Wyoming council approves playground grants, bridge repairs and several contract amendments

WYOMING, Mich. — The Wyoming City Council on July 20 approved a package of routine and infrastructure items including two budget amendments totaling $288,426 to recognize grant revenue for playground equipment, authorization of several contract amendments and the award of a $334,000 bid for bridge-deck epoxy overlays.

The council approved two budget amendments on a combined motion: an additional $212,176 of budget authority to purchase playground equipment and $76,250 for Jackson Park playground equipment. The measures recognize associated grant revenue and were approved by roll-call vote.

The meeting included a correction to a previously approved special assessment for the Kent Industrial Center median irrigation system. Staff told the council the original assessment had been calculated by parcel size in error and "we're just recorrecting that before we send out the tax bill," and the council approved the correction on a roll-call vote.

Staff also presented several contract-related items. The council authorized the city manager to enter an agreement with Greater Level LLC for special-event and police services for the 2026 Metro Cruise, and approved an amendment to the street-lighting contract with Consumers Energy to replace suspended intersection lights with LED cobra-head poles; staff said those replacements will occur at no cost to the city but require a contract amendment.

On a separate item related to communications infrastructure, staff described a proposed second amendment to a 2013 Verizon lease at the Kazan elevated water-storage-tank site. As staff outlined, the city originally received roughly $25,000 per year under the 2013 agreement, revenue rose to about $40,000 after a 2022 amendment, and the new agreement proposed to begin in 2028 with starting revenue of $49,000 and a 4% annual increase.

The council awarded the low bid for a bridge-deck epoxy overlay on two bridges over Buck Creek (54th Street and Clay Avenue) at about $334,000. Staff said the preventive maintenance — which includes sealing surface cracks, replacing expansion joints and minor concrete repairs — is intended to extend the structures' service life by roughly 10 years and avoid far costlier repairs later.

During public comment, visitor Marie DeBoer commended local public servants and urged broader fiscal restraint at the federal level, saying, "We are nearly $40,000,000,000,000 in debt," and urging a balanced budget. The council did not take action on federal policy during the meeting.

All council actions recorded during the meeting were carried by roll-call vote as read aloud by the clerk. Several council members and the mayor offered thanks to staff and the local broadcaster for staging the remote meeting and praised parks and recreation programming. The mayor also announced upcoming concerts in the park, Cops and Cones, and the Godwin Mercado farmers market schedule.

The staff action items approved at the meeting (assessment correction, contract amendments, budget amendments and the bridge award) will proceed through routine execution steps including contract signature and updates to tax-bill materials, as applicable.