Township Information, Forms & Ordinances
Homestead Township Board of Trustees
Homestead Township Hall
11508 Honor Highway
Honor, MI 49640
HOMESTEAD TWONSHIP
REGULAR MEETING
December 7th, 2009
A regular 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, Pamm Laing, Bob Rosa, Mark Wareham, Marilyn Wareham, Dan Moore, George Granlund, John and Josephine Tornow, Mark Roper, Katrina Smith and Scott Anderson.
The entire audience participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVE AGENDA : Motion by Rosa to approve the agenda as amended, with the additions: of Advertise for Alternate Joint Planning Member, and Purchase of a Vacumn. Support Miller with additions. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
APPROVAL OF THE NOV 2nd MINUTES : Motion by Rosa to accept the Nov 2nd minutes with corrections. Correct Fire Improvement Fund to $71,632.71, change word from out to our, on pg 2, and the Joint Planning Meeting in Jan 19, not the 15 th on the last page. Support Miller with corrections. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
APPROVAL OF THE NOV 16th MINUTES : Motion by Miller to accept the Nov 16th minutes with additions. Add - Frank stated "he wanted to pay back the board and the public and heal what has happened" - Page 1 - and to add the word "un-intentionally" - Page 1 - Demitroff. Support Moore with additions. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
REPORTS: - Treasurers's - Motion by Moore to accept the Treasurer's report as presented. Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Clerk's : Motion by Miller to accept the Clerk's Reports as presented. Support Moore. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
The General Fund is overdrawn in the Cemetery Account and the Public Works Acct. Motion by Demitroff to move $500.00 into the Cemetery Account, and to move $2,500 into the Public Works Acct. Money to be drawn from the Contingency Acct. Support Rosa. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Zoning and Supervisor's Report - Motion by Rosa to accept the Zoning and Supervisor's Reports as presented. Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
APPROVAL OF BILLS : General- Motion by Rosa to pay the General Fund Bills. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Fire Mileage - Motion by Rosa to pay the Fire Department Bills. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Park and Rec : Motion by Rosa to pay the Park and Rec Bills. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
CORRESPONDENCE: Benzie County Snowmobile Safety Program
Introduction to Transportation Asset Management - Workshop.
PUBLIC IN-PUT - Bob Rosa - Commented on the importance of the workshop being conducted on Dec 16 regarding, The Introduction to Transportation Asset Management. As many board member as possible should be present.
County Wind Ordinance - George Granlund - County Planning Commission - The County Planning Dept. has been working on a County Wind Ordinance. It is the hope that if the county rejects Planning and Zoning, that Homestead and Inland Twp will assume the Wind Ordinance.
Zoning Administrator's Annual Report - Roger William distributed to the board his Annual Report. He feels it has been a successful year. He addressed the zoning violation on Pioneer Road. It has been determined in fact that the 2 nd dwelling on the property is in violation. The board recommends Roger Williams write a letter to the homeowner, informing him of the violation and to allow him until the end of April, 2010 to remove the 2 nd dwelling.
Tribal Grant - Katrina Smith reviewed the site plans for the Skate Park at the Homestead Twp Park. The committee is seeking a grant from the Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indian Tribal Council in the amount of $7,000 dollars. Motion by Rosa to approve the grant application for $7,000. Support Moore. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
NEW BUSINESS - Snowmobile Safety Program - The Sheriff's Dept is seeking funds to help fund the Snowmobile Safety Program. Motion by Rosa to contribute $300.00 to the Snowmobile Safety Program through the Sheriff's Department. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Poverty Exemption Resolution - Motion by Rosa to adopt the Poverty Exemption Income Guidelines and Asset Test. Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Joint Planning Commission - Motion by Geetings to run an ad in the Record Patriot for an Alternate on the Joint Planning Commission. The decision will be made at the January meeting. Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
OLD BUSINESS - Park Maintenance Position - Motion by Demitroff to award the position to Frank Walterhouse for donated labor. Support Miller. Roll Call. Geetings - No, Miller - Yes, Rosa - Yes, Demitroff - Yes, Moore - No. Motion Carried. Position awarded to Frank Walterhouse.
Park Batting Cages - Motion by Miller to accept Apple Fences's bid of $650.00 to take the top off of the batting cage roof and to retie the back and sides. Support Demitroff. Roll Call. Geetings - No, Rosa - Yes, Moore - Yes, Demitroff - Yes, Miller - Yes. Motion Carried. Bid awarded to Apple Fence.
Clean-Up Day - Motion by Geetings to hire American Waste on May 22, 2010, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for the Township Clean-up day at no charge to the township residents. The Village cost will be reviewed at the January meeting. Support Demitroff. Roll Call. Moore - No, Miller - Yes, Demitroff - Yes, Rosa - Yes, Geetings - Yes. Motion Carried.
Fire Department - No report from the Fire Chief.
The fire department is over budgeted. Recommendations from the Fire Chief were read to the board. Motion by Rosa to move $3,000 into the Training Acct, and $3,000 into the Vehicle Repair Account. Funds to be drawn from the Capital Outlay Account. Support Demitroff. All Ayes. Motion Carried.
Joint Planning - A Public Hearing will take place on December 8, at 7:00 p.m regarding the purchase of the Heller Building by the Benzie Bus. The next meeting of the Homestead / Inland Planning is scheduled for January 19, at 7:00 p.m. at the Homestead Twp Hall.
PUBLIC IN PUT - Marilyn Wareham - The interview meeting that was held on November 16 at the Homestead Twp Hall was an Open Meeting. The interviews should have been open to the public. Yet, we were asked to wait outside. This board was in violation, no one should have been excluded from the interview process. A fine of $500.00 for each board member could be charged to this board, for not following the Open Meeting Act. This was read from the Attorney General Act.
Any Other Business to Come Before the Board - The Michigan Tax Tribunal will be using the Township Hall on Jan 12, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at no charge.
There were 2 FOIA request for the minutes from the November 16 interview. The re-coping of the tapes did not result in a good copy. The Clerk will be researching a different way to record the meetings.
One FOIA request was handled here at the Township building for 6 ½ hours. We are only required to fulfill 4 hours. The person using the township tapes, did not return the tapes to the township personnel, and misused the property of Homestead Township.
ADJOURN - Motion by Miller to adjourn. Support Miller. Adjourned at 8:40.
Respectfully submitted
Mary Geetings, Clerk Cathy Demitroff, Supervisor
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