Local meeting primer: Sturgis City Commission

The Sturgis City Commission will meet tonight, Wednesday, April 22, for its second regular business meeting of the month. Commissioners are set to discuss a Doyle Center roof project anticipated to cost $696,000, accept a bid on a $73,500 Nottawa Street 69kV transmission line, establish a hydro dam engineer, and approve Sturgis Fest dates and city support requests.

City Controller Sadie Griffin will also present the commission with the city’s annual audit, covering the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The audit found the city’s total net position rose to about $127.6 million, an increase of roughly $9.5 million from the previous year.

Doyle Center roof

Commissioners will discuss replacing the Doyle Community Center roof and how to pay for it. Earlier this year, commissioners directed staff to pursue a metal roof retrofit option estimated at $696,000.

Staff is presenting two financing options. The first is a private placement bond through a local bank, which could likely be completed in 60 to 90 days and would allow construction to happen this year. That option would carry an estimated annual debt payment of about $75,000 over 10 to 15 years.

The second is a capital improvement bond, which could bundle the roof project with other city work such as parking lot improvements. That option would spread payments over 20 to 30 years with an estimated annual debt payment of about $50,000, but the longer approval timeline would likely delay the roof project until 2027. Staff is asking commissioners for direction on which route to pursue.

Transmission line

Commissioners are expected to consider awarding a $73,500 engineering contract to Fourth Line Power Engineering for design of the Nottawa Street 69kV transmission line.

The line will serve the new Stateline Substation now under construction and help complete an electrical loop once the AEP line is acquired. Staff said nine bids were received, with Fourth Line submitting the lowest.

Hydro dam engineer

The city is asking commissioners to approve a not-to-exceed $125,500 annual agreement with Lawson-Fisher Associates for regulatory and engineering support tied to the city hydro dam and hydroelectric facility.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rules require the city to maintain an engineer of record for the dam. The contract would cover required items such as emergency planning updates, inspections, environmental monitoring, erosion surveys, gate operations and other compliance work.

Sturgis fest

Commissioners are also expected to review requests tied to this year’s Sturgis Fest, scheduled for June 23-27. The Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce is again requesting city support including road closures, staff assistance, and use of facilities.

Major downtown activity is planned for June 24-26, including Family Night, Bike Night, the car show and the night parade. Organizers are seeking closure of U.S. 12 on Thursday and Friday, pending state approval, along with approval for fireworks at Kirsch Municipal Airport on Saturday night.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.