[0:00] was the best made up my mind over the
[0:01] week.
[0:02] » Lauren wind down.
[0:05] » I've heard that.
[0:06] » I'm glad you're here. I'm like,
[0:09] » You know, when you had children,
[0:11] » It's just not going to work down like
[0:18] that evening.
[0:19] » So, night of audition.
[0:22] » All right, we'll call this meeting to
[0:24] order.
[0:25] » If you can please stand for the pledge
[0:26] of allegiance.
[0:30] to the flag of the United States of
[0:33] America and to the republic for which it
[0:36] stands. One nation under God,
[0:39] indivisible, with liberty and justice
[0:41] for all.
[0:44] [clears throat]
[0:49] » Commissioner Wiki, would you lead us in
[0:51] prayer?
[0:51] » Sure. Let's pray.
[0:54] Lord, we come to you tonight and uh ask
[0:56] that you would lead us and guide us in
[0:59] this meeting. Pray that uh you would
[1:02] bless our city, that you would uh use us
[1:06] uh to make wise decisions uh to help our
[1:09] community. We pray this in Jesus name.
[1:11] Amen.
[1:14] » Roll call. City clear.
[1:15] » Commissioner Burr
[1:16] » Here.
[1:16] » Commissioner Boring
[1:17] » Here. Commissioner Wiki
[1:18] » Here.
[1:19] » Commissioner Smith
[1:20] » Here.
[1:20] » Commissioner Abs
[1:21] » Here.
[1:21] » Commissioner Miller
[1:22] » Here. Vice Mayor Mullins
[1:23] » Present.
[1:24] » Mayor Perez here.
[1:27] » All right, moving on with the agenda
[1:28] under proclamations and presentations.
[1:30] There's none tonight.
[1:33] » We'll go ahead and move on to the
[1:34] visitor section. There's a visitor that
[1:37] would like to make a public comment for
[1:38] items not listed on the agenda. Please
[1:41] step forward to the podium. State your
[1:43] name and address and you'll have two
[1:44] minutes.
[1:47] I see no takers.
[1:50] » All right. Next on the agenda is the
[1:51] approval of the agenda.
[1:55] » So moved.
[1:55] » Do we have a motion?
[1:57] » Second
[1:58] » And support. All in favor?
[1:59] » I oppose.
[2:01] » So move.
[2:02] » Next on the agenda is the approval of
[2:04] the consent agenda.
[2:06] » So moved.
[2:06] » So we have a motion.
[2:08] » Second
[2:09] » And support. All in favor?
[2:11] » I oppose.
[2:12] » So move.
[2:15] » Next is unfinished business and we have
[2:17] none tonight. So, we'll move in straight
[2:20] into new business and we'll get started
[2:23] with the wastewater treatment plant
[2:25] bioolids landation
[2:27] bid. Mr. Brandon,
[2:30] welcome tonight. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[2:32] City commissioners
[2:34] um presenting to you tonight
[2:36] a
[2:38] um proposal from Wheeling Brothers. So,
[2:41] the wastewater treatment plant produces
[2:43] approximately a million gallons of bio
[2:45] salads each year. These require proper
[2:48] disposal. Um these are the disposal
[2:51] methods are regulated by Eagle EPA
[2:55] standards. Um the preferred method for
[2:57] this disposal is to recycle the bioids
[3:00] onto agricultural land for conditioning
[3:02] the soil and providing nutrient value
[3:05] for the crops to be grown. Um, this
[3:08] method requires that the city contract
[3:11] services for the removal,
[3:12] transportation, and the land application
[3:14] of the bioolids.
[3:17] Um, staff published an invitation to bid
[3:20] July 20th. Um, exhibit A, which is
[3:24] included in your packet, [clears throat]
[3:26] basically outlines the spec and
[3:28] everything that is required for the land
[3:31] application process. um who is required
[3:35] to fulfill what role. Um
[3:40] this is a four-year contract that we're
[3:42] looking at um that we went out for.
[3:46] We've done shorter term contracts in the
[3:49] past. It just seems like
[3:52] it's a lot of leg work to get constant
[3:54] contractors come in and to turn around
[3:56] and then replace it out. So, we've had
[3:59] success with the four-year contract. um
[4:04] bids were based on a per gallon
[4:07] um amount.
[4:09] So first year 26 27 which will be this
[4:12] fall. Uh so 5.7 cents per gallon. So
[4:17] we're looking and then about 2% each
[4:20] increase each year after that and then a
[4:23] one time uh sludge storage tank cleaning
[4:26] or 11 cents a gallon. Um
[4:31] August 20 or August 10th, uh we received
[4:33] one bid from Wheeling Brothers LLC from
[4:37] out of Fowler, Indiana. Um Wheeling has
[4:40] had the previous contract for the four
[4:42] years prior. Um we've had great success
[4:45] in working with them. We've had
[4:49] good feedback from the land owners, from
[4:51] the farmers who
[4:54] um work the fields that we're we're
[4:57] applying on. Um, so I feel like we
[5:01] should definitely consider this bid
[5:03] considering it's the only one also that
[5:04] helps. But, um, they've been we've had
[5:08] great success with them in the past and
[5:09] I look forward to another four years.
[5:12] The bid contract amount is $300,000
[5:14] respectively. Uh, there is a bid
[5:16] breakdown by the year as you can see
[5:19] here. Um, other than that, open to
[5:22] answer any questions.
[5:24] » Any questions for Brandon? No.
[5:28] So, you said this is a a four-year
[5:30] process.
[5:31] » It's a four-year contract. So,
[5:32] basically, they'll have this they will
[5:35] sign the contract. They will be the uh
[5:37] ones applying for four years,
[5:39] consecutive years.
[5:40] » How how often do they do that?
[5:43] » We land apply once a year.
[5:44] » Once a year.
[5:45] » Yep. About a million gallons once a
[5:47] year. So,
[5:49] typically the contract spells it out
[5:51] that they're supposed to be done before
[5:52] November 30th each year. That way it
[5:55] keeps us out of the frost. It keeps us
[5:57] out of spring application and um
[5:59] basically as soon as the crops are off,
[6:01] they can get in there, they can land
[6:03] apply and it sits for the winter. Nice.
[6:07] I I know I said something uh to Andrew
[6:10] in the past. I would I'd love to see our
[6:13] community have something that would burn
[6:15] the bioolids and then people or other
[6:19] communities would sell it to us as well
[6:23] uh for electric production. Um that way
[6:27] we're maybe possibly at some point
[6:29] making money off of it instead of losing
[6:33] just a thought there. Um so I don't know
[6:37] if you guys are familiar in the past we
[6:39] have looked at different
[6:42] uh I guess ways of handling the bioolids
[6:46] and to get to a dry process as you're
[6:50] stating is uh
[6:52] would take pretty significant amount of
[6:55] capital for that to
[6:57] » You'd have to have a drier or something
[6:59] like that like
[7:00] » So you first step is you're dewatering
[7:02] so you have to get it down to to a
[7:05] certain consistency um percent solids
[7:08] and then from once you get to that
[7:10] dewatered state then you can move on to
[7:11] drying um and then from there drying
[7:15] that opens up the different
[7:16] opportunities if you're talking
[7:18] incineration of some sort.
[7:21] We didn't go down quite as far as what
[7:23] that would look like.
[7:25] » Um we pretty much stopped at what it
[7:28] would look like for the dewatering and
[7:29] then for the drying process.
[7:32] The numbers were pretty substantial. So
[7:35] that's kind of where we looked at.
[7:37] » Gotcha.
[7:41] » Any other questions for Brandon?
[7:49] » Mr. Mayor, I move that the Sturgeis City
[7:51] Commission approved the bid for Wheeling
[7:53] Brothers LLC in the amount of $300,000
[7:56] for land allocation of bioolids as
[7:59] presented.
[8:00] » So we have a motion, second and support.
[8:03] All in favor?
[8:04] » I I opposed.
[8:06] » So move. Thank you, Brandon.
[8:07] » Thank you.
[8:09] » Next on the agenda is the 2027 sidewalk
[8:12] repair program.
[8:14] » Patrick, welcome.
[8:16] » Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Commission. Uh the
[8:19] engineering department is working to
[8:20] implement a new sidewalk uh repair
[8:22] program for 2627.
[8:26] Uh the program includes replacement of
[8:28] damaged sidewalks and trip hazards. Um,
[8:31] and it says uh uh where there are no
[8:35] current sidewalks. Um, to clarify that
[8:38] some of the sidewalks are so damaged
[8:40] that the homeowners are actually picking
[8:42] the sidewalks out and they're leaving
[8:44] them large gaps. So, that's that's
[8:48] what's also in this um packet. Um we are
[8:53] requesting that land and resource
[8:56] engineering LRE provide bidding services
[8:58] for the project as well as limited
[9:01] construction observation construction
[9:02] material and testing. Uh the proposal um
[9:06] will be for LRE to prepare a limited bid
[9:09] package sidewalk removal replacement
[9:12] across all four cities or all four wards
[9:15] across the city. Um using the
[9:19] information provided from the
[9:20] engineering department um we have a full
[9:23] list of the sidewalks of the city of
[9:25] Sturgis um where they are needed the
[9:29] most um across all four wards and the
[9:33] [cough and clears throat] engineering
[9:34] department will also be handling all of
[9:36] the rightaway permitting. Um during this
[9:40] uh LRE will be [clears throat]
[9:43] um six bi-weekly visits uh over 12 weeks
[9:49] in the 2027 uh year. Um, construction
[9:52] materials will be handled by the
[9:54] contractor and the proposal fees from
[9:58] LRE are $7,500 for the project cost and
[10:03] then up to um but not to exceed $12,140
[10:08] for the con uh to oversee the
[10:10] construction process um of the project
[10:13] itself.
