City Council - Regular Meeting

I call this Selen City Council meeting to order. If you'd please rise and join us 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. We welcome those of you who are in the audience this evening. As a reminder, there are agendas on the back table along with a signup sheet and listening or hearing devices, excuse me, if you require them. Uh, members present this evening are council members Gearbox, Co Rice, Lesh, Harmount, Mayor Potm Dylan, and Mayor Marl. From city staff, we have city manager Swallow, clerk Royal, Engineer Humphre, um, community development director Aken, and parks and recck director Lambert. Is that everybody? I believe it is. Um, is there a motion at this time to approve the agenda as submitted, unless there are amendments? I'll move it. I have one item to remove. Is that on consent? Mr. GB, why don't we just get to that when uh Yeah. Yep. So, you want to make a motion then to approve as submitted. Correct. Okay. Um and I'll entertain your your removal of the consent agenda when we get to that portion of the agenda. Mr. Seal, was that the second? Were you the second?

Yes, sir. Okay. Um all those in favor of approving the agenda as submitted, signify by saying I post a nay. I have it. Motion carries unanimously. Uh there are no absences this evening. So, we'll proceed to the first of two public comment periods. And this public comment period is limited to agenda items. Under the Open Meetings Act, any person may come forward at this time and make a comment or question on any item that appears on this agenda. And that's both discussion items and enumerated action items. Comments 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. Uh before you begin your comments, please clearly state the specific agenda item you are addressing. Please note that council will not answer questions during this initial public comment period. Are there any citizen comments this evening? Please, you will have three minutes. I thought my timer.

Tyler, make sure the green light is illuminated at the base of that microphone. Is it? Maybe tap on it. I'm color blind. So, that's on. Okay. Yep, you're good. Please begin.

Um, my name is Tyler Kinley, 441 South Ashley Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Um, I'm coming to just say a couple things. I know the green space is on the discussion item. Uh, that's a project I happen to be working on. Uh, I wanted to say I know that there's a plan to have me do a more formal proposal and update with information on it uh, in a coming meeting. I think probably in either January or February, but in between now and then, uh, I simply wanted to make myself available to any and all current and future council members to provide any level of of information and detail going in. Uh, because it is a complex project. There's a lot of moving parts. There's a lot that's happened in the past year and I would be more than happy to provide uh detailed information to whoever um and I will also reach out to people um if [clears throat] if they're interested. So I appreciate your time and uh that's it. Thanks.

Good. Thank you, Mr. Kennley. There additional citizen comments on any agenda items. 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? Easy enough. Then we will transition to the presentation portion of our agenda. And first up is a special presentation. U Mr. Goodman, I don't happen to see um you're actually next, Mr. Rubble. Hang tight. I know you're excited to talk about the progress in our wastewater treatment plant. We appreciate that. Do you know where the cordless mic is? Oh, yeah. Okay. If you wouldn't mind bringing that forward and I would invite council members um Co and Lash to join me up front. Jack, you're the senior member here. [laughter]

Well, okay. Gentlemen, as is our custom, we wanted to recognize both of you because this is sort of a bittersweet moment. This is your last council meeting. Jack, after 10 years of service as an elected official, Mr. last Chuck as uh after two years um and city council and the citizens of Seline would like to present you both with um [snorts] some plaques um and I'd like to read them both and then share a few remarks and then if you'd like to say something for the public record we will welcome that. So I'm going to begin with uh Mr. O the city of Selen, John Jio. Whereas Jio has served the citizens of the city of Selen as a council member from January 2016 through December 2025. And whereas during the past 10 years, Jaxio has served the city of Seline as a member or delegate to the following Oakwood Cemetery board a board chair, environmental commission, Southeast Michigan councils of government, zoning board of appeals, finance committee, and communication work group to name a few. And whereas Jack's lifetime dedication, leadership, and commitment to the Selen community have helped to make the Selen a better place to live. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Selen City Council on behalf of the citizens of Seline do hereby thank Jaxio for his many contributions to the welfare of our community with sincere best wishes. Excuse me. Would somebody mind thank you Janet with sincere best wishes for for continued success in all his future endeavors. This is presented to Jaxio by the Selen City Council on behalf of the citizens of Slain on December the 15th, 2025.

Thank you. [applause] And Chuck, um the city clerk worked out a Christmas miracle because there was a typo on your on your plaque that I discovered about two weeks ago. And the the gentleman who took the lead on uh on uh producing these for us returned it this evening at 5:00 p.m.

Wow. Um, so this proclamation reads, uh, the city of Seline, Charles Leash, whereas uh, Charles Chuck Leash has served, uh, the city of Seline as a council member from January 2024 through December 2025. Whereas during the past two years, Chuck Leash has served the city as a member or delegate to the following: Seline Fireboard, arts and culture committee, policy committee chair, risk mitigation working group, and asset management subcommittee. And whereas Chuck Leash's lifetime dedication, leadership, and commitment to the Seline community have helped to make Seline a better place. Now therefore, be it resolved that Selen City Council on behalf of the citizens of Seline, excuse me, do hereby thank Chuck Leash for his many contributions to the welfare of our community with sincere best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors. And again, this is presented by the Selen City Council on behalf of the citizens of Seline on December the 15th, 2025. [applause] Let me just say a few additional uh things and then I'll I'll yield the floor to council members and and Lash respectively. Um, I would consider them both uh not only colleagues but friends. Um, and their tenure on city council did not begin their commitment and service to to the Seline community. If I have my history correct, Mr. Seal began serving the city in the mid1 1980s as an appointee under Mayor Don Shelton on the parks and and beautifification committee

actually in the 70s.

In the 70s, excuse me. So, even further back. Um, and then Mr. IO um uh served on on planning commission for a number of of years as an elected school board member and of course a very distinguished career as both the deputy police chief in in Arbor and the the city of Seline. So he has a very impressive and distinguished career in in in public service and that has made not only Seline but the broader county community a better place. Similarly, Mr. Leash had also served on on school board for a number of years and actually both gentlemen were schoolboard presidents for a stint if I if I recall correctly. Uh Mr. Lesh also served on a number of boards and committees and I'm hopeful that he will rejoin a number of boards and committees um in the 2026 calendar year. But much like Mr. Seio, he has committed a large portion of his life to the betterment of the Seline community and we greatly appreciate that. So gentlemen, let's give them a warm round of applause. [applause] And then Mr. Se, if you'd like to begin. I think both of you have some family here tonight.

Yes, I do. I have my wife Pamela. She's sitting back there. uh she's in no small uh part uh responsible for whatever I've done in my lifetime because she's shared the headaches and the burdens and the complaints that I brought home. So, uh I just want to say though, it's been my honor and my privilege to have served as the representative of the citizens on this city council and I hope that the place is a little bit better as a result. So, thank you. And I too have my wife Jane here. Uh retired dentist of Seline, many many years in the Sling community. And uh since she is retired now, that that was one of the motivating factors for me to uh step back from quite as active a role in the city. But I I do want to echo uh my colleagues gratitude to all of the members of the council and especially all city staff and uh everybody who keeps the lights on in the city of Seline. It's a wonderful place to live where we've uh made it we've chosen it to be our place to live and die. So uh we we appreciate everything that everybody here does for the city and we truly appreciate our time here with all of you.

[applause] And gentlemen, in addition to the the plaques, we have a few small gifts over here to my left that we hope that you'll retrieve at the end of tonight's meeting. And again, we thank you for your service. Appreciate it. Be quick with you. It's our

pleasure. Thanks so much. Be around. The floor is yours. Appreciate your enthusiasm and uh of equal importance your attendance this evening, Mr. Rubble. I believe your PowerPoint is up on the screen. This is a um a timely update. I think it's been several months since uh we've last seen you. Um I think the community will benefit from receiving an update on the wastewater treatment plant and uh hopefully we can have you back maybe late winter or spring to to provide another update. Um with that, make sure that microphone is on. The floor is yours. I don't let me preface. I didn't I don't recall a month ago when I was last in attendance who I began with for questions. So, I'll defer to my um to my right this evening and let uh our outgoing council members ask the uh the first series of questions. So, I'll begin with with Lash and then transition to CO and with council members Harmmont and then myself. Mr. Rubel, the floor is yours again. Thank you for your time this evening.

Oh, my pleasure, Mayor Council. Happy holidays to you all. Um yeah, has been a few months and uh I just say the word I'll be here whenever you need me. So, it don't live far away. [clears throat] Uh, yeah, this is just intent to give you an update. I have, uh, quite quite a bit more photography than I had last time. Things are taking shape. Uh, they're actually looking like treatment processes at this point, not holes in the ground. So, uh, I think I think this will be educational. So, I I organized this very similarly to how I did the past updates. So uh bear with me that uh first few slides are merely a summary of of the journey that we're on together and then I'll give you some highlights of progress on that journey. So uh this slide simply uh reiterates the processes that we are uh touching improving at the wastewater plant. Uh the Headworks building uh is the head of the plant. Uh very important part of the the plant. Uh and we'll show some really good progress on that building. Uh there's a maintenance building in the contract. Um uh additional primary clarifier. That's the first process really which solid start to settle out. Uh the real engine of the treatment plant will be the new biological process. the aeration tanks replacing the rotating biological contacttors as the biological process. We are constructing a wet weather storage tank which will be very helpful to manage the peak flows during wet weather. Uh will really improve the performance of the plant by not overwhelming it during wet weather periods. Uh then we're modifying the bioolids process which is the process that once we've removed solids from the wastewater to manage them and dispose of them and we'll talk about the screw press that we

are installing to do that and show you some preliminary photographs of that. We're also improving instrumentation at some remote pump stations and uh that really hasn't started yet but uh it is on the schedule for the first part of 2026. I think a picture will help a great deal. This is a rendering of your current plant from the southeast kind of on the Salt Springs Park uh area up above if you were a drone maybe or up in a tree looking in northwesterly direction. Uh this is actually the improved plan and I think the next slide highlights the processes that we're touching. Um, and I'm going to go kind of in a clockwise rotation starting from the left side, which is the Headworks [snorts] building. Uh, then we go north. The maintenance building is on the left side of that road. The primary firefighter is on the right side. Uh, the wet weather storage tank is is on a small hill. Uh, it's the dome structure. uh to the right of that is the irration tank and the lower solids building and in the foreground of that uh tank. Then the circular tank to the right is the secondary clarifier. They go hand in hand. Have the organism consume the organic matter and they settle out in the secondary clarifier. And then on the lower right is the digtor improvements. Uh those have not started so I'm not going to have any photographs of those tonight. Uh but the equipment's been ordered and uh and on schedule. So uh uh by by not seeing the photographs, please don't be alarmed that that is not proceed. Uh so this is the headworks in the southwest corner of the uh project and I'm pleased to report that that is now

operating and uh we are in fact uh screening all of the wastewater and we have new pumps that deliver that waste water up the hill for the subsequent treatment processes and uh it was very close to being complete when I was here in August and it is in fact running now. I took these photographs right at Thanksgiving. Uh unfortunately, it's a little muddy and a little construction uh uh traffic and and items in front of it, but uh it will look very similar to that uh rendering when that gets cleaned up and restored. But that building is now operating. And uh these photographs actually show the inside of that. What I what you see on these screens are the um the screens. Uh so these stainless steel devices actually have a one quarter inch screen below them that the waste water passes through and it traps all the solid matter uh the papers uh plastics and things that make their way into the wastewater stream to prevent that from getting downstream and interfering with pumps and pipes and things like that. So we're removing them right here at the head of the plant. They they are screened down below in the flow and that they are raed up to the top where they're put in these conveyors and then pushed horizontally into a dumpster that you can see on the road there. [snorts] So there's two of these. Uh it's redundant. If one of them were to uh uh temporarily break, we've got another one that is processing the waste water. Uh we just recently started to get screenings out of that tube that conveyor system. It took uh over a month for that to accumulate and get enough matter that but it is now starting to fill that dumpster at which point a

garbage truck can come and take it away. So it's very exciting that's happening. And this is a look look downward from the first floor down into the the basement level. Those are four uh high or raw sewage pumps. So those are pumping the water then that come into the plant and lifting them up the hill uh to the treatment processes at the north side of the plant. Perspective is a little interesting here. It's not uh not horizontal with your eyes. I'm I'm looking down at it. But uh these are actually uh pumps that can be submersed in water and still operate. So if there was a leaky pipe or uh got help was a a very very large flood of any sort, these pumps would still operate and keep the plant running. Uh the maintenance building is next on the rotation. Uh we have not gotten very started on that. U so I don't have a ton to show you other than just some some minor site grading that's occurred thus far. Uh but the primary clarifier is getting close. Uh should be operate operational next month and this is um shown now [snorts] ground level into the side of it. Uh looks very much like the nearly complete fire at this point. So again next month we'll be starting that. The wet weather storage tank will be one of the last things completed. In fact, the construction trailers right now are sitting on the site of this tank. So, uh but that all that steel has been ordered and we're getting ready to move to that uh here in the next couple of months. Again, just another rendering of the tank from street. Uh trying to kind of

disguise it with trees the best we can and uh uh soften the the look. So this is really the engine of the treatment plant, the biological processes, the uh aerration tanks. Um so they are supported by the building which has the blowers in it. So we are adding oxygen into the waste water here for the organisms to consume the organic matter and then we remove the organisms in the next step. So there's a lot going on that building. That building will also house the uh sludge processing the bioolids processing which is the screw press which I'll show you uh pictures of. So I have a lot of photographs inside that building that I'll be showing you because it is it is taking shape right now. This is another photograph of those aeration tanks. They're looking darn similar to the rendering that I showed you. Um uh if you see the railings are up there now. There's an overhead uh pipe support which will take the aeration pipe down and into the tank so that the oxygen can get transferred. [clears throat] Uh again on the right side is is the support building. Uh the masonry is not yet on that building right now. And that orange tint is just the insulation you're seeing. It will look much nicer in a few months when we get the uh a block around it. So I know the neighbors have asked about the orange building. it will not be orange much longer. So, most of the next photographs are inside that building. And on the left are the blowers. So, they are on site. They are on their pads. Not quite hooked up yet, but they're there pretty much getting close to doing their job. So, they're very sophisticated blows. They are controlled by actually the oxygen levels in those tanks. So, we only provide enough oxygen to do the work and we can control it.

You don't want to put too much oxygen in it because that's kind of wasted energy at that point. So we can control and just put the optimal amount of oxygen that we need into the waste blower. On the right side is actually the the screw press for the bioolid. So at the very end of the process after we remove the solids that true press will actually compress the solids and squeeze out extra water so that it is uh somewhat dry and can go to [clears throat] a landfill if the city so chose to do that. So the secondary clarifier works hand in hand with the aeration tank. uh this removes the microorganisms that that have consumed uh the waste that is there and uh that is also almost ready to be started. Um the right is actually a photograph inside that uh clarifier. We don't often see those mechanisms that are in there, but they rotate and they move any of the solid matter to the center where it gets pumped out. also has a an arm that uh takes floating objects away as well. That's that's a very important part and it's uh it's it's pretty much there ready to go. [clears throat] So, just uh also have uh fairly good news on the schedule. the contractor when I was here in August uh was starting to get a little bit farther behind with a few items and uh I'm pleased to report that they've kind of caught back up on those and uh they're still about 45 days behind uh the contract dates. Uh but we can really attribute a great deal of that to a little bit of a slow start we had with uh resolving the disposal of the soil at the beginning of the project. So it certainly maintained the baseline pretty well. all in all.

Um, so yes, uh, just like I mentioned, they caught up, uh, continue to talk about schedule efficiencies and keeping things on track. That's a pretty regular, almost weekly discussion we have with them. Uh, the contract does contain some clauses uh, monetarily that will help keep things on track. The contract does not want to pay for those. So, uh there's incentive for them to to stay on track. Uh again, the headworks is operating. Uh we're screening the matter. We're we're pumping. Uh the odor control system that is on in that building is not quite connected. Uh it will be I hope the next couple of weeks. uh in particular the uh the vendor that provided that needs to be there to start it up and they had a a restriction or schedule but uh trying to get that established and [clears throat] 2026 is going to be uh very busy for the project. Uh we are literally starting equipment uh pretty much every month of 2026. So that's just the way construction projects work is they kind of all all the work goes into it and then the last few months they all come together and started. So, uh, looking forward to it. I think things are shaping up quite well for 2026 and, uh, it will be exciting and, uh, successful.

Very good. Um, yes, please.

Yeah, I mean, just some things we've completed and this was a similar slide we had last time. Headworks has started, firefighters are there within a few weeks will be started. Uh, aeration solids with are just a few weeks behind that January, February time frame. We talked last time about the software and we've got both the water plant and the wastewater plant running on the new software. That's been extremely helpful. Uh Mr. Briggs called me today with uh a question on uh the plant operation and my staff could literally pull up the plant remotely through a secure network and and talk him through it what what he was seeing and and why he why he was seeing that. It's been extremely helpful. Um again most products are on site. You saw those buildings. Most of the big equipment is already in the tanks in the building. Um, and pretty much most of the underground work is done. There's a little bit more to go, but we got utilities in and we're really connecting the dots here at this point, bringing it all. [snorts] Those are uh almost month-to-month dates here that things will be happening. Uh, and I, as I mentioned, that digest recover will be one of the last things in May and June. Uh, everything's on order. So, Very good, Mr. Rubble. Thank you. Appreciate the information. Uh before we open up for questions uh from council, uh let me defer to the city manager. Mr. Swallow, is there anything you'd like to add at this time?

Uh thank you, mayor and council. Uh we're working right now on some of the extension requests with Eagle. So, uh that just based on the the a couple items that are behind schedule. So, that'll be submitted uh probably this week yet. Uh but other than that uh I think uh overall you know project's uh proceeding reasonably well. So thank you. Very good. Uh Council Member Leh. May I begin with you? Questions for either Mr. Rubble or guest or um city staff pertaining to um the update on the rehabilitation of our wastewater treatment plant.

Uh just one. Um I know it's getting to the colder part of the year now. Do you anticipate having kind of the same number of workers on site through the winter or is it going to fluctuate down a little bit or I haven't asked the contractor that I can't think of anything that would really uh lessen the number of employees for the next few months at least. So I I bet it'll look pretty similar over there. It it just as a resident right off of Monroe kind of across the street, you know, we've really not had any problems with traffic or anything. the employees have been doing a great job. So that I'll pass that on to the contract. Anyway, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Leash. Mr. Seal, Mr. Seal, you were actually one of the four of us on council who was involved in this initiative when it first began uh nearly 10 years ago. Are there questions that you have for staff or Mr. Rubble? Just a couple of small questions if you don't mind. Um first of all, that wet water storage tank or the wet weather storage tank is the that's a steel tank on the walls. If the above ground portion is steel, there's uh 6 ft or so below ground that is concrete. Okay. And then the roof on that is plastic panels. Uh it's aluminum. Oh, okay. All right. [snorts] It won't re reflect like a giant mirror, will it?

Uh I've had that question before. This is the third or fourth one that I've been involved with. It actually oxidizes and it just has a a light gray tinge to it. Very good. Now, the irration building and the irration process that's going to force oxygen down through the liquid into those open tanks at the rear and then I assume all that air is just going to bubble up. Will that be odiferous? It does have an odor. Uh I have not found it to be a offensive order. Uh we I'm I'm certain I've answered this question identically in the past. It has a very earthy has an earthy musky smell to it

like the spring rain. It's not a foul waste water smell. That that's not the case. Okay. And then uh the wet weather storage tank that's just going to what how does that work? I mean when does that kick into play and where does it fit into the process?

Yeah. Yeah. It will go through the head all the flow will go through the headworks and it will be screened and pumped and it will be sent up the hill and it we can limit how much how what rate of water goes to the regular treatment and the excess we can send by valving over to the wet weather storage tank. So we know how much we can push through the clarifiers without sacrificing their performance. Anything above that will get sent to sent to the wet weather storage. Okay. So, that's still untreated sewage. It is untreated. Uh we ideally would want to get it back into storage within a day or two.

Uh and that I will say that that wet weather storage tank does have an order control. Okay. Very good. That's all I have, your honor. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Seal. Uh Mayor Prom Dylan, questions for Mr. Rubal or city staff? Thank you. Um project was pretty much the primary focus of the asset management meeting the other day. Um and so I'm going to hit a couple of quick questions, but I think Mr. Gearbal might uh have some other questions for you about it. Um so one of the things about the headworks that was a big issue that came up is that the generator is still not operational for that. So understanding what that liability is. Well, your uh existing headworks has not been decommissioned. So, if in any way uh until we get that generator started, we can send flow to the existing headworks building and and use that and that generator. We should only be a week or two away from getting started.

Okay. Fantastic. Um, one of the things with the old headworks building, as I was looking at the picture of the pumps, was that I mean, I'm sure you recall how rusty that building was. Will this building end up that same way or is there like is the moisture contained more? Well, um, clearly this is the headworks is always the most corrosive environment at the plant because it has all the waste in it that all the sulfur compounds that are very corrosive. Uh, now we have this is designed a little differently than the old one. The old one actually had electrical equipment in the basement. Uh so it was it was much more exposed to those odors, those vapors. This does not have electric equipment. All that is up top which is ventilated I believe certainly to today's standards which is probably quite a bit higher than 1987 standards. Right.

So I can't tell you that that building nothing in that building will will corrode but we have designed everything to be stainless steel where we can so that uh that it can be resistance to corrosion and we certainly have designed it to be up to current ventilation codes which should should discourage uh corrosion. Fantastic. Um and then you had mentioned that the headworks building is not yet hooked up to odor control. Um should we expect a lot of odor at this time of the year like with the cold weather like just so people understand how temporary it is.

Uh clearly there's going to be a a few more odors until that's connected. Um generally with colder temperature the the odor is less from the waste water and people are outside less. There will be a few more there will be some more odor coming from that building until that is passed which is going to be very soon like first week first maybe the second week of J.

Okay. Um kind of going through your presentation and Mr. Gear I'll leave the maintenance building to you to talk about. Um, I think that was something. One of the big questions I had was um about noise from the the aerration tanks. Are you going to hear the perpetual bubbling noise, the irration? Like, is that something neighbors would hear? I don't believe you'll hear the the water bubbling. No.

Okay. We spent a good deal of time during design to make sure that those blowers are locked, but they're as long as the doors to that building are closed, we do not believe the noise will be detectable at the property. Okay. Um, and that's even like how often do you expect the screw press to operate? It it could operate three or four times a week if if the city is choosing to use that method to dispose of.

Okay. So, you're saying as long as that building stays closed between the blowers and the screw press, we shouldn't have any excess noise. There's doors. The entire building can be sealed, right? There are van doors. There are overhead doors. Those the typical operation of those doors should be closed. Okay. [snorts] Um, my only other question was at the very front of your presentation, you talked about um, let me just get back to make sure I referenced it correctly. Um, it was some instrumentation at the remote pump stations. Didn't we just update all of those?

Not all of them. We only updated uh, two or three. We updated industrial, maplewood, and uh, some of Southside we updated, but not all of them. So we the pump stations we did not update we added to this content. Okay. So all the all the pump station we say identical are very very similar instrumentation wise control-wise communication wise. Fantastic. Thank you very much for the update. Thank you council member Gerbal.

Thank you mayor. Uh just kind of updating when we as uh mayor promillan had mentioned the things that came up were the issue regarding the maintenance building. I think we've discovered there's a problem that potentially putting in foundations for the new maintenance may hit the old dump and that it'd be significantly expensive to do that. So, we're looking for a new site. Could you kind of elaborate on that?

Yeah, they that little that photograph I showed, they cleared a couple feet down at the pad of the maintenance building, the original plan for the maintenance building. And in fact we found a lot of building materous concrete so forth that uh uh we were not aware of. Um we did consult with the geotechnical engineer about options uh should that be found and and one of the opinions was uh we could maybe locate a building there and and have no concerns with it. But uh it it's just very hard to predict how a a fill will uh react. Um so our current plan is uh we do have an empty space that will be left where the RBC's currently are. RBC's weigh well over a million pounds and they have been in place for 38 years without any settlement. So, we feel really good about the soil in that space, and we think it's going to be a relatively uh minor uh change to put the building at that space than uh the space that I I showed you on this uh presentation. But, uh we need to investigate a few more things before uh we can say that that's good. And u that should be done in the next week.

Okay. And then I believe there's going to be additional wells tested to make sure about the PAS contamination regarding that where the soil is and everything before the tank goes up. Do you know when that'll occur? I heard the word PAS. What was well additional wells because I thought they said more test wells or assessment. That was one of the things that came out of the meeting last week that we had. There may be a requirement to put a well at the end of the project um just for the city to have long term. I' I'd have to review that. But I I think that may have been a request of Eagle back when they issued a permit uh to proceed with. Okay. I I we were under the impression that there were two additional wells needed to do before the mayor. Dan Swallow can maybe explain that later on. I think that's correct.

I'll allow that. And then the other one um we are looking at some other maintenance fixes that were happening. Have those change orders been put in place and are part of the window replacements and other things? We know we're looking at roofs and things like that that could potentially come out of contingency because those are things we should fix now and not defer them. Uh the contractor either has uh submitted some of those I know have been approved and we've told we've given them instruction to proceed with that and I think they were getting that on the schedule pretty quickly. Uh other things are being priced right now

and I do know the one thing that the head works was one of the items that has missed its deadline and we're assessing what that could be of an impact Um, do you feel that that's going to be moving ahead? Because I know one of the concerns that came from one of our adviserss on the asset management group was making sure everybody's on the same um page with the days and when things started happening. Do you feel that that is is um

very good record of when things uh were started and correct the contractor uh again I'll give you as specifically as I can. They had a March 31st date to have the headwards operating. When the PAS and the soil issue came up, they asked for a late July date to have it operating. That was granted to them by the city manager at that time. Uh they did not get that building operated until October. So it has been documented very very clearly. Manager [clears throat] has all those records uh of that miss and schedule. So I I think it's very clear. Okay.

It's good to hear from you because we want to make sure that is one of the things. But our advisor, one of the adviserss was clear that's where his concern is and seeing it on other projects. So appreciate it. I don't think they're going to come willingly writing a check at the end. But uh I I'm pretty sure the paper trail there. Thank you. Anything else, Mr. Gerba? Nope. Easy enough. Council member Rice, any questions for our guest or city staff? Uh, no questions for me. This is a great update. Um, looking forward to this project being over. Very good. Council member Harmount,

I just have one question. So, if we don't get the extension from Eagle, then what would that mean? Like, what does that cost? What What does that entail? I the consent order does have I and I don't have this memorized what the consequences are of missing dates but uh uh you have certainly uh met your commitment to to update them on on the schedule. So I I'm very encouraged that you have put a good foot forward and that they will be very cooperative. Okay. And so that needs to be submitted when?

