Belleville Council adopts EEO policy, disability accommodations policy

At its regular meeting March 21, the Belleville City Council adopted a Disability Accommodation Policy and an Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, as required by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
After a civil rights complaint against the police department by a mother whose mentally handicapped teen had been sexually molested in the Belleville High School parking lot in 2014, the city was required to get training for officers and produce several documents, including these.
There was a bare quorum of three at the council table, since Councilmen Tom Smith and John Loria were absent and excused.
In other business at its March 21 meeting, the council:
• Approved paying 1% of the monthly base flow sewage disposal charges, that are paid to Wayne County, to the Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority as an assessment by DUWA to all member entities to defray the cost of professional services rendered to the authority by contracted providers. The assessment will start with the January 2016 charges and continue through the end of the calendar year. DUWA is negotiating a purchase agreement with Wayne County to potentially purchase the Downriver Sewer System;
• Approved the annual Wayne County Maintenance, Special Events, and Pavement Restoration permits;
• Heard an update on The Senior Alliance by Aimee Page, Quality and Training Manager. She introduced Daniel Hampton and Melissa Beavers, also from the Alliance;
• Took no action on the request from the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce request to use the Fourth Street Square for a Beer Tent from noon to 7 p.m. on June 18 because they did not have enough information ready; and
• Approved accounts payable of $95,394.47 and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Election Source, $1,260 from the General Fund for ballot testing; to Hennessey Engineers, $5,630.50 from the Trust for engineering and $8,456 from Major/Local Street Funds for joint and crack sealing; to Patton Monument Co., $1,039 for engraving from the Cemetery Fund; to Roy & Sons, $3,708 from the Police Fund for tasers; to SLC, $975.19 from the Water Fund for water main repair; and to Wayne County Accounts Receivable, $525 from the Police Fund for prisoner housing in the Dickerson Facility.