Happy Independence Day, everyone! I hope you had a happy and healthy July 4th weekend.
I apologize for the lateness of this blog, but I couldn’t get it out before the holiday. And with the County Commission going into our summer schedule, I figure I can spread the blogs out a bit.
Last week, the Board of Commissioners meeting was mostly non-controversial. As I reported last time, there were some objections to the Treasurer’s office utilizing the County’s option to capture tax foreclosed properties. As I mentioned, the way it works is that the county captures the properties in tax foreclosure. Some of the properties are auctioned off for minimum bid at an auction, and some are bundled together and attempted to be sold (although most are not). In the end, the County is responsible for all of these properties. The Republicans voted against the resolution, presumably because they don’t like the Land Bank having as many properties as it does. They did not say, though, what they would like done with these properties. Sitting vacant creates blight for the community, lower property values, and crime. Auctioning them off for the lowest bid usually results in speculation and people purchasing properties that they can’t afford to clean up or don’t plan to. Rehabilitating the properties by the Land Bank or by bidders who want to pay off the tax liens is the best possible situation. I was happy to vote for the resolution, and it passed 12-4.
Otherwise, there were no controversial resolutions. We passed one resolution authorizing funding for two temporary animal control positions. We have been woefully short-staffed in animal control, and have been hearing several complaints as a result. We now have two positions that are empty as a result of staff on leave time, and it was critical for those positions to be staffed for the summer (the busiest time of the year). As such, we unanimously approved a resolution approving funding of two temporary positions including a clerk/dispatcher and an animal control licensing officer from July through October. We are expecting current revenues to pay for this - $5,477 from the Animal Care Fund Account and $15,000 in unexpected increased dog licensing revenue. This will cover the $20,477 for forty hours each week during this time span. I am sorry that we cannot do more to help animal control, but as everyone knoe we have a budget deficit and all departments are making do with smaller budgets as a result of cuts!
We also approved a resolution merging two day treatment programs at the Circuit Court. We merged the Crossroads program and the Ingham Academy. This will result in Ingham County now having a vocational piece and a high school diploma for all of the youth in day treatment. It also saves about $153,000 from the county general fund and will allow for new equipment to be provided to the merged Ingham Academy program. All in all, this is a win-win for the county budget and for the yhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifouth that are being helped by these programs!
For those that follow my by Facebook, I am attempting to only post personal stuff (family stuff, pictures, etc) on my personal page, and County Commission and State Rep campaign stuff on my fan page (www.facebook.com/andyschor). If you haven’t already done so, please “like” my fan page so you will get the Commission and campaign updates!
Well, that’s all for this week!
Showing posts with label land bank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label land bank. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Land Bank properties, County Maintaining City of Lansing Parks, Juvenile Justice Agencies, Hertel Sues for Taxes, State Rep Campaign Raises 35k
This week was very busy for the County Commission. As I have said before, we do much of our work in committees, and we spent considerable time on several items this week.
In County Services, we started out with about an hour discussing the Land Bank. Treasurer Schertzing presented us with about 130 tax foreclosed properties for the county to acquire. When a property goes into tax foreclosure, the county acquires it and, in our case, decides how that property is disposed of. Some are auctioned off, some are demolished, and some are purchased by the Land Bank to be redeveloped and resold. Some commissioners are concerned that our Land Bank has too many properties as it is and do not want us to take on any further burden. Schertzing explained that many of the properties are bundled and sold at auction, and only some are retained by the Land Bank. And those that are retained are redeveloped and sold to go back on the tax rolls. The Land Bank has been doing an excellent job getting properties back in shape, especially with the current state of the economy leading to so many tax foreclosed properties. This includes both residential and commercial properties. In County Services, the resolution passed 4-2, and in Finance it passed 6-0.
A resolution was put before us that would have the County maintain several City of Lansing parks. The Mayor has apparently requested that the County maintain 25 city parks of 5 acres or less, and 15 parks on the river trail. The language provided by the Mayor’s office, though, was greatly concerning to many of us. We discussed this with our Parks Director. The resolution itself listed several think that the County would do. The primary function would be mowing, with specific conditions listed. These include mowing to a certain height, pick up grass clippings, trimming all vegetation around obstacles (fences, signs, posts, curbs, sidewalks, etc), removal of branches and leaves on trails, snow removal, removal of all litter and trash debris on the lawn, and emptying trash barrels daily. Also listed was signs to be installed by County staff and graffiti removal, but we rejected those two conditions because they would take significantly more manpower and time. It requires that the county do a thorough clean up before the first mowing in the spring, compliance of the Snow Removal Ordinance regarding sidewalks, and other things. In exchange for all this and more, the City will pay the County $236,000. While many Commissioners had some initial doubts, our Parks Director assured us that we could accomplish the needs for this amount. Questions were raised, though, if our actions here would result in layoffs at the city or have other labor implications. We are looking into those questions. We also heard that the Mayor sent this to us without discussing it with Council. Many of us Commissioners are hesitant to get in the middle of another fight between the Mayor and Council (as we did with the zoo), so we wanted to be sure that all parties at the City are aware of this request from the Mayor. We have sent this to our City Attorney for review, and will start negotiations with the appropriate City entities.
In Finance, we had a very active discussion about the Juvenile Justice millage. This is the millage that was approved twice by Ingham County residents. Every year we approve a certain amount of money from the millage to go towards community agencies that assist youths that are at-risk and have not yet gone through the courts (pre-adjudicated). This amount now is $100,000, and Commissioner Nolan expressed that she would like to see more money going towards these prevention efforts when possible. Commissioner Bahar-Cook also discussed the makeup of those that have applied in the past and how they can use the money. The committee had a good discussion of the dollars available, the amount matched by the state through the Child Care fund, and the importance of prevention. We will move forward with the $100,000 amount, but several of us (including me) expressed that we would like to see more for prevention if there are enough agencies applying.
Finally, if you haven’t seen the Lansing State Journal or national news, Register of Deeds Curtis Hertel, Jr filed a personal lawsuit against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for not paying taxes owed. The County Services and Finance committees passed a resolution to have the County enter into an agreement with the Home Defense League to represent the County and file suit to recapture these fees. In essence, we would replace Hertel as the plaintiff in the lawsuit. Hertel is the statewide leader in this effort (once again) and filed the suit himself because time was of the essence. With passage of this resolution, the County will officially take on the lawsuit, as is appropriate. We expect to receive tens of millions of dollars that are owed to the County by Freddie Mac and Fannie May, who chose not to pay the county and state taxes that are owed. Read here for more information!
And for those following my political State House campaign, I sent out an email this week to supporters indicating that we have raised more than $35,000 in 4 months and have received tremendous support from elected and neighborhood leaders. The momentum has been tremendous, and continues to grow. Stay tuned!
That’s it for this week. That is just a snapshot of everything that we have done, but I think it is long enough!
In County Services, we started out with about an hour discussing the Land Bank. Treasurer Schertzing presented us with about 130 tax foreclosed properties for the county to acquire. When a property goes into tax foreclosure, the county acquires it and, in our case, decides how that property is disposed of. Some are auctioned off, some are demolished, and some are purchased by the Land Bank to be redeveloped and resold. Some commissioners are concerned that our Land Bank has too many properties as it is and do not want us to take on any further burden. Schertzing explained that many of the properties are bundled and sold at auction, and only some are retained by the Land Bank. And those that are retained are redeveloped and sold to go back on the tax rolls. The Land Bank has been doing an excellent job getting properties back in shape, especially with the current state of the economy leading to so many tax foreclosed properties. This includes both residential and commercial properties. In County Services, the resolution passed 4-2, and in Finance it passed 6-0.
A resolution was put before us that would have the County maintain several City of Lansing parks. The Mayor has apparently requested that the County maintain 25 city parks of 5 acres or less, and 15 parks on the river trail. The language provided by the Mayor’s office, though, was greatly concerning to many of us. We discussed this with our Parks Director. The resolution itself listed several think that the County would do. The primary function would be mowing, with specific conditions listed. These include mowing to a certain height, pick up grass clippings, trimming all vegetation around obstacles (fences, signs, posts, curbs, sidewalks, etc), removal of branches and leaves on trails, snow removal, removal of all litter and trash debris on the lawn, and emptying trash barrels daily. Also listed was signs to be installed by County staff and graffiti removal, but we rejected those two conditions because they would take significantly more manpower and time. It requires that the county do a thorough clean up before the first mowing in the spring, compliance of the Snow Removal Ordinance regarding sidewalks, and other things. In exchange for all this and more, the City will pay the County $236,000. While many Commissioners had some initial doubts, our Parks Director assured us that we could accomplish the needs for this amount. Questions were raised, though, if our actions here would result in layoffs at the city or have other labor implications. We are looking into those questions. We also heard that the Mayor sent this to us without discussing it with Council. Many of us Commissioners are hesitant to get in the middle of another fight between the Mayor and Council (as we did with the zoo), so we wanted to be sure that all parties at the City are aware of this request from the Mayor. We have sent this to our City Attorney for review, and will start negotiations with the appropriate City entities.
In Finance, we had a very active discussion about the Juvenile Justice millage. This is the millage that was approved twice by Ingham County residents. Every year we approve a certain amount of money from the millage to go towards community agencies that assist youths that are at-risk and have not yet gone through the courts (pre-adjudicated). This amount now is $100,000, and Commissioner Nolan expressed that she would like to see more money going towards these prevention efforts when possible. Commissioner Bahar-Cook also discussed the makeup of those that have applied in the past and how they can use the money. The committee had a good discussion of the dollars available, the amount matched by the state through the Child Care fund, and the importance of prevention. We will move forward with the $100,000 amount, but several of us (including me) expressed that we would like to see more for prevention if there are enough agencies applying.
Finally, if you haven’t seen the Lansing State Journal or national news, Register of Deeds Curtis Hertel, Jr filed a personal lawsuit against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for not paying taxes owed. The County Services and Finance committees passed a resolution to have the County enter into an agreement with the Home Defense League to represent the County and file suit to recapture these fees. In essence, we would replace Hertel as the plaintiff in the lawsuit. Hertel is the statewide leader in this effort (once again) and filed the suit himself because time was of the essence. With passage of this resolution, the County will officially take on the lawsuit, as is appropriate. We expect to receive tens of millions of dollars that are owed to the County by Freddie Mac and Fannie May, who chose not to pay the county and state taxes that are owed. Read here for more information!
