Meeting Minutes for September 6, 2005

OFFICIAL COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
SEPTEMBER 6, 2005

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Harbor Beach was held on Tuesday,
September 6, 2005 at City Hall. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Swartz.

Present: Kleinknecht, Schelke, Semp, Wood and Mayor Swartz
Finance Officer Youatt

Absent: None

Corrections/Additions to Agenda: Fuel Cost increase for Richfield Management was added under Old Business.

It was moved by Wood, seconded by Schelke to approve the minutes of the August 15, 2005 Council meeting as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Bills for August 2005 in the amount of $ 287,316.75 were presented to Council. It was moved by
Wood, seconded by Kleinknecht to approve payment of the bills as presented. Motion carried.
5 yeas.

Citizen Comment: Jack Kriete, Whitcomb Street, suggested the City donate funds to the victims along the Gulf Coast from the recent hurricane Katrina. Youatt stated that the City cannot donate City taxpayer funds and that individual citizens and organizations can and are donating funds and
items. John Fitzgibbon, Bartlett Street, stated he was present with the tenant at his house, located at 419 North Huron Avenue, waiting for an interior building inspection on August 17, 2005. He stated he and the tenant took time off work and waited over 4 hours for the inspector. Youatt stated that the inspector went to other locations instead of Mr. Fitzgibbons by mistake and that he
(Youatt) was out of town that day. Mr. Fitzgibbon also stated that he has been waiting on making outside repairs to this house until the City determines what they will do under the dangerous building ordinance. Councilmember Schelke stated that Mr. Fitzgibbon should have been maintaining his building at all times and that City Council never stated he should wait to start repairs until the inside inspection was complete. Councilmember Schelke stated the reason for the City’s involvement in this issue was to insure that the house is in a safe condition. Youatt stated he would contact the County Building Inspector for another inspection date and contact the tenant and Mr. Fitzgibbon when a date for inspection has been established.

OLD BUSINESS: Youatt updated Council on the dangerous buildings in the City. County Building Inspector Eugene Peruski performed inside inspections on buildings located at 714 South Huron and 141-143 South Huron Avenue and owned by Winfried Bender. The inspection letters were included in Council packets. New inside inspections are yet to be done at dangerous buildings located at 419 North Huron Avenue and also at 403 Lytle Avenue.

OFFICIAL COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS PAGE 2
SEPTEMBER 6, 2005

The first reading of a proposed Commercial Vehicle Parking Ordinance was presented to Council.
Mayor Swartz read the proposed ordinance. Council questioned whether the definition of commercial trucks would include pickup trucks and discussed options for improved language in the proposed ordinance. Youatt suggested changing “trucks” to “semi-trucks.” It was moved by Schelke, seconded by Semp to approve the proposed Commercial Vehicle Parking Ordinance, with the suggested change, on first reading and to hold the second reading of the proposed ordinance at the September 19, 2005 Council meeting. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Youatt reported that further negotiations with Richfield Management, the City’s residential trash contractor, has resulted in a reduction in the rate. Previously, Council had approved an increase of forty-six cents, from $ 9.56 per month to $ 10.02 per month. Youatt stated that the company has agreed to only a thirty-four cent increase, bringing the new rate to $ 9.90 per month. The new rate would be retroactive to August 1, 2005. It was moved by Wood, seconded by Semp to approve the change in the rate as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

NEW BUSINESS: Councilmember Kleinknecht has been in contact with Patrick Mell, PM Sports Marketing, regarding purchase of a stage which has been used by the City in past Maritime Festival events. The stage is12 feet by 20 feet and includes scaffolding. The purchase price is
$ 2,000.00. Youatt stated there are several events which could use this stage. It was moved by Schelke, seconded by Wood to approve the purchase of the stage as presented. Motion carried.
5 yeas.

Finance Officer Youatt presented a proposal to Council to obtain a business credit card for the City through Chemical Bank. There have been several times when a credit card is essential to conduct business, such as for hotel reservations. Youatt stated a policy on credit card use would be presented to Council at the next meeting. It was moved by Schelke, seconded by Semp to approve and authorize the application for a Master Card through Chemical Bank with a maximum limit of $ 2,000 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Finance Officer Youatt presented bids received through the Oakland County Purchasing Program for a new 2005 GMC 8 Passenger Safari van for the City, to replace the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina.
Bids received were from Red Holman, Westland, Michigan for $ 20,816 and from Buff Whelan
Chevrolet, Sterling Heights, Michigan for $ 21,291.41. It was moved by Schelke, seconded by
Wood to approve the bid from Red Holman for $ 20,816 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.

Resolution # 2005-21, “Gempel Utility Easement,” was presented to Council. The Resolution would approve a five-foot wide Public Utility Easement with Gordon Gempel on property he owns on State Street west of the building on the corner of State Street and North Second Street.
The easement is for underground electrical service for the downtown streetscape project. The cost for the public utility easement is $ 2,500.00. It was moved by Schelke, seconded by Kleinknecht to adopt Resolution # 2005-21 as presented. Motion carried. 5 yeas.
OFFICIAL COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS PAGE 3
SEPTEMBER 6, 2005

NEW BUSINESS (continued): Resolution # 2005-22, “Lighthouse Assembly of God Utility Easement,” was presented to Council. The Resolution would approve a twenty-foot utility easement for street, water system, sanitary sewer system and other public utility on property the
Lighthouse Assembly of God church owns along the south side of Section Line Road and west of Nelson Street in the City limits. The cost for the public utility easement is $ 1.00. It was moved by Semp, seconded by Schelke to adopt Resolution # 2005-22 as presented. Motion carried.
5 yeas.

Engineer Report: None

Finance Officer Report: The Coast Guard cable boat is at the municipal marina and has started to attempt to repair the power cable to the Lighthouse. Preliminary discussion with Dow AgroScience regarding their Industrial User Permit and their need to increase limits on suspended solids and BOD (biological Oxygen Demand). There has been substantial progress on work at the Dredge Disposal Site and the project should be completed by end of next week, weather permitting. The Water Committee met earlier today regarding customer water rates, the water plant basin project for 2006 and the possible addition part-time staffing of the Water Treatment Plant. Problems continue with dogs defecating on sidewalks downtown.

Council Reports: A meeting will be held on September 21, 2005 at Wagener County Park regarding the proposed Heritage Water Trail System. Monthly police report statistics are being published in the local newspaper.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

_______________________
Tom Youatt, City Clerk