REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
PERE MARQUETTE DEPOT
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
7:00 p.m.
A meeting of the Belding City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan was convened in open and public session at the Pere Marquette Depot, 100 Depot Street, at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
Mayor Jeannine Leary called the meeting to order and led with the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Deputy City Clerk, Tonda Rich took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding, Bonita Steele, Nikolai Zerkle, Linda Curtis and Jeannine Leary
City Manager, Keven Krieger, requested the following item be added to the agenda: Under New Business, Item I. Resolution for ACH and Electronic Transactions. Moved by Zerkle, supported by Gladding, to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
June McMeeken voiced concerns regarding the new Dollar General drainage ponds.
A. Krieger gave a brief update on the new city hall building, specifically on the current boiler system and whether it could be salvageable or not. Contractors will be coming back to do a re-bid.
A. Approve Independent Bank checks 83795 to 83907 in the amount of $519,213.39
Approve ACH payments
B. Approve minutes: City Council Regular Meeting – July 15, 2025
Moved by Zerkle, supported by Gladding, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
•Gladding gave an update on the Planning Commission: Approved the site plan for Taco Bell; reviewing/looking further into basement/garage requirements.
•Curtis gave an update on the Housing Commission: Briefly discussed MHT Housing, Inc., which is a development company.
•Mayor Leary gave an update on the Museum Board: Porch progress, weeding and possibly increasing the membership of the Museum Board.
A. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to approve the 2nd reading of the amendment to Section 16.3(A)(3-4) relating to Off-Street Parking and Loading, which reads as follows:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND APPENDIX B, “ZONING” OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BELDING BY AMENDING SECTION 16.3 RELATED TO “OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING:
THE CITY OF BELDING ORDAINS:
Section 1. Amendment of Section 16.3(A)(3-4) of Appendix B, “Zoning” of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Belding is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
3. Residential off-street parking spaces shall meet the following requirements:
(a) Spaces shall consist of parking strip, parking bay, driveway, garage, or combination thereof and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve.
(b) Such parking spaces shall be paved with an asphalt or Portland cement binder so as to provide a permanent, durable and dustless service and shall occupy no greater than thirty-three (33) percent of the required front yard.
(c) For driveways longer than 80 feet, the first 80 feet measured from the edge of pavement of the road shall be paved with asphalt or concrete and shall be further subject to review and approval by the Belding Fire Department to ensure safe access for emergency services personnel. The remainder of the driveway beyond the first 80 feet may be compacted gravel, crushed asphalt, or another material, provided that it is constructed and maintained to accommodate vehicular traffic.
(d) Driveways for single-family residences are not permitted to be shared by more than one (1) dwelling unless the applicant submits a shared driveway agreement between the parties and it is approved by the City and recorded with the Ionia County Register of Deeds.
(e) Residential parking areas for boats, trailers, motor vehicles, and recreation equipment shall not be located in any front yard outside of an approved driveway or parking space in compliance with subsection (3) above. Parking in lawn areas is prohibited.
Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
B. Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to approve the bid from Apex Sealcoating, LLC., for the maintenance and crack sealing of the walking path in Central Riverside Park, in the amount of $3,626.57. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
C. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to approve the purchase of two lawnmowers (one from Weingartz and one from Mid-Michigan Snow and Landscape Projects) for the DPW and Maintenance departments. Kreiger stated that the mower for the maintenance around the city buildings will not be at the grade as the mower for DPW. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
D. Moved by Curtis, supported by Gladding, to approve the bid from Five Star Commercial Roofing, Inc., to replace the Fire Department Roof and to further take out the skylights in the atrium at City Hall. Kreiger stated that there are several leaks in the roof and currently the leaks are now in the living quarters, as well as, the bedroom of the fire department. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
E. Moved by Curtis, supported by Gladding, to approve the Fireworks Permit Application submitted by Pyrotecnico who will be shooting off the fireworks Labor Day weekend. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
F. The Michigan Municipal League has requested a delegate be designated to attend the Annual Meeting, which is scheduled September 17 – 19, 2025 at the Amway Grand Plaza. It was the consensus of the Council to appoint Nikolai Zerkle as the delegate and Linda Curtis as the alternate.
G. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to approve the Special Event Application submitted by the B Foundation for their annual Day to Believe Glow Run which will take place on October 17, 2025. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
H. Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to approve the bid from Greenville Flooring for the purpose of removing the flooring from the new city hall. Krieger stated that he has been having a hard time getting quotes and responses for different projects. Greenville Flooring was the only company that responded with a bid for this project. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
I. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adopt the following Resolution 25-08-22 A Resolution to Utilize ACH and Electronic Transactions. Kreiger stated that the auditors have requested such a resolution to be passed. The Resolution was adopted by the following roll call vote: yes – all. The Resolution is as follows:
CITY OF BELDING
RESOLUTION 25-08-22
A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF BELDING TO UTILIZE ACH AND ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, was held in said City on the 5th day of August, 2025.
WHEREAS, on December 30, 2002, the Governor of the State of Michigan approved Act No. 738 of the Public Acts of 2002 authorizing the use electronic transactions by designated officers of the local government; and
WHEREAS, the City of Belding deems that it is in the best interest of the City to make certain financial transactions by using electronic transactions as described in the Act;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the following policy shall govern the use of electronic transactions:
(a) The Treasurer or electronic transaction officer (ETO) shall be responsible for establishing all ACH arrangements for the local unit;
(b) The Treasurer or ETO shall draft a written policy to be followed in accordance with the act and presented to the governing body;
(c) The Treasurer or ETO shall be responsible for payment approval, accounting, reporting, and generally overseeing compliance or shall appoint an employee to perform such duties;
(d) The Treasurer or ETO shall submit documentation to the governing body, or person responsible for approving payments by resolution or charter requirements, detailing goods and services purchased, the cost of goods or services, the date of payment, and the department levels serviced;
(e) All ACH transactions shall be approved by the Treasurer or ETO BEFORE payment is made.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
1. The City of Belding hereby approves and agrees to authorize the use of electronic transactions by designated officers of the local government.
THIS RESOLUTION WAS THEREUPON DECLARED ADOPTED THIS 5TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025.
Jim Mason thanked the Daily News for the positive articles and further questioned the paving for the Taft Court parking lot.
•Attended a meeting with the Ionia and Portland City Managers. Krieger stated how nice it is to bounce ideas off of each other.
•The boardwalk to Riverside Park is complete. Thank you to John Lovell and Lucas McNinch for their hard work on this project. The handrail along the boardwalk needs to be repaired/replaced and is currently looking into this.
•The Taco Bell site plan was approved, however, the entrance/exit of the site has to be redrawn due to the State not agreeing with the proposed plan.
•Brief update on the dog park; would like to incorporate the old pavilion (Lions pavilion) into the design.
•The Belding Fire Department will be having a fundraiser on August 9, 2025 from 12 – 4 p.m. at the car wash on M-44. All proceeds will be going to the Belding Fire Department.
Councilmember Steele commented on the quote sheet the City Manager is using and appreciates the collaboration between departments on the use of equipment.
Councilmember Curtis stated that the Gus Macker weekend was a success.
Councilmember Gladding announced that the B Foundation will be this year’s Grand Marshal for the Labor Day weekend.
Councilmember Zerkle stated he met with Congressman Moolenaar’s office and received valuable information on grants.
Mayor Leary stated that Gus Macker is a great representation of the City; there is an artist currently doing murals at the Gathering Place.
Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
Jeannine Leary, Mayor Tonda Rich, Deputy City Clerk