City Council - Regular Meeting

Um Dan, you good? Here. Okay. Like to call this Selen City Council meeting to order. If you please rise and join my colleagues and I for 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. Thank you very much. There are copies of the agenda on the back table along with a sign-in sheet and listening devices if you require them. Uh members present this evening are council members Delorco, Dylan, Gearbal, Hal, Harmount, Mayor Prom, Rice, and Mayor Marl. From city staff, we have the city manager, city clerk, um and city engineer. um along with our IT administrator. Um is there a motion to approve the agenda as amended? You probably saw an email that I sent uh Friday indicating that we would talk very briefly about um uh the budget um some supplemental appropriations we've received in recent years and the city manager evaluation matrix unless there are additional changes. I believe um council member Dylan wanted to remove something from um consent, but we'll deal with that when we get to the consent portion of the agenda.

Move to approve as amended. Moved by Gearbot to approve as amended. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Dylan. All those in favor of approving the agenda as amended signify by saying I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. The motion carries unanimously. There are no absences this evening. So we'll proceed to the first of two public comment periods. Under the open meetings act, any person may come forward at this time may comment or question on item that appears on this agenda. Comments are limited to three minutes per person. Those wishing to speak are requested but of course not required to state their name and address for the record. Before you begin your comments, please clearly state the specific agenda item you are addressing. Please note council will not address questions during this initial public comment period. Are there any citizen comments? Let me defer to the city clerk. Were there any written comments provided in advance of tonight's meeting in which the individual wanted their remarks read at this time? Yes, sir.

Easy enough. Then we'll proceed to the consent agenda. The following consent agenda will normally be adopted without discussion. However, at the request of any citizen or council member, any item may be be re may be removed from the consent agenda for discussion or debate. And I believe uh council member Dylan you wanted to remove was it 2639? 26 uh23. Oh, excuse me. Okay, my bad. Uh, was that the only change? And then, um, I don't know, was was the OM coming off also for discussion? Spoke with the, um, we'll talk about an asset management. I spoke city manager earlier. So,

you want to do some messaging on that during reports and other announcements, including updates from boards, commissions, committees, and task forces. Okay. Um, so, uh, Dylan, do you want to move then to approve the consent agenda as amended, noting that we're striking 26-23, um, which will be included then as the first item under new business? Yes, I will move as amended. Okay. Is there a second to that motion? Second. Seconded by GearB. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda as amended, signify by saying I. I. Post say nay. I haven't. The motion carries unanimously. First item up is the item that we just removed from the consent agenda. Agenda item 26-23, hardship hardship exemption guidelines for 2026. This will be a motion to um if you want to acknowledge first that's fine but to approve and to adopt the 2026 hardship poverty exemption guidelines. Acknowledge. Second.

Okay. Moved by Dylan again seconded by Gearb simply to acknowledge. Um since it was mayor or excuse me council member Dylan Dylan that had questions. The floor is yours.

Thank you. Um my question was in looking at the um the city of Selen's hardship policy guidelines. Um there is a statement on page three and it's under exemption eligibility and calculation number three um that states that if available funds for the applicant's household fall above the federal poverty standards but below the city of Selen's standards the board of review may grant a full exemption equal to 100% reduction in taxable value or a partial exemption equal to 25% reduction, 50% reduction, or 75% reduction in taxable value. And I was just looking for clarification as to what um what that process would look like and what those guidelines are for.

Looking at the actual memo, I'm looking at the hardship exemption form. Okay. So obviously these are designed to provide the board review the guidelines for which they have to consider as part of this that this does provide them some flexibility in uh making making that actual determination. So you're saying number three? Number three. So it's right under the chart between that shows federal and and I believe she's on page three as well. Correct. Y it's the policy and guidelines. Gotcha. Y

this is actually the um this is actually from 2025. Um obviously some of those are been updated with the 2026 application. Uh but with that yeah I I don't see where they can completely ignore these uh standards. So just understanding then if they if someone does not meet our guidelines but they meet the federal the the board of review can then among themselves decide to still provide the same percentage reduction they fall in between there then they have a range they can consider

right and but percentage that is and is there any other standard beyond those those individuals on the board of review. Well, the the guidelines themselves looking at the income guidelines, they have to review all of those what the what the applicant has submitted, right? So, I guess gives it does give them discretion.

Okay. I guess I'm just trying to understand of where does the city fall into this process of agreeing to that. I mean, it's a big swing from where the city's numbers are. um to the federal. So I mean you could have a lot that would fit in between there and understanding you know is it 5% above that you get you know 20 like is there any kind of of process in which they would make a decision. It's not detailed in these guidelines. Well that's what I'm I'm trying to understand.

Look if I can interject real quickly. If if we're moving for the 2025 Seline hardship standards, this is what we've had in place the previous year, right? The 2025 federal poverty standards don't really factor into the equation because we're not using those numbers. We're using the 2025 Selite hardship 2026, you know, application guidelines. Yeah. So, they're a little bit different, but um I thought these federal poverty standards were included in the previous version of this which we tabled and now we're going back in the direction of using Seline's number. So, right that that's I just wanted to clarify that's what we're doing. Yes. Okay.

Using the uh obviously the increase is a factor of 1.85 85 uh from the federal property guidelines to what uh Selene would be utili utilizing and so it does give the board of uh board of view some discretion as to the percentage of the exemption when they fall in between those two categories. Let me jump back to council member Dylan. Um council member Dylan, do you have additional questions? Um just understanding it also is is dating it's it's the form is saying 2025. So is that the year that we're looking at or are we looking at 2026? 2026. Yeah. So, this is wrong. Good. Um, so that that change can be made without objection. There's several of them in here. Okay. Um, okay.

Just want to follow up with staff maybe at the end of the meeting and at any time if you if you've actually underlined them or circled them, which apparently you have, if you could provide those to staff so that we can correct the date from 2025 to 2026. Thank you. Uh, council member Gearb. Uh, I guess just for maybe our help and understanding, is there a process in place or what are the actual standards for awarding a 25 versus a 50 versus a 75%? Is there some kind of a range within that within the difference between the federal and the and the city's amount and then they can determine it or is it just totally discretionary based upon the uh whatever the board deems

it's discretionary based on the information provided by the applicant. So that provide a great deal of detail about their income and so then it does give the board you know within that range uh it does give them flexibility to make that determination. I guess as we talk about processes and making sure things are done fairly and understanding all that, I think that would be helpful to understand how is that decision actually made and is there actual calculations and done with the either the assessor or whoever is at that at that um discussion because I don't understand and we probably haven't seen how many people actually qualify for this and I'm assuming it's going to start to become more because I just got my assessment today and was like wow. So um I think understanding this and understanding how it's approached would be beneficial for us. Not that you have to explain it now, but in the future just to understand more exactly how.

And again, the assessment is not impacted by this. It's the income. I know. I know. But I'm saying people are going to be getting more tax increases. They're going to be probably requesting consideration. I I I think to that, if I may, Mr. Gerba, um I think to that point, it might be advantageous, Mr. swallow to you for you to work with Haley uh in the assessing department or one of her colleagues um maybe to have them come to a future council meeting just to de debrief us on the issue and to provide some clarity and context to our constituents who may have some questions um uh per the statement that Mr. Gearba just made because it is confusing and of course we want our business owners and constituents to understand what rights they can avail themselves to if they think they've been treated unfairly or the assessment is wrong. Um Council Member Dylan,

thank you. So, I guess I I just I I'm reluctant to have a statement in there where there isn't any kind of measurement attached to it. It does seem arbitrary in that they can apply 25, 50, 75 or 100% reduction. Um there is not any kind of methodology to it. So I I would seek either to remove that or have that it has to come back to this body for clarification. I know that we need to get this passed because the date for this is coming up and um we've got to have this published so that people can apply. Correct.

Correct. Within the next two weeks. Um, so I I just if there's other feedback from other council members, I would I would appreciate it.

Um, go ahead, Council Member Hal. Um, so looking at the 2026 guidelines, uh, city manager swallow, it looks like, if I'm reading correctly, we're doing away with, um, delineating like at the 25, 50, 75% and that we're just, I guess, granting a 100% reduction of value. looking at the first bullet point in the guidelines for poverty exemption in 2026. So, if I'm reading that correctly, well, first, am I reading that correctly? within two. Um, doesn't that sort of eliminate the need to I guess arbitrarily determine a percentage value if the exemption is going to be 100% and just the current year based on this reading?

Yes, if the grant exemption is for the current year only and for 100% reduction taxable value. So it does uh take some of that away from the board view. So if I if I fall wherever I may fall, say I have a family of eight, if I fall within the new 2026 standards, then I'm looking to receive a 100% reduction in that value for the year according at least to the way the new guidelines are written.

Correct. Okay. So then, yeah, I guess do we have any sort of idea? I guess what I would want to see if it's just going to be one blanket sort of process for everybody and the same amount for everybody. Um, where did the where do we come up with the 1.85 multiplier? Was that um that's what we used in the past. In the past. Okay. Yes. Okay. Awesome. Those are my questions.

Thank you, council member. Any additional discussion at this time? We just have a motion on the floor to acknowledge receipt. All right. I'll call for a vote on the motion then. Um it was moved by Dylan, seconded by Gearbox simply to acknowledge receipt of agenda item 2623. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. I have the motion carries unanimously. Next motion would be a motion to approve and adopt or um if there was a an amended motion that was acceptable to the chair, you could offer it now uh to uh again uh to approve uh the 2026 hardship poverty exemption guidelines as as presented. Move to approve as presented. Would you like to uh move to approve and adopt Council Mayor PM? Thank you. Is there that motion is in order. Is there a second?

Seconded by Harmount. I'll get you on the next one. Council member Delero. Is there any additional discussion? Council member Dylan. So following on to Mr. Halsh's conversation. Um so there is not a sliding scale. Correct. Is that Mr. Small? You seem to have paused there for a moment. Um were you concerned about that? Pardon me. You seem to have paused. Yeah. Yes. looking at the um looking at the document that you previously referenced was for 2025. Mhm.

And that has been my understanding that that was carried over to 2026, but there were specific changes and I did note that. Um so Mr. Hollish is correct that it it it is 100%. So is the memo then that was distributed incorrect or or or it has omissions? The one in the 2025 has actually been completely replaced. The guidelines are no longer accurate. Guidelines. Okay. It's described accurately in the memo. Okay. Does that make sense to you, Council Member Dylan? Yeah. Well, I guess it's just Is that always been the case that it's always been at 100%, that it was not a sliding scale at all?

