7:30 P.M.
I.
Call to Order
II.
Pledge of
Allegiance
III.
Roll Call
A.Present: Filber, Fischer, Holland, Keller, Palma
& VanStrate
B.Excused: Hall
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 $219,645.91.
B.Approved the minutes of
the May 17, 2004 regular Village Council meeting.
C.Approved closing Church
Street, north of the Spring Lake District Library to M-104, on Thursdays
beginning June 17, 2004 to October 1, 2004 from 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM for the
purpose of allowing the Chamber to initiate a Spring Lake Farm and Garden
Market.
D.Approved a contribution
of 50% of the cost of a banner for the new Spring Lake Farm and Garden Market
planned for kick-off on June 17, 2004.
(The approximate total cost was $600.)
E.Authorized the advanced
purchase of BS&A tax software for $3,995.
(This software was needed to be efficient and to be compatible with the
Ottawa County tax system. It needed
Council action to purchase it now, since it was not technically budgeted until
July 1, 2004.)
F.Authorized the Village
Manager to teach an Organizational Dynamics Course at GVSU in the fall and
winter Semester during the work day and in return, the Village Manager would
contribute $1,250 of his teaching salary to the Village’s general fund.
G.Authorized an agreement
with Captive Audience Advertising, Inc of Grand Haven to sell advertising space
at the In-Line Skate Rink at Central Park.
The agreement called for a 25% payment to the Village for each $800
advertisement sold and would handle all production and installation.
H.Set a public hearing
for June 21, 2004 to amend Chapter 74, Section 87 of the Village of Spring Lake
Code of Ordinances.
On a motion by Fischer, support from
Filber, the Village Council approved the
Consent Agenda as presented.
Yes: 6 No: 0
VI.
Report
By the Village Clerk
No
report by the Village Clerk was presented.
VII.
Report
by the Village Manager
A. Held
a public hearing and subsequently established the millage rate and adopted the
operating budget for fiscal year 2005/2006.
Summary: Village staff prepared and reviewed the Village’s
FY 2005 preliminary budget with the Village Council on April 17, 2004. The general operating expenditures were
expected to increase 0.3%, or $3,023, compared to FY04. The millage dedicated to the general
operating purposes would remain the same.
Local real estate property taxes for general operating purposes would
increase from $665,242 to 696,137 in FY04.
Local property taxes were the single largest source of revenue for the
general fund (65%).
Total
operating revenues were projected to be $1,185,777. When compared to total operating expenditures of $1,185,049, a
surplus of $728 was projected. The
total year-end cash balance was estimated to be $186,224, or $8,467 above the
15% minimum guideline.
The
second year of a special three-year millage for major streets (1.0 mill)
remained included in the non-general fund portion of the budget. These revenues paid for the Village’s local
match necessary to receive federal funds through the new West Plan Metropolitan
Planning Organization. As an outcome,
Lake Street and Liberty Streets were reconstructed in the Spring of 2004. The next street projects were portions of
Prospect, Meridian and Jackson.
(Unfortunately, Local Street needs were not eligible for funding
assistance; their needs would be addressed when TIF sunsets.)
The
overall millage remained 13.1619, the same as last year.
Several
fees were recommended to increase, including a 12% adjustment to the water debt
service to equal the extra $5,000 in debt service charges from NOWS and
building permit fee increased to match expenditures for staff and Village Hall
reconstruction building expenses.
Several
small changes were made following the work session: the personal property tax revenue estimates were adjusted
downward by $3,000 and the payments for services to TIF were increased by a
corresponding amount. In the Public
Improvement Plan, the funding of the Mill Point Boat Launch was recognized and
contributions from the General Fund as the start of a reimbursement program
were included.
Budget
summary sheets were attached.
The
Village President declared the public hearing open for discussion.
President
Keller explained the 4.21% increase in taxable value to the Village Council.
Manager
Cotton thanked the budget team for their efforts on the budget.
On
a motion by Fischer, support from Holland, the Village Council closed the
public hearing.
Yes: 6 No: 0
On
a motion by Fischer, support from Holland, the Village Council established the
annual millage rate of 13.1619 mills and adopted the 2005/2006 fiscal year
operating budget.
Yes: 6 No: 0
B. Approved
fee increases for fiscal year 2005.
Summary: Recommended increases were in the fee
section of the budget. The primary
changes were 1) 12% increase adjustment to the water debt service to equal the
extra $5,000 in debt service charges from NOWS; and 2) building permit fee
increases to match expenditures for staff and Village Hall reconstruction
building expenses. The contracts with
the electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspectors would be reviewed at a later
date for possible increases.
On a motion by Palma, support from
Holland, the Village Council approved the fee changes for fiscal year 2005
starting July 1, 2004.
