President Irwin called the regular meeting of the Marcellus Village Council to order at 7:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024, in the Marcellus Village Hall. Trustees present: Markle, Engstrom, Welburn, Thomas, Haley and Webb.
Agenda
Motion by Welburn, supported by Haley, to approve the agenda with the following changes:
– Under President’s Report – Remove Items A and B
– Under President’s Report – Add Item C. Clean Earth Quote to Vactor Separation Tank
– Under Clerk’s Report – Add Item F. Bluegill Frolic Update
– Add Item G. The Woods License Renewal
– Under DPW – Add Item C. Lagoon Operations Training
– Add Item D. MRWA Operator
Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Minutes
Motion by Webb, supported by Markle, to approve and place on file the minutes of the July 23, 2024, Regular Meeting as corrected. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Bills
Motion by Haley, supported by Engstrom, to authorize the payment of bills in the amount of $936,192.45. Roll call vote – Engstrom, Irwin, Welburn, Webb, Haley, Markle and Thomas. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Brian Hake – Kruggel & Lawton 2023 Audit Report
Staff Accountant Brian Hake, of Kruggel & Lawton, provided the Village Council with an oral summary of the 2023 audit, highlighting that the 2023 audit was complex due to the new Village infrastructure-related bonds, number of grants obtained and projects going on in the Village. He thanked the Village Manager/Clerk for her work and cooperation and gave the following overview of the audit:
1. The Village’s combined net position increased by 68.64% due to grant funds and additions to capital assets, mostly in the water and sewer funds.
2. The Economic Factors and information for Next Year’s Budgets and Rates includes the following highlights:
The Village expects will finish the work on the following partially grant funded projects by November 2024:
The Village has spent $42,474 of its ARPA funds on a storm water project and as part of a blight elimination grant project (former Tailgater) on East Main Street. The balance of the funds, $77,222, will be used to further stabilize the historic building formerly known as the Tailgater, along with funds raised by the DDA and a Cass County Blight Elimination Grant.
• DWSRF water main and lead service line replacements
• Downtown Beautification (RAP) project
• High Water Grant project
In addition, the Village will begin work on these
projects
• $483,000 MSHDA CHILL
• $469,217 MSHDA MI Neighborhood
The Village has been notified that it is eligible to receive $1 million in Community Project Funding from the EPA for its Water Treatment Plant project and is actively seeking additional funding for the $4 million project.
3. The audit and F65 reports have been submitted to the State of Michigan Treasury.
\Motion by Webb, supported by Markle, to receive and place on file the Kruggel & Lawton audit of the Village of Marcellus’s financial records for 2023. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Jeff VanBelle – Cass County Drain Commissioner – Village Stormwater System
Cass County Drain Commissioner Jeff VanBelle spoke with the Village Council regarding some ways that the Village may address the many and expensive stormwater issues in the Village and shared some ideas on how the Village might reduce costs associated with managing its stormwater system by creating drain interceptor lines that the Village could then connect to as funds allow.
Village Council members will talk further about the ideas presented and see if they can get the Cass County GIS department to assist with mapping to show contributors to each area of the Village, which would save money on consulting fees.
Frank Renaldi – Barrier-free Entries, MDOT and ADA Requirements
Frank Renaldi, of Wightman & Associates, Inc., talked with the Village Council about the design and finished product that includes sidewalks, ramps and steps to downtown businesses. He explained that the initial grade of the walk was too steep and two equal steps were added to make them more predictable. He and Council members discussed adding rails to assist those businesses that were affected by ADA accessibility changes. He will meet with Village and business representatives to discuss and review options for resolution to access issues, and the subject will be added to the August 27, 2024, Village Council meeting agenda for further discussion.
Consent Agenda
Motion by Webb, supported by Irwin, to include the August 12, 2024, MAESA meeting packet in the list of Consent Agenda items, and to receive and place on file all items on the Consent Agenda. Roll call vote – Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
President’s Report
Village Council Letter to EGLE re: Village Wellhead Protection Area
Motion by Irwin, supported by Welburn, to execute and mail a letter to EGLE, requesting and urging support and advocacy to the residents, users and other consumers of the drinking water in the Village of Marcellus by respecting the boundaries of the Village’s WHPP, and to include reference to the drainage problems that affect the Village and are already a problem in the proposed area for a solar farm placement in the Township. Roll call vote – Ayes: Webb, Thomas, Haley, Markle, Welburn, Engstrom and Irwin. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Marcellus Community Schools – Ag Barn Sewer and Water
Motion by Irwin, supported by Irwin, to approve the requests for the following deviances from Village ordinances by Marcellus Community Schools:
1. To place a septic tank at the newly built educational agriculture barn on school property.
2. To authorize connection to the school’s irrigation well for water to the agriculture barn.
Ayes: Engstrom, Markle, Webb, Welburn, Haley, Thomas and Irwin. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Clean Earth – Quote for Vactoring at South Sewer Lagoon
Morion by Irwin, supported by Markle, to approve the quote from Clean Earth for vactoring to clean the south lagoon separation tank and to jet wash the lining connect to LASA at a cost not to exceed $2,880.00. Roll call vote – Ayes: Welburn, Haley, Webb, Irwin, Markle, Thomas and Engstrom. Nays: None. Motion carried.
