City Council pays for van repair, to try to save senior transportation

Jennifer Delano, who serves as dispatcher for Belleville’s Wheels for Independence, told the Belleville City Council how the only van left for seniors has been in the repair shop for five weeks because they have no money for repairs for a “blown engine.”
The cost is expected to be about $4,000 and SMART (the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) has to be the one who fixes it because it’s their van. After lengthy discussion at the council’s regular meeting on Sept. 6, the item was put on the agenda and the council approved not to exceed $5,000 for the repairs.
The story of senior transportation told by Delano and City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson was quite involved, including that when you give back the van to SMART at the end of its loan period, it has to be fixed first – except for rust – or they won’t accept it.
Delano spoke at the citizens’ comments part of the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. She explained that for the last 28 years, Wheels for Independence has been working in cooperation with the city of Belleville to bring transportation to seniors and the disabled.
She said no other service offers rides across the Washtenaw County line, where many seniors in the city go for their health care. They offer rides three days a week and hire a part-time driver. They transport from eight to ten riders a week, she said. At one point they had two buses and a van, she said.
There’s 60,000 miles on the van, which is not enough for SMART to take it back and give them a new bus. SMART used to judge by the year, rather than the mile.
The senior transportation used to have Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to use for the transportation, but the city’s CDBG lately has been earmarked instead for the Veterans Memorial and tearing down the party store next to city hall.
Mayor Kerreen Conley said that Delano is a one-man show, running the program for seniors.
“We’ve never asked for a millage,” Delano said. “We’re looking into grant money.”
She said there had been talk about merging the service with Van Buren Township, but she said the city’s seniors “shouldn’t take a back seat” and when the seats are filled by township seniors, the city seniors wouldn’t get to ride.
Delano said just before the meeting a senior called her to say she just had been diagnosed with a heart problem and has to have all these tests and needs to get to the doctors. Delano said the woman was crying and she had no ride to offer.
She said she thought the Wheels for Independence board could meet with the city council and come up with a solution.
City Manager Robinson said they had a meeting with SMART and it is more complicated than just fixing the engine. He said the Belleville Council for Seniors is a nonprofit organization and the city partnered with it over the last 28 years, using the city’s funds.
Robinson said it has to be legal with contracts between the city and a nonprofit.
“I’m trying to do the research on that,” he said, noting the city clerk should be interacting with SMART, not Delano. He said they average eight to ten riders a week and the driver should be a city employee.
“We need to be indemnified,” he said. “I was under the assumption that it was a city organization, but it’s a nonprofit. At some point SMART should have information.
“We could morph this into a city program,” he said.
Councilwoman Kelly Bates said she sees a lot of red tape, but it services eight to ten citizens a week, which is very valuable. She said she would like the council to supply the $5,000 or however much is needed.
Robinson said they have to take care of the legal details and, “The SMART lady was not real thrilled.”
Delano said way back in the years, 28 years ago, city managers Jeff Przygocki and Steve Walters umbrellaed the program under the city.
“SMART has the vehicle in Inkster and it’s titled to SMART,” Robinson said.
John Juriga asked from the audience if they were still having the jam and jelly sales to help support the program and Delano said over the last three years they couldn’t sell the jellies and jams because of the pandemic. And, the board couldn’t meet at Columbia Court because of the pandemic, but Shelly Brown provided a place for them to meet.
“I want you to be aware we’re here,” Delano said to the council.
Former mayor and councilman Tom Fielder said the city opted out of regional transportation so it could get a vehicle from SMART. Currently if you reach a certain number of miles, you could get a new vehicle.
Fielder said the city hired Delano for dispatch so she could receive calls and tell people when and where they could get a ride. The city could provide a driver, he said.
SMART could not provide services over the line to Washtenaw County, but over half of the people go the Washtenaw County for health services, Fielder said. That’s the city’s prime motivation for having its own vehicle, he said.
“Now it’s years plus mileage,” Delano said.
“That’s how we got to this point,” Fielder said.
Mayor Pro Tem Ken Voigt said he did some quick mathematics and it costs less than $200 a week to service eight to ten people a week. “To me, the cost is negligible,” he said.
“In order to bring this back, we have to do it right,” Robinson said. “Now she’s a 1099 employee,” he said of Delano, noting SMART won’t provide the van back to the city until everything is straightened out.
Robinson said the city could pay for it because it has to pay for the repair, anyway.
“Put this off until the next meeting to find more facts,” Mayor Pro Tem Voigt suggested.
“Authorize them to begin fixing the van,” Mayor Conley said.
Delano said Jim Chudzinski said he could fix it cheaper because he can get parts.
“SMART always had to do it,” DPW Director Rick Rutherford said of the repairs.
Voigt asked about Golden Homes, which furnishes transportation to those in Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter. Mayor Conley asked if the city had a need, could Golden Homes do it?
Delano said she doesn’t know the details of the Golden transportation, but, “It’s really hard to get transportation.”
At the end of the agenda, the council voted unanimously to provide up to $5,000 to get the repair done on the van. Robinson said he could not get the research done and a recommendation by the next meeting.
In other business at the one-hour-and-44-minute meeting, the council:
• Heard Juriga say that since Deputy City Manager Tim McLean has left his position, he would like to recommend Councilman Steve Jones for the position. He said Jones was chairman of the planning commission, he is very, very smart, and loves Belleville and lives in Belleville. Two others in the audience were in support of Jones for the position –Alvis Brigis and Dinara Strikis – with Brigis adding Jones could do 75% of the work for that position in his sleep. Mayor Conley said this not the usual way a position is filled;
• Was informed by Therese Antonelli that the Scarecrows happen in October and Rutherford said the frames are ready to go. Robinson said the entry forms will be available shortly [and they now are ready];
• Was introduced to an Amendment to the Juvenile Responsibility Ordinance and agreed to set a public hearing for Sept. 19, although there was some thought a public hearing wasn’t needed since it is just aligning the local ordinance with the new state laws. Robinson said the new legislation includes raising the age of legal use of alcohol from 18 to 21 years of age and raising the age of not having to go to school anymore from 16 to 18;
• Approved expanding the BORA/DORA (Belleville Outdoor Refreshment Area/Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) area to include the Scott Jones development at the bridge because a bar now is open there. “I think BORA/DORA worked very well for the city,” said Mayor Conley. Fielder asked if this includes Doane’s Landing and he was told it doesn’t, so more signs will be needed;
• Discussed at length the problems with the restrooms in the parks and other park maintenance. Councilwoman Bates asked the item be put on the agenda for discussion. She especially was critical of the restroom at Horizon Park where “anyone can walk in” while it is being used. Suggestions on locks will be researched. Voigt said the condition of the restroom at Horizon Park was much better this year for Music Lakeside;
• Approved the closure of City Hall during the week of Christmas Day/New Year’s Day, as the city did last year. Clerk Brianna Hootman said employees would have to take a personal day. Mayor Conley said some people need to pay taxes on the last day of the year and like to do so in person. Clerk Hootman said if they are dropped in the slot they will be dated the last day of the year when the employees get back. Mayor Conley said if they want to do it in person, however, people will have to be there by Dec. 23;
• Approved accounts payable of $696,008.09 and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Blue Ribbon Contracting, $5,528 for water main break repair near 88 Potter Dr., DPW; to Election Source, $80 for public accuracy testing for the Nov. 2022 election, Clerk; to Lexipol, $1,602 for fire dept. online training service, Fire Dept.; to Tri-County Water & Sewer, $600 for repair of flow channel in city sewer main, DPW; and to Osborne Concrete, $996 for re-pour of road after water main break on S. Biggs, and $613 for concrete to replace road after water main break on S. Biggs;
• Heard Robinson report that after the deputy administrator resigned, he reached out to the Downtown Development Authority, that the deputy administered. He said all the duties have come to him and the clerk. The position currently is in a draft right now, he said;
• Heard Voigt announce that the applications for veteran banners are available on the website and the first 75 will be accepted. He also said the Arts Council is putting on a celebration of the painted parking spaces at the high school from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 11 and a food truck will be there;
• Heard Councilwoman Amy Henry say she is excited about the new buildings in the city and that the Bait & Tackle bar will be open at the end of October;
• Heard Mayor Conley thank Scott Jones because people can see the end of the property next to the bridge and to Randy Brown who cut down the rest of the brush along the lake after the goats left. She said it was a long summer, but the school will be in session and the first home football game was Sept. 9;
• Heard Councilman Jones say that next summer will be short, since the schools are getting out late and going back before Labor Day;
• Heard Antonelli say that the lack of electricity in the Fourth Street Place is not set for success for the city and Rutherford reported on the progress in getting DTE to come out to put a drop to the cabinet installed in the greenbelt. He said an address was needed, so the city issued an address for the drop; and
• Heard Councilwoman Bates ask that the parks be put on the follow-up list. Robinson said the DDA does parks, but since McLean is gone, he does that now. He said locks on the doors of the restrooms will be done. Bates said the Parks and Recreation group needs to be formed again.