City Council Meeting Date: September 5, 2017
To: Mayor & City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Initiation of Request for Mediation with Waterford Township Related to 1980 Annexation Agreement.
BODY
Action Requested:
City Administrator Martig and Mayor Pownell recommend a motion to reject the request from Waterford Township per the letter dated August 9, 2017 and alternatively direct City Administrator Martig and Mayor Pownell to formally request, on behalf of the Northfield City Council, for Waterford Township to participate in mediation with the City through a mediator selected from the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) in a good faith effort to work toward dispute resolution.
Summary Report:
The City Council has previously appointed the Mayor and City Administrator to serve as negotiators in an attempt to resolve the outstanding dispute between the City of Northfield and Waterford Township regarding an Orderly Annexation Agreement. Related historical documents are attached for reference in this agenda item. Mayor Graham had been involved in 2016 and Mayor Pownell assumed responsibility in 2017.
Attached is the last proposed settlement agreement by the City which included an orderly annexation agreement. These were being proposed in December of 2016 with prospective agreement that ultimately was rejected by the Waterford Township Board.
Mayor Pownell and City Administrator Martig had met with the Waterford Township and explored the status of the proposed settlement. Mayor Pownell and City Administrator Martig verbally requested consideration of mediation as a resolution to the matter did not appear to be making forward progress. In response to this request, the Waterford Township Board has submitted the attached letter requesting a lump sum payment plus continuing with future payments into the future.
Mayor Pownell and City Administrator Martig are committed to working towa...
Click here for full text