The Lowell City Council met on Monday, December 5, for 34 minutes for what was the council’s last regular meeting of the year. On the agenda were four pieces of business, including the finalization of the Lowell Light & Power line shack sale and discussion of road construction projects for 2023. All council members were in attendance.
Public Comment: Fallasburg Historical Society’s Christmas Holiday Party
Craig Fonger, board president of the Fallasburg Historical Society, was there to invite the council and general public to the Society’s annual Christmas Holiday Party this Saturday, December 10, from 6-8 pm. Fonger said that this will be the first holiday party since the pandemic, and all were excited to have it back in the old Fallasburg schoolhouse, where food and refreshments would be served. The Hawks and Owls will be there providing music, and there is a suggested donation of $20 per person or $45 per family of 3 or more.
Line Shack Resolution: Sale Finalized
The topic of the sale of the line shack owned by Lowell Light and Power has been discussed at several council meetings now, and a resolution was offered for a vote at this meeting.
The motion was to approve the bid by Todd Schaal for $130,000 to purchase the property and develop it into a multi-family residential building. The motion passed, with Councilmember Cliff Yankovich being the only “no” vote.
At a previous meeting, Yankovich made mention of the fact that construction of the RiverView Flats condominiums, which Todd Schaal owns, is still not complete. He posited that the city should not sell another property for residential use to Schaal when the other project was not yet done.
Road Construction Projects for 2023- Grindle and Shepard
Public Works Director Dan Czarnecki presented a memo regarding a motion before the board to approve engineering designs for road construction projects on Grindle Drive and Shepard Blvd in 2023.
Czarnecki said that both roads needed reconstruction, and he was requesting that the board approve the engineering proposal for both roads by Williams & Works so that they could start reconstruction in the spring. The proposal cost from Williams & Works totals $41,000, and funds are expected to come from the state of Michigan’s tax on recreational marijuana sales.
The motion passed unanimously.
Other Council Action
Councilmembers took the following action on other items:
- Unanimous approval of a motion to approve a proposal presented by IP Consulting for IT managed services.
- Unanimous approval of the cancellation of the December 19, 2022 city council meeting.
Statement by Police Chief Hurst
Police Chief Chris Hurst warned that many businesses in the community had been plagued by scammers using counterfeit $100 bills to purchase an inexpensive item and then receive change back. These incidents are currently under investigation.
He also warned residents to lock their cars and make sure that they are not storing valuable items in their cars. He said that last week, a resident’s car was stolen, and the resident’s keys, purse and credit cards were all in the vehicle.
Manager Report and Councilmember Comments
In his report, City Manager Mike Burns noted that the residents at 990 N. Washington had moved out and the door had been padlocked. He said that there is still some trash on the property that will need to be removed, and exterminators would be coming hopefully next week.
All councilmembers commented that last weekend’s Santa Parade was a great success, and that it was nice to see such a great turnout despite the cold.
Councilmember Marty Chambers mentioned the issue of overnight parking in downtown lots and on Main Street and asked whether the council should consider permit stickers or designated parking spaces for residents that live and need to park downtown. He was concerned that allowing overnight parking on Main St. might make it difficult for plows to work this winter.
Yankovich mentioned that he wanted to dispel rumors that there was contamination in/around the property at 990 N. Washington. He said that the area had been checked by the Michigan DEQ in 2006 and 2007 and was found to have a “clean bill of health.”
Councilmember Jim Salzwedel said that the Saturday morning Coffee with the Council had a good turnout. He asked that the council consider in a future meeting some residents’ concerns about the parking lot and contaminated soil on the so-called Moose property. This property, south of Main Street, is owned by the city and was previously used by street sweepers to deposit debris. Contamination has been found in the soil there, and some people say it should be removed.
Councilmember Leah Groves commented that she attended the Santa Parade for the first time this past Saturday, and that it was wonderful events such as this that “…send shivers down my spine and remind me why I love Lowell.” She wished everyone a safe, happy and healthy holiday with loved ones.
Mayor Mike DeVore commented that he was sorry he had to miss the Santa Parade, as it sounded as if it was a resounding success.
The meeting adjourned at 7:34 pm. The next regular meeting of the Lowell City Council will take place in the new year, on Monday, January 2, at 7 pm.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 3pm on Dec. 8 to clarify that the property referenced by Salzwedel in his comments is city property and not owned by the Moose Lodge.
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