Bridgeport Township School Board Meeting January 12th, 2015

Discussion concerning the vacant board seat left by Judy Young begins at 1:24 in the video.
Public comment period begins at 3:00
Organization Meeting begins at 7:30 with the election of officers.
- Meeting schedule dates begins at 12:49
- Board member compensation begins at 16:02
- Appointment of delegates and other appointments begins at 17:47
- Board of Education Scholarship discussion begins at 28:53
Financial update begins at 29:55
Check register minutes and personnel report begins at 51:04
Reports begins at 58:03
- Thomas White Elementary at 59:15
- Martin G. Atkins Middle at 1:06:29
- Bridgeport High School update and Teacher and Student of the Year begins at 1:11:33
(I had to change the camera battery during this period so I missed a brief portion of the principal's comments)
- Special Education update begins at 1:24:41
- Buses and building maintenance begins at 1:30:58
- Profession Learning Coordinator report begins at 1:32:52
Board member comments begin at 1:43:09

Sadly the newly elected school board member, Judy Young, will be leaving the district and so now that seat is open again.  I understand her desire to do what is best for her children and wish her and her family well.
The seat is for a 2 year term and qualified area residents can apply for the seat.  Applications can be picked up at the Board of Education offices at the high school and must be returned by 2:30pm on January 23rd.  The new board member will be selected at a special board meeting held on January 26th at 6pm.
Hopefully they can find a board member that will actually attend the board meetings, one that does not view the students as "animals" and the parents as "troublemakers".
Hopefully the new board member will be someone that puts the welfare of the children and the schools above their own ego.  Someone that will be willing to do whatever it takes to work together with all the parties involved.  Someone that won't come in with a confrontational attitude from the start.  Someone with a open mind, open heart, and a willingness to learn.  Someone that will take action, and responsibility, someone that will not pass the blame for everything onto others.
The lives of the children and the future of our schools is too important to take lightly.  Every action in our lives, in this world, has a ripple effect.  The ripple effect our schools and these children will leave upon this world is in everyone's hands.
Mr. Larry Brown spoke during the public comment period and I hope everyone was listening closely.  How is it in this age, in this country, that our teachers and students do not even have the supplies they need?
Sorry that Mr. Robert Lange did not accept the nomination for school board president. He seems to be a board member that is on top of things there.  Seems to me that he would be a good strong leader for the future.
Congratulations to all the students and staff members on their awards and recognition!! 


*Almost forgot to add this just in case anyone is interested.  You can see the other projections on the screen during the Finance update section in the video except this one.  Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Ripple by the Grateful Dead

Just because

Abbott & Costello Who's On First

I couldn't get this skit out of my head yesterday so I am sharing it here.

Bridgeport Township Board Meeting January 6th, 2015

On last night's agenda was -
- Public Comments which begins at 3:43 in the video
New Business -
1. Carpenter Plaza begins at 9:23
2. School Resource Officer begins at 12:22
3. Damage To Fire Rescue Truck begins at 15:53
Board Comments begin at 21:10

Bridgeport Township Board Meeting December 16th, 2014

On tonight's agenda -
New Business -
1.  Equipment Pool Budget for 2015 starts at 2:45 in the video.
2.  General Fund Budget Amendments for 2014 starts at 3:37
3.  Cancel Public Hearing Date for Cemetery Ordinance Revisions starts at 4:27
4.  Cancel Public Hearing Date for Water Ordinance Revisions starts at 5:22
5.  Appointments for Boards and Commissions starts at 6:40
* they moved the Accounts Payable segment to here on the agenda.  This starts at 9:00
6.  Appointment for Township Board Trustee starts at 10:26 
* the interviewees were in order - John Altz, Jennifer Gutierrez, Roberta Placher, Tom Coates, Robert Brown, and the last candidate I believe was Anna Mayer.  Some of the names I knew because the people are on other boards here in Bridgeport, and I also got the names from a article in the  Birch Run/Bridgeport Herald.  It is hard to understand the names here in the video.

