Approximately a dozen people sat in on last night’s City Council meeting. All business on the agenda was covered in 20 minutes in a routine meeting.
Approval of Agenda Items
The first of four agenda items was approving a resolution giving Big Boiler Brewing an industrial facilities exemption certificate and granting them an industrial facility tax credit. The resolution was approved for a timeframe of five years with the option of renewing for an additional seven years. There was no citizen comment during the public hearing and no council discussion prior to their vote.
The second item addressed was approving a resolution to renew a five-year agreement with Rockford EMS. Mayor Mike DeVore asked a few questions about the document indicating he met with Lowell Area Fire Department Chief van Overbeek. A quarterly report will be given to the City indicating response times, number of calls, etc. The majority of the agreement will remain the same. Rockford EMS leases their space at the city owned building which is operational 24 hours a day.
Next on the agenda was approval of using Williams and Works for consulting and facilitating the wayfinding project. Funds from this project are from a grant. The Parks and Rec board will be included in discussion to ensure signs around the city and in parks complement each other.
Finally, councilmembers approved the purchase of a flail mower which is used to cut thicker grass and small shrubs. These mowers are commonly used to mow the sides of roads such as a freeway.
City Manager Report and Council Comments
City Manager Mike Burns indicated councilmember iPads should be delivered this week or next week.
He also mentioned he and City Clerk Sue Ullery have attended some informational sessions on Michigan Redevelopment Ready Communities put on by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Finally, he reminded residents when cleaning up leaves they should not be put into the street. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to dispose of leaves.
A common theme when it came to council comments was the Community Clean Up Day this past weekend. It was a busy and successful morning. Over 400 came through and more than twice the amount of items expected was dropped off.
Councilmembers Hodges, Canfield, and Chambers all attended a conference in Novi on the topic of medical marijuana dispensaries. The three indicated they learned some new things and found most of the information presented informative. While no decisions on the issue have been made for the city of Lowell, councilmembers are further educated on the topic whenever it is discussed.
Meeting Information
The next City Council meeting will take place in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall on Monday, October 16 at 7 pm. Meeting minutes and agendas can be found on the city’s website. And meetings can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel. Or check in with Lowell’s First Look after each meeting for a recap of what happened.
You can also listen to meetings live at WRWW, the Lowell High School’s radio station. Tune in at 92.3 or listen on their webpage during meetings.
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