001Okay. At this time, I'm going to call to order the August 20th, 2025 Poly Interal Management Council meeting. The time is 3:00. We will rise and pay respects to the flag and then we'll have an invocation by Vice Chair Breakfield. 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 Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for the council, management, and the guests that may be watching and are here. Please watch over our trail and our communities. And please help us be thankful and grateful for every single day that we get to spend on the trail. Help us be kind to one another, especially during any challenges that we may face.
002We pray this in your name. Amen. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh, we'll do a roll call. Secretary McDonald. >> Okay. Roll call for attendance of the August 20th Polyand Trailway Management Council meeting. Uh, Mr. Brefield >> here. >> McDonald here. Mr. Feifer >> here. >> Mr. Watley >> here. >> Mr. Wright >> here. >> Miss Kovven >> here. >> Bill Moore >> here. >> Kemp Ellison Kemp. Uh and also present uh Kevin Green >> here >> and trail manager Linda Maria >> here. >> We do have a quorum. >> All right. See, we'll continue on with approval of the agenda. Any amendments to the agenda? >> If not, I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Motion by councelor Feifer, second by Vice Chair Brickfield to
003approve the agenda as presented. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed. That motion carries on the consent agenda. Approval of the bills for June 18th, excuse me, the meeting minutes for June 18, 2025. Bills of June and July and the financial reports June and July and also the trail manager reports for July and August. Any questions or comments on the consent agenda? Okay, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion for approval on that. I'll make that motion to approve the agenda to include the minutes on June 25th bills to be paid for 53,8326 May 25 bills to be paid and receive financial report for June and July and receive fin by vice chair Breakfield, second by councelor Coven. Approve the consent agenda. Any further questions, comments? Hearing none, we'll do a
004roll call. Sir Terry McDonald, yes. Feifer, >> yes. >> Watley, >> yes. >> Wright, >> yes. >> Coven, >> yes. >> Moore, >> yes. >> Um, who did I forget? >> And Brefield, >> sorry to do that. Okay, motion carries. >> Motion carries. Uh, public comment. Any public you'd like to speak? Speak, sir. >> You care to give us your name? We'll appreciate that. Otherwise, >> oh, you're on the agenda. >> Oh, he's the walkway. >> The pathway. >> Oh, the pathway. Okay. All right. >> We'll get to that on the agenda. It's on the agenda. So, I'll get there. >> Okay. >> You can sit up front. You don't have to sit all the way back. >> I do. We've got anything else you want to talk about that's not on there? No. >>
005Okay, good. Okay, move on to citizen rep report. Kevin, any report last couple months? >> Nothing report. Okay, moving on to unfinished business. Poly and trail management council project committee update. I don't know if there was a chairperson that was appointed on that. Otherwise, uh, Secretary McDonald, uh, councelor Wattley or management room. I'll send the item over to one of the three of you. >> I think I think Aaron >> really put everything together that we discussed as a board and as a a committee. >> All right. Then it'll give us some idea direction you want us to go. >> Thank you for that. Huh? Now you're chair. No, we just took uh kind of consolidated what our needs were from our master plan and then kind of prioritized it based on the community needs
006potential for funding. We had a few things on there that Our intention was to accomplish the thing we wanted to while making it very easy and accessible for the county to help fund. As you look through it, you can see there's a total of 12 projects ranging anywhere from indirect cost staffing time vegetation to actual dollars. So uh to the board for review of it leadership to some of these projects. Was uh Melissa Prow involved in any of this or this is just a list that the committee made up? >> Yeah, this is No, go ahead. >> I was just going to say Melissa when she spoke They were unsure of what they were doing. So they they brought it to us and pretty much said we're looking for opportunity. We're looking for opportunity to
007help fund the trail. We know it's on our priorities list to help fund regional trails. So let us know how we can support. So that was the intention of this consolidated all in one document. Say this is what we can pick and choose. what you want to help support. You can do some, you can do all none, whatever you want to do, but very easy for them to pass through their leadership, look at actual hard costs and where they fit into the budget. And I think it's appropriate timing with them doing the budget funding for next year. Now, the uh the trail man signage there when we got the estimate from Linda was $3,945. This is $37.92. Is that is that just something we'll fund the difference if if that's the case of getting monies
008for that? It's not a big deal. >> Well, some of it we're going to need hardware to attach it. Um some posts need to be replaced. It's just it's costs more than just the signage. >> Okay. All right. And number one, the master plan development. That's the next thing on our on our agenda. So, we'll we'll dig into that. But, uh, as far as I'm concerned, I think the committee did pretty good job here to at least identify projects and it's just the next matter of in this case me signing this letter, getting it out to parks and wreck and see where it goes from here, you know. So, yeah. Go ahead. >> Um, first off, on the technology front, are we actually using our microphones here? I didn't have it on earlier. I noticed
009you put yours on. Do these actually connect through >> that? I don't know. I don't work the system. >> Okay. All right. Well, mine's on now then. If if uh um I think it's a it's a sensible list. It seems to be an easily um it should be pretty easy for them to uh to to digest and and I think approve. uh typical government um let's uh raise taxes and then we'll figure out how to spend it. But I think you guys gave them really really common sense um sensible no-brainer uh option. So, thank you for your work on it. I think it's great and I would support you uh carrying that forward. Do you do you want uh a form a motion for the record on this to authorize >> Yeah. chair to sign
010and then send it to the Oakland County Parks and Recreation. >> I would make a motion for the chair to uh be authorized by the board to sign and execute the uh document to forward to the uh Oakland County representatives for consideration >> and I would agree with my second. Okay, we got a motion by councelor Fifer, second by vice chair Brightfield to approve the chairperson to send the letter for parks and recreation for consideration. Any further comment on this? Um, one comment is do you want the supporting documentation for the loner mill included the the uh PowerPoint? I guess I'll call it that. >> I think this is a great opportunity for us to >> I do too. I think this Hope we would get it done at some point. >> Okay. >> Yeah.
011>> Okay. Any further comment on this? >> If not, why don't we do a roll call? Secretary McDonald. Okay. Uh for approval of the motion to authorize the uh trailway president or chair to uh send the letter to Oakland County Parks and Recreation. Um, Feifer, >> yes. >> Watley, >> yes. >> Wright, >> yes. >> Coen, >> yes. >> Moore, >> yes. >> Wakefield, >> yes. >> McDonald, yes. Motion carries. >> Okay, good. Uh, one last comment on that before we leave. Is there somebody's attention it needs to go to? You know, we just >> It would be the park and recck commission, I believe. >> It's already addressed that. >> You could probably >> direct that through Melissa Prow, >> right? a couple direct >> Chris Ward. >> Okay. And what's Chris's role there?
012>> He's a director. Okay. >> All right. I can do that. Okay. All right. Very good. Um on to our master plan. It's a a repeat agenda item council, but now we are about uh based on this uh November 3rd is the first open community openhouse for this master plan proposal. So, um talking with trail manager Moran, we need a master plan to apply for grants. >> Certain grants. Yes. >> Certain grants. And I would like to suggest that we wait and see what we come back with Oakland County. Oakland County can put one of these together in a very short period of time where it would take us six months. I say we kind of put a pin in it and see what they come back. They offer us some assistance with our master
013plan like they have in the past. That would be best case scenario for us. This this is the five-year recreation plans. Okay. >> If we go if we go out of compliance, I think we were out of compliance like three years last time. >> If we're not applying for any particular grants that require >> a master plan to be in place such as a tarant trust fund grant one of them. >> Yes. So anything that's federal dollars, we have to have a master plan on file and recognized by the DNR. But we can we can soldier on as we're doing or we can wait and see if they come back with an offer to assist us. Like I said, they can put it together in a very short period of time where we would spend
014months and months. It's it's your call. >> I guess the question is how long do you wait? I mean, do you want to do you want to do master plan number one? Do you want to do master plan? >> So, answer is yes to that. Okay. Now, next up, where where do you go from here? >> Well, put when is our plan through the end of the year? >> Yes. >> So, we have to have it submitted by >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. Next February would be the next submission date. >> It's >> Yeah. No later than that. Yeah. >> It's six months, seven months for us to do it and you know to update things and get it in for approvals and all the committees and all the councils to approve it and review
015it. >> Depends on the aggressiveness. >> Yeah. Well, >> well that >> can it be done? Yes. Just a matter of the comfort levels of all >> five communities. soldier on or do we wait a couple of months and see what Oakland County has? >> You need some consensus. Secretary McDonald, >> would it be pushing the limits to have a motion to authorize the chair to direct the trail manager to contact Oakland County um maybe economic development Kristen Wilfang and leers with her on the possibilities of assistance and then report back to the board. Oh, >> that's that's fine. I know that you know retracing our steps that's what we did before. It seems like we threw this together pretty quick, >> you know, >> once once Kristen came on board. Yeah. I mean, you
016know, we we struggled with it for about a year and a half and she kind of stepped up and said, "I can I can get it taken care of." And she did in a very short period of time. >> Councelor Watley, >> u the only I guess potential issues I see with trying to get it done this February is public hearing. Notice draft periods of just that type of work meetings forums, surveys. >> Yeah, that's what we brought out back in February, whatever mess because we we knew what the time was going to take to do it. Now, now we're, you know, the house may not be on fire, but a lot of the house is on fire to make it all work. Any other comments down there? Now, I mean, as far as uh
017we move forward as a group, whatever we want to do, we're going to push it back to 2027. It'll just be a a year gap in this. >> I think the last master plan was a threeyear gap. So, do the best we can. All right. So, I'm what I'm hearing is that we're pushing this back and we're going to get uh in communication with Kristen Wilfang to give us more of a direction on her availability to assist again to put this in place and maybe if she's aggressive enough maybe we'll be on track. So, we won't count on it but we'll keep our hopes up. Is it? Yeah. Anything else on master plan? Okay. If not, we'll move on to new business here. Uh this is a request for other power-driven mobility device application. This
018is from Marie May, I believe. >> Correct. >> Marie May. Yeah. So, the application is in your packet, council. Uh I know that TR management man has strong feelings or comments about this because it could lead to uh a lot more activity of this type of events or not events but as far as uh uh devices that aren't permitted on the trail. So I guess uh I guess I'll hand this over to Secretary McDonald because you forwarded this to me for the application and she does live in Leonard from what I understand. So >> anything else I guess anything else you want to add to it? No, only that you know this policy has been in place a lot of years and we had only one one active request until these most recent ones of
019which they're certainly qualified and unless the council wants to change policy, I don't know that we can really deny uh them having the opportunity to do this. >> So, >> I think Mike hit the nail right on the head. The mayors are definitely qualified to get this permit. They're seniors. Uh they do use the trail and I think we should have no problem approving their request golf. Yeah, I guess I er that I probably should have dug out the application or what the rules are on it so council could have reviewed it better, but I did not do that. But if this has been in place for this long and we've approved other ones in the past, I guess uh trim manager Moran, I guess I'll let you have some thoughts what you feel which
020you've experienced on the illegals. >> How can we do better with this? The first problem we have and Leonard is a unique spot because we're talking a very small village. They can kind of do inside their village whatever they feel they need to. The problem we have and we will have in great members is if we don't limit these activities, these types of vehicles on the trail is going to be the granny club. And the granny's are going to get their little stickers. And now the grandkids are down the trail with these things going to get Cokes and candy bars at the party shop. Then they're going all the way into Oxford to go to school and football games. The DNR is going to shut this down real quick because one, it's a misdemeanor. Whether
