By Barb Pert Templeton
The Algonac City Council held a regular meeting on Feb. 17 that lasted an hour and 15 minutes with a full agenda. Council members Ed Carter and Jake Skarbek were absent from the meeting.
Here are some highlights:
Alcohol approved for special event
The grand opening of the Algonac Community Center will be held tomorrow night, Thursday, Feb. 19 and a majority of the city council approved allowing alcoholic beverages at the special event. Five members of the council present at the meeting adopted a resolution allowing alcohol beverages at the special indoor music in the park event for the grand opening. The council agreed that they will approach each event and consider the alcohol issue but are not making a blanket decision with this one approval.
“I would rather do it one event at a time so that we have more control and take it from there,” Bembas said. “As we go, we can say that went well we can do it for all of them or that was a train wreck we’re not doing that again.”
“I have some reservations about this, because this is Algonac Activity Center and we want to gear these activities for kids,” Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said. “We can do this for certain events after they come to council and we approve them but to just have a blanket we’re going to allow alcohol beverages in the community center I can’t agree with that.”
The Algonac City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m.
Councilwoman Cathy Harris agreed that they should address each event individually as they come up.
Sale of property approved
A purchase agreement for property at 455 State Street for $225,000 between the City of Algonac and Brian Borowski was approved by the city council. City Manager Artie Bryson said they are selling a piece of property to the Southwater Municipal Utility Authority because they need it to expand their plant for wet water retention, they will install two big tanks there. He said if they were installing those anywhere else it would be over $1 million to the three communities in the Authority, which includes Algonac, Clay and Ira townships. Bryson said buying this property will benefit the DPW for cleanup and storage this spring.
Algonac save the dates
There are a number of dates coming up on the calendar that Algonac residents may want to take note of on their personal calendars. Woodside Bible Church will host a Family Movie Night on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. showing the film, “David.” Easter in the Nac’ will be hosted on Saturday, March 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Algonac Community Center. There will be photos with the Easter Bunny, a craft station, bubbles, a bounce house, petting zoo and a
concession stand. The city’s pool will host a grand opening on Saturday, June 13 and will include a Rasta Steel Band for entertainment. The city’s spring cleanup will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A new special event, “Summertime in the Nac’” will be hosted on Saturday, July 25 from noon to 7 p.m. and will include vendors, artisans, music and other entertainment plus food.
Facebook warriors called out
Councilman Michael Bembas took time during his council comments at the end of the meeting to state “we get some Facebook warriors out there, oh my goodness people, and of course most of them never come and see what it’s really like.” He went on to invite any of those people who think the city is on the wrong track to come and apply for open seats on several boards or even put their names on the ballot this fall for city council seats. He noted that they can fill out an application now. “Some people talk and some walk and maybe a little less yacking and it’s a time to get more cracking and get involved,” Bembas said. Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said everyone’s got an opinion and that’s how it’s supposed to work whether it’s in the council chambers or on ‘social media crazy town.” But she went on to say having a different opinion doesn’t give anyone “a stick to beat others down because they don’t agree with you.”
