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PARK
TOWNSHIP
MEETING MINUTES
Draft until approved
at next meeting
March
8, 2007
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or meeting Schedules.
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Art 1 |
Supervisor Stuart Visser called to order the
regular meeting of the Park Township Board held on February 8, 2007 at 6
p.m. at the Park Township Office.
Present were
Supervisor Stuart Visser, Treasurer Jan Steggerda,
Trustees Bret Docter, Doug Dreyer, Amanda Price, John Van Iwaarden, and Attorney Dan Martin.
Absent
was Clerk Jeff Ebihara.
Doug Dreyer
gave
the invocation. |
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Art 2 |
The minutes of the
February 8 regular board meeting and the February 22 budget meeting and
attachment were approved as published. MOTION MADE; MOTION
SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made by Steggerda and supported by
Dreyer to approve the February 8 minutes, and the February 22 minutes and
attachment. |
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Art 3 |
The
Treasurer’s Report was given as follows:
Beginning
Balance...........................................................$3,014,325
Receipts........................................................................$
128,907
Disbursements................................................................$
149,909
Ending
Balance...............................................................$2,993,324 |
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Art 4 |
The Fire Department Report
indicated 17 calls were made in the month of February, and $12,000 in property
damages. Chief Gamby stated that the governor signed a bill making local fire
departments responsible for checking area school systems for fire ordinance
compliance. A search committee will be formed to seek information for replacing
a utility truck. The 2006 grant was denied. They will be applying for a 2007
homeland security grant. And Gamby would like to adopt a new Search and Consent
form. |
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Art 5 |
The Zoning Administrator’s Report listed 22
building permits for the month of February; 4 were new single-family
homes, and a total building permit activity of $1,729,000. |
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ART 6 |
PUBLIC COMMENTS (2
MINUTES PER PERSON) Jeff Ward, 1810 Ottawa Beach Road, is opposed to increasing
the height of the cell tower located at Anchorage Marine. He feels that the
cell tower creates an unhealthy environment.
Mark DeVries, 14529 Sylvan St., Kelly Ridge PUD Developer,
asked for clarification to the Kelly Ridge PUD amendment; page 18, Condition 3,
Paragraph A.
Martin stated that the amendment is not asking DeVries to
ad any more trees or additional landscaping; it is defining the tree line.
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Art 7 |
PUBLIC HEARING:
TELERAD TOWER EXTENSION
Visser opened the
public hearing.
Mark Kooyers, 354 N.
Lakeshore Dr., President of TeleRad, stated that the tower located at Achorage
Marine is 148 ft. tall. It is designed to hold up to 4 carriers. T-Mobile,
Sprint, and Centenial are active on the tower. They have a lease agreement with
Nextel for the 4th location. Verizon would also like to be on the
tower. The structure was designed to go up to 168 ft. TeleRad is asking for a
height increase to 158 ft. Lights on the tower would not be a requirement.
Kooyers explained the popular interest of this location.
Jeff Ward, 1810
Ottawa Beach Rd., reiterated his feelings about the cell tower.
Visser closed the
public hearing.
MOTION MADE;
MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made by Docter and
supported by Dreyer to approve the TeleRad Tower Extension.
Kooyers explained
tower coverage and capacity. |
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Art 8 |
2007 / 2008 BUDGET
A)
HEARING
Visser opened the
public hearing, and explained the changes made to the budget.
Mark Kooyers, 354
N. Lakeshore Dr., stated that he understands that the costs of employee
benefits continues to increase, and encouraged employee participation in
health insurance costs.
Visser explained
why the difference in employee benefits this year. He stated that the
Board has recently made a change to the health insurance plan, which
will reduce the cost by approximately $40,000.
Visser closed the
public hearing.
B) RESOLUTION TO
ESTABLISH GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS
MOTION MADE;
MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made by Price and
supported by Steggerda to adopt the resolution to establish the general
appropriations for Park Township.
Visser explained
the Ottawa County Road Commission’s cost estimates for Lakewood Blvd.,
and paved shoulders. He stated that the board was originally under the
impression that the Road Commission was going to include an additional
1˝ ft. shoulder on one side of Lakewood Blvd. for $75,000. They will
actually be paving shoulders on both sides of the road. An additional
1˝ ft. would cost $131,964, or an additional 1 ft. would cost $97,000.
