City Council

SPECIAL QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE MINUTES OCTOBER 18, 2016 THE SPECIAL QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:04 P.M., ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016, BY MAYOR RIX. ROLL CALL Present: Allen, Greene, LaFore, Misteravich, Rix, Warn, Yaroch Absent: None Others: City Manager Moore, City Clerk Stagl Visitors: DPS Director Goetzinger AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION None. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion by Greene, seconded by Warn, to adopt the agenda as presented. All yeas Motion carried ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION 1. Discussion of Items of General Concern Goals and Objectives City Manager Moore updated Council on the Goals/Objectives as follows: Issue #1 – Promoting Industrial and Commercial Growth. The City Master Plan is currently being updated by the Macomb County Planning Staff. The Recreation Master Plan update will begin shortly. Baker College will be producing four promotional videos which will focus on Residential (potential residents), Business (both Business attraction and retention), Quality of Life (Amenities and Events), and Schools. Issue #2 – Traffic Congestion and accessibility of Main Street. The bump-outs have been installed. Issue #3 – Streetscape Implemented. The Streetscape Committee has been focusing on developing the RFP for the flower pots for the downtown area. Issue #4 – Rails to Trails. Discussion on the dead trees in the trail head park. Also CCM: 10/19/2016 Page 1 of 5 discussed the grassy area, inside the circle, in the trail head park and what was planned for this area. The Recreation Board need to begin to address what should be done in this area. Allen commented that the park bathrooms needed to be painted. Issue #5 - Orientation and Training for Members of Boards and Commissions. City Manager Moore informed Council that new board members get the bylaws for the board they have been appointed to. Rix questioned if it was possible to get a link to the MML website to look for possible webinars being offered. Issue #6 – Code Enforcement. City Manager Moore updated Council on the outstanding code enforcement issues that were ongoing: - White barn on Beech Street-Lance Hollweg will be taking the building down. - Red barn on Beech Street-RAHGS will be meeting with the family that own the building, to discuss the possibility of moving the barn to the Historical Society property. - 35600 Division Road-The City’s Attorney will be contacting the family and push for a reasonable sale price or have the building torn down. - 39053 Grove Street-Unlicensed vehicles have been removed. We are now focusing on the remaining junk. - Miller Concrete-The City Manager will be working with the Police Chief and begin to issue tickets regarding the excessive noise. - Former Kroger/Kmart Plaza-Administration is working with the property owners to have Semi-trucks Park behind the building instead of along the Lake Angela Drive section of the parking lot. Issue #7 – Technology – The Cable, Fire, Library, Police and Recreation Departments utilize Facebook and YouTube. City events are sent to the Make Macomb Your Home Facebook page. Greene questioned if it was possible to have a central location on the website that would feature all events happening in the City. Recess at 7:32 p.m. Reconvene at 7:45 p.m. Second Water Meter City Manager Moore briefed Council on the history of the summer sewer rate discount, which began in 1999. At that time, the City’s utility billing computer program was not able to put meters into the system that only charged water. The City’s current technology will allow a second meter, but there will be additional administrative work required if 2nd meters are allowed. Discussion on the cost for the resident to install a second meter. CCM: 10/19/2016 Page 2 of 5 Council was provided a spreadsheet that showed a sampling of neighboring communities’ and if they allowed second meters. The spreadsheet showed that the communities that allowed a second meter are on surface water systems where supply is not an issue. Discussion on the City being on a well system – questioned if we want to encourage additional water usage. If we allowed a second meter, we would want a policy in place that would require routine inspections every 2-3 years, at the residents’ expense, to ensure that they have not illegally plumbed other water used to the second meter. Council also discussed the impact on the sewer fund if we allowed the second meter and eliminated the summer discount. The consensus was to continue with the summer sewer rate at this time. Charitable Solicitors Council discussed the Attorney General’s opinion, which prohibits a person in the improved portion of a roadway from soliciting contributions in support of a civic or charitable organization from the occupant of any vehicle. City Manager Moore informed Council that many communities are beginning to follow the Attorney General’s Opinion and are denying request to solicit in the intersections. The City Attorney, Rex Burgess recommends that the City follow the AG’s Opinion. Administration is recommending that the City follow the AG’s Opinion. It was also noted that MDOT Macomb Transportation Service Center Manager Drew Buckner stated that MDOT’s stance is that the Uniform Traffic Code does not allow groups to solicit in the roadway. As a reminder, the City has to receive their permission to conduct parades. With the AG’s Opinion, it is unclear what MDOT will say if they notice that the City has given permission to a group to solicit on M-19. Council consensus was that they wanted to follow the Opinion issued by the Attorney General and not allow any request to solicit in the roadway. The Manager will draft a letter to the non-profits, explaining the City’s decision. COUNCIL COMMENTS Yaroch – stated that he would like the City to look into an ordinance that would prohibit bar-b- ques on balconies – this is a fire hazard. Rix stated that we should receive feedback from the Fire Department on this issue. Rix – Questioned who was responsible to maintain the electric poles in the City. City Manager Moore indicated that the poles are the property of DTE and they are responsible for the maintenance. Yaroch suggested contacting DTE to see if there was an option to get out of the maintenance CCM: 10/19/2016 Page 3 of 5 contract and the City would take over the maintenance of the poles. CCM: 10/19/2016 Page 4 of 5 ADJOURNMENT Motion by Misteravich, seconded by Greene, to adjourn the Special Quarterly Roundtable Meeting at 8:46 p.m. All yeas Motion carried Respectfully submitted: Karen Stagl City Clerk CCM: 10/19/2016 Page 5 of 5