VBT to hire new engineering firm, stays with longtime planners

Van Buren Township used a Qualifications Based Selection Committee process to evaluate bidders for the township’s engineering and planning services — and came up with a new engineering firm, but stuck with its planners of 30 years.
The board unanimously approved Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc., with offices in Novi, to provide general engineering services instead of longtime provider Wade Trim.
The board also approved McKenna Associates of Northville to continue its general planning services.
At the board’s regular meeting on April 18, Supervisor Kevin McNamara was directed by the board to negotiate the prices and bring the agreements back to the board for consideration.
Chris Wall, Brian McKesson, and Dave Potter gave a sprightly PowerPoint presentation on the Fishbeck firm, which has 400 employees in ten offices in a three-state area. The firm was founded 60 years ago in Lansing. Among the 200 clients it works with is Huron Township.
Wall said for the firm’s 60th anniversary, rather than throw a big party it paid employees to find projects to do to improve their communities.
The three provided a long list of services including collecting GIS data and packaging it, and traffic engineering.
“You can help us with Belleville Road?” asked Trustee Sherry Frazier and Wall replied, “Certainly,” with a smile.
Trustee Frazier said she doesn’t want it to get like Ford Road in Canton Township where drivers are afraid to pull out into the roadway because they might get hit from the other way.
Trustee Paul White asked about evaluation of soils and stagnant water and Trustee Kevin Martin asked about experience with landfills. Potter replied they have eight environmental engineers on staff and are an air quality permitting group in the state.
Supervisor McNamara said the huge EQ basin the township has could be a traffic cop to send sewage to the township’s least expensive of the four wastewater treatment plants the township uses.
“They have fresh eyes and they give back to the community,” Supervisor McNamara said of the Fishbeck firm.
During the interview, Fishbeck committed to 60 hours of community service.
As part of the planning consultant presentation, John Jackson, the new owner and president of McKenna and Associates, told about how the company had changed since Phil McKenna and Sally Hodges retired.
“We have fresh talent and we continually improve our capabilities,” he said, adding he knew VBT was looking for new ideas and fresh proposals.
He said they have 20 planners and an architect on staff and they have been sending e-blasts to their clients to keep them up to date on changes, with the most recent being an update on changes to the state medical marijuana laws.
Senior Planner Vidya Krishman told of her 17 years of experience and how they know time is money for developers and so work expeditiously to get plans reviewed.
Patrick Sloan, senior principal planner, has 14 years of experience and he has been the one working closely with the VBT staff and planning commission.
“I had reservations yesterday,” said Trustee Frazier, referring to the work/study session where the selections were discussed. “Since then, I interviewed committee members on McKenna and talked about the new team…” She said she was concerned because McKenna was “in place for so long without having to go out for bids.” She said her concerns were allayed after talking to the committee.
She noted that McKenna has had the same prices for services since 2014 and has guaranteed them until 2019.
The committee that worked on the Qualifications Based Selections was made up of: Supervisor McNamara, Clerk Leon Wright, Treasurer Sharry Budd, Deputy Director of Planning and Economic Development Matthew Best, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Susan Ireland, and Public Services Director James Taylor.
Five statements of qualifications for planning services were received from the 12 invited to participate by the March 3 deadline: McKenna & Associates, LSL Planning, Carlisle Wortman, Beckett & Raeder, and Poggemeyer Design Group. The top three chosen to interview were McKenna, Carlisle Wortman and Beckett & Raeder.
Sixteen engineering firms were invited to participate and four were interviewed: Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber; Hennessey Engineers, Inc.; C.E. Raines Company; and Hubble, Roth and Clark.
In other business at the April 18 meeting the township board:
• Held a public hearing on amending the Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate #2017-012 for Mayser Polymer USA, Inc. and then unanimously approved the amendment. Mayser found its material and labor costs for the new facility at 6200 Schooner were going to cost more and the amendment referred to the corrected dollar amount, going from $4,394,000 to $5,440,330. Nothing else is changed. The state granted Mayser its IFE exemption on Feb. 15, 2016 for eight years;
• Unanimously approved the second (final) reading and adoption of three ordinance amendments and one ordinance addition. The changes remove the offenses from being criminal to being civil infractions, so they can be handled at district court. The addition is about embezzlement, allowing smaller amounts to be handled at district court. A fifth amendment was pulled from the agenda for a technical change;
• Unanimously approved a three-year agreement with Hydro Corp, Inc. to provide inspection and other related services for enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act mandated Cross Connection Control Program. The three year cost is $42,840. Public Services Director James Taylor compared it to the $255,090 cost to the township if the township staff did the work. The agreement is an estimated savings of $212,250. Hydro Corp has served VBT since 2008;
• Approved McBride Road’s request for participation in the Wayne County Local Township Roads Initiative Program. Trustee Sherry Frazier was recused from the discussion and vote since she sits on the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education which voted to give $90,000 to the project;
• Heard Trustee White say the turnout for the Flop E Bunny event at Victory Park in Belleville the previous Saturday was the largest event he’s seen there in the 50 years he has lived in the community. “We need a park like that on Belleville Road,” White said. “Families will bring kids to a central location … It was bigger than any Public Safety Day … and it would be increased activity for use of children …” Supervisor McNamara said to White: “Remember that when you vote for the Lakehouse.” When it was announced 100 children came to the township’s egg hunt and 80 came to the teen nighttime flashlight egg hunt, the Independent volunteered that about 1,000 people attended the Flop E Bunny event; and
• Heard Supervisor McNamara announce that 22 youth signed up for the summer work program earlier that day. He said the Van Buren Twp Hall Android app is up and running, but they have to work out the details of who will be monitoring the messages. McNamara said they had 16 calls that were complaints.