City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 IN CITY HALL 1. Mayor Michael C. Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Mayor Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Judy McHale, Clerk Coordinator, gave the Invocation. 3. Council Members present at roll call: Deanna Koski, Michael V. Radtke Jr., Maria G. Schmidt, Liz Sierawski, Michael C. Taylor, Henry Yanez, Barbara A. Ziarko. Also Present: Mark Vanderpool, City Manager; Marc D. Kaszubski, City Attorney; Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Agenda as presented. Yes: All. The motion carried. 5. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool reminded that the City offices will be closed on Columbus Day, Monday, October 14, 2019 for staff in-service training, so there will not be access to the public facilities on the City campus on that date. He added that there will be no interruption on refuse collection that week. He advised anyone with questions on hours of operation to feel free to call the Community Relations Department. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 2 Mr. Vanderpool stated there is a very important millage renewal question on the ballot for which registered voters in Sterling Heights will have the opportunity to vote on, and that will take place on November 5, 2019. To ensure that voters have as much information about this important issue, a presentation has been prepared for this evening, and presenters will include Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski, Fire Chief Chris Martin, City Engineer Brent Bashaw and Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney. He invited Ms. Varney to begin the presentation. Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney provided some background on the Safe Streets Millage that was approved by the voters in 2013. It provided dedicated funding for police and fire operations and neighborhood road improvements. She stated that on November 5, 2019, voters will have an opportunity to renew the Safe Streets millage and allow the City to continue the amazing progress it has made over the last six years. She explained if approved, the Safe Streets millage will continue the millage at a rate of 2.45 mills for ten years, which is slightly less than the original rate. The millage will raise $3.6 million annually for repair and reconstruction of neighborhood streets and $7.4 million annually to support police and fire operations. She provided some information as to what residents can expect to see over the next ten years if this millage renewal is approved, including improvements to over 250 more neighborhood streets, a fully-staffed professional police force that contributes to the City’s ranking as the sixth safest large city in the country, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 3 and they will be able to avoid the layoff of 45 police officers. The millage renewal will also support a fully staffed fire department contributing to the City’s ISO rating of 2, which is one of the highest in the State, and directly impacts the rates residents pay for homeowner’s insurance. They will also be able to avoid the layoff of 20 firefighters and keep all five fire stations operational. Ms. Varney explained the average taxpayer will pay only $15 per month for the millage, and she reminded this is a renewal, so the amount is already included in the taxes currently being paid. She stressed it is not a tax increase. She explained the reasons why the City still needs this millage, noting that in spite of inflationary increases in taxable value, the City is still collecting less in operating taxes venue than they collected in 2008. The Police and Fire portion of the millage closes the gap and keeps the City at operating revenue levels equal to those from over ten years ago. Due to losses in property values and cuts by the State of Michigan in revenue-sharing and road funding, the City has cumulatively lost nearly $160 million since 2003. The Safe Streets millage allows the City to recover a small portion of what they have lost and to continue to operate at the high level that residents have come to expect. She noted that, even with the Safe Streets millage, the total tax bill for the average Sterling Heights resident has risen an average of less than one percent annually since 2007, and she added she cannot think of any other household bill that has increased at such a low rate over the last decade. She stated that Sterling Heights continues to provide outstanding service to residents for their tax Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 4 dollar, and she showed a slide comparing how Sterling Heights ranks lowest among comparable communities in tax revenue collected per resident, while continuing to have one of the lowest millage rates in Macomb County. She added that Sterling Heights continues to provide this excellent service to their residents with the lowest employee-to-resident ratio of comparable communities. City Engineer Brent Bashaw explained that the neighborhood road network in Sterling Heights is vast, containing almost 300 miles of roads that the City maintains. He provided a comparison, noting if those roads were stretched out into a two-lane road, it would go from here to Chicago. He stated the majority of these roads were built with the development of the subdivisions, so the average age of these roads exceeds forty years, and many of these roads are in deteriorating condition. He showed a map highlighting the roads that have been improved since Safe Streets was