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