City Commission - Regular Meeting

Thanks, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to echo that. I think it's fantastic. I remember being part of that. You know, part of the helping with decision-making process and seeing it come to fruition from design to actually having it activated, it's pretty amazing to see. I did want to just touch base just quickly on just now that we are in voting season, I've been kind of in kind of this broken record on this, but I am really concerned about The placement of where the boat launches, I'm an advocate and I'd be very interested in having discussions about possibilities of moving it. But the step one, knowing that parking service levels is a little lower than we'd like to see in the downtown area, I've been noticing that trailers with trucks have been taken up at least two to three parking spaces. And I'm seeing that happen quite often. It's happening really early in the morning and it's really doing a disservice to the people who are trying to stay downtown to patronize all of our awesome businesses that are down there. So I know that we have talks coming down the pipeline here with some grant money here carved out for Waterfront Park. um including potential um updates the parking lot there i do want to just keep continuing myself saying i'd love to see some designated trailer parking there extending that you know getting rid of some of those invasive trees and expand that parking lot and then that would free up the downtown area eliminating the uh the trailer parking in the downtown area so um That's just my observation. Again, I also would suggest that anybody else who's listening be mindful and keep an eye on that. And I'd love to get feedback of what people are thinking about this. So appreciate it.

Thank you. Thanks. Anything?

Nothing to add.

Yes, I would just like to talk a little bit about the parking issue and kind of the parking pinch that our residents have been feeling as a result of the Blodgett construction. I've heard from neighbors north of Lake. I've heard from neighbors south of Lake that as that is going on, there's additional parking on streets, kind of either spacing out residents or parking illegally and causing some safety issues. I am hopeful that we can, number one, perhaps do or expand some targeted enforcement in those no parking zones. And I did exchange some conversation with city manager Charles about the specific issue at Cambridge and Briarwood, because I have heard from a number of residents specifically in that area. asking if we could temporarily remove the two hour limit on Cambridge. And Mr. Charles, you said that you felt that was something that you that we would need to vote on as a commission. And I'm hopeful that we can take that take up that discussion and expedite it so that we can provide some temporary relief and improve safety in that area of town while that construction is going on.

I have nothing to add.

Just to follow up on Commissioner's question, that's something that staff can put on an upcoming agenda for discussion and there's quite a bit of history that goes with this, the whole parking situation over there. So give us an opportunity to pull that together on the kind of history so that everybody understands some of the dynamics that we see on that in regards to the target enforcement added to the list right now. We're kind of busy. With that, summer's upon us. I would just really encourage our parents of children who have micromobility devices, really work with your child to make sure they understand how to operate safely. That was all.

Great, thank you. Okay, we'll move on to the regular agenda items. First on the agenda, we have the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget public hearing. That introduction is by City Manager Charles.

Thank you, Madam Charles. So pursuant to the city charter, we have to adopt the annual operating budget before July 1 each year. Purchase went to state law. We have to have a budget hearing in regards to the annual tax levy. Mayor, would you need to open up the hearing, take any comments in regards to the budget, close the hearing, answer any questions, and then pursuant to city charter, after this meeting tonight, we will reconvene right after the end of this meeting to have a special meeting to adopt the budget.

Sure, okay. All right. This time I will open up the public hearing for the budget public hearing. So if there's anyone here tonight that would like to make public comment to that, now is the time to please do so. Okay. Hearing none, I will then close the public hearing.

And just a quick reminder for the commission that there is a resolution that will be adopted that will set

overall proposed budget we did do a budget review last uh commission meeting so i didn't move forward wonderful okay great so um okay so then we move on to the next agenda item which is to consider holding a public hearing and then certify the list of delinquent accounts receivable and authorized placement of these accounts on the july 1st 20 20 26 tax roll that introduction is by Director Seath. Thank you Madam Mayor, Commissioners.

So every year we go through all the residents UB water bills that haven't paid since January so they're late as of January and we send out letters the first of May. They have till the end of May to pay before we will roll them to our tax bills which we will begin next week Monday because we have to send the the tax bills to KCI for printing. So this year, as you can see, the amount of water bills with the 18% is 46,000. We've actually received another $1,800 in payments. We do accept, we try to give them a cutoff, but we will accept it until Chris rolls the tax rolls next week, Monday, because then they prevent themselves incurring that 18% penalty. There were four people that paid of three of them paid in complete fall. So they're completely up to date with their water bills. We do have one false alarm bill. Our false alarm system works, they get one for free. And then if they have to go out again, it's a $50 charge for the first one 100 for the second and 200 for the third, incurring 200 each time after that. It starts over in the beginning of the year. So they start up at zero in the beginning of the year. So there's one person that had their first alarm on October 11th, and then the next one was on November 1st. So they were charged for the second alarm, which means we had to go out there. The miscellaneous AR is for a, an ADU installation on 530 Lubbitt. We went out and did an infrastructure inspection fee, and they have yet to pay that, so that will also roll to their taxes. Any questions? Thank you.

