[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6469550,"mediaKeyId","5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09","parentId",5780790,"title","Petoskey council debates moving Fourth of July fireworks to break wall over visibility, safety and cleanup concerns","audioSeconds",801,"startMs",1259000,"endMs",2060000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09&start=1259&end=2060","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09/thumbnail_1259000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6469550/Petoskey-City/Emmet-County/Michigan/Petoskey-council-debates-moving-Fourth-of-July-fireworks-to-break-wall-over-visibility-safety-and-cleanup-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469550-6d15f4f483cc350a0c020caf6c5234c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157831&Signature=U1Rgyr7Wn~vrbI8v4nsG90--KHrd2IVAs4-~EzKr6hA3taPKC5-YWqoYAAiV1WpHcPlH84iRUdl1MAYovG~nVmDU9CFodM5yIg4-XWwPvUyBKBtxpCh~x1qEups0LapXyW0zUPF16LIpEcPNEXCDaH55YIohd8Av3QB9-MMK-bAqx5CmnLBg8GUky1lrQljtwhvKtlqzTW9xMvI30cT4-5iGc-X4FI0o~VDgZr68YmrgmPPCVSeBAg2JyKmvDXeVGHNSH-HJFvnoIQOvB4hS1WWePvwy8J-oeRMFF~lEP~CFwS2eYFjIDSsARfKyq~D1ZsKcYGoOfsuRxiY19ZKBQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Petoskey","date","2025-09-17T00:05:59.367Z","article","Petoskey City Council on Sept. 15 discussed whether to move the city's July Fourth fireworks display from its traditional location to the municipal break wall for the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.

City Manager Shane Horn said moving the fireworks \"out to the break wall\" could allow the vendor to use larger shells and make the display more visible across the bay, but it would require closing the break wall and adjacent trail on one of the busiest summer weekends. Horn also noted public‑safety concerns: \"The other potential issue that public safety potentially sees is if the wind is coming out of... the marina here — we're concerned about any sort of embers or debris kind of getting into a boat or damaging any sort of equipment around the marina area.\"

Several councilmembers and public commenters supported exploring the option while flagging environmental and access concerns. Councilmember Walker told the council she worried about plastics and non‑biodegradable debris landing in the water, citing that fireworks \"are primarily manufactured in China... a lot of plastic is landing in the water because what goes up must come down.\" She noted that other nearby communities shoot from barges but said that practice does not automatically make it the right choice for Petoskey.

Members of the Petoskey Youth Advisory Council and other residents described how they use the break wall year‑round — some as a vantage point for fireworks, others for swimming and jumping off the wall. Youth council member Ayla Shields said the break wall is \"a great view\" but also stressed safety for people on boats and the cleanup implications.

Public comment included a request from a parks user for staff to study an outdoor rink cooling system at the Winter Sports Park to preserve ice days as summers warm; that request was separate but came during discussion of parks planning.

No decision: Council did not take a final vote on the proposal. Horn said the city would need engineering sign‑off and input from the Petoskey Fourth Committee and that staff could explore options such as a plan A/plan B to keep the current site as a backup if wind or marine conditions make the break wall unsafe. Councilmembers asked staff to research debris containment measures used in places that launch from water, such as booms or debris boats, and to return with further analysis.

Why it matters: The discussion balances public‑safety, environmental and access concerns with a desire to present a more visible, larger fireworks display for a major anniversary. Any change to location would require permits, public‑safety planning and temporary closures of popular public spaces.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 09.15.25","oneSentenceSummary","Council heard staff and public feedback on a proposal to shift fireworks to the municipal break wall for better sightlines and larger shells; concerns included marina safety, debris in the bay and closure of a heavily used public walkway. No formal vote was taken.","taxTitle","Petoskey City, Emmet County, Michigan","taxId",53868,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6469556,"Votes at a glance: Petoskey council actions on Sept. 15 — appointments, ordinance, CIP and traffic orders",3149,761000,3910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09&start=761&end=3910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09/thumbnail_761000.jpg","/articles/6469556/Petoskey-City/Emmet-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-Petoskey-council-actions-on-Sept-15-appointments-ordinance-CIP-and-traffic-orders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469556-fdffa63e359a5f876a478d04816c8bdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157831&Signature=ggUyAn225qIq-r7SJ5FRZ1m1J45CgY0DhtkBpfnkjWYLM36LODe6EhVSMuC5DuNGtDlW5S1JG143l2o9nSIYIEzdVr19-4HeTGdihZi9A5IUYMEtOsCoOq7TaMr2xsnzNO788mohVI6OHJfqPunG8XyHrLBdGegi6jOPEyxwiur8b7xkD422fsBrLYNJiiDtWGeVVQ7ytkYa6T5d3Ebbp4TgJFpmbHoN7~~OzKixOHODVa2S3JfIORRTQTSJdNcVm-AUEZgKghugvSVAgq-sJBOR~e7tVnB8cp96grTvhqO7ovWnO6O6ydf9ZCj1Lyv-xmdOZ9y3OLTh4EYLH3aXew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Petoskey City Council completed a set of formal votes at its Sept. 15 meeting. All recorded roll‑call votes reported in the meeting passed unanimously by 5–0. Key outcomes and motion details are summarized below.

