November 2014 minutes
11/13/2014November 2014 minutes
ELMIRA TOWNSHIP
OTSEGO COUNTY
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
A regular meeting of the Elmira Township board was held on November 13, 2014 at the Elmira Township hall commencing at 6:00 p.m. with Supervisor, Diane Franckowiak calling the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Board members present were Supervisor, Diane Franckowiak, Clerk, Susan Schaedig, Treasurer, Diane Purgiel and Trustees, Leonard Skop and Dale Holzschu.
Others present were Ron Geiger, Ordinance Officer, Deb Dunham, Assessor, Elmira PC members, Duane Hoffman, Gloria Torello and Paul Hartmann. Residents, Dave Johannigsmeier, Larry Teal, Robert & Susan Kenny, Randall Osgood, John Ernst, Steve Johnson and Steven Birk. Otsego County Administrator, John Burt. Wolverine Power representatives, Ken Bradstreet, Joe Hughes, Brian Bejcek and Brian Warner.
Leonard made a motion to accept the minutes as presented. Seconded by Dale and carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Susan and Robert Kinney voiced their concerns about noise and lighting from the Wolverine Power project.
Larry Teal stated that he lives close to Townline Road and does not hear the noise from the plant located there.
Gloria Torello asked if the tax decreases over time. Ken & Brian stated that utility personal property will depreciate over time. Wolverine Power will not be given any special consideration or tax abatements.
Paul Hartmann asked what responsibility will Wolverine Power have for reclaiming the property back to AR. Special Conditions will address the issue.
Steve Birke voiced his concern about the noise level testing and will the levels be monitored constantly.
Randall Osgood asked if a berm would be considered. Attenuation walls will be more effective and will be monitored for effectiveness.
ASSESSOR’S REPORT:
Debbie reported that there has not been much change in assessment. We are at 49% for residential. There have been more sales this past year.
An Audit of Minimum Assessing Requirements(AMAR) for the State Tax Commission was conducted and it indicated that Elmira Township does not meet the minimum requirements in some areas. Diane F will send a letter to address the issues which will be corrected. Signature on a 4035A, better land maps.
Debbie stated that the general consensus of other assessors is that the state is looking at regional assessing which may be the county as the entity.
ORDINANCE OFFICER REPORT:
Ron reported that the Trunk Lane complaint is about 30 to 40% resolved. The vehicles should be removed in the spring.
He stated that he received a new complaint at the corner of Camp 10 and M32.
FIRE AUTHORITY REPORT:
Diane F reported that the pumper has been paid off a year early. She presented the budget and they plan on replacing the rescue unit with a 2015 Ford F350, crew cab chassis with Fleet Pricing. The Authority has the finances to purchase the cabinetry. The unit should be placed in service in 2015.
READING OF THE BILLS:
10760 Purchase Power 31.05
10761 Pitney Bowes, rental 119.97
10762 Susan Schaedig, reimb office supplies, phone-internet, lunch 220.74
10763 VOID
10764 Sandra Purgiel, election inspector 168.00
10765 Ron Geiger, ordinance officer, liquor inspector 243.78
10766 Roderick Wright, moved bell 418.00
10767 Paul Hartmann, PC meeting, Oct 110.00
10768 Margaret Hall, election inspector 168.00
10769 Leonard Skop, trustee 188.83
10770 Jay Maufort, PC meeting, Oct 110.00
10771 Heidi Mead, election inspector 285.00
10772 Gloria Torello, PC meeting, Oct 130.00
10773 Duane Hoffman, PC meeting, Oct 110.00
10774 Doreen Ostrander, election inspector 277.50
10775 Diane Purgiel, treasurer wages 1,623.49
10776 Diane Franckowiak, supervisor wages 1,578.66
10777 Dale Holzschu, trustee wages 268.83
10778 Calvin Thomas, hall cleaning 62.50
10779 Otsego County Land Use Services, 4 plat books 60.00
10780 Waste Management 111.79
10781 Northern Michigan Review Inc. newspaper ad-PC member 39.00
10782 D & D Assessing 1,785.00
10783 Roderick Wright, reimb. Remove bell 19.81
10784 Duane Hoffman, reimb posters-Wolverine Power 7.50
10785 Ron Geiger, reimb postage, mileage 73.28
10786 Diane Purgiel, reimb mileage, phone & computer 133.58
10787 Diane Franckowiak, reimb reg-convention, phone, computer 359.00
10788 Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality, water testing-hall 130.47
10789 United States Postal Service, POB 117 rent 42.00
10790 APT US & C, membership renewal treasurer 145.00
10791 Susan Schaedig, clerk wages 1,119.91
10792 Susan Schaedig, election inspector 120.00
10793 Mark Rygwelski, mowing 200.00
10794 Forman Mechanical LLC, furnace repair 683.50
10795 Doreen Ostrander, spring, summer flower garden 125.00
10796 Gloria Torello, reimb use of computer, cards-Wolverine Power 291.18
10797 CenturyLink 44.84
10798 United States Postal Service, mailing tax bills 704.62
10799 VOID
10800 Accident Fund, workmen’s comp 661.00
10801 Great Lakes Energy 467.86
10802 Janelle Crawford, election inspector 150.00
E-Pay Nov taxes 939.56
14,528.25
Diane P made a motion to pay the bills. Seconded by Leonard and carried unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Diane P reported she had received the last delinquent and a personal property has been written off by the Board of Review.
