Midland, Michigan City Council Meeting Summary – October 12, 2026

The Midland City Council met at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026, in council chambers at City Hall. All five council members were present, and no conflicts of interest were declared. No agenda or minutes were provided with the source material, so this summary is based on the official meeting transcript. The council approved the consent calendar, adopted zoning and retirement ordinances, appointed retirement board trustees, authorized a Transportation Alternatives Program grant application, and approved the sale of the city’s share of the Larkin Parking Deck.

Consent Calendar

• The routine consent agenda, containing resolutions marked with an asterisk, was passed by one motion with no requests for removal or separate consideration.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Ellison (6106 Sturgeon Creek Parkway) initially deferred from the general public-comment period to the later Rod Street TAP agenda item. During that item, he opposed the Rod Street non-motorized/bicycle project, arguing the city should prioritize water, sewer, stormwater, and road infrastructure; that the route would have limited use, especially in winter; and that the project would require significant local money despite an 80% grant. He also cited recent tax/millage increases, the cost of prior downtown/streetscape and Ashman/Rod studies, and floodplain concerns along Sturgeon Creek.
• Patrick Penasek (110 E. Main Street), representing Midland Main Street Investments LLC, supported the parking deck sale. He described plans to redevelop the former Chemical Bank buildings, including a wine bar, a boutique/office, an apartment, offices, a Mediterranean restaurant/bakery/Greek taverna, 18 apartments, and six brownstone condominiums at 127 Townsend. He called the parking decision critical and said the buyer had signed a letter of intent to extend parking arrangements with Delta College.
• Nick Moody (3922 East Kens Lane), a Northwood University senior and intern at Great Lakes Bay Construction, supported the parking deck sale, saying prospective tenants repeatedly ask about parking and the deck would accelerate development and interest in the downtown project.

Discussion Items

Code Amendment: Neighborhood Commercial to Neighborhood Center

• City staff requested second reading and adoption of an ordinance amending Code Sections 28-41 and 36-30 to replace the obsolete neighborhood commercial zoning district name with neighborhood center, following the March 2025 zoning modernization. Staff stated that no standards within those sections would change. The council adopted the ordinance; the mayor announced a tally of 5-1 in the transcript, a result inconsistent with the five-member council, so the exact vote count is unclear and may be a transcription error.

General Employees Retirement System Ordinance

• City finance staff (Mr. Salvy) presented the second reading of two ordinances to create a self-administered General Employees Retirement System with defined benefit and defined contribution plans, replacing MERS (Municipal Employees Retirement System) as administrator. Staff stressed that no employee or retiree benefits would change; benefit changes would require future union negotiations and council approval. The system would cover all general full-time non-police/fire employees, including defined benefit, defined contribution, and hybrid tiers depending on hire date.
• Projected benefits included about $100,000 per year in administrative cost savings (roughly 50%), more accurate actuarial assumptions than MERS pooled employer data, historically better investment performance from the city’s police/fire pension, and lower investment fees through Morgan Stanley. Implementation would require creating two boards, hiring service providers, and then holding two council meetings to terminate the MERS agreement, each requiring a four-fifths vote. Staff identified October 28 and November 12, 2026, as the two termination-vote dates. Council members spoke in favor of the plan, and both ordinances were adopted 5-0.

Retirement Board Appointments

• Staff recommended John Napoli as citizen-at-large trustee for both the defined benefit and defined contribution boards; David Keenan as retiree trustee for the defined benefit board; and Christine Wood as retiree trustee for the defined contribution board. Terms would be four years, staggered to maintain continuity, and appointments require a three-fifths vote. A council member confirmed the appointments could be renewed like other boards/commissions. The resolution appointing the trustees passed 5-0.

