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Residents press council on water bills, blight, park access and youth services during public comment
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Summary
During public comment residents urged staff and council to explain higher city water rates, address long-standing blight at a West Side property, restore vehicle access and accessibility at Ojibwe Island, and support programs for youth; council and staff promised follow-up and staff contact information.
A slate of public speakers used the council's public-comment period to raise neighborhood and utility concerns that council members and staff said they would follow up on.
A resident who identified himself as Trevor Mejadeo asked why Saginaw customers reportedly pay about $7 per 1,000 gallons while some neighboring customers pay less and asked staff to explain differential rates. He also recounted problems with FOIA-produced police body-camera footage and asked for follow-up. The manager and council responded that wastewater components drive bill differences and offered office follow-up for individual billing questions.
Other speakers asked the city to address a decades-old blighted house at 1817 Main Street, noting safety and animal concerns; a resident said inspectors had concluded the house should be torn down. Jamie Forbes and others urged the council to reopen Ojibwe Island to vehicle access and to prioritize reactivation so the park returns to regular use, while others stressed safety and accessibility for older residents and those with mobility limitations.
Stephanie Curtis, with the Boys & Girls Club of the Great Lakes Bay Region, thanked council for support of the club's teen center and invited council members to participate in a member-led podcast and in future events. Melanie Velasco asked the city to help with blight and animal welfare, and to prioritize pothole and leaf pickup issues.
Council members acknowledged the concerns, committed staff follow-up on property complaints and utility billing, and pointed residents to clerk and manager's offices for contact information and next steps.
