[{"_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",6469561,"mediaKeyId","5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785","parentId",5780788,"title","Utica City Council approves appointments, film‑alley closure and multiple procurement items; grants and budget amendments passed","audioSeconds",680,"startMs",3781000,"endMs",4461000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785&start=3781&end=4461","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785/thumbnail_3781000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6469561/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Utica-City-Council-approves-appointments-filmalley-closure-and-multiple-procurement-items-grants-and-budget-amendments-passed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469561-6ac8f9acf3c41c8b8f1b1bcca7bf7738/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156400&Signature=kyqUb2Il17nn8zcj55cS92IxPav6zkUfooiFLPx2zxH3MWgjIU50XbUM-wTZO71kbn2ESoLTpc25j9TzdZbME1OM16W~JqX31KRnkXkntOwXrdYg6ykULpLoGNcl46GrOcoLM4VIIfzkNZcy8P7Nn0qk89vYSz1Tk0qAPnyH69Fmw2rdGYXC6EGkRn-eU2py0jr0vynVScsZgSfwg8PIY3mzRQ~DxdJ3UQdSnYVjPgoJn52G-oeSfp1yk~CcmB9mypaOYF-zAGoILMH8n~JA0hUiM1jISsVhhRWae5kvOhOd-v9DVicGrP3ot4pWoX9WrohVHaXX4XXfEsaJQURGCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utica","date","2025-09-11T00:05:47.807Z","article","The Utica City Council voted on and approved several routine and notable items, including an appointment to the Historic District Commission, an alley closure for a short film, a state grant for fire radios and a related sole‑source purchase, and multiple budget amendments and equipment purchases for city departments.

Key outcomes (votes summarized):

- Historic District Commission appointment: Council voted to appoint Tom Galaska to the Historic District Commission. Motion carried by roll call.

- Short‑film alley closure (Quick and Painless): Council approved a request to close a service alley behind downtown businesses for night filming on specified dates. Approval was expressly conditioned on receipt of a waiver/indemnification provision and proof that the city will be added as an additional insured on the producers’ liability policy; the city attorney was asked to review and finalize the required language.

- Fire Department grant and purchases: Council accepted a $300,000 Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) grant to buy fire and EMT radios; it authorized a sole‑source purchase from Motorola Solutions under the state's MiDEAL contract (contract number 190000001544) and amended the fiscal year 2026 general fund fire budget to add the $300,000 in revenue and corresponding equipment expenditure.

- Police mobile vehicle barrier grant: Council approved a budget amendment authorizing receipt and expenditure of a $200,000 state grant to cover mobile vehicle barrier equipment for use by the police department; the mayor said the purchase was previously authorized and the grant will fully reimburse the city.

- Public works and utilities procurement approvals: Council approved a street‑department purchase (plow blade and hinge kit) not to exceed $5,000; a water‑department purchase of 40 R900 V4 radios not to exceed $6,510; and replacement of aging pressure‑reducing valves (PRVs) with a contract amount not to exceed $30,000.

- Stormwater education program (MS4): Council approved a five‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Clinton River Watershed Council for the municipal stormwater education program, to run from Oct. 1, 2025, through March 31, 2031, billed initially at $500 for the first six months and $1,000 annually thereafter. The council negotiated invoicing so the initial half‑year charge would not push the current fiscal budget over the amount the city had planned.

- IT/server storage: Council approved a $1,860 cloud server‑storage expansion for city scanning and document imaging and amended the fiscal year 2026 general fund computer maintenance budget by $1,900 from unassigned fund balance to pay for the change.

All motions reported in the meeting were carried on roll call votes. Where council conditioned approval (the alley closure), staff and the city attorney were directed to receive required documents before the event takes place.

Why it matters: The approvals fund near‑term operational needs (radios, safety barriers, a PRV replacement, and public‑safety equipment) and clear logistics for a downtown film shoot while preserving standard municipal risk controls by requiring indemnification and additional‑insured status from the production company.

Ending: Several items were routine procurement and grant actions approved unanimously by roll call; staff will post required insurance and indemnification paperwork, and the grant‑funded purchases will proceed through the vendors and contract mechanisms identified by department staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-09-09 Utica City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At the meeting the council unanimously approved a historic‑district appointment, a short‑film alley closure (subject to indemnification and insurance), a $300,000 state grant and Motorola sole‑source radio purchase for the fire department, and several budget and procurement motions for police, streets, water, and stormwater education.","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},6469565,"Priority Waste reports fleet upgrades and call‑center fixes after summer service issues in Utica",851,1711000,2562000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785&start=1711&end=2562","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785/thumbnail_1711000.jpg","/articles/6469565/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/Priority-Waste-reports-fleet-upgrades-and-callcenter-fixes-after-summer-service-issues-in-Utica","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469565-b50efe1094d09939521fafaa67f0b189/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156400&Signature=MJPSpohOIO5At2BKbh6e5023FYJSSbYuKMCzd0NpZG69x79bG6A15FOXfZj1IrD2XddtN4--fIYKq~NjleeA8My98DBy0xF7EQ7tTj0NH7WMYQk55osERLjPo6xdPECNqg3BO2opTVSrrfWq17u57uHH9Vxkx-0MCoutL8cUaNVGz5kL-VM4hoQcYR~HyCs72~lh24BzGQ8p0bS-282yKK2-1XDlbcXtPpZ1l7Y~H6fERDFQNzKn92d-tmjk~33yLfdsndCxWea5da0PJE7eJwCHyd0sYtLgnDCyBVDVSQwAUilCucshyL8zNy8MUBK9vUu09GNnzlmZTmNZ~gp4dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dan Binet, vice president of municipal sales for Priority Waste, updated the Utica City Council on recent operational changes following service disruptions earlier in the year.

