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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-21 CITY OF LIVONIA — CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF STUDY MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 Meeting was called to order via Zoom remote technology at 8:40 p.m. by President Kathleen McIntyre. Present: Scott Bahr, Cathy White, Brandon McCullough, Rob Donovic, Jim Jolly, Laura Toy, and Kathleen McIntyre. Absent: None. Councilmember Donovic led the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance. Elected and appointed officials present: Mark Taormina, Director of Planning and Economic Development; Todd Zilincik, City Engineer; Paul Bernier, City Attorney; Susan Nash, City Clerk; Captain Thomas Goralski, Livonia Police Department; Robert Jennison, Livonia Fire Department; Casey O'Neil, Director of Information Systems; Ted Davis, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation; and Doug Moore, Assistant Director of Public Works President McIntyre spoke about the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the many accomplishments she made throughout her career. Councilmember Toy indicated that Bentley High School Class of 1970 celebrated their 50th Reunion last Saturday at Bentley Field. AUDIENCE COMMUNICATION NEW BUSINESS 1. BLOCK PARTY: Michele Johnston, re: to be held Saturday, October 31, 20207 from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Floral Street, between Curtis and Lathers, with no rain date requested. Michele Johnston presented this request to Council. She stated they would like to have a few of their blocks together for a block party and have about fifty people, keeping separation guidelines in mind, and have games for the kids and keep it safer for Halloween. Vice President Bahr offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 2. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH A HIGHSCHOOL DUAL ENROLLMENT YOUTH FIRE CADET PROGRAM AT SCHOOLCRAFT COLLEGE: Livonia Fire & Rescue, re: for high school students 16-17 years of age. 2 Robert Jennison, Livonia Fire Department, presented this request to Council. He stated that the Livonia Fire Department is requesting an approving resolution to establish a high school youth fire cadet program in order to facilitate a dual enrollment program with Schoolcraft College's Fire Training Institute. This would be open to Livonia and Clarenceville School District students, ages 16 and 17, who qualify for this program. Councilmember McCullough stated that when the read the information in his packet on this agenda item he felt it was a win/win/win, a partnership between Schoolcraft providing education and training, equipment and testing, and hearing that Livonia Public Schools plus Clarenceville with these students to be able to explore funding options that they can use in a career or profession. And then obviously a partnership for Livonia to maybe snag some of these cadets after they get through the program as full-time firefighters in our City. I think it's a wonderful thing and kudos to everybody involved. He asked for Council to be kept informed so that this information can be shared on social media when the time is right. Councilmember Donovic stated he feels this is a great idea as well and that he believes the Police Department has something similar with the PSA Program, trying to get young people interested in first responder roles and get to them before other agencies do and incentivizing them and working with them to get their education done to make them certifiable to eventually join our ranks. It's a great idea and he thinks other agencies across the state are also doing things like this and is looking forward to this being successful. Councilmember McCullough offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 3. REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 40 CASES OF FOURSTAR 180 DAY BRIQUETTES: Public Service Division, re: from Clarke Mosquito Control for the 2021 Mosquito Treatment Program, from budgeted funds. Doug Moore, Assistant Director of Public Works, presented this request to Council. He stated this is the annual purchase of mosquito control briquettes that we get every year. These go into the catch basins and the streets and some of the park systems, they're the 3-inch long briquettes that we pop in usually in the early to mid-part of June and they last up to 180 days for mosquito control Councilmember Toy offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. She then asked Moore if he knew the reason why this summer there was an onslaught of tiny mosquitoes and he replied that he noticed they were smaller this year, too, but he doesn't know the reason. 3 Councilmember Jolly stated that he has heard on the news recently that there are maybe ten counties in Michigan who have cases of equine encephalitis; does the City have a contact that deals directly with the State in regard to situations like that, are our parks monitored for that and other such viruses in the animal population, does the City have anybody who is on that task in the City or no? Moore replied not really that they would depend on Wayne County Health Department. Several years ago when the Zika mosquito was involved, the mosquito that carries the Zika virus showed, it was Wayne County Health Department that led the charge on that and then we worked with some people from DEQ/EGLE, but normally we work with the Health Department on that, if something pops up. Jolly confirmed that it would the DPW that would be dealing with those two parties and Moore replied yes, for the most part. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 4. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE ONE (1) 9" DISK STYLE BRUSH CHIPPER THROUGH THE STATE CONTRACT PRICING: Public Service Division, to be used by the Forestry and Roads departments, from funds budgeted in the 2019-2020 Refuse Fund. Doug Moore, Assistant Director of Public Works, presented this request to Council. He stated the Department is looking to replace a chipper that was purchased in 2008. This chipper would be mostly used with Parks, we do lend it out to the golf courses at times when they ask. It's a smaller chipper then we use for the brush program so that it's lighter, it's more maneuverable, we can get it into some areas where the crews are working as compared to the bigger ones. It's being purchased through the State contract pricing with Bandit, and the amount for the purchase is $32,429.21.00. Councilmember Jolly offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Toy commended Moore and his department on their brush pick- up program. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 5. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE SEVEN (7) MARKED/SEMI- MARKED POLICE VEHICLES UTILIZING THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND MACOMB COUNTY CONSORTIUM BID PRICING: Division of Police, re. from budgeted funds. Captain Thomas Goralski, Livonia Police Department, presented this request to Council. He stated this is a request to purchase seven marked and semi-marked 4 police patrol vehicles. Six of these vehicles are part of our annual replacement of a portion of the fleet. The seventh vehicle is actually a replacement for a vehicle that was damaged beyond repair and partially paid off from an insurance settlement, so seven total. They are also requesting waiver of the sealed bid process as we're using two big consortiums, the State of Michigan and Macomb County. As such, using these bids we take advantage of applying for the best pricing available for these vehicles. Additionally, these vehicles are from budgeted funds being used for it. Councilmember White offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 6. AWARD OF BID: Department of Parks and Recreation, re: for the purchase of Calcium Hypochlorite (chlorine) and annual cleaning of feeders for the Kirksey Recreation Center Pools, Botsford Pool, Clements Circle Pools and Shelden Pool for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023, from budgeted funds. Ted Davis, Superintendent of Parks & Recreation, presented this request to Council. He stated they are requesting a three-year agreement with Aquatic Source to purchase Calcium Hypochlorite tablets, chlorine, for our swimming pools. They were the low bidder, holding their price at $2.10 per pound for three years and they are asking Council to authorize this for three years ending December 31, 2023. Councilmember McCullough offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 7. REQUEST TO ACCEPT STORM WATER FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT: Engineering Division, re: from Leo Soave Bldg., Inc., in conjunction with the construction of a storm drainage system that provides adequate drainage for property developed on the east side of Wayne Road, South of Curtis Road, in the Southwest '/4 of Section 9. Todd Zilincik, City Engineer, presented this request to Council. He stated this is a housekeeping issue in which we're getting ready to close out the development, that they completed all the necessary steps to jet out the storm sewers, recently put additional Rip-rap and addressed the detention area and we're looking to get approval from City Council on the Storm Water Agreement and then move forward from there. Councilmember Toy offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. 5 Councilmember Donovic asked Zilincik when he talks about new developments in the community, he's recently had this question asked multiple times in regard to storm water and drainage. When new homes are built does that help relieve you any stress on the surrounding existing homes, does it make the entire system more efficient or is there any difference? Zilincik replied that obviously on our new developments, we have several homes, we help take the sump pump leads and the run-off from the road or whatever, and it goes to a detention area whether it's underground or stormwater detention, which restricts the flow to our creeks. In this case, Mystic Creek, there's a flood plain and so those areas that were addressed, there's a detention back there, and then again it's restricted to the outflow, it helps alleviate or reduce the erosion that involves our creeks, causing trees to fall in and flooding that could impact the habitat itself. So every little bit helps. Again, on the infill it's a different story because typically there is one property that infills, but anything we can do to address the storm water on new development,we try to follow our standards which is usually a closed storm system in the backyards, take it to a known detention, whether it's underground or open detention, and then it gets restricted, clean water gets restricted out for the creeks, very important. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 8. REQUEST TO ACCEPT STORM WATER FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT: Engineering Division, re: from Livonia Estates Ltd., c/o Hove Street Properties Limited, in conjunction with the construction of a storm drainage system that provides adequate drainage for property developed at 31800 Enterprise Drive, in the Southeast '/4 of Section 27. Todd Zilincik, City Engineer, presented this request to Council. He stated this again is a housekeeping issue, this has taken three to four years to complete, in three different phases. They are finally taking the initiative to go to City Council because everything has been up to snuff and he is looking for Council's approval. He stated they do a great job on maintaining their storm water management system, all of the other maintenance in that area, the company is out of Toronto. He asked for Council's approval on this, to help close this and release the bonds as part of the requirements for the plan approval. Councilmember Toy offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT 9. REQUEST FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF WAIVER USE APPROVAL: Planning Commission, re: Petition 2019-06-02-09, submitted by Neumann/Smith Architecture, which previously received approval by the City Council on August 12, 2019, to expand floor area, renovate the exterior appearance of the building and modify the vehicular parking layout of the existing Salvation Army resale store on 6 property located on the north side of Plymouth Road between Farmington and Stark Roads (33600 Plymouth Road) in the Southeast '/4 of Section 28. (CR 269- 19) Mark Taormina, Director of Planning and Economic Development, presented this request to Council. He stated this is a request for a one-year extension by the Salvation Army to extend into the space next to them, it's about 7,000 additional square feet, the space that was formerly occupied by Chimento's Italian Market, a long vacant space. A complete renovation of the facade, as well as the interior and like many projects over the past year, the pandemic has caused a delay in the construction process and Mr. Cummings is here to provide any additional information. Jim Cummings, Neumann/Smith Architecture, stated he would like to give Council an update on where they're at on the project. In September of last year they had hired a CM to work with the budget and work with the other contractors, getting contractors on board. They had gone through a BE process that went through November and December and then Salvation Army in February approved a budget, so we were on our way to submitting our plans to the City's plan review and engineering, probably sometime in April, mid-April, is when we were looking to submit our drawings. And then Covid hit and so Salvation told us at the beginning of April to put this on hold for a month to see what was going to happen. So in the beginning of May they had voted the project and decided to put it on, to not to approve for it to go forward, that they wanted to kind of have a nine-months, six-month waiting period just to see what was going to happen. So, going forward we expect them by the end of this year, beginning of the next year to again look at it and approve the project to move forward and then hopefully if that happens probably April or May of next year we'll be again the plans for review to the City. Councilmember McCullough stated he is happy to see them coming forward and asking for an extension, and fingers crossed we get out of this Covid, and next spring you'll be submitting plans. So, after seeing this space, this is a great addition, and he then offered an approving resolution for the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Toy commended Cummings for continuing this project in spite of all of the challenges that we're all having, but as our Planning Director said, that is an area that has been needing to have something done with it after Chimento's moved out. She also thanked Cummings for their generosity in providing food and clothes to women and men of human trafficking. DIRECTION: APPROVING CONSENT AUDIENCE COMMUNICATION None 7 As there were no further questions or comments, President McIntyre adjourned the Study Session at 9:11 p.m. on Monday, September 21, 2020. For the 1,906t" Regular Meeting of October 5, 2020 DATED: September 23, 2020 SUSAN M. NASH, CITY CLERK