City Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call your attention to uh we're going to do the pledge of allegiance and we got Cub Scout Troop 261 out here. Would you guys step up and lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please? To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, guys.

I can do this. Okay. Thank you, Troop 261. Uh before I call the role, I would like to give you guys this opportunity. If you'd like to uh go home and do your homework, you guys can, but you're welcome to stay, but I'm not so sure this will be the most exciting thing you ever sat through. We appreciate you coming here tonight, and we appreciate leading us through the pledge of allegiance. And I'll let you make the decision with your parents uh if you want to hang around or if you'd like to. escape. I mean leave. All right. Thank you. Okay, that would work. All right, I'll ask for the roll call, please. Mayor Cedar here.

Council member Gatler here. Council member Koopa here. Council member Leaport here. Council member Paul here. Council member Bold here. Council member Wester here. All present, your honor. Thank you. The consent agenda AC council minutes of April 6, 2026 regular meeting recommendation approve. Move the motion. Any questions? All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Move number five. We're going to open the public hearing for the two parts A and B. A is a clean water state revolving fund project plan sanitary sewer systems improvements. Mr. Duchain.

Um actually I have gentleman from AEW here. How's it going, Steve? Can we stand up here and talk? Yes. Okay. I'm Joe Le with the AW city's engineering consultant.

We're doing a today for both the clean water and the drinking water revolving fund loans for St. Clair. So, starting off with this quick overview. So, both of these loans are offered through the Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes and Energy, uh, Eagle. Um, and both of these loans would end up being lowinterest 20-year loans. Typically, that interest rates around 2 to 2 and 12%. And for both of these projects, the project plans that we're discussing here tonight need to be uh the clean water one needs to be submitted by May 1st of this year. And then once we submit that, which if you go to the next slide real, that's a couple slides later, but it shows the timeline of it. Um, essentially in August, they'll release their project priority ranking list and if the city of St. Clair's project is accepted at that time, they would let us know and then we begin the design process. But I'll get to that in a minute. Um, and it's no guarantee, but for the most part with a lot of these communities that we've applied for these loans in, there is an opportunity for uh loan forgiveness. So, essentially it ends up being a grant part of it. And there's no guarantee of that, of course. But, so talking about the sewer system here, go back one. Yep. So, right, the last couple years we've been doing uh CCTV, which is essentially where we go in and videotape all the sanitary sewer. We've been doing it in like the downtown district uh bordered by Vine Street, 10th, Pine River, and St. Clair River. Um the city's been addressing some of those critical structural defects that's been discovered during that project,

but there are still a decent amount that are the whole point of that project is just to figure out what the system looks like and develop a plan of how to replace it at the city's pace. But so things that we identify during that would be examples would be collapsed pipe, broken or cracked pipe, offset joints, interior surface deterioration, just stuff that happens over time. And this project, this loan that we're applying for would uh be able to address all critical and high rated structural defects in that downtown area for the sanitary system. So, the proposed project that I keep talking about $1.2 million sewer rehabil rehabilitation project talking about those and I just kind of talk about there. It would probably be split into two separate projects. One would be an open cut one where they actually go down there to dig up the pipe, put in a new pipe and so on. And we do that at locations that call for it. or there's the cured in place pipelining, which is essentially where they just line the pipe. The cost to the customer, we have on there 221, but Heather, who's with me over here, she helped with the report a lot. This one is actually 428 per month over the 20-year program. The water one goes down. So, but that's how that would be funded. And then going over to the loan application schedule here. Public comment period ends today in the public hearing. So if anybody's got any questions, we can open it up here in a moment. Submittal of the final project plan prior to May 1st. Uh Eagle would release the priority plan list throughout the entire state in

August. And then there's a chance you can uh appeal kind of their decision, get a few extra points to get in that fund range. And that uh the final decision is made in October 2026 for this project design for the project October 26 to February 27. It's less time than what the water main project would take because there's less uh I guess kind of like design work that goes into uh sewer rehabilitation project. you don't need to do uh topographical surveys and whatnot. And the design's done in February 27. Loan application process, we'd be putting the project out to bid at this time. And then uh if everything goes well, the approval of the loan and start construction in May of 27. Going on to the next slide here. shortterm and social impacts. This is typical with any construction project, but uh Eagle likes to make sure we mention this during these public hearings that you know there's going to be noise, there going to be dust in the streets, but uh very minor disruptions of sewer service when they're work if they're working in front of your house. Otherwise, it'd be no more than one business day. And we AW and all the projects we do here in St. Claire, we always try to pass out notices to keep everybody updated on how construction's going and whatnot. Um, the long-term impacts of a project like this improved reliability of the sewer system and replacing any uh deteriorating infrastructure that's could uh potentially cause B uh basement backups or just honestly just pose a risk to uh the residents. But environmental impacts with open cut repairs, possible tree removals if the sanitary sewer is right underneath the tree. Um,

but we would place new replacement trees. Um, emission from normal construction activity. Like I said, it's just like any other construction project. Soil erosion and sedimentation control. It's typical with any construction project as well. So, that's pretty much sums up the project plan for the clean water uh revolving fund loan. Um, at this point, I guess if anybody wants to ask any questions specifically about this loan,

yeah, you're planning on How much do you Clinton Avenue? Uh all that everything Clinton Avenue and South has already been addressed. Those uh those critical concerns and whatnot and all the lining and whatnot. So

no nothing to a new road. These are roads that are not brand new, but they're not, you know, they're not set for construction or anything like that. For this one, it would be 428. That would be charge. Yeah. Water and sewer bill. Yeah. Would that just would that go on our readiness charge $4 a month? That's calculated as a monthly additional capital type charge cost.

Yeah. without having a calculator in front of me. Yes. Um are you talking about like I'll come back to you. Yes. What's the question? Uh 10th Street, did you say? Yes. 10th Street. Yep.

Okay. Okay. We'll move on to the DWRF. So, this is about water manes here and I'll be able to This page is pretty much the same except that the project plan needs to be submitted by June 1st. Um, otherwise it's all the same same program ran by Eagle. So, we can go over to the second the next slide here. So, in the city of St. Clair. There's over 33 miles of water mane ranging in size from 4 in to 20 in. Uh the useful design life of water manes typically around 50 to 100 years. And with this loan, we'd like to replace all of the 4in water man, which there's a good chance those are over a 100 years old. Um and there's approximately about three miles of 4-in water mane on a lot of a lot of these streets that we're addressing here. Um, Eagle doesn't even let you put anything in the ground less than eight inches nowadays. So, those are those are ready to be done. And as a part of that, too, we would be replacing any leader galvanized uh water services on those streets that are attached to that 4-in main. Now, so um if you go to the next slide, it shows a map of where all these 4 inch, which obviously is a little tougher to see. I don't know if probably can't zoom in, but

not with my talent, but uh sorry about that. I don't think

Oh, no. They're for the most part centralized in that downtown district similar to uh the sanitary, but there are various other streets kind of scattered throughout that have a 4-in water man right now. But um so the proposed project for this, it would be a $6.1 million uh replacement program over a multi-year period, probably a two to threeyear program where we'd bid the project out and they'd have to uh replace x amount of feet per year um and upgrade all these 4in water manes to 8 in water manes. And as I had mentioned, uh, we would replace all lead and galvanized services from the water man to at least 18 inches inside the home being served along all 4inch water manes. The project, the new water manes, because I know a lot of them are under roads and if there's a break on one of those water manes, they got to come out, they got to tear up your road. But all the water man, typically we always want to have our water manes under the sidewalk or under the green belt. Um it just kind of depends street by street what's under there already and how big that green belt is and how much rightaway we have. So um and as I mentioned before all mains would be 8 in mains. And I had mentioned there was an adjustment to this number after speaking with Heather who helped put the report together too. Uh it would be $5.32 per month over the 20-year program. So add add that on with the sewer and roughly about 100 bucks a year.

10 bucks a month all together. So Joe, the 1122 is not correct. That's correct. It is 532. 532. And Joe, as long as I'm on your and you said that that for both these projects, there's grant capabilities here.

There is, but I I can't guarantee it. But I know that in other communities we've represented, there's a opportunity to get principal forgiveness on the loan. Um, it just kind of depends once we once we actually get the loan what Eagle's willing to work with us on in terms of that. But, uh, I know for communities with a lower income there, they will, you know, 50% or whatever, X amount. It's something that we would explore once we get the loan. I would approach it as we're getting a loan and principal forgiveness is possible, but we shouldn't plan for it. Is it possible that we would know if we got the forgiveness before we approve this?

I will I will ask Brian. He's got a little bit more experience with uh dealing with Eagle. So, Brian Kern and uh I'll follow up with you on that. If we know that at the time of the closing of the loan, I'll follow up. Yeah. Thanks. may also comment the city did not uh take much funding for lead and copper replacement which will work in our favor now inversely that it has not used that money that it could have before. So in talking with Egle that actually might have an advantage to us. Yep. If you did get the forgiveness,

it would it would probably take uh effect before the loan actually started. Like you would know that ahead of time. So it would probably just lower that rate. Does that make sense? Yeah. Uh state of Michigan. It's their environmental uh and energy kind of division. I I suppose you could call it. Yeah. What did it say? Department of Yeah. Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment. Um, used to be a division of the DNR. Yeah. Yeah. It used to be the MDQ. Yeah. Now it's called Eagled.

Joe, you said this is a two to threeyear program of replacing water mains. Are they all open cut or are they these water? We would explore it street by street basis. if it makes more sense to do a directional bore or not a pipe. You can't do pipe bursting on a 4 inch because you're going up to an 8 in. There were similar sizes you could. So directional bore would definitely be an option that we would explore as well which would cause a lot less disturbance for everybody. But and you're leaving the you're abandoning the pipes I read there as well. The one you're abandoning the 4-in mains and ground. Yeah, that would be the plan. Remove all the old hydrant structures and whatnot and then just uh structural fill for that. And this is a 50 to 100year We got on the project once it's done.

Yep. Yep.

Yep. Uh hopefully maybe the Boy Scouts would still be around when it needs to be replaced again, but otherwise um and going for the loan application schedule for this, the only difference in the SK the schedule, well, there's a few small differences. This project plan's due by June 1st. Um the priority plan list from Eagle comes out in August. Final list comes out in October, similar to the sanitary one. And then the design for this one would be from October 26 to May 27 because there is a little bit more design work involved with the water man. We'd have to send our survey crews out there, gather all the existing information, find out where all the utilities are and whatnot. Because if we're going to be putting the water man in a new spot, we want to know exactly what's there and good directional bore if there's not much there or open cut if we got to move around a little bit. But loan application process April 27 to August 27 and the project will be out to bid at that time. loan closing and construction starting in August of 2027 and project impacts and mitigation. Uh short-term and social impacts, I'd say they're pretty similar to the sanitary loan. um typical construction stuff, but the long-term impacts improved reliability of the water distribution system, upgrading the system to current compliance and replacement of aging and deteriorating infrastructure. I mean, some of these 4-in mains are probably more like a 2-in main now just because of how old they are and all the corrosion and turbulence that built up in those pipes. So, could even improve water pressure. So, um, similar environmental impacts to to a typical construction project. So, at this point, I will open it up to questions for the DWRF. Yes, ma'am.

So, your home is on your private property. So these water manes would all go in the city property within right I'm thinking pressure no cuz we your service is probably a 1 inch service or a 3/4 inch ser either way is the service would not it wouldn't affect it because the water is still coming out of the main at the same uh uh same pressure so it would not have an impact that way but I didn't quite hear you. So, we're looking at about $10 a month between the two. Yes, roughly.

The water was uh 1.2. I see where we're where you're going with this. No, I'm just My question now is you're looking at seven and a half million. Does that include engineering fees that includes? Yes. Your guys's engineering fees. So, what is the actual cost of construction? Uh, I would have to defer to possibly Heather here right behind you.

It's typically like uh it varies project to project by you got a percentage. Um I have the total construction cost uh for the sewer project is I'd say 5 to 10% is typically what it ends up being% it depends because there's inspection and contract administration so uh project to project the the sanitary would be a lot less administration because we we don't have to go out there and do a ser survey for it and everything like that. And um

that answer to council. Yes. Yep. Thank you. Uh and that information is in the actual project plans and is which is available to the public and has been for I think a week. Yep. I have both books upstairs. There's a table of contents on there. The books are on the front cover. Understood. We got a question up here.

I agree. It's another good reason we should do this. And um the animal That's correct. Yeah. Any other questions? Okay. Questions from council. All right, Joe. Uh, thank you very much. Sorry if I was too wordy, but thank you guys.

All right. Uh, at this time, I will close the public hearing designation of Arbor Day. You do have a proclamation to read here. Whereas in 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for planting trees. And where is this holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska. Whereas trees can reduce the erosion of your precious chopped soil by wind and water, cutting heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife. Whereas trees are a renewable resource, giving us paper wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products. And whereas trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community and are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. And whereas the city of St. Clair has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 25 years and desires to continue to do so in planting trees. Now therefore, I Bill Cedar Jr. by the authority vested me as mayor of the city of St. Clair do hereby proclaim April 24th, 2026 as Arbor Day in the city of St. Clair. I will urge all citizens to support efforts to care for our trees and woodlands and to support our community and forestry programs. I further urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of present and future generations. We're very proud of being at Tree City USA for 25 years. You know, you take a little ride around town, you down the street trees, there's lots of trees. It looks right. Really looks nice. All right, let's go. We have another presentation. You thought water sewer was exciting. Where'd you get this stuff? This is our annual audit. Uh Manner costume and Jordan's here. Boy Scouts, if you were ever going to take the opportunity, this might be it.

The highlight of the year, right? I mean,

my name is Jordan Smith. Um, I'm with Mayor Costarrison Auditors for the city. Uh, before I start or go too far, I really need to thank Steve, Annette, um, the whole city staff, Carrie, Jessica. Uh, without them, we can't do our job and just providing information and stuff. They're wonderful. We're disruption to their day-to-day operations. Um, we try to get in, we get our stuff, and try to get out of the way, but we really, really appreciate all the help. So, thank you very much. Um, everyone should have, I believe, uh, either in their board packets or otherwise in front of them, there should be four documents. Um, so there should be a bound audit copy, uh, annual comprehensive or yeah, annual comprehensive financial report. I'll talk a little bit more on that in a second. Should be two letters we issued. One is called a management letter and one is called a governance letter. Um, I'm not going to get into those that much, but they talk a little bit about the estimates and our findings and things like that. And then you should have your presentation um which is also up on the screen there. So uh all those documents you should have or should be in the packets stuff like that um for me to go through. Uh what else do I have here? Okay. Uh also if you if there's any questions just interrupt me. I'm happy to answer those as I go. Um so please just let me know if you don't mind. Second next slide please.

I'll try. All right. Where is it? I practiced for this too. There you go.

Um this is the cover on uh the lefth hand side annual comprehensive financial report and then on the right hand side is the gazsby related to that. So this is not a required gazsby but it is something the GFO government finance officers association strongly recommends. Um this is the first year that the city of St. Clair has uh completed um what we commonly refer to as an ACTRE annual comprehensive finance report ACFRTER. Um and so I wanted to just share this slide here because this is the first year that you're going for the GFOA certificate for excellence in financial reporting. Uh usually it takes 6 to9 months for the GFA to review it and get back with findings and earning that certificate. Um but that is there and my understanding it has been submitted to the GFA. The next slide if you would independent RS report um as you're aware and have heard before this is the purpose of the audit. I don't have all the wording in there. There it is in the bound report. Um, but this is the purpose of an audit. Uh, purpose of an audit is not for the auditors to detect fraud. It is not to give an opinion on your internal controls. If we noted anything, we would let you know, but these are your financial statements and we're providing an opinion on those. Management's responsibility is for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with GAP generally accepted accounting principles GAP and for the design implementation and maintenance of those internal controls. As I already said, our our objective is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an audits report. If we had found fraud or anything, we would let you know. We didn't notice anything, so no worries there. But um that is actually not the idea of it of an audit or the point of the audit is to give an opinion. Is the information reliable? Basically, our opinion is a clean unmodified opinion, which is the best possible opinion you can get. Um so an unmodified opinion is the terminology there. If you don't mind going to the

next slide, I'm going to talk a little about your governmental financial statements, governmental funds. Um I'm going to focus largely on the general fund and then hit a little bit on the sewer, water, and your harbor. Um Let's talk a little bit about the general fund. Um, as of September 30, uh, go back one if you would. Perfect. This is as of September 30, 2025. Um, the balance sheet, we look at assets, we look at liabilities, we look at a lot of that those different items there, column one. But the general fund, your total fund balance, that second column there, uh, 10,168,793. um your that can be broken down into five possible classifications which is the middle column there. Non-spendable, prepaids, inventory, things like that. Restricted meaning someone gave uh money to the city and it's restricted by an outside source. Committed, the council has provided a resolution to commit that money for c specific items. Assigned, there's something that management has assigned for some reason through budgeting that the council's done that's been assigned or unassigned, what's available and left over. Uh the unrestricted fund balance is a combination of committed, assigned and unassigned. Um you can see the numbers there. That unassigned fund balance is the one I want to focus on in the far right hand column there. Unassigned fund balance was 8,293,893. We look at that a number of different ways. The way I like looking at that most is take that number and divide that by your expenditures for the year plus transfers out. what uh transfers out being what general fund used to supplement other funds um during the year. That came out at about $5,665,44. So that's about 17.6 months of operations or 146% uh when you do that calculation there. So you could operate for a little you could operate for almost a year and a half. Um, GFOA

recommends a minimum, and let me under let me stress minimum, every red light in the world should be flashing if you get down that low of two months of operations. Um, which is about 17%. The average city here in Michigan is 49%. But it all depends on what your future goals are. What do you need to help supplement other funds? Um, the city spent almost a million dollars supplementing other funds during the year, just needs that not providing other revenue streams. So that number's there. Let's talk about the next slide for a second. Let's general fund in particular, the revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balance. Uh revenues for the year, as you can see right there, were a little over $7 million. Uh this was an increase of less than 1% about $21,000. So, from my standpoint, that was level year-over-year that's very even of about of that 7,39,847. Uh, what happened in your revenues during the year? Your federal revenue decreased as you didn't recognize ARPA dollars as you had in the past year. Um, correspondingly, the local community stabilization increased. Uh, property tax revenues increased about 4%. Um, but your earnings were down. your your investment earnings, let's say that correctly, your investment earnings were down about 29% from the year before. So market rates and stuff just weren't as good. Um expenditures on the other hand, 4,810,044 um that is an increase of about 866,000 or 22% over the prior year. uh why new officers and wage increases in the police department, fire costs increased about 33% and then you also had uh expenditures on the KCA park which uh were about $600,000. All told that caused most of the increase there. Um,

you had transfers out uh of a little under a million netted against some transfers in uh came out to 850,000 net uh other financing sources and uses uh what general fund received from other funds versus what they paid out to others. All told, you added to your bottom line, your net uh your fund balance, you added a,379,303. Sir, that 1.3 does that include the ARPA funds that we got from the county? Um, yes, most of those were recognized in a prior year, but yes, it does. The math is like seven seven. I apologize. I don't have that number on me.

Um, it's on the next one. This is one I really like. Shows five years here. Um, you can see your revenues are exceeding your expenditures. Uh, the blue bar is your revenue, red is expenditures, green is that fund balance there and how it's been going up year-over-year. And you can see compared to five years ago, your expenditures are outstripping what your fund balance would have been. So, um, it's a positive situation there. On the next slide, this is unassigned fund balance as a percentage of expenditures and other financing uses. As I already mentioned, the city's at about 146% this year. Um, that red dotted line is at 17%. GFO's recommended minimum. Again, I want to highlight that minimum. Um, and where you are there is the blue line, just a different representation of where you are for your fund balance over your expenditures. The next slide is a two pi graphs uh revenue. There you can see where your revenues are coming in. Taxes make up roughly 50% each year. Um, your intergovernmental actually decreased because you didn't have the ARPA funds and stuff this year as you had in the prior year. So the the red last year was 29% this year is 27 but overall is very very stable depending a little bit on what your grant revenue is but you can see where your dollars you're receiving for revenue are there. The next one's the same kind of thing only expenditures. Uh where is the money going out? Uh your general government treasurer elections clerk uh makes up 23% during 2025. uh they increase a little bit year-over-year, but uh the largest expendure you have is public safety. Uh 28% of your expenditures during the year were related to public safety and 15% of your outflows, expenditures, it's really called transfers out other financing uses, but um that was supplementing of

other funds, shortfalls in other funds that the general fund had to cover. So that's 15% of your outflows during the year. Let's talk a little bit about the proprietary funds financial statements. It's page 31 through 34 in the financials. But if you go to the next slide, we'll have a bar graph for the sewer fund. The unrestricted net position was 130 a little over 138,000 which is the green bar at the very top. You can see it in 2025 far right hand column there. The past four years that has actually been a deficit. So from a uh good sound financial condition that's a very positive from my viewpoint that that is now a positive number. It's a positive situation. Um and you want to continue that to grow. Why do you want to continue that? The blue though by the way is your infrastructure, your investment in infrastructure of a little over just below $7.6 million at 2025. So that's the blue bar. The red's restricted from an outside source. And then the green, which was negative the past four years, that's your unrestricted net position. The next slide, the blue bar is where you're at with your unrestricted net position in the sewer fund. That red bar would be what my recommended minimum would be um for the sewer. How did I come up with that recommended minimum? We took three months of operations, not including depreciation, operating expense. uh your debt service. Any debt you're playing or you're expected to pay in the next 12 months, we added into there. And then we also the most arbitrary number um would be your capital improvements. Uh what capital improvements do you need for your sewer fund? I took 10% of the ending capital asset value, netbook value of capital assets um to add to determine that red bar, but that could be changed based on capital improvement plan, other expectations, stuff like that. So I would say the red would be your minimum recommended. The blue is

where you're at. So the sewer fund while you're positive and you're on restrict position as I showed on the last slide, you still have a ways to go to get to a recommended minimum there. Uh the next one we're going to talk about water a little bit. Water again, kind of like in the sewer. Um the blue, uh you can see how large it is there. $13.2 million. That's your infrastructure. um your water lines, stuff like that, water plant. The unrestricted net position, it's a positive the green bar for the first time in 5 years. So that is I don't I keep using the word positive, but it's a positive situation. It's a positive number. Um and so that you're going the right direction there. The next one, just like I mentioned for sewer, same kind of idea here. The red would be the recommended minimum and the blue is where you're at. Um, a lot of that's based on debt service, what payments, 10% of your capital outlays, things like that or capital assets, netbook value. Just showing where you probably should be versus where you are. Harbor Fund is the next one. Harbor Fund's pretty healthy. Um, you can see the greens bar up there is positive for all the past 5 years. The blue bar is your uh net investment in capital assets. So that's pretty healthy situation there as opposed to water and sewer is these are full acrual enterprise funds. Um and the next one again the red is the recommended uh right there minimum recommended and then the blue is where you're at. So again the harbor fund as a major enterprise fund um that's a positive situation. Last thing I uh let's see here I think there's only like two or three slides left. Um pension and oped funding. So pension is the blue bar there um showing off uh showing there your high in the past five years is 60% and that's

where you ended at 9:30 2025 is your pension. Um the city contributed 1,70,74 to your defined benefit pension and you ended the year at 60% funded. The state treasury has come out and said they want you at a minimum of 60% funded. That's right where the city's at. That's 60% funded for pension. Your OPED on the other hand is the red line. OPED being other post-employment benefits, your retirey health care and other insurance, stuff like that. City contributed just over 150,000 towards your OPED during the year. And uh as you can see 930 2025 was the high point at 48% the high point of the past five years there. Um the state's minimum is 40%. So you're at 48% funded. The state wants you a minimum of 40% funded. The next slide, I just want to talk for a second about upcoming gazsbies. None of this should affect the day-to-day operations of the city at all, but your financial reporting, financial reporting, model improvements is going to tweak the financial statements a little bit. Um, Gazsby's putting a lot of emphasis on the why. Uh, there's a management discussion analysis and then also budget versus actual. And they're requiring that management provide a lot of why. This went up, I'm making it up here. This went up by 100,000. Why? And they want um the numbers are what they are, but then they want management provide explanation of why things change year-over-year al as well as why you budget for amount and it did or did not come in where uh you budgeted. Disclosure of certain capital assets and then subsequent events. Um 104 there and 103 are for 2026. 105 subsequent events 107. But Gazsby 104 and 105 are really just uh a lot more consistency between between municipal governments. uh Gazsadsby found people were doing things differently, interpreting things differently, and they want to see consistency between all of them. So, there shouldn't be much effect and almost no effect on the day-to-day operations, but you'll see some minor

changes, tweaks in the financials. Any questions? Anything from council? I think I only have one. The water fund unrestricted net position, the recommendation you provide for us is close to 4 million. Is that purely because of the debt and and it increased by 3 million in one year because of the the debt that we incurred for the upgrade? It's the debt. It's really because of the capital assets that brought in and I used an arbitrary amount. You could argue any amount there, so don't get me wrong, but I used 10% and because there was such a large amount that was brought in. Um it's not yet being depreciated. It's still construction in progress. Yeah.

Uh that amount alone is over $25 million. And so we would expect to see that decrease annually over the life of the asset that will come back down. And again, I use 10% of that number. So 10% of $28.7 million. Um but that's an arbitrary percentage. And really, you should go off your capital improvement plan. What do you need um going forward on that capital improvement plan? But in order to come up with some kind of estimate, that's what we usually use. Yeah. Thank you. Just wondering about the big increase. So yeah, thank you.

Else are all these reports and like summary slides available on the city website or somewhere else that we can find. They certainly will be. They have now presented the audit and the annual the annual comprehensive financial report entirely. It will be on the website. Perfect. Thank you. All right, Jordan. Well, thank you. of of the good work. Thank you.

Yep. All right, we'll go to number eight. Ordinance resolution A, resolution 2610, CWRSF, sanitary sewer system improvements final project plan. Mr. Shane, Mr. Mayor, it's been well described by engineering u uh consultant and we would recommend that you pass resolution 2610 starting the process and discussed recognizing the recognizing the need to make the improvements in the existing uh sanitary system. So just to be clear this is only approving to apply for the loan. That's correct.

Not approving the project. It is approving the plan. Just to be clear, it is improving the plan for the loan, but it is just the application. Just the application. I'll make a motion to approve. Any questions? Call the roll, please. Gotler, yes. KFA, yes. Leaport, yes. Paul, yes. BS, yes. Wester, yes. Cedar, yes. Resolution adopted. Thank you. We'll go to B. Resolution 2611, drinking water street revolving fund water mean replacement program final project plan. Uh same statement it'll approve the project plan and authorize the application to be made as stated. So moved.

Support questions. Call the roll please. Ha. Yes. Leaport. Yes. Paul, yes. WS. Yes. Wester, yes. Got yes. Cedar, yes. Resolution adopted. Thank you. Go to C resolution 2612 flock cameras.

Mr. Mayor, the state of Michigan Department of Transportation requires a performance resolution with government agencies uh and requiring municipalities to obtain permits for work in state highway right away. This is a performance resolution that will issue permits allow us to obtain a permit for the activities in the rideway which is the mounting management of the flock safety camera. They'll be um two installed along M29 highway and one other one in the community. We'd recommend approval of the resolution and entering the agreement as required by MDOT.

Is that a location to be named later? The second location like you this is for two cameras. It is for two cameras. Um the chief is here if you have a question but it is for two cameras. the locations on M29 north and south. Okay. These are cameras that coordinate with other communities. It coordinates with a vast number of communities. Yes, sir. Good point. Um it is in a system that allows law enforcement to access that if you're a participating member and um you know any number of communities. I I heard the number 1,200 at one time, but uh

weren't Were you going to try some out earlier? Did we did we ever do that or no? Yes, the city did experiment with those in the past. And then Chief Enis, how was your experience with that? Yeah, we had uh in 2020 2021 or 22, they gave us a trial of a handful of cameras in town. Um and once the trial ended, we didn't continue our service with them. I'm not sure why. Um helpful. What's that? Were they helpful? Tremendously. I gave um Superintendent Duchain a list of crimes that we were able to solve using those cameras.

And and those cameras are, you know, we're not spying on people. I I don't care what you drive, but you know, if you come in the community and you're committed a crime, you know, I think it's my my job to help solve that crime. So, these cameras are a wonderful tool for us to achieve that goal. I'll make I'll make a motion. Thank you. Thank you. All right. The motion may support our questions. Call on the roll, please. Yes. Hall, yes. BS, yes. Wester, yes. Fowler, yes. Hua, yes. Cedar, yes. Resolution adopted.

