Mt. Pleasant Christmas Festival Downtown Road Closures and Weather Forecast

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – In preparation for the 25^th Annual Christmas Celebration’s lighted parade, the following downtown streets will be closed on Saturday, December 1, 2018.

Streets closed from 1:00 – 8:00 p.m.

-Main Street between Illinois and Mosher.

-Broadway Street between Main and Lansing.

Streets closed from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.

-Main Street from Cherry to Illinois.

Cars left on the street will be subject to towing. Please seek alternate routes during these time frames.

Weather Forecast/Festival Schedule Updates

Festival planners are closely watching the weather forecast for this weekend. A decision regarding cancellation of the lighted parade and fireworks will be made by 12 noon on Saturday, December 1. Updates will be provided on the City of Mt. Pleasant and Downtown Mt. Pleasant Facebook pages.

Middle School PEAK Program Fee Increase

In previous years the Mt. Pleasant Middle School (MPMS) PEAK program has received grant funding allowing participation fees to be drastically lower than the K-5 programs. Since grant funding has diminished, it has become necessary to increase the MPMS fees to match the K-5 programs fee schedule.

This increase will go into effect on September 1, 2019 and is reflected below:

2019-2020 FEE SCHEDULE	2018	2019
MPMS Weekly Rate	$15	$45
MPMS Weekly Rate (Scholarship)		$30
MPMS Daily Rate		$11
MPMS Daily Rate (Scholarship)		$7

Scholarship assistance will still be available to those who qualify.

PEAK is a vital component to the development, safety and enrichment of our community’s youth, and the City of Mt. Pleasant Parks and Recreation department is looking forward to future programming.

If you have questions regarding the PEAK program, please contact Ryan Longoria, Recreation and Sports Director at (989) 779-5329.

Summary of minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held November 26, 2018

Below is the summary of minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, November 26, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

1) Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held November 12, 2018.

2) Minutes of the two closed sessions of the City Commission held November 12, 2018.

3) Authorized a contract with F&K’s Tree Service of Mt. Pleasant, MI for 2019 Tree Trimming and Removal.

4) Authorized staff to purchase 2019 supply of LCO2 at market price from USA Airgas of River Grove, IL.

5) Five-year agreement with the Charter Township of Union for fire protection services.

6) Resolutions supporting amended rates, fees and charges.

Building Permits
Sign Permits
Appeals Board Filing
Zoning and Planning
DPW Permits
Downtown Parking
PEAK
Water Service
Water Demand

7) Warrants and Payrolls.

Appointed Martineau, Hackett, O’Neil and Klaus of Mt. Pleasant, MI as the prosecutorial firm and Foster Swift Collins & Smith of Lansing, MI as the general counsel firm.

Approved resolution regarding pursuit of an intergovernmental agreement with Nottawa Township.

Approved a two-year contract with MMDC.

Approved the revised request for the creation of a Citizens’ Advisory Board as presented by the Mt. Pleasant Area Diversity Group with the exception of the proposed section describing membership.

Approved the resolution in support of downtown board restructuring. (Option B) Approved the resolution in support of funding and responsibilities restructuring.

Authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign the MIIBS/MPC Property Agreement.

Approved resolution supporting amended rates, fees and charges for refuse bags and tags.

Approved resolution supporting amended rates, fees and charges for residential curbside recycling pick-up.

Made appointments to various City Boards and Commissions.

Approved and conducted closed session pursuant to subsection 8(a) of the Open Meetings Act.

Conducted a work session discussion on the 2019 Operating Budget.

Adjourned at 11:07 p.m.

UM-Dearborn’s iLabs’ eCities research recognizes City of Mt. Pleasant for supporting business in their community

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The City of Mt. Pleasant has been recognized for its successes and efforts in contributing to Michigan’s entrepreneurial growth and economic development in the annual eCities study conducted by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Mt. Pleasant was honored as a four-star community along with 180 other communities across the state.

Michelle Sponseller, Downtown Development Director shared, “Mt. Pleasant receiving this honor is evidence that our community continually strives to make comprehensive improvements in all facets. Every decision we make is geared towards growing our local economy. The increased level of investment to our commercial corridors is a reminder of this commitment by both our public and private leaders, alike.”

The eCities study analyzed publicly available data from 277 communities from 54 counties in Michigan. Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates, which can demonstrate the growth, investments and cost of doing business within the community. For example, over the five-year period of 2013-2017, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2 percent per year by investments such as street and building improvements, technology, and emergency vehicles and equipment.

“While accounting for only about 15 percent of the cities and townships in Michigan, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 70 percent of the population and 85 percent of the state’s commercial property,” said Tim Davis, director, iLabs. “By analyzing these high-performing communities, our goal is to showcase what cities and townships are doing to spur growth and how we can continue to support their efforts in developing business and encouraging entrepreneurs.”

Mt. Pleasant will be acknowledged Thursday, Nov. 29, during the Executive Speaker Series panel discussion, which will discuss Michigan’s economic growth, including key areas such as capital, infrastructure, industry, and the ecosystem. The panel, moderated by Dr. Brian Patrick Green, Czarnecki Collegiate Professor, UM-Dearborn College of Business, will feature William Adams, Senior International Economist, PNC Financial Services Group; Maureen Miller Brosnan, Executive Director, Michigan Venture Capital Association; Kristina Kolbas, SVP Enterprise Services, Quicken Loans; and Jeff Marston, V.P. of Business Services, Comcast Business, Heartland Region. The event, hosted by WWJ Newsradio 950’s Murray Feldman of the Feldman Report, is free, but registration is required.

Topics to watch at the November 26 City Commission meeting.

To see the full City Commission agenda and packet for the November 26, 2018 meeting click here.

-Consider resolution in support of Nottawa Township sewer project.

-Consider establishment of a Citizens’ Advisory Board.

-Consider contract with Union Township for Fire Protection.

-Consider approval of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe regarding the former Mt. Pleasant Center property.

-Consider approval of fees and charges.

Mt. Pleasant City Commission meetings take place at 7 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway Street.

Mt. Pleasant City Commission meetings are also streamed live at the City’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/MtPleasantMi/ and aired on Channel 188, or viewed online at a later date on the MACTV website.

PFAS Water Test Results Released for City of Mt. Pleasant Water Supply within Isabella County

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has been testing drinking water from all community water supplies across the state. This test is looking for a group of manmade chemicals called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). MDEQ is taking this precautionary step of testing these drinking water sources to determine if public health actions are needed. Below is information provided by the MDEQ.

What is PFAS?

It is not uncommon to find low levels of PFAS in drinking water supplies, as PFAS can be found in fire-fighting foams, stain repellants, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, food wrappers, and many other household products. They do not break down in the environment and move easily into water.

Who paid for the initial testing?

Funding for the initial testing was provided by legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder as a supplemental appropriation for the current fiscal year.

Who conducted the initial testing?

The MDEQ contracted with AECOM, a private environmental firm to conduct the statewide sampling.

Municipal Sample Testing Dates

As reported on October 10, 2018, The City of Mt. Pleasant, Charter Township of Union and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe were scheduled to be tested separately during the week of October 15, 2018. These tests were all conducted on October 18, 2018. If you are unsure of who your water system/provider is, please refer to your water bill.

Lifetime Health Advisory levels set by Environment Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a lifetime health advisory (LHA) level for two PFAS in drinking water, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The LHA level is 70 parts per trillion (ppt, which is the equivalent of one drop of water in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools) for PFOA and PFOS combined, or individually if only one is present. The State of Michigan is using 70 ppt for decision making purposes.

Test Results

The following test results were provided by the MDEQ and can be found on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team website, www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse.

City of Mt. Pleasant Test Results: The City of Mt. Pleasant’s results show that of the PFOA and PFOS tested, a non-detect level was found in the water. This level is below the EPA’s lifetime health advisory of 70 ppt.

Can I drink the water?

With the information available at this time, and the test results received from MDEQ, there is no reason to believe the water is unsafe to drink. If you have individual concerns, please refer to the Updated Water Information section provided below.

Charter Township of Union test results have not yet been received from the MDEQ.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe test results have not yet been received from the MDEQ.

Updated Water Information

Updated water information can be found on the Central Michigan Health Department website at https://www.cmdhd.org/ or by calling the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-648-6942 or the MDEQ Environmental Assistance Center at 1-800-662-9278.

For information on PFAS including possible health outcomes, visit these websites:

State of Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) website serving as the main resource for public information on PFAS contamination in Michigan michigan.gov/pfasresponse
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR) website including health information, exposure, and links to additional resources atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas
United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) website including basic information, U.S. EPA actions, and links to informational resources epa.gov/pfas.

25th Annual Christmas Celebration and fireworks display

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Downtown Mt. Pleasant will be filled with holiday spirit at the annual Christmas Celebration slated for November 30 – December 1, 2018. A community tradition for 25 years, this event offers a variety of activities for the whole family beginning with a sing-along and tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. on Friday at Town Center (Broadway and Main Streets.)

Saturday highlights include a pancake breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall. Admission is $7 per person and children under four are $5. At 6 p.m. the lighted parade will wind through the streets of downtown and feature McLaren Central Michigan Hospital as grand marshal.

This year’s parade will host a contest for “Most Lights,” “Most Creative/Best Craftsmanship,” “Most Holiday Spirit,” and “Best in Show.” To be eligible to compete, parade applications must be submitted to City Hall by Nov. 29.

On Saturday, the festival grand finale includes a fireworks display at 7 p.m. visible from the downtown area. This show, sponsored by the Bird Bar and Grill, is honoring both the 85^th anniversary of The Bird and the 25^th anniversary of the Christmas Celebration. The fireworks will be shot off from a location in Island Park and will be visible throughout the downtown and surrounding areas. City Manager Nancy Ridley shared, “Mt. Pleasant is fortunate to have members of our community who believe in our city and want to give back, providing opportunities for our residents to gather and make memories.”

For a complete list of activities visit www.facebook.com/downtownmp.

Winter Reminders: Snow Removal and Parking

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – With the arrival of winter, the City of Mt. Pleasant is reminding community members of the following snow removal and parking practices.

SNOW REMOVAL

For All Property Owners: For the safety of your family and neighbors, please clear your sidewalk of snow, including your mailbox approach, within 24 hours after inclement weather.

For Commercial and Industrial Property Owners: Commercial and property owners are required to clear sidewalks within 18 hours after snow, sleet, or freezing rainfall, with the exception of Sundays and holidays (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day). In this case, snow must be cleared by noon the day following the Sunday or holiday.

If the snow or ice is too hard to remove, the owner must spread enough sand or other abrasive material to make travel safe, and as soon as weather permits, must clear a path of at least 48 inches in width.

Code enforcement officers can write a municipal civil infraction ticket to commercial and industrial property owners who do not fulfill this requirement of the ordinance. For further information, contact Assistant Fire Chief Michael Dunham at (989) 779-5123 or mduhnam@mt-pleasant.org.

OVERNIGHT PARKING

From Dec. 1, 2018 to April 1, 2019, on-street and City lot parking is prohibited in non-downtown areas from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. On-street parking is prohibited downtown from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. throughout the year. Those found in violation are subject to a fine.

Enforcement of this parking restriction may not occur each night, but will be enforced at times to help keep the streets clear and safe.

For those with overnight parking permits, several City parking lots have designated areas where overnight parking is allowed. For more information about parking permits, please contact the Division of Community Services at (989) 779-5347.

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, November 12, 2018

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday,November 12, 2018, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved bringing the matter of establishing a Citizen Advisory Board to the next City Commission meeting for discussion.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

1) Minutes of the special meeting of the City Commission and CMU Student Government Association held October 29, 2018.

