City Of Albion

City Council Retreat

August 07, 2008

CALL TO ORDER

Krause moved, Branche supported, CARRIED, to Call the Council Retreat Out of Recess.  (6-0, rcv).

Mayor William M. Wheaton opened the City Council Retreat at 7:01 p.m.

II.       ROLL CALL

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

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;  Peggy Sindt, Economic Development Corporation President; Eric Sanchez, Economic Development Corporation Vice President; Nidia Wolf, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director; John Tracy, Code Enforcement Officer and Chuck Robison, City Attorney.

Also in attendance:  Economic Development Corporation Board Members Ed Haas, Bernie Konkle, Bob Marshall, Herman McCall and Joyce Spicer.

III.     DISCUSSION

            A.         Economic Development Corporation Items

                        EDC President Sindt presented the following items for discussion:

1.       Battle Creek Unlimited Management Changes.

2.      Employment Numbers, Unemployment Rates.

3.      Harvard Update, Prospect Activity.

Comments were received from Council Member Zblewski, Mayor Wheaton, City Manager Herman and EDC Board Members Spicer and Haas.

City Manager Herman gave an overview of the current Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption rating process.

Additional comments were received from City Manager Herman, EDC President Sindt, EDC Board Members Spicer and Marshall and City Attorney Robison.

B.                  Downtown Development Authority Items

DDA Executive Director Wolf gave an overview.

Additional comments were received from Council Members Zblewski, Krause, Strander and Branche; Mayor Wheaton; City Manager Herman; Chief of Public Safety Miller and Code Enforcement Officer Tracy.

C.                  Transient Merchant Ordinance

City Manager Herman gave an overview.

Additional comments were received from Council Members Waito, Krause and Strander; Chief of Public Safety Miller; DDA Executive Director Wolf; Finance Director Helmick; Director of Public Services Markovich; Code Enforcement Officer Tracy and City Attorney Robison.

D.                 2009 Budget Items & Goals

City Manager Herman gave an overview.

Additional comments were received from Council Members Krause, Strander, Waito, Zblewski and Branche; Code Enforcement Officer Tracy and City Attorney Chuck Robison.

E.                  Miscellaneous & Council Items

Chief of Public Safety Miller responded to Mayor Wheaton regarding the School Liaison position.

Chief of Public Safety Miller responded to Council Member Krause regarding the recently acquired aerial truck.

Chief of Public Safety Miller responded to Mayor Wheaton regarding Public Safety positions.

IV.       ADJOURNMENT

Branche moved, Waito supported, CARRIED, to adjourn the Council Retreat.  (6-0, rcv).

Mayor Wheaton adjourned the Council Retreat at 9:48 p.m.

____________                                             _________________________

date                                                                Kerry Helmick

                                                                        City Clerk