Rogers City City Council Proceedings
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ROGERS CITY CITY COUNCIL
HELD VIA ZOOM AND IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021
Mayor McLennan called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and stated that this meeting included electronic components, with council members and staff given the option to attend in person or by Zoom and the public and media wishing to attend required to do so by Zoom due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines established by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
ROLL CALL – Adair, Bielas, Nowak and McLennan (attending in person) and Fuhrman (attending remotely from Grand Rapids).
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Adair/Nowak, to approve the agenda as presented.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Bielas/Nowak, that the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of April 6, 2021 and April 14, 2021 Workshop be approved as written.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
CITY CLERK’S REPORT:
CHECK AND INVOICE APPROVAL:
Adair/Fuhrman, that the following total fund expenditures be recognized as payments made and payments to be made, in the amount of $396,809.17 and the Mayor is authorized to sign the check register. ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS:
REQUEST – SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-41
Nowak/Fuhrman, to approve the request from the Michigan Charity Softball League to hold a charity softball tournament September 3-6, 2021. City Mgr. and Police chief to work with the group as it is organized.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
SEWER REQUEST – PAUL & ANN PRZYBYLA
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-42
Nowak/Adair, to deny the sewer removal request submitted by Paul and Ann Przybyla.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
PRIVATE CONNECTIONS TO CITY STORM
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-43
Nowak/Adair, that City Staff work with Steve and Michelle Harris on this private storm drain issue and allow a direct connection to the City’s storm drain if necessary to address their storm drain issue at no cost to the City and to include paperwork to limit the City’s liability on this issue.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
EASEMENT REQUEST DTE
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-44
Nowak/Fuhrman, to table the DTE Easement request to next meeting to gather additional information.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
FINANCE REPORT WITH BUDGET AMENDEMENT 12
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-45
Bielas/Nowak, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Rogers City, Michigan to adopt the finance report as presented and amend the FY2020-2021 Annual Budget as prepared by City Staff, presented to Council in writing, and reviewed at this April 20, 2021 meeting. A copy of said amendment to be placed on file in the City Clerk’s office.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
NAUTICAL FESTIVAL UTV USE
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-46
Bielas/Adair, to approve the request from the Nautical Festival Committee for use of UTV’s during the Nautical Festival.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
BLIGHT OFFICER COMPENSATION
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-47
Nowak/Bielas, to increase the pay for the blight officer to $16.00 per hour effective immediately.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
RENTER WATER POLICY
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-48
Nowak/Adair, to adopt the City of Rogers Administrative Policy for Water/Sewer Service to Rental Units as presented.
BACKGROUND: This policy is being written to provide the City of Rogers City’s Water and Sewer Departments a standardized method of handling property owner/tenant or new owner notifications for water/sewer service charges.
In accordance with Rogers City Code of Ordinances Chapter 18, Article IV, Sec.18-361, the following Administrative Policy regarding notification, security deposit by renters, and delinquent accounts is hereby issued:
1. Any tenant or owner of rental property who requests that water/sewer service be changed to a tenant shall notify the City in writing by submitting a completed “Tenant Application for Water/Sewer Service”.
2. Upon receipt of the completed application and security deposit, the Water/Sewer Clerk will establish an account for water/sewer in the tenant’s name. The tenant will then be responsible for payment of all water/sewer charges.
3. Failure to submit a properly completed “Tenant Application for Water/Sewer Service” and payment of the security deposit will result in the account remaining in the property owner’s name and the water/sewer service charges shall remain the liability of the property owner subject to all the rights and remedies available to the City under Chapter 18, Article IV, Sec.18-361.
4. Both the tenant and/or property owner shall notify the City, in writing, of the termination of the tenancy, the effective date of that termination, and provide a forwarding address. Upon final reading and billing, the security deposit will be applied to the unpaid balance. If charges are less than the deposit, the balance will be refunded (without interest) to the tenant customer upon proper notice to the City that the tenant customer is no longer responsible for the water/sewer service charges. If the charges exceed the deposit, it shall be the responsibility of the tenant to pay the remaining unpaid amount. Failure to pay the unpaid amount will result in legal collection action against the tenant. Following written notification that the tenant is no longer responsible for charges, the account will be re-established in the property owner’s name and the water/sewer service charges shall be the responsibility of the property owner subject to all the rights and remedies available to the City under Chapter 18, Article IV, Sec.18-361.
5. In case of service shutoff due to non-payment of charges, the Water/Sewer Clerk shall notify the property owner prior to the actual shutoff in an attempt to prevent equipment damage due to lack of water service.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
MANLIFT PURCHASE
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-49
Nowak/Bielas, to approve the purchase of the 2015 JLG Lift from MacAllister Rental in the amount of $42,500 to be paid for after July 1, 2021 as part of the FY2021/2022 budget.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
FIELD USE-LEAGUES
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-50
Bielas/Adair, to authorize City Manager to approve Rogers City Little League, Men’s and Women’s Leagues use of the Sports Park and South Shore Park for the 2021 baseball and softball season.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
REQUEST – VFW POST 607
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-51
Bielas/Nowak, to approve the request from VFW Post 607 to sell Buddy Poppies on May 6, 7 and 8, 2021. ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS:
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-52
Nowak/Bielas,
PROCLAMATION TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUTSTANDING WORK BY OFFICER JOHN ALLEY
WHEREAS, On March 31, 2021, Rogers City Police Department Officer John Alley responded to a call that an elderly subject was not answering repeated attempts by friends and family to make contact; and
WHEREAS, Officer Alley’s attention to detail upon arriving at the residence caused him to strongly believe that the subject was inside the home and likely in distress; and
WHEREAS, based on this belief, Officer Alley decided to forcefully enter the locked home and search for the subject; and
WHEREAS, that decision led to Officer Alley locating the subject, who was alive but had been on the floor and unable to call for help for three days and in severe need of medical attention; and
WHEREAS, thanks to Officer Alley’s prompt and decisive action, the subject was able to be rescued and taken to the hospital; and
WHEREAS, the subject’s family has expressed sincere appreciation for Officer Alley’s outstanding efforts on March 31, 2021;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Rogers City does hereby issue this Statement of Commendation to Officer Alley, and in doing so acknowledges the outstanding work he did in responding to this call; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this proclamation be signed by the Mayor, with a copy placed in Officer Alley’s file.
ROLL CALL: Ayes – All, the motion carried.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor McLennan declared the meeting adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
Condensed version, complete minutes are available at City Hall.
Terri Koss, City Clerk/Treasurer