City of Kalamazoo Minutes of the City Commission 2006 46th City Commission Mayor Hannah J. McKinney Vice Mayor Bobby Hopewell David Anderson Mary Balkema Don Cooney Sean McCann Barbara Miller City Commission Appointees Kenneth P. Collard, City Manager Scott A. Borling, City Clerk Lee Kirk, City Attorney Constance Darling, City Assessor Ann Videtich, Internal Auditor Kalamazoo City Commission 2006 Meeting Schedule Regular Meetings Work Sessions Committee of the Whole Meetings January 3* January 9 January 17* February 13 January 13 January 30 March 13 January 27 April 10 February 6 May 8 February 3 February 20 June 12 February 17 July 10 March 6 August 14 March 3 March 20 September 11 March 17 October 9 March 31 April 3 November 13 April 17 December 11 April 13 April 28 May 1 May 15 May 12 May 30* May 26 June 5 June 2 June 19 June 16 June 30 July5* July 17 July 14 July 31 July 28 August 7 August 4 August 21 August 18 September 5* September 1 September 18 September 15 September 29 October 2 October 16 October 13 October 30 October 27 November 6 November 3 November 20 November 17 December 4 December 1 December 18 December 15 December 29 All regular meetings are held in the City Commission Chamber at 7:00 p.m. All Committee of the Whole meetings are held in the Community Room at 7:30 a.m. All special meetings/work sessions will be held in the Community Room at 7:00 p.m. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) indicate meetings scheduled for the day following a holiday. REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 3, 2006 Page 1 A regular meeting of the Kalamazoo City Commission was held on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mayor Hannah McKinney Roll Call Vice Mayor Bobby Hopewell David Anderson Mary Balkema Don Cooney Sean McCann Barbara Miller COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None Also present were Acting City Manager Ken Collard, City Attorney Lee Kirk, and City Clerk Scott Borling. Invocation The invocation, given by Reverend Bruce Rhodes, Kalamazoo Free Methodist Church was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Adoption of the By unanimous consent the City Commission adopted the meeting agenda Agenda without changes. Public Acting City Manager Collard invited the public to attend meetings of Announcements various boards and commissions. Public hearing re At 7:07 p.m. Mayor McKinney opened a public hearing to receive public PA 198 IFT comments regarding a RESOLUTION to approve the application from Soil Certificate for Soil & Materials Engineers, Inc. for a PA 198 Industrial Facilities Tax & Materials Exemption Certificate for twelve years for real property valued at Engineers, Inc. $1,000,000 and six years for new personal property valued at $25,000 in existing Industrial Development District No. 117 located at 3301 Tech Circle, just off Campus Drive in the Western Michigan University Business Technology & Research (BTR) Park. At 7:08 p.m. Mayor McKinney closed the public hearing. Resolution 06-01 Commissioner Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Cooney, moved to adopt a RESOLUTION to approve the application of Soil & Materials Engineers, Inc. for a PA 198 Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption Certificate for twelve years for real property valued at $1,000,000 and six years for new personal property valued at $25,000 in existing Industrial Development District No. 117 located at 3301 Tech Circle, just off Campus Drive in the Western Michigan University Business Technology & Research (BTR) Park. With a roll call vote this motion passed unanimously. AYES: Commissioners Anderson, Balkema, Cooney, McCann, Miller, Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mayor McKinney. NAYS: None REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 3, 2006 Page 2 Prior to a vote on this motion, Commissioner Cooney noted the City currently abated taxes on approximately $49,000,000 in real and personal property, and he requested that the City Commission examine its tax abatement policies. Commissioner Cooney stated the issues of accountability and reciprocity were two important considerations with respect to tax abatement policies, and he stated companies that received tax abatements needed to work with the City to improve the quality of life for citizens. Commissioner Balkema expressed support for a review of the City Commission’s tax abatement policies, especially in light of the City’s fiscal challenges. Commissioner Anderson stated Soil and Materials Engineers would create good jobs with benefits and indicated he would support the motion. Public Hearing re: At 7:11 p.m. Mayor McKinney opened a public hearing to regarding a Industrial recommendation to adopt a RESOLUTION designating Kalamazoo Development Industrial Development District No. 118, around the perimeter of the District No. 118 properties located at 1811 and 1901 Factory Street. The proposed district covers approximately 1.03 acres of land, all owned by the same individuals. At 7:12 p.m. Mayor McKinney closed the public hearing. Resolution 06-02 Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner McCann, moved to adopt a RESOLUTION