Mackinaw City residents will see several improvement projects in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Road work, bicycle path development, electrical and irrigation improvements, and roof repairs to the village hall and fire station #2 are among some of the changes the village council discussed during its Thursday, February 4, public hearing on the budget. The village may also hire a community development director in the future.

Bike Path

Development of the hiking and bicycle path in Mackinaw City will be underway in 2010. The village has allocated $42,000 in its 2010- 2011 budget for the work, and also approved the plan by the bike trail committee during the meeting. The sidewalk from Wawatam Park to the sidewalk south of it will be improved to reduce a sharp curve. Improvements to the road and sidewalks throughout the village will be made to make them more convenient to cyclists.

About 20 to 30 trail signs will be added, according to the plan, and bike racks will be added at Wawatam park, Conkling Heritage Park, Alexander Henry park, DuCharme and Central, and Henry and Central.

The five year bike plan includes adding a bicycle parking station at the Arnold Line playground in 2011, development of the bike path from Shepler's to Conkling Heritage park in 2012, and additional path paving and development the remaining years.

Road Work

East Central Avenue will see several projects during the construction season beginning in spring. The road will be resurfaced using

285,936 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money along with minor curb replacement. The project will cost the village about $23,000 for engineering.

The avenue will also receive electrical and engineering work. Electrical wiring was buried in 1989, Village Manager Jeff Lawson said, and some spots are corroded, causing electrical shorts. An irrigation system for the center planters on the street will also be added. In the past, volunteers routinely watered the plants manually, Mr. Lawson said, and the irrigation system will handle the work instead. The work will cost roughly $55,000, according to the Mackinaw City Village 2010-2011 budget draft.

Several large road projects are under consideration. Improvements to West Central Avenue from DuJauncy Street to Wilderness Park Drive are being mulled, although the project could cost about $1.3 million. No work is planned for the current fiscal year, although the village is pursuing federal grants.

The village also plans work on North Huron Avenue, but nothing for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The time it will take to complete work on North Huron Avenue will depend on funding availability, Mr. Lawson said.

Fire Station/Village Hall

Roof Repairs

Two roof replacements will be made from 2010 to 2011. The last time the village hall roof was repaired was in the 1980s, Mr. Lawson said. The work will cost $45,000, and will be taken from the general fund.

Mackinaw City's fire station #2, near Pond Street behind Mackinaw City Public Schools, needs roof work, Mr. Lawson said. Repairs will cost $35,000 and will also be taken from the general fund.

The council is also considering the construction of a new fire station, but no decisions have been made. If a new station was constructed, fire station #2 could be used as the village council chambers, Mr. Lawson said. Fire station #1 would be used as a public works building, he added. Besides holding the village's fire trucks, the new station would also be used to house ambulances.

The council has discussed constructing a new fire station over the past five years, Mr. Lawson said. The biggest difficulty has been the cost of the structure, which could reach $1.3 million. More discussions about a new fire station will be held in the future.

Community Development Director

Considered

The village has budgeted $65,300 in 2010- 2011 for a community development director, even though the village has not decided to fill the position yet. It was added to the budget to test its affordability, Mr. Lawson said. The final decision will depend on the revenues Mackinaw City receives as well as how the economy plays out in the next year.

The development director position has been vacant since 2007 when Steve Schnell left to work for Cheboygan County. The director is responsible for working with the planning, zoning, and economic development commissions and updating the village Web site. Those tasks are now handled by other employees.

Police Vehicle Purchase

The village will buy a police vehicle during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Mr. Lawson explained the village replaces vehicles every four to five years. The vehicle will cost $27,000, to be paid from the general fund.

Revenues for the village's general fund are projected to be down from last year, from $1,935,509, to $1,673,818, owing mostly to several 10-year bonds that were taken out for capital work and equipment purchases. The village is not planning to borrow money for this coming fiscal year.

Expenditures in the fire fund will drop from $503,600 last year to $187,776. Last year the village purchased a new fire pump truck, but no vehicles will be purchased this year..

The village also drew $64,000 from its reserves to cover the costs of about $200,000 in capital improvement projects for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Capital improvement projects include roof repairs, bike trail development, and software costs, for example. Last year, the village's reserves were about $800,000, Mr. Lawson said.