WHITEHALL — After some discussion, the Whitehall city council took no action on a proposal from the city's police department to participate in a 60-day free trial of Flock traffic cameras, allowing the trial to go forward.
The original proposal would have approved the payment of an $18,000 annual fee - $3,000 per camera - for the use of six Flock traffic cameras. Flock cameras are pole-mounted and stationary and are able to capture license plate information and store it in a secure database, allowing law enforcement agencies to locate suspects.
Several area municipalities have fielded the free trial offer from Flock in recent months; the Village of Shelby is adding a camera where State and First streets intersect with Michigan Avenue, while Rothbury turned down the free trial.
Detective lieutenant Brandon Mahoney said there are about 60 such cameras in use in Muskegon County, mostly in southern jurisdictions. He added that along with communication with other jurisdictions, the Flock system recently helped locate a suspect who was participating in a fraud scheme that targeted HarborLight Credit Union. Council member Jeff Holmstrom, a former first responder himself, said in his experience, these "retail fraud rings" are becoming more commonplace and would be among the most likely suspects to be identified by the Flock cameras due to their travel.
However, the council did not want to commit to the annual fee without knowing where it fit into the overall city budget, for which a work session and public hearing will take place later this month. The free trial is permitted to go forward, and if the council determines it wants to pay for use of the cameras after the trial, a budget amendment could be brought forward. Mahoney said if the city does not purchase the service, Flock would remove the cameras.
Council member Tom Ziemer said he did not see the need for six traffic cameras for a city this size, and council member Scott Brown said he would prefer to see the Flock costs as part of the police department budget before determining approval.
On the topic of budget hearings, the council set a May 19 work session regarding the city budget at 5 p.m., to precede a May 27 public hearing that will be part of the regular council meeting. There was some discussion of moving the date, as both mayor Steven Salter and Brown will be out of town May 19, but no other date between Tuesday and May 27 worked for all members of council either. Salter said he and Brown would be able to provide their input on the budget by email with council members and city manager Scott Huebler. Brown dissented on the 6-1 vote to approve the dates.
The council unanimously approved a change to parking regulations in the city with regard to River Street. Upon a resident's complaint about parking being prohibited on River between the intersection with Franklin and the end of the street, police chief Roger Squiers said he was unable to find a compelling reason for the requirement. The city will instead prohibit parking only within a 30-foot radius of a fire hydrant on River, pursuant to state law.
Other actions taken by council included unanimous approval of a revised Muskegon County Hazard Mitigation Plan and of an American Legion Poppy Day fundraiser to take place Friday, June 13.
The council also again fielded a presentation from Amber Marks, who is pitching the council on the creation of a community garden. Marks is seeking city approval for use of the former tennis courts adjacent to city hall, as well as its water spigot for watering the garden. Erin Wehr, the executive director of a new nonprofit in the area, Servant Musician, registered her support for the venture, saying, "We believe the garden has the power to unite neighbors, create safe and nurturing spaces, and provide hands-on opportunities for healing and civic engagement."
The support from Wehr, Marks said, opens up new opportunities for funding through Wehr's experience in grant writing. She said she is pursuing a grant from Walmart, as well as other grants.
As for the garden, Marks hasn't finalized a layout yet, but said her favorite of a few proposed options would take up a 32 feet by 48 feet area - about half the tennis courts - and comprise 40 boxes, which would be raised slightly higher than ground level and would be protected by fencing. The total cost of that layout would be $3,664.81, which Marks hopes to secure through donations and grants.
The council did not take any action on the garden proposal, but appeared unanimous in their support of the idea in concept; it was noted the area is not currently being used in any way. Salter said he and the council would have to consult the city Department of Public Works and attorney Will Meier to ensure all potential issues are dealt with before issuing a formal approval. He further suggested that Marks and her partners consult with city clerk Brenda Bourdon and Meier about their garden plan.
