City Commission Worksession Minutes 10-07-2019

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                                   CITY OF MUSKEGON
                             CITY COMMISSION WORKSESSION

                                   Monday, October 7, 2019
                                           5:30 p.m.
                                  City Commission Chambers
                                       933 Terrace Street
                                     Muskegon, MI 49440

                                           MINUTES

Present: Commissioners Turnquist, Warren, Hood, Johnson, German, and Rinsema-Sybenga.

Absent: Mayor Gawron.

Urban Deer Management - Public Works
There have been continuous complaints about landscape damage by white-tailed deer,
(Odocoileus virginianus), and this has led the City of Muskegon to believe the deer populations
in Bluffton and Beachwood neighborhoods are no longer sustainable.

The growing deer herd increases the human risk of deer-tick borne diseases such as lime
disease, damage to the landscaping, and car-deer collisions as well as over-grazing of
vegetation to the critical dune habitats which will lead to dune erosion.

The City Commission is asked to consider deer population management. One option is the use
of a contracted deer shooter through the USDA at a cost of $300 - $500 per deer, the deer
would be processed and donated to an organization.


Tax Incentive Policy - Development Services
Staff is seeking input on a new policy to standardize tax incentives for developments within the
City.

The Tax Incentive Committee was convened at the request of the City Manager to review and
make recommendations on standardizing our tax incentive policies in the City of Muskegon.
With the newly formed Economic Development Department available to research and analyze
potential scoring models and policies, we had the opportunity to bring together staff from
Planning and Finance to lend their input and develop a favorable and competitive set of policies
which are compiled in detail in this report.

Marihuana Social Equity
A draft copy of a Medicinal and Recreational Marihuana Social Equity Programming for City
Commissioners to review.
Suburban Nation Review Chapter 4 - The Physical Creation of Society
LeighAnn Mikesell, Planning Department, gave an overview of Chapter 4 of the Suburban
Nation - The Physical Creation of Society.

Commissioners agreed the topic is important but indicated they wanted stats to be verifiable and
about the City of Muskegon. They want more time spent on the document and presented in the
future.

Adjourned at 8:30 pm.


                                                   Respectfully Submitted,




                                                   Ann Marie Meisch, MMC – City Clerk

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