By Barb Pert Templeton
At each Algonac City Council meeting, City Manager Artie Bryson has a spot on the agenda to report information to officials about grants, projects and other items of interest. These are some of the things he shared at the July 7 meeting.
Pool updates shared
The municipal pool was closed July 4 but in the past the pool would be closed for the whole week of the Pickeral Tournament, according to Bryson. The aerobics classes at the pool are very popular and the city manager’s looking into possibly doing an additional class. The city will also be in search of more lifeguards for the remaining time this summer and to train new ones for next summer. The city manager said training classes could begin on Aug. 10 and he may even sponsor a training course for city employees.
Grant for Activity Center in play
The city received a $500,00 MDE (Michigan Department of Education) grant for improvements to the Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) and they can start drawing on it now. Bryson reminded officials that the grant is a reimbursement one meaning the city must make approved purchases before receiving reimbursements. He said the city’s currently obtaining quotes for roof repairs and expects to bring those to the council at the next meeting. Once the roof work is completed the city will move forward with getting flooring done in the hallways and cafeteria and having Wi-Fi upgrades throughout the building.
Smith Street Pump Station project ongoing
The project continues to move forward the ventilation system has been installed and came in under budget. Next up will be work on the electric items which will be scheduled soon, according to Bryson.
Nod to DPW for work at Riverfront Park
The grass at Riverfront Park is looking a lot greener due to work on the irrigation system there. Bryson said the work was completed by the city’s DPW employees and he wanted to recognize them for completing the work in-house. Their efforts meant saving the city from significant costs that could have been incurred to contract the work out.
New signs around town
The city’s looking at replacing a yield sign at the corner of Washington and Orchard streets in the city. Bryson said a stop sign should replace the yield sign. He said a building project at Golfview and State streets also needs a stop sign. Bryson said he was driving in that area and another
driver was just assuming he was going to turn right but he was actually going straight so a stop sign would be good.
Ordinance reviewing continues
The city attorney is continuing to review ordinance changes including several for the special events ordinance, the golf cart ordinance and the parks and recreation ordinance. City Councilman Michael Bembas asked Bryson if the city had a time frame for bringing the items to the council table. “I mean when we send out work there should be a time frame and we’ve been waiting on a couple of these for a lot longer than what I expected, so we need a time frame,” Bembas said.
“Yep, I know it’s on the list,” Bryson replied.
Spraying water for heat relief
The DPW and the city’s fire department figured out a way to mist people during the intense heat during the Pickeral Tournament. The fire department switched from a fire hose down to a regular hose and then rigged up some sprinkler heads and misted people from the back of the fire truck. “It worked out very well, so that was cool,” Bryson said.
Ribbon cutting set for anniversary
The 45th Anniversary of ‘Snoopy’s Dog House” in Algonac will include a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event will be on Tuesday, July 21 at 3 p.m. The local eatery offers casual dining with burgers, cocktails and beers.
Antique Boat Show a huge success
An Antique Boat Show hosted on the last weekend in June at the Algonac Harbour Club in the city was a huge success. It featured more than 90 antique boats on display and the event drew record attendance. “It was another outstanding event that showcase Algonac’s rich boating heritage,” Bryson said. “And they honored us with a really nice plaque and a lot of press and they were very appreciative of us being their sponsor.”
Items for next council agenda on July 21
Bryson takes a few moments at the end of each meeting to let the council know what the next meeting agenda will include. He shared the following:
· Amendments to the city’s personnel policy
· Purchase of road salt for next year
· Presentation from St. Clair County Sheriff Matt King of 2026 activity so far
· A special event permit for Halloween in the Nac’
Councilman Michael Bembas said it’s time for the city manager’s review and wants that on the next agenda. The topic will be addressed in a closed session.