[10:15] Um I have Neil here uh with LRE. Um and
[10:21] come up and introduce yourself.
[10:26] » Hi. Good evening. Um
[10:27] » My name is Neil Dwitz with Land Resource
[10:30] Engineering. Um
[10:32] so I worked with Barry a little bit
[10:34] before he left trying to put this
[10:35] proposal together. I think maybe a year
[10:38] or two ago. Um was approached by Patrick
[10:41] maybe about a couple months ago. um kind
[10:44] of to bring this back um to put to put a
[10:47] proposal together, put a bid package
[10:49] together to get um uh the program off on
[10:52] its feet. Um understanding that we want
[10:54] to use public dollars as efficiently as
[10:56] we can and not put all that into
[10:58] engineering and try to put it into the
[10:59] sidewalk itself. Um so we we've kind of
[11:03] we're going to partner up with Patrick
[11:04] and his his staff as well to to make
[11:07] sure we get the best product of the
[11:08] city. um
[11:12] do have some history of the city. Uh
[11:14] used to work with Fishbach for 15 years
[11:16] and did a lot of the brick roads around
[11:18] town. So do have some familiarity with
[11:20] the city. Um but yeah, looking forward
[11:22] to um a successful projects and um a new
[11:26] opportunity for us working with the
[11:27] city.
[11:30] » Any questions for Lee? I
[11:31] » Have a couple of Patrick or was it Neil?
[11:34] Yeah.
[11:34] » Neil or
[11:36] » Um
[11:38] um is this all the whole list that we
[11:41] received is that is all of that to be
[11:43] done in this calendar year in the next
[11:46] 2027?
[11:47] » No sir. [clears throat]
[11:48] » Okay.
[11:48] » So that's just what we've identified as
[11:50] needing to be done all over the city.
[11:52] But how much of this would we complete
[11:53] in the next year? Um, so right now we
[11:57] are looking at about $200,000
[12:00] um for the actual construction portion
[12:02] of um of the project itself. Um, I would
[12:06] have to get back with you on what the
[12:07] linear footage is um, or how many
[12:10] squares that is because uh, right now
[12:12] we're actually identifying about $30 a
[12:15] square foot. Um, and then all of the
[12:18] sidewalk repair is uh, our math is based
[12:21] on 4x4 by 4 inch thick.
[12:26] But to answer your question, uh, not all
[12:28] of that is going to be done this year.
[12:30] We actually are trying to budget every
[12:32] other year for $200,000 for the sidewalk
[12:34] program.
[12:35] » So, have you have you determined where
[12:37] you would start it yet or anything or
[12:39] what areas to hit first kind of thing
[12:41] or?
[12:41] » Um, so right now we would we're probably
[12:43] going to try to attack the worst areas,
[12:45] biggest trip hazards. Um obviously the
[12:47] last uh storm has ripped up, you know,
[12:50] large chunks um out of the ground
[12:53] itself. So we'll pro, you know, we want
[12:55] to we want to make sure that um we get
[12:58] the worst ones, the biggest trip
[12:59] hazards, anything that's uh definitely
[13:02] going to create any sort of safety
[13:04] issues.
[13:05] » Okay. But you you haven't identified
[13:07] exactly which ones you're going that's
[13:09] still in the worst of where you're going
[13:10] to start and what areas you're going to
[13:12] hit. I guess you don't know that yet
[13:13] though. uh like we just want to do the
[13:16] worst um so the packet that we actually
[13:18] have has you know 3inch gaps or two inch
[13:20] gaps. We want to do anything that's
[13:23] probably the worst safety safety hazards
[13:25] right out the gate.
[13:27] » And then one question about the list.
[13:28] There's there's many of them that have
[13:30] there was one on the first page for 301
[13:32] Chicago that had like their property
[13:34] listed like six times. It had two
[13:36] different owners. I mean I see a lot of
[13:37] these in here that have no longer the
[13:39] owners of the properties. I don't know
[13:40] where this information is coming from
[13:42] from the list that was compiled
[13:43] necessarily. Um, but I see a lot of
[13:47] those have like corner lots. So, we're
[13:49] looking at two different street
[13:50] sections, but some of them are just
[13:52] short distances like 211 Virginia for
[13:54] instance. They're listed three times or
[13:56] three different amounts. Why are they
[13:57] listed multiple times?
[13:58] » Uh, I'd have to double check that. That
[14:00] list has been in engineering for years.
[14:04] Um, so, you know, obviously we want to
[14:06] go back through and clean that up.
[14:07] [clears throat]
[14:08] Oh, so this isn't something that you
[14:10] compiled recently.
[14:11] » Not currently. No, we've had this
[14:13] » Name don't match properties. [laughter]
[14:16] » Well, certainly before any letters go
[14:18] out, you know, they will acquire the
[14:20] information from our assessing database
[14:22] to get
[14:23] » Well, I've seen I saw some names in the
[14:24] property owners having been property
[14:26] owners for years. Yeah. On these
[14:27] properties and I'm like, what what's
[14:28] going on with this stuff?
[14:29] » Yeah.
[14:30] » So, if there are some that are listed
[14:31] like three times, like 211 Virginia
[14:33] Street, the short front and they've got
[14:35] three lines. There's only gonna be one
[14:37] line on their property line when this
[14:38] thing is completed.
[14:40] » Correct.
[14:42] » I didn't know if you had one that, you
[14:43] know, one line for repair, one for
[14:45] replace kind of thing. I didn't know how
[14:46] they all work.
[14:47] » So, right now, um there's going to be uh
[14:50] quite a large list as far as um a lot of
[14:54] them have like tree roots underneath
[14:56] them. So, it's not just going to be
[14:57] we're going to go in take the sidewalk
[14:59] out and then replace the sidewalk.
[15:01] there's going to be root restoration um
[15:03] on some of those which is going to
[15:04] obviously cost a little bit more um than
[15:07] just having somebody else you know
[15:09] repair a 4x4 ft um section of sidewalk.
[15:12] So uh ultimately we're going to try to
[15:15] take as much cost into consideration and
[15:17] make sure that uh we can get especially
[15:20] for the first goound as much done as we
[15:22] possibly can. Um [clears throat]
[15:24] you know the worst ones.
[15:27] » Okay. Uh, well, that explains a lot that
[15:29] this was compiled. So,
[15:30] » Yeah, it's it's been many, many, many
[15:32] years. I know that we've been trying to
[15:34] do a sidewalk program or from what I
[15:36] understand, we're going to try to do a
[15:37] sidewalk program for quite a while now.
[15:40] » Okay.
[15:40] » So,
[15:41] » So now we're trying to implement the
[15:42] sidewalk program.
[15:43] » So, I'm guessing this list doesn't
[15:45] include the ones that were recently
[15:46] ripped up by the storms or could not or
[15:49] may not.
[15:49] » I'll have to double check that. Yeah.
[15:51] » Okay.
[15:52] » So, Dan may have up um updated that um
[15:55] over the last few weeks. So, I'll just
[15:57] double check that.
[15:58] » And is there any reason why some are
[15:59] bold and some are not? Is that just from
[16:01] the old listing?
[16:02] » That's that's from the old listing.
[16:03] » Okay. All right. Thank you.
[16:06] » So, what was it?
[16:08] » Go ahead.
[16:08] » What was the criteria for your um
[16:12] repairs like one inch lift in the
[16:15] sidewalk, 2 in? What What was the
[16:18] minimum? What's
[16:19] » So, the minimum sidewalk repair I
[16:21] believe is an eighth of an inch uh for
[16:24] any sort of trip hazard. Yeah, correct.
[16:26] Um, we have some that are hinged, you
[16:28] know, 4 in. So, um, we're going to want
[16:31] to take care of those, you know, 4 inch
[16:33] ones before we do any half inch ones.
[16:36] Um,
[16:37] we have a lot of decrepit sidewalk. Um,
[16:40] so I think again for the first goound
[16:43] for, you know, the $200,000 that we're
[16:45] going to spend, we just need to get as
[16:47] much done as we possibly can to to kind
[16:50] of show that, you know, we're we're
[16:52] doing our best for the city.
[16:55] Now, you're also I saw that on some of
[16:57] the uh address there again since it
[17:00] hasn't been updated yet, which I went
[17:02] out and noticed that um on my street on
[17:05] my block alone, there was nothing listed
[17:08] and yet there's probably at least five
[17:11] houses that have noticeable cracks that
[17:13] need to be remediated. But, u so
[17:16] hopefully we'll get that finished before
[17:18] you start ping everything else plus the
[17:20] storm damage.
