City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016 IN CITY HALL Mayor Michael C. Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Mayor Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Mark Carufel, City Clerk, gave the Invocation. Council Members present at roll call: Deanna Koski, Joseph V. Romano, Maria G. Schmidt, Nate Shannon, Doug Skrzyniarz, Michael C. Taylor, and Barbara A. Ziarko. Also Present: Mark D. Vanderpool, City Manager; Marc D. Kaszubski, City Attorney; Mark Carufel, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Romano, to approve the Agenda as presented. Yes: All. The motion carried. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool reported on road construction updates, stating that concrete repairs/replacement on Ryan, from 15 Mile Road to Metro Parkway, are tentatively scheduled to begin this week and will take 8 to 10 weeks for completion, with significant lane closures during that time, although drives and access to side streets will be maintained. Construction will begin this week on Dequindre between Burningbush and M-59, involving five lanes of concrete Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 2 replacement, with the portion between Burningbush and 18 Mile Road scheduled for next year. Mr. Vanderpool informed that construction will soon begin on Comstock, Dryden, Greendale and Idaho. Within the next week, major road repair is expected to begin on Schoenherr Road, between 14 and 15 Mile Roads, with the section from 15 Mile to the bridge to be entirely replaced, and the northbound lane from 14 Mile to 15 Mile will also be done. The southbound lane was done last year, and they are working with the County to fund the next portion of Schoenherr from 15 Mile Road to Metro Parkway. Mr. Vanderpool advised that real-time information on all road projects can be accessed by going to www.sterling-heights.net/ConeZone. Mr. Vanderpool reported that the Library’s Summer Reading Program kicked off last week, and he encouraged anyone interested to visit the City’s website to find out more about that program. Mr. Vanderpool announced that this Thursday evening, Parks & Recreation will be showing “Minions”, a computer-animated film which is a spin-off of “Despicable Me”. This movie will be shown outside near the Dodge Park Band Shell after Music in the Park and is free to the public. Mr. Vanderpool reported that the Riverland Pedestrian Bridge, a fully-funded project, is in the design stages and is anticipated to be bid out later this summer, with construction starting late fall/early winter and completion anticipated by next spring. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 3 Mr. Vanderpool reported that the City’s Office of Purchasing has historically only accepted ‘hard copy’ responses to Invitation to Bid solicitations, but the City will now be accepting Electronic Bid Submission (EBS). It will offer advantages to bidders, including saving delivery costs, allowing bidders more time to submit up to the due date and time, receiving instant notification of a successful submission, and having the advantage of submitting bids from anyplace that offers internet connectivity. Mr. Vanderpool also outlined the advantages to the city, including all electronic bids being uploaded to a sealed vault for security purposes, unable to be accessed until the due date and time. He added that submissions are provided in PDF format and this option encourages more bidders to submit at no cost to the City. Mr. Vanderpool reported that this will streamline a process that has been very labor-intensive up to this point with hundreds of hard-copy bids submitted each year. He thanked Purchasing Manager Jim Buhlinger and his team for making this possible. Mr. Vanderpool reported that an expanded number of convenient locations will now accept used motor oil from residents, including Pep Boys, Auto Zone, O’Reilly’s, Walmart, Advanced Auto Parts, and Valvoline; however, he informed that it will no longer be accepted at the DPW’s 18 Mile Road Recycle Center. Mr. Vanderpool reported that the Fire Department has successfully obtained a $176,000 grant, and the money will be used for new compression tank filling stations. He thanked Assistant Chief Rob Duke for getting these grants, noting Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 4 that over the last five years, he has been successful in getting over a million dollars through this grant program. Mr. Vanderpool reminded that it is illegal to ignite commercial-grade fireworks in Sterling Heights except as authorized by state statute, which includes the upcoming dates of July 3rd, 4th and 5th between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight. Violators risk being fined by the Police Department, with fines assessed at $500 or more. He pleaded for everyone’s cooperation and added there will be increased Police duty on those nights. Mr. Vanderpool showed a video of some of the highlights of the upcoming SterlingFest, which is just a little over 30 days away. Mr. Vanderpool explained that the city must find ways to be collaborative at local, state and federal levels, and Sterling Heights has been proactive in partnering with groups like Michigan Municipal League, Macomb Area Communities for Regional Opportunities (MACRO), Nationwide Manufacturing Alliance for Communities, and Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). He introduced Ms. Kathleen Lomako, SEMCOG’s Executive Director, to share some of the exciting things they have to offer. Ms. Kathleen Lomako provided an overview of their organization and how their efforts are being implemented in the City of Sterling Heights. She informed that their organization serves seven counties in southeast Michigan, and their funding is provided by member dues, which they use to match federal and state grants. Mayor Taylor is the member representing Sterling Heights, and the Alternate is Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 5 City Manager Mark Vanderpool. She announced that their membership committee is meeting this Thursday, June 23rd at 4:30 p.m. in the new Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron., and she invited anyone interested to attend. She noted that their March 