Port Huron City Council Regular Meeting – January 12, 2026
Port Huron City Council Regular Meeting – January 12, 2026
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Anita Ashford delivered a reflection on the year 2025, highlighting public safety, infrastructure, economic development, fiscal responsibility, and community well-being. She also shared personal metrics of her activities, including approximately 200 meetings, 137 events, over 50 proclamations, and ongoing volunteerism. The council then proceeded through roll call, approval of minutes, public comments, manager reports, consent agenda, resolutions, and additional public testimony before adjourning.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of December 8, 2025 meeting: Approved unanimously.
- Consent Agenda Items:
- Resolution 5: Scheduling a public hearing for February 9, 2026, concerning liquor license delinquencies and tax/utility payments.
- Resolution 6: Confirming single lot assessments for blight removal and nuisance abatement.
- Resolution 7: Reappointing Josephine Jenkins to the Beautification Committee (term to January 30, 2029).
- Resolution 8: Appointing Daniel Lovell, Mary Seely, and Gary Stout to the 2026 Board of Review with $600 annual compensation. All consent items were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
First Session (City Residents/Business Owners):
- Aaron Kriner: No substantive comment recorded.
- Trash the Clown (Robert?): Expressed concern that a city official’s family member shared private information about him; urged leaders to avoid gossip. Also advocated for pedestrian improvements on 24th Street, including sidewalks and safer passage under the CN viaduct. Noted that CN management plans to mitigate pedestrian hazards in spring.
- Brian Farquhar: Urged the council to hold a goal-setting session, specifically to plan for a new trash contract. Criticized snow removal and salting on residential streets, citing icy intersections and unplowed lanes. Questioned the length of lawn care contracts (3-year + 2-year extension for one, 5-year + five 1-year extensions for another) as overly long.
- Austin Wells: Suggested adding QR codes on trash cans for reporting issues. Called for improved walkability, bike paths, and electric scooter infrastructure to support a “college city” vision.
Second Session (Non-Residents):
- Carol Miller: Thanked the mayor and councilmember Payton for including non-resident voices. Condemned the recent dragging and killing of a dog, stating 80% of animal control cases originate in the city. Urged the city to establish a dedicated animal shelter/holding facility, arguing it would improve efficiency, reduce costs, and restore public trust. Also asked for disclosure of the company behind the EDA land deal; suspected a data center.
- Eileen Tesh: Criticized the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) preventing public knowledge of the company. Referenced a similar case in Marysville. Disputed the mayor’s “state of the city” message, citing downtown decline, removal of Rocking the River concerts, and increased parking fees. Announced recall efforts against councilmembers Terry Lamb and Sherry Archibald, citing lack of transparency.
- Curtis Carl: Praised the city manager’s handling of an incident at a Prowlers game. Noted problems with a canal gate and the LaPierre road diet. Objected to non-residents being scheduled for the second public comment period, calling it divisive. Commented on a Facebook post by Councilmember Pemberton’s father, suggesting it was not Christian-like.
Discussion Items
- Mayor’s 2025 Reflection: Mayor Ashford delivered a 5–6 minute speech thanking residents, first responders, and staff. Highlighted challenges (economic pressures, infrastructure, safety) and optimism for 2026. Stated her role as CEO and listed her engagement metrics.
- City Manager’s Report: James Freed addressed the 24th Street viaduct, noting it is in Port Huron Township (not the city). Explained difficulties with railroad regulations and past unfulfilled promises from CN. Acknowledged that road right-of-way is insufficient for sidewalks; a road diet may be needed. Mayor Ashford added that recent discussions with CN may yield progress.
- Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Audit): Karen Shafiq of UHY presented the fiscal year 2025 audit. Key figures: General Fund assets $15.8M, liabilities $3.9M, fund balance $9.47M. Total revenues $40.25M, expenditures $37.99M, net change +$2.55M. Unassigned fund balance $6.92M (17.8% of expenditures). The city received an unmodified opinion and a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The report was received and filed unanimously.
- Quarterly Financial Report (July–Sept 2025): Received and filed unanimously.
- 10th Street Sanitary Pump Station Rehabilitation: Approved contract termination with Body Construction and bid acceptance from Raymond Excavating for $1.2 million. Eric (city staff) explained the 1950s-era station serves 461 acres; work includes pump replacement, VFDs, electrical upgrades, and bypass pumping. Completion expected November 1, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
- Land Purchase for Economic Development (Resolution 2): City Manager Freed and EDA CEO Dan Casey presented a decade-long effort to secure a 19.88-acre site for a 230,000 sq ft manufacturing/warehouse facility. The company (existing employer of 550+ in the city) will lease the facility from developer JB Donaldson. Purchase price: $10,000 per usable acre ($198,800 total). The city will provide a regional detention pond and a standard 12-year tax abatement. The project represents $20–30 million investment and protects existing jobs. No residential properties will be lost. Motion passed unanimously.
