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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2013.04.22 - 36712CHRISTINE LONG Chairperson KATHY CRAWFORD Vice Chairperson MARCIA GERSHENSON Minority Vice Chairperson April 22, 2013 Chairperson Long called the meeting of the General Government Committee to order at 9:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Auditorium, County Service Center in Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Christine Long, Kathy Crawford, Marcia Gershenson, Bob Gosselin, Jeff Matis , Bob Hoffman, Michael Spisz, Mattie Hatchett, Nancy Quarles COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None. OTHERS PRESENT : EXECUTIVE OFFICE Gerald Poisson, Deputy Executive YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT PARTICIPANTS (see attached list) BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Shelley Taub, District 12 Commissioner Jim Ver Ploeg, Administrative Direct or Sheryl Mitchell, S r. Analyst Chris Ward, Sr. Analyst Helen Hanger, Sr. Committee Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chairperson Long led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Spisz moved approval of the minutes of April 8, 2013 as printed. Supported by Matis. Motion carried on a voice vote. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Hoffman moved approval of the agenda as printed. Supported by Quarles. Motion carried on a voice vote. PUBLIC COMMENT None. OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, BLDG 12E, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0475 Telephone (248) 858 -0100 FAX (248) 858-1572 GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Bob Gosselin Jeff Matis Bob Hoffman Michael Spisz Mattie Hatchett Nancy Quarles GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 2 April 22, 2013 REGULAR AGENDA 1. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT – CORPORATION COUNSEL Pursuant to Act 139 of 1973, the County Executive’s appointment of his department directors must be made in concurrence with the Board of Commissioners. The County Exec utive is appointing Keith Lerminiaux as Corporation Counsel effective April 27, 2013. Mr. Poission introduced Mr. Lerminiaux and explained that he has been deputy corporation counsel for about 10 years and done an excellent job. Mr. Lerminiaux indicated that his primary responsibility is to oversee litigation but this office also handles all civil matters, contracts, grant contracts, etc. for all of the elected officials. The Road Commission for Oakland County is a separate agency which provides its own counsel. Hoffman moved to report to recommend concurrence with the County Executive’s appointment of Keith Lerminiaux as Corporation Counsel effective April 27, 2013. Supported by Matis. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote . 2. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT – DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES Pursuant to Act 139 of 1973, the County Executive’s appointment of his department directors must be made in concurrence with the Board of Commissioners. The County Executive is appoint ing Mark Newman as Director of Public Services effective May 13, 2013. Mr. Poisson introduced Mr. Newman who is a 37-year employee of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and has been a command officer since 1990. The Director of Public Services is charge d with oversight of MSU Extension, Animal Control, the Medical Examiner’s Office, Veterans’ Services and Circuit Court Probation. Mr. Newman is a veteran, has a great deal of supervisory experience within various units of the Sheriff’s Office and currently functions as Chief of Investigative and Forensic Services. Matis moved to report to recommend concurrence with the County Executive’s appointment of Mark Newman as Director of Public Services effective May 13, 2013. Supported by Crawford. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 3. MR #13029 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – OPPOSITION TO WITHHOLDING OF DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN WAYNE COUNTY The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Taub to condemn the practice of local communities in withholding tax revenues intended for the Detroit Zoo , to urge that all available legal steps be taken to end this practice and require local communities to reimburse the Zoo Society and to ask the Governor and the Legislature to ado pt House Bills 4458 -4464 which would prohibit withholding of these tax revenues. Commissioner Taub explained that the voters of the counties of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne each passed a millage for the Zoo and several years later a millage for the Detroit Institute of Arts. These millages are being captured by various communities in Wayne County that have established tax increment f inancing authorities (TIFAs). Because of these captures, a total amount of $756,000 has been taken away from the Zoo by Wayne County TIFAs. Commissioner Gershenson stated that the problem resides within Wayne County and there is currently a pending court case to decide what the appropriate action should be in this matter. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 3 April 22, 2013 Commissioner Hatchett stated that the reason the Zoo and the DIA millage questions were moved forward by all three counties was because these entities were having financial problems. A local unit of government should not be able to override a majority-voted millage . Hoffman moved to report to recommend app roval of the attached suggested resolution . Supported by Hatchett. Gosselin moved to report to recommend that the resolution be amended to insert after the 7th WHEREAS paragraph the following three WHEREAS paragraphs and to amend the first BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED paragraph as shown. WHEREAS, House Bills 4458-4464 have been introduced and are under consideration to amend Michigan law to prohibit the capturing of tax revenues generated under the Zoological Authorities Act or the Art Institute Authorities A ct by Tax Increment Financing Authorities (TIFAs); and WHEREAS, House Bills 4458 -4464 were introduced on a bi-partisan basis by legislators from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties; and WHEREAS, support for House Bills 4458 -4464 have been indicated by numerous organizations, including the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Downtown Association and representatives of the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Zoological Society. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby urges Governor Rick Snyder and members of the Michigan legislature to adopt legislation House Bills 4458 -4464 and to expressly ban the withholding of tax revenues from the voters intended purposes by local governments;. Supported by Hatchett. Motion to amend carried on a roll call vote with Gershenson voting no. Main motion as amended carried on a roll call vote with Gershenson voting no. 4. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – RECOMMENDATION TO EXTEND THE SOUNDQ UE CONTRACT FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD The resolution would authorize extension of the current one -year contract with Soundque for an additional one-year period to provide webcasting services. The resolution was postponed at the previous meeting to obtain additional information. Commissioner Matis explained that the resolution was postponed at the previous meeting in order to provide additional information to the committee. Statistical reports for July, 2012 through March, 2013 were emailed to all committee members prior to today’s meeting . Chairperson Long indicated that the contract showed an expiration date of May 31, 2013 . Mr. Ver Ploeg explained that the original contract had an expiration date of May 31, 2013 but Facilities Management had to do some work on the patch bay that took about a month and a half to complete so the webcasting did not begin until mid-July. As a result, the contract expiration date GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 4 April 22, 2013 was changed to July 31, 2013. Commissioner Gershenson asked if it had been resolved how the lo cal communities would be notified of the tapings. Ms. Rinne indicated that it was ultimately decided that there would be a combination of effort between Board staff and Soundque . Commissioner Gershenson asked for an update in 6 months to see if these e fforts had been implemented. Commissioner Hoffman stated that he thought the service should be bid out. Commissioner Crawford explained that there were concerns about the cost of doing DVDs for the communities and the need to receive approval from the ir governing boards before the DVDs could be played. Savings from going with this company for a second year could go toward that cost. Commissioner Quarles asked for data on who is watching and from where to make sure the general public is watching and not just people such as commissioners’ relatives. Ms. Rinne explained that Soundque provides a monthly report that includes the number of viewers, the top ten meetings viewed and most popular meeting viewed. Reports show where different viewers are from based on their ISP – the server tracks the viewership by the closest hub and assigns a city to it. Soundque can’t collect names and emails but could request that information from viewers. Commissioner Matis indicated that Soundque’s monthly reports would be emailed to all commissioners. Commissioner Hatchett asked that the Board’s web address be given to those attending today’s Youth in Government activities. Matis moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Crawford. Gershenson moved to amend the resolution to strike “May 31” in both the WHEREAS and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED paragraphs and insert instead “July 31”. Supported by Matis. Motion to amend carried on a voice vote. Main motion as amended carried on a roll call vote with Hoffman voting no . OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Crawford announced that the City of Novi will be the first community in Michigan to have a Cheesecake Factory . Also, after doing a pilot run last yea r, Novi is now the home of the Michigan State Fair. Anyone interested in volunteering services in some capacity can go on line to www.michiganstatefairllc.com or email MSFVolunteerNow@gmail.com. The Fair is Labor Day weekend, August 30 – September 2. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 5 April 22, 2013 Mr. Ver Ploeg announced that Board of Commissioners’ meetings could be viewed at www.oakgov.com/boc . There is also links on the main county homepage and on the Oakland Press website. There being no other business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m. ______________________________ ________________________________ Helen A. Hanger Jim Ver Ploeg Sr. Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.