Here's a portable copy of the Live Timeline
2/25/2020 Northfield Township BoT full meeting LiveTimeline
And here's the stuck-on-this-webpage version:
Audience milling around Informal Call to Order
Formal Call to Order
Invocation and Pledge
Roll Call
Call to the Public
- Mike Cicchella
- Jessica Mizner
- Anne Hunter
- Ken Dignan
- Sue Shink
- Margaret Riddell
- Lee Cole, 9062 Pine Cove Drive
- Jim Nelson
- Udo Huff
- Brian Trim
- Craig Warburton
Board Member Comments
Zelenock: Motion to have a Town Hall Meeting on April 7th at 7:00 PM in particular to discuss the North Village
Chockley: Calls the vote. Motion to have a Town Hall passes 6:0
Chockley: Motion to accept the consent Agenda
- Dockett: Query re Manager's Report, bullet point re Township Building Department billing, visit to Green Oak Twp bldg department
- [51m46s]
- Aynes:
- Chick: Miss Zelenock and Miss Beliger and I are on...
- Chockley: Motion to ...
- Motion passes 6:0
- Chockley: I'd like to make a motion to add a purchase offer for 75 Barker for consideration from ??? after item 5
- Chockley: Do I have a second for that? Nobody wants to add an agenda item tonight?
Chockley: All right; I will make a motion to have a special meeting
- Chockley: on March 3rd, then
- Chockley: Support by Zelenock
- Otto: the one question would be, will there be an appraisal of the building itself by March 3rd?
- Chockley: We have the restricted appraisal. Is that no good enough?
- Otto: The restrictive appraisal, the one that is as is, with the land
- Otto: So this board has to determine if that is market value if you just sell the building
- Otto: I know if we're gonna do it by the parking lot as an easement
- [56m53s]
- Chockley: I don't know if we can get a full blown appraisal in a week
- Chockley: but the restricted appraisal is I would think pretty darned good
- Chockley: I've read through it. I dunno.
- Aynes: I had contacted the appraiser...
- [57m37s]
- Aynes: the only thing you're looking at as far as I know that's different is
- Aynes: You had it evaluated based on if the building was torn down what the vacant land would be
- Aynes: if the building was fixed up to code what it would be valued at
- Aynes: and the third one was as-is
- Aynes: so when the board approved putting it out for sale
- [58m23s]
- [58m32s]
- [58m49s]
- both those appraisals are about a year and a half old too
- November of 2018
- Chockley: I can't imagine they're a whole lot different
- Chockley: Except now we have marijuana businesses
- Chockley: that are pumping up prices
- Chockley: but that's a decision by this board, whether they would want to sell to a company that's gonna put a marijuana retail establishment in there
- [59m36s]
- Dockett: first of all i think that we have a bid for $275,000
- Dockett: from somebody that wasn't going to put marijauna in there. Is that correct?
- Dockett: this is the crazaiest idea I've ever heard.
- Dockett: you wanna have a meeting to sell this to this guy for a hundred thousand
- Dockett: we're gonna have to pay, out of the hundred thousand,
- [60m03s]
- Dockett: How can you be so silly?
- Dockett: We put it back out with the realtor to get as much money as possible for the people.
- Dockett: We don't sell it to somebody who wants it for $100,000.
- Dockett: How can you have a meeting? You said you want to talk about selling it...
- Dockett: Do you think it's fair.. to sell this... this guy wants us to write a contract
- Dockett: He's telling us what he's gonna give us. We're not telling him what we want for it
- Dockett: and we're gonna sell it for $100,000 and we're gonna pick up, it says in the packet
- Dockett: that we have to pay the realtor and I don't have any idea how much that is
- Dockett: and when it was $285,000 it was like thirty grand ($30,000) that we're gonna have to pay
- Chockley: That's six percent
- Dockett: I for one board member; we should put it out back for sale
- Dockett: and advertise it and sell it to the highest bidder
- Dockett: not give it to somebody because they want it
- Chockley: we can talk about our options at the next meeting provided we can have a meeting
- Zelenock: As mr dockett has indicated we did have an offer for $275,000
- Zelenock: and I think that they indicated in their offer that they would let us use or Ease it
- Zelenock: And so I'd like to contact them to see as well
- Zelenock: If they're still interested and what their plans were as well and have that available
- Chockley: I did talk to the realtor today and one of them is still interested
- Chockley: and the other two were only interested if they could have a marijuana establishment there
- [62m07s]
- Zelenock: so if you could bring back that information for this meeting I think that would be pertinent
- Dockett: Does the rest of this board think we should...
- Dockett: Does the rest of this Board think that we should sell this building? without getting anyone interested in giving us bids? without advertising it?
- [62m26s]
- Zelenock: I'm clear at this point; that's why we're gonna have the meeting
- Zelenock: I have a request for Mr. Fink
- Zelenock: So it's been brought up that we are obligated to sell it at fair market value?
- Zelenock: You don't have to give us an answer now but it
- Twp Atty Fink: First, I won't be here. I'll be in Mexico with Mrs. Fink.
- [63m03s]
- [63m12s]
- Twp Atty Fink: get some value for it. things that you receive are not necessarily of greater financial value but are to the benefit of the Township.
- Twp Atty Fink: But the value you receive should be reasonably related to the value of the property and the benefit of the Township
- [63m45s]
Motion to hold a special meeting on march 3rd to discuss offers for 75 Barker. Passes 5:1
Chockley: motion to adopt the balance of the Agenda
Agenda Item 1
- Chockley: Ok the next item on the Agenda is the Public Hearing to consider the removal of Sam Iaquinto
- Chockley: from the Northfield Township Planning Commission due to alleged malfeasance
- Chockley: and we have an opportunity for anyone who would like to speak at this time but I would like to
- Chockley: but I would like to, since I don't know if all of you are familiar with, uh
- Chockley: with the actual notice of charges, I'd like to read that
- Chockley: Pursuant to ....
- Chockley: Specifically it is alleged [the passive voice of faked distancing]
- Chockley: So, um, I asked him if he would consider resigning and he refused to resign, so I did notice
- Chockley: This is the next step
- Chockley: I have someone who would like to speak
- Ken Dignan:
- Twp Atty Fink: Madame Chair I think it would be appropriate, since you've opened a public hearing, to have members of the public speak, and you could address it when and if the Board deliberates
- Chockley to Dignan: All right. Go ahead.
- Mary Devlin:
- Chockley: oh yeah, we have to vote to open a public hearing
- Dignan, waving his arms...
- Dignan grabs a mic off the nearby Board desk, Madame Supervisor; you did not open a public hearing. you did not have a vote to open a public hearing!
- Chockley: Thank you. Sit down.
- Dignan: Excuse me! Step back, Lady!
- Dignan: You know you're outta control!
- Chockley: I'd like to make a motion to open the public hearing.
- Chockley: Do I have a second?
- Manley: I'll support
- Mary Devlin is still attempting to speak at the public microphone
- Chockley: Motion by Chockley, support by Manley
- Chockley: to open a public hearing. all in favor say aye
- Chockley, entirely alone: Aye
- Chockley: Anyone opposed
- Chockley: I did say all in favor say Aye
- Mary Devlin: Should I go sit down and come back again?
- Chockley: Hang on Miss Devlin
- Manley: So, Yes or No?"
- Chick: I would like to hear Mr. Iaquinto validate that what he wants to say
- Chick: I was originally going to ask that the motion for a public hearing be removed as an agenda item
- Chick: but I think it's important that mr Iaquinto speak, so
- Chick: I will say no.
- Otto: have his day in court, here.
- Otto: Okay; I too feel that Sam needs to have his day in Court
- Zelenock: No
- Otto: Because that's basically what this is
- Otto: But I am not gonna support the public hearing
- Otto: The answer is no.
- Manley: Ok; I'm voting yes, because I'm assuming the only way we can hear people speak is if we hold a public hearing.
- Chockley: I'm going to vote yes for the same reason.
- Zelenock: No; I'm voting no.
- Zelenock: just because as Mr. Warburtin, I might have your name
- Zelenock: I think as a Board we should have been told about this as opposed to just getting it notified
- Zelenock: Because I think that's important. [applause]
- Dockett: No.
- Chockley: Ok
- Chockley: So no public hearing. i guess we can move on.
- Iaquinto's attorney Kelly: Madame Supervisor, We've requested an opportunity to address the Board. I'm not here as a member of the public.
- Iaquinto Attorney: I'm here as an attorney for the person who's accused of committing a conflict of interest.
- Iaquinto Attorney: which you have characterized as misconduct in office.
- Iaquinto Attorney: I do believe he's got a right to present his case and answer those charges
- Iaquinto Attorney: I'm here to do that. I'm here to do that pursuant to written notice to you.
- Iaquinto Attorney: My client has a significant interest in clearing his name from charges that basically amount to a Felony in this state.
- Iaquinto Attorney: So he will be heard tonight.
- Iaquinto Attorney: We're not here as a member of the public
Chick: I'd like to make a motion to allow Mr. Iaquinto and his attorney to speak to the public
- Chick: to the charges
- Chockley: I'll second that
- Manley: Will members of the public speak too?
- Chockley: well no, I guess we're going to do this part first
- Chockley: but the public is here for the public hearing, so...
- Chockley: They will have an opportunity at the end, apparently
- Chockley: I would like to get a comment from our Attorney at this time
- Dockett - Wait a minute
- Otto: To be honest we can't get comments
- Iaquinto rises and walks to the microphone
- Iaquinto begins stating his case here at [76m31s]
- Iaquinto Attorney Jim Kelly begins stating his case at [85m19s]
- Iaquinto Attorney Jim Kelly finishes. Audience Applause erupts at [98m11s]
- Otto: I would like to make a motion
- Otto: Since we're on number one
- Otto: not to remove Sam Iaquinto from the Northfield Township Planning Commission
- Otto: due to alleged malfeasance
- Chockley: I don't think we've heard everything that needs to be heard about this
- Chockley: The allegations turned back this way I don't believe are true
- Township Attorney Fink:
- Chockley: Can we vote to keep him without having a public hearing?
- Chockley: with some reasonable, I mean, the"
- Chockley: Can I ask Mr. Iaquinto some pointed questions?
- Township Attorney Fink: You have a motion on the floor.
- Township Attorney Fink: The Board can have a discussion. If it's part of your usual process to involve members of the community, then yes
- Chockley: I think it's important to our vote
- Chockley: to actually know from Mr. Iaquinto what happened
- Chick: Is this a Trial?
- Otto - Yeah, I do have some comments
- Otto: OK. There's a couple of things that a supervisor can and cannot do
- Otto: It solely stayed with the Township Board. It never went back to the Planning Commission.
- Chockley: Mr. Iaquinto I have some questions
- Chockley: Mr Iaquinto. I have some questions. Could you please come up to the podium?
- Chockley: Mr. Iaquinto...
- Iaquinto Attorney Jim Kelly: If you don't have enough information to remove Mr. Iaquinto, your vote should be no.
- Iaquinto Attorney Jim Kelly: You should have conducted an investigation
- Chockley: I have some questions for Mr. Iaquinto
- Iaquinto Attorney Jim Kelly: He declines to answer
- Chockley: That's unfortunate
- Chockley: Ok then I will have to state what I know, then
- Chockley begins "stating" her case, here at [104m35s]
- [112m04s]
- Otto: The Board has not made that decision
- Chockley: We can vote on if there was a potential conflict of interest, but it doesn't matter at this point
- Otto: No, no, that's not, the motion that's
- Otto: The motion that's on the table is not to remove Sam Iaquinto from the Township Planning Commission due to malfeasance
- Otto: That's the motion I call to order right now
- Chockley: Ok, that's the
- Otto: If there's no other discussion
- Chockley: I'm not finished
- Dockett: She's calling the question
- Chick: Call the question
- Chockley: I'm not done
- Chockley: You interrupted me. Ok
- Dockett: Ok, I'm gonna ask
- Chockley: What I have to say...
- Dockett: for a bathroom break
- Chockley: Five minute break
- Chockley: [Meeting called back to order]
- Chockley: [Sort of]
- Chockley: All right, everyone, let's get back to business here
- Otto: We need to make a comment
- Chockley: I'd like to call this meeting back to order
- Chockley: There are consequences to decisions
- Chockley: And Mr Iaquinto made the decision to hide the fact that he had a purchase agreement on his Marina
- Chockley: with a marijuana establishment until the last possible moment
- Chockley: And that's uh, that's too bad
- Chockley: But there's also even no expression of remorse
- Chockley: There's just nothing.
- Chockley: This Board doesn't seem to care
- Chockley: doesn't seem to want to take a stand on what seems to be honesty and integrity
- Chockley: So, what about transparency? This Board talks about it a lot.
- Chick:
- Chockley: And I'm not seeing it.
- Chockley: So, we can move on
- Otto: Madame Chair
- Otto: I don't think you want to open that Pandora's Box about transparency here
- [The audience erupts in Applause]
- Chockley: I have made every attempt to put the information in for this Board so this Board can make decisions
- Chockley: I didn't go around behind the scenes and try to make this secret
- Dockett: let us make our decisions . let's call the question
- Chockley: So now we have. Now we have a public hearing
- Dockett: Call the question
- Chockley: so we will call the question
- Chockley: yeah, what is the motion
- Otto The motion was made to not remove Sam Iaquinto from the Northfield Township Planning Commission due to alleged malfeasance
- Township Attorney Fink: [addresses the issue of proper parliamentary procedure]
- Fink: The motion has been made, Mr Dockett, and seconded, so you have a motion before you
- Fink: and I think the question's been called so I think you should vote on the motion
- Zelenock:
- Zelenock: My question for you, Mr Fink, is do you have any concerns with the language of the motion?
- Fink: I think the motion clearly expresses the intent of Trustee Otto and the board
- Fink: And if the Board adopts it it clearly expresses the intent of the Board
- Zelenock: Thank you
- Zelenock: I guess we can have a roll call vote then
- Zelenock: What was the motion again
- Otto: Yes
- Dockett: Yes
- Chockley: No
- Chick: Yes
- Manley: No... Yes
- ?: Was that a Yes?
- Zelenock: So Yes, I want to vote to not remove him
- Zelenock: Yes
- Manley: I'll save my questions to the end
- Chockley: that passed Five to One
- [Applause]
Agenda Item 2
- Chockley: I would like to make a motion to approve the January 11th, 2020 Board of Trustees meeting minutes
- Vote on the motion to approve minutes
- Chockley: Motion passes 6:0
Agenda Item 3
- Chockley: Approve the payment of the open bills with the expected check run date of 2/26/2020
- Chockley: for a total of One hundred twenty-eight thousand, eight hundred fifty-one dollars and 39 cents, from all funds in the municipal investment funds account.
- Chockley: Do I have a second?
- Otto: I'll support.
- Chockley: Motion by Chockley, support by Otto
- Chockley: Any discussion
- Dockett: on TetraTech $71, 848. bill
- Dockett: No Bid contracts, companies we've used for 75 years
- Roll Call Vote on the motion to pay the open bills
Agenda Item 4: Consider Resolution 20-620, Authorization to Publish Notice of intent...
- Bond Counsel and underwriter arrive at Podium
- Steven Hadock, Bendzinski & Company, Municipal Finance Advisors
- Miller Canfield attorney:
- Miller Canfield attorney: Once you issue a bond, you're not going to want to be in a position to default
- Miller Canfield attorney: We've had many clients who have issued revenue bonds who've gotten in trouble
- Miller Canfield attorney: and who have had to, you know, boost up the revenues with general fund transfers and whatnot in the interim, so
- Dockett: again on the prices of services paid for sole source contracts
- Dockett: on sole source, no bid contracts
- Chockley: I can't imagine this Township defaulting
- Chick: I can't even imagine we default. We've been paying on a bond for twenty years and never missed a payment.
- [141m54s]
- Chockley: with the untreated wastewater coming out under the doors in the west? wtf? heavy rains we've had: I hate to see that happening again.
- [142m28s]
- Dockett: Everybody else had the same problem we did. It was the worst rain in sixty-five years;.
- Dockett: First time it ever happened in sixty-five years that we've run the plant, so
- Dockett:
- Dockett: asks where the cost breakdown on 25% contingency fee is. Apparently the breakdown was never delivered. Zelenock concurs.
- Zelenock: I agree.
- Dockett: We have nothing
- Zelenock: We don't get what we ask.
- Zelenock: And you guys are ready to vote on it
- Aynes: wakes up
- Aynes: Captain Obvious: With respect to the 25%, What they're trying to do is make sure there's so much room there
- Miller Canfield atty: explains that the extended capture of reserves is unique to special assessment districts
- [146m11s]
- Haydoc, the Bendzinski atty:
- Aynes: At what point in time is there a committment to pay your firms?
- [147m24s]
- Miller Canfield atty: fixed fee, paid at closing
- [147m42s]
- Chockley: Is everyone ready to vote at this point?
- Roll call vote
- Chockley: That passes 4:2
- Otto: I do want to remind the Board that since we did make this motion that we do have an ordinance that says we do have to send out a post card
- [148m14s]
- [148m17s]
- [148m25s]
- Miller Canfield Atty: That is a separate process - explains steps, bidding, pricing, before adopting a resolution authorizing the bonds
- Miller Canfield Atty: That's when your public indebtedness notice goes out. We'll assist you with that. We did that with the last bond issue.
- [148m55s]
Agenda Item 5: Resolution 20-619
Agenda item 6
Agenda Item 7
Agenda Item 8: Goals and Priorities
Announcements
2nd call to the Public
- Bob Van Vemelen 2775 East North Territorial Road
- Faith Wheeler
- Craig Warburton
- Udo Huff
- Adam Olney
- Marissa Prizgint
