BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, January 7, 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, January 7, 2025.
Mayor Jeannine Leary called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 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 and Jeannine Leary
Councilmember Steele requested to table item A. under New Business (Dial A Ride FY26 Funding Application) to give Council more time to review the Application. Mayor Leary added item F. under New Business (Resolution Designating an Authorized Project Representative for Ongoing Water System Improvements Including Lead and/or Galvanized Service Lines and Replacing Watermains) and item G. (Resolution Designating an Authorized Project Representative for Ongoing Water System Improvements as a Result of the Drinking Water Asset Management Grant Agreement). Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried by roll call vote: yes – all.
Jenny Bennett of 303 Leonard Street, Belding, commented on the Special Meeting that was held on December 18, 2025.
Fire Chief Tim Lubitz updated the Council on the status of the new city hall. Lubitz was charged with putting a committee together consisting of city employees and citizens to review the site plan that has already been provided by C2AE and to have the committee review the plan and make their own recommendations. Lubitz explained that the renovations to the new city hall would be done in phases and that he is currently working with the City Treasurer on putting a budget together for each phase of the renovation project. Lubitz further stated that Ionia County does not have an emergency shelter and with this new proposed site plan, the City of Belding would be able to provide such a shelter which would make the City of Belding eligible for grant funding.
Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to authorize Tim Lubitz to seek three (3) bids for repairs to the current elevator in the new city hall building. Motion carried by roll call vote: yes-all.
The City of Belding received five (5) applications from interested individuals seeking to be appointed to the two (2) vacant seats on the Belding City Council. Candidate interviews were held for the following individuals: Nickolai Zerkle, Dave Badder, Linda Curtis and Mary Roy. Applicant Ashley Martin did not appear for an interview.
Deputy City Clerk Tonda Rich asked each applicant the same questions regarding their backgrounds, qualifications and community involvement.
Mayor Leary announced that a Special Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. to appoint two candidates to the Belding City Council.
A. Approve Independent Bank checks 82851 to 82892 in the amount of $1,362,494.56
B. Approve minutes: City Council Regular Minutes – December 17, 2024
City Council Special Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2024
Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
A. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to appoint Marjorie Hansen, John Niemela, Douglas Lamborne and Richard Outman to the City of Belding Board of Review for 2025. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
B. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adopt the Poverty Exemption General Guidelines for 2025. Bob Naumann, Belding City Assessor, stated that the State Tax Commission requires the City to adopt these guidelines because they change each year. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
C. Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to approve the Special Event Application filed by Shea Abbgy for the Great Lakes Disc event, which is a disc golf event that will take place on April 26, 2025, at Lightning Bend Park, contingent upon a Hold Harmless Agreement being signed and proof of insurance is provided. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
D. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adopt the Resolution Designating an Authorized Project Representative for the New Wastewater Treatment Plant Currently Under Construction. The resolution was adopted by the following roll call vote: yes – all. The resolution is as follows:
City of Belding, Michigan
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AN AUTHORIZED PROJECT REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION
At a regular meeting of the city council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, held in said City on the 7th day of January, 2025.
WHEREAS, On May 17, 2022, City Manager Jon Stoppels was designated as the authorized representative for all activities associated with the ongoing Clean Water State Revolving Fund project (CWSRF – 5830-01) per Resolution No. 2022-05-20; and,
WHEREAS, Jon Stoppels retired on December 31, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, On December 18, 2024, at a publicly noticed Special Meeting pursuant to and in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1976, Janae Ortego, City Clerk, was appointed as the Interim City Manager, effective January 1, 2025 by the Belding City Council; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Belding, designate Janae Ortego as the authorized representative for all activities associated with CWSRF-5830-01 until a new city manager starts their employment with the City of Belding.
E. Moved by Gladding, supported by Steele, to adopt the Resolution Designating an Authorized Project Representative for Ongoing Water System Improvements Including Lead and/or Galvanized Service Lines and Replacing Watermains. The Resolution was adopted by the following roll call vote: yes – all. The Resolution is as follows:
City of Belding, Michigan
Resolution No. 2025-01-02
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AN AUTHORIZED PROJECT REPRESENTATIVE FOR ONGOING WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING LEAD AND/OR GALVANIZED SERVICE LINES AND REPLACING WATERMAINS
At a regular meeting of the city Council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, held in said City on the 7th day of January, 2025.
WHEREAS, On May 16, 2023, City Manager Jon Stoppels was designated as the authorized representative for all activities associated with the ongoing Drinking Water Revolving Fund project (DWSRF – 7727-01) per Resolution No. 2023-05-08; and,
WHEREAS, Jon Stoppels retired on December 31, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, On December 18, 2024, at a publicly noticed Special Meeting pursuant to and in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1976, Janae Ortego, City Clerk, was appointed as the Interim City Manager, effective January 1, 2025 by the Belding City Council; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Belding, designate Janae Ortego as the authorized representative for all activities associated with DWSRF-7727-01 until a new city manager starts their employment with the City of Belding.
F. Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adopt the Resolution Designating an Authorized Project Representative for Ongoing Water System Improvements as a Result of the Drinking Water Asset Management Grant Agreement. The Resolution was adopted by the following roll call vote: yes – all. The Resolution is as follows:
City of Belding, Michigan
Resolution No. 2025-01-03
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AN AUTHORIZED PROJECT REPRESENTATIVE FOR ONGOING WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AS A RESULT OF THE DRINKING WATER ASSET MANAGEMENT GRANT AGREEMENT
At a regular meeting of the city Council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, held in said City on the 7th day of January, 2025.
WHEREAS, On January 9, 2023, City Manager Jon Stoppels was designated as the authorized representative for all activities associated with the ongoing Drinking Water Revolving Fund project (DWA-140); and
WHEREAS, Jon Stoppels retired on December 31, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, On December 18, 2024, at a publicly noticed Special Meeting pursuant to and in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1976, Janae Ortego, City Clerk, was appointed as the Interim City Manager, effective January 1, 2025 by the Belding City Council; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Belding, designate Janae Ortego as the authorized representative for all activities associated with DWA-140 until a new city manager starts their employment with the City of Belding.
· Robert Siterlet commented on Dave Badder, City Council candidate, and the Anti-Bullying Program that Dave started.
· Jeff Harrington, 604 Crawford Street, commented on a neighbor issue.
· Clinton Hewartson commented on appointing candidates to city council.
· Doug Kagey, 616 Crawford Street, also commented on the neighbor issue.
· Jennifer Stone introduced herself as she was just recently appointed to the Planning Commission.
Janae Ortego, Interim City Manager, updated the Council on the following:
· Checking into the equipment in council chambers to see what repairs are needed and what has to be done in order to live stream the council meetings
· In the process of having the City’s IT department look into some technology issues with the cameras in the parks
· Thanked DPW for taking down the gingerbreads and bringing them back to city hall. Participants will be notified to pick up their gingerbreads during business hours
· Gladding thanked the city council applicants and stated that the Council has a hard decision to make regarding the appointments.
· Leary thanked the public for attending and stated that community input is important.
Moved by Steele, supported by Gladding, to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: yes – all.
Jeannine Leary, Mayor Tonda Rich, Deputy City Clerk