The Austin Township Board Meeting was called to order on June 9, 2009 at 7:37 p.m. by Supervisor Kenneth Vredenburg at the Township Hall at 14132 Pierce Rd., Stanwood, MI, 49346.

 

Present were Kenneth Vredenburg, Elizabeth Carr, Carolyn Towsley, John Brockway, and John Conforte. There were four guests present.

 

Public Comment: Commissioner Ray Steinke-Todd Purcell was appointed Under Sheriff. Mecosta Township is making a new Master Plan. Information about their new plan will be available to us.

 

Moved by Kenn Vredenburg, supported by John Brockway to approve the minutes with corrections. Motion carried.

 

The General, Fire, and Cemetery Funds report was given. First Bank CD #7610202398–$69,294.54 which expired on 5-23-09 has been closed and put in the General Fund. Independent Bank CD # 3290021045–$38,461.55 will expire 6-10-09. The board recommended rolling over the Independent Bank CD # 3290021045.  All the other Funds’ accounts are fine and in good standing. Moved by John Conforte and supported by John Brockway to accept the report. Motion carried subject to audit.

 

Motion was made by John Brockway and supported by Carolyn Towsley to approve and pay the Township, Fire Dept., First Responder, and Cemetery bills.

 

Fire Dept. Report: ISO update-The paperwork is in process. It should be submitted by the July Fire Board Meeting. After Chicago receives the paperwork they will set  test dates. Before the paperwork is sent in the firemen need to update some of the equipment. These updates are already in the budget. They would like to pay the firefighters on the day of testing because it is a daylong test and they will loose a day’s pay at their work. The election of Fire Department Officers was held at the last Fire Board Meeting.

Chief-Marv Bell

Asst. Chief-Alan Brennan

Training and Safety Capt.-Ron Palmer

Maintenance Capt.-Mike Owen

The Mecosta Township Picnic will be at the Eagle’s Club instead of Mecosta Township Hall. Because the bar will be open at the Eagle’s during the picnic the Fire Dept has chosen not to participate.

 

Assessor’s Report: We had one parcel that went up for tax sale. We have first option on another tax sale property but we are not interested in purchasing it. Tri-County Electric Co. will be putting an Energy Optimization charge on their electric bills starting in July. It will probably be appealed to the government.  Tullymore is appealing their tax assessment of $1,000,000.00. They feel their assessment should be $700,000.00.  The address changes are all finished-numbers and names are all changed. The July BOR will be the third week of July.

 

Treasurer’s Report: Chemical Bank CD #6422130648–$90,306.78 will also expire on 7-02-09. The Township Board recommended rolling over this CD also.

 

Clerk’s Report: MTA would like to make sure they have everyone’s e-mail addresses. If you are not receiving MTA notices please get your e-mail address to me. The Summer Legislative Conference will be Aug.12-14, 2009 at Frankenmuth. Early registration cut-off is July 6, 2009, the cost is $195.00. Carolyn is interested in going. Beth is not sure about her schedule. It is o.k. with the twp. board.

 

Roads: The Road Commission has not received their matching fund grant money yet. They are still promising to finish our road projects.

 

New Business:

1. Bank Signatures: Chemical Bank has informed us they will no longer be doing visual checks for two signatures. All checks are processed electronically from now on. It will be up to the township to set up a process to ensure all checks are properly signed. Carolyn has already purchased a stamp for the checks saying “Two signatures required” to let our vendors know two signatures are needed on each check. Also Carolyn and Beth have worked out a system to double check each check.

 

2.Resolution 09-05: Moved by Carolyn Towsley, supported by John Brockway to adopt the FEMA National Flood Plain Insurance Program. Roll call vote-

Kenn Vredenburg-yes                                        Carolyn Towsley-yes

Elizabeth G. Carr-yes                                         John Conforte-yes

John Brockway-yes

 

3.Moved by Carolyn Towsley, supported by Kenn Vredenburg to support Don Hilton for the MTA Par Plan board position. The motion carried.

 

4.We have received the bids to seal coat the township parking lot. Want it to be noted that we are not interested in cutting and patching the parking lot. Moved by John Brockway, supported by Carolyn Towsley to accept B and E’s estimate of $2,238.00 to seal and patch the parking lot. Motion carried.

 

5. Carolyn is interested in using the same Quikbooks program as the clerk so that the reports and end of the month settlements will be easier. The township owns the software and it  may be  downloaded  and used.

 

6. The clerk’s computer is not working right. It will not save any documents. We will be returning it to Bob Baldwin at Aqua Springs for repair.

 

Meeting adjourned.

 

 

Elizabeth G. Carr

Austin Township Clerk