SUMMARY OF OCT. 23 CITY COMMISSION MEETING

The video of the Oct. 23, 2017 City Commission meeting is available here.

Below is the Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room.

1. Stephanie Ward of Mead and Hunt gave a presentation on the Michigan Aviation System Plan.

2. Received petitions and communications.

3. Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Oct. 9, 2017
Minutes of closed session of the City Commission held Oct. 9, 2017
Warrants and Payrolls

4. Held a public hearing and passed, ordained and ordered published Ordinance 1029, an
ordinance to add new section 150.02 to the Mt. Pleasant City Code to regulate swimming
pools.

5. Held a public hearing and passed, ordained and ordered published Ordinance 1030, an
ordinance to add Chapter 156 to the Mt. Pleasant City Code to provide for and regulate
local historic districts.

6. Held a public hearing and passed, ordained and ordered published Ordinance 1031, an
ordinance to add Section 32.30 to the Mt. Pleasant City Code to specify the power of the
City Planning Commission.

7. Received a proposed ordinance to amend Title XIII, Chapter 132, Section(s) 132.03, 132.04 and 132.06 of the Mt. Pleasant City Code regarding the purchase, consumption, and possession of alcoholic beverages by minors, furnishing, or using fraudulent identification, and license sanctions and set a public hearing for Nov. 27, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. on same.

8. Authorized a budget amendment to support a contract with Mt. Pleasant Sash and Door to complete the installation of the Wood Street fence.

9. Conducted a work session on the 2018 Operating Budget.

10. Adjourned the meeting at 9:50 p.m.

Registration for 2018 Man Vs. Mountain now open; sign up early for discounted rates

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Registration is now open for the City of Mt. Pleasant Parks & Recreation’s Man Vs. Mountain challenge on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018.

This unique winter 5K dares participants to embrace the cold of winter while running, climbing, jumping and crawling their way to the finish. The race is electronically timed and wave times begin at 9:30 a.m. Sign up early to receive the best registration rates. Event pricing starts at $50 and will gradually increase to $80 as the race day approaches. A $35 student rate is also available.

The course, set through Mt. Pleasant’s picturesque park system, is filled with more than 15 strategically placed manmade obstacles that complement the natural elements of Michigan winters, such as snow and the cold temperatures. Each obstacle is designed to accommodate multiple skill levels.

“Man Vs. Mountain is challenging, exhilarating and overall a lot of fun,” said Recreation Coordinator Steve Hofer. “This race was created to provide an additional recreational opportunity during the winter months. If you like to be active and you have a sense of adventure, this one-of-a-kind event is perfect for you.”

Following the event, join fellow Man Vs. Mountain 5K challengers at Mountain Town Station for a warm beverage, hearty meal and the chance to exchange stories from the experience. Challengers take home memories, bragging rights and race swag.

For additional information and to register, go to www.mt-pleasant.org/mvm or call the Parks and Recreation Office at (989) 779-5331.

Pumpkin Promenade scheduled for Oct. 31 downtown Mt. Pleasant

The Mt. Pleasant community and surrounding areas are invited to celebrate Halloween downtown Mt. Pleasant at the sixth annual Pumpkin Promenade!

The Pumpkin Promenade will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. Children age 12 and under can trick-or-treat at participating businesses and visit Town Center for a free donut hole from Robaire’s Bakery. Participating businesses will have signs displayed in their windows indicating they are part of the event.

Please note, citywide trick-or-treating is Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Visit the event page at https://www.facebook.com/downtownmp for more details.

Downtown Mt. Pleasant features events year-round and new businesses opening regularly. With a variety of shopping venues, eateries and bars, as well as salons, coffee shops, spas, fitness studios and parks, the historic district can be enjoyed no matter the season.

Downtown Mt. Pleasant is centrally located in the City of Mt. Pleasant and is bordered by the picturesque Chippewa River. Two of Mt. Pleasant’s most scenic parks, Island Park and Nelson Park, are also located downtown offering a local trail system with a variety of nature trails and cycling paths.

Located just a few blocks north of Central Michigan University’s campus and 3.5 miles directly west of the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, Downtown Mt. Pleasant has all you are looking for and more!

CMU ‘Greeks Clean the Streets’

Thirty student members of the Greek community at Central Michigan University joined the City of Mt. Pleasant’s Neighborhood Resource Unit (NRU) on Oct. 15 to clean the streets of the neighborhood north of Bellows Street. 30 bags of trash were collected from Bellows Street to High Street, and from Douglas Street to Lansing Street.

