City Commission

Lindsay Howes, Three Rivers city clerk, plans to announce her resignation from the position in order to take a job working for St. Joseph County. A four-member interview committee has chosen Howes to serve as St. Joseph County grant writer, a job vacant since Marcia Saunders left the post in April 2011. Howes’ appointment to the job is contingent on …

Members of the White Pigeon Village Council took a look ahead to 2013 and, during their December meeting, identified areas they hope to address in the coming 12 months. Council President Dan Czajkowski (chi-KOW-ski), said the projects ranged from painting the exterior of the village’s water tower and park improvements, to curb and building repairs, and reviewing and enforcing signage …

Wednesday’s snowfall was substantial enough to begin the 2013 White Pigeon Snowman-Building contest. Event organizers said if conditions don’t change too drastically, the competition will continue through next week. Judging will take place through photos emailed to box_art@hotmail.com. White Pigeon Village Trustee Shireen Cline, who has been a key organizer of the event, said a number of categories exist and …

Deputy Sgt. Geoffrey Smith of the Sturgis Police Department and deputy fire chief Andrew Strudwick have announced the city’s fire department has improved its ISO rating from a Class 6 to a Class 4. In a recent presentation before members of the city commission, Smith and Strudwick said the Class 4 status makes the Sturgis Fire Department one of 87 …

The Sturgis City Commission last week adopted the focus areas and goals for Sturgis 2022. The two focus areas – A Great Place to Do Business and A Community of Choice – have nine total goals which cover many of the areas presented during our feedback process this summer. Among those goals are declarations such as Sturgis will be: A …

Local organizations supporting arts and cultural events in Sturgis could benefit from a so-called “round-up” program being mulled by municipal officials. Discussed in 2011 and raised again earlier this month, the round-up idea would give Sturgis residents the option of increasing to the nearest dollar their future utility bills. The difference between the bill’s balance and nearest dollar would benefit …

A Three Rivers-based construction company was chosen to serve as contractor of the city’s downtown Mural Mall renovation. Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners last week approved a $776,000 bid for Brussee/Brady Inc. to perform the task that will include concrete and lighting work. Funding for the project comes from a city contribution of $190,000, being complemented by a $750,000 state …

Action on a potential change to when commissioner elections take place was postponed by Sturgis municipal officials last week. A public hearing was slated to take place Wednesday, based on a bill under consideration at the time in the Michigan State Legislature. The bill would allow cities that currently elect their councils or commissions in odd-numbered years, as the city …

Progress is being made on the long-awaited U.S. 131 bypass around the village of Constantine. Village President Pat Weiss last week told village council members she attended a Dec. 11 meeting that included about three dozen representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation and a team of representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency. Weiss said MDOT confirmed it has acquired …

The threat of the season’s first snowstorm prompted officials from the city of Sturgis to issue a media release regarding municipal snow removal. Snowfalls between less than one inch and three inches will be treated with applications of deicers and plowing. Depending on the amount of snow, measures may include plowing of intersections, major streets and/or local streets. Snowfalls of …