Board of Trustee Minutes

Trustee Barnett questioned outside improvements in regards to landscaping enhancements. Dilworth replied that there would be landscaping and a site plan would be presented in the future. Clerk Roncelli asked when the site plans would be available. Dilworth responded that they would be available within the year (no later than December 2006).

MOTION by Barnett and SUPPORT by Buckley to APPROVE the Resolution for Bond Financing of Detroit Skate Club Improvements through The Economic Development Corporation of the County of Oakland.

WHEREAS, there exists in the County of Oakland the need for programs to alleviate and prevent conditions of unemployment, to assist and retain local industrial and commercial enterprises, and to encourage the location and expansion of such enterprises in order to strengthen and revitalize the County's economy and to provide needed services and facilities to the County, the Township, and their residents; and

WHEREAS, the Economic Development Corporations Act, Act No. 338 of the Michigan Public Acts of 1974, as amended (the "Act"), provides a means for the encouragement and assistance of industrial and commercial enterprises in locating, purchasing, constructing, reconstructing, modernizing, improving, maintaining, repairing, furnishing, equipping and expanding in the Township and the County; and

WHEREAS, The Economic Development Corporation of the County of Oakland (the "EDC") has commenced proceedings for the assistance, pursuant to the provisions of the Act and through the issuance of its limited obligation economic development revenue bonds, of The Detroit Skating Club, Inc. Project (the "Project") which is located in this Township; and

WHEREAS, the EDC has determined that the Project is reasonable and necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Act, that the Project Plan prepared in connection with the Project satisfies all of the requirements of Section 8 of the Act regarding project plans, that the persons who will be active in the management of the Project for at least one (1) year after the projected date of the County Board of Commissioners' approval of the Project Plan will have sufficient ability and experience to manage the Plan properly, that the proposed method of financing the Project is feasible, and the EDC has approved the Project Plan in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A; and

WHEREAS, before this Project can proceed under the Act, this Township Board must approve the Project Plan; and

WHEREAS, this Township Board has reviewed the subject Project Plan and concurs in the determinations of the EDC with respect thereto;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the Act, this Township Board hereby approves the Project Plan attached to this resolution as Exhibit A.

2. That the adoption of this resolution has and shall have no effect whatsoever upon the consideration by the Township, or the results of the Township’s consideration, of the site plan relating to the Project, which shall remain subject to customary Township rules, regulations and policies regarding site plans.

That the Clerk of this Township be and hereby is instructed to communicate this approval of the Project Plan to the Board of Directors of the EDC by delivering to said Board of Directors a certified copy of this resolution.

YEAS: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTENTIONS: None

RESOLUTION DECLARED ADOPTED:

STATE OF MICHIGAN )

COUNTY OF OAKLAND )

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and complete copy of a resolution adopted at a Trustee meeting of the Township Board of the Charter Township of Bloomfield, Michigan, held on November 28, 2005, the original of which is on file in my office. Public notice of said meeting was given pursuant to and in compliance with Act No. 267 of the Michigan Public Acts of 1976, as amended.

_____________________

JANET RONCELLI

TOWNSHIP CLERK

Leslie Helwig, Bloomfield Township Community Relations, spoke to the Board regarding the proposed resolution, which confirms the Township’s participation in the Woodward Dream Cruise (WDC), August 20, 2006, and names her as representative for the Township at all WDC Board meetings.

MOTION by Stefanes and SUPPORT by Barnett to ADOPT the Woodward Dream Cruise Resolution.

________________________________

JANET RONCELLI

TOWNSHIP CLERK

AYES: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

The presentation by Leslie Helwig, Bloomfield Township Community Relations, summarized the following changes:

Helwig advised that legal counsel has reviewed all revisions.

Clerk Roncelli asked about listing 800 numbers and directing to websites on programming. Helwig answered that the programming cannot list numbers or direct to websites if for commercialism, only for pubic service announcements.

A copy of the Bloomfield Cable Television Policies and Procedures is on file in the Clerk’s office.

MOTION by Devine and SUPPORT by Savoie to APPROVE Revisions to Bloomfield Cable Television Policies and Procedures.

AYES: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

A newspaper article (Detroit Free Press) was distributed to Board members, which gave accolades to Bloomfield Community Television (BCTV) for winning awards from the Central States Region of the Alliance for Community Media.

Leslie Helwig asked the Board to support this resolution, stating that to not do so would jeopardize competition and negatively affect revenue. The resolution asks Congress to protect local control of cable franchises. Discussion ensued.

MOTION by Barnett and SUPPORT by Roncelli to ADOPT the Resolution Supporting Local Control of Cable Franchising.

WHEREAS, current law requires cable television operators to obtain a local franchise agreement from a local government before they offer video services to its citizens; and

WHEREAS, the obligation to obtain a local franchise to provide video services stems both from inherent local government authority over the use of rights-of-way and from the federal 1992 Cable Act, Title VI; and

WHEREAS, the two largest telephone companies, SBC and Verizon, have announced their intent to offer video services; and

WHEREAS, these companies are seeking federal legislation, potentially as part of the rewrite of the Federal Communications Act, that would restructure the local franchising process and instead create a national video franchise allowing telephone companies to offer video programming in municipalities without obtaining a local franchise agreement; and

WHEREAS, cities, villages and townships should have the authority to negotiate and enforce local franchise agreements to obtain needed services, including institutional networks and the provision of Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels, which communities can use to provide messages and important information to their citizens; and

WHEREAS, cities, villages and townships should have the authority to provide communications services, including internet, cable and telephone services, for the benefit of local citizenry and economic development purposes without undue interference from the federal or state governments; and

WHEREAS, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has drafted a Broadband Internet Transmission bill, backed by phone companies, that would harm municipal interests; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 3146 has been filed by U.S. Representatives Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee) and Albert Wynn (Maryland) and S. 1349 by U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (Oregon) and Jay Rockefeller (West Virginia) that would create a national cable/video franchise, thus bypassing the local franchising process; and

WHEREAS, U.S. Senators John Ensign (Nevada) and John McCain (Arizona) have filed a bill titled the "Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act" that would prohibit state and local governments from requiring a franchise for the provision of video services, extinguish existing cable franchises, and restrict the authority of local governments to provide communications services.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Charter Township of Bloomfield opposes federal legislation that creates a national video franchising process preempting local governments from requiring a local franchise agreement from telephone companies that provide video services in their communities, that extinguishes existing cable franchises, and that restricts the authority of local governments to provide communications services.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Charter Township of Bloomfield urges members of Michigan’s Congressional Delegation and members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to oppose this legislation and protect municipalities’ local franchising authority over video services and municipalities’ ability to provide communications services and that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to Michigan’s Congressional Delegation, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Michigan Township Association.

I, JANET M. RONCELLI, TOWNSHIP CLERK of the Charter Township of Bloomfield, County of Oakland, Michigan, do hereby certify the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the Board at their regular meeting held on November 28, 2005.

__________________________

JANET RONCELLI

TOWNSHIP CLERK

AYES: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

A presentation was made by Patti McCullough, Director of Planning and Building. McCullough reviewed the proposed changes, compared fees to other municipalities, and projected revenues.

MOTION by Stefanes and SUPPORT by Barnett to APPROVE the Resolution to Increase Planning Review Fees, effective January 1, 2006.

Site Plan Review Non-residential $800 + $10/1000 gross bldg. sq. ft.

Residential $800 + $25/residential unit

Design Review Board Review $125

- Sign Review $50

Rezoning Requests $900 + $25/acre

Subdivision (Plat) Review $1200 + $25/Lot

Lot Split Requests $500/Lot

(Lot line adjustment excluded)

Zoning Board of Appeals Non-residential:

Variance Request $300

Permission Request $300

Ordinance Violation $500

Variance Request $100

Permission Request $ 60

Ordinance Violation $200

1. Revised submittals for review shall be half of initial fee for each occurrence.

AYES: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

MOTION by Buckley and SUPPORT by Roncelli to approve payroll and vouchers A001248-A001278; B008614-B008781; and E001645-E001660 totaling $2,403,908.87.

AYES: Payne, Roncelli, Devine, Stefanes, Buckley, Barnett, Savoie

NAYS: None

Supervisor Payne welcomed 3 of our 4 Oakland County Commissioners to the Board Meeting – William Molnar, Marcia Gershenson and Chuck Moss.

Commissioner Gershenson explained how pilot cities for wireless internet were chosen, stating that is was due to the cities’ current relationship with the provider.

Supervisor Payne also welcomed Jeff Salz from the Planning Commission.

Janet M. Roncelli, Bloomfield Township Clerk