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CITY OF MUSKEGON
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
SEPTEMBER 11, 2012
CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS @ 5:30 P.M.
MINUTES
The Regular Commission Meeting of the City of Muskegon was held at City Hall,
933 Terrace Street, Muskegon, MI at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 11, 2012.
Mayor Gawron opened the meeting with a prayer from Reverend Bill Freeman
from the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation after which the Commission
and public recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Mayor Gawron asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of 9-11-2001.
ROLL CALL FOR THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING:
Present: Mayor Stephen Gawron, Vice Mayor Lawrence Spataro,
Commissioners Lea Markowski, Eric Hood, Willie German, Sue Wierengo, and
Byron Turnquist, City Manager Bryon Mazade, City Attorney John Schrier, and
City Clerk Ann Marie Cummings.
2012-68 CONSENT AGENDA:
A. Approval of Minutes. CITY CLERK
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: To approve minutes of the August 28th City Commission
Meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the minutes.
B. Certification of MERS Representatives. FINANCE
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: The MERS plan document provides that “the governing
body for each municipality shall certify the names of two delegates to the
Annual Meeting. One delegate shall be a member who is an officer of the
municipality appointed by the governing body of the municipality. The other
delegate shall be a member who is not an officer of the municipality, elected
by the member officer/employees of the municipality.”
The City’s employee units have agreed to a rotating system (based on date of
joining MERS) to select one official employee representative. This year the
official employee representative attending the MERS conference will be
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Steve Teunis (Water Filtration Superintendent) from the non-union employee
group.
It is recommended that Elizabeth Lewis (Assistant Finance Director) be
designated as the City’s employer delegate.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Registration for the MERS conference in Grand Rapids is
$200 per person. Additionally, mileage and related costs will be incurred.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Certification of Elizabeth Lewis and Steve Teunis to
be the City’s officer and employee delegates at the MERS annual meeting in
Grand Rapids, on October 3-5.
C. Consumers Energy Streetlighting Contract. CITY MANAGER
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: To approve a new streetlighting contract with
Consumers Energy.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City has budgeted $745,000 for streetlighting.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To approve the contract and authorize the Mayor
and Clerk to execute it.
D. Authorization to Submit Bids to HUD for the Purchase of Homes Offered
to Government Agencies. COMMUNITY & NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: To offer bids to HUD via their website for HUD homes
available to government agencies. Specifically, homes located in East
Muskegon, Glenside, Campbell and Bluffton that can be rehabilitated and sold
to income eligible households through the City of Muskegon Community and
Neighborhood Services Department Homebuyers Program.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Bid offers can be lower when eligible to government
agencies and non-profits.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To authorize the director of Community and
Neighborhood Services the ability to bid on homes owned by HUD in the
neighborhoods of Campbell, East Muskegon, Glenside and Bluffton for the City’s
Homebuyers Program 2013.
E. Next Michigan – Appointments to Next Michigan Board. PLANNING &
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: On August 22, 2012, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF)
Board of Directors approved the designation of the West Michigan Economic
Partnership (WMEP) as a Next Michigan Development Corporation. Each of the
seven units of government who are part of the designation (including the
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City of Muskegon and Muskegon County) must appoint a board member and
an alternate board member. The WMEP board member will attend the
meetings and vote on matters that come before the Board. However, all
meetings are open to the public and any item affecting the City of Muskegon
will first be brought to the City Commission for approval (i.e., budget items that
affect the City, incentives provided to developers/businesses, the areas
designated for incentives, etc.).
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time. However, the WMEP Board will develop a
budget, with funding coming from each entity and/or the property owners to be
included in the identified improvement areas.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To appoint Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, Director of
Community & Economic Development as the City of Muskegon WMEP Board
Member and Mike Franzak, Zoning Administrator as the City of Muskegon
alternate member.
Motion by Commissioner Wierengo, second by Commissioner Hood to approve
the Consent Agenda as presented.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Gawron, Hood, Spataro, German, Wierengo, Turnquist, and
Markowski
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
2012-69 PUBLIC HEARINGS:
A. Community & Neighborhood Services Department Consolidated
Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER 2011). COMMUNITY &
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: To conduct a public hearing of the 2011 CAPER projects
funded through CDBG and HOME entitlements to the City of Muskegon
Community and Neighborhood Services Department.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To submit the 2011 CAPER including any public
comments received during the 30-day comment period ending September 28,
2012.
The Public Hearing opened to hear and consider any comments from the
public. Comments were heard from Liz Parker, 1387 Montgomery.
Motion by Vice Mayor Spataro, second by Commissioner Wierengo to close the
Public Hearing and submit the 2011 CAPER including any public comments
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received during the 30-day comment period ending September 28, 2012.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Hood, Spataro, German, Wierengo, Turnquist, Markowski, and
Gawron
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
2012-70 NEW BUSINESS:
A. Special Event Request – “City of the Dead” Tour at Evergreen
Cemetery, October 26-27, 2012. PLANNING & ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation is requesting
permission to hold their third annual historical tour/reenactment at Evergreen
Cemetery on October 26 and 27, 2012.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: None.
Motion by Vice Mayor Spataro, second by Commissioner Hood to approve the
Special Event Request “City of the Dead” Tour at Evergreen Cemetery, October
26 and 27, 2012, as described in the application.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Spataro, Wierengo, Turnquist, Markowski, Gawron, and Hood
Nays: German and Turnquist
MOTION PASSES
B. Inspection Services Contract. CITY MANAGER
SUMMARY OF REQUEST: To approve an agreement with Safe Built of Michigan,
Inc. to provide inspection services to the City of Muskegon and to authorize the
Mayor and Clerk to execute the contract at the discretion of City staff on or
after October 5, 2012.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: This contract will eliminate the costs associated with
providing inspection services and generate revenues to the City.
BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None at this time.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To approve the agreement with Safe Built of
Michigan, Inc. and authorize the City staff to enter into the agreement at their
discretion on or after October 5, 2012.
Motion by Vice Mayor Spataro, second by Commissioner Wierengo to approve
the agreement with Safe Build of Michigan, Inc. and authorize City staff to enter
into the agreement at their discretion on or after October 5, 2012.
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ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Wierengo, Turnquist, Markowski, Gawron, Hood, and Spataro
Nays: German
MOTION PASSES
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Public comments received.
ADJOURNMENT: The City Commission Meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann Marie Cummings, MMC
City Clerk
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