The Sturgis City Commission will meet Wednesday evening at City Hall (130 N. Ottawa St.) for a regularly scheduled commission meeting at 6 p.m. 

In new business, there will be a public hearing to set the city operating property tax rate. The City will also need to set the rate for the Streets/Sidewalks Improvement Millage, which was renewed by voters in 2022 for 3.0 mils. Due to the State of Michigan’s Headlee rollback rule, the highest millage general operating rate the City may consider this year (without a vote of the electorate) is 11.6818. If this rate were adopted, it would generate approximately $345,000.00 in additional revenue over the 2022 tax rate of 10.4623.

At the city commission meeting on June 14, the commission approved advertisement of a second public hearing and again advertised the millage rate at 11.6818. In addition to the millage rates, a 1% tax administration fee is scheduled to be collected on all City tax bills this year. This fee is authorized and recommended by the State to allow communities to recover the costs of tax collection.

Other new business items will include:

• Purchase agreements between the Sturgis Neighborhood Program (SNP) and City of Sturgis, as SNP is looking to acquire a round of city properties to renovate. 
• A first reading of an amendment to the zoning code at 121 S. Monroe Street. The commission will vote on a decision to change the zoning district from the Residential 4 (R-4) to the Central Business (B-C) zoning district.
• An approval on a base bid for exterior restorations to the hydro-electric plant Powerhouse A, a 112-year-old structure containing turbines and equipment. This original hydro-electric generation plant was constructed and put into service in 1911.
• A decision on whether to approve a task order with Fleis and VandenBrink Engineering, Inc. for construction phase services on the 2023 Street Rehabilitation Program in the amount of $78,800.00
• A reappointment of the five members of the Sturgis Building Authority.
• The meeting will conclude with a closed session, where the commission will consider materials exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute, and purchase of property. 

Beca Welty is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice.