Walder elected president of Grand Beach Village Council

Members of the Grand Beach Village Council elected Harry Walder, who was elected to the council last month, as council president at their Wednesday, Dec. 14, meeting.

Walder was elected in a 3-1 vote, with Ed Brandes, Pete Doerr and Walder voting “yes” and Bracewell voting “nay” (councilmember Blake O’Halloran was absent).

In a 3-1 vote (Bracewell voted “nay”), councilmembers elected Blake O’Halloran to serve as president pro tem.

The following officials were also appointed to the following positions: clerk Mary Robertson, treasurer; Walder, building and zoning commissioner; Doerr, parks and beaches commissioner; Bracewell, streets and water commissioner; Brandes, police commissioner and O’Halloran, pro shop and golf commissioner.

Councilmembers heard from a resident who’s looking to purchase a portion of Jensen Court.

According to a letter written by Patricia Carpenter of Carpenter & Capt, Chartered, Bob Vanecko owns property located at 50015 Calla Avenue, which is lots 17, 18 and 19. Vanecko purchased Lot 18, which historically has had use of a circular drive adjacent to it on Calla Avenue. The village owns Jensen Court, which fronts Lake View Avenue, and is where the driveway that’s used by Lot 18 is located.

When he purchased the property, Vanecko said he thought the driveway was part of the property; however, when he closed on it, he discovered that it wasn’t. Now, he’s interested in purchasing the portion of Jensen Court with the driveway on it.

As stated in the letter, there’s a rectangular portion of the property that residents use to access the beach; however, Vanecko isn’t proposing disturbing that and would just like to purchase the other portion of the property. He said that he’d be willing to pay for an appraiser; however, he was proposing that the village choose the appraiser.

“Rather than me going and trying to say, ‘Okay the property is worth x’ and then coming back to you, it seems like it would make more sense to have you pick any appraiser you want, and we’ll have him go do the appraisal, I’ll pay for it and I’ll buy it at that price,” Vanecko said.

Walder said that the village needs to figure out “what we think the best use of that land is, whether it’s selling it, which it might be, whether it’s leasing it, which we mentioned, or an easement or some other use.”

Adding that an appraiser wasn’t the only “roadblock,” Brandes said that councilmembers don’t yet know where that property, which abuts the lakefront, would fit into a future master plan, which might “take a while.”

“We’re not unreasonable people and we know you need access to your property,” he said.

Doerr agreed to follow up with Vanecko with something “more formal” with regards to the property.

Robb Andrew from Merritt Midwest gave a report on the village’s sanitary survey, which was done by the state through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA (EGLE). Several “basic” deficiencies were identified, most of which Andrew said are being worked on by superintendent Bob Dabbs and Merritt, as well as some recommendations. Among the deficiencies that were identified were that the village’s cross connection program needs to be updated; its reliability study needs to be updated, which Merritt will have for the village to approve so it can be sent to EGLE and its emergency responders plan needs to be updated. Finished water storage, specifically the vent on top of the water tower, was also identified. Andrew said that the standards that govern construction of that vent and how it operates have been updated and the vent is no longer compliant. Meritt is working with Dabbs on getting plans and specifications to “change that out,” he said.

Councilmembers approved authorized clerk/treasurer Mary Robertson, deputy clerk Kathy Butler, Bracewell, O’Halloran, Walder and Brandes as bank account signers.

Councilmembers adopted a resolution that opts out of PA 152 2011, which requires employees to contribute 20% to their health insurance premiums. Per the resolution, opting out “allows the council to keep control over decisions regarding their employees’ wages and benefits without the state of Michigan making those decisions.”

Councilmembers tabled deciding on two bids that were submitted with regards to replacing the roof for the village hall and maintenance building. Walder said he’ll work with superintendent Bob Dabbs on creating a spreadsheet “so we can identify what each bidder includes and doesn’t include.”

A bid on tuckpointing the fireplace was also tabled until next month, as Walder will review it with Dabbs.

Councilmembers approved amending a motion to the previous one that was adopted to now read that they approve a BS & A Software purchase for General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Cash Receipting, Utility Billing and Payroll at a cost of $48,948 as presented, with the General Fund paying 50%, the water fund paying 25%, the golf fund 12.5% and the building inspection fund paying 12.5% and to approve a budget amendment in the Building Inspection Fund in the amount of $1,000 for the purchase.

The transfer of $15,000 from the General Fund to the capital projects fund for the 2022-2023 fiscal year for roof repairs and $15,000 for the BS & A Software purchase was approved.

Councilmembers approved the 2023 meeting schedule.

Councilmembers accepted the resignation of Frank Giglio from the Planning Commission and Walder’s resignation from the Planning Commission, Parks and Beaches Committee and Golf committees.

Councilmembers tabled appointing Paul Leonard to the Planning Commission for a partial term ending Aug. 31, 2024, and Liz Grime Vaughan for a partial term ending Aug. 31, 2025, both which were recommended by the planning commission chair Laurie Roch, as Walder said he’d like to sit down with them as well Roche.