Antrim County Board of Commissioners

ANTRIM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Thursday, January 10, 2008

Jack White, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

Present: Jerroll Drenth, Eugene Dawson, Jack White, David Howelman,

Michael Crawford, Laura Stanek, Bernard Blackmore, Joseph Allen.

Absent: Larry Bargy.

Pledge of Allegiance.

The Chairman requested Public Comment. Sheriff Terry Johnson informed the board about the results of the dog census.

It was moved by Blackmore, seconded by Dawson the minutes of December 13, 2007 and January 3, 2008 be approved. Motion carried all members present voting yes.

Prosecutor Charles Koop gave approval to sign the Contract with Grass River Natural Area Inc. He also recommended that no decision be made today concerning the 911 Funding Change. Options should be reviewed first.

Fred Trimble gave quotes for computer servers. He recommended purchase of hardware and software from DynTek/HP and purchase of Fortigate Security Program from Common Sense Computing.

It was moved by Blackmore, seconded by Crawford the following purchases be made for the computer up-dating project:

Dyntek Server hardware 56,069.04

(includes Fortigate Security program)

Dyntek Server software 16,423.00

72,492.04

and the 2008 budget be adjusted accordingly. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Drenth the claims & accounts totaling $136,229.07 be approved and paid. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Drenth the Chairman be authorized to sign the Windemuller change orders totaling $9,370 (drop in Register of Deeds area - $150.00; Fiber termination spots - $54.00 per termination; Remove old cable - $4,900) and the 2008 budget be adjusted accordingly. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Drenth the following Capital Outlay purchases be approved as listed in the 2008 budget:

County Clerk printer not to exceed $600

Probate Court 6 computers not to exceed $1,100 each

Abstract Office 3 computers not to exceed $1,300 each

Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Drenth the Sheriff purchase a snowmobile for not to exceed $4,000 and a portable radio for not to exceed $3,000 as budgeted for 2008. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Drenth a “topper” for the Animal Control truck be purchased for not to exceed $4,000 as budgeted in the 2008 budget. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

Dean Branson and Jan James spoke on the efforts of ACUTE (Antrim Coalition United Through Ecology) to deal with the Mancelona plume and related matters.

RESOLUTION #08-08 by David Howelman, seconded by Joseph Allen

WHEREAS, the Wickes Manufacturing trichloroethylene plume (TCE plume) is migrating from Mancelona towards Lake Bellaire in a northwest direction. At the leading edge the plume is approximately 1.25 miles wide. The TCE plume is the largest in the State of Michigan and one of the largest known TCE plumes in the nation.

WHEREAS, the TCE plume has had and may continue to have a tremendous potential impact on public health, environmental quality, and the local and economy and the welfare of the general public

WHEREAS, the State of Michigan funded a 47.3 Million dollar drinking water supply system in 2001, and is currently funding a $2.5 Million extension of the public water system to provide potable water to properties affected by and in the path of the TCE plume.

WHEREAS, further, the State of Michigan’s D epartment of Environmental Quality (M-DEQ) has funded a $4.2 Million Dollar extensive investigation to identify the progression and scope of the groundwater contamination.

WHEREAS, in March of 2003, Antrim County Commissioners authorized the formation of Antrim Coalition United Through Ecology (ACUTE) as an informal group of local units of government, local regulatory agencies, citizen activists, homeowner associations, local businesses and environmental advocacy groups with the mission to facilitate a non-adversarial community consensus process aimed at identifying solutions to the TCE plume.

WHEREAS, this mission of ACUTE has included working with M-DEQ and outside researchers and companies to investigate the nature and extent of the plume and remediation strategies.

WHEREAS, ACUTE took the lead in the advocating for additional state funding for the extension of the existing public water system at a time when the State was faced with diminished funds to address environmental issues.

WHEREAS, ACUTE facilitated communication between governmental agencies, concerned citizens and the community at large by holding forums and publishing information.

WHEREAS, M-DEQ has assured ACUTE that it will continue monitoring the progression of the TCE plume and provide written reports to Antrim County’s Planning Office and to local public health officials for the foreseeable future. Information in these reports is intended to re-activate regular meetings of ACUTE should the need arise.

WHEREAS, members of ACUTE are concerned with protection of public health, environmental hazards, and protection of the local economy.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ACUTE’s members and the Antrim County Commissioners agree on the following:

We understand the need for ACUTE to discontinue regular meetings, including regular verbal updates from M-DEQ, until residential wells outside the public water service area or one of the sentinel monitoring wells becomes contaminated with TCE above the safe drinking water standard of 5ppb.

We encourage the Antrim County Planners and public health officials who receive copies of the M-DEQ reports indicating that TCE contamination has migrated into residential well water or sentinel monitoring well water, to reactivate ACUTE regular meetings at their earliest convenience.

We strongly support the protection of public health, protection of the environment, and protection of the local economy.

Yes – Jerroll Drenth, Gene Dawson, Jack White, David Howelman, Michael Crawford, Laura Stanek, Bernard Blackmore, Joseph Allen; No – None; Absent – Larry Bargy.

RESOLUTION #08-08 DECLARED ADOPTED.

It was moved by Howelman, seconded by Allen that $250.00 be budgeted for payment to Professor Hyndman for assistance with the ACUTE project. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Blackmore, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy.

Norton Bretz and Dean Branson gave a presentation on the efforts of the Three Lakes Association in maintaining the high quality of the lakes and streams.

Bernard Blackmore left the meeting at 11:00 a.m.

Matt Skeels and Jim Lively gave a presentation on “The Grand Vision”, a project of the Traverse City Transportation and Land Use Study (TALUS).

It was moved by Dawson, seconded by Howelman that $6,000 be appropriated to the Traverse City Transportation and Land Use Study group over a period of two years and the 2008 General Fund budget expenditures be increased by this amount. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy, Blackmore.

Bob Peterson and Dan Reska gave information on the improvements that have been made to the Village of Elk Rapids through use of the TIF and DDA and gave details on future improvements.

It was moved by Crawford, seconded by Dawson the TIF spending plan in the Village of Elk Rapids be supported by the Antrim County Board of Commissioners. Motion carried all members present voting yes.

Andy Hayes, NLEA Director briefly reported on recent activities of that organization.

Randy Hartgerink gave a complaint concerning the Construction Code Enforcement Department. The Public Works Committee Chairman stated that the committee had examined the problem and were recommending total support of the Building Official’s actions.

ANTRIM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Thursday, January 10, 2008

The matter of the wage increase for Valerie Craft which was tabled at the December meeting was held over to the February meeting.

The Chairman appointed the following standing and special committees;

Administration and County Services Human Services

Michael Crawford, Chairman David Howelman, Chairman

Laura Stanek Laura Stanek

Jerroll Drenth Bernard Blackmore

Transportation Finance

Eugene Dawson, Chairman Laura Stanek, Chairman

David Howelman Larry Bargy

Joseph Allen Jerroll Drenth

Public Works Parks

Joseph Allen, Chairman Eugene Dawson, Chairman

Larry Bargy Michael Crawford

Eugene Dawson Joseph Allen

Health and Public Safety County Buildings & Grounds

Larry Bargy, Chairman Jerroll Drenth, Chairman

Bernard Blackmore Michael Crawford

David Howelman Larry Bargy

County Lands, Agriculture & Forestry

Bernard Blackmore, Chairman

Eugene Dawson

Joseph Allen

Circuit County Liaison District Court Liaison

Jack White Jack White

Laura Stanek Laura Stanek

Laura Sexton Laura Sexton

Peter Garwood Peter Garwood

It was moved by Stanek, seconded by Crawford the committee appointments be approved. Motion carried by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yes – Drenth, Dawson, White, Howelman, Crawford, Stanek, Allen; No – None; Absent – Bargy, Blackmore.

It was agreed that, although the committees have regular scheduled meetings, they shouldn’t meet unless necessary.

The meeting adjourned at 12:55 p.m. to the Call of the Chair.