Chelsea Community Report, 01-03-22

By Doug Marrin, STN Reporter

A synopsis of the Chelsea City Council meeting on January 3, 2022.

Approval of Bills: The Council approved for the period December 10-29

• Invoices totaling $138,650.20
• Weekly payments of $507,091.29
• Payroll totaling $278,376.32

Public Comment:

• A Chelsea resident endorsed Stephanie Merkel for the DDA. She thanked Mayor Pacheco for making the council meetings available by Zoom and expressed support for rank choice voting for the new council member.
• A Chelsea resident endorsed Katie Tinsley for the City Council.
• A representative from One World One Family thanked the Council for moving so deliberately on the Public Safety Task Force and invited listeners to attend the events on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• A Chelsea resident thanked the Council for virtual participation and creating the Public Safety Task Force.

Council Business:

• Stephanie Merkel was appointed to the DDA Board. Her term ends 12/31/2025.
• A work session for the annual vision session on the 2022-23 goals and objectives was set for February 9 at 6:00 pm.
• The three candidates for City Council are scheduled for interviews on January 10, starting at 6:00 pm.
• Parcel 06-06-12-380-002 was rezoned from Recreation Conservation to R-1 Single Family. Even though the land has wetlands and no sewer, the Planning Commission sees a way to work around these two issues.
• The first reading of the text amendment to Article 4.13 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance was approved according to the recommendation of the Planning Commission.
• Rank Choice Voting was approved for the selection of the new council member. According to Ballotpedia.org, “A ranked-choice voting system (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.”
• The Council reviewed opportunities for the public to comment before the February 9 visioning session. The public can speak at the two Council meetings until the session and at the session itself. In addition, the public can submit emails and all the other usual modes of communication. The Council didn’t feel it necessary to schedule a public listening session.
• The structure for the Community Public Safety Task Force to include 1-2 members of the public at large. The Task Force will now consist of the following:
  • 2 City Council Members
  • 2 Chelsea Police Department Representatives (including Chief of Police)
  • 1 Member of the City of Chelsea Human Rights Commission
  • 1 Chelsea Area School District Representative
  • 1-2 City of Chelsea Business Community
  • 1-2 Member of the Youth Community
  • 1-2 Member of the Senior Community
  • 1-2 Member of the Community at Large

Council Reports: Council members reported on the meetings they have attended.

• Councilmember Feeney also reported that CAFA has purchased an ambulance and is quickly moving to get it ready for service. Huron Valley Ambulance gave a presentation to CAFA on the current state of emergency transportation.
• Councilmember Iannelli reminded everyone of the MLK Day Events. WWRA’s new truck with a robotic arm should be arriving soon. Once the truck is in use, anything outside of trash containers will not be picked up, only the container. Foam Recycle Weekend is January 14-16 at the WWRA bin site on Chelsea/Manchester Rd. near the fairgrounds.
• Councilmember Mehuron relayed a conversation with residents on retaining an attorney for the Community Public Safety Task Force to provide legal advice.
• Mayor Pacheco spoke on the great work on city parkland and the need to coordinate all the groups involved. The Mayor solemnized a marriage on New Year’s Eve. She also discussed with County Commissioner Jason Maciejewski on proceedings for closing the courthouse. A representative for the County will be giving an update of the timeline to the Council.