City Council Regular Meeting

Detailed briefing

City Council Meeting — 2025-11-17 | Date note: supplied meeting metadata lists Nov. 16, 2025 • Council approved the city’s 2026 MERS retirement contribution rates. Employees will continue contributing 12.42% of pay, while the city’s rate will rise from 15.08% to 15.48%. Staff said following the required rates helps prevent unfunded pension liabilities. • Council approved the annual Act 152 health-insurance opt-out, allowing the city to continue paying 100% of full-time employees’ premiums. The original premium increase was projected at 13.5%. Employees agreed to higher deductibles under a plan expected to limit the premium increase to about 8.7%. Police Chief Kyle Knight said the benefit is important for recruiting and retaining officers. Part-time employees are not eligible. • Seven material purchases for the electrical-substation project were approved. Council excluded the proposed yard-lighting system after members could not reconcile the vendor’s listed prices with the quoted total. Staff will ask the city’s engineer for clarification. Bidding for the actual substation construction was still expected to occur separately. • Council approved the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society’s exterior restoration proposal for the city-owned former city hall. The privately funded project was described as an approximately $200,000 investment. Plans include replacement siding, retention of original trim where feasible, and covering two east-side windows from the outside while leaving them visible inside. Preservation concerns about the windows were discussed. • A June 19, 2026 wedding ceremony in the southwest portion of Marina Park was approved as a low-impact event, with opposition. Conditions include no alcohol, shuttle transportation, prompt chair removal, restoration of moved park furniture, and responsibility for damage. The space will remain public rather than being cordoned off. Conflicting fee amounts were mentioned, so the final charge is unclear from the transcript. • Police Chief Kyle Knight was appointed interim city manager beginning December 16, when the current manager said his service ends, and continuing until a permanent manager starts. Council also directed staff to issue an RFP for executive-search firms, with proposals scheduled for council consideration December 8. Worth watching: 1. Whether the revised yard-lighting quote returns for approval and whether substation construction bidding proceeds. 2. The compensation and workload arrangements for the interim city manager, who said he intends to continue serving as police chief. 3. The city attorney’s requested research on conflict-of-interest questions connected to the Potter lawsuit; no deadline was stated. Upcoming: Planning Commission CIP review Nov. 20; initial council CIP and zoning-code review Dec. 1; lawsuit mediation Dec. 7; search-firm review Dec. 8; anticipated zoning hearing Dec. 15; interim manager begins Dec. 16. Why it matters: Council made near-term decisions affecting employee costs, major electrical infrastructure, public-park use, historic preservation, and continuity of city leadership.

Agenda items

• 4 · Consent Agendaapproved
• 5A · MERS Rates Resolutionapproved
• 5B · Healthcare Opt-Out Resolutionapproved
• 5C · City Council Re-Orientationdiscussed
• 5D · Substation Materials Quotes Selectionapproved
• 5E · Old City Hall Siding Replacement (Historical Society)approved
• 5F · Wedding Event at Marina Park - Parks Board Recommendationapproved
• 5G · City Manager Recruitment Processapproved
• 6 · Board and Commission Council Appointmentsapproved

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

Related issues

• Electric Infrastructurediscussed