30th, 2017 meeting will be held at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights. They also hold training sessions, and serve as a resource to the City and its staff. Much of their work is done by committees and task forces, in order to tap into the expertise that lies in southeast Michigan. She explained the City Manager participated in the Legislative Policy Platform, with one of their successes being the passing of Senate Bill 557, which eliminates the local match requirement for MDOT projects in cities having a population over 25,000. SEMCOG works on issues related to transportation, economic development and the environment, and they can provide high-quality data to assist local governments with strategic planning, including an interactive mapping tool for customized data. SEMCOG was active in the 2030 Visioning. She advised that this is one way they provide information, and she introduced Ms. Stephanie Taylor from their information center, who can be reached at (313) 324-3330 (email Taylor@semcog.org). She also introduced Ms. Amy Mangus, Manager of Plan Implementation Division. Ms. Mangus provided an overview of a few of their projects, explaining they work on developing the long-range transportation plan for southeast Michigan, which prioritizes spending in this region for roads, transit, walking and biking trails in the amount of just under $1 billion a year. They work closely with the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 6 Macomb County Federal Aid Committee so they have the correct information to make the best decisions. They have an interactive map on their website that shows construction projects and their costs. She explained they recently completed a number of other plans in southeast Michigan: a Traffic Safety Plan; Access to Core Services; Bicycle & Pedestrian Travel; Economic Development; and Green Infrastructures, and she reviewed some of the details of each of those plans. She cited one of the partnerships between SEMCOG and the City of Sterling Heights is SEMCOG’s awarding of over $650,000 to replace the old pedestrian bridge over the Clinton River in Dodge Park., which ties in with the trails and makes it a focal point in the region. Ms. Mangus stated they have talked with Mr. Vanderpool about increasing the tree canopy in the area, which falls under the Green Infrastructure vision they have for this area. Ms. Lomako concluded their presentation by talking about their Economic Development strategy. Mr. Vanderpool thanked SEMCOG and stressed how they are a vital part of the City’s day-to-day operations. He stated that concludes his report. Mayor Taylor thanked SEMCOG for their presentation and all they do for Sterling Heights. PRESENTATION Councilman Shannon presented Mr. Timothy Coffee with a Nice Neighbor Award in recognition of his efforts to assist his neighbor and his contributions in making Sterling Heights’ overall quality of life second to none. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 7 RESOLUTION Mr. Kyle Langlois, Director of Parks & Recreation, requested the City Council to designate the month of July 2016 as Parks and Recreation Month. He presented a brief video presentation by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), and he informed they chose July for this designation because of the vast number of parks and recreation activities taking place during that month, such as Music in the Park, Dodge Park Farmers Market, Senior programs, parent/tot programs and baseball and softball, just to name a few. He informed that the Parks and Recreation and Community Relations departments are launching an initiative to give residents the opportunity to proclaim their appreciation and love for the parks in Sterling Heights. He turned the presentation over to Ms. Bridget Doyle, Community Relations Director. Ms. Doyle stated that, in concert with Parks and Recreation, Community Relations will be distributing “I Love My Parks” stadium cups, stickers and drawstring bags, all having a logo created by the City’s graphic designer, to promote pride in the 5 major and 26 neighborhood parks. The first event where these will be available will be at the Farmer’s Market and Music in the Park concert on July 7th, where staff and volunteers will be distributing the stickers, asking residents to name their favorite Sterling Heights park. For the larger items like the backpack, the resident may be asked to explain why they chose a specific park. Each of the 31 parks will have signage containing relevant fun facts regarding that particular park. Ms. Doyle reported that the “I Love My Park” Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 8 campaign will feature a photo contest during the month of July, with the photos to be submitted via email to photos@sterling-height.net. She explained these should be photos of residents and their families or pets enjoying a Sterling Heights park, with a brief caption including the name of the park, why they like that particular park and what was going on in the photo. The photos will be shared on social media and the three winners will have their photos blown up and displayed at Parks and Recreation for the remainder of the year. Questions can be forwarded by email, and more information will be shared about the campaign in a release next week. She concluded that all of these activities are to build community pride in the Sterling Heights parks. She thanked the Council for their time and consideration of this request. Moved by Romano, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution designating the month of July, 2016 as Parks and Recreation Month in the City of Sterling Heights and encourage all residents to embrace and visit the City's major and neighborhood parks and participate in and enjoy the benefits of a parks and recreation program. Yes: All. The motion carried. A resolution of the City Council designating July, 2016 as Parks and Recreation Month in the City of Sterling Heights Parks and recreation programs are an integral part of communities throughout the United States and have enhanced the quality of life for residents of Sterling Heights for nearly fifty years. Parks and recreation are vitally important to ensuring the public health of all residents and contribute to the economic and environmental well-being of Sterling Heights and the surrounding region. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 9 Parks and recreation programs build a healthy, active community that aids in the prevention of chronic disease, provide therapeutic recreation services for those who are mentally or physically disabled, and also improve the mental and emotional health of all residents. Parks and recreation programs increase Sterling Heights’ economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction. Parks and recreation areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of Sterling Heights and need to be publicly recognized as public assets that should be valued and maintained. Parks and natural recreation areas improve water quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve air quality, provide vegetative buffers to development, and produce habitat for wildlife. Parks and natural recreation areas enhance the aesthetics of Sterling Heights and provide a sense of place for residents of all ages to connect with nature and recreate outdoors; and The U.S. House of Representatives has designated July as Parks and Recreation Month and it is appropriate to locally recognize the value and benefit of our Parks and Recreation programs and areas through a month-long celebration. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Sterling Heights, County of Macomb, and State of Michigan, hereby designates the month of July, 2016 as Parks and Recreation Month in the City of Sterling Heights and encourages all residents to embrace and visit the City’s major and neighborhood parks and participate in and enjoy the benefits of a parks and recreation program. This Resolution was approved at the June 21, 2016 Sterling Heights City Council meeting. _________________________________________ Mark Carufel, City Clerk ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION 1. Mr. Brian Baker, Finance & Budget Director, reported that they have reviewed all of the revenue and expenditure accounts and all City funds, and stated that General Fund revenues are expected to come in at 1.3% higher than anticipated, and that was primarily due to additional court, building and cable revenues, as Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 10 well as lower property tax refunds. He informed that the General Fund expenditures are anticipated to be 0.9% under budget due to lower fuel prices, street lighting costs, personnel savings, and the timing of new police officers. He added that all city departments came in under budget, and that resulted in a $2.1 million increase in contributions to General Fund Reserves, so as of June 30th, $2.9 million is anticipated to be added to Reserves. This is the same amount they estimated mid-year when they were preparing the next year’s 2016-2017 budget. He advised that the budget for the other City funds decreased by $7.8 million and that was primarily due to the timing of payments for the reconstruction of Dodge Park Road, the Clinton River Path Restoration Project and the timing of the Sidewalk Gap and repair projects. Additional funds are included for expediting road repairs this summer prior to the start of the next fiscal year and for the concrete repairs to the City Hall parking lots, as well as additional repairs to the local road resurfacing. He explained this is the first reading of the Ordinance scheduled for adoption at the first meeting in July. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Skrzyniarz, RESOLVED, to introduce the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2015/16 fiscal year. Councilwoman Schmidt was pleased that they are able to put more money in the bank than anticipated. She inquired as to whether they could consider expediting the repair of more residential roads this year as a result of having the extra funds. Councilman Skrzyniarz inquired as to whether they are $7.8 million under budget. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 11 Mr. Baker replied that is correct, but the majority of it is due to the timing of payments, with a lot of it being carried over with the first budget amendment they adopt next year. Mr. Baker pointed out that it is good to be able to contribute $2.9 million to Reserve. He advised their fund balance will be about 12% in the General Fund, which is within striking distance of the long-term goal of 15% to 20%. Yes: All. The motion carried. 2. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to adopt the ordinance amending Chapter 81 Section 8-9 of the City Code to facilitate the shelter/ neuter/ and release program in Sterling Heights. Councilwoman Schmidt felt this was well-discussed at the last meeting and she had no further comments. Yes: All. The motion carried. CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MACOMB COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 447 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 8-9 OF CHAPTER 8 OF THE CITY CODE TO FACILITATE THE CITY ENTERING INTO ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICE AGREEMENTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT INCLUDE SHELTER, NEUTER, AND RELEASE PROGRAMS IN STERLING HEIGHTS. THE CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Section 8-9 of Article I of Chapter 8 of the Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read as follows: Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 12 8-9. CONTROL OF ANIMALS; RUNNING AT LARGE; CLEANUP. (A) All animals shall be kept under restraint. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or permit any animal owned, kept, possessed, or harbored by such person, or under his or her control, to run at large or unattended, upon the public streets, walks, alleys, parks, public places within the city, or upon the premises of another, without express permission of the owner or occupant of the private premises. All female dogs in heat shall be kept inside a building or within a fence or other enclosure which limits the dog to a particular confined area so that the dog cannot come into contact with a male dog except for planned breeding. When allowed outdoors to relieve itself, a dog in heat shall be under restraint and under the observation of its owner. (B) If an animal trained or used for fighting or an animal that is the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting goes beyond the property limits of its owner without being securely restrained, or is not securely enclosed or restrained on the owner's property, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500, or both. (C) Subsection (B) does not apply to the following: (1) A dog trained or used for fighting, or the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting, that is used by a law enforcement agency of the state or county, city, village, or township; (2) A certified leader dog recognized and trained by a national guide dog association for the blind or for persons with disabilities; or (3) A corporation licensed under the Private Security Guard Act of 1968, being M.C.L. §§ 338.1051 to 338.1085, when a dog trained or used for fighting, or the first or second generation offspring of a dog trained or used for fighting, is used in accordance with the Private Security Guard Act of 1968. (D) An animal that is involved in a violation of subsection (B) shall be confiscated as contraband by a law enforcement officer and shall not be returned to the owner, trainer, or possessor of the animal. The animal shall be taken to a local humane society or other animal welfare agency. If an animal owner, trainer, or possessor is convicted under subsection (B), the court shall award the animal involved in the violation to the local humane society or other animal welfare agency at the expense of the animal's owner, trainer, or possessor. (E) This section does not apply to conduct that is permitted by and is in compliance with any of the following: (1) Part 401 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act being, M.C.L. §§ 324.40101 to 324.40119; (2) Part 435 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, being M.C.L. §§ 324.43501 to 324.44106; (3) Part 427 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, being M.C.L. §§ 324.42701 to 324.42714; (4) Part 417 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, being M.C.L. §§ 324.41701 to 324.4712. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 13 (5) An agreement between the city and any other governmental agency for the humane treatment and release of stray or feral cats to the area in which they were taken into custody. (F) This section does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law that is committed by that person while violating this section. (G) A person who sustains any loss of, or damage to, property by an animal running at large may demand reasonable compensation from the owner of the animal as reparation for the loss or damage as ordered by the court. The demand for compensation shall be in writing and include: (1) A statement of when, where, what, and how much damage was done. (2) The identity or description of the animal and, if known, the identity of the owner of the animal. (3) The demand for compensation shall be verified by the claimant and submitted to the law enforcement agency which has the animal in its custody or possession. (H) If the owner of an animal that is previously adjudicated to be a dangerous animal allows the animal to run at large, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $500, or community service work for not less than 240 hours, or any combination of these penalties. The court may order a person convicted under this subsection to pay the costs of the prosecution. (I) Any person who owns, keeps, possesses, or harbors an animal shall be responsible to ensure that the animal does not defecate on property other than that person's property, or, if the animal does so, to promptly clean up any fecal matter deposited by the animal. (J) Animals found trespassing on school grounds, whether under restraint or otherwise, shall constitute a nuisance per se, punishable as provided in this chapter. (K) This section may be construed to permit the use of technological restraints, which include, but are not limited to, invisible fences which emit signals or sounds to discourage an animal from exiting the property; provided, that such technological restraints must be properly installed, set up, operational, and advertised by signage as required by this chapter, and provided the technological restraint keeps the restrained animals at least three feet away from any public ways or property lines. The permission granted by this section to utilize technological restraints for a particular animal shall be automatically revoked upon a second violation by that animal of the restraint requirements of this chapter. In no event shall the use of technological restraints immunize an owner from the criminal and civil responsibilities set forth in this chapter for failure to keep an animal under restraint. SECTION 2. All other provisions of the Code of Ordinances not specifically amended shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION 3. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon publication of a notice of adoption. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 14 This ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Sterling Heights on the 7th day of June, 2016, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Sterling Heights on the 21st day of June, 2016. _______________________________ MICHAEL C. TAYLOR, Mayor _______________________________ MARK CARUFEL, City Clerk INTRODUCED: 06-07-16 ADOPTED: 06-21-16 PUBLISHED: 06-29-16 EFFECTIVE: 06-29-16 CONSENT AGENDA 3. Moved by Koski, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda: A. To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 7, 2016, as presented. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $842,092.39, Water & Sewer Fund - $4,742,125.57, Other Funds - $1,902,716.71, Total Checks - $7,486,934.67. C. RESOLVED, to approve the purchase of excess worker’s compensation insurance from Midwest Employers Casualty Company through CompOne Administrators, Inc. / FDI Risk Managers, Inc. for a two-year period at an estimated annual cost of $66,979, and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval upon review and approval by the City Attorney. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 15 D. RESOLVED, to approve final payment to Hard Rock Concrete, Inc., 38146 Abruzzi Drive, Westland, MI 48185 in the cumulative amount of $123,063.22, plus interest on retainage, for the 2015 Concrete Sectional Replacement Program, City Project #15-265, and Fire Station #5 Parking Lot Reconstruction, City Project #14-252. Yes: All. The motion carried. CONSIDERATION 4. Mr. Vanderpool explained that, pursuant to Article 9 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and the Michigan Association of Police Technical Office Employees Union from the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018, members may request a reclassification of their current position in circumstances if they feel there has been a fundamental or permanent change to their job responsibilities. Reclassification requests must be submitted in October and are turned over to a representative from the Michigan Municipal League (MML) for review and recommendation prior to the following February 1st. Two employees filed these requests, and based on the findings and the recommendation by the MML, the City and the representatives of the union have met to negotiate the terms and conditions for a new classification for these positions. This resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding before the Council this evening to recognize these new positions of Construction Coordinator and Library Services Specialist. He clarified these are not new positions but are reclassifications, and if approved, the associated job duties and wages will be effective July 1, 2016. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 16 Moved by Skrzyniarz, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the city of Sterling Heights and Michigan Association of Public Employees Technical/Office Employees Union creating the new classifications of Construction Coordinator and Library Services Specialist and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign it on behalf of the City. Councilman Skrzyniarz stated this has been clearly explained by Mr. Vanderpool and has been well-vetted through the process. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether reclassification requests are anticipated for employees in other unions due to the fact that there are fewer employees and job descriptions are expanding. Mr. Vanderpool replied it is a possibility, and they receive them occasionally, but he was not aware of any specific requests at the moment. He stated it is not unusual to get a couple of these requests every year or two. Mayor Pro-Tem Romano stated these reclassifications result in higher pay; however, in these instances, it is only a couple thousand dollars more each year, and these individuals have different job duties that they did not have when they started so the additional pay matches the work they have been doing. Yes: All. The motion carried. 5. Mr. Vanderpool explained the term of the contract expires June 30, 2016 and, in anticipation of this date, a new agreement was negotiated. It was ratified by the membership, and he reported some of the highlights of this three-year contract for the period from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019. He stated that with regard to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 17 wages, the union membership would receive a 1% increase this upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1, 2016, a 1.5% increase for Fiscal Year 2018 and a 1.5% increase for Fiscal Year 2019. He stated the current four unpaid holidays and four unpaid furlough days will be eliminated in this contract, with three of each being eliminated starting July 1, 2016, and the remaining two being eliminated beginning July 1, 2017. Mr. Vanderpool stated that new hires will be paid 10% less, versus the current 15% less, than the current wage rates but will eventually earn equivalent wages through step increases, with the starting wage level increased to $13.45 per hour. He stated the health insurance allowance for those who opt out of the City’s health insurance will increase from $1,500 to $3,000, and members receiving paid time off will have a slight increase in the schedule of hours available. He stated the life insurance provided for active members is increased from 1.5% to 2% of their annual salary, and for members retiring during the term of the new CBA, the life insurance benefit to age 70 is increased from $5,000 to $10,000. Pension benefits, medical coverages, retiree medical coverages and longevity payments all remain at the reduced levels provided under the expiring CBA, and he advised the new detailed CBA is posted on the e-packet and everyone can view it online. Mr. Vanderpool acknowledged those who worked hard to make this agreement happen, noting that this was ratified by a 20- 0 vote, which he felt may be the first time in this City’s history they have had a unanimous tentative agreement. He attributed this to the union’s leadership, along with the hard work of the Human Resources Director, Mr. Walt Blessed, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 18 and the Assistant City Manager and Deputy Human Resources Director, Mr. Jeff Bahorski, and he thanked them for working so hard to make this agreement possible. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to approve the collective bargaining agreement and memorandums of understanding between the City of Sterling Heights and the Michigan Association of Police (MAP) Police Clerical Employees Association for the period of July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval on behalf of the City. Councilwoman Ziarko thanked everyone who was involved in coming to this agreement, and she thanked Mr. Bahorski for being here this evening. Mayor Pro-Tem Romano stated that when economic times were tough, the City asked these bargaining units to “step up to the plate” and they took the reductions willingly to keep the city afloat and help the residents. He stated it is now time to give back, and he felt they are not going overboard, but the employees deserve it. He appreciated them coming to the table with an open mind, and praised the 20-0 vote as being unheard of. He thanked the bargaining units, Mr. Bahorski, Mr. Blessed and Mr. Vanderpool. Yes: All. The motion carried. 