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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Port Huron City Council Meeting - September 8, 2025

City Council — Monday, September 8, 2025

BodyPort Huron, Michigan

SessionCity Council

DateMonday, September 8, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:43:09

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

Pledge of allegiance, I pledge allegiance to the fact of the United States of America and Republicans one nation under God and with liberty and justice for all.

0:16

Randy, thank you for that for before we call the meeting to order.

0:25

Um somehow always remiss to say this, but I know we have a lot of first timers in here, and I like to welcome you here you at home, so feel comfortable in the chambers.

0:38

Uh this is this is your chambers.

0:40

So and uh we have an agenda, and I'd like to uh mention that uh we have something different on our agenda uh tonight, and that it will be a standard uh piece on our agenda.

0:56

Where am I here?

0:58

Oh, right after public comment, the city manager and uh supported by some of the uh most of the uh council members up here.

1:06

Uh we have added item F, and that's a city manager's report and comments, and so under that he will be bringing you updates, uh administrative report, uh you know, so more transparency and more connection with you, so you can understand a whole lot of other things that we're doing.

1:28

So with that, we will uh proceed.

1:32

You may call the councilmember Archima?

1:36

Here, councilmember Haremza.

1:38

Here, Councilmember Lamb here, Councilmember Mojrach?

1:42

Here, Councilmember Peyton, here councilmember Pemberton here, Mayor Ashford.

1:48

Present.

1:49

Uh minutes uh before you regular uh city council meeting on August 11th.

1:55

Is there a motion?

1:56

So moved moved by support, Mayor Pro Tim Archibald and supported by Councilmember Lamb.

2:02

Any discussion on the minutes?

2:04

Hearing none.

2:07

Minutes are carried.

2:09

Presentations.

2:11

You can call the rule on the minute.

2:12

Oh, do you want me to?

2:13

Okay.

2:13

Councilmember Archibald, yes.

2:16

Councilmember Horenza?

2:17

Yes.

2:18

Councilmember Lamb?

2:20

Yes.

2:21

Councilmember Mojak?

2:22

Yes.

2:23

Councilmember Peyton?

2:25

Yes.

2:26

Councilmember Pemberton?

2:27

Yes.

2:28

Mayor Ashford.

2:30

Yes.

2:32

Presentations.

2:33

Representatives from the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center will provide an update.

2:43

Good evening.

2:50

Thank you.

2:51

Council members.

2:53

Good evening.

2:55

Thank you, Mayor Ashford, James Freed, and Council for allowing us the opportunity to speak tonight.

3:03

My name is Patrick Patterson, and I serve as executive director of BW Rock, the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center.

3:12

BW Rock is a grassroots community-led organization found on lived experience and built to fill the gaps in addiction recovery services here in St.

3:21

Clair County.

3:23

We are not a clinic.

3:25

We are not a treatment center.

3:26

We are something just as essential, a bridge, a bridge between crisis and stability, between isolation and community, between survival and a meaningful life in recovery.

3:39

Every day we open our doors to people who are fighting for a second chance.

3:44

And we walk with them.

3:45

We offer them support groups, recovery coaching, transportation, and hope, without judgment and without barriers.

3:53

Our staff and volunteers who I know personally work walk on this journey with them, and that's what makes our work so powerful, and I want to thank you for being here tonight.

4:03

Our staff, volunteers, and board chair.

4:06

It is truly an honor to speak with you, but today I do so with a heavy heart.

4:13

Over the weekend, we lost a staff member who relapsed and passed away.

4:18

As we grieve and mourn this tragic loss, may it also reignite our passion to carry forward our mission to help others to never take for granted how delicate and urgent this work really is.

4:32

No one is immune.