- Lawn Maintenance Contracts:
- Resolution 3: Three-year contract (with optional two-year extension) with Major League Landscape & Lawn Care for 150 city-owned vacant lots at $100,220/year. Passed unanimously.
- Resolution 4: Five-year contract (with five optional one-year extensions) with Clean Cut Maintenance for parks and marina at $2,750 per mowing. City Manager noted Clean Cut guaranteed the price for 10 years. Passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of December 8, 2025: Approved (unanimous).
- Consent Agenda Items (Resolutions 5–8): Approved (unanimous).
- Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: Received and filed (unanimous).
- Quarterly Financial Report: Received and filed (unanimous).
- 10th Street Pump Station Rehabilitation: Approved with termination of Body Construction and award to Raymond Excavating (unanimous).
- Resolution 1 – Authorization of 28 Payments: Approved (unanimous).
- Resolution 2 – Land Purchase for Economic Development: Approved (unanimous). City Manager stated the company produces automotive interior parts, not a data center, and no NDA was signed.
- Resolution 3 – Lawn Maintenance (Vacant Lots): Approved (unanimous).
- Resolution 4 – Lawn Maintenance (Parks/Marina): Approved (unanimous).
- Goal-Setting Session: Councilmember Payton announced a session scheduled for February 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM in Room 408. She also intends to propose changes to residential zoning laws to address the housing crisis.
- MDOT Road Closure: Hancock connector to M-25 will be closed January 16–18 for pothole repair.
- Animal Cruelty Incident: Mayor Ashford acknowledged the video and pledged to follow up.
- Public Comment Order: The council maintained the two-session format; Curtis Carl objected on grounds of dividing taxpayers.
- Upcoming Events: City offices closed January 19 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day; celebrations at SC4 and Port Huron High School. Silver Sticks hockey tournament ongoing at McMorran.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Now we have a pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to Republic for which is one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. And before my rules here, so before we get into our meeting, I call to order. I have a message for the City of Port here and for all of you out there. So if you bear with me, it's about five minutes or six minutes, I think. So this is the mayor's reflection of year 2025. That's what I've titled this. So please allow me to acknowledge first and foremost God and His Son Jesus Christ, of whom I give all the honor and glory for life and the assigned role of mayor that he has chosen me for his service. And special thanks to my family too out there. So good evening, friends, neighbors, and members of our Port Heron family. As we reflect on the past year, I want to begin with a heartfelt thank you. Thank you to the residents of Port Huron and surrounding areas for your support and trust and your resilience. Thank you to our city council, city administrators, and every employee who serves this community with dedication and care. Thank you to our first responders, educators, faith leaders, business owners, volunteers, and families. Each of you play a role in making Port Here not just a city, but a community. This past year reminds us that leadership is not only about plans and policies, it's about people. It is about listening, responding, and choosing hope, even when challenges are evident, but not impossible to overcome. This year, 2025 was one of challenge and strength. Like many communities across Michigan who were faced with real challenges this year, economic pressures, infrastructure needs, and the concern about safety and stability. But what defines us here in Port Heron is not the challenges themselves, it is how we met the challenges. And I've been all over this city. It's just like doing it all over again after I've been here all my life. And I've witnessed the goodness on behalf of everyone trying to reach out and help one another. Public safety remains our top priority. We continue our solid support for our police and fire department while emphasizing visibility, prevention, and above all, community trust. We are genuinely grateful for our first responders. Safety in itself is more than response time. It is about families feeling secure and neighborhoods feeling connected. We are committed to strengthening both our police and our fire. When I reflect on our efforts looking at the opportunities around infrastructure, city services, economic development, there is a common ground connection that speaks to the shared interconnected goal of improving the overall quality of life and enhancing the well-being of the community and our residents. The efforts of our EDA is a vital key that has that has and is working in our city's best interest. But the heartbeat of my 2025 reflection lies with our youth, families, and community well-being. I don't have to tell you belong. What we set and what we lead with, you know you feel that you belong. It's your choice to recognize that. And it's our choice to do what we can do better as leaders. In our fiscal responsibility and stewardship, in collaboration with city council and department heads, we try and manage our budgets carefully, seeking outside funding and planning thoughtfully for our future. We know that fiscal responsibility is about trust. It's about ensuring taxpayers' dollars are used wisely and that we remain prepared for today and tomorrow's challenges. Almost finished here. And sharing my 2025 reflection is my hope that you will and can appreciate the strong potential and the vast opportunities for us in our city of Port Huron. As we look ahead, I am optimistic. Yes, there is work before us, strengthening neighborhoods, focusing on our downtown, out-of-the-box solution and addressing housing, project completions, only to name a few. The bottom line, we will keep working to ensure Port Huron is safe and welcoming and forward-looking. A city that honors its past and striving to manage the present while confidently building towards our future. As your mayor, I would like to share with you some metrics that I took. He said, Well, what does the mayor do? Well, I don't run the day-to-day for, and that's for sure. Um I think I have it here somewhere.
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