By Barb Pert Templeton
A regular bi-monthly meeting of the Algonac City Council had officials taking care of various items on the agenda during the 55-minute gathering. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, August 1 at 6 p.m. and held at the Smith Recreation Field instead of the city offices.
Siren project completed
St. Clair County Commissioner Dave Vandenbossche.
A press release in the packet for the meeting on July 18 from Kristen Morris, public information officer, St. Clair County, shared an update on an Outdoor Warning Siren Network Expansion Project in the county. District 7 Commissioner, Dave Vandenbossche, spearheaded the project to expand and upgrade the outdoor warning sire to provide greater coverage throughout St. Clair County. Fifteen additional sirens have been installed and are now operational. Additionally, the control point in Clay Township was upgraded to allow more efficient activation of sirens when necessary. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and cost sharing with the local communities provided the funding for the project. The new sirens include four in China Township, two in Casco Township, two in Cottrellville Township, one at Columbus County Park and six in Clay Township, with four of those located on Harsens Island. The entire county siren network contains 67 sirens as a result of this project. The project was managed by Clay Township and the St. Clair County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Commissioner Vandenbossche indicated he is extremely grateful to the stakeholders and participating agencies for working together in an efficient manner to complete this project that provided much needed coverage for residents throughout the county. Sirens re activated in the event of severe weather or other emergencies requiring community notification. In the even of siren activation, residents are encouraged to tune into local media for more detailed information and instructions. The sirens are teston the first Monday of each month at 1 p.m.
New shredder approved for office
Algonac City Manager Denice Gerstenberg.
The purchase of a commercial grade shredder in the amount of $2,232 was recently approved for the Algonac City offices by members of the city council. The shredder purchase was being requested by City Treasurer Linda Mackie to maintain the confidentially of sensitive documents that are eligible to be disposed of according to state laws. Several price quotes were obtained for the shredder and the bid from Quill Office Supplies, located in Philadelphia was approved.
Participation in the Tie Michigan Teal campaign
Members of the Algonac City Council unanimously approved participation in the Tie Michigan Teal Campaign for 2023. City Manager Denice Gerstenberg explained the campaign in a memo to the city council on July 18. The Teal campaign is a state-wide Ovarian Cancer Awareness campaign that is observed in September of each year. Teal is the color representing ovarian cancer; one of the deadliest cancers effecting women. There are no early detection tests and the symptoms are so subtle it’s hard to diagnose leading to poor long-term survival rates. Statistics provided in a letter from the Teal campaign stated that in 2023 19,19,700 will be diagnosed with the cancer and 13,270 will die. The organization is asking for permission to tie teal ribbons on the light posts at Riverfront Park and also distribute information locally. Gerstenberg noted that there would be no cost to the city to participate and that they had been taking part in the campaign since 2021.
Approval to replace 18-year-old meter
A new postal meter for the treasurer’s office in Algonac was recently approved by members of the city council. Treasurer Linda Mackie wrote a memo to officials outlining the need for the equipment and shared several bids she received for a replacement model. She recommended replacing the meter due to excessive costs incurred for constant repairs and added that most postal meters are replaced every five years. A SendPro C425NL Naspro Ltop60 was noted as being most comparable to the current meter and the cost was $2,000 which was budgeted for in the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget. An annual equipment maintenance fee was waived for the first year with the purchase but would be $137 thereafter. Officials approved the purchase of the new postal meter from Pitney Bowes, a company based in Connecticut.
