Residents press Bay City commission on bridge traffic, pot‑holed streets and a cat‑rescue mishap

Several Bay City residents used the public‑comment period to press commissioners for action on traffic, road repairs and animal‑rescue procedures.

Kay Moore, a resident of the 3rd Ward, said traffic backups near the bridge and long waits through multiple lights are encouraging unsafe shortcutting and called for the commission to take action on bridge operations and road maintenance. "It's causing a lot of stress and a lot of traffic," Moore said, asking the commission to address bridge usage and street conditions.

Dustin Kosick urged the commission to consider a turn signal on Saginaw Street and other controls to reduce cut‑through traffic from drivers trying to reach the bridge; he also asked for clarity on the timing and replacement plan for Station 2, noting concerns about response times and mutual‑aid costs if the station is out of service during demolition.

Two speakers raised animal‑welfare concerns after a cat reportedly became stuck atop a utility pole during a May 4 storm. Kimberly Anthony described the incident and asked what happened to the cat after calls to emergency lines and the electric utility. Kelly Cole said she escalated the issue to Bay Electric and Power and argued the city and utility should develop a protocol with animal control and volunteer rescuers so future incidents are handled more promptly and safely.

Commissioners acknowledged the concerns, thanked the speakers and noted next steps: public‑works staff said patch crews are out nearly daily to address potholes, the city reminded residents that several traffic signals are controlled by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) not the city, and the mayor and staff said they would explore protocols with Bay County animal services and utility staff to coordinate rescues in future similar incidents.

The public input led to follow‑ups: staff agreed to supply more information about patching schedules and to provide details to commissioners about MDOT‑controlled signals when requested. On Station 2, city staff and the city manager said they are pursuing external funding and contingency plans to maintain south‑end emergency coverage during any demolition or remediation work.