By Barb Pert Templeton
The Sept. 17 meeting of the Algonac City Council lasted 47 minutes and the agenda addressed such items as a pair of service contracts and an invoice for a sewer repair. Council members Dale Williams and Dawn Davey were absent from the meeting and Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Martin arrived 20 minutes after the 6 p.m. start time due to a longtime coaching commitment.
Here are a few of the highlights:
City manager’s report
A regular spot on the city council’s bi-monthly meeting agendas is a report from City Manager Denice Gerstenberg about projects going on in the city. At the recent meeting she provided officials with an update on renovating the former Algonac Elementary School Community Center and Gym. She said all the bids for the roof portion of the project have been received and officials will be going over those soon. Regarding the new Algonac City Pool at Lions Field a groundbreaking was held Sept. 9 and the contractor started work shortly after and is currently in the process of a demolition of the old pool. A pot hole at Scout and Fruit streets, left by the county contractor following a project, has brought about many complaints. Gerstenberg said the county road commission engineer is said to have been begging to have the hole fixed and the contractor is expected to be out there repairing the spot this week.
City Manager Denice Gerstenberg.
IT service agreement approved
A contract for computer technology services from Hi-Tech Service Systems Inc. for $10,176 was approved by the city council. The company, located in Casco, provides extensive remote services and even on-site services to the city as needed. The contract also provides a complete analysis of the city’s current computer equipment including security and support systems. The contract, effective Sept. 2024 to Sept. 2025 was approved by the council and is payable at $848 per month. The two previous annual contracts with I.T. Right/VC-3 were $11,945 in 2023 and $15,360 in 2024.
City approves contract with U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard has an agreement with the City of Algonac for winter mooring along the riverfront. The Coast Guard asks for an extension of the contract. This year, the parent command, Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center, asked to change the leasing dates. Instead of Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, they sought Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 due to their fiscal year budget.
Council okays planning invoice
An invoice in the amount of $1,257 for planning services for the Gar Wood Apartments and Townhouses project was approved by the city council. The firm providing the services was Carlisle Wortman, based in Ann Arbor. Some of the services listed on the invoice included reviewing documents related to rezonings, public hearings and editing of said documents.
Mayor answers complaints about underage drivers
During council comments at the end of the meeting Mayor Rocky Gillis said he’s been fielding complaints about young people driving ORV’s and golf courts on the city streets and it’s illegal to do so for anyone without a license. He said if someone see’s this happening they should call the Sheriff’s Department. “It is against the laws for anyone under 16 years of age to operate a golf cart or ORV on the streets in Algonac,” Gillis said.
