Council Chamber November 13, 2017 Henry L. Brown Municipal Bldg.: 5:30 p.m. One Grand Street (517) 279-9501 Coldwater, Michigan www.coldwater.org CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR MEETING ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE TO MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS FOR WARDS ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR City Clerk Heath administered the Oath of Office to the newly elected Mayor and Councilmembers as follows: Mayor Thomas Kramer Councilmember Travis Machan (1st Ward) Councilmember James Knaack (2nd Ward) Councilmember Randall Hazelbaker (4th Ward) Councilmember Scott Houtz (4th Ward) ROLL CALL Mayor Kramer called the meeting to order with the following Councilmembers present: Councilmember Travis Machan, representing the 1 st Ward; Councilmember James Knaack, representing the 2 nd Ward; Councilmember Maureen Petzko, representing the 3 rd Ward; and Councilmembers Randall Hazelbaker and Scott Houtz, representing the 4 th Ward. Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Hazelbaker, seconded by Councilmember Machan, to excuse the absence of Councilmembers Cisco Ortiz, Chris Pierce and Michael Beckwith, as presented. OTHERS PRESENT: Keith Baker, Megan Angell, Mark Bartell, Rich Sherman, Dave Sattler, Tom Eldridge, Dean Walrack, Pat Pool, Amanda Miller and Susan Heath; Linda Lyshol, Sheriff John Pollack, Seth Berry, Lela Ash, Linda Moore, Steve & Alexia Rish, Don Reid and 2 others.
November 13, 2017 Page 2 PUBLIC COMMENTS Linda Lyshol, Branch District Library Director, presented information regarding a series of library meetings to be held to seek input from Branch County communities. Sheriff John Pollack presented a report on Branch County Sheriff s Department activities through October, 2017. Finance Director Tom Eldridge introduced new staff accountant, Amanda Miller. CONSENT AGENDA (Item Numbers 1-7): The items listed in the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine by the City Council and the City Manager and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless requested by a Councilmember or citizen. In this event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and Council action will be taken separately on said item. Those items so approved under the heading Consent Agenda will appear in the Council minutes in their proper form. 1. City Council Regular Minutes of October 23, 2017. 2. Downtown Development Authority Regular Minutes of September 20, 2017. 3. Planning Commission Regular Minutes of October 2, 2017. 4. Coldwater Housing Commission Regular Minutes of October 3, 2017. 5. Financial Report for September, 2017. 6. Police Department Activity Report for 3rd Quarter, 2017. 7. Letter from Nichole Steel, Executive Director, Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce, requesting permission to hold Icefest on Saturday, January 27, 2018. ACTION ON CONSENT AGENDA Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Knaack, seconded by Councilmember Petzko, to approve Consent Agenda Items 1-7, as presented.
