6:00 P.M.
Village Hall
2nd Floor Conference Room
I. Call to Order
President Pro-Tem Palma called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
II.
Roll Call
A.
Present: Filber, Fischer, Hall, Holland, Palma & VanStrate
B.
Excused:
Keller
III.
Reports and Statements of Citizens:
No reports or statements of citizens
were presented.
IV.
Report
By the Village Clerk
A. Held
a public hearing regarding the Village conducting its regular elections in
September of odd-numbered years under the direction of the Village Clerk and
subsequently approved a resolution authorizing this election date.
Subject: A discussion was held at the December 20,
2004 regular Village Council meeting on whether the Village should continue to
run the Village election or consolidate the election with that of the township
and have the township run the Village election in November of even-numbered
years and charge the Village a prorated amount for the election expenses. On a 4-2 vote, it was determined that the
Village Council was interested in retaining the responsibility of running the
election in odd-numbered years.
The state required a formal public
hearing to be held in order for the Village to continue conducting their own
elections.
President
Pro-Tem Palma declared the meeting open to hear public comment.
Lou
Draeger, 736 Fall Street, stated that a township election cost between $15,000
and $18,000. Mr. Draeger was concerned
that the Village charter would have to be changed if the village chose to have
the township run the election.
Council
member Fischer said that if the village’s election were to be run along with
the township’s, the village would get lost in the crowd of the township’s
election.
Mr.
Draeger said that since the village election was non-partisan, if a voter were
to pull the Republican lever, the village votes would not be included. Mr. Draeger encouraged the village to stay
the course as decided at the December 20, 2004 regular council meeting.
Council
member Filber said the village should honor its charter and history by staying
the course.
Council
member Hall said the village should keep its identity separate from the
township.
Council
member Fischer said he thought the voters would be more informed if we just
keep the election with the village and that we would have no assurances that
the election would be less costly. Mr.
Fischer added that the village would have the option to consolidate its
elections, if council so desires in the future.
Mr.
Gerald Benson, 743 Winter Street, said that because of the logistics involved
in running a consolidated election it would be chaotic and confusing for the
voters and the election workers.
On
a motion by Fischer, support from Holland, the Village Council closed the
public hearing at 6:25 p.m.
Yes: 6 No: 0
On
a motion by Hall, support from Filber, the Village Council approved a
resolution authorizing the Village of Spring Lake to hold its regular election
for village offices on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September
in odd-numbered years under the direction of the Village Clerk.
Yes: 6 No: 0
V. Reports by the Village Council:
Council member Hall thanked everyone
who had visited him and sent cards while he was ill.
VI.
Statements of Citizens:
No
statements of citizens were presented.
VII.
Adjournment:
On a motion by VanStrate, support from Holland, the Village Council adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
___________________________________________
James Palma, Village President Pro-Tem
__________________________________________________
Maribeth Lawrence,
Village Clerk/Treasurer