MONDAY, NOV. 28, 2016 @ 7 pm
will be the first Board of Trustees meeting with the new board members: Dani Walsh and Michael Schostak. Brian Kepes will now be Treasurer. Swearing in ceremony was 11-21-16.
The agenda: (also found at end of this blog)
The most important thing to view is the BOARD PACKET 11/28/16 for all the supporting detail provided by the township. 227 pages. go to: http://bloomfieldtwpmi.minutesondemand.com
My comments on this agenda and information copied from the township website/ board packet:
1.
Savoie is trying to silence the public. A resolution to change how public comment is done at the meetings. I often comment on most issues because the township either fails to reveal all information necessary for complete understanding of the issues or false information is being given. If this resolution is passed... my comments will not be heard. How can we ask questions or add more information? Answer: we won't if this is passed.
See agenda #2. in pdf board packet pp 44-49
2.
Surprise: another Hubbell, Roth, Clark project. See agenda # 4 Appears to be competitively bid but the other bidders had no real chance as HRC already has no bid contract work that overlaps the new project being bid and HRC has been basically the exclusive contractor for the past 3 decades or more.
3.
Savoie is continuing the no-bid contract scenario: See agenda #5 Safety Paths in pdf board packet pp 60-63
This is similar to what the township did for Rizzo contract... for Bidigare contract... for Gypsy Moth contract... and the list goes on and on and on.
4.
More costs coming to your water and sewer bills/ another 20 year Bond See Agenda # 6 pdf in board packet pp 64-136
5.
EESD (Engineering and Environmental Services Dept) Annual Report Agenda # 7 pdf pp 137-164
6.
MORE increases in fees: Agenda #8 pdf pp 168-168 Water tap/meter charges. Packet does NOT show what the fees were when approved in 2005. So increase % amt. is unclear
7.
48th District Court 2017 Budget and reports: Bl. Twp is the landlord and improvement are needed on the building. More costs to the taxpayers for this? Agenda #9 pdf pp 169-193
8.
Preliminary Budget for 2017-2018 Agenda # 10 pdf pp 194-213 This is the first look for the Trustees and the public. Take a good look now. What you see is probably what you'll get. More collected in property tax. Will your house be one of many with the increase to your property's value? So much to say here. Stay tuned.
9.
Payroll and Voucher list Agenda #11.. pdf pp 214-223 How can the Trustees and/or the public know what account these expenses are debited from? You don't and the Trustees don't , and Savoie likes it that way.
My opinions.
Maybe the ACLU would be interested in item #2? Had the ACLU been involved years ago in relation to other Township efforts to silence Marcia might the Township Supervisor not feel so much the Emperor?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI have sent the following to Leo Savoie regarding this agenda item:
"I am a Township resident and I am unable to attend this meeting and I have comments to make on the Public Comment Policy.
It has been my observation from attending meetings and from watching the televised meetings that public comments are not being welcomed by the Board and this definitely needs to be changed.. I believe that limiting public comments to only 3 minutes sends this same message to Township residents. Therefore, I recommend that this provision be modified as follows: If there are more than five speakers wanting to make public comments the time limit should be a maximum of 5 minutes per speaker. If there are five or fewer speakers the time limit should be a maximum of 10 minutes per speaker.
I believe that this modification will send the right message: that you and the Board are genuinely interested in hearing what our residents have to say.
I also believe that another change should be to allow residents to phone in their comments during these meetings e.g. via Skype or some other method, as many residents are unable to attend meetings but have comments they would like the Board to hear. I believe that doing this will also go a long way to send the right message to our residents.
I look forward to hearing from you."
I agree with Marcia's comment on this agenda item and I hope the Board considers our comments regarding this very important issue. They have unlimited time to set forth their views while wanting to limit what our residents have to say to only 3 minutes! THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN.
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