Carol Wood gives her colleagues an early Christmas present by streamlining Monday’s Lansing City Council meeting
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Andy Balaskovitz
Tuesday, Dec. 14 — With 28 resolutions on Monday’s Lansing City Council agenda, the meeting was shaping up to be a long one.
Routinely, City Council Vice President Kathie Dunbar makes a motion when the Council gets to the resolutions that they were all “considered” and “read in full” and are up for unanimous passing. This sidesteps reading and voting on them individually.
And routinely, At-Large Councilwoman Carol Wood makes a motion to pull every resolution from the agenda to be read out loud and voted on individually.
“It’s a small Christmas gift. Merry Christmas,” Wood joked after allowing Dunbar’s motion to go unchallenged.
Dunbar and At-Large Councilman Derrick Quinney each thanked Wood jokingly during the meeting.
“This is the first time ever in two years of doing this,” City Council President A’Lynne Robinson said after the meeting.
No doubt Dunbar’s motion shaved some time off of what was looking to be a long meeting. Nonetheless, all 28 resolutions — ranging from tributes to new city contracts to claim denials — passed unanimously. Here they are:
Three tributes recognizing south side teenager Trent Spear, youth sports pioneer Curlee Foster and the Friendship Baptist Church’s 76th anniversary. Spear was recognized for his comprehensive community service sprucing up the Cavanaugh Park in the second ward. Curlee Foster, owner of Foster’s Catering and a Lansing resident of more than 50 years, was recognized for his role in creating youth baseball and softball teams.
The acquisitions of easements for the Holmes and Pleasant Grove roads intersection for landscaping purposes.
Two resolutions establishing a plant rehabilitation district and granting an industrial facilities tax exemption for Foresight Properties, 2822 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. The exemption is for 12 years on any new or real or personal taxes, and Foresight plans to spend $450,000 upgrading its printing facility there.
A transferred business license from Michael Brogan to Douglas Nylander for Brannigan Brothers, 210 S. Washington Square.
A transferred business license from Clifford Green to Tini Bikinis at 511 E. Hazel St. This is the old Green House Bar just south of Interstate 496 off of Cedar that is set to reopen as a bar with waitresses that serve in bikinis and offer private dances.
Nonprofit status granted to Michigan State AFL-CIO Human Resources Development, which is intended to help unemployed union workers find jobs.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association received $500 from the city to help cover costs accrued from the Mosaic Festival in September.
Four claim denials. Warren and Jason Will sought to avoid $1,409 in special assessment, board-up and trash removal costs at 635 N. Francis Ave. Stephen and Antoinette Parrish were denied a claim for $2,122.50 at 1707 S. Washington Ave. for tag monitoring fees. Phillip Vilella was denied a claim for $1,517.03 to cover the costs of trash, debris, grass and weed removal at 737 Comfort St. Mark and Sara Spagnuolo were denied a claim for $1,700 at 1001 W. Saginaw St. for costs associated with grass and weeds removal and material replacement.
An agreement between the city and Ingham County to share maintenance duties of Scott Woods Park, Soldan Dog Park and the River Trail in south Lansing.
The 2011 City Council meeting schedule.
Authorization of $3.2 million in bond money to build a consolidated service garage in south Lansing, followed by a second resolution that promises to refund $2.6 million in debt services.
Refunding $3.75 million for the outstanding sewer disposal system bonds that were issued in 1998 for $26,415,000.
Appointments A number of people were appointed to various boards and commissions:
Donald Rencher to the Board of Zoning Appeals for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2013;
Suzanne Moore to the Memorial Review Board for a Fourth Ward term expiring June 30, 2014;
Radio show host Tim Barron, whose real name is Frederick Sparrow, to the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority Board for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2012;
Troy Brown to the Capital Region Airport Authority for an at-large term expiring Sept. 30, 2013;
Patricia Spitzley to the Park Board for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2011;
Robert Traub to the Income Tax Board of Review for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2014;
Michael DeMartelaere to the Income Tax Board of Review for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2014; and
Kenneth Salzman to the Income Tax Board of Review for an at-large term expiring June 30, 2014.
Two ordinances that schedule a Jan. 10 public hearing on establishing the Marshall Street Armory Historical District and amend the city’s cell phone tower ordinance also passed unanimously.
Language was added to the cell phone tower ordinance that requires potential builders to prove a lease or pending lease agreement with a wireless provider before building.
In a special ceremony at the start of the meeting, Dec. 13 was named Judge Amy Krause Day in the city. Krause was recognized for being appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals after serving as a 54-A District Court judge in Lansing.
“I’m not really going anywhere. My office is still in Lansing a few blocks over,” she said. “I’m going stay involved with this community. I love Lansing.”
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