St. Ignace marina fuel sales are down as much as 15 percent this year, the St. Ignace City Council was told at its meeting Monday, September 18. Other business included hiring an engineer for the bus station project.

Marina director Eugene Elmer reported the marina business slump in terms of gallons of fuel sold this summer, compared to last summer, which he said is the best gauge. Gallons of fuel sold is down 13 for transient boaters and down 11 percent for seasonal boaters at the marina, and is down 15 percent at the public launch site.

"I contacted Lansing [State Waterways Commission] and they said the average margin across the state for marinas is down 10 to 20 percent," he told Council.

The city marina enjoyed a boost in business two summers ago when it was expanded from 22 slips to 136. Last year was the marina's first full summer operating with 136 slips, and, said Mr. Elmer, it was the marina's best year on record. This summer's numbers are similar to those in 2004, he said.

He said he doesn't tally the occupancy or income figures until after the season ends, so precise statistics are not available.

The marina deficit has been reduced this year from $94,000 to $30,000, he noted.

"That's including the raises all the marina employees received this year," said Mr. Elmer. "They never got a raise last year."

Mr. Elmer said mooring along the marina's breakwall by boats waiting for slips was minimal this year owing to the water near the shore being too shallow.

The marina is scheduled to close for the season on October 22.

Council hired DLZ of Lansing to engineer a new bus station at the corner of Church Street and US-2. The next step will be to budget the project. If DLZ cannot meet the city's budget criteria, then the next-bidder-in-line, R.S. Scott, the city's regular engineering firm, will be given the chance to submit a bid within the city's acceptable range, said Public Works Director Les Therrian, who, with Mr. Dodson and representatives from Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), reviewed the bidding finalists.

DLZ , which has offices in Lansing and Gaylord, was selected among seven bidders for the station, a joint project of the city and MDOT. The station project has an overall budget of $1.3 million. R.S. Scott was selected to oversee the DLZ plans.

City Manager Eric Dodson said MDOT, which is funding the entire project, urged the city to select a bidder which had experience in federal transportation, which DLZ has and R.S. Scott does not.

DLZ is involved in the planning of a new state welcome center and museum near the Mackinac Bridge.

Council directed Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Director Deb Evashevski, Mr. Dodson, and the city's engineer, Brian Olsen, to open and review sealed bids for the Huron Boardwalk extension project, which are due at 2 p.m. Friday, September 29.

Mrs. Evashevski said the state has awarded a grant for $137,500 that enables the city to develop another 1,155 feet of boardwalk out onto the old railroad dock, where the new lighthouse has been erected, and to construct a fishing pier on the south side of the dock.

Mayor Paul Grondin appointed Planning Commissioner Fred Strich to the city's Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to comply with the state's new zoning enabling act that went into effect July 1, 2006. The new act requires a member of a municipality's planning commission also be a member of the ZBA. He also appointed resident Steve Paquin to the ZBA as an alternate member, but asked him to regularly attend ZBA meetings as a member of the audience to keep with the issues.

Councilman Don Gustafson asked Mr. Dodson for an analysis of all city heating systems, including City Hall, and especially Little Bear East Conference Center and Ice Arena, to see if utility costs can be lowered this fall and winter.

Mr. Dodson said ice will be made at the ice arena October 2, with hockey season starting shortly after that.

Police Chief Tim Matelski said the weekend Truck Show was a great success and, in his opinion, it was the best-attended Truck Show yet.

"If it is like this next year, we'll have more work to do," he said. "We had some problems with parked car."

He noted that cars were parked along both sides of the city fire lane that runs along the old railroad grade parallel to State Street. It is used as an alternate traffic route for emergency vehicles during the truck show and auto show, when downtown State Street is closed.

Council will send a letter of appreciation to the executive board of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Tribal Police Chief Fred Paquin for assistance during the Truck Show.