City Council Meeting - 2024-10-21

Detailed briefing

Harbor Springs City Council — October 21, 2024 • Council adopted a resolution recognizing Police Officer Josh Johnson for 25 years of service. Police leadership credited Johnson with mentoring younger officers, maintaining a professional image and leading the department’s traffic enforcement without generating citizen complaints about how he handles stops. • The Montag Group presented its interest in the former Daifuku facility near the airport. The company is under contract to buy the privately owned building and land while seeking to lease the city-owned portion of the site. Its proposed operation would manufacture steel equipment used to make concrete products, rather than manufacture concrete at the Harbor Springs-area facility. Council supported continued negotiations by consensus, but did not approve a lease. • The lease under discussion would run for 20 years with two possible 10-year extensions. Montag representatives asked whether future expansion could be allowed because the company wants room for long-term growth. Any construction would still need to comply with township zoning, building requirements and airport-related restrictions. The company also said it intends to improve the building’s exterior. • Council reviewed an inventory of approximately 16 city alleys and input from 19 residents. Staff found no consistent neighborhood position on paving, maintenance or abandonment. Some residents want better access, snow removal and surface maintenance; others prefer alleys to remain unimproved or oppose vacation. Council discussed obstructions, possible street classification, special assessments and the public value of maintenance, but made no policy decision. • Council approved a $20,000 agreement to purchase part of a White Road property for a future electric substation and authorized City Manager Victor Sadowski to sign it. Nancy Rondell cast the recorded opposing vote. The purchase is conditioned on township approvals, title and easement matters, and financing. Staff said the prior project estimate was about $5.8 million, with roughly $460,000 in added costs associated with this location and underground lines. • Staff reported that capital improvement projects are being scored, fall leaf and brush collection is underway, and city beach bathrooms are closed for the season. The draft economic development strategy is expected to return to council in late November or early December. Worth watching: 1. Whether lease terms with the Montag Group address expansion, exterior upkeep and the city’s long-term revenue interests. 2. Whether council develops consistent standards for alley maintenance, snowplowing, obstructions and abandonment. 3. Whether the substation property receives required township approvals and easements before closing. Upcoming: The next council meeting is November 4 at noon; capital improvement planning and budget work are expected later in November and December. Why it matters: Council advanced a major electric infrastructure site and a potential industrial tenant while leaving alley policy and several development conditions unresolved.

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