Village of Constantine
Regular Council Meeting
May 17, 2010
7:30 PM

President Weiss called the regular Monday, May 17, 2010 meeting of the Constantine Village Council to order at 7:30PM at the Village Hall.

ROLL CALL
Present at Roll Call: Trustees Robert Brewer, Mark Brown, Willie Harder, Cindy LaFluer, Gary Mathers and Sarah Moore, and President Patricia Weiss. Other elected officials present: Treasurer Donna Strawser and Clerk Ruth Strawser. Village employees present: Manager Mark Honeysett, Police Chief Bedell and Administrative Assistant Diana Lammott. The pledge of allegiance followed Roll Call.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Brewer, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

MINUTES
Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Mathers, to approve the Regular May 3, 2010 meeting minutes as corrected. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0. Voting YES: Brewer, Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and Weiss.

Correction: Page 1, Paragraph 7, Line 1 – insert – Motion by Mathers, Seconded by Brewer, to approve the Regular April 19 th, 2010 abridged meeting minutes as presented.

NEWSLETTER MINUTES
Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Harder, to approve the abridged version of the Regular May 3, 2010 meeting minutes as corrected for newsletter printing. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0. Voting YES:

PAYMENT OF THE BILLS
Questions raised and responded to re: the bills

• Clean Earth re: sewer line investigation/camera work – work & payment previously authorized by Council. Problems likely to preclude sleeving found at Birch and North Washington Streets, concerns will be taken to the Sewer Ad Hoc Committee for recommendation to the Council.
• Gecko Security re: alarm & video installation in Police Dept. interview room – received Sturgis Police Departments old equipment at no cost, installation and setup costs will come from the Building Improvement Fund.
• Modernistic re: refund of fire insurance payment – release of funds held by the Village until repairs made to 185 W. 6 th Street property.
• The addition of two bills to the printed list of $170 for computer setup and $150 for bond fees changing the total of the bills presented.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Mathers, to pay the bills and make the necessary transfers totaling $48,248.29. Motion passed by Roll Call 7 – 0. Voting YES: Brewer, Brown, Harder, LaFluer, Mathers, Moore and Weiss.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
No one rose to speak.

CONSENT AGENDA (REPORTS)
Manager Honeysett listed the meetings that he attended in April 2010. He spoke of his

• meeting with the property disposal company marketing the Rexam plant, and a retention visit to Vaupell accompanied by State and County EDOC representatives,
• seeking input on increasing local service to senior citizens with Pine Valley Place apartment residents,
• meeting with Fleis & Vandenbrink to finalize the construction plan for the repaving of W. Sixth Street planned to begin July 5 th.

POLICE REPORT
Trustee Brewer synopsized the list of police department activity and citations for the month of April 2010, noting an increase in automobile accidents. Police Chief Bedell informed the Council that Kyle Vosburgh has been hired as a full-time officer and that Officer Beck has left the department’s employ.

DPW REPORT
Trustee Harder synopsized the DPW activity for the month of April 2010. In response to questions, the manager reported the broken Falcon Drive water main was approx. 40 years old and easily repaired.

FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
Trustee Moore read the fire department report on call volume and training submitted by Chief Haydon for the month of April 2010. The remainder of the equipment purchased under the FEMA Grant is expected in June.

Motion by LaFluer, Seconded by Mathers, to accept and file the manager’s and commissioners’ reports as presented. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

5-K & 10-MILE RUN
Manager Honeysett thanked the Constantine Schools and community organizations and individuals for their assistance and participation in the successful first Falcon Run held on May 8 th and said they are looking forward to next year’s run.

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Manager Honeysett reported that although the final Safe Routes to School Design Initiative meeting on May 11 th was sparsely attended, grant initiative proponents plan to form, and are seeking volunteers for, a committee to institute some of the presented ideas. There was some discussion of how to discourage truck traffic/eliminate congestion from White Pigeon Road at Eastside Elementary School. Printed copies of the final presentation are available at the school and village office.

FOURTH OF JULY PARADE ROUTE
Manager Honeysett presented his reasons, chiefly citing expense and safety, for changing the 4 th of July parade route to Falcon Drive. Some trustees disputed his reasoning, all trustees, the treasurer and two audience members voiced their opposition to the change. The date and time of the parade/celebration was also discussed. Manager Honeysett said that the Cool Cities is now the de facto Fourth of July Steering Committee, although Tami Kufeldt is the main organizer.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Brown, to change the location of the July 4 th parade from the proposed location around the high school to the usual location, either South Washington Street or Canaris Street, either starting or ending at the area of the bus garage of the Constantine High School. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

Motion by Brewer, Seconded by Brown, to amend the motion to read: to change the location of the July 4 th parade from the proposed location around the high school to the usual location South Washington Street, either starting or ending at the area of the bus garage of the Constantine High School. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

MAJOR GENERAL BANDHOLZT MEMORIAL
Manager Honeysett is waiting to hear back from the Michigan State Historical Preservation Organization regarding the possibility of moving the stone plaque commemorating Major General Bandholtz from 325 S. Washington Street since the private residence was heavily damaged by fire. Manager Honeysett said the DPW should be able to move the stone, but if not, he might call upon David Ritzer to help. Council discussed possible locations for the memorial.

Motion by Brown, Seconded Mathers, to authorize the Village Manager to make whatever arrangements are necessary to relocate the Bandholtz memorial to the Village Office. Motion passed by affirmation 7 – 0.

FOURTH OF JULY FUNDRAISER: GOLF OUTING
The Village is seeking volunteers, sponsors, donations and golfing teams to participate in the 4 th of July fireworks fundraiser, a golf outing at the St. Joe Valley Golf Club in Nottawa on Saturday, June 5 th. Students suggested contacting the high school golf team as well as putting a signup sheet in the high school.

Meeting adjourned at 8:33PM.

Ruth Strawser
Village Clerk

Request for return of council ordinance books to insert ordinance supplement #3.