WINDSOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING AUGUST 31, 2023

MEETING ROOM – 7:00 PM

APPROVED

Supervisor Slucter called to order the Special Meeting at 7:00 pm for a storm damage update and develop an emergency plan.

Present: Slucter, Rumsey, Fritts, Myers, Piper and Pray

Absent: Pisano

Myers moved and Piper seconded to amend the agenda, adding Comment from Public Officials, after Approve the Agenda and approve the amended agenda. Carried 6-0.

Comment from Public Officials:

County Commissioner Jacob Toomey reported whether for yourself personal, your insurance company or helping out Eaton County, just make sure to document everything related to the storm damage. Updates are being posted on Eaton County Emergency Management Facebook page.

Ralph Reznick, Village of Dimondale President, expressed his gratitude to Windsor Township Emergency Services Department for all their hard work put in during and after the storm.

Denis Prisk, Village of Dimondale Manager, also expressed his gratitude to Windsor Township Emergency Services and the assistance from Chief Miller and Assistant Chief Fabijancic in coordinating help on the storm cleanup from Trooper Recruit Academy and Team Rubicon (a volunteer group of former military and public first responders).

Kern Slucter, Windsor Charter Township Supervisor, reported on an email received from Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin that included an Eaton County link to report damage, https://geo.eatoncounty.org/damage.

Emergency Services Chief Miller reported: 1) Since the evening of Thursday, 8/24/23 until 11:44 pm on Tuesday, 8/29/23 Services staff responded to 86 different runs, 75 of them weather related. 2) Every major roadway into town was blocked by trees, power lines or both. 3) Weather related issues included multiple trees down in roadway, power lines down, traffic crashes, report of a person trapped in car after tree and power line came down on it, fire alarm with smoke in building and emergencies related to power line issues such as energized power line down causing arching and sparking. 4) The Emergency Operations Center was opened fairly quickly to try and get us resources and through Emergency Management were able to get Team Rubicon scheduled. They are currently assisting people in Windsor Township, Village of Dimondale, Grand ledge and Potterville with tree cut up only. They will be available until next Sunday. 5) Eaton County issued a local state of emergency on 8/25/23 and on Monday, put in a formal request for a Governor’s Emergency or Disaster Declaration. This was approved and put out by the Governor on 8/28/23. 6) As of now, 99% of the roads are now passable and according to Consumers, there are no outages in the Township. However, there are a few homes that sustained tree damage that Consumers is waiting to restore power.

Public Service Director, Jim Bogi reported: The cemeteries got hit pretty hard, in the Dimondale cemetery there were 29 trees down plus the flag was bent over to ground level, West Windsor cemetery 7 trees were down, Pray cemetery only had 1 tree down and M-99 cemetery had 2 trees down with lots of debris. There were only about 3 grave stones that tipped over, but appears there is no damage to the stones. Waiting on responses from tree service companies for cost estimates on cleanup.

Hear Public Present for Agenda Items:

Andrew Block, 571 Creyts Rd – Expressed his appreciation of Windsor Township Emergency Services for all their help.

Virginia Lifford, 4687 Nixon Rd – Echoed Andrew Block appreciation of Windsor Township Emergency Services. Also has several trees down and is inquiring on cleanup assistance.

Jeanette Hall, 4601 Pares Rd – Has down trees, but no structural damage. Heard about a link from Eaton County Emergency Management to report damage. Wondered if there was an email for less techie people, to submit information and send pictures. Supervisor responded we will post link and email on our township website.

Kathy Warner, 7790 Petes Lane – Also wanted to express her appreciation for everyone pitching in to help, clearing trees & debris and getting services restored.

Question from public was asked about the Team Rubicon, if they were available to assist township residents or just village. Chief Miller responded they are available to township residents also and just to send him an email and he will get in contact with them. It’s Chief Miller’s understanding Team Rubicon will help with cutting up trees, but will not removal any debris.

Supervisor Slucter explained about monies received from the township’s millage and not having funding available in budget to assist in storm cleanup. This special meeting is to try and determine our next step.

Suggestions and comments were made from township board and the public present.

Storm Update and Develop an Emergency Plan:

Discussion was held on storm damage in our area. Several plan ideas were discussed. The consensus of the board would be to create a committee to put together a plan and an estimated cost for storm cleanup. We will need to submit an estimate cost for this cleanup to Eaton County Emergency Management by September 5^th, then wait to see if, when and/or how much funding the state or federal government will have available to the township. Once we have the funding information, we should be able to determine a plan of action.

Rumsey moved and Pray seconded to form a Storm Debris Committee, consisting of Slucter, Myers, Piper and Chief Miller, to determine an estimated cost for storm debris cleanup, and authorize committee to submit said estimate to Eaton County Emergency Management by September 5, 2023. Carried unanimously.

With no further business, Supervisor Slucter adjourned the Special Meeting at 8:17 pm.

Lisa A. Rumsey, Clerk

Windsor Charter Township