Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission

The Three Rivers City Commission will hold its annual budget hearing during its regular business meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m.. 

The hearing is the public’s only formal opportunity to comment on the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget before commissioners vote on whether to adopt it. City charter requires the budget to be adopted on or before the second meeting in June, but city staff are recommending commissioners approve it immediately following the hearing and commission discussion. 

Commissioners received their first full presentation of the proposed budget during a special meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

The proposed budget covers the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027. 

The proposed budget includes approximately $26 million in revenues and $30.9 million in expenditures across all city funds. The budget adoption resolution includes summaries of revenues, expenditures and millage rates for the city’s major funds.

Attached here is a link to the full budget draft that was presented to commissioners by Finance Director Bobbi Schoon last Tuesday. 

During their last regular meeting, commissioners discussed moving Tuesday’s meeting to a larger venue to accommodate an expected crowd larger than City Hall can hold, but ultimately decided to keep the meeting in the Commission Chamber.

Other business

In addition to the budget public hearing, commissioners will consider adopting an updated user fee schedule, authorizing staff to apply for state funding to replace lead service lines, and approving nearly $150,000 for tornado stump removal.

Tree stumps

Commissioners will consider awarding a $149,644.50 contract to Roberts Brothers Excavating to remove tree stumps uprooted during the March 6 tornado.

According to city documents, Roberts Brothers submitted the lowest of five bids and is being recommended by city staff. Because the project was not included in the current budget, the cost would be paid from the city’s general fund balance.

DWSRF grant

Commissioners will consider adopting a resolution authorizing city staff to submit an application to Michigan’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, or DWSRF, for lead service line replacement funding.

The city’s project plan includes replacing up to 616 known or suspected lead service lines throughout Three Rivers. Approval of the resolution does not commit the city to any immediate spending. If the application is successful, commissioners would later decide whether to accept any combination of loan and grant funding offered through the program.

Fee schedule

Commissioners will also consider adopting the city’s annual user fee schedule, which sets charges for a wide range of municipal services, permits and ordinance violations.

The proposed schedule includes updates to fees for planning and zoning applications, ambulance services, cemetery services, library rentals and water and sewer rates. Under the proposal, the city’s water commodity rate would increase from $2.69 to $2.84 per 100 cubic feet, while the sewer commodity rate would rise from $3.75 to $3.79 per 100 cubic feet beginning July 1.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.