CITY OF GARDEN CITY
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
July 11, 2016
The Mayor and Council of the City of Garden City met in Regular Session on Monday, July 11,
2016, at 7:00p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Civic Center, 6000 Middlebelt, Garden City,
Michigan.
REGULAR MEETING
Present were Mayor Walker, Councilmembers Squires, Kerwin, Lynch, King, McKarge, and
Jacobs.
Also present were City Manager Muery, Clerk Treasurer Bettis, City Attorney Mullinix, and Fire
Chief Harman.
 Item #16-07-120 - Moved by Lynch; supported by Squires:
RESOLVED: To approve the meeting agenda, as presented.
AYES:
Unanimous
ABSENT:
None.
Community Announcements, Comments from State & County Officials, and Petitions &
Communications

Wayne County Commissioner Glen Anderson discussed the upcoming parks millage vote and
mentioned his candidacy.
 Item #16-07-121 - Moved by Lynch; supported by King:
RESOLVED: To approve the consent agenda, as follows:
1.
2.
AYES:
ABSENT:
Approve Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of June 20, 2016
Receive, note, and file the investment report for the quarter ending June 30, 2016
Unanimous
None.
The following items were discussed by Council as a whole:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Supplemental Appropriation – Drunk Driving Caseflow Assistance
Rescission of Traffic Control Orders
2016-2018 Neighborhood Stabilization Program
Proposed Charter Amendments
a. Mayoral Term of Office
b. Councilmember Term of Office
 Item #16-07-122 - Moved by Squires; supported by McKarge:
RESOLVED:
To approve the following supplemental appropriation recognizing revenues for Drunk Driving
Caseflow Assistance; increasing revenues and expenditures in the amount of $10,000.00.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION
Ordinance No. A15-008
WHEREAS, the City Manager has certified that there is available for appropriation, monies in excess of
those in the current budget, and
WHEREAS, additional monies are needed in various accounts, and
WHEREAS, Section 5.03 of the City Charter exempts ordinances dealing with the budget, appropriations,
and the levy of taxes from the requirements of other legislative enactments, and
WHEREAS, these specific enactments under Section 6.09(A) are not permanent in nature and need not be
compiled in the City Code:
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED, that the City Council of the City of Garden City hereby adopts the
following form for this supplemental appropriation and also for the passage of those ordinances exempt
from the requirements of Section 5.03 of the City Charter:
THE CITY COUNCIL OF GARDEN CITY HEREBY ORDAINS:
The FY16/17 budget is hereby supplemented by appropriating the amount of $10,000.00 and authorizing
the expenditure of that money in the following departments, office and agencies listed:
ACCOUNT#
ACCOUNT NAME
Revenue:
101-655-371.000
Decrease Fund Balance - Court
$ 10,000.00
Expenditure
101-136-956.200
DD Caseflow Assistance
$
AYES:
ABSENT:
AMOUNT
10,000.00
Unanimous.
None.
 Item #16-07-123 - Moved by Lynch; supported by Kerwin:
RESOLVED:
To rescind Traffic Control Orders #305 and #391 after an engineering and traffic study determined
them to be obsolete and no longer reasonable.
AYES:
ABSENT:
Unanimous.
None.
 Item #16-07-124 - Moved by Squires; supported by King:
RESOLVED:
To approve the selection of Enterprising Real Estate and JSR Funding, LLC as qualified
participants in the 2016-2018 Neighborhood Stabilization Program; to authorize the City Manager
to exercise our right to purchase selected available commercial and residential properties for a public
purpose in accordance with MCL 211.78m (1); and to authorize the City Manager to execute all
documents necessary to acquire and convey the selected properties from funds received by the above
participants.
AYES:
Unanimous.
ABSENT:
None.
 Item #16-07-125 - Moved by King; supported by Kerwin:
RESOLVED:
To approve the following resolution authorizing the submission of the proposed ballot language to
amend Section 2.03 of the Charter of the City of Garden City to the electorate, and authorize all
activities necessary to place said proposal on the November 8, 2016 ballot.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the City of Garden City has determined that the term of the Mayor should be at least
equal to the longest term of a Councilmember which is 4 years;
WHEREAS, a 4 year mayoral term would provide consistency with like terms in surrounding
municipalities;
WHEREAS, mayoral vacancy charter provisions should also be amended;
WHEREAS, section 21(1) of the Home Rule City Act (HRCA), MCL 117.21(1), authorizes a city
council to adopt a resolution proposing to amend the city charter by a three-fifths vote of its members-elect,
and
WHEREAS, the resolution proposing to amend the city charter must set forth the exact wording of
the proposed amendment[s] to be submitted to the city voters for approval at a regular election, and
WHEREAS, the resolution must set forth the ballot language for the proposed charter
amendment[s] and comply with section 21(2) of the HRCA, MCL 117.21(2), which requires that the ballot
language for the submission to the city voters of each proposed amendment, including any separate
statement of purpose, shall be limited to 100 words, exclusive of caption, shall be a fair and impartial
statement of the purpose of the amendment, and shall not create prejudice for or against the proposed
amendment,
WHEREAS, the current Charter Section 2.03 reads as follows:
SECTION 2.03 THE MAYOR.
At each regular election, a Mayor, who shall be the chief executive officer of the city, shall
be elected for a term of two years. He shall have an equal voice and vote in the proceedings
of the Council, but shall have no veto power. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the
Council, shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes,
and by the governor for purposes of military law, but shall have no administrative duties.
The Council member receiving the highest number of votes in each general election shall
act as Mayor Pro-Tem during the absence or disability of the Mayor and, if a vacancy
occurs, shall become Mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term.
