City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2020 IN COMMUNITY CENTER 1. Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Mayor Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk, 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 everyone that the annual event, Sterling Frights, which was scheduled for October 24, 2020, has been canceled due to the pandemic restrictions, but it has been replaced with two programs. The first is Fright Night Sterling Heights, which is a drive-in movie night featuring classic Halloween titles, scheduled for Saturday, October 24 at Delia Park. He noted “Beetlejuice” will begin at 6:45 p.m. and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will begin at 9:30 p.m. at a cost of $20 per vehicle per show. He advised that registration can be done online at myshpr.net/register, or in person at the Community Center. He announced the second event is a Family Pumpkin Carving, scheduled for Friday, October 30 at the Farmers Market Pavilion at Dodge Park. He explained that due to limited capacity and social distancing restrictions, there will be three time slots: 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and the cost is $10 per person. He advised that registration is available at the Community Center in Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 2 person, or by mail, fax, or email, with a proof of residency because it is a resident-only event. He added that from now until November 1, there is a free straw maze in Dodge Park by the Senior Center. Mr. Vanderpool provided an update on the Innovate Mound project, which will involve the entire reconstruction of Mound Road from I-696 to M-59, with all of the sidewalks and right-of-way being torn out and utilities put in, as well as a new state-of-the-art roadway system. He informed this is a $200 million project that will begin next summer. There have been many public hearings so far to inform everyone as to what is going on, and there is another scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, 2020, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. He advised that anyone interested in attending can go to the Innovate Mound site to get the Zoom contact information. Another hearing is scheduled on Thursday, November 12, 2020 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and there will also be a future-driven half-hour television update running through November 15, 2020 on Sterling Heights TV on Monday through Friday at 6:00 p.m. That update can also be viewed at the Innovate Mound site. He cautioned that this project, which will extend through two construction seasons, will be quite disruptive, but when it is all done, it is something for which everyone will be proud. Mr. Vanderpool highlighted a number of grants that have been distributed to the business community in Sterling Heights, with funding provided through three significant programs. He explained the first of those programs is the Michigan Small Business Relief Grant, the second is Macomb County Small Business Sustainability Grant, and the third is Michigan Restart Grant Program, with the grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for qualifying businesses. He announced that over seven hundred businesses in Sterling Heights have received $3.7 million through these grant Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 3 programs. He added that many businesses also received funding under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and he commended their partners at the County who worked very hard to set up a highly automated and very efficient system to get these grants distributed to businesses who desperately needed them in Sterling Heights and across the County. He emphasized that these small businesses need more support, adding they want these businesses to remain vibrant if they expect employment levels to return to pre-Covid levels. Mr. Vanderpool announced recognition of a very important person in the City. He stated the Homebuilders Association of Southeastern Michigan recently selected Sterling Heights Building Official Michael Viazanko as the 2020 recipient of their Distinguished Service in Government Award. In March and April of this year, he noted the home building industry was shut down due to the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” orders, and during this time, Mr. Viazanko became aware of a new home that was ready to close due to a sale but was delayed when a final inspection could not be conducted due to the state’s orders. In a joint effort with the Homebuilders Association, Mr. Viazanko executed a thorough and calculated approach to safely and responsibly conduct the inspection necessary to ensure a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, enabling the homeowners to close on the property. Mr. Viazanko’s actions resulted in final inspections on ready to close homes and Certificates of Occupancy to be issued not only in Sterling Heights but across the entire region and state. Mr. Vanderpool explained that Mr. Viazanko’s leadership and example helped guide building departments statewide, even while new construction remained on hold. It was a great benefit to builders trying to save their businesses, as well as to the families ready to move into their new homes. He credited Mr. Viazanko for embodying Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 4 their City’s culture of continuous improvement, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, and this award is a testament to his dedication in providing exceptional service to their community and, in this case, southeastern Michigan. He stressed that Mr. Viazanko is a highly-valued member of their leadership team in Sterling Heights, and he added that he has the privilege of working very closely with Mr. Viazanko every day. He congratulated Mr. Viazanko on this achievement. Building Official Michael Viazanko stated he was