CITY OF SOUTH LYON

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING

November 27, 2006

 

Mayor Doyle called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

Mayor Doyle along with members of Boy Scout Troop 228 led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

 

PRESENT:            Mayor Doyle

Council Members:  Kivell, Kopkowski, Maida, and Morelli

            City Manager Cook

Attorney Lee

City Clerk/Treasurer Zemke

Department Heads: Martin & Renwick

ABSENT:            Council Members Dryer and Wedell

 

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

CM 11-1-06 – APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

      Motion by Maida, supported by Morelli

 

      To approve the agenda as presented

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:   

 

CM 11-2-06- APPROVAL OF MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 13, 2006

 

     Motion by Maida, supported by Kivell

                       

     To approve the minutes of regular meeting of November 13, 2006 as written

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

APPROVAL OF MONTHLY BILLS:  None

 

CITIZENS SUGGESTIONS: None

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

  1. Community Development Block Grant Program:  FY 07

    1. Public hearing

 

CM 11-3-06 – OPEN PUBLIC HEARING - CDBG PROGRAM

 

     Motion by Kivell, supported by Kopkowski

 

     To open the public hearing at 7:32 p.m.

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

Boy Scout Member Erin Sitar of 10915 Eagle Cove stated that he is looking to obtain the level of Eagle Scout.  One of the requirements is to do a community project and asked if the City had any projects that he could do.  Mayor Doyle explained that this is actually a public hearing for a Community Development Block Grant, and after the public hearing we could address his question.

 

 

No further public comments.

 

CM 11-4-06 – CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING – CDBG PROGRAM

 

     Motion by Morelli, supported by Kivell

 

      To close the public hearing at 7:35 p.m.

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

Mayor Doyle addressed Mr. Sitar’s question about a community project.  Superintendent Martin stated that he has 2-3 projects that he would work with Mr. Sitar on to meet the requirement.  Mr. Sitar and Superintendent Martin discussed talking about this further after the meeting.

 

    1. Project Selection and Application Approval

 

City Manager Cook stated that enclosed in Council’s packet is the application prepared after our discussions in prior meetings.  The proposed project is for sidewalk construction in the Whipple Street and Hagadorn areas. If Council would approve the project, we will prepare the application and minutes from this meeting for submittal. 

 

Mayor Doyle stated that this is an annual application for funds appropriated for a project in the northwest quadrant of the City.  More often than not, we have gone through and applied these funds for sidewalks.

 

CM 11-5-06 – APPROVAL OF CDBG APPLICATION AND PROJECT SELECTION

 

     Motion by Kivell, supported by Morelli

 

     To approve the CDBG Application for the period 5/1/07-4/30/08 – Phase IV Sidewalk Construction –

     Calkins:  10 Mile to Whipple, Whipple:  Calkins to Hagadorn – Southside, Whipple:  Gibson to

     Hagadorn, Gibson:  Whipple to termini

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

  1. HAVEN:  Contract for Services for the period 7/1/06 to 6/30/07 - $2,000

 

Mayor Doyle stated that this is the annual contract for services in the amount of $2,000.  He stated that this has not changed in years past.  City Manager Cook stated that the use of the service varies from year to year.  Obviously, we do not know the individuals who have used the service, just general areas of the City they live.

 

Chief Collins stated that Ms. Morrison’s letter cited July 2004 through June 2005 numbers. He did call for the most recent numbers, and they indicated for the 2005/2006 they served 48 total clients plus crisis line calls.  He would suspect that a few of those were not in the City limits.

 

CM 11-6-06 – APPROVAL OF CONTRACT – HAVEN

 

     Motion by Morelli, supported by Kopkowski

 

     To approve the contract between the City of South Lyon and HAVEN for services for the period 7/1/06

     through 6/30/2007 in the amount of $2,000

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

  1. Tri-Party Program:  FY 07

 

 

 

City Manager Cook stated that we have received the initial letter from the Oakland County Road Commission relative to the Fiscal Year 2007 Tri-Party Program.  This starts the process.  Our allocation is $62,000+.  There were a number of projects that they did propose that would result in a significant amount of additional funds.  We do have 1/3 of the $62,000 to match with Oakland County and the Road Commission with the remaining 2/3.  These funds can only be used on County Roads.  This is just for discussion at this point to give Council time to think about it.  He further stated that he has made some suggestions. 

 

The question was asked what the cost would be for the pedestrian signals at Pontiac Trail and 8 Mile.  City Manager Cook stated that he does not have that figure at this point, but it would be approximately $60-70,000.  Our trail will ultimately cross on the north side of Pontiac Trail to the east side of 8 Mile.

 

City Manager Cook stated that it is difficult to come up with a small project on a County Road.  Discussion was held on the Road Commission’s suggestions.  City Manager Cook stated that we will not have to make a decision until the end of January or beginning of February.  It will be brought back on a future agenda.

