The proposed official minutes of the meeting are posted on the Board Meetings Page at the right.
For those interested parties who were unable to attend the March 6, 2012 Mullett Township Board of Trustees Meeting I’ll endeavor to provide a recap of the agenda items and whether they were addressed, tabled, or ignored.
The floor was opened to public comments, with a 3 minute limit per person. A TDA member, Ms Mary Jan Miller, has volunteered to organize the Topinabee Community Pride Day for the 2nd annual clean up day in Topinabee and asked for the Board’s cooperation. This blog encourages this activity and is appreciative of the Board’s new found enthusiasm and cooperation for this public participation in village maintenance and clean up.
A citizen voiced her support for the development of Block 5 for parking, noting that bicyclists, contrary to previous public statements made, do spend money in our community at the eating establishments and market. The Board read a letter from another citizen clarifying his limited support for some parking development on Block 5.
The meeting agenda identified the first part of the meeting as the annual budget hearing, but until it is determined that legal notice of the budget meeting was properly published, I’ll hold my comments for a later date. This blog will publish the full, line item budget when received from Mullett Township and again critique the practices and actions of the Chief Administrative Officer. Mullett Township Clerk Rachel Osborn did not request a 25% pay increase as she did last year. Her pay for a part time elected position, excluding per diem for meetings, mileage, MTA conventions and other perks was $11,000 in calendar year 2010-2011, and was raised by hook or crook to $13,200 part way thru fiscal year 2011-2012. That year over year pay increase exceeds 18% in a period of stagflation.
Mullett Township Clerk Rachel Osborn, the Chief Administrative Officer by resolution, then ignored her own agenda and offered no opportunity for public comment on the budget portion of the hearing. Mullett Township Clerk Rachel Osborn clearly feels the public in attendance should just pay up and shut up. People might have questioned why the salaries for Mullett Township elected officials, professional services including a retained attorney at most meetings, assessor and Board of Review costs all add up to $137,900; exceeding 22% of the General Revenue Fund. To put this in a perspective you can feel in the seat of your pants, road expenses are budgeted for $61,000 this year. Put simply, $137.900 filling bureaucrat’s pockets versus $61,000 filling potholes. Is this an election year?
Trustee Brown was again an excused absence from the meeting.
Trustee Dennis Dombroski committed another $200 to Architects Forum for more design work on the Pavilion electrical project.
Trustee Dombroski, with Trustee Brown, should be commended for their planned community outreach and walk-about to discuss and gather public comment and/or support for the planned Block 5 parking development. This blog will keep you posted as to date and time if it occurs.
Mullett Township Clerk Rachel Osborn’s comments or agenda items included the year’s meeting schedule; a needed resolution clarifying local residents can submit a written protest to the Board of Review, and 2 motions related to payment for survey work and soil testing for the proposed Topinabee Park. She also asked for approval of some additional gravel for South Extension Rd. This has been a frequent request from Mr Paul Chapoton. The total for this gravel is apparently $7,500 being split equally between Mullett and Burt Townships. Mullett Township Clerk Rachel Osborn’s agenda comments state “Mr Paul Chapoton has suggested possibly the Road Commission could do some ditching on the north end so the water runoff will not pool in the middle of the road like last year. “
Mullett Township taxpayers should watch this relationship closely to avoid another of the many exorbitant and needless rural road projects this Board has participated in. They have spent over $300,000 of General Revenue Funds on roads during their current elected term. Good business for the Cheboygan County Road Commission, but Michigan laws provide townships with the power to enact Special Assessment Districts for road improvements and other public works projects that impact people locally. If you and your neighbors want it, you and your neighbors approve and pay for it. That’s democracy at its finest.
Speaking of projects that benefit a few while being funded by all, the proposed Topinabee Beach Park was again apparently discussed at the meeting. It is in its 2nd or 3rd revision of the concept previously shown publicly that was approved by the DNR Trust Fund Grant program. The public attending the meeting was not shown the proposed design changes so this blog has nothing to share. I hear only that if you don’t ask, you won’t be told no. This project, apparently the largest public work project undertaken by Mullett Township since spending $140,000 on Quail Trail (google it)may go directly from paper to construction without any public hearings. There are precious few people privy to the scope and design of this project at a proposed cost of $400,000. That is wrong. Let your elected officials know how you feel; either now or at the ballot box. This is an election year and our elected officials will be anxious to please.
A digital recording of the entire meeting in MP3 format is available without charge. Official Agenda Attached
