The emergency plan formatted by the Local Emergency Planning Committee, or LEPC, was presented to the Marshall County Commissioners for approval Monday morning.
LEPC President Gene Gray told the commissioners that the plan is in line with the county emergency plan so it will not confuse emergency responders. There are maps and site plans within the emergency plan for 85 county facilities.
Gray posed the question as to how the county will enforce this plan.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet this morning with several business items up for discussion.
Joe Edwards with SRI, Inc. will appear to explain the process of a certificate sale. Treasurer Deb Vandemark told the commissioners previously that several properties have not sold in the county’s tax sale that have been up for sale for many years. The certificate sale would be a way to get the properties back on the tax rolls.
The Marshall County Commissioners approved the second reading of an ordinance regulating setbacks at Pretty Lake.
A public hearing on the ordinance was held on Monday, Nov. 17 where Plan Director Ralph Booker explained to the commissioners that the Pretty Lake Homeowners Association approved a change where new construction would need to be a 45-foot setback from an 789.0 elevation line. The setback shall be determined by a line drawn between the furthest extension of adjacent structures including any decks, balconies or raised patios.
Marshall County Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters gave the commissioners a map and a list of which roads are to be opened first in the event of snow.
The commissioners had asked for a list so they know which areas would receive attention first. They also asked Peters to forward the information to the sheriff’s department, EMS, fire department, and EMA Director for emergency planning.
Peters said that the main roads, Quince Road, 4B, Queen, Oak, North Michigan, King, Plymouth-Goshen, Iris, Fir, 9th, Overmyer, Olive, Thorn, Muckshaw, South Michigan, Lincolnway and others, would be open to traffic within two hours first thing in the morning.
Marshall County EMA Director Clyde Avery presented the commissioners with a grant sub agreement for their signatures for a competitive EMPG grant that the county received in the amount of $8,485.29.
Avery explained that the grant is a reimbursable grant that will be used for a training exercise and educational material for the public. When he originally requested to apply for the grant, he wanted to purchase recording equipment for the Emergency Operations Center but he found out that could not be approved with the grant funds.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet today where Bart Trester from USI will give an update on the 7th Road construction project, the Metronet project and work on the Jefferson Street bridge.
The commissioners will also have the second reading of an ordinance regulating construction setbacks at Pretty Lake. Plan Director Ralph Booker explained in a public hearing that the Pretty Lake Homeowners Association approved a change where new construction at the lake would need to be a 45 foot setback from an 789.0 elevation line.
The Marshall County Metronet project is drawing to a close.
The commissioners last week approved a payment agreement between the county and the City of Plymouth for shared conduit installation. The county is to pay half of the cost of the installation and handholds on Lincolnway to State Road 17 on Pioneer Drive, Pioneer Drive to Overmyer Drive and three lateral connections to the three county buildings for a total cost of $37,513.76. The city will pay the same cost for those installation costs.
The commissioners unanimously approved the agreement and now it will go to the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission for their review.
The Marshall County Commissioners recently discussed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue the Meals on Wheels program at the Marshall County Council on Aging.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger stated that the current agreement expires Dec. 31 of this year and it needed to be renewed. The agreement allows the meals to be cooked at the Marshall County Jail at a cost of $3.25 per person. The personnel at the Marshall County Council on Aging pick up the meals at the jail and deliver them to those in need.
The Marshall County Commissioners held a public hearing during their meeting Monday morning concerning an ordinance regulating building setbacks at Pretty Lake.
Plan Director Ralph Booker explained that the Pretty Lake Homeowners Association approved a change where new construction at the lake would need to be a 45 foot setback from an 789.0 elevation line. The plan commission also approved the ordinance with one commission member against.
“The changes are: where adjacent properties have been developed with principle structures on one or both sides the required setback line may be greater than 45 feet from the 789.0 elevation line and shall be determined by a line drawn between the furthest extension of adjacent structures including any decks, balconies or raised patios,” said Booker.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed a contract between the county and Quality Correctional Care, LLC.
Quality Correctional Care, LLC provides the jail’s healthcare needs. The company has provided pharmaceutical needs, a full-time nurse and doctor visits since October of 2013. The current contract expires on Dec. 31 of this year. You can also get in touch with Certified Life Care Planner for all your healthcare needs.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger explained that the new contract would be for a four-year term at a cost of $153,000 for the base compensation per year. That figure would not change throughout the duration of the contract. Some add-ons are also available. The monthly cost would be $12,750. A doctor will visit once a week along with a psychologist and a nurse will be there 40 hours a week.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet this morning where a public hearing is scheduled to hear comment on lake set backs in a zoning ordinance amendment. The commissioners will also have a bid opening for farm lease ground.
Marshall County Highway Administrator Laurie Baker will have an update on operations at the highway department and Jim Clevenger will discuss the progress of the jail bonds and a contract with Quality Correctional Care.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet today at 9:30 a.m. ET in the second floor meeting room in the Marshall County Building.
The Jefferson Street bridge in Plymouth will open to traffic today.
Marshall County Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told WKVI News that the bridge will open at 6:30 a.m. ET. Crews from Beer and Slabaugh will continue to work on the northeast corner of the bridge but traffic will be allowed to pass.
The bridge closed as emergency was declared for repairs. The Marshall County Commissioners approved the closure on Oct. 9 after it was determined that the concrete slabs by the bridge were not stable and the sidewalk was not reinforced. A majority of those repairs are complete with only a few minor issues to finish.
The Marshall County Commissioners and the county attorney will be reviewing the contract with jail’s health care service provider when they meet again on Monday, Nov. 17.
Quality Correctional Care sent Sheriff Tom Chamberlin an agreement and it was then forwarded to County Attorney Jim Clevenger for a four year term. The current one-year contract expires on Dec. 31 of this year. The contract calls for a $153,000 contract price which will be good during each of the four years. That price would be reassessed if the county agrees to renew this agreement in 2019, although the county would review services annually.
Marshall County Sheriff Tom Chamberlin requested the purchase of four new vehicles for the department with delivery after the first of the year.
“I would like to get an okay to start ordering the vehicles for delivery. One would be delivered in January and the other three in February. Right now they’re about six weeks out if you start ordering and as Fall comes of course the orders will continue to build and delivery dates will be shoved back. We are hoping to get the vehicles out on the road by April or May. We have to schedule the vehicles with our vendor that puts in all of the equipment,” said Chamberlin.
The Marshall County Commissioners will receive updates on three major construction projects when they meet this morning.
Bart Trester from USI will have status updates on the 7th Road construction project, the Metronet project and the Jefferson Street Bridge rehabilitation project.
The commissioners approved paperwork at their last meeting to call sections of the Metronet project substantially complete. Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told WKVI News last week that Beer and Slabaugh is working on the east end of the Jefferson Street bridge and that road should be open at the end of next week.
Marshall County Building Inspector Chuck DeWitt gave the Marshall County Commissioners a quarterly update where he announced the number of permits beginning in August and their permit values.
“We had 35 permits totaling approximately $1.6 million, giving us almost $30 million for the year,” explained DeWitt. “We had 183 inspections during August. In September, we had 52 new permits with a value of $2.4 million which gives us a total of $32 million for the year and 326 permits. We’re probably going to be on track to have about 425 to 440 total permits which is an exceptional year.”
Marshall County Attorney Jim Clevenger told the commissioners this week that the paperwork for the Metronet project is complete.
There were some endorsements and fees that were added to the paperwork that couldn’t be avoided. The conduit installation is nearly finished.
The bonds for the jail project were closed on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The lease amendment was recorded and sent to the state.
Clevenger told the board members at the last meeting that the prospective sale of the jail bonds to refinance the previous bonds found lower rates. Umbaugh and Associates predicted a possible $500,000 in payments, but the bond refinancing helped save the county $639,000.
The Marshall County Highway Department was busy this summer with the road program.
Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told the commissioners Monday morning that crews were able to chip and seal 38 to 40 miles of roads this year.
“We pugged right around five-and-a-half miles, we paved a little over two-and-a-half miles. We used about 2,000 tons of milling for paving. We used about 1,500 ton of that for miscellaneous patching here and there. Roughly 1,000 to 1,500 ton we used for patching which offsets a tremendous amount of money in years to come as far as buying cold mix,” said Peters.
The Marshall County Commissioners held a public hearing Monday morning concerning the vacation of a portion of 3B Road between Quince and Olive Roads.
Plan Director Ralph Booker explained that the request went before the plan commission at their recent meeting. The members of the plan commission found findings of fact that the conditions have changed in order to defeat the original purpose of the road, there is a public interest to vacate the road and the value of the road will not be diminished with the vacation of the road.
The road is grass-covered, not paved, and is surrounded by farm land and timber. The road is maintained by the adjoining landowners.
Booker said the request was brought forth by the Daniel and Beth Cashen who own property along a portion of the road.
“The request was to vacate from Quince Road all the way to the east end of the Cashens’ property,” said Booker. “At the east end, the deal was that the Cashens’ would give a portion of ground for a 120 foot cul-de-sac in which 3rd Road would truncate. The Cashens are in the process and have received a building permit for a new home so we’ve given it an address of 14755 3B Road.”
There was one opposition to the road vacation and a letter was submitted to the plan commission by Pike Lumber that summarized their opinion. The company has access from Quince Road going east along 3B Road. The access road is used by employees to inspect forest land, harvest timber and to control the deer population with deer reduction events. Officials believe that access to this road would be restricted if the commissioners would approve the road vacation request.
The plan commission approved an ordinance that only allows the vacation of the road along the Cashens’ property. The commissioners also approved that ordinance. The rules were suspended and the ordinance was approved on all three readings to adopt the ordinance.
The repairs to the Jefferson Street Bridge in Plymouth are on schedule.
Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told the Marshall County Commissioners on Monday morning that work is nearly done on the west side of the bridge.
“They’re actually hoping to have that end of the bridge done by Friday. Of course it will be closed for probably a week before that end will all be said and done. Then, they’ll start on the east end. On the east end, they do have the sidewalk off. I think, in previous years, they must have actually cut a hole in the cement and filled it with cement and it actually ran down on the gas line,” Peters said.
