The regular meeting of the Board of County Road Commissioners of the County of Calhoun was held Wednesday, September 6, 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
Eugene Hamaker, Marshall Township Supervisor
Robert Brownell, Marengo Township Supervisor
Steve Irons, Athens Township Supervisor
John Neterer, Leroy Township Supervisor
Richard Harvey, Bedford Township Trustee
Joe Bramble, Convis Township Resident
Roland Owens, Marshall Township Resident
Clarence Millard, Newton Township Resident
Gardy Berezonsky, Marengo Township Resident
John Carr, Lakeland Asphalt, Resident
Tom Carr, Lakeland Asphalt, Resident
Walt Gamble, Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Productions
Marianne Deanau, Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Productions
Jim Russell, Calhoun County Road Commission
Steve Ball, Calhoun County Road Commission
Robert Volkmer, 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 August 2, 2006 they stand approved as printed and distributed.

COMMUNICATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS

Received a letter of approval for the proposed road name of “Pamptopee Trail”, BIA Road 1121-Huron Potawatomi, Inc. from Annette Chapman

Received a letter from the Michigan Department of Transporation regarding the annual road mileage certification changes

Received a memo from Mr. Pizzimenti regarding proposed road name in Marshall Township

Received a letter from Robert C. Tuck, Attorney at Law regarding a right-of-way mailbox issue at 10708 29 Mile Road, Albion, MI.

Received a memo from Kevin Henning, Finance Director regarding insurance costs and 2007 fee schedule

Received a year to date budget and revised 2006 budget from Kevin Henning, Finance Director

NEW BUSINESS

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the August 10, 2006 accounts payable for $475,790.56. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Monaweck to approve the August 25, 2006 accounts payable for $446,497.90. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the August 02, 2006 payroll for $135,665.16. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Monaweck to approve the August 16, 2006 payroll for $130,836.03. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Monaweck and supported by Commissioner Veramay to approve the August 30, 2006 payroll for $132,924.2. Voice vote: Motion carried.

Moved by Commissioner Veramay and supported by Commissioner Monaweck to approve the revised 2006 Budget.

MANAGING DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Mr. Randolph provided the Board with the following information:

Mr. Randolph discussed the cash balance report and said we were in a good position for the year-end balance to be a million dollar.

· Finishing chip & seal this week
· Shoulders
· Pothole Patching
· Our mowers and contract mowers are out
· Completing paving projects

Pennfield Road is one of the main ongoing construction projects. Paving completed last week and clean up.

Broadway in Union City paving is scheduled for Friday depending upon the weather.

Two bids came in on projects. Phase III traffic signal improvement work on Beckley Road and Verona Road resurfacing project.

Mr. Randolph discussed the three different types of stone we are using this year. We may want to offer three different grades of seal in the future

1. Regular Slag-Medium Traffic
2. Natural Stone-Light Traffic
3. Steel Slag – Heavy Traffic

Mr. Randolph said that we need to do work on our main salt barn before we fill it up with salt. Preparing for snow, which is our next big activity.

Mr. Randolph stated that we received a refund from MCRCSIP, our insurance carrier. We received $450,000 with our annual premium for insurance was $457,000, so the actual premium cost was $7,000. This is a continuing example of what we are doing in our safety program. We have paid less in our premiums this year than we did last year. A combination of the programs for safety on our roads, in the workplace and for our employees has assisted in the refund. We are pursuing several OSHA awards and hope to have one this year and another one next year. This is an ongoing and continuing process.

Mr. Randolph said that we received the National American Public Works Association Award for Historic Bridge Park, project of the year. Mrs. Chapman is going to Kansas City Monday to receive the official award.

COMMISSIONER’S COMMENTS

Commissioner Monaweck asked what down time means in the revised budget. Mr. Henning stated that if equipment is on the job site and it goes down for repair, we can no longer charge the equipment to the project and the labor is charged to down time.

Commissioner Monaweck asked if we were paying for the sheriff work crew. Mr. Henning stated that we don’t pay for the work crew, but we pay for the deputy’s who oversees the work crew.

Commissioner Monaweck stated that in the last month or so he has gone to Dowagiac and Horton, Michigan and also up north. Commissioner Monaweck asked who is out of step when it comes to shoulder repair. He noticed in those areas that very few counties restored the shoulders of the roads to a raw gravel base. He asked what the advantage or disadvantage is of what we are trying to do.

Mr. Randolph stated that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation and Michigan Department of Transportation specifications call for aggregate shoulders on the roads. He stated that sod shoulders hold water and they have a tendency of having more fixed objects right up tight to the edge of the road. Keeping the roadside clear is safer for the motoring public.

Commissioner Monaweck has had many complaints of brush and low limbs. He stated that if this causes deterioration of the roads, then he is going to make an extreme statement and ask that the administration take a serious look at this problem.

Have the administration make a decision that next year, unless there is given projects that have to be done, that we do no more servicing road projects of any kind and that we take one season and address the trimming and brushing along with the grant that we have on our primary roads and see what kind of results we can come up with. Commissioner Monaweck stated that he is making this statement based on renting equipment so that we can get the most production needed to get the job done. Then the next step would be to hire an instructor to instruct our employees on the proper way of brush trimming and tree trimming because he doesn’t feel we know the proper way to do that. Commissioner Monaweck said that it sounds extreme, but he thinks it will take extreme measures to correct this issue. Commissioner Monaweck is asking for management to take a look at this proposal.

Mr. Randolph said that we would certainly look at it. One of the reasons the federal contract is beneficial is because we are going to get actual costs for this type of work. We will see what kind of prices come in to do this type of work. In terms of liability, the court said we are responsible from one edge of the pavement to the other. Commissioner Monaweck said if trees are causing a maintenance problem then sooner or later this needs to be addressed.

Commissioner Travis said that he would like to hear from the townships on this proposal. Commissioner Travis said that he could see putting more emphasis on cleaning up the brush, but going a year without doing any roadwork would put us in trouble.

SUPERVISOR’S & PUBLIC OFFICIAL’S TIME

Mr. Hamaker stated that the problem the Road Commission has is lack of money. No one has the money to clean up the road because we have to use the money on the roads.

Mr. Brownell said on H Drive north west of 22 ½ Mile Road the washout is sinking and then just west of that there is a tree that needs to come down. On 22 ½ Mile Road the ditch on the west side of the road needs to have something put in it to stop the washout.

Mr. Frank asked what stone was used on 23 Mile Road. Mr. Randolph said that it was the steel slag and that everyone might want to take a look at it. Mr. Frank asked about the cost. Mr. Henning stated that our regular slag is about $11,000/mile and the steel slag is about $15,000/mile because it’s heavier. Mr. Frank asked
when the mowing would be done. Mr. Russell said it should be done in early October.

Mr. Irons said he came across N Drive South and 6 Mile Road and the southeast side of it is starting to come apart. Mr. Irons said that between O and Q Drive by the curves there always seems to be a wash out and he would like to see some stone put in it. On Q Drive there are some dead limbs along M-66. Mr. Irons said that he would like to see the boom mower come down 4 ½ Mile Road.

Mr. Harvey stated that the culvert on Collier Road is holding the beavers off. He asked if Mr. Randolph had a date as to when the letting will be for the Custer Road Bridge. Mr. Randolph said that he thought it would be in January or early February.

Mr. Neterer said he had a lot of compliments come in on the work done on 4 Mile and B Drive. The driveway at Troy Franks was done nicely and quickly.

CITIZEN’S TIME

Mr. Bramble said thank you for the nice job on filling the potholes. Thank you for fixing the rough area over the culvert on N Drive. It is smoothed out and a lot safer. To appreciate the shoulders travel down N Drive from the gravel pit on 12 Mile Road to I-69. The trucks no longer crowd the centerline.

Mr. Millard asked a study has been done on B Drive South and 8 Mile Road intersection. He said there seem to be a lot of crashes due to the lack of visibility. Mr. Randolph said that all the studies from the crash reports don’t show a pattern. He stated that he would go back and look at it again. Mr. Millard said that the stone mailbox on K Drive South and 11 Mile Road is still there. Mr. Randolph said that letters are being sent out and our permit agent is following up on them.

Mr. Owens stated that he hates the boom mower. They came down his road July 20th and a lot of brush was left there. Someone did come down and push the brush out of the road and into the ditch. He said that he always used to mow that area but won’t until we pick up the brush. Mr. Owens said that he requested someone to call him so that he would know what guidelines were being used but no one called him back.

Mr. Carr discussed the bid process and why he didn’t receive a bid packet. Mrs. Johnson told him that it was strictly a human error not to send him a bid packet and that it was not done intentionally. Commissioner Veramay told Mr. Carr that when he received the letter from Lakeland he asked Mr. Randolph to respond to it. He has done so and they will receive a copy of it. He also noted bids were advertised.

Mr. Berezonsky said thank you to Mr. Adams for having his crew come out and fill in a hole. Mr. Berezonsky asked who paid for the work done at the end of Clinton Street up to Capital Hill Road. Mr. Randolph stated that the Road Commission paid for it.

The next regular meeting of the Calhoun County Road Commission Board is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. There being no additional business before the Board, Chairman Travis adjourned the meeting at 10:20 a.m.