City Council - Regular Meeting

Don't even get me stirred up. Oh, John. You're poking the bear. You're poking the bear. I took away their best thoughts. Get a photo.

That's it. Oh, my.

That's it.

Well, anybody that has a photo with them not there, those should be good. Well, we're ready to go, guys. I'm going to ask Mr. Mayor. Are we ready? One, two, three.

Yes, we are.

All right. I call the order from City Council of the City of Petoskey, June 1st, 2026. Please rise with me for the budget allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

I pledge allegiance 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.

City Clerk Beck, would you please call roll for us?

Demore. Present. Wilmot.

Present.

Nacktrab.

Here.

Walker. Present. Murphy.

Present. We have a quorum. Five. Next is a presentation by District Library Director Valerie Meyerson concerning the Petoskey District Library 2025 annual report. Welcome, Val.

Welcome or thank you. It's nice to be here. Thank you for giving me some time on your agenda. And I'm just here to give you guys an update on the library and what we were doing last year and some things that we're working on currently. I gave you our annual report as well as that spreadsheet that I give you every year. that kind of goes over, I mean, this is just operating revenues, comparing you to the townships. This does not take into account the capital revenues that we collect from the city. And so you can see the city you're looking, the first section there, operating revenues is about $655,000. That's about 46% of our total operating revenues. And that went down a little bit from comparing to last year. Your population is about 30% of our library population. but our cardholders, the citizens of Petoskey represent 34% of our cardholders. One of the interesting things, our circulation, and this is just non-digital circulation, everything from the building, you represent about 21% of our in-house circulation, which is a little bit lower than some of the other than what your population would suggest. And then I always do a household count about 33, you're about 33% of our households. So you can see over 2100 households in the city of Petoskey have library cards. Some new services that we started last year that I wanted to share, I think they've been very successful. One, we started after we did our strategic plan and we met with our teen focus group. And one of the items they said that we could do to help provide a service to them was doing an SAT prep course and helping them apply to college. And so we started last year, an SAT prep course free for students. And we also did an essay writing class where they came in and they worked on essays. It was two days and then they were paired with a mentor to help them get those essays completed. We had great feedback from those students and It was just a huge success, so we're doing that. That's going to be kind of on our annual rotation from now on. We also started a community cares shelf where all the service parts of our community, people can go to one location to find different services, things like Department of Health and Human Service information, unhoused information. We partner with the MANA Food Project and the and they provide food bags for our population that comes into the library so people can get food at the library as well and that's on that community care shelf one of the new collections we started this year in in This was kind of a fun new offering in our library of things. We have in the kids department, we have Yodo cards, which is a new way for kids to listen to books. And they're about the size of a credit card and kids can put them in a device and they've been really popular. The kids love them. The parents love them. They're easy for the kids to use themselves. And then we also started a new service in the adult department with Roku sticks where you can check out a Roku stick and borrow streaming services. So you can borrow a subscription to HBO Max or to Netflix or to Disney and use that stick for a couple of weeks and watch your shows. And those have also been really popular. And some of you have heard me talk about one of the issues that we have in our building, one of our choke points is the lack of meeting room space, specifically the lack of small meeting room space. We have a lot of people that come in, they're remote working or they're in a conference call and they wanna use a meeting room. We either don't have a space or the only space we have is the Carnegie, which is really a little bit overkill for one person doing a remote meeting. And so we partnered with the Community Foundation and got some grant funding along with the Friends of the Petoskey Public Library. and we're able to purchase a meeting booth. So we have this additional spot in the library for people to take calls. It's soundproof, it's got power, heating and cooling and that kind of thing. So that's been really popular as well. And you'll see with our statistics, our meeting room usage went way up. And I think in part it's because we had an extra room. I think you all know about the ASHRAE study that was done on the Carnegie, thanks to the grant that through the city. And so the Carnegie is in the process of this window project. And I'm sure Shane has updated you on that. The windows are out. If you've driven by, they're all boarded up right now. Blackberry did, I think they worked really well and they came in, they were very efficient and got those windows out in their warehouse now, updating and renovating those windows. They'll be back on July 6th. We had a little bit of a delay, I think, because of the holiday, but they'll be back on July 6th and take about two weeks to reinstall all the windows. Another thing within our building is the friends of the library provided some funding for us to increase and better manage our incoming holds. So we created a new holds cart or a new holds shelf that also helps us manage our book carts and it creates a spot for them to be kind of tucked away. And then also we did our roof last year. So we did put a new roof on the building. We started a couple of really great partnerships also this year. One of my favorites is with the Secretary of State. They have a mobile office that comes into the library about once a quarter. You can do everything in this mobile office that you can at their brick and mortar. And it's been really nice because there's no waiting line and it's just a nice environment. You can come right into town and get whatever you need done right at the library. We also partnered this year with the Great Lakes Center for the Arts with our Golden Ticket Program, where they're providing tickets to some of their performances for our patrons. And that's been really fun. People have appreciated that. And another partnership with the Grain Train, we started a spice club. So every month you can come in and get a new spice that's provided by the Grain Train. And with that, you get... information about recipes and books and about the spice in general. And you can take that home and use it at home. And that's been a huge success. We're looking into the future of writing another grant for a mobile kitchen. So we would add a cooking program along with our spice club. So that look for that maybe next year. So a couple of things coming up. We have summer reading kickoff starts this Friday. We're really excited about this. It's called Mestival and you can come in and we're gonna have a juggler come in and then there's gonna be some activities where you can win the right to throw a pie at our teen librarian. So that's gonna be a lot of fun. And then we also have an ice cream truck coming. So I think it's just gonna be a really fun evening at the library and that's all on the grounds outside. We have upcoming also, we've got the Women in Water Textile Exhibit, and that's gonna be coming the very end of August. This is a textile exhibit of women that have shown strength in preserving water. and water rights and cleanliness of water. And this is a national exhibit. The artist has created 29 different portraits of women. And it kind of tells their story and how the connection between water is so key. That'll be on our second floor. It's coming this fall. And we're doing that in partnership with Water is Life Festival. And I'm really excited with everything that's going to be happening with them. and with the Weavers Guild, they were really important in helping us get the grant funding for that. And they're gonna be doing weaving demos and weaving classes during that time. Currently, we are working on a master plan. I know you've heard me talk a little bit about our bonds are up in 2028, and we're gonna be looking at how do we move forward. And this master plan will help kind of get us ready to make some of those decisions. And then one other, we started a new teen summer intern. I don't know if you saw that. I thought you'd be interested, Tina. This is a cohort, a statewide cohort of teens interested in public libraries. There's, I think, maybe a dozen kids throughout the state that will be working in public libraries, and they get to get together, do some training and planning together two times during the summer, and then the Tina will be with us for about eight weeks throughout the summer working for us and doing all sorts of projects in all the departments and really learning about the library. So those are some of our new services. And just a couple of things I wanted to mention in regards to our usage and how everybody really uses the library. The usage is up. Our door count was up about 4% and our circulation was up actually a percent. We circulated almost 170,000 items. But the trend that we're seeing, and we've seen this for a few years now, and this is kind of a national trend, probably not surprising, digital circulation is way up, in-house circulation is down. So those percentages, but overall we're still up a percent, but our digital circulation has been up close to double digits over last year. And our use of our meeting rooms, I stated, is way up. In the library, we booked almost, we booked 1,129 times, which was up 28%. Again, I think that's probably because of our meeting room booth. And I always like to highlight at the Carnegie, we had 423 bookings last year. These are non-library bookings. We count our programming in another pile that doesn't get counted in that. Those are just the public using those rooms and the... Programming was way up again. I know that you all receive our newsletter. Hopefully you should have just gotten the summer newsletter recently. And it looks to be a really good summer. And you also received from me the annual report. And I see that Sarah was sharing that on Zoom as well. And this just is kind of a snapshot. Of course, it's not everything that we do, but it certainly includes some of the highlights. including our finances and some more interesting statistics. And so with that, I would just open it for questions if anybody has anything.

I'd like to say, you know, I'm sure I'm speaking for city council when I say it's great to have you here. Your ingenuity, you're bringing new programs to the city consistently whenever you come back. We always have new programs that you've developed and are working with. And I just want to say thank you very much from the citizens. i'm sure you get a lot of thank yous and i know people are very happy and proud of our library but from all of the rest of us thank you for what you guys do not just you but your whole staff it's amazing so thank you you're welcome more so ditto to what the mayor just said i have a question like percentage of household usage within the city of petoskey

Do you have a sense of that? I mean, is that kind of the norm, above the norm, or what were the thoughts?

And are you talking about the number from the spreadsheet?

Yeah.

Yeah, so we have about, and that percentage is the overall percentage. So Petoskey represents about 33% of all the households that we have in our five entity area. And yeah, that's probably, I mean, if you look at your population, you're about 30%. So I would assume that you would be about 30% of all the other statistics as well. And so you're up a little bit on households, but you're down a little bit on circulation. Okay, thank you.

Mr. Wilcox. Yeah, following up on that, and by the way, my compliments as well, the library here in Petoskey, unlike other places that I've lived on the East Coast, is a real center for the community. It's a real focal point. It's a It's a place where people meet and greet and all kinds of good things happen. So it's new and wonderful for me. Following up on Tina's comments about the city, do you think overall that the distribution of revenues in consideration of usage as you look across the townships, do you think it's a fair division of revenue considering the people that are served?

That's a really good question. When you look at just our operating revenues, yes, but the townships don't put any money into capital or maintenance. So the additional funds that I get from the city cover the building, cover our bond debt and that kind of thing. So the townships have no kind of stake in the building at all. And so in that regards, it's really not that fair.

So is there any consideration to making recommendations that, modify that?

Not currently, no. We, to be honest, when we, when I first started here 11 and some years, 11 years ago, there had been a lot of work towards getting a district library and getting it throughout all the townships. And there was a lot of aggravation and it just didn't work. This was the resolution to get some funding from the townships. So we collect four tenths of a mil from them. And I think the reasoning was something is better than nothing. And honestly, that additional revenue has helped us improve our, you know, our services overall because we've had additional revenue coming in. But so no, I'm not on that. Yeah.

The second thing is the utilization of the Carnegie building. Do you think it's up to the standard that it should be?

I don't know what should be means. Yeah, I don't, you know, so.

It is less utilized than the main library.

Oh yeah, of course.

Periodic events.

Yes. It serves a purpose, right? There's lack of other meeting room space for people. And so you can see it's used more than once a day. The community uses that, especially if they need something a little bit bigger. you know, our room in the building, the biggest room is our classroom, and that only seats maybe 40 people comfortably. So if you have anything that's bigger or after hours, that Carnegie serves a purpose. So, you know, maybe we could do other things with it. That's part of our master planning process that we'll be looking at that and talking about that. Great.

Yeah. My hat's off to you. Thank you.

Mr. Nobtrell. I echo, too. I think you do a good job. I think the library is very, very cool. I have really three questions. One's related to what Charlie was referring to. Probably this is just an editorial comment. It just seems a little unfair that the city, and we seem to do this in other areas, the city absorbing half of the operating cost and all the capital cost with 30% of the population and we have a lot of other people benefiting from it. It just, that seems a little unfair. And it seemed like we should have a district approach.

Agreed.

And I don't know what.

But how to make that happen.

No one else wants to participate because they're not paying for it now. So it's a, I guess a common problem. I do have on the data is I think I asked this last year and I don't remember the answer. And the more I've been learning, I'm Ward 3, which includes Bay Harbor.

Right.

And Bay Harbor is in resort township. So does Bay Harbor residents pay the 0.4 mil or the 1.2 mil? And is this data include under the city all the Bay Harbor residents and uses cards and things?

Yes, Bay Harbor, as far as I know, is considered city of Petoskey and they're part of the city's taxing process. But then we do a payment back to resort township. I don't remember what that's called.

Are you the library page?

What is, yeah. Well, our millage, they collect some millage and then some goes back to the township. Yeah. Yeah. For the agreement, which I don't, I can't remember.

Your data.

Includes Bay Harbor. Yes.

Yeah. And the last question, thank you. The last question is what approximately is a current balance owed in the debt and the bonds? Well, see that in the report. I'm just kind of curious. What do we owe?

Yeah. It's not that much, to be honest. We've got two more years. I don't know the actual balance right now.

And then it's zero.

Yeah.

And then is there any change in taxes?

Well, that's a discussion we're going to be having here hopefully soon. Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Ms. Walker.

Thank you. Thank you, Val. I really feel like our library is a multi-generational facility. And I know that the four generations in my family have used it with much frequency. And I also wanted to extend congratulations because not only did you receive the Marty Vandekar Inclusivity Award last year, but you were honored by Belong and Immigrant Organization as being a really friendly place for people to come and gather. So thank you so much for all of that.

Oh, you're welcome. My pleasure.

Mr. More, can we get a link or something to these materials so we can share them with constituents? If you already have Sarah, Sarah has that. Great. Yeah.

