[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-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",[32,74],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6491318,"mediaKeyId","5532479-7ec5f67f406d31de2dc1db9a1b444bc6","parentId",5532479,"title","Garden City council schedules June 23 public hearings on water rates and budget; approves closed session","audioSeconds",2238,"startMs",64000,"endMs",2302000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532479-7ec5f67f406d31de2dc1db9a1b444bc6&start=64&end=2302","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532479-7ec5f67f406d31de2dc1db9a1b444bc6/thumbnail_64000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6491318/Garden-City/Wayne-County/Michigan/Garden-City-council-schedules-June-23-public-hearings-on-water-rates-and-budget-approves-closed-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491318-4c55708d51f98507e4161a0dd780565f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194461&Signature=U3T92iJ1w7p2qfOdxaTmUkTz8XohI1MjFCQyZRhjQxYH~~T6fzIfJUSq3GuSSdSXUXxLdYF0UvyY8mRvg0MRaxf3tK10iZpNuIiYXDTGJkzaK3DPHwkuA8vppbZ8udI4vjcyz8PhPOZBM6UdNn1Zbpr9qKdof9v8IU0zHUJkSKyvsT5wSXoFtceYuImlw4HuFCB-egdvVPL-yFPpFzWwQnmzlRVEj2u9KZNxB3XlDN9KT-N~DvSgpIOeIZxppTvQwC8lNqE3XsD1h3czeMo~ZP6d-YkIMLjHjrWENvoBmXBuebpzmbBTsgQLMOVyjzrSAjvjQPJEeiCkcIJavQTceA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-08-05T17:10:40.307Z","article","Garden City City Council on June 2 voted unanimously to call public hearings on proposed water and sewer rates and the FY2025-26 general appropriation ordinance, and later approved a closed session to discuss collective bargaining and receive a legal opinion.

The council set a public hearing for both the proposed Fiscal Year 2025–26 water and sewer rate ordinance and the proposed FY2025–26 general appropriation ordinance for Monday, June 23, 2025, at 7 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Dold moved to introduce and call the public hearing on the water and sewer rate ordinance, with a second from Council member Witt; the measure passed without opposition, 6–0. Council member Witt moved to call the public hearing on the general appropriation ordinance, supported by Mayor Pro Tem Dold; that motion also passed 6–0.

City Manager Gibbons told council he will provide a packet of information to the public and meet with council members before the water-rate hearing to present a set of rate options. \"I will do my best between now and the public hearing for water rates and the appropriation, to set an appointment with each council member,\" Gibbons said.

Later in the meeting Council member Witt moved, and Council member Kara Fotis seconded, to go into closed session at 7:37 p.m. for a strategy and negotiation session connected with collective bargaining with the Command Officers Association of Michigan and to receive a written legal opinion regarding a lease of city property pursuant to MCL 15.268(c) and MCL 15.268(h). The council took a roll-call vote and all members present voted aye; the council went into closed session.

The items will return to a future public meeting for deliberation after the public hearings and any necessary staff reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 2, 2025 Special City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The council called public hearings for proposed FY2025-26 water and sewer rates and the general appropriation ordinance and later voted to meet in closed session on labor and legal matters.","taxTitle","Garden City, Wayne County, Michigan","taxId",70264,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6491323,"Garden City council fails to pause streetlight assessment for one year",1573,164000,1737000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532479-7ec5f67f406d31de2dc1db9a1b444bc6&start=164&end=1737","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532479-7ec5f67f406d31de2dc1db9a1b444bc6/thumbnail_164000.jpg","/articles/6491323/Garden-City/Wayne-County/Michigan/Garden-City-council-fails-to-pause-streetlight-assessment-for-one-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491323-06455e76dabef332589b0fbd56185f03/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194461&Signature=jJ5H7EejyK1Vy5DaPZlM8d~aghkL9d5MggVzmsWV28pzIDXfU3ht0lDMBmpAoImF~qsmEbVMXRzOh9~xYCisq8ruvOs5YAhNes-mCThz~3J3N9HeuMjGazOf7vuFLLerc1n0MJlAipDt5a0n4Yc-aofWatMHtSRdHyfAeINhdnKjTkvZhT2jA1Bs1Bo9jaSVFJoQ4YjIhYoyYbQbBpM0XC3gc2QLZayn7dBvNrYUxxUBMH~tsX47GUkKd63g0vO7vrn4Gsw5xxMNxYQVIB7jNOJTwg3wVpICQRJoqdVAC8TBVKt~ls4p0qEGUUn0ZJyuqYHsbYd9OpOMkIza8ZGMew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Garden City City Council on June 2 considered and rejected a motion to remove the city’s streetlight special assessment for one year, an action supporters said would relieve residents of roughly $30 per year but that opponents said would create a roughly $350,000 budget shortfall.

The debate centered on whether residents had been misled about what the assessment paid for and on how quickly planned LED replacements and state grants would reduce operating costs. Council member Kara Fotis moved to remove the streetlight assessment for one year and to reevaluate in 2026; Council member Hughes supported the motion. After a roll-call vote—Council member Kara Fotis and Council member Hughes voting yes; Council member King, Council member Witt, Mayor Pro Tem Dold and Mayor Jacobs voting no—the motion failed and the assessment remained in the FY2025-26 budget.

City Manager Gibbons told the council the LED conversion will not deliver the 50–70% electricity savings some residents expected; he said the city’s estimate is closer to 10 percent and gave an example figure of about $65,000 in annual savings from LEDs. Gibbons also said awarded state grant work will roll out in phases, with an initial grant starting in 2026 and another phase from SEMCOG expected in 2028.

Council members who supported removing the assessment said many residents believed the annual fee paid for bulb replacement and conversion to LED. \"We were supposed to talk about the last meeting, and I think we all got sidetracked with the water,\" Council member Kara Fotis said, urging clarity about whether last year’s removal had been temporary. Council member Hughes said he and neighbors assumed the assessment was removed permanently and pressed for relief for residents who had expected LED replacements.

Council members opposing the one-year removal emphasized the fiscal impact on the general fund. Council member King described the assessment as providing revenue the city uses to offset DTE bills and said removing it outright would force either cuts to services or increased use of fund balance. King and others noted the assessment currently yields about $350,000 and that the per-household charge has fallen from about $37.30 in 2011 to $30.89.

Public commenters gave mixed views. Anthony Tackett of Fairfield Street said the roughly $30 annual cost was minimal and urged the council to keep the assessment in place. Other residents urged more accountability about how past assessment and other city funds were spent.

City staff told the council that if the council elected to remove the revenue, staff would return with appropriation adjustments at the next meeting to rebalance the budget or identify offsets. The council did not adopt that change on June 2.

The council moved on to other agenda items after the vote; staff indicated they will present budget adjustment options if future action is requested by council members.","After extended debate and public comment, the Garden City City Council voted to keep the annual streetlight assessment in the FY2025-26 budget; a motion to remove the assessment for one year failed following a roll call.","actionData","errors"]

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Garden City council schedules June 23 public hearings on water rates and budget; approves closed session

Garden City council fails to pause streetlight assessment for one year