CITY OF EAST LANSING
CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION MINUTES
April 10, 2007
Present: Beard, Goddeeris, Loomis, (*Singh arrived at 7:45 p.m., *Baten arrived 8:45 p.m.)
Absent: None
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Pro Tem Loomis. The meeting was
held in Conference Room A, 410 Abbott, East Lansing.
Item 1_____________________________ Communication from Audience
None
Item 2 ____________________
Minutes
It was moved by Beard and seconded by Goddeeris to approve, as amended, the minutes
from the March 27, 2007 work session.
ALL YEAS (3-0)
MOTION CARRIED
Item 3 ____________________ Emerging Leaders
Program
Marie McKenna, Assistant to the City Manager and Annette Irwin, Operations
Administrator, Briefed Council on the outline for the inaugural Emerging Leaders program.
McKenna said the program is geared toward honing the skills of potential officials and Board
and Commission members. The program will be available only to East Lansing residents.
The program will include among other topics, parliamentary procedures and the open
meetings act. She said the program hopes to be off the ground in the fall of 2007. The
program kick off will be Monday September 10, 2007.
*Singh arrived at 7:45 p.m.
Item 4 ______ Ordinance
1166
Ordinance No.1166; parking structures for shelter.
Singh invited local social service agency leaders to brief Council on their current situation
and available services.
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Mark Criss, spoke on behalf of the City Rescue Mission of Lansing. He spoke in favor of the
ordinance. He described the City Rescue Mission of Lansing and their interactions with the
people they serve. He said the main attraction for individuals using the parking structures for
shelter is that the students are willing to give out money. He suggested that the City focus on
educating the students to support the issue in more productive way. He also said there is a
need for a sobering center where the police officers can take intoxicated people.
Goddeeris asked if hospitals are currently used as sobering stations. Criss said yes.
Loomis asked how law enforcement would interface with the agencies. Criss said if a police
officer brought someone to the Mission that person would be accommodated.
Singh asked if the Mission was willing to have a written procedure in regard to law
enforcement assistance.
Sharon Dade, spoke on behalf of Volunteers of America. She said her agency is very similar
to the Mission. She echoed much of the information that Criss gave Council. She stressed the
need for more affordable housing in Lansing and East Lansing and reviewed her agency’s
housing first philosophy. She also said there is a need for more resources. She reviewed the
procedures that Volunteers of America has established.
Loomis asked how law enforcement would interface with the agency. Dade said an officer
can bring someone to the facility 24 hours a day. She said if there is a history of violence
with that person they will not be allowed in.
Joan Jackson Johnson, Director of Human Relations and Community Services for the City of
Lansing, described how Lansing tackles similar issues. She also shared similar information
that the previous speakers discussed.
*Baten arrived 8:45 p.m.
Tom Wibert, Police Chief, gave the law enforcement perspective on the issue. He said that it
is the job of the police to keep track of crimes, and being homeless is not a crime. He
clarified that the police cannot keep track of the encounters the police have with homeless
people because they do not ask someone if he or she is homeless and there is no way of
recording that fact. He said this is not an anti-homeless ordinance.
Singh asked that the law enforcement focus on training and procedures. He said the question
is how does the City codify relationships with local shelters and help the system that is trying
to quantify these people. Wibert said there is an excellent relationship with care providers
currently. He said he plans to have representatives speak at the annual police training and
suggested a trip to the agencies.
Loomis said the piece missing is how law enforcement formalizes their connectivity with
service providers.
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Beard asked what the current standard procedure is when law enforcement approaches
someone in the parking structures. Tom Johnstone, Police Lieutenant, said it depends on the
situation.He said if the person is not blocking the stairways or interfering with the public
passages, then the police officer would evaluate the person for potential danger to themselves
or others, and in some cases just ask them to relocate. He said the person would have to
violate the current ordinance to potentially generate a ticket or an arrest.
Dorothy Brooks, 1350 Marble Rd, said Ordinance No. 1166 is the window to the issue. She
urged Council to require adequate time for consideration of the impact of the ordinance.
Item 5_______________________________ Street Closure Request
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Baten to approve a Street Closure Request for
Linden Street from Abbott to Park Lane at 9 PM until 10 PM on April 17 for Take Back the
Night activities on the steps of 54-B District Court.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
Item 6 Liquor License
Transfer
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Baten to approve a request from Tri-City Foods to
transfer the location of a liquor license from 135 E. Saginaw to 1331 E. Grand River, Suites
113 & 114.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
Item 7________________________ Virginia Avenue Homes Property Acquisition
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Beard to approve a Virginia Avenue Homes
property acquisition for 655 Virginia Avenue.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
Item 8 _______ Virginia Avenue Homes Supplemental Relocation Policy Revisions
It was moved by Goddeeris and seconded by Baten to approve the Virginia Avenue Homes
Supplemental Relocation Policy Revisions.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
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Item 9 _______________________________ Contract with Video Professionals
Singh asked for clarification on the termination fee. George Lahanas, Administrative
Services Director, said the reason for the termination fee provides assurance to the Video
Professionals that they will be compensated for the investment in the equipment in the
event that the City broke the contract. He said there is an out clause within the contract as
well.
