Regular Meeting of the Village Board of Trustees
The Community Building
401 First Street
July 21, 2022
7:01 p.m. to 8:21 p.m.
Trustees Ken Holmes (president pro tempore), Bill Soper, Emily Votruba, Jennifer Wilkins (president) were present. Trustee Ryan Fiebing, Treasurer Mary Kalbach, and Clerk Roberta (Bobbi) Benedict were all absent due to COVID-19 illness or exposure. These members of the public attended: Gary Sauer (District 7 county commissioner), Michael Murphy (resident), Kristi Mills (Village rentals manager), David Beaton (resident), Tom Reisner (resident), Ken Bonney (head of DPW), Lucas McClellan, and a rep from Arcadia Mechanical.
Correspondence
Per an email, State Treasury has agreed to reimburse the Village for up to $14,348 toward revamping our zoning ordinance.
Financial Report
Council unanimously approved the check register in the amount of $58,724.36. A selection of this month’s expenses: $3,434.80 to BLUA for sewer service; $2,766.47 for trash; $714.37 for postage; $1,153.70 for portable toilet service.
Elberta General Fund Deficit Tracker: –$110,035*
Unfinished Business
Bois Blanc Letter and Resolution The Village of Bois Blanc sent a letter to other small municipalities asking them to adopt the following resolution: “...to urge the Michigan Legislature to adopt certain exemptions and exceptions for rural and sparsely populated townships, cities, and villages with a population under 500 persons regarding the qualifications for various public boards, committees, councils, bodies, and commissions and to amend the Michigan Open Meetings Act to allow limited remote attendance at such public meetings.” Council adopted this resolution at the June meeting, but the letters to our state reps Jack O’Malley and Curt VanderWall needed to be edited and signed, which is now done.
Security at Water Tower and Waterfront Park Council voted to table this topic again pending advice from the water project engineer Ken Mlcek. We received bids from Eclipse and Spectrum for combinations of security and Wi-Fi upgrades at the water tower, the Life Saving Station, and the Community Building, but the bids weren’t congruent (they covered different configurations and locations), and that’s because no one in Village leadership knows exactly what’s necessary. In the meantime, Wi-Fi for guests at the LSS, per Kristi Mills, is pretty good in the parking lot but very bad inside the building, especially in the front room, and it would be nice to get that taken care of a.s.a.p.
Life Saving Station (Back Wing) Air Conditioning Replacement Bids The air conditioning is also in need of an upgrade at the LSS. After an extensive discussion, during which the bid process for this project was called into question because we received a follow-up bid from Arcadia Mechanical dated one day after the bid due date in an amount approximately $1,000 (2) a couple of hundred dollars lower than Northlake Mechanical’s bid, which was received earlier, Bill Soper made a motion to accept the bid from Arcadia Mechanical Inc. for one 3TON R410 air conditioning unit in the amount of $7,550. I seconded the motion, and we all voted for it. I regret my second and vote. “It’s math,” said the Arcadia Mechanical rep, who didn’t give his name, referring to the size of the unit.
New Business
Request to Park on Village Road Easement Council discussed the effect of this project on the grade, what materials would be used, how the project would affect water runoff and plowing, and whether it would set a problematic precedent for other residents to do the same. It was noted that another resident paved their easement without permission some years ago. Council voted to give permission to the project with one nay vote—mine. I feel we should have a policy in place regarding such projects to prevent the destruction of trees and other assets on Village property and to specify materials used, for example semipermeable materials that allow water to sink into the ground rather than run into storm drains. Mr. Holmes said he felt that our storm drains are terrific and fully capable of absorbing the flow.
A drawing of Mr. Carter’s proposed parking area submitted to the Board.
Hiring of Assistant DPW We hired Lucas McClellan as Seasonal DPW Assistant starting at $15 an hour.
Adoption of Ordinance No. 42 to Provide for the Appointment of the Village Clerk and Treasurer With advice from our attorney, we voted to change the clerk and treasurer positions to indefinite at-will appointments, with the two positions serving at the discretion of council rather than being appointed every two years. The ordinance also allows for the two positions to be combined into one position should the need arise.
Attorney Steven Schwartz Will Draft an Employee Handbook for a fee not to exceed $2,500. We do not currently have an employee handbook.
Clerk and Treasurer Will Give Reports to Council During Meetings just as the DPW Superintendent does. These reports can be verbal at the meeting or in writing. Information on what the office has accomplished has been compiled by the President at a monthly personnel meeting until now.
Community Building Interior Drywall Repair Bids Only one bid was received, so we tabled this. The Community Building interior is peeling all over. The unnamed rep from Arcadia Mechanical said this was due to an overpowered AC system. Kristi Mills suggested it’s because the building is in a reclaimed swamp.
Michael Murphy Appointed to the Planning Commission The PC is perennially short of a full complement of members, so everyone was very happy that Mr. Murphy volunteered. He brings dry stone wall construction and real estate experience.
Future of Well No. 2 Building This well is to be decommissioned, and the Board voted to cap the well and use the building as a volunteer-accessible storage shed and potential building for the first Village Mural (Jen Wilkins’s idea).
The future storage shed of Anderson Park in late July 2022
Emily Votruba Approved as a Signatory on Village Bank Accounts I recused myself from this vote. The signatory duty involves running down to the office to sign checks as needed; I am on the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, work from home, and am easily reachable by text and email, unlike Mr. Holmes.
Reports to Council
County Commissioner Sauer A new full-time (9 month/year) School Resource Officer is needed. The Health Department is reviewing its bylaws. Ticks remain an issue. Well and septic permits are now available online. The Road Commission now owns Platte River Elementary; the building needs an enormous amount of work, so it remains to be seen what the RC will do with it. The Betsie Valley Trail is getting new signage (made by prisoners) and a shed for stowing bikes and other user items on River Road. Elmers will repair Esch Road in the fall; they were held up by a nesting red-shouldered hawk. The Maples needs more CNAs and RNs. Blaine Twp’s annual Taste of Blaine picnic is August 14. The County Commission made a list of priority needs to be funded by ARPA. Gilmore Township Treasurer Robin Rommell has resigned due to health problems. A marijuana ordinance for Elberta will be on the November ballot. Frankfort Fire Marshal Cederholm had a successful training. Township clerk Shannon Spencley has already received back 130 of 223 absentee ballots mailed out.
An info sheet distributed by Commissioner Sauer
Parks & Recreation Commission The Memorial Pier station will be unearthed and repaired this summer. EGLE and DNR have (1) The health department has given permission for septic down at beach, in preparation for restrooms. A sign and lovely garden have been created for Tot Park. Deck of LSS and Waterfront Park benches will be sealed by Jen. Two swings have arrived and need assembling by Bill Soper. Bree McGregor will help Village seek a grant for LSS repairs. The Penfold Pavilion will be painted. The newly planted trees aren’t doing so hot; probably because they weren’t watered. Ball game parking is an issue. So are weeds in the playground “fall zones.” The safety and preservation of the Iron Works was discussed, as usual.
Tot Park in late July 2022
DPW Ken Bonney thanked everyone who helped on July 4th. (Not much help was needed because the fireworks were rained out and postponed till Tuesday. Nevertheless, I hear someone decided to use two of our parking barricades as firewood. You’re welcome.) Ken is looking forward to getting caught up on work now that Lucas has been hired.
LSS Kristi Mills has one new booking in October, bringing the total to 25 for 2022; 8 rentals are confirmed for 2023 so far. (A festivals policy is in the works to solve for problems such as booking miscommunication, dead grass, and overburdened trash receptacles, among other issues.)
Public Comment
Michael Murphy suggested that the village should take control of the paving options utilized within the Village, perhaps limiting the options to five or fewer, considering requiring semipermeable paving for ground drainage, and to take a look at Frankfort’s new water-conscious street corners, with the stones and plantings.
* The Village has been making progress toward eliminating its General Fund deficit, which in 2010 was up over $800,000. Every municipality is required by law to maintain a certain balance in its General Fund. In 2010 the Village was on a watch list for emergency management because of this deficit, and we are still closely monitored by State Treasury and subject to frequent audits. Treasury is satisfied enough with our progress that we may soon go back to audits every 5 years. The emergency management threat was the impetus for the first rebirth of The Elberta Alert, in February 2011.
Calendar
July 25 Jammin’ Mondays. 7 pm at Waterfront Park Amphitheater (Mondays through August)
July 26 Special Meeting Planning Commission. 5:30 at Community Building. Discussion with community planner for Beckett & Raeder Inc. regarding future zoning ordinance amendments.
July 28 Farmers Market. 8 am to 12 noon at Penfold Park (Thursdays through October 13)
July 29 Grow Benzie Bayou on the Bay. 4 pm to 11:30 pm at Waterfront Park Amphitheater
TBD 2nd week of August Special Council Meeting on Water Project bids
* Alert Trivia * The only nickel mine in the United States is located in the UP.
Official meeting minutes and other Village information can be found on the Village website.
Interested in other local media? Check out the wonderful Betsie Current.
Corrections
7/26/22 Per Jennifer Wilkins, the E Beach restroom project has Benzie County health department approval but not DNR and EGLE approval yet.
7/27/22 Arcadia Mechanical’s bid dated 7/6 for the LSS work was $7.550.00; Northlake Mechanical’s bid dated 6/27 was $7,987.65
So happy we have this in case we miss the meeting. Thank you Emily!