Sturgis approves utility upgrades, vehicle fleet changes, and holiday tree pickup fundraiser

The Sturgis City Commission Wednesday approved a $100k transformer purchase, city vehicle fleet sale and lease swaps to save nearly $40k, and a fundraiser Christmas tree pickup.

To kick off last night’s December 10 commission meeting, St. Joseph County United Way did a live drawing of its Christmas Cash Raffle in partnership with the City of Sturgis. The winner was Patty Rutenbar, who won $2,851.15.

To start off new business, commissioners unanimously approved a fundraiser in partnership with Gest Pro Tree Services and United Way. For a minimum $25 donation to United Way, Gest Pro Tree Services will pick up Christmas trees from a participating resident’s curbside, chip the tree, and compost the chippings. Donations must be made in advance, and the deadline to sign up is January 4.

Vice Mayor Jeff Mullins served as acting mayor, as Mayor Frank Perez was absent.

Sturgis residents also have the opportunity to take their trees to the compost site on the first two Saturdays in January, a service only five residents utilized last year, according to city staff.

Commissioners also unanimously approved a Hydro Line Three-Phase Transformer purchase of $103,878 with a $5,000 contingency budget. The purchase adds a redundant transformer feed in case something goes wrong with the feed currently coming out of the central substation. It will also help with the upcoming rebuild of the central substation planned to start in 2027, Electric Department Superintendent Chris McArthur explained to the commission. During the rebuild, staff will be able to switch to the new transformer feed and continue to provide service.

McArthur also presented the commission with the Sturgis Electric Center final design, which he said should begin construction in early fall of next year — around September.

The last item on the agenda was the management of fleet vehicles presented by Director of Public Services Thomas Sikorski. Commissioners were presented with a fleet overhaul: selling eight vehicles and leasing seven, totaling a net resale income of $38,620 for this group of vehicles this year, according to the agenda packet.

As part of this move, Sikorski will transition from the ½-ton pickup to the ¾-ton pickup, giving him the ability to engage in plowing operations. This change, which was initially decided against due to operational concerns, city staff now believes can be mitigated, and at least $400 per month can be realized in savings.

Commissioner Richard Bir questioned why Sikorski needed a larger truck to snowplow, citing times when he used to attach a plow to his ½-ton truck and plowed for years.

“I would not put a plow on a half-ton truck,” Sikorski said.

Bir remained critical.

“So basically we’re going to be paying for him to get a new truck.”

City Manager Andrew Kuk outlined the savings associated with the vehicle change for Director Sikorski, noting the $800 stipend he will receive going forward is over $100 less than current payments. 

The city leases through Enterprise, through whom they make the initial purchase. Enterprise then sends the trucks to outfitters to customize their attachments, and then they are presented to the city. It’s not until the final presentation and approval that the city takes over ownership of the vehicles from Enterprise.

The Sturgis City Commission will meet next Wednesday, December 17.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.