born and raised in the construction industry and takes his position in the City very seriously. He explained in the construction industry, it takes many different disciplines to make a project become a success, and during the pandemic, he had the ability to work with the Homebuilders Association in other communities throughout the State of Michigan, and there were many families at risk of losing their interest rate because they were unable to close on their homes due to constantly changing executive orders. He worked with the Homebuilders Association to establish guidelines to get final inspections completed while keeping the safety of his staff as a priority. He received a legal response from the State of Michigan, and he put his plan into action. He noted everyone agreed to do it without hesitation, and he had virtual meetings every Friday with building officials throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. He discussed his plan with them as well, and it was accepted in many communities throughout the state. He felt one of the positive things that has come from the Covid pandemic is that it has made people think outside the box and come up with more creative ways to get their jobs done. He developed their virtual permit inspection program, and made changes to their permitting system, giving residents of Sterling Heights the ability to apply for building permits online without coming to City Hall. He thanked everyone for their support in Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 5 the past, and assured he is constantly looking for ways to improve and excel the City of Sterling Heights Building Department to benefit the industry. He also thanked his wife, Tina, for being his strong support through the years. Mr. Vanderpool stated he is honored to introduce Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski to talk about the City’s CORE program. Police Chief Dwojakowski stated a lot of the complaints they have coming in get very difficult, especially when neighbors are concerned. Often, one of the road officers may respond but then not be scheduled to work for another three days. The CORE program started about three years ago for community outreach and resident engagement. The idea was to have more of a custom-coordinated police response to whatever quality-of-life issue may arise. He informed that they have seven specialty officers in the CORE program, which is an additional job duty, adding that these officers are regular police officers and there is no additional pay to do this, but they volunteer. He explained it is a difficult job because people are not generally happy when they call. There is one assigned police officer for each of their six residential districts in the City, and a traffic CORE officer. They handle complex complaints that require multiple visits and resources, participate in large community policing activities throughout the City, and residents have a personal connection to the Police Department. When they receive calls that are not going to be resolved with one police visit, those calls go to their CORE officers, which is what they specialize in. He cited an example of an issue between two neighbors and a complaint about one of them having a truck putting out accelerated loud exhaust, and they are working with both sets of homeowners, trying to find a compromise since they have to live next to each other. He stressed these issues become very touchy, and they have made six calls to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 6 that location. The CORE officer is working with both of them to come up with a resolution, and this program has morphed into these complicated residential problems that will take multiple visits. He stressed the CORE officers have been doing an excellent job. Chief Dwojakowski explained anyone wanting to know who their CORE officer is can call (586) 446-CORE and enter the area in which they live. There is also an interactive map on the website that provides the same information, so those seeking that information can go to www.sterling-heights.net, and type in CORE. He advised that they have resolved 140 complicate issues in 2020, and he mentioned some of the other programs they have held through CORE, such as “Cocoa with CORE”, “Crafting with CORE”, “Strengthening Your Core with CORE (exercise)”, and they also offer certified child car seat installation. He talked about a birthday party that started as a CORE event for a little boy, where they showed up and gave him an electric truck that was a replica of a Sterling Heights police vehicle, and the story made national news. Mr. Vanderpool concluded his report by thanking the Mayor and City Council for their continued support of this program. 6. PRESENTATIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to adopt a resolution designating October 23 - 31, 2020 as Red Ribbon Week in the City of Sterling Heights in support of the nation’s oldest and largest drug abuse prevention campaign. He invited Sgt. Aaron Susalla to give a presentation. Sgt. Aaron Susalla from the Community Services Bureau and President of the Sterling Heights Drugfree Coalition. He explained the history of National Red Ribbon Week and explained the purpose of this week is to raise awareness of the destruction that drugs cause in America. He stated the City of Sterling Heights bands together and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 7 allocates resources on a daily basis towards education, enforcement, and treatment to combat the destruction the drugs cause. They have implemented a plethora of programs and resources to the education, enforcement, and addiction treatment for opioid and alcohol in the community, and they want to provide these same resources toward combating vape in the community. A short video was shown. Sgt. Susalla explained that video shows some of the programs and events they have already implemented for the destruction of drugs, and they would like to continue to implement creative and innovate ways to rid vape from the community. Mayor Taylor thanked Sgt. Susalla, as well as everyone in the Drugfree Coalition, for everything they have done to help the community. He summarized the Resolution. He encouraged everyone to wear a red ribbon, which can initiate the conversation regarding the reason for the red ribbon, and he again thanked Sgt. Susalla and the rest of the Police Department. He recalled when FAN came to the City approximately a year ago and talked about the Quick Response Team, and the Council assured they would do whatever they could to help. The “Quick Response Team” is comprised of a police officer, a nurse or social worker and a peer recovery coach, and together they have been able to get them into rehab without locking them up, and they get these people off of drugs. He stated the program is working, and he thanked the Police Department and FAN for their hard work. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution designating October 23 - October 31, 2020 as Red Ribbon Week in the City of Sterling Heights in support the nation's oldest and largest drug abuse prevention campaign. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she was participating in a workshop a few weeks ago through the Michigan Municipal League, and one of the workshops dealt with the opioid crisis throughout Michigan and across the United States. There was a mayor Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 8 who was actually a recovering addict and he was running the workshop. She had explained to him what the City of Sterling Heights is doing, and he indicated he wanted to steal that idea. She is proud the City is leading the pack, and she thanked and commended all involved for the work they put into it. She added that, even though Warren Consolidated Schools is still holding classes virtually, they are participating in Red Ribbon Week, and they have activities to do at home. She thanked Sgt. Susalla and the Police Department for all they do. Councilwoman Ziarko stated she is grateful all of the staff in the Police Department are willing to try new programs that will make this a better community, and she thanked them. Yes: All. The motion carried. B. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to acknowledge and thank Families Against Narcotics (FAN) for the donation of $4,500 to the Sterling Heights Police Department. He invited Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski to give the presentation. Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski stated this is more specifically about their QRT (Quick Response Team) Program, which involves going into peoples’ homes and giving them help and treatment after an overdose. Sterling Heights already participated in “Hope, Not Handcuffs”, where an addict can come directly to the police station lobby and get help and support. Judge Davis approached the Sterling Heights Police Department in 2019, looking for a pilot project to be the first in the state to send a police officer, a case worker and a nurse to the homes of people who just overdosed in the last two or three days, knock on the door, and get them into treatment as soon as possible. The idea was to not wait for them to walk into the police station lobby but to get them help right away. The Sterling Heights Police Department gladly took on that Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 9 responsibility, with seven officers trained to do that program, and they were the first in the state. Chief Dwojakowski provided some background on the QRT Program, noting the City of Sterling Heights was definitely experiencing the impact of the opioid epidemic to the point that over the last three years, the City of Sterling Heights averaged one hundred overdoses per year, with approximately ten to twenty deaths per year. It also caused an immense fiscal strain totaling in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the City knew they needed to target this serious problem. In 2018, the Sterling Heights Drug-Free Coalition was created to provide education and resources for the community. In late 2019, Judge Linda Davis and FAN came with this new program, and they have experienced success in getting people much-needed help for their substance abuse disorders. They just started this in February before the Covid-19 pandemic and had to take some time off as a result, but since February, they have visited 158 homes where overdoses occurred and have provided families with 32 peer recovery coaches, 29 family recovery coaches, and have placed 26 individuals in treatment facilities, resulting in a 60 percent success rate getting people help and resources for the road to recovery. They have saved many lives in their community and beyond, and their success has resulted in nine other communities beginning their own Quick Response Teams mirrored off of the program in Sterling Heights. He introduced Judge Linda Davis, who made this all possible. Judge Linda Davis commended the Sterling Heights Police Department for always being first to jump on with FAN to participate in their programming, and she added she is fortunate to work with groups of police officers all over the State of Michigan who are always willing to step up to the plate. She stressed the Sterling Heights Police Department is not only willing to step up, but they also understand addiction. She Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 10 informed that they have placed over 4,600 people in treatment through their “Hope, Not Handcuffs” program over the last three years, and they have never had an incident of violence with these individuals, emphasizing that they are not violent but they are sick. She credited Lt. Mario Bastianelli for promoting this program across the state, and they now have a waiting list because they do not have enough funding. Judge Davis cited the Covid-19 disease, noting that remarkable things have been done in one year, including the opening of hospitals, manufacture of respirators, etc., yet they are so far behind on what they do with substance abuse disorder. She stressed losing a family member to addiction hurts just as much as losing a family member to Covid- 19, and she emphasized it is not a choice or a moral failing but is a disease. It is by changing one attitude at a time that she hopes will open the doors for them treating this disease the same as they treat any disease where death is the end result. She noted the high number of deaths from overdose, and when they turn people out who are in the midst of early recovery, they are likely to relapse and die as a result of those actions. She reiterated her appreciation for the Sterling Heights Police Department and all who make this program possible, and it shows the community that they care about the people who are dying from this disease and that they want to have a system of care that puts them at the top of the list of what they feel is important in the City. She commented that it is unheard of for 501c3 organizations to give money away, but they felt it was important to reward police departments for what they are doing, and she is confident this money will go right back into the system that will provide care to the individuals suffering from SUD (Substance Use Disorder). On behalf of FAN, she presented a gift to Sterling Heights in the amount of $4,500 for allowing them to bring Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 11 their program to this community. She stated it is through the team approach that they can change the face of addiction and provide so many needed services. Mayor Taylor thanked Judge Davis and cannot say enough what the work that FAN has been doing. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to acknowledge and thank Families Against Narcotics for the donation of $4,500 to the Sterling Heights Police Department for the COMEBACK Quick Response Team. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she has known Judge Davis for many years, and she commented that the City is blessed and lucky to have a great police department and great officers, but they are most fortunate to have Judge Davis and all she has done with her nonstop efforts to get this program through, which has saved thousands and thousands of lives. She has done remarkable things. Judge Davis stated she gets a lot of accolades for what FAN has accomplished, adding they are a fantastic team to work with, and they all put as many hours, if not more, into this program. It is about community and working together, and she would not be as successful if she did not have fabulous partners. She assured she will pass that sentiment on to her team. Councilman Radtke echoed the sentiments of Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski’s comments, and he pointed out that leading these programs is what makes Sterling Heights Police Department second to none in the state. He hopes this program goes statewide, and he thanked everyone involved. Councilwoman Ziarko appreciated the gift of money to the City, and she inquired as to whether they have any upcoming fundraising events so they can let their residents know that they have a chance to participate in the good programs she has been able to initiate. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 12 Judge Davis explained they have a campaign occurring now called “One Million Reasons for Hope”, where donors can give as little as $1 because those dollars add up and not everyone can attend a fundraiser that costs $100. They recently held their large virtual fundraiser, but they have a donate fund on www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org and anyone can donate at any time, with all of the money going right back into programming. She informed that only ten percent of what they raise goes to an administrative cost, and they have twenty-two people who run an entire statewide program, and they work with over one hundred police departments. She reiterated that people can donate throughout the year, and she added they have been blessed that they have been able to stay above water in this crucial time when fundraising has been very difficult for all organizations that depend on those dollars to operate. They are fortunate to have received a lot of grants this year that have helped, but they do not know how long this will continue. She informed that it only takes $125 to sponsor someone in a sober living environment for a week, and those first couple weeks of coming out of treatment are very crucial. They like to get them in a substance-free environment, which can lay the foundation for successful recovery. She stressed that substance abuse is a treatable disease, and if they can keep someone substance-free for five years, they have the exact same statistics of not going back to using drugs as someone with cancer has if they stay cancer-free for five years. She added that they need to start funding it like it is a disease, and she urged people to give and give generously. Mayor Taylor stated FAN is a fantastic organization and does incredible work. He was glad Judge Davis brought up the comparison to Covid-19, noting it quickly spread and everyone knows someone who is affected by it. He commended Judge Davis for Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 13 doing a great job educating people and making an impact. He assured the City will do anything they can to continue to further that mission. Yes: All. The motion carried. 