designating Kalamazoo Industrial Development District No. 118, around the perimeter of the properties located at 1811 and 1901 Factory Street. The proposed district covers approximately 1.03 acres of land, all owned by the same individuals. With a roll call vote this motion passed unanimously. AYES: Commissioners Anderson, Balkema, Cooney, McCann, Miller, Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mayor McKinney. NAYS: None Public Hearing re: At 7:14 p.m. Mayor McKinney opened a public hearing regarding a Industrial recommendation to adopt a RESOLUTION to establish PA 198 Industrial Development Development District No. 119 around the combined perimeter of 659 District No. 119 Sheldon Street, 907 Sheldon Court and 910 Sheldon Court. At 7:15 p.m. Mayor McKinney closed the public hearing. Resolution 06-03 Commissioner McCann, seconded by Commissioner Balkema, moved to adopt a RESOLUTION to establish PA 198 Industrial Development District No. 119 around the combined perimeter of 659 Sheldon Street, 907 Sheldon Court and 910 Sheldon Court. With a roll call vote this motion passed unanimously. REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 3, 2006 Page 3 AYES: Commissioners Anderson, Balkema, Cooney, McCann, Miller, Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mayor McKinney. NAYS: None Public Hearing re: At 7:16 p.m. Mayor McKinney opened a public hearing regarding a Industrial recommendation to adopt a RESOLUTION to establish PA 198 Industrial Development Development District No. 120 around four parcels of land whose District No. 120 collective address is 507 Mills Street. At 7:17 p.m. Mayor McKinney closed the public hearing. Resolution 06-04 Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner McCann, moved to adopt a RESOLUTION to establish PA 198 Industrial Development District No. 120 around four parcels of land whose collective address is 507 Mills Street. With a roll call vote this motion passed unanimously. AYES: Commissioners Anderson, Balkema, Cooney, McCann, Miller, Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mayor McKinney. NAYS: None Citizen Comments Next, an opportunity was given for citizen comments on non-agenda items, but no comments were received. Consent Agenda Consent Agenda items were presented as follows with a recommendation to approve the items with authorization for the City Manager to sign on behalf of the city: - a recommendation to approve a one-year contract with Etna Supply Company to supply copper tubing in the amount of $195,570. - a recommendation to approve a contract with AIS Construction Equipment Company for the purchase of a front-end loader to be used by Field Services staff performing street maintenance and repair activities in the amount of $109,500. Resolution 06-05 - a recommendation to adopt a RESOLUTION scheduling a public hearing to consider the proposed fiscal year 2006 budget for the City of Kalamazoo. - a recommendation to schedule a public hearing on Tuesday, January 17, 2006, to receive public comments on the proposed across-the-board fare increase for the Kalamazoo Metro Transit System scheduled for implementation on March 1, 2006. - a recommendation to accept a $500 grant from the Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies for planning activities associated with the CPAIR Program. REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 3, 2006 Page 4 - a recommendation to convey, by quit claim deed, the City’s interest in 305 and 307 Edwin, to Sheila C. Conant in consideration of $6,518.07 in payment of foreclosed 1991 through 1999 taxes. Commissioner McCann, seconded by Commissioner Miller, moved to approve the consent agenda requests. With a roll call vote this motion passed unanimously. AYES: Commissioners Anderson, Balkema, Cooney, Miller, McCann, Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mayor McKinney NAYS: None City Manager’s Public Safety Chief Dan Weston announced a partnership between the Report Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency (KRESA) whereby Kalamazoo Public Safety Officers would teach two classes in the Education for Employment (EFE) Law Enforcement Program. Nick Westra, Coordinator of Offsite Programs for KRESA, explained the EFE program provided vocational training to high school students and stated the EFE Law Enforcement Program had been in existence since 1991. Mr. Westra noted the Law Enforcement Program would be the first in the country to engage sworn Public Safety Officers in the training of high school students. In response to a question from Vice Mayor Hopewell, Mr. Westra stated the EFE Law Enforcement Program had averaged close to 60 participants in previous years, and the current enrollment for 2006 was 24 students. In response to questions from Vice Mayor Hopewell, Chief Weston explained there would be some links between the Public Safety Explorers program and the EFE law enforcement program but noted the EFE program was an academic program which offered participants both high school and college credit. Chief Weston stated the EFE program would provide an excellent opportunity for the Public Safety Department to recruit future officers at an early age.