City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2024 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 Andrea Bara, Management Assistant, 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; Andrea Bara, Management Assistant; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the agenda as presented. Councilman Radtke requested that Consent Agenda Item 8-I be moved to Consideration Item 9-C. Yes: All (on amended agenda). The motion carried (7/0). 5. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool stated there is one more City Council meeting before July 4th, but he advised that City offices will be closed on Independence Day, and there will be a one-day delay in refuse pickup, so Thursday’s pickup will be on Friday, and Friday’s pickup will be on Saturday. He reminded everyone that the City enforces the State of Michigan’s fireworks laws, so consumer-grade fireworks are allowed to be discharged from June 29th through July 5th between the hours of 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., and only on private property with the permission of the property Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 2 owner. He specified they are not allowed in streets, on sidewalks, in parks, or on any public property. He noted they issue citations every year, and the Police Department does their best to enforce these laws. He noted there may be other communities that allow fireworks to be discharged on additional days, but Sterling Heights does not. He suggested anyone wanting more information on this can visit the City’s website to see the detailed list of requirements. Mr. Vanderpool informed that the Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Department is inviting roller skaters and roller bladers to come out to the Dodge Park Farmer’s Market Pavilion for Roller Nights, where they can skate with a live DJ, enjoy entertainment and food trucks, beginning on June 18th, July 16th, August 20th, and September 10th. Mr. Vanderpool informed a national ranking came out today, listing the fifty top safest and most affordable U.S. cities in which to live across the country, and the variables used for determining the ranking included median household income, household average mortgage cost, total monthly cost of living, property crimes, and violent crimes tracked directly through the FBI. He showed a list of the top fifteen communities nationwide, and he is pleased to announce that Sterling Heights ranked fourteenth, which is the highest ranking in the State of Michigan and the only Michigan city in the top fifteen. He noted they are comparable with premier communities that enjoy great reputations like the City of Sterling Heights. He stressed a lot of data has been shown that Sterling Heights receives a very favorable ranking when it comes to their tax rate and property taxes per capita. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 3 He felt this is a tribute to the good work of the men and women in their Police Department, who work hand-in-hand with residents. He also credited the City’s community outreach programs with residents, and emphasized it pays off. He talked about the difficult decisions that have been made by the Mayor and City Council over the years to assure adequate staffing on the road, especially when they consolidated their dispatch center with the County, and they also closed the City jail to consolidate with the County, allowing the City to hire seven sworn police officers to be put on the street. He hoped everyone would share pride in this great City. Mr. Vanderpool talked about economic development, noting the broad-based general category is led by Economic Development Advisor Luke Bonner, and it focuses on everything, making sure their large businesses such as Ford, Stellantis, GLS, and BAE are continuing to flourish in this community. It often involves unique programs and a lot of economic development strategies. He talked about the Lakeside redevelopment, and their team, consisting of himself, the Assistant City Manager, City Development Director, City Attorney, and many others, work on economic development activities every day, working hand-in-hand with their Local Development Finance Authority, their Corridor Improvement Authorities, their Brownfield Authority, and a major defense initiative by way of economic development that they will be sharing soon with the Mayor, City Council, and the community to focus more attention on protecting and growing the major defense assets they have in this City. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 4 Mr. Vanderpool invited Paula Macpherson with Velocity to talk about what they are doing to support and foster growth of their small businesses that need acceleration resources to help grow that environment. Paula Macpherson stated she is with Velocity and thanked everyone for the support they have given and continue to give at Velocity. She stated that last year, Velocity produced nineteen events, and twenty-eight partnered events. They also had seven events hosted by their tenants, and through all of these events, they brought in over 2,000 people. They bring in investment dollars to the businesses with which they are working, and they realized $4.8 million in investment for some of these businesses. They worked with seventy-four different clients and had twenty-six new businesses started. Their staff gave 428 hours of coaching, and they referred 372 entrepreneurs to other Smart Zones, either because they did not have the funding, or they were better served by someone else in the ecosystem. She talked about the new funding in 2024, including the $1.8 million grant from the Small Business Support Hub (SBSH), over a two-and-a-half-year spend-down. This grant allowed them to open their services to more than the traditional manufacturing, tech, Department of Defense (DOD), and aerospace. This is open to “main street businesses,” such as restaurants, consulting firms, childcare businesses, etc. They also have a Gateway Grant ($100,000), BAF ($30,000), Start- Up Space ($70,000), and they are looking at future opportunities. Ms. Macpherson talked about the impressive numbers they have so far in 2024, and they are on track in June to beat last year’s numbers. They brought in the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 5 following so far this year: BAF ($97,000), Technical Assistance Funding ($6,000), and Investments to Local Businesses throughout Macomb County ($3.8 million). They are expected to receive about $8 million this year. They have worked with fifty-nine companies so far this year, they created ten new companies with another dozen companies in front of the State, waiting to be approved. They have had fifteen new jobs created in the local economy, and they are projecting thirty-six total new jobs they are projecting will be created. In their Accelerator Program, they have fourteen Sterling Heights businesses they are working with out of a total of thirty-nine businesses. She stated they have three Sterling Heights entrepreneurs who just graduated from their first Business Builder Boot Camp, and they have eleven Sterling Heights entrepreneurs in their Incubator program. They have attracted four new companies to the local Sterling Heights economy. Ms. Macpherson talked about the local programming, including partnering with Michigan Founder’s Fund; Coffee and Conversation, where the topic is Michigan authors; partnering with NAMC to offer Donuts and Defense, which is a networking event geared at the DOD, along with manufacturers and those who work adjacent to the DOD space; partnering with UHY for Succession Planning; partnering with MMTC to bring in manufacturing classes; working with Comerica to put together funding training; working with Point Angels and Crowd Impact on a program this fall entitled “Early Stage Funding”; and another presentation around Pitch Deck Building and how to present themselves. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 6 Ms. Macpherson talked about the small business programming they offer, including the $1.8 million small business grant, which includes several different components. There are awards of cash, but there are also technical assistance awards as well. She provided the details of their Community Listening Program, their Women’s Business Builder Boot Camp, where they had fourteen graduates, and they will have fifteen in the next class. They partnered with Macomb County and will be hosting the Best of the Zest Pitch Competition for food manufacturers or packaged food providers. They will be starting 3 x 3 Pitch Night in October and will be holding that event quarterly. She explained that will be open to any entrepreneur in Macomb County. They will also be doing a Road Show, explaining that the $1.8 million grant that was awarded must be spread across the entire county, so they want to try to make it convenient to bring educational opportunities to other areas of the County. Ms. Macpherson talked about the partnerships they have, and they are always looking to work with the local Chambers, DDAs and Economic Development professionals, special interest organizations, community colleges and universities, fellow Smart Zones, banking and investment organizations, and other independent educational organizations. She provided some insight into what they are looking at for the future, including an internal focus group to determine some of the needs of their local manufacturers, as well as programming, training, grant opportunities, and the partnerships they need to forge to make that happen. They will continue with their educational grant opportunities for tech and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 7 manufacturing, and will offer boot camps for small businesses, as well as the educational grant opportunities. They need to produce a sustainability plan so they can determine how to keep what they are doing and maintain the momentum they have experienced at Velocity. Part of the MEDC’s requirement is to provide a sustainability plan, so they will be working through it. They will be working with their Economic Development team and their LDFA to create a plan that makes sense for everyone. Mr. Vanderpool thanked Ms. Macpherson and her team for doing an excellent job. He also thanked City Council, pointing out that Sterling Heights is the only city in Macomb County that has a collaboration center like this recognized by the State of Michigan, and it is exciting and a testament to their focus on economic development. He stated this concludes his report this evening. Mayor Taylor thanked Ms. Macpherson for her comprehensive update and data on the Velocity Center. He added it is nice to hear about the actual work being done and its impact on small businesses throughout Macomb County. 6. ORDINANCE INTRODUCTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider introduction of an ordinance amending Chapter 23 of the City Code, entitled Garbage and Refuse, to implement recycling requirements for multiple family dwellings. He invited Assistant City Attorney Alyssa M. Ericson to give a presentation. Assistant City Attorney Ayssa Ericson explained that on May 1st, the City implemented the new curbside cart service through Priority Waste. All residents Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 8 in the City residing in single-family and many residential condominium units have the ability to participate in weekly curbside collection of recyclables. Many multi- family complexes contract for refuse, the option for recycling may or may not be available to tenants or residents. In order to ensure that all residents have the option for recycling, the City Attorney’s office was tasked with researching and drafting an ordinance that amends Chapter 23 of the City Code to implement recycling requirements applicable to apartments, attached residential condominium complexes not receiving that service through Priority Waste, public housing, and other similar multiple-family housing developments. She explained they are not the first city to do this, and she cited other cities such as Ann Arbor that require recycling carts and dumpsters for multiple-family dwellings, depending upon the number of units. She cited Austin, Texas, and Norcross, Georgia, as two communities that require multiple-family developments submit a recycling plan to their respective city departments. She explained the proposed ordinance is similar to the model being used in Austin, Texas and Norcross, Georgia, in that it would require multiple-family developments submit an on-site recycling program plan for Department of Public Works approval. They would be required to contract with a state-licensed waste hauler in order to provide that recycling service. She explained this will take time to implement and inform property owners of the new requirements, the proposed ordinance would have varying deadlines as follows: Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 9 • New multi-family dwellings not receiving final site plan approval by July 1st of this year would be required to obtain that approval from DPW prior to getting their final site plan approval. • Existing multi-family dwellings that have fifty or more units, DPW approval would be required by July 1, 2025. • Existing multi-family dwellings that have between 25 and 49 units, DPW approval would be required before January 1, 2026. • Existing multi-family dwellings that have between 1 and 24 units, DPW approval would be required before July 1, 2026. She explained in proposing their recycling program, the proposed ordinance permits a lot of varying containers, which could include compactors, mechanical dumpsters, roll-off carts, or any other container that DPW deems acceptable in reviewing the proposed recycling program. All containers would be required to be clearly labeled as recycling containers, be provided by the multi-family property owner, and maintained in a clean, sanitary, and littler-free manner. It would also require that the containers be placed in a location at least as convenient to residents as refuse containers. An indoor common-area collection would also be allowed to be considered, as well as those she previously mentioned. Depending upon the option selected by the multiple-family development, there are various requirements in the proposed ordinance, citing the example that the mechanical recycling dumpsters would require screening, exterior roll-off cart banks would also be required to be on a concrete pad and behind some screening. This would be reviewed by DPW during the review process, and in reviewing them, DPW would consider the adequacy and location of the proposed containers, the number of pickups, and types of containers based Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 10 on the use and layout of the property. In the event a multiple-family property owner alleges a hardship in complying with these requirements, the proposed ordinance would allow that property owner to seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Zoning Board of Appeals would not be able to grant the variance unless the property owner was able to show that compliance would pose an undue hardship. She added that the proposed ordinance would also require that the multiple-family property owner or managing agent notify and educate the tenants about the recycling services available on site, both to new residents and also to existing tenants. Violation of any of these requirements would be a civil infraction, with the first violation fined $750, a first repeat offense fined $1,250, and a subsequent offense would be $2,500. She offered to answer questions, and she indicated that DPW Director Michael Moore is here tonight as well. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to introduce the ordinance amending Chapter 23 of the City Code, entitled Garbage and Refuse, to implement recycling requirements for multiple-family dwellings. Councilman Radtke stated he is very happy to see this come before Council. He questioned whether the recycling center has now been closed. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that it officially closed on April 30, 2024, which was the day prior to the new refuse contract going into effect. Councilman Radtke stated he is concerned because some of the multiple-family developments will not have recycling implemented for another two years. He Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 11 questioned why the last recycling center was closed prior to having recycling at all of these facilities, resulting in a gap in service. Mr. Moore stated they were counting the number of residents who came to the recycling center, and of those residents, he believed it was two percent of those were from apartment complexes. They made the decision for the masses, so ninety-eight percent of the community had recycling available to them the following day. Two percent of the people who came to the recycling center, equating to about fifteen to twenty residents, do not have it, but they were encouraged to talk with their property management companies and inquire about recycling. Councilman Radtke questioned how long it will take to implement this, and he further questioned whether some of these timelines could be shortened. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that they do not want to be overwhelming, and there will be some learning curve for the DPW, the City as a whole, and for the complexes that will be implementing this. He felt the ordinance as proposed provides some time for people to work with the service provider and provide that information to the DPW in a way so they will not be bombarded with everyone submitting plans at the same time. Councilman Radtke questioned how they will ensure the complexes have capacity to handle the recycling for their development, and how they will determine “the right size.” Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 12 Mr. Moore stated that is a great question, and they will have to determine whether to look at a certain capacity per unit. During this communication period with these complexes, they may inquire as to how many of their residents have shown an interest in recycling. He suggested this may involve a learning curve, and he does not have a definitive answer to that question at this time. He is confident that if it is not adequate, they will become aware of that fairly quickly, and they can make any necessary changes. Councilman Radtke was concerned that these complexes will low-ball the estimate because they do not want these containers on site and do not want the additional cost. He felt they need to decide that each unit will require a certain capacity, and they can then adjust if that calculation is over or under, but they need to establish a standard measure. He asked about implementing screening requirements for trash in a future ordinance since they are addressing screening requirements for recycling in this ordinance. Mr. Kaszubski explained that a lot of the site planning has already been done with regard to the screening for the dumpsters, so it is grandfathered in from their site plan approval. This ordinance will be addressing new recycling containers. He commented that their current standards are good, but all of these developments that have been in existence for twenty or thirty years have different layouts, so it will take some time for them to best implement this requirement. It is not about putting out a can or dumpster, but they have to determine whether their waste hauler has access to the areas in which they want to do this, so they will need to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 13 produce plans. They will look at best standards across the nation as to how much recycling is generated from renters in apartments to try to produce a good plan. In many instances, they are seeing complexes giving smaller containers to the residents so they can keep them in their units and bring them down to dump them into a common receptacle and take them back up to their apartments. There is a lot that goes into these plans, and he expressed confidence that DPW is well- positioned to handle it. Councilman Radtke pointed out the City now requires screening of all dumpsters, but in the complexes built over the last fifty years, many of them do not have any screening. He questioned whether they could implement screening of dumpsters on sites that do not have it. Mr. Kaszubski does not believe they can do that retroactively because the screening they are talking about is if they are going to use a new dumpster. Councilman Radtke pointed out the example of a complex that has dumpsters sitting on pads, and he questioned whether the City can make them place screening around the pads. Mr. Kaszubski replied to inquiry he would say no at the moment, based on their site plan, but he would look at potentially finding a way to do it, although he cannot answer that this evening. Councilman Radtke recalled Ms. Ericson comparing the proposed ordinance to that which was implemented in Norcross, Georgia. He questioned why they are not using something like Ann Arbor’s ordinance, which is closer to home. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 14 Ms. Ericson explained the Norcross, Georgia ordinance is focused more on the recycling program aspect and the uniqueness of every property, which their office thought was appropriate since they are applying this to existing apartments. She pointed out the developments in the City are not a “one size fits all.” She added that the Ann Arbor ordinance was more mandatory, and the containers were provided by the City, so it was different than the existing circumstance where it is not through curbside collection. Councilman Radtke appreciated that, and felt this is the best solution available, since the City chose not to recycle for so many years. He would like to see the 2026 timeline changed to 2025. He does not understand why they need two-and-a-half years. He explained that, with that being said, he is happy to support this ordinance. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether the complexes could choose their own vendor for the recycling. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that the complexes will have the ability to choose whatever private vendors they like. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether there are any complexes in Sterling Heights that are already doing the recycling on a voluntary basis. Mr. Moore stated that, while he does not know the names of the apartment complexes offhand, he indicated some have called and spoken about doing this on their own. Councilman Radtke commented that his complex is voluntarily offering recycling. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 15 Councilwoman Ziarko recalled receiving calls from churches that were using the recycling center, and they switched to Priority Waste prior to the City switching to Priority. She wanted to point this out on a positive note. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether any fines incurred will go to the owner of the apartment building, or to the management company. Ms. Ericson replied to inquiry that the proposed ordinance indicates that a citation could be issued to “any entities, owners, managers, or operators.” Councilwoman Schmidt questioned the length of time takes place between the first offense and the second offense. Ms. Ericson replied to inquiry that a second violation could be issued the next day. Councilwoman Schmidt mentioned that Warren Consolidated Schools already recycles, and they have a great recycle program handled by the leadership kids. They are on board and use Priority Waste. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether there are plans to deal with commercial properties. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that there are no plans to deal with commercial properties at this time with regard to recycling. He believed the focus now is the residential areas, but they have not yet had discussions on the commercial side. He replied to further inquiry that no one has contacted him for information on it. Mayor Taylor questioned whether Mr. Moore has any idea as to what this service typically costs. He understands they are dealing with a wide range of different types of multi-family dwellings and numbers of units. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 16 Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that he has not looked into what the costs would be, but it will depend upon what type of service is needed and how many residents need to be serviced. Mayor Taylor questioned whether Priority Waste would be able to service an apartment complex that opts to receive the recycling carts that have already been provided to single-family homeowners, and whether they would do that under the current contract. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that would have to be a separate contract, and he did not believe they would be able to use the City-contracted costs. Councilman Radtke explained that his condominium complex contracts with Priority Waste for dumpster service, and they offered to provide recycling carts like the single-family homeowners received. They dropped off the carts, stating it was part of their service. They dropped off two carts for each building, and there are eight units per building. He explained they are testing it now. He replied to further inquiry that they have excess parking spaces, so the carts are placed in a marked- off area that is normally a “loading” area, but it is in the area near the dumpsters. He stated their refuse is picked up on Tuesdays, and they pick up the recycling as well on the same day. He added that, because the City contracted with Priority, their complex was forced to change from GFL to Priority Waste, although he does not know why. He was told by the Chair of their Condominium Board that the residents wanted to change to Priority, and that recycling is not an additional expense for their complex, but he would have to confirm it. He replied to further Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 17 inquiry that there are 120 units in his apartment complex, and there are approximately two hundred parking spaces. Mayor Taylor commented that he is not comfortable condensing the timeline because it will take a while to get through this process. He questioned the City’s plan for notifying apartment/condominium complexes and their owners and/or property managers of this ordinance change. Mr. Kaszubski stated that if this is adopted, they would roll out an education program to all of the apartment/condominium complexes that are not receiving curbside pickup and informing them of the ordinance change. They would request to meet with the management company or their ownership to talk about the ordinance and its requirements. They would set up meetings and explain the process. He emphasized it is all about education, which is why they started with the larger complexes so they could get the most impact. He assured if they can do it faster, they will, assuring they want to engage the residents and look at this as quickly as possible, but they want to make sure there is sufficient time. Mayor Taylor questioned whether this ordinance would require the apartment/condominium complex to provide education to their residents on an ongoing basis. Mr. Kaszubski replied affirmatively, noting when a new resident comes in, they would be given a flyer to inform them of the recycling. Mayor Taylor pointed out the ordinance specifies that “all existing tenants and residents of multi-family dwelling property, subject to this article, shall be Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 18 provided, at least annually, the general recycling information and current program recycling guidelines by the property owner or managing agent of the property.” He indicated those residents would have to receive something on an annual basis to tell them to recycle and how to do it. Mr. Kaszubski stated that can be done in a newsletter. He replied to inquiry that if the property owner or managing agent does not do this, they could be fined. Councilman Radtke confirmed that his complex sends this information out every year. Mayor Taylor questioned how this affects a development that is currently going through the planning process and has been proposed but not yet approved. Mr. Kaszubski explained they knew this ordinance was coming, so they have been talking about this in their general development meetings. The developers have been very receptive because residents want this, so often recycling has already been incorporated into the plans. For anything that does not have site plan approval by July 1st, they would be required to meet these standards. Mayor Taylor noted the larger complexes have to comply within twelve months, whereas the medium-sized complexes have eighteen months, and the smaller complexes have twenty-four months. He questioned the rationale behind the deadlines, adding it would seem to be more cumbersome for larger complexes to come into compliance. Mr. Kaszubski replied to inquiry that the larger complexes have the system in place to work through this and will be able to do it easier, whereas the smaller Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 19 complexes will take more time to determine how they will do it. The larger complexes are business-run, but the smaller developments are still “mom-and- pop” associations, so giving them more time to figure this out made sense to them. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 7. ORDINANCE ADOPTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to adopt the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2023/24 fiscal year. He opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adopt the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2023/24 fiscal year. Councilwoman Ziarko stated this was presented very well and she has no questions. She commended Ms. Varney on doing a great job. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 8. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the revised Consent Agenda, with the exception of Item 8-I. He opened the floor for public comments, 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 June 4, 2024 Regular Meeting. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $919,699.57, Water & Sewer Fund - $1,471,219.54, Other Funds - $1,439,500.97, Total Checks - $3,830,420.08. C. RESOLVED, to approve the purchase of excess workers compensation insurance from Midwest Employers Casualty Company through CompOne Administrators, Inc. / FDI Risk Managers, Inc. for a two-year period at an Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 20 estimated annual cost of $115,027 and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval. D. RESOLVED, to purchase three (3) Subsite® Utiligard 2 utility locating systems and accessories from The Charles Machine Works, Inc. - Ditch Witch Division, 1959 West Fir Avenue PO Box 66, Perry, OK 73077 at competitive pricing available through Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract no. 110421-CMW at a total cost of $16,534.92. E. RESOLVED, to approve the professional services agreement between the city of Sterling Heights and Identity Marketing & Public Relations, LLC, 300 Park St #265, Birmingham, MI 48009, and authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement on behalf of the City. F. RESOLVED, to approve the subscription services agreement between the city of Sterling Heights and Library Systems & Services, LLC, 2600 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20852 for the LibraryIQ data analytics software platform and authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement on behalf of the City. G. RESOLVED, to purchase maintenance, repair, and operating supplies from: 1. Home Depot, U.S.A., Inc., 2455 Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339, at pricing available through the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance contract #16154 through December 31, 2024; and 2. W.W. Grainger, Inc., 5617 Enterprise Drive, Lansing, MI 48911, at pricing available through the state of Michigan's MiDeal cooperative purchasing program contract #180000000689 through December 31, 2024. H. RESOLVED, to approve the application by Ace Pyro, LLC, for a fireworks display permit on Friday, July 19th, 2024 at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom Hill County Park, 14900 Metropolitan Parkway, subject to a final inspection by personnel of the Sterling Heights Fire Department, and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval. I. This item was moved to Consideration 9-C. J. RESOLVED, to award the bid for 2024 Push-Button Flashing Beacon Crosswalk Improvements, City Project #24-435 to J. Ranck Electric, Inc., 1993 Gover Parkway, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, at unit prices bid. K. RESOLVED, to purchase the suite of software licenses from Core Technology Corporation, PO Box 74008484, Chicago, IL 60674-8484, necessary to access and interface with the Law Enforcement Information Network for the period July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025 at a total cost of $12,942. L. RESOLVED, to approve the Subscription Services Agreement between the city of Sterling Heights and LeadsOnline, LLC, 6900 Dallas Parkway, Suite 825, Plano, TX 75024, for the LeadsOnline PowerPlus Investigation System Service Package at a first year cost of $16,463, with annual increases for Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 21 subscription year two and three not to exceed 3%, and authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement on behalf of the City. M. RESOLVED, to approve the purchase of fourteen (14) Sierra Wireless AirLink XR80 5G routers, 10 in 1 dome antennas, and Network Ready Provisioning Services from Wireless Investors, LLC, d/b/a Ensemble Solutions Group, 1855 East Southern Avenue Suite 215. Mesa, AZ 85204, at a total cost of $24,815.98. N. RESOLVED, to waive the competitive bidding requirement in accordance with City Code §2-217(A)(9)(b) and approve the contract between the city of Sterling Heights and Zuniga Cement Construction, Inc., 22500 Ryan Road Warren, MI 48091, for the 2024 Local Road Concrete Reconstruction Program, City Project #24-428, in the amount of $2,931,034 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all documentation required in conjunction with this approval. O. RESOLVED, to receive the lawsuit, Robert Young v. City of Sterling Heights / Sterling Heights Police Department; 41A District Court Case No. S-24- 1377-GZ. P. RESOLVED, to set the public hearing on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. regarding the application by the Chaldean Community Foundation for a mixed use Planned Unit Development on approximately 2.0 acres situated on the east side of Van Dyke, north of Riverland Drive; PPUD24- 0002. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 9. CONSIDERATION A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider approval of a collective bargaining agreement and memorandums of understanding between the City of Sterling Heights and the Local 1917 of the International Union of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and Council #25, Department of Public Works Supervisory Employees for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028. He invited Mr. Vanderpool to give a presentation. Mr. Vanderpool explained the current agreement is about to expire, and he highlighted the high points of the agreement in front of them this evening and answer any questions Council may have. The term is four years, from July 1, 2024 Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 22 through June 30, 2028, and the wages are very competitive for not only recruitment and attraction of talent, but also the retention of their existing employees in this group. There are increases to the starting wage for all classifications, increases to the top step for all wage classifications, and they condensed the wage steps from seven to three. In addition, the new wage scale will result in a base wage increase in the first year of ten percent, which seems like a large number, but everyone has been paying attention to what has been going on in the inflationary environment, and this group of employees got caught in the middle of that with their existing agreement. They felt it was fair to address this due to inflationary pressures. The increases in the following years are as follows: 1 percent in 2025; 1.5 percent in 2026; and 1.5 percent in 2027. Mr. Vanderpool explained their defined contribution is the equivalent of a 401A or a 401K in the private sector. The City has closed its fixed pension plans and moved to a 401K-style plan, saving the City tens of millions of dollars in the long term. The deferred compensation contribution will increase from 5.5 percent to 10 percent in the fourth year of the contract. In addition, the City’s annual contribution to the post-employment health plan will increase from $2,000 to $2,500. He commented that the City also closed its traditional health care plan so instead they contribute to a savings account for retiree health care, which has also saved the City tens of millions of dollars, so the $500 increase is reasonable. He pointed out that if an employee works here for thirty years, the $2,500 annually will add up, plus they can contribute their own amounts, so by the time they end their employment, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 23 they will be in a position to fund their retiree health care costs. The City self-insures for medical coverage for their employees, which means the City pays directly for medical-related claims rather than health plan premiums. They have saved millions of dollars by self-insuring. A healthier workforce that actively engages in health management through preventative measures translates to not only better health outcomes, but lower overall health care claims for the City. He explained they are offering an Annual Health Assessment Incentive, which is a new benefit, has been agreed to and provides members a financial incentive of $750 for the member, and $500 for a member’s spouse to undergo an annual physical and health risk assessment at the City’s onsite health center. He felt this will reduce their healthcare costs and provide a healthier workforce. He explained that all of the other monetary and insurance benefits remain at the levels under the current expiring collective bargaining agreement (CBA). He acknowledged the good faith effort exhibited by the DPW Supervisory team and also the City’s negotiating team, led by Assistant City Manager Jeff Bahorski that led to the agreement presented tonight. He respectfully requested Council’s approval of the new CBA. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comment, but no one spoke. Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, approve the collective bargaining agreement between the city of Sterling Heights and AFSCME Local 1917 DPW Supervisory Employees for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2028 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all documents in conjunction with this approval. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 24 Councilwoman Ziarko stated she is glad they reached the agreement before the current contract expires. She felt it is a very competitive contract, which is where they have to be, and she is glad they could meet all of these requirements. Councilman Radtke congratulated the City on an excellent contract. He stated he is excited for the health assessment to get more of their employees into the clinic they have at City Hall. He hopes it will help them in their health outcomes, in addition to having them receive a little bonus if they get assessed. He is happy to vote for this contract. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski echoed Councilman Radtke’s comments that this health incentive is a step in the right direction. They need to keep their employees healthy, and this may help those who do not already have good health habits. She felt the employees should be happy with this contract. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). B. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider appointments to City of Sterling Heights Boards and Commissions. He opened the floor for public comment, but no one spoke. Appointment to Planning Commission: Mayor Taylor stated there are three members on the Planning Commission who are requesting reappointment, and this is a mayoral appointment to terms ending June 30, 2027. He stated he would appreciate if someone would make a motion to reappoint Geoffrey Gariepy, Pashko Ujkic, and Brandy Wright to the Planning Commission. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 25 Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to reappoint Geoffrey Gariepy, Pashko Ujkic, and Brandy Wright to the Planning Commission to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski commented that they are all doing a very good job, and she is happy to reappoint them. Councilman Radtke agreed. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Board of Ordinance Appeals 1: Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, to appoint Robert Ervin and Julie Hoff- Windhorst to the Board of Ordinance Appeals I to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Councilman Radtke stated both appointees have been serving on the Board of Ordinance Appeals and take their responsibilities seriously to make sure the City looks good, so he is happy to reappoint them. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Board of Ordinance Appeals II – Alternate: Mayor Taylor stated there is one alternate and two full members, so they will start with the alternate. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Lillian Jacobs to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II - Alternate to a term ending June 30, 2026, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 26 Councilman Radtke stated that Ms. Jacobs is a member of the African American Coalition and wants to get more involved in the City. He felt this is an excellent appointment. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Board of Ordinance Appeals II: Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Michael Stickney and Steven Ujkic to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated they are both doing a good job, and she would like to see them continue on this Board. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Board of Review: Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to appoint John Hages and Patrick Rye to the Board of Review to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski wished both appointees well and thanked them both for doing a good job. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Zoning Board of Appeals: Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Derek D’Angelo and Pashko Ujkic to the Zoning Board of Appeals to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 27 Councilman Radtke commented that he knows both individuals, they have both previously served as Chair of this board, they both care a great deal about it, and they do a great job. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Corridor Improvement Authority: Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Robert Artymovich and (2) Richard Leja to the Corridor Improvement Authority to terms ending June 30, 2028, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Councilman Radtke questioned, since the City now has more than one Corridor Improvement Authority, whether they are going to rename them. Mr. Kaszubski replied they will do so in the future. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Economic Development Corporation/Brownfield Authority: Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Kathryn Jiles and (2) Lauren Tackett to the Economic Development Corporation/Brownfield Authority to terms ending June 30, 2030, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski wishes them both well. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Ethnic Community Committee: Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Abbott Basal, (2) Kozeta Elzhenni, (3) Susan Kattula, and (4) Iqbal Singh to the Ethnic Community Committee to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 28 Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Local Development Finance Authority: Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Mike Balsamo, (2) Phillip Hunsberger, (3) Steven Pomaville, (4) Howard Sizemore, and (5) Jill Tomyn to the Local Development Finance Authority to terms ending June 30, 2028, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Arts Commission: Moved by Yanez, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Barbara Chudzik and (2) Jessica Conti to the Arts Commission to terms ending June 30, 2028, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Beautification Commission: Mayor Taylor stated there are three members seeking reappointments and one open seat. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Steven Duncan, (2) Susan Hobig, (3) Gary Isom, and (4) Christopher R. Goeddeke to the Beautification Commission to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried. Appointment to Board of Code Appeals: There was no motion made for appointment to the Board of Code Appeals, so Council moved on at this point. Appointment to Citizen Advisory Committee/CDBG: Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 29 Motion by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Kozeta Elzhenni, (2) Julianna Hardiman, (3) Naketa Jones, (4) Benjamin Orjada, (5) Grace Pedrie, (6) Jeanne Schabath-Lewis, and (7) Shawn Taylor to the Citizens Advisory Committee/CDBG to terms ending June 30, 2025, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to commUNITY Alliance: Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Sandy DelVillano-Marchi and (2) Richard Rubba to the commUNITY Alliance to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Historical Commission: Mayor Taylor stated three members are seeking reappointment and two seats are open. He added that one of the open seats has a term ending June 30, 2025, and the other has a term ending June 30, 2027. The term for the three members seeking reappointment is June 30, 2027. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Nicholas Cavalli, (2) John Connor, and (3) Theresa Krol to the Historical Commission to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Councilman Radtke stated they currently on the Historical Commission and have done a great job. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Theresa Leslie- Robinson to the Historical Commission to a term ending June 30, 2025, subject to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 30 the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Councilman Radtke stated that Ms. Leslie-Robinson came highly recommended and has been attending events. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Moved by Radtke, RESOLVED, to appoint Kyle Schimeck to the Historical Commission to a term ending June 30, 2026, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Taylor clarified that the term ends June 30, 2027, and he requested that Councilman Radtke withdraw his motion and indicated he can make another motion with the correct date. He added that the motion was not seconded. Councilman Radtke withdrew his motion. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Kyle Schimeck to the Historical Commission to a term ending June 30, 2027, 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 (7/0). Appointment to 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, 2027, 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 (7/0). Appointment to Solid Waste Management Commission: Mayor Taylor stated there are two members seeking reappointment to terms ending June 30, 2027. There is one open seat with a term ending June 30, 2026. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 31 Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Lillian Jacobs to the Solid Waste Management Commission to a term ending June 30, 2026, 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 (7/0). Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Henrietta Baczewski and (2) Zachary Overman to the Solid Waste Management Commission to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Sustainability Commission: Mayor Taylor stated there are four seats, with an open seat for a term ending June 30, 2027. There are two members seeking reappointment and there is an open ex- officio member. Moved by Yanez, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Nathan Inks, (2) Naketa Jones, and (3) Cathleen Francois to the Sustainability Commission to terms ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Councilman Yanez stated he has known Ms. Francois for about a decade. She is in the audience tonight, and she is a writer, having written for Greening Detroit for many years, and formerly a staff writer for the City’s magazine. She is a veteran of the United States Navy. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Nethanya Fonseka to the Sustainability Commission as an Ex Officio member to a term ending June 30, 2027, subject to the appointee meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 32 Councilman Radtke explained Ms. Fonseka is an Ex-Officio member because she is a minor but has actively been attending and participating in Sustainability Commission meetings since September 2023. He talked about all of the activities in which she has participated. He felt that is tremendous and he is happy to have her on board. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appointment to Youth Advisory Board: Mayor Taylor stated there are eight members seeking reappointment, leaving five open seats. They have a couple of applicants. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint (1) Yousif Adnan, (2) Kayla Beauchamp, (3) Klaudia Brakoniecki, (4) Dron Datta, (5) Christopher Dejonckheere, (6) Sunyia Jabeen, (7) Lauren Sanchez, (8) Grace Simon, (9) Zeina Faour, and (10) Sarah Thomas to the Youth Advisory Board to terms ending June 30, 2025, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski apologized for mispronouncing the names. She commended the youth who want to be involved in government. Councilman Radtke stated he is amazed by the qualifications and the resumes of the members of the Youth Advisory Board. He stressed the City appreciates the work these young people do. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she has the opportunity to be with juniors and seniors all day at work, and she questioned if they have other students interested in this board, is it possible for them to apply and be appointed during the school year. Mayor Taylor replied affirmatively. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 33 Councilwoman Schmidt commented that she has a couple of students who expressed interest, and she felt they would be great additions. Mr. Kaszubski explained that as they have openings, they can fill them, and that can happen during the school year. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). There were no recommendations for appointments to the three vacant seats at this time, so Mayor Taylor recommended that the appointments to the vacant seats on the Youth Advisory Board be postponed to the August 7th regular City Council meeting. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to postpone three appointments to the Youth Advisory Board to the August 7, 2024 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Appoint to Board of Code Appeals: Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to postpone the appointment to the Board of Code Appeals to the July 16, 2024 regular City Council meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Mayor Taylor thanked all of these people who mostly volunteer their time to serve on a board or commission are greatly appreciated by this City Council, the employees, City Administration, and any resident who understands how much these people mean in making this a great city. He thanked them for their service to the community, and he encouraged anyone interested in serving on a board or Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 34 commission to stop by the City Clerk’s Office or go online and fill out an application. C. Mayor Taylor stated this was previously Consent Agenda Item 8-I. He opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to award the bid for the 2024 Sidewalk Replacement Program, City Project #24-432, to Luigi Ferdinandi & Son Cement Co. Inc., 16481 Common Road, Roseville, MI 48066 at unit prices bid, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all documents required in conjunction with this project on behalf of the City. Councilman Radtke stated he pulled this item from the Consent Agenda to talk about the cost of their current Sidewalk Replacement Program. He explained the City replaces sidewalks that are in disrepair, as well as filling gaps. He explained that the average assessment for property owners in Sterling Heights is just over $1,000 per homeowner for the homes that are detailed in tonight’s packet. He noted it was a little over $800 per homeowner last year. There is a proposal on the ballot coming up in November that would take the sidewalk program back to the City, and they would no longer assess the homeowners. He requested that everyone carefully look at this proposal, because if it passes in November, the homeowners would not be assessed these fees. He explained how they go through the city and evaluate the sidewalks, choosing one segment of the city each year. They also evaluate damaged sidewalks that have come to their attention from homeowners calling in complaints, and any repair that is a priority. Prices for cement are going up, and he recalled when he was first elected, the price was about $72 for a five-foot square of sidewalk; however, that same sidewalk Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 35 square now costs over $170. He requested that Mr. Vanderpool talk about the program to explain the benefits and why they are placing this on the ballot this fall. Mr. Vanderpool provided some background information on the ballot proposal. A couple of months ago, the City Council, in a follow-up to the Visioning 2030 Plan, approved the Visioning 2040 Plan, which centers on sustainability with a number of guiding principles. This involved engaging with the community, asking the businesses and residents the type of community they would like to see in 2040, and how the City activates that plan. He noted a lot of the initiatives take time and thoughtful consideration. At the last meeting, City Council approved an activation plan for the Visioning 2040 Plan, and that is a ballot initiative that will be on the November Presidential ballot for the community to decide whether or not they want to invest in the future in a number of categories. He talked about the five primary categories: • Reforestation - to increase the tree canopy from its current nineteen percent to get closer to where they should be at forty percent; • Open Space Land Preservation – to preserve open space through a land bank so the City can acquire property, and this proposal would provide funding for that land bank. • New Park Development – three major park developments, with one at Belvedere Park, a historic area just north of Rotary Park; a canoe/kayak livery to take further advantage of the Clinton River; development of Red Run Park in the southeast quadrant of the City, which would connect to Baumgartner Park and the Iron Belle Trail System, and would provide pathways, a dog park, pickleball courts, which would service thousands of residents. • An Indoor Pickleball Facility – pickleball is becoming more and more popular, and there is a demand for more pickleball courts, so this would Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 36 provide an indoor opportunity for residents to play pickleball throughout the year in an indoor environment. • Pathways – these would traverse through the 85-acre Nature Preserve in the northwest quadrant of the City, noting there is not currently a way to access it for educational programming for students and others; this would provide pathways, lookout points, and educational opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the thousands of species and wildlife. A big part of this element is converting sidewalks from the Special Assessment program to the City millage, so they will continue to build out sidewalks, connect gaps, and repair sidewalks, but instead of paying for them through