6520 Center Street, PO Box 68
Ellsworth, Michigan 49729
Phone: 231-588-6126
Email: bankstownship@bankstownship.net
View your Tax Data

January 2015

Banks Township Board Meeting

Monday January 19, 2015

  1. The meeting was called to order at 7 P.M. by Supervisor Thomas Mann. Present were Supervisor Mann, Clerk Donna Heeres, Treasurer Katy Postmus, Trustee David Rasmussen, Trustee Tom Cooper. Also present: Jerry Rasmussen, Andy Veenstra, Mark Groenink, Dave Heeres and Tina Sundelius. Supervisor Mann led the Pledge of Allegiance and gave the Invocation.
  2. Public comment: District One County Commissioner Dave Heeres addressed the Board and provided information about County issues including balanced budgets, accountability of officials and employees. He gave praise for a job well done on the state of the art medical care facility, Meadowbrook.
  3. Public comment: Tina Sundelius announced she is interested in launching an area newsletter that would be a “positive, homey, classy” publication. She plans it to be 4-8 pages, in print format, possibly even web available. She envisions selling advertising space to cover costs.
  4. Public comment: Supervisor reported contact from Rachel Grogen regarding the poor condition of North Church Road.
  5. Roads: Road Committee report was reviewed. Supervisor will request contracts for crack fill and chip seal of Banks Township Park Road, Jolliffe Road, Antrim Dells Road and Pleasant Hill Road. Traffic counts will be requested in early spring on Scott Road, Slough Road, N. Church Road. An evaluation by the Road Commission Manager of N. Church Road’s need and cost for gravel will be requested. N. Dennis Road has been impassable in December per the property owner. As a seasonal road, it will cost $19,773 to add gravel to it. The Board will develop a list of seasonal roads within the Township and develop a policy to fund maintenance to these roads.
  6. The minutes of the December Regular Board meeting were reviewed. MOTION Rasmussen, seconded by Cooper, CARRIED to approve the minutes as presented.
  7. Fire Department: No report.
  8. Township Hall: Jerry Rasmussen reported calls for rentals have been high. The roof did have some leaking during and after the weekend wedding event when heat was on upstairs and the ice melted. Building Committee has reviewed three proposals from engineering/architectural firms for renovations to the upstairs to make more accessible. MOTION: Rasmussen, seconded by Heeres, CARRIED to hire Machin Engineering for the structural engineering phase of the project for $8250. The electrical upgrade is underway. No proposal yet on the 400 amp service upgrade.
  9. The treasurer’s report of incomes and balances was given. General Fund Balance: $222,718.33 with $210,000 due from the Fire Fund; Fire Fund Balance: $70,314.09; Roads Fund Balance: $138,971.37; Vehicle Fund Balance: $60,048.24; Liquor Fund Balance: $1567.55; Grand Total: $493,629.58. Payment was received from American Tower for the delinquent January 2014 payment and December 2014 catchup payment. MOTION Heeres, seconded by Rasmussen, to pay $30,000 from the Fire Fund to the General Fund as the truck payment for this year. CARRIED. MOTION Heeres, seconded by Cooper, to pay $200 from the Liquor Fund to the General Fund for administrative services this year. CARRIED.
  10. Bills represented by the attached list were presented for approval for payment. MOTION Mann, seconded by Postmus to pay the bills as presented.
  11. Zoning Administrator Report: ZA Andy Veenstra reported he issued a zoning permit on December 31, 2014. That was the 15th permit for 2014. A complaint was received about an abandoned home that should be removed due to blight and its dangerous condition. ZA will follow-up with property owners.
  12. Planning Commission: Trustee Cooper reported the PC did not approve the request for rezoning based on input from the public hearing and lack of interest in pursuing it on the part of the applicant. A discussion on revision of a footnote in 6.09 has developed into a probable revision of the section.
  13. Ambulance Authority: Meeting to be held January 21 to hire a financial firm for the AA at a great cost savings over the proposed in house operations.
  14. Correspondence: Press Release regarding Paddle Antrim, written by Executive Director Deana Jerdee, was shared. Event dates are September 18 & 19, 2015; Shorts Brewery has agreed to be a major sponsor; the website has been launched; 501©3 non-profit status has been obtained. Info on changes to the FOIA policy effective July 1, 2015 was shared. Sheriff’s report of 911 calls for 2014 was shared. Report from Village of Ellsworth on total legal fees related to the acquisition of the Lemond property by the Village was shared. Also, the recreation department financial report was shared. A grant has been submitted to the GT Band for a Lucas 2 cardiac compression unit for our fire department, with grant writing assistance from Jay Peck of the East Jordan Ambulance.
  15. Park Project: A proposal was received from C2AE of Gaylord for $3900 to submit the applications for grant funding for our park. A public hearing on the plans for the park and the grant applications will be held on Wednesday, February 25 at 6 PM at the Township Hall. Additionally, Kevin will be asked to attend our meeting on February 9 at 6 PM to finalize park improvement plans to prepare for grant public hearing. MOTION Cooper, seconded by Heeres, CARRIED to hire C2AE to assist in park project and grant applications for $3900.
  16. Summer Tax Collection: Ellsworth Community School has adopted a resolution to collect summer taxes in 2015. Treasurer Postmus presented an agreement to collect 100% of the total school property tax levy on July 1, 2015 and the school district will waive interest on the funds while in the township’s bank accounts; the township will distribute taxes collected within 10 days of the 1st and 15th of each month. The township will not charge the school district a per parcel fee for this service. MOTION Mann, seconded by Postmus, CARRIED to approve the contract for summer tax collection.
  17. Meeting Changes & Budget Hearings: The Fire District Budget Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 25 @ 6 PM, during the regular Board meeting. A Compensation Resolution will be voted on at that meeting as well. The Board will meet in regular session on Monday, March 16, at 6 PM and will hold Public Hearing on the Budgets (all but the fire budget) during the regular Board meeting. MOTION Heeres, seconded by Postmus, CARRIED to not hold an Annual Meeting this year. MOTION Postmus, seconded by Heeres, to pay the township hall rental officer an additional $100 per 48 hour wedding rental/reception retroactive to January 1, 2014. MOTION FAILED. MOTION Postmus, seconded by Mann, to pay the township hall rental officer an additional $100 per 48 hour wedding rental/reception beginning January 1, 2015 (to be paid in December of each year upon presentation of documentation by said officer) and to compensate him an additional $500 for services rendered in 2014. MOTION CARRIED. Meeting dates were set for 2015: January 19; February 9 & 25 both at 6 PM; March 16 at 6 PM; April 20 at 7 PM; May 18 at 7 PM; June 15 at 7 PM; July 20 at 7 PM; August 17 at 7 PM; September 21 at 7 PM; October 19 at 78 PM; November 16 at 7 PM; December 17 (Thursday) at 7 PM.
  18. Credit Card Resolution: A credit card use policy resolution was offered by Mann, seconded by Rasmussen, to establish guidelines for the use of a credit card to be issued by Charlevoix State Bank to Banks Township with a credit limit of $10,000 and authorized users being the Clerk and Treasurer. Roll Call Vote: Postmus: Yes; Rasmussen: Yes; Cooper: Yes; Mann: Yes; Heeres: Yes. The supervisor declared the resolution was adopted.
  19. Next meeting will be held on Monday, February 9 @ 6:00 PM.
  20. The meeting was adjourned at 10:37 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Donna L. Heeres
Banks Township Clerk