Sunday marked the first “Greek Clean the Streets” event since the retirement and passing of former City Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Pickler. Pickler established the “Greeks Clean the Streets” program six years ago, creating volunteer opportunities for Greek students to get involved in the community. “Jeff was always extremely proud of the students who volunteered their time to make the City of Mt. Pleasant a cleaner place for everyone to enjoy,” said Mt. Pleasant Police Officer Jeff Browne.

Asst. Fire Chief Mike Dunham added, “Jeff’s contributions will live on through the programs he initiated and friendships he made. We will always be thankful to Jeff for his dedicated work ethic and his desire to improve the organization’s success.”

SUMMARY OF OCT. 9 CITY COMMISSION MEETING

The video of the Oct. 9, 2017 City Commission meeting is available here.

Below is the Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room.

1. Mayor Ling read and presented a Proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day as Oct. 9, 2017.

2. Received petitions and communications.

3. Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Sept. 25, 2017
Minutes of closed sessions (2) of the City Commission held Sept. 25, 2017
Bid of Garber Contracting Inc. of Mt. Pleasant, MI for Island Park Shelter Roof Replacement
Award contract to Rowe Professional Services of Mt. Pleasant, MI for 2017 1MG Reservoir Bypass Project
Authorize the Mayor to sign a two year contract with The Hartford as our vendor for life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage related to benefits required by collective bargaining agreement and employee benefit plans
Resolution in support of final approval of Temporary Traffic Control Order 6-2017
Authorize the Mayor and Clerk to sign the appropriate documents for four F-250 trucks through the purchase-buyback program with Krapohl Ford of Mt. Pleasant, MI
Approve recommended changes to the out-of-network annual deductible and prescription drug program in the PACT Employee Benefits and Personnel Policies as presented
Rescind the 1975 policy on Civil Rights and Employment Practices
Warrants and Payrolls

4. Held a public hearing and passed, ordained and ordered published Ordinance 1028, an ordinance to amend Sections 54.02, 54.03, 54.04 and 54.09 of the Mt. Pleasant City Code to address parking lot reconstruction and off-site pass through.

5. Received proposed ordinance amendments to the Mt. Pleasant City Code and set public hearing for Monday, October 23, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. on same.
a. Add new section 150.02 to regulate swimming pools.
b. Add Chapter 156 to provide for and regulate local historic districts.
c. Add Section 32.30 to specify the power of the City Planning Commission.

6. Received proposed new zoning ordinance and map and set public hearing for Monday, Nov. 13, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. on same.

7. Received an amendment to the Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) plan to add fire safety grants as an eligible project and set a public hearing for Monday, Nov. 13, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. on same.

8. Approved and conducted closed session pursuant to subsection 8(h) of the Open Meetings Act for material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.

9. Conducted a work session on Michigan Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act
(MMMFLA).

10. Adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

City police officers receive MADD awards

Untitled design (3) — Pictured from the left, Mt. Pleasant police officers Mike Covarrubias, Kipp Moe, Kurt Solmonson and Jeff Thompson.

Four City police officers have been recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Michigan for their work to put an end to impaired driving in the Mt. Pleasant community.

Officer Jeff Thompson received MADD’s Outstanding Officer Award, a statewide recognition honoring members of law enforcement who made a difference in 2016 in reducing drunk driving deaths and injuries through education, prevention, policy or enforcement. Officer Thompson led the department last year with 54 operating while impaired (OWI) arrests. The award was presented to Thompson last month during the Lifesavers Recognition Luncheon presented by MADD Michigan.

Officers Mike Covarrubias, Kipp Moe and Kurt Solmonson have been named MADD Salute Award winners as they each made more than 25 OWI arrests last year.

Together, the four officers made 154 OWI arrests in 2016.

5 things to watch at the next City Commission meeting

Here are 5 things to watch at the Oct. 9 City Commission meeting:

Indigenous Peoples Day: Mayor Kathy Ling will proclaim the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of Indigenous people, and to celebrate the thriving culture and value the Saginaw Chippewa and other indigenous peoples add to our City and community. Members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe community drummers will provide an honor song prior to the Proclamation.
Storm Water Ordinance: A public hearing will be held on the proposed changes to the storm water ordinance, which will impact which parking lot reconstruction projects are eligible for permit waivers, clarify that normal maintenance of parking lots is exempt from the ordinance, address flow through of storm water from adjacent properties, and clarify single-family and two-family dwelling pavement changes. After the public hearing, the City Commission will consider approving the amendment.
“Yield to Pedestrians within Crosswalk” Sign at Island Park Entrance: The City Commission will consider the final approval of placing a “Yield to Pedestrians within Crosswalk” sign on Main Street north and south of the entrance to Island Park on Lincoln Street. This temporary traffic control order has been in place for 90 days and staff is recommending it be approved as a permanent traffic control order.
New Zoning Ordinance and Map: The updated draft zoning ordinance and map were released to the public last month, reflecting the comments received through the prior public review period, as well as changes requested by the City Commission at its special meeting in August. The City Commission will be asked to set a public hearing for Nov. 13 on the new zoning ordinance and map, pending the recommendation from the Planning Commission at its Oct. 19 special meeting.
TIFA Development Plan Amendment for Fire Safety Grants: An amendment to the Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) development plan will be introduced to allow TIFA funds to be eligible for the Downtown Fire Protection Grant Program. This reimbursement grant program assists downtown property owners with the cost to install necessary fire protection systems while maintaining and/or restoring the historic character of the building facades. The City Commission will consider setting a public hearing for Nov. 13 regarding this amendment.

Following the regular meeting, the City Commission will hold a work session to discuss the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMMFLA).

To see the full City Commission agenda and packet for Oct. 9, 2017, click here.

Mt. Pleasant City Commission meetings are held at City Hall on the second and fourth Monday of every month. Meetings begin at 7 p.m.

Riverside Cemetery cleanup ends Oct. 15

The City of Mt. Pleasant Parks Department has begun preparing Riverside Cemetery for winter cleanup. Individual lot owners are asked to remove all flowers, materials, garden hoses and other decorations from the cemetery by Oct. 15 or they will be discarded. Riverside Cemetery is open from dawn to dusk every day to accommodate those needing to remove decorations.

For further information or questions, contact the Parks & Recreation Office at 779-5331.

SUMMARY OF SEPT. 25 CITY COMMISSION MEETING

The video of the Sept. 25, 2017 City Commission meeting is available here.

Below is the Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room.

1. Mayor Ling read and presented a Proclamation in support of Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, “October, 2017”.

2. Received petitions and communications.

3. Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held September 11, 2017
Contract with Block Electric of Mt. Pleasant, MI to complete the repair to the Island Park north restroom electrical service
Authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign the appropriate agreement with Mead and Hunt of Lansing, MI for design, bid letting, and contract administration services for the approach slope clearing and updating the PAPI lighting plans at the Mt. Pleasant Municipal Airport
Amend the purchase buyback contract with Krapohl Ford of Mt. Pleasant, MI for a 2018 F-150 truck for a police administrative vehicle
Authorize contracts with Krapohl Ford of Mt. Pleasant, MI for the purchase buyback of nine 2018 Ford F-150 pickup trucks
Payroll and warrants

3. Held a public hearing and approved the adoption of Resolution No. 5 for approval of
the roll and setting of payment terms for Special Assessment.

4. Received Commissioners’ top rankings for Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe two percent allocations.

5.Authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign a contract with Bud Percha Painting and the
Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation for the painting of the High Street Bridge
abutments and pump house.

6. Received information on downtown budgets and approved TIFA reserve fund
allocation for downtown Christmas light curtain matching program.

7. Received proposed ordinance to amend Chapter 54: STORM WATER MANAGEMENT,
Sections 54.02, 54.03, 54.04 and 54.09 of the Mt. Pleasant City Code to address parking
lot reconstruction and off-site pass through and set a public hearing for October 9, 2017
at 7:00 p.m. on same.

8. Approved and conducted closed session pursuant to subsection 8(h) of the Open
Meetings Act for material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal
statute.

9. Approved and conducted closed session pursuant to subsection 8(d) of the Open
Meetings Act to discuss possible purchase and/or lease of real property.

10. Conducted work sessions on the 2018 Operating Budget and sidewalk snow removal.

11. Adjourned the meeting at 9:18 p.m.

Applications for City boards and commissions accepted through Oct. 23

Community members interested in serving on any of the City’s boards and commissions should apply by Oct. 23. Qualified electors may submit their name or the name of another for consideration.

“We accept applications for all of the City’s boards and commissions throughout the year,” said City Manager Nancy Ridley. “However, each fall, we encourage community members to apply so the Appointments Committee has the information of potential candidates readily available to review if partial-term vacancies occur.”

Applications are available online or at the City Manager’s Office, located at 320 W. Broadway. For more information, visit www.mt-pleasant.org.