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October 2001 Status Report
It is my pleasure to once again submit my monthly status report for your review and information. If you should have any questions about any of the items listed, please do not hesitate to contact me.
1. SmartZone
At the last Commission meeting a question was raised as to the overall budget and expenditures for the SmartZone. As you know, we received a $2 million loan from the MEDC to finance this project. The budget is as follows:
Contract/Item Amount
JBS contract to finish building* $ 773,000
Contingency (2%) 15,000
Furniture 300,000
Banners - finish for the ceiling 50,000
Utilities 12,000
Architectural fees* 55,000
Installation of cable* 90,000
Internal networking 55,000
IBM computer 650,000TOTAL: $2,000,000
*Contracts awarded
Bob Berry, the Chief Information Officer for CMU, tells me he is still in negotiations with IBM for the purchase of the computer and support for the system. You have already authorized the purchase of the computer, so we will not be coming back to the Commission for that expenditure.
2. Construction Projects
As fall quickly approaches, we are winding down on many of our construction projects. Preston Street is completed, and this week we will be finishing up Tomah and Wendrow Way, also in the southwest quadrant of the City. Currently underway is the overlay project on various streets. The weather has not been cooperating, so some of the work may have to be delayed until spring. Since Duane Ellis prepares his own monthly status report, I will not go into any more detail here.
3. Phone System
As you know, we are getting a new phone system. We had originally planned to have it operational by the end of September, but Verizon was not ready, and we decided to postpone the changeover until November. The schedule now is to have the system on-line on November 14th. As I indicated earlier, we will provide public information on the changeover prior to the actual date.
4. Wastewater Treatment Plant Project
This project is moving along very well. All of the concrete for the new oxidation towers has been poured. The media material that will go inside the towers should be delivered in November. They have also begun some of the work on the existing plant, and we remain on schedule for completion some time in April.
5. Public Safety Building
Construction is also progressing on the Public Safety Building. Walls and steel are beginning to go up on the new equipment bay area and the addition to the back of the building.
6. Deer Harvest
As you know, we are planning to begin the deer harvest on November 1st. We received applications from six or seven hunters, and we will be testing them in the very near future.
7. Fire Funding
I explained the status of our fire funding at the most recent budget work session. While not successful in getting additional funding, we did raise the consciousness of the legislators in Lansing about our need and the justification for an increase in funding. I think we would have been more successful if it was not for the budget situation in Lansing. Needless to say we will continue our efforts to get increased funding. The Mayor sent letters to Representative Caul and Senator Emmons thanking them for their support during this effort.
8. Project 2000 Tax Case
As you know, this matter has been pending for a number of years. We have finally been scheduled for a hearing the last week in November. Four days have been set aside, but our attorney anticipates that it will take only two days. Once the hearing is completed, we anticipate it will be a few months before we get a decision from the judge.
9. Airport Hangar
The hangar is under construction, with the sides and roof currently going on. We anticipate that the building should be completed within the next few weeks. Needless to say, air traffic was stopped after the September 11th incident, but Duane tells me that the traffic is picking up again as well as jet fuel sales.
10. Bill McCracken
I am pleased to be able to tell you that Bill McCracken has returned to work as of October 5th.
11. Art In Public Places
As you know, we received a grant of $4,000 toward this project. Tony Kulick has been meeting with the artist, property owners and business people who have contributed $500 each toward the project. I think this will be a very neat project for the City, and I look forward to the artist completing some of his first sculptures.
12. Airport Improvements
In addition to the hangar project we also received about $120,000 for taxiway and other improvements. This work has now been completed. In addition, we are working with Union Township to do a special assessment for the construction of a sewer line to serve the hangar and terminal.
13. Two Percent Allocations
All of the applications were submitted by September 30th. The priority list that was prepared by the City Commission at its October 1st meeting was forwarded to the Tribal Administrator for Council consideration. It is my understanding that they will start looking at the applications some time in the next couple of weeks and that decisions will be announced by the third or fourth week in November.
14. Tribal Luncheon
Back in September we held a luncheon with the Tribal Council and the Isabella County Board of Commissioners. I think the luncheon went very well and the Tribal Council was quite pleased with our presentation of a plaque recognizing their contributions to the community. Some time in the near future we will be scheduling our next quarterly meeting with Tribal staff.
15. Industrial Park-South
We should see construction begin soon on two new buildings in the Park, including the new manufacturing facility for Konwinski Construction and a facility for Bill's Custom Fab. With the construction of these two facilities there will only be one building site remaining in the park.
16. Youth Violence Task Force
As you know, Bill Yeagley has indicated that we need approximately $150,000 to implement all of the recommendations in the Youth Violence Task Force report. At the invitation of the Tribal Council, Bill Yeagley made a presentation to the Council about the report and the need for the $150,000. As you know, we also submitted a two percent request for the funding, so I assume we will hear sometime towards the end of November if we will receive money for this project.
17. Crawford Road Paving
As you know, we have been trying for some time to raise sufficient funds to pave Crawford Road from Pickard to River Road. We were approached a couple of years ago by the citizens in the new subdivision at the corner of River and Crawford Roads, who asked that we pave the road.
Some may ask why we would pave the road since a portion of it is not in the City of Mt. Pleasant. A few years ago we reached an agreement with the Road Commission that since we maintained the road almost halfway to River Road from Pickard, that in exchange for them maintaining some City roads, we would maintain that road and accepted it into our system.
We have estimated the cost of the project at approximately $175,000. At this point in time we have approximately $147,000 available: $75,000 from the City General Fund, $50,000 from a Tribal 2% allocation; and $22,600 reallocated from a previous 2% grant for a traffic model. In addition to this amount, the Road Commission has committed $4,400 and the Township has approved $5,000 for a total of $157,000. This means we are approximately $18,000 short of our needs, and we have decided to proceed to bid to see if we can bring the project within the budget amount available. If not, then we will have to look for some other funds or pave only a portion of the road covered by our budget.
18. Mission Creek Sledding Hill
We have received complaints in the past about the sledding hill at the park. We have hired a contractor who is reshaping the hill, widening it, increasing the height and changing the slope to about a 25% slope. This should make the hill safer for sledding.