[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6609351,"mediaKeyId","2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e","parentId",2928291,"title","Votes at a glance: Utica council approves 10-year trash contract extension and several grant and budget actions; denies Shelby Lions carnival","audioSeconds",1040,"startMs",2765000,"endMs",3805000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e&start=2765&end=3805","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e/thumbnail_2765000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6609351/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-Utica-council-approves-10-year-trash-contract-extension-and-several-grant-and-budget-actions-denies-Shelby-Lions-carnival","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609351-9de528475ae794c99a445b40ae5555b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157327&Signature=Xq1~qR9pAplfdnax~TGraX6Ok1YSAFqEkgnG7z~eU~D0sfGcTkyOzei5XbEqqC3D3ZMmyMs4NAALEYo9wVAOPsfmNh5Y2xB~fovMAM659a8IldaFQXqZFcn9Vz6UyrriLmlOhmKNruF8liRJFzOKcw-rkUQ8v3C7R8xc96uOcur0ffqErlp6o17NR64Pr1m7SiYSUX0gaDIn7tiobRg3fBsOYO09qCs-soU1dAOnjvi7MBua9qNewxBW1Mcqt1q5bbF8rQNkAcNHVIJ-~hEJAkwZg~23KBxmL1s76e63Quis0JsejLK5bluhU7aYHLxvI0aW3XobNl46bKSvmSEUPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utica","date","2025-04-09T15:10:44.137Z","article","Utica City Council voted on a range of ordinance, contract and budget items during its April 8, 2025 regular meeting. Major outcomes included approval of a 10-year extension with Priority Waste, authorization to list the packing-plant property with a commercial realtor, acceptance of a contractor to perform service‑line verifications under a TMF grant, multiple budget amendments and contract payments related to recently discovered sewer work, and denial of a requested Shelby Lions carnival. Council also approved an ordinance amendment allowing longer hours for marijuana establishments if nearby residents consent.

Votes at a glance (select items):

- Consent agenda: Council approved the consent business items by roll-call vote. (Motion: by Councilmember Dionne; support by Torenzi; roll-call in favor: Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino.)

- Receive and file correspondence (including Sikora resignation and library-board notice): Motion carried (roll-call yes: Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino).

- Pioneer Park tree donation and plaque: Council approved donation and installation of a memorial tree and plaque in Pioneer Park. (Motion: Sikora; support: Trenzi; roll-call: unanimous yes.)

- Donation-bin fee resolution (ordinance implementation): Council set an annual fee structure for donation collection bins at $150 per bin per year (administration $75 + inspection $75). The vote passed on roll call with Councilmember O'Donnell recorded as No and the remaining members Yes.

- Priority Waste contract extension (solid-waste provider): Council approved a proposed contract extension with Priority Waste for a 10‑year term. The company presented pricing comparisons and service history during the meeting. The extension was approved by roll call (Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino — all Yes).

- Marijuana hours ordinance amendment: Council approved an ordinance amendment that would allow marijuana dispensaries to extend retail hours to midnight provided that property owners and tenants within 300 feet file written consent; if any qualifying adjacent resident objects, the extension cannot be granted. Motion carried on roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Earned-sick-time policy: Council postponed action on the municipality’s earned sick-time policy until the next regularly scheduled council meeting so members could review the draft policy; motion to postpone passed on roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Packing-plant property: Council authorized the mayor to engage a commercial realtor to list the packing-plant property and associated parcels so offers may be solicited publicly. Motion passed by roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Shelby Lions carnival request: The council denied the Shelby Lions’ request to hold a carnival at a proposed downtown location; concerns cited by council and police were public-safety and staffing risks. Motion to deny passed by roll call (Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino — all Yes).

- Appointment to Utica Library Board: Council appointed Councilmember Brad O'Donnell to the Utica Library Board to fill the vacancy created by Sikora’s resignation. O'Donnell abstained from the roll call on this appointment; other members voted yes, and the motion carried.

- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month proclamation: Council declared April 2025 as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and adopted a proclamation by roll-call vote (unanimous Yes).

- Federal Local Safety Program (FLSP) grant application / HRC engineering proposal: Council approved hiring HRC to prepare and submit a 2027 Federal Local Safety Program application (fee $6,000) and amended the street-department budget to fund the engineering application cost. The motions passed by roll-call vote (unanimous Yes). The proposed project scope included pedestrian safety improvements and relocation of some Auburn Road streetlights; preliminary construction estimate and a 10% local match were discussed.

- Van Dyke median and related reallocations: Council approved a transfer from restricted fund balance to cover engineering for the completed Van Dyke median project ($25,000) and other major-street fund reallocations to fund sidewalk and Auburn Road projects. Motions carried by roll call.