And just to note, this did come before the Finance Committee this afternoon, and everything was found to be in order. Any questions for Ms. Heath? Okay, thank you. Thank you. Okay. Commissioners, may I please have a motion and a second on this agenda item?

You need to open the public hearing.

Oh, that's right. Sorry. At this time, I will open up a public hearing for this agenda item for the tax rolls. Would anyone here like to make public comment? No? No? Okay. Thank you. So I will then close public hearing. And now bring it up for a motion and a second.

So moved. Second.

Wonderful. Any further comments, commissioners? Okay, we can go to vote. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next, on the agenda, we have to consider approving the 2026-2027 fee schedule. And that introduction is by Manager Charles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Before you is our annual fee schedules. We adopt fees effective July 1st for the following fiscal year. A few changes. in regards to a lot of this is associated with just the cost of delivering the services. Throughout the, whether it be meters, things of that nature, I would note that there are some changes in the pool rental rates for both wealthy pool and the community pool that are tied exactly to our increasing our actual costs associated with operating those pools. So we need a motion and a second to approve.

So moved. Any further conversations? Okay, then we can go to a vote. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? All right, motion carries. So next we have to consider approving a professional services agreement for interim planning services with McKenna. That introduction again by Manager Charles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. So before you is a proposed interim planning services agreement with McKenna. McKenna is a statewide planning firm, and they do specialize in assisting communities. Our longtime planner, Paul LeBlanc, is retiring, has retired, I guess, technically, at the end of May. And so in the interim, as we have particularly the Gaslight Investors Project before us that we're recommending to retain them for assistance on an interim basis, Staff will be putting together an RFP to put it out to bid for all planning services, but we felt in the interim that McKenna would be able to meet our needs for what's before us right now. Part of the reason for our recommendation is when we did our climate action plan a few years ago, McKenna was one of the firms that interviewed with us, and they were very impressive. And if it had not been for the other firm that gave us a really great price and also did well in the interview, we probably would have recommended them for that work. So Mr. LeBlanc let us know at the end of April that he was retiring at the end of May. So we were adapting quickly. So any costs that we incur associated with Gaslight Investors with any of these outside reviews will be billed to developers escrow and reimbursed. So there's no cost to the city per se. Thank you.

Any questions for Manager Charles?

Didn't this come through finance two finances ago? One finance. One finance ago. And we reviewed it, and everything's in order on that.

And so just to clarify, we are engaging, we would be engaging their services just for the Gaslight PUD project. Yeah, at this point.

Any other questions for Manager Charles? OK. Is there anyone here this evening that would like to speak to this item? Okay. Great. Then I will move it up here for a motion and a second.

So moved. Second.

Wonderful. Any further thoughts? Okay. Go to a vote. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? All right. Motion carries. Next we have to consider authorizing the proposal in the amount of $20,870 to connect the Manhattan park irrigation system to city water. That introduction is by director Melville.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and commissioners. Yes, as outlined in the memo, the athletic fields at Manhattan Park have historically been irrigated through a well that was connected to the irrigation system. And due to a recent unknown failure that caused the well to stop operating, we are facing a decision of either having to install a new well or connect to city water to maintain the irrigation on the athletic fields. So we received some estimates for well installation, which are upwards of $40,000 for a new well plus ongoing costs for maintenance to service that unit. And we have had historically some maintenance issues up at Manhattan Park with the well that unfortunately just failed. So we did, city staff reviewed the potential for connecting to city water. that aligns with all the new improvements that we have at the park are connected to city water. the restroom buildings, et cetera. And so we did reach out to Tuberg & Construction because we do currently have them under contract for lead service line replacements. And so that's one thing you may note when looking at this, there's not bid prices to align. That's because in reviewing the pricing they submitted for this, it is aligned with their pricing for our lead service line replacements and found that due to us having that in place and them being able to move forward quickly would kind of be a win for the city if we are looking to go this route. A couple of reasons why connecting to city water would be beneficial. We wouldn't have those regular maintenance issues that we've had over time with the well and then when those do arise the capable team at the DPW would be resolving those issues for us instead of us having to call in a well contractor. The reliability would be increased. We wouldn't have downtime Because we'd be connected to the city water supply. There'd be less staining of the concrete that we currently see now with the well water up there. So that would help with the aesthetics. And then we'd be able to remove the the well house. I'll use that in quotes there from that that area by the tennis courts and we could remove that and kind of improve the aesthetic there. So happy to answer any questions you might have.

