Port Huron City Council Meeting – October 13, 2026

At its regular meeting on October 13, 2026, the Port Huron City Council approved minutes, a consent agenda, several purchasing and interlocal agreements, a tax capture financing agreement, and a first-reading demolition ordinance. The meeting included resident and non-resident public comment periods covering bike safety, homelessness and re-entry services, library services, Flock camera privacy, and allegations about council conduct. All council members and the mayor were present.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 28 meeting minutes (motion by Mayor Pro Tem Archibald, second by Councilmember Pemberton; 7-0).
• Approved the consent agenda, including: a Michigan Arts and Culture Council grant application for permanent roofs at both McMoran Plaza outdoor stages; confirmation of Reverend David Stinski and Mark Watson to the South Side Neighborhood Improvement Authority with terms expiring October 23, 2030; single-lot special assessments for special trash pickup in the right-of-way; a four-year agreement with St. Clair County for voter-approved ambulance millage funds (approved August 4, 2026); and a second-reading ordinance amending Chapter 10 non-occupied certification to a three-year standard period and eliminating the four-year exemplary classification.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Aaron Criner (109 Taylor Street) encouraged residents to volunteer and donate through Team Port Huron and urged the council to hold a round-table discussion on a broader bike plan, saying the recently passed bike ordinance was only a start and that connecting trails could make Port Huron a bike destination.
• Jay Von Moncrief, Lifewise Academy program director, described the voluntary Bible-based character education program, which launched at Roosevelt Elementary in May, and cited its 2026 impact report: schools with the program had approximately 50% lower absence rates, 30% lower suspension rates, and over 30 more students performing at or above grade level, based on more than 49,000 school year records across 27 states and six academic years. He emphasized these were associations, not proof, and asked for continued dialogue rather than an immediate endorsement.
• A resident (name not stated in the transcript) agreed with past public safety concerns, described Port Huron as a 'recovery town' centralizing county services, and urged creation of a city-funded integrated re-entry hub combining housing, mental health care, substance use treatment, and job placement. She also praised social workers riding alongside police officers and shared her own experience with homelessness.
• Jeffrey Seeger, who said he works at Huron House and in recovery services, denied prior attributed demeaning comments about homeless people, saying he never spoke to the person who quoted him and that he helps probationers, parolees, and people with substance-use disorders find housing and jobs.
• Betty Hall described being hit by a car while riding a scooter, noted another bicyclist was recently hit on 10th Street, and said high gas prices will push more residents to bike. She also asked about parking plans for the possible move to the Woman's Life building, saying the area appeared to have limited parking.
• Nick, a homeless Port Huron resident, thanked the city for Wi-Fi access, clarified prior remarks, and urged support for returning citizens and homeless residents. He noted $982,000 had been moved toward housing and compared that with the $5 million discussed for relocating city hall, suggesting Seattle's motel-shelter model as a cost-saving example.
• Randall Renlowski made immigration-related claims in connection with homelessness and pressed the city to remove fluoride from municipal water, calling it a 'level four neurotoxin' and referencing atrazine and CIA documents; his time expired.
• Brayden Olson Gabler said he was struck by a car on September 10, 2026, on the way to rehearsal, suffering a grade-three liver laceration, a hematoma, and $12,000 in medical debt. He described prior crashes and an unsafe crosswalk-less crossing on 10th Street and implored the council to focus on traffic and pedestrian safety.

During the non-resident comment period:

• Alexa Little (Fort Gratiot resident) asked the council to direct the city manager and legal counsel to prepare a report on options for leaving the Flock automatic license plate reader contract and a plan to remove the equipment. She also suggested a general ban on ALPR use and said she would file FOIA requests for policies, audit logs, event logs, network-sharing records, and configuration settings. She stated Port Huron accounts for 25 of the county's 50 Flock cameras.
• Julian Rack accused the mayor and council of dishonesty, criticized Councilmembers Mojerak and Pemberton as not pro-small-business, said he had provided proof the city manager lied about water issues, and said the mayor and a councilmember backed out of a meeting. He announced a permanent ban on all nine officials from events, projects, or gardens he organizes and described his three-week, two-day protest walk from Mayfield, Kentucky, to Port Huron under the name 'Johnny Wildflower,' calling Port Huron one of the state's most dangerous cities.
• Vincent Sudamere alleged that Councilmember Pemberton parked and drove a golf cart on city streets after the September 14, 2026, council meeting, violating city law, and cited Port Huron Ordinance 52-813(3) on political signs as part of ongoing conduct. He offered additional information outside the meeting.
• William Schultz said his vacant house began receiving water bills for water shut off for 10–11 years after a city audit prompted enforcement of a 'ready to serve' ordinance. He asked for a copy of the ordinance and raised concerns about fees being added to the tax bill, in addition to a $1,000-per-year vacant-house fee. He commended the city's 10th Street improvements.

Discussion Items

• The city manager responded to Betty Hall's parking concern regarding the possible move to the Woman's Life building, saying there is plenty of parking, including an additional lot across the street on Chestnut, significant on-street parking along Fourth and Chestnut, and potential to extend the lot.
• The council discussed and approved an interlocal agreement with the St. Clair County Library System for a new library branch in the north vacant portion of the Elder Harvey Community Center. The city will provide the space and build-out; the library system will operate and staff it, offering books, technology, a media center, literacy programs, a 'library of things,' and makerspace equipment. A later agreement with the South Side Neighborhood Improvement Authority will support build-out costs using tax increment finance funds. Library Director Alison Arnold expressed enthusiasm, and Mayor Pro Tem Archibald noted the benefit to South Park families.
• The council discussed the tax capture financing agreement with the South Side Neighborhood Improvement Authority, which formalizes previous votes to fund Conner Street development, pedestrian pathways, street lighting, and parking enhancements. The city will use municipal bonds repaid through a portion of the authority's tax increment finance revenue. The city manager reported Conner Street was expected to open between October 15 and 16, with street lighting and pedestrian connectivity improvements to follow.
• The council gave first reading to an ordinance amending Chapter 10 of the Port Huron Code of Ordinances to add demolition standards, permit requirements, and site restoration procedures.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 28 minutes and consent agenda (7-0).
• Approved the sole-source quote from Motorola Solutions Inc. for $66,935.25 for nine Motorola N70 radios and accessories for the police department, funded by a $17,000 federal grant and $50,000 from the police department budget (7-0).
• Approved the quote from Rosie Brothers Inc. for $32,670 for a Kubota utility vehicle with enclosed cab and plow kit for the wastewater treatment plant (7-0).
• Approved the item authorizing 20 payments (7-0).
• Approved the interlocal library agreement with the St. Clair County Library System (7-0).
• Approved Resolution No. 7, the tax capture financing agreement with the South Side Neighborhood Improvement Authority (7-0).
• Approved the first reading of the demolition standards ordinance (7-0).
• No immediate council action was taken on public requests for a bike round-table, re-entry hub, Flock contract report, or the water-bill ordinance inquiry. The meeting then adjourned.