CITY COUNCIL MINUTES

April 2, 2007

 

The Cadillac City Council met in a regular meeting on Monday, April 2, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Complex, 200 N. Lake Street , Cadillac , Michigan .

 

COUNCIL PRESENT:   Baas, Dean, Dyer, Stevens, Mayor Blanchard         

COUNCIL ABSENT:   None

 

Staff Present:     Stalker, McCurdy, Garland , Johnson, Adams, Nelson

 

Mayor Blanchard called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

2007.038 Consent Agenda approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dean to approve the consent agenda consisting of the minutes from the regular City Council meeting held March 19, 2007 and the request from the Cadillac Area Council for the Arts to hang their 2007 Festival of the Arts banner over S. Mitchell Street July 2-23, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

  

A Michigan Municipal League video showing the impact of cuts in state revenue sharing on various communities across the state was presented.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

At 7:15 p.m., Mayor Blanchard opened a public hearing to consider the adoption of Industrial Facilities Tax Resolution No. 4 which would approve the request from Metal Punch for an IFT certificate for machinery and equipment in the amount of $167,818.75. There was no public comment. The public hearing closed at 7:17 p.m.

 

Council member Dean asked to abstain from voting on the Metal Punch request, as Metal Punch is his employer.

 

2007.039 Dean abstention approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dyer to approve the request from Council member Dean to abstain from voting on the Metal Punch IFT request, as Metal Punch is his employer.

Ayes:   Baas, Dyer, Stevens, Mayor Blanchard

Nays:   None

Motion carried.

 

2007.040 Metal Punch IFT approved, Resolution No. 1794

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dyer to adopt Industrial Facilities Tax Resolution No. 4, file no. 1794, approving an IFT certificate for Metal Punch in the amount of $167,818.75 for a period of twelve (12) years.

Ayes:     Baas, Dyer, Stevens, Mayor Blanchard

Nays:     None

Abstained:   Dean

Motion carried.

 

At 7:18 p.m., Mayor Blanchard opened a public hearing to afford citizens the opportunity to examine and submit comments on an application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for an Economic Development Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $800,000 to be used toward the Four Winns Boats 2007 Expansion Infrastructure Project cost of $2,680,000 which includes $80,000 of local City of Cadillac funds. There was no public comment. The public hearing closed at 7:19 p.m.

 

2007.041 Four Winns grant application approved, Resolution No. 1795

Motion was made by Stevens and supported by Dean to adopt Resolution No. 1795 approving the application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for an Economic Development Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $800,000 and to authorize the city manager to sign said application on behalf of the City of Cadillac .

Motion unanimously approved.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

2007.042 Street closure for WalkAmerica approved

Motion was made by Dean and supported by Baas to approve the request from the March of Dimes to close Lake Street between Cass and Harris Streets from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for their annual WalkAmerica to be held April 28, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.043 Street closure for Day of Fun approved

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Stevens to approve the request from Victory Outreach Fellowship to close Lake Street between Cass and Harris Streets from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for their annual Day of Fun to be held July 14, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.044 Street closure for Rock at the Dock concerts approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dyer to approve the request from the Cadillac Area Community Foundation to close Lake Street between Cass and Harris Streets from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for their annual Rock at the Dock concerts to be held June 12 and 26, July 17 and 31, and August 14 and 28, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.045 Street closure for Jack Pine Pickers concerts approved

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Baas to approve the request from Jack Pine Pickers to close Lake Street between Cass and Harris Streets from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for their annual concerts to be held June 5 and 19, July 10 and 24, and August 7 and 21, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.046 Street closure for Arts Festival/senior picnic approved

Motion was made by Dean and supported by Dyer to approve the request from the Cadillac Area Council of the Arts for the annual Festival of the Arts and the Loyal Order of the Moose for the annual Senior Citizens Picnic to close Lake Street between Cass and Harris Streets Friday through Monday, July 20-23, 2007, and to approve the use of parking spaces contiguous to City Park for festival activities.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.047 Farmers market requests approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dyer to approve the Request from Cadillac

Area Farmers Market to use the lakefront parking lot west of the DEQ building for the 2007 season and to display four 2 x 4 sandwich signs on Mitchell Street and the market site beginning July 6 and continuing every Tuesday and Friday through October 30, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

City Manager Stalker noted that the closure of Lake Street between Harris and Cass Streets for various festivals and park activities in 2009 will be discouraged as Mitchell Street will be under construction and general traffic will be rerouted to Lake Street .

 

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

 

2007.048 Bid awarded for Lakefront Park sprinkler project

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Baas to award the bid for phase 1 of the Lakefront Park sprinkler project to Aqua Turf of Evart, Michigan for a total cost of $48,800 using monies available in 101-751-970.010.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

City Manager Stalker said that ever-rising employee benefit costs, that sharply outpace revenue, call for changes to the benefits schedule. Council member Baas remarked that the action was unfortunate.

 

2007.049 Amendments to non-union benefits schedule approved

Motion was made by Dean and supported by Stevens to amend the Benefits Schedule, Non-Union Employees by eliminating sick leave payout to all employees hired after January 1, 2007 at the time of their future retirement, deferred retirement, or other separation from the city, and to eliminate health care coverage after retirement to all employees hired after January 1, 2007.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.050 Purchase of kiosks for public launch sites approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dean to waive competitive bidding and approve the purchase of two kiosks from Valley City Signs of Comstock Park, Michigan at a cost of $10,436 (paid for with donated funds) and approve the installation of the kiosks at the Chestnut Street and Kenwood Park boat launch sites, with the exact placement to be determined by city staff.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.051 Historic district signs approved

Motion was made by Baas and supported by Dyer to exempt from zoning standards the placement of the Courthouse Hill Historic District identification signs due to the public purpose of the project (Chapter 51, Section 5.191) and authorize city staff to erect them, based on field conditions, at E. Division, west of Delmar (district’s east entry), E. Cass/Simons (district’s west entry point), Oak/Chapin, Harris/Shelby, Harris/E. Division, and E. Cass (east of S. Mitchell).

Motion unanimously approved.

 

2007.052 Assessing contract with Wexford County renewed

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Baas to renew the assessing contract with the Wexford County Equalization Department for a five year period based on a per parcel charge costing approximately $120,000 per year using funds budgeted for the expenditures, miscellaneous file no. 776.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

 

2007.053 Public hearing set for Ordinance No. 2007-02, feeding of birds

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Dean to introduce Ordinance No. 2007-02 which would amend the Cadillac City Code by adding a new Chapter 134 to Title IX-Police Regulations to control and regulate the feeding of certain species of birds and waterfowl around Lake Cadillac, the Lake Cadillac shoreline, city parks, and the core downtown area in the City of Cadillac and set a public hearing for April 16, 2007 to consider said ordinance for adoption.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

 

2007.054 Authority to sign Uniform Franchises approved, Resolution No. 1796

Motion was made by Dyer and supported by Dean to adopt Resolution No. 1796 giving the city manager full authority to respond to, complete, sign and approve Uniform Franchise applications and to take all actions related thereto.

Motion unanimously approved.

 

MINUTES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

The minutes of the Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority from the meeting held February 18, 2007 and the Cadillac Housing Commission from the meeting held March 21, 2007 were presented for information only.

 

GOOD OF THER ORDER

 

Council member Baas reminded everyone of the Governor’s breakfast to be held April 18, 2007.

 

Council scheduled a work session for April 16, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed 2007/2008 budget.

 

It was noted that the budget public hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2007 along with public hearings on water and sewer rates.

 

ADJOURNMENT

As there was no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Ronald J. Blanchard, Mayor       Janice E. Nelson, City Clerk