By Barb Pert Templeton
A regular bi-monthly meeting of the Algonac City Council on March 19 had officials addressing a number of items during the 52-minute gathering. City Councilman Corey Blair was absent from the recent meeting.
The City Pool
During her report to the city council Algonac City Manager Denice Gerstenberg said the city pool project would be going out for bids next week. Councilman Michael Bembas said if the pool is going out for bid but how long will it be until the city gets answers?
Gerstenberg said they usually put a project out for bid for three or four weeks and as soon as the city has some they will be brought back to the council.
“We’re all very eager for these things to happen, we’ve been waiting and trying to get funding and we’ve got some funding and we’ve made good progress on the paperwork and behind the scenes things so I’m very eager to get a shovel out there and get started on these projects as I’m sure everyone in this town is,” Bembas said.
Passport Grant for Lions Field
Members of the city council adopted Resolution 2024-04 supporting submission of a grant application to the Michigan Recreation Passport Fund for the Lions Field Park Pathway. The fund provides funding to local communities for development of public recreation facilities, including new places and the renovations of existing ones. In a memo to the council City Manager Denice Gerstenberg said applications are due by April 1 and the minimum grant amounts is $7,500 and the maximum is $150,000.
The preliminary plans have a cost estimate of $230,000 so Algonac is requesting $150,000 in grant funds and a match of $50,000 for construction and $30,000 for engineering that is required.
The Algonac City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m.
A preliminary document from the engineering firm, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. listed sidewalks, park benches, bike racks and native tree planning as part of the plan along with additional line items for erosion control, station grading and restoration of topsoil, mulch blankets and 14-day waterings. Notification of grants awarded is expected in December 2024.
Council comments on school issue
Algonac won a bidding war to purchase the old Algonac Elementary School at a cost of $185,000. The city closed on the property, which includes the 69,000 square foot facility that sits on 3.2 acres of property, in December.
In early March they hosted a town hall to hear suggestions from residents about what to do with the property. Shortly thereafter rumors began surface online that the city was considering utilizing the site to house illegal immigrants or to establish a rehab center.
At the recent city council meeting officials strongly denied any such plans and in fact said rumors online from keyboard warriors were completely unfounded.
During council comments at the end of the agenda council members spoke out further on the issue.
Councilman Michael Bembas
“That school is going to be used for the people who live here, this community and nothing else; rumors on Facebook, be careful,” Bembas said, adding that a site that doesn’t allow council members to join it or even look at it, is not going to have objective views.
“Be real, who on this board would have the gumption to say I want to make a motion that we let illegal immigrants, drug addicts and criminals take over our school,” Bembas said. “We all live here too, we’re not playing that nonsense, that’s going to be a nice rec center if everything goes our way, to where we can use that gym and cafeteria for the people of Algonac something we’ve never had.”
He said the school could also be a place to house senior citizens.
In the meantime, if residents hear the rumors, they need to just contact members of council and they’ll explain the real situation.
Councilman Ed Carter
He stated that he agrees with Bembas’ comments and agrees that all the officials are more than happy to talk to residents with concerns and all the information about the school issue can be found on the city website.
Councilwoman Dawn Davey
She began her comments by stating that the council’s agenda and meeting packets are available online prior to all city council meetings so everyone’s knows the topics that will be discussed.
“It’s sad to see that when a few people here or there pick a word from this thing or that thing and then turn it into something that it’s not,” Davey said.
She noted that she lives a block from the school and “there’s not a chance she would be quiet about putting illegal immigrants or a rehab center there”, even if she wasn’t a member of the city council.
Councilwoman Cathy Harris
During her comments Harris said she understands residents’ concerns on the issue and takes phone calls about it so she’s always available to answer questions and her phone number is listed in the local book.
“Again, we also live here and I’m very passionate about what we want and what we want to develop and see how that schools going to go,” Harris said. “We are all elected, you people put us here, we work for you and she (referring to City Manager Denice Gerstenberg) works for us, when it came up for bid in the first place, I knew she’d get it, you had to be aggressive, confident and she did.”
Mayor Pro Tem Ray Martin
He said after seven years of the school just sitting there vacant, the city was not going to let it go up for auction worldwide and have the city’s hands taken off the property. The auction came in on short notice but they couldn’t let the opportunity to slip away.
Mayor Rocky Gillis
He noted that he happened to run into a new local pastor who attended the public meeting council hosted recently about what to do with the old Algonac Elementary School. The pastor stated how impressed he was with the open discussion and that despite differences of opinion people didn’t argue and seemed to remain positive.
“I thought that was a nice complement that everyone was able to get together and just talk,” Gillis said.
