August 23, 2022
President Welburn called the regular meeting of the Marcellus Village Council to order at 7:00 p.m. on August 23, 2022, at the Marcellus Village Hall Council Room. Trustees present: Irwin, Thomas, Oswalt, Haley and Webb. Trustee Simmons was absent.
Agenda
Motion by Thomas, supported by Irwin, to approve the agenda with the following additions:
Add Personnel Committee
A. DPW Superintendent Timothy Weston and Michael Clark Evaluations
B. Crossing Guard Pay
Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Minutes
Motion by Webb, supported by Oswalt, to approve and place on file the minutes of the August 8, 2022, Special Meeting and the August 9, 2022, Regular Meeting. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Bills
Motion by Oswalt, supported by Thomas, to authorize the payment of bills in the amount of $36,140.11. Roll call vote – Ayes: Haley, Welburn, Webb, Irwin, Thomas and Oswalt. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Public Comment
Karee Krause, Director of Cass County Veterans Affairs, addressed the Council and shared information regarding the services offered to veterans by this department, listing some of those, to include, but not limited to:
1. Dental
2. Transportation to and from appointments
3. Assistance with Disability claims
4. Assistance with tax abatements for disabled veterans
She asked that veterans in Cass County register with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Cass County and shared that more registered vets = more grant dollars for the department.
Frank Renaldi – DWSRF
Frank Renaldi reported on progress made to reduce the Village’s DWSRF project size, and therefore costs, by removing parts of the project including the removal of water main replacements on Monroe, Centre and Adams Streets with the potential to further remove main replacements on North and Elm Streets.
A telephone conference meeting is scheduled for August 24, 2022, with the Michigan Department of Treasury and EGLE to go over the financial aspects of the project. Mr. Renaldi will meet with contract awardee Balkema Excavating, Inc and the project financial consultant Baker Tilly to verify items to be removed and included in the project, and affordability.
Motion by Webb, supported by Irwin, to reaffirm the August 8 and 9, 2022 motions made by the Village Council regarding these changes for keeping the project within budgets and the additional engineering work so that the project costs stay at or below $5.7 million, realizing that some calculations are not complete and therefore, delegating to Frank Renaldi, in consultation with the Village President and Village Clerk, the authority to make any further decisions to continue within the $5.7 million ceiling. Roll call vote – Ayes: Thomas, Irwin, Oswalt, Webb, Haley and Welburn. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Consent Agenda
Motion by Webb, supported by Thomas, to receive and place on file all items listen on the consent agenda and call attention to the S&P Global Ratings letter dated August 9, 2022, which assigned a credit assessment of “Low Investment Grade” to the US$6,830,000 Village of Marcellus, Michigan, Water System Revenue Bonds, Series 2022, dated: September 20, 2022, due: September 22, 2022. The letter noted that a credit assessment is not a credit rating and should not be represented as a credit rating. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
President’s Report
Village Boundaries and August 16, 2022, Marcellus Township Meeting
President Welburn reported that he attended the August 16, 2022, Marcellus Township meeting where the Township voted unanimously to approve agreement with the Village’s annexation plans which include the properties outlined below and do not include the originally planned properties to the north and west of M-40, the farm property south of Marcellus highway between the Wild Patch and the school property, and does not include the property owned by Brian Lamoreaux at 13095 M-40, formerly the Tilted Lily. In addition, the Township Board’s vote included provisions for agreement with Marcellus Township: that is if-when the Village annexes the owned by Sugar Leaf on Hemlock Lake Road into the Village, the Township will continue to collect the marijuana licensing and excise tax fees so long as the business is at this location, with a portion of those licensing fees to be used for two additional days of police coverage by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department.
Motion by Welburn, supported by Webb, to reaffirm the Village’s intentions to annex properties and to move forward with an agreement between the Village of Marcellus and Marcellus Township. Roll call vote – Ayes: Irwin, Oswalt, Haley, Thomas and Welburn. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Clerk’s Report
State of Michigan LARA Municipal Notification for Marihuana Retailer
Clerk Terrill shared the August 19, 2022, email and notice from the State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs which notifies the Village that the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) has received a complete application for a state license from the Marcellus Investment Group (The Woods) at 166 South Burney Street, Marcellus, Michigan. The notice requests the Village respond, verifying that it has received the notice and informs the Village that if it does not notify the CRA that the proposed marihuana establishment is not in compliance with an ordinance consistent with section 6 of the MRTMA, and the licensee otherwise qualifies for the license, the CRA will issue the State license. Clerk Terrill informed the Council that she had verified with the CRA that it will issue a license to The Woods.
Motion by Webb, supported by Irwin, to ratify and confirm the Village’s response to the CRA that it has received the notice. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
DPW
MRWA Water Training S3 & S4 and Two-day Math Review
Motion by Irwin, supported by Oswalt, to authorize DPW Superintendent Timothy Weston and DPW Employee Michael Clark to attend via Zoom, the Oct. 25-26, 2022, S3 & S4 Water Distribution
class and to authorize Michael Clark to attend the September 7-8, 2022, Math Review Class in Kalamazoo, Michigan at a cost not to exceed $1,160.00. Roll call vote – Ayes: Welburn, Webb, Thomas, Irwin, Oswalt and Haley. Nays: None. Motion carried.
MDOT Notice – Re: Decertification of a Section of West Arbor Street and Annual Mileage Certification
Motion by Irwin, supported by Webb, to receive and place on file the MDOT letter dated August 17, 2022, which approves the Village’s March 2022, request to decertify a .03 mile section of West Arbor Street and corrects/recertifies the mileage for Act 51, Public Acts of 1951, as amended to: Major Streets, 1.9 miles and Local Streets 4.89 miles. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Personnel Committee
DPW Superintendent Timothy Weston Seven-Year
Trustee Irwin reported DPW Superintendent Timothy Weston received a favorable six-year evaluation and is eligible for a 50-cent per hour increase according to the Village’s resolution for scheduled wage increases. Irwin then moved, supported by Thomas, to approve the scheduled raise. Roll call vote – Ayes: Oswalt, Webb, Welburn, Haley, Irwin and Thomas. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Michael Clark Evaluations
Trustee Irwin reported Michael Clark received an outstanding 90-day evaluation and is now eligible for uniform benefits as outlined in the Village’s Personnel Policy for DPW employees.
Open Crossing Guard Position
Motion by Irwin, supported by Webb, to increase the trip/hourly pay for crossing guards to $16.00 per hour and to advertise for the open Crossing Guard position in The Marcellus News, on the Village’s marquis sign and its website. Roll call vote – Ayes: Oswalt, Webb, Thomas, Haley, Welburn, and Irwin. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Planning Commission
Trustee Thomas shared the Planning Commission survey taken during the Bluegill Frolic event on August 20, 2022.
In addition, Trustee Thomas reported that Grames Tire & Battery has met the minimum requirements for its Site Plan Review and the Planning Commission has approved the plan.
Motion by Webb, supported by Oswalt, to receive, place on file and share with the DDA, the Planning Commission survey results. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Adjournment
Motion by Thomas, supported by Oswalt, to adjourn at 8:37 p.m. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion
passed.
Jacqueline A. Terrill
Village Clerk
Ronald Welburn
Village President
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