The costs are estimated at the high end. Visser feels that it will be
considerably lower, and he did budget $75,000 for this project.
Van Iwaarden
stated that a larger paved shoulder would be a safety factor for speed
bikers, and it is a direct route to the lakeshore. He encouraged going
with the additional 1˝ ft. making the shoulder width 4˝ ft. wide.
MOTION MADE;
MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made by Docter and
supported by Van Iwaarden to approve the additional 1˝ ft. shoulder on
Lakewood Blvd., and encourage Holland Township to do the same, and ask
the Park Township Parks and Recreation Committee to advertise the new
proposed bike route. |
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Art 9 |
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Price, MACC Policy Committee, stated that the “Into
the Watershed” educational video has received an Award of Distinction by the 13th
Annual Communicator Awards 2006 Video International competition.
Price, Park
Township Airport Committee, stated that the hangar leases have been
updated. The hot air balloon launch was considered a success, and the
Big Bird Classic will be held on June 15 and 16. She also handed out
the Ottawa Aviation Financial Statements.
Price, Park
Township Airport Renewal Committee, stated that Bob Ellis agreed to
serve as the committee’s chairperson. The committee’s purpose is to
recommend to the board how the airport can progress into the future.
The next meeting will take place on Monday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m. at the
township hall.
Steggerda stated
that she would like to see Ottawa Aviation’s plans of what they would
like to do, and how they propose to finance it. She also questioned
possible grants.
Van Iwaarden
stated that he would like the language of the hangar lease reworded so
they are only used as its intended purpose.
Visser stated that
he would like a proposal for the lease extension to be presented to the
board.
Docter, Public
Safety Committee, stated that the committee met with Chief Gamby at the
Virginia Park fire station. He was impressed with the personnel, the
facilities, and the equipment. They discussed some areas of concerns
including equipment replacement.
Visser, Search
Committee, stated that the committee is in the process of interviewing
candidates for the Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator position.
Steggerda, Finance
Committee, stated that 98% of the summer taxes, and 97% of the winter
taxes have been collected.
Van Iwaarden,
Parks and Recreation Committee, stated that the committee is obtaining
bids for a restroom facility at Winstrom Park.
Visser stated that
a lateral to attach sanitary sewer to the facility already exist on the
property.
Van Iwaarden
stated that the Parks and Recreation Committee have obtained two
drawings for possible Wendt Park renovations. The committee is asking
the board to move ahead with the demolition of the house on the newly
acquired township parcel.
Visser stated that
the house could be demolished after May 1.
Van Iwaarden stated that
the Parks and Recreation Committee is recommending a change in our ordinances to
modify the hours of operation of all township parks as 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The Board agreed
to change the hours, and asked Attorney Martin to prepare an ordinance
amendment.
Van Iwaarden,
Visser, and Recreation Director Barb Burmeister met with a flooring
contractor to look at the gym floor in the Community Building. It is in
bad shape, and will be obtaining bids to replace the floor.
Visser stated that
the windows in the Community Building should also be considered for
replacement. |
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Art 10 |
PAYMENT OF BILLS
MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A
motion was made by Price and supported by Dreyer to approve the check register
for February, and the bills to be paid in March. |
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Art 11 |
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
COMMENTS (5 MINUTES PER PERSON)
No
additional public comments. |
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Art 12 |
BOARD COMMENTS
Visser stated that either
Steggerda or Ebihara and himself have the authority to make a budget adjustment
up to 20% per line item. He would like authorization from the board to transfer
unused Contingency Funds to the Township Improvement Fund.
MOTION MADE; MOTION SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A
motion was made by Docter and supported by Dreyer to authorize either Visser and
Steggerda or Visser and Ebihara to transfer unused Contingency Funds to the
Township Improvement Fund. |
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Art 13 |
ADJOURN
MOTION MADE; MOTION
SUPPORTED; MOTION CARRIED: A motion was made by Ebihara and supported by
Steggerda to adjourn. |
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Julie Northrup
Recording Secretary
03/14/07 |
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