001call this meeting to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance and the invocation following. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Dear God, please bless our elected officials. Grant them the wisdom to know and the courage to do what is right for all citizens. Amen. >> Amen. >> Roll call, please. >> Alan, here. Leaffor >> here. >> Mr. Ravich >> here. >> Ricks >> here. >> Schultz >> here. >> Warren >> here. >> Yellen >> here. >> Good to see everybody here tonight. We move on. I need a approval of the city council meeting minutes from January 5th. Is there a motion? >> I'll make a motion. >> Support.
002>> Motion been made and supported. Any discussion on those minutes? Not. All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Against. Motion does pass. We move on to audience comments on any non-aggenda items. If anybody would like to speak to council, we ask you come up to the podium and we're all on the same wavelength here. We move on adoption of the agenda. Mr. City Manager, any changes? >> No changes. >> City Council, any changes? No. >> Being a motion to accept the agenda as presented would be in order. >> I'll make the motion report. >> It's been made in support. Any discussion on the motion? >> Being that all in favor say I. >> I. against. Motion does pass. Is there a motion for the consent agenda? >> Make a
003motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Support. >> Motion made support according to our rules. There's no discussion on the motion. All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Against. >> Motion does pass. We move on to items for consideration. We have two this evening. The first one being consideration of special event request ruckus in Richmond. Mr. City Manager. City Council is scheduled to consider a special event request from Saving Destiny annual rescue/greentime workshop for the third annual Ruckus and Richmond to be held at the Aud on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026. On December 10th, the recreation director, recreation programmer, and city manager met with Will Trombley to discuss his application and the event. Uh the wrestling event was originally brought to the city council in 2024 as
004a request uh for the fund to raise funds for saving destiny and Will and his wife Holly are the business owners uh in Richmond that own Greentime workshop. This year's request is very similar to the pre previous two years. It's for the usage of the odd on Saturday, May 2nd from uh noon to midnight roughly uh with the event going on from 6:00 to 9:00. Uh last year they did include a special uh nonprofit liquor license uh to serve beer uh at at the venue. Uh they've always uh got a special event request approved for a food truck. They're working on the details of that and we'll we'll bring that back once they have uh food truck. He was hoping to get uh the the tacos from uh Main Street. Uh but they're still working
005on that. Um we did take this just cuz it's the new floor um and everything. We we took it through the wreck board. Uh they made the recommendation to bring it to here. Uh the other thing is we had just recently changed the uh nonprofit rules for the AUD and all uh the nonprofits that qualify for the use of the building to be uh cost to be waved are nonprofits within the city of Richmond or the Richmond School District. um saving destinies outside of that. But based on the history uh that they have with this event, with the city, uh with the local business that's part of the community, um the uh rec board did approve grandfathering the wrestling event for Saving Destiny. If Saving Destiny came for some other type of event at the
006Odd, they would be charged. But for the wrestling event, they agreed to have that grandfathered as part of the nonprofit. and Mr. Will Tramley is here to answer any questions you may have. >> Thank you. >> Well, hello. >> Hi. I just wanted to add uh it's good it's good to see you all as well again. Um and thank you for this time. Um I did speak with the promoter and he's going to get another insurance policy. Um he hasn't purchased it yet. If you guys need any new riders, if you would let me know for the new flip, he'll he'll he'll add that. And uh yes, we we're planning on asking Ma main street tacos uh if they still do their food truck. Um I haven't made it there yet because I'm going to
007spend money and uh I like their tacos. Um yeah, we last year we did about five grand and had about 400 people in the place. Um I remember the mayor was there and Margot and uh we had John. It was a really good show. Um, we're hoping to do about that this this year. And, uh, with the same basic setup, uh, the event might go a little past 9 because, you know, it's wrestling and schedules. Uh, just to throw that out there. But we do plan on being out of there by by midnight. Um, yeah, everything should run. We're going to ask Starcraft and we'll do the the the beer license if if if that's allowed again. And uh thank you. >> Very good. Thank you. Is there a motion? >> I'll make a motion
008to approve the Ruckus Enrichment wrestling event to be held at the Odd on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 from noon to midnight as a fundraiser for Saving Destiny Animal Rescue to include alcohol sales and one mobile food vendor with the wrestling event grandfathered as a Richmond nonprofit event. for postman made and supported. Any discussion on this? I was of course at the park and wreck meeting on this. We had a good discussion. I think it's uh fair that uh we are grandfathering this since it has been uh in the past. Also is a great event that we probably otherwise wouldn't have in our community. It brings a lot of people into town that otherwise may not come to town. It is a different type of an event uh than what we have and um the city