And for those following my political State House campaign, I sent out an email this week to supporters indicating that we have raised more than $35,000 in 4 months and have received tremendous support from elected and neighborhood leaders. The momentum has been tremendous, and continues to grow. Stay tuned!
That’s it for this week. That is just a snapshot of everything that we have done, but I think it is long enough!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Free Zoo Days Compromise, Snowboard Hill, Awesome County Credit Rating, Land Bank Update
This week was relatively calm, We had our Board meeting this week, and the only contentious item was the one I mentioned last week regarding the Zoo.. There was disagreement about who should be allowed to waive fees for the zoo for special days. Some wanted the Parks Commission and Zoo Board to be able to do it. Others (including me) thought that only the Board of Commissioners should have the power to reduce revenues and waive fees. Last year, the county offered free zoo entrance for moms on Mothers Day, dads on Fathers Day, and grandparents on Grandparents day. The Parks department want to continue that. The resolution in committee, though, was amended to allow the Zoo Board and Parks Commission to have general powers to waive the fee whenever they want for special days. I was ready to offer an amendment that would have changed the resolution back to only allowing for these three specific days to be free for the people celebrated (i.e. moms on Mothers Day).
Fortunately, Commissioner Debbie DeLeon came up with an excellent compromise. She crafted an amendment saying that any days designated as special free days would have to receive sign-off by the Board Chair, County Services Chair, and County Administrator. This amendment passed 11-5, then the resolution passed 15-1. I commend Commissioner for coming up with this compromise language that will ensure flexibility for the Parks Commission and Zoo Board, while at the same time ensure that elected officials and the County Administrator can monitor the purse strings effectively.
Also, in public testimony, we heard from folks who are looking to have the first urban snowboarding hill in the United States created in Ingham County at Hawk Island. We are building a sledding hill, and the snowboard hill can be built into it for low-cost. This item is expected to come up next week for discussion in committee and the week after on the Board floor. It is very exciting and will bring people and revenues to Ingham County through tourism and having this unique attraction. I expect that it will cost $35,000, but those dollars will be recaptured almost immediately as their will be used fees for the hill and rental fees for the equipment. It will be a revenue generator, attract people from all over the state, and will be something fun for the whole family for Inhgam County residents.
In other news, we received good news from Eric Schertzing, the County Treasurer, that Ingham County has mainteined the highest possible credit rating from Standard and Poor’s. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'SP-1+' short-term rating to Ingham County's general obligation limited tax notes series 2011. They said the rating reflects the county's:
• History of strong property tax collections;
• Very strong general creditworthiness;
• Limited-tax GO pledge; and
• Strong liquidity, including unreserved assets held in its delinquent tax revolving fund and budget stabilization fund.
They said that Despite the pressure of a contracting tax base on Ingham County's primary revenue source--property taxes--its finances remain strong and stable due to sound management practices.
We also received a Land Bank Update from Treasurer Schertzing. He reports the following exciting news about redevelopment in Ingham County through the Land Bank:
1 - Fab Acres south of REO Town. Participating in clean-up with LNC and a large group of students on May 25th-27th. The Land Bank is hosting a dumpster and cost up to $750 from our Community Development dollars with HUD homes.
2 - Eden Glen Condos. All 8 Phase I condos closed. 3 Phase II condos have purchase agreements.
3 - NSP1 - 65 houses demolished. 1 more to go and NSP1 demo is done.
4 - Sold one renovated house on Laurie Lane and bought one mortgage foreclosed house on Center Street in Old Town last week.
5 - Meetings last week about Shopping Guide Building in Mason, Lone Pine Parcel at 496 and Washington, and two commercial adjacent lots in Lansing Township.
That's all for this week. Have a wonderful weekend!
Andy
Fortunately, Commissioner Debbie DeLeon came up with an excellent compromise. She crafted an amendment saying that any days designated as special free days would have to receive sign-off by the Board Chair, County Services Chair, and County Administrator. This amendment passed 11-5, then the resolution passed 15-1. I commend Commissioner for coming up with this compromise language that will ensure flexibility for the Parks Commission and Zoo Board, while at the same time ensure that elected officials and the County Administrator can monitor the purse strings effectively.
Also, in public testimony, we heard from folks who are looking to have the first urban snowboarding hill in the United States created in Ingham County at Hawk Island. We are building a sledding hill, and the snowboard hill can be built into it for low-cost. This item is expected to come up next week for discussion in committee and the week after on the Board floor. It is very exciting and will bring people and revenues to Ingham County through tourism and having this unique attraction. I expect that it will cost $35,000, but those dollars will be recaptured almost immediately as their will be used fees for the hill and rental fees for the equipment. It will be a revenue generator, attract people from all over the state, and will be something fun for the whole family for Inhgam County residents.
In other news, we received good news from Eric Schertzing, the County Treasurer, that Ingham County has mainteined the highest possible credit rating from Standard and Poor’s. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'SP-1+' short-term rating to Ingham County's general obligation limited tax notes series 2011. They said the rating reflects the county's:
• History of strong property tax collections;
• Very strong general creditworthiness;
• Limited-tax GO pledge; and
• Strong liquidity, including unreserved assets held in its delinquent tax revolving fund and budget stabilization fund.
They said that Despite the pressure of a contracting tax base on Ingham County's primary revenue source--property taxes--its finances remain strong and stable due to sound management practices.
We also received a Land Bank Update from Treasurer Schertzing. He reports the following exciting news about redevelopment in Ingham County through the Land Bank:
1 - Fab Acres south of REO Town. Participating in clean-up with LNC and a large group of students on May 25th-27th. The Land Bank is hosting a dumpster and cost up to $750 from our Community Development dollars with HUD homes.
2 - Eden Glen Condos. All 8 Phase I condos closed. 3 Phase II condos have purchase agreements.
3 - NSP1 - 65 houses demolished. 1 more to go and NSP1 demo is done.
4 - Sold one renovated house on Laurie Lane and bought one mortgage foreclosed house on Center Street in Old Town last week.
5 - Meetings last week about Shopping Guide Building in Mason, Lone Pine Parcel at 496 and Washington, and two commercial adjacent lots in Lansing Township.
That's all for this week. Have a wonderful weekend!
Andy
Monday, April 11, 2011
PLA's, farmland preservation, WIC, elder abuse, foreclosure and Land Bank forums
This week was a less contentious week for the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. We had only one controversial resolution.
As you probably remember, if you are a faithful reader of my blog, that a few years ago the Ingham County Commission passed a new policy that would require county staff to utilize Project Labor Agreements. These are certain agreements that require a general contractor or manager to negotiate with the bidders to ensure certain conditions are met when county facilities of $100,000 or more are under construction. To date, we have only had three of these. The County Board this week passed a resolution in opposition to HB 4287 and SB 165, which are state laws that would prohibit local units of government from entering into PLA's. Ironically, though, private entities would still be free to use them (such as Sparrow hospital, who has used these for years).
Commissioner Deb Nolan spoke in support of the resolution, saying that the locals should be allowed to govern how they choose. She said that the Legislature was not respecting local control and that we should be able to create our own contracting policies how we want. Commissioner Vickers disagreed, saying that the local control shouldn't infringe on personal rights. Honestly, I have no idea what he is talking about. PLA's don't infringe on personal rights. But oh well. The resolution passed 10-4-1 (one commissioner abstained due to being an advocate against the bill in the Legislature for a client).
Otherwise, we passed several non-controversial resolutions. One would approve selection criteria for ranking landowner applications to the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board. This would be a scoring system. We will be looking at another resolution this week on the same concept, but that will ensure that taxpayer dollars are considered first and foremost in negotiations. We also passed a resolution to create a Women, Infant, Children (WIC) satellite office at the Grand River head start site of the Capital Area Community Services. Another resolution we passed would authorize a grant subcontract between the City of Lansing and Ingham County Prescuting Attorney's Office for the training and prosecution of elder abuse.
In other news, the Ingham County Treasurer has announced a series of Community Forums designed to provide information on the tax foreclosure process, the Ingham County Land Bank and property taxes. A short program on the work of the Treasurer’s office and the Ingham County Land Bank will feature City of Lansing Maps showing foreclosure activity and Land Bank projects as well as discussion of the current status and future of Community Gardening. The goal of the forum is to provide information and solicit public feedback. Light refreshments are provided.
Forums will be held from 7-9 p.m. on the following dates:
Wednesday, April 13th at Gone Wired 2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing 48912
(yes, we are a bit late for this one!)
Wednesday, April 27th at the Human Services Building “B” 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing
Wednesday, May 11th at South Side Community Center 5815 Wise Road, Lansing 48911
Have a great week!
As you probably remember, if you are a faithful reader of my blog, that a few years ago the Ingham County Commission passed a new policy that would require county staff to utilize Project Labor Agreements. These are certain agreements that require a general contractor or manager to negotiate with the bidders to ensure certain conditions are met when county facilities of $100,000 or more are under construction. To date, we have only had three of these. The County Board this week passed a resolution in opposition to HB 4287 and SB 165, which are state laws that would prohibit local units of government from entering into PLA's. Ironically, though, private entities would still be free to use them (such as Sparrow hospital, who has used these for years).
Commissioner Deb Nolan spoke in support of the resolution, saying that the locals should be allowed to govern how they choose. She said that the Legislature was not respecting local control and that we should be able to create our own contracting policies how we want. Commissioner Vickers disagreed, saying that the local control shouldn't infringe on personal rights. Honestly, I have no idea what he is talking about. PLA's don't infringe on personal rights. But oh well. The resolution passed 10-4-1 (one commissioner abstained due to being an advocate against the bill in the Legislature for a client).
Otherwise, we passed several non-controversial resolutions. One would approve selection criteria for ranking landowner applications to the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board. This would be a scoring system. We will be looking at another resolution this week on the same concept, but that will ensure that taxpayer dollars are considered first and foremost in negotiations. We also passed a resolution to create a Women, Infant, Children (WIC) satellite office at the Grand River head start site of the Capital Area Community Services. Another resolution we passed would authorize a grant subcontract between the City of Lansing and Ingham County Prescuting Attorney's Office for the training and prosecution of elder abuse.
In other news, the Ingham County Treasurer has announced a series of Community Forums designed to provide information on the tax foreclosure process, the Ingham County Land Bank and property taxes. A short program on the work of the Treasurer’s office and the Ingham County Land Bank will feature City of Lansing Maps showing foreclosure activity and Land Bank projects as well as discussion of the current status and future of Community Gardening. The goal of the forum is to provide information and solicit public feedback. Light refreshments are provided.
