Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission

This evening at 6 p.m. the Three Rivers City Commission will meet at city hall (333 W. Michigan Ave.) for its first regular business meeting of February. 

Commissioners will consider an airport easement acquisition agreement, set dates for the city’s 2027 budget discussion meeting and public hearing, and decide whether to grant a special exception use permit for a proposed massage establishment. 

“This contract is made and entered into between the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the City of Three Rivers (SPONSOR) for the purpose of fixing the rights and obligations of the parties in agreeing to the following undertaking at the Three Rivers Municipal–Dr. Haines Airport,” according to MDOT’s contract included in the agenda packet. 

The project cost is estimated at $268,347 and will be mostly funded by federal and state sources. According to the agreement, the federal share is $247,019, the MDOT share is $10,663, and the city’s share is $10,665. 

Commissioners will decide whether to accept the agreement and sponsor certifications, along with approving a resolution authorizing Public Services Director Amy Roth to sign and submit the required documents. 

Commissioners will also set dates for discussions about the city’s 2027 budget and a related public hearing—the first budget process under Mayor Angel Johnston, who was sworn in November 13, 2025. 

Johnston has been critical of the city’s spending during her tenure so far, and has said she intends to continue that scrutiny as she considers her first budget as mayor.

“I have vacation days planned to go ahead and help with the budget,” Johnston said in a January 27 YouTube video titled “Financial Audit Results for Three Rivers, MI,” in which she discussed the city’s most recent audit and what it means for upcoming budget discussions. “I am not just gonna have them present something to me and say okay, here’s the stamp, you get my okay. We need to make some big changes…big changes, but I need to hear from you. I can’t do this myself,” she added.

The agenda item calls for scheduling two meetings: one for budget discussions among commissioners and another for a public budget hearing. The current recommended dates are Tuesday, May 12, at 6 p.m. for the discussion meeting and June 2 at 6 p.m. for the public hearing. 

In her YouTube video, Johnston also raised concerns about $27 million that the city has “at risk” if banks were to fail.

The risk Johnston was referring to involves city funds that may exceed federal insurance limits, which could be vulnerable if a financial institution were to fail.

“We’ve had a city manager [Joe Bippus] in his position for over 20 years and he hadn’t figured this out yet, so it’s not cool at all to have $27 million at risk,” Johnston said.

Lastly, commissioners will consider approving a special exception use permit for a proposed massage establishment at 740 S. U.S. 131. The business, Eden Spa, was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission. Tonight’s meeting will serve as the public hearing for the request, and the permit would allow the business to operate pending final licensing requirements. 

Members of the public will have the opportunity to comment on non-agenda items before business items begin, as well as on specific agenda items as they arise during the meeting.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.