[17:21] I think hopefully it should be done this
[17:23] year. But
[17:24] » Yeah, uh actually Jim today called me um
[17:27] and was talking to um someone at a
[17:31] property that he was doing a meter
[17:32] service for and texted me today uh to
[17:36] add her to the to the list. So, we're
[17:38] going to go out tomorrow and look at her
[17:39] sidewalks, too. Um you know, we get
[17:42] calls probably two or three times a week
[17:45] um about sidewalk replacements, cracks,
[17:47] lifts, especially again from the storm.
[17:50] Um, so it's going to be it's going to be
[17:53] an ongoing thing throughout, you know,
[17:56] forever probably, you know, as
[17:58] especially as we're as Sturgis is
[18:01] growing and adding subdivisions, you
[18:03] know, you're only adding more and more
[18:04] sidewalks uh to the city of Sturgis. Um,
[18:08] and I mean, you can walk around right
[18:10] now, there's there's a lot of uh
[18:12] sidewalks that definitely need repair.
[18:14] Um, so ultimately again for the
[18:16] engineering side, you know, we want to
[18:18] get this kicked off. Um, we're probably
[18:21] going to have a couple of bumps. You
[18:22] know, it seems this is a new project for
[18:24] us. Um, but ultimately it's it's to get
[18:27] some stuff done, make sure we're doing
[18:29] it uh adequate adequately, correctly,
[18:32] and um and learn from anything that we
[18:34] get out of this one so that when we come
[18:36] back and do it back in uh 2029,
[18:40] um you know, that we can learn from our
[18:42] mistakes and and get, you know, even
[18:44] more bang for our buck.
[18:46] » So,
[18:49] another question is why do we have to
[18:51] have an engineering firm to repair
[18:52] sidewalks?
[18:54] Um ultimately they are putting a package
[18:57] bid together for the $7,500. They LRE um
[19:01] is from what I understand has been
[19:03] successful in doing Grand Rapids. Uh
[19:06] right now we have
[19:08] I think 16 projects going right now in
[19:11] engineering um with three of us. Uh, and
[19:15] that's that's
[19:18] not um that doesn't even count like what
[19:22] we do with the mistakes or our daily
[19:25] routines. Um, so we are extremely busy.
[19:28] We just can't handle uh in the
[19:30] engineering department right now taking
[19:31] that on
[19:34] » Basically. So you just need someone to
[19:36] send out the bids.
[19:39] So what we need is we need somebody to
[19:41] put the pre the project package
[19:43] together. Um we are going to handle the
[19:46] letters that go out to the um
[19:51] the residents
[19:52] » And then as the project is going is
[19:56] going to come down every other week and
[19:58] double check all the work that's being
[19:59] done by the contractor.
[20:05] Seems like an awful lot of money to come
[20:06] down every two weeks to check on
[20:08] progress.
[20:10] » Um I agree. Uh I just feel like in
[20:14] engineering right now we can spend um
[20:18] our time uh in a different manner.
[20:22] » Well, right now we're having sidewalks
[20:24] repaired sporadically with um I think
[20:27] it's Mr. Miller concrete.
[20:30] Um he's done a lot of work for the city
[20:33] over the years, very reliable.
[20:36] Um you
[20:39] I assume you're going to take off the
[20:41] lowest bid in the contract. Maybe we
[20:43] won't get him again.
[20:44] » Correct.
[20:45] » Um but
[20:47] there's not a whole lot to do to take
[20:49] out us a piece of sidewalk,
[20:52] form it, and pour another.
[20:56] So I don't
[20:58] And there's there's
[21:02] you're going to want to hire the
[21:03] contractor that's probably the closest
[21:04] to the area that's going to be able to,
[21:07] you know, minimum travel times, lower
[21:11] the cost and all that. So, I would just
[21:13] think that the city could do it a little
[21:16] bit cheaper than spending $20,000 for an
[21:19] engineering firm.
[21:21] » Um, I appreciate your opinion. Yes.
[21:24] » Can I interject?
[21:25] » Yes, sir, you can.
[21:28] The idea is that [clears throat]
[21:31] design services is one aspect or one
[21:34] component of this contract. The other is
[21:37] the construction which would include
[21:41] inspection.
[21:43] And
[21:45] one of the things because we have so
[21:48] much sidewalk, it makes it more
[21:51] efficient for us to perform this way as
[21:56] opposed to having staff
[21:59] divided up where we're doing other
[22:01] projects.
[22:03] So the idea is, and I would agree with
[22:06] you that years ago that would have been
[22:08] the typical way that we approach
[22:11] sidewalks is to just to try to find a
[22:14] local contractor,
[22:16] fill it in. But that means that we have
[22:18] to take somebody out of our office that
[22:22] could be working in another area.
[22:26] So we have to rely on LRE to
[22:30] be that fifth person out of the
[22:33] engineering office. So when we measure
[22:37] the efficiency of having that extra firm
[22:41] do the design and inspection or design
[22:45] staking.
[22:47] It really is more efficient for us to do
[22:49] it that way.
[22:53] Well, when you come down every two weeks
[22:55] to inspect how many yards have been
[22:57] poured, how close are you actually
[23:00] checking?
[23:02] » Well, and again, um, if we have to
[23:05] enforce, if something's not acceptable,
[23:08] they will be the firm telling the
[23:12] contractor, "Pull it out and do it
[23:14] again."
[23:20] I poured I poured a lot of concrete in
[23:22] my life, but I'm
[23:25] You don't know what's underneath that
[23:27] either. Well, it's they felt like with
[23:29] rocks or what? I'm not saying they
[23:30] would. And I don't think that's not
[23:33] worth their time to do that either, but
[23:34] I just come down and see that the the
[23:38] sidewalks are maybe um level or that
[23:42] they are properly screed or brushed or
[23:45] whatever
[23:47] after two weeks. I mean, yeah, if
[23:50] they're not done, they can turn them
[23:51] back out, but the damage is already
[23:53] done.
[23:56] » And you're you're well noted on that.
[23:59] Um,
[24:01] I think as we move forward, if this body
[24:05] decides to move in that direction, as
[24:07] Patrick had said, I'm sure that he's
[24:10] going to have to refine along with LRE
[24:14] the way that we do things. If it doesn't
[24:17] turn out to be a cost-saving measure for
[24:20] us, then we'll have to resort to another
[24:24] approach.
[24:26] I mean, I guess ultimately this week is
[24:28] a really good uh example of why we also
[24:31] need to have extra resources. Um, this
[24:34] week right now we have crack ceiling
[24:36] going on. So, I have one of my gentlemen
[24:39] out doing um Miss Digs uh all day. It's
[24:43] it's a busy time of the year where
[24:44] everybody wants to do fences and
[24:46] driveways and all of that good stuff.
[24:48] We're trying to do city, you know,
[24:50] upgrade different things in the city.
[24:52] Um, so he's gone for the full day. uh
[24:54] Dan and I have been, you know, watching
[24:57] uh them do the crack sealing and making
[24:59] sure that they're doing everything on a,
[25:01] you know, a competent level. And then on
[25:03] top of that, you know, I've got, you
[25:05] know, [clears throat] my director's, I
[25:07] guess, a director's position to where
[25:08] I'm making sure that everything is all
[25:10] still moving forward with all of the
[25:12] other projects that we have. Uh making
[25:14] sure that some of the companies are
[25:16] getting all their water hooked up, all
[25:18] their meters done. Um so
[25:22] for me in the engineering department we
[25:24] are just very limited on resources when
[25:26] we have a lot of projects going that we
[25:29] need to be also on this like boots on
[25:31] the ground. So it's it's kind of one of
[25:33] those things where
[25:35] I agree with you. Um if I could have
[25:38] extra resources in my office that would
[25:40] be amazing. Um but we just don't.
[25:44] » Well and that had been discussed with
[25:46] Barry retiring. I mean that we weren't
[25:48] we were going to be short staffed in
[25:50] that department. So that was already
[25:52] something that we had discussed. Weren't
[25:54] there three people in that department?
[25:56] Is that what you said? You have three
[25:57] people in the department.
[25:58] » Myself, Dan, and uh Trey
[26:01] » Just explain.
[26:05] » So going back to the offish off topic on
[26:08] this going back to the crack ceiling.
[26:10] happened to go down the so I drive down
[26:12] Mechanic Street and I noticed that there
[26:15] were cracked ceiling down Mechanic
[26:17] Street, but they had cars parked all the
[26:20] way down the road on the side of the
[26:22] street. And it's just like why didn't
[26:24] the city notify the residents not to
[26:26] park on the street? Um because
[26:29] underneath all the cars, of course,
[26:31] that's where all the oils and
[26:33] everything's going to leak and soft
[26:36] pavement and cracks are going to happen.
[26:38] But because all the road, all that side
[26:41] of the road is covered, you guys
[26:42] couldn't get under there. So, I thought,
[26:45] well, why why weren't they notified
[26:47] about that?
