Neighborhood Planning Council 9 - Rural Southwest

Rural Southwest Neighborhood Planning Council (South Side Bible Church (Corner of S. Minges & Beckley Rd.) Minutes of February 12, 2013 Meeting Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 6:35 PM by Chair Linda Morris. Members and Citizens Present: Harry Zimmerman, Shelby Winslow, Durward McCleary, Laura Clingenpeel, Kingery Clingenpeel, and Robert Harland. City Officials: Chris Hilton (Planning Supervisor), BCPD Officer Jon Hancotte, Commissioner Jeff Domenico and Mayor/Commissioner Susan Baldwin.. Motion by Durward McCleary, seconded by Shelby Winslow to approve minutes of January 8, 2013 meeting. Minutes approved. Public Service Report was distributed by BCPD Officer Hancotte who was substituting for Officer Winer. Advised that criminal offenses occurring on Lois Drive have tapered off. No suspects arrested. Investigators speculate that break-ins were done by transient offenders. However, BCPD will continue to monitor the situation. Speed limit violators are being targeted in the NPC area, also. Durward McCleary described the early morning destruction of Sonoma Road mail boxes. No suspects were able to be identified. Planning Supervisor Chris Hilton distributed the NPC Report and also recapped the November- January reports. Ms. Hilton explained that several inspections, among other things, were conducted in anticipation of liquor license renewal requests. NPC requests for investigation by Ms. Hilton included: C moving van/cargo box truck parked/stored in residential driveway; C abandoned property at 14811 Stone Jug Road in poor condition; C potentially dangerous tree trunks on Sonoma Road right-of-way; C dead limbs hanging over Minges Road; C ineffective filling of potholes with cold patch; C replacement of 35 MPH speed limit sign near 12496 Sonoma Road; and, C clear vision sight southeast corner of Beckley/Sonoma Road. Commissioner Domenico announced a public hearing on February 19, 2013 at 5:30 PM in City Commission chambers concerning the reallocation of precincts within Ward 5 due to population shift. Precinct 8 (Riverside Drive, Country Club Hills Blvd & Knapp Drive areas) will be the most affected; and, will most likely become part of Ward 4. Also, the City Commission is reviewing the city-owned vehicles take home policy by various city employees. Mayor Baldwin described the recent visit by City Commissioners from Takasaki, our Japanese sister city. There are 40 city commissioners in Takasaki which allows freedom of travel by city commissioners to other sister cities throughout the world. Mayor Baldwin also announced that:  C budget planning is in process with a likely 2013 increase; C an article will appear in the Michigan Municipal League highlighting Battle Creek and KCC; C her work with Governor Snyder’s urban development/redevelopment committee; and C efforts to get C 130 air transports assigned to Air National Guard base along with the drone aircraft currently assigned. (BC ANG base was unable to get C 127 J transport planes.) Old Business: Chair Morris announced that the membership roster had been approved by City Commission. Also, waiting to hear back from Neighborhood Services whether a “flyer” could be placed in water/sewer/garbage bills regarding Neighborhood Planning Councils. New Business: The NIBC ad for February 14 publication in the Shopper was passed around. NPC members expressed their satisfaction with the ad; and, the suggestion was made that the ad be used as an insert in the city utility bills if possible. Chair Morris & Chris Hilton will follow up with Neighborhood Services department. Several comments were made about the poor snow plowing of streets. Particularly the scraping up of grass & mud into neighborhood lawns. Motion by Harry Zimmerman, seconded by Laura Clingenpeel. Meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM. Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 6:30 PM at South Side Bible Church.