REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, May 19, 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, May 19, 2026.
Mayor Bonita Steele called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Archie Messenger gave the Invocation.
Mayor Steele led with the Pledge of Allegiance.
City Clerk, Janae Ortego took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding-Visser, Linda Curtis, Mike Brady, Nikolai Zerkle (Active U.S. Military, virtual attendance per MCL 15.263(2)) and Bonita Steele
Members absent: None
Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Brady to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
City Manager Adam Poll gave an update on the status of the new City Hall. The process for obtaining quotes was briefly discussed. Brady requested monthly status updates.
Brady inquired about a check to Fleis & Vandenbrink for computer services. Finance Director, Becky Schlienz advised that F&V provided some Geo mapping services for the new cemetery program.
Mayor Steele and Brady both commented on the May 5, 2026, minutes, noting the detailed time frame City Clerk Janae Ortego cited in the minutes regarding the application process for the candidates who sought appointment to the partial term city council appointment, further noting that all applicants applied before the deadline.
Moved by Gladding-Visser, seconded by Brady 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 85091 to 85175 in the amount of $164,679.12
Approve ACH Payments
B. Approve Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting – May 5, 2026
Gladding-Visser reported that the Planning Commission is scheduled to meet next week.
Curtis reported that she did not attend the Housing Commission meeting, however she received a report from the Director of the Housing Commission which included items of discussion such as the paying of bills, regular reports and fund balance. Their next meeting is July 18th.
Chair Steele reported that the Library Board meeting was cancelled.
A. Curtis nominated Zerkle for Mayor Pro Tem. Hearing no second, the motion died.
Brady nominated Visser for Mayor Pro Tem. Visser seconded the nomination. Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
Yeas: Brady, Curtis, Gladding-Visser and Mayor Steele
Nays: Zerkle
B. Moved by Gladding-Visser, seconded by Curtis to appoint Brady to the Museum Board (which was previously assigned to former Mayor and City Councilmember Jeannine Leary). Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
Yeas: Brady, Curtis, Gladding-Visser and Mayor Steele
Nays: Zerkle
A. Recommendation to Appoint Jeff Swanson to the Belding Housing Commission –
Brady made an inquiry to Swanson. A brief conversation took place. Mayor Steele asked of any of the council members had questions for Swanson. As some dialogue took place, Zerkle’s microphone stopped working for a moment; he called for “Point of Order” at 7:20 p.m. as announced by Clerk Ortego, as Zerkle had typed out the message on the public screen. Zerkle was able to get the microphone back and a procedural discussion ensued between Mayor Steele, Brady and Zerkle. Zerkle asked that Swanson go to the podium as that has been the prior practice, and further that he is not able to see Swanson while he is seated. Moved by Brady, seconded by Curtis to reappoint Jeff Swanson to the Housing Commission per the recommendation of the Housing Commission Board, with a term to expire on June 30, 2031. Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
Yeas: Brady, Curtis, Gladding-Visser and Mayor Steele
Nays: Zerkle
Jim Mason commented that when pastors come to include what church they are from.
Dave Badder commented on how the city looks with the decorations and new projects and requested photos with the updates on the new City Hall.
Sharon Carlson, Director of the Belding Housing Commission, commented on Swanson’s reappointment and the longevity of the members who serve on the Housing Commission Board.
Carolyn Wieczorek inquired about the dump vouchers.
Poll commented on the following topics of interest:
· The dump voucher program will start at the beginning of the city’s new fiscal year (July 2026)
· The current portion of Bridge Street is complete; final paperwork is being filed
· The north part of Bridge Street and then on to Kiddeville will begin shortly
· The tiling on Water Street was done today or will be tomorrow; looking to redo Water Street in the next 1-2 years
· There were water main breaks on Thursday on Park Street. A Boil Water Advisory was immediately issued for that area. The City is legally obligated to issue a Boil Water Advisory whenever there is a loss of pressure.
· The Deputy Clerk Interviews have concluded
· The City is working with the legal department (City Attorney) on some issues and looking to resolve the issues
Brady commented on the following topics of interest:
· Thanked everyone for their support
· Commented on Memorial Day
· Focused on the BHS Boy’s Track Team winning the Regional Championship for the first time since 1938! The Belding student athletes who qualified for Track High School Nationals for the 4 100 Relay are Tyler Simon, Nick Wright, Ethan King and Camden Holt, led by Coach Shindorf. They will be competing for Division 3 State Championship on Saturday, May 30th at Kent City High School. State Nationals will be held in Oregon this year.
Curtis commented on the following topics of interest:
· Offered congratulations to the BHS track students and staff
· Commented on the prompt response regarding the watermain break
· Moving ahead with City Hall and keeping the budget in mind
· Commented on the looks of the city
Gladding-Visser commented on the following topics of interest:
· Thanked everyone for coming out tonight
· Advised that she did not support Zerkle as Mayor Pro Tem only because he is not physically here and offered an example of Zerkle’s availability due to his deployment logistics if the Mayor were to be absent.
Zerkle commented on the following topics of interest:
· Memorial Day
· Mike McCarty’s new business
· Advised that he had to logon to a different TEAMS meeting session when we couldn’t hear him earlier in the meeting.
· He will be in-person at the next meeting and then will be gone for approximately a year.
Mayor Steele Commented on the following topics of interest:
· Thanked everyone for coming
· Commented on how the city looks
Moved by Curtis, seconded by Brady to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
_________________________ __________________________
Bonita Steele, Mayor Janae Ortego, MiPMC
City Clerk