Mayor Robert Backon, Mayor Pro Tem Robert Megowen, Councilors Rachel Lankton, Gernot Joachim, Craig Kurtz, Mike Needham and Dan Salo.

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1 REGULAR MEETING HOUGHTON CITY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, :30 p.m. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY CENTER PRESENT: Mayor Robert Backon, Mayor Pro Tem Robert Megowen, Councilors Rachel Lankton, Gernot Joachim, Craig Kurtz, Mike Needham and Dan Salo. Also present for the City: City Manager Eric Waara, Treasurer Jodi Reynolds, Deputy Clerk Cleo Ruonavaara, Director of Public Works Mark Zenner, Lieutenant Nick Roberts, and Susie Landers. ABSENT: ALSO PRESENT:. A Representative of the Daily Mining Gazette, WOLV, WMPL, Derek Bradway, Karin Cooper, T. Daniel Clark, Cheryl Roberts, Nancy Mark, Jim Cote, Jeff Koski and other members of the community. REGULAR MEETING: Mayor Backon called to order a Regular Meeting of the Houghton City Council and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES: A motion was made by Lankton and seconded by Megowen to approve the minutes of the June 11, 2014 Regular Meeting as written. A motion was made by Joachim and seconded by Lankton to approve the minutes of the June 19, 2014 Special Joint Meeting with the City of Hancock as written. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA: OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO ADDRESS COUNCIL: City Manager Waara added under New Business Item G Burger Lot Split, Item H Set Public Hearing for Proposed Ordinance , he added to Item E lot split, and Item K Closed Session. Councilor Rachel Lankton added under New Business Item I Carnegie Chairs and Item J Story of Houghton DVD. No one addressed the Council. 1

2 PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS: Deputy Clerk Ruonavaara read a letter from Christine Holland thanking the Public Works crew for picking up her yard debris and also thanking the City for providing this service to senior citizens. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Mayor Backon called to order a public hearing regarding Proposed Ordinance City Manager Waara said that this ordinance amends the DDA plan to add projects funded by captured tax money in the DDA Fund. The projects to be added are Lakeshore Drive Streetscape, the walkway on the parking deck, and repairs to the stair towers. Resolution amends the TIFA plan to add projects in the TIFA Fund. The projects are water extension to southern TIFA parcels and future replacement of a culvert at the Sharon Avenue and Ridge Road intersection. There were no other comments from the council or the public. A motion to close the public hearing was made by Lankton and seconded by Joachim.. REPORTS: Director of Public Works Mark Zenner reported: The crews have been fixing water leaks. The crews have been patching asphalt as material becomes available. Street sweeping is pretty much completed. The handrails along Montezuma have been replaced. The salvaged Crab Apple trees from the planters have been replanted in the West End Park near Woodhaven and in the East Houghton Park. Work is being done on the sewer line in Springwood for the newly constructed home in Woodhaven. The City received a letter from Michigan FEMA, that for the projects last year the state will fund 12 ½% with the City liable for the other 12 ½%. We are still waiting to hear about funding for other projects. Police Lieutenant Nick Roberts said the department answered 114 calls, made 5 misdemeanor arrests, handed out 8 civil infraction tickets, and 10 city tickets. There were 10 personal damage accidents. The department has been putting on Community Education Classes which included elderly driving classes along with fraud classes. They had firearm qualifications today. The department received a $5000 grant for underage drinking which will go through September Bridgefest went well. The police department walked with the fire department in Relay for Life to show their support. 2