021they got a handicap sticker or not, it's a misdemeanor. They can be arrested for a misdemeanor. It's not an individual mobility device. We're not telling people if you've got a wheelchair or a zoo or scooter for aged or handicapped people, you can use those all day long, anywhere on the trail. And and more power to you. We have gentleman who's paralyzed from the neck down. He's out there every day with his dog. There's no problem with that. But what we have is Joe will testify to this. In the village of Oxford, we've had three drunk drivers that do not have license, do not have insurance, and they two are in prison for their third DUI. They were using golf carts on the trail. There's no way we can police this. We're having a huge problem
022with enforcement with our our sheriff's department. They won't enforce. They just won't. Period. Um I've tried repeatedly. I can't tell you how many times I've had to dig golf carts off the trail. Um I've had kids injured in the middle of the night, 14-year-olds drunk that crash their golf carts out there. I mean, this is the D is not going to allow a trail wide. Oh, I'm handicapped because I got a stuck toe commit for golf carts out there. This is not BA and it's a problem. It's a huge problem. >> But I'd say to Go ahead, Celer Fifer. >> Um, yeah, the slippery slope thing is scary. I did reach out to our lieutenant uh after uh reviewing the packet. um found out that those incidents weren't in Orient because I wasn't clear on
023that here. Um I know from our first of all, you know, for any of us that are on the boards uh for our um village or township, we are uh they they do work for us and they do answer to us and we need to uh uh execute our our power to um let them know what we expect. Um, I reached out to uh Lieutenant Weir who uh expressed um fondness and friendship with uh Miss Moran and that they have a good relationship and um they will be responsive anytime that uh you or a citizen call about uh issues on our our section of the trail. And uh we did uh approve and they recently purchased a uh a vehicle that they can utilize which would be against trail use but they can get away
024with it for emergency response that so that'll make them even more able to respond to issues anywhere along the trail in the Orient part. So, what I would suggest, again, I'm still relatively new here and learning what you I don't know what you've dealt with and what everybody else's challenges may be, but I would suggest that each of us reach out to our respective uh uh departments and to have that discussion about uh that, you know, their responsibilities and and um uh their responsiveness uh when we do have issues on the trail so that you do get better response. I would also s like to suggest that possibly if the village of Leonard does want to move forward with this in the village proper, it's only for the village proper and we limit these handicap
025permits no more than five. I mean this is not a handicap device. This is not something a person with a disability has to have. If they have to have a scooter, the electric wheelchair. I'm 100% I mean I will help them load it and unload it onto the trail because I'm a very big advocate for people with disabilities. However, that is a party of us and that is not a solo activity that is going to be three, four, six people riding up and down the trail, grandkids, sons, daughters. It's going to be an uncontrollable huge problem. >> Council Mador, then I'll get to councelor Feifer. >> Yeah. And I'm looking at she talks about you appreciate the permit because walking is limited to me hip and knee replacements. So is this something that perhaps she
026only needs temporarily? Is that something that could be granted? Okay. Did she just have one? But she's about to have them. So that's kind of kind of nice to know that perhaps she's granted one under her circumstances under a 90 situation or something. >> Councelor Feifer, then Secretary McDonald. Um I I appreciate your your comments, but I don't think you u I I don't think we'd have legal standing to say, "Okay, you can only have five." If we're going to approve one because we believe that uh their claim is just and that uh that it makes sense to to approve one. we can't put an arbitrary number if we get to six people who have a um a a handicap or something that restricts them from being able to. So, I don't think that would
027be enforceable. Um I I do think that uh the use could be per person, meaning she is approved to utilize that vehicle. that vehicle is not approved and therefore um keeping if there was anybody else utilizing that vehicle uh then they would uh not be approved and they would be subject to the regular uh you know enforcement >> that then comes down to enforcement. >> Secretary McDonald um the the permits are issued on an annual basis. So um as Some of the council members may remember our Cody Pearson is back every year asking for a permit for his um and I if certainly we could address the policy. Um but are you going to do that? Declare a moratorum and deny everybody the right to apply until we figure something out or do we just
028I mean It's been around since 2011. So why now are we >> Well, I think a couple things from my point of view. The people that are coming for permits, they're probably going to obey the rules and regulations of the polling trailer because you haven't had any complaints coming back. It's the ones that want to do their own thing and utilize their ATVs and all that on the trail and use it at their at their convenience and cause problems like that. So, I mean, personally, I don't see a problem with this this application because this person's went through the proper channels to abide by the polyan rules. Now, if you want this policy brought back in October, let me know, we need to tweak it, but I think uh councelor Feifer said it too, you
029can't just limit to so many people if there's a need for it. And the use of the trail people that have uh physical disabil So, any other comments or questions? Uh, councelor Moore, might I might be wrong, but didn't we just approve one for Dave Wear for this type of use disability? >> Right. >> We have what, four? Four approved. This would be five. Uh, we have Cody, we got the is it the Johnson family? It came to the >> the Johnson family. Yeah. >> The one we approved last one. and we this one. So this will be the the fifth one. >> Yeah. >> And the problem with and I think what we need to really take a look at is the um Americans with Disabilities Policy. I don't think it says golf carts.