November 13, 2017 Page 3 PUBLIC HEARINGS END OF CONSENT AGENDA 8. Request from Keith Baker, City Manager, to conduct a public hearing to consider the closure of the CDBG grant for the Clemens Food Group Development Project. Mayor Kramer opened the Public Hearing at 5:40 p.m. Public Comments: Alexia Rish, 143 S. Clay Street, spoke in opposition to the grant and disputed claims of the numbers hired and level of employee satisfaction with salary, benefits and treatment. Council Comments: Mayor Kramer reported he had heard nothing but good things about Clemens and noted Clemens plant and human resource managers, Randy Zorn and Seth Berry, respectively, were in attendance at the meeting. Mayor Kramer closed the Public Hearing at 5:46 p.m. Council Action: None Public Hearing only 9. Bills and Accounts: $260,938.96. END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Knaack, seconded by Councilmember Machan, to approve Bills and Accounts in the amount of $260,938.96, as presented. 10. City Manager s Report Sale of 1990 Fire Pumper The City has received an offer to purchase the 1990 American LaFrance fire pumper from the Helmet Peak Fire Department of Sahuarita, Arizona. The offer is in the amount of $8,000. The apparatus has been marketed for over
November 13, 2017 Page 4 a year and this is the first offer that has been received. The City has accepted the offer and will be transferring the truck to the new owners in the near future. Personnel Announcements: Amanda Miller has joined the team as a Staff Accountant within the Finance Department. Amanda s primary focus for the organization will be working with the CBPU Utility Funds. Amanda graduated from Siena Heights University in 2015 earning her Bachelor s Degree in Accounting. She and her husband Justin have two children Carson and Savannah. We would like to welcome Amanda to the team. Meagan Osborn will be leaving the city for a full time position with Parkview Medical Center. Meagan has served and assisted in a number of capacities in customer service through Neighborhood Services, Administrative Services and Assessing departments over the past three and a half years. Best wishes to Meagan in her future endeavors. Captain Al Miller has announced his retirement after more than 29 years with the Coldwater Fire Department. Capt. Miller s final day will be November 29, 2017. Captain Al Miller started as a part-paid firefighter on April 13, 1988, was hired as a full-time firefighter on August 13, 1990, and promoted to driver/operator in December of 1991. He was promoted to Lieutenant in February 1994 and to Captain on August 27, 1995. We would like to thank Captain Miller for his many years of service to the Coldwater community and wish him and his wife Bonnie well in his retirement. Recreation Update 140 kids are signed up for the city s inaugural season of youth basketball. A big thank you to the high school women s coaches and varsity players for serving as instructors. In addition, 40 kids are signed up for indoor tennis classes. This is our largest group to date. Cemetery Chapel Repairs DMS staff have been making repairs to the old chapel at the city s cemetery. Repairs have been made to the structure s roof, chimney, windows and foundation. Further repairs will be made as time and resources permit. DMS Update Leaf collection started in earnest this week though many trees are still green and have not dropped their leaves. Christmas decorations will start going up in the next two weeks. In addition, preparations are underway for the annual tree planting program and assisting with the recent election. Christmas Activities This year s community Christmas parade will be 7 p.m. Saturday December 2, 2017. Further information about holiday events can be viewed at the Chamber s website at www.coldwaterchamber.com. Thanksgiving Holiday City and CBPU offices will be closed on Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24, 2017, in order to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Pilot Knob flooding problem the City is working on a plan to address the flooding issues. Old US-12 Bridge engineering plans arrived just today in the City Manager s Office. Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Petzko, seconded by Councilmember Hazelbaker, to approve and place on file the City Manager s Report, as presented.
November 13, 2017 Page 5 11. Election of Mayor Pro Tem for 2017-19. Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Hazelbaker, seconded by Councilmember Knaack, to elect Maureen Petzko Mayor Pro Tem for 2017-19, as presented. 12. Letter from Keith Baker, City Manager, regarding sale of lot located at 43 Race Street Consider approval of Agreement No. A17-14. Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Petzko, seconded by Councilmember Houtz, to approve Agreement No. A17-14, the purchase offer of $2,000.00 from Richard C. Galinis, for vacant lot located at 43 Race Street, as presented. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Councilmembers: Machan, Knaack, Petzko, Hazelbaker, Houtz and Mayor Kramer Nays: none 13. Memo from Richard Sherman, Fire Chief, regarding purchase of SCBA Air Bottles. Council Action: Motion by Councilmember Knaack, seconded by Councilmember Machan, to approve the purchase of 20 SCBA Air Bottles, from West Shore, at a cost of $16,360.00 plus shipping, as presented.
November 13, 2017 Page 6 PUBLIC COMMENTS Alexia Rish spoke again in opposition to the employment practices at the Clemens Food Group. Linda Moore, 133 Church Street, stated that she works at Clemens and expressed opposition to the employment practices at the Clemens Food Group. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS None ADJOURNMENT Noting no other business to come before Council, Mayor Kramer adjourned the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. Susan E. Heath, CMC City Clerk