Thank you. We'll go to number nine. Uh, administration, Mr. Duchain. It's with great pleasure that I tell you that the preconstruction meeting for Cox sidewalk will be taking place on the 21st. That is tomorrow in the U or to begin that project. That came quick. That's tomorrow. It is scheduled as April 21st. Okay, good. Anything else? That is also Any questions? What's going on with the construction of Gearing Elementary? I haven't seen anybody right now. There's uh I did see the gate open with some kids playing swing in there the other day.

Yeah, it I give you we'll give you a little updated report on status on construction around the area, but yeah, hearing some of that. There has been construction within the last two weeks that I've observed, but the depth of which give you something in writing to follow. I feel like we just lit a fire into them and then they continue then they just stop again. We'll have that discussion, sir. Very good. I appreciate your point. Thank you. Any update on the bulk water out of the cemetery?

Oh, the B that the water system improvements are supposed to be putting in obviously in North Industrial where the actual bulk water sales take place and I have to any any day any time now we should be completing the bulkwater sales locations as an alternative. uh it has been mentioned using DPW for the interim time and some of the sales have been taking place by full tanker charge based on known volumes but it's not

um I think our city attorney tonight city departments anybody

yes a couple things to uh update everybody on Saturday's event the first one in our community for the community cleanout and shred Um, I would call a success even with the weather. We had estimated approximately 100 loads of garbage and bulk items and shredded documents. Um, we had a great crew, city staff, DPW, waste management, shred corps, and our public safety volunteers helped with the traffic flow. So, overall, I think it was again a very successful event. I look forward to um hosting another one potentially in the fall. That was probably our number one question. uh in person and on social media is when we will be doing the next one. So, thank you for your support in that and uh we'll promote the next one when we get it together. So, thank you for that opportunity to serve the community. Um as mayor proclaimed, Arbor Day is Friday, April 24th and along with that we will be doing our annual tree giveaway in partnership with Cargill and Living Lands and Waters. Thank them for their generous donation of trees. They will be available tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21st, between 3 and 5 at Greg Park and Scub Scub, no um Scout Troop 294, sorry about that, is helping us with that distribution. So, please go to Greg Park tomorrow between 3 and 5. Pick up your trees. First come, first served. Um, anything remaining after 5 o'clock, um, you can take as many as you want. So, tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21st, there is no election in the city of St. Clair on May 5th because there are no applicable races or proposals, but you will see um some results and election results throughout St. Clair County and throughout the state of Michigan, but there is not one being held here on May 5th. Along with that, nominating petitions and affidavit of identity for

mayor and city council are due no later than 4 pm tomorrow, April 21st. Very busy day tomorrow. Um, and last but not least, there's quite a few special events um that Chief Inis will be going over with you. And I just wanted to remind everybody that the one for Bluewater Offshore Racing Association also includes a lease of Palmer Park and Public Spaces. So, when you approve uh when you consider approval for that special event permit, you'll be approving that lease as well. Thank you. Thank you. Any other departments?

Good afternoon, Mayor Council. Got a few things tonight. Um this past or last week, uh we um hired a new officer. Uh this is Max McCroy. He joined us last week as a full-time officer. Just a little background on him. Um, he graduated from Leavonia Franklin High School back in 2016. He's got a bachelor's degree for in criminal justice from Michigan State University and he completed his Mid Michigan Police Academy in 2022. He began his career in Lancing. Uh, then went to a town called Portland. Um, he ended up having to move back out here uh to be close to family. Um, so we're lucky enough to hire him. Um, he's married to his high school sweetheart, right? uh they got a one-year-old daughter and they're hoping to have their second uh child this July. So, he's a very friendly, social person. So, we're glad to have him. Hopefully, he'll make some positive contacts, be out in the mall interacting with kids in the community. So, we're really excited, happy, we're happy we have him. So,

thank you, buddy.

Thank you. Uh just the second thing, it's uh it's springtime, so uh this is kind of our busy time for pedestrian uh crosswalk calls. We're getting, you know, calls from our local residents on on crosswalk issues. So just I have a few notes here to remind, you know, pedestrians and drivers. It's a it's a two-way street. We got to work together with these things. Um just so when pedestrians, you know, when they enter the inter or they come to a crosswalk, um let's just not walk out into the middle of the road. We also have to yield to vehicles on the roadway. Even though it is a pedestrian crossing, we can't just walk out and and um having vehicles understand that, okay, I'm crossing and they're going to stop right away because drivers and vehicles, we can't just rely on them. They could be, you know, dealing with they're on their phone. They're they're probably they could be texting. Um they family in the car. So, we got to make sure that um pedestrians aren't just walking to the roadway. Um and then also, I always see this a lot with kids. Um especially down Clinton Avenue, there's that down h downhill grade and kids are just flying from 10th Street all the way down to Third Street in their bikes. They're not stopping at those intersections. Um a lot of younger kids are doing that. So we we just encourage parents just to please talk to your kids about stopping at intersections because luckily no one has been hit those intersections, but with the these scooters and these ebikes, a lot of kids are just flying right through these intersections. So, please, whether it's the side street downtown or the main main street um on N29, we're stopping at intersections. Um and also for drivers, you know, we have to yield to those drivers in an intersection. We can't just assume that they see us. We always have to yield to those people. Um and then also when you come to a stop at a stop sign, stop before the crosswalk. A lot of drivers like to stop in the crosswalk and then pedestrians kind of have to make this weird go behind the car or go in front of the car and there's a whole wave thing on. So drivers, please remind stop behind the crosswalks in those intersections. And

we're I'm just really excited to get those pedestrian islands downtown. Um really hoping those are going to stop a lot of that um those those incidents with uh pedestrians and drivers downtown. Um those signs have been great. We put those signs up four or five years ago. Those yield to pedestrian signs, but I think these curbed Sinclair in front of the mall are going to do are going to be tremendous. So, um, we got to work together to solve this issue. So, any questions? Thank you, Chief. All right. Thank you, sir. Welcome board Max. Thank you.