approved in Fall 2013. A renewal of the Safe Streets millage this fall would allow for these improvements to continue over the next ten years at the same rate. He explained the methods of road improvements that have been made, with the most common being a concrete full-width reconstruction. Slides depicting a few of the many road improvements and reconstructions were shown. He stated not only do these improvements provide maintenance-free roads for safe travels, but they improve the look of the neighborhoods. He showed a graph of the pavement conditions since 2013, where the number of roads rated “good” totaled seven Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 5 percent, and the Safe Streets millage over the last six years has increased the number of roads rated “good” to sixteen percent. He added that the number of roads in “poor” condition has been reduced from eleven percent in 2013 down to nine percent in 2019. A renewal of Safe Streets millage would allow for these trends to continue. Mr. Bashaw informed that 252 neighborhood roads have been improved since 2013, and he provided details on the types of repairs/replacement done on these roads. He explained that the major road system is master-planned through 2022, and starting in 2014, with the commencement of the Van Dyke reconstruction project, numerous funding sources has allowed for and will allow for improvements to the vast majority of major roads in the City, which were highlighted in a slide, at a total investment of $416 million to be seen over this time frame. Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski explained that since the Safe Streets millage was passed six years ago, and the Police Department has not only maintained their excellent level of public safety, but they have added to it. He reviewed some of their accomplishments as a result of the Safe Streets millage. He outlined the program they developed, called “Smart Moves,” which is a ten- week program in all nineteen elementary schools in Sterling Heights, with 1,500 children each year going through this program. There is a dedicated police officer for every elementary and they teach the dangers of vaping, smoking, drinking, drugs, and inappropriate social media use. He claimed the children receive a t-shirt upon graduation, and children and parents alike love Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 6 the program and it is only possible with the Safe Street funding. He reviewed the expansion of their K-9 program, noting they had only one K-9 prior to December of last year. With the addition of two more K-9’s last December and an addition of a fourth K-9 tonight, they will have four K-9 units to patrol the streets of Sterling Heights to keep everyone safe. Chief Dwojakowski informed that they had one full-time officer assigned to Sterling Heights High School, and about a year-and-a-half ago they met with Dr. Johns from Utica Community Schools and discussed the need to have full-time officers at both Stevenson High School and Henry Ford II High School. Through a cost-sharing program, they were able to put full-time officers at both of those high schools, so all three high schools in Sterling Heights have full-time sworn officers trained to handle any crisis in those high schools. He stated that the Citizen’s Police Academy stopped about ten years ago and has recently been brought back. They started another session last week, and residents can go through the ten-session course, where they can go to the gun range and shoot a service pistol, see the Police Department and jail, listen to guest lectures from the detective bureau, drug unit, K-9 division, and the program is free of charge for residents. He added residents love this program, and they run two sessions a year. He talked about the successful CORE program, where the City is divided into six districts, and a neighborhood police officer is assigned to each of those districts. He provided some of the details of the program and the activities in which the CORE officers participate. Chief Dwojakowski provided information Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 7 on their drug unit and what they have done to address the opioid epidemic. There are five police departments involved in the DEA and have already made dozens of high-profile arrests in Macomb County, along with bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in forfeiture money. They started the Drug- Free Coalition two years ago, which allows for treatment and rehabilitation options, and they have been very successful. He talked about ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, adding that Detective Lindsay Pappas is now assigned part-time to Michigan State Police and tracks down child sexual predators. He stated they have already made a couple of arrests locally. He informed that Channel 7 ran an article that Sterling Heights is the sixth safest big city in the United States of America, and the FBI crime statistics came out and Sterling Heights had another incredible year. He is proud to announce that out of the ten categories that are tracked by the FBI, Sterling Heights was lower than eight of the ten compared to 2017. He thanked the men and women of the Sterling Heights Police Department, as well as the residents, attributing this to a group effort. Fire Chief Chris Martin stated the Police Chief just provided information on how the Police Department does a lot that goes above and beyond what most police officers on the road do on a daily basis, and he stressed it is no different in the Fire