Depending on the outcome of the meeting with the Road Commission, Diane may look at investing.
MBank CD 102,233.94 MBank Svgs 82,038.10 NWST CD 110,211.39
First Federal ICS 231,070.70 Gen Fund Ckg 43,326.45 TOTAL 568,880.58
First Merit Tax Deposits 8,890.21 Checking 6007.61 TOTAL 14,897.82
OLD BUSINESS:
Board members will meet with OCRC on November 20, 2014 at noon for the annual meeting to decide on road work for 2015. Construction will start in 2016 for Mt Jack Rd since Dover declined the Federal road money.
Burdo road has been widened out.
The water testing has been completed for 2014. The old Elmira school bell has been removed from Gaylord Community School property and is being stored in Jim Theisen’s barn.
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT:
Duane Hoffman reported that they haven’t gotten to the Mixed Use Zoning since they spent the whole meeting on the Wolverine Power proposal.
He stated that they tabled the recommendation until the special meeting held on November 11, 2014.
At this special meeting the Elmira Planning Commission voted to recommend approval for a conditional rezoning of 168 acres from AR and B2 to B3 property optioned by Wolverine Power Cooperative in Elmira Township.
The next PC meeting on November 25th will be used to review the preliminary Special Use Permit and exchange information.
NEW BUSINESS:
The board reviewed the application by Wolverine Power Cooperative and Elmira PC’s recommendation to the board.
Discussion followed with the representatives from Wolverine Power.
Diane P directed questions to the Wolverine representatives:
- Hiring a sound expert. Hessler & Associates
- What are the air quality guidelines. Can they be measured. An Air Quality permit must be filed limiting potential to emit. The State (DEQ) & Federal (EPA) government have strict rules. The information will be available by mid December to submit for the first approval.
Leonard Skop moved that case number PREZ-14,001, which is requested by Wolverine Power Cooperative, whose address is 10125 West Watergate Road, Cadillac, MI 49601, which is an application for a conditional rezoning of 168 acres from AR and B2 to B3 on property optioned by Wolverine Power Cooperative located at:
- Parcel 1: 060-020-300-005-01 NE ¼ of the SW ¼ of Section 20, 40 acres;
- Parcel 2: 060-020-400-010-00, NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 20, 40 acres;
- Parcel 3: 060-020-400-005-02, the west 437’ of the south 797’ of the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of the SE ¼, 8 acres; and
- Parcel 4: 060-020-300-010-00 S ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 20, 80 acres.
And the application includes: This is an offer to make land use a condition for rezoning. This rezoning is proposed as a conditional rezoning per Section 405 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. The following conditions are offered for consideration. The proposed land use is for the construction and operation of a facility which includes a natural gas fired power generation plant, ancillary equipment and buildings and accessory uses which include, but are not limited to: electric power substations, electric transmission and distribution facilities, natural gas metering and regulation stations, air compression equipment, backup electric generation, water storage tanks and the maintenance of these facilities. The proposed land use is to be subject to the normal process for a permitted use subject to special conditions per the Otsego County zoning ordinance. If the construction of the proposed facility has commenced within 3 years of the rezoning, the property shall revert back to its existing zoning. The basis of the motion is found in Section 405 of State of Michigan Zoning Enabling Act 125.3405.
Approval is recommended based on the fact that the project will only develop approximately 20 percent of the site which will leave the remainder of the site comparable to the original zoning. Further, the proposed rezone is for a public utility use. Public utility uses are allowable in most districts when the operating requirements necessitate locating within the district in order to serve the immediate vicinity (excluding any storage yards). It can be argued this application meets that the reasoning for special use permits in this area.
Motion seconded by Diane Purgiel
Ayes: Diane Franckowiak, Susan Schaedig, Diane Purgiel, Leonard Skop, Dale Holzschu
Nayes: None
Absent: None
This recommendation will be sent to Otsego County Land Use Services. The meeting will be held on November 17th at 6:00 p.m. at the Land Use Service building.
Diane Franckowiak introduced Randall Osgood to the board. He has lived in Elmira Township for 17 years and is disabled/retired as a civil engineer.
Diane F made a motion to appoint Randall Osgood to the Elmira Township Planning Commission. Seconded by Leonard and carried unanimously.
There being no further business to come before the board Leonard made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Diane P and carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m..
Susan Schaedig, Clerk