Any questions for Mr. Melville?

I do have a couple. I apologize. These questions were from residents not that long ago, and I couldn't send that, so I didn't have time to send them ahead of time. So once we connect to the city water system, how do we account for cost over time? I hear that maintenance will be reduced, but in terms of charges for city water supply, like how will that offset a one-time cost for a well?

Yes, so there will be annual costs of course with the ready-to-serve pricing and then also for the we do charge ourselves for the water usage. So there will be fees over time. We did calculate based on our projections of that can vary depending on whether looking at a couple thousand dollars a year like around three to four thousand dollars a year for irrigation again. can fluctuate there. And those do get worked into the city budget. So we are paying for those ourselves. And that was part of that thought process of the, you know, the 40,000 upfront plus ongoing fees and where would that kind of break even be?

Thank you. So how, what was the lifespan of the old well?

So the old well itself, I don't know when when that was exactly installed But however the pump which is like one of the main components of the well itself We actually had to replace that back in 2020. It was 2023 or 2024 I forget which and that was an approximately a $10,000 expense at that time and then the obviously the The replacement cost now would be much higher because they'd have to drill a whole new well. They wouldn't be able to reuse that well that was previously used.

Got it. Just one more question. In this interim period, while we don't have the well in service and we're not yet connected to the city line, are the fields getting irrigated or?

So again, I'll point to our capable team at DPW. They helped us find a workaround where we're able to connect to a hydrant to keep those fields watered as needed. It's a manual process, so our teams will be happy when whatever solution is found that to not have to manually connect that and have it run during the day, which is less optimal timeframe for watering in general anyways. But there has been a workaround because actually the Manhattan field five, the project we did a few years ago is doing its job. It's draining well. Well, at times like this, you wish that it weren't draining as well. So we do have that intermediate solution in place.

Great. Thank you.

I've got one real quick. If we were to approve this tonight, when will this work be done? Do we have an idea? Sorry to put you guys on the spot.

I'm just looking at Doug to see if he knew of like an exact timeframe.

I would say probably within the next couple of weeks, the contractor is in town doing lead service line replacements too. So they're already mobilized in the community.

Okay. Yeah. Just if it's, you know, so you guys aren't dragging hoses around out there. And if that field is, you know, we'll probably be needing some water if it's raining well. Yes.

Okay.

Any other questions for Mr. Melville?

Yeah, really quick. Is there any disruption anticipated for any of the recreation leagues?

No, there should be no impact on user groups for this.

The water main we're connecting actually comes down, is it Kingswood? Yes. It comes Kingswood, which is part of the reason this makes it a lot more economical than trying to run a line all the way across. Definitely, yeah.

And also this did come before the Finance Committee this evening and everything was found to be in order. There's no further questions?

Okay.

Thank you. Great. Anyone here to speak to this item? No? Okay. Just wanted to check. Okay. Wonderful. May I please have a motion and second for this agenda item? I'll move.

Second.

Great. Any further conversations?

Okay.

All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? All right. Motion carries. Next we have the consent agenda items. May I please have a motion and a second to approve tonight's consent agenda items?

So moved. Second.

Wonderful. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next, we are to enter an executive session. We were to consider entering into a closed session to receive updates on collective bargaining in accordance with Section 8C of the Open Meetings Act. And to do so, I will need a motion and a second.

So moved. Second.

Roll call vote.

Commissioner Skaggs. Yes. Commissioner Burdick.

Yes.

Commissioner Wesley. Yes. Commissioner Hunter. Yes. Commissioner Graf Blazek. Yes.

Dolly. Yes. Motion carries.

Okay.

So we will be going into an executive session and we will be coming back into chambers to vote and on the adoption of the budget. So if you'd like we will be back in chambers if you want to stick around.

residential rate.

Do we just want to stay in here or something? We can just stay in here. This is all working right now.

Okay.

Yeah, I know.

What's it called? It's not a fish finder. It's something better than that. It's called LiveScope. So he fished for the first time with a LiveScope last night because his buddy got one. He goes, it's cheating, Dad. It's absolutely cheating. This time of year, it's Amazing. He's like, we just would drive, we'd see a fish, we'd throw it in front of it, we'd watch it come over, we'd hit it, and we'd pull the fish up. It was like, it's cheating.

It gets tougher in the summer when they go deeper, but it's incredible. Right now? Yeah, it's amazing.

For my daughter's fish picture.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

That's a beautiful, nice bucking off bull. That's cool. That's cool. I know some of those. Do you live in the same area as Baumbach does? I live next to John Filo. Oh, do you? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Those ponds are great. Yeah. I played golf with John last week. Did you? Yeah. I had breakfast with him and golfed with him last Friday. since I've seen him, and it was good to catch up with him. He's such a good dude. So, real good job. And that big promotion. Yeah, I know. I remember I was hearing it on the news. I'm like, hey, it's my neighbor. Yeah, yeah. Shoot, I didn't know we were talking. I was in his wedding, because I went to high school with his wife, Erica. Okay. And so I have known both of them for...

37 years. Wait, so you were in the wedding because you were friends with his wife? Both. Oh, you became friends with him. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But, yeah, good people. Both of them. My kids have their summer bucket list, and one of the items on the list is to swim in the Philo's pool. Oh, and it's such a nice pool. They always invite us over. I feel bad because they probably see the look in our kids' eyes.

Yeah. They got the basketball going on out there. Yeah. Yeah, good people. Well, he knows you work here, doesn't he? Yeah, I thought maybe I talked to him before, but I forgot. Yeah, I've been to their place a few times. It's been a long time.

Hey there.

Did I miss the meeting?

You missed the first portion of the meeting. They're in an executive session right now, and then they will be coming back in here. For the, to adapt the budget.

For the what?

To adapt the budget. Yeah, so if you look at the agenda there, they're on number 14 right now, and then they'll come back and adopt the budget, or consider adopting the budget.

Yeah, I don't remember there being that much water in those areas, like where that pond is and stuff. So it must have been like an old sand pit or something like that.

Yeah, I think it was an old gravel pit. I don't know if you've ever been to his place or not. He's got a bunch of ponds around there too, and I think they're all old gravel pits, but a lot of bass in them. I'm sorry to interrupt you guys again.

Do you have any idea how long his executive session lasts?

If I gave you a guess, I would probably be wrong. Because they just went in like maybe three minutes ago, four minutes ago.

It's a nice day, so I bet you they don't want to be back there anyway. There you go. Because I'm ready to go home. The way it is nice out.

Yeah. My buddy was one of the first houses to be built in Bombeck's neighborhood. He's a HVAC slash builder guy. And this was, we were probably working 26, 28, something like that at the time. And so I helped put in like a lot of the beaches that are out in that neighborhood because my buddy would get the job and I'd help him. Nice. Build a little retaining wall and bring in the sand. Oh, yeah. And then every year, every weekend before Memorial Day weekend, they're like, all right, one's five yards and one's ten yards.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's nice here, man. For sure. We remember when we considered... We, over in our starter home in Wyoming, like a lot of people did 30 years ago. And we started there, and then he tried to save up the down payment to move out of the city. And a lot of my friends in high school, associates, they went to Byron Center or Mobile. And I was like the only one in the garage. I just like to go with them because I felt like I had more space there. My family has property to the north of the area. So I thought, I don't want to come to Byron Center. I've got a nice 25-mile drive with family property. But we first moved to Greenville. And that was, we were in Greenville for 10 years. Or seven or eight years. Yeah, let's see.

Deny, deny. I'm going to go back. Do it again. Start over. Do it better. I don't know. I don't know. Well, they do. Did they give you notes? No. Okay. I mean, send them back.

So we need to approve the tentative agreement in open session and the wage adjustment for the non-union. So we'll need two motions tonight.

Okay.

One to approve the tentative agreement with the DPW ASME union as presented. And then the second is approval of the proposed non-wage scale.

Okay. To approve the contract. I said I will move to approve the contract.

I will second it.

Okay. Any further conversation?

We can go to, I'm just, could we see a copy of the contract?

We'll send along the current agreement, yeah. We've not modified the current agreement to match, to incorporate these changes.

But we're voting on, you're asking us to vote on the changes? Yes. Which we haven't I'm just I would love to see a copy in front of me in order to I Did not realize that this was going to come up it was not on our agenda So I just okay want to have the opportunity to review that before we take action As I noted given the time constraints that this has to be approved by June 30th.

I We'll definitely get you a copy, but I would encourage Commission to take this action tonight We do have one more meeting in June.

We do And I anticipate that may be a relatively heavy agenda so Is anyone is everyone else comfortable with moving forward on what we just discussed in the executive session?

Yes. Yes.

Yes Then we have a motion in a second. I We can go to a vote. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Opposed?

I abstain. She can't write.

John?

Yeah, I think that she has to vote either way, correct? Or can she abstain?

She needs readers in to abstain.

Abby wants to abstain from voting on the contract.

Yeah, I mean, you'd have to have a reason to abstain.

because I have not had the opportunity to review the proposed changes.

I don't, well, I mean, that is your reason. I'm not trying to question that. But normally an abstention is because you're disqualified or you believe there's a conflict.

There's a conflict, right.

I mean, I don't want to vote no because I may very well be in agreement with the changes. I just have not had the opportunity to review them.

So is it possible, or does she have to give a yes or no vote? We'll figure out Robert's rules.

Yeah.

And then? Okay, but there's nothing else.

It says an abstention will have the same effect as a no vote. However, an abstention is not a vote and is not counted as a vote.

What did you say about a no vote?

It says that an abstention will have the same effect as a no vote. It says even in such a case, however, an abstention is not a vote and is not counted as a vote.

I think it counts as a no vote, like if we have to have a certain percentage of membership, which in this case, that doesn't apply.

So it would be as if she did not vote.

OK. And is that allowed in the circumstance? That's, I think, what you're requesting.

John, given the situation.

I don't think there's any compulsory rule for qualification from my understanding of Robert's Rules.

I thought it was because you had to recuse or, you know, that's why... Yeah, I mean, I...

I think I would just go ahead at this point. You've got the votes you need, and as the commissioner points out, this does not change that, and so whether we count it or not is a discussion we can have, but it's not going to impact the outcome.

Okay, so we had a vote, and then you also voted yet. Are you changing your vote because you... No, okay, so that is... All votes and then one abstention. Okay, great, thank you. Now moving on to the wage scale. May I please have a motion and a second on that?

So moved. Second.

Okay, all those in favor say yes. Yes. Opposed?

Okay.

I abstain. Abstain. Did you vote?

Yes.

Okay.

So we're good.

Five in one abstention. Okay. And then lastly, to consider a special meeting about the...

So we need to adjourn this meeting.

Okay. So this meeting is adjourned.

Could I ask one more question about that last topic?

About which last topic?

About the two votes that we just took that weren't on the agenda.

Did the Finance Committee get an opportunity to review those?

Personnel did.

Personnel got an opportunity to review the full contracts.

No, the Typically, commissioners, we don't provide the full agreement. It's not a request that I've ever received in all the time that I've done this.

So what did personnel have the opportunity to discuss?

We had the opportunity to review all of the changes that we just heard about back in the executive session. And this is a ratified contract that the union voted on, correct? Correct. They have accepted, they have ratified it through their voting process.

Any other questions? Okay. So then that meeting is adjourned. And now I will call in to order the special meeting to adopt the 2026-27 City of East Grand Rapids General Fund budget.

So before you this evening, Mayor and Commission, is the proposed 2026-27 budget resolution. This is a pursuant to city charter. It lays out the aggregate amounts amount of millage rates for our operating millage, street millage, our three debt millages, all of which were detailed in the budget presentation within your packet earlier on. So we are in a position to adopt this evening.

Wonderful. May I have a motion and a second to adopt that?

Could we ask just a few quick questions? Sure. I may have asked this before. Manager Charles, the terms original, amended, sorry, actual, original, and amended. Could you just give us a highlight overview quickly of those three terms again?

So when we present the budget, we present the previous fiscal year's actual numbers. We present what Commission adopted originally for as of July 1 2025 and then Well as we go through the fiscal year We do quarterly budget adjustments based on real life. What's going on? Etc and then tonight what you are approving is the recommended budget which is when we'll produce an adopted budget that we'll publish on our website. Basically we changed the term recommended to adopted. So those are the different columns that you see. Perfect. Thank you.

Any other questions for Manager Charles? Okay. Then we may have a motion and a second on this agenda item. Mr. Baxter, would you like to make a public comment to this agenda item?

No.

Thank you.

Motion to adopt the full fiscal year 2026-27 City of East Grand Rapids General Fund budget and property tax levy.

And that was the resolution to approve the budget? Your motion was to approve the resolution? Yes. Great.

And we had a second? Okay, great. Any further comments? Okay, we can go to vote. All those in favor say yes. Yes. Any opposed? All right, motion carries. All right, thank you. This meeting is adjourned.