Banks Township Board Meeting

Monday January 15, 2007

1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Supervisor Thomas Mann. Present were Supervisor Mann, Clerk Donna Heeres, Treasurer Katy Postmus, Trustee Marvin Rubingh, Trustee Mark DeKorne. Also present: Mark Groenink and John Hastings.

2. Supervisor Mann lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Trustee Rubingh opened the meeting with prayer.

3. The minutes of the December 18, 2006, Regular Board meeting were read. MOTION Rubingh, Mann, CARRIED to approve the minutes as presented. The minutes of the January 9, 2007, Special Meeting with the Planning Commission, ZBA, Assessors, Zoning Administrator and Planning Consultant were read. MOTION Mann, Rubingh, CARRIED to approve the minutes as read.

4. The treasurer’s report of incomes and balances was given. General Fund Balance: $224,062.46 with $160,000 due from the Fire Fund; Fire Fund Balance: $122,307.14; Roads Fund Balance: $58,477.42; Liquor Fund Balance: $1,918.44; Grand Total: $406,765.46. Summer Taxes are 94% collected. Winter Taxes are 50% collected.

5. Public Comment: None.

6. Fire Dept.: Supervisor & Fire Chief will meet to work on the budget proposal for next year. Public Hearing on the Fire Budget will be held during the February board meeting. Payment from South Arm Township was received. There were three rescue runs and one fire run in the Nov 2005 through Oct 2006 billing period. There was no response to inquiry about continuing the contract at the same rate, so it stands. The remittance was divided $1700 for Fire, $800 for Rescue.

7. Tax Software: Postmus reported that the County Treasurer is considering hiring BS&A to write a program that would streamline the reporting for local treasurers to the county. The cost is estimated at $2500. The county treasurer is willing to cover ½ of the cost with eight townships slitting the remainder ($156 each). MOTION Postmus, Rubingh, CARRIED to approve this expense.

8. Township Hall Rentals & Upstairs Lighting: Postmus has contacted John & Celia Hastings and has received a list of comments/complaints from hall renters. Additionally, she has researched the rental pattern for the past several years. She contacted Elk Rapids Township and compared our building to their old hall for amenities, cost, rental history, etc. Our building was rented only twice in 2006 for receptions. Discussed goals for the building. Consensus was to retain the character of the building, clean up & paint upstairs, watch rental patterns. Will contact area painters for bids to paint upper walls and ceiling in upstairs including stage area, front entry and back stairways. Will have this project completed prior to May 1 for the summer rentals. MOTION Postmus, Mann, CARRIED to place an advertisement in the wedding guide that will be distributed with the Petoskey News Review and Charlevoix Courier. Cost is $195. Will evaluate use, comments/complaints in Fall of 2007 and further evaluate lighting and insulation needs at that time.

9. Township Hall: Office Space: Bids were received from Person Construction, CDS Enterprise LLC and David Heeres for the furnace room conversion to office space. MOTION Rubingh, Mann, CARRIED to award the bid to the lowest bidder, David Heeres for $11,000 plus $2000 for electrical work. ABSTAIN: Heeres.

10. Cemetery: Clerk reports she was contacted by Peter VanderArk with cemetery needs for 2007. He stated that the mowers are all in good shape. He would like to have $300 for a gas powered hedge trimmer and $150 for a gas powered leaf blower.

11. Planning Commission: Rubingh reports on proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance to allow communication towers to be placed closer to lot lines if the adjacent property owners will sign a waiver; to allow second dwellings on a parcel for the care/supervision of family members with a termination clause included; to place a termination clause in the language for farm employee dwellings; to encourage combination of parcels within the agricultural district.

12. Zoning Board of Appeals: Will hold a public hearing on January 17, 2007, at 7:30 PM, on variance request from Dennis McGuire to allow a parcel division in Section 31, Range 8N.

13. School Election: Scheduled for May 8, 2007. Two school board positions and two ballot issues will be placed on the ballot. Nomination petitions must be submitted to the Township Clerk by 4PM on February 13.

14. Northern Lakes Economic Alliance will hold its Annual Luncheon at 12 noon on March 2 at Boyne Mountain. Supervisor plans to attend.

15. MTA Annual Educational Conference: January 22 through January 26 in Detroit. Clerk & Supervisor will attend.

16. Annual Meeting: MOTION Heeres, Rubingh, CARRIED to not hold an annual meeting this year.

17. Internet: Supervisor has reached an agreement with Maylone for change in our internet service to include one access fee for the Village and Township. Each entity will have its own web hosting and email. This will reduce our internet bill by $540 per year. Maylone is considering installing a hotspot at our township hall for travelers to be able to connect for $9 a day or 5 minutes of service for free.

18. Meeting Dates: Next meeting will be Monday, February 19 for Fire Budget Hearing and regular meeting. Will review painting bids for the upstairs. Will make salary resolutions at that meeting. Set Monday March 12 at 7 PM for Budget Workshop and will provide pizza. Regular meeting for March will be changed to Monday, March 26 at 7:30 PM to assure bills are all in and paid prior to fiscal year end. This will be a public hearing on all budgets except the fire budget (which is done in February) and the final meeting of the fiscal year.

19. Road Signs: Supervisor contacted installer for the road signs and he agreed to move the sign on C-65 at the township line in the spring.

20. Roads: Letter received from Melvin Burcz of Bergsma Road complaining about the condition of the road. Supervisor will follow up with the Antrim County Road Commission and send a letter to Mr. Burcz to let him know we will evaluate the road conditions.

21. Library Contracts: Supervisor has researched with the Library of Michigan representative. Letter of support for the subsidizing of the libraries was received from Nancy Ritsema. Current contracts will be sent to our legal counsel for opinion.

22. Bills represented by the attached list were presented for approval for payment. MOTION Mann, Postmus, CARRIED to approve the bills as presented.

23. The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 A.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna L. Heeres

Banks Township Clerk