VBT cuts down work on Beck Ball Fields Pavilion to fit CDBG funds

The township has to use its remaining 2014 federal Community Development Block Grant funds for an approved project by September, so at its July 19 meeting, the Van Buren Township Board approved a contract and an immediate change order for the Beck Ball Fields Pavilion Project.
First, the contract for the project was granted to Rolar Property Services for $106,293.43 to build a 30’x44’ pavilion, the last phase of a multi-year CDBG project to improve the facilities at Beck Ball Field. Rolar was the low bidder of four.
But, the budget for this CDBG project is only $79,665, so it was decided the appropriate way to handle this was to approve the contract and then immediately approve Change Order #1 to reduce the size of the pavilion to 26’x32’ and to remove electrical service from the project and reduce some of the landscaping. This put the cost to $78,739.99.
Previously, $352,828.10 in CDBG funds had been used to repair the dugouts, install fencing and landscaping, construct a playground, and install ADA-accessible paths. The construction of the pavilion also was to include installing connecting sidewalk to the pavilion.
In explaining the project, consultant Patrick Sloan from McKenna Associates said this is the final phase of the CDBG project and in 2014 this area was considered a low to moderate income area by CDBG, and so was eligible for the funds. But now it isn’t.
The 2014 funds are authorized through September, so if the township signs the contract and work starts by September it can use the money and work through the end of the construction season. Otherwise, it can’t. No 2015 or 2015 CDBG funds can be used on the project.
Also at its meeting on July 19, the board:
• Approved a union contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 236, effective July 19, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2018;
• Approved the reappointments of Walter Rochowiak and Loretta Speaks to the Water and Sewer Commission with terms to expire June 1, 2018. Rochowiak had yet to fill out an application for the reappointment because he has been busy, but Speaks says she has been a VBT resident for 57 years and is a graduate of Dearborn High and Henry Ford Community College. She now is retired and also fills a seat on the Board of Review and was on the Recreation Commission;
• Approved the first reading of the rezoning of 1.04 acre of property owned by the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) on the south side of Ecorse Road west of Hannan from AG (Agricultural) to C (Local Business) so the LDFA can sell it by competitive bid and get a better price;
• Approved the Local Governing Body Resolution for a Charitable Gaming License for the Western Wayne Quilting Guild to conduct a quilt raffle to earn money for ongoing charitable sewing projects;
• Approved the purchase of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) by the fire department to handle a regional, FEMA grant of $1.5 million for VBT and nine other agencies. FEMA will only distribute to one agency. Fire Chief Dan Besson said VBT will do the legwork and he said Treasurer Sharry Budd and her Deputy Sean Bellingham said they can make it work. The other agencies will pay VBT their share of the grant, 10%, to get the equipment. He said the vendor’s price is only good through the end of July, so time was of the essence. Chief Besson said $18,000 is VBT’s share to pay and it gets $181,385 worth of equipment. The department’s current SCBA equipment is 13 years old, Besson said. He said Belleville and Sumpter are part of the grant. He said the whole transaction has to be done by May of net year, including the audit;
• Heard Clerk Leon Wright announce that his office will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 30, for absentee voters. Also, the township’s annual Shred Day will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 6, in the township hall parking lot. Iron Mountain Shred (formerly named Recall) will shred a maximum of five cartons or bags without charge;
• Also, Clerk Wright urged voters to vote absentee to save themselves from waiting in long lines and he said that absentee ballots were “more secure than voting at the polls.” Reg Ion called out from the audience, “Oh, come on!” and Wright replied, “I feel it’s the most secure way of voting,” noting the absentee ballots are locked up until counted. Wright said in 2012 there were 2,200 absentee ballots in VBT and now its 3,600;
• Was shocked when Reg Ion poured out on the carpet in front of the board table a bucketful of auto parts from an accident near his house that he said was not picked up by the towing company. Chief Besson said he would talk to police officials Jason Wright and Greg Laurain about the issue, noting it is the towing company’s responsibility to clean up.
At the beginning of the meeting, Trustee Reggie Miller made a motion that was seconded by Clerk Wright and passed unanimously to have Trustee Brenda McClanahan chair the meeting in the absence of Supervisor Linda Combs.
After the meeting, Trustee McClanahan reportedly live-streamed a report on her Face Book page from in front of the township hall reporting on her first time chairing the meeting and her hope to chair many more meetings when she is elected supervisor. A special meeting on June 28 was chaired by Trustee Phillip Hart, also a candidate for supervisor.