Kurt Lehmkuhle.
By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Following a public hearing Monday evening, June 5th, the Clare City Commission approved the projected 2023-24 fiscal budget for the City with expenditures totaling $15,203,739.78 and revenues at $17,167,747.36 for all City funds. The totals for all funds shows $1,964,007.60 more in revenues than in expenses.
In the City’s General Fund, Revenues total $3,767,196.75 and expenditures total $4,163,206.90 leaving a shortfall of $396,009.25, which will be covered from the City’s fund balance. The fund balance is projected to be approximately $1.1 million at the end of the fiscal year in June 2025.
This is the projected budget, Treasurer Shannon Sirpilla said. “The numbers could change during the year depending on changes in income and expenses.”
“For example, Sirpilla said, “There will be more coming in until the end of the month which is also the end of the fiscal year, so there will be budget adjustments in the budget for the current year just ending.”
The Fee and Rate Schedule for the coming year was also approved at the regular meeting June 5th.
The City Staff reviews and recommends appropriate changes to the schedules. Changes for the coming year include:
*Change PA 425 request item to District II Transfer Request
*Tax Exemption Program Application price from $150 to $200
*False Alarm Fees from $35 for 3rd & subsequent alarms to $50
*Parking between sidewalk & curb infraction from $15 to $25
*Parking too far from curb infraction from $15 to $25
*Fire supplies/miscellaneous rates to be determined per incident.
*Increase in utility deposit fees.
*A 3% increase in waste service fees this fiscal year.
*A perpetual water and sewer service rate increase of 3% annually until such time that
enterprise funds become sufficient to cover water and sewer infrastructure [expenses]
improvements, at which time the amount of increase will be evaluated.
Changes are recommended by the City Staff to cover the actual costs of services. “Approval of the fee and rate schedule ensures that the City is not subsidizing its costs for services and in the case of water and sewer fees, will promote the Dity’s ability to continue accomplishing future water and sewer projects and improvements,” the agenda report said.
The next item on the agenda June 5th was the approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement with Clare County for Early Voting Services.
The agreement will assist not only the City but township with the expanses of conducting nine days of early voting, a measure adopted in last November’s election. To do this, the Clare County Board of Commissioners approved the hiring on an Elections Coordinator at the County to manage and run consolidated early voting for the nine days prior to an election at the County with no cost attributable to the jurisdictions. County Clerk Lori Martin and County Administrator Lori Phelps developed the proposed intergovernmental services agreement for early voting for all State and Federal Elections. The agreement expires December 31, 2024.
In his report to the Commission, City Manager Jeremy Howard reported that Mechanical dredging is going on again in Shamrock Lake. He introduced the new dredging operator Kurt Lehmkuhle to the Commission at the meeting. Kurt comes to the City from K7S Underground of Midland where he has been an operator since 2020. He now lives in Harrison.
He also reported the Clare has been recognized again for environmental leadership by the statewide Michigan Green Communities program. Clare received a silver seal of achievement for “energy efficiency, renewable energy, materials management, water conservation and protection, clean mobility and community engagement.
Following a Commission request, tours of the city department after some upcoming meetings will give the Commission a chance to see some of the amazing work by departments and employees along with the concerns they consider important for the board to know.
Other business at the City meeting included:
*The Commission waived the first right of refusal on two city properties cited for foreclosure, allowing the County to dispose of the property through foreclosure proceedings.
*Approval of the purchase of a Glassware Cleaner from USA Blue Book at the low bid of $10,268. The Glassware Cleaner at the Waste Water Treatment Plant failed completely.
*Approved the Clare County Hazard Mitigation plan. The plan enables Clare County and any local governmental entities in the county to apply for state and federal emergency assistance funds in the event of a qualifying disaster.
*Approval of the payment of bills totaling $1,341,744.97, which includes moving $1 million from Huntington Bank to Mercantile Bank.