By Barb Pert Templeton
The June 5 meeting of the Marine City Commission lasted an hour and 15 minutes and included the full board of commissioners.
Here are some highlights:
Sewer contracts approved
Members of the city commission approved two contracts established by City Manager Michael Reaves, who was previously given the go ahead to handle things that come up with the city’s watermain project due to time constraints. The pair of contracts were related to sanitary and storm sewer work by Michigan Pipe Inspection and sewer repairs by TR Pieprzak Co. “The water main project remains its own extravaganza in itself,” Reaves said. The two contracts for inspections and repairs were beyond the scope of the major water project and he gave a detailed report to officials about the need for the services from the two companies. The Michigan Pipe amount approved was a daily rate of $2,781 and the amount for TR Pieprzak Co. was $209,299.
Health insurance contribution
The City Commission unanimously approved Resolution 014-2025 – Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act. City Manager Michael Reaves said the resolution was simply to allow a yearly process to utilize and avoid a hard cap being put on medical costs. Attorney Robert Davis added that the resolution is mandatory via the state.
Hendrick gives thanks
The Marine City Commission meets on the first and third Thursdays at 7 p.m.
The recent Memorial Day Parade and ceremony in Marine City was a big success and Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick wanted to thank everyone that made it possible. Under the direction of resident Jesse White, the event included a parade and brief ceremony before lunch was served. Hendrick said 400 hot dogs were donated by Marine City Grill, 400 buns were donated by VG’s Grocery and Tims’ Party Store donated all the water and ice. Hendrick also thanked the Marine City Police Department including the chief and his wife who cooked the hot dogs while the fire chief cut up the onions and the DPW for setting everything up. She also thanked all the volunteers including City Manager Michael Reaves, who was put to work grilling hot dogs too. Hendrick said monetary donations received at the event will be used next year’s to place flags on graves in the cemetery.
Speech well received
During his report to the commission City Attorney Robert Davis apologized for missing the commission’s second meeting in May. On May 15 he was the keynote speaker at the Michigan Recycling Coalition’s annual meeting in Muskegon. Davis said his speech was well received and there were 504 people in the audience. Davis said he got a lot of positive feedback and he got a
personal call from the governor. “I think it’s a subject that will work its way to this city sooner or later through the county management program,” Davis said.
Hendrick says hang-in there
During her commissioner privilege at the recent meeting Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick commented on the ongoing work in the city to complete a huge water project. She began by thanking City Manager Michael Reaves for all the work he does to make things happen and also for the bi-weekly (often lengthy) written reports he provides to the commission. “People have no idea how much work goes into all the stuff, you just have no idea how bad our infrastructure is and what a mess that we have,” she said. Noting that Marine City was lucky enough to get a grant for the project, Hendrick said it’s also important to remember the grant helped reduce resident bills. “When you look at the water project it would have been $180 a month and got us down to $10 a month so that’s a huge savings for the people,” Hendrick said. She concluded her comments by stating that she knows everybody’s complaining about the mess the project has created in the city but she’s living there too. “I got the dust every day and the dirt and the mud,” Hendrick said. “You just got to deal with it until they get done, they’re working as hard as they can to get this stuff done, so just try to be patient, that’s all I ask.”
Mayor shares EDC info
Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche took time during her comments at the end of the meeting to share information from a recent Community Economic Development meeting. She said City Clerk Jason Bell gave a presentation on social district signs and getting the information, including the rules, out to the public. Bell also shared information about the city’s new farmer’s market that will be run by the city at the new Guy Community Center. The EDC also got a letter about helping sponsoring a kid’s day during Maritime Days, which they agreed to do and learned that a new city visitor’s guide is in the works.
