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July 2004 Status Report
It is my pleasure to once again submit for your review and information the monthly status report. If you should have any questions about any of the items listed, or if I failed to mention an item for which you would like some additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
1. Building Safety Department Official
We are pleased to announce that Brian Kench has accepted the position of Building Official. He has a number of years experience in the private and public sector as a contract building inspector for various counties and townships. He will begin work about the middle of August.
2. Fire Chief Selection Process
The latest round of interviews has been completed and reference checking continues. Hopefully a decision will be made in the next two to three weeks on the position.
3. Borden Building
We held a follow-up meeting with the JE Johnson Group this past week. Once again we looked at potential layouts of space in the building for city offices. They asked for some additional information from us which we are gathering and will provide the first week in August. No specific dollar costs were discussed at the meeting.
4. Meeting With The Road Commission
The City and County Liaison Committee met with the Road Commission on July 13th. At that time we talked about a number of issues, one of which was the intersection at Broomfield and Crawford.
I reported earlier that there were plans by the Road Commission to widen the intersection and install a traffic signal in 2005. Unfortunately we did not receive the grant we were anticipating. We are surprised that we did not receive the grant since we and the Road Commission agreed this was a priority, and usually the state and the federal government fund our joint priorities.
We asked if the Road Commission would at least install the light now, especially since Crawford will be the major detour route while the Old Mission Bridge is reconstructed. Widening could come later if and when the grant money is received. After some discussion they stated they would look at it. Since no grant money is available they will be looking at contributions from us and the Township for the traffic light project.
Other items discussed included the schedule for the bridge work and detour routes. We also talked about a connection to the South-127 interchange with Isabella Road. It was decided that we needed to begin contacts with our congressman and senators for this project, since most of the money will come from the federal government.
5. Downtown Development Director
We are in the process of accepting resumes for the position. I believe at this point we have received in excess of thirty. Interviews have been scheduled for August 10 and 11. We will keep you informed.
6. High Street Project
We have run into some construction problems with the project which has slowed the work somewhat, but it now seems to be back on track.
7. Washington Street
This project continues to run smoothly. As you can see they are doing the project in phases. As indicated earlier the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
8. Employee Health Plan Study
I mentioned previously that we had created an in-house Health Plan Committee and hired a consultant to help us look at ways of controlling our rising health care costs. We held our second meeting last week and the consultant reviewed with us a lot of data on our program costs both for medical services and prescription costs.
Our next meeting is scheduled for July 29th at which time the consultant will suggest a number of steps the City should consider to help us control our costs.
9. State Budget Status
As you know the state has passed the proposed tax increase on cigarettes. This was one of the key revenue enhancement proposals of Governor Granholm. The most recent information from the MML is that discussion on the proposed budget is heating up, but still not high profile. They also indicated that further revenue sharing cuts still remain off the table. Let's hope that this continues to be the case.
10. Michigan Municipal League
After over 20 years as Executive Director of the League, George Goodman has announced his retirement. It is my understanding that he will leave the League after the first of the year.
Mike Brady, the head of the League's lobbying efforts, is leaving the League to take a similar position in the private sector.
11. City Budget
You have probably already reviewed the minutes from the most recent Budget Committee meeting. I will therefore not go into detail but just state that we are making good progress on the budget, though we are still forced with some tough decisions. I want to take the opportunity to thank the Commission for their input on possible budget priorities.
12. Family Recreation Center Task Force
The next meeting of the Task Force is Friday, July 30th. The consultants have prepared for their review a series of the different layouts with costs, as well as recommendations on various locations. The Task Force will begin to make some decisions on the scope of the project so that they can begin to form their recommendations to the City and County.
13. Old Water Well Building
There was an open house last week for the new salon in the old Well Building #1 located in front of Mountain Town Station. The owners have done a very nice job with the conversion of the building.
14. Mt. Pleasant Realty
I am sure you know that reconstruction has begun on their building. I saw a rendering of their proposed building and it looks very nice and in character with the other buildings downtown. I heard they hope to be in the building by the end of the year.