I I would have to ask. I don't know. I don't know if the clerk would know. um as a I used to be treasur in Chelsea and you have the ability to um to give them 100% but they have to have a reason for 100% reduction such as um the only one I've ever seen for 100% is a disabled vet and that person was given 100% reduction because they were injured in the line of duty. But I mean that's my understanding from regardless of the outcome of the vote. Can you confirm that question via the assessing department tomorrow and email counsel? Okay, thank you. Um, anything else?

So, it it still hasn't quite answered. So, then why are we stating that you automatically get a 100% reduction if that's not being proposed as the yeah proposed 2026 guidelines. Okay. And I I'll be honest, I don't I don't have a history on exactly how it was handled in the past. Okay. I have no problem with giving, if I may, giving 100%, but they should still have the ability to give 25, 50, 75. Definitely.

So, this assumption that we're going to always give 100% exemption is not I don't think the way that it should continue. And I I hope there's no one on the deis here that would disagree with that. Um, is there any disagreement on that particular point? Obviously 100% if if appropriate should be offered, but to Mr. Gearb's point, if something less than 100 is is more applicable, then that should be pursued. And that's what we've always done. And my understanding at tonight's conversation is that we're just adopting what we've done in the prior years, that we're not making significant changes. So, if there's a situation where we are making significant changes, that's not clear in the documents we've been provided with this evening. I

I think I think your statement is is correct. I would note though, however, to the point that's been made by numerous colleagues this evening, I think some of the language could be tightened up in in the future. Okay. Yeah. Anything else, Mr. Gerb? Yeah. Just it is it's the um second page of the application that may be questionable. It says if granted an exemption, it is for the current year only and for 100% reduction of the taxable value. So perhaps we're just misreading it at this point, but that clarification would be helpful.

And maybe it's just adding a few words to that particular section again to tighten up the the verbiage. Go ahead, council member. And so I guess just to clarify though, if in approving this motion tonight, are we saying that every exemption will be at 100%. Because that's what's stated here. I guess I just would like to understand what exactly we're saying. This is very confusing and it's very I'll be honest, it's very disheartening because this came to us and we sent it back and it came to us again with issues and so kind of understanding this um would be What page are you on there? Is that four?

No, it doesn't page number. Didn't the first version of this the first version of this that we sent back the we actually changed it from that language because the language that was sent back it said current year only and only for a 50% reduction. So if I'm looking at that version of it and this version, it looks like the intention is to move in a direction where there seems to be just one blanket reduction. That's the way the current guidelines were. Yes. For 2026.

Okay. I'm on I'm on page it's actually not numbered, but it's essentially page five of of the the um guidelines that were provided to me by council member Dylan. It's the first bullet point. It seems to me that it's a fairly simple change. And that first sentence should read, "If granted an exemption, it is for the current year only and for up to a 100% reduction of taxable value." Yeah, that's I like that recommendation change. Is there anybody who objects to that that verbiage? No. Okay. Then that that that uh additional verbiage will be inserted on page five, the first bullet point without objection and page two. And page two. Well, no. I think he's reading something else. So, it is page two of the 2026 poverty exemption application.

Okay. So, this is what we're looking at. Yeah. Page four, the whole package. Okay. Thank you for that clarification. Okay. Sorry. Um, so the decisions of who like just say the the family of eight that qualifies because they they are at that threshold. How do how does it how is it determined at 100% or 50%? And are we applying the same guidelines at the that's required at the state level? Do you want to answer that, city manager swing? I can take a stab as well.

Applies with the state level. Basically, you know, normally you would get uh on a statewide level, it's automatic that you'd receive the exemption if you meet that federal poverty guideline. The individual jurisdictions have the ability to raise that, which is what we're proposing here. Uh that and as it currently reads, it does say 100%, but uh the guidelines that uh I've heard from council tonight is you'd like to provide some flexibility in not granting a full 100%. Correct.

And we're we're approving the guidelines. The ultimate decision rests with the a board of review. Um and city council of course appoints members to the board of review, but is not involved um in any meaningful way in that process. In fact, that's a statutory requirement that the legislative body is separated from the decision-making of the board of review at both the city, township, and village level. Okay. Um if there's nothing further, we will note those changes on it was page two of the document. Correct. Council member Dylan. Okay. Yes. But just again, um so then looking at the following page which has the grid of income guidelines that uses the 1.85 multiplier. So, are you saying that that's what we are using or we're not?

We will get out that tonight. That is what we're using. Yes. And what did we use previously? Was that the same? It's in the You can actually see that in the 2025 document. Right. I just I wanted to make sure because then our numbers don't match and it doesn't specifically say uh what the an increase uh overall from the federal levels, right? And so we mirrored that increase in using that 1.85 multiplier. Okay. All right. If there's nothing further, we have a motion on the floor moved by Rice, seconded by Harmout to approve and adopt, noting some modified language in the document. All those in favor say I.

Post say nay. I haven't. The motion carries unanimously. We move on to new business item 26-32, manage it service. This will be a motion to acknowledge receipt and to approve or not to approve the contract as submitted. Move to acknowledge receipt. Moved by Gearbox simply to acknowledge receipt. Is there a second that motion? Second. Seconded by Dylan. I'll get you on the next one. Mayor Prom Rice, Director Shock, would you like to begin?

Sure. Good evening. Uh before you is a proposal from Expert Communications out of Leavonia, Michigan. Uh they are a managed service provider along with a phone provider. Uh do a lot of various IT tasks. Uh we've engaged with them from the city's perspective multiple times in the past. I've had very good success working with them. Uh so I'm looking to kind of ramp that up a little bit. Uh bring them on in a more permanent role. Uh prior to this, we've kind of been project based. So big project comes up, we can engage them, assist. Um I think we've kind of crept up with the current tech load that I think it justifies just bringing them a little bit like I said to the next step uh where I can engage them more retroactively, more proactively, sorry. Um to to kind of tackle some of these bigger projects. So

very good. Uh Mr. Swallow, anything you'd like to add before we open up for questions? Uh this has been discussed uh with council and with uh director Shank on a number of occasions of you know uh we only have one in-house person obviously if he's not available to answer IT questions for staff andor for larger projects to make sure that uh the continuity of service occurs. Uh also you notice in the uh proposal there is a fair amount of focus on uh security uh and making sure that we're auditing that security as well as making sure that we have technology is regularly updated and software is regularly updated uh for software patches things of that nature. So I think it it adds a layer of basically um of assurances that we are keeping up with our current you know current security current software as well as providing uh more timely responses and sometimes uh to it related concerns uh for the organization but also you know for if there's an issue that comes up and and Mr. Cha is not available.

Thank you. Uh Mr. Gearbas in the mover of the motion simply now receipt would you like to begin with questions?

Yeah thank you. um not so much for Chris, but as you as we know the risk management team has made this a clear indication that cyber security the ability for us to make sure that if god forbid something happens with Chris or whatever that we provide for the ability to make sure that we can easily transition to emergency situations or whatever. I had submitted some other questions and things that concerned really was to get a good understanding of what additional work they are doing to make sure that if they are doing work for us that they're accountable to us that they also provide us with information that relates to you know what are we seeing and experiencing because as you know I keep saying that we need to strengthen and advance more of our IT management aspects and so how we can make this integrate and work for us better and making sure that staff are utilizing this because that's the reason we're paying for and so that it helps offload from what you're doing. So, however this is integrated and worked towards that. Um, is there anything with that from my questions that I had suggested? Um, do you feel that are not in this agreement in terms of reporting, providing you with feedback, understanding the things and stuff that they're actually working on?

Uh, no. I mean, the nature of the agreement too, we can change it obviously be a cost increase depending kind of once we get into it. Um, you know, as city manager Swall alluded to. It's very security focused since that's kind of the the main crux of it right now. Um, there's just some really big projects coming up that we need to uh so criminal justice uh updates for the police side. We've got to rebuild uh the entire network over there. That's a huge project. The wastewater treatment plant going on. There's a lot of moving parts there. It's it's a lot to manage for for one person. So, I think being able to delegate some of those things and say, "Hey, handle this, handle that." um I think will be super beneficial to not piling everything up and queuing it to to when I'm available kind of thing.

And that's kind of where I'm concerned that even with delegating all those, you're still trying to do day-to-day operations. Can they step in and take care of these situations without you necessarily having to hold their hand? I I think I'm confident in their work. Yeah, I think we and we've done that. Like I said, we we engage them usually project based before where I've kind of let them run with certain things and felt pretty confident in the the work output.

In terms of day-to-day does reference, you know, help desk support for staff. So that uh you know hopefully that you know if Sean's in the middle of a project or you know working on something that that can be diverted to them to but still get timely responses to um to the staff um references a little bit here too as you'll note. Uh some vendor management to you know so if there's uh making sure that we're you're properly utilizing our software if there's problems with uh you know some of our vendors that we currently use that they they can help assist in that regard as well. Um, and for me that's just what it is because I know coming up with the, as you mentioned, the wastewater treatment plan kind, we've already had issues with trying to get skated and all that stuff in place for the well, um, there are a number of these things that I just I feel like we continue to not get ahead of the game and so that if we're hiring a company, now's the time to make sure that there's sufficient um, bandwidth from not only your perspective, but from this company and that they're actually able to do it without having to have their hands held. So,

thank you, Mr. Ka. Additional questions. Um, Council Member Dylan and then Council Member Halch. Thank you. Um, Mr. Shank, so we've used them before. We were satisfied. So, were you using them more perdm or how did that work? Because they seem like they say that they're a one-stop shop that they bill you a flat fee. So, did we utilize these services before?

We have not not to this level. So, um, prior I've used them I think on three projects. So, I guess to to back up to kind of give a little bit more history, um I've used other companies in the past and generally, you know, they always come in, they promise the world, you get in there and then there's issues and and kind of to council member Gearbust's point, a lot of them, you know, you kind of have to handhold them if you get into it. So, um I started looking around for other local companies that would be interested um that came recommended. So, I've talked to other municipalities that use them recommended. So, um I used them on a smaller project and then kind of ramped up and was uh we had a bigger kind of server migration that I they assisted on um and was pretty happy with their their work output where I didn't have to handhold them. They were they were for the most part on top of it. So,

just add to this this would be more of a retainer basis and they would be more involved in day-to-day uh help desk support and monitoring. So, it would be using them on a more regular basis versus on a just a project specific basis. Okay. Because that's what I was trying to figure out because your memo had said that you're going to focus on security. So I was like, are they are we hiring them to work on a specific project? And then all of a sudden we're talking about help desk and I'm like, wait a second, these are two different things. Are we using a force of employees or is this and an individual that they're assigning to us?

No, it'll be multiple employees at expert. That would depend depending on the role of the bigger projects. I think we'll have a more I have a current rep that I work with and I'll I'll channel things through him for the bigger stuff and then yeah the day-to-day the help desk ticketing um will probably go to to multiple people depending on the issue. Okay. And then did we bid this out? Uh no no no I I will say this is price-wise this is comparable to some other projects we've done in the past and not to this level but uh it's it's comparable. We actually had started the process of engaging another company in the start of the summer July time frame. the price was very similar to this that unfortunately fell through. So, uh we're looking to go to to X for now.

Okay. Because I feel like we keep hopping companies and trying to understand what the issue is of why we're leaving those companies that where was the shortfall and how is this company going to pick that up? Yeah, I I mean I said I I've had good history in the past. I can't, you know, foresee the future. That's also why I like the one-year engagement. So, if it does go south, we can, you know, it's it's not a long-term commitment we're locked into. Um, the prior companies I've worked with, a lot of them I've been very happy with and then ultimately somebody leaves or the the quality just starts going downhill and um, you know, if it's not checking a box, I'm not interested in handholding and and you know, I can do it myself quicker, then I'm not interested in working with the company.

Okay. Um, and then try, sorry, I'm trying to read my own writing here. Um, so understanding then there is talk about them having access monitoring our servers, workstations, things like that. So are they going to be on the inside or like how does

Sure. Yeah, it's a great point because it it is a attack vector. Um, so currently I'm monitoring all of that. I'm planning to set up roles based uh depending kind of the minimal exposure we can have for them to allow to complete the task. For some of the bigger security related things, I'll be more of a gatekeeper role at least to start and see where that goes. But hey, you need access to that. Here's the switch. You have access to it. Here's the, you know, revoking that access. So, it's not perpetual um to kind of reduce that that risk. Okay. And then just looking at the invoice that they had their quote and the $3,000 is that that's per month for for

and then Mr. Swallow just to understand are you saying then that's sort of like the baseline and then there's going to be add-ons to that. So everything that you see um listed here is obviously covered and so it'll pick up some of the you know things that we would potentially could contract out for uh but covers that at a baseline but there could be projects that go above and beyond this. Not saying that you know if we had a major usually the labor items so network wiring those kind of things would go beyond that. Um and and they quoted those prices and they're pretty reasonable compared to sellers in the the area that also have completed that work for us. that this should cover a majority of our needs except for major project you know if we did something of that nature thank you

thank you council member Dylan uh council member Holl you had some questions

yeah um my first question Chris is uh you mentioned earlier that the focus is specific well not specifically but more so on security um where are we seeing an increase in security threats that warrant us contracting out. I mean, I think there's always a guess I'm not trying to potentially be vague, but uh I think we there's there's perpetual threats that are always there. I mean, the the current news items, there's been alerts that uh you know, there's increased targeting of municipalities from top to bottom. Um I think with the increase in AI too, I think it's fair to say there is an increased threat. um that wasn't prior. We do again happy to have a conversation offline depending this might not be the right avenue for it. Uh we do have a 247 sock that monitors everything currently but uh this again would kind of expand into if there's a critical vulnerability that's exposed this would allow direct um remediation of that any time of day which we currently don't have. So we're kind of patching that that piece. So I saw that is there any reason why um we use Barracuda for our backups but not for these services?

Uh I don't think they offer to this extent. So yeah like I said we we do engage Barracuda at certain levels. Um again hap happy to have that conversation one-on-one. I'm yeah to kind of go in depth on that. And then I guess kind of thinking about last week, I know we mentioned that our um our threshold for our capital improvement projects is I think it was $50,000 in five um five years. I think um I guess what I would be interested in is I know that there were no projects that were presented at that time that I guess met that threshold and you're saying here that we have projects in the pipeline that um require extra services. Could you maybe share with council and the public kind of what some of those upcoming projects are?

Sure. So I kind of touched on earlier. So, uh, I don't know if you're familiar with Clemus, that's who our law enforcement, uh, we work with for our SEIUS access, which our criminal justice information network. Uh, they're in the process of breaking away from Oakland County. So, they're going to be a separate entity. And to do that, we basically have to to redo that entire network. So, there's going to be a pretty heavy lift there. Um, also compliance. There's some frameworks and things that, you know, I'm trying to hit. We're trying to check boxes. um having that extra hand would be great to to test because not only do you have to, you know, reach those standards, but you also have to try them, you have to test them. Um so that also um we're also looking at a phone system upgrades, so that'll be over this year as well. Um to the to the CIP question directly, I don't think we really reach the hardware standard necessarily. I mean 50,000 is a pretty big project. Usually my you know, these items don't fall under that. I mean the totality of them do but not one-on-one kind of projects. So and then just the normal server migrations keeping up to the standards those kind of things the you know the wastewater plant that's a complete you know prior we're again building brand new networks that have not existed the skated networks completely new water side wastewater side um all of that and then again security testing it making making sure it's maintained correctly. Um, so with that in mind, who um are will they be informing any of our city's IT policies at all or will that still be under strictly your purview?

Uh, as far as use like there Well, I I can think of a a policy blind spot in that we don't have an AI policy or AI use policy. like would that be something that Xfur would consult with you on or is that something that ultimately you would so we're actually in the late stages of our AI policy right now and having that approved so we're setting up training for staff that kind of thing so I would think we would dictate that the expert and say here's our policy you know here's how it would be enforced organizationwide so I think we would kind of drive that conversation

I would say that they would be an additional resource though um obviously you know if uh you know for you Mr. Shank doesn't have a clear idea, he can reach out to them and this there's obviously a number of hours provided this proposal. Um it does speak to you know kind of their review provide additional perspective to help strengthen internal security postures and procedures. So they would provide uh consulting on a limited basis for that. Yes. Um are and then I guess my final question is with those other municipalities, are we sure that um Xfur is familiar with the requirements around foyer requests um and all the sort of the the sunshine laws and various ins and outs of working with municipalities?

Yeah, I I can get that clarification. I would assume they have, like I said, there are other Michigan municipalities I directly talk with that that have used them for a number of years. So, um, I I would assume they're aware of it, but we can also forward them our policies and say, "Hey, make sure this is the compliance we're we're looking for." So, great. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member House. Additional questions? No. Okay. Um, we have a motion on the floor then. Um, thank you, Director Shank. Um, just hang tight in the event that there is anything else that that comes up that you can best address. It was moved by Gearbox, seconded by Dylan to acknowledge receipt. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. I say that. The motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to approve or not to approve? Move to approve. Moved by Delorco to approve. Is there a second? Second.

Seconded by Mayor Pro Tim Rice. Any additional discussion? Mr. Gb. Uh, as Chris was discussing, um, seems like there's a number of software upgrades and things that are going to be happening. It would be helpful for us as we're working in our budget and the CIP and everything is to understand what resources to accomplish all of these and what's the priorities. I think I'm seeing a number of things and we haven't even talked about the reporting tool or any changes to communication aspects or some of those things that um sorry I do apologize. Yeah, the city website refresh is also this year. So, we're waiting for the marketing initiative to be completed so that we can use that information to then redo the city website. So, that that'll be totally

Yeah. So for us to understand all of that because this doesn't account for any of that and training and all those aspects. So it should in in in tandem with this, we should understand as part of our budgeting process how all that's going to be accomplished and what are the goals for this year versus next or whatever. I don't want to go down this rabbit hole tonight, but I did send per Mr. Gearb's comments just now. I did send the city manager some information about um the reporting tool that the city of Dearbornne uses that's getting a lot of good attention and traction. So, uh, maybe that's something that we could discuss integrating here at the city of Seline. I think I mean one of the ideal things hopefully that comes out of this as well is that takes some of the day-to-day pressure off Chris so he can focus on you know some more of the initiatives which is I think what you're referencing

right which is for us is to understand that bigger picture and how that's going to be accomplished going forward and knowing that the biggest thing is going to be the wastewater treatment plant getting that online this year. in the next six months. Yeah. To your point, to your point, city manager swallows, um like anything that can take

the you know, I don't want to call it inconsequential, but like the the the minute tasks, the thing that takes all the time or like distracts you, the basic help desk kind of stuff away from it as we do these bigger initiatives because he is a one-man team and that gets pretty rough. Um, so yeah, as as we move forward in understanding the initiatives that you're working on, I do echo my colleague, Mr. Gribbal, we'd love to see those initiatives just so that we see what you're, you know, what you may need in the future that we could, you know, set aside for you or start thinking differently for you. Um, I think services like this will will be really helpful and you know keep us updated and you know if this is working really well um or obviously if it's not but if it's working really well um you know let us know so that we we know that these are tools that you need to to set us up for the future for IT services.

Great. No, I appreciate that and that's also part of this. There'll be quarterly check-ins with them and then we'll yeah the reports. I guess before the vote, I would just also throw out there like what are we where or what are the um the metrics that we're going to use to determine um their effectiveness? Is that going to be, you know, network downtime or like are there going to be metrics that, you know, all of us, not just council, but city staff obviously, that we'll be able to effectively know that like, hey, this is going well or this isn't, right?

Yeah. So, I I do a lot of that right now. So, I can roll that in and I would think this would be a subset of how many, you know, tickets, the speed of the ticket was closed. those kind of metrics will all be baked in there and and I'm open to suggestions. If you guys have things you specifically want to see, pass that along and I'll be absolutely sure to include that. So, um but yeah, top level stuff for sure. Thank you. Thank you, Director Shank. Uh we have a motion on the floor moved by uh Delco, seconded by Rice to approve or to yes to simply approve. All those in favor signify by saying I.

Oppos say nay. I say that the motion carries unanimously. We move on to the next two motions that are related to beach court and the industrial park. This is 2637 Beach Court and Sock Trail Resurfacing Construction Contract Award. This will be a motion to acknowledge received of the memo from city man or from city engineer Humphris, excuse me, and to award or not to award Beach Court and Sock Trail Court Resurfacing Contract to Asphalt Special Specialists LLC in the amount of 533,817.40 and authorize not authorized the mayor to execute the necessary documents. Move to acknowledge. Uh moved by Dylan simply to acknowledge. Is there a second? Seconded by Gearbach. Um, engineer Humphre, you may begin and then if the city manager would like to add anything, we would welcome that.