Uh it'll be this week. I just Dan and I were just reviewing that between 5 and 5:15 today. So we're done with it. Okay. So if it it gets rejected or there's some issue with it, what would be the consequences of that? I I don't I don't recall what the the damage was of the consent order. This all goes back to the consent order the city has. And I think there is a a a damage part of that and I'm afraid to give you an answer. I mean I we could certainly Dan and I could certainly look it up and get get you that answer, but I'm afraid if I gave it to you tonight, I'd be wrong. I would just ask the city manager to confirm that number, disseminate it via your weekly communicate that goes out on Friday.

There's not a specific fine or anything of that nature, but I mean that is, you know, something they could look at um if we're correct based on if they rejected the uh proposed new schedule. But the other advantage right now is that overall uh we're only again and Eagle was made appraised to this multiple times uh really only behind by that initial uh delay due to the PAS soil. So I think uh I think they'll favorably consider the extension request. Anything else? Council member Harma? I don't. Very good. Mr. Rubble, anything you'd like to add before we wrap up?

Just thank you for the opportunity to to help you through this project. Uh, I think all in all it's going well. Any big project will have little bumps in the road, but I think we're handling them and I think it's going to be quite a success and uh we should celebrate this hopefully this summer we get here done.

We'll definitely celebrate once it's done. Many years to to to get to this point and as we've noted publicly in the past, this is the largest, most comprehensive, most costly, most multi-dimensional capital project in the city's history by far. Um, and once uh this facility is is rehabilitated and construction is complete, I have no doubt that it will serve the community very well for decades to come. We appreciate your time this evening. Happy holidays and we'll be in touch and maybe have you back late winter, early spring for another update. I'd love to do that.

Very good. Thank you, sir. Uh, before we get to the consent agenda, my apologies. The the um internet's down in my my office and I left oh hell probably around 4:10 today. U Mr. Swallow, are we before I entertain Mr. Gearb's motion because he I think has either an item to remove or multiple items to remove. Was there consensus to remove 25-195 with the understanding that that would go to the policy committee and then come back with a recommendation? That was a request and we actually just had a policy committee uh meeting before the uh before this and there was a review the minutes. Uh so yes, we can move that when the water leak adjustment policy to uh the following meeting. That's not that and the investment policy. What did you I'm sorry. Water adjustment.

Yes. Okay. All right. So, we're going to strike that item that will return at a at a future meeting once the policy committee has an opportunity uh to review it. So, that's one change. Mr. Gearbod, did you have others? Yeah. I just wanted to remove the annual LDFA report. Um 25190. Okay. There any other changes? You want to move then? Mr. Gearbot to approve the Sorry. Yes. I was going to move other items. I just was waiting to see. Do you have others?

No. Uh I would like to remove 25191 the annual EDC report and 25194 the first amended LF LDFA uh one and two budgets. [snorts] Okay. So that's one item removed, three items transition to to new business. They'll appear at the at the top of our our new business agenda. Um if there are no additional changes, is there a motion then to approve the consent agenda as amended? So moved. Moved by Gearbas. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Dylan. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda as amended. Signify by saying I. I.

Post say nay. Eyes have it. And the motion carries unanimously. Uh we move on to business item 25-190 annual LDFA report. This will be a motion to approve the annual LDFA report as submitted. I move to acknowledge receipt. Move by Gerba. Simply to acknowledge receipt. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Dylan. U. That was your item, Mr. Gerba.

Yeah. And I just I'll let Mr. Swallow review it a little bit more. Um it was discovered during the last uh alphabet board meeting uh that the certification of the LDFA board had expired in 1231 2024. Um that is a significant impact and I'll let Mr. Swallow briefly discuss on it. One of the reasons why I kind of pulled this report off is as we think about it, if it had expired in 2024 and considering the time period for which this report may have may be for, we may have a consideration of why are we doing this report when we were not in compliance. So, I'm going to let him talk about it.

Mr. Paul,

yes. Thank you, Council Gerbot. the uh the fact of the matter is that uh the LDFA is still an entity uh and you know continues. Uh the two items that expired though were the tax increment financing plan and the development plan that's associated with that. And so what that plan does is again allow the city to capture other taxing jurisdictions uh taxable uh values uh in part of the district. And so that would be the only change is that we would be no longer able to capture the other taxing jurisdictions um taxable values. So with that uh then that those would go back to the uh those taxing jurisdictions namely uh the county uh the library as well as the uh Wayne County Community College. So uh basically that would just reduce the revenue uh for the LDFA um and not allow them to capture those other taxing jurisdictions. So that is a concern as we go forward uh as you know we potentially reduce revenue uh for that uh for that entity. So the couple things we are going through right now is number one uh certainly going back through all the city records to make sure this is accurate. Uh it does appear in couple of the previous u annual reports uh that the those plans did expire December 31st of 2024. Uh so we believe that is accurate. We're consulting with legal counsel as to if we renew the plans at these point point in time. Uh what would impact would that have uh as well as just uh going back and working with the board members to understand you know back in 24 uh what why was that not caught at that point in time. So, uh, with that, um, there is a potential, uh, even to, uh, request the state for legislative fix. And so, that's something we may want to consider as well to go back and but basically end of the day, what it would do is reduce revenue for the local development finance authority.

Mr. Gerbot, anything else? Uh, just we know that's going to be a concern because a significant part of the revenue that comes into it, it is a significant part. Um, I'm not sure exactly the dollar amount is, but total capture is approximately $800,000, I believe. Approximately 700,000 for both LDFA overall in tax revenue. Yeah, I'd looked at both LDFA1, LDFA 2. Uh, so LDFA and I'll make sure I get this right. LDFA2 would be about $47,000 and then LDFA1 it would be about $143,000. So, uh, in revenue and that's revenue coming from the other taxing jurisdictions. So, uh, in total potentially $200,000, uh, that, uh, would no longer be captured.

And, um, so in that situation, some of those funds, we have had planned on using those for road repairs and things that occur in those LDFAS. As a result, would have to come funding from general fund, which, um, that's a concern at this point in time. I'm hoping that we can get something different on there. But I do know of another community because I'm on the economic development um and land trust group with MML, a similar city had done a similar type of thing. And unfortunately, they had to go through the whole act of getting a bill passed by both the Senate and the uh um House and getting it approved and signed by the governor in order to reactivate their TIFA district. And um it's not an easy task. So hopefully if at all costs, we can get something, but it looks like we're we're not going to be able to recapture this. So um this is a major concern and one of the things I want to identify is that we had a number of safeguards in place that did not capture this and so this needs to be a process which has to be evaluated from looking at our auditors to our treasurer to our city manager to our um other um board and count and city clerk positions. So when we expect that things like this wouldn't happen, it's clear we need to evaluate how we do our processes going forward.

Mr. Mr. Swall, from the conversations that you and I I've had, and you made uh uh inference to this just moments ago. So, am I correct in assuming that uh a formal report or recommendation on how to resolve this matter would likely occur at one of our our uh regular meetings in January?

Yes, if you like a formal report, we can deliver that with the, you know, the opinions we've got from attorney uh as well as, you know, kind of the implications detailing out the numbers I just described. I think uh a formal opinion report from from staff and the attorney um understanding the impact if this is not rectified or resolved and what would be the steps to to mitigate adverse impact in in the future. Um and I'll leave it to your judgment whether we can get that on the first meeting in January or the second. Our meetings of course are backto-back because of the holiday. So it can't make it on the 5th then certainly by the the 12th. the information, you know, already. It's just a matter of compiling into a report and, you know, making sure that we've talked to everybody that would have impacted this.

Just one clarification that approving this report um meets the need for something else besides the tax capture piece as what you just said. The report is accurate um as to what's been captured and you know the I think the obviously the you'll note in the report itself, it notes that December 31st and 24 deadline uh for renewing the plan. So the report is accurate and can be accepted and uh sent on to the state. Okay. Thank you. Additional questions. Um Mr. Gerb offered a motion to acknowledge receipt. Um seconded by Dylan. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. I say have the motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to approve or not to approve? Move to approve. Moved by Gerba to approve. Is there a second? Second.

Seconded by Seio. Any discussion? There's none. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. I haven't. The motion carries unanimously. Moving on to new business item 25-191 annual EDC report. This will be a motion to approve the annual EDC report as submitted. Move to approve. Moved by you're about to approve. Is there a second? Seconded by CO. Get you on the next one. Council member Rice. Um I believe it was Mayor Prom Dylan who had a question here.

Thank you. Um just for clarification, I had thought that at a previous council meeting there was a direction to collapse EDC and just sort of understanding what that timeline looked like and um understanding you know is this going to continue every year because all we're doing is just allocating audit fees to this. [clears throat]

So, in response to your question relative to the EDC, uh it was a a motion at the EDC to basically move the funds remaining over to the general fund uh to zero out that account. Um I'm still working on determining if I I was not aware of council action to actually dissolve the EDC. I don't think it was to dissolve. I I think I think the consensus, Mr. Gerba, I think, was the one who made the motion. was to transfer the funds and essentially um it wouldn't be to dissolve EDC but EDC would become sort of dormant the same way the economic development trust fund has been dormant for the better part of two decades. Is that correct?

Correct. We talk council had talked about it. I have to go back and find it but I guess right now the issue is it needs a direction from us or a motion from us to move the funds from the EDC back to general fund. That's what I was understanding from um Terry. Is that correct? formal budget amendments would require council approval and so we can bring that forward either as part of the you know FY27 budget or you want sooner we can I would say just do it sooner let's not let's not drag this out any part of the second

Yep and then conversely maybe inquire to John or Tony um is there uh is it appropriate and prudent to um to consider a motion to transition the economic development corporation into sort of a dormant status um and if so I'd like to get that on the agenda sometime in the next 30 to 60 days okay anything else mayor promill No, that was it. Just clarification. Okay. Um Okay. Um any additional discussion? There's a motion on the floor moved by Gearbot, second by CO to approve. All those in favor say I. Post say nay. I haven't. The motion carries unanimously. And last item to be removed from the consent agenda is 25-194 first amended FY uh first amended LDFA1 and LDFA 2 budgets. This will be a motion to approve the first amended LDFA1 and LDFA 2 budgets as submitted. Move to acknowledge.

Um I'll go with Dylan to acknowledge. You want to be the second to that, Rice? Sure. Okay. Uh, go ahead, Mayor Pertim.

Thank you. Um, this was just sort of following up to, uh, item 190. Um, and just understanding whether they went hand in hand. The the biggest question that I had on these is that on a lot of these documents for some reason, and I'm not we show a negative net revenue and appropriation. Is that just a new way in which we're doing the accounting? I don't remember us ever having negatives. Yeah. So the city has traditionally included fund balance in marked as a revenue and as an expenditure. Um and so this does not show that fund balance and uh as a as a revenue and an expenditure. It just shows uh these are the revenues coming in for the fiscal year. Uh these are the expenditures for the fiscal year. So in in the case of LDFA1, LDFA2 uh we had uh basically appropriations totaling $1,474,621. uh revenues less than that of 1,900 excuse me 1,191,766,000. Uh with that um there is a there is a you know use utilization of fund balance to cover that difference. So now in a known like the general fund and other areas where they've shown a fund balance beginning and ending to to net zero that's that's not shown in this case.

Okay. And the So are we short $282,000 because of a capture? 282,855 would come from fund balance, but that's not a shortage in in terms of there is the funding there in the fund balance for the LDFA. Okay. Um Okay. I'll talk about it uh flying within.

Okay. Additional comments or questions, Mr. Gerba? Um this is kind of a change of how we've seen things presented prior prior and I think what we'll do is move this to a via viewed reviewed how this is being presented at our financial policy group. I just I had the similar question at the LDFA board meeting and um when you look at it it looks like a I know Mr. Swallow's attempting to try and do it's just how we look at things differently from before and so we'll evaluate that from that perspective.

Yeah, I think uh I think that's an excellent suggestion. Obviously, the finance uh subcommittee will be uh will be established at our first meeting in January. And I think before you take a look at the first draft of the general operating budget for fiscal year 27, I think having an organizational meeting the first in the first 90 days of the calendar year to uh to elect and establish officers and also to consider these and other items would be uh would be very advantageous. Um uh okay, we have a motion on the floor moved by Dylan, seconded by Rice simply to acknowledge. Is there um if there's no additional questions, all those in favor of the motion say I post say nay. I have the motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to approve? Move to approve. Moved by Lesh to approve. Is there a second? Seconded by Sio. All those Any discussion? There is none. All those in favor of approving say I.

Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries unanimously. Moving on to new business item 25-198, design engineering for woodland drive reservicing between Ann Arbor and Maple and the Culvert replacement. This will be a motion to acknowledge receive the memo from engineer Humphress and to approve or not to approve the contract for engineering design services with OM for the 2025 Woodland Drive resurfacing and culvert replacement program in an amount not to see exceed $88,700. Oh boy. Um I heard Gearb first. Um so he was that was just to acknowledge your seat. Correct. Is there a second? Second.