MAESA Report
President Pro Tempore Welburn reported on the August 12, 2024, MAESA meeting and shared three key points from the meeting.
1. Municipalities everywhere need to find a way to pay the volunteer emergency responders. MAESA is working to form a committee that will research and make recommendations to the Village Council, Township and MAESA Boards.
2. State Auditor Derek Hall presented the 2023 MAESA audit information to the MAESA Board during the meeting. Derek Hall noted that the Township tax collection for MAESA is as a pass-through entity just as for school districts and other governmental entities.
3. A county-wide meeting regarding ambulance services is scheduled for August 21, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at the Cass County Emergency Operations Center. President Irwin, Manager/Clerk Terrill and he will attend the meeting.
Clerk’s Report
MSHDA MI Neighborhood Program Citizen Public Participation Plan
Motion by Engstrom, supported by Welburn, to approve the MSHDA MI Neighborhood Program Citizen Participation Plan. Roll call vote – Ayes: Markle, Thomas, Welburn, Engstrom, Webb, Haley and Irwin. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Village Hall/Fire Department Kitchen Stove
Motion by Irwin, supported by Welburn, to authorize the purchase of a new kitchen stove for the Village Hall/Fire Department kitchen at an amount not to exceed $1,100.00. Roll call vote – Ayes: Webb, Haley, Markle, Irwin, Thomas, Engstrom and Welburn. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Proposed Joint Meeting of the Village Council, Planning Commission and DDA 9/24/2024
Motion by Markle, supported by Engstrom, to schedule a joint meeting of the Village Council, Planning Commission and DDA on September 24, 2024, for the purpose of reviewing the Village’s Master Plan and Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) so that the CIP can be updated before the end of the year. Roll call vote – Ayes: Welburn, Webb, Irwin, Markle, Engstrom, Thomas and Haley. Nays: None. Motion carried.
2024 Audit Pricing
Motion by Welburn, supported by Irwin, to authorize the payment of an additional $3,100.00 as requested by Kruggel Lawton CPAs for the additional work on the 2023 audit due to the projects and complex financing arrangements considerable number of Village. Roll call vote – Ayes: Thomas, Irwin, Engstrom, Markle, Welburn, Haley and Webb. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Village Budgets for 2024
Manager/Clerk Terrill presented proposed amendments and changes to the Village budgets, reporting on the condition and expected revenues and expenses for all Village funds for FY 2024.
Motion by Webb, supported by Irwin, to approve and place on file the Clerk’s report on the 2024 budgets for all funds and to approve the amendments for all Village funds. Roll call vote – Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried.
The Woods License Renewal – (August 26, 2024)
Manager/Clerk Terrill reported that The Woods Marcellus has met Village and State requirements for its marihuana license renewal, effective August 26, 2024. Irwin moved, supported by Thomas, to authorize the issuance of a retail license with an effective date of August 26, 2024, through August 25, 2025, to The Woods Marcellus. Roll call vote – Ayes: Markle, Irwin, Webb, Thomas, Engstrom, Welburn and Haley. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Personnel Committee
Crossing Guard Positions – Robert Combs and Robin Szymonski
Motion by Engstrom, supported by Welburn, approve the hiring of Robert Combs and Robin Szymonski as permanent part-time Crossing Guards at the rate of $17.50 per hour, pending favorable background checks and drug tests. Roll call vote – Ayes: Haley, Webb, Markle, Welburn, Thomas, Engstrom, and Irwin. Nays: None. Motion carried.
DPW
Peerless Annual Well and Pump Maintenance
Motion by Irwin, supported by Markle, to approve the annual well and pump maintenance to be performedby Peerless Midwest, Inc., of Mishawaka, Indiana, in the amount of $800.00. Roll call vote – Ayes: Thomas, Webb, Engstrom, Irwin, Markle, Haley and Welburn. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Carleton Equipment – Bobcat Repairs
President Irwin reported the DPW bobcat hydraulic cylinders are leaking and need to be repaired. The DPW has tried different methods to remove the cylinders to no avail. The bobcat will need to be picked up by Carleton Equipment of Kalamazoo, Michigan, as the Village has no means to transport it. Irwin moved, supported by Welburn, to authorize the transport and repair of the bobcat. Roll call vote – Ayes: Webb, Haley, Irwin, Welburn, Thomas, Markle and Engstrom. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Adjournment
Motion by Irwin, supported by Thomas, to adjourn at 8:47 p.m. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion passed.
Jacqueline A. Terrill
Village Manager/Clerk
Dennis Irwin
Village President
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