Taylor City Council Regular Meeting - April 16, 2024

The Taylor City Council held its regular meeting on April 16, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Taylor Municipal Building. The meeting covered a wide range of items including approvals of contracts, budget reports, tax levy discussions, and a public hearing on the proposed 2024/2025 budget. Several items generated significant discussion, particularly around property tax administration fees, the city's fund balance, and the process for filling a council vacancy. The meeting was adjourned at 8:49 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda and Minutes: Approved the agenda and the minutes of the April 2, 2024 meeting, both unanimously.
• Mayor's Communication - Item 6.1: Approved an amendment to contract with Plante Moran for IT managed service provider selection consulting, increasing the professional services agreement by $9,000 (funded through IT ARPA funds). Unanimously approved.
• Item 7.1 - Loadometer Corp Portable Scale Service: Approved sole source service for two portable scales at $3,203 (Police Repair & Maintenance fund). Unanimous.
• Item 7.2 - CyberForceQ SOC & SIEM Renewal: Approved a six-month renewal at $33,972 (General Fund IT Contractual Services). Unanimous.
• Item 7.3 - Dump Truck Purchase: Approved purchase of three Freightliner 108SD chassis with dump truck equipment, not to exceed $665,188 (DPW Vehicles and Act 179 Capital Outlay). Unanimous after brief discussion on fleet replacement.
• Item 7.4 - Kubota Lawn Mowers: Approved low bid for two 72" mowers at $34,084 (TBA Capital Outlay). Unanimous after staff confirmed reliability.
• Item 7.5 - CCR Amendment for Hall of Fame Event: Added $2,000 to an existing CCR for Recreation Special Events (total now $5,557). Unanimous; staff noted high ticket demand.
• Item 7.6 - 2024 Summer Golf Rates: Approved rates for Lakes of Taylor and Taylor Meadows golf courses. Unanimous.
• Item 7.7 - Golf Course Purchase Agreements: Approved purchase agreements for Lakes of Taylor and Taylor Meadows, not to exceed $24,000 (Golf Fund). Unanimous.
• Item 7.8 - March 2024 Budget Performance Report: Received and filed. Unanimous.
• Item 7.9 - March 2024 Paid Invoice Report: Received and filed. Unanimous.
• Item 7.11 - December 2023 Pension Investment Review: Received and filed. Staff noted the fund earned 8.25% in the quarter, above the public plan average of 7.85%. Unanimous.
• Item 7.12 - Early Voting Grant Application (Round 2): Approved submission to Wayne County Clerk's Office for 2024 election cycle funding for laptops, tabulators, staffing, etc. Unanimous.
• Item 7.14 - Headlee & Truth-in-Taxation Memo: Received and filed. Staff explained that levying at the Headlee maximum (rather than base tax rate) captures a 5.1% inflation factor, preserving about $700,000 for the general fund. Unanimous.
• Item 7.16 - Open Public Hearing on 2024/2025 Budget: Approved opening the public hearing. Unanimous. No public comment was offered.
• Item 7.17 - Close Public Hearing (Postponed): Approved postponing closure to April 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM. Unanimous.
• Motion to Enter Closed Session: Approved closed session to discuss attorney-client privileged communication. Unanimous roll call. Meeting entered closed session at 7:47 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During Public Hearing on Budget (7.16-7.17): No members of the public spoke.
• Open Business – Public:
  • Nick Metro (Friends of Veterans Commission) invited residents to a pancake breakfast fund raiser for the Veterans Museum on April 20 at the Ford Senior Center.
  • Janice O'Neill Robinson (candidate for House District 28) introduced herself, noted she is a special education teacher in Taylor and a Taylor graduate, and invited council to a unified Special Olympics event.
  • Martin Juilliard (Taylor resident) criticized the council for continuing to contract with indicted contractors and referenced the Solars criminal case and lawsuits against elected officials, urging changes.

Discussion Items

• Item 7.10 - Brownfield Authority Refunding Bonds (Series 2024): Council discussed the amended and restated resolution pledging limited tax full faith and credit support for the Brownfield Authority's refunding bonds (up to $7.25 million). The bonds refinance the 2015 Series (originally from 2005) for the Island Lake development, with projected net present value savings of about 5.37% ($372,000 over 10 years). Staff noted that the general fund no longer contributes to debt service; payments come from tax increment revenues, DDA, and water/sewer funds. Market conditions may affect final savings; if rates worsen, the issuance may be halted. Unanimously approved.
• Item 7.13 - 2024 Ad Valorem Tax Levy: Initially a motion to approve, but council decided to postpone to April 28 at 2:00 PM to align with budget adoption. Staff presented the proposed city millage rate of 25.1040 mills, a reduction of 0.6078 mills from 2023. The decrease is primarily due to the reduction in the Police & Fire Act 345 pension millage (-0.5521 mills) and Headlee rollbacks on operating millages. Council discussed the Headlee rollback's permanence and the impact on taxpayers. Postponement approved unanimously.
• Item 7.15 - 1% Property Tax Administration Fee: Approved 4-2 (Councilmembers Rose and Daniels voted no). Staff explained the fee is not a new tax but covers costs of tax billing and collection (assessor, treasurer). Opponents argued that rising property values already generate more revenue and that residents need relief. Supporters noted the fee is necessary to maintain services and that the city's millage rates are decreasing.
• Item 7.18 - Council Vacancy Appointment: No motion was made to nominate or appoint a person to fill the vacant council seat.
• Open Business – Council: Councilwoman Daniels raised concerns about the police department's dispatch center and camera system, suggesting upgrades. Police Chief and IT staff confirmed that a new camera system (Flock) is being installed and that a dispatch center remodel is a priority. Councilwoman Winton requested an employee list from HR. Councilwoman Rose discussed ongoing efforts to clarify towing contracts and fees, noting difficulty obtaining Michigan State Police agreements via FOIA. Councilman Johnson advocated for education pieces for residents on towing rights.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Contracts & Purchases: All items in the Consent Calendar (Items 7.1-7.12, 7.14, 7.16) were approved unanimously.
• Approved Resolution: Item 7.10 (Brownfield refunding bonds resolution) approved unanimously.
• Postponed Action:
  • Item 7.13 (2024 Tax Levy) postponed to April 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM.
  • Item 7.17 (Close Budget Public Hearing) postponed to April 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM.
• Passed 4-2: Item 7.15 (1% tax administration fee) approved with Councilmembers Winton, Brandana, Johnson, and Geiss voting yes; Rose and Daniels voting no.
• No Action Taken: Item 7.18 (Council vacancy appointment) had no motion.
• Closed Session: Council held a closed session at 7:47 PM to discuss a legal matter (attorney-client privilege).
• Special Meeting Scheduled: Council set a special meeting for May 1, 2024 at 6:00 PM for possible budget approval if needed.
• Meeting Adjourned: Motion to adjourn passed unanimously at 8:49 PM.