VBT Board of Trustees approves building of community center

The Van Buren Township Board of Trustees, at its June 1 Zoom meeting, unanimously approved building a new community center attached to the Senior Center wing at township hall.
Public Services Director Matt Best said this was the May 11 recommendation of the Recreation Committee after several outreach forums for public input. He said if the board approves moving forward they could go out to get bids from construction contractors since they don’t know the actual cost of the building yet.
Best had provided the board with a list of things that will be in the community center, including a gymnasium with a full high school basketball court that could allow dividing the space into two functional areas; indoor walking track; cardio and weight training room; fitness studio/dance studio; multi-purpose rooms; locker/shower rooms; lounge/waiting area; indoor play area; Black Box theatre (“The Cube,” sponsored by a $1.137 million grant from the VBT Downtown Development Authority); significant storage space; office space; infrastructure update;, fuel pump relocation; and other improvements.
Trustee Reggie Miller asked where the teen lounge is. She said it was mentioned several times at the Recreation Committee meetings and she was told this would be added. She said it would be a place teens could go and visit with friends and play video games.
Director Best said this was the first he heard of a teen lounge. He said what he presented was the recommendation of the Recreation Committee.
“If the board wants that, it can be added, but it would be at an additional cost,” Best said. “Just because it’s not on the list, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. If you want it to be added, we can.”
“I didn’t think ‘added’,” Trustee Miller replied. “I thought it would on there.”
Clerk Leon Wright said they could use the multi-purpose room. Later he suggested using “The Cube.”
Supervisor Kevin McNamara said they had talked about a kind of latchbox area for teenagers.
“This was supposed to be a community center for everyone,” Miller said. “I’m just really sad that it wasn’t on here.”
“This is the recommendation the Recreation Committee made,” Best repeated. “They made the recommendation to build. We could do this … We can add it to this. We can absolutely add it.”
“I attended all the Recreation Committee meetings and then some…” Miller said, adding they were told this is the time to add ideas.
Supervisor McNamara said there are capital costs involved and a teen center has a lot of moving parts. He said they could look into it and then he might call Miller up and tell her, “We can’t make this work.”
“Will we see the plans before it goes any further?” asked Treasurer Sharry Budd.
Best said yes, they would. He said they are doing due diligence with the present building for the architectural design and the timeline is to get the bids out by December or January.
“Nothing is set in stone,” Best said. “If the board wants to add something … it would have to approve the expenditure … You’re not approving the recreation center based on the list … You’ll have multiple bites of the apple.”
Trustee Donald Boynton said he wants an emergency plan for some kind of event, such as civil unrest or severe weather, and wants a critical infrastructure plan. He said it could be a little expensive, but they should be able to fold it in.
“That’s my background and that’s what I want to see,” Trustee Boynton said.
“Yes, we will do as you ask,” McNamara said to Boynton.
Best said the graphics they have now are out of date and, “Anything we add will move the building farther into the baseball field.”
Trustee Kevin Martin suggested they could have bricks with names on them for a nominal fee as a nice addition to the walkway to the entrance or elsewhere.
McNamara agreed that would be a good plan. Then he called for a motion to approve the community center, plus the addition of a teen center. Trustee Martin intervened, saying they don’t need details yet, but just to approve the building.
McNamara agreed. “I wanted a rock wall and I’m not getting it,” he said.
In other business at the one-hour-and-31-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved the 2021 tax rate request, which is .8961 in allocated millage and 6.3713 extra voted mills for public safety, totaling 7.2674 mills. The VBT 2021 Taxable Value for real and personal property is $1,165,488,936 and the tax amounts to $8,470,074;
• Approved a resolution requesting the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to keep the city of Belleville, Van Buren Charter Township, and Sumpter Township together in the state redistricting plan now under way. Supervisor McNamara said he would be going to Dearborn on June 3 to present the letters from the three communities to the commission;
• Approved the reopening plan for the Senior Center, starting June 14 with one to two classes per day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the dining room. Beginning July 1, there will be an addition of one to two classes per day between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the dining room, craft room, or lounge. These current programs would continue: Meals on Wheels, Forgotten Harvest set up, food distribution set-up, Focus Hope distribution. Treasurer Sharry Budd said she had reservations about opening in June and had hoped to wait until July 1, but she’ll support what the other board members decide. Community Services Director Elizabeth Renaud said they will not be mandating vaccinations for the seniors participating. She said there will be cleaning and sanitizing the areas used between the classes. Trustee Sherry Frazier said, “If they can’t manage it, I’m sure they’ll pull back.” Clerk Wright said he wanted to make sure it is nothing they will regret later. “Sounds like we have the staff under control” for the cleaning, Clerk Wright said;
• Approved a special land use request to construct a drive-through lane with a drive-through window as part of the demolition of an existing Mobil gasoline filling station and redevelopment at 11250 Haggerty Rd. The project can now continue with site plan review by the planning commission;
• Was introduced to Sumpter Township Supervisor Timothy Bowman and his Deputy Supervisor Elle O’Connell. Supervisor Bowman said he has been a contractor in Van Buren Township and Sumpter Township and he wants to find ways to work together with Van Buren to bring more work and revenue to the area. Deputy O’Connell said she spent 18 months as financial director in Sumpter and now also is deputy supervisor. She told Van Buren to not hesitate to reach out if they need anything from Sumpter;
• Recognized the 32 years of service to the township by Assessing Director Linda Stevenson, who is retiring. Board members praised Stevenson’s work and Supervisor McNamara said they gave her a special plaque and she held it up to show it off via Zoom;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara thank the eight departments that fought the apartment building fire at The Waverly (former Harbour Club) and said he had sent a letter to each;
• Heard McNamara announce that the residents of Belle Point subdivision sent a letter thanking Sgt. Alexander Shultz for an outstanding safety presentation. He also read a letter thanking Superintendent Kris Schlutow for assisting in the repair of a headstone at Denton Cemetery. McNamara said the township is having a slight issue with mowing at the cemeteries due to contractor issues with getting employees. He said the contractor has had the township’s back when needed and the township will have the contractor’s back while it gets its issue resolved;
• Heard Clerk Wright thank Bob and Marie Krouse for replacing flags on veterans’ graves in all the township cemeteries. Clerk Wright said they have been taking care of the graves longer than he’s been clerk;
• Heard resident Rick Williams ask via zoom when the meetings are coming back to township hall. McNamara said June 30 is the last day they can meet via Zoom and expects to meet in person after July 1. Williams also asked if tax abatements can go to residents since they lost so much in the pandemic. McNamara said they are not allowed to give back tax money. Williams also asked if the former Ford property across from township hall now owned by the township is “huntable.” He said he walks through it and sees blinds. He said the supervisor has power to give permission. McNamara said they have no permission. Williams said there is a rumor going around that a township employee is hunting there. “If you want to contact me it would be better than on YouTube,” McNamara said. “It’s litigious.”