Consent agenda
- Action: Approval of the consent agenda (minutes for Aug. 12 special joint session, Aug. 18 regular session and closed session minutes; administrative vehicle purchases shown on the agenda).
- Motion: Approve the consent agenda.
- Mover/Second: Mr. Shields / Mr. Moore.
- Vote: 5–0 (DeMour; Shields; Nobtrough; Moore; Walker).
- Note: Council discussed the vehicle purchases and public works explanation that the vehicles were procured via the MyDeal procurement program at projected discounted pricing.

Appointments (planning commission and zoning board of appeals)
- Carolyn Dittmeier — reappointment to the Planning Commission.
- Motion: Approve reappointment.
- Mover/Second: Ms. Walker / Ms. DeMour.
- Vote: 5–0.

- Reg (Stafford) Smith — appointment to the Planning Commission to replace a resigning member.
- Motion: Approve appointment.
- Mover/Second: Ms. DeMour / Mr. Shields.
- Vote: 5–0.

- Ernie Roush — appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals to replace a long‑serving member.
- Motion: Approve appointment.
- Mover/Second: Mr. Shields / Ms. Walker.
- Vote: 5–0.

Dangerous buildings ordinance (second reading and adoption)
- Action: Adoption of a proposed ordinance updating the city's dangerous building code, adding enforcement tools and cost‑recovery mechanisms for abatement of hazardous and blighted structures.
- Motion: Adopt the dangerous buildings ordinance.
- Mover/Second: Mr. Nobtrough / Mr. Moore.
- Vote: 5–0.
- Note: City Manager Shane Horn summarized that the ordinance is intended to \"put some more teeth and more tools in our code enforcement toolbox\" and to allow the city to recover expenses when property owners fail to abate dangerous conditions. Members of the public urged faster enforcement on several vacant downtown properties during the public comment period.

Capital Improvement Plan (2026–2031) — amended adoption
- See separate article for full coverage. Motion passed 5–0; mover: Mr. Nobtrough; second: Ms. DeMour.

Traffic order: William Street no‑parking designation
- Action: Adopt resolution confirming a traffic order to prohibit parking on the west side of William Street (between Mitchell and Lake Streets).
- Motion: Adopt traffic order resolution.
- Mover/Second: Mr. Moore / Ms. Walker.
- Vote: 5–0.
- Intent: Council and staff described repeated congestion complaints on that block and said enforcement and signage will follow.

MPPA energy program resolution
- Action: Authorize the city to enter into a project participation agreement with the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA) for clean energy and energy‑waste‑reduction programming (fiscal years 2026–2029).
- Motion: Adopt resolution authorizing MPPA participation.
- Mover/Second: Ms. Walker / Mr. Shields.
- Vote: 5–0.
- Funding/fees: Program is funded by a surcharge on electric utility bills; staff said the program has historically been self‑supported and that the required annual target for energy savings was increased by state law.

ARPA / local fiscal recovery funds amendment
- Action: Approve a second amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with Emmet County to extend and use Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA) for an identified maintenance project at the Winter Sports Park lodge.
- Motion: Authorize the city manager to execute the second amendment.
- Mover/Second: Mr. Nobtrough / Mr. Moore.
- Vote: 5–0.

