Hello!

…and thanks for your interest in the City of Dexter and its City Council. Since my election to office in November 2020, I have distributed annotated meeting agendas (see below) prior to each Council meeting. These newsletters are my personal effort to make it as quick and easy as possible for interested parties to know what Council will be discussing and considering at each meeting. For the most part, descriptions of agenda items come straight from the meeting packet. Following each meeting (and as soon as the video links are available), I share links to the video recordings of the discussion of each agenda item. Past meeting agendas, packets, minutes, and video links (when available) can be found here.

Hearing from residents is one of my favorite parts of being on Council! If you have questions, comments, or concerns about upcoming Council business or any other Council or City topic, please feel free to email me at my official City email: jgriffin@dextermi.gov.

Sincerely,

Jamie

Dexter City Council Work Session

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Work Session @ 9 a.m.

3515 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 48130 and via Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84948897118

Dial In 877 853 5247 OR 888 788 0099 US Toll-free

Meeting ID: 849 4889 7118#

Work Session Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Agendas/2022-02-26-CC-A-WS.pdf

Work Session Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Packets/2022-02-26-CC-P-WS.pdf

The purpose of this work session is to (1) discuss City Council Goals and Objectives for the upcoming 2022-2023 Fiscal Year and (2) review the latest draft of a Community Survey. Note that Council does not take official action during work sessions.

Note that there is an opportunity for members of the public to make comments at the beginning of the work session.

Per the agenda, potential topics include:

• Extending Water Main Across Mill Creek
  • The proposed Mill Creek Brewery project is required, by ordinance, to connect to public water and public sanitary sewer. The applicant is requesting a variance from City Council to waive the public water connection requirement. The timing of the Mill Creek Brewery project presents Council with an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the extension of public water across Mill Creek.
• Transfer of Property to DDA
  • During its Feb 17th meeting, the DDA discussed the following draft ballot proposal, which it would recommend for Council consideration, at a future meeting:
    • Shall the City Council be authorized to transfer the following properties, consisting of 0.45 acres, which City Council purchased on behalf of the Dexter Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and for which the Dexter Downtown Development Authority has reimbursed the city for all costs associated with said purchase, to the Dexter Downtown Development Authority:
      • 8077 Forest (Parcel ID 08-08-06-280-024)
      • 8087 Forest (Parcel ID 08-08-06-280-025)
  • The property located at 8090 Grand Street has been included in the 3045 Broad Street Redevelopment Project Area. The property is not owned by the DDA. It is owned by the City. In the event the DDA decides it would like to purchase the 8090 Grand Street property, would the City be interested in selling the property to the DDA, understanding that any such sale would be subject to an affirmative vote of City residents?
• OHM Road Tasks: Improving Pedestrian Safety
  • As requested by the City of Dexter, we (OHM) have prepared an analysis (Task 1) to review the operations of the signalized intersections of Main Street at Baker Road and Main Street at Broad Street with the addition of a protected pedestrian phase, in this case, a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI). LPIs give the pedestrian the WALK signal 3 to 7 seconds before the motorists are allowed to proceed through the intersection. In this case, the lower end of the value, 3 seconds, was used as traffic operations are at or near capacity for the study locations.
    • The analysis provided indicates that overall vehicular operations at the intersection of Main Street at Broad Street and Main Street at Baker Road will degrade with the additions of LPI, however pedestrian safety will be improved. It should be noted that only periods of the day where traffic is over capacity is during the AM and PM peak periods (at the Broad Street intersection). Throughout the remainder of the day, the LPI will provide pedestrian safety improvements with minimal impact to traffic operations.
  • In addition, the intersection of Dexter Ann Arbor Road at Dan Hoey Road (Task 2) will be assessed to determine if the existing pedestrian clearance offered is adequate. The intersection of Dexter Ann Arbor Road at Dan Hoey Road was analyzed according to the methodologies published in the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Electronic Traffic Control Device Guidelines and applied to MDOT’s Signal Timing Spreadsheet to verify the appropriate pedestrian clearance at this location. Based on the factors noted in the spreadsheet, the minimum WALK interval time for the Dexter Ann Arbor Road approaches is 10 seconds, with a FLASHING DON’T WALK (FDW) interval of 21 seconds. It was observed that the existing WALK interval at this intersection is 6 seconds, with a FDW interval of 14 seconds. During the field review, we also noted that the intersection ends the FDW at the end of YELLOW and does not provide a 3-second buffer (steady DON’T WALK) between the end of FDW and the beginning of mainline GREEN interval.
    • OHM recommends that the pedestrian clearance timing for the Dexter Ann Arbor Road approaches be adjusted to provide a WALK interval of 10 seconds and a FDW interval of 21 seconds per MDOT’s Signal Timing Spreadsheet. The increased length of pedestrian clearance intervals will not pose a significant problem at this intersection, as they will only run at these lengths when the pushbutton is actuated.
• Webster 425 Agreement
• Smith Preserve Donation Agreement
  • Washtenaw County has expressed an interest in possibly using a portion of the Miller Smith Preserve for a piece of the Border-to-Border Trail connecting Dexter and Chelsea.
• FY 2022-23 Planned Events
  • August 2, 2022 and November 8, 2022 Elections
  • Union Negotiations – would normally begin in October 2022 (expires March 2023)
  • 3rd & Broad St. Road Project – July 1, 2022 Start. Project was bid through MDOT's bid letting
    process. This project is partially funded with federal TIP dollars.
  • Completion of 3515 Broad St. Renovation
• Updates to Previously Discussed Topics
  • Bringing Fire Station Discussion to Conclusion
  • Add 5th DPW employee
  • ADA Parking Spaces Analysis
  • Purchase of Water Wells – discussed by DDA
  • Continuing tree trimming & increases to one-off tree removal costs
    • Westridge planned for Winter 2023 - $7,000
  • Mill Creek Park Improvement Project - $100,000 or more
  • Begin design on Baker Rd. project for Summer 2024 - $TBD
  • New RadarSign - $5,000
  • OPEB Actuarial - $5,500
  • Forest St. Sidewalk Connection - $13,000 - $25,000
• Potential New FY 2022-23 Projects
  • Dexter Citizen of the Year – minimal costs outside of staff time
  • Sending delinquent utility bills to a collection agency/small claims court
  • Transferring responsibility for commercial refuse billing to Waste Management
  • Full evaluation of General Code of Ordinances - $30,000
  • Contract for Utility Rate Study Update - $12,000
  • Water Reliability Study (every 5 years) - $15,000
  • Sanitary survey of water system – No Cost
  • Economic Development Strategic Plan - TBD
  • DDA Strategic Plan - TBD
  • Grandview Commons Pathway - $27,700 design proposed in current fiscal year
  • Green paint for Central St. bicycle lanes – estimates for painting options requested from OHM Advisors
  • Sidewalk connection to Avalon Housing in front of Community Garden – estimate requested from OHM Advisors
  • Security Badge Readers for 3515 Broad St., DPW, and WWTP
• Potential Future Projects
  • Water Tower painting - $150,000
  • Parking lots at Forest & Grand Sts. - TBD
  • Gas pump at WWTP - TBD
  • 3515 Broad St. Barn Improvements - TBD
  • Reconstruct 3515 Broad St. & 8140 Main St. parking lots - TBD

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