Belleville meets with Van Buren Township officials on fire department

Belleville officials met with Van Buren Township officials on Monday morning to discuss the possible take over of fire suppression and emergency medical service to the city by the township.
At the city council’s regular meeting Monday evening, Mayor Kerreen Conley said there would be more meetings in the future to discuss options.
“Our end goal is to provide the best service for the community,” she said. “We had a good dialogue for a kickoff meeting.”
Monday’s meeting included Belleville Fire Chief Brian Loranger, Belleville fire fighter Chris Zweng, and the fire union negotiator for both the city and the township, as well as Mayor Conley, City Manager Diana Kollmeyer, VBT Fire Chief Amy Brow, VBT Public Safety Director Greg Laurain, VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara, VBT Treasurer Sharry Budd, Darwin Loyer, and attorneys.
A previous recent meeting on the subject did not include Belleville fire department representatives, much to their consternation. Chief Loranger said another meeting is set for Friday.
After a lot of fire department supporters attended a large meeting in Belleville on Dec. 4, the council decided not to pass a proposed intergovernmental agreement that was to put the city’s fire and emergency medical service in the hands of the township by Jan. 1.
The township then took that item and a related item off its Dec. 5 agenda when it was learned the city didn’t pass its proposal.
At the time, Mayor Conley said there would be meetings between the city and the township to work out a solution with consultants who knew fire protection.
Meanwhile, the Belleville Fire Association/Auxiliary sued the city and that lawsuit is in the discovery phase. Among other facts, it has been learned that the city started talking with the township about fire protection in March/April 2017 instead of August, as the mayor had stated.
In other business at Monday’s 30-minute meeting, the city council:
• Held a one-minute public hearing during which no public spoke on an ordinance to repeal Ordinance 10-05, Medical Marihuana Applications, Permits, and Fees and then repealed Ordinance 10-05. Since the other marijuana ordinance was repealed, “This one was no longer relevant,” said City Manager Kollmeyer;
• Approved the Central Business Community’s request to hold a farmers’ market at Fourth Street Square from 3 p.m. setup to 8 p.m. every Monday from June 4 through Sept. 24;
• Heard Kollmeyer apologize to CBC president Bill Wolters for stopping him, at a previous council meeting, from getting all the CBC events for the year approved at one time. Janet Millard, CBC event coordinator, said she has to start marketing the market fairly early and she puts it on the website. She also has to market Taste of Belleville and Booville events. Mayor Conley said, “I don’t want to waste anyone’s time” by having them come in for one-by-one city approval of ongoing events. Kollmeyer said they could have an early meeting every year with Wolters for the year’s events. “We’ll try to do a better job of handling that, Bill,” Kollmeyer said. She said she could meet with him in January and then apologized again. Millard said Harvest Fest is the only event this year that has to be tweaked because of the library construction on Fourth Street;
• Approved Earth Day celebration activities, sponsored by Our Father’s Child daycare, from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. on April 18, as presented by Parks and Recreation Commission chairman Jeff Vernon, who said he would not be participating this year. He asked for use of three parks and their restrooms — Victory, Village, and Horizon — so they can be cleaned up. Participants include Kona Ice, Comcast Cares, and Belleville Lighthouse Church;
• Approved the 2018 citywide yard sales for Sept. 8 and 9;
• Approved the Belleville Fire Fighter Association’s fifth-annual “Fill the Boot for Autism” event on April 2. Firefighter Chris Zweng said last year they collected $3,000 and were able to give $1,000 each to three separate foundations. Fire fighters will be standing at intersections and collecting donations;
• Heard Zweng say that the fire department would like to be informed when there are big events being held in the city. He referred to the Robotics competition this weekend at Belleville High School that is expected to draw more than 1,000 people to town. Both the fire chief and police chief said they have not been contacted about the event. Last fall there was a large football competition at the athletic field on a Sunday and neither the police nor fire were informed about it. There was just one police officer on duty. Police Chief Hal Berriman said they were lucky nothing happened;
• Heard Mayor Conley say she would be giving a state of the city address at noon on March 28 at Wayne County Community College on Haggerty Road, along with VBT Supervisor McNamara and Sumpter Township Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis;
• Heard Kelly Bates ask for an update on the manhole covers that sink in and fall off on East Columbia Ave. Building Official Rick Rutherford said he called Wayne County and they sent out a guy who had an orange barrel on his truck, which he put over the hole. The barrel was hit off by morning. Rutherford said he has been calling without response, but he invited others to join in and call 1-888-ROAD-CREW. He said they may be waiting until warmer weather to fix it, but “at least they could cold-patch it.” He said everyone could call;
• Heard Rutherford report that he will be ready in the spring to finalize the sidewalk evaluation. He said he will send out notices to citizens, but he will correct the city sidewalks first;
• Heard Rutherford report the bid opening on seawall repair is still set for April 2. He said he has had additional meetings with contractors which is good because it means they are interested in the details;
• Heard Kollmeyer say she will be able to come to the council with a recommendation on present contracts, as directed by Mayor Conley at a previous meeting. Mayor Conley said all contracts should be regularly reviewed; and
• Approved $366,022.88 in accounts payable and the following purchases in excess of $500: to Wayne County Accounts Receivable, $1,015 for prisoner lodging (29 days @$35 per day in November for Ryan McLaughlin) at Dickerson Facility (Hamtramck Jail); and to Cadillac Asphalt, $525 for cold mix.