009is going to benefit uh greatly by this I believe but I think the strongest point is is since we have a new policy um where we would have to charge for this they're grandfathered and that's what I brought up at the meeting and uh they bought into that uh mentality. I think we would do the same thing for others. Uh it wouldn't be just for them if there was such a thing that would come up. I would hope that they would consider uh the benefits to the community. Um so otherwise uh we had a good time when we went last last couple times now we've gone and it was a lot of fun and the crowd gets pretty wild and crazy about it and uh they have their favorites definitely they have their their their
010favorites and uh there also is some very very professional uh wrestling uh that that happens there. These people are is it WWE? was two from last last year that were WWE pro prospects. I don't know if we'll have any this year. He's trying. >> Sure. Yeah. >> It was amazing. It was absolutely amazing. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Uh uh that was happening in the odd. It was happening here, you know. So, um yeah, it was a it was a real good time. >> A few of them, one of them is on he's on uh Evolve, >> so on Tuby. So, >> if you ever Anybody have any questions of Will while we got him? No. Thank you, Will. >> Thank you all very much. Thank you. >> Any uh audience participation on this
011item? >> If not, anything from the council? All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Against. >> Motion does pass. And I believe you can buy tickets uh also for that event at Green Time. >> Yes, I know last year you could get them at Green Time. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Uh our other item is consideration adopting resolution 2026-1, the 2026 poverty exemption. Mr. City manager council is scheduled to consider approving resolution uh I'm sorry 2026-1 which uh sets the poverty guidelines uh and asset level test uh for use by the assessor and the board of review. Um each year we do this uh under the current um table that we have approved uh the 100% poverty exemption a resident would have to make substantially less than the than
012the uh poverty level to qualify for 100%. Um that changed a couple years ago. So, uh, in working with, uh, the new assessor, Andrew, uh, who's here tonight to answer any questions, uh, we're actually kind of taking this back to how it used to be set up where, uh, kind of starts if you're at the poverty level, you can get 100%. If you start to slowly go up from there, you'll get a percentage. So, um, in some respects, we're kind of going back to the way it used to be a few years back. um other communities uh in the area are are doing a similar graduated scale. Uh and Andrew can answer any questions if you have. Very good. Thank you, Mr. City Assessor. >> Yes, sir. >> What say you? Anything any addition to
013what our city manager just informed us? >> Um I think John covered it pretty well, but I'll kind of rehighlight what he said. So, essentially, um I'm going to be adjusting our table for our qualifications. So, if they're making under a certain threshold that's set on the table, they would qualify for 100% exemption, if they're only making the uh minimum of the 3,00 uh what was it? $3,912 under the current and the adjusted was would be now they make getting 100% exemption if they're making less than 15,560. So, it's a big jump, but I think that this is more beneficial to the residents and it does what the program's uh designed to do. >> Uh could you tell us how does this happen? Does the person have to come into the city or do you
014get that type of information where you contact them? >> So, they would have to come contact me to apply for the exemption. They provide me with um various different requirements in our guidelines. So, it would be their previous year's W2. Um, bank account statement showing revenue or money that they have in their bank to show if they do have the burden to pay the taxes. Um, but they'll come forward to me and provide me all that information. I'll review it and then present it to the board of review and they'll make their determination if they do or don't qualify. >> Very good. Thank you. Is there a motion? I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026-1 adopting the property exemption guidelines and asset tests. >> Support. >> Motion been made and supported. Is there any
015discussion on this? >> And for somebody to uh do that, Mr. City Manager, they just got to call in, make an appointment to see uh >> just call in and ask for the city assessor. Uh, Andrew works Tuesdays and Thursdays and then any other day we always direct people to leave him a voicemail or we'll give them his card and they Andrew will reach back out to them on the days he's here. >> Very good. Very good. >> Anything else? City Council if not any audience participation, Margot? >> No. Okay. >> And I apologize. Did I say Tuesdays and Thursdays? It's Tuesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Fridays. Let me make that correction. It's Tuesdays and Fridays. So, >> okay. We'll forgive you. All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. I.
016>> Against. Motion does pass. Thank you. >> We move on to m miscellaneous matters from the city manager. Sir, >> uh just a reminder that the uh 2026 city calendars are available here uh at all of our buildings, uh the wreck buildings, the uh library, uh city hall. So, if you still haven't picked up your 2026 calendar, uh stop and get it. Also, the winter newsletters available at all those same locations. >> Thank you. Council comments, Michael. >> Uh, nothing tonight. Thank you. >> Yes. >> Um, this uh my mother's 90th birthday today. >> Oh, yes. Wow. >> Had a uh family get together at the community center yesterday and had about 70 people show up and friends and uh everything went great. >> Happy birthday to your >> long resident. So, >> yep. Absolutely.
017Nick, >> all set. John, >> all set. >> Emily, >> nothing. Thank you, >> Jimmy. >> Not a night, mayor. >> Okay. Well, let me see what we got in front of us here. Today is the uh 19th. Uh city council did meet at 5:30 uh on their uh quarterly workshop and we will be going back in. We didn't get uh the business of the city taken care of yet. Uh so we will be going back into that once this meeting is over with. Uh there is hall walking at the Richmond and Lee Elementary Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. Uh that goes through until spring uh into April. It's from 6:00 to 8. It's a dollar per evening. There's also a what's called seniors let's talk coffee and conversation at the odd. Um it's every first
018and Thursday Wednesday of the month uh starting at 9:00 in the morning and any information on that that you may need. 586430 4950. And we have an EDC meeting this Wednesday right here at city hall at 7:00. Uh the library has a uh craft swap this Saturday, the 24th from 10 to 1:00. And we have a TIFFA meeting on the 28th that starts at 7 o'clock. And two weeks from tonight will be the next city council meeting at 7 o'clock. Uh don't forget uh the uh parks and recck will be having their chili cookoff on February 7th. That's just uh less than two weeks away now. And uh Marggo's here tonight. Is there still room for chili people that would like to >> We have a lot of room. We only have six chilies so
019far. >> Okay. if you want to plug. >> Um, we have currently all of our nonprofit and service organizations are filled with the ones from previous years, but we have a lot of space available. >> Okay, good. So, get a hold of you 7273064. >> Correct. Yep. >> Uh, get a hold of Marggo, our our park and rec director, uh, for to get your spot. I I I think it's pretty cheap, isn't it, to get a spot? >> It's a $10 entry. That's all it costs. Well, and then the price of the chili. >> Your chili. Yeah. And how much? A lot of people ask me how much chili do they have to make to be in this. >> So they have to make at least a roster full and it has to be 250
0202 oz cup servings. >> Okay. >> So some people over serve and they run out. But um >> and through the uh Ron Ryber memorial we did purchase roasters. So if you want to do chili but don't have a roster uh we have those available. >> We do. Yep. Yep. >> Okay. >> Very good. Again, questions. Uh 7273064 to parks and wreck. That is February 7th. What time in the morning? It doesn't have a time. >> It goes from 11 to 1:30. >> 11 to 1:30. That's Saturday the 7th. Uh oh, we got another one over here. Huh? I didn't see that. Yeah, there you go. Uh 11 to 1:30. This is on February 7th. Uh the best batch of homemade chili. There's a $10 entry fee. There's a uh public is invited. It's a
021$2 sampling donation. Actually, you can eat enough of that to make lunch. >> Um, and all entries will be judged by the public. Uh, and again, that's held at the odd and there's uh prizes for first, second, and third place. Okay. All right. Well, very good. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anything else that we need to put on the calendar? If not, we do have a closed session this evening. We need a motion to go into the closed session. >> I'll make a motion to convene into close session in accordance with section 8C of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, public act 267 of 1976 as amended for strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement as requested by administration. support. >> Motion man made and in support. Is there
022any discussion on this? >> If not, roll call, please. >> Leaffor. >> Yes. >> Mr. Avich, >> yes. >> Ricks, yep. >> Schultz, >> yes. >> Warren, >> yes. >> Yellen, >> yes. >> Allen, >> yes. >> Motion does pass. We will go into close session. Okay, we need a motion to go back into open session. >> I'll make a motion to reconvene into open session. >> Support. >> Motion been made and support. Is there any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion does pass. We're back in open session. We move on. Other business, uh, command negotiations. Is there a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve the tenative agreement with the police officers labor council signed on January 12th, 2026. >> Support. >> Made and supported. Is there any
023discussion on this? Looks like a very fair contract. We appreciate the the U labor council working with us on this again this year. Good job, Mr. city manager and staff. >> All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Against. Motion does pass. >> Michael, >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. >> Support. >> Been made and supported our order. Our rules. There is no discussion on the uh adjournment motion. All in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I. >> Against. Motion does pass. Thanks for being with us.