Last night’s Lowell City Council meeting was more notable for discussions about items not on the agenda than about the topics listed as action items. Riverside Drive, the Flat River, and a mayor exchange day with Middleville all received significant attention.
By the end of the hour-long meeting, it appeared that councilmembers were poised to cancel plans to repave the 900 block of Riverside Drive in response to repeated concerns raised by residents there about their water lines. And Mayor Mike DeVore ended the meeting by sharing that he was working with City Attorney Jessica Wood to change how people can interact with council during meetings because “public comment and agenda item comment has gotten so far out of hand.”
Riverside Repaving on the Chopping Block
During public comments, resident Perry Beachum commented on several matters. As a resident of the 900 block of Riverside Drive, he questioned information provided by City Manager Mike Burns about the cost to loop a water main down the 900 block of the road. Currently, eight residents need to run lateral pipes from Hudson Street to hook into the water system.
The city had applied for a grant to install a water main on Riverside Drive. That grant application was not successful, and the city no longer plans to add the water line. Several residents have pushed back on that decision, repeatedly addressing city council and stating concerns with poor water pressure and questioning why the city would repave the road without doing utility upgrades at the same time.
At the last meeting, Burns reiterated his opposition to adding the water line and said the cost of the project would be $190,000. He added that water rates would need to be increased 25% to pay for the expense. During his comments yesterday, Beachum asked if that increase was for only one year. He noted that the bonds for the work on Washington and Monroe were for millions of dollars and only increased the rates annually by 6%.
Councilmembers typically don’t respond to questions during public comments, but Burns said during his manager’s report that he wanted to address Beachum’s statement. He said the increase he referenced at the last meeting was a 14% increase in addition to a scheduled 9% increase.
“I can very easily show you how we got [the numbers],” he said, although he did not mention how long the increase would need to be in place to pay for the Riverside repairs.
At the end of the meeting, Councilmember Marty Chambers also addressed the issue, saying that he thought it might be best to pull Riverside Drive from the construction schedule until money could be found to pay for the water line. “We only need to tear up that road once, right?” he said, “So let’s just pull it from its scheduled time until we can find the money.”
Other councilmembers weren’t so sure. “I don’t want to make three blocks of a street mad for eight residents just because they’re more vocal,” DeVore said.
“You could do Riverside up to that spot,” Burns suggested.
“Oh, I’d be all for that,” DeVore responded.
Burns also noted that the water line wasn’t in the five-year capital plan, but plan projects could be moved around.
The city most recently made changes to its infrastructure plan when, last year, it added road and possibly utility work on Avery and Division Streets. In that case, the work wasn’t scheduled at the request of residents but rather to facilitate a high-density development. That project is currently stalled as neighbors who use Horatio Street have filed an objection in court to the street being vacated.
As for Riverside Drive, it was not clear at the end of the conversation as to the project’s status. Councilmember Jim Salzwedel said he had plans to meet with a resident who was concerned that their water was a “trickle,” but Burns said he thought the issue was likely with the homeowner’s line and not the city’s main.
Comments on Flat River
During public comments, resident Mark Ritzema shared that he had missed a previous meeting which included a discussion about the Flat River. However, he had heard that it would fall to the residents who live along the river to organize and pay for the clean-up of overgrown vegetation in the waterway.
“Can the city find a way of getting everyone involved?” Ritzema asked. Noting the Riverwalk Festival and other activities that happen around the Flat River, he said, “To put it (in) the hands of the people who live on the river seems a bit odd.”
“It’s not that we don’t want to be involved,” Councilmember Leah Groves said during her comments near the end of the meeting. “I think the ask is for the city to organize it all, and I don’t think that’s within our capacity.”
“Cities do not subsidize river clean-ups,” Burns added.
Later, DeVore said, “Don’t view our lack of commitment as a lack of desire. We are as passionate as you are.”
Concern About Cost of New Utility Plants
During public comments, resident Dennis Kent said that based on what he has read, it will cost $40 million to run sewer and water lines to a business park planned near the I-96 interchange. While the state has provided a $17.5 million grant, Kent says that leaves about $22 million for the project. He also noted that it appeared the cost of expanding the wastewater and water plants would fall to the city.
“I’m hoping some of that revenue sharing (from the 425 agreement) is allocated to the water and sewer system,” Kent said. However, he also noted that he understood Burns thought the systems should be self-sufficient and no tax dollars should be used for the facilities.
Beachum echoed Kent in his public comments. “I’m a little concerned (that) our potential rates keep going up and up and up,” he said. “I was hoping some of the tax dollars that come from that project will go to the (plant) expansion.”
There are open houses scheduled tonight, Aug, 20, and tomorrow, Aug, 21, for residents who want to learn more about the 425 agreement. The Tuesday open house will take place at Lowell City Hall from 6-8pm while the Wednesday open house will be at the same time at the Lowell Township Hall.
Mayor Exchange Day a Success
The City of Lowell participated in a mayor exchange day with the Village of Middleville. For this event, Lowell officials spent one day touring Middleville, and then village leadership came to Lowell for a similar day.
Councilmembers said Middleville had similar challenges to Lowell, but the recurring theme from councilmembers was how impressed the village leadership was with the city. During council comments at the end of the meeting, it was shared that Middleville had commented favorably on all the following:
- The Flat River
- The Englehardt Library
- The social district and minimal upkeep it required
- The cleanliness of Lowell facilities
- The unity of Lowell departments in working together
The Middleville contingent was “blown away” by Lowell, according to DeVore. “One of them said to me everything you guys do makes it a more welcoming and walkable community,” he said, also noting: “Our downtown is full. Theirs is not.”
Changes Coming to Public Comments
In his final comments for the night, DeVore said he was working with Wood to change how public comments are handled at meetings.
He said he first noticed a problem when the issue of marijuana arose in 2018 and 2019. More recently, he pointed to a discussion about the Flat River as a time when he noticed it again – “People just talking, saying whatever they wanted to say,” according to DeVore.
During that meeting, Rich Perry of Solitude Lake Management presented a proposal for addressing invasive milfoil and curly leaf in the Flat River. At one point, a man in the audience asked if he could ask a question, and Perry said sure. That kicked off an extended discussion about the nature of the overgrowth in the Flat River and how it could be addressed. The conversation was largely between Perry and members of the audience with some interjections from councilmembers and Burns.
DeVore said he was working with Wood to review how other communities handle public comments in a way that allows residents to be heard but also maintains order at meetings.
“In no version that I would bring to you would it be council question and answer,” DeVore said, adding that he felt that residents had plenty of avenues to get answers to their questions outside meetings.
“Mike (Burns) is here four days a week plus a lot more most weeks,” DeVore said. “He’s available. He’s more accessible than a lot of city managers.”
The mayor added that councilmembers were also around town for discussion if needed. “We’re available. You can find us,” he said. “This isn’t the place for that.”
Votes on Agenda Items
As for the three pieces of business on the agenda, Lowell councilmembers unanimously approved the following:
- Bloom Sluggett for ordinance prosecution work: The city uses Dickinson Wright for most of its legal services, but that firm no longer has attorneys available to handle ordinance prosecution cases for Lowell. The city is instead using Bloom Sluggett at a cost of $195 an hour.
- Repaving project for Lowell Airport: The Lowell Airport is spending $53,875 to repave a runway. While the project is being funded with a MDOT loan and will be repaid with airport revenue – not tax dollars – the expenditure still required council approval.
- Pink Arrow resolution: Pink Arrow will take place over three days this year, and the council approved a resolution commemorating the occasion.
The meeting adjourned at 7:53pm. The next regular meeting of Lowell City Council will be Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 7pm in Lowell City Hall.
Mayor Devore please resign. You and Burns don’t like to answer questions…look for ways to avoid questions in meetings through the city attorney? Maybe put that energy into answering questions? Might lead to fewer questions on other topics in the future. How can the river not be important to Lowell citizens? The rivers are what brought people to the area to settle. Of course it’s important. Just not quite enough desire right Mayor. Both Devore and Burns like the power just not all the responsibility that goes along with it. For the sake of Lowell resign.
With the completion of skateboard park, I have concern about childern walking across Boes Rd.The crosswalk and stop lines are not painted on the street and people are not stopping at the intersection.