City Council - July 11, 2005

PROPOSED MINUTES
FERNDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 11, 2005, 7:30 P.M. AT CITY HALL

A Regular Meeting of the Ferndale City Council was held Monday, July 11, 2005, at City Hall, 300 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale. Mayor Pro Tem Covey called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m.

Mayor Pro Tem Covey led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

XXX. Moved by Councilman Lennon, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, 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

Mayor Robert G. Porter had cause for his absence from the Regular Council Meeting of July 11, 2005.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Mayor Robert G. Porter be excused from the Regular Council Meeting of July 11, 2005, for the reasons stated above, as provided by Section 10 of Chapter III of the City Charter.

AYES: G, L, W; MTC

NAYS: None

ABSENT: MP

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Beth D’Anna, Ferndale Public Schools, provided an update on activities throughout Ferndale Public Schools.

Mayor Porter arrived at 7:37 p.m.

XXX. Ed Burns, President of Friends of the Library made a presentation of one of the LeapPads that the Ferndale Library purchased with money donated by the Friends of the Library for use by children in Pre-Kindergarten through 5^th grade.

1. Gerald Pipkin expressed concern regarding living conditions on his block and submitted a petition requesting that the City buy their homes.

2. Deborah Kuecken also expressed concern regarding traffic noise in her neighborhood.

3. Joe Mahan provided information on the WOW Project, which is a beatification project at Ferndale High School to plant trees, landscape and install lighting along the south driveway to welcome visitors. He announced that a dinner would be held on Sunday, August 14, 2005, at 3:30 p.m., to help kick-off the program.

4. Monica Crawford expressed concern regarding the bike lanes and traffic on Hilton.

5. Erick Buchholz expressed concern regarding noise from business establishments near his home.

6. Peggy Snow, Chair of the Beautification, provided information on activities of the Commission.

Mayor Porter announced he would extend "Call To Audience" until 8:20 p.m.

7. Brian Cooley indicated support of the bike lanes.

8. Hollie Mulamud-Price expressed concern regarding a mixed use development on West Lewiston and noise and parking issues.

9. Garo Boyajian had questions regarding a violation on porch handrails.

10. Laurie Jacobs had a question regarding the procedure for residents to express their views on the mixed use development on West Lewiston.

Councilman Covey left Council Chambers at 8:26 p.m.

XXX. It was the consensus of Council that Consent Agenda Items 6D and 6F be considered after the Regular Agenda.

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

A. Approval to purchase Thermal Imager from Sierra Pacific Infrared, as submitted by Police Chief.

B. Approval of increase in Ambulance Billing Fees, effective July 15, 2005, as submitted by Acting Fire Chief.

C. Approval to purchase exercise equipment from Exercise Warehouse and All Pro Exercise, as submitted by Acting Fire Chief.

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

E. Approval of quote to repair exhaust fans at the City Hall/Police Station complex from Siemens Building Technology, Inc., as submitted by DPW Director.

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

G. Approval to schedule a Public Hearing to consider the Brownfield Plan submitted by Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn LLP and PM Environmental, Inc., for redevelopment of the Stop and Go site at 211 East Nine Mile Road on Monday, August 8, 2005, at 7:30 p.m., as submitted by CDS Director.

H. Approval of Contract with HAVEN, Inc., for Community Development Block Grant Program covering the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, and authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to sign Contract, as submitted by CDS Director.

I. Approval of the bills, payrolls (as certified by City Manager) and City Attorney expense statements submitted by Howard Shifman, P.C., and Beier Howlett, P.C., to be paid subject to review by the Council Finance Committee.

AYES: G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: C

MOTION CARRIED

Councilman Covey returned to Council Chambers at 8:28 p.m.

Councilman Lennon left Council Chambers at 8:29 p.m.

Councilman Lennon returned to Council Chambers at 8:34 p.m.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Covey, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to adopt Ordinance No. 994, which amends Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances by adding Article VII regarding Employees Retirement System with the following changes: Section 2-111, (a), change to "The Mayor or Council Member, as appointed by the Council for a one year term"; Section 2-122, add "quarterly reports", and under Section 2-123, change the word "morality" to "mortality".

AYES: G, L, W, C; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilman Covey, that permission be granted to fill the vacant position of Public Works Specialist in the Auto Parking Fund.

AYES: L, W, C, G; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilman Lennon, that Council adopt the Resolution regarding replacement of DARTA - Metro Council.

AYES: W, C, G, L; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Covey, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to accept the Fee Schedule report from the City Clerk, inclusive of the two fees being raised, which are the Massage Establishment Non-Refundable Application fee from $100.00 to $150.00, and the Massagist Non-Refundable Application fee from $25.00 to $75.00, and that the City Clerk provide Council with new information within 90 days of other possible fee adjustments.

AYES: C, G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilman Lennon, that the emergency repair at the collapsed Fire Station #1 Parking Lot by The Thomas Company in the amount of $23,143.00 be approved and that the expense be charged to the Public Improvement Fund, Repair and Maintenance, Account# 245-775.

AYES: G, L, W, C; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Police Captain Collins reminded residents that children, the elderly, and animals left in a car could be hazardous to their health in this type of weather.

XXX. City Manager Barwin announced that there would be a Blood Drive at the Kulick Community Center on July 21 and 22, 2005, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and that Woodward Dream Cruise merchandise was now available for purchase at the DDA Office, 149 W. Nine Mile Road. He also announced that MDOT was having a public meeting regarding the expansion of I-75 on July 19, 2005, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Royal Oak Senior Center, 3500 Marias Road. He commented about the traffic situation on Hilton Road and thanked the Lennon Foundation, on behalf of the Recreation Department, for their monetary donation and that there was the possibility of the creation of a dog park.

XXX. County Commissioner Coulter commented on a meeting he attended this evening regarding mass transit.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Lennon, seconded by Councilman Galloway, to extend the time for the Development Agreement with the Terra Land Group regarding both the Academy and Livernois properties, until such time as prepared by the CDS and City Attorney Office and brought back to Council.

AYES: C, G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Councilman Lennon announced that he had visited "Twisted Shamrock", a new store in Ferndale and indicated that the owner expressed gratitude for assistance he received from the City Manager and DDA Office. He commented that all parts of the City were equally important, being east, west, north and south.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Covey, Councilwoman Weber, to appoint Councilman Covey as the Council representative on the Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees for a one year term.

AYES: G, L, W, C; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Councilman Covey requested that the City Manager provide a brief report to Council regarding an increase in taxes when a partner is added on a title of a house, and announced that the 9^th Annual Pub Crawl would be held on Friday, July 29, 2005, and that volunteers were needed for the event.

XXX. Councilwoman Weber announced that Dr. Robert Bowman would speak on National Security at the Pleasant Ridge Community Center on Thursday, July 14, 2005.

XXX. Mayor Porter commented on articles that appeared in local newspapers about restaurants in Ferndale and announced that a dental health fair would take place on Saturday, July 16, 2005, at corner of Livernois and West Marshall. He requested that the City Manager research State Senate Bill 522, which would prevent local governments from having any control regarding utilities in right-of-ways.

Mayor Porter adjourned the meeting at 9:34 p.m.