Midland City Council Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Midland City Council met on June 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included three proclamations, three public hearings, a public comment period, and approval of a major water service agreement with Larkin Charter Township. All votes were unanimous (5-0) except where noted.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent agenda (5-0), which included routine resolutions marked with an asterisk. No items were removed at public request.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nidia Colbert (owner of 6003 Dublin Avenue) expressed concern about the cost of the sidewalk special assessment, stating she did not request the sidewalk and has financial constraints as a single mother with two children in college and caring for her mother. She asked about payment options.
• John Elson (6106 Sturgeon Creek Parkway) criticized the council during public comment for ignoring taxpayer input on the budget, specifically referencing the Streetscape Phase II project (not on this agenda) and decisions on Wackerly Road and Jefferson/East Lawn developments. He accused the council of favoring special interests over residents.
• Patrick Nossick (2525 North Eastman Road) spoke in favor of the Larkin water agreement, noting he has five parcels that paid special assessments for water taps and supports resolving the allocation issues.
• John Elson also spoke against the water agreement, expressing concerns about increased development pressure on Sturgeon Creek flooding and stormwater systems, and argued that Larkin Township should pay higher taxes for city services.

Proclamations & Recognitions

• 250th Anniversary of the United States – Council authorized a proclamation designating July 4, 2026 as the 250th anniversary. Matt Smith, chair of the Midland America's 250th Committee, accepted. The proclamation was read, noting a 50-foot replica of the Declaration of Independence will be displayed, along with a reading, live music, Stone Street Revival concert, and fireworks.
• Amateur Radio Week – Council proclaimed June 20–27, 2026 as Amateur Radio Week and June 28 as Amateur Radio Day. Dennis Klippa (President, Midland Amateur Radio Club) accepted, highlighting public service, education, and global communication. Kenushi Desai (Vice President) shared that earning his license in middle school inspired his engineering interest; he will attend Johns Hopkins University.
• Pride Month – Council proclaimed June 2026 as Pride Month in Midland. Morgan Sunderburg (Great Lakes Bay Pride Vice President) was unable to attend due to illness; the proclamation was accepted on her behalf. The proclamation recognized the Stonewall riots and contributions of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Discussion Items

• 2026 Sidewalk Improvement Special Assessment (Public Hearing before vote): The district includes two segments: (1) South side of Bay City Road (from Fast Ice Drive to North Market Street) – three parcels, 899 frontage feet, rate $37.77/ft, property owner share $33,950, city share $19,000+; (2) West side of Dublin Avenue at 6003 Dublin Avenue – one parcel, 162.4 feet, rate $35.94/ft, property owner share $5,836, city share $14,500. Total project cost ~$73,000. Options: pay in full within 60 days or installments over 5 years at 3.13% interest. A property owner (Nidia Colbert) voiced concern about the cost during the public hearing. Clarification was given that the sidewalk installation had already been determined necessary by council in previous steps. Council discussed extending the installment period for the Dublin property only and amended the motion to allow 10-year payment for that parcel (the Bay City Road parcels remain at 5 years). Interest rate remained 3.13%. The amendment passed 5-0; the amended motion also passed 5-0.
• Case Systems IFT Exemption (Public Hearing before vote): Case Systems Development LLC requested a 12-year Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption for a 50,000 sq ft addition at 2700 James Savage Road. Total improvement cost $6.5 million; retaining 187 full-time jobs and creating 20 new high-skill manufacturing jobs (engineers, carpenters, assemblers). The exemption would reduce the property's millage by half (except state education tax), exempting ~$83,000 annually in city taxes over 12 years, estimated total benefit to Case Systems over $1 million, but the city receives ~$331,000 in new tax revenue over 12 years (based on the new taxable value). Kelly Weiner (President) spoke in support, noting the company's history (28 years in Midland) and community contributions (24 nonprofits supported in 2026, $150,000 in charitable contributions in 2025). Nicole Wilson (Midland Business Alliance) also voiced support, citing job retention and growth. Council approved the 12-year exemption 5-0, with discussion acknowledging the need for future policy refinement on IFT terms.
• Midland Compounding PM LLC Industrial Development District (IDD) (Public Hearing before vote): The company requested establishment of an IDD at 3700 (and 3810) James Savage Road as the first step toward a future IFT. They plan to construct a 15,009 sq ft addition (total investment ~$2.7 million) for manufacturing and warehouse space, retaining 26 employees and adding 1–7 jobs. The IDD has no immediate financial impact; it only designates the area where an IFT could later be considered. Jeff Brown (owner) described the business (custom plastics compounding and industrial recycling; 27 years in Midland) and noted a 2021 fire that damaged facilities, leading to a lengthy insurance battle. He stated they want to rebuild and improve the facility. Nicole Wilson spoke in support. Council passed the IDD 5-0, but several members emphasized that approval does not guarantee a future IFT and that the council is working on a formal policy (possibly a point-based system) to evaluate future requests. The city manager indicated a draft policy could be developed within less than a year.
• Urban Cooperation Act Water Service Agreement with Larkin Charter Township (Public hearing and vote): Jacob Kane (City Planner) presented a detailed history of the city's water policy and the need for a new agreement to resolve violations of the 2011 agreement. The current agreement allowed 1,402 residential water connections, but the township over-allocated connections, leaving 41 remaining taps but 397 special-assessed properties needing connections (356 of which were provided in violation). The new agreement proposes: (1) A one-time fee of $1,000 per new connection ($356,000 total) to add 356 new taps, bringing the total special assessment connections to 397 (specified by parcel in Exhibit B). (2) A new connection bank mechanism based on net new single- and two-family residential construction in the city, multiplied by a factor of 0.12 (12% ratio, based on 2010 census relative population). For example, 90 net new city homes would yield 10 new township taps per year, banked quarterly. (3) A provision for existing residential properties with well failure (confirmed by health department) to obtain a connection outside the bank. (4) Annexation flexibility: the city may annex through a public right-of-way to achieve contiguity for development. The agreement has a 50-year term with automatic renewal every 10 years, but either party may terminate with 18 months' notice. The township board approved the agreement on June 2, 2026. Public comments were mixed: Patrick Nossick supported resolving the backlog; John Elson opposed, citing flooding and stormwater concerns. Council discussion focused on cost recovery, water rates for township residents (not set in the agreement, allowing separate rates with justification), and monitoring mechanisms. The city attorney confirmed the agreement does not preclude different water rates for township customers. The resolution passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Approved sidewalk special assessment district with a 10-year installment option for the Dublin Avenue property only (5-0).
• Approved a 12-year Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption for Case Systems (5-0).
• Established an Industrial Development District for Midland Compounding PM LLC (5-0), with a note that future IFT approval is not guaranteed and that the council will develop a formal IFT evaluation policy.
• Approved the Urban Cooperation Act Water Service Agreement with Larkin Charter Township (5-0), authorizing the mayor and clerk to sign.
• The city manager noted that bulk fuel purchases on the consent agenda highlight the need to review purchasing policies; a review is underway.
• The fire study recommendations will be presented to council in a separate meeting by the end of August 2026.