Okay, I'll be quick and brief. This is uh uh one of our major roads. It's been on our capital plan for a few years now. Um, we got it out for bids this winter and um, it is one of our lowest rated PAS ratings, a rating of one. Um, and the good news is we have funding. It's in a a TIFFA district, LDFA2 district. Um, and so we have funding. It came in under um, bid. It came under, I'm sorry, under budget. and um we're ready to move forward with the schedule outlined in the packet which is starting construction this spring and basically wrapping up in this fiscal year.

Very good. Um I would note before there are questions that uh I visited a a relatively new business, Bank Supplies, that opened in the old Windsor Mold uh um Tissen Crop building um last Thursday and had a wonderful visit with the the owner and management. And yes, Beach Court is in I would say abysmal shape. I think that's a fair assessment. Um and uh it's much needed and I know that the businesses in that area will be uh uh very appreciative of the work especially the expedited um schedule and timeline that you've uh you've developed. Um I would note Mr. Gearbach can also speak to this as a member of the planning commission. Um but uh this past week planning commission did approve a a preliminary site plan for a mixeduse development on Michigan A and Beach Court. Um I think based on their timeline they're going to come back probably within 90 to 120 days to seek final site plan. That site plan is um subject to some modification and changes. Um and we'll be there will be work in and around the beach court area. So I hope we uh coordinate um assuming they get their approvals. I hope we coordinate with their um engineers and uh subcontractors to ensure that um a brand new culde-sac is not is not not wouldn't be destroyed but isn't uh isn't compromised uh due to forthcoming construction in and around the area. So um with that I'll open up for questions. Um Mr. Gearbaugh um just quick um we had always been budgeting approximately 1.3 to 1.5 million for this project. Has the scope completely changed on this from what we were anticipating? Um, no, we kept we kept the concrete bulb. Um, we did eliminate all non-motorized from it. Um, but that was something that was that mean it's an industrial area. Um, so I would say no, we got good prices.

So, can we anticipate that's going to be a trend of what we could see for new road projects. So we potentially I um don't have a crystal ball but I will say that um projects at least the increase in capital costs that we saw like right after co for a few years seems to be leveling out but I yeah clearly and and I think another bonus of this is we hit it at the right time. One of the things that if you remember one of my recommendations from many years ago is we want to get things out to bid in January. We don't want to bend things out in June, July. Um so I think that helps. Um I think it's a pretty straightforward project. It's not It's a relatively small project. Um we we got three biders total on it. I mean it's I think that's fair for the scope of work of it. It was a bigger project. We might pull a bigger set of bidters.

We don't need to do a complete reconstruction. This is more of a re mill and fill or and I'm going to turn over Marcus McM. My apologies Marcus. I should have acknowledged you earlier. No, it's all good. uh I I noticed him right when he walked in and we of course always appreciate uh collaborating and we uh also appreciate and thank you for your time this evening. Do you want to provide just a brief summary and overview of the scope of these projects?

Sure. Um yeah so it is a full depth um resurfacing uh there is good aggregate base under the existing road. Uh so Beach Court uh will get u a new six and a half inches of asphalt on the existing 8 inches of stone. Uh and the Culdeac bulb as was mentioned will be reserviced with 8 in of concrete. Uh the the cost question engineers were getting a little nervous as prices were starting to run away. So we did get more and more conservative with our cost estimates. Um we actually got really good pricing here. Uh the asphalt price, for example, is $120 a ton. We haven't been seeing that the last couple years. We've been seeing 160 170. Uh so things are leveling out, but that's the difference. The scope of the project wasn't reduced.

We don't anticipate any impact as a result of just recent oil prices and everything else hitting. Um no, I mean they're they're held to their bid prices if you were to award the contract. Um that would always I guess there there is language in the contract if there's an oil embargo or something that they can make a claim but you're not obligated to they're obligated to honor the price that they in the bid. Okay. Thank you. Was it council member Harmout? Yeah, please.

So I don't mean to get too much in the weeds, but one of the items that stood out on the bid and I I my understanding is that this is in the budget. It's uh we this company we this company we picked has got a history that we are familiar with with on time on budget on to spec. Um I did notice that there was really a big difference in the but the bids for the station grading. Are we concerned that that was not accurately quoted or

um No, we're not. So contractors, it's not uncommon for different contractors to I don't want to say weight their bids, but put emphasis on different pay items. Typically, um they do uh like to um put a little bit more of the profit in the items that are done early in the project. This particular project has a really short um uh time frame in the grand scheme of some projects last, you know, multiple years. Uh so there will only be a couple of pay estimates here. So I think that's really if you look at the total bid amounts um you know there's not a big deviation there and we do check sort of the prices um against the average of this project but also against average unit prices that are published by the state and other projects that we work on. So nothing stood out to us as as an unbalanced bid. Again every contractor kind of does it a little different but um the station grading is per station of the job. So the uh the length of the job is accurate in the in the quantity.

Okay. Thank you. Additional questions. Okay. We have a motion on the Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. I missed you. No, that's okay. Um so just a question about the cost looking back at at our current CIP and I know Mr. Gerba had talked about that it was a one point just under 1.5 million. Uh we had a revenue under the column of revenue resources fund balance a 205. Are those funds still available to this for this project and which were they coming from? Yes, that's still available in a fund balance in the LDFA number two.

Okay. So then we're just looking at like about 300ish based on this coming out for the difference. So my understanding was yeah major streets is yes balance would come from major streets. Yes. Right. Okay. Thank you. There's no additional questions. We do have a motion on the floor to simply acknowledge receipt. That was moved by Dylan, seconded by Gearbaugh. All those in favor say I. I. Say nay. The motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to award or not to award? Move to award. Moved by Gearbot to award. Seconded by Harmount. Thank you. Is there any additional discussion on the motion? Appears to be none. And all those in favor say I. I.

Post say nay. Eyes haven't. Motion carries unanimously. Corresponding motion is the subsequent motion which is 26-38 Beach Court sock trail resurfacing uh construction engineering with OM. This will be a motion to acknowledge receipt of the memo from city engineer Humphress and to approve or not to approve the proposal from OM for construction engineering services for the 2026 beach court and sock trail projects in an amount not to exceed $71,700. Move to acknowledge and to approve. Moved by Gearbot to acknowledge and to approve. Is there a second? Second. seconded by Del Orcco. U pretty self-explanatory, engineer Humphress, but if you'd like to make some uh comments for the public's benefit, we would welcome that.

I'll be quick with this, too. This is for um our construction engineering assistance, which includes staking and oversight of the contractor and um all oversight of all of our contract documents. I would like to just point out that this um contract does also include the first 300 or so feet of sock trail, the public portion of sock trail, just to for clarification. Thank you, Mr. McNamera. Anything you'd like to add? Um no other than it does al it also includes materials testing um for quality control purposes density and uh asphalt mix and concrete air and slump. There questions for our engineer or guest?

Pretty easy. Any discussion on the motion? We'll proceed to vote. Mr. Mcame, thank you Tesha. Engineer Humphress. Thank you. Uh moved by Gearbox, seconded by Diller. Go to acknowledge and to approve. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have the motion carries unanimously. Last new business item 26-41 amended and restated waste management contract. This will be a motion to acknowledge and to approve or not to approve the amended and restated refuge removal and recycling agreement with Waste Management Incorporated and to authorize the mayor and clerk to execute the agreement. Move to acknowledge. Moved by Gearbos simply to acknowledge. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Delarco. Um city manager Swallow, would you like to begin?

Thank you, Mayor Council. uh uh back in June uh the city had reviewed the current agreement with waste management and approved uh extending that for an additional 5 years. It's been a number of years that this is simply the agreement simply been extended and there was not a lot of work to go down into the details of the agreement and make sure that it it met all current uh standards uh for the city's contracting as well as the current kind of practices for waste management guidelines. So with that, as we dug into that a little bit deeper, there were a number of sections that we identified in the agreement that should be updated. Uh some of those included new definitions to differentiate between the types of containers that are used, uh commercial premises that are under contract, uh multi- and single family premises, premises, uh distinguishing between those. Uh the types of collection services, how single family uh properties are handled versus multifamily uh with the different containers there. uh creation of new exhibits to identify um the actual the detail out the rates that were approved uh as part of the review in June updated recycling accepted materials guidelines definitions of specifics what's allowable under bulk waste as well as identifying all those commercial sites as well as the city sites uh that are included included as part of the agreement. And then uh just another key item we felt was uh uh before if there was an issue with the contractor, there were no provisions for liquidated damages where there could be assessed against the contractor for not proper performing. And so we included those as well as included some things like uh updates to the information that waste management will provide in terms of public outreach and education. Uh and then uh updating insurance requirements in terms of higher limits. And then finally uh updating some of the language regarding maintenance access to waste manage management records. So if we requested records, make sure we have access to those as to uh customer uh base and how how they're serviced and

making sure they have accurate records relative to complaint logs and things of that nature. So with that, those things have been incorporated into the proposed amended and restated agreement and seeking approval from city council. take any questions you may have. City manager SW I don't have any objection or any concerns with the proposal that you presented. I do have one question um that I suspect might be um might be uh a topic of interest not only for council but for the community. The efforts that have been ongoing for the past several years to create a countywide contract. Um is it a fair assessment to say that that is at an indefinite impass at the moment?

Uh highly unlikely. uh several of the significant or larger communities in the county uh that uh we're working with through Warma, the Wash uh group uh had backed out of that and entered into their own contract. So, we're still trying to coordinate that uh with through Worma if there's future opportunity, maybe a subset of uh of subset of communities that potentially get better pricing, but at this point, yes, the countywide uh effort has stalled.

Okay. Well, keep us in the loop on that. That's um very disappointing. um if there's a smaller group that that could pursue a a future contract, I think that would be very advantageous, particularly from a cost-saving perspective. So, if there's any assistance that that I could provide or my colleagues could provide, please please inform us because um I think it would be beneficial to Selene residents and business owners if uh something of that uh magnitude were to transpire in the ensuing years. Um are there questions for the city manager, Mr. Gearbar? Uh just some clarifications on some things here. Um, one of the things it was talking about services is bagar bagar or something. What is that?

