ADOPTED - AUGUST 22, 2006

SUBSTITUTE - Agenda Item No. 14

 

Introduced by the County Services and Finance Committees of the:

 

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORATE A POTTER PARK ZOO AND POTTER PARK MILLAGE AUTHORIZATION QUESTION

 

RESOLUTION #06-218

 

WHEREAS, the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park in Lansing is a regional attraction that draws most of its visitors from outside the City of Lansing, including a large number of Ingham County residents; and

 

WHEREAS, on April 11, 2006, the City of Lansing’s Administration submitted a written request to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners for long-term funding for the operational and capital needs of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park, specifically requesting that the Board of Commissioners authorize a special property tax millage to be placed on the November 2006 ballot to support the operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park; and

 

WHEREAS, on July 25, 2006, the Board of Commissioners adopted a Resolution of Intent to enter into a conditional agreement with the City of Lansing for the lease and operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park with specified terms and conditions; and

 

WHEREAS, the agreement for the lease and the operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter  Park is conditioned upon voter approval of a county-wide property tax millage for Zoo funding and continued millage funding for the Zoo; and

 

WHEREAS, the agreement is further conditioned upon a discounted rate being available to residents of those entities contributing to the zoo through a millage, and allowing for the possibility of the County assigning the lease and personal property and transferring responsibility for the operation and maintenance of Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park to a regional entity comprised of Ingham County and one or more other municipalities; and

 

WHEREAS, on August 7, 2006, the Lansing City Council adopted a Resolution of Intent to enter into a conditional agreement with Ingham County for the lease and operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park consistent with specified parameters (copy attached).

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Ingham County accepts the City of Lansing’s Resolution, with the understanding that under subsection (h) the County will extend the same casualty insurance coverage for the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park as it does for its other comparable properties, and that the following question be submitted to a vote of the electorate in the General Election to be held on November 7, 2006.

 

                                                                                                                              ADOPTED - AUGUST 22, 2006

SUBSTITUTE - Agenda Item No. 14

 

RESOLUTION #06-218

 

INGHAM COUNTY POTTER PARK ZOO AND POTTER PARK

MILLAGE QUESTION

 

For the sole purpose of providing funding for the continued operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park, including funding for operations, maintenance, and improvements, shall the Constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of Ingham, Michigan, be increased by up to 0.46 mill, $0.46 per thousand dollars of state taxable valuation, for a period of three (3) years (2006-2008) inclusive and by up to 0.41 mill, $0.41 per thousand dollars of state taxable valuation, for a period of two (2) years (2009-2010) inclusive?  If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise in the first calendar year of the levy an estimated additional $3,233,430.00 for operations, maintenance, and improvements for Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park, and is contingent upon a lease and operational agreement being approved by the City of Lansing and County of Ingham.

 

                                                            YES    [    ]

 

                                                             NO    [     ]

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this question is hereby certified to the County Clerk.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk is hereby directed to place this proposal on the November 7, 2006 ballot, and to be prepared and distributed in the manner required by law.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that staff and the County Attorney shall be authorized to negotiate a lease with representatives of the City of Lansing, with the final lease to be brought back to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners for approval.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Ingham County’s maximum financial involvement with the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park is limited to the amount obtained from this Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park millage.

 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the agreement between Ingham County and the City of Lansing for the lease and operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park must be signed and agreed to by both parties thereto, by Tuesday, November 14, 2006, for the Board of Commissioners to levy the millage.

 

COUNTY SERVICES:   Yeas:  Schor, De Leon, Holman, Copedge

    Nays:  Severino, Vickers               Absent:  None              Approved 8/15/06

County Services approved a different version

 

FINANCE:  Yeas:  Thomas, Hertel, Grebner, Weatherwax-Grant

    Nays:  Dedden, Dougan                Absent:  None                    Approved 8/16/06