City manager: Mount Clemens ice arena needs $2–2.5M in repairs; ozone system testing planned for water plant

City Manager Don Johnson updated the commission on June 1 about reopening plans, capital needs at the Mount Clemens Ice Arena and water-plant equipment.

Don Johnson said the city has a reopening plan that calls for bringing back office staff when state restrictions lift and reopening City Hall to the public three days afterward; he said the plan will be shared with department heads and commissioners by email for review.

On capital needs, Johnson said the ice arena requires significant maintenance, including new compressors, a roof replacement and parking-lot repaving. He estimated combined costs at about $2 million to $2.5 million and said those projects cannot be paid from the ICE Arena Fund’s current cash balance. "I do not feel it would be appropriate to subsidize the ice arena with general fund revenue," he said, adding staff are working on options to bond for repairs and pay debt service from arena revenue if possible.

Regarding the water plant, Johnson said the electronic control modules for a remote ozone purification system have arrived and staff will schedule a test with PureFlow to verify operations. He noted that if the ozone system cannot be restored before seasonal algae blooms in Lake St. Clair, the city has the technical option of switching to Great Lakes Water Authority supply as a backup by operating a few valves; staff said the algae issue affects taste and odor rather than water safety.

Johnson also noted the city's public-notification system is functional and that reopening and capital issues may prompt a special meeting if state orders change.

Next steps: staff will circulate the reopening plan to commissioners, schedule ozone-system testing with PureFlow and continue developing options for arena repairs and financing.