7:30 P.M.
I.
Call to Order
II.
Pledge of
Allegiance
III.
Roll Call:
A.
Present:
Filber, Fischer, Hall, Holland, Keller, Palma & VanStrate.
IV.
Reports and Statements of Citizens
No reports or statements of citizens were
presented.
V. Consent
Agenda:
A.
Approved
the payment of the bills in the amount of $109,035.09.
B.
Approved the minutes of the March 15, 2004
meeting.
C.
Approved
distributing the Public Improvement fund draft six-year plan to the Village of
Spring Lake Panning Commission for review and recommendations on amendments.
On a motion by Fischer, support from Hall, the Village Council
approved the Consent Agenda as presented.
Yes: 7 No: 0
VI.
Report
By the Village Clerk
A.
Held a public hearing and subsequently
approved a request to amend the Village of Spring Lake Zoning Code, Section
17.10 pertaining to signs to permit projecting signs in the P-Public and
Semi-Public districts.
Subject:
The Planning Commission recommended this amendment at their meeting on
March 23, 2004. The purpose was to
permit the same type of projecting sign in the public districts that was
permitted in the commercial districts.
The Village Hall and Expanded Police Department signs were designed as
perpendicular signs.
The Village President declared the public
hearing open for discussion.
No discussion followed.
On a motion by Palma, support from Hall,
the Village Council closed the public hearing.
Yes: 7 No: 0
On a motion by Holland, support from
VanStrate, the Village Council approved the amendment to the Village of Spring
Lake Zoning Code; Section 17.10 pertaining to signs to permit projecting signs
in the P-Public and Semi-Public districts.
Yes: 7 No: 0
VII.
Report by the Village Manager
A.
Adopted a resolution asserting authority
to adopt the Village’s Master Plan and all associated amendments.
Summary:
Review of the draft Downtown Master Plan was the next item on the
agenda. The Village Council would need
to adopt a resolution if they were to be the official adopting body. The alternative was to not make this
assertion and the Planning Commission would become the adopting body by
default. The planning statutes were
changed in 2001 to enable the governing elected board to be the adopting
body. The intent was to create a
greater likelihood of implementation for the Planning Commission’s recommended
plans and any amendments, such as the upcoming Downtown Master Plan.
Brenda Moore of Langworthy Strader LeBlanc
was present to discuss the highlights of the Downtown Master Plan.
On a motion by Holland, support from
Fischer, the Village Council adopted a resolution asserting authority to adopt
the Village’s Master Plan and all associated amendments.
Yes: 7 No: 0
B.
Approved noticing neighboring communities
and Ottawa County of the Village of Spring Lake’s intent to plan and to provide
copies of the preliminary draft for review to the same, pursuant to the
Michigan City and Village Planning Act of 2001.
Summary:
The intent to plan and provide copies of the draft was required under
the amended planning statute. Attached
was the current draft before the Planning Commission for the council’s
preliminary review and comment.
On a motion by Holland, support from
Fischer, the Village Council approved noticing neighboring communities and
Ottawa County of the Village of Spring Lake’s intent to plan and to provide
copies of the preliminary draft for review to the same, pursuant to the
Michigan City and Village Planning Act of 2001.
Yes: 7 No: 0
C.
Approved adopting the amendments to the
personnel policies and procedures manual.
Summary:
The Council considered changes to this manual in its work session on
March 1, 2004 as follows:
1.
Extend the spousal retirement health benefit to
Sergeants and the Police Chief, the same as the officers;
2.
For part-time and seasonal staff, eliminate
overtime payments unless the hours exceed the number allowed according to the
Fair Labor Standards Act or unless permitted by the Village Manager due to
extraordinary circumstances. ;
3.
Approve a policy of internal promotions and
external advertising if at least two qualified internal applications are not
received;
4.
Creation of a one year probationary period for
promotions;
5.
Approve a policy on demotions and retention of
the employee’s original position;
6.
Flex
time encouragement policy;
7.
