City Council Minutes

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

Present: Mayor Christopher Johnson, Councilmembers Kevin Hartshorne, Jerome Mittman, and Thomas Swigart

Absent: Mayor ProTem Carolann Ayers (excused)

Also Present: City Manager Gary Word, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nicolette Bateson, DPW Director James Gallogly, Deputy City Clerk Carol Kasprowicz, DDA Director Lori Ward, Parks and Recreation Director Traci Sincock, Reporter from Community Crier, and three citizens.

James Bress of 388 N. Rogers and Gary Paver of 505 Griswold spoke of the existence of two temporary housing units that are situated on racetrack land. Upon investigation, Mr. Bress discovered the units were allowed a use permit under the City’s existing Ordinance provisions. He urged Council to review and update the ordinance. He also suggested that, if the permits will continue to be issued under the current ordinance, an inspection of the trailers and site be conducted to ascertain that all setback, sanitation, and safety requirements have been met.

The City Manager was directed to report on the currently existing trailers and recommend any changes to the City Ordinance that he deems appropriate.

City Manager Word requested that an additional item be placed on the agenda: Proposed Heliport Moratorium Ordinance. The item was placed as New Business, 9E.

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

Approve City Council Minutes:

Regular Meeting of October 20, 2003

Approve Bills List:

Checks #34430 to #34555

Checks #34556 to #34610

Checks #34611 to #34747

Receive Board and Commission Minutes:

Beautification Commission: 7/8/03, 8/12/03

Receive Departmental Reports: None

Board and Commission Appointments: None

Closure of Bandshell Area / Christmas Walk / November 23, 2003

Disposal of Used Equipment / Parks and Recreation

Request to Reschedule Public Hearing / FY 2004 Oakland County CDBG Funds

Proposed Telecommunication Right-of-Way Permit MCI Metro Access Transmission Service, LLC (MCI Metro)

Proposed 2004 City Council Meeting Schedule

In the past, gifts of appreciation in the form of food gift baskets have been received and shared communally by City employees. These gifts have been nominal in value and would not appear to be in violation of the City’s "Standards of Conduct and Ethics" policy. Recently, City staff had received approximately 68 gift cards, at a value of $50 each, redeemable at "The Great Indoors" from Dr. Tom Prose of Dubuar Street. A review of the City’s policy reveals that the stated gift card falls in the "gray" area of acceptability. While there is no evidence that the gift card implies the expectation of special service or favoritism, the appearance in accepting such a gift is not in keeping with good government or above board practices.

Council Comments / Discussion: It was suggested that Dr. Prose be encouraged to direct any monetary gestures of appreciation to one or more of the City’s community organizations such as Civic Concern, Allen Terrace Trust Fund, Family Youth Forum, Community Foundation for Maybury, Arts Commission Sculpture, and the Senior Community Center, among others. The City Manager was directed to send a letter to Dr. Prose graciously declining the gift cards and encouraging him to redirect his generosity to a community organization.

At its October 20, 2003 meeting, the City Council accepted the Citizens’ District Council’s (CDC) recommendations to approve the 2003 Amendments to the Downtown Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan for the City of Northville and introduced for first reading the Ordinance approving the Amendments. In accepting the CDC’s recommendation, the City Council approved the Plan Amendments through the year 2028. The proposed amendments would allow the DDA to expand its existing parking system through the acquisition and construction of a single or multi-level deck(s) within the downtown. In order for the DDA to pay for the construction of the expanded parking system, the DDA would issue bonds. The 2003 Amendments would allow for the continuation of the DDA through the year 2028.

Council Comments / Discussion: It was asked if it was possible to change the base of the tax increment financing plan, allowing a higher percentage to be given to the taxing jurisdictions. If allowed, this would be done if and when all downtown projects are completed. Answer: Legal counsel would have to be consulted.

Motion Mittman, seconded by Swigart to waive second reading and adopt the Ordinance approving the 2003 Amendment to the Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan for the City of Northville. Yes: Johnson, Mittman, Swigart. No: Hartshorne. Motion carried.

Following approval of the construction of a parking deck, contracts were awarded to an architect and construction manager. Assisting the architect in the design of the foundations for a parking structure, City staff was asked to make arrangements to obtain a geotechnical evaluation of the proposed location at Main and Wing Streets. City Staff contacted Soils and Materials Engineers, Inc. (SME), an engineering firm in Plymouth that specializes in soils analysis, to immediately begin this work and provide information to the architect as quickly as possible. The cost totaled $26,964.18 which covered the cost of drilling, laboratory testing, engineering analysis, MDEQ waste disposal approval, transport service, and engineering reports for the proposed site. This service is considered to be a professional service and is part of the budget established for the parking structure project.

Council Comments / Discussion: It was questioned and answered that the expenditure is to be paid through the DDA budget.

Motion Swigart, seconded by Hartshorne to approve the payment of $26,964.18 to Soils Materials Engineers, Inc. for geotechnical studies performed on Parking Lot #2 (Main and Wing) for the proposed parking structure. Motion carried unanimously.

On October 4, 2003, the City of Northville accepted bids to purchase a 2004 Snow Plow Truck equipped with a salt spreader, a dump box, an underbody plow and a front plow. Two bids were received for this purchase:

Motor City Trucks $ 94,260

Funds have been budgeted in the City’s FY03/04 Equipment Fund budget ($100,000).

Motion Mittman, seconded by Hartshorne to approve the purchase of a fully equipped Sterling Snow Plow Truck in the amount of $94,260 from Motor City Trucks of Livonia, Michigan. Motion carried unanimously.

For over 20 years the Northville Public Schools has provided school bus transportation for many Parks and Recreation programs including ski club, day camp, safety town, and other field trips. The agreement for the use of the buses included payment of driver’s wages and mileage rate which were paid through the programs’ fees. The School District had notified the Parks and Recreation Department that school bus transportation for all school field trips were eliminated in an effort to reduce the mileage on their aging fleet. This resulted in the elimination of service for the Parks and Recreation programs also.

The Department solicited proposals for transportation services for the Ski Club, the annual Cedar Point trip, and for Summer Day Camp field trips. Two vendors responded prior to the bid deadline. One vendor, J. R. Charter Service submitted the low bid for all three requests. The bids submitted were per bus, per trip.

Council Comments / Discussion: It was questioned and assured that the company and drivers are fully licensed and insured.

Motion Swigart, seconded by Hartshorne to award a contract to J. R. Charter Services of Novi, Michigan for Parks and Recreation program transportation for 2003-2004 in the following amounts:

Each year, the City receives requests from various organizations to use the four City Entrance Signs (Welcome to Northville signs) to publicize community events. With the projected installation of new city signs by January 2004 and the subsequent increased demand for use of the signs, a standard operating policy has been drafted for City Council consideration.

The proposed City Entrance Sign Use Policy and Program (and subsequent resolution)

Proposes the signs would be used by sponsoring organizations to promote non-profit, cultural, secular, or civic activities of general interest in the Northville community.

Specifies the sign size, type of materials the sign may be made of, and authorizes the City Manager or designee to approve or reject proposed sign designs.

Requires sign use requests be submitted in writing annually, with priority given to the City, Chamber of Commerce, NCBA sponsored events, as well as traditional events.

Limits the time period for sign use to no longer than two weeks.

Authorizes the City Manager to approve sign use requests, with appeals made to the City Council.

Additionally, in the event the City would place, retrieve, or store signs of sponsoring organizations, the City would reserve the right to charge for these services at a fee established by City Council resolution.

Council Comments / Discussion: Questions were asked regarding the materials to be used for the signs, appropriate design of the signs to allow for maximum effectiveness, the method of appropriating assignments for the signs, and the method of reimbursement by/if the sponsoring organization damages the Welcome to Northville signs.

Motion Swigart, seconded by Hartshorne to adopt the resolution establishing a City of Northville City Entrance Signs Use Policy and Program, to provide a standard operating policy for use of the City Entrance Signs, adopt a resolution modifying the Fees, Fines and Penalties Schedule for the City of Northville to establish fees for the placement, removal, and storage of special event signs by City staff, and direct the City Clerk to send a copy of the sign use policy to the various sponsoring organizations currently on file in the City Clerk’s office. Motion carried unanimously.

At its regular meeting on October 6, 2003, the City Council received a letter from a resident on Lexington Boulevard concerned about the possible development or construction of a heliport at an adjacent property. Current City ordinances are silent on such a development. As such, in order to properly evaluate the impact of such a development, City staff suggests the adoption of an emergency ordinance creating a temporary moratorium on the construction of a heliport anywhere in the City for a period of 90 days. During that period, City staff would evaluate the need for regulating such a development.

Chapter 7, Section 7.3 of the City Charter allows for the adoption of an emergency ordinance. However, such an ordinance must be approved by at least four members of the City Council when four or more members are present at the meeting.

Motion Hartshorne, seconded by Swigart to waive first and second reading and adopt an emergency ordinance declaring a moratorium on the development of heliport(s) within the City of Northville for a period of 90 days. Motion carried unanimously.

Swigart stated the Juvenile Court in the District Court program (JCDC) has been renewed for another three years.

Mittman requested that documentation regarding any last minute additions to the agenda be

e-mailed to Councilmembers. He also requested the disposal of Christmas trees be directed to the compost pile instead of the landfill.

B. Staff Communications - None

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

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz
Deputy City Clerk