Sturgis electric system hit hard by March storm, neighboring communities aided in restoration efforts

The city’s electric system suffered major damage during a severe storm on March 30, causing widespread outages and damaging key infrastructure, including the hydroline connected to the Sturgis Hydroelectric Dam.

Electric Superintendent Chris McArthur told Sturgis city commissioners Wednesday that the hydro line — which supplies power from the dam on the St. Joseph River and serves about 600 customers — sustained extensive damage. In total, 32 electric poles were also damaged.

“Once we completed the initial assessment, it was clear this would be a long, extended outage,” McArthur said. At the peak of the storm’s impact, about 2,000 customers were without power.

To assist in restoration efforts, the city requested mutual aid from neighboring communities. Crews from Marshall, Niles, Chelsea, Clinton, Hillsdale and Coldwater responded, adding 27 lineworkers to assist local crews. In total, about 1,100 man-hours were logged during the emergency response.

“The crews did a great job,” McArthur said. “And it wasn’t just the electric department — support staff played a key role as well.”

A second storm on April 2 caused minimal additional damage, leaving two customers temporarily without power. McArthur said the situation is now under control, and most mutual aid crews have returned home.

In other business…

• Commissioner Rodger Moyer announced he will step down from the Sturgis City Commission at the end of the month due to relocating outside of the 2nd Precinct, which he represents. The city plans to formally announce the vacancy and begin the process of appointing a replacement.

• The city commission approved a $100,000 budget to hire Ghafari Associates to design the first phase of a new Electric Utilities building. The proposed 40,000-square-foot facility would consolidate operations and house 25 staff on a 10-acre site, including office, storage and operational space.

• A sidewalk improvement project along St. Joseph Street is moving forward. Under the city’s policy, costs will be split 50/50 between the city and property owners. A public hearing will be held to gather feedback, and affected residents have been notified of the estimated assessments.
  
  At the meeting, Jim Hanny a resident of St. Joseph Street, expressed concern over the cost-sharing policy.
  
  “I feel that we pay a tremendous amount of tax and that we should not have to pay for a sidewalk,” Hanny said. “If I don’t maintain them, I get fined — so if I have to pay for them, shouldn’t they be mine?”
  
  City Clerk Kenneth Rhodes responded that the cost-sharing policy has been in place for decades and reflects the mutual benefits of having sidewalks.
  
  “There’s a benefit to the homeowner and a benefit to the city,” Rhodes said. “That’s why the 50-50 split has been in place for many years.”

• Commissioners also approved a 12-year Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for Sturgis Molded Products, a plastic injection molding company on Clark Street. The 47,000-square-foot expansion, valued at $2.85 million, is expected to create 200 new jobs. The tax break will reduce the company’s real property taxes by approximately 50%, saving around $35,000 annually.
  
• A $39,199 engineering contract with Mead & Hunt and a related grant agreement with MDOT Aeronautics to rehabilitate the Sturgis Municipal Airport’s entrance road and parking lot were approved. The city will contribute $1,960, or 5% of the total cost, with the remainder covered by state and federal funding.

Najifa Farhat is a staff reporter with Watershed Voice.