The
regular
meeting
of the
Ensley
Township
Board
was
called
to order
at 8:00
PM by
Supervisor
Starr.
The
meeting
was
opened
with the
Pledge
of
Allegiance
to the
Flag and
a
Prayer.
Board
members
present
were
Phillip
Starr,
Cynthia
Harwood,
Faye
Folkema,
Brenda
Bird,
and John
VanderMeulen.
There
were
eleven
guests
in
attendance.
Minutes
of
Previous
Meeting:
There
was a
motion
by
VanderMeulen/Folkema
to
approve
the
Minutes
of
December
2,
2008.
All
affirmed.
Treasurers
Report:
General
$257,293.67
CD #1
General
30,000.00
Checking
1,603.91
Roads
92,597.38
Total
$381,494.96
Receipts
#4956-4982
were
used
totaling
$39,465.20.
There
was a
motion
by
VanderMeulen/Bird
to
accept
the
treasurer’s
report.
All
affirmed.
Motion
carried.
Deputy
Treasurer
is now
Jackie
VanDyken.
There
was a
motion
by
Harwood/VanderMeulen
to
remove
Fred
Folkema’s
name and
add
Jackie
VanDyken’s
name to
the
township
accounts.
All
ayes,
motion
carried.
Building
Inspector:
There
were no
building
permits
and
there
was one
electrical
permit.
Mr.
Boluyt
made a
six year
graph
showing
the
decline
in
building
and
electrical
permits
for the
township.
Building
permits
were
down 52%
and
electrical
permits
were
down 39%
for the
last
year.
Zoning
Administrator:
There
were no
zoning
compliances
for the
month.
Supervisor’s
Report:
Mr.
Starr
reported
that he
attended
an MTA
Conference
and a
Wind
Energy
Conference.
He
reported
a tree
down at
N.
Ensley
Cemetery
and two
headstones
turned
over
with one
being
broken.
Mr.
Butler
(sexton)
will
clean
this up
then the
weather
is
better.
Starr
also
reported
that Ed
Holtzlander
is the
new fire
chief.
Public
Comment:
8:28 –
8:35
PM.
Joseph
Marckini
from
Cedar
Springs
Public
School
board
encouraged
the
Board to
pass a
resolution
to
support
public
education.
Motion
by
VanderMeulen/Folkema
to
individually
approve
this
resolution.
Roll
call
vote
where
all
voted
aye.
New
Business:
1.
Budget
Workshop
Date:
The
Budget
Workshop
will be
January
19, 2009
at 7:00
PM.
2.
Newsletter:
Work is
starting
to get
one out.
3.
Township
Clean-Up
Day:
Starr
will
contact
J&S to
set this
up.
4.
Dog
Clinic:
Motion
by
VanderMeulen/Folkema
to have
the
clinic
on
February
21. The
second
choice
is
February
28.
Folkema
will set
this up
with the
County.
All
ayes.
Motion
carried.
5.
Pilgrim
Run
Liquor
License:
Mr. Hall
informed
the
Board of
the need
for an
ordinance.
He
recommends
that we
read the
one he
gave us
and get
back to
him with
questions.
We will
discuss
this
next
month.
6.
Planning
Commission
Ordinance:
There
was a
motion
by
VanderMeulen/Harwood
to adopt
Ordinance
09-01.
Roll
call
vote:
all
voted
aye.
Ordinance
adopted.
Unfinished
Business:
None
Bills:
Checks
#11149-11173
were
used
totaling
$30,214.75.
The
General
Fund was
$9,975.77,
the
Building
Inspection
Fund was
$154.42,
and the
Road
Fund was
$20,084.56.
There
was a
motion
by
VanderMeulen/Bird
to pay
the
bills.
All
ayes.
Motion
carried.
Correspondence:
Public
Comment:
9:25 to
9:35 PM.
Closed
Session:
E.S. &
G.
Lawsuit.
There
was a
motion
by Starr
to close
the open
session
and open
the
closed
session.
Folkema
left the
building.
This was
supported
by
VanderMeulen.
Roll
call
vote
where
all
voted
aye
(Folkema
was
absent).
There
was
discussion
of the
attorney’s
letter.
VanderMeulen/Harwood
moved to
close
the
closed
session
and open
the open
session.
All
voted
aye in a
roll
call
vote
(Folkema
was
absent).
There
was a
motion
by
VanderMeulen/Harwood
to cease
settlement
negotiation
and take
the
attorney’s
recommendation
in his
letter
of
January
2,
2009.
Roll
call
vote:
VanderMeulen,
Bird,
Harwood,
and
Starr
voted
aye.
Folkema
was
absent.
Motion
passed.
Adjourn:
There
was a
motion
to
adjourn
at
9:59PM.
Submitted
by,
________________________
Cynthia
Harwood,
Clerk