Okay. Seconded by uh Mayor Prom Dylan and Humphress. Would you like to begin? And I believe we have at least one representative from OM with us. Yes. And I I was trying to be fancy and share my screen here. I don't know if because that's up, Ben, I [clears throat] can't. Um, but let me engineer help. Uh, Mr. Goodman was trying to uh share a PowerPoint or some information on the screen. Share my screen, but that's okay if I can. I was just going to share the map because I had it up on my computer, but

um so this is um for Woodland Drive between um Maple and and Arbor Street. I uh was here about the culvert a couple years ago. when we did a a inspection of our existing corrugated metal culvert that Okay, is it working? Oh, yeah, there we go. Okay, so here's the map that's in the council packet. Um, so this is for so specifically I'm here tonight for the um portion of the project that's shown in pink. This has been on our capital plan now for a few years. Um what really drove this um to we were aiming for 2627 for this project was one the state of the culvert when we did the inspection of the condition assessment of this existing corrugated medical culvert that goes underneath Woodland Drive right here. Um and the road itself is at the point where it's a really good candidate for a mill and fill. So a resurfacing um once the road gets too much further you're looking at actual more under base um and more expensive fix if you will. Um this what's shown in blue here is what we were look aiming for in 20 or what we did do in 2025. This is an old map. This was a map that was submitted to the road commission um as part of the road commission renewal a few years ago. So um this project was completed in 25. This is just we're aiming for 27. Um design of the culvert was authorized by this body a couple years ago. The culvert design um it ended up being quite big. It's a 6 by um 16 foot um culvert. It's um it's interfering. We need to relocate gas, water, and sewer. it basically became a bigger project um during design than when we first initiated. So we were hoping to do one project in summer of 26, one project in summer of 27 because of the impact to the schools here. Um the project has just gotten bigger than that now with the culvert. There's no way the culvert would be done in a single school season. So now we're just looking to do the whole project starting March closing um you know working with the schools for alternate access. One of the things the schools are aware of this project. Um I think most people are aware that they've recently improved this with the connection point here which really helps with um detouring um throughout this

area when we will need to close this road for this project. So this is just the design engineering to keep it on schedule um for the to basically the culvert design is done. This is for the road the relocation of the utilities for the culvert. It will bring the road up to the culvert design and then bidding of said project. Very good. Our representative from Om is here. Do you care to make any comments this evening? Here for questions. All right. Very good. Um questions for our guest store for engineer Humphre. I'll start with Mr. Gerbal.

Uh just a couple. And looking at this project, the impact you have is saying that we're going to have to move gas lines, sewer lines, water lines, all that. How much of a change are we making to this that that's so impactful at this point in time that we're having to affect all of that? Because I would have thought that that would have been designed initially before while those other lines of things were put in there. So the this is all due to the culvert. So the culvert itself. So the the um it's all due to this the replacing of corrugated metal pipes with a huge box culvert. So now the bottoms of the pipes are here. That cauldron itself has a a section of a couple feet. Plus the um stream people we had to pull a couple permits through [clears throat] Eagle. There's there's believe it or not there are six miles of tributary area upstream of this and Pittsfield Township coming through this. Um this is a Pittsfield drain. We had to work with the Washington County road not road commission I'm sorry county county water resources commission. So they require so much um additional I don't know what you call it creek bedding on the from the bottom of the culvert for the natural bedding. So long story short that create the bottom of the existing culvert the new box culvert is feet below that which is what is causing the interference with all the utilities.

Is this design a new requirement? Are we overbuilding or are we I'm trying to understand why we're not just replacing it the way we straighten this out. It all has to do with lakes and streams. This is now this is a drain with more than 5 ft of upstream tributary area. So there are certain requirements that what do you call it? The rivers, lakes and streams, the part 301's and the three I 315s, all these permits we had to pull because of the it's a river, it's a drain. So a lot of this is being driven by county, the state requirements.

We're trying to straighten this out. I mean it would have been cheaper for us to do this to go I don't know if you can see my mouse or not, but to go straight up and down across Woodland, right? So we our our call could have been shorter and but that would have altered the natural state that was we tried and that was not approved and we had to and um but yes so anyways that's so that's the why all of that came up in the culvert design and then you mentioned that there's no federal money that's available for it at this time. Um, was there any county money or anything or state related to this to the fact that it is a drain? And if not, what projects are we actually foregoing the fact that we're going to have to use our own funds versus a federal source at this time?

So, you're speaking specifically to the road funds. Um, and yes, so the federal funding we did apply for the um 27 to 29 transportation information um improvement plan, the tip that Watts puts together. We put this for 27. And as you can see, we have it labeled right here as our 2027 LAP, which that stands for local agency project. Um the the Culvert funding, so this is about a $2 million project. A million bucks for each, let's say, for the roads for easy discussion points. Um so the million bucks in funding for the road. Um we did not receive we do have um fund balance in our major road funds. Um with our transportation asset management plan, we had hoped to move some of that to local roads. Um we have used some of that for local roads. Um we still are planning to do a large 2027 local road project. So um I we're hoping to get [snorts] this design ready and if there's funding available, we're going to go after it for the roads um for the culvert. The Washington County Road um water resource commission has made it very clear that we the road owner are responsible for the pertinances underneath the road um you know for the drain. So, um we have pursued potentially [clears throat] getting this listed as a federal um bridge um and funding through that avenue um but we're slightly unsuccessful. So, we have looked at options for that. TIFFA funding is one that has always been on the table for this also. So, this is in a Tiff district. So, all of those things. So, this is in our this has been in our plan and we know we haven't gotten funding for over a year now. So, we've been planning for that.

Okay. And if you know with all the governor and everything else supposedly coming from the state, there aren't additional resources that may be available a year from now. So that postponing this project wouldn't be more beneficial at that time and investing. I'm trying to figure out where does this sit on our priorities considering we had other priorities and now we're taking money that would have gone into local roads and now going to be deferred and I know we could have a project but it means less local roads getting done. So just trying to how soon does this need to be repaired and replaced if we could have done in our 2027 plan. In fact, I I I would have liked to have done it in 25. Um I think we're getting to the point where we're going to miss the right fix at the right time. I think this is urgent which is why it's still here.

Okay. Because we had a similar concern with Ann Arbor Selen Road um or Ann Arbor Street and I feel like that's been postponed for four or five years because of the lack of federal funding for it too. So trying to figure out and understanding where our biggest priorities are and now it seems like we're going to do this and which primarily benefits the schools um without necessarily looking at all of our other projects. So that's just my two cents that I'm putting in here at this time. Just this has been in the capital improvement plan for three years at least. So three years. So it's been that we would have federal money for it though. Yeah.

He's talking about the loss of but again we we knew that we've known that for over a year now. And I um and and Arbor that he's um speaking of is I mean this is a $2 million project. He's talking about an $8 million project. So I don't know that we're comparing animals to animals. It's still a million dollar. It's still the issue of we were counting on federal dollars and now we're not. So it's a shift federal money. Can I one thing I'm offer a little bit of assistance here. Can I maybe get a few bullet points sent to me via email either from the city manager or the engineer. I have a Watts meeting on Wednesday and I'll probably chat with the director on a few uh matters either before or after the meeting. I'd be happy to mention this again to see if if if he or his staff could assist in helping to identify some additional federal funds. Okay. Thank you.

And if you mind Yeah. U Mayor Projam Dylan, did you have some questions?

Thank you. Um obviously the federal funding was the was the the point that I was going to bring about. Um, and understanding. One of the other things I wanted to ask was that in the memo, it also talked about that when you were inspecting this, it was also you were inspecting bridges um and understanding where are we with our bridges. Um, so it is 25. We are um we did um bridge inspections in September of this year. um we have to do we have three of them that are required federally um on a bi-anual basis so the odd years um they're due in September we do them in September um but we've added to that list um I think three are required probably I think we're at eight now that we're inspecting on a bianual basis um no new I guess overall no new large concerns were brought forward this was a concern that was brought forward after the inspections in 23 um this particular call it, but there's not um I think they're all still in print. No, no large concerns were brought forward from the bannual inspections this year.

Okay, fantastic. Um and then I guess kind of going along with M Mr. Gearb said is because we're not having federal funding, do we specifically know which projects are being sort of pushed off to to fund this? Um, I think we're talking about a loss of about $250,000 in federal funding over the scope of a a three-year um tip. I mean, the road money uh I think our road I'm going to speak a little out of um turn here, but we're I think we have about three million bucks a year. I guess my point is it's a small the amount of money that we lost for this is minimal in the overall road budget. Um they replace that instead of giving us $500,000 a year. Um, so for the 20 I'm sorry I'm speaking all over the place right now, but for the 23 to 25 tip, we got about a million dollars in federal funding. They spread it half a million bucks over two projects. For the 27 to 29 tip, we got about $800,000 worth of um federal money, but they put it all on Ann Arbor. So that's why I say we really only lost about $200,000 in federal fund. It's not enough to really that's that's not that much money in the scope of the annual road program.

Okay. Thank you very much. Any additional questions? Okay, we have a motion on the floor moved by Gearbox, seconded by Dylan simply to acknowledge receipt. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. I have the motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion to approve or not to approve? To approve. I'm going to take CO as the mover and Rice as the second to approve. Is there any additional discussion on the motion? I'll call for the vote. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries unanimously. Moving on to new business item 25-19, Selen River Valley Trail Phase 1 Construction Engineering Service. This will be a motion to acknowledge receipt of the memo from engineer Humphress and to approve or not to approve the contract for construction engineering services to OM for phase one of the Selen River Valley Trail in an amount not to exceed 177,000.

Move to acknowledge. Moved by Dylan simply to acknowledge. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Rice. Uh Humpus. Okay. I've got now of a picture another visual

which I I don't have turned the right way, but this is just a general visual of the proposed pathway north is facing this way. Um this is what was bid out. Um this project has been in the capital plan and wish list I think well before I started here. Um I know I saw it in the 2017 transportation or nonmotorized transportation plan. This is something that has been um pieced together with grant funding. Um we we got a large substantial grant from SAMCOG a couple years ago which really moved this project forward. Um the other um slide that I have up is just something that was shown to the parks commission a few years ago or a year or so ago. So, um, this is an actual picture of Mil Pond Park. This is the a little bit of the empoundment here. This is just south of the dog park area looking to the north. Um, this is a a a area that is where we actually have wetlands in the grass area. You can see where is wet throughout here where the snow is um where there's still like frozen. This is where when you walk in the spring, your feet get wet.

Um, this is um one of the design concerns we had with this path is how do we um actually build a path through what has really been fill area. I mean, we all know that this area was filled in the late 70s. Um, I've gone over that with some of the old aerials from the dam presentations and such. Um, so one of the um other concerns we had with design was just maintenance of it. So the these two are over here are supposed to be kind of the idea of the path is going to go along the ridge line. Of course, our ridge line goes up. Our woods go up, right? They go up from the low area here. And then between the path and the woods, we're going to have these natural plantings. So that's that's a big component of this project is natural plantings between um this path that you see here and the um ridge line. You can see in some instances I mean we do vary from the proposed um ridge line for whatever reason like in this case the state required us because of the wetland crossing we had to minimize the wetland crossing here. So there will be areas where that but the idea is that DPW maintains this side of the path um and this side is natural. Um this went through bids through MDOT. Um that's our non-motorized plan that's here. These were the bids that were received from MDOT. Um M dot this is a MD dot contract. So the all-star power excavating will um is who is moving forward with um bid award. They might have already been awarded the contract. Um and we're looking for getting construction engineering awarded so we can hit the ground running when they're ready to go. They're talking about starting construction the spring when it dries up. Um the contract documents require 60 days from start that they're finished with the path. This path is um it's like a road. We're doing a quite a hefty cross-section because we're putting geog grid down. We're putting um I think it's 8 inches of base on three and a half inches of asphalt. I mean that's our local road cross-section. Um so they have 60 days to get that done. Um we are planning to close the gravel part of the park for some staging. Um but they do have longer in the season for watering and establishment of all of the planting that actually has I think a whole year or two of watering in the contract also.

So, sorry I got a little worried, but that's my background on the project. I got to open it up to um I don't mean to put Council Member Rice on the spot, but I know this matter has been discussed at at the parks commission. Is there anything that you or Director Lambert would like to share?

Um, nothing for me other than we're very excited to get this uh show on the road because what will happen once we have this pathway built is we'll be able to start implementing some of the changes that we want to implement to the park as a whole. Um, so we've been working on bringing forth some recommendations uh to council on some other upgrades to the park um that will, you know, sort of fall in line. So getting this project going uh is is sort of phase it's phase one of a full River Valley Trail. It's also phase one of just a revamp and a refresh of Mil Pond Park itself. So um excited that we're at this step.

Very good. questions for engineer Humphress. Uh, Mr. Seal. So, because of this road base you talked about, I assume that's going to elevate that somewhat. Will they bring up the surrounding embankments that there's not a a drop off the edge of this pathway? Um, yes. So the plans do have and I I believe our cut fill is actually pretty I don't know if you don't off the top of your head Marcus but it's um I actually think we have a fairly um level site but we are planning so the intent would be to um excavate down mostly. Yeah it's mostly excavate down

um because and then you're right the the actual fall across this fight site is I think two feet from the north to south. I mean, it's very very minimal fall. I didn't bring the plants with me tonight. Actually, I brought them the other day and I didn't bring them back with me tonight. But so, they'll be able to successfully uh make it through what now becomes that wet marshy area in the spring. Yes. And I'm sorry, you're right. It will be ra it's going to be dug out, but the the top of the path will be higher then. So, it's going to drain down to the existing pathway or the existing um elevation. But, I mean, it'll be even at the edge. So people either riding a bicycle or walking close to the edge won't have a Yes, you're right. Calamitous fall. Okay. Yes, that is the intent. Very good. Additional questions, Mr. Gearbaugh, and then I'll jump to Council Member Harm.