Department. He talked about their open house, Fire Academy, CPR classes, partnering with the Police Department on Smart Moves, and babysitter classes. He stressed his focus tonight is on what Safe Streets means to their Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 8 ability to respond to various 911 calls they receive. He provided a history of how the city is outfitted with fire stations, pointing out on a map the five fire stations positioned similar to the location of the five dots on dice. They are all around the city, with one in the middle. He showed a slide depicting the districts for each of these stations, designed to have a fire truck or ambulance respond to any emergency within four minutes of travel time from that location. He stressed it all works great when the stations are all opened and fully staffed. He cautioned that if Safe Streets is not renewed, they will be forced to close a fire station, which will greatly reflect response times, ultimately affecting the ability of what the firefighters can do when they get there. They would be forced to lay off twenty firefighters, and eighteen of those would have to come from the twenty-four-hour shift, which would be six per shift. They anticipate if that happens, they would have to permanently close Station #4 on 15 Mile Road. He assured it was not an easy decision, but there are a lot of factors that went into that decision. He showed a revised version of the map that reflects each fire station and the area for which they service, pointing out what the closing of a station does not only for that area but also the other areas that have to be spread thinner, increasing travel times. In addition to closing Station #4, they would have to close Station #5 in what they refer to as a “brown-out”, when firefighters are sick or on vacation and there is not enough staff to cover them on overtime, or do not have the budgeted funds for overtime. They would have to decide on a day-to-day basis Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 9 whether to keep Station #5 open, and he pointed out what that would do to their service and response times by only having three stations open. He stressed that every second in response times for medical emergencies matters, and every second counts to that person’s ability to be able to recover. He cited the Survival Coin program, started in 2016, as an example of how response time matters. They have presented eighteen Survival Coins, and what that means is that these are people that have had a cardiac arrest, and they are able to make a full recovery. He explained that since Safe Streets started, they have at least sixty people who have suffered a cardiac arrest and have left the hospital with no neurological deficits, and eighteen of those have occurred since the Survival Coin program was initiated. He stressed that sixty lives were saved from cardiac arrest since the beginning of Safe Streets, and he does not know if they would be here if it were not for the staffing they have had with Safe Streets. He added their ability to rapidly respond to people who have suffered from strokes and heart attacks means a lot to those people on their way to making a full recovery, and he provided some examples. Chief Martin stressed they have had a lot of major fires over the last couple of years where their response times made the difference in life and death. He cited the examples of Seville Terrace Apartments, Sterling-Troy Apartments and Buff Whelan Chevrolet. He stressed the City’s ISO rating is going down, due to their ability to quickly respond to fires. He stated that ALS (Advanced Life Support) Transport was started since Safe Streets was approved, and the first year alone Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 10 allowed for them to take over 10,000 people to the hospital from Sterling Heights, and this was done with no additional funding to the Fire Department. They were able to put 15 additional firefighters on the street and 5 ambulances because of their ability to collect reimbursement from health care costs from insurance companies for doing the transport. He stressed this has been hugely successful, and with out Safe Streets, it is unclear how they could maintain it in the years to come. He urged everyone to get out and vote on November 5, 2019. Mr. Vanderpool stated there are flyers available for anyone who would like additional information. He noted there is a video on their cable channel which provides much more detailed information on Safe Streets. He concluded his report by stating that, at the conclusion of tonight’s agenda, he is requesting that City Council convene a closed session pursuant to Section 8E of the Open Meetings Act to consult with the City Attorney regarding legal strategy in connection with the City’s pending litigation in Circuit Court, Case #217- 000052-AS. 6. PRESENTATION A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to acknowledge and accept a donation to the Sterling Heights Police Department of a K-9 Officer by Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. and $1,000 for K-9 training supplies and equipment by Suburban Ford. He invited Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski to give a presentation. Police Chief Dwojakowski invited Mr. Jason Foltz, owner of Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc., and Mr. Daniel Cusenza, his partner, to come to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 11 the podium so he can honor them for the donation of a brand new fourth K-9 Police Officer “Rich” to