City of Lapeer - City Commission Meeting 10/20/2025

The meeting of the City of Lapeer City Commission, held on October 20, 2025, focused heavily on infrastructure maintenance and community development. The Commission addressed various utility and building projects, specifically approving the removal of overhead street lights in certain areas and a much-needed boiler replacement for the Community Center. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Clover School lease agreement, where the Commission balanced the need for formal transparency with the urgent necessity of allowing the school to repair a deteriorating roof before winter.

The City Manager, Mike Womack, provided updates on several long-term planning initiatives, including the "America 250" mural project, a non-motorized master plan update, and the results of a recent community survey. Public comments addressed local concerns ranging from sidewalk maintenance and financial transparency to the status of the local library. The meeting concluded with a motion to enter a closed session to discuss a legal opinion from the City Attorney.

• Infrastructure & Utilities: Removal of overhead street lights and power poles; community center boiler replacement.
• Land Use & Development: Rezoning of 4 East Nepine Street; Clover School lease and roof repairs; updates on the non-motorized master plan.
• Community Projects: The "America 250" commemorative mural; "Gilmore Girls" themed downtown event.
• Public Safety & Services: County updates regarding dispatch and sheriff's department software; library status; leaf pickup schedules.
• Financial Oversight: Approval of monthly bills and discussion regarding budget-versus-actual reporting.

• Jeramy Hing: Mayor.
• Mike Womack: City Manager.
• Brad Hagadone: Lapeer County Commissioner.
• Commissioner Joshua C. Atwood: City Commissioner.
• Commissioner Stefan Brady: City Commissioner.
• Commissioner Linda Glisman: City Commissioner.
• Commissioner Melissa Petrie: Mayor Pro-Tem/Commissioner.
• Commissioner Swendell: City Commissioner.
• Commissioner Bley: City Commissioner.
• Mr. Francis: City Attorney.
• John Creek: Representative for the Clover School.
• Keith Kingston: Local resident (Public Comment).
• Peggy Broski: Lapeer Township/Library Board member (Public Comment).

• Agenda Amendments: The Commission approved adding the Clover School lease agreement to item G5 and removing the meeting calendar from the consent agenda.
• Boiler Replacement: Approved an alternate bid from Goyette Mechanical for $244,615 to replace community center boilers.
• Street Light Project: Approved the removal of 21 street lights and 14 poles for the Pine Street/Park Street project, not to exceed $30,345.50.
• Tasting Room Permit: Approved a resolution recommending Liquid Craft LLC for an on-premises tasting room permit.
• Clover School Lease: Postponed the formal lease approval until November 3, 2025, but authorized the group to begin roof repairs immediately, provided they present updated insurance.
• Rezoning: Introduced a rezoning request for 4 East Nepine Street from B2 General Business to CBD-1 Central Business District.
• Closed Session: Approved a motion to enter a closed session to discuss a legal opinion.

• Next Meeting: November 3, 202_ (for the Clover School lease vote).
• Upcoming Dead Dates: November 10 (Edmund Fitzgerald Day); November 1 (start of full leaf pickup).
• Current Term Ends: Mayor Hing's term ends November 2029.

• Clover School Roof: The lease postponement was driven by the need for transparency and review, while the repair authorization was driven by the urgency of preventing further damage before winter.
• Street Light Removal: To transition from overhead lights to decorative-style lighting as part of a larger downtown/parking lot improvement project.
• Boiler Savings: The decision to use two boilers instead of three was made to reduce costs significantly.

• Master Plan Strategy: A debate occurred regarding whether to use the existing consultant (Ro) for the entire non-motorized master plan or to sub-out the housing portion to a specialist. The Commission suggested ensuring all bidders, including Ro, have a fair opportunity.
• Sidewalk Maintenance: A heated discussion regarding the responsibility for sidewalk repairs, with one resident citing safety hazards and a Commissioner noting that while the city often assists, the legal responsibility rests with the homeowner. _
• Survey Feedback: Discussion on the low (1.5%) response rate of the community survey and how to better engage younger residents and renters through different communication channels.

• City Manager (Womack): Reach out to John Creek regarding the Clover School lease and insurance documentation.
• City Manager (Womack): Obtain additional quotes for the housing section of the master plan and contact Ro for their input.
• City Manager (Womack): Contact the resident (Keith Kingston) regarding the sidewalk issue.
• Subcommittee: A subcommittee is to be formed (potentially including Commissioner Petrie) to work on the "America 250" project.

The overall sentiment was a mix of community pride (noted during the "Gilmore Girls" and "Ghost Tour" discussions) and frustration regarding municipal enforcement (sidewalks and ordinance consistency). There is visible support for local business-led events but a desire for more transparent financial reporting.

• Commissioner Swendell: "The ordinance clearly states it's the homeowner responsibility for maintenance, repairs and replacement... And we have never, we aren't doing it that way."
• Commissioner Petrie: Praised the "unbelievably phenomenal" energy of the "Stars Hollow" event downtown, noting how it brought people from out of state.
• Keith Kingston: "It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when [someone gets hurt]." (Regarding broken sidewalks).

• Commissioner Atwood: Questioned the budget allocation for the power pole removal project and whether enough lighting would remain for safety.
• Commissioner Brady: Questioned the necessity of having multiple engineers working on different parts of the same master plan.
• Public Comment (Brian Flutter): Asked if "budget versus actual" financial reports are provided more frequently than quarterly.