Just a clarification on the engineering. Um I see that it says Spicer did the plans. Um how are we selecting our engineers because I mean lately it's been Wade and Trim, Spicer, OHM. Um, are we still going out doing bidding or are we just using it based on our professional services and the selecting them? I'm I'm just curious because when I read that it said it clearly said Spicer plan, so I'm worried that they're like putting fingers at Spicer versus themselves. So,

yes. Um, you're right. Spicer is the design engineer on this. Um, as far as the engineering team, I'm um I'm moving forward in accordance with my um January 2023 risk mitigation memo. Um, at that time we had eight engineers working for us and um I was trying to get it down. you know that was it created a bottleneck in my position. Um so um OM um construction is um timeconuming um and so when I was at the city of Ann Arbor I had two jobs like this that was my full job. Um I just talked about two jobs that are a teeny part of my job here. So um and construction is timeconuming and so um OM has proven time and again that they can successfully get a construction job done um and and respond very timely manner to our residents concerns and complaints. Um they first established that with East Belt. That was supposed to be a two-year project that we shut down Maple Road, put in sewer that was 30 feet deep. Um that was originally going to be a two-year project. We had to we got that down to one season. I thank um OM and their construction team for that. Um they have um they have an office very nearby. Um I would say that they're an extension of our staff. I don't I don't even become the middleman with most of our residents now because I just get in the way. I don't know. I cannot possibly keep up with the day-to-day on a construction project um of this magnitude when I'm um managing new development, managed capital improvement planning, all the other things that I'm doing. So that's how um OHM was chosen for this. they have successfully done other and this is I view a high-profile um job that requires um I don't know if you recall Clark um street but we um that that was a the a local agency project that we did not that um yeah we need strong engineering support on local agency project

well I agree [snorts] with that I just was curious when they clearly identify Spicer I just want to make sure that this was my choice when there's a yeah when there gets to be a disconnect between the plans and that how does that get reconciled and do you go back to Spicer and they evaluate the plans or do you change does OHM change the plans just that kind of thing so um it's just that we have been through a number of them and I know that just even recently wrim was a problem that we had the situation with I'm just trying to understand because we're putting significant money into one or two engineering firms and just like we were worried about Tetratech and some other past firms um just re-evaluating these type of things is good due diligence and determining what we're doing at this time. So that's why I did the question. Go ahead, Mr. Swall.

And one more thing, the other advantage to OHM is they are in town doing a lot of our new development inspection. And so excuse me, OM. Yes. [clears throat] Uh but the other advantage is having them here in town um is that that they will be able to obviously be more efficient getting from sight to sight. Thank you. Council member Harmmont, you had a question. Um yeah, I have two questions. So um other than cost, what were the other criteria evaluated? What were the things that were evaluated for when you picked these uh this particular um contractor? [clears throat]

So you're asking about the um engineering RFP from 2020 or so my or my 2023 risk mitigation or Yar power excavation LLC. That was a M. So this was bid out through MDOT. We didn't get a we didn't get it. See, so this is the M do bids. MDOT's low bid. They were low bid. So I have the bids up on the screen now. Um so Allstar um power excavation was low bid through MDOT. This was a federal so the money was federally um required federal bidding through MDOT agency.

Okay. So um were there any other scenarios that maybe we wanted to look at? um like you know we we've come across POS right for instance at the wastewater treatment plant and let's just say along this project we we discovered that there was some um additional like hazmat excavation um did we get dollar per pound um estimates for the all these suppliers to understand if there was any other factors that came into play if that would impact the decision of the supplier the the um what do you [snorts] call it contractor that we picked Um so this because it was federal funding we did have to go through both NEEPA and Shipo approval and review. So that's has gone through an extensive environmental and um archaeological in fact we had to go out here and dig test pits to look for um Indian um or old burial um items here. So and go through all of the the tribal records. Um the we do have undercut in the bid price. That's actually one of the reasons why this was um over 1.1 million um because we we purposely increased the undercut price to give ourselves a little buffer. Um so in so that so that in that sense um I think we are covered for that. Um

so there's no other considerations or or unexpected things that we come across that would then make this this particular outfit um that we're picking uh not the most the best choice to pick. Well, that's always the concern with low bid and it's and we are um using MD dots, which is a large road project money to build a mini little itty bitty road in a park. So, I wouldn't say this is typical, but um this is how we get our million bucks in federal funding. So, anything further, Council Member Har? No.

Okay, additional questions, Mayor Pro Dylan. Thank you. Um, thank you very much for this. My question was October 2nd, 2026. It's a very specific date. Is there something that's tied to that? It's not the first, it's not the 31st. It's it's it's a weird day. I don't I don't have an answer for that. Oh, I wasn't sure whether there was something that we had to meet a deadline for or something like that. Um, and then talking about finance, when I sort of This is a $177,000 expense. That budget line has $975,000 in it. What are we doing with the other $800,000?

Um, so I estimate that the total um project costs, the expenses to the city, which was outlined in my memo like 300 about $25,000. So all of that will be coming out of that $975. And I do believe um yeah, so that that's both of those items are coming out. Um and I'd have to I guess talk with finance more about the okay ins and outs of any more additional because I feel like there was a grant associated with some of that. I'm not exactly sure, but yes, you're right. Right now the expense line item shows 975 and I only estimate that we're going to need 325. That's

okay. That's very cool. Um, and then my only other question was, um, on the bid, it actually says they're removing a tree. There's a covert removal and replacement, storm, sewer, and landscaping on Bennett Street. Where's the covert that they're taking out and replacing? Um, both of those are in the park. So, um, I believe I think one is right by the bridge to nowhere. Yeah. close to where the the the trails connect. Yeah, I want to ch I'll be able to see it better in my That's okay. I was trying to figure out if it because it sounded like it was more on Bennett Street and I guess I was trying to figure out if it was outside of the park.

I think that's just cuz it's the address. It is the address with all of our permitting is whatever it is for whatever Venice Street 400 on Venice Street. It's and I found it confusing. I got the permit for Venice Street and I was like, what is this for? Okay. No, that's that's all I wanted the clarification for. Thank you very much. Any additional questions? Then we'll proceed to vote. We have a motion on the floor moved by Dylan, second by Rice simply to acknowledge receipt. All those in favor say I. I. Oppos say nay. Eyes have. The motion carries unanimously. Is there a motion now to approve or not to approve? Move to approve. Uh moved by Dylan to approve. Seconded again by Rice. Is there any additional discussion? Appears to be none. All those in favor signify by saying I.

I. Say nay. I have it. The motion carries unanimously. We move on to new business item 25-12, rec center task force recommendations. This is an item that uh was first presented or um yeah shared with council probably about a month back. Uh this will be a motion to simply acknowledge receipt of the recreation task force recommendations which allows uh which is which is as fowls, excuse me, authorize the mayor, city manager and their other designates to begin formal discussions with potential partners regarding a regional or districtwide property um tax mill funding campaign or other initiatives that would allocate dedicated financial support to the SLE recreation center. further direct city manager and the financial in the uh recreation center staff to begin implementing short-term costs saving strategies and program expansion measures identified by the rec center task force and provide city council with a comprehensive update at or before its June 1st, 2026 regular meeting.

Move to acknowledge and approve. It's actually just you can do acknowledge but just accept. To accept okay. Sorry. Is there a second? Seconded by Leash. Um again, director Lambert's u manager swallow this item was presented quite some time ago. So, I hope that most of my colleagues has had an opportunity to address their questions, concerns to to staff in advance of tonight's meeting. Is there anything else you'd like to add at this time? I'll start with you, Director Lambert.

Um, yes. So, you know, the the rec task force, the 2025 rec task force um uh presented their recommendations at the I believe it was the October 20th meeting to this body. Um and and in in a quick summary, you know, they had four different areas. um one was to look at short-term um initiatives to help stabilize operations. Um secondly, you know, to pursue regional partnerships um which leads into the third item which is to develop ballot language um for a potential um recreation village. Um and then the community engagement. So to to engage community and and work together to um uh find a to stabilize the recreation center for you know years to come. So

Mr. Swallow anything you'd like to add?

Again I came in on the tail end of the recreation task force. Uh but uh I think the key objectives are you know well founded uh by the by the task force members. uh and obviously there are some timelines associated with that and so that's why that in part the June 1st deadline to come back to council and give you an update as to where we stand. Uh as you recall from the presentation there was about a six-month time frame to identify a partner or reach a partner uh for funding aspects uh as as well as some of those shorter term things that would happen between now and that six-month time frame. So that's uh our target. Uh the other uh item that we're working on is bringing back some of the task force members to serve as kind of an imple implementation committee uh to help us reach out to some of those community partners and uh really um you know really provide them more communitywide input as to where we go from here. So I think the uh the pressure is now on so to speak of to uh that six-month time frame to look at uh potential funding options. And I want to note too for the record and uh u uh in in full disclosure, it was council member Harmmont who um assisted with the prepping and review of this agenda last week along with the city manager. Um the June 1st is June 1st, 2026 is the deadline for a comprehensive report that in no way mitigates um uh more frequent reports uh when appropriate to get consensus uh from from council or to at a minimum inform council of the community as to progress on on specific initiatives. And I would note in addition to what was shared in October, um uh the deputy city manager had brought to my attention another potential opportunity um which I can't comment on um at length this evening, but it is being evaluated um and we may have something tangible to share with you in the next 30 to 60 days. I do want to acknowledge again the work of all of the task force members, those who served on the subcommittee and of course the deputy city manager, then acting city manager um El Cole who led this initiative for several months. Um before we open up for the discussion, are there any final questions at this juncture? Anybody have any additional questions? Council member Harm.

Yes. So, I was part of the agenda setting um meeting and I wanted to there were a couple items I had requested that were would be added that were not and I just wanted to reiterate those. So, if we're talking about a timeline on um the act the rec task force recommendation and timelines, I'd like to designate a starting point to that. So, is it today? Was it last month's meeting? You know, when does it start? and um an estimated amount of money that each one of these items would bring in on an annual basis so we understand what the gap is of what we would need to have um raised funds for. Um another item that we need to define is how much does city council want to contribute from the general funds moving forward. I don't know that we have solidified that. So um what you know the and the third item is is if starting today so today's the start point then we need to have a confirmed partner that we will be moving forward with to ask for the millillage or whatever the mill proposal is would be then June is that my understanding

I think that's basically correct that was part of the intent of the more comprehensive update uh uh in June is to identify that or you know provide options to council. Yes. Okay. So um some of these items for the um so we have again it's kind of a tiered right we have some operational improvements that are going to help make that gap but a lot of these operational improvements are you know 12 months out so then you know is there a step down you know between are we going to be bridging with um some of our general funds is there going to be some sort of step towards what you know here's what we're contributing and here's what our target is to contribute and And then you know how are we going to get there?

Uh the short answer is yes. I mean that's uh the uh first six months were identified as some of those short-term things. Yes, a few of those that uh director Lambert has developed do proceed beyond that uh because they longer implementation period. uh but uh yes I think the particularly at the June 1st meeting we'll come back with okay this is what we're we would need to continue with general fund contribution and then you know with the funding other funding sources we've identified this is how that would be brought down uh and you'll have a range for each of those. Yes.

Okay. And then um if we are to move forward um with with a millillage proposal or if that's what is needed which is what's identified as needed um then that would be what's what's the count what if we are not able to gain that then what's the what what's the next steps on that has that been defined

as we discussed at the October 20th uh meeting of you know what it would look like for a regional millillage which is obviously the preferred what could it look like for a local Selene only millillage which obviously more significant and probably difficult for uh the community to support. And then finally, if the neither of those are achieved is to your point, if the general fund is not able to support it, then there would look at we have to look at some sort of closure plan and that's been actually we've uh talked a little bit about that already as to what that would look like and getting some planning in place for that as well.

Okay. So, we we probably need to have an understanding when we're when we stop to agree to, you know, whatever we agree to for general funds and then when we're not, you know, we're not agreeing to moving any any amount higher than that. I I just I'm concerned we're going to wait and then we won't have a plan or we don't have an agreement and then what are we going to do? Obviously, annual budgeting is another opportunity to discuss that. We're rolling into that right now for uh for the next fiscal year by 27. So I think that's a perfect opportunity to have the discussion of uh how much general fund do we want to uh support for the coming fiscal year and obviously we have an opportunity throughout the year to uh review that as well. Thank you.

Additional questions and then we'll get to discussion. Mayor Pertim Dylan, thank you. um trying to understand and for some reason I apologize apparently I have a totally different agenda because my motion does not match what you had said. There's no dates or anything in it. Um

strange sorry about that. Um, and so I think following up on what council member Harmon just said, it's that I think that it's important for us right now to establish some timelines specifically related to millage and understand what is the time frame for an August ballot and what is the time frame for November and work backwards from those so that we are working in parallel. While we are looking for community partners, we are also tracking what a millillage would be. Um I do not see that the city of Selen is going to be able to support the rec center for 2 years if we don't find a partner and we have to wait on a millillage. So part of that is what I'd like to see and understand is that

let's answer that question right now. The clerk clerk may have the information to get something on the August ballot. Is the deadline roughly is it about 60 days in advance? Yeah. Six days. So it would be it would be um early to June to get something on the August ballot. To get something on the November ballot, it's it's essentially the August. Correct. Okay.

