening so I made him a promise that I would make a note of that. So if you're uh it's from 10 to 1 on Saturday lower level city hall you can enter off the north side of the building here. Um so come on out and check that out. Uh very interesting stuff down there and every time I'm down there I learn more and more. So that's because you may have been there once or twice before. Please stop in and see us again Saturday. Um we do have an opening opening on the historical commission. So if uh you're interested in that, please go online and apply for that. We'd love to have more helping hands out there. So that's it, your honor. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, Councilwoman Erin. Thank you, your honor. Um only thing I want to just remind everybody that this is National Nutrition Month, and if you have not, please stop by Zeros um throughout the rest of the month. you're going to get 15% off of a crusted pecan chicken salad. Um, and that's it.

Okay. Thank you. I only have a couple of things this evening. Um, first of all, I wanted to give another congratulations to 168 group um for the grand opening of the 168 food hall um up in Target Plaza next to Fuji Buffet. And uh it was a it was a good time at the ribbon cutting and I know that several of us were able to attend that. Um we also just before that we had had the grand um opening of the Iron Body Gym which is just a new location. They used to be on John R and now they're well further south on John. Now they're in Target Plaza to a brand new um unit. It's just amazing all the equipment they have in there. Um so congrats to the owner um Hannah Hannes for building a new location um and staying within the city of Madison Ice cuz we we talked about that. just amazing that we're watching entry- level businesses come here and put roots down and then stay here and even expand and get bigger. So, just um really great seeing that. And then um I'm going to be in the planning process uh with the city manager of a couple of spring cleanup days with the mayor um probably coming late in April or early May so that we can get out here and clean up some of the litter in the city um and do some things to help our community thrive. So other than that, um I will adjourn the meeting at 7:01.

Oh, nice. You wrote it down. Yeah.