the Sterling Heights Police Department. He also thanked Mr. Greg Peterson, of Suburban Ford Sterling Heights, for graciously donating funding for their K-9 equipment. He explained that Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the qualities of life for veterans, first responders and others in the community through K-9 assisted therapy, and as a result, they have the ability to donate trained K-9’s for law enforcement service dogs and veterans. He stated that Mr. Foltz is the grandson of first-ever Sterling Heights Police Chief Maurice Foltz. Mr. Foltz and Mr. Cusenza, a retired US Army Veteran, are currently working with Officer Darren Steele and previously Officer Rich Heins to help train these dogs. A Sterling Heights resident donated a young male Dutch Shepard to Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc., and once they saw the dog’s potential, they approached the Sterling Heights Police Department about the K-9. After some conferring with the City, they agreed to take on the fourth K-9. Mr. Foltz named the dog “Rich” to honor Officer Rich Heins, who passed away in April of this year. K-9 Rich is eleven months old and learns quickly. Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. would like to donate the K-9 to the City of Sterling Heights at no charge, and this is the first time since 1978 that the Police Department will have four K-9’s, which will ensure coverage on the road to keep all residents safe. He explained they went back to three dogs as of December 5, 2018 and in ten months, they have had 238 deployments for K-9 Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 12 services, assisted in 77 arrests and 13 subject locations, which includes Alzheimer walk-aways, missing juveniles and criminal suspect tracks. They have also assisted in location of $500,000 in cash forfeiture. Chief Dwojakowski thanked Mr. Greg Peterson of Suburban Ford, who immediately stepped up with Suburban Ford and donated $1,000 for K-9 supplies and equipment when he heard of the K-9 donation by Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. Chief Dwojakowski presented a plaque to Mr. Foltz and Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. Mr. Jason Foltz thanked the Council for giving them this opportunity to be a part of the community and to give back to them, noting the healing process these dogs have from a therapeutic side is amazing. He thanked the City for giving him the opportunity to honor his grandpa and make him proud today. Chief Dwojakowski presented Mr. Greg Peterson and Suburban Ford with a plaque and thanked him for their donation for the K-9 equipment. Mr. Peterson stated that, on behalf of Suburban Ford, it is an honor to be part of such a wonderful program, and they jump at the chance to give back to a community that supports them as much as this community does. He thanked the K-9’s and their Officers for all they do. Chief Dwojakowski announced that Officer Brian Krueger is their newly appointed fourth K-9 Officer, noting their K-9 Officer selection involves a rigorous physical test, extensive interviews, in-home visit for suitability, and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 13 they have had outstanding candidates apply for this position. He congratulated Officer Krueger, and invited Council to come down and meet K-9 Officer Rich, along with his partners, K-9 Officers Ernie, Groot and Ivy. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to acknowledge the generosity and accept the donation of K-9 Officer Rich by Prevention Concepts and Solutions, Inc. and $1,000 for K-9 training supplies and equipment by Suburban Ford. Councilwoman Koski stated she is so happy to see the fourth K-9 because that is something Officer Heins wanted. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she lives with a retired military police dog, and they are not only excellent at what they do, but they are great ambassadors for the City. Mayor Taylor thanked everyone who has been a part of this. He explained that Officer Rich Heins was someone who was passionate about the K-9’s and helped build the K-9 unit in this City. He noted they do wonderful work to help keep drugs off the street and help support the Police Department. He felt this is a great way of honoring Officer Heins’ memory and keeping him alive in Sterling Heights. He thanked Mr. Foltz for the donation and for naming the dog after Officer Rich Heins, and anticipated K-9 Officer Rich will carry on his memory for a long time. He also thanked Suburban Ford for their donation and the Police Department for all the work they do. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 14 B. Mayor Taylor stated the second presentation tonight is to present the 2019 Beautification Awards. He introduced Mr. Gary Isom, Chairperson of the Beautification Commission, to present the awards. Mr. Gary Isom, Chairperson for the Beautification Commission, stated it gives him great pleasure to present the 2019 Beautification Awards. He explained the mission of their Commission to encourage all city residents and property owners to preserve and enhance the beauty of public and private properties. One of the ways they do that is through their annual awards ceremony, where they honor those who go above and beyond in beautifying their Sterling Heights properties. He thanked the Council for welcoming this presentation as they showcase their dedicated residents and business leaders who make Sterling Heights a more beautiful place to live, work and play. For the past five months, the Beautification Commission welcomed nominations from citizens who wished to recognize a Sterling Heights property for outstanding beauty resulting from the planting of annuals and perennials. The Commission met, and reviewed photos taken for over 60 nominated homes, businesses and churches, and out of those, they selected only superior properties that had “the wow factor” when seen from the curb. Commissioners selected winners based on overall beauty, aesthetics and artistic use of color, and the award categories include commercial properties, multiple-family properties, churches and single-family residential homes. He added the “Best of the Best” will be honored in each of those categories. He introduced the Beautification Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 15 Commissioners present this evening and thanked them for their hard work. He invited Mayor Taylor and City Council members to present this year’s awards. Mayor Taylor and City Council members joined Mr. Isom in presenting the awards as follows; Commercial Properties: Disanto Travel Center; The Macomb Group. Multi-Family Properties: Sterling Estates, American House, Arden Courts Memory Care Community, Laurel Valley Apartments, Shoal Creek Apartments and Nottingham Cove. Places of Worship Properties: St. Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic Church Residential Properties: Teresa Derosa (37637 Alper Drive); Sam & Evelyn La Grutta (11540 Francis Drive); Donna Madonna (43466 Interlaken Drive); Lorenzo Howard (34401 Amsterdam Drive); Sharon Mason (11735 Seaton Drive, D-21); Monica Gomolka (34801 Valleyview Drive, D-14); Greg & Susanna Schindler (11242 18 Mile Road); Dora Stajic (14548 Rice Drive); Charles & Gloria Stanley (14530 Rice Drive); Karl & Vicki Kornack (14202 Peterboro Drive); Slavka Milenkovic (4466 18-1/2 Mile Road); Richard & Erica Hoffman (42107 Willsharon Street); Sandra Jamalieh (35347 Davison Street); Christopher & Amy Hrivnak (11857 Greenway Drive); Seana Moulliet (41215 Fieldview Drive); William & Gwendolyn Schoeb (33148 Monticello Drive); Chuck Nay (8811 Clinton River Road); Joe & Pat Wagner (8459 Leslie Drive); Christopher & Lisa Smith (37219 Jerome Drive); Jason Stupera (37281 Belcrest Drive); Kenneth & Barbara Milczynski (3521 Leason Drive); Terry Prisbe (13597 Kingsville Drive); Gregory & Katheryn McGrath (11136 Lorman Drive); Fred & Anne Gibson (14939 Congress Drive); Matthew Patterson (40359 Capitol Drive); Zivko & Desanka Crnojevic (11843 Wheaton Drive); Benjamin & Mary Polakowski (35615 Rainbow Drive); Mariusz & Agata Szklarski (43258 Tuscany Drive); Michael Godlewski (36216 Tindell Drive); Bev McQuade (11125 Grenada Drive); Kim McQuade (43243 Chardonnay Drive); Karen Milczynski (35749 Dearing Drive); Grzegorz Saladiak (14332 Brookings Drive); Bruce & Clara Arvo (13769 Heatherwood Drive); Rick & Gail Straughen (12467 Lakeshore Drive); Amaradio Taylor (11773 Danforth Drive); and Edward Carroll (11336 Village Drive). Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 16 Mr. Isom announced the “Best of the Best”: Commercial: Mercury Promotions Multi-Family: Aberdeen Gardens Places of Worship: St. Matthias Catholic Church Residential: Wallace & Denice Bronson (36239 Melbourne Drive) Mr. Isom thanked everyone for attending tonight’s Beautification Award presentations and extended a special thanks to Eckert’s Greenhouse for their generous donation of providing each of the nominees with a $25 gift certificate. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to individually and collectively recognize the 2019 Beautification Award winners and thank them for the dedication and effort in making their properties, neighborhoods, and the City of Sterling Heights a more beautiful place to live, work and play. Mayor Pro-Tem congratulated all of the recipients, adding all of the homes are beautiful. Mayor Taylor, on behalf of the entire City Council, thanked everyone for being here this evening and doing what they do to beautify their properties. He stated when they take care of their yard and maintain their house to make it look nice, it is very contagious, adding that one good-looking house can change an entire neighborhood, and the opposite is true as well. He commended everyone here for doing a lot to keep the City looking as clean, presentable and as beautiful as it is, and they keep this the great City that it is. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 17 Mayor Taylor called for a five-minute recess. The meeting recessed at 7:55 p.m. and reconvened at 8:02 p.m. C. Mayor Taylor stated the last presentation this evening is a Nice Neighbor Award. He invited Mr. Bob Maynard, of Blessings in a Backpack, to make a brief presentation. Mr. Bob Maynard thanked the Mayor and Council for this opportunity. He stated Blessings in a Backpack Utica is a charity organization supporting the Utica Community School District, and last year they delivered approximately 66,000 meals to children that may not have a consistent access to food on weekends. This organization provides them with a little cinch-sack with six meals that they pick up on Friday, and they bring it back on Monday. He stressed they are always looking for volunteers, businesses, organizations, churches and individuals to get involved. Packing is at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesdays at Bemis Junior High School. He explained the purpose for his being here tonight is to give some special recognition to the Sterling Heights Police Officers Association and the Sterling Heights Fire Fighters Union Local 1557, both of which have not only given financial support that has provided thousands of meals the last school year and will supply thousands of meals this school year, but they also support this organization by attending events, being a part of committees and even helping to pack on Wednesdays. He presented an award to the Sterling Heights Police Officers Association and to the Sterling Heights Fire Fighters Union Local 1557. He thanked them for everything they Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 18 have done and everything he hopes they will continue to do in the future. Representatives from both groups came up to accept the award. Mayor Taylor invited Councilman Radtke to present the Nice Neighbor Award. Councilman Radtke stated, on behalf of the entire City Council and the residents of Sterling Heights, they are proud to give the Sterling Heights Police Officers Association and the Sterling Heights Fire Fighters Union Local 1557 the Nice Neighborhood Award. He explained that during the school year, Meijer stores supply 240 meals for each eligible child for $100, translating to 66,000 meals being delivered in Sterling Heights alone, and this tremendous outcome would not have happened without the Sterling Heights Police Officers Association and Fire Department Local #1557 providing assistance in the form of financial support and volunteer hours to help pack the meals, serve on committees and help strategic planning for program expansion. Councilman Radtke thanked them for all they do and presented the awards. Police Officer Mike Kunath, President of the Police Officers Association and resident of Sterling Heights stated he is proud to support Blessings in a Backpack. He stated that people do not realize there are children in Sterling Heights who need meals. This program was started to help these children, and they were happy to hold a couple of charity events, a t-shirt sale and both unions worked hard to get more money for these children so they have square meals on weekends. He appreciated everyone who did all of the work, especially Mr. Maynard and his daughter, Ms. Wendy Castillo. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 19 Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to present the Sterling Heights Police Officers Association and Sterling Heights Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local #1557 with a Nice Neighbor Award in recognition of their efforts to assist the community and contributions in making Sterling Heights’ overall quality of life second to none. Yes: All. The motion carried. 7. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda. He invited public comments from the audience. • Mr. Karriem Muhammad – representative from PCSI, spoke on Item 7-J; thanked the Council for supporting their efforts in creating employment opportunities for citizens with disabilities; employer of close to 1,600 employees. Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: A. To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 17, 2019. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $910,576.53, Water & Sewer Fund - $197,843.68, Other Funds - $1,977,882.01, Total Checks - $3,086,302.22. C. RESOLVED, to award the bid for kitchen appliances for the new Sterling Heights Community Center to Sargent appliance & Video, 20201 Hall Road, Macomb, MI 48044, in the amount of $31,312.95. D. RESOLVED, to approve the purchase of office supplies from Staples Contract & Commercial, LLC, 500 Staples Drive, Framingham, MA 01702, at pricing available through the State of Michigan’s MiDeal purchasing program, contract #190000000268, through May 31, 2022, with two additional one-year extensions if exercised by the State of Michigan; and authorize the City Manager to execute the Participation Agreement on behalf of the City. E. RESOLVED, to approve the Software License and Services Agreement between the City of Sterling Heights and Bellefeuil, Szur & Associates, Inc., 14965 Abbey Lane, Bath, MI 48808, for Software Licenses, Professional Services and Annual Maintenance and Support at a total Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 20 cost of $845,835 and authorize the City Manager to sign, as applicable, all documents required in conjunction with this approval on behalf of the City. F. RESOLVED, to approve the Amended and Restated Public Utility Easement Agreements between the City of Sterling Heights and SRT Windmill LP for water main and storm sewer installations at Windmill Plaza, 2051 18 Mile Road, Section 10; PSP 17-0003, EG17-2008, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the Agreements on behalf of the City. G. RESOLVED, to direct the City Attorney to prepare the necessary agreement to vacate the existing storm sewer easement for the proposed Sterling Landings Apartments at 34858 Van Dyke Avenue in Section 34; PSP17-0042, EG17-0059, and the Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the City. H. RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution declaring it necessary to take private property for the use and benefit of the public for public facility and utility improvements along 18 Mile Road at 6750 18 Mile Road, 6300 18 Mile Road, 6170 18 Mile Road, 6222 18 Mile Road and 6600 18 Mile Road, direct the City Manager to sign the Declaration of Taking pursuant to Public Act 87 of 1980, as amended, and Public Act 149 of 1911, as amended, on behalf of the City, and authorize the City Attorney to institute all necessary condemnation proceedings in the Macomb County Circuit Court on behalf of the City of Sterling