WHEREAS, the City Council has discussed a proposed amendment to the City Charter, which
would amend Charter Section 2.03 to read as follows:
The Mayor shall be elected every four years. At each regular election commencing at an
election scheduled for November 2017 and every four years thereafter, a Mayor, who shall
be the chief executive officer of the city, shall be elected for a term of four years. He shall
have an equal voice and vote in the proceedings of the Council, but shall have no veto
power. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Council, shall be recognized as head of
the city government for all ceremonial purposes, and by the governor for purposes of
military law, but shall have no administrative duties. The Council member receiving the
highest number of votes in each general election shall act as Mayor Pro-Tem during the
absence or disability of the Mayor and, if a vacancy occurs, shall become Mayor and hold
office until the next regular general City election when the vacancy shall be filled for the
remainder of the unexpired term (if any).
WHEREAS, the following proposed ballot language shall be submitted to the County of Wayne to
be included on the ballot:
Shall Section 2.03 of the Garden City Charter be amended, effective at an election scheduled for November
2017, to provide that a person elected to the office of Mayor shall be elected for a four-year term and that,
in the event of a mayoral vacancy, the Mayor Pro-Tem shall hold office until the next regular general City
election when the vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term (if any)?
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1.
The ballot language for the amendment set forth in this Resolution to be submitted to a vote of the
qualified electors of the City of Garden City, County of Wayne, Michigan, at a regular election to be held
on the 8th day of November, 2016, shall be:
City of Garden City
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT #1
Shall Section 2.03 of the Garden City Charter be amended, effective at an election scheduled for November
2017, to provide that a person elected to the office of Mayor shall be elected for a four-year term and that,
in the event of a mayoral vacancy, the Mayor Pro-Tem shall hold office until the next regular general City
election when the vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term (if any)?
Yes □
No □
2.
A certified copy of this Resolution shall be received and retained by the City Clerk in the
manner prescribed by the revised Michigan Election Law.
3.
All resolutions and parts of resolutions, insofar as they conflict with the provisions of this
Resolution, are hereby repealed.
AYES:
Mayor Walker, Councilmembers Squires, Kerwin, Lynch, and King
NAYS:
Councilmembers McKarge and Jacobs
ABSENT:
None.
Motion passes.
 Item #16-07-126 - Moved by Kerwin; supported by King:
RESOLVED:
To approve the following resolution authorizing the submission of the proposed ballot language to
amend Section 2.05 of the Charter of the City of Garden City to the electorate, and authorize all
activities necessary to place said proposal on the November 8, 2016 ballot.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the City of Garden City has determined that it would benefit from the uniformity,
institutional knowledge, and consistency provided by uniform, four-year Council member terms and twoyear election cycles for same;
WHEREAS, section 21(1) of the Home Rule City Act (HRCA), MCL 117.21(1), authorizes a city
council to adopt a resolution proposing to amend the city charter by a three-fifths vote of its members-elect,
and
WHEREAS, the resolution proposing to amend the city charter must set forth the exact wording of
the proposed amendment[s] to be submitted to the city voters for approval at a regular election, and
WHEREAS, the resolution must set forth the ballot language for the proposed charter
amendment[s] and comply with section 21(2) of the HRCA, MCL 117.21(2), which requires that the ballot
language for the submission to the city voters of each proposed amendment, including any separate
statement of purpose, shall be limited to 100 words, exclusive of caption, shall be a fair and impartial
statement of the purpose of the amendment, and shall not create prejudice for or against the proposed
amendment,
WHEREAS, the current Charter Section 2.05 reads as follows:
SECTION 2.05 TERM OF OFFICE.
Four Council members shall be elected every two years. The two candidates receiving the largest
number of votes shall be elected to four-year terms. The candidates receiving the third and fourth
largest number of votes shall be elected to two-year terms.
WHEREAS, the City Council has discussed a proposed amendment to the City Charter, which
would amend Charter Section 2.05 to read as follows:
SECTION 2.05 TERM OF OFFICE.
Commencing at an election scheduled for November 2019, all Council members shall be elected
for four-year terms. Council member elections shall take place every two years. Council member
election cycles shall be staggered. The two candidates receiving the largest number of votes in an
election scheduled for November 2017 shall be elected to four-year terms. The remaining
candidates in the November 2017 election shall be elected to two-year terms. Thereafter,
commencing at an election scheduled for November 2019 terms for all Council members shall be
four-years.
WHEREAS, the following proposed ballot language shall be submitted to the County of Wayne to
be included on the ballot:
Shall Section 2.05 of the Garden City Charter be amended to provide that all Council members shall
be elected for four-year terms commencing at an election scheduled for November 2019 and with Council
member elections staggered every two years thereafter?
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1.
The ballot language for the amendment set forth in this Resolution to be submitted to a vote of the
qualified electors of the City of Garden City, County of Wayne, Michigan, at a regular election to be held
on the 8th day of November, 2016, shall be:
City of Garden City
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT #2
Shall Section 2.05 of the Garden City Charter be amended to provide that all Council members shall be
elected for four-year terms commencing at an election scheduled for November 2019 and with Council
member elections staggered every two years thereafter?
Yes □
No □
2.
A certified copy of this Resolution shall be received and retained by the City Clerk in the
manner prescribed by the revised Michigan Election Law.
3.
All resolutions and parts of resolutions, insofar as they conflict with the provisions of this
Resolution, are hereby repealed.
AYES:
Mayor Walker, Councilmembers Squires, Kerwin, Lynch, and King
NAYS:
Councilmembers McKarge and Jacobs
ABSENT:
None.
Motion passes.
Mayor Walker announced it was time for public comment.

Mike Jones, Garden City, commented on a new business and the Autos for Autism
event, as well as other upcoming events.
There being no further business before Council, the meeting was then adjourned.
ALLYSON M. BETTIS
City Clerk/Treasurer