030I think it says individual mobility devices. And no one is denying anybody. They don't even need to come to the council. you have an electric wheelchair, you don't need a You can go anywhere you want, whenever you want to do that. And that's great. But the problem I have is the blatant disregard for wolves as a general blanket about these golf carts, these ATVs, these electric dirt bikes that are absolutely tearing up the trail. I can't tell you how many reports I get on a daily basis about we have a problem right now in Anderson Township where they're drag racing and they're they're doing burnouts between mile 11 and 10. I get calls every single day from people about that. Somebody's going to get killed out there. Um I I I cannot stress enough and
031the DNR is not going to allow it. >> They're not going to allow it. That's >> fifer then. >> So we're clearly talking about two different things here. We have we have uh an enforcement issue of um things that we already know are illegal. And so I I implore the the board members to go back to their respective communities and to speak to law enforcement and ask for uh better uh responsiveness at least when there are reports and to keep an eye on it for us. Uh but that is separate from from this. And in terms of your comment regarding um what they can drive, uh we've the precedent we've set the precedent and I and I still go back to if um uh Roger uh is it Roger May Marie? If if uh this
032individual has a an actual use and they're using that vehicle exclusively them, then I I think that since we've already approved it and the president set that makes sense. if anybody else uses that vehicle just because there's a sticker on it, that is not not approved. And I think that's the the line that it is pretty clear-cut um as to how we address it. If we want to outlaw these for everybody and and enforce that they can only use vehicles that are specifically made for those with uh with any I think that's a little bit of a dangerous road to go down, but then we'd have to address that and we'd have to make that our policy. and uh then we'd have something to enforce. Secretary McDonald, >> not to prolong this, but it was
033inferred earlier that golf carts, other devices, um they are not allowed on the trails, but the the just department of justice regard revised rules regarding other power driven mobility devices and they can be permitted on the trails legally. they're not breaking the law, if they're authorized under our policy to be there. So, I want to erase that there's any inference that um they could still be arrested or ticketed. I mean, they could be, but they they can't be convicted of it because it's already provided for in the law. But absolutely we could um amend the policy, change, you know, drop the policy, uh any of those choices. But um the fact is is we have a policy. It hasn't this policy hasn't been used as an excuse by anybody that was caught on the trail
034that I'm aware of in a golf cart to say I'm an exception. Um, and it does, the policy does include whether or not the use of other power-driven mobility devices creates a substantial risk of serious harm to the immediate environment or natural or cultural resources or poses a conflict with land management practices, plans, policy, laws, and regulations. So, I mean, there's plenty there for us to work on if we want to make some amendments to it. Um, I say we do that, but we do it the right way. Um, >> all right. So, we'll do this. We'll act on this on this motion. If you want to approve this this application or not, then what I'll do is I'll put this on our October agenda, the uh other power-driven mobility devices for council's discussion and
035consideration of amendment. Um, just to take it even further is the ebikes that we allowed on the trail, you know, is that another power driven mobility device? I don't know. >> It is. That's dealt with in the pubs. Okay. As well >> because when we had that meeting that was like record attendance there, people, you know, they're they're uh giving their their case of this is why we should have it, you know, as far as the makes it easier for me to get around. I'm getting older and just the same thing we have right here. So, I don't know how far you want to dig into this, but >> one more statement. Shut up. >> No, you >> No, it's okay. Man, >> Secretary Mike, I was thinking of letting him take cuts on you.
