Belleville city council to sell Priority Waste bins left in city

When the city of Belleville signed a contract with a new trash service, its former provider, Priority Waste, pretty much left town before the end of its contract.
Residents were told to put out their recycling bins by the curb to be picked up and it never happened. DPW crews came in on a Saturday to pick them up and they have been stored in the DPW yard and the city’s empty lot next door.
Mayor Ken Voigt said, at Monday’s regular council meeting, that city manager Jason Smith had made many calls to Priority Waste to ask it to pick up the bins, to no avail. The city had its attorney send an official letter and Priority Waste responded with a brief letter saying it didn’t want the bins.
At Monday’s meeting, the council approved auctioning off the bins with other items it is auctioning and to keep 40-50 to rebrand with the city’s name for special events. They will be sold in bunches of 10-20, city manager Smith said.
In other business at Monday’s one-hour-14-minute meeting, the council:
• Heard a report from Michigan Municipal League representative Richard Murphy about opportunities for local entrepreneurs. He said they did a “deep dive” in Belleville and suggested popup events, minigrants, and to use regional sources available. The complete report was in the packet;
• Heard Smith give a report on the SEMCOG Road Safety Audit that was done between Five Points and High Street along Main, which included a roundabout at Five Points and a mini traffic circle at Third Street. This study is needed to apply for the Safe Streets for All grant the city is pursuing, Smith said. Fire Chief Brian Loranger said a roundabout at Five Points next to his business is not the answer and it would make things worse for his business and others because of the influx of vehicles from the high school in the afternoon;
• Approved the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Sale on the streets of Belleville April 11, 12, 13 to rise funds for Michigan Citizens with Disabilities;
• Approved the Belleville VFW/PLAV Veterans Day ceremony at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial on High Street;
• Approved the annual Cinnamon Car Show at Victory Park on Father’s Day, June 15, 2025. The show brought 126 cars last year. Steve Cinnamon said he walked the site recently and said because of the changes to the park, the entrance for the cars will be a little bit further east at the end of the fence and there is a low spot that will have water if it rains and the grass will get beat down by the cars. The council said the grass would grow back;
• Approved selling the old street sweeper to Brown City. The vehicle was posted for sale and Brown City offered $7,000;
• Approved $1,191.07 worth of new data cabling because a new lieutenant/detective position is being created and there is no data drop in the area where the officer will have an office;
• Approved a contract for the next financial audit by Alan C. Young and Associates. Smith said last year it was not to exceed $16,020 and this year it is not to exceed $18,975;
• Set a special, brief meeting for 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, to open bids for asphalting the alley between W. Wabash and Henry streets so it can be done before the asphalt plants close for the season;
• Approved accounts payable and an expenditure in excess of $500 to Atchinson Ford of $626.38 for vehicle maintenance of a 2018 Ford Explorer;
• Approved having Osier Electric fix the electrical service on the roof of the fire department, so the new roof will be ready to be installed. A light on the roof does not work and Osier will be asked to put that into service, as well;
• Approved quotes from Leffler and Randy Brown for removing trees that are damaged;
• Heard city manager Smith report that the milling and capping of High and Liberty streets is being studied; boardwalk repairs start Thursday; hydrant flushing is under way and loss of pressure will be experienced by residents, leaf pickup starts Nov. 4, and the MDOT is coming out to inspect the city’s vehicle to see what repairs need to be made;
• Heard Mayor Voigt report he tasted 17 pies as a judge in Saturday’s Apple Pie Baking Contest and his “youngest son” won second place in a category of the Monster Mutt contest the same day. He referred to Alex, a rescue dog he now owns that came from Texas. He said Alex was dressed as a dragon. He said it cost the city $200,000 to improve Church Street and it would have cost $750,000 to improve the whole thing, but the city didn’t have the money and is trying to fix the streets the best it can without raising taxes;
• Heard Mayor Voigt report that he likes to go to the home football games at the high school and last Friday the police and fire departments had to do extra service and they are commended. He said two cars caught on fire in the Early Childhood Center’s parking lot and damaged the lot. There also were a couple of fights. Mayor Voigt said some charges may be brought in the incidents. Police Chief Kris Faull was not present at the meeting;
• Discussed the monster pothole on High, the senior transportation issue, and progress Davenport is making on cleaning up the residentially zoned property next to the Co-op on Sumpter Road; and
• Invited everyone to join in with eating a piece of the cake brought by planning commissioner Becky Hasen to celebrate both the Oct. 10 birthday of city manager Jason Smith, as well as the one-year anniversary of his position as city manager.