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CITY OF MUSKEGON
CITY COMMISSION WORKSESSION
April 8, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
MUSKEGON CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS
933 TERRACE STREET, MUSKEGON, MI 49440
MINUTES
2024-30 CALL TO ORDER
The work session meeting of the City of Muskegon was held at City Hall, 933
Terrace Street, Muskegon, Michigan at 5:30 PM, Monday, April 8, 2024.
Present: Mayor Ken Johnson, Vice Mayor Rebecca St. Clair, Commissioners Willie
German, Jr., Jay Kilgo, and Rachel Gorman
Absent: Commissioners Katrina Kochin and Destinee Keener
NEW BUSINESS
A. Water Fund Revenue Public Works
Department Director VanderHeide presented information about the water fund
and the need to raise revenue. The water fund is in a deficit position due to
several factors, including increased investment in the water system and
increased expenses associated with post-COVID supply chain and labor
challenges. Staff presented the state of the water fund, some of the factors
that are impacting water system expenses, and provided a recommendation
for increased revenue. The proposed changes to the rates will be on the
regular meeting agenda at the April 9, 2024 Commission Meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Proposed changes to the rates will be added to the
regular City Commission meeting agenda of April 9, 2024.
B. Trinity Health Arena Facility Upgrades (Locker-rooms A & E) Arena
Trinity Health Arena Manager Jake Laime shared that, as a result of the
Lumberjacks' renovation project, the arena needs to reallocate space taken by
the team. Locker Room A will be repurposed for arena storage and Locker
Room E will be converted to a larger and suitable space to accommodate the
loss of Locker Room A.
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The modifications to the two arena locker rooms would ideally be made when
the Lumberjacks start their $2.5M renovation project. Transitioning Locker Room
A into storage provides approximately 450 square feet of much-needed on-site
storage and addresses the liability of the current practice of transporting
flooring, turf and stages across Shoreline Drive. The team has offered to pay for
the demolition of Locker Room A as part of their scope of work.
The arena has three other suitable locker rooms, in B, C, and D. Locker Room E is
much smaller and currently cannot accommodate a full team. Staff is
developing plans to renovate Locker Room E at a cost of approximately
$135,000. This would add additional square footage, restrooms, and seating,
including bringing this lower level to ADA standards. Locker Room E can be
completed by August. The fund source for the Locker Room E project will come
from the $1 million which was reallocated as part of the MEDC Revitalization
and Placemaking (RAP) 1.0 grant program.
Staff has been working to develop a long-term solution to three downtown
issues: large-capacity public restrooms for special events and daily visitors, ADA
egress from the west side of the arena, and capacity to replace the arena’s
storage that was lost in a windstorm in 2015.
Renovation of these locker rooms is part of a continuous Capital Improvement
Plan. In 2023, the city improved ADA access from Western Ave using the small
alleyway between the arena and the CIO Hall. The walkway now consists of a
ramp connecting Western Ave to the egress doors on the Arena’s western
façade. As part of the ramp construction, barrier-free entry now exists to the
arena’s new restrooms directly from the exterior of the facility. Additionally, as
part of the new ramped egress, a storage area approximately 20 feet x 25 feet
was created to help store important arena assets like football/soccer turf, floor
coverings, etc. The project also included replacing the stormwater, sanitary
sewers, and water mains in the alley. The City's ARPA funds were used for the
non-utility improvements, and the utility funds for the corresponding utility
improvements.
AMOUNT REQUESTED: $135,000
FUND OR ACCOUNT: RAP
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Proceed with renovations at the Trinity Health Arena
in conjunction with the Lumberjacks' business office, locker room and medical
space renovations. The project will result in improved amenities and continued
success in player recruitment while also assisting in ADA upgrades. The updates
will bring storage and office space back into City/Arena use due to the projects
paid at the Lumberjacks expense.
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C. Parks Capital Improvement Plan Draft & Master Plan Survey Results
DPW- Parks
Parks and Recreation Department Director Kyle Karczewski proposed an
amendment to the 2022 Parks & Recreation Master Plan to include updated
survey/community engagement information and Capital Improvement Plan.
During the summer and fall of 2023, the Parks & Recreation team launched a
broad engagement plan that focused on a survey through the Community
Engagement Hub. This information, along with national park standards and our
equity-centered capital improvement plan, was used to prioritize how the ARPA
funds dedicated to park improvements would be used. A list was of
improvements that will be seen in our parks and a description of how the $6.1
million that the Commission set aside for park improvements at a 2022
commission meeting was presented.
This information was vetted through the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee
and, after months of discussion, the document is ready for Commission
approval.
All individual purchases & contracts will follow City of Muskegon procurement
policies.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Authorization to update the Parks & Recreation
Master Plan with the addition of the community engagement information and
adoption of the Capital Improvement Plan.
D. City Manager Evaluation Process City Clerk
A committee of three Commissioners was created to review the evaluation
format for the position of City Manager. The Committee edited previous
evaluation questions and determined that anonymous input by Department
Heads and citizens be collected and submitted to the Commission before
conducting their evaluation of the City Manager. Commission members agreed
that there is not time this year to collect citizen input and asked for a list of
Department Head staff that would be asked to submit input.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Update some of the proposed verbiage for grammar
and clarification and adopt a new City Manager evaluation format that
includes the City Clerk sending an anonymous questionnaire to Department
Heads in 2024 which will be delivered to the Commission for review and
consideration prior to evaluation of the City Manager.
E. Downtown Muskegon Social District Expansion Community Engagement
Debra Sweet, Community Engagement Director, shared with Commissioners
information related to the opening of the Downtown Muskegon Social District in
2020 which has been serving patrons throughout downtown since that time.
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Establishments outside the current district are interested joining the social district
and Ms. Sweet presented a proposed expansion to the current social district.
Commission members discussed the areas of proposed expansion into the
existing district and, also, suggested designating additional districts by area over
expanding the current district to include interested establishments.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The Community Engagement Director will amend the
proposed social district expansion based on the Commission's input and
resubmit the request at a later time.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment was received.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann Marie Meisch, City Clerk
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