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www.newbuffalotimes.com
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022
Local Government Meetings New Buffalo Times
Democracy Requires Transparency
CITY OF NEW BUFFALO JOHN HUMPHREY, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL LOU O’DONNELL, IV. MARK ROBERTSON, JOHN HUMPHREY, ROGER LIJESKI, BRIAN FLANAGAN City Council meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30PM CITY OF NEW BUFFALO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS to be determined NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP BOARD PETE RAHM, MICHELLE HEIT, JUDY H. ZABICKI, PATTY IAZZETTO, JACK ROGERS Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7PM NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM NEW BUFFALO AREA SCHOOLS BOARD CHUCK HEIT, PRESIDENT HEATHER BLACK, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HASKINS, TREASURER LISA WERNER, SECRETARY JOYCE LANTZ, TRUSTEE FRANK MARGRO, TRUSTEE PATRICIA NEWSTON, TRUSTEE CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP BOARD DAVID BUNTE, PAULA DUDIAK, LIZ RETTIG, RICHARD SULLIVAN, BILL MARSKE Chikaming Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30PM THREE OAKS THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP BOARD Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS BOARD Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7PM GRAND BEACH Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM MARY ROBERTSON, CLERK DEBORAH LINDLEY, BLAKE O’HALLORAN, JAMES BRACEWELL, PETER DOERR, PAUL LEONARD, JR. MICHIANA VILLAGE OF MICHIANA COUNCIL Meets on the 2nd Friday of each month at 1PM
Three Oaks Village Council continues to ponder purchase of village administrative offices
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BY THERSE DONNELLY
he Three Oaks Village Council is continuing to consider the proposed purchase of the village administrative offices in the county-owned building at 21 N. Elm Street. Village Manager Dan Faulkner told the council at their Wednesday, July 13, meeting that there is no update, as he is waiting for the county’s attorney to draft a purchase agreement for village attorney Charles Hilmer to review. Councilmember Tyler Ream asked if the village could review its agreement with the School of American Music (SAM) for the use of the former village hall at 14 Maple Street. He said he felt if the village acquires a new building, it should consider getting revenue from the existing property. Village Clerk Cindy Monihan said the current agreement between the village and SAM does not charge rent, but the school does pay a portion of the utilities in the building it shares with the village police department. When asked by the council, Hilmer said by not charging market rate rent for the building, the village is not properly utilizing a public property. Addressing the council, Three Oaks Farmers Market organizer Cathi Rogers said several more vendors have expressed interest in the Thursday market but the lot at Elm and Oak cannot hold more booths. She said possible solutions included the council choosing to keep the market at its current size for the remainder of the year, granting permission to close a portion of Oak Street adjacent to the market to create more booth space or she had worked out an agreement to utilize privately-owned greenspace next to the market. Rogers said the current lineup of vendors varies but has a wide variety of offerings. “We have a really good vendor selection,” she told the council. The council tabled the decision but expressed a preference to utilize the private greenspace, with Ream suggesting possibly extending the space later in the season. Councilmember Steve Graziano asked Rogers when the public parking lot gets blocked off for the weekly market. Rogers said she puts up the barricades Wednesday evening. Graziano pointed out the council had approved closing the lot starting at 1 p.m. Thursdays and there had been no communication about changing the arrangement. Rogers
said closing the afternoon of the market had led to difficulties getting owners to move parked cars. The council approved the purchase of five wooden picnic tables in the amount of $1,250 from Meyer Wood Products. Ream said the purchase was in the parks budget and volunteers will stain the tables. The council also approved paying C & A Arborists $300 for a tree study in Dewey Canon Park and Watkins Park. Ream said trees identified as dying or hazardous will be replaced. Department of Public Works staff have trimmed some trees in the park. Ream said the work was done within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ recommended schedule to avoid causing oak wilt. Later in the meeting, Ream reported the Parks and Recreation Board has completed its public survey as part of its updated master plan. He said new amenities identified by the survey include more walking paths and ADA accessibility to paths.
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hile the evening’s agenda included appointing a member to the Planning Commission, Village President Rich Smith explained that the commission had been unable to have its June meeting and was unable to make a recommendation. The council will revisit the matter at its August meeting. While discussing the village’s Flag Day Weekend activities, Smith noted someone was selling flags during the parade without permission from organizers or village officials and asked if the village should enforce its peddler license ordinance. Police Chief Carl Krause said it will require research because peddler licenses in some areas are being challenged as unconstitutional. Hilmer added that veterans are able to obtain a state permit that municipalities cannot restrict. The council did agree that the use of water balloons during the parade was a concern due to potential injury and clean up. Krause said police may be able to enforce a prohibition since throwing balloons from parade floats could be considered throwing a missile from a vehicle, which he said violates a state law. As part of its budget process, the council will have a special meeting Saturday, Aug. 20, at 9 a.m.
A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal. — Oscar Wilde
