Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission

The Three Rivers City Commission will meet Tuesday, July 7, at Three Rivers City Hall for a regular business meeting. Commissioners will hear a presentation from SAFEbuilt, consider purchasing two ambulances for about $600K, consider approval of a $250K reimbursement request to the state, and consider adopting the International Property Maintenance Code instead of the city’s current City Code.

Watershed Voice will livestream the meeting on its Facebook page and upload to Youtube shortly after.

SAFEbuilt presentation

During the presentations portion of the meeting, SAFEbuilt, an outside firm that handles much of the city’s building inspection and construction-related work, will give a presentation. The company is presenting per the request of Mayor Angel Johnston and Commissioner Lucas Allen who together requested City Manager Joe Bippus put the item on the agenda. Johnston said the presentation would give SAFEbuilt an opportunity to address concerns she has heard from residents about the company’s conduct, responsiveness, and work throughout the city.

The city paid SAFEbuilt $64,323 for work in the month of June, according to city documents.

New ambulances

Commissioners will decide on the purchase of two new ambulances being requested by the Fire Department. The department is requesting two Demers MXP170 Type I 4×4 ambulances through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program. The new ambulances would replace two “aging frontline units to improve reliability and maintain emergency medical services,” according to the agenda packet. 

Commissioners will also decide whether to trade in the existing ambulances — which city documents say would lower the purchase price by $7,000 — or authorize their sale separately. 

Without the trade-in, commissioners would consider purchasing the ambulances for $606,982 and approving a $6,982 budget amendment to cover the amount above the $600,000 budgeted in the FY 2027 Capital Projects Budget of the Ambulance Enterprise Fund.

$250K storm reimbursement

Commissioners will also decide whether to apply for State Disaster Contingency Fund assistance through the Michigan State Police for damages from the March 2026 tornado. The application seeks up to $250K in tornado costs. Approval of the resolution by the commission is a required step in the process, and would authorize the city to execute the necessary documents. 

International Property Maintenance Code 

Commissioners will decide whether to switch how property maintenance is regulated. The city currently does so through provisions contained within the City Code, however, is considering adopting the International Property Maintenance Code which provides a “comprehensive, nationally recognized set of minimum standards governing the maintenance of existing residential and commercial structures and premises,” according to city documents. If commissioners approve the introduction Tuesday, a public hearing would be held August 3 before final adoption.

Other business

In other business, commissioners will consider changing the Housing Board bylaws to allow fewer city residents to serve on the board. As currently written, the housing board does not have the required number of city residents, however, the city attorney is recommending making a temporary 2021 provision — which allows for fewer city residents to serve on the board — a permanent one since the board has “city staff on it and experts in construction and real estate along with residents. This is a good mix of professionals to oversee the program,” city documents state. 

If commissioners approve the bylaw changes, they will then decide whether to adopt the bylaw amendment and transfer 124 Middle Street to the Housing Corporation.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.