So then waiting for a comprehensive report in June would not really we're going to miss a target of August. So I guess what I'm asking is then rolling things back a bit and understanding working from a a definitive timeline and um I did agree with what Miss Harmon said which was understanding when we talk about um 6 to 12 months what exactly is I feel like we need to attach dates to it so that we're all on the same page of what that would mean. um and trying to understand that aspect of it. Um the other thing that was not mentioned that I'd like to sort of understand is that there was um talk of of increasing programming and such like that. I'd like to understand the costs associated with that before we're start pursuing other you know avenues of programming. And the other last one that I had that I want to be very clear about is understanding um on the wreck task force recommendation there was inclusivity and women focused programming and we discussed women only fitness and design for inclusivity. Um, I just want to understand what that means because I feel like that's going to be opening a door that we opened before and we weren't really prepared for what was on the other side of.

Yeah. So, um, those are recommendations from the task force's items for us to explore. um uh one of our our rec task force members uh Tony Kaumi, she's had been long associated with the YMCA and they had had some success in having spaces within facilities that were um just felt more safe and secure um for women to be able to work out, do stretching or what have you. So, um, you know, programming that would be maybe more specific for for those, you know, that type of group. So, that was a that was a a recommendation and and some of this part, you know, we're looking just to explore is this right for us, you know, and I agree with you, you know, is this is this something that would align well with um the offerings that we have.

Okay. Yeah. And is there interest, you know, so part of that um Mr. Small and I have spoken about doing some surveying um to get some feedback from our customers and our base to see what is it really um that that they're looking for, where are the gaps um in our programming. Just to kind of comment on your previous uh question as well is that uh director Lambert does do an analysis of each new program uh to show what the expected revenue is, what the expected costs are and we obviously would look for net positive in that case and not bring on something that would be a negative uh negative revenue situation or negative net uh you know financial situation

because I think we had had something like that done recently. there was an evaluation of programmings and we sort of set a threshold or I think it was there was something that was discussed of it had to make a certain amount of revenue a percentage of revenue in order to be worth you know pursuing and just understanding I mean the other piece of it right now is do you have the staffing to be able to do those things

yes so um we're you know obviously in the midst of the budget season and part of our um our management staff at the rec center if they're all their programs and um uh responsibilities that they oversee. Uh they work on areas of their budget and then we meet um to go over those and and so we do break each program down. Um we look at what those direct costs are um you know the the revenues, the expenditures um you know and and as Mr. said they do need to be net positive in a in a strong sort of manner to go ahead and you know offer um we're trying to you know seek I know the the schools through their community education department they rely heavily on contracts you know so it it contracted programs um are are less administration because you're not hiring staff right you're you're setting up a contract um and they're coming in so we have a couple programs right now that are contracted so it's it's easy. We're taking registrations. Um but the the person or company that we're contracting with, they're really responsible for the day-to-day operations of those and so we do percentage split.

Okay. Thank you. Um then my last question is for Mr. Swallow, which is when you in the motion that I have, it says to begin formal discussions. I mean, there's been ongoing discussions for years with Pittsfield, the schools, the county, and I mean, I don't I guess I'm just trying to understand what exactly are we, you know, I mean, you can keep asking, but if the answer keeps being no, at what point do we say we're accepting no as the answer? Um, because we've we've kind of gone through this process already. And I just feel like we're prolonging decision making here and trying to figure out. I know that we need a source. We want to partner, but if these partners keep saying that they're not really interested in partnering with us at this time, I don't know when the right time is going to be, if that ever is going to come. So, I I I'm very reluctant to just keep pushing this process along. I feel like we keep doing the same thing and you know when we say formal discussions well what have you been having you know to date

what are those discussions you want to go ahead I mean

I just I think I think we've gotten more clear direction from council at this point I know I have as to uh what uh what the financial situation is uh and what they're expecting in terms of uh return and what uh and what the uh you know what the general fund might support. So I think uh it has come to a more critical point in my mind uh and you know that is something that we you know are we're relaying to some of those committee partners too is that you know we need to we need to make some decisions here and and uh that that time is running shorter uh as as we speak. So uh I guess that would be my answer and you know we have always continuing to talk to our partners about opportunities. I mean that never ends. Um yeah, you're always looking for potential funding sources from uh summer community partners or or collaboration. So that will never end uh regardless. No, you like I said, you can we can keep asking and keep having those conversations, but at some point we need to make some realistic decisions that if they if they're not engaging with us at this point, then what is and that's why I feel as though that millage has got to go in parallel to all these other conversations. And there also needs to be the third leg of the stool which is what happens if we don't get a partner, what happens if we don't get a millillage. What does that look like and start realizing what that plan would be? Because we can't wait until the end to make any decisions. I think we just really have to understand what our options are in full and what the cost and the time is [clears throat] going to be for them. Yeah, I I would also add I feel like all of our partners are engaging and I haven't received a definitive no from from any of the meetings that I've sat in on. Obviously, we haven't gotten firm commitments uh thus far. Um but uh you know, we began engaging and having conversations with our regional stakeholders probably within the last 30 to 60 days. I think they've gone well. Um, obviously nothing tangible has been produced yet, but uh,

conversely, uh, we haven't had the door slammed in our face and I think people are interested in continuing the dialogue and and as the city manager indicated, we've made it very clear that, you know, we're going to need some firm commitments and and some definitive um um, you know, statements or u positions provided to us in in the very near future. Uh, Mr. Ger, you have some questions.

U, what's the actual I mean, this may be the thing. What is the actual outcome for me to support this? I expect on June 6 or June 1st if that's the deadline that's mentioned. It is on the electronic version. It was just not on our paper copy. Um if that's our deadline is the anticipation of that is that we can take that information to either immediately move for a millillage by the city for two and a half mills or whatever it would take if we were to support or to basically say well our partners in the townships and the school do not want to move forward with a millillage. So, we need to make a decision of how we're going to move forward. We keep pushing this down the road and as you stated that you did when we've had discussions that council needs to get off the pot and um for me that's one of it. And one of my things is that are we going to do any kind of community engagement prior to just talking with partners? We haven't reached out to the public to ask them, do you want to support this? And putting a lot of resources and everything into something and then run it through another election or a millage cycle, which could cost us tens of thousands of dollars to do it. I I'm trying to see, we keep not asking the question, does this community want to support it? The easiest way to do it is to put a millage on the ballot and immediately go for it. And I don't want to see us say, "Okay, we could do that in August for us, but we're going to have to wait another year to do it for the townships because we haven't got them all on board or the school district." This July 1 or this um June 1 deadline needs to have an answer. Is that what you feel you're going to produce for us? Obviously from staff's role is to provide you uh what has been done to date. Uh what partners we've spoken with what their response is and here's you know based on those responses here's option one here's option two and option three and ultimately it'll be city

council's uh decision to um you know pursue uh pursue that option. Um and hopefully, you know, it's uh with uh with a more regional supported um uh supported proposal uh which is what the task force uh is had put forward as their objective and goal.

If I may, Mr. Gri, I think to your point though, um absolutely. I would say in the the next 6 months between a new advisory committee, staff or council, we should absolutely try to engage and and pull the people that we represent within the the corporate limits of the city of Selene to ask the question, do you find value in the service? Do you think it should be expanded? Do you think it should be preserved? Or or is this something you think that is no longer of of value to the community? I think that is absolutely critical and I would I would definitely expect that that to be done in the six months and to be reported out on or before June the 1st.

Perfect. And that's because that's similar what we need to have is that's the part of it. Um for me then the other thing is I mean I'm just looking at it again $700,000 support this last year um because of when we looked at the audit statements. We've committed to money for this fiscal year, but that ends the end of June 30th of this year. Moving forward, we're at a point where I'm just making my statement. This has to be resolved. And the only way it's going to be resolved is to get the voters to make a decision. Do they want to support it? And if that comes back that because I can't see us taking more money out of our operating funds at this current motion because we have other things to do. And just tonight, we were told we have no federal money to do our our roads. Um, we lost money from the LDFA. Like the the things are coming to bite us and at this point this is the biggest dog that needs to be resolved. So, um, that's it for me.

Council member Rice, there's nothing. We're moving into discussion here now, which they're just fine because because people have, uh, have obviously had ample opportunity to raise questions and raise concerns and ask questions during the past month and a half. So, go ahead with any thoughts you may have.

There's nothing I disagree with that has that has been set up here. What I what I do disagree with, however, is the sentiment that this isn't worth um the due diligence and the extra effort to fight for. Um no one has said that, but the sentiment is has been put out there. Um when we talk about a city and a community as a whole, sure it includes roads, shirt includes wastewater treatment plants, shirt includes parks. These are all things that we're talking about, but it also includes community wellness. We are not alone in our um need for upgrades to our recreation facility. These facilities were all built in the '9s. Everybody's in the same boat right now. We're taking in clients from other facilities that are doing major renovations and major upgrades. Those other facilities have access to a lot more money and a lot more uh tax base than we do. They're fortunate in that way. Um, but that doesn't um mean that this isn't worth taking the time to figure out how we can afford to keep this. Um, I am hesitant to put this onto the shoulders of the tax base um in the city of Seline. I am praying and pressing for a more regional look and and I think that that's where taking the time to talk with new leadership. We have new leadership in the schools. We have new leaderships in Pittsfield. we have new leaderships at Washington County Parks. Um, taking the time to formally sit down and say, "Here's where we are in the city of Selene. Here's how we would like to partner with you." Those conversations from from the four years that I've been on council have never happened. The kind of backdoor and here's what we would like to do in the city of Seline conversations have happened. Um, but the next six months are crucial and giving everybody the time and leeway to follow through on this so that we have some definitive answers in June. We know what we're

looking at. If we need to support the rec center for another year, we know that we need to support the rec center for another year. If we need to support the rec center for another year, I am going to push for supporting the rec center for another year because this is a community asset. This is health and wellness of the community. It brings people into our community. If we have an upstanding aquatic center and all the programming that goes into it, the moment that I talk about the potential of having to close the Selen Rug Center, my neighbors say, "What am I going to do with my kids in the summer?" My other neighbors say, "Oh, it's really it's perfect for the rehabilitation that I have to do for my knee." You know, we're talking about one of the most prized assets in a community, which is health and wellness and recreation. So, I think we need when we have these conversations to look at it pragmatic and say we got to get some definitive answers and this is what this timeline is doing. This is the timeline that they have set out gives us a push to get to June, get these realistic answers. But between now and June, if we continue to talk negatively about the drain that the rec center is putting on the city of Seline, we're not going to get the community to say yes. We're not going to get them to vote yes for this. So over the next six months, I encourage my council colleagues to look at this as a community asset in a positive way. Solve some problems. Let's figure it out. Let's talk positively about this recreation center. Let's not throw in the towel and let's not discourage our community from wanting to support something that's super valuable.

Thank you. I want I want to hear from everybody before before we vote. And I I think it's a good discussion and everybody's being very clear and emphatic on their on their position. Gentlemen, I don't mean to put you on the spot, but if you'd like to to share any remarks, you're you're welcome to. If if not, we can uh we can move on and see if there's some additional comments from my my colleagues at the DES. Well, I think I stated at a previous meeting that uh it's always occurred to me that the only way to successfully support this center is through a millillage and a vote of the the people who use it, whether it be just the Selen School District, the adjacent communities, however it wants to be structured. And I think that the next six months it's time to develop a plan to put that kind of a concept forward to the public so that they can vote on it in the fall with a reasonable idea of what it is they're voting for. So it's going to take a good bit of work to establish this plan to [snorts] write everything down to pre make a presentation and uh I know we did that with the radio system. Uh we met with good luck because what we did was we designed a a plan. We showed where the budget was going to fall, if they approved that particular millillage, and what exactly we're going to do with all the pieces of that budget over time. So, I think it's it's incumbent on whoever it is that's carrying this this forward to do that very same kind of a thing in preparation for a vote of the public.

Very good. Anything else? Anything you'd like to add, Mr. Mr. Le? Council member Leash? Uh, yeah. I I mean I I concur that I I do view the rec center as a community asset. Uh and I also do acknowledge the fact that in the next year or so there will be other things that will probably come up on millillage for the city. So um I think 6 months is probably the reasonable timeline to figure out if if this is something that the community really wants. Anything else before we vote? Council member Harma,

when will we know that we have a solidified partner? Like what will define that? [clears throat] Obviously depends on those partners as to what commitment level they're willing to provide. And so I think uh obviously it will have to be something more substantial than uh just a verbal yes, we're interested. I think it would have to be more of a a resolution or some order uh by their governing body or something of that nature, more formal action.

So, I think what I'm hearing or what I'm I'm hoping that I'm hearing is that we would have June in the June 1st or whatever that that timeline is is that there is a confirmed partner, right, with with a solidified agreement of some sort as opposed to just a we might be partnering. So right is that my understanding is correct. That would be my understanding. Yes. Okay.

Let me just add before before we vote. I was a good discussion and I appreciate everyone being so so so direct with their their sentiments. Um I I mean I concur with much of what has been said here this evening and what's been said in the the p the past. Um the the trajectory we're on providing significant large subsidies from our general fund to the recreation center is is not sustainable. Um, at the same time, um, I do see great value in in the facility and I'm willing to do my part and fight for its it its pres preservation and long-term, uh, viability. Um, I think 6 months is is the appropriate amount of time to engage with regional stakeholders, try to develop new partnerships, pursue new initiatives that improve the viability of of the rec center from both an operational perspective and provide us the capital to to enhance or expand the amenities in the future to meet the needs of a of a growing diverse uh community. Um, I would also echo the sentiments of of council member Rice, which is I think it's really incumbent upon those of us in elected positions or in leadership positions more broadly that would include both elected and appointed to share a positive vision for for the rec center and to be optimistic about its future. I try my best to do that. I strongly encourage residents if you're not a member to check out the rec center, to visit our facility, to take a tour, to understand what's offered there. It's not just a a weight room and and gymnasium and and and pool and and cardio center, but it's a number of classes. It's it's it's civic engagement. It's connecting with your neighbor. Uh and like I said, I think it adds value to the community and um I I'm hopeful that it can be be preserved and improved in in in the years ahead and put on a more sustainable trajectory so we're not having to have these conversations on a recurring basis. Uh we have a motion on the floor moved by Rice, seconded by Lash, simply to accept the uh uh recommendation from the rec center task force. All those in favor say I. I. Post say nay.

