Watch the Meeting – LINK for Monday’s march 18, 2026 meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmfILfuqpxI
Agenda for Monday March 16, 2026
4. City Council 3.16, 2026 Agenda Discussion Items
A. Tree Board Annual Report – Discussion
B. Harbor Springs Little League – Events on Public Property – Approval
C. Discussion on possible public vote to disband Tree Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Board, and Downtown Development Authority – Discussion
D. City Manager Interviews – Discussion/Approval
E. Approval of the Metro Act Agreement Fee Schedule for Surf Internet – Approval
F. Discussion on request for RFP for Zoning/Planning Services – Discussion
G. Evaluation of DPW Director – (Closed Session)
A Possible Framework for Monday
The goal is not to eliminate community involvement. How about a redesign, so it these groups work to benefit Harbor Springs and for the full range of people this town belongs to; for a Council with limited time; and for a staff team that has real utility work to do.
Also, so when the new City Manager comes onboard, the community is in agreement.
Parks and Recreation
Consider transitioning to open advisory panels that welcome participation from anyone who considers Harbor Springs home, regardless of voter registration status. The goal would be to broaden input while keeping decision-making authority with the Council. Each year, the panel could be asked to produce one clear, prioritized recommendation in advance of the October budget session. A simple digital input option could allow those who cannot attend meetings in person to share their views. The panel’s role would be to gather and synthesize community input, with Council continuing to review and act on recommendations independently.
Parks and Recreation Capital
As a pilot project, the City could explore a participatory budgeting approach for a small portion of the parks capital budget. Staff would develop a limited set of realistic options, and community members who have a connection to Harbor Springs would be invited to vote on priorities. Voting could be offered online, with an in-person option available as well. The purpose would be to see whether this approach increases participation, improves understanding of costs and tradeoffs, and encourages additional community support or fundraising.
Tree Board
Consider updating the structure of the Tree Board to ensure that its membership reflects the technical nature of some of the issues it reviews. Because the Board’s responsibilities can include matters related to bluff stability and other safety concerns, it may be appropriate for at least one member to have relevant professional expertise, such as a licensed civil or geotechnical engineer. This would help ensure that recommendations are informed by the type of technical knowledge these topics sometimes require, without changing the advisory role of the Board.
The mission of the advisory group would remain to provide input to City Council and City departments on tree-related issues, policies, and long-term planning, while supporting decisions that balance environmental goals, public safety, and infrastructure needs.
Utility Advisory Board
Consider establishing a formal advisory board for the municipal utility. Unlike some other committees, the utility involves complex technical, operational, and financial responsibilities, and represents a significant portion of the City’s overall budget. Because of this level of complexity, additional structured oversight and professional input could be beneficial.
An advisory board for the utility could include members with relevant experience, such as engineering, utility operations, or municipal finance, to help provide informed review of long-term planning, capital investments, and system reliability. The purpose would not be to replace staff or Council authority, but to provide an additional level of technical perspective on decisions that can have long-term financial and infrastructure impacts.
This type of focused, credential-based advisory group may be most appropriate in areas where the scale of investment and the complexity of the system require a higher level of specialized review.
Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
Consider clarifying the scope of authority and the relationship between the Downtown Development Authority and the City Council through a formal Council action. The roles, powers, and boundaries of a DDA are governed by Michigan Public Act 57 of 2018, and it may be helpful for the Council to reaffirm how those provisions are applied locally.
A clear resolution or policy statement adopted by Council could define expectations regarding oversight, reporting, and decision-making responsibilities. Establishing this understanding through a formal vote would provide a transparent governance structure and help ensure that all parties are operating under the same interpretation of their authority.
Providing this clarity would support good communication, reduce confusion about roles, and strengthen coordination between the DDA and the City Council going forward.
The Real Question for last Monday
The agenda item asks whether the current boards are serving the community effectively.
That question has an honest answer. But the more important question is what comes next.
Harbor Springs doesn’t need to choose between formal structure and no structure, between year-round residents and seasonal ones, between accountability and efficiency. Those are false choices produced by a governance model that was designed before most of the tools available today existed.
The town can build something better. It can engage the full community of people who consider this place home, reduce the process burden on Council and staff, close the accountability gap on the utility, and attract more capable, motivated contributors to advisory roles by removing the friction that currently keeps them out.
Monday is a good moment to start designing that. The tools exist. Other cities have done it. There is no good reason to keep running 1990 infrastructure on 2026 problems.