Middlebury Township PO Box 622, Ovid, Michigan 48866 Regular Meeting 7627 W. M-21, Ovid, MI Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 7:00 pm REGULAR MEETING Call to Order: Supervisor Swan called the meeting to order at 6:58 pm. Board Members Present: Supervisor Jeffery Swan, Clerk Jamie Aldrich, Treasurer Jill Ruess, Trustee Greg Atwood and Trustee Gene Ruess Guests Present: Guests were present: 6 Mike Herendeen, Josh Haley, and Robbert Hinojosa, Paula Strachota, Jason Hanna (DTE), Doug Corwin Scheduled Comments: Public Comments: Opened at 7:00 pm Closed at 7:08 pm Paula Strachota (305 E Pearl St) brought a drain concern to the board. There was a drain put in in the 70’s by Middlebury Township that is not functioning properly, and the county will not maintain it because they did not install it. The township is not maintaining it because it is believed this is a result of homeowners filling in their drains to avoid having yards that look like a ditch. In doing so it has caused water issues and the homeowner is responsible. Supervisor Swan advised that this would be a civil matter between her and her neighbors and ultimately the responsibility is on the homeowner to correct, not the township. Josh Haley, running for commissioner. Robbert Hinojosa, running for prosecuting attorney. Doug Corwin, running for probate judge. Jason Hanna, from DTE, advising that solar power is coming as state signing continues and most projects are about 800 acres we need to prepare. Motion to Approve Agenda: Jill Ruess is adding to agenda #9 to talk about Office Admin position Jamie Aldrich made a motion to approve agenda as amended. seconded Jill Ruess seconded motion. Voice Vote: Ayes: All Nays None Carried Motion to Approve Minutes: Jill Ruess made a motion to amend the minutes, Greg Atwood seconded the motion. Voice Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None Carried Motion to approve Bills Jill Ruess made a motion to approve bills in the amount of $48,703.00; from General Funds checks #6160- 6170 totaling $8126.35 Emergency Fund check 1057 for $37,591.33 and 1EFT for $2985.32. Jamie Aldrich seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: All Naes None Carried Communications: MTA- picnic last Tuesday at meeting. Jeff will get a schedule of future meeting dates for the board. Library- bushes removed that were overgrown, doing some light landscaping OMESA- New fire truck is here! Had about 200 people at the recent open house. Recently graduated a new firefighter Clerk- woodchuck problem- Jeff will bring traps. Presented two reports to the Board that will satisfy the MTA requirement for the clerk reports-board agreed and these will be part of the monthly packet Treasurer- no update. Assessor- no update. Business: 1.) Election Workers. Tina Holmes, Holly Sammons, Janell Keebler, Angela Wheeler, Zeriah Barnhill, Keera Barnhill and Joanne Pierce. Jamie Aldrich Made motion to hire election workers for August 6th, 2024 election. _ Greg Adtwood Second the motion. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None, motion carried 2.) Public Accuracy. Do we want to do this as a board or do we want to have this completed by Election Source. Greg Atwood made a motion to hir Election Source to do Public Accuracy test for August election. Gene Ruess seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None, motion carried 3.) BS&A training. Jill reported that there was a training yesterday, it was an online webinar but she did not attend because the board had not approved the expense. Discussion by board determined this would be something that would not need board approval because it’s less than the amount allowed to be spent monthly by board members for discretionary purchases. Jamie suggested perhaps the webinar was recorded and she could still access it? 4.) Michigan Township Participating Plan (MTPP) renewal-see attachments Jamie presented to the board that this is Liability Insurance renewal and there is a questionnaire included that Jamie does not have all the information to fill out and needs help from the board to complete this. This includes cyber security. Jeff asked to send the information in an email for board to look at. 5.) Public notices for August 6th election posted by county but need to be on our website: Notice to Close EV Site & Canvass of August 6th primary Notice of Early Voting Site Notice of Official Call of Election Jamie will email the notices to the board and Jeff Swan will post on the website. 