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CITY OF BUCHANAN COMMISSION MINUTES
May 10, 2010

The regular scheduled meeting of the City Commission was held at the Buchanan City Hall, 302 N. Redbud Trail, Buchanan, Michigan, Monday, May 10, 2010.  Mayor Cole called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
   
The Pledge was recited by all in attendance. Pastor Len Bailey gave the Invocation.

Commissioners present: Carla Cole, Patricia Moore, William Norton, Earl Scanlon, Warren
                                 Weaver
Commissioners absent:   none
Staff present:               City Manager Meg Mullendore and Clerk Gladys Bybee
Guests/Visitors present:  17 visitors including 1 reporter

Downtown Business persons Alan Robandt and Jan Quinn opposed the closing of Front Street that was listed on the consent calendar for approval alleging that it was detrimental to their businesses last year.
Alice Kring supported the street closing for the Cruise In event and explained the success from previous years. She also invited attendance to performance at the Tin Shop Theatre.

Norton moved, seconded by Moore to amend the Consent Calendar to include B. Request to install “No Smoking Signs” at the Farmers’ Market under New Business.  Roll call vote carried unanimously. Scanlon moved, seconded by Norton to amend the Agenda to remove letter E. Street Closure: Front Street, Redbud to Oak, June 26th for Buchanan’s Great Cruise In under the Consent Calendar to C. under New Business.  Roll call vote carried unanimously.  Scanlon moved, seconded by Norton to approve the Consent Calendar as amended.  Roll call vote carried unanimously.
• Agenda as amended
• Minutes: Regular scheduled meeting, April 26, 2010
• Checks 59310 to 59396 in the amount of $98,577.04
• Budget Amendment: General Fund in the amount of $31,686 to purchase 10 HP Compressor System for the Fire Department as approved at the April 26, 2010 meeting
• Banner Placement 6-14-10 to 6-28-10: Buchanan’s Great Cruise In
• Street Closure: Front Street from the American Legion to Oak Ridge Cemetery, May 31st for Memorial Day Parade
• Set a Public Hearing for May 24, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. to consider granting an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for C & S Machine Products, Inc., 215 Post Road

The Buchanan Masonic Lodge 68 presented a check in the amount of $3,000 to Redbud Area Ministries. 

Jan Quinn explained Un-Sanctioned, the event planned for downtown on Memorial Day Weekend and asked permission to use Mill Alley, Sculpture Alley, the Gazebo and the sidewalks. Moore moved, seconded by Scanlon to approve the use of the properties as requested for the special event. Roll call vote carried unanimously.

Paul Milewski and Bharat Kothari from BP Convergence Group, LLC presented drawings of the proposed destination facility (banquet, restaurant, hotel, meeting rooms) for 1207 N. Redbud Trail and explained in detail.

The City Manager summarized the presentation by Tom Fehlner regarding the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the McCoy’s Creek Watershed and Mill Race recommendations. After confirmation that no monetary value was being pledged at this time, Scanlon moved, seconded by Weaver to approve the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the McCoy’s Creek Watershed and Mill Race as previously presented by Tom Fehlner and confirmed by the City Manager. Roll call vote carried unanimously. 

After Mullendore explained the resolution, Weaver moved, seconded by Moore to approve the resolution as presented.
TO PLACE DIAL-A-RIDE MILLAGE FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS 2011-2014 UNDER UMTA SECTION 5, FTA ACT OF 1978 UNDER GENERAL TRANSPORTATION FUND PROGRAM, AND ACT 327 OF THE P.A. OF 1972 AS AMENDED
WHEREAS, Dial-A-Ride provides a necessary service to the citizens of the City of Buchanan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Buchanan has contracted with Transportation Management, Inc. to operate the City’s Dial-A-Ride program which has been proven successful during the past years; and
WHEREAS, a Dial-A-Ride millage renewal is necessary to meet the local share portion of the annual operating budget; and
WHEREAS, the City is authorized to ask voters to renew a previously-authorized millage;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Buchanan City Commission to place a proposition on the August 3, 2010 Election Ballot to read:
Shall the City of Buchanan continue its local support of the “Dial-A-Ride” Bus System, more properly known as the “Dial-A-Ride Transportation System”, under UMTA Section 5, Federal Transportation Act of 1978, the general transportation fund program, and Act 327 of the P.A. of 1972, as amended, of the state of Michigan by levying one mill (One [$1.00] Dollar per each One Thousand [$1,000.00] Dollars) on the taxable value of all taxable property in the City of Buchanan to support its local share, for a period of four (4) consecutive years, to be levied in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014?  The requested millage rate represents a renewal of a previous millage of one mill (One [$1.00] Dollar per each One Thousand [$1,000.00] Dollars) on the taxable value of all taxable property in the City of Buchanan.  Based on current valuation, it is estimated that the amount of revenue generated from the total millage in the first year of the levy (2011) will be approximately Eighty Seven Thousand Seven Hundred Eight ($87,708.00) Dollars.  The proposed millage is a renewal of a previously-authorized millage.
   0   YES          0   NO
Roll call vote carried unanimously, Resolution 2010.05/14 declared adopted.

Mullendore explained the smoking ban is applicable at the Farmers’ Market as the property is government owned and does have an employee.  Norton then presented the request he received from the Farmers’ Market Board to install No Smoking Signs. Moore moved, seconded by Norton to approve the request from the Farmers’ Market Board to install two 10 x 15 No Smoking signs at each end of the market structure.  Roll call vote carried by majority. YEA: Cole, Moore, Norton, Weaver. NAY: Scanlon.

The City Manager announced that she had no recommendation as she had not spoken with the Police Chief or the DDA Director for any input regarding the Front Street, Redbud to Oak Street closure on June 26.  Commissioners were concerned about the possibility of hindering the businesses and lack of information.  After the Mayor confirmed that each person would speak with their respective group, Moore moved, seconded by Weaver to table the consideration of the street closure request until the next meeting when further investigation information would be presented.  Roll call vote carried unanimously.

Public comments were heard from Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance Director Shelley Klug and Alice Kring regarding United Way Girls on the Run.

City Manager comments were heard.

Commissioners’ comments were heard. 

Scanlon moved, seconded by Moore to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 p.m.

_____________________________                     ____________________________
Gladys M. Bybee, CMC-City Clerk                         Carla M. Cole, Mayor