You're welcome.

Thank you again.

Yep. Thank you. You're welcome.

Next on the agenda is the consent agenda. It's the May 18th, 2026 regular session city council meeting minutes, as well as knowledge of receipt of certain transaction administratively that have occurred since May 18th, 2026. And I asked that to council, do you have any questions or concerns or if there's a motion or both?

Yes. I move for approval and acceptance of the consent agenda.

I'll second the motion, Mayor.

I have a motion from Mr. Wilmot, a second from Ms. Walker. Is there any other comments or questions anybody have? There being none, I go to Ms. Beck for roll.

Wilmot?

Aye.

Walker? Aye. Nachtrop?

Aye.

Demore? Aye. Murphy?

Aye. Motion passes 5-0. This is public comment time. You can address council on any matters really. There is something on the agenda that you can stay for. I prefer you save your comments for that item for when it comes up on the agenda. But otherwise, if there's anybody that has any questions, comments that they'd like to speak to council, now's your chance to come up to the podium. Make sure it's green. Give us your full name. And you'll have five minutes to talk. You'll be talking to the council and not to the audience. Anybody wish to speak to council? Is there anybody online that wishes to speak to us?

No.

Lonely we are. Okay. That being done, I'm going to go to City Mayor Horn for the City Manager's report.

Thank you, Mayor, City Council members, Few things to highlight today as this is our first meeting of the month, the opportunity to celebrate staff work anniversaries and birthdays for the month of June. Max Hungo Public Works celebrates a birthday on June 6th. Council Member Nachtraub celebrates a birthday on June 13th. I'd rather not have these announced. I know. Sorry.

I don't have your date. I don't have the date. I see.

There's no year associated. Megan Goge at the library, June 28th. Charlie celebrates a birthday as well this month on June 28th. And Nick Hunter, Parks and Rec, celebrates a birthday on June 30th. Work anniversary is this month. I get to celebrate my anniversary this month, four years with the city. So thank you for that opportunity. Jonathan Zoroff, water, wastewater, also four years. Mary Beauchamp at the library, nine years. Chad Bradley, water, wastewater, 15 years. Marty Flynn, water, wastewater, 15 years. And Mary Sue at the library, 28 years. Few upcoming meetings as a reminder for folks, Art Commission next Thursday, that's June 11th at 12 o'clock. Also coming up in the next couple of weeks are our award conventions. As a reminder, all awards will meet on Monday, June 15th. And by charter, that meeting is at eight o'clock. Um, ward one will be meeting at city hall council chambers right here. Ward two will be meeting at Ottawa elementary gym cafeteria ward three city hall community room and ward four Sheridan elementary gym and cafeteria. Uh, that's all happening on June 15th. That's followed up by, uh, the city convention on Wednesday, June 17th at eight o'clock here in this room. as well as the planning commission will meet at that evening as well at six o'clock in the community room. A couple other events happening in the next week or two. This Saturday is our annual public safety open house at the station next door. This will be Saturday, June 6th from 11 to two. Chief Carr and his staff will be grilling hot dogs. There'll be a number of first responders that will be exhibiting as well, and a lot of opportunities to interact with first responders, both here in the city and throughout Emmett County. The fourth annual Lynn Doucet Memorial Kids Bike Fest is happening on Saturday, June 13th. That's at the Historical Museum from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. So you can check out our website, you can check out the Historical Museum's website for further information on how to register for that annual event. Also exciting, coming up in the next couple of weeks, this is going to be difficult to read on this, but we have pushed this out on our social media. I know others have done the same. The owner of the dancer building, Abbott McCarty, It will be bringing forward a new piece of artwork to the community. The Passenger Pigeon will have a new home in front of the Dancer Building. Leading up to that, unveiling on June 19th on Friday at 11 a.m. is a number of opportunities for people to get educated on the Passenger Pigeon. It's really starting Monday night on June 15th all the way through Friday. There'll be a number of opportunities for folks to interact with the sculptor of the new piece, as well as some historical presentations by the Historical History Museum, Cricutry Art Center will be hosting events as well. So we encourage people to take a look at the list of activities that will be happening the week of June 15th and certainly interact with this opportunity. We're excited to add a new piece of art in our community that we'll be able to celebrate our history. Another reminder on spring construction projects. We're kind of running to the finish line here very, very quickly taking advantage of some really nice weather the last week. So Howard street East Mitchell to Michigan. You've probably noticed the base course of asphalt is down. Final asphalt paving will be happening later this week. Concrete work will be wrapping up early next week. The decorative brick and the intersection, That work will start this week. Landscaping and restorations have been ongoing, and that is expected to continue over the next couple weeks with an anticipated completion of mid-June. Still on task to get that completed, so we're anxious to kind of wrap that project up. Park garden lot reconstruction is complete. We finished installing lighting and final cleanup today. The sidewalk brick will be completed later this week, but it was open to traffic. I'm looking at Jason to confirm open to traffic today, this afternoon. We're excited to see that project come to completion as well. Well, full speed ahead. It's been a busy construction season. We're anxious to get out of the way so people can enjoy our wonderful downtown again. Not that they can't already, but certainly we're excited to get those projects wrapped up. Any questions for me?

Council, your questions are good with that? Let's move on. Next is the appointment, consideration appointment for the Downtown Management Board. I bring forward to council the name Noah Marshall Rashid. He's been on the DMV in the past. He's lived here in Petoskey 22 years. has a love of Petoskey and a love of the downtown, is a building owner, a business owner of downtown. Council, do you have any questions or do I have a motion?

I'm happy to make a motion. I'm happy to second the motion, Mayor.

I have a motion from Ms. DeMoore and a second from Ms. Walker. You all set? I go to Ms. Beck for roll.

DeMoore. Aye. Walker. Aye. Wilmot.

Aye.

Nachtraub.

Aye.

Murphy.

Uh, Mr. Marshall, I said, would you stand up and bow? Give a bow.

Or you can just do that. Thank you for serving.

I do want to say the council, I need help. There are two openings on the tax increment finance board. I communicate with Kendall today who runs that board. We just had a recent retirement. We now have two spots available. I'm looking for two citizens and residents of Petoskey to serve on the tax increment finance board. It meets twice a year, correct? Spring and fall. How much education is required?

attendance.

Okay, see, so you don't need a degree to do this. So I'm asking anybody in the audience that's willing to serve on a tax increment finance. There's two times a year that you would be involved with this. It's their short meetings. Is that correct?

Right. $2.

an hour. So if you have two hours that you can give to your city, I would really appreciate it. Or if you know of somebody that would serve two hours in a year's time, we would be thrilled. Okay. Putting that out there.

Who would make a good TIFA board member, for example, like a CPA or.

I don't think that's. Ken, I don't think that's really necessary. I think it's more of just a citizen that sees what's going on in Petoskey and is willing to participate in looking at what bills. Kendall, could you give a real brief scenario of what your meeting goes like?

Uh, primarily we focus on the, uh, finance tax tax increment finance, uh, area adjacent to the bear river. So it's Magnus park, um, really up to river bend park. That's, that's our primary focus on, on development for that particular board.

Are they okay bills, uh,

It changes infrastructure, capital, capital outlay projects. Yeah, that all fall within the Tiffin district.

You do not need to go on field trips to see it. And you It's really, you don't even have to know everything there is about that part.

I will be happy to take anyone on any field trip. If they are interested to show them what exactly the area that we focus on. Okay.

So please help us out, Mr. Wilma.

So it's kind of like park and Rex board for the TIFA district.

Correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

The information is given to you. You do not have to go and say, look for research. You will be given a packet of information that will help summarize. It's not a high burden of time or energy. It's not a high, neither one of those, neither a high burden of time nor of energy, I believe, I would say. But again, looking for two warm individuals that are residents of Petoskey.

Mayor, may I ask a question?

Yes, please.

So currently, I wanted to ask about the Greenwood Cemetery Board. Is there any opening or positions there, vacancies?

There are not, no. Okay. Are you interested?

Very.

Okay, let me, in the meantime.

You've answered my question, thank you so much.

I will follow up with that, you know. I usually have the book here, but I don't. Again, I'm open for people serving on boards if they are interested. We did have our city planner at one time was on the library board, is that correct? Yeah, yeah, not the library, the cemetery board. So we have had a staff member actually on that board. And I don't have a problem appointing you guys or anybody else to that board. If you wish to participate and feel that you could bring forward a goodness to the library or to the cemetery, I'm fine with appointing anybody that includes council members or the staff that live in Petoskey. All right. Now we're going to old business. The first reading of proposed ordinance Dave Kuntz, Again it's the first reading, we will not be voting on this just to remind everybody amending Chapter 21 traffic and motor vehicles regulating bicycles. and Dave Kuntz, The manager horn, would you like to Florida talk on this or. Dave Kuntz, been through this already once.

Yeah, at our last meeting, the recommendation was to allow the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Downtown Management Board to review and weigh in on this discussion. So in the memo is there, Recommendations, I would say the Parks and Rec Commission was a unanimous resolution. I did not put that in that memo, but it was a unanimous resolution. EMB was, their recommendation passed on a 5-0-1 vote with Mayor Murphy abstaining because he was obviously gonna take a position at some point on city council. So I won't read what's in the memo. I can if you would like, but it's in front of you.

It does state on the DMV recommendation state that they recommend ordinance prohibiting bikes from central business district sidewalks and Park Avenue. And the other one, Parks and Rec mentioned Pennsylvania Park. So, Council?

Mr. Knob, are you looking for just comments or emotion or what are you? Yeah.

As the mayor mentioned, this is, we reset this just back to a first reading. So we can have more dialogue. We're not taking action. So it's mostly just discussion and Mr. Knob top.

You know, I have to say that I was, you know, I listened to the downtown management board entire section on this. And I have to say, I was incredibly impressed with how they discussed the subject, how they, what I would call a deep dive and is exactly what I was hoping was happened. And they were thoughtful. They were trying to create a good balance between accessibility and public safety. The public, and I think it was, weren't you, Emily? Yeah, Emily, right? You made some fantastic comments and suggestions and I'm, I do not want to have us have anything that is negative on bicycling. However, after listening to their meeting and how they voted and how they came to it, and then also reading Director Carr's commentary, although it seemed like part of his memo was more complaint driven and not as much public safety, but I agree with that. I'm really support this, frankly, strongly. And I would hope that we would also follow the suggestions made to get a good non-motorized policy established to incorporate all the new technology things that are going on with the motors and these little single board roller things. And I think bicyclists are most of the time very, very courteous. I just don't see a real problem, but I also see the issues that the merchants have in their storefronts is a problem. And so I just wanted to say that I'm kind of okay with this. And I was really impressed with the downtown management boards, how they approach the whole subject.

Mr. Moore.

So I just, since we have folks in the audience that had been here through all these discussions, In the interim, we got a memo from Director Carr and from Kendall Klingelsmith, which I don't think probably has been published or anything like that at this point. So I don't know if you want to speak to that.

I'm okay with you reading it if you wish. I don't care. I didn't get the Kendall. I didn't get the Kendall. I just sent that out this afternoon. I'm going to ask that you read both of them for us.

Okay. I'm going to read them. Memo. This is from Director Carr, to whom it may concern. I was asked to provide my opinion surrounding the biking issue in the downtown business district. I did provide my opinion to council a year or so ago, but there have been some new faces that might not have been in place to hear my perspective. So I thought I might weigh in. I have heard and understand the perspective of some wishing to have our downtown more biker friendly, but I feel this should not come before the safety of pedestrians over the years. I have heard numerous complaints from current and former business owners regarding the safety of subjects, leaving storefronts and numerous reports of quote near Mrs. End of quote. Other complaints have been that the sidewalks are too crowded with people walking and and any outside decor seating signs from businesses, et cetera, to allow for safe bike travel. As to allowing bicycles in the Greenway, there are already complaints at council meetings regarding the visibility of bikers and pedestrians in this area. With these complaints already on record, I would believe an incident involving injury would open the city up to liability if we were to allow biking in the Greenway. Lastly, I do not feel it to be a huge ask for bikers to either park their bikes or walk their bikes while in the downtown in the name of safety. If they choose to ride laws, permit them to ride in the roadway. We are only talking about a couple blocks of walking. Many other cities have restrictions regarding riding bikes in their business districts due to the safety of their downtown patrons and for safety slash liability concerns. I would recommend we do the same. Those that argue they would like the ability to ride their bike to work should consider leaving a few minutes earlier to provide time to walk their bikes a couple blocks if they wish to be on the sidewalk. This is just my opinion, which may not be extremely popular with many, but I tend to err on the side of caution in matters of our public safety. Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or clarifications needed, respectfully, Director Carr. Should I continue? This is a memo from Kendall Klingle-Smith, Parks and Recreation Director, subject staff recommendation regarding wheeled non-motorized transportation through Penn Park. As parks and recreation director, I've been asked to provide a position on wheeled non-motorized transportation through downtown. I have safety concerns prohibiting me to support moving forward with recommending wheeled non-motorized transportation through the sidewalk between Bay and Mitchell streets or downtown. While I am all for a walkable and bikeable community, the current pathways are not planned for the shared use. Additionally, I'm not aware of any downtowns who allow wheeled transportation on sidewalks. Between Bay and Lake Street, there are several blind spots which could cause conflict. The sidewalk is only seven feet wide with tall cedars on one side and hostas planted on the other, not leaving room for avoidance. The sidewalk from Lake to Mitchell Street does not have blind spots, but is obstructed by the Blue Star Memorial events and mix of crowds in the park, potentially causing conflict. Additionally, getting to the downtown Greenway corridor south will require riding on the sidewalk to get to the Mitchell slash Howard Street intersection. The introduction and increase in the number of e-bikes the last several years has challenged the traditional vision of biking. There are several different categories of e-bikes, all vary with speed, weight, and size. What used to be a mechanism for individuals with mobility issues are now mainstream. Safety is the main concern for my position. I would support moving forward with a transportation plan that includes consideration for a shared use non-motorized plan through downtown. Also the city and downtown have invested in dedicated bike parking via corrals, hoops, and parking lot areas. So the ability to park a bike and walk downtown is more convenient than before. Again, I'm all for making it work, however, not with the current infrastructure.

Anyone else wish to speak? Go ahead, and I'll go after you.

So I also listened to the Downtown Management Board meeting recording and I had a very different response to that. I felt like there was lots of silence and the way that you ask a question can also determine an answer. As a former community organizer, we say that a lot in organizing communities around issues. And I felt like the question that was on the table was very much geared toward a business owner with safety concerns about the front of their business and access on the sidewalks. Granted, the majority of those business owners are on the Howard and Lake Street businesses. And so I understand that. I also, as a one vehicle home household, between two people, myself and my adult son, I commute on my bicycle every day to work downtown in the county building. And I know very much my route based on construction projects, what time of day I'm going to work, as well as using the rails to trails program that was a public investment over many decades, very intentionally for pedestrians and bicycle riders. So I have very strong opinions about riding my bike to work as a way to get to work every day to make a living. I also want to say, what is the alternative? On Mitchell Street with our slow, traffic slowing green mediums, which I am totally in support of and very advocate and vocal about that when people question why we put in those green mediums on Mitchell Street. Having grown up on the corner of Mitchell and Kalamazoo, I know what velocity people used to travel Mitchell Street coming down from, you know, the hill and the grade all the way down to the bay. So yeah, I am very much concerned about Mitchell Street. So you have green mediums, you have one lane of traffic, you have parked vehicles and you have a sidewalk. So in that stretch of Mitchell Street, which we're not getting a lot of pedestrian traffic in all honesty on Mitchell Street on the upper edge and the 400 block anyway, but that would be one location where what is the alternative? you're gonna either get hit by a car or a door's gonna open and you're gonna have an accident that way. Michigan Street, the entire central business district, there was no... like map in the conversation with the DMV. So maybe those folks realize what the boundaries are, but I'm a visual person. So to like shut down the entire central business district from not allowing bicycles on sidewalks and a designated wheelway or greenway path, If we're really concerned about safety, we would have bollards out on the on Charlevoix Avenue protecting the bicyclists, which is a Friday I was back and forth to Bay Harbor about three or four times, and I did not see any bollards in place. Um, the bike path was created to be a bike path. If I have to get off my bike in Pennsylvania park, I totally get it. It's a very narrow sidewalk that goes as Kendall highlighted. It goes right in front of those monuments. The path is very narrow. I have no problem dismounting in Pennsylvania park, but between Lake street and Bay street, that is a designated bike path. Cut the Cedar hedge. If it's a visual. if it's grown too tall and it needs to be cut. So, and what's the alternative? We don't have bike lanes in our city and several of these communities that are bike friendly and don't allow pedestrian or bicycle traffic on sidewalks. They also have bike lanes. So there's an alternative. And then enforcement is like, who's going to enforce this policy. And so I have, I have many concerns and I, Unfortunately, I couldn't watch a Parks and Recreation meeting because it's not YouTubed. So that's also another issue that maybe we should be exploring and that all of these meetings should be recorded and video accessible. Going back to the DMV meeting, while I appreciate the conversation or the lack, there was moments. minutes of silence during the meeting. And it was kind of like pulling teeth and the and the chairperson did their best to kind of extract the conversation out of the attendees. And while I'm very grateful for people's time and their commitment to these boards, I really feel like we are on the wrong trajectory here. And I am not going to be in support of any legislation or policy that is in favor of restricting bicycle traffic without a comprehensive plan of the alternative and bike lanes and a potential study?

Well, my stand on it is this. I believe we should move forward with not having bicycles on the sidewalks, nor in the two park areas of Pennsylvania Park at this time, but I'm in favor of hiring a consultant, quality consultant that will come in, and I'm sure we can get somebody sooner than later. Is that right, Kendall? Sooner, like this summer. It's in the 27 CIP, so we would have to maneuver. We can maneuver to actually get this. If this is that important, I believe that we should work to financially to get it done now. Council, I don't know if you're supportive of this, but going on, but the deal is, I think we should, we should right now, be concerned about the safety of individuals. I don't want to see the city sued because somebody gets hit by a bike because they say the city was negligent in not having a mobility plan that is old. I think we need to get a plan. I think that should also include, unfortunately, sidewalk crossings by the library, by the Carnegie building, you name it. We have some real concerns about some of the locations. I don't think we have signage enough to make sure that people stop for people crossing streets. I die every time I go down there thinking one of these days somebody's just going to be stepping out there with a kid or themselves and getting run over by cars on our sidewalks. I also think we have a problem with electric bikes, a big problem. I got passed by one that I was going 30 I put it to 30 going from Magnus Park down that half mile stretch and I had a kid on a bicycle. jump off the sidewalk and pass me going. And I was going 30 and he left me in the dust. I think we need to start looking at mobility in general, whether it be sidewalks, crossings, electric bikes. I think we, and the safety of that park area. I agree. We need to figure a way. What is it? Is it possible to come up with a way to make sure that it does? I know people, I know if we say we're going to pave a, a 10-foot swath through Pennsylvania Park and to the other park. I know you'll have just as many more people complaining about that than we would about needing a bike path that direction. We can deal with that in the future, but I think we need to have a consultant firm I know Mr. Wilmot has sent stuff out to us with his concerns. I think we have a good company in Michigan that we can work with to get something going sooner than later and address this and let's get this going ASAP. And I don't think we need to wait till 2026 to take care of, or 2027 to take care of this matter. The cost is not gonna be phenomenal, I don't believe, this consultant on this. I think, and if it is, so what? It's something that we're gonna have to address, and we're gonna have to address, and I think we should do it now. That's my, Mr. Wilmot.

I support moving quickly in terms of a non-motorized mobility transportation plan for the city. It's long overdue, the most recent one is 2015, and so many things have changed. But in the meantime, I'm looking forward to the presentation of this draft ordinance at our next meeting, which I also support.

Thank you.

I was involved with the sidewalk plan, Amy. Ms. Tweeden, at the time was the planner. I remember we spent, a year on the sidewalk plan to make sure we had a plan for it because there was concerns about not having sidewalks around schools. We had a template that we put together that addressed where do we need sidewalks on both sides? Where do we have one side? I think that has not been reviewed now for, was it 2010? 2015 that we did that. Okay. So I think that needs to be reviewed. That's a part of it is our sidewalk plan. Mr. Knobtrop.

You know, I think the plan is probably the most important part because I think we're all trying to strike that proper balance of safety and bicycling. I mean, my gosh, I bike all the time and I love it. I don't come downtown anymore with my grandkids because of that damn curb around Eppler and the Ballard that drives me batty. Lindsey, I think you make really strong points. I mean, I have a different perspective of the meeting. There was silence, but you make really, it seems silly to have a 24-7, 365 rule that no sidewalks, no bicycle on sidewalks when we have such a very limited problem with the congestion. It just makes no sense. And I go back when I raised this the last time, and I think it was you, John, or Carr, said, well, we can regulate this by enforcement. And I said, okay, it makes no sense to have a law that we can don't enforce when it isn't necessary. But I see the problem. And I'm all for doing this on some, I'm going to say temporary basis until we get this full study done. And is there another way to address Lindsay's issues and public's views and let people ride their bikes through town. But we got to have a way to do it safely.

Mr. Moore.

So probably not for the benefit of everybody here because you've been here through this whole process, but I would like to kind of with the city manager do some points of clarification for anybody that might watch this meeting and wonder what we're talking about. So I want to make clear there's been some language around this that we're banning bikes. And I want to make clear on the record that bikes aren't being banned. We're simply saying that you have to walk your bike in whatever area is designated. Is that a correct understanding? Right in the street.

Yeah, that would be you would dismount your bike in the central business district or whatever area that you all designate, which is not inconsistent with many communities. But yeah. Bikes are certainly not banned. We certainly support bikes, but you'd have to dismount them in the central business district.

Or you ride in the street. Which is not a good idea. Well, those are the alternatives.

Excuse me. Let's stay in order here on this. Clarification. This was how... You're right though. Clarifying. Yelling out in the public and the public was speaking more than the boards were speaking. That's one of those meetings you're talking about was ran wild. So.

Sorry, but I'll say walking, walking your bike in designated areas. So sidewalks. Thank you. The other thing, some, some folks have expressed concerns about criminalizing behavior around biking. So to follow up on that, what will the enforcement policy be? I mean, my understanding is it would be more akin to what's happening with code enforcement, where the code enforcement person sees something or something's reported, he goes out, he doesn't give them a ticket, he has a dialogue with them to try to repair the problem. So is that a correct understanding of how this would happen or is that not correct?

Yes, it would be complaint-driven. If we have someone that's continually violating the ordinance, we would get information from somebody that saw something. We would have an officer try to follow through with it. But we're not going to be hiding in the bushes, jumping out at eight-year-olds to write them a citation. That's just not, we don't have time for that. And that's just not the intent of this ordinance.

Next thing, what is the plan for signage? I think this is a concern not only with bikes and walkers, but crosswalks and streets. And some input I've received, I'm by no means an expert, is that sidewalk markings are optimal as opposed to signs on sticks. So what's the plan?

Well, it just depends on how we go forward here. Personally, my view, I'm not a fan of additional signage that is somewhat common sense. We have littered our community with too many signs, in my opinion, which detracts from the views that we all love. And I get frustrated with, again, common sense signage that we have to continually repeat ourselves. So I'd like to do something, whether it's on the sidewalk, I think a lot of communities have done that, stenciling on sidewalks makes sense. I think, like I've said before, we've done such a good job of blending in our signage with our surroundings to our detriment, in my opinion. We need signs. If we're going to put signs up, it needs to get somebody's attention. It shouldn't blend in with the greenery, the trees. If it's a pedestrian crossing, it needs to be the bright color. I know they're ugly looking and it doesn't blend with our color matrix that we have, but If the point is safety, we need to get their attention. We need to get people's attention. And I think we go with this MDOT standard signage that has the reflectability associated with it. Instead of trying to blend in signage within the islands itself, very small signage that's hard to see, we need to get people's attention. And that's what I would recommend from a signage standpoint.

And would we be anticipating this signage, let's assume it's on the pavement, which seems like a good idea to me, because that's where people are looking, would be able to roll out before any kind of policy like this would go into effect? Because this would be new to people and communicating it would be really important for understanding.

That yeah, I would, I would think we want to do some education on what we're up to, instead of just kind of rolling forward with, you know, an ordinance that people aren't familiar with, potentially. So I think doing some some public service announcements and things like that would be important.

Okay. Anybody else with speak? We'll let the public weigh in on this. If you wish to speak, come up, raise your hand so I know.

Please, ma'am. So Kate Marshall, the ever-present. I have some curious hope. I have some curious feelings about some things I heard tonight. Excuse me, Kendall, but I was at the Parks and Rec board meeting. It was a very conciliatory open meeting and the board made a motion to recommend to council to keep the Pennsylvania Park part of the bikeway open all the way through so that people could traverse town or get to work or come into town and get off their bike. It is beyond my understanding why the parks and rec director has now given a counter opinion. And I don't know how that happened, but it seems to me, contrary to the wishes of that board. So I'm confused by that. I was also at the DMV meeting. Everyone there agreed. Yes, people bike. Some people bike to work. Yes, people have fun. They are concerned, and we are business owners, in front of the stores. That was the end of it. They also said, and Mr. Nachtraub knows this because he watched the meeting, and I think Lindsay did too, they don't want, and you did too, they don't want people getting tickets. They don't want to create an unfriendly atmosphere. So as a policy question then, how do you create an ordinance that people hope you will not enforce other than as an education opportunity? It's curious to me. Is it good policy? That's your discussion to have. But I mostly wonder, I mean, if we're now going to take the opinion of staff administrators as opposed to the boards that those people report to, then Mr. Horn has said he doesn't want to ticket kids. And he advised or suggested that maybe the bike path in Pennsylvania Park should be kept open. So if we're going to weigh administrators, There's one for you. That opinion was, and it was presented at the last or the second to last meeting, keeping that open. So that's the end. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to council, please.