036>> All right. So the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and our we approved class one e bikes which are pedal assisted driven electric bikes only. The problem we are having is these are not you go out on the trail a lot of them are not pedal assistants they are actually electric motorcycles. I've even had guys out there with gas retrofitted bicycles. So, people are using every manner of ebike out there and this is becoming some of those ebikes can go 65 miles an hour and they are doing 65 miles an hour down there. Um, I was against it when they approved it for the class one. I I'm still against it. 100% against our >> That was my reservation as well, but that's >> I think we all felt that way. >> Anyway, I'll stop
037now. >> Okay, Secretary McDonald, then we'll uh we'll do a a motion on a second on this. >> Um that was a good strategy to pick Linda first because I forgot it. >> All right. Uh, councelor Feifer, >> I move to approve the other power-driven mobility device application and issue a special permit to Marie May for the use of a golf cart on the Polyian Trail. >> I'll support. >> Okay. Motion by councelor Feifer, second by councelor Kovven to approve the uh other powerdriven device application for special permit to Marie May. Any further questions or comments? Hearing none, we will roll call this. Secretary McDonald. >> Um for approval of the application. Um Wley, >> yes. >> Wright, >> yes. >> Coen, >> yes. >> Moore, >> yes. >> U Mr. Mador is here for
038Village of Oxford. >> Yes. >> Breakfield. >> Yes. >> McDonald. Yes. >> Feifer. >> Yes. >> Okay. Motion carried. >> All right. The motion carried. All right. Very very good. Okay. So, you'll see this on our October agenda unless I forget. >> Approved it for two people. >> Well, it's the same couple. Well, it's Roger and two people. This will be the first time we've ever done that. >> Well, they're both qualified. Yeah. As well. >> All right. So, we're all set on that. >> Okay. On to the walkway constructed on the Polyan Trail >> and I'll send you the policy or to just send them to everybody. >> You can forward to everybody. >> I'll forward to council members the current OPMD as well as I'll send the electric bicycle one as well so
039that you have it all in one place. >> Thank you. >> Y Okay, now we're on to the walkway constructed on the Polyan Trail. Uh Sergio Slack, you're here for that, so I'll let you have me back up here. Um this is a walkway constructed on the Polyan Trail. Uh in your packet there's photos of what's been constructed on the trail uh illegally as you call it manager man. >> It's an encroachment. >> Encroachment. Okay. Encroachment on the trail and in your email or even in your manager's report you indicated that you've contacted the village and you've contacted is it Sergio you contacted? >> Yeah. >> Okay. You guys talked about it. So, so, um, I guess right now it's it's a matter of what needs to be done, if anything. So, I guess at
040this time, Sergio, all you have the floor to address council. >> All right. I no disregard to approach on the trail. I've lived in that house. Me and my wife built that house 10 years ago. And I know how far because from what she told me on the phone, from what Dan from the village told me um was that the lawnmower person who cuts the along the pine trail was afraid that my path was going to hit the lawn. But I've lived there 10 years. I know how far on each side he cuts. I Another picture here if I can show you guys of where he cuts where the cut ends on mine and where my path is. It's a full length of my lawnmower which is a Honda lawn mower 21 in blades. So
041it's a good 30 in away from where even the cut line is that the lawnmower person who cuts the along the trail there stops. Like my path is nowhere anywhere near where The logs being cut, the grass is being cut along the trail. I made the path for easy access for my kids to get our path our bikes out. Our our neighbor and not really the most they because we got an easement from our little subdivision that goes to the trail. She feeds feral cats. There's non-stop, you know, animal. They feed the wild We have a coyote den AC on the other side of the following trail. We have there's corn feed all over for deer everything. So it just easier for this path. If I can show you where the path line ends. You
042guys can pass my phone. But it was just donut eas. Now, if you want to pass around, you can start with Aaron down there and take a look at it. >> So, your request is to pro to leave this as is. >> Yeah. I mean, if I have to take it back a little bit, that's glad to do that, but it's nowhere near where where the the path is being cut. >> Okay. And this is your Moore. >> Yes. >> Okay. And at the end of where the handle is, that's where path ends. >> Okay. Um >> well, I guess a couple thoughts from from my seat is that you know our policies there's no extensions of paths or anything like that without approval of the poly council >> that's and to a greater extent
043to >> I didn't even know this >> yeah to the state of Michigan. So that that's a couple hurdles that need needs to be addressed here. Um because you know what? I'm only one of seven rate counselors here. But to leave this here, just opens the door for a lot of other people to do the same thing. So, um >> which I understand and I and I get that. Yeah, it does open doors. >> So, okay. Well, I'm going to open up to rest of the council. So, councelor >> C. Okay. My concern is liability, which shouldn't be a surprise, but if something happens, if someone trips over this and it's on the polyanne, it becomes our responsibility and it's I mean that that's where my concerns and should let's say somebody does hit it
044with a lawnmower and you know a rock kicks up or something, it's somebody gets hurt. >> I get >> Okay, several hands up here. I'm going to go to council more than council mador. >> Are those are those landscape blocks or they bricks? >> It's it's actually rubber. >> It's a rubber like it's like something >> Why can't you remove those? >> Yeah, I can't remove those. >> You don't see any purpose for them being there for this. >> Okay, >> Council Mor. >> Um, and to your point about, forgive me, I don't know all those rules. If he simply had a gate that access backyard on the trail, is that permitted under our rules or is it >> that that is on my property though? No, I'm saying would we have a problem with
045just a gate that he opened up and walked out there or is is the only problem the structures structural pieces they put on the ground? What if he just had a gravel path from his fence to the trail? I mean, is that a problem or or is the access from his backyard? >> Is that I guess the material here is that like wood chips? >> So, I got I got pravel down >> and then I got it I glued it. got that stuff to keep it all intact. So that way we can pull our bikes on it. Make it a little bit easier. And then that's the the brick type stuff is just rubber. Yeah. It's like a rubber border from home. >> Just got nails in the ground to hold it. >> Yeah. Uh,
046Secretary McDonald, >> we've had we've encountered similar problems and uh the statements that have been made cover a lot of it. Um, anything below grade we've never had a problem with. >> Okay. >> Um, objects we don't allow. So, the bricks would be a no no. >> Um, and we're not trying to be overly restrictive, but we're property owners and you know said, "I never knew this existed until I got a phone call out from Dan and her, you know, I >> truly never >> knew this exist." >> So, we welcome we try to be a good neighbor as well and take care of our property. So, >> um we welcome the adjacent property owners you entering the trail from wherever, you know, they can from their property. But, >> um I don't see a
047problem with the gravel pathway so to speak, but the objects in that whether they're two feet or eight feet from the trail is um it's our it's it's >> I get it. Yeah, >> we do sometimes we do cut further back. it. We probably wouldn't in your area because it looks pretty well cleared off. But >> well, and there's there's like a couple trees like leading from my neighbor trees that are kind of blocking and then a couple trees on the other side there that are >> and some residents do more than others. So, we're not trying to stop everybody, but >> Oh, trust me. I was going to ask you if it's okay for me to plant wild flowers that are next because I'm trying to make it look >> kind of like where
048uh U where they got the painted rocks at for you know um so I just want to do some >> we we to our manager Moran what what does this affect your maintenance? How does this affect your maintenance? >> Um well to start off he he completely cleared all the brush in the back and it looks great. The the pathway looks great. Um to be completely honest the only objection I have is the plastic things. We mow with volunteers. They're going to hit everything out there. If there's something to hit, I'm gonna hit it. They're going to hit it. We're gonna hit it. I don't have a problem with the path, per se. And I mean, if you wanted to plant wild flowers out there, >> they'll mow it. They'll mow it, right? >> You
049got to you got to pull it back far enough that >> No. Yeah. I mean, trust me, like I said, I've been there for 10 years. I know. >> And on our website, we also have a list of the type of wild flowers that are allowed. >> Okay. So just so that's >> what >> native species. >> Yeah, I've already looked up the >> Yeah. Um so we we have that. I have no problem with that. In the fall we do do our vertical cut. So anything and then that goes up to five six feet back. So anything in the fall. No, no shrubs, please. No shrubs. >> No. No. I wasn't going to >> but um you know the pathway is is lovely. You did a nice job. Thanks. >> Yeah. Anytime you want
050to volunteer, give me a call. >> Um, but >> yes. >> Well, I'm I'm a nurses board, so >> but uh the the only real objection I had was the things that we can hit >> the border >> which I I understand and that's why I wanted what you guys >> appreciate that we do. >> I wasn't going to raise a false or anything like this. >> Whatever it takes. >> Councelor Feifer, then uh Vice Chair Breakfield. Um, first off, thank you for for the way you've handled it through. Uh, there's some people who get very angry when we, you know, remind them it's a a property that we're responsible for and have uh um regulations and ordinances that govern what can happen in camp. Um, I I heard what I what I've needed to
051uh for this and um I think it's fairly clear-cut and anybody who's doing improvements along the trail I think is an awesome thing. The fact that you use it with your family and kids, it's exactly why the trail's there. So, um I uh I would be and I don't know procedurally if this is uh the uh the way to handle it, but um I would make a motion that uh that we would um allow the homeowner to uh to keep the uh pathway um as long as he removed the uh the bricks or rubber uh uh border and uh and then for the planting of the uh the wild flowers that as long as you follow us our guidelines, of course, That'd be a nice uh another improvement to the path. >> I would second
052that motion. >> This will be a a case by case basis too. >> Yes. Yes. The precedence is really probably the the biggest factor because you know once uh somebody gets something on there that uh you know they they oh we can put a little house for the cats along there and we can do this and before you know it uh we you'd be surprised some of the things that that we do that do come across uh uh that and we are responsible for the property and and uh and we're accountable. So u but yeah that's uh um I appreciate all the input. I think it was great uh great input from the board and uh I think I I think we got a solid plan forward. >> So we got a motion by councelor
053Feifer, second by vice chair Brafield on that and then uh maintenance of this bath. Is that to go to you Linda or Sergio or are you going to assume responsibility for maintenance on this? >> I mean I I always Yeah, I do maint I make sure that there's no weeds growing through it and everything. I make sure like the the path that's not cut from the trail and the 30 in there between the cut line and my property. I make sure that's always mow down or I take, you know, trim it down. >> Okay. All right. All right. So, that's good. Any further comments on this? If not, uh, we'll call this one to Secretary McDonald. >> Okay. Okay. So the motion is to allow grade level path and native flower plantings uh with natural
054materials. >> But he's removing >> rubber. >> Is that the understanding? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Okay. Um I forgot where I left off. Uh Commissioner Coven. >> Yes. >> Moore. >> Yes. Mador, >> yes. >> Breakfield, >> yes. >> McDonald, yes. Feifer, >> yes. >> Watley, >> yes. >> Wright, >> yes. >> Okay, motion carry. >> Okay. All right, Sergio. Thank you for coming out. >> Thank you guys so much. And like I said, I apologize for the Thank you. We appreciate it. Thank you very much. >> We'll be mowing out there tomorrow. >> All right. Thank you. I was going to ask a motion to get rid of Michigan. >> Oh yeah, >> we could we could have forced like >> I can call him back. >> We could have we could have
055penalized him with community service and trail maintenance. >> Linda would have liked that one. >> Oh yeah, >> at the end there's a coyote take care of the kids. All right, last agenda item is our 2026 proposed budget. I brought this to you because uh from Oxford Township standpoint, we we do our budget workshops in August and uh I wanted to bring here earlier, but our budgets remain to be amended. So um in front of you is a budget with reg expenses balancing at $18,000. But I do have a couple amendments that I made an error on after I sent it. So, I just want to let you know the the numbers still balance, but I didn't carry my numbers down far enough. For the expenses on fuel and oil, it says 5,000. That should
056be $1,000. For insurance for the Palium Trailway Management Council, that should be $5,000. I got it at $19,785. Then they just dump the balance into miscellaneous and that would be $19,285. So, all revenues and expenses will still balance. So I don't know if anybody has any other questions or comments on this. Um I was conservative councelor Fifer on the savings account interest because Michigan class is about a 4.4 now. >> Yeah. >> The interest rates are going down. So you're looking at >> going down. Yeah. We hear a different story next year. >> So the the number was about a 3% interest rate for 2026. So that's >> take your shot. >> Yeah. And that's all it is. I think it's a good one. >> Yep. And then the uh the revenues are still the
057same. $100,000 for the municipalities and then pretty much just carrying the numbers over and see where they fall. So with that, there no further questions or comments, we'll entertain a motion to approve the the budget. >> What was the miscellaneous amount? >> U there you take that with you. >> Okay. Take that with you. >> Thank you. Councelor Feifer, you had your hand up. >> No, I was uh I was going to make the motion, but then realize as treasure, I should let someone else make the motion. >> Feel like it's your fault. I I I move to approve the 2026 Polyian Trailway Management Council budget as revised with revenues and expenditures balancing at $18,000. >> I'll support. >> All right. We got a motion by councelor Feifer, second by councelor Cvin to approve the
058budget balancing at $108,000. Any further questions, comments on the budget? Okay, hearing none, we'll do a roll call. Secretary McDonald >> for approval of the revised or amended budget as uh discussed by councel. >> Moore, >> yes. >> Mador, >> yes. >> Breakfield, >> yes. >> McDonald, yes. Feifer, >> yes. >> Watley, >> yes. >> Wright, >> yes. >> Coven, >> yes. >> Okay. Motion carries. >> All right. All right, that concludes the agenda for today's meeting except for uh public comment. Nobody's in the public uh council member comments. We'll start on the end with uh council door. Thanks for coming. >> So, I apologize. In my mind, I thought my comm was 15 ft, not 15 miles. >> I real I thought it was next door and council chambers not right on time. >>
059I've never done that. >> That's okay. You did make a pretty good timing. >> Yes. >> All right, councelor Moore. >> Yeah, I'm going to go back to the mill for a second here at middle night. >> Tomorrow we have a meeting at in the village hall at 300 p.m. with Ron Campbell and an entrepreneur who was working on our mill for the future to help us restore this. This is what this man does. He puts small businesses in there. It might be an entertainment venue in the summertime also. He does some smallcale concerts and things for people. Um, Ron Campbell, I don't know if you know him, probably you do, but you know, he is the principal planner for Oakland County. Uh, he's fedally qualified historic architecture and affairs and he's of the economic
060development and community affairs for Oakland County. These are going to be out there tomorrow. We're going to go over these drawings. Um, then we're going to go out there and and look uh for spatial effects of where we're going to put things tomorrow. So, We're moving forward with that and Brian is also working with grant monies too. So we need to coordinate this a little better. Mike, are you chairing that ad committee? >> No, that ad hoc, excuse me, that ad hoc committee is no longer in >> no longer. >> Yeah, we made a conclusion. >> We're done. >> Okay. I just don't want to overlap anything between the trail and and and the village, but I think if we attack this from both sides, it would be a good thing. We could maybe finally
061get this moving forward and getting something done, >> right? That's we're both on the same page. I mean, the council and the village are would like to see the mill utilized as it's an iconic structure on the Polyan Trail. Having an association there is good for both of us. So, yeah, I think it'd be great for the trail. Well, plus yeah, for the village, it would be a great great deal, too. >> Thank you. That's it. >> Councelor Cton, >> no promise. >> Councelor Fifer. Oh, I can't not make a comment. Um, I've been using the trail more than usual uh the last couple of months and uh >> it's very stressful being a treasurer. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um it's it's it's been it's great. I did I I love to see the improvements.
062I love to to see a lot of people out using it. Um and the condition is fantastic. So commend uh our trail manager for doing such a good uh good job with it. Um and in regards to uh not really directly related but we are in the process uh of a project in the village of Orian to uh restore our lumber yard which includes uh a 100 year old barn and uh we just shot a video a couple of days ago where I interviewed the DDA director in terms of uh the process and it will be used as a music venue and plans are for music for community events for uh uh even a pub and coffee house as part of Um and uh the progress that's been made there utilizing the old materials, it's
063really um it's stunning. I think it's going to be a huge uh impact and I so I I really uh it was interesting reading through seeing the pictures of the project and um I'm excited for for that to move forward and I I really commend the the uh committee that got together to uh to put together a nice tight list of uh of asks for Oakland County. Uh making it easy for them to donate um or to uh to contribute uh our own money back to us I think is really a a smart uh smart play. I think you guys did a great job on that. But I wish I I look forward to following the progress the progress so far of the village has uh been pretty cool to to what's happened to our
064historic buildings there at the old yard. >> It's the best opportunity we've had for the mill. >> Yeah, it's really cool. So good good luck to you. Thank you. That's all. >> Secretary McDonald, >> I think I've said enough today. >> Vice Chair Breakfield support. >> I really don't have a except Matt. I hope you don't get a lot of trouble making that last motion TV on you know about the budget and all that. >> Sir, why don't we >> All right. Um I guess I'll I'll hand it off to uh citizen rep Green then T manager Ran and I'll wrap it up. So I'm good. >> You're good. All right, Kevin. All right. >> All right. Well, >> what's the reason behind that? >> That would help us. >> We're just um finishing up
065the trail revitalization of the surface. Um we ran out of gravel. I just had 250 tons delivered back to Leonard. So, we should be able to finish up Lake George and Burst next week. I have a gravel hauler coming out, but we should be done. A few bits and pieces after that and that project is done and dusted. Thank God it's going to get done. We just couldn't get the gravel in. Took forever. Um the DNR did reach out to me in regards to some extra funding they had lying around when all the projects were done. Um Sage did ask for some projects that I could get done by the end of the year. So, I did put in to upgrade our parking lots at Clarkson Road and um Lake George Road, Village of Leonard,
066and um anywhere. So, you know, just a few little things here and there. I haven't heard anything back. I'm hoping to hear something back by the end of the month. Um so, we'll see see how that goes. hopefully get a little bit of money and shush some things up before the end of the year. And um I have a couple new volunteers, John and Scott. Scott comes with his own truck trailer and the biggest zeroturn I've ever seen in my entire life. And I love it. Um so he's out there and he's buying a ditch mower to attach to his tractor and he would like to test it on the poly trail and I said by all means. So, it's uh it could be gamechanging. Like, it's going to be exciting. So, uh we were
067just finishing up. We did some brush hoging up by Ed's house a week and a half ago, so we didn't go too far into Ed's property, but his neighbor wanted everything out. So, we worked up to the fence line on his side. It turned out great. So, we'll clean it up. Want the wood chipper through there. And that's it. So, yay everybody. have a happy Labor Day weekend. >> All right, Linda. Right. Uh, Secretary McDonald, our minute posting, are we uh are we good with that now? Get that straightened out for posting on the website? >> I think we can count on um our web authors to tell us if we're not getting it right. >> I haven't sent anything further since this was brought up a couple months ago. >> So, I haven't sent
068nobody's asked me to send them to the web post. So find those. Linda, um your request on the fence removal. How you doing on that? >> It's almost gone. I have to wait until the fall to get in there and cut the brush back a little bit further because it's in swamp area. So I'm going to let the swamp kind of freeze and then I'll get in and cut it out. Probably I would say 80% of the fence I got out already. So it's just a matter of access and right now it's just I don't want to I've been in the swamp enough this month I don't want to go in there so I'll wait till three just the brush is gone and let's go and pull it out >> so you're you're you're comfortable
069right now it's in progress and we have access free access to our property from any point so I'm happy with that >> councelor Moore are you going to give Mr. Campbell a copy of this tomorrow. >> Sure. >> You know, let him know what's going on in our end. >> Sure. >> And then in uh in uh follow up to that now, is a Polyian Trail in a position to spend funding on this mill because it's outside of a Polyian Trail jurisdiction? >> I don't think that's our expectation unless it's funded through the county. I mean, that was what started all of this is if they say we'll give you so much money, >> then I guess that would be up to the uh trail board to whether they want to actually do that. >>
070Yeah. My thought was we we got uh upwards of a quarter million dollars in our fund balance now. So, that's something that would be utilized in in a certain percentage. >> As tempting as that would be, I don't think that'd be fair, you know. >> Okay. All right. Right. And then uh the last thing I have is uh send an email out on the 27th of this month, which is Thursday, week from today. >> Next Thursday. Oh, anyway, the William O. Smith ceremony to the dedication of a a plaque in his honor going on the trail. He was a a gravel magnet back in the 1920s, I believe, would start the gravel industry in Oxford. So, I think it's a 10 o'clock event. So, if you're inclined and want to attend that unveiling, you're welcome
071to do that. And on that note, thanks to everybody for showing up today. Full full council. That's a great thing. And with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn our meeting at 4:00. >> I'll make the motion. >> I'll support it. >> Okay. A motion by Vice Chair Brefield, second by Councelor Fifer to adjourn a meeting at 4 PM. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.