The new 2017-2018 Budget is scheduled for action by city council Monday night. We had fewer drafts than other years, four to be exact, with only three in real contention. Believe it or not, I find the budget process quite interesting over these many years, especially in the initial construction. What do I mean by initial construction? Every department head and appointed official creates a list of all needs and wants. This becomes the foundation of the budget, the construction of the budget. The list is essentially an inventory of the city from routine and projected maintenance tasks to major projects that includes all the periphery issues and requirements, that ultimately equals total expenditures.
We then assign a cost for each and that becomes DRAFT A of our budget revealing total expenditures of all the items that need to be addressed within the city. Even though total projected revenues (another discussion) rarely cover the total expenditures in DRAFT A, the value of the exercise comes in knowing the true cost of all present and future needs. You can’t plan current and future budgets without first knowing what needs attention, and without the list you can’t legitimately prioritize the projects.
Stay with me: once the above phase is complete, council and staff begin the difficult process of evaluating the priority of each item, which leads to removing those items that lack the element of “immediate need” or “immediate action.” This process goes through several evaluations until council and staff are satisfied that projected revenues will cover projected expenditures. If not, then council and staff can cover any deficits with the city’s fund balance (savings account) to address the highest priority needs and wants for the next fiscal year (2017-2018) if so desired.
The process may appear tedious and maybe boring, but the process provides a type of intimacy of the city’s needs you might not experience without embracing the exercise and having the collaboration between council and staff. To me, the budget is not just about the “dollars.” Dollars are merely a means to achieve defined goals and objectives that directly impact the quality of life for residents and business owners alike. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
Monday night we must fill the mayor’s position created by the resignation of Mayor Lloyd; please see the agenda. We have a few bills that need to be paid and of course to adopt the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year Budget. Have a fabulous weekend and with any cooperation from Mother Nature, we can postpone building another Noah’s Ark. Be safe out there.
REPEAT - Master Plan Update: Jonathan Seyferth
We are nearing the end of feedback window on the draft master plan which has been ongoing since mid-February. The end of the feedback window back in March started a timeline that, if all goes according to plan, should allow the master plan to be considered for final adoption in June.
The timeline is as follows:
A draft and executive summary of the Master Plan can be found at www.plancoopersville.com. Updates and comments on the final draft will also be accepted on the website.
REPEAT: Medical Marihuana (marijuana): Jonathan Seyferth
May 15, 2017 at the next Planning Commission, public presentation on this issue will continue. The public is always welcome.
Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in June or July) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if it would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found in Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic.
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to develop permitting for these activities.
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic, I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provides a FAQ sheet on the topic.
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
WWTP Upgrade
Work continues with the design/engineering of the effluent pump upgrade that also included the addition of a UV treatment chamber. Updates will be provided as they are available.
Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option
Jonathan Seyferth and I have a meeting with various Muskegon officials, fairlife representatives, and CDF representatives Friday morning, May 5th to begin the discussions on the steps required to build a 20-25 miles of sewer forcemain from Coopersville to the Muskegon Waste Water Management System. There is much to be done before dirt can be moved including fairlife making a number of key decisions on what they ultimately want. As information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.
We then assign a cost for each and that becomes DRAFT A of our budget revealing total expenditures of all the items that need to be addressed within the city. Even though total projected revenues (another discussion) rarely cover the total expenditures in DRAFT A, the value of the exercise comes in knowing the true cost of all present and future needs. You can’t plan current and future budgets without first knowing what needs attention, and without the list you can’t legitimately prioritize the projects.
Stay with me: once the above phase is complete, council and staff begin the difficult process of evaluating the priority of each item, which leads to removing those items that lack the element of “immediate need” or “immediate action.” This process goes through several evaluations until council and staff are satisfied that projected revenues will cover projected expenditures. If not, then council and staff can cover any deficits with the city’s fund balance (savings account) to address the highest priority needs and wants for the next fiscal year (2017-2018) if so desired.
The process may appear tedious and maybe boring, but the process provides a type of intimacy of the city’s needs you might not experience without embracing the exercise and having the collaboration between council and staff. To me, the budget is not just about the “dollars.” Dollars are merely a means to achieve defined goals and objectives that directly impact the quality of life for residents and business owners alike. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
Monday night we must fill the mayor’s position created by the resignation of Mayor Lloyd; please see the agenda. We have a few bills that need to be paid and of course to adopt the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year Budget. Have a fabulous weekend and with any cooperation from Mother Nature, we can postpone building another Noah’s Ark. Be safe out there.
REPEAT - Master Plan Update: Jonathan Seyferth
We are nearing the end of feedback window on the draft master plan which has been ongoing since mid-February. The end of the feedback window back in March started a timeline that, if all goes according to plan, should allow the master plan to be considered for final adoption in June.
The timeline is as follows:
- June 19 – The 9-week feedback window will close on June 19 which is also the June Planning Commission meeting date. At that meeting, the Planning Commission would hold a Public Hearing on formal adoption of the master plan – step one in a two-step adoption process. If approved by the PC, it is sent to the City Council for final adoption.
- June 26 – At the second City Council meeting in June, the City Council will be asked to take the second step in the process with a final adoption of the master plan.
A draft and executive summary of the Master Plan can be found at www.plancoopersville.com. Updates and comments on the final draft will also be accepted on the website.
REPEAT: Medical Marihuana (marijuana): Jonathan Seyferth
May 15, 2017 at the next Planning Commission, public presentation on this issue will continue. The public is always welcome.
Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in June or July) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if it would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found in Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic.
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to develop permitting for these activities.
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic, I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provides a FAQ sheet on the topic.
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
WWTP Upgrade
Work continues with the design/engineering of the effluent pump upgrade that also included the addition of a UV treatment chamber. Updates will be provided as they are available.
Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option
Jonathan Seyferth and I have a meeting with various Muskegon officials, fairlife representatives, and CDF representatives Friday morning, May 5th to begin the discussions on the steps required to build a 20-25 miles of sewer forcemain from Coopersville to the Muskegon Waste Water Management System. There is much to be done before dirt can be moved including fairlife making a number of key decisions on what they ultimately want. As information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.
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