Flat Rock council approves Huron River watershed dues and backhoe purchase; minutes adopted

The Flat Rock City Council approved three routine items during its meeting: adoption of minutes from its July 7 meeting, payment of Huron River watershed dues, and purchase of a replacement backhoe for the public works department.

Council members voted to adopt the minutes from July 7 by voice vote. The council then approved payment of Huron River watershed dues for 2025 in the amount of $13,606.50; the city staff noted that the watershed group assists with stormwater planning and that the dues support work required under the city’s MS4 permitting. The council approved the motion by voice vote; no aye/no tally by member name was recorded in the transcript.

The council also authorized purchase of a John Deere 320 backhoe, including a hydraulic breaker for water-main work, from AIS Construction for a net amount of $146,851.63 after trade-in of the 2013 unit. The equipment purchase was described as necessary because the current backhoe is over 20 years old; the motion was made and seconded and passed by voice vote. No formal amendments were recorded.

Separately, the council approved short recess motions (a 10-minute recess following the retirement presentation and a later 3-minute recess into closed session). Those procedural motions were passed by voice vote and recorded as council actions.

The meeting transcript did not include roll-call vote tallies or recorded individual member votes for these motions; outcomes are recorded here as stated in the meeting minutes and as announced by the presiding officer.