MONTAGUE — The Montague city council approved a bid of $326,493.92 from Double L Enterprises at Monday's regular meeting to perform some of the Maple Grove Park improvements the city has been pursuing.
The vote was 6-0; Bob Hires was absent from the meeting due to illness, according to mayor Tom Lohman, and Hires was granted an excused absence.
The improvements will be focused on the shoreline area of the park, as the city is already in progress on work with a contractor on improvements to the playground area, said city manager Jeff Auch. Among the improvements being made are a dredging of the shallow part of the water (about 50 feet into the water) and the construction of a retaining wall.
The focus, Auch said, will be on the removal of some debris in the water. The area was once a local dump site, and changes in water level over the years have exposed some of the debris in the water.
The Double L bid was the lower of two bids received. The amount is slightly higher than the city had budgeted for the improvements, but with some of the parks budget earmarked for grant matches, the overall budget hit will be about the same, Auch said.
With the approval of the bid, the city and Double L can begin establishing a timeline for the project. The city plans for the improvements to be completed by Memorial Day.
The council also approved a $5,000 bonus for Auch upon recommendation of the personnel subcommittee. The bonus drew some discussion from the council before being approved 5-1; Paul Schultz dissented.
Council member Laura LaGuire said she felt Auch is doing "a fantastic job," hence the bonus, but asked what stops the city from granting similar bonuses to other employees who receive positive reviews for their work. As Auch is the only employee whose superiors technically are the council members - he oversees the city's various department heads, who in turn oversee their departmental employees - his compensation is handled differently than others'. Auch's contract as city manager is self-renewing, he said; the council's granting him a bonus effectively replaced a contract negotiation.
City employees, Auch said, generally work for the city for 4-6 years before arriving at the maximum compensation level the city has listed for their position, at which point they receive annual cost of living adjustments. After some discussion on the differences at play, including between union (such as city police) and non-union employees, council member Susan Newhof suggested the personnel subcommittee could look into future alternatives on the matter.
Public commenter Kristi Bortell likened Auch's bonus to "a tip" and questioned whether it was a better way to reward his work than renegotiating his contract, adding that the uncertain nature of bonuses could affect the city's ability to attract employees in the future.
The council added a 6-0 approval for a Michigan Liquor Control Commission permit for Stoney Ridge Winery. The permit is a procedural move that will allow the winery to sell beer, as it does at its Kent City location. The winery, Auch said, has been planning to expand its operations to the space next door, which was previously occupied by ReNew You Fitness, since it moved. The approval grants the winery the ability to use a small portion of its expanded space for microbrewing, in addition to selling its products, and also allows it to bring products brewed at its Kent City location to Montague to sell.
Auch said the city is working with its attorney on an agreement with the Ellenwood Landing marina on some dredging that would take place at its boat launch area, and reported that the White Lake Snow Farmers have informed both Montague and Whitehall that they are seeking grants that would enable them to install water fountains along the bike trail that spans both cities. Whitehall's fountain would likely be installed near WaterDog Outfitters, and Montague's would be placed near Cullen Fields should the grant application be successful.
During the work session that followed the meeting, Auch addressed the utility rate schedule for 2026. The city is seeking some minor changes that could be approved at February's meeting, but all changes must be approved by ordinance as the utility rates are considered a tax. The council next month will consider a change that would slightly lower the water consumption rate but slightly increase the ready-to-serve charge; Auch said the net per-household increase would be under 50 cents per month if the same water usage is maintained. The ready-to-serve change, which also applies to the sewer rates, includes a rounding to the nearest nickel to account for the recent U.S. Treasury decision to cease production of pennies.
If the rate changes are approved by the council next month, they will become available at city hall for residents to peruse.
