Meeting Minutes for December 17, 2007

OFFICIAL COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
DECEMBER 17, 2007

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Harbor Beach was held on Monday, December 17, 2007 at City Hall. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Swartz.

Present: Burkhard, Goniewicha, Kleinknecht, Wood and Mayor Swartz
Finance Officer Youatt

Absent: None

It was moved by Goniewicha, seconded by Kleinknecht to accept the agenda as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

It was moved by Burkhard, seconded by Wood to approve minutes of the December 3, 2007 meeting with a correction under Citizen Comment from Jack Kriete, page 3, paragraph 6, which should read, “Jack Kriete asked Mr. Ferris whether the Mayor can make and second motions.” Motion carried. 5 yeas.

It was moved by Goniewicha, seconded by Wood to approve payment of Pay Certificate # 6 to RCL Construction for the Sanitary Sewer Retention Basin project in the amount of $ 741,769.31. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

It was moved by Kleinknecht, seconded by Wood to approve payment of a bill from Wade-Trim for SRF construction engineering for $ 37,276.26. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Citizen Comment: Kathleen Holdwick, Sand Beach Township resident, read an anonymous letter (unsigned) threatening legal and recall action against the Mayor and City Council for not upholding the City Charter.

Lee Elliott questioned why Mr. Lermont is the Safety Officer for the City and if the job description for Mr. Youatt included Safety Officer, why the Mayor can’t have an office at City Hall and what Mr. Lermont’s job is as Fire Chief and Zoning Administrator. Mayor Swartz, Councilmembers Wood and Kleinknecht and Finance Officer Youatt answered the questions.

Kathleen Holdwick asked the Mayor and all Councilmembers if the Mayor and Councilmembers should have an office at City Hall. The Mayor and Councilmembers individually answered her question.

Jack Kriete stated 321 citizens signed a petition to rescind Resolution
# 97-012 and requested Council take a straw poll of the citizens in attendance if they support rescinding the Resolution.

Jennifer Kerry asked why all streets aren’t salted and only stop signs. Youatt stated it would take a tremendous amount of salt to do all streets and the cost would be prohibitive.

OLD BUSINESS: It was moved by Goniewicha, seconded by Mayor Swartz to rescind Resolution # 97-012. Motion defeated. 2 yeas. (Goniewicha and Mayor Swartz). 3 nays (Councilmembers Burkhard, Kleinknecht and Wood).

Resolution # 2007–31, “North Park Fund - Deficit Elimination Plan,” was presented to Council. The Resolution would approve a plan to eliminate the deficit condition in the North Park Fund and also approve a deficit elimination budget for same. It would also direct the Finance Officer to submit the plan to the State Department of Treasury. It was moved by Wood, seconded by Kleinknecht to adopt Resolution # 2007-31 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Resolution # 2007-32, “Marina Fund - Deficit Elimination Plan,” was presented to Council. The Resolution would approve a plan to eliminate the deficit condition in the Marina Fund and also approve a deficit elimination budget for same. It would also direct the Finance Officer to submit the plan to the State Department of Treasury. It was moved by Burkhard, seconded by Kleinknecht to adopt Resolution # 2007-32 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

NEW BUSINESS: It was moved by Wood, seconded by Goniewicha to approve hiring Ryan Lackowski as a temporary worker for the DPW Department at a rate of $ 15.00 per hour with no benefits, retroactive to December 10, 2007. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Resolution # 2007-30, “2008 Poverty Guidelines,” was presented to Council. The Resolution would approve federal income standards to be used to establish qualification for poverty exemptions for 2008 assessments. It was moved by Wood, seconded by Kleinknecht to adopt
Resolution # 2007-30 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

It was moved by Kleinknecht, seconded by Goniewicha to table action on the 2008 Eastern Huron Ambulance Service subsidy until the next Council meeting so the population of the City can be verified. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Engineer Report: Youatt referred to the Engineer Report dated December 17, 2007 and also noted the next construction progress meeting scheduled for December 18th at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall.

Finance Officer Report: Filed the necessary financial reports to the State Department of Treasury including the 2007 continuing disclosure and 2007 qualifying statement.

Council Reports: The performance scheduled at the Community House to benefit the Family Ties program was rescheduled to January 13, 2008 due to snow. A planning meeting for the 2008 Winter Festival is scheduled for December 26th at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall. Requested that Ordinance # 181 be scheduled on the agenda for the next meeting for possible amendment.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m.

Tom Youatt, City Clerk