Forums will be held from 7-9 p.m. on the following dates:
Wednesday, April 13th at Gone Wired 2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing 48912
(yes, we are a bit late for this one!)
Wednesday, April 27th at the Human Services Building “B” 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing
Wednesday, May 11th at South Side Community Center 5815 Wise Road, Lansing 48911
Have a great week!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Road Commission, Drain Assessor, Parks Vending Machines, Zoo, Land Bank
This week we had a meeting of the full Board of Commissioners. We once again had issues with the road commission come up. Several employees attended the meeting to protest the allegations that have been made at the road commission. Commissioner Deb DeLeon informed them that the County Services will take up the issues at the road commission and listen to all points of view as we try to determine what is happening. As expected, the Board appointed Marc Thomas and Milton Scales to the two road commission spots.
We also hear from a gentleman who represented Michigan Open Carry, Incorporated. He indicated that he is against the library policy of prohibiting open carry and that it is against the law, and indicated a possibility of pending litigation. I assume he brought this to us because the Ingham County Commission appoints people to the Capital Area District Library Board.
For the items on the agenda, we once again considered the resolution to create a position in the Drain Commissioner’s office to do assessments for the drainage districts. I again mentioned that this was a matter of efficiency. We eliminated a 1/2 time position from the general fund, and the Drain Commissioner is funding a full-time position through the drainage districts which he says is a cast savings to taxpayers. The Republicans argued that this is reckless spending at the Drain office. The resolution passed 12-4.
We also unanimously passed a resolution authorizing a contract with the Dr. Pepper/Snapple group for vending machine service at all Ingham County parks. This project involved soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced vendors interested in entering into a contract with the County to provide beverage vending machines and product at the three county parks: Burchfield Park, Lake Lansing Park, and Hawk Island Park. The request for proposals included evaluations of many different options with respect to the placement of the vending machines, sponsoring options (e.g. banners, field signage, etc.), promotional incentives, advertisements, and commission/rebate options. The final contract includes a 40% commission on all product priced at $1.25, and no extra delivery fees for concession sales. The Dr.
Pepper proposal was the most financially advantageous proposal to the County. Dr. Pepper will also provide and place all equipment and vending machines, and repair and maintain the equipment and machines based on need or predetermined service intervals during the term of the 3-year agreement.
Yet another resolution that we passed unamimously amended the Potter Park Zoo Master plan by removing the Meerkat Exhibit due to a lack of available funding. The 20010 master plan is laid out by world regions with a new area focused on North American.
The master plan lists current projects as; the Rhinoceros exhibit, Meerkat exhibit and Eagle owl exhibit. The Eagle owl exhibit was completed in 2010 and the Rhinoceros exhibit will be completed in 2011. In 2010, $58,000 of the $100,000 of funding planned for the Meerkat exhibit renovation was transferred to the Rhinoceros exhibit. This leaves a balance of $42,000 in the Meerkat exhibit which is
insufficient to complete a renovation, without a significant fund raising campaign. In the new master plan the Meerkat exhibit is located in a new location. During the course of implementing the zoo master plan, constructing a new Meerkat exhibit which will be located in the Lake Tanganyika region, should be done when that region of the zoo is embarked upon. In 2011 the Potter Park Zoological Society will start a capital campaign that will concurrently seek financial support for phase one, Michigan Great Lakes, as well as phase two, the Animal Health Care and Teaching Facility. The Zoo Board and Parks & Recreation Commission supported the amendment
of the Potter Park Zoo Master Plan at their December 2010 meetings.
Finally, I would like to add in a report on economic development in Ingham County. The Land Bank reports that 2010 was another great year of growth for the Land Bank. We had 22 home sales and moved forward on a number of commercial redevelopments. At year end we owned 657 parcels, including 201 structures with demolition slated for 60. More renovation, new homes and demolition to follow! 2011 will be another big year as the Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding kicks into high gear. We have a dozen homes wrapping up renovation in the next 6 weeks. Please visit www.inghamlandbank.org for updates and homes for sale. Also, the Ingham County Brownfield Authority Land Bank/Brownfield Plans are one special funding source we bring to the table. We had a great bond sale this week for $2,685,000 at just under 4.65% interest cost on a 15 year issue.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
We also hear from a gentleman who represented Michigan Open Carry, Incorporated. He indicated that he is against the library policy of prohibiting open carry and that it is against the law, and indicated a possibility of pending litigation. I assume he brought this to us because the Ingham County Commission appoints people to the Capital Area District Library Board.
For the items on the agenda, we once again considered the resolution to create a position in the Drain Commissioner’s office to do assessments for the drainage districts. I again mentioned that this was a matter of efficiency. We eliminated a 1/2 time position from the general fund, and the Drain Commissioner is funding a full-time position through the drainage districts which he says is a cast savings to taxpayers. The Republicans argued that this is reckless spending at the Drain office. The resolution passed 12-4.
We also unanimously passed a resolution authorizing a contract with the Dr. Pepper/Snapple group for vending machine service at all Ingham County parks. This project involved soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced vendors interested in entering into a contract with the County to provide beverage vending machines and product at the three county parks: Burchfield Park, Lake Lansing Park, and Hawk Island Park. The request for proposals included evaluations of many different options with respect to the placement of the vending machines, sponsoring options (e.g. banners, field signage, etc.), promotional incentives, advertisements, and commission/rebate options. The final contract includes a 40% commission on all product priced at $1.25, and no extra delivery fees for concession sales. The Dr.
Pepper proposal was the most financially advantageous proposal to the County. Dr. Pepper will also provide and place all equipment and vending machines, and repair and maintain the equipment and machines based on need or predetermined service intervals during the term of the 3-year agreement.
Yet another resolution that we passed unamimously amended the Potter Park Zoo Master plan by removing the Meerkat Exhibit due to a lack of available funding. The 20010 master plan is laid out by world regions with a new area focused on North American.
The master plan lists current projects as; the Rhinoceros exhibit, Meerkat exhibit and Eagle owl exhibit. The Eagle owl exhibit was completed in 2010 and the Rhinoceros exhibit will be completed in 2011. In 2010, $58,000 of the $100,000 of funding planned for the Meerkat exhibit renovation was transferred to the Rhinoceros exhibit. This leaves a balance of $42,000 in the Meerkat exhibit which is
insufficient to complete a renovation, without a significant fund raising campaign. In the new master plan the Meerkat exhibit is located in a new location. During the course of implementing the zoo master plan, constructing a new Meerkat exhibit which will be located in the Lake Tanganyika region, should be done when that region of the zoo is embarked upon. In 2011 the Potter Park Zoological Society will start a capital campaign that will concurrently seek financial support for phase one, Michigan Great Lakes, as well as phase two, the Animal Health Care and Teaching Facility. The Zoo Board and Parks & Recreation Commission supported the amendment
of the Potter Park Zoo Master Plan at their December 2010 meetings.
Finally, I would like to add in a report on economic development in Ingham County. The Land Bank reports that 2010 was another great year of growth for the Land Bank. We had 22 home sales and moved forward on a number of commercial redevelopments. At year end we owned 657 parcels, including 201 structures with demolition slated for 60. More renovation, new homes and demolition to follow! 2011 will be another big year as the Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding kicks into high gear. We have a dozen homes wrapping up renovation in the next 6 weeks. Please visit www.inghamlandbank.org for updates and homes for sale. Also, the Ingham County Brownfield Authority Land Bank/Brownfield Plans are one special funding source we bring to the table. We had a great bond sale this week for $2,685,000 at just under 4.65% interest cost on a 15 year issue.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Friday, July 2, 2010
County Advertising, Health Department Restructuring, Land Bank Update, and Campaign Update
This week was relatively quiet in terms of issues for the Commission. There was some controversy on whether or not we should spend about $10,000 on yellow pages advertisements. While several of us were very uncomfortable with this expenditure, we were told that four departments (Health, Animal Control, Parks, and Clerk) advertise in the yellow pages. It seems that the Health Department advertises for their clinics, which is a public service and also brings in revenues to the county. The Clerk also advertises under "Passports" for passport photos and application processing. The Clerk collects over $60,000 per year in Passport photos and processing fees as compared to their advertising costs of $1740, so this may be a worthwhile expense.This expense will be approved this year, and we plan to look into all of these expenditures to ensure that there are efficiencies.
Another issue that is worth reporting on is the reorganization in the County Health Department. There have been some questions, so it is worth explaining what is going on. First, let me point out that our Health Department is nationally recognized as one of the best in the country. We are the model for other counties. The recent retirement of a Deputy Health Officer triggered a look into a realignment by our Health Department Director. The Director and the retiring Deputy Health Director both thought the county could save money if we didn't fill her position. In looking into a reorganization, the priorities for the Director (who is one of the best in the nation!) were to be sure that the Health Department is positioned for the future, to continue to work well with county labor, and to ensure any change is budget negative. The world of health care, and especially of Federally Qualified Health Center operations, is changing dramatically, and the Health Department Director believes we will be better positioned with this realignment. While the county could have hired someone to fill the deputy Health Officer position and no one would have complained, the County Health Director and the Board of Commissioners decided instead to be dynamic and flexible in this changing health care world. Instead of filling the position, it was eliminated and current employees received more responsibility and more pay to compensate for the added responsibilities. All unions were informed and supported the changes. Human resources vetted the positions and recommended the re-classifications. This saved the county close to $70,000 in General Fund.
Finally, an here is update on what the Land Bank has accomplished for Ingham County. Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing and the Land Bank Board have done a great job revitalizing properties in Ingham County. I previously served on this Board and saw first-hand the tremendous impact that the Land Bank has for the county. Ingham County is truly a leader in the Land Bank movement. Here are the highlights:
If you are interested in receiving monthly updates about Land Bank activities, you can email County Treasurer Eric Schertzing at eschertzing@ingham.org.
On the campaign trail, all is going VERY well. Response at doors has been exceptional with people supporting my record and agenda moving forward. People are not buying into the negative attacks of my opponent and are carefully reviewing the specifics of the materials provided to them from both candidates. Voters cast votes on the issues, and I have presented them with a past record and proactive agenda that they agree with. With 30 days to go, I am more and more optimistic that the voters won't be fooled by negative attacks and will vote based on the important Ingham County issues of today and the future. Thanks to all who have helped by contributing, knocking doors with me, putting up lawn signs, and everything else! We are in the home stretch!
Another issue that is worth reporting on is the reorganization in the County Health Department. There have been some questions, so it is worth explaining what is going on. First, let me point out that our Health Department is nationally recognized as one of the best in the country. We are the model for other counties. The recent retirement of a Deputy Health Officer triggered a look into a realignment by our Health Department Director. The Director and the retiring Deputy Health Director both thought the county could save money if we didn't fill her position. In looking into a reorganization, the priorities for the Director (who is one of the best in the nation!) were to be sure that the Health Department is positioned for the future, to continue to work well with county labor, and to ensure any change is budget negative. The world of health care, and especially of Federally Qualified Health Center operations, is changing dramatically, and the Health Department Director believes we will be better positioned with this realignment. While the county could have hired someone to fill the deputy Health Officer position and no one would have complained, the County Health Director and the Board of Commissioners decided instead to be dynamic and flexible in this changing health care world. Instead of filling the position, it was eliminated and current employees received more responsibility and more pay to compensate for the added responsibilities. All unions were informed and supported the changes. Human resources vetted the positions and recommended the re-classifications. This saved the county close to $70,000 in General Fund.
Finally, an here is update on what the Land Bank has accomplished for Ingham County. Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing and the Land Bank Board have done a great job revitalizing properties in Ingham County. I previously served on this Board and saw first-hand the tremendous impact that the Land Bank has for the county. Ingham County is truly a leader in the Land Bank movement. Here are the highlights:
- The Ingham County Land Bank Board accepted a proposal from Kincaid Henry to redevelop a commercial property at 934 Clark. The due diligence process will take place over the next few months. This is the 2nd major commercial redevelopment proposal in discussion this year.They have also updated their listing of high quality, energy efficient homes can be found at www.inghamlandbank.org. Click on the featured property link for pictures.
- The 5th Annual Land Bank Conference in early June brought over 200 folks from around Michigan to learn more about Land Banks and see our beautiful Capital City.
- The Land Bank is sponsoring a 2 week window restoration training with the Michigan Historic Preservation Network. Selected applicants will finish the class with the training and tools to start a business in mid-Michigan.
- The 2010 tax foreclosure auction will take place on July 23rd at 10 a.m. in the Board of Commissioners Chamber in Mason. Registration begins at 9 a.m. A Land Bank auction will follow at approximately 11 a.m. The auction list and rules will be posted on the treasurer's web sit after the holiday.
If you are interested in receiving monthly updates about Land Bank activities, you can email County Treasurer Eric Schertzing at eschertzing@ingham.org.
On the campaign trail, all is going VERY well. Response at doors has been exceptional with people supporting my record and agenda moving forward. People are not buying into the negative attacks of my opponent and are carefully reviewing the specifics of the materials provided to them from both candidates. Voters cast votes on the issues, and I have presented them with a past record and proactive agenda that they agree with. With 30 days to go, I am more and more optimistic that the voters won't be fooled by negative attacks and will vote based on the important Ingham County issues of today and the future. Thanks to all who have helped by contributing, knocking doors with me, putting up lawn signs, and everything else! We are in the home stretch!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Land Bank, Beer Tent at Fair, and 0% Pay Increase for Commissioners (as promised!)
The County Services and Finance committees this week took up a resolution moving properties to the Ingham County Land Bank. Several of these were in my district so I took particular notice of them. This is a good time to talk about the Land Bank and how it works. When properties are foreclosed, the county and the city have a chance to use them for public use. If they don’t the properties go to sale at auction. If no one buys them, the county sells them to the Land Bank, which is a relatively new tool (created in the last 10 years or so). The Land Bank has money in a revolving loan fund that they spend to acquire the property then fix it up and sell it at fair market value. They also have received a significant amount of federal dollars (a few million) for properties in the City of Lansing. In essence, they rehab existing properties using economic development tools (Brownfield, etc) and cash on hand. This is exceptionally useful in urban areas as there are tons of foreclosed and vacant properties (but is also great in rural areas for fixing properties). The Land Bank puts those properties back on the tax rolls. Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing is a leader in the Land Bank community and is a pioneer in redevelopment. I served on the Land Bank and witnessed first-hand the exceptional things they do. The resolution we passed this week will allow the Land Bank to rehab several properties and get them back on the tax rolls. I am a proud supporter of that effort!
The Fair Board sent the Board of Commissioners a resolution asking us to create a beer tent at the annual Ingham County Fair. As I have mentioned before, the Fair is self-sustaining and takes no general fund dollars. They have had problems actually being self-sustaining in recent years and this is one revenue generating measure they recommended to us. They anticipated that two volunteer groups would work the tent and will be recruited and trained by the distributor. These volunteer groups would be required to carry liability insurance. The hours of operation would be limited to Monday – Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. with service stopped at 11:00 p.m.; and Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. with service stopped at 11:00 p.m. A conservative estimate is that the net revenue generated from the adult refreshment tent would be $12,000 - $15,000 and would be split 50/50 by the fair and the volunteer group(s). The Sheriff is supportive if there is an officer at the gate of the tent. The tent will be located in the Midway area, on the north side of the grandstand. This area will be fenced and admittance will be limited to adults 21 years and older. This will allow adults to sit and observe the Grand stand events from the refreshment area. No one will be permitted to leave the fenced area with a beverage. Beer, malt liquor, and wine will be the only alcohol served. Pricing will not be discounted below industry standards. Individuals will only be able to purchase two drinks at a time. Licensee for the tent will be 501C (3) non-profit group/s. Six other Michigan fairs have beer tents and have not had problems. A woman from Bunker Hill Township representing the 4-H (I can't remember her name) opposed this resolution with concern that children will get alcohol. I supported this resolution with the safeguards outlined (security, seperate area, age requirements, etc.). The resolution was defeated 3-3 in County Services. There are indications, though, that this will be brought up as a personal resolution on the Boad floor, so the full Board will vote on this on Tuesday.
The County Services and Finance Committees passed a resolution setting Commissioner pay for the 2011 and 2012 years. We always set them a term in advance. We passed compensation that is the same as the current year, with no payraise. I have been adamant that Commissioners should not receive pay raises when employees don't receive them. We work hard, but so do our employees and everyone needs to sacrifice. We should not take pay raises if county employees are not. In fact, last year I voted to eliminate the 2009 payraise and reduce the 2010 payraise. Because I don't think Commissioners should be receiving a payraise in 2010, I contributed mine back to the county to go towards necessary county services. Commissioner Grebner will argue that Commissioners should have payraises, and he will make that passionate argument on Tuesday at our full Board meeting. I will report on that next week!
We also started to deal with Rayner Park. The County closed the Park last year and now is in the process of trying to give it to the City of Mason. But, as always, issues have arisen. We are working through those and I expect this to be cleared up soon. This blog is long enough already, so stay tuned and I will give more on the background of this issue in a future blog.
On the political front, the campaign continues to go well. I have talked to many voters who think I am doing a good job and who are unhappy with the negative campaign of my opponent. In an email to county Democratic party members, he made many of the same negative allegations against all of the County Commissioners and again failed to list any issues he wants to advocate for. I also found out that he lied to the Military Order of the Purple Heart about my vote on funding for them. I supported funding for them two years in a row, and he is saying that I opposed it. He is also saying that I am moving out of the district in two years. Where am I going? This was news to me! Thanks to my supporters who told me about both of these falsifications that he is spreading. Should be an interesting 60 days until the election. If you want a lawn sign or want to assist in some other way, please email me at aschor@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
Andy
The Fair Board sent the Board of Commissioners a resolution asking us to create a beer tent at the annual Ingham County Fair. As I have mentioned before, the Fair is self-sustaining and takes no general fund dollars. They have had problems actually being self-sustaining in recent years and this is one revenue generating measure they recommended to us. They anticipated that two volunteer groups would work the tent and will be recruited and trained by the distributor. These volunteer groups would be required to carry liability insurance. The hours of operation would be limited to Monday – Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. with service stopped at 11:00 p.m.; and Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. with service stopped at 11:00 p.m. A conservative estimate is that the net revenue generated from the adult refreshment tent would be $12,000 - $15,000 and would be split 50/50 by the fair and the volunteer group(s). The Sheriff is supportive if there is an officer at the gate of the tent. The tent will be located in the Midway area, on the north side of the grandstand. This area will be fenced and admittance will be limited to adults 21 years and older. This will allow adults to sit and observe the Grand stand events from the refreshment area. No one will be permitted to leave the fenced area with a beverage. Beer, malt liquor, and wine will be the only alcohol served. Pricing will not be discounted below industry standards. Individuals will only be able to purchase two drinks at a time. Licensee for the tent will be 501C (3) non-profit group/s. Six other Michigan fairs have beer tents and have not had problems. A woman from Bunker Hill Township representing the 4-H (I can't remember her name) opposed this resolution with concern that children will get alcohol. I supported this resolution with the safeguards outlined (security, seperate area, age requirements, etc.). The resolution was defeated 3-3 in County Services. There are indications, though, that this will be brought up as a personal resolution on the Boad floor, so the full Board will vote on this on Tuesday.
The County Services and Finance Committees passed a resolution setting Commissioner pay for the 2011 and 2012 years. We always set them a term in advance. We passed compensation that is the same as the current year, with no payraise. I have been adamant that Commissioners should not receive pay raises when employees don't receive them. We work hard, but so do our employees and everyone needs to sacrifice. We should not take pay raises if county employees are not. In fact, last year I voted to eliminate the 2009 payraise and reduce the 2010 payraise. Because I don't think Commissioners should be receiving a payraise in 2010, I contributed mine back to the county to go towards necessary county services. Commissioner Grebner will argue that Commissioners should have payraises, and he will make that passionate argument on Tuesday at our full Board meeting. I will report on that next week!
We also started to deal with Rayner Park. The County closed the Park last year and now is in the process of trying to give it to the City of Mason. But, as always, issues have arisen. We are working through those and I expect this to be cleared up soon. This blog is long enough already, so stay tuned and I will give more on the background of this issue in a future blog.
On the political front, the campaign continues to go well. I have talked to many voters who think I am doing a good job and who are unhappy with the negative campaign of my opponent. In an email to county Democratic party members, he made many of the same negative allegations against all of the County Commissioners and again failed to list any issues he wants to advocate for. I also found out that he lied to the Military Order of the Purple Heart about my vote on funding for them. I supported funding for them two years in a row, and he is saying that I opposed it. He is also saying that I am moving out of the district in two years. Where am I going? This was news to me! Thanks to my supporters who told me about both of these falsifications that he is spreading. Should be an interesting 60 days until the election. If you want a lawn sign or want to assist in some other way, please email me at aschor@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
Andy
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