4:34

His passing is a painful reminder of exactly why we do what we do.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Community Engagement██████████████████18%

Procedural█████████████████17%

Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████16%

Parks and Recreation██████6%

Public Safety██████6%

Economic Development██████6%

Affordable Housing█████5%

Public Engagement████4%

Personnel Matters████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Port Huron City Council Meeting - September 8, 2025

The Port Huron City Council met on September 8, 2025, to address a wide range of topics including community presentations, public comments, and key votes on rezoning, housing development, and city projects. The meeting began with a moment of silence for a staff member of the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center who passed away over the weekend.

Presentations

Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center (BW Rock): Executive Director Patrick Patterson reported on the organization's impact in 2025: 896 support groups with 9,600 participants, over 3,200 phone calls answered, 3,600 individuals transported to treatment or recovery, and 1,200 individuals receiving recovery coaching since founding. Nearly 50% of participants report 90 days of sobriety, and 51% report improved recovery capital (housing stability, relationships, employment, health). A short video featuring testimonials was shown. Patterson also noted a staff member relapsed and passed away, underscoring the urgency of the work. Upcoming events include Recovery Fest at Pine Grove Park and a state resolution declaring September 13, 2025, Michigan's National Day of Recovery.
Harvey Reinvestment Center Update: City Manager James Freed provided an update on the community center in South Park. The city signed a purchase agreement with the Port Huron Housing Commission in December 2024 for $600,000, using ARPA funds. HUD approval is still pending, but the city plans to enter an operational lease to start using the facility sooner. Planned upgrades include floor waxing, painting, landscaping, and a keyless door entry system. The city will use a 10x10 administrative office as a satellite city office for staff to hold regular hours. Future plans include a small grocery market and a bank branch to address the food desert and lack of banking in the area. The city hopes to have the facility operational by October/November 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

Several residents raised concerns about street lights on 16th Street (from 16th to Moak) being out all summer, creating safety hazards. One speaker noted a 14-year-old girl was killed on Electric Avenue due to darkness. The city manager later stated he was unaware and would contact DTE.
Crosswalk striping for school zones was highlighted as incomplete for the fourth year, with calls for traffic calming measures.
Multiple residents opposed the proposed aggregate plant by Crown Enterprises on the former Dun Paper property, citing dust, noise, truck traffic, and property value impacts. They urged the council to approve the Planned Unit Development (PUD) rezoning to give the community a voice.
Representatives from Crown Enterprises (attorney Tom Schear and Vice President Greg Obly) protested the PUD rezoning, arguing the process was deficient, lacked a detailed site plan, and violated their property rights. They claimed the city had rejected offers to meet.
Residents also spoke on fluoridation of drinking water, with one speaker urging the council to pass a resolution to stop the health department's proposed cuts to outreach programs and fluoride removal, while another speaker argued against fluoride, citing health risks.
Other comments addressed the city manager's outside employment (disputed by city manager), the need for respect and communication between council and residents, and concerns about city engagement on the Harvey Reinvestment Center.
Representative Joe Pavlov provided an update on the Josh Conant bill for bouncer training, stating it is progressing through the legislative process.

Discussion Items

Consent Agenda: Approved with Resolution 12 (appointment to Planning Commission) removed for separate discussion. The consent agenda included lease agreements, school resource officers, traffic orders, land sales, assessments, and the city attorney's report on a code of conduct complaint.
Resolution 4 & 5 (Woda Cooper Development): Approved the purchase and development agreement for workforce housing at 3550 Electric Avenue (former River District Grocery Store site). Developer Craig Patterson explained the project will apply for housing tax credits on October 1, 2025, with design including a four-story, 10% barrier-free units, and partnership with a local emerging developer. The city manager noted the developer has been committed to Port Huron for over 12 years.
Resolution 6 (CAN Council ARPA Amendment): Approved an MOU to extend the contract of a trauma therapist for an additional year instead of hiring a second therapist for only six months. No additional funding was involved.
Resolution 7 (Crown Enterprises Rezoning): Approved rezoning five parcels (218 Riverview, 2601 Omar, and three vacant lots on Wright Street) from industrial and residential to Planned Unit Development (PUD). The vote was unanimous (7-0) after extensive discussion. Council members expressed that the rezoning allows for community input and thoughtful development, while City Attorney Al Francis affirmed proper legal procedures were followed.
Resolution 12 (Planning Commission Appointment): Confirmed Mayor Ashford's appointment of Kathleen McCready to the Planning Commission. Some council members questioned the process of leaving a vacancy open for over ten months and not considering other qualified applicants. The mayor defended her discretion. The vote was unanimous.
Resolution 17 (Contingency Fund Balance): Authorized a committed contingency fund balance designation in the general fund to protect the city's bond rating. Approved unanimously.
Ordinances: First reading of two ordinances: the PUD rezoning (passed 7-0) and a PILOT agreement for the Robincrest low-income housing project (passed 7-0).

Key Outcomes

Approved consent agenda (6-2 with two no votes from Councilmember Peyton and Mayor Ashford).
Awarded contracts: Seawall rehabilitation to E.C. Cornelfle ($577,500) and Ravenswood sanitary sewer extension to Murray Underground Systems ($116,702) – both unanimous.
10th Street pump station rehabilitation: Awarded to Body Construction Company ($1,040,000) despite concerns about previous project issues; vote 5-2 (Councilmembers Mojrac and Peyton no).
Rezoned Crown Enterprises property to PUD (unanimous 7-0).
Approved Woda Cooper purchase and development agreement (unanimous).
Extended CAN Council ARPA agreement (unanimous).
Appointed Kathleen McCready to Planning Commission (unanimous).
Established contingency fund balance (unanimous).
First reading of PUD ordinance and Robincrest PILOT ordinance passed unanimously.
City manager announced upcoming work on crosswalk striping and DTE streetlight repair.
The meeting adjourned after announcements, including the annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony on September 11, 2025 at 9 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

Pledge of allegiance, I pledge allegiance to the fact of the United States of America and Republicans one nation under God and with liberty and justice for all. Randy, thank you for that for before we call the meeting to order. Um somehow always remiss to say this, but I know we have a lot of first timers in here, and I like to welcome you here you at home, so feel comfortable in the chambers. Uh this is this is your chambers. So and uh we have an agenda, and I'd like to uh mention that uh we have something different on our agenda uh tonight, and that it will be a standard uh piece on our agenda. Where am I here? Oh, right after public comment, the city manager and uh supported by some of the uh most of the uh council members up here. Uh we have added item F, and that's a city manager's report and comments, and so under that he will be bringing you updates, uh administrative report, uh you know, so more transparency and more connection with you, so you can understand a whole lot of other things that we're doing. So with that, we will uh proceed. You may call the councilmember Archima? Here, councilmember Haremza. Here, Councilmember Lamb here, Councilmember Mojrach? Here, Councilmember Peyton, here councilmember Pemberton here, Mayor Ashford. Present. Uh minutes uh before you regular uh city council meeting on August 11th. Is there a motion? So moved moved by support, Mayor Pro Tim Archibald and supported by Councilmember Lamb. Any discussion on the minutes? Hearing none. Minutes are carried. Presentations. You can call the rule on the minute. Oh, do you want me to? Okay. Councilmember Archibald, yes. Councilmember Horenza? Yes. Councilmember Lamb? Yes. Councilmember Mojak? Yes. Councilmember Peyton? Yes. Councilmember Pemberton? Yes. Mayor Ashford. Yes. Presentations. Representatives from the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center will provide an update. Good evening. Thank you. Council members. Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Ashford, James Freed, and Council for allowing us the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Patrick Patterson, and I serve as executive director of BW Rock, the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center. BW Rock is a grassroots community-led organization found on lived experience and built to fill the gaps in addiction recovery services here in St. Clair County. We are not a clinic. We are not a treatment center. We are something just as essential, a bridge, a bridge between crisis and stability, between isolation and community, between survival and a meaningful life in recovery.

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