City Council - August 8, 2005

PROPOSED MINUTES
FERNDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2005, 7:30 P.M. AT CITY HALL

A Regular Meeting of the Ferndale City Council was held Monday, August 8, 2005, at City Hall, 300 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale. Mayor Porter called the meeting to order at 7:41 p.m.

Mayor Porter led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call showed the following members of Council present: Council Members Covey, Galloway, Lennon, Weber; Mayor Porter. Absent: None.

XXX. Rowan Baker-Young of the Ferndale Area Democratic Club, provided information on the Neighbor in Need Program, which was a fund-raising effort for YMCA Interim House, a domestic violence shelter.

XXX. Liz Kannon, Ferndale Public Schools Outreach Committee, provided an update on activities throughout Ferndale Public Schools.

XXX. Sharon Hawkins, Community Education Director of Hazel Park Schools, provided an update on activities throughout Hazel Park Public Schools. Fred Nix, Superintendent, announced that a student run Credit Union One Branch would be opening in the Fall at Hazel Park High School.

XXX. Mayor Porter opened the Public Hearing at 7:58 p.m. There being no one who came forward to speak, Mayor Porter closed the Public Hearing at 7:58 p.m.

Moved by Councilman Covey, seconded by Councilman Lennon, to adopt the Resolution following the August 8, 2005 Public Hearing, considering the Brownfield Plan submitted by Singer-Wolfson for the property located at 211 East Nine Mile Road.

AYES: C, G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

1. Ed Burns, President of Friends of the Library, provided information regarding activities at the Library, including that a free movie would be running on Woodward Dream Cruise Day at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

2. Deborah Kuecken expressed concern regarding traffic noise and air quality near her home from I-696. She also commented about sidewalk damage by SBC and graffiti on the sound wall on I-696.

3. Gina Schoolcraft, on behalf of the Ferndale Youth Assistance (FYA), provided information on activities the FYA.

4. Dawn Ptaszynski expressed concern regarding comments made by City Manager Barwin at the last Council Meeting.

5. Deborah Kuecken commented on what appeared to her to be the intent of City Manager Barwin= s comment at the last Council Meeting.

6. Cristina Sheppard-Decius, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority, announced the following activities: Monday, August 15, 2005, Limited Edition Dream Cruise Poster signing would be held at Comos; Tuesday, August 16, 2005, at 11:00 a.m., a Press Conference for the Dream Cruise; Thursday, August 18, 2005, A Thursdays On the Nine@ ; Friday, August 19, 2005, median groundbreaking on Woodward Avenue; and Saturday, August 20, 2005, the Woodward Dream Cruise.

7. Don McLaren expressed concern regarding an offer made by the Administration to move forward on the Fire Services Agreement with the Charter Township of Royal Oak.

XXX. Moved by Councilwoman Weber, seconded by Councilman Lennon, to approve the Consent Agenda, as submitted:

A. Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meetings held December 28, 2004, January 25, January 26 (2 Meetings) and January 31, 2005, and the Regular Meetings held December 28, 2004, January 10 and January 24, 2005, as submitted by City Clerk.

B. Adoption of Resolution directing and appointing P. Daniel Christ of Hafeli, Staran, Hallahan, Christ & Dudek, P.C., as City Attorney, effective September 1, 2005, as submitted by Mayor Porter.

C. Approval of the Special Event Application from Ferndale Area Churches CROP Walk for Annual CROP Walk to be held throughout Ferndale on Sunday, October 9, 2005, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., as submitted by City Clerk.

D. Approval of Contract with OLHSA/CSO for Program Year 2005-2006; authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the Contract and to direct the City Clerk to forward the signed Contract to OLHSA with a copy to CDS, as submitted by CDS Director.

E. Approval to refer Chapter 2, Article VI, of the Code of Ordinances regarding Noise to the Ordinance Committee for review and recommendation to be considered at the September 26, 2005 Council Meeting.

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

AYES: C, G, L, W; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilman Covey, to confirm the Mayoral appointment of Diane Hart, 556 Kensington and Jeremy Locke, 8028 Normile, Detroit, to the Beautification Commission for terms to expire December 31, 2005.

AYES: G, L, W, C; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Covey, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to confirm the Mayoral appointment of Guy Scafone, 650 Alberta, to the Brownfield Redevelopment Board for term to expire December 12, 2005.

AYES: L, W, C, G; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

AYES: W, C, G, L; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

Councilman Lennon left Council Chambers at 8:47 p.m.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Covey, seconded by Councilman Galloway, to appoint Mayor Porter as the Voting Delegate and Councilman Covey as the Alternate Voting Delegate for the Michigan Municipal League Annual Convention to be held September 19 - 23, 2005.

AYES: C, G, W; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: L

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to approve the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement between Oakland County and the City of Ferndale concerning the Radio System Agreement with Oakland County for Police and Fire Departments and to authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the Agreement.

AYES: G, W, C; MP

NAYS: None

ABSENT: L

MOTION CARRIED

Councilman Lennon returned to Council Chambers at 8:53 p.m.

XXX. Moved by Councilman Galloway, seconded by Councilwoman Weber, to approve the 2006 Municipal and Community Credit Contract with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) for the period beginning July 1, 2005 and continuing through June 30, 2006, and to authorize the Mayor to sign the Agreement.

AYES: L, W, C, G; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Moved by Councilwoman Weber, seconded by Councilman Covey, to approve the contract for the Tangerine Moon Productions in the amount of $3,500.00 for the Ferndale Car Show and RetroFest to be billed to Account# 101-803-818.

AYES: W, C, G, L; MP

NAYS: None

MOTION CARRIED

XXX. Acting Fire Chief Schmidt asked if Council would allow Firefighter Patrick Sheehan to speak regarding an issue that was raised during Call to Audience. Firefighter Sheehan provided clarification on comments that were made during Call to Audience.

XXX. Councilman Lennon requested that City Manager Barwin provide information on whether a bidding process was followed, and inquired about how the removal of graffiti was handled. He also inquired about the status of the Finance Review Committee and commented on treating all residents with respect.

XXX. Councilman Covey commented on equal respect to all residents and also on comments made by Ms. Ptaszynski. Councilman Covey announced that an Ordinance Committee Meeting needed to be scheduled and congratulated the DDA for their hard work on the Dream Cruise. He also announced that he would be attending a conference on methamphetamine and H.I.V. Councilman Covey also commented that the Pub Crawl was a success and requested that the presentation of proceeds from the Pub Crawl be placed on the first Regular Council Meeting Agenda in September, 2005.

Mayor Porter left Council Chambers at 9:13 p.m.

Mayor Porter returned to Council Chambers at 9:14 p.m.

XXX. Councilwoman Weber commented on an article, which appeared in the Ferndale Public Schools Newsletter and encouraged residents to get to know those who will be on the ballot in November, 2005.

XXX. Mayor Porter commented on the dangerous addictiveness of methamphetamine. He indicated that City Officials from Ohio would be in town during the Woodward Dream Cruise to observe Ferndale, and commented about producing short programs that would provide information to the public on health maintenance that would run on cable.

Mayor Porter adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m.