Hello, Emily Meyerson. Sorry, I've been here a bunch of times. I too was at both the meetings that Kate just mentioned, and I agree with everything she said. I wanted to add, since you couldn't hear the parks and rec meeting, I think something that was really important that was said is a consultant, a landscape architect who consults for the city for designing bike paths and recreation areas, actually was there as a citizen and said he felt that the system works as it is. Yeah, it's not perfect through Pennsylvania Park, but that little, it narrows up, it slows traffic down. It sort of works as a natural traffic calming method, just like we have the islands in Mitchell Street. We have an island with the Blue Star Memorial, it slows traffic down. And so it really, it works, yeah, as I said before, five percent of the time if that much you got to get off your bike and walk or you have to move around Other thing I think that hasn't been mentioned is you think everyone's just going to get off their bike and walk because it says you can't go through there. But as I keep trying to talk about bike behavior, most bicyclists, someone who's bike touring and are bringing money into downtown, which is why the downtown business owners did not want to make them upset. They want them to come downtown. they're not gonna get off their bike and walk. They are gonna come in from Bayview, I guarantee it. They're gonna turn right on Bay Street and they're gonna go left on Howard in the middle of July with service trucks, delivery trucks, tourists going every way, cars and doors opening. So I believe what is safer, I think it is safer to keep bikes on the Greenway through downtown. If you want to pass this ordinance, go ahead, but take that piece out, put it only in front of businesses. That's what the businesses said. They said, we don't want bikes in front of businesses, but that upper part of the Greenway doesn't go in front of businesses. And so let people go through, you can slow them down. You can do things like that, but let people get through. And that's all I have to say. You've heard everything else from me. Again, I believe a non-motorized plan is essential. I've been saying that since last July. I wish you would have moved forward last July and maybe we wouldn't be here today. So I think that would be great, but why pass a law and then have to change the law? So I really encourage you to not include that piece. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to council? Anybody online that wish to speak to council? No. Please. This is the public's turn to speak, not yours. Please.

Mary Jean Meyerson. I live in Petoskey. And as I totally support what Emily and Kate both said, that I agree. When it's busy downtown, there should be no bikes on the sidewalk. I totally agree with that as somebody who works downtown and bikes all the time, as soon as it's warm enough through, as soon as it's too cold or not safe because of ice. I bike through the city all the time and I am constantly terrified of a car door opening and squishing me between the traffic and because there's no bike lane and the car. So It's a scary thing. So if there's no traffic downtown, and I mean, no people in the sidewalks, as there are not people on sidewalks early in the morning before the stores open, I do ride my bike down the sidewalk so that I'm not in danger on the street, on Howard Street. I ride bike. right down Lake Street or Howard Street. But if there's people on the sidewalk, no, I don't ride my bike on the sidewalk in front of businesses. Absolutely. Or I like get off my bike and maybe I'll have my foot on the pedal. But as soon as I approach somebody, I hop off. I think people are common sense about that kind of thing. The Greenway is a bike path. It's a bike path from over and, you know, it comes right around the bay. and continues on, sadly, not all the way, but that's a whole nother discussion. But I don't think you should have to get off your bike. If there's a lot of people, people will get off their bike. If it's not safe and it's too crowded and there's little kids, people will get off. But if they can bike around the pedestrians, I don't think it's a problem. There are fast, those fast e-bikes that people are riding that don't require any pedaling, those should not be allowed on the bike path. And I thought that they weren't. I thought that was the law, that you couldn't ride those e-bikes that don't require pedal assist. But pedal assist e-bikes and regular bikes, I think, should be allowed on the bike path.

Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to council at this time? Online, anybody?

I would just like to offer a little bit of clarification pertaining to the relationship between my professional position and the parks and recreation commission. There was a directive from city council to get the park and recreation, their commissions recommendation provided to you. It wasn't, it's not my role as staff to try to sway them. to follow the position that maybe I hold. So that meeting was fairly objective. And I felt that the commission had a very intelligent discussion to come up with the recommendation that they provided. They are an advisory board. I don't report to them. When I was asked to provide my opinion, It's just through a different set of eyes. And it's okay that we don't agree. It's not personal. I think that we all in this room would like to see the same thing. I think how we get there, we can do it through the professional services that are available to us. So I just wanted to clarify that I tried to, run that park and recreation commission meeting as objectively as possible to give you an answer, even though it may have been a different opinion than mine. So I just wanted to clarify that.

Appreciate your professionalism on that. You know, anybody else wish to speak to council? Mr. Knob, probably wish to speak.

I just had a clarification question on the proposed recommendation that you, that you gave to us. Are we, I thought we were just prohibiting on the sidewalks and the rest of the park is okay. So it's not, okay then. I was reading it wrong.

Yeah, I am. So we'll be revisiting this in two weeks. Well, we won't, we'll be visiting this in a month, because in two weeks we have the city and ward conventions on Monday night. So this will not be coming up for one month, okay?

In the meantime, if Council concurs, I can start putting together a RFP request for proposals for a consultant, at least get proposals in, and then bring those proposals back, and then you all can make that decision how you want to proceed and the timeline you want to move.

Do I have support for asking him to assume? Yes, I support it, but I'd also suggest in response to Councilperson DeMores, point about signage, you may want to also give some thought, if this ordinance were to pass in its current form, what signage you would propose indicating no bicycles on the sidewalk.

Good with this council. Ms. Walker.

I have a question, Mayor. Thank you. So the proposal, the amendments as stated in our packet here. So there's section one, section two, section three, and section four updates. And I don't think there's any question about section two, three, or four. because those deal with like the bicycle license requirement and then the skateboarding penalties from municipal to civil infraction. And then the restricted area language for roller skates, rollerblades, coasters, scooters, or similar devices. Like, I don't think those are in question. It's just the section one amendment that is being debated, I guess. So how would that work in terms of a first reading and a second reading? So there's no proposed language changes. So this just stays at a, this just automatically goes to a second reading, even though there is debate about the amendment section one.

I guess it's, does council wish to move forward on this the way it is? the way it is.

I support moving forward. I support moving forward with it the way it is presented to us in this packet. Okay. Mr. Knobtrop.

Again, now I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't fully read this right. I support creating an ordinance that follows the downtown board recommendation closer. No, I don't agree with that.

Okay, you don't agree. Ms. Walker, you don't agree. Ms. Damore, do you agree in moving it forward?

This is difficult. I wrote something, so I'll read it now. Regulation to me creates notice and a framework for expected conduct. Walkers, cars, bikes, and beyond all face regulation in daily life. A walker is required to cross at a crosswalk, not jaywalk or cross in front of oncoming cars who have a green light. A car similarly is required to stop at crosswalks among many other regulations. In shared spaces, such as streets, sidewalks, and the greenway, It's common sense to me that each of us must regulate practices that pose potential safety risks to others. Almost exclusively, I try to make decisions based on data. In this case, I don't want to have someone hurt to generate data to establish the need for safety measures. I've received anecdotal input regarding near misses downtown between wheeled transport and walkers, and have personally experienced and observed that as a walker on the Greenway. In that sense, it's important to be proactive. As such, I would propose a trial of the proposed ordinance with a review to follow regarding its efficacy. An in-depth revisit of the 2015 non-motorized transportation plan to include input from all interested parties stakeholders including consideration of the use impact and potential regulation of various forms of electric bikes. An immediate look at signage is suggested to the city manager to better designate city crosswalks and bikeways and walkways to enhance awareness for drivers, cars, and safety for walkers and bikers. Along with fiscal scholarship, public safety is our primary responsibility as elected officials. Therefore, in this matter, I prioritize the recommendation of Chief Carr, given his experience and area of expertise, along with the recommendation of Director Klingle-Smith to move this proposed ordinance forward. Thank you.

Mr. Naptrop. Okay, and I respect all of this. The last council meeting, we asked to seek the input from two groups of volunteers. They came back pretty clearly. And we're basically saying, well, we don't care about that anymore. Well, because now we're gonna lean on two other opinions from staff that we've already known that. Before I didn't know about Kendall personal opinion but director cars he expressed that before and and I kind of defer to him as well. And I can't to me it's it's not not right to get feedback from these these other two groups that we all that's what we're supposed to be doing. and not have a compromise, not have something other than let's just create a new law to prohibit at all and then do a deep study later. And I just disagree with that. So I don't think I can vote for it in the way it's presented because of that.

Mr. Moore.

Well, a couple of things. One, I watched the DMV meeting as well. And I did, these are only clips from what was said, but I think they're consistent with what we're trying to do. And so some of the folks said, you know, we need to have rules. They said, it depends on how it's enforced. And there was all agreeing on safety and accessibility. And even, I'm sorry to say, I don't know who said what, cause I couldn't see him on the screen. But there was also one member who said that he had actually seen someone clipped by a skateboard, not a Petoskey where people were hurt. And so I think that informed the discussion as well. So what I would say to my colleague respectfully is what compromise would you propose?

It was the, again, you know, as a bicyclist, I'm kind of objective about this, but it was, the concern was the storefronts. It was very clearly the storefronts and it should be the sidewalks and Park Avenue, the rest of it be OK. But to me, that's the compromise. And then let's do the study. Let's see how it works out. Let's have this analysis done. Let's get the consultants. Personally, it seemed like we ought to get other people involved that would like to volunteer to be part of that study. And that's what my compromise would be, and not just say, ban it.

But that's me. I support the consultant. I support moving forward with this and I support the consultant being involved immediately, which is what will happen with our directive to city manager, get this going as soon as possible, take a look at it. I guess I look at public safety of, are we, it sounds we could be liable for not protecting citizens on sidewalks that are owned by the city as well. I'm just, it's three votes. Three people have not voted, have made comment to move it forward. And we can have more debate on this in four weeks. So that's where it's at. Moving forward, we'll all be here in two, four weeks. Audience, I'm sure, and everybody else, it'll probably be more. First reading of the proposed ordinance amending chapter 21 to authorize the immobilization and towing of vehicles for public safety and unpaid parking violations. And I'll turn that over to Downtown Management Director Amy Sweden.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council. This ordinance is based on direction provided by Council at the March 16th meeting. We are based on discussion and recommendation to move forward with additional legal action for payment plans that have judgments. The attorney is going to be taking next legal steps on those. And then discussions with tow companies, council members, the city attorney, adding to the ordinance that was originally brought forward discussing towing, the immobilization is what we call it. We don't say booting. just to give it a broader term because technology could change, could be booting, it could be barnacle, it could be something in the future so you don't have to come back and change it. So that is the ordinance that has been drafted. Again, it was discussed by staff. It was discussed at the Parking Mobility and Accessibility Committee and then went to the Downtown Management Board. I do understand there was not a lot of discussion at the Management Board on this. That is likely because four of the members that were there are also on the parking committee and had discussed it prior. So that is, again, the intent of this ordinance is to not have us where we are moving forward and to create physical deterrence for people not abiding by the parking management system. So that is the gist of the ordinance. And then we've also provided what the process would be on issuing tickets, how many tickets before someone could be immobilized or towed and what that process would be. Again, the mobilization and towing we believe will be more effective then continuing to write tickets and send late letters. That is what historically has occurred. So that's trying to move us forward. And then also there was a discussion, what are we doing with the existing backlog and So that we have the process in place, but do we also offer a period where, well, we've come up with the title is a late fee payment reprieve period. What we came up with was a month, but again, this is the direction of council, a month where we, alert the public that you have a month. And during that month, you pay your parking ticket amounts only not the late fees, because a lot of the late fees that have accumulated were when a $10 ticket went up to a hundred dollars. So some people call this an amnesty program. We're not calling it an amnesty program, but a way to try and get people to at a minimum pay the parking tickets It could be a month, it could be two months, it's whatever the direction of council would be. And if that is something, so if the people do not come forward and take advantage of the payment or the amnesty period, they would start the enforcement period in step three that's laid out. So if that is something that, City Council is interested in for your second reading, I could come forward in addition with a resolution to that effect or whatever direction you think would be beneficial for a payment reprieve period.

Council.

Please wait, Mr. Wilmot. Yeah, thank you. First of all, there's three subjects I think that we're talking about. Number one is the ordinances written. Number two is in your memorandum. I have some questions I want to get back to about the steps, the nine steps that you have written here in terms of your... procedures and then the third question the open question is the question of a possible amnesty uh period at some point in time right so let me make it clear i support the ordinance as currently written or moving forward to a second reading with regard to your nine points you really only begin this discussion with the fifth violation. What happens to the first four? They just, I can get four tickets and nobody will care.

