Seeks publics feedback on new reservation system
By Barb Pert Templeton
Marine City Clerk Jason Bell updated officials on a number of items at a March 6 city commission meeting. He shared information about his recent training sessions and other things going on that he handles for the city.
Bell began by informing officials that he will be attending The Clerk’s Institute the week of March 17, it’s his second year attending the three-year program. He said Deputy Clerk Carol Brown will be handling the March 20 city commission meeting in his place.
Bell then told the commission that some of his recent accomplishments related to training. He’s completed an International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) Assisted City Administration Official Boot Camp which was a three-part webinar series networking and connecting with managers and assistant city administrators across the country.
“It was getting ideas of how-to manager roles as department heads or an assistant city administrator,” Bell said.
He also just completed an ICMA Coach Connect training, a free class through the ICMA to connect with city and county managers that have different areas of expertise via 30- or 60-minutes webinars.
A farmer’s market is being planned for this summer in the city.
“You kind of pick their brains, network with them, it’s kind of like a mentoring program,” Bell said. “Very enlightening to see some ideas from around the country.”
Bell then noted that updates at the new Guy Community Center are starting to take shape after the city got a $25,000 St. Clair Community Foundation Grant. An alarm system, access controls and fire systems with wiring were to be launched on March 12.
“It’s coming along, things are coming along nicely and it looks good and we’re getting rentals in for that as well,” Bell said.
Speaking of the city website’s new online reservation service, he said they’d love to hear from the public, users who have made a reservation about how difficult or easy that was and if there can be any additions to make things better.
As for paperwork related to the clerk’s office, Bell was pleased to report that currently, there’s a 98% compliance rate on business license renewals which is very good.
“Over previous years, for lack of a better term we’ve been chasing business owners down well into April in years past to get their licenses renewed,” Bell said.
The 98% tally is a little misleading because out of 198 businesses in the city, there have been 196 renewals, so the city’s actually only waiting on two more, the clerk added.
“So, we’re only waiting on two,” Bell said. “So hopefully we’ll get those renewals here within the next week and we’ll be good with that at 100%.”
In other news, he said there are still board vacancies open, mainly on the arts, culture and history commission plus some citizen at large positions on various boards. Bell said a resident recently stopped in at the city offices to ask about serving on a board and what that entails and he was pleased to fill them in.
“I welcome that, if you want to come in and have a conversation, I’m open to that and I’m sure the city manager is open to that as well when he’s available,” Bell said. “But if you have questions call us, come on in and we’ll walk you through it and we’ll kind of give you an idea what those boards do and how they serve the residents.”
Bell concluded his report by showing off a new flyer he created that will be distributed to share information about the city’s new farmer’s market at the Guy Community Center. The market will be open on Thursdays from July 10 to Oct. 2. The city will run the operation and vendors can pay $5 per week for space. An organizational meeting will be held in May. Those interested are encouraged to contact the city at (810)765-8846.