6.) Manor Costerisan- Engagement Letter for Internal Control Review and Policy Development In response to Jamie’s inquiry about balancing the Tax Statement Manor Costorian gave a proposal to include a scope of full policy and process review/development for duties and responsibilities this estimate was $9-12K. The hourly rate for only Tax Account review varies from $190/hr to $395/hr. The board asked Jamie to call MTA to ask for different auditing companies to assist since it could be a conflict for Manor Costorian to assist since they also perform our audit. Jamie will 7.) Applied Innovations -new printer proposal Greg Atwood made a motion to move forward with new printer and authorizing Clerk Aldrich to sign the contract entering township in to an lease agreement with Applied Innovations for a new printer. Gene Ruess seconded. Roll Call vote: Ayes: All Nays: none, motion carried 8.) Cemetery- Case/Smith & Slocum Clerk Aldrich met with Burt and Sandy Case to review their cemetery plots and options for burial of their daughter. They are asking the board to consider the following exceptions to Cemetery Policy: Would the board allow more than 2 burials on one plot? Would the board allow a full burial and a cremains burial on lot 2? Would the board allow purchase of lots to the N that are owned by another family (per the forfetiture part of the Cemetery Policy? After much discussion it was determined that the board will not make exceptions to the Cemetery Policy and the number of burails on a plot remain max of 2. The forfeiture part of the policy was implemented because of a Michigan Statue and the lots to the N of Case do not fall in that statue, they were purchased prior to that and remain with original owner. The only option is for purchase of lots in a different area of the cemetery to accomplish their needs. Jamie will follow up with the family. Slocum- a note was received in the black box regarding a cemetery concern- Jamie read the note and asked for assistance from the board to follow up. The cemetery is a township issue. Jill Ruess suggested mailing a copy of the policy to the individual. Jeff Swan will call the individual back and address concerns. Will review Cemetery Policy and Sexton duties in next month’s meeting. Notify Matt Tribfelner so he can attend. 9.) Office Admin – this is currently an open position. Moving this to next month’s meeting agenda. Jamie will email Resolution for Temporary Office Manager duties & responsibilities for all to review Old Business 1. Cloud BSA, reports Jamie to call Nancy Houghson at Ovid Township. Jamie asked board for clarification- Nancy is the Treasurer, not the clerk. Should Jamie reach out to the clerk for questions on board reports and not the treasurer? Jeff explained that not all boards function the same and it is infact the treasurer that Jamie should call. 2. Cell phone for the treasurer. Gene Ruess made motion to approve Jill to sign contract to obation T-Mobile cell phone for about 30/month and a 3 year contract. Greg Atwood seconded the motion Roll Call Vote: Ayes: G. Atwood, G.Ruess, J.Ruess, J.Swan Nayes: J.Aldrich Motion carried 3. Update Chart of Accounts- Jamie spoke with BSA and is working with them on this. Jamie received information from BSA regarding the update of Chart of Accounts, she will email the information to the board. The process began in 2017 and looks to be a large undertaking. Jamie asked the board for an estimated timeframe for completion? The board advised to just keep working on it as I can. 4. Driveway- Jeff has called Crow, waiting for response. Will call again. Jeff reported that Crow is coming up with a number. 5. Township Website- Nothing done with this. Carry over to next month. Jeff is communicating with a new company for our website, a sandbox platform should be coming soon. 6. Road sign for Snyder and Glenwood Dr are still not up. Should have an official sign on both ends of the roads. Please see paperwork on sign fees. Jeff Swan made a motion to complete the sign project as delinated by county. Jamie Aldrich seconded the motion. Voice vote: Ayes-non Nays: All, motion did not carry 7. Cemetery flowers follow up. Flowers are purchased and put in. Final Comments: Opened at 9:21 pm Closed at 9:21pm . Motion to adjourn the meeting: Adjourned at 9:21pm . Next meeting July 9, 2024 at 7:00pm X Jamie Aldrich Clerk