Caro City Council approves budget transfers, lease renewal, investment rollovers and adopts meeting-recording policy

Caro City Council voted March 2 to approve a set of routine fiscal and administrative measures, including two budget changes, a long-term lease, the renewal of two certificates of deposit and a new policy for recording and posting council meetings.

Mayor Karen Snider called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers. The meeting record shows all seven council members were present: Emily Campbell, Charlotte Kish, Doreen Oedy, Heidi Parker, John Riley and Jill White. City Manager Scott Czasak, City Clerk Rita Papp and City Treasurer Tammy Ries were listed as present.

The council approved a $1,700 increase to the Fire Training budget (account 216-336-960-000) on motion 26-M-39, moved by Councilmember John Riley and seconded by Councilmember Charlotte Kish. The action was recorded as carried.

The council then approved a $1,775 transfer from the Electric budget line (248-728-920-000) to the DDA Building Rent line (248-728-943-001) to cover higher rent at the Downtown Development Authority’s new office. Councilmember Heidi Parker moved the transfer and Charlotte Kish seconded; a roll call vote (Campbell, Kish, Oedy, Parker, Riley, White and Mayor Snider) was unanimous in favor (26-M-40).

The council authorized the mayor and city clerk to sign a 2026–2036 lease agreement with the Tuscola County Conservation Club (26-M-41). The motion was moved by Councilmember John Riley and seconded by Councilmember Emily Campbell and was recorded as carried.

On the city’s short-term cash management, the council approved two CDARS renewals at Huntington Bank: $262,932.14 for 52 weeks at 3.56% (26-M-42) and $535,844.33 for 52 weeks at 3.56% (26-M-43). Motions were moved by Heidi Parker and Charlotte Kish respectively, with Emily Campbell listed as the seconder in both items. Together the two deposits total $798,776.47.

The council adopted the Policy for Recording and Posting City Council Meetings as presented (26-M-44). The motion was moved by Doreen Oedy and seconded by Jill White. The minutes record the council’s adoption but do not contain substantive remarks or direct quotes from council members about the policy.

Councilmember Charlotte Kish moved and Emily Campbell seconded a motion to schedule a public hearing on the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for March 16, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall; the motion carried (26-M-45). The scheduled hearing will be the opportunity for public comment and formal council consideration of the application.

In reports, Mayor Karen Snider submitted a written mayor’s report and distributed the City Treasurer evaluation to the council with a completion deadline of March 12, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. City Manager Scott Czasak reported that Caro has obtained Tree City USA status. No additional public comments were recorded. The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m. on motion 26-M-46.

Votes at a glance

- 26-M-37: Agenda approved (motion by Charlotte Kish; second Emily Campbell) — carried. - 26-M-38: Consent agenda (minutes, committee minutes, invoices) approved (motion by Emily Campbell; second John Riley) — carried. - 26-M-39: Fire Training budget increased by $1,700 (motion by John Riley; second Charlotte Kish) — carried. - 26-M-40: Transfer $1,775 from Electric budget to DDA Building Rent (motion by Heidi Parker; second Charlotte Kish) — roll call unanimous yes — carried. - 26-M-41: Authorize mayor and clerk to sign Tuscola County Conservation Club lease (2026–2036) (motion by John Riley; second Emily Campbell) — carried. - 26-M-42: Renew CDARS $262,932.14 at 3.56% for 52 weeks (motion by Heidi Parker; second Emily Campbell) — carried. - 26-M-43: Renew CDARS $535,844.33 at 3.56% for 52 weeks (motion by Charlotte Kish; second Emily Campbell) — carried. - 26-M-44: Adopt Policy for Recording and Posting City Council Meetings (motion by Doreen Oedy; second Jill White) — carried. - 26-M-45: Schedule CDBG public hearing for March 16, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. (motion by Charlotte Kish; second Emily Campbell) — carried. - 26-M-46: Adjourn (motion by Heidi Parker; second Emily Campbell) — carried.

Context and next steps: The most consequential near-term date is the March 16 public hearing on the CDBG application; the council’s action to schedule that hearing sets the formal public-review step. The minutes show no contested debate on the recorded items; where the record contains no spoken remarks, the council’s actions are summarized as motions and outcomes rather than quoted statements.