Yeah. We notify them that they are in violation.

So you do send, I didn't think you sent a letter until violation five.

Right. Right. They can get up to four tickets and then we follow up with a letter.

Okay. Thank you. And then after nine, nine is if payment is missed two consecutive months, vehicle will be mobilized and towed again. Then what?

Then they have to get, if they would go through the whole process again. Well, so, so one would hope that they would learn that either they pay for parking or they park where parking is free, or they will go through this process another time.

Well, the ordinance as written says that the vehicle will be impounded until it's paid. Right. So there is no then what. In other words, that's the end of the line, number nine. There's no second chance, according to the way the ordinance says.

If they don't pay, that's correct.

Yeah. and they'll enter into a payment plan and they don't pay, then their vehicle gets impounded again and it should stay there until they pay. There shouldn't be a second opportunity to give them a payment plan.

Okay, so payment plan after one impounding.

That's my opinion. I mean, a scoff law is a scoff law. If they're going to go that far with this, they can't have the car. But it's not, you don't detail that in your steps. So I'm just bringing it to the attention of council for their opinions as to the first four tickets are freebies. Well, nobody's chasing you. You pay for them on the honor system. There's no enforcement of that.

Amy, do you have a comment to that?

Well, we write a ticket and they don't pay it. And then they get another ticket two days later. They don't pay it.

That's what I'm saying.

Right.

So the first- I mean, at that point- I'm not suggesting that they should send a letter after ticket number one. I'm just saying that the line in the sand is ticket number five.

I mean, it's the question, should it be sooner than ticket number five?

I'm just pointing out to council that this process begins with ticket number five. I'm just pointing it out. Right. And I'm pointing out also that you're giving them a second chance, but it looks like the way that you're going to enforce it is you're giving a second, third, fourth chance. If they don't pay the payment plan well, we'll try again. I don't think that that's appropriate.

It's gonna cost them every time they get their departure. I don't know what the cost is, but it's expensive. And the daily storage at those places charge I know is.

But that's what I'm saying is you're giving them a payment plan, which is a courtesy. If they don't abide by the payment plan, are you gonna extend them that same courtesy effect second and third time? Anyway, just thoughts.

Mr. Moore.

So first, whoops, excuse me. So first I want to call everybody's attention to the amended version of this resolution sitting in front of you. Um, prior to the initial discussion of this on March, which was intended for March 26, but then there was a snowstorm. Um, I expressed concern about, uh, conflict in language between section 21, three a and 21 40. And, um, I sent that to the city manager and they problem solved some language with the attorney to clarify and make sure there was not that conflict. So that's what you see in red there. Second of all, I missed the next meeting because that meeting was canceled and then it was out of town. So I've not been engaged in this discussion before. Other than to say this at the outset, as I've previously said, relative to the barnacle, which I voted no on because of the visibility factor in a town that has a lot of tourists, I do not support immobilization. I don't think it's needed. I think towing is a much better approach. So just as you will know, cause I've let you know that, but I also wanna go here through some things on page 35 that have me a bit confused as well. So in these ordinance itself in section 2140, the standard is set that if a vehicle has five or more unpaid violations, totally more than $100. So I'm curious why in the little memo here, we're actually more talking about the $250 standard when the ordinance itself establishes $100 as the standard. And if it's gonna be 250, should the ordinance be switched to that? So it's really just a point of clarification.

Um, yeah, it should be consistent at a hundred dollars.

So, so then would it be that the letter is going to be sent at a hundred dollars as well?

Sorry.

So then relative to consistency, are you saying that like point two on the agenda memo, because that's the a hundred dollars plus, and that's what's in the ordinance. that would be the point at which a letter would be sent then instead of 250 plus. And I'm not putting you in the spot. I'm just trying to process all this.

And then just to clarify, the 250 in number six is referring to these people will likely owe us more than 250. So that's the minimum amount that they will be paying towards their payment plan.

I'm still on number three. Okay. Still on number three. And the other thing I want to say about number three, with due respect to the post office, the likelihood of a letter notifying the driver and then requiring contact within 24 hours, I think that doesn't really work these days. I don't know. Does it take a week or 10 days maybe to get a letter? So I think from a practical perspective that you might want to take another look at that. And then relative to number five, if an immobilization tool is utilized, which again, I do not agree with, my question is, it says payment must be made within 72 hours from the time it's applied or the vehicle will be towed. Does that mean if a vehicle is immobilized in a parking spot in downtown Petoskey, it would be left in place for 72 hours from the time it was applied?

Yes.

That does not seem to be logical to me given the challenges of parking in downtown Petoskey. And once again, why we might wanna look at towing, which again, to the public, cars get towed for a lot of reasons, you know?

I won't be towing those during the day because there's, unless you can pick the car up and pull it out of the position. But if it's got a car in the front and the back, the gentleman is not going to try and tow that car.

I don't, it's not relevant to me when it's towed. If there's a barnacle in place that, or excuse me, an immobilization tool in place, That's what our visitors get to see. But in any event, I don't think you want to leave a vehicle in a finite parking spot for 72 hours. Number six, it says the towing company will collect $250 cash on behalf of parking services. So what is that for? For the fees that are owed to the city? Correct. So what if the fees are more than $250?

then they, for the remainder, they are put on a payment plan.

When? When?

I'm sorry, go ahead. No, and then let's see if I have anything else. I think that's it, and all intended is constructive comment for you. Thank you.

Mr. Knaprop, you had a question?

Sure. I was echoing what some of my other guys have said. It seems to me that if we use an immobilization tool and they're caught on, I'm assuming the tool could be put on their driveway. If the public safety finds their vehicle on the driveway, on their own personal driveway, we would put it in immobilization. I mean, where do we find these vehicles that we're gonna put an immobilization tool on.

Probably right downtown and parking right there.

That's when they're parking, right? Is that right?

Right, in public right of way. It will not be on private property.

So I agree with Tina. It seems to me that if it's in a parking spot in the central business district, that we oughta just, if we put an immobilization tool on it, that we oughta tow it. much sooner than three days, like after 5 or something that evening, when the end of the day. That's just my own. Because I don't think we should be tying it up and seeing that for three days. The other thing I wanted to say was, if an immobilization or tow company does happen, why wouldn't they just collect all of it and not 250? And if you're saying we want to say, OK, just give me your towing fee plus 250, it seems to me then we ought to already have an agreement that parking companies has them sign other than, okay, pay the 250 and when you have time, come and see us about a payment plan. There's a little disconnect there, it seems to me.

I question the individual that is doing this. They're going to get stuck with a towing bill. What was it estimated? Did you get an estimate?

Towing is about another $250.

$250? You want to collect $250 for you guys, $250 for the towing. How much is it for daily storage? Because that's like $50, $80, $100 a day, isn't it? I don't know because car sitting there, their bill, the 250 towing bill 500 for that car sitting there for three days. You know, somebody is going to have to come up with $1,000 to get their car out of out of hot. I'm not taking a stand on this. But the minute you tow it is the minute you are you are putting a big burden on the individual, which if that's your choice, if you guys want to do this, but I'm saying that you think that it's costly to pay the fines, the towing piece of it is going to cost somebody 500 to a thousand dollars to get their car out of that storage. Mr. Wilma.

So if we walk through this from the beginning, uh, When you give a ticket, the ambassador gives, writes a ticket and places it on the car and the envelope has certain instructions on it.

Yes.

I would hope that if this were to pass, those instructions would include the fact that if you collect five tickets, you may suffer it. For an example, an immobilization device in other jurisdictions that use an immobilization device, that device is basically put on when the ambassador, when the parking ambassador is writing a ticket and is alerted by his, his or her device that says this is the fifth ticket and an immobilization device is recommended or appropriate. At which point I would assume that parking services calls the towing company and they dispatch someone to put the mobilization device on that car as soon as possible in that location, which is a public parking spot. It would be good, in my opinion, to give the owner of the car an opportunity to find the immobilization device and correct their fines by paying them at the parking office or city hall or whatever the case might be. But if a certain amount of time passes, whether it's 24, 36, 48, or 72 hours, the car needs to be removed and taken to an impound lot. That, to me, seems to be the logical flow that one takes to enforce the parking law. Thank you.

Mr. Moore.

What's the cost of immobilization? I'm sorry, did you say $70?

Yeah, $70 to apply the move and then $50 to remove it. Thank you. I did want to add to Amy that I do support this payment plan program to try to collect by

getting rid of the fees for that period of time. I think that's a really good idea. Thank you.

Anything else you wish? This is first reading. So this is first reading. Where is it? It is. Miss Walker.

Thank you, mayor. Um, I am definitely in favor of, um, that staff working with the city attorney to follow up on the court judgments for the payment plans. I think that that's something that we really want to figure out the best legal strategy for that because if we don't have any teeth in the courtroom and that like the ordinances that are being created here are not honored in a courtroom situation, then I think that that's pretty unjust. So I would hope that maybe our city attorney will provide a lot of clarity in figuring out a better legal strategy as another way to support you in addition to some of the enforcement issues that you're dealing with and proposing here. So I feel like we're getting closer to that. And I just wanna say that I completely support the downtown, parking district in their efforts to create a healthy parking system and really deal with a lot of these really chronic abusers. It's really to the point where when you presented the spreadsheet on like the most chronic violator and like having over 250 tickets and $35,000 worth of, or 24,000 worth of tickets, it's like, Okay, let's create an ordinance that's kind of mitigating this obviously belligerent and blatant abuse of the policy. So I feel like we're getting closer, Amy, and I appreciate both you and April's time.

Anything else, Council? See you in a month.

Can I just ask for a point of clarification? Yes. Is Council in general... in favor of doing a fine forgiveness program? Is that something you want brought back?

Yeah, I favor it. Okay. Yeah, four of us. Okay, thank you. Thank you. April has it. Does anybody wish to make comments at this point? I would. You would? Who are you?

Hi, I'm April Sanders. I'm the parking director. I haven't met you guys, but hi. A couple things. So to Mr. Moore's point, the letter is written, is sent out from the office after five violations that are unpaid. So they owe $100 or more. When it gets to the $250 that they own, it's actually a letter is left on the vehicle because a lot of times, whatever the car has been registered to, that's where the letters are mailed. So if it's out of state or downstate, they're up here working for the summer, that's where they're going to get it. Not their parents are going to get it at home, but once they get the $250, it'll be on their vehicles. To clarify, one other point. So it was two years ago we were here and we talked about the towing and got the temporary thing. It was determined that no matter how much they owed, we were going to cap it at $250 at the time if it was towed to pay back. And that provided a little bit more of a sense of, yep, you got to get on the right page, but $250 to a lot of folks was a lot of money. Okay, there's some people that owe 10,000, 20,000, $40,000. We can't, well, you could leave their car there until it's paid in full, but that's not going to be realistic for a lot of folks, as well as the car's not going to be worth $40,000. So those are a couple of things.

Mr. Wilma. Thank you. When the letter is put on the car, which I think is an excellent idea, will it or does it stipulate what the future potential steps might be? In other words, if we were to enact this ordinance as it's currently written, would it say, for instance, failure to pay your fine will result in immobilization of your vehicle or something to that effect. Or if you need help with a payment plan, please contact the parking office.

Yes, sir. And that's what the letters at the beginning when we implemented the towing, it said failure to pay or contact the office within 48 hours could result in your car being immobilized or towed. And it gives our information. At this point now, when we leave a letter on the car, it's got a detailed list of all the unpaid citations, the total balance due, and then our contact information that if they can't pay it, then we have payment plans available.

So it's not just a form letter, it's a personalized letter for that vehicle.

Absolutely.

Wow. I think that that's plenty of warning, sufficient warning given to the owner of the vehicle. Thank you.

Mr. Moore. So all I'll say is an incredibly innovative, great idea, but I work with bad actors in the job that I have. And it sets you up for people to say, I didn't get any letter on my windshield. That's what I see as the problem. So for your consideration.

We also take, so what we did before was we take a picture of the letter that's left and it's in a bright yellow envelope.

Mr. Moore, did you have a suggestion? Good idea.

Yeah.

Well, the only suggestion is something like registered mail where you have a, you know, documentation, but the picture is a good idea. Have you used that in court yet?

No.

Okay. That would be an interesting question if that would be successful or not. I don't know the answer.

Thank you. That, that is one of the good points that, um, when upon recommendation, we've tried mediation. with folks. We've also tried small claims. Even though we won the judgments, if people don't pay, they just don't pay. So no matter how many times we go to court, we can pay the lawyers or our time, but it doesn't necessarily mean that tickets are being paid off. Whereas if we are implementing towing, then they at least are paying 250 that continues to whittle down their payments, the funds.

Mr. Moore. So the essential problem, I think we discussed this before, has not been getting judgments. It's been enforcing the judgments, right?

