Midland City Council Meeting - September 8, 2025

The Midland City Council met on September 8, 2025, at 7 p.m. in City Hall. The meeting covered routine approvals, public comments about a prolonged neighborhood construction issue, a vote to name a pedestrian walkway, approval of three labor contracts, and a discussion on reallocating $950,000 in savings from the library roof project.

Consent Calendar

• All resolutions marked with an asterisk were approved unanimously (5-0) without separate discussion. No items were removed from the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Wilson (1103 W. St. Andrews Road) spoke on behalf of neighbors about 1109 W. St. Andrews Road, a home construction started in 2018 by Dr. Hakani that remains unfinished after seven years. He described the structure as a “monstrosity” and “eyesore,” noting it has attracted animals, mold, and caused property value decline. He stated that a 2020 meeting with city officials resulted in no action, and he demanded council to address the issue, citing lack of a blight ordinance. He expressed frustration with the lack of representation.
• Bob Plishka (1010 Holyrood Street) echoed the comments, calling the property a public nuisance due to animals and abandonment, and asked council to take the matter seriously.
• Tom Feike (1009 W. St. Andrews) supported the neighbors, suggesting the city should enact an ordinance to require completion of homes within a certain timeframe, as other communities have.
• Tom Foster (1201 W. St. Andrews) reported skunks, possums, rabbits, and raccoons coming from the property and reiterated the need for action.
• Mayor Donker responded that the city shares frustrations but lacks legal basis to act. She encouraged neighbors to meet with her to explore any new information.

Discussion Items

• Naming of Pedestrian Walkway at Poseyville Preserve: Karen Murphy presented a public naming campaign. Over 1,000 suggestions were narrowed to four options: Diamond Crossing, Founders Crossing, Posey Archway, and The Crossing. The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended Posey Crossing (6 votes in favor). Councilmember Wazbinski expressed concern that “Posey Crossing” was redundant given the preserve and bridge names, and proposed “Founders Crossing” to honor the community’s collective spirit. After discussion, council voted to amend the motion to adopt Founders Crossing. The final vote passed 5-0.
• Labor Agreements: Becky from the city presented three collective bargaining agreements:
  • Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM): A four-year contract (2024-2028) with 3% annual increases and a market adjustment to align with the fire department’s adjustment.
  • United Steel Workers (Local 14009): A three-year contract (2025-2028) with 3% annual increases, a first-year lump sum bonus, certificate pay for wastewater license holders, and letters of understanding regarding overtime after the DPS department split.
  • Police Officers Labor Council (POLC) Command Group: A four-year contract (2024-2028) with the same market adjustment as POAM. All three contracts were approved unanimously (5-0) after separate votes.
• Budget Priorities for Library Savings: City Manager Brad Kay explained that the library roof project came in $950,000 under budget. The council had previously moved those funds to the library budget, but Kay noted the funds are general fund dollars and can be used elsewhere. He presented four options: (1) leave with library, (2) save the funds, (3) freeze and process through capital improvement plan, (4) allocate some to library projects and return the rest. After discussion, Miriam from the library outlined priority projects that would benefit from being done while the library is closed for roof work. Council narrowed to a list of construction-heavy projects totaling $367,500 (including the mid-lab relocation, staff relocation, and mezzanine redesign with carpeting and electrical). Councilman Wazbinski amended to allocate up to $400,000 for those specific projects, with the remainder to be reprioritized. The amendment passed 5-0, and the final motion (option 4) passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on walkway name: Amended to “Founders Crossing” and adopted 5-0.
• Labor agreements: All three approved 5-0.
• Budget allocation: Up to $400,000 from the $950,000 savings to be used for specific library construction projects (items 1, 2, 3, and part of 4 from the priority list), with the remaining balance to be reprioritized through the normal budget process. Passed 5-0.
• New Business: Council received information on the Michigan Home Program (four components, $160 million annually for five years) and a special election update for the vacant state Senate seat (primary February 3, 2026; general May 5, 2026).
• Appointments: Mayor will schedule interviews this week and next for Parks and Recreation Commission and Aviation Commission openings.