Heights. I. RESOLVED, to schedule a special City Council meeting for Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. and direct the City to provide public notice in conformity with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act. J. RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution designating October 2019 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in the City of Sterling Heights. K. RESOLVED, to designate October 2019 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Sterling Heights and encourage all residents to support programs that assist victims in finding the help and healing they need. L. RESOLVED, to set a public hearing on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. regarding the application by KUKA Systems North America, LLC to transfer Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate #2017-115 held by Mor-Tech Manufacturing, Inc. at 37641 Mound Road. Yes: All. The motion carried. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 21 Mayor Taylor and Council Members accepted a poster from Mr. Muhammed on behalf of PCSI, representing this year’s theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “The Right Town at the Right Time.” 8. CONSIDERATION A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider a request by Oakbrook Family Tree Parent Group for recognition as a local nonprofit organization for the purpose of obtaining a State of Michigan charitable gaming license. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, that the request from Oakbrook Family Tree Parent Group, of Sterling Heights, County of Macomb, asking that they be recognized as a local nonprofit organization for the purpose of obtaining a State of Michigan charitable gaming license be considered for approval; provided, however, that this action is not an endorsement of the organization and the City of Sterling Heights should not be listed on any promotional materials associated with their charitable gaming activities. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether the name “Oakbrook Family Tree Parent Group” is their PTO. She wanted to clarify it because she had never before seen such a title for a PTO. A representative from the group replied that is the name of their PTO group, and she stated they were also surprised at the name when they discovered it on the legal paperwork. Councilwoman Schmidt wished them well and understood this is something nonprofits have to do. She added she supports their organization. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 22 Mayor Taylor wished them well, noting his wife is former President of the Oakbrook Family Tree Parent Group. Yes: All. The motion carried. B. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider appointments to City of Sterling Heights Boards and Commissions. He opened the floor for public comments, but there were no comments from the audience. Mayor Taylor explained this is a Mayoral appointment, and he was hoping to have an appointee at this meeting. He stated the State of the City took over a lot of his time in the last couple of weeks, so he requested a postponement of this item until the October 15, 2019 Council meeting. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to postpone the appointment to the Local Development Finance Authority to the October 15, 2019 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. 9. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for comments from citizens. • Ms. Jazmine Early – affordable housing; Meet the Candidate at 9 a.m. in two days. • County Commissioner Joe Romano – endorsed Safe Streets millage renewal; urged residents to vote in favor. 10. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool stated he had nothing further to add this evening. Mr. Kaszubski stated there is one item for Closed Session this evening. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 23 Councilman Yanez stated he had the opportunity to attend the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Conference in Detroit last week and thanked Mr. Vanderpool for the work he did serving on their Board as his term ended. He stated Councilwoman Ziarko has recently been appointed to the Board of Trustees for the MML, and he congratulated her on the appointment. He commended Mayor Taylor on the State of the City Address, as well as everyone involved, including the Sterling Heights Chamber of Commerce, for doing a fantastic job. He commended the City employees for the work they do outside their day-to-day jobs, and he cited some of their involvements. He stated it is not limited to Police and Fire, but also pointed out the work that DPW does, whether it is in floods or snowstorms, and he stressed all of the employees of the City work hard and go above and beyond their daily responsibilities. He felt that is one of the reasons that Sterling Heights is not only one of the safest cities, but also one of the best cities, in which to live. Councilman Yanez referred to the Blessings in a Backpack, where it is evidenced that food is a real problem, and he urged residents to get to know their neighbors and help them, and also consider helping out organizations that reach out to others in the community who need it. He thanked those who received Beautification Awards for all they do to clean up their yards and help make the City look nice. Councilwoman Schmidt congratulated Councilwoman Ziarko on her appointment to the MML Board of Trustees, and she appreciated the time she is putting into the MML on behalf of the City. She agreed with Councilman Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 24 Yanez that there is a need for services like Blessings in a Backpack, citing Warren Consolidated Schools having the same program, and they are just as busy in the south end of the City. She stressed these organizations need help, and she encouraged residents to help them. She questioned the status of repairs on Fox Hill, between Ryan and Dequindre. Mr. Vanderpool assured that Fox Hill will be started soon, and it is a resurfacing so it will be completed this construction season. Councilman Radtke congratulated Councilwoman Ziarko on her appointment to the MML Board of Trustees. He also congratulated Mayor Taylor on the excellent speech he gave at the State of the City Address. He stated after he attended the MML Conference, he visited Minneapolis and was able meet with one of the councilmen there, who also serves as Chair of the Housing and Zoning Committee in Minneapolis. He talked about programs they have for placemaking, affordable housing, up-zoning, public safety and high-speed mass transit, and he added that he was able to go on a tour to see what they are doing. Councilwoman Koski mentioned that, with regard to Blessings in a Backpack, she noted that Mr. Kaszubski was mentioned in the paperwork, and she recalled his father was involved in setting it up years ago. Mr. Kaszubski replied it was his father and stepmother who were involved in setting up the parent organization for all of the local chapters. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 25 Councilwoman Koski encouraged Council members to get involved on Wednesdays at 4:15 at Bemis Junior High School to help pack up the backpacks for the children. She congratulated Councilwoman Ziarko for being elected to the MML Board of Trustees, adding she is continuing the trend in Sterling Heights, which started with Mr. Duchene, herself, Mr. Vanderpool and now Councilwoman Ziarko. She challenged the other Council members to volunteer for the Board of Trustees in three years, and possibly volunteer in the meantime to be a speaker or moderator. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski congratulated Councilwoman Ziarko for her service, and she appreciates all Councilwoman Ziarko does for this community. She welcomed K-9 Officer Rich to the Police Department, and she thanked the officers and firefighters who do such good work. She stressed the importance of the Safe Streets millage renewal, acknowledging that it was originally initiated as a “quick fix” until revenue-sharing was restored, but that has not happened so now they have the ability to keep their services by this renewal. Councilwoman Ziarko thanked everyone for having the faith in her to go and serve in the level of the Michigan Municipal League. She agreed she is following in some great footsteps. She knew they would not have two people from Sterling Heights on the Board at the same time, so when Mr. Vanderpool’s term was up, she decided it was something she now has time to do now. She is hoping she will have a voice on the MML and will be able to help not only Sterling Heights but other cities recoup some of the revenue-sharing that they Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 26 are no longer getting from the state. She felt Blessings in a Backpack is a great thing to get involved with, and she encouraged everyone to help this important cause, even if they cannot help out every week. She stressed that many people feel this is not a problem that is occurring in their community or in their school, but it is a very real problem occurring here in this City and in the local schools. She stated she is going to try to volunteer when they need help. Mayor Taylor echoed his colleagues in wishing Councilwoman Ziarko well in her newly elected position on the MML Board of Trustees. He stressed it is great to be represented in that organization that represents hundreds of municipalities in the State of Michigan. He knows that Mr. Vanderpool represented the City very well, and he is looking forward to everything Councilwoman Ziarko can do for Sterling Heights through that organization. He thanked his colleagues who mentioned the State of the City address, noting it is available through the City’s YouTube channel and on the City’s Facebook page. He stated the speech was meant for the residents of Sterling Heights, and he included a few core values the City tries to embody in everything it does, including vibrancy, inclusiveness, safety, activity, progressiveness and distinctiveness, all contributing to a great quality of life in Sterling Heights. He extended thanks to Bob and Dan for doing a tremendous amount of work, including 32 videos, and added they do amazing work. He credited Ms. Meghan Ahearn in Mr. Vanderpool’s office, as well as Ms. Melanie Davis, Community Relations Director, for the great job they did, and he Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Page 27 acknowledged all of the staff who helped to contribute thoughts and ideas. He congratulated everyone who was awarded with a Beautification Award. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 12. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 13. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 There was no closed session this evening. 14. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, to adjourn the meeting and go into Closed Session at 8:45 p.m. Yes: Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned from Closed Session at 9:08 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk