The regular meeting of the Board of County Road Commissioners of the County of Calhoun was held Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. in their office located at 13300 Fifteen Mile Road, Marshall, Michigan.

Present: Commissioner Chester E. Travis, Chairman
Commissioner David D. Veramay, Vice-Chairman
Commissioner Charles E. Monaweck, Member
Dennis Randolph, Managing Director
Joanna Johnson, Assistant Managing Director
Kevin Henning, Finance Director
Pixie Coats, Human Resource Director
Angela Kline, Assistant County Highway Engineer
Also Present: Tom Frank, Albion Township Supervisor
Jim Demarest, Emmett Township Supervisor
Eugene Hamaker, Marshall Township Supervisor Sharon Lindauer, Pennfield Township Supervisor
Sharon Drumhiller, Tekonsha Township Supervisor
Richard Harvey, Bedford Township Resident
Bill Taylor, Clarence Township Resident
Chester Toman, Clarence Township Resident
Wayne Gay, Clarence Township Resident
Steve Miller, Clarence Township Resident
Joe Bramble, Convis Township Resident
Clarence Millard, Newton Township Resident
Gardy Berezonsky, Marengo Township Resident
Creighton Burrows, Marengo Township Resident
Maurice Shaffer, Newton Township Resident
Alice Godde, Pennfield Township Resident
Randy Fisher, Sheridan Township Resident
Bill Kirchmeier Jr., Jackson Michigan
Jim Russell, Calhoun County Road Commission
Steve Ball, Calhoun County Road Commission
Robert Volkmer, Calhoun County Road Commission
Hershel Stacy, Calhoun County Road Commission
Dave Fuller, Calhoun County Road Commission
Paul Adams, Calhoun County Road Commission

Chairman Chester Travis called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. There being no additions or corrections to the regular meeting minutes of June July 21, 2006 they stand approved as printed and distributed.

COMMUNICATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS

•  Received Resolution from Pennfield Township requesting CCRC to conduct a study for the installation of traffic lights at the corner of Morgan Road and Ease Avenue North, as well as M-66 and Sunset
•  Received Notice of Intent to establish a Condominium Project from Stetler Built Homes Penn Village, Pennfield Township
•  Received Traffic Control Order 06-100-002, Emmett Township for no thru truck route

NEW BUSINESS

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck Veramay and supported by Commissioner Veramay Monaweck to approve the June 22 July 10 , 2006 accounts payable for $ 314,897.22 315,871.84 . Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Monaweck Veramay to approve the June July 21 5 , 2006 payroll for $ 131,585.4 130,831.13 . Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the Resolution from Pennfield Township requesting CCRC to conduct a study for the installation of traffic lights at the corner of Morgan Road and Ease Avenue North, as well as M-66 and Sunset. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the Notice of Intent to establish a Condominium Project from Stetler Built Homes. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve Traffic Control Order 06-100-002, Emmett Township for no thru truck route. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Mrs. Johnson stated at the last Board meeting we accepted the resolution from Emmett Township and that traffic control number 05-00-001 stretch of B Drive North was originally listed as B Drive North between I-94 and Beadle Lake Road which Road, which was incorrect. This traffic control order clarifies We just want to clarify that it is B Drive North between 6 Mile Road and Beadle Lake Road.

MANAGING DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Mr. Randolph provided the Board with the following information:

•  Paving continues in Emmett & Convis
•  They are out Prepping for Chip and Seal Sea l ing Coating, which will start next week.

Mr. Randolph said that we would begin in the City of Battle Creek. The city is paying 100% of the cost. We will then move clockwise around the county beginning in Bedford.

•  Continue to have crews out Pothole Patching

Mr. Randolph stated that we now have a flow boy come here to our yard , first thing in the morning to fill our trucks and fills up our trucks . This saves us the drive time from here to the plant and we can get our crews out on the roads much quicker. Also, the large flow boy holds the heat much better.

•  Drainage and ditching
•  Mowing
•  S houlders

Mr. Randolph showed a video of the Shadowood sub-division paving project and the Wattles road project that was done last year. He said the crew that did a nice job .

Mr. Randolph showed a video of the chip and seal work in the City of Battle Creek. Mr. Randolph stated that the chip and seal crew did a nice job . No excess stone was left, which is very important .

Mr. Randolph showed a video of the pavement marking change on Main Street between Columbia and Kingman. One of the biggest safety improvements you can make is to change a four-lane road into a three - lane road. It will give a 25% - 30% crash reduction on a road.

PRESENTATION:

Mr. Randolph gave a presentation of the funds appropriated by counties across Michigan to their road commissions. He reviewed neighbor counties and distribution of funds.

MDOT receives about 9 times more money for each mile of its roads than road commissions. Of the money that road commissions receive (out of this 1/9 th amount), it is divided evenly between Primary and Local roads. Since there are about twice as many Local roads as Primary roads, this means that Primary roads receive about 2-times the funds a mile as Local roads. The distribution of $1.00 of gas tax available for MDOT and counties are distributed as follows: $.89 per mile-MDOT roads, $.07 per mile-Primary roads, and $ .04 per mile-Local roads .

Act 51 says: 247.662 (15) " Money distributed from the Michigan transportation fund may be expended for construction purposes on county local roads only to the extent matched by money from other sources ." This means that before we can do construction on local road, ½ the cost has to come from some source other than the Road Commission. Without this match money, we may only do routine maintenance on Local roads.

The average county population is about 98,000, while Calhoun County's population is nearly 40 percent greater, at 139,067. While average dollars per mile of revenue for our neighbors is slightly over $27,000, Calhoun County 's rate is about $26,000. Calhoun County receives nearly 24 percent less funds per capita than the average for our neighbors. Branch County, which we are often compared with, receives the highest per capita amount of all our neighbor s , $482 . 96; Calhoun County receives about 48 percent less than that. With the vast disparity between funding per capita between Branch and Calhoun County means that at a minimum it is just plain wrong to compare the two road systems.

To partially make up for the disparity of funds between the State and counties, and between Calhoun County and our neighbor counties, we have been aggressive in pursuing federal-aid for road and bridge improvements. While federal-aid cannot be used on Local roads, it does free Primary road funds that may then be transferred to the Local road fund (up to the legal limit).

Over the past 14 years we have gained federal funds for over 46 projects . Thus, we have been able to supplement our normal revenue by 29 percent with outside funding resources.

Altogether between 1992 and 2007 we will record 57 completed federal-aid projects with the total construction cost of $41, 183,429.

Over the past 14-years we have received no funding from the County. We also rank among the lowest road commissions in the amount of township match funding we receive.

In any case, we have made great efforts to address this general problem by being very aggressive in our pursuit of federal and state aid. Fifty-seven projects in 15-years, or an average of nearly 4 federal-aid projects each year, is in fact a very successful rate. The Road Commission has brought in over $41,000,000 of construction and improvements to make Calhoun County 's roads better.

Mr. Randolph read the CRAM message regarding monies road commissions will loose the last half of this fiscal year for new license plates . Calhoun County will loose $12,000 a month - approximately $50,000.

COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS

Commissioner Monaweck asked if there was an informational survey on other counties in the State who participate in giving funds to the Road Commission. Mr. Randolph said that he could get that information from the CRAM data data web site site .

Commissioner Monaweck stated that on his way to South Haven from Vicksburg to Schoolcraft he noticed that when they do their chip and seal, they have little to no excess stone buil t d up on the edge of the road. Mr. Randolph stated that they have done that in response to us. Going back ten years, it was common for them to leave quite a bit of stone on the side of the road. We leave very little stone and because of that they have refined their operation to also leave very little stone.

SUPERVISOR'S & PUBLIC OFFICIAL'S TIME

Mr. Demarest stated that the crew did a fantastic job in Shadowood sub-division . He received many positive comments from the neighbors living there. Mr. Demarest asked if any traffic control orders ( TCO ) needed updating because of the work that was done on Main Street . Mr. Randolph said no not that he is aware of.

Mr. Frank asked after brining a gravel road and within six hours you have a big rainfall do you lose the brine if he could get a copy of the presentation and have it enlarged . Mr. Randolph stated that you do lose some , but not enough to cause a problem he would be glad to do that . Mr. Frank wanted to know when we would come out and film Condit Road and 30 Mile Road. Mr. Randolph stated that we would be bringing everyone out to see them during the Road Tour this year.

Mrs. Lindauer asked why Pennfield Road was closed yesterday when they were supposed to always keep one lane open. Mr. Randolph said that it was because they were putting in a big culvert and that was the quickest way to get it done. Mrs. Lindauer stated that they needed about three speed bumps through the connecting sub-division .

Mr. Harvey thank ed Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Kline for coming to the township meeting and discussing the Cust e r Road Bridge. He stated that Mr. Randolph was right about the chip and seal work that was done; it didn't have any excess stone . H e looked at it himself and he thought they did a nice job.

Mr. Hamaker said that he noticed there is more traffic on C Drive through Ceresco and also B Drive with everyone going to the mall. Mr. Hamaker also asked if we were going to do more shoulders. Mr. Randolph said no, not this year.

Mr. Bramble said that he would also like a list of the Counties that contribute. Mr. Randolph said that he would get that information for him.

CITIZEN'S TIME

Mr. Bramble said that he would also like a list of the Counties that contribute. Mr. Randolph said that he would get that information for him. asked if there was any progress when Mr. Randolph met with the Solid Waste Committee? Mr. Randolph stated that two things happened. First, the Board agreed not to pay for the Drain Commission watershed planning funding. Second, t he Board agreed to provide $ 6,000.00 on a countywide basis for deer disposal .

Mr. Fisher commended the Road Commission on doing such a fine job with the paving that was done in Battle Creek. He asked if Shadowood would be getting the same crushed concrete as the 7 th district on the shoulders.

Mr. Randolph stated that crushed concrete is a high quality material . It is environmentally sound, it's economical, and it binds and sticks together very well . It is a very good material. It's use however in subdivisions is minimal.

Mrs. God de showed the Board some pictures of a hill o ff Bellevue Road that is very dangerous and hopes that the Road Commission will look at it.

Mr. Burrows stated that Mr. Randolph said that the Road Commission is going to loose $50,000.00 because everyone will be getting new license plates. The public does not know this. All they know is that everyone is going to get new license plates. Mr. Burrows suggested that news reporters should be extended an invitation to attend these meeting so that they can let the people know the facts. Mr. Randolph did a great job getting all this material together but if the public never see s it then it won't do us any good. Mr. Burrows said that he would like to see Mr. Randolph give this presentation at the County Commission meeting because that meeting is televised and a lot of people would see it. Mr. Randolph said that he would send a memo over and ask the County Administrat or i f he can do a presentation to the County Board.

Mr. Millard said that we have trouble getting the County to contribute because they don't like to do that. There is a large pothole in Leroy Township on K Drive South and 5 Mile Road.

Mr. Berezonsky asked why we are doing the City of Battle Creek s roads before doing our asked how much money does the S tate make off the State Maintenance contract with the Road Commission . Mr. Randolph stated that the Road Commission makes money off the contract, not the state. Mr. Berezonsky asked Mr. Randolph w hen the County take s over a sub-division , do they deed the land over to the County . Mr. Randolph said they only deed over the right-of-way and the road but not the land. own roads. Mr. Randolph said that it is because the C c ity is paying 100% of the cost. Mr. Berezonsky said that he goes to most of the County meeting s and he has never seen anyone from the Road Commission ask for money. Mr. Randolph said that there is was a budget process that is used to we submit requests to and that is what we have done . We have a process we have to follow.

Commissioner Veramay stated that it is very hard to get money out of an organization that doesn't have the money to pay their own bills.

Mr. Shaffer said that he made a pothole complaint and received a card back on June 2 nd and the pothole still hasn't been filled. Mr. Shaffer said that if you have to get out of the a truck to fill a hole along side the road , and the there is another one in spitting distance next to the truck that doesn't get fill filled , then he doesn't think this is very efficient. Why fill one and leave the others. The roadside mowing is being mowed 12 inches high and he is not doing a good job that the County came back and mowed and did a nice job. . He also stated that he still has pothole s .