Binet said the company purchased 100 vehicles in August 2024; 68 were already in service and the remaining 32 were expected to arrive before year‑end. He said an additional vehicle order is planned for 2026. Priority Waste’s local operations are dispatched from the Sterling Heights yard; Binet said a combination of vehicle maintenance issues, staffing shortages, and severe weather contributed to service interruptions in the spring and early summer but that the company’s maintenance team had worked “countless hours and weekends” to restore normal service.

Why it matters: Reliable refuse, recycling and yard‑waste collection is a high‑frequency municipal service. When collections are missed, residents typically contact the city and the perceived responsiveness of contractor recovery actions affects public trust and calls to local officials.

Binet described several operational changes implemented after a heavy call volume during the transition from the prior contractor: Priority Waste transitioned to a new phone system after a surge of 5,000–7,000 calls during the first days of the contract overwhelmed the old system. He said average hold times have since fallen to around seven minutes and that the company is working toward an average under five minutes. Priority Waste also piloted a direct web portal for resident recovery requests; in a test community, the company said the portal cut average recovery time from 22 hours to 13 hours.

Mayor Mary Calandrino and other council members complimented Priority Waste staff for responsiveness; the mayor read an email from resident Donna Bernardo praising the company’s local service and urging the council not to conflate issues in other jurisdictions with Utica’s experience.

Binet said the Sterling Heights yard now has a logistics coordinator, Drew Di Giovanni, who monitors routes and helps communicate delays to the mayor’s office and the city clerk. He also said the company expects improved performance during the upcoming compost season as more vehicles enter service.

Ending: Councilmembers thanked Priority Waste for the update and for continuing to provide contact information for rapid recovery requests; no council action was taken during the update.","Priority Waste briefed the Utica City Council on fleet purchases, staffing challenges, and changes to its call‑handling and online reporting systems; the company said vehicle deliveries and operational changes have reduced missed collections and shortened recovery times.",{"_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},6469570,"ESCO firm ABM briefs Utica City Council on guaranteed energy-savings model and memorandum of understanding",1237,83000,1320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785&start=83&end=1320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780788-585de2277b7a6bd4b9ee1a8914ba4785/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6469570/Utica-City/Macomb-County/Michigan/ESCO-firm-ABM-briefs-Utica-City-Council-on-guaranteed-energy-savings-model-and-memorandum-of-understanding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469570-548f4cb2d7e0f46b7029690e63cb89d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156400&Signature=Q~gn1XDwiiu~hi4wa5S-RwhXOK0Ajqf2QWzdCodJoTkejBGvzxzBpsav8le2SUTgg4iulDF4BiWDpBy~UMmj1lvEQsw42-9yHL00ztJJt883rrsjEJS1yYc81x~u~LUOrJTOTW4U4WS0Ib3mhuM4219Z91diF-IzzqwL6O~igzCMQLk6RhqRH43I0vEPxJmrX0TCy2QbheYuJweAnIA4N7c86kQX1gQFeKXo7x91hIQLNxDY3iCwWySuPh32rbTNMGxR4RRsydDX-~yyxl9nSYSrwW3pSONhZccUOA1vWLKMRS~XZqKGYyErIb07G7dXh3Vdc09d0MysxjcSzItPQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ABM Infrastructure Solutions presented to the Utica City Council on a guaranteed energy‑savings contracting model and proposed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding to allow ABM to inspect municipal buildings for potential upgrades.

Tony Murray, an ABM representative, told council the company performs turnkey “ESCO” projects that convert verified energy and operational savings into capital to pay for infrastructure work. Murray said ABM’s examples showed typical energy savings of about 20–25 percent in preliminary estimates and described a sample calculation in which $160,000 in annual energy savings, combined with operational savings and a 20‑year financing term, could support roughly a $5 million project.

Why it matters: ESCO contracts can let municipalities complete multiple infrastructure upgrades without up‑front capital from the general fund, but they require careful review of guarantees, scopes, and contract language before committing public assets or service obligations.

Council members asked for local case studies and copies of the company’s memorandum of understanding. Murray said ABM has worked nationwide and can supply references and letters of support; he offered to provide case studies for municipalities of similar size. Council asked for an editable (Word) copy of the presentation and the MOU.

City Attorney McGrail told the presenter she would review the memorandum of understanding. Mayor Mary Calandrino said the city would not likely be ready to vote on any agreement at the same meeting and that the item would return to the agenda after the city attorney’s review so council members could submit follow‑up questions in the interim.

No formal council action was taken. The council’s next step was to have the city attorney review the draft MOU and schedule the item for consideration at a future council meeting if desired.

Quoted from the meeting: “Our guaranteed solution is that the energy savings that we say we're going to provide we guarantee,” Tony Murray said, describing ABM’s performance guarantee. “If we don't meet those expectations we actually cut a check.”

Ending: The council did not authorize any work or sign any agreement at the meeting; councilmembers requested additional documentation and references and instructed staff and the city attorney to bring a reviewed MOU back for possible action at the next council meeting.","ABM Infrastructure Solutions presented an energy-savings (ESCO) financing model to Utica City Council and offered a no-cost site assessment under a memorandum of understanding; council asked the city attorney to review the proposed MOU and placed the item on the next agenda for potential action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Utica City Council approves appointments, film‑alley closure and multiple procurement items; grants and budget amendments passed

Priority Waste reports fleet upgrades and call‑center fixes after summer service issues in Utica

ESCO firm ABM briefs Utica City Council on guaranteed energy-savings model and memorandum of understanding