Local meeting primer: Sturgis City Commission
Commissioners will look to finalize a contract to make Doug Terry the city’s interim city manager replacing Andrew Kuk once his resignation becomes final on July 24. Commissioners interviewed Terry during their June 22 meeting and voted to extend him a conditional offer pending a contract agreement, background check, and reference check. Terry was the lone candidate as the other potential replacements the city reached out to were unable to apply due to prior commitments.
The Sturgis City Commission will meet this Wednesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. in City Hall at 130 N. Nottawa for a regular business meeting. Commissioners are scheduled to consider an employment agreement for interim city manager candidate Doug Terry, approve contracts for a $13 million electric generation project, and adopt a funding commitment resolution related to lead service line replacement.
Interim city manager
Commissioners will look to finalize a contract to make Doug Terry the city’s interim city manager replacing Andrew Kuk once his resignation becomes final on July 24. Commissioners interviewed Terry during their June 22 meeting and voted to extend him a conditional offer pending a contract agreement, background check and reference check. Terry was the lone candidate as the other potential replacements the city reached out to were unable to apply due to prior commitments. Terry retired as city manager of Litchfield, Michigan which has a population of roughly 1,399 according to the 2020 U.S. census. Since then, Terry has served as an interim city manager in multiple Michigan municipalities, most recently in Albion.
$13 million generation project
Commissioners will consider agreements related to a $13 million project to expand the city’s electric generation capacity. The project, included in the city’s fiscal year 2027 capital budget, would add three natural-gas-powered reciprocating engines at the Fawn River Road substation with a combined generating capacity of 7.5 megawatts, according to city documents. City staff said the site was selected because of its proximity to a high-pressure natural gas line, and that the city has already secured a Renewable Operating Permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
Although the overall project is budgeted at $13 million, commissioners are not approving the full amount Wednesday. Instead, they will vote on a $10.785 million engineering, procurement and construction contract with MacAllister CAT, along with a separate 5% contingency of $539,250 for the project.
According to city staff, an analysis completed with the Michigan Public Power Agency estimates the project could provide about $2.5 million annually in net present value through capacity revenue, reduced transmission costs, and participation in real-time energy markets. Additional agreements related to operations and maintenance will come before the commission at a later date.
Lead line replacement project funding
Commissioners will consider a resolution committing local funding for street resurfacing associated with the city’s proposed Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) project.
The resolution does not approve the state loan itself. Instead, it commits the city to using Neighborhood Road Funding and its transportation millage to complete street resurfacing connected to lead service line replacement if the city receives DWSRF funding.
City officials say adopting the resolution could improve the city’s score during EGLE’s competitive funding process. The city submitted its project plan in April and is now revising its application before the state completes final scoring.
Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.
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