Agenda by City Clerk Kalla Langston
Please note that the City Commission Meeting Agenda is posted below. At the end of the agenda, click on the link to take you to more detailed minutes of the meeting. Also, the meeting minutes may not be published in each issue of The Buchanan Chronicle (probably once a month) due to rules that minutes are approved at the next City Commission meeting.
THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BUCHANAN in compliance with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, as amended, B2103192 of 2021, hereby gives notice of a regular meeting of the Buchanan City Commission to be held in the Chamber of Buchanan City Hall, 302 N Redbud Trail, Buchanan MI.
- Requests to be added to the agenda as a “Scheduled Matter from the Floor” should be submitted in writing to the City Clerk at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled meeting during which the speaker wishes to appear, and the approval of such requests remain within the discretion of the Mayor. If denied, the speaker may nonetheless speak during the “non-agenda items only” public comments section of the agenda.
- Those who are unable to appear during a meeting but who still wish to share public comment may submit such comments in written form to the City Clerk at least 4 hours in advance of the meeting.
- Individuals with disabilities may request necessary reasonable accommodations by submitting requests to the City Clerk, preferably at least 24 hours in advance.
- Written requests and comments may be submitted to the City Clerk either in person or via mail to Buchanan City Hall, 302 N. Redbud Trail, Buchanan, MI 49107, or via email to clerk@cityofbuchanan.com
The Buchanan City Commission met for this regular meeting Monday, September 12th 2022 at 7:00 pm, in person, Buchanan City Hall Chamber, 302 N Redbud Trail, Buchanan, MI 49107.
MONDAY, September 12, 2022 – 7:00 PM
Begin Meeting Agenda:
I. Call to Order
– Meeting was called to order by Mayor Sean Denison at 7:00 P.M.
II. Recognition
– None
III. Pledge of Allegiance
– Mayor Denison led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
IV. Roll Call
– Present: Mayor Sean Denison, Commissioner Cameron Downey, Commissioner Larry Money, Commissioner Patrick Swem
– Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Mark Weedon
– City Staff: City Manager, Heather Grace; City Clerk, Kalla Langston; City Treasurer, Deborah Perez; Director Public Services, Mike Baker; Public Safety Director, Tim Ganus.
V. Approve Agenda
– Motion made by Money, supported by Downey to approve the agenda as presented.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
VI. Public Comment – Agenda Items Only (3-minute limit)
– Juanita Lewis: enjoyed the common concerts, would like to see community be as welcoming as possible to others.
VII. Consent Agenda (can be approved all in one motion, for general housekeeping items)
VII.A. Expenditures
– Consider approving expenditures for September 12, 2022, in the amount of $2,191,931.49.
– $1,816,057.82 of the amount above is for tax disbursements to other taxing entities, and $223,130 is for a required wastewater bond payment.
VII.B. Minutes
– Consider approving the following minutes:
a. Consider approving minutes from the August 22, 2022, Regular Meeting.
b. Consider approving minutes from the August 22, 2022, Closed Session.
c. Consider approving minutes from the August 25, 2022, Special Meeting.
VII.C. Halloween Hours
– Consider approving Halloween trick or treat hours for Monday, October 31,
2022, from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
– Motion made by Money, supported by Downey to approve the consent agenda as presented.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
X. Scheduled Matters from the Floor (if any)
– None
IX. Reports by: Departments, Committees, Boards
IX.A. Friends of the McCoy Creek Trail Report – Jerry Flenar
IX.A.1. Consider approval Trek-or-Treat date for Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022
IX.A.2. Yearly Review of McCoy Creek Trail
– Jerry Flenar Chairman of the Friends of McCoy Creek Trail highlighted what the group has done this past year. Safety signs were put along the trail in case of a medical emergency, they would be able to communicate their location more accurately. Four new benches were installed and the plantings of four Chestnut Trees along the Trail. Two Eagle Scout projects were completed. The Friends of the Trail also worked with Berrien County Jail Trustees, with them working 7 days total this year. They do an amazing job helping with the clearing. Friends of the Trail has asked some groups around town to help with maintaining some areas. Honor Credit Union has been doing the Veterans Memorial Park and Red Bud Roots is helping take care of the area behind the Commons. The trail extension is moving forward, we have received a grant already $339,000.00 from the state. In November they will award another $339,000.00 which the trail hopes to receive. The biggest accomplishment was having to raise $106,000.00 of Buchanan match money to make those grants happen and they ended up raising $214,000.00 doubling what they needed to raise. In October we have Trek or Treat with almost 2,000 kids and adults going through the trail last year. The Trail group held 3 lunches for the DPW crew for all the hard work they do on the trail. New brochures were handed out as well as Flenar asking for anyone that is not a member of the Trail to please donate and join.
