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City manager updates: marijuana revenue to general fund, forestry work group and speed-hump pilot announced
Summary
City Manager James Fried updated council that marijuana-dispensary tax revenue flows to the general fund and is currently about $300,000 annually; a narrow forestry-management work group will issue an RFP for a comprehensive plan; and the council will replace improperly ordered speed bumps with more modest speed humps at Pine Grove Park in spring.
City Manager James Fried provided several administrative updates during his report. He said a transmitter failure interrupted the Sept. 22 broadcast; Comcast lent temporary equipment and the city replaced the transmitter.
On marijuana revenue, Fried said taxes from dispensaries go into the general fund and are used to pay for public safety (police and fire). He estimated roughly $300,000 per year in current receipts but cautioned the market may change and the city does not want to become dependent on that revenue stream.
Fried said the council did not create a tree task force but instead formed a narrow, time-limited forestry-management work group charged with developing a request for proposals (RFP) to commission a forestry management plan and returning a recommendation to council.
On the Lapeer Avenue contractor delay, Fried said a subcontractor left and a replacement was secured; staff expect project completion in November. He said he and staff have been briefing council on related development and master-plan issues.
Council members discussed speed-control devices installed at Pine Grove Park. Council member Archibald and City Manager Fried said the wrong product (a more aggressive bump, not the intended hump) was ordered; they committed to reinstalling a lower-profile speed hump between April 15 and the allowable installation window and to pilot the devices in other parks if successful.
Staff emphasized conservative budget treatment of marijuana revenue, explained the RFP timeline for forestry management, and reiterated plans to complete Lapeer work in November.