[26:48] » Um, I believe the city was notified. Um,
[26:51] however, with that being said, when
[26:53] we're I think we're doing
[26:56] 90,000 pounds of cracking in a week, I
[26:58] don't to move the city around of of cars
[27:02] on the streets, I think, would be a
[27:03] pretty tough ordeal.
[27:05] Well, I mean, just send them letters to
[27:07] say this sweeper cracks soon. Don't park
[27:09] on the street. Just like if it's snow
[27:12] emergency, they don't park on the
[27:13] street. Well, not supposed to, but
[27:17] just ask them for a friend.
[27:20] » Thank you.
[27:23] » Any other questions for Brandon?
[27:32] City Commission approves a proposal from
[27:33] land and resource engineering in the not
[27:35] to exceed amounts of $7,500 for design
[27:38] engineering services and not to exceed
[27:40] $12,140
[27:42] for construction engineering services
[27:44] with an hourly
[27:47] with an hourly.
[27:50] It doesn't make sense but as presented.
[27:53] » So we have a motion
[27:54] » Not to exceed [laughter]
[27:55] » Second. We have a motion [clears throat]
[27:56] and a second. All in favor?
[27:59] » I opposed.
[28:00] » I
[28:01] » So moved.
[28:02] » Thank you.
[28:02] » Thank you.
[28:03] » Thank you, [laughter] Patrick.
[28:12] » Next on the agenda is the uh 69 KV
[28:16] transmission line bids. Mr. Chris,
[28:18] » Welcome.
[28:19] » Good evening, mayor, vice mayor,
[28:21] commissioners.
[28:23] Uh in this year's uh budget um we do
[28:26] have actually next year's budget uh we
[28:28] have uh funds budgeted for the 69 KB
[28:31] transmission line. Uh in preparation for
[28:35] that and because I wasn't for sure if
[28:37] the A line was going to be acquired by
[28:40] the time uh we got the substation done
[28:43] uh we just moved this ahead to to be
[28:45] done uh early uh in in this next budget
[28:48] year. So, a requested for for proposal
[28:51] for the construction of the Nawa Street
[28:54] 69 uh project was posted on bidnet on
[28:57] the bidet website and five bids were
[29:00] received on July 27th. A summary of the
[29:03] bids is included in your packet. Uh the
[29:07] bids were reviewed for completeness and
[29:10] conformance uh to the documents that
[29:12] were posted. The low bidder was Extreme
[29:14] Power Line with a bid of $429,91.7.
[29:19] Extreme Power Line has not worked for
[29:21] the city uh previously. Uh so a list of
[29:24] references were requested. Uh it was
[29:26] requested for them to provide references
[29:28] for municipal or co-op utilities. Uh but
[29:31] the references provided were only for
[29:34] large investorowned uh utilities. Uh an
[29:37] attempt was made to contact the
[29:38] references provided and only one
[29:40] reference responded to that request. Uh
[29:42] there's also cause for concern because
[29:44] of how much the low bidder uh how much
[29:48] lower Extreme Power Lines bid was from
[29:49] the next lowest bidder and the average
[29:52] bid price. Uh so that could indicate
[29:55] change orders in the future or maybe
[29:57] they didn't give us a complete uh bid.
[30:00] So
[30:02] next uh New Kirk Newkirk Electric was
[30:05] the next lowest bidder with a bid of
[30:06] $660,000.88.
[30:10] They do have a history of successfully
[30:12] completing these transmission and
[30:14] distribution projects for uh municipal
[30:17] utilities and they are also the
[30:19] contractor for the state line substation
[30:21] project. Uh staff recommends approving
[30:24] the bid from New Kirk Electric in the
[30:25] amount of $660,000.88.
[30:30] I did include uh an overall uh project
[30:34] um
[30:36] summary uh as well in the the packet. Um
[30:40] so we're well within uh the budgeted
[30:42] amount. Uh we we have budgeted funds of
[30:44] two 2,200,000
[30:47] for this project. Uh with the po
[30:49] purchase of poles uh engineering and
[30:52] construction
[30:53] uh the total so far is 794,277.
[30:59] I will anticipate uh another uh cost
[31:02] coming in and that is for tying in this
[31:05] line to the state line substation that
[31:07] has not been engineered or bid out yet.
[31:09] So um I said state line sorry uh
[31:13] southeast substation which is currently
[31:16] uh in use. So
[31:19] any questions for Chris? uh with what
[31:22] we've got left and what we've got left
[31:24] to do, how are we
[31:28] how are we at on the budget? You said
[31:30] there was going to be an additional
[31:32] cost. Are we where we should be or
[31:34] » I think we'll come in under on this
[31:36] specific project uh for that that
[31:39] transmission line. Um that tie-in I
[31:42] don't believe is going to rem uh take up
[31:44] the remaining u budget item. So I think
[31:47] we'll be sitting pretty good on that. So
[31:50] yeah, thank you
[31:53] Chris. Going um going with the lowest
[31:55] bidder 429
[31:58] about 230,000 in savings if you will.
[32:01] » Correct. My concern and like I said our
[32:04] concern uh they are not uh from from
[32:06] Michigan. Uh they're out of state. Uh
[32:10] our concern really is that they didn't
[32:12] uh bid the entire scope of the project
[32:15] or know what the project was even though
[32:17] it was explained to them. Uh our concern
[32:20] is that they come back with change
[32:21] orders by not including certain items in
[32:24] in their their bid. Uh so um with that
[32:28] coupled with I mean you can see the
[32:31] average of the other bids. I mean that
[32:32] looks more in line uh to us as well. Um,
[32:35] [clears throat] we've worked with CC
[32:37] Power, we've worked with Newerk, um, and
[32:39] Camp Power. All three of those we've
[32:41] worked with in the past. Uh, so we
[32:43] would, we would assume that their bids
[32:45] are pretty good bids and and really, uh,
[32:47] know what we're we're looking for. Uh,
[32:50] the nice opportunity is that Newkerk is
[32:53] currently building our substation down
[32:55] there. They would be able to pull their
[32:56] crews and and work on this and do the
[32:59] entire uh, project. uh which I think
[33:02] will will um work well for a workflow
[33:06] and then you know coupled with hopefully
[33:09] not a ton or any change orders but
[33:12] project of this size you just don't know
[33:14] what you're getting into. So
[33:16] » Okay
[33:23] any other questions for Chris
[33:27] Mr. Mayor, I move that the Sturge of
[33:28] City Commission approve the bid for New
[33:30] Kirk Electric for the Nawa Suite 69 KV
[33:34] transmission line construction project
[33:36] in the amount of $660,088
[33:41] as presented.
[33:42] » So, we have a motion support and
[33:44] support. All in favor? I
[33:46] » I oppose. So, move.
[33:51] Next on the agenda is the railroad
[33:53] crossing closing addendum. Press. All
[33:56] right. So, with the state line
[33:59] construction of the state line
[34:00] substation uh south of the city, uh this
[34:03] will be fed two ways. The the uh the
[34:06] line or the 69 KB line that we just
[34:09] approved construction of, but then also
[34:11] the A line that we did finally receive
[34:15] um that final agreement from AP signed
[34:18] about two weeks ago. So, um it worked
[34:22] out. It was close, but uh we finally got
[34:24] it done after, you know, three and a
[34:26] half years. So, um with that being said,
[34:29] we need to cross the the railroad tracks
[34:31] with those lines from AD to uh the
[34:34] substation. Uh so with that um we we had
[34:39] to get with the railroad um and uh the
[34:42] attorney worked with the railroad and
[34:44] and got this addendum uh that is in your
[34:46] packet to the master agreement that we
[34:49] have uh with the city that would just
[34:50] add this crossing as an annual uh fee to
[34:54] the city um and allow us to cross that
[34:57] right away. So permit has already been
[35:00] obtained for the construction. That cost
[35:02] was $5,500 that's been paid and approved
[35:05] uh by Newkerk as part of that project
[35:07] for the crossing. This is going to be an
[35:10] annual fee of $91862
[35:13] to
[35:14] continue to cross the railroad. So
[35:20] » Okay,
[35:22] any questions for Chris on this pan?
[35:28] Mr. Mayor, I move that the Sturgeis City
[35:30] Commission approve the sixth addendum to
[35:33] wireline pipeline crossing agreement and
[35:35] approval of the city manager to sign all
[35:37] necessary documents.
[35:39] » So, we have a motion, support and
[35:41] support. All in favor?
[35:42] » I opposed. So, move. Thank you, Chris.
[35:46] Thank you.
[35:50] » Next on the agenda is the digger truck
[35:52] installment purchase agreement. Miss
[35:54] Sager.
[35:55] » Good evening, commissioners. Um, back in
[35:57] May of 25, the commission approved the
[36:00] purchase of a DH50E dual axle digger
[36:03] dirt truck to replace the current 2013
[36:07] um, digger truck, an amount not to
[36:09] exceed the 450. Um, in October, it was
[36:12] adjusted um, not to exceed uh, 460,000.
[36:17] This unit is used to dig holes and set
[36:20] holes and um large transformers. Uh and
[36:24] it is on a 12-year replacement cycle. Um
[36:28] the final price came in at $452,128.
