Dear Members of our City Council,
As Harbor Springs enters a period of administrative transition, this is an appropriate time to reaffirm the responsibilities within our council-manager form of government. The City Council sets policy and legislative direction. The City Manager implements those policies and oversees the day-to-day operations of the city. The direction you set will determine whether municipal resources are focused on the long-term needs of residents or diverted toward less essential priorities.
Many residents have closely followed the city’s policy discussions over the past several years. What has become increasingly clear is need to refocus municipal priorities on the maintenance and resilience of Harbor Springs’ core infrastructure. We need to build a bridge among the community members to get that done.
Several City Council members have already raised important perspectives that could serve as a constructive starting point.
Mayor Tom Graham has often emphasized the importance of treating city operations with the same accountability and oversight found in well-run organizations. His view that city boards and projects should regularly report on results and expenditures reflects a practical approach to municipal management and stewardship of public resources. Mayor Graham explicitly requested that the city implement an annual review for all boards and commissions to gauge their ROI. He stated, “I’d like to review everything you do every year in business… just curious how much money all the different boards spent or request for spending across the city and what they completed”. He suggested having board chairs present this financial and accomplishment data annually to prove their worth.
Councilwoman Wendy Reeve has consistently repeated the need to prioritize maintenance of existing infrastructure—sidewalks, waterfront facilities, and other essential assets—before committing and investing in new amenities or expansion projects. Her focus on fiscal discipline and careful evaluation of capital priorities reflects the concerns many residents share.
Councilwoman Jamie Mielke has been asking for budgetary explanations of all costs having to do with events held on City Property. Wheather that detail can be accumulated before the new City Manager takes a seat at the table – her requests should be gathered by the chairs of the Parks and Recreation (ie: Events) working with City Hall staff.
Councilwoman Kathy Motschall rather than critiquing the workmanship of the boards, Motschall has actively advocated for better training and support for volunteer board members. She strongly praised the creation of an orientation and expectation packet for new board members, drawing on her own experience joining the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). She noted that it can be overwhelming to be thrown into voting on complex issues without prior background assistance, and stated that a clear understanding of board responsibilities is a great way to start.
We found that Councilwoman Jeannie Benjamin questions the City’s role in entertainment. When asked what types of spaces or parks the city should prioritize, Benjamin questioned the necessity of extensive municipal programming. She stated, “Is it the city’s responsibility to make sure that people are entertained I think our parks are beautiful,” suggesting that with the natural amenities available (water, kayaks), the city does not have the population to justify heavily organized activities. Benjamin’s focus has been on overall budget prioritization.
These perspectives point to a clear and practical principle: before expanding amenities or undertaking new initiatives, the city must first secure the reliability and sustainability of its essential systems. At its core, this is not a debate about limiting progress—it is about sequencing it responsibly. By aligning around shared priorities and strengthening the foundation first, Harbor Springs has an opportunity to build a bridge across the community and move forward with greater clarity, trust, and long-term stability.
DDA: The newly initiated Streetscape project and other Downtown Development Authority (DDA) beautification initiatives may appear to some at first misaligned with more urgent priorities facing Harbor Springs residents. Or are they ? We can discuss the projects that draw upon general fund resources that may be needed for long-term infrastructure resilience. The maintenance costs associated with these improvements will also continue long after construction is complete, potentially limiting the city’s ability to address critical needs such as electricity security and storm preparedness. Can the businesses in the downtown district help the residents by these improvements?
Zoning: The city’s continued reliance on Beckett & Raeder International (BRi) as a planning consultant has raised legitimate concerns among residents. Previous zoning and planning initiatives associated with the firm have often produced proposals that the community felt were insufficiently vetted or lacked broad public support. As the city moves forward, it may be prudent for the Council to evaluate whether alternative planning partners could be a better choice to facilitate transparent, community-driven planning.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) for zoning consultants has been brought to the City Council for discussion, and the City Council sent the discussion to the Planning Commission for more discussion. Harbor Springs is at a pivotal moment. After several years working with the same planning consultant, it is both responsible and standard practice to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to ensure the city is receiving the best expertise, perspective, and value available.
An RFP is not a criticism—it is good governance. It invites fresh ideas, allows for comparison, and reinforces public confidence that decisions are being made with transparency and care. In a small, fully built-out community like ours, where each planning decision has lasting impact, taking the time to evaluate options is not a delay—it is due diligence.
Parks: Discussion in the community also asks if it is time to reconsider the direction of parks development. Parks are one of Harbor Springs’ greatest assets, but their primary purpose should serve residents first rather than function primarily as expanded tourism attractions. Harbor Springs has 18 parks to maintain. Can or should continued park expansion increase maintenance costs and divert funding away from essential infrastructure needs? There is a financial formula in place to budget this when parks are upgraded with maintenance required improvements. A question is, has that formula worked and is it enough money?
Can we have a Utility Board? In light of many of these concerns, residents have spoken up and feel that the city’s priorities should shift toward strengthening foundational systems — including sidewalks, electrical reliability, storm preparedness, sewer and other critical infrastructure. The recent ice storm demonstrated how vulnerable our electrical systems can be. Ensuring the security and resilience of Harbor Springs’ electrical infrastructure should be among the highest priorities for the next City Manager and City Council, if not number one.
Harbor Springs is a small community with limited resources. The perspectives already expressed by members of the current Council — emphasizing stewardship of public assets, fiscal responsibility, and infrastructure maintenance — offer a constructive foundation on which new leadership can build.
Our Ask: We respectfully encourage the City Council to guide the city toward policies that strengthen infrastructure, consider how to preserve Harbor Springs character, and ensure that public resources are directed first toward the towns’ utilities and then to the needs of the residents, full time and seasonal who call this community home.
Sources
Attending meetings, transcripts, meeting minutes and interest in the goings on in Harbor Springs.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The Council-Manager Form of Government.
ICMA explains that in the council-manager system, the elected council sets policy and legislative direction, while the city manager is responsible for implementing those policies and overseeing day-to-day municipal operations.
National Civic League. Model City Charter (9th Edition).
The Model City Charter describes the council-manager system as one in which the council establishes policy priorities and the professional manager administers municipal services and operations.
Michigan Municipal League. Handbook for General Law Village and City Officials.
The handbook notes that Michigan city councils establish policy and fiscal priorities, while the city manager carries out those policies and manages the administration of city departments.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Effective Working Relationships Between Councils and Managers.
ICMA emphasizes that clear policy direction from the council and professional administrative execution by the manager are essential for effective local governance.