Taylor City Council approves series of equipment, repair and training purchases and a budget amendment

The Taylor City Council on March 4 approved a package of procurement, repair and training expenditures, a budget amendment and several administrative items, voting to carry each motion listed on the consent and regular agendas.

The purchases and approvals approved by the council included: a state-bid purchase of a high-performance computer for the police department’s forensic system for $3,422 (police fund); sole-source repairs for five commercial motor vehicle truck scales not to exceed $5,896 (general fund, police equipment repair); training and drone pilot certification for 11 officers not to exceed $4,345 (general fund, police training); scale leveling mats not to exceed $3,900 (general fund, police operating supplies); exercise equipment for the recreation center not to exceed $11,300 (capital outlay); additional concrete repairs on local roads not to exceed $400,000 (local street fund); restoration work on the 2023 Monroe Boulevard pavement rehabilitation project not to exceed $290,000 (2021 MTF bond issuance); attendance for three Department of Public Works employees at the 2025 American Public Works Association Great Lakes Expo not to exceed $6,500 (water supply system fund); a City of Taylor budget amendment (2025-00ED dated 03/04/2025); attendance for two city clerk office employees at the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks education day not to exceed $450 plus out-of-pocket expenses (clerk’s office training and transportation account); and a sole-source access control system and contingency for the new animal shelter not to exceed $52,746 (animal shelter capital outlay).

Each motion was moved and seconded on the record by council members; the council chair called for the vote and each motion was carried. For example, the agenda and minutes were approved early in the meeting after routine motions to adopt them were moved and seconded and carried. Council votes on individual items were taken by voice and recorded as carried; where a numeric tally was announced in the transcript it was reported verbatim (for one item the chair said “Yes 7 motion carried”).

Why it matters: the approvals authorize a set of short-term expenditures and repair contracts that affect multiple municipal departments, including public safety, public works, parks and recreation and the animal shelter. The larger items — road repairs and the $400,000 local-street contract and $290,000 Monroe Boulevard restoration — are funded from capital or bond sources and will affect street maintenance work this year.

Council procedure and next steps: the agenda item to nominate and appoint a person to fill a vacant City Council seat (listed as item 8.12) remained on the agenda for nominations; council members discussed preferences about waiting for a full council before voting but no appointment was completed during the meeting. Several items approved as sole-source or as continuations of prior contracts were described by staff as ongoing or previously bonded work; council members asked clarifying questions in a few cases before voting.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the meeting transcript):

- Motion to approve the meeting agenda (Item 5.1). Mover: Council Brand (moved). Second: Council Witten (supported). Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Motion to accept the minutes of the Feb. 18, 2025 meeting and dispense with oral reading (Item 5.2). Mover: Council Witten. Second: Council Brandana. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Consent agenda motion to approve listed consent items. Mover: Council Brand. Second: Council Witten. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Purchase of a high-performance computer for the police forensic system, $3,422 (Item 8.1). Mover: Councilwoman Daniels. Second: Councilman Brandana. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Sole-source repairs for five CMV truck scales, not to exceed $5,896 (Item 8.2). Mover: Councilwoman Wooden. Second: Councilwoman Daniels. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Drone pilot licensing, system and training for 11 officers, not to exceed $4,345 (Item 8.3). Mover: Councilman Daniel. Second: Council Witten. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Purchase of 4 CMV scale leveling mats, not to exceed $3,900 (Item 8.4). Mover: Councilwoman Rose. Second: Councilwoman Daniels. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Recreation center equipment (matrix performance climb mill), not to exceed $11,300 (Item 8.5). Mover: Council Brand. Second: Council Witten. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Additional concrete repairs on local roads (Audio Concrete Constructions, inc.), not to exceed $400,000 (Item 8.6). Mover: Council Witten. Second: Council Brandana. Outcome: approved (motion carried). A resident asked whether a background check had been completed for the contractor; staff said the work was a continuation and that bonding had been approved previously.

- Project restorations on the 2023 Monroe Boulevard pavement rehabilitation project (current vendor), not to exceed $290,000 (Item 8.7). Mover: Council Witten. Second: Council Brandana. Outcome: approved (motion carried). Staff said the work represented completion of previously expected tasks after performance issues required reassignment.

- Three DPW employees to attend APWA Great Lakes Expo, not to exceed $6,500 (Item 8.8). Mover: Council Rose. Second: Councilwoman Daniels. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- City of Taylor budget amendment 2025-00ED dated 03/04/2025 (Item 8.9). Mover: Council Brand. Second: Councilwoman Witten. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Two clerk’s office employees to attend MAMC education day, not to exceed $450 plus expenses (Item 8.10). Mover: Council Daniel. Second: Council Rose. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- DA Central sole-source access control system for the new animal shelter, $48,246 plus $4,500 contingency (total not to exceed $52,746) (Item 8.11). Mover: Councilwoman Rose. Second: Councilwoman Daniels. Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Item 8.12 — nomination/appointment to fill a vacant City Council seat per section 4.5 of the city charter — was placed on the agenda and discussed; council members expressed a preference to have a full council present before making an appointment. No appointment was recorded as completed during the meeting.

What the record shows: each motion was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote; when numeric tallies were announced they were read aloud in the meeting transcript. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn that was carried.