(Correction: The final dates of the two farmers markets were incorrect. They have been corrected.)
When the city’s Downtown Development Authority meets on Feb. 15, Jason Povlich will rejoin the group as a board member following his unanimous appointment by the Chelsea City Council at its meeting on Feb. 5.
Povlich, owner of Jet’s Pizza and Warrior Management, previously served on the DDA, and was recently named the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce Large Business Leadership Award winner. His term runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
Chelsea residents will be able to enjoy the two annual Chelsea Farmers Markets beginning the afternoon of Wednesday, May 1 in the Chelsea State Bank parking lot at 1010 S. Main St. and the morning of Saturday, May 4 in Palmer Commons following unanimous votes of the Chelsea City Council.
The Wednesday farmers market takes place weekly through Oct. 30, while the Saturday market runs weekly through Oct. 26.
In other business, Mayor Jane Pacheco updated the City Council on The Roundtable Group’s discussions. The stakeholder group is looking at ways to utilize the city’s portion of the 2017 Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage, which amounts to about $500,000 to date. Members of the group include representatives from the city, the Strategic Planning Group, the Community Task Force, Chelsea schools, 5 Healthy Towns, Chelsea Hospital, Silver Maples, the Chelsea Senior Center and Chelsea District Library.
According to the agenda item explanation, “The consensus recommendation centers around the idea of a public-facing, shared community mental health coordinator(s).”
It’s expected that a job description for this person or persons and a “possible funding formula” will be brought to the City Council for a vote next month.
The City Council adopted a resolution, 6-1, to allow Soccer Shots of Ann Arbor, a youth soccer business, to rent a Timbertown field for a youth soccer program for children 2-8 years old on Saturdays from April 20-June 8 from 9-11 a.m.
The business operates 49 schools in Washtenaw, Oakland and Wayne counties.
Council Member Eric Keaton voted against the resolution.
City Council approved an agreement with Midwestern Consulting for construction engineering, inspection, surveying and material testing at a cost not to exceed $156,600 for the city’s MDOT West Middle Street improvement and water infrastructure project. The construction project is slated to begin later this month and be completed at the end of May. In addition, the city approved a change order to the project that reduces its scope and associated required adjustments to the original design that must be submitted to multiple entities including the Michigan Department of Transportation. The city is utilizing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the project.
City Council adopted a resolution for a food truck ordinance on first reading following six work sessions by the Planning Commission as well as a public hearing.
Also approved was:
- A resolution to transfer $510,000 from the electric fund to the general fund as a payment in lieu of taxes, which amounts to 5 percent of electric sales.
- A budgeted transfer for Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liability funding of an additional $25,000 for retirement benefits. This is in addition to the actual cost paid annually for current retirees and eligible city employees.
- Approval of an electric department purchase order of $105,092 to “regasket” two substation transformers.
- Approval for the water department to purchase 30 water meters and horns at a cost of about $23,157.
- Approved a request from City Manager Marty Colburn to negotiate human resources services for the city.
