Minutes are posted as soon as they become available. Please note they are not official until they are adopted at the next regularly scheduled meeting. CITY OF PORT HURON 2008 Council-Manager Government MAYOR Brian J. Moeller COUNCIL Mark A. Byrne James M. Fisher Timothy A. McCulloch Martin Doorn Alan Lewandowski Lonnie Stevens ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS Interim City Manager Bruce C. Brown Bureau of Public Information & Complaints Marinas Susan M. Child.................................. Director Dan Collins................................Harbormaster City Clerk=s Office Parks, Forestry, Cemetery & Parking Div. Susan M. Child...............................City Clerk Robert W. Eick .............................. Supervisor Community Development Personnel Department Kimberly A. Harmer.......................... Director John P. Berry .................... Personnel Director Data Processing Planning Department James J. Brennan .............................. Manager Kimberly A. Harmer.......................... Director Finance Department Police Department John H. Ogden................................... Director Donald E. Porrett....................................Chief Fire Department Public Works Robert W. Eick .......................................Chief Robert E. Clegg ........................ City Engineer Law Department Recreation John Livesay............................. City Attorney Betty Dunn ........................................ Director January 7, 2008 1 Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Huron, Michigan, held Monday, January 7, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. in On motion (9:24 p.m.), Council adjourned from closed session Conference Room 408, Municipal Office Center. into regular session. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Moeller. 2. Discussion held on the scheduling of work sessions and a special meeting with St. Clair County as to what nights Council is Present: Mayor Moeller; Councilmembers Byrne, Fisher, available. The consensus was that Monday or Thursday nights or Lewandowski, McCulloch, Relken and Wright. Saturday mornings were the best times for special meetings but none were set at this time. MOTIONS & MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS On motion (9:30 p.m.), Council adjourned. 1. Councilmember Relken offered and moved the following PAULINE M. REPP, MMC resolution: City Clerk BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Open Meetings Act City Council enter into a closed session for the purpose of a strategy and negotiation session connected with the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements. Adopted unanimously. 2 January 7, 2008 (Page intentionally left blank) January 14, 2008 3 Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Huron, 2. The Mayor announced that this was the time to hear Michigan, held Monday, January 14, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. in the comments on the proposed vacation of an easement located on Public Meeting Room of the Municipal Office Center. property in the block bounded by the Grand Trunk and C & O railroad line to the north, Petit Street to the south, 16th Street to the The invocation was given by Pastor Michael Eaton, Bible east, and 2005 Petit Street to the west. Missionary Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. No one appeared to be heard. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Moeller. The Mayor declared the hearing closed and the following Present: Mayor Moeller; Councilmembers Byrne, Fisher, resolution was offered and moved by Councilmember Lewandowski, McCulloch, Relken and Wright. Lewandowski: The minutes of the regular meeting of December 10, 2007, WHEREAS, the City of Port Huron owns the portion of and the special meeting of January 7, 2008, were approved. easement located on property in the block bounded by the Grand Trunk and C & O railroad line to the north, Petit Street to the south, 16th Street to the east, and 2005 Petit Street to the west, PUBLIC HEARINGS legally described as follows: 1. The Mayor announced that this was the time to hear that portion of the public utility easement over the east comments on the proposed vacation of the 20th Street right-of-way twenty feet of the west sixty-three feet of Outlot L, in the block bounded by the Grand Trunk and C & O railroad line Assessor's Railroad Plat between the north right-of-way to the north, Petit Street to the south, 1905 Beard Street to the east line of Petit Street, if extended east, and a line parallel and 24th Street to the west, with reservation of a utility easement to and twelve feet south of the north property line of over the easterly 66 feet. said Outlot L, City of Port Huron; and A letter of support for this vacation and the one in Public WHEREAS, on December 4, 2007, the City Planning Hearing No. 2 from Doug Alexander, Executive Director, Commission held a public hearing to hear comments on the Economic Development Alliance, was read into the record by the proposed vacation and recommended approval (vote: 8 ayes; 0 City Clerk. nays; 1 absent; 0 abstained); and No one appeared to be heard. WHEREAS, the City Council on January 14, 2008, held a public hearing for the purpose of hearing and considering any objections to the vacation and after due consideration, it is the The Mayor declared the hearing closed and the following judgment of the Port Huron City Council that the vacation would resolution was offered and moved by Councilmember be in keeping with the City's Master Plan and in furtherance of the McCulloch: public interest and benefit; WHEREAS, the City of Port Huron owns the 20th Street NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the above- right-of-way in the block bounded by the Grand Trunk and C & O described portion of easement is hereby vacated. railroad line to the north, Petit Street to the south, 1905 Beard Street to the east, and 24th Street to the west, legally described as Adopted unanimously. follows: 3. The Mayor announced that this was the time to hear that portion of the 20th Street right-of-way (67.52 feet comments on the general needs in community development, wide) between the north right-of-way line of Petit Street housing and special services, utilizing CDBG and HOME funds for and the north property line of Outlots K and L, the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2008. Assessor's Railroad Plat (this portion of 20th Street was originally the east 34.52 feet of Outlot K and the west Julie Allen, Safe Horizons, appeared to request $17,500 for 33 feet of Outlot L), City of Port Huron; and homeless services at Pathway Shelter and Carolyn’s Place. WHEREAS, on December 4, 2007, the City Planning Angela Kelly, Ben’s Fine Furniture, 314 Huron Avenue, Commission held a public hearing to hear comments on the appeared requesting that grant funds be allocated to assist proposed vacation and recommended approval (vote: 8 ayes; 0 downtown businesses with updating their buildings. She also nays; 1 absent; 0 abstained); and talked about declaring some of the buildings as historical buildings. WHEREAS, the City Council on January 14, 2008, held a public hearing for the purpose of hearing and considering any The Mayor declared the hearing closed. objections to the vacation and after due consideration, it is the judgment of the Port Huron City Council that the vacation would PUBLIC AUDIENCES be in keeping with the City's Master Plan and in furtherance of the public interest and benefit; 1. Joann Rumford, 3540 Parkway Drive, #9, addressed the City Council relative to public access to information and internet NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the above- access. described 20th Street right-of-way is hereby vacated with the reservation of a utility easement over the easterly 66 feet. 2. Anthony America, Port Huron, addressed the City Council criticizing Mayor Moeller for stopping him from speaking at the Adopted unanimously. last meeting and stated he should be recalled. 4 January 14, 2008 3. Tim Anderson, 2615 North Boulevard, addressed the City COMMUNICATIONS & PETITIONS Council stating that he lives by Lincoln Park and said that the problems with noise, litter, dogs, fights and late night noise are C-1. Councilmember Fisher moved to receive and file the difficult now and does not want to add alcohol consumption to the following communication: park. From Councilmember Relken, requesting that a Special City 4. Karen Nickerson, Director of Community and Government Council meeting be called for the purpose of Council clearly Affairs for an internet company called Leverage, addressed the defining their goals as well as the order and timeline in which to City Council stating that they are a new online retail company that manage those goals and to communicate them to the public. deals with gift cards, etc., and shared that they would like to open a Port Huron location but need funding. She gave contact Adopted unanimously. information as www.leveragecard.com and (810) 350-5908 or [email protected]. NOTE: Mayor Moeller circulated a schedule of dates (Mondays and Thursdays throughout 2008) that could be used to 5-8. The following people addressed the City Council requesting schedule a special meeting. that the DARE program be reinstated: Mark Pollack, teacher at Crull School, 5328 Lakeshore Rd., Fort Gratiot; Kathleen Trongo, 902 Military St., #2, President of PHEA; Hiawatha Blunt, 2303 C-2. Councilmember McCulloch moved to receive and file the Grant Place, teacher at Cleveland School; and Alex Crittenden, following communication: 1828 Kennelworth, former school administrator. From Councilmember Relken, transmitting information 9. Rock Stevens, Port Huron, addressed the City Council regarding outdoor burning and the “Health Effects of Wood thanking them for their hard work and stated his displeasure with a Smoke" (see City Clerk File #08-02). warning letter he received about not clearing snow in front of his properties during the recent snow storm when it was the City who Adopted unanimously. threw the snow back on his cleared sidewalk when their plowed the street. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 10. Dennis McAtamney, 1133 - 10th Avenue, addressed the City 1.