Park Township           Ottawa County, Michigan


PARK TOWNSHIP
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Draft until approved at next meeting

August 14, 2008
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Art 1 Supervisor Stuart Visser called to order the regular meeting of the Park Township Board held on August 14, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the Park Township Office. 

Present were Supervisor Stuart Visser, Treasurer Jan Steggerda, Clerk Jeff Ebihara, Trustees Bret Docter, Amanda Price, John Van Iwaarden, and Attorney Dan Martin.

Absent was Trustee Doug Dreyer.

John VanIwaarden gave the invocation.

Art 2 The minutes of the July 10, 2008 regular board meeting, July 17, 2008 special board meeting, and July 31 special board meeting were approved as published.
Art 3

The Treasurer’s Report was given as follows: 

Beginning Balance...........................................................$3,366,473

Receipts........................................................................$  244,746

Disbursements................................................................$  558,558

Ending Balance...............................................................$3,052,660

Art 4 The Fire Department Report indicated 32 calls were made in the month of July, and $25,500 in property damages. 
Art 5 The Zoning Administrator’s Report listed 42 building permits for the month of July; 4 were new single-family homes, and a total building permit activity of $1,865,805.
Art 6

PUBLIC COMMENTS (2 MINUTES PER PERSON)        

John VanIwaarden, on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Department, introduced two tennis instructors for 2008, Cameron Kleinheksel and Stephanie Sprick.  He thanked them for their service.

Mike Riscoe – Great Lakes surfer – asked if there is an intention to vote on the pier jumping ordinance tonight.

Visser stated it is the intent of the board to vote on the ordinance tonight.

Riscoe submitted an outline to the board regarding his comments.  He asked the board to place an exception for recreational surfing on the pier jumping ordinance.

Vince Deur – surfer – stated his involvement in a task force in 2003 consisting of many local authorities to report and educate on beach and pier safety.  He also believes surfers should be exempt from the proposed ordinance.

Brian McDonald –stated he agrees with Mr. Riscoe’s comments. 

Steve Dorn – 35 Counts Cove - asked the board to not pass the pier-jumping ordinance.  He stated the act should be a matter of personal responsibility and has concerns about enforcement.

Glen Bareman–169 S. 160th Ave. - stated his opposition to the proposed ordinance.

Joel Welch–679 Bosma– asked when a portion of the bike path on Ottawa Beach Road that has been cut off, due to construction, will be repaired.

Art 7

WINSTROM PARK TENNIS COURTS RENOVATIONS                     

Visser stated the recommendation of the Recreation Committee, regarding this item, is to accept the bid from Pittman.

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED:  A motion was made by Van Iwaarden and supported by Ebihara to accept the Pittman proposal in the amount of $7,265 to renovate the Winstrom Park tennis courts.

VanIwaarden thanked the board for their approval of the project.

Art 8

PIER SAFETY ORDINANCE                 

Visser introduced the topic to the board and stated his investigation found many residents are against the ordinance. 

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION DENIED:  A motion was made by Van Iwaarden and supported by Steggerda to adopt the ordinance and add the amendment for the exception of surfers with the necessary definition.

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED:  A motion was made by Van Iwaarden and supported by Docter to amend the ordinance with an exception to surfers with the necessary definition.

No discussion on the amendment. 

Visser turned discussion to the original motion including the amendment. 

Ebihara stated he does not feel this is an enforceable ordinance.  There seems to be no public support for this ordinance. 

Price asked if the ordinance is enacted, would the township be more liable if an accident occurred.

Martin stated the township is not more liable if the ordinance is enacted.

Steggerda stated the recommendation for the ordinance did not come from the board but from the Marine Unit of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department.

Docter stated there is sufficient signage in both English and Spanish.  He does not believe the township should be governing this issue.  He would like to see further education regarding riptides and other dangers of the lake.

Steggerda stated she still feels it is dangerous but there have been many concerns about adopting this ordinance from the residents. 