3 Susie Landers reported that the new Radiance Salon is opening this week. Three other businesses are new to downtown; Eye in the Sky Security, Carl Johnson, CPA and Attorney Keith Deforge. World Foods is open again. Business has been good so far this summer with increased foot traffic on Sunday. Mayor Pro Tem Robert Megowen said the Copper Country Fireman s Tournament will take place this Saturday, June 28, 2014 in Houghton with a parade at 7:00 p.m. City Manager Waara talked about the Houghton Energy Efficiency Team. This is a county-wide incentive program for energy savings in a community, which could result in a potential prize or grant for a community who can save the most energy over a period of time. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: A motion was made by Lankton and seconded by Megowen to approve the accounts payable for June 12, 2014 to June 25, 2014 as presented. Yes: Lankton, Megowen, Needham, Kurtz, Backon, Joachim, Salo A motion was made by Lankton and seconded by Joachim to adopt Resolution as presented. Yes: Lankton, Joachim, Salo, Backon, Megowen, Kurtz, Needham. A motion was made by Joachim and seconded by Megowen to adopt Ordinance as presented. City of Houghton County of Houghton, Michigan ORDINANCE NO

4 APPROVING AMENDMENT TO DEVELOPMENT AND TAX INCREMENT FINANCE PLAN OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the DDA Act, Public Acts of Michigan, 1975, as amended (the DDA Act ), the City Council of the City of Houghton (the City ) has previously established the City of Houghton Downtown Development Authority (the DDA ) which exercises its powers within the Downtown District designated by the City Council (the Downtown District ); and WHEREAS the DDA has previously adopted and amended its Development and Tax Increment Finance Plan (the Plan ), and the Plan and the amendments were approved by the City Council after public hearing; and WHEREAS, in compliance with the provisions of the DDA Act, the DDA has prepared an Amendment to the Development and Tax Increment Finance Plan (the Amendment to Plan ), attached to this Resolution and part hereof, which provides for the construction and acquisition of public improvements as shown in the Amendment to Plan; and WHEREAS, in compliance with the provisions of the DDA Act, not less than 20% of the adult resident population of the development area petitioned City Council requesting elimination of the development area citizens council, and City Council adopted Ordinance No. 51 determining that no need existed to establish a development area citizens council; and WHEREAS, in compliance with the provisions of the DDA Act, the City Council has held a public hearing on the Amendment to Plan; and, WHEREAS, the City Council has given the taxing jurisdictions levying taxes subject to capture a notice of hearing to meet with the City Council and to express their views and recommendations regarding the Amendment to Plan, as required by the DDA Act. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF HOUGHTON ORDAINS: 1. Findings. (a) The Tax Increment Finance and Development Plan as amended by the Amendment to Plan (the Amended Plan ) meets the requirements set forth in section 17(2) of the DDA Act and the requirements set forth in section 14(1) of the DDA Act. (b) The proposed method of financing the development is feasible and the Authority has the ability to arrange the financing. (c) DDA Act. The development is reasonable and necessary to carry out the purposes of the (d) Any land included within the Development Area to be acquired is reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes of the DDA Act in an efficient and economically satisfactory manner. (e) The Amended Plan is in reasonable accord with the master plan of the City. (f) Public services, such as fire and police protection and utilities, are or will be adequate to service the Development Area. (g) Changes in zoning, streets, street levels, intersections, and utilities, to the extent required by the Amended Plan, are reasonably necessary for the Development Plan and for the City. 2. Public Purpose. The City Council hereby determines that the Amended Plan constitutes a public purpose. 4

5 3. Best Interest of the Public. The City Council hereby determines that it is in the best interests of the public to halt property value deterioration, increase property tax valuation, eliminate the causes of the deterioration in property values, to promote growth in the Downtown District, and, to those ends, to proceed with the Amended Plan. 4. Approval and Adoption of Amendment to the Plan. The Amendment to Plan is hereby approved and adopted. A copy of the Amended Plan and all later amendments thereto shall be maintained on file in the City Clerk s office. 5. Conflict and Severability. All ordinances, resolutions and orders or parts thereof in conflict with the provisions of the Ordinance are to the extent of such conflict hereby repealed, and each section of the Ordinance and each subdivision of any section thereof is hereby declared to be independent, and the finding or holding of any section or subdivision thereof to be invalid or void shall not be deemed or held to affect the validity of any other section or subdivision of the Ordinance. 6. Paragraph Headings. The paragraph headings in this Ordinance are furnished for convenience of reference only and shall not be considered to be a part of the Ordinance. 7. Recordation. This Ordinance shall be recorded in the Ordinance Book of the City, which recording shall be authenticated by the signature of the City Clerk. 8. Effective Date. This Ordinance is hereby determined by the City Council to be immediately necessary for the interests of the City and shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Houghton, County of Houghton, State of Michigan, on June 25, 2014, and approved by the Mayor on June 25, I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and complete copy of an Ordinance adopted by the City Council of the City of Houghton, Houghton County, Michigan, at a Regular Meeting held at 5:30 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on June 25, 2014 and that said meeting was conducted and public notice of said meeting was given pursuant to and in full compliance with the Open Meetings Act, being Act 267, Public Acts of Michigan, 1976, and that the minutes of said meeting were kept and will be or have been made available as required by said Act 267. If this meeting was a Special Meeting, I further certify that notice of said Special meeting was given to each member of the Council in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Council. I further certify that the following members were present at said meeting Needham, Kurtz, Megowen, Backon, Lankton, Joachim, Salo and that the following members were absent:. I further certify that member Joachim moved adoption of said Ordinance, and that said motion was supported by Member Megowen. I further certify that the following members voted for adoption of said Ordinance Joachim, Megowen Needham, Kurtz, Backon, Lankton, Salo and that the following members voted against adoption of said Ordinance:. Robert Backon, Mayor Cleo Ruonavaara, Deputy Clerk 5

6 Yes: Joachim, Megowen, Needham, Kurtz, Backon, Lankton, Salo A motion was made by Joachim and seconded by Lankton to adopt Resolution MEDC requires this for the grants we administer. Yes: Joachim, Lankton, Salo, Backon, Megowen, Kurtz, Needham A motion was made by Needham and seconded by Joachim to approve a lot split at 901 & 910 E. Lakeshore. The City owns Parcel A and Derek Bradway owns Parcel s B & C. This was discussed with the city attorney. The parcels in the proposed swap are not marketable under law because of their size. They are unbuildable lots and not eligible to be sold as a separate lot. The only people that can acquire them are adjacent property owners. Yes: Needham, Joachim, Salo, Lankton, Backon, Megowen, Kurtz A motion was made by Salo and seconded by Joachim to approve the lot swap between Derek Bradway and the City and to authorize the Mayor & Clerk to sign the deed. Yes: Salo, Joachim, Lankton, Backon, Megowen, Kurtz, Needham A motion was made by Joachim and seconded by Lankton to approve the budget adjustments as presented. Yes: Joachim, Lankton, Salo, Needham, Kurtz, Megowen, Backon 6

7 A motion was made by Joachim and seconded by Salo to accept the Burger lot split at 701 Seventh Ave as presented. Yes: Joachim, Salo, Lankton, Backon, Megowen, Kurtz, Needham Proposed Ordinance was introduced in writing. This proposed ordinance will amend Chapter 14 of the Code of Ordinances; Housing Code for Rental Property to clarify emergency egress. The Clerk will notice a public hearing for this ordinance on Wednesday, July 23, A motion was made by Lankton and seconded by Megowen to purchase two chairs from the Carnegie Museum fundraiser in honor of Former Police Chief Ralph Raffaelli and former Police Chief James Janda. Councilor Megowen stated that they were both involved in the keeping of the Museum and the historic history of Houghton. James Janda and his wife were also involved with the R V Park as park host for many years. The chairs are $ each and the money will come out of the TV Franchise Fund. Yes: Lankton, Megowen, Needham, Kurtz, Backon, Joachim, Salo Councilor Lankton would like to see the Story of Houghton DVD updated. The last DVD was done in A motion was made by Lankton and seconded by Needham to go into Closed Session to discuss a property purchase. 6:20 p.m. The council returned at 6:27 p.m. 7

8 A motion to adjourn was made by Lankton and seconded by Joachim. Adjourned 6:30 p.m. Cleo Ruonavaara, Deputy Clerk 8