City Council approves Belleville Lake Fest for June 25-27

A different kind of festival will take place next June. Instead of the usual Strawberry Festival, a Belleville Lake Fest will be held June 25-27.
At Monday’s regular meeting of the Belleville City Council, via Zoom, the council voted unanimously to hold the festival and establish a committee to be made up of volunteers appointed by the city council.
Council members Kelly Bates and Ken Voigt represented the city on a committee that met twice on the festival issue. Councilwoman Bates said they talked about what residents would want moving forward. There was no Strawberry Festival this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said they agreed there would be homemade items for sale and no commercial vendors. There would be no paid committee members, a big difference from past festivals, she said.
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Marcotte, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of the mayor, said the plan “sounds organic and a real celebration of the community.” He said it could be held in cooperation with Van Buren Township around the lake.
Bates said Alysha Albrecht from VBT’s Communications Department was on the committee.
Mayor Pro Tem Marcotte said local groups could raise funds, especially needed in these times.
Bates said they wanted to have it starting around 3 or 4 p.m. on Friday, June 25, and then Saturday, June 26, and possibly Sunday, June 27. Things are still in the planning stages, she said.
Councilman Tom Fielder, who is president of the Strawberry Festival Committee, said he recalled when the city held Venetian Fests with night boat parades. He suggested they tie the festival in with the Taste of Belleville because entertainment is needed for that.
Bates said they wanted it out of Father’s Day and outside of the Fourth of July.
“Is the director of the Strawberry Festival informed of this?” Councilman Fielder asked.
Bates said Strawberry Festival people haven’t come to either of the meetings, which were publicized. They haven’t come to the council with a request for a special event, she said.
Fielder said the way it’s been is they would come to the council after the first of the year. He said that would be a logical group to inform.
“The thought is to have a whole new festival,” Bates said.
Councilman Voigt asked if the Strawberry Festival had a meeting and Fielder said there is one planned for the middle of this month.
“It’s appropriate to reach out to them and inform them of this,” Marcotte said. “It’s up to the Strawberry Festival to fill out an application for a city council meeting for that purpose.”
Fielder said he appreciates all the work the committee has done.
Bates said the steering committee included Therese Antonelli and Diedre Rivera-Creal from Moving the Mitten, Steve Jones, Scott Jones, Alysha Albrecht, and Police Chief Dave Robinson.
Fielder commented that they were all chamber members.
He said the Central Business Community does many events for Belleville and half of its money is raised at the Strawberry Festival. The CBC should be included, he said.
Bates said they had a call out for about two months and anyone interested can reach out.
“We’re in the first stages,” said Voigt. “We want to reach out to everyone. The CBC is at the top of the list.”
Bates said she hopes everyone local will take part.
“Reach out to the CBC to make sure they are included as well, among other groups,” Marcotte said.
“So many people have not be able to raise funds,” Bates said.
At the end of the meeting, Bates said she was excited to see what is happening to the festival and Voigt noted it is good to be looking at a new, reinvigorated festival.
In other business at Monday’s one-hour-and-eight-minute meeting, the council:
• Approved the SMART Cares Act funding agreement for $3,090. This is a supplemental grant to provide safe transportation for seniors and disabled residents, said City Manager Tracey Schultz Kobylarz;
• Approved the SMART Municipal Credit and Community Credit Contract of $3,914 for 2021 used with other funding to provide transportation;
• Approved what was called the Doane’s Landing “Cadillac” bid from Davenport Brothers for $62,303 that would include color block, stone face on one side and stone piers to match the streetscape, which was also done by Davenport. The city got a grant of $250,000 from the state for Doane’s Landing’s seawall repair, but the retaining wall and sidewalks are needed. The city set aside $65,000 extra, but that was spent by Sept. 28, and this expenditure will be extra. Davenport’s basic bid for the work was $51,903, but the council wanted the more visually appealing option;
• Heard City Manager Kobylarz say the last 72 hours had been a little chaotic for governments in Michigan after the Supreme Court said the governor’s orders ended. Although the city cannot require face masks, it strongly prefers people wear masks when coming into city hall. She said city hall hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. but is only open to customers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so there is time to disinfect, answer phone calls and messages. She said because of Supreme Court ruling the city no longer can have meetings by teleconference, but since the council chambers cannot hold several people for a meeting, they will continue to meet via Zoom, “until you tell me otherwise”;
• Heard Kobylarz say, “I am not canceling trick or treating. I am not the Wicked Witch of the West. The CBC is recommending you not trick or treat on Main Street. This doesn’t mean you don’t go trick or treating with neighbors”; and
• Heard Fire Chief Brian Loranger announce he got a couple more grants, including $15,000-$20,000 from the state for propane fire training equipment and a regional grant through Dearborn Heights for AEDs. He said he is going to pursue a grant for a fire engine.