Lincoln Park City Council approves contracts and road agreement, denies used-parts license

The Lincoln Park City Council voted unanimously to approve a package of contracts, waivers and agreements and to deny a new class C used vehicle parts and wholesale dealer license at 517 Southfield Road.

The actions approved include an amendment to a janitorial contract to add cleaning services for the Department of Public Services building; a waiver of the city's bidding process to lease three copy machines using the State of Michigan bid; a three-year blight-abatement contract award; an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to mill and resurface Champaign Road from I-75 to Fort Park; and a resolution stating the city's intent to pursue Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF/SRF) financing for planned water-system improvements. Council also set a special closed-session meeting June 9 to discuss property acquisition. Council denied an application for a new class C used vehicle parts dealer and class W wholesaler license for Beshear Motors at 517 Southfield Road.

Votes and key details

- Consent agenda (minutes, claims, block party permit, renewal of used auto dealer licenses with corrected address): approved unanimously on roll call. The clerk called the roll and each councilmember recorded a "yes."

- Janitorial contract amendment: approved. The amendment adds cleaning services for the Department of Public Services building to the city's existing contract with Wilkins ProClean at $525 per week ($27,300 annually). Council authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the amendment.

- Copier leases (waiver of competitive bidding): approved. Council waived formal bidding and authorized the director of finance and operations to utilize the State of Michigan's bid to lease three copy machines from Applied Innovations at a combined monthly base price of $486.15; funds will be taken from three identified lease expense accounts.

- SRF-related resolution (water system financing intent): approved. The council adopted a resolution declaring the city's intent to seek participation in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan program and to publish the required notice of intent to issue revenue bonds for a project estimated with a principal amount not to exceed $8,500,000. The resolution also authorized retention of bond counsel and related preparatory steps; final bond issuance and sale will require later council approvals.

- Blight abatement contract award: approved. The council awarded a three-year contract for the city's blight program to Net Solutions (one bid was received) to perform code-enforcement removal/maintenance services; work is billed to the resident and the city seeks reimbursement from the resident after contractor payment.

- Denial of new license (Beshear Motors, 517 Southfield Road): approved. Council denied the applicant's request for a new class C used vehicle parts dealer and class W automotive wholesaler license on the grounds that the planner determined a class C use would be an expansion of the property's use and is not allowed at that location. The motion to deny carried on roll call.

- MDOT mill-and-resurface agreement (Champaign Road, contract 25-5213): approved. Council authorized the mayor to execute the agreement to mill and resurface Champaign Road from I-75 east to Fourth Street / Fort Park and authorized the city's DPW/engineering designee to sign on the city's behalf.

- Special meeting / closed session (property acquisition): approved. Council scheduled a special meeting on June 9 at 6:00 p.m. to go into closed session to discuss property acquisition.

How council voted

Roll-call tallies were recorded on each motion. The clerk called each member and recorded "yes" votes for council members present (Baer, Dupree, Nichols, Ross, Salcedo, Zohr) and Mayor Maureen Tobin; all listed motions passed by unanimous roll-call vote.

What the votes do and next steps

Most approvals authorize staff to execute contracts and take administrative steps; the SRF resolution is an interim, procedural step required to pursue low-interest DWSRF financing and does not itself authorize sale of bonds. The denial of the Beshear Motors license ends that application at this location unless the applicant appeals or submits a different application consistent with zoning.

Sources: Lincoln Park City Council meeting transcript (public hearing, consent agenda, and subsequent motions).