OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Saginaw City Council Meeting - February 24, 2026: Medical Diamond, Ojibway Island, and Tax Appeals

City Council — Tuesday, February 24, 2026
BodySaginaw, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:04:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

We will start off tonight with prayer from Mayor Pro TM Garcia and the pleas led by Councilman Astay.

0:18

If you would like to participate, please bow your head.

0:20

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this gracious day.

0:23

Um Lord, be with us leaders at the table to guide us in the right direction and brings all four.

0:30

Uh please pray for our city as we're mourning the loss of a loved one.

0:34

Um great advocate in our community nine uh for her and her family during this time and for the city for healing in comfort and strength.

0:43

Um thank you, Lord, for the statement.

0:45

Amen.

0:46

I pledge allegiance.

1:10

Roll call, please.

1:12

Councilmember Young.

1:13

Present.

1:14

Councilmember Seals isn't with us this evening.

1:16

Councilmember Balls.

1:18

Present.

1:18

Mayor Potem Garcia here.

1:20

Councilmember Astah.

1:21

Present.

1:22

Councilmember Braddock.

1:23

Present.

1:24

Councilmember Wiggins isn't with us this evening.

1:26

Councilmember Hammond.

1:27

Present.

1:28

And Mayor Moore.

1:29

Present.

1:30

You have seven present and two acts.

1:34

Good evening again.

1:35

I'd like to welcome everybody to tonight's city council meeting.

1:40

We ask, we're gonna do a little housekeeping.

1:42

Council questions.

1:43

Will you please put your computers and your phones on silent as well as the audience, please?

1:52

I ask that we have no booing, no clapping.

1:55

This is this meeting is being televised.

1:58

So we want to be decent and in order.

2:02

Madam Clegg, do we have any announcements?

2:04

Mayor, I don't have any announcements this evening.

2:06

We will move into public hearings.

2:09

Okay.

2:14

The public here is a single lot.

2:16

Assessment tax row.

2:18

This public hearing is for property owners to object to a single lot special assessment.

2:24

Begin by clearly stating your name and the property address.

2:28

Speakers must limit their remarks to the reason for their objection to the bill.

2:34

You will have three minutes.

2:36

Objections will be submitted to the appropriate department for reviews and recommendations, which will be which will be reported back to the council.

2:44

After supporting document must be handed all, I'm sorry, all supporting documents must be hand hand over to city clerk.

2:53

Public hearings are not a question and answer period.

2:56

You will receive a letter advising you of the outcome of the objections by March the 23rd.

3:05

They'll receive the letter after March 23rd.

3:07

They will receive a letter.

3:08

I'm sorry, after we will open the public hearing for the 2026 single lot assessment tax roll.

3:17

Okay.

3:18

I can hardly hear you.

3:21

Can you step to the podium, state your name and your address, and please speak louder?

3:26

Maybe it's just me, but I can't hear you tonight.

3:30

Well, my name is Bill Waterman.

3:33

The property address is 1912 Lincoln Street, Saginaw, Michigan, 48601.

3:40

Um I am a interested party in this.

3:43

I had sold this property on a land contract back in 2020, and so I have an interest in it, but was not the person residing there or the person with the property tax exemption.

3:54

Um the notice was not sent to me as I felt it should have been because under the city's own code.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation████████████████████████████████32%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████12%
Economic Development███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Community Engagement█████5%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Summary of Proceedings

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.

Meeting Transcript

We will start off tonight with prayer from Mayor Pro TM Garcia and the pleas led by Councilman Astay. If you would like to participate, please bow your head. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this gracious day. Um Lord, be with us leaders at the table to guide us in the right direction and brings all four. Uh please pray for our city as we're mourning the loss of a loved one. Um great advocate in our community nine uh for her and her family during this time and for the city for healing in comfort and strength. Um thank you, Lord, for the statement. Amen. I pledge allegiance. Roll call, please. Councilmember Young. Present. Councilmember Seals isn't with us this evening. Councilmember Balls. Present. Mayor Potem Garcia here. Councilmember Astah. Present. Councilmember Braddock. Present. Councilmember Wiggins isn't with us this evening. Councilmember Hammond. Present. And Mayor Moore. Present. You have seven present and two acts. Good evening again. I'd like to welcome everybody to tonight's city council meeting. We ask, we're gonna do a little housekeeping. Council questions. Will you please put your computers and your phones on silent as well as the audience, please? I ask that we have no booing, no clapping. This is this meeting is being televised. So we want to be decent and in order. Madam Clegg, do we have any announcements? Mayor, I don't have any announcements this evening. We will move into public hearings. Okay. The public here is a single lot. Assessment tax row. This public hearing is for property owners to object to a single lot special assessment. Begin by clearly stating your name and the property address. Speakers must limit their remarks to the reason for their objection to the bill. You will have three minutes. Objections will be submitted to the appropriate department for reviews and recommendations, which will be which will be reported back to the council. After supporting document must be handed all, I'm sorry, all supporting documents must be hand hand over to city clerk. Public hearings are not a question and answer period. You will receive a letter advising you of the outcome of the objections by March the 23rd. They'll receive the letter after March 23rd. They will receive a letter.

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