7. ORDINANCE ADOPTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider adoption of an ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances to create the commUNITY alliance. Moved by Yanez, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to adopt the ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances to create the commUNITY alliance. Councilman Yanez stated this is a diverse and welcoming community, and that needs to be shown through action and not just words. He was confident the people involved in this will provide great direction on how to move the City forward so everyone has the “Sterling Heights” experience and feel welcome in their community. Councilman Radtke stated he is going to vote in favor but does not feel it goes far enough. He referred to it as a “watered-down” version of the Diversity and Inclusion Commission that he felt the City should have. Mayor Taylor stated he is in favor of this. Yes: All. The motion carried. 8. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda. He opened the floor for public comments. • Unidentified resident – CARES Act funding from the County; questioned Item 8-K; Mr. Vanderpool referred to an amount of $3.7 million and questioned whether that was CARES Act funding; questioned total amount of CARE Act Funding received by the City. Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as amended: A. To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2020. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 14 B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $614,366.17, Water & Sewer Fund - $5,339,701.44, Other Funds - $10,329,873.60, Total Checks - $16,283,941.21. C. RESOLVED, to award the bid for park restroom janitorial services to LGC Global Energy FM, LLC, 7310 Woodward Ave., Suite 500, Detroit, MI 48202, for the period of November 16, 2020 through November 15, 2022, at unit prices bid, and authorize the City Manager to extend the bid award one (1) additional year, through November 15, 2023, upon the same terms, conditions and unit pricing bid. D. RESOLVED, to: A. Award the bid for the purchase of TCI Comms - Liberator IV communication headsets to Vance Outdoors, Inc., 3723 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH 43224, at the unit price bid for a total cost of $18,281.55. B. Authorize a budget amendment in the amount of $18,281.55 from State Forfeiture Fund reserves. E. RESOLVED, to award the bid for new heating, ventilation, air conditioning and condenser units, exhaust fans and digital programmable control system for the Sterling Height Senior Center facility to Temperature Services, Inc., 37679 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia, MI 48150, at a cost of $160,473 and authorize a budget amendment in the amount of $25,473 from Capital Fund Reserves. F. RESOLVED, to split the award of the bid for the pruning of street trees between the following contractors: A. To Wonsey Tree Service, Inc., PO Box 1142, Alma, MI 48801, the Section 12 street tree pruning at unit pricing bid; and, B. To CHOP, 1505 State Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 48507, the Section 18 street tree pruning at unit pricing bid. G. RESOLVED, to purchase wireless services and accessories from Cellco Partnership, d/b/a Verizon Wireless, at pricing available through the National Association of State Procurement Officers (NASPO) cooperative purchasing contract, #MA-152, through August 11, 2024, and authorize the City Manager to sign all required documentation on behalf of the City, including the option to extend existing terms and conditions for a five-year period. H. RESOLVED, to: A. Purchase the TruNarc portable handheld narcotics analyzer, inclusive of accessories, software, training, warranty and delivery, from Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments, Inc., 2 Radcliff Rd., Tewksbury, MA 01876, at a cost of $29,391 and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this purchase on behalf of the City; and, B. Authorize a budget amendment in the amount of $12,429 from State Forfeiture Fund reserves and $16,962 from Capital Fund reserves. I. RESOLVED, to purchase automated door hardware and installation services from LaForce, Inc., 1060 W. Mason St., Green Bay, WI 54313, at pricing available through GSA Advantage cooperative purchasing contract #GS-07F-0326T at a total cost of $723,591 and authorize a budget amendment for $723,591 to Capital Fund reserves. J. RESOLVED, to purchase twenty-four (24) Sharp 75” Aquos Boards, inclusive of delivery, installation, and training, from UTEC, 1995 Highland Drive, Suite C, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 15 Ann Arbor, MI 48108, at unit prices available through a Sourcewell cooperative RFP, Contract #083116-SEC, in the cumulative amount of $96,384. K. RESOLVED, to approve the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) (CFDA 21.019) Subrecipient Agreement between the County of Macomb and the City of Sterling Heights and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval. L. RESOLVED, to approve final payment to CE Gleeson Constructors, Inc., 984 Livernois, Troy, Michigan 48083, in the amount of $1,043,272.94, plus interest on retainage, for general contractor construction services to construct the Sterling Heights Community Center, subject to a withholding of $43,000 from the final payment amount as surety for completion of warranty work. M. RESOLVED, to approve final payment to M.L. Chartier Excavating, Inc., 9195 Marine City Hwy, Fair Haven, MI 48023, in the amount of $89,226.44, plus interest on retainage, for 19 Mile Road Resurfacing, Schoenherr Road to Hayes Road, City Project #19-337. N. RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution authorizing issuance of not to exceed $980,000 in Michigan Transportation Refunding Bonds, Series 2020, for the purpose of refunding the 2010 Michigan Transportation Recovery Zone bonds previously issued and paying the associated costs of the refunding. O. RESOLVED, to receive the lawsuit, Thomas Drozdowski v Sterling Heights Police Department., 41A District Court Case No. S-20-2070-GZ. Yes: All. The motion carried. 