Community Corner

City Council Approves Special Land Use Permit and Roof Repair, Moves Forward on Transit Plan

Here's a brief summary of the July 19 meeting of Saline City Council

Here’s a summary of the action from Monday’s Saline City Council meeting.

Council Paves Way For Fish Tackle Business

Council approved an application for a Special Land Use Permit that will allow Your Bobbers Down, a wholesale packager and retailer of fishing tackle, to do business at 1400 E. Michigan Ave. The property is located in an industrial district. Jamie Olson owns the business and Storage Pros Saline, LLC, owns the property. Council voted 5-0 to grant the request, which was recommended by Planning Commission. Mayor Gretchen Driskell abstained, citing a conflict of interest.

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Councillor Glen Law said he would have preferred to see the retail business come downtown, but he welcomed the business to town nonetheless.

City Moves Forward on AATA County Transit Plan 

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Council voted 6-0 to authorize Driskell and City Manager Todd Campbell to negotiate the Act 7 Agreement of Governance Plan with the Ann Arbor Transit Authority and other participating governmental units. The new AATA county transit master plan includes daily express bus trips from Saline to Ann Arbor, much like the service serving Chelsea. The plan also includes transit within the city of Saline. If Saline chooses to go along with the plan, the city will have representation on a board that will help enact parts of the plan and negotiate its funding. 

Council Approves Rec Center Roof Repair

Council unanimously passed a potion to pay up to $20,680 to fix the roof of the Saline Rec Center. The expenditure irked council members as work on the center’s roof was completed just four years ago.

“How can we be assured this will actually work?” asked Law.

Manager Campbell noted there was a warranty for the new work being done. Plante Moran is overseeing the project. Representative Paul Therieault said specialists have been hired to study the problems and come up with the right repairs.

“We’re not happy to have to come and explain what the problems are, but we do think this is a comprehensive solution,” Theriault said.

The major problem is in the roof over the pool area. A design flaw in the previous work allowed moisture to get into the roof and its insulation.

“The roof does continue to get worse as the wind blows. Sometimes it looks like a party tent up there when the wind is blowing,” Campbell said. “We have to move ahead before there is catastrophic failure.”

Alliance Works Toward Main Street Bid 

Cindy Cindy Czubko, president of the Saline Downtown Historic Alliance, updated city council on the alliance’s bid to make Saline a select-level member in the Michigan Main Street program. The application for the program is available Oct. 1 and must be completed Dec. 1.

Saline has been an associate-level member in the program, which promises to help with training, business retention and other plans to bolster downtown. Czubko told council that members of the alliance have been busy winning support for the bid. In recent months, the alliance has made its pitch to the school board, local township boards and service organizations.

The big push at the moment is filing for tax-exempt status, Czubko said. Another major project that must be completed is an inventory of downtown buildings and businesses to be included in the application.

A major cost will be salary and benefits for a full-time program manager. Although the alliance is applying independently of the city, it is expected that the city will be asked for some kind of financial support. Fundraising efforts are already underway. For more information visit www.route12tomainstreet.com.

Residents Warned Herbicide May Damage Trees 

The city is using its website to warn residents that an herbicide called Imprelis may be causing damage to trees in the city.

Mayor Driskell asked if local hardware stores should be asked to stop selling the herbicide, but the legality of the request was questioned.

For now, the city is attempting to let people know about the potential danger. For more on the issue, visit this page on the Michigan State University Extension website.

Police Dispatch Forum Will Be Held When Facts Are In

After being pressed by resident Mary Hess during public comment, Driskell said that a public session on the Saline police dispatch issue will be held at a later date.

Hess urged each member of council to tell the public what they thought about the matter and to hold a public forum soon.

“A public session will be held when we have the information to have a public session about—when we are ready and we know what the pros and cons are,” Driskell said. “We are gathering facts right now.”

The city is considering outsourcing the police dispatch service to Pittsfield Township to save money and to qualify for state revenue sharing.


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