- Sanitary sewer incident repairs and mitigation: Following a sanitary-sewer main break on M‑53 the council approved emergency repair payments and remediation contracts: payment of $3,000 to Shelby Underground for repair work and approval of a mitigation/cleanup contract with Deutsch Environmental Services not to exceed $25,000. The council also amended the Water and Sewer Systems fund budget to cover the cleanup; all related motions were approved by roll-call votes.

- TMF grant: service-line verification contracting: The council accepted the low bid from ML Chartier for service-line verifications under a TMF grant (bid $151,794) and approved budget reallocations to fund contract labor under the TMF award. Motions passed by roll call.

- Fire-department budget amendments and equipment purchases: Council amended the 2025 general-fund budget to account for reimbursement funds ($66,120) related to generator equipment damage and authorized an emergency purchase of three Hurst-tool batteries and chargers (total not to exceed $4,371.26). Motions carried by roll call.

How the council voted: For most items the record shows roll-call votes with Councilmembers Sikora, Torenzi (also spelled variously in the record), O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver and Mayor Gus Calandrino participating. Where the transcript records individual responses, those are noted above; where members abstained (for example, Brad O'Donnell’s appointment to the library board), the vote record reflects that abstention.

Why it matters: The Priority Waste contract locks in trash-service pricing and service arrangements for a decade; grant-application approvals preserve opportunities to pursue federal funds for pedestrian-safety and sidewalk projects; and the TMF contract advances federally funded lead/service-line work. Denial of the carnival reflected council and public-safety concerns about staffing and event control.

Ending: Council completed a packed agenda and closed the meeting after public comment and additional department reports. Several items require follow-up by staff (grant applications, procurement and contract administration) and some decisions (earned-sick-time policy) will return to a future agenda for full council consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-08 Utica City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Utica City Council approved a 10-year Priority Waste contract extension, authorized multiple grant and budget steps for pedestrian and sewer projects, and denied a proposed Shelby Lions carnival at its April 8 meeting.","taxTitle","Utica City, Macomb County, Michigan","taxId",61459,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6609355,"Michigan Municipal League briefs Utica on small-business 'local economies' recommendations",792,1532000,2324000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e&start=1532&end=2324","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e/thumbnail_1532000.jpg","/articles/6609355/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Michigan-Municipal-League-briefs-Utica-on-small-business-local-economies-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609355-de3d7858aa9e9f7e4eadd4bfb2227707/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157327&Signature=Ntr6QnjBFUaR34q5WVR5bXLBIfgW4VmZXUSy6xP0sW0~dHCEimDMTqM7mw0IekwlTkIvisiQSd0Su7BVi8-AYKcSB~hv52qdU8jFO0vjVMrx1qmFYJNDpuR8Kg8tYp9dHsgOZTuvvV7gYOlYaOhAoNtkgsu853oPfICmZ8OjVEAHXRC9wWd9eWUe2ghU5s--fbH4b~NwhtaGdndtJe6DtSBLKkrYjHJd3TP0alF13y87NzErfxTD2EWt-PWRVgMXl41z6bCqqK~rr-cF7I1o~0mCYgEmDPUPmpfNQXWn17wgeHCPEE3aLymaIyzOztrLsHp7PqdevCjWJkvgtZPE7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Michigan Municipal League (MML) presented an opportunity report to the Utica City Council on April 8, 2025 after a site visit conducted earlier this year. MML staff told council the work was funded in partnership with the Wilson Foundation and is intended to help member communities strengthen small-business ecosystems.

MML representatives described a three-part approach their program uses: a rapid assessment visit that includes a morning coffee hour with local businesses, a walking tour with municipal leaders, and an afternoon stakeholder meeting that connects economic-development partners. The Utica visit was identified as the group’s fifth site visit in a multi-community effort.

Shanna Drehime of the Michigan Municipal League said Utica’s downtown already shows momentum and that the site visit produced short- and long-term recommendations included in the council packet. MML staff highlighted several specific opportunities the report recommended the city pursue:

- Strengthen walkability and pedestrian connections, including links between downtown and nearby attractions such as Jimmy John’s Field and the Clinton River trail;
- Consider developing a kayak livery and related visitor amenities near the Clinton River to leverage river access;
- Reframe the city’s graffiti alley as an arts destination to encourage ownership and foot traffic; and
- Build or support a more active local-business/stakeholder network (for example, via a business association or a scaled development district) so local entrepreneurs know which regional partners to contact for resources.

Philip Cooley, an MML consultant with entrepreneurship experience, told council Utica’s entrepreneurial turnout during the site visit was among the best the league has seen, and he praised local owners’ engagement and interest in additional support. Melissa Milton Pung of MML emphasized that MML shares ideas among member communities and can provide examples and follow-up assistance.