What this means: Council moved several implementation items forward — traffic safety, energy program participation, appointments and a new dangerous‑building enforcement ordinance — and unanimously adopted an amended CIP after removing a single large pavilion allocation pending final bids. Several of the adopted measures will be implemented administratively by staff; others (notably the Winter Sports Park funding) will return to council for further review once bids and additional data are available.","The council recorded a series of unanimous votes Tuesday, including appointments to planning and zoning boards, adoption of a dangerous‑building ordinance and a traffic order restricting parking on William Street. A consolidated summary of motions, movers, and vote tallies follows.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6469560,"Petoskey council adopts 2026–2031 capital plan but removes Winter Sports Park from 2026 pending final bids",3234,3159000,6393000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09&start=3159&end=6393","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780790-cc67ffd4db356bfd55494d9485f83e09/thumbnail_3159000.jpg","/articles/6469560/Petoskey-City/Emmet-County/Michigan/Petoskey-council-adopts-20262031-capital-plan-but-removes-Winter-Sports-Park-from-2026-pending-final-bids","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469560-bc95cc94a9c3abadc3f7ed5ef2eede82/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157831&Signature=YGZsn2qD0TW5umo-4app3yRgt441LgZONhYQDX6rMu149-07r14WjM3UixvM23O0Lejwcl4-k8gKKVEUJ6Lw97i7CNH3q4iSSNLABNzM~kuzTDYx7deoIRan1aRzZK5QUXAH-~iOyARyJfhaKne8D~-tqEjIayEGhMEg8bcudqi9JI8Yq4ITSqGzqGudCb~o2XgTOypE8seQgZhjouDPAdLtWa2tBEWLyxlxQ9p1Tbk21PVLFmAHzsqL2ufYp8W6hyYXrhQsoQcSKMTwf7NlLZLlC~dQSrL2AqVkyV0lNkBcTVh23TXOMc0TPUp9d6jqU7NqfBpyz03x2IexBylthA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Petoskey City Council on Sept. 15 approved a revised 2026–2031 capital improvement plan (CIP) but removed the $2.9 million Winter Sports Park pavilion allocation from the 2026 column until final bids are received.

City Manager Shane Horn told the council that the first year of the CIP is the most critical because those amounts feed directly into next year’s operating budget. He said the city has begun a master‑planning process for the Winter Sports Park and that staff does not yet have final bid numbers for the pavilion. \"One option would be to consider this capital improvement plan without the Winter Sports Park component at this point,\" Horn said, adding that staff could return with detailed numbers at the council’s November meeting.

Why it matters: Council members said they wanted to activate capital reserves but avoid locking in a large line item without confirmed construction costs. Council adopted an amendment that (1) excludes the Winter Sports Park pavilion allocation from the 2026 budget pending bid results, (2) moves a modular street‑barrier public‑safety purchase into 2026, and (3) lowers an originally proposed $100,000 TIFA allocation for the dog park to $50,000 and moves it to parks general. Council also left a $300,000 allocation for Riverbend skatepark repairs in the plan; staff said bids and vendor quotes support that figure.

Council discussion focused on balancing near‑term safety and maintenance needs against large, multi‑year projects. Horn said the city can phase some projects — for example, placing conduit during street reconstruction and installing major equipment later — to reduce near‑term general fund impacts. He also noted the city has incurred unanticipated storm cleanup costs this year and is pursuing FEMA reimbursement that could cover about 75% of those expenses.

Councilmembers debated the Little Traverse Wheelway slope restoration, a project that previous consultant work estimated at roughly $20 million. Several councilmembers urged staff to pursue lower‑cost alternatives — including cantilevered boardwalk options above the highway or more limited repairs — and to seek state legislative support. \"I don't think we always have to do the gold platinum standard,\" Councilmember Shields said, urging alternatives that still address safety.

Public input: Residents and Youth Advisory Council members told council they value waterfront views and public access but raised concerns about safety, the amount of shoreline closed for events and environmental cleanup if fireworks are moved offshore. Several speakers urged timely repairs to the Riverbend skatepark and expressed support for moving certain safety projects earlier in the CIP.

Formal action taken: Councilmember Nobtrough moved to approve the 2026–2031 CIP with the amendments described above; Councilmember DeMour seconded. The roll call vote was 5–0 in favor.

Implementation notes: Staff will (a) remove the Winter Sports Park pavilion allocation from the 2026 column and return with final bid numbers at the November meeting; (b) advance the modular barrier purchase into 2026 so the city can use it at farmers markets and other events; (c) move $50,000 for the dog park to parks general instead of TIFA and pursue community fundraising for additional elements; and (d) keep the $300,000 Riverbend skatepark allocation in the CIP for 2026 while staff refines scope and phasing.

What’s next: Horn said staff can return to council with updated numbers in early November and that the city will monitor state and federal funding developments that could affect CIP priorities.","City Council approved a revised 2026–2031 capital improvement plan Tuesday, moving a modular barrier safety project into 2026, trimming one dog‑park allocation and deferring the Winter Sports Park pavilion funding until bids are received. Council voted 5–0 on the amended plan.","actionData","errors"]

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Petoskey council debates moving Fourth of July fireworks to break wall over visibility, safety and cleanup concerns

Votes at a glance: Petoskey council actions on Sept. 15 — appointments, ordinance, CIP and traffic orders

Petoskey council adopts 2026–2031 capital plan but removes Winter Sports Park from 2026 pending final bids