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Good evening. I call to order the August 11, 2026 ported city council meeting and honor of all denominations and personal beliefs. And as we recognize the importance of fair elections to our democracy, we also acknowledge our local poll workers. Please stand for a moment of personal introspection and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance.

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Please join me in the pledge.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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And if I could please ask the clerk to call the roll.

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Yes, Madam Mayor, I'll start with Burns.

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You're led better.

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Here.

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Miller.

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Here.

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Here.

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Here.

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Randall.

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And young.

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Thank you.

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All right.

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We have no proclamations this evening.

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So, we'll move along to the opportunity for statement of citizens, if anyone would

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like to approach the council, now is the appropriate time.

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Good evening.

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Welcome.

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My first time here, I've been a 40s resident for 48 years.

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I'm a retired minister from the new Episolic Church on 3600 Westmellum.

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Last year, and the springtime, the city had sidewalk and road repair done from, I know

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these from angling road to 131 bridge.

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They re-did some of the sidewalks to drive ways and so forth, and our church was one of them.

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My position in the church is I take care of the building, the inside and the outside contractors,

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And what they did, I've been trying to get a hold of, I got a hold of Kendra from the city here because a driveway is not right.

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There's a major, major dip in it, you pull in and it goes like this, and it was not like that before.

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I have been trying since August of last year to get somebody to come out and look at this.

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I've been down to the city of Portiture four times.

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I was here last month on July the 14th and talked to Kendra,

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and she said, I'll have an engineer call you.

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I've heard that since August of last year.

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We had a funeral there, there's passed Saturday,

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over 750 people.

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And every car that came out of that parking lot hit that dip because I stopped the traffic

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and every car that hit it, that's why I'm here today.

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I'm asking on behalf of the church if somebody could kind of come out and meet me there

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to look at it and have a decision be made on what to do with, we're the only church,

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only driveway on minimum road that has complained, but we're the only driveway that holds

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150 cars at a time, 100 cars at a time.

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What somebody sees what I'm talking about, you would justify it, I'm quite sure the problem.

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They indicated like a 2% grade, that doesn't mean anything to me.

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I don't know what 2%, 5%, 10%, 50, whatever it is, I don't know what that is.

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But I know it was not like that before they started.

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It was a perfectly dry incline.

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Now the Paul comes in.

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He's got a Blake comes in and he does this number.

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I hope he can see the frustration, not just my part, but the whole congregation has asked

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me to do.

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They want to know when it's going to be fixed or somebody come and look at it.

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All right.

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That's by agenda and other.

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You did it.

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All right.

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We appreciate you coming in.

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I'm sorry.

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you've had a year of frustration with the city.

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The city council is a great place to come to get a media reaction.

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Or if you could leave your contact information with the city.

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Have a great regard to a main name, a number, and not grow.

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I'll take one, you'll give one to our interim.

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Good.

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Good.

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Good.

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Good.

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Good.

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You're not guilty. You are victim and we'll make it right. Yep. Thanks for coming in.

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Thank you for your time. Still an opportunity for statement as citizens if anyone else would like to come forward.

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Good evening. Welcome.

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Hello, Ported City Council. I'm Chandra Kinney. I am the District Manager at the Kalamazoo Conservation District.

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Every five years the Kalamazoo Conservation District seeks input on natural resources, conservation concerns within Kalamazoo County, and thus we have just launched our Kalamazoo County Natural Resource Assessment Survey, which I am working to get out into the community.

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This helps guide the strategic five year long range plan for the Kalamazoo Conservation District and so we are gathering input from all residents, landowners, farmers and municipalities across the county and we would love for many residents and municipality members from the portage area to be included in this feedback.

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This helps to ensure that our conservation district is growing properly with our community.

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Thus I have brought some of these guys that has one that the QR app code on this side has more information about the programs and services we currently offer.

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And then on this side here it is a QR code to take our current survey and then I've also brought some paper versions.

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Anyone is also able to access this survey on our website at Kalamazoo Conservation.org and I will go ahead and leave some behind as well for you guys to distribute.

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Thank you. You can leave both of those with our city clerk. We also have an environmental board that would be very interested in participating. I'm sure. So thank you for joining us this evening.

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Thank you so much.

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Still an opportunity for statement as citizens.

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Good evening.

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I've lived in forage for 51 years.

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And I love my city, but there's something that I don't love.

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And that's the amount of time that takes to get code enforcement issues corrected.

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The system you're using now was severely outdated.

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You're relying on the post office to deliver notices to individuals that have violations.

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And we all know that the post office is not adequate at the best right now.

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And may I reported a truck in our neighborhood?

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They had a flat tire.

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The city came out and made contact with the owner.

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The owner said the truck belonged to the sun.

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I don't care that this truck belongs to your son.

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It's in your driveway.

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That truck is still there in all.

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August. It now has two flat tires. The House across the street for me had a sewer repair, and as a result

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a tree had to be taken out and the front lawn was totally destroyed. The lawn was seated,

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but the house belongs to renters. And without water, grass doesn't grow. Well weeds came out.

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And I reported the weeds. In addition to the weeds, we had chairs that suddenly appeared in the

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The 45 minutes before the city came out to look at the yard, he went out and mowed the weeds.

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The chairs left today, they finally were gone, but the weeds are back.

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There was another house on Renberry that was reported for over a month.

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We looked at weeds that were that high in the front yard.

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It was mowed a week ago, but it had been that way for over a month.

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There's a house now that has four cars, two over and the driveway, two over and the side yard.

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I'm not even going to bother reporting it.

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It just takes too long.

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The house with the truck, we fought four months last summer

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with a trailer with a boat on it in the road.

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The mailman got out of his car truck to put mail

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in their mailbox because the truck, the boat was in the road

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that long.

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I don't know what the problem is.

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I know your procedure because I came to find out

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that you have to send registered letters,

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but we're in a digital society.

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And it seems to me there should be some way that it's more streamlined to get problems

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corrected than having to wait three, four, five months to get things taken care of.

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And I'm asking if the city would please look at the current process.

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Go to another municipality, Ann Arbor, where they have students with violations, I'm sure

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all the time.

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Grand Rapids, how do they handle these things?

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So we're not looking at them for four or five months.

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I just want my neighborhood to look nice.

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Thank you for joining us at the beginning of citizen comment time.

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I feel to say, but you need to state your name and address.

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Robin Bowley, 7116 Balfour Drive.

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Okay, I think you've sent me an email or two.

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Yes, I did.

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You can respond.

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All right.

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Thank you.

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Thank you for joining us and we'll look into that process.

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Still an opportunity for statement of citizens.

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If anyone else.

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Good evening.

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Hello.

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My name is Justin Hasser.

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I live at 4-3-1-7-Fox-Fart Trail, up to 12-3.

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I have lived in Portage since about 2012-2011 somewhere in there.

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I have two concerns today.

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My first concern is relatively small, but it is one that I am a little bit worried about.

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My second is a bit more severe.

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My first concern has to do with an intersection of a certain road that comes from a

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here because it there is a bit of a blind hill that comes down to this particular road and I'm

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just wondering if it might be worth at least investigating to get a three-way stop there.

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Even if it's a time limited one perhaps because when I had to commute back from like pop

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higher other places that were west of Portage, that left turn was always very nerve-wracking to say

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least. I was always a bit worried about getting T-bond on that turn. But you know, I have the

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it's W on Avenue and 12th Street that particular intersection. Again, it's not that they can

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deal. I just thought I'd bring your attention just as concerned. Maybe I'm maybe just me. The second

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concern is a bit more severe. It is when I feel a bit more strongly about it has to do with

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contemporary police surveillance measures. It has to do with people say flock cameras, but flock

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is a brand of cameras that are commonly advertised as licensed plate readers, but they have a lot

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more functionality than that. My concern rests with some cases that are in the news about abuse

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of these systems, having to do with one that was used to look into a juvenile gymnastics room

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at a community center,

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and how insecure from these cameras are, how people who have the skills

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knowledge could actually hack these cameras and get them to work for themselves.

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I do not feel safer about these cameras being used, especially without a warrant, as I

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have also been hearing accounts of people using these cameras to stock their ex-partners.

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I've also been hearing accounts of microphones that are, I think they're called,

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shot mics perhaps, that could be set off with a car backfire and can suddenly drop

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to them almost like a top priority, which if an organized crime group could probably use that as an exploit.

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And probably most concerning of all are systems that will utilize CCTV inside of businesses

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and my biggest concern is sting rays.

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Special devices used by police to intercept cellular data and examine it freely without a warrant

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and basically get access to someone's phone without any consent, knowledge, or notification.

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I am asking you guys here today, a very simple question.

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What is your position on this surveillance thing?

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Because we seem to have plenty of these cameras already up, and that seems that's my time.

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Okay, if you could leave your contact information, we do have some information.

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and the safeguards that portage has instituted around the flat cameras.

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And as far as ON and 12th Street,

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ON is on the side of Texas, so that's not the portage road.

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And I do understand what your blind spot is there.

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And the county is really not eager to put in three way stops.

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So, but thank you for coming this evening.

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Please leave your email up here so we can forward do that information.

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still an opportunity for statement of citizens.

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Good evening.

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I'm Al Hawkins, a live at 10, 5, 10,

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sedan street on a corner of Osterhout.

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I was here a month ago about the Patrick McKinnis

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when you're here.

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So they look into Southwesternage to Osterhout.

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So when you go to turn right, it's okay.

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But when you're going to turn left, you have to really pull out.

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So it's been at least two months, the sign was knocked down, hmm, that can early July.

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Maybe June, I can't remember, hexagons, got flash and light, so everybody knows how to stop,

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but that got knocked over, and so then they put a stop sign with a saw horse, ground level.

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Well, what was it two weeks ago, Sunday, there was a pretty bad accident.

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nobody was killed. So I'm so thankful. But what at my point is, I don't know where we're at,

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whether he looked into it or not, so that's why I'm back up here again. I think it's a pretty

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bad intersection, and not only that, but I've lived on that street for 24 years on Sudan.

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And it's all double-line, so you're not supposed to pass. So I don't know what you can do as a

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So I just want to be heard is can we put up no passing signs?

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Can we patrol it more? I know our police are always busy. I welcome you to sit in my drive. You'd probably meet your quote if there is one, because it's a 40 mile hour speed zone, but it's definitely not that. People have constantly passed. There was a horrible accident back in April for it on my house where a vehicle was turning left, and a motorcycle decided it wanted to turn left to pass. Fortunately, he wasn't killed, but it was pretty bad.

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I'm just seeing a more increase because of the new subdivisions going in.

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I'm not opposed to them, I think it's great to have people, you know, I'm pretty

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social-first.

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But my point is I've asked to have these trees looked into, especially that intersection

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of Osterhallen and Westage, because if you are going to turn left, you really do have to

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pull out.

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And it's unfortunate that it took an accident to get the sign back up that needed to be

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a while ago. So just by concern, and I'll probably back up to something, does it change? So

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not faulting you folks. I'm just saying it's just a concern that I've been having for quite a while

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and the speed restrictions don't seem to be adhered to. Anyway, thank you. Mr. Herringa, we'll get back

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to you this week. We do a traffic engineer and look into that as well and just see through our

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public safety, what the traffic accidents have been since all that has

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transpired. Okay, and I've given Erica my info. So thank you.

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Good

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evening. Hello John Paver. I'm in Kalamazoo now. So sorry. Fantastic

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job with the farmers market. It's wonderful. I'm really thrilled now. We

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have an actual farmers market. So great job on that. I'm just

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to really talk about just a few housekeeping things.

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One in particular is the creek.

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I don't know, it's the one that's behind ridders

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and kind of extends behind there,

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and there's, I think there's a green house back there.

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Since we had the hurricanes that came through,

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there has been more trees than I can count

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to have fallen into the stream and have slowed its movement down

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That need to be just removed from there and on really hot days. I only know because of my family and I every Sunday

224
00:17:31,540 --> 00:17:37,880
I take the kids up to go get ice cream to ridders and then we walk around in the library and things like that and on some really hot days

225
00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:43,280
It smells like the living dead just because there's no movement, you know in in the stream

226
00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:47,080
And that's just because there's just been a lot of debris that's fallen down there. There hasn't been picked up

227
00:17:48,460 --> 00:17:51,180
And so that's just like an awareness thing and then the other thing

228
00:17:52,920 --> 00:18:00,820
is that we see now more and more people using these eBikes and eScooters and I don't really

229
00:18:00,820 --> 00:18:06,360
agree with anything that Dearborn does but one of the things that they did is they banned eBikes

230
00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:12,200
and eScooters from public property because people were writing around them and like gangs of them

231
00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:18,660
and then they were just causing a big disturbance and I didn't really take note of that until I was

232
00:18:18,660 --> 00:18:25,500
walking with my family and there's a lot of blind corners around those trails right there and a guy

233
00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:30,960
comes flying on this thing and I have to pull my little girl from that side because she's

234
00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,460
just like a six year old walking around looking up at the sky and the next thing I know,

235
00:18:35,540 --> 00:18:41,380
somebody comes flying through and he doesn't and I'm like whoa and I grab my little girl and

236
00:18:41,380 --> 00:18:47,700
he doesn't even take notice that anything was there and he continues on and so obviously there's

237
00:18:47,700 --> 00:18:51,140
a sign or something that says no, motorized things, but I don't know if there's something else

238
00:18:51,140 --> 00:18:56,720
that we can do or if that's a part of the ordinance of like no motorized things, so many things

239
00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:02,780
go up to 25 miles an hour. It's very scary. That 25 is fast. I wrote a scooter going 17, that's scary.

240
00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:09,100
And so the other thing was like the other young man that had brought up was

241
00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:17,980
There is a lot of stuff with Flock and I support the, oh I loved it, there's a timer here.

242
00:19:19,060 --> 00:19:25,440
And so I fully support, you know, our public safety and their ability to do things.

243
00:19:27,060 --> 00:19:32,860
My request is that any new features, because there are a lot of new features like being

244
00:19:32,860 --> 00:19:37,540
able to track people's devices through the use of those cameras that are coming through,

245
00:19:37,540 --> 00:19:43,560
They're on like contract list for the New York State now in Maryland, and so that's just some of my concerns

246
00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:52,000
that any of the features I get thrown on these things, at least they be brought to you guys, so that you can review them so that we know exactly what is going into these cameras and what is not in these cameras.

247
00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,680
So, not against them, I fully support them. Obviously, because you're favorite.

248
00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:58,540
Your time is up.

249
00:19:59,100 --> 00:19:59,120
Eric.

250
00:19:59,820 --> 00:20:00,140
So quick.

251
00:20:01,020 --> 00:20:01,420
Thanks, God.

252
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:02,220
Thanks for coming.

253
00:20:05,940 --> 00:20:06,660
Good evening, welcome.

254
00:20:07,220 --> 00:20:07,880
Thank you.

255
00:20:10,570 --> 00:20:14,950
My name is Eric Borses. I currently live in Madwan. Do you want that address?

256
00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:17,540
Got it.

257
00:20:17,740 --> 00:20:19,700
Got it. Thank you. Yeah, you bet.

258
00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,220
Today's agenda number seven, the demolition of 93.03.

259
00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,420
I'd like to possibly purchase that building.

260
00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,940
I've been in talks with the person who built it.

261
00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,020
And it is possible I've been talking to a mover.

262
00:20:33,260 --> 00:20:39,080
I just need time to figure out and how to move the lines and things to get it.

263
00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,120
But if possible, it would be interesting

264
00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:44,400
purchasing that building already on a lot

265
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,460
that would have need to be approved to move it to in the city.

266
00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:51,320
So that's what I'm asking for today.

267
00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,460
All right, thank you very much for coming in.

268
00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:54,400
Thank you.

269
00:20:56,900 --> 00:20:58,940
Still an opportunity for statement of citizens.

270
00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:02,220
Seeing no one come forward, I will ask if there are any

271
00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:03,220
colors on the line.

272
00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:04,300
There are no colors.

273
00:21:06,540 --> 00:21:08,940
All right, so we will move on with our meeting

274
00:21:08,940 --> 00:21:14,600
to the consent agenda, the consent agenda is available for review by visiting the City of Portage website

275
00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,420
where it can be found under the City Council agenda and minute section.

276
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,960
At this time, does anyone on the council wish to have a consent agenda

277
00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,300
remove for individual consideration?

278
00:21:28,900 --> 00:21:29,800
Adam, please.

279
00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:37,700
Let's, if we may remove seven, so we could talk about that, even I know a lot of in-depth study

280
00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:43,800
It's been done on the property, but I think we should have a different topic and that put it on the consent.

281
00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:45,860
Okay. Any other items?

282
00:21:48,230 --> 00:21:53,810
All right. I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented, excluding item number seven.

283
00:21:53,910 --> 00:21:54,490
So moved.

284
00:21:54,670 --> 00:21:54,990
Second.

285
00:21:56,090 --> 00:21:57,550
And roll call please.

286
00:21:58,370 --> 00:21:59,170
Start with light better.

287
00:22:00,150 --> 00:22:01,270
Miller. Yes.

288
00:22:01,330 --> 00:22:01,850
Homestead.

289
00:22:02,090 --> 00:22:02,250
Yes.

290
00:22:02,530 --> 00:22:03,470
Pearson. Yes.

291
00:22:03,670 --> 00:22:05,810
Randall. Yes. Young. Yes.

292
00:22:06,050 --> 00:22:06,450
And Burns.

293
00:22:06,730 --> 00:22:07,010
Yes.

294
00:22:07,010 --> 00:22:15,010
All right, the way that works is that we will be discussing the item under regular business items, which will be after our public hearing.

295
00:22:15,530 --> 00:22:17,010
So please stay here with us.

296
00:22:18,070 --> 00:22:19,750
We do have a public hearing this evening.

297
00:22:21,290 --> 00:22:29,830
It is to consider approving the rezoning amendment 26-27-1 to amend the code of ordinance of the city of Portage.

298
00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:40,100
Michigan article 4, zoning of chapter 42 and chapter 44 by adopting a zoning map, amendment to effectuate a citywide

299
00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:52,300
rezoning as more specifically described in ordinance 0-4-2026. I'd like to turn this over to our interim city manager, Mr. Adam Herringa.

300
00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:59,680
Thank you Madam Mayor, as Council will recall, a few meetings ago, they adopted or we adopted

301
00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:06,580
the residential text amendment to all to the zoning for residential areas in the city

302
00:23:06,580 --> 00:23:14,400
of Portage. This is a follow-on to that. The Planning Commission did vote 602 to recommend

303
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:20,780
approval to this. This is viewed just as a moral formality as the map would follow the adoption

304
00:23:20,780 --> 00:23:23,180
of the, of the text amendment.

305
00:23:24,220 --> 00:23:26,500
If City Council has any questions, I'm happy to answer,

306
00:23:27,380 --> 00:23:30,400
and the Chief Development Officer Dam is in the audience as well.

307
00:23:31,300 --> 00:23:34,000
Oh, if that, I'd be fine answer to questions,

308
00:23:34,180 --> 00:23:36,420
or you can go ahead and open up the public hearing madam mayor.

309
00:23:36,700 --> 00:23:39,320
All right. I will currently open the public hearing.

310
00:23:39,420 --> 00:23:42,920
If anyone is here this evening and has questions about this item on our agenda,

311
00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:44,760
now is the appropriate time to come forward.

312
00:23:47,990 --> 00:23:49,430
All right, seeing no one come forward.

313
00:23:49,490 --> 00:23:51,950
I will entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

314
00:23:52,590 --> 00:23:54,130
I moved to close the public hearing.

315
00:23:54,530 --> 00:23:57,130
Second, all in favor say aye.

316
00:23:57,170 --> 00:23:57,550
Aye.

317
00:23:57,850 --> 00:23:58,210
Opposed.

318
00:23:58,450 --> 00:23:58,930
Same sign.

319
00:23:59,870 --> 00:24:01,670
We have been working on this for quite some time.

320
00:24:01,790 --> 00:24:05,750
Does anyone on council need any clarification before we take a vote?

321
00:24:07,690 --> 00:24:07,890
All right.

322
00:24:07,990 --> 00:24:09,310
What is the pleasure of the council?

323
00:24:09,630 --> 00:24:09,990
Madam Mayor.

324
00:24:10,890 --> 00:24:16,730
I moved to adopt rezoning amendment 26271 to amend the code of ordinances of the city.

325
00:24:16,730 --> 00:24:23,430
especially in article four zoning of chapter 42 in chapter 44 by adopting a zoning map

326
00:24:23,430 --> 00:24:28,330
amendment to effectuate a citywide rezoning as more specifically described in ordinance

327
00:24:28,330 --> 00:24:34,490
of four twenty-six. Support and roll call please start with Miller.

328
00:24:37,340 --> 00:24:39,240
Yes, ohmstead. Yes.

329
00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:39,840
Pearson.

330
00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:48,780
Yes. Randall. Yes. Young. Yes. Burns. Yes. I'm led better. Yes. Thank you.

331
00:24:48,780 --> 00:24:53,060
All right, now we move on to our regular business agenda items that were removed from the

332
00:24:53,060 --> 00:25:00,680
consent. I had Councilwoman Olmsted, remove number 7, which was to authorize the demolition of

333
00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:07,380
9303 Portage Road for the reconstruction of our Portage Road corridor. And if timing is everything,

334
00:25:08,020 --> 00:25:13,500
this is the correct timing to be discussing this with the citizens. So I'll turn it over to

335
00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:15,920
Councilmember Olmsted at this time.

336
00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:17,340
Thank you, Madame Mayor.

337
00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:24,220
A lot of work has been done to this 93.03 property.

338
00:25:24,360 --> 00:25:29,740
It's just being rented right now for like $2,000 a month.

339
00:25:30,620 --> 00:25:33,360
And the city says that we could make, you know,

340
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:34,920
it's $10,000 a year.

341
00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:40,420
Have we ever thought as a city to sell that if there's a buyer?

342
00:25:40,420 --> 00:25:42,880
or was this something done back in 24?

343
00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,540
I mean, is this an option just for this gentleman

344
00:25:47,540 --> 00:25:49,940
right here, the consider?

345
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,800
So we've had a lot of discussion on it in previous years,

346
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:54,520
but I'm always willing to look at something

347
00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:55,620
from a different perspective.

348
00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,260
So I want to turn it over to Mr. Herringa,

349
00:26:00,020 --> 00:26:02,280
who gave us a lot of detail in our packet

350
00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:03,200
about the property.

351
00:26:04,020 --> 00:26:06,100
Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, council member,

352
00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:10,640
from said, this is not the first time this property

353
00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,200
has been brought before the city council,

354
00:26:12,820 --> 00:26:15,460
and every time it's come forward, it is resulted in

355
00:26:15,460 --> 00:26:18,280
significant discussion, whether it was to purchase

356
00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,740
the property, there was a proposal to sell the property

357
00:26:21,740 --> 00:26:25,840
a few years ago, there was also a countervailing opinion

358
00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,560
that we should demolish the house then,

359
00:26:29,260 --> 00:26:31,820
and the council settled down trying to rent it

360
00:26:31,820 --> 00:26:33,140
until this day arrived.

361
00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:35,620
And the day that it arrived is,

362
00:26:35,620 --> 00:26:42,960
we are about to embark on reconstructing portage road in this area. And when the engineering was done,

363
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,880
it was determined that if we want to maintain traffic in both directions while we do the

364
00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:55,120
culvert, if we want to have bike paths on both sides, this house cannot stay where currently is.

365
00:26:56,260 --> 00:27:03,600
It needs to go. And the recommendation, and this was why the house was purchased was because it

366
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:10,000
is seen by the council and the administrator at that time that eventually this property where

367
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:16,540
it's located is at a key point right on the right on the channel or drain whatever you want to

368
00:27:16,540 --> 00:27:24,040
call it and it's on both sides. So it allows us to redo the call it and it allows us to be able to

369
00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:29,500
put in the amenities in the infrastructure that have been proposed as part of the Portas Road 360

370
00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:37,460
project. The reason for the recommendation to demolish is time is of the essence at this point,

371
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:43,400
where we are going to be designing this fall and putting it into engineering for bid, this

372
00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:50,780
section of Portage Road. When it was reviewed by our staff, as far as the quality of the construction

373
00:27:50,780 --> 00:27:56,920
of the home, it was viewed as a home that usually when you see a building moved to relocated. It's

374
00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:03,360
structure. It's made out of bricks. It's easy to load up and transfer. This home is a split

375
00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:10,800
level with a walkout basement garage on slab. An individual would have to somehow brace the bottom,

376
00:28:11,260 --> 00:28:18,940
brace the walkout, secure the walls, get it lifted, move it down, pour the droid, get the permits from

377
00:28:18,940 --> 00:28:23,560
the individuals involved. It's located in an area right next to a creek so there may be some

378
00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:32,180
and other issues involved, and then get it relocated to a site where then you'd have to have the infrastructure to reconnect the house on the site.

379
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:41,560
So it was viewed as a very unlikely or an overwhelming task to undertake in the time frame that was that we're currently at,

380
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:48,860
which is we are now in the process of designing and going out to bid for this particular section of roadway.

381
00:28:49,780 --> 00:28:55,880
Chief Officer Dame is here and he may have something else to add along with Director Gwynne

382
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,840
from our Transportation Utilities Department, Director Hoyle from Parks and Recreation, and we

383
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:06,700
have an engineer from Adam Marsh. I'm sorry, Whiteman. I'm still sorry. I apologize.

384
00:29:06,980 --> 00:29:12,860
They're competitors. I'm working with the other company on another road project, since

385
00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:15,900
they both seem to work on road projects and my apologies, but we do have an engineer

386
00:29:15,900 --> 00:29:22,100
from Whiteman, who can also speak to more of the, not necessarily the sale of the property,

387
00:29:22,420 --> 00:29:24,200
but more along the need for the space.

388
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,920
So with that, Director Dame, if you have anything to add.

389
00:29:28,140 --> 00:29:31,340
I did think you did an excellent job of summarizing the need.

390
00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:37,100
I honestly don't think that even if it were determined to be feasible to move the house that

391
00:29:37,100 --> 00:29:45,300
there's enough time to do it, what I wanted to do was share, I had a very similar experience

392
00:29:45,300 --> 00:29:55,880
in my last meeting, we offered the house for free, someone offered to take it. It was a three

393
00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,980
years later, the house got moved, and I actually have to...

394
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:08,260
About there, can the phone not about this, but he does have real estate background. So, I'm intrigued by the possibility.

395
00:30:10,060 --> 00:30:18,200
But just the logistics of trying to get a house moved, you basically have to have the next site all day now.

396
00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:26,260
It generally would have to be very close by because otherwise you're going to tie up traffic everywhere, having to lift signals, lift wires.

397
00:30:27,020 --> 00:30:34,760
all at a cost of please power, and you pay the electric company to every time you lift it.

398
00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:42,760
It's a huge undertaking. It sounds really good, but when it comes down to actually doing it,

399
00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,720
it's, if, and I tend to think that

400
00:30:49,310 --> 00:30:52,730
it's not feasible to move this building, it's a newer construction.

401
00:30:52,730 --> 00:30:59,330
And I've been in that house, the walls are, you can hear all the trucks from the inside

402
00:30:59,330 --> 00:30:59,710
of the house.

403
00:30:59,710 --> 00:31:01,530
It's light construction.

404
00:31:03,910 --> 00:31:09,030
You're going to end up, even if you tried to move it, you have to redo all the drywall.

405
00:31:09,230 --> 00:31:11,690
I mean, it's, I think it would be a nightmare.

406
00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:21,630
And then we'd be stuck next spring, delaying the project at the covert, and so I wouldn't

407
00:31:21,630 --> 00:31:27,010
I recommend it based on my past experience and the advice that we've gotten about the feasibility

408
00:31:27,010 --> 00:31:29,130
of doing it.

409
00:31:29,630 --> 00:31:32,230
So that's my two cents to add.

410
00:31:32,950 --> 00:31:33,690
Madam Mayor.

411
00:31:35,590 --> 00:31:36,050
Question for you.

412
00:31:36,650 --> 00:31:41,710
The home is still currently rented and we need to give at least a 60 day notice is that the

413
00:31:41,710 --> 00:31:42,690
the case is still occupied.

414
00:31:43,250 --> 00:31:51,050
Yeah, and it's 60 months from the end of the current period, so essentially 60 days not

415
00:31:51,050 --> 00:32:00,110
Yeah, so we can't even start getting anything happening on this house for more than 60 days.

416
00:32:00,310 --> 00:32:04,930
So if we vote affirmatively tonight, when would you expect the demolition to occur actually?

417
00:32:06,150 --> 00:32:06,710
Um, November.

418
00:32:07,610 --> 00:32:08,870
I'm looking at Kendra.

419
00:32:08,970 --> 00:32:10,370
Who's going to have to bid it out.

420
00:32:11,830 --> 00:32:12,290
Okay.

421
00:32:13,110 --> 00:32:19,990
So I guess my preference would be to provide you that authorization to do the demolition

422
00:32:19,990 --> 00:32:30,010
And for you to continue that conversation to, as I don't know whether this home specifically has been you've heard of the proposal for the gentleman who might be interested in purchasing it.

423
00:32:30,110 --> 00:32:35,170
So I give you the authorization to demolish, but I encourage you to have one more conversation with him to sound.

424
00:32:35,490 --> 00:32:38,930
See if it's easier than we imagine it might be in reality.

425
00:32:39,950 --> 00:32:41,270
Have you happy to talk to him lately?

426
00:32:41,550 --> 00:32:42,090
I have a question.

427
00:32:43,070 --> 00:32:45,630
So we do sell to him the house and they decide he does want to.

428
00:32:45,630 --> 00:32:49,230
I would give it to him, frankly, because it's going to cost so much for him.

429
00:32:49,350 --> 00:32:54,430
Well, my question is, if he becomes the owner, and then the size is not to do anything

430
00:32:54,430 --> 00:32:56,250
with it, where are we going to do?

431
00:32:57,430 --> 00:32:59,850
So, is that part two?

432
00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:03,000
If I may,

433
00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:09,040
it sounds like there's a lot of pieces that would go into moving this.

434
00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,620
And, you know, we need to keep things on track for the Portage Road project.

435
00:33:13,260 --> 00:33:19,380
If, by some means, the gentleman might be able to move it by the date of the demolition,

436
00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,760
how would that be a possibility?

437
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:28,060
Because you have to get a site plan approved for the future location.

438
00:33:28,220 --> 00:33:29,720
You have to build the foundation.

439
00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:34,660
You have to have everything ready to move the house onto.

440
00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,060
And that won't happen during the winter.

441
00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:45,140
So if you don't have everything all set to move the house onto a completed foundation,

442
00:33:45,340 --> 00:33:46,260
you're done.

443
00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:50,500
So we would be missing some vital deadlines to keep the ported road project.

444
00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:51,740
I don't think it's possible.

445
00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,080
But I'd be happy to talk to them.

446
00:33:54,180 --> 00:33:55,700
I have a question, Mr. Dame.

447
00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:02,680
We all know that the construction is not going to start on this project until spring at best.

448
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:08,980
Why would we evict a family instead of allowing them to stay there during the winter?

449
00:34:10,340 --> 00:34:14,140
I just don't understand the sense of urgency to demo this.

450
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:15,780
You can still do the site plans.

451
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:20,380
You can still do all that work with that structure on the property.

452
00:34:21,700 --> 00:34:27,880
Because we want to have it demolished using the heavy trucks in the spring.

453
00:34:28,100 --> 00:34:30,420
There's a heavy truck prohibition.

454
00:34:30,420 --> 00:34:48,960
As soon as that is lifted is when the road construction would begin, so the heavy trucks that you would need to move the house in the spring, or demolish the house in the spring either, it would delay the start of the construction.

455
00:34:49,420 --> 00:34:58,760
This project is intended to start as soon as those truck restrictions are lifted in the spring, so we want to have all the work done this year.

456
00:34:59,980 --> 00:35:03,840
So, just because the child is here, I would like to ask him some questions.

457
00:35:03,860 --> 00:35:08,920
If you could just come forward, I, you know, I don't know how we approve a demolition

458
00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:12,100
and approve the opportunity to keep the door open.

459
00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:14,020
We're either doing one or the other tonight.

460
00:35:15,340 --> 00:35:16,160
And so...

461
00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:18,160
Well, we could...

462
00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:19,780
If it's...

463
00:35:19,780 --> 00:35:22,300
If staff talks to Eric.

464
00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:25,460
Eric from Matawan.

465
00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,740
He's got another project I'm from.

466
00:35:28,740 --> 00:35:31,300
or a draw that is interesting too.

467
00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:40,260
So I think it'd be possible if we could explore it

468
00:35:40,260 --> 00:35:44,060
and give a staff a latitude to switch to Eric's plan,

469
00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:48,560
if it proves to work, and if it doesn't,

470
00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:50,540
we would proceed with demolishing.

471
00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:53,700
I think you could structure your amendment that way.

472
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,500
Okay, so I guess my question to you

473
00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:57,720
is have you been in the structure?

474
00:35:57,720 --> 00:36:00,960
what your allegiance to the structure and have you had any

475
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,580
experiencing moving homes before?

476
00:36:04,380 --> 00:36:06,360
I have no experience moving structures.

477
00:36:06,820 --> 00:36:08,380
I do know it's possible.

478
00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:15,120
I am at the phase where I have texted pictures to someone I found

479
00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:19,940
in line in Michigan who has awards for moving structures on

480
00:36:19,940 --> 00:36:20,780
rubber tires.

481
00:36:22,140 --> 00:36:26,940
So I'm new to this through what they saw over text message.

482
00:36:26,940 --> 00:36:33,000
they are optimistic. They said 60 days to move it, and that's with moving all that.

483
00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:40,000
I assume their power wires I drove down from the structure I had or that land I have to this,

484
00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:45,060
and I don't know if we need to move traffic lights, anything like that.

485
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:52,940
But I am very, I'm at the very beginning stage of this, but the person does this.

486
00:36:54,140 --> 00:37:00,420
things we can do it, it's, they're not scared of it, is the point that I think I get from them.

487
00:37:00,460 --> 00:37:01,760
How far away is your personal?

488
00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,600
One point, one miles,

489
00:37:07,310 --> 00:37:09,070
but I do need to, it's out the north.

490
00:37:09,610 --> 00:37:11,650
It's by the celery flats, so north.

491
00:37:12,950 --> 00:37:20,330
So I need to get that approved, of course, but there's also other lands available, and I just see

492
00:37:20,330 --> 00:37:27,490
an opportunity and demolishing it will be, this will be a lot cheaper for the city than demolishing it.

493
00:37:27,490 --> 00:37:29,970
So, um, if I move it, most of them.

494
00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:32,440
That's a better deal for you guys.

495
00:37:33,860 --> 00:37:40,860
Madam Mayor, please. I have two questions. Did you make this determination when she saw this was on the council's agenda?

496
00:37:42,540 --> 00:37:49,160
Okay. So, Madam Mayor, honestly, I am not comfortable making a decision like this because,

497
00:37:50,020 --> 00:37:54,400
honestly, I think it kind of sets a bad precedent for us that if at any point in time,

498
00:37:54,660 --> 00:37:58,820
the city is making a determination on a property we could have a citizen who comes forward and says,

499
00:37:58,820 --> 00:38:06,720
I want to purchase this or I want to X, Y, Z, and this is not personally in attached to you, you happen to be here this evening.

500
00:38:07,860 --> 00:38:26,260
I am more comfortable conferring with Katherine. I don't know if this is understandable if we can do this if we simply hold the vote and ask for more time to give administration time to do more research.

501
00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:40,300
But I am not comfortable taking a vote that would in essence just kind of say, yes, demolish it or if you find that he's not able to hold up his end of the bargain, then go ahead and demolish it anyway.

502
00:38:41,260 --> 00:38:49,920
It feels as though we need to have all of the information here because if the vote was brought to us, then we still need to be a party to that.

503
00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:54,400
And what would your process be for the family living in the home?

504
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:59,500
I date, they are happy to stay until we move it.

505
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:05,660
Yeah, I've got doesn't matter to me at all.

506
00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:10,700
So when it's available, I mean, I can wait six months to whatever makes sense for.

507
00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,080
I can take it in, I'd say the short term would be 90 days,

508
00:39:15,500 --> 00:39:18,200
but you know, I can come get it next year or two.

509
00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:21,960
So whatever, whatever's best, I'm interested in the house.

510
00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:23,600
I don't have a timeline for it.

511
00:39:23,700 --> 00:39:25,920
I've got dirt available to put it,

512
00:39:25,980 --> 00:39:27,760
and that's not going anywhere.

513
00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:28,720
So,

514
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:32,900
Matt, Mayor.

515
00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:34,620
I've got a question.

516
00:39:35,020 --> 00:39:39,000
So, Mr. Dame has said that the timeline doesn't work

517
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,680
because it would take you a long time

518
00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,920
to get a permit to hook up the house

519
00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:46,800
on whatever property you're at.

520
00:39:47,260 --> 00:39:48,440
Do you need to do that?

521
00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:52,020
Or could you move the house on the property you own

522
00:39:52,020 --> 00:39:54,240
and then go from there to get your permits

523
00:39:54,240 --> 00:40:01,480
whatever you need. I can give you that answer in about next week. I don't know. I do have,

524
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:06,360
I would have to talk to somebody at the city and get that detail figured out.

525
00:40:08,220 --> 00:40:15,500
So do you think that if the city just gave you the house, you could still make a profit on moving

526
00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:26,700
to wherever it is. And you understand that Portas Road is going under construction. And I will

527
00:40:26,700 --> 00:40:31,740
say this, you know, the city probably just doesn't want to deal with it moving the house,

528
00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:40,420
because it takes time. But, hey, you talked to the city about this or is this the first time

529
00:40:40,420 --> 00:40:45,420
you're coming here about it? This is my first time coming here. Okay, so you really need to talk to

530
00:40:45,420 --> 00:40:51,360
city, you know, if we've gotten a memo about all the complications and I don't know if you

531
00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:58,840
know about that, but you know, I commend you for coming here, but you need to talk to the city

532
00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:04,300
to understand the rationale besides what they just presented in a couple of minutes.

533
00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:05,040
Sure.

534
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:05,900
I agree.

535
00:41:06,340 --> 00:41:06,640
Okay.

536
00:41:07,260 --> 00:41:07,360
Thanks.

537
00:41:08,020 --> 00:41:12,240
Mr. Herringa, would it delay the process if we were to defer the vote for one month?

538
00:41:13,940 --> 00:41:20,900
I'm not necessarily met a mayor, but we need to make a decision, and while I appreciate

539
00:41:20,900 --> 00:41:26,960
him coming forward here, once the property's been in the city's possession for quite

540
00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:33,560
some time, and here we are at the last minute and now we have a proposal which we're

541
00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:35,400
I'd be happy to look into,

542
00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:40,220
but there are a lot of bigger factors

543
00:41:40,220 --> 00:41:46,460
here and that is the Portage Road Project and the time effort and energy that has gone

544
00:41:46,460 --> 00:41:55,620
into that and to ensuring the success of that project versus one singular property.

545
00:41:56,260 --> 00:41:57,940
What if we were to delay it two weeks?

546
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:08,760
I guess the reason I feel about this is we are in a housing crisis and this council of which many of us were on it when we bought the place.

547
00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:12,160
I believe we paid about 400,000 for it.

548
00:42:12,260 --> 00:42:13,860
If that's right from my memory.

549
00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:18,920
And a gentleman came forward and said you're not doing anything with it, can't at least rent it.

550
00:42:19,020 --> 00:42:19,940
And so we rented it.

551
00:42:19,940 --> 00:42:25,060
And even though we were getting $2,500 a month, it seemed like the care and the maintenance

552
00:42:25,060 --> 00:42:25,760
and the management.

553
00:42:26,180 --> 00:42:31,280
It just wasn't yielding more than about $10,000 a year to the residents of the taxpayers

554
00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:32,040
of Portage.

555
00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:41,380
So, I mean, I guess I'm the eternal optimist and what I would expect would be some real definitive

556
00:42:41,380 --> 00:42:48,380
financing of availability that you can afford to do this and that you have an understanding

557
00:42:48,380 --> 00:42:53,920
of our time commitment and a commitment letter from people that can make this happen.

558
00:42:55,120 --> 00:43:01,680
I mean, if we can work with two weeks, I would be supportive of that and we don't do this

559
00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:07,300
often council member young. This is a very rare situation when we bought this property and it was

560
00:43:07,300 --> 00:43:12,600
it was not a unanimous vote. It was very, I mean, oh, you were here. I mean, we had talks about it

561
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:18,180
in an ice cream stand and it was too close to the road to draw kids and it's right in the

562
00:43:18,180 --> 00:43:19,160
middle of our park.

563
00:43:21,180 --> 00:43:22,720
So anyway, Councilmember Burns.

564
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:29,200
Anyway, a quick quick question for the city attorney. So assuming tonight, we vote affirmatively to

565
00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:36,120
authorize the demolition. Would that prohibit a subsequent action before the building is actually

566
00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:40,740
demolished if better solution were to become available?

567
00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:44,760
Obviously, then Kendra or somebody's going to go out to bid, right?

568
00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:50,280
They're going to go out to bid and once a bid is led, then that would be the point where we could not turn back, right?

569
00:43:51,300 --> 00:43:56,820
So I don't know how long that would take, but, you know, obviously a couple weeks and something like that.

570
00:43:56,940 --> 00:43:59,000
So there is still, you know, time.

571
00:43:59,540 --> 00:44:04,500
But once a bid is led and a contract is executed, then there's no turning back.

572
00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:10,620
So fundamentally, we may have two, three weeks to assess the feasibility of moving the

573
00:44:10,620 --> 00:44:29,700
building or not, we'll probably know within that time frame just how much effort and trouble it might be, so my inclination is to vote tonight rather than delay things further so that we keep on track and then let them investigate over the next couple of weeks if they come back and there's a miracle solution then we'll hear about that at our next meeting or the meeting after that.

574
00:44:30,220 --> 00:44:35,420
But we'll have the surety of having made the decision that keeps the part of your project going.

575
00:44:37,060 --> 00:44:48,300
And if City Council does undertake that motion, you have a guarantee that we would not go out to bid until there's another presentation to City Council based on any information that we gather.

576
00:44:49,420 --> 00:44:57,700
While I wouldn't necessarily ask you for a vote to reauthorize, certainly would come back before you before we enter.

577
00:44:58,280 --> 00:44:59,980
Go down a path in the reach.

578
00:45:00,780 --> 00:45:13,580
I have concerns on our plot, him and his vision, but he sent pictures about text. It's a somebody to move

579
00:45:13,580 --> 00:45:20,560
a house. Has the person been down to look at them? No, this is in infant stages, but and where

580
00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:27,620
are they located? There's somewhere in Michigan. It was the first number I called, as I said, I'm pretty

581
00:45:27,620 --> 00:45:34,700
new at this, but with an idea and it's not voted on yet, so I thought today was the data show up.

582
00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:39,880
And I appreciate it, but it's just like a knee jerk reaction like, you know what I want to do this.

583
00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:44,840
And we on the timeline, you sent this somewhere and Michigan to somebody who you just found.

584
00:45:45,280 --> 00:45:50,500
You see how it looks to me and they know of the location, they know we're not, you know, in the city of

585
00:45:50,500 --> 00:45:53,260
of Kalimazoo, which they were originally scared of.

586
00:45:53,740 --> 00:46:01,860
And I think if you did give me a timeline to check all my boxes, if I can get three out of

587
00:46:01,860 --> 00:46:07,000
the five, that's probably not going to happen and I'll bow out of it immediately.

588
00:46:07,380 --> 00:46:14,360
But I think I've got enough information that it was worth saving the demolition cost for you

589
00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:16,920
and something for me at the same time.

590
00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:21,360
and I appreciate that, but I think that we still should move forward and like

591
00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:26,080
Councilman Burns says it become that with some concrete evidence like hey I can do this

592
00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:32,460
then we should take you know look at it at that point, but right now I would vote to continue on the path that we have here

593
00:46:32,460 --> 00:46:37,140
just based on you have nothing in concrete. I understand. All right, thank you.

594
00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:40,200
Nothing to get you again. Thank you, but I understand.

595
00:46:40,580 --> 00:46:45,620
Madam Mayor, please. I do always appreciate and I'm a entrepreneur and somebody

596
00:46:45,620 --> 00:46:50,620
trying something new for the first time with some of the discussion that we've had up here

597
00:46:50,620 --> 00:46:56,740
about, you know, authorizing it today, but giving kind of that two weeks, I feel like I'm good

598
00:46:56,740 --> 00:47:02,420
with that. I do want to let you know about the urgency of it because as many of us have suffered

599
00:47:02,420 --> 00:47:15,600
through the Portage Road corridor to have the entire area be held up for something might not be

600
00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:22,620
Acting City Manager, hearing a hint has said about the two weeks not putting out for bid to see if it is feasible.

601
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:28,600
At least give you a little bit of time to talk more concrete, get some concrete numbers on what it would cost to move it.

602
00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:34,660
And then, you know, make that decision or get another report in two weeks.

603
00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:38,040
All right.

604
00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:38,840
Thank you.

605
00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:38,860
Thank you.

606
00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:40,040
Madam.

607
00:47:40,380 --> 00:47:40,640
Please.

608
00:47:40,800 --> 00:47:46,180
I'd like to make a motion to authorize the demolition of 9303 Portage Road for the reconstruction of Portage Road.

609
00:47:47,700 --> 00:47:51,610
support and roll call please.

610
00:47:53,110 --> 00:47:54,590
Let's start with homestead.

611
00:47:55,690 --> 00:47:56,850
Here's some.

612
00:47:57,290 --> 00:47:57,810
No.

613
00:47:58,370 --> 00:47:58,870
Brando.

614
00:47:59,370 --> 00:47:59,410
Yes.

615
00:47:59,950 --> 00:48:00,170
Young.

616
00:48:00,670 --> 00:48:00,830
Yes.

617
00:48:01,290 --> 00:48:01,570
Burns.

618
00:48:01,850 --> 00:48:02,070
Yes.

619
00:48:02,450 --> 00:48:03,170
Led better.

620
00:48:04,010 --> 00:48:06,890
So we voted to move forward with the amendment that we have.

621
00:48:07,030 --> 00:48:07,290
Yes.

622
00:48:07,670 --> 00:48:07,730
Okay.

623
00:48:08,770 --> 00:48:10,090
Was that a yes?

624
00:48:10,970 --> 00:48:12,710
Yes to move forward with what we have.

625
00:48:13,150 --> 00:48:13,210
Yes.

626
00:48:13,210 --> 00:48:13,510
And Miller.

627
00:48:14,150 --> 00:48:14,230
Yes.

628
00:48:14,470 --> 00:48:15,370
Thank you.

629
00:48:16,150 --> 00:48:16,590
All right.

630
00:48:16,910 --> 00:48:17,490
Motion passes.

631
00:48:17,490 --> 00:48:22,470
as six to one, I really hope if you, I really hope if you can come back with some real

632
00:48:22,470 --> 00:48:26,970
crime, concrete, maybe we'll all learn something.

633
00:48:28,450 --> 00:48:33,150
All right, time for council committee reports, I would like to ask if there are any council

634
00:48:33,150 --> 00:48:37,790
members who attended a subcommittee that would like to share with the rest of council.

635
00:48:38,810 --> 00:48:39,650
Madam, may I?

636
00:48:39,650 --> 00:48:39,990
Please.

637
00:48:40,430 --> 00:48:46,290
I had a subcommittee, other subcommittee meeting with the Discovery Council, as a Master Plan.

638
00:48:46,290 --> 00:49:01,470
We are continuing to move forward on narrowing down the 19 focus areas and creating the criteria that we are going to use to help us narrow down those focus areas to develop the 10 year master plan going forward for discovery.

639
00:49:04,060 --> 00:49:05,020
Thank you.

640
00:49:05,040 --> 00:49:06,440
Any other subcommittees?

641
00:49:06,740 --> 00:49:07,560
Madam Mayor, please.

642
00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:10,760
We had our small business committee meeting last week.

643
00:49:11,060 --> 00:49:20,320
And today we have awarded $191,000 in the side grant improvement funds to small businesses within the city, which is excellent.

644
00:49:21,720 --> 00:49:24,020
And so we want to look to increase that number.

645
00:49:24,180 --> 00:49:26,100
So I want to encourage all businesses to apply for that.

646
00:49:26,140 --> 00:49:31,400
And then we also prepared for the south was Michigan first town hall, which was held today.

647
00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:37,160
myself, Compton member Miller, Mayor Randall, Acting City Manager, Mr.

648
00:49:37,760 --> 00:49:44,860
Herringa, C Chief Development Officer, Pete Dame, Assistant to the City Manager at Tom

649
00:49:44,860 --> 00:49:51,380
Rossiter and Jonathan Hallberg, we're there and so it was a good time we covered several

650
00:49:51,380 --> 00:50:01,700
topics from small businesses to commercial rezoning, the portage road corridor, and our farmers

651
00:50:01,700 --> 00:50:06,780
market and others that we had been doing and so was a good conversation piece, the greater

652
00:50:06,780 --> 00:50:11,380
area of Kalamazoo Reilers was there as well. So just rounding out that work on small businesses

653
00:50:11,380 --> 00:50:15,160
and speaking to more and continuing to keep them active in the community.

654
00:50:17,370 --> 00:50:18,530
I'm here for that.

655
00:50:19,350 --> 00:50:19,950
Post number burns.

656
00:50:20,070 --> 00:50:23,550
Quick one, attended the Central County Transportation Authority yesterday.

657
00:50:23,870 --> 00:50:30,890
I just wanted to post the board on the results of the millage election for the Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority

658
00:50:30,890 --> 00:50:41,650
Millage, which funds the Metro transit, dial a ride, ADA service, door to door throughout the county and out to the VA Hospital in Bale Creek.

659
00:50:41,650 --> 00:50:48,590
past successfully about 65% of the vote, 65-35, and was ahead in every precinct

660
00:50:48,590 --> 00:50:51,570
imported so good support for that service. Thanks.

661
00:50:52,910 --> 00:50:54,490
Any other council committee reports?

662
00:50:55,270 --> 00:50:59,870
Hearing none, I will entertain a motion to approve the reports as presented.

663
00:51:00,470 --> 00:51:01,830
So move, Mayor. Second.

664
00:51:02,630 --> 00:51:03,810
All in favor say aye.

665
00:51:04,110 --> 00:51:04,470
Aye. Aye.

666
00:51:04,770 --> 00:51:05,430
Opposed, same sign.

667
00:51:05,630 --> 00:51:09,690
Thank you all for representing the city outside of council chambers.

668
00:51:09,690 --> 00:51:17,970
All right, I'd like to start on I left this evening with Statement of City Council and if I could please start with council member on said.

669
00:51:18,990 --> 00:51:20,350
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

670
00:51:21,690 --> 00:51:38,290
I want to thank our city clerk's office for last Tuesday election day. A lot of work went into this month's even and her staff, we have deputy direct way of clerk Erica at club and we have deputy city clerk Tammy and he have Aaron Mandi.

671
00:51:38,290 --> 00:51:44,970
I'm Cara and then some human resource first people and also it was so successful that the

672
00:51:44,970 --> 00:51:50,410
shortage should be proud and I'm also thinking the public safety and all the other city departments

673
00:51:50,410 --> 00:51:56,390
that helped make this run smoothly and efficiently like public works, parks and rack and so forth.

674
00:51:56,770 --> 00:51:59,950
I greatly appreciate it and all your dedication. Thank you so much.

675
00:52:01,690 --> 00:52:03,410
Thank you council member.

676
00:52:04,290 --> 00:52:05,010
But better.

677
00:52:05,650 --> 00:52:09,570
Yeah, following our Colt tells, I saw that it was the highest turnout in the

678
00:52:09,570 --> 00:52:12,750
California's accounting with 36%.

679
00:52:13,510 --> 00:52:14,650
That's the highest in the state.

680
00:52:14,970 --> 00:52:17,790
Was it that I don't know?

681
00:52:18,030 --> 00:52:18,550
Yeah, I think it was.

682
00:52:19,090 --> 00:52:19,690
We're going to go with it.

683
00:52:19,750 --> 00:52:20,270
We're going to go with it.

684
00:52:20,350 --> 00:52:21,690
We're going to go with it.

685
00:52:21,690 --> 00:52:22,870
That's how we roll down here.

686
00:52:23,290 --> 00:52:24,410
So good job.

687
00:52:25,770 --> 00:52:26,490
That's the night out.

688
00:52:26,630 --> 00:52:29,090
It was my first time attending the one in Portage.

689
00:52:29,570 --> 00:52:29,970
I didn't even know that.

690
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:37,660
Had one, because when I worked in the city, we went to seven neighborhoods. So I had a good time. It was nice trying

691
00:52:37,660 --> 00:52:43,140
out of here, so good job with that. And then with the flock, you know, I've always had concerns

692
00:52:43,140 --> 00:52:50,000
with that from a law enforcement perspective. And the stories keep coming out of just recently

693
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:59,200
in Georgia. And officers just got fired for stalking someone with flock. Matter of fact, I think

694
00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:08,680
like three or four people in the same department. So it has been very abused, policies,

695
00:53:10,820 --> 00:53:17,740
we have cameras and banks with banks still get robbed. So just think about it for a second.

696
00:53:17,980 --> 00:53:22,960
People said, well, we got cameras. Okay? People still get robbed, things still happen. So you have

697
00:53:22,960 --> 00:53:28,740
policies. You still have violations and probably doesn't mean anything to you now,

698
00:53:28,740 --> 00:53:31,000
but if it was you or your loved one or somebody,

699
00:53:31,460 --> 00:53:34,240
you cared about who was the victim of that,

700
00:53:34,520 --> 00:53:35,600
it'd take on a different sense.

701
00:53:35,740 --> 00:53:38,240
So we really need to consider that

702
00:53:38,240 --> 00:53:42,280
and then with the new information about the cell phone data,

703
00:53:42,400 --> 00:53:44,460
I gotta do more research with that.

704
00:53:44,620 --> 00:53:46,240
So I can be jobbing on our street on the phone

705
00:53:46,240 --> 00:53:49,140
and they can pick up my information without a search warrant.

706
00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:49,740
That's crazy.

707
00:53:50,860 --> 00:53:53,820
So again, it's a good two for investigations.

708
00:53:54,820 --> 00:53:57,220
It's great for a lot of things, but then again,

709
00:53:57,220 --> 00:54:02,560
And it can be abused in a lot of liberties that we have would be taken advantage of.

710
00:54:02,720 --> 00:54:07,400
So I think we really need to look at all the information that we can find out the sting

711
00:54:07,400 --> 00:54:07,900
way.

712
00:54:08,720 --> 00:54:13,540
So any more information that we get, I would love to have that come before the council.

713
00:54:13,700 --> 00:54:15,200
So we get make a determination.

714
00:54:16,020 --> 00:54:22,100
But research, all the cases in police departments where officers are getting convicted,

715
00:54:22,100 --> 00:54:30,180
And that just tried but convicted of tampering with the flock stuff, so some serious.

716
00:54:30,380 --> 00:54:31,580
Thank you.

717
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:32,000
All right.

718
00:54:32,100 --> 00:54:32,760
Thank you, Vic.

719
00:54:33,120 --> 00:54:34,020
Council member Miller.

720
00:54:34,760 --> 00:54:35,040
Yes.

721
00:54:35,180 --> 00:54:35,540
Thank you.

722
00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:38,680
It was great to be at the Southwest Michigan First Portage Town Hall this morning.

723
00:54:38,860 --> 00:54:40,700
We did get an update from the mall.

724
00:54:41,320 --> 00:54:45,760
Steve, who's the new manager there about a store that's actually expanding within the

725
00:54:45,760 --> 00:54:51,320
mall that they're starting some new events for like a collector's market, bringing

726
00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:55,060
and people that collect the different trading cards

727
00:54:55,060 --> 00:54:59,400
and different, probably, cars and different collectors items.

728
00:54:59,580 --> 00:55:00,720
So they're bringing in an event for that.

729
00:55:00,720 --> 00:55:03,140
And they're really reaching out to small businesses

730
00:55:03,140 --> 00:55:06,980
to offer them a place to start within them all.

731
00:55:07,500 --> 00:55:09,500
I kind of see in the business timeline

732
00:55:09,500 --> 00:55:10,980
if somebody's starting a business

733
00:55:10,980 --> 00:55:13,540
and maybe they are able to start through the farmer's market

734
00:55:13,540 --> 00:55:15,160
and then move up to a retail spot.

735
00:55:15,260 --> 00:55:18,000
I think it could be a good, almost like incubator

736
00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:18,960
for those small businesses.

737
00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:27,000
So, if you're looking for a storefront option they said they've got very flexible terms and different openings and different ways to get you out there.

738
00:55:27,460 --> 00:55:43,720
So, make sure to continue to check out them all. I did want to talk a little bit about we had a special meeting last week. There was a new signature that came through to do a amendment to the city charter.

739
00:55:43,720 --> 00:55:55,080
It was put together by community action Michigan, and it was in several cities within Michigan that they went out and got petitions and people designed to have amendments to their charters.

740
00:55:56,020 --> 00:56:06,280
So it's hard to find direct information about community action Michigan, but they want the different cities to amend their charters to put in a citizen health action committee.

741
00:56:06,860 --> 00:56:13,200
Well, I empathize with what they're trying to do and bringing attention to health care and health care costs at the city level.

742
00:56:13,360 --> 00:56:15,020
It's really not our realm.

743
00:56:16,580 --> 00:56:23,940
You know, and they went about creating this new verbiage for our portage city charter with no input from the people in portage.

744
00:56:24,040 --> 00:56:28,360
They've done this also in Lansing, East Lansing, Kalamazoo.

745
00:56:29,280 --> 00:56:36,460
So it's just in Benton Harbor, it just doesn't seem very genuine to me.

746
00:56:37,520 --> 00:56:44,240
So we did, because they followed all of the legal actions we did have to put it on the ballot for this November.

747
00:56:45,340 --> 00:56:50,240
But it is something that personally, I can't get behind the support as much as I do support healthcare.

748
00:56:51,580 --> 00:56:57,900
I don't I don't think it's the right spot for it. There places where it would work a lot more effectively.

749
00:56:59,520 --> 00:57:05,720
And I do want to thank Council and City staff for being flexible in working with the gentleman that was talking about moving the house.

750
00:57:06,020 --> 00:57:15,020
It is a big ordeal and maybe a miracle can happen, but at least to give him that two weeks to see if we can continue to have somebody.

751
00:57:15,020 --> 00:57:22,320
be in a house that wasn't in a house and see, let him discover if it's going to cost more than just building new.

752
00:57:22,920 --> 00:57:24,280
So thank you everyone for your time.

753
00:57:24,520 --> 00:57:26,100
Thank you.

754
00:57:26,540 --> 00:57:27,020
Thank you.

755
00:57:28,980 --> 00:57:29,980
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

756
00:57:30,500 --> 00:57:33,960
I have a few things I'd like to focus on.

757
00:57:34,300 --> 00:57:42,000
And first, I want to start with some of our citizens received a piece of mail and it stated it was from the city of Portage.

758
00:57:42,000 --> 00:57:52,000
It called itself an annual water test notice, which included an offered in-home water test kits and free water quality analysis.

759
00:57:52,280 --> 00:57:57,840
This is a scam. This is not the city of Portage. Please do not open it. Leave it alone.

760
00:57:58,460 --> 00:58:10,460
We would not send something to you in this nature and so please be alerted to it. You can see a copy of what the scam notice looks like on the city of Portages official Facebook page.

761
00:58:10,460 --> 00:58:13,280
Again, do not contact the number.

762
00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:18,400
If you ever have a question about any mail that states it's from the City of Portage called

763
00:58:18,400 --> 00:58:23,520
the trusted number for the City of Portage if a number looks different to you, send an

764
00:58:23,520 --> 00:58:27,460
email to any of the council members to our City Manager, et cetera.

765
00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:33,120
But please be aware that this is targeting we don't know how this came up, it just

766
00:58:33,120 --> 00:58:38,580
be courted citizens, but we are not offering these water kits or testing that would typically

767
00:58:38,580 --> 00:58:43,220
be something that would come from the county departments that can help to do that.

768
00:58:43,400 --> 00:58:45,500
So we are not singing that out to you.

769
00:58:45,640 --> 00:58:47,640
So I just want to make sure you're aware of that.

770
00:58:47,860 --> 00:58:52,380
One of the safe thank you to our Youth Advisory Committee, Portage Public Safety and

771
00:58:52,380 --> 00:58:57,360
the Portage Public Safety Foundation for a very successful back to school batch that they had.

772
00:58:57,360 --> 00:58:59,220
They call it their pick out with public safety.

773
00:58:59,440 --> 00:59:00,520
It was really wonderful.

774
00:59:00,860 --> 00:59:07,120
They handed out backpacks and the kids got to play on rise, get face painting, and the administrators

775
00:59:07,120 --> 00:59:11,860
as reporters play the school set in the dunk tank. So the kids got to dunk some of their

776
00:59:11,860 --> 00:59:17,180
teachers. It was a really wonderful opportunity to see the community come out. The weather was

777
00:59:17,180 --> 00:59:22,780
perfect and so just very appreciative of everything that we do if you didn't get a back act,

778
00:59:22,940 --> 00:59:28,000
but you still need one. If you are a family who is a need, please be sure to contact public safety

779
00:59:28,000 --> 00:59:33,720
and they'll do their part to take care of you as always. One who encourages our citizens to reach

780
00:59:33,720 --> 00:59:38,240
to City Council if you have concerns. If you are finding that you are attempting to reach a

781
00:59:38,240 --> 00:59:47,180
department, it is not, we do not have any ability to handle employees, but we can see what we can do

782
00:59:47,180 --> 00:59:52,240
about sending an email forward or trying to see if we can make a phone call for you. So please be sure

783
00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:58,580
to reach out to us if there's a concern that you have in the city to try to assist you and so that we

784
00:59:58,580 --> 00:59:59,980
can just figure out how we came.

785
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:04,740
Connect you, maybe you're calling the wrong department and you just need to figure out how to keep things going.

786
01:00:05,180 --> 01:00:12,340
Want to remind citizens of our city manager search and that next week on Wednesday, we will have that starting at 3 p.m.

787
01:00:12,420 --> 01:00:19,000
So if you are interested in hearing those candidates, we have four candidates coming, please be sure to come out.

788
01:00:20,100 --> 01:00:28,700
It would be who if you want to learn a little bit more about each of those candidates, it'll be a long day for us as council, but that'll be a part of us doing our job.

789
01:00:28,700 --> 01:00:33,160
As always, thank you to our Acting City Manager Adam.

790
01:00:33,400 --> 01:00:34,540
We're doing a wonderful job.

791
01:00:34,540 --> 01:00:36,960
We appreciate you and everything that you're doing.

792
01:00:37,260 --> 01:00:39,720
So, thanks so much for doing this.

793
01:00:40,260 --> 01:00:41,480
Thank you, Council Member Burns.

794
01:00:41,820 --> 01:00:44,800
Yeah, very quick shout out for the August Portageer.

795
01:00:44,980 --> 01:00:50,400
I don't know which departments may have been involved in the half-page of the full page.

796
01:00:51,940 --> 01:00:58,380
Right up of the new residential zoning ordinance, but took 212 pages of pretty dense ordinance text.

797
01:00:58,380 --> 01:01:05,020
and condense it and do an FAQ and a very understandable digest of what we did as a council.

798
01:01:05,500 --> 01:01:06,520
So I just thought that was really well done.

799
01:01:06,660 --> 01:01:07,460
I'm going to say thanks.

800
01:01:09,440 --> 01:01:12,480
Thank you, Acting City Manager, Mr. Herringa.

801
01:01:13,140 --> 01:01:13,980
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

802
01:01:14,960 --> 01:01:19,520
One of the things, and I'm sure that I'm not sure how many school kids are watching this right now,

803
01:01:20,220 --> 01:01:25,160
but with all of our remote construction projects, we do have the opening of school on the mind.

804
01:01:26,100 --> 01:01:28,280
And yes, there will be some conflicts with some of the areas,

805
01:01:28,280 --> 01:01:32,720
but please to report that West Nages is open from Senate to South

806
01:01:32,720 --> 01:01:38,180
Melody, South to Melody, angling roads should be open and the other projects we

807
01:01:38,180 --> 01:01:42,880
are working as quickly as we can to get those wrapped up and also coordinating with

808
01:01:42,880 --> 01:01:47,520
public safety to make sure that the first week of school goes to smooth as

809
01:01:47,520 --> 01:01:51,400
possible. Speaking of public safety this past week, they not only

810
01:01:51,400 --> 01:01:55,680
place in fire, rescued people, property, but also a cat in a chicken.

811
01:01:58,500 --> 01:02:03,900
So, so many thanks to them for being the multi-disciplinary approach.

812
01:02:05,800 --> 01:02:09,860
Since Friday, we talked about housing in the material I provided City Council

813
01:02:09,860 --> 01:02:15,820
we indicated that we had closed on five homes, since Friday we've closed on two more at

814
01:02:15,820 --> 01:02:23,120
would crossings. So I would put our housing efforts up against any community in the state of Michigan and

815
01:02:23,120 --> 01:02:30,120
finally just a little bit of good news. Recently in the budget city council authorized us to

816
01:02:30,120 --> 01:02:35,280
hire an additional mechanic at our Department of Public Works. The mechanic that we hired was an

817
01:02:35,280 --> 01:02:40,180
intern for us. He is a recent graduate of Porter's Northern High School and is just finishing up

818
01:02:40,180 --> 01:02:44,140
K-Risa Career Tech program in their mechanic divisions.

819
01:02:44,380 --> 01:02:51,100
So this is a story as to why and how the vocational education and technical education programs

820
01:02:51,100 --> 01:02:53,620
and partnerships with them work.

821
01:02:54,160 --> 01:02:59,000
Where our new mechanic went through that program and we extended it off for two of them this

822
01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:00,540
past week and he signed.

823
01:03:01,040 --> 01:03:03,680
So hopefully he'll be permanent employee here very soon.

824
01:03:03,960 --> 01:03:04,540
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

825
01:03:04,980 --> 01:03:06,040
Thank you.

826
01:03:06,760 --> 01:03:08,520
Mayor Potem, Dr. Pearson.

827
01:03:09,220 --> 01:03:09,660
Thank you, Mayor.

828
01:03:09,660 --> 01:03:16,660
I want to add to what council member led better, had said about

829
01:03:18,880 --> 01:03:20,740
Falk camera surveillance.

830
01:03:21,060 --> 01:03:24,820
He's always been wondering if this is a good thing,

831
01:03:26,220 --> 01:03:29,880
and we had a presentation from the Portage Public Safety

832
01:03:29,880 --> 01:03:32,400
saying all the safeguards we have.

833
01:03:32,660 --> 01:03:34,200
But I will say this to council.

834
01:03:34,640 --> 01:03:36,480
There's a lot of reports on the news,

835
01:03:36,480 --> 01:03:42,920
And we should monitor those reports, because, you know, it's coming out that even though

836
01:03:42,920 --> 01:03:50,040
Portage Public Safety has a lot of standards in checking, Portage Public Safety can

837
01:03:50,040 --> 01:03:58,160
share the information with other cities and other states, and they may not have this

838
01:03:58,160 --> 01:04:04,880
safeguards that Portage Public Safety has, so I'm not taking a stand right now, but I would

839
01:04:04,880 --> 01:04:10,280
encourage city council members, just to monitor what's going on in the public eye of

840
01:04:10,280 --> 01:04:11,860
Fox camera systems. Thank you.

841
01:04:13,420 --> 01:04:16,960
All right, I'm checking things off. My list of already been said, but I do want to acknowledge

842
01:04:16,960 --> 01:04:23,360
the engaged citizens tree that we had come forward this evening. We had a wide range of issues

843
01:04:23,360 --> 01:04:30,920
and usually it's a solo topic that we just get hammered on. So I would just ask Mr. Herringa,

844
01:04:30,920 --> 01:04:38,800
if you could just keep us all in the loop on how the church driveway is addressed and I know

845
01:04:38,800 --> 01:04:44,160
you've sent things to me on flat cameras, maybe just dispense that when you give it to the

846
01:04:44,160 --> 01:04:49,680
council, speeding passing, the conservation survey, I'm sure it would appeal to many people.

847
01:04:49,920 --> 01:04:56,360
Code violations, are we addressing them in the manner that's appropriate for 2026? Is there anything

848
01:04:56,360 --> 01:05:02,840
that we can do to make sure that what what our goal is in neighborhoods is that we're maintaining

849
01:05:02,840 --> 01:05:08,080
it and not letting one house determine the rest for the street, especially if they're rentals.

850
01:05:08,700 --> 01:05:13,840
So I guess all I'm asking is that all of council be kept abreast on these and you always do a

851
01:05:13,840 --> 01:05:19,360
great job of that. I wanted to say that the council should be extremely proud of council members

852
01:05:19,360 --> 01:05:25,740
young and Miller. They have really ran with this small business committee and everything from

853
01:05:25,740 --> 01:05:32,240
our charge card program to the facade improvement. They both addressed a town hall at the

854
01:05:32,240 --> 01:05:37,620
mall this morning and just very informative, very concise and you made me very proud.

855
01:05:39,300 --> 01:05:44,960
Council Member Miller and I did attend a kindly place. It was a land-like piece of property

856
01:05:44,960 --> 01:05:52,420
developed by AVB. There are 49 new homes there. We'll be whether time the project is done and it

857
01:05:52,420 --> 01:05:57,920
just shows you that our builders are taking land that is not easily acceptable accessible to

858
01:05:57,920 --> 01:06:07,140
develop. And so we are doing our part with our zoning and with our development office to really

859
01:06:07,140 --> 01:06:14,080
make sure that we are using our land wisely. And in closing I attended a mayor's conference last week

860
01:06:14,080 --> 01:06:19,060
farming team, and all I can say is I'm really glad that I live in Portage and the amenities

861
01:06:19,060 --> 01:06:24,420
that we have here. Many communities are struggling with some of the same things we are,

862
01:06:24,500 --> 01:06:29,340
but I think we really have a handle on what we're trying to do. Data centers was a big concern

863
01:06:29,340 --> 01:06:36,280
of flat cameras came up. Many subjects like that, but it always made me happy to know that when I

864
01:06:36,280 --> 01:06:40,100
came home, this is where I wanted to be. And with that, the meeting is adjourned.