March 17, 2025 City Commission Action Summary

Published on March 17, 2025

At its meeting on March 17, 2025, the City Commission took the following actions. You can watch the meeting online here. You can review the official agenda and detailed reports and documents related to each agenda item (beyond what is provided below) here.     

Consent Agenda (G)

The City Commission approved items G1-18:

1. Approval of a sole source purchase with Consumers Energy for the design and installation of 3-phase power at the Farmers Market Multipurpose Building in the amount of $103,008.50.
2. Approval of a professional service agreement with Stantec for water rate and water financial consulting services in the amount of $109,915.
3. Approval of a contract extension with Earth Works Lawn and Landscape for 13 and 26 Frequency 2025 Property Mowing in the amount of $168,760.
4. Approval of a contract extension with Kendall Electric Inc for inventory and non- inventory electrical supplies in the amount of $250,000.
5. Approval of a sole source purchase with Collier Geophysics, LLC for Airborne Transient Electromagnetic (ATEM) surveys of five City of Kalamazoo Wellfields properties in the amount of $277,006.
6. Approval of a contract extension with Monoform LLC for Manhole Rehabilitation by Lining in the amount of $930,870.
7. Adoption of a RESOLUTION authorizing the submission of a State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application in the amount of $500,000; and commit $500,000 in match funding as well as $326,400 in additional funding to complete the grant scope for projects at Milham Park.
8. Adoption of a RESOLUTION authorizing the submission of a State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant application in the amount of $400,000; and commit $667,600 in match funding as well as $182,500 in additional resources to complete the grant scope for projects at Milham Park.
9. Adoption of a RESOLUTION authorizing the submission of a State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport grant application in the amount of $150,000; and commit $318,700 in match funding as well as $92,600 in additional funding to complete the grant scope for projects at Milham Park.
10. Approval of an extension with the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County for 2025 township manhole adjustments and casting replacements in accordance with the open-term Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County in the amount of $358,900.
11. Approval of the fourth amendment to the services agreement between the City of Kalamazoo and United Way of South Central Michigan for the reallocation of existing funding.
12. Approval of a Housing Development Fund grant agreement with Community Homeworks for the Code Enforcement Repair Program in the amount of $138,000  
13. Acceptance of a 2024 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) award in the amount of $109,768 from the U.S. Department of Justice to purchase mobile video recording equipment for front-line patrol vehicles; and approval of a budget amendment.
14. Approval of the following nominations for appointment and reappointment to the Foundation of Excellence Board of Directors: - the re-appointment of Jamauri Bogan as an At-Large Director for a three-year term ending on May 31, 2028. - the re-appointment of Mary Balkema as Housing Stakeholder Director for a three-year term ending on May 31, 2028. - the appointment of Reverend Christine Westbury as Faith-Based Organization Stakeholder Director for a three-year term ending on May 31, 2028. - the appointment of Sarah Drumm as Neighborhood Stakeholder Director (Vine) for a three-year term ending on May 31, 2028.
15. Approval of the following appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions: - the reappointment of Tiyanna Williams to the Community Development Act Advisory Committee as an at-large member for a term expiring March 31, 2028. - the appointment of Jacquelyn Hobson to the Community Development Act Advisory Committee as the Edison Neighborhood Representative for a term expiring March 31, 2028. - the appointment of Vivian Segovia-Perez to the Community Development Act Advisory Committee as an at-large member for a term expiring March 31, 2028. - the reappointment of Don Cooney to the Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo Organizing Committee for a term expiring on March 31, 2028. - the reappointment of Brenda Hughes to the Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo Organizing Committee for a term expiring on March 31, 2028.
16. Approval of the Mayor's reappointment and appointments to the following boards: - the reappointment of Kwame Gyimah to the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Economic Growth Authority Boards of Directors for terms expiring on March 31, 2029. - the appointment of Rick Searing to the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Economic Growth Authority Boards of Directors for terms expiring on March 31, 2029. - the appointment of Trisha Kidd to the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Economic Growth Authority Boards of Directors for terms expiring on March 31, 2029. - the appointment of Stanley Steppes to the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Economic Growth Authority Boards of Directors for terms expiring on March 31, 2028. - the reappointment of Kiar Gamsho to the Northside Cultural Business District Authority Board of Directors for a term expiring on March 31, 2030. - the reappointment of Damian Henderson to the Northside Cultural Business District Authority Board of Directors for a term expiring on March 31, 2030. - the reappointment of Ricky Thrash to the Northside Cultural Business District Authority Board of Directors for a term expiring on March 31, 2030. - the reappointment of Mitchell Curtiss to the Planning Commission for a term expiring on March 31, 2028. - the appointment of Zack Wilson to the Planning Commission for a term expiring on March 31, 2028. - the appointment of Thomas Kostrzewa to the Planning Commission for a term expiring on March 31, 2028.
17. Approval of an easement contract with Consumers Energy for Henderson Park to upgrade the electrical facilities at 1505 Grand Avenue.
18. Adoption of the following actuarial assumptions for the City of Kalamazoo Pension and Other Post Employment Benefit Plan (OPEB) plans: 1) Investment Return: 7.25%; 2) Administrative Expenses: 0.75% of payroll; 3) Wage Inflation: 3.50%; 4) Price Inflation: 2.25%; 5) Update proposed demographic assumption changes and 6) Amortization Period: No Change.