City departments report third-quarter activity, outline upcoming projects

Department heads reviewed third-quarter activity at the Mount Clemens City Commission meeting and outlined projects and operational changes.

Bridal Tingley of Community Development reported 367 building and trade permits issued and 577 new code-enforcement cases in the quarter. The department completed 187 rental inspections and vacant-property verifications, issued 72 new rental certificates of compliance and 15 new certificates of occupancy. Tingley said the department oversaw demolitions at 88 Gibbs, 127 Court and another address, is working with LSL Planning on zoning ordinance updates tied to the Master Plan and RRC certification, and coordinated work on a kayak launch bid packet for MacArthur Park. The planning commission reviewed a conditional rezoning request for 205 Washington and approved a 12,000-square-foot industrial building at 241 Church.

Linda Kunath in Finance said auditors were on site for the fiscal 2016–17 audit and the financial report would be presented to the commission in December. Kunath noted the treasurer's counter now accepts debit and credit cards for taxes, utilities and parking, that 6,338 summer tax bills were mailed, and that the treasurer's office handled permitting and fee payments for Community Development this quarter. She also summarized payroll and parking-sticker revenues and said the city had processed numerous purchase orders and agenda items for commission approval.

Sarah Price of Human Resources reported the city employed 71 people (62 full-time, 9 part-time) and described recent external hires and current recruitment for a part-time Dial-A-Ride bus driver. Price reminded residents the "State of the City" presentation would be Friday, Oct. 27, at 8 a.m. at the Oakland University Anton Frankel Center and noted work on benefit open enrollment and payroll processing.

Jeanette Best from Utilities reported the system produced 211,000,000 gallons of drinking water and treated 359,000,000 gallons of wastewater in the quarter, completed SCADA (plant controls) upgrades, and submitted an asset management plan and revised operation plan to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Best said new water and sewer rates took effect July 1 and that the department awarded the cross-connection control program bid to Hydrocorp Inc. She also described equipment repairs, water-main work, hydrant painting and continued sewer cleaning and televising.

Commissioners thanked staff for the reports and asked clarifying questions about specific projects, including the scope of engineering for the Harrington Street pavement rehabilitation plan.