WHITEHALL — During its regular meeting Tuesday, the Whitehall City Council unanimously approved the scheduling of a public hearing that would allow the city to create an Obsolete Property Rehab District - essentially continuing the function of Michigan's Commercial Rehabilitation Act, which expired at the end of 2025 after not being renewed by the state legislature.
The proposed district would encompass a small portion of Colby Street that includes the in-progress Lake Land Getaway as well as the former Dollar Castle/Family Video building, which was recently purchased by Ray Issa. Issa also applied for and received a Facade Improvement Grant from the city, which will defray $6,000 of the estimated $14,000 cost of restoration work he is paying to have done to the building. The work includes painting the outside of the building and the installation of new signage.
The public hearing was tentatively scheduled for the June 23 council meeting, but could take place later, as council member Scott Brown noted that the council will have two absences that evening. The establishment of the district would allow the city to temporarily freeze the property tax rate of the building Issa now owns at an assessed value of his purchase price of $325,000, rather than its currently assessed value of, according to City Manager Dan Tavernier, $900,000-plus.
The council also approved a statement of interest in being the location of a veterans memorial sculpture for which noted ultramarathon swimmer Jim Dreyer is aiming to raise funds. Dreyer is planning a 22-mile swim in August - the 22 miles represent the oft-cited statistic that 22 veterans die by suicide each day - while towing 250 cannonballs, including one on his back, to represent the United States' 250th anniversary. (Tavernier noted that cannonballs are not actually produced anymore; the 'cannonballs' would be shot put implements.)
Dreyer's swim, weather permitting, would begin Aug. 7 with him arriving in Whitehall during the Maritime Festival. The cannonballs could be purchased by citizens for $750 in honor of a veteran to raise the funds for the memorial, which is not expected to cost the city anything. A site and design for the memorial has not yet been determined, and the city retains final approval on both.
The vote approving the interest was 6-1, with Tanya Cabala dissenting. Cabala expressed frustration that the matter hadn't been discussed during a council work session to get an idea of where other council members or the public stood prior to being presented a vote. Tavernier noted he's presented information about the memorial at prior meetings, and each grew frustrated with the other before Mayor Tom Ziemer stepped in and said it would be best to proceed to the vote.
Muskegon Community College Chief Financial Officer Beth Dick showed a video produced by the college regarding a millage restoration request that will be on the ballot for county voters in August. The college is seeking to restore the 0.298 mills that have been rolled back due to the Headlee amendment, which prohibits property taxes rising faster than inflation, over the years. The college received an approval for 2.4 mills in perpetuity in 1993, but due to the Headlee rollbacks is down to 2.102 mills. The college said restoring the millage to 2.4 mills would generate an additional $2.1 million annually to fund classroom improvements, building security upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant changes, and more.
Muskegon County Commissioner Kim Cyr shared during public comment that the county's parks and recreation commission is attempting to get a millage request on the ballot for this November for 0.5 mills over 10 years that would be largely targeted to county park and trail improvements. He said the county estimates a total of $3.68 million would be collected over the life of the millage, and it includes a revenue-sharing option that would allow municipalities to apply for grants from that funding if they have projects that fall under trail and park improvements.