Correct.

And I'm sure with council you've looked at garnishing, but I think there were some issues around that post-COVID.

Correct. It used to be before 2019 that if you could not renew your driver's license or vehicle registration, if you had outstanding civil infractions, that ended in 2019. That's why there is an increase in violence due.

Anyone else? Thank you, Amy. Thank you. April.

It's both A. I know.

Thank you, April. Public wish to weigh in on this. Please come forward. Full name. Speak to council, not to the audience.

Kate Marshall still. I just had a question. You all probably, did I step up to something? You may have the information, but I don't. So in my business life downtown, I know that there are business owners who received many, many tickets and could well afford to pay them. And they did. And I know that there were some political people who got a lot of tickets and were forgiven at one point. But I also know that there are members of what I call lower income or working poor people who have accumulated many, many tickets. And despite the programs being taken to court where they made an arrangement, one particular person who said, when I'm 93 years old, this will be paid off. And of course, I won't be here when I'm 93. So there would be no resolution to her problem. In addition, if you start towing or barnacling and you add these costs, that income bracket person is not going to be able to get the car back or pay the ticket. So I just hope when you work this out, that you consider where are they then, other than riding a bike downtown, which would be cheaper. But it is problematic for people who don't have a lot of income, who are in trouble in other areas of their lives to pay this huge amount of money. And I don't know what the answer is, but food for thought. Thanks.

Anyone else wish to speak to council at this time? Nobody had one. We'll be visiting this in one month from today. Going to the next item. Adopted a proposed resolution authorizing a motor pool purchase for a barrier system and I turn it over to city manager horn or Jason can speak on it. A public works director Jason fate.

So yeah, last year at our CIP joint meeting, we discussed the barrier system, vehicle barrier system for safety for events that we held in the downtown particularly, and could be used in construction closures. We originally proposed to have that in our 2027 purchase. We decided to move that up based on comments. So this is what you see in front of you today. Director Carr had seen this particular system at a conference. And so between him and myself, we had done a lot of research, had meetings with this particular vendor, and then looked at others to see if there was other options that were similar to this. Key features in this particular system are the ability to mobilize this, deploy this quickly, mainly because we want it to be used. So if it's difficult to use, our staff won't use it. lightweight storage. So this particular system comes with the trailer. So it's ready to go. Once we deploy it, it comes out of the locker system on the trailer, gets deployed, picked back up, put back away. So the ability for the parts to walk away is less than if we were to just throw it in the back of a truck. Um, so like I said, our intent is to use it particularly for like the farmer's market would be a good use parades, um, construction events where we have, uh, you know, long-term closures. Um, welcome any questions.

Mr. Wilmar. Yeah. Does this pricing include the trailer?

It does.

And the trailer is capable of carrying 60 of these devices.

Correct.

Is it in, does it, can it carry any more than 60 of these devices?

No, it is 60. So if we wanted to expand this in the future, we would get another trailer. Thank you. Yep.

Mr. Moore.

So just two questions, lightweight, but we'll get the job done. Question mark.

Correct.

Okay. And then because we're phasing this in, in other words, this is not going to be the first or last purchase of, well, it's the first, but not the last purchase. have you assured that there'll be continued availability of this system for expansion going forward?

The company and the sales say yes, but I mean, we know that things get, you know, businesses go out of business, things get discontinued. So yeah, the intent is that, yeah, it's there. That's what they tell us.

I think that's important because the dialogues we've had in the past is that this is kind of the beginning of something and we're making an initial investment with an intention to make further investments at point of time going forward.

Yeah, I think the goal would be to continue this going forward, not wait another three to five years and then make another purchase. But let's go on and next year and keep going until we have enough to meet our needs. That way we don't have that situation pop up.

Yeah. And the guarantee, you can't guarantee somebody's going to stay in business either. Ms. Walker, you had a question.

Sure. Yes. So I understand. And I'm totally in support of this because we've discussed it numerous times and in our capital improvement plan to meet. and moved it forward to 2026. So I understand that the $175,000 has been allotted within the motor pool fund, but the total for this one is just shy of like 180,000. So do you know where the other 5,000 will come from out of the like general fund budget or will it all come out of the motor pool fund?

motor pool. So our, our back truck that we purchased, um, I think we had a hundred or 630 budgeted. The truck itself came in at like five 98. We still have to spend some money on outfitting, but there was, there's a balance there.

And then I'd be happy to make a motion mayor. Please. I'd be happy to make a motion to authorize the enclosed resolution, which will authorize city staff to purchase a 60-unit MVB3X modular vehicle barrier system from Advanced Security Technologies Cluster, New Jersey, in the amount of $179,960. Do I have a second? I second.

I have a motion from Ms. Walker, second from Mr. Wilmot. Any other discussion, counsel? I have another question. Mr. Wilmot.

Um, Jason, this, this company in, uh, New Jersey, presumably they're selling a system to, to try and address, uh, council person Demore's concern. They're selling the system to other municipalities, I would assume. And do we have any understanding of how big a following they have that it's such a, a good product or their product array is so good that it's, it's a good company to work with.

Yeah, they have sold product throughout the United States. The closest that I'm aware of in Michigan is Muskegon. The city of Muskegon had purchased a large number of them, and they're extremely happy with them.

Thank you. Any discussion? Does the public wish to weigh in on this? There being none, I'll go to Ms. Becker. Clerk for roll.

Walker? Aye. Wilmot?

Aye.

Lamore? Aye. Nachtraub?

Aye.

Murphy?

Aye. Motion passes 5-0. Three things left on the agenda. versus next is the discussion of the 2026 Winter Sports Park projects. I know council was supportive of looking at moving things forward on some of this for basically what our needs are at the Winter Sports Park prior to possibly a millage or anything. What are the needs? Kendall, do you wanna step up and? Do you have a brief summation of it?

So at the April 6th meeting, the direction was given to the city manager to work with staff to come up with some relatively low hanging fruit for even this year to make some improvements at the Winter Sports Park. So I did put together a few ideas that I had that I felt were, were realistic yet to get done. Um, this year, there isn't, there is no money budgeted, um, for, um, you know, for winter sports park projects this year. So responding to the request of, of council with those bullet points, removing the existing tow mechanical buildings, removing, relocating the transformer at the base of the rope tow to closer to the winter sports park lodge, entering into an agreement with SE group, who is a, they specialize in unique properties for outdoor recreation planning. They were referred to me by Nobs Nob, who uses this consulting group to help us with identify a grade. that would fit some recreational opportunities for the large hill, and then to weatherproof the cedar siding and fix some of the boards that are in need of repair at the Winter Sports Park.

So I wasn't here at the original discussion. I'll lay that foundation. For me, one, two, and three are all part of an overall plan yet to be determined. Are we skiing? Are we tubing? Are we sledding? They are all parts of what I would say are a Jenga puzzle that I hope to have come together with the plan that gets underway in the fall. So for my part, I would not support moving forward with those also relative to number three, we've already spent five figures on planning for the winter sports park. I'm not saying these folks aren't great or that we might ultimately engage them. Uh, but for my part right now, I would not support those three. Having said that number four sounds like basic maintenance and upkeep that makes common sense to me. And I would support moving forward with number four. Thank you.

Mr. Wilma. Well, I would personally support all four of these moving forward in the 2026. I do have a question for city manager Shane, and that is when, if, if we were to move forward with any of these expenses, well, when do you anticipate you need to modify the budget?

It depends how much we're talking. If we're doing all four, we could do an amendment right then. We don't really know. When we get the budget adopted, CIP adopted, we typically don't spend all of the money in one calendar year for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they come in cheaper. Sometimes we just can't get contractors engaged. So I don't have that in front of me what our number all the projects in 2026, but it's likely that we will not spend all that was authorized by city council for again, variety of reasons. So if it worked out that we could still keep the budget intact and still add these items, we wouldn't need to amend the budget. from that standpoint.

But correct me if I'm wrong, you had indicated that if there were going to be amendments, you'd like to do that.

I would recommend this one, but all at once. Yeah, I would recommend doing them at that time. That way it's clear that this has been added to the CIP. So it's not an end of the year kind of afterthought, if you will.

Okay. Well, with all due respect to the Jenga puzzle comment, the numbers one and two, seem to me to have always been the intent of the current plan is to do some rescaping of the, to remove the existing towing apparatus and move the transformer. These things have to be done if we're going to reinstate a new rope tow at some point in time, so why not now? And with regard to hiring the consultant, you know, I know we have spent a lot of money on consultants so far, but this is a special consultant just with regard to the slope, uh, that is appropriate for the intended recreation going forward, because it's been brought to our attention through the plan that the current slope for what we intend, particularly if we put in a rope tow is potentially unsafe in some regards. Is that correct?

We have considered, um, there has been talk about regrading that slope for years, just because right now it pushes everybody into the woods. So if we really want to utilize that hill, we will need to come up with a regrading plan. And to your earlier point, the rope tow in its current condition cannot be rehabbed. It needs to be just torn out. It's been there for, I think, 70 years, maybe more. The building, the mechanical building has settled. We tried to start it for an hour and a half last year, wouldn't start. So, you know, regardless, whatever the next steps we take, Those are hazards in my mind. I mean, I think those are just buildings that will attract people that shouldn't be there. So regardless of what improvements we make, at some point, we're going to need to take down, take all that apparatus. And if we do move the if we do move the transformer, it really won't play into effect of what we, what we can add on to it. I mean, we can always, we can, there will be enough power with the transformer that, that would be relocated. If we ever wanted to put up a tow rope or whatever, there would still be adequate power to, to operate.

Your purpose for moving it then is.

To get it out of the way. Oh, I'm well of the, of, of the slope. Again, I think we clean up that whole, we, we clean that whole area up and we, we relocate that transformer closer to the lodge in an area that we wouldn't, you know, expand or develop the deck or anything like that.

Okay. Mr. Knapshot. To me, this is kind of with all the stuff we've had discussion about the winter parks and all the gobbledygook conflicts and everything. I think these are a pretty good list of things to do that is reasonable, not a waste of money, not in conflict with the plan. And I really fully support this. I think you did a good job with coming to us with this.

Ms. Walker. Thank you.

Thanks, Kendall. I too am in support at tune of $62,200 for all four of these steps. I feel like getting rid of the tow rope and the tow house is of really, it's a safety issue. And I think it just needs to go. And that maybe opens up the possibility. I also am in favor of contracting with the group that Nubsnob uses, the SE group, in terms of the regrading. And obviously the transformer, moving the transformer all is conducive to the removing of the tow line. And I also wanted to ask if we've ever considered anything besides cedar, because I know that it is expensive in terms of maintenance every five years. So you have to repaint, re-sand and repaint every five years. Have you considered like any kind of composite or something that looks, has the look of cedar shake shingles, but might be a composite or plastic?

Yeah. And thanks for bringing that up. Last year I did get, I did get alternate quotes. That would be more of a temporary fix, but it was upwards to a hundred thousand dollars.

Okay.

Because it can't be just a regular, it has to be a pretty durable siding with all the activity there, you know, more solid than just your commercial grade siding. So it was, it was, a little bit more expensive. There's a lot of, uh, a lot of standing and weather sealing we can do, um, you know, with the, every five years and, and still not come close to the siding component.

Thank you. Shane, would you, should we entertain a motion or this or this, uh, this was just a discussion.

So based on feedback, we can come back at the next meeting with a resolution and, we can have further discussion and that point. Mr. Moore.

Up till now, as of April 20th, 2026, we've spent $47,942.43 on winter sports park planning. To me, it only makes sense with a plan in place in the fall to determine what we're actually going to do not to put forth more funds with items that aren't in a plan yet and even to pay more money for planning just doesn't make common sense to me this is not disrespectful to you in any way and i don't understand why we wouldn't wait until fall planning to move forward so thank you

Council, are you in favor of moving this forward to the next meeting as is? Mr. Knapthorpe, I take it you said yes.

Yeah, in all due respect, you know, I mean, I understand what you're saying. I don't see this as a conflict and a waste of money because we're probably going to, probably, we will be doing this anyway. And... I'm in support of it.

To me, nibbling at this, maintenance is to me the most important piece. You start talking about things. We've got that rope tow building. If you've been up there, it's junk. It's in the way. It's an invitation to some nuisance of individuals. So I put it that way.

And animals.

And animals. And it's also, you know, I think... The transformer is going to need to be moved no matter what. It's in the middle of the way. I see it almost as a possible danger thing with sledding. It's just, this is a maintenance piece of it. I look at it. This is not a development of a home master plan. This is some maintenance that I think needs to happen. I agree with number four for sure, but I think one, two, and three also. So I'm for moving it forward. Snaptra, you said yes. Mr. Wilmot. Yes. Ms. Walker. Okay. Then we will move forward on it. And Tina, you will have another option in two or four weeks to bring forward opposition to what looks like a tidal wave of support. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Oh, haven't we all been there? Uh, next is adoption of proposed resolution, grading DTE, a permanent and temporary utility easement on city property on cross road.

