REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
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, April 21, 2026.
Mayor Jeannine Leary called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Rick Merren gave the Invocation.
Mayor Leary led with the Pledge of Allegiance.
City Clerk, Janae Ortego took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding-Visser, Bonita Steele, Linda Curtis, Nikolai Zerkle (Active U.S. Military, virtual attendance per MCL 15.263(2), and Jeannine Leary
Members absent: None
Mayor Leary added a Presentation after the first Public Comment. Moved by Gladding-Visser, seconded by Steele to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
Mayor Leary acknowledged Council Member Zerkle for completing his Level I
Certification through the Michigan Municipal League and presented a plaque honoring his achievement to his wife on his behalf.
Mayor Leary opened the Public Hearing for the Tentative FY 2026/27 Budget at 7:07 p.m. Hearing no questions or comments, she asked for a motion to close the Public Hearing. Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding-Visser to close the Public Hearing at 7:07 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding-Visser to approve the Consent Agenda as
presented. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
The Consent Agenda is as follows:
A. Approve Independent Bank Checks 84979 to 85032 in the amount of $213,239.4
Approve ACH Payments
B. Approve Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting – April 7, 2026
Curtis reported on the Housing Commission meeting.
Gladding-Visser reported that the Planning Commission meets next Tuesday.
Zerkle reported that the ZBA meets next week..
A. Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding-Visser to adopt the FY 2026/27 Budget and Resolution 2026-04-13. Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
Yeas: Steele, Gladding-Visser, Curtis and Mayor Leary
Nays: Zerkle
The Resolution is as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELDING, MICHIGAN
ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026/27 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, was held in said City on the 21st day of April, 2026.
WHEREAS, the City Manager of the City of Belding, Michigan has submitted to the Mayor and City Council a budget for Fiscal Year 2026/27 as required by the Belding City Charter; and,
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan have studied and Reviewed said budget; and,
WHEREAS, a public hearing on said budget was held on April 21, 2026 in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.4 of the Belding City Charter; and,
WHEREAS, the City Clerk of the City of Belding has in accordance with Section 11.4 of the City Charter, and P.A. 621 of 1978, published notices of time and place of holding such hearings, and of the availability to the public of such proposed budget.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan that they hereby appropriate the following sums of money deemed necessary to defray all the necessary expenses, liabilities and reserves of the City of Belding, Michigan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the objects and purposes for which said appropriations are to be expended and the amount appropriated which authorizes such expenditures, as provided in the City Charter and City Code for each center and purpose are specified as follows:
APPROPRIATION CENTERS
GENERAL OPERATING FUND
City Council $ 62,400
City Manager 222,500
Finance & Administrative Services 320,389
City Clerk 228,500
Central Municipal Activities 279,300
Cemetery 129,050
Park Maintenance 161,050
Interfund Transfers 73,000
Belrockton Community Center 47,300
Community Promotions 25,000
Contingency 52,000
TOTAL GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS $3,626,239
MAJOR STREET FUND 872,661
LOCAL STREET FUND 432,750
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 39,000
DRUG FORFEITURE FUND 2,500
LIBRARY 573,750
MUSEUM FUND 13,450
SRF BOND PAYMENT FUND 1,484
CIP BOND PAYMENT FUND 7,665
LIBRARY DEBT FUND 96,000
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND 1,157,750
DIAL-A-RIDE 450,486
SEWER FUND 1,637,973
WATER FUND 1,024,349
INTERNAL SERVICE FUND 436,000
BUILDING & GROUNDS FUND 215,000
MOTOR POOL FUND 415,800
HEALTH INSURANCE FUND 593,100
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS $11,595,957
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following amounts appropriated and allocated for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027, be and the same hereby are directed to be raised by mill levy as follows:
AMOUNT AMOUNT TO BE RAISED
APPROPRIATED BY MILL LEVY TAXATION
Capital Improvements $ 1,157,750 $ 220,000
General Purpose $ 3,626,239 $2,150,000
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the purpose of raising said amounts by taxation in 2026-27, the City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan does hereby levy a tax of 17.9500 mills per dollar on the assessed valuation of all taxable property within the corporate limits of the City of Belding, and further, said mill levy shall include 15.9500 mills for the General Fund Operation, and 2.00 mills for Capital Improvements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an administrative fee of 1% shall be added and collected for all units of government - said fee to be continued until rescinded.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager is hereby authorized to make budgetary transfers within the appropriation centers, also known as funds, established through this budget, except that all transfers between appropriation centers may be made only by further action of the City Council, pursuant to the provisions of the Michigan Uniform Accounting and Budgeting Act; and that the City Manager is hereby authorized to release bidding documents for those capital items requiring bids. Bidding documents may also be described as Requests for Proposals.
THIS RESOLUTION DECLARED ADOPTED THIS 21st DAY OF APRIL, 2026.
B. Steele, being the City Council Liaison to the Recreation Advisory Board, presented Carlie Willlingham with a Resolution of Appreciation for her service as a student representative on the Rec Board. The Resolution of Appreciation is as follows:
CITY OF BELDING
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELDING, MICHIGAN, EXPRESSING ITS APPRECIATION TO CARLIE WILLINGHAM, RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Belding, County of Ionia, Michigan, was held in said City on the 21st day of April, 2026.
WHEREAS, the Belding City Charter and Recreation Advisory Board Bylaws require the appointment of one non-voting student member who is both a resident of the city and is a junior in the Belding High School; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Willingham submitted an application to the City of Belding expressing her interest in the appointment and was unanimously chosen by the Recreation Advisory Board members in April, 2025 to a serve the one-year term; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Willingham was an active participant and offered a genuine and fresh perspective representing the youth of this community; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Willingham’s accomplishments go far beyond the exemplary actions she has taken in her role on the Recreation Advisory Board. She is active in soccer and cheerleading.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Belding City Council wish to recognize Ms. Willingham for her well-rounded commitment to the City of Belding. We sincerely wish Ms. Willingham success and the best of luck in all of her future endeavors.
THIS RESOLUTION WAS THEREUPON DECLARED ADOPTED THIS 21st DAY OF APRIL 2026.
C. Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding-Visser to reappoint Jan Mehney to the Museum Advisory Board with a term expiration date of 12-31-26 and Darryl Childs to the Museum Advisory Board with a term expiration date of 12-31-27, thus allowing the appropriate staggering of terms. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
D. Moved by Curtis, seconded by Steele to authorize Fire Chief Tim Lubitz to obtain bids only for a new fire truck. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all. (Report and CIP on file in the Clerk’s Office).
E. Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding-Visser to authorize City Manager Adam Poll to contract with Williams & Works to update the 5-Year Rec Plan. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
Bob Brown, Jay Street, thanked Mayor Leary for her service.
Poll commented on the following topics of interest:
· Thanked the Council for approving the budget
· Receiving calls about the City Streets, noting that the streets are high priority and the city is able to use millings as a temporary solution as the asphalt companies are not open yet.
· Bridge Street is in the process of being paved
· Thanked Mayor Leary
Steele thanked Mayor Leary and presented her with a gift from City Council.
Curtis commented about the work on streets, seeking bids for a fire truck and thanked Mayor Leary.
Gladding-Visser commented about the roads, announced the Music in the Park will be every Thursday, May 28th through August 27th this year, and thanked Mayor Leary.
Mayor Leary commented on community concerns and commented that it has been an honor to serve and thanked everyone for the opportunity.
Moved by Gladding-Visser, seconded by Steele to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
_________________________ __________________________
Jeannine Leary, Mayor Janae Ortego, MiPMC
City Clerk