Local meeting primer: Sturgis City Commission

The Sturgis City Commission will meet tonight in City Hall at 6 p.m. for their first December meeting. 

Electric Department Superintendent Chris McArthur will present the commission with the Sturgis Electric Center final design and a Hydro Line Three-Phase Transformer Purchase. A Christmas Tree pickup fundraiser and the sorting out of leases and sales of the city vehicle fleets will also be discussed.

Commissioners will also authorize the regular payment of City Bills in the amount of $1,666,005.

Sturgis Electric Center Final Design

This was first brought to the commission during their April 9 meeting when the bid for the design was awarded to Ghafari Associates LLC with a total projected project cost of $581,440 at the time. This step has been completed and presented to the commission. Next, at their November 24 meeting, commissioners approved the “final design of the building as proposed during schematic development,” according to the agenda packet. This phase, in the original proposal, is to cost $486,965. Ghafari has requested additional funds for “additional work to onboard a construction manager and split the bidding process for the amount of $12,500. 

The city budgeted $1,500,000 in the FY2025-26 capital budget for the construction of the Sturgis Electric Center. 

In tonight’s meeting they will decide on two items: 

1. A city staff recommendation of a $50,000 contingency for the design process 
2. $12,500 for additional costs of onboarding a construction manager and to split the bidding process for the amount of $12,500 totaling the final design phase costs to $499,465

Hydro Line Three-Phase Transformer purchase

Commissioners will also decide on an addition of an alternate feed for the “hydro line that extends north of town to the hydro plant” as a redundant feed if something were to go wrong with the current feed. City staff also cite the importance of the purchase in light of the upcoming rebuild of the central substation planned to start in 2027. 

“During the rebuild, the transformer feeding the hydro Line will need to be taken out of service, and staff will be able to switch to this new transformer feed to continue to provide service during the project,” City Manager Andrew Kuk wrote in the agenda packet. 

City staff are requesting $103,878 for the purchase of one three-phase transformer in the amount of $103,878 and a contingency budget of $5,000.

Enterprise Fleet Management Vehicles

Commissioners will also consider leasing seven replacement vehicles through the City’s Enterprise Fleet Management program, along with selling eight older vehicles. Staff note the updated plan comes in under budget for the fiscal year and would reduce the overall fleet by one vehicle while shifting a higher-capacity truck into Public Services. The commission will be asked to approve the proposed leases and vehicle disposals.

Christmas Tree Pickup

Commissioners will also consider approving a Christmas tree pickup fundraiser coordinated by Gest Pro Tree Service in partnership with the St. Joseph County United Way. Under the proposal, residents who make a minimum $25 donation to the United Way can schedule curbside pickup of their tree. Gest Pro would collect the tree, chip it, and handle disposal. The proposed pickup date is Monday, January 5, and all donations must be made in advance. 

City staff note that curbside service would be available only to residents participating in the fundraiser. The city itself will not be collecting trees curbside this year. Instead, the municipal compost site will be open the first two Saturdays in January for anyone wishing to dispose of their tree directly. 

Commissioners will be asked to approve the fundraiser as presented.

There will be opportunities for public comment on each item as well as time for public comment not concerning agenda items before the agenda is discussed. 

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.