COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Supervisor Beckwith called the Regular Meeting of the Columbia Township Board to order. Present were Beckwith, Burgett, Fogarty, Harrington, and Hurley. In attendance were 34 individuals.

Consent Agenda: Regular Meeting Minutes-October 16, 2001; Special Meeting Minutes-October 22, 2001, October 26, 2001, November 2, 2001; bills through November 19, 2001; Treasurer’s Report. Motion by Burgett, seconded by Hurley, to approve the consent agenda. Carried unanimously.

Clerk's Report: Bills received after consent agenda.

    John Huzienga Scanner $75

Guest Speaker: None

Public Comment: None

Supervisor: No Report

Sheriff: 77 calls in October. There is an increase in suspicious activity in the Township.

County Commissioner: No Report.

Fire Chief: 13 calls in October. The Fire Department is selling cups for $5 each.

Planning Commission: No Report.

Neighborhood Watch: There is heightened security at Palisades. Neighborhood Watch has 20 assistant coordinators.

Book Station: The First Congregational Church in Grand Junction is letting the Book Station use its meeting room, temporarily. The Book Station is looking for volunteers to help to catalog books and donate time for the children. Recipes are still needed for the Book Station cookbook.

Hospital: The second floor at the hospital is being renovated. The primary focus will be private rooms in the medical, surgical, and Special Care Unit. Over 3,000 pounds of food were collected for the Harvest Gathering Food Drive. There will be an open house at the Shoreline Women’s Center on Monday, November 26^th, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.

Recreation: No Report.

Grant Writing: No Report.

Zoning Administrator: 17 Zoning Compliances and Building Permits issued in October. 5 Land Divisions were issued in October.

John Dutton’s letter to the Editor in the Herald Palladium.

An anonymous letter that has been distributed in the Township. The Supervisor asked Frank Grubisich if he had written the letter. His answer was yes.

Letter from Frank Grubisich to the Board, answered by Clerk Mary Burgett.

Motion by Burgett, seconded by Hurley, to approve Resolution 2001-24, Senior Services Millage Resolution. Roll Call vote, Beckwith aye, Burgett aye, Fogarty aye, Harrington aye, Hurley aye.
Carried.

Motion by Burgett, seconded by Fogarty, to have the Supervisor appoint four people to a committee to interview the applicants for Fire Chief. Carried unanimously.

Motion by Burgett, seconded by Hurley, to hire Ron Anderson to plow the Ambulance Station for $40 for 3"-6" of snow and $50 for 6"-12" of snow, and to hire Josh Dickerson to plow the Township Hall for $50 for 3"-6" of snow and $90 for 6"-12" of snow. Carried.

Mary Lou MacDonald would like the Township to purchase the house on the East side of the railroad tracks on CR 388.

Motion by Hurley, seconded by Fogarty, to have the Book Station set up temporarily in the meeting room of the First Congregational Church. Carried unanimously.

Motion by Burgett, seconded by Hurley, to approve Vic Sedlak as Blight Administrator. Carried unanimously.

Motion by Harrington, seconded by Fogarty, to amend the Budget Amendment from $4000 for ABB to $5000. Carried unanimously.

Motion by Burgett, seconded by Fogarty, to approve the Budget Amendment as amended. Roll Call vote. Beckwith aye, Burgett aye, Fogarty aye, Harrington aye, Hurley aye. Carried.

Monthly workshop to be held on the Wednesday before the Regular Meeting, at 7:00pm.

Motion by Beckwith, seconded by Burgett, to approve Felice M. Williams, James C. Robertson, Chester Goff, and Timothy Adams, as firefighter volunteers, subject to background checks, physicals, interviews, and evaluations. Carried.

Public Comment: The volunteer firemen should live close by.

Is there a transcript to the mediation?

Blight needs to be taken care of in this Township

52-1/2 by the Transfer Station is very rough.

Thank you to the Firemen who stayed to protect the Township.

Adjourned: 9:02 pm

Mary Burgett, Clerk

Dean Beckwith, Supervisor

Open Meetings Act Certification: The undersigned clerk certifies that public notice of this meeting was given in accordance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and that all members of the public attending the meeting were afforded reasonable opportunity to address the Board.

___________________________Mary Burgett, Clerk