The Mackinaw City Village Council declined to change the parking configuration of Central Avenue during the Thursday, October 16, meeting. The idea of converting to back-in parking was spurred when manager Jeff Lawson and resident Sandy Planisek attended a non-motorized transportation seminar in Gaylord. The council also approved the purchase of a new fire truck, made committee appointments, and sent a sewer use ordinance amendment for first and second readings.

In a back-in parking configuration the council examined, the driver would back into a parking space at an angle with the front of the car facing the street. The advantage to this is enhanced safety when pulling out of a parking space as the driver can clearly see any oncoming traffic or bicyclists while trying to move. Currently, drivers pull head-first into parking spaces and must back out into traffic.

Cities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington use back-in parking, Mr. Lawson noted during the presentation of the concept, and they have become more welcoming to bicyclists as a result.

A major concern was the time the council would have to decide on the configuration. If the council did decide to accept back-in parking, sending a notice to the Michigan Department of Transportation by the end of November would be necessary to coordinate it with the upcoming East Central Avenue repaving project next spring, Village Manager Jeff Lawson said.

Deciding on such a large change would require support from the community, Mr. Lawson told the council. Gathering a sample of opinions from residents and businesses would take time, making it more difficult to reach the end of November deadline.

Police Chief Patrick Wyman cautioned that drivers do occasionally lose control of their vehicles when backing up, and have shot across the street while pulling out of a parking space. Nobody has been hurt in these instances, he added, but if the configuration changes, drivers could end up smashing into businesses if they lose control in the same manner.

President Jeff Hingston said his concern for changing to the new system would be how visitors would react. Residents can adapt to the configuration, he said, but tourists may be confused by it.

Rob Most, chairman of the Mackinaw City Planning Commission, said planning commission members are interested in the idea but are unsure if the configuration would be practical. Large campers may find it difficult, for example.

Council members unanimously declined to change the parking.

With recurring sewer back-ups created by restaurant grease, the Utilities Committee asked Council to read and consider a program for managing grease traps. If adopted, it would become an amendment to the sewer ordinance. The aim is to cut down the amount of grease that restaurants put into the sewer system by requiring them to have either a large grease interceptor system or smaller "under the sink" grease trap. When washing kitchen utensils, grease and oil enters the drain and coats the inside of pipes, limiting sewage flow and causing water to back up. The village has seen $30,000 in clogged sewer liability claims in the past decade, Mr. Lawson said.

Restaurants would be required to remove grease and oil from traps and separators and dispose of it properly every 90 days, among other requirements. Violators of the amendment could be fined up to $500, Mr. Lawson said. The wastewater department would conduct inspections of the grease traps and interceptors. Council members agreed to read the proposed amendment.

The village will purchase a new fire truck from Toyne, Inc. of Breda, Iowa, for $228,616, at the suggestion of the truck review committee. Toyne submitted the lowest of three bids. Seagrave and Sutphen submitted bids for $263,307 and $256,049, respectively. The Toyne truck has more features than the other two trucks, Mr. Lawson noted, such as a generator and valves.

The new truck will replace a pumper truck from the 1980s.

Committee appointments were approved for the following: Facilities, Janelle Bancroft, James Alford, and Paul Michalak; Finance, James Alford, Paul Michalak, and Belinda Mollen; Marina/Recreation, Matthew Yoder, Janelle Bancroft, Belinda Mollen; Ordinance, Paul Michalak, James Alford, Janelle Bancroft; Safety, Belinda Mollen, Paul Michalak, and Steven Celez; Tree Board, Janelle Bancroft, Steven Celez, Matthew Yoder, Betty Teysen, and Nancy Campbell.