Whitehall City Council Recap – Nov. 25, 2025

The Whitehall City Council met Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. After approving the agenda and consent agenda—with minor corrections to previous minutes—the council moved into updates from the police chief, staff reports, significant discussions on park facilities, and several key resolutions.

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Consent Agenda & Financial Questions

Council approved minutes and accounts payable for the period ending Nov. 25, with the following clarifications:

• Engineering fees (Phase 3 tannery & pocket park): Staff explained that all invoices from Prein & Newhof are tracked against project budgets using an aging report before approval, ensuring the amounts were already reflected in prior financial estimates.
• Officer training costs: Members asked about a hotel reimbursement for Officer Travis B.S. Staff clarified the training itself was funded through a Department of Homeland Security grant; the city only paid lodging, and the course benefits officers beyond school liaison duties.
• Pocket park engineering line: Council confirmed the $23,000 in fees shown in accounts payable was indeed part of the running project total provided earlier.

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Chief’s Report: Code Enforcement, Major Calls & DHS Case

Police Chief Brandon Mahoney provided a detailed activity update covering Nov. 7–20:

• Officer-involved shooting response: On Nov. 7, Officer Kevin Numadore assisted deputies at an officer-involved shooting near the Comfort Inn. Numadore immediately rendered trauma care—including wound packing and tourniquet application—earning strong praise from responding deputies.
• Citywide rubbish & junk vehicle sweep: Conducted Nov. 14; 22 properties were cited, several with multiple violations. Most homeowners have already corrected issues. Residents typically receive a door notice first; follow-up occurs after 15 days.
• Homeland Security case: On Nov. 20, Detective Parsons assisted DHS with a search warrant involving interstate trafficking of child sexually abusive material. Federal charges are pending.
• Ongoing exploitation case: Parsons continues work on a complex case involving a vulnerable adult allegedly exploited by an in-home care provider.

Council noted the importance of respectful communication during enforcement and suggested avoiding major sweeps during the holiday period when possible.

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Council & Staff Messages

Holiday decorations:
Council praised the DPW for exceptional downtown holiday lighting, noting stronger community participation this year. Several members expressed interest in continuing to expand decorations corridor-wide, recalling historic displays extending to city limits.

Leaf pickup:
Members commended DPW crews for working efficiently despite aging equipment and frequent breakdowns of the city’s 1980s-era leaf vac trucks.

Board meeting times:
A councilmember requested that BLT (Brownfield/LDFA/TIFA) and other key boards consider moving to evening meetings for better public accessibility. The city manager will survey members and report back.

Community events:
The mayor reported:

• More than 200 high-achieving students were honored at the Whitehall High School Scholastic Awards, where he read the city’s proclamation.
• The senior Thanksgiving lunch at the senior center drew 76 attendees, with nearly all food prepared in-house by staff.
• After learning of Shelby’s recent $800,000 road grant, he contacted Rep. Kurt VanderWall, who agreed to meet with the city to discuss road funding possibilities.

No public comments were offered during the first comment period.

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Old Business – Goodrich Park & West Colby Promenade Facilities

Council revisited restroom planning related to the West Colby Promenade and Goodrich Park pavilion.

Restroom expansion not feasible

The architect informed the city that physically expanding the pavilion to include new restrooms would be difficult under modern building codes and would cost approximately $220,000, while eliminating needed storage—without meaningfully solving current restroom issues.

Council direction: renovate existing restrooms

Council reaffirmed a previously discussed approach:

• Gut and convert the two existing restrooms into two unisex/family-style ADA-friendly units.
• Add brighter lighting, refreshed finishes, and improved ventilation to address concerns that the current facilities are dark and damp.
• Maintain the existing storage room.
• Continue renting additional portable restrooms or restroom trailers during large events.

Prepare for future flexibility

Council also supported:

• Running water, sewer, and electrical to the planned West Colby restroom pad to accommodate trailer restrooms or future permanent facilities.
• Re-exploring shade options for the Goodrich Park stage area—less expensive than the originally proposed $150k+ structure, but more substantial than a pop-up tent. Members cited musician comfort, visibility for audiences, and consistency with splash-pad style shade sails.

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New Business

Resolution 25-38 — Authorized Signatures (Approved)

Council updated the city’s financial authorizations:

• Added: Mayor Tom Ziemer and Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Holmstrom
• Removed: Former Mayor Steve Salter
• Continuing: City Manager Dan and Treasurer/Finance Officer Crystal Budde

This routine update reflects recent leadership changes.

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Resolution 25-39 — Leaf Truck Purchase (Approved)

Faced with chronic breakdowns of the city’s aging fleet—two 1987 units and one 1997 unit—council approved the purchase of a new leaf vacuum truck.

Key points from the discussion:

• One truck has a hole in the engine block and is being cannibalized for parts.
• At times, only one truck has been operational; the newer shared unit with North Muskegon is also experiencing failures.
• Contracting leaf pickup would cost roughly $150/hour per unit—estimated $86k per season per truck—meaning self-operation provides long-term savings.
• Purchasing a new truck at approximately $286k avoids a 12–14 month wait for a custom build and comes with a 2-year unlimited-hours warranty.
• Council noted the importance of the leaf pickup program to residents and the cost-effectiveness of in-house service.

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Ordinance 21-02 Amendment — Traffic Enforcement via Local Ordinance (Approved)

Council approved a traffic-code amendment allowing many civil traffic infractions—such as stop-sign violations, speeding, and school-bus violations—to be written under local ordinance instead of 60th District Court.

Impacts:

• Drivers receive no Secretary of State points for violations handled locally.
• Fines are lower than district court amounts.
• The city keeps 100% of collected fines (instead of roughly one-third through district court).
• Serious or repeat violations can still be written under state law, triggering points and higher fines.

Staff will track administrative time and revenue during the first year.

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Public Comment – Roads

During the second public comment period, Ryan Brigel, local business owner and partner in Hardwood Flats Apartments, urged the city to prioritize Lake Street in upcoming road planning.

He noted:

• A significant stretch of Lake Street is part of the West Michigan Pike / Shoreline Trail, a regional tourism route.
• Conditions are especially poor between White Lake Drive and Main Street and the railroad trestle to NAPA.
• With new apartments and the approved amphitheater nearby, road conditions should match the level of investment in the corridor.

He thanked DPW for leaf pickup and complimented downtown holiday decorations.

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Closed Session

Council voted to enter closed session pursuant to MCL 15.243(1)(g) and MCL Section 8(h) to discuss attorney-client privileged material.
The mayor noted that no public decisions would follow; the only action after returning to open session would be adjournment.

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Next Steps

• Staff will bring restroom renovation options and shade proposals back to council.
• City manager will coordinate a road-funding discussion with Rep. VanderWall’s office.
• The new leaf truck order will proceed, with plans to rehabilitate the newer existing unit.
• Council will continue evaluating the traffic ordinance changes over the next year.

Whitehall City Council recap — Oct. 28, 2025

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