Saginaw City Council Meeting - February 24, 2026

The Saginaw City Council met on February 24, 2026, with seven members present and two absent. The meeting included public hearings on a single lot special assessment, an obsolete property rehabilitation certificate, and a water bond intent; public input on tax cap removal, parks, and community concerns; a detailed presentation on the Medical Diamond infrastructure and riverfront park; and votes on several resolutions and a motion regarding Ojibway Island.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved unanimously without exceptions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Single Lot Special Assessment (1912 Lincoln St): Bill Waterman objected, stating he was not properly notified as a land contract holder and that the city's code requires ten days' notice before trash removal. He requested documentation of what was removed for the $537 charge.
• Single Lot Special Assessment (1185 East Auto Drive): A resident objected on behalf of her mother, who is in a nursing home, stating the property is maintained every two weeks and no warning letter was received.
• Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Certificate (1413 Graschett Ave): Fahad (Saginaw County Real Estate) spoke in favor, describing a planned substance abuse and mental health inpatient facility that would create 90+ jobs and involve $4 million in renovations. Steve Hensley (Saginaw Future) also spoke in support of the 12-year OpRA certificate.
• Water System Revenue Bonds: Mike Green (Water/Wastewater Director) explained the city seeks up to $9.154 million for water main replacement, dead end looping, and lead service line replacements (approx. 250 lines), with 23% forgiveness on water main bonds and 50% on lead service line bonds.
• Public Input:
  • Hurley Coleman Jr. (Pastor, World Outreach Campus) requested that the council put a ballot question to remove the tax cap, which limits the city's revenue. He noted the city has had no municipal recreation program for 30 years due to the cap.
  • Evelyn McGovern honored her late husband Patrick McGovern for his role in establishing the city's compost site and recycling program; a plaque was installed at the site.
  • A resident urged reopening Ojibway Island to vehicular traffic, citing lost family memories and the need for community space.
  • Anthony Pruitt complained that police entered his granddaughter's home without a warrant and that he has received no response from the police chief.
  • Melanie Velasco paid tribute to Jesse Jackson and criticized the number of marijuana dispensaries and abandoned homes in the city.

Discussion Items

• Council Remarks: Multiple council members expressed support for reopening Ojibway Island but emphasized safety concerns and the need for community input, security cameras, and proper maintenance. Councilmember Hammond announced she would introduce a motion to set a July 2026 deadline for reopening.
• Manager's Report & Medical Diamond Presentation:
  • City Manager Tim Morales provided updates on the state budget (projected $110,000 reduction in revenue sharing), Ojibway Island construction projects (paving, boulders, accessible paths, security updates to be completed by July 2026), and the CDBG grant process.
  • Phil Carwat (Public Services Director), with presentations from Scape (via video) and Spicer Group (Joe Primo), outlined the Medical Diamond project: $38 million total cost, $34.6 million in secured funding (gap of $3.4 million). Infrastructure improvements (water main, sewers, roads) are 90% designed, with construction starting late summer/fall 2026 and completion by 2027. The riverfront park design includes a playground, picnic areas, a pier, a floating dock, and a restroom. The city has development agreements with Shaheen Development for one parcel; other parcels are being discussed with SVSU and the Land Bank.
• Resolutions Adopted:
  • Recognizing Help Yourself Recover as a nonprofit for charitable gaming (unanimous).
  • Approving Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Certificate for 1413 Graschett Ave (unanimous).
  • Declaring intent to issue water supply system revenue bonds through the SRF program (unanimous).
  • Adopting the Safe Streets for Saginaw Safety Action Plan (unanimous).
• Miscellaneous Business: Two FOIA appeals (Meredith St. Henry and Joshua Monroe) were considered; motions to uphold the responses as amended passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Ojibway Island Reopening Motion (introduced by Councilmember Hammond): The motion to direct staff to fully reopen the island to vehicular traffic immediately upon completion of construction (currently planned for July 2026), with any delays requiring council approval, failed (1 aye, 6 nays). Councilmembers voting no cited safety concerns, lack of defined hours, need for security cameras, and a desire to complete community input processes before setting a firm date.
• All four resolutions (Help Yourself Recover, OpRA certificate, water bonds, Safe Streets plan) passed unanimously.
• Meeting adjourned after the failed motion.