Nay. Eyes haven't. The motion carries 6 to1. We move on to our last new business item which is 25-200 special land use um 1271 industrial indoor sports training facility. God bless you for hanging tight here. Uh uh Director Atkin, this will be a motion to I think there's a typo here. Or is this correct? Is it to approve Oh, excuse me. It's to approve the motion to approve with conditions postpone or not to approve the special land use at 1271 Industrial Drive, Selen, Michigan 48176, parcel number 18-12-31-120-014-18-12-31-120-015 and 18-12-31-120-016. Move to approve.

Okay. I think it was moved by Harmon and um Lesh. Do you want to be the second? Thank you, sir. Um, I'm gonna start with uh Director Atkin and then uh defer to Council Member Gearb who's our rep to the planning commission. Yes. And I'd like to thank uh Miss Jasky for hanging out there today.

Yeah. God bless you. We appreciate you being here a lot tonight, didn't you? [laughter] Okay. So, this is uh excuse me, [clears throat] it's former site of Bank Supplies uh northwest corner of the parcel just off of Industrial Drive. It's a three-unit building. uh they're going to I don't know that it's ever been separated, but that's why there's three separate parcel numbers. It was done as a condom condo development. So, the uh property is just the building itself. Uh it's for an indoor soccer training facility for the Selen Area uh soccer association. Uh it's only going to be for their team. Um unless sometime in the future they rent it out. The hour is only going to be nights and weekends. So parking is not going to be uh there's not going to be any overlap with parking with other businesses that are in the area. The building directly to the east is Selen Area Social Services. Uh the number of parking spaces out there uh far exceed what they they're going to need. They're estimating I'll just round up to about 20 people. 15 of those being the athletes themselves, couple of coaches, and then some parents. Um, it's not going to be open to the public. There's not going to be any tournaments or uh events there. It's uh strictly for pra practice. Uh there's not there no improvements to the outside of the building. Everything is going to be interior. So they have to go through the building permitting process. Um other than that, it it meets all the criteria for special land use. it's a a good reuse of a building as opposed to it becoming vacant. Um so planning commission last Wednesday on the 10th recommended approval with a condition that uh any changes to the site plan or excuse me any changes to the operations

there um other than what was proposed on their agenda or on their application that they would have to come back for amendment to their special land use. Pretty clear. Mr. Gerb, anything you'd like to add? Uh, the only thing is I do want to make sure that we say approved with conditions. The motion was approved. So, just to clarify that yeah, I'm assuming Thank you. That's for us, Mr. Atkins. It's not You're fine what we recommended from planning commission. We just need to clarify. I'm assuming council member Harmmont, Council Member Le, you're you're approving noting the conditions that were added by the planning commission, not additional conditions from this body. Correct.

Okay. Everyone clear then on that? And just to clarify, um the reason we put that on there, it's similar what we did with Michigan Academy in the event that should there be any change or heavier use on it, um which in their situation with Michigan Academy was having tournaments and that type of thing, which would cause problems with their neighboring um parking and such. Um other than that, I'd asked if there was any concerns related to the site itself in terms of needing to be fixes or improvements, whatever. And we were assured by the applicant there's an HOA that manages the property, so if there's any concerns, they'll be addressed by them at that point in time. Very good. Would the applicant care to make any statements this evening? I'm here to answer questions.

Very good. Uh let me just say before I open up for questions, I also ser on the planning commission. It was a very short planning commission meeting. I think it was less than a half hour. This was pretty um uh pretty cut and dry. Um and as Mr. uh Director Atkin indicated, I think it's a a good use for the facility. Um just again state for the record, uh Bank Supplies is not leaving the Seline community. they purchased a much larger facility that they're investing heavily in and hope to be uh operational within the first quarter of uh of 2026. So, um welcome you to Seline. I'm assure this motion will pass this evening and wish you we wish you good luck in the the months and years ahead. Are there questions for Director Atkin? Miss Dylan,

thank you. Um does it matter it is it just any sport or is it specifically to soccer? This is going to be for specifically I know this is soccer, but could they have any other sport in there? No. The way that the floor plan is set up, there's the practice area is not going to be large enough for anything anything else really. Um the building is just over 9,500 square feet and there's going to be uh offices, bathrooms on the main floor. So, no. So, it's pretty much it. Okay. We're just looking for other opportunities that are indoor facilities. Thank you.

Additional questions. Any discussion on the motion? It's been properly moved by Harmmont, seconded by Lesh to approve, noting the conditions uh um um included or recommended by the planning commission. All those in favor of approving say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries unanimously 7 to zero. Thank you very much. Good luck to you. Appreciate your time this evening. Uh we transition to the discussion portion of the agenda. First up is reports and other announcements including updates from boards, committees, commissions, and task forces. Again, I'll be begin with council member Leash. Uh, arts and culture meeting will be this Thursday at 4:30. Okay. Council member Seio, 3:00. This Thursday is the cemetery board, correct? What's been cancelled? Okay. Sorry. Do you have you have do you have an environmental commission meeting on Wednesday evening, Mr. Seal?

I understand that. Yeah. Uh, do you have an environment commission meeting? Your last one? Yes. Um, I just wanted to I've neglected to say this, but I just wanted to say to my fellow colleagues on council right now that uh through the years we've had some tough issues. We've had some uh difficult problems that we've faced. Uh I think we've always come up with reasonable solutions. We may not have always agreed on exactly what the proper thing was to do, but I respect the fact that we always acted like gentlemen and gentle women with one another and when the day was done and the discussion was over, we still remain friends and I appreciate that very much. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sam. Appreciate those remarks. Mayor Prom Dylan reports other announcements, updates from boards, committees, commissions or task forces.

Thank you. Um the cable commission met last week and we continue to move forward with right now we're doing some cataloging of assets. We're doing some disposal of some old assets. Um and we are still awaiting repair of the fiber optic line that was unfortunately severed. So the cable channel is still not up and running. Um it's in process, but all of the city council, school board, and community uh meetings and activities are available either on the cities or the school's YouTube channels. In the meantime, uh Urban County met this week and it was big focus. We are still trying to work on plans for dispersement of funds and how those allocations are going to work and also with the colder weather uh notifications of the warming centers being open, the daytime and the evening ones and um other resources that are available that we will put online for people to have.

Thank you. Council member Gearball, reports, other announcements.

Uh just a couple both the again a little more on the asset management group. We met last Friday. Um we received a um very interesting report, a preliminary report based on assessment of our water um treatment plant and the capacities and things of that nature and including potential options that may be involving um yaka. Um it's looking like even that still have a high price tag on it. Um that probably will be coming to us in February I believe or March something like that. So council will see that. It's a very informative document. It helps us understand, you know, the capacity of our wells and of our um reverse osmosis and all that. So, we know that we have that capacity or what we need to do in the future to expand or address those kind of needs. Um and then uh the risk management group met. We're kind of trying to change our focus a little bit, working with um city manager Swallow to reduce the number of critical concerns down to a a manageable amount of most priority and probably 25 of them that which staff can work towards as part of our risk management and our strategic plan so that um there's more clear direction on what they're working towards. And then just one last thing I forgot um just FYI, apparently we had a heater fail on what they call the rocket ship, which is the odor abatement um um part of the oatement equipment and the pipe froze and valve broke and unfortunately that's going to have to be um fixed. It'll take a little bit to do on that, but um we're looking at those kind of things and hopefully in the future identifying ways to use technology to leverage that um and avoid that kind of failure.

Okay. Thank you. Um Council Member Rice. Uh, all my meetings are tomorrow. I've been out of town for a couple weeks. So, okay. TBD. Um, Council Harmon,

uh, we do not have a historic district commission meeting on Thursday. Um, I do want to put a plug in for, uh, my water advisor. If anybody out there has not had a chance, please, um, do yourself a favor and download that app. Um there this the time of year for water leaks and and this is a great way to uh with cost of you know uh utilities going up with water and sewage. It's important to keep an eye on those things and just one running toilet can really run up the bill. So um the water advisor is an app that you can go in real time and look at what your water usage is and and it might be able to save you some um some headache in the future.

Very good. May I interject? Because [clears throat] perfect example, we left to go overseas for 2 weeks. I got an alert on my phone that said we've detected a leak. I asked a neighbor to go into the house to see what was going on. I suspected it was the downstairs toilet, and it sure was the downstairs toilet, but it was 2 days into our trip um of 14 days. So, it it detected it within 48 hours uh noticing that other things hadn't been running, but something had been running. So saved you hundreds of dollars easy. Be literally hundreds of dollars and or a headache should something have happened. Absolutely. To that toilet. So that was perfect.

Appreciate you sharing that. Um Davin Port Curtis House. I can take this one. Mr. Swallen, if you want to add anything. Um we are nearing the time where we need to develop consensus on that issue as to whether or not council approves uh uh to close on the property or to walk away. Um, deputy city manager uh El Cole has finished her comprehensive analysis and matrix of the the Curtis Mansion. I have not had an opportunity to review it, but she and I did discuss it last week. It is a very thorough comprehensive document uh over 70 pages. It has been provided to the city manager um who will be reviewing it this week and then uh the plan is to disseminate to each of you by 5:00 p.m. this Friday, giving you ample time to review it and ask questions of staff, specifically the city manager or deputy city manager. Uh in the ensuing weeks, um the city clerk had sent out an email last week to put a hold on, I believe it was January the 8th, is that correct, uh Clerk Royal, for a special meeting. It's my understanding that that um that date will conflict with um uh prior commitments that several council members have. So, I discussed the matter briefly with council member Gearb and also with the city clerk and city manager. What I'd like to propose, if the 2026 council is amendable to this, is to have a special work meeting prior to our first meeting of the year on January 5th to ask any outstanding questions visa v the potential acquisition of the Davenport Curtis home. Um, I would recommend meeting at 5:45 because we already have a commitment that Heidi Mlen, our former colleague, will be here at about4 to 7 to take a group photo um and individual photos if uh if people would like to use them for official purposes. Uh the understanding of course would be that we need to develop consensus no later than our subsequent council meeting which will be on Jan or January the 12th. Good. Does Can I start with council member Harmmont? Would a work meeting at at 5:45 on the 5th would that work for you?

I believe it would. Yes. Okay. Council member Rice, it works for me, but I actually liked having it on its own separate day should we go over an hour. Um it makes me a little nervous that we won't be able to answer get [snorts] through it in an hour. Yeah, I understand that. Which is the was partially the genesis of trying to get you that document two weeks in advance. So yeah, so so long as my colleagues, you know, try to get due diligence done before that meeting, that should be just fine for me. Okay, Council Member Gearb. Yeah, that's fine. My other recommendation is we could tag it on at the end of the meeting and just do it as part of our regular meeting. So if we were concerned that but I think an hour discussion we should

let's let's start with an hour discussion that works for everybody and then if we need it. yet we can add it at the end or or schedule a special meeting later that week. We just have to make a decision by the 12th. Okay. Mayor Put Dylan. Yes, that works. Okay. And let me defer then to the two gentlemen who will be joining us come January. Mr. Deloro, would a 5:45 work meeting on the 5th work for you? Yes, provided we're also furnished with a copy of the Absolutely. You will get one on Friday as well. Mr. Halsh.

Good. Okay. Very good. Um, anything else you'd like to add? Visa v the uh Davenport Curtis home? Well, I think the report will include uh obviously all the due diligence, environmental uh structural uh we'll have uh those reports included as part of that. We'll have cost estimates for uh ongoing maintenance in terms of as well as utilities and then ultimately the the financing mechanisms potentially that uh the city council could consider but it is due to the purchase agreement we do need to take action in January. Very good. Um you would would you like to provide an update on the DPW director search Mr. Swallow?

Sure. Uh, as you're aware, uh, we're working with Pivot Group on, uh, on updating the job description as well as, uh, as well as working out, uh, uh, details for advertising the the position. Uh, based on communications with the current, uh, current staff as well as some of the the job duties, which included water and sewer, which is a little bit unique to uh, our position. Uh, we did advertise as Department of Public Services. uh that is more a generally accepted title for uh individuals that have both the traditional DPW and uh water and sewer uh related obviously our collection system for sewer and our distribution system for water. Uh that advertisement has been posted on our city website and we are working with uh the PIPA group to advertise on the major uh statewide organizations including MML, the APWA Michigan chapter. And so our goal was to have it out there for people to review over the holidays potentially. Uh and then the deadline will be January 20 20th for preliminary uh resume submitts at that time. Feb group go through those reviews and that we'd like to have the uh the review committee uh with the uh with the council members included uh to review those resumes at that time. So, spoken with a couple of you about serving on that uh on that recruitment committee and I'll follow up with you uh probably before the holiday. Um appreciate that. So, the position has not been posted to date.

It has. Oh, it has. Okay. All right. U maybe if um either HR HR or your department could follow up and provide us council that link because um the link included in the Friday update. Oh, very good. Okay. Um then that that will suffice. It's just um the more people sharing it the better. Okay. Uh questions for the city manager regarding the DPW director position? No. Okay. Um and then finally um downtown uh green space. I had been referring referring to it as town square. What what vernacular are we social gathering space? Are we saying social gathering space? What is the original scope? What is the the title?

