Minutes
A Regular Meeting of the Flushing City Council was called to order on Monday, April 25, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Janice L. Gensel, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and invocation.
Present: Richard L. Bade
John C. Gault
Janice L. Gensel
Richard Mark
Raymond Peck
Teresa K. Salem
Michael T. Szukhent
Absent: None
Others Present: Dennis J. Bow, City Manager
Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer
Edward G. Henneke, City Attorney
Approval of Agenda – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to approve the April 25, 2005 agenda.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:
Elva Cook, 1459 Flushing Road, addressed City Council.
PRESENTATIONS:
Proclamation – Law Day 2005 - City Council presented Attorney Henneke with a proclamation recognizing May 1st as Law Day. This day is set aside to educate the community about the rule of law and its role in preserving our freedoms.
CONSENT AGENDA – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to approve City Council Minutes (April 11, 2005 Special Meeting), City Council Minutes (April 11, 2005 Closed Session), City Council Minutes (April 11, 2005 Regular Meeting) and April 25, 2005 Council Bills List.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
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PUBLIC
HEARINGS:
2005-2006 Proposed Budget – The City Manager presented the following overview of the proposed 2005-2006 Fiscal Year Budget:
- Property taxes increased $57,000 due to increased SEV.
2005 SEV: Real Property 213,199,707
Personal Property 6,669,000
- State Shared Revenue is projected to remain at the same level as the current fiscal year.
- Increase in rents – 9-1-1 Tower.
- Garbage Collection Fees increased from $146.00 to $150.00 per year
- Increase in fire services contract with Flushing Township.
- General Fund Revenues are projected to increase 2%.
- Fringe benefit increases including retirees health insurance.
- Increased cost in Solid Waste Recycling department – rental of truck for fall collection of leaves.
- 2% salary increases for administration and police personnel.
- Reduction in engineering fees and local match – 2004-05 Trailway Project.
- Local match – Pierson Road reconstruction.
The principle and interest are paid from the Capital Improvement levy.
- Tax Revenues increased-$25,000-4%
- Expenditures- 2005 Street Paving Project $600,000
Sidewalk Project $ 54,000
Transfer to General Fund $116,500
(City Hall/Police Station)
1991-A Special Assessment $ 12,275
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Water and
Sewer Funds
- Maintain current level of service.
Outstanding Debt: Water - $1,385,000
Sewer - $ 600,000
The 2005-2006 fiscal year budget was prepared at a level which maintains the current General Operating levy of 7.0020 mills, Capital Improvement levy of 3.0914 mills, and School Liaison levy of .5000 mills.
The Mayor opened the public hearing to the audience.
Elva Cook, 1459 Flushing Road, asked if there was money in the budget left over from this year to settle the contract with the DPW. She stated that it looked like we were taking their work away by subletting the leaves out to somebody else.
The Mayor closed this portion of the public hearing.
2005-2006 Proposed Budget – Motion by Gault, seconded by Bade, to adopt the 2005-2006 fiscal year budget, excluding the line items pertaining to engineering fees.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
2005-2006 Proposed Budget – Motion by Gault, seconded by Peck, to approve the engineering fee line items in the proposed 2005-2006 fiscal year budget.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Abstain: Mark
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
COMMUNICATIONS:
St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to permit St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church to hold a procession on Cherry, Elm, McKinley and Henry Streets on May 29, 2005 in celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi, subject to the review and approval of the police department.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
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REPORTS:
Consumers Energy – Overhead Power Line Easement – Consumers Energy Company has requested that the City of Flushing grant an easement for an overhead electric line to be located on a parcel of industrial land located on Industrial Drive. The easement area is described as a thirty (30’) foot wide strip of land, which will allow Consumers the right to install an overhead electric line, which is needed to serve the 9-1-1 tower, which was recently erected at that site.
Motion by Gault, seconded by Szukhent, to approve an easement for purposes of an overhead electric line to serve the 9-1-1 tower with Consumers Energy, subject to the following conditions:
1. The paragraph entitled “Buildings/Structures” be modified to allow the City, if it so desires, to locate buildings or structures in the easement area and, in cooperation with Consumers, modifies the easement area to allow the overhead line to be re-located.
2. Subject to verification of the legal description, through a stake survey, to be paid for by ERS Wireless Communication, or by Consumers.
3. Subject to the signature and acknowledgement to be changed to allow the signatures of the Mayor and Clerk/Treasurer, as required by the City Charter.
4. Subject to the City Attorney’s review and approval of the final document.
5. Limitation of length of term of easement coincides with the life of the tower.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
ORDINANCES:
Zoning Ordinance Amendment – Accessory Buildings – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Salem, to move to second reading and adoption an Ordinance to amend the City Code to allow one (1) detached accessory building up to 600 square feet in area on residential lots.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
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Council Resignation – Motion by Gault, seconded by Salem, to accept the resignation of Councilperson Raymond Peck as offered.
Yea: Gault, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: Bade, Mark
Motion Carried.
Closed Session – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, that pursuant to the Open Meetings Act compiled law 15.268(c), to go into closed session to consider strategy connected with the negotiation of the DPW collective bargaining agreement.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjourn: 8:26 p.m.
Reconvene: 8:46 p.m.
DPW Union Contract – Motion by Mark, seconded by Peck, to authorize the City Manager to execute the contract with the DPW workers on the satisfactory completion of the provisions outlined in Council discussion.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjournment – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to adjourn.
Yea: Bade, Gault, Mark, Peck, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjourn: 8:47 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Janice L. Gensel, Mayor Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer