City Of Albion

City Council Meeting

April 16, 2007

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

Mayor William M. Wheaton opened the regular session at 7:02 p.m.

 

MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED

 

ROLL CALL

 

Ron Gant (1), Betty Branche (2), Ken Waito (3), Andy Zblewski (4), Cheryl Krause (5), George Strander (6) and Mayor William M. Wheaton.

 

            Administration: Mike Herman, City Manager;  Kevin Markovich, Director of Public Services; Kerry Helmick, Finance Director/City Clerk/City Treasurer; Eric Miller, Chief of Public Safety; Nidia Wolf, Downtown Development Authority Director; Rick Knapp, City Assessor and Chuck Robison, City Attorney.

           

MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS' COMMENTS

 

Comments were received from Councilmembers Gant and Strander and Mayor Wheaton.

 

V.   PRESENTATION

 

A.         Alcohol Awareness Month.

 

Councilmember Krause read and presented the Alcohol Awareness Month Proclamation to Substance Abuse Council representative Suzanne Horsefall and Albion Public Safety Officer Eric Krause.

 

B.                  Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

 

Councilmember Gant read and presented the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation to Calhoun County Prosecutor John Hallacy.

 

C.                  Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

 

Councilmember Strander read and presented the Crime Victims’ Rights Week Proclamation to Calhoun County Prosecutor Hallacy.

 

D.                 Child Abuse Prevention Month.

 

Councilmember Waito read and presented the Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation to Calhoun County Prosecutor Hallacy.

 

E.                  National Volunteer Week.

 

Councilmember Zblewski read and presented the National Volunteer Week Proclamation to Albion Volunteer Service Organization Director Candauce Cloy.

 

F.                  Equal Pay Day.

 

Councilmember Branche read and presented the Equal Pay Day Proclamation to Albion Professional Businesswomen’s Association Vice President Barb Fredericks.

 

G.                  Fair Housing Month.

 

Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors representative Linda Waito read and presented the Fair Housing Month Proclamation to Mayor Wheaton.

 

VI.    CITIZENS’ COMMENTS (Persons addressing the City Council shall limit their comments to agenda items and to no more than five (5) minutes.  Proper protocol and decorum is required.)

 

Comments were received from Councilmember Strander and Kathy Hemingway, 905 South Superior Street.

 

VII.   CONSENT CALENDAR

 

A.                 Approval of Regular Session Minutes – April 02, 2007.

 

No comments were received.

 

Gant moved, Branche supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Consent Calendar as Presented.  (7-0, rcv).

 

VIII. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION

 

A.         Presentation of Assessor’s Report – Rick Knapp.

 

            City Assessor Rick Knapp presented the 2007 City of Albion Assesor’s Report.

 

Comments were received from Councilmembers Gant, Branche and Strander, Mayor Wheaton and City Manager Herman.

 

B.                  Request for Approval for American Legion Auxiliary Post 55 to Sell Poppies on May 10th, 11th and 12th, 2007.

 

No comments were received.

 

Waito moved, Branche supported, CARRIED, to Approve American Legion Auxiliary Post 55 Selling Poppies on May 10th, 11th and 12th, 2007.  (7-0, rcv).

 

Request for Approval for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3672 to Sell Poppies on May 17th, 18th and 19th, 2007.

 

No comments were received.

 

Zblewski moved, Gant supported, CARRIED, to Approve Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3672 Selling Poppies on May 17th, 18th and 19th, 2007.  (7-0, rcv).

 

D.         Request for Approval to Close the Following Streets for the Albion College Commencement Program from 8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 12th, 2007:

·         Perry Street at Hannah Street

·         Ingham Street at Michigan Avenue

·         Cass Street at Oswego Street

·         Cass Street at Hannah Street

 

No comments were received.

 

Waito moved, Krause supported, CARRIED, to Approve Closing the Requested Streets on May 12th, 2007 for the Albion College Commencement Program.  (7.0, rcv).

 

E.         Request for Approval for the Chamber of Commerce to Use the Bandshell at Victory Park for the Air Force Band of Flight Concert from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 07th, 2007.

 

            No comments were received.

 

            Gant moved, Krause supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Chamber of Commerce Using the Victory Park Bandshell on July 07th, 2007 as Requested.  (7-0, rcv).

 

F.         Request for Approval for the Chamber of Commerce to Hold the Annual Festival of the Forks on September 21-23, 2007.

 

            No comments were received.

 

            Branche moved, Gant supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Chamber of Commerce Holding the Annual Festival of the Forks on September 21-23, 2007.  (7-0, rcv).

 

G.         Request for Approval of the Following Licenses for Garbage Collection Services:

·         Turner Sanitation

·         Republic Waste Service

·         Waste Management

 

            Comments were received from Councilmembers Strander and Waito and City Manager Herman.

 

            Waito moved, Zblewski supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Garbage Collection Services Licenses as Presented.  (7-0, rcv).

 

H.        Request for Approval of the Following Licenses for Mechanical Amusement Devices for the Following Businesses:

·         Albion College

·         Albion Moose Lodge

·         Cascarelli’s Tavern

·         Charlie’s of Albion

·         Felpausch

·         Leisure Hour Club

·         Phoenix Restaurant & Lounge

·         Pizza Hut

 

No comments were received.

 

Branche moved, Gant supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Mechanical Amusement Devices Licenses as Presented.  (7-0, rcv).

 

I.         Request for Approval to Appoint Stephen Sanney to the Downtown Development Authority Board for a Term Expiring 12/31/20/08.

 

            No comments were received.

 

            Krause moved, Branche supported, CARRIED, to Approve the Board Appointment as Presented.  (7-0, rcv).

 

J.         Discussion of City Staff Response to the Letter from the Faith-Based Initiative.

 

            Comments were received from Councilmembers Gant, Waito, Branche and Krause; Mayor Wheaton; City Manager Herman; Chief of Public Safety Miller; Reverend Fred Alexander, 208 Watson Street; Pastor John Sterner, 515 East Michigan Avenue; Sybil Sanders, 606 West Center Street and Father Ed Scully, 311 Irwin Avenue.

 

K.         Discussion of Proposal for a Joint Task Force on Youth Safety.

 

            Comments were received from Mayor Wheaton and City Manager Herman.

 

L.         Motion to Excuse Absent Council Member(s).

 

No action was needed as all Councilmembers were present.

 

IX.       CITIZEN'S COMMENTS (Persons addressing the City Council shall limit their comments to no more than five (5) minutes.  Proper decorum is required.)

 

Comments were received from Councilmember Strander; City Manager Herman; Downtown Development Authority Director Wolf; Robina Quale-Leach, 422 Darrow Street; Kathy Hemingway, 905 South Superior Street and Johnnie Collins, 915 North Superior Street.

 

     X.    ADJOURNMENT

 

Waito moved, Branche supported, CARRIED, to adjourn the regular session.  (7-0, rcv).

 

Mayor Wheaton adjourned the regular session at 9:02 p.m.

 

 

 

____________                                             _________________________

date                                                                Kerry Helmick

                                                                        City Clerk