Board Meeting Minutes – March 10, 2020
Called to Order: 7:00 pm.
Pledge of Allegiance by all present.
Roll Call: Present: Trustee Schroeder, Trustee Jager, Treasurer Halbower and Supervisor Jager. Absent: Clerk Hippler, she was working the election.
03-01-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to accept the minutes as presented. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
03-02-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to pay the bills as presented. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
03-03-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to accept the Treasurers report as presented. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
Business from the Floor:
County Commissioner Gary Foster asked if anyone had any questions. No questions.
Library Report: Librarian Julie reported that the library has several events coming up. Lego Challenge on April 7. Tech Classes starting on March 24th. Senior Millage is doing a Class called Stretch & Fit on March 20 at 1:00 p.m. They are working on expansion plans. Story Time is starting June 15, 2020.
Fire Department: Chief Hawk showed the board the new patches. Received an email that Engine 1965 was in testing and anticipate it being ready very soon. Preventative and DOT inspections are finished and waiting on final report. Chief Hawk brought up the Corona-virus and needing some protective gear.
03-04-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to allow the fire department to purchase what they need for the corona-virus. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
Zoning: Some zoning requests were approved.
Permits Issued totaled: 12
Ordinance Report: We will be in court with the property on Cedar Creek Drive. We started the ticket process with one on Holton Duck Lake Road.
No correspondence or unfinished business.
New Business:
03-03-2020 Motion made by Treasurer Halbower to adopt the resolution to close the roads for Holton Days. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder.
Roll Call: Treasurer Halbower – YES Trustee Schroeder – YES Trustee Jager – YES
Supervisor Jager – Yes ADOPTED CARRIED
03-04-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to accept the brine bid by D & B Brine, Inc. for 2 brinings for a total price of $13,500.00. 2nd by Treasurer Halbower. CARRIED
Discussion on hiring the road commission last year. D & B Brine sharpened there pencils this year. Hoping saving could be used for roads.
03-05-2020 Motion made by Treasurer Halbower to purchase a front door from Builder First choice for $560.00. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
03-06-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to allow the fire department to purchase 5 Mustang water rescue vests, 1 Rearm kit, 1 RZ mask. For a total of $509.12. 2nd by Treasurer Halbower. CARRIED
03-07-2020 Motion made by Trustee Jager to allow $200.00 for fire department to attend Fire Chief Expo. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
Discussion was opened up on the roads:
Supervisor Jager – I went to the road commission. Received bid on Wednesday and revised prices on Friday. I sent emails off to the Governor, State Senator and State Representative. Supervisor Jager also had hard copies printed and mailed out on Monday.
Pointed out to Supervisor that it is East Lake Avenue not East Lake Road.
Supervisor said MCRC (Muskegon County Road Commission) knew exactly which road it was.
Supervisor talked about the roads he chose and why. Brunswick road was possibly the worst road in the township but we didn’t have the funds to repair it. A price of $411,976.50 was the township’s cost. Brunswick is dangerous for buses and fire department. Having a hard time understanding how they classify Brunswick as a dead end road. Why should we have to pay 75% when it should be 50%? The next road with the highest cost to township is East Lake Road/Avenue. Every year the whole road washes out and they put new gravel on it but the buses don’t run that road I don’t think. Ewing and Hart need to be done very soon because we will lose those roads like we did with Brickyard. They will be gone. You can see why because of the wedging and pot holes in it. Those are the 6 roads that I chose. They are the ones we can work with.
Question: Any discussion with the school? Supervisor: I have had a discussion with Stacy Wright. Brunswick should be a priority.
Supervisor: I just tried to pin point. I have not added it all up. Trying to let the other 4 know the needs. It is not up to me but the whole board.
Question about talking with Road Commission. Supervisor Jager mentioned he just received bid on Friday and has been busy with the Board of Review.
Discussion on rather Brunswick Road was ever graveled. Road Commission says they never have. First mile has been graveled, the rest has not.
Commissioner Foster suggested that the township do a Resolution of Disagreement with MCRC. Over Brunswick being dead end they would have to kick in more. Resolution would have to be signed by him and Senator Bumstead and Representative VanWoerkom. They would have to kick in more money.
Supervisor Jager – worried about starting because of asphalt companies. If we did two Chip seals maybe then we can get Hart Road done later. Still need to hear back from Bumstead. East Lake Avenue. Informative only.
Commissioner Foster –Maybe
Supervisor: I first have to hear back from Bumstead. We will concede East Lake Avenue is a dead end road. It is only down the hill and up the hill to the curve. Not around the lake. Lower then houses.
Someone – I live on the other side of the lake and we don’t want it paved it is to narrow. I don’t know if you are aware if you go down the road by where the Zack’s live that used to wash out worse. I had pictures of how bad it is. The road commission would throw gravel in and grade. They are good at grading. They put on crushed up black top. I just walked up there yesterday and it is great.
Supervisor: I take a lot of calls from that area.
Someone was wondering if you got quotes on doing something like that?
Supervisor responded that the road is so bad they have to put in spill ways. That is what they recommend.
Comment: Just drove East Lake there was no wash out right now. Concern is pot holes at the beginning.
Supervisor – don’t know and they would charge me. Asking about that hill.
The only way to completely fix the roads is with spill ways. This would save the county a lot of money. I don’t know that we should be trying to save them money because they don’t seem to care about us. Asphalt the hill because of the wash outs. I feel we should fix the whole corner. $130,000.00. Then the whole corner would be done. If it was me I would do it. I am not saying it is a good idea.
Discussion on doing the resolution of disagreement. We are aware the one road is dead end.
Doing resolution now. Brunswick Road, East Lake and Hart Road. All goes under Act 51.
Discussion on how bad Syers Road and Schow Road are. Crystal Lake Road off M120.
03-08-2020 – Motion made by Trustee Jager – to adopt a Resolution of Disagreement
Resolution of disagreement that East Lake Road/Avenue, Hart Road and Brunswick Road are dead end roads with the Muskegon County Road Commission.
Roll Call Vote: Trustee Schroeder – YES
Supervisor Jager – YES
Trustee Jager – YES
Treasurer Halbower – YES
APPROVED
This is to be signed by all. Make sure we get the Resolution signed by Commissioner Foster, Senator Bumstead and Representative VanWoerkom
Does anyone else have questions? None. The residents wished us good luck. Supervisor said he has been consistently trying to work on roads. We have done 1 mile of Brunswick Road and have done the downtown areas. It is a long process and as long as he is here he will continue to work on the roads. There are 4 others that get to vote.
03-09-2020 Motion to adjourn by Treasurer Halbower. 2nd by Trustee Schroeder. CARRIED
ADJOURNED: 8:03 PM