Again, downtown green space is what I was uh provided with. Uh but I'm open to changing that uh as we uh move into more of the uh uh I guess the public facing uh aspect of it. So, uh, really the original subcommittee was social gathering space. Okay. I just green space has a a different connotation to me, but I actually like town square, but I'm not I'm not dying on that hill. Um,

the key uh aspects we're working on right now are working with Mr. Kinley on finalizing the requirements for the MEDC grant. As you know, there's a notice of or letter of intent, and so there are several follow-up items included with that, including more detailed project cost estimates and some preliminary design work that will need to be submitted to the state. Uh, the other thing we're working on is a basically a development agreement that would be between Mr. Kinley and uh or really practice properties uh and the city to define uh the roles and responsibilities of each party and which aspects of the project that they're taking on. Uh and then we're also working on uh developing the design further. There are some very conceptual designs that was submitted as part of obtaining the funding for the project. So we're taking that uh we've actually uh have an agreement with Beck and Raider design firm uh that uh to take the concept designs and develop that into uh more preliminary design that could be used for more detailed cost estimates and ultimately construction.

Very good. And per Mr. Kinley's remarks this evening, I have been in communication with him. I've shared this with the city clerk and with the city manager. I do think it would be prudent and appropriate to invite him to a public meeting to do a more in-depth analysis and report out on where the project stands and to address any questions, concerns you may have. So, I will work with staff and Mr. Kinley and he will either be likely be on either the second meeting in January or first meeting um in February as a special presentation. There any questions for the city manager? Mayor Pertim Dylan.

Thank you. Um I I've been asking for this for a while, so I appreciate that it's kind of coming to fruition is sort of understanding where we stand. There are some there's some other drawings that are out there that are not at all what this body had looked at initially and I think we need to understand what the city is committed to this project right now and how much staff time is going into it on behalf of Mr. Kinley as well as you know what the city's interest is going to be in it. So, I I'm hoping for a comprehensive um presentation just debrief at some point in the very near future before this starts getting too far down the road. Um I know that we had talked about it was mentioned at a previous town hall that there were going to be some drawings provided to the business and property owners. I want to just make sure that that this side this that the city is sort of on the right page before we start putting information back out to the businesses to the downtown and such that you know we have a clear understanding of of what the scope of this project is because there is one other piece that we have not discussed which is the pending issue with with the other piece of property. Um, and so I think that we need to as a council make some decisions before we get too far into this to make sure that we don't get to a point when we have an impass.

Additional questions. Uh, Council Rice.

Um, I just want to state that I am not of the belief that the city is doing anything on behalf of Mr. Kinley. I believe that the city is doing its due diligence on behalf of the downtown gathering space that city council is uh committing $500,000 toward. Um negative connotations toward the lead for this project who is doing um what I think is going to be some really fantastic, possibly award-winning work to create a gathering space in downtown Seline. um just isn't helpful to anybody.

Any additional comments or questions? Well, we'll make sure that I hope that comment was not directed at me. It was I you said on behalf of Mr. Kinley. This work isn't being done on behalf of Mr. Kinley. This work is being done on behalf of the city of Seline and a community asset that's going to be really cool when it's all said and done. Miss Rice, I was reiterating what the city manager had mentioned in that he and staff were working on MEEDC documentation for Mr. Kinley.

Well, we'll make sure that Mr. Kinley is um is invited and present at an upcoming meeting in the interim. If people have questions, please direct those to uh to either the city manager or deputy city manager who's also been working on this issue. Anything else you would like to add, city manager um Swallow? Uh, no. We'll work obviously carefully to get uh some more details to council so that uh so that so we move forward uh you're fully informed. Very good. Clerk Royal, did you have a comment? I have a public comment.

Oh, okay. All right. Well, I think we're getting to that right now, but I'm going to defer first to those who are in the audience. Um, we come to our second public comment period, my friends. Under the Open Meetings Act, any person may come forward and make a comment 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 generally does not respond to questions during the public comment period, but we may be able to provide clarification or direction subsequent to your remarks. Are there any citizen comments from those in the audience this evening? You'll have three minutes. Come forward to the podium. Make sure the green light is illuminated. And again, once you begin, you will have exactly three minutes. We welcome your comments or questions. Um, I'd just like um to say I I really hope that if we get a chance to put out projects to them in the future that it's something that we do try to do because it does give the local businesses a chance to do things that might be um delegated to ones that we're more comfortable working with. Not that it's a problem. I know there's time restraints. Um and I'd like to just make it about the rec center that um when we're thinking about it, I'd really like everyone to think about how close is the nearest indoor pool to Seline. And anyone who's doing water aerobics to strengthen themselves or get over injuries or anything, they're going to be driving that car during the bad winter months because there's the furthest pool is pretty far. I don't believe that the school's pool is open for community use. Uh so it's just something to think on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mary. Appreciate your comments. Any additional citizen comments from those in the audience this evening? Then let me defer to the city clerk. Do you have at least one written comment that Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.

Hey folks, I'm Dan. I live on North Ann Arbor Street. Um trying to be more involved here. So start off by just ruffling some feathers about the mansion thing. Um I think that you know listening to a lot of the financial issues over the last meeting or you know two or three there's a lot of um a lot of discussion on small things like the culvert or uh maintenance on the rec center or things that are genuinely necessary or benefiting us that uh it seems like there's always sort of this you know we have to move this over to have funds for this or we have to um you know prioritize things when we don't want to. And I think that this mansion I mean it seems like it's going to be a a money pit. I don't know sounds like there's some due diligence done with this report that was mentioned. Uh, I don't know if the taxpayers will have the ability to see any of this or what the plan is with it, but I mean the upkeep and we're going to have to have if we're going to use it for public events and things like that, like I mean that sounds like another full-time position just to manage all that, the upkeep, the event planning, uh, you know, I mean, everything down to there's not going to be anyone in the house. We're going to have to have like pest control. I mean, little things that I think will continue to accumulate that might not be looked at at the moment, all expenses that are going to offset any revenue that we gain from this. So, I just think with our increasing water bills and with these things that like seemingly don't have the money for in the first place that are genuinely necessary or benefiting the folks in town, this is something that um you know, we'd like to at least have some more clarity on if this is something that you all are interested. I mean, I drive past it every day. I've driven past it for the last 10 years. I would love to step foot in that mansion, but I

also pay almost $1,000 a month in property taxes and water bill and I mean it's getting unsustainable. So, thank you all for listening.

Appreciate your comments. Thank you very much. And let me let me just respond if I may. Um you're you're absolutely correct. You you should expect to see the comprehensive report that I made mention to earlier. Um it'll be disseminated to city council by the end of this week and likely put on minutes or documents on demand for public dissemination and review no later than the following um I think not the following Tuesday not two weeks from tomorrow. Um so we would encourage you to take a look at that. Um and then of course the meeting that was made mention of earlier a work meeting at 5:45 on the 5th that's open to the public. We would welcome you to to attend and provide comment. We will not be making a decision that night. Subsequent decision would come at the following meeting which would be again a public meeting on January the 12th. Any additional citizen comments? Then I'm going to defer to clerk royal. You had a written comment which the individual wanted to remark right at this time.

Yes, please.

The name is Remy Wrencher wrencher. It says, "Mayor and city council members, my name is Remy and I am commenting more accurately protesting agenda item 25179, water and sewer rates from the December 1st, 2025 meeting. The council recently voted 5 to zero to approve significant water and sewer rate increases, 6.5% rise for water and 7.5 rise for wastewater, which are scheduled to go into effect in January 2026. This will bring Selen's rates to 5.95 per 1,000 gallons for water and to6004 per 1,000 gallons for sewer. The sewer rate alone is nearly double that of Ann Arbor 8.99 and Pittsville Township 758. My family has lived as clean since [clears throat] 2013 and we love this community. But our our quarterly water and sewer bills, which are regularly 450 to 550 for a family of four, have become nearly impossible to manage. And we are not alone. These rising costs are hitting retirees, disabled residents, and young families the hardest. My primary concern is simple. When is enough enough? At what point will the city recognize that these rates increases are becoming unsustainable for the people who live here? Does the city plan to keep raising rates through rates until enough residents fall behind on their bills? Is there a cap? Will rates ever come back down after the wastewater treatment plant's debt and capital needs are finally met? Residents deserve clear, honest answers, not another explanation about this is this work has been needed for years and rate hikes are the only way to afford it. Punishing residents now for the city's failure to manage budgets and infrastructure responsibly 20 years ago is unacceptable. And this leads to serious questions about spending priorities. Because if the city is telling us that water and sewer rates must keep rising, that families must absorb higher and higher bills each year, then how is it possible to justify

discretionary spending on things like the rec center or the frankly absurd idea of purchasing Curtis Mansion? These may be nice to have amenities, but they are not essential. They are not infrastructure. They are not life sustaining services. And when residents are paying some of the highest wastewater rates in the region, choices like these raise very real questions about whether the city's priorities align with the needs of its taxpayers. To put it plainly, Seline cannot continue spending on extras when it still cannot afford the basics. Or as a good friend of mine said, "How about we build the damn kitchen before we start remodeling it?" This is this is not just about infrastructure. This is about sustainability and responsible governance. Residents [clears throat] want to know what is the long-term plan. How will the city prevent these rates from climbing indefinitely? And why should taxpayers trust the city's financial steward stewardship when essential infrastructure is underfunded but not but optional projects remain on the table. Seline is a wonderful community and my family wants to remain here. But between property taxes and these escalating utility rates,

have to stop it there. We appreciate the the the comment. Um, I'm assuming the individual emailed those remarks to you, Clerk Royal. I think it would be helpful um if um perhaps you could email the individual back, thank them for their comments this evening, and also provide them the support material that was um provided to council at their last meeting when they discussed and debated um water and sewer utility rates for the uh the ensuing year. Mr. Swall, I'd also put you on the spot um because some of the concerns and questions that were raised are very legitimate and valid. Can you speak to the distinction though between general fund dollars and utility funds that that support water and sewer upgrades?

Sure. Uh both water and sewer are designed as enterprise funds which basically means that they should be self- sustaining. So the the rates are directly associated with the cost of daily operations. So uh day-to-day um staffing chemical needs uh equipment needs and then the secondary component of that is the capital needs. And yes, I think we all have debated at length the uh significant capital needs related to sewer which have driven some of those rates. But uh it is not advised and discouraged to utilize general fund dollars which are used for other services in the city uh to support your utilities and because in in large part that those general fund dollars are again uh designated for other city services. And if you start pulling those away for your enterprise funds, that's uh that indicates that there is a significant issue there. So uh it is again uh highly advised that enterprise funds are self-supporting uh and that you do not utilize general fund uh dollars to supplement that or if if there's a need for that, it is only on a temporary basis. Well, it I appreciate that and it's been confirmed to be confirmed to me by the treasur and by the deputy city manager who used to be the treasur that there also statutory limitations on how you can transfer general fund dollars to to enterprise funds. Um so, you know, whether you like it or not, our our hands to a certain extent are are are tied and our our options are are limited. Again, we appreciate the the individual raising these concerns. Um perhaps clerk Roy, when you provide the individual the the support material that was uh disseminated to council at the last meeting, you can also let the um the um petitioner know that if they have additional questions, they're welcome to reach out to city council or to the city manager's office.

Uh were there any additional written comments provided in advance of tonight's meeting which the individual wanted their remarks right at this time? Okay. Um anything for Mr. Gearb? Just real quick. Um, just clarifying when we have public comments, it seems like we're putting the topics, but we don't put the name of the individual giving the public comments in the minutes. Have we stopped doing that or make sure the green light is illuminated? Um, can we put down what they're commenting on, but we do not put down who it is that's speaking?

Um, I guess because we asked that in our public comment thing, I would think it'd be reasonable that we should be putting the name down. We used to do it and I asked that previously, too. I don't know why we stopped. Um it was recommended through our um the MML or not the MML but our um oh our class that we have every so often for parliamentary procedure. Yeah. I I'm not I'm not a legal reason for

No, I'm I'm not an I'm not an expert on actually I'm not an expert on any subject. Um I I I have a little bit more knowledge than your average person on parliamentary procedure. Um and um to Mr. gear bus point. No, there would be no legal um requirement that would prevent us from stating the individual's name. Again, there is no formal requirement that an individual articulate their name during either public comment period. However, I I concur. If the individual gives a name, I think we should at least give a first initial and a last name. And sometimes they do and sometimes I don't hear them, which is hard to hear.

Yeah. Point taken. Understood. I if they stand up and it's clearly articulated, I think we should add the name. Certainly, if if in the petitioner's case earlier this evening, if they provided a written comment and then put their name, I I think it's it's best to just um uh enumerate that as part of the minutes. Happy to do that.

Um with that, this is our last council meeting of the year. It has been an eventful and productive year. I thank everybody for their service. Um again, we thank our outgoing council members and wish them well in their future endeavors. and we very much look forward to working with um council members elect Deloro and Halch. Um I'm not real into Christmas. It's not my my trip, but I wish everybody a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. Um and wish you good health and uh happiness on behalf behalf of myself and city council in in 2026. If there's nothing further, would our outgoing council members like to make a motion to adjurnn at 9:24? So moved.

Moved by CO his last motion as a council member. Unless are you going to second? Thank you very much. All those in favor of adjourning at 9:25 signify by saying I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Meeting is a journ. Thank you all.