MANISTEE — The public will have a chance to comment on Manistee’s 2022-23 budget and capital improvement plan.
A public hearing is slated for 7 p.m. on April 19 during Manistee City Council’s regular meeting at city hall. The budget must be adopted no later than May 15 each year.
An optional budget session is slated for April 26; it is expected that the budget will be adopted during the council’s May 3 meeting.
The budget was introduced during the April 5 city council meeting, and a work session was conducted on April 12.
On April 5, City of Manistee Chief Financial Officer Ed Bradford gave an overview of the 2023 budget.
Bradford’s presentation noted the following key points:
- The general fund (exclusive of American Rescue Plan Act) is balanced but contributes $100,000 of reserves to the city Motor Pool.
- There is a taxable value increase of 5.4% for properties in Manistee.
- A Headlee Rollback decreases the millage rate from 17.5533 to 17.2443.
- A 3.5% water and sewer rate increase is proposed.
- A 4.3% refuse rate increase is proposed.
- There is a proposed 0.5 mill increase in the refuse millage for PFAS remediation.
- The citywide budget funds $9,676,800 in capital improvement projects.
However, during the April 12 work session, council members were concerned about a proposed 0.5 mill increase in refuse millage for PFAS remediation as well as proposed water and sewer rate increases.
“On the refuse side, we have a fixed contract with Republic Services that escalates every year. As to our other costs and that fund — we have to be able to cover those,” Bradford said on April 12.
Mayor Lynda Beaton said that while she understood the reasoning, the budget lacked any relief for Manistee residents.
She proposed freezing water and sewer rates this year and using a portion of the $900,000 the city received from a combination of American Rescue Plan Act funds and money from the state excise tax as part of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act that exceeded what was expected.
The proposed budget is available for review on the city’s website manisteemi.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=822 or at city hall.
“The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of (Tuesday’s public hearing),” according to agenda documents. “A rate adjustment to water and sewer and refuse services will also be reviewed.”
On Tuesday, council also will consider a demolition bid for a house at 150 Monroe St. Courts have ordered the demolition, according to the city council agenda, after the house sustained damage in a fire in May 2021.
Bolle Contracting LLC, of Clare, submitted a bid for $12,960 for demolition. The city has received $13,000 for the work from the insurance company, according to the agenda documents.
The following items are also on the agenda:
- Council will consider a request to grant right of entry to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for access to complete construction work on the South Breakwater. Improvements are planned to begin in late 2022 and be completed in 2023. Access to the area will be through First Street Beach/Douglas Park. “The city has plans to repave Lakeshore Drive and upgrade the lower parking lot in the spring of 2023. We have been in contact with the USCOE to continue coordinating these projects,” reads a memo from Jeff Mikula, Manistee director of public works.
- Based on recommendations from the city’s water tower consultant, Dixon Engineering, the city has improvements planned for both water towers. Seven bids were received. Council could take action to approve a contract for the low bidder, L.C. United Painting Co., Inc., for $291,000. The industrial park tower will receive exterior paint overcoating, and the Maywood
Tower will receive internal painting. - Sheila Kaminski will provide a report on the Alternatives for Area Youth, which provides free or low-cost activities in a supervised environment for young people in the community by operating the Rec at Sands Park.