Neighborhood Planning Council 11 - Lakeview east

October Meeting Minutes Minges Brook/Riverside Neighborhood Planning Council (NPC) #11 Riverside Elementary School Library 650 Riverside Drive Battle Creek, MI 49015 Wednesday – October 23rd, 2013 1. 7:00 PM – Welcome and opening – Randall Champlin 2. Attendance sheet: Nola Baker, James Baldwin, Rudy Barda, Rick Baron, Jan Barry, Randall Champlin, Frank Egland, John Godfrey, Jim Haadsma (County Commissioner), Dave Hawks, Tim Martinovich, Norma Mayo, Wendy Rominger, Beverly Vallillee, George Vallillee, Kaytee Faris, Mike Sherzer, Ryan Lothschultz, Commissioner Jeff Domenico (Ward 5), City Representative Susan Bedsole, Doug Stewart, Randolph Kipp, Dave Peterson, Joe Goss, Teresa Osborne 3. Additions or deletions to this agenda: none 4. Approval of the previous month’s meeting’s minutes Jim Baldwin with support by Rick Baron 5. Correspondence sent/received • Community Development Division: Invitation to Fair Housing Workshop on Oct 24th • Planning Commission Meeting notice – Special Use Permit request for Preschool and Child Care for 145, 157 Capital Ave NE • Historic District Commission. Includes demolition of 157 Capital Ave NE • Community Development Division: Proposed Changes to Citizen Participation Plan. Review period 10/22/2013 to 11/22/2013. Hearing on November 19th 7:00PM at City Commission Chambers 6. City staff reports: • Police Department Report - No representative .. Susan said she would mention that we would like to have a representative from the PD if possible. It has been a couple of meetings since we have had a representative. • City Representative Report – new code officer – We have a new code officer: Elijah Martin. Major issue on the violations report was early/late garbage. Reminder the citizens are responsible for snow removal. Q: Why is the sewer drain being worked on for a month on Edgehill. A: Susan will check. Q: Does an RV have to be on a slab in the backyard? A: No. • Q: Is the SPX (Union Pump) corporation planning to leave the community? A: No word from them yet. • Comment: The city has been fixing pot holes in the area, Tim also reported a sink hole that the city fixed promptly. • Q: Is there an ordinance about people coming to the house to ask for donations? The Clean Water Initiative people have been coming around very late. A: If it is political the city does not interfere • Q: Has the city set a time for Trick or Treating? A: There is no definitive time for trick-or-treating. Turning your lights out should do the trick.  • City/County Commissioners’ reports • Vice Mayor Fulton – Transportation - Federal funding used for some bus service has stopped. Circulator and Express busses could be affected. Said thank you for support while she was in office. • Commissioner Domenico – next year state funding is expected to stop for transportation. Will be tough decisions for the next commission. 1. Q: do we know the numbers of riders? A: the drivers do keep track .. Typically about six people per day. The bus can fit 32 people. 2. Comment from the NPC – sometimes it looks like there is one buss following right after the other on the same route. (Follow up from Jeff after the meeting: The following is the response from Rich Werner as to the dual buses at the mall that was asked by a couple of the members. - Sometimes leaving the mall the express and the circulator will follow each other out to the 66 turnound to the I-169 downtown. One will head downtown, the other to Harper Village. Possibly a bus could have broken down as well. But never was the service doubled. 3. Please go Vote on Nov 5th. 4. Jeff invited the public to participate in the Nov 19th workshop for the new commission led by Experius from Dearborn. This will start at 5:30. The workshop will introduce the COSO internal control model. (The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) is a joint initiative of private sector organizations, established in the United States, dedicated to providing thought leadership to executive management and governance entities on critical aspects of organizational governance, business ethics, internal control, enterprise risk management, fraud, and financial reporting.) • County commissioner Haadsma.. County is focused on improved road inspection and maintenance. 7. Committee reports: • Beautiful Battle Creek Award – Ann Wyson – not present • Neighborhoods and Land Use– John Godfrey – Planning Commission Meets on the 4th Wednesday of the week. A request for a special use permit for Preschool and Child Care for 145, 157 Capital Ave NE was approved unanimously. There was some concern about traffic and parking from a neighboring property owner so a fence around the parking area will be requied. Also the historic district begins next to this area but this was not seen as a reason to block the granting of the permit. • NPC 11 Programs – James Haadsma - TBD 8. Old business: None 9. New business: Program: Teresa Osborne - Director of Community Relations at Community HealthCare Connections. Teresa will discuss the Affordable Care Act and  make a special emphasis on ACA traps for seniors. Focus on uninsured and underinsured. • Teresa indicated most people that will use the “marketplaces” to get insured do not understand how the ACA will affect them. She stated that there are videos on YouTube that help explain • Also in attendance to help guide the discussion was Doug Stewart Lead regional navigator for region 7. Doug noted that there are many way to register: Computer, in person, by phone or paper application. • Some of the cost estimates people are getting are not accurate from the website… there are estimators that are more accurate • Even if you are 65 or more and enrolled in Medicare you could be affected by the new law. • Cost for many people will go up but more people will be able to enroll. • Not everyone will be insured. • Teresa had a number of handouts and you can get more information from Community HealthCare Connections 10. Public comments: Kateey Ferris running for At large City Commission introduced herself to new attendees, Dave Peterson Superintendent of Lakeview Schools indicated that the Affordable Care Act,, when it becomes mandatory for the School system add cost and there by caused reductions in the number of people the school system can employee. Dave also invited the public to a community dinner on Nov, 19th at 6:00 pm at middle schools. 11. Members’ comments: None 12. Next meeting: Combined November/December Holliday meeting 7:00 Wednesday December 4th, 2013 at Riverside Elementary School Library. Program: Dave Peterson Superintendent of Lakeview Schools with an update on school issues. 13. Adjournment - 8:30PM