Zeeland council approves wastewater clarifier rebuild, road resurfacing and multiple contracts; schedules snowmelt hearing

The Zeeland Common Council on March 16 approved a package of infrastructure and operating contracts, from a $416,934 rebuilding of a Clean Water Plant clarifier to street resurfacing and downtown maintenance contracts, and set a public hearing on a proposed $43,160.90 snowmelt special assessment.

City Manager Tim Klunder told the council that Final Clarifier #2 at the Clean Water Plant was installed in 1964 and has exceeded its expected service life; staff recommended awarding Franklin Holwerda Co. $416,934 to rebuild the unit and establishing a total project budget of $538,000 funded from the Zeeland Clean Water Repair and Replace Fund. Staff said the replacement mechanism is expected to be fabricated by the end of 2026 with installation in spring 2027. Mayor Pro-Tem Gruppen moved the contract award and Councilmember Timmer supported the motion; the council voted unanimously to approve the contract.

Also related to plant operations, council approved purchase of three Dell PowerEdge servers for the Clean Water Plant application environment (not to exceed $32,088.82) and a Wonderware SCADA software upgrade (not to exceed $39,960.91) from a sole-source vendor. Staff told the council the upgrades are needed because current systems are past their useful life and to maintain vendor support and reliability.

The council approved a law-enforcement equipment purchase after Police Chief Tim Jungel presented an equipment review. The department will replace its current duty pistols with Glock 17 Gen 6 9mm pistols; Kiesler's Police Supply was awarded the contract for $12,170.40 with an additional $3,984.28 for ammunition. Chief Jungel said the change reflects national shifts in preferred duty rounds and that the department required training rounds before fielding the new weapons.

For streets, Councilmember Timmer moved and Councilmember Langeland supported awarding Rieth-Riley Construction a $397,616.30 contract for the Fiscal Year 2026 milling and resurfacing project and setting a total project budget of $450,000. Staff said the street portion of the project is $334,401.92 (Street Fund) with $115,598.08 attributed to the Water Fund; council conditioned the award on the Board of Public Works approving the water portion.

Council also approved three downtown and grounds contracts beginning April 1, 2026: downtown and roundabout maintenance to DJ's Landscape Management for $206,157 over three years; downtown annuals, tulips and holiday greenery to Don's Flowers for $250,400 over three years; and lawn maintenance for City facilities to DJ's for $88,232 over three years. The council approved a waiver of formal bidding for a John Deere Z960M ZTrak zero-turn mower purchased through the State of Michigan MiDeal cooperative contract for $13,063.69.

On parks planning, the council authorized a $22,000 contract with MCSA Group to update the City's five-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan and approved a $22,000 budget amendment to fund the work. Staff said the update is required to maintain eligibility for Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant programs; the project is expected to begin in April 2026, include a public survey in July, and be submitted to the DNR by February 2027.

The council adopted Snowmelt Special Assessment District Resolution No. 4 and set a public hearing for April 20, 2026, to receive public comment on the proposed special assessment roll. Staff reported the total assessment sought is $43,160.90.

The council established a Facilities Maintenance Technician position (salary range $49,456.85 to $74,185.28, midpoint $61,821.07) to re-focus duties as a long-term custodian retires, and accepted the City Manager's annual alcohol license review report, recommending no objections to renewals while allowing time to resolve one outstanding personal-property tax payment.

The meeting concluded with council reports and distribution of a manager performance review form for City Manager Tim Klunder; the regular meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m. The snowmelt public hearing is scheduled for April 20, 2026.