DELTA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

May 1, 2007

                                          

                                           Escanaba, Michigan

 

     A Regular meeting of the Delta County Board of Commissioners was held this date, pursuant to the following call:

 

                                           April 26, 2007

The Honorable Members of the Delta             

County Board of Commissioners

 

Dear Commissioners:

     A Regular Meeting of the Delta County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday May 1, 2007, at 5:15 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom of the Delta County Courthouse.

 

                                           Sincerely yours,

                                                Nancy J. Kolich

                                                Delta County Clerk

ROLL CALL

PRESENT:   Commissioners Bengry, Elegeert, Rivard, Ruohomaki and Schultz.

ABSENT:    None.

          The meeting was called to order at 5:15 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom of the Delta County Courthouse by County Clerk Kolich.

              

   V.  APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING     

       Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to approve the minutes of the April 17, 2007 meeting.     MOTION CARRIED.

 

  VI.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA

       Moved by Commissioner Bengry and seconded by Commissioner Rivard to add New Business item 9. Grandfather Duane Buckland’s MERS Retirement.  MOTION CARRIED.

       Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to approve the agenda.  MOTION CARRIED.

           

 VII.  PRESENTATATION OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS

        A. Received: 

           1.  Letter from Wells Township re: Zoning

 

        B. Forwarded:

           1. Copy of letter to Wells Township re: Zoning

 

 VIII. REPORTS OF STANDING AND STATUTORY SPECIAL COMMITTEES AND OTHERS

1.    Department of Human Services minutes of 2-26-07

2.    Solid Waste Management Authority minutes of 2-27-07

3.    Airport Advisory Board minutes of 2-27-07 & 4-11-07

4.    Parks Commission minutes of 2-28-07 & 3-28-07

5.    Road Commission minutes of 3-12-07 & 3-26-07

 

VIII. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES AND OTHERS.      

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Rivard that the Communications and Reports of Standing and Statutory Committees and the Reports of Special Committees and Others be received and placed on file.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

IX.   PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS

      Duane Buckland addressed the Board thanking the Board upon his retirement.

      Bob Berbohm, Wells Township resident, addressed the Board with his frustrations regarding the inability of Wells Township residents to get building permits. 

 

 

 X.  COMMITTEE REPORTS:

1. Administrator’s Report.

   2. Property Purchase Offer.

           Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to sell 7 acres of County property south of the DATA bus garage.

 

 ROLL CALL    BENGRY    YES

              ELEGEERT  YES

              RIVARD    YES

RUOHOMAKI YES

SCHULTZ   YES

           MOTION CARRIED.

 

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to give permission to the Administrator to have the property surveyed and work with our attorney to finalize a sale agreement for the Board’s consideration.

 

 

ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

              ELEGEERT  YES

              RIVARD    YES

RUOHOMAKI YES

SCHULTZ   YES

         MOTION CARRIED.

 

          Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to receive the Administrator’s report and place on file.  MOTION CARRIED.

    

  XI. GENERAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS

 

      A.  UNFINISHED BUSINESS

          1.  Recommendations from Committee of the Whole meeting.       A.  Finance

              1. Airport PFC Fund, end of year disposition.

              Moved by Commissioner Bengry and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki that a committee made up of Administrator Erickson, Airport Manager Ness and Treasurer Buckland to bring back a recommendation to the Board.  MOTION CARRIED.              

   

              2. Parks Due to funds.

             Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to put the $14,181 due the County from the Parks would be put into a Park’s Capitol Improvement fund which would collect interest to the fund as non-precedent setting.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

     B.  Personnel

          2.  Maintenance Director.

         Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki that Administrator Erickson interview the 6 applicants recommended by the Personnel Committee for the Maintenance Director position and choose a candidate to present to the Board.

 

ROLL CALL     BENGRY    NO

              ELEGEERT  YES

              RIVARD    YES

RUOHOMAKI YES

SCHULTZ   YES

         MOTION CARRIED.

 

          2.  Airport Manager’s Contract.

         Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Rivard to approve the contract between the County and the Airport Manager with the amendment to page 5 vacation schedule.   MOTION CARRIED

 

          3.  Appointment to Pathways Board.

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Rivard to re-appoint Jimmy Bruce to the Pathways Board.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

 B.  NEW BUSINESS

1.  Payment of Bills.

          Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to approve payment of the bills of April 17th in the amount of $ 174,333.77.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

          2.  Road Commission Resolution.

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to adopt a Bond Authorizing Resolution – Michigan Transportation Fund Refunding Bonds Series 2007 for the Road Commission bonds, as presented, the Road Commission adopted a resolution recommending and approving issuance of County of Delta Michigan Transportation Fund Refunding Bonds.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

          3.  Appointment to Road Commission.

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to proceed by each board member choosing their top 3 candidates until a concensus for the top 2 candidates is reached, as recommended by Administrator Erickson.   