Singh said he is concerned that due to the length of the contract it would be difficult for
future Councils to break the contract to join a regional partnership.
Loomis said he was concerned with the economics and wording of the contract. Staton
said the City Attorney will draft the contract into standard form.
Item 10 _______________________________ FY 2008 Budget
Presentation
Council discussed the FY 2008 budget presented to Council by Mary Haskell.
Item 11 _________________________________ Council Member Reports
Councilmember Goddeeris:
Said the Community Relations Coalition was having issues with who would
be in charge of the CRC after the resignation of the chairperson. She said the
CRC found that the board meetings and executive staff meetings were very
similar. The CRC decided that for a year there would be a four person
executive committee.
Said the Library devised a new policy to get library cards to people that do
not have a residential address in the City. She said the City Attorney drafted a
letter for the library to send to people with outstanding balances.
Said the individuals who stole the statue of the “Seated Girl” went before the
judge and received a heavy sentence. She said the second individual has not
been sentenced yet.
Said she hears praise of Council for the Resolution honoring the Greek
system.
Councilmember Baten :
Said the Downtown Management Board is looking into lighting the buildings
in the absence of the lights in the trees.
Said she attended “Building Bridges” and discovered that people do not know
the difference between the East Lansing Police Department and the Michigan
State Police Department.
Said the Historical Society is adding programs for the Centennial
Celebration.
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Said she attended the Frozen Four and the following pep rally. She said she
was impressed how moved the hockey players were with their
accomplishment.
Councilmember Beard:
Said there were four Council members at the “Building Bridges” and there
was good conversation and questions. He said it was difficult to get back to
those who asked the questions and suggested that there be a way to answer
those questions in the future.
He said the Cable Commission met and mentioned the City Attorney is
looking into a consulting group that will help the Commission do a
community needs analysis.
Said he was surprised at the lack of publication of the individuals who stole
the “Seated Girl” in comparison to those who vandalized the playground
structure.
Mayor Pro Tem Loomis:
Said the Crystal Awards are Thursday April 19, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. at the
Hannah Community Center.
Mayor Singh:
Said Comcast is going to put in their universal application for franchise into
the City very soon. He said it will go to the Clerk and there will only be a
10-15 day window to react. He said AT&T does not yet know when they will
be bringing a franchise to East Lansing.
Said the Commission on the Environment is working on a Climate Control
Resolution and asked for an update. Dave Smith, Environmental Specialist,
said the Commission recommended approval of the resolution at their most
recent meeting.
Item 12 ___________________________________ City Manager’s Report
Ted Staton:
Said the City will be honored with another Humphey Fellow affiliate for a
month to six weeks. He said she is the Assistant Minister of Tourism for the
country of Granada.
Said he spent time at the third session of the East Lansing Public School
Strategic Planning discussion.
Said Bob Johnson, Assessor, will be retiring at the end of May and it will be a
big loss to the City.
Said Sharon Radtke is also leaving the City, after the Art Festival, to be close
to her family.
Item 13 ___________________________________ Add
Ons
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It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Beard to approve a resolution proclaiming April
15-21st 2007, as National Volunteer Week.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
City of East Lansing, Michigan
Resolution Proclaiming April 15-21, 2007 as
National Volunteer Week
WHEREAS, the entire community can effect positive change with any volunteer
action no matter how big or small; and,
WHEREAS, volunteers can connect with local community service opportunities
through hundreds of community service organizations like Volunteer Centers; and,
WHEREAS, millions of volunteers working in their communities utilize their time
and talents daily to make a difference in the lives of children, adults and the elderly alike;
and,
WHEREAS, during this week, all over the nation, service projects will be performed
and volunteers recognized for their commitment to service; and,
WHEREAS, the giving of oneself in service to another empowers the giver and the
recipient; and,
WHEREAS, experience teaches us that government by itself cannot solve all of our
nation’s social problems; and,
WHEREAS, our country’s volunteer force of over 64 million individuals is a great
treasure; and,
WHEREAS, volunteers are vital to our future as a caring and productive nation,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of East Lansing
hereby proclaim April 15-21, 2007 as National Volunteer Week and urges all residents to
volunteer in our community.
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Beard to approve request from Habitat for
Humanity to place ribbons around trees along Grand River on April 18, 2007 and also to
light luminaries along Grand River on the evening of April 19, 2007 in observance of
Act!Speak!Build! Week. This item is conditional upon MDOT’s approval to use the
sidewalks and medians.
ALL YEAS
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MOTION CARRIED
Item 14 ___________________________________ Executive
Session
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Goddeeris to adjourn to executive session to
discuss pending litigation regarding Cairns v. the City of East Lansing..
Roll Call:
YEAS - Baten, Beard, Goddeeris, Loomis, Singh
NAYS - None
MOTION CARRIED
Council adjourned to executive session at 10:10 p.m.
Council returned to the regular work session at 10:30 p.m.
It was moved by Loomis and seconded by Baten to adjourn.
ALL YEAS
MOTION CARRIED
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:31 pm.
_______________________ __ ___________________________________
Samir Singh, Amanda Mason,
Mayor Administrative Secretary
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