9. CONSIDERATION A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider nominations to City of Sterling Heights boards and commissions. He opened the floor for comments from the audience, but no one spoke. There were no nominations to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II (Alternates) and Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternates). Mayor Taylor suggested these be postponed to Tuesday, November 17, 2020. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to postpone the nomination to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II (Alternates) and Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternates) to the November 17, 2020 regular City Council meeting. 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 comments from the audience, but no one spoke. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 16 Appointment to Board of Ordinance Appeals I - Alternate Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Elizabeth Vincent to the Board of Ordinance Appeals as an Alternate to a term ending 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. Councilman Radtke noted Ms. Vincent is an attorney and worked as a prosecutor for Macomb Township. She is interested in keeping property values high, and he was confident she will do a great job. Yes: All. The motion carried. Appointment to Board of Ordinance Appeals II: Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Lauren Tackett to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to a term ending June 30, 2022, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated Ms. Tackett is one of her neighbors and she has been involved with real estate in the past, so she felt she will be a good addition to the Board. Yes: All. The motion carried. 10. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for comments from citizens. • Mr. Charles Jefferson – questioned who controls the deer population; talked about Friends of Foster Kids Christmas wrapping fundraising event; suggested Christmas toy drive; talked about discrimination issues. • Mr. Steve Bilan – thanked the City for helping him get information to apply for CARES Act funding for VFW American Legion; thanked those who have made donations; eighty percent of their income has stopped; noted there will be a meeting next week. • Mr. Jon Matthews – commented it has been a “wild ride” for everyone; urged cities to continue on with as many services as possible for a sense of normalcy; commended the City on being a good role model on how to vote. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 17 • Unidentified resident – in support of the commUNITY alliance; offered to help on this committee, adding he is part of a large Chaldean community; felt people need to be educated on what they can do. 11. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool addressed the resident’s question about the CARES Act funding the City has received. He explained the difference between the CARES Act funding that the County distributed to businesses, which totaled $3.7 million in grants to businesses. The City has received has received just over $1.5 million in CARES Act funding that was awarded from the County, with approximately $700,000 going to fund automated door systems throughout all of the City’s facilities, including city hall, the police department, public library, court building and their recreational facilities as well. They have tens of thousands of people coming through their facilities every year. They hope there will be no more pandemics in the future, but there are serious strains of influenza in addition to Covid-19, so they want to make sure their facilities are as safe as possible. The major doorway systems in the facilities will be completely automated through the funding. They also provided their employees with laptop computers so they can carry on city business at home. He explained they have to rotate employees into their city facilities weekly because they cannot have their entire workforce in their facilities because of the restrictions they live under. In order to be able to open to the public, they have employees grouped as “A” and “B”, and they alternate each week, and when it is their week to work at home, they need adequate equipment to do so. Mr. Vanderpool explained the City has received approximately $3.5 million in CARES Act funding from the State, and that has been used to fund police and fire operations during the Covid crisis, as well as filling some revenue losses from the State. He stressed their concern is that there are millions of dollars at risk for Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 18 the City in potential loss of state-shared revenue over the next year, so the need will be great over the next couple of years. Mr. Vanderpool addressed the resident’s question about the deer population in the City. He explained some communities such as Ann Arbor get into deer culling through the DNR permitting process, but Sterling Heights has not done it, and there are actually very few communities that participate in that process. He acknowledged it is the time when deer are more prevalent, so they urge residents to be more on guard, especially in wooded areas, and there is more public information on their website. Councilwoman Ziarko addressed the question regarding Friends of Foster Kids and their Christmas wrapping event, noting that with Covid, it will be a different process this year. They cannot have as many people in the building to do all of the wrapping, so they will be asking for donations and people can still adopt a child and buy whatever is on their wish list, but they will be coming up with a safe process for wrapping these gifts. She thanked Mr. Matthews for sharing his thoughts on normalcy, and she was recently with three teachers who all indicated they felt they were becoming better and smarter teachers because of all of the changes they have had to make to education children, focusing on the positive. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned Ms. Ryska about “naked ballots”, which is where the security sleeve is not used, and how those ballots are handled. Ms. Ryska explained when their Absent Voter Counting Board opens a ballot that is not inside a secrecy sleeve, they have strict protocol to immediately place the ballot in a secrecy sleeve to continue processing, but she emphasized that their ballot is not invalidated, and their vote still counts. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 19 Councilwoman Ziarko urged everyone to vote between now and November 3, and she stressed they have tried to make voting in this city as safe and secure as possible, whether it is through absentee ballot or in person at the polls. Councilman Yanez stated he is passionate about cleaning up trash. He informed that on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, from 10 a.m. to noon at Donovan Park, the Clinton River Watershed Council is hosting a clean-up, and more information is available on www.crwc.org. He stated that SHINE Day, another big clean-up day, is November 7, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. He stated they do outdoor clean-up at the homes of people who are unable to do the work because of age or physical restrictions. It is great to do and makes neighborhoods look great. He cited all of the great things going on in this City and the positive things that have been discussed at this meeting. He stressed he appreciates the City, everyone who works here, and all of the taxpayers who fund all of this. Councilwoman Koski felt they need a list of activities for each day so residents are aware of them. She pointed out the election will be here in two weeks, and she questioned whether everyone has seen the “selfies” on social media of people dropping off their absentee ballots in one of the City’s drop boxes. She questioned how people can track their ballots. Ms. Ryska replied there have been a number of voters taking “selfies” as they drop off their ballots at any one of the seven drop box locations. She explained drop boxes are located inside the lobby at City Hall and inside the lobby of their Election Center, which is inside their Senior Center. There are drive-up locations in front of the Police Station, Fire Stations #2, #3, #4 and #5. She urged those dropping off their ballot to take a selfie, post on social media at #rockthebox, and there will be contest drawing Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 20 for a gift card. She stressed the election is two weeks away, and it is not too late to register to vote or to apply for a voter absentee ballot. They are located in the Senior Center at 40200 Utica Road. They have extended hours and are open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m. They are also open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on October 31, they will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. She emphasized that they want to give residents the most opportunity to come in and take care of their election business. She stated their voter registration has skyrocketed, with 98,004 registered voters as of just prior to tonight’s meeting, and that number is up about 10,000 from 2016. They have issued 37,913 absent voter ballots, and they have 22,447 returned, which is 59 percent of their absentee ballots. They received hundreds of phone calls and hundreds of emails each day, so there is a great momentum in voter involvement. She commented from an Election administrator’s standpoint, it is great to see all of this involvement. She advised that ballots can be tracked by visiting www.mi.gov/vote, enter voter information including name, address and month/year of birth. The voter file will be brought up, advising of where to vote and also when the absentee voter ballot was mailed out and when it was received. The ballots are picked up daily from the drop boxes and will be received and logged into the system within thirty-six hours of it being dropped off. Councilwoman Schmidt attested to the ease of going to the Senior Center to vote, adding that she and her husband went yesterday to cast their ballots early. She added they were able to socially distance, and it was a very quick process. She cited a situation where her elderly mother, who is living in another community, received a postcard in the mail from someone indicating she had not yet voted. She had turned Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 21 her ballot in and was concerned, so after tracking it on the website, she found out it was indeed received. She urged anyone who thinks there is a problem with their ballot to call the Clerk’s office. Councilman Radtke questioned whether the signatures all match on the ballots that have been received. Clerk Melanie Ryska replied affirmatively, stating if they have received the ballot into the system, it is good and it will be counted. She explained if the voter returns their ballot and there is an issue or discrepancy with their ballot, her office will contact the voter at the phone number if provided or email them. If they cannot get in touch with them through those methods, they send a letter and they have until 8 p.m. on election night to come in and resolve the issue. She emphasized this is something they have always done, so it is nothing new in their office. Councilman Radtke encouraged everyone to vote, and if they are voting absentee, to drop it in a drop box rather than the post office. He stated he dropped his in one of the drop boxes yesterday. He felt they will have 460,000 voters in Macomb County, which would be a huge increase, and he heard that there are about 216,000 ballots that have already been returned. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski thanked Mr. Matthews for getting back into the classroom, noting it is important to get back, but she fully understands those staying home, either by choice or decree. She commended all parents and the educators for doing such a good job at trying to provide normalcy, which is important. She urged everyone to get out and vote, and she is excited to see 10,000 more registered voters in the City. Mayor Taylor questioned whether the City has ever had this many registered voters in the system, or whether they are they at the highest number in history at this time. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 22 Ms. Ryska replied this is the highest number in history. She explained they register a number of people every day at the Election Center. Today was the deadline for registering online, so anyone wanting to register now has to come in person to the Election Center, and that can be done all the way through Election Day. She encouraged all residents to come in and register early. She replied to inquiry that anyone who would register by mail would still have to come in person to verify residency within these fourteen days before the election. Mayor Taylor questioned how many people registering to vote at the Election Center are getting their ballots and voting at the same time. Ms. Ryska replied she does not know, but from experience and talking with her team, it is probably close to 100 percent of them. Mayor Taylor questioned the average percentage of absentee ballot return at this point before an election. He questioned whether people generally return their absentee ballots right away when they receive them, or whether there is a big influx close to Election Day. Ms. Ryska replied it depends upon the election. She would like to see people return them as early as possible, but she felt they are about average on the percentages they have received back at this point. She stressed the earlier they turn them in, the better. Mayor Taylor noted that someone was dropping off an application for an absentee ballot in the drop box, and he inquired as to whether those applications can also go into the drop box. Ms. Ryska replied the drop boxes are for any election business, whether it is to return their absent voter ballot application or to return their ballot. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 23 Mayor Taylor inquired as to how Ms. Ryska is doing in terms of recruiting election workers. Ms. Ryska stated they still need about 50 election workers, although they have had a great response from online. Council approved the pay increase for election workers, which was a big help. She estimated they have approximately 370 people so they probably need an additional 50 people. She encouraged anyone interested in helping out and exercising their civic duty to complete an Election Inspector application, which can be found on their website at www.sterling-heights.net and return it to vote@sterling-heights.net. Mayor Taylor stated he got an absentee ballot, filled it out, dropped it off at the box in front of the Police Department on Sunday, October 18, and it was logged in the State’s website as received on Monday, October 19. He stressed it is easy to track and provides a lot of security that the City has it. He stated they are proud of their City Clerk and the work she does, along with her professional staff and all of the people helping her out. He stated he has spoken with a Norwegian newspaper, a Dutch newspaper, a Finnish newspaper, a British newspaper, and a Japanese General Counsel from Detroit, all who were very interested in what is happening in Macomb County. He explained that, to a large degree, what happens in Sterling Heights is also what is happening in Macomb County. He stated they are fortunate to have Ms. Ryska and wished her well, urging her to let them know if there is anything they can do to help. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether Ms. Ryska is finding there are more absentee ballots returned in the drop boxes or by mail. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 24 Ms. Ryska replied that, by far, people are using the drop boxes. She stated that fifty percent of their ballots have been returned in the drop box in front of the Police Station, with only sixteen percent being returned by the U.S. Postal Service. Councilwoman Ziarko noted if they have 98,000 registered voters and 37,000 absentee ballots issued, with only fifty-nine percent returned, she questioned whether they have enough election workers. She was concerned they will have long lines at the voting polls. Ms. Ryska doubted they will get one hundred percent voter participation, adding that she would be excited to have a seventy-five percent total turnout. She stressed her team is outstanding, referring to them as an “army” behind her, and they are working diligently to make sure this election goes as smooth as possible. She stressed she has a heavy recruitment team, she has teams putting together all of the personal protection supplies (PPE) for each precinct, and they have their Absent Voter Counting Boards They are trying to plan for every contingency, and this election is historic, so they do not know what they will be facing. She stressed she is totally confident in their ability to have a very smooth election. Councilwoman Ziarko stated that no matters what rumors anyone has heard, they are having a great election in Sterling Heights. They have great leadership and great foresight. She urged everyone to get out and vote. Mayor Taylor agreed that people can have a lot of confidence that their vote matters in Sterling Heights, the county, the state, and even in determining the next president of the United States. 14. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 15. NEW BUSINESS Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Page 25 There was no new business. 16. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. Kaszubski stated he has nothing tonight. 17. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk