1000 Rochester Hills Dr

Rochester Hills, MI 48309

(248) 656-4600

Home Page:  www.rochesterhills.org

Chairperson Gerald Carvey, Vice Chairperson Dahlvin Peterson

Members:  Thomas Dohr, Luke Fleer, Tim Gauthier, Richard Graham, Jayson Graves, Sandra Niks, Samantha Phillips

Council Member Adam Kochenderfer

Youth Representatives: Shreya Reddy, Taylor Thorpe

Chairperson Carvey called the Green Space Advisory Board meeting to order at 6:59 p.m.

Gerald Carvey, Tim Gauthier, Richard Graham, Sandra Niks and Dahlvin Peterson

Non-Voting Members Present:  Kurt Dawson, Mike Hartner, Adam Kochenderfer (arrived 7:07 PM), and Taylor Thorpe

Non-Voting Members Absent:  Shreya Reddy

Others Present:  None

Committee Members Dohr, Fleer, Graves, Phillips and Reddy provided previous notice they would be unable to attend and asked to be excused.

Regular Meeting - May 27, 2014

Attachments:

A motion was made by Peterson, seconded by Niks, that this matter be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote:

Resolved that the Green Space Advisory Board hereby approves the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 27, 2014 as presented.

Chairperson Carvey distributed an updated internal contact list.

Chairperson Carvey acknowledged there were no members of the public present.

GSAB Administrative & Strategic Sub-Committee

No report at this time.

GSAB Communication, Promotion & Education Sub-Committee

No report at this time.

GSAB Property Nominations & Acquisitions Sub-Committee

No report at this time.

GSAB Stewardship & Advocacy Sub-Committee

No report at this time.

Discuss Stewardship Management Plan

[Council Representative Kochendorfer entered at 7:07 PM]

Evaluate draft score sheet

Chairperson Carvey noted that board members had walked the Harding Road parcel to test and evaluate the draft score sheet and discuss their results at this meeting.  Much discussion ensued regarding each category on the score sheet.  A challenge seemed to center around whether the scoring points should be a high value to indicate a greater need to address the parcel.  The following was highlighted:

*  How to use the value factor with the option of a weight/multiplier factor to give more scoring points where warranted. 

*  The score sheet is merely one tool and intended to help prioritize, in general terms, which parcel should be addressed first.

*  The hired consultant will assist GSAB to set priorities and develop a management plan along with associated costs.  Green Space parcels will be addressed first.

*  The public may look to GSAB for knowledge about open space parcels within the community.

Board members suggested changes to the draft score sheet.  Staff will update the changes and provide another draft score sheet for review at the next Green Space meeting.

Discuss initial funding of the Green Space Perpetual Care Trust

Attachments:

Chairperson Carvey explained the draft resolution provided by the City's Finance Director is for GSAB to recommend to City Council the initial fund amount to be placed in the Green Space Perpetual Care Trust.  Mr. Mike Hartner, Director of Parks & Forestry commented that the trust paperwork has been submitted to the IRS for approval.  However, the approval could take several months.  He advised that careful thought should be given to the initial amount placed in trust.  Additional amounts can always be added.   Consideration should also be given to the costs of hiring a consultant and developing a stewardship management plan and any potential future open space acquisitions.  

Mr. Kurt Dawson, City Assessor/Treasurer commented that the Green Space Millage Fund will have almost an $8 million balance after the 2014 tax collection.  Members discussed various scenarios and what would be a comfortable starting balance.  The consensus was to recommend placing an initial amount of $4 million in trust.

A motion was made by Peterson, seconded by Graham, that this matter be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote:

Whereas, in September of 2005, Rochester Hills’ residents passed a 0.3 mill 10-year millage to acquire and preserve natural green space in the community, and

Whereas, Rochester Hills City Council created a special revenue fund for these

assets and established a nine member Green Space Advisory Board to develop strategies and make recommendations regarding the expenditure of the millage funds, and

Whereas, in November of 2013, Rochester Hills residents voted to approve revising the permissible use of the tax revenues derived from the millage, so that the tax revenues may also be used for the stewardship of the green space properties, which includes the protection, care and maintenance of, and to improve pedestrian accessibility to and within the green spaces properties owned, acquired or controlled by the City, and

Whereas, the Green Space Advisory Board believes that stewardship responsibilities for Green Space defined properties should be an on going process lasting for many generations into the future, and

Whereas, the Green Space Advisory Board believes that using the newly created Green Space Perpetual Care Trust to provide a perpetual funding source for stewardship activities for Green Space defined properties into the future, and

Now, Therefore, the Green Space Advisory Board is recommending that an initial deposit into the Green Space Perpetual Care Trust in the amount of $4,000,000 (four million dollars) be considered so that earnings from the Green Space Perpetual Care Trust will provide a long-term funding source for multi generational stewardship activities, and

Be It Resolved, the Green Space Advisory Board supports and recommends that the Mayor place, in his proposed 2015 Budget, that will be presented to City Council at its first meeting in August, $4,000,000 (four million dollars) representing the initial funding of the Green Space Perpetual Care Trust.

None at this time.

- Tuesday, August 26, 2014 - 7:00 p.m.

There being no further business to discuss, Chairperson Carvey adjourned the meeting at 8:33 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Denise Mertz.

Minutes were approved as presented at the September 23, 2014 Regular Green 

Space Advisory Board Meeting.

______________________________

Gerald Carvey, Chairperson