So, those are those large uh there in lie of like if you wanted to go in the l of a dumpster if you had a construction project or something going on at uh your your residence uh you can through waste management get a it's large basically uh reinforced fabric container that uh for project based work. So, is that something new or have we been able to do that in the past? I've never knew about that because that would have been beneficial. highlighted here in the contract, but uh waste management uh if you call them directly would have provided that in the past. This is just now making sure that our residents are aware that it is a service provided uh within the Sling community. Okay. And then there was a couple things I'm just looking at when it said mentions downtown carts 15. Are those are trash cans or are they separate downtown carts? There's no address assigned to those.

Yeah, those are a number of uh trash cans that are throughout the downtown. Yes, they're not carts that are assigned to business or anything. They're just are trash cans. Got it. Um, they're built the same, you know, way.

Yeah, that's fine. I was just trying to understand what that was. Then the other one, when we look at our commercial businesses and things, um, I'm glad that the addresses are on there, but a number of these names are still outdated or incorrect. So, we may want to go through there and review some of those. I'm not sure Howard Cleaners is still in existence and maybe a few of these others other if other individuals. Um but the other one is and I you had brought it up too is the concern and whether we should discuss it more about nonprofits and and certain other um individuals that don't pay taxes as to continue to receive these services. So I would like to address that as a separate discussion in the future. There's a number of those indicated on here that seem to receive that benefit and um at this time do not pay taxes. Uh, the other one, um, when I look at where it says refues build the city and recyclables build the city, some indicate where they have a recyclable, but they don't have a um, apparently they don't have a refu container. Why would that occur? How would that occur?

The the current ordinance and uh, current uh, agreement read is that they get a choice as to whether they want waste or uh, recycling. Most people choose the waste because that's the more prevalent need for the business. And how do they measure this to know that they're what they're actually using doesn't exceed because we only pay for the two yards based on the size of the dumpster. So they charge based on the size of the dumpster. We only char, you know, so the city covers uh a portion thereof eight, you know, in most cases, you know, 8.67 yards per month uh based on the number of pickups. Um but it's they assume they use the full dumpster. They don't they don't actually measure individual pickups.

Um, and then lastly, just one of my pet peeves, and it's in this one too with regarding recycling, they will say in one one situation they will accept pizza boxes, and in the other situation, they won't accept pizza boxes. And it's frustrating because if you call like Domino's, they'll say, "Oh, yeah, take our pizza boxes." But it's still confusing in here. It's clear that they'll take only pizza boxes that apparently are cardboard with no food stain on it. But the other one if it has food stands on it. So at some point I don't know what is the right thing to do but again even in our own contract it's kind of confusing and so it's like by default I guess you're just going to throw everything out.

I think we want to probably get confirmation on that point. The the narrative or message that was always shared with me is any kind of food residue grease on the pizza box it cannot be recycled. Has to be a clean uncontaminated pizza box. Say food waste is the problem. Yeah. Yeah, it says old uncoated corrugated containers and cardboard cardboard such as moving boxes and pizza boxes are allowed. And then you scroll down the other one and it says soiled ones. So I have I have a fair amount of experience eating pizza and I know never had an unsoiled box.

That is something confusing. I know it's a minor thing, but people go crazy on that a little bit and we get they're getting misinformation from um well, they get different information from Domino's or some of the major chains than what we are saying in our own the list of businesses that you think are uh outdated or no longer operational. Can you email that to staff? Yeah, I mean the addresses seem fine. I think it's just an updating of the Howard unless the name change. In fact, he just cleaned the shirt. So, I think that's maybe that one's in there. It's just um capital is no longer that's what I must have missed. Yep. Howard is in by um um hungry howies. U Mr. Del Oh, I got everybody's hand up just about. Let me go. Delorco Rice Harmount.

Thank you, Mayor. Uh Dan, I emailed my question in advance of the meeting, but I just wanted to get on the record. the there was a point in recent history where waste management was trying to change the terms and started uh refusing dumpster service um to some of our commercial businesses, condominium developments particularly at uh Sheffield Square Commons. I had received complaints that um these um people weren't able to get their dumpsters emptied and then they were being asked to come up with their own solutions and ultimately what happened there was those costs were being passed on to the homeowners associations. It sounds to me like this has been clarified in the new contract and that will that service will resume under uh the conditions that were previously

question came up relative to multifamily uh properties and uh there was some discrepancy in our current ordinance relative to how they would be served um as well as the contract. And so, um, long story short, these are owner occupied condominiums, uh, developments, and we indicated that, you know, yes, they should, uh, be included under the contract. Um, and we did have to make the exception. The issue was that they were being serviced by dumpsters as opposed to individual, uh, carts. And so, um, we did have to clarify that those should still be included as part of this service. Even though they're classified as a commercial, uh, customer under this agreement, they will be, um, paid for by the city. So the dumpsters will be emptied. Yes. By the city, not by waste management.

By waste management, I'm sorry. Okay. We're under our contract. I'm sorry. Okay. So then will the HO for all the time that it's passed in the interim, will the HOAs be reimbursed for having shouldered those costs for however many months it's been since this has been? I have requested if they did receive fees, uh, let me know. Uh, so we deal directly with that with waste management, but it's like basically a credit or an offset of the bill. They definitely have. the HOAs have been subsidizing the the trash removal, so we'll need to follow up on that. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Delaro. I'm April Tim Rice.

I was just going to suggest that um when we're done with this conversation with waste management, they provide some education materials. Perhaps our environmental commission when they're out and about because they're always out and about um be given that material to kind of help with these questions about can a pizza box go into the recycle, things like that. That would be really helpful to the community.

I think that's an excellent suggestion. If I'm not mistaken, if my memory serves me correctly, shortly after her tenure began, Maggie Lupton actually started in a video about this very subject. Must have been at some point in the the spring summer of of 2025. Um, I think a similar video is probably something we should just get on our our our schedule, our calendar to do on a on a routine basis. But, um, it was actually her with a number of products saying what can and cannot be recycled. Um, I thought it was an excellent video um, and very informative. Council member Harmount. So, um if there are any um issues with like the service counts or contamination data or extra charges, will is there a way for the city is there a way for the city to be able to do selfch checks or are we going to be able to I mean are there thoughts about our own self checks to make sure that um what we're being charged is in line or there any way to verify or if there's dispute um a way to dispute. So there's a few different ways we're charged obviously and the number of residential units that's one way uh for the cart service and so that's a number that we've agreed to uh based on you know working with waste management auditing uh our address list things of that nature so there's that aspect uh in terms you talked about contamination and things um so I mean obviously um you know if that's one of the reasons we wanted access to uh waste management records if uh if called upon is to be able to try and understand you if they called out and said, you know, there was contamination at this, you know, address and so they didn't pick up the recycling or something of that nature, we'd understand how and when that occurred. Um, in terms of the the other billings, you know, obviously that's one of the reasons we created these specific appendices for the commercial properties to make sure we all understand, you know, what addresses are being served from a commercial standpoint. So, I don't know if that answers your question.

Um, yeah. So if are there any like discounts or penalties if there is a certain level of contamination and are we you know do we know what that contamination level is and are we is there areas for improvement um it does it impact our rates.

So we did that's one of the reasons why we um put in some the liquidated damages maybe as maybe referring to. So for example, fairly deliver collected waste, recyclables or yard waste to a license disposal processing or management at the site. I'm not sure if that is kind of what you're getting at there. Uh so there are some provisions for us to go you know back to waste management if you will uh for some you know service issues. Um and then I'm not sure if you're talking about like individual resident um typically what happens there if there's an issue they're supposed to tag the container and not accept it.

Okay. Do we get judged as a city based on our overall quality and does that impact our rates? No. Uh we really I mean this is the general municipal contract. So they assume you know everything is you know municipal waste except for obviously that you know the recycling is separated out. So we don't well we receive those reports and we know kind of what our recycling rate is you know on a on a tonnage or on a weight basis. Um that you understand when you're saying the quality of the recycling. So depending on the quality or the the level of contamination or or I should say absence of level of contamination, does that impact our rates that we're paying as a city for recycling?

It does not. Um so like I said, if it's contaminated load, they're supposed to tag that so that hopefully doing some public education on that resident will no longer, you know, contaminate their their recycling waste. But in terms of you know if they get to the recycling center um and loads are rejected or accepted that the waste management has to deal with that.

Um okay so and and then my final question is that there's been changes right and what is acceptable and what not acceptable like for instance glass. So will we be notified or have we been notified in the past when there are changes to that the guidelines? Yes, we are notified and then that's one of the reasons we put in there that uh you know some of the public education materials that we want waste management to provide so we can make sure that gets out to the residents. Thank you. Additional questions. Council member Dylan.

Thank you. Um just to understand the exhibit E the commercial businesses the refuge and recycling. So you said they people have the choice the businesses it's one or the other. So, there are some that have both. And so, is there I I'm just trying to understand like the math part of this. Um the yards per month, like what is that calculation based on because you have places like American Soy that have the same size yards per month as Breck and Grill. So this is the amount that is covered or build to the city. If they have beyond that then the the excess is build directly to the customer. So this just stipulates that uh the city will cover you know 8.6 yards per month and that's based on uh the the container size or roughly two yards on average two yards per week.

Okay. And then when I look at some of these some of our downtown businesses that are listed on here there the dumpsters. Do they all have individual dumpsters? Is that what it is? Is that how that's working? The businesses that are downstairs that are downtown are actually the city covers and those are shared amongst several businesses because they're listed individually. So just trying to understand that like Breen and Benny's are each listed. They haven't Yeah, excuse me. That's if they do those individually have their own dumpster. They have their own dumpster. Yes.

Okay. Um then the big question comes because it's perpetually on social media and it's that um people using our dumpsters, our trash cans from outside of the city and such. Um there's always people asking where can I put my trash? Where can I put my trash? And um where does the responsibility lie to make sure there is no dumping in our dumpsters that are not the appropriate businesses utilizing them?

Basically it's you know basically you're stealing the service at that point in time. Um and so I mean that would be up to the city to pursue that as a um as a criminal offense. basically you're stealing a service. Okay. Um just understanding that that's one of those things that I think that we need to be very mindful of as we're paying um by weight for for our garbage and especially for recycling is sort of understanding who's putting things in there um our dumpsters. I also don't know and Mr. Gearball is probably the one that would know what our rules are around the enclosures of dumpsters.

