August 8, 2022
Dexter City Council Work Session, Public Hearings, and Meeting
Monday, August 8, 2022
Work Session @ 6 p.m. / Public Hearings & Meeting @ 7 p.m.
3515 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 48130 and via Zoom
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Meeting ID: 886 6221 9627#
Work Session Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Agendas/2022-08-08-CC-A-WS.pdf
Work Session Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Packets/2022-08-08-CC-P-WS.pdf
Meeting Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Agendas/2022-08-08-CC-A.pdf
Meeting Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2022/Packets/2022-08-08-CC-P.pdf
Public Hearing #1: INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES TAX EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE VARIETY DIE AND STAMPING CO. https://files.dextermi.gov/Public_Notices/2022/NOTICE_OF_PUBLIC_HEARING_VarietyDie.pdf
Public Hearing #2: PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO AMEND CITY COUNCIL PER MEETING STIPEND https://files.dextermi.gov/Public_Notices/2022/2022_City_Council_Pay_PH_Notice.pdf
WORK SESSION @ 6:00 p.m.
The public is welcome to attend and comment (non-arranged public participation is the first item on the work session agenda). State your name and address and then share your thoughts. It’s that easy!
The deadline to forward proposal language for the November 8, 2022 General Election ballot is Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 4:00pm. The August 8, 2022 regular City Council meeting is the last regular meeting before that deadline.
During this work session, we will continue our discussion of the fire station as we near a decision about what sort of millage proposal, if any, we will place in front of voters in November 2022. Any formal decision regarding such a ballot proposal will occur during the regular meeting following the work session.
As a reminder, Council defined the following “opportunity statement” as a succinct overview of the situation:
Although residents have been satisfied with the service delivered out of the station, the current City of Dexter fire station is functionally obsolete to meet the demands of a modern fire and rescue station, in 2022. Therefore, the City of Dexter City Council has determined the current station needs significant renovation or a new fire station needs to be constructed, to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of our firefighters and our residents.
We also defined the following guiding principles:
1. We believe that providing a solid foundation for fire and emergency prevention, preparedness, and response is important.
2. We believe the health, safety, and welfare of our community, including our fire fighters is important.
3. We believe that regulations, requirements, and design best practices for fire stations and fire rescue services have changed since the fire station was constructed in the 1950s.
4. We believe that as elected officials of the City of Dexter, our first and primary obligation is to the residents of the City of Dexter and that the needs of the DAFD service area should be prioritized only when required by the DAFD Interlocal Agreement.
5. We believe that we must be good stewards of taxpayer’s funds, endeavor to be fiscally responsible with City funds both now and over the long-term, and make judicious financial decisions.
6. We believe that we must provide our residents with sufficient and accurate information to help them understand the fire station decision-making process.
7. We believe in engaging as much of the public as possible in the decision-making process.
In the 7/11/2022 work session packet, we were presented with the following updated cost estimates (note that an option to build new at the existing 8140 Main Street site is also included; however, we have not discussed that):
Here is an excerpt from Mayor Keough’s State of the City address that appears in the City of Dexter’s Summer Newsletter that should arrive in your mailbox soon (it is also available online here):
The Summer Newsletter also contains a great deal of information about how tax dollars are currently being spent.
I plan to send an update devoted to this topic before too long, so please watch for that. In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts however you feel most comfortable doing so.
REGULAR MEETING @ 7 p.m.
As always, there are two opportunities for non-arranged public participation: one near the beginning of the meeting and one near the end of the meeting. See the agenda for details. Just state your name and address and then share your thoughts–it’s that easy!
There are two public hearings. The purpose of a public hearing is to formally gather and document public input on a topic before Council takes action. Public comment may be provided during the meeting, either in-person or virtually (just state your name and address and then share your thoughts–it’s that easy!), or submitted in writing at city offices, located at 8123 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or emailed to the Office of Community Development maniol@dextermi.gov. All comments must be received no later than close of business the day of the meeting. Sign language interpreter, or other assistance, may be provided upon request to the City Clerk jbreyer@dextermi.gov, at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
PUBLIC HEARING #1: Request for Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption (IFE) Submitted by Variety Die & Stamping Co.
City Council is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on Monday, August 8, 2022 for the purpose of considering an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption request, submitted by Variety Die and Stamping Co. The request is for a 50% abatement of taxes, on $1,947,213.00 in real property improvements, for a period of twelve (12) years. The requested abatement is for real property improvements at 2221 Bishop Circle West. The requested abatement is associated with the construction of a 12,103 sq. ft. addition to an existing 83,546 sq. ft. industrial facility, located at 2221 Bishop Circle East (see attached map). The application shows 110 jobs are being retained and 18 new jobs are being created, as a result of the investment.
The goal of the City’s Industrial Facilities Tax Abatement Program is to encourage new companies to invest in our community and to assist our existing companies, as they continue to invest in their businesses. The amount of temporary tax relief that a business is eligible for is based on the value of their investment in the community, as determined by the City’s abatement evaluation criteria. In granting the abatement, the City helps relieve the tax burden created by the company’s financial investment. The City, as well as the other taxing jurisdictions, benefits by receiving 50% of the tax revenue that it would not otherwise have received, if the company had not made the investment. The City also benefits from the jobs that are brought to and retained in the community.
The additional tax revenue generated by the applicant’s investment in real property is estimated at $7,451.11. The estimated annual amount is calculated as the taxable value, which is half of the value of the improvements divided by $1,000 ($973.61) and multiplied by half the City’s millage rate (7.6531).
($1,947,213 x .50) = ($973,606.50 /1000) = ($973.61 x 7.6531) = $7,451.11 After the abatement expires, the estimated annual tax would increase to $14,902.22.
PUBLIC HEARING #2: City Council Compensation Ordinance Amendment
During the FY 2022-23 Budget work sessions, members of City Council indicated a desire to move forward with increasing City Council’s pay from $80 to $90 per meeting. Per Section 3.04 of the City Charter, changes in compensation will only take effect after the next general election where City Council Members are elected (in this case, November 2022).
Council will review (1) minutes of its most recent meeting and work sessions and (2) the upcoming meeting list. We will also hear various updates from staff, including the City Manager and the Mayor (note that corresponding written reports are included in the meeting packet).
Some staff updates that might be of interest:
3045 Broad St Update – The 3045 Broad Street Committee (Keough, Fisher, Michels, Hill, Roberts, Finn, Darnell, and Penn) is scheduled to review and discuss a proposed Pre-Development Agreement submitted by Common Sail Investment Group (CSIG), on Wed, August 10th. Comments from the Committee will be shared with the DDA, at its Aug 18th meeting, and then with City Council on August 22nd. Staff will compile all feedback, in anticipation of a follow-up meeting with CSIG.
3165 Baker Road – A pre-application meeting has been scheduled for Thurs, Aug 11th to review and discuss a mixed-use concept, submitted on behalf of the property owners, Kent Brown and Pam Byrnes Brown). Membership of a pre-application committee consists of 2-3 City Council members, 2-3 members of the Planning Commission (on a rotating basis), city administration and staff, consultants and DAFD. The 3165 Baker Road pre-application committee includes Mayor Keough, Councilpersons Arab and Hubbard, and Planning Commissioners Phillips and Hill). A copy of the concept accompanies this report.
Zoning Ordinance Update – The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the Zoning Ordinance Update on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. In addition to the publication of the public hearing notice, staff have mailed over 700 letters to property owners whose zoning is proposed to change. The letters explain how the proposed ordinance might affect their homes, property or business. The letters will contain links to the city’s website where more detailed information will be available. Getting the information out to affected property owners is necessary, but it will also help to obtain as much feedback as possible before the public hearing. In addition, staff is coordinating with CWA to schedule eight (8) hours of consultation time with residents, property and business owners to explain how proposed ordinance changes might affect their homes, property and business.
Walk Your Wheels "Pedestrian Zone" Stencils. After discussions at the last Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, staff is investigating other alternatives to the “Walk Your Wheels” stencils. Staff is currently getting pricing for ground decals that will be more visible to pedestrians while providing a more durable option.
Following the presentation and any discussion of these reports, Council will consider the following items as part of the Consent Agenda. Unless Council votes to do otherwise, these items are voted on as a single bundle without Council discussion.
Bills & Payroll in the amount of: $358,656.43
Appointment of Deb Schroeder to Downtown Development Authority
Council will consider (i.e., take formal action on; “C”) or discuss (i.e., take no formal action on; “D”) the following business:
Resolution to Update Credit Card Use Policy (C)
The current City Credit Card Policy was adopted in 1996, and while it still agrees with the letter of the law, it needs updating. See the packet for a proposed resolution and policy that is more in line with the way we are currently using our City-issued credit cards, and it includes an agreement to be signed by the employee receiving a card as to its use.
Resolution to Update Investment Policy (C)
The last major update to our investment policy was performed in 2018, prior to our engagement with Meeder Investments. The last time we submitted our policy to the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada (APT US&C) was in 2006.
Included in the packet is a proposed resolution for adoption of an updated investment policy. The changes are highlighted in red, and the main change is adding a glossary, per the recommendation of the APT US&C.
Resolution Submitting Bond Proposal for Fire Station (C)
(my words) At this point in the meeting, Council has an opportunity to adopt a resolution submitting a bond proposal related to the fire station. Specific details of the bond proposal are still to be determined and will be finalized at this time. See the work session packet for more details.