Saline City Council Adopts Goals for 2011-12

The City Council unanimously approved a strategic plan for 2011-12 at Monday’s regular meeting.

According to the plan, among the goals are sustaining a vibrant downtown, maintaining financial stability and building community spirit and civic engagement.

The plan, which also includes efforts to improve communication, upgrade infrastructure and intensify economic development opportunities, takes effect July 1.

A copy of the plan can be found .

The motion to pass the strategic plan was moved by Councilman David Rhoads and seconded by Councilman Pat Ivey.

“I’m quite pleased with this plan. The goals listed there are much better defined than they might have been in previous documents. I think there’s a good chance of reaching those goals and certainly of measuring our progress toward reaching the goals,” Rhoads said.

New council member Dean Girbach agreed.

“I think these are goals we can attain. It’s a great plan for the city to move forward, control costs and improve the business climate,” Girbach said.

Councilman Glenn Law voted in favor of the plan, despite his opposition to elements of it.

“I am not in favor of the sustainable city portion of the document. Just for the record, I wanted to state my opposition. But I am not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. While I disagree on the sustainable city portion, I agree with what is included in the rest of the document, and on that basis I will support the document,” he said.

Each year, the council reviews the goals and objectives established for city governance. This is done using information gleaned from surveys, citizen input at meetings and other methods. The city also uses a “toolbox and guidelines” made available by the Michigan Municipal League to help identify “key assets” found in “successful 21st-century communities.”

Trapp Reports On Winterfest

Downtown Director Art Trapp reported to the council on the Jan. 29 event, calling it a success and suggesting that next year’s event should be bigger and better.

He thanked the City Council, and especially council member Law, for supporting the event. He also read a list of names of volunteers, businesses and donors who helped make the event possible.

“Some of these folks worked really hard, and others worked even harder,” said Trapp. “People saw a need, and they fulfilled it.”

He said the , which Saline won by building 486 snowmen in two hours, was a big hit, and he credited the family of council member Girbach for building 120 snowmen all by themselves. The city is expected to take control of , the tournament trophy, this week. Trapp said he expected to use pictures of Frosty on many of next year’s marketing materials. Council members Law and Rhoads thanked Trapp for his work coordinating the festival.

“Art took on a lot of legwork, and without him we would not have had as successful an event as we did,” Law said. “I think we did a great job utilizing the ice rink (at Henne Field), and we opened a lot of people up to what the ice-skating rink was all about.”

Two Speak in Public Comment

Two residents spoke during public comment. Mary Hess asked about a report she’d heard that said the city had an $11 million unfunded retirement liability. City Manager Todd Campbell stated the unfunded liability was approximately $5 million. Hess said the city needed to get retirement costs under control. She also stated she was against the idea of the city getting into the electric vehicle charging business.

Mary Lirones also spoke out against the deal with DTE to install an electric vehicle charging station in the Henry Street parking lot.

City Commends Eagle Scout

The city of Saline awarded Mark James Albin with a letter of commendation for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of Saline Boy Scout Troop No. 457.