City Commission

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 …

Mayor Tom Lowry and members of the Three Rivers City Commission are expected to field bid recommendations for the downtown Mural Mall project when they assemble at 6 o’clock tonight. The commission’s last meeting of the year also includes matters related to change orders at the city’s clean water plant. Today’s meeting takes place at city hall.

The Sturgis City Commission recently approved the five-year renewal of its curbside recycling with an Indiana-based company. The arrangement with Borden Waste-Away of Elkhart continues an agreement reached in 2008 and it maintains the $1.92-per-household unit price. The city pays for the curbside recycling program with a state-authorized surcharge of $2 per month, collected annually on the summer tax bill. …

Three Rivers City Manager Joe Bippus said he and a group of municipal representatives received a warm welcome from American Axle Manufacturing officials during a goodwill visit last week to the company’s Detroit-based headquarters. Bippus said the scheduled meeting provided an opportunity to thank AAM President David Dauch for the company’s commitment to Three Rivers. The Three Rivers facility is …