[36:33] Um so in order to purchase this
[36:36] equipment, we're seeking um we have
[36:38] sought fi um financing options under an
[36:41] installment purchase agreement. um we've
[36:44] sent out um an RFP to local banks and
[36:47] received in your packet was what we
[36:49] received back in terms of those bids.
[36:52] And so we're seeking approval um for a
[36:56] an installment purchase agreement with
[36:58] Southern Michigan Bank and Trust um at a
[37:01] rate of 4.13% for 10 years. Um so
[37:05] included in your packet was also a
[37:07] resolution that outlined that agreement.
[37:11] Um I believe there were some questions
[37:13] around the um total amount of interest
[37:18] um that would be incurred between the
[37:20] seven and 10ear rates um that would be
[37:23] roughly um $34,000 between seven and 10
[37:27] years difference. So
[37:31] » What would the uh payment price be?
[37:34] » Um
[37:35] rough roughly 18,000 a year. uh a
[37:40] difference between the payments.
[37:41] » Okay.
[37:42] » Yep.
[37:44] 1,500 a month.
[37:47] So, kind of thinking forward to the
[37:48] purchases we have upcoming um
[37:51] particularly in fiscal year 2028, we
[37:54] have the fire truck which will be over a
[37:56] million and then we have slated for um
[38:01] another bucket truck and th those are
[38:05] the two big things. So kind of forward
[38:07] thinking of cash flow in that regard.
[38:10] » Okay. Thank you. Then you're
[38:12] recommending a 10ear
[38:13] » I am.
[38:13] » Okay.
[38:14] » And based on the the replacement cycle
[38:16] of that particular vehicle 12 um I think
[38:19] that makes
[38:21] » Exact for 10.
[38:22] » Yeah.
[38:24] » Any questions for city?
[38:28] » Mr. Mayor, I move that the service city
[38:30] commission adopt the resolution
[38:32] authorizing installment purchase
[38:34] agreement as presented. So we have a
[38:36] motion
[38:37] second in support. All in favor?
[38:40] » I opposed. So move. Thank you. Sing.
[38:47] [snorts]
[38:48] Next on the agenda is the airport access
[38:50] road and terminal parking lot. Mr. Tom's
[38:53] course. Welcome Tom.
[38:59] » Evening mayor commission. Uh included in
[39:01] your packet is
[39:04] the contract for
[39:07] redoing the airport terminal access road
[39:10] and
[39:12] parking lot.
[39:14] Uh it's a real easy read. Um
[39:20] city's cost is $0. This is 95.
[39:23] » Say no more. No, I'm just kidding.
[39:25] [laughter]
[39:27] It's uh 95% uh federal monies and 5%
[39:32] state. So uh the commission approved
[39:35] back in April of 25
[39:38] contract engineering
[39:40] with Hunt. And so this is what's
[39:43] included in your packet is the
[39:44] infrastructure investment jobs act or
[39:47] Aisha grant
[39:49] to do that project. So I am
[39:53] our budget is $196,324.
[39:56] We're estimated bids came in low. It was
[40:00] bid out earlier this spring. Um
[40:04] and so we're sitting right around
[40:06] $104,000 at $48
[40:10] for the project cost. And the plan is
[40:13] spring of 207
[40:16] because we didn't we weren't for sure
[40:18] when the monies were going to be
[40:19] released.
[40:20] So, we've already determined spring of
[40:23] 27 is our construction season for this
[40:26] project. But what I'm need from
[40:28] commission tonight is your approval to
[40:32] allow me to sign the documents as part
[40:36] one of the grant asurances.
[40:41] » Okay. Any questions for Tom?
[40:43] » Just a quick question, Tom. This was
[40:45] projected at 196. It's going to cost
[40:47] 104.
[40:49] And this is fully funded by other
[40:53] sources.
[40:54] Where does that extra money go to?
[40:56] » Can we use it for other things?
[40:58] » Yes, we can apply. We can add to the
[41:00] project or use the funds on another
[41:04] project. I'll have three years another
[41:06] three years to use those funds
[41:09] » Towards another project. And I have more
[41:11] projects coming up.
[41:14] » Like a a taxi way on Wel Street.
[41:17] Absolutely not. I'm sorry. Just
[41:19] checking. [laughter]
[41:21] » I I have there's uh strict grant
[41:23] assurances and those were included in
[41:25] your packet.
[41:33] Mr. Mayor, I move that the Sturgeis City
[41:36] Commission approve the Michigan
[41:38] Department of Transportation for
[41:39] Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
[41:42] grant for rehabilitation of the Kers
[41:44] Municipal Airport access road and
[41:46] terminal parking lot in the amount of
[41:49] 196,324
[41:54] and authorize airport manager Tom
[41:57] Sakorski to sign all necessary
[42:00] documents.
[42:01] » So, we have a motion
[42:03] Second
[42:04] » And support. All in favor? I
[42:06] » Opposed. So move.
[42:08] » Thank you.
[42:08] » Thank you, Tom.
[42:10] » Next on the agenda is the Sergis Young
[42:12] entryway project, Mr. Dan Rut. Welcome,
[42:15] Dan.
[42:21] Thank you. Good evening, mayor,
[42:22] commissioners. Um as of as at the March
[42:25] 9th uh regular commission meeting uh
[42:28] commission uh staff presented the bids
[42:30] for replacing the interior and exterior
[42:32] entry doors and windows at the Sturgis
[42:34] Young Center for the Arts uh on the
[42:36] front of the building. Uh along with
[42:38] budgets for structural steel electrical
[42:40] and sopet restoration um commission
[42:43] approved the uh bid from reliable glass
[42:45] installers and they were awarded the
[42:47] project in the in the amount of $94,470.
[42:51] structural steel work estimate was also
[42:53] included uh in the budget cost
[42:55] spreadsheet for that project. Uh and the
[42:59] information on included in that budget
[43:02] was provided by uh the structural
[43:04] engineer who had reviewed the original
[43:06] drawings of the building.
[43:08] Um the project was scheduled and
[43:11] determined with uh the plan was to
[43:15] remove the interior set of doors so that
[43:16] we could review uh and and
[43:19] verify the structural steel information.
[43:22] The interior doors were removed uh third
[43:24] week of May. It was then determined that
[43:26] the ceiling would need to be removed in
[43:28] the areas of the airlock and just part
[43:30] of the interior ceiling to get a better
[43:32] look at that existing structural steel.
[43:35] Once ceiling uh was open, the structural
[43:37] steel supplier visited the site and it
[43:39] was determined shortly after that the
[43:40] original documents provided by the
[43:42] structural engineer for the installation
[43:44] of two new steel columns in place of the
[43:46] existing three was not going to work
[43:48] based on the original steel framing, how
[43:50] the original steel framing was
[43:51] installed. Uh staff then reached out to
[43:54] a structural engineer to determine the
[43:56] appropriate course of action. Uh that
[43:58] structural engineer site visit took took
[44:00] place on July 23rd.
[44:03] uh new engineered documents were
[44:05] provided uh to staff on July 28th. All
[44:08] addition an additional steel beam and
[44:11] different columns were specified as part
[44:13] of this new process.
[44:15] Uh and it would be necessary now to
[44:18] remove the existing steel columns
[44:20] obviously to place the new beam
[44:22] requiring us to shore the roof up to
[44:26] hold things up in the while the other
[44:28] work took place.
[44:32] uh
[44:33] staff reached out to Frederick
[44:35] Construction uh for assistance with this
[44:37] scope of work. Uh Fred Frederick then
[44:39] reached out to the structural engineer
[44:41] along with the uh steel erector
[44:44] uh to provide a complete scope of work
[44:47] for that for that work that was
[44:48] necessary. The breakdown
[44:52] provided by Federal Construction can be
[44:54] found in the bid packet. Uh the doors,
[44:57] let's see.
[44:59] Oh, along with the timeline to complete
[45:01] the project would be they they estimated
[45:03] that they would have new structural
[45:05] steel would be installed. We'd be ready
[45:06] for the glass installers around the
[45:08] first week of October.
[45:11] Um and then the new windows would be
[45:13] installed thereafter.
[45:16] As with uh all other projects that the
[45:18] city has worked with Frederick
[45:19] Construction on, any unused portion of
[45:21] their contract would be credited back
[45:23] toward and not build uh to us to the
[45:26] city of Sturgis in the final billing. Um
[45:29] staff's requesting the approval for the
[45:31] for the proposal from Frederick
[45:32] Construction to provide o uh
[45:34] construction oversight, completion of
[45:35] the additional demolition, shoring and
[45:37] foundation work and restoration of the
[45:39] interior ceilings and finishes to
[45:41] complete this project in the amount of
[45:43] $55,453.
[45:46] [snorts]
[45:48] Uh the additional work will put the
[45:49] overall project over budget uh by about
[45:53] $41,888.
[45:55] Uh and that can be seen in the budget
[45:57] cost worksheet as well. Funds to cover
[45:59] this overage will come from the Franks
[46:01] fund donation for repairs to the Sturish
[46:03] Young Center for the Arts.
[46:08] » Any questions?
[46:11] » Any questions for Dan?
[46:13] » One.
[46:15] » Thank you, Dan. Um, in the proposal,
[46:18] the very end of it has I I noticed
[46:20] there's no like contingency budget
[46:23] contingency in this particular one here,
[46:25] » Right? Is that what their overhead and
[46:28] profits of 15% is? That's in their quote
[46:32] » That it No, that wouldn't be the
[46:34] contingency. That's actually just their
[46:35] overhead and profit. That's their their
[46:38] That's the cost of their service.
[46:40] » Okay. So, we don't anticipate any
[46:44] additional once we start taking
[46:45] » I don't think so. I think based on all
[46:47] the conversations that have taken place
[46:49] thus far,
[46:53] we we feel pretty good about it.
[46:55] All right. Cool.
[46:56] » As with a any building that's, you know,
[46:58] 75 years old, we run into these kind of
[47:00] things.
[47:01] » That's why I wonder if
[47:02] » Yeah, I know. Yeah. Yeah. We didn't
[47:04] include a contingency. I I'm never going
[47:06] to bring another project without a
[47:07] contingency. I can tell you that.
[47:12] » Any other questions for Dan?
[47:14] » Mr. Mayor, I move that the Sturgeist
[47:16] City Commission approve the proposal
[47:18] from Federate Construction for
[47:20] construction oversight and
[47:21] [clears throat] labor for demolition,
[47:22] shoring, foundation, and restoration
[47:25] with the Sturgeist Young Center for the
[47:26] Arts in the amount of $55,453.
[47:32] » So, we have a [clears throat] motion
[47:34] support. All in favor?
[47:36] » I oppose.
[47:38] » So, move. Thank you, Dan.
[47:39] » Yep. Thank you.
[47:43] Moving on to commissioner staff
[47:44] comments. [clears throat] We'll go ahead
[47:46] and start with S.
[47:48] » None for tonight. Thank you,
[47:49] » Mr. Rhodess. Uh, next meeting, uh, we'll
[47:54] cover a IFC application for Summit
[47:57] Polymers if you've driven over there.
[47:58] It's it's a bigger building than it used
[48:00] to be. Uh, so they're going to do that.
[48:01] So, at 4 PM, we'll send out an
[48:03] appointment, but uh, if you have the
[48:05] time, you can see what they did.
[48:08] » Got like a tour and stuff. Yeah, just
[48:10] tour the facility.
[48:12] » When is that? When's that going to be?
[48:13] » Uh, right before the next meeting. So,
[48:15] we'll do that 4 p.m. What's that? The
[48:16] 9th, I think.
[48:18] » Yeah, September 9th.
[48:20] » Okay. But we'll send an appointment.
[48:22] » That's it.
[48:23] » Okay. Chris, you have anything?
[48:26] » Yeah, I just can't get an update. Uh,
[48:27] substation is moving along with
[48:29] construction, but also with battery
[48:31] storage project. They did receive uh
[48:36] loan documents from USDA and those have
[48:38] been assigned by the developer. Uh they
[48:42] are finalizing the construction loan as
[48:45] we speak in hopes of ordering materials
[48:48] for the battery energy storage project
[48:51] that we'll be having. I have not got a
[48:53] timeline uh as far as when they
[48:55] anticipate that to be online but
[48:58] hopefully next year is a plan. So things
[49:02] are coming together. Uh also as an
[49:04] update on the the generator project, the
[49:07] first payment has been made as you all
[49:10] have seen. Uh so those are on order.
[49:12] Those are anticipated to be here uh in
[49:16] May. Uh those units on site. So they are
[49:19] we're working through um now getting the
[49:23] site ready and prepped and the building
[49:26] permit executed so we can hopefully
[49:29] start construction on that this fall
[49:31] that will go to that next year.
[49:37] » Okay. You don't have an update on the
[49:39] solar farm. I seen some trucks and
[49:42] personnel out there on
[49:43] » Yes, they've been working on that. Uh
[49:45] they they got on it pretty quick after
[49:47] the storm. Okay. Uh we do and are
[49:49] receiving power from both fields now.
[49:51] Okay.
[49:51] » Uh not nearly as much as we were but
[49:53] about six megawatt the 15. So they're
[49:55] about 15% or 50% sorry. Uh they are
[50:01] working uh with insurance company. It
[50:04] was an insurance claim. Uh just trying
[50:06] to get the pieces and parts together
[50:10] made. Um they will be uh installing some
[50:14] new trackers on there. Hopefully uh
[50:17] beginning some of the the issues that
[50:18] we've seen with characters. Obviously,
[50:20] it looks in quite disarray now. I don't
[50:23] know exactly which lines are working,
[50:25] which ones aren't. I anticipate the ones
[50:28] that are moving or the ones that are
[50:29] from power. So, but they are working on
[50:32] that. Uh I would say, you know, they
[50:35] haven't told us when they they
[50:37] anticipate it to be uh fully operational
[50:39] again, but I would anticipate if they do
[50:43] um hopefully shorter than that. I'm
[50:45] assuming from
[50:48] » Okay.
[50:48] » Y
[50:50] » Thank you Will. You got anything
[50:52] tonight?
[50:52] » Just to tag off the solar. So the
[50:56] planning commission has been asking for
[50:57] a monthly update from the solar group.
[50:59] Okay. Chris and I have been meeting with
[51:01] them the week prior trying to understand
[51:04] what they've
[51:06] been providing an update to the planning
[51:08] commission and then every other month
[51:10] we're asking green back who are the
[51:12] owners of the solar site to come and
[51:14] provide an update to the planning
[51:15] commission.
[51:18] Oh, okay. Great.
[51:21] » Okay, Dan,
[51:22] » Couple things. Uh, if you're curious
[51:24] about the vehicle charging station, we
[51:27] are seeing every month. We're seeing the
[51:30] number of individual or different users
[51:33] by almost double
[51:38] but
[51:41] 33
[51:43] that also exceeded the number of
[51:45] different
[51:55] placing the city hall sign up front. Um
[51:59] got a rendering there.
[52:01] Um this is about what we want not
[52:06] exactly you know the idea I guess um
[52:11] based on what the fire is public or
[52:14] something similar modern time if he did
[52:17] anything probably increase the city a
[52:20] little bit.
[52:27] Um I know there was question about Let
[52:30] me follow that up. The cost of the sign
[52:32] is about $16,000
[52:35] is signed till
[52:39] evening. Um
[52:41] and we received about 11,000 I believe
[52:46] about $1,000.
[52:51] We had we did incur about $4,100
[52:57] the old wall foundation.
[53:06] Um question about electronic messaging
[53:09] sign
[53:11] uh possibility. I mean, it's always a
[53:14] possibility. I guess I based on what we
[53:17] paid for the auditorium electronic
[53:20] sign
[53:22] cost for that sign today would probably
[53:24] be around $35,000
[53:27] this month.
[53:29] They're pretty salty. [clears throat]
[53:40] We have options.
[53:43] I would think that the message sign
[53:45] would make that intersection awful busy.
[53:47] Message signs.
[53:50] » Yeah,
[53:52] » School have one as well.
[53:54] » No, they used to
[53:55] » That's gone now. Okay. I thought there
[53:57] was one over there still. I was like on
[53:59] three sides.
[54:04] » That's been gone that long. [laughter]
[54:06] » Shows you how much I paid attention.
[54:09] Uh, so we got $11,000 from an insurance
[54:12] company for that old wall that was
[54:14] there.
[54:15] » Yeah. Because because of the way it was
[54:17] constructed, it was
[54:19] spent a lot wow.
[54:22] [snorts]
[54:29] [snorts]
[54:32] » Yeah.
[54:36] » I think the lighted sign would be a good
[54:38] idea.
[54:39] the LED sign or
[54:41] » That sign the LED the message board
[54:43] sign.
[54:44] » That was that was my question because uh
[54:47] it would be a good idea just just for
[54:49] the sake of announcing meetings and
[54:52] things like that because I I looked in
[54:55] our website
[54:57] there was no place in there that
[54:59] [clears throat] give the agenda or
[55:01] anything like that. It did announce the
[55:03] date but it never said anything about an
[55:06] agenda or anything. At least that could
[55:08] you could announce the date. The library
[55:10] could use it for their special events.
[55:13] » And there's no better time to do it than
[55:15] now when the other ones tore out.
[55:18] » And we could use it for overflow of
[55:21] attendees here at city hall. If it fills
[55:23] up, they can sit outside and watch it
[55:25] live.
[55:27] » We need bring in [laughter]
[55:29] bring bring in the fire truck with the
[55:31] big TV.
[55:32] » That's what we need.
[55:32] » That's like how you do
[55:36] » Obviously messaging sign.
[55:42] You can only ask
[55:46] seconds
[55:58] [snorts]
[56:00] we would have to commission.
[56:04] It's possible.
[56:07] » That'd be nice. I just I just bought a
[56:10] two by eight uh two of them LED signs
[56:15] for my office. So,
[56:17] I didn't spend that much, but uh but
[56:20] yeah, I I think a messaging sign would
[56:22] be kind of great, but leave that up to
[56:24] you, Doug. I guess. something.
[56:26] » I think uh mayor and commissioners, why
[56:29] don't you give Dan and I the opportunity
[56:32] to look into this a little bit further,
[56:34] firm up some costs and uh bring back
[56:37] some conceptual designs
[56:40] um before we were to move. And again, if
[56:43] we were to decide to go that route, we
[56:45] would have to incur the approvals of the
[56:47] planning commission.
[56:48] » Yeah.
[56:51] » Okay. Thanks, Dan, for the update. have
[56:53] to look at it.
[56:54] » Wouldn't that be an M do thing?
[56:57] » I thought we had to go through that with
[56:58] students.
[57:00] » No,
[57:01] » We didn't. Okay. I thought we did.
[57:03] » Don't give many ideas.
[57:05] » Yeah. No, [clears throat] this should
[57:06] give us
[57:17] » Share.
[57:30] I mean, they might they might benefit
[57:32] from it, too. Be able to put their
[57:34] events on there. You know,
[57:37] » You work
[57:37] » Give us the opportunity to look into it.
[57:41] » All right.
[57:41] » Thank you.
[57:42] » Anything else, Dan?
[57:45] » Tom, you have anything?
[57:47] » No. Brandon, you have anything?
[57:50] » Anything from public safety?
[57:53] » Mike,
[57:54] » Not tonight.
[57:55] » Not tonight. No. No. Go U of M football
[57:57] coming up in couple weeks.
[58:00] » That just goes without saying.
[58:02] [laughter]
[58:04] Anything from our city attorneys?
[58:05] [clears throat] Not tonight. Thank you.
[58:07] Our city manager.
[58:08] » Uh we attended a several meetings. Uh
[58:12] the airport advisory committee. Uh Tom
[58:15] and I met last night. Had a really good
[58:17] meeting with them. Went through some
[58:19] proposed um hanger sites and some
[58:22] discussion.
[58:24] uh the attended a community foundation
[58:27] and then of course uh the uh Sturgis
[58:31] Young Center for the Arts. Um we're
[58:34] looking for a new director. We're
[58:37] advertising. Um
[58:40] Richard and I uh uh attended uh their uh
[58:45] advisory board meeting. That was a very
[58:47] good meeting that we had. Um and that's
[58:50] about it.
[58:52] » Okay. Thank you, Commissioner ABS.
[58:56] » Yes. Um, just want to make the comment
[58:58] that I'm certainly I'm sure all of us
[59:01] are very grateful the Frankstone picked
[59:02] up the difference.
[59:04] » Yes.
[59:05] » For SYCA 41,000 I believe.
[59:08] » Well, they
[59:13] last year
[59:16] part of that money
[59:20] that
[59:25] is huge.
[59:27] » It's huge. Um, speaking of J, it just
[59:30] hit me as I was thinking of all the
[59:32] things going on here and hearing
[59:34] different people short in time and
[59:36] projects and looking at Satie going, do
[59:40] we have something out for HR director?
[59:42] You would not know.
[59:44] » No. um
[59:48] we are looking at a total
[59:51] we're always looking at improving our
[59:54] process. We're always looking at our
[59:56] needs. Um there are things that concern
[1:00:00] me and I I um for example um today Ryan
[1:00:06] had informed me that in fiscal year uh
[1:00:11] 25 we had 188 ambulance runs.
[1:00:17] » We haven't even finished this fiscal
[1:00:19] year and we're at uh two
[1:00:24] 188 last year. We're at 218 right now
[1:00:27] and we haven't finished that. So, it
[1:00:31] lends me to believe that um we want to
[1:00:34] keep our options open. Um I think we're
[1:00:37] already down an officer.
[1:00:40] Uh I'm not convinced what's going to be
[1:00:44] the requirement for an ambulance in the
[1:00:47] near future. And that the public safety
[1:00:50] aspect of what we do is paramount. that
[1:00:54] that's number one for our citizens.
[1:00:57] So,
[1:00:58] there are other areas of the city that
[1:01:01] um when we hear complaints from our
[1:01:04] citizens, why aren't you doing this, why
[1:01:06] are you doing that? We're trying our
[1:01:09] best to address those needs. And Tom's
[1:01:13] uh particular case, he is looking at
[1:01:15] adding um at least two and a half more
[1:01:18] people. Um we're down two and a half
[1:01:21] people. So, we want to make sure that
[1:01:24] we're competitive there. Um, we're
[1:01:27] looking at hiring another building
[1:01:29] inspector so we can accelerate some of
[1:01:32] the inspection
[1:01:34] that need to take place. Um, I think
[1:01:38] Chris is okay for right now. Uh, but um,
[1:01:44] and I think we're okay, but again, in
[1:01:47] the areas of public safety, this is
[1:01:49] where we're concerned.
[1:01:51] Plus the fact that we're going to
[1:01:53] probably start experiencing retirements
[1:01:56] next year.
[1:01:59] That is also a major concern of mine. Um
[1:02:03] we have we have great employees, great
[1:02:05] staff,
[1:02:07] but it we are going to be probably short
[1:02:12] in trying to meet our citizens needs and
[1:02:15] that is a concern. So, going back to
[1:02:18] your original question, an HR director,
[1:02:21] um, right now we have Tracy in there,
[1:02:23] um, as our payroll clerk and handling
[1:02:27] HR, uh, to a certain extent. Um, the
[1:02:30] rest of it is filled in by the
[1:02:33] department heads, myself, and of course,
[1:02:35] Julie. So, that's where we're at on
[1:02:38] that. So, I hope that you can all
[1:02:40] appreciate that we're trying to be
[1:02:42] strategic in who we hire and where we're
[1:02:46] hiring.
[1:02:50] » Just to ask about that, Doug, when
[1:02:51] you're talking about um shortage, I know
[1:02:53] they're Tom short couple out there and
[1:02:55] you said at least was down one.
[1:02:58] » Um I believe they're down at least one
[1:03:01] officer and um
[1:03:05] » They are one one had left one left.
[1:03:08] They're in the hiring process for
[1:03:10] » Refilling them.
[1:03:11] » We talked to him at some point about
[1:03:14] um what's coming up and in that
[1:03:17] department and director Bazic had
[1:03:19] mentioned wanting to start fishing out
[1:03:22] for pulling in uh people.
[1:03:24] » Oh,
[1:03:25] » Whenever they're available. Is that
[1:03:26] still our
[1:03:27] » So, our philosophy is we're not going to
[1:03:30] wait. We're going to be proactive. If we
[1:03:32] identify a candidate that meets our
[1:03:35] qualifications,
[1:03:37] um my orders are bring them in.
[1:03:40] » Okay,
[1:03:40] » Bring them in. Let's enhance the cadet
[1:03:43] program. Let's identify those potential
[1:03:46] candidates because
[1:03:48] next year from what we have found, our
[1:03:51] employment census would indicate that
[1:03:54] we're in line for a lot of retirees to
[1:03:56] leave. Not that they will and hope
[1:04:00] hopefully they won't, but we have to be
[1:04:03] prepared to deal with that. And so
[1:04:05] that's that that's Ryan and I are on the
[1:04:09] same page with that
[1:04:10] » With with the hospital closure and
[1:04:12] additional ambulance stuff. Are we doing
[1:04:15] the same on that side of the building?
[1:04:17] » Right. Are we looking actively for any
[1:04:20] more bodies right now or are we still
[1:04:22] kind of waiting to see how things
[1:04:24] » I think the idea is that if we could
[1:04:26] identify somebody, yeah, we would bring
[1:04:28] them in
[1:04:29] » Or fire.
[1:04:30] » Yes. Um but again, part of the problem
[1:04:33] is what we've seen in all the trades
[1:04:36] everywhere is there is a severe shortage
[1:04:40] of those qualified
[1:04:42] and so it it's a concern. So, if we
[1:04:45] identify somebody knowing that we're
[1:04:47] going to see retirements, I I told Ryan,
[1:04:51] let's seize the opportunity. If they
[1:04:53] meet the qualifications and can meet the
[1:04:56] clearances, yes,
[1:04:58] » I was making sure that was still the
[1:04:59] focus.
[1:05:00] » Yes, it needs to.
[1:05:04] So,
[1:05:06] Commissioner Abs
[1:05:09] good.
[1:05:12] Commissioner Wiki, nothing.
[1:05:15] Commission tonight. Commissioner B.
[1:05:18] Nothing tonight. Commissioner,
[1:05:21] » Today is probably the most important day
[1:05:25] in the history of human evolution.
[1:05:28] Today is National Toilet Paper Day.
[1:05:33] Paper has been around since the 7th
[1:05:35] century BC, but the first recorded of it
[1:05:38] use of it cleaning people's backsides
[1:05:42] after they used the bathroom was in the
[1:05:44] sixth century. Before then, there was a
[1:05:46] variety of solutions employed to handle
[1:05:49] the job.
[1:05:51] In ancient Rome, there was a communal
[1:05:53] stick with a sponge on the end of it
[1:05:55] that people used to clean themselves.
[1:05:58] When one person was done with it, they'd
[1:05:59] simply rinse it off for the next person.
[1:06:03] Wow.
[1:06:05] [clears throat]
[1:06:07] » What was that? Other solutions included.
[1:06:09] [laughter]
[1:06:09] » You got
[1:06:11] » Other solutions included rags, bamboo,
[1:06:13] and even corn cobs.
[1:06:16] So, let's all be thankful today,
[1:06:18] » Commissioner Smith. That is a concern
[1:06:20] shared by this administration, too.
[1:06:22] [laughter]
[1:06:22] » Yes.
[1:06:26] Thank you.
[1:06:27] » Thanks, Mayor.
[1:06:28] » All right. Um, it was also National Dog
[1:06:32] Day from what I understand. I thought
[1:06:33] that's where you were going to go and I
[1:06:34] didn't realize there was another
[1:06:36] national day today. So, thanks for the
[1:06:38] humor. Uh,
[1:06:40] » Downtown tree false bakery. Um, there
[1:06:44] was a solution and they're very, very
[1:06:46] happy about it.
[1:06:48] » Are there more removals, things like
[1:06:51] that going to happen with trees
[1:06:52] downtown?
[1:06:54] » So, here's what we're doing. Um, and
[1:06:58] just to give our citizens a brief
[1:07:00] history,
[1:07:01] » When
[1:07:03] the state of Michigan gave us downtown
[1:07:06] development authorities and the concept
[1:07:08] started in the late60s
[1:07:11] and continues,
[1:07:13] the idea was to add trees green in urban
[1:07:18] environments.
[1:07:20] Those trees that we've planted have
[1:07:22] reached a certain maturity point.
[1:07:25] and talking to to um our DDA
[1:07:28] administrator today. What we're going to
[1:07:30] do is start looking at other communities
[1:07:33] to see what the trend is today. It might
[1:07:37] not be trees. It could be decorative
[1:07:39] grasses or some other type of uh floral
[1:07:43] plantings.
[1:07:45] One of the things that we are going to
[1:07:46] look at is the science. Um we're going
[1:07:49] to ask all of our property owners
[1:07:51] downtown what their thoughts are. um
[1:07:55] where we need to go. There's other
[1:07:56] varieties of trees we need to stay on
[1:07:59] top. But the tree that we took down in
[1:08:02] front of Holtz Bakery probably was
[1:08:04] probably close to 40 years old.
[1:08:09] » No,
[1:08:12] » No, we just planted that.
[1:08:14] » I think they were that was then that
[1:08:15] would have been a very mature planting
[1:08:18] because we usually plant within two to
[1:08:20] four inches.
[1:08:22] If you take a look at the stump out
[1:08:24] there, it's close to a foot.
[1:08:27] » Wow.
[1:08:27] » I thought all the trees were put in when
[1:08:29] the road was done. I mean, maybe not. I
[1:08:31] don't remember.
[1:08:32] » Definitely. It went in in 2005.
[1:08:34] » 2005, I thought.
[1:08:38] » About 20 years old.
[1:08:39] » All right. 20 years. So, I guess the the
[1:08:43] thing is when we plant something, we
[1:08:46] expect it to mature and it did. And it
[1:08:49] got to a point where maybe we should
[1:08:52] have done a better job of trimming it,
[1:08:55] whatever. But the fact is trees mature.
[1:08:59] So what we need to do is work with our
[1:09:02] property owners and the downtown
[1:09:03] development authority
[1:09:06] to find out what is the latest trend to
[1:09:09] help bring in businesses into our urban
[1:09:12] downtown. So I I I I do believe we'll
[1:09:16] use good science and find out what the
[1:09:19] standard practices are in other
[1:09:20] communities.
[1:09:23] » Very good.
[1:09:24] » Thank you. Well, I know I know that
[1:09:25] Folson was very happy um that we now
[1:09:29] have visibility and I hope it does
[1:09:30] increase the traffic like they hope.
[1:09:32] » We did we did talk to uh the owners in
[1:09:36] that block um asking them what their
[1:09:38] thoughts were. So there was some science
[1:09:41] and
[1:09:43] if you if you remember they did present
[1:09:46] a
[1:09:47] pretty strong financial and scientific
[1:09:50] case for its removal.
[1:09:52] So,
[1:09:54] » Other than that, just shout out to Will
[1:09:56] and his department for we got a nice
[1:09:59] little thing that Doug shared with us on
[1:10:01] a compliment you guys received from I
[1:10:04] don't remember who it was, but it was it
[1:10:05] was a very very nice worded message from
[1:10:08] someone that how pleasant you guys were
[1:10:10] to work with and how uh how how good you
[1:10:12] guys were at your job.
[1:10:13] Um, and Tom, same thing with you guys
[1:10:15] out there in DB, WDPS, whatever you want
[1:10:18] to call it now. Um, with the cleanup,
[1:10:22] um, there's been a few people that I've
[1:10:24] talked to that are very happy that you
[1:10:26] guys were able to help them out in the
[1:10:28] situation as well. So, thank you guys
[1:10:29] for your departments and the work I do.
[1:10:32] Um,
[1:10:35] I do have one other thing to address to
[1:10:37] you. Um,
[1:10:40] we looked at some of the stumps. I
[1:10:43] believe Tom, what was there? 12. 12.
[1:10:46] » There's 10.
[1:10:48] » How many?
[1:10:49] » 10.
[1:10:50] » 10. Um, Tom had informed me that what
[1:10:54] we'll do because some of those stumps
[1:10:55] are so big, we don't have an excavator
[1:10:58] big enough to remove them. So what we'll
[1:11:01] do is we will contract out and probably
[1:11:05] in October start removing those stumps
[1:11:09] with a contractor who has an excavator
[1:11:12] big enough.
[1:11:12] » Are we talking about just the ones that
[1:11:14] have uproot?
[1:11:15] » Yes.
[1:11:17] The big ones.
[1:11:18] » So
[1:11:19] » Very good haven't been uprooted. Our
[1:11:22] crews go around.
[1:11:25] So
[1:11:28] » Good to be here. Much appreciated.
[1:11:31] » Can we just blast them?
[1:11:34] » You can drill it out. Charge the
[1:11:35] dynamite in the center and take little
[1:11:37] pieces. hand.
[1:11:40] » Yeah, blast them.
[1:11:42] » All right.
[1:11:42] » That may be problematic.
[1:11:43] » It could [laughter] be about Yeah.
[1:11:47] » All right. I'll I'll end my time with
[1:11:49] this. You're uh you never know how long
[1:11:51] your words will stay with in someone's
[1:11:53] mind, even long after you forgot you
[1:11:56] spoke them. So, let's just all be kind
[1:11:57] to one another.
[1:12:00] All right, it's my turn. Um, yeah. Um,
[1:12:03] Tom, I do want to echo uh uh some of the
[1:12:07] comments that Vice Mayor Mullen said. I
[1:12:09] I I did get a couple calls from from
[1:12:12] folks. Um,
[1:12:14] very pleasant uh with u I don't know if
[1:12:17] you went back again to do some more
[1:12:19] cleaning, but very happy that your crew
[1:12:21] was out there and and and cleaning that
[1:12:23] up. So, kudos to you and your staff. I
[1:12:26] also have a a kudos on on Doug, our city
[1:12:30] manager. Got got a few calls from from
[1:12:33] folks that you're working with, Doug,
[1:12:35] and very happy and pleased with you and
[1:12:38] um
[1:12:40] so I just want to share that with you.
[1:12:41] Thank you for what you're doing.
[1:12:42] » Was it Anita?
[1:12:44] » There was [laughter]
[1:12:45] I don't know if it was her, but
[1:12:47] » Okay.
[1:12:47] » There's a couple. Um and then I also
[1:12:50] want to do uh kudos to our police
[1:12:52] department. uh my daughter had a uh an
[1:12:55] incident and uh called me wanted me to
[1:13:00] go assist in uh her be go assist her
[1:13:03] before the police got there and I said
[1:13:05] no you're you'll be in good hands and
[1:13:07] first time accident 17 year old 17 years
[1:13:10] old and and uh when I got home I you
[1:13:15] know uh did the usual dad thing uh gave
[1:13:19] her a lecture about having an incident
[1:13:21] accident And I asked about her
[1:13:24] experience with our police department.
[1:13:26] She said the police officer, she did
[1:13:28] give me the name, but I'm bad with
[1:13:29] names, uh said that uh he helped calmed
[1:13:33] her down, helped her find her insurance
[1:13:36] uh paperwork that was in the glove box.
[1:13:38] And as terrified as she was, uh she she
[1:13:43] said, "You probably don't want to hear
[1:13:44] this as that, but I had a good
[1:13:45] experience with with the police off with
[1:13:47] the police department." Said, "No,
[1:13:48] that's great. I I uh that's what our
[1:13:50] guys are for." uh the officer must have
[1:13:53] known that you were a fairly young
[1:13:55] driver and and and so he was there to
[1:13:58] you know uh help you in that process. So
[1:14:00] kudos to our police department as well.
[1:14:03] Um and with that I hope all of you have
[1:14:05] a great uh rest of your work week.
[1:14:07] Meeting the job.