MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE GEORGETOWN CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD HELD FEBRUARY 11, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairperson Bill Holland.

 

Prayer for guidance by Del South

 

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

 

Roll Call

 

Present:           Bill Holland, Daniel Carlton, Del South, Dale Mohr, Richard VanderKlok, Marvin

VanSomeren, Stanley Sterk

Absent:            none

 

#080211-01 - Public Comments

 

No one was present to make public comments.

 

#080211-02 - Approval of agenda as presented for February 11, 2008

 

Moved by Richard VanderKlok, seconded by Marvin VanSomeren, to approve the agenda as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-03 - Communications, letters and reports: Received for information, to be filed:

 

A.    Zoning Board of Appeals minutes of January 23, 2008

B.     Senior Center Monthly Activity Report for January 2008

C.     Fire Department Report for January 2008

D.    General Ledger Report January 2008

E.     Ottawa County Road Commission Dec. 2007 Report

F.      DPW 2007 Annual Report

G.    Code Enforcement Officer’s January 2008 Monthly Report

H.    Mining Board minutes of January 30, 2008

I.       Letter of resignation from Dave Fisher

 

#080211-04 - Consent agenda

 

Moved by Marvin VanSomeren, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve the consent agenda as presented.

 

a.         Approval of minutes of the regular board meeting held on January 28, 2008

b.         Approval of the regular monthly bills and utility bills

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-05 - Planning Commission Appointment

 

Moved by Del South, seconded by Marvin VanSomeren, to approve the appointment of Rebecca VanDenBerg to the Planning Commission with the term to expire 12/31/2010

 

Note:               The Finance Committee recommended approval

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-06 - Video Service Local Franchise Agreement for AT&T

 

Moved by Marvin VanSomeren, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve the resolution for the Video Service Local Franchise Agreement for AT&T as follows:

 

            WHEREAS, Public Act 480 of 2006 (the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act, hereafter the “Act”) requires video service providers to obtain a franchise from a municipality by means of a Uniform Video Service Local Franchise Agreement (“Uniform Franchise”); and

 

            WHEREAS, the Michigan Public Service Commission (“MPSC”) on January 30, 2007 issued an order (“Order”) that provided a Uniform Franchise form; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Act provides the Township (the “Municipality”) fifteen (15) business days from the date an application for a Uniform Franchise is filed with the Municipality to respond as to the completeness of the Uniform Franchise; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Act provides the Municipality thirty (30) days from the submission date of a complete application for a Uniform Franchise in which to act to approve the Uniform Franchise; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Municipality wishes to memorialize the number of public, educational and governmental access (“PEG”) channels in actual use on the incumbent video provider’s system in the Municipality on the effective date of the Act, January 1, 2007; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Municipality also wishes to memorialize the franchise fees and fees as support for PEG channels being paid by the incumbent provider under its existing franchise agreement on the effective date of the Act; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Municipality has determined that it must designate an official or officials to whom it delegates the authority to respond to, complete, sign and approve Uniform Franchise applications in order to meet the deadlines under the Act, including establishing the video service provider franchise fees and fees to support PEG facilities and services provided for in Uniform Franchises, and taking all actions related thereto; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Municipality desires to provide such official or officials with guidance on such fees; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Municipality does not intend that by approving a Uniform Franchise that it shall be waiving rights, nor does it understand that the Act or the MPSC Order so requires.

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that it is hereby memorialized that, on January 1, 2007, the effective date of the Act, Comcast was the incumbent video provider with the largest number of subscribers in Municipality, and that under its existing franchise agreement with Municipality, being the “Nonexclusive, 2001 Cable Television Consent Agreement,” Comcast was paying Municipality a franchise fee of five percent (5%) of gross revenues and a fee as support for PEG channels annually as determined by such existing franchise agreement; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is hereby memorialized that there were six public, educational and governmental access channels in actual use on the incumbent video provider’s system in the Municipality on the effective date of the Act, January 1, 2007; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a fee of five percent (5%) of gross revenues from video service providers is hereby established as the annual video service provider franchise fee, which is also the fee paid to the Municipality by Comcast under its existing cable franchise with Municipality; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in addition to the preceding fee, a video service provider shall pay to the Municipality an annual fee as support for the cost of public, education, and government access facilities and services, of up to two percent (2%) of gross revenues, with the Township Supervisor and his designees (“Supervisor”) having the authority to modify such fee, if appropriate; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Georgetown Township designates and delegates and delegates to the Supervisor or his designees such as the Clerk and Treasurer, with the restrictions set forth herein, full authority to respond to, complete, approve and execute Uniform Franchise application, and take all actions related thereto; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such authority includes the Supervisor having the authority to determine within the statutory deadlines whether the Uniform Franchise application as submitted is complete, and having the authority to sign it indicating approval of the Municipality; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, Township Attorney, and other of Municipality’s officials are hereby authorized and directed to take all actions necessary to place the Uniform Franchise into effect in accordance with this resolution; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no approvals, deemed approvals under the Act or signature of the Supervisor on a Uniform Franchise shall be construed or understood to be a waiver by the Municipality of its police powers; rights it may possess under the Act, Michigan law, the Michigan Constitution, federal law, or court decisions regarding the Act; or right to challenge or modify a Uniform Franchise if the Act in whole or in part is amended by the legislature or overturned by the courts; and

 

            BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that all resolutions in conflict with this resolution are hereby superseded and replaced by this resolution.

 

            The result on the above Resolution being as follows:

Yeas:   Bill Holland, Daniel Carlton, Del South, Dale Mohr, Marvin VanSomeren, Richard VanderKlok,

Stanley Sterk

Nays:   none

Absent: none

Abstain: none

 

Note:               The Finance Committee recommended approval

 

            MOTION CARRIED AND RESOLUTION DECLARED ADOPTED.

 

CERTIFICATION

 

            I hereby certify that the above is a true copy of a resolution approved and adopted by the Township Board for Georgetown Township at a meeting held on February 11, 2008 pursuant to the required statutory procedures.

 

 

Dated: February 11, 2008                                                       By:                                                     

                                                                                                Georgetown Charter Township Clerk

 

#080211-07 - Tennis Court Removal Bids

 

Moved by Richard VanderKlok, seconded by Marvin VanSomeren, to approve the low bid from VanDyke for $23,450 to remove the tennis courts from the parks as per the specifications

 

Note:               The Services Committee recommended approval

(additional bids obtained Koster $25,360, Hoekwater $24,930)

 

Comments were made by Marvin VanSomeren, Del South and Dale Mohr.

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-08 - Purchase Tasers

 

Moved by Richard VanderKlok, seconded by Marvin VanSomeren, to approve the purchase of three taser devices for the Georgetown Township Sheriff’s patrols as requested in the letter from Sgt. Bill Ward for an estimated cost of $901.79 per taser.

 

Note:               The Services Committee recommended approval

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-09 - Spring Clean Up Day

 

Moved by Del South, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve the bid from Allied Waste and change the spring clean up day from May 10, 2008 to May 3, 2008.

 

Note:               The Services Committee recommended approval

 

Yeas:   Stanley Sterk, Del South, Bill Holland, Richard VanderKlok, Marvin VanSomeren

Nays:   Daniel Carlton, Dale Mohr

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#080211-10 - Public Comment

 

No one was present to make public comments.

 

#080211-11 - Board Open Discussion

 

There was none.

 

#080211-12 – Announcement of any scheduled meeting or meeting attended of interest to board members

 

There was none.

 

#080211-13 - Reports from Standing Committees

           

            Finance Committee meeting minutes of February 8, 2008

 

            Services Committee meeting minutes of February 7, 2008

 

#080211-14 - Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

 

 

                                               

William Holland, Supervisor

 

                                               

Del South, Clerk