City Council - February 28, 2005

PROPOSED MINUTES
FERNDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005, 7:30 P.M. AT CITY HALL

A Regular Meeting of the Ferndale City Council was held Monday, February 28, 2005, at City Hall, 300 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale. Mayor Porter called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

Mayor Porter led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call showed the following members of Council present: Council Members Galloway, Lennon, Weber; Mayor Porter. Absent: Councilman Covey.

XXX. Moved by Councilwoman Weber, seconded by Councilman Galloway, to adopt the following Resolution:

Section 10 of Chapter III of the Charter of the City of Ferndale, Oakland County, Michigan provides that absence from five consecutive Regular meetings of the City Council shall automatically operate to vacate the seat of the member of the Council unless the absence is excused by Resolution setting forth such excuse and entered upon the journal; and

Councilman Craig Covey had cause for his/her absence from the Regular Council Meeting of Monday, February 28, 2005.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Councilman Craig Covey be excused from the Regular Council Meeting of Monday, February 28, 2005, for the reasons stated above, as provided by Section 10 of Chapter III of the City Charter.

AYES: G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Mayor Porter proclaimed March, 2005 as Parenting Awareness Month.

XXX. Mayor Porter presented awards to employees with 10, 15, 20, 30 and 35 years of service

Name Classification Department

Gasper Bommarito Engineer Fire

William F. Jones Parks/Streets/Hwy Ldr Public Works

Kevin P. Sullivan Sergeant Fire

Steven C. Carroll Officer Police

Paige M. Gembarski Senior Services Dir Recreation

*Jaynmarie C. Hubanks Fin. Dir./Asst. City Mgr. Finance

Steven L. Jennings Sergeant Police

Michael L. Kazee Sergeant Fire

Patricia Lind Circulation Coord. Library

*Terrance O. Murphy Public Works DPW

Gerald D. Reiser Parking Meter Leader DPW

Dennis Emmi Officer Police

Laura A. McGraw Public Works DPW

Casey O’Loughlin Sergeant Police

Shane Ptak Sergeant Police

Norman VanSparrentak Fire Fighter Fire

* were present

XXX. Betty Laframboise, of the Block Club Network, presented a check in the amount of $3,247.03 to the Friends of the Library.

XXX. Bill Axtell, from the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, announced that the Chamber’s website was on-line and the address was www.ferndalechamber.com. He also announced that 200 people came to Ferndale for an after-work mixer sponsored by the Oakland Chamber Network and that the Chamber’s next "Coffee Connection" would be held on March 15, 2005, at Crane Optical. Mr. Axtell indicated that the Chamber had received information from the Oakland County Parenting Awareness Coalition who would be giving out "Family Friendly Employer of the Year" awards.

1. Ralph Sherman, Chair of the Arts and Cultural Commission, announced that people were needed to become Commission Members or volunteers and that the Commission was working with the DDA.

2. Ray White, President of the Historical Society, announced that the Society was selling plaques for houses that had the year that the structure was built.

3. Betty Laframboise inquired about the history of how land was acquired for Wilson Park.

4. Oakland County Commissioner David Coulter announced that Oakland would be the first County to provide Wireless Internet Access Service to all of Oakland County. He also announced President Bush’s proposal to eliminate CDBG Funds.

XXX. It was the consensus of Council that Consent Agenda Item 8G be considered after the Regular Agenda.

Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to approve the amended Consent Agenda as follows:

A. Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held September 13, 2004, as submitted by City Clerk.

B. Approval to refer Chapter 9 of the Code of Ordinances regarding 2000 Edition of the International Fire Code, to the Ordinance Committee for review and recommendation on 2003 Edition of the International Fire Code, as submitted by Acting Fire Chief.

C. Approval of the bid from Apollo Fire Equipment for a Thermal Imaging Camera and Charger, as submitted by Acting Fire Chief.

D. Approval to table the review of proposed Zoning Ordinance by the Ordinance Committee until such time as the review has been completed and recommendations can be made to Council, as submitted by City Attorney.

E. Adoption of Travel Resolution authorizing attendance at the NLC Conference to be held March 10-16, 2005, in Washington, D.C., as submitted by City Clerk.

F. Adoption of Travel Resolution authorizing attendance at the MML Conference to be held March 22-23, 2005, in Lansing, MI, as submitted by City Clerk.

G. REMOVED FROM CONSENT-MOVED TO END OF REGULAR AGENDA

H. Approval of the bills and payrolls (as certified by City Manager) to be paid subject to review by the Council Finance Committee.

AYES: W, G; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: L, C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilman Lennon, to approve of the sale of the West Troy Municipal Parking lot, pursuant to the terms of the Development Agreement, as amended by the Attorneys involved and presented to Council this evening by Ferndale City Attorney Dan Christ.

AYES: G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Lennon, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to adopt the Ordinance rezoning the property located at 175 West Troy, T1N R11E, Section 34, Greenwood Park Subdivision, East 40 Feet of Lot 55, Sidwell Number 25-34-128-005 from C-2, General Business Service District, to C-4, Central Business District.

AYES: L, W, G; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to reappoint Jack Miller, 2216 Pinecrest, to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board for a term expiring December 12, 2007.

AYES: W, C, G, L; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to approve moving existing School Election Polling Locations throughout the City of Ferndale to the Municipal Polling Locations for the purpose of facilitating Elections to be in compliance with the Consolidated Elections Act and consistent with the Oakland County Election Commission’s Resolution of February 11, 2005, and that those Precinct Polling locations be as described in the February 22, 2005 correspondence from the City Clerk.

AYES: G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, that the low bid from $14,400.00 of Accu-Clean Services, to clean the air ducts in the City Hall/Police Station be accepted; and that the expense be charged to the Public Improvement Fund, Repair and Maintenace, Account# 245-775.

AYES: L, W, G; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, that Council received the Police Department Report for January, 2005.

AYES: W, G, L; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Interim Fire Chief Schmidt announced that Severe Weather Week would be

March 20 - 26, 2005, and that a special tornado siren test would be held on

March 22, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. He also announced that Fire Inspector Batten was working with Ferndale School Superintendent Gary Meier to have the Safety Trailer at each of the elementary schools for one day during that week. Interim Fire Chief Schmidt indicated that information was available regarding severe weather at both of the Fire Stations and Kulick Community Center.

XXX. City Manager Barwin thanked those that were involved with the West Troy Development Agreement. He announced that residents wanted to pass on their thanks to Council for taking a proactive position regarding Smart Growth and Transit. City Manager Barwin also announced that Buffalo Wild Wings was scheduled to open on Saturday, March 12, 2005. He indicated that plaques from the Historical Society would be ordered for City Buildings.

XXX. City Attorney Christ thanked the Negotiating Committee who were involved with the West Troy Development.

XXX. Councilman Lennon requested that an appointment to the Civil Service Board be on the next Regular Council Agenda. He reminded everyone to shovel their snow of their sidewalks.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Lennon, adopted unanimously, to adopt the Condolence Resolution for Frank T. Luxon, former Council Member and Heating and Plumbing Inspector for Ferndale.

AYES: All

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Councilwoman Weber commented that Mr. Luxon helped her when she was first elected to Council. She encouraged everyone to get the Historical Marker on their house from the Historical Society even if their house was built recently. Councilwoman Weber announced that Dr. Stephen Zunes, a professor at University of San Francisco, would be speaking on the Middle East on Wednesday, March 9, 2005, at 7:30 p.m., at the Pleasant Ridge Community Center.

XXX. Mayor Porter commented that City Manager Barwin would be meeting with the owners of Garden Fresh Salsa. He announced that another free concert would be held prior to the next Regular Council Meeting. Mayor Porter requested that people utilize the City’s website for information regarding City Services. He also announced that the Police Department had drug tests for sale at the Police Department.

Mayor Porter adjourned the meeting at 8:57 p.m.