So, I think you're probably referring to more of a zoning ordinance standard. So, as you know, new developments come in, we make sure they're enclosures uh that surround those. They do need to be maintained. Um, some of we have probably some existing businesses that are grandfathered in, if you will, uh, that, you know, those were maybe installed before the enclosure requirement was in the zoning ordinance because that's one of the things that you do see is because there's open dumpsters, I think people feel as though it's just available to them to to put things into them. And um, I don't know whether the dumpsters need to be closed themselves or specifically municipal sites

um, all over. I mean, the the dumpsters, I mean, I've watched people in the in the parking lot behind Max pull up and dump stuff into the dumpsters and then drive away. Um, I mean, it's just easy access. And so, I just don't understand how we can control that if there is a way to do that if it's an education piece that those dumpsters are not for public use or whatever the case may be. Um, you know, I've seen it in our parks and very much in our parks. Um, I've said that over and over again with our trash cans. Mr. Gerbalt, before we vote on the motion to acceptly acknowledge receipt,

I apologize. One thing I forgot to mention. Why are we still paying for the fire department? That should be the fire department's responsibility. So, that's the it's underneath service name, fire department, 205 East Michigan Avenue. Those are the ones actually. Yeah, you're right. Incidental contract. That one's beaten, but that one's actually incidental to the contract. So, they're picking that up as part of the contract. I will clarify that. Okay. Thank you. Okay. If there's nothing further, we have a motion on the floor moved by Gearbox, seconded by Dale Orco to acknowledge. All those in favor say I. Post say nay. I have it. Motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to approve or not to approve or to approve with conditions?

Move to approve. Moved by GearBody approved. Is there a second? Second. Seconded again by D Orca. Is there any additional discussion? Here's Council. Mayor Pim Rice. I just want to say thank you for taking a look at this. I feel like we've talked about waste management for the last four years since I've been on council and we've never had a clear scope and someone really doing a deep dive. Um, so if if you think that, you know, you've really whoever has gone through this sort of line for line and you know, the couple of things that we've caught here tonight, um, I appreciate that because I feel like we've been hearing for the last four years that folks were looking at the waste management contract, but clearly that wasn't happening.

Aside, we may have to bring back some ordinance amendments also because there's some want to make sure these align now uh, with our what's in our current ordinances. Beautiful. Thank you. Any additional discussion? Council member Dylan. Thank you. Um, Mr. Swallow, prior to your tenure, the city was actually looking at moving away from dealing with the business garbage and we were going to put it back on the businesses themselves. Whatever happened to that that we went back to this process? Do you have any idea?

I I don't know the history on that. I think the uh I think the argument was uh as my understanding in speaking with staff was that you know those businesses do pay part of the assessment uh as part of the you know the citywide assessment that we do for uh trash service so or the millillage excuse me. Um and so that's why you know since they're paying into it they should reap the benefit but there's a cap on that you know as to the two yards per week. Thank you. If there's nothing further there's a motion on the floor to approve. All those in favor say I. I.

Oppos say nay. I have it. The motion carries unanimously. We move on to the public comments this evening. We have several items. First of which is a public comment period for items not on the agenda. Uh, I believe most of you, I know my office received a very thoughtful um, memo email from a constituent requesting that we modify or change our uh, long-standing policy and permit public comments at the top of the meeting to also include agenda uh, items that are not articulated on the agenda. That's not a policy decision that the mayor can make in a vacuum. That's a decision that will need to be made by council. Argo. Um I asked the city clerk to add this to the agenda to see if there was any discussion on that particular suggestion and a desire to change. Um I can state my position which is I think our current standard is appropriate. Um we ask for comments at the start of the meeting to be limited to agenda items. The second public comment period you can speak to whatever issue you'd like. Uh we are al we also have allowed since co and I believe the city manager and city clerk have confirmed this. We're under no legal requirement to do so, but we do allow citizens to provide written comments in advance of the meeting where their comments can be read into the record either at the beginning of of the meeting or the end of the meeting. And so um therefore they do not have to attend the meeting to have their comments um uh preserved as part of the public record. So uh I personally appreciate the the the suggestion that was received um but I do not do not see based on our current standard a reason to change. Uh that's again not not a policy decision that the mayor alone can make. So let me start I'll hear from everybody. Let me start at the end of the day to my left this evening and end to my right. Um council member Harmon, do you have any thoughts or opinions on this matter?

Um I think that bringing it to the front of the meeting would be maybe more accessible to folks from a time standpoint. Sometimes our meetings go late. Um, so maybe that would be able more people would be able to be involved. Um, on off topic. Okay. Uh, Mayor Pim Rice.

Um, yeah, that was my only concern. Um, and we just had this happen a few weeks ago is from an accessibility standpoint. Um, folks being allowed to make comment at the beginning. Um, and maybe that's a case- by case basis. Um, I do like the public to have the final say in our meetings. I've I've really appreciated that. so that as we get through a meeting the public can have the final word. Um so I would go with whatever the consensus is up here on the day so I can see it both ways. Okay. Um Council Member Gerba

um and we modified this a few years ago so that we would allow that to maybe focus on the issues that are at hand for the agenda. Um I agree with my uh council member Rice um from the perspective of if there is a specific issue that seems to have a major crowd here and we have a long meeting that we as a council can modify the agenda at that point in time. Um so deal with it on a case by case

case by case basis in that situation. I mean our meetings do not necessarily go that long and in an hour and a half doesn't seem that much. Um the other perspective I just want to make sure that we reinforce that we will not accept anonymous um comments that come forward. So that that process has been in the past our policy and to continue that policy. So I don't have a problem continuing to accept emails and such for so forth, but not if they do not have a proper name and address. Fair enough. And we are asking now for a name, at least a name. Correct. Okay. Very good. Um, Council Member Dylan,

this one is it's it's kind of an interesting I mean I I appreciated the structure of our meetings um in doing business upfront and then what I would say would be sometimes it's community announcements, things like that that come through on that last part. But when there is an issue in the community and somebody has to sit through an hour and a half meeting to get their three minutes, I I don't think it's necessarily fair to them. We don't get a lot of people in the audience for public comment and to donate 3 minutes, 12 minutes, 20 minutes. I think you know that's part of the role that we serve. And so I would be absolutely amendable to opening public comments at the beginning to any item.

Okay. Council member Delarco. Yeah, I agree with um the majority of the folks that have spoken on this issue. I certainly want wouldn't want to see it to where we flip them and then the agenda items got added on the public comment at the end. So that wouldn't make any sense at all. So, if we're going to do this, we would frontload the meeting with a public comment period on any and all topics, and there wouldn't be any public comment at the end of the meeting. So, I I don't have any problem with it. Council member Hal,

um I kind of echo particularly the point around um accessibility and like when people can get to meetings. I would also kind of throw it out there that um there are people kind of on the other side of that equation who work later and like that last comment period is when like they can allow their voices to be heard. So I wouldn't necessarily want to see that go away. Um but if we ultimately feel as a body that um moving it to the front is not only going to increase the quality of the conversations that take place but also broaden the number of conversations that are taking place then I'm all for it.

Okay. Let me let me say this if if I may. I think the um um as I sort of pull my colleagues here um and understand the the the the desired outcome. I think the suggestion that was made by perhaps it was council member Gearbaugh and mayor pro Timm Rice seems like a fair and equitable compromise which is to manage these issues on sort of a case-byase basis. Um and if there are um hot topics in the community that uh our constituents um desire a public voice on that are not specifically enumerated um on the agenda that this body can take action at the start of that meeting to modify the rules to allow um uh comments the to allow people to comment during the initial public comment period on both items that are enumerated on the agenda and those that are not. um while of course maintaining our our current approach and standard of allowing people to write into the city clerk to have their comments read into the record if they are either uncomfortable to uh speaking during the public comment period or if they're unable to attend in person. Mr. Delaro,

first question that comes to mind is how do we know when and if those items are going to boil to the level of what we decide is a hot item topic and who who who's to judge what's a hot item topic and what's not. Well, ultimately be the jud a judgment call of city council. So, if city council wanted to start any meeting and say that um you know, mayor, I'll approve the agenda noting that for the initial public comment period, I would like to not limit the public comments simply to enumerated agenda items, but also to any and all comments. Um that would be that would be acceptable. So, it would be analogous to pulling an item off the consent agenda. We essentially Yeah. Okay. Council member Dylan,

thank you. Um I I think that's just complicating a process. I mean how do you decide one person sitting in the audience versus 12 people sitting in the audience to make that decision? Is that one person's voice not count? So it's either it's you either do it and it's everybody gets that opportunity at the beginning. I don't know that we should be deciding the relevance of somebody's opinion on an issue. And I do want to state though, I would not be in favor of getting rid of the second public comment. No, I don't think I don't think anybody Okay, just to clarify, I didn't hear anybody and I actually I actually think statutoily are we required to

No, just one. Okay. Yeah. No, I definitely think the the the final one is is is is important. Um, I mean, to your point, Council Member Dylan, the the the body can simply decide tonight. We can write and modify our policy to use essentially the same ver verbiage that we used during the second public comment period at at both the second and first and just say you you can come and speak now to any issue. Of course, you're limited to three minutes per per per matter. Go ahead, Council Member Harmout. Um, so I think it's a little bit problematic if we change it up because if people are planning on coming and thinking it's at the end and they come late, then they they lose out if we pull it to the front. I I would be um in favor of keeping it consistent. I would be in favor of moving the um open discussion item from the end of the meeting to the front of the meeting, but separating out the agenda items from the open discussion items.

Okay. Mayor Tim Rice. Um I like what your suggestion was recently, Mr. Mayor, was just to remove the comment on agenda items and make them both public comment periods. Okay. Um and then with that, I think um one of the things that one of the tools that we've been using lately, which has worked really well um if if my colleagues weren't amendable to that is we've been adding a lot of conversational topics under discussion, which technically puts them on the agenda. So, if if my colleagues aren't amendable to just flat out making both of the public comment periods talk about whatever you want for three minutes, um then perhaps it's a more focused discussion where when community issues do come up, we put under a discussion item, that sort of thing.

Well, let me maybe it's just a a real simple change then. Um is there any disagreement or objection then if we simply use the language that is currently utilized for the second public comment period and use it for both? No. Nope. just do it. Okay, then we'll proceed in that direction beginning in our next meeting which is on March the 16th. Okay, thank you all. Uh fiscal year 20 27 draft budget distribution and next steps. Uh Mr. Swallow.

Yeah, just want to alert council will be emailing out the uh fiscal year 27 draft budget. Probably do that right after this meeting. um we're working on it uh continuously uh over the last uh several several weeks and so opportunity for council to get a first look at that and then on March 23rd we'll have our uh public meeting where we go over the operational budget in between there we do have a finance committee scheduled also uh so encourage as you receive that if you have questions uh please let us know obviously it's easier to make changes uh in the beginning uh or early in the budget process as towards uh as as opposed towards the end so um please expect that uh in your in your inboxes and be able to be able to start to review that for the next fiscal year.

Thank you. Um when council member Gerbaugh myself uh prepped this agenda with you, we also talked about providing uh a brief update on the supplemental appropriations that we've received in recent years. Um one would include aid from both the state and federal government in the total amount of I believe it's 6.8 8 million for the wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation and then a recent direct appropriation for the uh rec center. Um and of equal importance we as you and I discussed just earlier today um we are very close to deadlines for both the state or for both the house of representatives in the United States Senate to submit um a project request for the upcoming fiscal year. that item was we did a little bit of messaging on that at last Monday's um asset management work meeting and it seemed like the consensus was to submit um obviously in both the house and senate and limit uh the scope to projects in regarding water and sewer. Um do you want to first give an update on on the status of the approved appropriations and then our approach uh uh in the ensuing weeks? So, we had the uh fiscal year 24 uh uh assessment or excuse me, appropriation um and directed spending for the uh for the wastewater treatment plant. Uh that would came through Congresswoman Dingle's office and that was for $1.8 million. So, that does help uh obviously fulfill the full budget for the total uh $70 million project uh for the wastewater treatment plant. So very excited that uh is finally firmed up and they're working with the Environmental Protection Agency uh to get those funds released. And the way the appropriations work is basically once the uh Congress has has made the you know the bill is passed and is uh executed by the president then those go off to the a various agencies uh for an actual grant uh grant assignment. So uh working through the grant process right now for the wastewater treatment plant uh end as the mayor announced. We're very excited in the fiscal year 26 aotments that uh

uh that the rec center received at 2 point excuse me 2.7 million uh from uh through uh Senator Slokin's office and uh with the assistance of Congresswoman Dingle. Uh so that will be again starting that process uh being referred to the agencies the federal agencies for grant aotment and uh we'll uh we'll be working on that uh finalizing the details for that uh for that project as well and exactly what that will fund uh at the rec center and we are working towards as you mentioned uh the federal deadlines are coming up uh mid and late March uh for the submitt for appropriations or uh for your mark requests. So we'll be working on those and again yeah the staff has begun to put together details on the budget for mostly water and sewer uh projects uh lighting projects and rehab projects.

Let me ask that question first. Are there any objections to having a singular focus for this upcoming fiscal year and having that focus be exclusively on water and sewer infrastructure? No. Do you want to make a comment? May comment. I think it's really really important that we actually have a singular focus with a a straightforward purpose. super kind of black and white and uh um really focused. And I think this will also help, you know, even out these rates that we have to keep increasing every year if we can get money for appropriate storm water catches and lining of sewers and things like that. So,

um I would note I I emailed council last week and provided a copy of a letter that everyone on the 2023 council signed uh to then Senator Stabinau Peters and Congresswoman Dingle. Um that's when we initiated our our request for uh external funding for for the rec center. Um at that time we we were focused on the wastewater treatment plant, the rec center, and um a downtown gathering space or green space. Um, I would recommend a similar approach this year that a letter be drafted that we all co-sign subsequent to the formal submittals. Um, which if I'm not mistaken, city manager swallow, per emails I've been included on from Congresswoman Dingle's office, the House of Representative deadline for earmarks direct appropriations is I think next Tuesday and uh the United States Senate through Senator Peters and and Slotkin respectively is I think the last week in March. So there's a little bit of a gap. So, I would recommend drafting a letter that we can all co-sign and send to our elected officials at both the state and federal level um articulating our desire for water and sewer funding uh for the upcoming fiscal year. Any questions on that? Okay, very good. Um city manager evaluation matrix. I want to first acknowledge the work that um council members Harmount and Dylan have put into this initiative. Um I believe and council member Dylan and Harmmont can correct me if I'm wrong. They emailed council sort of a draft matrix. Was it in the last 60 days approximately?

Yes. Yeah, it's been April. Okay. Email twice now. Oh, excellent. Copy. I didn't get it.

You didn't receive a an email? Okay. Okay. We'll make sure to follow up. Uh ladies, if you wouldn't mind in getting Council Member Deloro um a draft. Um it's it's revised from uh from recent years and I just wanted to confirm tonight that everybody is comfortable with the tool and the matrix. And if so, we're going to proceed with conducting the city manager's al annual evaluation uh probably at our first meeting in June, which means the document will be disseminated back to you um likely by El Getsman um in late April, early May, so that you can all complete the the document and then uh provide it so it can be um tabulated into an Excel spreadsheet and provided in advance of that evaluation. And if I'm not mistaken, Council Member Dylan and Council Member Harm, there's also a self-evaluation tool for the city manager to complete for us to review. Okay. So, we'll obviously if everything is good, we'll get that to you ASAP so that you can complete that. We can review it as part of our our individual evaluations. Would you care to make some comments?

Um, yes. The original that was sent out to all the city council members was the work in process. So, was that completed that I'm not aware of or you want to go ahead? No, that I was going to say similar that we were soliciting feedback then there was supposed to be another step where we engaged Mr. Vando. Oh. Uh um VRO, right? Yeah. Yes. Okay. Um and so yes, so that had not been done. Um and even so I think that there's there's still a little bit of work that needs to be kind of finessed, but we could prioritize that.

Yeah. Let's do this then. You get a a copy of what you sent to Mr. Deloro or anybody else who didn't receive it. Do you between you and Council Member Harmat, do you have um I believe it's Kevin VRO. Um, do you have his contact information? I think that it was in included in El Gman's initial email. Okay. I guess the question is, so since we haven't gotten any feedback from the city council members that have received it, do we need to have a working meeting to go over it just to make sure everybody's voice is incorporated? Because it's a big thing with our city manager to make sure it's evaluated. And we did not plan on making this uh matrix in a like in a bubble. Our plan was to get feedback also to get feedback from a consultant and actually hopefully to get feedback from Mr. Swall.

Absolutely. So I guess my suggestion at this juncture um I'll get you in just a second. Um is uh a a work meeting or special meeting might be advantageous. I think it's a little bit premature to commit to that because to your point, I'd want to make sure that council member Deloro has an opportunity to review the document, Mr. swallow if he hasn't already and I'd like you both to follow up with Kevin VRO to get his his insights as well. So maybe those three things can be done in the next two weeks and we can add this as a discussion item at our subsequent council meeting to revisit it. Um you can provide any additional feedback that you've received and if that time at that time excuse me if council wanted to organize a special meeting or a work meeting to more thoroughly go over the document I think that would be appropriate. Okay. Uh Mr. or Council Member House did you have anything you want wanted to add? Yeah, I guess to Jen's point about like that being a work in progress, I think the biggest blocker for me was that a lot of these data sources for criteria and like benchmarking don't exist. Um, so if you could maybe provide more information as to like that or if if it's possible for us to like reconsider where um some of these data sources exist or or yeah, if it's available, I think that would be incredibly helpful.

Did you email did you email council member um Dylan or um Harmon the data points that you you think are sort of nebulous? No, it's it's just the so the data sources are some of them are general. Um some of them like just don't exist. Like for instance, the strategic plan dashboard if it exists, I'm not aware of of where that is. So I I would just want to see or know like before I can say like this matrix is effective, I would want to be able to see the data sources behind each uh each benchmark

to see if it is an effective. Do you want to comment on that? Right. Um, Termaine, thank you for bringing that up because what we were trying to do was tie the evaluation to specifics to specific goals. Um, so that there was tangible measurements. And so what we were looking at when we looked at the existing document saying, okay, these are sort of arbitrary and so what are the city's priorities? And so like we've looked at the strategic plan and things like that. This dates back I mean I think Jen and I started working on this. Oh my gosh. How long have you been here Mr. Swallow? Because September 8th

it was the literally the first week. I mean this is October around it was over Christmas break.

And so I think it was it's been several months. And so that's why we were looking for some feedback and kind of understanding what the body wanted to use as those measurement tools so that it was not arbitrary. Um because like when you say things like there's and I'll use a very specific example. One of the questions originally was you know the community engagement. Well does that mean that the city manager went to Summerfest? Does it mean that he held town halls? I mean it sort of understanding what that was and tying some very specifics to it. And I think that was really and Jen, I want to make sure that

I totally agree with that and things that were not measurable before and put us in a weird position like you're a good communicator. So what does that mean? Does that mean so having it tie back to um sends out weekly communications that are uh you know detailed and on time or something like that you know like something that ties back to a measurable.

All right. So let's do this then. Uh we'll make sure that this is a numerated item in two weeks. Um if you obviously have specific feedback, please direct that to council members Dylan and Harmon who've taken the lead on this. We appreciate the uh time that they've time and energy they've invested on this initiative. Mr. Swallow, if you have any specific suggestions, please provide them to the two council members in the next probably um five to seven to eight business days. I would also ask that you both provide the document to Mr. Vatrino to get his feedback and then report back in two weeks. um if we need to have a work meeting or organize a special meeting to discuss we we we would uh we would welcome that opportunity.

Yeah. So I recommend that we get council feedback first our consult and with maybe Mr. Swall's input. I don't know know that Mr. Swall is even seeing the matrix yet because we were going to have a staged approach to it but then and then when we've got everything that we think we need to have incorporated then to get the consultant involved. Okay. All right. All right. So fair enough. So the onus then is on city council first to email. If you have questions, concerns, please try to do that in the next two or three business days. Um Mr. Delorco will make sure to provide you the document if you haven't already received it. Um then Mr. Swallow will be engaged and then Mr. Vro and if you do need Mr. Veno's contact information, I'm happy to uh to to secure it for you.

Thank you. Um okay, we'll move on to reports, other announcements, including commission, committee, task force, and um working group reports. I'll start again to my left and end to my right. Um, Council Member Harmount, any updates from boards and committees or reports or announcements you'd like to share? No, I don't. Mayor Tim Rice,

um, Parks Commission had a couple of great Girl Scout uh, projects for, um, their awards presented to us. One group is um going to be tackling theirs, the eighth grade group is going to be tackling theirs this summer. Um working on a native uh species garden um outside of um Colony Park. No, not Colony Park. The one that goes in the middle behind all the houses in Pleasant Ridge. Canary

Canterbury Park. Sorry. Sorry about that. Um and uh building something around the sign. So, they're um going to be um getting uh some ideas and their materials together, working with DBW, working with parks um to do that. And then um the younger group who has three years to complete theirs are looking at doing a variety of projects. Um one project is toad houses, which will be in Curtis Park. Um, another project is bird houses, which they have not um designated a lo location for yet. Um, and the third project is slipping my mind, but um, that group of gals is starting, uh, three years early. So, they have three years to work on their project, and they're going to be learning all sorts of new trades. They're going to be um, working with different organizations and learning um, woodworking skills. They're going to be learning um uh all sorts of different skills throughout the next three years. So, that is really cool and it's a great opportunity um for the troops to get out in the parks and um learn new things and earn their um their awards for these projects. Um aside from that, uh next meeting parks commission I believe will be presenting um the Mil Pond uh recommendations document. It'll coincide with the meeting for um the Mil Pond Dam. Um that way we can kind of see Mil Pond as a whole. We we purposefully chose that meeting so that we can think about Mil Pond Park as a whole um as we make a decision as a council um once we're presented with our our findings uh related to the dam. So look forward to that.

Very good. Council member Gerba uh reports, announcements, or updates from any committees, commissions, or working groups.

Um number of things, planning, uh this past week, as the mayor had mentioned, um passed a preliminary site plan for 1080 East Michigan Avenue, which involve retail and potential, um housing. Um now that it's gone from that preliminary site plan, we're hoping to get a final site plan within the next maybe 60 to 90 days. There will not be any meeting at this point for planning commission in the month of March. There wasn't anything for the agenda. We did I did bring up the issue regarding the abandoned car wash and hopefully we can move forward on that. That's the car wash that's behind the wrenchler farm and potentially addressing that um blighted situation. Um let's see what else. Um fire board will not be meeting on its regular basis. Um we're waiting and delaying until the third week of the month. um the articles of incorporation, there were some changes and things that were made by Loi and so forth. And so um we haven't been able to actually even review the budget as a council. So that looks like we're going to postpone that until um well after our next meeting um for which the city meets. Um, one of the things I wanted to mention, we did were able to attend the legislative number of us attended the legislative um, session held by the chamber of commerce which um, provided a number of updates and things that are happening in some of the individual um, townships and such. And interestingly enough, as um Mayor Prom um Rice had mentioned, uh one of the trails that they're talking about again is the Willis Road Trail, which may be potentially in 2027 connecting the city of Selen all the way through York Township to Plat Road and hopefully at some point to Plat Road's trail that would then take you into Ann Arbor. So, a number of those type of things. It's nice to understand what's happening and of course issues and things are happening in Selen Township. So, that was a beneficial approach. And then lastly, um, Curtis Mansion met. I wasn't, unfortunately, I was in conflict of meetings. Um, but they were talking about Curtis Mansion, the bylaws, and

potentially the jazz festival location, relocating to Curtis Mansion, um, for this coming spring.

Yes, thank you. I was actually at that Yeah, summer. Um, I was at that uh the, um, most recent Davenport Curtis House working group. Um, I think at your next meeting, they will approve or seek a motion to approve the the bylaws and then subsequently share them with city council. Um, and yes, uh, I actually facilitated with Mr. Pollington who's in the audience. Uh, uh, Diana Warning, who's the, um, head of, uh, Jazz in the Park and a me member of our arts and culture committee will be present at their next meeting to discuss, uh, potential collaboration andor hosting, uh, the 2026 Jazz in the Park at the Curtis Mansion uh, later this summer. Um, I have a few things not specific to board and committees. Um, one is just a reminder that we have our a our next dam town hall uh mil pond dam, excuse me, um, this coming Monday, a week from today, here in council chambers, it will also be live stream and recorded for those who are unable to attend. And then I fully expect council will debrief uh and discuss the matter at their subsequent meeting on March the 16th. Um, also, and I'll email this document to city council either later tonight or first thing tomorrow. Many of you may have seen or read that um, the Michigan Townships Association, MML, and SAMCOG hosted a joint press conference last Tuesday at the SECOG office in downtown Detroit. I was unfortunately unable to attend uh, regarding legislation, pending legislation that would usurp our our zoning authority at the local level. Um and the press conference was attended by a wide array of township city um and municipal officials um from large cities and and small or large municipalities and small uh Republicans and Democrats opposing this legislation that would undermine local control. Um the matter was further discussed at our SEMCOG executive committee meeting on Friday um in the executive director Amy Olirri who was present to present a check at our last council meeting made some very interesting um and and poignant comments uh specifically that iso as um instead of just being against something it's um

better to take the the the positive approach and uh propose an alternative. Um so um the Michigan Municipal League in conjunction with SAKOG and MTA has proposed um an alternative uh package and legislative agenda um called the MI home program partnership over a preeemption. And so I will message or I will send this document to you. It's very thoughtfully prepared and hopefully when you engage with uh members of the legislature in the ensuing months, specifically our our local legislators, you can um do some messaging on this this topic, encourage them to oppose uh the pending legislation and support a more um comprehensive, thoughtful uh approach which doesn't undermine uh local control by cities, townships, and villages. Um Council Member um Dylan, do you have reports, announcements, or updates from any uh committees or commissions?

I do, but you just made mine a lot shorter. Um I will start with Urban County. Um huge shout out to the city manager. He was able we after some discussions uh with Urban County. We were able to submit our grant uh for our sidewalk. It'll be an aotment. The sidewalk would be on North Maple Street in the empty space right now which is would connect it would be in front of electronics. So, it would be connecting Maple Oaks to Westgate um housing. Uh so, it would definitely fill in a gap of missing sidewalks. So, we're very excited about that. We're waiting for all of the details uh to work through. So, thank you, Mr. Swallow, for getting the application submitted. Um

thank you for your leadership on that, too, by the way. That that that's something we that's a deficiency we've talked about for many years. So, it's great to see progress on on that front. So yes and we've act no no no no and you know to further the conversation on that we actually as I've mentioned in the past are able to bank dollars moving forward and we are able to use those dollars for engineering and design. So what may be coming before this body is each year starting to start identifying projects so that we are ready when it is our cycle and we can start applying for grants at the same time so that we can get engineering design and hopefully partner with grant opportunities. Um for zoning board of appeals is not meeting this week. We did not have any petitions brought before us. Um, I spent some time in Lancing at MML for the municipal services committee. There are several bills. It went from being nothing to there are several bills in the pipeline right now. MML, we took a position on some um some we just decided to just let lie. But it's everything from soup to nuts. I mean, they're still working through um fire inspections for food trucks, which is a is a major ordeal in the state. Um there's a lot of election uh legislative legislation um proposed right now. It's moving election dates. It is changing um where you would not have to collect signatures anymore. you could just pay the fee um and to be out put on the ballot. And a large part of and there were a lot of other points. Um we did focus most of our time on what the mayor had just mentioned too, which was about the housing bills right now and um what it it's just it could be detrimental to

a community like Seline that you would be allowed to put a second home on the property. You can have a second home bigger than the initial home on a very small parcel and there's nothing that the city can do about it. Um getting rid of lot lines, things like that.

Can I interrupt real quick? I do think it might be advantageous either through MML or SIMCOG for this body to consider a resolution opposing that legislation. There are multiple bills to Miss Dylan's point that were introduced by both Republicans and Democrats. It's a bipartisan uh package of of abysmal legislation in in all cander. Um, and then I'm I'm glad that she brought up the issue about elections because one of the bills that's being pushed hard by House Republicans is um legislation that would limit municipal and school district millages to only the November ballot. Yes.

So, um I will get the information to this group um so that everybody sort of understands what's in the pipeline and the position that MML has taken on it. Anything else? Uh Council Member Dylan? No, at this point that's it. Very good. Council member Delarco, board commission updates or reports, other announcements?

Well, there are some redundancies here, so I'll be brief on some. Uh, the Davin Port Curtis working group is um assembled and hitting on all aids uh working very judiciously and earnest. Um the uh the bylaws were covered, the um jazz in the park was covered. Uh just briefly I want to mention that um we we invited uh Diana Young to attend our meeting and she was very helpful as she has been in the past with our strategic planning um meetings and uh she's she's a great resource and she's agreed to work on proono on our behalf to help us organize our key priorities and and work together as a team. I'm grateful for that. um some EMU classes are are beginning to work there and um start cataloging and inventory of of all the items in the house. So that's going to be helpful as well. Um on uh I met with asset management that was a you were also that was a two and a half hour meeting. Uh agenda was quite substantive. We covered a lot of topics ranging from the capital improvement plan um how to address our our pothole repair protocol especially given this harsh winter uh focused a bit on the dam um could in anticipation of items that might come up during the town hall meeting on uh next Monday. Um fireboard was discussed articles of incorporation are still uh being finalized. Um, our DPW hiring committee, uh, we interviewed four finalists. Um, invited one back for a second round of interviews to meet with department heads and city staff. Uh, conditional offer has been made pending outcome of a background check. And, uh, finance subcommittee also met. Um, we're mostly focused on the capital improvement plan, which we in preparation for our working group

meeting that took place this past week. So, very good. Thank you for that. very thoughtful. Uh, Council Member Halsh, any uh reports, announcements, or uh, community updates?

Um, just one, youth council has um released the nomination form for Seline Youth of the Year. Um, it's an annual award that's given out at um, our chambers. Uh, I think it's the circle of excellence awards annually. Um the award is for uh students 7th grade through 12th um who are doing awesome things in the community. So if you know of anyone or would like to nominate anyone um the nomination form is available online.

Very good. Thank you. Um I think actually public comments was listed here twice. So we've already dealt with that issue. So, we'll proceed to the actual public comment period. Our second one, uh, under the open meetings act, any person may come forward now, make comment or question to city council. This public comment period will be limited to three minutes per person. Those wishing to speak are requested but not required to state their name and address for the record. Please note, city council will not answer questions during this final public comment period. Are there any citizen comments this evening? Clerk Roy, were there any written comments provided in advance of tonight's meeting which the individual wanted the remarks were at this time? Easy enough. Then if there's no additional business to come before city council this evening, the chair would be delighted to entertain a motion to adjurnn at 8:50. So moved. Moved by Gearbuzzer. Second.

Seconded by Harmount. All those in favor of adjourning signify by saying I. I. Say nay. I have it. Meeting is thank you all. See you next month.