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 when 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: https://dextermi.gov/government/cc.php.

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. If you would rather share your thoughts anonymously, please respond here: https://polco.us/n/res/vote/councilwoman-jamie-griffin/i-value-your-input.

Sincerely,

Jamie

Dexter City Council Work Session and Meeting

Monday, April 25, 2022 @ 6 p.m. (Work Session) and 7 p.m. (Meeting)

3515 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 48130 and via Zoom

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Meeting ID: 889 9807 6169#

Work Session Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Agendas/2022-04-25-CC-A-WS.pdf

Work Session Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Packets/2022-04-25-WS-P.pdf

Meeting Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Agendas/2022-04-25-CC-A.pdf

Meeting Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Packets/2022-04-25-CC-P.pdf

Work Session @ 6 p.m.

My summary: Over the past several months, Council has been having regular discussions about how to address the fact that the City of Dexter fire station is functionally obsolete. Per the Interlocal Agreement, this station serves as the center of control and operations for the Dexter Area Fire Department, which serves the City of Dexter, Dexter Township, and Webster Township. After defining a set of guiding principles and an “opportunity statement,” we will now review, in turn, the most recent proposed remedies: (1) building a new fire station at the corner of Meadow View Drive and Dexter-Ann Arbor Road and (2) renovating the existing fire station at 8140 Main Street. During this session, we will review option (1): building a new fire station at the corner of Meadow View Drive and Dexter-Ann Arbor Road. See the packet for extensive documentation. There is an opportunity for the public to provide comments at the beginning of the work session.

Regular Meeting @ 7 p.m.

As always, there are two opportunities for non-arranged public participation: one near the beginning of the meeting and one near the end of the meeting. See the agenda for details.

Council will review (1) minutes of its most recent meeting and work sessions and (2) the upcoming meeting list. We will also hear various updates from staff, including the City Manager and the Mayor (note that corresponding written reports are included in the meeting packet).

• From the Community Development Manager’s report
  • Mill Creek Brewery – According to one of the applicants, Justin Dalenberg, the project is moving forward. He verified that he will be submitting a combined site plan in May, for consideration by the Planning Commission at its June meeting.
• From the Mayor’s report
  • Conversation with Nate Pound regarding Mill Creek Brewery – I was able to speak to Nate Pound regarding the Mill Creek Brewery project that he and his partners are planning. They are frustrated and disappointed over the Planning Commission decision to only grant a waiver of 14 parking spaces (vs. their request for a waiver of 29). As of the date of our conversation, they were simply not willing/rushing to proceed with the project. I will provide more updates on Monday.
• From the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Report
  • The Sheriff’s Office has recently implemented a new, on-line, police reporting portal. Citizens can now file certain types of police reports on-line without needing contact with a Deputy or coming to a station. The following types of incidents may be filed on-line:

• Harassing phone calls/ No Known Suspects
• Identity Theft/ No Known Suspects
• Lost property
• Larceny/Theft/ No Known Suspects
• Damaged Property/Vandalism
• Accidental/Non-Intentional Property Damage

• Any and all incidents can still be reported by calling 911, Washtenaw Metro Dispatches non-emergency dispatch number (734) 994-2911 or at any of our Community Police Stations.
• The on-line reporting portal can be accessed through the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office website: https://www.washtenaw.org/3439/File-a-Police-Report

• From the City Manager’s report:
  • Pedestrian Zone. In 2021, Parks and Recreation expressed interest in getting stencils for Walk Your Bike signs to be spray-chalked onto the sidewalks entering downtown. The stencils’ goal is to alert residents that they need to “walk their wheels” when in the downtown area. The stencil has been ordered and received by staff and the placement of the stencils is pending discussion from Parks and Recreation.
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Following the presentation and any discussion of these reports, Council will consider the following items as part of the Consent Agenda. Unless Council votes to do otherwise, these items are voted on as a single bundle without Council discussion.

• Bills & Payroll in the amount of: $454,180.45

Council will discuss or consider (i.e., take action on) the following new business:

• Resolution to Extend Oath of Office Period for Administrative Officers
  • The positions of City Manager, City Clerk, City Treasurer, City Assessor, and City Attorney are considered "Administrative Officers." Per Charter, these positions are intended to take and file an oath of office upon appointment. Except for the new City Clerk at the time (Carol Jones), staff does not have oaths of office on file for Administrative Officers post-Charter adoption. This does not necessarily mean that oaths were not administered, but staff does not have a copy on file. An oath of office was, however, filed for the position of City Clerk when Justin Breyer stepped into the position in 2017.
  • This issue was recently identified by staff, and the requirement was confirmed with City Attorney Scott Munzel (who will also be required to file an oath of office). To resolve the issue, Council is asked to adopt a resolution extending the period of time for Administrative Officers to file an oath of office for one week. Staff will put a process in place to ensure that future employees appointed to these positions receive the oath of office upon appointment.
• Recommendation for Ballot proposal from DDA
  • The following draft ballot proposal being considered by the DDA, subject to final approval by Council:
    • 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)
  • Background
    • 8077 and 8087 Forest Street – On May 9, 2011 the City Council authorized the purchase of property located at 8077 Forest (Parcel ID 08-08-06-280-024), at a cost of $56,500, and then on August 8, 2011, the City Council authorized the purchase of property located at 8087 Forest (Parcel ID 08-08-06-280-025), at a cost of $85,000. Those property purchases were made on behalf of the Dexter Downtown Development Authority (DDA), for the purpose of facilitating a future mixed-use redevelopment project in conjunction with the 3045 Broad Street Redevelopment Project and with the understanding that the DDA would pay back the City.
    • The City Treasurer has confirmed that the DDA began repaying the City for the two Forest Street properties, in FY 2013-2014, in the increments of $20,000. The DDA continued making payments until FY 2020-2021, when a final payment of $44,000 was transferred to the City. The repayment amount totaled $164,000.00, which included the purchase price of both properties ($141,500.00), plus the costs associated with demolition and administration ($22,500.00).
  • Additional ADA Parking Spaces
    • At the April 11th City Council meeting, members expressed interest in exploring additional barrier free spaces in areas where the City may not have the recommended level based on the attached OHM memo. The main areas of concern were indicated as Blocks 4 & 5, which encompass Baker and Ann Arbor. The number of barrier free spaces in those locations are as follows:

• Block 4 (Ann Arbor)
  • Current:0
  • Recommended:6
• Block 5 (Baker)
  • Current:1
  • Recommended:4

• Overall, the City currently has 29 barrier free spaces compared to OHM’s recommendation of 30. With the information in the OHM memo, Council is asked to evaluate where additional ADA spots could be located in areas where the City is not matching the recommendation from OHM.
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