All right. We'll go to the authority boards, committees, chairs, council reps. Anybody have anything? No. Unfinished business. Will 11. New business. A. Appointment to Cemetery Board of Trustees to appoint Nancy Boda the Cemetery Board of Trustees to fulfill the remainder of a three-year term expiring December 31st, 2026. Motion to approve support.

Questions? All in favor say I. I. Opposed. B. Temporary sign permit. Sinclair Art Association Art Fair. Is this you? Um I can provide information on that. So council has already approved a special event permit for Slair Art Association's art fair and part of that approval should have included temporary sign permit. So this is just an addendum to that approval. Um the memo states the request to allow for yard signs placed um before and during the event. Um, specifics are for, let's see, a request is to allow up to 30 signs to be placed in various locations for up to 20 days leading up to and immediately after the June 27th and 28th event weekend. The this temporary sign permit is not um able to be approved just through the building department because the request includes use of public property. So this is um typical of what the art association has done in the past and it just should have been included in the special event application approval.

Make a motion to approve. Support questions. All in favor say I. Opposed. We'll see. Special event application. Sinclair Garden Club Farmers Market Chief. Yes. I got quite a few again tonight here. This should should be it. I think I think

Where's the I might have left that one upstairs. No, here it is. All right, here we go. I'm requesting approval for a special event permit for the Sinclair Garden Club Club's weekly farmers market, which is a local gardeners, farmers, artists gather to sell their fresh produce, baked goods, and other homemade items at to the St. Clair community. The market is scheduled for every Wednesday from June 3rd through October 28th, 2026. The market runs from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. is located at the northeast corner of the Riverview Plaza parking lot with set up beginning at 6:30 a.m. The Garden Club has received approval from the Plaza Association to hold the weekly event on their property. Signage for the market will be displayed during market times only. I'm requesting approval for this permit.

Motion to approve. Questions? All in favor say I opposed. B. Special event permit application SS Jonathan Baron dedication. I'm requesting approval for a special event permit for the Bluewater chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution plaque dedication ceremony honoring all revolutionary soldiers buried at Hillside Cemetery. The event will take place on Saturday, July 18th, with set up beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the ceremony at 1 p.m. This event will honor the American Revolution Patriot Jonathan Baron. I'm requesting approval for this permit. So move questions. All in favor say I. Opposed.

E. approved special event permit to order offshore racing as part of the nation.

I'm requesting approval for a special permit for this 32nd annual Slair River Classic offshore races on the Slair River at Palmer Park. The event will take place from Tuesday, July 21st through Monday, July 27th. Street closures and setup will begin Tuesday at 6 p.m. Dry pits will be on Thursday and Friday. Racing on Saturday with a final race taking place on Sunday. There are tentative plans for the parade of boats and a street party on Friday from 6:00 p p.m. through 10 p.m. and we'll be requesting closure of Clinton Avenue from 6th Street to M29 once plans are finalized. Multiple locations have been requested to provide parking. Crane operators, wet pits, and other various uses. Localized street closures have also been requested to help coordinate event traffic. Please see the attached addendum for specific locations requested. All vendors will be under the management of the St. Clair Chamber of Commerce. Clean up for for the event will be completed by by Monday at 8 a.m. and roads reopened. I'm requesting approval for this permit. real quick. Um I remember last year there was an issue with the parking lot on Pine and Fifth with uh with parking in regards to that being used for employee parking for Murphy's Riverside and uh Ted Coney Island. I just want to make sure that parking lot isn't taken over by the races.

Yeah, I know there was an issue last year and I think we resolved it eventually, right? We did resolve. We were able to get it taken care of. So, I'll get a hold of the the supervision and see if this year they can be uh I think it was motor homes, right? It was a lot of motor homes out there. Yeah. So, I'll take a note. So, I'll we'll contact the uh the organizers and I'll make sure it doesn't happen. Very good. Motion to approve. But you want a part of the motion to approve the lease? Yes. Did you want that is in the current lease? Did you want that struck out? I would like it struck out, please. So, that will be part of the motion. We have support for that. Questions. All right. Uh, all in favor say I.

I go to F. Approve special event permit spark and shine fund run.

Yeah. So, we're going to bring 5Ks back to town. We have had a lot of 5ks when I first started here, so I think CO kind of ended them. So, we got a we got a group that wants to have one in town here. So, we're pretty excited. I'm requesting approval for a special event permit for the Spark and Shine OneMm 5K race being sponsored by the Life in Christ Fellowship Church. This event will take place on Saturday, August 22nd, 2026. Um start the race will begin at 9:00 a.m. uh through 11:00 a.m. Race will begin at the Riverview Plaza, taking runners north on M29 to Brown Street and then continue through the neighborhoods north of Brown Street, Highlands area, and then return back to the mall. Temporary road closures are requested along the route to ensure uh traffic safety for participants. Setup for this event will be immediately uh to this beginning immediately prior to the start at the plaza. I'm request and approval for this event for this permit.

Portions all in favor say I. I post.

We go to G. Approve special event permit ROI club turtle race. I'm requesting approval for a special event permit for the Turbo Turtle Race sponsored by the Slair Rotary Club. Advanced ticket sales for this event will take place Saturday, September 5th through Monday, September 7th, and again on Saturday, September 12th during the daylight hours in Rotary Park. The race will take place on Sunday, September 13th from 9:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. uh on the Pine River. The race will begin at the floating docks and end at Pepper Joe's. This event is this event is requesting the closure of the city parking lot just north of the dock on the day of the erase from 9:00 am to 6 pm. I'm requesting approval for this permit.

Moved support questions. All in favor say I. I. And H use of approve the use of the rightway at 1309 Clinton Avenue. I don't have that one.

