Flushing City Council

Minutes

March 23, 2009

 

 

A Regular Meeting of the Flushing City Council was called to order on Monday, March 23, 2009 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

                                                Mark F. Brock

                                                John C. Gault

Janice L. Gensel

George G. Kozan

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 Bade, to approve the March 23, 2009 agenda.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

 

PRESENTATIONS:

 

The Mayor presented Attorney Henneke with a proclamation recognizing Law Day.

 

MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:

 

The following individuals addressed City Council:

 

Thomas Rudich                                  Elva Cook

412 Crestview                                    1459 Flushing Road

 

Consent Agenda - Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to approve City Council Minutes (March 9, 2009 Regular Meeting), City Council Minutes (March 9, 2009 Closed Session), and March 23, 2009 Council Bills List.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

Flushing City Council

Minutes

March 23, 2009

 

Page Two

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS:

 

A & W Restaurant – 2009 Cruise Night Series – Motion by Bade, seconded by Salem, to approve the request by A & W Restaurant to hold the 2009 Cruise Night Series.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

           

REPORTS:

 

Police Officers Labor Council Contract – Motion by Gault, seconded by Bade, to approve the police labor contract dated July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2010.  Changes to the contract include:  1)  add one personal day and eliminate employees’ birthday, 2)  holidays, vacations, sick days, longevity, personal leave and jury duty will be based on eight (8) hour days, 3)  a 2% per year salary increase, and 4)  Blue Care Network health insurance with a $10/40 co pay on prescriptions.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

 

Capital Improvements Schedule – Motion by Bade, seconded by Salem, to schedule a joint meeting for Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. to review the Capital Improvement Program and the results of the recently completed citywide resident survey.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

 

BID/AWARD PURCHASES:

 

State Revolving Fund Application – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to approve the proposal, as submitted by Rowe Professional Services Company, in the amount of Eight Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty ($8,920.00) Dollars, for services in obtaining SRF funding.

 

 

 

 

Flushing City Council

Minutes

March 23, 2009

 

Page Three

 

 

In further pursuit of funding opportunities that may be available with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), administration has researched funding required for improvements needed in the city’s wastewater treatment plant and collection system.  In discussions with officials in the Department of Environmental Quality, we are encouraged to submit plans by July 1st, in order to appear on Michigan’s Project Priority List.  Projects on that list may qualify for State Revolving Funds (SRF) at an interest rate below two and one-half (2½%) percent.  Once on that list, the funds that are being made available through ARRA may be used to forgive a percentage of the project cost ranging from twenty to twenty-five (20% - 25%) percent.  This is a significant amount, as our total sewer plant upgrade project cost is expected to exceed one and one-half (1.5) million dollars.

 

As the final project plan must be submitted no later than July 1, 2009, time is of the essence in order to complete the steps required for funding consideration.  To that end, I have requested a proposal from Rowe Professional Services Company to prepare a plan, which would begin this month and be finalized by mid-June.  The cost of this plan is Eight Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty ($8,920.00) Dollars.  These costs are considered to be reimbursable expenses, should the city be successful in obtaining SRF funding.  In the event funding is not provided through the ARRA legislation, the plan would still have a viable use for developing a bid specification and identifying other options to making plant improvements that may be available to the city.

 

            Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

 

Adjournment - Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Bade, to adjourn.

 

Yea:     Bade, Brock, Gault, Kozan, Salem, Szukhent, Gensel

            Nay:     None

            Motion Carried.

 

Adjourn:                      8:04 p.m.

 

 

 

_____________________________                         ______________________________

Janice L. Gensel, Mayor                                              Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer