City Council Meeting - 2020-01-20

Detailed briefing

City Council Meeting — January 20, 2020 • Council approved payment of reviewed bills except an IGA invoice. Discussion identified an $8.58 credit and a supporting receipt that had not been included with the materials. The IGA invoice was excluded and is expected to return for approval. • Council approved the second annual Harbor Springs Ice Fest and Chili Cook-off, scheduled for February 7-8 in downtown Harbor Springs. Plans include more than 40 ice sculptures, carving demonstrations, a dueling chainsaw competition, chili cook-off, live music, sled dogs, carriage rides and s’mores. The event organizers requested downtown use, city assistance with snow removal and related setup, electric power and a generator, and approval for student fundraising sales of hot chocolate and soda. • The council discussed closing parts of Main Street and nearby areas for festival demonstrations and carriage rides. Members raised concerns about parking and access, particularly near the church and Zorn Park. The approval included street-closure planning, with details to be worked out between event organizers and city staff. • Council approved a two-year renewal of the Chamber of Commerce lease at the Blackbird Museum under essentially the existing terms. Staff said the city is still exploring a possible future expansion of museum use in the building and potential future locations for the Chamber. • The after-hours electric reconnection fee was increased from $110 to $250. Staff said reconnecting service after normal work hours can require calling out a lineman for a minimum two-hour, time-and-a-half assignment, with estimated city costs of roughly $200 to $250. The normal-hours reconnection fee remains $110. • Council approved approximately $28,000 in additional repair work for the State Street electric generator after further damage was found during inspection. Staff said repair would likely take about a month, compared with an approximately four-month wait for a replacement component. Council also approved a $12,500 Komatsu snow bucket and pusher purchase, below the $13,000 capital-plan estimate. Worth watching: • The excluded IGA invoice still needs supporting documentation and future council approval. • Festival street-closure, parking and access details remain to be finalized. • High water levels have delayed the Bay Street infrastructure project; staff plans to shift work to West Third Street. Upcoming: Ice Fest is scheduled for February 7-8; staff hopes to launch online payment options after a planned software upgrade, potentially in March. Why it matters: The meeting combined downtown event planning with utility-cost recovery, equipment reliability and changes to the city’s capital-work schedule.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.