Votes at a glance: Pontiac City Council, Nov. 18, 2025
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Summary
Council approved the consent agenda (including several budget amendments and grant actions), adopted a Responsible Contractor ordinance, remanded one land-use appeal to the planning commission, approved a construction agreement with Oscar W. Larson Services for Pike Street fire station tanks, and approved a settlement with DRJ Corporation.
At the Nov. 18 special meeting the Pontiac City Council took the following recorded actions:
- Consent agenda adopted (6–0). Items included minutes; a $1,250,000 budget amendment for an MDOT LED streetlight conversion; a $40,000 planning assistance grant with SEMCOG; certification of community housing development organizations (CHDOs); and easement/maintenance agreements with South Oakland Shelter d/b/a Lighthouse Michigan related to a campus expansion.
- Motion to enter closed session under MCL 15.268(e) and (h) to discuss Washington v. City of Pontiac (case no. 25-215020-CZ) carried (6–0); council later adopted a resolution accepting litigation counsel’s recommendation to resolve the case (6–0). No settlement terms were disclosed in open session.
- Council substituted and adopted remand language sending Carnival Investments LLC’s special-exception permit appeal (1075 E. Walton Blvd.) back to the planning commission for supplemental review, including a traffic study if requested (5–1; Councilman Mikael Goodman opposed).
- Responsible Contractor ordinance adopted after debate on the project-dollar threshold; amendment to raise the $25,000 trigger to $50,000 failed; final ordinance adopted 6–0. The ordinance sets prequalification scoring (certification threshold 80%) and a two-year certification period; staff will finalize scoring instruments and implementation details. The ordinance becomes effective 30 days after adoption unless council votes immediate effect.
- Resolution to enter into a construction agreement with Oscar W. Larson Services for storage tanks at the Pike Street Fire Station was approved (roll call recorded four yays, no nays on the record presented).
- Resolution to enter into a settlement agreement with DRJ Corporation for damages and to terminate a lease was adopted (6–0). Administration said DPW operations will move into the former Central High School building under a recent purchase agreement.
- A first-reading housing ordinance about written leases, prorated rent, receipts and fee disclosures was introduced under suspended rules and formally postponed to the Dec. 2 meeting for further review (postponement carried 6–0).
These votes were recorded by Clerk Doyle and entered into the meeting minutes; councilors and staff indicated several items will require follow-up work by staff (prequalification questionnaire for the ordinance, planning commission action on the remand, and completion of procedural steps for the litigation matter).