Deur gave the board a copy of a video he produced called “Respect the Power” and offered his services to the township for education regarding the subject.

Price stated she would like to place a link to “Respect the Power” on our website.

The motion to adopt the pier jumping ordinance is unanimously denied.

Art 9

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Van Iwaarden stated the Recreation Dept. has contracted with signmeup.com, an on-line registration service, for our recreation programs.  He asked the board to approve a one year renewal of the service.  There is no cost to the township.  

Docter explained the registrant fee structure with Burmeister.

Burmeister stated Holland Charter Township uses this service. 

VanIwaarden explained the township will now hold in-person registration at the township hall for Park Township programs only.

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED:  A motion was made by VanIwaarden and supported by Steggerda to allow the Parks and Recreation Department to contract with signmeup.com for one (1) year for registration.

Price stated the Park Township airport committee is still working on revisions to the lease.  This Saturday is the air affair and it begins with the Pancake breakfast at 7:30am.  The repainted jet will be on display. The Airport Authority approved the removal of Holland Charter Township from the authority.

Art 10

PAYMENT OF BILLS

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED:  A motion was made by Steggerda and supported by VanIwaarden to approve the check register for July, and the bills to be paid in August.

Art 11

ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS (5 MINUTES PER PERSON)   

Donna Wehrmeyer – 4115 Estate Dr. – stated their home was severely affected by flooding in Ventura Estates.  She reminded the board the problem is ongoing.

VanIwaarden asked if the neighbors had decided on a resolution.

Wehrmeyer stated that they are still looking at the options. 

Brian Frederick – 3840 Ivanrest (Grandville) – Park Township Airport Manager – stated the Air Affair offers free children’s rides ages 8-17, children under 8 receive make and take airplanes.

Welch asked if there was a limit to how long the bike path could be closed. 

Visser stated he would check on the situation and see if there are any regulations regarding how long it can be closed.

Art 12

BOARD COMMENTS 

Price appreciated receiving the fire department report. 

Docter stated he sits on the planning commission and they have not held a meeting for 4 months. He believes there are ordinances that need to be discussed and revised which require having a meeting even if nothing specific is on the agenda.

Ebihara stated he will be selling our aluminum voting booths for scrap at Padnos and purchase other booths with the money raised.  Ebihara submitted an estimate to allow Worksighted to set up wireless internet services at the Park Township offices.  The board agreed to accept the estimate and proceed with the project.  The Finance Committee will be bringing the imaging project to the board in September.

Ebihara asked the board to appoint a committee consisting of the Personnel Committee (Visser, Steggerda and Ebihara), Ms. Price and Mr. Hunsburger to get an interim manager contract in place.

Visser asked to not be appointed to the committee because of his interest in the position.  He asked Ebihara to chair the discussions.

Ebihara agreed to chair the interim manager committee. 

Docter stated the committee should include a scope to investigate the pros and cons to hiring a consultant to help search for a manager.

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was madeBy Docter and supported by Van Iwaarden to appoint Clerk Ebihara, Treasurer Steggerda, Ms. Price and Mr. Hunsburger to a committee to form a contract for an interim manager with a scope, in addition to investigating the pros and cons to hiring a consultant for the manager search.  Mr. Visser abstained.

Visser submitted to the board a letter from Ottawa County Sherriff’s office asking Park Township be a repository for collecting old cell phones to be reprogrammed for 911 uses only.  He also clarified some issues from the water meeting.

Docter stated the RFP went out for a consultant for the master plan committee.

VanIwaarden requested the airport committee get information on Ottawa Aviation for the board, prior to them voting on the proposed lease.

Price stated Ottawa Aviation is a private corporation and are reticent about giving financial information.

Frederick stated they have a board meeting, open to the public, next Thursday at 6pm at the Park Township Airport.

Ebihara stated we had a great election and thanked the staff and precinct workers for their time and effort.

Art 13

ADJOURN      

MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made By VanIwaarden and supported by Steggerda to adjourn.
  Daniele Dykens, Recording Secretary