From budget documents, the city anticipates $6,109,828 in revenues and $5,975,597 in expenditures in 2012. This leaves a $134,231 operating fund balance. Under the umbrella of Public Safety, the city’s police and fire departments have a budget of 2,813,084, which includes grants received by both departments and is roughly 47% of the city’s total expenditures.
Read MoreThe changing of the guard on the Muskegon Heights City Council includes several changes in the coming weeks. Among them, the position of mayor pro tem will change. As the top recipient of votes in this year’s election, mayor pro tem will pass to councilwoman Sims from its current holder, councilman Watson, effective immediately for the next year. In one year, Patrice Johnson will take the reins, having received the second highest vote tally.
Read MoreAndrew Trzaska | November 9, 2011 Vote numbers certified by the Muskegon County Clerk’s office, with all precincts reporting. (i)
Read MoreRunning for three Council seats, four candidates spoke about economic development, neighborhood involvement, transit in the city and the community’s connection to city hall. Their answers, as well as paraphrased versions of the questions (or groups of similar questions) can be found below.
Read MoreBefore Monday’s full council meeting, City Manager Natasha revisited the four focus areas the council defined in a planning workshop at the start of their 2011 fiscal year in January: fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, blight elimination and marketing. Tying into the marketing goal, Henderson spoke about economic development of the city and recommended the council assess their visions of the future of the city from an economic development perspective.
Read MoreBudget-to-actual expense documents obtained this week from the city indicate that three quarters of the way through the city’s fiscal year, the city’s expenses are only at approximately 66.3% of the year’s budget, below the expected 75% benchmark.
Read MoreThe wetland area in question begins behind the former Chi Chi’s/Red Dragon BBQ site and nearby mobile home park and stretches westward to near Peninsula Drive, where the City of Norton Shores begins.
Read MoreWhile the city bills its residents for sewer services, it must pay that money forward to the countywide wastewater system. When the county elected to increase rates for use of its wastewater system, cities and townships across the county must now consider finding a way to pay for it.
Read MoreNext Tuesday’s deadline to file to run for Mayor or City Council of Muskegon Heights is fast approaching. At 4 p.m. on August 16, no more candidacies will be accepted for the three city council positions plus mayor, all of which will be voted on this November.
Read MoreJager said good prior performance, the need for competing water systems to keep prices down, and even questionable financial strength of any one city or the county as reasons for keeping the Heights plant under Heights control.
Read MoreAs a component of the plan, Muskegon Heights’ plant would give up control of the operation of the plant. In return, Muskegon would pay the Muskegon Heights $1.2 million per year for 5 years, paying a total of $6 million to take full operational control of the plant. Muskegon Heights, however, would retain ownership of the plant itself and the waterfront land it sits on.
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