Battle for Belleville on Aug. 19 to feature WWII tank on Main St.

This year’s Battle for Belleville will feature a World War II tank coming down Main Street on Aug. 19.
At its Aug. 1 regular meeting the Belleville City Council unanimously approved the WWII battle reenactment and military vehicle display for 6 to 7:30 p.m., with closings of Main, Roys and Fourth streets.
This year they would like to bring a WWII tank and have cleared the way with the police chief and the DPW director.
Aaron Williams explained about the tank in the absence of Michael Luther who could not be present. Luther is the Yankee Air Museum’s Air Show Director for Thunder over Michigan.
Bringing the military vehicles and reenactors to Belleville is part of the promotion for the Air Show on Aug. 20 and 21.
“He would like to bring a tank in by truck,” said Williams. “It would have all new rubber track. The police chief and DPW agreed. And, it will be checked before it’s unloaded.”
He said it would just go backward and forward and not make any turns.
“One year, one of the tanks did mar the road a bit because the rubber wore off,” Williams said.
DPW Director/Building Official Rick Rutherford said, “It’s fine. The smaller tanks had worn-out rubber. As long as there’s rubber that would be fine.”
There will have to be no-parking signs posted between Third and Fifth on Main and on Roys and Fourth streets and the council left that with the city manager to arrange.
In other business at the Aug. 1 meeting, the council:
• Approved the Central Business Community’s request for the closing of Fourth Street between noon and 3 p.m. on Oct. 15 for a “Monster Mutt Walk,” a Halloween Booville pet show-dog walk. Dogs need to be in costume and their walkers should be in appropriate clothes, too, said CBC president Bill Wolters. There was some difference of opinion about the route of the walk and it was left for the city manager to work out an adjusted safe route with Wolters. There will be watering stations for the dogs and each entry will get a bag and gloves. There also will be a team of trailers, just in case there’s a mistake, Wolters said. Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue will bring pets for adoption;
• Approved a lease/purchase agreement through Atchinson Ford for a 2017 Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD at a price of $28,116.10. There will be three annual payments of $10,161.25. A cost for the police equipment and markings to be installed is to be determined;
• Approved the first reading of the updated Sign Ordinance, with changes to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that required loosening up of rules on signs because of the rights of property owners and the general public, according to Planning Commission chairman Steve Jones. “You can’t limit political signs very much because of Free Speech,” he said. Most of the changes were due to the court case, he said. Rutherford said the city was advised by the planner to change the city’s rules before it is taken to court. Wording on vinyl clings and how 35% of the window is allowed to be covered with signs is also in the ordinance. Jeff Vernon of the Candy Shoppe said he objects to parts of the ordinance that restrict businesses too much;
• Approved accounts payable of $294,056.39 and the following purchases in excess of $500: to Burnham & Flower Insurance Group, $4,929 annual premium for fire department; to Oakland County, $2,503.13 for CLEMIS for police; to Jack Doheny Co., $1,564.17 for street sweeper repair; to WorkNGear, $1,150 for uniforms for DPS; to R&R Fire Truck Repair, $858.65 for Fire Engine 451 service; to RockNRescue, $775 for rescue litter for fire department; to R&R Fire Truck Repair, $765 for Engine 453 service; to Wayne County, $665 for prisoner lodging for police; to Metro Environmental, $620 for high-pressure jet service for Water/Sewer department; to Burhop Collision, $535.78 for truck repairs, from Water/Major/Local funds; to BCBS-NC, $533.11 for COBRA payment, general fund;
• Heard Rutherford report that Wayne County still says October is the completion date for work on West Columbia/West Huron River Drive. He said if they don’t repair the concrete base property, the asphalt will fail. He said he’s not happy that one of the city’s main arteries is blocked, but he’s glad they are doing it right. Brian Blackburn said the day school starts will be a very fun day. He was assured Davis Street would be available for access to the high school;
• Heard City Manager Diana Kollmeyer say that she has asked the Pokemon people to remove Pokemons from Hillside Cemetery and they need the coordinates, which are being obtained. Kelly Bates thanked her for her efforts. She said at the last meeting she brought forth the subject that her relatives were buried in another cemetery that first had the problem with Pokemon;
• Heard Mike Renaud ask if the DDA cuts back on maintenance fees to the city will there be layoffs and Mayor Kerreen Conley said, “Not at this moment,” adding there is a potential for not filling a position. Conley said the DDA is looking at cutting back to stay in line with the level of funding it has. “When they bonded for the road, no one saw the downturn coming.” Fire Chief Brian Loranger said if the DDA pays an outside service for mowing, it would free up the DPW workers to do more for the city. “Both of them?” Rutherford replied, indicating there are only two DPW workers left and they are struggling to cover city services;
• Heard Rutherford give an update on the cleaning up of the city property on Savage Road next to the DPW yard. He said the city’s youth workers this summer have removed 70 yards of trash so far and are in the process of pulling items out of the last of the less-than-desirable buildings so it can be demolished. He said there are 10-12 young workers in two phases at the city this summer; and
• Heard council members and Kollmeyer send condolences to the family of Lee Prybyla following his July 23 death. Prybyla was a city DPW employee and Kollmeyer said his death has been hard on all the other city workers.