MINUTES

 

Spring Lake Village

June 21, 2004

7:30 P.M.

 

Barber School Community Building

102 West Exchange Street

Spring Lake, Michigan

 

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 $23,188.03.

 

B.Approved the minutes of the June 7, 2004 meeting.

 

C.Approved closing of Meridian Street, south of Exchange Street to Summit Street, on Monday, June 19 through Friday, June 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the purpose of allowing the Baptist Church to safely conduct a Vacation Bible School. 

 

D.Approved changing a public hearing on parking fines, Chapter 74-87 of the Village Code of Ordinances, from June 21, 2004 to July 19, 2004. 

 

E.Set a Planned Unit Development public hearing for August 2, 2004 prior to consideration of the Final Development Plan.  (The Planning Commission would review the preliminary plan on June 22nd.  If they approved it, the developer would have missed a month of time until the next expected meeting.  Approval of the public hearing notice tonight ran the notice period on a parallel track but didn’t tie the Planning Commission or Council to anything other than setting the hearing.)

 

F.Approved canceling the July 7,2004 regular Village Council meeting.

 

 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.  Approved the Second Amendment to the March 23, 1998 Intergovernmental Police Services Agreement pertaining to the remodeled Police Department space, rent and term.

 

Summary:  The Joint Police Commission worked on this amendment following the completion of the Strategic Planning last winter.  The City of Ferrysburg approved the agreement amendment at their June 7th meeting.  Attached was the final approved language.

 

On a motion by Fischer, support from Holland, the Village Council approved the Second Amendment to the March 23, 1998 Intergovernmental Police Services Agreement and authorized the President and Village Clerk/Treasurer to execute the amendment.

 

             Yes:            6            No:            0

 

B.  Approved submission of an amended Coastal Management Program Grant Application for the Grand River Greenway and committed a local match of $34,760 from the Tax Increment Financing District Fund.

 

Summary:  The Village originally submitted a grant request for 50% share of $10,000 to do a conceptual design of this path from near Village Cove to the end of Division Street in late April. The granting authorities met with Ryan Cotton and Ken Gleason, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee four weeks ago to review the site and the grant’s chances. 

The grants person suggested we amend the grant to do both conceptual and detailed design on the first phase to Division Street and then do conceptual design only on the remainder to Leonard Road. 

The initial problem with this approach was the 50% local match. The estimated cost for this additional work was $69,519 total, for a local share of $34,760. 

This expense would not be incurred until formally approved by the Coastal Management Program in early 2005.  The expenditure could be spread over two fiscal years. 

This expense, and ones like it, seem to have been contemplated in the language of the Spring Lake Downtown Development Authority Plan quoted below in the  “Development Area Projects” section:

…West Waterfront Development Improvements in conjunction with the development of the Wipperfurth/Fletemeyer/Barrett area properties including lighting, a seawall, public walkways, all-season pedestrian access to the Holiday Inn…

This language supported use of TIF funds for the West End Community Boardwalk completed five years ago.

The funding would come from a reduction in the various “redevelopment demolition” line items in the TIF budget.

 

The Village Council discussed this matter on June 7th and determined, on a split show of hands, that you would like to act on an amended grant request. It was based on a revised project budget.

Councilmember VanStrate said that this would distract from road repairs, which are more important to him and that he did not feel it was fiscally responsible.

 

Councilmember Palma asked where the money would be coming from.

 

Village Manager Cotton said that originally $10,000 had been budgeted in the Public Improvement fund, but the local match of $34,000 could come from the Tax Increment Financing District fund.

 

Councilmember Fischer said that this would not take any money away from street projects and that he was in favor of it.

 

Councilmember Filber said the council should take advantage of the availability of the grant.  

 

President Keller stated that the Grand River Greenway was an important part of the Village of Spring Lake’s future plans and he felt that this was a great expenditure to get out of the way now. 

 

On a motion by Fischer, support from Filber, the Village Council approved submission of an amended Coastal Management Program Grant Application for the Grand River Greenway and committed a local match of $34,760 from the Tax Increment Financing District Fund.

 

            Yes:      4      No:      2 (Palma, VanStrate)

 

 

C.  Approved a resolution of Cooperative Intent.

 

Summary:   Attached were three optional resolutions adopted by the City of Ferrysburg, the City of Grand Haven and Grand Haven Township respectively.  A third draft was provided by Ryan Cotton to attempt to anticipate the changes you might like to see to best represent Spring Lake’s best interests. 

 

The changes were similar to Ferrysburg’s amendments, with deletion of references to the Loutit District Library. 

 

On a motion by Fischer, support by Filber, the Village Council approved a resolution of Cooperative Intent.

 

            Yes:            6            No:            0

 

VIII.       Reports by the Village Council:

 

Councilmember Holland commented on Spring Lake Township Supervisor Jim Jeske’s June 15, 2004 letter to Ottawa County Planning Commission objecting to the Village’s master plan including a desire for a local bridge at 148th Avenue.

 

IX.                                    Statements of Citizens:

 

Shannon McMaster, 412 E. Exchange Street, informed the Village Council that he would be the Historic Commission’s co-chairperson for the remainder of the year, due to the resignation of Sara Rathbun.  Mr. McMaster also told Council that the Wooden Boat Show had been an amazing success.

 

Councilmember Fischer commented on what a great job Jim Whitwam had done on the historic window frame picture (on the Village Hall second floor) and that some kind of recognition of his work should be made.

 

Ms. Elizabeth Wheeler, 120 N. Lake Avenue, thanked the Village Council for inviting the Planning Commission to the presentation given by Paul Sachs of the Ottawa County Planning Commission on the Urban Smart Growth project.         

                                      

X.    Re-Convened the work session from 8:08 till 8:53 p.m.

 

XI.                 Executive Session to consider property acquisition

 

On a motion by Palma, support from Holland, the Village Council adjourned into executive session at 8:53 p.m.

 

                        Yes:            6            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 Holland, support from VanStrate, the Village Council arose from executive session at 9:35 p.m.

 

                        Yes:            6            No:            0

 

XII.            Adjournment

 

On a motion by Holland, support from VanStrate, the Village Council adjourned at 9:35 pm.

 

                              Yes:               6               No:               0      

 

 

                       

 

 

______________________________________________

Daniel Keller, Village President

 

 

 

_______________________________________________

Maribeth Lawrence, Village Clerk/Treasurer