Mr. Mayor, members of council, u there have been a request for variance related to the property at 1309 Clinton Avenue. I recommend the city council approve the request for limited use of the existing public rightway consisting of 1.33 square ft north of the existing property line for outside seating patio utilization to the current adjacent property owner. Uh recommending so I've reviewed this with this city attorney and although Mr. is unable to attend tonight. Uh he has confirmed the recommendation. Make a motion to approve.

I I got a question. So that have to go to planning after we approve the rightway for parking spaces or I mean the footings are already in. So we're ahead of the game, right? That should have been approved here first before the footings went in the ground. According to the report and the recommendation, uh we do not take it to the planning commission because it's the council's purview under section 50-2 of the code to utilize small portions of the rightway. Uh as far as footings in that the department well Tom is here volunteering to get up.

I I was just asking to comment Tom Lenov code enforcement. I was just going to say it's uh not a variance. Uh this is a consent request. I meant the motion to approve. Unsupported. I has it been supported. I'll support. Okay. So, motion to be supported. Any other questions? I'll just mention I mean it's when we're talking about a right ofway encroachment at 1.3 square ft. It's maximum is 7 in into the right ofway. Four feet in length. It's on a diagonal. It's just it has to be this way. It's seven inches in at its maximum. That's why I'm have no issue with this.

Anybody else? Motion may supported. Uh all in favor say I. I. Opposed. Go to 12. Claim accounts for April 8th and April 15th. Hearing no questions, your make a motion to adjurnn as or to approve as presented. Support. Questions? All in favor say I. I opposed. We'll go to number 13. Any public comment or questions? Non-aggenda items. Please keep it to three minutes if you would please.

Yes, sir. Um, uh, Tom Jalowski, South Riverside Avenue. A question I had regards noise abatement. Uh we've got the new salt plant addition that seems to be pretty well completed, I think. And then there's some water pumping station. I know at my house with several people in our area, we get a lot of like humming or buzzing 247. And if the wind's blowing out of the north, it's even louder. So, is there anything being done to correct that situation, or do we just uh keep the windows closed all summer?

I don't have an answer, but I think I know who to talk to later. Okay. Well, I'll come next month and maybe we'll have an answer. Maybe. Okay. Thanks.

Yes, sir. Right here. Give us your name and address if you would, please. My name's Cody Rebecki, Thorn Apple Street. Um, so I came here today because I was made aware by the uh code enforcer that a sign that I put on my property was not allowed because it was for my business. I understand you guys have an ordinance for that. Um my uh issue with that is there has been some Supreme Court rulings already on that that do not give the authority to cities to make such ordinances. So I'll cite one. In 1994, city of Leoo verse Galo. The court unanimously struck down Missouri towns near total ban on residential signs. They ruled yard signs on private property are unique protected form of free speech. cheap, visible to neighbors, and try and tied to your home. A total ban goes too far. So my

court was that? I'm sorry. Uh the case was city of Leoo, L A D U V Galo, 1994. It looked like it was a Missouri town that had had it gone up to the Supreme Court from. So it stemmed from a town in Missouri. This was a Supreme Court hearing a Supreme Court at the state level or the federal level.

Um, well, that one just says Supreme Court. Uh, there's another one that also just says Supreme Court. This was, uh, 1977. That was a New Jersey town. Um, and then another town would have been 2015. Read verse town of Gilbert. Uh, doesn't specify the state. They all just say Supreme Court rulings. So, I'm just asking that maybe if uh I understand the ordinance, I understand the meaning behind it. And I don't even entirely disagree. You don't want to see just all kinds of signs littered across the city. I get that and I I agree with that for the most part. But being a small business guy and not having a whole lot of funds to get started and get my name out there, this was always just one cheap way for me to get people to know who I am and what I'm doing. So, I'm maybe just asking that the council consider at some point maybe an exception to property owners if they're the owner of the company that they can, you know, keep it on their own property within the guides of, you know, offsets and things that you already have in place and not being in rightaways. Um, so that's basically why I'm here is to, you know, kind of show that there has been some Supreme Court rulings about signs being protected speech under the First Amendment and that maybe you guys reconsider if it's the uh property owner's business that he'd be allowed to, you know, keep a sign out. That's it.

Thank you, Cody. Thanks. Anybody else? Uh Jesse Barker, uh Vine Street. Uh Mr. Duchain, do you have any idea when the sidewalk on Cox is going to be completed? Will be before the school year starts in fall?

I I am assuming so, sir. Based on the information that I have, if the um goes correctly this week and the state finalizes their approval, construction should start within a month and then should be completed within a month. Okay. Is the city have any cash in this game or I know it's all like St. Clair Township, right?

Really? The city? Yeah, the city has cash. Uh the school district has cash. Everybody's in it. Uh we are the only agency of roads. The township is not a road agency and that's why we're the by title the administrator of the project even though we control very little of it. Okay. Gotcha. So and officer uh those signs you're putting up at the pedestrian walks are they lighted by any chance or not? Signs are pedestrian walks. Yeah. They're not lighted at all. Which ones? Well, like the one at Cargo down there for those guys walk across the street. I mean,

the ones we have been putting out are just the reflected signs of reflected metal signs that are downtown. They're not lit up. Wow. So, we're getting islands put down in front of the mall in front of the sink that in those like raised pedestrian islands. But no, they won't be will be one at Cargo too. No, not pedestrian island. probably should be down here. I see a lot of people going through that when there's people waiting to walk. Yeah. I wish I could run everywhere. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Parker. Thanks.

Anybody else? Okay. We'll go to number 14. Mayor and Council, I would just like to thank Stury for the uh project that went off Saturday by every guy here was a huge success. And maybe we will have another one. We'll see how it all turns out. Thank you. Anybody else have something? Hearing nothing else. Your honor, I a motion to adjourn. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Have a good night everybody. Be safe. Thanks for coming. Be nice to each other. Be safe. Matt Lancer, can I have one minute of your time, please? Stick around and see the teacher after class.