Mt. Pleasant Fire Department Responds to Millpond Park Brush Fire

On March 16 at 6:55 pm, the Mount Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) responded to a brush fire at Mill Pond Park.

Upon arrival, crews observed smoke and flames in a brush area east of the park. There were no injuries sustained to residents or emergency personnel.

The MPFD is investigating to determine the cause of the fire. 

The MPFD was assisted by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Fire Department, Mt. Pleasant Police Department and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Topics to Watch at the Hybrid Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – March 14, 2022

Here are the topics to watch at the next in-person, as well as virtual Mt. Pleasant City Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, March 14, 2022 at 7 p.m.

  • Consider property transfer from Central Business District/Tax Increment Finance Authority (CBD/TIFA).
  • Consider budget amendment for preliminary design and cost estimates for Town Center civic space.
  • Receive recommended text change to amend Article VII of the Mt. Pleasant Zoning Ordinances to update the definition of liquor store and set a public hearing for April 11, 2022 on the same.
  • Receive recommended text change to amend Sections 154.103, 154.613 and 154.615 of the Mt. Pleasant Zoning Ordinances regarding the types of improvements and applications requiring site plan review and approval and set a public hearing for April 11, 2022 on the same.
  • Public hearing on recommended text change to Section 154.414 to update band sign standards and delete reference to downtown Mt. Pleasant signage design guidelines and consider approval of the same.
  • Public hearing on Green Tree Cooperative Grocery job creation accomplishment through the Michigan Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and authorize the Mayor to sign the required documentation on the same.

To view the entire meeting packet visit: 

http://www.mt-pleasant.org/docs/board/city.commission/agendas/2022/3-14-22.pdf

How to follow public meetings:

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the City Commission meeting will be held in person in the City Chambers/City Hall (320 W. Broadway Street) with virtual attendance options as well. Non-voting participants may view the meeting live on the City’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/MtPleasantMi/, on Spectrum Charter channel 188 or via Zoom.

If a virtual option becomes unavailable due to technical difficulties, the meeting will continue as scheduled. Residents who would like to provide a comment during the appropriate time are welcome to come to the meeting at City Hall, or email their statement to comments@mt-pleasant.org.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88401152424?pwd=U1U4RFZRdVpVRDlVRmhzRUZKVm9VQT09m

Meeting ID: 884 0115 2424  

Passcode: 476845

Phone dial-in: (312) 626-6799

Audio and video will be muted for members of the public and then unmuted by the host during public comment periods.

For participants accessing via computer or smartphone please use the “Raise Your Hand” icon to indicate you would like to speak. First, click on the “Participants” icon at the bottom of your screen. Next, click on the “Raise Your Hand” icon near the bottom right corner of the screen.

To raise your hand for telephone dial-in participants, press *9.

Members of the public may be muted or removed if using abusive language or if they become disruptive to the meeting.

Virtual attendance to the meeting and participation during public comment periods will be conducted as follows:

  • Members of the public are asked to provide their name and address with any comments.
  • Comments/Questions may be sent ahead of the meeting, or during the meeting via email to comment@mt-pleasant.org. Comments sent via email will be read aloud to the Commission during the public comment period.

Individual commissioners can be contacted at the following email addresses:

Mary Alsager               malsager@mt-pleasant.org

Brian Assmann            bassmann@mt-pleasant.org

Elizabeth Busch          ebusch@mt-pleasant.org

Olivia Cyman              ocyman@mt-pleasant.org

Maureen Eke              meke@mt-pleasant.org

Amy Perschbacher      aperschbacher@mt-pleasant.org

George Ronan            gronan@mt-pleasant.org

Persons with disabilities needing assistance to participate may call the Human Resources office at (989) 779-5314. Persons requiring speech or hearing assistance may contact the City through the Michigan Relay Center at 711. A 48-hour advance notice is necessary for accommodation.

Election Day – May 3,2022

On May 3, 2022 an election will be held to elect one individual to the Mt. Pleasant City Commission as well as a proposal for Gratiot Isabella RESD.

The two candidates running for the one City Commission seat are:

Brian Assmann

Michael Kostrzewa

Precinct Consolidation:

Please note precinct locations for this May 3, 2022 election.

  • Precinct 2 (City Hall): Voters from Precinct 1 (Ganiard) and Precinct 2 will vote at City Hall.
  • Precinct 3 (Pullen): Voters from Precinct 4 (High School) and Precinct 3 will vote at Pullen.
  • Precinct 6 (Vowles): Voters from Precinct 5 (Kinney) and Precinct 6 and Precinct 7 (Fancher) will vote at Vowles.

Permanent Absentee Voters:

Permanent absentee voters have been mailed an application for a ballot. If you wish to vote in this election you must return the application by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022. A ballot will then be mailed to you. Ballots can be mailed to the City Clerk’s office (320 W. Broadway Street) or placed in the ballot drop box located in the City Hall parking lot.

Absentee Voting:

For those not on the Permanent Absentee Voter list, you can submit a request for an absentee ballot to the City Clerk’s office by mail, or email (clerk@mt-pleasant.org). This must be completed by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022.

Absentee voting at the Clerk’s Office is available beginning Thursday, March 24, 2022 during regular business hours with additional hours on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Monday, May 2, 2022 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Voter Registration:

If you are currently not registered to vote, you can register online at  https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/ or mail in the voter registration application found online. This must be completed by April 18, 2022.

After April 18, 2022 voter registration will be available at the City Clerk’s office. Please bring a proof of residency and a photo ID. This can be done until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.

Election Day Information

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Need a ride to and from the polls? I-Ride is offering free rides. Call (989) 772-9441 to schedule.

Visit www.mi.gov/vote to confirm where you are registered to vote.

Isabella County Hazard Mitigation Planning Effort Seeks Public Input

Isabella County has experienced several local emergencies and disasters in recent years including floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Every five years, the County updates its Hazard Mitigation Plan to identify the greatest threats and hazards facing our community, and determines how we can best mitigate the impacts.

Hazard Mitigation is any effort to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property. Although floods and other events cannot be prevented from occurring, long-term solutions can be implemented to reduce devastating impacts on residents, families, homes, infrastructure, and natural resources.

The goal of a Hazard Mitigation Plan is to save lives, property, and natural resources by reducing the community’s vulnerability to emergency disasters. Residents and other community stakeholders are invited to engage in this vital planning process by completing a brief survey. Results will inform planners what specific hazards cause the most concern, and ultimately identify community assets to protect.

The survey, open to all individuals who live, work and play in Isabella County, will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and is available at https://tinyurl.com/IsabellaHMP . Survey deadline is March 28, 2022.

Summary of Minutes of the Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – February 28, 2022

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, February 28, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room, 320 W. Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with virtual attendance options.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

3) Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held February 14, 2022.

4) Reappointment of Rachel Blizzard to the TIFA Board.

5) Authorized contract for 2022 Pavement Marking Project to M&M Pavement Marking of Grand Blanc, MI and approved budget amendment.

6) Set a public hearing for Monday, March 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of receiving public comments related to Green Tree Cooperative Grocery, Inc.’s performance as required under the CDBG-RLF program.

7) Amendment to the 2022 budget for engineering services for the WRRF rehabilitation project.

8) Warrants and Payrolls.

Approved the spending plan for PEAK Childcare Stabilization Grant funds as presented.

Awarded contract to The Isabella Corporation of Mt. Pleasant, MI for the 2022 Sidewalk Project and approved budget amendment.

City Engineer Stacie Tewari reviewed Downtown Alley Reconstruction Fire Suppression Evaluation.

Conducted a Work Session Discussion on development philosophy.

Adjourned the meeting at 8:16 p.m.

City of Mt. Pleasant Recognized for Supporting Business in their Community

The City of Mt. Pleasant has been recognized for its success and effort 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 90 other communities across the state. This is the sixth time the City has been recognized by UM-Dearborn.

According to City Manager Aaron Desentz, “This eCities recognition is tangible evidence that the City of Mt. Pleasant continues to focus on all forms of economic development, including growth in the entrepreneurial arena. It is an honor for our city to be recognized in this way.”

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 2016-2020, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2.9 percent per year by investments such as park facilities, emergency vehicles, water, and sewage infrastructure projects, while property tax rates increased by less than 3 percent on average per year.

Although accounting for less than 20 percent of the State’s cities and townships, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 71 percent of Michigan’s population and 86 percent of the state’s commercial property. “Each year, the eCities project aims to highlight the successes and continued commitment of cities and townships to grow business and support entrepreneurship within their communities,” said Kari Kowalski, iLabs project manager.

City Awarded Financial Certificate of Achievement for 34th Year

For the 34th year in a row, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded Mt. Pleasant the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. GFOA established this recognition program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go above the minimum requirements of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The award acknowledges municipalities that clearly communicate its financial story while motivating potential users and user groups to read the Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAnFR).

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. The CAnFR was prepared by the city’s dedicated Finance Division staff. Budget preparations that led to this award were spearheaded by Mary Ann Kornexl, Director of Finance and Chris Saladine, Assistant Director of Finance.

Topics to Watch at the Hybrid Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – February 28, 2022

Here are the topics to watch at the next in-person, as well as virtual Mt. Pleasant City Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, February 28, 2022 at 7 p.m.

  • Consider setting a public hearing for March 14, 2022 as required for Green Tree Cooperative Grocery, Inc. through the Michigan Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
  • Consider approval of spending plan for PEAK Childcare Stabilization Grant funds and consider budget amendment on the same.
  • Correspondence from City Engineer Stacie Tewari regarding downtown alley reconstruction project fire suppression evaluation.

To view the entire meeting packet visit: 

http://www.mt-pleasant.org/docs/board/city.commission/agendas/2022/2-28-22.pdf

How to follow public meetings:

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the City Commission Meeting will be held in person in the City Chambers/City Hall (320 W. Broadway Street) with virtual attendance options as well. Non-voting participants may view the meeting live on the City’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/MtPleasantMi/, on Spectrum Charter channel 188 or via Zoom.

If a virtual option becomes unavailable due to technical difficulties, the meeting will continue as scheduled. Residents who would like to provide a comment during the appropriate time are welcome to come to the meeting at City Hall, or email their statement to comments@mt-pleasant.org.

Zoom Meeting instructions via computer, phone, or dial-in number are as follows:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83780406267?pwd=amd3WSswNU5PWUJxaEx4VURNTFlqQT09

Meeting ID: 837 8040 6267      

Passcode: 551598

Phone dial-in: (312) 626-6799

Audio and video will be muted for members of the public and then unmuted by the host during public comment periods.

For participants accessing via computer or smartphone please use the “Raise Your Hand” icon to indicate you would like to speak. First, click on the “Participants” icon at the bottom of your screen. Next, click on the “Raise Your Hand” icon near the bottom right corner of the screen.

To raise your hand for telephone dial-in participants, press *9.

Members of the public may be muted or removed if using abusive language or if they become disruptive to the meeting.

Virtual attendance to the meeting and participation during public comment periods will be conducted as follows:

  • Members of the public are asked to provide their name and address with any comments.
  • Comments/Questions may be sent ahead of the meeting, or during the meeting via email to comment@mt-pleasant.org. Comments sent via email will be read aloud to the Commission during the public comment period.

Individual commissioners can be contacted at the following email addresses:

Mary Alsager               malsager@mt-pleasant.org

Brian Assmann            bassmann@mt-pleasant.org

Elizabeth Busch          ebusch@mt-pleasant.org

Olivia Cyman              ocyman@mt-pleasant.org

Maureen Eke              meke@mt-pleasant.org

Amy Perschbacher      aperschbacher@mt-pleasant.org

George Ronan            gronan@mt-pleasant.org

Persons with disabilities needing assistance to participate may call the Human Resources office at (989) 779-5314. Persons requiring speech or hearing assistance may contact the City through the Michigan Relay Center at 711. A 48-hour advance notice is necessary for accommodation.

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission meeting held February 14, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, February 14, 2022, at 7:01 p.m., in the City Commission Room, 320 W. Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with virtual options.

Officer Darryl Johns was introduced as the City’s newest Police Officer and sworn in by Chief of Police Lauria.

Removed Item #11 from the agenda.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

(8) Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held January 24, 2022, as amended.

(9) Minutes of the closed session of the City Commission held January 24, 2022.

(10) Received recommended text change to Section 154.414 of the City of Mt. Pleasant Zoning Ordinances to update band sign standards and delete reference to downtown Mt. Pleasant signage design guidelines and set a public hearing for Monday, March 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. on same.

 (11) Removed from the agenda.

(12) Bid of Insight Pipe Contracting of Harmony, PA for the 2022 Sewer Relining Project and budget amendment for same.

(13) Warrants and Payrolls.

Held a public hearing on Special Assessment District 1-22, reconstruct the alley in the block between Michigan, Main, Broadway & University in the City and adopted Resolution #5 as presented.

Held a public hearing on Special Assessment District 2-22, reconstruct the alley between Broadway and Michigan from University to 115.5 feet east of Franklin in the City and adopted Resolution #5 as presented.

Held a Work Session discussion on the City’s Medical Marihuana Facilities and Adult-Use Marihuana Establishments ordinances.

Held a Work Session discussion on Childcare Stabilization Grant expenses.

Adjourned the meeting at 9:13 p.m.

City of Mt. Pleasant’s 2021 Annual Report

Enhanced services and partnerships, desirable neighborhoods, new housing options, public safety, sustainable infrastructure, recreational activities and more are highlighted in the City of Mt. Pleasant’s 2021 Annual Report. To view the detailed report visit: https://issuu.com/mtpleasantmi/docs/annual_report_2021_ae09cb3c5a079a