City Council Minutes

Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Northville City Hall, 215 West Main Street, Northville, Michigan.

Present: Mayor Christopher Johnson, Mayor ProTem Carolann Ayers, Councilmembers Kevin Hartshorne, Jerome Mittman, and Thomas Swigart.

Absent: None.

Also Present: City Manager Gary Word, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nicolette Bateson, DPW Director James Gallogly, Fire Chief Jim Allen, Police Captain Norman Kubitskey, Building Inspector Rick Starling, Deputy City Clerk Carol Kasprowicz, Reporters Lon Huhman and Dan Eizans and 46 citizens.

A. Citizen Comments: City Manager Word gave a brief summary of the events surrounding the unsuccessful relocation of a house from Grace Street to a new location in Salem Township. He stated City Staff is reviewing the process of issuing permits regarding the physical relocation of a household structure. Mary Ellen Patterson Hollis, 114 Walnut, asked if the trees that were cut down would be replaced. Word stated the tree stumps will be removed and the trees replaced. Further comments made by Mark Jones of 132 Walnut and Susie Jones of 132 Walnut reiterated the concern over the permit process.

B. Northville Community Foundation / Shari Peters – Ms. Peters was absent and, on her behalf, City Manager Word stated the Northville Community Foundation was most appreciative of the City’s support of the Fourth of July parade.

C. Comcast – Leanne Hughes, Vice President and General Manager for Comcast in the Western Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston County area, spoke of the recent changes at Comcast, its structure, management style, and pricing. Council spoke of the lack of clear communication from Comcast to its customers regarding the various options and pricing packages. Ms. Hughes offered to speak with any customer personally and gave her direct phone number (734-369-3666).

Mayor Johnson introduced the new postmaster of the Northville Post Office, Ms. Emily Leidel.

Mayor ProTem Ayers requested that the June 13, 2001 minutes of the Housing Commission be pulled from the consent agenda. It was placed under New Business, Item 9B.

Motion Ayers, seconded by Hartshorne to approve the agenda and consent agenda as amended. Consent agenda as follows:

City Council Minutes:

Regular Meeting of July 16, 2001

Approve Bills List: Checks #22532 to #22792

Receive Board and Commission Minutes:

Arts Commission: 7/17/01

Beautification Commission: 6/12/01

Housing Commission: 6/13/01

Senior Citizen Advisory: 6/15/01

Youth Assistance: 6/12/01

Receive Department Reports:

Youth Assistance: 6/01

Board and Commission Appointments:

Arts Commission: Patricia Dorian-Sandbothe (reappointment)

Kathleen Tabaczynski

Historic District: William Sliger

Michigan Employees Retirement System (MERS) Annual Meeting

Halloween "Trick or Treat" Hours

Holiday Decoration Request / Mother’s Club All Aglow Program

Liquor License Transfer / Jasmine Restaurant

Bank Depository Resolutions

The City has received a request from a number of residents who live on North Rogers, Dubuar, and Dunlap for the addition of stop signs on North Rogers at Dubuar and Dunlap. The residents claim the problem is the volume and speed of the traffic in the neighborhood. A 1998 Traffic Study indicated the traffic volume was consistent with expected traffic for this classification of road. The study also stated multi-way stop signs were not justified on N. Rogers. A more recent investigation by the Northville Police Department was conducted on N. Rogers that verified the above findings. While it is recommended that the requests be denied, it is further recommended that this request be incorporated into the traffic study that is presently underway by Hubbell, Roth & Clarke, Inc. at an additional cost of $1500 to $2000.

An extensive discussion took place between the residents and City Council regarding request for stops signs on North Rogers. Among those who spoke were:

Reid Riddell, 131 N. Rogers Bob Grant, 515 Dubuar

Jim and Diane Zubkus, 201 W. Rogers Bill Dunphy, 440 Dubuar

Tenley Pastula, 227 N. Rogers Kurt McConnell, 446 Dubuar

Tammy Sortor, 131 N. Rogers Tracy Ortlieb, 207 N. Rogers

Sharon Weaver, 359 N. Rogers John Auer, 383 N. Rogers

Hugh and Susan Bray, 231 N. Rogers Tim Borthwick, 241 S. Wing

Susie Jones, 132 Walnut Street

Points of discussion included: the purpose of stop signs, the counter-productive effect of too many stop signs, the opinion that stop signs slow traffic, reducing the speed limit on N. Rogers, making N. Rogers a dead end street again, enforcing the traffic speed laws with due diligence, installing speed bumps on the street, placing the newly ordered portable electronic speed monitor in the neighborhood, and reviewing the traffic studies on a regular basis. A sign up sheet was arranged for anyone interested in being part of a committee to review the traffic studies and the recurring problems of increased traffic and speeds.

Motion Hartshorne to place a three way stop at the intersection of North Rogers and Dunlap and a four-way stop at the intersection of North Rogers and Dubuar. Motion withdrawn.

It was proposed that City Staff formulate a plan which will demonstrate the best use of stop signs in dealing with the problems on North Rogers and have the plan presented at the September 4^th City Council meeting.

For the past several years, the City has received a request to place temporary signs within the street right-of-way giving directions to the Northville Cider Mill. This year, in addition to the locations requested for the signs, approval is requested for professionally designed signs of a higher quality. The signs will be placed temporarily at the designated locations but will have the appearance of a more permanent sign. There will be no need to ask approval each year as these signs will be used each year. The locations requested are: Eight Mile and Novi Street (plus a sandwich board sign), Old Baseline and Novi Street, Griswold and Main Street, Seven Mile and Center, and Center and Old Baseline.

Motion Ayers, seconded by Hartshorne to approve the design and placement of directional signs and the additional sandwich board sign at the locations requested by the Northville Cider Mill during the period of August 15^th through December 1^st of each year. It is further recommended that this approval be conditional on staff approval of the actual placement location, and with the understanding that the City will not be liable for any damage done to these signs while occupying space on public right of way. Motion carried unanimously.

The City has received a request from Genitti’s Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant to permit and provide assistance in seating approximately 150 senior citizens along the Victorian Festival parade and Christmas parade route scheduled for September14 and November 16, 2001, respectively. Three bleacher units will be required. Upon review by Staff, the placement of the bleachers in the Main Street / Center Street intersection poses no problem for the Christmas parade. However, the Chamber of Commerce has concerns over this arrangement for the Victorian Festival

Motion Ayers, seconded by Swigart to approve the placement of three sets of bleachers on the street right-of-way for the exclusive use of Genitti’s restaurant during the 2001 Victorian Festival and Christmas parades, subject to the placement of one set of bleachers in the Main/Center intersection and the other bleachers be located on Main Street west of Wing Street, the bleachers will be rented from the Parks and Recreation Department, the Public Works Department will deliver and retrieve the bleachers for a $100 delivery fee for each event, and the City will be named an additional insured on a $1 million insurance policy carried by the Genittis. Motion carried unanimously.

City Staff has been informed that the new legislation, which changed the process for citizens to obtain a concealed weapons license, has placed a burden on the various Sheriff’s Departments. The law requires that requests to be fingerprinted for concealed weapons licenses must be honored within five business days. Due to this situation, the Wayne County Sheriff has requested police chiefs to fingerprint applicants who reside in their jurisdictions as a service to those residents. The law permits the sheriff to charge a fee of up to $15 for this service. Wayne County charges $15 and Oakland County is in the process of increasing the fee from $5 to $15. Prior to the change in the law, Northville Police Department has charged $5 for this service.

Motion Ayers, seconded by Hartshorne to authorize the Chief of Police to enter into agreements with the Wayne and Oakland County Sheriffs, if requested by the respective Sheriffs, to fingerprint City residents who wish to apply for concealed weapons licenses, and, further, to adopt the resolution setting the fee for providing this service at $15 as allowed by statute. Motion carried unanimously.

The Post Office Ad Hoc Committee, appointed by the Mayor with City Council consent, has recently met with representatives from the Detroit District Post Office and from Northville Township. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the feasibility of a split Northville Post Office operation whereby the retail facility would remain in downtown Northville and the carrier facility would be located in Northville Township. Northville Township has offered to donate land to the Post Office in an effort to facilitate this matter. Post Office representatives indicated their willingness to explore this possibility and suggested the City of Northville draft a letter requesting a review of the split operation option. A letter has been drafted for City Council consideration.

Motion Swigart, seconded by Mittman to approve the letter as presented and authorize the Mayor to sign on behalf of the City. Motion carried unanimously.

A question was raised regarding the portion of the minutes that reported a motion approving a drainage proposal which would allow the water to drain down the Allen Terrace hill into the nearby creek. Concern was expressed over the legality of such an action. DPW Director Gallogly stated he would check into the matter.

Motion Ayers, seconded by Mittman to approve the Housing Commission Minutes of June 13, 2001. Motion carried unanimously.

Mittman: Requested an update on the downtown drinking fountains, bike racks, and the possibility of restroom facilities. He also inquired if the Ford Field renovation included restrooms. Answer: there will be portable restrooms initially with a permanent fixture planned for the future.

Word: Commended City Staff members on the quick and professional manner in which they handled the hazardous situation of the moving house.

Resident Gary Paver spoke at this time about his frustration with the lack of progress on the Griswold Bridge project. He was directed to speak with the Wayne County Commissioners.

There being no further business before Council, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz

Deputy City Clerk