Ludington city to consider 2014 budget, capital projects

LUDINGTON — Ludington City Council meets tonight for its regular meeting. Typically the council meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month, but due to the holidays, the schedule has been changed for December. The council meets at 6:30 p.m.

A public hearing will be held to go over the 2014 budget and three year capital improvement program. Following the hearing, the council is expected to vote on the items. The capital improvement plan includes;

– 2014 projects:

• Downtown: Replacement of bricked areas of sidewalks with stamped concrete, $30,750.
• Sidewalk construction: Replacing sidewalks, $105,000; shaving tripping hazard sidewalks, $8,000.
• Planning commission: New master, access and shoreline management plan: $8,000
• Parks: Year 3 of plan to replace sections of wooden boardwalk at Waterfront Park with concrete (cost sharing with Marina Fund), $4,000; new roof on Copeyon Park restroom/fish cleaning station: $6,000.
• Launching ramps: Dredge Loomis Street boat ramp facility: $10,000; purchase kiosk for Loomis Street boat ramp facility, $15,000; engineering and repairs to Loomis Street boat ramp, $74,000.
• Major streets: Reconstruct Bryant Road between Lakeshore Drive and Rath Avenue, $553,200; patching on major streets to be determined: $10,000.
• Local streets: Patching on streets to be determined, $10,000.
• Downtown Development Authority (Downtown Ludington): Replace bricks with concrete pavers, $5,000; install new partitions in James Street Plaza restrooms, $10,000.
• Cartier Park improvements: Install electric and water service on south end of campground, rustic site, $50,000; allocate funds to be set aside for construction of new restroom, $25,000.
• Water maintenance: Purchase water meters and hydrants as needed, $50,000; Bryant Road project, $100,000; engineering for Bryant Road, water related, $15,000.
• Water plant: Professional services to begin process for water plant upgrade project and line stop, $225,000.
• Sewer maintenance: Bryant Road project, $78,000; Bryant Road engineering, $15,000; SAW grant, professional services, $400,000.
• Wastewater treatment plant: SAW grant professional services, $400,000; design engineering for WWTP upgrades (reimbursed by grant), $600,000.
• Municipal marina: year 3 of replacement of sections of wooden boardwalk along Waterfront Park seawall with concrete, $4,000; power wash all the docks, $5,000; dock repairs, $6,000; contribute to Maritime Museum, $10,000.
• Technology: Replace five to 10 computers, $15,000.
• Motor pool: Purchase plow truck, $150,000; purchase new police detective car, $23,000.

Future projects are also listed in the plan, which include continuing sidewalk construction, a new telephone system at city hall, micro sealing city streets, a new restroom facility at Cartier Park. Major items include a $5.7 million upgrade to the water plant and a $6.3 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant; a $904,000 replacement of floating docks at the municipal marina; and over $1 million in street improvements through the year 2015.

 See the entire agenda and notes for tonight’s meeting here.