Comstock Charter Township - March 11, 2026 Comstock Downtown Development Authority Special Meeting

Updated about 10 hours ago

Significant public comments were made regarding the alleged illegal property acquisition and grant application issues. Resident Tim Kearney previously filed a complaint accused the board of pursuing "eminent domain" without proper consent and obtaining grants illegally, sparking heated discussion. The board reviewed bids for the beautification maintenance contract, discussing whether to award it for one year or three years, with a focus on maintaining gateways. Due to a split vote, no final decision was made, and the matter was tabled for further review. The board also went into a closed session to discuss legal matters related to the accusations. Upon return, the DDA provided clarification and addressed the different points made in the complaint. The meeting highlighted ongoing controversies and operational decisions in the downtown development area.

Chapters

Approval of Agenda (00:02:00)
The agenda was approved as submitted with minor additions for public comment and a closed session item.

The agenda was discussed with the addition of public comment language under item four and a closed session under item seven. It was publicly noticed, and no amendments were needed. A motion to approve the agenda was seconded and passed.
Approval of Minutes (00:02:32)
The minutes from the previous meeting were approved by a motion and seconded, passing unanimously.

The minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed, and a motion was made to approve them. The motion was seconded, and all members present voted in favor of the approval.
Public Comment (00:02:50)
Public comment session with a three-minute limit per speaker, with no allocation of time to others, and no board discussion.

During the public comment period, participants were allowed to speak for up to three minutes, with no ability to pass their time to others. The board did not engage in discussion during comments, but individuals were encouraged to schedule meetings with the authority director for further discussions.
Public Comment by Tim Kearney (00:04:16)
Tim Kearney expressed concerns about illegal grant acquisition and eminent domain issues.

Tim Kearney brought up issues regarding the board's pursuit of eminent domain without having the necessary funding, and accused the board of obtaining a grant illegally without written consent. He expressed frustration with the board's actions and emphasized his mission to help children of abuse and neglect.
Public Comment Continuation (00:07:40)
Additional public comment criticized the board's treatment of small businesses and attendance issues.

A speaker raised concerns about the board's negative impact on small businesses and criticized a board member for poor attendance, suggesting a vote to remove the absentee member.
DDA Budget (00:08:21)
No report on the DDA budget this month; postponed to next meeting.

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) budget report was not available for this month. It was stated that the financial report would be presented at the next scheduled meeting, and no action was taken on the budget item.
Beautification Maintenance Infrastructure Committee (00:09:02)
Discussion on the Beautify Comstock Center maintenance contract and recommendation to award the contract.

The board discussed the maintenance contract for Beautify Comstock Center, which includes maintenance of flower pots and gateways. Copies of the contract summary were distributed to the board and public. The discussion included potential public comments from bidders on the contract.
Bidders' Public Comments (00:10:02)
Public comments from bidders Chris Daniels and Amanda on their willingness to adjust bids.

Chris Daniels and Amanda, representing different companies, commented on their readiness to adjust their bids to meet the board's budget and contract requirements. They expressed their openness to work with the board on the terms discussed in previous meetings.
Contract Bid Revisions and Discussions (00:11:18)
Discussion on the fairness of bid revisions and the need for clarification on scope and pricing.

Board members debated the fairness of allowing one bidder to revise their bid after seeing other bids. Clarifications were sought on the scope of work initially requested versus revised expectations, impacting the pricing submitted by bidders.
Motion to Focus on Gateways Only (00:13:02)
Motion to focus maintenance contract on gateways only for one year due to budget constraints.

In light of budget constraints, a motion was made to limit the maintenance contract to only the gateways for one year, excluding the planters. The motion was discussed, seconded, and resulted in a vote.
Discussion on Bid Process and Potential Re-bidding (00:15:27)
Extended discussion on whether to allow revised bids due to changes in scope and fairness.

The board engaged in a detailed discussion on whether to allow bidders to resubmit bids due to changes in the scope of work. Concerns about fairness and the need for all bidders to have an equal opportunity to revise their bids were expressed. A motion was made to table the awarding of the contract until a decision on re-bidding could be reached.
Motion to Table Contract Award (00:26:13)
Motion to table the awarding of the maintenance contract due to lack of consensus and need for clarity.

A motion was made and seconded to table the awarding of the maintenance contract due to a split vote and the need for further clarification on the bidding process. The board agreed to revisit the topic after ensuring all bidders have a fair chance to resubmit their proposals.
Revisiting Bid Process and Request for New Bids (00:29:47)
Plan to request new bids with clarified scope; to be publicly posted for transparency.

The board planned to request new bids with clear and consistent requirements for all bidders, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness. It was decided to publicly post the new request for proposals, allowing all interested parties to participate under the same conditions.
Approval of Funding Amendment (00:32:11)
Discussion on amending funding to decide on one-year or three-year plans. Approval given for one-year funding.

The board discussed the need to amend the current funding breakdown to decide whether to pursue a one-year or three-year funding plan. The motion was made to approve funding for one year only, as the current budget supports only this duration. After discussion, the board unanimously approved the motion to amend the funding plan accordingly.
Discussion on Project Rebid (00:33:00)
The board discussed rebidding a project to ensure fairness in the bidding process.

There was a concern raised about the fairness of the bidding process for a project. It was noted that not all parties had an equal chance to rebid, leading to a decision to rebid the project to ensure fairness and equality among bidders. The board agreed to move forward with the rebidding process.
Closed Session Motion (00:33:19)
Motion to enter closed session under attorney-client privilege was passed.

A motion was proposed for the Township Board to convene in a closed session under the Freedom of Information Act, citing attorney-client privilege as the reason for confidentiality. The motion was seconded and passed following a roll call vote.
Motion to End Closed Session (02:15:14)
Motion to end the closed session was made and passed with all in favor.

After concluding matters in the closed session, a motion was made to end the closed session. The motion was seconded, and all members present voted in favor, thereby concluding the closed session.
Resignation and Removal Motion (02:16:11)
Motion for Mr. Andrew Shippers to resign with recommendation for removal passed.

A motion was put forward for Mr. Andrew Shippers to submit his resignation, accompanied by a recommendation for his removal. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously by the board.
Findings Regarding Kearney Questions (02:16:43)
Board made findings on several issues raised by Mr. Kearney, none requiring further action.

The board addressed several questions raised by Mr. Kearney, including issues of earnest money, eminent domain, grant application procedures, appraisal release, and others. Each point was discussed and findings were made, with no further action deemed necessary on any of the points.
Employee Review Motion (02:19:21)
Motion for an employee review was made and passed.

The board considered a motion for conducting an employee review. The motion was seconded, and after a brief discussion, it was passed unanimously.
New Business - Next DDA Meeting (02:19:58)
Scheduling of the next DDA board meeting was discussed and approved.

Under new business, the board discussed the scheduling of the next Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board meeting. A motion was made to set the date for the next meeting, which was seconded and approved.
Adjournment (02:20:14)
The meeting was adjourned following a motion that was passed unanimously.

At the conclusion of the meeting, a motion was made to adjourn. The motion was seconded, and the board voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting.