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CITY OF MUSKEGON
CITY COMMISSION WORKSESSION
Monday, June 13, 2022
5:30 p.m.
City Commission Chambers
933 Terrace Street, Muskegon, MI 49440
MINUTES
2022-53
Present: Mayor Johnson, Vice Mayor German, Commissioners Gorman, St.Clair,
Emory, and Ramsey
Absent: Commissioner Hood
2022 Long Term Goals Presentation
Staff and Commissioner s met on April 15, 2022 to create a shared vision of the future
with major goals, key objectives, and one-year tasks. After receiving the report from our
facilitator, Lew Bender, city division and department heads developed a draft City
Commission Vision for 2022-2027. The vision includes four major goals:
2027 Goal 1 - Destination Community & Quality of Life
2027 Goal 2 - Economic Development, Housing, and Business
2027 Goal 3 - Community Connection
2027 Goal 4 - Financial Infrastructure
Staff is seeking input on the draft vision and will bring a final version to commission for
approval at a later date.
The leadership team will discuss the plan at regular intervals and confirm that the plan
is guiding decision making. After a 6-7- month time frame, staff will discuss the vision at
a work session to determine if changes are needed. A year after adoption, the group will
reconvene to consider progress made and develop action items for the next year.
Future decisions should be reviewed in light of this vision/strategic plan.
Discussion took place.
Transmittal of 2022-2023 Proposed Budget
Staff is transmitting to the City Commission the proposed budget for fiscal year 2022-23
which starts July 1, 2022. Both hardcopy and electronic versions of the budget have
been distributed to Commissioners. Additionally, the budget is available for inspection
on the City’s website and at the City Clerk’s office.
The proposed budget was reviewed in detail with staff at the June 13, 2022 work
session. A public hearing on the budget was held at the regular Commission meeting on
June 14, 2022. City ordinance requires that the budget be adopted by the Commission
on or before the second Commission meeting in June.
Finance Director, Ken Grant and Interim City Manager, LeighAnn Mikesell presented
information on the proposed 2022-23 FY Budget.
Discussion took place, some changes will be made before the Public Hearing
presentation taking place on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
Traffic Studies
Staff is looking to inform Commission and the Public on two corridors proposed for
traffic studies during 2022.
Staff is working towards soliciting proposals from engineering firms to provide a
comprehensive traffic study on the Apple Avenue and Getty Street corridors within the
City. The focus of the traffic studies will be to assess the corridors for potential road
dieting in the future.
The studies will be empirically based and will primarily consist of data collection,
computer modeling, conceptual renderings, and cost estimates. The end report will be
presented back to the Commission and public upon completion.
City staff has had preliminary discussions with Muskegon Heights and Norton Shores
regarding potentially extending the Getty Street road diet to cover the entire corridor
south to US-31 BR (Seaway Drive) though those discussions are still ongoing.
MDOT has a major reconstruction project planned for Apple Avenue in 2026 which will
provide an opportunity for implementing any recommendations from this study. Getty
Street is a corridor within the city that would be a good candidate for a future Safety
funded project to help reduce crashes.
Both routes are traditional examples of road diets with the 4-lane to 3-lane conversion
being a widely utilized and broadly proved method to increase the operational capacity
of a roadway and improve the safety simultaneously. Included below are a couple of
links pulled for the Iowa DOT that cover the common questions, and information on the
benefits for these projects:
https://iowadot.gov/traffic/4-to-3-lane-conversion/4-to-3-lane-conversion-myths
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/videos/news/2019/01/16/iowa-department-
transportation-explains-4-3-lane-conversion/2596034002/
Staff intends to post the RFP’s later this month and bring them back for award at the
City Commission (if necessary) in July to allow for work on the studies to commence
later this summer.
Discussion took place regarding this item.
Beach Parking Neighboring Community Proposal
Staff are seeking approval of a proposal to offer discounted parking passes to
neighboring CDBG entitlement communities.
Last year, a proposal was made to neighboring communities that allowed them to offer
discounted beach parking passes to their residents if the community participated with
Muskegon on the discount. The City Manager for Muskegon Height disagreed with the
proposal, and the city instead provided a number of free parking passes to the City of
Muskegon Heights. At the time, commissioners and staff offered the passes in an effort
to assist our low-income neighbors and provide them time to develop a program to aid
their own residents. The new proposal offers discounted passes and phases out the
program over the next 2 years.
Discussion took place regarding this item – it will be removed from the June 14, 2022
agenda and may be considered at a later date.
Public Comment: No public comments were received.
Adjournment: The City Commission Worksession Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann Marie Meisch, MMC – City Clerk
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