I turned over city manager horn. Thank you, mayor. So we were approached by DTE, um, month or so ago, they have a fairly significant infrastructure improvement project that'll kind of transect, uh, Emmett County, um, mainly, Bear Creek Township, Resort Township, and Springvale Township. Obviously, it's in front of us because we do own a small amount of property in Bear Creek Township on Crouse Road where this would transect. So this is an easement. We're not selling property in this area. project so that the idea, and I provided a copy of the presentation that will be presented formally to Emmett County Commission next week. But the pipeline itself is a secondary feed to the Petoskey pipeline from Great Lakes Energy Pipeline. Provides improved reliability and delivery of natural gas to our area. This would provide a secondary feed, again, creating that redundancy in the natural gas supply for approximately 19,000 customers, which redundancy hopefully would minimize service disruptions and outages. and lead to a more efficient and consistent delivery. So the piece for us specifically is they're seeking a easement across just over two and a half acres. And then the temporary workspace would be kind of lay space for them as they traverse on our property, which would be cleaned up and restored to its precondition. So there's two different, Again, price per acre. This is a little different, obviously, than a sale. I did reach out to a local realtor that I'm familiar with, and he came and gave me some comparables in that area of what a price per acre goes for if you're selling vacant property, and that's to the tune of $7,500 to $13,000 an acre. Obviously, that's a sale. Again, we're not selling. We're providing an easement across our property. So that gives you some idea. This is certainly not cast in stone. You do have the ability to direct me to go back to them with any amount you see fit. But that's the first blush, if you will, at what was presented to us as staff. So I'll be available for questions. You can, again, look through the presentation that was provided by DTE. Again, as we invest in infrastructure in town, we can certainly support another utility that's trying to improve their infrastructure and provide that redundancy, that reliability for their customers as well. So we certainly understand that. as a utility provider ourselves. Easements are fairly straightforward. We've done this before, but I'll entertain questions and feedback at this point. Questions, council?

Mr. Wilmott?

Just a quick question.

I was looking at the map, and I'm familiar with the city's property out there at Crossroad. So this is along the edge of the property, not down the middle of the property. Right. Yes. Who owns the property adjacent to us there?

I don't know. Oh, so it's privately owned. Privately owned. One property owned. I'm not sure which side you're talking about. But yeah, he owns a significant amount as well.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Since there is no land use plan for this property by the city at this time, this does not interfere with any land use that we have scheduled or intended.

No.

And then I was a little bit confused, and I think I get it now, but this is a one-time payment, not a lease payment. Right. Yes. So for how long? In perpetuity? How long is this for? The easement? In perpetuity? I would imagine as long as there's a utility there, it's while there's a utility there. This is it. This is a one-time payment forever. Yes. Yes. OK. Just clarifying. Mr. Grabtrop.

Just to make crystal clear, we have no use for the land now.

We're not having it. It would be, again, I'm talking my personal opinion, which I sometimes get in trouble saying anything but. I would love to come back to this body and come up with a scenario that we offload a lot of this property. I don't see a plan. I don't see a vision for it. I don't think we need to hang on to property that we don't have a plan or a vision for. It's outside of our jurisdiction, obviously. I would certainly love to have further discussion on the long-term plan for that acreage.

I'd like to see it stay natural rather than a bunch of houses. I know originally, I think there was a vision of a winter sports complex because of the hills out there. Was the original, they were even talking a downhill skiing out there in that area at one time. I would like to see us work with conservation groups, conservancies for the purchase of this property through donors or whatever. But I would hate to see us go with the direction of housing when I believe the city should be responsible to have recreational areas as well.

Mr. To continue with my question, so when we do this, that piece of land is essentially useless to us. So we're in essence, If we want to do a park or something, is that what you're... I guess what I'm trying to understand is I'm going toward, is the value right? If the retail price for an acre is $17,000 and we're not... By giving this DTE the easement, we are kind of forever giving up the use of that. Are we? No, you're not giving up the use.

You can't build anything over top of it.

Well, that's what I'm saying.

It's the width of it. It's 25 feet on both sides, so it's 50 feet.

But we can't do it. We couldn't build a house if we wanted to.

It's along the road. I don't have a good clear where it is. It's along the roadway, correct?

Yeah.

It's along the roadway. So you end up with a driveway going over the top of it.

Okay, got it. To get to the rest of it.

To get to your property, yes.

Okay.

I don't think it's along the roadway. You've got Krause there and you've got Brubaker there. There's no road there. at the edge of that property.

It's down at the bottom of the map. I'm trying to understand if when we do this, will we get enough compensation?

Right now, it's just forest. And it's beautiful, by the way, with a great walking trail and a wonderful viewing deck. It is prime real estate.

Does this go through the North Country Trail? Where's the North Country Trail on this trail?

North country trail doesn't go through this problem. No, not this one at all. It does.

Yeah. Okay.

I beg your pardon. That trail that I'm walking on is also the North country trail. The one with a wonderful switchback.

Skyline trail is a North country trail. I didn't realize that. And so it's the North, the skyline trail is far too far. Skyline Trail comes in like over in here. It's not going to affect the North Country Trail.

Well, and any trail could go over top of this, right? Yes.

It's not going to prevent that.

Well, it wouldn't prevent you from driving in the driveway and having a parking in the area over just past it either.

If the city words. Okay, that that sounds great. I'm trying to advocate for a reason to, to increase your compensation.

Is it fair, the more

I'm on your team. As far as the temporary workspace, I'm looking at this presentation. This is the lay down yard, which I don't think is ours. But my question is this, it says lay down yards utilized June 2026 through June 2028. That's on page five. Is that the same for hours change that a two year

I don't know their sequencing, where they're starting, and when they'll be through our area. But it's likely probably pretty close.

That's a question I have. Because if it's two years, I don't know the location. But one concern for me would be that amount of money for two years.

I think the two years is for the entire project from start to finish. So that lay down yard that they're in. brochure the pamphlet kind of talks about the entire project our temporary workspace would just be during that period of time that they're they course through the our two and a half acres um that's that compensation for that period of time that they would be encroaching on additional acreage during that construction is our lay down yard part of this that's on page five that's 9.5 acres because

It says lay down yard to be utilized from June 2026 through June 2028 with site restoration completed for the landowner agreement. That's page five.

Yeah, that's the master lay down yard for the entire project. That makes sense.

So we don't know how long ours would be occupied. I don't. Okay. and then you gave us the price for purchase, but did we get the going rate for these easements per acre?

I don't know what others are potentially getting. I'm assuming it's fairly consistent. Ours is a little lower because it doesn't have a house, it doesn't have a structure on it. I believe those that are, that have structures on them maybe we're getting a little bit more from a price per acre standpoint but i don't think not significantly but yeah for my part i'd like to know more about the lay down space and you know how long it is and do they restore it and again it's just it's just during construction is that additional space so while they're through that through our area um which would be that temporary workspace. So it's not the full two years that this would be kind of torn up, if you will. It's just when they're through our area. This is the corner of Ruby and Krause.

I would also be interested to know, you know, range of price per acre for easements of this nature, because If there's a range that's higher, we're at the low end, I think it'd be worthwhile at least trying to negotiate. I mean, my sense is ultimately they will get this easement one way or the other, but again, if there's a possibility to get more money per acre, if that is reasonable based on the market for this type of thing, I think that effort would be worthwhile.

What's the distance from Crouse and Blue Baker to where this piece is? I don't know. I'm looking at the map of where the trail is.

The map is very confusing. Yeah. For instance, the lay down yard presumably is on some part of this plot, the Exhibit A plot, is it not?

Mm-hmm.

OK, which part? I don't know. Well, it shows the plot. And don't isn't the part of the existing parking lot that's up there where the historical marker is isn't that on our property is not on city property also yes okay so where is that on this plot plot a plan and if that's if they're going to use that as their lay down yard, then the parking will not be accessible for access to the draft. So they're just some unanswered questions based on the. Lack of clarity in the maps. And if they're creating a lay down area, does that mean they're taking down trees? This would run in the middle of... Yeah, they will be taking down trees, yes. So they're taking down trees for the easement, but the lay down...

I don't know if it doesn't go across... I don't know if it doesn't go across North Country Trail. I guess at this point, I'm having trouble because I figure it at 560 feet from Brubaker's up Crouse Road. If you're going up Crouse Road, 560 feet. And then cutting across, how far does that go across? Does that go all the way across North Country Trail? North Country Trail comes in on Brubaker. and travels being parallel to Crouse Road. Parallel to that. The North Country Trail coming like this, and I wanna know, does that go across the North Country Trail? Well, we don't have jurisdiction over the North Country Trail. We have, I understand. But I want to know before I vote on something, I want to know exactly where this is. I guess I have trouble with the mapping of it as well. I don't think I'm the only one. It sounds like everybody has questions about it. Is this marked up there where you can go and walk it? Kendall, you know anything about it?

I don't think it's marked quite yet, I don't believe. But I can have somebody from DTE at our next meeting

or I'd be happy to meet DTE up there to actually do a walk.

So it looks like it's 560 feet.

on Krause after you turn off a brew Baker, it looks like it's 560 feet knowing down, which means it's going to cut through a lot of woods area of city property, which if this continues all the way through and down the hill, that it is going actually across the North country trail. And I guess I feel I want, I just want to know, I don't know. I hope I don't see it as that maybe. I'd like to know more. Miss Walker.

Thanks, Mira. I agree with that sentiment. I mean, it would be helpful to have. And when I look on Google Earth, it looks like Crouse Road where you're like turning onto Crouse Road from Brubaker. It A crossroad parallels the utility lines. So I'm wondering if they're going to take advantage of the fact that the utility reliance already run through there and it looks like it's just like feet or perhaps more than feet away from paralleling crossroad as well and it's really identified the skyline trail heads are also in the platforms are identified on Google earth. So it would be helpful to just have a better sense of like where the pipeline would be or propose compared to the utility lines that are there already, as well as where it crosses or traverses the North country trail.

I guess we'll get more information. Yep. Is this gonna hold up the process?

Yeah, it holds up the process, but we'll come back and it'll be a month.

It'll be a month. Are they expecting to break ground today or tomorrow?

Well, it looks like fourth quarter 2026 is what the timeline says.

Fourth quarter 2026 is what the timeline says, yeah. Well, fourth quarter, so there is time.

Just go to the county commissioner meeting next week.

Do what?

Just go to the County commissioner meeting next week and be in the audience. DTE is doing the presentation next week to the County.

All right. We'll get more information. Next is discuss and confirm dates for special joint session with the planning commission, uh, proposed 2026 7th, 2032 capital improvement plan.

We're sitting here for this discussion, just trying to get a date set for our CIP combined meeting with planning commission. So if you can look at your that happened in the fall, or typically has happened in August. More earlier start on it or I would recommend maybe I know Jason has some commitments and Jason's a big part of the CIP. So we need to work around him as well. You know, potentially a few dates to consider. I think last year we did it on the August 8th, I believe. August 12th. 12th. Okay. So that week of August 10th, potentially August 10th or August 13th are options on that week. I'm not available. Either time?

I'm not available the week of the 10th. I'm not available again until the 18th. I think I'm available on the 10th.

We need to move on. On the 10th, yes. But Monday the 10th, I'm available. Are you available? Yeah, I'm available that whole week. Anybody available the 10th?

Yeah. Charlie's not.

I am available. That is the one day that week I am available. Oh, OK. Monday the 10th.

So it's available and not available the 11th on 11th through the 17th.

I know it's your schedule better than you. It's a secret.

It's the blueberry festival in paradise. It's a blueberry festival in paradise, Michigan. Love that festival. It's a religious experience. You eat more blueberries than you can hold.

That's what the fireworks display at Bay Harbor for their private wedding. We're going to play bear and lay in the blueberries.

And I want to get out of town because of the fireworks.

You know, take all your dogs and people that are talking about dogs and people with us.

Go get your blueberries. Dogs love blueberries.

So the 10th.

Lindsay, you good on the 10th?

I'm good.

So let's come up with a second alternative. So another option could be to pull up into the end of the last week of July, potentially. Nope, not here.

Okay.

The week of the 27th? 27th of July.

That whole week, any of those dates.

Not here the whole week. Okay.

I could be available the 27th, I think.

27th of what month are we talking? July?

July. No. Okay.

I could be available the 27th.

How about August 5th? That would be, you would have back-to-back meetings because of... No. Okay.

Okay, I think we just stick with that date and whatever. I could possibly do the 27th of July, Monday. I could do that too.

Yep.

I'd prefer not to, and I guess. Well, if you don't want, if you're tied up, then you're tied up.

I mean, it's really, you guys will pick the date and then Shane will share it with Planning Commission in whatever manner.

I mean, it's really our deal to sit with them?

