SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NOVI

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1995 AT 7:30 p.m. EDT

COUNCIL CHAMBERS - NOVI CIVIC CENTER - 45175 W. TEN MILE ROAD

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. with Mayor McLallen presiding.

 

 

 

ROLL CALL: Council Members Crawford (present), Mason (present), Mitzel (present), Pope (absent/excused), Schmid (present), Toth

(present) and Mayor McLallen (present)

 

Present (6) Absent (1-Pope)

 

 

PURPOSE OF SPECIAL MEETING

 

The following candidates were present and interviewed by Council for appointments to Taft Road Extension Route Determination Committee, Police and Fire Needs Committee and the Planning Commission.

 

Martha Hoyer Taft Road Extension

Joseph Sutschek Taft Road Extension

William Barnard Police & Fire Needs

Andrew Dempsey Police & Fire Needs

Kevin Crain Police & Fire Needs

Donald Shaffer Police & Fire Needs

Lori Harris Police & Fire Needs

Arthur Vrettas Planning Commission

Peter Hoadley Planning Commission

Robert Taub Planning Commission

Michael Watza Police & Fire Needs

John Alban Police & Fire Needs

Gary Elfner Police & Fire Needs

Eugene Yzquierdo Police & Fire Needs

 

 

Two candidates John Chambers and Gary Kelber could not make the interview session and Mayor McLallen suggested they be asked to interview on June 1.

 

Councilman Schmid asked if there was any conflict putting people on boards who were employed by or paid on call by the City. He felt it bordered on being a very serious conflict.

 

Councilwoman Mason said she felt very uncomfortable with Councilman Schmid's comments because she felt he was attacking the people who were paid on call and she was embarrassed. She said they hold a full time job, their paid on call, their volunteers and she was uncomfortable. She felt that interviews were to find out what the candidates knew, their position and not to tell them Council's position or what was expected of them.

 

Councilman Mitzel said Councilman Schmid raised an interesting technical question and he remembered that the City Charter said they couldn't run for Council.

 

Councilman Schmid said he would have a problem voting for those that are paid on call by the City for the Police & Fire Needs Committee. He thought it would put them in a tough position.

 

Councilman Crawford said he agreed to a certain extent but was not as strong about it as Councilman Schmid. He would not want to see several members who were employees on that commission but thought there was a benefit to having one or two because they might bring a perspective to that committee that other people couldn't.

He said Council might take that into consideration that perhaps one or two might bring something to the committee. He said if there were four paid on call fire people on a seven member committee that would be more than he would want to put on there.

 

Councilman Toth didn't want to get into a discussion on the validity. He suggested that if Council felt strongly enough about it Council should get an attorney's opinion on it.

 

Mayor McLallen asked if the Council was comfortable with setting the remaining interviews for June 1 after the City Clerk interviews. She said this was the deadline for them to be interviewed, they were unable to meet the deadline. She said Council did have the information and may actually know these people and Council could consider them. She said if the Council felt that was sufficient and there was a majority feeling that way Council would not hold another interview.

 

Councilman Crawford said that before Council relied strictly on their applications he suggested that Mr. Chambers and Mr. Kelber be contacted and if they want an interview it should be scheduled. He said if they can't interview then Council could rely on their applications.

 

Councilwoman Mason said there had already been 2 interview sessions set up.

 

Councilman Crawford felt that Council should always afford everyone a chance to interview if they really want to.

 

Councilman Toth suggested, since there were only two people, that they be on the agenda, after the City Clerk interviews, June 1 at 7:30 p.m.

 

Council agreed the interviews would be June 1 at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

OTHER MATTERS FOR COUNCIL ACTION

 

1. Schedule executive session for Tuesday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss pending litigation and property acquisition.

 

It was then,

 

Moved by Councilwoman Mason

Seconded by Councilman Crawford

 

That an executive session be scheduled for Tuesday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss pending litigation and property acquisition.

 

Yes (5-Mason, Toth, No (1-Crawford) Absent (1-Pope)

McLallen,

Schmid, Mitzel) Motion carried

 

Councilman Toth advised Council to read the Elected Officials Guide to Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention, which was copied and put in Council packets, before Tuesday's meeting. He said there were good points in there and he would like to, at a future meeting, go into depth on some of these areas.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no other business to come before Council the meeting was adjourned at 10:20 p.m.

 

 

 

 

MAYOR

 

 

 

CITY CLERK

 

 

 

Date approved: