VILLAGE OF BARODA COUNCIL MEETING UPDATE

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent

BARODA – Sewage, business expansion and governmental matters were among the items on the agenda at last week’s Baroda Village Council meeting. The village council meets the first Monday of each month and met virtually last week due to COVID-19 pandemic gathering size restrictions.

Council members heard a report from Steve Carlisle and Mary Nykamp from the Wightman engineering on village sewage issues. Carlisle and Nykamp reported that they are working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to address the situation.

Nykamp said the situation dates back 18 months to two years with a resolution delayed because of the pandemic. She said that sewage from 10 different locations in the village were tested to try to pinpoint the source of more concentrated waste going into the village’s sewer system.

She said the goal is to see where that more concentrated, high strength sewage is being generated in order to reduce the amount going into the sewer system and treatment lagoon. The analysis so far appears to indicate that a local mobile home park is contributing the most significant loads of the problematic wastewater.

The next steps will include more testing to make sure that the data is accurate from the meter measuring the amount of waste coming from the mobile home park. “Work is being done to get a more accurate reading, we will go through three months of sampling and testing to verify that the fall of 2019 results were accurate,” she said.

“EGLE is working with us to get a true picture of what’s being sent to the lagoon and then find ways to reduce the strength of that wastewater,” she added.

Village Clerk Tina Martin said the goal is to isolate the largest contributors of concentrated sewage and see what changes can be made. She said the village will work with the mobile home park to share knowledge of things they can do to lower what goes through the sewer system.

In other action, council members approved the expansion of a local landscaping business on the recommendation of the village planning commission. Starbuck Landscaping is constructing a 40 by 60 foot addition to his building to be able to bring more equipment inside under cover.

Village President Pro-Tem Larry Nye noted that the village is growing with not only several business expansions but also new homes being built. He reported that the building of 10 new homes has started in the last 10 months with eight under construction right now. “That’s the first time that has happened in many years,” he said.

Last week’s meeting also featured action to buy a new water heater for the maintenance building, put internet service in at the maintenance garage and interviewing for a new deputy clerk.

Council members authorized Village President Robert Getz to pay up to $1,200 for the new water heater. The internet service addition was also approved since the money for it is already in the budget. Martin said having internet there will allow DPW Supervisor Rick Hoffman to do EGLE and other paperwork without having to come into the village office.

Council members Jodi Mattner and Katie Strefling were appointed to interview the deputy clerk candidates and report back to the council. Martin said the previous deputy clerk resigned last fall.

Martin said the new deputy clerk will also learn some of the treasurer duties. Martin herself has been both clerk and treasurer since mid-2018. She noted that while auditors have “dinged” the village on having one person hold both positions, it’s what often happens in small municipalities when they can’t afford more people in office.

Village attorney James McGovern noted that auditors didn’t find anything inappropriate in the books and know the village’s limited options. He said what’s most important is that the village has two officials sign all the checks. “Having three people in the office would be good, but it’s not realistic for you or others,” he said.

Council members also learned that the village will have to find a new enforcement officer. Bill Tucker has resigned to take a position in Hagar Township. Tucker has told village officials he will share information and work with them on two pending court cases.

Martin said she will post the position on the village’s Facebook page in an effort to find candidates.

Council members agreed to have Martin set up government emails for each of them. They noted that the recommendation to have government emails separate from personal ones came from the Michigan Municipal League.

McGovern agreed. “I would highly recommend having separate emails for government business,” he said. “What you don’t want to see happen is an opposing counsel wanting all emails if there’s a legal issue. Your work email is discoverable. Having a separate government email means you don’t have to go through your personal emails and divide them out. I would do it as soon as possible and be very diligent.”

The village council meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The village’s website is www.barodavillage.org.