ESCANABA — A wide variety of items will be addressed at today’s Escanaba City Council meeting, ranging from purchasing equipment for the city’s water treatment plant to revitalizing Ludington Street and the Municipal Dock.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Two public hearings are planned for today’s agenda.

The first hearing is on an amendment to the city’s annual appropriations ordinance. The amendment is required to be adopted by state law and balances out the budget to ensure that there are not overruns on individual line items.

The second public hearing is on a resolution approving a $35,000 loan through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) / Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program to LeverEdge Chiropractic PLLC. The loan will be used for the business to purchase equipment and provide working capital, resulting in the hire of one new employee who has been previously classified as low- to moderate-income.

ELECTRIC

The city’s administration is requesting the council approve a resolution withdrawing the city from Great Lakes Utilities, a Wisconsin-based municipal electric company. According to the resolution, the city no longer requires membership with GLU due to the cancellation of a services agreement through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), an independent, not-for-profit organization that manages electric grid operations.

The council will also vote on whether to sign an agreement with the Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin (MEUW) for annual linemen safety training. If approved, the city would pay an annual $16,000 fee for training services.

MARINA

The council will vote on the approval of new dock number signs for pier 1 and pier 3 at the Escanaba Municipal Marina. The existing signs are made from spray-painted plywood and are heavily damaged or missing.

ROAD CLOSURE

Great Lakes First Federal Credit Union is requesting the council close the 2100 block of 3rd Place on July 28 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. for the credit union’s annual Member Appreciation Day.

BONIFAS ARTS CENTER

The William Bonifas Fine Arts Center is requesting the council approve a 2023-2024 service agreement in the amount for $5,000. Under the terms of the agreement, the Bonifas will provide six to eight exhibitions in the Alice Powers Gallery at the Bonifas Fine Arts Center, six on-stage or radio plays, a minimum of 40 classes in the creative and visual arts, and workshops that are available to the citizens of Escanaba.

The agreement is a budgeted item that appears before the council annually.

The Bonifas is also asking the council to approve a resolution of support for a grant application to the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs to support the Music Monday’s summer concert series in Ludington Park. If approved, the city would serve as the administrator of the funds.

HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

The city’s administration is requesting the council approve a 2023-2024 service agreement with the Delta County Historical Society. If approved, the city will pay the historical society $2,000 for continued work and new exhibits at the historical society’s museum and lighthouse. The contribution is included in the city’s budget.

SPLASH PAD

The city recreation department is requesting the council approve a contract between the city and engineering and architectural firm C2AE for engineering services for the proposed Webster Park Splash Pad, which is slated to be installed at the former Webster Wading Pool. The contract for engineering services would cost the city $17,000.

PUBLIC WORKS

The Escanaba Public Works department is requesting the council approve the purchase of a 2023 tandem plow truck from UP Truck Center in Quinnesec with a body package from Monroe Truck Equipment.

WATER

The city’s water department is requesting the city council authorize hiring any contractor qualified, licensed and insured to install water service lines as part of the city’s ongoing lead service line replacement project. Contractors retained for the project will be paid at a rate of $3,150 for a half-service or $6,000 for an entire service per site or address, whichever is deemed necessary by the water department.

The approval of contractor hires also authorizes a number of additional costs that will be dependent on the individual service, such as the cost of dewatering a site or the replacement of especially long services.

The water department will also request the council approve the purchase of a new generator for the water treatment plant Thursday. If approved, the generator will be purchased from Fabick Power Systems of Green Bay, Wis., for an amount not to exceed $113,700, including a $4,000 contingency.

DDA

The council will receive an update from the Downtown Development Authority on proposed restrooms in the Municipal Dock area and streetscaping at the eastern end of Ludington Street during Thursday’s meeting. A “Ludington Street Workgroup” has been formed and is working on possibilities for a Revitalization and Placemaking Program (RAP 2.0) grant through the Michigan Department of Economic Development that would be used to fund the proposed upgrades.

PUBLIC SAFETY

A new recruit could soon be joining the Escanaba Public Safety Department. The council will be asked to approve up to $15,000 for the sponsorship of a public safety recruit, on the understanding that the rest of the position will be funded through $24,000 in expected grant funds.

Escanaba Public Safety has also received grant funds to replace its extrication equipment. The department will ask the council Thursday to authorize the use of $38,755.05 of these funds to cover the equipment costs.