In brief, this meeting treated watchers to mind numbing amounts of cognitive dissonance.

Because the 6:30 PM special/closed door meeting ran so long, the regular Board meeting didn't begin until after 8:00 PM.

There was some overlap of the two meetings.  People who'd been waiting in the lobby for well over an hour mistook the public comment period at the end of the reconvened closed session for the 1st public comment period of the regular meeting.  As soon as they heard the 2nd Call to the Public announced, they jumped.  Four or five people spoke.  I'll post that video later.

The video linked to in the LiveAgenda gives you both sides of many interactions using two camera views where available.  

 The regular meeting ended just after 11:00 pm.  

Chick and Otto listen respectfully june 27 2017 660w366h

If you want a good idea of how the meeting went, listen to the 2nd Call to the Public comments of David Gordon and Jim Nelson which followed the meeting.

Meeting Documents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6-13-2017 Northfield Township Board meeting LiveAgenda (complete)

 

Selected video highlights from the LiveAgenda

First Call to the Public:

The 2017-2018 Budget [60 minutes]

Agenda Items

Discussion Items:

2nd Call to the Public:

Board Member Comments

 

Meeting Documents

 

 

 

 

 

Government Regulation – A Delicate Balancing Act, by David Gordon

The Planning Commission recommended changes to township zoning ordinances at its June 7, 2017 meeting that will impact all landowners seeking “conditional uses”; anyone interested in setting up their own ”Little Free Library” kiosk, and lastly asked the planner to update the township-wide sign ordinance.

Conditional Use – A recommendation to exempt “conditional use permit” applicants from posting signs alerting neighbors to their requests was defeated on a 4-2 vote; a small victory for transparency in government.

Chair Larry Roman and Commissioner Sam Iaquinto voted to allow the exemption, saying that the regular requirements for a conditional use were sufficient.

Commissioners Cecelia Infante, Amy Steffens, John Zarzecki and Trustee Janet Chick argued that the township should do everything possible to alert residents to proposed changes in their neighborhoods.   Steffens recommended that requests for “variances” should also be subject to signage, as is done in Indianapolis, IN, where she was a professional planner before moving here. It was unclear whether she would pursue that change in the near future.

LittleLibrary1 GreenOakEastShoreDr pic02 400h cropLittleLibrary2 MadameDSixMileRd pic04crop2 400h

Little Free Library - The Commission set standards for residents wishing to put “Free Little Library” kiosks in their front yards to loan/exchange books, tapes and DVDs, though there was considerable debate on the issue.

Planner Patrick Sloan’s recommendation that the kiosk “shall be constructed with similar materials and colors as the principal structure, if applicable”, and the requirement that a resident needs an approved permit, were stripped away.

However, the PC did recommend six special requirements not already included in the township’s “Accessory Uses & Buildings” ordinance, including dictates as to the size of the kiosk (24”x24”x16”); that it be mounted on a post; only one per home; away from public right-of-way, etc etc. (link to McKenna memo, noting that items “d” and “h” were stripped away)

LittleLibrary4 OnAAPost 400hLittleLibrary3 OnAAStump 400h

 

Sign Regulations - The PC instructed Sloan to provide recommendations for bringing the township sign ordinance into compliance with the “Free Speech” doctrine as outlined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:27pm; was run efficiently by Chair Roman, and although he did not set a record for brevity, sometimes less is more.

 

Meeting Documents:

PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS:
 

Larry Roman, Chair  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Janet Chick, Vice Chair/Twp. Board Rep  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
John Zarzecki, Secretary  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brad Cousino, Member  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sam Iaquinto, Member/Parks & Rec. Rep.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amy Steffens, Member/ZBA Rep.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cecilia Infante, Member This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editorial by Jim Nelson: 
 
2014's bad idea failed to gain traction thanks to objections by Infante, Steffans, and Zarzecki.  Chairperson Larry Roman argued that public notice was sufficient.  Others countered, noting that there no longer exists an audited general circulation newspaper read by everyone.  (And thumbtacking a notice to the bulletin board in front of the Township Hall just doesn't cut it! )  Amy Steffans also countered Roman's assertion that the conditional uses were somehow already the property owner's right.  Those rights are not his until after the conditional use has been granted.  The original Motion failed on a 4:2 vote, which also included Chick voting no. 
 
Planner Sloan explained how to rewrite the motion in a more limited form, allowing the PC to proceed without triggering the need for a new public hearing.   According to Sloan,  the phrase "Special land use" is used no where else in the ordinances.  Its use should be replaced by "Conditional Use."   Subsections G and H were to be revised to be consistent with the ordinances.  Sloan said that adding Variances to the list of actions requiring that signs be posted would require another public hearing.   Chick, Zarzecki, Steffans, and Infante voted to pass this motion, with Roman and "Transparent" Sam Iaquinto opposing. 
 
Despite this moment of Planning Commissioner lucidity, the iron fist of prescriptive and restrictive government regulation has fallen on the Little Libraries of Northfield Township. Regulation was initially opposed by Iaquinto, who compared the proposed Little Library regulation and approvals process to the Township regulations and onerous approval process which he claimed are preventing developers from developing.  He cited no supporting examples, but his opposition to Little Library regulations folded like a cheap suit when confronted with and affronted by the dreaded spectre of people doing something unusual or creative with their Little Libraries.
 
Elements D (Design must match the house) and H (requiring an official land use permit) were struck from the proposed ordinance change.  The revised measure was voted upon and the measure passed by unanimous vote.   Still required was that the Little Library be mounted on a post in the ground.  Ironically, this post facto post is the only element distinguishing a Little Library from a piece of lawn furniture, like the freestanding and incredibly cute Green Oak Township Little Library illustrated below.  In other words there was no problem before the Planner created the problem and charged the taxpayers for "solving" it.
 
Little Library cropped 340w266h
Freestanding Little Library in Southern Green Oak Township, East Shore Drive
 
Watch individual Agenda items using our exclusive feature:
 

Meeting Preview:

On Wednesday (6/7/2017) the Planning Commission is holding a Public Hearing on a proposal to change to our zoning ordinance:  
 
If someone wants a "conditional use permit", they would no longer have to post signs alerting their neighbors. 
 
The meeting is 7pm at Township Hall, 8350 Main St., Whitmore Lake.
 
Conditional uses can drastically alter what is permitted on a piece of property, and we believe that signage notification is important.
 
This idea was first advanced during the height of Manager Fink's power and influence, in 2014.
 

2014 02 05 PC minutes excerpt 

 

Meeting Documents:

 

PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS:
 

Larry Roman, Chair  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Janet Chick, Vice Chair/Twp. Board Rep  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
John Zarzecki, Secretary  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brad Cousino, Member  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sam Iaquinto, Member/Parks & Rec. Rep.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amy Steffens, Member/ZBA Rep.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cecilia Infante, Member This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

On May 30th the Board brought back two candidates for 2nd interviews in a 7:30 PM public meeting.  Three candidates were invited; two accepted.  The Moderator, Township Labor Attorney Belisle, asked 8 questions of both candidates.  BoardMembers asked a total of 9 more.  Using our fabulous LiveAgenda technology we make it possible for you to compare the candidate answers to Moderator and Boardmember questions side by side.    Click the candidate names below the question to view their answers on VideoNorthfield.   This 21st century technology is a Northfield Neighborhood Today exclusive feature.

Read the questions carefully.  They reveal much about the motives and character of the Boardmembers who are pushing this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Candidates Re-Introduce Themselves:

Steven Aynes Lianne Clare

 

Moderator Question 1 

What do you see as your role as Township Manager as it relates to working with the supervisor on initiatives that are important to the residents, and in connection with working with Township Officials and Employees generally, how do you involve staff members into developing a strategic position or recommendation to the Board?

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 2

Based on what you've learned about the Township Manager position, the Board of Trustees, and the Township, please explain to the Board how you feel you'd make a contribution here.

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 3

Please explain in your own words an executive level summary of Northfield Township, how you see the Township changing in the next two years, and where you see yourself as part of that change.

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 4

Describe the toughest feedback someone has given you.  How did you learn from it? (and) How do you deal with rejection or criticism?

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 5

What approach do you take or how do you resolve a conflict with two opposing parties or people when one is being unreasonable or contentious?

Steven Aynes

Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 6

Northfield Township is a diverse community.  How will you manage all the wants and needs successfully while maintaining the Township's vision?  

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 7

What is the most difficult contract or project you had to negotiate that was successful in benefitting the community you worked in and explain a couple of your greatest accomplishments.

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Moderator Question 8

What is your experience in developing a Capital Improvement Plan for the Community and what was the process?

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Boardmember Question 1

Dockett: Do you believe that all taxpayers should pay to fix roads in a subdivision?

Lianne Clair

 

Otto: The Township Board had a retreat early on when we became a new board and we made a list of priorities.  How would you.  At this point the priorities have not.  We haven't gone anywhere with the priorities or an action plan or anything.  But how would you help the Board to move forward on the priorities and help the board to execute those priorities? [sic]

Steven Aynes

 

Boardmember Question 2

Chick: What is the greatest influence or factor that makes you come to a decision when offering a recommendation on any issue?

Lianne Clair

 

Chick: Do you have a pair of roller skates?  "No"  So you might want to get some if this goes forward.  A lot of the goals that the board has set at the beginning of our term the last manager and I'm sure you've done some more with this... stepping into different positions after a manager has left,   there's a lot of things left undone.  our last manager left about twelve pages of things that he was either starting on or that we should be looking into. are you prepared to handle that kind of a load?

Steven Aynes

 

Boardmember Question 3

Beliger: Provide please if you could a specific example of when you made a decision or a proposition that intentionally reduced the tax burden on the citizens, which otherwise perhaps may not have been suggested by the Board.

Steven Aynes Lianne Clair

 

Boardmember Question 4

Chick: What is your experience working with Engineers on a Development or Township Project, Zoning, Planning.  Do you have Planning training?  Were you the key person in working with these people? 

Lianne Clair

 

Zelenock: How will you balance the desire of some members of the community to have preservation as well as members of the community to have development?  How will you manage that?

Steven Aynes

 

Boardmember Question 5

Otto: If you were hired, how would you become part of the community as making your mark of belonging? [sic]

Steven Aynes

 

Meeting Documents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Wayne Dockett Pans Both Candidates after 2nd Round of Wannabe Managers Interviewed
  2. 5-23-2017 Northfield Township Board Meetings
  3. By the Question: Candidate Managers' Answers
  4. Northfield Township Manager Candidates interviewed
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