Mount Clemens commission authorizes repairs to selected unsafe sidewalks, to bill property owners

The Mount Clemens City Commission voted unanimously to authorize city staff to repair sidewalks the city identified as unsafe and to charge property owners for the cost if repairs are not completed by Sept. 27, 2015.

City staff told the commission the program targets the most severely damaged slabs—generally those with more than 2 inches of vertical displacement—and that the city marked the worst locations across neighborhoods rather than concentrating work in a single area. Staff said the first round of work will cost just over $32,000 against a $50,000 budgeted amount, with the city billing homeowners who do not complete repairs themselves. To simplify administration, the city established a single price of $165 per flagged square (4-inch or 6-inch slab) for residents to understand and for staff to administer.

Commissioners pressed staff on exceptions and scheduling. Commissioner Bunton asked whether homeowners who have already scheduled repairs but not completed them within the 30-day notice period could be given leeway; city staff said Community Development would work with homeowners and could grant additional time if progress is demonstrated. Commissioners and staff also discussed tree-related damage: staff said the city will perform root grinding where roots would otherwise damage repairs, but homeowners may still be responsible for costs depending on the situation.

Several commissioners raised liability concerns about marking many flags if the city lacks funds to fix them all. City staff and the city manager said they will monitor payback from the first round and use that information to decide whether and how to continue the program in future rounds and whether to maintain a second list of flagged locations for spring work.

The motion as presented directed the director of Public Services to proceed with repairs listed in the attached report unless property owners completed the repairs by Sept. 27, 2015. The roll-call vote was Hill yes, Mener yes, Bunton yes, Campbell yes and Dempsey yes.

Next steps: staff will schedule contractor work, notify affected property owners of the cost and timeline, perform root grinding where needed, and report back on payback and program continuation options to guide next-year budgeting.