Big Rapids City Manager Newsletter For May 1, 2009

The Mecosta County Medical Center is temporarily adding a concrete access for a CT scanner just west of the Emergency Access for Emergency Personnel. It is anticipated that this portable unit will be in place for six weeks while the Medical Center makes arrangements for a more permanent arrangement. The site is off Locust Street and away from the sidewalk; although a small portion of the temporary structure will encroach on the South side of the right-of-way.

After nearly three years of challenge, Jane Johansen has finally achieved the property tax relief that the Commission approved for the Comstock House. Thanks to Darwin Booher and the Tax Commission, at their April 14, 2009, meeting they approved the OPRA, which the City Commission recommended earlier.

The City continues to experience a good rating in the Worker’s Compensation area and was awarded a $11,455 reduction in next year’s premium and a dividend check for $16,969 mailed separately. Good work !! Let’s keep this excellent record!!

With the heavy rains this week, the Mitchell Creek sanitary sewer line overflowed last evening. There was no apparent blockage in the line and less than 1,000 gallons exited the line. All required notifications have been made. The unfortunate part of this issue, other than the obvious discomfort to the environment, is one of the DEQ issues with the City is the overflow of this line, which occurs about once a year under these conditions. We continue to monitor this line, cleaning it periodically to avoid any frequent recurrence of this event, still in heavy rains, problems exist. A very expensive re-laying of the line across State Street appears to be the only permanent solution.

Liz West completed the grant for the Stimulus Funds offered to the Department for the thermo imager and other equipment authorized by the Commission and funded by the matching funds from the CMET operations.

Jill Buse completed a memo to the Commission concerning the various places the swim lessons are advertised and how the program is implemented. This memo is attached.

Steve Jones Construction will be placing a construction trailer on the old Chinese Restaurant site across from City Hall sometime next week. Steve Jones Construction is the general contractor for the Downtown Façade Improvements.

- Meetings will take place next week on the User Charge with Green Township to review the financial analysis completed by Supervisor Bob Baldwin.

- Union negotiations continue with the Supervisors Union in DPS.

- Good Neighbors are planting two trees in memory of Barbara Randle and Florence Froelich. They are also donating $333 toward one of the downtown benches being built by Dave Hamelund.

-Remember to mark calendars for the groundbreaking for the Optometry Building next Friday, May 8^th.

Working with a skeleton crew this week. Three of the eleven full time DPW workers are on medical leave and a number of the others have been out with the flu. Van Johnson will be back next week after a well deserved two-week vacation.

Streets –

• LED street light display demo installed in front of City Hall
• Removed large hanging branch from Willow tree in Hemlock Park
• Removed debris from storm catch basins
• Repaired front door to City Hall damaged from high winds
• Repaired pot holes on City streets
• Swept City sidewalks on State Street and East Maple Street

Parks –

• Working on lawns, bathroom and garbage activities

Sewer –

• Cleaning of sewer mains
• Routine inspection of sewer lines

Motor fleet –

• Repaired transmission on Dial-A-Ride bus
• Replace air compressor on Dial-A-Ride bus
• Replaced tires and serviced police cars

Water, "Main Maintenance" –

• Staked Miss-Digs
• Read a number of water meter finals for billing
• Read water meters for billing
• Identified improper plumbing bypass
• Repaired damage water meter caused from freezing
• Training at Dundee, Michigan for Bob and Jake
• Water shut-offs for private plumbing repairs

Stephen Sobers, City Manager