This meeting was very short but packed with lots of decisions and information. While I love watching the county's 4 hour meetings instead of doing other important things in my life, I do recognize the beauty of short and sweet. In this case, I still had enough time left over to consider cleaning my garage, going grocery shopping, paint a masterpiece, or write about the nature of economy and society. In this community of retirees and perhaps soon to be a younger economic draw, government was delivered quickly.
You can read the Escanaba's April 21 Notes/Agenda (I like how they put the info up for public consumption. It keeps people informed and helps me so I don't have to sort of write everything down to understand it. I try to be accurate so if you see a mistake just post a comment.)
Property Rehabilitation Act
-No unfinished business.
-Fiscal Budget to be discussed May 4th.
-Marketplace to city dock Sept 24th. Beer Tent, Food, etc. Labor Day Event. 15 bids. Approval of bid by Sticky Fingers of Gladstone.
Ordinance No. 1260 – Allow Side-by-Side UTV Operation on City Streets. An interesting discussion. They were discussing this last year I believe. I think golf carts would be cool. Save on parking. We might need a no jumping ordinance.
-Money for parking lot.
-$37 Million in total expenditures. 17 mills with no ask for more.
-The city needs to draw new revenue. This is why I say its important to attract new entrepreneurs, businesses, and investment. I say this because it does three things that include new revenue/development, new young people, and new infrastructure. It also can open the door to other businesses and activities considering the area. Be a pro-business start-up, vacation, and investment hub. There are ways to do that but that may require rewriting webpages to attract new investment, an investment contact and someone who can guide them to buildings, grants and other resources they need.
-Disabled veterans exceptions have risen.
-Lots of info in the agenda on cost of utilities which appear reasonable.
-Policing is 48% of city fund appropriations.
-Marina revenue spiked 2020
-They really did a great job with the charts and being transparent with the information. This is what you want to see. Within a few days the agenda is up and it is complete. Check it out for yourself.
-Delta Schoolcraft Community Labor Council will be placing and maintaining a monument to labor.
-New city attorney
-Charitable gaming license from state of Michigan for Escanaba Wrestling Club.
-Obsolete building. Local taxes can be exempt for 12 years. 1/2 rate for state 6 years. 27 OPRA in the area. You can read more about Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act (OPRA) . Interestingly there are other programs that can help the city attract revitalization interest. While this article by the Citizen's Research Council sheds a little negative light on one city it does recognize they can be used to positive benefit when done well. They further indicate its a mixed bag but it has worked in some places. With new interest coming into the area and the need to revitalize downtown my suggestion is to maximize these programs in focused areas and really give a big city coordinated push between multiple programs to improve our community real estate assets downtown. That should of course be included with some interest in attracting new business, investment, and vacationers. Putting a packet together of different benefits the city can put together to lure businesses can be helpful. If we can do it for free by getting banks, state grants, etc. to create a investor boost package that might also be nice in creating a honey pot for investment Pooh Bears. Read the somewhat critical article but read closely and you will understand why I included it as a person in support of OPRA, and other program use. Detroit Foregoes Large Sums of Property Tax Revenues with its Use of Business Tax Abatements. If you read the article you will realize the programs can be beneficial. Specifically I like some of the other programs the document lists that could be useful. As with all things take what you like and dump the rest.
-Law enforcement torch run for Special Olympics. That is good stuff.
-Vacancies of positions.
-Welcome bags and yellow 3X wheel bikes to get people downtown.
-Harbor tower upgrades (I thinking it would have been a nice casino hotel. )
-If your looking for things to do. They were talking about clean up and Facebook. Tried to figure out what they meant but you can go on FB and to the page Things to Do in Escanaba Face Book. Cleaning up is probably a good idea with tourists...and keeping our town looking sparkling clean.
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