6. Mr. Charles Jefferson began to make comments, but because he was speaking off topic and because of the context of the comments, Mayor Taylor called him out of order and requested he be seated. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 19 Moved by Romano, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to confirm the Mayor's appointment of Benjamin Ancona, Paul Jaboro, and Gerald A. Rowe to the Planning Commission to a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to appoint David Graef and Raymond D. Washburn to the Zoning Board of Appeals to a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Skrzyniarz, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Michael Sauger to the Ordinance Board of Appeals II to a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Michael Sauger to the Ordinance Board of Appeals I as an alternate member for a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 20 Moved by Romano, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Betty Jane M. Sukkar and Mark Valente, Jr. to the Board of Review to a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to appoint John Lamerato to the Police & Fire Pension Board to a term ending June 30, 2020, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Richard R. Weiler to the General Employees' Pension Board to a term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. 7. Mr. Charles Jefferson began to make comments, but once again, Mayor Taylor informed him he was speaking off topic, and requested he sit down. Mayor Taylor stated that there was a nominee for the Zoning Board of Appeals who was unable to take the appointment, so it is open once again for nominations. He stated he has a candidate in mind, but that individual has not yet submitted an application. He would like to see this matter postponed until the second meeting in July. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 21 Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to postpone nomination to the Zoning Board of Appeals to the July 19, 2016 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to postpone nomination to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to the July 19, 2016 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. 8. Mayor Taylor recommended the reappointment of David Griffith and the appointment of Eric Castiglia to fill the two vacancies on the Economic Development Corp./Brownfield Authority. Moved by Romano, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint David Griffith and Eric Castiglia to the Economic Development Corp./Brownfield Authority with the terms ending June 30, 2022, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Mayor Taylor recommended the reappointment of Douglas Najor to the Elected Officials Compensation Commission. Moved by Romano, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Douglas Najor to the Elected Officials Compensation Commission with the term ending Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 22 June 30, 2023, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Mayor Taylor recommended the appointment of Stephanie Guran, Robert Lulgjuraj, Stojadin Naumovski and Shawn Taylor to the Ethnic Community Committee. Moved by Romano, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Stephanie Guran, Robert Lulgjuraj, Stojadin Naumovski and Shawn Taylor to the Ethnic Community Committee with the term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Mayor Taylor recommended the appointment of Orest Zachary to the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA). Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Orest Zachary to the Elected Officials Compensation Commission with the term ending June 30, 2020, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Romano, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Mona Yassine to the Arts Commission with the term ending June 30, 2020, subject to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 23 the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to postpone appointment to fill the second vacancy on the Arts Commission to the July 19, 2016 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to postpone appointments to the Beautification Commission to the July 19, 2016 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Thaddeus Stanek Jr. to the Board of Code Appeals with the term ending June 30, 2021, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Romano, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Eric Castiglia, Kozeta Elzhenni, Judith Foley, Joanne Paraventi, Grace Pedrie, Jeanne Schabath and Janet Widrig to the Citizens Advisory Committee - CDBG with the term ending June 30, 2017, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 24 Moved by Shannon, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to appoint Meghan Mott and Michael Lombardini to the Historical Commission with the term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Romano, RESOLVED, to appoint Josephine Berthet and Stacey Ziarko to the Library Board of Trustees with the term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Donald McCoy and Kathryn Thudium to the Solid Waste Management Commission with the term ending June 30, 2019, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mr. Jeffrey Norgrove – Thanked the staff of Engine 3 and the employees of Universal Ambulance for their help last night. Reminded sky lanterns are illegal. Questioned Lakeside Mall missing their payment and whether anyone from the City is working with them. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 25 Ms. Dolores Hatton – Questioned how, when and why the name of Kleino Road was changed to Edison Drive. Opposed to the name change and felt it should remain “Kleino” out of respect for the memory of Mr. Kleino. Suggested if it is now “Edison Drive”, possibly DTE could pay to rebuild the road and open it back up again. Mr. Bob Moffa – Reviewed tax increases in 2010 and 2013, but pointed out proposed increase in statewide gas tax in 2015 was turned down by voters. Expressed opposition to proposed Parks & Recreation millage. Mr. Joel Thomas – Felt people should not lie but stick with the facts. Ms. Sanaa Elias – Stated people move into a city for their low taxes. Expressed opposition to the proposed Parks & Recreation millage proposal as it stands, and suggested dividing it so some of the important projects can be included, and others can be paid for without a millage increase. Mr. Charles Jefferson – Expressed concern over a blog post by a member of a Board/Commission in Sterling Heights, in attacking a member of another Board/Commission and should be removed from his position on the Board/Committee. Stated that behavior would not be permitted in any other workplace. Mr. John Spica – Relayed concern from resident at 38773 Woodmont, where cement in the street has cracked and risen, causing cars to bottom out. Thanked Council for placing the Parks and Recreation millage proposal on the ballot. Questioned when absentee ballots will go out. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 26 Mr. Michael Lombardini – Reminded those serving on Board/Commission/Committee in Sterling Heights have to be sworn in and take an oath to defend the constitution. Denied allegations that any of his comments were sexually harassing. No social media account in his name, but operates under a different name. He serves at the pleasure of the Council, so if they ask him to resign, he stated he will do so with no hard feelings. Stressed he was not attacking a private citizen but reacting to a webpage for someone running for public office. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool and Mr. Kaszubski had nothing further to add. Mayor Pro-Tem Romano objected to individuals coming up to the podium during the “Communications from Citizens” and using it as their “personal microphone”. He read the rules of procedure for this Council, including limiting comments to City business, no vulgarity or personal attacks, and no disruption of the meeting. He stressed this meeting is not the place for personal attacks regardless of freedom of speech, and recommended they use social media for that purpose if they so desire. Mayor Taylor explained he allowed it to continue to a point is because these are people serving on public boards and commissions, so he felt it is germane to City business. There are also rights to freedom of speech so he allowed it, but he emphasized that no one is interested or cares about these personal attacks. He Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 27 stated this is a sophisticated city of 132,000 residents, so this forum is not the appropriate place to voice these personal attacks, and he stressed it needs to stop. Councilwoman Schmidt was aware that many residents are passionate about the proposed Parks and Recreation millage, either for or against, but she, along with some of her colleagues, received a very disturbing email threatening her family. She stressed the families of the Council members have nothing to do with what they vote on, and if anyone has an issue, the Council members are all available to take calls and discuss it. To wish ill will and death on the families of the Council members is despicable and unacceptable, and she stated they need to leave the families alone. She was aware this letter is not indicative of the majority of this community, but she stated she is a mom, a wife and a daughter, and no one should have to have something like this sent to them. Councilman Skrzyniarz commented that people hear a lot about dysfunction of government because they claim “things aren’t getting done”, but it is tough to get professional people who want to sacrifice family time to serve on the Council, Board or Commission, and deal with the type of behavior displayed this evening by some and the issues to which Councilwoman Schmidt was referencing. He transitioned to the topic of taxes, explaining the importance for residents to understand what happened with the tax base over the last fifteen years. A decline in property values results in a decline in taxes, but when the home values start rising again, the going prices for those homes can double or even triple in one year, but that has nothing to do with the rate of property taxes. Due to the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 28 Headlee Amendment adopted years ago, taxes can only rise at the rate of inflation, which is extremely low right now. This equates to residents paying less in taxes now than they did ten years ago. Councilman Skrzyniarz outlined the second factor, which is state revenue-sharing. Multiple governors decided to balance the State’s budget on the backs of local government, so there has been a significant reduction in revenue sharing coming into the local communities over the past several years, which resulted in a crisis in funding Police and Fire, as well as “keeping the lights on”. He stated there is no money left to pay for quality of life improvements. He agreed that if they started this park repair/improvement project a decade ago, he would agree that it could be done a little at a time; however, financially, that is not possible because they cannot do $45 million worth of improvements piece by piece. It would take 20 years to get it done, and at the end of twenty years, they would have to start all over. The proposed plan discussed at the last meeting improves what they already have, brings in some new, and includes annual maintenance costs for the equipment. He noted that people have complained because the cost of higher education has gone up due to hikes in tuition, and those hikes have occurred because the State does not contribute as much to universities and community colleges. It is the same with the roads, water system and infrastructure, to the point where the State revenue sharing is equal to where it was when John Engler was Governor. The cost of living has risen, but when they look at it, the crumbling infrastructure falls on the local communities. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 29 Councilwoman Koski inquired as to whether Kleino Road was renamed, and when that occurred. Mr. Vanderpool responded that Edison Drive will not be rebuilt, because they cannot get a bridge across at that point, lack of funding, and inability to get the necessary approvals from ITC. He added that the road is not needed, and stated he would have to look back to see when the name was changed; however, he confirmed for the last few years, it has been Edison Drive to the north of Clinton River, and Kleino to the south side of Clinton River. Councilwoman Koski inquired about the possibility of offering advertising in magazines and selling advertising on Channels 5 and 10. She felt some organizations may want to publicize activities, and if they allow these organizations or church groups to buy advertising on the City’s TV or publication, they could generate some revenue. Councilwoman Ziarko could not recall a name change occurring from Kleino to Edison, so she requested Mr. Vanderpool look into the matter. She agreed with Councilwoman Schmidt’s concerns about the threatening mail sent to the Council members, and stressed she loves what she does, but the job is constantly changing and they have to have open minds to suggestions. She stated they can disagree with one another, but they have to show respect. She felt the Council did the right thing by placing the proposed Parks and Recreation Millage on the ballot so that the residents can vote instead of having seven people decide on something so big. She stressed that she will accept the outcome of the vote of the people, regardless Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 30 of whether the millage passes or fails. She felt it is important for the City to provide all of the information so that each resident can make a sound decision, but they need to be cautious in making sure they do not tell the residents how to vote. She anticipated that it will take another 10 to 15 years to get to the point where residents are paying the amount of taxes they paid 10 years ago, so they need to spend wisely. Councilwoman Ziarko was concerned about the existing parks and how the City will care for them in the future. Councilwoman Ziarko recommended that Mr. Spica provide residents with the phone number for the City offices when they are experiencing a problem, and the City can address it right away instead of having to wait for a meeting. She recalled that if someone had a complaint in the past about a commissioner, it was handled internally. She would appreciate if the Mayor would handle this so they can continue to do it the way they did in the past. Councilman Shannon was confident that cost estimates for all of the projects proposed in the Parks and Recreation Plan will be forthcoming. He urged the public to be patient, and stated the experts working on this know what they’re doing. He stated there are parts of the proposal that he will like and some improvements that he will not use. He commented that he will not be using the skate park, but was aware that there will be some residents who will love that addition. He reminded that residents need to look at not only whether something will be beneficial to them, but whether it will be beneficial to the community as a Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 31 whole. He stated this proposal will have huge economic benefits to the City and that needs to be considered as well. Mayor Taylor advised that the City administration is aware of the Lakeside Mall issue and they are going to do whatever they can to make sure the mall remains an asset in this community. With regard to the comment made about the former Kleino Drive, he understood that it connected over the river at one point, but that was before he was here. He is not aware of any name change since he has been on Council, which has been about seven years. In response to the earlier comment about low taxes being the primary deciding factor for people when choosing a home, he felt statistics would prove that not to be true. He stated there are many reasons people choose to buy a house, including proximity to their workplace, its access to natural resources, the location to schools for those with school-age children, and the price of the home, for which taxes are a part. Mayor Taylor addressed the concern from residents that this could be done if they “piecemealed it” over twenty years. He explained the City will be “piecemeal” paying for it over the next twenty years through credit, but they will have the ability of enjoying the improvements now. He made the comparison of obtaining a mortgage to buy a home, pointing out that a person can save $1,000 a month for 30 years and then purchase a home, or they can get a mortgage and enjoy the house while they are paying that mortgage back. He explained it will take about $2 million a year in revenue to complete the projects proposed in the Parks and Recreation Plan. If they choose to spread this project over the next twenty years, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 32 it will still cost about $2 million a year, so they would have to come up with this money each year without a tax increase, possibly by layoffs or closure of City buildings, and then they would have to slowly implement the plan over twenty years. He questioned how they can “slowly” build a Community Center. He stated it makes more sense to make the improvements over the next couple of years and pay it back while enjoying the benefits of the improvements because the cost would essentially be the same either way. He stated the concern over the breakdown of itemized costs for this plan is a valid concern and assured the City will be providing that information soon. He felt this is the best plan at an affordable rate to offer quality of life for the residents. Mayor Taylor stated he is willing to facilitate a discussion if there are personal differences between people who are serving on boards and commissions, and he is happy to help, but felt personal grievances do not need to be aired at a public meeting. He stated it is not productive and does do anything to advance public discourse or provide services to the residents, and he hoped it will stop. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no Unfinished Business discussed. NEW BUSINESS There was no New Business discussed. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Romano, to adjourn the meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Page 33 The meeting was adjourned at 9:58 p.m. MARK CARUFEL, City Clerk