Township Information, Forms & Ordinances
Homestead Township Board of Trustees
Homestead Township Hall
11508 Honor Highway
Honor, MI 49640
HOMESTEAD TOWNSHIP
SPECIAL MEETING
November 16, 2009
A special meeting of the Homestead Township Board was called to order at 7:00 p.m., by Chair, Cathy Demitroff.
Present by Roll Call: Cathy Demitroff, Shelley Rosa, Mary Geetings, Carol Moore and Matt Miller.
Also present: Sherry Taylor, and Virginia Anton
The entire audience participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVE AGENDA : Motion by Miller to approve the agenda as presented. Support Geetings. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
INTERVIEW
Frank Walterhouse
Frank thanked the board for giving him the opportunity to apply for this position.
Moore - Where will this job be a priority in the other jobs you currently hold?
Frank - The Insurance is a part time job, as well as the Commissioner Job and the Fire Chief Position. I check the park currently, at least 3 times a day.
Geetings - I still want to know why, even if it was 10:00 p.m. at night, why you did not call Mark and let him know the games were cancelled, I believe it was 3 times, if not four.
Frank - I always left a message, even if he did not answer his phone. Two of the times, Mark was here around 3 or 4:00.
Geetings - The batting cages, so we were told brought in a revenue of $400.00, where did that money go? Even after the books were turned over to the township from your hands, the money did not come into the township.
Frank - It was used one time to by a motor for $250.00. Other times there were ropes, balls miscellaneous stuff that was needed. There was never that much money. Twenty here and there.
Geetings - Those were not your decision to be made, all money should have been turned in, and all bills and receipts need to come before the eyes of this board. How do we know that will not happen again?
Frank - I am sorry for the way I proceeded with that. It will not happen again.
Rosa - When you resigned before, you said it was because you could not get along with the Clerk and the Treasurer, what has changed?
Frank - Time has gone by, and I am willing to work with the Clerk and the Treasurer. (Added 12/8) Frank stated he wanted to pay back the board and the public and heal what has happened.
Rosa - There was so much drama this summer, letter were passed out with lies, that this board was closing the Park. You were a part of this. You took the letter to the Park Committee.
Frank - There was drama and it was unpleasant for me also, it was a tough election. My wife passed out the letter, I cannot govern what she does. I took the letter to the Park Committee, because I was concerned about the rules.
Demitroff - I un-intentially (added 12/8) created the problem, and I have learned a lesson from it.
Moore - The new restrooms will need to be cleaned, are you willing, or have you cleaned bathrooms before?
Frank - Cleaning the restroom inside and out will not be a problem. I cleaned the bathrooms that are currently at the park, they were not always pleasant, I can do that.
Matt - What can you bring to the park, that other applicants cannot?
Frank - I care. I am handy. That park is great for the community and for Homestead Twp. My intentions for the park were always to bring improvements, soccer fields, new playground equipment.
Cathy - Can you professionally converse and cooperate with this board? Can you not just do things, and can you accept things that the board rejects.
Frank - I have accepted rejection, 2 years when I proposed to have new playground equipment, it was turned down by this board. I will work with the board.
Shelley - We have a park committee. They have researched and looked at projects by prioritizing. Can you cooperate with the committee, and make and accept recommendations from them to the board?
Frank - I did this with the board. I was a part of the Park Committee. I will try, I will do the best that I can. I want new projects.
Shelley - Information is placed in the packets to the board one week before the annual board meetings, so we are not hit with surprises at these meetings. Can you have this information to us prior to the meeting?
Frank - Yes, I do not like surprises, you should have the information before the meeting.
Shelley - With the new diamond dust placed on the field, it will need to be dragged differently, you cannot use your truck. The mower, or our 4 wheeler was used last summer. With the new diamond dust, that field is hard, and it will not need to be drugged as much.
Frank - The mower should not be used to drag the field. It is not made to haul or pull equipment. Yes I am willing to work out something new.
Shelley - You have a love for the park, but people in the past, have volunteered their time, and they felt you did not want them, or were not willing to accept their help.
Frank - I will cooperate, the fields are pretty well set.
Cathy - We said because we have changed the job description, that we would ask the candidates, if they wanted to change their bids. Do you want to change your bids, based on the new job description?
