NEGAUNEE — The Negaunee City Council will hold two public hearings during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 18 at the Negaunee Senior Center.

The subject of the first hearing will be a proposed Community Development Block Grant for improvements to the senior center building. The city is requesting nearly $653,500 in CDBG funds for the project.

The second hearing will be on two proposed ordinance amendments. The first amendment would create the Negaunee Downtown Development Authority, and the second would establish a tax increment financing, or TIF, plan to fund the DDA’s operations.

The TIF plan works by freezing the taxable value of a property at what it was when the DDA’s district was established, then collecting or “capturing” any property value increases beyond that amount each year.

The council will consider the first reading of the ordinance amendments following the public hearing.

The agenda also includes the first reading of a proposed ordinance amendment to reduce the membership of the Negaunee Planning Commission from seven to five members. In addition, the council will consider a proposed ordinance amendment reducing the number of members on the Negaunee Commission on Aging from nine to seven members.

Councilors will also consider a resolution of support for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 utility tunnel.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.