Meeting Minutes

The regular meeting of the Board of County Road Commissioners of the County of Calhoun was held Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in Pennfield Township Hall located at 20260 Capital Avenue, N.E., Battle Creek, Michigan.

Present: Commissioner Chester E. Travis, Chairperson

Commissioner David D. Veramay, Vice-Chairperson

Commissioner Albert C. Bobrofsky, Member

Dennis A. Randolph, Managing Director

Carole S. Tabiadon, Deputy Managing Director-Clerk

Joanna I. Johnson, Assistant Managing Director

Angela Kline, Assistant County Highway Engineer

Pixie Coats, Calhoun County Road Commission

Also Present: Tom Frank, Albion Township Supervisor

Robert Brownell, Marengo Township Supervisor

Carole Bammer, Pennfield Township Clerk

Pete Shrontz, Marengo Township Trustee

Joseph Bramble, Convis Township Resident

Joseph Tabiadon, Marengo Township Resident

Clarence Millard, Newton Township Resident

John Cash, Pennfield Township Resident

Barbara Frederick, Calhoun County Commissioner

Annette Chapman, Calhoun County Road Commission

Jim Russell, Calhoun County Road Commission

Chairperson Chester Travis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. There being no additions or corrections to the regular meeting minutes of April 7, 2004, they stand approved as printed and distributed.

COMMUNICATIONS

•  Letter from Bedford Township requesting “No Parking” signs on Hutchinson Road

•  Letter from Eckford Township regarding 2004 roadwork

•  Letter from Michael & Nancy Meloth requesting a bike path (Chairperson Travis will send them a letter referring them to Marshall Township as this pertains to a local road)

NEW BUSINESS

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Bobrofsky to approve Career Development Request for Pixie Coats for $663.58. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Bobrofsky and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the road name changes as requested in Emmett Township. Annette Chapman, Addressing Coordinator, said the Beadle Lake area around the lake is very confusing. She has consulted with Emmett Township officials and they are all in favor of the changes. It should make it easer for residents with the mail services as well as the emergency vehicles. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Bobrofsky to approve the 2003 Annual Financial Report as presented. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Bobrofsky and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve Resolution 2004 – 07; Exchange of Federal Aid Funds. Voice vote: Motion carried.

RESOLUTION 2004 - 07

WHEREAS , A agreement between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Board of County Road Commissioners of the County of Calhoun, Michigan for the purpose of approving MDOT Number 2004-0275; Agenda: COM to exchange Federal funds from both the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) for State funds at the rate of seventy-five cents ($0.75) in State funds to one dollar ($1.00) in allocated Federal funds.

BE IT RESOLVED , that Chairperson Chester E. Travis signs MDOT Number 2004-0275 on behalf of the Board of County Road Commissioners of the County of Calhoun.

Moved by Commissioner Bobrofsky and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the April 8, 2004 accounts payable for $355,397.04. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Bobrofsky to approve the April 23, 2004 accounts payable for $226,699.44. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Bobrofsky and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the April 14, 2003 payroll for $131,073.02. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Bobrofsky and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the April 28, 2003 payroll for $131,302.97. Voice vote: Motion carried.

OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Randolph provided the Board with the following information:

•  He received a CRAM email requesting us to follow up with legislators regarding “off the top funds”, which is the funds that other agencies get from transportation monies. He prepared a letter to Senator Schauer.

•  We are filling potholes; getting ready for Sealcoating.

•  The service requests are starting to fall off; letting us catch up. The entire list of service request calls go to the field staff monthly, so they have an idea of what public comments we receive.

•  Thank you calls are increasing this year; they get better each year.

•  The Beadle Lake Road project pre-construction meeting is next Tuesday; the project should start about 10 days from then.

•  The Custer Road Critical Bridge RFP has been received; this project should go next year.

•  The cash balance at the end of March was $700,000+; projecting $1.3 million at end of 2004. We are seeing about 10%-15% revenue increase, so far this year.

•  May 13 th will be Jim Russell's 36 th year anniversary with the Road Commission.

Barbara Frederick, Calhoun County Commissioner, asked how the Road Commission was handling the potholes. Mr. Randolph stated that we use hot liquid rubber, tar & chip and asphalt. The hot mix asphalt plants have opened. We are primarily prepping roads for the Sealcoating to start June 1 st . Mrs. Frederick asked how long 27 Mile Road Bridge would be closed down. Mr. Randolph replied that was MDOT, but he thinks it will be down until about time for school to begin. Mrs. Frederick asked about Battle Creek transit regarding countywide transportation. She stated that Family Independent Agency was closing their Albion office and transportation to Battle Creek would be needed even more. Mr. Randolph said that was on hold until the Casino opens; then he will be able to move on it. He is looking at 2006 for the Casino at this time. Mrs. Frederick thanked Jim Russell for handling some problems that she had in the Homer area.

Tom Frank, Albion Township Supervisor, asked what roadwork that Eckford was requesting. Mr. Randolph read off the 2004 roadwork list. Mr. Frank stated that 25 ½ Mile Road north of Division Drive looks rough; it was concrete gravel with seal. He hopes that 24 Mile Road comes out better this year. He said that regarding the cold pave resurfacing he hopes they do good work this time. He asked about the M-60 paving project. Mr. Randolph stated that Hershel Stacy is coordinating this and it should start sometime after the first part of June. Mr. Frank stated that the front-end staff at the Road Commission does a good, professional job. He would like a culvert location map for Albion Township. Mrs. Tabiadon will contact the engineering firm.

Robert Brownell, Marengo Township Supervisor, asked what townships can do to keep road damage down; would truck weight limits or speed limits help. Mr. Randolph said that if townships have a transportation plan so that local roads can be by-passed onto primary roads easily then the Road Commission will work with the townships.

Clarence Millard, Newton Township resident, said that 6 Mile Road at B Drive South has poor vision and he would like to see “cross traffic does not stop” signs installed. He stated that H drive South between 6 Mile Road and 7 ½ Mile Road has potholes; as does 6 ½ Mile Road north of B Drive South. Mr. Randolph indicated that truck patching and sealcoat was scheduled for some of those areas.

Joseph Bramble, Convis Township resident, said that he is looking forward to N Drive North getting done. He said that 17 ½ Mile Road is very rough and inquired if a sealcoat would correct this. Mr. Randolph stated that he would look at it. Mr. Bramble asked about the culvert map; was it for inventory or why? Mr. Randolph explained that we are having them mapped which are needed for the GASB-34 process. Mrs. Tabiadon has reviewed the maps with the supervisors to replace the poor rated ones on roads that we will be working on this year.

Pixie Coats, Human Resource Director, stated that after reviewing the monthly reports, she discovered that the active employees' health care premium increase per month is $6,342.67 and the increase for retirees' health care premium is $2,201.52 per month. Together our monthly health care premium increase has risen to $8,844.19 and our annual increase in health care cost is $102,530.28. Beginning June 1, 2004, we will need to increase our monthly budget for premium payments.

The next regular meeting of the Calhoun County Road Commission Board is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. in their office at 13300 Fifteen Mile Road, Marshall Michigan. There being no additional business before the Board, Chairperson Travis adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m.