Board Comments start at 42:25

I don't have much to say about the meeting except Congratulations to Jennifer Gutierrez on her appointment to the Bridgeport Township Board!  And like Darlene Miller I am also glad to see one more woman on the board!
I think the Christmas Lights on display in Bridgeport are just beautiful!  Now all we need is a little snow just in time for a White Christmas.

Bridgeport Township DDA Board Meeting December 10th, 2014

On today's agenda -
Under New Business -
1.  Former Carpenter's Plaza discussion starts at 2:00 in the video
2.  Christmas Lunch starts at 7:20
3.  2015 Meeting Schedule starts at 8:05
Under Old Business -
1.  Canoe Launch starts at 8:38
2.  Great Lakes Discovery Center starts at 16:07
3.  Beautification Update starts at 17:08
4.  Review of 4422 Williamson starts at 18:30
5.  I-75 Billboard Update starts at 44:20
6.  6137 Dixie Highway Update starts at 46:00
DDA Coordinator's Report starts at 52:18
DDA Board Member Comments start at 1:05:51

There were some exciting things discussed at the meeting.  I am excited about the plans for the property located at 4422 Williamson, the former B & S Heating property.  It will become a park type area that ties in with the historic State Street Bridge and the walking trail.  The proposed plans call for restoring the facade of the front building back to the time when it was the Bridgeport Oil & Gas Co.  Many Bridgeport residents have fond memories of that business and the owners.  They would also include restrooms inside the building.  The back garage building would be torn down and a pavilion would be placed there with tables, grills etc..  There would also be a fishing/wildlife viewing platform overlooking the Cass River.  The projected cost for the project is $395,700.00.  They will start submitting grants to help obtain monies toward the cost.
When I look towards the future and the possibilities with this project, I see a truly beautiful attraction for Bridgeport; a beautiful part of Bridgeport and our history.  I had become too old and cranky and had lost my vision to see possibilities and the beauty in so many things.  Thankfully we have Tanya Moore and Steve Dobis, they can see the future and the possibilities then put them onto paper and into action!  They first presented this plan back in September along with Carl Hamann, a former Bridgeport resident and son of the last owner of Bridgeport Oil & Gas Co., you can view that meeting by clicking here -Special Meeting of the Bridgeport DDA Board
Here is the development master plan for the site done by Tanya Moore of Spicer Engineering.
*click on photo to enlarge it

 

Here also is the preliminary cost estimate for the project - 

There was some other good news.  The canoe launch project is moving forward.  So far Parks and Recreation Director Bill Wheeler has raised money from the DNR Trust Fund in the amount of $121,100.00 for the project.  Also from the Anderson Foundation - $30,000.00 over 3 years, Wickes Foundation - $10,000.00, McNally Foundation - $45,000.00 over 3 years, Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative - $20,000.00, Morley Foundation - $5,000.00 and from Bridgeport Township - $10,000.00

And lastly I was amazed to hear that Bridgeport had been able to obtain a very nice piece of property for the sum of $10.00!  The property is known as Carpenter Plaza, or known to those of us that grew up here as the former IGA and Hoffman Drugs property.  This property has been sitting vacant for years now and and is a eyesore.  NOW, there is a possible future for that property other than continued deterioration and vandalism.

Bridgeport Township Building and Grounds Meeting December 9th, 2014

The meeting this evening was to discuss plans for the special assessment that was passed for the fire department.  They discussed current and long term plans and ideas.  The next Building and Grounds meeting will be held on January 13th, 2015.

At the special meeting that was held on November 17th to discuss the police and fire department special assessments, there were people who got up and spoke about their concerns and opposition to the assessments.  At tonight's meeting there were no Bridgeport residents there except myself, my elderly mother and several of the firefighters.
I would think that if any of our residents were seriously concerned about the assessments and the future of our police and fire departments, that they would have shown up at this meeting.  People can get up and talk about "hidden meetings", "I'm not blowing smoke" etc... etc... all they want, but if they really care about and want to work towards a better future for Bridgeport Township then maybe they should show up at meetings, keep informed about all events, and try working towards a better future.  Get involved in ways other than just putting up stupid signs and bitching about everything.
I am still working on trying to clean up trash in Lyle Park and could always use some help there.  Only in my Utopian Dreamworld would any of the complainers ever show up to help me clean up the trash.
I will keep posting video's of all the meetings that I can attend and hope that Bridgeport residents will watch them and get involved and I will keep picking up the trash in the river and parks.  I may not make much of a impact in our community but at least it is better than just being negative all the time.

Bridgeport Township Board Meeting December 2nd, 2014

On the agenda:
Under New Business - this section starts at 3:20 in the video.
1. Resolution R-14-23 Saginaw Area Storm Water Authority
2. Set Public Hearing Date for Cemetery Ordinance Revisions
3. Set Public Hearing Date for Water Ordinance Revisions
4. Police Department Budget for 2015
5. Fire Department Budget for 2015
6. Water Department Budget for 2015
7. Waste Water Treatment Plant Budget for 2015
Board Member Comments begin at 10:52

The meeting was short and sweet.  Not many residents in the audience, just the usual handful that show a interest in what goes on.  At least we didn't have to listen to anyone rambling about hidden meetings and hoodwinking the public!
The public hearing dates were set for the cemetery and water ordinance revisions, they will be on January 6th, 2015.
They approved the 2015 budgets for the police, fire, water and waste water treatment departments.  Copies of the budget reports were provided to the public at the meeting. 

There will be a Building and Grounds meeting on December 9th at 6pm where they will discuss the assessment for the fire department.
There will be another Township Board meeting held on December 16th.  They will be interviewing the applicants for the trustee position at this meeting and making appointments for other boards also.

Special Meeting of the Bridgeport Township Board November 17th, 2014

This meeting was held to discuss and approve the special assessments for the police and fire departments.
Discussion starts with the township supervisor reading a letter that went out by constant contact email on Friday Nov 14th to explain some of the concerns that residents have been voicing.  This starts at 6:54 in the video.
Under Special Orders:
- Public Hearing for Special Assessment for Police Department starts at 11:57
- Public Hearing for Special Assessment for Fire Department starts at 1:01:10
Public Comment period starts at 1:21:21
Under New Business:
- Resolution R14-24 Amendment to 911 Saginaw County Interlocal Agreement starts at 1:32:10
- Special Assessment Police Department R14-18 & R14-19 starts at 1:35:20
- Special Assessment Fire Department R14-16 & R14-17 starts at 1:47:09
- Board Comments start at 1:50:35

My thoughts - Where to start……. 

Thank You Pastor Sinclair for a very nice story and invocation.

Good Turnout, but sadly those kind of turnouts don’t happen at every monthly meeting.

It was brought up several times that the board isn’t listening to the residents.  Actually they are listening and 60% of the voters that came out to vote on November 4^th said that they do want these special assessments.  For the Fire Department the votes were 2,190 yes votes and 1,457 no votes.  For the Police Department the votes were 2,142 yes votes and 1,517 no votes.  

The loudest voices are not the only voices in our township.

I hate to go here but let’s discuss the troubled past.  A previous township board did try to put a special assessment through with no input or vote from the residents in 2009/2010.  They had the legal right to do so, but it did not go over well with the residents and they let the board know so.  That whole debacle rivals events that come out of Oakley!  Hopefully those days are past us now.

Fast Forward through all those troubles to the attempts by the township to get millages through for the police and fire departments.  One was done in 2010 but it failed.  What I remember hearing in the community was concerns because it was not specific enough about how much would be going to which departments and I believe there was still much distrust of the township government at that time and there was the issue of the DDA being able to collect a portion of the taxes.   Another millage was attempted in 2012 but it also failed.  If I remember correctly this one was more specific about the amounts and where the money would be going.  The only concern I remember hearing about was the dollar amount that some residents would be getting taxed, especially those with large acreages of land and high value properties.  

The township government listened to the concerns voiced by residents as to why they voted the previous millages down.  When they worked on this current assessment they tried to take those previous concerns into account.  Some people feel this new assessment is fairer to all the residents than the previous millages that were proposed.  Now someone sitting on say, for example 50+ acres of farmland, with a taxable value of over $50,000 will pay the same amount as everyone else.  Large land owners would not use the police and fire services any more than I would so why should they pay more?   This seems fair to me and to others I have talked to.

I understand the concerns voiced by residents at this meeting about the hardship of more taxes. 

There were other valid concerns voiced also like the one by Mr. Lysogorski concerning the 10 percent increase that the board can add to the assessment.  Even though this current board has no plans to do that, a future board may do it. That is where the public participation of the residents becomes important.  Every year the board will review the assessments and it is up to the residents to stay informed on the issue and show up at the meetings.

The ability to add the 10 percent increase is the way the law was written, it is not something that the Bridgeport Township Government snuck into the assessment wording. 

I don’t believe that if the township does add the 10 percent to the assessment amount in any given year that it will accumulate each year.  EX: The police assessment is $37.80 per year.  If they add the 10 percent on one year, that will make it around $41.58 for that year.  I believe that the next year the assessment will be back to the $37.80 that the rate was set at.  I will check with the township offices on that since I prefer to share accurate information.

Sadly there are residents that feel they were either misled or not fully informed about the assessments.  I don’t know what to say.  I have attended the meetings and understood it for months.  I believe there were articles posted in the Birch Run/Bridgeport Herald weekly newspaper but since I have recently put them all out in the recycling I can’t swear they were there or what date they may have been there. 

It was first mentioned at the June 3rd, 2014 Bridgeport Township Board meeting, unfortunately I was not present at that meeting.  It was discussed again at the July 1^st township board meeting.  It was also discussed again at the August 6^th township board meeting.

The agenda’s for the meetings are posted online before the meetings take place and the minutes are posted online after the meetings.  The agendas of upcoming meetings are posted on the bulletin board outside the main doors of the township government offices.  On the township website http://www.bridgeportmi.org/  they have the option to sign up for their “constant contact” email.  They send out important and informative notices for everything that goes on in our township.

In my videos I have a presentation by Fire Chief Nelson at the April 14^th Building and Grounds Meeting concerning the problems and needs of the fire department.  View it here - April 14th Meeting

There was excellent presentation and discussion at the July 29^th Building and Grounds Meeting - July 29th Meeting

And another informative presentation by Fire Chief Nelson and Police Chief Duffett held at the Bridgeport Gun Club in October - October Presentation

I don’t personally believe that the township ever tried to intentionally mislead the residents about the assessment.  Could they have tried other ways to reach out to the residents and let them know the details of the assessment?  Maybe they could have done a mass mailing earlier.  I don’t know what the costs of that would be, and if residents would complain about that cost.  For the residents that do not have access to a computer, maybe something like a monthly newsletter would be helpful.  There again you could be running into a cost issue.  The Birch Run/Bridgeport Herald does seem to carry more Bridgeport news than they did in the past.  The weekly paper is sold in all the local stores and only costs 75 cents per issue.

I personally feel that it is up to the residents to be aware of what is going on, from the local to the federal level; to seek out the information that will affect your quality of life, your taxes, and your future. 

There were some other things brought up about the legality of this assessment.  From the small amount of research I had done earlier about assessments, I had the impression that the township has all the legal aspects done properly.  I don’t have the time, energy, or patience in this blog post to go over this issue.  Perhaps I will in a future post.

It was obvious by some of the comments made during this meeting that residents have not forgotten the troubles of the past boards, of the bridge affair.  While talking with residents of our township it becomes clear that the township board is still disliked, hated might be a more accurate word.  If people cannot let go of the past and work together to move this township forward, there is no hope for the future of our township.

Things that were said and done before, during, and after the meeting reminded me of two events I have experienced in the past.  The first one was an exercise that we did in our 5^th grade classroom.  The teacher put all the students in a circle and told the first student a brief story.  That student was to tell the next student the same story, then the second student was to tell the third student and so on.  By the time the last student in the circle repeated the story back to the teacher, it barely resembled the original story.  I guess the moral of the story is don’t believe everything you hear, get the facts straight from the original source.

