Middlebury Township PO Box 622, Ovid, Michigan 48866 Regular Board Minutes Middlebury Township Hall 7627 W M21, Ovid Michigan Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 7:00 pm Call to Order: Supervisor Herendeen called the meeting to order at 7:003 pm with a pledge to the flag and a prayer led by Richard Semans. Board Members Present: Supervisor Michael Herendeen, Clerk Rose Brown, Treasurer Carolyn Stevens, Trustee Gary Kiger and Trustee Richard Semans Guests Present: Nine guests were present. Among the guest were Arlene Pesik, Tim Riegle, Michael Bruff (District 1 County Commissioner), Corky McCreery, Mike Constine (Shiawassee Road Commissioner), John Michalec (Shiawassee Road Commissioner), Brent Friess (Shiawassee Road Commissioner), Claudia Pluger, and Diane Dowler (Township Assessor). Scheduled Comments: Road Commission – Brent Friess, Mike Constine and Steve Zemcik. Chip Sealing is a set price but the gravel still needs to be bid out. Mr. Friess reviewed the list of road projects that they recommended for the 2017 year. The road projects came in a total of $190,215.00 with the County contributing $25,000.00, the total cost to the township will be $165,115.00. He addressed about MDOT repaving M21 but already it is cracking. It should not have cracked for 1 to 1 ½ year and it has only been 6 months. Hopefully state roads will be worked on soon. Carland Road is slated and they are hoping to have a complete rebuild in 2019. Public Comments: Opened at 7:16 pm Closed at 7:16pm None Motion to Approve Agenda: Treasurer Stevens made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of #6 to discuss Town hall and the striking the items #2 Appropriate to SEPD and #4 BOR Training Meeting. Trustee Semans seconded the motion. Yes: All Nay: None Carried Motion to Approve Minutes: Clerk Brown made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Trustee Semans seconded the motion. Yes: All Nay: None Carried Motion to Pay Bills: Trustee Semans made a motion to pay bills in an amount of $5,723.70 with 3 eft and checks numbered 4115-4129. This was supported by Clerk Brown. Yes: All Nay: None Carried Communications: District Commissioner: Michael Bruff stated that the wind turbine has been place on moratorium. He also sits on the planning commission board. Owosso has passed an ordinance and Rush is reinstating their planning commission. There is another company DTE representing ATWELL Wind Company that are in the area and are trying to recruit contracts. There has been no disclosure of where they are planning to build and they also seem to be unaware of the moratorium in the area. We cannot stop them but we can only legally regulate the wind turbines. The commissioners are dealing them in a legal and appropriate way. The wind turbine is a Federal program therefore the county cannot stop them. The board states “up to a year” (one year or less). The present wind ordinance was adopted by the previous county commission board. Mr. Bruff stated they are going to remain as transparent as possible. He is hoping to come up with a good solution and then they may lift the one year moratorium. Mr. Bruff enforced the point of keeping the communication opened and for the board to be vocal of wanting information. Supervisor Herendeen thinks the wind turbines may go to the southern part of Middlebury. Corky McCreery asked if they will be all Federally funded. Mr. Bruff stated there is more tax incentives. They usually build them and then turn around and sell the wind turbine. The companies are getting subsidies and it is the reason for building the turbines. Power company needs to buy this power. The federal government is requiring the energy company to buy 15% of energy from green source. It will increase to 25%. The home value issue with the wind turbine is more of a sell ability issue more than the value of the house. Supervisor Herendeen recommended to compose a letter. Park and Recreations: none Library: Sharry was injured so minutes were not available. No updates on the computers or the fine money from Victor Township. MTA Meeting: Caledonia Township held the meeting in January. Not sure where the next meeting will be located. There was reports from the new Sherriff. The jail building was discussed. There needs to have something done for the jail due to the poor building conditions. Shiawassee County needs to pay 40% of the drain not located in the county. The county is fighting it legally. OMESA: The new six-person board will begin next month. The new board with have 2 representatives for each entity. Thanks Dick for so many years of work on the OMESA board. Arlene Pesik asked about the building a new structure. Supervisor Herendeen spoke in favor of a new building. Assessor: Board of Review (BOR) dates March 13th, 9am to 3 pm and March 14th, 3 pm to 9 pm with the organizational meeting March 7th. Diane has mailed the disabled veteran application. This is not required but she feels it is good planning. January 31st is the date set for the auditing of Middlebury Township assessing records. The county will be finally getting new maps. Business: Trustee Semans made the motion set Budget Meeting March 8th at 6:30pm and Clerk Brown seconded the motion. Ayes: All Nays: none carried This will precede the regular meeting. Township Hall – the board has abstractly discussed building a new building. We are one of the few remaining buildings that are of the historical variety. The two building designs that have been considered were New Haven and Antrim building. Diane Dowler has some of the information and offered to bring it at the next meeting. Treasurer Stevens asked Supervisor Herendeen to try to contact Abood regarding buying the property in the front of the township acreage. We have 4 acres with access driveway. Clerk Brown asked about what cost will be involved so she can add it into the budget. Supervisor Herendeen stated if we decide, we need to do architectural plan and a feasibility study. Our goal will be to pay for it with the money we have. So, the next fiscal year budget will be planned without the building until we know more facts. BOR Resolutions Poverty Level and Asset 2017-01 Trustee Semans offered the resolution and was supported by Treasurer Stevens. Row Call Vote: Aye: Stevens, Semans, Brown, Kiger and Herendeen Nays: None Resolution 2017-01 is declared adopted. MTA Annual Conference (April 10th-13th) Lansing, MI – The annual meeting was discussed by the board. This year is in Lansing. March 14th is the early bird deadline. This is tabled until February Meeting. Final Comments: Opened at 8:29 pm Closed at 8:33pm Corrected the date of the OMESA meeting to January 23rd on Monday. Supervisor Herendeen reviewed the other dates. Motion to adjourn the meeting: Adjourned at 8:33 pm Without objection, the supervisor adjourned the meeting at pm. X Susan Tomasek-Swan Middlebury Township Deputy Clerk