City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 IN CITY HALL 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 move Consent Agenda Item #7-F to Consideration Item #8-B, and approve the agenda as amended. Yes: All. The motion carried. 5. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool provided information on Oktoberfest, taking place in lieu of Sterlingfest this year, and it will be held on Friday, October 8 starting at 4 p.m. and on Saturday, October 9 starting at 9 a.m. He announced the two national acts featured on the stage in Dodge Park include Plain White T’s on October 8, and Lou Gramm, the original lead singer of the rock band Foreigner, with Asia, and featuring John Payne, on October 9. He indicated it is a different format this year, but there is a lot of excitement generated. He added there is a Suds ‘N Sounds stage inside the Farmer’s Market Pavilion, and there will be entertainment leading up to the national acts. He urged anyone wanting more information to go to the Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 2 City’s website. Mr. Vanderpool stated they are very fortunate to have a lot of corporate support of Sterlingfest, and they also have support for Oktoberfest. He acknowledged that one of their larger donations is from AT&T, in which they presented a very generous donation of $10,000, and added they also have many other sponsors and donors who will be highlighted closer to the event. Mr. Vanderpool thanked Ford Motor Company, who graciously donated nearly 100,000 children-sized face masks to the city. He urged anyone knowing of any groups involving children needing masks to call (586) 446-CITY, and the City will arrange for distribution of these masks. He added it could be for schools, houses of worship, day care centers, or families across the city. He again thanked Ford Motor Company for delivering three pallets of masks. Mr. Vanderpool explained that the community conducts a survey every three to four years to see how they are doing and gage their services in the spirit of continuous improvement. He explained they utilize the results of this survey throughout the year leading up to Strategic Planning to fine-tune the City’s services and to make adjustments where needed. He appreciated the community input, and invited ETC Institute’s Director of Community Research, Jason Morado, to give a presentation on the results of the recent survey. Mr. Jason Morado explained ETC Institute is a marketing research firm that specializes in community surveys for city and county governments. He stated this past summer they conducted a resident survey for the City of Sterling Heights, as they also did about four years ago. He explained the Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 3 full findings of the survey are very detailed and comprehensive, so he will be reviewing the high-level key findings. He stated they are based in the Kansas City area and he provided some background on their firm. He explained the reasons for conducting a survey, including to get an objective assessment of how satisfied residents are with the major city services, and also to determine what Sterling Heights residents feel are the top priorities for the community. They are also able to compare the City’s results with those of other communities across the country on both a regional and national basis. The survey was administered by a combination of mail and online to randomly select residents throughout the city, and they ended up with 524 surveys, exceeding their goal of 500 surveys. He explained they monitor the graphics of survey respondents to make sure it reflects the actual population of the city. The results of the surveys, at a confidence level of 95 percent, have a margin of error of plus/minus 4.3 percent. Mr. Morado provided details of the survey, pointing out that residents have a positive perception of the City, with eighty-six percent of the respondents being satisfied with Sterling Heights as a place to live, and eighty-two percent indicated they are satisfied with Sterling Heights as a place to raise children. The satisfaction with city services is much higher in Sterling Heights than in other communities, which was also the case with the last survey taken four years ago. The City was above the United States Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 4 average in forty-three of the forty-eight areas in which they compare, and in most cases, the ratings were significantly higher. He pointed out the City rated nineteen percent above the U.S. average in Quality of City Services, and twenty-two percent above the U.S. average in Value Received for Tax Dollars and Fees. He explained the top priorities reflected by residents in the results of the survey, including maintaining neighborhood streets, traffic flow, visibility of police in neighborhoods, cleaning up litter and debris on residential property, and mowing grass and weeds on residential property. He reviewed the general perceptions residents have of the City, and explained the ratings, pointing out that seventy-seven percent of respondents were satisfied with the overall quality of city services, compared to only five percent who were dissatisfied, which he stressed is an outstanding ratio. He noted that most residents feel safe in their neighborhood during the day, as well as at night. Mr. Morado showed a map of the City and explained the results were broken out by census block group, which reflects whether residents in various parts of the City rate the services differently or have different perceptions. A map was created for every question on the survey, so the report has about seventy-five maps. He showed some charts comparing the perception of Sterling Heights residents in comparison with residents in other communities in the North Central Region, which includes Michigan and neighboring states, as well as residents in the United States as a whole. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 5 He emphasized that in seven of the eleven areas of public safety, the City’s ratings are significantly higher than the national average, including Overall Quality of Fire Protection, Overall Quality of Emergency Medical Services, and the Overall Quality of Police Protection. He added there were also comparisons for Parks and Recreation and City Events, and all seven areas were much higher than the regional and national averages, especially for Recreation Programming for all ages. He explained all five areas in Code Enforcement were rated higher by City residents than the regional and national averages, with four of those areas being significantly above the averages. He provided details on the remainder of the survey, noting the lowest areas were Neighborhood Streets and Traffic Flow, but they are not too far below the national average. He explained that Overall Quality of Leadership Provided was in the 60 percent satisfaction rating, much higher than the regional and national average of 44 percent. Mr. Morado also discussed the results in Top Community Priorities, which are areas of lower satisfaction, and the areas which have been identified as the highest areas on which to focus. This includes maintaining neighborhoods, major city streets, traffic flow, visibility of police in neighborhoods, clean-up of litter and debris on residential properties, and mowing of grass and weeds on residential property. He clarified that the satisfaction ratings are not really low for these areas, but lower than other items on the survey. The top two sources of information for residents Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 6 include the City’s website and magazine. He informed that a question was included as to whether residents felt chickens should be allowed to be kept on residential properties, with thirty percent responding in favor and seventy percent responding in opposition. He also reported that over ninety percent of respondents felt that Sterling Heights is an inclusive community. Mr. Morado summarized the findings, adding that the results were very positive as they were four years ago, and he offered to answer questions. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for questions from Council. Councilman Radtke noted that on Page 106 of the Summary, it indicates people were asked to self-describe their ethnic origins. He pointed out twenty-five people, or five percent of the population, identified as “Arab / Middle Eastern”. He claimed the City’s own internal survey reflects approximately twenty-five percent of the Sterling Heights population is Middle Eastern. He questioned whether the survey can be accurate if it is not engaging with what would be one-quarter of their population. Mr. Morado replied he would have to check the United States Census numbers, and he indicated he did not know the Middle Eastern population in Sterling Heights is that high. Councilman Radtke replied he is referring to the Chaldean community. He felt the seventy-five percent White/Caucasian seems accurate to him, and possibly some Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 7 may be identifying themselves as “White” rather than “Middle Eastern”, but he stressed the west side of the City is a very large Chaldean enclave. Mr. Morado stated they can run some cross tabs on the data to see if there are differences. He indicated the demographics are very similar to the last time when they conducted the survey. Councilman Radtke stated he would be interested in that information, adding that if it is not correct, he would question the efficacy of the survey. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she has close Chaldean friends who do not identify as “Arab / Middle Eastern” but identify as “White American”. Mayor Taylor inquired as to how many surveys were sent out. Mr. Morado replied to inquiry that surveys were mailed to 3,200 households, noting they were expecting about a fifteen-percent response rate. The response was actually slightly higher than anticipated, at sixteen-percent. Mayor Taylor thanked Mr. Morado for presenting the helpful results, and he appreciated Mr. Morado’s expertise. Mr. Vanderpool stated this concludes his report this evening. 6. PRESENTATIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to recognize and thank the employees and citizens who contributed to the planning, certification, and operation of the City’s vaccination centers at the Senior Center and Lakeside Mall. He invited Fire Chief Kevin Edmond to give a presentation. Fire Chief Kevin Edmond explained they have been through a lot of peaks and valleys in the last year-and-a-half since the community began dealing with Covid Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 8 in March 2020. He stated he has been impressed with Sterling Heights and their ability to come together to keep the community safe. Once testing was available, members of the Fire Department, along with City Administration, made sure they were able to test their employees, which also kept residents safe. Once the vaccines became available, the City quickly set up the Senior Center with the vaccines and started planning for the Sears Lakeside drive-thru site. He stressed none of this could have been possible without the hard work of many individuals. He thanked the City’s participating departments, including Department of Public Works, Information Technology, Facilities, Police, Finance, Parks and Recreation, especially Kristen Riggs and Bobby Wilson, members of the Sterling Heights Fire Department and Shelby Township Fire Department, Council members who volunteered to help at the vaccination centers, and City Administration for their support throughout the process. Chief Edmond presented awards to key individuals who were able to attend the meeting this evening, and he requested the names of the remaining individuals be entered into the Council record, and their awards will be sent to them. He presented an award to Dr. Michael Feld, Medical Director for the Sterling Heights Fire Department, who was the key person to help them get their MICRS licensing and signed standing orders which allowed them to administer the vaccinations. He also presented an award to Assistant Fire Chief Miller, acknowledging that through his leadership prior to Fire Chief Edmond coming to Sterling Heights, he was able to get the testing undertaken, laid groundwork for the vaccination center Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 9 at Lakeside, and helped manage the center at times, often giving shots when needed. He presented an award to EMS Coordinator Kelly Burgan, who regularly helped out at the vaccination center and oversaw the vaccine data registration, as well as troubleshooting any issues with MICRS. He presented an award to Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois, who offered his employees to help, he called people when they needed to fill spots for extra doses, and he offered support when the vaccinations were administered at Music in the Park. A complete list of award recipients is included as part of the meeting packet for this meeting. Fire Chief Edmond apologized if he forgot to mention anyone, and he stressed he is very proud to be part of this organization and honored to lead the men and women of the Sterling Heights Fire Department. Mayor Taylor appreciated everything the Fire Department did, noting it was an incredible effort and an efficient operation between the Senior Center and the Lakeside Sears Center. He expressed pride in the significant role the City of Sterling Heights and their Fire Department played in keeping their residents and the surrounding area safe. He encouraged residents to get vaccinated if they have not yet done so, and to talk to their doctor if they are skeptical. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated that, as a nurse, she was honored to give some of those vaccines. She urged those who can be vaccinated to do so, because it is the best-known way to get rid of the Covid virus and continue to keep everyone Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 10 healthy. She thanked the departments, volunteers, and everyone who helped with the vaccine centers. Councilman Yanez stated he is proud of the Fire Department and the community. He specifically mentioned Battalion Chief Wil Walker, as well as retirees Kevin Conlan, Mark Schroeder, and Bill Osladil. He commended the work of the DPW employees who were directing traffic. He stressed it was a huge community effort for a huge community need, and it was put together very fast and became a highlight in a very difficult year. He thanked everyone who participated. Councilwoman Ziarko spoke highly of the process, and added they were very fortunate to offer this service at the Senior Center and later at Lakeside Sears Center. She volunteered at the Senior Center, and she noted the interaction between the firefighters /medical personnel and those coming in for the vaccines, where they were able to ease fears about the vaccine. She questioned how many total vaccinations were administered at the Senior Center and Lakeside Sears Center. Chief Edmond replied they administered over 10,000 doses. Councilwoman Ziarko felt that is an incredible number. She also mentioned that the Senior Center was open for a certain amount of time, and if there were vaccine doses remaining toward the end of the day, everyone got on the phone to try to find someone who needed a vaccine and to get them to the center so the doses would not be wasted. She was proud of the City for the excellent job they did. Moved by Yanez, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to recognize and thank all of the employees and citizens who contributed to the successful planning, Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 11 certification, and operation of the City’s vaccination centers at the Senior Center and Lakeside Mall and their collective efforts to protect public health. Yes: All. The motion carried. 7. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda. He opened the floor for public comments on any of the items with the exception of Item 7-F, but no one spoke. Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as amended: A. To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 7, 2021. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $664,800.07, Water & Sewer Fund - $1,526,380.53, Other Funds - $4,001,813.23, Total Checks - $6,192,993.83. C. RESOLVED, to purchase five (5) Super Vac 20” positive pressure ventilation fans, Model No. V20-BD-SP, from Apollo Fire Equipment Company, 12584 Lakeshore Drive, Romeo, MI 48065, at pricing available through a Houston- Galveston Area Council cooperative bid, contract #FS12-19, at a total cost of $21,375.90. D. RESOLVED, to purchase six (6) 2022 Ford F-250 pick-up trucks and one (1) 2022 Ford F350 pick-up truck from Signature Ford – Lincoln, 1960 E. Main St., Owosso, MI 48867, at pricing available through Macomb County cooperative purchasing contract, #21-18, inclusive of snowplows and lift gate installs by Monroe Truck Equipment, at a cumulative cost of $260,884. E. RESOLVED, to purchase a 2022 Vactor combination jet / vacuum system, model 2100i, Peterbuilt Model 567 chassis, and accessories, from Jack Doheny Company, 777 Doheny Drive, Northville, MI 48167, at pricing available through a Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract, #122017- FSC, at a cost of $489,747, and authorize the City Manager to sign all required documents on behalf of the City. F. This item was moved to Consideration Item 8-B. G. RESOLVED, to acknowledge and accept the donation of $10,000 by AT&T in support of the 2021 Oktoberfest community event. H. RESOLVED, to receive the lawsuit, James Holloway v. Sterling Heights Police Department; 41-A District Court Case No. S-21-2218-GZ. Yes: All. The motion carried. 