 

ROLL CALL     BENGRY    NO

              ELEGEERT  YES

              RIVARD    YES

RUOHOMAKI YES

SCHULTZ   YES

          MOTION CARRIED.

 

          Rory Mattson and Albert Keskimaki were the two candidates who were chosen by concensus of the Board.

 

 

4.  Discussion of ORV Ordinance.

            Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to send a letter Mr. LaBeau stating comments made at meeting and that the Sheriff’s Department will make a continued effort to patrol that area.  MOTION CARRIED.  

 

          5. Request from Hughes and Havinga Ins. Re: Health Insurance Issue.

          Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to refer to next Committee of the Whole meeting to for discussion of insurance concerns.  MOTION CARRIED 3 to 2.

 

          6. Policy for Per diem and mileage payments for County Board Members.

          Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Rivard to authorize Board Secretary Nora Viau and Administrator Erickson to prepare a document a standard guideline for the Board’s review.   MOTION CARRIED.

 

          7.  Executive Session: Litigation.

          Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to move into executive session at 7:21 p.m. with attorney Terry Burkhardt for the purpose of discussing pending litigation and settlement.

 

ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

               RIVARD    YES

                        RUOHOMAKI YES

                        SCHULTZ   YES

                         ELEGEERT  YES

          MOTION CARRIED.  

 

          Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to reconvene at 7:51 p.m.  MOTION CARRIED.

 

No actions were taken during executive session.

    

          8.  Intergovernmental Compact Regarding Temporary Zoning Administration.

          Moved by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to approve a concurrent resolution Intergovernmental Compact Regarding Temporary Zoning Administration immediately effective upon Wells Township approval. 

          ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

                        RIVARD    YES

                        RUOHOMAKI YES

                        SCHULTZ   YES

                        ELEGEERT  YES      

          MOTION CARRIED.

 

          9. Motion to grandfather Duane Buckland’s MERS Retirement.

               Moved by Commissioner Bengry and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to grandfather Duane Buckland in with past retirees as his application was received prior to April 10, 2007 Board action and to correct the reported wages to MERS in the same manner as past retirees before May 7th deadline.

 

               ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

                             RIVARD    NO

                             RUOHOMAKI YES

                             SCHULTZ   NO

                             ELEGEERT  NO

               MOTION FAILED.

 

              Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to grandfather Duane Buckland in with past retirees as his application was received prior to April 10, 2007 Board action and to correct the reported wages to MERS in the same manner as past retirees before May 7th deadline as non-precedent and case by case.

 

               ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

                             RIVARD    YES

                             RUOHOMAKI YES

                             SCHULTZ   YES

                             ELEGEERT  YES

               MOTION CARRIED.

 

              Moved by Commissioner Ruohomaki and seconded by Commissioner Bengry that the other employees affected by this administrative error would also be covered by having their contributions counted in their retirement system as they have been all these years.

 

              ROLL CALL     BENGRY    YES

                             RIVARD    NO

                             RUOHOMAKI YES

                             SCHULTZ   NO

                             ELEGEERT  NO

          MOTION FAILED.

 

 XII.  GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

       Mark Nelson addressed the Board with his concerns regarding the County not issuing building permits in Wells Township.

       Peter Mark addressed the Board’s attorney with his questions regarding Delta County zoning.

       Bob Berbohm addressed the Board’s attorney with his questions regarding Wells Township zoning.

 

XIII. COMMISSIONERS CONCERNS

      Commissioners Rivard:  None.

 

      Commissioner Ruohomaki: Congratulated the two new Road Commissioners and wished them the very best in their new positions.

 

      Commissioner Bengry:    Read letter from Congressman Bart Stupak regarding Walter Reed Army hospital treatment of veterans.  Salutes Bart Stupak for what he has done to help our wounded veterans.

 

      Commissioner Schultz:   The Court of Appeals made it very clear that the responsibility lies with Wells Township for Wells Township Zoning.

 

      Commissioner Elegeert:  None.

 

XIV.  MEETING SCHEDULE.

           

XV.   NOTICES – None.

 

XVI. ADJOURNMENT

      

     Moved by Commissioner Rivard and seconded by Commissioner Ruohomaki to adjourn at 8:17 p.m.  MOTION CARRIED.

    

Respectfully Submitted,

_____________________________   _________________________________

Nancy J. Kolich, County Clerk       Thomas Elegeert, Board Chairperson