Related to the above, refinements to the
definition of a “general” employee;
8.
Changes to annual evaluation dates to have them
coincide with the employee’s anniversary date (new since the work session); and
9.
Removal of the employee’s birthday as a
designated holiday and inclusion of this potential time off as personal leave
(new since the work session).
Attached was the detailed language for all
of the above amendments.
On a motion by Hall, support from Filber,
the Village Council adopted the amendments to the Village of Spring Lake
personnel policies and procedures manual.
Yes: 7 No: 0
D.
Approved the standard form of agreement
between the Village of Spring Lake and Mulder Group, LLC to accomplish dredging
of the Mill Point Boat Launch by May 1, 2004 for $14,000 and authorized the
Village President and Clerk-Treasurer to execute.
Summary:
The Village Council considered bids on March 22nd and authorized
staff to select the bid which best fit the permit criteria and the Village’s
needs. The Mulder group’s bid was
selected. This agenda item was needed
to authorize execution of the contract.
The agreement was lengthy and was in the Village Clerk-Treasurer’s
office for review in advance.
On a motion by Hall, support from Filber,
the Village Council approved the standard form of agreement between the Village
of Spring Lake and Mulder Group, LLC to accomplish dredging of the Mill Point
Boat Launch by May 1, 2004 for $14,000 and authorized the Village President and
Clerk-Treasurer to execute.
Yes: 7 No: 0
E.
Authorized initiation of design guidelines
and Zoning Ordinance amendments for downtown by Langworthy Strader LeBlanc and
Associates, Inc (LSL) for $9,200 consistent with the recommendations of the
Central Business District Development Association.
Summary:
The CBDDA recommended the Downtown Master Plan to the Planning
Commission on March 11, 2004 and set their next meeting for June 10, 2004 to
begin the necessary detailed deliberations on establishing appropriate core
downtown design guidelines. This was
their highest priority for the Plan and was their highest priority for
implementation.
The total amount budgeted for the Downtown
Master Plan was $45,000 from the Tax Increment Fund. LSL billed approximately $26,000 for the Plan. The CBDDA recommended using a portion of the
remainder to begin the implementation steps for the design portions of the
plan.
These guidelines were needed daily by
staff to aid in answering questions and to provide feedback to prospective
developers on their plans. A quote was
requested from LSL and was attached.
The total estimated cost was $6,300.
This expenditure would produce a design guidebook similar in quality to
the one produced by Ann Arbor. A copy
was provided for the council’s review at the meeting. Zoning standards to accompany these design guidelines were
estimated to cost $2,900. These
expenditures would come from the remaining budget for the Downtown Master Plan
in the TIF Fund.
On a motion by Filber, support from Hall,
the Village Council authorized initiation of design guidelines and Zoning
Ordinance amendments for downtown by Langworthy, Strader, LeBlanc and
Associates, Inc (LSL) for $9,200.
Yes: 7 No: 0
VIII.
Reports
by the Village Council:
No reports by
the Village Council were presented.
IX.
Statements of Citizens:
No
statements of citizens were presented.
X.
Re-convened the work session at 8:38 pm
until 9:15 pm.
XI.
Report by Village Attorney:
On a motion by
Palma, support from Holland, the Village Council adjourned into executive
session at 9:21 p.m.
Yes: 7 No: 0
Resolved that
the Village Council meet in executive session for reasons permitted by Section
8(C) of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, MCL 15.268 (e); MSA 4.1800(18)(e); as
requested by the Village Manager, to confer with legal counsel on matters
permitted by Section (e) of the Open Meetings Act.
On a motion by
Palma, support from VanStrate, the Village Council arose from executive session
at 9:30 p.m.
Yes: 7 No: 0
XII.
Adjournment
On a motion by
VanStrate, support from Holland, the Village Council adjourned at 9:31 pm.
Yes: 7 No: 0
______________________________________________
Daniel Keller,
Village President
_______________________________________________
Maribeth
Lawrence, Village Clerk/Treasurer