Neighborhood Planning Council 11 - Lakeview east

March 26th Meeting Minutes Minges Brook/Riverside Neighborhood Planning Council (NPC) #11 Riverside Elementary School Library 650 Riverside Drive Battle Creek, MI 49015 Wednesday – March 26, 2014 1. 7:00 PM – Welcome and opening – Randall Champlin 2. Attendance sheet: Beverly Vallillee, Dave Hawks, Frank Egland, George Vallillee, Norma Mayo, Nola Baker, Randall Champlin, Rudy Barda, Wendy Rominger, Ward 4 Commissioner Mike Sherzer, Talia Champlin, Linda Holderbaum of the Art Center, Karen Todd for Commissioner Terris Todd, BC Police Dept Rep: Craig Wolf, Interim Police Chief Jim Blocker. County Commissioner Jim Haadsma. 3. Additions or deletions to this agenda: none 4. Approval of the previous month’s meeting’s minutes. Dave Hawks moved to approve and Wendy Rominger supported the motion. Passed unanimously. 5. Correspondence sent/received • Wednesday, Mar, 26: 4:00 PM Planning Commission Mtg. Commission Chambers 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Burnham Brook Community Center, Lew Boyd Room Light refreshments will be provided • Thursday, March 27, 2014 Festival Market Square public input session, Time: 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM, Location: • Burnham Brook Community Center, Lew Boyd Room Map it 200 W. Michigan Ave. Breakfast will be provided • Friday, Mar, 28 12:00 AM Petition Deadline for Planning Commission April Mtg. • Monday, Mar, 31 Yard waste pickup begins • Tuesday, Apr, 01 7:00 PM City Commission meeting • Wednesday, Apr, 02 8:30 AM City Manager Search Committee United Way board room 34 W. Jackson St., Suite 4B • Tuesday, Apr, 08 4:00 PM Zoning Board Mtg. Commission Chambers • Thursday, Apr, 10 5:00 PM City Manager Search Committee City Hall, Room 302A • Monday, Apr, 14: 12:00 AM Deadline for Takasaki student exchange programs 4:00 PM CANCELED - Historic District Commission Mtg. (No petitions for review) 6. City staff reports: • Police Department Report - Officer Wolf: Not many calls this month, but expect calls to increase as weather gets warmer. We need to be careful to lock cars even when in driveways to avoid theft of articles sitting on seats. • Question – If you see someone driving a pickup truck with scrap in the back, is there a law against things falling out? Yes – Drivers must have a secured load and can be ticketed. • Do we still have a problem with stolen manhole covers or copper wire? No, that has not been a continued problem. • City Representative Report – Jim Blocker, Interim Police Chief intends to attend as many NPC meetings as possible to reconnect with the community. This way, citizens can feel they are contacting a real person when they have a problem, rather than simply calling into a faceless organization. The Police Department would like more open communication with the community. Officers will be attending our meetings on a routine basis. The department is working to set up the website so you can click your precinct and see which officers are working your area at that moment. No set date for going live, but looking forward to offering this in the future. • Question: Are Neighborhood Watch groups still together? There does not seem to be a formal organization right now. Answer: During the last decade, resources for these programs were diminished and it was hoped that NPC’s could provide this function. The police need us to be watchful and to call in what we see. • City/County Commissioners’ reports •Commissioner Mike Sherzer – Serving on the City Commissioner Search Committee. After the first formal meeting, Vice Mayor Owen asked to have an informal meeting and community members got to share thoroughly with the Committee members. Mike is collecting information from NPC members on what traits and skills we are looking for in City Administration. Manager hiring process will include: Gathering input from key stakeholders; developing criteria for the person who will fill the job; having a search firm screen candidates who meet established criteria; narrow the field to 5+/- candidates; then have interviews that would include citizen input. The intention would be to have some level of NPC involvement at the interview level. • Question: Are we competitive in our salary? Answer: Yes – we had over 65 candidates for the last police chief opening. • Question: How do we help insure that we avoid a caustic relationship between commission and administration? Answer: It is a very difficult job with many stakeholders, and conflicts will arise. Typical life span for a city manager is only about 5 years. • Traits we would like to see in a future manager: forward-thinking, someone familiar with city operations rather than someone new to this kind of position, open to new ideas/innovative. Mike proposed getting us a list so we can rank priorities for skills, abilities, and traits that are important to us. • There will be no changes to our garbage service at this time. We have extended our Waste Management contract for two years. Commissioner Jim Haadsma: Next meeting for Commission is April 16, and they will acting on the new regional law enforcement center to be located near Craig Kempf Funeral Home. This is a collaboration between City of Marshall, Calhoun County and State of Michigan. Bids have been received. 7. Committee reports: • Beautiful Battle Creek Award – Ann Wyson – not present • Neighborhoods and Land Use– John Godfrey – attending the park input meeting • NPC 11 Programs – James Haadsma – to be determined 8. Old business: None 9. New business: • This Month’s Program: Linda Holderbaum- Executive Director of the Art Center of Battle Creek. The Art Center's Mission: To engage people of all ages and backgrounds in art and culture for education, enrichment and fun. • The Art Center is located on Emmett Street on the north side of town. They hold10 exhibits each year; over 100 artists exhibited in the gift shop. Full classloads are provided but attendance is dwindling. Art Center works to get people through the door. The Art Center collaborates with VA Hospital patients who come in and do art as part of their therapy. Marian Burch and Northpointe Woods also bring in residents – research shows that involvement with art increases brain function and reduces need for medication. Interaction with art is stress-releasing and relaxing for children and for adults. The gift shop allows people to give gifts made locally rather than made in China. • We have 1200 non-profits in Calhoun County, more than any other county in Michigan, which puts a strain on fundraising. • The Art Center is often complimented for being exceptionally nice for a community of our size. • Art Center will be running a Children’s Art Fair for the first time. • Jim Haadsma will be running Summer Solstice II – a fun-raiser for the Art Center, on June 20, 5 - 10pm. • Current children’s exhibit features art from students at several area schools. 4 of 12 schools that participated last year have dropped their art programs this year. The remaining schools have limited programs, and Linda feels school boards need to hear that residents value art education. • The Art Center offers small classes with quality instruction. They have a permanent collection. • Next Exhibit – A retrospective: 40 Years of Creating Art by Eleanor DeVries, opens April 6 - 26 10. Public comments: None 11. Members’ comments: Question for Chief Blocker – How are you handling the past criticisms of the department and do you believe we are headed in a positive  direction? Answer: Absolutely, things are headed in a more positive direction. Wives are calling and saying their husbands are happy to be going to work. Comment regarding the locating of new Kellogg employees – reports that millages are lower in outside communities. Accepted Wendy Rominger’s resignation with deep regret and wished her the best in her new north side location (near the Art Center!) 12. Next meeting: 7:00 Wednesday April 23, 2014 at Riverside Elementary School Library. Program: To be determined 13. Adjournment – 8:03 PM