08/27/2024
Unfortunately, there were a lot of last-minute changes to the layout of The Independent this week, and the last half of the Dundee Village article got lost. Here is the article in its entirety.
Village looks for interim manager
By TL Whitaker
After a lengthy discussion, Council decided to form a subcommittee consisting of Village President Tim Bordine, Trustee Howard Cilley and Trustee Jesse Wilson to review possible candidates for the position of Interim Village Manager.
Current Village Manager Michael Hoffmeister has resigned, with his last day being September 20. Mr. Hoffmeister was not at the Council meeting, due to an illness, said Village President Tim Bordine.
Village Attorney Matthew Budds said that because the Council meets only two weeks, he is having a hard time finding candidates, who are accepting jobs at other locations quickly.
“We went from five possible candidates to one, in a week,” said Mr. Budds. “Two did not return calls, and two said they were unavailable.”
Rather than have a special meeting set to review the available candidates at a later date, Mr. Bordine suggested the subcommittee, which can have more flexibility in terms of speaking with people at various times.
It was estimated that the Interim Village Manager would “keep the wheels turning” at the Village for about four months until a permanent replacement for Mr. Hoffmeister can be hired.
After another lengthy discussion in a meeting that stretched almost three hours, Council voted three times to turn down various slightly-different versions of a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance.
If accepted, the change would have allowed for to***co retail (v**e shops) and smoking lounges only in the B4 interchange business district, and in other conditions, not right next to each other, or next to schools, churches, or residential zoned areas. The votes were 4-3, 4-3 and 5-2.
One of the 4-3 votes was to not allow those types of businesses in any area of the Village, suggested by Trustee Lindsay Cross.
The final, 5-2 failed vote had required a change to a 400 ft. distance from other similar businesses, schools, churches or residential areas, rather than a 300 ft. distance.
Village Attorney Matt Budds told Council that rather than having some type of restrictions on the locations of those types of buildings, the Village current has no restrictions. An actual ban on the businesses was not recommended, as that likely would result in legal action.
In other business, Council approved an emergency repair to a generator at the wastewater treatment plant. The generator is capable of running the entire plant if the electricity fails. The cost is about $25,700.
Vern Moore, of Mannik and Smith Group, explained that the company doing the repair has worked on the generator for years, including as a sub-contractor when the Village had hired another company to maintain the equipment.
The cost to purchase and install a new generator of the same type is expected to be about $300,000.
Council members heard the outline of a proposal for a new phone system from D&P Communications. The cost for a new phone system, that would include an on-premises computer, rather than have the company host the phone system would be a one-time expenditure of about $7,500.
Representatives from D&P said that by removing the company-hosting aspect of the program, the Village would save about $972 per month in what had been recurring fees.
“So after about seven months you would break even, and then you would start saving almost $1,000 per month,” said Marci Brown.
The initial expenditure for the new system would include all the equipment, installation and training for people who would use the phones.
Because the final cost could change, depending upon the number of phones and some available options, the Council voted to have Mr. Hoffmeister discuss the Village’s exact needs with D&P and come up with a firm quote.
The Village of Dundee will be seeking sealed bids for its annual sidewalk replacement and repair program. The sidewalks already have been marked as to whether the owner of the property or the Village at large is responsible for paying for that repair.
The work is expected to begin later in the fall, and if necessary, to continue in the spring.
The Riley Street parking lot behind the downtown business block will be closed for the Saturday, Oct. 5 Pumpkin Palooza festival. The event, sponsored by the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) will feature the seventh annual pumpkin weigh-off, about 90 vendors in Wolverine Park, food, entertainment and a car show.
During public comment time, one resident asked for an updated comment from the Village regarding a Dundee police officer who had been hired, despite having been fired by the Canton police department for improper behavior. According to a Detroit
Channel 7 tv news report, the behavior had included sexting and sending a n**e photo to a woman he had pulled over during a traffic stop, and during which traffic stop he had turned off his body camera.
Village President Tim Bordine also read a letter sent to the Village from another resident, who said not only had the officer done the aforementioned things, but also had been reprimanded for other behavior including not stopping a high speed chase when told to do so by his superior, and not using the lights and sirens during a chase. The letter said police officer should not “take advantage of the people they work for."
Mr. Bordine said the Council does not hire the police officers; they are hired by the Village Manager. He also said the MCOLES (Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards) had not reported any problems.
Also during public comment, a resident of Toledo Street complained that the mesh put down by the landscape contractor to allow grass to grow, had gotten caught up in the contractor’s mowing process and was all over the street. Also, no grass was growing, just weeds, in the restored areas following the street paving project.
In an “updates” discussion, Mr. Budds said the Village already has a “vacant buildings” ordinance, so he doubts a “well-capitalized property owner” would be motivated to rent or sell a building, or develop one, based on a fee for inspection purposes. He suggested the Village have a discussion about it goal to find appropriate businesses for the empty buildings, and consider options that would advance that goal.
He also said the Village has a grant offer from Monroe to demolish the condemned building on Main Street (sometimes called the “brown” or “Harris” building) near the ambulance station, on the condition that the Village own the property. Back taxes are owed on the building.
However, Mr. Budds said Council could consider having the building owners pay the back taxes; buying the building from the owners for a token amount; having the grant demolish the building at no cost to the Village; having the owners create a development plan that the Village approves; then sell the building back to the owners at a token amount with the condition they develop it according to the plan within a specified period of time.
Mr. Budds said he was waiting to hear more from the owners, who have had spotty communication with the Village.
—End—
