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CITY OF MUSKEGON
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
February 10, 2026 @ 5:30 PM
MUSKEGON CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS
933 TERRACE STREET, MUSKEGON, MI 49440
MINUTES
The Regular Commission Meeting of the City of Muskegon was held at City Hall,
933 Terrace Street, Muskegon, Michigan at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 10,
2026. Pastor Duane Bennett from the Mount Zion Church of God in Christ,
opened the meeting with prayer, after which the Commission and public
recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Ken Johnson, Commissioners Katrina Kochin, Rebecca St. Clair,
and Kiley Jackson, City Manager Jonathan Seyferth, City Attorney Brennen
Gorman, and City Clerk Ann Marie Meisch
Absent: Vice Mayor Destinee Keener, Commissioners Jay Kilgo, and Willie
German, Jr.
2026-10 HONORS, AWARDS, AND PRESENTATIONS
A. Parks Staff Recognition - Hackley Park Holiday Decor Manager's Office
There is a strong desire to recognize the Parks staff for their outstanding efforts in
transforming Hackley Park into a beautiful and welcoming holiday destination.
Their creativity, attention to detail, and hard work enhanced the seasonal
experience for residents and visitors alike. This recognition acknowledges the
pride they take in showcasing one of the City’s most cherished public spaces.
Mayor Johnson read and presented a proclamation to Kyle Karczewski and Tim
Duba. He also recognized Jeremy Hugall, David Bailey, and Justin Prowant for
their outstanding work on the Hackley Park holiday decorations.
FEDERAL/STATE/COUNTY OFFICIALS UPDATE
County Commissioner Jessica Cook congratulated City Commission Kiley
Jackson and announced Kim Sims will be sworn in March 5th as County
Commissioner due to the passing away of County Commissioner Darrell Paige.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS
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Public comments received.
2026-11 CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of Minutes City Clerk
To approve minutes of the January 27, 2026, City Commission Meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the minutes.
C. Liquor License Request for Zini LLC, 380 W. Western Ave., Suite 140 City
Clerk
The Liquor Control Commission is seeking local recommendation on a request
from Zini LLC, for a new off-premises tasting room license to be located at 380
W. Western Ave., Suite 140.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the request.
D. Resolution for 380 West Western Avenue, Suite 140 Social District
Permit Community Engagement
Zini LLC is requesting to join the Downtown Muskegon Social District located at
380 West Western Ave. with their Off-Premises Tasting Room License & Permit.
Zini LLC is requesting to join the Downtown Muskegon Social District at their
location 380 West Western Ave. (previously Subway). The Michigan Liquor
Control Commission has not yet approved its Off-Premises Tasting Room License
& Permit, but ensured staff that submitting both requests at the same time is
acceptable. To meet state requirements under MCL 436.1551, the business
must receive approval from the City Commission to apply for a Social District
Permit through the state.
About Zini – Kavy Lenon, owner of Zini LLC, is creating a brand that brings
cultural experiences to Muskegon. Zini will transform the former Subway at 380
West Western Ave. into a tasting room featuring craft cocktails, non-alcoholic
options, and small bites with an Asian fusion twist. The menu and pairings are
scheduled to rotate every three months, offering an experimental space to
explore new flavors working with local creators. The distillery previously
operated in Muskegon, is now in Troy, and is planned to relocate to Shelby, MI.
Kavy, a Norton Shores resident, is launching the Zini brand nationwide but plans
to maintain Muskegon as its home base. The tasting room will be a bright,
inviting space and is planned to open in May, 2026.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: to approve the Social District Permit for Zini LLC, at
380 West Western Ave., Suite 140, Muskegon, MI 49440 for consideration by the
Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
I. Approve CRC Recommendations City Clerk
Recommendations from the February 9, 2026, CRC meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve the CRC recommendations for board
positions.
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Motion by Commissioner St.Clair, second by Commissioner Kochin, to adopt
the Consent Agenda as presented minus items B, E, F, G, and H.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Johnson, Jackson, Kochin, and St.Clair
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
2026-12 ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
B. Hosting Ordinances on MuniCode Site City Clerk
The City's ordinances are currently hosted on the City's website and staff is
recommending we move them to the Municode website.
Municode hosts many municipalities on their site and have also been updating
our ordinances for the last several decades. They offer better searching
capabilities and will be a benefit to our citizens and staff. The cost is $1,125
annually with a 5% increase each year. Cancellation can happen upon 60
days notice before the renewal date. Although this is well within the
purchasing limits for staff, because it is a contracted multi-year expense, this is
coming to the Commission for approval.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: To approve staff to sign an agreement with
Municode to host the City's ordinances.
Motion by Commissioner St.Clair, second by Commissioner Kochin, to approve
staff to sign an agreement with Municode to host the City's ordinances.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Jackson, Kochin, St.Clair, and Johnson
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
E. Automated Benchmarking Service Agreement with Michigan Green
Building Collaborative Economic Development
Approval of a one-year agreement with the Michigan Green Building
Collaborative (MiGBC) in the amount of $1,500 to provide automated building
energy benchmarking services through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for
select City facilities.
Staff is requesting approval of a one-year agreement with the Michigan Green
Building Collaborative (MiGBC), a statewide nonprofit supporting sustainable
building practices and energy efficiency, in the amount of $1,500 to provide
Automated Benchmarking Services for the Water Filtration Plant, City Hall, and
Public Works building. In 2023, the City Commission adopted a resolution
committing Muskegon to climate action and directed the development of an
organizational-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. That inventory informed
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the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which was adopted in 2025 and
establishes a roadmap to achieve net-zero GHG emissions from municipal
operations by 2040. A key strategy within the CAP’s Buildings and Facilities focus
area is improving how the City tracks and manages energy use across
municipal buildings.
Through this agreement, MiGBC will establish and manage the City’s ENERGY
STAR Portfolio Manager account and automate the upload of utility data from
Consumers Energy and DTE for participating City facilities. This creates a
consistent, data-driven way to understand building energy performance and
associated greenhouse gas emissions without requiring significant ongoing staff
time for data entry and tracking.
In addition to maintaining the benchmarking platform, MiGBC will prepare an
annual report summarizing energy consumption trends, key findings, and
recommendations. This information will help the City identify high-energy-use
facilities, prioritize future efficiency investments, and track progress toward the
CAP goal of net-zero municipal emissions by 2040.
This agreement supports the City’s commitment to environmental sustainability,
improves access to reliable performance data, and helps ensure Muskegon is
making informed, measurable decisions about its municipal operations. This will
also complement our current DPW initiative with Johnson Controls.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: I move to approve the Automated Benchmarking
Service agreement with the Michigan Green Building Collaborative.
Motion by Commissioner Kochin, second by Commissioner St.Clair, to approve
the Automated Benchmarking Service agreement with the Michigan Green
Building Collaborative.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Jackson, Kochin, St.Clair, and Johnson
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
F. MDOT Local Agency Agreement for Apple Avenue Public Works
Staff requests approval of a contract with MDOT for the reconstruction of Apple
Avenue from Webster Avenue to Home Street, and approval of a resolution
authorizing the DPW Director and Clerk to sign the contract.
On May 13th of last year, the Commission passed a resolution committing the
City to partnering with MDOT for select improvements during the Apple Avenue
Reconstruction project in the summer of 2026. Specifically, water main and
sewer system upgrades, and certain components of the road project, such as
sections of the new non-motorized trail along the south side of Apple. The
project is ready to proceed, and it's time to sign the agreement outlining the
terms under which the City will participate. It is the same contract format we
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sign for other projects that use federal funds and/or are administered through
MDOT, such as the one passed at our last meeting for Lakeshore Drive. The
construction project funding breakdown is shown in the table below.
The costs in the chart are estimates as of the publication of the agenda and
packet, as the project is still out for bids. Due to tight construction timelines,
MDOT has asked the City to move forward on the agreement as soon as
possible. Staff expects to have more accurate numbers available at the
meeting after the bids are opened, though they should not differ substantially.
Budgeted amounts are included in both the FY26 and FY27 Capital
Improvement Plans and Budgets, as the costs are expected to occur over the
two fiscal years.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Move approval of a contract with MDOT for the
reconstruction of Apple Avenue from Webster Avenue to Home Street, and
approval of a resolution authorizing the DPW Director and Clerk to sign the
contract.
Motion by Commissioner Kochin, second by Commissioner St.Clair, to approve
the contract with MDOT for the reconstruction of Apple Avenue from Webster
Avenue to Home Street, and approval of a resolution authorizing the DPW
Director and Clerk to sign the contract.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Jackson, Kochin, St.Clair, and Johnson
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
G. Transportation Asset Management Plan Update Public Works
A resolution authorizing the Mayor and Finance Director to certify to the State
that the City has an updated Transportation Asset Management Plan in
accordance with the State's requirements, and to adopt the updated plan.
Public Act 325 of 2018 began a process which required all road maintaining
agencies with at least 100 centerline miles to prepare and have on file with the
State a Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) that is updated every
three years. The City was first required to file in 2022, and this new version
represents our first triennial update to the plan.
As defined by the act, asset management is "an ongoing process of
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maintaining, preserving, upgrading, and operating physical assets cost
effectively, based on a continuous physical inventory and condition
assessment and investment to achieve established performance goals." In
more practical terms, the plan provides a detailed inventory of roads, bridges,
culverts and traffic signals in the City, sets goals for maintaining the overall
condition of the City's transportation infrastructure, and makes
recommendations on how to achieve the goals in the context of the funds
expected to be available.
As part of the obligations to the State, the Commission must certify the plan,
including a resolution designating the Mayor and Chief Financial Officer
(Finance Director) as the City's authorized signers. Adoption of this resolution
and plan will keep the City in compliance with the State requirements.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Move to adopt the resolution authorizing the Mayor
and Finance Director to certify to the State that the City has an updated
Transportation Asset Management Plan, and to adopt the updated plan.
Motion by Commissioner Kochin, second by Commissioner St.Clair, to adopt
the resolution authorizing the Mayor and Finance Director to certify to the State
that the City has an updated Transportation Asset Management Plan, and to
adopt the updated plan.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Jackson, Kochin, St.Clair, and Johnson
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
H. Beach Warning System Update - Proposal DPW- Parks
Staff requests authorization to contract with SwimSmart Technology based on
their proposal for upgraded electronic beach safety signage and notification
systems.
The City of Muskegon has utilized electronic beach safety signage at Pere
Marquette Beach for several years as part of its layered water safety and
public notification strategy. As the existing equipment approaches the end of
its expected service life and maintenance needs increase, staff has been
exploring options to improve reliability, expand public communication, and
modernize beach safety operations in a cost-predictable manner.
This proposal presents a partnership with SwimSmart Technology to upgrade
and expand electronic beach safety signage and associated software using a
Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) model. The system relies on automated updates
driven by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather
advisories to provide real-time hazard communication, automate public and
inter-agency notifications, and improve data collection and reporting. The
HaaS model reduces long-term maintenance uncertainty by bundling
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hardware, software, support, and upgrades into a single annual cost. Costs
may be paid annually or bundled into a four-year lump-sum payment, which
aligns with the City’s budgeted beach safety improvements identified in the
2024 Parks Master Plan Capital Improvement Plan.
The pilot includes options ranging from migration of the City’s existing signage
into the new service model to a full expansion of seven strategically located
beach safety signs, with optional cameras, weather sensors, and public-facing
web tools. Participation as a pilot community provides discounted pricing and
included software features in exchange for feedback during system
development.
The proposed signs are standalone units that resemble the existing stop-light
style warning systems currently located at the Pere Marquette concession
stand and Mack Kite building. Proposed locations include near Margaret Drake
Elliot Park (as you round the ovals area), an additional sign between the two
existing signs, one sign at each end of Lake Michigan Park (south of the
filtration plant), and a sign at Kruse Park. A location map is in the proposal.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Move to authorize staff to contract with SwimSmart
Technology based on their proposal for upgraded electronic beach safety
signage and notification systems.
Motion by Commissioner St.Clair, second by Commissioner Jackson, to
authorize staff to contract with SwimSmart Technology based on their proposal
for upgraded electronic beach safety signage and notification systems.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Kochin, St.Clair, Johnson, and Jackson
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
City Manager Jonathan Seyferth thanked Tim Duba for attending the City
Commission Meeting and for all the work he and his team does. The City gets a
lot of compliments.
Commissioner Kochin thanked Tim and his team for their creativity and
ingenuity that they put into Hackley Park.
Commissioner St.Clair agreed. Hackley Park was filled with families and kids
playing. It was thoughtfully done and inclusive.
Commissioner Jackson also thanked them for the holiday display.
Mayor Johnson thanked City Manager Jonathan Seyferth for attending County
Commissioner Pages funeral. He served the greater Muskegon community so
very well. He was a good man and his loss will definitely be felt in our
community. Mayor Johnson would propose that we consider finding an
appropriate stretch of road that connects Muskegon and Muskegon Heights for
consideration of having an honorific to recognize and memorialize
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Commissioner Paige. Mayor Johnson congratulated Anthony Bradford who just
participated in the Super Bowl. He holds the distinction of playing on teams
that not only have won the Michigan State Championship but the National
Collegiate Championship and the Super Bowl. He was also a Muskegon Big
Red.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comments received.
ADJOURNMENT
The City Commission meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann Marie Meisch, MMC City Clerk
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