 

Discussion was held on availability of the funds.  City Manager Cook stated that the County does not do the engineering any more, so the funds would be available after we commit the matching funds.  Mayor Doyle questioned if these funds could be carried over to next year without jeopardizing the funds.   City Manager Cook stated that these could be carried over until next year.  There is no time frame on the Tri-Party.  It is not a federal grant like the CDBG funds.

 

Discussion was held on the streetscape project.  City Manager Cook stated that as you will recall, there was approximately $107,000 in road work that we needed to do on Pontiac Trail that was not covered by the Transportation Enhancement.  We have covered those activities with the amount put forward last year.

 

Councilman Kivell discussed the widening of Pontiac Trail at the railroad crossing.  He stated that it is a bottleneck at Lottie Street.  City Manager Cook stated this was the whole issue of widening the road to the entrance at Colonial Acres.  It became very expensive.  We could widen it, but there is not a whole lot of room.  It would be the City’s responsibility to widen the road and we would end up replacing the signals.  The signals are $100,000+.  This was part of the project we did a number of years ago, but we received an estimate of $350,000 so by the time we did the preliminary engineering we were already over $700,000.  We stopped it there because we did not have the money to do it.  Further discussion was held on having to replace the signalization.  Discussion was held on the grade on either side of the road.  Councilman Kivell suggested growing on the west side of the street.  City Manager Cook stated that then we would be getting into an alignment issue with the Road Commission.

 

  1. Cancellation of December 25th Council meeting

 

CM 11-7-06 – CANCELLATION OF DECEMBER 25TH COUNCIL MEETING

 

     Motion by Morelli, supported by Kopkowski

 

     To cancel the December 25, 2006 regularly scheduled Council meeting

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

COUNCIL COMMENTS:

 

Council Member Kopkowski questioned whether there is sidewalk in front of the water tower on Mill Street.  Superintendent Renwick stated that it has never been put in.  Council Member Kopkowski stated she would like to see one put in.  Discussion was held on the sidewalk being intermittent all the way to the end of the street.  City Manager Cook stated that you do not see a lot of people walking along Mill Street.

 

Council Member Kopkowski asked where we are with the RFPs for engineering.  City Manager Cook stated that we have them available and will be distributed in the near future.

 

Councilman Kivell asked the status of getting cost for metering of electricity for the Quanex’s water.  Superintendent Martin stated that he will get that information for Council at the next meeting.

 

Council Member Maida asked if we have yet received any information on the credit card issue.  City Clerk/Treasurer Zemke stated that we are still gathering information.

 

Council Member Maida questioned the Parks and Recreation Authority draft language regarding the municipalities’ member of the Authority.  City Manager Cook stated that he is the member of the Recreation Council, and actually the Chairman.  He stated that he is simply distributing the final draft language that was published.  We are waiting for both Green Oak and Lyon Township to approve it.  This will not be back to Council until January.  Council Member Maida asked if the City Manager chose not to serve as a member of that Authority, could a Council Member serve without a conflict of interest.  Attorney Lee stated that there would be no conflict.

 

Councilman Morelli stated that he does not see why we would even be in support of the Recreation Authority.  We have a phenomenal recreation department, we have tennis courts throughout the City, we have the pool at the high school, we are spending money on our parks, etc.  He does not understand why we would approve this with the 3 mills they are asking for.  Councilman Kivell stated that they are not asking for any millage, but they would be able to go up to 3 mills.  It was stated that they would not ask for millage without a tangible function.  Councilman Morelli stated that are not going to take over the expense of what we spend for recreation in the City now, care of parks, etc.  Attorney Lee stated that any millage would have to be a vote of the people and associated with some project.  City Manager Cook stated that we are getting into dialogue on an issue that will be brought to the table at a future meeting.  At this point we are talking about an item that is not on this agenda.  It will be brought back some time in January, and you will have more than ample opportunity to make your comments.  Discussion was held on Steve Lackey being in attendance at that meeting.

 

Councilman Kivell stated that it is unfortunate that we have constraints on these types of dialogues.  This is an important issue and we are getting a great deal of information out to the public, but yet we cannot discuss it because it is not on the agenda.  Mayor Doyle stated that it is for a reason.  We have people here and there are people watching on TV as well as the newspaper that need ample lead time.

 

Mayor Doyle stated that he hopes that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

CM 11-8-06 – ADJOURNMENT

 

     Motion by Kivell, supported by Kopkowski

 

     To adjourn the meeting at 7:59 p.m.

 

 

VOTE:                                                                                      MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

_______________________________                                  ________________________________

John Doyle, Jr.                                                             Julie C. Zemke

Mayor                                                                                      City Clerk/Treasurer