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Public commenters and city commissioner question South Main Street tunnel and a potential millage
Summary
Public commenters and a city commissioner raised concerns that building a costly tunnel while asking voters to approve a millage for trail maintenance would be poorly received; a city commissioner said she would not have approved the tunnel in hindsight.
During public comment the authority heard multiple concerns about an East Side tunnel planned under South Main Street and how that project could affect public support for trail funding.
Jacob Cooper (City of Adrian) told the board that KRTA's online minutes and agendas had not been updated and asked for clarity about a previously discussed $180,000 balance. He warned that asking voters for a maintenance millage while a $7 million‑plus tunnel is being built would look bad to the community. "If you were to put a millage out right now asking for money for trail maintenance... that's gonna leave a very poor taste in this community's mouth," Cooper said.
Mary Roberts, who identified herself as a city commissioner, said she had sat through much of the tunnel discussion and had been repeatedly assured the tunnel "would not cost the city any money." She said she now regrets prior votes and added, "If I had the chance to do it all over again, would I have approved any of this tunnel? Not a chance." Roberts said she has asked whether the city would have to repay grant funds if it backed out, and she said she might be willing to accept repayment if that were necessary — but that the project appears to have proceeded past the point of reversal.
Board members acknowledged the public reaction and the perception problem that residents may attribute tunnel costs to local taxpayers even when state or federal grants are involved. Several board members said reversing an approved project is complicated after years of public actions and multiple elected officials' approvals.
No formal action on the tunnel or on a millage was taken at the meeting; members said they would continue outreach with township supervisors and other stakeholders before advancing any funding measure.
