Council approves one-year compost pilot and celebrates $250,000 stormwater grant for 9 Mile

The Eastpointe City Council voted to approve a one-year contract with My Green Michigan to run a pilot food-composting drop-off program and heard that the city secured $250,000 from the Consumers Energy Foundation for stormwater projects along 9 Mile.

Rui Zirbel, the city's sustainability fellow, presented the compost pilot plan: two drop-off sites (DPW and a City Hall parking lot), free countertop bins for the first 100 households, and weekly pickup by the vendor. The city will provide space at municipal facilities for residents to deposit sorted food waste; My Green Michigan will handle collection and transport. Council approved a one-year $6,080 contract for the pilot.

At the start of the meeting Interim City Manager Miss Dooms announced Eastpointe was one of three Consumers Energy Foundation awardees and that the city’s share—$250,000—will fund a series of bioretention cells on 9 Mile. Zirbel said the project builds on prior planning work and will advance stormwater management and green infrastructure in the construction corridor.

Council members and staff noted procurement and budgeting steps: projects or contracts above $15,000 require formal solicitations, and the master plan and budget process will consider any required city match or implementation steps. Council urged coordination between the sustainability work and road/construction schedules on 9 Mile.