City Manager wants to cut the sight line along the lake right now

“I just don’t ever want it to be a problem again,” said City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson at Monday’s 27-minute zoom meeting of the Belleville City Council.
He referred to the out-of-control vegetation along the shore of Belleville Lake at Horizon Park.
He said he will put the job out for bids to contractors, including the goats that had been suggested, and he wants the selected vendor to cut the sight line first.
Then, the vendor can cut from one end of Horizon Park to the other, possibly in late September when the vegetation goes dormant.
He said possibly the Downtown Development Authority can handle part of the cost, but he wants to know the full cost of the whole scope because he wants to do it right and maintain it right.
He said they can determine whether the work will be done through the DDA parks’ contract or the city’s DPW.
Then, once it’s all cut down, he wants it maintained each month for the five-month growing season so it is never again such a big project. He said it should be maintained daily, weekly, monthly.
Chief Robinson said the DPW maintenance can get diverted because of burials and broken water lines, but that is temporary.
Mayor Kerreen Conley said she’d like to see a multi-year proposal so next year they don’t have to go through this again and Robinson agreed.
Robinson said Van Buren Township contracted with Salisbury to cut the vegetation along the lake north of the bridge and they did an outstanding job.
Councilman Tom Fielder asked Robinson to reach out to the township to see if there’s an economy of scale in working with them.
In other parts of his city manager’s report, Robinson said:
• One candidate filed for council with all the proper information and another filed as a write-in candidate and the information on both candidates has been sent on to Wayne County. He said there are no other proposals for the Nov. 2 ballot;
• The city received a site plan for 570 Savage Rd. for marijuana industry activities and the administration is reviewing that and then the planning commission will review it. After that goes through there are a ton of things the applicant has to do through the state;
• The golf cart proposal is still under review by the city attorney;
• The building next door to the police station is expected to be gone by winter, according to Wayne County. Arrangements have been made to cut and cap utilities;
• The transition of Briana Hooten from police records clerk to city clerk is proceeding. The Civil Service board members are signing papers okaying the change in her classification. The employment agreement will be brought to the council;
• The police records clerk job has been posted and they already have one application; and
• There are a lot of new things being learned and they’ve had several weeks of “very valued learning.” He said sometimes it is taking longer to get things done, but “We want to do it right.”
Councilman Ken Voigt said he drove through the cemetery and wanted to mention a marked improvement in the maintenance.
“It’s a lot better than it was,” he said.
Councilman Fielder said local residents have complimented the city for improving the roads and Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Marcotte said the trimming work by the bridge looks fantastic. He said the bench in memory of Rosemary Loria is in place on Fourth Street Place.
Mayor Conley said she appreciated the information from Robinson on the metering issue. The Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority wanted Van Buren Township and the city of Belleville to be on one meter and the two communities collectively answered that, saying they wanted separate meters for accurate readings.
The council expects to meet in person at its next meeting and the size of the agenda will determine how big a room they will need, Robinson said. If they expect a crowd they will seek out a big room at the library, otherwise they could meet in the council chambers.
Mayor Conley reminded them it would be a hybrid meeting and some could choose to attend virtually.
DPW Director Rick Rutherford said Wayne County trimmed the vegetation overhanging the road near Harbour Pointe last Friday. That was after Wayne County Commissioner Al Haidous was called by Robinson, he said.
In other business, the council approved accounts payable of $49,721.59 and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: To Williams Emergency Equipment, $574 to install new computer and printer in cars 221 and 281A; to Oakland County Treasurer, $4,367.75 for CLEMIS membership for the third quarter; to Hennessey Engineers, $739.50 for a Risk/Resilience Assessment, required by EPA; and to Chief Robinson, reimbursement of $554.07 for portable air conditioning unit in squad room to replace one that failed during high temperatures and chief ordered a new one through Amazon.