DALTON TOWNSHIP SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
DECEMBER 5, 2005
4:30 P.M.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Scott Hladki, Mary Ellen Sherwood, Rosemary Rinella, Elizabeth (Petsy) Jenkins, Diane Misze and Lynn Young.

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Mike Hiner. (Mike arrived at 4:47. Mike and Rosemary left the meeting early.)

OTHERS PRESENT: Terry Broemer, Kris Goetze and Randy Parrett all of Johnson and Anderson Consulting Engineers; Township Attorney, James Porter; Ron Bogner; Richard Vallier; Thomas Traciak and Jill McMullen both of ACI Finance; Dalton Township Zoning Administrator, Stephanie Barrett; and John Warner from the Muskegon County Department of Public Works.

PROPOSED SEWER PROJECTS: This special meeting was called to order to discuss the proposed sewer projects within the township. Johnson and Anderson conducted sanitary sewer studies dated September 2005. Proposed Phases I, II, and III of the proposed sanitary sewer projects to be constructed in Dalton Township were discussed. An update and summary of all three phases were given by Johnson and Anderson personnel. Maps were provided and questions and answers were entertained.

Phase I is the Whitehall Road corridor including McMillian, Tyler, and Riley Thompson Roads. Phase II is the River Road corridor, the cost of this project will be shared with Muskegon Township as both townships are putting sewer down this road that divides the townships, and Phase III is the Area north of River Road, which includes the Riverwood Subdivision, the Whitetail Lane Subdivision and other areas of Dalton Township contiguous to River Road.

Many aspects of the proposed projects were discussed and how to finance the projects in the most economical way for the residents of the township that will benefit from the projects. Special Assessment Districts (SAD) were discussed. Tom Trazick of ACI Finance gave the board four options in reference to how the financing for the proposed projects can be paid. He explained in detail these four options. If special assessment districts are created, this special assessment will be billed annually on the normal tax billing and it will only be assessed to those residents that benefit from the sewer. Payments for these special assessments can be amortized over a twenty or thirty year span. Connection costs and the maximum time frame allowed to hook up to the system were discussed. Future growth projections were also discussed and figured into the special assessment amounts provided.

The preferred financing option, or most feasible, was number three as explained by Mr. Traciak which is a $7,500 special assessment per R.E.U. (each residential equivalent user) for all three phases and a $1,500.00 connection fee. Each resident would also have to pay to have the sewer connection attached to their home and a quarterly bill would be generated for usage. The special assessment amount and the connection fess only covers the debt incurred by the projects, it does not build up a residual amount of money into the sewer fund.

The financing for these projects will be secured through Act 185; a process in part, where the county secures bonding for the projects and the township repays these bond payments to the county.

The board felt it is important to get the residents opinions regarding these proposed sewer projects before any projects are approved and special assessment amounts set. A notice/questionnaire will be sent to all residential users that will be affected regarding these proposed sewer projects requesting their input. No action was taken at this meeting.

ADJOURNMENT:
Motion and support, PASSED to adjourn at 6:32 p.m.