A lighter schedule awaited the Whitehall city council for its regular meeting Tuesday, but the council did discuss several recent items.
The meeting included a brief clarification on the tax money captured annually by the Tax Increment Finance Authority and Local Development Finance Authority after council members Tom Ziemer and Debi Hillebrand separately requested clarification on the matter. City manager Scott Huebler, for the public's benefit, spoke about those authorities pulling in excess taxable value beyond a preset base value. State law allows those and similar bodies (such as Montague's Downtown Development Authority) to use that excess money to reinvest in the community. Huebler added that it's been the city's position throughout the existence of their TIFA and LDFA bodies that some of that money should be returned to the taxing jurisdictions - he said "about a third" of those monies are annually sent back.
The council took no action regarding a request council member Tom Ziemer said was received from the White Lake Association to provide some funds for the recently launched smart buoy. The buoy collects data regarding the environmental health of White Lake, and the requested funds - $800 - were to help support the use of a website that would enable the public to see that data as the WLA posts it. While the annual budget was passed at the May 27 meeting, the council could take action on that request later via a budget amendment. Ziemer noted that Montague was slated to contribute $800 as well.
Ziemer also said he'd heard from several residents who are against the installation of Flock traffic cameras in the city and noted the public comments against the cameras at the May 27 meeting. The company has offered the use of the cameras on a free trial basis to various local municipalities, with the option to pay an annual fee to continue using them once the trial is over. The cameras capture license plate information that enables the tracking of vehicles from place to place.
Council members Scott Brown shared from his use of social media, the majority of comments he'd seen opposed the cameras' use, and Steve Sikkenga added that while he's heard no opinions from residents, he personally does not want the cameras here. Tanya Cabala conceded there were privacy issues regarding the cameras, but did not outright oppose them. No action was taken on the matter.
The council unanimously approved a request from the Hokey Pokey store to close the alley between its building and the Gil-Roy Hardware store for two weekends this year so it can bring back the "Find the Unexpected in the Alley" sales it regularly hosted prior to the pandemic. The sales will take place June 20-22 and Sept. 5-7. Cathy Russell spoke during public comment on behalf of the store, saying customers have been asking the store for some time when the sales would return.