Council members thanked the MML delegation and said they would review the report’s recommendations. The MML representatives said they would remain available to help Utica implement near-term items and to connect the city to relevant regional partners.

Ending: MML’s opportunity report is included in the council packet for follow-up; council members said they plan to discuss specific recommendations and next steps in future meetings.","The Michigan Municipal League (MML) presented an opportunity report to Utica City Council after a January site visit, urging partnerships, walkability improvements and business coordination to support downtown small businesses and waterfront assets.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6609361,"Utica Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth J. Sikora resigns after 35 years; council honors his service",1090,40000,1130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e&start=40&end=1130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2928291-ca06c864dc33af430d2965b38bfe462e/thumbnail_40000.jpg","/articles/6609361/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Utica-Mayor-Pro-Tem-Kenneth-J-Sikora-resigns-after-35-years-council-honors-his-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609361-4fffa60c778f102dcf999e0d3a7b4394/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157327&Signature=neusqoMF9xKVW4XtrtJal5V-wkzPmxOLbvz7HkE3gRsHf7qmm46rXx5~tpvwqqZHvphURqk2nugkHffGjraVOs57CeDCPuxjeo9venyJoz0fv5DCLUi~X-JARdN5cLqbGSeYKfomaQQVPceYf0uufDGOECl2LIwpW7kHRKOUIUu1HNLSV2-4H6S-e5r06H-PRv-KgOm8otmFWZv0bo2U5MemsLqk7CplHRZ5XM~PfeQEn7hHjZb8a4DCqU5FKeoBFgvJWkl9w-E3exlcfh6ecS6ZZI1F00Glv0qNxSgi4m2c27LPeaO6tixYlDT44HaMhtf0QI2v0oUptAaZ1K5YAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Utica Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth J. Sikora resigned from the Utica City Council effective at the adjournment of the April 8, 2025 regular meeting, and council members used the session to recognize his more than three decades of service.

Council members presented Sikora with a formal resolution and a bound copy of the minutes from his first council meeting in 1990. Mayor Gus Calandrino read the council resolution that praised Sikora’s budget work and long service to the city. State and county officials and former colleagues joined the meeting to offer remarks and tributes.

The council’s recognition noted Sikora’s years on the council and on local boards, and a plaque from Macomb County Commissioner Sylvia Groat was presented. Retired Police Chief Sean Cody and State Representative Ron Robinson addressed the council and thanked Sikora for his support of the police department and fiscal stewardship. A representative from U.S. Congressman John James’ office read a written tribute that was also entered into the record.

Sikora’s resignation was filed in writing and read into the record by the city clerk; the letter stated that Sikora and his wife Emily will be moving out of the city and that his resignation would be effective at the meeting’s adjournment. The library director, Catherine Francis, also submitted a letter reporting Sikora’s resignation from the Utica Library Board of Trustees, citing the value of his council experience to that board.

During council reports later in the meeting, the council formally appointed Councilmember Brad O'Donnell to fill Sikora’s vacant seat on the library board. O'Donnell abstained from the roll-call vote to appoint himself; other members voted in favor.

Council members and guests repeatedly described Sikora as the city’s longtime budget steward. Calandrino said of Sikora, “He is the master of the budget,” and several speakers noted Sikora’s role in guiding budgets and city policy over multiple administrations. Multiple council members and several residents spoke in the public-comment portion and in council reports to thank Sikora for his service.

The council entered the resignation and the library-board appointment into the meeting record and approved both procedural steps by roll-call votes.

Looking ahead, the council did not name a successor to Sikora’s council seat at the April 8 meeting beyond appointing a replacement to the library board; the council said it will follow its usual procedures for filling council vacancies if and when required.

Speakers who addressed Sikora’s resignation at the April 8 meeting included Mayor Gus Calandrino; Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth J. Sikora; retired Police Chief Sean Cody; State Representative Ron Robinson; Lisa Brown of Congressman John James’ office; and Catherine Francis, library director. Council members who offered remarks included Councilmembers Torenzi, Dionne, Backus, Weaver and Councilmember Brad O'Donnell (whose appointment to the library board was acted upon at the meeting).

Ending: Sikora spoke briefly and accepted the tributes; council members closed the agenda item and continued with the night’s business. The council recorded the resignation and the library-board appointment in the minutes and moved to the next agenda items.","Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth J. Sikora resigned effective at adjournment of the April 8 meeting after more than three decades on Utica City Council. Council members and local officials read tributes and presented plaques; council also appointed Councilmember Brad O'Donnell to the Utica Library Board to fill Sikora's vacancy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Utica council approves 10-year trash contract extension and several grant and budget actions; denies Shelby Lions carnival

Michigan Municipal League briefs Utica on small-business 'local economies' recommendations

Utica Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth J. Sikora resigns after 35 years; council honors his service