The City of Hart had five action items on the agenda for Wednesday, Nov. 12. Four were passed unanimously, including:
• The contracting of Mullen IT Services for the City with a “to not exceed” amount of $3,000 per fiscal year (Councilmember Andrew Mullen disclosed his conflict of interest and abstained from voting).
• The funding of budget training for city staff through Maner Costerian.
• Updating the city’s designated bank signers.
• The official hiring of Nichole Kleiner as city manager.
Of the hiring and her new role, Kleiner said. “I have gratefully accepted [the position] and am honored. I’m excited to get started.”
The fifth and most contentious item was the removal of the public Wi-Fi at Hart Commons. This follows when, earlier this summer, the city received notice from internet provider Spectrum Internet that someone had been using the public Wi-Fi to illegally download movies, putting the city at legal risk. The proposed resolution was to shut off the Wi-Fi until the city could purchase and install safeguarding software to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The chief defender of the continued service of the public Wi-Fi was Councilmember Jim Cunningham. “I don’t like to see a large group of people punished for the actions of one individual…I think it’s a tribute to Hart to have public Wi-Fi in a common area like that, and I would not like to see it removed.”
As an IT specialist, Mullen provided some insight on the service for which the city had been quoted a little over $9,000, which was a complete overhaul of the decade-old Wi-Fi infrastructure. Mullen assured the council that, if they were not prepared to spend the full amount, they could purchase and install the safety software for a lower price. The decision to remove the Wi-Fi was denied 6-1 (Councilmember Betty Root was the lone supporter), and a motion was made to table the decision until the next council meeting in December, which was supported unanimously.
There was also discussion surrounding the Veterans Memorial Park Project, which was first brought to the city five years ago by the Oceana Veterans Coalition. The project sought to rehabilitate the park, primarily replacing the engraved memorial bricks, which have weathered significantly since their initial installation. The city was awarded $300,000 by the DNR for the project - initially quoted at $994,000 - with the city expected to match the remaining $700,000. Unfortunately, in the last five years the city had been unable to find the $700K in its budget and has turned down the DNR’s funding after multiple extensions. While Kleiner voiced her regret that the funding had to be denied, she assured the council it would not reflect poorly on Hart, as other such municipalities have done the same countless times before with the same grant.
Still hopeful that one of the greatest concerns for the project, that of the memorial bricks, could still be addressed, the Veterans Coalition requested that the city fund half of the quoted $14,000 necessary to replace the bricks. Again, Kleiner was sad to inform that there was no room in the budget to accommodate the $7,000 request, however, the city would endeavor to make it a line item in future budgets, and that the project may be presented to the Hart Economic and Redevelopment Team for consideration.
Better news was provided in the City Manager’s Report, as the City of Hart has re-received its Redevelopment Ready Community Certification. This follows ongoing efforts from the council to create ordinances allowing greater diversity in residential housing developments. The new certification is valid for five years.
Also shared was the feedback received from the public meeting on Safe Routes to School, held Nov. 3. This meeting invited residents of the affected homes on the proposed Safe Route along South Plum Street and Cherry Avenue, adjacent to the cemetery, to comment. Many residents in attendance were deeply concerned about the proposed route, as the 10-foot-wide bike trail would affect many yards and driveways.
This sentiment was expressed, likewise, at public comment by Plum Street resident Steve Slimmen, who was not happy with the encroachment cutting off a third of his front yard and the inadequate notice he and his neighbors received prior to the meeting. “This is only concerning because… we were never notified, and now we are told we have no say in what happens to our property,” he stated. Slimmen also questioned the actual safety of the “Safe Route,” as the path was not lit, is partially through the woods and there is no clear answer of whether it will be plowed during the winter. “If it’s not [safe], then it's a lie, and they're just making the Hart-Montague Bike Trail try to connect with Pentwater.”