Frank - No. I want to be reimbursed for the gas, and I will gladly clean the bathrooms. I will supply Indemnify Insurance.
Mark Wareham - Happy Harry's Maintenance
Carol Moore - With your other jobs that you are obligated too, where will this job be placed with your priorities?
Mark - Currently I do not have other contracts set up, I will prioritize them as I get them.
Mary - Mark you had a scheduled appointment with Carol on the 30th of Oct. You were a no show and you did not make a phone call. Why?
Mark - I apologized to Carol, I was at the hospital with my wife, who is pregnant.
Mary - A phone call is always important. The garbage was always a issue this summer, you were being criticized about the garbage. Yet the last games were at the beginning of Oct, and the last of the garbage did not get cleaned up until the last day of your contract.
Mark - I came to clean up the garbage, only to find out the dumpster had been taken away that morning. I then needed to take the garbage cans to my home and dump them in my dumpster, and yes I did not get back to clean up the rest. I needed to wait for my dumpster to get emptied before I brought the rest of the garbage from the park to my home.
Matt - What can you bring to the park, that another candidate cannot?
Mark - I think you can see what I brought to the Park. I was complimented on the job I did as far as the mowing and the weed wacking. That park looked nice. I brought suggestions and made recommendations to the Park, the diamond dust being one of them.
Carol - We don't know for sure if our maintenance person is going to clean the bathrooms. Are you, or can you clean the bathrooms?
Mark - I cleaned bathrooms in the Military, yes I can clean the bathrooms.
Shelley - Mark, you did a good job, but with all that took place this summer, why would you want to come back?
Mark - I enjoyed what I did for you, I want to make a difference. I love the kids, and I enjoyed the park.
Carol - I have resigned from the duties at the park, and they will go back to the supervisor, or another board member. If a board member ask you to perform a duty, what would you consider a sufficient or appropriate time frame for completing the task?
Mark - That same day, if I am here. If I am not here, then the next day, or the next time I come down, of course depending on what they need done.
Cathy - The park does take a lot of time. Where will we be on your list of priorities.
Mark - You will be the first on the list, if I get this job. I know now, having done it for a year, what needs to be done. The fields, need to be a ready at least 3 hours before the games. I know what needs to be done.
Shelley - Mark if you get the job, can you work with Cathy?
Mark - I can work with Cathy, I am not here to argue and fight, I am here to do my best.
Cathy - If you are to get this position, can you converse and cooperate with the board?
Mark - I would converse and cooperate with the board.
Mark's questions :
Was the bathroom cleaning left off of the job description for a reason?
Board - Yes, because we have not decided who we will have clean them.
Mark - Will Fertilizer and weed Control be done with a outside contractor?
Board - Yes, but the maintenance person will be responsibility for scheduling appointments.
Mark - I appreciated doing the job. I think you can see the difference and the changes that have been made to the park, while I was doing the job.
Cathy - Now that you have seen the new Job Description, do you want to change your bid?
Mark - No. If it includes the bathrooms, than yes I do.
Marilyn Wareham - Happy Harry's Maintenance Owner - Cathy why couldn't you work with Mark?
Cathy - It's not that I could not work with Mark, it's because the board would not support me working with Mark.
Marilyn - One suggestion: Put cigaret butt containers out. When will you make a decision on this position?
Cathy - At the December meeting.
A long lengthy discussion followed. Some suggestion included.
Going out for more bids.
Splitting the job up between the 2 candidates
Involving our boy and girl scouts.
BATTING CAGES - One verbal bid for $650.00 from Apple Fence was submitted to the board. They are bidding to take the current, fenced roof, off of the batting cages, and reinforce the sides, so they did not collapse from the snow over the winter.
Members of the board would like to see more bids, they have nothing to compare the verbal bid too.
Motion by Demitroff to accept Apple Fence's bid for $650.00 to take the current roof off of the batting cage and to re-enforce the side walls so they don't collapse. Support Miller. Roll Call. Geetings - No, Miller - Yes, Moore - No, Demitroff - Yes, and Rosa - No. Motion Denied.
PUBLIC IN PUT - None
ADJOURN - Motion by Miller, support Moore to adjourn. Adjourned at 8:45.
Respectfully submitted
Mary Geetings, Clerk Cathy Demitroff, Supervisor
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