County board puts brownfield issue to bed

Previous plan for Algonac now a dead issue

By Barb Pert Templeton

There’s been speculation for months and members of the Algonac City Council even adopted a resolution supporting a brownfield plan by Corcat Properties, LLC. last July but now the issue is “dead” according to all involved, from the city to the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners.

Algonac Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey addressed the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners at its March 6 meeting, informing them that as far as Algonac is concerned the brownfield issue was now a non-issue. She added that she understood it was also a dead issue at the county level but was seeking clarification.

“To answer your question, it’s a dead issue here,” County Attorney Gary Fletcher of Fletcher, Fealko, Shoudy and Francis, P.C. stated. “The last term of the board ended and it was never brought up again for a vote and so now that it’s a new board it would have to be reintroduced by somebody and it’s my understanding there’s no plan on doing that. So, I think I can safely say it’s dead here too.”

Commissioner Robert Fielitz sought further clarification.

“The city of Algonac can, I believe, do their own brownfield, and it will affect their taxes in Algonac alone. where it won’t affect any county tax collections,” Fielitz said.

“They could have a brownfield (of their own) but they don’t and if their brownfield approved it, it could capture taxes just like the brownfield here (at the county.),” Fletcher explained. “They just happen to use the county brownfield authority because they didn’t have one. I think in this county only St. Clair and the City of Port Huron have a brownfield.”

“If I’m not mistaken, before it came to our council it was approved by the county brownfield authority,” Davey said.

Flether said yes, what happened was the county brownfield board approved it but then the county board of commissioners said no.

Davey then stated that she spoke with the Algonac City Manager and the city having a brownfield on their own is not currently on their agenda. She also explained that the reason she was asking was because former (Algonac) Mayor Eileen Tesch keeps bringing it up in relation to a school millage that’s coming up.

“I just wanted to get some clarification from your end so people don’t worry and that they’re going to vote no on a school millage over a brownfield that’s not an issue,” Davey said.

The attorney then stated that he believed the schools were exempt from collection and the state school tax can’t be used either.

“I think it’s safe to say the two have nothing to do with each other,” Fletcher said.

Tesch shares concerns

Algonac resident Eileen Tesch spoke about the brownfield plan during public comments at the Algonac City Council meeting on March 4.

“I see based on our water bills that you have notified the community that there is a special election on Tuesday, May 6 for Algonac Community Schools for an operating millage renwal,” Tesch stated. “It is my humble opinion that you have a duty to notify the constituents/ the residents that this money, this millage, may be in jeopardy because of the brownfield redevelopment act that you all passed.”

She said there was a presentation at the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners and this plan that the city approved for 24 years, captures or borrows, or as some constituents have stated, ‘steals millage money’ that the citizens have voted on for specific things like senior millages, libraries and parks and other things to fund infrastructure costs for a private housing development by Corcat Properties in Algonac.

“This is a precedent setting rule in St. Clair County to override the free market and use the public’s money against their voted wishes in a millage,” Tesch said.

She said Corcat Properties developed housing in St. Clair and other locations without such assistance.

“Let’s call this what it really is, an attempt to find another way to use public money to pick winners and losers by the government,” Tesch said. “It’s wrong, disrespects the voters of St. Clair County and I urge this board to vote against it.”

She added that the county commission tabled the issue until a new board was seated.

Tesch then suggested the Algonac officials address the matter as it’s going to be blowing up all over social media.

“I suggest you get ahead of it to let the people know what’s in fact is going to happen to the school millage,” she said.

As to comments on social media touting the goodness of the Cortis brothers, Tesch said she has no problem with the firm, commenting: “who wouldn’t want 24 years of taxes and public money. It’s a gift.”

“You know what’s happening across the country, they are cleaning up waste and getting rid of people that are unproductive and they’re putting together efficiency, so maybe we should start doing that here,” Tesch said.

At the council meeting, after firmly stating that a brownfield project is a “non-issue” in the city now, Davey added that she’d hate to see the issue clouding the upcoming school millage.

“To have this keep coming up and tie it into a school millage is not correct in any way shape or form please understand that,” Davey said. “School millages are important and please don’t base your vote on a school millage for something that’s a non-issue.”

“It’s dead in the water,” Councilman Michael Bembas added.