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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022
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Grand Beach Village Council discusses potential tree removal regulations
efore launching into official business at their Wednesday, Jan. 19, meeting, members of the Grand Beach Village Council presented a plaque to longtime former police chief Dan Schroeder. Schroeder was injured in February in 2019. Council president Deborah Lindley said that it’s “hard to believe he’s been gone from the village for three years.” She said they planned to have a reception for him sometime this summer to give him a “proper goodbye” for his service to village for more than 40 years. “As a police commissioner, Dan, it was a pleasure working with you – you had great rapport with the citizens and respect from the citizens,” Lindley said, adding that his father was chief before him. Schroeder, who was participating remotely said that the village was like his “second family.” “I’m the last in the Schroeder family to serve in village so on behalf of myself and family, thank you for my support - it was an honor and pleasure to serve the village,” he said. Councilmembers agreed to have a letter for the building permit packet regarding removing trees in the village to review by next month’s meeting. Building Inspector Bill Lambert said in the Village of Michiana, contractors are required to come to the office and register, as well as to pay a $50 fee, before performing any work. Lambert said a zoning permit, which tells what work is going to be done
BY FRANCESCA SAGALA
during a project and how many trees must come out, is needed for a project. Lindley said that along with removing trees, it would also be a good idea to put information on registration and variances in the letter. She added that a permit needs to be posted on a tree so when village officers see work starting, they would merely have to check and see if a permit has been issued to determine if it should continue. Councilmembers agreed to discuss registering contractors next month as well as to review Michiana’s regulations. With regards to the Wildwood – Ely Avenue Loop, councilmembers approved sending paperwork from Merritt Midwest Inc. and the document that councilmember Paul Leonard and Joe Farewell have worked on together to village attorney Sara Senica for her review. Leonard said that councilmembers had in front of them “content” that will be put into a formal easement document by Senica. He said that a legal description of the parcel of land that’s subject to the easement revealed that there’re three parcels. He said that Senica will need to decide if she can do one easement document with all three parcels, or she must do three separate one. He added the purpose of the easement is that the village is putting in a waterline there, that the village is responsible for putting it in there and that the village is also responsible for maintaining and fixing it. Councilmembers approved hiring a full-time deputy clerk at $17 an hour
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
with benefits. Clerk and treasurer Mary Robertson said that she’s put ads in the local papers, on the Michigan Municipal League website and sent the job posting out to the local clerks but hadn’t received any applicants. Councilmembers Blake O’Halloran said it may not be wise to make the position be part-time or outsourced due to the training involved, adding that the new person may someday take over as clerk. Councilmembers agreed to each come up with a list of what they need done and the costs associated with their respective projects with regards to a potential millage increase before next month’s meeting. Lindley said she wanted a “solid list of what we want to do” with the funds that would be raised from an increase. “When we go out to the public, we have to have an idea of projects we want to have done and for ourselves to know how much we want to get,” she said.
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ther decisions include how many mills the village will ask for on the ballot proposal and the number of years for the increase. Lindley said she preferred the millage proposal being on the November ballot, as that would give them the summer to elicit responses from the public. Councilmembers approved contracting with Cardenas to perform the scope of work involving tree trimming and tree removal, which will benefit the golf course, for $23,000 last November.
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The proposal includes removing trees from a resident’s property off the second hole to allow more sun to hit the golf course. It was suggested by councilemember James Bracewell that there be a signed agreement from the property owner to allow the village permission to remove and/or trim the trees that are marked with an “x” as well as to allow the tree contractor access to his property. Lindley said Senica made an agreement that needed to be signed by the homeowner and notarized and then to have the homeowner sign a contract with the tree service; however, when Robertson had received everything, the agreement wasn’t notarized, and the contract wasn’t signed. She directed O’Halloran to have the property owner to sign the agreement, either with or without the notary, and to sign the contract. O’Halloran said after “much discussion,” the property owner signed the agreement but he “didn’t want to because he doesn’t like the way he’s been treated in the past for other reasons.” “I will do what I can but I’m not promising that he’ll do it,” he said, adding that right now they already have a signed contract from him that’s “very, very clear on exactly how everything works…We’re kin dof pushing this person,” he said, adding to “keep in mind we were the ones requesting to knock his trees down.” Councilmembers approved contracting with Carpettown to replace the flooring in the pro shop for $11,575.
