Belleville City Council sets budget hearing for June 17

A public hearing on the proposed 2024-25 general fund budget for the city of Belleville has been set as part of the June 17 regular city council meeting.
At Monday’s regular meeting, city manager Jason Smith said the general fund is in good shape and revenue is up 23% and expenditures up 29%. He said there was a 3% increase in contracted services. He said the trash collection contract is up for bids and he expects that cost to be higher than 3%.
He said new DPW Director Tony Bollini said he thinks they can get the old street sweeper working for less than $5,000 in repairs and the money allocated for a new street sweeper can be used for the new DPW pickup truck and hot power washer.
Bollini said the old sweeper is 25 years old, but has not had a lot of use.
Councilwoman Julie Kissel said the fund balance is 104% of the budget and that can be spent, since a 25% fund balance is suggested as adequate.
City manager Smith said the council can spend that, but it doesn’t want to overspend. He said he wants to keep a healthy fund balance for future needs.
The financial consultant from Plante Moran, said the taxpayers will get a rollback under the Headlee Act, but they are getting more revenue.
Mayor Ken Voigt said there is a pile of deferred maintenance that has been put off for the past 20 years.
City manager Smith said the city could have a Headlee Reset and be able to levy 20 mills, but the voters would have to approve that.
Mayor Voigt said the city was in the hole on retirement and miles of roads need maintenance. The city needs to keep competitive salaries, he said, adding, “We’ve been lucky to find people who want to work for us.”
Resident Mike Renaud asked if a copy of the budget is on line for the public to study. Smith said he would make sure it would be on line before the public hearing. It is available in hard copy at the clerk’s office, he said.
In other business in the one-hour-and-eight-minute meeting, the council:
• Set the performance review for city manager Smith for the July 15 meeting, since Councilman Beebe said he wouldn’t be able to attend the July 1 meeting and Mayor Voigt said he thought everyone on the council should participate. Under the Open Meeting Act, Smith could ask for the review to be done in closed-door session, but he said he would have the review in open session. Councilwoman Kelly Bates will send copies of the review document she had in her file to all the council members so it could be used;
• Approved the 2024 tax rate of 15.8190 mills, which is the same as last year, with a slight Headlee Rollback;
• Approved the SEMCOG Road Safety Audit matching grant with a total cost of $19,586.24 and a 20% matching cost of $3,917.05 from the city’s Major Streets budget. It will identify areas of need on the streets and look at Five Points. It won’t go beyond Fourth Street, where it will study the pedestrian crossing. He said the SEMCOG work will include a video of Belleville with music called “Experience Belleville” which they will play at meetings and it is the city’s to use;
• Approved hiring the Belleville High School Dance Team to clean the Fourth St. Square and Fourth St. Place. Last year the city donated $1,000 for the team’s work and this year Smith said they want the team to paint the fire hydrants, as well. No one was present from the team;
• Heard Bollini say there are options he has for the proposed Accessible Pedestrian Signal for the corner of Third and Main, after a report by Smith. Smith said he talked to Tyrone, who is blind and uses that crossing. He said he would like such a sign at N. Liberty and Third, as well. He told Smith he is looking for another place to live but he would prefer to stay in Belleville;
• Passed a resolution to approve the MDOT Category B contract. In the original contract, which was approved, part of a road was cut off, so it has been amended and now needed to be reapproved;
• Approved a resolution authorizing the city of Belleville to participate in the MEDC Redevelopment Ready Communities Program. The no-cost program opens up the possibility of grants. Mayor Voigt said the city did this a few years ago, but now there is a new council. Smith said he wanted to reengage;
• Heard Smith give an update on charter amendments instead of a rewriting of the charter. When asked about getting rid of the sexist language in the old charter wording, he said he didn’t think they would be able to do that since the way they are trying to change the charter is by amendment and that would make the changes too many;
• Approved accounts payable and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Everbridge, Inc., $2,600 for Nixle engage; to Michigan Association of planning, $725 for annual dues; and to Osborne Concrete, $744 for cemetery foundations;
• Heard Smith say he will be gone July 16-19 because he is presenting at a conference in Marquette. He reported the High Street drainage problem is being investigated by Bollino and a video inspection will be done and then they will talk with the engineers to plan a solution;
• Heard Mayor Voigt thank Redemption Church for its work cleaning Horizon Park. There were 20-30 volunteers. Also he thanked the Rotary for work at at gazebo, the Garden Club for planting a pollinator garden at the pump station on N. Liberty Street, and the BYC for sponsoring the senior banners for the fifth year in a row. He announced there was a huge turnout in Monday’s car show on Main Street;
• Heard Maria Plaud of Victoria Commons address the council, giving thanks to the police chief for responding to citizens’ concerns about pedestrian safety issues there. She urged the council to treat every citizen with respect and to listen to their concerns. She said over the years her voice has not been heard by them. She asked them to foster an environment of inclusion;
• Heard the Victoria Commons Homeowners Association president Ray Martin thank the city manager, police chief, and city council who have been receptive to concerns of the subdivision. He said they are electing a new board on June 4 and would like the city manager to attend the meeting; and
• Heard Mayor Voigt say he appreciates the residents from Victoria Commons who have come with concerns. He said the council was led to believe the sign situation at Victoria Commons was taken care of. The city manager now has identified 49 signs that need replacement and the city spent about $3,000 to buy them, he said. Smith said the signs arrived that day, including some that say “no parking or standing” for the school area. Smith said the bubbler in the pond also is being replaced with a fountain. Police Chief Kris Faull said two of her officers have been alerting parents they won’t be allowed to drop their kids off there next fall. She also is putting signs in Harbour Pointe where there is a similar problem.