Township Information, Forms & Ordinances

Homestead Township Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting
Homestead Township Hall
11508 Honor Highway
Honor, MI 49640
April 7, 2008 at 7:00P.M.



A regular meeting of the Homestead Township Board was called to order at 7:00 p.m., by Chair Cathy Demitroff.

Present: Cathy Demitroff, Shelley Rosa, Mary Geetings, Matt Miller and Zelda Gray

Also present: Frank Walterhouse, Roger Hubbell, Katherine Ralston, Robert Weaver and Andy Loveland

The entire audience participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVE AGENDA: Motion by Gray to approve the agenda as amended, by moving New Business up on the Agenda after Public In-Put and adding wages for Treasurer and Supervisor and Voting Booth onto the agenda. Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Motion by Rosa to accept the March 3rd minutes with corrections: On page 1, should read Sledding party, not (shedding), on page 3 the support under Joint Planning was made by Rosa, and on page 4 under Public In-Put Cindra Moore the word her, should be "the". Support Miller. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Motion by Geetings, support Gray to accept the Treasurer's Report as presented. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

CLERK'S REPORT: Motion by Miller, support Rosa to accept the Clerk's Reports as presented. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

APPROVAL OF BILLS:

General Fund - Motion by Miller to pay the General Fund Bills. Support Rosa. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Fire Millage - Motion by Miller, support Gray to pay the Fire Department Bills. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried

CORRESPONDENCE: Benzie County Bd of Commissioners - Opening on the Planning Commission, and two correspondences regarding ATV Ordinances

PUBLIC IN-PUT -Todd Warren, representing the Skate Park Committee would like permission to use the Township hall on April 24 for a Teen dance as a benefit fund raiser. Motion by Rosa to allow Todd Warren the use of the Twp Hall on April 24, from 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. for a fund raiser for the Skate Park Committee. Support Gray. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

NEW BUSINESS:

Custodian contract - Carol Pelky's contract expired on March 31, 2008, she would like to continue to work for the township. Motion by Rosa, Support Gray to renew a three 3 year contract with Carol Pelky as the Custodian. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Brining Roads - Total cost to the Township for two applications of brine will be $4,620.00. Motion by Rosa to contract with the County Road Commission to brine the 19.25 miles of dirt roads in the township for the total cost of $4,620.00 (Four Thousand Six Hundred Twenty Dollars) for two coats. Support Gray. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Wages - Motion by Gray to give the Supervisor a 3.7 cost of living raise. Support Miller. Roll Call. Gray yes, Geetings no, Demitroff no, Rosa yes, Miller yes. Motion Carried.

Motion by Gray to give the Treasurer a 3.7 cost of living raise. Support Miller. Roll Call. Miller yes, Gray yes, Demitroff no, Rosa yes, and Geetings yes. Motion Carried.

Voting Booth - Motion by Rosa to allow the clerk to purchase 3 voting booth from Gary Pierce at the cost of $199.00 per booth. Support Demitroff. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Auditors - Motion by Gray to stay with Tobin & Co. of Traverse as our Auditors per their bid for 1 year. Cost being, $2,775.00 plus out-of-pocket cost for the GASB and the cost of $300.00 to prepare the State Form F-65. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried..

Homestead Park - Homestead Twp Street Maintenance - Motion by Geetings to postpone any decision on the agreement until the May meeting. Support Rosa. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Concession Stand - Motion by Rosa, support Gray to postpone until the May meeting. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Lawn Fertilizer - Motion by Gray to place a bid in the local paper for lawn care using Frank's proposal. Support Rosa. Ayes, Rosa, Gray, Miller and Demitroff. Nay, Geetings. Motion Carried.

Oleson Grant - Motion by Miller to accept the grant proposal to the Oleson's Foundation for bathrooms at the Twp Park with the change of wording in the 5th paragraph to say "high" priority and not highest. Support Gray. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Fire Dept - Motion by Gray, support Rosa to add a new line item to the Fire Dept Budget to include Payroll Taxes by $3,000.00 and to decrease the Contingency Fund by $3,000.00. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Twp and Fire Dept Agreement - Motion by Rosa to approve the agreement between the Fire Dept and Homestead Twp that the following items are to be charged to the Homestead Fire Department budget: Support Gray. All ayes. Motion Carried.

Wages: Motion by Gray to pay the firemen $30.00 a month for attending their monthly training session. Only those that attend will be paid. Support Miller. Roll Call. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Millage Renewal - Motion by Miller to approve the attached verbiage for the millage renewal for the August Primary Election for 4 years. Support Rosa. All Ayes. Motion Carried

Grant - Homeland Security - Motion by Geetings to allow the Fire Dept to apply for a grant to the US Dept of Homeland Security for clothing, generator, schooling, and air pack equip. Support Demitroff. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Grant - National Park Services - Motion by Rosa to allow the Fire Dept to apply for a grant from the National Park Service, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for Fire Dept. Wildfire Equipment Upgrades. Support Demitroff. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

Joint Planning - The Joint Planning Committee hired Sharon Peregoy, an Inland Twp resident, as the Secretary for the Joint Planning Committee, and Rodger Williams as the Consultant.

A proposed budget was distributed for review.

Web Page - The Web Page is up and running, there is only one area to be filled and that is the Local Businesses.

Headlee Request - After a lengthy discussion; motion by Rosa to decline the counties offer to join them in their effort for the Headlee Millage. Support Demitroff. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

PUBLIC IN-PUT - Bob Weaver - I feels the boards decision regarding the Headlee request was the smart and right decision.

Rodger Hubbell - thanks to each board member for attending the Joint Planning Public Open Meeting.

Kathy Ralston - Would it be possible to receive the DRAFT minutes, instead of waiting for the minutes to be approved?

Approval of the Newsletter - Although a complete letter was not present; motion by Rosa, support Gray to approve the Homestead Twp Newsletter for print and mailing. All Ayes. Motion Carried.

MTA - Meeting at Almira Twp Hall on Wed, April 16, 12:30 p.m.

Coho Festival - Soup and Money fund raiser for the Coho Festival on April 16 from 4:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. at Money's Platte River Inn.

Adjourn - Motion by Miller to adjourn at 8:50 p.m., Support Gray. All Ayes. Motion Carried

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Geetings, Clerk
Cathy Demitroff, Supervisor

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