Special Assessments, they will be paid for through the millage. Mr. Vanderpool elaborated on the sidewalk program that would be a part of this millage. He explained that the average Special Assessment for the sidewalk repair this year is $1,102 but some of the bills will be nearly $3,500. There are over 1,200 residents in the Special Assessment program this year alone, and those individuals will not be happy when they get a bill next year for an average of $1,100. He emphasized it is not an equitable way to repair sidewalks, so if this ballot initiative is approved in November, those bills would be reduced to an average of $95 for those homeowners, and that amount would be the cost for all of initiatives included in this ballot proposal. This proposal will cost $95 per year for the average home in Sterling Heights. He pointed out that for those who are not in the Special Assessment program this year, there is a good chance they will be in it within the next few years, so moving it to a tax levy is more equitable. Councilman Radtke thanked Mr. Vanderpool for the explanation. He pointed out that moving from a Sidewalk Special Assessment program to a sidewalk millage is more equitable, it allows the City to repair sidewalks faster and cheaper because Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 37 they get unit pricing, and it cuts the red tape because there will be less objection from homeowners who would have received these large amounts through a Special Assessment on their property. He stressed the price of cement will continue to rise, and shifting to a millage will make their community walkable, pedestrian friendly, and fairer to all residents. He urged residents to support the ballot initiative this November. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Moved by Radtke, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution as required by §48.6(E) of the City Code for those properties included within the 2024 Sidewalk Replacement Program, City Project #24-432. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 10. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments. • Unidentified resident – commented that he received a ticket for weeds in his garden; he was given twenty-four hours to take care of it, but he was on a work trip, and he now has a $184 bill from the City; questioned what recourse he has. Mayor Taylor explained that the City Council does not engage in a back-and-forth discussion during this portion of the meeting, but he assured they take notes and can either respond after this portion of the meeting ends, or individually if the resident would leave his contact information with the City Clerk. 11. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool addressed the comment from the citizen who just spoke, and explained the City has a very proactive property maintenance code. They have sixteen inspectors in the City, inspecting properties every day. They also have Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 38 contractors who help the City out with compliance. Pursuant to state statute, when grass exceeds six inches, they provide notice to residents, and they are given twenty-four hours to mow the grass. If the resident contacts the City to request a little more time or there are extenuating circumstances, the City works with residents and businesses. If they do not hear from the resident in that time period, the contractor generally cuts the property within the next day or two, and those properties are billed accordingly. He explained this is one way the community is kept looking neat and orderly, and it involves a lot of code enforcement, such as lawn mowing, fixing driveways, broken gutters, broken windows, peeling paint, disrepair of roofs, etc. He emphasized that, to keep a community of this size in good shape and keep property values strong, this type of proactive effort is required. He assured the resident who spoke that they would be happy to look at this case, and if it is a first-time incident, they have some options to reduce administrative fees. He assured that since the resident has provided his name and number, the City will get back with him. Councilman Yanez questioned whether the City is going to start an audit program to monitor the quality of recyclables. If they take part in an audit program, he would like to know what that program looks like, and a timeline on it. He requested that Administration get back to him about an audit program for recycling, which he referred to as a red-tag program. He addressed the education portion of recycling, pointing out they have a number of resources to help citizens with proper recycling, including resources from EGLE in Lansing, a recycling Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 39 specialist at the EGLE office in Warren, and they have the facilities to host an in- person program as well as producing a video for people to watch online. He suggested that may be a resource for the multi-family properties to direct their residents to watch the online video. He stated, without objection, he would like City Council to direct City Administration to plan some form of recycling education program. Councilwoman Ziarko stated she has no objection, but she felt Priority Waste should be included in that educational program. Councilman Yanez agreed that Priority Waste should be included. Mayor Taylor recalled that Priority Waste agreed to take part in the education. Mr. Vanderpool stated these are good ideas, and they are currently working on a townhall-style educational recycling program, where they will bring in numerous speakers, many of whom Councilman Yanez mentioned. In addition, they will update and push out the videos. He will get an update on the audit program and agreed it is time to start checking and tagging where there are problems. He stated he will provide that update to City Council. Councilman Radtke recalled talking about possibly offering a program to purchase yard waste bins and reduce costs for the first bin because this is a new program. He inquired as to an update on the bins. Mr. Vanderpool replied to inquiry that is a program they are still fine-tuning and hope to have it rolled out in a couple of weeks. Much like the program the City offers for the purchase of street trees, where residents can buy them at a discount, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 40 they would like to offer a similar program for yard waste carts. They are going through that now, determining the amount, because the brown yard waste bins are expensive at $110 each. They will offer a discount program for a period of time, and he hopes that people will take advantage of it, but they need a couple more weeks to finalize the program. Councilman Radtke thanked Mr. Vanderpool and felt the residents will be appreciative of this program. Councilwoman Schmidt suggested that if they are going to hold an educational townhall meeting on recycling, they should consider waiting until fall to hold this event. She felt they would have better attendance than they would during the vacation season. She understands it is a priority to get this done, but she felt the more people they have in attendance, the better. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski commented on the Music In The Park program. The attendance for the first week was phenomenal, and the second week was still high. She urged residents to continue to come out for this weekly event, and this week’s performance will be My Best Friend’s Girl, which is the title of the 1980s cover band for The Karz. She also reminded everyone to stay safe and hydrated during this extreme heat, and there are cooling centers for those with no air conditioning. She urged everyone to stay as cool as they can. 12. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 13. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Page 41 14. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. Kaszubski stated are no items for Closed Session this evening. 15. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). The meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk