Summary
The Suttons Bay Township Board met on February 14, 2024, with Supervisor Doug Periard presiding; Trustee Debbie Slocombe was absent and excused. The board approved prior minutes (with an amendment to the December 13, 2023 minutes to include an omitted motion approving the Short Term Rental Ordinance), paid January bills, approved a website maintenance contract, adopted the County Hazard Mitigation Plan, set 2024 elected officials' salaries, appointed a new Parks and Recreation Committee member, and hired a planning firm to review the Zoning Ordinance.
Public Comments
No public comments were made during either public comment period at this meeting.
Parks and Recreation Matters
The Parks & Recreation Committee reported discussions on a new Park & Rec Supervisor role, next year's budget (with a workshop date still to be determined), and completion of repairs at Herman Park, including Tennis Courts 1 & 2 and the Pavilion. Two items—fencing on the pickleball courts and the walkway to the dog parks—remain open pending possible required engineering work. Trustee Carlson made a motion, seconded by Petroskey, to elect Bill Sterritt to the Parks and Recreation Committee for a three-year term (February 2024–February 2027); the motion passed. Petroskey also noted the "Friends of Herman Park" website, now used for court reservations, as a Township asset.
Other Business
Brendan Mullane of the County Road Commission is scheduled to present the Paser Report at a future meeting (date TBD). Supervisor Periard reported consulting an attorney regarding the process for reviewing the Parks Steward/Maintenance position; Periard and Carlson will schedule a date to discuss hiring for that role. The Fire Authority worked on its 2024–2025 budget at a February 12, 2024 meeting, per Treasurer Petroskey. Board members noted the Michigan Township Association (MTA) training in Acme in April, with Petroskey encouraging trustees to register early for discounted rates. A Budget Workshop was scheduled for Monday, February 19, 2024, at noon at the Township offices.
Financial Summary
- January 2024 bills of $21,398.81 were approved (motion by Periard, 2nd Petroskey).
- Website maintenance contract approved at $4.99/month (upgraded from a lower plan; domain via GoDaddy costs $34/year).
- 2024 salary resolutions reflecting a 3.2% inflation-based increase: Supervisor $20,100.96 plus pension (Resolution #2); Clerk $32,044.80 plus pension (Resolution #3); Treasurer $32,044.80 plus pension (Resolution #4); two Trustees at $1,729.63 plus pension each (Resolutions #5 and #6). Petroskey proposed raising the Clerk's salary to match the Treasurer's (a $405.75 difference); Periard agreed, and the Clerk's salary was set equal to the Treasurer's under Resolution #4.
- Giffels Webster retained for zoning ordinance review/audit, not to exceed $4,950.00 (motion by Carlson, 2nd Petroskey, all ayes).
Action Items
- Periard and Carlson to set a date to discuss hiring and defining the Park Steward/Maintenance role.
- Budget workshop date for Parks & Recreation to be determined.
- Township Budget Workshop scheduled for February 19, 2024, 12:00 PM.
- Brendan Mullane to present the Paser Report at a future board meeting (date TBD).
- Clerk and/or Supervisor to sign agreement with Giffels Webster for zoning ordinance review.