– Motion made by Swem, supported by Money to approve the Trek-or-Treat event, as presented.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
IX.B. Finance Department Report
– Treasurer Deb Perez will give an update on City financials.
Perez reported on the summer 2022 Property Tax collection. (See attachment A)
IX.C. Public Safety Report
– Director Tim Ganus, Chief Harvey Burnett, and Buchanan Community Schools
Superintendent Patricia Robinson will present a proposal for a School Resource Officer.
School Resource Officer Proposal, with the School District initially sharing 20% of the total annual cost of what it would cost the City to hire a new officer ($70,387.20). The SRO would serve as the police liaison to the School District and would cover K-12 schools in the Buchanan School District on a rotating basis, providing intervention support and increasing overall school safety. Upcoming grant opportunities will be pursued to cover ongoing expenses of the role, with a COPS grant opportunity opening in February, and new State of Michigan funding supposed to be coming available in the near future.
– Discussion about how this could improve safety at the school and a role model present for the kids. With 122 school incidents at the school during the 2021-2022 school year, having a police officer on staff to handle those incidents would benefit the school and the department.
– The commission would like to see the City Manager reach out to the leadership of the surrounding townships within the Buchanan School District to try to negotiate a potential cost-share arrangement to help more equitably allocate any expenses related to the proposed School Resource Officer.
X. Unfinished Business
– None
XI. New Business
XI.A. Automated Clearing House (ACH) Transaction Policy
– Consider approving an ACH Policy for the City of Buchanan Finance Department.
– Motion made by Swem, supported by Downey to approve the ACH Policy, as presented.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
XI.B. Introduction and first reading of Ordinance 2022.09/434
– Consider approving the first reading of an ordinance regarding Pedestrian Right-Of-Way at Crosswalks.
– Motion made by Money, supported by Downey to approve the first reading of the Pedestrian Rightof-Way at Crosswalks Ordinance, as presented.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
XII. Communications (informational only, formal board action is not necessary for these items, unless so desired)
XII.A.1. AEP Building update
XII.A.2. River Access Master Plan Update
XII.A.3. MEDC Update
XII.A.4. Federal EDA Update
– Grace gave quick updates on the communications above. With progress being made in each subject.
XIII. Public Comment – Non-Agenda Items Only (3-minute limit)
– Norma Ferris: Comments about City Hall staff.
– Monroe Lemay: Praising the Scarecrow Charities for their work this year.
– Juanita Lewis: Praising the Scarecrow Charities as well.
– Thomas Wilson: comments about traffic on Front St. and truck route as well as questions about the reconstruction project.
XIV. Executive Comments
XIV.A. City Manager Comments
– Thanked everyone for attending. As well as gave an update that the reconstruction projects second meeting happening soon and will have an update soon about time and place it will be.
XIV.B. Commissioner Comments
– Swem thanked the Friends of the Trail for all their hard work.
– Downey asked for an update on the Thrill on the Hill report.
– Money thanked Jerry and the Friends of the Trail as well as the Scarecrow Charities.
XIV.C. Mayor Comments
– Thanked the Scarecrow Charities and Jerry with the Friends of the Trails for all their hard work. 9/11 ceremony was done beautifully with Pastor Dave Mitchell. Meet the mayor will be September 22 at Lehman’s if anyone wants to attend.
XVII. Adjourn
– Motion made by Money, supported by Swem to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 P.M.
– Roll call vote carries unanimously.
You may view the complete Agenda for this meeting HERE.
You may view all completed City Commission Meeting Minutes on the City of Buchanan Website.
The Buchanan Chronicle 