Another incident happened in college.  There was a class that had part 1 in the fall semester and part 2 in the winter semester.  Teacher A always taught part 1 in the fall and then took the winter semester off.  Part 2 was taught by another teacher, teacher B.  Teacher A had a grudge against teacher B and had for many years.  Teacher A told his young naive impressionable students in the fall class that he wouldn’t be there for the winter class, that instead it would be teacher B.  He neglected to tell them that this is the way it was done every year, instead he led them to believe that this was being forced upon him by the college.  Once the winter semester started with teacher B at the helm, the well-intentioned but gullible students started so much trouble over this that it almost lead to the dismissal of teacher B.  Luckily there was one student who knew the whole story including the long vendetta by teacher A.  That student stood up to the administration with the truth of what was going on.  Teacher B was not dismissed but sadly was disillusioned by the whole sordid affair and did end up taking early retirement afterwards.  This story shows the power that one person with a vendetta, with an agenda, can do with a little twisting of the truth and people that are willing to blindly follow without knowing the whole truth.

BridgeportTownship DDA Board Meeting November 12th, 2014

At today's meeting they discussed under New Business:
1. Marketing & Business Development which starts at 1:55
2. State of Michigan check starts at 9:24

Under Old Business:
1. Canoe Launch starts at 10:50
2. Great Lakes Discovery Center starts at 11:20
3. 6001 Dixie Hwy - Update starts at 12:35
4. Beautification - Update starts at 19:04
5. Christmas Decorations starts at 24:11
6. 2014 Flower Watering Expense starts at 27:16
7. Review of 4422 Williamson (former B & S Heating property) starts at 28:57
8. I-75 Billboard - Update starts at 47:20
DDA Coordinator's Report starts at 58:14
DDA Board Member Comments start at 1:11:23
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at Noon.

Some thoughts about some of the items discussed at today’s meeting.  I think the proposed plans for the former B & S Heating property are awesome!  It will be beautiful and will tie in with the bridge and the history of Bridgeport perfectly.  Tanya Moore and Steve Dobis are doing a great job on this project!

The Great Lakes Discovery Center is another project I hope finally comes to fruition.

I can sympathize with Augie Tausend and his view of Christmas decorations etc. being put out too early.  It irritates me when I go into the stores and they are putting Christmas decorations up the day after Halloween.  I saw a home and yard last week with their Christmas decorations already up and just shook my head.  BUT, I am looking forward to the Christmas decorations here in Bridgeport.  I absolutely loved the blue and green lights they had by the bridge last year and look forward to them this year.  And will be glad to see some new and better decorations displayed in town this year.  This is one time I won’t get irritated to see them go up a little early.  Maybe if they don’t light them up until Thanksgiving evening, that is a compromise that will make everyone happy.  It would be nice to see them lit up for Thanksgiving.  They’re not just Christmas lights, they are Holiday lights. 

McLeod’s does deserve a Thank You for the beautiful wreath and garland they provided last year to the bridge area and am looking forward to those again this year.

During the DDA Coordinators report it was mentioned that there will be 4 DDA board members whose terms are expiring this year.  I am not sure if any of them are planning on running for reappointment of their seats.  Anyone in Bridgeport can fill out an application at the township governmental center if they would like to try and get on the board.

During the coordinators report they also discussed the issue of snowmobiles going across the historic bridge.  The snowmobilers did go across the bridge last year.  I saw the tracks in the late winter towards spring.  I didn’t have my camera with me at the time so I didn’t get a photo of the tracks then. It looked to me as if they had been across the bridge several times, it looked like newer tracks on top of older tracks. They left the tracks in the snow and then in the areas where the snow was very thin and where it had already melted away, the treads from the machines left gouges in the wood planks on the bridge. 

I can see the problem with adding new posts to keep them out and the cost would be high.  Hopefully they won’t do it again.  The damage is minor now but after enough times, the damage could be a problem.  

Here is a photo I took earlier this year of the tracks that they left on the bridge.