Politics & Government

Berkley Praises Volunteers, OKs Funding, Considers Amending Codes

The City Council will follow up on Environmental Advisory Committee ordinance, business licensing proposal at next meeting.

Volunteers were at the top of the agenda Monday night at during the Berkley City Council meeting.

Before addressing administrative and policy issues, the council honored several volunteers recently recognized by the state of Michigan and approved a Beautification Advisory Committee appointment.

Here's a roundup of Monday night's meeting.

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Volunteers honored

The City Council recognized several Berkley volunteers who recently received Michigan Recreation & Park Association awards, including:

  • Tom Cusick, who received the 2010 Margaret Whitehead Senior of the Year Award for Leadership for his work with the Parks & Recreation Department exercise group, his role in helping the city provide smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to seniors and his delivery of Meals on Wheels to those in need.
  • Bob LaFountain, who received the 2010 Youth Sports Volunteer of the Year Award for his decades of service with the Berkley Dads' Club, his role in the Parks & Recreation Department's recycling campaign at city parks and his role in the city's first WinterFest celebration.
  • Karen Koerber and her partner/daughter Brooke Holman of , who received the 2010 Community Service Award for their contributions to the city's parks and ice arena, hosting an annual holiday party for seniors and their ongoing work with community organizations.

After the volunteers were recognized, the council also approved Lydia Rener's appointment to the Beautification Advisory Committee with a term to end July 2013. Mayor Marilyn Stephan thanked Rener for volunteering for the position.

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Taking care of business

In more good news for the Parks & Recreation Department, the council authorized a sponsorship. Under the agreement, the credit union will receive a full-page ad in the Berkley Buzz and have its logo placed on 2011 summer camp T-shirts; Parks & Rec will receive $2,500, which will be used for programming.

Telcom is an "outstanding company that has been working with Berkley for a long time," City Manager Jane Bais-DiSessa said.

The council also authorized a grant contract with the Metro Detroit Amateur Softball Association that will provide a reimbursement of up to $2,000 for the replacement of netting at ball fields.

The netting "will help keep (nearby) Berkley homes safe," Parks & Recreation Manager Tom Colwell said.

Wrapping up loose ends

The city took one step closer Monday to establishing a permanent Environmental Advisory Committee when council members passed the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the city code.

The new committee will "promote educating the public and enviornmental stewardship (and) ... act as a fact finder and adviser to the City Council and City Manager," the ordinance says. The committee will not incur any expenses without approval from the city manager, according to the amendment.

A second reading of the ordinance will be conducted at the council's next meeting on April 18.

The council also briefly discussed, during a work session, amending a portion of city code that deals with business licensing. The amendment comes after much discussion by the Berkley City Council about how to address the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, which passed in 2008. The law conflicts with federal regulations and potentially leaves cities vulnerable to legal action.

Berkley has a temporary moratorium on permits for medical marijuana facilities in place.

"The basic premise (of the amendment) is ... the city of Berkley will not issue a business license to a business that is in violation of federal law," Bais-DiSessa explained.

Councilman Daniel Benton, a staunch opponent of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, voiced his satisfaction with the proposed amendment.

"We didn't want to see Berkley lose control over large grow areas or dispensaries," he said.

City Attorney Dale Schneider clarified that the rule does not apply solely to medical marijuana-related businesses. "It applies to anything that is in violation of federal or state law," he said.

The ordinance will appear on the council's next meeting agenda for consideration.

Following the shorter-than-usual meeting, the council recessed into closed session to discuss the city manager's annual evaluation.

Councilwoman Lisa Platt Auensen was not in attendance Monday night due to previously scheduled time off.

 


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