Port Huron City Council Meeting - October 26, 2026

The Port Huron City Council met on October 26, 2026, to discuss routine business, receive updates on the recent presidential visit, hear public comments on that event and other community concerns, and act on various resolutions and ordinances.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: Approved the regular City Council meeting minutes from October 12, 2026 (motion by Councilmember Archibald, second by Councilmember Lamb; unanimous roll call vote).
• Consent Agenda: Approved items including Resolution #3 confirming the mayor's appointment of Marissa Williams to the Planning Commission (term to expire August 11, 2029); Resolution #4 confirming single lot special assessments for special trash pickup; and second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 10 (Building and Building Regulations) to establish demolition standards, permit requirements, and site restoration. (Motion by Councilmember Archibald, second by Councilmember Mojrack; unanimous).

Public Comments & Testimony

• First Session (Residents/Business Owners):
  • Aaron Kreiner: Encouraged residents to volunteer and use resources at teamport.com, highlighting community organizations and the positive impact of involvement.
  • Unnamed Speaker (regarding Trash, the Clowns, the Dumpster): Reported being physically removed from the venue by an untrained person; called for enforcement of the Joshua Conan ordinance (Ordinance 2501, Article 14) requiring proper security training and background checks at entertainment establishments.
  • Caroline Jett: Congratulated the city on the historic, peaceful presidential visit; urged citizens to get involved in community service rather than being "keyboard warriors."
  • Vicky Blackburn: Described a positive experience engaging with people across political divides during the visit, but also recounted a threatening comment from a counter-protester ("if I had my way, I would send you to a concentration camp to be reprogrammed").
  • Sprite Wiegan: Expressed anger that the council welcomed President Trump, citing concerns over human rights, detention camps, LGBTQ+ slurs experienced during the visit, and other administration policies.
  • Marcy Dambacher: Challenged council members to disclose who attended the event; reported confrontations by a group (referenced as "Jake Lang and his Christian brotherhood") including physical intimidation, racial slurs, and harassment at a local business.
  • Betty Hall: Called for community unity and urged council to engage with the public more; raised concerns about enforcement of the Joshua Conan ordinance to prevent future violence; praised city workers for their handling of the presidential visit (including helping a woman whose car was towed).
  • Alfonso Amos: Claimed he was physically assaulted by members of a white supremacist group during the visit; alleged that city trucks blocked the designated protest zone and that police failed to intervene despite video evidence; stated he will press charges and pursue legal action.
• Second Session (Non-Residents):
  • Kevin Watkins: Praised the peaceful nature of the visit overall, highlighted the economic impact, and thanked city staff (especially Jeff Pemberton) for maintaining order; expressed hope for more such events.
  • Mike Emmerich: Billed $6,886 for water/sewer service on a vacant lot with no active connection; questioned a new ordinance and asked for council assistance.
  • Alexa Little: Followed up on previous requests for a public meeting on Flock cameras; reported receiving a FOIA cost estimate of $1,014.48 for records including CSV downloads, contract, and NDA list; asked the council to waive the fee and make the information publicly available.

Discussion Items

• City Manager's Post-Action Report on Presidential Visit: James Fried reported that the White House notified the city on Friday (October 23) of the president's intent to visit; planning was compressed to six days. He praised the Police, Fire, Public Works, and McMorran staff for a "Herculean effort," noting that a written after-action report would be posted on port-huron.org/open-government. He stated the McMorran facility was rented (five-figure fee) and that the lead Secret Service agent complimented the city's response. The report was received and filed unanimously after a brief discussion.
• City Manager's Administrative Report for October 2026: Written report received; Fried provided an update on the Joshua Conan ordinance enforcement: notifications sent to all liquor license holders; compliance must be shown before license renewal; citations will be issued starting January 1, 2027 if not compliant. Councilmember Lamb asked if local dealers were tried for the GMC vehicle purchase; Fried confirmed they attempted local procurement but the state's "My Deal" program required a GMC dealer, so they bought from Westland. The report was received unanimously.
• Resolution #2 - Use of Committed Contingency Fund Balance: Fried explained that committing surplus funds as a contingency ahead of use preserves the bond rating by showing intended use rather than reducing undesignated fund balance. Councilmember Haremza asked clarifying questions; no objections. Unanimously approved.
• Water/Sewer Readiness-to-Serve Fee: During public comment, Fried responded to Mike Emmerich's billing concern, explaining that the "readiness to serve fee" is charged to all connected properties regardless of usage, per bond covenants and ordinances; previous non-enforcement was corrected per legal advice. Mayor Ashford added that the fee is necessary to cover fixed costs.

Key Outcomes

• Votes & Approvals:
  • Approved minutes of October 12, 2026 (unanimous).
  • Received and filed City Manager's administrative report (unanimous).
  • Approved consent agenda (unanimous).
  • Approved purchase of a 2027 Dodge vehicle for police ($38,224) from Moran Blue Water CDJR (unanimous).
  • Approved purchase of a 2027 GMC vehicle for police ($42,801) from Todd Wetzel Buick GMC of Westland via state purchasing program (unanimous).
  • Authorized submission of revised Transportation Alternatives Program grant application to MDOT for the 16th Street Road Reconstruction Project (Electric Avenue to Cedar Street) (unanimous).
  • Authorized use of committed contingency fund balance for budgeted items (unanimous).
• Directives & Next Steps:
  • City Manager Fried to post the Presidential Visit After-Action Report on port-huron.org/open-government.
  • Compliance deadline for Joshua Conan training and documentation: January 1, 2027 (with license renewal due in May 2027).
  • Public commenter Alfonso Amos indicated he would press charges for assault; mayor expressed sympathy and council took no formal action.
  • Public commenter Alexa Little requested FOIA fee waiver; no motion was made; council did not take action.
• Mayor's Remarks: Mayor Ashford thanked volunteers and city staff for the presidential visit, acknowledged incidents on both sides of protests, and expressed regret to Mr. Amos for his experience.