Whitehall City Council recap — Oct. 28, 2025

Meeting basics: The Whitehall City Council met Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. After amending and approving the agenda, the council moved through a packed night of presentations, public hearing, and multiple resolutions.

Highlights & actions

• Community Garden’s first-year report:
  Amber Marks delivered a year-end update for the Whitehall Community Garden. After final approval in May, the garden opened by early July and produced 20+ varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. A community survey with 56 responses showed 90% felt the garden had a positive impact.
  • Donations totaled ~$2,500 in materials; only $185 of the city’s $1,000 allocation was used.
  • 25+ volunteers helped in 2025; 40+ more have expressed interest for 2026.
  • Events ranged from children’s field trips to salsa-making and a donor appreciation dinner (30+ attendees).
  • Over winter, organizers plan to pursue nonprofit status and will launch a donated website/Google Suite to centralize info, RSVPs, and volunteer signups. A 2026 proposal is expected early next year.
    Council members praised the effort and asked for a newsletter blurb in spring.
• Public hearing — Election Cycle Change:
  Council opened and closed a public hearing to formalize its shift to even-year elections. The change, permitted by state law without a charter amendment, extends current terms by one year and aligns future city contests with major elections to boost turnout and reduce costs.
• Consent agenda approved:
  Minutes (Oct. 10 special & Oct. 14 work session) and accounts payable were approved. During discussion, members asked for clearer reporting on Playhouse finances; audit results are expected in roughly four weeks. Questions were also raised about dental coverage lines (Delta Dental vs. Priority Health).
• Council & staff messages:
  • Deer management: Early reports from permitted hunters on city property are sparse; staff will follow up for harvest data.
  • Senior dinner: Council and staff lauded last week’s dinner at the Montague Senior Center; turnout was estimated between 40–50 and the meal was prepared in-house.
  • Leaves: City leaf pickup runs Oct. 27–Nov. 2
  • Speed signs: Two additional radar feedback signs were installed on Lake Street and Colby.
  • Flock cameras: No action at this time; city will watch how nearby small communities implement them.
  • State funding note: A councilmember relayed a conversation with Rep. Kurt VanderWall’s office indicating increased marijuana revenue and a potential separate state roads package could improve local road funding.
  • New equipment: A sidewalk snowblower arrived at DPW; staff highlighted its versatility with multiple attachments.
• Public comment:
  Residents requested that names and topics of speakers be listed in meeting minutes for transparency, praised a DPW crew member who waited so a homeowner could finish raking before vacuum pickup, and asked about storm-debris collection timelines. A Muskegon city commissioner introduced himself and announced a 2026 State Senate bid (District 32).

Old business

• West Colby project — scope review headed to work session:
  Council agreed to reopen discussion of scope for the previously awarded West Colby improvement project (contractor: Clifford Buck). Staff will resend line-item bid tabs; council will use an upcoming work session to consider reductions or changes before mobilization.

New business

• Committee to explore community center at former Whitehall location of White Lake United Methodist Church (Spring & Division):
  Council authorized forming a committee to explore a lease or other arrangement for the former United Methodist church at 117 S. Division as a community center (with senior programming as a component).
  • Rationale discussed: building includes a commercial kitchen (potential for Meals on Wheels prep, community dinners), possible space for AgeWell or other service partners, room for a food pantry (possibly moving the food pantry at Lebanon Lutheran) , and possible garden space; property lies within the TIFA district, which may open funding options.
  • Membership and structure (city, neighboring municipalities, church representatives, service providers) will be developed; this is an exploratory effort only.
• Resolution 25-31 — Election Cycle Change: Approved.
  Moves city elections to even years beginning after the 2025 election (next regular city election: 2028).
• Resolution 25-34 — Authorized Signatures: Approved.
  Adds the new city treasurer to the list of authorized signatories.
• Resolution 25-35 — Capital Improvements & Municipal Securities Notice: Approved.
  Starts the 45-day notice/comment period to issue up to $8.5 million in capital-improvement bonds. The city manager plans to use Local Community Stabilization Act revenue (LCSA, personal-property tax replacement) to cover annual debt service (estimated just under $1M/year over 10 years), preserving road millage and utility funds for additional work.
  Projects referenced for this funding include:
  • Portions of West Colby
  • Lake Street lift station/forcemain and resurfacing
  • Industrial Park resurfacing
  • A full rebuild in the Town area (water/sewer/surface)
    Staff emphasized this bond accelerates the master plan; road millage projects continue in parallel.

Final notes

• Multiple members and the mayor thanked Councilmember Steve Sikkenga (who did not seek re-election) for his years of service, institutional knowledge, and steady presence on both council and the planning commission.
• A resident urged caution that any community-center arrangement fairly balances costs among all benefiting jurisdictions.

Next steps: Watch for the work session on West Colby scope, the 45-day bond notice period, and the new committee’s initial fact-finding on the church property. Leaf pickup continues through Nov. 23.

Whitehall City Council Recap — October 15, 2025