Yeah.

Yeah. It's just whoever just trying to work with them. I could do July 27th, but preferably that would be the second option. I guess 10th is everybody's preference at this point. Something to say. I do. Sure.

Would it be possible to include the park and recreation commission with this meeting?

it's an open meeting. They're always.

Well, one of their, one of their requests that I've heard the last year or so was to try to have some, some FaceTime with, with city council. And I think this is an opportunity to have them included with the planning commission and with, with this meeting. So if you would at least consider, and then we can,

The question I have on that is, is the logistics of having, you know, at the last time, there's a lot of people trying to get asking questions. So does that get unwieldy to have a bunch of people to be able to ask a bunch of questions in terms of scheduling? Oh, you just, it's like, yeah.

Yeah, well, logistically, we'll figure it out, yeah. We can do it. I mean, we don't have to. Ms. Walker.

Yeah, in my experience at the CIP meetings, we're giving, it's a presentation. There isn't a lot of discussion other than if we're blindsided with stuff that we never anticipated, which is what happened last year. So I would just hope, I mean, we don't really have a lot of discussion because it's the presentation of a lot of information.

What, what?

Well, because of the winter sports park master plan, there were things that were included in the capital improvement plan during the conversation that we had never seen before. So we were blindsided.

Yeah. I'd like to have more discussion on that, but not tonight, but I thought it was a really valuable time.

Oh, it's absolutely valuable. And we do definitely want to meet with the planning commission. And I think it's, it makes sense to extend that to the other commissions as well. And there really wasn't a lot of discussion. It's like a presentation of a capital improvement plan and then we're given time to digest and reflect and then come back to our respective boards to further discuss. That's my experience.

Certainly not the intent of the meeting. You're going to have this thing ahead of the meeting. My hope is you come ready to go with constructive feedback and input. This shouldn't be a one-way conversation ever. So I'm hoping that's not how you feel because that's not the intent of this meeting. This is your budget. These are your plans. i want you all to have that ownership in whatever is past that you've this is your these are your projects so i don't want you to feel like staff is pushing something down your throat because that's certainly not my intent

Mr. Wilmar. I totally agree with in this case, I think two things can be true at once. And that is, we listen to presentations by the departmental heads. And that's very valuable, not just for us, but and the planning commission, but for other members of other boards and commissions to hear those plans and intents. If we want to restrict the dialogue and the questions and answers and the development of a CIP further by trying to contain the audience. Maybe that just comes back to City Council and we'll do it with City Council only at that point in time, since those are our issues to decide. But I think to listen to the presentations of the various department heads for all of the boards and commissions is very valuable.

So I'm going to proceed with August 10th. Hopefully that'll work. It'll work.

Starting at 8 a.m.

Starting at what? 8 a.m.

Lunch and dinner. I think we did start. Maybe at like 5.

Yeah, because I think pizza. To start with 5 with pizza and then by 5.30 it was get going. Okay. Love it. 5 o'clock, 5.30, kickoff. So if you can't make pizza, bring a goodie bag and you can take it home with you. All right, next is city council.

Just for the record, Mayor, for every meeting Mr. Wilmott gets to set at 8 a.m., I'm setting one at 11 p.m.

I don't think there'll be any.

I can't get me up because it's so nice out. So I'm going to go for 5, 6 o'clock in the morning. I would love 5 or 6 o'clock. Oh, yeah.

8 o'clock would be great. We ought to move the whole council meeting to 8 o'clock. The six, seven in the morning? In the morning.

Everybody could go. Did you just say 2 a.m.? I'm all about that.

Yeah, 2 a.m. No, no, not T, no.

Okay.

T-O.

OK. Sorry. It's all good. All right, city council comment. And I'll go to Ward 3, Mr. Knaprath.

Why do you always pick me? Well, wait. You did last week, but that's OK. I'm looking forward to the meeting on next week with the, what do you call that, the caucus? The convention. Ward convention. Ward convention. My first one, actually. And I thought you were going to give us information. Well. OK, that will be done. Two weeks. it's not next week given this will be my first one to do not next week um i'd love to be able to have the what are the actual requirements is there yeah you're good you'll get all that yep thank you but i'm looking forward to it yep yeah it's pretty simple pretty easy you came to the city convention oh no well no i wasn't it's on i was in greece so yo

As part of the supplies, it's ward convention procedures and guidelines, like the whole process and city convention. We put some in there too. So you have all of that. I'll give you a list of registered voters because it's up to council members or the chairperson to certify your delegates. It's not certified by staff. That was noted last year from legal counsel because there's always a question on that. Shane provides a summary of, events that have happened for you guys, name, no, not name tags, little ballots for those that have a candidate race for this year. Otherwise, two and four will just be more like informative town hall. Since we changed the terms of office, because otherwise it was like every single year, So those delegates still for awards two and four can participate, sign up to attend the city convention because there's mayoral candidate race this year. So you will get all of that probably by next Friday. Okay.

If you have questions, call. I ran your meeting for you. Yeah, I know you did. And it went really smooth.

Yeah, that did well.

Everybody was very happy, so I'll pass on my tips to you. Keep it happy. Chicken in every pot. Ward four, Ms. Walker.

Thank you, Mayor. I just want to make sure that we stay focused and continually work towards our 100% renewable energy goals. I know they were lofty resolutions that were created in 2018, but 2030 and 2035 are rapidly approaching. And as communities discuss more and more decentralized systems and also creating more resiliency by creating locally generated energy. I hope that our city continues to think about that in terms of the opportunities for tax credits and public private partnerships, that renewable energy still remains a goal and we are diligently working towards those, that goal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Shane, just a couple of rapid questions for updates. When do we now expect to see the new zoning code in part or in full for our consideration?

I don't have a great answer for that. I'll have to ask our planner and get back with you. I don't know what the next milestone is.

The planner would be a good resource for that. But the second one is the sign ordinance, which I don't think he wants anything to do with. The new sign ordinance, when do we see that?

There's a number of things that are on our to-do list, rental inspection. I mean, there's no shortage of things to come back to this body.

I understand, but I have constituents asking me the timing of the zoning. That's why I was, I expect to get that question to come up in the ward convention as well. I'll make sure that you have that. Epler curve engineering status. Ongoing. ongoing yeah any um when is when do we expect some end of july is what we expect um dog park fence started today installation um downtown vacancy uh um pursuits uh i don't want to get out over my skis it probably should be a closed session discussion uh can we schedule that For our next meeting?

Yes. Yes. We would have had it today. Our city attorney is on a well-deserved vacation, so she was not available to do closed session today. So we'll get that scheduled on July 6th.

The only other thing that I had to add kind of echoes a little bit about what Lindsay said, and that is I had the opportunity for the first time to go as far as Alpena. last weekend, and it was an exciting trip. And among other things, we stumbled upon 800 acres of solar panels to the tune of 353,000 solar panels. That is a project built by DTE outside of Millersburg. Fascinating. But that does bring up the subject of the city dump and the possible solar panels there. And so at some point in time, an update in terms of what we're doing with regard to alternative energy would be an interesting one, but it also speaks loudly to a discussion that needs to be very active and on people's mind with regard to land use, because 800 acres is a very big solar panel, so.

Yeah, I think that's what made the landfill so attractive. It wasn't, we weren't taking up prime agricultural property. It was something that you couldn't do anything with. So that's what made that project so enticing. Um, I'll just give you a little bit of a taste. It's not positive news, unfortunately, likely for that. So we're still waiting for soul America to come back. Um, but there, it's our belief they're ready to pull out. And if they do, if we do enter into an agreement, it will not be as attractive as it was initially. And likely, they will sell it off once the ink dries on the agreements, which I don't think we're interested in doing that. But we're still waiting for that to come down from them officially at that point, then Jason and I will present that recommendation to you. But at this point, it doesn't look favorable financially. Yeah.

I understand that, and that's disappointing, but DTE apparently has a number of these farms all over the state, and as you've been reading the news in Sheboygan County, there's another proposed 800-acre development for solar that's kind of in a quagmire and in the courts right now, but that's an entirely independent development. So there's not just the people we're discussing with, but there's apparently a number of other developers that are in this game, so...

Yeah, just frustrating because we've done a lot of work with this developer or this provider, and it's just frustrating that we're now facing what unfortunately looks like not a positive solution. So we're going to have to kind of go back to the drawing board on that property. Remember, it's only 23 acres, not 800. Totally. 23 acres.

23 acres, which would bring basically three megawatts, which is less than a quarter of what the city uses, but that's still immediate moving forward. But if the finances are bad for the city, it's going to stick the taxpayers of it with large, large

Yeah, the payback period would just be extended, which just that's the reason why it didn't go forward. You know, when they first looked at it, just the payback period was so long. And with these tax credits attached to it, it made it much more attractive. But those being pulled away doesn't doesn't make it a viable project. Understood.

Mr. Moore summary today.

So just for my colleague, Mr. Nachtraub, if you intend to run again, make sure you find somebody to nominate you and second the nomination at your ward convention.

Thank you.

Second of all, with regard to my colleague, Mr. Wilmot's constituents who are asking about the zoning progress, please encourage all of them to reach out to Senator DeMuth and representative Fairburn, because if the zoning preemption bills that are currently in Lansing move forward, the progress at this level will be irrelevant. So it's really, really important. Those zoning preemption bills are still moving forward. Three, as far as vacancy updates, city manager Horn, are we going to have a little something on that that we will be able to utilize at our ward conventions? Some kind of maybe update from city council or something? Excuse me, from our city attorney on downtown vacancies.

It was a hot button last year.

Oh, he remembers.

Yeah. Well, yeah, I do remember. It was a hot button also for us.

So I think any information that we are able to provide at the ward conventions would be very helpful.

Which is the status of where we're at, from where we were a year ago to where are we now with it?

Anything that you think we can...

Yeah, I mean, what people fail, I think, to remember is we've been able to do to get folks into compliance. We don't tell our story effectively, I don't believe, but there's roofs going on on projects. Just for instance, 441, 445, I get it that it's still vacant, but there's a roof on there. Why is there a roof on there? Because we took... IPMC, the county took their building code and we got action. There's a lot more involved in that. And I agree. And we heard 60 people last July or last June, and we'll likely hear that as well. But There's been action going on on properties that Bay Street property has just finished a roof. That was because we took IPMC code enforcement action. The county took action. That result was there's a new roof on that building. Um, so there's a number of stories that we could share that with people feel like we're sitting on our hands and not doing anything. That's just not accurate. So it'd be good to have that data.

Can I just finish what I was saying? So all I'm asking for is some print materials to support telling this story. That's what I'm looking for. I'd appreciate it.

One of the other problems with the vacant buildings is they go and they fix the thing up, make it perfect. So there's no violations of international property maintenance code. It does not mean that that building is going to have somebody occupying it, renting it for a business. It's privately owned business building and we cannot force them to to put a business in there.

That's just the way it is. I will say that ordinance will be coming back in front of you again because people are getting creative and it's very frustrating, but that ordinance needs to be tightened up and I would make some recommendations to you to assist us with tightening that ordinance up just a little bit.

So thank you. I appreciate any material you can give to us in support of word conventions. And then finally, and maybe most importantly, I want to thank, um, the members of the community who sit on the Petoskey youth advisory council, uh, application review committee, because we get a stackable and it takes time to review them all. So that includes Katie Allen, Ann Strigley and Keith Scheneki. And Ann Strigley, once again, was the mentor to the original Mayor's Youth Advisory Council circa 2005. And I will come back to you with more information about what the 2026-2027 Youth Advisory Council will look like. Thank you.

The Arts Commission painted and completed the four by fours. There are 20 of them that are now in artists' hands. They'll be coming back in the middle of August. A major art project along the retaining wall of the highway across from the softball park will be actually having a ribbon cutting at the end of last 28th, 9th of August. I've had the opportunity to sit in a very small group for over an hour and a half with Senator Slotkin. I found that very interesting. It was all about housing. I think they sometimes forget that it's more than just housing, that you also have infrastructure, you have roads, you have sewer, you have water. All of those things are a piece of it. And also my big push was, this is not a city of Petoskey problem. This is a regional problem. And she has suggested that we get with people from Holland area that she feels is addressing that better. And so we probably will be setting up some kind of a Zoom or something with people just to get an idea of how they do this. But I did state all townships in the Abbott County and city of Petoskey should be involved with this at this point that we have done what I believe is a major step. Also, thanks to the people. I call them the Garden Club Junior Varsity. for planting all the flowers at Hemingway, the monuments and the Carnegie building. They volunteer, they show up, just give their time to the city, which is nice. You've also, we've had two groups of second, third graders here, the other day and again today. I was here for quite a few hours. The kids get to sit up here, talk about how old should you be to jump off the breakwater. Well, what are some things that you need to know before you jump in the water? What are some, you know, it was a really interesting group. So that happened. I guess that's about all. So, you know, for the