By Barb Pert Templeton
The Nov. 21 regular bi-monthly meeting of the Marine City Commission included a heavy agenda for a meeting that lasted two hours and 23 minutes. All members of the commission were present at the meeting.
Here are some highlights:
Commission’s 2025 meeting schedule set
City Clerk Jason Bell presented officials with a proposed meeting schedule for 2025. The city commission normally meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 p.m.
Marine City Clerk Jason Bell proposed a few small changes to the city commissions’ 2025 meeting schedule.
Bell began by proposing that the January meetings be bumped to the second and fourth Tuesdays, Jan. 8 and 23, just to allow proper preparations for the meetings amid the holidays. The next change he suggested was to cancel or reschedule – the Thursday, July 3 meeting due to the July Fourth holiday. “I think it’s more beneficial to do this at this point and put this information out to the public now instead of doing the notices that they are cancelled or rescheduled at the time,” Bell said.
Members of the commission unanimously approved Bell’s suggestions for the coming year’s schedule.
“Should we need any meetings in these time frames we can always call them,” Commissioner Brian Ross said. “For the public’s benefit this doesn’t mean we’re not doing the city’s business but vacations being vacations and holidays being holidays this makes a lot of sense.”
City announces board vacancies
Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche said she wanted to announce current vacancies on several city boards. She said there are three vacancies on the city’s Historic Commission and also three seats open on the Dangerous Building Board of Appeals. Vandenbossche said the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals currently has two vacancies. Applications for the positions must be submitted to the city clerk by Wednesday, Nov. 27 at noon.
Hendrick remains Mayor Pro Tem
After being nominated by Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche to remain in the position of Mayor Pro Tem for the city, Lisa Hendrick was unanimously approved to serve in that capacity for the next two years. Hendrick was elected to another four-year term on the city commission on Nov. 5 and Vandenbossche was voted in for another two-year term.
Board appointments okayed
A city commission representative for the Community and Economic Development Board had Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche nominating herself to fill the role. The commission was unanimous in her approval to the post. City Commissioner Brian Ross was nominated to serve as the city commission representative on the Marine City Historic Commission. The mayor’s selection of Ross was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick. Next up Commissioner
William Klaassen was approved to be city commission representative for the planning commission and then Hendrick was appointed the city commission representative for the pension board of trustees. The 300 Broadway Advisory Committee will have Ross as the city commission representative.
New city signs
City Manager Michael Reaves showed the commission, via a handout, signs that will be purchased to place at the entrances to the city. DPW Superintendent Aaron Atkinson put the sign plan together and submitted a memo to the city manager with a price quote from Tag Time & Graphics LLC. The memo stated that the company was going to do a total of six signs and would not charge for two of them. The amount quoted for the signs was $1,900 but it was noted that was not the final price it would likely be lower when all was said and done. There was no need for a formal approval for the signs, Reaves just included the plan in the commission packets as a courtesy.
