Airplane bird strikes have been a concern at the Mackinac County Airport for a number of years, and now the St. Ignace City Council is moving forward with a feasibility study designed to reduce the hazard and in hopes of diverting a catastrophe.

"This actually becomes pretty poignant following the accident involving birds in New York last week," said City Manager Eric Dodson, referring to the US Airways jet that ditched into the Hudson River January 15, after hitting geese.

Over the next two weeks, the city will review and compare two proposals received for the study. The bids were opened at the council meeting Monday evening, January 19.

Discharged water from the sewer plant can reach 94 degrees, which attracts fish, which, in turn, draw birds looking for a meal. The sewer outflow is from treatment lagoons at the airport and the discharge to Moran Bay is perfectly aligned with the airport runway.

A study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2007 documented the bird problem.

URS Corporation, an engineering and planning company based in Grand Rapids, bid $7,500. The company also is working on the Mackinac Island airport resurfacing project.

Wilcox Professional Services of Escanaba bid $17,600 for their study, which includes subsurface lake bottom investigation and soil testing. If lake bottom soil borings are removed from the proposal and performed during a design phase, the bid would be $11,500. The company is the project engineer on the city's $3.3 million wastewater system project now underway.

The study will determine the best alternative to move the outflow, which could include extending the outflow pipe or diverting the water into an adjacent river through a sock pipe. Another solution would be to mechanically lower the temperature of the discharge.

The city would pay for the feasibility study using contingency money in the sewer fund.

Resident Mary Nichols, during public comment at the end of the meeting, asked city leaders how bidders were sought.

Les Therrian, Department of Public Works (DPW) director said the city invited Wilcox and URS to bid. Using firms not familiar with the situation would be counter productive, he said, and the city needed continuity in the project. Wilcox already is working on a sewer project, he said, and URS was involved with the wildlife study.

"You can't bring people in from the outside that have no idea what's going on," Mr. Therrian opined.

In another airport matter, Council approved a contract to remove snow at the Mackinac County Airport. The city will charge labor and equipment use to the airport for plowing, which will be done by employees of the DPW.

Previously, snow was removed by the County Road Commission.

Mr. Dodson advised Council that the city has spent 80% of its funds from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for snow removal from State Street, the I-75 business loop that runs through St. Ignace.

"It seems we're having a real winter," said Mr. Dodson. "We're going to be dipping into emergency funds that MDOT has set aside. All communities in this district are facing the exact same issue."

Mr. Dodson presented a graph showing winter maintenance expenses for major and local streets rose from $55,414.49 in 2003 to $107,825.36 in 2008. During that same time, the plowing expense for local streets increased from $28,344.37 to $72,288.51.

Mr. Dodson attributed the increases to rising fuel and salt costs.

An unaudited city financial report for the year ending December 31 shows a general fund balance of $141,021, with revenues of $2,390,415 and expenditures of $2,357,312.

Mr. Dodson reminded council members that five funds remain in the deficit elimination plan and include internal services, equipment, office equipment, data processing, and the marina. A transfer from the general fund of about $120, will cover the deficit in the cemetery fund, which also has been under a deficit elimination plan.

For 2008, Mr. Dodson said, the major streets fund has a $17,089 deficit and local streets have a deficit of $10,027.

The wastewater treatment fund, he said, will not show a deficit during the audit this year as it has in the past.

Council, he said, will be presented with budget adjustments at a future meeting and following the audit, the city will move forward by establishing any needed deficit elimination plans for year.

Meeting at the St. Ignace Library Monday evening, Council was given an update of library operations by librarian Cindy Patten. Assistant Barb Zimmerman also attended the meeting.

The building, said Ms. Patten, will be four years old in April and now is a member of the Superiorland Library Cooperative of Marquette. The cooperative covers the Upper Peninsula and has members in northern lower Michigan.

The St. Ignace library had been a member of the Hiawathaland Library Cooperative, which closed January 1, for lack of funding.

New at the St. Ignace Library this year is the ability to download audio books. The process can be done at the library or at home and users check out the audio books as they would any book, said Ms. Patten. The service is provided through the cooperative with participating libraries paying a portion of the cost. The library Friends group is paying the St. Ignace fee, she said.

The community room, said Ms. Patten, where council met Monday evening, is a popular meeting place, and even a wedding took place in the room in 2008. The community room also is a convenient spot for Library of Michigan and Library Cooperative conferences and workshops.

St. Ignace is working with interactive Web site developer Velvet Green Creations of Newberry, which is the same firm used by the City of Munising. The cost to develop a site for the city, said Mr. Dodson, will be $3,700, about $400 per department. Three independent sites will be established, for the city, recreation department, and marina. The sites will be linked.

The city site will include the Downtown Development Authority, the Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Department of Public Works, Police, Building Department, Clerk's Office, Assessor/Treasurer, City Manager, Library, and City Council. The new sites are expected to be ready by May 1.

About a year ago, the city began working with eChamberConnect of Ann Arbor for its Web site, but Mr. Dodson said the city has not been pleased with the support it has received from the company.

The county and the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce use eChamberConnect.

The bus station project is on schedule. The building, on the corner of US-2 and Church Street is sealed and heated by a portable heater in preparation for pouring the floor in early February, said Mr. Dodson.

Council agreed to accept bids on two cabins once used by the Collins Motel and that still remain on the bus station site. If no bids are received, they will be demolished. Council decided not to set a minimum price, indicating it would be pleased if someone offered to removed them. The buildings, they said, would make good hunting cabins.

Councilman Willie LaLonde again asked that the fire hydrant rental money of $37,000 the city receives be removed from the fire department budget, as it has a negative impact on grant applications.

Fire Chief John "Bucky" Robinson, who attended the meeting, agreed.

"When we write for grants, on the application they always ask what is your annual budget," said Chief Robinson. "We have to show that as part of our annual budget and I think, in some instances, it hurts us."

Mr. Dodson said he would talk with auditors about moving the account.

Council supported a special events resolution for U.P. Pond Hockey for February 20 through February 22, and for U.P. Youth Pond Hockey for February 27 through March 1. The event will be held on the ice on Moran Bay near the American Legion Park. The city will help with setup and rink maintenance for the event.

Council next meets Monday, February 2, at 8 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.