Rod Street Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant Application

• The spoken agenda line in the transcript says Broad Street, but the presentation and public comments consistently refer to the Rod Street project. City staff (Mr. Kane) presented a resolution supporting an application to MDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program for the Rod Street non-motorized transportation route. The project covers roughly 1.5 miles from the riverfront/Ann Street (Grand Curve Trail) north to Cambridge Street, passing downtown, Central Park Elementary, the community center, and the law enforcement center. It would fill a gap in bicycle/non-motorized connectivity between Nelson and Cambridge Streets.
• The corridor has different proposed cross sections: a protected two-way bicycle facility in the one-block two-way portion downtown; a separated facility from Main to Ellsworth; and a 10-foot separated multi-use trail on the east/southeast side for most of the rest of the corridor. Some street segments would be reduced from three travel lanes to two. Staff noted most of Rod Street carries fewer than 5,000 vehicles per day and would retain excess capacity, and that Rod Street traffic is historically about 10 to 15 percent lower than Ashman Street.
• Cost estimates: the 20% local match of eligible expenses equals $1,160,000; anticipated TAP grant equals $4.6 million; total city costs including the local match and road/water work are roughly $11 million; and the total project estimate is about $15.7 million. The grant would cover eligible non-motorized components, not road reconstruction or water main replacement. The resolution also authorizes the city manager to act as the city’s grant agent and confirms the city would own, operate, and maintain the completed facility. Next steps: apply this month, tentative MDOT commitment by early 2027, final engineering over the next two years, and construction in 2029, likely taking a full construction season (April–November).
• Council members debated traffic, safety, and public-support implications. One council member opposed the project, saying most residents would oppose removing a lane for bicycles; other members cited broad public support, safer routes for families, and the long-term benefit of connecting downtown and east-side neighborhoods. The resolution passed 4-1.

Larkin Parking Deck Sale

• City staff (Mr. Kane) presented a purchase offer from Midland Main Street Investments LLC to buy the city’s share of the Larkin Parking Deck for $50,000. The city owns the bottom two floors; Huntington Bank owns the top floor. The city’s portion is not currently taxed. The developer’s purchase includes the former Chemical Bank properties, about 63,000 square feet, which are proposed for commercial and residential redevelopment.
• Valuation and financial details: net book value of the structure was $108,692; the income-based valuation of the structure was $0 with land valued at $172,000; and the city’s annual cash flow on the deck was about a $22,000 loss. The city receives about $68,000 in lease revenue and contributes about $90,000 per year from DDA/TIF money; the annual budget was about $60,000. The deck’s reserve fund had about $350,000 remaining after $500,000 was spent on critical improvements, with about $1.1 million in estimated needs.
• If all 60 currently unleased spaces were rented, staff estimated just under $27,000 in additional revenue, producing a small net positive of about $5,000 per year but eliminating all public parking in the deck. Selling the deck would make the city’s portion taxable; staff estimated nearly $600,000 in tax revenue over 20 years, while one council member calculated about $280,000 over 10 years and $475,000 over 15 years. The agreement includes a right of first refusal allowing the city to regain the property at no cost if the buyer ever divests its interest. The buyer agreed to honor existing leases and had signed a letter of intent with Delta College for at least five additional years of parking.
• Council discussion emphasized development benefits, new housing and businesses, future tax revenue, avoiding costly deck maintenance, and the protective right of first refusal. The resolution deeming sealed bids unwarranted and accepting the offer passed 5-0. Because the property was not put out to bid, the sale required a four-fifths vote.

Key Outcomes

• The consent calendar was approved without amendment.
• The neighborhood center zoning-code ordinance was adopted after second reading. The transcript records a 5-1 tally, which is inconsistent with a five-member council; the actual vote count is uncertain and may be a transcription error.
• The General Employees Retirement System defined benefit and defined contribution ordinances were adopted 5-0.
• John Napoli, David Keenan, and Christine Wood were appointed to the retirement boards 5-0.
• The council approved the Rod Street TAP grant application resolution 4-1; the city will apply this month and, if funded, expects construction in 2029.
• The council approved the Larkin Parking Deck sale to Midland Main Street Investments LLC for $50,000, subject to a right of first refusal, by a 5-0 vote.
• With no new business, the meeting adjourned.