2) Bids for 2019 Water Treatment Plant treatment (bulk) chemicals.

3) Accepted PSD recommendation to utilize the Parks and Public Spaces Department for the downtown grounds care and flower basket watering;

4) Purchase of an unmarked 2018-19 Chevrolet Tahoe to be used by the Youth Services Officer from Berger Chevrolet of Grand Rapids, MI.

5) Authorized Finance Director Mary Ann Kornexl to sign a contract with Tokio Marine HCC for health insurance stop loss coverage.

6) Warrants and Payrolls.

Held a public hearing on proposed 2019 Annual Operating Budget. No action required by the Commission at this time.

Postponed action on changes to Section 98.37 of the City Code until after the presentation of the proposed 5-year Capital Improvement Plan in the Spring of 2019 with amendment.

Approved the recommendation from the LOCC to increase the pay for both the City Commissioners and Mayor effective January 1, 2019 as presented.

Agreed to sell the GumBuster machine and place funds from the sale into the PSD fund.

Postponed action on downtown restructuring until the next City Commission meeting on November 26, 2018.

Approved a $5,000 contribution as a local match toward the Phase II Economic Impact Study for the Ann Arbor to Traverse City passenger rail service from the Economic Initiatives Fund.

Approved closed session pursuant to subsection 8(e) of the Open Meetings Act to consult with attorney regarding litigation strategy and settlement negotiations in the case of Western Islands, LLC v. City of Mt Pleasant.

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

Agreed to accept advice of counsel regarding settlement negotiations in the case of Western Islands, LLC v. City of Mt. Pleasant.

Postponed work session on 2019 Operating Budget until a future meeting.

Held a work session discussion on establishing a Citizen Advisory Board.

Adjourned the meeting at 10:10 p.m.

meet here. Community Rebrand Revealed

Meet here. is a community movement, created by the community and fueled by local pride.

On November 13, the public gathered at the Art Reach Gallery to celebrate the community brand reveal. This project initially began with the City of Mt. Pleasant and the Mt. Pleasant Area Convention and Visitors Bureau working on their separate rebrand projects. Both entities had the foresight to combine efforts and invite other partners to become involved, creating a campaign which encompasses the entire community.

The other rebrand partners involved in this process included, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Charter Township of Union, Middle Michigan Development Corporation and Mid Michigan College.

The goals for this project were as follows:

Identifying and owning our community’s sense of place.
A consistent message the entire community is committed to telling.
Making an impact inside and outside our community.
Develop an enduring brand strategy; resulting in new growth opportunities.

To help achieve these goals the community partner agencies selected The Darwin Company, a center for social impact/marketing and advertising firm to lead this process.

Numerous members of the Mt. Pleasant community answered the call to action, and shared their thoughts and insights regarding what our community currently has to offer, and what should be the hopes for the future. This was accomplished through a series of focus groups, interviews and a Town Hall Meeting. Information obtained through these collection methods was analyzed and ultimately developed into a strategic initiative designed to boost tourism, economic development and community spirit.

It became apparent through this research process that people Meet here. for various reasons. Three recurring themes emerged.

Cultural Crossroads: “We are the intersection of every walk and stage of life.”
Relaxed Lifestyle: “Live life with plenty of the hustle, but none of the hassle.”
No Compromises: “Small town feel with big city amenities.”

The Meet here. campaign is versatile and has endless possibilities for residents, businesses, and service organizations to make it their own while still incorporating the community brand.

To find out more about the Meet here. campaign and how you can utilize it visit https://www.mountpleasantwow.com/meet-here/ or visit Facebook – @Meetheremtp. You are also welcome to share your Meet here. experience at #MeetMtP. If you need information regarding how to obtain the Meet here. logo contact Darcy Orlik, Director of Public Relations, City of Mt. Pleasant at dorlik@mt-pleasant.org.