VBT board approves $200,000 for Public Service Dept. projects

One Van Buren Township carport fell down in a windstorm last year and the other Public Safety carport is unsafe, can’t be used and has to be replaced.
At the June 5 regular meeting of the VBT board, it unanimously approved moving $200,000 from the fund balance to the Public Services Department for various projects, including the $40,000 for carport replacement.
Public Services Director Matthew Best said the projects were supposed to be done in 2017 but the funds weren’t allocated by the end of the year and went back into the general fund, as is the policy.
Director Best said the $200,000 total would cover:
• Carpet for the police department and assessor’s office – $21,500 (which actually was completed in January and paid with other funds in the budget that have to be replenished);
• Carpet for the fire stations, $25,500;
• Architectural and Engineering costs, $100,000;
• Space and needs assessment project, $13,000, evaluation of township hall site; and
• Carport replacement, $40,000.
When asked if the carpet that had been installed was from a local bidder, Best said they got a local bid, but it wasn’t selected.
At the June 4 work/study session, when Trustees Paul White, Reggie Miller and Sherry Frazier asked about what the $100,000 was for in architectural and engineering costs, Best said probably most of it was for Van Buren Park. Supervisor Kevin McNamara said it’s for several things and, “You can’t pull it apart. I don’t think you can do it.”
“I can see why Wayne County was in trouble,” Trustee Frazier commented, referring to McNamara’s time as a county commissioner.
Supervisor McNamara said there is $650,000 more in the general fund and, “We’ll decide how to spend it.” He apparently referred to the $1.9 million he had announced auditors found in unexpected revenue in last year’s budget.
In other business at the June 5 meeting, the board:
• Approved Resolution 2018-10, a request for supportive aid from the Michigan Municipal League Legal Defense Fund and/or the Michigan Township Association Legal Defense Fund for impending litigation against Visteon for the shortfall in tax money that was to have been used to pay back the bonds used to help Visteon develop. The township had sued Visteon and lost, because the courts found the township has not yet been damaged. McNamara said he was shocked when they allowed the township to reopen the case. It could go to the Supreme Court, he said. Trustee White said the supervisor in his State of the Township address said the township has a lot of money, “and we do. Visteon built and there would have been enough to pay the bonds, but they have not built out as they said they would and the LDFA has a shortfall to pay the bonds for Visteon.” McNamara said the MML and MTA may join in because of the potential ramifications to all cities and townships in the state;
• Approved an amendment to the mutual aid agreement between VBT and Ypsilanti Township Fire Department that now agrees to send one engine and two firefighters for mutual aid to Ypsilanti Township instead of the two engines and crews originally agreed to. Fire Chief Amy Brow said Ypsilanti Township agreed to the change. Ypsilanti Township Fire Department still agrees to send two engines and crews to VBT when called upon for help;
• Approved the DTE Community Lighting Contract of $112,261 for replacement of all the 39 poles and addition of LED lighting for the township hall parking areas. The township also will pay an additional $8,000 for removal and disposal of the present poles, whose bases are deteriorated and unsafe. During a windstorm last year, a pole was blown over on a car;
• Approved adoption of the revised Board of Zoning Appeals rules of procedure;
• Approved the reappointments of Loretta Speaks and Walter Rochowiak to the Water and Sewer Commission with terms to expire June 1, 2020; and
• Approved the appointment of Michael McGovern to the Construction Board of Appeals with a term to expire Feb. 28, 2021.
• Approved stormwater maintenance agreements with ARC CSVBTMI001 LLC (aka Constellium) and Mayser USA Inc.;
• Heard an annual update from the Senior Alliance;
• Passed a proclamation honoring former Police Sgt. Bart Devos on the occasion of his retirement. “Thanks for a great career,” Devos said. He now works part time for the City of Belleville;
• Watched a 20-minute “State of the Township” video featuring Supervisor McNamara. He said he is working to get $5.5 million from a corporation, $1 million from state/federal funding, and $1.5 million from VBT taxpayers to total the $8 million needed for the lake house he wants to build on the present DNR property just north of the Belleville Bridge; and
• Was informed the annual fireworks will be at dusk June 30 at Beck Ballfields; Weight Watchers will begin July 5 at the senior center and Supervisor McNamara will be joining; and the Senior Health Fair will be 1-6 p.m., June 14.
Clerk Leon Wright was absent and excused from the work/study session on June 4 and the regular meeting on June 5.
At the work/study session on June 4, McNamara announced that the budget review sessions have been scheduled for Aug. 14 and 15.
Before the work/study session on June 4, the board held a 50-minute closed-door meeting to consider purchase of property.