C. Held
a public hearing to consider adopting the fiscal year 2005 six-year capital
program.
Summary: The 1997 Village Charter required that the
Village Manager submit to the Village Council a Five-Year capital program no
later than the final date for the submission of the annual operating budget. The capital program included: a general list of projects proposed to be
taken during the next five fiscal years (revenues permitting), cost
assessments, recommended time schedules for each improvement, and proposed
methods of financing.
New
this year was compliance with the Municipal Planning Act of 2001 that requires
the Planning Commission to review a six-year capital plan and recommend any
changes. The Planning Commission
reviewed the plan enclosed in this packet at their April and May meetings and
recommended all the projects except one.
On a split vote (4-3) they recommended deletion of the Municipal
Services Garage expansion for $170,000.
The
Staff continued to recommend this expansion due to not being able to keep all
vehicles under roof, the temporary nature of the existing salt storage facility
now and improvements needed to better organize the cold storage that existed in
the Old Public Works garage. This
building was slated for a higher and better use through sale, redevelopment and
placement on the tax roles as an office.
The
Village President declared the public hearing open for discussion.
Council
member Palma asked if the Village Council could override the decision of the
Planning Commission to not expand the Municipal Service Garage.
Manager
Cotton said that the Village Council could override their decision.
Council
member Fischer said he was glad that the Planning Commission had debated the
issue.
Council
member VanStrate asked why the Planning Commission had voted it down.
Community
Services Director Hansen said that the Planning Commission had philosophical
differences on the selling of public land.
Council
member Fischer said that the expansion would make a small department more
efficient and was needed to store any equipment purchased.
Council
member Holland asked if spot zoning had been brought up by the Planning
Commission and Community Service Director Hansen said that it had been.
Council
member Holland asked if Community Service Director Hansen thought their
decision had anything to do with the Masonic Temple.
Hansen said it was his opinion that it
did.
Council
member Fischer said that this would be a case of forced zoning. Once it leaves public zoning status it would
have to be rezoned some other way other than public.
On
a motion by Palma, support from Fischer, the Village Council closed the public
hearing.
Yes: 6
No: 0
On
a motion by Holland, support from Fischer, the Village Council adopted the
fiscal year 2005 Six-Year Capital Program without the deletion of the Municipal
Services Garage expansion.
Yes: 6 No: 0
D. Approved
Spring Lake Antique Mall as the nomination to the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual
Business Award for the Village of Spring Lake.
Summary: This business had grown considerably since
renovating this structure at the corner of Christman and West Savidge. The Council discussed this matter in work
session last meeting and supported this nomination given that it is
family-owned and had been improved substantially from what it used to be.
On
a motion by Fischer, support from Filber, the Village Council approved Spring
Lake Antique Mall as the Village’s nomination to the Chamber of Commerce’s
Annual Business Award.
Yes: 6 No: 0
E. Approved
an agreement with Langworthy, Strader, LeBlanc and Associates for design
guidelines and zoning ordinance amendments pertaining to the Downtown Master
Plan.
Summary: This matter was discussed in work session
when the Downtown Master Plan was forwarded to the Planning Commission. The cost had not changed; the attached contract
needed to be formally approved before LSL begins the work with the CBDDA on
June 10, 2004 at their next meeting.
The costs would be up to $9,200, plus reimbursable expenses of $1,000. These funds were left over from savings from
the Downtown Master Plan project in the TIF fund.
On
a motion by Fischer, support from Filber, the Village Council approved an
agreement with Langworthy, Strader, LeBlanc and Associates for design
guidelines and zoning ordinance amendments pertaining to the Downtown Master Plan
and authorized the President and Village Clerk/Treasurer to execute.
Yes: 6 No: 0
VIII.
Reports
by the Village Council:
Council member
Holland asked if there was money in the 2005 budget to purchase a bench for in
front of the Village Hall.
Manager Cotton
said that there were possible donations in the works for that purpose and
suggested purchasing two for symmetry.
Council
president Keller announced that the Tri- Cities Museum was having an open house
on June 8, 2004.
Council member
Palma recognized the efforts of Ron Zuit as representative of the Village on
the North Ottawa Community Hospital board.
Council member
Filber asked if the staff could put a link on the website for Village Council
members’ emails, so the residents would have access to the council members
directly through email.
Manager Cotton
said staff would look into this idea.
IX.
Statements of Citizens:
No statements
of citizens were presented.
X. Adjournment
On a motion by
VanStrate, support from Holland, the Village Council adjourned at 8:15.
Yes: 6 No: 0
_______________________________________________
Daniel Keller,
Village President
_______________________________________________
Maribeth
Lawrence, Village Clerk/Treasurer