8. CONSIDERATION Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 12 A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider appointments to the City of Sterling Heights Boards and Commissions. He opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Planning Commission Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Brandy Wright to the Planning Commission to a term ending June 30, 2024, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Ethnic Community Committee Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Vipulkumar Tripathi to the Ethnic Community Committee 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. Yes: All. The motion carried. Library Board of Trustees Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Kathryn McKinney to the Library Board of Trustees to a term ending June 30, 2024, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Sustainability Commission Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to postpone the appointment to the Sustainability Commission to the October 5, 2021 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. B. Mayor Taylor stated this was formerly on the agenda as Consent Agenda Item 7-F, which is to approve a Professional Consulting Services Agreement Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 13 between the City of Sterling Heights and PRAT International LLC for services rendered in support of the Sterling Heights African American Coalition at a total cost of $40,200. Mr. Vanderpool explained that consistent with the City’s Visioning 2030 Plan and inclusivity, the City formed the Sterling Heights African American Coalition in June 2020. He explained the founding purpose of this Coalition was to provide a sustainable channel for dialog and understanding between the City and its approximate 9,000 African American residents. The recent 2020 Census has validated that this population is growing rapidly, noting it grew by over 30 percent during that census period. He highlighted some of the objectives used throughout this process, including the consultant services that are expected to achieve the following: • Development of cultural confidence through education. • Creation of a safe climate where both African Americans and residents from other races are able to speak freely and respectfully. • To promote open inciteful dialog between all community members regardless of race. • Implement best practices and benchmarking to ensure equity and opportunity is realized by members of the Sterling Heights African American Coalition. • To identify and review existing community survey data to influence the design of meetings and events the African American Coalition is conducting. • Facilitation of meetings with the Sterling Heights African American Coalition leadership and community leadership to engage in the oversight of the project mission and create working group plans. • Establish a conflict resolution plan as needed. • Assign roles and responsibilities to ensure creation of a sustainable African American Coalition in Sterling Heights. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 14 • Research best practices throughout the country where communities already have well-established coalitions and learn from what they have done. • Establish and confirm a clear mission, vision, and values to create smart goals and objectives for the Coalition. • Establish a calendar of events, activities, and meetings that educate and engage the community to ensure alignment with the Sterling Heights African American Coalition and their objectives. • Identify and establish a list of potential partners for outreach and promotion of the Coalition’s mission. • Design and conduct a community town hall to share findings and solicit feedback. • Deploy cohesive messaging from a communication plan that includes goals, objectives, and implementation steps. Mr. Vanderpool stated they anticipated these services will be completed over a six- to seven-month period of time, and the cost is $40,200. He acknowledged African American Coalition Member Eric Hawkins, who worked closely with Community Relations Director Melanie Davis to get to the point where they are this evening. Mr. Hawkins, along with other members of the African American Coalition, have vetted the service and feels very comfortable in supporting and recommending the consultant group proposed. Mr. Vanderpool stated the lead consultant of PRAT International LLC, Mr. Darnell Blackburn, is present this evening. He added the City has been fortunate to work with Mr. Blackburn over the years, and he has done a lot of outstanding training in the Police Department, including Implicit Bias Training. He also noted that Ms. Rhonda Powell, of O’Neal Powell & Associates LLC is working on the project. He explained he has been fortunate to have worked with Ms. Powell on a number of projects at the state level, and she is highly recommended. He stated they look forward to this process and continued Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 15 collaboration with the African American Coalition. He offered to answer additional questions, and respectfully recommended the Mayor and City Council approve this agreement this evening. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to approve the Professional Consulting Services Agreement between the City of Sterling Heights and PRAT International LLC and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement on behalf of the City. Councilwoman Ziarko felt this is a good idea and was pleased the African American Coalition conducted the interviews and chose the consultants they would like to help them in this process. She claimed this is very new, and they are being watched throughout the State of Michigan to see how this program will be. She felt it is important to do this right and be successful, and she added she is in favor of this agreement. Councilman Radtke stated he is strongly in favor of this proposal. Mr. Darnell Blackburn, of PRAT International LLC, stated they are excited about this opportunity and are willing to answer questions. He assured they will “hit the ground running”. Ms. Rhonda Powell, of O’Neal Powell and Associates LLC, echoed Mr. Blackburn’s sentiments and stated they are looking forward to this opportunity. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski inquired as to the first thing they intend to do. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 16 Mr. Blackburn replied they were interviewed by some members of the African American Coalition but they would like to meet with the entire Coalition. Mayor Taylor asked what they would say to a resident who asks why the City needs to do this. Mr. Blackburn replied that census data is one reason, and he added that when he was growing up in Detroit, Sterling Heights was not known to be an inclusive community; however, that has changed, and he credited the Council and Administration for doing an excellent job in promoting the City. He stressed they need to make sure the City is being promoted for people of color and that they recognize they are valuable and wanted. He clarified they are not excluding anyone but want to make sure everyone feels included. Ms. Powell agreed with her colleague and noted she had the same perception of Sterling Heights while growing up in Mount Clemens. She felt the work that the City has done to change that negative connotation should be promoted and that this is an opportunity to create a model not only for Macomb County but across the state. She felt they can “get a bigger table, and do not need to figure out who gets to sit at the table”. Councilwoman Koski commended Mr. Blackburn on his tremendous reputation and amazing credentials and understood he has worked with the Sterling Heights Police Department, who thought very highly of him. She felt Ms. Powell must be Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 17 fantastic if Mr. Blackburn is recommending her. She explained the City hired Ms. King to do work on diversity and inclusion at a cost of $75,000, and this proposal will cost another $40,200. She clarified that she feels their rate of $100 per hour is worth every penny when looking at their credentials and noted the City will be paying mileage and expenses in addition. Mr. Blackburn clarified that all mileage and lodging are inclusive and they will not be charging additional fees. Councilwoman Koski expressed concern that they will be duplicating some of the same services they are already receiving from Ms. King. She noted they propose they will be doing discovery their first month, planning their second month, implementation their third month, etc. She questioned why this will take so long, and she questioned what discovery they have to do. She further questioned whether they will be relying on information from Ms. King, or whether they will be creating their own information. She stated she is having a problem with the first two months and cannot justify the expenditure of this much money. Mr. Blackburn stated he does not have Ms. King’s contract so he does not know the scope of her project. He believed that Ms. King’s focus is on the employees within the City, and although it is also their goal to talk to the employees, they are not trying to duplicate what Ms. King is doing, because their goal is more toward the residents of the City. He understood the Coalition is focused more on the residents, and they want to get people into the City. He explained they do not want to “jump in and make Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 18 decisions”, but they want to look at it first. Their goal is to let the Coalition run and be self-sufficient, so they make Sterling Heights look like a place that is inclusive for all. He clarified that they are not opposed to working with Ms. King, but they are not relying on her, adding the fact she is working for the City was never brought to his attention as part of this project. Ms. Powell addressed the discovery and planning stages, noting there are a few cities around the country that are doing a fantastic job, citing Hennepin County in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have done a lot of research, and Ms. Powell indicated they will be looking at comparative and demographic data so they do not “reinvent the wheel”. She stressed they cannot do the planning “in a vacuum”, so they will have time to work with the City, the Coalition, and come up with a plan to make sure they are all on the same page. The discovery phase is looking at current data and what other cities have done and implemented, as well as the new census data. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether they will be meeting on a weekly or monthly basis with the Coalition. Mr. Blackburn replied they will not be meeting with the Coalition only once a month but indicated it will depend upon the availability of the Coalition. They want to engage the Coalition as much as possible, whether it is through leadership or a sub-committee, and they will make that determination as they meet with them. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 19 Councilwoman Koski inquired as to whether they will be reporting to Council as they proceed through these stages. Mr. Blackburn replied that per the contract, they will be submitting a report to Council at the end. Their goal is to report to the Coalition throughout the process. He replied to inquiry that Council members are more than welcome to attend the Coalition meetings. Mayor Taylor inquired as to whether Mr. Vanderpool would like to clarify Ms. King’s contract and her involvement with the City. Mr. Vanderpool replied that Ms. King is focusing on developing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan for the City organization, noting it is mutually exclusive of this effort being considered this evening, which is more of a community-driven effort. He explained the DEI Plan is very specific to the employees of the City, and best practices indicate the employees should reflect the demographics of their community, representing all races, ethnicities and religions. They need a plan to get to that point, and Ms. King is working with the City to develop the DEI Plan. He hoped there would be some collaboration as the processes continue, noting the DEI Plan will take approximately one year to complete, and while the plan could end up taking years to implement, they want to continue to make progress. This effort being discussed tonight is anticipated to take six or seven months and is more community-driven. Councilwoman Ziarko commented that this is not unusual to monetarily support a project on which a Board or Commission is working. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 20 Mr. Vanderpool stated Councilwoman Ziarko is correct, noting they have often collaborated with groups throughout the community, including the Sterling Heights Area Community Foundation, the Sterling Heights Drug-Free Coalition, and others where the City has worked in collaboration with efforts and initiatives that have proven to be very successful for the community. Councilwoman Koski questioned which budget will cover this cost. Mr. Vanderpool replied this will be coming out of the Community Relations Department budget. He commended Community Relations Director Melanie Davis and her team for getting this to the point where it is now, and she will continue to be very involved. He added that this money has been budgeted so they have dedicated financial resources. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether there is a limit as to how much they give to different Boards, Commissions or Coalitions for projects. Mr. Vanderpool replied there is not an arbitrary limit that has ever been set. There are many programs like this available to groups like this through Community Development Block Grant. He replied to further inquiry that the City has historically supported the Community Foundation, both via financial resources and in-kind support services that far exceed this amount. He replied to still further inquiry that these are budgeted amounts. Councilman Radtke stated he does not know why they are singling out this contract, noting they have allocated $20,000 in the past for uniforms for the CERT team, as well as a $100,000 allocation per year at one point to the Arts Commission. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 21 He felt this is no different other than the purpose which is different. He hoped this will help create an environment in the City where minority groups will feel they are “part of the table”. He felt this is a noble endeavor. They have spent a lot of money on the library and fixing the Upton House through the Historical Commission. He felt this proposal is necessary and will be wonderful for the City. He added that he intends to vote in favor of this contract. Mayor Taylor felt that over the last several years the City has been emphasizing not only investments in material items, but also in their people and the community. He felt there is nothing more important than the 134,000 residents they serve, and there is a large segment of the population that is currently underrepresented. In talking with members of the African American community, they indicated they do not have a way for their voice to be heard. He added that if there are other coalitions that feel that way, they are welcome to let Council know. He felt this is not an expense as much as it is an investment, and he is confident there will be a large return on this investment. He is proud that PRAT International LLC has been chosen, and he is looking forward to working with them. Roll Call: Yes: Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor. No: None. The motion carried. 9. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for comments from the audience. • James Misko – voice concern about water bill, 8 percent higher than last water bill; why meters are being replaced when the current meters are still good; questioned how “snowbirds” will not have to pay for Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 22 water during winter months, but they still use a limited amount of water. Mayor Taylor requested that Mr. Misko stay after the meeting concludes so they can talk with him and get answers to his questions. 10. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool assured that after the meeting, he will get Mr. Misko’s address so they can make sure they do a thorough analysis of his water bill and explain whether there are any anomalies occurring. He explained that when they look at average monthly water and sewer bills for residential properties in Macomb County, Sterling Heights ranks the lowest. He cited some examples, noting the average bill in Fraser is $140, Utica’s average is just under $100, Shelby Township’s average is $79, Warren’s average is $67, and Sterling Heights is the lowest at an average of $64 per month. He explained they are moving to monthly billing, which allows residents to have greater control and for planning purposes rather than having to wait three months, especially when detecting a problem such as a leaky toilet. They are replacing meters because the existing meters are over thirty years old, and they want the ability to have electronic reads, automation, and newer technology that empowers users to better monitor and potentially control their water usage. He added they are developing dynamic pricing where they can use water at a more affordable cost based on the time of day in which it is utilized. He explained they have developed a water rate structure that is advantageous to the vast majority of users across the City, especially those who were penalized for irrigating during the summer months. He urged residents to go to the City’s Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 23 website for a complete explanation on the rate structure and new meters. He assured he is happy to answer questions if anyone reads this information and still has questions. He also urged residents to sign up online for paperless billing and budget billing, and he explained the advantages. He reiterated he will be happy to follow up with Mr. Misko to find out what is going on with his specific address. Mayor Taylor recalled they used to give a $26 discount on the summer water bills because not all of the water they were using for irrigation or pools was going into the sewers. They have changed the bill so they do not pay for the sewer services when they water outdoors because the sewer bill is based on winter consumption months. He explained the existing meters are so old, there is no longer any equipment being manufactured to read those meters. He clarified that even for residents who move to warmer climates during the winter months, there is still a minimum charge they will have to pay because there are fixed costs that have to be passed on to every user regardless of the amount of water they use. He noted it will be difficult to determine winter consumption for residents who do not live here during the winter months, but that can be explained in more detail. He assured decisions are made at these Council meetings, and they are always open to the public. He recalled this item being discussed extensively during Strategic Planning and during the budget hearings. Councilman Yanez thanked volunteers who came out for the Clinton River Watershed Council’s Annual Clean-Up. He stated they cleaned up a small area around the Senior Center up to Dodge Park, and they collected over twenty Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 24 pounds of trash. He added there will be more clean-ups, adding the Baumgartner Park clean-up is scheduled this week for anyone who would like to help. Councilman Radtke mentioned this meeting is being held on a Monday evening because the majority of the Council members are attending the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Conference this week, and he appreciated everyone deviating from their normal schedule for this reason. He added they hope to bring back a trophy for the best parks program. Councilwoman Ziarko commented that when she attends the MML meetings, they often use the City of Sterling Heights as a good example. She noted the speaker for Leadership Macomb referred to the great Safe Street Millage that was passed by the residents of Sterling Heights, and that is why this city has great roads. She mentioned a rally that she and some Council members took part in at the Ford Plant in Romeo in an effort to try to keep that plant open. She compared it to when the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) was going to close. The workers appreciated the support, knowing they have a long road ahead of them, but they were happy to have the support of the local governments and the County. They hope the plant can be refurbished and retooled, and that they can keep people working there. Councilwoman Koski stated when she pulls an item off of the Consent Agenda, it is because she wants discussion on it and wants the residents to know what they are doing. She apologized for the discussion taking so long tonight, but she Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 20, 2021 Page 25 wanted the residents to know where their money is going, and what will be achieved as a result. Mayor Taylor assured that each Council member can take as much time as they need, and on important issues, they generally each have an opportunity to speak, and if there is follow-up, they have a second opportunity to speak. He explained they do not get into a “back-and-forth” dialog, and for the purposes of their meeting, it proceeds better when each person speaks and does not get into a debate setting. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated that this Sunday, September 26, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the police departments from the City of Warren and the City of Sterling Heights will be playing a softball game at Jimmy John’s Field, and she encouraged everyone to come and show their support. She stated on October 3, 2021, there is an open house at Fire Station #4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., so she urged everyone to mark their calendars and attend the event. 10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 11. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 12. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. Kaszubski stated there are no items for closed session this evening. 13. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 8:33 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk