HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2015.05.11 - 36892CHRISTINE LONG
Chairperson
SHELLEY TAUB
Vice Chairperson
MARCIA GERSHENSON
Minority Vice Chairperson
May 11, 2015
Chairperson Long called the meeting of the General Government Committee to order at 9:32 a.m. in
Committee Room A of the Commissioners’ Auditorium Wing, County Service Center in Pontiac,
Michigan.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT :
Christine Long, Shelley Taub, Marcia Gershenson, Bob Gosselin, Jeff Matis, Bob Hoffman, Wade
Fleming, Nancy Quarles
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT WITH NOTICE:
David Woodward
OTHERS PRESENT :
CLERK/REGISTER OF DEEDS Lisa Brown, Clerk
Ron Crank, Plat Engineer
CORPORATION COUNSEL Keith Lerminiaux, Director
Joellen Shortley, Deputy Corp Counsel
Stephen Rideout, Assistant Corp Counsel
Nicole Tabin, Assistant Corp Counsel
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES George Miller, Director
HEALTH DIVISION Kathy Forzley, Manager
Shane Bies, Administrator Nursing
HISTORICAL COMMISSION Jennifer Radcliff, Chair
Melissa Luginski, Member
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS John Scott, Commissioner District 5
Jim VerPloeg, Administrative Director
Chris Ward, Senior Analyst
Connie Srogi, Analyst
Tracy Stolzenfeld, Committee Coordinator
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chairperson Long led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
Taub moved approval of the minutes of April 27, 2015, as printed. Supported by Gosselin.
Motion carried on a voice vote.
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
-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
Wade Fleming
David Woodward
Nancy Quarles
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 2
May 11, 2015
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Fleming moved approval of the agenda , as printed. Supported by Gosselin.
Motion carried on a voice vote.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
REGULAR AGENDA
1. CORPORATION COUNSEL – FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT POLICY AND
GUIDELINES
Corporation Counsel is requesting approval of the amended Freedom of Information Act Policy and
Guidelines. Changes to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Policy and Guidelines were
necessary to comply with the revised FOIA statute. The packet included a five-page statute
summary, a one-page document summary to provide to the public and an invoice form. The statute
changes become effective on July 1, 2015. The one-page summary is published online. An invoice
form is also required to be available to the public. The amount previously listed was $.03 as the
copy charge on the invoice form and that will intentionally be left blank in the event that the amount
changes in the future. The penalties for inappropriate denials have been stiffened under the revised
statute. Corporation Counsel will be the FOIA coordinator for most of the County offices, including
Board of Commissioners and County Executive . Some offices of elected officials, such as Water
Resources, Treasurer and the Prosecutor’s Office have chosen to handle their own FOIA requests.
A meeting for County employees is planned to educate them on the changes and fee structure. A
brief discussion was held regarding exemptions from FOIA requests. Mr. Lerminiaux stated that the
County has a good reputation for responding timely to FOIA requests. Electronic records are
typically provided at no cost. Ms. Shortley explained that the statute did not change regarding
handling of appeals. Corporation Counsel is not able to revise the statute. Additional
Commissioners’ questions were answered.
Taub moved to recommend approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by
Gosselin.
Motion carried on a roll call vote with Gershenson voting no and Woodward absent.
2. CLERK/REGISTER OF DEEDS – 2015 SURVEY AND REMONUMENTATION GRANT
ACCEPTANCE
The Clerk’s Office is requesting acceptance of a grant to continue the remonumentation program .
The grant from the State of Michigan is $486,611. The monies will help fund one full-time Plat &
Boundary Review Specialist . The main remonumentation program has five to eight yea rs
remaining. Future funding will be used toward program maintenance. Clerk Brown and Mr. Crank
answered questions posed by the Co mmissioners.
Taub moved to recommend approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by
Hoffman.
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Woodward absent.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 3
May 11, 2015
3. MR #15110 - BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE
PURCHASE OF FIREARMS SAFETY AND STORAGE DEVICES
The resolution presented by Commissioner s Scott and Gershenson seeks support for Michigan
implementing a sales tax exemption for gun safes and gun safety equipment. Several states have
sales tax exemptions for gun safety equipment purchases. Firearm storage equipment that would
be eligible for the proposed sales tax exemption are gun safes or lockboxes and trigger and barrel
locks.
Taub moved to report to recommend approval of the attached suggested resolution.
Supported by Fleming.
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Woodward absent.
4. MR #15112 - BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – DECLARATION OF MAY 25, 2015 AS
NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN AND INTERNET SAFETY DAY IN OAKLAND COUNTY
The resolution recognizes May 25, 2015, as National Missing Children and Internet Safety Day .
The resolution calls for increased awareness of child safety and ensuring safe practices when using
the Internet.
Quarles moved to report to recommend approval of the attached sugge sted resolution.
Supported by Matis.
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Woodward absent.
5. HISTORICAL COMMISSION - STATUS UPDATE/PRESE NTATION
The Historical Commission is made up of the following volunteer members: Jennifer Radcliff, Jim
Craft, Chris Cummins, Carol Egbo, Melinda Hill, Melissa Luginski, Richard Stamps and David Walls.
Ms. Radcliff, the Historical Commission’s Chairperson, presented an update on the ir recent
activities. A handout entitled, “A Tale of Two Barns ” was distributed. The Commission was co -
sponsor of the national co nference held in Oakland County last October that had more than 150
participants. The Commission supported the Historical Society of Michigan recently at its annual
conference with over 700 participants. This event was centered in Macomb County. The goal for
2017 is for the event to be held in Oakland County. The 2014 Heritage Conference was held at the
Buhl Estate at Addison Oaks. Ms. Luginski relayed a brief history of the Buhl Estate. The
Commission plans to acquire volunteers from the communities surrounding Addison Oaks. These
volunteers can be trained to serve as docents at the Buhl Estate in the near future. The
Commission will continue to promote the Buhl Estate for events.
The Commission is currently in the planning phase of the Woodward Avenue celebration .
Woodward Avenue was once known as the Old Saginaw Trail. The communities involved in this
event are Ferndale, Royal Oak, Berkley, Birmingham and Pontiac. The plan for next y ear’s event is
to include the corridor communities of Waterford, Groveland and Holly.
Ms. Radcliff extended the invitation for all to attend the annual Heritage event at the Ellis Barn this
September. The first public tour of the Ellis Barn will be hel d on June 3. The barn currently has
events booked for the weekend throughout the remainder of the year and the majority of next year.
The Historical Commission meets the first Tuesday of the month in the Waterford Room at the
Executive Office Building Conference Center at 7:00 p.m.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 4
May 11, 2015
Quarles moved to receive and file the pamphlet titled, “A Tale of Two Barns .” Supported by
Fleming.
Motion carried on a voice vote.
COMMUNICATIONS
A. Area Agency on Aging 1 -B March 27, 2015 Meeting Minutes and Quarterly Upd ate of
January – March 2015
B. Library Board Minutes, March 24, 2015
C. Health and Human Services – Health Division 2015 USDA Food Stamp Program
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) Application
Hoffman moved to receive and file the C ommunications A-C. Supported by Fleming .
Motion carried on a voice vote.
OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:25
a.m.
______________________________ ________________________________
Tracy Stolzenfeld Jim VerPloeg
Committee Coordinator Administrative Director
NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.