City honors Clare Track & Field Team – State Champions

The Boy’s Track and Field team, now State Champions, were honored at the Clare City meeting Monday. Athletes (not in order) include: : Ty Allbee, Wyatt Allbee, Kelso Baker, Sean Bomorra, Jace Burhans, Noah Camp, Ethan Cook, Landon Cook, Logan Eagle, Michael Franko, Caidan Gaskill, Jacob Halicek, Charles Hicks, Charles Jenkins, Andrew Klaus, Daniel Leondard, Aaron Linguar, Ryan Louch, Duncan Lowe, Ethan McKinney, Jordan McPhall, Keagan Paisley, Nicholas Porter, Kyle Potter, Skyler Prout, Jake Punches, Ethan Reeves, Ryan Rodenbo, Jeffrey Schafer, Brayden Schmidt, Daniel Stevens, Alden Tait, Owhin Thompson, James Tice, Karson Tocco, William Warner, Conan Weeks, and Brad White.

Clare Track and Field Head Coach Adam Burhans, shown here with Clare Mayor Pat Humphrey, accepts certificates, pins, a key to the City and recognition for the team, State Champions this year.

By Pat Maurer
Correspondent

With some of the 2023 Track and Field team members in tow, Coach Adam Burhans was at the Clare City meeting Monday evening to accept recognition, a formal resolution, certificates, pins and a key to the City all for the new State Champions. Track and Field team members include: Ty Allbee, Wyatt Allbee, Kelso Baker, Sean Bomorra, Jace Burhans, Noah Camp, Ethan Cook, Landon Cook, Logan Eagle, Michael Franko, Caidan Gaskill, Jacob Halicek, Charles Hicks, Charles Jenkins, Andrew Klaus, Daniel Leondard, Aaron Linguar, Ryan Louch, Duncan Lowe, Ethan McKinney, Jordan McPhall, Keagan Paisley, Nicholas Porter, Kyle Potter, Skyler Prout, Jake Punches, Ethan Reeves, Ryan Rodenbo, Jeffrey Schafer, Brayden Schmidt, Daniel Stevens, Alden Tait, Owhin Thompson, James Tice, Karson Tocco, William Warner, Conan Weeks, and Brad White.
Both the Boys and Girls’ Track and Field teams were also regional winners this year. They were also honored at the Clare Board of Education meeting Monday evening.
This is the 9th consecutive regional championship for the girls track and field team and 3rd straight for the boys track and field team. Nine girls qualified for the State Finals in 8 different events.
After some explanation by City Manager Jeremy Howard, the City Commission approved a construction contract with the sole bidder for the multi-million-dollar project to improve the City’s water system.
Howard reported on the background of the project. “In October of 2022, the City of Clare was awarded a $2.77 million dollar grant ($2 million in grant funds with a City match of $770,000 for the project).”
Due to price changes in the project due to SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) equipment, the City match was increased earlier this year to $954,490 for the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) WRI (Water Resources Infrastructure) program for the construction of: a new water well, water treatment facility improvements, new chemical feed system, electrical updates, lab updates, new backwash and retention tanks, new and integrated SCADA system, replacement of high service pumps and other water-related infrastructure improvements.
The project was bid out with bids received on April 27. The City received bids from only one vendor. The original estimate for the construction costs for the project, gathered in 2022 was a little over $2 million. The bid received from the sole bidder, RCL Construction, of Sanford, was just under $3.55 million.
Value engineering the project by GFA (Gourdie-Fraser) based on essential and non-essential components of the project, resulted in a reduction of just under $600,000 in the cost. RCL agreed to reduce their bid to $2,953.281 based on the engineering changes. The Commission approved the contract and the reduced cost. The increase City cost will be covered by the water fund, General Fund and from the PRPs (Potential Responsible Parties).
One item of new business at the City meeting included replacing the roofs on two city buildings – the Clare Police Department and the Clare Municipal Airport Terminal.
In his agenda report, City Manager Jeremy Howard wrote, “The Police department roof has deteriorated to the point that the integrity of the roof of the building has been compromised and is leaking. The roof needs to be replaced and repaired soon so as not to cause further damage to the structure or the expensive equipment housed there.
After bidding the project, the work was awarded to the second lowest bidder, Raymond Beachy Roofing of Mio for a total of $20,150 with an eighteen-year warranty.
Raymond Beachy Roofing was also the low bidder selected to replace the Airport terminal roof. That bid came in at $13,409.50 with an 18-year warranty.
Howard wrote in his report,” The roof of the City’s municipal Airport Terminal has been leading for years and although we have completed repairs with patches and temporary fixes in the past it has deteriorated to a point that it needs to be replaced.”
Other matters at the meeting included:
*In his City Manager’s Report, Howard reported dredging is continuing on the Lake Shamrock project; on the DDA and LDFA Meetings; Summerfest events; the Summer Concert Series and City Department Tours for Commissioners.
*Martin Elzroth and Rodger Hicks were reappointed to the Airport Advisory Board.
*The City approved bills totaling $118,098.29.
*Commissioners approved budget amendments to fiscal year 2022-23.